USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 44
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All the territory north of this line belonged to Massachusetts, and the general court made several grants accordingly. Dover town meetings made all the land grants inside of its own boundary.
SQUAMANAGONIC
The first grants made by Massachusetts general court in Rochester terri- tory were to Mrs. Parnell Nowell and her son, Samuel, Mr. Samuel Nowell, each one thousand acres, Oct. 14, 1656. Mrs. Nowell was widow of Increase Nowell of Boston, who died there Nov. 1, 1655. The record says he came over with John Winthrop in 1630. He was appointed ruling elder that year, but resigned in 1632, and crossed the river and founded the church in Charles- town. He was commissioner of military affairs in 1634 and secretary of Massachusetts colony, 1644-9. At that date he joined an association which was organized to abolish the custom of wearing long hair, which was at that time a mark of "dignified office and estate," and wrote and spoke with much vehemence on that subject. He died in poverty, hence, the next year after his death, the Massachusetts General Court Record, Oct. 14, 1656, has the fol- lowing :
"The Court being sencible of the low condition of the late Honnored Mr. Nowell's family & Remembering his long Service to this Commonwealth in the
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place not only Magistrate but Secretary, also, for wich he had but litle and slender Recompense, & the Countries debts being such as out of the Country Rate they Cannot Comfortably make such an honorable recompense to this family as otherwise they would Judge meete, therefore do Give and Grant to Mrs. Nowell and her sonne Samuell two thousand acres of land to be laid out by Mr. Thomas Danforth and Robert Hale in any part of the Countrie not yet Graunted to others in two or three farms that may not hinder any plantacion to be erected-
This Samuel Nowell was born in Boston in 1634; graduated from Harvard College in 1653, and was chaplain under Gen. Josiah Winslow in the Indian battle Dec. 19, 1674, in which he evinced "a fearless mien while the balls whistled around him." He was an assistant 1680-6, and treasurer of Harvard College several years. The Massachusetts court record of Nov. 18, 1658, shows the return of the survey of the grants made by Danforth and Hale. In brief it is that Mrs. Nowell's farm of one thousand acres on the "northwest side of Scohomogomocks Hill, lately planted by Indians and lying two miles in length up the Quochecho river," etc. * "Also laid out unto Mr. Samuell Nowell one thousand acres lying on ye south and east side of the aforesaid Scohomogomocks Hill and is bounded with the wilderness land Anent the great Pine Swamp on the northeast side thereof and continued be- tween that and the Chochecho River towards Dover bounds, the which south- east line wee could not cleerly determine because Dover bounds is as yett unlaid out." In 1679 the bounds were determined more definitely as other grants were being made around the Nowell thousand-acre "farms."
This grant is the first record that contains any mention of what is now known, for short, as Gonic. The surveyors of course spelled it as it was pro- nounced. The name next appears thirty years later, Jan. 3, 1688, when the Indian Sachem Hoope Whood, Samll Lines, Ould Robbin, and Kinge Harry conveyed to Peter Coffin all right and title to the marshes and timber between the two branches of the Cochecho "beginning at the run of water on the north side of Squammagonake old planting ground (and between the two branches), to begin at the spring where the old cellar was, and so to run ten miles up into the country between the branches by the rivers" (Cochecho and Isinglass). In land transferred since then the name is frequently used. The English of the word is "water from the clay-place hill." Those surveyors, Thomas Dan- forth and Robert Hale, were men of note. Danforth was born in Eng- land in 1622; died in Cambridge, Mass., in 1699. He came to New England in 1634. He was assistant under the Massachusetts government from 1659 to 1678, becoming deputy governor in 1679; he remained deputy governor and President of Maine until 1688. He was one of the judges of the Massach11-
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setts Supreme Court who condemned the witchcraft proceedings of 1692. In his younger days he was an expert land surveyor.
WITCHTROT
The next grant of Rochester territory ( before it was Rochester ), was made Oct. 11, 1670, when the Massachusetts court granted one thousand acres to Dr. Benjamin Whitchcot and Rebecca, his wife, "in any Free Place on Condi- tion they gave the Massachusetts Colony a Release, and full acquittance from all after Claims and Demands," which condition was complied with. The place he selected is on the Salmon Falls river above the boundary of old Dover, now Somersworth. Of course he came around by water from Boston to the falls at South Berwick, then went up the Salmon Falls river, hunting for a place to locate his thousand acres. When he arrived at what is now East Rochester he decided to have his grant laid out there, on the west side of the river. Jonathan Danforth, a noted surveyor and kinsman of the above-men- tioned Thomas Danforth, made the survey and a return of it to the Massa- chusetts court Aug. 13, 1672, and the following is a copy from his record, now on file in Boston :
One thousand acres lying upon a branch of the Pascataqua River, called Newtchawanack, at some distance above the head of Dover Bounds, lying wholly on the west side of that river. Beginning at a place called ye Bound Meadows, there being an island of up-land and narrow skirts of meadow run- ning around about it, and soe goeth up the river 416 pole upon a straight line, unto a basswood tree, standing in a valley near the river, below a steep hill, and from thence it runs west southwest 480 poles, unto a pine tree standing in a great pine swamp, from thence it runneth south and by east 320 poles unto ye river, which the closing line, taking in a small quantity of meadow lying without this straight line, to the value of two or three acres joining to the east of the meadows. The lines were all runne, the trees well bounded, the corner trees marked with B. The exact form thereof may appear by a platt taken of the same 13; 6 mo: 1672. By Jonathan Danforth, surveyor.
A member of the Northam Colonist Historical Society, of Dover, in August, 1909, while in Boston made a tracing of the above mentioned plot as it appears in the state archives in Boston, and took it to East Rochester, and with the assistance of a friend made a partial survey of the grounds as they were then, and easily traced the outlines as given on the plat made by Surveyor Danforth 237 years before. They first found the "Bound meadows" by the river side; from there they measured a line along the river, as shown on the plan, and the northeasterly corner was found to be a short distance below the present upper mill dam, at East Rochester, where, rising from the valley is a
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steep hill, or ledge, though not now so very high, as Danforth says. The line on the northerly side carried the bound over into the edge of the White Hall swamp district, where the big pine trees stood 250 years ago; this with the other lines practically included the whole of the East Rochester division of the town. The low land down below the present factories and canal evidently makes the extra two or three acres mentioned.
So in the years before Rochester was incorporated, 1722, that locality was the Whitchcot tract of land. As the common English people did not sound the "h" in words, they called it Witchcot. After the great witchcraft delusion of 1692, and Doctor Whitchcot had long been dead, the local name became corrupted into Witchtrot, by which it was long known after the town began to be settled. Under the town divisions no regard was paid to Dr. Whitchcot's grant; the proprietors allotted it among themselves, hence the Massachusetts House Journal, June 24, 1738, has the following :
A petition of Samuel Sewell, Esq., and others, Administrators on the estate of their late honorable father, Samuel Sewell of Boston, Esq., deceased, and of Jacob Sheafe of Boston, aforesaid, Gent. shewing they are the legal Representatives of the Assigns of Benjamin Whitchcot and Rubecca his wife, deceased, to whom this Court on the IIth of October, A. D. 1670, at their second Session, were pleased to Grant one thousand Acres of land in any free place, on Condition they gave the late Massachusetts Colony a Release and full Acquittance from all Claims and Demands, referring to the Grounds of a Petition delivered the said Court, which the petitioners say was fulfilled in the year 1671, and the said Grantees afterwards, viz. in 1672, laid out in the Province of New Hampshire and is now ( 1738) part of a Town known by the Name of Rochester, that they are without any benefit of the Grant by reason of its being so laid out, without the Aid of this Court, praying for Relief by a new Tract of the unappropriated Lands in this Province being made them, to hold in equal Halves, to satisfy the first Grant, for the Reasons mentioned, Read and Ordered, That this Petition be considered on Tuesday the 27th currant.
After due consideration they were given a grant of land elsewhere to recompense them for the loss of the East Rochester one thousand acres. All this explains the origin of the local name Witchtrot.
WHITE HALL
In the Massuchsetts Court Records, Oct. II. 1672, is the following grant of New Hampshire land by that colony :
Laid and unto Captain Richard Walderne for the use of Captain Thomas Lake (of Boston) and partners (by virtue of an order of the General Court held at Boston, 31st day of May, 1671) one thousand two hundred and eighty acres of land on the southwest side of the river of Newichawannock, about a mile above the head line of ye Townshipe of Dover as following, viz .: Begin-
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ning at a certain elboe of the said River Knowne by the name of the Great Eddie near to a Point of land Called Goliah's Neck, and from the said Great Eddie six hundred and fortie rods west and by south in length of said lands, and from ye said Great Eddie three hundred and twentie rods and by the west for the breadth of it.
Per me, JOHN WINCOLL.
April 26, 1672.
16:8 mo : 72. The magists Consent hereto, Provided ye Grant Intrench not in ye least on ye land Confirmed by this Court to Dr. Whitchcot, or his successors, and that this land be liable to pay County Rates as other Townes. The magists hand past this to their brethren the Deputys hereto.
EDW. RAWSON,
Secretary.
Consented to by the Deputyes, William Torrey, Cleric, 16: 8 mo : 72.
Now we have proof positive that this grant to Major Walderne, then cap- tain, is the locality called White Hall. In 1656 the surveyors Danforth and Hale say there was a swamp of great pines on the northeast side of "Scohomo- gomocke Hill." They were the first men who entered the primeval forest of Rochester with chain and compass. Again in August, 1670, Thomas Dan- forth, in his survey of Dr. Benjamin Whitchcot's one thousand acres says the west line ran "west southwest 480 poles unto a pine tree standing in a great pine swamp." Again in the approval of the Massachusetts officials, given to Captain Walderne's grant, 1672, it says: "Provided ye grant intrench not in the least on ye land confirmed by this Court to Dr. Whitchcot."
At that date, 1672, the only name it had was "the great pine swamp." When the name White Hall was applied does not appear, but there is reason to believe, and nothing to contradict it, that Capt. Richard Walderne, later known as Major Richard, is the man who so named it, and he selected that name in honor of White Hall in London, the headquarters of the English Government. That was his custom to give names to his timber grants so as to locate them when speaking of where the timber came from. It is the tradition that the high ground around the pine swamp was covered with massive oak trees. The pines and certain parts of the oak were shipped to England and used in construction of the warships. It was in fact a timber reservation for the English Government.
Capt. Thomas Lake and partners were a Boston lumber company, engaged in shipping timber to England for the use of the Government. No doubt Major Walderne was one of the "partners," hence the 1,280 acres were "laid out" to him in 1671. Probably Peter Coffin was another partner, as in 1666 he began furnishing lumber, masts, etc., for Thomas Lake & Company, which continued several years, but Captain Welderne was the boss of the White
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Hall job. That White Hall was a familiar name of the locality among Dover people before 1700 is manifest by the fact that old records so called it. For example : The bounds of ancient Dover as reaffirmed, or preambulated, in August, 1701, began "at ye middle of Quamphegan falls, and so ran up the middle of the river four miles, or thereabouts, to a marked tree by the river side, with a mile of Whitehall." Orders were given to Capt. Robert Coffin and his troops, Aug. 11, 1708, to march from Exeter to Kingstown and thence to Oyster river and there to take up their quarters for the first night; and "thence to Cochecho and soe up towards Whitehall, and soe return to Cochecho the next night, and there quarter; and thence to return the third day to Exeter again and there lodge, and to continue from day to day till further order, unless diverted by the appearance of the Enemy; where upon the first advice he is to repair immediately to give present relief to any part that may be assaulted." That is to say, this company of soldiers were doing scout duty to guard against attacks by the French and Indians, and Whitehall was on the extreme eastern boundary of Dover. This order is given in New Hamp- shire Provincial Paper, Vol. 2, page 582. On the next page, 582, is an order to Gov. Joseph Dudley, dated at Whitehall (Eng.) Dec. 30, 1707. On page 588 at a council meeting at Newcastle, Aug. 23, 1708, Captain Coffin's account was rendered for the services of his company in their marching as scouts to Wheel- wright's pond (in Lee), Whitehall, etc. The road to Whitehall ( from Cochecho) is mentioned July 7, 1714, when William Everett's grant of 100 acres on the north side of James Kid's land, near the Great pond (Willard's pond), above Cochecho was laid out to Thomas Downes, beginning at a pitch pine near the pond, on the west of the road that leads to Whitehall. Ebenezer Downes, Dec. 20, 1714, conveyed to John Hurd fifty acres of land, being one- half of that tract given to his brother, Thomas Downes, by their grand- mother, Martha Lord, "beginning at a pine tree near the Great pond (Wil- lard's pond), above Cochecho, on ye west side of ye Mast path yt leads to White Hall." This indicates that Captain Walderne made that path forty years before this date, and hauled the pine trees cut in White Hall swamp down by the present Granite State trotting park and Willard's pond, and then down the state road and Central avenue to Franklin square, and got them into the river somewhere at Dover Landing.
Farmer and Moore's Gazetteer of New Hampshire ( 1823) says : "Between Norway Plains and Salmon Falls river is a considerable quantity of land formerly called White Hall, the soil which was destroyed by a fire in the dry years of 1761 and 1762, so as to be of little value for cultivation." Whitehall swamp is mentioned in September, 1814, when Betsey, widow of Stephen Wentworth, petitioned for leave to sell "land in White Hall swamp, so called."
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This swamp contains about five hundred acres of low land, now covered in part by white birches. It is between the road that leads from Rochester ( Nor- way Plains) by electric railway to Dover (ancient Cochecho) and the road from Rochester to Somersworth. Probably Maj. Richard Walderne so named it in honor of the "Committee of Trade and Foreign Plantations at White- hall," often mentioned in the provincial records. Whitehall palace in London was then the center of authority and most of the orders concerning New Hampshire and its mast trees and ship timber came from that committee.
BLIND WILL'S NECK
Blind Will's Neck is the neck of land in Rochester between the rivers Cochecho and Isinglass and is close to the Dover line. It was here that a friendly Indian sagamore named Blind Will was killed in March, 1677, having been sent with a scouting party by Major Walderne to watch the movements of some hostile Indians, who fell suddenly upon the party and killed the greater part. Belknap's history gives a full account of the affair. The name is men- tioned in various land transfers, as March 17, 1736, Samuel Tibbets conveyed land to his son Ichabod, at Blind Will's Neck. Dec. 3. 1745, Jonathan Young conveyed to his son Jonathan land at Blind Will's Neck. Oct. 8, 1765, Hum- phrey Hanson conveyed to his brother Ephraim three acres at Blind Will's Neck.
CHAPTER LVII HISTORY OF ROCHESTER (III)
INDIAN HISTORY
THE FIRST GARRISON-HOUSES-INDIAN WAR-THE FIRST BATTLE-JOHN RICH- ARDS-JONATHAN DOOR-DANGER OF ABANDONMENT OF THE SETTLEMENT -PETITION FOR TIIE SOLDIERS-THE OLD IRON CANNON-MAJOR DAVIS DE- FENDS THE TOWN-ATTACK BY THE INDIANS-THE KILLING OF MRS. HODG- DON-PEACE-THE BRITISH PRESS-GANG.
Although the settlement of Rochester had been long postponed on account of Indian wars, yet since it first actually commenced nothing of this kind had thus far occurred sufficient to interrupt its progress. The inhabitants must have numbered at this period (1744) nearly one hundred and fifty families, and being upon the very frontier, they were exposed most helplessly to all the horrors of the impending conflict. For a few weeks or months they might have neglected their work and lived in garrisons, or engaged in active opera- tions against the enemy, yet, as the war continued, they were compelled to expose themselves in order to provide means of subsistence.
In 1774 the proprietors gave to the inhabitants all the mill-rents then due, to be appropriated for building five block-houses or forts, "three on the great road that leads to Norway Plains, one at Squamanagonic upper mill, and one on the road by Newichwannock river, or as His Excellency should otherwise order," and appointed a committee to carry out the vote. The forts were built, although the rents could not be collected to pay for them. Besides these public garrisons many were built at private expense, which received the names of their owners.
Garrisons were built two stories in height, the lower story being of solid timber, with strong window-shutters fastening upon the inside. The upper story projected three or four feet upon all sides, commanding approach to the building from every quarter. From the projecting part water could be poured down to extinguish the flames in case the house should be fired, while an enemy who came near the doors or windows was exposed to certain death. Loop-
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holes were provided at suitable places, large enough upon the outside for a gun-barrel to be pointed through them, and hollowed or leveled upon the inside to allow the gun to be moved about and aimed in different directions. The second story was built according to the fancy or ability of the owner. In the case of the Richard Wentworth garrison, it was made of thick planks dove- tailed together at the corners like a chest, and without any frame, except a few braces. The cellars of the public garrisons were divided by walls into many separate apartments for accommodation of different families. This was the case with the one at the Gonic. As an additional protection oftentimes the whole building was surrounded with a rampart or palisade formed of timber or posts set in the ground.
A few anecdotes will illustrate the cunning of the Indians and the caution of the settlers. The cattle were discovered in the cornfield one day at Colonel McDuffee's. The boys started at once to drive them out, when they were checked by the colonel, who said he knew the fence was strong, and the rascally Indians must have laid a plot to trap them. No one was allowed to move out of doors for a day or two, but when it was safe to venture forth the place of concealment which the Indians had contrived was discovered, and it was evi- dent that they had cut down the fence, driven the cattle into the field, and placed themselves in ambush to kill or capture whoever came out.
At one of the garrisons a large number of hogs were kept, which were suffered to roam about during the day to feed upon acorns and such other food as they could find, and were called home at night. One evening they were called a long time, but none made their appearance. In the night, when it was quite dark, the hogs seemed to return suddenly, and a grunting as of a large drove was heard all around the building. The family were too wary, however, to be deceived by any such ruse as this; they suspected the truth, that the Indians had dispatched the hogs and were now imitating their grunts to entice somebody out of the garrison. That the imagination of the settlers often magnified the real danger or excited needless fears is very probable. Not much would be required to produce alarm after a few persons had fallen victims to these inhuman foes.
It was not until June 27 1746, that any concerted attack was made by the Indians. What a thrill of horror ran through the community! By an artfully-contrived and boldly-executed plot, four men were murdered in the midst of the settlement, and within sight of a garrison: a fifth was wounded and taken prisoner. The names of these persons were Joseph Rich- ards. John Richards, Joseph Heard, John Wentworth, and Gershom Down. They were on the way to their work in the field, carrying guns and traveling in company for mutual protection. A band of Indians had concealed themselves
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by the side of the road, near where these men must pass, having first sent one of their number to the opposite side, who stationed himself behind a tree at a convenient distance. Thus having prepared a snare, with all that cunning for which the race is noted, they patiently waited the approach of their victims. When the workmen arrived at the ambush, the solitary Indian, who was to act as a decoy and draw the fire of the party, stepped suddenly forth into full view and fired upon the company. "Face your enemies : fire !" was the order of Joseph Richards, who acted as captain, and all discharged their pieces at the savage, who, having effected his object, had instantly disappeared, escap- ing unharmed. The remaining Indians, with terrific yells and whoops, sprang from their ambush in the rear and rushed forward. John Richards was wounded. All the guns on both sides being discharged, an exciting race ensued. The whites fled down the road towards a deserted house belonging to the wounded Richards, where they hoped to gain refuge. The Indians followed as closely as they dared, but with caution, for fear the guns of some of their enemies might still remain loaded. The fleeing party-all except John Rich- ards-succeeded in reaching and entering the house; the door was sccured behind them, the men planting themselves firmly against it, while they hastened to reload their arms. Before they could accomplish this the Indians, finding themselves unable to force open the door, mounted to the roof, tore off the poles of which it was constructed, and falling upon the men, now defense- less, dispatched them in the most brutal manner. The guns of the murdered men were afterwards found half-loaded; and a web, which Mrs. Richards had left in the loom unfinished, was stained with the blood of her neighbors. John Richards, who was wounded, instead of entering the house with the others, directed his flight to the garrison where his wife was dwelling; but before he could reach it an Indian overtook him, who, with uplifted tomahawk, was about to take his life. Richards called for quarter and was spared. His wound not being dangerous, and being able to travel, he was carried prisoner to Canada. This massacre occurred near the spot where a school-house now stands on the main road. The ambush was a short distance this side, near where Bedfield Meserve resides.
Taking the wounded Richards with them, the Indians, to escape pursuit, struck hastily into the swamp, killing some cattle on the route, and cutting out their tongues and a few tidbits, and next made their appearance on the Salmon Falls road near Adams' Corner. They surprised some men at work in a field, all of whom, however, made their escape. Jonathan Door, a little boy, who in youthful innocence sat whistling upon a fence, became a fellow-captive with Richards. Under the skillful medical treatment of the Indians the wound of Richards was soon healed; and after remaining a year and a half in Can-
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