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]