USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 21
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" In March, 1723-4, Thomas Duston deeded to his son, Jonathan Duston,-"in consideration of parental love and natural affection"-" The Homestead or Lott whereon the said Jonathan now dwells"-" fifteen acres, more or less,"-" bounded at a great rock by the highway, which is a corner bound of land I gave to my son Nathaniel."-" Essex Reg. Deeds, look 51, p. 206.
Essex Reg. Deeds, book 43, p. 107.
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further, in the same direction.) Here is the cellar of Duston's new brick house. (Wc continued our walk easterly, toward the lower land. About two hundred and fifty feet from the cellar, Mr. Merrill stopped, looked about, -evidently taking the bearing of the surrounding objects, -went a little distance east, returned to nearly the same spot, hesitated, -ob- served that it was many years since he had been on the ground, and it was now somewhat changed by cultivation, -and, at length, struck his stick upon the ground, apparently firmly decided.) The house from which Hannah Duston was taken stood just about here. When I was young, I could see the cellar distinctly, though it was partly filled with stones. It must have been a small house, because the cellar was small. I have no doubt that this is the identical spot, because, when I was quite a lad, I heard old Mrs. Ayer (' Joseph Ayer's mother') say that she knew this was the place. She coupled the assertion with a curious remark, which I have never forgotten, and which served to fix the circumstance firmly in my mind. She was very aged at the time. I never heard any other place spoken of, until within a few years. (We noticed, distinctly, that Mr. Merrill stood just within the edge of a small place where the grass was apparently much drier than that all about it. Might not this have been caused by the thin layer of soil over the stones with which the old cellar was filled, and the consequent leaching of the moisture ? We walked a few rods beyond the edge of the low ground, and stopped at a well.) Here is the well. I have a distinct impression that, in my younger days, the house was spoken of as having been twenty rods, or such a matter, northwest from this well.º (We returned to the road, upon the opposite side of which -and a little to the south - Mr. Merrill pointed out an old cellar.) Here is where Nathaniel Duston lived. The land was given him by his father. Jonathan lived over at the southwesterly corner, beyond the new school-house. (Question .- How did it happen that the monument ground came to be regarded as the site of the original Duston house ? ) I don't know, unless the tradition that Mrs. Duston was buried from that house, became confounded with the other traditions. Old Mrs. Ayer said that after Mr. Duston died, Mrs. Duston lived with her son, Jonathan, on that place, and was buried from his house."
" A pocket compass subsequently gave us the following bearings :- Mr. Charles Dustan's house in the North Parish, bears about ten degrees north of east from the well; and the honse of Mr. J. Whitaker about ten degrees west of south. From the well to the old cellar is one hundred and sixty-four feet, in a west-north-west direction. From the latter to the new cellar is seventy-one paces. From the north-east corner of the later, the North Church bears almost exactly south-east. The well of the new house is about one hundred and twenty feet from the new cellar, and about one hundred and sixty feet east from the road. The " Monument" site bears south-west from the last named well and ecllar. The cellar of the house of Jonathan Duston, is about twenty feet north-west from the site of the " Dustin Monument."
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We have thus given the substance of such deeds, grants, and authorita- tive traditions, as bear directly upon the point in issue, and the reader is left free to decide the matter for himself. We will only add, that we commenced the investigation unbiassed in favor of either of the locations contended for, but rise from it fully convinced that the one designated by Mr. Merrill is the true one.º
But to return from this long digression, to our narrative. After the attack on Duston's house, the Indians dispersed themselves in small par- ties, and attacked the houses in the vicinity. Nine houses were plundered and reduced to ashes on that eventful day, and in every case their owners were slain while defending them. Twenty-seven persons were slaughtered, (fifteen of them children) and thirteen captured .; The following is a list of the killed : - John Keezar, his father, and son, George; John Kimball and his mother, Hannah ; Sarah Eastman; Thomas Eaton ; Thomas Emer- son, his wife, Elizabeth, and two children, Timothy and Sarah ; Danicl Bradley, his wife, Hannah, and two children, Mary and Hannah ; Martha Dow, daughter of Stephen Dow; Joseph, Martha, and Sarah Bradley, children of Joseph Bradley ; Thomas and Mehitable Kingsbury ; Thomas Wood and his daughter, Susannah ; John Woodman and his daughter, Susannah ; Zechariah White ; and Martha, the infant daughter of Mr. Duston.
Having fully glutted their thirst for blood, and fearing a general alarm of the town, the savages, in small parties, as was their custom, commenced a hasty retreat. The rumor of this attack soon reached the village, and an armed party was collected and started in pursuit, but without success.
Mirick adds the following, to his account of this attack :- " One of their number stole the old or first town book, and with a few others re- treated up the river. In the westerly part of the town, now Methuen, they came upon a yoke of oxen, and with that hellish barbarity which is their principal characteristic in war, cut out their tongues, struck up a fire and broiled them. Had they despatched the oxen, after their tongues were out, it would have been a deed of mercy ; but instead of doing that, they left them in that dreadful situation. After their repast was over,
" The distance from that spot to the site of the old garrison house on Pecker's Hill," in an air line, is a fraction over one mile. From the monument site, to the same place, is a little less than a mile; the difference being abont fifty rods. So far, then, as the distance is concerned, either place will agree with the tradition.
+ From a petition to the Governor and Council, under date of April 17, 1701, we learn that the follow- ing Haverhill captives were still missing :- Daniel Bradley, aged seven ; Abigail Kimball, aged eight; and Phillip Cod, aged six ;- all taken March 15, 1697: Jonathan Haines, aged twelve; and Joseph Haines, aged seven ;- taken August 15, 1696: and Abraham Whittiker, aged eight or nine, taken in August, 1691.
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they continued their retreat, but either designedly or intentionally, left the town-book. It was soon found, but so damaged with water, that many of the records were perfectly illegible."
We feel confident that Mirick is in error in both these particulars-for the following reasons :- Nathaniel Saltonstall, who was then Town Clerk, and had held the office constantly since 1669, lived at the place, east of the village, so long in possession of his family, and we can hardly see how the savages, who did not venture within about two miles of his house, could have obtained possession of the town-book. Perhaps, however, the book was at that time in the possession of the family of John Carleton, the former Clerk, who lived on the place west of the village, now owned and occupied by his descendant and namesake. But even in that case, or, indeed, in any case, we can hardly credit the story of an Indian making a prize of an old record book, when there were so many other things within his grasp, far more attractive and valuable to savage eyes.
But in regard to the second particular, we have no doubt that Mirick is mistaken. We think that he has misplaced the incidents belonging to a subsequent outrage, which happened in the same vicinity. We refer to the massacre of Jonathan Haynes and Samuel Ladd, which took place near World's End Pond, in the February following. Each of these men had a yoke of oxen, which the Indians killed, and then " cut out their tongues, and the best pieces," to carry along with them." This party camped over night in " Mill Meadow," about one mile and a half north-east of the above pond. Considering the great difficulty, not to say impossibility, of cutting out the tongue of a living ox, under such circumstances, and the striking similarity of the two traditions in other respects, we have no hes- itation in expressing the opinion that the savages were not guilty of the charge thus alledged against them.
From the following, which passed the Assembly March 22d, 1697, it appears that at the time an opinion prevailed that Col. Saltonstall was een- surable for negligence in this matter. But as nothing further appears to have been done about it, we are bound to believe that the complaint origi- nated from the anguish of bereavement, rather than from any fault of the Colonel.
" Whereas it is reported that Col Saltingstall hath been very negligent of his duty as Col : & that the late damage at Haverhill wherin about 40 of his majesties subjects were killed & captivated by the Heathin enemie · besides six houses burnt & much spoile, & yt the said Coll did not (as he
° Tradition, as repeated to us by the venerable Mr. Isaiah Ilow, who lives near the place of the massacre.
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ought) when he had notice of the enemies approach take care to draw them into Garrison ; nor encourage the pursuit of them when persons offered ; that his Honor will be pleased to make inquiry into said affair & see that there may be due annimadversons ; which may be a proper means to pre- vent the like miscariages.""
It was a terrible blow for the town. Some of its most useful citizens, and promising youth, were among the slain; and well knowing that they were daily and hourly liable to similar attacks, it needs no stretch of im- agination to declare that fear seized the hearts of the inhabitants.
The most vigorous measures were speedily taken to prevent, if possible, another similar bloody massacre : guards were stationed in many of the houses, and the brick house of Thomas Duston, that had been partly fin- ished the year previous, but had not been occupied, was ordered to be garrisoncd. The following is a copy of the order to Mr. Duston, when appointed to command it :¡
" To Thomas Dustin, upon the settlement of garrisons. April 5 1696-7. You being appointed master of the garrison at your house, you are hereby, in his Maj's [Majesty's] name, required to see that a good watch is kept at your garrison both by night and by day, by those persons hereafter named who are to be under your command and inspection in building or repairing your garrison ; and if any person refuse or neglect their duty, you are accordingly required to make return of the same, under your hand, to the Committee of militia in Haverhill. The persons appointed are as followeth :- Josiah Heath, sen., Josiah Heath, jun., Joseph Bradley, John Heath, Joseph Kingsbury, and Thomas Kingsbury.
By order of the Committee of militia.
SAMUEL AYER, Capt.
Mr. Duston was, for the times, largely engaged in brick-making. The business. however, was attended with no little danger, on account of the Indians, who were almost continually lurking in the vicinity, watching an opportunity for a successful attack. The clay-pits were only a short dis- tance from the garrison, but the enemy were so bold that a file of soldiers constantly guarded those who brought the clay from the pits to the yard near the house, where it was made into bricks.
There is a good story told of one Joseph Whittaker, one of the guard stationed at this garrison while commanded by Mr. Dustin, and which will doubtless be looked for in this place :-
Joseph was a young, unmarried man, full of " marcury," as the story goes, who became deeply entangled in the webs unconsciously wound
o State Archives. Mrs. Duston had not yet returned from her captivity.
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around his susceptible heart, by one Mary Whittaker, who was then living in the garrison. Joseph struggled long and maufully to escape from the silken meshes, but in vain. At last, summoning all his courage to his assistance, he improved a favorable opportunity to make a declaration of his passion. But, ah ! most unfortunate Joseph, Mary did not listen with favor to his story. He pleaded, he entreated, he implored her to take pity on his forlorn condition, but all to no purpose. Mary Whittaker em- phatically declared that she did not reciprocate the passion of the aforesaid Joseph Whittaker-not she. Joseph arose: his Whittaker blood was up ; and he was not to be turned off in that manner-and by a Whittaker, too- not he. He told Mary that unless she accepted his offer, he would jump into the well, and thus put an end to the life of the unhappy Joseph Whit- taker. But Mary was not to be so easily won, and, "with one long, lingering look behind," Joseph immediately left the garrison, went straight to the well, seized a large log near by, and - threw it into the dark, deep waters! Mary heard the plunge, and her heart relented. She suddenly remembered how fondly she loved him, and, with her hair streaming in the dark night wind, she rushed to the well, and, with bleeding, agonizing heart, cried out-" Oh, Joseph ! Joseph ! if you are in the land of the living, I will have you." Joseph immediately emerged from his hiding place, and threw himself into her arms, exclaiming-" Mary, I will take you at your word."
Although the two Whittakers were soon afterward made one, we do not learn that the number of Whittakers was thereby permanently diminished.
No further attack was made on the inhabitants of this town the same year, but other places suffered severely," and the whole frontier was kept in a state of continual fear, anxiety, and watchfulness.
The next year, the Indians commenced their incursions unusually early. On the 22d of February, a party fell upon Andover, killed five of the in- habitants, and captured as many more. On their return, the same party killed Jonathan Haynes and Samuel Ladd, of this town, and captured a son of each .¡
Haynes and Ladd, who lived in the western part of the town, had started that morning, with their teams, consisting of a yoke of oxen and a
At Groton, May 20, one person was killed and three wounded ; at Exeter, June 10th, one was killed, one wounded, and one captured ; the same day, two were taken captive at Amesbury; July 29th, three were killed and one wounded, at Dover; August 7th, three were killed, and three captured at Saco; September 8th, twelve were killed, and twelve wounded, at Damariscotta; September 11th, twenty-one were killed, two wounded, and six captured at Lancaster; and November 15th, one person was killed, and one captured at Johnson's ereek.
+ Mirick.
26
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horse, each, and accompanied with their eldest sons, Joseph and Daniel, to bring home some of their hay, which had been cut and stacked the preced- ing summer, in their meadow, in the extreme western part of the town. While they were slowly returning, little dreaming of present danger, they suddenly found themselves between two files of Indians, who had concealed themselves in the bushes on each side of their path. There were seven of them on a side. With guns presented and cocked, and the fathers, seeing it was impossible to escape, begged for "quarter." To this, the Indians twice replied, " boon quarter ! boon quarter!" (good quarter.) Young Ladd, who did not relish the idea of being quietly taken prisoner, told his father that he would mount the horse, and endeavor to escape. But the old man forbid him to make the attempt, telling him it was better to risk remaining a prisoner, He cut his father's horse loose, however, and giving him the lash, he started off at full speed, and though repeatedly fired at by the Indians, succeeded in reaching home, and was the means of giving an immediate and general alarm.º
Two of the Indians then stepped behind the fathers, and dealt them a heavy blow upon the head. Mr. Haynes, who was quite aged, instantly fell, but Ladd did not. Another of the savages then stepped before the latter, and raised his hatchet as if to strike. Ladd closed his eyes, ex- pecting the blow would fall-but it came not-and when he again opened them, he saw the Indian laughing and mocking at his fears. Another im- mediately stepped behind him and felled him at a blow.
" The Indians, on being asked why they killed the old men, said that they killed Haynes because he was ' so old he no go with us ; '- meaning that he was too aged and infirm to travel; and that they killed Ladd, who was a fierce, stern looking man, because ' he so sour.' They then started for Penacook, where they arrived, with the two boys. Young Ladd soon grew weary of his situation, and one night after his Indian master and family had fell asleep, he attempted to escape. He had proceeded but a short distance, when he thought that he should want a hatchet to fell trees t ) assist him in crossing the streams. He accordingly returned, entered a wigwam near his master's, where an old squaw lay sick, and took a hatchet. The squaw watched his movements, and probably thinking that he intended to kill her, vociferated with all her strength. This awakened the Indians in the wigwam, who instantly arose, re-captured him, and delivered him again to his master, who bound his hands, laid him upon his back, fastened
" One version of the tradition is, that the horse rushed against the door of his master's house, bursting it open, and fell dead upon the threshold, upon seeing which, Mrs. Ladd exclaimed, in agony, "Oh ! the Indians have killed Ladd."
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one of his feet to a tree, and in that manner kept him fourteen nights. 'They then gashed his face with their knives, filled the wounds with pow- der, and kept him on his back until it was so indented in the flesh, that it was impossible to extract it. He carried the scars to his grave, and is now frequently spoken of by his descendants as the ' marked man.' Some years after, he found means to return, and his scarred and powdered counte- nance produced many witticisms at his expense. He was one day walking the streets of Boston, and a parrot observing his 'marked' features, vocif- erated, 'a rogue ! a rogue !' Haynes remained a prisoner with the Indians some years, and was at last redeemed by his relatives.""
When Haynes was about leaving the Indians, his master, in token of his good will and esteem, presented him his best cane. This cane is now in the possession of Guy C. Haynes, of East Boston, a descendant. The upper half is neatly ornamented with diamond-shaped figures, cut with a knife.
On the 5th of March, a party of about forty Indians again attacked Andover, killed five persons, burnt two houses, and two barns with the cattle in them. On their return, "they made spoil on Haverhill.";
This proved to be the last attack in the vicinity, during this war. Peace being declared between France and England, the governor of Canada in- formed the Indians that he could no longer support them in their war against the English, and advised them to bury the hatchet, and re- store their captives. This they concluded to do, and a treaty was at length made with them at Casco.
During this war, (from June, 1689, to May, 1698,) five hundred and sixty-one persons were killed, eighty-one wounded, and one hundred and sixty-one captured by the Indians, in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, including Schnectady. Soon after peace was declared, a gen- eral contribution was taken in the Province, for the relief of those who were prisoners with the French and Indians.
On the return of peace, the settlers were again allowed to engage in the cultivation of their land, and in the increasing of their flocks and herds, without the constant fear of an attack from an unseen and barbarous foe.
· Mirick.
Hutchinson. This " spoil," we presume, was the burning of the house and buildings of Philip East- man, which were destroyed by the Indians this year.
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CHAPTER XIV.
INDIAN TROUBLES-1700 TO 1710.
År the annual town meeting for 1699, nine applications were made for grants of land, all of which were denied. The town had for some time been growing more sparing in its grants of land, and it now seems to have decided not to grant any more, except for "value received," either in money, or some other equally tangible and valuable equivalent.
As the town increased in population and importance, its lands became the more valuable, and the number of applications for new grants increased in a corresponding ratio. As the township was originally purchased by a, few individuals, their descendants, as the undivided lands become more and more valuable, must have frequently found themselves considering the question to whom do these ungranted lands belong? The records of the year 1700, for the first time, show that this was the case, and that the general feeling was strongly against new comers into town having any voice in the further disposition of the " common lands." It appears that some years previous, a committee had been chosen to consider the matter, but nothing had been done by them. At the annual meeting this year, the subject assumed considerable prominence, as will be seen from the following :-
" There being too much apparent disorder in the voting about disposal and improvement of Common land, those that have no interest in Common land putting in votes, and overrunning by violence and combination the certain Proprietors, to dispose and order their own: it is
Ordered that Cornet Peter Ayer being deccased, who was one of the Committee men formerly appointed for the examination of the rights that any have in Common land in this town, and privilege to vote about the same; That another man be now chosen to join with Nath: Saltonstall and John White who are yet alive of said Committee."
Captain Samuel Ayer was chosen to fill the vacancy, and then " after long discourse," it was voted " That there shall not be any further proceed for Gift, Grant, Sale, or Exchange, or alteration of any land laying in Common, to, or with any person, till by Law or Town order, it be known who are the Proprietors that have liberty to vote about the disposal of land, which they are to make out to the said Committee men this day appointed to consider the same and make report thereon."
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The next vote was as follows :- " By reason of many alterations of the Proprietors unto lands lying in Common, either stinted or not already granted, which makes it uncertain who are the owners who have a right to vote and order the same which hath this day (upon some men's claiming a right which is not known) put a stop to the proprietors in the business lying before them; the Town do hereby refer the examination of that matter unto the said Committee this day appointed thereunto."
The next we find touching the matter, is the record of a meeting August 26, 1700, designated as " a meeting of the Proprietors to ungranted and undivided lands to consider about encroachments &c. called by the Select- men's Warrant. At this meeting nothing was done, except to confirm the doings of a previous meeting, when certain things were done "by a full and unanimous, though mixed vote of inhabitants and proprietors." The object seems to have been to draw and preserve the line of distinction between those who were Proprietors of the ungranted lands in the town, and those who were merely inhabitants. In this view, the Town from this time refused to act on any matters involving the proprietorship of these ungranted lands. Thus, in 1702, in reply to a petition of Joseph Peasely for an exchange of land, the town refused to consider the matter, because the petition was " not directed to the proprietors of lands, but to the Town, many of whom have no power to vote in the disposal of lands."
Previous to this time, the town had invariably voted upon each demand or bill against the town, separately-or, in other words. had been its own auditor-but this way of doing the business had now become too cumber- some, and, to save time and trouble, a committee was chosen " to audit the bills of claims, and so to settle the account on each bill, and return the sum total to the town." The amount reported, was nineteen pounds, seventeen shillings, two and a half pence, for which the selectmen were ordered to lay a rate upon the inhabitants.
This year, a building was ordered to be erected for a watch-house, school- house, and for any other use to which it might be appropriated. It was built on what is now Main street, near the top of the hill, and faced the Merrimack.
Trouble with the Indians already again threatened the frontier towns, and measures of defense forced themselves upon the inhabitants. From documents in the State Archives, we learn that in March and April of this year, (1700) Capt. Samuel Ayer had twenty soldiers under his command, who were in constant service during that time in this town. March 16th, twenty men were sent from Ipswich to Haverhill ; thirty to Wells; fifteen to York ; fifteen to Kittery, and ten to Amesbury.
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