highest land is Crotched mountain,
the summit of which is more than
600 feet above the level of the
common in the centre of the town.
One of the summits of this moun-
tain is covered with wood; the other
is almost a solid ledge of rocks, af-
fording a very extensive prospect to
the S. W. There is in the easter-
ly part of this town a very exten-
sive and valuable quarry of free-
stone. It is of a dark greyish col-
or, and when polished strongly re-
sembles the variegated marble of
Vermont. In the N. part of this
town black lead has been found of
a good quality—and in the S. part
some beautiful specimens of rock
crystal. The common garnet is
met with in various places. On
the N. side of Haunted pond, there
is a bar of 20 rods in length, 6 feet
high, and 3 or 4 feet through; but
for what purpose or by what means
this barrier was raised, is a matter
of conjecture only. The local sit-
uation of this town is very eligible
for business, being near the centre
of the county, and on the great
thoroughfare from Windsor to Bos-
ton, and on a leading road from the
S. W. part of the state to Concord.
The village is very pleasant, neatly
built and flourishing. Francestown
derived its name from .Frances, the
wife of the last Gov. Wentworth.
The first settlement was made ahout
1760, by John Carson, a Scotch-
man.

Mr. James Woodbury, who
died March 3, 1823, at the age of !
85, closed his life in this town. He
was an active soldier in the old
French war, and engaged by the
side of Gen. Wolfe, when be was
killed at the memorable siege of
Quebec.' He was one of the truly
invincible rangers under the im-
mortal Stark, and discharged every
duty in a prompt and courageous
manner. Population, 1830, 1541.

Franconia* K. H.

Grafton co. It is 28 miles N. E.

from Haverhill, and 74 N. from
Concord. A large proportion of
this town is mountainous. Its
streams are branches of the Lower
Amonoosuck river, and rise on the
mountainous tracts to the east.
Here are several ponds: one of
which, called Ferrin’s pond, is the
source of the middle branch of Pem-
igewasset river. The mountains
adjoining the Notch, through which
the road passes, are most conspicu-
ous. These are called Mounts La
Fayette and Jackson. On the lat-
ter is the celebrated “ Profile,” or
“ Old Man of the Mountain.” It is
situated on a peak of solid rock,

1,000 feet in height and almost per-
pendicular. On this peak, nature,
in her wildest mood, exhibits the
profile of the human face, of which
every feature is delineated with
wonderful exactness. The Fran-
conia mountain pass presents to the
traveller some of the wildest scene-
ry in our country, and must ever re-
main a great thoroughfare between
the upper waters of the Connecti-
cut river and the ocean.

There are two iron establish-
ments in this town. The lower
works are situated on the S. branch
of Amonoosuck river, and are own-
ed by the New Hampshire Iron
Factory Company; incorporated,
Dec. 18,1805, which was composed
principally of gentlemen in Salem
and Boston. Their establishment
is very extensive, consisting of a
blast furnace, erected in 1808, an
air furnace, a forge and trip-ham-
mer shop. There are also near, or
connected with the establishment,
grain and saw-mills, a large store,
several shops, and other buildings,
which make a small village. The
ore is obtained from a mountain in
the east part of LLbon,N. H., three
miles from the furnace, and is con-
sidered the richest in the United
States, yielding from 56 to 63 per
cent; and the mine is said to be in-
exhaustible. First settled, 1774.
Population,1830, 447.