USA > New Hampshire > The statistics and gazetteer of New-Hampshire. Containing descriptions of all the counties, towns and villages statistical tables with a list of state officers, etc. > Part 12
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CLAREMONT.
SULLIVAN COUNTY. This is the largest and most flourishing town in the western part of the State. except Keene. For many years, up to about 1860, Claremont and Keene were nearly equal in popu- lation and valuation, but, in conse- quence, probably, of her superior railroad facilities, Keene has now left Claremont behind in both these particulars, while Claremont re- tains her superiority as a farming town. It is bounded north by Cornish, east by Newport, south by Unity and Charlestown, and west by Weathersfield, Vermont.
There are but few, if there are
any, towns in the State which pos- sess so many natural advantages and striking beauties as Claremont. Some of these are her location in Connecticut River Valley ; her fer- tile meadows and uplands; high hills, cultivated or grazed to their very tops; rapid and useful rivers and brooks; large and productive farms on which are neat, substan- tial and capacious buildings and good fences, surely indicating that they are the abodes of taste, intel- ligence and thrift. There is an air of plenty, comfort and prosperity throughout the town found in but very few places, cven in New Eng- land. The large village is filled with extensive manufacturing es- tablishments, workshops, stores, and public and private buildings, unmistakable evidences of indus- try, enterprise and wealth. The internal and surrounding hills and mountains are a continual source of pride and pleasure to her citizens and of admiration to visitors. The citizen directs the attention of strangersto Green Mountain in the east, Flat Rock and Bible Hill in the south, and Barbouis Mountain and Trisback Hill in the west part of the town; and to Ascutney Mountain at the north-west, in full view from the village and from a large section of surrounding coun- try, which towers up in conical form 3116 feet above Connecticut River, covered to its top with fresh, living green in summer, all the rich, warm tints of the season in autumn, and a thick mantle of snow, white, cold, majestic, in winter, as one of the most pictur- esque and grand of the mountains of Vermont, and claims a kind of inheritance in its wonderful and ever changing beauty.
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CLAREMONT.
The drives in and around Clare- mont, over good and well worked roads, in almost every direction, are varied, attractive and pleasant. The people have been too much oc- cupied with other pursuits to give attention to the building of hotels with which to "take in" strangers as summer boarders, yet there are ample accommodations for ordina- ry travel. City visitors in consid- · erable numbers are entertained by private families, and many are hospitably received by their friends during the hot season.
Few towns are more generally healthy than Claremont. Epidem- ics and prevailing sicknesses of any kind are unknown here, which is accounted for by rapid streams, entire exemption from fogs and the causes of them, pure water, and the generally comfortable condition and regular habits of the people.
Claremont village is situated about three miles due east from Connecticut river, occupies a large and varid area and through it runs Sugar River. The fall of the riv- er in the town is two hundred and fifty feet; in the village it falls a hundred and fifty feet in a distance of about half a mile. Each foot of fall is capable of turning one thou- sand spindles. The private dwell- ings are all comfortable, well painted and well kept, while many of them are large, elegant, and surrounded by handsome yards, and flower, fruit and vegetable gar- dens. This village furnishes an abundant market for all the wood and agricultural productions of this and the surrounding towns, and is quite a center of trade for the western part of the county, and adjacent towns in Vermont.
One of the great advantages of Claremont over other towns is its superior water-power, derived, mainly, from Sugar River. This river is the outlet of Sunapee Lake, which is nine and a half miles long and from a half mile to two and a half miles wide, and lies eight hundred and twenty feet above Connecticut River. By an act of the New-Hampshire Legislature, authorizing the Sunapee Dam Cor- poration, composed of mill owners along Sugar River, this lake can be drawn down ten feet, as may be re- quired in any time of drouth- though this has never yet been found necessary-which insures an abundant supply of water during all seasons of the year. Sugar River is about twenty miles long from the Lake to Connecticut Riv- er, into which it empties. It is fed by what is called the South Branch, which has its sources in Lempster, Unity and Goshen, the North Branch, coming from Spring- field, Grantham and Croydon, both of which it receives in the town of Newport, and other smaller streams along its course.
Employments. The inhabitants of this town are engaged in agri- culture, manfacturing, the various mechanic arts, different branches of trade, and the professions. The leading business, after agriculture, is the manufacture of cotton goods. Some of the larger establishments are noticed in detail.
Monadnock Mills. Manufacture cotton cloths from one to three yards wide, Marseilles quilts, union flannels, and lumber. Capital, $200,000. Employ 125 males and 225 females. Pay annually for la- bor, $115,000. Produce 2,908,911 square yards sheeting; 12,000 Mar-
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
seilles quilts ; 262,000 yards flannel. Total value, $ 435,000.
Home Mill. A. Briggs & Co., Cotton cloth. Capital, $ 60,000. Employ 8 males and 20 females. Pay annually for labor, $ 10,000. Produce 500,000 yards sheeting, valued at $ 40,000.
Sullivan Machine Co. Manufac- ture Steam Dimond Drill Ma- chinery for quarrying rock, turbine water wheels, cloth measuring ma- chines, and do general machine and mill work. Capital, $200,000. Em- ploy 56 males. . Pay annually for labor, $ 30,000. Products valued at $ 125,000.
Sugar River Paper Mill Co. Man- ufacture printing paper. Capital stock, $ 100,000. Employ 30 males and 20 females. Pay annually for labor, $24,000. Produce 600 tons paper, valued at $225,000.
Claremont Manufacturing Co. Manufacture paper and books, and do stereotyping and book and job printing. Capital, $ 100,000. Em- ploy 34 males and 34 females. Pay, annually, for labor, $ 40,000. Prod- ucts valued at $ 102,600.
Russell Jarvis. Manufactures hanging paper. Capital, $25,000. Employs 7 males and 2 females. Pays, annually, for labor, $3,000. Produces 330,000 lbs. paper, valued at $ 29,700.
John S. Farrington. Manufac- tures straw wrapping paper. Cap- ital $ 7,500. Employs 5 males and 1 female. Pays annually for labor $ 1,400. Produces 120 tons paper, valued at $ 7,500.
Sullivan Mills. Geo. L. Balcom. Manufactures black doeskins. Capital, $40,000. Employs 20 males and 18 females. Pays, annually, for labor, $17,000. Produces 65,000 yards doeskins, valued at $ 75,000.
Charles II. Eastman. Leather Capital, $20,000. Employs 4 males. Pays, annually, for labor, $ 1,300. Produces 100,000 lbs. leather, val- ued at $30,000.
Sugar River Mill Co. Manufac- ture flour, feed, and do custom grinding. Capital, $30,000. Em- ploy 8 males. Pay, annually, for labor, $ 3,120. Grind 42,600 bush- els of grain, valued at $52,000.
Saw Mills. Three saw mills, capital, $8,000, employ, a part of the year, 10 males. Pay, annually, for labor, $ 3,300. Saw 950,000 feet of lumber, valued at $ 13,000.
Blood & Woodcock. Monuments and grave stones. Capital, $ 3,000. Employ 8 males. Pay annually for labor, $3,500. Products valued at $ 10,000.
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Houghton, Bucknam & Co. Sash, doors and blinds. Capital, $8,000. Employ 8 males. Pay annually for labor, $ 4,500.
There are several boot and shoe establishments in town, employing about fifty hands, in addition to which are carriage, blacksmith, paint and tailors' shops, printing offices, &c. The United States census for 1870, gives thirty-three manufactories of all kinds, em- ploying 371 males and 375 females, who annually receive for their la- bor, $ 244,100.
Banks. Claremont National, cap- ital, $ 150,000; Sullivan Savings Institution, deposits over $ 700,000.
Newspapers. National Eagle, Northern Advocate, and The Com- pendium.
Hotels. Tremont House, Sullivan House, and Junction House.
Churches. Trinity Church, Epis- copal, Rev. I. G. Hubbard, D. D., rector; 215 communicants. Prop- erty valued at $ 12,500, Union
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Church, Episcopal, West Clare- mont, Rev. W. B. T. Smith, rector, 33 communicants. Congregation- al, Rev. Levi Rodgers, pastor, 246 members. Property valued at $20, 000. Baptist, Rev. C. A. Piddock, pastor, 202 members. Property valued at $20,000. Methodist, Rev. N. N. Bailey, pastor, 239 members. Property valued at $13,000. Uni- versalist, vacancy in pastorate, 45 members. Property valued at $10,000. St. Mary's, Roman Cath- olic, Cornelius O'Sullivan, priest, 130 families, about 800 souls. Property valued at $15,000. Total number of churches, 7; number of members, 980; value of church property, including parsonages, where there are any, $90,500.
Schools. The town is divided ·into nineteen school districts, with twenty-five schools. Three of the districts have graded schools. Whole number of scholars, 1216; average attendance, 942; whole amount of school money, $5,595.88. Value of school-houses and lots, $38,000.
Stevens High School. Col. Paran Stevens, a native of Claremont, donated to the town about $65,000 for the purpose of establishing and endowing this school. It went in- to operation in the autumn of 1868. All scholars in town who have ar- rived at thirteen years of age, and pass the required examination, are admitted to the school, free. The town, in addition to its other school money, has appropriated for the support of this school from two to three thousand dollars a year, the balance of the expense being paid from the Stevens fund. The school building, the land on which it stands, and the furniture, cost $27, 225.67 The average attendance
has been about ninety-five schol- ars.
Libraries. The following are the public and private libraries in town, containing 400 volumes or upwards. Fiske Free Library, 2000 vols. This was a donation to the town by Samuel P. Fiske, Esq., a native citizen, who intends to add to it from time to time, during his life, and he and his wife have made provision in their wills for a lib- eral fund for its enlargement after their death. The use of the books is free to all 'citizens of the town. Claremont Book Club, 500 volumes, owned by about forty-five citizens. Private libraries : Otis F. R. Waite, 1550 vols. ; Bela Chapin, 1000; Drs. N. & C. W. Tolles, medical and miscellaneous, 1000; Ira Colby, Jr., law and miscellaneous, 700; Rev. I. G. Hubbard, 800; W. H. H. Al- len, law and miscellaneous, 700; Hon. H. W. Parker, law and mis- cellaneous, 600; J. S. Walker, 550; E. D. Baker, 1000; Rev. Levi Rodgers, 400; A. J. Swain, 450; Dr. S. G. Jarvis, 500.
Railroads. Sullivan Railroad connects with the Vermont Central at Windsor, and with Cheshire, Vermont Valley and Rutland and Burlington at Bellows Falls, Vt .; the Concord and Claremont Rail- road, via Concord to Boston. The Windsor and Forest Line Railroad, from Windsor, Vt., to Greenfield, N. H., to connect there with the Wilton, has been chartered, a com- pany organized and the route sur- veyed. The Claremont and White River Junction Railroad has been chartered, a company organized, and a preliminary survey made.
Distances One hundred miles north-west from Boston, and fifty west from Concord.
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
Soldiers. Claremont did its full share in putting down the rebellion of 1861. The whole number of volunteers from the town, during the four years of the war, was 370; drafted men, 5; drafted men who furnished substitutes, 74. Total, 449. Killed in battle, 33; died of wounds, 14; died of disease, 20. Total, 67. The quota required to be sent from each town in the State under all calls for troops, from Ju- ly, 1863, was proportioned to the enrolled militia. Claremont's quo- ta was set down at 177, and she fur- nished 206 recruits, being an ex- cess of 29 over the number she was required to furnish.
First Settlement. The first set- tlement was made in 1762, by Mo- ses Spafford and David Lynde, and a charter was granted Oct. 26, 1764, to Josiah Willard, Samuel Ashley and sixty-seven others. Itreceived its name from the country seat of Lord Clive, a distinguished Eng- lish general, who then had charge of the British forces in the East Indies. The first white native of Claremont was Elijah, son of Mo- ses Spafford, born in 1763. The first settled minister of the town was Rev. George Wheaton, of the Congregational faith, who was or- dained Feb. 19, 1772. The first min- ister of the Episcopal Church was Rev. Ranna Cossitt, who took holy orders in England in 1772, and in the following year entered upon the duties of his holy office. The Bap- tist society was formed in 1785, the Methodist in 1809, and the Univer- salist in 1826.
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CLARKSVILLE.
Coos COUNTY. This town is in the northern part of Coos county. The surface is broken and hilly, but the
soil, in many portions, is good for grass, oats and potatoes. Forty- two tons of starch and 11,500 pounds of maple sugar are annual- ly manufactured.
Ponds and Streams. Clarksville Pond containing about two hundred acres, and Carr Pond about thirty. are the principal ponds in town There are several small tributaries to the Connecticut.
Resources. Annual productions of the soil, $ 32,248; mechanical labor, $ 600; money at interest and stock in the public funds, $ 5,200.
Schools. There are four schools in town; average length for the year, eleven weeks. Town incor- porated in 1853.
Boundaries. North by Pitts- burg, east by Gilmanton and Grant, south by Stewartstown, and west by Canaan and Hall's stream, Vt. Area, 40,900 acres.
Railroads. By stage from Cole- brook to North Stratford station on the Grand Trunk railroad, about twenty-five miles.
Distances. One hundred and seventy-five miles north from Con- cord, forty-five north from Lancas- ter, and eleven north from Cole- brook.
COLEBROOK.
Coos COUNTY. Colebrook is one of the most enterprising towns in Northern New-Hampshire. With- in the past twenty years it has nearly doubled its population and trebled its valuation. It is the shire town for the Northern Judicial District of Coos County. The soil in this town is rich and easily cul- tivated. Fine intervals of consid- erable extent stretch along the Con- necticut; and the uplands are fer- tile, producing good crops. The
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COLEBROOK.
quantity. of potatoes raised in this town exceeds that of any town in the State, averaging more than one hundred and twenty thousand bushels annually. The larger por- tion of these potatoes is manu- factured into starch. It is stated that, within a radius of ten miles from Colebrook Village, there are fifteen starch mills, annually pro- ducing in the aggregate over 1100 tons of starch, and are valued at nearly $100,000. It ranks as the twenty-sixth town in the State in value of its agricultural products.
Rivers. Colebrook is watered by Connecticut and Mohawk riv- ers and Beaver brook. There is considerable improved water pow- er in town.
Village. There is a beautiful village in this town, with consid- erable business. There are twelve or fifteen stores of all kinds, two hotels, three church edifices, court house, academy, four lawyers, four physicians, one dentist, besides va- rious kinds of manufacturing com- mon to a New-Hampshire village.
Employments. The larger por- tion of the people are engaged in agriculture; but there is consider- able manufacturing and trade car- ried on in this town. The capital invested in starch manufactories is over $26,000, annually producing between five and six hundred tons of starch, and using over 120,000 bushels of potatoes. Nearly all branches of business are carried on : such as foundry, carriage shop, lum- ber mills, cabinet, wool carding, jewelry, shoemaking, blacksmith- ing, tinware, and one woolen fac- tory. Total value of goods annu- ally manufactured, $158,200.
Resources. Annual productions of the soil, $154,865; mechanical
labor, $36,800; money at interest, $57,822; deposits in savings bank, $866; stock in trade, $30,200; from summer tourists, $3000; profes- sional business, $10.000.
Churches and Schools. Metho- dist, Rev. J. H. Knott, pastor; Christian, Rev. William Morrill, pastor; Congregational, no pastor ; Union, no pastor ; there are twelve school districts and thirteen schools in town; average length of schools for the year, twenty-four weeks ;- amount annually appropriated for school purposes, $1,609.13.
Academy. Colebrook Academy has a considerable fund.
Hotel. Monadnock House and Parsons House.
First Settlement. This town was originally called Coleburne and was granted to Sir George Cole- brook and others. It was incor- porated June 11, 1795.
First Church and Ministers. The Congregational Church of Cole- brook and vicinity was organized by Rev. John Willard, Missionary, Nov. 30, 1802, under the name of the "Monadnock Church." It consisted of ten members. There was no preaching except Mission- ary labor until 1810, when Rev. Dyer Burge became pastor until May 5, 1815, when he was regular- ly dismissed, the church number- ing 43 members. Rev. Nathan Waldo preached from 1819 to 1822. Rev. Andrew Rakin from 1822 to July, 1823, when Rev. John L. Hale took his place, and contin- ued until 1824.
January, 1825, Rev. Orlando G. Thatcher became pastor and con- tinued until February, 1829.
Boundaries. North by Stewarts- town, east by Dixville, south by Columbia, and west by the Con-
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
necticut river. Area, 25,000 acres ; improved land, 14,870.
Distances: One hundred and sev- enty miles north from Concord and thirty-four north from Lancaster.
Railroads. Thirteen miles by daily stage to North Stratford sta- tion, on the Grand Trunk Railroad. It is expected that the Montreal ex- tension Railroad will pass through Colebrook in a short time.
COLUMBIA.
Coos COUNTY. The surface of thistown is uneven, and broken by mountains along its southern lim- its. The soil is generally strong and productive. In the spring large quantities of maple sugar are made.
Streams and Ponds. From the mountains descend a number of streams in a westerly direction in- to the Connecticut, affording many excellent water privileges. There are several ponds, the most noted of which is Lime Pond, situated near the line between this town and Colebrook. It is about one hundred and sixty rods long and fifty rods wide. The bottom is covered to the depth of near- ly six feet with perfectly white calcarious marl, which is formed by the shells of the cyclas and plan- orbis species, of which myriads are still living in the waters of the pond, and are generally found col- lected under loose stones. Fish Pond is well stored with trout of large size. Lime-stone, in con- siderable quantities, is found near the outlet of this pond.
Employments. Farming is the principal occupation of the people. There is some manufacturing car- ried on. One hundred tons of starch are annually made, and
considerable lumbering is done.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $115,400; mechanical labor, $3,400; money at interest, $5,872; deposits in savings banks, $10; stock in trade, $2,500.
Churches and Schools. There are two churches, no regular pastors, and ten schools; average length of schools for the year, nineteen weeks.
Hotel. Columbia House.
First Settlement. In 1770 this town was granted and named Cockburne in honor of Sir James Cockburn, one of the grantees. Incorporated December 16, 1797; received its present name in June, 1811.
Boundaries. North by Colebrook, east by Dixville and ungranted lands, south by ungranted lands and Stratford, and west by Ver- mont. Area, 37,822 acres; im- proved land, 9,823 acres. A large portion of the rest of the territory consists of large tracts of heavy wood and timber land.
Distances. One hundred and six- ty-six miles north from Concord and thirty north from Lancaster.
Railroads. By daily stage to and from North Stratford station, twelve miles, on the Grand Trunk Railroad. The Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad, when com- pleted, will pass through this town.
CONCORD.
MERRIMACK COUNTY. Concord (a city) is the capital of New- Hampshire and shire town of the county. The surface is uneven, though it presents none of the ab- rupt acclivities, or deep valleys, common in many New-Hampshire towns. It is well watered by four rivers, two of which are of consid-
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CONCORD.
erable magnitude, The Contoo- cook, a river eighty miles in length, passes from Hopkinton through the northern part of Concord and joins the Merrimack on the line between this city and Boscawen. The Merrimack river passes through the eastern centre; the Soucook river washes the south- eastern border, and flows in- to the Merrimack, forming the boundary line between this city and Pembroke; while the Turkey river, having its rise in Turkey Ponds, waters a portion of its southern part and empties into the Merrimack in Bow. There is some good water power on the Contoo- cook, at Fisherville, where there are several large manufactories. On the Merrimack, through Con- cord, there are some good water privileges, but no wheel is turned by its valuable power. There are five ponds, the largest of which is Turkey Pond, in the south-west; and Long Pond (or Pennacook Lake) in the north-west part. At the outlet of Pennacook Lake is a woolen mill, kit factory, &c. Tur- key Pond is the source of Turkey River, which furnishes some good water power in its passage to the Merrimack.
The intervals on the Merrimack are of considerable width and very fertile, but perhaps a little inferior in extent and beauty to those on the Connecticut. Many of the inter- vals, however, by careful husband- ry, have been brought to a high state of cultivation, and produce some of the finest crops of corn and hay in the State. The plains and the uplands, when properly cultivated, produce excellent crops. The census of 1870, shows that a farm valued at $18,000 pro-
duced three hundred and twenty- five bushels of corn, two hundred and seventy-eight bushels of oats, and made the annual agricultural receipts, $3,177. Another, valued at $15,000, produced two hundred and twenty bushels of corn and two hundred bushels of oats. An- nual receipts, $2,500. Also, an- other valued at $15,000. Annual receipts, $3,600. A market farm, containing forty acres, valued at $ 8,000, paid for labor, $1,000; fertil- izers, $1,000. Annual receipts, $5,900. The above is sufficient to show that farming in Concord pays, when it is considered that farming real estate increases in value, on an average, at the rate of four per cent. per annum.
City. Concord, owing to its great railroad facilities, the wealth and enterprise of its inhabitants, and as being the capital of the State, has become one of the most popular cities in New England. The city contains about 2,500 dwel- ing houses, 14,000 inhabitants, and has a constant and steady in- crease in population and wealth, which makes investments in real estate safe and sure to increase in value, if purchased at market rates. Like many other New England cities, Concord has been afflicted with devastating fires Within the past twenty-two years, five churches, five hotels, an nearly every business block on Maine Street, has been burned down. Out of nearly two hun- dred stores and shops for trade within the city precinct, all but nine have been built since that date (1852.) These fire casualties have made Concord, apparently, in the business portion, the young- est of the five cities in the State.
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
Large and substantial business blocks have been erected upon the ashes of the former buildings, far superior in architecture and beau- ty. But few citics, of its size, ex- cel it in its large and expensive business blocks, fine hotels, its broad and shaded streets, and ex- cellent concrete sidewalks. If any complaint can be made as to the beauty of this city, it is in its dense shaded streets, where, in many places, the rays of the sun are nearly shut out. A view from the dome of the Capitol, in mid- summer, gives the city the appear- ance of a large forest, with church spires and domes peering above the tops of the trees; and a stranger, who obtained his first knowledge and view from this stand point, would be loath to be- lieve that a city, containing twelve thousand inhabitants, nestled be- neath the shade of the trees, standing at his feet. Many of the private residences are fine and ex- pensive structures, and compare favorably with fine dwellings in other cities in New Hampshire.
Railroad Facilities. The four railroads which centre here to- gether with their branches and connecting lines, within a radius of thirty-six miles, make it one of the largest railway centres at one depot in New England. At this station, passenger trains are made up with special cars, for the Mon- treal Railroad, Northern, Bristol Branch of the Northern, Concord and Claremont, Contoocook Val- ley, Concord to Boston, via Lowell, Concord to Boston via Lawrence, and Concord and Portsmouth. which virtually makes eight rail- roads that centre here. Besides, connections are made with the
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