Landmarks in Ancient Dover, New Hampshire by Mary P. Thompson, 
Durham, N.H. ©1892, Printed by the Republican Press Association, 
Concord, N.H. 


LANDMARKS:  Horn’s Woods

NAMES:   EDGERLIE (EDGERLY), Thomas; DOO (DOE); John; SMITH, John, Jr.; 	 	     
	 SMITH, Capt. John; MASON, John; MATHES, Abraham; MASON, Mary; 	    	     
	 HAUNCE, John; WALTON, George; 

	Horn’s Woods.  The woods which have borne this name for two hundred years or 
more, are in the heart of the Lubberland district, below the present road from Durham 
village to Newmarket.  Thirty acres of land were granted to "Mr. Thomas Edgerlie, Senr., 
between Collies marsh and the hornes,"  march 19, 1693-4, laid out March 29, 1699. The 
Edgerly family still own part of these woods.  Ten acres, part of a 40 acre grant to John 
Doo (Doe) in 1694, were laid out to John Smith, Jr., Aug. 12, 1732, "beginning at a black 
oak in Horn’s woods, so called."  (Durham Records.)  Capt. John Smith’s ten-acre lot "in 
the horn’s woods, by the grassy swamp,"  is mentioned Oct. 31, 1749.  John Mason 
conveyed to Abraham Mathes Aug. 5, 1747, 16 acres of marsh and upland, commonly 
called doe’s marsh, "lying in a place commonly called the Horne’s woods in Durham, 
being part of the estate of my honored grandfather Joe Doe, set off to my mother Mary 
Mason of Durham, widow."  Ninety acres in horne’s woods are mentioned in the 
inventory of Abraham Mathes’ estate, Feb. 9, 1762.  A highway from "Wormwood’s into 
Horn’s woods," bordering on the Edgerly lands, is mentioned Dec. 26, 1743.
	No Horns appear in the early rate lists of Oyster River, but there were Hornes in 
Dover proper.  The name may have been derived from John Haunce, who was taxed at 
Oyster river as early as 1655, conveyed land on Great Island to "John Haunce of Oyster 
river, carpenter."

PG 108



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