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 32
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tions a fine prospect of the coun- try, east and south-east, can be obtained. On the top of one of these elevations is situated the flourishing village of Mount Ver- non, which has become noted for its fine scenery, healthy location, literary institution, and as a sum- mer resort for tourists from Bos- ton, New-York, and other large cities.
Streams. There is but one stream of any note. It rises in the north part and passes into Amherst near the eastern extremity of the plain. This stream was called, by the In- dians, Quohquinaspassakessanan- uaquog.
Employments. Farming and keeping summer boarders are the principal occupations of the inhab- itants. The manufacture of fancy writing desks and boxes has been carried on quite extensively for a number of years. The value of these desks and boxes, 'annually manufactured, is about $ 45,000.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 72,973; mechanical labor, $ 21,200; money at interest, $ 13, 670; deposits in savings banks, $ 36,739; stock in trade, $ 6,225; from summer tourists, $ 6,200.
Churches and Schools. Congre- gational Church, Rev. Seth H. Keeler, pastor. There are five schools in town, average length for the year, twenty weeks.
Literary Institution. Mc Collom Institute was organized in 1850; D. A. Anderson is the Principal.
Library. Mount Vernon Public Library, 200 volumes, and Mc Col- lom Institute Library, 600.
Hotels. One of the finest hotels in the State was burnt in this town, in April, 1872, and has not been rebuilt.
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First Organization. Mount Ver- non was originally a part of Am- herst, from which it was disan- nexed, and incorporated, Decem- ber 15, 1803.
First Church. The Congrega- tional Church was organized here in 1780.
Boundaries. North by New- Boston, east by Amherst, south by Amherst and Milford, and west by Lyndeborough. „Area, 7,957 acres, improved land, 6,942 acres.
Distances Twenty-eight miles south from Concord, and three north-west from Amherst.
Railroads. It is four and one- half miles to Milford station, on the Wilton railroad.
NASHUA.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. Nash- ua (a city) and part shire town of the county, is one of the most im- portant cities in the State, being the second in the value of its manu- factories, the third in population, and fourth in wealth. It presents a very even surface in the eastern portion, while the western part is more broken, but not mountain- ous. The soil is varied and easy of cultivation, and produces good crops, especially along the banks of the rivers.
Rivers. It is well watered by ivers and smaller streams. The Merrimack washes its eastern bor- der, and the Nashua River, having its source in Massachusetts, flows in a north-easterly direction through the city, and joins the Merrimack near the principal set- tlement. This river near its mouth furnishes some excellent water power, which is occupied by large Cotton Manufactories. The river was named for a tribe of In-
dians called the "Nashaway," who had their headquarters on its banks, in the present town of Lan- caster, Massachusetts. It was a great resort for them near the Falls in Nashua for fishing, and, above and below its mouth, on the Merrimack, for cultivation. Sal- mon Brook is a considerable stream, flowing from Massa- chusetts, and joins the Merrimack here. There is some water pow- er, which is improved.
This city is noted for its exten- sive Iron Mills and Cotton Manu- factories and the enterprising and public spirit of its inhabitants. It is one of the largest railroad cen- tres in the State. No less than six railroads have their termini here; viz. Boston, Lowell and Nashua, Worcester and Nashua, Nashua and Acton, Nashua and Wilton, Concord and Nashua and Roches- ter Railroads. These various roads lead to all sections of the country, north, east, south, and west.
It has many fine streets, beauti- fully shaded, and many of the pri- vate residences are fine structures and compare favorably with those of any city or town in the State. Some of the business blocks are large and very expensive; a num- ber of which have been built with- in a few years. The City Hall is a fine brick building, having a dome surmounted by a large gilt eagle. The mercantile houses are principally located on two streets, and contain about one hundred and twenty-five stores and shops for trade of various kinds-many of them being large, with goods finely displayed. There are eleven church edifices, twenty- eight schools, three hotels, seven
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eating houses, five banks, two weekly and two daily newspapers, 2,100 dwelling houses and about 12,000 inhabitants. The per cent. of increase in wealth and popula- tion, for the past three years, has been quite as great as that of any city in the State.
Manufactories. The manufac- tures are varied and quite exten- sive, the most important of which are as follows :
Nashua Manufacturing Company, capital, $ 1,000,000; employs 300 men and 800 women and chil- dren; annual pay roll $ 360.000; produce 13,970,891 yards of fine sheetings, print cloth, and cotton flannels, valued at $ 1,862,275.
Jackson Manufacturing Com- pany, capital, $ 600,000, employ 100 men, and 350 women and children ; annual pay roll $ 150,000; produce 9,054,800 yards of cot- ton cloth, valued at $ 1,086,576.
Vale Mills. Capital, $ 300,000; employ 30 men, and 50 women and children ; annual pay roll $ 24, 000, and produce 884,000 yards of cotton cloth valued at $ 97,200;
Nashua Iron and Steel Compa- ny, capital, $ 500,000; employ 300 men; annual pay roll $ 180,000; value of productions, $ 2,000,000. This Company produces steel tire, locomotives, cranks, heavy iron and steel shafting, and all kinds of heavy and light iron and steel work. Their grounds cover twenty acres. Within their enclosure, are six large buildings each 200 feet long, and 75 feet wide, making the area covered with buildings about two acres.
Nashua Iron Company, capital, $60,000; employ 95 men; annual pay roll, $ 52,800 ; annual value of production, $ 190,000.
Nashua Foundry, capital, $ 45, 000.00; employ 70 men; annual pay roll, $ 36,000; annual sales, $ 100,000.
Warner and Whitney. Machine Shop, capital, $ 50,000; employ 60 men; pay roll $ 28,000; annual value of productions, $ 100,000.
A. H, Saunders, Machinist, cap- ital, $ 25,000 ; employs 10 men ; an- nual pay roll, $8,600; production, $ 40,000.
Flathen & Company, Machinists, capital, $ 12,000; employ 16 men ; annual pay roll $ 9,600; produc- tion, $ 24,000.
Nashua Lock Company, capital, $ 60,000, employ 134 males, and 16 females; annual pay roll, $ 60, 000; sales, $ 180,000.
American Patent Horse Clipping Company, capital, $ 10,000; patent sales, $ 10,000.
Nashua Card and Glazed Paper Company, capital, $ 100,000, em- ploy 75 males, and 75 females, an- nual pay roll, $57,000; annual val- ue of productions, $ 450,000.
Eaton and Ayer, bobbins, spools and shuttles for cotton and woolen factories. Capital $100,000, employ 200 men, pay roll, $ 84,000; pro- ductions, $ 175,000.
Fletcher, Webster & Co., manu- facturers of black walnut and chestnut furniture, capital $75,000; employ 60 males and 20 females ; annual pay-roll, $44,600; sales, $ 120,000.
Nashua Novelty Works, manu- facture bird cages, toy sleds, toy wagons, and almost every descrip- tion of toys in the juvenile line. Capital, $ 25,000; employ 15 males and 3 females; annual pay-roll, $ 9,600; sales, $ 30,000.
Gregg & Son, doors, sash and blinds; capital, $ 65,000; employ
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
65 men ; pay-roll, $ 36,000; annual sales, $96,000.
Melendy & Co., planing and mouldings, capital, $20,000; em- ploy 12 men, annual pay-roll, $7, 200; business $ 65,000 annually ; lumber $ 60,000, and flour and meal ground, $ 13,400. (See tables.)
There are, also, annually pro- duced, monuments, grave stones, and granite cutting, $ 100,000; con- fectionery and baker's bread, $120, 000; matresses, $ 50,000; gas, $ 40, 000; newspaper and job printing, $ 45,000; bedsteads, $ 10,000; be- sides soap-stone work, Underhill's edge tools, wooden boxes, paper boxes, suspenders, and various other mechanical shops and trades, such as tailors, milliners, shoe workmen, blacksmiths, carpenters, painters, &c., &c. The total cap- ital invested in manufacturing, of every description, is $ 3,436,300; number of males employed, 1690; females, 1380. Annual amount paid for labor, $ 1,374,000; annual value of productions, $ 7,393,500.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 88,550; mechanical labor, $ 1,374,000; engaged in profess- ional and personal business, trade and transportation, 1080 persons ; annual amount received for their labor, $ 648,000; stocks and bonds, $ 188,040, money at interest, $ 53, 098 ; deposits in savings banks, $ 1, 410,231; stock in trade, $ 994,000.
Churches and Pastors. First Congregational, Rev. F. Alvord; Oliver St. Congregational, Rev. J. S. Blake; Pearl Street Con- gregational, Rev. C. Wetherby ; First Roman Catholic, Rev. J. O' Donnell, priest; French Roman Catholic, Rev. J. Millette, priest; Main Street Methodist, Rev. V. A. Cooper; Chestnut Street Metho-
dist, Rev. HI. L. Kelsey; Unitari- an, Rev. T. L. Gorman; Univer- salist, Rev. L. A. Philbrook; Bap- tist, Rev. G. W. Nicholson ; Epis- copal, Rev. J. B. Goodrich, rector.
Many of these Churches have very fine edifices. The French Catholic church is new and a handsome and expensive struc- ture.
Schools. There are twenty-eight graded schools. Average length of schools, for the year, thirty-nine weeks. Number of scholars, 2,325. Amount of money annu- ally appropriated for school pur- poses, $ 26,400.65, or $ 11.36 to each scholar in the city. A high school building is to be erected on the grounds of the old cemetery, on Spring Street, at an expense of $ 65,000, also one at the Harbor- borough, costing $ 10,000. When these two school buildings are completed, the value of school houses, including lots, will be $ 170,000. But one other city in the State appropriates as much money for school purposes. The high school is under the charge of T. W. H. Hussey. The Nashua Literary Institution was estab- lished in 1835. David Crosby is the principal. (See Literary In- stitutions.)
Libraries. Nashua City Libra- ry, 6,000 volumes. Persons own- ing private libraries, of 600 vol- umes or over, are A. H. Saunders, Dr. E. Spaulding, William Bar- rett, H. B. Atherton, Judge G. Y. Sawyer, Hon. John. H. Goodale, W. W. Bailey, and Rev. J. O' Donnell.
Newspapers. New -Hampshire Telegraph, weekly; Daily Tele- graph; New-Hampshire Gazette, and Hillsborough County Adver-
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NASHUA.
tiser, weekly; and Nashua Daily Gazette. Nashua Historical So- ciety is in a flourishing condition, having a large collection of an- tique curiosities. (See tables.)
Banks. First National Bank, Indian Head National Bank, capi- tal, $ 270,000; City Savings Bank, Nashua Savings Bank, and Me- chanics' Savings Bank; total amount of deposits, $ 2,861,102.82. (See tables.)
Hotels. Indian Head House and Tremont House.
Waterworks. Pennichuck Wa- terworks were constructed in 1854. The water is taken from an artifi- cial pond, containing from twenty to thirty acres, and is fed by many never-failing springs. The water is forced into a large reservoir, half a mile north of the City Hall, and about one hundred and ten feet above its foundation. Hy- drants have been placed at con- venient distances through the city proper, to guard against devas- tating fires. The water is pure, soft and excellent for culinary use.
Its Future, Few cities in this section of New-England have a more flattering future, as to in- crease of wealth, population, and all other advances in civilization, such as schools, churches, benevo- lent societies, etc. With its six railroads, coming from all sections of the country, its large iron mills, constantly increasing in business, its extensive cotton factories, and many other important manufacto- ries, there is no doubt but it will increase in every resource, fifty per cent. within the next ten years. She yields the palm to none of her sister cities, in the mechanical and inventive genius of her sons.
First Settlements. Nashua was settled prior to 1673, and was the earliest settlement in southern New-Hampshire. October 15 1673, it was incorporated by Mas- sachusetts, under the name of Dunstable, and comprised within its borders, Hollis, Merrimack, and Hudson, in New-Hampshire, and Tyngsborough, Dunstable, and parts of Groton, Peperell, and Townsend, in Massachusetts, and portions of Pelham, Litchfield, Milford, and Brookline, in New- Hampshire. It belonged to Mas- sachusetts till the division line be- tween the two provinces was set- tled, in 1741, It was incorporated by New-Hampshire, April 1746, under the same name, and contin- ued so till 1837, when it was changed to Nashua. In 1680, there were thirty families in town. Among the first settlers in this locality, was Edward Tyng, who came here soon after it was incor- porated. The names of Weld, Blanchard, Waldo, Cummings &c. were among the first settlers. In 1803, a post office was establish- ed at the village of Nashua, then containing a few stores, hotel and several dwelling houses. The first canal boat was launched about this time, with much pa- rade, and christened, "The Nash- ua," and " Nashua Village." The charter for the Nashua Manufac- turing Company was obtained in 1824, and Mill No.1 went into oper- ation in December, 1825. In 1827, No. 2 Mill was built, and No. 3 in 1836.
Indians. Dunstable was the frontier settlement, for over fifty years, and as such was exposed to Indian attacks, and subjected to all the cruelties and hardships of a
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
savage warfare. During Philip's war in 1675, the town was aban- doned. In 1691, several persons were killed. In 1702, a party of Indians made an assault upon the settlement, and killed several per- sons, among whom was the Rev. Thomas Weld.
On the third day of July, 1706, a party of Indians made a descent upon Dunstable, (now Nashua), where they fell on a garrison that had twenty troopers in it. The troopers had been ranging the wood's in the vicinity, and at night came towards the garrison ; apprc- hending no danger, they turned their horses loose upon the inter- val, piled their arms and harness in the house, and began a carousal, to exhilirate their spirits after the fatigues of the day. The Indians had lately arrived in the vicinity. That day they had . designed to attack both Wells' and Golusha's garrisons. One of their number had been stationed to Watch each of these houses, to see that no assistance approached, and no alarm was given. A short time previous to the arrival of the cavalry, the Indian stationed at Wells' returned to his party, and reported that all was safe. At sunset, a Mr. Cummings and his wife went out to milk their cows and left the gate open. The In- dians who had advanced undiscov- ered, started up, shot Mrs. Cum- mings dead upon the spot, and wounded her husband. They then rushed through the open gate into the house, with all the horrid yells of conquering sav- ages, but started with amazement at finding the room filled with sol- ders, merrily feasting. Both par- ties were completely amazed, and
neither acted with much proprie- ty. The soldiers, so suddenly in- terrupted in their jovial entertain- ment, found themselves called up- on to fight, when entirely destitute of arms, and incapable of obtain- ing any. The greater part were panic struck, and unable to fight or fly. £ Fortunately, all were not in this sad condition ; some six or seven men, with chairs, clubs, and whatever they could seize up- on, furiously attacked the advanc- ing foe. The Indians who were as much surprised as the soldiers, had but little more courage than they, and immediately took to their hecls for safety, thus yield- ing the house, defeated by one quarter of their number of unarm- ed men. The trumpeter, who was in the upper part of the house at the time of the attack, seized his trumpet, and commenced sounding an alarm, when he was shot dead by an Indian on the stair way. He was the only one of the party killed.
September 4, 1724, the Indians again fell on Dunstable, and took two captives in the evening. The persons taken were Nathan Cross, and Thomas Blanchard, who had been engaged in the manufacture of turpentine, on the north side of the Nashua River, near where the city of Nashua now stands. At that time there were no houses nor settlements on that side of the riv- er. These men had been in the habit of returning every night, to lodge in a saw mill on the other side. That night, not returning as usual, an alarm was given. It was feared that they had fallen in- to the hands of the Indians. A par- ty consisting of ten of the princi- pal inhabitants of the place start-
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NASHUA.
ed in search of them, under the direction of one French, a ser- geant of militia. In this company was Farwell, who was afterward lieutenant under Lovewell. When they arrived at the spot where the men had been laboring, they found the hoops of the barrels cut, and the turpentine spread up- on the ground. From certain marks upon the trees, made with coal mixed with grease, they un- derstood that the men were taken
and carried off alive. In the course of this examination, Far- well perceived that the turpentine had notceased spreading, and call- ed the attention of his comrades to this circumstance. They con- cluded that the Indians had been gone but a short time, and must still be near, and decided upon instant pursuit. Farwell advised them to take a circuitous route to avoid any ambush. But, unfor- tunately, he and French, a short time previous, had had a misun- derstanding, and were still at va- riance. French imputed this ad- vice to cowardice, and called out, "I am going to take the direct path; if any of you are not afraid, let him follow me." French led the way, and the whole party followed, Farwell falling in the rear. Their route was up the Merri- mack, towards which they bent their course, to look for their horses upon the interval. At the brook, near Lutwyche's (now Thornton's Ferry,) they were way- laid. The Indians fired upon them and killed the larger part instant- ly. A few fled, but were overtaken and destroyed. French was kill- ed about a mile from the place of action. Farwell, in the rear, see- ing those before him fall, sprang
behind a tree, discharged his rifle and ran. Two Indians pursued him; the chase was vigorously maintained for some time, with- out gaining much advantage, till Farwell passing through a thick- et, the Indians lost sight of him, and fearing he might have loaded again, they desisted. Farwell was the only one of the company that escaped. A company from the neighborhood mustered, upon the news of this disaster, proceeded to the fated spot, took up the bod- ies of their friends and townsmen, and intered them in the burying ground. Blanchard and Cross were carried to Canada; after re- maining there some time, they succeeded, by their own exertions, in effecting their redemption, and returned to their native town. In 1725, John Lovewell with Jo- siah Farwell as lieutenant, raised a company of volunteers, and marched northward in pursuit of the enemy. In their two first ex- peditions, they killed eleven In- dians, and took some prisoners ; but in the third they met with a disastrous defeat by incautiously falling into an ambuscade at Love- well's Pond, in Fryeburg, Maine. Sixteen were killed and eleven wounded. Among the killed were Captain Lovewell, Lieutenant Far- well and Ensign Robins, all of Dunstable. The noted chief " Pagus," was killed. This disas- ter was a hard blow to the settle- ment, but it brought peace to this whole section of New England, and taught the Indians that swift retribution was sure to follow their savage cruelties to the settlers. The song of the heroes of " Love- well Fight," was cherished, and sung at the evening fireside, by the
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
sons and daughters of the settlers, for many years.
In 1842, the northern portion of Nashua, on the north side of Nashua river, and on the south side as far as the Concord railroad, was disannexed and formed in- to a town called Nashville, and di- viding the village by the river, leaving in the new town the De- pot, the Jackson Cotton Mills, three churches, two hotels, fifteen or twenty stores and over two thousand inhabitants. This divis- ion was caused largely on the lo- cation of the Town Hall.
City Charter. In 1853, the two towns were consolidated and char- tered as the city of Nashua. The mayors under the city charter have been, in 1853, Joseph Bald- win; 1855, Freeman S. Rogers; 1857, Thomas W. Gillis; 1858, Al- bin Beard; 1860, Aaron W. Saw- yer; 1861, George Bowers; 1862, Hiram T. Morrill; 1864, Edward Spaulding; 1865, Virgin C. Gil- man; 1866, Gilman Scripture; 1868, George Bowers; 1869, Jona- than D. Otterson; 1871, Dana Sargent; 1872, Seth D. Chandler; 1873, Frank A. Mckean.
The population, at the various decades, has been, in 1775, 705; 1790, 632; 1800, 862; 1810, 1,049; 1820, 1,142 ; 1830, 2,417; 1840, 5,960; 1850, 8,942; 1860, 10,065; and 1870, 10,541. At no time since 1840, has the town increased in popula- tion, and business more rapidly than it has since 1870, and the num- ber of inhabitants is now (1874,) estimated at 12,000-polls, 2,800. The valuation of the city is $10, 388,693.
First Ministers. Rev. Thomas Weld, Congregational; settled in 1685; killed by the Indians in 1702,
Rev. Nathaniel Prentice, settled in 1718; died in 1737; Rev. Josiah Swan, settled in 1738; dismissed in 1746; Rev. Samuel Bird, settled in 1747; dismissed in 1751; Rev. Joseph Kidder, settled in 1767; died in 1818.
Boundaries. North by Merri- mack, east by Litchfield and Hud- son, south by Tyngsborough and Dunstable Massachusetts, and west by Hollis. Area, 18,898 acres; area of improved land, 6, 069 acres.
Distances. Thirty-five miles south from Concord, and forty north of west from Boston.
NELSON.
CHESHIRE COUNTY. Nelson is situated on the height of land, be- tween the Connecticut and Merri- mack Rivers. The surface is hilly but affords excellent pasturage. The soil is generally hard to culti- vate, but yields the husbandman a good return for his labor. Harris- ville was disannexed from its southern part, and, with the north- ern portion of Dublin, formed into a separate town, with the name of Harrisville, in 1870.
Ponds. There are several ponds in town of which Long Pond is the largest.
Employments. Agriculture is the principal vocation of the peo- ple. At a small village, called Monsonville, in the north-west section of the town, are several manufactories. J. D. Colony & Sons' cotton mill annually manu- factures 468,000 yards cotton sheet- ing, valued at $ 58,500. There are, also, chair, lumber, and other small mechanical shops.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 22,362; mechanical labor,
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NEW-BOSTON.
$ 16,800; stocks and money at in- terest, $ 5,600; deposits in savings banks, $ 48,781; stock in trade, $ 7,645.
Churches and Schools. Congre- gational, Rev. Mark Gould, pas- tor. There are six schools in town. Average length of schools, for the year, sixteen weeks.
First Settlement. The town was originally called Monadnock num- ber six. It was granted by the Masonian proprietors, Februa- ry 22, 1774, under the name of Packersfield, and included a part of Roxbury. It was changed to its present name in June, 1814. Breed Batchelder and Dr. Nathan- iel Breed commenced the first set- tlement in 1767.
First Minister. The Congrega- tional Church was organized here, January 31, 1781. Rev. Joseph Foster was installed as its pastor the same year. He was dismissed in 1791.
Boundaries. North by Stoddard, east by Hancock, south by Harris- ville, and west by Sullivan.
Distances. Forty miles south- west from Concord, and eleven north from Keene.
Railroad. By stage, three times a week, eleven miles, to Keene station.
NEW BOSTON.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. New Boston is an important farming town, ranking as the fourth in the county in the value of its agricul- tural productions. Its surface is uneven, consisting of fertile hills, productive vales, and some valua- ble meadows. The soil is favora- ble for all the various productions common to this section of the State, and the many fine farms to
be found in different localities, show that the agricultural inter- est is not wholly neglected.
Streams and Ponds. Several streams water this town, the larg- est of which is the south branch of the Piscataquog River, having its source in Pleasant Pond, in Francestown. Beard's Pond, and Jo English Pond are the princi- pal bodies of water. There are many good water privileges.
Elevations. In the south part is a considerable elevation, called Jo English Hill, one side of which is nearly perpendicular. The scenery around here partakes largely of the alpine character, with rocks piled on rocks, and hills on hills.
Employments. Agriculture is the principal vocation of the in- habitants. 1,200 bushels wheat, 7,600 bushels corn, 36,000 pounds butter, and 3,600 tons of hay are annually produced.
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