This is a transcription of the Swanzey, 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.
SWANZEY
SWANZEY, Cheshire county. Bounded north by Keene, east by Marlborough and Troy, south by Richmond and Winchester, and west by Winchester and Chesterfield. Area, 28,057 acres. Distance from Concord, 60 miles, south-west; from Keene, 6, south. The principal streams are the Ashuelot and the South Branch Rivers, on both of which are valuable water privileges. The surface of the town is diversified with hills, valleys, and swells of upland. Nearly one third part is level, and consists of nearly equal proportions of plain and interval. The soil consists of the interval, plain, and upland. The first yields grass abundantly. The plains produce excellent crops of corn, rye, &c. The soil of the upland is strong and deep, and affords good pasturing, orcharding, and woodland. Great Pond and Lock’s Pond, lying in West Swanzey, are each about a mile long, and 270 rods in width. Hyponeco Brook abounds with trout. There are three meeting houses,–a Baptist and a Universalist in West Swanzey, and a Congregational in Swanzey Centre,–three hotels, five stores, and four sash, door, and blind manufactories, with an aggregate capital of $10,000, where 25 hands are employed; four bucket and pail manufactories, employing 80 hands, with a capital of $40,000; one box manufactory, employing 7 men; one steam mill, employing 6 men; six blacksmith shops, besides several other shops, for the manufacture of various articles of merchandise. There are four villages,-one called Factory Village, another Swanzey Centre, another West Swanzey, and another West Port,-all of which are thriving and prosperous. The Ashuelot Railroad passes through the two latter villages. The inhabitants are industrious and enterprising.
Swanzey was first granted by Massachusetts, in 1733, to 64 persons. After the settlement of the divisional line, it was granted by New Hampshire, July 2, 1753. Until the latter date it had been called Lower Ashuelot, from the Indian name, Ashaelock. From 1741 to 1747, the inhabitants suffered greatly from Indian depredations. Several there killed, and many were taken prisoners. Massachusetts, under whose jurisdiction the town of Swanzey remained for 13 years, at this trying period withdrew her protection, and left the settlers defenseless and exposed to the fury of the savages. They abandoned the settlement, and having collected together their furniture and household goods, concealed them in the ground, covering them with leaves, bushes, trees, &c. Scarce had they turned their backs upon the desolate dwellings before the Indians set fire to them. Every house except one was consumed. About three years afterwards the former settlers returned. The first Congregational church was organized in 1741.
Population, 2106.
Number of legal voters in 1854, 477.
Inventory, $579,921.
Value of lands, $354,840.
Stock in trade, $16,175.
Value of mills, $22,341.
Money at interest, $30,197.
Number of sheep, 1065.
Do. neat stock, 1416.
Do. horses, 311.