Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 2.djvu/306

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��TOWN HISTORIES.

��Troy — A. M. Caverly, 1850; 299 pp. 12 mo.

Warren — William Little, 1870; 592 pp.

Earlier histories of some of these towns had been published, but the same were substantially embraced in, and superceded by, the later publications. Aside from these, there have also been publications embodying local history in the state, worthy of mention in this con- nection. "The Annals of Portsmouth," by Nathaniel Adams, 1825, 400 pp., embraces much of the early history of that old town ; while the " Rambles About Portsmouth," by Charles W. Brewster, published in two series, in 1859 and 1869, have a considerable proportion of matter of much historical value. A history of " Old Dunstable, " by Charles J. Fox, published in 1846, 278 pp., may also be classed with the New Hampshire town histories, as the larger portion of Dunstable lay within the limits of this state, including what is now Litchfield, Hudson, Nashua and Hollis, and portions of Amherst, Merri- mack, Milford, Brookline, Pelham and Londonderry.

Besides these, quite a number of his- torical sketches of towns have been pub- lished, some of them of considerable extent. One of Candia, by F. B. Ea- ton, published in 1852 contains 152 pages. One of Antrim the same year, bv John M. Whiton, has 95 pages. There are two old sketches of Amherst, by John Farmer, the last published in 1837 and containing 52 pages; a sketch of Hillsborougli by Charles J. Smith, 1 84 1, 72 pages; "Annals of Keene," by Salma Hale, 1 826, 69 pages ; a brief sketch of Epsom, by Rev. Jon- athan Curtis, published in 1823, and one of Andover, by Jacob B. Moore in 1822.

There have also been published, sev- eral pamplets, embracing the proceed- ings at Centennial celebrations in dif- ferent towns, including historical ad- dresses and other matter of real histor- ical value. Among these towns are Orford, Lebanon, Lancaster, Jaffrey, Wilton, Hampton, and perhaps others. Another work, worthy of mention in

��this connection is a i2mo volume of 240 pages, by Rev. Grant Powers, pub- lished at Haverhill, in 1841, entitled " Historical Sketches of the Discovery, Settlement and Progress of Events in the Coos Country and Vicinitry."

As will be noticed, several of the town histories mentioned are quite vol- umninous, involving much labor and research in their preparation, notably those of Concord, Chester, Charlestown, Rindge, Peterboro, Boscawen and Webster and Chandler's history of Man- chester. A considerable proportion of the number, also, are illustrated with portraits, and engravings of buildings scenery, &c, that of New Ipswich being the first illustrated town history published.

As was suggested, there are now sev- eral town histories in course of prepara- tion, or about to be issued. One of Newport, by Edmund Wheeler, author of the history of Croydon, is already in the hands of the binder. It is a work of five or six hundred pages, and will be illustrated by about thirty fine steel engravings, mostly portraits of promi- nent citzens or natives of the town. Gen. Walter Harriman, a native of War- ner, has prepared an elaborate history of that town, which will make a volume of six hundred pages, and will also be finely illustrated, which is now in the printer's hands. Rev. M. T. Runnalls, of Sanbornton, is engaged upon a his- tory of that town ; Col. L. W. Cogs- well is preparing a history of Henniker, Rev. Silvanus Hayward one of Gilsum, and D. F. Secomb, Esq., Assistant Assistant Librarian of the State Histor- ical Society, is collecting the material for a history of Amherst. There are other towns in which steps have been taken by the people looking to the pub- lication of their histories, among which are Walpole, Littleton, and Andover. C. C. Lord, of Hopkinton, has also collected material for a history of Hop- kinton, much of which has been pub- lished in his series of interesting sketches in the Granite Monthly.

There remain to be mentioned two town histories, recently published, each of which forms a valuable contribution

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