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It was a Monday afternoon on
August 5th in 1695, when a group of Indians on horseback attacked several
families that had made their homes in Northern Billerica. John Rogers, a
farmer who was taking an afternoon nap from his chores on the farm, was
awakened by an arrow that struck his neck. Surprised by the sudden attack,
he pulled the arrow out of his neck but soon died afterwards. The arrow
had hit his jugular vein. A woman who was in the room with him, jumped out
of the window and managed to survive the attack by hiding herself
underneath some flags. Another young woman was not so lucky. The Indians
scalped her and left her for dead but miraculously she survived the
scalping and lived for several years afterwards.
The family of John Levistone was hit the hardest. His mother-in-law and 5 children were killed, while his eldest daughter was taken prisoner. Mary Toothaker, that woman who was sister to Martha Carrier the convicted witch hung during the Salem witchcraft trials, was killed in the attack and her daughter, Margaret was taken prisoner by the Indians. Her husband, Roger, had left her and their children to the care of the town while he entertained himself with the witchcraft trials in Salem. He, I believe, was also accused of witchcraft and died in prison before his trial came up. The other sad story about Mary Toothaker was that she had admitted during her witchcraft accusation that she had made a secret pact with the devil to sell her soul if he would just rid her of the Indians that plagued her. Unfortunately, the devil did not keep his side of the bargain and although Mary survived her witchcraft ordeal, she was not relieved of the Indians and she died at their hands. For weeks the towns surrounding Billerica and Billerica itself tried to catch the Indians in this attack but to no avail. It was rumored that the Indians were clever enough as to muzzle their dogs with wampum so as to escape with no detection from their barking. The fact that they were on horseback and attacked in the middle of the day, gave no suspicion to the settlers that those approaching their settlement were enemies. It was indeed a surprise attack and one that gave the Indians their victory. 15 people were either killed or taken prisoner by the Indians: The Rogers Family The Toothaker Family The Levistone Family The 15th Victim: unknown They do not list what tribe attacked these settlers or why. Possibly was it because they were falsely accused by the settlers for crimes for which they were not guilty of and they retaliated with this onslaught? Such accusations were common. Possibly was it because they were being squeezed from their lands by the growing English settlement? Another common problem between the Indians and the English colonists. The families that were attacked by the Indians in Billerica lived in the northern part of the town close by the Concord River and towards the Middlesex Canals. They were pretty much separated from the rest of the settlement. You will also notice that the Indians were very choosy as to who they let live and kept as captives. Their median age is around the age of 13. Hmmm, they must've liked them young, but not too young! Ahhh such is life - then and now. Everybody will take youth over anything else. -Binny Copyright 2002
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