Ja3 ilA* KA 7, r < l£a,r*t*>-, / K '¥& t* A/ //- \ / GAZETTEER OF THE TATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. IN THREE PARTS ; CONTAINING 1. A comprehensive Geographical and 4 3. Topographical and Statistical tables Statistical view of the whole con- ; the State, 1 alphabetically arranged shewing veniently disposed under separate heads. 5 course and distance on a direct line from 2. A description of each county, town, < Portsmouth, Concord, Boston, and Port- or location in the State also of its land. the number of miles the ; lakes, | Also, by rivers, ponds, and mountains, with many i roads ascommonly travelled.—Numberof other subjects of topographical detail, al- < cattle, horses, &c. phabetically arranged. t COMPILED FROM THE BEST AUTHORITIES, BT siUPHALET MERRILL AND THE LATE PHINEHAS MERRILL, Esa EXETER : PRINTED BY C. NORRIS & CO. FOR THE AUTHORS New-Hampshire District, ss-. BE IT REMEMBERED, that on this thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, and in the fortieth year of the Indepexulence ofthe United States of America, ELIPHALET MERRILL, of the said District, hath deposited in this Office, the title of a book, the whereof he claims as in the words to wit : " right proprietor, following, A Gazetter of the State of New-Hampshire, in three parts : containing, ** 1. A comprehensive Geographical and Statistical view of the whole State, conveniently dis- posed under separate heads. rt 2. of each location in the also its A description county, town, or State ; of lakes, rivers, ponds, and mountains, with many other subjects of topographical detail, alphabetically arranged. " 3. and Statistical tables Topographical alphabetically arranged ; shewing the course ind dis- tance on a direct line from Portsmouth, Concord, Boston, and Portland. Also, the number of miles by the roads as commonly travelled.—Number of cattle, horses, &c. Compiled from the best au- thorities by Merrill and the late Phinehas Merrill, Eliphalet Esq." " In conforisity to the act ofthe Congress of the United States, entitled, An Act for the encour- agement of learning by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books to the authors and pro- thereof the times also to " prietors during therein mentioned ; and an Act, entitled, An Act, sup- plementary to an Act, entitled, An Act, for the encouragement of learning, by securing the Cop- ies of Maps, Charts, and Books to the authors and proprietors ofsuch cepies during the times there- in mentioned ; and extending the benefits thereof to the Arts ofDesigning, Engraving and Etch- ing historical and other prints." GEORGE W. PRESCOTT, Clerk of District Court U, S., N. H. District, A true copy. Attest, GEORGE W. PRESCOTT, Clerk. PREFACE WHEN any town is mentioned such questions as the following perpetually recur to those who are unacquainted with it. Where is it situated ? What towns lie contiguous to it ? What is its dis- tance from some capital or emporium, &c. ? Morses Gazetteer mentions the most of our towns, but the description rarely includes any thing more than the county in which it is situated, or at most its distance from some neighbouring town. The map of New- Hampshire will completely answer many of these questions, but these maps are not numerous and are very unfit for transportation. Indeed, a large proportion of our citizens feel themselves unable to obtain either of these means of information, but would gladly pay the price of a condensed Gazetteer. Such an one is now of- fered them in the smallest space, it is thought, that can comprise the necessary matter. The method adopted in this instance to collect authentic mate- rials was to address letters to men of the best information in every township in the state. In these letters were enumerated the na- ture of the information desired. The attention which these let- ters generally received deserves our warmest thanks. The sources from whence we derived our historical informa- tion of the first settlement of the state, Indian wars, &c. have been very numerous and are the most authentic which now exist; such as Winthrop, Morton, Mather, Prince, Hutchinson, Morse, and Parish but must while ; particularly Belknap. Nor we noticing authors and the liberal aid and patronage of individuals, omit to acknowledge that of the state. Since the decease of my beloved brother, who was associated as co-partner in this work, there has been an unavoidable delay of its publication, but by the assistance of several literary gentlemen, it is now respectfully submitted to a candid public. ELIPHALET MERRILL. Northrvood, June, 1817. / A GENERAL VIEW, GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL OF TBI STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE, ARRANGED UNDER THE FOLLOWING HEADS. Situation and Extent. Boundaries and Divisions. Aih, Climate, and Seasons, Face of the Country, Mountains. Ritehs, and other Waters. Canals and Turnpikes. Monuments, and other Relics of Indians. Forest Trees and Vegetable Productions. Soil and Agriculture. Domestic and W^ild Ani- mals. Birds and Fishes. Caverns, Fossils, and Minerals. Government, Constitution, and Laws. Military, Strength. Fortifications. Religion. Manners and Customs. Literary, and Scientific Institutions. Colleges, Banks, Insurance Companies. Progressive Population. Manufactories. Com- merce, Societies, and State Prison. SITUATION, BOUNDARIES, DIVISIONS, &c. J[ he state of New-Hampshire lies between 42° 41' and 45° 11' of north latitude and between 70°40'and 72° 28' of longitude west from the royal observatory of Greenwich. Its length from the northern to southern extremity is one hundred and sixty eight miles. Its greatest breadth measured from the entrance of Piscataqua harbour, to the mouth of west River, which falls into Connecticut river, opposite the town of Chesterfield is nine- ty miles. It is bounded on the south by the state of Massachusetts, from which it is divided by a line, beginning on the sea shore, at a point three miles northward of the mouth of the river Merrimack a to ; pursuing course corresponding the curvature of that river, at the same distance and ending at a point 3 miles north from Pautuck Falls in the town of Dracut. From this point, the line extends on in a western direction, until it crosses Connecticut river and ends on its western bank, the distance be- ing fifty miles. The line called the due west line, was measured and marked 1741, by Richard Hazen. He was ordered by Cov. Belcher to allow ten degrees for the westerly variation of the needle. This doctrine of the variation was even less imperfectly known at that time than it now is. It is supposed that the variation 'M that time, and in that place, was not more than eight degrees. b GENERAL VIEW. In 1773 each end of the line was accurately examined, by celestial observations, made by Thomas Wright, one of Capt. of the western Holland's company surveyors ; when extremity was found to decline from the eastern, two minutes and fifty- seven seconds of latitude. This was computed to make a dif- ference of 59,870 acres of land, which would have been gained by New-Hampshire, if the line had been run with correctness. From the point where this line strikes Connecticut river, up to the forty-fifth degree of latitude, the western bank of that river is the western boundary of New- Hampshire, and eastern boundary of Vermont. On its eastern side, New-Hampshire is bounded by the At- lantic ocean^ from the first mentioned point, 3 miles northward of the mouth of Merrimack river, along the shore to the middle of which distance is of the main entrance Plscataqua harbour ; computed to be about 18 miles. Thence the boundary line runs up the middle of the river, to its most northerly head, which is a pond situated partly in the town of Wakefield and partly in Shapley, in the county of York. The distance of this pond from the mouth of the harbour is 35 miles N., 20° W. From the head of this pond, according to the royal determination, in 1740, the dividing line was run N. 2° W. until 120 miles were finished from Piscataqua harbour, or until it met with other territories belonging to his majesty. The reason of men- 120 miles tioning this specific distance, in the decree, was, that was the extent of the province of Maine. At that time no oth- er government subject to the British crown lay in that direc- erected and tion. In 1763, the new province of Quebec was ; its southern boundary was a line passing along the high lands, which divide the rivers, that empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence, from those which fall into the sea. By the trea- all the lands ty of peace, between America and Britain, in 1783, to the southward of that line, reckoning it from the eastward northwest head of Connecticut river, and thence parallel to the middle of said river, to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, were ceded to the United States. The state is bounded on the north by the British province of Quebec. The northern extremity of this line, is a birch tree, marked N. E. New-Hampshire, 1789. This line extends along of the the high lands, seventeen miles and 207 rods, to the head northwestern branch of Connecticut river ; at which ex- Thence the tremity is a Fir tree, inscribed N.H. N.W. 1789. the boundary descends to the forty-fifth degree of latitude, by middle of the northwestern branch of the river. It contains 9,491 square miles or 6,074,240 acres, of which at least 100,000 acres are covered with water. GENERAL VIEW. - 7 The state is divided into six counties, viz. Rockingham, Strafford, Hillsborough, Cheshire, Grafton, and Coos, which see under their respective names.