Samuel LEONARD (LEONARDSON)
Biography

BOOK- GRISWOLD - A HISTORY - Being a history of the town of Griswold CT microfilm 1597788 item 5 book 975.65/ G3 H2p pp11,12,54
SAMUEL LEONARD
"About 1696 there came to the Pachaug country Samuel Leonard, who with his family settled on the banks of the Pachaug river, east of Appaquashosk hill. They had experienced to the full the savagery of the Indians, for their only son, a lad of 12years, also named Samuel, had just before been kidnapped and carried into captivity by the redskins, with whom he remained for nearly 2 years. It chanced that during this time he was brought into the company of Hannah Dustin and Mary Neff, the details of whose capture by the Indians at Haverhill, Mass., in 1697, had horrified all New England. The three, while in a wigwam occupied by 2 Indian families on an island in the Merrimac river, near Concord, planned their escape. The boy Samuel had been so long with the savages that, when he asked his master how to strike to kll instantly, and how to take a scalp, it was taken as a sign that he had become one of them, and he was freely told. When the captives had perfected their plans, silently and with speed, while their captors slept, the attack was made. Ten Indians were klled instantly the two remaining, a squaw who was wounded, and a child who was spared purposely, escaped to the woods. With the scalps of the slain and their weapons, the 3, captives no longer, embarked in a canoe, and having scuttled the boats that remained, descended the river until the came in safety to their friends. The news of their escape spread from settlement to settlement, and all who heard were filled with astonishment and admiration because of their heroic deed. Soon affter the boy Samuel, doubtless fearing then and always the vengeance of his implacable foes, fled in secrecy to Pachaug, and became permanent settlers there. Family tradition alone tells us that at one time in the early days the Leonards became aware of an Indian lurking about their home. At last, after days of watching, a member of the family shoot the Indian dead, seemingly with no more compunction than he would have shown toward a dangerous beast. But such incidents were exceptional."




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