The 1693 date of birth is an approximate.

Research by J. Kelsey Jones in 1988:
Samuel Price b. c. 1692/3 Deerfield, Massachusetts was taken captive as a child in the Deerfield massacre of 29 February 1704. Sheldon related that Samuel was eighteen years of age when captured, but this seems very unlikely and he was presumably about ten years of age at capture. Little is known of Samuel's early captivity though stories told by descendants would indicate that he lived with the Indians. The History of Sussex County, New Jersey relates that when Samuel was a "small boy he and his mother were taken prisoners by the Indians at one of the massacres in the Eastern States, and marched off together. She, being somewhat conversant with the language of the savages, soon learned from their conversation and gestures that she was to be dispatched, and immediately communicated the intelligence to her son. She told him that he must not cry when they killed her, or they would kill him too. She only marched a few rods farther before she was killed. The boy was eventually adopted by one of the squaws as her child, she having lost one of her own a few days previous. He lived with the Indians until he was twenty-one years old, and was then rescued by his friends. It was a long time before he became thoroughly reconciled to civilized society, and he sometimes expressed a desire to return to the Indians, but the feeling gradually wore away after his release." Robert is quoted as the one who was the Indian captive in The History of Sussex County, but it was Samuel. Samuel had a son Robert who removed with Samuel to Sussex County and left heirs. The Indian story seems quite accurate from what information is available, even though the wrong name was attributed, as is not uncommon when family stories are passed down through several generations. Samuel, his son Robert, and Robert's children were all deceased when the History of Sussex County was published. If Samuel was eighteen when captured and released when twenty one he would only have been in Canada for three years, when in fact he was there for at least seven years and perhaps longer. Furthermore, his cemetery marker is inscribed "Departed this life In the Year 1768 In the 75 Year of his Age" indicating he was born in 1692/3. If Samuel was eighteen when captured he would have been born about 1685 and over aged eighty at his death. Cemetery memorials are in some instances incorrect, but usually a person's age is older on a marker than they actually were, not younger. There is no birth record found for Samuel in Northampton town records with his other siblings. He was perhaps the youngest child and born after the family removed to Deerfield from Northampton. If Samuel was twenty one years of age when he returned to New England, that would place the date at about 1713, which is somewhere very near the date of his return.

The majority of the Deerfield captives were Indian captives and many were ransomed or traded to French households, nunneries, seminaries, etc., on arriving in Canada. Some captives were not relinquished by the Indians to the French and Samuel was perhaps one of those. There was great pressure on the captives to renounce their New England Protestant religion and be baptized as Catholics whether living with the French or with Indians. Samuel was baptized in the Catholic Church and given the French name Louis Price as was customary and appears in records of Montreal with that name, but the date of his baptism I have not located. If baptized by a Jesuit priest in one of the Indian villages with a permanent Jesuit priest or in a remoter village where a Jesuit priest would visit baptizing, catechizing, confessing his converts, Samuel may have been baptized with an Indian surname and very difficult to locate. Several of the Deerfield captives that were among the Indians lived at the Indian village and mission of St Francois Xavier at Caughnawaga near Montreal, a mixed blend of several tribes, but predominantly of Mohawk transplants from New York state who had converted to Christianity and practiced Catholicism. The Iroquois name was Kahnawake and that is the name it is known by today. A great many of its present day inhabitants are descendants of New England captives and it is said not a single family is of pure Indian blood. The early Kahnawake mission records are missing and if baptized there Samuel's baptism will not be found where as his sister Elizabeth was living in a seminary at Montreal with the French and her baptism occurred 25 April 1705 at Ville Marie. Some Deerfield children were sent to the Indian mission at Sault au Recollet (or Lorette) on the Riviere des Prairies, on the other side of the island of Montreal. The church at this mission was known as Notre Dame de la Nouvelle Lorette. In 1720 this mission moved to Lac des Deux Montagnes (The Lake of Two Mountains) or known as Oka on the Ottawa River.

There were captive exchanges in 1706, one expedition by Sheldon and one by Appleton, which redeemed about one hundred English captives, but Samuel still remained an unredeemed captive in Canada. After these captive exchanges, when an equal number of French captives were released by the English, there were about ninety English captives still in Canada, either with French or Indians. In 1707 Sheldon left New England for Canada on his third mission to redeem captives. His venture was hardly successful and no other attempt would be made by an Englishman to venture to Canada until late in 1710. Where was Samuel? Was he far away in the forests in some Indian village or near Montreal? Why had he not been redeemed? There are several incidents of Indians hiding their adopted captives when expeditions arrived in Montreal to negotiate their release and of French Jesuits threatening their removal.

We know nothing of Samuel's first six years as a captive. In May 1710 his name appears as Louis Price in a list of persons naturalized, many of them captives, "all professing the Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman religion, have shown that they have been established several years in New France and desiring to end their days as subjects . . . to have all the rights, privileges, and immunities enjoyed by our born subjects, as well as the same rights to hold and dispose of property, real and personal, but they cannot leave the country without our express and written permission," given at Versailles. On the 29 Oct 1710 as Louis Price he witnessed the marriage of Sarah Jeffreys Hurst to Guillaume Perkins, an Englishman of the County of Lincoln, at Montreal. Sarah was a fellow Deerfield captive, the widow of Thomas Hurst and with her six children taken captive, the youngest killed on the march. She had been baptized as Marie Jeanne Jeffreys. The couple were married in the "presence of Joseph Greenhill, shoemaker; Joseph Poupart called La Fleur, also shoemaker; Louis Price of the same trade; and Jacques (illegible) called La Violette. In 1711 he was godfather at the baptism of his niece, Marguerite Fourneau, born 18 Sept 1711 to his sister Elizabeth. He is called Samuel Louis Price, shoemaker, in the baptismal record. The godmother at the baptism was Martha Marguerite French, another Deerfield captive who was eight years of age when captured in 1704 and who m. 24 Nov 1711 Jacques Roi.

The 1710 marriage record and 1711 baptism record imply that Samuel did not remain with his Indian captors, but at some point had taken up the trade of shoe making. Was he perhaps working with his brother in law, Jean Fourneau? Had his sister remained in Canada to take care of her brother? Her husband and mother had both been killed in the attack on Deerfield and she had only a father and two married half brothers remaining in New England. Did his sister Elizabeth have contact with him in those early years of captivity? Elizabeth and Samuel were most likely separated as were most of the Deerfield captives. If an Indian captive did Elizabeth endeavor to see him? At some point, if separated, they made their reunion.

In 1712, Samuel Williams, himself a returned Deerfield captive and brother of captive Eunice Williams who was living at Kahnawake and son of the Rev. Williams spiritual leader of Deerfield who endured the march to Canada and was later released, and a party (Jonathan Wells, John Nims, and Eleazer Warner, all from Deerfield) left for Canada to make a prisoner exchange arriving in July. On the 28 Aug 1712 nine captives were delivered to Samuel Williams and his party at Montreal. Samuel Williams, his party, and the nine captives returned to New England, three of whom were of New Hampshire. Of the remaining six, the names of only Jonathan Barrett and William Sanford have been found. Was Samuel Price among these nine captives who returned to New England? Perhaps, or perhaps he ventured from Canada on his own to return to his New England home and where several of his fellow Deerfield captives had returned to.

The next captive negotiations were in November 1713 when Rev. John Williams, Major John Stoddard, Martin Kellogg, Capt. Thomas Baker and Eleazer or Ebenezer Warner, and Jonathan Smith of Deerfield left for Montreal. They were detained ten weeks at Albany by weather. Capt. Baker returned before the others to Massachusetts with three captives in April 1714 and the remaining party returned in Sept 1714 with 27 captives, having been gone nearly a year, but their mission had been successful. Samuel Price had returned to New England before this expedition, since he married in April 1714.

Samuel most likely returned to Deerfield where his father was living. Had there been communication between them during his captive years? We know that commissioners who visited Montreal from New England spoke with captives and negotiated releases. Was the Price family able to send messages as others were able to do? Samuel perhaps after visiting Deerfield traveled to Connecticut to visit his only remaining near relatives, half brothers Ebenezer and John Field and their families of East Guilford and perhaps to give them news of their half sister Elizabeth and of John Field's daughter Mary, who still remained with the Indians. Upon his journey to East Guilford, if in fact this occurred, he would have passed through Glastonbury, Connecticut and there he married 7 Apr 1714 Dorothy Fox b. 1693 daughter of Richard Fox and Beriah Smith. Samuel was in Canada in Sept 1711, but had returned and married by 7 Apr 1714. Two years after his marriage his sister Elizabeth d. Nov 1716 at Montreal. Her daughter Marguerite named a son Louis Casse perhaps for her uncle and godfather at her own baptism.

Samuel and Dorothy resided at Glastonbury, Connecticut where they were married. Nine years after their marriage on 23 Dec 1723 the town of Glastonbury voted to give the inhabitants a tract of 6,000 acres not yet granted. In the list, Samuel Price received 82 acres. Dorothy Price d. 10 Feb 1727/28 leaving behind six children. Samuel m. 22 May 1729 at Hebron, Connecticut, Sarah Perrin b. 1705/6. Her identity is yet unknown. She is not the daughter of Thomas Perrin and Sarah Phelps as some presume.

Samuel sold the 82 acre grant he received at Glastonbury to Jonathan Hale in 1733. On 15 July 1735, Samuel Price, "only son and heir of Robert Price, formerly of Deerfield, deceased, which Robert was one of the soldiers in the Falls fight" received a grant of land near Deerfield. The list of soldiers in the Falls fight of 1676 near Deerfield was approved by a committee of the General Court, 23 June 1736. In the list entitled to the township granted by the General Court was Samuel Price of Glastonbury, son of Robert Price. There is no evidence that Samuel and his family ever moved to Deerfield from Glastonbury when he received the grant. Samuel was of Glastonbury, 3 May 1737 when he was appointed as one of the administrators of his son, John's estate and guardian of John's only child, Eleazer Price.

Sometime after May 1737 Samuel Price and his family removed from the state and went west to the Papakating Valley in Sussex County, New Jersey sometime before 1753 when his daughter, Elizabeth married there at that date. It is related that the Price, Coult, and Gustin families were the first families to settle in the Papakating Valley east of the Blue Mountains and another record relates they were the first white settlers in the vicinity. In Northwestern New Jersey, A History of Somerset, Morris, Hunterdon, Warren, and Sussex Counties a biography relates that Mary Ann Price Couse "was a descendant of Samuel Price, who came from Hartford, Connecticut, leaving the children of his first wife in Connecticut. This Samuel was captured when a boy by Indians, and he lived with his captors until he was quite a young man. He had a brother who was a sea captain. Samuel settled a large tract of land near Frankford Plains."

We know little of Samuel and Sarah's life at Frankford Plains. They had settled in an area with few white settlers and records in those early years are scarce. There is no record of Samuel purchasing land from the Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New Jersey. Sons, Francis and Zachariah both purchased land in 1770. Son, Robert was taxed with 140 acres in 1773, which perhaps he purchased or acquired from his father Samuel. Samuel and Sarah raised their children and saw them marry and become prominent citizens and resided the remainder of their lives in the township of Frankford. Their remains lie in the Frankford Plains Cemetery. The monuments erected to their memory still stand after weathering the elements of over 200 years.

The births of the six children of Samuel and Dorothy Price are recorded in the town records of Glastonbury, Connecticut as well as the two eldest children of Samuel and Sarah. The dates of birth for the children of Samuel and Sarah were printed by early Price family researchers, evidently taken from a family bible.

Children of Samuel and Dorothy:
Samuel Price b. 19 June 1715 (vr) Glastonbury, Connecticut.
John Price b. 24 Oct 1716 (vr) Glastonbury.
Dorothy Price b. 31 May 1718 (vr) Glastonbury.
Zachariah Price b. 13 Oct 1719 (vr) Glastonbury d. 31 May 1744 Glastonbury, Connecticut. Inventory of his estate dated 5 Feb1744/5 by Samuel Price. Distribution 4 Feb 1745/6 to Robert Price, Elizabeth Price, Mary Price, John Price, Francis Price, Zachariah Price, Elizur Price, Ebenezer Price, Jabish Coult and Dority his wife, William Hollister's wife Sarah, Samuel Price Jr. His heirs were his brothers and sisters and the nephew of his deceased brother John.
Sarah Price b. 25 Sept 1722 (vr) Glastonbury.
Ebenezer Price b. 20 Apr 1726 (vr) Glastonbury.

Children of Samuel and Sarah:
Robert Price b. 10 Feb 1729/30 (vr) 10 Feb 1731 (bible) Glastonbury.
Elizabeth Price b. 18 Mar 1731/32 (vr) 18 Mar 1733 (bible) Glastonbury.
Mary Price b. 17 Aug 1736.
John Price b. 16 June 1739.
Francis Price b. 13 Sept 1741.
Zachariah Price b. 22 Sept 1744.
Sarah Price b. 27 Oct 1748.
Jerusha Price b. 25 May 1751.

Confusion should not be made with Samuel Price of Pequannock, Morris County, New Jersey who removed to Sussex County and who was a son of Philip Price (d. 27 Apr 1782) and Sarah Jones (d. 6 Oct 1782) who were m. 14 May 1750. Philip and Sarah had children: Isaac bpt 5 Sept 1760, Philip b. 5 Aug 1750 bpt 5 Sept 1760, Samuel bpt 5 Sept 1760, and Sarah b. 1758 bpt 5 Sept 1760 Morristown Presbyterian Church m. 29 Jan 1781 Samuel Loree III at Morristown. William Price was taxed with 2 cattle/horses, Thomas Price was taxed with 1 cattle/horse, and Sammual Price was taxed as a householder in 1774 in Newton township, Sussex County. Samuel and his brother Philip along with William and Thomas who were perhaps sons of Philip by a prior marriage signed the Revolutionary Pledge in May 1776 in Pequannock. Samuel m. Mary Stinson and they resided at Hardwick, New Jersey near a place called Kerr's Corners. Samuel and Mary had the following children: James Stinson b. 7 Nov 1783, Archibald b. 29 Nov 1785, Sally b. 24 Feb 1787, David b. 10 Oct 1789, Betsy b. 4 Oct 1791, John, Susan b. 10 Nov 1796, Jacob b. 25 Jan 1798, and Richard b. 5 Sept 1800. Mary d. 22 Apr 1802 42y 11m 22d buried Yellow Frame Cemetery. After her death Samuel had a second wife Mary and removed to Trumbull County, Ohio and he d. 20 Dec 1827 at Hubbard.

Another Samuel Price of Hardwick m. Mary Hunt and they were the parents of a Robert Price b. 17 June 1775 d. 15 Aug 1852 Hope, New Jersey m. 16 Nov 1797 (Sussex County marriage record) Jemima Parr and 19 May 1807 (Sussex County marriage record) (2)Jane Poyer and (3)Susannah Poyer, half sister to Jane and had Thomas by Jemima and by Jane had: John Poyer Price b. 24 Apr 1808 Freylinghusen m. Anna Carr and he d. 21 Apr 1893, Jonah Price b. 25 Apr 1810, George B. Price b. 18 June 1812, Samuel H. Price b. 18 Oct 1815, Sarah Ann Price b. 8 Feb 1818, Jeremiah Jane Price b. 9 Sept 1821, Daniel F. Price b. 28 Sept 1824, Darias Howard Price b. 21 Apr 1827, Catherine Mari Price b. 19 Nov 1830, Asher L. Price b. 25 May 1833 and by third wife Susannah had: Abram S. Price b. 2 Jan 1835 and Richard R. Price b. 1837.