The Drew Family and the Oyster River Massacre
Lydia Bickford Drew: 1650-1694 (Maternal First Cousin 8x
Removed)
Benjamin Drew: 1685-1694 (Maternal Second Cousin 7x Removed)
Thomas Drew: 1673-1766 1694 (Maternal Second Cousin 7x
Removed)
I have several ancestors with connections to the Oyster
River Plantation, a 17th century collection of homes and garrisons
that lay along the Oyster River in what is now New Hampshire but was then the frontier of the Massachusetts colony. A series
of broken treaties and land grabs by settlers had left native tribes angry and
frustrated. On July 17, 1694, Oyster River was attacked by a large group of indigenous
warriors egged on by a Frenchman named Villieu, who had orders from Quebec to
provoke hostilities. This historic event came to be known as the Oyster River
Massacre.
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| 1670 map of Oyster River |
About 250 Abenaki men, accompanied by men from the Maliseet
tribe, attacked at dawn. The Abenaki overran three garrisons, burned over half
the homes in the area, destroyed crops and killed livestock. Around one hundred
colonists were killed, including many women and children, comprising nearly
one-third of the population of Oyster River. In addition, 27 more colonists
were taken prisoner. The survivors were left in serious straits, with minimal
shelter, food and livestock to support themselves.
One of the garrisons attacked that July morning was the home
of the Francis Drew family. Francis Drew had arrived in the colonies in 1648.
He married my first cousin 8x removed, Lydia Bickford, who was the granddaughter
of my tenth-great-grandfather Joseph Hull and the daughter of my
ninth-great-aunt Temperence Hull. Francis and Lydia had several children,
including sons Thomas, John and Benjamin, and daughters Elizabeth and Mary.
The Drew house had been built by Francis’ father, William
Drew. It was fortified to serve as a garrison. Following William’s death in
1669, Francis was the head of the household. By 1694, some of Francis’ children
were grown. Son Thomas had married and he and wife Tamsen were also living in
the household.
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| New Hampshire houses built in the same period as the Drew garrison |
On the date of the attack, Francis Drew apparently heard
gunshots and suspected an attack, so he left the garrison house and tried to
reach help. He was captured and was promised that he and his family would live
if he surrendered the garrison house. He surrendered the garrison, but was
killed anyway.
Lydia Bickford Drew and her youngest son Benjamin, along
with son Thomas and his wife Tamsen, were all taken prisoner and carried off. Benjamin,
who was only nine years old, was forced to run a gauntlet as his captors hacked
at him with clubs and axes. He died of his injuries. Lydia became weak from
starvation and was abandoned by her captors in the woods where she died.
According to some accounts, son John apparently escaped out
of one of the windows of the garrison and survived, only to be killed about ten
years later in another Abenaki attack. It is unclear from the written accounts
of the massacre where daughters Mary and Elizabeth were that July day. There is
no record that they were taken captive, and Mary is mentioned in her father’s
probate records so perhaps she was living with her uncle. Mary and Elizabeth
seem to have both survived to adulthood and married, although there is some
confusion over whether they are actually separate people or one single woman. I
hypothesize that they were visiting friends or relatives and escaped the
massacre.
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| Probate records showing Francis' brother John was named administrator |
Francis Drew’s brother John was made executor of Francis’
estate in November of 1694. In 1696, the probate court transferred the role of
executor to son Thomas, who had been released from captivity and returned to
Oyster River. He reunited with his wife Tamsen who had been held captive in a separate
location. According to some sources, the Drew garrison house was burned, so Thomas
and Tamsen probably had to rebuild their home along with their lives.
 |
| Son Thomas Drew named administrator, with notation he had been in captivity, and further down mention of his sister Mary Drew. |
The Oyster River Massacre was an important historic event in
the early history of what became the state of New Hampshire. It was the result
of complicated and contentious relationships between the French and the English
settlers in colonial America, and the indigenous people who were being lied to
and cheated out of their lands. Sadly, the Oyster River Massacre is now
controversial. The use of the word “massacre” to describe the event has become
a source of contention. A historic marker that had been erected in Durham
decades ago was removed last year. Native people in the region felt the marker
told only part of the story, and failed to explain the position of the 17th
century Abenaki people. Despite committees working to develop alternate language
for a replacement that was respectful to all parties, the marker apparently
will never be re-erected.
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| Historical Marker that was removed in 2024. |
I hope this event, which so greatly impacted my ancestors,
is not forgotten as a result. We need to remember that the arrival of colonists
in the Americas may be something we like to celebrate, but it was devastating
for the indigenous people living here. Remembering and understanding the ugly
parts of America’s past is necessary to build a better future.
Sources:
Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire, Vol. 1.
New Hampshire Wills. 1694. Estate of Francis Drew. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7089/images/7089-Volume1-0444?pId=444
History of the Town of Durham, New Hampshire : (Oyster
River Plantation) with Genealogical Notes. Stackpole, Everett Schermerhorn;
Thompson, Lucien; Meserve, Winthrop Smith. 1913. https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofd02stac/page/136/mode/2up
The Colonial Garrisons of New Hampshire. Published by
the New Hampshire Society of Colonial Dames of America. Pg. 23. https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/historic_district/heritage_commission/page/17701/colonial_garrisons.pdf
