SUBJECT: First Settlers of New Hampshire SOURCE: Historical and Genealogical Registers, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Samuel G. Drake, Publisher, ©1847- Vols - 1 - 50 - (Jan 1848 pg 37-39) SUBMITTED: Cathy Parziale 7/4/2000 ************************************************************************ FIRST SETTLERS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE Perhaps we cannot do better than to preface the important documents now for the first time printed, with some historical matters from the Rev. Mr. Hubbard’s History of New England. We say the following documents are "now for the first time printed," which is believed to be the fact, although Mr. Adams has, in his "Annals of Portsmouth," given the names of the early planters sent out by Captain Mason, but, as is seen, with several evident and important mistakes, taking it for granted that our copy (which is a very old one) is correct. Whether Mr. Adams used originals or copies, we have no means of knowing. Dr. Belknap does not appear to have known of the existence of these papers, and Mr. Farmer, his excellent editor, knew them only from the Annals of Portsmouth. We have no certain knowledge of the exact time of the arrival of the people, a list of whose names we give, but there can be little doubt that many of them were among the first who commenced the settlements at the mouth of the Pascataqua. We will now hear what Mr. Hubbard says, in his quaint and pleasing style, upon the early beginnings at Pascataqua: "Some merchants and other gentlemen in the West of England, belonging to the cities of Exeter, Bristol, Shrewsbury, and towns of Plymouth, Dorchester, etc., incited no doubt by the fame of the plantation begun at New Plymouth in the year 1620, having obtained patents for several parts of the country of New England, from the grand council established at Plymouth, (into whose hands that whole country was committed,) made some attempt of beginning a plantation in some place about Pascataqua river, about the year 162(?). For being encouraged by the report of divers mariners that came to make fishing voyages upon that coast, as well as by the aforementioned occasion, they sent over that year one Mr. David Thompson, with Mr. Edward Hilton, and his brother, Mr. William Hilton, who had been fishmongers in London, with some others, that came along with them, furnished with necessaries for carrying on a plantation there. Possibly others might be sent after them in the years following, 1624 and 1625: some of whom first in probability, seized on a place called the Little Harbour, on the west side of Pascataqua river, toward, or at the mouth thereof; the Hiltons in the mean while setting up their stages higher up the river, toward the northwest, at or about a place since called Dover. But at that place called the Little Harbour, it is supposed was the first house set up that ever was built in those parts; the chimney, and some part of the stone wall are standing at this day, and certainly was it, which was called then, or soon after, Mason Hall, because to it was annexed three or four thousand acres of land, with intention to erect a manor, or lordship there, according to the custom of England: for by consent of the rest of the undertakers, in some after division, that parcel of land fell to his share; and it is mentioned as his propriety, in his last will and testament, by the name of Mason Hall. Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Capt. John Mason might have a principal hand in carrying on that design, but were not the sole proprietors therein; there being several other gentlemen that were concerned therein, and till after the year 1631, there seems to have been not many other buildings considerable erected in any other place about Pascataqua river, all which is evident by an indenture yet extant [1680?] in the hands of some gentlemen now living at Portsmouth, a town seated down near the mouth of the said river." The "indenture" above referred to bears date 3 Nov., 1631, from which it is evident that many persons had some time before settled at Pascataqua; for in naming the property sold, "an house" is mentioned, "wherein Capt. Neal and the colony with him do or lately did reside." Notwithdstanding this statement, Mr. Adams has introduced his list of settlers under 1631, as though they all had arrived in that year, which gives a wrong impression. The contracting parties were "the President and Council of New England on the one part, and Sir Ferdinando Georges, Capt. John Mason, John Cotton, Henry Gardner, George Griffith, Edwin Guy, Thomas Wannerton, Thomas Eyre, and Eleazer Eyre, on the other part." Then follows, "as the forementioned have by their agents there, taken great pains, and spent much time in the discovery of the country, all which hath cost them, (as we are credibly informed,) £3000, and upwards, which hitherunto they are wholly out of purse for, upon hope of doing good for time to come, to the public, and for other sufficient causes," have sold, &c. We must draw a few sentences more from Mr. Hubbard, who, it will be remembered, was living and wrote while many of the first settlers were alive, and who evidently communicated with them upon their beginnings at Pascataqua. He writes, "and whereas there is mention in this indenture of Capt. Neal, and the colony with him, there residing in the said house, it must be understood, that the agents of Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Capt. Mason, with the rest, had by their order built an house, and done something about saltworks, sometime before the year 1630; in which year Capt. Neal, with three other gentlemen came over to Pascataqua, in the bark Warwick. He was said to be sent as governor for Sir Ferdinando Gorges and the rest; and to superintend their affairs there. Another occasion of their sending over, was said to be searching, or making a more full discovery of an imaginary province, supposed to be up higher into the country, called Laconia. But after three years spent in labor and travel for that end, or other fruitless endeavors, and expense of too much estate, they returned back to England with a non sct inventa provincia. Nor is there anything memorable recorded as done by him, or his company, during the time of his three years stay, unless it were a contest between him and Capt. Wiggans, employed in like manner to begin a plantation higher up the river, for some of Shrewsbury, who being forbidden by him the said Neal, to come upon a point of land, that lieth in the midway betwixt Dover and Exeter, Capt. Wiggans intended to have defended his right by the sword; but it seems both the litigants had so much wit in their anger, as to wave the battle, each accounting himself to have done very manfully in what was threatened; so as in respect, not of what did, but what might have fallen out. The place to this day retains the formidable name of Bloody Point." The following are the documents: The Names of Stewards and Servants sent by John Mason, Esq., into this Province of New Hampshire. Walter Neal, Steward, Ambrose Gibbins, Steward Thomas Comock, * William Raymond, Francis Williams, George Vaughan, Thomas Wonerton, ± Steward, Hinry Jocelyn, St., Francis Norton, Steward, Sampson Lane, Steward, Reginald Furnald,³ Chirugeon, Ralph Gee§ Henry Gee§ William Cooper, William Chadborn, Ffrancis Matthews, Humphrey Chadborn, William Chadborn, Junr ffrancis Rand, James Johnson, Ant. Ellins, Henry Baldwin, Thomas Spencer, Thomas Furrall Thomas Herd, Thomas Chatherton, John Crowther, John Williams, Roger Knight, Henry Sherburt,¿ John Goddard, Thomas Furnold, Thomas Withers, thomas Canney, John Symonds, John Pevrely, William Seavy, Henry Langstaff, William Berry, Jeremy Wolford ¶ James Wall, William Brookin,** Thomas Walford, Thomas Moor, Joseph Beal, Hugh James, Alexander Jones, John Ault ¢¢ William Bracket, James Newt, Eight Danes, Twenty Two Women. * Carnocks in Adams. ± Warnerton, ib. ³ Renald Fernald, ib. § This name is perfectly plain in our MS., but in Adams’s Annals of Portsmouth, it is Goe. whis is right remains to be discovered. We feel quite sure of the present spelling. ¿ Sherbourn, ib. ¶ Jeremiah Walford, ib. ** Also perfectly plain on our copy, but in Adam’s Annals it is rendered Brakin. The name of John Brookin occurs in the early conveyances, in Suffolk Deeds, Boston, where he owned a house and land, 1672. One error causes many more. Farmer was misled by this. ¢¢ John Ault, ib. **************************************************************************** * * * * Notice: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information 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.