NEW HAMPSHIRE (ante), was first visited by capt. John Smith. the English navi gator, in 1614, and next by a capt. John Mason and sir Ferdinand Gorges. In some of the earliest histories it is called Laconia, and in others capt. John Mason's Patent, and: Pascataqua. The first settlements were made at Dover and Portsmouth in 1623, and 12 years later another was formed at Exeter; but the settlers were unable to defend them selves arrainst the Indians, and in 1641 all the settlements in the state united with the colony of Massachusetts. In 1679, however, Charles II. made it a separate royal province, with a president and council appointed by the crown, and an assembly chosen by the people. Then again from 16S9 to 1692 it reunited with Massachusetts, which relation it continued 49 years before becoming for the third time an independent province. The settlements were gradually extended further w. than the original patent prescribed, and it was believed until 1764 that the territory at present included in Vermont formed part of the grant, a mistake that led to a vexatious controversy which lasted many years. In 1776 the state declarad its independence, and a temporary government was established that continued the revolutionary war, in which its people were among the most active and ,was adso.,repitteuted,,.ht. /ie,,otatinental con gross, and ratified the constitution of the United States by a vote of 57 to 46. At a con vention in Oct., 1783, a constitution was prepared similar to that of Massachusetts, and this as altered slightly six years afterwards is still the constitution of the state. In 1807 Concord was chosen as the permanent capital.
Previous to 1860 large gains in the state's growth were reported in every census; but by the census of that year it was found that there was a decrease of 2.38 per cent in the population, and for many years its agricultural interests have been declining. The soil never was very fertile, and much of the land which was once productive has become worn out by long use. This fact, iu connection with the severity of the climate has caused many of the younger generation to seek new advantages in the west. In 1870 there wore 72,144 families with an average of 4.41 persons to each, and 67,046 dwellings with an average of 4.75 to each. Of the total population 10 years of age and over (260,426) there were engaged in all occupations 120,168, which total was divided as follows: Agriculture, 46,573; manufacture, mechanical, and mining industries. 46,553: trade, 8,514; clergymen, 664; lawyers, 349: physicians, 565; laborers, 4,686; domestic servants, 7,481. The number of acres in farms was 3,605,994. of which 2,334,487 acres were improved. The value of the farms was estimated at 480,589,313, and of the farming implements and machinery, $3,459,943. The chief productions were: 'Winter wheat. 189,222 bushels; spring wheat, 4,399 bushels; rye, 47,420; Indian corn. 1,277,768; oats, 1,146,451; barley, 105,822; buckwheat, 100,034; peas and beans, 58,375; potatoes, 4,515,599; hay, 612,648 tons; tobacco, 155,334 lbs.; wool, 1,129,442 lbs.; butter, 5,905, 080; cheese, 849,118; hops, 99,469; maple sugar, 1,800,704; honey, 56,944; maple molas ses, 16,884 gallons. The value of all kinds of live stock in the state during the same
year was estimated at $15,246,545. It included 43,335 horses, 90,580 milch cows, 40,513 working-oxen; 91,705 other cattle, 248,760 sheeps, and 33,127 swine. It is in manufa• tures rather than agriculture that the state ranks high. The busy cities of :Manchester, Dover, mind Nashua, together with the numerous smaller towns active with manufactur ing industry, make it among the first in the union in this respect. Cotton and woolen goods, bqots and shoes, machinery, and other iron and metallic wares, are the leading articles of manufacture; but paper, carriages, furniture, hosiery, leather, lumber, wooden-ware, and a large variety of other goods are extensively produced. In 1870 the total number of manufacturing establishments was 3,342, employing 40,783 hands, and using a capital of $36,023,743. The value of material used was $44,577,907, and of the 'products, $71,038,249. Of this amount the manufacture of cotton goods furnished the largest single item, $16,999,672; the woolen and' worsted goods produced were valued at $10,150,729; lumber, $3,920,522; boots and shoes, $4,780,020; printing-cotton and woolen goods, $4,670,333; iron, rolled and castings, $1,369,568; furniture, 0,732,162; leather. tanned and curried, $3,686,096; machinery of all kinds, $3,003,563; paper, $1,088.285: carriages, wagons, and cars, $1,286,084; flooring-mill products, $1,270,226; hosiery, 0,757,445. As to the state's foreign commerce, it is usually very small. Portsmouth is its only port of entry: and In 1874 the value of imported goods received there amounted to about $41,000. The exports were not $200 in value. The number of American vessels that entered and cleared from the port were 25. with a tonnage of 5,959; the Mini ber of foreign vessels, 46, with a tonnage of 5,471. The number of railroads, with their blanches lying wholly or partly in New Hampshire in 1875 was 12. These were the Boston, Concord and Montreal, 160 rn.; Boston and Maine, 34 in.; Cheshire, 42 m. ; Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway, 72 m.; Atlantic and St. Lawrence, 52 in.; Ports mouth, 59 m.; Concord 35 m.; Manchester, Lawrence and North Beare, 42 m.; Northern, 82 in.; Nashua and Rochester, 49 in.; Eastern, with Conway division, 89 in.; and Dover and Winuipiseogee, 28 miles. The number of national banks in operation in the state at the beginning of the same year was 43. Their capital amounted to $5,365, 000; bonds on deposit, $5,342,000; outstanding circulation, $4,707,365. There were also two state banks and trust companies with $175,000 capital, and GS savings-banks, which had deposits to the amount of $30,214,585. The fire insurance companies coin• prised 16 town companies, 6 mutual not limited to towns, and the New Hampshire joint stock company. The amount of risks carried by the town companies was $2,241,027, and by the mutual $12,932,929. Besides these companies there were 56 fire and 5 marine insurance companies of other states and foreign countries licensed to transact business in the.state.