John Grout (c.1643 – 25 July 1697) was an American colonial military figure and
selectman for
Sudbury, Massachusetts for thirty years.
Biography
John Grout was born in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
but immigrated to Massachusetts during the
Puritan migration to New England (1620-1640) and soon became acquainted with governor
John Winthrop
John Winthrop (January 12, 1587/88 – March 26, 1649) was an English Puritan lawyer and one of the leading figures in founding the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the second major settlement in New England following Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led t ...
. Grout's early life is mostly unknown.
[Morse, Abner. (1857). Genealogy and Descendants of Captain John Grout. Boston, Ma: NEHGS.]
Grout was in
Watertown Watertown may refer to:
Places in China
In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways.
Places in the United States
*Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town
**Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...
by 1660 and moved to Sudbury by 1663, becoming a leading citizen. He organized the town militia, ultimately attaining the rank of captain. Politically, he served as selectman for thirty years between 1647 and 1692. Additionally, he served as the town clerk for seven years. In 1676, he was ordered to
Boston, Massachusetts to discuss the Indian tribes around Sudbury with governor
John Leverett
John Leverett (baptized 7 July 1616 – 16 March 1678/79In the Julian calendar, then in use in England, the year began on 25 March. To avoid confusion with dates in the Gregorian calendar, then in use in other parts of Europe, dates between Ja ...
and the council.
[
Grout's fame rests primarily from an event that occurred on April 20, 1676 during ]King Philip's War
King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1676 between indigenous inhabitants of New England and New England coloni ...
. 500 to 1,500 Indians attacked Sudbury, destroying much of the town. Captain Grout, then about sixty years old, and a few of his men held the Indians in check for about three hours until reinforcements arrived. [
]
References
External links
*Wicked Local: Sudbury
''Grout as the "original Captain America"''
1643 births
1697 deaths
People of colonial Massachusetts
Members of the colonial Massachusetts House of Representatives
Military history of New England
Military history of the Thirteen Colonies
King Philip's War
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