USA > New Hampshire > The history of New-Hampshire. Comprehending the events of one complete century and seventy-five years from the discovery of the River Pascataqua to the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety, Vol I > Part 20
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or head line to the aforesaid falls and the main chanell of each-river from Pentuckitt and Nuchawanack falls to the maine sea to be the side bounds and the main sea between Piscattaqua river and Meramack river to be the lower bounds, and the thwart or head line that runs from river to river to be the upper bounds ; together with all islands within said bounds, as also the Isles of Shoals so called by the English, together with all profits, ad- vantages and appurtenances whatsoever to the said tract of land belonging or in any wise appertaining, reserving to our selves liberty of making use of our old planting land, as also free liberty of hunting, fishing and fonling ; and it is likewise with these provisoes following, viz. First, the said John Wheelwright shall within ten years after the date hereof, set down with a company of English and begin a plantation at Squomsquott falls in Pis- cattaque river aforesaid. Secondly, That what other inhabitants shall come and live on said tract of land amongst them from time to time and at all times shall have and enjoy the same benefits as the said Wheelwight aforesaid. Thirdly, That if at any time there be a number of people amongst them that have a mind to begin a new plantation, that they be en- couraged so to do, and that no plantation exceed in lands above ten Eug. lish miles square or such a proportion as amounts to ten miles squate. Fourthly, That the aforesaid granted lands are to be dividedimo township : as people increase and appear to inhabit them, and thatno andsshall be grate cd to any particular persons but what shall be for a township, and what Lands . within a towship is granted to any particular persons to be by vote of the major part of the inhabitants legally and orderly settled in said township. Fifthly, For managing and regulating and to avoid contentions amongst them, they are to be under the government of the colony of the Mass :.- chusetts their neighbours and to observe their laws and orders until they have a settled government amongst themselves. Sixtlily, We the afore- said sagamores and our subjects are to have free liberty within the afore- said granted tract of land of fishing, fowiing, hunting and planting, &c. Seventhly and lastly, Every township within the aforesaid limits or tract of land that hereafter shall be settled shall pay to Passaconaway our chicf sagamore that now is and to his successors forever, if lawfully demanded, one coat of trucking cloth a year, and every year, for an acknowledgment, and also shall pay to Mr. John Wheelwright aforesaid his heirs and successors forever, if lawfully demanded, two bushels of Indian corn a year for and in consideration of said Wheelwright's great pains and care, as also for the charges he hath been at to obtain this our grant for himself and those aforen. en- tioned and the inhabitants that shall hereafter settle in townships on the aforesaid granted premisses. And we the aforesaid sagamores, Passacon- away sagamore of Penecook, Runnaawitt sagamore of Pentucket, Wahang- ponawitt sagamore of Squomsquot, and Rowls sagamore of Nuchawan- nack do by these presents ratify and confirm all the afore granted and bargained premisses and tract of land aforesaid, excepting and reserving as afore excepted and reserved and the provisoes aforesaid fulfili'd, with all the meadow and marsh ground therein, together with all the mines. mini- erals of what kind or nature soever, with all the woods, timber and timber trees, ponds, rivers, Jakes, runs of water or water courses thereunto belong- ing, with all the freedom of fishing, fowling and hunting as our sches, with all other benefits, profits, privileges and appurtenences what- soever thereunto of all and every part of the said tract of land belonging or in any ways appertaining anto him the said John Whcel-
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wright, Augustine Storer, Thomas Wight, William Wentworth and Thomas Levet, and their heirs forever as aforesaid, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the same as their own proper right and interest without the least disturbance, molestation, or trouble of us, our heirs, execrs and ad- minrs to and with the said John Wheelwright, Augustine Story, Thomas Wight, William Wentworth and Thomas Levit their heirs, execrs. ad- mini's. and assigns, and other the English that shall inhabit there and their heirs and assigns forever shall warrant, maintain and defend. IN WIT- NESS whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals the seventeenth day of May 1629, and in the fifth year of King Charles his reign over
PASSACONAWAY, O mark, (Seal.)
England, &c.
RUNAAWITT, + mark, (Seal.) WAHANGNONAWITT, -mark, (Seal.) ROWLS. X mark, (Seal.)
Signed, Sealed, and Delivered in presence of us
WADERGASCOM, # mark.
MISTONABITE, @ mark.
JOHN OLDHAM.
Memorandum. On the 17th day of May, one thousand six hundred twen- ty and nine, in fifth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord Charles, king of England, Scotland, France and
SAM. SHARPE. - Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. \ ahangnonaway sagamore of Squam- squott in Piscattaqua river, did in behalf of himself and the other saga- mores aforementioned then present, deliver quiet and peaceable poffession of all the lands mentioned in the within written deed unto the within named John Wheelwright for the ends within mentioned, in presence of us Walter Neal governor, George Vaughan factor, and Ambrose Gibbons trader, for the company of Laconia, Richard Vines, governor, and Richard Bonighton assistant, of the plantation at Saco ; Thomas Wiggin agent, and Edward Hilton steward, of the plantation of Hilton's Point, and was signed, sealed and delivered in our presence. In witness whereof we haye hereunto set our hands the day and year above written.
Richd. Vines, Wa. Neale,
Richd. Bonighton, George Vaughan,
T'ho. Wiggin, Ambrose Gibbons.
Edward Hilton,
Recorded according to the original found on the ancient files for the county of York, this 28th day of Jan. 1713.
per JOS. HAMMOND, Reg.
A true copy from York county records of deeds, &c. lib. 8. fol. 16. &c. Att. DAN. MOULTON, Reg.
Corrected by a copy on file in the superior court of New-Hampshire, in the case of Allen vs Waldron ; which copy is attested by the above named Jos. Hammond.
No. II. An original letter from Thomas Eyre one of the adventurers or company of Laconia to Mr. Gibbons their factor.
Mr. Gibbins, London the last of May, 1631.
TOURS of the 8th April 1630, from Plimouth I received and there- by tooke notice of your entertaining Roger Knight ; and here I present his wife 20s, pr. quarter at your desire and 34. per quarter to yours. I hope by this they are both with you according to your desire. I wish
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all your wives with you, and that so many of you as desire wives had sdel as they desire ; for the adventurers desire not to be troubled with quar- terly payments.
Your next to me is dated the 21st of July last at Pascataquacke, I take hotice of your complaints for want of the trade goods, and so much as lieth in me it shall be otherwise, especially if you send us returnes, doubt you not but that you shall be supplied from time to time unto your owno contents.
Your 3d Ire to me is dated the 14th of August, by which I perceive divers of the commodities and provisions which you carried with you in the barke Warwicke, were not to your liking for which I am sorry. You know the trouble' we had. I could not looke to Mr. Olden's and all be- sides. I hope by the Pide-Cowe you find it otherwise. I pray write me how you like the hatchetts sent you by that ship and how all goeth.
I like it well that your governor will have a stocke of bords at all times readie. I hope you will find something to relade both the Pide-Cowe and the Warwicke. I will now put on the sending of you the moddell of a saw-mill that you may have one going.
Your wife and children, Roger Knight's wife and one wife more we have alredy sent you, and more you shall have as you write for them.
Another Ire I have from you of the 14th August, in which you write for another Mason. Wec have had enough to doe to goc so farre forwards as we have, as Capt. Keyes can tell you, now we begine to take hcarte agayne, but the sight of returnes will be that which will indeede put life into us.
. Among my New-England records I find your Ire unto Capt. Mason of the 14th August last, wherein you give a good account of your times spent from the first of June untill then, as also of the manner of your trade which was to Capt. Mason's liking. We hope you will find out some good mines, which will be welcome newves unto us.
By Mr. Glover we recd. Ires from Capt. Neale, written as we think about the end of March Jast, write me I pray, what winter you had, and how you had your healthes and why Capt. Neale went not in Septem. last to discover the lakes, as he wrote he would, and why you did not write by that conveyance.
By the barke Warwicke we send you a factor to take charge of the trade goods ; also a soldier for discovrie &c.
Thus I comend you, and your wife, who by this I hope is with you te cl.c protection of the almightie.
Your loving friend, THO. EURC.
Kept'untill the 7th of June.
No. III.
An original letter from the company to Grabbing. London 5th Decemb. 1632. Mr. Ambrose Gibbons,
ETOUR sundric letters we have received. Wee doe take notice of vour care and paines in our plantation and doe wish that others had Line that way the same that you are and will wee hope soe continew. The taventurers here have bine soe discouraged by reason of John Gibbes ill dealing in his fishing voiage, as alsoe by the small returnes sent hither by
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Capt. Neal, Mr. Herbert or any of their factors as that they have noe de- sire to proceed any farther, untill Capt. Neale come hither to confer with them, that by conferrence with him they may settle things in a better or- der. Wee have written unto Capt. Neale to dismise the household, onlie such as will or canne live of themselves may stay upon our plantation in such convenient places as Capt. Neale, Mr. Godfrie and you shall thinke fitt ; and after conference had with Capt. Neale they shall have a reasona- ble quantity of lands graunted unto them by deed.
Wee praie you to take care of our house at Newichwannick and to looke well to our vines, also you may take some of our swine and goates, which wee pray you to preserve. Wee have committed the cheife care of our house at Pascattaway to Mr. Godfrie and written unto Mr. Warnerton to take care of our house at Strawberry-bancke. Our desire is that Mr. Godfrie, Mr. Warnerton and you should joyne loveinglie together in all things for our good, and to advise us what our best course will be to doe another yeare.
You desire to settle yourself upon Sanders Point. The adventurers are willing to pleasure you not only in this, in regard of the good report they have heard of you from tyme to tyme, but alsoe after they have conferred with Capt. Neaie, they determyne some further good towards you for your further incouridginent.
Wee desire to have our fishermen increased, whereof wee have written unto Mr. Godfrye. Wee thank you for assisting John Raymond, wee pray you still to be helpful to him that so he may dispatch and come to us with such retourne as he hath, and if he hath any of his trade goods remayning unsold wee have willed him to leave them with you and we doe hereby pray you to receive them into your custody and to put them off' with what conveniency you canne, and to send us the retournes by the first shipp that comes. Thus we commend you and your wife to the pro- tection of the almightye,
Your loving friends,
Jahn Mason, Tho. Warnerton,
Henry Gardiner, Tho. Eyre, for my
Geo. Griffith, children.
No. IV. Copy of a letter from Gibbins to the company.
FTER my umble duty remembred unto your worships, I pray for your good health and prosperity. These are certifying your worship for the goods I have received from you. I have delivered unto Mr. John Raymon 76lb and 4 ounses of beaver, 10 otters, 6 musquashes and on mar- tin more, that Captain Neale had 3581b and ii ounses of beaver and otter, 17 martins, on black fox skin, on other fox skin, 3 racoon skins, 14 mus- quashes two of them with stones. Mr. Raymon's present departing and the intermixing of all the trade goods in my care until Mr. Vaughan com I cannot give you any satisfaction for the account of trade. I did advise Mr. Raymon to returne with all speede unto you. Your letters I received the 7th of June. At lang I will write if God wil by the next. Thus tak- ing my leave I comit your worship to Almighty God.
Your worship's at command,
From Newichwanicke chis 24th of June 1633,
AMBROSE GIBBINS.
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No. V. Copy of another from Gibbins to the company.
Newichwanicke, July 13, 1633.
IGHT honourable, right worshippful and the rest, my humble servis rembred. Your letter dated the 5th of December and Mr. Ares letter the third of April I received the seventh of June. The detaining of the former letter hath put you to a great charge in the plantation. For my care and paines I have not thought it much although I have had very littie encouragement from you and here. I do not doubt of your good will unto mee. For your fishing, you complain of Mr. Gibbes : A Lon- doner is not for fishing, neither is there any amity betwixt the West cun- trimen and them. Bristo or Barnstable is very convenient for your fishing shipes. It is not enough to fit out shipes to fish but they must be sure {God wit) to be at their fishing place the beginning of February and not to come to the land when other men have half their viage.
Mr. Wanerion hath the charge of the house at Pascatawa and hath with him William Cooper, Rafe Gee, Roger Knight, and his wife, Wil- liam Dermit and on boy. For your house at Newichwanicke, I seeing the necessity will doe the best I can there and elsewhere for you until I hear from you againe. Advise I have sent but not knowing your intentes I cannot wel enlarge but I refer you to Mr. Herbert and Mr. Vaughan. For my settlement at Sanders-Point and the further good you intend me I humoty thank you I shall do the best I can to be grateful. I have taken into my handes all the trade goods that remains of John Raymon's and Mr. Vau,,hin's and will with what convenience I may put them of. You complain of your returnes ; you take the coorse to have little ; a filuntar tion must be furnished with canle and good hir'd hands, and necessaries for `them and not thinke the great lookes of men and many words wil be a meanes to raise a plantacion. Those that have been here this three year som of them have neither meat, money nor cloathes, a great disparagement. I shall not need to speak of this, you shall bear of it by others. For myself, my wife and child and four men we have but half a barrel of corne ; becie and porke I have not had but on peese this three months, nor beare this four months ; for I have for two and twenty months had but two barrels of beare and two barrels and four booshel of malt, our number commonly hath bin ten. I nor the servantes have neither money nor clothes, I have bin as sparing as I could, but it will not doe. These four ren with me is Charles Knell, Thomas Clarke, Steven Kidder, and Thomas Crockitt, three of theni is to have for their wages until the first of March four pounds per peese and the other for the yeare six pounds which in your behalf I have promised to satisfy in money or bever at ten shillings per pound. If there were necessarys for them for clothing there would not bee much for them to receave. You may perhaps think that fewer men would serve me but I have sometimes on C [one hundred ] or more Indians and far from neybors : These that I have I can set to pale in ground for corne and garden. I have digged a wel within the palizado, where is good water, I have that to close with timber. More men I could have and more employ, but I rest thus until I beare from you. The vines that were plant- ed will com to little, they prosper not in the ground they were set, them that groo natural are veri good of divers sorts. I have sent you a note of the beaver taken by mne at Newichwanicke, and how it hath gon from me. George Vaughan hath a note of all the trade goodes in my custody of the
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old story John Ramon's and George Vaughan's accomtes, but the beaver beinge disposed of before I could make the div dent I cannot see but it must be all onpackt and be divided by you. The governor departed from the plantation the fifteenth of July in the morning. So for this time I end, committing you to the protection of the Almighty and ever rest your loving servant,
AMBROSE GIBBINS.
No. VI. Copy of a letter from Neal and Wiggen relating to a division of the lands at Pascataqua, 1633.
Much honoured,
TN obedience to your commands have survaied the river from the mouth of the harbor to Squamscutt falls, liquise from the harbor's mouth by the sea side to the Massachusetts bounds, and find that the bounds of your pattents will not aford more than for two towns in the riv- er of Pascataway and the remainder will make another good towne having much salt marsh in it. And because you would have foure townes named as you desired wee have treated with a gentleman who has purchased a trackt 'of land of the Indyans at Squamscutt falls, and your land running up to the said falls on one side of the river from the falls about a mile downward, said gentlemen having a mind to said land on your side to a certain crike and one mile bacward from the river which we agreed on and the crike is called Weelewright's, the gentleman's name being Weele- wright and he was to name said plantation (when settled) Exeter. And the other two towns in the river, the one North-ham and Portsmouth the other. Bounded as followeth, viz. Portsmouth runes from the harbor's mouth by the sea side to the entrance of a little river b :tween two hed lands which we have given the names of the Little Bore's-hed, and the Grete Bore's-hed, and from the mouth of that little river to go on a strait line to the aforesaid creeke which we have named Weelewrighs creeke and from thens down the river to the harbor's mouth where it began. And North-ham is the bounds of all the land of Hilton's Point side. And the other land from the little river between the two Boores-Heds to run by the sea till it meets with the line between the Massachusetts and you, and so to run from the sea by said Massathusetts line into the woods eight miles and from thence atwart the woods to meete with Portsmouth line ncere Wheleright's creeke and that tracte of land to be called Hampton. So that their is foure towns named as you desired but Exeter is not within the bounds of your pattents. But the grete dificulty is the agreement about the dividing line between the patient of the twenty thousand acres belonging to the company of Laconyah and the pattent of Bluddy poynt the river running so intrycate, and Bluddy poynt patent bounds from thence to Squamscutt falls to run three miles into the woods from the water side. But for your better understanding thereof wee have sent you a draft of it according to our best skill of what we know of it at present, and have drawn a dividing line between the two pattents, so that Portsmouth is part of both pattents and Hampton we apprehend will be holly in the twenty thousand acres pattent, and North-ham is the bounds of Hilton's point pat- tent. If what wee have don be to your likinge wee shall think our time well spent and what further commands you will please to lay on us we
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shall readily obeye to the utmost of our power. Wee humbly take leve and subscribe ourselves, Your devoted and most humble servants, North-ham on Pascataway river, in ? WALTER NELE,
New-England, 13 August, 1633. 5 THOMAS WIGGIN.
Superscribed, To John Mason Esq. governor of Portsmouth to be com- municated to the pattentes of Laconiah and Hilton's point, humbly present in London.
Wee under written being of the government of the province of Maine doe affirm that the above letter written and sent by Walter Nele and Thomas Wiggin and directed to John Mason Esq. governor of Ports- mouth to be communicated to the pattentes of Laconiah and Hilton's point, is a trew copia compared with the originall. And further wec doo affirme that there was foure grete gunes brought to Pascatqua which ware given by a merchant of London for the defence of the river, and at the same time the Earle of Warwicke, Sr Ferdenando Gorges, Capt. John Mason and the rest of the pattentees sent an order to Capt. Walter Nele and Captn. Thomas Wiggen ther agents and governor at Pascataway to make choise of the most convenient place in the said river to make a for- tefecatyon for the defence thereof, and to mount those foure gunes givect! to the place, which accordingly was done by Capt. Walter Nele and Capt. Thomas Wiggin and the pattentes servants, and a draft was sent of the place that they had made choice of to the said earle and company, and the draft did containe all the necke of land in the north este side of the grete island that makes the grete harbor, and they gave it the name of Fort-poynt, and allotted it so far backe into the island about a bow-shoat to a grete high rocke whereon was intended in time to set the principall forte.
That the above is all truth wee affirme, and by the desire of Capt. Wal- ter Nele and Capt. Thos. Wiggen wee have ordered this wrighting to ly in our files of records of their doings therein. In witness whereof wee have hereunto sett our hands and seles at Gorgeana, in the province of Maine, in New-England, 20th August 1633,
RICH. VINES, (Seal.)
HENRY JOCELYN, No. VII.
(Seal.)
An original letter from Sir F. Gorges and Cafit. Mason to Messrs. Wan ... nerton and Gibbins.
Mr. Wannerton and Mr. Gibbons,
T THESE are to let you know that wee with the consent of the rest of our partners have made a division of all our land lying on the north cast side of the harbor, and river of Pascataway ; of the quantities of which lands and bounds agreed upon for every man's part we send you a coppie of the draft, desiring your furtherance with the advice of Capt, Norton and Mr. Godfrey to set out the lynes of division betwixt our land- and the lands of our partners next adjoining, because we have not onde each of us shipped people present to plant upon our owne landes at our owne charge, but have given direction to invite and authoritie to receive such others as may be had to be tenants, to plant and live there for the more speedie peopling of the countrie. And whereas there is belonging unto me Sir Ferdinando Gorges, and unto Capt. Mason for himself and for Mr. John Cotton and his deceased brother Mr. William Cotton, both whose interests Capt. Mason hath bought, the one halfe of all matters mel :-
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conted in the inventorie of houshold stuffe and implements left in trust with you by Capt. Neale, whereunto you have subscribed your names and whereof a coppie is herewith sent, we desire you to cause an equal divi- sion as neere as possibile may to be made of all the saied matters menconed in the inventorie inkinde, or if some of them cannot be so divided then the on halfe to be made equall to the other in valewof all the saied matters, ex- cept the cattell and suites of apparell and such other things as belong per- ticularly to Capt. Mason, and to deliver the said one halfe of ad the saied matters soe to be divided, unto Mr. Henry Jocelyn for the use of our plan- tations, taking an inventory thereof under his hand of all you shall soe de, liver hime, and making certificate to us thereof. And for your soe doeing this shall be your suffitient warrant and discharge. And so wee rest,
Your verie lovinge friends,
Portsmouth, Maye 5, FERDIN. GORGE,
1634. JOHN MASON.
No. VIII. An original letter from Cant. Mason to Gibbins.
Mr. Gibbins,
THESE people and provisions which I have now sent with Mr. Joce- lyne are to sett upp two mills upon my own division of landes lately agreed upon betwixt our adventurers ; but I thinke not any of theni will adventure this yeare to the plantation besides Sr Ferdinando Gorges and myself, for which I am sorrye in that so good a busines (albeit hitherto it hath bene unprofitable) should be subject to fall to the ground. Therefore I have strayned myselfe to doe this at this present, and could have wished that the rest would have joyned to have sent you some provisions for trade and support of the place, but that faileing I have directed to you as a token from myselfe one hogshead of mault to make you some beare. The servants with you and such others as remaine upon the companies chardge are to be discharged and payed their wages out of the stocke of beaver in your hands at the rate of 12s. the pound, whereof I thinke the company will write you more at large. And wee have agreed to devide all our movables mentioned in the inventory that Capt. Neale brought home, which were left in trust with you and Mr. Wannerton. I bought Mr. Cot- ton's and his brother's parte of all their adventures ; so that the halfe of all belonges to Sr Ferdinando Gorges and myseife, and of that halfe three quarters will be dewe to me and one quarter to Sr Ferdinando. These things being equally divided they are to be delivered to Mr. Joceline, my three partes of the halfe, and the other fourth to whom Sr Ferdinando shall appointe. And you must afford my people some house roome in Newichewannocke house, and the cowes and goates which are all mine, and 14 swine with their increase, some ground to be uppon till wee bave some place provided upon my new divided land, or that you receive my further order. A copie of the division of the landes is herewith sent unto vou.
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