William GOWEN 1634 - 1686 1650: September 3 - William was aScot serving under the command of GeneralDavid Leslie in the Battle ofDunbar, just south of the Firth of Forth on the eastcoast of Scotland.He was one of the 9,000 Scots captured by Oliver Cromwell. He wasamong the 5,000 surviving prisoners pushed on a relentless deathmarchfrom Dunbar to Durham in England. Mortality on the 100 mile marchwasvery high. The Scots were beaten, starved, and those who were toosickto go on were either left behind to die or were butchered on the spot.Those who reached Durham were handed over to Sir Arthur Heselrigand were keptin the Cathedral, which had been hastily converted to aprison, An average of 30prisoners died daily due to the squalid andovercrowded conditions of the prison. September 19 - Plans weremade to disperse of these wretched unfortunate men,150 were selectedto be 'indentured servants' for transport to New England. November11 - Augustine Walker, master of the ship 'Unity', set sail forAmericawith this 'human cargo'. It is estimated that it tookapproximately six weeksto cross the tempestuous wintery conditions ofthe Atlantic. Therefore, Williamcould not have reached Boston beforethe end of December 1650. Of those whosurvived the crossing, sixtywere sold to the Lynn Iron Works in Massachusetts,and the remaining,approximately 90, were sold to purchasers willing to pay theprice ofbetween Ð 20 - Ð 30 which was considered as payment fortheirtransportation. As the cost of of an Atlantic passage at thetime was about Ð 5,the Unity cleared about Ð 1,500 on thistransaction. These 90 prisoners werethen distributed to numeroustowns in Massachusetts, Maine, and, New Hampshire. 1651: As aprisoner with a bond term from eight to ten years, William wasamongthe fifteen prisoners sent to the 'Great Works' sawmill at SouthBerwickin Maine, under the management of Richard Leader. What a coldraw trip itmust have been in the disagreeable New England winter,whether by land or sea.Perhaps not to them, though, for it must havebeen like their beloved Highlandswhere bleak winters were not unknown.It is a remarkable trait of stamina thatafter nearly four months ofunmitigated hardship - confinement, disease, and badfood - they madethe journey and settled down to lumbering operations at a placethatbecame known as Unity Parish where William worked off the cost ofhisbondage. For William, a sixteen year old boy, who could survivethe Drove of Dunbar,the awful plagues at Durham prison, the horrors ofan ocean trip below decksin winter, and the rigors of lumbering alongthe Atlantic coast - he probably thrived. As far as is known, thiswas the first experience that the New England people hadin this kindof human traffic, and it is apparent that Reverend Joseph Cottonfeltthe need of making some explanation for his share in thiscamouflagedpeonage which some of his friends promoted. He referred tothis as 'apprentice-ship for a period of seven or eight years',although some served for a considerablelonger period. When theseindentured workers were set free, they were destitute,..... withcompassion, the town of Kittery granted them parcels of land.