USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Dover > Landmarks in ancient Dover, New Hampshire > Part 31
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Strafford County is mentioned May 28, 1772, in a message from Gov. Wentworth, as "without county privileges." (Do., p. 302.) It was then attached to Rockingham Co. The Council voted, June 13, 1772, that " all the Courts for the County of Strafford be held for the term of 7 years at Dover." (p. 309.) And the "Honb' Thos Westbrook Waldron " was appointed Recorder of Deeds in Strafford County Feb. 6, 1773, on which day this county apparently went into full operation. A part of Ancient Dover, however, still belongs to Rockingham County.
STRAWBERRY BANK. This name was given to the settlement after- wards called Portsmouth as early as 1631. It is mentioned Dec. 5, 1632. (N. H. Prov Pap., 1 : 68.) In the petition to the Mass. government in May, 1653, to have this name changed to Portsmouth, it is stated that the plantation of Strawberry Bank was " accidentally soe called by reason
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
of a banke where straberries were found." (N. H. Prov. Pap .. 1 : 208.) There was a Strawberry Bank Com- bination for government, probably as early as 1633. This included Great Island, and all the lower Pascataqua region. It is referred to in 1643, when John Pickering was "injoined to deliver the old combination at Strawberry Bank the next court." (Ibid, 1 : 111.) Pike, in his Journal in 1698, merely calls this settlement the Bank, as did many Portsmouth people to a late day.
STYLES' BROOK. This brook, so called in a deed of 1795, rises at a spring on the Roberts land, in Rol- linsford, and empties into St. Alban's cove. It is referred to May 9, 1709, when the road from the head of Fresh creek to St. Alban's cove was ex- tended " northward down the hill, and over the freshet that vents itself into St. Albon's cove, at the old wade- ing-place there."
STYLES' COVE. This name, derived from a neighboring land owner, is sometimes given to St. Alban's cove, on the western shore of the Salmon Falls river. Wm. Stiles, Oct. 31, 1752, conveyed to Thomas Miller, Jr., one acre of land in Somersworth, beginning three rods eastward of an old cellar where Samuel Styles for- merly dwelt, and extending along the road that leads from St. Alban's cove to Quochecho. Wm. Stiles conveyed to Hanson Stiles, Ang. 13, 1784, 60 acres of land, butting easterly on Newechewanick river and St. Alban's cove, northerly on the road that leads
from Sligo to Fresh creek, southerly on Hussey's land, and westerly on that of Richard Philpot.
The STYx. See No-Bottom Pond. SUKE ABBOT'S HILL. This hill is on the borders of the Two-Mile Streak, east of the turnpike-road, near the Lee boundary. Many amus- ing stories are still in circulation about the eccentric woman from whom this hill derived its name.
SULLIVAN'S FALLS. This name is now given to the lowest falls in Lam- prey river within the limits of Dur- ham, but Gen. Sullivan's privilege no doubt extended along the rapids to the falls above, to which the name of " Packer's " is now confined. He acquired this mill-privilege Sept. 4, 1770, when John Shepard of Not- tingham, and Susanna his wife, for the sum of 260 pounds, conveyed to John Sullivan sixty acres of land adjoining Lamperell river on the south side, at a place called the second fulls, with all right and title to said second falls.1 John Adams, after- wards President, in a letter from York, June 29, 1774, says John Sullivan of Durham then had "a fine stream of water, with an excel- lent corn-mill, saw-mill, fulling-mill, seythe-mill, and others, six mills in all, which are both his delight and profit." Sullivan's mills " at Paek- er's falls " are spoken of Dec., 1774, when Eleazar Bennet, of the Fort William and Mary expedition, was in his employ. According to Hol- land's map of 1784 Gen. Sullivan had four mills along this part of the
1 This land was conveyed by Samuel Smith, Oct. 3, 1769, to his " dutiful daughter Susanna," wife of John Shephard of Nottingham, in consideration of 260 pounds paid by her. The deed of this land declares it to be " on the south side of Lamperel river, at a place called the second falls on said river."
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
river. The N. H. Mercury of Ports- mouth advertises, Nov. 14, 1785, General Sullivan's "new grist-mill, where his double grist-mill formerly stood, also a new fulling-mill, both at Second Falls, and nearly in the same places where those mills stood which were swept off by the late freshet ;" the " clothing and silk- dying business carried on in the best manner " at the fulling-mill. A good farm of upwards 150 acres " near Lampreyeel river, near Packer's falls," with grist-mill, saw-mill, full- ing-mill, and press-house, were ad- vertised for sale Oct. 5, 1790. These were General Sullivan's. The "full- ing-mill at Sullivan's falls " is again mentioned, in 1793. It was then managed by Daniel Croxford, who, after Gen. Sullivan's death, con- tinued to carry on "the clothier's business in all its branches," as ap- pears from his advertisement of June 19, 1798.
SUNKEN ISLAND. This island is in the Cochecho river, near the mouth of Reyner's brook. It is said to have derived its name from being submerged at the erection of the dam at the fifth falls. It is men- tioned March 8, 1710-11, when 40 acres of land were laid out to Capt. John Tuttle, on the south side of the Cochecho river, above Tole End, nearly opposite Mr. Reyner's brook, beginning at a hemlock tree by the river, below the Sunken Island. And again, Oct. 23, 1719, when Mr. Rainer's 400 acre grant in 1656 was laid out to John Waldron " above Tole End, on the N. E. side of Cochecha fresh river."
SUNKEN LEDGE. This is a rock dangerous to navigation in the Long Reach. It is off the Newington shore, below Birch Point, but hidden by the current.
SWADDEN'S CREEK. This inlet is on the Newington shore of the Great Bay, above Fabyan's point. It is the lower bound of the old Pickering grant, mentioned in the Portsmouth records of Feb., 1655, when John Pickering had a grant of all "the land lying between swadens creek and pincomb's creek in the great bay." The former edition of this work says Swadden's creek was the upper boun- dary of the Pickering grant. Further investigation shows that the upper bound was Pinkham's creek, and the lower one Swadden's. (See Pink- ham's Creek.) The name of Swad- den's creek was derived from Philip Swadden, Swaddow, or Scoudew, of the Dover Combination of 1640, who had a grant of land on this shore be- fore 1643. It was re-granted the 24th, 8 mo., 1643, as follows : " It is this day ordered that Edward Starbuck shall have the marsh in the Great Bay which was formerly granted Philip Seoudew nere his wigwam." 1 Mention of " his wigwam" has led some writers erroneously to suppose that Philip Swadden was an Indian. The word " wigwam," however, does not necessarily imply an Indian hab- itation as elsewhere shown. (See Her- od's Wigwam.) It was a name often given by lumber-men in early times to their shelter in the forest. Among those engaged in the lumber business at that time on the shore of the Great Bay, were Philip Swadden, < sac p. 281
1 The recorder may have accidentally omitted the word Herod before " his wigwam." (See Swadden's Island and Herod's Point.)
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
Thomas Johnson, Andrew Harwood, and Thomas ffurson, all of whom are mentioned the last of the 6th mo., 1643, as selling timber, clapboards, and pipe-staves. (See Harwood's Cove. ) Philip Swadden left Dover not long after, and went to Maine, where he was still living Ang. 27, 1673, when he testified that he was then about 73 years of age, and 38 or 39 years previous lived in the Pis- cataqua region. On the creek which bore his name settled Thomas Pick- ering, son of the above John, and ancestor of the present writer. Thomas conveyed to his son James, Jan. 28, 1716, a tract of land bound- ed east by " a brook called Swadden's brook." And June 6, 1719, he gave to his son Thomas 100 acres adjoin- ing, on which stood his dwelling- house, barn, out-houses, orchard, etc. This land, which remained in the Pickering family till a recent day, now belongs to Mr. J. S. Hoyt. Traces of a mill on Swadden's creek at the head of tide water may still be seen. Hence the name of Mill creek, by which it is now generally called.
Swadden's brook rises on the Haven farm in Portsmouth, just beyond the Newington line. The springs that feed it partly supply Portsmouth with water, in consequence of which this brook now often dries up in summer time. Pinkham's and Swadden's creeks are about a mile apart at their source, but at the mouth only a third of that distance. The road from Newington to Greenland crosses them both, shortly before they empty into the Great Bay. The lower part of Swadden's creek, for many years
alive with the falls and mill, and the activity of the early pioneers, is now utterly silent and desolate. There is only a cluster of tall chestnuts and pines on the shore, which overshadow a few hillocks covered with rank grass, where the early Pickerings are buried, on the very edge of the water, looking off over Great Bay towards the southern shore of Durham-a spot beautiful and solitary, and aban- doned to Nature, where it seems good to rest and await the vitam venturi sæculi.
SWADDEN'S ISLAND. This is an islet in Great Bay, just above the mouth of Swadden's creek, otherwise Mill creek. It has always belonged to the " Mill-creek farm," which was origi- nally a part of the Pickering grant of 1655. The name has been corrupted to Swan island. It is mentioned Dec. 15, 1662, when Peter Coffin conveyed to John Hall 30 acres of upland, and 6 acres of salt marsh adjoining, formerly granted to Elder Edward Starbuck by the town of Dover, sª upland and marsh now lying and being wtbin the pecincts or Limits of the sd town of Dover, upon the S. E. side of the Great Bay, over against Swadden's island, commonly soe called, and adjoining sd Hall's land. It is again mentioned Oct. 3, 1686, when John Fabens (Fabyan) of Portsmouth, and Sarah, my now wife,1 "daughter of John Hall of Greenland, conveyed to Thomas Pickering " 30 acres of upland, and 6 acres of salt marsh adjoining thereto, formerly called by the name of Swad- on's Marsh and Herod's Point, upon the eastward side of the Great Bay, and
1 Pike records the marriage of "John Fabian and Mary Pickirin " Dec. 25, 1702. She was the daughter of Thomas Pickering.
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
northward from Swadon's island, so called ; bounded north by John Jack- son's land, and so runs to Harwood's Cove, and so round southward and east by water to the other end of the fence by Joseph Atkinson's land, near adjoining to said Pickering's neck of land." Swadden's island is again mentioned Ap. 30, 1719, in a deed from Thomas Pickering to his son Joshna.
SWAN ISLAND. See Swadden's Is- land.
SWAZEY'S HILL. This hill is in Dover city, on William Street, be- tween Central Avenue and the Print Works. It is so called in the Dover records of 1812, when "the road from the top of Swazey's hill towards the bridge " is mentioned. Also in the conveyance of a lot near Sweasey's hill to the Dover Cotton Factory Jan. 19, 1822, by Mary and Abigail J. Kimball, and Wm. and Maria Palmer. The name was derived from Nathaniel Sweasey or Swazey, cabinet-maker, who lived here a century ago. He died before July 28, 1804, when his widow Sarah is mentioned as admin- istratrix of his estate. This hill is otherwise called Gallows Hill. The Irish of this quarter call it Swazey's Bray, from the Irish word bri, bree, or brea, signifying a hill or rising ground-the same as the Scotch word brae, so often used by the poet Burns. (See Gallows IIill.)
SYMOND'S GRANT. See Wadleigh's Falls.
TAN HOUSE. Mentioned the 4th, 8 mo., 1653, when Job Clement had a grant of land by Fore river side, one bound of which was a stake above the Tan House, thence over the spring (probably the one now
called Coleman's spring) 5 poles and 4 ft. to a stake 2 poles and 2 ft. to the N. E. corner of the old Brew House, npon a straight line to the water side. This was apparently the land above the old ferry-place at Beck's Slip, now owned by Mr. Jo- seph Furnald. Job Clement, Sr., himself was a tanner.
TATE'S BROOK. This name is some- times given to that part of Peter's Marsh brook which runs through the Tate lands in Somersworth. It more properly belongs to a small tributary to this brook, on the lower side, which flows through the Tate and Ranlet lands.
The name of Tate's road is fre- quently given to that part of the old road to Rocky Hills which passes through the Tate land, below the brook.
TEAM HILL, otherwise TEEM. This hill is mentioned several times in the Dover and Durham records, as Feb. 22, 1720-21, when a road is spoken of "beginning att a place called Teem Hill," and "crossing the long marsh to the road that leads from Oyster River falls to Lampereel bridge." This hill is at Durham Point, where the common is. Sev- eral roads centre in this vicinity, and in the day of ferries across the river to Fox point, and across the bay to Furber's point, the number of vehi- cles that met on this hill doubtless gave it its name.
TEAR-CAP CORNER. This name was formerly given to Madbury cor- ner, where three roads meet at the foot of Hicks's hill. It is mentioned May 29, 1740, when a petition was made for a road from " Ture Cap" to Freetown. At that time the Tasker
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
and Hicks families owned the land around this corner, and its name may have been derived from the towering cap of Mrs. Hicks, which seems to have been proverbial. To this day, when an ominous cloud gathers around the top of Hicks's Hill, on which she lived, the people of the vicinity say : "A storm is brewing : Granny Hicks has got her night-cap on." She was the wife of the first Joseph Hicks, and the daughter of Col. James Davis of Oyster River, who was famous as a leader of scout- ing parties against the Indians. She lived to an advanced age, and was a woman of great ability and energy of character. She had a tendency to predominate, and doubtless held chief sway in her neighborhood, where many stories are still afloat which testify to her originality and con- sciousness of superiority. She used to loudly wish, with a deploring shake of her head (and the cap on it), that she could put her brains into her son Joseph's cranium. It does not ap- pear, however, that he was particu- larly deficient.
TEN RODS ROAD. This road leads through Rochester into Farmington, crossing the line between these towns about half way between Ricker's pond and the Cochecho river. It is men- tioned June 13, 1733, when John Canne of Dover conveyed to Elijah Tibbets of Rochester 30 acres in the 56th lot in the first division of Roch- ester, " beginning at ye ten rods road that runs across ye first division of sd Rochester from Salmon fall river to Cochecha river, near an house erected on said land, or where ye mast way now crosseth ye sd ten rods road."
sometimes given to a small point on the Newington shorc, below Long Point, perhaps from Thomas Picker- ing, who acquired most of the land at and around Long Pt. in the middle of last century. Or from Stephen Jones Thomas, who, between 1789 and 1802, bought in various parcels the adjoining homestead of Depend- ence Bickford, with 7 acres of Nich- olas Pickering, and 5} of Timothy Dame which extended to a cove in Great Bay.
THOMPSON'S FALLS. This name was formerly given to a mill privilege in Lee, just below Little River saw- mill, where Jonathan Thompson had a grist-mill and fulling-mill, which he gave to his son Joseph in his will of Sept. 10, 1756, together with the falls on which they stood, and one acre of land joining thereto. These falls were at a later day called Bart- lett's fulls. Joseph Thompson, May 3, 1774, conveyed to Josiah Bartlett of Haverhill, Mass., his dwelling- house and one acre of land adjoin- ing ; also his grist-mill and fulling- mill, with one half of the privilege, and four acres between the grist-mill and saw-mill, adjoining the road. (See Bartlett's Falls.)
THOMPSON'S POINT. This point is + on the west side of the river Coche- cho, a little above the mouth, but the name has not been perpetuated. It was so called from William Thomp- son, ancestor of the present writer, who was in Dover as early as 1647. " Thompson's point house" is on the Dover rate-list of 1648. This point is again mentioned the 5th, 10 mo., 1652, when orders were given to be- gin at Tomson's Pointe to mark the 300 pine trees and 100 oak trees
THOMAS POINT. This name is Sie Old Kittery and Her Families by Rew. E. S. Stackpole. po 120
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
granted Capt. Thomas Wiggin and others, and thence upward into Mr. Waldron's grant. Thomas Canney had a grant of 16 acres of upland the 6th, 10 mo., 1656, to be laid out adjoining " his perches (purchase) at Tomson's poynt." This land was laid out from the outmost point turning up to Cochecho 50 rods to the long creek westward below Tomson's poynt, butting on Fore river, thence running three score and ten rods up the long creek side, reserving a cartway from the woods to the water side at the head of the creek, and up Cochecho river three score and ten rods, and thence on a straight line over to the bound at the head of the long creek.
Job Clement had a grant of 3} acres of upland the 23d, 10 mo., 1658, part of which was below "the highway that goeth from Thomas Canney's into the woods towards Tomson's Poynt," bounded E. by the Fore river, on the northern side of the hollow, where the ship was built.1 A lane from Parson Reyner's land to Tomson's point is mentioned in 1675. Thomas, "oldest son and rightful heir of the late Thomas Canney, Jr.," and his wife Grace, conveyed to his brother Samuel, Ang. 12, 1703, 45 acres of land in the tenure of said Samuel, adjacent to Thompson's Point, and next to Henry Tibbet's land. Joshua Canney, son of Samuel, con- veyed to John Gage, Dec. 17, 1745, a tract of land extending to the mouth of the Cochecho river, and westerly on said river to Thompson's point. It joined Gage's land on the south. (See Long Creek.)
Thompson's Point, which seems to
have been acquired by Thomas Can- ney, was apparently at or near the present brick-yard of Mr. Gage, near the mouth of the Cochecho river. Wm. Thompson, from whom it de- rived its name, is supposed by some writers to have removed to Kittery, where a Wm. Thompson died in 1676, leaving six children. But the writer finds no proof of this supposed iden- tity. Wm. Thompson's name is not on the Dover rate-lists after 1659, and the only land he left in Dover unsold appears to have been inherited by his son John, who afterwards set- tled at Oyster River. (See Ash Swamp and Cochecho Log Swamp.)
The article on Thompson's Point in the former edition of this work is full of errors, this point being confounded therein with land on the east side of the Cochecho river above the mouth of Fresh Creek, where a Wm. Thomp- son and his son William successively owned land, which the latter sold to Samuel Alley Ang. 3, 1736. (See Alley Point.)
The name of Thompson's Point is now sometimes given to the Lower Huntress landing-place, on the bor- ders of Newington and Portsmouth.
THREE CREEKS. These creeks, sometimes called Tuttle's creeks, are on the west side of Back river, below Hopehood's Point, where John Tut- tle had a grant in 1642. His son, Judge John Tuttle, in his will of Dec. 28, 1717, gives his grandsons, Thomas and John Tuttle, all his lands on the west side of Back river, adjacent to the three creeks, to be divided by the cartway to the south side of the mid- dle point, the usual place of landing :
1 Isaac Stokes in 1661 also had a grant of 31/2 acres on the east side of Dover Neck, near the place where " the friggot was billd."
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
Thomas to have the north division, and John the south.
The THREE-FORKED PINE. This tree was one of the old bounds of the Bloody Point settlement, on the line from Canney's creek to Hogsty Cove. (See Harwood's Creek.)
TIBBETTS' SLIP. There was once a landing-place of this name on the east side of Back river, nearly a mile above Nutter's Slip, probably so called from Jeremiah Tibbets, who had a grant of a house-lot in 1655, at the upper side of which a highway was afterwards laid out to this slip. A short distance S. E. is Nock's spring, where Thomas Nock had the grant of 32 acres for a house-lot in 1656, laid out Feb. 5, 1657.
TICKLE POINT. Mentioned as early as Aug. 17, 1738, when Joseph Meader of the island of Nantucket, and Nicholas Meader of Durham, made a division of two acres of land, part of the homestead of their father John Meader, deceased, "adjacent to ye river on ye Point commonly calld and known by ye name of Tickle Point in Durham aforesaid." In a deed from Thomas Pinkham to Wm. K. Atkinson, Dec. 30, 1797, Tittle, or Tickle, or Trickle Point" is men- tioned as a part of the " Franklin Propriety." On a plan of July 10, 1758, among the State Papers at Concord, mention is made of " Tickle Pt. or Cedar Pt." as if the same point. Cedar Pt., however, is at the lower side of what is generally called Tickle Pt. The latter is just below the month of Oyster river, at the Durham terminus of the old Pascata- qua bridge. In the day of a tavern and toll-gate at this bridge, the name of Tickle Pt. was often superseded
| by the significant one of Tattle Point. (See Franklin City.)
TOLE END, otherwise TOLEND. The Tolend district is on the south side of the Cochecho river, above the second or Tolend falls. The name seems to have been originally given to the limit of the early grants at Cochecho, next the territory occupied by the Indians. (See Indian Corn- Ground. ) James Paquamehood of Tollend, evidently an Indian, is men- tioned Oct. 20, 1665, as selling sun- dry lands and ponds to James Raw- ling of Long Reach. An old Dover grant, which the writer has not been able to find, is said to mention " Mr. Towle his end." No Towles, how- ever, are on the early rate-lists of Dover, but " Jo" Towle, ffisherman," is mentioned in the York records Jan. 18, 1652, when he made an attesta- tion concerning Geo. Walton. Na- thaniel Starbuck and Wm. Horne had a grant of 240 acres between Co- checho and Tole End, Sept. 20, 1661. " The second fall of the River of Co- checha, commonly called or known by the name of tole End fall," is mentioned March 3, 1702. Israel Hodgdon of Dover, June 11, 1714, conveyed to John Drew and Philip Yeaton one sixteenth part of the new mill " on ye northside of Toall-End Falls, with ye privilege of said falls." (See Cochecho Falls.) The Barbadoes way to Tole End is mentioned Feb. 16, 1711, when land was laid out to John Horn. (See Indian Corn Ground.) " The mast road that goes from Tolend to Rochester " is mentioned Oct. 15, 1748. (See Ham's Marsh.) The name of Tolend was given to one of the Dover school-districts as early as 1790. It is still retained.
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
TOM DREW'S OVEN. Mentioned Feb. 22, 1709-10, when John Ger- rish conveyed to Benedictus Torr a tract of land on the west side of Back river, on the south side of the mast path, extending southwesterly near a place called Tom Drew's Oven. (See Torr's Garrison.) Major Waldron's 400 acre grant on the west side of Back river, according to the boundary of May 19, 1688, ran from the brow of the hill on the south side of the inill-dam of Belleman's bank S. S. W. 260 rods to a pitch pine tree on the plains, then W. 320 rods to a dry pine " near the house which Thomas Drew, Jr., hath erected," bounding said land on the north to the mill-dam. Thomas Drew's land was on the south side of the Torr land, but there is no tradition in that neighborhood concerning his Oven.
TOM-HALL BROOK. This brook rises south of Beech hill, and empties into Huckins brook a little above the head of Beard's creek, in Durham. It is referred to Ap. 22, 1728, when Joseph Hall of Dover conveyed to John Hall all right and title to 20 acres of land granted to his father Thomas Hall (grandson of Deacon John Hall of Dover) "at ye brook above ye head of Jonathan Wood- man's creek." This stream is still known as the Tom-Hall brook. The bridge that spans it, on the highway from Durham village to Madbury, a little above the Boston & Maine Rail- road, is called the Tom-Hall bridge. And this part of the highway, laid out in 1818, is often called in the Durham records the Tom-Hall road, or route, to distinguish it from the old road over Brown's hill.
TRASK'S CORNER. This corner is in
the western part of the Quamphegan district, on the road to the Rollins- ford station, where a family of that name formerly lived.
TRICKEY'S COVE. This cove is men- tioned March 5, 1713, when John Downing sold Samuel and John Shackford part of a neck of land on the south side of Trickey's cove, and at the north-east of a little cove be- tween said neck and Steven's point. The bounds of this tract, which amounted to 16 acres, began at a birch tree near Downing's land and ran to a rock in or beside a little brook above said Trickey's dwelling- house, then extended E. along by the land of Zachariah Triekey, Senior ; N. to a pine stump in a little gully near ye point, and W. to the lands of Rebecca Trickey and the parsonage. This neck is now called Zackey's Point, otherwise Orchard Point. The "gully " above mentioned is now called Coleman's Creek.
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