Come join us for the next meeting of the Pepperell Historical Society! We will meet at the Peter Fitzpatrick School, new section, River Road near the Rotary, Pepperell, on Monday, February 13, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. Everyone with an interest in the history of our town is welcome, whether your ancestors lived here or you moved to town last week. We’re particularly hoping to get new members to attend. Right now we’re trying assess how we want to go forward with the society. For more information contact the Historical Society.

Come join us for the next meeting of the Pepperell Historical Society! We will meet at the Peter Fitzpatrick School, new section, River Road near the Rotary, Pepperell, on Monday, January 9, 2023

at 7:00 p.m. Everyone with an interest in the history of our town is welcome, whether your ancestors lived here or you moved to town last week. We’re particularly hoping to get new members to attend. Right now we’re trying assess how we want to go forward with the society. For more information contact the Historical Society.

You are invited to attend our program on October 21 at 6:30 pm:

KING PHILLIP’S WAR by Mark Deuger

This will take place at the red brick DAR chapter house across from Pepperell Town Hall. (use 6 Main Street for your GPS).

~Wendy Cummings, Regent, Prudence Wright Chapter, NSDAR

About the presenter

Discovering close ancestral ties to colonial Massachusetts led Mark Deuger to study especially the story of King Philip’s War. In his youth Deuger learned he was a descendent of John and Grace Fairbanks, who settled in Dedham in the 1630s, and that two of his ancestors, Jonas and Joshua Fairbanks, were killed during the Nipmuc tribe’s raid on Lancaster during King Philip’s War.

Residence in Massachusetts in the 1990s gave him the opportunity to explore his family history and that led to pinpointing this particular war, called also Metacom’s War or the first Indian war. In addition to studying many books and documents related to the war, he visited historic sites associated with the conflict.

An Illinois native, Deuger graduated from Monmouth College with a bachelor’s degree in geology and an officer’s commission in the U.S. Army. His Army career involved him in various infantry and special forces assignments at several Army installations, including a tour at Fort Devens with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), As a result he developed an interest in military history. And adding to that the fact that he is part Native American (Chippewa), he has a special interest in military conflicts involving Native Americans.

Deuger resides in Groton. His son is a West Point graduate serving with the U.S. Army. In addition to serving on the Fort Devens Museum staff, Deuger has served on various boards and committees in Groton town government, coached youth sports, and worked with the Boy Scouts of America. [Nashoba Valley Voice 9-12-19]