Landmarks in Ancient Dover, New Hampshire by Mary P. Thompson, Durham, N.H. ©1892, Printed by the Republican Press Association, Concord, N.H. LANDMARKS: Cochecho River and Falls NAMES: COCHECO MANUFACTURING COMPANY; WALDRON, John; WALDRON, Mary; HORN, John; HILTON, John; DOWNS, Thomas; Cochecho River and Falls. This river rises among the ponds of New Durham and Middleton, and empties into the Newichawannock at Cochecho Point. The word Cochecho signifies, according to Dr. Quint, "the rapid foaming water." It was the Indian name of the falls in Dover city, but the early settlers extended it to the whole stream, and gave it to the settlement that grew up around these falls. It is now generally, but incorrectly, written Cocheco-the form adopted by the Cocheco Manufacturing Company, said to be owing to the error of a clerk of the N.H. legislature when that company was incorporated. The name of "freshet" was often given to that part of the river above the head of tide-water. John Waldron and Mary, Jan. 2, 1721, conveyed to John Horn 60 acres of land, running S.W. by John Hilton's land to Cochecho river freshet, and bounded on the N.W. by Thomas Downs' 50 acres. PG 44 LANDMARKS:Cochecho Falls NAMES: WALDRON, Richard; WALDRON, Col. Richard; WALDRON, Richard III; WALDRON, Thomas Westbrook; WALDRON, George; WALDRON, Daniel; PAYNE, William; DOVER MANUFACTURING COMPANY; COCHECO MANUFACTURING COMPANY; The first falls, reckoning from the mouth of the river--the "Cochecho falls" par excellence--are in the heart of Dover city, and now owned by the Cocheco Manufacturing Company. A mill privilege here was granted the 1st, 6 mo., 1642, to Richard Waldron, who built a mill on the north side. Another mill privilege on the south side was granted him in 1648.¹ These rights were inherited by his son, Col. Richard Waldron, in 1689. The later bequeathed his rights to his son Richard Waldron in 1730. In 1753 they fell to Thomas Westbrook Waldron and his brother George. The former bought his brother's part and became sole owner. By his will proved in 1785, they fell to Daniel Waldron. They were acquired, Jan. 30, 1820, by the Strafford Bank, the directors of which conveyed them, Ap. 23, 1821, to Wm. Payne of Boston, who represented the Dover Manufacturing Co. ¹Pike's Journal says, Jan. 3. 1682-3: "Col. Waldron's mills burnt down in a very Rainey night." PG 44 LANDMARKS: Cochecho Falls NAMES: WIGGIN, Thomas; STARBUCK, Edward; COFFIN, Peter; STARBUCK, Abigail; WIGGIN, Sarah; WALDRON, Richard; WIGGIN, Capt. Thomas; The Second falls, called the Tole End or Tolend Falls, and otherwise Whitcher's or Whittier's falls, were granted to Thomas Wiggin and Edward Starbuck the 4th, 5 mo., 1650. The latter, July 29, 1652, conveyed his right in the "Cochecho upper falls," with all privileges of water and timber, to Peter Coffin, who had married his daughter Abigail. Sarah Wiggin of Quamscott in the township of Exeter, widow, and Thomas her son, conveyed to Richard Waldron of Cochecho one full half of the second falls of Cochecho in the township of Dover, with half of the timber granted to Capt. Thomas Wiggin (grandfather of the above Thomas) the 5th, 10 mo., 1652. Richard Waldron, the 6th, 10 mo., 1652, was authorized to build a sawmill on the north side of the second falls, provided it did not entrench on any former grant. PG 44-45 LANDMARKS: Cochecho Falls NAMES: WALDRON, Richard; CHESLEY, James; HANSON, Joseph; HAYES, John; WIGGIN, Thomas; KIMBALL, Ezra; "The second fall of the River of Cochecha, commonly called or known by the name of Tole End full," is mentioned March 3, 1702. Richard Waldron of Portsmouth having conveyed to James Chesley, Joseph Hanson, and John Hayes, the hundred acre grant to Thomas Wiggin in 1650, on the north side of the Cochecho, near the second falls, this tract was divided among them July 27, 1734. Twenty-six acres were assigned to John Hayes at the S.E. corner, adjoining the river, near the Tolend Mills. Twenty acres fell to Joseph Hanson in the S.W. corner, adjoining the river, "at ye Eleware wading-place." This was, of course, the Lower Eelweir. James Chesley had the remaining 54 acres. This Eelweir above Tolend Falls is again mentioned Dec. 2, 1734, when Ezra Kimball conveyed to Joseph Hanson one acre and three quarters of land adjoining the Cochecho river on the north side, "at a place calld ye Ealware falls," and also joining to ye S.W. corner of ye 100 acres granted Thomas Wiggin by the town of Dover, beginning at a small oak in little valley on the line between said Kimball and Hanson, thence running W. to the river, by a small hemlock between ye cove and ye island, thence down the river, including said island, to the first bound. PG 45 LANDMARKS: Cochecho Falls NAMES: WHITTIER, Obadiah; WHITTIER, Moses; BROWN, William; BROWN, Abigail; HANSON, Thomas; HAM, Ephraim; The name of"Whittier's mill" was derived from Obadiah Whittier, who is called a "Cloathyer" March 28, 1797, when William Brown and Abigail con- veyed to him 9 acres, 16 sq. rods. bounded by "the highway in Dover called Scatuate" (Scatterwit), and the the land of the widow Conner, and that in possession of Thomas Hanson. Obadiah was succeeded by his son Moses, who had a clothing mill, carded wool, and manufactured homespun cloth. This was on the easterly side of the river. On the opposite shore was Ephraim Ham's grist-mill. "The mills at Tolend, known by the name of Whittier's mill," were burned down Jan. 7, 1818. (Dover sun of 1818.) Clough's grist- mill is now at Tolend Falls. PG 45 LANDMARKS:Cochecho Falls NAMES: WALDRON, Richard; HORN, Daniel; TWOMBLEY, Joseph, Jr.; KIMBALL, Ezra; KIMBALL, Nehemiah; The third falls are mentioned Ap. 6, 1702, when Richard Waldron had a grant of "three score acres of land on the north side of the cochecho river, adjoining to the third falls, commonly called Hayes's falls, or as near adjacent thereunto as it can be found in common."In 1704 he had a grant of the falls, "commonly called haises fall," with due regard to the falls below. Richard Waldron conveyed the above grant of 60 acres to Daniel Horn, July 15, 1729, when Hayes's falls are again mentioned. Joseph Twombley, Jr., conveyed to Ezra Kimball, June 14, 1733, sixty acres of land, part of a hundred-acre grant to Peter Coffin, adjoining the Cochecho river on the north side, a little above the third falls. Nehemiah Kimball conveyed to his brother Ezra, Dec. 2, 1734, on half of his right in "a certain pair of falls wh unto my land doth joyne, known as Hayes' falls." Hence the name of Kimball's falls and mill, at one time given to the dam and mill at his place. PG 45-46 LANDMARKS: Cochecho Falls NAMES: PIKE, William H.; DEARBORN, Thomas J.; KIMBALL, Clarissa; KIMBALL, Ezra; COCHECO MANUFACTURING CO.; The Third falls are now generally called Pike's falls, from William H. Pike, who, in company with Thomas J. Dearborn, once had a saw and planing mill here. Clarissa Kimball conveyed to them, April 4, 1867, five acres of land on the northerly side of the Cochecho river, with the saw mill, mill privilege, and water power on, and pertaining to, said land, but subject to an indenture of Nov 4, 1861, between Ezra and Clarissa Kimball on one side, and the Cocheco Manufacturing Co. on the other, allowing only a certain height to the dam. Pike's mill was afterwards sold to that Company, but was burned down soon after. The privilege remains unused. PG 46 LANDMARKS:Cochecho Falls NAMES: DOVER COTTON FACTORY CO.; KIMBALL, Ezra; KIMBALL, Jonathan; KIMBALL, William; KIMBALL, John; HAM, Nathaniel; WALDRON, Joseph; YOUNG, John; WILLIAMS, John; WENDELL, Isaac; The fourth falls, once known as Kimball's falls, are now generally called the Upper Factory falls, from the cotton factory, now gone, built here in 1815 by the Dover Cotton Factory Co. This Company was incorporated Dec 15, 1812, and bought 5 acres, 8 sq. rods of land at Kimball's falls on the east side, from Ezra, Jonathan, and other Kimballs, Ap. 25, 1814. On this land the upper factory was built. Other Kimball land was acquired in 1818, when Wm. Kimball, Ap. 23, conveyed to Williams and Wendell 93 acres of land on the southerly side of the "Scatawit Road," formerly the homestead of John Kimball. This was at the westerly side of Nathaniel Ham's homestead farm, and extended up to Joseph Waldron's land. It included an island near the bank of the river. The "Horne dam," now gone, is mentioned in 1820, as a little above the Upper Factory falls, at the lower end of the Kimball farm. This is apparently the fall mentioned Dec 14, 1820, when John Young conveyed to John Williams and Isaac Wendell (for the Dover Cotton Factory) one acre of land "westerly of the next falls or cataract" above said Cotton Factory, including the privilege on said falls. This fall disappeared when the Upper Factory dam was raised. PG 46 LANDMARKS: Cochecho Falls NAMES: WALDRON, Joseph; WATSON, Winthrop; WATSON, WINTHROP, Jr.; WHITTIER, Moses; WATSON, Aaron; DOVER COTTON FACTORY CO.; The fifth falls, properly Waldron's falls, but now generally called Watson's Falls, are the first falls below the mouth of Reyner's brook. Here once stood a "day" sawmill of which the Watsons were the chief owners. The privilege, on the east side, however, belonged to Joseph Waldron, who had a grist-mill here. These mills are mentioned Feb. 1, 1819, when Winthrop Watson and Winthrop Watson, Jr., conveyed to Moses Whittier, clothier, one acre of land and the mill privilege attached there to, be- ginning by the Cochecho river on the southerly side, at a place called Waldron's and Watson's mills, a little westerly of a point of rocks westerly of the bridge, and running south 35 deg. E. 24 rods, including all the land between said line and said river, with all their right in the dam halfway over the river, and a right to pass and re-pass across their land and Aaron Watson's land from Tolend road, with carts, teams, and all things necessary for improving said privilege, building mills, etc. PG 46-47 LANDMARKS: Cochecho Falls NAMES: TRICKEY, John; COCHECO MANUFACTURING CO.; WATSON, Winthrop; WATSON, WINTHROP, Jr.; WHITTIER, Moses; Cochecho Falls. The Dover Cotton Factory Co. acquired, Dec. 15, 1821, one acre of land at a place called Waldron's and Watson's falls, with the privilege in the dam half way across the river, being the land and mill privilege Winthrop Watson and Winthrop Watson, Jr., conveyed to Moses Whittier Feb. 1, 1819; excepting, however, and reserving to said Whittier the privilege of drawing such a quantity of water from the pond as he might have occasion for in fulling cloth or skins. This fulling-mill on the westerly side of the river is mentioned on Whitehouse's map of 1834. Whittier moved this mill down the river about 1842. John Trickey afterwards acquired the mills on the east side of these falls, which he demolished about 1853. There is no mill here right now, and the whole water power is owned by the Cocheco Manufacturing Co. PG 47 LANDMARKS: Cochecho Falls NAMES: FIELD, Stephen; FIELD, Zachariah; WINGET, John; HUSSEY, Timothy; HUSSEY, Elijah; HUSSEY, Elizabeth; WENDALL, Isaac; DOVER COTTON FACTORY; HUSSEY, Jane; GONIC MANUFACTURING CO.; NORWAY PLAINS MANUFACTURING CO.; The sixth falls, called Hussey's falls and the Upper Eel-Weir falls, are below the mouth of Blackwater brook. they are mentioned July 31, 1721, when 60 acres were laid out to Stephen Field, on the N.W. side of Long hill, granted to his father Zachariah in 1694, on the west side of the Cochecho river, "above ye Ealeware," beginning at a red oak tree, one of the bounds of the land of John Winget, deceased. (See Sandy Log Hill.) The name of Hussey's falls was derived from Timothy Hussey and his nephew Elijah, who once owned this water privilege and the adjoing land. No mention is made of any mill here. Timothy Hussey and Elizabeth, Dec. 11, 1821, conveyed to Isaac Wendell, for the Dover Cotton Factory, one acre of land "at a place called Eelware falls," together with the falls. This was on the easterly side of the river. Elijah Hussey and Jane, that same day, conveyed to said Wendell once acre on the west side of the falls, in- cluding all the water privilege adjoining said lot. A reservoir dam was built here by the Cotton Factory soon after this purchase. Above the Dover line there are two falls in the Cochecho, below Gonic. The lower one, of eight feet, is not used. at the upper one, a fall of 15 ft., is a saw-mill. At Gonic is a fall of 19 ½ ft., 120 horse power, used by the Gonic Manufacturing Co. The next falls are in the city proper of Rochester, where there are three privileges. At the lowest is a saw and grist mill. the next one supplies the mills of the Norway Plains Manufactu- ring Co., which has another mill at the dam still further up. 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