Tidbits of History - New Hampshire
Last updated 06-Nov-02
New Hampshire - General Region
- See HENRY TUFTS on this web site
- In 1775 there were Abanakis still in place in ancestral locations at Missisquoi, Memphremagog, Cowas and the upper Androscoggin River.
- There had been an Indian village on Lake Mollychumagog some 70 years before [1796] in which Old Pacsmagenogg was chief.
- Philip's Deed dated 28-Jun-1796 - included land from Canaan, Vt. to Stewardstown, NH and the highlands of Canada. Philip exchanged this land in return for care for himself and the two women with him. He retained the right to continue to live from the land. He could hunt and fish and plant 4 bushels of corn and beans each year. These rights were to continue to his heirs and successors "and all Indian tribes forever". This deed was signed by Phillip, Molly Mussell, and Mooselock Sullsop.
- In Oct-1798 7 Indians from Odanak protested the right of Phillip to sell their lands. Their leader was Capt. Cegar said to be orator of Odanak. For $3,100, they deeded a much larger area, from Haverhill on the Connecticut to the Ossipee River on the Maine border, north to the border with Canada.
- He [Philip] maintained his tribe in northern NH and never permanently joined the Odanak [Abenaki] people. NH men called his people Coos or Co-wass as they camped in the meadows of the Upper Connecticut (Upper Coos) near Lancaster.
- Philip and his [Abenaki] people made improvements above the Ammonoosuc, and at the carrying place to the Androscoggin, and at Umbagog Lake
- "Some Indians, of this part of the Connecticut [River (Coos)], still remain at Saint-Francais [about 1809], where they call themselves Cohâssiac" (Kendall 1809 2:191)
New England Captives Carried to Canada
Between 1677 and 1760 During the French and Indian Wars
by Emma Lewis Coleman, originally printed 1925
The nearest way to the New Hampshire villages was by the St. Francis [River], through passes of the White Mountains to Lake Winnepesaukee (which is but thirty miles from Dover) and thence by the Merrimac to the settlements on or near that river.
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Colbrook NH
In the Civil War pension records of John Polis of Pownal Maine we find the following statements by his widow, Elizabeth Thompson, concerning thier marriage. She gives several dates for the marriage. On the first document we find the date 14-Sep-1863
"at Coolbrook NH by one Lewis Patol an Indian Preacher among them".
On another document 25-Dec-1863 is written and crossed out [He enlisted in the army on the 8th Dec], and "a day in November" is written above. She further states that she cannot furnish any witness of her marriage nor a record,
"as the Indian minister was a Traveler from place to place among the different families of Indians. She dont know where they might be found. The last she know they was in Canada."
[Elizabeth & John are identified as mixed blood Indians generally living in Maine]
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Lancaster NH
- NH men called [Philip's band] Coos or Co-wass as they camped in the meadows of the Upper Connecticut (Upper Coos) near Lancaster.
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Milan NH
The Androscoggin & Ammonoosuc River flow through Milan. This was an important east-west travel route between the Androscoggin and Connecticut River weatersheds for generations of Native travelers. From the History of Milan, we learn the following;
- Flora Bean "remembers that near her birthplace another log cabin, the home of a family of full-blooded Indians with whom they played as children." [Flora b. 11-Jun-1871 in a log cabin in Milan, d/o Caleb Fuller Bean & Betsey Peabody.]
- Dr. Sweetsir lived on a little knoll, halfway between Ormondo Lary's and the Ordway place. He was a root & herb doctor, Freeman's father. [Freeman b. 20-Mar-1845 in Milan]
- Wollopie was originally Chickwolnepy, an Indian name.
- Thompson Brook (Leavitt Stream) used to be Mollie Ockett Brook. Mollie, an Indian Squaw, used to camp when going back and forth.
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Pittsburg NH - aka Indian Stream Republic
Indian Stream Republic - Daniel Doan, 1997
At the end of a long winter, Indians had a way of hanging around begging for food. This was of no importance when the man was at home - providing the house contained adequate food - but the Indian who came while Abial was away had the audacity or hunger to demand food. Mrs. Holt tried to control her shaking hands while she cooked a meal for him. The silent Indian ate greedily and messily, then went away. Mrs. Holt thought he might tell his beggar friends in the woods about this lone girl who set such a good table. Suppose they arrived full of rum or potato whiskey? Abial returned at last and told her not to worry. She had done just right, except maybe for cooking so much, though the old folks said to feed the Indians hearty. Anyway these weren't dangerous Indians.
Abial was right. In the fall the Indian returned with a woven basket and gave it to Mrs. Holt.
[Note: the Holt family arrived at Indian Stream abt. 1820 -NL]
... they had enlisted the help of a dozen Indians. Sheriff White did not express the contemptuous view of Indians common then to the north country men ...
[Note: about 1836]
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Wolfeboro NH
Located on beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee, an ancient resort of the Wabanaki People.
- "... within the limits of Pine Hill cemetery there was, when Wolfeborough was first settled, a cleared spot of ground called the Indian Dance"
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