From The Gazetteer of the State of New Hampshire (in three parts), 
compiled from the best authorities, by Eliphalet Merrill and the Late 
Phinehas Merrill, Esq.,
Printed by C. Norris & Co. , Exeter, NH, ©1817, pg 45-47

Part I - General View

Manufactories - The manufacturing interests of New Hampshire have been recently in a 
state of rapid progression.  This state contains more than thirty incorporated factories in 
the branches of cotton and woolen, many of them on an extensive scale.  There are also 
several others which are not incorporated.  Most of them have been established within five 
or six years past, and are, with few exceptions, now in operation.  These establishments 
will be particularly mentioned in the accounts of the respective towns where they are 
situated, viz. Exeter, Dover, Peterborough, Milford, Lebanon, New Ipswich, etc., etc.
	There is also the New Hampshire Iron Factory Company, incorporate in 1805, the 
Haverhill and Franconian Iron Factory Company, incorporated in 1808, the N.H. Mineral 
Company, incorporated in 1811, the New Boston Wire and Iron Factory Company, 
incorporated in 1812, and the N.H. Glass Manufactory company at Keene, incorporated in 
1814.
	There are also several furnaces for casting iron, hollow ware, etc. for rolling and 
slitting iron, casting brass cannon, and at Exeter there is a good manufactory of small 
arms.  Carding and spinning machines, all kinds of cabinet work and turnery, wool and 
cotton cards, all kinds of articles in the cooper’s line, bricks, tiles, and potters wares, are 
manufactured in various parts of the state, as also ardent spirits and essences of various 
kinds, hats, shoes, boots, saddles, and harness, carriages of all sorts; tin, copper and brass 
ware, clocks, bells, combs, millstones, ploughs, and all the implements of husbandry.
	The earliest traffic that was known in this state was that of the fur trade with the 
Indians.  The next trade was in fish, and the next in lumber.  In former years the banks of 
Piscataqua were covered with excellent pine timber, which was exported in various forms.  
The first settlers erected many sawmills on the branches of the rivers, and a brisk trade in 
this branch was carried on for many years.  When the lands adjacent to the rivers were 
stripped of their first growth, it was supposed that the lumber business would decline.  
This however has not been the fact.  From an interior circuit of 40 or 50 miles, timber is 
transported for exportation.  During a period of several years after the revolution, the 
partial imposts and impolitic restrictions of our government excluded foreign vessels from 
our ports, while a deficiency both of capital and enterprise, prevented the merchants of the 
Piscataqua from exploring the many new sources of commerce, which were opened by 
their national independence, and which their brethren in other seaports were improving 
with avidity.  But the operations of the Federal government have introduced a more equal 
system of impost and other regulations of trade by which the commercial interest of this as 
well as of other parts of the union have been rapidly advanced.  The officers of the 
customs in New Hampshire are appointed by the national executive, and the revenue 
arising from its commerce, goes into the national treasury.  The salutary effects of the 
attention of congress to the navigation of New Hampshire is evident from the situation of 
this as well as of some other states in the union.  New Hampshire is situated in the bosom 
of Massachusetts, with only a narrow strip of sea coast and only one port belonging to 
her; her interior country is spread extensively along the borders of adjacent states in such a 
manner, as to compel her to a commercial connection with them. All her towns which lie 
on her southern border, and most of those which lie on her western border, find it more 
convenient to carry their produce to the market either of Newburyport, Boston or 
Hartford than to Portsmouth.  The towns situated on the Saco river and those on the 
northern part of the Connecticut, will necessarily communicate with the markets in the 
district of Maine.  The lumber, which is cut on the upper banks of the Merrimack, is rafted 
down that river and exported from Newburyport or Boston, while most of that which is 
cut on the Connecticut river is carried to Hartford.  The largest and best part of New 
Hampshire is therefore cut off by nature from all commercial intercourse with her only sea 
port.  Lumber being a bulky article, is always transported to the nearest emporium, and 
when it is possible, by water carriage.  All other heavy articles, such as pot and pearl 
ashes, beef, pork, cheese, butter, flax, etc. which require wagons or sleighs, as also live 
cattle sheep, and swine will always be sent to the most advantageous market. These 
circumstances sufficiently explain the fact, that the government of New Hampshire have 
never been able, either before or since the revolution, to concentrate within this state its 
proper commercial advantages, nor even to ascertain the value of its native productions.
	It is impracticable therefore to describe particularly the number or value of the 
articles of trade which are produced in New Hampshire and exported from the different 
ports of Massachusetts and Connecticut.  To confine the detail to the port of Portsmouth 
would give a very imperfect and indistinct idea of the productiveness of the state.  Such 
facts and estimates however which have been obtained on this subject, will be developed 
under their proper heads.
	The staple commodities of new Hampshire, may be said to consist of the following 
articles, viz. lumber, provisions, horses, neat cattle, fish, pot and pearl ashes, and 
flax-seed.  The total value of the exportation from Portsmouth from October 1789, to 
October, 1790, was $296,839.51 cents.  In 1798, the total value in that year was 
$723,241.  In 1810, it was only $234,650.  This diminution was caused by the existing 
commercial restrictions. Since 1810, the commerce of Portsmouth has revived very 
slowly.


Submitted by T.C. Parziale 5/30/00
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