USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Manchester > History of Manchester, formerly Derryfield, in New-Hampshire : including that of ancient Amoskeag, or the middle Merrimack Valley, together with the address, poem, and other proceedings of the centennial celebration of the incorporation of Derryfield at Manchester, October 22, 1851 > Part 67
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639
FALLS OF AMOSKEAG.
the /: thrown in for the sake of the sound, becomes the Indian derivative nouu, Numaoskeag, a long or continued place of water for fish, and was doubtless applied by the Indians to that part of the Merrimack river, consisting of falls, rapids, and rip- ples, extending from the Souhegan in Merrimack, to Turkey Falls in Concord; for although as late as 1675, Gov. Leverett of Massachusetts. speaks of "the house of Lient. T. Hench- man at Naamkeake," thus locating "Namaoskeag" at Chelms- ford, where Lieut. Henchman lived ; yet the Rev John Eliot, the Apostle to the Indians, and who was intimately acquainted with their language, and the geography of their country, says, in a letter under date of October 29, 1649, "in the way" from Pawtucket to "Namaske" and above "Nashaway" "he passed through a great people, called Sowahagen Ind'ans, some of which had heard me at Pawtucket and Nashua,* thus pla nly showing that the "Namaoskeag" of Eliot's time, was above the Souhegan River, which empties into the Merrimack at the town of Merrimack. And within the last half century, the fishing ground embraced a portion of the same extent of wa- ter, say from the mouth of the Souhegan to the Amoskeag Falls. But as the country became settled, and fish scarce, the "Namaoskeag" became limited to the rapids in the immediate vicinity of the "Namaoskeag" falls. As is usual in such cases, the name of the place of water, became, in the parlance of the people, to be applied to the adjoining territory, and the "Amos- keag," of late years comprised the portions of Derryfield, Bed- ford and Goffstown, in the neighborhood of the falls. The ancient "Namaoskeag" is now shorn of its importance by the entire loss of its fish, and the absorption of a "spindle city," and claims only to give name to the falls, and a small village opposite to them, on the west side of the river, and almost its entire territory is swallowed up by the present city of Manches- ter.
But aside from their notoriety as a fishing place, the falls of Amoskeag were celebrated in early times, for their grandeur. The Indians told of their beauty and force, and the whites long talked of their "terror." In fact, two centuries since, when twice the volume of water passed in the Merrimack during the year, that does at present, the Falls of Amoskeag at any time in Spring or Fall, must have presented a grand spectacle, and might well have been called "hideous;" as the breaking upon, and tumbling over huge rocks and ledges, of so large a volume
*See ante pages 58 and 59.
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THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
of water, through a distance of more than a quarter of a mile, is as much more "hideous" or grand, than a perpendicular fall of the same volume of water, as the foaming and dashing of the angry ocean waves upon a projecting and craggy ledge, is more grand and sublime than a mountain wave, rolling, and spending itself upon the unresisting bosom of the smooth, sandy beach.
Nor were their notoriety confined to this country, for an ac- count of a curiosity still to be seen at these falls was published in the "Philosophical Transactions" in London, communicated in a letter from the celebrated Dr. Cotton Mather, thus: "At a place called Amnuskeag, a little above the hideous Falls of Merrimack River, there is a huge rock in the midst of the stream, on the top of which are a great number of pits, made exactly round, like barrels or hogsheads of different capacities, some so large as to hold several tons. The natives know noth- ing of the time they were made; but the neighboring Indians have been wont to hide their provisions in them, in the wars with the Maquas ; God had cut them out for that purpose for them. They seem plainly to be artificial." The untutored Indian may be excused for his fancy as to the purpose of these pot holes, and how they were made, but a Doctor of Divinity and the Savans of a Philosophical Society, can hardly be ex- cused, the one for calling them plainly artificial, and the others for endorsing such an opinion ; as it requires no stretch of the imagination, were proofs wanting to establish the fact, to sup- pose them made by a stone, held upon the ledge by a whirl- pool of waters, and forced round with such velocity, as in the lapse of time, to produce such a cavity in the ledge, as is to be seen at "Namaoskeag," and which so excited the wonders of Mather and his compeers in Europe. Such pits have ceased to excite wonder, as the mode of their formation is plainly illus- trated at the An oskeag Falls, where is to be seen, a section of an immense pit, the side and bottom of which has been worn away by the action of the current ; and there suspended be- tween the remaining walls of the pit, is still to be seen, one of the revolving stones, through whose partial agency the pit was formed, the main agent having long since passed into the cur- rent below.
The "Namaoskeag" fisheries were early an object of interest to the whites, and were often visited prior to 1700, during the fishing season. But their importance came more particularly into notice in 1719 and 20. The colony of "Scotch Irish," that commenced the settlement of Nutfield, (now Derry, Lon-
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641
FISHERIES OF AMOSKEAG.
donderry, Windham and a part of Manchester,) were, as has been suggested in a previous chapter, the first who took and claimed possession of the Falls and territory south and east of them upon the Merrimack.
FISHERIES AT AMOSKEAG.
From this time, the fisheries at the Falls began to assume importance, so much so, that the government of Massachusetts laid claim to them, and endeavored to control them by legisla- tive enactments, thus : In 1733, when she granted three farms · to Thaxter, Dunbar and Turner, the fishery at "Namaoskeag" was reserved. Again in 1734, when the territory between Litchfield and Pembroke, and three miles in width on the east bank of the Merrimack, was granted under the name of Tings- town, to Ephraim Hildreth, John Sheply and others, the lands about "Namaoskeag" were reserved for catching and curing fish. About the same time "Narragansett township No. 4" was granted at "Namaoskeag," upon the west side of the Merri- mack, comprising nearly the territory now known as Goffs- town and so important were the fisheries of "Namaoskeag" con- sidered that the Legislature of Massachusetts made the grant of a township six miles square "Reserving such quantity of 'land as the Court think proper, for fishery at Amoskeag Falls." And it was "Ordered, That John Blaisdell, Mr. Samuel Chand- ler, and Mr. Hutchins be a committee to repair to Amoskeag Falls, take a view of the lands and report what amount of land may be separated for the public and common benefit of His Majesty's subjects in taking, making and packing fish there." Two hundred acres were reserved for this purpose.
People of the present day, may smile at such votes of a leg- islative body, thinking that it was "much ado about nothing"; but they can form no proper estimate of the abundance of fish that swarmed in the Merrimack in those days. The rivers, riv- ulets and brooks were literally full of salmon, shad, alewives and eels. These fish were so plentiful, as to be used for ma- nure for corn, both by the Indians and whites. Alewives ran up the small brooks, and were thrown out by women and chil- dren with shovels, and pieces of board and bark. The salmon and shad were taken by weirs extended across the river or branches of it, below the pools and basins.
At Amoskeag they had every facility for taking fish. Be- low the main pitch of the falls and upon the west side of the river is a large pool or basin of still water. Into that pool the
642
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
fish collected of their own accord, or driven by the force of the current, as the myriads were struggling up the falls.
Here they were safe, as the aquedahcan or weir at the nar- row pass or outlet at the bottom of the pool or basin, kept them from passing out. The Indians then, in their light birch ca- noes, glided upon the surface of the pool and took the en- trapped fish with spear or dip net, as snited their convenience or fancy. The fish taken were dressed by the esquaws and hung in the sun to dry, or upon the poles of their wigwams to smoke. The Indian village was close at hand, situated up- on the high bluff east of, and overlooking the "Namaoskeag," and which village was long the royal residence of the Pena- cook Sagamons, during the fishing season.
The Whites took the fish with spears, scoop nets and seines, and in large quantities ; so that people coming from the sur- rounding country with their wagons and carts, could get them filled sometimes for the carting the shad away, to make room for the salmon ; and always for a mere trifling price. Immense quantities of shad were taken at one haul or drag of the seine. The N. H. Gazette of May 23, 1760, has the following item under its editorial head :
"One day last week, was drawn by a net at one Draught, Two Thousand Five hundred odd Shad Fish, ont of the River Merrimack near Bedford, in this Province, Thought Remark- able by some people."
After the country became settled abont the Falls, particular spots for fishing with the scoop net, and eel-hook, or for drag- ging seines, were claimed by individuals. and beld by consent, and afterwards by possession. Many of these spots or "rights" upon the ledges of the falls, and upon the bank of the river, have been held until within a few years. when they were bought up by the "Amoskeag Manufacturing Company," or were abandoned for the want of fish.
These "rights" or localities for fishing, were known by vari- ous curious names, such as :
EEL FALLS .- This was the head of the eastern channel, and the highest place in the falls where eels could be taken. The eels caught here were poor, as it was a small channel and only the poor and weak eels frequented it, the large and fat eels pass- ed up the large channels.
Just above the Eel Falls, was the old canal dam, and the top
B
A
643
FISHING PLACES.
of the dam across the main channel, was covered with plank, fastened down to cross timbers, with wooden pins. John Mc- Cutchins was upon a raft in the river above, which had got within the current and out of his control, he jumped from the raft, but was too late and the water took him over the dam. As he went over the dam he seized upon the head of a wooden pin at the lower end of one of the planks, and clung to it. At the same time he could touch a rock in the boiling water below with his toes. In this position he could hold his mouth out of water, and keep from drowning. Capt. Israel Merrill, was in sight, and immediately went to his relief. He swam out to the dam to which McCutchins hung, got upon it, waded along upon the rocks to the imminent danger of his own life, seized him, and dragged him upon a large rock, where they remained until taken off by a boat. For this daring and humane act, Capt. Merrill received a gold medal from the Massa- chusetts Humane Society.
FIRE MILL .- This was the name of a fishing place about two rods from the Todd Gut, where eels were once caught in abundance. Its name was derived from the custom of build- ing a fire upon the ledge above. The eels ceased passing the channel, and it was abandoned.
TODD GUT .- The Todd Gut was often called the Eel Gut. It was called the Todd Gut from the fact, that one John Todd, son of Andrew Todd, of Londonderry, was drowned there in 1759. Young Todd was fishing at the eel gut with his cousin John Bell, of the same town. By some mishap, he lost his bal- ance, aud fell from the platform upon which he was standing, into the rushing water. The platform was fastened to the ledge and lay almost upon the surface of the water, which rushed through beneath with great impetuosity. Its force drew Todd immediately under the platform, not so quickly however, but Bell seized him by one of his limbs, and held him. Though a powerful man, such was the force of the current, he could not drag him from beneath the platform, and to let go his hold was to let him pass over the falls to his sure destruction. In this dilemma, he held on to the struggling man, and called for help. Help was obtained, but when dragged upon the platform, life was extinct, and no possible effort could resuscitate the body.
This fishing place was located just below the Amoskeag Falls Bridge, on the east side of the falls, and betwixt, a ledge or rock that out-crops the water, and upon which stands a pier of the Amoskeag Falls bridge,and a large but lower rock some twelve or
644
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
fourteen feet south of it, which is the first large rock in the dam above the guard gate:
It was fitted up in this wise. At low water, a stick of hewn timber was fitted to the rock, across the bottom of the channel, some eight or ten inches in height, and fastened to the ledge by iron bolts, thus forming a dam and fall of some three or four feet on the lower side. At high water the eels came up this channel in vast numbers. Coming to this dam, they were obstructed in their course, fastened themselves to the rocks and ledges, and in this position, were readily "hooked" by the fishermen standing upon the ledge above, or upon a staging below the dam. This was one of the most noted fishing places at the falls.
There were repeated accidents at this place ; Leonard Row- ell, now of Dunbarton, fell into this place one night, and pass- ed down under the platform. His brothers, Joseph M. and John were present, and Mr. John Young. Young was fishing with a dip net, below the dam in the gut. When Rowell came down the gut, Young dexterously threw out his net, caught him, and dragged him on to the ledge.
A Mr. Underhill of Chester, was drowned just below the Todd Gut, in what was called the Near Gut. He had come over to "election," and hurried to the falls in advance of his companions. In passing across the Near Gut upon a plank, he fell off, and was drowned. His body was recovered some weeks afterwards against the Island below the falls. This place was claimed by Jonas Harvey, Ephraim Stevens, Daniel Hall, Lieut. John Stark, Samuel P. Kidder, and John Stark, Esq.
RUSS RAY'S HOOKING PLACE .- This was a place claimed by Mr. Russ Ray, and had the initials of his name cut in the rock. He fished in a peculiar way at this place, after an invention of his own, but was not successful. It was occupied by any one who first went upon it. It was upon the old Fire Mill place.
SOUTH GUT .- This was the channel next south of the Todd Gut. It was sometimes called the Near Gut. It was of but little account as a fishing place. A pot was sometimes placed there, and the ledge blasted away for that purpose, and some persons put a staging there ; but as old Mr. Jesse Baker said of it, in his testimony as to the fishing places, "it ended in noth- ing."
THOMPSON PLACE .- This was below the Todd Gut, a rod or two. It was claimed by Messrs. 'Thompson of this town, who
645
FISHING PLACES.
removed to Maine. The Messrs. Dickey, afterwards claimed it, but the eels ceased to frequent it, and it was abandoned.
WATCHING FALLS .- This was a place blasted, and fitted up with a staging by Mr. Albert Stark. It was of no great account. It was just below the Near Gut.
LITTLE PULPIT .- This was quite a noted fishing place near the Thompson Place. Fishing there was called "fishing under the rock," as the eel-hook had to be run under the shelving rocks. The freshets carried off the large boulders that formed the sides of the channel, and the little pulpit was abandoned. It received its name from a curve in the rock having a fancied resemblance to a pulpit. It was on the north side of the Todd Gut, next below the Hooking place.
MUDGET PLACE .- The Mudget Place received its name from the fact that a man by the name of Mudget, fell from this place into the water and was drowned. What was his given name, his place of residence, or the time of his death, I have not been able to discover. Jonas Kemp fell from the same place and was drowned. He lived in this neighborhood, having come from Townsend, Mass.
The Mudget Place was situated on the east side of the Pul- pit Stream, and directly under the south side of the Amos- keag Falls Bridge.
SLASH HOLE .- The Slash Hole was a noted place. It was used by Mr. Peter Emerson, one of the most noted fishermen of the place. It was very expensive to build the stage at this place, taking a large and long stick of timber for the front side of it, and no one attempted to use it. Mr. Emerson, Capt. Wm. Perham and Messrs. Jonathan, Hezekiah, and Joseph Young, used to fish at the slash hole and were very successful at certain stages of the water.
The Slash Hole was. on the east side of the Pulpit stream, just above the Point Rock.
POINT ROCK .- This was a famous place for salmon and shad. One man occupied the place, dipping his net until he caught a fish, when he left and another one took his place, he dipping his net until he caught a fish, and then leaving to make room for a third, and so on.
This was the law of the Point Rock, and if any one en- deavored to fish out of his time, or threw off a boy, or weaker party, the rest interfered and righted the matter. Shad were caught in this place in abundance. In former times, whoever
646
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
got on the Point Rock first, and kept upon it, he had it for the season.
People have gone to this place, upon snow shoes, to be first in possession. It afterwards became to be governed by the same rule as other shad places, that each should occupy till he had netted a fish. The Point Rock was the extremity of the ledge, between the Pulpit Stream, and Todd Gut.
BLACK ROCK .- This was a famous place for salmon and shad. It was difficult of access, aud was occupied only by expert fishermen. It was situated on the west side of the Pulpit Stream, nearly opposite the Mudget place, and nearly under the south side of the Amoskeag Falls Bridge.
Mathew MeCurdy fell off Black Rock, about 1820. He was upon the rock fishing, aud making a misstep fell into the Pul- pit Steam. The water carried him down with great velocity. Capi. Israel Merrill, Israel Young, and Josiah Gillis were near by fishing. and saw McCurdy when he fell in. They all rush- ed down the bank as fast as possible. It so happened that the current carried MeCurdy against a jam of logs, some 80 rods below Black Rock. and over against the Island opposite the Blodget honse. Here he held on to a log, with all the desper- ation of a drowning man. Capt. Merrill immediately plunged into the river, swam across and dragged him to the shore. The others came to his relief in a boat. Life seemed to be extinct in McCurdy, bni they commenced rolling and rubl ing the body, to no avail however. At length Merrill opened a vein in his arm with a pen knife, and in a few minutes he shew signs of life, and finally recovered. For this act, in connection with saving the life of McCutchius, he received a gold medal from the Mas- sachusetts Humane Society.
SWING'S BACK .- This rock was named from its fancied re- semblance to a swipe's back. It was used for catching salmon and shad, but was not a good fishing place. It was located just above the Black Rock.
Mr. Amos Kimball fell from the Swine's Back, into the river but lodged against the rocks and got out in safety.
SNAPPING PLACE .- This was a famous fishing place, claimed by Gen. Stark, the Messrs. Wilson of Londonderry, and the Messrs. McClarys of Goffstown. It was located on the west side of the Pulpit Stream, next north of the Pulpit and just south of the foot bridge, and where at low water, a spur from the ledge on that side is seen projecting out into the stream.
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FISHING PLACES.
PULPIT .- This was a noted place, it was on the west side of the Pulpit Stream on the eastern channel and next below the Snapping Place, which was some feet below the large pot hole which is now such a curiosity ; one half of it being worn away and the rock that has worn it, remaining suspended in it at the present tune. This was such an object for the fishermen, that it was occupied for weeks before the fish began to run, and was watched even of nights to retain possession.
HACKET'S STAND .- This was another famous fishing place. To fish here required much strength and considerable dexterity, as a very long pole was required, and the current was rapid. It was divided into six shares. Among the shareholders, were Messrs. McMurphy of this town, Messrs. Hackett and Pater- sou, of Goffstown, and Messrs. Patteu and Gardner of Bedford. Hacket's Stand received its name from Mr Emery Hacket, and was situated next below the Pulpit.
SULLIVAN'S POINT .- It was once a good place for catching shad, but was abandoned. It was sitnated just below the Hacket Stand, aud opposite the Point. It was called thus from the fact that a man by the name of Sullivan, fell from this point and was drowned.
CRACK IN THE ROCK .- This was on the west side of the Pul- pit Streanı, and nearly opposite the mouth of the Todd Gut, and was a uoted place for eels. It was a large fissure in the ledge, into which the eels passed and were readily taken. It was owned by a Mr. Cheney of Goffstown, aud Messrs. John Stark and Amnos Kimball of this town.
BA" PLACE .- This was for eels aud claimed hy Lient. John Stark of this town, and Matthew Kennedy of Goffstown. It was situated just below the Crack m the Rock. The scoop net was used at this place.
DALTON PLACE .- This was called from a man of that name. It was an excellent place for eels. It was situated on the west side of the east channel near the head of the Island.
PUPPY TRAP .- This was situated on the east side of the west channel, nearly opposite the Pollard mill. It was used by the proprietors of the Hackett Stand.
Por PLACE .- This was below the Puppy Trap, on the same channel.
PATTEN ROCK .- This was a right claimed by Messrs. Patten of Bedford. It had been occupied for a great length of time,
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THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
and was a noted fishing place. It was situated on the west side of the west channel directly under the Island bridge.
SETTING PLACE .- This was a good fishing place, situated directly below the Patten Rock.
It was always claimed until the rule was established of tak- ing turns in fishing.
MAPLE STUMP .-- This place was named from a maple stump near to it. It was an excellent fishing place for salmon, and was claimed by the Messrs. Jones and Richards, of Goffstown.
It was situated about twenty rods below the Setting Place.
THE COLT .- This was of no great celebrity. It was situ- ated just below the Maple Stump on the same side of the chan- nel.
SALMON ROCK .- This was a noted place for salmon. It was situated on the west channe: next to the Island and opposite the Map'e Stump.
EEL TRAP .- This was a place on the Island and upon the channel that runs to the Bleachery.
SALMON GUTT .- This was a small stream that in high water, passed betwixt the western channel and the Island.
MAST ROCK .- This was a fishing place for eels and salmon near a large rock of that name situated in the west stream be- twixt the old Island Factory, and the western bank, against which in olden time masts were often lodged and broken.
Some of these were owned by Companies of individuals living in the neighborhood, but many of them were claimed by no particular man or company of men ; but the person who first occupied in the spring, held the place through the season, un- less he was so unlucky as to get displaced. Some of the un- claimed fishing places were so valued, that individuals would take possession and occupy them for weeks before the "fish be- gan to run !"
Mr. Jonas Harvey says that he "fished upon the rocks in the falls, twelve days and twelve nights without going off to eat or sleep !"
The rule, or law of the fishermen as to these unclaimed places, was that those who got on them first held them. But he must hold them continually. If he stepped off the stage long enough for another to turn the slabs or planks of the stage "'t'other side up, he lost possession." Such a rule, of course, was the
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FISHING PLACES.
occasion of a great deal of strife, as people were always upon the look out to gain possession of good places, and would make the attempt when ever there was the least prospect of suc- cess.
Mr. John Dickey got possession of the Todd Gut one spring, against the claim of some people who were earnest in their en- deavors to get possession of it. They could not get him off and at length they threw slabs upon the stage around him, com- pletely enclosing him as he lay upon it. After this they placed on the surrounding slabs a platform of planks, thus enclosing the persevering fisherman. They then got upon the platform and commenced fishing. The bystanders at length interfered, drove the intruders from their platform and released Dickey.
No person had a right to cover two fishing places with one stage. Mr. John Hall covered the Little Pulpit, and Todd Gut with one stage, and Mr. Jesse Baker, threw the slabs from the Little Pulpit into the stream. Upon this a most desperate fight ensued. Hall attempted to drive Baker off the ledge, but Baker throwing a slab on the ledge, quietly seated himself upon it, Hall then attempted to push Baker into the river and almost suc- ceeded. The bystanders called upon Hail to desist, telling him he would drown Baker, but Hall replied. "his blood be up- on his own head," and persisted in his attempt. At length, the bystanders interfered and drove Hall from the rock,-and Baker retained possession of the place.
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