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 24
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The Phoenix Factory was incorporated in 1820, although it had already been in operation several years. Capital, $100,000. Goods manufactured, drillings and sheetings. Number of spindles, 4224. Do. looms, 100. Number of yarn, 28 in sheetings, 18 in drillings. Width of sheetings,
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48 to 100 inches. Number of pounds of cotton consumed annually, 200,000. Do. operatives, 100. Frederic Liv- ingston agent.
Peterborough Manufacturing Company -incorporated in 1823. This is the old Peterborough Cotton Manufactur- ing Company, which was incorporated in 1808. Capital, $50,000. Number of spindles, 1604. Do. looms, 41. Goods manufactured, sheetings ; width, 84 inches. Num- ber of yarn, 18. Do. pounds cotton consumed per annum, 115,000. Do. hands, 50. This company also have a separate mill for making batting. Frederic Livingston agent.
Union Manufacturing Company - J. W. Little super- intendent. Capital, $100,000. Number of spindles, 2792. Do. looms, 75. Kind of goods, sheetings and shirtings. Number of yarn, 40. Do. pounds cotton con- sumed per annum, 100,000. Do. hands employed, 75.
North Factory Company. Capital, $10,000. Number of spindles, 984. Do. looms, 20. Kind of goods, drillings. Number of yards manufactured per annum, 256,000. Do. hands, 25. Eli S. Hunt agent.
Woollen Factory, South Village - Noone & Cochran proprietors. Manufacture flannels. Number of yards manufactured per annum, 147,256, principally twilled flannels. Capital, $24,000. Number of hands, 24. James Gallop superintendent.
David Clark, manufacturer of mahogany tables. Num- ber of hands employed, 8. Yearly amount of business, $5000.
J. F. Johnson, sash, door, and blind maker.
Iron Foundery - John Smith, 2d.
Paper Mill - A. P. Morrison.
There are also thirty-one stores and shops of various
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descriptions, five meeting houses, one academy, and two hotels.
The Peterborough Bank was incorporated July 15, 1854. Capital, $50,000.
The Peterborough Transcript, a weekly journal, is pub- lished in this town.
This town was granted in 1738, by the government of Massachusetts, to Samuel Heywood and others. The first settlers were much exposed to the ravages of the Indians, as will appear from the following petition, the original of which was found among the Massachusetts state papers : -
" To His Honour, Spencer Phips Esqu Lieutenent Governor, and Commander in Chief in and over his Majes- ty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England. The Honble the Council and Honble House of Representa- tives of said Province in General Court assembled at Bos- ton September 26 1750. The Petition of the Subscribers, Proprietors and Inhabitants of a Township called Petterboro' for themselves, and the other Proprietors and Inhabitants of said Township. MOST HUMBLY SHOW, That the said Township lyes Exposed to the Indians it being a Frontier Town and but about Six Miles North from the line parting this Government and that of New Hampshire And Several Indians have appeared in said Township and last Sabbath day some of them broke open a House there and none of the family being at home Riffled the same and Carried away many things And the Inhabitants are put in Great Fear and Terror of their lives by the Indians. so that they must be Obliged to leave the Town, which is now very Considerably Settled Unless they can have some Relief from the Great Goodness of Your Honours. And for as much as the said Township is so Situated That if the In-
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habitants should leave it, Townsend, Hollis Lunenburg Leominster and Lancaster would be Exposed to the Cruel- ty of the Indians and would become an easy prey to them But if your peter's can be protected by Your Honours, and have a Number of Men sent to their Assistance and a few Block houses or a Fort built for them, they make no doubt, with the Blessing of God, they shall be able to Defend the said Township and to keep the Indians from making any Attempts on the Towns aforementioned which are all Surrounded by said Peterborough Your peters there- fore Most humbly pray Your Honours would be pleased to take their Distressed Circumstances into Consideration and Allow them Liberty at the Charge of the Government to Build Block houses or a Fort and supply them with fifteen or Twenty men for such men for such a length of time as your Honours shall think proper that so they may defend the said Township against the Indians and by that means Serve the Province by Securing the other Towns aforesaid from falling into the Indians hands Or that Your Honours would Grant them such other Relief as in your Great Wis- dom shall seem meet. And as in duty Bound they will ever pray, &c. Boston Oct. 4th 1750.
thomas Morrison John white John Hill
Alexe Babbe James Gordon William Scott
James michel John Smith thomas Vender
william Robb.
In council, Oct. 6, 1750. Read and Sent down."
.
The first settlers were Scotch Presbyterians from Ireland. Being wholly unaccustomed to clearing and cultivating wild lands, they suffered great privations. Their nearest gristmill was in Townsend, a distance of 25 miles ; their only road a line of marked trees. Peterborough has fur-
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nished a large number of worthy and distinguished men, who have adorned the bench, the pulpit, the bar, the halls of Legislature and of Congress, and the chair of state. This town was incorporated January 17, 1760. The Con- gregational church was organized October 23, 1799.
Population, 2222. Number of legal voters in 1854, 494. Inventory, $900,950. Value of lands, $467,651. Do. mills and factories, $108,900. Stock in trade, $37,030. Money at interest, $107,232. Number of sheep, 789. Do. neat stock, 1694. Do. horses, 337.
PIERMONT, Grafton county. Bounded north by Haver- hill, east by Warren, south by Orford, and west by Brad- ford, Vermont. Area, 23,000 acres. Distance from Con- cord, 75 miles, by the Passumpsic and Northern Railroads ; from Haverhill, 8, south. The surface is somewhat hilly, though the soil is strong, affording excellent pasturage. The interval on the Connecticut is extensive, and under high cultivation. Excellent wheat is raised in this town. The plains adjoining the interval are composed of a sandy loam, in which, in some places, marl predominates. Iron Ore Hill contains inexhaustible quantities of specular and magnetic iron ore, of a very superior quality. The veins are from 10 to 15 feet in width. This is now extensively wrought. From the summit of this hill a picturesque view of the surrounding country is obtained. A layer of rocks extending through the town in a direction north and south is extensively quarried, and manufactured into scythe stones. Peaked and Black Mountains are the principal elevations. Eastman's Brook, flowing from a pond of the same name, is a large mill stream, on which are three saw- mills, one gristmill, two shingle mills, and other works. In the principal village are two meeting houses, two stores,
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one hotel, and one tinware manufactory. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. Piermont was granted, November 6, 1764, to John Temple and 59 others. The first settlement was in 1770. A Congregational church was formed in 1771. There is also a society of Methodists and Christians.
Population, 948. Number of legal voters in 1854, 200. Common schools, 13. Inventory, $334,147. Value of lands, $231,350. Stock in trade, $1300. Money at in- terest, $12,218. Number of sheep, 4082. Do. neat stock, 1137. Do. horses, 199.
PITTSBURGH, Coos county. Bounded north by the high- lands that divide the waters of the St. Lawrence from those that fall into the Connecticut, east by the State of Maine, south by Connecticut River, and west by Hall's Stream. The area is over 200,000 acres. This is the northernmost, as well as by far the largest, town in the state. The soil is well adapted to grazing. Indian corn, buckwheat, and the English grains are extensively and successfully cultivated. The forests are finely timbered with spruce, birch, beech, sugar and rock maple, and a small growth of white pine. The face of the country is broken and uneven, excepting along the banks of the streams, which in many places are spread out into large tracts of interval. Indian Stream, Hall's Stream, and Perry's Stream are within the limits of this town, and in the early part of the warm season, as well as in the fall, timber may be floated upon them for several miles. Connecticut Lake lies in the north-east part of the town, is nearly four miles long and three wide, and is the source of Connecticut River. Second Lake lies about four miles above Connecticut Lake, and is connected with it by a considerable stream. It is about two miles
,
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and a half in length and one and three fourths in width. Third Lake lies about two miles above Second Lake, and covers about 200 acres. It is situated near the highlands, separating New Hampshire from Canada. Moose, deer, and sable, &c., are found here in great abundance. The lakes and streams swarm with pickerel, trout, eels, suck- ers, &c, while the otter, mink, and muskrat are found along the banks. Pittsburg includes that formerly known as the Indian Stream Territory, and was the seat of the celebrated Indian Stream war. The jurisdiction of the county was in dispute between the British and American governments, which was settled by the Webster and Ash- burton treaty of 1842. It also embraces Carlisle grant, Colebrook Academy grant, and about 60,000 acres of the public lands belonging to the state. Among the first set- tlers were General Moody Bedel, who rendered his coun- try faithful service in the war of 1812, John Haines, Esq., Rev. Nathaniel Perkins, Jeremiah Tabor, Ebenezer Fletcher, and about 50 others, who claimed to hold their lands - 200 acres each - by proprietary grants, which, however, were repudiated by the state ; but considering the hardships and privations endured by these settlers, the state reinvested them in their possessions. Pittsburg was first settled about 1810. There are two religious societies, - Methodists and Christians, - seven common schools, one store, one potato starch factory, four sawmills, two flouring mills, and one rake manufactory.
Its present population is about 500. Number of legal voters, 100. Inventory, $76,663. Value of lands, $40,530. Do. mills, $1550. Money at interest, $1700. Number of sheep, 662. Do. neat stock, 497. Do. horses, 69. It was incorporated December 10, 1840.
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PITTSFIELD, Merrimack county. Bounded north-east by Barnstead, south-east by Strafford and Northwood, south- west by Chichester and Epsom, and north-west by Loudon. Area, 14,921 acres. Distance from Concord, 15 miles, north-east. The surface is uneven and rocky, but the soil is fertile. Suncook River passes through this town in a southerly direction, affording several excellent water privi- leges. Catamount Mountain extends across the south-east part of the town. It is 1415 feet above the level of the sea, which may be seen from its summit. Monadnock, Kearsarge, Moosehillock, and the White Mountains, also, are visible from its top ; thus rendering the prospect varied, extensive, and grand. Berry's Pond, about half a mile in length and fifty rods in width, is on this mountain. In Wild Goose Pond large masses of bog iron ore have been found. A short distance north-east from the village is a chalybeate spring, impregnated with sulphur. Black tourmaline and magnetic iron ore are found in a few locali- ties. Peat bogs are numerous, several of which have been reclaimed, and yield three and a half tons of hay to the acre. The village is pleasantly situated, and contains three meeting houses, one academy, nine stores, one hotel, and one cotton manufactory, with a capital of $160,000, where 150 hands are employed. There is a society of Friends here, who have also a house of worship. Pitts- field was incorporated March 27, 1782. The Congrega- tional church was organized in 1789 ; the Baptist church in 1801. There is also a large society of Freewill Baptists.
Population, 1828. Number of legal voters in 1854, 460. Common schools, 10. Inventory, $566,592. Value of lands, $359,206. Do. mills, $4675. Stock in trade, $13,725. Money at interest, $26,189. Number of sheep 700. Do. neat stock, 1163. Do. horses, 239.
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PLAINFIELD, Sullivan county. Bounded north by Leb- anon, east by Grantham, south by Cornish, and west by Hartland, Vermont. Area, 23,221 acres. Distance from Concord, 60 miles, north-west ; from Newport, 17, north- west ; from Dartmouth College, 12, south. Connecticut River touches its western border, along which are extensive tracts of valuable interval. In other parts there are many fertile meadows. A small stream, which has its source in Croydon Mountains, waters the town. There is no water power of any considerable importance. The surface is varied. The soil is generally strong and fertile ; in a few localities it is hard and stony. This is an excellent town for grazing and the raising of stock. Limestone of good quality is found in the western portion, in several places.
Plainfield Plain is a small but pleasant village, situat- ed on the banks of the Connecticut, and contains two meet- ing houses, a post office, two stores, and several shops.
East Plainfield contains a few houses, and a meeting house, erected several years since by the Baptist society, but which has been unoccupied for some time. The soil in this vicinity is somewhat cold and rugged.
Meriden is a pleasant and healthy village, situated on a gentle eminence, upon the top of which is a handsome school house, a meeting house, two stores, a large hotel, sev- eral dwelling houses, and Kimball Union Academy, a wide- ly-known and distinguished literary institution. It was endowed with a permanent fund of $40,000, a liberal bequest of the late Hon. Daniel Kimball. Of the income of this fund, $150 is annually applied towards the support of a preacher ; the remainder in aid of young men who contemplate entering upon the duties of the ministry. A few years since an appropriation of $12,000 was made by the widow of Mr. Kimball towards the establishment of a
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female department, and the erection of suitable buildings for that purpose. A large, beautiful, and substantial edifice was built, upon the lower floor of which are the chapel, a spacious and well-finished room, and a reading room. On the second floor are recitation rooms, the room contain- ing the library and mineral cabinet, and a few rooms for the use of students. The upper or third story is divided into apartments for students. This new structure is joined at right angles with the old building, which is used for lecture rooms, laboratory, apparatus room, &c. The board of instructors is large, and made up of permanent and ex- perienced teachers. The modes of instruction, and the suc- cess which has hitherto attended the efforts of the trustees and teachers of this institution, are too generally known to admit of description. Suffice it to say that no efforts are spared to promote the health and advancement, both moral and intellectual, of the student. It was incorporated June 16, 1813.
On the " Flat," about half a mile east of the Academy, is the Baptist meeting house, a handsome edifice, containing a bell, which for sweetness and sonorousness is seldom equalled. The village contains many pleasant residences.
Plainfield was granted August 14, 1761, and was settled in 1764, by L. Nash and J. Russell. A Congregational church was organized in 1765. The Baptist church was formed in 1792.
Population, 1392. Number of polls, 300. Inventory, $521,759. Value of lands, $330,710. Do. mills, $1700. Stock in trade, $2900. Money at interest, $39,901. Number of sheep, 9860. Do. neat stock, 1256. Do. horses, 283.
PLAISTOW, Rockingham county. Bounded north and
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NEW HAMPSHIRE AS IT IS.
north-east by Kingston, east by Newton, south by Haver- hill, Massachusetts, and west by Atkinson. Area, 6839 acres. Distance from Concord, 36 miles, south-east ; from Portsmouth, 30, south-west. The soil is good, being a mixture of black loam, clay, and gravel. In the north- west part the surface is rocky and uneven. Various min- eral substances have been discovered in this section. Clay of a very good quality is found in great abundance near the centre.
The village is pleasantly located, and contains two meeting houses, two stores, and one hotel. The inhabit- ants are chiefly engaged in farming, and the many thrifty farms attest their industry and skill.
Plaistow was formerly a part of Haverhill, and included in the Indian purchase of 1642. Its settlement com- menced early, but the precise date is not known. Among the first settlers were Captain Charles Bartlett, Nicholas White, Esq., Deacon Benjamin Kimball, and J. Harriman. The Congregational church was organized December 2, 1730. Deacon J. Harriman is said to have been the first man in New Hampshire who embraced the Baptist persua- sion. After this town was annexed to New Hampshire, it was incorporated, February 28, 1749.
Population, 748. Number of legal voters in 1854, 202. Do. common schools, 4. Inventory, $236,878. Value of lands, $167,862. Stock in trade, $3250. Value of mills, $1200. Money at interest, $3552.
PLYMOUTH, one of the shire towns of Grafton county. Bounded north by Rumney and Campton, east by Hol- derness, south by Bridgewater, and west by Hebron and Rumney. Area, 16,256 acres. Distance from Concord, 51 miles, north, by the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Rail-
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road. This town is well watered by numerous small streams in various parts, as well as by Pemigewasset and Baker's Rivers, both of which are of considerable impor- tance. Baker's River is about 30 miles in length. The surface is beautifully diversified with hill and valley, mead- ow and plain. The soil is good. Several farms in this town are under a high state of cultivation. The village is one of the pleasantest in New Hampshire. It is well or- namented with trees, and the roads leading towards it from various directions are shaded by graceful and venerable elms. The dwelling houses are large, and many of them elegant in structure. Its facilities for trade, owing to its convenient location with respect to the surrounding towns, are great and valuable. Especially is this true since the construction of the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Rail- road. The public house is large and well constructed. The grounds around it are beautifully arranged, and the whole presents an inviting appearance to the traveller. The Court House is a handsome building, of brick. There are two meeting houses here, besides several stores and shops.
Plymouth was granted, July 15, 1763, to Joseph Blan- chard and others. The first settlement was made in August, 1764, by Zachariah Parker and James Hobart. In the following autumn they were joined by Jotham Cumings, Josiah Brown, Stephen Webster, Ephraim Weston, David Webster, and James Blodgett. The Congregational church was organized in 1765. A Methodist church was formed in 1803. The intervals in this town were doubtless favor- ite resorts of the Indians for hunting. At the mouth of Baker's River, according to tradition, they had a settle- ment. Indian graves, bones, gun barrels, stone mortars, pestles, and other utensils have been found here. At this place the Indians, it is said, were attacked by Captain
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Baker, with a party of men from Haverhill, Massachusetts, who routed them, killed a large number, and seized a great quantity of furs which they had collected.
Deacon Noah Johnson, one of Lovewell's men, died here in the 100th year of his age.
Population, 1290. Number of polls, 297. Inventory, $311,658. Value of lands, $172,902. Stock in trade, $14,788. Money at interest, $19,448. Number of sheep, 1106. Do. neat stock, 1047. Do. horses, 182.
POPLIN, - name changed to FREEMONT in 1854, - Rockingham county. Bounded north by Epping, east by Brentwood, south by Danville and Sandown, and west by Chester and Raymond. Area, 10,320 acres. This town is watered by Exeter River and several small streams. The surface is mostly even, and is either plain or rises in moder- ate swells. The soil is of a good quality, and in general is well cultivated. The chief pursuit of the inhabitants is farming, which abundantly repays the efforts of honest toil. The superfluities of wealth are not coveted, neither are the miseries of poverty endured ; but competency, the happiest condition of man, is a blessing widely enjoyed.
This town was incorporated June 22, 1764. The date of its first settlement is not known. A Methodist church was organized at an early period.
Population, 509. Number of polls, 127. Inventory, $189,554. Value of lands, $123,652. Stock in trade, $2750. Value of mills, $2816. Money at interest, $3700 Number of sheep, 419. Do. neat stock, 437. Do. horses, 73.
PORTSMOUTH, seaport, and half shire town of Rocking- ham county. In connection with its wealth and other ad-
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vantages, the fact that Portsmouth is the only seaport in the state, and its harbor one of the safest and most commo- dious in the country, renders it, perhaps, the most impor- tant town in New Hampshire. It is situated on a peninsu- la on the south side of Piscataqua River, three miles from the ocean. Its location is pleasant and healthy -the land sloping by a gentle declivity towards the harbor. In the central or business part of the city the streets are mostly paved. The buildings are of brick, and of a style somewhat antiquated ; but there are many well-constructed and elegant mansions. " As for antiquity, the city of Portsmouth is one of the earliest discovered and first set- tled places in New England. In the beginning of the seventeenth century, some merchants of Bristol, England, having formed a private company for the investigation of this country, employed for that service Captain Martin Pring, of Bristol, a skilful navigator, and much praised by Gorges. 'They placed under his command two vessels, aus- piciously named the Speedwell and the Discoverer. In the year 1603 he set sail for America, and was enabled to speed so well as to be the first discoverer of New Hamp- shire. Just 250 years ago (i. e., from 1853) he entered the channel of our river, and explored it for three or four leagues. He landed on this shore, and doubtless, with his companions, trod upon the soil of this city ; for he came in search of sassafras, then esteemed in pharmacy a sover- eign panacea. The city of Portsmouth, therefore, just- ly boasts of her antiquity of 250 years, and of being the first soil in New Hampshire that was touched by the feet of Englishmen. In 1614 the celebrated John Smith, saved from death by the Indian girl Pocahontas, examined and extolled the deep waters of the Piscataqua. In 1623 the Company of Laconia, in England, consisting
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of Gorges and Mason, and many eminent, noble, and ca- terprising merchants of London and other cities, selected some choice persons, and sent them to establish a plantation on this river. They came here for trade and commerce, were high-minded men, and had enlarged views of gov- ernment, religion, and religious toleration. They were not of the Puritan party, for Gorges and Mason had not the same religious views with the Massachusetts planters. John Mason, the London merchant, member of the Plym- outh Company for the planting, ruling, and governing of New England, and first governor of this province, ad- vanced a large sum of money for the welfare of this place, and may be said to have laid the foundation of its commer- cial prosperity. David Tomson, a Scotchman, who seems to have been prominent among the planters, who first set- tled in this town, built a house at Odiorne's Point, a few rods north of the evident remains of an ancient fort. It was built the very year of his arrival here, was the first house erected on this plantation, and was afterwards called Mason Hall. It was not until almost eight years after- wards that Humphrey Chadbourne built the Great House, which was situated on the bank of the river at the corner of Court and Water Streets. It was afterwards occupied by Warnerton and Richard Cutts. The review of their ancestry, the contemplation of their enlightened character, noble enterprise, and liberal views cannot fail to awaken in the sons of Portsmouth a laudable and elevating pride."
On the 28th of May, 1653, this plantation, " which was accidentally called Strawberry Bank, by reason of a bank where strawberries were found," was allowed by the General Court at Boston, on the petition of Brian Pendleton and others, to be called Portsmouth, " as being a name most suitable for this place, it being the river's mouth, and as
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