The Fisheries at Amoskeag

The fisheries at Amoskeag Falls became famous throughout the adjacent country early on.  There salmon, shad, the alewife and lamprey eel were found in great abundance.  Judge POTTER, in his "History of Manchester," related the following:

   "The fishing at Amoskeag was of greatest importance to the people.  Tradition has it that the Rev. Mr. McGREGORE was the first person of the Londonderry settlement to visit the Falls, led thither by curiosity, and prompted by information obtained at Andover as to their grandeur and the abundance of fish to be found near them at certain seasons of the year.  From this fact originated the custom of presenting Mr. McGREGORE and his successors the first fruits of the fishing season.  The first fish caught by any man of Londonderry, salmon, shad, alewife or eel, was reseerved as a gift to 'the minister.'
     "As early as 1729, a road was laid out and built from Ninian COCHRAN's house (in Londonderry), 'then keeping by or near the old path to Amosceeg Falls.'  And another road was laid out at the same time intersecting the 'Ammosceeg road,' for the accommodation of other sections of the town.  This undertaking of building a road some ten miles through the wilderness, in the infancy of that colony, shows of how great importance the fishing at Ammosceeg was considered by the people of Londonderry; and it was natural that they should be strenuous in maintaining their claim to the lands adjacent.  Accordingly, we find their claim to the lands and the subject of the fisheries connected with them matters acted upon in their town-meetings at an early date."
     On the day of the meeting, April 22, 1731, the following action was had...:
     "4thly.  That in order to the safety of our town's people at the fishing at Ammosceeg the selectmen is empowered to allow and pay out of the public charge or rates of the town three pounds in Bills of credit to such person or persons as shall be obliged to make two good sufficient canoos, the selectmen obliging the aforesaid undertakers to serve the Inhabitants of the town the whole time fishing before any out town's people, and shall not eceed one shill per hundred for all the fish that they shall ferry over fromt he Islands and the owner of the fish and his attendants is to be ferried backwards and forwards at free cost."

The settlers took the fish with spears, scoop-nets and seines, and in large quantities; so that people coming from the surrounding country with their wagons and carts could get them filled sometimes for the carting the shad away, to make room for the salmon, and always for a mere trifling price.  Immense quantities of shad were taken at one haul or drag of the seine.  The New Hampshire Gazette, of May 23, 1760, had the following item under its editorial head:
     "One day last week, was drawn by a net at one Draught, Two Thousand Five hundred odd Shad Fish, out of the River Merrimack near Bedford, in this Province.  Thought remarkable by some people."

Among the names given to the various fishing-places were the following:  Eel Falls, Fire Mill, Todd Gut, Russ Ray's Hooking-Place, South Gut, Thompson Place, Watching Falls, Little Pulpit, Mudget Place, Slash Hole, Point Rock, Black Rock, Swine's Back, Snapping-Place, Pulpit, Hacket's Stand, Sullivan's Point, Crack in the Rock, Bat Place, Dalton Place, Puppy Trap, Pot Place, Patten Rock, Setting Place, Maple Stump, The Colt, Salmon Rock, Eel Trap, Salmon Gut and Mast Rock.
 

Charter of Derryfield

Tha town of Manchester, embracing portions of the towns of Londonderry and Chester, and a tract of land lying on the Merrimack River, belonging to the Masonian proprietors, called "Harrytown," was chartered September 3, 1751, under the name of "Derryfield."  This name is said to have been derived from the fact that the people of Londonderry had been accustomed to pasture their cattle within its limits.  The charter was as follows:

PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

"[LS.]
     "George the second by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c., and to all whom these presents shall come.

"GREETING :

     "Whereas, our loyal subjects inhabitants of a tract of land within our province of New Hampshire aforesaid, lying partly within that part of our province of New Hampshire called Londonderry in part, and in part in Chester, and in part of land not heretofore granted to any town within our province aforesaid, have humbly petitioned and requested to us that they may be erected and incorporated into a township, and infranchised with the same powers and privileges which other towns within our said province by law have and enjoy; and it appearing to us to be conducive to the general good of our said province, as well as of said inhabitants in particular, by maintaining good order, and encouraging the cultivation of the land, that the same should be done; Know Ye, therefore, that we, of our especial grace, certain knowledge and for the encouragement and promoting the good purposes and ends aforesaid, by and with the advice of our trusty and well-beloved Bennington Wentworth, Esq., our Governor and Commander in Chief, and of our Council of our Province of New Hampshire aforesaid, have erected and ordained, and by these presents, for ourselves and successors, do will and ordain, that the inhabitants of a (the) tract of land aforesaid, shall inhabit and improve thereon hereafter butted and bounded as follows, viz. :  Beginning at a pitch pine tree standing upon the town line, between Chester and Londonderry, marked one hundred and thirty-four, being the bounds of one of the sixty-acre lots in said Chester, being the South West corner of said lot; thence running south into the township of Londonderry one hundred and sixty rods to a stake and stones; thence running west to Londonderry North and South line; thence running South upon Londonderry line to the Head line of Litchfield to a stake and stones; thence running upon the head line of Litchfield to the Bank of the Merimack river; thence running up said river, as the river runs eight miles to a stake and stones standing upon the bank of said river; thence running East South East one mile and three quarters, through land not granted to any town, until it comes to Chester line; thence running two miles and a half and fifty-two rods on the same course into the township of Chester, to a stake and stones; thence running south four miles and a half to the bounds first mentioned, all which lands within said bounds which lies within the townships of Londonderry and Chester aforesaid, are not to be liable to pay any taxes or rates, but as they shall be settled, and by these presents are declared and ordained to be a town corporated, and are hereby erected and incorporated into a body politick, and a corporation to have continuance forever by the name of Derryfield, with all the powers, authorities, privileges, immunities and infranchises to them the said inhabitants and their successors forever, always reserving to us, our heirs, and successors, all white pine trees growning and being, or that shall hereafter grow and be on the said tract of land, fit for the use of our Royal Navy, reserving also the power of dividing said town to us, our heirs and successors, when it shall appear necessary and convenient for the benefit of the inhabitants thereof, and as the several towns within our said province of New Hampshire, are by law thereof entitled and authorized to assemble, and by the majority of votes to choose all said officers as are mentioned in the said laws.
     "We do by these presents nominate and appoint John McMurphy to call the first meeting of the inhabitants to be held within the said town at any time within twenty days from the day hereof, giving legal notice of the time, place and design of holding said meeting in said town, after which the annual meeting in said town shall be held for the choice of town officers, and forever on the first Monday in March annually.  In testimony whereof we have caused the seal of our said Province to be hereto affixed.
     "Witness, Benning Wentworth, Esq., our Governor and Commander in Chief of our said Province, the third day of September, in the year of our Lord Christ, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-one, and in the twenty-fifth year of our Reign.
     "By His Excellency's Command
          with advice of Council,
                                                    B. WENTWORTH.
     "THEODORE ATKINSON, Sec'y.

"PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

     "Entered and recorded in the Book of Charter, this third day of September 1756, pages 79 & 80.
                                                 "PER THEODORE ATKINSON, Sec'y."

 This charter covered about eighteen square miles of the southwest part of Chester, about nine square miles of the northwest part of Londonderry, including The Peak, and the strip of land between Londonderry, Chester and the Merrimack River, called Harrytown, containing about eight square miles.

This charter did not embrace the whole of what was known as Harrytown, a nook at the north part, betwixt Chester and the Merrimack being left ungranted.  This contained about two square miles, was called Harrysborough, and was added to Derryfield in 1792.

The act of incorporation empowered John McMURPHY to call the first town meeting, which was held at the house of John HALL, inn-holder, Septembre 23, 1751, as follows:

"PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

     "At a meeting of the proprietors, freeholders and inhabitants of Derryfield, assembled at the house of John HALL, in said town.  At this first meeting upon Monday, the twenty-third day fo September, Anno Dom'o, 1751, by His Excellency's direction in the charter for said township, dated September the third, 1751, according to the direction in said charter, by His Excellency's command, I, the subscriber issued a notification for choice of town officers uon the afforesaid day, and the afforesaid house, and the people being assembled,
     "Voted, John Goffe,         first Selectman.
                  William Perham, Ditto Selectman.
                  Nathaniel Boyd,    "     "
                  Daniel McNeil,      "     "
                  Elieza Wells,          "     "
     "3dly, for town clerk, John Hall.
     "4thly, Commissioners for assessment, to examine the Selectmen's account, William McClintock, William Stark.
     "5thly, for constable, Robert Anderson.
     "6thly, for tything men, John Harvey, William Elliot.
     "7thly, for surveyors of highways, Abraham Merrill, John Riddle, John Hall.
     "8thly, for Invoice men, Charles Emerson, Samuel Martin.
     "9thly, for Haywards, Moses Wells, William Gamble.
     "10thly, Deer-keepers, Charles Emerson, William Stark.
     "11th, for culler of staves, Benjamin Stevens.
     "12thly, for surveyor of boards, planks, joists and timber, Abraham Merrill.
                                       "Recorded by me,
                                                  "JOHN HALL, Town Clerk."

The French and Indian War

During the French and Indian War, which began in 1746, the settlers of Amoskeag took an active part and a fort was erected at the outlet of what became known as Nutt's Pond.  There were soldiers from this town also in the French War in 1755, this locality sending three companies.  These were commanded by Captain GOFFE and Captain MOORE, of Derryfield, and the other by Captain ROGERS, of what became Dunbarton.

Captain GOFFE's Roll was as follows:

John GOFFE, Captain;  Samuel MOORE Lieutenant;  Nathanial MARTAIN, Ensign;
Jonathan CORLIS, Sergeant;  Jonas HASTINGS, Sergeant;  John GOFFE, Jr., Sergeant;
Thomas MERRILL, Clerk;  Samuel MARTAIN, Corporal;  John MOOR, Corporal;
Joshua MARTAIN, Corporal;  Benjamin EASTMAN, Corporal;  Benjamin KIDDER, Drummer;
William BARRON,  John BEDELL,  Aaron COPPS,  Daniel CORLIS,  Ebenezer COSTON,  Caleb DAULTON,  William FORD,  Joseph GEORGE,  Stephen GEORGE,  Thomas GEORGE,  Benjamin HADLEY,  John HARWOOD,  Obadiah HAWES,  Amaziah HILDRETH,  Robert HOLMES,  Nathan HOWARD,  Jacob JEWELL,  William KELLEY,  John KIDDER,  John LITTELL,  William McDUGAL,  Thomas McLAUGHLIN,  Daniel MARTAIN,  Ebenezer MARTAIN,  Joseph MERRILL,  David NUTT,  Robert NUTT,  James PETTERS,  Aaron QUINBY,  John ROWELL,  Josiah ROWELL,  Jacob SILLIWAY,  Nathaniel SMITH,  Benjamin VICKERY,  William WALKER,  David WELCH,  David WILLSON,  John WORTLY,  Thomas WORTLY, Israel YOUNG.

Captain MOOR's Roll was as follows:

John MOOR, Captain;  Antony EMARY, Lieutenant;  Alexander TODD, Ensign;  Matthew READ, Sergeant;  Thomas READ, Sergeant;  James MOOR, Sergeant;  William SPEAR, Sergeant;  Ezekiel STEEL, Corporal;  Samuel McDUFFY, Corporal;  John RICKEY, Corporal;  John SPEAR, Corporal;  James BALEY,  Edward BEAN,  James BEAN,  Samuel BOYDE,  William CAMPBLE,  Mark CARE (or KARY),  Edward CARNS,  Robert COCHRAN,  John CRAGE,  John CUNNINGHAM,  Robert EDWARDS,  Thomas GREGG,  Theophalas HARVEY,  Thomas HUTCHINGS,  Michael JOHNSON,  Robert KENNADE,  William KENNISTON,  Barber LESLY,  James LIGGET,  John LOGAN,  Alexander McCLARY,  John McCORDY,  Nathaniel McKARY,  Robert McKEEN,  John McNIGHT,  Samuel MILLER,  John MITCHEL,  Robert MORREL,  James ONAIL,  James OUGHTERSON,  Joshua ROWLINGS,  Robert SMITH,  Esa STEVENS,  Daniel TOWORD,  David VANCE,  Robert WAWDDLE,  John WELCH.  

Captain ROGERS' Roll
The following, mostly from this neighborhood, were at the battle of Lake George, and wre subsequently known as the "Rangers:"

Robert ROGERS, Captain;  Richard ROGERS, Lieutenant;  Noah JOHNSON, Ensign;  James ARCHIBALD, Sergeant;  John McCURDY, Sergeant;  James McNEAL, Corporal;  Nathaniel JOHNSON, Corporal;  James ADISON,  William AKER,  Elisha BENNETT,  John BROWN,   Matthew CHRISTOPHER,  James CLARK,  Isaac COLTON,  William CUNNINGHAM,  Charles DUDLEY,  Rowling FOSTER,  John FROST,  James GRISE,  John HARTMAN,  James HENRY,  Timothy HODSDASE,  John KISER,  John LEITON,  Samuel LETCH,  William McKEEN,  Piller MAHANTON,  James MARS,  John MICHEL,  James MORGAN,  David NUTT,  Jonathan SILAWAY,  James SIMONDS,  Pileh SIMPSON,  Nathaniel SMITH,  Benjamin SQUANTON,  Joshua TITWOOD,  Simon TOBY,  John WADLEIGH,  James WELCH,  William WHEELER,  Philip WILLS,  Stephen YOUNG.