THE HEARD FAMILY OF DOVER.

JOHN1, 5 Dec., 1662, received a grant of 50 acres of "upland under ye Great Hill at Cochechae, on ye soueth sied of the great Hill, beloe the Cartway, at the secant desent of the great hill, and soe to the southward fiftie poell in Breathe and Eightie scoer in lenkth." Also, 26 Feb., 1665, 40 acres, "to the northward of the half-way swampe, on the north side of which is a 20 acre lot granted to James Ordway, and soe forty Roedd in Breadth, by the Cartway, or paeth wich goeth to ye marsh, and 168 Roed in lenketh."  This must be the date of laying out, inasmuch as a grant of 40 acres, to Elder Wentworth, 5 Dec., 1652, on the north side of this John Heard lot, mentions Heard, cartway and swamp, and all.  Capt. Heard gave it to his son Benjamin.

CAPT. JOHN1 built his house on the grant first mentioned above. He was called "Captain" Heard because he was commander of ships in the foreign trade of Dover, while in business connection with Capt. Richard Walderne. While he was in the shipping business his residence was on Dover Neck, where Capt. (later Major) Walderne, lived twenty years, till he moved his family to the house he had built on the hill, where National block now stands. Capt. Heard appears to have come up here about 1655, having built his house and retired from the foreign shipping business. By ancient tradition it stood on the brow of Garrison hill, where a brick house now stands (1923). About 1675, when the Indians began to be dangerous, he had a stockade placed around it, and it became known as “Heard's garrison.”  The next garrison below was that of Richard Otis. The next was the Waldron garrison.

Of the five garrisons near the falls, that of Capt. Heard was the only one saved in the massacre of 28 June, 1689. By some incredible folly two squaws were allowed to sleep before the kitchen fire, in each garrison, although fears of Indian troubles had sent many persons into the garrisons each night for safety. Early in the morning the squaws opened the gates of the stockades, and let the Indians in, while the families were fast asleep. Elder Wentworth, and his family, were at Heard's garrison. Just as the Indians were about to enter a dog barked, and awakened Elder

Wentworth; he arose and closed the gate, just as the Indians were about to enter; he fell upon his back and held the gate closed till other members of the household came to his aid. The Indians fired several bullets through the door, but no one was hit.

This garrison-house was long the frontier post. A letter dated 26 March, 1690, says: ''Heard's garrison at Cochecho being the frontier & only Garrison on the North side of the river, having left three men, one killed and two wounded in the late fight at Salmon Falls, etc."

Pike's Journal says: "Jan. 17, 1688-9, Master Heard deceased after a short sickness," His Will, made 2 April, 1687, was proved in 1692. He mentions his wife, Elizabeth, and children, Benjamin, Tristram, Samuel, Dorcas, Nathaniel, Mary (Ham),  Abigail (Jones), and Elizabeth (N ute). There was trouble about this will, afterwards. Tristram petitioned, 7 March, 1703-4, being the only surviving son, saying that his father, John1 "left no legal Will”; but Sarah, wife of William Foss, formerly widow of Nathaniel Heard, asserted that the estate had been divided according to the Will.

CAPT. JOHN1 married, about 1643, at York, Me., ELIZABETH, daughter of Rev. Joseph Hull. She is said to have been born at the rectory, at North Leigh, Devonshire, England. Mr. Hull was at one time minister at Oyster River (1662).  Elizabeth was a "brave, gentle woman." Her remarkable escape, when she came up the river at night, June 28, 1689, "with one daughter and three sons, & all masters of families," is narrated by Cotton Mather.  Although urged to secure safety at Portsmouth after the massacre, she continued stoutly to hold her frontier garrison all through the war. She died, 30 Nov., 1706.  Pike's Journal says:  "Old widow Heard (commonly called Dame Heard) deceased after a short illness with fever.  She was a grave and pious woman, even the mother of virtue and piety." Her children were:

1.          BENJAMIN, b. 20 Feb., 1643-4.

2.         WILLIAM, d. about 1675. His property went half to his widow and half to Edward Leathers. We know of no children.

3.         MARY, b. 26 Jan., 1649-50; m, the first JOHN HAM, of Dover.

4.         ABIGAIL, b. 2 Aug., 1651; m, JENKON JONES, of Dover.

5.         ELIZABETH, b. 15 Sept., 1653; m. (1) JAMES NUTE, Jr.; m. (2) WILLIAM FURBER, JR.

6.         HANNAH, b. 22 Nov., 1655; m., 6 Nov., 1674, JOHN NASON.

7.         JOHN, b. 24 Feb., 1658-9; not mentioned in his father's Will.

8.         JOSEPH, b. 4 Jan., 1661-2; not mentioned in his father's will.

9.         SAMUEL, b. 4 Aug., 1663.

10.       TRISTRAM, b. 4 :Mar., 1666-7.

11.        NATHANIEL, b. 22 Sept., 1668; he d. 3 Apr., 1700, "after four days sickness with violent fever." His grave stone is standing in the Waldron burial ground, east of the Methodist church. It is the oldest marked stone in Dover burial grounds. His widow, SARAH, m. William Foss, 26 Apr., 1703. Nathaniel had son, James, b. 1696; m., Mar. 22, 1720, Mary Roberts.

12.        DORCAS, b. 1670; m, JABEZ GARLAND.

This citation provides evidence for JOHN Heard, MARY Heard m. JOHN Ham.

History of Dover, New Hampshire : containing historical, genealogical and industrial data of its early settlers, their struggle, pages 444-448