USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Dover > Landmarks in ancient Dover, New Hampshire > Part 26
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when Thomas Layton certified under oath before Thomas Dantforth that " the town of Dover gave Richard Pincham a lott of marsh in ye Great bay, & yt sª Pineum sould all his right that he had in said marsh to Joseph Austin of Dover." (Dover Records.)
Mention is made of this creek in a petition of May 2, 1716, that the bounds of Portsmouth might "run from the river on ye north side of Mr. Roger's Creek or dock. on a straight line to Pincom's creek." (N. H. Prov. Pap., 17 : 727.) Thomas Pickering, son of the above John, "out of parental love and affection to his well-beloved son Joshua, for his en- couragement in beginning the world," conveyed to him, Ap. 30, 1719, a parcel of land and marsh in Ports- mouth, on the easterly side of the Great Bay, " beginning at the N. W. corner of Hall's farm (afterwards Packer's), at the water side, thence to run to the middle of a long-point, southeasterly from Swaden's island, thence to Col. Wentworth's land, so as to contain 50 acres, together with the full half of the marsh formerly called and known by the name of Pincomb's creek or marsh, etc., and one third of the sawmill and all water privileges." And June 6, 1719, he gave his son Thomas "half of the marsh at Pinkom's creek," together with one third of his sawmill. This was perhaps the " new mill," men- tioned March 6, 1710-11, when a road was ordered to be opened through Thomas Pickering's farm as far as ye new mill, and thence straight through Hall's farm to the bridge by Hains (Haynes's, in Greenland. )
In an indenture of June 25, 1739,
between Joshua Pickering and the heirs of Joseph Hall, it was agreed that the dividing line between their lands should " begin at the eastern- most post of ye gate upon ye country road, upon ye southerly side of the bridge near the aforesaid Joshua Pickering's house, which gate divides between Greenland and Newington." The line is also stated therein to run "from a stake near a rotten stump on ye bank by ye side of ye Bay at high water mark, north 26 deg. west, to ye marsh creek yt proceeds out of ye marsh commonly called by ye name of Pinkham's marsh, and thence to run as said creek or channel runs." A plan of "Hall's farm at Green- land, beginning at a place called Pinkum's creek," is to be found in the Exeter registry, in the division of Joseph Hall's estate, Nov. 19, 1743.
PINKHAM'S HILL. This hill is on the borders of Dover and Madbury. It is mentioned May 31, 1812, when the way from Libbey's bridge (now Sawyer's) " by the new road to Dur- ham as far as Pinkham's hill," is spoken of. The guide post at the foot of Pinkham's hill, on the Dover road to Madbury line, leading both to Durham and to Piscataqua bridge, is mentioned the same year. The name is derived from a family that owned land in this vicinity for nearly 200 years. John Pinkham had a grant of 50 acres on the S. W. side of Thomas Drew's, Ap. 11, 1694. Thomas Drew's land adjoined that of Benedictus Torr.
PINKHAM'S POINT. This name is given on Whitehouse's map of 1834 to a point on the western shore of the Cochecho, about half way be-
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tween Woodchuck island and Gage's Point. It is now owned by Mr. Minother. The old road to the land- ing-place on this point can still be traced, as well as the cellar of Paul Pinkham's house, from whom the present name was derived.
PINKHAM'S SPRING. This spring is mentioned in a deed from John Hall to Thomas Kenny June 26, 1716. (See Nutter's Slip.) It is at the head of a run on Dover Neck, a short distance southwest of the site of Pinkham's garrison, now owned by Mr. Charles Thompson.
PISCASSICK RIVER. See Pascassick. PISCATAQUA RIVER. See Pascata- qua.
PISS HILL. This hill is mentioned May 26, 1731, when 8 acres of marsh, granted Joseph Evans Ap. 6, 1702, were conveyed by him to Wm. Forst, beginning at a pitch-pine tree near a place commonly called Piss hill, and extending at the S. E. to the end of a little pond. Part of Otis Pinkham's share of the common lands in 1734, was laid out to him June 10, 1735, on the N. E. side of the road leading to Rochester, " be- ginning at the first slow above Piss hill, so called." The " upper slough" on the Rochester road is mentioned Nov. 5, 1734. Eight acres were laid out to Ephraim Tebbets Nov. 15, 1735, on the east side of the Mast road that goes to Rochester, near the first slow above Piss hill, begin- ning at the S. W. corner of Otis Pinkham's land. This hill is repeat- edly mentioned in the Dover records. It is above Willand's Pond in the Blackwater region, on the borders of Dover and Somersworth.
PITCH-PINE PLAINS. The Pitch-
Pine Plains of Newington are in the central part of the township. They are spoken of Dec. 5, 1661, as ad- joining Capt. Bryan Pendleton's land. (See Pine Cove.) They are again mentioned Ap. 2, 1694, when Richard Pumerey's (Pomeroy's) grant of " 20 acres joining zachery trickey's twenty acres in the pich pine plains," was confirmed by the town of Dover. This land was laid out to Richard Pumery June 18, 1697, on the east side of Greenland road, adjoining " Zachery " Trickey's. Nathan and Elizabeth Spinney of Kittery, Ap. 21, 1725, conveyed to Capt. John Knight of Newington, gentleman, all right and title to 20 acres in Newing- ton, bounded northward by the road from the ferry to Greenland, east- ward by the land of Eleazar Cole- man, southward by the parsonage land, and westward by the land of Wm. Vaughan, deceased, which tract was the estate of Richard Pomery, late of Newington. deceased, who was father to ye said Elizabeth Spin- ney. Jane Pomery also quit claim to said Knight that same day. " The gore in the pitch pine plains of New- ington " is mentioned Feb. 14, 1723- 4. (See the Gore.)
The " upper Pitch Pine plains" are mentioned March 14, 1770, when Richard Downing, Esq., of Newing- ton, conveyed to Jonathan Quint one acre of land at a place commonly called the upper Pitch Pine Plains, adjoining the road that leads from Newington meeting house to Green- land, and upon a road called the Narrow Lane leading to Portsmouth. (See Downing's Plains.) These plains are otherwise called Sept. 19, 1685, when " Nathaniel Fryar in the
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
province of Main," having the pre- vious day sold Anthony Libbey "a parcel of land in Bloody point plains," appointed Capt. John Pickering, his attorney, to give sd Libby peaceable possession thereof. In another deed from said Fryar to Henry Sherburne, they are called "the Pitch- Pine plains going to Bloody Point."
Pitch-Pine Plains in the upper part of Dover, on the east side, are mentioned June 23, 1701, in a grant to Tristram Heard of 30 acres between Blackwater bridge and the pitch pine plains.
Pitch-Pine Plains in the Back River district are mentioned Ap. 2, 1707, when John and Samuel Will- iams conveyed to Thomas Davis 13 acres of land on the S. side of the pitch pine plains between John Knight's and Oyster River, granted their father by the town of Dover Ap. 16, 1694, and laid out the 13th of June following, beginning at John Pinkham's. These plains are gener- ally called Field's plains.
Pitch-Pine Plains in Somersworth are mentioned in Paul Wentworth's will of Feb. 3, 1747-8, in which he gives his nephew John 109 acres of land lying on both sides of the way from Wm. Downs' to the pitch pine plains, and so on to the stepping- stones. Thomas Wentworth con- veyed to Maturin Ricker, Sept. 1, 1749, a quarter part of 24 acres which Col. Paul Wentworth, deceas- ed, had laid out upon ye pitch pine plains, a little above his swamp. These plains are no doubt the same referred to Aug. 29, 1727, when Richard Waldron conveyed to To- bias Hanson, Thomas Downs, and John McElroy, 200 acres granted to
his father Richard Waldron ye 5th, 10 mo., 1652, upon ye great plain betwixt Cochecho river and Necha- wanock river, to the eastward of ye great Pond. The highway from " ye Pine plains to Fresh creek " is mentioned Feb. 16, 1721-22. (See Pinch Hill.)
PITMAN'S CREEK. This is an inlet from Oyster river on the shore of the Burnham land, a mile or more below Durham Falls. It is mentioned Nov. 7, 1724, when John Burnham con- veyed to Robert Burnham land ou the south side of Oyster river, " att. a krick known or called by ve name of Pittman's krick, between the land of sd John Burnham and that of Wmn. Pitman, son of Ezekiel."
PLATO'S HILL, otherwise PLATE'S and PLATTE'S HILL. This hill is in Dover city, on the borders of the Highway District No. 15, which is defined in the Dover records of 1867 as beginning "at the culvert at Platte's Hill." It is on Hanson street, at its junction with Payne street, and the culvert above men- tioned is on the latter street, across George's creek. Platte is a corrup- tion of Plate or Plato, a name derived from Plato Waldron, whose house on the side of this hill, on Hanson street, is still to be seen. He was a well- known, popular negro of stalwart frame, who was janitor of the Dover court-house in the day when the Strafford sessions brought hither such lawyers as Daniel Webster, Jeremiah Mason, and Ichabod Bartlett. He was also sexton of the " First Par- ish," and figured prominently at funerals, which he liked to attend. Unfortunately he married a white woman late in life, who was not kind
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to him, and in a fit of despondency he drowned himself in the Cochecho river, not far from the hill that bears his name. George's creek, at the foot of the hill, is often called Plato Waldron's brook, and sometimes Drew's brook, from the late Wm. Drew, who resided in this vicinity.
PLUM-PUDDING HILL. Mentioned the 17th, 12 mo., 1672, when 50 acres of land were laid out to Peter Coffin "on ye north side of ye great mast path going into ye swamp," the south east corner bounded by a marked tree at the west end of Plumpudding hill, and so by ye head of Capt. Wal- den's land to ye highway that goeth to Tole end, and thence along by land which said Coffin bought of Thomas Nock to ye bridge over ye brook going to Tole end, reserving liberty for a cart-way for the use of the town, if required. It is again mentioned the 7th, 4 mo., 1723, when the five daughters of James Coffin, viz : Mary, wife of James Gardner ; Dinah, wife of Nathaniel Starbuck ; Deborah, wife of George Bunker ; Ruth, wife of Joseph Gardner; to- gether with their husbands and their sister, Elizabeth Bunker, widow, all of "Sherborn, on Nantucket " con- veyed to John Ham of Dover, one half a tract of 75 acres, reserving two acres where the orchard was, bounded by the land of Thomas Downs on the E. or S. E., and by a hill called Plumbpudding hill on ye W. or N. W., and by ye highway on ye N. side ; which land was conveyed to said James by his brother Peter Coffin, and given by said James to his five daughters in his will of May 17, 1720. (See Trumbelow Swamp.) Plum-Pudding Hill is said to be the
high ground between Lexington and Arch streets, in Dover city.
PLUM SWAMP. This swamp is in the southern part of the Durham Point district, below Long marsh. It is called " plome swamp " in the Wil- ley grant of March 19, 1693-4. A part of " Plumb Swamp " was sold John Ambler, July 12, 1714, by John, son of Thomas Bickford. Nov. 17, 1718, John Rand sold Francis Mathes thirty-one acres of land south of John Ambler's, bounded east by the bay (Little bay), and extending up towards the woods near ye plumb swamp, which land was called by the name of " Rand's plantation." Fran- cis Mathes, Dec. 20, 1748, conveyed to Benj" and Samuel Mathes a tract called plum swamp, bounded N. by Stephen Wille's land, W. by that of John Ambler, deceased, S. by the common land and the highway, and E. by a highway that goes to said Wille's. These roads lead to Lub- berland and into Horn's woods. The lower part of Plum swamp lays along a brook of the same name, which crosses the highway near Mr. Henry Davis's. The name is still retained. Plum Swamp, Caulley's Marsh, Long Marsh, Broad Marsh, and Moharimet's Marsh, succeed each other from the vicinity of Little Bay to the bounds of Lce.
PLUM-SWAMP BROOK. Mentioned Oct. 14, 1714, when thirty acres were laid out to ffrancis Mathes, begin- ning at a rock in the Plum swamp brook, on the west side of the path that leads from said Mathes his dwelling house to Samuel Edgerle's. This brook rises among the springs in Plum swamp, crosses the road from Durham Point to Lubberland near Mr. Henry Davis's house, and
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empties into Little Bay on the shore of Mr. John Emerson's farm. At the mouth is a fall of several feet over a perpendicular ledge, which is called the Falling-off place.
PLUM-TREE POINT. Mentioned June 2. 1766, when James Bunker of Dur- ham, and wife Sarah, conveyed to Remembrance Clark of Madbury about one aere of thateh bed in Dur- ham, at the head of a small creek, southerly of the house where said Bunker then lived, beginning at a " pople tree " bound between Joseph and James Bunker, and extending around by the upland to " a place called Plumb tree point." This was, of course, at the head of Bunker's creek.
POCKETTY MARSII. Mentioned Jan. 7, 1736-7, when Benedictus Torr conveyed to Abraham Nute three aeres of meadow ground and thatch- bed, on ye easterly side of Back river, above ye month of Little John's creek, between said river and Joseph Aus- tin's land, commonly called ye Pock- etty Marsh, alias ye Boggy Marsh, which said Torr had purchased of Abraham Nute and John Drew. Abraham and Rachel Nute conveyed this marsh to Joseph Austin Sept. 14, 1737.
POMEROY'S COVE. Mentioned the 5th, 10 mo., 1652, when Richard Waldron had the grant of "a cove on Dover Neck, commonly called Pomryes Coue, from Sandy point right over to the other side of the coue to make a Docke."-"All the marsh in pomryes Cove " was con- veyed to Thomas Kemble Nov. 6, 1658. He conveyed it, Jan. 18, 1662, to Peter Coffin, who sold it to Anthony Nutter Feb. 17, 1664,
(See Sandy Point.) Pomeroy's cove, now called Card's cove, is on Fore river, at the lower end of Dover Neck, about half a mile above the lower extremity of Dover Point. It extends westward, cutting the Neck nearly in two. The remains of Capt. Thomas Card's wharf are still to be seen on the north side, probably in the same place as Major Waldron's. The original name of this cove was no doubt derived from Richard Pom- eroy, who also owned land in the Bloody Point district. He, or his father, was one of the early settlers at the Shoals. See 6. 279.
POND CITY. This name is famil- iarly given to a neighborhood on the north side of Barbadoes Pond, on the so-called "new road," leading from the Littleworth road along the upper side of the pond.
POND HILL. This hill is on the Stepping-Stones road in Lee below the source of Oyster river. It ex- tends along the upper side of Lang- ley's heath to Wheelwright's pond.
POOR TOWN. Mentioned on Hol- land's map of 1784. It is in Somers- worth, below Hurd's pond, now Cole's, but the name, perhaps derived from the nature of the soil, is no longer in use.
PORTSMOUTHI. This name is said to commemorate Capt. John Mason's residence at the English port and naval station of Portsmouth during the wars with France and Spain, at which time he had command of the South Sea Castle which defended the entrance to Portsmouth harbor. This castle perhaps suggested the name of New Castle at the mouth of the Pascataqua. (See Tuttle's Capt. John Mason.) The above reason,
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
however, is not given when the inhabitants at Strawberry Bank peti- tioned to the General Court at Bos- ton, May, 1653, to have the name of that Bank changed to Portsmouth- the latter, says the petition, " being a name most suitable for this place, it beinge (at) the River's mouth & a good (harbour) as any in this land." (N. H. Prov. Pap., 1 : 208.) Ports- mouth, at one period, mcluded the Greenland shore, which had been a part of Ancient Dover. " The county of Dover and Portsmouth " is often mentioned in the early records. (See Strafford County and Trumbelow Swamp. ) See 4 . 280.
PRAY'S BROOK. This small brook is mentioned as between the lands of Moses Pray and Francis Plumer, July 3, 1849, when the bounds be- tween Somersworth and Rollinsford were defined. (See Rollinsford.) It rises between the Pray house and Indigo hill, and runs in a nearly direct course to the Salmon Falls river.
PROSPECT HILL. This name has long been given to the height at the upper end of Great Falls village. The Wentworth Genealogy (1 : 278) says that Joseph, son of Benjamin Went- worth, (born Dec. 22, 1709 ; died Jan. 26, 1765) "owned the high- lands now known as Prospect Hill at Great Falls." On the top of this hill is the reservoir, built for the use of the Manufacturing Co., but gen- erously allowed the village for its supply of water.
PUDDING HILL. This hill is in Madbury, east of the railway station, near the Dover line, and commands an extensive and beautiful view of the surrounding country. It is
crossed by the old road from Back river. The name was no doubt derived from the windmill thereon in early times, to which the neighboring farmers brought their corn to be ground. The hill and windmill are both mentioned in the Dover records, May 20, 1734, when Stephen Otis and others petitioned the town for a small tract of land to lie common where Wm. Dam and Clement Drew's windmill stood on " Pudden Hill." for the convenience of said mill. This petition was not granted. (See Dam's Windmill.) At a town-meet- ing in Madbury, March 30, 1786, it was voted to change the road lead- ing through Benjamin Hill's land to Nock's marsh, beginning at the S. E. corner of Samuel Davis's land, where he then lived, on the main road over Pudden Hill, so called, and running by said Davis's land to Remembrance Clark's land, and then to follow the old road first laid out. "Samuel Davis of Pudden Hill in Madbury," is mentioned towards the close of last century as marrying Judith Tut- tle (born 1762) granddaughter of Ensign John Tuttle, who was killed by the Indians, May 17, 1712. He sprang from the Davises of Oyster River, and his descendants still own the above mentioned land on Pud- ding Hill.
Many Indian traditions are con- nected with Pudding Hill. Two men in early times were harvesting grain on the Davis land, when some In- dians stole in between them and their muskets, which lay on the ground while they were at work. Catching a glimpse of their foes, the men started, one for the Field's garrison and the other for Woodman's, with the
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
Indians in pursuit. Both got safely into garrison, and the signal guns, fired almost at the same instant, showed they arrived about the same time.
Near Pudding Hill, at the south- east, lived an unmarried man named Pearl, alone in his cabin. The In- dians set fire to the dwelling, and he was burned alive. This was perhaps Nicholas Pearle, who, according to Rev. John Pike's journal, was slain by the Indians in the day time, Aug. 10, 1706, "at his Cave some miles above Oyster River, where he dwelt night and day, winter and summer, from the last breaking out of the war, tho twas in the very wake and way where the enemy used to pass." Belknap calls him Wmn. Pearl. Nich- olas, however, certainly lived in this vicinity. John Pearl and wife Mary, Nov. 30, 1717, conveyed to James Clark 30 acres of land formerly owned by his father Nicholas Pearl. on the south side of the mast path that leads from Benedictus Tarr's to Madberry, between James Bunker's and Joseph Meader's. (See Pearl's Ferry.)
QUAKER MEETING-HOUSES. The first meeting-house in the township, built by the Society of Friends, was on Dover Neck. It is mentioned Dee. 11, 1729-30, when Joseph and Elizabeth Roberts conveyed to " Thomas Canney and others of the Society commonly called Quakers," three eighths of an acre of land, be- ginning 63 rods from the N. W. cor- ner of the Quaker meeting-house, and running along the road from Hilton's Point to Cochecho. This tract seems to have included the site of the meet- ing-house itself. The remainder was
for a burial place, which is still to be seen, on the west side of the highway to Dover Point, adjoining the Roberts land. The meeting-house was re- moved to Eliot about 1770, for the use of the Society there.
Another Quaker meeting-house is mentioned in an indenture of March 4, 1734-5, signed by Eben', Joseph, and Stephen Varney, John Twombly, Joseph Estes, and Tobias Hanson, conveying land in Dover, on ye south- erly side of ye road yt leads from Cochecho to Tolend, near ye place wr Thos Down8 House formerly stood, 80 ft. in length and 40 ft. in breadth, bounded northerly on said road 80 ft. ; and easterly, southerly, and west- erly, on David Watson's land; it being ye piece or parcel of land on wich stands a certain meeting house in wych ?je People at Cochecho commonly called Quakers usually meet. This is the same land David Watson conveyed to Eben' Varney March 30, 1724, 80 ft. long, and 40 ft. broad, " begin- ning near an apple tree standing where old Thomas Downs formerly had a house," thence running 80 ft. " by ye road yt leads from Tolend." It was a part of the old Coffin land. (See Trumbelow Swamp and Plum- Pudding Hill.) The Rev. Dr. Quint, however, says the second Quaker meeting-house. built " considerably prior to 1720," " stood on the south- west corner of Loenst and Silver streets, where Jacob K. Purinton now lives." (See his First Parish in Dover, p. 54.) The present one, on Central Avenue, was built in 1768.
QUAMPIIEGAN. This name was originally given to the falls in the Newichawannock where Capt. Thomas
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Wiggin and Symon Bradstreet erect- ed a saw-mill, mentioned the 5th, 10 mo., 1652, but it was soon ex- tended to the neighboring district on both sides of the river. Andrew Wiggin of Quamscott conveyed to John Lovering, May 18, 1663, 50 acres of land granted him by the town of Dover for the accommoda- tion of a sawmill on a branch of the Piscataqua river, at a place called Quamphegan, bounded N. or N. W. by land of Thomas Broughton and southerly by the lot of Thomas Beard, one bound at the upper side being an oak within two rods of the dwelling-house of said Lovering. John and Ralph Hall testified, June 1, 1674, that a tract of land was laid ont to Thomas Broughton on the S. W. side of Newichawannock river, beginning at a tree by the river side near to ye house commonly called Jnº Lonerin's house, and running thence N. W. to a white oak at the foot of a long hill above the falls, thence N. W. to a maple by the side of a swamp. A space on the river, re- served for depositing logs, is men- tioned, and, a highway between Lov- ering's house and the upper end of Quamphegan mill. John Lovering was drowned about 1668, and his son John sold the above mentioned land to Thomas Abbott. "Thomas Ab- bott, Sr., of Kittery, alias Barwick,1 in the Province of Maine in ye Mas- sachusetts Colony," conveyed it, Jan.
30, 1710, to his son Joseph, who sold it to Archibald MacPheadris Nov. 9, 1717. Archibald MacPheadris of Portsmouth and wife Mary conveyed this same tract to Benjn Wentworth Ap. 12, 1725. The deed declares it to be "in Dover, at a place commonly called by the name of Quamphegan, bounded north by Mr. Broughton's," etc. Capt. Benj" Wentworth seems to have settled on this land. He lived near the present turnpike bridge, on land owned by the late James Rollins.
The log hill on the western side of Quamphegan falls, laid out in 1702, was re-bounded Jan. 6, 1723, " be- ginning at or near the old sellar (cel- lar) by the river side where there was a former bound mark of Luffer- ing (Lovering) in a red oak tree by the river side, thence running N. W. and be W. 27 rods," etc. This hill is again mentioned Nov. 28, 1728, when Samuel Tebbets conveyed to his daughter Judith " one eighth part of a certain single saw in the middle sawmill at Quampeagin falls, wth ye eighth part of ye pvilege of the stream fall, and ye pvileges of ye logg Hill," which privilege was granted said Samuel in 1701.
Quumphegan bridge is at the foot of Somersworth Hill, and crossed by the turnpike road to Portland. Quamphegan falls are a little below the bridge. The head of tide water is at the foot of the dam. Quam-
1 Kittery was incorporated as a town Oct. 20, 1647. Kittery Point is mentioned March 8, 1670- 71. "The upper part of Kittery now Berwick," is mentioned in the York records Oct. 2, 1678. " The vpper division of Kittery, now called Barwick," is mentioned in a deed from John Hearle to Abraham Lord Aug. 27, 1681. The "parish of Barwick" is spoken of July 12, 1683. It was sometimes called Union parish. Berwick was incorporated as a town June 9, 1713. Martha Lord, aged about 70, testified Sept. 19, 1717, that " ye now town of Berwick from Sturgeon Creek up to Toziers above Salmon falls hath been inhabited above sixty years." (York Records.) Eliot was separated from Kittery and incorporated in 1810. South Berwick was separated from Berwick and incorporated June 5, 1814, and North Berwick March 22, 1831.
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