Eliphas Dow

Who was Eliphas Dow?

Eliphas Dow of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire was the first male executed in New Hampshire. He was convicted of the murder of Peter Clough, also from Hampton Falls. It appeared, upon evidence, that a feud had subsisted between them for quite some time. On 12 December 1754, they accidentally met at the house of Eliphas' brother Noah Dow. They began to threaten each other, then Clough challenged Dow to go out of the house to fight. Clough went outside and Dow followed. Dow picked up his brother's hoe and struck Clough with a massive blow on the side of the head which instantly killed him.