USA > New Hampshire > Gazetteer of the state of New-Hampshire > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24
The former ministers in this place have been the Rev. Messrs. Swan and Kidder. At present the Rev. Mr. Sper- ry is settled here. The princ- ipal village consists of 8 or 10 dwelling-houses and 2 stores. About a mile below at the place called the harbour there are nearly as many more build- ings.
In former years this town among others suffered from the Indian parties, who were prowling upon our frontiers. Two men having been missed from this town, a scouting par- ty consisting of 11 were de- spatched in search of them. They were attacked by the Indians and 9 of them were killed, and the surviving 2 escaped badly wounded. At a subsequent period another party from this town fell into an ambush, but the enemy not having an equal force retreated leaving 1 killed and 4 wound- ed. In 1724, a volunteer com- pany under the command of Capt. Lovell was raised from this town and became alike re- markable for its success and its misfortunes. Its first ex- pedition was to the northward of lake Winnipiseogee where they killed 1 of the enemy and made 1 prisoner. In 1725, Capt. Lovell marched from Dunstable with the design of attacking the villages of Pig-
wacket on the upper part of the river Saco, where a formidable tribe had once inhabited and now occasionally resided. Lov- ell had with him 46 men includ- ing a chaplain and a surgeon. Two of them having lamed themselves, returned home,and another falling sick,his compan- ions built a stockadefort on the west side of the great Ossipee pond and left him at this place with the surgeon and 8 others for a guard. The remaining 34 now pursued their march northward about 22 miles from the fort to a pond. on the east side of which they encamp- ed. Early the next day, while at their morning devotions, they heard the report of a gun and discovered a single Indian more than a mile distant stand on a point of land which pro- jected into the pond. They had been alarmed the preced- ing night by noises, which they supposed came from the ene- my, and their suspicions were now confirmed. They believ- ed that the Indian they saw was stationed to decoy them, and that the body of his com- panions was in their front. A consultation was held and they resolved to march forward, and by surrounding the pond to command the point where they observed the Indian. In pre- paration for action they threw off their packs and were oblig- ed to leave them without a guard. In their march they crossed a carrying place, through which two parties con- taining 41 Indians, command-
120
GAZETTEER OF NEW HAMPSHIRE."
ed by Pagus and Waha, who had been scouting down Saco river and were now returning to their lower village. Having discovered Lovell's track, they followed it till they came to the packs, which they seized, and upon counting them found the force of their enemies to be smaller than their own. They accordingly stationed them- selves in ambush in prepara- tion to attack. The Indian, who had been seen on the point and was now returning to the village by another path met Lovell's party and was fir- ed upon. He returned the fire and wounded Lovell 'and one of his companions with small shot. Lieut. Wyman then lev- elled at him and killed him and took his scalp. Discover- ing no other signs of the ene- my, Lovell's party then return- ed to the spot where they had left their packs. While they were searching for them, the Indians rose from their ambush and rushed upon them with a frightful yelling. A brisk fir- ing then ensued on both sides. Capt. Lovell with eight others were killed, and Lieut. Farwell was wounded. Several of the Indians fell also ; but as they were superior in number to Lovell's party and their inten- tion being discovered, the lat- ter retreated with the hope of sheltering themselves behind a rocky point and a few large trees on the shore. In this forlorn condition they took their station. On their right was a brook at that time un-
fordable ; on their left was the point of rocks ; their front was partly covered by a deep bog, and the pond was in their rear. The enemy immediately open- ed a galling fire upon their front and flanks, and could they have used this advantage skil- fully they might have killed or captured the whole of our par- ty, who were destitute of pro- visions and cut off from re- treat. Under the command of Lieut. Wyman they con- tinued their fire and retained their courage the whole day, in the course of which their chaplain, Jonathan Erie, ensign Robbins, with one other per- son were mortally wounded. The Indians made signs to them to surrender by holding up ropes, endeavouring at the same time to intimidate them by horrid yells. Our people were resolved to die rather than surrender, and by a well ·directed fire the ranks of the enemy were thinned and their yells became fainter. At the close of the day the Indians abandoned their advantageous ground . carrying with them their killed and wounded and leaving the bodies of Lovell and . his companions unscalped. The surviving remnant of our brave countrymen found three of their number unable to move from the spot and eleven oth- ers of the wounded, who had still strength enough to march, and nine only who were unin- jured. It was an agonizing necessity to abandon their dy- ing companions, but there was
121
GAZETTEER OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
no alternative. Ensign Rob- bins desired that his gun might be left charged by his side, so that if the enemy should re- turn, he might sacrifice at least one more of them to his re- venge. On the rising of the moon they departed from this fatal spot and directed their march toward the fort where the surgeon and the guard had been left. To their astonish- ment they found the place de- serted. On the commencement of the action, one man, (whose name has not been suffered to disgrace the history of this af- fair) fled to the fort, where in the language of Job's messenger, he informed the guard of Lov- ell's death and the defeat of his party, upon which they made the best of their way home, leaving behind them a quantity of provisions which was a seasonable relief to the retreating survivors. Lieu- . tenant Farwell and the chaplain who kept the journal of the march, perished in the woods from an unavoidable want of attention to their wounds. The remaining few after a long se- ries of hardships, arrived at their homes at different times. They were received with joy and recompensed for their suf- ferings and their valour by public gratitude and affection. A generous provision was made for the widows and chil- dren of the slain.
Capt. Tyng of Dunstable, immediately collected a com- pany, marched to the place of the engagement, and having 16
found the bodies of the killed, buried them and carved their names on the surrounding trees. The Indians, among many oth- ers, lost Pagus their chief. The place where the action was fought was Pigwacket, now the south part of the town of Fryburgh.
DURAND, a small township in Coos county containing 62 inhabitants. Bounded N. by Mainsboro', E. by Shelburne, S.by the White mountains, and W. by Kilkenny. It contains 25,672 acres. One branch of Moose river and several branch- es of the Amonoosuck and Isra- el rise in this town.
DURHAM, a township in Strafford county, lying on Oys- ter river at the junction with the Piscataqua. It contains a population of 1449, and is bounded on Madbury S. 633º E. 1040 rods, thence S.543° E. to Cedar point ; on Lee N. 163°E. 5 miles and 66 rods ; on Newmarket S. 801º E. 700 rods to a rock, thence S.563º E. 264 rods to the head of the creek, thence to Chelsey's little island which is the S. corner boundary, thence by Great and Little bay to Cedar point, com- prising an area of 14,970 acres. The N.H. turnpike from Ports- mouth to Concord passes
through this town.
The first settled minister in Durham was the Rev. Hugh Adams, who was ordained in 1717, and dismissed in 1739. The Rev. Nicholas Gilman,
122
GAZETTEER OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
Hugh Adams, and Curtis Coe have been his successors, all of them congregationalists. The compact part of the town, near the falls contains a handsome meeting-house, 37 dwelling- houses, and 7 stores and small shops. Inthis town resided Maj. Gen.Sullivan andCol. Adams of the revolutionary army, Hon. George Frost and Ebenezer Thompson were also citizens of Durham. The annual av- erage number of deaths in this place for many years past has been computed at less than 15. In Durham is situated that re- markable rock weighing 60 or 70 tons and lying so exactly poised on another rock as eas- ily to be moved with one hand.
Durham was included in Hilton's patent which was granted in the year 1630. In September, 1675, the Indians made an attack at Oyster riv- er, then a part of Dover and now constituting Durham. They burned two houses, killed several men and carried away two captives. Two days after this attack they made another, destroyed several houses and killed two persons. These re- peated insults and depreda- tions roused the indignation of our people and forced them to retaliate. About 20 young men, most of whom were from Dover, obtained permission from major Waldron to make an attempt against the Indians in their own way. Having scattered themselves in the woods, a division of them dis-
covered a party of five Indians in the field near a deserted house, some of whom were gathering corn, while the oth- ers were preparing to roast it. Our people were at such a distance from their compan- ions, that they could not make any signal to them without dis- covering themselves. Two of them crept silently toward the house and rushing suddenly upon the two Indians, who were busy at the fire, knocked them down with their guns. The other three took the alarm and escaped.
In 1694, when a large part of the inhabitants had march- ed to the westward, the In- dians who were dispersed in the woods about Oyster river, having diligently observed the number of men in Hucking's garrison, rushed upon eighteen of them, as they were going to `their morning devotion, and having cut off their retreatto the house put them all to death ex- cept 1 who fortunately escaped. They then attacked the house, in which there were only two boys beside the women and children. The boys kept them off for sometime and wounded several of them. At length the Indians set fire to the house and even then the boys would not surrender till the Indians had promised to spare their lives. The latter however per- fidiously murdered three or four of the children, one of whom they fixed upon a sharp stake in the view of its mother. The women and children were
123
GAZETTEER OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
carried captive, but one of the ing partially deranged the plan, boys made his escape the next day.
The next spring the Indians narrowly watched the frontiers to determine the safest and most vulnerable points of at- tack. The settlement at Oys- ter was selected for destruc- tion, and preparations being at length completed for the incur- sion, Sieur de Villieu with a company of 250 Indians and a French priest marched for this devoted spot. Oyster river is the stream which falls into the west branch of the Piscataqua river just below the present site of Durham. The settle- ments were on both banks of the river. Here were twelve garrisoned houses amply suffi- cient for the reception of the in- habitants,but not apprehending any danger, many of the fami- lies remained in their unforti- fied houses, and those who were in the garrisons were but indifferently prepared for a siege, as they were destitute of powder. The enemy approach- ed the place undiscovered and halted near the falls. Here they separated into two divi- sions, one of which was to go on each side of the river and plant itself in small parties in ambush near the houses and to be ready for the attack at sun- rise, for which a single gun was to be the signal. One John Dean, whose house stood near the falls, happening to rise very early for a journey before the dawn of day, was shot as he came out of his door. This fir-
as several parties who were at a distance, had not then arrived at their stations. The inhabit- ants also, being generally a- larmed, some of them had time for escape and others to prepare for defence. The sig- nal being thus given, the attack commenced on all points, where the enemy was ready. Of the twelve garrisoned hous- es five were destroyed, Ad .. ams', Drew's, Edgerly's, Mea- der's, and Beard's. The ene- my entered Adams' without resistance where they murder- ed fourteen persons, whose graves can still be traced. Drew surrendered his garrison on promise of security but he was put to death. One of his children, only nine years old, was compelled to run through a line of Indians as a mark for their hatchets. Edgerly's gar- rison was evacuated, the peo- ple having fled to their boats, one of whom was mortally wounded in attempting to es- cape. Beard's and Meader's were also evacuated and their inhabitants escaped. The un- fortified houses were all set on fire, the people being either put to death or captured in them. Some escaped by concealing themselves in the bushes and elsewhere. Thomas Edgerly having hid himself in his cel- lar preserved his house though it was twice set on fire. The house of John Bass the minis- ter was destroyed together with his valuable library. He was absent at the time and his
.
124
GAZETTEER OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
wife and family fled to the woods. The wife of John Dean who was the first person shot, was taken with her daugh- ter and carried about two miles up the river, where they were left under the care of an old Indian, while his companions returned to their bloody work. The Indian complained of a pain in his head, and asked the woman what would relieve him, she replied, occapee, (which is the Indian name for rum) and of which she knew he had carried away a bottle from her house. The medicine bringvery agreeable to his taste he repeated the dose. He soon fell asleep from its effects and she seized the opportunity to escape into the woods, where she lay concealed till the danger was over.
.
The other seven garrisons were resolutely and successful- ly defended. The gate of Burn- ham's happened to be left open through the night. A man within, who had been kept. a- wake by the tooth-ach, hear- ing the alarm gun, roused the people and secured the en- trance, just as the enemy had reached it. . Finding themselves disappointed at this point, the Indians immediately ran to Pitman's, a defenceless house and forced open the door at the moment that he had burst his way through that end of the house, which adjoined the garrison, to which he and his family happily escaped. Their bloody purpose being thus a- gain defeated, they attacked
the house of John Davis, who after a short resistance sur- rendered on terms which were basely violated, as he and his whole family were either kill- ed or made prisoners. Thom- as Beckford preserved his house in a singular manner. It was situated near the river and surrounded by a palisade. Hearing the alarm before the enemy had reached his house, he sent off his family in a boat and then fastening his gate he undertook alone the defence of his house. Contemning alike the promises and threats of his besiegers, he kept up a con- stant fire at them, changing his dress as often as he could, and giving orders aloud, as if he had a company with him. Find- ing their exertions unavail- ing, the enemy withdrew, leav- ing Beckford the sole master of a fortress which he had de- fended with such admirable ad- dress. Three other garrisons, being seasonably apprized of the danger, were resolutely de- fended, and two Indians were killed in attacking them. Jones' garrison was surrounded be- fore day, but its owner, hearing his dog bark and fearing that wolves were near, went out at that moment to secure some swine and returned uninjured. Having on his return ascend- ed his wall, and observing the flash of a gun, he immediately dropped backward, and the ball entered the very place where he stood. The enemy from behind a.rock continued firing on the house for some time
125
GAZETTEER OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
and then abandoned it. Dur- detained four years and endur- ing these transactions the French priest took possession of the meeting-house and em- ployed himself in writing on the pulpit with chalk, but the house itself received no dam- age.
Those parties of the enemy, who were on the other side of the river, having completed their work of destruction, as- sembled in a field adjoining Burnham's garrison, where - they insultingly displayed their prisoners and derided the in- habitants,supposing themselves out of the reach of the guns, one of them was shot - from the sentry-box from the garri-
son. Both divisions having then met at the falls where they had separated the evening be- fore, marched to Capt. Wood- man's garrison .. The ground being broken and hilly, they made their approach without difficulty and kept up a continu- al fire at the hats and caps, which our people held on sticks above the wall. At length fear- ing that the inhabitants from the neighbouring settlements would collect against them, the Indians retreated, having killed or captured between 90 and 100 persons and destroyed 20 houses, 5 of which were garrisoned. Among the pris- oners were Thomas Drew and his wife who were recently married. He was taken to Canada, where he continued two years and was then ran- somed. . She was carried to Norridgewock, where she was
ed every thing but death. She was delivered of a child in the winter, unsheltered from the storms, and being unable to nurse it, the Indians put it to death. After her return to her husband she had a family of 14 children. She lived to the age of 89 and her husband to that of 93. They died within two days of each other and were buried in the same grave.
In 1703, the Indians made another incursion and killed one man. In 1704, several persons were murdered by them, and in 1705,'a small par- ty attacked the house of John Drew, where they put eight people to death and wounded several others. The garrison was near but was at that time without a man in it. The wo- men, finding their case desper- ate, put on the hats of their husbands and dressed them- selves in other respects like men, and by keeping up a brisk fire, they actually drove the enemy off, before they had plundered or even attacked the house. John Wheeler accost- ing this party and mistaking them for friendly Indians, un- fortunately fell into their pow- er and was killed, together with his wife and four child- ren. Two of his sons secret- ed themselves in a cove by the bank of the river. In 1707, two men were captured from Durham, and two others were murdered as they were on a journey from that town to Do- ver. In 1707, a party of Mo-
126
GAZETTEER OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
hawks attacked a company of our men who were at work in the woods under the direction of Capt. Chesley. At the first fire they killed seven and wound- ed another. Chesley, with his few surviving companions con- tinued a brisk fire on the ene- my, and for some time kept them off, but he at length fell, overpowered by numbers. He was deeply lamented as a brave officer. In 1724, the Indians made another incursion into this town, formed an ambush near the road and murdered several persons.
The family of Col. John Da- vis of this town (who died at the age of 88,) were equally remarkable for longevity and superior stature. Five of them lived till the age of 85, and one to that of 99.
E.
EAST-KINGSTON, a town- ship in Rockingham county, situated in the southerly part of that county. It was incor- porated in 1733, and contains 442 inhabitants. It is bounded N. by Exeter, E. by Kingston, S. by Southampton, and W. and N. W. by Kingston, and contains 6,200 acres of excel- lent land. Powow river cros- ses the S. W. extremity of this town. The Rev. Peter Coffin was settled here in 1772, and has long since removed. There is here but one meeting-house. This town contains 3 corn- mills and 2 saw-mills. From western side of this town lie the year 1740 to 1771, the
deaths in this town were 283, making an annual average of about nine. The greatest num- ber in any one year was 21, and the smallest number 2. Since 1771, the proportion has remained nearly the same.
EATON, a township in the northerly part of Strafford county, incorporated in 1766, and containing in 1810, 535 in- habitants ; bounded N. by Con- way, E. by the eastern line of the state, S. by Ossipee Gore, and W. by Tamworth, contain- ing about 27,637 acres. There are several ponds in this town ; Six Miles pond, in the western part of the town, Cook's, Lit- tle, Blair's, &c .; and in the S. F. extremity of the town rises Legion mountain. There are 5 saw-mills, 5 grain-mills, and 1 clothing-mill. Elder Jackson is the only settled minister here»
EFFINGHAM, a township in Strafford county, incorporated in 1678, and now containing 876 inhabitants : bounded N. W. by Ossipee Gore, E. by the state line, which separates it from Parsonsfield, S. E. by Wakefield, and S. W. by Os- sipee, comprising an area of 34,938 acres. The great Os- sipee river passes through this town in a westerly course, over which is here a toll bridge 500 feet in length. There is a pond near this river 400 rods long and 270 wide. On the the Green mountains. Rev. G.
127
GAZETTEER OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
Burt was ordained here in1803, and dismissed soon after. There are in Effingham three relig- ious societies and 2 meeting- houses, 4 grain-mills, 4 saw- mills, a clothing-mill, and a carding-machine.
ELLIS RIVER rises on the easterly side of the White hills in several small streams, near the source of Peabody river, and separating into two streams which unite in Ad- ams, empties into the Saco at Bartlett.
ELLSWORTH, a township of mountainous land in Grafton county, bounded' N. by Peel- ing, E. by Thornton, S. by Rumney, and W. by Warren. Its whole population is 142, and its area 15,606 acres. There is a small pond in the S. E. part of the town, from which a stream flows into Pem- igewasset river, and in the north part of the town is situa- ted Cat mountain. There is here 1 corn-mill and 1 saw-mill.
ENFIELD, a township in the lower part of Grafton county, incorporated in 1761, and now containing 1291 inhabitants. It is bounded N. E. by Canaan, S. E. by Grafton, S. W. by Cheshire county line which di- vides it from New-Grantham, and W. by Lebanon, compris- ing in this space 24,060 acres. On the N. W. side of this town lies the greatest part of Mascomy pond, which is about
1100 rods long and 250 wide. There are here also East pond, Maid pond, and several smaller ones, in the whole comprising 2210 acres of water. The fourth N. H. turnpike leading to Lyman's bridge passes be- tween Mascomy pond and the mountain. At the west end of the pond stands the principal village, containing 30 or 40 dwelling-houses and a hand- some meeting-house. There is also a village of the shakers at the S. E. end of the moun- tain near a small pond, (see Canterbury.) Stony brook runs through the south part of the pond, and Mascomy river falls into the pond of that name. Enfield contains 4 grain-mills, 5 saw-mills, 1 clothing-mill, 2 carding-machines, and an oil- mill.
EPPING, a town in Rocking- ham county, (formerly a part of Exeter,) incorporated in 1639, and now containing a population of 1182. Itis bound- ed N. by Nottingham and Lee, E. by Newmarket and Brent- wood, S. by Brentwood and Poplin, and W. by Nottingham and Raymond, and contains 12,760 acres. Lamprey river passes through Eppingentering its southwest corner. In this town Patuckaway and North rivers fall into Lamprey river, the former in its western and the latter at its southeast part. On these streams are 4 grain- mills, 6 saw-mills, and 1 cloth- ing-mill.
128
GAZETTEER OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
The soil of Epping is excel- lently adapted to almost all sorts of grain, grass, flax, &c. In the orchard of Capt. Towle of this town there is an apple- tree which in one year pro- duced between 50 and 60 bush- els.
The first minister of Epping was the. Rev. Mr. Cutler who was ordained in 1747. Rev. Josiah Stearns, his successor, was ordained in 1758, and died in 1790. Rev. Peter Holt, the present minister, was ordained in 1793.
In Epping there are 4 meet- ing.houses and 8 school-hous- es. In the revolutionary war there were ten died among those who went from this town. The annual average number of deaths is about 13.
EPSOM, a township in Rock- ingham county, bounded N. by Pittsfield, E. by Northwood, S. by Allenstown, and W. by Pembroke and Chichester. It contains about 19,200 acres, and in 1810 its population was 1156.
Suncook river passes through the westerly part of Epsom and receives Little Suncook from several small ponds in North- wood. In the northeast part of the town are several small mountains, viz. M' Roy's, Fort, Nať's, &c.
The Rev. John Tuck was ordained here in 1761, and was succeeded by the Rev. E. Ha- zeltine who died in1813. Rev. J. Curtis was settled in 1815, and is the present minister.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.