Who Was Eunice Williams?

And Why did We Name Our Contest After Her?

First, Eunice Williams was not a writer. But at HerStry, our first mission is to amplify women’s stories and Eunice is a woman we want you to know about.

In 1704 Eunice and her family were abducted in raid at Deerfield, Massachusetts by the Kahnawake Mohawk people. Eunice’s story is not uncommon, especially in the early 1700s. What is uncommon about her story is that while the rest of Eunice’s family was redeemed from their captors, Eunice chose to stay. Eunice, a child of Puritans, found freedom with the Kahnawake Mohawk people. She was adopted by a Mohawk mother, married into their community, and, over time, forgot how to speak english all together.

We want to honor Eunice’s story, and the life she chose for herself. Although she was just a young girl when she was taken captive, she made it clear that she did not want to be redeemed out of captivity and that for her, it wasn’t captivity. For her it was finding a place where she belonged.

HerStry’s mission is to empower women through storytelling. Eunice’s story is one of courage, resilience, and finding the strength to forge her own path.

Further Reading on Eunice Williams

The Unredeemed Captive: A Family Story From Early America by John Demos

An unredeemed Captive: Being the Story of Eunice Williams by Clifton Johnson

Puritan Girl, Mohawk Girl: A Novel by John Demos

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Julia Nusbaum