This is a transcription of the Richmond, NH description from New Hampshire As It Is by Edwin A. Charlton; Part II: A Gazetteer of New Hampshire by George Ticknor, Tracy and Sanford Publishers, Claremont, N. H., 1855.
RICHMOND
RICHMOND, Cheshire county. Bounded north by Swanzey, east by Troy and Fitzwilliam, south by Warwick and Royalston, Massachusetts, and west by Winchester. Area, 23,725 acres. Distance from Concord, 70 miles, south-west; from Keene, 12, south. It is watered by branches of Ashuelot and Miller’s Rivers, which fall into the Connecticut. The surface is generally level; the soil is favorable for the grains and grasses. Soapstone of a good quality is found here in considerable quantities. In the quarry from which the soapstone is taken are found quartz, felspar, phosphate of lime, pinite, rutile, iron pyrites, garnets, calcareous spar, and hornblende crystals. In the hornblende rock occur very perfect crystals of black tourmaline. Iolite of great beauty is found in the quartz. This is a rare mineral, and is highly valued.
Richmond contains three meeting houses, three stores, one hotel, twelve sawmills, two gristmills, four pail manufactories, one wooden ware manufactory, and in the village at the “Four Corners” is a large steam mill, or shop, which is used for various purposes.
This town was granted, February 28, 1752, to Joseph Blanchard and others. The first Baptist church was formed in 1768; the second in 1776. There are also societies of Quakers, Universalists, and Unitarians.
Population, 1128.
Number of legal voters in 1854, 300.
Inventory, $308,662.
Value of lands, $185,376.
Do. mills, $7750.
Stock in trade, $5716.
Money at interest, $13,589.
Number of sheep, 403.
Do. neat stock, 1048.
Do. horses, 190.