Bellamy. A locality and a river. As a locality, the neighborhood about the falls lately occupied by William Hale. As a river, the whole river upon which are Sawyer's mills, from its source down as far as tide-water; below the head of tide-water it becomes Back river. For the origin of the name, see "Belleman's Bank."
Belleman's Bank. The steep bank on the north side of the stream now known as Bellamy river, near Dunn's bridge at Sawyer's upper mill. The stream is often mentioned in the early land grants as "the freshett that flows past Bellemau's Bank." The origin of this name has always baffled those who are curious in such matters, and the correct solution, as we think, is now for the first time offered.
A deed on the old Norfolk Co., Mass., records, shows that "Mr." William Bellew owned a house and twenty acres of land on the north side of the stream in 1644, and that he sold it to Christopher Lawson. And in 1648, when the "Great Cochecho marsh" was divided among the settlers, we find one lot set apart "for Mr. William Belley"—denoting that he, although absent, yet had interests here. The prefix of distinction shows him to have been a man of good position. We find him in Oyster River parish (now the town of Durham) in 1647, as a witness to a deed given by Darby Field, and he signed his name Will: Bellew.
If Mr. William Bellew, or "Belley," was absent, and some man in his employ occupied his premises at the Bank above mentioned, then the occupant would be, in common parlance, "Mr. Belley's man," which corresponds with other similar cases on the Dover records. And the bank, on which these premises were situated, would easily be designated as "M. Belley's Man's Bank." The ready contraction of these names into "Belleman's Bank" was natural. It became "Bellamy" Bank at about 1800, and afterwards the name, which had become applied to that entire neighborhood, became restricted to the locality above the original bank, where Mr. William Hale, now of Dover, purchased, who at once dropped the word "Bank" from the name, and simply called the locality, and the stream, Bellamy.
Belleman's Bank River. So called as early as 1646, in land grants. It is the stream which becomes Back river at the head of tide-water, at Sawyer's Woollen Mills. The settlers always applied the name to the fresh water part of the stream above the falls; Back river was always used by them to indicate the stream below the falls at the head of tide-water.
It is written in the land grants, Belleman's bank, Beleman's bank, Belliman's bank, Bellman's bank, Belloman's bank, Bellomay bank, Belemye bank, and Bellemie bank. And in the later town records, from about the year 1800 to 1840, it is written Bellamy bank.
When Mr. William Hale, now of Dover, purchased the land and falls next above Sawyer's mills, he at once dropped the word "bank" from the locality and from the stream, and they are now known as "Bellamy." For the origin of the name, see Belleman's Bank.
Black Water. A locality so called as early as 1693. It lies north of
