author
John Easton
1617–1705
A Quaker statesman and eyewitness to colonial New England, John Easton recorded one of the earliest English accounts of King Philip’s War. His clear-eyed narrative gives unusual attention to Native perspectives and the tensions that led to the conflict.
1 Audiobook
About the author
A lifelong Quaker, John Easton served Rhode Island in several important roles, including attorney general, deputy governor, and governor from 1690 to 1695. He was the son of Nicholas Easton, another prominent Rhode Island leader, and spent much of his life in public service.
During the winter of 1675–1676, while serving as deputy governor, Easton wrote A Relation of the Indian War. The account describes the origins of King Philip’s War and includes Native explanations of the tensions with the English, offering a perspective that differs sharply from many contemporary colonial histories.
Easton’s narrative circulated in manuscript for generations before being printed in 1858. It was later reprinted in collections of colonial war narratives and remains an important firsthand source for understanding Rhode Island, Native–English relations, and King Philip’s War.