USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Atlas of Strafford county, New Hampshire > Part 8
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From tho conclusion of the French and Indian Wars to the opening of
the Revolution, the history of Somersworth was one of oninteresting pro- gression. From a few nenttering farmo in a wildlerneos, sbe bad sprung up into a populous town. The first breath of wind tont boro the news of the tyrannical acts of the mother country to the bills of New Hampshire, stirred the blood of the hitherto quiet people of Somersworth. The colonists had been erndled in warfare, by their many bloody fights with the envages, and again the time hnd come that would teet their courage, for their liberty, that wun as denr an life, was at stake. Two delegates-Jobn Wentworth and lohnbod Rollius-were elected by n general town meeting, to represent tho towo in the provincial " Congress" at Exeter, and to utsite with men from other towne in the State, in sending a delegate to the Genernl Congress, then summoned at l'biladelpbin. Somersworth was re- quested to raise, by subscription or otherwise, four pounds, ns ber share of a fund to defray the expenses of the delegates to Philndelpbin and back ; more than the amount required was subscribed in a short time. For the Jong struggle that followed, Somersworth was found ready, and in it ber full proportion of men and menns was embarked. True, there were some who opposed the measures of the colouists, hut they were usually over- powored. At one time n vote to give a bounty of six dollars to those who enlisted, was defeated, at n town meeting ; but soon after another meeting was called, nod the vote passed by n Jarge majority. Fridny April 21, 1776, nearly the whole male population of the town gathered at their little meeting bouse, and "voted that twenty men immediately mnsreb from town to meet the enemy, and those who shall go chall hava wages." We can imagine those twenty bravo fellows gathered ou the " training lot," with tearful eyes, bidding their friends ndieu, and we follow them with our mind's eye over the winding ronds-through Dover, through Durham, New Market and Exeter-And we seo othere grasping the musket and joining the ranke until it bod awolled to bundreds, bud we lose sight of them as they disappear in the smohe of the battle. Afterwords the town voted ten dollars bounty ; agnin, twenty dollars; and still uguin, before the close of the wor, thirty dollars were offered to those who would enlist. At those times of contracted currency, these were very liberal ouwe. The town furnished more than fifty men during the war.
Nothing worth recording occurred in Somersworth from the clone of tho Revolution to 1820. In this year Jeane Wendell came from Dover, built a mill, and began the manufacture of cotton gonds. Three years after the Great Falls Manufacturing Company wos incorporated, too old mill was sold, torn down, and taken to Farmington. The new company under the dircetion of Mr. Wendell, purebased n tract of land of Gershom llora, erected several now mills and commenced mabufsoting cotton and woollen goods. At that time two housos only stood on the present site of Great Falls. There is a well between the atores of J. B, Clarke and Bates Brotb- ers, on Market Square, that was dug by the llorn fomnily many years be- fore. The manufacturing company increased ia strength, and at ono timo they owned the largest broadeloth and carpet mill in Anierien. The woollsa business was abandoned in 1884. The company lins a capital stock of $1,500,000; fivo mills with 92,620 spindles, and 2155 looms; annually 4,924,874 pounds of cotton is consumed, manufacturing 16,000,000 yards sheeting, sbirting, drilling, and cotton-finanels. Fifty looms for wenving bags were introduced in May 1868, turning out 2000 bags dnily. Average number of operatives employed (three-fourthe females), 1800; monthly pay roll, $36,000.
A hlenchery belongs to the company, and is run by N. W. Farwell, of Lewiston, Me. This employs nhout thirty-five bands, and pays out monthly for labor and material, over $2000. The Great Falls Woollen Co. was in- corporated in 1868 with a capital of $100,000. TbiaCo. employs 120 bando, eight sets of mnebiaery on fancy enssimeren, tweeds, and Dannels; consumes 900 pounds of clean wool daily, nud pays out $3000 monthly for labor. They have a substantial, finc-looking mill, one hundred by fifty-four feet, fro stories high, with dye-house, store-house, and counting room building.
The Somersworth Machino Co. was incorporated in 1848, with a capital of $50,000. They consume onaunlly, FOO tons of cont and 7, 000,000 pounda of iron. Weekly compensotion to employees, $1800. They bavo three foundrice, one at Dover, ono nt Salmon Falls, anit one at Grent Fulle. That at Salmon Falls manufactures mostly otoves ; 4000 nro mnile per yenr. At Great Falls, mill machinery, gas and wator pipes, and all kiude of benvy and light castinge are made.
Somersworth was divided July 8, 1848, by an net of the Legislature, ond Rollinsford taken from the southern part.
There nro six bouses of worship in Great Fallo, vie: two Methodist Episcopal, one Congregational, one Freo Will Baptist, Que Baptist, and oue Roman Catholic.
Before husineen begna to centre nt Grent Falle the people of Somersworth attended ebureh nt Roilinaford Junction. la 1825 the pioneer prencher of Great Falls, Rev. Eleazer Steele, n Methodiol divine stationed at Dover, Upper Fuetory, prenebed the first sermon to a small oudience. The High St. M. E. church was built in 1827, and remodelled in 1845. The Main St. M. E. church in 1852. The Congregationnl Society was formed in 1827. Tho Freo Will Baptists organized in 1828, nnit built on edifico in 1880. The Baptist society organized and built a church in 1868. St. Michael's (Catholio) church edifice was erected in 1858 nt a poet of $21,000.
Wo cannot close this sketch without soying, that during the dark hours of the Rebellion, wo found Somersworth bien in the tidet of danger. Mouy a falber, busbond, and son came not, with their comrades, at the close of the war. Ao we look back over the Inst two centuries, we cannot help ex- claiming : We all full our mission and then pass away. The dust of the citizen and the coldier, the rich and the poor, shall mingle together, and future generations sholl paes tboughtlessly over their graves.
STRAFFORD.
Prior to 1821, the territory aow included in the towns of Barrington and Straford, wna known as the town of Barrington, snid town being twelve milos long by six and a ball wide.
The town being inconveniently largo, and dissatisfaction arising from other causes, in tbo nhove-mentioned year, the northerly part was sot off, nud incorporated no the town of Strafford.
Strafford lios N. W. from Bover 15 miles; E. N. E. from Concord 26 miles. it contains somo of the finest agricultural lands in the State, especially in that part south of tho Blue liilts, which extend through the town from N. E. to S. W., dividing the town nearly iu the middle.
Its wheat, corn, and grasing inndo are uusurpassed by any towno in this coction of the State.
lts excellent water-power on the Isinglass River is bnt partially improved. There are four ronde oxtending through the town in a northerly direction parallel to enob other.
Among the earliest settlers were the Gtiocs, Berrys, Fosseo, Haysem, Winkleye, CoverDos, nad Perkinses, from whom many of our most enter- prising and energetic citizens bavo descended ; the Fosses and Rerrys bo- ing particularly numorous, about one-fourtb part of the voters in town being of thoco namoo.
The Free Will Boptlet Society bas foar churches in a flourishing condi- tion, whoso pulpits uro supplied hy four settled pastora.
Austin Acadomy, located at Strafford Contre, is a flonriohing institution. Bow Lake is situated in the S. W. part of the towa, and is one of New llampshiro's most hosutiful mbeots of water. It is the great reservoir that supplies the factories of Boyer with their motivo power.
Stratford bao ita share of the wild nad beautiful scenery that so dis- tinguishes tbo Stato of New Hampshire. From the tops of the Bluo Hills to the enst, a fino viow of tho S. W. part of tho Stato of Maine is pro- conted, whilo to tbo S. E. tho ocean with its snowy mails is distinctly seea. To the coutb, the highlands of Massachusetts, and the Unconnunuca Moun- tains in Goffstown, riso foll to view.
To tho wost, the Sunapen and Kearsarge Mountains rear their bald summito to the cloudo, wbilo to the north that Switzerland of America, tho Whito Mountoin region, towering above the rest of New England, meats tho natonisbod vision of the lover of the beautiful and sublime.
76
Res. of the late Major Gen! John Sullivan Durham XII
From Actual Mesrare-
Popalstian et dtrafford County, N. II., trom Oucial Casswu furnished by J. N. Patterson, V. a. Mar- aball, K. IT. Dlatriet.
Distance from Breton on the Portmoptb Ornat Falls and Conway R. L.
Distances on the beaton and Maine E. L.
Post Offices in Btrafford Co., N. D.
Town Lu which located
Mltes of Highway.
Barrington, -.
1588
81
45.56
Brock's Junction, ..
67
So. Berwick ....
Great Falls,
74
BARRINGTON,
BENRINGTON
Dover, Ward 1,.
749
25.87
Salmon Falls,.
70
Great Falls, .
78
Dover, ....
68
DOVER, ...
DOVER.
=
2 ....
2880
Rochestor, ....
79
Madbury,
66
DOWNING'S MILLS, ...
NEW DURHAM.
=
=
8 ....
4689
DURDAM.
EAST ROCILESTER
ROCHESTER.
4 .....
1088
Unlon Village, .-
Sanborn's Mills,.
WakeBald
08
45
GANIC, ....
ROCHESTER
Farmington,
2008
60
87.85
No. Wakedeld, ..
1041
41
LEE, ..
LER.
Loop
778
46
20.50
Oentre Omsipeo
Atkinson,
West Ossipee
11.95
MILTON MILLS,.
NORTH BARRINGTON,-
BARRINOTOK.
Milton ....
1806
48
85.58
South Lawronce,
20
ROCHESTER,
ROOHESTER
Naw Durham, ..
978
62
45.80
Dover, .....
88
Ballard Vale,
21
STRAFFORD, ..
STRAFRORD
Rochester,
4104
192}
88.01
Gonio ...
76
12
78
10
Bolliunford ....
1800
22
7.40
Places, -.....
87
Somersworth, ....
4504
85
9.58
Davis ....
Malden, ..
5
Strafford ,.
1668
79
51.16
Alton Bay,
05
Somerville,
2
90
Boston ....
0
S. B JUNG .....
74
Salmon Falls,.
72
Rollinsford,
71
CENTER STRAFFORD,.
STRAFFORD.
85
Bennett Road,.
Milton Three Ponds,
87
Newmarket, .....
57
98 So. Newmarket
54
FARMINGTON,-
FARMINGTON.
Darbam, ....
1299
45
26.20
James Hill Crowing,
108
44
GREAT FALLS, -.
SOMERSWORTH.
Plaistow Brick Yard,.
88
MIDDLETON, ...
MIDDLETON.
MILTON,-
MILTON.
Madbury,
408
20
Middleton, m
478
1ยบ
18.57
Distanow on the Dover and Winnipiacogve R. R, from Boston vla B. & M. R. L.
28
NOETH STRAFFORD, ...
STRATFORD.
North Lawrence,
27
Andover,.
23
SALMON FALLS,.
ROLLINSFORD
74
WILMIN'G JUNO
18
STRATFORD BLUE HILLA.
South Reading ..
STRAFFORD CORNER,
8. Reading Junction,
WADLEY'S FALLS,
Farmington,
84
Meltist,
WEST MILTON, ....
MILTON
00 42
Now Durham,
Medford Junction,.
82}
Ward Hill
87
HAVERHILL
88
Bradford,
69
DURHAM,.
97 Exetor,.
50
E. K Depot
E. K. Woodhouse,
NEWTON,
Ossipco, . ...
109
Hayes Crossing,.
8
Durham, ... .
62
So, Milton, .......
114
121
North Andover.
Pickerings,
Reading ...
Rochester,.
Alton Bay,
1306
130S
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