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THE

NEW ENGLAND GAZETTEER;

CONTAINING

DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL THE STATES, COUNTIES AND TOWNS

IN

NEW ENGLAND:

ALSO

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PRINCIPAL MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, LAKES,
CAPES, BAYS, HARBORS, ISLANDS, AND

FASHIONABLE RESORTS

WITHIN THAT TERRITORY.

ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED.

BY JOHN HAYWARD,

Author of the Columbian Traveller, Religious Creeds, &c. &c.

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PUBLIC LIBRARY

158503

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS. 1839.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1839, by

JOHN HAYWARD,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court in Massachusetts

STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY

WILLIAM WHITE,

CONCORD, N. H.

PREFACE.

THE PREPARATION of a Gazetteer of New England, worthy the patronage of its enlightened citizens, is no easy task: those only who have attempted it can form a just conception of its difficulties. Long and wearisome journeys must be performed; hundreds of volumes and local histories must be consulted, and thousands of letters must be written. Although a kind Providence has blessed the editor with health, and with numerous friends, in all parts of New England; yet, after a long period of devotedness, he is mortified that his work is not more complete.

It will be perceived that there are many towns, particularly in the eastern section of New England, whose names are merely mentioned; and that notices of others, in many cases, are exceedingly deficient. Had our means permitted, fair representations of the character and resources of those towns might have promoted individual and public interests; and enhanced the value of our volume. There are lakes and rivers in the northern and eastern parts of New England, whose beauty, volume of water, and hydraulic power, might vie with the Winnepisiogee and Merrimack; but whose locations and even names are but indistinctly known.

But we have the consolation to believe that a Gazetteer of New England, perfect in all its parts, is rather desired than expected. Our country is new large portions of the territory of the New England States, are yet a wilderness, and new counties and towns are very frequently constituted.

The progress of agricultural science, and of the mechanic arts; the advancement of commerce, both at home and abroad, and the increasing success of the fisheries, united with the determination of the people of New England to connect the trade of the western oceans with their Atlantic borders, by roads of iron, which frosts cannot impede, are so great and strong, that the most devoted geographical and statistical writers must be satisfied with following at a distance, rather than keeping pace with the rapid car of improvement in New England.

Al

In the performance of our work we have derived assistance from many valuable maps and books on New England. Among the number a respectful tribute is due, particularly, to BELKNAP's History of New Hampshire; WILLIAMSON's Maine; DWIGHT's Letters; SAVAGE'S Winthrop; THATCHER'S Plymouth; FOLSOM's Saco and Biddeford; BENTON and BARREY's Statistics :-HALE's Map of New England; STEVENS' Rhode Island; CARRIGAIN'S New Hampshire; and GREENLEAF's Maine:-to WORCESTER'S Gazetteer; THOMPSON's Vermont; PEASE and NILES' Rhode Island and Connecticut; SPOFFORD's Massachusetts, and FARMER and MOORE's Gazetteer of New Hampshire.

From the latter work, and from its authors, the lamented JOHN FARMER, Esq., a celebrated antiquarian and writer, and JACOB B. MOORE, Esq., of Concord, N. H., author of several valuable historical and miscellaneous works, we are indebted for much of that which is valuable in regard to New Hampshire.

From a beautiful volume, entitled "Connecticut Historical Collections," by John Warner BARBER, Esq., we have been permitted to enrich our pages with some of their most valuable and interesting articles.

To Heads of Departments at Washington, and to the Secretaries of the several States to which the work refers, for valuable public documents; to Postmasters; and to numerous other friends who have kindly assisted us in our labors; whose names we should feel proud to mention, were it in accordance with their wishes; we tender the acknowledgments of a grateful heart.

For the purpose of enlarging our work, as well as for its correction, our editions will be designedly small: contributions are therefore respectfully solicited.

While it is our determination to devote our time and humble talents to render our publications worthy of general approbation; we are gratified with the assurance of co-operation from eminent men in all parts of the country; and we trust with confidence to receive that patronage, which Yankees, both at home and abroad, invariably bestow on every effort whose obvious design is USEFULNESS.

BOSTON, May, 1839.

THE

NORTHERN REGISTER.

Ir was our intention to have connected this publication with the GAZETTEER; but it was found that by compressing the matter, sufficiently to unite them in one volume, both would fail of the object contemplated.

A great mass of materials for the Register is already received; indeed, a considerable portion is now ready for the press; but as we have extended our plan, some months will elapse before its appearance.

The work will comprise the rise and progress of all the important literary, religious, moral and charitable institutions in NEW ENGLAND:an account of the Churches and Ministers in the several towns, from their origin, and settlement to the present time :—the rise and extent of internal improvements:-statistics of various kinds : lists of Courts, Attorneys at law, Physicians, Literary and Religious Journals, Newspapers, Banks, Postmasters, &c. &c. to which will be added brief notices of distinguished men. In short, the REGISTER is designed to comprise all that may be considered important and useful,in a work of this kind, in relation to New England, and which is not contained in the GAZETTEER. The number of eminent men, of every profession, who have kindly tendered the Editor their co-operation, is so great, that we feel confident that the REGISTER will be entitled to a share of public favor.

All letters and papers for the Editor, are requested to be left at the Boston Post Office.

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