The Endicott Rock is perhaps one of the oldest historic landmarks in all of New Hampshire dating back to 1652.

Another historic legacy of John Endecott is the presence of the Endicott Rock in Laconia, New Hampshire and on Lake Winnipesaukee at Endicott Park.

When the Massachusetts Bay Colony received its Charter from Charles I, it described the boundaries of the Colony including 3 miles at the northern end of the Merrimack River. In 1652, the boundaries arose in a dispute and the Council decided to embark on clearly defining the northern end of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

With this, the General Court of Massachusetts ordered a survey to mark the northen most part of the Colony. Captains Edward Johnson and Simon Willard were commissioned to conduct the survey. Accompaning them were surveyors Johathan Ince and John Sherman. [3] The final report of this survey was issued in 1652 and stated “Whereas wee John Sherman and Jonathan Ince, were procured by the aforesaid Commissioners to take the latittude of the place above named. Our answer is, that at Aquedahcan, the name of the head of the Merrimack, where it issues out of the Lake called Winnapusseakit, upon the first of August, one thousand, six hundred, and fifty two, wee observed and by observation found that the Latitude of the place was fourty three degrees, fourty minutes, and twelve seconds, besides those minutes which are to be allowed for the three miles more North wch. Run into the Lake. In witnesse whereof, wee have subscribed our names this nineteenth of October, one thousand, six hundred and fifty two. John Sherman. Johnathan Ince. Jur coram me, JOH. ENDECOTT Gubr.” 4

During the time of this survey, John Endecott was Governor of Massachusetts during the reign of Charles I. In 1833, it was rediscovered, and in 1892 the State of New Hampshire erected, as a lasting memorial, a granite structure enclosing the Endicott Rock. August 1 is regularily observed as Endicott Memorial Day. 5

During the next several issues of Our Endicott Heritage Trail, we will be continuing to present under the Selected Historical Sites and Objects, the known ancient Endicott homes in England, Salem Village (Danvers) MA, Port Republic, NJ and Posey County, IN. Part I (Fall, 2012 Vol. 8 No. 2 of this series included: Itton alias South Tawton (1327) in the possession of Johannes de Ynndecote while Part II (Spring, 2013 Vol. 9 No. 1 presented Wood Tirrell (1448). (continued from Vol. 9 No. 1 – Wood Terrell) “The copy hold tenure of Wood Terrell was conveyed to John Yendicote on the three lives of himself, his wife, Alicia, and their son Henry, as customary in Devon – the heriot on the renewal of a life being “the best beast” and the copyholders were to be entitled to “housebote, haybote and firebote.”

And this branch of the Endecott family of Winkleigh, thus established by John Yendicote alias Bittbeare and his wife, Alicia and their son Henry, was seated at Wood Tirrell certainly for over a century as copyholders of the manor, for in 1563, in the Registry of the Archdeaconry of Barnstaple, we have the will of Thomasine Endicott of Wynkleye, widow – shown by her sons, Robert and John Endicott. And this will of the Robert Endicott, alias Byttabear, of Winkleighe, was proved in the Registry of Barum (or Barnstable), 16 Feb., 1574 – mentioning his grandfather, “ the above named Henry Yendicote, also his brother John Endacott, alias Byttabear. There is also the Administration of Thomas Endacott, or Endecot, of Wemworthy (the adjacent parish) in 1579 as an intestate; and the will of John Endacote, of Wemworthy, in 1579/80, mentioning only wife and daughters – with whom possibly ended the line of Endecotts of Winkleigh in the male line.” (Lethbridge, 6)

Sources: Lethbridge, Sir Roper. K. C. I. E. “Hands Across the Sea” The Devonshire Ancestry and the Early Homes of the Family of John Endecott, Governor of the Massachusetts Bay, 1629. (Exeter: W. J. Southwood & Co., Catherine Street, 1912). Endicott, Donald L. Sr. The Early Life and Family of Governor John Endecott. (Tucson, Arizona: Privately Printed, June 1981). Editor’s Note: During this series, we will continue to look at those Endicott historic homes in Devonshire (County Devon), England; New England and other locations. In a past issue of Our Endicott Heritage Trail, the earliest account of property being a parcel of manor of Itton, alias South Tawton, Devonshire was shown.