000 are manufactured.* 80,000 tubs
and pails, and 17,000 boxes of
clothes pins are annually made.
Also nearly 11,000 pounds of ma-
ple sugar are manufactured. Gran-
ite of a fine quality is wrought to a
considerable extent.

Resources. Productions of the
soil, $46,404; mechanical labor,
$ 30,600; stocks, and money at in-
terest, $ 16,904; deposits in savings
banks, $38,937; stock in trade,
$ 11,865.

Churches and Schools. Congre-
gational Church, Rev. F. Jones,
pastor. There are nine school dis-
tricts and seven schools in town;
average length, for the year,
eighteen weeks.

Library. Stoddard Town Li-
brary, 500 volumes.

Hotels. Central House, and
Week’s Hotel.

First Settlements. This town
was formerly called Limerick, and
was granted to Colonel Samson
Stoddard and others, and received
its present name from Colonel
Stoddard. It was first settled by
John Taggard, Reuben Walton,
Alexander Scott, James Mitchell,
and others, in 1769. The priva-
tions and hardships of John Tag-
gard and his family were severe.
Their grain was procured at Pe-
terborough, a distance of about
twenty miles, and carried by him
on his back through the pathless
wilderness. At one time, for six
days, they had nothing but the flesh
of the Moose to subsist on. Incor-
porated Nov. 4, 1774.

First Ministers. Rev. Abishai
Colton, settled in 1793; dismissed
in 1795. Rev. Isaac Robinson, D.
D., (Congregational,) settled in

* These works are not in operation at the
present time.

339

1803; died July 9, 1854. He was a
man of remarkable mental pow-
ers, and of untiring energy and
perseverance. A Congregational
Church was organized Sept. 4,1787.

Boundaries and Area. North by
Washington, east by Windsor and
Antrim, south by Nelson, and west
by Sullivan, Gilsum and Marlow.
Area, 25,925 acres; area of im
proved land 12,897 acres.

Distances. Forty miles south-
west from Concord, and fifteen
north-east from Keene.

Railroads. By stage, sixteen
miles, to Peterborough station, on
the Monadnock Railroad; fifteen
miles to Keene station, on the
Cheshire Railroad, and twelve to
Hillsborough Bridge station, on
the Contoocook Valley Railroad.
When completed, the Greenfield
and Forest Line Railroad will pass
through this town.

STRAFFORD.

Strafford County. The sur-
face of Strafford is broken and un-
even, and the north-west part
mountainous, but the soil is deep
and fertile and yields large crops
of corn, oats wheat, barley, and
potatoes.

Rivers and Poiids. Bow Pond,
the largest body of water in town,
lies in the south-west part, is 650
rods long, and 400 wide, and is the
source of the principal branch of
Isinglass River, which furnishes
abundant water power. Wild
Goose Pond lies between this town
and Pittsfield, and Trout Pond
west of the Blue Hills.

Mountains. The range of moun-
tains which have a considerable
altitude, known as the “Blue
Hills,” lies in the north-west part
of the town.