Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-09-12
Stlrttt0 sStorp.
FOX THE ONF1RD DEMOCRAT.
STORY OF HANNAH DUSTON.

Halt a century ago. tuo story OF Han.
nah pustoh WAS familiar 10 almost oyery
/ SchoJl-chiii. u briei sketch ut her heroic
deeds having been inserted in The school
rcV!ers OF that day. hu, those reading
bo"A, have long since been replaced by
others. and lrsi0le copies Of ,hcm can
~ - '' louud only IN antiquarian collec-
uous- The sketch in the books YVES brief,
but elderly people of that time were
I familiar with the story which had been
handed down from generation lo genera.
ton. and were able to supply al tho dc
tails which We're omitted from the sketch
in The books. There aTc probably many
I gtowa up boys aud c,rls ~ the present
time Who have never hoard the story and
may even ba ignorant OF who Hannah
Du,tou was. and it Is ior the benefit o'
such that We propose 10 repeat it hero
Tho descendants ot this heroic woman
arc very numerous. and probably All per
sons 10 Maine who besr the name ol
[ Duston. can trace their descent from her
The story has been told in several differ
eut ways A. diftercn, times. and though
there h-- been an agreement in AL the
essential features. sometime, additions
have been made los way OF embelIish-
meat y hich we're no, well authenticated
and probably not strictly llue. The iu-
cileu,s n Shich We are about 10 relate oc
CURED nearly two bundled Years ago
but they were OF >p marked cbaIacte'
~ 10 leave well dedCeI impress, upon
I the imperfec, literature oi the day. and
the uaiu facts aye - wei autheutica', ID
a. are 4uy OF The occurrences oi tast day,
and .,om their eXcep ional character
much better han SOM.
H4nuah DGslOn was tue daughteI o
I Michael and Hannah (Webster) Emerson
aud was the oldest ot fifteen children
/ She vas born Dec %, 1861. and wa'
married 10 Thomas DustOn Dec. ). l61.
and by hin she had fourteen children
I The ancestry of Thomas Dnstou Is mol
very clearly defined in tue early records
/ but il Is supposed that he came 10 Haver
/ hill, Mass. where hc and bis family r.
sided q, the time the incidents we are
about 10 relate occurred. from Dover. y
II. Like many other New kng!art
names the orthography varies considera
| bly in the old records. There was
! Thomas DtUsf0u at Dover in lC4O ant
one OF the same name in hittery in 1902
and they are generally supposed TO be th'
same person; and Thomas Duston WHIT
married Hannah Emerson is supposed u
have been bis son.
Every one iamilisr with New Englan'
History is aware OF the atrocities con.
mitted upon the white settlers by the ln
dians between 1890 and 100. IL Wa:
during this period. that is in 1892 tha
The old town of York. Me. was destroyed
and large portions OF Tue inhabitant!
either killed or carried away captive.
Nearly every locality on the Merrimaei
and Plscataqua rivers. suffered more o
less during these years. Ga the 10th o
March l691 occurred one OF the herces
and bloodest iorays Of the whole lndial
war, and Haverhill which up 10 this Tim
had been spared the horrors OF genera
attack. was the victim. The first hous
attacked was that of Thomas Dusion ant
the whole number OF persons killed II
the town was thirty-nine. At the um'
Duston's house was attacked be was II
the field at work, but seeing the savage
in the near vicinity of his dwelling h
bsstened 10 the rescue. regardless OF th'
odds against him. Mrs. DustOn at tn
time had a child but week old and wa
attended by nurse. widow nance
Msry Neff. and her other seven children
Dus,on reached the house before the ln
djaps and directed his seven chiidrel
whose ages were from two 10 seventeen
10 haste As fast as they could toward ih
garrison which was situated IN a direc
lion different from thst from when In
sAvages were approaching Before III
Vie could .eave The house the red ras
Gals were upon them and Duston kno"
inc that it he remained he would be IN
s,an,i, Killed ran out to follow his CHI
5r,n lie mounted horse thinkmg ina
,sbe, he reached the children be wonI'
snatch one and ride away with It, an
Iesye the others. SIS he had bis VIE
,hs care Of Divine Providence. lie over
took The children about ior'y rods Iron
hi,osn door. bat when be reached 'nel
hi, heart tailed him and he found Ii im
nos,ible TO make the selection. lie the
and there resolved to live or Ole VIII
them all. \ small party OF INDIANS pui
sued Mr. Duston as ne hed' as ne wa