USA > New Hampshire > History of New Hampshire, Volume IV > Part 27
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river was to the eastward of Majr. Vaughan's House, a stone warehouse on the north and the way from Spring Hill to Piscataqua Ferry on the west. Further saith that when he the Deponent first came to the place called the Bank in Portsmouth aforesaid he often heard it said that a certain man named Francis Rains lived near the north west end of the aforesaid street from the Spring Hill to Piscataqua Ferry. The said John Downing further saith that he never knew or heard that Mr. Richard Cutt or Eleanor his . wife lived in the house now in controversy."
James Libby of Portsmouth, aged about sixty-eight years, the first Tuesday in August 1742, testified that fifty years ago he was employed by Majr. William Vaughan to help gather apples in an orchard of said Vaughan's which is since divided by a street as mentioned in the deposition of John Downing Esqr.
On the same date as the last "Joshua Pierce of Portsmouth, aged seventy one years and a half deposed that when he was about six years old (his mother being married one Mr. Jos Light who did business for Majr Wm Vaughan at sd Portsmouth) he the deponent came with his sd Fathr in law & mother to sd Portsmouth to live & in his minority was constantly passing and repassing from Fathr Light's House to ye House of Majr Vaughan who lived then and since to his dying Day in ye House where Capt. Daniel Moulton of said Portsmouth one of ye appellees now Dwells," etc.
At the same time Richard Hilton of Portsmouth, aged about eighty years, deposed to the same effect; also Timothy Davis senior of Portsmouth, aged about sixty two years; there are three depositions dated 10:10:1721, by Elizabeth Harvey aged seventy, John Jackson aged eighty-four, and Mrs. Ann Clark aged seventy two.
The folder also contains statements copied from the "Register Book page 108," that William Vaughan married Mary Cutt (Margaret?) 8 Dec. 1668, that their son Cutt was born 6 March 1673-4, that their son George was born 13 April 1676, that George Vaughan married Elizabeth Eliot 8 Feb. 1701, and that William their son was born 12 Sept. 1703.
Folders No. 17678 and No. 2317I contain information about the emi- gration from the Pascataqua region to Pascattaway, New Jersey, and name a number of the emigrants. Many years later depositions were obtained from some in New Jersey and others who had known the family of Henry Langstaff of Bloody Point, Newington.
John Whitcher of Haverhill, aged sixty nine years, deposed, 5 June 1718, "that about fifty years since he knew John Langstaff alias Langstarr, son of Henry Langstaff senr of Bloody Point in New Hampshire deceased when he lived with his father. The said John Langstaff alias Langstarr afterward removed to New Jersey and there lived. In the year 1674 the Deponent removed and lived there also for about three years & a half, all which time he was very well acquainted with the said John Langstaff and knew him to be the same John Langstaff ye reputed son of the alia Lang- staff first above exprest, that all the neighbours there yt went hence to live there, vizt., Benjamin Hull, Mr. Drake & his two sons & several others that went there from this Piscataqua to live knew him the said John Langstar above, always alowed him to bee the son of Henry Langstaff of Bloody Point above sd & they named that place Piscataqua after the name of this Piscataqua, and when I came from thence I brought a letter from the above said John Langstar to his father Henry Langstaff alia Langstar at Bloody Point above sd, which ye said John Langstaff obliged me to Deliver with my own hand, which I did, at the receiving of which the above said Henry Lang- staff alias Langstarr was very much rejoict & thankt me for my kindness & enquired very particular after his sons Settlement."
The deposition of William Shackford, aged seventy-eight, dated 22 April 1718, is to similar effect. He had been to New Jersey and returned.
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Also Deborah wife of William Shackford, who was daughter of Thomas Trickey of Bloody Point, aged seventy-two, deposed 5 June 1718, that she was born at Bloody Point and knew the Langstaff family well. Her sister, Lydia Webber, aged sixty-eight, deposed at the same time to the same effect. So also did John Tuttle, aged seventy-two, and Christian Remick of Kittery, aged eighty. The last deposition is dated 12 May 1718. He lived on the shore of the river Pascataqua, opposite to Langstaff, and knew the family well.
In No. 23171 Benjamin Martin of New Jersey, aged about fifty-eight, testifies, 21 July 1718, that about forty-nine years ago he lived in Dover with his uncle, Thomas Roberts, and that John Langstaffe alias Langstarr, who had dwelt in Piscattaway, N. J., forty-nine or fifty years, is the reputed son of Henry Langstarr or Langstaff of Bloody Point. Also Joseph Mar- tin, aged sixty-three, deposed, at the same time that forty-nine or fifty years ago he lived at Welch Cove, Dover, with Anthony Nutter, whose wife was daughter of Henry Langstarr alias Langstaff of Bloody Point, and knew his eldest son, John Langstarr.
Thus we learn some items of history about Bloody Point and Piscatta- way, New Jersey, as well as about the genealogy of several faimlies.
Folder No. 21770 contains a promisory note, "I James Boyd of Colraine merchant doe promis to pay to John Orr of ye parish of Colraine wever the sum of sixteen pounds starl the first day of May next, vallew recd from him in mony as witness my hand & seal this 14th day of October one thou- sand seven hundred and seventeen 1717." Signed, James Boyd.
Sealed and delivered in presence of Hugh Orr (his mark) and John Harper. The papers accompanying show that James Boyd of Portsmouth had died intestate and that John Orr had brought suit against Alexander Caldwell for payment of this note. Thus we learn the place in Ireland from which came the Orr family of Harpswell, Maine, and the Boyd family of Londonderry, N. H.
Folder No. 17789. Martha Sloper of Portsmouth, spinster, makes "my trusty and well beloved friend and Brother, Elisha Kelly of ye Isle of Shoals, Gentleman, my true and lawful attorney." How was she sister of Elisha Kelly? She is thought to have been daughter of Henry Sherburne.
Folder No. 24316 contains the papers used in a suit for recovery of land by heirs of Nicholas Follett of Portsmouth versus Ichabod Chesley of Durham. The writ names as heirs widow Sarah Hardy of Exeter, widow Elizabeth Gilman of Newmarket, widow Hannah Burleigh of Ipswich, Essex county, Mass., widow Martha Rust of Stratham, Theophilus Smith Esq. of Exeter and Mary his wife in her right, Samuel Doe of Newmarket and Abigail his wife in her right, Samuel Sherburne of Portsmouth and Mercy his wife in her right, "all of which women are daughters of Abigail late wife of Andrew Wiggin of Stratham aforesaid Esqr, formerly Abigail Follit now deceased, who was a daughter of Nicholas Follit late of Ports- mouth aforesaid and Mariner deceased-Jonathan Wiggin, Mary Wiggin, Nicholas Wiggin, Zebulun Wiggin, Issachar Wiggin & Nathaniel Wiggin, all lawful issue and next of kin to Nicholas Wiggin deceased, who was a son of the said Abigail, and all minors under the age of twenty one years, who appear by Andrew Wiggin Esqr aforesaid their grandfather & next friend & Andrew Wiggin, Mary Wiggin, Abigail Wiggin, Martha Wiggin, Bradstreet Wiggin and Hannah Wiggin all minors under the age of twenty one years, lawful issue & next of kin to Bradstreet Deceased, who was another son of the said Abigail deceased, which minors appear by their said grandfather Andrew Wiggin Esqr & next friend, Nicholas Follit of Newbury in the county of Essex in our province of the Massachusetts Bay, mariner, Francis Follit of Newmarket aforesaid Blacksmith, Caleb Follit a minor under twenty one years, who appears by the said Francis his Brother & guardian & Benjamin Doe of Durham in said province, yeomen, & Han-
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nah his wife in her right, which Nicholas, Francis, Caleb & Hannah are lawful issue & next of kin to Benjamin Follit late of Newmarket aforesaid, cordwainer, deceased." They sought to recover eighteen acres of land in Durham claimed by Ichabod Chesley, on the south side of the Mast Path, as their right and inheritance from Nicholas Follett late of Portsmouth, tailor, deceased, who was brother of said Sarah Hardy, Elizabeth Gilman, Abigail Wiggin and Benjamin Follett, all children of Nicholas Follett, mariner, deceased.
The writ goes on to say that the said Abigail died about the year 1736 intestate and her surviving issue were the said Bradstreet Wiggin and Nicholas Wiggin both now deceased and the said Hannah Burleigh, Martha Rust, Mary Smith, Abigail Doe and Mercy Sherburne. In about the year 1745 said Benjamin Follit died intestate leaving surviving issue, Nicholas, Francis, Samuel, Benjamin, Caleb and Hannah. In about the year 1750 the said Nicholas Wiggin died leaving issue, Jonathan, Mary, Nicholas, Zebulun, Issachar and Nathaniel, minors. In about the year 1752 the said Bradstreet Wiggin died intestate, leaving issue, Andrew, Mary, Abigail, Martha, Brad- street, Phoebe and Hannah, minors. In the year 1754 said Phoebe died intestate.
Mary Denbo, probably wife of the first Salathiel Denbow, deposed, 27 Jan. 1756, aged about eighty-two and upwards, that seventy five years last past she lived with John Meder of Oyster River and was fully acquainted with William Follit, who lived and died in Oyster River about seventy years last past, leaving no issue, for he never had any. Likewise she knew Nicholas Follit of Oyster River and frequently heard her dame Meeder, who was sister of Nicholas, call said Williams wife cussen and was com- monly called by others to be cousins in that day and the said Nicholas was always accounted to be the cousin of the said William by your deponent & near the time of the destruction of Oyster River aforesaid the said Nicholas moved to Portsmouth, he following the sea until his death, leaving Abigail, Nicholas, Benjamin, Sarah, Elizabeth, Caleb and Philip his reputed issue whom I very well knew.
Elizabeth Roberts, aged eighty-three, deposed, 2 August 1756, that she lived with her father about sixty-five or seventy years ago on Jones Neck so called where she was well acquainted with William Follit, he then living on Bunkers Neck on the easterly side of the creek, and also with Nicholas Follit who traded with the Wine Islands and that the said Nicholas invited my mother and some others to go over the river to drink wine.
Capt. Stephen Jones, aged about eighty-nine, knew William Follit and also Nicholas, who lived near the Oyster Bed on the southern side of the river, and they were commonly called cousins, and the said Nicholas died at sea leaving children, Abigail, Nicholas, Benjamin, Sarah and Elizabeth. Dated Jan. 27, 1756.
Abraham Clark, aged seventy-seven, deposed to the same effect, 17 Sept. 1756. On the other hand Elizabeth Pinkham, aged seventy-seven, testified at the same time that she never heard them claim relationship though she often saw them in company and drink together, and the said William Follit lived one summer at your deponent's father's house and he never claimed Nicholas as cousin.
Anna Sias, who was Anna Pitman, aged about eighty-nine, deposed, 6 Sept. 1755, that seventy years last past she went to live with William Follit of Oyster River as servant for the term of six years and in the last year of said time the said William died, having no children, and she commonly heard William and Nicholas call each other cousins in that day and she knew the children of said Nicholas, Abigail, Caleb, Sarah, Elizabeth and Nicholas.
Folder No. 18309. May 23, 1738, the goods and estate of Samuel Emer- son, gentleman, of Durham, and of Timothy Emerson, tanner, of Durham,
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were attached to satisfy the claim of Reuben Chesley, mariner, Isaac Watson and Lillies his wife in right of his said wife, Timothy Hanson and Kezia his wife in right of his said wife, all of Dover. It is said that Samuel Chesley late of Dover died sometime in the year 1707," leaving issue Samuel his oldest son, Philip, Joseph, Benjamin, & Reuben his other sons, the said Lillies & Kezia, his daughters, being all his children." "In about the year of our Lord 1717 the said oldest son Samuel died without issue & intestate and in about the year of our Lord 1718 the said Benjamin died without issue & intestate, and in or about the year of our Lord 1720 the said Philip died without issue intestate."
Thus it appears that the genealogy of the Chesley family as published in the History of County of Annapolis, Nova Scotia, page 488, and cited in the History of Durham, N. H., page 55, needs to be revised and cor- rected.
Folder No. 18231. December 8, 1677, George Walton junior of Ports- mouth was indicted to answer to the complaint of Ferdinando Hooff (called also Hufe) in an action of trespass for carrying away two stacks of hay within his cornfield by the water side at Cape Porpos.
"Deposition of Andrew Samson aged about 28 years who testifieth that sometime in September last being along with George Walton at Cape porpos in a boate who was bound to cutt grass there, ye sd Walton tooke aboard two stacks of hay which stood by a brooke neere to Richard Palmers within fences of a corn ffeild which hay Robert Booth & John Layton said was Nandy Hooffs, upon which said Walton made answer that he had better take it than it should stand there & rott. The quantity of Hay he judgeth it to be aboute eighty Cocks." Sworn 13 Nov. 1677.
John Davis, aged 53, testified to the same effect, December 25, 1677, and so did William Agawam, aged 18. Shadrach Walton, aged 20, and William Hilton, aged 24, testified that Richard Palmer sold to George Walton two small stacks of hay two years old, same date as above. The testimony of Samson White, aged 21, of Robert Booth, aged 21, of John Layton, aged 39, was dated November 13, 1677. Most of these lived on the coast of Maine.
Folder 18416. August 17, 1733, the goods and estate of Joshua Weeks of Greenland were attached, to answer unto William Furber of Newington for trespass upon six acres of land belonging to William Furber deceased, who died intestate in or about the year 1695, leaving issue, sons William and Jethro, and daughters Susanna, Bridget and Elizabeth. The oldest son, William, died in 1703 intestate, leaving issue William, oldest son, Jethro and Joshua.
Sarah Cutt testified, Feb. 6, 1733-4, that her father, Richard Martyn, died April 2, 1695, in the 65th year of his age.
"Deposition of Thomas Harvey, aged about forty seven years, testifieth & Saith that he well remembers his father Thomas Harvey formerly of Portsmouth, deceased, went from Piscataqua River in a vessel Thirty nine years ago & has not been in Piscataqua since, but as the Deponent was told by some of the same vessels Company he was taken by the French & was carried prisoner into France where he soon after died." Dated February 5, 1733.
John Dam, aged 66, deposed August 6, 1734, and named William Furber as his grandfather.
Thomas Perkins of Kennebunk, aged 62, deposed August 30, 1733, that 48 or 50 years before William Furber used to transport salt hay and thatch from a certain marsh in Greenland.
Thomas Row, aged 77, swore in court that he helped William Furber mow forty six years ago.
John Johnson, aged 71, testified in court, August 6, 1734, that he knew the land in controversy 55 years ago.
Folder No. 23359. Robert Bryant of Greenland died in 1724, leaving
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children, Robert, John, Abraham, Nathaniel, Mary, Rebecca, Charity, Han- nah, Abigail and Deborah. These brought suit against John Avery of Stratham in 1742. Probably Abigail had married Benjamin Keniston of Greenland, Deborah had married John Brazell of Greenland, and Hannah had married Philip Harry of Newmarket.
The same folder contains the following depositions. Charles Allen of Wells, aged 77, August 5, 1747, testified that he remembered Robert Bryant formerly of Greenland, that he lived "between the houses now of Jonathan Barker & Bracket Johnson about fifty six or seven years past," "on the northeasterly side of the Countrey Road passing from Exeter to Ports- mouth," and that "his son Robert Bryant sometime after lived with William Philbrook in said Greenland as an apprentice."
Ebenezer Johnson, aged 71, deposed in July 1747. Joshua Bracket, aged 73, deposed at the same time that Robert Bryant lived on the road from Greenland to Stratham three or four rods east of Jonathan Weeks' gate. Richard Place, aged 84, deposed July 13, 1747, and Samuel Piper, aged 75, deposed at same time.
Folder No. 27408 contains a copy of the plan of town lots laid out in Bow in the year 1733, with names of all the owners thereof.
Folder No. 27613. Widow Hannah Jackson was sister of Clement Drew and aunt of Joseph Drew. She complained of them because they called her a witch and said she had bewitched their cattle and hogs. This was about the year 1750 and is perhaps the latest mention of witchcraft in the courts.
Folder No. 27167 contains a deposition of Hannah Pierce, of lawful age, made December 2, 1755, that in June 1747 she went with Daniel Robinson and Mary Church, her sister, to the house of the Rev. Mr. John Blunt of New Castle and saw the said Robinson and Church married to each other, and that Robinson afterward went to sea. The mother of Mary Church was then widow Hannah Blasfield of Portsmouth.
Folder No. 17831 contains the testimony of J. Emerson of Portsmouth, that he married Mark Curtain and Sarah Lewis, November 9, 1717.
Folder No. 17891 contains statement that the Rev. John Buss of Oyster River married, August 13, 1702, "the wife of Richard Saunders late of Portsmouth, mariner, unto one Richard Eburn without license."
Folder No. 15717 contains the testimony of Katherine Durgin, aged sixty-seven years, that John Footman of Dover was "my first born child that I had by Thomas Footman, he being about forty three years of age." Dated Sept. I, 1705.
Folder No. 23192 has a deposition of John Moody, aged fifty-four years, that "I the deponent knew Elizabeth Phillips who was reputed to be the mother of Richard Clark of Newmarket and that she came to my house with said Clark and then and there conveyed to him by deed of sale bearing date the first day of December anno Domini 1735 all her right and title to several tracts of land which were her fathers Thomas Footman." Dated November 18, 1760.
In the same suit there is a deposition of Tamsen Drew, aged about eighty years, "that she well remembers William Durgin and his wife who she has often heard was widow to old Thomas Footman formerly of Dover deceased and has been well acquainted with their children and by the best accounts that ever I your deponent had James Durgin their son late of Durham deceased would a ben eighty eight years of age or there- abouts." Dated May 19, 1760.
Thomas Drew, aged eighty-seven, deposed to the same effect at the same time.
The deposition of Joseph Hall, aged seventy eight, November 18, 1760, "testifieth & saith that I the deponent well knew Elizabeth Footman when she was a young woman & knew well John & Thomas Footman & Abigail
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York that they were the reputed sons & daughters of Thomas Footman formerly of Dover & I have often heard them call said Elizabeth their sister, I having lived together with them all at garrison & I knew one John Phillips that came from the southward a soldier & I heard it frequently reported that said Phillips married said Elizabeth & soon after said Phillips went off to the southward as was supposed to see his friends & was absent for some short time and then returned to these parts again & then I saw him & he stopped but a short time & returned to the southward with the aforesaid Elizabeth his wife as I was then informed."
A deed shows that John Phillips was from North Kingston, Rhode Island, that that he had a son, John Phillips. Elizabeth Phillips is called aunt by Thomas Stevenson in a deposition. She also had a niece, Eleanor McCalva, who deposed at the same time.
Folder No. 24397 contains depositions of Thomas Veasey of Stratham, aged 75, and of Nathaniel Huggins, aged 84, both dated August 3, 1744, and of Samuel Weeks, aged 72, and of Daniel Allen, aged 72, both dated 'Sep- tember 29, 1742.
Folder No. 15454. Deposition of Henry Langstar, aged Sixty Six years, testifieth and saith yt Capt. Briant Pendletons land in Portsmouth Butting on the Long Reach extended to Dover Line, as he was informed . by James Rawlins, and yt the land now in dispute between George Huntress and Richard Gerrish is part of said Land, which to prove I can show the stumps of the bounds mark trees; and further yt I workt many days on said land with James Rawlins senr in the year 1669 to redeem a mortgage made of his estate to said Pendleton and yt there was no Vacant Land between them butt yt Rawlins came to Portsmouth Line and Pendleton to Dover Line and further saith not. Sworn in Curia 1713."
In the same suit Rebecca Rawlins mentions "my father James Rawlins Senr deceased, and she could show "pritty neere ye bound mark a little of this side durty gutt."
Folder No. 15736. The deposition of Mary Wacomb and Margaret Adams of full age Testifieth that Marke Hunking who now dwells neir Little Harbor is the oldest and only surviving son of our honored father Marke Hunking ship carpenter deceased, who dwelt at the same place which our brother Marke now possesses. Sworn in court 12 August 1702.
They also testify that "to our certain knowledge our father Marke Hunking Deceased hade possession of that Island at Little Harbor where the ferry to New Castle is kept in the yeare of our Lord 1666 and he did then build a stage & kept a fishing shallop at said Island, Jeffrey Currier being then his boats master, and the fish was made or cured at said Island which we are told is now in controversy between our brother Mark Hunking and John Abbot." Sworn in Court 12 August 1702.
The Margaret Adams here named was, without doubt, the wife of Chris- topher Adams of Kittery.
Folder No. 21926 contains a deposition of Annas Mckean (her mark), aged 72, widow of James McKean of Londonderry, that Robert Boyes came from Boston in 1719 to Londonderry, to build a chimney for her husband. There are many other depositions in the same folder of persons living in Londonderry, "of full age," testifying about the first mill built in that town.
Folder No. 20615 shows that John Deverson of Portsmouth, in the year 1732, had sisters, Elizabeth who married Thomas Beck, Sarah who married Stuart, and Mary who married Joseph Mead. John Deverson was ad- ministrator of the estate of Sarah Ward.
Folder No. 15735 contains a deposition of Clement Meserve senior, aged fifty-four, Nov. 5, 1706, that he lived years before with Mr. Richard Cutt. At the same time George Huntress, aged sixty-three, deposed that he long before lived with Mr. Richard Cutt and took care of his cattle. Much is said about land and inhabitants of Portsmouth in the early days. There
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are also several depositions of persons living in London, concerning the Daniel family of Portsmouth, showing relationships.
Folder No. 15292 contains much information about one branch of the Corwin family of Salem, Mass., that is not contained in the Corwin Genealogy.
Folder No. 21799 contains depositions pertaining to the ownership of land at Quamphegan, on the Dover side, near the bridge at South Ber- wick, where formerly John Lovering lived, and naming the successive tenants of the house for about half a century. The depositions are dated in May and June 1734 and were made by Col. John Plaisted, aged 74, James Stakpole, aged about four score, Mary Warren, aged 67, James Grant, aged 63, Alexander Grant, aged 61, Richard Tozer, aged 73, John Cooper, aged 67, Elizabeth Emery, aged 76, and James Guppy, John Tibbetts, James Allen and William Chadbourn, all of full age.
Folder No. 21784 shows that before Jan. 15, 1693-4 Edward Cate had married "the only daughter & heiress" of Philip Tucker deceased.
Folder No. 18219 contains a deposition of Thomas Wiggin, aged sixty years and upward, concerning land in Stratham fifty or more years before Dec. 3, 1724, what he had heard from his father. The land had been in the possession of Thomas Reed, who deeded it to his daughter, Elizabeth Kenniston.
Folder No. 18055 contains depositions of Henry Hobbs of Sligo, aged 47, Hatevil Roberts, aged 56 and Thomas Young, aged 64, all dated Sept. 5, 1717. They testify that James Stacpole in the year 1680 was in possession of the land on which he had lived ever since. Thomas Young worked with him on that land in the year named. It was the farm originally granted to Joseph Austin in 1656. Recently it was owned by the late Samuel Hale of Rollinsford. The house probably built in 1680 is still tenanted, though removed from its first site.
Folder No. 18115 contains depositions that declare that the house of Roger Rose of Oyster River was burned by Indians, probably in the massacre of 1694, and that he removed to Portsmouth. They also state that Jethro Furber married Amie, daughter of Edward and Agnis Cowel of Dover, Edward Cowel's oldest son was Edward and youngest son was Samuel, both under fourteen years of age in 1682, and Jethro Furber was their guardian. Cowel had only these three children. The depositions are by Abigail, widow of Benjamin York, now Abigail Meekins. Her maiden name was Abigail Footman. Abraham Bennick, aged 62, Sarah Hill, daugh- ter of Anthony Nutter, aged 78, and John Doe, aged 68, deposed March 8, 1737-8. Joseph Davis, aged 68, and Nathaniel Hill, aged 78, deposed July 29, 1738.
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