INDUSTRIES IN HOPKINTON.
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��stock has been introduced to a consider- able extent. Among our most enter- prising farmers may ^be mentioned Jo- seph Barnard, James M. Connor, Wood- buryjHardy, John W. Page, S. S. Page, Horace Edmunds, H. H. Crowell, and others.
MANUFACTURES.
In 1738, Henry Mellen received a prom- ise of a gratuity of twenty-tive pounds from the incipient township, on condi- tion that by the first of October of the same year he should erect a mill ; ' on the reservation" and keep it in repair for three years next following, with the im- plied privilege of each proprietor to ob- tain sawing at a stipulated price. The list of proprietors' 1 and other lots given on the plan of occupation originally drawn gives no specific location of the 4,4 reservation." Wherever this reserva- tion was, if there was ever a mill built upon it, the structure was probably not located on any very considerable stream. The circumstances of the new township would hardly admit of an immediate im- portant manufactory of lumber. In very early times there was a mill on the brook now utilized by Dea. Timothy Colby, but farther up than the present lumber works, at the head of the present poud. The foundations of the ancient structure can be seen to this day. We have heard it said that this spot was the site of the first mill in town. It may have been.but we cannot prove it. * From the few facts in our possession we con- clude that, after the permanent settle- ment of the town mills increased with considerable rapidity. In 1791 the fol- lowing persons were taxed for mills : — Nathaniel Clement, Moses Titcoinb, Jer- emiah Story, Amos Bailey, Levi Bailey, Joseph Barnard, John Currier. Eliphilet Poor, Abraham Rowell and Simeon Dow, Jr. The principal business done at these mills was probably sawing lumber, grinding corn and grain, or fulling and dressing cloth. Nathaniel Clement and
��* Since writing the above we have re- ceived information which leads us to be- lieve that the first mill in town was lo- cated on the site of the old Philip Brown mill described in this article.
��Jeremiah Story were in partnership, con- tinuing so, probably, till 1798, when both ceased to be taxed for property in mills. Their first mill, possibly in activity be- fore 1791, was on or near the site of the old Phillip Brown mill, just east 6f the village, below what is now known as Mill's Pond. Moses Titcomb's mill was after- wards known as Webber's ; the site is no the well-known Sibley farm, now owned by Dr. C. P. Gage, of Concord. Joseph Barnard's mill was also on Dol- loph's brook, so-called, near its outlet into the Contoocook river. John Currier's mill was in " Stumpfield," on the well- known brook coursing through that dis- trict. Abraham Powell's mill was ou * the Contoocook river, at West Hopkin- ton, near Powell's bridge, on the present mill site. Simeon Dow's mill was at Contoocook, as was the mill of Eliphilet Poor, the first in this location. We can- not give the location of the others.
In the earlier times, manufactures were very much scattered. In fact ev- ery household was a manufacturing es- tablishment in a small way. Once small mills and shops, manufactories of lum- ber, leather, and various domestic arti- cles in whole or in part, were scattered through the town, occupying nearly or quite every available water privilege, while some, like the tanneries, were of- ten on highland locations. Since the earlier times, many men have been en- gaged in manufactures in this town. We can only mention some of the more important establishments and owners.
The principal water-power being on the Contoocook river, at the village of the same name, which has grown up in a large measure in consequence of the local, natural privileges offered by the stream, there have been a number of the more important works in this locality. Mills of greater or less importance were located early at this point, among the operators being Benjamin. Hills, who was taxed for mill property in this town as early as 1795*, and whose family name gave the euphonious title of " Hill's
��♦In 1797-99, Moses Hills was taxed for Mill property in this town.
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