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 34
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Mountains. Bald, Coit, Blue- berry ledge, and East mountains, are the principal elevations in town. From the summit of these mountains a fine view is presented of the surrounding country.
Villages. On Sugar River, about six miles from Sunapee Lake, is located the thriving vil- lage of Newport. It is considered one of the pleasantest and most ยท enterprising villages in the State, both in manufacturing and as a centre of mercantile trade. The
main street is more than a mile in length, crossing the river over a handsome bridge nearly in the centre of the village. On this street are located four elegant church edifices, the court and town house, jail and county buildings, three school-houses, two large ho- tels, two banks, the Argus and Spectator office, seven lawyers', three insurance, and six physi- cians' and dentists' offices, be- tween thirty and forty stores and shops for trade, of various kinds, and over one hundred dwelling houses. There are many other pleasant streets, with well built residences on them. The man- ufactories are valuable, being situated on water power which never fails in a dry time. The woolen manufactories annually produce 1,600,000 yards of flan- nel, valued at $ 408,000. The amount paid for labor, by these mills, is over $ 60,000. 18,000 sides of leather and 16,000 lbs. splits are annually produced, valued at $ 77, 200; there is annually ground 19, 000 bushels of grain, valued at $ 33,000. There are lumber mills, carpenter shops, and various other kinds of mechanical shops, com- mon to a New-England village.
The court house and town hall building was erected in the fall of 1872, and the spring and summer of 1873, at an expense of over $40,000, and is one of the fin- est edifices of the kind in the State. The hotels are new, com- modious, and pleasantly located. The books of the hotels show the number of arrivals last year to be over 12,000. Some of the business buildings are large and substan- tial structures. Richards' building is one of the finest mercantile
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blocks in the county. In the north part of the village is a beautiful common, shaded with the maple, and capacious enough to parade a regiment on. On either side of this common stand some of the finest residences in the village, adorned with yards and gardens. The fu- ture prospects of the inhabitants of this town are very flattering; and their fond anticipations of seeing a large village, double its present size, may be fully realized within the next ten years.
About two miles north-west from the principal village is the small, busy, manufacturing village of Northville. Here are annually made, 1,600 dozens of scythes, val- ued at $ 17,000 ; 500 dozens of rakes ; 13,000 butter tubs ; 5,000 pails; be- sides, there are lumber mills, and other small manufactories.
Summer Resorts. But few local- ities in the State offer better in- ducements to summer tourists than Newport. The fine roads, pleasant drives, and delightful views from the crests of its many hills, render it very attractive to lovers of country homes and nat- ural scenery in its varied forms. A pleasant ride of six miles brings you to the romantic shores of Sun- apee Lake. This lake is about nine miles in length, and from one half to two miles in width. Three miles south of Newport village, is Unity Springs, which has become quite noted for its medical quali- ties. Its waters are highly charg- ed with salts of iron, and possess tonic properties. Here is a fine hotel to accommodate invalids and lovers of recreation. A ride on the cars, or by carriage, of six miles, carries you to the " Sunapee Mountain House" in Newbury.
The views from this house, of Sun- apee Lake and the surrounding country, are some of the finest in the State. This house is becoming a popular summer resort. The number of tourists who spend their summer vacation in New- port and vicinity, is estimated at over five hundred.
Employments. The employ- ment of the inhabitants is nearly equally divided between agricul- ture on the one side, and mechan- ical, mercantile, and official busi- ness on the other, with the prepon- derance in favor of the latter. The capital invested for manufacturing purposes is over $ 375,000; the an- nual value of manufactured pro- ductions, $ 619,100.
Resources. Annual value of ag- ricultural products, $ 148, 156; me- chanical labor, $117,700; profes- sional services, $ 105,000; stocks, &c., $ 64,800; money at interest, $ 41,724; deposits in savings banks, $ 118,282; stock in trade, $ 105, 975; from summer tourists, $ 15, 000.
Churches and Schools. The Con- gregational, Rev. G. W. R. Scott, pastor; number of members, 248; church valuation, $ 50,000. Meth- odist, Rev. E. R. Wilkins, pastor; members, 230; valuation, $ 13,000. Baptist, Rev. H. C. Leavitt, pas- tor; members, 189; Christian church at Northville. There are eighteen school districts, and six- teen schools; average length for the year, twenty weeks; average amount of money annually appro- priated for school purposes, $ 2,334. 50. It is intended to build a large school house(with all the modern improvements), in the village, the coming season, (1874.)
Banks. There are two banks in
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town, -the First National, and Newport Savings banks.
Libraries. Newport Social Li- brary, 400 volumes ; Hon. Edmund Burke's private library, 6,000 vol- umes; besides several other pri- vate libraries with over 1,000 vol- umes each.
Hotels. Newport House, and Phenix Hotel.
First Settlers. Ezra Parmelee, then about twenty-one years of age, in company with Dea. Jesse Wilcox, and his two sons, Jesse and Phineas-Samuel Hurd and Jesse Kelsey, came, early in the month of June, 1766-occupied the lands to which they were entitled, built their camps, and commene- ed the actual settlement of the town. These men were from old Kilingworth, Connecticut. Some years later, John MeGregory, (fath- er of the late John McGregory, M. D.,) Joel MeGregory, and Deacon Daniel Chapin, made a settlement in the north-western section of the town. Joel McGregory died a few years since, aged one hundred and one years. A son of his is now living in town, between eighty and ninety years of age. Newport has been the birthplace and residence of many prominent men and wom- en of this country, Mrs. Sarah J. Hale, was a native of this town. The town was incorporated Oc- tober 6, 1761. Hon. Benjamin Giles, long a resident, and highly respected, built the first grist- mill, in 1768. Captain Ezra Par- melee settled on the Unity road about one mile south of the vil- lage, and built his barn soon af- ter coming to Newport. This barn is now (1873,) standing and in good repair. It is safe to say that it has been built, and been in use,
over one hundred years. The cov- ering boards are fastened to the timbers with strong wooden pins, which elearly shows the scarcity of nails in those early days of the settlement. A few rods from the barn, stands an apple tree, which is quite as old. Captain Parmelee brought it from Connecticut, over one hundred years ago.
First Ministers. Rev. John Remelee, ordained in 1783, dis- missed in 1791; Rev. Abijah Wines, settled in 1785, dismissed in 1816. Congregational and Bap- tist churches were established in 1779.
Boundaries. North by Croydon, east by Sunapee and Goshen, west by Claremont, and south by Gosh- en and Unity. Area, 25,267 acres ; improved land, 18,533 acres.
Distances. Forty miles north of west from Concord, and about thir- ty-five miles north from Keene.
Railroad. Concord and Clare- mont Railroad passes through the town in an easterly and westerly direction.
NEWTON.
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY. New- ton is a small township bordering on Massachusetts. The surface is broken but the soil is deep and fer- tile, and yields good erops of grain and grass. The farmers find a ready sale for their produce at Haverhill, Massachusetts. Nearly one third of Country Pond lies in this town, and it is the only body of water, of note.
Employments. The employ- ment of the inhabitants is about equally divided between farming and mechanical labor. 1,000,000 feet of boards &c., and 180,000 shingles, are annually sawed; and
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NORTHFIELD.
120,000 pairs of shoes are made.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 38,259; mechanical labor, $ 30,000; money at interest, $ 3, 400; deposits in savings banks,* $ 3,174; stock in trade, $ 11,827.
Churches and Schools. Baptist church, Rev. B. H. Lane, pastor; Christian, Rev. Nathaniel Day, pastor. There are six schools in town; average length, for the year, twenty weeks.
Hotels Traveller's Home, and Depot House.
First Minister. Rev. John Eames, in 1791. A Baptist Society was formed here in 1755, and it is the oldest religious society, of that denomination in the State. A Congregational Church was or- ganized about 1759.
First Settlements. Joseph Bart- lett and others first settled in this town in 1720. Twelve years pre- vious to his settlement he was taken captive by the Indians at Haverhill, and conveyed to Can- ada where he remained four years.
Boundaries. North by Kings- ton, east by South Hampton, .south by Amesbury, Mass. and west by Plaistow. Area, 5,250 acres,
Distances. Forty miles south- east from Concord, and twenty- eight south-west from Portsmouth.
Railroads. Boston and Maine, and Amesbury and Newton Branch Railroads pass through this town.
NORTHFIELD.
MERRIMACK COUNTY. The sur- face of this town is uneven, being broken by hills. The best section
of land for agriculture, lies on two ridges extending nearly through the town. The soil is of good quality, producing excellent crops of corn, oats and grass. There are many fine farms, under a high state of cultivation.
Ponds and Rivers. Chestnut Pond lies in the east part of the town, and flows into the Winnipis- eogee, three miles from the junc- tion with the Pemigewasset. Son- dogardy Pond discharges its waters into the Merrimack. Winnipis- eogee River waters its western bor- der, and separates it from Tilton. The town formerly possessed some fine water power, on this river, near its junction with the Pemigewas- sett, but thisportion of its territory is now embraced within the limits of Franklin. It still holds some good power at the village of Tilton.
Village. A portion of what is called the village of Tilton, on the south side of the river, lies in this town. On the Northfield side are two woolen mills, annually manu- facturing respectively 210,000 and 66,000 yards of repellants, valued at $ 276,000 besides lumber mills, wheel-wright shop etc. There is a large graded school building and over fifty dwelling houses. For full particulars of the village, see Tilton.
Employments. A majority of the inhabitants are engaged in ag- riculture, but the manufactories are valuable, with fair encourage- ment that they will be enlarged within a few years.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 95,311; mechanical labor. $ 46,500; stocks and money at in- terest, $ 9,648; deposits in savings banks, $ 50,911; stock in trade, $ 6,425.
* Depositors in Savings Banks are induced to place their surplus earnings in Massa- chusetts Savings Institutions.
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
Churches and Schools, The churches are on the Tilton side of the village. There are nine schools in town, two of which are graded; average length, for the year, fourteen weeks.
First Settlers. Benjamin Blan- chard and others first settled here in 1760. It was originally a part of Canterbury, and was incorpor- ated June, 1780, under its present name.
Boundaries. North by Tilton and Belmont, east by Belmont, south by Canterbury, and west by Franklin and Boscawen. Area, about 17,000 acres; improved land, 9,638 acres.
Distances. Seventeen miles north from Concord, by the Bos- ton, Concord, and Montreal Rail- road.
NORTH HAMPTON.
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY. This town has an even surface, and its soil has been made very productive by means of the large quantities of seaweed which the farmers spread on the ground as a fertilizer. In proportion to the number of acres under improvement, no town in the county, exceeds it in its value of agricultural productions.
Rivers. Little River is the prin- cipal stream; it has its source in the north part of the town. Mean- dering through it in a south-east- erly direction for a couple of miles, it empties into the Ocean, between Great and Little Boar's head. Winnecut River rises near the centre of the town and flows north west into Great Bay. These rivers afford some water privileges.
Summer Resorts. Part of the eastern border is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the town has
become a popular resort for tour- ists. Many of the farmers make it a special business to keep city boarders through the summer months, and, in connection with their farms, find it a lucrative business.
Employments. Agriculture is the principal employment of the inhabitants. 750,000 shingles and 350,000 feet of boards are annually sawed, also 60,000 pairs of shoes, are annually made.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 76,224; mechanical labor, $ 20,500; stocks and money at in- terest, $ 9,700; deposits in savings bank, $ 46,803; stock in trade, $ 1,125; from summer tourists, $ 15,000.
Churches and Schools. Congre- gational Church, Rev. T. V. Haines pastor; Baptist Church, There are three schools in town. Average length for the year, thirty-one weeks.
Library. North-Hampton Social Library, 250 volumes.
First Settlements. This town formerly constituted the parish called North Hill in Hampton. The first settlement dates back to a very early period in the history of this State, and the early settlers were much exposed to the hostili ties of the Indians. Garrison were erected to which the inhabi tants resorted in times of danger. In 1677 several persons were killed. Incorporated November 26, 1742. (For first settlers see Hampton.)
First Ministers. Rev. Nathaniel Gookin (Congregational) ordained in 1731, died in 1766. Rev. Joseph Hastings ordained in 1767, re- moved in 1774; Rev. David Mc Clure D. D., settled in 1776, dis-
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NORTHUMBERLAND.
missed in 1784. Rev. Benjamin Thurston settled in 1785, dismissed in 1800. The first Congregational Meeting house was erected in 1738.
Boundaries. North by Green- land, east by Rye and Atlantic Ocean, south by Hampton Falls and Hampton and west by Strat- ham. Area of improved land 5,363 acres.
Distances. Forty-seven miles south east by east from Concord and nine south by west from Portsmouth by Eastern Railroad. Railroad. Eastern Railroad passes through this town.
NORTHUMBERLAND.
Coos COUNTY. The land on the Connecticut, in this town, was originally covered with a growth of butternut wood. The soil is free from stone and gravel, and is easily cultivated. A large portion of the upland is good for pasturing and tillage. There are several good farms, producing excellent corn, oats and barley. But one other town in the county raises as many bushels of corn.
Rivers. Connecticut River wash- es the western border, and it is watered by the Upper Ammonoo- suc River, which passes through the town in a south-westerly direc- tion.
Elevation. Near the centre of the town is an abrupt and rugged elevation, called Cape Horn, of an altitude of nearly 1,000 feet. The scenery around this mountain is wild and beautiful. Its north base is separated from the Connecticut by a narrow plain, and its eastern side is washed by the Upper Am- monoosuc. The spring freshets usually overflow the meadows, at
this point, and give them the ap pearance of a large lake.
Employments. Agriculture is the principal employment of the inhabitants; but manufacturing is an important branch of business. At Northumberland Falls, there are starch, straw-board and shoe peg mills, annually manufacturing 40 tons starch, 175 tons straw board, and 20,000 bushels shoe pegs. At Groveton there are manufactories, annually produc- ing leather, $ 70,000; 100,000 clap- boards, 1,000,000 shingles, and 7,000,000 feet of long timber, val- ued at $ 102,000; meal, $ 3,500; be- sides blacksmiths, harness makers, painters, carpenters, &c. The total value of goods, annually manufactured in town, is $208,600.
At Groveton, the Montreal Rail- road forms a junction with the Grand Trunk Railroad. In this village there is a post office, tele- graph and express office, one law- yer, one physician, church edifice, large graded school house, five stores, of all kinds, one hotel and one eating house.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 72,544; mechanical labor, $ 39,800; money at interest, $5, 050 ; deposits in savings banks, $ 1, 072; stock in trade, $20,260.
Church and Schools. Methodist, (at Groveton) Rev. G. C. Noyes, pastor. There are ten schools in town, two of which are graded. Average length of schools, for the year, thirteen weeks.
Hotels. Rogers House; at Groveton, Ammonoosuc House.
First Settlement. Thomas Burn- side and Daniel Spaulding, togeth- er with their families, commenced the first settlement in this town, in 1767. North of Cape Horn
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
mountain, and near the river, are the remains of a fort, built dur. ing the war of the Revolution. It was placed under the command of Captain Jeremiah Eames, after- wards well known for his useful- ness, wit and social disposition. The town was incorporated No- vember 16, 1779.
Boundaries. North by Stratford, east by Stark, south by Lancaster, and west by Vermont. Area of improved land, 6,555 acres.
Distances. By railroad, one hundred and forty-five miles north from Concord, and eight north- east from Lancaster.
Railroads. Grand Trunk, and Montreal Extension Railroads.
NORTHWOOD.
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY. For beautiful and varied scenery, there is no town in the State, that sur- passes Northwood, south of the White Mountain Range. Her mountains and hills, and her spark- ing lakelets or ponds, lend en- chantment to her many views.
Ponds. There are seven ponds in this town; viz. Suncook, Jenness, Long, Little Bow, Harvey, Dur- gin and Knowlton, or Demerritt Ponds, besides a part of Bow Lake and Pleasant Pond, and all cover- ing an area of over fourteen hun- dred acres.
Rivers. The north branch of Lamprey River has its source in this town, at the eastern base of Saddleback mountain. The main branch of Suncook River has its rise in Jenness, Long, Little Bow, Durgin, Harvey and Suncook Ponds, draining nearly one half of the area of the town, (8,500 acres,) and furnishing nearly all of the water power.
Mountains and Hills. Saddle- back Mountain, between Deerfield and Northwood, has an altitude of one thousand fect above the ocean. On the east side of this mountain are found crystals and crystaline spars, of various colors. Plumbago of superior quality is also found. Brown's or Richard- son's Hill, between Jenness and Long ponds, has an abrupt eleva- tion of three hundred feet above the latter pond. The summit is covered with an open growth of oaks, affording a fine place, in sum- mer, for picnic parties. From the top of Fogg's Hill, eight ponds can be seen. The main street in Northwood, passes over what is called Clark's Hill, the highest cul- tivated elevation, in Rockingham county, from the top of which can be seen the ocean, and also nearly the whole basin of the country, at a glance.
Agricultural. The soil of Nortli- wood is moist, and has been con- sidered better adapted for grazing, than any other branch of agricul- ture; but there are only three towns in the county that raise as many bushels of corn, and but one as many bushels of wheat. Agri- culture is neglected, owing to a large portion of the people being engaged in shoe business; but when the soil is properly cultivat- ed, it yields excellent crops.
Summer Resorts. The elevated position of Northwood, command- ing an extensive and delightful view of the surrounding country, has caused many summer tourists to spend their vacation here, and it is becoming a popular resort for all lovers of mountains, lakes, and hills. The Gulf, Brown's Hill, and all the ponds are pleasant,
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NORTHWOOD.
and interesting localities for tour- ists to visit.
Manufactories. There is one large shoe factory in the east part of the town, employing over one hundred men and women, and manufacturing annually, over 152, 000 pairs of women's boots and shoes, valued at $ 215,000. There is paid for labor annually, $ 55,000. The whole number of shoes manu- factured, annually, in town, is nearly 550,000 pairs, valued at $ 715,000, and giving the work- men for their labor over $ 135, 000 per annum.
Resources. Total productions of the soil, $ 74,188; mechanical labor, $ 140,300 ; stocks and mon- ey at interest, $ 33,900; deposits in savings banks, $ 51,115; stock in trade, $21,170; from summer tourists, $ 1,500; professional bus- iness, $ 10,000.
Churches and Schools. Congre- gational, Rev. E. C. Cogswell, pastor; Freewill Baptist, Rev. L. P. Bickford, pastor; Baptist, Rev. A. A. Chase, pastor. There are nine schools in town, two of which are graded; average length, for the year, twenty-one weeks; to- tal amount annually appropriated for school purposes, $ 1,405.
Literary Institutions. North- wood Academy, E. C. Cogswell, Principal. Northwood Seminary, William H. Cotton, Principal. (See Literary Institutions.)
Libraries. Northwood Social Library, 1,000 volumes; North- wood Academy Library, 500 vol- umes; Rev. E. C. Cogswell's pri- vate library, 1,200 volumes.
Hotels. The traveling public have long appreciated the good hotels in Northwood; being excel- led by no country town in the
State. It still retains its high rep- utation in that respect, in the Har- vey House, kept by the accommo- dating landlord, E. C. Brown, Esq. There is a daily stage to Epsom depot, on the Suncook Valley Rail- road, distance, six miles; also a stage three times a week to New- market, on the Boston and Maine Railroad, distance, eighteen miles.
First Settlements. This town was originally the extreme north- ern section of Nottingham, and some of the inhabitants, in the win- ter, would visit this locality for lumbering, and they called it the " north woods." Hence the name when incorporated. The first set- tlement was commenced, March, 25, 1763, by Moses Godfrey, John and Increase Batchelder, and Sol- onion Bickford. Colonel Samuel Johnson came, a few years after, and the first nighthe was in town he slept between two large stones covered over by a quilt or canvass. Within a few feet of where he rest- ed the first night, his bones are now taking their last rest. It was in- corporated Feb. 6, 1773. Septem- ber 6, 1873, the people celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of the town organization of their town, and gave a general invita- tion to the sons and daughters, who had left their native town, to join them in the festivities of the occa- sion. Over two thousand persons met on the day appointed, and the greetings of old friends and neigh- bors, who had not met for half a century, were frequent, and the enjoyment such as few partici- pate in in a life time.
Casualties. Within thirty years there have been fourteen violent deaths in town. Ten were drown- ed, two were thrown from a car-
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riage, one killed in a saw mill and one, a girl thirteen years of age, most brutally murdered by her uncle, whose name was Evans, in October, 1872. Three other men left town temporarily, and never returned. One was thrown from a carriage, one killed on the rail- road, and the other drowned.
First Churches and Ministers. The Baptist Church was organized in 1779, and the Rev. Edmund Pillsbury ordained the same year, as its pastor. The Congregational Church was formed in 1781. Rev. Josiah Prentice was ordained in 1799. He was pastor over forty years.
Boundaries. North-east by Strafford, south-east by Notting- ham, south, and south-west by Deerfield, and north-west by Ep- som and Pittsfield. Area, 17,075; acres; area of improved land, 10, 389 acres.
Distances. Eighteen miles east from Concord, twenty-six north- west from Exeter, and about twenty miles west from Dover.
Railroads. The natural re- sources and growing business, of this town, demand a railroad, and if the projected Concord and Do- ver Railroad is built, it will pass through it. But three towns in the county do as much manu- facturing as Northwood, and there are but two towns whose freight would be as valuable for any railroad, it being a longer dis- tance to market. The largest un- broken tract of woodland in the county, is in this town, and con- tains between two and three thou- sand acres.
NOTTINGHAM.
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY. The surface of Nottingham is uneven
and broken with hills, but the soil is deep and fertile, and produces fine crops of wheat, corn, barley, potatoes, &c. There are many fine farms under a high state of cul- tivation.
Rivers and Ponds. Little River is the principal stream in town, and affords some very good water power. Several small streams have their source in this town, and North River passes through it. There are several ponds, the largest of which is Pawtuckaway.
Mountains. Pawtuckaway Moun- tain is the principal elevation in town. It lies on the line between Nottingham and Deerfield, and consists of three distinct peaks, rising abruptly, and designat- ed as the Upper, Middle, and Lower Mountains. These moun- tains were once the haunts of the deer, panther, and wildcat.
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