Colonial America was filled with new discoveries, new beginnings, and new conflicts. One of these conflicts has gone from being celebrated, to being a highly controversial topic. The revenge of Hannah Duston.
Hannah Emerson Duston was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Disputes among the colonists, the French in Canada, and the native nations was at an all-time high, with a series of wars springing up in the region. This included King Philip’s War, which lasted from 1675 until 1676.
King Philip, also known as chief Metacom of the Pokunoket tribe, led an uprising of the Wampanoag, Nipmuck, Pocumtuck, and Narrangasett tribes. This was the last major effort by the natives to drive out the colonists. The battle lasted fourteen months and was responsible for the destruction of twelve frontier towns and the loss of between 60 and 80 percent of the native population. It ended only after King Philip was captured and beheaded.
Many of the native’s supporters escaped to Canada. Those captured by the colonists were sold into slavery. Many others were fortunate enough to join the Abenaki tribe, or other natives which had allied with the French.
In March 1697, Hannah’s family was prospering. She had given birth to a baby girl, and her husband, Thomas, was working diligently to build one of several garrison houses to protect the villagers in the event of another battle. Aware of this plan, the Abenaki tribe knew they had to take action.
On March 15, 1697, the Abenaki made their move. Thomas, working in the fields that morning with eight of his children, spotted the natives as they approached the village. He gathered the children and ran to the marsh garrison, which was only 1 mile away. Meanwhile, at home, Hannah, her nurse, Mary Neff, and 6-day old baby Martha were alone in the house. The Abenaki set fire to the Duston home, before moving in and taking them hostage.
During the “Raid on Haverhill,” 27 colonists were killed, and 13 were taken captive, including Hannah, Mary, and the baby. The captives were forced to march into the wilderness. Despite her efforts, Hannah was unable to calm baby Martha, and within just a few hours, the natives had taken the baby and bashed her skull against a tree, killing her and leaving her behind.
Hannah was forced to march onward, walking 12 – 14 miles per day until they reached a resting point near what is now Concord Massachusetts. There, Hannah and Mary were left with a Native American family, consisting of two men, three women, and seven children, along with 14 year old Samuel Leonardson, who had been abducted a year and a half earlier from Worcester, Massachusetts.
Samuel had earned the family’s trust, so when Hannah urged him to ask one of the men how to properly kill someone with a tomahawk, the man didn’t hesitate before showing him.
One night, while the family was sleeping, Hannah, Mary, and Samuel armed themselves with tomahawks, and killed 10 of the natives, including 6 of the children. They wounded an older woman who managed to escape, and a small boy ran away. Before leaving, Hannah went back and scalped the 10 victims.
They fled in a canoe, traveling only by night, down the Merrimack River until they reached Haverhill. A few days later, Thomas traveled with Hannah, Mary, and young Samuel to Boston taking the scalps, the tomahawk, and a flintlock musket they had taken from the natives. There, they applied to the Massachusetts Government for the scalp bounty.
In 1694, the bounty for scalps was 50 pounds each, and reduced to 25 pounds each in June of 1695. By December 1696, the scalp bounty had been entirely repealed. Wives had no legal status, so Thomas had to petition the Legislature on behalf of Hannah, requesting the bounties be paid, despite the fact that the law had been repealed.
The Humble Petition of Thomas Durstan of Haverhill Sheweth That the wife of ye petitioner (with one Mary Neff) hath in her Late captivity among the Barbarous Indians, been disposed & assisted by heaven to do an extraordinary action, in the just slaughter of so many of the Barbarians, as would by the law of the Province which [only] a few months ago, have entitled the actors unto considerable recompense from the Publick. That tho the [want] of that good Law [warrants] no claims to any such consideration from the publick, yet your petitioner humbly [asserts] that the merit of the action still remains the same; & it seems a matter of universal desire thro the whole Province that it should not pass unrecompensed… Your Petitioner, Thomas Durstun
June 16, 1697, the Massachusetts General Court voted to give them a reward for killing their captors, for which Hannah Duston received 25 pounds, and Mary and Samuel shared a reward of 25 pounds.
Vote for allowing fifty pounds to Thomas Dustun in behalf of his wife Hannah, and to Mary Neff, and Samuel Leonardson, captives escaped from the Indians, for their service in slaying their captors. Voted, in concurrence with the representatives, that there be allowed and ordered, out of the public treasury, unto Thomas Dunston of Haverhill, on behalf of Hannah his wife, the sum of twenty-five pounds; to Mary Neffe, the sum of twelve pounds ten shillings; and to Samuel Leonardson, the sum of twelve pounds ten shillings…as a reward for their service.
The reverend Cotton Mather interviewed Hannah upon her return to Haverhill. He published three different versions of her story between 1697 and 1702 where he portrayed the natives as instruments used by the devil to thwart the Puritan mission. He described Hannah as a righteous ringleader, and her captives as savages.
Hannah Duston was the first non-allegorical woman to get a statue in America. Her memorial was erected in 1874, and is now known as the Hannah Duston Memorial State Historic Site.
Was Hannah Duston justified in her revenge against the natives? Did she go to far by killing children? Was she a hero, or a villain? You decide.
If revenge is the flavor of the day, then might we recommend the story of Katherine Knight, and how she sought revenge?