Although the bounty of 50 pounds on Indian scalps had been revoked in 1696, Mr. Duston felt that the two women and the boy had done a tremendous thing in destroying some of the enemies who were killing innocent women and children. So after the three had had a chance to rest and recover somewhat from their experiences, they all went to Boston with their trophies, arriving April 21, 1697.
Mr. Duston filed the following petition which was read in the House of Representatives June 8, 1697 (Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 70, p. 350): To the Right Honorable the Lieutenant Governor and the Great and General Assembly of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay now convened in Boston The Humble Petition of Thomas Duston of Haverhill Sheweth That the wife of ye petitioner (with one Mary Neff) hath in her Late captivity among the Barbarous Indians, been disposed and assisted by heaven to do an extraordinary action, in the just slaughter of so many of the Barbarians, as would by the law of the Province which, a few months ago, have entitled the actors unto considerable recompense from the Publick. That tho the-of that good Law-no claims to any such consideration from the publick, yet your petitioner humbly-that the merit of the action still remains the same; and it seems a matter of universall desire thro the whole Province that it should not pass unrecompensed. And that your petitioner having lost his estate in that calamity wherein his wife was carried into her captivity render him the fitter object for what consideration the public Bounty shall judge proper for what hath been herein done, of some consequence, not only unto the persons more immediately delivered, but also unto the Generall Interest. Wherefore humbly Requesting a favorable Regard on this occasionYour Petitioner shall pray etcThomas Du(r)stan.The day the petition was read in the House of Representatives, it was voted "that the above-named Thomas Durstan in behalf of his wife shall be allowed and paid out of the publick Treasury Twenty-five pounds; and Mary Neff the sum of Twelve pounds Ten Shillings, and the young man (Samuel Leonardson) concerned in the same action the like sum of Twelve pounds Ten Shillings." The larger sum granted to Mr. Duston was probably because of his "lost estate," in other words, the burning of his house and household goods.