
FRESH STUFF DAILY
Seacoast New Hampshire
& South Coast Maine
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
|
|
| |
|
|
|
f56
canadian pharmacy support team tadalafil propecia without prescription cialis 5 mg online prescritions online viagra buy daily cialis generic propecia what is the best online pharmacy for viagra buy propecia tadalafil tablets 5 mg prices viagra for sale online cialis or viagra cheapest daily cialis viagra with prescription b uy viagra online no prescription canadian oharmacy canadian levitra canada viagra viagra on cialis canada viagra online no prescription canadian cialis canada cheapest med cialis or viagra online viagra without prescription ACCOMPLIA(BUY) propecia with out a prescription accutane online online viagra
0
|
Thomsons were First NH Settlers in 1623
|
|
|
|
Written by J. Dennis Robinson
|
|
Page 1 of 3  HISTORY MATTERS
Portsmouth loves to flaunt its founding date. A big new chunk of granite at the corner of Deer and Market Streets welcomes visitors to the city, settled in 1623. One might infer from the carved stone that the first European settlers climbed ashore at this very spot. They didn’t. (Full article below)
As far as we know, David Thomson [also Thompson], his wife Amias, and a party of perhaps seven to 10 indentured servants landed their ship Jonathan at what is now Odiorne Point in Rye in April of 1623.
The claim is arguably correct. Rye and other surrounding towns were once part of the New Hampshire settlement officially named Portsmouth in 1653. Rye and New Castle split off in 1769. Portsmouth didn’t think much about its birthday until Plymouth, Massachusetts held a big bicentennial celebration in 1820. Not to be ignored, Portsmouth threw its own founder’s day festivities three years later in 1823, branding the 1623 settlement date in the process.
NH’s Forgotten First Family
But while Portsmouth loves its birth date, it doesn’t give a cranberry for its founding family. They are rarely mentioned or memorialized today. The Thomsons established a small plantation, trading post and fish drying factory near the entrance to Little Harbor called Pannaway and – if you don’t count 10,000 years of Native American occupation -- they built New Hampshire’s first house there.
We have an eyewitness description of Pannaway from Samuel Maverick, a Royalist who came to Boston Harbor in 1624. He says Thomson built
"a strong and large House, enclosing it with a large and high Palizado [a defensive wall made from poles] with Mounted Gunns and being stored extraordinarily with shot and Ammunition was a Terror to the Indians."
So New Hampshire’s first home was an armed fort erected on well-defended high ground. There was likely a salt works, wooden racks or "flakes" for drying fish, a blacksmith shop and possibly quarters for the "lustie young fellows" who did the heavy lifting. A later witness described Piscataqua House (Pannaway) as made of stone, but historians suggest that the stone may have been a tall and sturdy foundation. No trace of the original Rye settlement survives.
In 1631, John Mason of Portsmouth, England sent an advance team to settle at Strawbery Banke two miles up the Piscataqua River, now Portsmouth’s South End. They found Thomson’s house at Rye largely abandoned, claimed it, and moved in. Then they built a large wooden Great House across from what is now Prescott Park for a rag tag group of about 75 settlers. No trace of that structure survives either.
CONTINUE The First Family of New Hampshire
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 Next > End >>
|
Please visit these SeacoastNH.com ad partners.
Portsmouth Herald
|
Portsmouth Herald Latest Headlines
|
| Portsmouth Herald News from SeacoastOnline.com |
-
UNH hockey powers past Terriers
DURHAM — The play of the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team special teams looked, well, special, Friday night against Boston University.
-
NFL's premier corner Revis mans up on Moss again
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Darrelle Revis has heard enough about his last matchup with Randy Moss. The New York Jets cornerback just wants to move on to the next one.
-
Father-son coaches creating legacy with Winnacunnet football
HAMPTON — If nothing else, Winnacunnet High School has proven that two Steve Magris are better than one when it comes to coaching football.
-
Bergeron wins it for B's in OT
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Patrice Bergeron scored with 47 seconds left in overtime, lifting the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.
-
Emotional home finale for UNH football
DURHAM — One year ago this week, University of New Hampshire strong safety Terrence Klein intercepted two late passes to preserve a snowy 28-24 win at Maine, more proof that...
-
Carter, Magic drop Celtics
BOSTON — Vince Carter scored 26 points, Rashard Lewis had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and the Orlando Magic beat the Boston Celtics 83-78 on Friday night.
-
Portsmouth says stimulus jobs overstated by White House
PORTSMOUTH — While federal stimulus dollars flowing into the city may help both causes and the economy, at least one local project echoes concerns expressed nationwide about the accuracy of...
-
Joseph Popluhar
TAMPA, Fla. — Mr. Joseph Popluhar, 71, of Tampa, formerly of Portsmouth, N.H., beloved husband of Marjorie (Hunt) Popluhar, died Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009, in Florida.
-
Turkey Trot 5K in Portsmouth on Thanksgiving morning
PORTSMOUTH — Thanksgiving is one of the most charitable times of the year. If you're in the giving mood, why not get a little exercise, too?
-
Marshwood Middle School parents told 58 of 60 kids accepted unknown Facebook friend
ELIOT, Maine — Marshwood Middle School parents were shocked to learn from Internet expert Jayne Hitchcock Thursday evening that 58 of 60 middle school honors students accepted her as a...
-
Newington tax rate drops, but selectman chides state lawmakers
NEWINGTON — Town taxpayers will pay a lower tax rate for 2009, but the chairman of the Board of Selectmen announced the good news with some concerns for state politicians.
-
Memorial Bridge re-opens
PORTSMOUTH — The Memorial Bridge reopened ahead of schedule on Friday following a month of repairs that forced motorists to seek alternative routes between the city and Kittery, Maine.
-
Bakers bustling for Sunday's pie festival
GREENLAND — Judy Alix laughed excitedly. "Thirty made, only 470 more to go!" she exclaimed.
-
3-car crash on Woodbury Ave.
PORTSMOUTH — A three-car, chain-reaction crash snarled lunch hour traffic Friday on Woodbury Avenue and sent a Maine man to Portsmouth Regional Hospital.
-
Thumbs up to preservation, determination
Thumbs up to the heirs of Mary McIntire Davis for selling a 239-acre parcel of salt marsh and forest along the York River to the York Land Trust ,and to...
-
John R. Genthner
HAMPTON FALLS — John Richard Genthner, born Jan. 28, 1943, in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, died peacefully Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009, after a long illness. He was surrounded by...
-
Runner's Alley helps racer achieve her goals
I would like to thank Janine and the staff at Runner's Alley for their great work in this community. Their contribution, enthusiasm and encouragement are a shining example of what...
-
New Generation raises $10,000 with golf tourney
The New Generation Golf tournament was held at Breakfast Hill Golf Club. With the help of all those who supported it, we made more than $10,000.
-
Memorial is a N.H. bridge; Herald must act to save it
Sitting a couple of hundred miles up the Maine coast, there isn't anyone who knows or cares about our bridge. They've got their own big-time problems that aren't getting fixed.
-
Robert F. Pucciarelli
WELLS, Maine — Robert Francis "Bob" Pucciarelli, 83, of Wells, formerly of Medway, Mass., died early Thursday morning, Nov. 19, 2009.
|
|
|
|
|
| Saturday, November 21, 2009 |
|
|
|