The statistics and gazetteer of New-Hampshire. Containing descriptions of all the counties, towns and villages statistical tables with a list of state officers, etc., Part 1

Author: Fogg, Alonzo J., comp
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Concord, N.H., D. L. Guernsey
Number of Pages: 728


USA > New Hampshire > The statistics and gazetteer of New-Hampshire. Containing descriptions of all the counties, towns and villages statistical tables with a list of state officers, etc. > Part 1


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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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