Description
In the early 1690s two Abenaki boys, John and Robin, were taken to Boston with the reluctant permission of Abenaki sagamores, for their edification. One of the boys died in Boston; the other was taken to London by Sir William Phipps (of Salem Witch Trial fame) when he was recalled in 1694 to face a hearing before the Lords of Trade. Despite Abenaki protestations the Massachusetts commissioners refused to return John/Robin on the spurious insistence that he had lost his language and would not desire to return. He then became a bargaining chip in any request for the return by the Abenaki of any English captives. He was almost certainly still in England in 1702, and Vaughan speculates that he may be the only example in the early period of someone who voluntarily remained abroad for life. Phipps died not long after arriving in England and was buried at the Church of St. Mary Woolnoth. For want of a better location for the boy, we place the flag here.
Bibliographic sources
Alden T. Vaughan, Transatlantic Encounters, 110-111.