HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 10/ 



Bell's orchard," and down over Wilson Hill south of the poor- 

 farm to the old falls road. There was a similar path to King- 

 ston, another to Haverhill by way of Tyngsborough. At about 

 the same date the bridge over Exeter river was only passable 

 for foot-passengers or riders in single file, but was made "con- 

 venient for carts " in 1720. It is said the incorporators of old 

 Chester had no shadow of right upon which to base their peti- 

 tion, which was only granted by preference over earlier combin- 

 ations, although the secretary credited himself with five shillings 

 for a "copy of an Indian deed." This was one of the pretences 

 early employed by our forefathers, as it was an easy matter to 

 induce any Indian under the seduction of Jamaica rum to affix 

 his mark to a deed or any number of them, and the wily settlers 

 were quick to employ these opportunities. 



That the soil of Chester was occupied by actual settlers long 

 before 1719 is sufficiently shown by the action of the new pro- 

 prietors at their first meeting, when the selectmen were empow- 

 ered to eject all trespassers upon the land covered by Governor 

 Shute's charter, and a committee was subsequently chosen for 

 the same purpose. 



In August, 1737, Chester had a visit from Goverror Belcher, 

 and in the earliest account of his tour we read that " His Excel- 

 lency was much pleased with the fine soil of Chester, the extra- 

 ordinary improvements at Derry, and the mighty fall at Skeag." 

 This was two years before the date of Secombe's famous sermon 

 at the falls, and conclusively shows that even at that date there 

 were good bridle-paths from Portsmouth to Amoskeag and from 

 the falls to Derry. As a matter of fact nearly every part of the 

 territory under consideration was much better known and easier 

 of access than the historians would have us believe. 



In May, 1739, John McMurphy was granted a privilege to 

 build a grist-mill at " Massabesic River," below the great fall, 

 "provided said McMurphy shall not stop or impede the course 

 of the fish up the said river, but shall and will leave, continue 

 and make sufficient passage for that purpose." This allusion 



