Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Waldron, Richard 1615-

Military officer; born in Warwickshire, England, Sept. 2, 1615; came to Boston in 1635, and settled at Dover, N. H., in 1645. He represented that district from 1654 to 1676, and was seven years speaker. He was councillor and chief-justice, and in 1681 was president. Being chief military leader in that region, he took an active part in King [111] Philip's War. Inviting Indians to Dover to treat with them, he seized several hundred of them, and hanged or sold into slavery 200. They fearfully retaliated thirteen years afterwards. Two apparently friendly Indians obtained a night's lodging at Waldron's house at Dover. At midnight they arose, opened the door, and admitted a party of Indians lying in wait. They seized Waldron, who, though seventy-four years of age, made stout resistance. They bound him in an arm-chair at the head of a table in the hall, when they taunted him, recalled his treachery, and tortured him to death, June 28, 1689.