USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Rye > History of the town of Rye, New Hampshire, from its discovery and settlement to December 31, 1903 > Part 6
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The youngest child of Francis Jennings, named Richard, mar- ried Mary Dow and settled down near the old homestead. Upon the decease of his father, Richard succeeded to the ownership of the home farm. Captain Richard Jennes (for so he usually wrote his name) was a public-spirited and influen-
64
HISTORY OF RYE.
tial citizen. In 1726 the territory north of Joslyn's or Locke's Neck (formerly known as Sandy Beach) which had hitherto been a part of Newcastle was formated into a distinct town by the name of the "Parish of Rye." This new parish being declared entitled to representation in the provincial assembly, the first member returned by it to the house of representatives was Captain Richard Jenness. The legality of his election was contested, but after argument, he was declared duly chosen and took his seat in the house, which at that time consisted of but sixteen members. He continued to represent the town for nearly forty years. One of his first acts, upon entering the legislature, was to procure the passage of a bill, for which he had previously petitioned in 1721, setting off to the new parish of Rye a large tract of land (embracing his own and Mr. Phil- brick's farms) which lay south of Locke's Neck, all of which had long been in dispute between Hampton and Portsmouth. The bounds of Rye thus formed, together with an addition made in 1791 on the extreme north, correspond with the present limits of the town. Captain Richard bought large tracts of land at Breakfast hill, Portsmouth, Little River, and back in the coun- try. His fifth child, Richard, resided at Breakfast hill.
Jonathan Brown, commonly known in his day as "White house Jonathan," from the fact that his house was the first house in town to be painted white, was succeeded on the farm by his son Joseph Ward and then by his son Charles J. Brown.
On the corner where Howard Rand resides lived a Mr. Moul- ton, then Cornet Jonathan Brown, Jr., Daniel Marden, and his son, Otis D. Marden.
James Locke lived near Colonel Simon Jenness. The Col- onel's house is now occupied as a store by his grandson, Emery C. Jenness. Locke moved to Portsmouth or Deerfield.
Elijah Locke lived on the corner near the house occupied by Nathan, and at present by his son, Charles N. Knowles.
William Locke lived near the residence of Gilman Garland.
Jonathan Philbrick, Esq., then his son, Daniel, occupied the farm which at present Daniel Webster Philbrick lives on with his two sons, Alfred and Irving.
65
SOME OLD RESIDENTS AND WHERE THEY LIVED.
David Locke, who married Hannah Lovering, lived on Fern avenue, then Joseph J. Drake and his son, John Oren Drake.
Jeremiah Locke lived down near Rye Harbor, then General Thomas Goss, his son, John Sheridan, and at present Wallace S. Goss.
Joseph Locke, who married Hannah Jenness, lived where John Oliver Locke built his house and lived.
In 1756 Robinson Treferrin, mariner, sold to Benjamin Gar- land et als., at Rye Center, seventeen acres of land with house, barn, etc. Benjamin's daughter, Sarah, lived there until her
FERN AVENUE, RYE.
death. Also his daughter Polly, who married Ebenezer Berry, and then their son, Thomas Garland Berry. The heirs of the latter sold to Leonard Cotton of Portsmouth. Mr. Haskell bought the property, and recently the old Inn has been pur- chased by R. R. Higgins of Boston for a summer residence. The space in the highway in front of the house was formerly known as " Garland's Common."
Rev. Huntington Porter lived in the house now owned and occupied by Albert M. Walker, and made extensive addi- tions to it. Jethro Locke, Major Joseph Locke, Albion D. 6
66
HISTORY OF RYE.
Parsons, and James W. Marden also resided there. Benjamin Marden and wife, Hannah Rand, lived down in the pasture by "Gammon's brook," so called, and moved his house up on the parsonage land, by consent of the town, near the present Christian church, where his son-in-law, Samuel Marden, then his son, Lowell S. Marden, lived. William J. Walker tore down the old house and rebuilt. Olive Libby, a daughter of Reuben Libby, who married J. Harris, lived in the Libby pasture near Gammon's brook, and used to say that she could go any day in the fall of the year over to Locke's Neck and gather a bushel of walnuts, the Neck at that time being covered with walnut and oak trees. The residents at Locke's Neck during severe droughts would drive their cattle up to Gammon's brook for water.
The parsonage house built by the town in ISIO was sold at auction to John Tuck Rand, and is at present occupied by his son, Isaac D. Rand.
William Berry, ivho was living in 1786, gave his farm to his son, Jeremiah Berry. Afterward his son, Levi Berry, occu- pied the premises, then Joseph L. Locke and Samuel Walker, and his son, Levi T., and daughter, Eliza Ann Walker. It is at present occupied by Herbert Perkins. The above William Berry gave the Trefethen part of his farm to his grandson, Jon- athan Hobbs. The latter in 1812 sold to William Trefethen, Jr., then Levi T. Walker and sister Eliza Ann came into pos- session of the property, and it is now occupied by George Perry.
The Hoppings, prior to 1680, lived in the field belonging to Nathaniel Marden, who, together with Samuel Walker, sold the same with the " Mansion House" thereon to Colonel Amos S. Parsons in 1822, and it is now owned by the heirs of Dr. Warren Parsons. This part of the town was known as "Marden town" for many years.
Ebenezer Seavey, it is said, lived between Dr. Warren Par- sons and George Perry.
Samuel Morrison lived on the west corner, then John Carroll and Simon Goss had a store prior to 1800. The store was
67
SOME OLD RESIDENTS AND WHERE THEY LIVED.
continued by Thomas Rand and his brother, Jedediah Rand, and his son, Thomas W. Rand.
Simon Goss, about 1810, built a residence and opened a store in the basement of the same at "Breakback hill," more recently known as Meeting House hill. He sold to Seavey and Drake, then John Drake occupied the premises. He sold to Thomas J. Parsons, and since the death of the latter it has been occupied as a residence by his son, L. B. Parsons.
Joses Philbrick, blacksmith, lived on the north corner near Rand's store, then Colonel Amos S. Parsons and his sons,
RESIDENCE OF COL. THOMAS J. PARSONS.
James M. and Joseph. It is now the residence of Fred D. Parsons. On the opposite side of the highway, Dr. Joseph Parsons erected a house and was succeeded by his son, Dr. John Wilkes, and grandson, Dr. Warren Parsons.
Captain Jonathan Wedgewood and his son, David, lived where Charles Walker resides.
Job Foss and Simon Knowles, then Samuel Libby in 1800, Soloman Marden in 1807, then later his sons, Benjamin and Moses R., occupied the farm, and it is now the residence of Charles H. Lear.
68
HISTORY OF RYE.
Widow Esther Goss lived just below, on the opposite side of the road, then Nathan Clough, now Charles H. Rand.
On the north side of the highway, near the Widow Goss place, lived Alexander Salter, Samuel Rand and son, Samuel. Easterly a few rods lived Joseph Rand and son, Joshua, then William Holmes and son William I., and at present the latter's son-in-law, Everett Odiorne. Near by lived Levi Goss, A. Saunders, and Nat Coleman.
On the east side of the highway lived Thomas Lang, father of Richard, and then Samuel Mow and his old Mother Allen. On the West side, Paul Seavey, Joshua and James Marden, Jethro Lock, 1805, and Stephen Green, then Samuel H. Rand and his son, J. Jenness Rand.
Zachariah Berry lived nearly opposite William Holmes. He would pasture his horse on Wallis Sands hills and marsh, and would go after him Sundays to ride to meeting at the Center.
Treadwell N. Mason, Trefethen J. Thomas, Jacob Johnson, Dalton, and at present the Rand brothers occupy the Tread- well farm.
The family of Paines lived at Lang's corner. Paine was drowned in " Belly hack brook." Others who lived there were Eben Wallis, Richard Lang, Ebenezer Wallis Lang, and at present his son, Charles W. Lang.
Benjamin Scadgel was innkeeper, then Ebenezer Wallis bought the farm. The latter sold to Amos Seavey, then Joseph L. Seavey, and at present it is owned by his son, Joseph Lang- don Seavey.
Just below, on the Wallis road, lived Jonathan Locke, Rich- ard Lang, Samuel Trefethen, Josiah Marden, Nat Rand, Daniel Mason, William S. Odiorne, William Hall, Samuel Rand, Billey and Samuel M. Rand, and Charles Rand.
At the four corners lived Lieutenant Wallis, J. L. Ham, then Simon Brown, Jr., who moved to Lynn, Mass., and at present the farm is occupied by Sylvester Odiorne.
William Alexander Lear, Levi Dearborn, then Joseph Remick, lived in the Wallis field.
James Shute and the Bracketts lived in Brackett's lane.
69
SOME OLD RESIDENTS AND WHERE THEY LIVED.
William Rand, S. B. Berry, John Rand's sons, John and Joshua, and then Jefferson Rand lived near Wallis Sands.
Watson and wife being aged gave their farm to John Foye to take care of them. It is said Watson had no children or relatives. John Foye was a seaman and rose to be mate of a ship, and brought one ship home, the captain having died. William Foye, son of John, then his son, William, then Daniel Rand, then his son, Captain Elvin Rand, lived where the Wat- sons did.
.
THE SEAVEY HOUSE, ABOUT TWO HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
In from the road lived Joshua Rand, Jr., James Seavey, Jr., D. Rand, and Joseph Goss.
Just below lived James Seavey's sons, James, Joseph, and Eben Seavey.
Amos Seavey and his son, William, had a house between Woodbury's and Captain William Seavey's.
Paul Randall lived where John Foye's house is, and Mark Randall lived first near Foye's barn, and afterwards resided by the old east schoolhouse at Lang's corner.
70
HISTORY OF RVE.
The Blunts lived down near Sagamore bridge, and all the sons were taught navigation at home, and they all became masters of vessels.
On the road to Sandy Beach near the Centre schoolhouse lived Solomon Dowrst, whose daughter married Benjamin Marden, Jr. It was then occupied by his son, Samuel, and at present by his grandson, Samuel, and the latter's son-in-law, Adams E. Drake.
In 1728-'29 Alexander Sims of Rye deeded to James Mar- den twenty acres of land, original right of Joseph Jackson. James Marden's son, William, and grandson, James, who mar- ried Polly Jenness, occupied the farm, then his son, William, and at present the latter's son, Levi W., and grandson, Wilbur L. Marden, reside on the homestead.
Samuel Murray lived where John A. Trefethen and at present his son, John E., resides. Old Minister Morrill lived there. In 1790, the year the Trefethens moved in, it is said there was no snow until the nineteenth of January.
A Mr. Blake lived on the Sandy Beach road and moved to Chichester. He came back to Rye and carried half a bushel of corn on his back to Chichester, a distance of fifty miles.
The first two houses at Sandy Beach, it is said, were one where Job Foss lived (where Sylvanus Foss now resides), and one where Nat Foss lived, and there were no others until the Wallis place was reached, but the statement is doubtful as Berry was the first settler there.
Jacob Tibbets, who married Judith, daughter of Jotham Berry, was the first settler on Ragged Neck.
ANCIENT NAMES.
In 1631 Mason sent over fifty-eight men and twenty-two women to the Piscataqua river. Among them were William Berry, William Seavey, Francis Rand, William or Anthony Brackett.
The following were returned as belonging to Sandy Beach in 1688: William Berry, John Berry, John Marden, John Foss, Ist, John Foss, Jr., John Odiorne, Anthony Brackett, Francis
71
SOME OLD RESIDENTS AND WHERE THEY LIVED.
Ran, Thomas Ran, William Wallis, James Randall, William Seavie, Thomas Seavie, James Berry, Samuel Ran, John Seavie, Anthony Libbie, and Joseph Berry.
List of the Ancient Names in New Castle and Sandy Beach made 7 to 15 July 1696, for all Mail persons from the age of sixteen years and upwards to take the appointed instead of the oath of allegiance .*
Atkinson, Theodore.
Comfort, Samuel.
Hale, Edward.
Atwell, Joseph.
Churchill, John.
Harst, John.
Amazeen, John.
Cooct, John.
Holand, Paul.
Buckley, Richard.
Cranch, Andrew.
Holland, Thomas.
Brackett, John.
Currier, Jefferson.
Hodge, Nick.
Bickford, John.
Dowse, Samuel.
Harris, George.
Berry, James.
Enderson, William.
Head, Arthur.
Burges, James.
Enderson, William, Sr. Joanes, Daniel.
Badson, John.
Estwich, Steven.
Joyce, James.
Beale, John.
Foss, John.
Jurdan, Robert.
Berry, James, 2d.
Foss, William.
Joanes, Thomas.
Bell, Shadrich.
Foss, Samuel.
Knight, Richard.
Berry, John.
Goss, Richard.
Leach, James.
Corbett, Thomas.
Glas, Richard.
Leach, John.
Cary, Edward.
Hinks, John.
Langmaid, Samuel.
Cllark, John.
Hale, Richard.
Arnup ?, William.
Clark, Jacob.
Horn, Tobias.
ANCIENT NAMES IN TOWN RECORDS.
1726-7 Goss, Richard.
1726-7 Lear, Tobias.
Jenness, Richard, Esq.
Langdon, Samuel.
.. Jenness, Hezekiah.
6.
Rand, Nathaniel.
.. Jenness, John.
Seavey, James.
Jenness, Thomas.
1728
Johnson, Peter.
.. Jackson, Joseph.
Libbee, Jacob.
Locke, James.
Lane, John.
Locke, Joseph.
Libbee, Isaac.
Locke, William.
Locke, William, jr.
Locke, Jonathan.
..
Locke, Edward.
Locke, John.
I730
Perkins, James.
Locke, Francis.
I731
Goss, Jethro.
Locke, John, jr.
1732
Jenness, Job.
*Prov. Papers, vol. II, p. 191.
72
HISTORY OF RYE.
1732 Jenness, Joshua.
1751
Perkins, Abraham.
Jenness, William.
66
Marden, James.
Jenness, John, jr.
1754
Lang, Nathaniel.
66
Philbrick, Joses.
Leavitt, Samuel.
66 Locke, Jethro.
Philbrick, Joses.
1738
Goss, Thomas. -
1757
Jenness, Nathaniel.
Pain, John.
Locke, Jonathan, jr.
Locke, Thomas.
Locke, Elijah.
1740
Goss, Jonathan.
Rand, Richard.
1743
Locke, Elijah.
66
Seavey, Amos.
1745
Jones, Samuel.
1759
Jenness, Benjamin.
Philbrick, James.
1760
Libby, Joseph.
I746
Jenness, Richard.
1767
Goss, Nathan.
Jenness, Frances.
..
Goss, Jonathan, jr.
1749 Jenness, Samuel.
1768 Libby, Reuben.
Locke, Jeremiah.
Libby, Benjamin.
175I
Philbrick, Ebenezar, jr.
1785
Locke, Richard, 3d.
RESIDENTS WHO HAVE REMOVED TO OTHER TOWNS.
The Berry family went to Farmington, Strafford, and Green- land; Caswells to Candia. The Foss family to Rochester, Exeter, Epsom, Greenland, and Barrington; Daltons to Deer- field; Dolbeers to Epsom; Downs to Wolfeborough; Hobbs to Epping. The Jenness family to Deerfield, Rochester, Pitts- field, Epping, and Canaan; Lockes to Epsom, Hampton, Bar- rington, Chichester, Chester, Concord, Dover, and Deerfield. The Marden family to Epping, Epsom, Barrington, Chichester, Chester, and Loudon; Perkins to Meredith; Philbricks to Epsom. The Randalls to Chester, Deerfield, and Moulton- borough; Rands to Epsom, Greenland, Warner, Gilmanton, and Tuftonborough ; Seaveys to Barrington, Chichester, Roch- ester, Deerfield, and Greenland; Saunders to Derry, Epsom, Ossipee, and Chichester; Towles to Epsom and Epping; Tre- fethens to Barnstead and Kittery, Me .; Websters to Epsom and Chester.
A greater number of our people settled in Epsom than any other one town. A number settled in the West, South, and Middle states besides in various parts of New England.
VI. Ferries, Bridges, and Roads.
For a number of years after the Piscataqua settlements were begun there were no bridges, but ferries were early established, and among the first of these was that of Henry Sherburne, the court records showing that in 1643 "Henry Sherburne was ordered by the Court to Keep a Ferry And to have for his paynes from the Great House [the house built by Thompson at Little Harbor] to the Great Island 2", to the province* 124, to Strawberry Banke 6ยช."
Fifty years later, Dec. 5, 1693 : " Court of Sessons. Whereas . the Ferry over to Great Island from Saunders Point was granted to Capt. Samuel Sherburne which is not found so convenient as where it is now kept, where the Bridge was made over; The Court granted Mrs. Love Sherburne the priviliege Provided she kept a sufficient Bridge on the piece of marsh near their house where it is now passable for horse and man." The mention in this entry of a bridge that had been "made over " evidently refers to a structure that had been built over a salt marsh as an approach to the ferryway, and not to a bridge across the Little Harbor inlet, that had been rebuilt; had the latter existed there would have been no need of a ferry. That this bridge was to be kept passable for horse and man implies that Mr. Sher- burne's ferry was to be of a capacity to transfer teams as well as travelers.
In 1759 a bridge was built by a corporation across the inlet, a few rods northwesterly from where the present Wentworth bridge is located, and toll rates established ; but as a business venture it was unsuccessful, the receipts not sufficing to keep
*The " Province of Maine," on the other side of the Piscataqua.
74
HISTORY OF RYE.
it in repair, so it was allowed to go to ruin. Of the date of its destruction there is no record, but it was previous to 1789, for in that year certain petitioners to the general court related " that the Ancient Town of Newcastle has been greatly dis- tressed and Impoverished by means of the late war, and the Bridge a cross Little Harbour which connected them to the Main has been demolished." It was in a petition for leave to conduct a lottery, to raise funds for building a new bridge in place of the one destroyed, that this statement was made, as is related elsewhere in this book under the heading " Public Lot- teries." The petition was granted and the bridge was built, but it was not built until after 1791, for in that year several resi- dents and landholders of Newcastle, living on the southwesterly side of Little Harbor and who had not been included in the parish of Rye when that parish was set off from Newcastle, petitioned the general court that they and their estates might be disannexed from Newcastle and set off to Rye, and in support of their request (which was granted to the legislature) urged the difficulty and sometimes impossibility of crossing the chan- nel to attend town meeting or divine service, and the danger to their children in having to cross the water on their way to and from school. This is conclusive evidence that no bridge at that time spanned the channel separating the two towns. Prob- ably the bridge was opened to public travel in 1792, and by reason of neglect, decay, and storms had disappeared at some time previous to the chartering by the legislature in 1821, of the corporation that built the toll bridges that still connect Portsmouth and Newcastle, and that are toll bridges still. The first and second Little Harbor bridges were both short-lived structures, neither of them lasting more than thirty years at the outside.
In 1797 a movement was initiated by private parties for the building of a bridge over Sagamore creek. If built it would not have been in Rye, but it would have been of as much ad- vantage to Rye as to Portsmouth, and residents of Rye were interested in the project, as the following from the legislative records, of date Dec. 18, 1797, shows :
75
FERRIES, BRIDGES, AND ROADS.
Petition to Build a Bridge over Sagamore Creek.
We the Subscribers inhabitants of Portsmouth and Rye in said state, humbly shew that were a bridge erected over Sagamore creek from Ports- mouth to Rye near Benjamin Lear's house it would shorten the travel & facilitate the Communications between said Towns & be of Public Utility, Wherefore We Pray that Liberty be granted us to build and Maintain a bridge there by Subscription & as in duty, bound will ever Pray &c-
Billey Rand Samuel Wallis
John Foy
Samuel Rand
Jeremiah Berry
John Foy Junr
Nathaniel Rand
Jonathan Hobbs
Joseph L. Seavey
Wm Marden
Amos S. Parsons
Joseph Locke
John Webster
Nathaniel Marden
Daniel Mason
Josiah Webster
Paul Seavey
Richard Webster
Joseph Rand
Samuel Rand
Alexander Salter
Joshua Brackett
Jacob Sheafe
John Salter
John Carroll
Joses Philbrick
Wm Seavey
Isaac Waldron Jr
Levi Berry
James Seavey
WVm Berry
John Seavey
Whatever action the legislature may have taken in regard to this petition-of which no record has been found-the pro- moters of the scheme apparently went no further; no bridge was built there at that time, nor until more than a half century later, in 1850, when the present Sagamore bridge was built by the city of Portsmouth, and Sagamore road extended from the bridge to the Rye line, where it was met by a highway built by Rye. The Benjamin Lear mentioned in the petition lived within a few rods of the southerly end of the present bridge, on the westerly side of the present road. He was for many years known as "the hermit of Sagamore," and died in 1802, at the age of eighty-two years. It is therefore probable that the location selected by the proposed bridge builders of 1797 was very near where a bridge was built so many years after- ward, though most likely they would have skirted the hill at the northerly end of the bridge instead of carrying their road right over its highest point. Tradition says that for many years-perhaps right up to the time the bridge was built-a ferry was maintained there, the landing on the northerly side of the creek being at the foot of what is now Jones avenue in Portsmouth, and that this ferry was much patronized by resi-
76
HISTORY OF RYE.
dents of the northerly part of Rye, who thereby avoided the long detour around the head of the creek, and saved several miles of travel; but this ferry was for foot passengers only, the waters of the creek at low tide being too shallow to float a scow large enough to carry teams, and was not chartered.
In 1874 a new highway was opened from Sagamore road in Portsmouth to Newcastle, said highway crossing the northwest corner of Rye. The portion of this new highway that lies in Portsmouth was by that city's board of aldermen named " Mason Road," in honor of Capt. John Mason, and is so
ON THE SAGAMORE ROAD, RYE.
recorded ; but no name board for the road has ever been put up, and probably few people are aware that it has an officially bestowed name, it being universally referred to as the " Went- worth road " or the " Wentworth House road." The opening of this highway necessitated the building of a new bridge across Little Harbor, and this bridge stands exactly where the lottery bridge of 1792 for a brief time stood. If this bridge has been, is now, or is likely ever to be, of the slightest benefit to Rye, that fact has never been demonstrated ; but one end of it abuts on the Rye shore of Little Harbor, and a part of the new
77
FERRIES, BRIDGES, AND ROADS.
road leading to it is in Rye, so Rye was obliged to contribute about $2,400 toward the expense of building the bridge, receiving from the county $588.89 as the county's share. The cost of keeping this bridge in repair is not light, and is felt by the taxpayers of Rye to be an unjust burden, of which they should be relieved; but no scheme of relief has yet been devised.
In the same year, 1874, a new wooden bridge was built by the town across Doctor's Channel (or Pass river) near Concord Point, at an expense of $1,250. This bridge was replaced in 1903 by a substantial structure with stone abutments, erected by the commissioners in charge of the construction of the state ocean boulevard.
Rye's London bridge has been known by that name for many years, it being so designated on the earliest plan of the town. Why it should have been given that somewhat preten- tious title is not apparent, unless it was done as a joke, for neither in magnitude nor magnificence does it rival the struc- ture across the Thames, it being merely a small highway bridge of stone, located a few rods from the new east school- house at the junction of the three roads. If the name was originally bestowed in a spirit of derision or banter, it has clung well.
Concerning the time when the bridge across Seavey's creek was built, or who built it, the town records, which date back only to 1726, afford no information. It is probable that a bridge was built there at a very early period ; possibly by the Pannaway settlers. Seavey's creek is the inlet from Little Harbor that, extending back to very near the ocean, at high tide almost makes an island of what was the Pannaway planta- tion ; the only way of providing an easy means of land commu- nication between the plantation and the settlements farther up the river and along the seashore was to bridge the creek, and where the bridge now is is the best place-indeed the only good place along the creek-to build one. It is also the best and only place where the creek could be dammed for mill pur- poses, and was so utilized in comparatively recent times, grist
.
78
HISTORY OF RYE.
and sawmills, owned by the Odiornes, having been there until September, 1862, when they were destroyed by fire, the remains of the dam being close beside the bridge. It is not improbable that a mill and dam were built there by the earli- est settlers ; they had to have a mill to grind their corn and grain, and here was an excellent location for a tide mill right at their door. But as to the ownership and date of erection of a mill there the town records give no more information than they do about the bridge. If bridge or mill, or both, were erected prior to 1652, there is probably no record of their erection in
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