USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Portsmouth > Early Portsmouth history > Part 4
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says, in his description of this, the Grand Council of Plymouth, or the Council for New England: "Their affairs were transacted in a confused manner from the beginning."3
Two of the most active members of the Council for New England were Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Capt. John Mason, son of John Mason of King's Lynn, County Norfolk. 15,18 Captain Mason had been a Lon- don merchant, then later a sea officer.3,4 He was, after the peace, governor of Newfoundland.3 Later still, much interested in America, when elected to the Coun- cil for New England, he became its secretary.4 He lived for some time in Portsmouth, 4,18 Hampshire, England, and, in 1629, he was captain of the fort at Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.4 Gorges, who was now about fifty-four years old,2 had served in the Spanish wars. He had been an officer in the navy of Queen Elizabeth, and had been governor of the fort and islands of Plymouth, England, in Devon- shire.3 Gorges was of Somerset family, "which had been seated near Bristol since 1260." 2 He had been intimately connected with Sir Walter Raleigh, "of whose adventurous spirit he had a large share."3 Captain Waymouth, who had been employed to search for a northwest passage, and for other ex- plorations, had brought five natives from Pemaquid, Maine, into Plymouth Harbor, England, when Gorges was governor there. Gorges had eagerly seized three of these natives, whom he retained in his service for three years. He won their affection and learned from them of the country from which they came, and its rivers, harbors, islands, fisheries and other resources. From this information Gorges conceived sanguine hopes "of indulging his genius and making
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his fortune by a thorough discovery of the country." 3 In this purpose Gorges and others ventured several ships.3 In 1616, as has been stated, he employed Vines on a colonization expedition to Maine. Gorges had put out so much effort in New England that he was made President of the Council for the Affairs of New England.3
On March 9, 1621, Capt. John Mason secured a grant of land running from what is now Salem, Massa- chusetts, to the end of Cape Ann, and around Cape Ann to the Merrimac River. "This district was called Mariana." 3 On August 10, 1622, this was supple- mented, so far as Mason was concerned, by a grant from the Council of Plymouth, that is, the Council for New England, to Capt. John Mason and Sir Ferdi- nando Gorges, jointly, of all territory lying between the middle of the Merrimac River and the middle of the Sagadehock, or Kennebec River.3 This grant carried title to all land up to the head waters of the rivers mentioned, that is, the Merrimac and the Kenne- bec, and continued sixty miles back from the coast. It also included all islands along the coast.4 On November 3, 1622, Capt. Robert Gorges, the younger son of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, obtained a patent from the Council of Plymouth on the northeast side of Massachusetts Bay, ten miles into the land.7 This territory lay between the Charles River and Nahant.7 In 1622, also, the Council of Plymouth gave a grant of Massachusetts territory to Thomas Weston, the early friend of the Pilgrims. Weston began a planta- tion that year, 1622,14 at "Wessagusquaset," 14 now Weymouth, Massachusetts. He sent over there fifty or sixty men in two ships. They are described as a dissolute crew who robbed the Indians.1 A little later,
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in 1625, one Captain Wallaston, with about thirty persons, began a plantation near Weston's. They called it Mount Wallaston. "One Morton was of this company." 1 Thus, by the end of 1625 the great interest which the information given by Capt. John Smith had aroused in England, in regard to New Eng- land, had found expression in grants, plans for coloni- zation and actual small oases of colonization.
The patent to Gorges and Mason in 1622, by the Council of Plymouth, referred to the territory granted them as a province, which the grantees intended to call "The Province of Maine."4 There has been specu- lation as to why the name "Maine" was given this territory. It has been stated as likely that the term "Province of Maine" arose through some compli- mentary, but undefined, association with Henrietta Maria, the Queen of Charles I, and the French Province of Mayne.7 Dr. Henry S. Burrage, state historian of Maine, in his "Gorges and the Grant of the Province of Maine," says that we have not far to look "for the word 'Maine' as used in the grant of the 'Province of Maine' to Gorges and Mason. In the first decade of the seventeenth century, the voyagers and explorers. who visited our coast had need for a name for it, as it rose from the sea on their approach. Outlying islands they mentioned as islands, but the land to them was the 'main', or 'maine land', and so they called it in their relations and narrations. Pring, in his account of his approach to the coast, in 1603, refers to it as 'maine land'; also 'The Mayne'. Rosier, in his nar- rative of Waymouth's visit here in 1605, mentions. 'the maine land'. So also, in the relation of the Popham Colony we have the designation 'the main Land'. King James, in the Great Charter of 1620 to
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the Council for New England, made mention of 'maine Lands', and 'Land upon the Maine'. What other designation, therefore, could the Council for New England, in 1622, more naturally use in their grant of a province to Gorges and Mason, than the designation 'Province of Maine', inserting in the title the word that had been used so long in any mention of the territory conveyed?" 7
Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Capt. John Mason se- cured their joint grant on August 10, 1622.3 There is a record in existence referring to a patent granted one David Thomson and two others, all of Plymouth, England, in 1622, covering a point of land in the Pis- cattowa River in New England.11 This may have referred to an earlier grant, now lost, which Thomson never took advantage of.11 On December 3, 1622, however, the records of the Council for New England show that as of that date Mr. Thomson propounded that he had an order from the Council for New Eng- land for the transportation of ten persons to New England, these persons to pay the usual rates to the Council for their transportation, after two years.11 On December 14, 1622, a deed passed between David Thomson of Plymouth, England, and Abraham Cole- mer, Nicholas Sherwill and Leonard Pomerie, or Pomery, all also of Plymouth. This indenture recited that under date of October 16, 1622, the Council for New England granted to David Thomson six thousand acres of land and an island in New England, and that David Thomson had actually conveyed one-quarter part of that island to the three merchants of Plymouth named in the agreement and had promised to convey one-quarter of the six thousand acres.11 Three-quar- ters of the charge of planting the said island were to
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be borne by Thomson, one-quarter by the three merchants.11 It is stated that the deed to Thomson referred to as dated October 16, 1622, was signed by the Council for New England November 16, 1622.11
Apparently Thomson designed a plantation near the mouth of the Piscataqua River.11 The deed to Thom- son, signed by the Council for New England Novem- ber 16, 1622,11 has not been discovered, and what it contained is judged only by reference to it in the agreement Thomson had with Colemer, Sherwill and Pomerie, and by subsequent history. The agreement. between Thomson and Colemer, Sherwill and Pomerie provided that Thomson was to convey in fee simple one-quarter of the six thousand acres which Thomson recited had been granted to him by the Council for New England, this conveyance being to Colemer, Sherwill and Pomerie. In consideration for this con- veyance these three men, who were merchants of Plymouth, agreed, at their own charge, that present year to provide and send two men with Thomson in the ship "Jonathan" of Plymouth, to New England. The deed also provided that the said merchants, Cole- mer, Sherwill and Pomerie, were to victual and pro- vide the ship for the voyage, and that if within three months after the ship passed Ram Head, which was a. promontory just outside Plymouth Sound, England, Thomson and his party landed in New England, what- ever was left of the victuals provided for three months by Colemer, Sherwill and Pomerie should be given to Thomson at that time. 11
The deed provided also that the three merchants, at. their own charge, should send three more men in the. ship "Providence" of Plymouth, if they could, or in some other ship, with the first expedition going to
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New England, the charges of these three men to be borne equally by all parties to the contract.11 There was also a provision that two additional men were to be sent that present year in the "Jonathan," the cost to be borne equally by all parties to the contract.11 Provision was made that as soon as Thomson and the seven men referred to were landed, they were to search out a fit place to make choice of the six thou- sand acres which Thomson had recited had been granted to him; 11 also to select a spot to erect build- ings. Adjoining these buildings six hundred acres were to be allotted within five years.11 All benefits and profits of the six hundred acres for five years were to be divided equally between Thomson and his three merchant partners, but the three merchants might employ ships to fish at their own charge, if Thomson did not pay his share of such charge.11 The profits of the residue of the six thousand acres were to be divided, Thomson to have three parts, the others one part.11 The indenture provided that "the colony, so landed, shall use their best endeavor, with as much convenience as may be, to find out some fitt place to settle and build some house or houses or buildings for habita- cons, on which they are to begin, with as muche ex- pedicon as they maye." 12
All buildings and appurtenances, on the six hundred acres already spoken of, at the end of five years were to be divided equally among all parties to the con- tract, and all charges for planting on the six hundred acres, and for building,11 etc., were meanwhile to be borne equally by all parties to the contract. The undivided portion of the six thousand acres was to be divided at a convenient time into four parts, Thomson to have three parts, and one part to be divided among
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the three merchants. At the end of five years. the island was to be valued in four parts, of which Thom- son was to have three parts and the others one part.11
The three merchants of Plymouth - Colemer, Sher- will and Pomerie - were well-known men. Colemer was mayor of Plymouth in 1615, Sherwill was mayor in 1618 and Pomerie was mayor in 1623. It was stated, in 1630, that the ship "Jonathan," of one hundred and fifty tons, was owned by "Nicholas Sherwell " and Abraham Colemer.11 This gives cor- roborative testimony as to the interest of these men in Thomson's venture.
David Thomson is described in the "New England Canaan," published in 1637, as "a Scottish gentleman, that was conversant with the natives, (of North America) a scholar and traveler, that was diligent in taking notice of these things, as a man of good judg- ment."10 David Thomson was born about 1590. He was originally an apothecary. He married Amias Cole of Plymouth, England, July 13, 1613.15 Her father was a shipbuilder. Though said to be of Scotch descent Thomson was probably born in Plymouth. It is thought that he made several voyages to New England, before 1623.9 Thomson's name is found with various spellings, including Tomson,21 but the authority seems to rest with Thomson.
Mason and Gorges, having secured their joint grant from the Council for New England only a few months previous to the comparatively small grant obtained by Thomson, and it seeming fairly certain that Thom- son's grant was included within the limits of the joint grant held by Mason and Gorges, it is probable that there was no friction between Gorges and Mason on the one hand and Thomson on the other; also that
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Thomson entered on his venture with the full approval of Mason and Gorges.12 The three Plymouth mer- chants who backed Thomson were prominent men, and they would hardly have entered the venture handi- capped by any friction with Mason and Gorges, or on any basis but a definite one as to the locality of the grant and knowledge of it. It is to be presumed that the machinery in England back of the venture ran smoothly.
It is to be noted particularly that it was provided at first that seven men only were to go with Thomson to start the colony. Probably no more than ten landed with Thomson, if so many.12 This number was in line with the number of prospective settlers provided for Gosnold's expedition and others of about the same period. Expense was obviously kept down, and plans were laid in a comparatively small way at first. As arranged in the agreement, Thomson sailed in the ship "Jonathan" in the late winter or early spring of 1623, and arrived, probably in April or early May of that year, off the mouth of the Piscataqua River. Thomson took his men ashore at what is now Odiorne's Point, and there founded the first settlement in New Hamp- shire. 10
Thomson and his men, who numbered probably not more than ten, and very likely not more than seven, and possibly five, selected Odiorne's Point, on the outer edge of what is now known as Little Harbor, as a "fitt place to build their houses for habitacons," probably because this point was a part of what was, at high tide, an island of about six hundred acres in area. 10 What may have also influenced Thomson was a spring on the harbor shore near their landing place.10 The salt creek which, at high tide, made their landing spot
Reach of the Piscataqua River above Eliot Neck
Published through the courtesy of Miss Katharine Tharter
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an island, perhaps in their minds made this particular locality more easily defensible, if need for defense came.10 Taking the salt creek into consideration, this spot, which lay about two miles southwest of the main entrance of the Piscataqua River, fitted the speci- fications referred to in Thomson's agreement with the three Plymouth merchants, and with the deed to which that agreement referred.10 It also was in line with the deed, dated, probably, a little earlier, which it was said Thomson had, of a point of land lying in the "Piscattowa river." This may have been accident; but it may have been according to plan. As stated, Thomson may have seen Odiorne's Point previously. There seems more chance that he had seen it than not.
We do not know definitely the names of the men who came with David Thomson. Hubbard states, in the first history of New Hampshire which was written, that two men named Hilton, Edward and his brother William, fishmongers of London, came with Thomson, 14 but this apparently was not so. William Hilton went to Plymouth in 1621,15 and his wife and two children went there in 1623.15 Edward may have come with David Thomson; Mr. Everett S. Stackpole says he probably came with him. If he did not actually come with Thomson it seems certain that he came very shortly afterwards.15 Edward Hilton, probably some little time after Thomson landed, pushed on up the Piscataqua River, of which Little Harbor is one outlet, and set up stages for drying fish at a spot the Indians called Winnichahannat,3 or Wecanahunt. 10 Hilton called the spot "Northam," afterwards Dover.3 The natural sequence of events, if Edward Hilton did come with Thomson, or if he came shortly after Thomson arrived, was for him to stay with Thomson at least for
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a little while at the first landing place, and it is likely that this is what occurred. Levett, in describing his stay at Thomson's plantation, did not refer to any settlement up the river, which he probably would have done if there had been one in existence at that time.12
Thomson with his men, after landing, proceeded to carry out the terms of the agreement with the three merchants of Plymouth. They erected stages for salting and drying fish, and built a house to be used for a habitation, and for defense. 10 Hubbard says that this house was built of stone, and intimates that it was of considerable size. 10,14 Mr. Everett S. Stackpole says that Thomson "probably built a house of pine logs with a chimney of stone set in clay," and no impressive mansion.15 Thomson named the settlement on Odiorne's Point, at Little Harbor, "Pannaway," "perhaps from the Indian appellation." 10 The house itself was known as "Piscataqua House," 10 and later "Capt. Mason's stone house."10 Hubbard says that the chimney and some parts of the stone wall of this house were standing in his day - 1680.14 Samuel Maverick described the house as a house and fort which Thomson "built on a point of land at the very entrance of the Pascataway River."12 He further described it as a "strange and large house," enclosed "in a large, high palizardo," with "mounted guns, and a terror to the Indians." 12
News of the settlement of Pannaway speedily spread along the coast and attracted attention in England. In the spring of 1622, the previous year, as many as thirty-five ships planned to go from the west of Eng- land to the northeast coast of New England to fish. It is probable that there were at least this number sailing for the same purpose in the spring of 1623, and
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that a number of them touched at the Isles of Shoals, and very likely also at Pannaway. One Phinehas Pratt visited Pannaway as early as May, 1623.10 He is pictured by Mr. John S. Jenness, in his "Notes on the First Planting of New Hampshire," as reciting before the crackling fires of a cold spring his adventures in the terrible winter he had just passed at Wessa- guscus, or Wessagussett, 20 or Wesaguscasit, 21 or Wessa- gusquaset,14 of his escape into New Plymouth over nearly fifty miles of frozen forest, and of the resulting later expedition against the Indians. 10,21 Capt. Fran- cis West, then in his early thirties, was sent over almost immediately from England to be admiral of all New England.14 He arrived at Plymouth about the end of June, 1623,22 for the purpose of restraining all interlopers who came to New England to fish or trade upon the coast without license from the Council of Plymouth. There seems no evidence that he visited Pannaway. Thomas Weston of Wesaguscasit, now Weymouth, Massachusetts, at odds with the Plym- outh Colony over religion, while cruising along the coast in a shallop, about June or July, 1623,10 was cast away near Hampton or Rye. He was attacked by Indians, stripped of his clothing and was in a very bad plight when he finally made his escape and reached Pannaway.10 It was this same Weston, as has been stated, who was the faithful friend of the Pilgrims before they sailed from England for America. 10 At about the same time that same season, Capt. Miles Standish came from Plymouth, sent by the Plymouth colonists to buy provisions "for the refreshing of the Plymouth Colony." 10 The men at Pannaway helped Standish, who went back with provisions, taking with him Mr. David Thomson, who paid the Plymouth
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settlement a visit.10 As Governor Edward Winslow said in his "Good News of New England," published in 1624, and quoted by Mr. Everett S. Stackpole in his "History of New Hampshire," Thomson "began a plantation twenty-five leagues north-west from us, near Smith's Isles, at a place called Pascataquack, where he liketh well." 15
In November, 1623, Capt. Christopher Levett ar- rived at the Isles of Shoals, spent the winter there, and in the following spring passed a month at Panna- way. 10, .10,12, 17 The following lines of Mrs. Celia Thaxter, who lived so long at the Shoals, are, perhaps, apt:
So bleak these shores, wind-swept, and all the year Washed by the wild Atlantic's restless tide,
You would not dream that flowers the woods hold dear Amid such desolation dare abide.
"Capt. Levett was an officer of the royal navy, high in favor at court." 10 He came to project the Episco- pal Church into northern New England, and to found a city to be named "York," after York, England. He intended to place there "a full prelatical establish- ment" which should extend its power over all New England.10 The fact that Pannaway was settled, not by the Puritans, but by men supposedly of the Church of England, and the fact that it was the only settle- ment available for his purpose on the coast at that time, probably made him come to Pannaway.12 Levett has given us an interesting story of his sojourn. He writes as follows: "The first place I set my foote upon in New England was the Isles of Shoulds, being illands in the sea about two leagues from the mayne. Upon these illands I neither could see one good timber tree nor so much good ground as to make a garden. The
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place is found to be a good fishing place for six shippes, but more cannot well be there for want of convenient stage-roome, as this year's experience hath proved. The harbor is but indifferent good. Upon these illands are no savages at all. The next place I came unto was Pannaway, where one M. Tomson hath made a plan- tation. There I stayed about one moneth, in which time I sent for my men from the east, who came over in divers shipps. At this place I met with the gov- ernour, who came thither in a barke, which he had from one M. Weston, about twenty days before I arrived in the land. The governour then told me that I was joyned with him in commission as a counciller, which being read, I found it was so. And then he, in the presence of three more of the Counsell, adminis- tered unto me an oath. After the meeting I went a coasting in two boats with all my company. In the time I stayd with M. Tomson I surveyed as much as possible, the weather being unseasonable and very much snow. In those parts I saw much good timber, but the ground it seemed to me not to be good, being very rockey and full of trees and brush wood. There is great store of fowle of divers sorts, whereof I fed very plentifully." 17
"About two English miles further to the east, I found a great river and a good harbour, called Pascattaway. But for the ground I can say nothing, - but by rela- tion of the Sagamore [who probably lived on Sagamore Creek] or King of that place, who told me there was much good ground up in the river about seven or eight leagues. About two leagues further to the east is another great river called Aquamenticus. There I think a good plantation may be settled. About six leagues farther to the East is a harbour called Cape Porpas." 17
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Champlain, on his arrival on the New England coast, in midsummer, 1605, found the Indian corn about two feet high, some three feet high. Beans were flowering then, in July, and also pumpkins and squashes. 23 The description of the country as these early explorers found it seems important.
It is to be noted that Levett said, in referring to the Isles of Shoals: "The place is found to be a good fishing place for six shippes, but more cannot well be there for want of convenient stage-rooms, as this year's experience hath proved." This indicates that at least six fishing vessels were at the Isles of Shoals together during the spring or early summer of 1624. Presum- ably they were all English. This bears out markedly the supposition that the waters near the Piscataqua were visited, not by a large number, but still by at least several fishing expeditions between the years 1614 and 1623.
Levett after leaving Pannaway went down the coast. In describing his stay on the Saco River he writes: "Wee had plenty of craine, goose, duckes, and mal- lard, both boyled and roasted, but our spits and racks were many times in danger of burning (being wooden) before the meate was ready." 17 Levett mentions his stay at Cape Elizabeth. He tried to convert the savages, but he seems to have found some difficulty in so doing, and to have been discouraged. Levett says that the different groups of savages who lived apart could not understand each other. He gives interesting information about Indian customs. The Indians, he says, took their children and burried them in the snow to make them endure the cold the better.17 Levett also speaks of the "musketoes." 17
While Christopher Levett was at Pannaway in the
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spring of 1624, spending his month there, Governor Robert Gorges, son of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, arrived.11 Capt. Robert Gorges had a patent of land on the northeast side of Massachusetts Bay, as has been stated.14 He received a commission under the great seal, making him Lieutenant General and Governor of New England.10 It is said that he came with a considerable company. It was by Governor Robert Gorges that Levett was sworn in as councillor. 10
The settlement at Pannaway does not seem itself to have developed, but it gave offshoots, though these, too, for a considerable time grew very slowly indeed.1 Though Thomson, according to Governor Edward Winslow, was at first well pleased with the site of Pannaway, his satisfaction did not last. Thomson was at Pannaway during part of 1626,4 but before long he was not happy in the situation at the mouth of the Piscataqua, and he removed in the spring of 1626 to an island in Massachusetts Bay,15 title to which the General Court of Massachusetts afterwards con- firmed to his family, the island still bearing his name. Before Thomson removed, which was toward the time of the closing of his contract with his three merchant backers in Plymouth, England, he is reported to have had his wife join him at Pannaway, and it is said that at Pannaway their son, John Thomson, was born. 10 Mr. Everett S. Stackpole, in his "History of New Hampshire," says that John Thomson was probably born earlier than 1623, and so not on New Hampshire soil.15 Thomson's wife was called a widow as of 1628.15
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