John Wallis was born possibly in Cornwall, England, about 1627or earlier, and died in Gloucester, Massachusetts, 13 September1690. He married, probably in the late 1650s, Mary Phippen, whowas baptised at Hingham, Massachusetts, 5 March 1643/4 and died,probably at Gloucester, after 29 April 1691, daughter of Josephand Dorcas (Wood) Phippen.John Wallis was a fisherman in Falmouth and Purpooduck, Maine,by 27 October 1650. He appeared in Falmouth court records from1659 through 1663 and bought land at Purpooduck in 1667. Aselectman in 1674 and 1680, he was a refugee in Salem andGloucester in the first indian war, 1675; in the next he retiredto Gloucester where he died 13 September 1690. Many of hisdescendants were also fisherman; others were engaged in variousmaritime pursuits. The importance of fishing to Gloucester from1623 to the present has been expressed in many differenteconomic and political formats. An amusing early anecdoteregarding the role of fishing even had theological connections,albeit somewhat tangential. "The minister began his service byreminding the worshippers, 'We have come here to praise God,'when a voice from the congregation added, '... and to catchfish'."John's widow Mary and son Josiah, with David Phippen as surety,gave bond for the handling of his estate. The last record ofMary was when she and son Josiah presented an inventory 29: 2:[29 April] 1691. A daughter, daughter-in-law, and five younggrandchildren were killed by Indians in 1702. More than 20 yearslater, on 22 June 1724, three grandsons and a grandson-in-law,all young men, were also killed by Indians. Three of our fishing vessels were taken by the Indians in FoxHarbor, viz: James Wallis, sen., James Wallis, Jr., and JohnLane. They killed of our town James Wallis, Thomas Finson, JohnLane, Richard Tarr [the only one not a member of this family]and Joseph Wallis."