USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 15
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Levi Sawyer was born in Dover 8th, II m10: 1791, son of Stephen Sawyer and Mary Varney, who were married at Dover 3d, 4 mo: 1778. Said Mary Varney was born in Dover 17th, 8 mo: 1756, daughter of Paul Varney and Elizabeth Hussey, who were married at Smithfield 7th, 2 mo: 1742.
Said Paul Varney was born in Dover 18th, I mo: 1715-16, son of Eben- ezer and Mary Otis-Varney.
Hannah Pinkham Sawyer was born in Dover 17th, 5 mo: 1804, daughter of Joseph Pinkham and Betty Green, who were married at Hampton 19th, I mo: 1788.
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Said Joseph Pinkham was born in Dover 14th, 8 mo: 1757, son of Paul Pinkham and Rose Austin, who were married.
Said Paul Pinkham was born 3d, 4 mo: 1730, son of Otis Pinkham and Abigail Tebbetts, who were married at Dover 22d, 9 mo: 1721. Said Otis Pinkham was born in Dover, son of John Pinkham and Rose Otis ( Richard Otis).
Joseph B. Sawyer's mother was a most excellent woman. She was one of the speakers who presided at the services in the Friends' meeting house at Pine Hill, and a leader in good works in many ways. It is said by those who knew her best that in cases of sickness she was equal to the best of modern trained nurses. So of such good, old Quaker stock was Joseph Bowne Sawyer.
In 1885 Prof. E. T. Quimby of Dartmouth College had a camp on this hill for several years in working up the coast survey; from his memoranda thus obtained he made a map of all the elevations and mountains that could be seen from the old observatory. That map is in the city clerk's office, and from it I obtained the information which I now give to you.
I. Directly north there is no object with a name; but the water tower of Somersworth is slightly to the east of north, and Carter mountain (Dome) slightly to the west of north. Carterdome is 85 miles distant.
2. Almost directly east is Agamentacus, 9 miles.
3. Directly west is Northwood Ridge, 19 miles, with Green Hill in Bar- rington, slightly north of west, 5 miles away.
4. Slightly west of south is Stratham Hill 12 miles, and slightly west of that, Bunker Hill 14 miles.
Now, beginning at the north and scanning the horizon from north to west, on a clear day from the upper platform of the observatory you can see the following in order; of course you will keep in mind that the more distant are behind and not by the side of the nearer. Next to Carter Dome is Mount Washington, 85 miles. A little west of that is Chocorua, 54 miles. Next Parker Mount, 25 miles. Next Teneriffe, 18 miles. Next Moose, 25 miles. Next Major, 25 miles. Next Cropple Crown in New Durham, 25 miles. Next New Durham hills, 22 miles. Next, near at hand, is Haven's Hill in Rochester. Behind that, from 20 to 25 miles, are Mount Molly, Devil's Den and Mount Bet.
About northwest is Chesley's Hill, 15 miles, behind which are Guilford mountains, 35 miles. Then Hussey, 15 miles. Then more of the Guilford mountains, 35 miles. Next, and only 15 miles distant, is Blue Job. Next is Sander's mountain, 15 miles. Right in line with it is Long Hill in Dover, 3 miles. Next is Blue Ridge (or Parker's Mount) in Strafford, 17 miles.
Almost directly west, beyond Green Hill in Barrington, 23 miles away, is Catamount. Next south of that is Northwood Ridge, 19 miles; south of that
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Epsom mountains, 23 miles ; next to that Saddleback, 18 miles ; then comes the three Patuccawas in Nottingham, 18 miles; 14 miles away, and slightly south of these is Nottingham Square. The next elevation south of that is Red Oak Hill, in Epping, 15 miles. Nearer at hand and next south is Lee Hill, 10 miles. Beyond Lee Hill, 23 miles, is the Danville. This brings us to the hills in Newmarket and Exeter, 10 and 18 miles distant. Then you are around to Bunker and Stratham hills almost directly south.
Beginning at the north and scanning the horizon from north to east, we have first the water tower at Somersworth and nearer at hand 21/2 miles away, Ricker Hill, more properly Otis Hill, as Richard Otis, I have already spoken of, was the first man to have the grant of it from the town of Dover. Salmon Falls village is about northeast, and Quamphegan Hill, in South Berwick, is between Salmon Falls and Agamenticus, 9 miles distant. South of Aga- menticus is Third Hill, 6 miles; close by it Frost's Hill, 6 miles.
In the southeasterly direction are the Isle of Shoals, 22 miles. The flag and chimney in Kittery, 10 miles; White Island Light, 21 miles; Wentworth House, 13 miles; North Church in Portsmouth, II miles; Dow's Hill in Newington, 9 miles; Greenland, 12 miles; Hampton, 20 miles; Great Bay, Little Bay, Pascataqua river and the Atlantic ocean.
There is another incident in connection with the history of Garrison Hill that had fatal results. It is in connection with the old cannon you can see on the ground of the south side of the observatory, only a few rods distant. In brief, the story is this :
When James Buchanan was elected President in 1856 the victorious Dem- ocrats planned to celebrate their grand victory; they planned to have an immense parade, fireworks, and an oration in the city hall, and to fire a salute of one hundred guns, if they could get a cannon with which to do it. Money was subscribed and the campaign committee went to Portsmouth navy yard in search for a gun. They found there two cannon for sale, one of which they purchased. It had been captured from the British in the War of 1812-15. It is marked on one hub "24 P" (24 pounder) ; on the other hub "82481, Capron, 1814," that is, it was made at the Capron Iron Works, England, in 1814. The committee felt sure they had secured a great bargain. They engaged Joseph Young to bring it up the river, on a gundalow, to Dover Landing. From the Landing it was transported to Garrison Hill by a team of three yoke of sturdy oxen ; Jefferson Canney handled the goad. Bystanders who witnessed the loading of the gun onto the ox-cart made a bet that Mr. Canney's team could not haul the gun up Garrison Hill, but he won and the prize of the wager was a fine yoke of oxen. The gun was placed on the westerly side of the hill, and all was made ready to fire the grand salute. With proper ceremony the campaign committee christened it "The Constitu- tion." Near the gun they had a large collection of pitch-pine knots and tar
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barrels for a grand bonfire which might be seen from the mountains to the sea. The orator for the meeting in the city hall was Col. John H. George of Concord. Rothwell's brass band furnished the music and led the grand torchlight procession. It was arranged that the gun should begin firing at precisely 7 o'clock, and the band should commence its music at the same time and lead the procession through the streets.
The gunners who had charge of the piece had received express orders to fire in not less than four minutes after 7 o'clock and the cartridges to be two minutes' walk from the gun, which contained eight or ten pounds of powder. The committee had provided everything asked for by the gunners, and up to the moment the committee left the gun, they were cautioned to be prudent and follow instructions to the very letter, as they had no experience in firing cannon. Nevertheless, it appears that immediately after the first discharge, without swabbing, the second cartridge was being rammed home when the man thumbing the vent with his bare thumb, finding it too hot to bear, took his thumb off; a premature discharge took place which threw the gunners, Foss and Clark, down the hill a few rods and killed Foss instantly and mutilated Clark so badly that he died at ten o'clock that night. The accident was not generally known in the procession until they had reached a point on Central avenue opposite the residence of Charles W. Wiggin. In consequence the procession broke up on Third street and all further cere- monies were declared off, even to the supper prepared for the Buchanan Guards in the American House. The names of the unfortunate gunners are George S. Clark of Dover, aged 26, and John Foss of Strafford, aged 23. The other man at the gun was Charles Philbrock, who escaped with a badly burned finger.
In 1875 the gun was moved to its present position and at the Centennial celebration was fired by the late John A. Goodwin, a Grand Army veteran, who had had much experience in gunnery during the Civil war by service in the Union Army. Mr. Goodwin fired it successfully, without accident, but he never wanted to try the experiment again; neither has anyone else. It will do for children to play with, but men do not care to fool with it. The accident occurred November 19, 1856.
CHAPTER XIV
HISTORY OF DOVER (X)
THE BACK RIVER DISTRICT-THE DAM-DREW GARRISON
Hilton's Point, now known as Dover Point, was settled in the spring of 1623; Dover Neck began to be settled in the fall of 1633; Back river district in 1642. Hilton's Point is about a mile below the mouth of Back river, at Royal's Cove. Dover Neck is on the eastern side of Back river and the west- ern side of Fore river (Newichawannock is the Indian name). The Back river district is one of the best farm land sections of the town or the state, and the dwellers therein have always been among the best citizens of the town. And their sons and daughters who emigrated from there have made good records, near and far.
The Drew garrison house is at the west end of a twenty-acre lot, which, in turn, is at the west end of twenty-acre lot number 14. These lots are forty rods wide and eighty rods long. I will now explain the history of the twenty- acre lots.
The oldest record of the town of Dover now in existence, was recorded by the town clerk, William Walderne, on a piece of paper, in 1642, and that paper was copied into the earliest record book now extant, by William Pom- frett, who was chosen clerk in 1647 and served nearly a quarter of a century. There were record books before this one, which is marked on the cover "No. 7," but they have all been lost. Perhaps someone destroyed them to prevent their being used in the land lawsuits which the Mason heirs brought against the large land-owners in Dover. Town Clerk Pomfret was a party interested in having the contents of that piece of paper preserved, hence he recorded it in the first book he kept. It reads and spells as follows :
The west sied of ye Back Reuer or ouer ye Back Riuer.
A Record of ye 20 Ackes loets as theay waer in order given and layed out to ye inhabetance hoes names are here under menshened with the nomber of the loet to each pertickler man. As it was fowned Recorded by William Walden in a Pec of paper in ye yeir (16)42, wich lots ar in Breadth at ye water sied 40 poell and in lenketh 80 poll up into ye woods. 9
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Names
Thomas Roberts, I
Richard Roggers, 2
Henry Tebbets, 3
Mr. Larkham, 4
Edward Colcord, 5
George Webe, 6
John Tuttle, 7
William Story, 8
Barthey Smeg, 9
John Ugrove,
IO
John Dam, II William Pomfrett, 12 This 12th lott is exchanged with Dea. Dam
for ye 17th lott.
Win. Hilton, Sr. 13
Edward Starback, I4
Samewell Haynes, 15 This 15th lott was Resined to John Hill and by him sold unto Wm. ffollett as was acknowledged.
Robert Huggins, 16
John Crosse, 17 This 17th Lott is Exchanged by John Dam with Lt Pomfret for ye 12tth Lott.
Thomas Layton, 18 John Hall, I9
Hatabell Nutter, 20 Henry Beck, 21
John Westell, 22
No name, 23
Richard Pinkham, 24
Bear in mind these lots on the river bank were forty rods in width and eighty rods in depth; as there were twenty-four lots, the distance from Royal's Cove, at the mouth of the Back river, was three miles to lot No. 24, close to the head of tide-water where Back river begins and Bellamy river ends or empties into it.
Soon after the grants were awarded the owners began trading and exchanging. Deacon John Dam (who was not deacon until thirty years later), who drew No. 11, soon received No. 12 from his father-in-law, William Pomfret, the town clerk. And in 1656 Deacon Dam bought lot No. 13, so he then owned Nos. 11, 12 and 13 and he settled his son, William Dam, on the land, when he became of suitable age; his other son, John, was located on the east shore of Little Bay, which to this day bears the name Dame's Point.
William Dam was born October 14, 1653; his wife was Martha Nute, also born in 1653. She was daughter of James, who owned the lots next south of Deacon John Dam's. They were married about 1679. He prob- ably had been living on his father's land there three or four years before marriage and had built a garrison house, as the Indians were getting to be troublesome. Anyhow, he had a garrison, as the Provincial records show. It was built before this Drew garrison and was contemporary with it. It was in that garrison that William Dam's six children were born, the eldest. Pomfret, March 4, 1681, and the youngest, Lear, March 17, 1695. The fourth child was Samuel, born March 21, 1689. When a young man he settled in the District of Maine, and his descendants to this day preserve the ancient spelling of the name-Dam. The Nute and Dam families have a common burying ground on the bank of Back river, where I have seen three
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headstones with inscriptions and others without name. These are the graves of James Nute, founder of the Nute family in America, Martha Dam and her husband, William Dam.
It was about 1650 that James Nute bought lots Nos. 9 and 10 from the grantees, John Ugrove and Barthey Smeg. And much, if not all, of that land is now owned by the Nute family, his descendants, having remained in the name 260 years; the present owner is Thomas Herbert Nute.
In Volume 17 of the Provincial Papers are the following references to the Dam garrison. From January 7 to February 6, 1695, it says John Cross served as one of the guards, "at Will. Dam's garrison"; from May 12 to June 8, 1695, John Bickford was watchman; from November 4 to December 5, 1695, John Tucker and John Miller were guardsmen; from December 5, 1695, to January 7, 1696, Ephraim Jackson was the special soldier on duty. That period was very perilous, and no man or crew of men dared to go to the fields or the woods to work without carrying their loaded guns for use in defending their lives, in case the Indians should make a sudden attack on them from ambush in the woods.
So much for the Dam garrison. I will now take up the consideration of the Drew garrison and show to you that, beyond reasonable doubt, it was built by John Drew, Sr., in 1698, and stands on the west end of a 20-acre lot, which is west of 20-acre lot No. 14, which is north of the Dam lot No. 13, which I have been talking about. I will first give you the evi- dence by quoting the deeds of land purchases made by John Drew, Sr., between 1680 and 1702.
THE DREW GARRISON-DEEDS
1680, June 25. "William ffollett and Elizabeth his wife, for and in consideration of a valuable sum of money to us well and truly paid by the hand of our beloved son, John Drew & for other causes us thereunto mov- ing, have given, granted and sold," etc., "a certain tract or Parcell of Land containing Twentie Akers Scituate on ye West Side of ye back River, being ye fifteenth Lott in ye Number of ye Lotts as it doth appear by Dover Records," etc .- Recorded February 2, 1719.
1696, May 11. "I William Brackstone of ye Towne of Dover in ye Prov- ince of New Hampshire, Planter sendeth Greeting" "for Twentie two Pounds of currant and lawful money," etc. "delivered by ye hand of John Drew of ye Town and Province aforesaid, Cooper," etc. ·
. "give, grant, sell," etc. . . "a certain tract or Parcell of land containing twentie Acres with ye Appurtenances belonging to it, Scituate lying and being on ye West Side of ye Back River in ye Town of Dover, and is ye fourteenth Lott in ye Number of ye Twentie Acre Lotts, and is
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thirty eight rods wide by ye water side and four score and four rods West North West into ye woods, bounded on ye south side by Joseph Tibbetts, on ye East by ye River, on ye North on ye high way, on ye West on ye Com- mons," etc.
his "WILLIAM X BRACKSTON
mark her "ABIGAIL X BRACKSTON"
mark
Recorded December 28, 1699.
1697, August 16. "Zachariah Pitman" sold to "John Drew" twenty acres granted to him by the town of Dover in 1694 "lying and being in ye Dry Pines between Jno. Knight's and Zachariah ffield's land." This was in the neighborhood of Field's garrison .- Recorded December 29, 1699.
1698, May 6. Thomas Austin sold to John Drew, both of Dover, "a certain Tract or Parcell of Land containing Twentie Acres, lying & being on ye West Side of ye Back River, as it was laid out above ye Lott of land granted to Elder Starbuck, which Twentie Acre Lott is ye fourteenth in Number of Lotts all of wch Twentie Acres of land as it was laid out and bounded by ye lot layers of ye Town of Dover as will appear on Dover Records," etc .- Recorded December 31, 1699.
1699, March 16. Abraham Newt sold to John Drew "for and in con- sideration of a house to me in hand delivered by ye hand of Jno Drew of ye Town and Province aforesaid Scituate on ye West side on Dover Neck," etc., "a certain tract or parcell of Marsh and flatts scituate on ye East side of ye Back River, adjacent to Partridge Point and so down by ye Back River side three score and two Rods, or poles, to Sandie hill, all which Marsh and flatts," etc., he sells to Drew for the house on Dover Neck .- Recorded December 29, 1699.
1698, June 6. "I Robert Huckins, ye Eldest son and Heir of James Huckins, ye only son and successor of Robert Huckins, sometime of Dover in ye Province of New Hampshire, deceased," etc., sold to John Drew for £14, "a certain Tract or parcell of land containing twentie acres, granted to my grandfather Robert Huckins by ye Towne of Dover in ye year 1642, Scituate on ye West side of Back River, being ye Sixteenth Lott in ye Number of lotts, bounded on ye East by ye River; on ye South by Jno Drew his land; on ye North by Thomas Whitehouse his land; on ye West by ye Commons; all wch twentie Acres of land are as it was laid out and bounded by ye lot-layers of ye Town of Dover," etc .- Recorded January I. 1699/1700.
1700, July 6. John Drew and wife, "Sara," sold to Joseph Tibbetts of
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Dover, "a Sertain tract or parcell of land Scituate on ye West side of ye Back River, being part of twentie Aker Lott bought of Thomas Austin," and located "at ye south west of Drew's land and the Commons."
1700, December 7. John Drew, Sr., bought of Joshua Wingate of Hamp- ton, son of John Wingate of Dover, deceased, "a Sertain tract or Parcell of Land Scituate on ye West side of ye Back River Containeinge Twentie Akers, wch said Land my father, John Wingett, Deceased, formerly bought of Ralfe Haull, and is lyinge and beinge betwene a Twentie Aker Lott laide oute to my father and ye Hed of ye said twentie Acre Lottes borderinge on ye northe west on ye aforesaid Lotts laid out to my father, Jno. Wingett, and on ye South weste by ye Commons, and on ye South Este on ye Com- mons, and on ye North Este on a Lott of Land now in ye Tenure and occu- pation of ye aforesaid Jno. Drew; all which twentie acres of land were laide oute and bounded by ye Lott layers of ye Towne of Dover," etc.
1701-2, February 5. John Drew, Sr., bought of Pomfret Whitehouse, grandson of William Pomfret, lot No. 17.
1702, June 16. John Drew, Sr., bought of "Israell Hogsdon" and Ann, his wife, twenty acres of land granted to him in 1658 by the town of Dover "scituate and beinge on ye Weste side of ye Back River, bordering on ye north by a twentie acre Lott laide oute att ye same time to John Roberts, and betwene itt and Ralfe Hall his twentie acre Lott, above ye hed of ye old twentie acre Lotts on ye Weste side of ye Back River," etc.
1705, May 26. John Drew, Sr., bought of Richard Paine and Sarah, his wife, of Boston, twenty acres of land with marsh and flats.
1705-6, March 1. John Drew, Sr., "Cooper," bought of Israel Hogsdon, "Carpenter," a "piece of salt marsh and thatch ground,' lying on the west side of Back river adjacent to Drew's land.
From the above it appears :
Ist. William Follett and his wife Elizabeth gave to their "beloved son, John Drew," lot No. 15, on Back river, June 25, 1680. That expression "beloved son" shows that Drew's wife was daughter of William Follett. Wives did not own land in those days, nor for a good while after that date.
2d. May 11, 1696, Mr. Drew bought of William Brackston of Dover, lot No. 14.
3d. May 6, 1698, Mr. Drew bought of Thomas Austin of Dover, twenty acres west of lot No. 14, and that is the land on which the garrison stands.
4th. June 16, 1698, Mr. Drew bought of Robert Huckins of Oyster river, lot No. 16.
5th. February 5, 1702, Mr. Drew bought of Pomfrett Whitehouse, lot No. 17.
6th. June 16, 1702, Mr. Drew bought of Israel Hogsdon, "Cooper," of Dover, lot No. 18.
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HISTORY OF STRAFFORD COUNTY
Thus you see he had five lots on the river front, west side of Back river, covering a space of 200 rods.
The deed from William Brackston says lot No. 14, as he sold it to Mr. Drew, was thirty-eight rods wide, at the river bank, and ran back eighty- four rods into the woods, to make the twenty acres; the reason for this is that a road two rods wide was on the north side, about where the road now is to Mr. Peaslee's house, which stands on lot No. 15. This roadway ran in the low ground by the fence between the Rounds and the Peaslee farms. The Peaslee family has lived there since 1760. The late owner was Joseph E. Peaslee, who was born in the garrison house, where his parents resided while the present Peaslee house was being built in 1842.
7th. On March 16, 1699, Mr. Drew sold his house on Dover Neck, where he resided, and which he inherited from his father, William Drew, to Abraham Nute, in exchange for marsh land on the west side of Back river. The marsh land along the west shore of Back river was always reckoned separate from the high land. Mr. Peaslee now owns several pieces of marsh where the adjoining high ground is owned by other persons.
Now we gather from all this that Mr. Drew would not have sold his house on Dover Neck until he had another to move into. About a year before this sale he bought the twenty acres on which the garrison stands. He built the garrison here some time; hence there can be no reasonable doubt he built it between May 6, 1698, and March 16, 1699. Quod erat demonstrandum.
The mansion house here was built in 1810 by Joseph Drew, a great-great- grandson of John Drew, Sr., who built the garrison.
It is well to keep in mind that the Indians did not trouble Dover people before 1675, more than thirty years after the grants of land were made. So there were no garrisons before that date. Another point to bear in mind is that there was no call for building garrisons after 1725, when the Indian wars ceased here, having continued fifty years. The last Dover man who lost his scalp was John Evans, the Poet Whittier's great-grand- father. The Indians performed that surgical operation in the vicinity of the Knox Marsh road beyond the road to Bellamy mill. Mr. Drew had good reason for building a garrisoned house when he did. The Oyster River massacre had occurred only four years before, when his father and one brother were killed, and other members of the family were carried captives to Canada.
ANOTHER THEORY AS TO THE ORIGIN OF TIIE DREW GARRISON
Mr. Scales, in the preceding statements as to the probable origin of the Drew garrison, based his argument on the supposed fact that, as it is
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called the Drew garrison, it was built by a Drew; and if built by a Drew it must have been by John Drew, Sr .; and if by him, it must have been built on the twenty-acre lot in the rear of lot No. 14, which is the most southerly lot owned by him. Of course Mr. Scales' argument fails if it can be shown that the house does not stand in the rear of lot No. 14.
Since Mr. Scales had prepared the preceding statement he has been in- formed that Mr. N. W. Davis of Winchester, Mass., a lineal descendant of John Drew, Sr., and a gentleman of much experience in genealogical work, being a member of the New England Historical and Genealogical Society, had become so far interested in the question of location of the lots at Back river that he had a surveyor measure the distances along the river bank, and determine, as far as possible, the exact boundary lines and location of each lot. He found that the garrison is on the lot in the rear of lot No. 13, and John Drew's lot No. 14 is one notch farther up the river. As has already been stated, Deacon John Dam owned lot No. 13, and gave it to his son, . William Dam, who came to that side of the river to live between the years 1675 and 1680. Now, if Mr. Davis' surveyor be correct in his measure- ments, then Mr. Scales' theory comes to naught, since he based it entirely on the supposition the garrison is located in the rear of lot No. 14. And he has to admit that it looks quite sure that Mr. Davis' survey is approxi- mately correct.
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