New Hampshire,
One of the
Eastern States of the American Union, lies between
Maine on the east and
Vermont and
Quebec on the west, from which it is separated by the
Connecticut River.
Quebec bounds it on the north and
Massachusetts on the south.
The Atlantic, on the southeast corner, forms a coast-line of 18 miles, affording a good harbor at
Portsmouth.
Area, 9,305 square miles, in ten counties.
Population, 1890, 376,530; 1900, 411,588.
Capital,
Concord.
New Hampshire formed a part of the grant to the colonies of
Virginia and
Plymouth, extending from lat. 34° to lat. 45° N.......April 10, 1606
Capt. John Smith, ranging the shore of
New England, explores the harbor of
Piscataqua......1614
Ferdinando Gorges and
Capt. John Mason, members of the Plymouth council, obtain a joint grant of the province of
Laconia, comprising all the land between the
Merrimac River, the
Great Lakes, and river of
Canada......Aug. 10, 1622
Gorges and
Mason establish a settlement at the mouth of the
Piscataqua, calling the place
Little Harbor, and another settlement, 8 miles farther up the river,
Dover......1623
Mason, having agreed with
Gorges to make the
Piscataqua the divisional line, takes from the Plymouth council a patent of that portion lying between that river and the
Merrimac, and calls it
New Hampshire......Nov. 7, 1629
Company of Laconia dividing their interests,
Mason procures for himself a charter of
Portsmouth......1631
Towns of
Portsmouth and
Northam laid out......1633
A number of families from
England settle on Dover Neck and build a fortified church......1633
Mason's estate, after a few specific bequests, goes to a grandson,
Robert Tufton, who takes the surname of
Mason......1635
George Burdet, a clergyman from
Yarmouth, England, succeeds
Wiggin as governor of the
Dover plantations......1636
Rev. John Wheelwright, banished from
Boston as a result of the Antinomian controversy, and a few friends settle
Exeter, and form a government with elections by the people......1638
Hampton, considered as belonging to the colony of
Massachusetts, founded......1638
Burdet succeeded by
Capt. John Underhill......1638
People of
Portsmouth form a provisional government......1639
Provisional government established at
Dover......Oct. 22, 1640
Four governments in
New Hampshire subscribe to a union with
Massachusetts, April 14, 1641, which goes into effect, giving
New Hampshire's representatives a vote in town affairs without regard to religious qualifications......Oct. 9, 1641
Colonies of
Connecticut, New Haven, New Plymouth, and
Massachusetts (including
New Hampshire) form a confederacy......1642
White Mountains explored by
Captain Neal......1642
Quakers William Robinson and
Marmaduke Stevenson executed for returning to the province after banishment......Oct. 27, 1659
William Leddra hanged for being a Quaker......March 14. 1660
Warrant issued at
Dover, directing three Quakeresses to be whipped out of the province.
Stripped and tied to a cart, they are publicly whipped at
Dover and
Hampton, but freed at
Salisbury through the agency of Walter Barefoot......December, 1662
Indians in King Philip's War ravage
Somersworth and
Durham, and between
Exeter and
Hampton......September, 1675
[
437]
Four hundred Indians captured by strategy at
Dover.
Seven or eight are put to death, 200 discharged, and the balance sold in foreign parts as slaves......Sept. 7, 1676
King's bench decided that
Massachusetts had no jurisdiction over
New Hampshire and
Mason's heirs none within the territory they claimed.
To establish
Mason's title, the
King makes
New Hampshire a distinct province, with
John Cutts, of
Portsmouth, president......Sept. 8, 1679
Royal commission declaring
New Hampshire a royal province reaches
Portsmouth......Jan. 1, 1680
President Cutts dies, and is succeeded by
Maj. Richard Waldron, of
Dover......April 5, 1681
Mason surrenders one-fifth of his quit rents from the province to Charles II., and thus secures the appointment of
Edward Cranfield as lieutenant-governor, with extraordinary powers and devoted to his interests......Jan. 25, 1682
Cranfield suspends
Waldron and
Richard Martyn, both popular leaders, from the council......May 15, 1682
Edward Gove, voicing the popular feeling against
Governor Cranfield, with a tumultuous body from
Exeter and
Hampton, declares for liberty and reform.
Finding the people not yet ready for revolt, he surrenders, is convicted of high treason, and imprisoned in the Tower of
London......1683
People, called upon by the governor to take leases from
Mason, refuse to acknowledge his claim......Feb. 14, 1683
Assembly refuse money for the Cranfield government......1684
Cranfield, by authority of the governor and council, without the concurrence of the Assembly, imposes taxes; but, unable to enforce payment, obtains a leave of absence, and returns to
England, Walter Barefoot, his deputy, succeeding as chief magistrate......Jan. 9, 1685
Indians attack
Dover; surprise
Major Waldron in his own home, and massacre him and many other settlers, taking twenty-nine captives, whom they sell as slaves to the
French in
Canada......Jan. 27, 1689
People of
New Hampshire effect a governmental union with
Massachusetts......March 12, 1690
New Hampshire is purchased from the
Mason heirs by
Samuel Allen, of
London, who prevents its insertion in the charter of William and Mary, and becomes its governor, appointing his son-in-law,
John Usher, as lieutenant-governor......March 1, 1692
Law passed requiring each town to provide a school-master,
Dover excepted, it then being too much impoverished by Indian raids to do so......1693
Sieur de Villieu, and 250
Indians, approach
Durham undiscovered, and, waiting in ambush during the night, at sunrise attack the place, destroy five houses, and carry away 100 captives......July 17, 1694
Richard,
Earl of
Bellomont, is installed governor of New York,
Massachusetts, and
New Hampshire; council and courts reorganized of opponents of the
Mason claim......July 31, 1699
Earl of
Bellomont dies at New York, March 5, 1701, and
Joseph Dudley is appointed governor of
Massachusetts and
New Hampshire by Queen Anne......1701
An attack of Indians on
Durham is repulsed by a few women in disguise firing upon the Indians, who suppose the place well garrisoned......April, 1706
Indian hostilities cease on the arrival of news of the treaty of
Utrecht, and a treaty ratified with them......July 11, 1713
George Vaughan made lieutenant-governor and
Samuel Shute commander-in chief of the province......Oct. 13, 1716
Vaughan superseded by
John Wentworth, by commission signed by
Joseph Addison,
English Secretary of State......Dec. 7, 1717
Sixteen Scottish families settle at
Londonderry, and the first Presbyterian church in
New England is organized by
Rev. James McGregorie......1719
Capt. John Lovewell makes his first excursion against the Indians in
New Hampshire......December, 1724
A grant of land made by
New Hampshire to the survivors of the Lovewell defeat at
Fryeburg, Me., overlaps a similar grant by
Massachusetts in Bow county, which leads to a boundary litigation between
New Hampshire and
Massachusetts, which lasts forty years. Grants made......May 18-20, 1727
Duration of Assembly limited to three
[
438]
years unless sooner dissolved by the governor......Nov. 21, 1727
David Dunbar appointed lieutenant-governor......June 24, 1731
New Hampshire petitioning the crown in 1732 to decide the boundary question, obtains a royal order appointing commissioners, from the councillors of the neighboring provinces, to decide the question; board meets at
Hampton......August, 1737
Commissioners fix upon the present eastern boundary of
New Hampshire.
For the southern boundary an appeal is made to George III., who decides upon the present line, giving
New Hampshire a territory 50 miles long by 14 broad in excess of her claim......March 5, 1740
Bennington Wentworth appointed governor and commander-in-chief of
New Hampshire......1741
George Whitefield preaches in
New Hampshire......1744
Indian depredations in the
New Hampshire settlements; attacks on
Keene,
Number Four (
Charlestown),
Rochester, capture of Fort Massachusetts at Hoosuck......April–Aug. 20, 1746
Three companies of rangers under
Robert Rogers and the two brothers John and
William Stark, formed from the
New Hampshire troops by the express desire of Lord Loudon......1756
First newspaper in
New Hampshire and the oldest in
New England, New Hampshire
Gazette, published at
Portsmouth......August, 1756
On application of New York, the
King in council declares the western bank of the
Connecticut River the boundary between
New Hampshire and New York......July 20, 1764
Concord, settled in 1727, called
Rumford in 1733, takes the name of
Concord......1765
George Meserve appointed stamp distributer for
New Hampshire, resigns his office before landing at
Boston, Sept. 9, 1765, compelled to make a formal resignation, Sept. 18.
It being suspected that he still intended to distribute the stamped paper, he is compelled to give up his commission, and is sent back to
England......Jan. 9, 1766
John Wentworth, appointed governor in place of his uncle, removed by the
British ministry on charge of neglect of duty......Aug. 11, 1767
Dartmouth College at
Hanover chartered......Dec. 30, 1769
Nathaniel Folsom and
John Sullivan appointed delegates to Congress at
Philadelphia by a convention of eighty-five deputies, which meets at
Exeter......July 14, 1774
By the request of a committee of the people, a cargo of tea consigned to
a Mr. Parry, of
Portsmouth, is reshipped to
Halifax, Jan. 25, 1774.
A second cargo consigned to
Parry arriving, the people attack his house, and quiet is only restored by sending of the vessel to
Halifax......Sept. 8, 1774
Town committee of
Portsmouth, hearing of the order by
King in council prohibiting exportation of gunpowder to
America, seize the garrison at
Fort William and Mary, and carry off 100 barrels of gunpowder, Dec. 11: next day they remove fifteen cannon, with small-arms and warlike stores......Dec. 12, 1774
Armed men dismantle a battery at
Jerry's Point on
Great Island, and bring eight pieces of cannon to
Portsmouth......May 26, 1775
Convention of the people assembles at
Exeter......June, 1775
New Hampshire troops in the
battle of Bunker Hill......June 17, 1775
Governor Wentworth convenes the Assembly, June 12, and recommends the conciliatory proposition of Lord North, to which the
House gives no heed.
They expel three new royalist members, and the governor adjourns the Assembly to Sept. 28, and sails for
Boston.
From the
Isles of Shoals he adjourns the Assembly until April, 1776, his last official act......September, 1775
A constitution for
New Hampshire is framed by a Congress styling itself the House of Representatives, which assembles at
Exeter, Dec. 21, 1775, and completes its labors......Jan. 5, 1776
Under the new form of government.
Meshech Weare is appointed president of the council and of an executive committee chosen to sit during the recess of the council, as president of
New Hampshire......1776
John Sullivan, of
New Hampshire, appointed brigadier-general by Congress......1776
Ship-of-war
Raleigh built at
Portsmouth by decree of Congress......1776
[
439]
A convention of both houses reports a
declaration of independence, which was adopted and sent forthwith to the delegates of
New Hampshire in Congress......June 15, 1776
Declaration of Independence of the
United States signed by
Josiah Bartlett and
William Whipple, of
New Hampshire, Aug. 2, 1776, and by a third representative from the
State,
Matthew Thornton......November, 1776
New Hampshire troops engage in the
battle of Bennington, under
John Stark, who is made brigadier-general by Congress......Aug. 18, 1777
Articles of Confederation ratified by
New Hampshire, March 4, 1778, and signed by the
State representatives at
Philadelphia,
Josiah Bartlett and
John Wentworth......Aug. 8, 1778
Phillips Academy at
Exeter founded......1781
Daniel Webster born at
Franklin, N. H.......Jan. 18, 1782
Sixteen towns, on the eastern side of the
Connecticut River refuse to send delegates to a constitutional convention in
New Hampshire, and desire to be admitted into the new
State of Vermont.
Vermont agrees to accept these additional towns, but Congress in its act of admission makes it an indispensable preliminary that the revolted towns shall be restored to
New Hampshire.
The towns at last accept the situation and become part of
New Hampshire......1782
A convention which meets at
Concord, June 10, 1778, frames a constitution which is rejected by the people.
A new convention meets at
Exeter in 1781, and after two years a constitution is framed which goes into effect......June 2, 1784
John Langdon and
Nicholas Gilman.
delegates from
New Hampshire, sign the
Constitution of the United States......Sept. 17, 1787
Convention assembles at
Exeter, Feb. 13, adjourns to
Concord, and ratifies the
Constitution of the United States by a vote of 57 to 47......June 21, 1788
President Washington, on a tour of observation, arrives at
Portsmouth......Oct. 30, 1789
Portsmouth
Journal established at
Portsmouth......1789
An academy, the second in the
State, opened at New Ipswich......1789
Publication of
Concord Herald begun by
George Hough......Jan. 5, 1790
Academies incorporated at
Atkinson and
Amherst......1791
Four post-routes appointed through the interior of the
State......1791
New Hampshire Medical Society incorporated......1791
Bank established at
Portsmouth......1792
Convention assembles at
Concord, Sept. 7, 1791, revises the
State constitution, changes the title of the
chief magistrate from president to governor, and completes its labors......Sept. 5, 1792
Elder
Jesse Lee, coming from
Virginia, visits
New Hampshire; founds the first Methodist society in the
State......1792
A privateer ship, the
McClary, fitted out during the war at
Portsmouth under the sanction of the legislature, captures an American merchant ship, the
Susanna, bound for an enemy's port laden with supplies.
The matter is brought into court, and the
United States court of appeals reverses the judgment of the State court and awards $32,721.36 damages to the owners of the
Susanna.
The legislature of
New Hampshire, in special session, prepares a spirited remonstrance against this action as “a violation of State independence and an unwarrantable encroachment in the courts of the
United States” ......1794
Bridge constructed over the
Piscataqua near
Portsmouth, from
Newington to
Durham, nearly half a mile in length......1794
First New Hampshire turnpike, extending from
Concord to the
Piscataqua bridge, chartered......1796
Keene sentinel established at
Keene......March, 1799
New Hampshire Missionary Society, the earliest charitable society of a religious character in the
State, incorporated......1801
Farmer's cabinet published at
Amherst......Nov. 11, 1802
First cotton factory in State erected at New Ipswich......1803
Piscataqua Evangelical magazine published at
Portsmouth......1805
Law passed dividing towns into school districts......1805
From the preaching and teachings of
Mr. Murray in 1773, the Universalists are
[
440]
recognized as a religious sect in
New Hampshire......June 13, 1805
From 1680 to 1775 the seat of government was at
Portsmouth.
From 1775 to 1807 the legislature adjourned from town to town, assembling at
Exeter,
Concord,
Hopkinton,
Dover, Amherst,
Charlestown, and
Hanover.
The legislature of 1807 adjourns from
Hopkinton to
Concord for regular sessions......1807
New Hampshire Iron Factory Company, incorporated at
Franconia in 1805, erects and puts in operation a blast-furnace......1811
Horace Greeley born at
Amherst......Feb. 3, 1811
New Hampshire troops, under
Gen. John McNiel, take part in the
battle of Chippewa, July 5, 1814, and at
Niagara......July 25, 1814
Law passed giving to the
State complete jurisdiction over Dartmouth College, the charter for which requires the trustees, professors, tutors, and officers to take the oath of allegiance to the
British King......June 27, 1816
Trustees and overseers of Dartmouth College, summoned by the governor to meet at
Hanover, Aug. 26, 1816, refuse to act under the law of June 27, or to report to the governor as requested......Aug. 28, 1816
President John Wheelock, of Dartmouth College, dies......April 4, 1817
President James Monroe, on his tour of the
Northern States, visits
Portsmouth,
Dover,
Concord, and
Hanover......1817
State-house at
Concord erected......1817
Gen. Benjamin Pierce appointed sheriff of
Hillsborough county by
Governor Plumer, liberates three aged men confined for debt in
Amherst jail, by paying their debts......Nov. 20, 1818
Toleration law making all religious sects on equal grounds and dependent on voluntary contributions......1819
Control of Dartmouth College, after two years more of litigation, awarded by the Supreme Court of the
United States to the trustees......1819
Law of June 29, 1821, imposing an annual tax of one-half of 1 per cent. on the capital stock of banks, for school purposes.
The sum accrued is divided among the tow ns......1829
Gov. Matthew Harvey, appointed judge of the United States district court for
New Hampshire, is succeeded by
Joseph M. Harper,
acting governor......February, 1831
Nashua and Lowell Railroad incorporated......1836
Act passed providing for a scientific, geological, and mineralogical survey of the
State......July 3, 1839
Office of State commissioner of common schools created......1846
Law authorizing towns to establish public libraries......1849
Office of school commissioner abolished; a board of education constituted of county school commissioners......June, 1850
Democratic National Convention at
Baltimore, Md., nominates
Gen. Franklin Pierce, of
New Hampshire, for
President......May 9, 1852
New Hampshire conference seminary and female college at
Tilton, opened 1845, receives its charter......1852
Property qualification for State officers abolished......1852
Franklin Pierce inaugurated
President......March 4, 1853
Gold discovered at
Plainfield, in the
Connecticut Valley......1854
State teachers' association incorporated......1854
First regiment of Federal troops leaves
Concord for the seat of war......May 25, 1861
Franklin Pierce's remarkable speech at
Concord on the “war” ......July 4, 1863
Soldiers' voting bill, passed Aug. 17, is returned Aug. 26 with a veto, but becomes a law because retained in the governor's hands more than five days......Aug. 17, 1864
Law authorizing a commissioner to edit early provincial records, and
Rev. Dr. Bouton, of
Concord, chosen......1866
Office of superintendent of public instruction created......1867
Revision and codification of the laws, ordered by the legislature of 1865, completed......1867
New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the
Mechanic Arts, at
Hanover, chartered 1866, opened......Sept. 4, 1868
Legislature ratifies the Fifteenth Amendment to the
United States Constitution......July 1, 1869
City training-school,
Manchester, opened......1869
[
441]
Ex-President Pierce dies at
Concord......Oct. 8, 1869
Labor Reform party holds its first State convention......Jan. 28, 1870
Act passed creating a State board of agriculture......1870
James A. Weston, Democrat, receives
34,700 votes for governor, and James Pike, Republican, 33,892.
The legislature elects
Weston by 326 to 159......June, 1871
Orphans' home and school of industry on the ancestral
Webster farm, near
Franklin, opened......1871
Compulsory attendance school law goes into effect......1871
Weston re-elected by the legislature, no choice by the people; legislature meets......June 3, 1874
There being no choice for governor at the election, March 9, 1875,
Person C. Cheney is chosen by the legislature......June 9, 1875
Thirteen amendments to the constitution, proposed by a convention at
Concord, Dec. 6 to 16, 1876, are adopted except two, one of which was “to strike out the word Protestant” in the
Bill of Rights......1877
Prohibitionists in State convention at
Nashua adopt a constitution for the
State temperance union......June 7-8, 1882
Bronze statue of Daniel Webster, 8 feet in height, cast at
Munich, and gift of
Benjamin P. Cheney, is erected in the State-house park,
Concord, and dedicated......June 17, 1886
For governor:
David H. Goodell, Republican, 44,809 votes;
Charles H. Amsden, Democrat, 44,093;
Edgar L. Carr, Prohibition, 1,567; the choice devolves upon the legislature......November, 1888
State constitutional convention meets at
Concord, Jan. 2, 1889; among the seven amendments submitted to the people one favoring prohibition is lost......March 12, 1889
Legislature elects
Goodell governor by 168 to 114......June 5, 1889
Statue of
Gen. John Stark, for which the legislature appropriated $12,000, unveiled in the State-house yard,
Concord......Oct. 23, 1890
Vote for governor:
Hiram A. Tuttle, Republican, 42,479;
Charles H. Amsden, Democrat, 42,386;
Josiah M. Fletcher, Prohibition, 1,363; no choice......November, 1890
State soldiers' home established at
Tilton, 1889; dedicated......Dec. 3, 1890
Hiram A. Tuttle elected governor by legislature......Jan. 7, 1891
J. H. Gallinger elected
United States Senator......Jan. 20, 1891
Legislature makes the first Monday in September (Labor Day) a legal holiday, directs removal of the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the
Mechanic Arts from
Hanover to the farm of the late
Benjamin Thompson, of
Durham, and passes a secret or Australian ballot act at its session......Jan. 7–April 11, 1891
Ex-Gov. Samuel W. Hale dies at
Brooklyn, aged sixty-eight......Oct. 16, 1891
Monument to
Matthew Thornton, signer of the
Declaration of Independence, erected by legislative authority, dedicated at
Merrimac......May 27, 1892
Statue of
John P. Hale, donated by his son-in-law,
W. E. Chandler, unveiled in the State-house yard,
Concord......Aug. 31, 1892
John Greenleaf Whittier, born 1807, dies at
Hampton Falls......Sept. 7, 1892
Vote for governor:
John B. Smith, Republican, 43,676;
Luther F. McKinney, Democrat, 41,501;
Edgar L. Carr, Prohibition, 1,563; scattering, 320......November, 1892
Insane asylum at
Dover burned; forty-five lives lost......Feb. 9, 1893
Monument to
Maj.-Gen. John Sullivan, erected by legislative authority, dedicated at
Durham......Sept. 27, 1894
Vote for governor:
Charles A. Busiel, Republican.
46,491;
Henry O. Kent, Democrat, 33,959;
Daniel C. Knowles, Prohibition, 1,750; scattering, 856......November, 1894
State library and Supreme Court building erected at a cost of $300,000, dedicated at
Concord......Jan. 8, 1895
Vote for governor:
George A. Ramsdell, Republican, 48,387;
Henry O. Kent, Democrat, 28,333;
John C. Berry, Prohibition, 1,057; scattering, 1,015......November, 1896
Vote for governor:
Frank W. Rollins, Republican, 44,730;
Charles F. Stone, Democrat, 35,653;
Augustus G. Stevens, Prohibition, 1,333; scattering, 749......November, 1898
Ex-Gov. Frederick Smith dies......April 22, 1899
[
442]
Old Home Week first celebrated in fifty cities and towns......August, 1899
Seventy towns celebrate Old Home Week......August, 1900
Joint presentation of bronze tablets to battle-ships
Kearsarge and
Alabama by people of
New Hampshire,
Governor Johnston and staff, of
Alabama, attending, at
Portsmouth......September, 1900
Vote for governor:
Chester B. Jordan, Republican, 53,891;
Frederick E. Potter, Democrat, 34,956;
Josiah M. Fletcher, Prohibition, 1,182; scattering, 764......November, 1900
One hundred towns celebrate Old Home Week......August, 1901
Centennial anniversary of the graduation of Daniel Webster from
Dartmouth celebrated by the college and State at
Hanover......September, 1901
New Jersey 
