The Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635 was not merely a meteorological event; it was a profound human tragedy that tested the resilience of early colonial settlers and Native American communities. While records are sparse, the accounts that do exist paint a vivid picture of the storm's immediate and lasting impact on individuals, families, and the nascent societies of New England. The hurricane brought not only widespread destruction but also personal
stories of survival against overwhelming odds and heartbreaking loss.
Eyewitness Accounts and Tragic Fatalities
Governors John Winthrop of Massachusetts Bay Colony and William Bradford of Plymouth Colony provided some of the most significant contemporary accounts of the hurricane. Both leaders documented the high winds, the devastating storm surges, and the extensive destruction that swept through their respective colonies. Bradford, in particular, noted the tragic loss of life, writing that the storm drowned seventeen Native Americans, flattened numerous houses, and toppled thousands of trees. These early records underscore the immediate and severe human cost of the hurricane.
Further details reveal specific instances of loss. In Narragansett Bay, the extraordinary tide, which rose 14 feet above normal, led to the drowning of eight Native Americans as they attempted to escape their wigwams. These fatalities highlight the vulnerability of communities living along the coast to the unprecedented power of the storm surge. The sheer force of the water, combined with the high winds, created an environment where survival was a matter of chance and quick action.
Maritime Disasters and Miraculous Escapes
The sea proved to be an especially perilous place during the Great Colonial Hurricane, leading to several maritime disasters. The small barque *Watch and Wait*, carrying twenty-three people, foundered off Cape Ann. In a remarkable tale of survival, only Antony Thacher and his wife managed to escape the wreck, reaching the safety of Thacher Island. Thacher's harrowing account of this ordeal became a significant historical document, later inspiring John Greenleaf Whittier's poem "The Swan Song of Parson Avery," which memorialized the death of Father Joseph Avery during the shipwreck.
Another vessel, the *Angel Gabriel*, which had just arrived from England with new settlers, met a tragic end. While its sister ship, the *James*, survived the storm, the *Angel Gabriel* was completely wrecked at Pemaquid, Massachusetts Bay Colony (now Bristol, Maine). Accounts describe the scene as frightful, with the wind blowing fiercely and the tide rising to an unusual height, exceeding twenty feet in some places, followed by an even higher tidal wave. The ship was utterly destroyed, and its passengers, cattle, and goods were cast into the angry waves. Three or four passengers and one seaman perished in this disaster, alongside a significant loss of property and livestock. These incidents illustrate the extreme dangers faced by those at sea during the hurricane.
Long-Term Scars on the Landscape and Memory
The human impact of the Great Colonial Hurricane extended beyond immediate fatalities and shipwrecks. The widespread destruction of homes, crops, and forests had long-term consequences for the colonial settlements. The town of Plymouth, for instance, saw its houses blown down and mile-long swathes of woods leveled. Plymouth Colony's Aptucxet Trading Post in Bourne was also destroyed, impacting trade and economic activity. The low-lying areas of Dorchester, south of Boston, experienced their farms and landscapes ruined by the high surge.
The scale of the devastation was such that locals noted the catastrophic damage to the environment, crops, and structures, with some damage still visible over fifty years later. This enduring physical evidence served as a constant reminder of the hurricane's power. The collective memory of such a devastating event would undoubtedly have shaped the perceptions and preparedness of the early colonists, influencing their understanding of the natural world and their efforts to build resilient communities in a challenging new land.
