Thomas Duston/Dustin
Historical note: Thomas Duston b.1652 served in King Phillip's War in Lt.
Benjamin Sweet's company Aug 24 1767 (N.E. Reg. 43 p.98 & 275). Freeman at
Haverhill Nov 28 1677 (N.E. Reg Vol 6 p.203). On the York county (Maine) Probate
records June 8 1703 (N.E. Reg. Vol 31p.221)"Administration granted to Thomas
Duston of Haverhill on the estate of his father Thomas Duston of Kittery
deceased intestate."
Thomas was a brick maker and he had a saw mill. He built a new brick house and
it became a garrison house which was, under his command, to be repaired and
guarded by five men. This garrison house has been maintained and is periodically
open for tourists.
The problem he faced when the Abnaike Indians descended on Haverhill is
described by Jane James, p. 21: "On the morning of March 15, 1697 about 20
Abinake Indians in war dress descended on the outlying homes of Haverhill.
Thomas Dustin, constable of Haverhill at the time, was working outdoors and saw
them approaching. He hurried to warn his family. He sent their seven children
aged 17 to 2 to the nearest garrisoned house (probably Onisephorus Marsh's)
telling them to run as quickly as possible. He then urged his wife Hannah to
come with him on the one horse. But six days earlier Hannah had given birth to
their 12th child, Martha. Although they certainly would have taken the baby with
them there was a neighbor who had been nursing Hannah, Mary (Corliss) Neff, a
widow, to consider. One can imagine the awful confusion of those few moments
with the Indians approaching. Hannah urged Thomas to go with the children and
protect them and he did. He was resolved to save at least one of the fleeing
children--"the dearest one" according to [Cotton] Mather who later personally
interviewed Hannah. He intended to swing that one on the horse with him and ride
on. However, he could not make such a painful choice and so, dismounting and
keeping the horse between the fleeing band and the two or three Indians who
followed, they all arrived at the place of safety. He had a musket and Chase
debates as to whether he fired at the pursuers as some accounts suggest."