USA > New Hampshire > A gazetteer of the state of New-Hampshire by John Farmer and Jacob B. Moore ; embellished with an accurate map of the state, and several other engravings by Abel Bowen > Part 15
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ELLSWORTH, township, in Graf-|]the hill ascends, gradually rise one ton county, in lat. 43º 54', is boun- above another for some distance. Along the western bank, between the pond and Mont Calm, within a few rods of the water, extends the 4th N. H. turnpike, the whole dis- tance through a beautiful village, shaded to the north on either side by a second growth of trees. Mas- comy river, which takes its rise in Dorchester, and runs through Ca- naan, empties into this pond in the N. W. part. It is supposed to have been once much higher than it now is, and the plain and villages to the south, are supposed to have been the bed of it. This fact is sufficient- ly evident from the ancient shore still remaining round the pond, a- bout 30 feet above high water, and from logs having been frequently found 12feet below the surface of the plain once flowed. Its fall appears to have been sudden, by an altera- ded N. by Peeling, E. by Thornton, S. by Rumney, and W. by War- ren, containing 16,606 acres. It is 52 miles from Concord and 84 from Portsmouth. It is a mountainous tract of territory-the most prom- inent elevation is Carr's mountain, situated in the N. and extending to the central part of the town. A small stream issues from West Branch pond in the S. E. part of Ellsworth, and runs into the Pem- igewasset at Campton. The soil, though in some parts sterile, pro- duces wheat, rye, corn, oats, &c. The forest trees are various kinds, having a considerable proportion of hard wood. Maple sugar is made here, and clover seed is rai- sed in considerable . quantities. This town, formerly called T're- cothick, was granted May 1, 1769, to Barlow Trecothick. There is a tion of the outlet. On the W. bank small baptist society, over which Israel Blake has presided. Pop. 213.
ENPIELD, a post town in the S. W. part of Grafton county, in lat. 43º 36', is bounded N.E. by Ca- naan, S. E. by Grafton, S. W. by Grantham, and W. by Lebanon, comprising 24,060 acres, of which about 2500 acres are water. It is 12 miles S. E. from Dartmouth Col- lege, 42 miles from Concord, and 105 from Boston. Its surface is diversified with hills and valleys, and watered by a variety of ponds and streams, stored with fish of every species common to the coun- try. Mascomy pond, which has ac- quired from travellers the appella- tion of Pleasant pond, is a beautiful collection of water, 4 miles in length and of various breadth, in- terspersed with islands and check- ered with inlets. Its eastern banks are covered with trees, which, as
near the southern extremity, is the Shaker's settlement, too much re- marked to need particular descrip- tion. It is raised on a fertile plain : the structure of the buildings,though not lofty, are neat and convenient : the inhabitants are peculiar in their manners and dress, in their econo- my and religion. They occupy a- bout 1000 acres of land, and their number consists of about 200 .-- Fifty-eight persons have died since the formation of the society .- They are agriculturalists and me- chanics. Garden seeds, wooden ware, whips, corn brooms, leather, and various other articles are man- ufactured by them. They first made their appearance here in 1782. They were gathered into the order of a church in 1792, under the ministration of Elder Job Bish- op. The religious sentiments of the different branches of this com- munity are similar, and the reader
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"will find a more particular notice, (see page 92,) under the head of Canterbury. In the east part of the town is East pond, 1 1-2 miles long and 3-4 of a mile wide. Mud pond is mostly in Canaan. Besides these, there are Spectacles pond, so called from its figure ; George pond, and Mountain pond, on the summit of Mont Calm, '200 rods long, and 100 rods wide. At the outlets of these ponds are mills .- At the base of Mont Calm, a moun- tain in the southerly part of the town, iron ore has been found, which has been pronounced by Professor Dana to be of an excellent quality. The town was formerly called Relham, and was incorpora- ted by charter, granted to Jedediah Dana and others, July 4th, 1761 .- The first settlers were Nathaniel Bicknell, Jonathan Paddleford and Elisha Bingham. Elias, the son of the last named, was the first male child born in town. The congrega- tional church had Rev. Edward Ev- ans for the first minister. He was settled in Dec. 1799 ; dismissed in, 1805. A free will baptist church was formed July 31, 1816, over which Elder John Sweat presided about 5 years. Elder Ebenezer Chase took charge of this church, Jan. 1, 1822, and of the Religious Union Society, formed at that time under the late act of the legislature. "The Religious Informer," and the "Masonic Casket," both conducted by Elder Ebenezer Chase, are pub- lished in this town. Jesse John- son, Esa. was among the first set- tlers, was a member of the legisla- ture and a justice of the peace till his death in 1800. The late Hon. JESSE JOHNSON, his son, was the first justice of the peace appointed in Enfield, the first representative to the legislature, and one of the first settlers .. He was an intelligent
and useful citizen. He came to this town when 17 years of age .- When 21, he was elected town clerk,selectman, representative,and was appointed justice of the peace. He was afterwards a member of the state convention, which formed the constitution of N. H. ; judge of probate, and judge of the court of common pleas. He died Sept. 23, 1816, aged 53. Pop. 1370.
EPPING, a post-town, in the coun- ty of Rockingham, lat. 43º 3', lies 30 miles S. E. of Concord, 20 miles W. of Portsmouth, and 8 miles N. W. of Exeter. It is bounded on the N. by Nottingham and Lee, E. by New Market, Exeter and Brent- wood, S. by Brentwood and Poplin, and W. by Raymond and Notting- liam. It was formerly a part of Exeter, and was incorporated Feb. 12, 1741 ; and in 1742 the inhabi- tants held their first meeting. The town contains 12,760 acres, being nearly 20 square miles. The soil, in general, is very good, and well suited to raise the various produc- tions that grow in the state. Lam- prey river, at the west, receives the Patuckaway, and runs through the whole lengtli of the town. Anoth- er river runs through the N. part of the town, and from that circum- stance is called North river. The principal roads are in good repair ; and the town is gradually making them better. By observations ta- ken at 6 in the forenoon, at 1 and 9 o'clock in the afternoon, from Fahrenheit's thermometer placed in the open air, 13 feet from the ground, and where the sun does not shine on the thermometer, the annual average of heat for 10 years ending 1818 was 44 1-12º. During that period the annual average that fell of [feet, inches, 10 20 40 80}
rain, was 2 10
6 00
& of snow, 6 7 2 0 0 1
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In September 1783, the town con- tained 201 dwelling-houses, and 210 barns and framed buildings. The congregationalists, quakers, baptists and methodists have now each a meeting-house. The first house of this kind was raised in the year 1750. The number of inhabitants are fewer than they were 40 years since. This is not owing to sickness or mortality, but to eniigration. Most of the peo- ple are industrious, frugal agricul- turalists; the price of land, for many years, has been higher than in the adjacent towns ; and when a farm is sold, which is but seldom, it is usually divided amongst the adjoining neighbors : of course the number of inhabitants as well as farms has diminished. Pop. in 1820, 1158. The present popula- tion is 53 to the square mile. With- in the last ten years the number of deaths in town has been 161, aver- aging 16 in a year. Though one fourth of the number died under ten years, the ages of the whole averaged 36 years and 4 months to each person. The town is divi- ded into 8 school districts ; and there is a school house in each district suited to the accommoda- tion of the scholars. The money for the support of schools is raised by a town tax, and expended in the several districts in proportion to the tax they pay, and not in pro- portion to the scholars in the dis- trict. In one of the districts a school is kept 9 or 10 months in the year, but in some other districts not more than 3 or 4 months annu- ally. WILLIAM PLUMER, late governor of this state and one of its most distinguished and estima- ble cizizens, resides in this town. A considerable portion of his life has been employed in the service
of the people, in the several sta- tions of representative and senator in the legislature, president of the Senate, speaker of the House of Representatives, representative and senator in Congress, and for four years as chief-magistrate of the state. HENRY DEARBORN, though not born in this town, lived here in early life with his parents for a number of years. He served as an officer in the army of the United States during the whole of the revolutionary war; was after- wards marshal of the district of Maine; representative in Con- gress ; secretary of war of the Uni- ted States ; collector of the customs of the port of Boston and Charles- town ; major-general of the army of the United States in the war of 1812, and is now minister of the U. S. at Portugal. JOHN CHAN- DLER was born in this town, and lived in it many years. He has been representative and senator in the Massachusetts legislature ; representative in Congress ; briga- dier-general in the army of the United States in the war of 1812; president of the senate in Maine ; and is now senator in Congress. There are several religious so- cieties of different sects. They are here enumerated, not accor- ding to their numbers, but the order of time in which they were estab- lished. 1. The congregationalists were the first settlers of the town, and for a number of years all the inhabitants were of that sect. Rev. Robert Cutler was their first min- ister ; he was ordained in 1747, and in 1755 was dismissed. March 8, 1758, Rev. Josialı Stearns was ordained as his successor ; he died July 23, 1788 of a cancer, aged 57. In February 1793, Rev. Peter Holt was ordained ; and in 1821, at his
M 2
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own request, was dismissed. The _Northwood, S.by Allenstown, W.by members of this society are calvin- ists. 2. Quakers .- Though few in number they have existed in the town for more than half a cen- tury. As early as the year 1769, Jonathan Norris, one of their mem- bers, was imprisoned for not paying taxes to support the congregation- al minister ; but the town the next year released the constable from the tax; and after that no distress was made upon the quakers for ministerial rates. Joshua Folsom, a native of the town, for many years was their preacher; he died December 21, 1793, aged 72. His son, Benjamin Folsom, is now their principal speaker. 3. Baptists .- They formed a society and built a meeting-house about 50 years since. About that time the Rev. Dr. Sam- uel Shepard was ordained as a preacher over the society in Ep- ping, Stratham and Brentwood ; .in each of those towns he preach- ed every third Sunday. He lived a number of years in Stratham, af- terwards removed to Brentwood, where he lived many years, and di- ed there November 1815, aged 77. For more than 50 years he was a useful practical physician. Since his death the society in Epping have had regular preaching a por- tion of the time. The members of this society are calvinists. 4. Methodists .- A society of this sect has existed in this town for about 20 years, and have had different preachers for a portion of the time. 5. Free-will Baptists .- This sect has been in the town about 6 or 7 years-they are more numerous than the calvinistic baptists, but have no minister settled over them.
Pembroke & Chichester, & contains an area of 19,200 acres. The surface of the town is generally uneven. The principal eminences are called M'Coy's, Fort, Nat's, and Notting- ham mountains. The soil is in general good, and well adapted for grazing or grain. Great and Little Suncook are the only streams de- serving the name of rivers ; the former passing through the town from the N., the latter a branch from the E. uniting near the centre of the town. Here are three ponds, Chesnut, Round and Odi- orne's. The mineralogy and ge- ology of Epsom have been partial- ly explored. Brown oxide, and sulphuret of iron are found, the latter most frequently in its decom- posed state. Varieties of quartz, feldspar and schorl are found. An alluvial deposite has been discover- ed, which Prof. Dana has ascer- tained to be Terra de Senna-it constitutes a very handsome and durable paint for cabinet work. It is found in the N. part of the town. Epsom was granted May 18, 1727, to Theodore Atkinson and others, inhabitants of New- Castle, Rye and Greenland. Sev- eral families had previously mov- ed into town. It received its name from Epsom in England. Rev. John Tucke was ordained here in 1761, and dismissed in 1774. He died while on his way to join the American army as chaplain. Rev. Ebenezer Hazeltine, who was or- dained Jan. 21, 1784, died Nov. 10, 1813, aged 59. Mr. H. was born at Methuen, Ms. Oct. 28, 1755, and graduated at Dartmouth Col- lege. Rev. Jonathan Curtis, who was born at Braintree, (now Ran- dolph) Ms. Oct. 22, 1786, and grad- uated at Dartmouth in 1811, was
EPSOM, post-town, Rockingham county, lat. 43º 12/, lies 12 miles E. of Concord, bounded N. by Pittsfield, E. by Deerfield and ordained Feb. 22, 1815; and his
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church consists of 115 members. Like all the other frontier towns, Epsom was exposed in its early settlement to the Indians. No se- rious injuries, however, were sus- tained. The Indians who subse- quently committed some mischiefs at Canterbury, after laying in wait for some time, on the 21st Aug. 1747, took Mrs. McCoy from Ep- som, a prisoner, and sold her in Canada, from whence she returned at the close of the war. Depreda- tions were afterwards committed on the cattle in the neighborhood, the greater part of the inhabitants having fled to the garrisons in Not- tingham. There is a social libra- ry in Epsom, containing 100 vol- umes. The number of deaths from 1784 to 1813, was 286-an- nual average 9 1-2. Maj. AN- DREW M'CLARY, a native of this town, a gallant and meritorious of- ficer, fell at the battle of Breed's Hill, June 17, 1775. Like the illus- trious Roman, he left his plough on the news of the massacre at Lexington, and in the action when he lost his life displayed great cool- ness and bravery. He was son of Andrew M'Clary, of Ireland, an early settler of Epsom. Hon. JOHN M'CLARY, an estimable cit- izen, was killed by the fall of a frame while raising, Dec. 13, 1821, at the age of 36 years. He was son of Gen. Michael M'Clary, and had been for several years a repre- sentative and senator in the state legislature. Pop. 1336.
ERROL, township, Coos county, in lat. 44º 43', is situated on the W. of Umbagog lake, bounded N. by Wentworth's location, E. by the state of Maine, the line extending through the lake, S. by Cambridge. and Dummer, W. by Millsfield. It contains about 35,000 acres, of which 2.500 are water. Several"
considerable streams here unite with the Ameriscoggin, passing from the N. E. through this town. Errol was granted Feb. 28, 1774, to Timothy Ruggles and others. Pop. 26.
ERVIN'S LOCATION, in Coos county, is a tract of 3468 acres, granted June 2, 1775, to Capt. Wil- liam Ervin, of Boston. It is bound- ed N. by Dixville, E. by Millsfield, S. by public lands, W. by public lands and Columbia. It is at pres- ent uninhabited.
EXETER,post-township, Rocking- ham county, in lat. 42º 59', is boun- ded N. by New-Market, E. by Strat- ham, S.E. by Hampton and Hamp- ton-falls, S. by Kensington and East-Kingston, and W. by Brent- wood and a corner of Epping. The compact part of the town lies about the falls, which separate the fresh from the tide-water of a branch of the Pascataqua, called by the na- tives Squamscot, and now known by the name of Exeter river. Above the falls, this stream assumes the name of Great river, to distin- guish it from one of its smaller branches, called Little river. Great river has its source in Chester, whence it runs through several towns before it meets the tide-wa- ter in the centre of Exeter. On this river are many valuable mill privileges ; and there are already erected upon it in Exeter, 1 cotton manufactory, 1 woollen, 3 corn mills, 3 saw mills, 2 oil mills, a pa- per manufactory and a bark mill : and on the same stream, just with- out the limits of the town, are a saw mill, a corn mill, and a cotton manufactory of 800 spindles, own- ed in Exeter. On Little river, there is 1 carding machine. In ad- dition to these, there is an estab- lishment for morocco dressing. where 20,000 skins are annually
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prepared, and 6 tanneries, some of them extensive. The town is pleas- antly situated on the banks of the river, and contains two congrega- tional churches, one baptist, a court-house, two printing offices, a bank with a capital of $100,000 and an academy. Its soil is in general good, though comprehend- ing every variety, from that of the best quality to the least productive. Like most towns in the state, it is essentially agricultural, and the improvement in the style of hus- bandry within the last fifteen years has been very great; and within the same period, the number of in- dustrious and enterprising mechan- ics, to whom Exeter is now indebt- ed for her prosperity, has been very rapidly increasing. The sum rai- sed for the support of schools for many years, has been $1000 annu- ally ; and the average annual ex- penditure for the improvement of highways during the last ten years, $1300. The poor are supported on a farm purchased for that pur- pose in 1817; since which time, this new system has been in suc- cessful operation, and has not only rendered their condition much more comfortable, but reduced the expense of their support rather more than one third. The same establishment answers the purpo- ses of a house of correction. Phil- lips' Exeter academy was founded by the liberal donations of John Phillips, LL. D. in 1781, who at his death, in 1795, bequeathed to the institution a large portion of his estate. It is under the control of a board of seven trustees, three of whom only can reside in Exeter. Its instructors are a principal, a professor of mathematics and nat- ural philosophy, and an assistant. Lectures are delivered to the stu- dents by a theological instructor,
who superintends this part of their education ; and sacred music and writing, taught by separate instruc- tors. The number of students is usually between 80 and 90. No one under the age of 10 is admit- ted to the Latin department, and twelve is the age commonly requir- ed for admission to the English. The former embraces a full course of studies preparatory for college, with provision for those who choose to advance farther ; and the latter is arranged with a view to a com- plete education in English litera- ture and science. The present prin- eipal, BENJAMIN ABBOT, LL. D. has discharged the duties of that office with distinguished ability for more than thirty years. The build- ing stands on a plain, near the cen- tre of the town, and is well provi- ded with accommodations for the different branches of instruction, and a large hall for declamation and the annual exhibitions. There are three terms in a year, with a vacation of three weeks each. A considerable part of the funds is de- voted to the purpose of aiding the poorer class of students. The set- tlement of Exeter commenced in 1638,by John Wheelwright and oth- ers, who formed themselves into a body politic, chose their magis- trates, and bound the people to obe- dience. Their laws were made in popular assemblies; and the com- bination thus entered into subsist- ed about three years. Wheelwright in 1629 had purchased of the In- dians the country between the Mer- rimack and Pascataqua, extending hack about 50 miles. In conse- quence of his antinomian opinions, he had been banished the colony of Mass., and sought refuge here. In 1642, Exeter was annexed to the county of Essex ; and Wheel- right, who was still under sentence
PHILLIPS' ACADEMY, EXETER.
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of banishment, with a few adher- ents, removed to Maine. In 1643, upon a new arrangement of the counties, Exeter came under the jurisdiction of the county of Nor- folk. Various changes occurred until the final adjustment of the lines in 1741, suspended all ex- citement on the subject of territo- rial limits between Mass. and N. H. Exeter, like most of the early settlements, suffered from the at- tacks of the Indians. In 1675, one person was killed between Exeter and Hampton, and another made prisoner ; and other mischiefs were perpetrated. In 1695, two men were killed. In 1697, the town was providentially saved from des- truction. A body of Indians had lain in ambush, intending to make an assault on the following morn- ing. By an accidental alarm, cau- sed by a gun fired to frighten a few women and children, who went in- to the fields after strawberries con- trary to the advice of their friends, the people were brought together in arms. Seeing this, the Indians supposed they were discovered, and precipitately retreated, killing one person, wounding another and tak- ing away a child. No further in- juries were committed until 1707, when another person was killed at Exeter. In the spring of 1709, William Moody, Samuel Stevens, and two sons of Jeremy Gilman were taken at Pickpocket mill in Exeter. In 1710, they ambushed and killed Col. Winthrop Hilton, a meritorious citizen, with two oth- ers, taking two prisoners. Soon after this, they took four children and Jolın Wedgewood from Exe- ter, and killed John Magoon. In April, 1712, a Mr. Cunningham was killed ; and depredations were made upon the property of the in- habitants. It does not appear that
Exeter suffered much from the In- dians after this period. The first church in Exeter was probably the first formed in this state; it was founded in 1638, by Rev. John Wheelwright, a brother-in-law of the celebrated Anne Hutchinson, and cotemporary with Oliver Crom- well at the university. Wheel- wright removed to Wells, Me. in 1643, was afterwards minister at Hampton ; and died at Salisbury in 1680. The church at Exeter was broken up; and a new church was afterwards organized, at what period it is uncertain. Over this church were successively ordained Rev. Samuel Dudley in 1650, who died in 1683, aged 77 ;- Rev. John Clarke, graduated at Harvard col- lege in 1690; ordained 1698 ; died in 1705, aged 35 ;- Rev. John Od- lin, in 1706 ; died 1754, aged 72; --- Rev. Woodbridge Odlin, in 1743; died 1776, aged 57 ;- Rev. Isaac Mansfield, in 1776, who was removed in 1787; and Rev. Wil- liam F. Rowland in 1790. The second congregational church was formed in 1748, and Rev. Daniel Rogers, a descendant of the martyr John Rogers, ordained, who died in 1785, aged 79. His successors were Rev. Joseph Brown, ordain- ed 1792 and removed 1796; and Rev. Isaac Hurd, ordained in 1817. Rev. Ferdinand Ellis is the or- dained minister of the baptist church in this place. Hon. SAM. UEI TENNEY, M. D. graduated at Harvard College in 1772; was an original member of the N. H. medical society, and its vice prest- dent several years; a member of the Amer. Acad. of Arts and Sci- ences ; an honorary member of the Mass. Med. Soc. ; was elected cor- responding member of Mass. Hist. Soc. Oct. 8, 1792 ; was elected a member of Congress in 1800, 1502
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and 1804. He died in 1815, aged *. He was a man of science and learning. Gen. NATHANIEL PEA- BODY was an original member of the N. H. Med. Society ; was a member of the old Congress ; a sen- ator in 1792 ; and speaker of the House in 1793. Hon. NICHOLAS GILMAN was a member of the old Congress, a senator in 1804, and President of the. Senate ;. a sena- tor in Congress from 1805, to his death in 1814. He died in Phila- delphia ; and is the only member of Congress, from this state, who died in office. Gen. NATHANIEL FOL- SOM was a member of the old Con- gress ; and a valuable revolution- ary officer. Hon. JEREMIAH SMITH, a native of Peterborough, was one of the first representatives to Congress under the federal gov- ernment, was appointed Judge of S. C. of N. H. in 1802, was chief justice, and continued such till 1809, when he was elected gover- nor. He was appointed chief jus- tice of S. J. C. in 1813. In 1804, he received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Dart. Coll .; in 1807, the same from Harvard. Hon. JOHN TAYLOR GILMAN, a de- scendent of one of the principal settlers at Exeter, was an active supporter of the revolution ; a member of the old Congress ; fil- led at times the offices of represen- tative and state treasurer ; and for fourteen years, between 1794 and 1816, was governor of the state. In 1794, he received the honorary degree of LL. D. from Dartmouth College. Exeter has at all periods of its history possessed eminent and useful men ; and some of the first lawyers and jurists, anti- quarians and scholars, have re- ceived their early education at its literary institution. Pop. in 1820, 2114.
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