USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Dover > Landmarks in ancient Dover, New Hampshire > Part 25
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PASTURES. Land for a Calves' Pasture was granted to the settlers on' Dover Neck the 5th, 10 mo.,
1 In this connection it might be added that Christian Shore, at Portsmouth, a name whose origin has been questioned, was so called, the writer remembers hearing her grandmother say, from the number of baptisms by immersion on this shore by the Rev. Elias Smith, a noted "revivalist," at the beginning of this century, who organized a Baptist church in Portsmouth March 20, 1803.
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
1652, at the lower end of the Neck, on the west side. This pasture was divided among them, or their heirs, Ap. 16, 1722. As it contained 36 acres, and there were 27 proprietors, each right amounted to one acre and a third. John Tuttle conveyed to Amos Pinkham Feb. 9, 1708-9, three shares in the Calves' pasture, originally granted to Joseph Austin, Wm. Furber, and Thomas Roberts, Sr., lying between John Pinkham's land and a lane on ye north side of Hall's land, butting on ye Back river on ye west, and on ye lower way on ye east. Nine shares were set off to Otis Pinkham Ap. 16, 1722, extend- ing from the spring below John Pink- ham's house 32 rods by the low street, and 36 rods by the water side, begin- ning at the run of water that comes from the spring. And that same day eight shares were set off to Thomas Canney, extending from Otis Pinkham's head line by the low street 32 rods, and 33 rods by the water side to a fence on the south side of the Long Gutt, so called. It is evident from the above that the Calves' Pasture was on the west side of Dover Neck, below Pinkham's spring.
An Ox Pasture was laid out in Hilton's Point swamp in 1652, which was afterwards divided among the inhabitants of Dover Neck. Timothy Carl or Caroll conveyed to John Knight, Sr., Dec. 10, 1710, one share of the ox common on Dover Neck, at Hilton's Point, bought of Samuel Cromwell. (See Hilton's Point Swamp.)
Two " Quaker Pastures" were also granted to the Society of Friends. One of these, granted June 25., 1717,
was in the upper part of Dover Neck, " between the Watering Gutt and the Cochecho." It is mentioned March 20, 1729-30, when a road was ordered to be laid out from ye Quaker Pasture to the way that leads from the watering gutt to Samuel Carle's. Another Quaker pasture of ten acres, between the Bellamy and the mast path to Mallego, was re-granted March 30, 1733, and laid out July 25, 1733, beginning at a poplar tree by the head line of Dover, and extend- ing N. E. to a pitch-pine tree by the way that goes to Mallego, and so by said way S. W. 80 rods, etc. This pasture is mentioned May 10, 1736, when 6 acres were laid out to Tim- othy Tibbets near his dwelling-place, beginning at the east side of ye hook, near ye bridge, and running thence S. W. to a road that comes from the Quaker pasture. And Jan. 12, 1742, Ichabod Canney conveved to Robert Hanson 352 acres " in Malligo woods, at a place called ye Sapplings, on the southerly side of ye road yt leads from Littleworth to Barrington," 23 acres of which began at the S. E. corner of the ten acres laid out to the Quakers.
A Sheep Pasture on Dover Neck is mentioned the 5th, 10 mo., 1659, when a part of it was set off by the town for a training-ground. Jede- diah Andrews of Salisbury, Mass., and Mary his wife, conveyed to the Rev. John Reyner, Jan. 5, 1669, their dwelling-house on the east side of Dover Neck, and the lot it stood on, originally granted said Andrews by the town of Dover, and laid out the 17th of March Anº Salutis 1659, bounded east by said Reyner's land, north by Reyner's upper lot, south
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
by Mr. Robert's lot, and west by the Sheep pasture. Edward Whitehouse quit claim to the heirs of Moses Var- ney, May 29, 1761, to three acres of " ye land called the Sheep's Pasture," which for some years previous had been in possession of said Moses. This Pasture was on Huckleberry Hill.
PATTERSON'S LANE. This lane is just above the Rollins mansion in Newington. It leads from the main road to an old landing-place on the Pascataqua river, below " Uncle Siah's creek." (See Patterson's Point.)
PATTERSON'S POINT. This point is on the Newington shore of the Pas- cataqua, at the foot of Putterson's Lane, where Joseph Patterson had a wharf last century. He acquired a portion of the Rollins or Rawlins land June 14, 1769, and another ad- joining in 1772. This land was afterwards reconveyed to the Rollins family by Temperance, his widow. At the upper side of Patterson's Lane, in a thicket beside the wall, is the grave of Joseph Patterson, with a headstone of slate, briefly inscribed : "J. P. A 85. 1787." (See Ragg's Point.)
PAUL'S COVE. This cove is on the Rollinsford shore of the Newicha- wannock river, below High Point. It is so called from Mr. Henry Paul, the proprietor of the adjacent land, whose house is opposite this cove.
PAUL'S CREEK. This is the first creek below the upper Huntress, on the Newington shore, and derives its name from Stephen Paul of Eliot, to whom Winthrop Pickering conveyed 50 acres of land, Ap. 29, 1862, be- ginning at the road from Fox Pt. to Portsmouth, and running east by the
land of Isaac and Amos Dow to the Pascataqna river. This was no doubt the Canney or Kenney's creek of early times.
PIERCE'S BROOK. This brook rises in the Barrington woods and empties into the Bellamy river in the upper part of Madbury.
PEARL'S FERRY. "John Parell" was licensed to keep a ferry over Back river from his house or landing-place over to Sergeant Drew's usual land- ing-place, March 13, 1722-3 ; to re- ceive "one penny for every inhabi- tant so carried and fetched over, and 2ª for strangers." John Pearl was the son of Nicholas Pearl, who was killed by the Indians not far from Pudding Hill in 1707. His ferry seems to have run from what is now called Nute's point, at the lower side of Little John's creek. A public road still leads to this landing-place from the main road to Dover Pt. It was doubtless here that John Pearl acquired four acres of land, conveyed to him by Thomas Waits, Feb. 18, 1739-40. (See Cromwell's Creek.) Benjamin Roberts conveyed to John Pearl, Jan. 4, 1744-5, a tract of land ten rods square, beginning at the corner where the road that leads from the country road down to Austin's mill crosses the way between the lands of Abraham Nute and Benja- min Roberts. And Roberts also con- veyed to John Pearl, Aug. 3, 1752, four acres adjoining sd Pearl's dwell- ing-house lot, previously bought of said Roberts, adjoining the highway that leads by said Pearl's house down to the Back river. This land was sold by Mary, the widow of John Pearl, to Moses Varney Ap. 2, 1754. (See Cromwell's Creek.)
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
PEAR YARD DISTRICT. This name is given to the school district in the northwestern part of Rollinsford. Its origin is shown by a vote passed by the town of Somersworth March 16, 1793 : that "the school-house for Number Two, or the west district, shall be at a certain place called the old back road, opposite a certain Pear- Yard in the possession of An- drew Rollins, or as near said spot as there can be a piece of land procured for the house." The "Pear Yard district " is mentioned in the Somers- worth records of 1814. (See Yard Country Way.)
PEIRCE'S CREEK and PEIRCE'S POINT. These names are now sometimes given to Packer's Creek and Point, on the Greenland shore of the Great Bay. "Pierces Pt." is mentioned on Chace's County map of 1857. (See Greenland and Packer's Creek.)
PELATIAII'S HILL. This hill is in Lee, on the south side of Little river, below the sawmill. So named from Pelatiah Thompson, son of Robert and Susanna, who was born July 15, 1765. and died Nov. 8, 1843. It was in Pelatiah's early life that his father removed his dwelling-house from the valley to the top of this hill, where it now stands.
PERRY'S HILL. This hill is in Madbury, and belongs to the same ridge as Harvey's hill ; from which it is only separated by a small hollow. The Freetown road from Madbury to. Barrington crosses this ridge. The name is said to have been derived from a Perry family, whose cellar on this hill can still be traced. A Mat- thew Perry and his six children are mentioned in the records of the Rev. Hugh Adams. He was no doubt the
Matthew Pierre, to whom Timothy Emerson and wife Mary, July 4, 1736, conveyed 15 acres and 146 rods of land in Durham, beginning at John Sias' east corner bound, thence extending south to a white oak by Oyster river running by New- town.
PETER'S MARSH. This name is given to Starbuck's marsh in Somers- worth, from Peter Coffin, to whom his father-in-law Edward Starbuck conveyed all his rights in Dover not otherwise disposed of, June 19, 1678. " The bounds of a piece or plot of marsh commonly called Starbuck's marsh or Peter's marsh, granted Edward Starbuck by the town of Dover on ye 30th of 6th mo. 1643, were newly run, laid out, and bounded, June 25, 1735, for Capt. Eliphalet Coffin of Exeter, beginning at a heap of stones on the east side of the road that leads over the brook that comes out of the great pond, a little east- ward of the falls in said brook or on the south side of said brook." This brook is known as Peter's Marsh brook. (See Starbuck's Marsh.)
PETER'S MARSH BROOK. Mentioned Sept. 6, 1736, when thirty acres of land were laid out to Isaac Hanson on the S. W. side of Salmon Falls river, extending up the river to the mouth of a brook commonly called Peter's marsh brook, thence up this brook to and along the land of Eben- ezer Wentworth. This is the brook mentioned in the grant of Starbuck's marsh in 1643 as coming out of the Great Pond. It connects Willand's Pond with Salmon Falls river. The eastern part is now sometimes called Brown's brook, and the middle part is often called Tate's brook.
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
PETER'S OVEN. This name is given to a natural cave in the side of a steep ledge, a short distance above Lee Hill, on the right hand side of the road to Barrington. It is mentioned July 10, 1721, when 100 acres of land, originally granted to Wm. Williams, Sr., in 1662, and laid out to Win. Roberts in 1663, on the west side of " Whell Rights Pond," were laid out anew to Moses Davis and John Thompson, Jr., beginning at a pitch-pine tree on the west side of the cartway that leads to " Peter's Quen, soe called." And again May 29. 1752, when land on " the south side of the way leading from the Place commonly called Peter's Oven to the head of the township," was conveyed by John Pitman to Jona- than Thompson, Jr. One tradition says this name was derived from an Indian named Peter, who, wounded at the battle of Wheelwright's pond, succeeded in reaching this cave, into which he crawled, and there died. According to another tradition, it was so called from a negro named Peter, who once made it his haunt, and gave it a diabolical reputation.
The name of "oven " is often given to a cave in Ireland, from the Irish word Uamhain, pronounced oovan, whence the corruption of oven. Uumhain is evidently akin to the Gaelic word Uuimh. used by Scott, who, in " Waverley," gives the name of Uuimh an Ri, or Chieftain's care, to the dwelling-place of Donald Bean Lean.
PICKED ROCK. This ancient boun- dary is mentioned July 12, 1723, when the committee appointed by the N. H. General Assembly concerning a bridge aeross Lamprey river at the
lowest falls, reported that the best place for its erection would be "at the Picked rock, so called, a little above the first Dam in sdriver." And Benjamin Thomas, in his report to the House, Dec. 13, 1723, agreed that the most convenient place would be " at a Picked Rock upon the lower falls, near ye old Dam." (N. H. Prov. Pap., IV : 124, 125.)
When the selectmen of Durham and Newmarket perambulated the dividing line " from Lamprey-eel River bridge to the great bay," March 4, 1805, they began " at the picked Rock un- der said bridge, and ran S. 562° E. 264 rods, to the head of Goddard's Creek, so called, thence by the chan- nel of said creek to the mouth thereof at the bay aforesaid." (Durham Records. )
The Picked Rock is spoken of June 19, 1818, as " in the south butment of Durham and Lamperell River bridge, so called." (N. H. Town Pap., XII : 390.)
Andrew Doe, Seth Shackford and others, Ap. 19, 1823, conveyed to Daniel M. Durell and Stephen Han- son of Dover, 22 of the saw-mill on Lamprey river, in Newmarket, and 3 of the grist mill, with the fulling-mill, all standing together, with the same proportion of all the privileges on both sides of the river, beginning at the Bryant rock, so called, on the west side of said river, at high water mark, then running south 60 deg. W. 4 rods, to the road leading from Exe- ter to Durham, then by said road northerly 412, rods to the picked rock, so called, standing on the N. W. side of the southerly abutment of Lam- prey river bridge, dividing the county of Rockingham from the county of
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
Strafford, and thence running south- easterly to a bound on the west side of the Lubberland road, etc.
The Picked Rock is no longer one of the bounds between Rockingham and Strafford counties, since the ces- sion of a part of Durham to New- market in 1870.
The Bryant Rock, above mentioned, derived its name from Walter Bryant, who, in 1870 bought the Drisco land (see the Narrows), including ten acres where formerly lived Philip Crommet, who was licensed to keep a ferry across Lamprey river in 1671.
PICKERING'S COVE, or CREEK. This inlet is at the upper side of Birch point, on the Newington shore, and is variously named, according to the owner of the adjacent lands. It is sometimes called Whidden's Creek. A sawmill here is mentioned in 1702, which probably stood at the head of tide water. The fresh water brook that empties into it is mentioned in 1664, when Richard Carter had a grant of land at Pine Point (now Birch Pt.), which came within four poles of the freshet. (See Pine Point. ) This brook appears to have been the "Dirty Gut" of early times. (See Dirty Gut.) The name of Pickering's Cove is derived from James Pickering, who acquired the Walton lands in this vicinity shortly after the Revolution.
PICKERING'S CROSSING. This cross- ing is in the southwestern part of Rochester, east of the Cochecho, where the Dover and Winnipiseo- gee R. R. crosses the highway near the house of Mrs. T. D. Picker- ing.
PIKE'S FALLS. (See Cochecho Falls.)
PIMPLE STONE. This was one of the old landmarks hailed by the boat- men on the Pascataqua river as they entered the western branch, and for- tified themselves for encountering the Horse Races by means of a copious dram. It was a large rock west of Dover Point, with a broad white stripe around it, rendering it con- spicuous at a great distance. Ac- cording to a legend this rock was, when small, slung across the river from the Newington shore by an enraged old housewife, by means of a skein of white yarn fastened around it.1 This skein, of course, produced the white stripe. This is a sailor's yarn, however, which unfortunately cannot be verified, for the Pimple Stone was long since blown up and removed by some odious utilita- rian.
PINCH HILL. This hill is in Rol- linsford, where the turnpike road is crossed by the highway to the Rollins- ford station. It is mentioned Feb. 16, 1721-22, when Joseph Roberts con- veyed to Benj" Wentworth 15 acres of land "near ye hill known and called by ye name of Pinch hill, bounded S. by land of said Went- worth, and thence running westerly to ye highway which leads from ye Pine plains to Fresh creek." And again Feb. 29, 1733-4, when Francis Sayer of Ipswich, Mass., conveyed to Benj" Waymouth 20 acres of land in Somersworth, with a dwelling- house thereon, beginning at " Necha- wonock river," and thence running westerly on ye possession of Eleazar
1 Among the legends of Cromarty, in Scotland, is one of a ponderous stone whirled from the point of a spindle across Dornoch firth.
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
Wyer1 to a certain highway or private road, called Pinch Hill road, to ye sd Benj" Waymouth's land, thence southerly to a highway between said land and ye former grant of John Hall, Deacon, thence easterly by said road to the river; which land had been mortgaged by said Way- mouth's father to Francis Sayer.
Pinch Hill was so named because it was too sharp and narrow to be crossed by more than one team at a time. Rollinsford, however, at the town-meeting of 1891, wisely appro- priated $800 for the purpose of widen- ing it.
PINDER'S POINT. This name, no longer used, is given on Smith's map of Durham to a point on the Lubber- land shore, between Jewell's Pt. and Morris's Pt. It was derived from John Pinder, brickmaker, to whom John York of Lubberland, May 16, 1681, conveyed a tract of land, " beginning at the Little point in Clift Cove, adjoining Thomas Mor- ris's, and so over the neck to a pine tree by the path to Lubberland." John Pinder, Oct. 27, 1701, had a grant of ten acres joining the land where he then lived. The Pinder land in 1715 is mentioned as next the Footman land.
PINE COVE. This cove is on the Newington shore of the Long Reach. It is mentioned Dec. 5, 1661, when 240 acres were laid out to Capt. Bryan Pendleton next to James Raw- lins, beginning at Kenney's Cove, and running down by the river side 80 rods to pyne cove, thence into the
woods 480 rods to the edge of the pitch pine plaine. ( Portsmouth Rec- ords.)
Ichabod Plaisted of Portsmouth, and Mary his wife, June 15, 1703, relinquished to Richard Gerrish of Portsmouth 27 acres of land in Ports- mouth, part of 240 acres formerly laid out to Brian Pendleton, and pur- chased by Christopher Jose of Ports- mouth, deceased, bounded upon ye main river, commonly called by ye name of ye long reach, which 240 acres begin at Kenny's Cove and run by the river 80 rods to pine core, thence into ye woods to the edge of the pitch pine plains upon a S. S. W. line. (See Hill's Cove.)
PINE HILL. The public cemetery in Dover is on this hill, at the lower end of the city proper. Here stood the third meeting-house in Dover, which was, according to the Rev. Dr. Quint, a few rods from the Cushing tomb, a little west of north. It was built before May 2, 1711, when "four acres were laid out to the Reanerant Mr. Nicholas Seuer be- tween Mr. Paul Gerrish his house and the new meeting-house, begin- ning at the corner of the highway that leads from Cochecha Road to Campin's Rocks, and running thence north and be west thirty rods by Cochecha Road to a Little gully," etc. This grant to the Rev. Mr. Sever was probably for a parsonage. His successor, the Rev. Jonathan Cushing, lived on Pine Hill, where his well is still pointed out.
March 29, 1731, the town voted
1 The Wyer "possession " was originally James Grant's land, then David Hamilton's, and at a later period Henry Nock's, whose widow Sarah, daughter of Charles Adams of Oyster River, afterwards married Eleazar Wyer, and conveyed this land to her step-son of the same name. This land is now owned by the Garvins. (See Newichawannock and Sligo.)
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
.
" That there be one acre and a half of Land Granted for the use of the Town forever, for a public Burying- place, To be Laid out by ye select men near ye meeting house on pine hill at Cochecha." Nov. 26, 1759, the town appointed " a committee to Sell the old meeting-house standing on sd pine hill in the best manner they Can." It was still standing, however, March 31, 1760, when the town-meeting was held therein.
A school-house stood on Pine hill early last century, and when the church bell was brought from Dover Neek in 1720, there being no belfry on the meeting-house at Pine hill, it was hung, it is said, on the neighboring school-house. The town voted, Oct. 13, 1760, "to sell the old school- house standing on pine hill." It was near the present school-house, if not on the same spot.
Another PINE HILL is in Newing- ton, mentioned June 2, 1800, when Seth Walker, with Lucy his wife, and Eleanor his mother, conveyed to Richard Pickering 52 acres, part of a tract given said Eleanor and Seth in the will of Gideon Walker, begin- ning at the road to Bloody Pt., at the N. E. corner of Nathaniel Fol- som's land, and running N. E. along said road to the land of Paul Raw- lins ; being part of the place com- monly known by the name of pine hill. This hill is no doubt the ridge to which Dow's hill belongs, but it no longer bears its ancient name.
The Pine hill of the present day in Newington is on the road from Fox Pt. to Portsmonth, and derives its name from Knight's pines, now Hoyt's Pines, adjacent to this hill. It is a part of Stony hill.
PINE POINT. This point is on the Newington shore of the Long Reach, at the lower side of Pickering's cove, otherwise Whidden's. It is mention- ed June 24, 1648, when Richard Car- ter, " sometime dwelling in Piscata- way," sold house and land on Pine point to his trusty and well beloved friend, Matthew Giles, dwelling in Oyster River. Richard Carter had, however, a grant of 35 acres at Pine Point, laid out the 10th, 12 mo., 1664, one bound of which came within four poles of the freshet. His chil- dren owned this land till Oct. 8, 1702, when his son Richard and wife Margaret, with Edward Carter, and Mary their sister, conveyed to John Knight, alias Chevalier, 50 acres of land "at a place formerly called Pine point, near or adjacent to a place commonly called Bloody Point, granted by Dover to Richard Carter, deceased, bounded on the N. W. side of a lot formerly Michael Brawns, now in possession of John Downing, and adjoining the land of Benjn Bickford." Also 20 acres, beginning at the highway from Bloody Point to Portsmouth, bounded on the north by Geo. Braun's, south by John Down- ing's, with a quarter part of the saw- mill on the same ; reserving. how- ever, eighteen feet where their father and mother lay buried in one corner of the orchard.
Benjamin Bickford and wife Sarah conveyed to John Knight, alias Chev- alier, of Portsmouth, Dec. 7, 1702, 16 acres of meadow formerly belong- ing to Benjamin's father (Jolin Bick- ford, of Oyster River), lying betwixt a place formerly called Pine Point and a place commonly called Bloody Point, bounded on land said Knight
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
bought of Richard Carter on the | south, Henry Langstaffe's on the north, the river on the east, and the highway at the west, together with one fourth of the saw-mill between said land and that of John Knight, formerly Carter's. From this it is evident that Pine Point is the little promontory below Bloody Point, known by different names, according to the owner, such as Pickering's Point and Furber's Point. It is now owned by Mr. Furber, and is generally known as Birch Point, from the numerous white birch trees along the shore, conspicuous at a great dis- tance. On this point, in a beautiful, wild, lonely spot, is the grave of John Knight, the exile, shaded by sassafras trees and tall white birches whose boles gleam afar off like shafts of polished marble. It is marked by a low, broad, three-lobed headstone of slate, on which, beneath an ineised death's head and cross-bones, is this inseription : "Here lyes buried the body of John Knight, Esq", born August ye 30, 1659, and died May the 11th, 1721."
Another PINE POINT is on the west- ern shore of the Newichawannoek, be- low St. Alban's cove. It is mentioned March 19, 1693-4, when 20 acres of land were laid out to Jonathan Wat- son on Fresh creek neck, fronting on fore river, above Pine Poynt. Pine point is mentioned on Pike's map of Somersworth in 1805. It is the first point below St. Alban's cove, and is now owned by Mr. Henry Paul. Daniel Paul and wife Dorothy, March 7, 1791, conveyed to Thomas Roberts 30} aeres of land, part of the estate of Capt. Benj" Mason, beginning at the S. E. corner, on Pine point, on
the west side of Salmon Falls river, and running northerly by the land of Benj" Paul.
PINKHAM'S CREEK, otherwise PIN- COMB'S. This creek is the upper boundary of the grant to John Pick- ering on the shore of Great Bay, mentioned in the Portsmouth records of Feb., 1655 :
" It is this day granted unto John pickringe that hee shall hane the land lying betwen swadens creek and pin- comb's creek in the great bay so that it bee no mans former Right or prop- erty. the sayd land is to extend into the swamp and no farther."
In the former edition of this work Pinkham's creek is stated to be the inlet at the lower end of the Pieker- ing grant, and Swadden's at the upper end. Further investigation proves that the upper ereek is Pink- ham's, and the lower one Swadden's ; the words "upper " and "lower " referring to the course of the river or bay, not to the points of the compass. A portion of this grant fell within the limits of Ancient Dover, being part of the 400 aeres on Great Bay allowed that town by the Mass. gov- ernment ; " due right," however, being reserved to "every one that hath proprietyes in the same." (N. H. Prov. Pap., 1 : 172.)
Pinkham's creek rises in the Great Swamp, and empties into the Great Bay on the borders of Newington and Greenland. The highway between these two towns crosses the creek about eight rods below the Green- land line. The name is derived from Richard Pinekhame or Pinkham, of the Dover Combination of 1640, who had a grant of land on Great Bay sometime previous to June 30, 1659,
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