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 26
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Considerable attention is paid to manufactures and the mechanic arts. In the village called Gonic is a large wool- len factory, owned by N. V. Whitehouse & Co. The cap- ital stock is $75,000. Kind of goods manufactured, flan- nels, printers' blankets, and printers' lapping. Number of spindles, 1760. Do. looms, 25. Do. yards manufac- tured per annum, 264,400 yards flannels, and 7884 yards printers' blankets. Do. pounds wool consumed per an- num, 110,000. Do. operatives, 50.
The capital of the Rochester Bank, in this town, is $120,000.
James Bean, manufacturer of woollen yarn - consumes about 1200 pounds wool per month. Number of hands, 6.
This place makes healthy progress in wealth and popu- lation, which is owing, in a great measure, to its valuable
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water power. Rochester was granted by Massachusetts to several proprietors, in 127 shares. Its area then consisted of 60,000 acres. Since that time 38,000 acres have been taken to form other towns. It was incorporated May 10, 1722. Captain Timothy Roberts moved into this town with his family December 28, 1728, and was the first per- manent settler. He was soon followed by Eleazar Ham, Benjamin Frost, Joseph Richards, Benjamin Tibbets, and others. Until Canada was taken, in 1760, by the British and American forces, it remained a frontier town ; the people were poor, and often distressed, but not discouraged. When war broke out with the Indians they were obliged to move their families into garrisons, and to watch night and day ; nor could they cultivate their little patches of · cleared land but at the hazard of their lives, protecting themselves with such numbers as they could muster from their feeble settlement. The men were bold, hardy, and industrious, and their sons were early trained to the use of
arms. They soon became a terror to the Indians, and did not suffer so much from depredations as many other towns whose situations were far less exposed. In June, 1746, Jo- seph Heard, Joseph Richards, John Wentworth, and Ger- shom Downs were killed, and John Richards wounded, captured, and carried to Canada, whence he soon returned. Jonathan Door, a boy, was also carried captive to Canada. In May, 1748, the wife of Jonathan Hodgdon was killed on a Sunday morning by the Indians, because she refused to accompany them to Canada. A few years after the set- tlement of the town a Congregational church was gathered. There are also societies of Methodists and Freewill Bap- tists. Many of the inhabitants took an active part in the revolutionary war. The names of Captains John Brewster and David Place, Colonel John McDuffee, Hon. John
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Plummer, James Knowles, Dr. James How, and John P. Hale, Esq., will not soon be forgotten by the people of Rochester.
Population, 3006. Number of polls, 664. Inventory, $934,860. Value of lands, $502,902. Stock in trade, $39,860. Value of mills and factories, $26,550. Money at interest, $56,002. Shares in banks, $93,700. Num- ber of sheep, 1264. Do. neat stock, 1810. Do. horses, 305.
ROLLINSFORD, Strafford county. Bounded north by Somersworth, east by South Berwick, Maine, and south and west by Dover. Distance from Concord, 45 miles, south- east ; from Dover, one mile, by Great Falls Railroad, which connects it with the Portsmouth and Concord and the Co- checo Railroads. This is a very small township, taken from Somersworth, and incorporated July 3, 1849. Salmon Fall River washes its western boundary, and affords many val- uable water privileges. The soil is excellent, and well adapted to the various kinds of grain and grass. The Great Falls Bank, in this town, has a capital of $150,000. Manufacturing is carried on quite extensively.
Population, 1862. Number of polls, 345. Inventory, $792,459. Value of lands, $291,956. Stock in trade, $51,400. Value of factories, $260,577. Money at in- terest, $30,138. Number of sheep, 113. Do. neat stock, 430. Do. horses, 96.
ROXBURY, Cheshire county. Bounded north by Sulli- van and Nelson, east by Nelson and Dublin, south by Marlborough, and west by Keene. Area, about 6000 acres. Distance from Concord, 50 miles, south-west ; from Keene, 5, east. This is a small but fertile township, the
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surface of which is rough and uneven, rising into consider- able swells, and affording excellent pasturage, besides the various productions common to the climate. The north branch of the Ashuelot, which forms the boundary between this town and Keene, is the principal stream. Roaring Brook, on which are several valuable meadows, waters the south part, and affords a few moderate water privileges. The inhabitants are chiefly devoted to agriculture, although the mechanic arts, in the several branches, are pursued to some extent. It formerly constituted a part of Keene, Marlborough, and Nelson ; from which towns it was dis- annexed, and incorporated December 9, 1812. A Congre- gational church was formed August 15, 1816.
Population, 260. Number of polls, 58. Inventory, $95,873. Value of lands, $61,599. Do. mills, $600. Money at interest, $8565. Number of sheep, 1311. Do. neat stock, 334. Do. horses, 58.
RUMNEY, Grafton county. Bounded north by Ells- worth, east by Campton, south by Plymouth, Hebron, and Groton, and west by Wentworth. Area, 22,475 acres. Distance from Concord, 51 miles, north-west ; from Plym- outh, 8, north-west. It is connected with both these towns by the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad. It is watered by Baker's River and its tributaries. Stinson's Brook is the outlet of a pond of the same name. The pond is in the north part of the town, and is 400 rods long and 200 wide. The surface is uneven ; the soil is gener- ally fertile. There is much excellent farming and timber land here, the value of which has been greatly increased since the construction of the Boston, Concord, and Mon- treal Railroad, which passes through the southerly part of the town. The principal elevations are Rattlesnake
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Webber's, and Stinson's Mountains. The latter received its name from the fact that, on the 28th of April, 1752, Daniel Stinson, while on a hunting excursion with General Stark and others, was killed here by the Indians. From this lamentable occurrence, the brook, pond, and mountain will long perpetuate the name of Stinson. Rumney was granted first to Samuel Olmstead ; afterwards, on the 18th of March, 1767, to Daniel Brainard and others. "It was first settled in October, 1765, by Captain Jotham Cum- mings, Moses Smart, Daniel Brainard, James Heath, and others. A Congregational church was organized here Oc- tober 21, 1767. A Baptist church was formed in 1780. At present the Congregational church is destitute of a pastor. .
Population, 1109. Number of polls, 234. Inventory, $303,562. Value of lands, $158,292. Do. mills, $3485. Stock in trade, $6200. Money at interest, $44,933. Number of sheep, 1200. Do. neat stock, 1060. Do. horses, 174.
RYE, Rockingham county. Bounded north and west by Portsmouth, and south by North Hampton. Its eastern border for a distance of six miles is sea coast. Area, 7780 acres. Distance from Concord, 50 miles, south-east ; from Portsmouth, 6, south. The soil is naturally hard and stubborn ; but, by considerable pains in enriching and till- ing, it has been made quite productive. There is a small harbor near Goss's Mill, into which vessels of 70 or 80 tons burden may enter at high water. Fishing is carried on to a considerable extent, and with fair profit. On the shore are three large and pleasant beaches, - Wallis's, Sandy, and Jenness's, - which have become widely cele- brated as places of summer resort. About a quarter of a
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mile from the meeting house, in the midst of a white pine grove, is an extensive granite quarry, from which abundant supplies are taken for building and other purposes.
Breakfast Hill, in the western part of the town, was so named from an incident which occurred on its summit at the time of the Indian invasion of 1696. The savages had been down to the sea shore for the purpose of fishing; and returning to the top of this hill, they sat down and pre- pared their morning meal. While thus engaged they were surprised by a party of rangers, and captured. The inhab- itants suffered much in early times from the Indians. In 1694 John Locke was killed while reaping grain in his field. In 1696, at Sandy Beach, 21 persons at one time were killed or captured by them. .
In the French or Canada war 14 persons belonging to this town were killed or died in service ; and in the revo- lutionary war 38 of its inhabitants lost their lives in service at sea or on the land.
Rye was taken from Portsmouth, Greenland, Hampton, and New Castle. It was settled as early as 1635, but was not incorporated until 1719.
A Congregational church was organized July 20, 1726. There is at present a Methodist and a Freewill Baptist society.
There are also four stores and five hotels, viz., the Ocean House, the Atlantic, the Washington House, the Union House, and the Sagamore House ; all of which are opened for the accommodation of visitors in the warm season.
Population, 1296. Number of legal voters in 1854, 300. Inventory, $388,736. Value of lands, $257,364. Stock in trade, $450. Value of mills, $795. Money at interest, $13,698. Number of sheep, 234. Do. neat stock, 900. Do. horses, 149.
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SALEM, Rockingham county. Bounded north by Derry, north-east by Atkinson, east and south by Lawrence, Mas- sachusetts, south-west by Pelham, and west by Windham. Area, 15,600 acres. Distance from Concord, 40 miles, south ; from Exeter, 20, south-east. Spiggot River, pass- ing through this town in a southerly direction, receives in its course numerous branches, and affords several excellent mill privileges. The surface is uneven, affording a fair proportion of interval and upland. The soil is fertile. There are several factories, mills, mechanics', and machine shops. The inhabitants are intelligent, industrious, and enterprising. Salem was incorporated May 11, 1750. The Congregational church was formed about 1740. There are also societies of Methodists and Freewill Baptists.
Population, 1555. Number of polls, 341. Inventory, $523,335. Value of lands, $366,204. Stock in trade, $9170. Value of mills and factories, $25,125. Money at interest, $17,300. Number of sheep, 107. Do. neat stock, 956. Do. horses, 186.
SALISBURY, Merrimack county. Bounded north by An- dover and Franklin, east by Franklin, south by Boscawen and Warner, and west by Warner. Area, about 26,000 acres. Distance from Concord, 16 miles, north-west. Blackwater River waters this town, flowing nearly through the centre. The surface is uneven ; the soil of the upland is strong, deep, and loamy. The more hilly portion affords some fine tracts for tillage, but is mostly excellent pas- turage. On Blackwater River is considerable very fertile interval. The prevailing rock is granite. A considerable portion of Kearsarge is within the limits of Salisbury. The prospect from the summit of this mountain is magnifi- cent and beautiful. Salisbury will always be celebrated
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as the native town of the late Hon. Daniel Webster. On a pleasant eminence, near the centre village, stands the house in which he was born - a humble edifice, and somewhat dilapidated. The late Hon. Ichabod Bartlett, Hon. Thom- as H. Pettingill, and Hon. Charles B. Haddock, for many years professor in Dartmouth College, and present chargé d'affaires to Portugal, were. natives of this town. It was originally granted by Massachusetts, and was known as Bakerstown. It was afterwards granted, October 25, 1749, by the Masonian proprietors, and called Stevenstown. It was incorporated by New Hampshire under its present name March 1, 1768. It was settled, in 1750, by Philip Call, Nathaniel Meloon, Benjamin Pettingill, John and Ebenezer Webster, Andrew Bohonnon, Edward Eastman, and others, mostly from Kingston.
The early settlers suffered much from the inroads of the Indians. On the 16th of May, 1753, Nathaniel Meloon was captured, with his wife and three children. They were taken to Canada, where himself and wife were sold to the French in Montreal. The children were kept by the Indians, one of whom returned after an absence of nine years. In August, 1753, the wife of Philip Call was killed, and on the same day Samuel Scribner and Robert Barber were captured and taken to Canada.
The Congregational church was organized November 17, 1773. The Baptist society was formed May 25, 1789.
Hon. Ebenezer Webster, the father of the " illustrious Daniel," was one of the first settlers, a patriot of the revo- lution, an officer of the militia, for several years senator in the legislature, and a judge of the Court of Common Pleas.
Population, 1228. Number of polls, 254. Inventory, $433,101. Value of lands, $270,793. Do. mills, $2100.
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Stock in trade, $10,400. Money at interest, $35,841. Number of sheep, 6337. Do. neat stock, 1321. Do. horses, 191.
SANBORNTON, Belknap county. Bounded north by Mere- dith, east by Gilford, south by Gilmanton, Northfield, Franklin, and Hill, and west by New Hampton. Distance from Concord, 17 miles, by the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad, which also connects it with Meredith Bridge. The bays and rivers encircling this town meas- ure 30 miles in extent ; the bay between Sanbornton and Meredith is three miles in width. The Winnipiseogee runs along its eastern and southern limits, affording many excellent mill seats. It is the only stream of note. Sal- mon Brook, passing through the north-west part, affords sufficient water power to drive one or two sawmills and a gristmill during a portion of the year. The surface is gen- erally uneven, but not mountainous, the highest hills, with one or two exceptions, being suitable for cultivation. The soil is almost universally good, and well rewards indus- trious toil. Two or three miles from Sanbornton Bridge, on the "Gulf Road," is a gulf extending nearly a mile through very hard, rocky ground, 38 feet in depth and from 80 to 100 feet in width. Such is the correspondence of the sides, that the beholder is strongly impressed with the belief that they were sundered by some natural con- vulsion. In the declivity of a neighboring hill is a cavern, which may be entered in a horizontal direction some 25 or 30 feet.
This town was once the residence of a powerful tribe of Indians, or, at least, a place of common resort. At the head of Little Bay are still to be seen the remains of an an- cient fortification. It consisted of six walls - one extend-
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ing along the river and across a point of land into the bay, and the others in right angles, connected by a circular wall in the rear. Within the fort have been found numer- ous Indian relics, such as implements of war, husbandry, cooking utensils, &c. When the first settlers of Sanborn- ton arrived, these walls were breast high, and within the enclosure large oaks were growing.
Sanbornton Square was the first settled part of the town. It contains two meeting houses and several dwelling houses. For several years, however, the business of the town has been confined to Sanbornton Bridge, a pleasant and thriv- ing village, situated on the northerly side of the Winnipi- seogee River, and about three and a half miles south-west- erly from Little Bay. This village is partly in Northfield and partly in Sanbornton. It contains two meeting houses, four common schools, the New Hampshire Conference Sem- inary and Female Collegiate Institute, five stores, one sati- net factory, employing 32 hands, one tweed do., employing 30 hands, one cotton do., employing about 50 hands, one box manufactory, in which 10 hands are employed, and one piano-forte do., employing 15 hands. There is also one hotel, situated but a few rods from the depot. It is large, commodious, and well managed.
The Citizens Bank was incorporated in 1853. Capital, $50,000.
There are in the town of Sanbornton eight meeting houses, two of which belong to Congregational, three to Baptist, two to Freewill Baptist, and one to Methodist, societies. There are also twenty-eight common schools, eight stores, and two hotels.
This town was granted by the Masonian proprietors, in 1748, to several persons by the name of Sanborn, and was settled in 1765, by John Sanborn, David Duston, Andrew
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Rowen, and others. It was incorporated March 1, 1770. About this time the Congregational church was organized. The first Baptist church was formed in 1793.
Population, 2695. Number of legal voters in 1854, 712. Inventory, $823,423. Value of lands, $513,403. Stock in trade, $10,215. Value of mills and factories, $17,600. Money at interest, $45,005. Number of sheep, 3326. Do. neat stock, 2636. Do. horses, 373.
SANDOWN, Rockingham county. Bounded north by Chester and Freemont, east by Danville, south by Hamp- stead, and west by Derry and Chester. Area, 8532 acres, 200 of which are covered with water. Distance from Concord, 31 miles, south-east ; from Portsmouth, 26, south-west. The surface is uneven, but the soil is produc- tive. Phillips's Pond, lying in the south part, is 340 rods long and 200 wide. It is the largest body of water in the town. Swamscot River flows from this pond, and pursues a level course for nearly two miles, when another stream unites with it. From this point, whenever the waters are raised by sudden freshets, the current runs back towards the pond with great force.
The settlement of this town was commenced in 1736, by Moses Tucker, Israel and James Huse, and others .. A Congregational church was organized in 1759. A Meth- odist church was formed in 1807.
Sandown was originally a part of Kingston, and was in- corporated April 6, 1756.
Population, 566. Number of polls, 125. Inventory, $236,629. · Value of lands, $123,760. Stock in trade, $1650. Value of mills, $4150. Money at interest, $20,310. Number of sheep, 257. Do. neat stock, 461. Do. horses, 81.
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SANDWICH, Carroll county. Bounded north by Water- ville, east by Tamworth, south by Moultonborough, and west by Holderness, Campton, and Thornton. Distance from Concord, 52 miles, north ; from Ossipee, 22, north- west. Area, 64,000 acres. It was originally granted by Governor Benning Wentworth, October 25, 1763, and contained an area of six miles square. In September of the following year, an additional grant was made called Sand- wich Addition. The Sandwich Mountains are a lofty range, extending in a north-easterly course, and terminat- ing Chocorua Peak in Albany. Squam Mountain extends from Holderness, though a corner of Campton, into Sand- wich. Bear Camp and Red Hill Rivers are the largest streams. About one fourth of Squam Lake lies in the south- west corner of this town, and in connection with the sur- rounding and distant mountains affords a beautiful prospect.
Sandwich is a fine farming town ; its mountain pastures are excellent, and are seldom affected by drought. It is celebrated for its fine horses and cattle. Great efforts are constantly made to improve the stock.
There are two hotels, eight stores, and quite a number of shoe manufactories, two Congregational, one Methodist, and two Freewill Baptist meeting houses, and a large society of Quakers or Friends. It has one academy and twenty-one common schools. $1658 have been expended the present year for schools.
Population, 2577. Number of legal voters in 1854, 710. Inventory, $503,425. Value of lands, $262,824. Stock in trade, $6770. Value of mills, $3610. Money at interest, $16,803. Number of sheep, 1975. Do. neat stock, 2772. Do. horses, 384.
SEABROOK, Rockingham county. Bounded north by
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Hampton Falls, east by the Atlantic, south by Salisbury, Massachusetts, and west by South Hampton and Kensing- ton. It is located in the south-east corner of the state, 15 miles south from Portsmouth, 8 south-east from Ex- eter, and about 45 south-east from Concord. It lies on the great eastern route from Boston to Portland. The Eastern Railroad passes nearly through the centre of the town. The southerly part was formerly included within the limits of Massachusetts. The old line from the " Bound Rock," at the mouth of the river, on which is yet observ- able the inscription, " A. D. 1657, H. B.," can still be traced to a rock near the " Brick School House," marked " B. T.," thence inland. The remainder of the territory was a part of " Old Hampton."
The west part of the town is undulating. The middle and eastern portions are comparatively level. The soil is light, but productive. Extensive tracts are covered with a heavy and valuable growth of wood and timber. There are also large plains of salt marsh. Carn's Brook, rising in Salisbury, Massachusetts, passes through the south-east part of the town, and affords a few water privileges of moderate power, which are occupied by saw and gristmills. Near its mouth is a valuable tide mill, formerly known as Walton's - now Robbins's - mill .. Several small streams rising in this and adjacent towns, and uniting in the broad marsh along the eastern border forms Seabrook River, which, in its course to- wards the ocean, unites with Hampton River. The beach is a favorite resort in the warm season. Titcomb's Hill, partly in this town and partly in South Hampton, and Grape Hill, in the south-west part of the town, lying partly in Massa- chusetts, are fine elevations, which afford extensive and beautiful prospects of the surrounding country. A portion of the inhabitants are engaged in agricultural pursuits,
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whose highly cultivated farms yield abundant crops. Boat building is carried on more extensively here than in any other town in the state. Several of the inhabitants are engaged in seafaring pursuits. The fishing business is very lucrative, though laborious. The manufacture of shoes is by no means a small item in the industrial account of this town.
Dearborn Academy, founded in 1851, is located in Sea- brook. A substantial brick edifice, 54 feet by 40, was erected in 1853. An endowment of $15,000 was made by the late Dr. Edward Dearborn, an eminent physician and a distinguished citizen. It has a pleasant and salu- brious situation in Seabrook Village, commanding exten- sive views of neighboring villages, distant mountains, and the broad Atlantic.
There are four meeting houses in this town. The Old South meeting house, near the centre of the town, was erected in the year 1763, and was occupied by Presby- terian and Congregational societies. The Friends' meeting house was built about 1765, and is situated in the north part of the town. The Methodist chapel was built in 1835. The Evangelical Congregational meeting house was dedicated July 6, 1836. A fund of $4000 was left by the late Dr. Dearborn, the income of which is to be used for the support of the gospel forever in this place.
The early settlers of this town were mostly from Massa- chusetts. They suffered considerably from the depreda- tions of the Indians. On one occasion a man by the name of Dow, living near a swamp thickly covered with trees and shrubs, observed to his brother that he was fearful that the Indians were lurking near by, being satisfied that they had been prowling about his house the night previous. He was advised to go into the bushes and watch. He did so, and soon perceived them making their way from the
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swamp. He then ran through the street, crying, " In- dians ! " A Mr. Gove, who lived in the house now owned by David Gove, hearing the cry, jumped upon a stump, and counted thirty-two, as they issued from their place of concealment, crawling upon their hands and knees. They first killed a widow named Hussey, who was passing by the swamp ; they led her into the bushes, and beat out her brains with a tomahawk. She was greatly lamented by the society of Friends, among whom she had been very prom- inent as a speaker. An earthen vessel which she was then carrying is now in the possession of Jonathan Gove. They next killed Thomas Lancaster, who was on his way to mill. His cries were heard by some men who were build- ing a garrison near by ; they ran to his assistance, but finding the Indians superior in numbers they fled. A friend who was with Lancaster stopped, on his way, at the house of the late Edward Gove, to " drink a syllabub," and thus escaped. They next slew Jonathan Green, beating his head with the buts of their guns, and mangling him in a horrible manner. A widow, living where the house of Benjamin Brown now stands, left her child with two young women while she went into a field to pull flax. When the Indians came the girls fled, leaving the child behind, which followed after; but, while endeavoring to climb over a fence, an Indian seized it, and dashed its head against a plough standing near. They killed and scalped Nicholas Bond in his own house.
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