This year, Francestown is celebrating its 250th birthday. Incorporated as a township in 1772, the story begins a few years earlier. Stretches of lush meadows surrounded by dense forests and beaver-dammed ponds attracted hunters and settlers to the land west of New Boston. The first settlers arrived in the early 1760s. John Carson, Samuel Nichols, John Brown and the Lewis brothers were among those who arrived to build mills for the timber that would become their homes, establish hay fields for cows, plant apple trees and open taverns for travelers.
As paths became roads, farms expanded on the foothills of Bible Hill and Crotched Mountain and along what is now Greenfield Road and Main Street. People were, for the most part, settled in clusters like tiny villages (Clark Village, Mill Village, Lost Village), each family a vital component of the unit, contributing to the whole. As expansion continued, the difficulty of attending church in New Boston and the desire to control their own roads, taxes and public undertakings led 39 men, in July 1771, to petition Gov. John Wentworth. But approval would not be finally granted until June 1772, when the prorogued Legislature reconvened to consider the petition. The new town would be known as Frances Town, so named by Wentworth after his wife, Frances Deering Wentworth. Two years later, the last loyalist governor of New Hampshire would also name Deering.
Growth would be exponential, accelerated by the creation of the Second New Hampshire Turnpike. The first turnpike would run from Durham to Concord. This second one would go from Amherst to Claremont with two other turnpikes to follow. These were toll roads and in Francestown two toll booths existed, one near the New Boston/Mont Vernon line and the other near the Gibson Tavern by the current golf course. These new roads facilitated two-way traffic and trade from town to town and to Boston. Timber, merchandise, foodstuffs and other supplies went back and forth.
Population growth would be even faster. In 1775, approximately 200 residents lived in the newly created Francestown. By 1790, there would be 982, and by 1820 1,479 residents (the 2020 census lists 1,620). By the early 1800s, there would be hotels, banks, general stores and churches. Tanneries, millineries and cabinet-makers were a few of the many enterprises that were established. Farming was an important industry, and from 1810 to 1840, Francestown would be part of the Great Sheep Boom.
The 1800s would see three defining events: the opening of Francestown Academy, the political life of Levi Woodbury and the mining of soapstone. The academy would educate pre-college boys and girls from 1801 until 1912. A private school, it co-existed with the 12 public schoolhouses scattered throughout the town. Students boarded in local homes and the Beehive, now a museum and the home to the Francestown Improvement and Historical Society. When the academy building burned down in 1847, a new one was erected. According to local lore, the new building, our current Town Hall, was built with contributions of funds and “sweat equity” from the residents. The academy educated students who would become educators, professionals and businesspeople. Two of the most-prominent were future President Franklin Pierce and Levi Woodbury.
Woodbury was born in Francestown in 1789 and lived his early years at the house still standing at 1 Main St. After college, he practiced law in Francestown before embarking on his political career. First elected to the New Hampshire State Senate, Woodbury was appointed to the state Supreme Court, then elected governor and U.S. Senator. From 1831 to 1841, he served as secretaries of the Navy and then Treasury. Afterwards, he was back to the U.S. Senate from 1841 to 1845 before appointment as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court until his death in 1851. A Jacksonian Democrat, Woodbury was considered one of the frontrunners for the 1852 Democratic presidential nomination.
And then there was the discovery of soapstone. The soft, easy-to-cut, fire-resistant stone put Francestown on the map. Discovered by Daniel Fuller in 1794, it was considered the highest grade in the country. Quarried stone became stoves, sinks, foot-warmers and myriad household items. By 1884, it was estimated that 2,000 tons were being quarried annually. The end came quickly with bankruptcy in 1905, a fire in 1912 and a lawsuit.
Eventually, the lack of a railroad and the rise of urban manufacturing would cause the town’s decline. The population would decline from 1,307 residents in 1840 to 342 in 1940. By the early 20th century, farming, mainly sheep and dairy, would be prominent, highlighted by the renowned Hob & Knob Farm with shepherd Harry Hardwick and his champion Suffolk sheep.
Growth would return to Francestown late in the 20th century, starting with people looking for recreation opportunities and vacation homes. Permanent residents followed — 830 by 1980 and 1,217 by 1990. Today, Francestown is a vibrant community, home to tradespeople, independent contractors, professionals and retirees.
Charlie Pyle is board president of the Francestown Improvement and Historical Society.