USA > New Hampshire > New Hampshire as it is. In three parts. Part I. A historical sketch of New hampshire. Part II. A gazetter of New Hampshire. Part III. A general view of New Hampshire. Together with the constitution of the State > Part 10
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Johnson was still retained in prison for three years, and then, with his son, returned and found his wife in Boston. His eldest daughter was retained in a nunnery in Canada. The daughter who was born on the journey, as related, after- wards married Colonel George Kimball. In 1756 Lieutenant Moses Willard, the father of Mrs. Johnson, was killed. He was at work within sight of the fort with his son Moses. The Indians, having despatched the father, pur- sued the son, and wounded him with a spear. He how- ever made his escape, dragging the spear with him into the fort. In 1757 the Indians again burned the mills which had been rebuilt, and took Sampson Colefax, David Farnsworth, and Thomas Adams prisoners. In 1758 Ashahel Stebbins was killed, and his wife, Isaac Parker, and a soldier were cap- , tured. In September, 1760, Joseph Willard, his wife, and children were taken prisoners. After they had proceeded on their journey a few miles, the Indians, finding that the infant child gave signs of uneasiness, and fearing that it ) might impede their progress, took it aside and beat out its brains. This, it is believed, was among the last depreda-
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tions committed by the Indians in New England. The prisoners taken from Charlestown were all conveyed to Canada by way of Lake Champlain and sold to the French. Nearly all were sooner or later redeemed by government or by their friends. The first child born in Charlestown was Elizabeth, daughter of Isaac Parker. She was born in 1744. Charlestown has been, and still is, favored with not a few men of eminence and ability.
· Captain Phinehas Stevens, of whom mention has already been made, was one of the first settlers. He was a native of Sudbury, Massachusetts, from whence his father removed to Rutland. At the age of 16, while his father was making hay, he, with three little brothers, followed him to the meadow. They were surprised by the Indians, who killed two of his brothers, took him prisoner, and then made prep- arations to kill his youngest brother, a child four years old. By signs, he made the Indians to understand that, if they would spare the little fellow, he would carry him on his back. They spared him, and he carried him on his back to Canada. He died, in November, 1756, in the service of his country. Samuel Stevens, Esq., son of Captain Ste- vens, was the first representative of the town to the General. Court, and, at the age of 87 years, discharged the duties of register of probate for the county of Cheshire, which post he had occupied for several years. Colonel William Heywood was one of the ten males who formed the Congre- gational church in 1761, and filled the office of town clerk 42 years. Colonel Samuel Hunt, who was an active military officer during the French and revolutionary wars, settled in this town in 1759, and was sheriff of the county until his death in 1779. Hon. Simeon Olcott and Hon. Benjamin West were men whom posterity will not forget. Hon. Henry Hubbard has filled the re-
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sponsible offices of representative and senator in Congress and governor of New Hampshire. Hon. J. J. Gilchrist, · chief justice of the Superior Court of Judicature in this state, is a citizen of Charlestown.
Charlestown is not remarkably well situated for a manu- facturing town or a place of extensive business of any kind. It has but little water power, and affords but few facilities for trade. Still it is a flourishing town. The Connecticut River Bank in this town has a capital of $90,000. There* is a shoe establishment, employing 50 hands. The railroad machine shop gives employment to 12 or 15 hands. The first settled minister was Rev. John Dennis, who, on ac- count of the Indian war, was ordained in Northfield De- cember 4, 1754. He was dismissed in 1756. Rev. Bulkly Olcott was ordained May 28, 1761; died June 26, 1792. Rev. Daniel Foster supplied the place of settled minister from 1796 to 1809. Rev. Jaazaniah Crosby was ordained October 17, 1810. He preached and maintained the doc- trines of the Congregational creed for several years, when he, with all, or nearly so, of his congregation adopted the Unitarian faith. This is, at the present time, a large and flourishing society, still under the charge of Mr. Crosby.
Population, 1644. Number of polls, 349. Amount of inventory, $793,664. Value of shares in bank, $70,500. Value of lands, improved and unimproved, $442,412. Number of sheep, 5806. Do. neat stock, 1415. Do. horses and mules, 296.
CHATHAM, Carroll county. Bounded north by the White Mountains, east by Maine, south by Conway, and west by Bartlett and Jackson. Area, 26,000 acres. 92 miles north-east from Concord, and 40 north from Ossipee. This town was granted, in 1767, to Peter Livius and
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others. There are several ponds in this town, and a few streams of considerable size. The surface is mountainous and rocky, and the soil, though in some places good, is yet so scanty as never to support a dense population. Be- tween Chatham and Jackson, Carter's Mountain rises so high as to prevent the opening of a road between the two towns ; so that, in their intercourse with the people of Coos county in adjoining towns, the inhabitants are obliged to pass through part of the State of Maine. There is a large quantity of excellent wood and timber in this town, and the time will doubtless come when want and enterprise will find a market for it. A large quantity of maple sugar is produced here annually.
Population, 516. Number of polls, 115. Valuation, $107,975. Number of sheep, 542. Do. neat stock, 503. Do. horses, 70.
CHESTER, Rockingham county. Bounded north by Can- dia and Raymond, east by Poplin and Sandown, south by Derry, and west by Auburn. 23 miles south-east from Concord, and 17 west from Exeter. A branch of Exeter River, called " the Branch," is the only stream of impor- tance. A considerable portion of this town contains an ex- cellent soil, and some of the large, rich swells are surpassed in fertility by none in the state. There are also several large and valuable meadows. Plumbago, of good quality and in considerable abundance, is found in this town. Sul- phur is also found in small quantities, embedded in tremo- lite. Granite and gneiss are the prevailing rock. Chester formerly included the present town of Auburn, which was set off and incorporated in 1845. In October, 1719, about 80 persons, chiefly from Hampton and Portsmouth, having associated together for the purpose of obtaining a grant of
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a township in the "chestnut country," stationed three men upon this tract to keep possession until they should secure the grant. After considerable difficulty, they obtained a grant of land 10 miles square.
The settlement was immediately commenced by several persons from Rye and Hampton, among whom were Samuel Ingalls, Jonathan Goodhue, Jacob Sargent, Ebenezer Dear- born, Robert Smith, B. and E. Colby, John and S. Robie, who, by their activity and perseverance, contributed largely to the success and permanence of the enterprise. From 1722 to 1726 the progress of the settlement was somewhat interrupted by an Indian war, called the Three Years' war, or Lovewell's war. The Indians committed no depreda- tions here, excepting that, in June, 1724, they took Thomas Smith and John Carr, and, after carrying them about 30 miles, bound them, and lay down to sleep. During their nap, which proved to be pretty sound, the captives made their escape, and in three days arrived safe at a garrison in Londonderry. Several garrison houses were kept in this township until the peace of 1749. On the 8th of May, 1722, the township which had hitherto been called Cheshire was incorporated under its present name. By the charter, it comprised more than 120 square miles of territory.
The first meeting under this charter was held March 28, 1723. Until 1728, the town meetings were usually held in some old town within the province, and nearly all the town officers, though proprietors, were not inhabitants of the town. Until 1735, the business of the town and of the proprietary was transacted at the town meetings. After this time, separate meetings were held. In 1729 the town voted to build a meeting house, which was so far completed that the town meetings were afterwards holden in it. In the following year, Rev. Moses Hale was settled as pastor. In
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this year, the first settlers, who were Presbyterians, formed a society, and settled Rev. John Wilson, after the rules of the kirk of Scotland. In 1738 this society erected a meeting house. They resisted every attempt to set- tle a Congregational minister ; and after Rev. Ebenezer Flagg, a minister of that profession, was settled, many of the Presbyterians refused to pay the taxes assessed upon them for his support. Two of them, James Campbell and John Tolford, were arrested by the collector and lodged in jail in Exeter. After a long and tedious lawsuit, in which not a little of bigotry was manifested on both sides, the party arrested obtained a decision in their favor; and in 1740 the two societies were clothed with corporate powers, and authorized to hold meetings separately.
Rev. Mr. Flagg, of the Congregational church, died No- vember 14, 1796. Rev. Nathan Bradstreet was his suc- cessor, and so continued until 1818. Rev. Joel Arnold was settled March 8, 1820. Rev. Mr. Wilson, of the Presbyterian church, was born in the county of Ulster, in the north part of Ireland. He came to this country in 1729, and preached 45 years. After his death, the church was vacant 24 years. In 1803 Rev. Zaccheus Colby was ordained, and was succeeded by Rev. Clement Parker in 1817. A Baptist society was organized in 1819. At present there is a Congregational and a Methodist society. In 1750 the south-west part of the town, with a portion of Londonderry, was set off to form the present township of Derry. In 1763 that part of the town called Charm- ingface was incorporated by the name of Candia. In 1765 another portion was cut off, and incorporated under the name of Raymond. In 1822 another portion was cut off, to form, with other tracts, the town of Hooksett. In 1845 that portion of the town known for many years as Long
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Meadows was incorporated under the name of Auburn. For some time after the occupation of this territory by the whites, the Indians had a settlement of some 10 or 12 wigwams on an island in Massabesic Pond, vestiges of which still remain. The first child born in Chester of white parents was a daughter of Samuel Ingalls, who lived to the age of 90 years. John Sargent was the first male child born of English parents in this town, who lived to be nearly 80 years of age. This town is finely located, so far as health and longevity are considered. It is situated about 20 miles from the ocean, which, on a clear day, can be distinctly seen from the more elevated portions. The sea breezes are agreeable and exhilarating.
Population, 1301. No. of polls, 296. Amount of in- ventory, $359,892. Value of improved and unimproved lands, $237,959. Number of sheep, 619. Do. neat stock, 916. Do. horses, 149.
CHESTERFIELD, Cheshire county. Bounded north by Westmoreland and Keene, east by Keene and Swanzey, south by Winchester and Hinsdale, and west by Brattlebor- ough and Dummerston, Vermont. Area, 29,437 acres. 62 miles south-west from Concord, and 11 south-west from Keene, with which it is connected by railroad. This town is mostly upland, well adapted for grazing and most of the cereal grains. Few towns on Connecticut River have so little inter- val. Although its western border is washed by this river for a distance of six miles, nearly all this space is occupied by hills which rise up from the river side. Spafford's Lake, in the northern part of the town, is indeed a charming sheet of water. It is about 10 miles in circumference, covers a surface of about 600 acres, and is fed by springs in its bosom. Its waters are remarkably clear and pure, its
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bed consisting of a white sand. In this lake is an island containing about six acres, a favorite resort of the students of the Academy in this town as well as others. On its east- erly side a stream issues forth, of sufficient size to carry the machinery of a cotton mill, employing 20 hands ; two bit and auger factories, employing the same number ; a peg manufactory, a large tannery, several saw mills, grist mills, and other works.
West River Mountain (Wantastiquel) lies partly in this town and partly in Hinsdale. It bears strong marks of having once been subject to volcanic eruption. Near what is supposed to have been the crater, lava is now to be found in considerable quantities. It is said, by those who live near the mountain, that a trembling motion is often felt and a deep rumbling is heard in its bowels. During the early period of the settlement of the town, the inhabitants, having discovered the crater, and believing that it led to a silver mine, procured a lease of it. By the terms of the lease, the lessees were re- quired to dig at least three days in each year. For a long time this condition was faithfully observed ; and in the prog- ress of labor an excavation was made, following the course of the crater downwards about 100 feet, principally through a solid rock.
At the centre of the town is a pleasant village. Here is located the Academy, which was opened in 1794, and for many years was the only academy in Cheshire county. Its advantages are good, and the course of instruction pursued has hitherto met with general approbation.
Chesterfield was granted, February 11, 1752, to 12 per- sons of the name of Willard, and 52 others. The first set- tlement was made, November 25, 1761, by Moses Smith and William Thomas, who, with their families, sailed up the Connecticut River in a canoe, and made their first " pitch "
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on the banks of the river. Their chief subsistence for some time consisted of shad and salmon, of which there was a' great abundance in the river, and deer, which were numerous in the forest. The first religious society formed in town was Congregational, in 1771. Rev. Abraham Wood was ordained December 13, 1772. A Baptist society was incorporated here in 1819, and a Universalist society in 1818. Mrs. Hannah Bayley died in this town in November, 1822, aged 104 years and 3 months.
Population, 1680. Number of polls, 429. Amount of inventory, $487,596. Value of lands, improved and unim- proved, $379,400. Number of sheep, 683. Do. neat stock, 1935. Do. horses, 255. Amount of shares in cor- porations, money at interest, &c., $50,940.
CHICHESTER, Merrimack county. Bounded north by Pittsfield, east by Pittsfield and Epsom, south by Pem- broke, and west by Loudon and Concord. Area, 11,978 acres. This is an excellent farming town, and yields abun- dantly the various kinds of produce raised in this region. There is no waste land, and no elevation of importance ; so that, although small in extent compared with most other towns, it nevertheless contains a large amount of easily cultivated soil. Bear Hill, in the north part of the town, is the only considerable eminence. This is under high cul- tivation. The east part of the town is watered by Suncook River, which affords a few mill seats, and flows through some excellent interval. The inhabitants are chiefly en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. Traces of Indian settle- ments are often discovered, such as chisels, axes, &c., of stone. The Pennacooks, once a powerful tribe, resided in this vicinity, and their plantations were on the banks of the Suncook River. This town was granted, in 1727, to
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Nathaniel Gookin and others, but was not settled until 1758. In 1791 a Congregational society was formed, and Rev. Josiah Carpenter ordained. At present there is one Congregational society, one Methodist, and one Freewill Baptist in town.
Population, 999. Number of polls in 1854, 261. Inventory, $279,886. Number of sheep, 889. Do. neat stock, 1108. Do. horses, 164. Value of lands, improved and unimproved, $158,449.
CLAREMONT, Sullivan county. Bounded north by Cor- nish, east by Newport, south by Unity and Charlestown, and west by Weathersfield, Vermont. Area, 25,830 acres. Distance from Concord, 47 miles, west. This town is watered by Connecticut River on its western border, and by Sugar River, which flows in a westerly direction, winding in its course through broad and fertile meadows, until it reaches the village in the central part of the town, when its fall is very rapid till within about a mile of the Con- necticut, into which it is discharged. Red Water Brook waters the north-east part of the town. There are, be- sides, several other small streams in various parts of the town. The soil consists mostly of a rich gravelly loam, very deep. The surface is generally undulating. A large portion of the town consists of interval, or meadow, the soil of which, in many places, is very deep. The upland farms are generally easily and well cultivated, and highly productive. The town is mostly surmounted by high hills, which, to some extent, ward off high and bleak winds. Vegetation is several days earlier here than in the sur- rounding towns. Claremont enjoys the reputation of being the best farming town in the state.
The only eminences of note are Green Mountain, in the
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easterly, and Barbour's Mountain, in the westerly, part of the town. Green mountain is based on a mica slate founda- tion. The mountain itself consists of quartz rock, ap- parently of regular stratification, but really of crystalline structure. On the sides of the mountain are found large crystals of staurotide, some of which are very beautiful. From the summit of this mountain the Connecticut River can be seen for many miles, permeating through its broad and luxuriant intervals, dotted here and there with a radiant islet, and gliding quietly by villages and farm houses scattered along its shores - the whole presenting a landscape which, for variety and beauty, is seldom sur- passed. The rock composing Twistback Mountain, a small eminence, consists of micaceous slate, interstratified with small beds of blue limestone, somewhat impure. Barbour's Mountain is a beautiful swell of land, containing some of the best cultivated farms in the town.
The hills are generally sloping acclivities, easily culti- vated on all sides, together with their summits. The vil- lage of Claremont, situated about two miles east of the Sul- livan Railroad depot in this town, presents a thriving and attractive appearance. Scattered over a large surface, it includes an agreeable variety of plain, terrace, and gentle declivity. There are five houses of religious worship, each spacious, and exhibiting a different, and in some in- stances a beautiful, style of architecture. In the " West Parish " are two churches - one Episcopalian, the other Ro- man Catholic. This is a quiet and romantic spot. The mercantile business of this town is considerable. There are in the village 46 stores - milliners', jewellers', tailors', druggists' shops, and grocers'. There are two banks - the Claremont Bank and the Sullivan Savings Institution. There are two large shoe manufactories here - one fur-
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nishing employment for 40 males and 36 females, owned by G. N. Farwell & Co., and furnishing 25,000 pairs of ladies' shoes annually ; the other, owned by Silas E. Noyes, employing 12 males and, 20 females, and furnishing 12,000 pairs of shoes per annum.
The manufacturing facilities of this town are equalled by few, if any, towns within the state. The rapid fall of Sugar River furnishes immense water power and numerous excellent mill seats, which, with Sunapee Lake as a reser- · voir, and the right, by an act of incorporation, to draw down the lake 10 feet, - though this, as yet, has not been found necessary, - insures an abundant and constant sup- ply of water during all seasons of the year. The fall of this river through the village, a distance of about three fourths of a mile, is 150 feet. Each 20 feet of fall fur- nishes power sufficient to carry 20,000 spindles. The entire fall through the town is 250 feet. These valuable privileges are being rapidly taken up. The following are the principal works on this stream in the village : -
The Sunapee Mills, a cotton manufactory, runs 1320 mule spindles, 1280 warp do., and 60 looms. It consumes 104,000 pounds of cotton per annum. About 10,000 yards of print goods are manufactured weekly. Number of hands employed, 50. Capital, $30,000. Benjamin Cozzens agent ; J. W. Thompson superintendent and treasurer.
The Monadnock Mills, a cotton manufactory, in re- spect to the extent of buildings, capital, and amount of goods annually manufactured, may justly be ranked among the first establishments of the kind in the country. The entire length of the factory building, with wheel house and repair shop included, is 418 feet. The main wings of the building are each 124 feet in length, 60 in width, and 5 stories high, besides spacious attics. Capital stock,
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$200,000. Number of spindles, 15,000. Do. looms, , 120 ; 5, 41 ; 4, 24; 14, 62; 12, 74 ; total, 321 - equal to 465 4 looms. Number of male operatives employed, 100. Do. females, 300. Amount of stock consumed annu- ally, 725,000 pounds. Do. goods manufactured, 2,050,000 square yards. Do. money annually paid to operatives, $75,000. Jonas Livingston agent.
The Claremont Machine Works - a company engaged in the manufacture of engine lathes and planers. These machines are finished to the utmost degree of perfection. Upon some of them the highest premiums have been awarded at the Crystal Palace. Amount of capital in- vested, $15,000. Number of hands employed, 25.
The Home Mills - a cotton manufactory. Capital stock, $30,000. Number of spindles, 2600. Do. looms, 4, 51. Male operatives, 18 ; female, 22. Amount of cot- ton consumed annually, 80,000 pounds. Yards of sheeting manufactured annually, 363,000, 37 inch. Amount of money paid annually to operatives, $7800. Arnold Briggs agent.
Sanford and Rossiter's Woollen Factory. Thomas San- ford agent. Capital stock invested, $40,000. Goods manufactured, cassimeres. Number of yards manufactured per annum, 45,000. Pounds of wool consumed annually, 50,000. Number of operatives employed, 30.
E. E. Bailey's Silver Ware Manufactory. Capital in- vested, $5000.
Claremont Cutlery Company. Manufacture table cut- lery mostly. Capital invested, $30,000. Manufacture from 2000 to 3000 knives and forks per day. Consume annually 30 tons of steel ; 30 do. cocoa; 20 do. ebony ; 50 do. hard coal; 30 do. grindstones; 2500 bushels of charcoal; and 100 cords of wood. Dimensions of
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main building, 96 by 40 feet. Do. of forge shop, 65 by 24. 100 operatives are employed, with machinery suf- ficient to employ 50 additional hands. Amount of busi- ness per annum, $60,000. The cutlery manufactured at this establishment has been considered by large dealers as superior to any other manufactured in this country or England.
Claremont Manufacturing Company. S. Ide agent. Authorized capital, $500,000. Incorporated 1832. This company manufacture and sell paper and books. Amount of capital paid in, $100,000. They are now running 3 mills, with 9 engines. Amount of paper made, about 250 tons per year. Value, $50,000. Value of books manufactured, $50,000. Number of hands employed - males, 40 ; females, 50.
There are also two weekly papers published in Clare- mont - the National Eagle and the Northern Advocate.
Claremont was granted, October 26, 1764, to Josiah Wil- lard, Samuel Ashly, and 67 others. It received its name in honor of Lord Clive, a distinguished English general, who then had charge of the British forces in the East Indies. The first settlement was made in 1762, by Moses Spafford and David Lynde. The first white native of Claremont was Elijah, son of Moses Spafford, born in 1763. The first settled minister in the town was Rev. George Wheaton, of the Congregational faith. His suc- cessor was Rev. Augustine Hibbard, who was settled in 1774 ; dismissed in 1785. Rev. John Tappan was ordained March 7, 1796 ; dismissed in September, 1802. It is now a large and flourishing society. The first minister of the Episcopal church in this town was Rev. Ranna Cossitt, who took holy orders in England in 1772, and in the following year entered upon the duties of his sacred office.
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Rev. Daniel Barber succeeded him in August, 1775, and was dismissed in 1818. Rev. James B. Howe succeeded him in 1819. There are two Episcopalian churches in this town ; the one in the " West Parish " was erected in, 1773, now under the charge of Rev. H. S, Smith. The number of communicants is about 50. The other, Trinity Church, was erected in 1852, at a cost of $10,200, and is a splen- did edifice of the Elizabethan Gothic style. This church is under the charge of the Right Rev. Carlton Chase, D. D., Bishop of New Hampshire, and contains about 225 com- municants.
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