| Notes |
- John DAMME Came to New England in 1633 on the ship ‘James’ (Capt Thomas Wiggin) and settled in Dover New Hampshire.
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John Dam, the founder of our family in America, was born in England about the year 1600 or a little later and probably in the Hundred of Hadham in Hertfordshire. He was probably a son of Thomas Dam and a grandson John Dam of Much Hadham. He sailed, either from Liverpool or Bristol, in Capt Thomas WIGGIN’s company in the ship “James” and arrived in New England in 1633.
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He settled on a grant of land which he had received on Dover Neck and lived there about five years. He then bought a place on what was known as Low Street in the town of Dover and lived there until his death 27 Jan 1690 (New style). This property is now near the center of Dover and is occupied by the Pacheco Mills. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Pine Hill Cemetery located on a hill back of the mills. His will, dated 19 May 1687 was probated 23 March 1694.
He received several grants of land, one of which extended to the “Western Seas.” On two of these grants he built Garrison Houses, one for each of his two sons, John and William. The one built for and occupied by William is still standing and has been moved to a suitable location in the town of Dover, It is now used and preserved by the Goodman Institute. A garrison house was built of hewn oaken logs about six inches square and used as a residence, and as a place of refuge for the settlers during the Indian Wars. These houses were surrounded by stout and high stockades of logs set closely together with the ends deeply embedded in the earth.
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John Dam, the second deacon of the First Church in Dover, NH, was born in England about 1610. He came to Dover with Capt Thomas WIGGIN’s company in 1633, which company took possession of Edward Hiltons’ grant and commenced the settlement on Dover Neck, where the first meeting-house was built of logs that year, a few rods southwest of where the second meeting-house was built twenty years later. John Hall was the first deacon, and at this death in 1675, John Dam was elected to succeed him. In a petition to the governor by the inhabitants of Dover in 1689, John Dam and Nicholas Dam are among the signers. No further mention of Nicholas has been found. John Dam received valuable grants of land from, and held high official positions in the town.
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Existing records provide a rather clear picture of the character of our Founding Father. He belonged to that group called Puritans, many of whom left England on account of civil and religious persecution due to their attempts to purify the established church. The Holy Bible was the rule and guide of John Dam’s faith and conduct. He was upright, courageous and industrious, and was prominent and highly respected in the affairs of the colony. He was the second deacon of the Church of Dover, succeeding the first deacon, John Hall, upon the latter’s death in 1675. He was referred to in the Pomfret will as “John Dam, Planter”. He signed himself as John Dam, Gentleman. Sprung from a long line of English gentlemen he had a decent dignity and pride in himself and his family. Paraphrasing the Prophet Micah, he “did justice and loved mercy and walked humbly with his God.”
John Dam, the Founder, was married twice. The name of his first wife, the date of her marriage and the date of her death are not now known. She was the mother of his first child and probably died soon after his birth. He married secondly, about 1645, Elizabeth POMFRET, in 1682, daughter of Lt William POMFRET and his wife Rose.
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First Generation in American
John Dam came from England in one of the parties with Capt Thomas WIGGIN, settled in Dover, New Hampshire in 1633. He died January 27, 1690.
He, with Deacon John HALL, were the first deacons of the First parish church, Dover in 1675.
His will, dated May 19, 1687, was proved March 23, 1693 or 1694.
In a petition to the Governor by the inhabitants of New Hampshire, 1689, John Dam and Nicholas DAMME were signers. These two are mentioned by John Camden Holten in his list of Emigration of “Persons of Quality” to American between 1600 and 1700. No trace of Nicholas afterwards.
Deacon John Dam had the first grant of land at the confluence of the Cocheco and Fresh Creek rivers, which was called Dame Point.
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1640 - signed the Dover Combination.
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Expert carpenter or “joiner”, one who did the finer part of wood’s work; Undoubtedly, he was the boss joiner in the construction of the garrison house now in the arcade of the Woodman Institute which he built, about 1675, for his youngest son, William DAM.
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Genealogical Items Related to Dover, New Hampshire. p 456
DAM, (sometimes Damme) John (1). Deacon; took a lot of Capt. Wiggans in 1634 or thereabouts, which was rebounded in 1648 thus: --”upon ye North by Tho. Layton, and Geo. Walton on ye South, and on ye west northwest to ye back river, and on ye East uppon ye lane.” to increase this land the bought, in 1646, land bounded North by Thomas layton’s and Geor. Walton’s -NW and SW by Back River, East by land of Wm. Pomfret which he bought of Thomas Johnson in 1639. --south by George Walton’s. -- In 1612 he had lot no. 11 west of Back River. --Had grants in 1652, ‘56, &c.--Was freeman in 1653.--He lived on Dover Neck. His will ws dated 19 May, 1687, proved 23 march 1693-4. He gave his property to his two sones, John and William, and to his daughter Judy Tebbets. Of his chil. were (Fam 1) John (2), b. about 1637; m. -- Hall (probably); Elizabeth (2), b. 1649; Mary (2) b. 1651; William (2), b 4 Oct 1653, m. Martha Pomfret; Judith (2), m. Thomas Tebbets, 6 July 1684, and d. 22 Oct. 1728. -- John (2), s/o Deacon John (1), b. about 1637, as in Fam 1, lived on Bloody Point side; was taxed 1662-1672. He probably m. a daughter of Sergeant John Hall of Bloody Point; if so, he had one child viz, -- (Fam 2) Sarah, and probably others. -- William (2), s/o Dea. John (1). b. 4 Oct 1653, as in Fam. 1 m. Martha, dau of Liertenant William Pomfret with whom he received a slice of the Lieutenant’s land. He was a weaver, and lived at Back river. His chil. were (Fam 3) Pomfret, b. 4 march 1681, m. Elizabeth Tebbets; Martha, b. 29 march, 1683; Willaim, b. 14 Nov 1686, m. Sarah --; Samual, b. 6 march, 1689; Sarah; b. 21 April 1692, m. John Twombly; Leah, b 17 Feb 1695, m. Samual Hayes. -- Pomfret, s/o William, b. 4 march, 1681, as in Fam. 3, received lands in 1724, formerly belonging to his grandfather, the Lieutenant. He m. (”Friends” Records,) Elizabeth, dau. of Joseph and Elizabeth Tebbets, b. 10 march, 1697. -- William (4) s/o William (2), b. 20 Feb 1710; Sarah, b. 26 april, 1714; John, b. 12 June, 1723, d. 11 Aug 1724; Abigail, b. 18 July, 1725.,, , [9, 10, 11]
- Landmarks in Ancient Dover, New Hampshire by Mary P. Thompson, Durham, N.H. ©1892, Printed by the Republican Press Association, Concord, N.H.
Herod’s Point and Wigwam, otherwise Harrod’s. Herod’s wigwam is mentioned the 15th, 4 mo., 1646, when "John Damme" had a grant from the town of Dover of 'six acres of marsh on ye Great Bay, bounded wh ye creek at ye mouth on the northwest side, the upland on ye southeast side, & ye island of ye northwest nere to a wigwam on the south east side of said marsh, commonly called by the name of Herod’s wigwome."
Thirty acres of upland were laid out to John Dam, Sr., the 10th, 10 mo., 1656, "on the south side of his marsh towards harroed’s Poynt, 6 acres and 24 acres at the head of his marsh, bounded by the freshet that goeth towards Bloody Poynt." Another record of the same date says: "Whereas by order of the General Court, 400 acres of upland were given to the inhabitants of Dover that have marsh in the Great Bay, Elder Nutter, Wm. Story, Wm. Ffurber, and Henry Lankstar, laid out and bounded unto John Dam, Sr., 30 acres of upland as follows, 6 acres and 24 acres at the head of his marsh towards harrod’s wigwame--the upland bounded by the freshet that goeth towards Bloody Point; that is, 16 poles up the freshett, and 26 poles up the freshett, and 26 pooles wide." This tract joined the Layton and Nutter lands, and being part of the 400 acres, was of course above Hogsty cove -- that is, "above" with reference to the course of the river or bay, not to the points of the compass.
Herod’s Point seems to have formed part of the Fabyan lands. (See Swadden’s island.) The mention of a wigwam has led to the supposition that the name of this Point, and of Herod’s Cove, was derived from an Indian sagamore. It may, however, have been a variation of Heard, pronounced with a brogue. But it was more probably a corruption of Harwood. (see Harwood’s Cove.)
The word "wigwam" does not necessarily imply an Indian cabin. It was a name often given by the early pioneers to a logging shanty in the forest. Mention is made of one, Nov. 21, 1706, when land was laid out to Thomas Goodwin in Kittery, near the Salmon Falls river, above the Nine Notches, "beginning about 30 or 40 poles below the logging house or wigwam that Wm. Grant, Thomas and Daniel Goodwin, and Joseph Hodsden, kept in, the last winter." (Kittery Records. See Historical Mag., Oct., 1868, p 192.) "Young’s wigwam" in Hampton is also mentioned Ap. 5, 1710.
Herod’s wigwam was probably the logging camp of Andrew Harwood, who was undoubtedly engaged in the lumber business. Thomas Johnson brought a suit against him in 1644, for "6000 hogshead staves to be delivered at high-water mark in ye river of Pascataway." (county Records, Exeter.) pg 99
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Abt 1610 - 1690 (~ 80 years)
[5] 
Burial
