Landmarks in Ancient Dover, New Hampshire by Mary P. Thompson, Durham, N.H. ©1892, Printed by the Republican Press Association, Concord, N.H. LANDMARKS: Fresh Creek Fresh Creek NAMES: FURBER, Wm.; WENTWORTH, Wm.; LANGSTAR, Henry; CANNEY, Thomas; WIGGINS, Capt.; BROADSTREET, Mr.; TIBBETS, Henry; DREW, John, Sr.; CROUMEL (CROMWELL), Samuel; CROUMEL, Joshua; WENTWORTH, Gershom; DOWNS, Thomas; WENTWORTH, Ebenezer; WENTWORTH, Benjamin; WENTWORTH, Ephraim; This stream is a tributary of the Cochecho river, into which it empties on the east side, not far above the mouth. It is mentioned in the Dover records as early as 1648. the mill privilege on this creek was granted the 5th, 10 mo., 1652, to Wm. Furber, Wm. Wentworth, Henry Langstar and Thomas Canney, together with the timber "from the head of tidewater three miles up into the woods betwixt the two freshets, the southernmost freshett coming out of the marsh beside the great hill at Cochecho, the northernmost freshett bounding Capt Wiggins and Mr Broadstreet's grant at Quomphegan,"etc. (N.H. Town Pap., XI: 530.) Henry Tibbets, June 29, 1713, conveyed to John Drew, Sr., one half of the mill privilege at the head of Fresh creek, and half of his labor in building the sawmill there, with the privilege of erecting a dam for the convenience of said mill, together with land for a log hill. This fall was within the line of Samuel Croumel's (Cromwell's) land, near ye place where Joshua Croumel's house formerly stood. The name of Fresh creek is still retained, but the water power is now small. The lowest saw-mill thereon was at the crossing of the present road to Eliot. Flagg's mill, a tide mill, was the last that stood here. the tide, however, extends up to the old road laid out in 1709, where stood Fielding's mill. Another mill once stood farther up the stream, where it is crossed by the road of 1733. Between the site of Flagg's and Fielding's mills are the remains of an old beaver dam in a cove, at the foot of a hill covered with alders, poplars, and red oaks. the part of Fresh creek above the head of tide water the mouth of Twombley's brook is often called Willow brook, from the number of ancient willows that border the stream for some distance; and sometimes Barbel brook because in spring it is full of barbels, as well as lamprey-eels, etc. Barbel brook is crossed by the turnpike road to Portland. Above the mouth of Twombley's brook, it is called Rollins brook, to its source among the springs in the vicinity of Otis' Hill. (See Rollins' and Twombley's Brooks.)¹ The whole brook above the head of tide water was in early times called Fresh creek brook. This name is given it Dec. 16, 1720, when Gershom Wentworth conveyed to Thomas Downs ten acres of land near said Downs house, extending up fresh creek brook 31 poles. Ebenezer Wentworth conveyed to Benjamin Wentworth, June 27, 1737, all right and title to the estate of their honored father Benjn Wentworth, bounded northerly by Ephraim Wentworth's land easterly by Fresh creek brook, etc. ¹A description of Fresh creek and its tributaries, written with charming freshness (as the subject required) by Mrs. Baer of Rollinsford, is to be found in the Granite Montly, Dec 1883. PG 79-80 - Submitted by C. Parziale **************************************************************************** * * * * Notice: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter informa- tion is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. * * * * The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.