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 28
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Resources. Annual productions of the soil, $ 226,145; manufactur- ing labor, $ 98,000; carpenters, masons, &c., $ 18,000; stocks, &c., $ 65,700; money at interest, $81, 920; deposits in savings banks, $ 13,876; stock in trade, $ 76,575; from summer tourists, $ 30,000; professional business, trade and transportation, $ 100,000.
Churches and Schools. Congre- gational Church, Rev. C. E. Milli- ken, pastor, members, 150, church value, $6,000; Methodist, Rev. George Beebe, pastor, members, 150, church value, $ 7,500; Freewill Baptist, Rev. E. Gilford, pastor, members, 60, church value, $ 6,000. There are twenty-one schools in town, five of which are graded. Average length of schools for the year, twenty weeks; total amount annually appropriated for school purposes, $4,052.80; value of school-houses and school lots, $40, 000. There is a high school which gives the scholars of this town excellent school advantages. Mr, J. J. Ladd is the principal.
Libraries. Littleton Village Social Library, 1,036 volumes;
C. W. Rand, 550 volumes; Wm. J. Bellows, 550 volumes; Charles Hartshorn, 500 volumes ; James J. Barrett, 500 volumes; Dr. II. L. Watson, 450 volumes; Dr. T. E. Sanger, 425 volumes; Rev. C. E. Milliken, 400 volumes; James R. Jackson, 400 volumes.
Newspaper. White Mountain Republic, H. H. Metcalf, Editor and Proprietor.
Hotels. Thayer's Hotel and Union House; arrivals the past season, 4,500; hotels valued at $ 32,500.
Banks. Littleton National Bank, and Littleton Savings Bank. (See tables.)
First Settlements. In November, 1764, the territory including Little- ton, was granted under the name of Chiswick. January 18, 1770, it was granted under the name of Apthorp, and included Dalton. In November, 1784, it was divided and the towns of Littleton and Dalton incorporated. Capt. Na- than Caswell came to Littleton about 1774, and was the first per- manent settler.
First Church. A Congregational Church was organized in 1803. Rev. Drury Fairbanks settled here in 1820.
Boundaries. North-west by Concord and Waterford, Vermont, north-east by Dalton, south-east by Bethlehem, and south-west by Lisbon, Lyman and Monroe. To- tal area, 36,000 acres; area of im- proved lands, 17,637 acres.
Distances. One hundred miles north-west from Concord, and thirty north from Haverhill.
Railroads. The White Moun- tain Railroad passes through the south-east portion of the town. The inhabitants expect that the
231
LONDONDERRY.
Portland & Ogdensburgh Railroad, when completed, will pass through Littleton.
LONDONDERRY.
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY. There is but very little waste land in this town. There are no hills, swamps, nor stagnant water of any extent. The soil is unusually productive, and very easy of cultivation. But one town in the county excels it in the value of its agricultural prod- ucts. The farms are pleasantly lo- cated, on gentle swells, with inter- vening vales, which present a beautiful farm scenery, rarely ex- celled by any farming country in New-England. Located on a slight elevation, is a pleasant village and the center of considerable trade.
Streams and Ponds. The prin- cipal stream in town is Beaver River, having its source in Bea- ver Pond, a fine body of water, in the form of a circle, about three hundred rods in diameter, and about one mile north-east from the village. Scoby's Upper, and Low- er and Shield's Ponds, lie about three miles north-west from Bea- ver Pond. On the streams issuing from these ponds, are some valua- ble meadows, producing excellent crops of grass, &c.
Employments. The inhabitants are generally devoted to agricul- ture. Over 8,000 bushels of corn, 5,000 bushels of oats and barley, and 3,000 tons of hay are annually produced ; also, over 200,000 quarts of milk are annually sold. Con- siderable attention is paid to the manufacturing of sale boots and shoes ; over 84,000 pairs are annu- ally manufactured.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 146,704; mechanical labor,
$ 33,300; money at interest, and stocks, $ 15,700; deposits in sav- ings banks, $ 145,614; stock in trade, $ 6,600; from summer tour- ists, $ 1,000; professional business, $ 12,000.
Churches and Schools. Presby- terian, Rev. William House, pas- tor; number of members, 150; Methodist, Rev. J. A. Steele, pas- tor; number of members, 75; Bap- tist, - . Total church valua- tion, $ 18,000.
There are eleven schools in town; average length for the year, twenty-two weeks. Amount of money annually appropriated for school purposes, $ 1,925.20; value of school houses, $ 5,750.
Library. Londonderry Public Library, 150 volumes.
First Settlers. Londonderry was one of the first settled towns in the State, and her sons and daughters, to-day, look back with pride upon their forefathers, who were the first settlers of this ancient and noble town. They were distin- guished for their sobriety, indus- try, intelligent, prudent, and sound judgment, and natural ability. For a brief history of the first set- tlement, we can give none better than a few extracts from Hay- ward's Gazetteer.
" Londonderry, which formerly included the present town of Der- ry, was settled in 1719, by a colony of Presbyterians, from the vicinity of the city of Londonderry, in the north of Ireland, to which place their ancestors had emigrated about a century before, from Scot- land. They were a part of 120 families, chiefly from three par- ishes, who, with their religious instructors, came to New-Eng- land in the summer of 1718. In
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
October, 1718, they applied to the government of Massachusetts for the grant of a township, and re- ceived assurance that a grant should be made them, when they should select a place, for its lo- cation. After some time spent in viewing the country, they se- lected the tract afterwards, com- prising the town of Londonderry, at first known by the name of Nutfield.
In 1719, sixteen families, accom- panied by Rev. James McGregore, one of the clergymen who had em- igrated from Ireland with them, took possession of the tract, and, on the day of their arrival, attend- ed religious services and a sermon under an oak on the east shore of Beaver Pond. The inhabitants of Londonderry, in 1720, purchased the Indian title; and, although it was long a frontier town, they were never molested by the Indians .* They introduced the culture of the potato, a vegetable till then un- known in New-England, and the manufacture of linen cloth, which, though long since declined, was, for many years, a considerable source of their early prosperity. A portion of this town, in 1828, was taken to form the pleasant town of Derry. Rev. Matthew Clark, second minister of London- erry, was a native of Ireland, who had, in early life, been an officer in the army, and distin- guished himself in the defense of the city of Londonderry, when besieged by the army of King
James II., A. D. 1688-9. He after- wards relinquished a military life for the clerical profession. He possessed a strong mind, marked by a considerable degree of eccen- tricity. He died January 25, 1735, and was borne to the grave, at his particular request, by his former companions in arms, of whom there was a considerable number among the early settlers of this town, several of whom had been made free from taxes throughout the British Dominions, by King William, for their bravery in that memorable siege. A company of seventy men from this town, un- der the command of Capt. George Reid, were in the battle of Breed's Hill, and about the same number were in that at Bennington, in which Capt. David Mc Clary, one of their citizens, a distinguished and brave officer, was killed. Major General John Stark and Colonel George Reid, officers of the army of the Revolution, were natives of this town. London- derry has produced many other distinguished men.
The town was incorporated June 21, 1722.
Boundaries. North by Manches- ter and Auburn, east by Derry and Windham, south by Hudson and west by Litchfield. The orig- inal area of this town was 64,000 acres; but Windham, parts of Manchester and Derry, have been taken off, and formed into sepa- rate towns, and its present area is less than 25,000 acres. The area of improved land is 11,710 acres.
Distances. Twenty-four miles south from Concord, six south- west from Manchester and twenty- three south-west from Exeter.
* This land was conveyed to the Rev. John Wheelwright, May 10, 1629, by four Indian Sagamores. It was deeded to the inhabitants of Londonderry, by Col. John Wheelwright, grandson of the Rev. John Wheelwright, in 1720.
233
LOUDON.
Railroads. The Manchester and Lawrence Railroad passes through the north-east section of the town.
LOUDON.
MERRIMACK COUNTY. Loudon has an uneven surface which rises in swells, and affords excellent tillage and grazing. It ranks as the third town in the county in the value of its agricultural products. There are some fine farms, under a high state of cultivation. Along the banks of the river are some fine interval lands.
Rivers. Soucook River, run- ning in a south-easterly direction through the town, is the principal stream, and affords some very good water power which is im- proved to some extent.
Employments. The inhabtiants are generally engaged in agricul- ture. But two towns in the county raise as many bushels of corn, and none as much wheat, or as many pounds of maple sugar. 35,000 pounds of butter are annually produced, 40,000 shingles, 565,000 feet of boards and dimension tim- ber annually sawed, hubs, spokes and axe helves, $2,000; 1,800 bushels grain ground, and leath- er tanned $25,000. Having Con- cord for a ready market for all the surplus productions, many of the farmers have become quite wealthy, and but few farming towns in the State have a more thrifty and prosperous appear- ance; but like many other New- Hampshire farming towns, for many years their sons have been receiving that education which cre- ates an uneasy feeling and a mis- taken idea, that there are better fields in the West to secure more
wealth and happiness, and the pop- ulation has been gradually decreas- ing from 1638 in 1860, to 1282 in 1870.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 186,307; mechanical labor, $ 8,000; stocks and money at in- terest, $ 43,440; deposits in savings banks, $ 94,347; stock in trade, $6,300.
Churches and Schools. Congre- gational, Rev. B. N. Stone, pastor ; Freewill Baptist, Rev. Mr. Brooks, pastor; Methodist, Rev. A. R. Lunt, pastor. There are fourteen schools, two of which are graded. Average length of schools for the year, twenty-three weeks (See tables.)
Hotel. Mc Lellan House.
First Settlement. The first set- tlement was commenced here in 1760, by Moses Ordway, Abraham and Jethro Batchelder. It was formerly a part of Canterbury, from which it was taken and in- corporated under the name of Loudon, January 23, 1773.
First Minister. A Congrega- tional society was established in 1784; Rev. Jedediah Tucker was settled over the Church in 1789, dismissed in 1809.
Boundaries. North-west by Canterbury, north-east by Gilman- ton, south-east by Pittsfield and Chichester, and south-west by Con- cord. Area, 28,257 acres. Area of improved land, 19,180 acres.
Distances. Ten miles north-east from Concord.
Railroads. Six miles to Pitts- field station, on Suncook Valley Railroad, and ten miles to Concord station. If the Concord and Roch- ester projected Railroad is ever built, it is expected to pass through this town.
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
LYMAN.
GRAFTON COUNTY. The surface of this town is uncven, but the soil is generally good, producing fair crops of grain and grass. Many of the farms are well tilled, and under high cultivation.
Ponds, River and Mountain. There are several ponds, through the largest of which flows Burn- ham's River. There is a consider- able elevation called Lyman's Mountain.
Employments. Agriculture is the general employment of the people. 2,300 bushels wheat, 3,000 corn, 12,000 oats, and 42,000 bush- els of potatoes are annually pro- duced. There are two potato starch mills annually manufactur- ing 84 tons starch, valued at $8, 400; 350,000 feet boards sawed, besides cooper and other small mechanical shops.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 109,430; mechanical labor, $6,200; money at interest, $ 15,500; deposits in savings bank, $ 251; stock in trade, $ 3,870.
Churches and Schools. Union, Rev. A. R. Russell, pastor. There are seven schools in town. Aver- age length of schools for the year, twenty weeks.
First Settlements. The western portion of Lyman was disannexed and the town of Monroe consti- tuted July 13,1854. It was grant- ed November 10, 1761, to several persons, among whom Daniel Lyman was conspicuous, and from him the township received its name.
Boundaries. North by Littleton, east by Lisbon, south by Bath, and west by Monroe. Area of im- proved land, 10,363 acres.
Distances. By cars from Lisbon,
102 miles north from Concord, and 16 north from Haverhill.
Railroad. Five miles to Lisbon station.
LYME.
GRAFTON COUNTY. The Con- necticut River washes the west- ern border of this town. The in- tervals are not as large as in many other towns, on the river, but the uplands are much better than they average, in the river towns. Lyme is considered as one of the best farming towns in the Connecticut valley, in this State. It has been celebrated for many years for its large wheat and corn crops, and its numerous and superior flocks of sheep. It is excelled by no town in the State in its number, and value of sheep. Considerable attention has been given by the in- habitants to the agricultural inter- est of the town, for a few years past, with decided effects for the better.
Villages. There are two small villages; the principal village is pleasantly situated, and is noted for the neatness and order which generally prevail.
Streams and Ponds. There are three small streams passing through the town and discharging into the Connecticut. There are two small ponds, the largest of which is call- ed Port's Pond.
Elevations. There are several elevations, the most considerable of which is called Smart's Moun- tain.
Minerals. Beds of lime-stone, of the granular crystaline variety, with which are large quantities of garnet, with crystals of hornblende are found in several localities. A very curious mixture of granular
*
235
LYNDEBOROUGH.
quartz with carbonate of lime has been discovered, and is valued highly for the manufacture of plate or window glass. Specimens of black tourmaline have been found in different parts; some of the specimens are very handsome.
Employments. The inhabitants are principally engaged in agricul- ture. Over 9,000 sheep are kept; 11,000 bushels of corn and 3,000 bushels of wheat, are annually pro- duced; and 20,000 lbs. of maple sugar, are made. 130,000 shingles, 1,400,000, feet of boards, &c., and 50 tons of potato starch, are annu- ally manufactured. One grist- mill, valued at $ 6,000, annually grinds 14,000 bushels of grain, val- ued at $ 16,000.
Resources. Agricultural prod- ucts, $ 199,204; mechanical labor, $ 10,300; stocks and bonds, $ 3,785; money at interest, $ 43,500; de- posits in savings bank, $ 34,082; stock in trade, $ 21,425; from sum- mer tourists, $ 1,000.
Churches and Schools. Congrega- tional Church, 282 members, Rev. Henry A. Hazen, pastor in 1870; Baptist, Rev. L. M. Wheeler, pas- tor. There are fourteen districts, and fifteen schools; average length for the year, twenty weeks.
Library. Lyme Social Library has 2,800 volumes.
Hotel. "Kent's Hotel."
First Settlers. Walter Fairfield, John and William Sloan, and oth- ers settled here in 1764. Incor- porated July 8, 1761, and granted to Theodore Atkinson.
First Minister. Rev. William Connat, Congregational, settled in 1783; died in 1810.
Boundaries. North by Orford, east by Dorchester, south by Han- over, and west by Thetford, Ver-
mont. Area, 28,500 acres; acres of improved land, 18,266.
Distances. Fifty-four miles north-west from Concord, and twenty south from Haverhill.
Railroad. No Railroad passes through this town, but it is well connected by stages four times dai- ly with the railway at West Thet- ford Depot.
LYNDEBOROUGH.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. The situation of Lyndeborough is ele- vated. The soil is deep and strong. The pasturage is unequaled by any town in the county.
Mountain and Streams. Centre Mountain of considerable hight, divides the town from east to west. The streams are small, originat- ing mostly from springs within the town. On the plain below the mountain in the north-east part, is a very pleasant (though small) vil- lage, situated on the banks of Pis- cataquoag River.
Employments. The inhabitants are generally engaged in farming. About 10,000 clapboards, 240,000 shingles and 625.000 feet of boards &c., are annually sawed. The Lyndeborough Glass Company, ob- tain their quartz rock in this town from which are made, fruit jars and all kinds of glass bottles. 50 hands are employed.
Resources. Agricultural prod- ucts $ 113,484; mechanical labor, $ 26,000; stocks and money at in- terest, $ 7,850; deposits in savings bank, $29,879; stock in trade, $15, 075 ; from summer tourists, $ 2,500.
Summer Resorts. The elevated position of this town, has caused many lovers of New-Hampshire scenery, to spend their summer vacation here.
236
NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
Churches and Schools. Congre- gational, Rev. George Smith, pas- tor; Baptist. Rev. E. J. Whitte- more, pastor. There are ten pub- lic schools; average length for the year, sixteen weeks.
Libraries. There are two pub- lic libraries, " Franklin" Library, 500 volumes; South Lyndeborough Library, 300 volumes.
First Settlements. This town was granted by Massachusetts to Captain Samuel King and fifty-nine others, who were engaged in the Canada expedition in 1690. It was called " Salem Canada," for the reason that many of those who belonged to the expedition were from Salem. Benjamin Lynde, Esq., purchased a large portion of the township and adjoining lands, in 1753, and it received its present name from him. It was incorpor- ated April 23. 1764. The names of the earliest settlers were, Put- nam, Chamberlain and Cram.
First Ministers. Rev. John Rand, (Congregational) settled in 1757, dismissed in 1763; Rev. Se- wall Goodrich, settled in 1768, died in 1809.
Boundaries. North by Green- field, Francestown and New-Bos- ton, east by Mount Vernon and Milford, south by Milford, Wilton and Temple, and west by Temple and Greenfield. £ Area, 20,760 acres.
Distances. Thirty-five miles south from Concord, eighteen north-west from Nashua, twenty south-west from Manchester, and ten north of west from Amherst.
Railroads. Three and one half miles to Wilton depot. A daily stage connects the railroad with this town. The Peterborough and Wilton Railroad will pass through
Lyndeborough, when completed in the fall of 1873.
MADBURY.
STRAFFORD COUNTY. The sur- face is generally even and the soil productive. In the valleys it con- sists of a portion of clay, on the uplands, a mixture of sand and loam. Much of this land is excel- lent for hay, of which large crops are annually produced.
Streams and Pond. Its extreme southeasterly point extends to the tide-water, on or near the Piscata- qúa. Bellamy Bank River, com- ing from Barrington and passing through the northeasterly part of Madbury, is the only stream of note; and Barbadoes Pond is the principal body of water.
Minerals. Bog iron ore, and red and yellow ochre, in considerable quantities, are found in several localities.
Employments. The people are almost exclusively devoted to ag- riculture. Dover, three miles dis- tant, affords an excellent market for the disposal of their surplus productions.
Resources. Agricultural produc- tions, $ 50,980; stocks and money at interest, $ 14,746; deposits in savings banks, $ 60,593.
Churches and Schools. Congre gational, Rev. M. Leese, pastor. There are four schools, of which only one averages twelve scholars through the year. Average length of schools through the year, nine- teen weeks.
First Settlement. Madbury was originally a part of Dover, and its early history is connected with the history of that ancient town. It was incorporated May 31, 1775, and at that date contained a popu-
237
MADISON-MANCHESTER.
lation of 677. In 1870, it had 408 inhabitants.
First Ministers. Rev. Samuel Hyde commenced preaching in 1758, and remained till 1770; Rev. Eliphaz Chapman preached from 1771 to 1773.
Boundaries. This is a small, tri- angular-shaped town, and is bound- ed north-east by Dover, south-west by Durham and Lee, and north- west by Barrington. Area, 7,600 acres ; improved land, 4,600 acres. Distances. Thirty -six miles north-east from Concord, and three south from Dover.
Railroad. Boston and Maine Railroad passes through the east- ern part of the town in a northerly and southerly direction.
MADISON.
CARROLL COUNTY. The surface is uneven, but the soil is generally good, producing fine crops of corn, oats and potatoes.
Pond. Six-Mile Pond is the principal body of water. It is four miles long and about one mile wide. Its waters flow into Ossipee Lake.
Minerals. There is a zinc and lead mine. and a lead and silver mine in this town. The Carroll County Lead and Zinc Mining Company were extensively work- ing these mines in 1870. At that date, the company employed twen- ty-two men. Eleven men were in the mine and eleven were above ground. The depth of tunnel is seventy feet. The annual amount of product, 23,475 grains of silver, 109} tons lead, and 3272 tons zinc, valued at $ 46,360. For some rea- son, their operations have ceased for the present.
Employments. The inhabitants
are generally engaged in agricul- ture. There is considerable man- ufacturing and trade in town, be- sides the mining interest. There are about 12,000 pairs of shoes an- nually manufactured, and clothing to the value of $20,000, is made. (See tables.)
Resources. Agricultural prod- ucts, $ 78,478; mechanical labor, $ 30,800; money at interest, $2, 424; deposits in savings banks, $ 13,447; stock in trade, $ 5,613; from summer tourists, $ 10,000.
Summer Resort. Madison is quite a resort for all lovers of New-Hampshire summer scenery. There are about five hundred vis- itors, who spend a part or the whole of their vacation in this town.
Churches and Schools. Freewill Baptist Church, Elder A. C. Peas- ley, pastor. There are nine schools. Average length of schools for the year, eighteen weeks.
Hotels. Churchill House, and Madison House.
First Town Organization. Mad- ison was taken from the western portion of Eaton, and incorporated as a town, December 17, 1852.
Boundaries. North by Albany, east by Conway and Eaton, south by Freedom, and west by Tam- worth and Albany. Acres of im- proved land, 6,232.
Distances. Sixty-four miles north-east from Concord, and twenty north from Ossipee.
Railroad. Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad passes through this town.
MANCHESTER.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. A city, and part shire town of the county. But few towns in New-England or
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
in this nation, have made such rapid progress in population, man- ufacturing and wealth, for the past thirty years, as Manchester. It ranks, in its value of cotton and woolen cloths manufactured, as the fourth city in the United States, and as the first in New-Hampshire. Forty years ago, where the city now stands, there was but a ham- let, and the only noise to break the stillness of the quiet, was the waters of the Merrimack, as they thundered over the falls, and for ages had been waiting to assist man to do its part in the great drama of creation's work; is now a great city of nearly thirty thous- and people, and the busy hum of life is heard through the buzz of its 200,000 spindles, the clatter of its 5,000 looms, and the bustle of business through its crowded streets, from morn till night. Un- like Lowell, Lawrence, and many other cities in the vicinity of Bos- ton, it is far enough away from that commercial metropolis, as not to destroy its mercantile trade, and there is no city outside of Bos- ton, Providence and Worcester, in the eastern section of New-Eng- land, which shows the business life in the streets, like Manchester.
The surface is generally level, but the soil of a considerable part of the town is light and sandy. The intervals on the river are lim- ited, but of easy cultivation, and fertile, while the swells afford many excellent farms, under high cultivation.
Lake. Massabesic Lake, in the eastern portion, towards Auburn, lies partly in this town. It is a handsome sheet of water, with many islands, and presenting some of the finest scenery in this section
of the State. It has an area of twenty-three hundred and fifty acres-about twenty-five miles in circumference ; and is divided into two equal parts by a narrow strait crossed by a bridge. Each of these parts is about three miles in length by one mile in width. Lying with- in four miles of the city proper, it has become quite a public resort for pleasure. The Massabesic House, on the shore of the lake, is a fine hotel, and receives a good share of the public patronage.
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