Joseph BRADLEY

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Joseph Bradley was one of those appointed to keep snow shoes to be ready for emergency in case of Indian attacks. He was a constable and had command of the fifth fort in Haverhill. His house was attacked three times. In the massacre of 1696/7 two of his children were killed and his wife Hannah Heath taken captive by the Indians at the same time as Hannah Dustin who made such a memorable escape from the savages. Hannah Heath Bradley was in captivity nearly two years as shown by the list of the "Captives Received at board the Province Galley from the Indians, No. 5 Hannah Bradley of haverhill,' dated "1698/9 ye 17 January Cascoe Bay" (now Portland). Several years after her escape their house was again attacked in the massacre of 8 Feb., 1704, when 13 were killed, 5 carried away and 3 escaped. At this time, Hannah "snatched a ladle of boiling soap from the fire and dashed it upon a Savage's head, scalding him to death." Hannah was again taken captive and two children were killed. Another child, born in captivity, was cruelly murdered. Hannah was sold to the French for 80 pounds and carried to Canada. After two years' bondage she was rescued by her husband who went with Ensign Sheldon to the relief of the captives. They embarked fro Quebec with forty-four prisoners 30 may, 1706, and reached Boston 1 August after a two months' voyage. In response to Joseph's appeal for assistance to Gov. Dudley he was allowed twenty pounds "over and above what they had in fitting them out."

A month after the return , his house was attacked for the third time. All were armed with guns and saved themselves. Hannah shot one of the Indians, killing him, and the rest fled.

In 1738 Hannah petitioned the General Court for a grant of land in consideration of her former sufferings among the Indians and "present low circumstances." That honorable body granted her 250 acres of land in Methuen. Her success in this appeal stimulated Joseph Neff, a son of mary Neff, to make a similar request. He petitioned for a grant of land in consideration of his other's services in assisting Hannah Dustin in killing "divers Indians," in being "kept prisoner for a considerable time and in suffering great hardship in returning home." He was granted 200 acres of land. Accompanying Neff's petition was the following deposition of Hannah Bradley, which proves that she was taken prisoner at the same time as Hannah Dustin, and traveled with her as far as Pennacook, and that Hannah Dustin and Mary Neff had killed the"divers Indians."

"The Deposition of the Widow Hannah Bradley of Haverhill of full age who testifieth and saith that about forty years past the said Hannah together with the widow Mary Neff were taken prisoners by the Indians and carried together into captivity, & above penny cook the deponent was by the Indians forced to travel farther than the rest of the Captives, and the next night but one there came to us one Squaw who said that Hannah Dustin and the aforesaid Mary Neff assisted in killing the Indians of her wigwam except herself and a boy, herself escaping very narrowly, shewing to myself and others seven wounds as she said with a hatchet on her head which wounds were given her when the rest were killed, and further saith not."

The above deposition was sworn to before Joshua Bayley of Haverhill June 28, 1739.

Joseph married Hannah HEATH on 14 Feb 1691 in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Hannah (daughter of John HEATH and Sarah PARTRIDGE) was born on 3 May 1673 in Haverhill, Essex Co., Massachusetts; died on 2 Nov 1761 in Haverhill, Essex Co., Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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His widow was administratrix of his estate 30 Sep 1690, valued at L 215.1.10. He came from the Parish of Alphage Cripplegate, sailing from London, England, in the "Elizabeth" 6 Apr. 1635, at the age of twenty. He resided in Ipswich, Mass., in 1636; settled in Haverhill; was made freeman there in 1642 and assisted in building in 1648 the first rude meeting house "upon the shore of the river, on a knoll that lightly swelled from the surrounding land."

His son and grandson aided in building the next two meeting-houses. In May, 1664, he bought the house and land in Haverhill adjoining the "Parsonage farm." In 1682 the "Parsonage farm" was leased to him for twenty-five years.

He was killed by the Indians on the parsonage road near the present site of the Atkinson, N.H., depot. He was the first of his family to be killed by the Indians. His children and grandchildren were many of them massacred or taken prisoner. From the beginning of the French and Indian war in 1675 for forty years Haverhill suffered from depredations of the Indians and was constantly on the alert. For nearly seventy years every Haverhill man was a soldier. In 1680 six forts were organized with garrisons and four private houses fitted up as "houses of refuge" from the Indian raids. This was truly an age of terror. In 1690 it was suggested that the town be abandoned, but it was decided to remain and abide by the result. From June, 1689, to May, 1698, there were 561 killed, 81 wounded and 161 captured. Few families suffered more than the Bradleys from the succession of Indian raids which took place in the following years.

Daniel married Mary WILLIAMS on 21 May 1662 in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Mary (daughter of John WILLIAMS and Jane ?) was born on 20 Sep 1641 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, USA; died on 6 Oct 1714 in Haverhill, Essex Co., Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]