Queen Anne's war began in August of 1703, between France and England. The Abnaki quickly sided with France and used given arms to further aid the merciless killings of English settlers. Within a few weeks, at least two hundred English men lost their lives. The majority of the most useful men of Dunstable had been killed or taken prisoner. In addition, all others, which were very few, were compelled to dwell in the scattered garrisons throughout what remained of the settlement. Men feared going to mill, laborers feared harvesting crops, boys feared tending livestock and women and children feared remaining alone in their homes as savage attack by hatchet or musket could and did happen on any occasion by stealth like approach.
Soon after the attacks made by the Abnaki in 1703, the General Assembly of Massachusetts set a bounty of 40 pounds for each Indian scalp. Captain John Tyng, eldest son of Jonathan Tyng set out in the winter of 1703-1704 to their headquarters in Pequawkett and brought back five scalps. Other colonists were also compensated for later scalpings.
A very famous battle occurred in 1726 on the Dunstable shores of the Nashua River. One of the English survivors found a carving of an Indian Head on a tree. The scribe created much controversy in the already fearful settlers.
See an artist's interpretation of the scribe
This particular battle and its icon created a name and symbol known to many throughout the world. The Indian Head became a symbol of quality as it was primarily used to brand high-end textile products from Nashua. There are many references to Indian Head. You can find an Indian Head coin, an Indian Head Plaza, an Indian Head bank, the Indian Head Coffee House, Indian Head fabric (very rare), and the Indian Head rock formation; a tourist attractions found in New Hampshire. The northern part of Dunstable, New Hampshire was even known as Indian Head Village for many years!
The Indian Head Fabric Stamp
A historically brave man named John Lovewell ended the fears of New Hampshire colonists. He made his way with 50 other men to Fryeburg, Maine and conquered the Pigwacket Indians. Fryeburg is named after the Chaplin who accompanied the troop of men with Lovewell.
The Lovewell Fight Map
In 1730, Dunstable Massachusetts Bay colony was saturated enough to be able to break into the current communities of Amherst, Brookline, Dunstable (Nashua), Hollis, Hudson, Merrimack and Milford. Ancient Dunstable was the new name given to the original 200 square mile township. The state line between Massachusetts and New Hampshire went into effect in 1741. In 1746, Dunstable gained its charter and became a New Hampshire town.
In addition, in 1746, school began for the town children. The first schoolhouse was located in the back wing of the home of John Searles. Another house in the north end also served as a schoolhouse for some time.
In 1754, another classroom was located in the second meetinghouse, in the new town center. Since the state line was drawn, the new center developed at what is now the south end of Main Street near Rivier College. The roads at what is now the south end of Main Street are names contributed by pioneering men such as Lund and Robinson. That area remained the town center until 1814.
There were no dedicated school buildings until 1774. Legislators funded five district schoolhouses as schooling became a priority with more and more families. At that time there were about seven hundred families residing in the area. In 1775, Nashua had its first census.
Historic Schools
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