Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 54

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers
Number of Pages: 1266


USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886 > Part 54


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128


The Methodist Episcopal church of East Haverhill was organized by Henry Noyes, Moses Mead, Caleb Morse and Roswell Elliot in 1833, Rev. Silas Quimby being the first pastor. A church building was erected the fol- lowing year. It will seat 160 persons, and is valued, including parsonage, etc., at $2,800.00. The society now has ninety full members and sixteen proba- tioners, with Rev. William Layne, pastor. The Sabbath-school has 160 scholars, with an average attendance of 1 IO.


St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal church of Woodsville was organized by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Niles, of the Diocese of New Hampshire, in 1876, the first rector being Rev. W. B. T. Smith. Services were held for a long time in the school hall ; but in July, 1879, a subscription paper was started to raise funds for a church building, with the following result :-


C. B. Smith, building lot .... $700.00 George P. $25.00


Samuel B. Page and another. 200.00 A. S. Farwell. 100.00


A Friend 25.00


Daniel Emory 5.00 G. A. and E. Davison 100.00


A. G. Olney 15.00 C. R. Gibson


50.00


H E. Ranno 10.00


E. B. Mann. 65.00


Albert Hood . 3.00


H. G. Bun


25.00


Manus H. Perkins · 15.00


384


TOWN OF HEBRON.


William A. Pringle


$ 10.00 Edward Davison


$15 00


G. E. Cummings


10.00


Horace C. Carbee


15.00


E. A. P.


50.00


George H. Tabor


10.00


Col. G C. Dyer


25.00


M. V. B. Perkins.


20.00


W. H. Dodge


10.00


A Friend


:00.00


B. M. Alake .


10.00


Frank E. Dodge


5.00


Friends .


32.00


Charles N. Davison


5.00


Benjamin Dow.


25.00


S. S. Carbee .


10.00


A Friend


25.00


William Cummings


25.00


H. A. Coit .


100.00


A Friend


25.00


L. E. Collins Total .


15.00


$1,876.00


The building, as completed in 1881, is a handsome wood structure capable of seating 225 persons. The property is now valued, including parsonage, grounds, furniture, etc., at $7.000.00. The society now has thirty-five com- municants, with Rev. H. A. Remick, rector. Its Sabbath-school has fifty- three scholars and five teachers.


The Methodist Episcopal church of Woodsville was organized by Revs. G. W. Norris and A. Twitchell, with seven members, May 31, 1885, Mr. Twitchell being appointed pastor. The society has in process of erection a church building capable of accommodating 300 persons, and which is expected to cost $2.500.00. Though the society has only eight full members, it has a Sabbath-school with eighty-seven scholars.


The First Methodist church, located at North Haverhill, was organized at an early date. Its first church building, erected in : 840, was destroyed by fire in 1865. The present building was erected during the following year. It is a neat wooden structure capable of seating 350 persons, and valued, includ - ing grounds and other property, at $5,200.00. The society now has fifty-five members, with Rev. Joseph H. Brown, pastor. Its Sabbath-school has 125 scholars.


H EBRON lies in the southeastern part of the county, in lat. 43º 42' and long. 72° 49 , bounded north by Groton and Plymouth, east by Ply- mouth, south by Alexandria, Bristol and Bridgewater, and west by Alexandria and Groton. It is a small township, containing only 13,305 acres, and was set off from Groton and Plymouth and incorporated as a separate township June 15, 1792. By an act approved June 26, 1845, a tract known as the Gore, and some other lots, were severed from Hebron and re-annexed to Groton. The following are the petitions from the residents of both Gro- ton and Plymouth, setting forth their reasons for desiring a new township, and which we print for this reason, and for the reason that the petitioner's names are all given, probably including nearly all, if not all, the residents of the territory at that time :-


385


TOWN OF HEBRON.


"His Excellency the President, the Hon. Senate & House of Representatives for the State of New Hampshire in Gen'l Court convened.


"The petition of us the Subscribers humbly sheweth, that the Southeast- erly part of the Town of Cockermouth (by its natural formation is so situated that a connection with the Southwesterly part of Plymouth (in all matters) would render it exceedingly advantageous to us inhabitants of said Cocker- mouth .- Wherefore we pray that a certain part of said Cockermouth (begin- ning at the Southwesterly corner of the lot Number sixteen in the first range & first division in said Cockermouth thence running North thirty degrees East to Rumney line which makes about a mile in width) may be set off from said Cockermouth, annexed to and incorporated with that part of said Ply- mouth now petitioned for as a New Township-


"And your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray "Cockermouth Dec th 1791-


John Haselton Samuel Haselton


Wm Cummings


Timothy Farley Nath'll Ball


Sam'l Phelps


Jaazariah Crosby


Abraham Parker


Ebenezer Wise


"His Excellency the President, the Hon'ble Senate & House of Representa- tives for the State of New Hampshire in Gen'l Court convened


"The petition of us the subscribers humbly sheweth, that by a late estab- lishment of the boundaries of the Town of Plymouth (of which we are Inhab- itants) our connection with said Town of Plymouth is rendered exceeding difficult, as the road at present is new and in a great measure unoccupied, and the length of way from the principal part of us nearly six miles to the now Centre of said Plymouth. And further that the greater part of us have been at a great expense in settling a Gospel Minister & supporting the Gospel among ourselves without any assistance of the Town of Plymouth aforesaid, & having previously obtained the approbation of the inhabitants of said Ply- mouth by a unanimous vote herewith inclosed and preferred to your Honors signifying that our desires may be fully gratified


"Wherefore we pray, that such a part of said Plymouth as is expressed by metes and bounds in said vote herewith preferred by the bearer William Cum- mings i: ay be set off & incorporated into a Township and that we the Inhab- itants of the same may be invested with Town privileges in such way as your Honours in wisdom may Judge fit and we your Honours petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray-


"Plymouth Dec. 7th 1791 William Cummings Evan Bartlett Jerahmeel Bowers


Jonathan Morss David Cheney Josiah Hobart


Jonathan Bartlett Eben'r Kendall Ebenezer Kendall


Uriah Pike Simon Lovejoy Jun'r


John W. Kendall


Jacob Kendall


James Colburn


Samuel Hasalton Benja Haselton


"Feb. 2d 1792 Serv'd the select men of Plymouth with a true Copy "per Wm Cumings


"Feb. 18th 1792 the Petitioners comply'd with ye within order of Court by serving us with an attested Copy


Wm Cumings for 1791


Selectmen of sd Cockermouth


Sam Goodhue Jr 3 "Edm Shattuck


Selectmen for sd Cockermouth for 1792


"March 1792."


25*


386


TOWN OF HEBRON.


The surface of the little town is very rough and broken in most parts, and diversified by lake, mountain, valley and river, its wealth of beautiful scenery being surpassed by few tracts of its size. The principal elevations are Crosby mountain, in the northern part, and Bear hills, in the southern part, be- tween which lies the deep, picturesque valley of Cockermouth river. The eastern part of the town lies principally in the basin of New Found lake. This lake lies about half in the town and covers nearly one fifth of the land. An- other sniall body of water, Spectacle pond, lies on the western border of the township. Cockermouth river flows an easterly course through the center of the town, emptying into New Found lake. From the north it receives Haz- elton brook, quite an important stream. From the south it receives another small stream, while Bog brook, flowing southerly from Crosby mountain, empties into the head of New Found lake. The township is thus well watered, and several mill privileges are afforded. The soil is in most parts natur- ally hard and rocky, though with proper cultivation good crops are produced, while grazing land is abundant. The timber is mostly of the hard-wood varie- ties, with many fine sugar groves.


In 1880 Hebron had a population of 329 souls. In 1885 the town had four school districts and five common schools. Its five school-houses were valued, including furniture, etc., at $520.00. There were fifty-three children attending school, six of whom were pursuing the higher grades, taught dur- ing the year by five female teachers, at an average monthly salary of $20.20 .. The entire amount raised for school purposes during the year was $417.68, while the expenditures were $297.60, with E. K. Follansbee, superintendent.


HEBRON, a post village located west of the center of the town, has one church (Union), one store, two blacksmith shops and about twenty dwell- ings.


EAST HEBRON (p. o.) is at the head of New Found lake, where is located Lake Side Cottage, a popular resort for summer boarders.


The first settler in what is now Hebron was James Gould, who came on with his wife, from Hollis, in 1771. His log cabin stood just north of the site now occupied by Enoch F. Pierce's house, at Hebron village. The first land cleared was a small patch on the flat just back of the house, between it and Jewel bridge. The first crop raised thereon was a crop of turnips. The first six months of their residence here Mrs. Gould saw no woman's face, or until she was paid a visit by one of her " near" neighbors, a Mrs. Snow, of Plymouth. This lady came through the forest to call on the new comer, a distance of six miles, on snow-shoes. Mrs. Gould had also another neighbour, a Mrs. Rice, of Dorchester. This lady would occasionly make her an after- noon visit, returning home alone after sunset, a walk of seven miles. In due course of time a new settler came into the wilderness, an infant son of Mrs. Gould, the first child born within the present limits of the township. There was then no physician in the vicinity, so Mrs. Samuel Emerson was sent for, who made her way from Plymouth on snow-shoes, to welcome the little stran-


387


TOWN OF HEBRON.


ger. His cradle was made from a hollow ash log, and was five feet ten inches long and two feet wide.


Mr. Gould was soon after joined in the settlement by Jonas Hobart, Dea. Samuel Hazelton, Jacob Lovejoy, Thomas Nevins, Uria D. Pike and others, among whom was William Cummings, Ebenezer Wise, Simeon Lovejoy, John Bartlett, Evan Bartlett, Josiah Bowers, Samuel Phelps, Jacob Perkins, Josiah Hobart, Ebenezer Kendall, J. W. Kendall, Ebenezer Kendall, Jr., Asahel Fowler, Lieut. William Crawford, Dr. Abijah Wright, Jonathan Morse, Reuben Hobart, Ezra Murch, Timothy Farley, James Colburn, Ben- jamin Hazelton, Jacob Lovejoy, Lieut. Daniel Pike, James Moses, John Hazel- ton, Capt. Jaazaniah Crosby, David Cheeney, Nathaniel Ball, Abel Colburn, Stephen Ordway, Ephraim Goodhue and Louis Nevins. At the time the first census was taken, in 1800, the town had a population of 281 souls, and ten years later this number had increased to 563. The first town meeting was held at the house of Jonathan Bartlett, June 15, 1792, when the following officers were chosen: Ebenezer Kendall, moderator ; William Cummings, clerk ; Ebenezer Kendall, and Dea. Samuel Hazelton, selectmen; Evan Bartlett, constable ; Reuben Hobart, treasurer ; Jaazaniah Crosby and Simeon Lovejoy, tythingmen ; and J. W. Kendall, Daniel Pike and Jonathan Morse, surveyors of highways. The first representative to the General Court was William Powers. Upon being asked his name there he replied: "Powers, Powers from above." He ever after retained this title. Upon his return home he was given, by one of his neighbours, the following edifiying compli- ment : "Half of the General Court, " said the misanthrope, "are rogues, the other half fools ; the people of the town were fools for sending you there, and you were a fool for going." Governor Wentworth and his council once passed through the town, remaining over night at the residence of Captain Pike. Tradition asserts that they passed a law relative to borrowed articles, as follows : " When the ower of a loaned article wishes it returned, he must go after it." Some cynical ones claim that this law has been carried out to the letter ever since.


It was said by the early settlers that the pine trees stood so closely together upon what is now the Common that the sun could not shine through upon the ground, and at certain times people hardly dared to cross it for fear of bears and wolves, so plentiful were they in the neighborhood. Provisions at times were extremely scarce. One fortunate settler brought with him about three quarters of a barrel of pork, which was eagerly sought by his new neigh- bors as a great dainty. A settler on one occasion wishing for some potatoes to plant, started for Plymouth in the morning, worked for a half bushel of the coveted article, returned to his home and planted them. On the following morning he was obliged to dig up a portion of them for his breakfast-all the food he had. In subsequent and more prosperous years he used to facetiously remark, when relating the incident, that "the potatoes were large and of good quality -for the time they had been planted." The crank for the first saw-


388


TOWN OF HEBRON.


mill, weighing 140 pounds, was brought by a man on horse-back, from Hollis. The first physician was Dr. Abijah Wright, who located upon the place where E. W. George now resides. The first minister was Rev. Samuel Perley, in- stalled in June, 1779. James George built a saw and grist-mill on Bog brook at an early date, where he did business about twenty-five years, when he was succeeded by Joseph Whipple, who in turn operated it many years.


James George was born in Goffstown, in 1773, came to Hebron about 1810, and located on the place where his grandson, Edmund W., now lives. He reared seven sons and four daughters. One of these, Samuel, born in 1803, was reared on a farm, married Ruth, daughter of Daniel and Hannah (Hazel- ton) Walker, in 1822, and had born to him two sons, Edmond W. and Ed- win W., twins, born April 13, 1834. The former married Rachel P. Clement, in 1860, and has two sons, Lewis C., of Haverhill, N. H., and Charles E., who married Sadie L., daughter of Willard W. and Susan (Duston) Wise, January 1, 1885, and works on the farm with his father. Mr. George is an extensive fruit grower, and resides on the homestead. Edwin married M. Ellen, daughter of William and Abigail (French) McDermid, in 1882, is a farmer, and resides on road 3.


Daniel Hardy, a native of Lebanon, came to Hebron and located on the place where D. P. Hardy now lives, in 1822. He had born to him six sons and four daughters. His son Ichabod, born in 1808, married Emeline M. Webster, in 1836. His children were as follows : David P., born in 1838; Lucy E. (Mrs. George J. Cummings) ; Ellen S. and Emily, who were twins. Ellen S. married Rev. Henry Lampry, of Acworth, and Emily died in 1844. David P. married Sarah, daughter of David P. and Sally (Powers) Fox, in 1859, and has had born to him one son and five daughters, viz .: Nettie A., a teacher at Munson, Mass .; Edward D., who lives at home ; Ellen E., a stu- dent at Munson ; Mary Addie, Lucy May and Lizzie W., twins. Mr. Hardy is a prosperous farmer, and resides on the homestead, on road II.


James J. Crosby, son of Samuel and Elizabeth Crosby, was born in 1823, married Emeline E., daughter of Asahel and Lois (Hardy) Buel, in 1848, and has one son and two daughters, namely, Lois, Abial F., a farmer, and Minnie E., all living at home. Mr. Crosby's mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of Evan Bartlett, who was the son of one of the first settlers. Mr. Crosby is a land surveyor, has held the office of justice of the peace twenty-four years, and owns a farm of 150 acres in the village, this being the place where he was born.


Cyrus Mcore, son of Nathan and Sally (Crosby) Moore, was born at Can- terbury, N. H., March 22, 1823, came to Hebron in 1828, and lived with William Crosby, where he remained until twenty-one years of age. He learned the shoemaker's trade, married Alzina, daughter of Ezekiel and Jane (Bart- let) Colburn, in 1851, and lived on a farm in Groton until 1869. He then returned to Hebron and bought the Governor Berry place, in the village. He has had born to him two sons, Albert E., in 1862, and Willie E., born in 1867, died in 1870. The former is town clerk, and resides at home.


389


TOWN OF HEBRON.


John Sanborn came to Hebron, in 1832, located on the place where his son, Hon. J. W. Sanborn, now lives, and reared five sons and four daughters. John W., son of John, was born in 1845, learned the blacksmith trade, and married Delia J. Rolins, of Hebron, in 1870. He has one son and two daughters, Ada Grace, Norman W. and Katie. Mr. Sanborn was elected town representative for 1885-86, and resides on road 7 corner 10.


William C. Ross, son of Elam, was born in Groton, in 1834, came with his father to this town, in 1836, and married Mary A., daughter of Arthur and Mary Ann (Noyes) Nutting, in 1860. Mr. Ross is a farmer, and resides on the west side of the lake, on road 17.


Moses E. Follansbee, son of John, was born in Ware, N. H., in 1819, was reared on a farm, worked on a railroad several years, and married Jane, daughter of Edward and Phebe (Burnham) Luflin, in 1842. He lived in Ware twelve years, came to Hebron in 1854 and located on the place where A. H. Worthley now lives, where he remained ten years. He resided in Salem five years, in Lawrence some time, and returned to Hebron in 1876. He has two sons, George E., born in 1843, and Eddie B., born in 1861 and died in 1864.


Edmund Barnard, son of Reuben and Huldah (Eaton) Barnard, was born in Ware, N. H., in 1813, married Sarah, daughter of Edward and Phebe (Burnham) Luflin, in 1842, and has an adopted daughter, Lucy M. He lived at Dunbarton sixteen years, came to Hebron in 1858, and located on the Reuben Kidder farm of 200 acres. He sold out and bought a farm of 175 acres, and is proprietor of Lake Side Cottage, for summer boarding, on road 13.


Lowell R. Robie, son of Lowell and Margaret (Kenniston) Robie, was born in 1825, came to Hebron in 1755 and married Nancy S. Flanders. His children were as follows: Fidelia J., Margaret A., now deceased, Lurette K., Oscar S., Sadie E. and George D. Fidelia married John W. Sanborn. Mr. Robie resides in the village.


Moses Worthley was born in Vermont in 1807, and when twenty-one years of age began a sea-faring life. He was a sailor many years, in the whaling and merchant service. He married Cynthia Marshall, and has had born to him two sons and one daughter, namely, Alonzo H., born in 1839, Hiram M., born in 1848, and Mary Ella, who married James Gill Patrick, of Bristol. Hiram M. married Sarah G., daughter of Gillman Leavitt, and has one daughter, Lena Blanche, born July 4, 1879. Hiram M. resides on the farm with his father, Moses, who came to this town in 1858. Alonzo H., son of Moses, was at one time engaged in the shoemaking and machinist business. He served in the late war, inlisting in Co. C, 12th N. H. Vols., August 22, 1862, was shot through the thigh at Chancellorsville, and was at the battles of Fredericksburg, Cold Harbor, Drury's Bluff and others. He married Ruth, daughter of D. B. Perkins, in 1865, and has one son, Alonzo H., born in 1867. Mr. Worthley owns a farm of 225 acres, on road 16.


390


TOWN OF HEBRON.


Samuel McClure moved to Groton, from Deerfield Mass., about 1785, and reared two sons and two daughters, viz .: Robert, who died in Plymouth, David born, in 1802, Annie (Mrs. Jewell), and Fannie, who died in Wis- consin. David served as town representative in 1844-45 and in 1850-51, and married Emeline, daughter of Jonathan and Susan (Hagar) Kidder. George W., son of David, was born in 1832, came to Hebron, with his father in 1837, and married Mary Ann, daughter of Uriah and Mary (Dickey) Merrill, in 1854. He has one son and one daughter. The daughter, Emma, married George S. Smith, and has one son, Roy M. Mr. McClure is postmaster, owns the Daniel Pike homestead, and was a member of the legislature in 1876-77.


Almon M. Favor, son of William and Betsey (Worthley) Favor, was born in Ware, N. H., in 1832, and married Mary, daughter of Taylor and Irene (Smith) Bedee, in 1860, and has liad born to him three sons and two daugh- ters, as follows : John A., born in 1862, Oreste G., born in 1864, Anson L., born in 1874, Lucy M., and Sylvia A. Mr. Favor came to Hebron in 1868, owns and occupies the Taylor Bedee farm, on road 15. His wife died June 12, 1883.


George W. Lufkin, son of Edward, was born in 1835, married twice, first, Elmira Lowd, 1854, who died in 1864, and second, Louisa, daughter of J. B. Dow, of Goffstown, in 1866. Mr. Lufkin owns and occupies the O. F. Swan farm, on road 17.


Jeremiah Marston, moved to Bridgewater at an early day, located in the eastern part of the town, and reared two sons and one daughter. His son Benjamin S. married Laura A., daughter of John and Mary (Melvin) Board- man. Charles H., son of Benjamin S., was born in 1848, and has been twice married. By his second marriage he has had born to him one son and one daughter, Frank F. and Cora G. Mr. Marston is first selectman, and owns a farm of eighty acres, on road 17.


James Jewell moved to Groton in 1829. He married Sally Hobart in 1802, and died at Hebron in 1866, aged eighty-five years. His wife died in 1863, aged seventy-eight years. His children were as follows : James M., of Hollis ; Sally ( Mrs. Gillman Wheeler), who died in 1877; William A., born in 1808, now of Groton ; Andrew B., born in 1811, died in 1850; John E., born in 1815, now of Hebron ; David, born in 1817, died in 1854; Noah L., born in 1819, now of Groton ; Mark, born December 29, 1821 ; Dustin B., born in 1825, now of Natic, Mass., and Benjamin G., born in 1826, lives in Groton. Mark married twice, first, Mary A., daughter of Nathaniel and Mary' (Gale) Woodbury, March 2, 1845, and who died September 6, 1848. His second wife was Johanna B., daughter of Elijah and Johanna (Bartlett) Noyes, April 30, 1850, and has had born to him one son and two daughters, namely Mary A., who lives at home, Celia A., a teacher, who also lives at home, and Edward M., born in 1871. Mr. Jewell owns and occupies the Elijah Noyes place, located half a mile north of the village.


39I


TOWN OF HOLDERNESS.


Edward A. Pike, son of Senator Austin F. and Caroline (White) Pike, was born in Franklin, in 1853, married Ida T., daughter of Jeremiah and Ellen Smith, of Franconia, in 1879. He is a prosperous farmer, and occu- pies the Hazelton homestead. located one mile northeast of the villlage, on road 9.


Carlos C. Wade, son of John and Hannah (Pingry) Wade, was born at Norwich, Vt., in 1824, and removed with his parents to Waterbury, Vt., where he lived on a farm. He worked in Manchester several years, bought a farm in Stowe, Vt., where he resided twelve years, and in 1870 bought the Edward Barnard farm in this town, located on road 6, on Barnard hill.


The Union church, at Hebron village, was raised in 1800, though it was not completed under three years from that date. The master workman, Benjamin Woodman, was extended a vote of thanks, and presented with a bottle of brandy at the expense of the town "for his generous and manly behavior while a resident of the town." The building was re-modeled in 1847, and will now accomodate about 250 persons and is valued, including grounds, at $2,000.00. Rev. J. B. Cook is the present pastor.


H OLDERNESS lies in the southeastern part of the county, in lat. 43° 45', and long. 71° 35', bounded noth by Campton, south by the county line, southwest by Ashland, and west by Plymouth. The original charter of the town, under the name of Holderness, was granted to John Shepard and others, November 10, 1751, but was forfeited by them through not complying with its conditions. The land remained ungranted then until October 24, 1761, when a charter was issued to Major John Wentworth and others, some of whom were grantees under the first charter, and six of whom bore the name of Shepard, and seven the name of Cox. In this grant the town was named New Holderness, in honor of Robert, Earl of Holderness, and retained the name until June 12, 1816, when the word New was elided by vote of the town. Originally the township formed a part of Strafford county, and contained an area of 24,921 acres ; but by an act passed Sep- tember 14, 1782, it was annexed to Grafton county, and by an act approved July 1, 1868, the southwestern part of the town was set off and incorporated into a separate township, by the name of Ashland.


Few townships in this vicinity has Dame Nature so kindly favored in the matter of physical beauty, as she has Holderness. Its surface is charmingly diversified by mountain peak, hill and valley, lake, pond and verdant meadow. It has within its limits a large portion of Asquam lake, or Squam lake, as it is incorrectly called. This sheet is about six miles long, and three miles across at its broadest part, Just to the west of it is Little Asqam lake, about two miles long, and a half mile wide, while to the south is White Oak pond, a smaller body of water These placid and lovely meres, the first dotted over




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.