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 7
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The swell's of land are generally moist. The highest and mountain- ous parts abound in ledges. This town was granted March 13, 1767, to Joseph Butterfield, jun. and oth- ers. It was incorporated Nov. 23, 1782. Its first settlement was made in Dec. 1769, by Jonathan Corliss, John M. Corliss and William Cor- liss. In Feb. 1821, its territorial limits were lessened by annexing a considerable tract to New-Chester according to an act of the legisla- ture, passed Dec. 21, 1820. A con- gregational church was formed about the year 1788, and Rev. Enoch Whipple was settled in Ju- ly, the same year. He was dismis- sed in 1794. There are three re- ligious societies in this town, no one of which has a settled minis- ter. Population in 1820, 707.
ALLENSTOWN, a township in Rockingham county, is in lat. 43º 8/, bounded W. by the river Sun- cook, N. by Epsom, E. by Deer- field, and S. by Hooksett ; distant from Concord, 11 miles, from Bos- ton, 58, from Portsmouth, 38. It contains about 12,225 acres of land, generally of an ordinary quality, though there are some fine farms. The town is principally covered with a growth of oak and pine tim- ber; and great quantities of lum- ber are annually taken down the river to Boston, &c. Allenstown is well, watered, though no large stream passes through it. Great Bear brook furnishes the principal mill-seats. Catamount hill is the highest land in town. On this hill are found large quantities of fine granite, which is used in building. At the E. end of this hill is a pre- cipice of 70 feet nearly perpendicu- lar, at the foot of which is a cavern of some extent, inclining upwards. The first settlers of the tract called Allens-Town (after the name of the
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purchaser of Mason's claim) were John Wolcutt, Andrew Smith, Dan- iel Evans, Robert Buntin and oth- ers. In 1748, while at work on the western bank of the Merrimack riv- er, opposite the mouth of the Sun- cook, in company with James Carr, Mr. Buntin and his son, ten years of age, were surprised by a party of Indians. Carr attempted to escape, and was shot down. Buntin and his son, making no resistance, were not harmed ; but taken through the wilderness to Canada, and sold to a French trader at Montreal-with whom they remained about eleven months, escaped, and fortunately reached home in safety. Andrew, the son, continued on his father's farm until the commencement of the revolution, when, entering the service of his country, he died in hier defence at White-Plains, Oct. 28, 1776. There is no settled min- ister in Allenstown ; their meeting- house is open to all religious sects, and they occasionally have preach- ing. There is also a town-house. Population, 433.
ALSTEAD, a post township in Cheshire county, in lat. 43° 6', is bounded N. by Acworth and Lang- don, E. by Marlow, S. by Gilsum and Surry, and W. by Walpole and Langdon. It is 12 miles S. E. from Charlestown, 14 N. from Keene, and 50 W. from Concord. It con- tains 24,756 acres. This town is well watered by small streams. Cold river passes through the N. WV. part ; and some of the branch- es of Ashuelot river have their sources in this town. There are a number of ponds, the principal of which is Warren's pond ;- length 250 rods, breadth 150. Perch and pickerel are here caught in great abundance. The soil is strong and productive, and the farms general- ly well cultivated.
meeting-houses and an academy in the centre of the town, and one meeting-house in the east parish. The academy was incorporated Ju- ly 1, 1820. It has no funds, but the patronage and encouragement it has received are flattering, and induce a hope that it may continue to be useful, and to deserve public favor. There are 14 school districts, in which schools are kept about half the year, and sometimes more. Four persons from this town have received a public education. There are two libraries, one incorporated in 1798, containing 127 volumes ; the other in 1804, having 121 vol- umes. Besides the mills, &c. in the statistical table under Cheshire county, there is one paper mill, one gun factory, and a large estab- lishment for the manufacture of boots and shoes, in which from 10 to 15 workmen are constantly em- ployed. The sales for the last 9 years, have amounted to $6000 an- nually. Alstead was originally called Newton, and was granted by charter, August 6, 1763, to Samuel Chase and 69 other proprietors. In 1771, there were 25 families, be- sides 10 single men that were cul- tivating their lands, and 9 others who partially resided there. Tlie first congregational church was gathered in 1777. . Rev. Jacob Mann was ordained in Feb. 1782; dismissed in May, 1789. Rev. Samuel Mead was ordained June 15, 1791 ; dismissed April 28, 1797. Rev. Seth S. Arnold was ordained Jan. 17, 1817. To this church and society, was left in 1817, by Mrs. Shepard, widow of Gen. Shepard, a legacy of $1000 ; and, in 1819, by Major Samuel Hutchinson, a legacy of $1000, the interest of which sums is to be appropriated towards the support of an ordained minister of the congregational or-
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der, in said society, forever, provi- ded there shall be such a minister so ordained ; otherwise for the benefit of the school in the district of the old meeting-house. The second congregational church was formed in the east parish, Nov. 20, 1788. Rev. Levi Lankton was ordained Sept. 3, 1789. The baptist church was formed Dec. 18, 1790, and Rev. Jeremiah Higbee was ordain- ed May 28, 1794. There have been special attentions to religion in these churches in 1788, 1798, 1808, 1815 and 1819. There is a small universalist society formed in May, 1820, of citizens in this town and its vicinity. The aver- age number of deaths for 15 years past, excepting 1812 and 1814, has been about 20. In those years, the spotted fever prevailed and swept off 90 persons. General AMOS SHEPARD, who was for many years a member of the General Court of this state, and President of the Senate 7 years, from 1797 to 1804, resided in this town, and was one of its principal inhabitants from 1777 to the time of his death, Jan. 1, 1812. By his persevering industry, his economy and correct- ness in business, and at the same time, by a rigid adherence to up- rightness and integrity in his deal- ings with his fellow men, he ac- quired a handsome fortune, and was in many things, a pattern wor- thy of imitation. Population 1611.
ALTON, post township, Strafford county, in lat. 43° 28', 22 miles from Concord, and 25 from Dover, is bounded N. by Winnepisiogee lake and bay, N. E. by Wolfebor- ough, E. by New-Durham, S. by Barnstead, W. by Gilmanton and Gilford ; and has an area of 23,843 acres. The town is rough and un- even; the soil hard and rocky, but productive when well cultivated.
The growth of wood is chiefly oak, beech, maple and pine. The prin- cipal elevation is called Mount- Major. There is also a large swell of land called Prospect-Hill, afford- ing fine grazing almost to its sum- mit, from which in a clear sky the ocean is visible. Merrymeeting bay extends S. about 1800 rods in- to this town, where it receives the waters of Merrymeeting river. Half-moon pond, between Alton and Barnstead, is 300 rods long and 150 wide. This town was originally called New-Durham Gore-was owned by the Masoni- an proprietors-settled in 1770, by Jacob Chamberlain and others. It was incorporated Jan. 15; 1796, and named by one of the proprie- tors after Alton, a market-town, in Southamptonshire, Eng. A free- will baptist church was formed here in 1805 ; and Elder John Page ordained in 1811. Pop. 2058.
AMERISCOGGIN, or ANDROS- COGGIN, river, has its sources N. of lat. 45°, and enters this state near the S. E. corner of the second grant to Dartmouth College. Its most northerly branch is the Mar- gallaway river which receives the waters of Dead and Diamond riv- ers, and unites with those flowing from Umbagog lake, about a mile distant from its outlet. From this junction, the confluent stream pur- sues a southerly course till it ap- proaches near the White Moun- tains, where it receives several considerable tributaries, and passes into Maine N. of Mount Moriah. It there bends to the E. and S. E. ; in which course, through a fertile country it passes near the sea-coast, and turning N. runs over the falls at Brunswick, a few miles from Bowdoin College, into Merrymeet- ing Bay, forming a junction with the Kennebeck, 20 miles from the sea.
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AMHERST, a post township and | vation. There is a pleasant vil- one of the seats of justice in Hills- borough county, is situated on Sou- hegan river, in lat. 42º 51' ; boun- ded N. by New-Boston and Bed- ford, E. by Bedford and Merri- mack, S. by Hollis, and W. by Mil- ford and Mont-Vernon. It contains by the survey made in 1805, an area of 22,435 acres. It is 28 miles from Concord, about the same distance from Hopkinton, 47 from Boston, 40 from Keene, 60 from Windsor, and 485 from the city of Washington. This town is water- ed by Souhegan river, of which the most considerable branch orig- inates in Ashburnham, Ms. It is a considerable and very important stream, and in its course to the Merrimack river from this town, affords some of the finest water privileges in the county. It has two bridges over it in Amherst, and one at Milford near the line be- tween these towns. Babboosuck, Little Babboosuck and Jo English ponds are the largest collections of water. The first, 1 1-2 mile in length, and of various breadth, lies in the N. E. part of this town and in Merrimack. From its N. E. ex- tremity issues Babboosuck brook, which takes a N. E. course towards the town of Merrimack. Little Babboosuck is W. from the other and connected with it. Jo English pond is in the N. part of the town and in New-Boston. A stream issues from it which runs into the Bab- boosuck. Stearns' pond is in the south part of the town. The soil is rather unequal. In some parts, and particularly on Souhegan riv- er, it is of an excellent quality,
lage, containing a meeting house, court house, jail, school house, two taverns, five stores and 58 dwel- ling houses. The public buildings, and 42 of the dwelling houses are sit- uated on a plain, extending about 1-2 mile N. and S. and the same distance. E. and W. There is a spacious com- mon between the two principal rows of houses, which is often used for public purposes. S. W. of the turnpike road leading from the vil- lage to Mont-Vernon, are valuable meadows. On Souhegan river, is a considerable portion of good in- terval. This town affords no cu- riosities. No minerals of conse- quence have been found except iron ore, which more than forty years since, was wrought to some advantage. There is what is term- ed a mineral spring, about 1 1-2 miles E. of the meeting house. The water has been found useful in rheumatic complaints, and in scrof- ulous and scorbutic habits ; for poisons by ivy, dog-wood, &c. The geological character of the town has been represented to us as fol- lows : The compact part is situa- ted on an alluvion. This deposi- tion consists principally of sili- cious sand, which occurs in many places of a beautiful greyish white color. This variety resembles very much that formed on the sea shore, and is used. for the same do- mestic purposes. Argill enters in- to the composition of the soil, but the proportion is too small to give it much firmness. Water filters through it very soon, and conse- quently it is generally very dry. Large rolled masses of granite, quartz and sometimes greenstone are scattered over the surface of this deposition, and in some places so abundant as to resemble an ill
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producing abundant crops. In oth- er parts, on the hills elevated above the village, the soil is of a good quality, and several valuable farms are found under good culti- paved street. The surrounding
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hills are primitive. They are com- posed of granite and quartz. Their ascent is generally easy, but in some places present mural preci- pices. A. printing press, the first in the county, was established here about 1795, by Nathaniel Coverly. A weekly newspaper, called the " Amherst Journal and New-Hamp- shire Advertiser," commenced Jan. 16, 1795, and discontinued in Jan- uary the next year. The " Village Messenger" commenced Jan. 6, 1796 ; discontinued Deo. 5, 1801. The "Farmer's Cabinet" succeeded Nov. 11, 1802, and is still continu-
ed. The " Hillsborough Tele- graph" commenced Jan. 1, 1820 ; discontinued July 13, 1822. There. is a social library, incorporated June 20, 1797, having a small col- lection of books. The Aurean Academy, instituted here in 1790, and incorporated Feb. 17, 1791, flourished about ten years. There is a public school generally every year. The aggregate number of scholars who have attended since 1807, is about 500. In the winter of 1817-18, there were instructed in the several district schools, 527 pupils, of whom 105 were taught arithmetic, and 86 the elements of English grammar. The number of deaths from Jan. 1, 1805, for the ensuing 15 years, was 343, of which the aggregate amount of ages was 10,512, and the. mean average age, 30 years. Nearly one half lived to the age of 25 years or upwards, and a sixth part to 70 or more years. Two persons have lived beyond one hundred years. This town was granted in 1733, by Massachusetts, to those persons living and the heirs of those not living, who were officers and soldiers in the Narraganset war of 1675. It was called Nar- raganset No. 3, and afterwards
Souhegan-West. The number of proprietors was 120, of whom a considerable number belonged to Salem, Mass. The first meeting of the grantees was holden at Dan- vers, July 17, 1734. The first set- tlement commenced about the same time by Samuel Walton and Sam- uel Lampson. Others from the county of Essex soon followed, and in 1741, the settlement con- tained fourteen families. In 1736, the first bridge was built; in 1739, the first meeting house was erected. The town was incorporated Jan. 18, 1760, when it assumed the name of Amherst in compliment to Lord Jeffrey Amherst, an En- glish nobleman, and a general of the British forces in America in the French war. In 1770, part of Monson, a town N. of Hollis, was annexed to Amherst. In 1771, Amherst was selected for the shire town of the county of Hillsbor- ough. Milford, in 1794, and Mont- Vernon, in 1803, were separated from this town. A congregational church was formed Sept. 22, 1741, and on the next day, Rev. Daniel Wilkins, who graduated at Har- vard College in 1736, was ordain- ed. He died Feb. 11, 1784, aged 73. Rev. Jeremiah Barnard, who graduated at Harvard College in 1773, was ordained as colleague with Mr. Wilkins, March 3, 1780. Rev. Nathan Lord, who graduated at Bowdoin College in 1809, was ordained as colleague with Mr. Barnard, May 22, 1816. For a period of more than 80 years, the church has never been vacant. Among the worthy citizens of Am- herst who deserve remembrance, may be mentioned Hon. MOSES NICHOLS, who was a colonel under Gen. Stark in the battle of Ben- nington ; who, after the revolution- ary war, was a general of the mi-
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litia, one of the counsellors under the other Great or Lower. The the new constitution, and the reg- ister of deeds till his death, May 23, 1790, at the age of 50. He was also eminent as a physician. Hon. SAMUEL DANA, a native of Brighton, Ms., a graduate of Har- vard College in the same class with the venerable patriot John Adams, and the minister of Groton, Ms. from June 3, 1761, to 1775, resided in this town, the last eighteen years of his life. Here he filled the of- fice of judge of probate several years ; was a senator in the gener- al court, and sustained a high rep- utation as an eminent lawyer. Hc died in April, 1798, aged 58. Hon. WILLIAM GORDON, who gradua- ted at Harvard College in 1779, at the age of 16, was eminent in the profession of the law. He was elected a senator in the legislature in 1794, a representative to con- gress in 1796, and succeeded the Hon. Joshua Atherton as attorney general in 1801. He was also register of probate several years. He died May 8, 1802, at the age of 39. Hon. ROBERT MEANS, who died Jan. 24, 1823, at the age of 80, was for a long period of time a resident in Amherst. He was a native of Stewartstown, in the county of Tyrone, in Ulster, Ire- land, where he was born Aug. 28, 1742. In 1764, he came to this country, where by his industry and application to business, he acquir- ed a large property. In the years 1783, 1784 and 1789, he was elec- ted a representative to the general court from Amherst, in which place he settled prior to the revolution. Three years he was a member of the senate, and in 1786, he filled the office of counsellor for Hills- borough county. Pop. 1622.
Upper Amonoosuck rises in the un- granted lands north of the White Mountains, and passing N. E. into Dummer, approaches to within a few miles of the Ameriscoggin ; thence turning abruptly to the S. W. it pursues that direction nearly through Piercy, and falls into Con- necticut river near the centre of Northumberland. Its whole length is about 50 miles. The valley of the Upper Amonoosuck is 7 or 8 miles in breadth, and more than 20 in length : it is scooped out with great beauty, the surface gently ris- ing to the summits of the moun- tains on the N. The Lower Am- onoosuck rises on the W. side of the White Mountains, and after running a course of 50 miles, falls into the Connecticut just above Ha- verhill, by a mouth 100 yards wide. At the distance of two miles from its mouth, it receives the Wild Am- onoosuck, a stream 40 yards wide, and when raised by freshes, very swift and furious in its course. The waters of the Amonoosuck are pure, and its bed clean ; the current lively, and in some places rapid. The valley of the Lower Amonoosuck is about half a mile in width, and was probably once the bed of a lake, its S. W. limit being the rise of ground at its foot, over which the waters descended in their course to the Connecticut. There is a fine fall in this river about 6 1-2 miles from the Notch of the White Mountains, where the de- scent is 50 feet, cut through a mass of stratified granite.
AMOSKEAG FALLS, in Merri- mack river, are 7 miles below the falls at Hooksett. They consist of three pitches, one below the oth- er ; and within the distance of half a mile, the water falls between 40
AMONOOSUCK, the name of two rivers, the lesser called Upper, and and 50 feet. The vicinity of these
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falls was much frequented by the [ Cape-Breton in 1745-in which ex- Indians. The sachem Wonolanset resided here. The tribe under him was sometimes molested by the Mohawks, who carried terror to the hearts of all the eastern In- dians. In time of war between these hostile tribes, the Indians liv- ing in the neighborhood of the falls, concealed their provisions in the large cavities of the rocks on the island in the middle of the upper part of the fall. They entertained an idea that their deity had cut out these cavities for that purpose. See Manchester.
ANDOVER, post-town, Hillsbor- ough county, is in lat. 43º 27/, and is bounded N. by New-Chester, E. by the Penigewasset, separating the town from Sanbornton, S. by Salisbury, and W. by Wilmot- containing 29,883 acres, or nearly 46 square miles. The Pemigewas- set, on its eastern boundary, and the Blackwater in the S. W. part of the town, are the . principal streams; but numerous rills and brooks find their way down the hills into the ponds or the two riv- ers. There are six ponds in An- dover, the largest of which are Chance and Loon ponds, both pic- turesque, and their waters pure. The surface of this town is ex- tremely uneven, and in some parts rocky and barren. The Ragged Mountains pass along the N., divi- ding the town from New-Chester ; and the Kearsarge extends its base along the W. The soil is in ma- ny parts of good quality, and pleas- ant villages are formed in different parts of the town. The 4th N. H. turnpike passes over the N. W. part of Andover. This town was granted in 1746, by the Masonian proprietors, to Edmund Brown and 59 others ; and was called New- Breton, in honor of the captors of
pedition several of the grantees were engaged. It retained this name until June 25, 1779, when it was incorporated by its present name. The first inhabitant of An- dover was Joseph Fellows, who moved into the place in 1761 : he died March 14, 1811, aged 84. The progress of the settlement was slow; and though a meeting house had been previously erected, no church was organized until 1782. On the 30th Oct. this year a con- gregational church was formed, and Rev. Josiah Badcock, of Milton, Ms. ordained; he continued to preach until 1809, when he resign- ed his charge. There are now two societies of freewill baptists, who are ministered to by Elders Peter Young and Nehemiah Sleeper. A society of universalists was incor- porated in 1818. Among the de- ceased citizens who are remember- ed with respect by the inhabitants, we may mention Dr. SILAS BAR- NARD, the first physician in town, a native of Bolton, Mass. who came to this town in 1792; died June 25, 1795 ;- Dr. JACOB B. MOORE, a native of Georgetown, Me. born Sept. 5, 1772 ; settled in Andover in 1796 ; died Jan. 10, 1813. He possessed respectable poetical talents, was a writer on political subjects in the public pa- pers, and was eminent in his profession. Jonathan Weare, Esq. for many years a civil magistrate and highly respected for his integ- rity, died Jan. 18, 1816, aged 60. Mr. William Blake and Mr. Jo- seph Noyes were respectable citi- zens. The latter, at his decease. made a donation to the town of $10,000, for the support of an. academy-a building for which has already been erected by his exec- utor. The deaths in this town for
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39 years, are 441-annual average 11 : the greatest mortality, in 1802, when 42 persons died of dysentery ; and in 1812 and 1818, when a ma- lignant typhus fever prevailed. This town has about 250 dwelling houses. Pop. 1642.
ANTRIM, a post township in Hillsborough county, in lat. 43° 3', is bounded N. by Windsor and Hillsborough, E. by Contoocook river which divides it from Deer- ing, S. by Hancock, and W. by Stoddard and the N. E. corner of Nelson. It contains 21,743 acres. It is 20 miles from Amherst, 30 from Concord, and 67 from Boston. The E. part of Antrim lies on Con- toocook river; and though some- what hilly, is a tract of productive land, a considerable proportion of which is arable. On the river there are valuable tracts of alluvi- al land. The North Branch rivel, so called, a small stream origina- ting from several ponds in Stod- dard, furnishes several valuable mill seats, and in some parts of its course, it is bordered by tracts of interval. The W. part of the town is mountainous, but suitable for grass, and affords an extensive range of good pasturage. There are six natural ponds. Gregg's pond, above a mile S. W. from the centre of the town, covers a sur- face of perliaps 200 acres, and in some places is 80 feet deep, and is well stored with perch and pike. Its outlet, a tributary to Contoo- cook river, affords several mill priv- ileges. Willard's pond in the S. W. part, is less than Gregg's. The remaining four are small, having from 5 to 20 acres surface. The soil of this town is mostly a deep gravelly loam, favorable for grass, corn, oats, flax, &c. The apple- tree flourishes remarkably well. The forest trees are sugar-maple, where he now resides. Antrim
| beech, black, white and yellow birch, white and swamp ash, red oak, hemlock and spruce. There is very little white pine timber ; no butternut, walnut or chesnut. In some places, elms are numerous. There has lately been discovered in the middle branch of Contoo- cook river, a rock, about 10 feet long and 8 feet wide, covered with a shallow coat of moss, affording sustenance to 21 different kinds of plants and shrubs, three of which produce edible fruit. Antrim at some periods has exhibited a great degree of health; at other times it has been visited with distressing sickness. In 1800, from the 23d of July, to the 23d September, 62 persons died of the dysentery, and 3 others of other disorders. The spotted fever appeared Feb. 7, 1812, in the family of Mr. Samuel Weeks, and from that time to April 10, there occurred 162 cases, of which 35 terminated fatally. Throughout the month of March, it extended itself rapidly in differ- ent directions. In some of the first families attacked with it, al- most every person was seized; in others only one or two were mate- rially affected. In some cases, it seemed to spread progressively from one family to another, as if communicated from one person to the other, at the same time that in others, it suddenly made its appear- ance in distant neighborhoods, sei- zing two or three persons in a fami- ly, nearly at once. All classes of people and all ages seemed alike exposed to its attack. Among its victims, was Daniel Nichols, Esq. father to Rev. John Nichols, a na- tive of this town, who graduated at Dartmouth College in 1813; and I was ordained at Boston Sept. 3, 1817, as a missionary to India,
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