Like several of the towns near Haverhill, MA, Windham was once home to a close descendant of Hannah Dustin. To recount the story of Hannah Dustin one must go back to 1697, about one generation before the first settlers would have arrived in the region of Nutfield. On March 15 of that year a group of Indians attacked the home of Hannah's husband, Thomas. Leonard Morrison notes that Thomas, "mounted his horse, and placing himself with his trusty gun between his seven children and the savages, retreated to a place of safety." Hannah and her nurse, Mary Neff, were kidnapped and taken to the area now known as Concord, NH; Hannah's young child was killed. On March 30, after fifteen days of being held captive, the two women and a man, Samuel Leonardson, saw an opportunity to escape as the party of twelve Indians slept. Leonardson was considered to be a member of the Indian family, though not an Indian himself. The three escapees killed and scalped ten of the Indians and Hannah Dustin returned home and went on to give birth to thirteen children.
It would be about one hundred years before her great-grandson, Peter Dustin, would move to Windham, NH. Peter was the son of Nathaniel and Betsey Dustin of Haverhill. Nathaniel was the son of Nathaniel and Mary Dustin of Haverhill. Nathaniel was the son of the famous Hannah Dustin. Peter Dustin was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and lived on Zion's Hill in Salem, NH until 1785 when he relocated to a 98 acre farm in Windham near the old turnpike. There is much recorded about Dustin in Morrison's "History of Windham". The book describes him as:
It would be about one hundred years before her great-grandson, Peter Dustin, would move to Windham, NH. Peter was the son of Nathaniel and Betsey Dustin of Haverhill. Nathaniel was the son of Nathaniel and Mary Dustin of Haverhill. Nathaniel was the son of the famous Hannah Dustin. Peter Dustin was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and lived on Zion's Hill in Salem, NH until 1785 when he relocated to a 98 acre farm in Windham near the old turnpike. There is much recorded about Dustin in Morrison's "History of Windham". The book describes him as:
"Duston [sic] was a character, - witty, impulsive, impatient, and fretful. He loved his apples and cider. In the 'good old times', muster-day was a great day of enjoyment, and looked forward to with anticipations of delight, and retrospectively with great amusement. One time the muster took place on the hill about a fourth of a mile south of the Ripley house, where Peter then lived. A number had arrived, and sprang from their horses, and began
helping themselves from a pile of apples near at hand. They were seen by the impulsive Peter, and in a loud and comical tone, he exclaimed: 'Boys! you are welcome, I say you are welcome, to all the apples you want to eat, but don't fill your infernal saddle-bags!'"
helping themselves from a pile of apples near at hand. They were seen by the impulsive Peter, and in a loud and comical tone, he exclaimed: 'Boys! you are welcome, I say you are welcome, to all the apples you want to eat, but don't fill your infernal saddle-bags!'"
A 1795 document concerning a debt owed to Peter Dustin. One of the few tangible connections left between Windham and Hannah Dustin. Take note of how the document was hand sewn back together. This could have possibly been done by one of the Dustins.
Another notable incident involving Peter is recorded by Morrison as having taken place during a great gale that occurred on September 23, 1815.
"Four-wheeled carriages had just come in to use, and Peter had one. He had unhitched his horse, and his wagon stood on the top of the hill. The gale came from the south, struck the wagon and drove it rapidly down the descent some eight rods into the gutter, struck the shafts against
the wall, breaking them off short. Peter beheld the catastrophe, but was powerless to help; when he saw his valued wagon, the delight of his eye, the joy of his heart, going rapidly on the highway to destruction, his wrath knew no bounds. He was not a religious man, not even very moral at times.
When he beheld his wagon in the gutter, the shafts sticking in the stone- wall, broken short off, his anger was uncontrollable, he fairly raved, and gave vent to his wrath in language more forcible than pious."
Peter Dustin died on July 23, 1825 at the age of 79. The Betsey Dustin mentioned on the document above is one of his five children that were born while he resided in Salem. William Cooper was likely not a resident of Windham and there is no record of where he may have been from.
"Four-wheeled carriages had just come in to use, and Peter had one. He had unhitched his horse, and his wagon stood on the top of the hill. The gale came from the south, struck the wagon and drove it rapidly down the descent some eight rods into the gutter, struck the shafts against
the wall, breaking them off short. Peter beheld the catastrophe, but was powerless to help; when he saw his valued wagon, the delight of his eye, the joy of his heart, going rapidly on the highway to destruction, his wrath knew no bounds. He was not a religious man, not even very moral at times.
When he beheld his wagon in the gutter, the shafts sticking in the stone- wall, broken short off, his anger was uncontrollable, he fairly raved, and gave vent to his wrath in language more forcible than pious."
Peter Dustin died on July 23, 1825 at the age of 79. The Betsey Dustin mentioned on the document above is one of his five children that were born while he resided in Salem. William Cooper was likely not a resident of Windham and there is no record of where he may have been from.
