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 17
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Population, 951. Number of polls, 225. Inventory, $262,305. Value of lands, $151,065. Stock in trade, $3300. Number of sheep, 1532. Do. neat stock, 945. Do. horses, 145.
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HILLSBOROUGH, Hillsborough county. Bounded north by Bradford, east by Henniker, south by Deering and Antrim, and west by Windsor and Washington. Area, 27,320 acres. Distance from Concord, 30 miles, south- west ; from Amherst, 23 miles, north-west. This town is well watered. Hillsborough and Contoocook Rivers are the principal streams. The largest body of water is Lyon's Pond - about one mile in length, and two thirds of a mile in width. The surface is very uneven and rocky ; the soil is strong and productive. Plumbago is found here in av state of extraordinary purity. It occurs in narrow veins," which are wrought to a considerable extent. There are four meeting houses, five religious societies, sixteen stores, eight saw and gristmills, three hotels, seven blacksmith shops, one iron foundery, five tanneries, eight wheelwright and furniture shops, two sash and blind factories, one bobbin factory, two harness makers' shops, two clothing stores, and one cotton factory.
In the cotton factory about 20 hands are employed. The goods manufactured consist mostly of yarn and twine. The village, and in fact the whole town, presents a picture of thrift and industry seldom equalled. Idleness finds but few patrons, contentment many. The two extremes of society so often to be observed elsewhere are not to be met with here. An elevated spirit seems to pervade the whole community, which bespeaks not only intelligence, but also a high sense of honor and integrity. Hillsborough was formerly designated as Number Seven of the frontier towns. The first settlement was made in 1741, by James McCalley, Samuel Gibson, Robert McClure, James Lyon, and others. The wife of James McCalley was the only woman in town during the first year of the settlement. When the Cape
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Breton war broke out, in 1744, the settlement was aban- doned, and was not resumed until near 1757. In the mean time the town was granted, by the Masonian pro- prietors, to Colonel John Hill, of Boston, from whom it received its present name. It was incorporated Novem- ber 14, 1772. The Congregational church was organized October 12, 1769. In November of the same year Rev. Jonathan Barns was ordained. There are now two re- ligious societies of that denomination. A Baptist society was organized May 21, 1813. There is also a Methodist and a Universalist society, neither of which, however, has reg- ular preaching. To the town of Hillsborough is conceded an additional importance from the fact that, at the present time, one of her sons occupies the high position of chief magistrate of the United States, while another holds the office of governor of New Hampshire. The old farm house where President Pierce was born is situated on the old turnpike leading from Francestown through Hillsborough Upper Village, near the terminus of the Contoocook Val- ley Railroad. The old horse shed, in one end of which a room was finished for a law office, where the future presi- dent first " set up in business," is yet standing, and shows from what humble stations the path of honor often starts.
The birthplace of Governor Baker, like that of most of his predecessors, was a lowly farm house, where green fields and growing crops constituted the show of splendor, and honest toil was the passport to promotion.
Population, 1685. Ratable polls, 466. Legal voters, 423. Number of houses, 363. Families, 320. Farms, 200. Inventory, $561,163. Value of lands, $351,443 Stock in trade, $9075. Factories, $3200. Number of sheep, 1353. Do. neat stock, 2120. Do. horses and mules, 337.
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HINSDALE, Cheshire county. Bounded north by Ches- terfield, east by Winchester, south by Northfield, Massa- chusetts, and west by Vernon, Vermont. Area, 14,000 acres. Distance from Concord, 75 miles, south-west ; from Keene, 15, south-west. It is well watered with numerous springs and streamlets. Connecticut River laves its western border for a distance of nine and a half miles. The Ashuelot River passes through the principal village, and discharges into the Connecticut a short distance below the great bend called Cooper's Point. There are numerous excellent water privileges on the Ashuelot. There are several islands in the Connecticut belonging to this town. On the north line of the town is West River Mountain, which extends from the bank of the Connecti- cut, in an easterly direction, across the entire width of the town. The highest peak is called Mine Mountain, and is about 900 feet above low-water mark. In several localities about this mountain are found iron ore, beds of silicate of manganese, and other minerals. Several years since there were signs of a volcanic eruption in this mountain, attend- ed by a discharge of a molten substance resembling lava. The intervals here are extensive and fertile. Stebbin's Hill is a large swell of land, under high cultivation. Be- tween the intervals and hills is a large tract of table land, well adapted to the growth of corn and rye. On the point of a hill not far from Connecticut River are still to be seen remains of an Indian fortification. Tradition, only, gives any account, and that uncertain, of this ancient structure. This region was evidently a favorite resort of the sons of the forest. In its early period this town was. subjected to the dangers, privations, and depredations of Indian wars. The settlers were protected by Fort Dum- mer, Hinsdale's Fort, Shattuck's Fort, and Bridgman's
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Fort ; but, notwithstanding, they were ineffectually shield- ed from the hostile incursions of the savages. On the 24th of June, 1746, a party of twenty Indians suddenly appeared before the last-mentioned fort, and attacked with great fury a number of men who were at work in a meadow. Three persons were killed, two were wounded, and two were taken prisoners. One of the captives, Daniel How, in the struggle killed one of the Indians. In 1747 they de- stroyed Bridgman's Fort, killed several persons, and cap- tured others. In October of the same year one Jonathan Sawtell was taken prisoner. On the 3d of July they made an attack upon a gristmill, whither Colonel Willard, with a guard of twenty men, had gone for the purpose of grinding corn. Soon after he had stationed his guards the enemy commenced firing. The colonel gave such loud and repeated orders to make preparations for an onset upon the Indians, besides placing several old hats upon sticks, and raising them, as if platforms being erected for firing within the yard, that they fled with great precipitation, leaving behind their packs and provisions. June 16, 1748, while crossing from Colonel Hinsdale's to Fort Dummer, three persons - Nathan French, Joseph Richardson, and John Frost-were killed, and seven others were captured, one of whom soon afterwards died of his wounds. In 1755 they attacked a party at work in the woods, killed two persons, and took Jonathan Colby prisoner. In July of the same year they killed in ambush Caleb Howe, Hil- kiah Grout, and Benjamin Gaffield, as they were returning from labor in the field. The Congregational church was organized here in 1763. The Baptist church was formed in 1808. There are at this time two churches, in addition to those already mentioned - namely, one Methodist and one Universalist. There are also two hotels, four stores, with
,
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an aggregate capital of $12,200; two woollen factories, both of which manufacture cashmeretts, one employing 45 hands, with a capital of $50,000, the other employing 17 hands, with a capital of $20,000; two machine shops, with an aggregate capital of $22,000; number of hands employed in both, 23; one paper mill, capital, $20,000, number of hands employed, 12; one foundery, capital, $4000, number of hands employed, 5 ; one tannery, capi- tal, $8000, number of hands, 5; one edge tool manufac- tory, capital, $10,000, number of hands, 15; one bobbin and spool factory, capital, $5000, number of hands, 9; one pail factory, capital, $6000, number of hands, 10; one door, sash, and blind factory, capital, $6000, number of hands, 10.
Population, 1903. Number of legal voters in 1854, 292. Inventory, $432,202. Value of lands, $263,587. Stock in trade, $14,500. Number of sheep, 289. Do. neat stock, 671. Do. horses and mules, 155.
HOLDERNESS, Grafton county. Bounded north by Camp- ton, east by Sandwich, Moultonborough, and Centre Har- bor, south by Centre Harbor and New Hampton, and west by Bridgewater and Plymouth. Area, 24,921 acres. Dis- tance from Concord, 40 miles, north by Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad ; from Plymouth, 6, east. The soil is hard, and not easily tilled, but, when carefully cul- tivated, produces tolerably well. The Pemigewasset and Squam Rivers run through this town, and afford several good water privileges. A portion of Squam Lake lies along its southeasterly borders. Squam Pond, lying wholly in Holderness, is two miles long and half a mile wide. There are several large paper and straw board manufacto- ries in this town ; also a woollen factory. The route from
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Plymouth through this place to Centre Harbor is delight- ful, affording views wild, romantic, and beautiful.
Holderness was first granted, October 10, 1751, to John Shepard and others ; but the conditions of the charter not being complied with by the grantees, it was forfeited. It was regranted, October 24, 1761, to John Wentworth and 67 others. The first settlement was made, in 1763, by William Piper. An Episcopal church was established here about 1770. There is also a Freewill Baptist and a Methodist society here. Hon. Samuel Livermore settled in this town in 1765. He was one of the grantees, and, by purchase, became proprietor of about one half of the township. He was a graduate of Princeton College ; in 1769 was appointed the king's attorney general ; was a delegate to the old Congress ; in 1782 was appointed chief justice of the Superior Court of New Hampshire ; and from 1792 to 1802 he was United States senator.
Population, 1744. Number of polls, 404. Inventory, $444,258. Value of lands, $257,866. Stock in trade, $6860. Value of mills, &c., $15,500. Number of sheep, 1321. Do. neat stock, 1530. Do. horses, 242.
HOLLIS, Hillsborough county. Bounded north by Mil- ford, Amherst, and Merrimack, east by Merrimack and Nashua, south by Dunstable and Pepperell, Massachusetts, and west by Brookline. Area, 19,620 acres. Distance from Concord, 36 miles, south ; from Amherst, 8, south. Nashua River waters the south-east part, and the Nisitissit crosses the south-western extremity. Here are four ponds and several small streams. The soil is various. On the Nashua are some excellent tracts of interval. The uplands are moderately fertile. Near the centre of the town, on a somewhat elevated site, is a pleasant and thriving village.
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There are two meeting houses-one belonging to the Congregational society, and one to the Baptist. There are also two stores, four carpenters' shops, eleven saw and gristmills, five blacksmiths' shops, three wheelwrights, and sixteen coopers' shops. The original name of Hollis was Nisitissit ; it was afterwards called the West Parish of Dunstable. The first settlement was made, in 1731, by Peter Powers. His son, Peter Powers, was the first child born in town. This town was incorporated April 3, 1746. It received its name from the Duke of Newcastle, whose name was Hollis. The Congregational church was organ- ized in 1743.
Population, 1293. Number of polls, 330. Inventory, $597,992. Value of lands, $370,432. Stock in trade, $7118. Number of sheep, 320. Do. neat stock, 1304. Do. horses, 219.
HOOKSETT, Merrimack county. Bounded north by Bow, Pembroke, and Allenstown, east by Candia and Auburn, south by Manchester and Goffstown, and west by Goffstown, Dunbarton, and Bow. Distance from Concord, 9 miles, south. It is situated on both sides of the Merrimack River. Near the centre of the town are the falls known by the name of Isle of Hooksett Falls. The descent of the water here is 16 feet in a distance of 30 rods. From Pin- nacle Mountain, an eminence a short distance westerly, the view of the river above and below the falls, the cultivated fields, and far-off hills furnish a view truly picturesque. The surface is diversified with hill and valley. The soil is not generally of the most fertile character, though there are some excellent farms. Pinnacle Mountain consists of an immense mass of broken rocks, rising abruptly to the height of 200 feet from its base, covered with scattering
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trees and bushes. At the foot of the mountain, and on its western side, is a beautiful pond of water, of a bright- greenish tinge, remarkably clear, and of great depth. It has no visible outlet, and is supposed to have been the bed of the mountain, from which the latter, by some violent convulsion of Nature, was upturned. Fine specimens of lead and silver ore have recently been discovered here. A company has recently been formed for the purpose of working the mines, with a fair prospect of success. Hook- sett is noted for its numerous beds of valuable brick .clay. There are seven brickmaking establishments here in vigor- ous operation ; about 125 hands are employed, and several million of bricks are annually made. There are in this town two meeting houses, - one belonging to the Congre- gational, and the other to the Methodist society, -two hotels, four stores, and one large cotton factory, in which 170 hands are employed, which is the property of the Amoskeag Company at Manchester. It was taken from Chester, Goffstown, and Dunbarton, and incorporated July 3, 1822.
Population in 1854, about 1600. Legal voters, 300. Number of school houses, 9. Inventory, $483,117. Value of lands, $287,084. Do. mills, factories, &c., $49,900. Stock in trade, $36,780. Number of sheep, 342. Do. neat stock, 529. Do. horses, 151.
HOPKINTON, Merrimack county. Bounded north by Warner and Boscawen, east by Concord, south by Bow, Dunbarton, and Weare, and west by Henniker. Area, 26,967 acres. Distance from Concord, 7 miles, west. Contoocook River winds through this town in a north-east- erly direction, and falls into the Merrimack in Concord. in its course it receives the waters of Blackwater and
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Warner Rivers, besides several small streams. The inter- val and meadow lands along these streams are valuable on account of their fertility. The village is pleasantly situated on a gentle eminence, about seven miles from the State House in Concord. This is a good agricultural town, and is somewhat noted for its delicious fruit. Large quanti- ties of lumber are manufactured here, and transported on the railroads to various markets. There are six religious societies - one Episcopal, one Congregational, one Bap- tist, one Freewill Baptist, one Universalist, and one New Jerusalem, or Swedenborgian ; nine stores ; one woollen factory, with a capital of $7000, and employing twelve hands ; one tannery and curriers' shop, with a capital of $6000; and nine sawmills. Contoocookville, the junction of the Merrimack and Connecticut River Railroad and the Contoocook Valley Railroad, is an active and thriving vil- lage. Hopkinton was granted by Massachusetts, January 16, 1735, to John Jones and others, and was called Num- ber Five, afterwards New Hopkinton. The first settlement was in 1740. When the French and Indian war broke out the inhabitants were compelled to leave, and did not return until the war had closed. The inhabitants suffered considerably from Indian depredations. On the 22d of April, 1746, six Indians broke into a garrison and took eight persons while in their beds, and hurried them away. On the 13th of April, 1753, while Abraham Kimball, the first male child born in town, was going from Kimball's Garrison to Putney's, he was seized by the Indians, who took at the same time Samuel Putney. On the third day after the capture, while the Indians were on the hills west of Boscawen plains, they were so unexpectedly attacked by some of the inhabitants of Boscawen that they fled, leaving Putney behind. Kimball escaped by the help of a
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dog, which seized an Indian while in the act of drawing his tomahawk to kill him. In 1756 Henry Miller and others received a grant of Hopkinton, which was the occa- sion of long and bitter disputes. The difficulties were, however, settled by an act of incorporation granted Janu- ary 11, 1765. The Congregational society was organized November 23, 1757. The Baptist society was formed May 8, 1771. The Episcopal society was established, under the name of Christ's Church, in 1803.
Population, 2169. Number of legal voters in 1854, 594. Inventory, $532,505. Value of lands, $402,211. Stock in trade, $8205. Value of mills, &c., $9070. Number of sheep, 2657. Do. neat stock, 2103. Do. horses, 332.
HUDSON, Hillsborough county. Bounded north by Litch- field and 'Londonderry, east by Windham and Pelham, south by Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, and west by Nashua. Area, 17,379 acres. Distance from Concord, . 38 miles, south ; from Amherst, 17, south-east. The land is of easy culture, consisting of a rich sandy loam. On the river are large intervals of a deep and fertile soil. Distant from the river the surface is hilly and uneven. There are two ponds, - the Little Massabesick and Otter- nick, -both covering about 300 acres. There are three religious societies - the Congregational, established No- vember 30, 1737; the Baptist, formed in 1805; and a Methodist. There are two saw and two gristmills, one store, two blacksmiths' shops, and one plane manufactory. This town was included in the grant of Dunstable, now Nashua, and was settled in 1710. It was incorporated as a separate town, July 5, 1746, under the name of Not- tingham West, which it retained until 1830. The first
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settlements were made on the banks of the river, where the Indians had made clearings for the cultivation of corn. The first inhabitants lived in garrisons. A few Indians lingered in the vicinity for a short time after the settlements began, and, in times of peace, made frequent visits here, representing that it was once a favorite resort to them and their ancestors. Near the old Indian cornfields have been found cinders like those produced in blacksmiths' work.
Population, 1312. Number of polls, 269. Houses, 238. Families, 284. Farms, 153. Inventory, $437,060. Value of lands, $280,043. Stock in trade, $6104. Num- ber of sheep, 333. Do. neat stock, 973. Do. horses, 176.
JACKSON, Carroll county. Bounded north and west by Pinkham's Grant, east by Chatham, and south by Bartlett. Area, about 31,968 acres. Distance from Concord, 90 miles, north. The surface is uneven and rocky ; the soil generally rich and productive. Ellis River is the most important stream. There are several brooks and rivulets in various parts of the town. The principal elevations are Double Head, Thorn, Bleak, and Baldface Mountains. The latter is situated on the line between this town and Bartlett. On this mountain iron ore, of a quality une- qualled in this country, exists in inexhaustible quantities. Veins of tin ore, of rich quality, and apparently of con- siderable extent, were discovered by Dr. Jackson, state geologist, on the same mountain. This is considered as the first vein of this kind of metal that has been discovered in the United States. The ore yields from 30 to 50 per cent. of pure tin. Arsenical pyrites are found in several localities. Limestone is abundant. Agriculture is the chief employment. There is a small fund, the interest of which, amounting to $400, is appropriated in equal por-
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tions for the support of the gospel and common schools, There are two meeting houses, two stores, and one tavern. A Freewill Baptist society was formed here in 1803. This town was first settled, in 1779, by Benjamin Copp, who, with his family, endured the solitude of the wilderness 14 years before any other person settled here. It was incor- porated, December 4, 1800, under the name of Adams. At the request of the inhabitants, its name was changed to Jackson in 1828.
Population in 1854, about 600. Inventory, $112,888. Value of lands, $40,778. Stock in trade, $700. Num- ber of sheep, 885. Do. neat stock, 771. Do. horses, 81. Number of polls, 119.
JAFFREY, Cheshire county. Bounded north by Dublin, east by Peterborough and Sharon, south by Rindge and Fitzwilliam, and west by Troy and Marlborough. Area, 25,600 acres. Distance from Concord, 46 miles, south-west ; from Keene, 15, south-east. Monadnock Mountain lies most- ly in this town. Near the summit, which is about 300 feet above its base, only a few dwarfish shrubs grow in the crevices of the rocks. Its sides are covered with blueberry, which af- ford an abundance of delicious fruit. There are several caves in various parts of this mountain, which seem to have been formed by large fissures made by extensive strata thrown from their primitive position. Several streams issue from its sides, the largest of which rises about 100 rods from its summit, and forms the principal source of the Contoocook River. About one and a half miles from the mountain, in a south-easterly direction, is Monadnock Mineral Spring ; the waters are slightly impregnated with carbonate of iron and sulphuret of soda. Where it issues from the earth, yellow ochre collects in considerable quantities. So even
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.
is the temperature of the water that it has never been seen frozen over. It is not affected by drought or heavy rains. There are four meeting houses-two Congregational, one Baptist, and one Universalist ; one academy, with a small fund, the interest of which is applied to the purchase of apparatus ; four stores ; one hotel; five saw and three gristmills ; two cotton factories; capital $20,000, number of hands employed 80; A. Bascom & Co. proprietors ; one carding machine ; two wooden ware shops, employing 10 hands; and two tanneries. The Monadnock Bank has a capital of $50,000. The proprietors of the Mason title granted this town, in 1749, to 40 persons. The first set- tlement was made, in 1758, by one Grout and John Davi- son. It was incorporated in 1773, and received its name from George Jaffrey, Esq., of Portsmouth. Its former name was Middle Monadnock, or Number Two. The Congregational church was formed in 1780.
Population, 1497. Number of legal voters in 1854, 330. Do. common schools, 13. Inventory, $574,542. Value of lands, $325,304. Stock in trade, $8094. Value of mills, factories, &c., $22,738. Number of sheep, 1349. Do. neat stock, 1514. Do. horses, 254.
JEFFERSON, Coos county. Bounded north by Lancaster, east by Kilkenny, south by White Mountain region and Carroll, and west by Whitefield. Area, 26,076 acres. Distance from Concord, 98 miles, north ; from Lancaster, 10, south-east. The surface is rough and uneven. On the south-west side of Pliny Mountain are several excellent farms of a rich and productive soil, which command an extensive and beautiful view of the White Mountains. At its base is fine grazing and tillage land. The western por- tion of the town is low, wet, and cold. Cherry and Safety
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Ponds are the largest bodies of water. Israel's River is the only stream of note. There are two stores, two meet- ing houses, - one Baptist and one Methodist, -two starch mills, and eight common schools. It was granted, under the name of Dartmouth, October 3, 1765, to Colonel John Goffe, and regranted, June 26, 1772, to March H. Went- worth and others. It was. first settled by Colonel Joseph Whipple, Samuel Hart, and others, about 1773. It was incorporated December 8, 1796. During the war of the revolution Colonel Whipple was captured here in his house by a party of Indians, headed by a white man. By stratagem he succeeded in making his escape. The party plundered the house and retired.
Population, 629. Number of legal voters in 1854, 170. Inventory, $131,672. Value of lands, $54,410. Num- ber of sheep, 662. Do. neat stock, 680. ' Do. horses, 128.
KEENE, shire town of Cheshire county. Bounded north by Westmoreland, Surrey, and Gilsum, east by Sullivan and Roxbury, south by Swanzey, and west by Chesterfield and Westmoreland. Area, about 22,040 acres. Distance from Concord, 55 miles, south-west. The surface is gen-
erally level or moderately swelling. The soil consists of three varieties - viz., interval, light, sandy plain, and up- land. The latter includes the outskirts of the town, bounding on the east, west, and north ; the flat, or valley, consisting of the first and second varieties. The valley is separated into two nearly equal portions by the Ashuelot River, and from the unusual extent of level surface which it presents, variegated by cultivation, affords a pleasing prospect to the traveller. The Ashuelot River has its source in a pond in Washington.
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