SOME HISTORICAL INFORMATION
by Patricia Twombly-Karakashian

The following information is based on the book "A Historical Sketch" by William D. Knapp, Somersworth, NH : [publisher not identified], 1894 and listed in WorldCat ®, the world's largest network of library content and services. https://www.worldcat.org.

Much of North America was claimed by England because of the discoveries of John Cabot and his three sons, who in 1496 were commissioned by Henry the Seventh "to sail to all parts, countries, and seas of the east of the west, and of the north, under our banners and ensigns, with five ships of what burthen and quantity soever they be, and so many mariners or men as they will have with them in said ships, upon their own proper costs and charges, to seek out, discover and find whatsoever isles, countries, regions, or provinces of the heathen and infidels, whatsoever they be, and in what part of the world soever they be, which before this time have been unknown to all Christians", to take possession in the name of the King of England, and his vassals to conquer, possess, and occupy" enjoying for themselves their heirs and assigns forever, the sole right of trading thither paying the king, the in lieu of all customs and impositions, a fifth of all net profits.

In 1497, they discovered Labrador, and sailing along the coast, claimed all of the territory north of the Gulf of Mexico.  In 1620, the attention of the English people seems to have been turned especially to this northerly part of the new world, with a view of colonizing it.  By November 1620, the English King by his sole authority, constituted a council of forty. This council was established in Plymouth, in the county of Devon for the planting, ruling, and governing of New England in America.

A grant to Edward Hilton in 1629 conveyed "all that part of the river called Pascataquack. The river was known as Pascataqua from the sea to Quampegan Falls, near which was established a plantation called Newwannok on the opposite site of Hilton's grant.

The primary object of settlements near the mouth of the river were to catch fish and to trade with the natives. In 1633, a Captain Wiggin surveyed and laid out the town of Dover. This survey included what we now know as Dover, Somersworth, Rollinsford, Madbury, Lee, Durham, and a part of Newington.

In 1623, Sir Fernando Gorges and Captain John Mason had obtained a land grant lying between the Merrimack and Sagada Hock rivers.  Subsequently, Gorges and Mason divided their grant, the former taking a new grant of the part east of the Pascataqua and calling it the State of Maine, and the latter taking a new grant of the part west of the Pascataqua as follows, "All that part of the  mainland in New England lying upon the seacoasts, beginning from the middle part of the Merrimack river and from thence to proceed northwards along the seacoast to Pascataqua rivers." Mason named his new grant, "New Hampshire" for the county that he had lived in England.

This very brief sketch of our early history is just that, history. It has been debated for years about the validity of "taking land". This will then remain, just a narrative for your interest as a Piscataqua Pioneer.

In Pioneer Spirit, Pat Twombly Karakashian
May, 2022