York in America history: The arrival of the Scottish prisoners

Many of the early Colonial settlers in York were prisoners of war from the Battle of Dunbar, Scotland in 1650 who became indentured servants before establishing themselves in York afterwards. In this essay, James Kences tells the story of the Battle of Dunbar and recounts some of the familiar individuals and families who sprang from these Scottish prisoners’ journey to New England. 

"I Thomas Moulton, now of York, in consideration of forty-two pounds, which I am to receive of Alexander Maxwell..." These opening lines of a land transaction in the winter of 1657 were to be important for the history of this town. Men bearing the familiar surnames, McIntire, Junkins, and Grant, who will in the next decades become ever more evident in the local record, were, like Maxwell, brought to New England against their will, prisoners of war defeated by Oliver Cromwell at the battle of Dunbar in September of 1650.

The civil wars in the British Isles witnessed the death of a king and the dramatic rise of Cromwell. The fighting had extended from England, to Ireland, and to Scotland. King Charles I was executed in January of 1649, and his son, Charles II was his rightful successor. During the spring of 1650, young Charles was formally proclaimed king in Scotland, but he became a reluctant ally due to conditions the Scottish leadership imposed upon him, especially those concerning religion, and the action which would make Presbyterianism the church of all three kingdoms.

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An army of many thousands was raised by the Scots and placed under the command of an experienced war veteran David Leslie. These were the soldiers who pledged to fight for the new king. Cromwell in command of his army entered Scotland in late July, and found himself repeatedly at a disadvantage, often outwitted by his adversary. By late August he realized he was in trouble. His soldiers were sick and underfed. The armies advanced upon Dunbar, to the northeast of Edinburgh on the coast of the North Sea.

"The enemy lieth upon the hills, that we know not how to come that way without difficulty," was Cromwell's assessment of the situation that he faced. The Scots unfortunately could not hold this position, and the collective decision of a council of war held on September 2, was for withdrawal from Doon Hill towards lower ground. Cromwell now had his opportunity, an attack at dawn.

"This morning about twilight," a report of the September 3rd engagement stated, "the General advanced with the Army, and charged them both in the Valley and on the Hill. The battle was very fierce for the Time, one part of their Battalia stood very stiffly to it, but the rest was presently routed." The Scottish army was defeated in less than an hour. Four thousand prisoners or so were taken and required to make a 90-mile forced march south to Newcastle.

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In late October, the fate of a number of the prisoners was resolved- transport to New England- "to be shipped away forthwith as their ship is ready..." A two masted ketch, the Unity, with Augustine Walker as master, was chosen for the task. This was to be the means by which the Scots were brought here in the late autumn of 1650.

The Atlantic crossing for the 150 men was in the cramped quarters of the ship, which anchored at Boston at the end of the year. It seems likely the passengers were in poor health, subject to scurvy and other afflictions. For the majority, the immediate future had already been determined, and it meant being located at different places and for different purposes.

They began their lives in the region as indentured servants and served as laborers in various industrial operations, lumber mills and ironworks. At the conclusion of the term of indenture, they established places of habitation, and raised families. The cluster of farmsteads in the western sector of York, was recognized as Scotland as early as 1668, and that name has held for three centuries. The Scots were especially vulnerable during the era of the Indian wars, and their names can be readily seen in the lists of casualties.

The Boston News Letter, one of that town's first newspapers, told of an incident during the spring of 1711. "On Tuesday last five of the Skulking Indian Enemy kill'd two Men about Scotland Garrison at York, Daniel Dill and Joseph [Junkins]." Junkins, mortally injured, survived long enough to make the trek back to the garrison, but he succumbed to his wounds the following day.

Joseph Junkins was the son of Dunbar veteran Robert Junkins, who had taken up residence in York after time spent at Oyster River in New Hampshire. He was the recipient of a tract of land from Alexander Maxwell in March of 1681. Dill was the son of the first of that name in York, who was here by 1660. This Daniel Dill was frequently associated with the Scots and may have been another of the Dunbar veterans, but this has not yet been established with certainty.

The Scotland Garrison mentioned by the newspaper was also known as Maxwell's garrison, and it is assumed to be the predecessor of the familiar McIntire garrison. Shortly before his death in 1707, Maxwell sold land to John McIntire. This deed of late June made explicit reference to the garrison, "by the orchard or garden of said Maxwell where the garrison now stands..."

For Alexander Maxwell, there were real chances for social advancement as well as acquisition of land both through town grants and purchase. He had begun his American career as the servant of George Leader but was subjected to punishment for having abused his master, as revealed in the court record. His first wife, Agnes Frost, was the daughter of fisherman John Frost who hailed from Brixham in Devon, in the west part of England. His place of habitation in York, in the area of Scotland, was to be known as Brixham from the seventeenth century, onwards to the present day.

James Kences is the town historian for the town of York. 

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York in America history: The arrival of the Scottish prisoners