Suncook Mountain (a mountain with a history)

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carole

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Where might this be? How about in the middle of the Suncook Mountains and a source of the Suncook River.

(1857 - New Hampshire as it is ... By Edwin Azro Charlton)
“The source of the Suncook is a pond on the top of one of the Suncook Mountains, 900 feet above its base. The water of this pond falls into another at the foot of, the mountain, about one mile in length and half a mile in width ; Mowing through this, it falls into another, covering about 500 acres, from which it winds through the town, receiving several streams in its course.”

Sitting quietly below Suncook Mountain is a jewel of the range called Round Pond. It drains south through a series of waterfalls and meanderings to what is now called Manning Lake, eventually reaching the mighty Merrimack.

But mountains and ranges have a way of changing names over time and it seems that Suncook may be one of the last references to the native Indians of the area in this range. In an area once called Gillman Town and The Kings Woods, bordering the western side of Winipissioket Pond (1771) it seems only one mountain has survived the longest with its name of Mount Major (at least as far back as 1784). There was also a Mount Minor but which peak I am not sure. At one point the highest point of the range was called Gilmanton Mountain and later reports show it carried the name of Gunstock and Belknap. The county, mountain and range are now called Belknap in honor of “Rev. Dr. Jeremy [Jeremiah] Belknap, noted preacher, educator, naturalist, historian and author of The History of New Hampshire.”
Settled in 1778 by James Ames and S. S. Gilman, Gilman Town later divided as Gilford annexed itself from Gilmanton because it was too difficult for them to get to the Meeting Hall (church), especially in winter, because they had to go over the mountains (perhaps by the way of the roads near Suncook Mountain).

I pondered this and more from my research as I enjoyed going over these mountains today. How many native Indians and early settlers passed by this same pond that I now sat along side of in the autumn sun and admired its beauty?


Suncook Mountain is a short bushwhack reached by some lovely trails now nicely accessible from a new parking area at the end of Bickford and Wood Road.
(But the sign warns: No vehicle use after 6 PM – maybe this will happen )
 
Great post! Were there any views at or near the summit of Suncook?

I forget where I saw it (a Sweetser guide perhaps), but I think I saw Piper labelled as Mt. Minor.
 
No view from the summit of Suncook but it was a pretty spot. I have heard there is an old cabin up there but didn’t look around.

I, also, have information that Minor was aka Piper, but if that is the same Piper as we now know it I don’t know.

As mentioned, Belknap was referred to as Gilmanton Mountain and Gunstock Mountain previously. Below mentions Gunstock Hill and Gunstock Mountain. Some other names of peaks may be recognized below – Major, Piper, Rand, Rowe, Gove (which I was told was formerly a name for Klem).

Partial quotes from Gilford history & genealogy:

”Esquire Benjamin Weeks, who came in the lower part of the town in 1768, led a party into the upper section and located at the western base of Mount Major, in 1787, where there afterwards dwelt a large community of that name. He was a large landholder, and successful in business.”

“COLONEL PEASLEE HOYT settled at the base of Mount Major; NATHANIEL on Liberty Hill; SIMEON Jr., ENOCH JR. and THOMAS near Chattleborough Pond.”

“SAMUEL FOSS was early living near Mount Minor.”

“HENRY PLUMMER came early to Gilmanton. HENRY JR. settled at the base of Mount Minor, or the Piper Mountain; he was a mason by trade. WILLIAM or BILLY PLUMMER is in the list, and JESSE PLUMMER also lived near the mountain.”

“The PIPER family was settled first in the southeastern part of the town”

“LEVI, JOHN and JETHRO GOSS settled on the north part of Gunstock
Hill,”

“ELIJAH GOVE settled on the west side of Gunstock Hill”

“LIEUTENANT PHILBROOK RAND settled near ABEL HUNT's in 1790, and north of Gunstock Hill, and improved some excellent land. The family still occupy the old homestead, and Simon, his son, has been a prominent citizen. JOSEPH RAND lived awhile at the village, and removed from the town in its first years. The RAND family was not large. GEORGE RAND was once a resident, but emigrated early, and SAMUEL also.”

“The ROWE family is quite extensive and was early settled in the place. EZEKIEL and JACOB came in 1796. JEREMIAH appears soon after, and RICHARD and SAMUEL; also JEREMIAH (2d and 3d), and JOSEPH. They settled in the south aprt of the town, near Liberty and Cotton's Hills. KELLEY ROWE was afterwards a Baptist preacher, though never ordained. BENJAMIN ROWE came from Brentwood in 1816, and worked at the wool-carding business, at the Upper Mill, near Hoyt's saw-mill, and also at the Lower Mill, whither the machinery was improved. He also carried on farming, brick-making and the making of farming implements, as wheels, plows, rakes, etc. He lived to be nearly one hundred years old”

(Gilford’s Benjamin Rowe farm house http://www.gilfordhistoricalsociety.org/tahs/rowehouse.htm)

“WILLIAM SIBLEY early settled near Gunstock Mountain. His father was the first merchant at Gilmanton.”

“The name of SLEEPER is represented by ESQUIRE NEHEMIAH, HENRY, JOSEPH and JONAS. NEHEMIAH ESQ. settled on the lake-shore, near Esquire Evans', and was possessed of a good estate, to which GEORGE, now of Laconia, succeeeded. JOSEPH and HENRY were settled near Wm. Sibley's at the west base of Gunstock Mountain,”

Also in Gilmanton history & genealogy:

A ‘Mack’is mentioned, but if that has any connection to Mt. Mack I do not know.

Regarding Durrell Mt. and Durrell Mountain road:
“Mr. Durrell remained in Gilmanton, making additions to his farm until he woned about two thousand five hundred acres, in one body, and gave his name to Durrell's Mountain. An old citizen informs us that Mr. Durrell told him that he had made about forty miles of
stone wall, and to the observer of the work today, it would seem as if this was rather under than over-estimated....”
 
Wow, it's neat to see the names behind the official and unofficial mountain names of that range! I recall seeing a map or elevation somewhere showing Mt. Minor, but again my memory is hazy in my old age. If I stumble across it again, I'll let you know.
 
I'll be waiting but remember I am older than you :)
 
Great stuff. The history is such a rich aspect of our New England summits.

“The name of SLEEPER is represented by ESQUIRE NEHEMIAH, HENRY, JOSEPH and JONAS. NEHEMIAH ESQ. settled on the lake-shore, near Esquire Evans', and was possessed of a good estate, to which GEORGE, now of Laconia, succeeeded. JOSEPH and HENRY were settled near Wm. Sibley's at the west base of Gunstock Mountain,”

I wonder if they were related to the Sleepers sleeping in this mausoleum I photographed on a rainy Sunday in Mt. Auburn Cemetery a few weeks ago.
 
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