USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Dover > Landmarks in ancient Dover, New Hampshire > Part 17
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The first Meeting-House on Dover Neck was on Low Street. Richard Yorke's lot was on the south side of Nutter's lane, and measured 28 rods on Low Street. Next below him was John Dam's lot, 14 rods on Low St. Next came the lot on which stood the meeting-house and Mr. Mand's parsonage, which was 28 rods on Low St., and 20 rods on a cross lane.
MADAM'S COVE. This cove is at the foot of Little John's falls, on the Rollinsford shore of the Newicha- wannock. So called, it is said, from Madam Wallingford, probably the third wife of Col. Thomas Walling- ford, who outlived her husband nearly forty years. Her daughter Olive married John Cushing of S. Berwiek, from whom the name of Cushing's hill, below the S. Hale place in Rollinsford, is said to have been de- rived.
MADBURY. This name was given to a part of Dover as early as March
19, 1693-4, when 40 acres of land were granted to Francis Pitman, "on the N. W. side of Logg hill, on the N. E. side of the path going to Mad- berry, where he had all Reddy begun to improve." And that same day, 30 acres were laid out to Stephen Willey " on ye north side of ye mast path which comes from Madberry." (Dover Records.)
According to the late John Elwyn of Portsmouth,1 the name of Mad- bury was derived from Modbury, in Devonshire, Eng., the seat for cen- turies of the Champernowne family, to which belonged Capt. Francis Champernowne of the Dover Combi- nation of 1640. He acquired a large tract of land on the eastern side of Great Bay, part of which fell within the limits of Ancient Dover. (See Greenland. ) He married the widow of Robert Cutt, brother of President John Cntt, and was one of the most influential men in the Province. He was a member of the provincial Coun- cil in 1686, about which time Mad- bury received its name. Capt. Cham- pernowne was of royal descent, and a nephew, by marriage, of Sir Ferdi- nando Gorges. His great-grandfather, Sir Arthur Champernowne of Mod- bury, took part in the battle of Bos- worth Field, and was vice-admiral in the English navy.2
1 John Elwyn, who was thoroughly versed in everything relating to the early history of the Pascataqua region, was the grandson of Gov. Langdon, and a descendant of Ambros - Gibbons the early pioneer, who died at Oyster River, July 11, 1656.
2 Sir Arthur Champernowne acquired the barony of Dartington two miles above Totness, Devon, whence came some of the early settlers along the Pascataqua, such as the Coffins of Do- ver and the Shapleighs of Kittery. The name of Dartington was given, June 14, 1638, to a neck of land, containing 500 acres, east of the mouth of the Pascataqua river, and extending northeast - erly to Braveboat Harbor, granted by Sir Ferdinando Gorges to Arthur Champernowne, father of Capt. Francis. This was in Kittery, and included the island afterwards called Champer- nowne's Island, where Capt. Francis Champernowne now lies buried. Kittery is another Dev- onshire name, probably given by Capt. Champernowne in memory of Kittery Court, on the River Dart, near Dartmouth, Eng. And there is a bend of the river at Kittery Court that still bears the name of Kittery Point. Not far from Modbury is Portledge, where, as Kingsley says in Westward Ho! "The Coffins had lived ever since Noah's flood, if indeed they had not re- turned merely thither after that temporary displacement." Peter Coffin of Dover was born in Devonshire in 1630.
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At Modbury was born Katherine Champernowne (great aunt of Capt. Francis Champernowne), who, by different marriages, was the mother of Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir Walter Raleigh.
The Champernowne house at Mod- bury, where the royalists had en- trenched themselves under Sir Ed- mund Fortescue, was taken and devastated by the Parliamentary troops in 1642.
Modbury is midway between Dart- mouth and Plymouth. Some ruins are still left of the ancient manor- house, where, according to the ex- pression of an old chronicler, " the clarious family of Champernon " once lived in dignity and splendor. But alas, as John Elwyn laments,
" No crusader's war-horse, plumed and steeled,
Paws the grass now at Modbury's bla- zoned door."
It is to be deplored that this his- toric name should have been corrupted to Madbury by our early settlers. The original name should be restored. Modbury is more agreeable to the ear, and its association with the Champernownes would give it a sig- nificance not to be regarded without pride.
Madbury was made a separate par- ishi, with town privileges, May 31, 1755, and a township May 26, 1768. There is no village in Madbury.
MADBURY GARRISONS. These gar- risons all appear to have been of the eighteenth century, or at least erect- ed after 1694.
I. Clark's Garrison. This garri- son stood on Clark's plains, near the borders of Dover and Madbury, where Mr. Biederman's house now is. It was built by Abraham Clark, who
owned land in this vicinity, March 19, 1693-4, when Richard Pinkham had a grant of 30 acres " between Drie pines and Abraham Clark's." It was taken down about the year 1836.
II. DANIEL'S GARRISON stood near the present residence of Mr. Charles W. Hayes. (See David's Lane.)
III. DEMERIT'S GARRISON. This garrison was built by Eli Demerit, Jr., about 1720. It stood where is now the house of Mr. Alfred Deme- ritt, his direct descendant, and was taken down in the spring of 1836.
IV. GERRISH'S GARRISON Stood on the first hill west of Gerrish's mill, near the present dwelling-house of Mr. B. F. Hayes. It was probably built by Capt. Paul Gerrish, who erected the first mill at the neighbor- ing fall in the Bellamy. It must not be confounded with the old Gerrish garrison built the previous century by Capt. John Gerrish, probably near his mill at the lowest falls on the same river.
V. MESERVE'S GARRISON. Traces of this garrison are still to be seen on Harvey's hill, that formed part of the old Meserve lands. The land of Daniel Misharvey, Jr., (Meservey or Meserve), at a place called Freetown, is mentioned Dec. 19, 1746, in a con- veyance to Eli Demerit. There was another Meserve garrison in the Back River district, Dover.
VI. TASKER'S GARRISON. This garrison was at the foot of Mohari- met's hill, now Hicks's hill, on the south side, where now stands the house belonging to the heirs of the late E. E. Demeritt. The land here originally belonged to Charles Adams of Oyster River, who had a grant of
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
100 acres, laid out Nov. 1, 1672, at the foot of " Maharmett's hill," half of which he conveyed, March 11, 1693-4, to his danghter Mary, wife of Wm. Tasker. The Taskers were living here when their house was attacked by the Indians not long after, but they succeeded in making their escape to Woodman's garrison. As their house was then in a defence- less condition, the garrison was no doubt erected subsequently. It was taken down about 1820, soon after it was acquired by Eben' T. Demeritt.
VII. Twombley's Garrison. This garrison stood a few rods above the present residence of Judge Young. It was no doubt built by Wm. Twombley, who acquired land near the Saplings before April, 1734. It was taken down in the spring of 1842 by Mr. Nathaniel Twombley, and some of its timbers were used in framing the barn now owned by Judge Frost at the corner of Locust and Nelson streets, Dover.
MADBURY MEETING-HOUSE. This meeting-house is often mentioned in the records of last century. It stood near the present brick school-house, a short distance south of Hicks's hill. John Tasker and "Judah " his wife, Sept. 23, 1735, conveyed one acre of land to the inhabitants of the west- ern side of Dover township for a meeting-house, " beginning at ye turn of ye way that leads from Mad- berry road to beach hill ;" acknowl- edged Sept. 6, 1759. The " meet- ing-house now at Madbury, standing almost home to Durham line," is men- tioned in a petition of May 8, 1744. (N. H. Prov. Pap., 9 : 176-177.)
A plan of this large old-fashioned meeting-house, with its interior gal- lery around three sides, is to be found in the Madbury records. It was taken down within the writer's recollection.
MAINE. The territory comprised in Ancient Dover formed part of the Province of Maine, as granted by the Council for New England to Sir Fer- dinando Gorges and Capt. John Mason, jointly, Ang. 10, 1622. This grant comprised all the land along the sea-coast between the Ken- nebec and Merrimac rivers, with all the islands within five leagnes, and extended 60 miles inland-which ter- ritory, says the patent, is "to be called the Province of Maine."
But no part of New Hampshire was included in the Province of Maine, as granted Sir Ferdinando Gorges in the charter of Charles I, Ap. 3, 1639. It began "at the entrance of Piscataqna Harbour," and extended up the river into the Newichannock, to the head thereof, till 120 miles were accomplished ; and from the month of Piscataqua Harbour north-eastward along the sea-coast to Sagadahoc, thence up stream, through the "Kynybequy " river1 to the head thereof to the dis- tance of 120 miles, thence across to the head of the Newichawannock line ; together with the north half of the Isles of Shoals, and all the islands within five leagnes of the coast, etc. (See Baxter's Sir Ferdi- nando Gorges, 2 : 124-5.)
The Indian name of this district was Mawooshen or Maroshen, which, according to Purchas's Pilgrimes,
1 The Kennebec river was called in early times the Quinnebequi, from the Indian words quinne, " long," and bequi, " still water," referring to its long stretches of still water.
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
lay between 43 and 45 degrees, 40 leagues in breadth and 50 in length, containing nine rivers, among which was the Sagadahoc (Kennebec), which had six islands and two branches. The Portsmouth Oracle of May 18, 1799, publishes a pro- posed Bill to the Massachusetts leg- islature of that year that all the por- tion of the Mass. commonwealth, called by the aborigines Maroshen, but " now commonly called the Dis- trict of Maine, lying between the state of New Hampshire and the province of New Brunswick," should be made a separate state under the name of the State of Maroshen.
MALLEGO. This name has been given for nearly two hundred years to the north easterly. branch of the Bellamy river1, which rises at Cate's pond in Barrington, and empties into the Bellamy at the Hook. The ex- tensive forests in this region led to the opening of a mast road hither at an early day. " Mallego way" is mentioned in the Dover records, Feb. 16, 1710-11. And " the Mast road to Mallego " is mentioned in 1717. Mallego brook or river is repeatedly spoken of in the depositions concern- ing Demerit's dam at the Hook in 1719, (Granite Monthly, Dee., 1881.) Muliego woods are referred to Jan. 12, 1742, when Ichabod Canney conveyed to Robert Hanson 352 acres in Mal- lego woods, " at a place called ye Sap- lings," on the southerly side of the road from Littleworth to Barrington, beginning at an asp tree at the S. E. corner of ten acres laid out to the Quakers. Ichabod Cate of Barring- ton conveyed to David Waldron, Ap.
19, 1810, land in Barrington, in the Two-mile Streak, so called, beginning at land owned by Isaac Waldron at the east side of a river that runs through said land, called Malago river or Huckins brook, and running E. by said Waldron's land 7 rods, then turning and running up by said river, carrying the same breadth of 7 rods till it comes to a place called Cate's dam, 20 rods more or less, then turning and running across said river till it comes to the province road, so called, then down by said road to Isaac Waldron's land, then by said land across said river to the first bound.
The Mallego bridge in Barrington is on the old stage road from Dover, which crosses this river not long after it issues from Cate's pond.
The name of Mallego, like that of Barbadoes, was no doubt given by the early lumber-men engaged in sup- plying the foreign market with lum- ber. Lt. Gov. Partridge, among others, certainly furnished timber for the Mediterranean coast at the end of the xvii century. (N. H. Prov. Pap., 2 : 247.) Our intercourse with Spain at an early day is evident from the accounts of Capt. John Smith and Sir Ferdinando Gorges (the lat- ter in his Narration) of a merchant named Hunt who treacherously seized 20 of our Indians in 1614 and carried them to Spain, where he sold a part as slaves, and the rest were taken from him by the friars to be brought up in the Christian faith. An interesting account of one of them, named Tasquantum, who made his escape from Malaga and returned
1 Stephen Newt's map of Madbury in 1805 erroneously gives the name of " Bellamy river " to the Mallego branch.
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
to this country, is given in Baxter's Sir F. Gorges, 1 : 103-106.
The name of Mallego is ,akin to Malagoe, one of the isles of Shoals, which is otherwise written " Malla- go " in a letter from Capt. Willey to the Mass. government, March 11, 1691-2. (Jenness' Isles of Shoals, p. 201.) Cargoes of fish, and also clapboards, pipe-staves, etc., that must have come from the main land, were sent from the Shoals in the middle of the xvii century to the Mediterranean ; and wines and other foreign products were brought back. (Ibid, p. 91.) The name of Malaga island may therefore have been given by merchants in traffic with the Spanish city of that name. Nor is it so inappropriate as might at first seem, if the name is derived, as some say, from the word Melach which signifies salt fish-the great staple at the Shoals.
The island of Malaga was bought in 1647 by Henry Sherburne, son-in- law of Ambrose Gibbons, the early pioneer on the Newichawannock, who had grants of mill privileges and forest lands in ancient Dover, and died at Oyster River July 11, 1656.
MAPLE BROOK. This brook rises in Barrington, and empties into Oys- ter river not far from Wheelwright's pond. It is often mentioned in the Durham records of last century ; as Aug. 10, 1745, when a road was laid out " from a peaked rock by Thomas Willey's new house where he now dwelleth," past James Bunker's, etc., to Maple brook, so-called. And Nov. 18, 1758, a road was laid out from the north-east corner bound of Nottingham, running along
the Barrington line, etc., to Maple brook, so-called. (See Caldwell's Brook. )
MARSHI BROOK ROAD. This road is mentioned in the Dover records of 1819, as extending to the Madbury line. It is apparently the way lead- ing from the Littleworth road to the head of Barbadoes pond, where it crosses a brook running through the marsh into the pond. The bridge across this brook is on the bounds of Dover and Madbury.
MARTIN'S BROOK. Mentioned Ap. 1, 1721, when Samuel King of the parish of Greenland, and wife Eliza- beth, conveyed to Capt. Joshua Weeks a tract of 40 rods on the west side of Martin's brook, in a conven- ient place to set a mill near the mouth of said brook, where Capt. Weeks might choose, with his privi- lege of land on the east side of the brook, adjacent to Robert Davis's land, and all the land the dam of said mill might cause to overflow. Eight acres adjoining this land were con- veyed to Joshua Weeks by Samuel King, June 5, 1724, bounded North by the Great Bay, and South by Martin's brook. John Dockum, Jr., conveyed to Capt. Joshua Weeks, Ap. 6, 1726, 13 acres on the south side of Martin's brook, adjacent to the lands of Tucker Cate and John Vrin, where the road leads to the Great Bay.
George Keniston conveyed to said Weeks, July 25, 1727, one aere, be- ginning at Martin's brook on the west side, and running down to the Great Bay. Martin's brook is just above the Bay-side railway station. It flows through the old King land, now owned by Messrs. G. and J. P. Weeks,
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
and empties into the Great Bay near Mr. J. H. Brackett's house.
MARTIN'S LANE. So named from John Martin, whose house and lane (at Lubberland) are mentioned as early as the 28th, 2 mo., 1664, in connection with a road "from Lam- prill river fall to the water side in the great bay," which passed " be- twixt a letell swampe and the Rocky hill side that lieth behind John Mar- tin's house, and soe strait to the laen (lane) that is betwixt John Godder's fence and John Martin's fence." Martin's lane is again mentioned Ap. 19, 1745. (See Doe's Neck.)
John Martin (and Hester) con- veyed to Thomas Mounsell, Sept. 20, 1667, his dwelling-house " now stand- ing in Luberland in ye Great Bay," together with 40 acres of upland granted him by the town of Dover, bounded on one side by Richard York from ye high-water side, and on ye other by ye land of John Goddard. Also two acres of salt meadow adjoining sd upland, and 12 acres of fresh meadow about & of a mile from the house. Also six score acres of upland, lying by the side of Lamperil river near ye mill, with all rights, privileges, etc.
Thomas Mounsell conveyed the above lands to Nicholas Doe, Feb. 14, 1667-8. Nicholas Doe was received as an inhabitant of Dover the 21st, 7 mo .. 1668, "upon the same terms Thomas Whitehouse was received in 1665." John Martin went to Piscataqna, New Jersey.
MAST BRIDGES. A Mast bridge on the Mast road to Madbnry is men- tioned Ap. 11, 1694, when John Knight had a grant of 40 acres " joyn- ing to his plantation at mast bridge
all Reddy Improved." This land was laid out to Leah Knight, widow of said John, June 17, 1700, four rods being allowed for a highway to Johnson's creek. Thomas Hanson of Dover, in his will of Sept. 18, 1728, gives his well-beloved sons Maul and Jonathan 97 acres of land " near the river, near mast bridge." This tract was confirmed to them March 20, 1741-2, in a deed from Geo. Jaffrey of Portsmouth, execu- tor of the estate of Jane Gerrish, widow of Richard Gerrish of Ports- mouth, giving Maul Hanson, hus- bandman, and Jonathan Hanson, blacksmith, a quit claim to 97 acres of land in Dover, on the westerly side of Bellamy's bank river, run- ning southwest to ye mast Road, thence northwest to ye land of Bene- dictus Torr, deceased, bounding on ye said mast road ye whole breadth of said Torr's land.
Henry Hill and wife Hannah, and Clement Bunker and wife " Rebeck," all of Durham, conveyed to John and Daniel Twombley of Dover, March 24, 1738-9, 168 acres of land on the west side of " Bellemins Bank river near ye windmill, (see Drew's or Dam's Windmill), bounded north by John Twombley's land, east by that of John Ham, Jr., south by ye road yt leads down from said wind- mill over mast bridge, and west by the town's common.
Tristram Pinkham and wife Martha conveyed to James Tuttle, Jan. 8, 1745-6, one acre and a half of land which said Pinkham bought of Na- thaniel Randal, " beginning at Mast bridge bruck."
Catharine Tibbetts, single woman, and Jacob Allin and wife Hannah,
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
all of Dover, conveyed to Maul Han- son, Feb. 1, 1760, fonr acres of land on the west side of "Bellemin's Banck river," and on the easterly side of the road that leads over mast bridge to Madbury, which land for- merly belonged to Joseph Tibbetts, father of said Catherine and Hannah. commonly called the mast bridge land.
This bridge crosses the upper part of Johnson's creek, near the Hooper land in the Back River district, Dover. (See Reynold's Bridge.)
A mast bridge across Oyster river is mentioned Nov. 18, 1713, in a deed from Moses Davis to David Kincaid. It is otherwise called Las- key's bridge in the Durham records. It is on the Mast road from Durham falls to Nottingham, and is one of the boundaries between Durham and Lee, near Mr. Charles W. Bartlett's.
A Must bridge across the Black- water is mentioned June 23, 1701, when Tristram Heard had a grant of 30 acres " between the Mast bridge and Hodsdon's Cole pitt." This grant is elsewhere spoken of the same day as "between blackwater bridg and the pitch pine plains." This was on the Mast road to Whitehall.
MAST CREEK. See Cromwell's Creek.
MAST PATHS Or ROADS. Several mast roads were laid ont at an early day from the Bellamy, Cochecho, Lamprey, Oyster, and Salmon Falls rivers, for the conveyance of timber suitable for masts and other shipping purposes, especially for the Royal navy, to be sent down the river to Portsmouth. Mention is made in 1667 of masts sent his majesty from the lands of Robert Mason two years
before. (N. H. Prov. Pap., 17: 519.) The course of these mast paths into the forests was no doubt varied at first to suit the convenience of the lumbermen, but in later years was straightened and perhaps other- wise changed, by order of the town.
The GREAT MAST PATH is men- tioned the 17th, 12 mo., 1672, when 50 acres were laid out to Peter Coffin " on ye north side of ye Great mast path going into ye swamp." (See Plum-Pudding Hill.) This path be- gan at Log hill, near the first falls in the Cochecho, and ran sonth in the line of Lexington St., leaving Plum-Pudding hill at the right. It then curved a little to the west, and crossed the road from Cochecho to Tolend into the Cochecho swamp. It afterwards extended to Barbadoes, and finally to Bellamy Hook and the Mallego. It is the present Little- worth road. "The Mast path to Lit- tleworth " is spoken of Dec. 9, 1722. The " Mast path to Mallego " is men- tioned in 1717.
The Mast Path to Long Hill is mentioned June 24, 1738. This is on the easterly side of the Cochecho river. "The mast road that goes from Tolend to Rochester " is men- tioned Oct. 15, 1748. (See Ham's Marsh.) It is again spoken of that same day when 21 acres of land were laid out to Joseph Hanson, Jr., be- ginning at a pitch pine tree on the west side of the old mast path leading from Ham's marsh, so called, to the Eelware plains, about ten rods above the path that leads to Tolend. This is the road on the west side of the Cochecho river. (See Sandy Log Hill.)
The MAST PATH TO WHITE HALL is
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
mentioned Dec. 20, 1714, when Eben- ezer Downs conveyed to John Hurd half the land given his brother Thomas by their grandmother, Mar- tha Lord, beginning at a pine tree near the great Pond above Cochecho (Willand's pond), on ye west side of the mast path yt leads to White Hall. Thomas Horn, June 18, 1728, con- veyed to Stephen Varney 46 acres of land that were Edward Starbuck's, "on ye south side of ye way or path yt is called by ye name of ye mast way that leadeth to Whit Hall." (See Whitehall.)
The MAST ROAD TO MADBURY is mentioned May 8, 1682, when Rich- ard Waldron conveyed to John Knight 20 acres of land, part of a tract of 400 acres, 300 of which said Wal- dron acquired from the town of Do- ver, and 100 he bought of Wm. Follet, all laid out on the west side of Belloman's Banke river. The 20 acres sold John Knight began on " the west line of said tract, nere the masting way, and so Este by said masting way 40 perches, and so south south west four score and six perches the like breadth." This land was afterwards acquired by Benedictus Torr, who married Leah, the widow of John Knight. (See Torr's Garri- son and Most Bridge.)
Forty acres were laid out to John Bussell, June 13, 1694, on "the south side of the mast path that goes from John Knight's to New towne, be- ginning at a beech on the side of a brook." Fifty acres were laid out to Stephen Wille, March 19. 1693-4, joining his house, thirty acres on " ye south side of ye mast path which comes from Madberry," and twenty on ye north side. Stephen Wille lived at
Newtown. That same day 50 acres were granted Joseph Jones " on the north side of the mast path that goes to William Tasker's, below Stephen Wille's." Wm. Tasker lived at the foot of Moharimet's hill, otherwise Hicks's hill, on land now owned by the heirs of Edrie E. Demeritt. John Drew's land, "on the north side of ye mast path above Knight's farme," is mentioned in the Dover records June 23, 1701. Thirty acres were granted Thomas Perkins Ap. 5, 1703,
" beginning at a hemlock on the north side of the mast path at the northwest of Mahorramit's hill"-a highway of four rods to go through this land, as the mast path then went. The mast-road through Madbury is spoken of in the Dover records, March 24, 1728-9, when the town voted to lay out a road "from ye place commonly called by the name of Winget's Slip to ye end of ye town- ship." The surveyors testified, Dec. 27, 1729, that they had laid it out "as ye mast way now goes." And the same day they laid out " a cross road four rods wide from ye above said mast way to Newtown way, beginning at a pine tree between Philip Chesley's land and John Tas- ker's land."
Thomas Laighton and Susanna conveyed to John Ham, Jan. 21, 1722-3, 14 acres in Dover, on ye plains, by ye highway yt goeth from Wingit's slip to Madbury," part of a grant to John Drew. This land was on the north side of said high- way.
" Mr. Deary Pitman's house " (see Freetown) "on the west side of the mast path that runs from Wingit's slip through Madberry to the end of
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
the township," is mentioned June 30, 1736.
The mast road to Madbury begins at Wingate's slip, now Ford's land- ing, on the west side of Back river, and runs along the upper side of Drew's hill. Soon after, it crosses the old mast bridge brook, sometimes called Reynold's brook, but really the upper part of Johnson's creek, through the old Knight and Torr lands into Madbury.
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