From The Gazetteer of the State of New Hampshire (in three parts), compiled from the best authorities, by Eliphalet Merrill and the Late Phinehas Merrill, Esq., Printed by C. Norris & Co. , Exeter, NH, ©1817, pg 121-126 Part Two of Gazetteer: DURHAM - a township in Strafford county, lying on Oyster river at the junction with the Piscataqua. It contains a population of 1,449, and is bounded on Madbury S. 63 1/2° E. 1040 rods, thence S.54 1/2° E. to Cedar point; on Lee N. 16 3/4° E. 5 miles and 66 rods; on Newmarket S. 80 1/2° E. 700 rods to a rock, thence S. 56 1/2° E. 264 rods to the head of the creek, thence to Chelsey’s little island which is the S. corner boundary, thence by Great and Little bay to Cedar point, comprising an area of 14, 970 acres. The N.H. turnpike from Portsmouth to Concord passes through this town. The first settled minister in Durham was the Rev. Hugh Adams, who was ordained in 1717, and dismissed in 1739. The Rev. Nicholas Gilman Hugh Adams and Curtis Coe have been his successors, all of them Congregationalists. The compact part of the town, near the falls contains a handsome meeting house, 37 dwelling houses, and 7 stores and small shops. In this town resided Maj. Gen. Sullivan and Col. Adams of the revolutionary army, Hon. George Frost and Ebenezer Thompson were also citizens of Durham. The annual average number of deaths in this place for many years past has been computed at less than 15. In Durham is situated that remarkable rock weighing 60 or 70 tons and lying so exactly poised on another rock as easily to be moved with one hand. Durham was included in Hilton’s patent which was granted in the year 1630. In September, 1675, the Indians made an attack at Oyster river, then a part of Dover and now constituting Durham. They burned two houses, killed several men and carried away two captives. Two days after this attack they made another, destroyed several houses and killed two persons. These repeated insults and depredations roused the indignation of our people and forced them to retaliate. About 20 young men, most of whom were from Dover, obtained permission from major Waldron to make an attempt against the Indians in their own way. Having scattered themselves in the woods, a division of them discovered a party of five Indians in the field near a deserted house, some of whom were gathering corn, while the others were preparing to roast it. Our people were at such a distance from their companions, that they could not make any signal to them without discovering themselves. Two of them crept silently toward the house and rushing suddenly upon the two Indians, who were busy at the fire, knocked them down with their guns. The other three took the alarm and escaped. In 1694, when a large part of the inhabitants had marched to the westward, the Indians who were dispersed in the woods about Oyster river, having diligently observed the number of men in Hucking’s garrison rushed upon eighteen of them, as they were going to their morning devotion, and having cutoff their retreat to the house put them all to death except 1 who fortunately escaped. They then attacked the house, in which there were only two boys beside the women and children. The boys kept them off for sometime and wounded several of them. At length the Indians set fire to the house and even then the boys would not surrender till the Indians had promised to spare their lives. The latter however perfidiously murdered three or four of the children, one of whom they fixed upon a sharp stake in the view of its mother. The women and children were carried captive, but one of the boys made his escape the next day. The next spring the Indians narrowly watched the frontiers to determine the safest and most vulnerable points of attack. The settlement at Oyster was selected for destruction, and preparations being at length completed for the incursion, Sieur de Villieu with a company of 250 Indians and a French priest marched for this devoted spot. Oyster river is the stream which falls into the west branch of the Piscataqua river just below the present site of Durham. The settlements were on both banks of the river. Here were twelve garrisoned houses amply sufficient for the reception of the inhabitants, but not apprehending any danger, many of the families remained in their unfortified houses, and those who were in garrisons were but indifferently prepared for a siege, as they were destitute of powder. The enemy approached the place undiscovered and halted near the falls. Here they separated into two divisions, one of which was to go on each side of the river and plant itself in small parties in ambush near the houses and to be ready for the attack at sunrise, for which a single gun was to be the signal. One John Dean, whose house stood near the falls, happening to rise very early for a journey before the dawn of day, was shot as he came out of his door. This firing partially deranged the plan as several parties who were at a distance, had not then arrived at their stations. The inhabitants also , being generally alarmed, some of them had time for escape and others to prepare for defense. The signal being thus given, the attack commenced on all points, where the enemy was ready. Of the twelve garrisoned houses five were destroyed, Adams’, Drew’s, Edgerly’s Meader’s, and Beard’s. The enemy entered Adams’ without resistance where they murdered fourteen persons, whose graves can still be traced. Drew surrendered his garrison on promise of security but he was put to death. One of his children, only nine years old, was compelled to run through a line of Indians as a mark for their hatchets. Edgerly’s garrison was evacuated, the people having fled to their boats, one of whom was mortally wounded in attempting to escape. Beard’s and Meader’s were also evacuated and their inhabitants escaped. The unfortified houses were all set on fire, the people being either put to death or captured in them. Some escaped by concealing themselves in the bushes and elsewhere. Thomas Edgerly having hid himself in his cellar preserved his house though it was twice set on fire. The house of John Bass the minister was destroyed together with his valuable library. He was absent at the time and his wife and family fled to the woods. The wife of John Dean who was the first person shot, was taken with her daughter and carried about two miles up the river, where they were left under the care of an old Indian, while his companions returned to their bloody work. The Indian complained of a pain in his head, and asked the woman what would relieve him, she replied, occapee, (which is the Indian name for rum) and of which she knew he had carried away a bottle from her house. The medicine being very agreeable to his taste he repeated the dose. He soon fell asleep from its effects and she seized the opportunity to escape into the woods where she lay concealed till the danger was over. The other seven garrisons were resolutely and successfully defended. The gate of Burnham’s happened to be left open through the night. A man within, who had been kept awake by the tooth-ache, hearing the alarm gun, roused the people and secured the entrance, just as the enemy had reached it. Finding themselves disappointed at this point, the Indians immediately ran to Pitman’s, a defenseless house and forced open the door at the moment that he had burst his way through that end of the house, which adjoined the garrison, to which he and his family happily escaped. Their bloody purpose being thus again defeated, they attacked the house of John Davis, who after a short resistance surrendered on terms which were basely violated, as he and his whole family were either killed or made prisoners. Thomas Beckford preserved his house in a singular manner. It was situated near the river and surrounded by a palisade. Hearing the alarm before the enemy had reached his house, he sent off his family in a boat and then fastening his gate he undertook alone the defense of his house. Contemning alike the promises and threats of his besiegers, he kept up a constant fire at them, changing his dress as often as he could, and giving orders aloud, as if he had a company with him. Finding their exertions unavailing, the enemy withdrew, leaving Beckford the sole master of a fortress which he had defended with such admirable address. Three other garrisons, being seasonably apprised of the danger, were resolutely defended, and two Indians were killed in attacking them. Jones’ garrison was surrounded before day, but its owner, hearing his dog bark and fearing that wolves were near, went out at that moment to secure some swine and returned uninjured. Having on his return ascended his wall, and observing the flash of a gun, he immediately dropped backward, and the ball entered the very place where he stood. The enemy form behind a rock continued firing on the house for some time and then abandoned it. During these transactions the French priest took posses- sion of the meeting house and employed himself in writing on the pulpit with chalk, but the house itself received no damage. Those parties of the enemy who were on the other side of the river, having completed their work of destruction, assembled in a field adjoining Burnham’s garrison, where they insultingly displayed their prisoners and derided the inhabitants, supposing themselves out of the reach of the guns, one of them was shot from the sentry-box from the garrison. Both divisions having then met at the falls where they had separated the evening before, marched to Capt. Woodman’s garrison. The ground being broken and hilly, they made their approach without difficulty and kept up a continual fire at the hats and caps, which our people held on sticks above the wall. At length fearing that the inhabitants from the neighboring settlements would collect against them, the Indians retreated, having killed or captured between 90 and 100 persons and destroyed 20 houses, 5 of which were garrisoned. Among the prisoners were Thomas Drew and his wife who were recently married. He was taken to Canada, where he continued two years and was then ransomed. She was carried to Norrigewock, where she was detained four years and endured every thing but death. She was delivered of a child in the winter, unsheltered from the storms, and being unable to nurse it, the Indians put it to death. After her return to her husband she had a family of 14 children. She lived to the age of 89 and her husband to that of 93. They died within two days of each other and were buried in the same grave. In 1703, the Indians made another incursion and killed one man. In 1704, several persons were murdered by them, and in 1705, a small party attacked the house of John Drew, where they put eight people to death and wounded several others. The garrison was near but was at that time without a man in it. The women, finding their case desperate, put on the hats of their husbands and dressed themselves in other respects like men, and by keeping up a brisk fire, they actually drove the enemy off, before they had plundered or even attacked the house. John Wheeler accosting this party and mistaking them for friendly Indians, unfortunately fell into their power and was killed, together with his wife and four children. Two of his sons secreted themselves in a cove by the bank of the river. In 1707, two men were captured from Durham, and two others were murdered as they were on a journey from that town to Dover. In 1707, a party of Mohawks attacked a company of our men who were at work in the woods under the direction of Capt. Chesley. At the first fire they killed seven and wounded another. Chesley, with his few surviving companions continued a brisk fire on the enemy, and for some time kept them off, but he at length fell, over powered by numbers. He was deeply lamented as a brave officer. In 1724, the Indians made another incursion into this town, formed an ambush near the road and murdered several persons. The family of Col. John Davis of this town (who died at the age of 88,) were equally remarkable for longevity and superior stature. Five of them lived till the age of 85, and one to that of 99. Submitted by T.C. Parziale 5/30/00 **************************************************************************** * * * * Notice: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. 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