History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 16

Author: Scales, John, 1835-1928
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 988

USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 16

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).

There are other corroborating proofs that the garrison was built by William Dam or by his father, Deacon John Dam; probably they both had a hand in the job. It is known, beyond dispute, that William Dam had a garrison at Back river, and soldiers were quarterer there during the Indian wars, as shown by the Provincial records, already quoted. Further- more, deeds and wills and various land transactions, which have recently been found, show that at the death of William Dam, Sr., in 1718, the house passed to the possession of his son, William Dam, Jr. From William Dam, Jr., the ownership passed to his sister Leah and her husband, Samuel Hayes, and the Hayes family resided in it up to 1770, when he died there. Samuel and I.eah (Dam) Hayes had a daughter, Mary, who married James Nute, and their daughter, Leah Nute, married Joseph Drew (a great-grandson of John Drew, Sr.), in 1771, and they commenced housekeeping in the old garrison, which her grandparents had recently vacated, by death.

Up to 1771 it was known as the Dam (or Dame) garrison. Joseph Drew was the first of that name to reside in it. From him it passed by inheritance to his son, William Plaisted Drew. From him it passed by inheritance to his son, Edwin Plaisted Drew, who resided there until 1884, when it passed by purchase to the present owner, Mrs. Ellen S. Rounds, wife of Holmes B. Rounds, whose mother was a Drew, a lineal descendant of John Drew, Sr.

164

HISTORY OF STRAFFORD COUNTY

If this really be the William Dam garrison, as seems quite certain it is, it was probably built about 1679 or 1680, when William Dam married Martha Nute and went to that side of Back river to live. The Indian wars had begun then, and of course he would not be likely to build any other kind of a dwelling house in war times. This makes it quite certain that the garrison is more than two hundred and thirty years old, and is the oldest house in Dover. Next oldest house in Dover is the Guppy house, built in 1690, 223 years ago, and third is the Ham house about 220 years old. It does not appear there was any other Drew garrison. It bore the name of its builder, William Dam, 100 years.

In the records of about 1700 a highway is mentioned between Dam's land and that of James Nute, just south, which led to a landing place at the head of James Nute's creek, about a mile from the Drew garrison. This creek is above Hope-Hood's Point. The name of this point is derived from · a noted Indian chief, said to have belonged to the Abenaki tribe. Doctor Quint says he was the Sagamore, Wahowah, or Wohawa, chief of all the lands from Exeter to Salmon Falls. The historian, Hubbard, in his narra- tive, calls him "Hope Hood," and says he was son of Robin Hood. The two are mentioned together in signing a deed of land at "Squamanagonak" to Peter Coffin, January 3, 1688. It was Hope Hood who led the attack on Newichawannick settlement in 1690, as well as that on Fox Point shore soon after. So noted did he become for his ferocity to the English settlers that Mather, in his "Magnolia," calls him "that memorable tygre," and "that hellish fellow," etc. The tradition is that he was killed in 1690 and buried on this point of land which bears, and will ever bear, his name. No headstone marks the exact spot where he was buried, but it is affirmed that the groans of the old Indian warrior are still to be heard there from time to time among the moaning branches of the trees, when great storms prevail. It is supposed he died of his wounds received in the fight at Fox Point, and his friends brought him across the river to this point and buried him.

Hope Hood was one of the occasional neighbors of William Dam and James Nute. No wonder they had a garrison and soldiers to defend them, although the doughty old Indian chief seems never to have troubled them. Probably he was in his peaceful moods when he lived on Hope Hood Point, and they treated him kindly.

Cotton Mather in his "Magnolia" gives an account of Hope Hood's treatment of James Key, son of John Key of Quochecho, a child of about five years of age, who was captured by the Indians at Salmon Falls; and that "hellish fellow, Hope Hood, once the servant of a Christian master in Boston, was made master of him, and treated him in a very cruel manner."

In another passage Mather says, in regard to the Indian attack on Wells, that Hope Hood and his party, "having first had a skirmish with Captain

165

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

Sherborn, they appeared the next Lord's Day at Newichawannick, or Ber- wick, where they burned some houses and slew a man. Three days after they came upon a small hamlet on the south side of the Pascataqua river, called Fox Point, and besides the burning of several houses, they took half a dozen prisoners, and killed more than a dozen of the too securely un- garrisoned people; which was as easy to do as to have spoiled an ordinary henroost. But Captain Floyd and Captain Greenleaf coming (from Salis- bury) upon these Indians made some slaughter among them, recovered some captives, with much plunder, and bestowed a good wound upon Hope Hood, who lost his gun (which was next to his life) in this action." The unfor- tunate thing about these Indian wars is that the Indians left no record of their side of the history.

It may be noticed, from the list of lot owners, that John Tuttle had "No. 7." Mr. Tuttle was the first of the name to settle in Dover, and his residence was on Dover Neck, on the east side of High street and about a quarter of a mile below the meeting house, where now is River View hall. He did not come over to Back river to reside, but one son did, and that lot No. 7 remained in possession of the Tuttle family and the Tuttle name until a few years ago.

What a beautiful locality Back river is, and always has been. Directly across the river from the Drew garrison is Huckleberry Hill, the ancient training ground of Capt. John Tuttle's valiant soldiers. Further down the ridge, at the extreme right is the site of his old meeting house. All along the river bank, at suitable spots, are the burial lots of the Back river families ; there lies the dust of brave men and devout women. There are no ancient burying grounds back so far from the river as this old garrison. Those men and women had eyes that appreciated the beautiful in life and the "sleeping place" in death.

Another noticeable thing about this Back river locality is the location of the dwellings a half mile back from the river; each land owner built his house and his barn as near to the river bank as the nature of the ground would permit to secure good drainage and good spring water. The houses were nearer to the river than the barns and outbuildings. This arrangement was because of the fact that the chief travel was done by boats on the river. There were roads to the river where each family had its boats. The great business center, then, was on the Neck, just across the river. When the farmers wanted to trade they went there in their boats, or to Portsmouth. This custom of traveling by boats was in use as late as sixty years ago. The old houses all fronted square to the south, as the garrison does. The reason of this is apparent when we consider the fact that clocks were scarce, and, when they had them, were not very accurate timekeepers. The sun always keeps correct time; when it cast a shadow square with the east and

166

HISTORY OF STRAFFORD COUNTY

west ends of the house the housewife knew that was high noon, and would toot her dinner horn accordingly to call the workmen from afar in the fields. A noon mark on the window sill was kept to show the time also. You can find the noon mark now, if you search carefully in the front win- dows of very old houses. Now no housewife thinks of blowing the dinner horn, or the conch shell, which antedated the horns, because every day laborer carries a Waterbury or a Waltham watch in his vest pocket, and has it regulated by an electric stroke from the observatory in Washington or Cambridge at noon every day. Why, the day laborers now have for every- day fare what would have been luxuries for the aristocrats of Dover Neck and Back river 200 years ago.

Persons driving along the garrison road no doubt wonder at the fashion that prevails of having the barns nearer the road than the houses, which seem to be behind them; that is, the barns appear to be in front of the house. The reason of that is that the barns were built long before the roads, and were behind the houses, because the great thoroughfare was the river, and moreover they did not want the beautiful view of the river, and Dover Neck beyond, obstructed by old barns and out buildings. They had an eye for the beautiful, as well as the useful.

Speaking of garrisons, it may be well to mention one more in this section, which stood on the height of land, a short distance west of the Back river schoolhouse. It was built by Zachias Field, who was taxed at Oyster river in 1664 and owned land at Back river as early as 1670. It was probably built soon after the Indians squared their accounts with Major Walderne at Cocheco, June 28, 1689. In connection with that gar- rison Rev. John Pike, for many years pastor of the First Church, relates that July 8, 1707, John Bunker and Ichabod Rawlins were going with a cart from Lieut. Zach Field's garrison to James Bunker's, at Oyster river, for a loom, when they were slain by the Indians. This incident shows what lively times they had about here in those days.

Some cranks are accustomed to bemoan the Yankees; that the race is dying out; that foreigners are overrunning the land; and so on, page after page of twaddle. Why, look at that very locality, Back river; Tuttle, Nute, Drew, Peaslee, Emerson, Tibbetts, Leighton, Rounds, and others; their ancestors were among the first settlers here and in New England. Mr. Rounds' mother was a Drew, a lineal descendant of John Drew, Sr., who built the garrison here. The Tuttles and the Nutes are still here. The Peas- lees, who came here more than a century and a half ago, have their de- scendants here with us today, also the Emersons. The Dover Yankees are not dying out; they could not all stay here in Dover; they went where work called them, and opportunities for manifestation of their abilities for usefulness were found.

MARKET

SHIM 55

AMERICAN HOUSE, DOVER, N. H.

FRANKLIN SQUARE, DOVER, N. H.

DED

ST. MARY'S ACADEMY, DOVER, N. H.

WENTWORTH HOSPITAL, DOVER, N. H.

169

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

The Indians had buried their dead there long before the white man came here. No doubt Hope Hood's Point is an Indian burial ground, and that is a reason why the old Indian Chief Wahowah was buried there by his friends, when he passed on to the Indian hunting grounds of the unseeable world.

I will close my story of today by giving you an account of a Quaker wedding of a century and a half ago. Right after the wedding the bride and groom came here to Back river to reside; their house stood in sight of the garrison; right across the brook there, where Mr. Joseph E. Peaslee and his sister Mattie reside, and they are with us today. The Peaslees came here from Massachusetts, where the immigrant ancestor was one of the first settlers of Haverhill. The family has been here at Back river since 1760, one hundred and fifty-three years. The representatives here today are great-grandchildren of Amos and Elizabeth Peaslee.

AMOS PEASLEE'S MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE

Ninth Day of the Seventh Month, 1760.

Whereas Amos Peaslee of Newbury in the County of Essex and Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, son of Robert Peaslee, last of Haverhill, deceased, and Alice his wife, and Elizabeth Austin, Daughter of Joseph Tibbetts and Rose his wife of Dover in the Province of New Hamp- shire in New England

Having declared their intentions of taking each other in marriage before several public meetings of the People called Quakers in Dover, aforesaid, according to the good order used among them and proceeding there in after deliberate consideration thereof with regard unto the Righteous Law of God. in that case they also appearing clear of all others, and having consent of parents and relations concerned Ware approved by said meeting.

Now these are to certify to all whom it may concern that for the full accomplishing of their intentions this Nineth day of the Seventh month, called July in the year according to the Christian account, one thousand seven hundred and sixty.

They, the said Amos Peaslee and Elizabeth Austin appearing in a Public Assembly of the aforesaid people and others met together at the Public Meeting House at Cochecho, in Dover aforesaid and in a solemn manner, he, the said Amos Peaslee taking the said Elizabeth Austin by the hand did openly declare as followeth :

Friends I desire that you be my witnesses that I take this my friend Elizabeth Austin to be my wife, promising by the Lord's assistance to be unto her a true and loving Husband until it shall please God by death to separate us: And then and there in the said assembly, the said Elizabeth Austin did in like manner declare as followeth: Friends, I desire you to be my witnesses that I take this my friend Amos Peaslee to be my Husband. promising by ye Lord's assistance to be unto him a true and loving wife

170

IHISTORY OF STRAFFORD COUNTY

until it shall please God by death to separate us, or words to that purport, and as a further confirmation thereof the said Amos Peaslee and Elizabeth Austin did then and there to these Presents set their hands, she according to the custom of marriage assuming the name of her husband. .

And we whose names are hereunto subscribed being present among others at the solemnizing of their said marriage and subscription in manner afore- said as witnesses hereunto have also to these Presents subscribed our names, the day and year above written.

AMOS PEASLEE. ELIZABETH PEASLEE.

Witnesses: Elizabeth Shiplee, Hanah Foster, Miriam Hussey, Ruth Mor- rill, Hannah Pinkham, Jos. Estes, John Gage, Nathaniel Baker, Peter Cush- ing, Stephen Jones, Eph. Hanson, Nathaniel Varney, John Titcomb, Ichabod Canney, Samuel Tuttle, Stephen Varney, Arthur Davidson, Joseph Austin, Otis Pinkham, Bena Austin, Elijah Austin, Joseph Tibbetts, Jr., Jacob Saw- yer, Hannah Hanson.

The original paper, which I have just read, is now the property of Miss Mattie Peaslee and Mr. Joseph E. Peaslee of Back river, whom I have already introduced to you. They were near neighbors to the Drew family in the garrison. In addition to this paper they have numerous other old papers, heirlooms of the Peaslee family, which ought to be carefully pre- served after the present owners have "passed on."

Your attention is called to the expression "at the meeting house, at Cochecho in Dover." This was in 1760. Up to that time, and for several years after, when Dover is mentioned it means the locality on the hill, Dover Neck, right across Back river from here; all other villages were simply localities in Dover. The wedding was not held in the present Quaker meeting house, on Central avenue at Pine Hill, as that was erected seven or eight years later in 1768, and is the oldest house of worship in this city, being 145 years old. The first Quaker meeting house was built at Dover Neck. The second was built at Cocheco about 1720 and stood on the south- west corner of Silver and Locust street, where the Jacob K. Purinton house stands, now owned by Elisha R. Brown. It was in that meeting house the Peaslee wedding was held. That building was taken down soon after the present house was built at Pine Hill.

Some of those witnesses were noted persons in their day and cut no small figure in Dover history. John Gage was colonel of a New Hampshire regi- ment, many times a Representative in the Provincial Assembly, and the first judge of probate of Strafford county. John Titcomb was conspicuous in town affairs and colonel of a regiment in the Revolutionary army. Peter Cushing was grandson of Rev. Jonathan Cushing, pastor of the First Church fifty years. Peter was one of the great business men of the town.

171

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

In fact, all the big families of the town were represented at the wedding- Tuttle, Baker, Hanson, Canney, Varney, Pinkham, and others. It was a great wedding, notwithstanding there was no "single ring or double ring" ceremony.

So, ladies and gentlemen, ends my story.

CHAPTER XV

HISTORY OF DOVER (XI)

INDIAN ATTACKS ON DOVER, N. II.

Sack of Dover, June 27, 1689.

Being one of the oldest settlements in New Hampshire, by the year 1689 it had grown to be one of the most flourishing. The first settlement grew up at what is now Dover Point. The second settlement grew up at the first falls of the Cochecho, where Maj. Richard Waldron had built his saw and grist mill.

Waldron was the great man of the village. He had held most of the important offices, both civil and military, and at this date was major of the militia. He was about seventy-three at this time, hale and hearty and vigorous, and as hard to move as his own milldam. Five block houses guarded the settlement; for Dover touched the very edge of the wilder- ness. These were Waldron's, near the courthouse, Otis's, near Milk street, whose site has just recently been discovered, Peter Coffin's and his sons on this side of the river, somewhere near Williams' belt factory. All were sur- rounded by strong walls of timber, with gates that could be securely bolted and barred at night, at which time, the people living outside, came to sleep, going to their own homes in the morning.

This was Dover. This was border life, yet danger had its charms. It was the making of robust men and women, whose nursery tales were the tragedies of Indian warfare or captivity, and who, as they grew up, became skilled in the use of arms, keen in tracking the bear and moose, and of withstanding hunger and hardship, as well as the wild Indians themselves.

Though they did not know it, the people of Dover were walking between life and death. They had forgotten, but the Indian never forgets, nor forgives any injury or wrong. For years the memory of the treachery of Waldron's had rankled deep in their hearts. This is not a pleasant tale, but it is true.

During the struggles of King Phillip's war, some thirteen years before, Waldron had made peace with the Pennacook, Ossipee and Pigwacket tribes, by which the calamities of war were wholly kept from him and his neighbors. This was a shrewd move to keep the Indians quiet. In this

172

173

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

treaty the Indians promised not to harbor any of King Phillip's men. They shook hands with Waldron upon it, and were allowed to come and go as they pleased.

This promise was, not, however, kept. The Pennacooks sheltered many ot c'hillip's followers. Indian hospitality could not refuse this asylum to their own, hunted as they were by the whites. With this exception, the tribe lived up to these obligations.

The tribes on the Androscoggin and Kennebec were easily led to take up the hatchet again, killing and plundering the defenseless inhabitants. Two companies were sent out from Boston to stop this, and to protect the people. When they arrived at Dover, they found some hundreds of Indians gathered here, as it seemed, to trade. They were armed but there was no fear of an attack. It was then and there that Waldron dealt them their most terrible blow, a blow struck from behind the back, which he was later to pay dearly for with his life. The two captains, Sill and Haw- thorn, having orders to seize all Indians who had been out in King Phillip's war wherever found, upon being told that there were many even now among these very Indians, would have fallen upon them without further words, but Waldron was too wary.

A plan had arranged itself in his mind by which the whole body of Indians could be taken without striking a blow. He proposed to the Indians to celebrate the meeting by having a sham fight-after the English fashion- to which they readily consented. In the meantime, he called up Captain Frost's company from Kittery and got his own men under arms. These, with the two marching companies, gave him all the men he needed.

The next day the two bodies, English and Indians, were drawn up in sham battle, into which the unsuspecting redskins entered with much spirit. Meantime, while going through certain simple movements, the English were quietly surrounding the Indians. Still mistrusting nothing, the Indians fired their first volley. When their guns were discharged, the English rushed in, seized and disarmed them without the loss of a man. About four hundred were so taken. They were then separated. Those known to be friendly were allowed to go in peace, but all those suspected of having helped King Phillip, some two hundred in number, were sent under guard to Boston, where seven or eight were hanged, and the rest sold out of the country as slaves. It is known that those hanged were in some of the blood- jest massacres of the war. Those sold helped to pay for their capture, and all the people said Amen.

So now, long years after, some of the Indians who had been entrapped by Waldron, laid their plans to be revenged. When it was found that the people of Dover had fallen into careless habits, kept no watches, and would even let Indians sleep in their houses, these plans were ripe for execution.

174

HISTORY OF STRAFFORD COUNTY

Some hints of the intended mischief had been thrown out, but the careless settlers had hardly listened to them. When Waldron himself was spoken to about it, lie jocosely told the uneasy ones "to go and plant pumpkins and that he would tell them when the Indians would break out."

When the time for the assault drew near, the two chiefs, Kau-ka-ma-gus and Mesandowit, brought their followers to within striking distance of the village. Indian cunning was then set to work. On Thursday evening two squaws went to each of the five garrisons and asked leave to sleep there that night. It being wet weather they were readily admitted to all except young Coffin's. When some objected at Waldron's, the kind old man quieted they by saying, "Let the poor old creatures lodge by the fire." They were even shown how to unbar the doors.

Mesaudowit went boldly to Waldron's, where he was kindly received, all the more readily because he announced that a good many Indians were coming next day to trade. While the two were sitting at supper, the chief jestingly asked, "Brother Waldron, what would you do if the strange Indians should come?" "A hundred men stand ready to come when I lift my finger thus," was Waldron's reply.

All retired to rest; not a single sentinel stood guard over the doomed village. When all was still, the faithless squaws noiselessly arose, quietly nnbarred the doors of the four garrisons, and gave the signal agreed upon- a low whistle. Instantly the warriors who had been lying in wait outside rushed in. Roused from sleep by the noise, Waldron had barely time to jump out of bed, pull on his breeches, and snatch up his sword, before the infuriated wretches, who were in search of him, came crowding into the room, tomahawk in hand. But the fine old man was not to be taken without a struggle. Partly dressed, with his gray head bare, Waldron yet laid about him so lustily with his sword, as not only to clear his own room, but also to drive them into the next. There was a chance yet for his life, and he hastened to improve it. His musket and his pistol had been left in his own room; Waldron therefore started to get them. Seizing the moment when his back was turned, a savage sprang forward and brained the brave old fellow with a blow of the hatchet from hehind.

Grievously wounded, but still breathing, Waldron was now dragged into the great room, a chair put up on the long table, where he had often sat as judge, and his half-lifeless body lifted upon it, while his captors made ready to gratity their long-nursed vengeance with savage ingenuity and more than savage barbarity. "Who shall judge Indians now?" they asked the dying man with grim irony. Not to cut short Waldron's sufferings, his tormentors commanded other captives to get them some victuals. When they had swallowed this hideous meal, with the worthy major still sitting there, stunned and bleeding to death in his chair, these miscreants first stripped

175

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

him of his shirt, and then took turns in slashing him with their knives across the heart, each one crying out as he did so, "See, I cross out my account." They then cut off his fingers, one by one, and asked in mockery if his hand still weighed a pound. By this time his strength was so far gone from loss of blood, seeing that he was about to fall, one of the Indians held out the point of the major's sword, so that as the dying man pitched forward upon it, the weapon passed quite through his body.

After killing or taking captive all that were in the house, they first plundered it, and then set it on fire.

In the meantime, Chief Kau-ka-ma-gus was similarly engaged at the other garrisons. One garrison was saved by the barking of a dog just as the Indians were stealthily gliding in at the gate. One of the inmates, with rare forethought and courage and presence of mind, ran to the spot, thrust the intruders out, shut and held the gate by throwing himself flat on his back, and bracing his feet against it until the rest of the people came to his aid.

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.

History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 16

Author: Scales, John, 1835-1928 Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold Number of Pages: 988

Author: Scales, John, 1835-1928
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 988