Timothy Nash

  General Notes:

GEN: The "Notch" was discovered by a hunter named, Timothy Nash, in 1771. This pioneer had retired from the settlements and made GEN: him a habitation in the wilderness. As the tradition runs, he climbed a tree upon one of the mountain sides to look for large GEN: game when he saw this defile south of him. He descended at once and turned his steps in that direction, passing through the GEN: granite gateway on his way to Portsmouth. In an interview with Gov. Wentworth he described to him what he had discovered, but GEN: His Excellency discredited the report. As Nash constantly and seriously affirmed that his statement was strictly true, the GEN: curiosity of the Governor was excited, and to test the veracity of his visitor he promised that, if he would bring him a horse GEN: through this mountain pass from Lancaster, he should be rewarded with a grant of land. He was assured by Nash that this feat GEN: could and would be accomplished; then he turned his steps northward. Securing the services of another bold spirit, Benjamin GEN: Sawyer, the two lowered the horse down over a precipice by a rope, and delivered him safe and sound at Portsmouth. The grant GEN: of land was given according to promise, and was named "Nash and Sawyer's Location." GEN: In 1803, a road costing $40,000, extending through the Notch, was built and became the thoroughfare by which the farmers of GEN: northern New Hampshire and Vermont, carried their produce to the Portland market. A hundred teams have been known to go GEN: through the mountain pass on a winter day.

Timothy married Mary Powers.