Localities 
'9" 
ANCIENT DOVER. Localities 
IN 
Ancient Dover. 
BY JOHN R. HAM, M. D. 
Cottrorb, p.: 
Printed by the Republican Press Association. 
1887. LOCALITIES. 
The town of Dover, N. H., origi- 
nally embraced within its limits the 
present towns of Somersworth, Rol- 
linsford, Newington, Madbury, Dur- 
ham, and Lee. The land in the 
town was voted to the settlers from 
time to time in public town-meeting, 
held in the old meeting-house on 
Dover Neck. These grants of land 
were from ten to four hundred acres 
each, and were laid out by the lot- 
layers, chosen in annual town-meet- 
ing. The record of the surveys and 
bounds of these grants made by the 
lot-layers, now a part of Dover town 
records, furnishes the names by 
which some of the localities were 
called in the infancy of the settle- 
ment. The common lands of the 
town were divided among the inhabi- 
tants in 1732, and the land grants by 
the town ceased. 
Ash Swamp (The). There was an 
ash swamp, so called as early as 
1694, between Nock’s marsh and Bar- 
badoes pond, and another between 
Salmon Falls and Cochecho. 
Back River. This name is found 
in these land grants as early as 1649, 
and was given to the stream which 
flows into the Pascataqua river on 
the west side of Dover Neck. The 
settlers gave the name to the stream 
from its mouth up to the head of tide- 
water, where Sawyer’s Woollen Mills 
now stand ; above tide-water at the 
first falls it became Belleman’s Bank 
river, and now called Bellamy river. 
Baiibadoes Pond. On the Little- 
worth road, four miles from the city 
hall, and lying in the present town 
of Madbury. It was so called as 
early as 1693, and “commonly so 
called” in 1701. Is it not the same 
as “Turtle” pond, which is mentioned 
in a land grant in 1719? The name 
is retained to this day. 
Baiibadoes Spring. The spring 
lying south of the pond, and which 
supplies the south side of Dover with 
water, was thus called as early as 1701. 
Baiibadoes Swamp. So called in 
1693, and also called the Ash swamp. 
It lay south of the pond of the same 
name. 
Beach Hill. It was “commonly 
so called” in 1652, and is the long 
hill, partly in Madbury and partly in 
Durham, which lies near and to the 
south-west of Hicks’s hill, and just 
south of the road leading from Hicks’s 
hill to Lee. At the west end was an 
Indian burial-ground, and in 1652 it 
was spoken of as “ att ye Indian 
graves, att Beach Hill.” 
Beard’s Creek. So called as early 
as 1672. It is the brook which flows 
into Oyster river on the north side, 
next below the falls of the same. 
Beaver Dam (The Great). In 
1659 Capt. Thomas Wiggin had a 
grant of land “ neare y* Great Beaver 4 
Localities in Ancient Dover. 
Dam. on y* south branch of Bellomans 
Bank river,” and the name is retained 
in land grants down to 1720. The 
“Beaver Pond Meaddow” was men- 
tioned in 1693. It was one quarter 
of a mile above the confluence of the 
Mallego and Belloman’s Bank rivers. 
Where was the Little Beaver Dam, 
whose existence is implied in the 
above title? 
Bellamy. A locality and a river. 
As a locality, the neighborhood about 
the falls lately occupied by William 
Hale. As a river, the whole river 
upon which are Sawyer’s mills, from 
its source down as far as tide-water; 
below the head of tide-water it be- 
comes Back river. For the origin 
of the name, see “Belleman’s Bank.” 
Belleman’s Bank. The steep bank 
on the north side of the stream now 
known as Bellamy river, near Dunn’s 
bridge at Sawyer’s upper mill. The 
stream is often mentioned in the early 
land grants as “the freshett that 
flows past Belleman’s Bank.” The 
origin of this name has always baf- 
fled those who are curious in such 
matters, and the correct solution, as 
we think, is now for the first time 
offered. 
A deed on the old Norfolk Co., 
Mass., records, shows that “Mr.” 
William Bellew owned a house and 
twenty acres of land on the north 
side of the stream in 1644, and that he 
sold it to Christopher Lawson. And 
in 1648, when the “ Great Cochecho 
marsh” was divided among the set- 
tlers, we find one lot set apart “for 
Mr. William Belley”—denoting that 
he, although absent, yet had interests 
here. The prefix of distinction shows 
him to have been a man of good posi- 
tion. We find him in Oyster River 
parish (now the town of Durham), in 
1647, as a witness to a deed given by 
Darby Field, and he signed his name 
Will : Bellew. 
If Mr. William Bellew, or “ Belley,” 
was absent, and some man in his em- 
ploy occupied his premises at the 
Bank above mentioned, then the oc- 
cupant would be, in common parlance, 
“Mr. Belley’s man,” which corre- 
sponds with other similar cases on 
the Dover records. And the bank, on 
which these premises were situated, 
would easily be designated as “Mr. 
Belley’s Man’s Bank.” The ready 
contraction of these names into “Bel- 
leman’s Bank” was natural. It be- 
came “ Bellamy” Bank at about 1800, 
and afterwards the name, which had 
become applied to that entire neigh- 
borhood, became restricted to the lo- 
cality above the original bank, where 
Mr. William Hale, now of Dover, 
purchased, who at once dropped the 
word “Bank” from the name, and 
simply called the locality, and the 
stream, Bellamy. 
Belleman’s Bank Rivkk. So 
called as early as 1646, in land grants. 
It is the stream which becomes Back 
river at the head of tide-water, at 
Sawyer’s Woollen Mills. The settlers 
always applied the name to the fresh 
water part of the stream above the 
falls; Back river was always used 
bv them to indicate the stream below 
the falls at the head of tide-water. 
It is written in the land grants, 
Belleman’s bank, Beleman’s bank, 
Belliman’s bank. Beliman’s bank, Bel- 
loman’s bank, Bellomav bank, Bele- 
mye bank, and Bellemie bank. And 
in the later town records, from about 
the year 1800 to 1840, it is written 
Bellamy bank. Localities in Ancient Dover. 
5 
When Mr. William Hale, now of 
Dover, purchased the land and falls 
next above Sawyer’s mills, he at once 
dropped the word “bank” from the 
locality and from the stream, and they 
are now known as “ Bellamy.” For 
the origin of the name, see Belle- 
man’s Bank. 
Black Water. A locality so called 
as early as 1693. It lies north of 
Cochecho pond, and the brook running 
through it is called Blackwater brook. 
Blind Will’s Neck. Blind Will, 
a sagamore of the Indians about 
Cochecho, was a friendly Indian in the 
service of Major Richard Waldron. 
In March, 1677, Major Waldron sent 
out eight friendly Indians to obtain 
information as to the presence of hos- 
tile Indians. This party was sur- 
prised by a band of Mohawks, and 
only two or three escaped. Blind 
Will was dragged away by the hair, 
and, being wrounded, perished on the 
neck of land at the confluence of the 
Isinglass and Cochecho rivers. This 
neck has ever since been called Blind 
Will’s Neck. 
Bloody Point. The point of land 
in Newington opposite Dover Point. 
The name arose, in 1631, from a 
bloodless dispute, as to the jurisdiction 
of the spot, between Capt. Walter 
Neal, the agent of the Portsmouth 
settlement, and Capt. Thomas Wig- 
gin, the agent of the Dover settle- 
ment. The name came at length to 
denote all of Dover’s territory on the 
south side of the Pascataqua river, 
and is retained as the name of the 
point to this day. Whitehouse’s map 
of Dover, in 1834, has incorrectly 
placed Bloody Point on the north side 
of the Pascataqua, viz., on Dover 
Neck. 
Branson’s Creek. This name was 
given as earlv as 1653 to a tributary 
on the western side of Oyster river, 
near its mouth. 
Bristol. On an old map, in 1634, 
the settlement at (now) Dover was 
called Bristol. 
Bunker’s Creek. It flows into 
Oyster river, eastern side, and is near 
the Bunker garrison. 
Bunker’s Garrison. Bunker’s gar- 
rison, which was successfully defend- 
ed in the Indian massacre at Oyster 
river, on July 17, 1694, and which 
stands to-day in an excellent state of 
preservation, is on the east side of 
the river, on the road leading from 
the mouth to the first falls. 
Calves Pasture (The). The name 
given to a town pasture as early as 
1652, when it was laid out. It was 
on Dover Neck, bordering on Back 
river, and contained thirty-six acres 
in 1722, when it was divided among 
the settlers. 
Cam pin’s Rocks. This name was 
given as early as 1660 to a high gran- 
ite ledge on the western bank of the 
Cochecho river, about a mile below 
the first falls, and which bv projecting 
into the river constitutes the “Nar- 
rows.” Tradition says a man named 
Campin, being pursued by Indians, 
was obliged to jump from the ledge 
into the river in order to escape. 
Campron River. This name was 
given, as early as 1647, to what was 
afterwards called the Lamper-eel riv- 
er, and now the Lamprey river. 
Cedar Point. So called in 1652. 
It is the point of land on the west of 
the mouth of Back river, and lies 
north of Goat island. 
Charles’s Point. This name wTas 
given, as early as 1660, to a point at 6 
Localities in Ancient Dover. 
the entrance of Little bay, in Oyster 
River parish. From Charles Adams, 
who lived near here. 
Clay Point. A point of land on 
the east side of Dover Neck, and so 
called as early as 1656. 
Cochecho. The Indian name of 
the falls on the river, where the city 
of Dover now stands. It was spelled 
by the first settlers in various ways, 
viz., Cutt-che-ehoe, Co-che-cha, and 
Cochecho. The settlers applied the 
Indian name of the falls to the stream 
which flows over the falls and which 
is lost in the Newichawannock at Co- 
checho Point, and also to the settlement 
clustered about the falls. It is re- 
tained as the name of the stream to 
this day. The error of the engross- 
ing clerk of the N. II. legislature gave 
the manufacturing company that built 
the Dover Cotton Mill the title Coche- 
co M’f’g Co., instead of Cochecho. 
Cochecho Great Hill. So called 
as early as 1659, and is what is now 
commonly, but erroneously, called 
Garrison Hill. See “Great Hill.” 
Cochecho Log Swamp. Thus 
named as early as 1659 ; it was be- 
tween Cochecho and Belloman’s Bank 
rivers, and above tide-water. There 
are good reasons for thinking it was 
also called “ Capt. Waldron’s Log- 
ging Swamp,” which see. 
Cochecho Marsh. Sometimes called 
Cochecho Fresh Marsh. It was thus 
named as early as 1648, when it was 
surveyed and cutup into lots, and di- 
vided among the settlers. It was im- 
mediately north of the “Great Hill at 
Cochecho.” The “cartway” which 
led to it was laid out as early as 
1648, and is now the Garrison Hill 
road. The “Half-way Swamp” was 
on the south of the “Great Hill,” on 
the opposite side of the “cartway” 
from said hill. 
Cociiecho Point. So called as 
early as 1655. The point of land be- 
tween the Cochecho and Newichawan- 
nock rivers, at their confluence. 
Cociiecho Pond, or “The pond att 
Cochecho.” This pond was thus 
named as early as 1674; and as 
early as 1650 it was called “the great 
pond” in the land grants. It retains 
its name on all Dover maps, except 
the Hitchcock County Atlas of 1871. 
It is now commonly called Willand’s 
pond, from two generations of Wil- 
land’s who resided at the head of it. 
Cociiecho River. The river on 
which the city of Dover stands, and 
which flows into the Newichawannock 
at Cochecho Point. 
Coffin’s Garrison. On the 28th 
of June, 1689, Peter Coffin had a gar- 
rison on what is now Central avenue, 
Dover, and between Orchard and 
Waldron streets. It was taken in the 
Indian assault on Cochecho on the 
above date. 
Peter’s son, Tristram Coffin, on the 
same date, had a garrison on the high 
ground in the neighborhood of the 
Belknap grammar school-house on 
Silver street, which he successfully 
defended at the time of the massacre. 
Common (ThbJ. There was one 
on Dover Neck as early as 1649 ; an- 
other was laid out, in 1654, on the 
point between Fresh creek and the 
Cochecho river ; and another was laid 
out, in 1675, comprising “all the 
land above Little John’s creek, and 
west of the path that goes to Belomye 
Bank to be a common forever.” The 
name, soon after 1675, came to em- 
brace all the ungranted lands in the Localities in Ancient Dover. 
7 
Cochecho pond. The name was com- 
monly given to the hill some forty 
years ago; but it is now known by 
the name of Gage hill. 
Frankfort. An island in the Pas- 
cataqua river, about two miles below 
Dover Point, and lying near the east- 
ern bank of the stream. It is an 
elevated gravel knoll, with sides de- 
scending precipitously to the water. 
It has furnished many vessel loads 
of ballast, and will finally disappear 
in this manner. 
Field’s Garrison. On Field’s 
Plains in 1694, and owned by Lieut. 
Zaeharias Field. 
Field’s Plains. The name given 
as early as 1680 to the broad, elevated, 
sandy plain lying on the Back River 
road, about one mile below the head 
of tide-water, viz., below Sawyer’s 
mills, and it derived its name from 
Lieut. Zaeharias Field, who had a 
garrison there as early as 1694. 
First Church Meeting-House. It 
was erected in 1634, on Dover Neck, 
a little below the second house, the 
location of which is well known, and 
which was one mile above Hilton’s 
Point, now Dover Point. A care- 
ful examination of Winthrop’s Jour- 
nal, and of Belknap’s History of New 
Hampshire, makes it evident that the 
church was organized within a few 
days “immediately” following Dec. 
13, 1638. 
Fore River. The name given as 
early as 1652 to the Newiehawannock 
river which flowed in front of the set- 
tlement on Dover Neck, and in con- 
tradistinction to the river, which, 
lying behind the neck on which was 
the settlement, was called Back river. 
Fox Point. The name given, as 
early as 1652, to a point of land on 
town, which lands were divided among 
the inhabitants in 1732. 
Currial Point. So called as early 
as 1720, and it was situated between 
St. Albon’s cove and Quampheagan, 
on the west side of the Newichawan- 
nock river. 
Dame’s Point. The point between 
Fresh creek and Cochecho river, at 
their confluence. Dea. John Dame 
had the first grant there. 
Dirty Brook. So called as early 
as 1694 ; it flowed into Oyster river, 
near the second falls. 
Dompline Cove. So called as 
early as 1652. It was in Little bay, 
Newington side. Was it bad spell- 
ing for Dumpling? and was it thus 
shaped? 
Dover. The name given in 1639 
to the Hilton Point settlement. When 
the Rev. Thomas Larkham, who had 
resided in Northam, England, came 
to Dover, in 1640, the name of the 
settlement was changed to Northam ; 
but on his leaving, in 1641, the settlers 
changed the name back to Dover. 
Dover Neck. The high ridge of 
land lying between the Newichawan- 
nock and Back rivers. 
Dover Point. The point at the 
extremity of Dover Neck, formerly 
Hilton’s Point. 
Drew Garrison. It stands half a 
mile east of the Back River road, and 
is in a good state of preservation. The 
date of its erection is unknown, and 
it is on the farm owned by the late 
William Plaisted Drew. 
Eel Weir (The Upper). Situ- 
ated in Cochecho river, above Rey- 
ner’s brook, and so called as early as 
1700. 
Faggotty Hill. The hill on the 
road leading from Garrison hill to 8 
Localities in Ancient Dover. 
the south side of the Pascataqua, 
and lying south-west of Goat Island. 
Little Bay was on the south side of 
this point, and Broad Cove on the 
side next Bloody Point. It is the 
north-west angle of the present town 
of Newington, where Little Bay and 
the Pascataqua river join. It is 
about half a mile long, ending in the 
river, and forming a prominent head- 
land on that side of the bay. Tradi- 
tion savs the name originated from 
the use formerly made of this point 
to snare foxes. “ Reynard, being 
once driven there, could not escape 
his pursuers without swimming the 
river or bay, much too wide for his 
cunning.” 
Frenchman’s Creek. This name 
was given as early as 1656 to a creek 
running into Back river on the west- 
ern side. It was the next creek 
above Royal’s Cove. 
Fresh Creek. This name was given 
as early as 1648 to a tributary of the 
Cochecho river, which it joins on the 
eastern side at a point two miles 
below the city hall. The name is re- 
tained until this day. 
Gage Hill. The hill between Gar- 
rison hill and Cochecho poud on the 
Garrison Hill road, and some forty 
years ago often called Faggoty hill. 
Gallows Hill. Gallows hill, “com- 
monly so called” in 1699, was a little 
-aLove the head of tide-water^ 
Garrison Hill. The name was 
first given to the hill which the 
road ascends at the foot, and west of 
the present Garrison hill. John 
Heard’s garrison stood on this small 
hill on the west side of the road. The 
name was not given to the “Great 
hill,” alias the “Great Cochecho 
hill,” alias “Varney’s hill,” until aft- 
er 1834. There was never a garrispn 
on the latter, which now goes by the 
name of Garrison hill. Whitehouse’s 
map, in 1834, calls it Varney’s hill. 
Garrison Housks. There were 
five garrisons at Cocliecho, that is to 
say where the city of Dover now 
stands, at the time of the Indian mas- 
sacre on June 28, 1689. They were 
John Heard’s, Richard Otis’s, Richard 
Waldron’s, Peter Coffin’s, and Tris- 
tram Coffin’s. It is doubtful whether 
Thomas Paine’s house, on now Port- 
land street, was or was not fortified. 
In other parts of the present city of 
Dover were John Gerrish’s at llello- 
man’s Bank river, as early as 1689; 
Lieut. Zacharias Field’s on Field’s 
Plain, as early as 1694; Clement 
Meserve’s at Back river, now tum- 
bling down ; Drew’s at Back river, 
which is in an excellent state of pres- 
ervation ; Pinkham’s at Dover Neck, 
which was said to have been fortified, 
and which was taken down in 1825; 
and Lieut. Jonathan Hay’s at Tolend, 
which was pulled down in about 
1810. 
In Oyster River parish, in 1694, 
there were twelve garrisons which 
Belknap mentions, and afterwards 
there was another near the second 
falls of Oyster river. In the present 
town of Lee there were at least two 
garrisons,—one near the Cartland 
farm, and Randall’s near the Hale 
farm, which has been taken down 
recently. 
Gerrish Garrison. Capt. John 
Gerrish had a garrison at Belloman’s 
Bank river, probably near his mill, 
which he successfully defended in the 
Indian massacre at Cochecho on June 
28, 1689. Localities in Ancient Dover. 
9 
Gerrish’s Mill. Capt. John Ger- 
rish’s mill was on Belloman’s Bank 
river, one mile below the forks of the 
same, and north-west of Barbadoes 
pond, where the road crosses the 
stream. 
Goat Island. The large island in 
Pascataqua river, and so called as 
early as 1652, lying a little to the 
west of the mouth of Back river, and 
just below the mouth of Little Bay, 
near to the Durham shore. It was 
granted in 1652 to Lieut. William 
Pomfrett, and he conveyed it as a 
gift to his grandson William, the son 
of Deacon John Dame. When the 
Pascataqua bridge was built, in 1794, 
from Durham to Newington, the road 
crossed this island. 
Goddard’s Creek. So called as 
early as 1660; it was the first creek 
eastward of Lamprey river, in Dur- 
ham, and flows into Great Bay. It 
divided in part the counties of Rock- 
ingham and Strafford, until 1870, 
when the line was set over, and a 
slice of Strafford county was cut off. 
Great Bay (The). The body of 
water formed by the junction of the 
Squamscot, Lamprey, and Oyster 
rivers, and which at the Little Bay 
becomes the Pascataqua river. The 
settlers called it the Bay of Pascat- 
aquack. 
Great Hill (The). The name 
which was given as early as 1652, to 
what in 1659 was called “The Coche- 
cho Great Hill,” which from 1700 to 
1834 was called Varney’s hill, and 
which since 1834 has, commonly but 
erroneously, been called Garrison hill. 
Whitehouse’s map of Dover in 1834 
calls it Varney’s hill. 
Great Pond (The) . The name 
which as early as 1650 was given to 
the pond, which in 1674 was called 
Cochecho pond. The latter name is 
retained on Dover maps to tins day ; 
but it is commonly called Willand’s 
pond. 
Greenland. So called as early as 
1696 in land grants, viz., “on the 
road leading to Greenland.” It is 
the town of that name. 
Gulf (The). The name given as 
early as 1656, to a swell in Cochecho 
river, just below the head of tide wa- 
ter, and which is retained to this day. 
Half Way Swamp (The). The 
swamp, so called as early as 1652, 
lying south and west of Garrison 
hill, south of Starbuck’s brook, and 
on the left side of the “Cartway” 
which leads from the falls of the river 
to the “ Great Cochecho Fresh Marsh,” 
which lay just to the north of Garrison 
hill. It was half-way from the falls 
to the last named marsh, and the 
“ Cartway ” of 1652 is the present Gar- 
rison Hill road. 
Hartford’s Ferry. In 1717, Nich- 
olas Hartford opened a ferry between 
Beck’s Slip on Dover Neck and Kit- 
tery. 
Hayes’s Garrison. In 1812 the 
garrison of Lieut. Jonathan Hayes, 
at the junction of the Tole End road 
and the cross road that runs to the 
second falls of the Cochecho, and at 
the foot of Winkley’s hill, was pulled 
down. Lieut. Jonathan Hayes was 
born Apr. 17, 1732 and died Apr. 15, 
1787. 
Haystack (The). So called in 
Jonas Binn’s grant in 1654. It was 
near Branson’s creek, on the west 
side of Oyster river, near the mouth 
of the river. What was it? 10 
Localities in Ancient Dover. 
Heard’s Garrison. Capt. John 
Heard’s garrison, which was success- 
fully defended in the Indian massacre 
of Cochecho on June 28, 1689, was on 
the opposite side of the “cartway” 
leading past the Great Hill. The 
hill on which it stood is at the foot of 
the Great Hill, and directly west of 
the same. The “cartway” is the 
present Garrison Hill road. 
Herod’s Cove. So called in 1664, 
and was in Great Bay. 
Herod’s Point. A point of land, 
so called as early as 1650, in Dea. 
John Dam’s grant, extending in Great 
Bay on its south side. 
Herod’s Wigwam. There was an 
Indian named Herod who had a wig- 
wam on a point of land of same name, 
in Great Bay, in 1650. The Dam 
grant mentions both the point and the 
wigwam 
Hicks’s Hill. See Mahorimet’s hill. 
Hilton’s Point. The point of land 
at the extremity of Dover Neck, 
named from Edward Hilton, where 
the settlement was made in 1623, and 
which settlement took the name of 
Dover in 1639. The Indian name of 
the point was Wecanacohunt, some- 
times called Weeohamet and Winni- 
chahannat. Hilton’s patent calls it 
Wecanacohunt. It is now called Do- 
ver Point. 
Hogstye Cove. So called as early 
as 1652, and it was the west end of 
the southern boundary of Dover, now 
of Newington, on Great Bay. 
Hogstye Point. A point of land in 
Newington, so called as early as 1656. 
Hooks. A remarkable turn in 
Belloman’s Bank river, just below the 
entrance of the Mallego, and so called 
as early as 1694. The name was also 
given to a remarkable turn in Lamper- 
eel river, just below Wadleigh’s falls ; 
it is in the present town of Lee. 
Hook Mills. There are two hook 
mills named in the land grants. One 
was at the hook of the Lampereel 
river, near Wadleigh’s falls, and one 
near the hook of the Belloman’s Bank 
river. The hook mill on Bellamy river 
was mentioned as early as 1729. 
Hope Hood’s Point. A point of 
land thus named as early as 1694, on 
the north side of the “ Three Creeks,” 
on the western side of Back River. 
Tradition says Hope Hood, a Saga- 
more and famous Indian chief, was 
buried there. Hope Hood (alias Wa- 
howah), with three other Indians,sold 
land on January 3, 1687, to Peter Cof- 
fin, of Dover, and they called them- 
selves in the conveyance the native 
proprietors. The deed is recorded at 
Exeter. In the French and Indian 
massacre at Salmon Falls, on March 
18, 1690, Hope Hood had twenty-five 
Indians under him, and was allied to 
a party of twenty-seven French under 
Sieur Ilertel. Thirty settlers were 
killed and fiftv-four captured. Hope 
Hood was killed (says Mather) in 
1690, and the same writer speaks of 
him as “that memorable tygre. Hope 
Hood.” This point with land adja- 
cent was granted to John Tuttle in 
1642, and remained in possession of 
the family till about 1870. White- 
house’s map in 1834 erroneously calls 
it Ilopewood’s Point. 
Huckins’s Garrison, in Oyster 
River parish, east of the Woodman 
garrison, was destroyed by the Ind- 
ians, and twenty-one or twenty-two 
people massacred, in August, 1689. 
Huckleberry Hill. The name 
given as early as 1658, and which is 
still retained, to a hill on the Dover Localities in Ancient Dover. 
11 
Neck road. It is the long hill which 
one ascends before reaching the high- 
est elevation on the neck. 
Huckleberry Swamp. It was the 
Hilton Point swamp, and was laid 
out in 1652 as the Ox Pasture. 
Indian Brook. The brook which 
flows into Cochecho river on the east- 
ern side, and next above the fourth 
falls of the same. The name was 
used as early as 1701 (Varney grant), 
and its origin is unknown. It crosses 
the “ Scatterwit” road, and runs 
through the farm of Alderman Na- 
thaniel Horne. 
Indian Corn Ground. A tract of 
land lying between Tole End and 
Barbadoes pond, and thus called as 
early as 1693, from which the settlers 
had land grants from time to time. 
Probably used by the Indians for cul- 
tivating their corn prior to the settle- 
ment. 
Indian Graves. A locality on the 
west end of Beach hill, in the north- 
east corner of the town of Durham, 
and so called as early as 1652. In 
that year Philip Cheslev had a grant 
of land from the town containing 
seventy-eight acres, “ att ye Indian 
Graves,” and in 1715 the Lot Layers 
resurveyed it, and described the 
bounds as “beginning att the Indian 
Graves, att Beach Hill, commonly so 
called.” 
Another Indian burial-ground, ac- 
cording to a land grant in 1659 to 
Benjamin Hull, was on the south-west 
side of Lampereel river, not far west 
of a mill that stood on the falls, and 
exactly on the town line between 
Dover and Exeter, that is, on the 
town line between the towns of Dur- 
ham and Newmarket, as it existed 
till 1870. 
Indigo Hill. A hill in Somers- 
worth, about three fourths of a mile 
below Great Falls, and so called as 
early as 1693. A road was laid out 
in 1720 by the town of Dover, “be- 
tween Quamphegan and Indigo Hill 
and beyond into the common.” This 
road ran directly over Indigo hill, 
and is now closed up at that point. 
The new road between Salmon Falls 
and Great Falls leaves the hill on the 
right hand side between the road and 
the river. 
Johnson’s Cheek. This name was 
given as early as 1652 to a brook 
which flows into Oyster river on the 
eastern side and next above Bun- 
ker’s creek. Thomas Johnson had a 
land grant there, and the stream per- 
petuates his name. 
Knight’s Ferry. The old ferry 
tween Dover Point and Bloody Point. 
Lampereel River. So called as 
early as 1650, when Chris. Lawson 
and George Barlow had permission 
from the town of Exeter to set up a 
saw-mill at Lampereel river, “a little 
above the wigwamsbut prior to 
this date, in 1647, it was called Cam- 
pron river, and Elders Starbuck and 
Nutter of the Dover church had saw- 
mills on the first falls, where the cot- 
ton mills of Newmarket now stand. 
The Indian name of the first falls 
was Pascassick, sometimes written 
Piscassick, and again Puscassick. 
One of the western branches is now 
called the Piscassick. The stream is 
now called Lamprey river. 
Little John’s Creek. Littlejohn 
was an Indian, and his name was 
given as early as 1654 to the only 
brook that crosses the Dover Neck 
road which requires a bridge. It is 
below the Wingate farm, and is about 12 
Localities in Ancient Dover. 
two miles below the city hall. It is 
a tributary of Back River, on the east- 
ern side, and the tide flows up the 
brook under the bridge in the high- 
way. Joseph Austin had a mill on 
it in 1658. Whitehouse’s map of 
1834 calls it Varney’s creek. 
Littleworth. The district on the 
road leading to Barbadoes pond was 
so called as early as 1724, and is re- 
tained till this day. Whitehouse, on 
his map in 1834, changed the name 
to Trueworth to suit himself. It is 
needless to sav that no other individ- 
ual ever called it by that name, nor 
ever will do so. 
Log Hill. The steep bank where 
the Dover & Portsmouth Railroad 
crosses the old bed of the Cochecho 
river. It was the terminus of the 
path leading from the “ Logging 
swamp” of Major Richard Waldron, 
where the logs were tumbled down 
the bank into the mill-pond. 
Long Creek. It flows into Great 
Bay on the north side, and between 
Durham Point and the mouth of Lam- 
prey river. 
Long Hill lies about a mile and a 
half north-west of Cochecho pond. 
Little Bay. The contraction of 
Great Bay at the eastern end, from 
whence issues the Pascataqua river. 
Long Point. So called as early as 
1656. It projects into Great Bay on 
the south side. 
Lubberland. A locality in Dur- 
ham bordering on Great Bay, and so 
called as early as 1674. The attempt 
to show that this is bad spelling for 
Loverland is a failure. The old 
grants use the name again and again, 
and always Lubberland. 
Madbury. A locality so named as 
early as 1694, and now incorporated 
as the town of Madbury. The origin 
of the name is unknown. 
Mahorimet. An Indian sagamore 
who lived in the limits of the old town 
of Dover. Samuel Symonds had a 
grant of 040 acres of land from the 
general court of Massachusetts, lying 
on both sides of the “ Upper or Island 
falls” of Lampereel river, now Wad- 
leigh’s falls. This land was taken 
possession of by Symonds on June 3, 
1657, “in the presence and by con- 
sent of Mahorimet, the sagamore of 
those parts.” The hill in now Mad- 
bury was called after him, “Mahor- 
imet’s hill,” till about 1725, when Jo- 
seph Hicks bought land there, and 
the title subsequently became “Ilicks 
hill.” 
Mahorimet’s Hill. This Indian 
name was perpetuated by the set- 
tlers ; we find it in constant use from 
1000 to 1725. It lies in Madbury, 
and is now called Hicks’s hill, from 
Joseph Hicks who bought land and 
resided there from 1720. 
Mahorimet’s Marsh. So called as 
early as 1661, and for many years 
after. It was adjacent to Mahori- 
met’s hill, and was probably the low 
ground immediately to the south and 
west of the same. 
Mallego. The north branch of 
Bellamy Bank river, and was thus 
named as early as 1659. It arises 
from Cate’s pond in Barrington, and 
joins Bellamy Bank river in the town 
of Madbury. 
Mast Path (The Great). There 
were mast paths in various parts of 
the town, but the one named above 
was what is now the road to Little- 
worth. 
Mkserve’s Garrison. Clement 
Meserve’s garrison, now on land Localities in Ancient Dover. 
13 
owned by Gerrish P. Drew, is on the 
west side of the Back River road, and 
is in a very dilapidated state. 
Moot, Mooet, or Moet. Bad 
spelling for moat, and so called as 
early as 1656 from its resemblance to 
the moat or ditch which surrounded 
old castles. It was applied to a mo- 
rass in Oyster River parish on the 
Great Bay, and served to mark the 
bounds of certain land grants. “ The 
little brook that cometh out of the 
mooet” is mentioned. 
Mount Sorrowful. So called in 
1702, when Paul Wentworth had a 
grant of land there. 
“ Mucii-a-doe.” The road leading 
from Dover to “Much-a-doe” is men- 
tioned in a conveyance in 1672. 
Muchado is a hill in Barrington, and 
the road referred to was, of course, 
the Tole-End road. 
Narrows (The). The narrow 
channel in Cochecho river, about one 
mile below the first falls. See Cam- 
pin’s Rocks. 
Needom’s Point. This was so 
called as early as 1674, and was on 
Great Bay in Oyster River parish. 
Nicholas Needham was a member of 
the Exeter combination in 1638, and 
the point must have been named for 
him. 
Newichawannock. The Indian 
name of the falls where the Berwick 
(“Great Works”) river enters the 
(now) Newichawannock river. But 
the settlers applied the name to the 
stream from Quamphagan (Salmon 
Falls) to Hilton’s Point, where it flows 
into the Pascataqua river ; and this is 
the Newichawannock of to-dav. The 
settlers also called it the “ Fore 
River.” See Quamphagan and Fore 
River. 
Newtown. So called as early as 
1694, and the name is retained to this 
day. It is in the present town of 
Lee, about three miles north-west of 
Hicks’s hill. 
Nock’s Marsh. The grant of land 
to Thomas Nock in 1659, lying on 
the north side of Belloman’s Bank 
river, about one mile above tide 
water. In 1659 William Hackett had 
thirty acres of land “between the 
path that led from Belloman’s Bank 
to Cochecho,” on the south, with the 
freshitt (river) on the west, and the 
land of Thomas Nock on the north. 
The spelling has been changed to 
Knox marsh by those who have for- 
gotten the name of the original set- 
tler. 
Northam. When the Rev. Thomas 
Larkham, formerly of Northam, Eng- 
land, came in 1640 to the pastorate 
of the First Church, Dover, the set- 
tlers changed the name of the town 
from Dover to Northam ; but when 
Rev. Mr. Larkham left the town in 
1641, the former name of Dover was 
again adopted. 
Otis’s Garrison. Richard Otis’s 
garrison, which was destroyed on June 
28, 1689, in the Indian massacre at 
Cochecho, stood on the west side of 
Central avenue on the top of the 
hill, which is half wav from the falls 
of Cochecho to the “Great Hill.” 
Drake’s Book of the Indians and 
the Otis Genealogy erroneously place 
the garrison on the east side of (now) 
Central Avenue. Otis’s house in 
1655 was on the east side of “ the cart- 
way,” now Central Avenue ; but the 
land grant was resurveved to Rich- 
ard Waldron after the desolation of 
Cochecho, and they confirm the tra- 
dition that the garrison of Otis in 14 
Localities in Ancient Dover. 
1689 was on the west side of the 
“cartway,” now Central Avenue. 
Ox Pasture (The). It was laid 
out as such in the Hilton Point 
swamp in 1652, and was divided 
among the inhabitants, with other 
common lands, in 1732. 
Oyster Bed. The settlers discov- 
ered a bed of oysters in the stream, 
which, from this circumstance, they 
called Oyster river. It was half wav 
between the mouth of the river and 
the first falls of the same. 
Oyster Point. On one side of the 
mouth of Thomas Johnson’s creek, on 
the east side of Oyster river, and was 
so named as early as 1G54. 
Oyster River. So called as early 
as 1G40 from the discovery of a bed 
of oysters half way between the 
mouth and the first falls of the river. 
The settlers gave the name to both 
the stream and the settlement upon 
it. The parish of Oyster River was 
included in the limits of Dover till its 
separate incorporation in 1736 as the 
town of Durham. 
Packer’s Falls. The fourth falls 
in the Lampereel river, in Durham, 
was granted to Thomas Packer in 
about 1750. The second and third 
falls also are now included in “Pack- 
er’s falls.” 
Paine’s Garrison. In the Indian 
massacre at Cochecho, on June 28, 
1G89, Thomas Paine had a house on 
the road leading from Cochecho to 
Salmon Falls, now Portland street, at 
the intersection of Rogers street. 
Belknap did not mention it in his 
account of the massacre. It is 
doubtful if it was or was not for- 
tified. 
Paquameiiood. In 16G5, James 
Paquamehood, an Indian “of Tole 
End,” sold to James Rawlings “ three 
ponds and three hills, with all en- 
closed lands and marshes.” The deed 
is recorded at Exeter. 
Pascataqua. (One water parting 
into three.) The Indian name of the 
junction of the waters at Hilton’s 
Point. The settlers gave this name 
to the stream issuing from Little Bay, 
above Goat island, and which, receiv- 
ing Back river on the west of Dover 
Neck, and Newichawannock on the 
east of Dover Neck, is lost in the sea 
at Portsmouth. Early historians also 
gave the name to the settlements up- 
on the stream. The river is now com- 
monly, but erroneously, called Piscat- 
aqua. 
Pascataquack. The early name 
of the Great Bay. 
Pascassick. The Indian name of 
the first falls of Lamprey river, at 
the head of tide water, where the cot- 
ton mills of Newmarket now stand, 
and which name the settlers also gave 
to the western branch of the river. 
Sometimes Piscassick, sometimes Pus- 
cassick, in the land grants. The 
western branch of Lamprey river is 
now commonly called Piscassick. 
Pine Hill. The hill on which the 
third meeting-house of First church, 
Dover, was built before July 1G, 1713, 
and where the dust of the fathers has 
mouldered for generations, was called 
Pine Hill as early as 1731. 
Pine Point. A locality in New- 
ington, thus named as early as 1GG4 ; 
another Pine Point was on the Ne- 
wichawannock, in 1G93, just below 
St. Albons cove. 
Pinkham’s Garrison. It was on 
Dover Neck, about half a mile below 
the second meeting-house lot, and was 
taken down in about 1825. Localities in Ancient Dover. 
15 
Plum Pudding Hill. So called in 
the Coffin grant in 1670; it was be- 
tween Cochecho and Tole End, on the 
Tole End road. It was probably the 
high ground between (now) Lexing- 
ton and Arch streets. 
Pomeroy’s Cove. It was on the 
Newichawannock river; Major Rich- 
ard Waldron, in 1652, had a grant of 
Pomeroy’s cove “to make a dock.” 
Sandy point bounded it on one side. 
Quaker Pastures. There were 
two Quaker Pastures set apart “to 
the inhabitants of this town [Dover] 
commonly called Quakers for the bet- 
ter Inabling them to accomodate their 
Travelling friends.” One was voted 
on May 20, 1717, of ten acres, “by 
the way that goes to Mallego, at the 
head of our town bounds between 
Belleman’s Bank river and the mast 
path that now goeth to Mallego.” The 
other, of ten acres also, was voted in 
same terms on 25 June, 1717, on 
Dover Neck, “between the watering 
gutt and Cochecho.” 
Quamphegan or Quampeagan. The 
Indian name of the falls at South 
Berwick at the head of tide water. 
The settlers called the stream below 
the falls the Newichawannock, and 
the stream above the fall the Salmon 
Falls river. 
Redding’s Point. So called as 
early as 1652 ; it was a point of land 
on the south side of the Pascataqua 
river, east of Goat island. 
Reyner’s Brook. The brook which 
flows into Cochecho river on the east 
side, and next above the fifth falls of 
the same. It derived its name from 
a grant of land, in 1656, to Rev. John 
Reyner, and is retained to this day. 
His grant, comprising 400 acres, was 
on the east side of Cochecho river, 
commencing at the upper side of the 
farm now the homestead of Alderman 
Nathaniel Horne, and “running north- 
east front the river 320 rods ; thence 
north-west 240 rods; thence south- 
west 320 rods to the river, just below 
the Sunken island ; then 240 rods by 
the river to the first bound.” See 
Sunken island. This grant was re- 
laid to John Waldron in 1721. 
Riall’s Cove. The cove on the 
western side of Back river, and next 
south of Frenchman’s creek. It was 
so called as early as 1643. It is the 
same as Royall’s cove, from Teague 
Riall, or Royall, who had a grant 
there. 
Roads. On 27 October, 1653, the 
highway was laid out, five rods wide, 
from the second falls of theCochecho 
“eastward to the swamp.” That is 
from the (now) Whittier’s fall to the 
George W. Page farm. In 1661 a 
road was laid out from Cochecho to 
Oyster river, “ fitt for man and 
horse.” In 1724 the road was laid 
out, four rods wide, from Hilton’s 
point to the meeting-house at Pine 
hill. It was only a narrow cartway 
prior to this date, and had never been 
laid out by the town. 
Rock Island. The small island 
south-east of Goat island, and it was 
crossed bv the Pascataqua bridge of 
1794. 
Rocky Point. The point of land 
extending from the Newington shore, 
in Broad cove, and below Fox point, 
so called as early as 1657. Was this 
the same as Rock island ? 
Royall’s Cove. It was on the 
west side of Back river next south 
of Frenchman’s creek, and so called 
as early as 1643. The same as Riall’s 16 
Localities in Ancient Dover. 
cove, from Teague Riall, or Royall, 
who had a grant of land there. 
Sandy Bank. A locality on the 
east bank of Lamprey river, and so 
called in the Hugh Donn grant in 
1664. 
Sandy Point. On one side of 
Pomeroy’s cove in 1660. 
Scatterwit. A district on the east 
side of Cochecho river, adjacent to the 
fourth falls of the same, and thus 
called as early as 1701. The Sanford 
and Everts map of Strafford Co., in 
1871, erroneously calls it Scatter- 
with. 
Scoudew’s Wigwam. Philip Scou- 
dew, an Indian, had a grant from the 
town of marsh land at Great bay 
prior to 1643, and had a wigwam 
there in that year. 
Shankhassick. The Indian name 
of the first falls on Oyster river, at 
the head of tide water. 
Sligo. A district on the west side 
of the Newichawannock river, lying 
between St. Albon’s cove and Quam- 
phegan, and thus called as early as 
1694. Some of the early settlers at 
this point came from Sligo, Ireland. 
Sligo Garrison. There was a 
garrison at Sligo as early as 1709, be- 
tween St. Albon’s cove and Quam- 
phegan. 
Starbuck’s Brook. The first brook 
which flows into the Cochecho on the 
east side, above the first falls of the 
same. Elder Edward Starbuck had 
a grant in 1643 at (now) Horne’s hill 
on Sixth street, and the brook at 
the foot of Horne’s hill derived its 
name from him. Starbuck sold this 
grant to William Horne, the first of 
the name in Dover. 
Stevenson’s Creek. It was thus 
called as early as 1700, and flows into 
Oyster river on the south side, below 
the first falls. 
St. Albon’s Cove. Situated on 
the west side of the Newichawannock 
river, and about one half a mile be- 
low the falls at Quamphegan, the 
head of tide water. It was thus 
called as early as 1652; it is often 
called Styles’s cove, and is in the 
town of Iiollinsford. 
Stony Brook. Three of the name 
are mentioned in the land grants, and 
all of them in the Oyster River parish. 
One, so called in 1653, in Davis 
grant, flowed on the south side of the 
Woodman garrison, and emptied into 
Beard’s creek, on the western side of 
the same. 
Another, so called in 1674, flowed 
into Oyster river on the south side, 
and more than a mile below the first 
falls. The third, mentioned in Doe 
grant in 1711, flowed into Lampereel 
river on the east side, and a little be- 
low the head of tide water. 
Sunken Island. An island which 
has been all under water since the 
erection of the dam on the fifth falls 
of the Cochecho, and which was thus 
called as early as 1700. It is oppo- 
site the mouth of the brook which 
separates the old Dover town farm 
(now Eli Page’s) from the present 
Strafford county farm. It served in 
1721 to mark the west end of the 
northern line of the 400 acre grant to 
the Rev. John Iieyner, and was thus 
called in the description of the bounds. 
Three Creeks (The). So called 
as early as 1695, situated near each 
other, and near the mouth of Back 
river, on the west side. 
Tore End. A district on the west 
side of Cochecho river, and adjacent 
to the second falls of the same, so Localities in Ancient Dover. 
17 
called, and limited to the second falls 
in 1658 in the land grants. One 
grant says, “ neare Mr. Towle, his 
End.” A log hill was laid out in 
1703, “at the second fall, or Tole 
End fall,” on the west bank. The 
name has come to be applied to the 
whole district on the west side of 
Cochecho river, and lying above the 
second fall. 
Tomson’s Point. On the east side 
of Upper Neck (Dover), and so called 
as early as 1656. 
Turtle Pond. So called in 1694, 
and again in the Sias grant in 1719, 
as being “on the north side of the 
mast path.” Was it not another 
name for Barbadoes pond? 
Varney’s Hill. The name which, 
after the purchase of Ebenezer Var- 
nev in 1696, was given to the “Great 
hill,” alias the “Great Cochecho 
hill ” From the first grants of land 
down to 1700 it bore the latter name ; 
from 1700 till since 1834 it was uni- 
versally called Varney’s hill; and 
since 1834 it has commonly but 
erroneously been called Garrison hill. 
Whitehouse’s map of Dover, in 1834, 
calls it Varney’s hill. 
Wadleigh’s Falls. The sixth 
falls of the Lampereel river, six miles 
from its mouth, and so called as early 
as 1701 from the owner, Robert Wad- 
leigh. This fall was called the 
“Island falls” in a conveyance to 
Samuel Symonds in 1657, from the 
fact that an island was in the stream 
at or near the falls. 
Wadleigh’s Mills. On the sixth 
falls of Lampereel river, and so called 
as early as 1701 ; also called the 
“Hook mill,” from a remarkable turn 
in the river near this point. 
Waldron Burial Ground. The 
burial ground adjoining the Metho- 
dist meeting-house. Tradition says 
the bones of Major Richard Waldron 
were taken from the smoldering ruins 
of his garrison in 1689, and buried 
there. His great-grandson, Capt. 
Thomas Westbrooke Waldron, who 
died in 1785, was buried there, and 
his tombstone says “the remains of 
Major Richard Waldron lie near this 
spot.” 
Waldron’s Garrison. Major Rich- 
ard Waldron’s garrison, which was 
destroyed in the Indian massacre at 
Cochecho on June 28, 1689, stood on 
the west side of Central avenue, and 
midway between First and Second 
streets, and a few rods back of the 
present street line. National block 
stands exactly in front of the garri- 
son site. 
Waldron’s Logging Swamp. In 
1652 (then Captain) Richard Waldron 
had a grant of “two thirds of all the 
timber lying and growing between 
Cochecho first falls and Bellemaye 
Bank, and so westward between the 
river of Cochecho and the freshitt 
the runs to Bellomves Bank to the ut- 
most bounds of Dover.” The de- 
scription of the land grants, and the 
known location of the Major’s mills 
on the first falls of the Cochecho and 
the “Log hill” (where the D. & P. 
R. R. crosses the old bed of the Co- 
checho), where the logs were tum- 
bled down into the long mill-pond, 
enables us to locate “the great mast 
path leading into the logging swamp.” 
It ran from “Log hill” south, in the 
line of (now) Lexington street, with 
“ Plum Pudding hill” on the immedi- 
ate right hand side ; then curving a 
little to the west, it crossed “the 
road leading from Cochecho to Tole 18 
Localities .In . \ncient Dover 
End,” and continuing became what is 
now the road to Littlew’orth. 
Wednesday Hill. So called in 
land grants as early as 1700 ; it is in 
the present town of Lee, a mile and 
a half south-east of Lee hill, on 
what was once the Lee town farm, 
and now owned by Daniel Smith. 
Tradition says a fight with Indians 
occurred there on Wednesday, and 
hence the name of the hill. 
Welshman’s Cove. On Great bay 
in Newington, and was thus called as 
early as 1652. Did “Welsh” James 
Grant have land there? 
Wheelwright’s Pond. So called 
from the Rev. John Wheelwright as 
early as 1666, and the name is re- 
tained to this day. It is in the pres- 
ent town of Lee, and is the source of 
Oyster river. It was at this pond 
that Captain Wiswall, Lieut. Flagg, 
Sergeant Walker, and twelve privates 
were slain, on July 6, 1690, in an en- 
gagement with the Indians. Capt. 
Floyd, with the remainder of the two 
companies, was obliged to retreat. 
When Capt. Convers, the next morn- 
ing, went to look after the wounded, 
he found the Indians had retreated at 
the same time. He found seven 
whites who were wounded, and buried 
the dead above mentioned. 
White Hall. The name of a 
swamp in Rochester, to the north-east 
of the Great pond (Cochecho, also 
Willand’s), and so called as early as 
1650, when a grant of land was laid 
out to James Kidd, “north of the 
Great Pond, on the road leading to 
White Hall.” The name is retained 
till this day. Was it given as a bur- 
lesque on the king’s palace of the 
same name in London ? 
Willand’s Pond. The name which 
is commonly given to what was known 
as late as 1834, on Whitehouse’s map 
of Dover, as Cochccho pond. The 
County Atlas of New Hampshire, by 
Hitchcock, in 1871, calls it Willand’s 
pond. The Strafford County Atlas, 
by Sanford and Everts, in 1871, calls 
it Cocheco (sic) or Willand’s pond. 
The latter name is derived from a 
family who lived at the head of the 
pond. 
WlNNICHAIIANNAT Oil WeCANACO- 
hunt. The Indian name of Hilton’s 
point. Edward Hilton’s patent, in 
1629-’30, March 12, calls itWecana- 
cohunt; but Capt. Thomas Wiggin, 
May 22, 1656, surrendered his interest 
in the “ Winnichahannat or Hilton 
point” lands. 
Woodman’s Gakrison. Capt. John 
Woodman’s garrison, which was suc- 
cessfully defended in the Indian mas- 
sacre at Oyster river on July 17, 
1694, and which stands to-day in a 
good state of preservation, is on the 
east side of Oyster river, and half a 
mile above the falls at the head of 
tide water.