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[3162.ftw]

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #3162, Date of Import: Dec 5, 1998]

from "LEONARD GENEALOGY"

Samuel Leonard, only son of Samuel, eldest son of Solomon, was born in Bridgewater about 1683, died in Preston, Ct on 11May1718.
While his father's family were living in Worchester, sometime in the autumn of 1695, he was kidnapped by hostile indians, and for a year and a half his anxious and distressed friends could learn nothing of his fate. No detailed account of the circumstances attending his capture, or of his sufferings from hunger, cold and exposure during the 2 entire winters he was in the hands of his savage captors has come down to us, but history has faithfully described the wonderful heroism exibited by this youth--then but 14 years of age---and by his associates in captivity, Mrs. Hannah Duston and Mrs. Mary Neff of Haverhill, in slautering their mercilous captors and their almost miraculous restoration to intensely anxious relatives and friends. In this connection the name of this modest youth, written Samuel Leonardson in the annals, has become immortalized, while his personal identity has been in obscurity for nearly two centuries.
March 15, 1697, the Indians attacked the town of Haverhill, Mass. and after murdering 27 of the inhabitants and burning 9 dwellings, carried away 13 captives. Among the latter the 2 women previously named.
A history of this foray by the Indians, with the experience of these captives, the daring and intrepid manner of their escape, etc. was published soon after it occured by Cotton Mather in his "Magnalia", printed in London and has been repeated in other publications many times since.
(skipping some text)On the night of March 30, 1697 they attempted to escape. The boy and 2 women slaughted their captives and made thier escape. They took a canoe and embarked on a perilous voyage down the Merimac, for Haverhill. After resting a little they set out for Boston where they arrivedon April 21st. Judge Samuel Sewell makes mention of them in his diary under date April 29 and May 1st.
Soon after this Sameul joined his father and sisters in the vicinity of Norwich, Ct. At that time it was a long and toilsome journey and to him a dangerous one. It is believed that his mother had died during his captivity, her death hastened by intense solicitude for her lost, only son.His safety from the vengeance of the Indians required that he remain in obscurity and this may have influenced his father making his home in the northerly part of Preston( which is now Groswold, Conn.)
A monument now stands on the spot where the Indians were slain, dedicated 17June1874 on an island called previously Contoocook, now called Duston's Island.

this is only a portion of the text.