In celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, and in collaboration with the Office of Mayor Chuck Grassie, Rochester Colonial Moments, a historical series highlighting notable moments from Rochester’s past, is brought to you by Patrick O. Connelly, Rochester, New Hampshire, historian.

Monday, June 29, 2026
“While land was distributed according to division draw, the rights to riverways and nearby supporting timber stands remained the property of the town. Leases to these rights were granted to petitioners capable of developing the necessary mills to support the town. An annual dommage, or rate, was collected from the lessees. In these early periods, sawmills and cornmills could be found at the falls along the Cochecho, Isinglass, and Salmon Falls rivers. The most prominent, at Squamanagonic and Norway Plains, carry recognition to this day. The first lease was extended to Timothy Roberts in March 1732 for a term of ten years, granting him the first falls together with the freshet streams and watercourses at the falls and the adjacent upland on the Cochecho River at Squamanagonic. These locations may be enjoyed today near the center of the town and along the Norway Plains watershed.”

Patrick O. Connelly is a historian, researcher, and author whose work focuses extensively on the colonial history and development of Rochester, New Hampshire. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in History and French, Connelly has spent decades researching Rochester’s earliest records, maps, land divisions, and settlement history.

Connelly is the author of two comprehensive works on Rochester’s colonial history: Rochester, New Hampshire: Territory to Township, 1620–1799 and In Their Own Words: Transcription and Research of the Original Records of Colonial Rochester, New Hampshire, 1722–1799. Both books are available through his website at RNHCC.com.