Johnson Harmon

Colonel Johnson Harmon (or Harman; c. 1675 – 1751) was an army officer in colonial America. He led the expedition during Father Rale's War that killed Father Sébastien Rale in the Battle of Norridgewock. Harmon was heralded as a hero upon his return to Boston. New England Officer and historian Samuel Penahallow proclaimed the attack was "the greatest victory we have obtained in the three or four last wars."[2]

Col Johnson Harmon Sword he received from Col. Thomas Westbrook (1724) for leading the Raid on Norridgewock[1]
Col Johnson Harmon, signature

Career

Harmon was from York and was a teenager during the Raid on York (1692) during King Williams War.[3] During Queen Anne's War, in 1707 he was present, with his younger brother John, at Winter Harbour (Biddeford, Maine) he helped repulse the attack of natives in 50 canoes.[4][3] In this battle Benjamin Donnell was killed by Indians.[5] On 10 October 1710 Bomazeen with 60–70 Indians attacked the village of Winter Harbour, killing 3-4 and taking many more prisoner, including Harmon.[6] (Harmon was part of the expedition that killed Bomazeen, upon their return from the Battle of Norridgewock.[4]) He was released from captivity at Chambly, Quebec on 22 May 1711 in exchange for Beauvenire de Vercheres who was taken in the Raid on Haverhill (1708).[7][8][9]

In 1716, Harmon was considered for the position of messenger for the Indians.[9]

A year prior to the Battle of Norridgewolk, the Abenaki Indians made a failed attempt to assassinate Harmon.[10]

Harmon was the brother-in-law of the second-in-command of the expedition to Norridgewock, Col. Jeremiah Moulton. He was the father-in-law of the soldier that killed Rale, Richard Jacques.

Harmon was representative to the Massachusetts General Court (1727).[4][11]

At age 70, Harmon applied to fight in the Siege of Louisbourg (1745). While Harmon did not fight in the Siege, Moulton and Jacques did.

References
  1. Desmarais, Barbara (September 7, 2017). "Winners and Losers: Part 2-The Rest of the Story".
  2. French & Indian Wars in Maine By Michael Dekker, p. 70
  3. "Background on Historical Snowshoe Companies | Harmon's Snowshoemen". www.snowshoemen.com.
  4. Coleman, Emma Lewis (January 29, 2008). New England Captives Carried to Canada Between 1677 and 1760 During the French and Indian Wars: Volume 1 ONLY. Heritage Books. ISBN 9780788445897 – via Google Books.
  5. "Henry DONNELL of York, Maine". freepages.rootsweb.com.
  6. Hutchinson, Thomas (January 29, 1828). "The history of the province of Massachusets-Bay". Boston ; New-England : Printed by Thomas & John Fleet at the Heart and crown in Cornhill – via Internet Archive.
  7. Baker, C. Alice (Charlotte Alice) (January 29, 1897). "True stories of New England captives carried to Canada during the old French and Indian wars [microform]". Cambridge [Mass. : s.n.] – via Internet Archive.
  8. Coleman, Emma Lewis (January 29, 2008). New England Captives Carried to Canada Between 1677 and 1760 During the French and Indian Wars: Volume 1 ONLY. Heritage Books. ISBN 9780788445897 – via Google Books.
  9. "Acts and resolves passed by the General Court". Boston : Secretary of the Commonwealth. January 29, 1663 – via Internet Archive.
  10. Sketches of the Ecclesiastical History of the State of Maine: From the ..., p. 79
  11. Harmon Gaenology, p. 140
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