From The Gazetteer of the State of New Hampshire (in three parts), compiled from the best authorities, by Eliphalet Merrill and the Late Phinehas Merrill, Esq., Printed by C. Norris & Co. , Exeter, NH, ©1817, pg 166-167 Part Two of Gazetteer: NEW DURHAM - in Strafford county, was incorporated in 1762, and now contains 888 inhabitants; bounded N.W. by Wolfeborough E. by Brookfield and Middleton, and S.W. by Farmington and Alton, comprising 22,625 acres. In 1749, this town, comprehending a tract of land 6 miles square, was granted to Ebenezer Smith and others, on condition that 40 families should be permanently settled in it within 5 years from the declaration of peace, and that within 2 years after, a meeting house should be erected, public worship supported, and a grain and sawmill erected. Maj. Thomas Tash made early exertions in forwarding the settlement of this town, and built the 2 mills at his own expense. With the assistance of Paul March and others, the required number of settlers was obtained by a bounty of 50 acres of land to each settler. the town was incorporated by the name of New Durham. Within the compass of the original grant are 5 ponds, the largest of which is Merry Meeting Bay pond containing about 1,000 acres. The surface of the town is very mountainous and part of the soil so rocky as to be unfit for cultivation. Mount Betty rises 630 feet above the pond, which washes its base. Cropple Crown mountain is still higher. The soil here is generally too moist for grain, but suitable for grazing. Merry Meeting river flows from the pond of that name and falls into Winnipiseogee lake. Ela’s river flows from cold rain pond and passes about 4 miles through New Durham to Farmington, on both which streams are many good mill seats. On the latter is a fall of 14 feet, within 4 rods of which, mills are already erected. Cochecho river also has its source in this town. The principal roads passing through New Durham are from Wolfeborough and Gilmanton to Dover. There are some curiosities in this town, one of which is a remarkable fountain of water, over which a part of Ela’s river passes. By sinking a small mouthed vessel about 6 feet into this fountain water may be obtained extremely cold and pure. The depth of it has never been ascertained although attempts have been made. Near the centre of the town is a mountain called Rattlesnake hill, the south side of which is nearly a hundred feet high, and almost perpendicular. In its fissures a vast number of rattlesnakes have their dens. Their numbers have recently diminished. About a mile northeast from this mountain is March’s pond, which abounds with a species of clay, much resembling when dried the common chalk in appearance and qualities. On the N.E. side of Shaw’s mountain is a remarkable cave, called the Devil’s den, the entrance of which is about three feet wide and ten high. The outer room is twenty feet square; the inner apartments grow smaller, until at the distance of fifty feet into the mountain the passage becomes too small to be investigated. The sides both of the galleries and the rooms are composed of stone. they bear the appearance of having been once united, and were probably separated by some great convulsion of nature. Several other mountains in this town contain precipices and cavities, some of which are forty or fifty feet in depth. Col. Thomas Tash, who spent the last twenty years of his life in New Durham, was born in Durham in 1722. He was engaged in the French war, first in the capacity of Captain and afterwards in that of Major. In 1755, the annual stores, while on their way to the northern army, were destroyed at a place called Half way brook, between forts Edward and William Henry. Capt. Tash with 140 men was ordered to repair to this spot with assurances that the remainder of the battalion should immediately follow. On arriving at the place of his destination he found the stores and wagons destroyed, the men killed, and the enemy gone off. Ascertaining their rout, he pursued them in the woods about five miles, and attacked them while they were feasting upon their plunder. A warm action ensued which lasted an hour, when the enemy consisting of about 1,000 French and Indians, perceiving the weakness of our force, attempted to surround it. At this critical moment the remainder of the battalion arrived under major Burbank. The enemy immediately fled, and were pursued by Tash many miles into the wilderness. In 1757, Tash was appointed major and was stationed at No. 4 (now Charleston,) with 250 men. This was the first detachment of N.H. troops that ever occupied that important post. On the return of peace he settled in Newmarket, and in 1776, he received a colonel’s commission in the N.H. forces, and served one campaign. Toward the close of the war he removed to New Durham, where he owned several farms and a large tract of wild land. There he devoted himself to agriculture, and died at the age of 87, leaving behind him a memory still dear and respected. Rev. Nathaniel Porter, a Congregationalist, was ordained in New-Durham in 1775, and dismissed in 1777. He was succeeded by Elder Benjamin Randall, a zealous and indefatigable preacher of the free will Baptist order, of which sect he was considered the head, and obtained over it an extensive jurisdiction. He died in 1808, at the age of 60. T.T. Submitted by T.C. Parziale 5/30/00 **************************************************************************** * * * * 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. 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