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 9
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BLUE HILLS, the name gener- ally appropriated to the first range of mountains in the state, commen- cing in Nottingham and extending through Strafferd, Farmington and Milton ; the several summits are distinguished by different names, as Teneriffe, Saddleback, Tuckaway, &c. See towns just mentioned.
BOAR'S HEAD. See Hampton.
BOSCAWEN, a post-township in Hillsborough county, is situated between Concord and Salisbury, on the; W. side of Merrimack river, in lat 43º 19/. It is 7 miles in length and about the same in breadth, and contains an area of 32,230 acres. It is bounded N. by Salisbury, E. by the Merrimack, which divides it from Northfield and Canterbury, S. by Concord and Hopkinton, and W. by Warner. Boscawen is 8 miles from Concord, 52 from Portsmouth, 68 from Bos- ton, and 514 from Washington City. Besides the Merrimack, the west part of this town is watered by Blackwater river, running near- ly parallel with the former, through the whole extent of the town and about five miles distant from it. It is not a large streanı, but very important, both on account of the fertile fields of champaign on its borders, and the numerous water privileges it affords. It empties itself into Contoocook river in Hopkinton. Over this river and ¡the various other streams, this
BLOODY POINT, on the New- ington side of the Pascataqua riv-Iltown supports more than two miles
H2
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of plank bridges, including their 1797, and contains 220 volumes. abutments. There are two ponds This town has a musical society, an auxiliary to the American ed- ucation society, one for the educa- tion of heathen youth, two female gleaning societies, a moral, an ag- ricultural, and two female cent so- cieties, which are annually exten- ding their aid to the objects which they respectively embrace. The principal village is in the east sec- tion of the town. It has between 30 and 40 dwelling houses, situated on a spacious street nearly two miles in length, very straight and level. Here the eye of the obser- vant traveller is attracted and de- lighted by the fertile intervals and windings of the river Merrimack. There is another village forming on a pleasant eminence near the west meeting-house. Boscawen was granted by Massachusetts in 1733, to 91 proprietors, who held their first meeting May 2, 1733, at Newbury. The proprietors gave to it - the name of Contoocook, af- ter the Indian name of the river. It received its present name, when it was incorporated April 22, 1760, from Edward Boscawen, a cele- brated English admiral then on the American station. The first settlement commenced early in the season of 1734 by Nathaniel Danforth, Andrew Bohonnon, Mo- ses Burbank, Stephen Gerrish, and Edward Emery. Others soon fol- lowed to the number of 27 fami- lies. Abigail Danforth was the first child born in the town. These families were secured against the hostile encroachments of the In- dians by a log fort, 100 feet square and 10 feet high, built by the pro- prietors in 1739. In this fort the inhabitants lived in garrison more than twenty-two years. They had previously built a log house for relig- ious worship and their public meet- of some note. Great pond, near the centre of the town, is 1 mile in length, and 1 mile in width. Long pond; in the west part, is 2 miles long and from 1-2 to 3-4 of a mile wide. There are mill seats at the outlet of each. The soil seems to admit of three divisions, the interval, plain and highland. The intervals on the Merrimack are, in many places, widely ex- tended and were originally very fertile ; the plains border on the intervals and have a thinner soil ; the highland, which comprises a- bout five sevenths of the whole town, lies in large swells extending from north to south. The natural growth is white oak and other hard wood. It is of a deep, productive soil, affording many excellent farms delightfully situated. The surface of Boscawen, when viewed from its highest parts, appears un- commonly level. There are few spots where stones abound. There are no morasses nor stagnant wa- ters. From the numerous streams of living water, and from the pe- culiar direction of the swells of the hills, this town probably de- rives that pure air and uniform temperature which are so condu- cive to health. The number of deaths for the eleven years ending January 1, 1819, was 269. There are 15 school districts, which have on an average about 35 scholars 10 each, and 15 school-houses. For the attention paid to education in this place, much credit is due to the Rev. Dr. Wood, who has entered at the different colleges between 80 and 90 young gentle- men, of whom 31 have been enga- ged in the ministry. The Bos- cawen social library was founded in 1792; incorporated Dec. 2,
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ings. In 1746, the Indians made[] confederates, and with the Indian a predatory incursion on the in -! hatchets despatched ten of the twelve. One of the women whom they thought they had killed made her escape, and a favorite boy they designedly left. Mrs. Duston and her companions arrived safe home with the scalps, though their dan- ger from the enemy and from fam- ine in travelling so far, must have been great. The general court of Massachusetts made her a grant of £50 and she received many valua- ble presents. The time when the church was formed in this place has not been ascertained. The ministers who have successively presided over it have been as fol- lows : Rev. Phinehas Stevens, or- dained October 8, 1740, and died Jan. 19, 1755 .. Rev. Robie Mor- rill, ordained Dec. 29, 1761 ; dis- missed Dec. 9, 1766; and died Sept. 23, 1813, aged 79. Rev. Nathaniel Merrill, ordained Oct. 19. 1768, and dismissed April 1, 1774. Rev. Samuel Wood, D. D. ordained Oct. 17, 1781. The se- cond congregational church was formed Sept. 10, 1804, and Rev. Ebenezer Price was installed on the 26th of the same month. George Jackman, Esq. of this town is entitled to respectful notice. He was the first town clerk and continued in office 36 years. He was appointed a justice of the peace under George II. and con- tinued such under all the succes- sive changes of government to 1818 -he was a selectman 22 years, a representative to the general court, and a delegate to the state conven- tion. He is still living at an ad- vanced age. habitants ; killed Thomas Cook, his son, and a man of color, and took Elisha Jones prisoner. In 1754, they killed Timothy Cook, and took Enos Bishop into captivi- ty to Canada, from whence he es- caped about a year afterward and returned home. Mr. Jones died in captivity. An island, at the mouth of Contoocook river, be- tween this town and Concord was the scene of the well known ex- ploit of Mrs. Hannah Duston, which may be described in this place. On the 15th of March, 1698, the Indians made a descent on Ha- verhill, Mass., where they took Mrs. Duston, who was confined to her bed with an infant only six days old, and attended by her nurse, Mary Niff. The Indians took Mrs. Duston from her bed and carried her away with the nurse and infant. They soon despatch- ed the latter by dashing its head against a tree. When they had proceeded as far as this island, which has been justly called Dus- ton's island, on their way to an In- dian town situate a considerable distance above, the Indians inform- ed the women that they must be stripped and run the gauntlet thro' the village on their arrival .- Mrs. Duston and her nurse had been assigned to a family consist- ing of two stout men, three women, and seven children, or young In- dians, besides an English boy who had been taken from Worcester. Mrs. Duston, aware of the cruel- ties that awaited her, formed the design of exterminating the whole family, and prevailed upon the nurse and the boy to assist her in their destruction. A little before day, finding the whole company
Bow, a township in Rockingham county, lat. 43º 8', was granted May 20, 1727, to Jonathan Wig- gin and others, and was originally in a sound sleep, she awoke herlllaid out nine miles square, com-
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prehending a great portion of the territory now constituting Pem- broke and Concord ; but at present it contains about 16,000 acres, bounded N. E. by Merrimack riv- er which divides it from Pembroke, S. E. by Hooksett, S. W. by Dun- barton, N. W. by Concord, and a part of Hopkinton. The soil is very uneven and hard, but produc- tive when well managed. There is but one pond of any size, called Turee pond. Turkey river emp- ties into the Merrimack at Turkey falls, near the N. E. part of Bow. About a mile below are Garven's falls, now passable by locks on Bow side. Bow canal is situated on the Merrimack 3 miles below Concord ; the perpendicular meas- urement around which it is carried is 25 feet-its length 1-3 of a mile. It passes through a ledge of gran- ite, and is for the most part int- perishable. Its cost was $13,860; and about $2000 of its first income were appropriated towards clearing channels through Turkey falls, &c. The Londonderry turnpike passes through the E. part of this town ; and the Londonderry Branch turn- pike, through the centre of the town from Hooksett to Hopkinton. The baptist church in Bow was first organized in 1795 ; and Rev. Ben- jamin Sargent was ordained in 1797 over the church and society, where he continued till 1801, when he removed to Pittsfield, and has since died. Rev. Thomas Waterman ministered to the people from 1804 to 1807 ; during which period a new church had been formed of baptists and congregationalists, and subsequently dissolved, the two denominations forming distinct so- cieties. The latter is now very small. . From 1807 to 1815, the baptist church was without any pastor. July 3, 1816, the baptist versation.
church was re-organized ; and On the 13th Feb. 1817, Rev. Henry Veazey was settled .- The church now consists of about 60 members. The meeting-house is situated on a commanding elevation, and is a handsome building. Bow is a very healthy town-the average number of deaths for ten years not exceed- ing 12. Pop. 935. The venera- ble SAMUEL WELCH, mentioned in page 12, among the instances of longevity in this state, was born at Kingston, N. H. September 1, 1710; and is now (March, 1823) living in this town. His father was from Ipswich, Mass .; his grandfather, one of the original emigrants from England to that place. This old man has outlived all his connex- ions-he has lived more than half the time since the landing of the pilgrims at Plymouth ! The early part of his life was spent at Kings- ton ; he subsequently lived at Pem- broke ; but for the last 50 years he has resided at Bow, in an obscure corner and steadily cultivated his little farm, till the frosts of a cen- tury had whitened his locks, and the chills of a hundred winters had benumbed his frame. His life has been marked by no extraordinary vicissitude-he was never in battle, or in any public service ; he has been a man of industry, temper- ance and health. In person, he is rather above the middle size-of Grecian features, with dark ex- pressive eyes ; and his locks are of a clayey white, looking as if they had already mouldered in the grave. His face is fair, though wrinkled with the cares of a cen- tury and an eighth. His frame is now feeble, and he is unable to walk. His mental faculties, how- ever, seem but little impaired, and lhe is an interesting person in con-
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BOWBACK, a mountain. Stratford.
See||nual number was 4; the greatest, 29. There is a number of socie- ties designed to aid in promoting charitable objects. There is also a respectable library .- Bradford was granted to John Peirce and George Jaffrey in -. Its first settlement was made in 1771, by Deac. William Presbury, and his family. He lived here three years before any other families arrived. It was soon settled by several in- habitants from Bradford in Mass., from which circumstance it deri- ved its name. It was incorporated Sept. 27, 1787, and is mentioned in the act as including New Brad- ford, Washington Gore, and part of Washington. The congrega- tional church was formed in 1803. Rev. Lemuel Bliss was ordained March 5, 1805 ; died July 4, 1814, aged 38. Rev. Robert Paige was ordained May 22, 1822. There is a freewill baptist society, over which Rev. Jonathan Rowe was settled in 1821. There is also a small society of episcopalians. Pop. 1318.
BRADFORD, a post-township in Hillsborough county, is situated about mid-way between the Mer- rimack and Connecticut rivers in lat. 43º 14. It is bounded N. by Fishersfield and Sutton, E. by Warner, S. by Henniker and Hills- borough, W. by Washington, con- taining nearly 19,000 acres, of which about 500 are of water. It is 31 miles from Amherst, 28 from Concord and 80 from Boston. This town is watered by small streams, which principally issue from ponds, of which the largest is Todd's pond, lying in Bradford and Fishersfield. This pond is suppli- ed with water from the hills and mountains in Fishersfield. In it are a number of floating islands, which are deemed objects of cu- riosity. Its outlet forms the north- ern branch of Warner river .- Pleasant, or Bradford pond, is on the E. side of the town. It is about 550 rods long and 150 wide. It communicates with Warner river by an outlet at the N. end of BREAKFAST HILL. See Rye. it. In this pond are several isl- BRENTWOOD, post town, Rock- ingham co., in lat. 43º, is bounded E. by Exeter, N. by Epping, W. by Poplin, S. by Kingston ; and contains 10,465 acres. The soil is better adapted to grass than grain, although some improvements have been made in its qualities. Exeter river passes nearly through the cen- tre of the town, and there are oth- er streams of less magnitude con- necting with it. Pick-pocket falls, on Exeter river, are in this town, and near them are situated an ex- tensive cotton factory, and a num- ber of mills. A card factory has recently been established here, which promises to be of great utili- ty ; and also an iron furnace for ands, which, with the rugged de- clivities on the E. bank, the waters below, and the cottages and culti- vated fields on the west bank, pre- sent to view, in the summer sea- son, a wild and variegated land- scape. Many parts of Bradford are hilly. A large proportion of the town, however, lies in a valley, about three miles in width. Near the Sunapee mountains, on the N. W., is an extensive plain more than a mile long, and about half a mile wide. The soil differs in quality. It is light, loamy or rough. In the easterly part are val- uable stone quarries. The num- ber of deaths from 1809 to 1817, inclusive, was 146; the least an-casting machinery. Quantities of
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iron ore have been found, and it|no rivers or ponds deserving notice. was formerly worked with success. Vitriol, combined in masses with sulphur, have also been found here. Brentwood was incorporated June 26, 1742. A congregational church was organized in 1752, and Rev. Nathaniel Trask ordained : he died in 1789. Rev. Ebenezer Flint suc- ceeded him, was installed in 1801, and died in 1811. Rev. Chester Colton, the present minister, was settled in 1815. There is a society of baptists here, over whom Elder Samuel Shepard was settled in 1775; died 1816. And also a num- ber of friends. Pop. 892.
BRETTON-WOODS, a township in Coos co., lat. 44º 17', lies at the base of the White Mountains, on the N. W., having Jefferson and Whitefield N., Whitefield and Bethlehem W., and the ungranted lands, and Nash and Sawyer's Lo- cation on the S. It has a territory of 24,640 acres ; and was granted Feb. 8, 1772, to Sir Thomas Went- worth, Bart. Rev. Samuel Langdon, and 31 others. Its surface is un- even, and its appearance dreary. There are but 19 inhabitants. Pon- dicherry mountain lies on the N. between this town and Jefferson. John's and Israel's rivers receive several branches from Bretton- Woods ; and the head streams of the Amonoosuck from the surround- ing mountains unite in passing through the town.
BRIDGEWATER, a township in Grafton county, in lat. 43º 39', was originally part of New-Chester, and was incorporated Feb. 12, 1788. It is bounded N. by Plymouth and Hebron, on the E. by Pemigewas- set river, dividing it from part of Holderness and New-Hampton, on the S. by Bristol, and on the W. by Newfound pond, which separates it from Alexandria. Bridgewater has
The soil is well adapted to grazing, and few townships in its vicinity exceed it in this respect. The May- hew turnpike passes through the W. part, near Newfound pond, and the main road from Concord to Plym- outh through the E. part near Pem- igewasset river. There is a social library, small, but well selected. The first settlement was made in 1766, by Thomas Crawford, Esq. when the tract comprised the whole of New-Chester, Bridgewater and Bristol. He is still living at an advanced age. His brother Jona. Crawford and several others soon became settlers. A congregational church was formed in 1817. Pre- vious to this time the members of [it were in connexion with the one at Hebron. There are also baptist and freewill baptist churches. Pop. 727.
BRISTOL, post township in the S. E. part of Grafton county, in lat. 43º 35/, is bounded N. by Bridge- water, E. by Pemigewasset river, which separates it from N. Hamp- ton, S. by Smith's river, which sep- arates it from New-Chester, W. by Alexandria; containing 9000 acres, exclusive of ponds. It is 90 miles from Boston, 16 S. from Plymouth, and 30 N. from Concord. The land is hilly, but has, in general, a good soil. Newfound pond, about 6 miles in length and from 2 to 3 miles in width, lies in this town and in He- bron. Its waters are discharged through Newfound river, a stream about 2 miles long and 100 feet wide, into Pemigewasset river. At the confluence of these rivers is a pleasant - village, having 14 dwel- ling houses, 2 stores, other build- ings and a number of valuable mill seats. Bristol is Connected by a toll bridge with New-Hampton .- The Mayhew turnpike passes
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through this town. Here has lately been discovered, about 3 miles from the village, a large body of plum- bago, or black lead, (graphite,) of superior excellence. It has been examined by Drs. Mitchell and Da- na, Professors at New-York and Hanover, who pronounce it to be of the best kind hitherto discovered in our country. The land in which it is found, has been purchased by Mr. Charles I. Dunbar, of Massa- chusetts. Bristol was taken from Bridgewater and New-Chester, and incorporated June 24, 1819. The first settlement was made in 1770, by Col. Peter Sleeper, Benj. Em- mons and others. There is an in- corporated methodist society. The church was formed in June, 1818. Pop. 675 ; polls in 1821; 133.
BROOKFIELD, township, Straf- ford county, lat. 43º32', is bounded N. W. by Wolfeborough, E. by Wakefield, S. E. by Middleton, the line passing in a zig-zag direction over Moose mountain, W. by New- Durham; and contains 13,000 ac. It is 45 miles from Concord, and 90 from Boston; was originally a part of Middleton, from which it was separated and incorporated Dec. 30, 1794. The soil is good. Cook's pond, about 1 mile long and 3-4 mile wide, is the source of the W. branch of Salmon-Fall river. There is also another small pond, cover- ing about 15 acres, directly on the top of Moose mountain, which lias always about the same quantity of water, and a variety of fish in it. The first settler was Nicholas Aus- tin, and Richard Hanson built the first framed house-dates unknown. There never has been a minister settled in town ; but there is a small society of baptists. The inhabit- ants have a social library. There are no manufactories, taverns or stores. The number of rateable polls is 128. Pop. 740.
BROOKLINE, a township on the S. line of the state, in lat. 42º 44', is bounded N. by Milford, E. by Hollis, S. by Townsend and Pep- perell, in Mass., W. by Mason, containing 12,664 acres, 240 of which are water. It is 7 miles from Amherst, 35 from Concord, and 43 from Boston. Nisitissit is the only river in Brookline. It ri- ses in the N. E. part of Mason ; passes through the S. part of Mil- ford into Brookline, pursuing a S. E. course to Potanipo pond. From the pond it runs S. E. to Hollis, passing through the S. W. corner of that town into Pepperell, where it empties into Nashua river. Po- tanipo, or Tanapus pond is situated near the meeting-house. It is about a mile long and one third of a mile wide. This town has but few nat- ural advantages for its improve- ment in wealth and importance. The population since 1790 has increased more than one third .. The number of births for 5 years were as follows, viz. 1808, 25; 1809, 22; 1810, 23 ; 1811, 12; 1812, 29; total, 111. The number of deaths the same years was, in 1808, 5; 1809, 5; 1810, 8; 1811, 4; 1812, 5 ; total 27, from which it appears, that the births in 1812 ex- ceeded the whole number of deaths for 5. years. Brookline formerly belonged to Massachusetts, and was included in the Dunstable grant. It was incorporated March 30, 1769, by the name of Raby. In Nov. 1798, the name was alter- ed by an act of the legislature to Brookline. A congregational church was formed about the year 1797. Rev. Lemuel Wadsworth, who graduated at Brown Universi- ty in 1793, was ordained Oct. 11, 1797; died Nov. 25, 1817, aged 48. Pop. 592.
BURNHAM'S RIVER. See Ly- man.
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BURTON, a township in Straf- ford co., is in lat. 43º 56/, and is bounded E. by Conway, S. E. by Eaton, S. by Tamworth, N. and W. by ungranted lands. It is 12 miles long from E. to W., and about 5 in width, containing about 36,700 acres. Distant from Concord, 75 miles ; from Gilford, 45; and 75 from Portsmouth. The principal river is Swift river, which passes from W. to E. through Burton, into the Saco at Conway. There are several small streams in different parts of the town, furnishing con- venient mill privileges. These streams were once the residence of numbers of the beaver, otter, &c. There are several lofty hills and mountains in Burton, the highest of which is called Chocorua, and is visible from a great extent of coun- try. It received its name from Chocorua, an Indian, who was kil- led on the summit by a party of hunters in time of peace, before the settlement of the place. The predominant rock of these hills is granite-a soft, decomposing varie- ty, in which the crystals and grains of feldspar are very large, and suf- fer a rapid decomposition, by which the whole is disintegrated and bro- ken down. The loose stones con- sist mostly of rolled masses of gran- ite, quartz, feldspar, and some spe- cimens of hornstone. A bed of bog ore of iron is also found here. The soil is fertile, being a sandy loam, mixed occasionally with coarse gravel. There are some fer- tile interval lands on the borders of the Swift river. The original growth here is maple, birch, ash, pine, &c.
. The prosperity of this town has been considerably retarded by a pe- culiar disease which afflicts neat cattle. Young, cattle cannot be reared, nor can cows or oxen be kept here for a series of years, with-
out being attacked by a singular and fatal distemper. It commences with a loss of appetite-the ani- mals refuse hay, grain and salt- become emaciated-an obstinate costiveness attends, but the abdo- men becomes smaller than in health, and is diminished to one third its original bulk. After these symp- toms have continued for an indefi- nite period, a brisk scouring comes on, and the animals fall away and die. Though superstition may have found a reason in the dying curse of the murdered Chocorua, philoso- phy has not yet ascertained a satis- factory cause for the disease. It is probably owing to the properties contained in the waters of Burton. This town was granted Nov. 6, 1766, to Clement March, Joseph Senter and others ; it constituted a part of Grafton county until Nov. 27, 1800, when it was annexed to the county of Strafford ; and is still numbered among those towns in this state which have never settled a clergyman. Pop. 209.
C.
CAMBRIDGE, in Coos county, lat. 44º 37', is an uninhabited town- ship, of 23,160 acres, granted May 19, 1773, to Nathaniel Rogers and others. It is bounded N. by the township of Errol and Umbagog lake, E. by the state of Maine, S. by Success and Paulsburg, and W. by Dummer. This tract has an uneven surface, but might be advantageously cultivated. Sever- al streams rise here, and fall into the Ameriscoggin, which passes through the N. W. part of the town.
CAMPTON, a post-township in Grafton county, in lat. 43º 49/, is bounded N. by -Thornton, E. by Sandwich, S. by Holderness and
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Plymouth, W. by Rumney, con- taining 27.892 acres. It is 50 miles from Concord and 75 from Ports- mouth. Its surface is broken and uneven, abounding with rocky ledg- es, and having several mountainous tracts. Besides Pemigewasset riv- er, running N. and S. through near- ly the centre of the town, it is wa- tered by Mad and Beebe's rivers, whichi fall into the Pemigewasset on the E., and by West Branch riv- er and Bog brook on the W. The land in the valleys is generally good, and there is some good inter- val. The high land, when not too rocky, is good for grazing. The forest trees are mostly deciduous. There is some hemlock, pine and spruce. No white oak or pitch pine is found N. of the centre of the town. Iron ore of an inferior quality is found in some places. There are many orchards, but ap- ple-trees decay much sooner than in more southern situations. The towns of Campton and Rumney were both granted in Oct. 1761, to Capt. Jabez Spencer of East Haddam, Conn., but he dying be- fore a settlement was effected, his heirs, in conjunction with others, obtained a new charter, Jan. 5, 1767. The first settlement was made in 1765, by two families of the names of Fox and Taylor. The proprietors held their first meeting Nov. 2, 1769, and the inhabitants theirs, Dec. 16, 1771. From the circumstance of the first proprie- tors building a camp when they went to survey Campton and Rumn- ney, this town derives its name. In the revolutionary war, this town, though in its infancy, furnished nine or ten soldiers, five of whom died in the service, and three were living in 1822. The congregation- al church was formed June 1, 1774. Rev. Selden Church, who gradua-
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