| Notes |
- Henry Langstaff's journey in the New World began with his arrival in the Piscataqua River area, now known as Dover, New Hampshire. Part of the colony sent out by Captain John Mason, Henry was among the early settlers who arrived less than a decade after the Mayflower, marking a new era in American colonization.
By 1631, Henry had established himself at "Bloody Point," a promontory near the mouth of the Piscataqua River. His life in this new land was marked by significant contributions to the community. As a "freeman," he played an active role in the governance of Dover, serving as one of the "Select Men" of the community. This position reflected his status and importance in the early days of the settlement.
During a time when many Puritans were immigrating to Massachusetts to escape persecution under Charles I, Henry and his fellow settlers in Dover faced challenges to their land claims. The influence of Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans led to the extension of Massachusetts' land claims, overshadowing those granted to Mason's colony by James I. Despite these challenges, Henry and his community stood their ground.
The restoration of Charles II to the throne in 1660 brought a reassertion of the Mason grants. In 1665, Henry Langstaff, alongside other Dover Select Men, including Richard Waldron and John Davis, issued a grievance regarding their territorial rights, asserting their claims amidst the changing political landscape.
Henry Langstaff's commitment to Dover was unwavering. He served multiple times as a juror and selectman, participating actively in the town's governance and legal proceedings. His allegiance to the Massachusetts government was evident when he took the oath of allegiance in 1652.
Henry's life at Bloody Point continued until his death, which came after a fall that resulted in a ten-day illness. Living to be about 100 years old, he was known as a hale and hearty man, embodying the resilience and strength of the early American settlers. His burial at Bloody Point, alongside his wife, Lora, marked the end of a life deeply intertwined with the early history of Dover.
Henry Langstaff's story is a testament to the challenges and triumphs faced by early settlers in New England. His life at Bloody Point, his service to the Dover community, and his resilience in the face of political and territorial changes paint a vivid picture of early American settlement and the forging of a new community in a new world.
ORIGIN: Unknown
MIGRATION: 1631
FIRST RESIDENCE: Piscataqua
FREEMAN: On list of Dover freemen for Dover, 5 April 1653 [ NEHGR 4:247].
EDUCATION: He made his mark to his deeds, petitions and other documents.
OFFICES: Grand jury, 30 August 1643, 26 August 1646, 8 October 1650, 8 October 1652, 28 June 1654, 27 June 1655, 25 June 1661, 24 June 1662, 27 June 1671, 24 June 1673 [ NHPP 40:11, 20, 57, 97, 108-9, 155, 168, 265, 288].
Dover selectman, 8 December 1651, 1655, 5 June 1659, 20 April 1663, 28 April 1664, 1665, 3 May 1669, 4 March 1672 [ Dover Hist 255-56; NHPP 1:274].
ESTATE: In the Dover tax rate of 1648, he was rated £75 and paid £1 5s. [ NHGR 1:179]. He also appeared in subsequent lists for 1649-50, 1657-59, 1662-63, 1666 [ GDMNH 49-50].
On 18 March 1648 he received six acres in Cochecho marsh [NEHGR 4:46]. On 5 December 1652, William Furber, William Wentworth, "Henery Lankster" and "Thomas Caney" were granted accommodations at Fresh Creek for a sawmill [NHPP 40:453]. He received a grant of two hundred acres, and also his lot where Stephen Tedder's house was, laid out 5 April 1658 [GDMNH 415]. On 27 March 1669 "Henry Longstaff," Phillips Lewis, and Nathaniell Fryer of Portsmouth purchased land and buildings in Greenland from Francis Champernown of Kittery [ NHPLR 9:63]. In June 1668 Henry Langstaff of Bloody Point purchased all the lands, house, household stuff and swine, etc., of John Hale of Bloody Point, yeoman [NHPLR 10:241].
On 7 October 1702 "Henry Langstaffe" of Dover sold to Capt. Peter Coffin of Exeter twelve acres of fresh meadow at Cocheco Meadows, "six acres of which was granted to me by the town of Dover, the other six was granted to James Rolins and bought of him by me" [NHPLR 7:34]. On 8 September 1703 Henry Langster Sr. of Bloody Point deeded to "my daughter Mary Langster" for "natural love, goodwill, affection, etc., and her carefulness in taking pains to wait and attend upon me upon all occasions in this my great age" fifty acres of upland in Dover at Stephen's Point [NHPLR 7:143].
On 27 October 1704 Henry Langster Sr. of Bloody Point in Dover deeded to "my lawful begotten daughter Mary Langster, spinster," land in the little bay in Dover and half all his lands and marsh at Greenland, and half all his household goods, "excepting three cows and ten sheep which I give to my daughter Sarah Nutter" [NHPLR 7:141].
On 27 October 1704 Henry Langster Sr. of Bloody Point in Dover deeded to "my lawful begotten son Henry Langster" of Dover, yeoman, for natural love and affection "my homestead at Bloody Point," also one piece of land at Broad Cove Creek in Dover, being "part of the land granted to me by Dover 9 July 1652," also "one half all my lands and marsh at Greenland," also "one half all my household goods and all other moveables whatsoever, excepting three cows and ten sheep which I give to my daughter Sarah Nutter," this deed to be in effect "after the decease of the donor" [NHPLR 9:472].
On 26 June 1705 Henry Langstaff Sr. of Dover quitclaimed to William Partridge of Portsmouth any right he might have in Champernown's farm in Greenland [NHPLR 5:116].
BIRTH: About 1610 (deposed aged 70, 15 February 1682[/3] [NHPLR 26:295]; aged "ninety years or thereabouts" on 9 May 1699 [NHPP 2:529]; and "aged about ninety years" on 13 August 1700 [NHPP 2:541-42]).
DEATH: Dover July 1705 ("July 18, 1705. Mr. Henry Langstar of Bloody-point deceased after ten days sickness, occasioned by a fall into his leanto, four stairs high, whereby being grievously bruised, it brought an inflammation upon him. He was about 100 years old, hale, strong, hearty man, & might have lived many years longer, if &c." [NHGR 3:104, citing Pike's Journal]). (Unlike many other early claims of extreme longevity, Henry Langstaff must have been very close to one hundred when he died, as he would have been about twenty when he first came to New England. He was certainly well into his nineties at his death.)
MARRIAGE: By about 1640 _____ _____. She may have been related in some way to the Sheafe family. She was certainly deceased by 1704 when Henry divided the homestead between two of the children.
CHILDREN:
i JOHN, b. say 1640; m. by 1675 Martha _____ (son b. Piscataway, New Jersey, 26 January 1675/6 [ Monnette 2:235]).
ii SARAH, b. say 1643; m. by 1663 Anthony Nutter (eldest child b. 27 December 1663 [GDMNH 516]; on 27 October 1704 Henry Langstaff gave livestock to "my daughter Sarah Nutter" [NHPLR 7:141]).
iii HENRY, b. about 1647 (aged 66 in 1713); d. by 1718, unmarried [GDMNH 415].
iv MARY, b. about 1650; "aged 63 in 1713 when she m. as his first wife Eleazer Coleman, aged 23" [GDMNH 158, 415].
ASSOCIATIONS: Henry Langstaff Jr. sold land to kinsman Sampson Sheafe [GDMNH 415].
COMMENTS: On 3 June 170[4] Henry Langster "above ninety years of age" testified that "about the year 1635 he came with others from England and served at Little Harbor under the command of Capt. Neal..." [NHPP 2:530]. Some years earlier he had been more specific, deposing on 9 May 1699 as follows:
Henry Langster of Bloody Point, of Dover in this Province, aged ninety years or thereabouts, testifieth and saith, that about the year one thousand six hundred and thirty five, he arrived at the port of Piscataqua River, in the service of Captain Jno. Mason, & that he lived two years in the service of said Mason, with Mr. Walter Neal, one of the agents of said Mason at Little Harbor, then called Randevous" [NHPP 2:529].
But Neal left New England on 15 August 1633, not to return. The elderly Henry deposed regarding Thomas Walford's land and stated that Capt. Neal did not molest Walford in his possession of it, implying that he was there to witness that Neal had no objections [NHPLR 26:295]. Assuming that Langstaff would more easily have mistaken his date of arrival than his residence with Walter Neale, Langstaff arrived on the Piscataqua no later than 1631.
Henry Langstaff signed the Bloody Point petition of about 1644, asking to be taxed with Dover, not Strawberry Bank [ MA Arch 3:442; NHPP 1:176-77]. He signed the Dover petition against the Patentees about 1654 [MA Arch 3:446; NHPP 1:212-14]. He favored Massachusetts government, 22 October 1677 [NHPP 17:524-25]. With his son of the same name, he signed the 10 August 1692 petition by New Hampshire in~hab~i~tants to the King asking for equal privileges with Massachusetts [GDMNH 13].
"Henrye Langster" was successfully sued at the 3 October 1648 Dover court by Philip Lewis for mowing the marsh near Capt. Francis Champernoune's farm [NHPP 40:37]. "Langster" won an appeal in the case at court 29 June 1653, but other aspects of the case dragged on and he was again in court October 1652 [NHPP 40:79].
"Henry Langstaffe" appraised the estates of Tobias Langdon of Portsmouth 30 November 1664, Hatevil Nutter 25 June 1675, Thomas Trickey 3 December 1675 [NHPP 31:81, 159, 169]. He was the "well beloved trusty and true friend" of James Rawlings in 1685 when Rawlings appointed "Mr. Henry Langstaff Senr." one of his overseers in his will [NHPP 31:294]. He was unsuccessfully sued by Thomas Willey at Portsmouth court 27 June 1654 [NHPP 40:107].
At Dover court 29 June 1669 with Mr. Nathaniel Fryer and Philip Lewis, Henry "Langstar" sued John Kenniston for "using and improving a house and lands of the said plaintifs' at a place called Greenland called ... Capt. Champernowne's farm and for making spoil of their timber & improving their house & land & detaining it from them & disowning their title to the said house & premises to their great damage" [NHPP 40:245]. Apparently Major Thomas Clark of Boston also trespassed on this land, and the owners tried to sue him at Portsmouth court 7 December 1680, but although the court found for the owners, Major Clark was out of the province [NHPP 40:369]. Clark countersued and the court ruled at Hampton 6 December 1681 that if the Champernowne deed was good, Langstaff and co-owners should win judgment, and if the deed was no good, Clark should prevail [NHPP 40:381].
"Henry Langstarr" and Anthony Nutter were sued by William Earl for a debt against John Partridge at court 24 June 1673 [NHPP 40:292].
On 16 February 1682[/3] Henry Langstar aged seventy years or thereabouts testified that
Thos. Walford lived & planted upon the great island in Portsmouth above fifty years ago & also built at Sandy Beach on the Little Harbour side & that he lived in that enjoyment in Capt. Neal's time without any disturbance from the said Neal, who was an agent for Capt. John Mason, the which is to the best of my knowledge, and further saith not [NHPLR 26:295].
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Langstaff, Henry - Dover
abt 70 yrs in 1682, 90 yrs in 1699, 97 in 1702
By his own depos. arrived at the port of Piscataqua about the yr 1635 in the service of Capt. Mason and lived two years with Mr. Walter Neale at Little Harbor, then called Rendezvous. Dover prop. 1642.
Mr Henry Langstar, ab. 100 years old, hale, strong and hearty, died from effects of a fall down the 4 steps of his leanto (Pike, 18 July 1705).
daughter Sarah, married Lt. Anthony Nutter.
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Abt 1610 - 1705 (95 years)
Set As Default Person 
[3] 
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set
