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and some of the best farms in the
county may be found in this town.
The Webster farm lies in that por-
tion which formerly belonged to
Salisbury. The father of Daniel
Webster removed to this farm
and built the main bouse now
standing. There is now (1873)
growing in the front yard a large
elm, which was set out by Daniel
Webster, when he was a boy.
June 17, 1873, through an invi-
tation given by the citizens of
Franklin to the Webster Club of
Boston, who were the old, tried
friends of Daniel Webster, and
to the Governor and Council, and
members of the Legislature of
New-Hampshire, and other people
in the surrounding towns, there
was a meeting at this old home-
stead for the purpose of calling to
mind the days in the past, when
Webster made his annual visit,
with invited friends, to the place
of his birth, his boyhood haunts,
and the graves of his father and
mother.
The Hon. Judge Nesmith of
Franklin, presided over the cer-
emonies of the day, and, on tak-
ing the chair, gave a short and
touching biographical sketch of
the Webster family.
The speeches, made on this occa-
sion by Judge Thomas, Hon. Geo.
S. Hilliard, Hon. Peter Harvey of
Boston, and Governor Straw and
John H. George, Esq., of this
State, were very interesting and
impressive, and will long be re-
membered by those who had the
•pleasure of hearing them.
A few years ago this farm was
purchased for the purpose of es-
tablishing an Orphans’ Home. It
is now in successful operation,
under the immediate care of llev. |
D. A. Mack as superintendent,
who has been very active for its
success from the day of its incep-
tion. The citizens cannot give too
much credit to Judge G. W. Nes-
mith for his energetic efforts to
establish this institution and have
it located in Franklin. Nathaniel
White, Esq., of Concord, Hon.
Dexter Richards, of Newport, and
many others, who will be here-
after mentioned, deserve commen-
dation for their liberal donations
of money to this humane work.
The officers of the home are mak-
ing extensive improvements by
erecting new buildings, &c.
Pond. Webster Pond is situat-
ed near the Northern Railroad, in
the Andover portion of the town.
It is a beautiful sheet of water,
and is much resorted to in the
summer months, for pic-nics and
parties.
Village. Near the confluence
of the Pemigewasset and the
Winnipiseogee rivers, thus form-
ing the Merrimack, is the large
manufacturing village of Frank-
lin. But few, if any, towns in the
State have made such rapid pro-
gress for the past fifteen years, in
population, manufacturing, and
wealth—it having increased in
each nearly one hundred per cent.
The water power in this village,
with one exception, is the best
and most reliable in the State.
The principal manufactories are
on the Winnepiseogee, which nev-
er fails, having as a reservoir the
Winnipiseogee and Winnesquam
Lakes. There is an immense
power on both rivers at this point
still unimproved.
The principal manufacturers are
the Winnipiseogee Paper Compa-
ny, who manufacture book and |
