From The Connecticut River Valley in Southern Vermont and New Hampshire: Historical Sketches by Lyman S. Hayes, Tuttle Co., Marble City Press, Rutland, VT., 1929, page 338:
ORIGIN OF NAMES OF PLACES, INCLUDING "COWARD-ICE" AND "HORSE-HEAVEN"
The origin of many of the names of places, streets, etc., in this vicinity is interesting. The name "Bellows" was first given to the falls in the Connecticut river at this point from that of Colonel Benjamin Bellows, the second settler of the neighboring town of Walpole, N. H., who was instrumental in securing the charter of this town, and was one of its grantees under King George. He was later the most prominent resident in all this locality and as the village beside the falls grew and required a name it was given his. The family name of Bellows was derived from the French words "'belle eau," meaning "beautiful water."
The name of the Town, "Rockingham," was chosen by Governor Wentworth of the Province of New Hamppshire, when he granted the town charter in 1752, being chosen, as were so many names in colonial days, because of its historic English association. It was so named for the Marquis of Rockingham, Charles Watson Wenttworth, first lord of the treasury and prime minister of England 1765 and 1766, and again in later years.
The name "Charlestown" of our near New Hampshire neighbor, was given because Sir Charles Knowles of England presented an elegant sword to Captain Phineas Stevens of "Old No.4 Fort," as the town had formerly been designated. Captain Stevens had commmanded the fort, the site of which is now marked by a bronze tablet on a large boulder in the village, and had successfully defended it from a large party of French and Indians, under command of Monsieur Debeline, [339] during the French and Indian War. In admiration of the skill displayed by Captain Stevens, Sir Charles presented the sword, and in acknowledgment, the town, when incorporated in 1753, was named Charlestown.
"Coward-ice" is a name found in the town records as early as 1792, and always so known most commonly in the intervening years. It is a section of rocky hill road about 6 miles north of Bellows Falls near the Roundy farm. It is close to the Connecticut river and is so called from a legend handed down through all the intervening years that one winter a bear of particularly savage appearance was seen out on the ice of the river opposite. A citizen living near started out boldly to shoot him, but he became alarmed and retreated without firing his gun. Both he and that locality were thereeafter known as "Coward-on-ice," later shortened to "Coward-ice. "
"Horse-Heaven" is applied to a steep hill and section of the highway about half way between the north and south lines of this town, near the Connecticut river, just north of the present residence of Lewis C. Lovell. The name is a most common one, used at least during the entire last century. The legend is that a man drawwing a heavy load up the hill with a pair of horses became stalled. As the load ran back it went over the steep side of the highway and he is said to have remarked to his horses as they disappeared over the side of the road and fell to the jagged rocks below, "Go to Heaven" instead of the more common profane. expression. Evidently the early residents thought such praiseworthy and pious remarks should be perpetuated, and they have been to this day.