USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Dover > Landmarks in ancient Dover, New Hampshire > Part 34
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The two islands in the middle of Wheelwright's pond are mentioned in Bartholomew Stevenson's will of April 22, 1718, in which he gives his son Joseph five acres of marsh, granted him by the town of Dover, on the south side of this pond, "against two islands." These islands are seldom visited except by those who go there to fish for perch and pickerel, or to gather the fragrant pond lilies which grow in profusion around their shores.
The narrows are mentioned Jan. 20, 1719-20, when Oliner Kent's grant (in 1656) of 80 acres of upland " near whelrit's Pond on the north side of the Pond, against the narrow," was surveyed anew. These narrows are a little above the source of Oyster river. The contraction of the waters here has given rise to the names of Upper and Lower pond, though really one sheet of water. The name of this pond was derived from the Rev. John Wheelwright, founder of Exe- ter, attesting the ancient claims of that township to lands along Oyster river. Richard Otis of Dover was authorized by the town, July 3, 1666, " to ent all the grass about the pond
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by Oyster river, which was known by the name of Mr. Wheelwright's marsh."
WHIDDEN'S CREEK. See Picker- ing's creek.
WHISOW or WHISONE, otherwise Husow or HUSONE. Mentioned March 19, 1693-4, when a grant was made to Henry Rice of his improvement at Whisow (or Whisone), with such ad- dition as will make it 40 acres. This land was laid out " on the way going to Madbery," Dec. 9, 1699. Henry Ryce conveyed this land to Joseph Meader Nov. 30, 1702. Joseph Meader, Feb. 1, 1723-4, conveyed to Eli Demerit, Jr., a tract of 40 acres, known and called by the name of husow (or husone). This land is now owned by Mr. Alfred Demeritt, a descendant of the above Eli. The exact orthography of this name is uncertain. In the deed from Henry Ryce to Joseph Meader in 1702 it appears to be Whrisone or Wisrisow.
WHITEHALL. This place, the name of which has been perpetuated to the present day, is in Rochester, but is often mentioned in the Dover records of the last two hundred years. The bounds of Ancient Dover, as defined Aug. 3, 1701, began " at ye middle of Quamphegan falls, and so ran up the river four miles, or thereabouts, to a marked tree by the river side within a mile of Whitehall." Orders were given to Robert Coffin and his troop, Aug. 11, 1708, to march from Exeter to Kingstown, and thence to Oyster River, and there to take up their quarters the first night; and " thence to Cochecho and soe up towards Whitehall, and so return to Cochecho and there quarter," etc. ( N. H. Prov. Pap., 2: 581.) The
road to Whitehall (from Cochecho) is mentioned July 7, 1714, when Wm. Everett's grant of 100 acres on the north side of James Kid's land, near the Great Pond above Cochecha, was laid out to Thomas Downes, begin- ning at a pitch pine tree near the pond, on the west side of the road that leads to Whitehall. Ebenezer Downs, Dec. 20, 1714, conveyed to John Herd 50 acres of land, being one half of that tract given his brother Thomas Downs by their grandmother, Martha Lord, begin- ning at a pine tree near the Great Pond above Cochecho, on ye west side of the mast path yt leads to White Hall. Farmer and Moore's Gazeteer of N. H. (1823) says: " Between Norway plains and Salmon fall river is a considerable quantity of land, formerly called Whitehall, the soil of which was destroyed by fire in the dry years of 1761 and 1762, so as to be of little valne for cultivation." Whitehall Swamp is mentioned in Sept., 1814, when Betsy, widow of Stephen Wentworth, petitioned for leave to sell " land in White Hall swamp, so called." This swamp con- tains about 500 acres of low land, now covered for the most part with small wood, but in early times it was no doubt one vast forest of much wider bounds. It is about a mile be- low Rochester city, between the road to Dover and that to Great Falls, and now has various owners.
It is hardly necessary to say that it is an error to attribute the name of Whitehall, as some do, to Parson Hall of Rochester, who is said to have illustrated one of his sermons by referring to the numerous white birches in this swamp which lay
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
spread out in full view of his meet- ing-house on Haven's hill, giving rise, it is said, to the name of " Hall's white swamp." But something bet- ter than white birches once covered this vast swamp. Enormous prime- val trees grew here, that furnished · masts for the royal navy, which were borne down the mast path to Coche- cho years before the Rev. Avery Hall began his ministry in Rochester. He was not installed till Oct. 15, 1766, and Whitehall was certainly so called more than sixty-five years previous. The reason why might be given in the language of Philip II of Spain, who is said to have written on a despatch from England, referring to Whitehall in London : "There is a park and palace there called Huy- tal, but why called Huytal, I am sure I don't know." Whitehall in Roches- ter, however, may have been so named in honor of the "Committee of trade and foreign plantations at Whitehall," often mentioned in the provincial records. Whitehall palace was then the centre of authority, and most of the orders concerning New Hampshire and its forests, came from the above mentioned committee.
WHITEHORNE'S PLAINS. These plains are along the line of Barring- ton and Nottingham, near the Lee boundary, and are often familiarly called Curt's plains, from Curtis Whitehorne, a former owner thereon. A highway across the lower side is sometimes called Whitehorne's road.
WHITTIER'S FALLS and MILLS, otherwise WHITCHER'S. Whittier's mills, consisting of a fulling-mill, grist-mill, and a building for dressing cloth, once stood at the easterly side of Tole-End falls. Their name was
derived from Obadiah Whittier, whose widow still owned them, Jan. 7, 1718, when they were destroyed by fire, which broke out in the carding mill, operated by Moses Whittier, son of Obadiah, who at once erected new machinery and resumed the carding, fulling, and clothing business, the following month. (See Cochecho Falls.)
WIGGIN'S MILLS. Mentioned on Chace's County map of 1856. They are at the first falls in Lamprey river above Packer's falls, and are now called Wiswall's mills. "Wiggin's mills " consisting of paper mill, grist- mill, and saw-mill, belonging to the estate of Moses Wiggin, were con- veyed by John Mooney, administra- tor, to Joshua Parker and Mr. T. H. Wiswall May 23, 1857. Mr. Wis- wall afterwards acquired full owner- ship. The paper-mill was burned down several years ago.
WIGWAM POINT. This name was formerly given to a high point of land on the Greenland shore, between Broad marsh and Long marsh. It is mentioned April 9, 1729, when a line of division was made between these two marshes, beginning at "a certain point of upland called Wigg- wam Point." These marshes origi- nally belonged to Henry Langstaffe of Bloody Point, who had 30 acres of upland adjoining, but at the above date they were owned in common by his grandson Henry Nutter and two Johnsons named John and Nathan. When the above mentioned division was made, Long Marsh, at the N. W. of Wigwam Pt., was assigned to the Johnsons, and Broad marsh to Henry Nutter. These marshes are again mentioned May 27, 1734, when
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Nathan Johnson and Samuel Nutter agreed upon a division of 5 acres, and 50 rods of upland, butting on a salt marsh called Long marsh, and on Nuller's marsh called Broad marsh, and partly on Johnson's marsh. Samuel Weeks, in his will of Sept. 15, 1745, gives his son Matthias all his "right in the Long marsh, and all his flat ground from said Long marsh till it comes within four rods of the Little Pocket marsh." Wigwam Point, Long marsh, and part of Broad marsh, are now owned by Mr. J. C. Weeks.
WILLAND'S POND. See Welland.
WILLEY'S CREEK. This is a small creek that flows through Mr. Jere- miah Langley's land at Durham Point and empties into Little Bay. The name was derived from Thomas Wille or Willey, who had a " breadth " of land on the upper side of this creek before July 17, 1645. (See Bickford's Garrison.) This creek is mentioned by name as early as Nov. 2, 1686, when a road was laid out from Wille's creek to Oyster River Falls.
Another Willey's Creek is mention- ed Ap. 23, 1743, when John Johnson and wife Prudence conveyed to Sam- uel Weeks " two acres of salt marsh in Greenland, bounded on the south- east side on Wille's creek." This creek is the outlet of Willey's spring, and flows along the lower side of Canney's island. (See Canney's Is- land and Willey's Spring.)
WILLEY'S MARSH. Mentioned Sept. 15, 1745, when Samuel Weeks in his will divides between his sons Samuel and John his salt marsh on the S. W. side of the Great Bay, commonly called Willey's marsh. This is, of course, in Greenland. (See Willey's Spring.)
WILLEY'S SPRING. This spring, said to be one of the best in Green- land, is about 50 rods from the resi- dence of Mr. J. Clement Weeks, to whose buildings the water is con- veyed by means of a hydraulic ram. It is mentioned as follows in the Dover records, when Thomas Willey's grant was laid out Ap. 1, 1701 :
-" Whereas by order of Generall Court there was fooer hundred Acres of Land giuen to the inhabitants of douer (Dover) that hane marsh in the great bay, we the subscribers here of being appoynted by the Towne of douer to Lay out unto Thomas Willey his devident of vpland to his marsh, who have according to order Laid out thirty acres to his marsh and bounded it as followeth, that is to say, be- ginning at the bounds of Thomas Cannies Land at a white oke tree and so thirty two Rods vpon a south line to a spring comonly Called by the name of Willey's spring, and so vpon a west Line one hundred forty seven Rods to a hemlock Tree, and so to a Red oak tree vpon a north Line thirty two rods, and so vpon an East line one hundred and forty four rods to the bounds of Thomas Cannies, all which land within said bounds make thirty acres, the bound trees marked T W. Laid out and bounded by vs Aprill the first 1701.
(Signed) Will furber Jnº bickford Jnº damm."
The above record proves that the Willey grant on the shore of Great Bay, now part of the Weeks lands in Greenland, lay within the bounds of Ancient Dover, being a part of the 400 acres granted to Dover between Hog- sty Cove and Cotterill's Delight.
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
Sam1 Tibbets and Sam1 Welle, both of Dover, conveyed to Sam1 Weeks of Portsmouth, March 10. 1709-10, one third part of a tract of thirty acres of land, and six of salt marsh, lying between Henry Langstar's marsh and a parcell formerly in pos- session of Thomas Canney, beginning at the bounds of Canney's land, at a white oak tree, and running thirty rods south to a spring commonly called Willye's Sprynge. Samuel Weeks, in his will of Sept. 15, 1745, gives his son Matthias one acre of salt marsh running up unto a place called Willey's spring.
WILLEY'S WAY. This was a road in Newtown. mentioned in 1734 as leading to the head of Durham town- ship. It is no doubt the road spoken of March 18, 1757, when it was or- dered that the highway from Thomas Wille's land into the highway above Newtown mill should be changed and come out upon the line between Dur- ham and the Two Mile Streak. Thomas Willey's house was on the north side of the road coming from Madbury. There was a Willey's bridge in Newtown, mentioned in the laying out of a road in 1740 from another road that led to Willey's bridge. It was probably across Oys- ter river. Willey's mill in Notting- ham is spoken of March 8, 1757, when Samnel, son of Samuel Wille, sold one eighth part of it to David Glass.
WILLIAMSVILLE. 3 'This name is given on Whitehouse's map of Dover to a settlement on the east side of the river Cochecho, near the "upper- factory dam." It was so called from John Williams, agent of the cotton factory established at this dam in
1815. (See Cochecho Falls.) Dr. Quint calls him " the father of the Dover manufacturing prosperity."
WINE-CELLAR ROAD. This name is given to an old road in Durham, extending from the Long Marsh road across Horn's woods, where it meets Simon's Lane. It is derived from a natural cavity in the rocks, where the wood-choppers used to deposit their rundlets of cider and other "re- freshers " to keep them at a desirable temperature.
WINGATE'S SLIP. This slip, now called Ford's landing, is the terminus of the mast road from Madbury, on the west side of Back river. It is adjacent to the land of Mr. Ford, who has enclosed this end of the mast road, though it is a public high- way to the very river. The town of Dover voted, March 24, 1728-9, to lay ont a road " from Winget's Slip to the end of the township." The surveyors reported, Dec. 27, 1729, that they had laid it out " as the mast way then went." (See Mast Roud to Madbury.) John Drew conveyed to Rebecca Kook, Ap. 6, 1756, a tract of land on the west side of Back river, at ye head of Thomas Pink- ham's land, bounded south by ye mast path running down to Winget's slip ; and another tract on the south side of ye mast way running down to Winget's slip, partly bounded by the lands of John Layton and Israel Hodgdon.
WINKLEY'S HILL. So named from the Winkley house in Dover, which stands on this hill, just above the site of the Hayes garrison, on the Tolend road.
WINKLEY'S POND. Tristram Heard, in his will of Ap. 18, 1734, gives his
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
daughter Elizabeth Knight eight acres at Fresh marsh, at Winkol's pond, in Dover. The only pond of this name at the present day is in the southern part of Barrington, not far from the Madbury line.
WINNICOT RIVER. This river rises among the Hampton swamps, flows through Stratham into Greenland, and empties into Great Bay above Packer's Point. "Winecote river falls, in Greenland," are mentioned Oct. 8, 1665, when the selectmen of Ports- mouth ordered a highway to be laid out from these falls east to Sam1 Haines' house, and thence to the highway to Hampton. Ebenezer Johnson conveyed to Joshua Weeks, May 23, 1713, " one sixteenth part of a sawmill called the Lower mill on Winicott river." This was probably the " tide mill" mentioned on Mer- rill's map of Greenland in 1806. The same map, however, mentions a sawmill and gristmill on the Win- nicot river, near the road to Exeter, which, though up the river from the tide-mill, is lower in the sense of being southward. This is no doubt the "Johnson's mill" mentioned in the laying out of the road to Exeter, March 6, 1710-11.
WISWALL'S FALLS and MILLS. See Wiggin's Mills.
WOLF-PIT HILL. This hill is men- tioned in early times as on the west side of Beard's creek, in Durham, and apparently on the south side of Stony brook. The number of wolves in N. H. induced the Government, March 16, 1679-80, to offer a bounty of 40' for each one killed in the prov- ince. In 1692 a bounty of 208 was ordered to be paid by each town. Thos Edgerly of Oyster River, " for
killing a woolfe," was paid that sum Feb. 10, 1695-6. The selectmen of Portsmouth reported I o the govern- ment, March 17, 1692-3, that nine wolves had been killed " that winter," of course within that township. " Considering the Publick damage done in this province by wolves," it was voted by both Houses, May 17, 1716, that 50s. be paid ont of the public treasury for the killing of every grown wolf, besides the bounty given by each town. (Prov. Pap., 3 : 644.) As late as March 17, 1764, the town of Durham voted to give six pounds, new tenor, for every grown wolf killed within the township, and in 1767 four shillings were paid Elijah Drew for killing one. (Dur- ham Records.)
Wolf-pits were by no means un- common in former times. Audubon, the great naturalist, relates that when he was in Ohio, the farmers there took wolves by means of a pit. The Wolf-pits or traps, in the heart of the Lynn woods, in the old ox pasture between Blood Swamp and Glen Lewis Dam, have recently been pur- chased by Mr. Chase of Lynn, Mass. These pits, which date from the first settlement of that place, are described as circular, the sides walled, eight or nine feet deep, small at the top, and widening towards the bottom.
WOODCHUCK ISLAND. This island, so called on Whitehouse's map of Dover, is in the Cochecho river, below the month of Fresh creek. It now belongs to Mr. Henry Paul of Rollinsford. It formed part of Som- ersworth after the incorporation of that town, and fell to Rollinsford when the latter township was char- tered in 1849. After the road to
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
Eliot was laid out, the land below, including Woodchuck island, was restored to Dover.
WOODMAN'S CREEK. This name is sometimes given to Beard's creek, in Durham. (See Brown's Hill.)
WOODMAN'S LEDGE. This ledge rises up from Langley's heath on the shore of Wheelwright's pond, afford- ing a point of vantage for fishermen.
WOODMAN'S POINT. This name is given to Long Point on Chace's atlas of 1857. It is on the Newington shore, and formed part of the land given to Nicholas Woodman by his grandfather, Nicholas Pickering, in 1807. (See Long Point.)
WORSTER'S ISLAND. This island is in the Salmon Falls river, below Great Falls, opposite Indigo Hill. It was probably formed by deposits from Worster's brook, the mouth of which is directly opposite. on the Berwick side. The name was derived from Moses Worster or Wooster, who is spoken of July 2, 1709, when he con- veyed to Timothy Wentworth part of his privilege on Wooster's river. It is mentioned March 27, 1736, when part of Moses Stevens' division of the common lands was laid out " in an island lying by Salmon falls river, commonly called Wooster's Island, lying partly against Capt. Paul Went- worth's land, and partly against Sam- nel Downs' land. Said island con- tains 32 acres." Moses Stevens and his wife Hannah (daughter of John Thompson, Sr., of Oyster River), Nov. 16, 1738, sold this island to Paul Wentworth for twenty pounds. Paul Wentworth, in his will of Feb. 3, 1747-8, gives his nephew Paul Brown his lot at Indigo Hill, lying between Eben and Samuel Downs' lands, and "also the island, lying
near the easterly end of said lot, commonly known by the name of Wooster's Island." This island now belongs to the Great Falls Manufac- turing Company.
YARD COUNTRY WAY. Mentioned July 18, 1734, when 20 acres of land were " laid out for a parsonage in the parish of Summersworth, beginning at a black oak standing about half a mile S. W. of the beginning of the Yard Country way, so called, where it leaves the Rochester road." As this way lead near the Pear Yard mentioned in 1793 (see Pear Yard District), it may have derived its name therefrom ; the species of pear tree found there being, it is said, as long-lived as the white oak. Some suppose this road so called from the old lumber yard at Mast Point, but as the Yard Country Way is stated to have its beginning " where it leaves the Rochester road," this derivation is doubtful. The name, however, may refer to some tract once reserved as a nursery " for masts. yards, and bowsprits." (See N. H. Prov. Pap., 18:143.)
ZACKEY'S POINT. This name, de- rived from Zachariah Trickey, is given to Trickey's Point May 8, 1846, when Nathaniel P. Coleman conveyed to Ruel J. Bean part of the farm formerly owned by Capt. Samuel Shackford, adjoining Pascataqua river, reserving the right of pass-way in the common wheel path on the south side of the field wall, and the privilege of going to the cove near Zuckey's Point or Zackey's Point Cove. This point is on the Newing- ton shore, and is now owned by Mr. Valentine M. Coleman, son of the above Nathaniel. (See Trickey's Point and Cove.)
ADDENDA.
AMBLER'S ISLANDS. (See p. 8.) Only one island is mentioned by John Am- bler, Jan. 10, 1739, when he con- veyed to Ephraim Libby of Kittery several parcels of land, and with them " ye Island belonging to my Home Place in Durham."
BROADWAY BROOK. So called in a report of the city government of Dover in September, 1892, concern- ing an appropriation " for the pur- pose of constructing the Broadway Brook sewer." This is the brook that flows through the Dump, and is otherwise called the Ham brook, be- cause it traverses the so-called " Ham field " in the upper part of its course. It rises among the springs at the southwesterly side of Garrison Hill, and is the first brook that empties into the Cochecho river on the north- erly side, below Dover Landing. (See the Dump.)
BUTLER'S POINT. This point is on the south side of Beard's creek. at the mouth-that is, between the creek and Oyster river, at their confluence. It was originally a part of Wm. Hil- tou's land, which he conveyed to Francis Mathes in 1645. His right was probably forfeited, for this land seems to have been granted anew to Valentine Hill, who conveyed it to Patrick Gimson (Jameson) May 11, 1659, describing it as on the north side of Oyster river, bounded east by the creek. Jameson conveyed it to Thomas Mighill (Mitchell) " some-
time of Oyster River," July 29, 1669. Mitchell sold it to John Webster, of Newbury, Mass., Dec. 29, 1670. Webster, however, must have had an earlier title, for his first conveyance of this land was made to George Chesley Oct. 16, 1669. Another con- veyance was made May 10, 1710. After George Chesley's death, all his land in this vicinity (88 acres) was laid ont anew, at the request of his widow Deliverance and of Capt. James Davis, whose first wife, Elizabeth, seems to have been a Chesley.
This survey was made May 21, 1711, " beginning at a poynt of Land at the creek's mouth next belo the falls on the north side of Oyster river, running northward towards Jonathan Woodman's," etc. This point is now owned by Mr. Albert Young, a direct descendant of the above George Ches- ley, through his mother, whose first husband was Francis Butler, whence the name of Butler's Point.
CLAY POINT. In addition to what has already been said in this work abont Clay Point (see p. 43) might be given a fuller account of the An- drews deed, proving that it was on the eastern shore of Dover Neck, not far from the Sheep Pasture on Huckle- berry Hill, and below the old road at the lower side of Mr. Reyner's upper lot, apparently on the shore of the Varney land :- Jedediah Andrews, of " Salsbury," Mass., Jan. 5, 1669, conveyed to " Mr. John Reyner of
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Landmarks in Ancient Dover.
Dover, in ye countie of Pascattaq, in ye Jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Colony, Minister," his late dwelling house on the eastern side of Dover Neck, with three acres of land on which it stood, granted him by the town, and laid out in March, Anº Sa- lutis 1659, bounded E. by ye highway wh goeth betweene it & ye land of sd Reyner, N. by Mr. Reyner's upper lott, W. by ye sheep pasture, and S. by Mr. Roberts his lott."-"Alsoe three acres of land, less or more, granted by ye Toune of Dover, and laid out to Ralph Twamly, lying and being neer thereunto, situated two & twentie pole square at a poynt called Clay poynt, between the house lott of Thomas Roberts and the land of ye sd John Reyner, below ye high- way above mencioned, which was given to and possessed by ye sd Twamly as a house lott, and sold by him to me."
This was the Rev. John Reyner, a native of Yorkshire, Eng., who first settled in Plymouth, Mass., where he remained eighteen years. He came to Dover in 1656, and here died Ap. 22, 1669. According to Dr. Quint, his house stood four rods east of the highway, fourteen rods below the old fortified meeting-liouse on Dover Neck, where his cellar can still be traced. The estimation in which he was held by his parishioners is shown by the large grant of land made him near the streamlet still known as Reyner's brook, in the upper part of Dover.
COFFIN'S WOODS. These once noted woods, a part of the old Peter Coffin estate in Dover, once covered a large tract of land on the south side of the Cochecho river, now traversed by the
Boston and Maine R. R., and covered by numerous streets and residences adjacent. Coffin's Orchard, still re- membered by many people, was in the very heart of the present city of Dover, extending from Washington St. beyond Orchard St., which de- rived its name therefrom.
DEMERITT'S BROOK. This brook is so called where it traverses the old Demeritt land in Madbury, not far from Mr. Alfred Demeritt's. It for- merly had sufficient water power to run a mill. (See Demerit's Mill, p. 58.) Where it crosses the lower highway from Durham Village to Dover it is now called the Gerrish brook, from the adjacent Gerrish land. formerly Chesley's. The bridge across it at this place is in Mad- bury, near the Durham line. It afterwards flows through the Jones land and empties into Johnson's creek.
DOVER GARRISONS. In addition to the Dover Garrisons enumerated pp. 61-64, is " MR. PIKE'S GARRISON," mentioned Nov. 13, 1696 ( Prov. Pap., 2 : 246.) This was the Rev. John Pike, who came to Dover in 1678, and here died March 10, 1710. He lived on Dover Neck, perhaps in the " min- ister's house," it was voted to erect in 1669. "The garrison about ye ministry house on Dover Neck " is mentioned May 11, 1697. (Do. 17: 656.)
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