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Gc 974.2 F68s 1204240
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
-- a.se
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01085 8543
PLEASE CHECK MATERIAL IN BACK POCKET
THE STATISTICS AND GAZETTEER OF
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
CONTAINING DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL THE COUNTIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES; ALSO, BOUNDARIES AND AREA OF THE STATE, AND ITS NATURAL RESOURCES,
WITH OVER
ONE HUNDRED PAGES OF STATISTICAL TABLES,
PERTAINING TO ITS POPULATION, WEALTH, INDUSTRIES, CHURCHES, SCHOOL HOUSES, SOLDIERS IN THE LATE REBELLION, AND POST OFFICES: WITH A LIST OF STATE OFFICERS, ETC .:
TOGETHER WITH A DESCRIPTION OF ITS
MOUNTAINS, LAKES, RIVERS AND POPULAR RESORTS FOR TOURISTS,
AND A GREAT VARIETY OF OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION.
W've seen the prairies, and their flowers Beside their sparkling rills, But nothing there that gladdens us Like old New-Hampshire hills.
COMPILED BY ALONZO J. FOGG.
CONCORD, N. H .: D. L. GUERNSEY, BOOKSELLER AND PUBLISHER. 1874.
Entered according to Act of Congress, December 7th, A. D. 1872, by ALONZO J. FOGG, CONCORD, N. H., In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
.
STEREOTYPED, PRINTED AND BOUND AT CLAREMONT, N. H., BY THE CLAREMONT MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
1204240
TO THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE, AND ITS ADOPTED CITIZENS, THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY THE AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER.
*
STATE CAPITOL.
For description, see "Concord," page 104.
PREFACE.
-
It is nearly twenty years since a Gazetteer of New-Hampshire was published, and although the State has not increased in popu- lation, still the change in every branch of business has been quite as great as in any State in New England. We have now nearly double the miles of railway, and three times the number of miles of telegraph wire that we had twenty years ago. The wealth of the State has increased nearly one hundred per cent. Where there were but hamlets in 1855, there are now large manufacturing villages, and the busy hum of life is heard from morning till night.
We are now living in the days of fast steamboat lines, railroad express trains, telegraphs and pneumatic tubes.
All branches of business are done with railway speed, and what it took years to accomplish, thirty years ago, is now performed in as many months. Time and space have been brought nearly to a focus. The cotton merchant in Boston can do more mercantile correspondence in one week with his branch house in Liverpool, by telegraph, than could be done fifteen years ago in a long life- time. Where it took months to convey intelligence by mail, it is now done by telegraph, in as many minutes. Where weeks were required to perform a journey by stage, it is now accomplished by rail, in as many days. In our country, a generation has been crowded into years, years into months, months into days, and days into hours. The old Farmer's clock that has stood in his kitchen corner for more than forty years with the wise monition written on its dial that "time is money," has seen the maxim heeded and fully carried out in this generation. In this age men make their fortunes in a day and sometimes lose them quite as soon.
In preparing this work we have endeavored to keep the above
VI
PREFACE.
ideas constantly in view, and to give as much general information pertaining to the industry of New Hampshire as we possibly could in a brief manner. Our readers will find that brevity has been our aim through the book. But still we have intended to furnish as much useful information in less than seven hundred pages as many writers, years ago, would have required two thousand to im- part the same amount of knowledge. Figures in a tabular form have assisted us much in this respect, there being nearly one hund- red pages in tables. We have intended to show more of the present standing of the State than of the past; consequently we have given but a brief history of the first settlements, and no bi- ographies of eminent men who were natives of the State. It would require volumes to do justice to the sons and daughters of New- Hampshire who have left their native homes to seek their fortunes on life's broad ocean, and we have reserved that task for some future biographer.
In preparing a work like this, but very little can be original. Nearly all is a compilation, and, in order to obtain the necessary information, we have been obliged to claim the assistance of many people in various sections of the State.
In preparing a book of this character, many errors must natural- ly creep in, that are beyond all human power to obviate. Every town will have its critics, and they may see some things in the book that should be different, in some respect, relative to their own section of the State. Although we feel obliged to persons in many towns for their kindness in assisting us to many facts, still, that co-opera- tion throughout the State has not been all we could have desired, and in some instances, we have been obliged to rely on the manu- script census of 1870, for many statistical facts relative to manu- factories. If a few of our many friends see some errors in this respect, they may rest assured that they were correct in 1870. All the cities and large towns in the State, we have personally visited, and gathered such information as to their industries, etc., as the citizens have seen fit to give us.
VII
PREFACE.
We have been at considerable expense to prepare a map of the State to accompany the book, and we venture the assertion, that it is the most accurate map of New-Hampshire that is now before the people. All the counties, towns, and nearly all the post offices ; all the principal rivers, lakes and mountains, and all the railroads are laid down. The map is before our readers, and they can judge for themselves.
To numerous friends who have assisted us, and given kindly advice in our efforts, especially to the Hon. John H. Goodale, William Little, Esq., D. F. Secomb, Esq., Hon. Asa Fowler, Chief Justice J. E. Sargent, Samuel B. Page, Esq., all the govern- mental officials at the State House, the press of the State, and nearly all of the town clerks in the State, we tender our heartfelt acknowledgments.
We are also indebted to Dr. Belknap's History, Hayward's Gaz- etteer, "New-Hampshire As It Is," New-Hampshire Manual," "New-Hampshire Register," and the U. S. Census of 1870, for val- uable information.
Concord, N. H., March 2, 1874.
A. J. F.
١
CONTENTS.
-
CHAPTER I.
First settlement of New-Hampshire, up to the Revolution.
CHAPTER II.
Brief history of the War of the Revolution, Federal Constitution, and of the Great Rebellion, Regiments, Officers, etc.
CHAPTER III.
Topographical history of all the cities and towns in the State, giving a brief statement of the surface, the quality of the soil, its mountains, lakes ponds, rivers and streams; its summer resorts, villages and manufacturers; resources, churches, public schools, libraries, hotels, railroads, &c.
CHAPTER IV.
A statistical summary of the counties and State, pertaining to their geo- graphical position, value of their manufactories, farm productions, railroads, newspapers, national banks, savings banks, insurances, post-offices &c.
CHAPTER V.
Tabular statement of the population of the cities and towns in the State, ratable polls, assessed valuation of all the towns, stock in trade, money at interest, deposits in savings banks, proportional tax, town debts, clergymen, lawyers, physicians, merchants, agricultural pro- ductions, value of farms, number of farms, dwellings, and families, value of cotton manufactories, woolen manufactories, boots and shoes, hosiery, paper mills, lumber mills, grist mills, tanneries, total manufac- tories in the State, various occupations of the people in 1870, number of each kind of manufactories, in the State, in 1870, number of deaths, by towns, in the State, in 1870, centenarians who have died since 1822, &c., &c.
X
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VI.
Public Schools, Dartmouth College, Literary Institutions, Asylum for the Insane, College of Agriculture, Orphans Home, State Prison, State Normal School, State Capital, Reform School, Religion &c.
CHAPTER VII.
A brief review of the State, its climate, its grand mountain, ocean, lake and river scenery, geology and mineralcgy, a description of its mountains, lakes and rivers, a brief account of the aboriginals of New- Hampshire, New-Hampshire compared with the Western States; a poem on New-Hampshire, etc.
CHAPTER VIII.
Constitution of New-Hampshire; Congressional, Councillor, and Sen- atorial Districts; State and Legislative Officers; Governor vote of the State in 1872 and 1873; Governors of New-Hampshire since 1680; Justices of the higher courts of New-Hampshire since 1776; Wheel- wright Deed; Cities and Towns in the United States of 6,000 inhabi- tants and upwards.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Agricultural College, Hanover.
Board of Trade Building, Concord.
Burleigh's Block, Franklin.
City Library Building, Manchester.
Court House, Manchester.
Dustin Monument on Dustin's Island, Concord. Eagle Hotel, Concord.
Gage's Circular Saw Works, Fisherville.
Kiarsarge House, North Conway.
Merchant's Exchange, Manchester.
Mount Belknap House, Gilford.
Moosehillock, from Warren. New-Hampshire Conference Seminary, Tilton.
New-London Institution, New-London.
State House, Concord. (Frontispiece.)
State Normal School Building, Plymouth.
Statesman Building, Concord.
Tilden Female Seminary, West Lebanon.
MAP.
Map of New-Hampshire.
INDEX.
-
The index for academies will be found under the head of Literary Institutions, in alphabetical form; also the names of the lakes under the head of Lakes, and rivers under the head of Rivers.
Acres Improved Land in the State.
.405
Deposits in Savings Banks
429
Agriculture of the State
.403
Agricultural College
.532
Altitudes of Mountains
.578
Amoskeag Falls
.238
Ancient Records of the State. 12
Andros, Edward
8
Artillery, Lafayette.
37
Artillery, N. H. Heavy
36
Asylum for the Insane. .529
Attorney Generals from 1776.
.635
Band, Second Brigade.
38
Banks, National
.419
Banks, Savings .
421
Barefoot Walter
8
Bear Killed a Child .262
Bear in Alstead.
51
Belknap Dr ..
5
Birds in N. H.
.. 597
Bradley Massacre.
.117
Carr Mountains
.. 577
Carrigan Mountains
.576
Guards, Martin
37
Head, Gen. Natt
38
Height of Mountains
578
Hilton, Edward.
3
Insurance Companies
.433
Indians in New-Hampshire
.598
Indians in Charlestown
90
Indians in Durham
138
Indians in Keene
.211
Indians in Boscawen
72
Indians in Concord
.117
Indians in Exeter
.155
Indians in Pembroke
.296
Indians in Newington.
.276
Indians in Moultonborough
.262
Indians in Nashua
.267
Indians in Plainfield
303
Indians in Hinsdale
.195
Indians in Plymouth
306
Indians in Rochester
.318
Cutts, John
Dartmouth College
.
.514
Depositors in Savings Banks, Number
.429
Description of Towns.
47 to 380
Dudley, Joseph.
.8-10
Dustin, Hannah, Killing Indians
72
Early Laws.
5
Early Records of the State
12
Federal Constitution.
21
First New-Hampshire Battery.
36
First Reg. N. H. Heavy Artillery.
36
Fish in New-Hampshire.
597
Franconia Mountains
.575
Franconia Scenery
.159
Geology of New-Hampshire
.564
Gorges, Fernando.
2
Gove, Edward
8
Governor Vote in 1872 and 1873
.627
Governors of New-Hampshire since 1680 .. 632
Grave of Mathew Thornton
255
Guards, National
37
Carter Mountains.
.576
Climate of New-Hampshire
.556
Congressional Districts
.624
Connecticut Valley
.403
Constitution of N. H., History of.
21
Constitution of New-Hampshire.
.607
County of Rockingham Resources :381 County of Strafford Resources .383 County of Belknap Resources .. 385 County of Carroll Resources .387 County of Merrimack Resources .388 County of Hillsborough Resources .391 County of Cheshire Resources .393 County of Sullivan Resources. .. 395 County of Grafton Resources. .396 County of Coos Resources. .398 Councilor Districts .. 624
Council Members, 1873.
.626
Cranfield. Edward
.7-8
Indians in Rye
322
XII
INDEX.
Indians in Salisbury
.325
Indians in Epsom.
151
Indians in Seabrook
.330
Indians in Somersworth
.334
Indians in Peterborough
.299
Indians in Swanzey
.347
Indians in Walpole
.357
Jefferson Scenery .
.206
Justices of Courts since 1776 .633
Kearsarge Mountain.
.577
Kiarsarge Mountains
.577
King Philip's War.
6
LAKES IN NEW-HAMPSHIRE
.579
Lake Connecticut.
.580
Lake Mascoma
.. 580
Lake Massabesick.
.580
Lake Newfound
.580
Lake Ossipee .
.580
Lake Spafford
.580
Lake Squam
.580
Lake Sunapee
.581
Lake Umbagog
.581
Lake Winnipiseogee
.581
Legislature Officers, 1873.
. 627
LITERARY INSTITUTIONS IN THE STATE
.516
Adams Female Academy
.516
Antrim High School
.517
Atkinson Academy
.517
Austin Academy
.517
Beede Normal Institute. .517
Bristol High School
.517
Charlestown High School
.517
Chester Academy
.517
Christian Institute
.517
Clinton Grove Seminary .518
Concord High School
.518
Conway Academy.
.518
Contoocook Academy
.518
Conant High School
.518
Dartmouth College
.514
Dartmouth Home School.
.518
Dearborn Academy
.519
Deering Academy
.519
Dover High School.
519
Dunbarton High School.
.519
Exeter High School.
.519
Farmington High School.
.519
Francestown Academy
.519
Franklin Academy.
.519
Gilmanton Academy.
.519
Hampton Academy
.519
Keene Academy.
.519
Keene High School.
.519
Kingston Academy.
519
Mountains in Ossipee
.292
Kimball Union Academy
.520
Mt. Imp.
.576
Lancaster Academy
.520
Landaff High School ..
520
Littleton Graded School
.520
Manchester High School.
.520
Marlborough High School.
.520
Marlow Academy ... 520
Mc Collum Institute .520
Milford High School.
.520
Nashua High School. .520
Nashua Literary Institution .520 New-Hampshire Conference Seminary .521 New-Hampshire Commercial College. .522 New-Hampton Institution. .522
New-Ipswich Appleton Academy.
.522
New-London Literary Institution .523
Newport High School. .523
Northwood Academy.
.523
Northwood Seminary
.523
Orford Academy.
.523
Pennacook Academy
.523
Pinkerton Academy.
.524
Peterborough High School 524
Phillips Exeter Academy.
524
Portsmouth High School.
525
Robinson Female Institute.
.526
Rochester High School. 526
Rollinsford High School.
526
Simonds Free High School.
526
Somersworth High School.
.526
Stevens High School.
.526
St. Paul's School. .527
Tilden Female Seminary
.528
Troy High School.
.528
Tubbs Union Academy.
.528
Walpole High School. .528
Manufactories in the State
.405
Manufactured Cotton Goods
.406
Manufactured Woolen Goods
.406
Manufactured Boots and Shoes 406
Manufactured Iron and Machine Work .406
Manufactured Lumber
406
Manufactured Leather
407
Manufactured Paper
409
Manufactured Hosiery
407
Manufactured Furniture
.407
Manufactured Other Goods 407
Mason, John
2
Martin Guards
37
Members of Congress, 1873 626
Metals and Ores
569
Militia of N. H.
40
Minerals of New-Hampshire
567
Minerals in Lisbon.
226
Monadnock Mountain.
.577
Monadnock Mt. in Jaffrey
.205
Moosilauke Mountains.
.576
Mountains in New-Hampshire
.570
Mt. Moriah.
276
Municipal War Loan.
40
National Banks
419
National Guards.
37
INDEX.
XIII
New-Hampshire Asylum for the Insane ... 529
New-Hampshire College of Agriculture ... 532
New-Hampshire Orphans' Home. .533
New-Hampshire State Prison.
.536
New-Hampshire State Normal School.
.543
Ashuelot
.585
New-Hampshire Reform School
.544
New-Hampshire Hills.
579
New-Hampshire Militia.
40
Bellamy Bank.
.585
Beaver
.586
Bear Camp.
.586
Black Water
586
Clear
586
Orphans' Home.
533
Cold
.586
Ossipee Mountains
577
9
Contoocook.
.587
Cocheco
.588
Dead
Dimond
.588
Poem on New-Hampshire, by Edna Dean Ellis . .588
Proctor
.603
Population of Cities and Towns in the
United States, of 6000 and upwa ds ... 644
Post Offices
.434-442
Presidents of U. S.
.. 22
Press of New-Hampshire
.415
.408
Public Schools.
.508
Putney Hill.
.199
Quadrupeds.
.596
Railroads in New-Hampshire.
.409
Railroads, number of Miles
.414
Rebellion.
22
Records of the State.
.. 12
Reform School
.544
Regiment N. H., First.
23
Second.
24
Nubanusit.
.592
Third
25
Oliverian
.592
Fourth
25
Fifth.
25
Sixth
26
Seventh
26
Eighth
27
Ninth.
28
Philips.
.593
Tenth ..
29
Piscataqua
.593
Piscataquog
.593
Powow.
.594
Red Hill
Saco
Smith's
.594
Salmon Falls
.595
Soucook.
.595
Spiggot
.595
Squamscot
.595
Suncook
.595
Sugar .
.596
Sugar, Little
.596
Swift
.596
Warner
.596
Revolutionary War
20
Winnipiseogee
.596
1
Eleventh
29
Twelfth
30
Thirteenth
31
Fourteenth
32
Fifteenth.
33
Sixteenth
34
Seventeenth
34
Eighteenth.
35
1st. N. H. Cavalry.
36
Reg. 1st. N. II. Heavy Artil- lery.
36
Religion in New-Hampshire.
.546
Resources of the State
.408
Review of New-Hampshire
554
RIVERS IN NEW-HAMPSHIRE
.582
Ammonoosuc Upper.
.583
Ammonoosuc Lower
.583
Androscoggin
.584
Baker's
.585
Buck ..
.585
Newspapers in State.
.415
Nuniber Miles Railroads
414
Officers of the Legislature in 1873.
.626, 627
Officers killed in Rebellion
43
Connecticut
.586
.588
Goose
.592
Hall's Stream
.589
Indian Stream
.589
Isinglass
.589
Israel's
.589
John's
.589
Lamprey
.589
Mad
.590
Mascoma
.590
Magalloway
.590
Merrimack
.590
Mohawk
.592
Moose.
.592
Nashua
.592
Nash's
.592
Newfound
.592
Oyster
593
Ossipee
592
Peabody
.593
Pequawket
.593
Pemigewasset
.593
.594
.504
Poem by Mrs. Abba G. Woolson.
.601
Patridge William.
Penacook Indians
601
Pequawket Indians
598
Professional Business.
XIV
INDEX.
Sandwich Mountains.
.328
Savings Banks.
421 to 428
Savings Banks Depositors, Number
429
Savings Banks Aggregates 432
Savings Banks Deposits
.429
Scenery of New-Hampshire
.561
Scenery in Lancaster.
.216
Scenery in Lincoln.
.225
Schools in the State
508
Second Brigade Band
.38
Senatorial Districts
625
Settlement of New-Hampshire.
1
Shakers in Canterbury
84
Shakers in Enfield
146
Sharp Shooters
.37
Smyth, Frederick, governor
.38
Soldiers killed
40-44
State House
104
State Income
.409
State Normal School .543
State Officers
.626
State Prison
536
State Reform School
544
State Resources.
.408
State Senate, 1873.
626
Summary of New-Hampshire.
.401
Table of Population of the State.
.443
Population by Counties.
448
Nativity of Population.
.448
Select ages and sexes
449
Classification of Population.
.450
Immigration and Emigration
of New-Hampshire.
451
Ratable Polls by Towns. 453 to 457
Valuation by Towns.
... 453 to 457
Stock in Trade
.453 to 457
Stock and Money at Interest 453 to 437
- Savings Banks, Deposits by
Towns.
453 to 457
Proportional Tax.
453 to 457
Debts, Town 453 to 457 Ratable Polls by Counties .... 457
Valuation by Counties ... .457 Stock in Trade by Counties. .. 457
Stock and Money at Interest by
Counties . 457
Savings Banks Deposits by
Counties.
.457
Proportional Tax by Counties .. 457
Town Debts by Counties ..... .. 457 Clergymen by Towns ..... 458 to 459 Physicians, Dentists by Towns
458 to 459
Lawyers, by Towns. 458 to 459 Merchants, by Towns ... 458 to 459
Manufacturers by Towns 458 to 459 Agricultural Productions of the
State by Towns ..... 460 to 471 Agricultural Productions of the State by Counties .... 472 to 473 Showing number Acres of Im- proved Land by Counties 474 Showing Number Farms in the State by Counties. .474
Number of Dwelling Houses in 1850. 474 Number of Families in 1850 ... 474 Number of Dwelling Houses in 1860 474
Number of Families in 1860 ... 474 Number of Dwelling Houses in 1870 474
Number of Families in 1870 ... 474
Cotton Manufactures.
.475
Woolen Manufactures .477 Boot and Shoe Manufactures .. 479
Hosiery Manufactures
.481
Paper Mills
. 482
Lumber Mills
. 483
Grain Mills
488
Tanneries.
.491
Total Manufactures in the
State
493
Occupations of the State ...
498
Mechanical Industries of New-
Hampshire
499
Number of Deaths in the State
in 1870
502
Deceased Centenarians, since 1823 .505
Public Schools ..
509
Table of Officers in the Rebellion
43
Tornado in Warner ..
361
Total Income of the State.
409
Towns, description of.
.47 to 380
U. S. Sharp Shooters
37
Usher, John.
9
Unattached Company.
38
Vice Presidents U. S ..
22
Waldron, Maj. Killed by Indians. 133
War, Indian.
6-9
War Loan.
40
War of the Rebellion
22
War of the Revolution 20
Weare, Nathaniel.
8
Wiggin, Thomas.
.3-4
Wheelwright Deed.
.635
Wheelwright, John
2-4
White Mountains.
.571
Woolson, Mrs. Abba G.
.601
-
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
CHAPTER I.
First Settlement of New-Hampshire, up to the Revolution.
IN every age of the world's history, mankind have been very te- nacious of their religious principles-of having the right to worship the Supreme Ruler of the Universe agreeably to their own views of duty, and the dictates of their consciences. This spirit of religious freedom, was deeply imbued in the hearts of our New England fathers, for years before they set sail from the land of their birth, to seek a new home upon the rock-bound shores of New England.
The intolerance they were constantly subjected to, under the ty- rannical Rulers of England had a tendency to establish a determi- nation in their minds that they would exercise their right of religious opinion, if they were obliged to seek other climes to obtain it. With such determined convictions, on the 6th day of September, 1620, one hundred and one men, women and children went on board of the Mayflower, and set sail from their native shores, and landed on Plymouth Rock on the 21st day of December, 1620. From this little settlement, was founded New England, whose happy homes millions to-day enjoy.
In this place it may be well enough to refer to an incident which occurred on their voyage to the new world, to show what a brittle thread the destiny of New England and our own happy homes hung upon. When midway of the ocean, a gale came on, and, through the violence of the storm, one of the main beams in the mid-ship was cracked and removed from its place. Accordingly, with such danger before them, a consultation was held between the passengers
2
NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
and officers of the ship, upon the subject of returning. A passen- ger on board had a large iron screw he had brought from Holland, by means of which the beam was brought to its place and made fast. But for this simple iron screw, no doubt the whole destiny of New England, and perhaps of our Nation, would have been changed, and no one can believe for the better. Truly Providence is in the wind.
Three years after the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock ; Sir. Fernando Gorges and Captain John Mason, who had previ- ously obtained, from the Council of Plymouth, a grant of land which they called Laconia, lying between Merrimack and Kennebeck rivers, sent out two small parties, one of which landed on the south shore of the Piscataqua and formed a settlement which they called Little Harbor and within the present limits of Portsmouth-the other party sailed up the Piscataqua, and settled at Northam, after- wards called Dover, but by the Indians, Cocheco, or Winni- chahannat.
Our fathers, who landed at Plymouth to seek a home where they could enjoy their religious opinions, were unlike the first sét- tlers of Portsmouth and Dover. By establishing fisheries and car- rying on trade with the Natives, they hoped to obtain an abundant return for their labor. Consequently they neglected the only source of prosperity of any country, agriculture, and for a num- ber of years their progress was very slow.
Nothing of note transpired in the colony, till 1629, when the Rev. John Wheelwright, of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, pur- chased of the Indians a large tract of land lying between the Pis- cataqua and Merrimack rivers. The Indians were paid in what they called a valuable consideration, such as "coats, shirts and kettles." Wheelwright's deed was signed by Passaconaway, the chief Sagamore of the Indian tribes in this section of New Eng- and, and also by the Chiefs of several other tribes. This grant, from the Indians, was part of the land previously purchased by Gorges and Mason. Wheelwright claimed that he obtained his right of the land from the original owners, which was far better than through any self constituted English company.
The Plymouth company, very soon after Wheelwright's purchase, made a new grant of the same territory to Mason ; and it was al- leged that he and Gorges had mutually agreed to divide their original grant, called Laconia, and take out new patents. Mason
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FIRST SETTLEMENT.
named this new grant for the county where he formerly lived in England, New-Hampshire.
Edward Hilton, then living at Dover, obtained a tract of land for himself and associates, by deed, including Dover, and what is now Durham, Stratham and a part of Newington and Greenland. A grant of land was also obtained by persons living near the mouth of the Piscataqua, including Portsmouth, Newcastle, Rye, and part of Newington and Greenfield. The Dover settlement was called the Upper Plantation, and the Portsmouth settlement was called the Lower Plantation. Captain Thomas Wiggin was ap- pointed agent of the former plantation, and Captain Walter Neil of the latter. Disputes . frequently sprung up between the two settlements in relation to territory, but they were, as a general thing, settled without anything serious transpiring.
Like our people in these modern days, the first settlers of New Hampshire had what is now called the gold fever. Parties would be formed and start through the denes forests with spade and pickaxe on their shoulder, to seek their fortunes among the lakes and mountains in central New Hampshire. But the yellow lucre was not to be found, and their fond imaginations of a fortune in a day were blasted. By such expeditions after gold, agriculture was neglected, and the stories told them of valuable mines of wealth in the mountains had proved fallacious. Want, privations and hard- ships were the fruits of their neglect. Bread was brought from England in meal, or in grain from Virginia, and carried to Boston to be ground, there being no mill in the Colony. It is no wonder, under such circumstances, that disappointment, and consequently discontent, should creep in and cause many to sell all their in- terests to the more enterprising ones (who had remembered the saying, All that shines is not gold), and return to England.
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