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 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76
First Settlements. September 10, 1761, Bath was granted to Rev. Andrew Gardner and sixty-one others. The conditions of the charter were not complied with, and, in March 1769, it was rechart- ered to John Sawyer and others. John Herrimen from Haverhill,
* The Church was rebuilt in the season of 1873.
63
BEDFORD.
Massachusetts, first settled here in 1765, and in 1766, Moses Pike and Mr. Sawyer commenced settle- ments. In 1778, a Presbyterian church was formed, but in 1791, it was dissolved and a Congregation- al church organized with nineteen members.
First Minister. . Rev. David Sutherland a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, was installed in 1806.
Boundaries. North by Lyman, east by Landaff, south by Haver- hill, and west by Ryegate Vt. Improved land, 18,639 acres.
Distances. Ninety-eight miles north-west from Concord and forty-two north-east from Han- over.
Railroads. The Boston, Concord and Montreal and White moun- tains (N. H.) railroad passes . through this town.
BEDFORD.
HILLSBOROUGH CO. In the west part, the surface is uneven, but the soil is strong and productive. On the Merrimack are rich intervals. Of late years much attention has been given to producing milk for the Manchester market.
The value of milk annually sold is estimated at $75,000. Bedford ranks as the second town in the county in the value of its agricul- tural productions.
Natural Curiosities. In the westerly part of the town is a gulf and precipice, which are worthy of a visit from all lovers of natural curiosities. Over the precipice a small river plunges, falling two hundred feet in a distance of one hundred yards. Excavations in solid stone are found here, suffi- ciently large to contain several persons. There are apparently
.
three ponds in town, but it is sup- posed they are united beneath a large bog, which floats upon the surface, and rises and falls with the water.
Rivers. The town is watered by the Merrimack and Piscataquoag Rivers, which afford some water power.
Minerals. Iron ore, plumbago, hornblende, crystallized quartz, &c., are found here in limited quantities.
Employments. The inhabitants are principally engaged in agricul- ture. 7,000 bushels of corn, 19,000 bushels potatoes, and 3,200 tons hay are produced, 5,000 clapboards, 395,000 shingles, and 1,300,000 feet of boards, &c., are sawed annual- ly. There are also a wheelwright, and several other mechanical shops in town. Many thousands of bricks are also manufactured.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 178,000; mechanical labor, $ 16,100; stock and money at in- terest, $24,000; deposits in savings banks, $ 146,875; stock in' trade, $ 17,812.
Churches and Schools. Presby- terian church, Rev. Ira C. Tyson, pastor. There are twelve school districts, and eleven schools in town ; average length of schools for the year, twenty-two weeks.
First Settlements. In 1733 Mas- sachusetts granted Bedford to the officers, soldiers and the surviving heirs of those deceased, who served in the Narragansett war, under the name of "Narragansett, No. 5, or "Souhegan East." The number of grantees was 120. The first settlement was made by Robert and James S. Walker, in 1737. Col. John Goffe, Matthew Patten, Esq., and Captain Samuel Patten,
e
e
64
NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
were added to the settlement in 1738. Several of the early settlers emigrated from the northern part of Ireland. Silas Barron, son of Moses Barron, was born A. D. 1741 ; and was the first child born in town. In 1745, James Mc Quade and Robert Burns, who had been to a neighboring town, on their re- turn were surprised by a party of Indians, concealed in the bushes, near the path. McQuade was killed, but Burns, by running in a zig-zag course, so confused the enemy, that he made his escape near Goff's Falls. On the bank of the river is a plot of ground sup- posed once to have been an Indian burying ground. Dr. Woodbury, in company with others, in 1821, ex- humed a part of three skeletons : one appeared to have been buried in a sitting position ; all their heads lay towards the south. Human bones have been washed from the banks of the river near these grounds. Hon. John Orr, a distinguished citizen of this town was in the battle of Bennington, under Gen. Stark, and received a wound in the early part of the engagement. He died here in January 1823, aged seventy-five years.
Incorporated May 19, 1750.
First Ministers. Rev. John Houston, (Presby.) ordained in 1758, died in 1778; Rev. David M. Gregory, settled in 1804. A Pres- byterian Church was formed in 1757.
Boundaries and Area. North by Goffstown, east by Merrimack River, which separates it from Manchester, south by Merrimack and west by Amherst and New Boston. Area, 20,000 acres. Im- proved land 11,781 acres.
Distances. Twenty-one miles
south from Concord, eight north- east from Amherst, and four west from Manchester.
Railroads. Concord Railroad passes through this town. When completed, the Manchester and Ashburnham Railroad will . also pass through it.
BELMONT.
BELKNAP Co. Belmont is one of the most important farming towns in the State, ranking as the twenty-first in value of agricultu- ral products. The surface is brok- en with hills and valleys, affording some very fine scenery. The soil is deep, well cultivated, and pro- duces excellent crops of corn, wheat, oats and hay. No town in the county, in proportion to the number of acres cultivated, ex- ceeds Belmont in value of agricul- tural products.
Streams and Mountains. A con- siderable stream rises in the north- west section of Gilmanton, and runs in a southerly direction through this town, discharging its water into the Winnepiseogee Riv- er, and affording some very good water privileges in its course. A part of Suncook Mountains lie in the north-east section of the town.
Scenery. The beautiful and ro- mantic scenery of this town at- tracts the attention of many tour- ists, who visit it through the warm season of the year. There is a pleasant and busy village called Factory Village.
Employments. Agriculture is the principal employment of the people, although manufacturing is carried on to a considerable extent. 700,000 feet of boards, &c., and 450,000 shingles are annually pro-
65
BENNINGTON.
duced, and 86,000 dozen pairs of womens' cotton hose are annually manufactured.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $165,980; mechanical labor, $48,400; stocks and money at in- terest, $22,400; deposits in savings banks, $92,470; stock in trade, $6, 812 ; from summer tourists, $10,000.
Churches and Schools. 1st Free- will Baptist Church, Rev. J. L. Sinclair, pastor ; 2d Freewill Bap- tist Church, Rev. J. Davis Pastor ; Christian Church, Rev. A. Kidder, pastor. There are twelve school districts in this town, and fourteen schools. Average length of schools for the year, sixteen weeks.
Hotels. Belmont House; Ameri- can House.
First Organization. This town was disannexed from Gilmanton, June 28, 1859, and called Upper Gilmanton, but was changed to Belmont in July, 1869. For first settlers see Gilmanton.
Boundaries. North-east by Gil- ford, south-east by Gilmanton, south-west by Canterbury and Northfield, and north-west by Winnepiseogee River and Lake Winnesquame. Area of im- proved land, 10,625 acres.
Distances. Twenty-four miles north from Concord, and four south from Gilford.
Railroads. Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad passes through the north-western section of this town. By daily stage to Tilton Station, six miles. The Franklin and Rochester Railroad will pass through here when completed.
BENNINGTON.
HILLSBOROUGH CO. The sur- face of this town is uneven, but the soil is productive when proper-
ly cultivated. Bennington is a small township taken from Deer- ing, Francestown, Greenfield and Hancock, in 1842.
Rivers. Contoocook River pass- es through this town and affords good water power which is gener- ally improved.
Employments. The inhabitants are largely engaged in manufac- turing. The manufactory of cut- lery is very extensive; over 450 tons of paper are annually produc- ed; and 450,000 feet of lumber an- nually sawed; besides powder, barrels, kits, &c., are made. Ben- nington Village is a busy and en- ergetic place for business. The annual value of manufactured goods produced in town is $161,- 500. (See tables.)
Resources. Productions of the soil, $21,487; mechanical labor, $29,400; stocks, &c., and money at interest, $15,850; deposits in savings banks, $30,294; stock in trade, $22,450.
Churches and Schools. Congre- gational, Rev. James Holmes pas- tor. There are five schools in town. Average length of schools for the year, sixteen weeks. In the summer of 1871 a graded school building was erected at an expense of $3,800. It is worthy of notice that after the first term of eleven weeks, with eighty scholars in both departments, not a single scratch upon the desks, nor a single mark upon the walls of the school room could be discovered.
Library. Bennington Social Li- brary-400 vols.
Hotel. Washington House.
Boundaries. North by Deering, east by Francestown, south by Francestown and Greenfield, and west by Hancock and Antrim.
66
NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
Acres of improved land, 3,299.
Railroads. Ten miles by daily stage to IHillsborough Bridge, on the Contoocook Valley Railroad ; also daily stage to Wilton, fifteen miles on the Wilton Railroad. The Peterborough and Hillsbo- rough Railroad will pass through Bennington when built.
BENTON.
GRAFTON CO. Beaver Meadow Pond is the only considerable sheet of water in this town. It abounds with trout. Oliverian river, so called from a Mr. Oliver, who fell into it (Oliver is in-"Oliverian"), flows through the south part. Tunnel brook is in the north part, and Baker River, the Asquam- chumawke, rising in a small pond- on Moosehillock, runs easterly into Woodstock. The centre of the town is studded with moun- tain peaks. Sugar-loaf Mountain is very symmetrical, and Owl's Head is most fertile in blueberries, thousands of bushels being picked on its summit each year. An im- mense precipice, called the Face, is on this mountain, and when the country was first settled, a deer, and a hound pursuing, leaped over the brink and fell a hundred fath- oms down. The deer was killed, but the hound, save a broken leg, escaped uninjured. Black Mt. is densely wooded, and Moosehillock ranks among the highest moun- tains in New-Hampshire.
First Settlers. Benton was granted, January 31, 1764, to The- ophilus Fitch, and it was settled in that part called High Street by Obadiah Eastman, shortly after the commencement of the Revo- lution. James Page settled soon after on Oliverian meadows, and
William Whitcher was the first settler of North Benton. He was the father of sixteen children who lived to grow up, all very tall, and " there are more than a hundred feet of Whitchers in William Whitcher's family," was a true and very common expression. Dick French, a noted hunter and wolf-killer, formerly lived at the north part.
Name. Coventry was the first name, but it was changed to Ben- ton in honor of Hon. Thomas H. Benton, Dec. 4, 1840.
Employments. There are some good and productive farms among the mountains, excellent crops are raised, much maple sugar is made, and the farmers lead pleasant lives. About one million feet of lumber are annually manufactured and sent to market.
Summer Tourists. Moosehil- lock, called by the Indians Moosi- lauke, from mosi, bald, and auke, a place-Bald-place, has been a noted resort for many years. There is a tradition that Water- nomee, an Indian chief, ascended it about 1685. Robert Pomeroy, one of Rogers' Rangers, died on it in 1759. Chase Whitcher, father of Wm. Whitcher, was the first white settler, and Mrs. Daniel Patch the first white woman who climbed it. Amos F.Clough, photo- grapher, and Prof. J. H. Hunting- ton, of the State Geological Sur- vey, spent the winter of 1869 and 1870 on its summit, being pioneers of mountain meterology, and the first men who ever achieved so perilous a feat. There are two bridle paths leading to the top of the mountain-one from North Benton and one from High Street, and from East Warren is a good
67
BERLIN.
turnpike. The Prospect House, a small hotel, built of stone, on the highest peak, is kept by James Clement, and he has hundreds of visitors each season. No other mountain in New-Hampshire af- fords so grand a view. Five states, Maine, New-Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York, with a part of Canada, are spread out beneath. The White Moun- tains, the Green Mountains, and the Adirondacks, more than a thousand different peaks, shoot up around. The Connecticut, As- quamchumauke, Pemigewassett, and Ammonoosuc rivers are at the mountain's base. Forty lakes and ponds are visible, and, in the distance, on a clear day, is seen the ocean.
Minerals. Perfect quartz crys- tals, in great abundance, are dug from the ground at North Benton. Immense crystals of Epidote, the best in the State, are found on Owi's Head. Numerous speci- mens of lead and copper ores abound at High Street, and a quar- ry of stone, resembling Italian marbie, has been opened on Black mountain.
Railroad Facilities. The Bos- ton, Concord and Montreal Rail- road passes through the south part. The stations are Summit and Bath.
Boundaries. North by Landaff, east by Woodstock, south by War- ren and West by Haverhill.
Distances. Six miles from Hav- erhill, seventy from Concord.
BERLIN.
Coos Co. The surface of Berlin is broken and mountainous, there being but 1,340 acres of improved land in town. There are vast tracts of timber land, affording
a fine opportunity for lumbering. Rivers. The Androscoggin pass- es through the east part, and the Upper Ammonoosuc through the west part of the town. From some of the elevations in town, a fine view of the White Mountains may be obtained. On Cate's Hill, there is a combination of minerals rarely seen on the surface. The general appearance is exceedingly promising for copper, if not for tin ; but as yet it has not been dis- covered where the ore is concen- trated in a vein, though there are several places where it is dissemi- nated through the rock.
Employments. Berlin is the sec- ond town in the State for manufac- turing lumber. Over twenty-three million feet of lumber of all kinds are annually sawed, valued at over $350,000. (See tables. )
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 19,800; mechanical labor, $ 156,400; money at interest, $2,800; stock in trade, $ 15,550; from summer tourists, $ 30,000.
Church and Schools. Methodist, L. H. Gordon, pastor. There are six schools in town. Average length of schools for the year, seventeen weeks.
Library. W. W. Brown, private library, over 400 volumes.
Hotels. Mount Forest House, and Berlin Falls House.
First Settlements. This town was granted December 31, 1771, to Sir William Mayne, Bart, Robert, Thomas, and Edward Mayne, and others of Barbadoes, and was call- ed Maynesborough till July 1, 1829, when it was incorporated by its present name.
Boundaries. North by Milan, east by Success, south by Ran- dolph and Gorham, and west by
68
NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
Kilkenney. Arca, 31,000 acres.
Distances. . One hundred and forty miles north from Concord, and twenty east from Lancaster.
Railroad. Grand Trunk Rail- road passes through the eastern portion of the town.
BETHLEHEM.
GRAFTON Co. The soil of Beth- lehem is good, and produces fine crops of grain, potatoes and grass. At present, the lumber business is extensively carried on.
Rivers. Great Ammonoosuc and Gale Rivers are the principal streams, and afford abundant water-power.
Mountains. The principal moun- tains are Mount Agassiz and Peak- ed Mountain.
Minerals. Specimens of magne- tic and bog iron are found in vari- ous localities.
Employments. The inhabitants are generally devoted to agricul- ture and keeping summer board- ers. The town is in the vicinity of the White Mountain Range, and is the Rendezvous for travel- ers who wish to visit the Moun- tains, or on their return to take the cars. A branch road from the White Mountain Railroad has its junction here, and extends six miles to the Twin Mountain House in Carroll. It will be extended farther the coming season. The village of Bethlehem is very pleas- antly situated, and the scenery around it is beautiful and hard to be surpassed. A prominent resi- dent of this town says: "The future prospects of Bethlehem are very flattering, owing to the great rush of summer tourists. The number who stopped in the season of 1872, from one week to three
months, according to careful esti- mation, was four thousand." Large boarding-houses are being erected every season, and are fill- ed. If the tourists average forty dollars each in their expenses in town, which must be a low esti- mate, it will amount to the large sum of $160,000 for the season. This large influx of people through the Summer affords the farmers a fine opportunity to market their surplus produce at advance rates. The lumber business is important. Over 1,300,000 clapboards, 1.900, 000 shingles, and 8,800,000 feet of boards and dimension timber are annually sawed; and give employ- ment to over 100 men in its manu- facture. (See tables.)
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 137,602; mechanical labor, $68,300; money at interest, $22, 500; stock in trade, $ 50,425; de- posits in savings bank, $ 1,598; from summer tourists, estimate, $ 160,000.
The inhabitants in the northern sections of the State, where there appears to be the most enterprise, have but little money deposited in savings banks. The rusty iron chests in southern New-Hamp- shire, which contain Western Rail- road stocks and bonds, Western county, city, and town bonds, and Western personal notes, secured by mortgage on Western real estate, to the value of more than $ 12,000, 000 do not produce as much State enterprise (which shows a practi- cal State benefit) as does the $122,- 000 invested in mills, &c., and $ 190,000 invested in hotels and boarding-houses in Bethlehem. Ten thousand dollars properly in- vested in this State, will do more good, and produce more business
69
BOSCAWEN.
. among the people than a million of dollars invested in Western Rail- road stocks and bonds.
. Churches and Schools. Metho- dist, Rev. Charles H. Smith, pas- tor, members, 60, Church value, $3,000. There are eleven schools in town. Average length of schools for the year, fifteen weeks; total value of school-houses, $7,850.
Hotels and Summer Boarding Houses. Sinclair House, valued at $ 60,000; Mount Agassiz House, valued at $20,000; Prospect House, valued at $ 12,000; White Mountain Boarding House, val- ued at $ 9,000; Spooner Cottage, valued at $ 7,000; Bean's Cottage, valued at 6,500; Turner's Cottage, $4,000, (it is being enlarged at an expense of $5,000.) Wilder Boarding House, $8,000; Bailey's Cottage, $5,000. There are other houses where some summer tour- ists stop through the summer.
Livery Stables. Clark Brothers, 30 horses, valued at $ 12,000; H. Wilder, 16 horses, $7,000; Saw- yer & Wallace, 8 horses, valued at $3,000; Thompson & Son, 8 horses, valued at $3,000; Bowles & Young, 5 horses, valued at $2,000.
First Settlers. Bethlehem was incorporated, December 27, 1769; James Turner, Thomas and John Hatch, Nathan and Amos Wheel- er, and others settled here in 1790.
First Church Organization. Con- gregational, October, 15, 1802; Baptist, 1800; Freewill Baptist, 1813.
Boundaries. North by White- field, east by Carroll, and ungrant- ed lands, south by Franconia and Lisbon, and west by Littleton. Total area, 31,154 acres; improved land, 10,955 acres.
Distances. One hundred miles north from Concord, and thirty- six, by rail, north from Haverhill.
Railroads. White Mountains Railroad passes through the north- ern section of the town to Carroll. The Portland and Odgensburg is expected to pass through some portion of the town.
BOSCA WEN.
MERRIMACK COUNTY. Before Boscawen was divided and the town of Webster taken from its · western limits, it was considered, with one exception, the best and largest farming township in the county. The soil on the river is deep and easy to cultivate, and when properly fertilized produces excellent crops of corn. On the uplands the soil is strong and good for grazing and the raising of fruit. The average value of production for each acre of improved land is $ 10.163 ; the average of the county is $ 9.33. This includes pasturage and tillage land. Some of the finest farms in the county are in Boscawen. The Merrimack Coun- ty Farm is located in the northern part of the town near the Merri- mack.
Rivers and Ponds. Great Pond, which lies partly in this town and partly in Webster, and Long Pond, in the western section of the town, are the principal bodies of water. Merrimack River washes its east- ern border, while the Contoocook waters the south-eastern corner. The latter River furnishes some fine water power at Fisherville, which is situated partly in this town and partly in Concord.
Employments. Manufacturing is the principal employment of the inhabitants, although the agricul-
e
!
70
NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
tural interest of the town is impor- tant, and on many of the farms it is lucrative business. There are 34 farms in town whosc annual ag- ricultural productions are respect- ively valucd at over $ 1,000; 14 over $ 1,500; 7 over $2,000; 5 over $2,800; 3 over $3,600; and 1 $4,800. Seven farms are valued at $ 97,000, and have a total area of improved land of 1,700 acres. The total amount annually paid for labor was $4,200; and the total value of farm productions $ 22,100, or $13 to each acre of improved land. These seven farms have in- vested in stock and farming imple- ments, about $ 15,000, and received from the forest production less than $2,500; making, after de- ducting for labor and taxes, over 12 per cent. on the capital invested in farming. There are 1,488,000 yards of cotton cloth annually man- ufactured, 345,000 yards of flannel woven, 30,000 pairs of shoes made ; leather tanned, $4,500; castings and machinery to the value of $ 60,000; doors, sash, and blinds to the value of $20,000; saws, $ 10,000; 336,000 bushels of wheat and other grain ground, and over 1,000,000 feet of lumber of all kinds sawed. There were ground 46,800 barrels of flour in 1872, and the barrels for the flour were made near the mill. The total value of all goods manufactured annually is $ 907,600, employing 180 males and 104 females, who annually re- ceive for their labor, $ 129,600. Capital invested in manufactures, $310,600.
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 94,273; mechanical labor, $ 129,600; money at interest, $ 30, 725; stocks, &c., $ 36,000; deposits in savings banks, $ 103,492; stock
in trade, $48,975; professional business, $ 10,000.
Fisherville. On the Contoocook River, and near its confluence with the Merrimack, is situated the en- terprising manufacturing village of Fisherville. It is located on the line between Boscawcn and Con- cord, and is nearly equally divided between the two towns, with the larger portion in Concord. The most valuable water-power on the Contoocook is at this point, the water falling over 60 feet in a dis- tance of less than a mile. In this village there are two cotton mills, annually manufacturing 4,386,000 yards of cotton print cloth, two woolen mills, annually producing flannel, cassimeres, and yarn to the value of $ 105,000; bedsteads, bu- reaus, sinks, teapoys, and looking- glass frames to the value of $ 173, 000. Foundry and machine shop, $ 65,000; grain ground into meal and flour to the value of over $500,000; barrels valued at $ 23, 300; 300,000 shingles, 3,100,000 feet of boards and dimension tim- ber, 2,000 doz. axe helves, besides carriages sleighs, excelsior, doors, sash, blinds, saws, bar soap, and various other small mechanical shops too numerous to mention. The total horse water-power which is improved in this village, is over 850; capital invested in manufac- tories, $ 598,000; males employed, 408; females and children, 245; amount annually paid for labor, $ 248,000; value of goods annually manufactured, $ 1,412,900.
There are fifteen or twenty stores, of various kinds, two hotels, four churches, two graded school- houses, an academy, bank, insur- ance, express, post, and various other offices common to a large
8
KIL BURN GIALLORY SC.
The above cut represents the establishment of Gage, Porter & Co., Fisherville, N. H., for the manufacturing of cast-steel saws of every description : viz., circular, mill, cross-cut, pit, wood, and other saws. Their shops are quite extensive and located near the Northern railroad. A side track is laid through their yard which enables them to convey their goods to all sections of the country without trans-shipment. They have been in successful operation for more than twenty years, and their business adds much to the enterprise of that thrifty village.
71
BOSCAWEN.
village, and about 300 dwelling- houses. Some of the business blocks, are elegant structures, and many private residences are pleas- antly located and are costly build- ings. There are many wealthy men in this village, but less men of leisure, than in any other village of its size in the State, and less show of aristocracy. Every man is equal with his neighbor, and nóne so rich that he is ashamed to labor, but still too proud to be called in- dolent. The people are an intelli- gent reading class, the receipts of the post-office being over $1,100 annually, showing that the inhab- itants know how to read and write, and intend to improve their spare moments in those occupations.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.