This is a transcription of the Jaffrey, 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.
JAFFREY
JAFFREY, Cheshire county. Bounded north by Dublin, east by Peterborough and Sharon, south by Rindge and Fitzwilliam, and west by Troy and Marlborough. Area 25,600 acres. Distance from Concord, 46 miles, south-west from Keene, 15, south-east. Monadnock Mountain lies mostly in this town. Near the summit, which is about 300 feet above its base, only a few dwarfish shrubs grow in the crevices of the rocks. Its sides are covered with blueberry, which afford an abundance of delicious fruit. There are several caves in various parts of this mountain, which seem to have been formed by large fissures made by extensive strata thrown from their primitive position. Several streams issue from its sides, the largest of which rises about 100 rods from its summit, and forms the principal source of the Contoocook River. About one and a half miles from the mountain, in a south-easterly direction, is Monadnock Mineral Spring the waters are slightly impregnated with carbonate of iron and sulphuret of soda. Where it issues from the earth, yellow ochre collects in considerable quantities. So even is the temperature of the water that it has never been seen frozen over. It is not affected by drought or heavy rains.
There are four meeting houses-two Congregational, one Baptist, and one Universalist; one academy, with a small fund, the interest of which is applied to the purchase of apparatus; four stores; one hotel; five saw and three gristmills; two cotton factories, capital $20,000, number of hands employed, 80; A. Bascom & Co. proprietors, one carding machine; two wooden ware shops, employing 10 hands; and two tanneries. The Monadnock Bank has a capital of $50,000.
The proprietors of the Mason title granted this town, in 1749, to 40 persons. The first settlement was made, in 1758, by one Grout and John Davison. It was incorporated in 1773, and received its name from George Jaffrey, Esq., of Portsmouth. Its former name was Middle Monadnock, or Number Two. The Congregational church was formed in 1780.
Population, 1497.
Number of legal voters in 1854, 330.
Do. common schools, 13.
Inventory, $574,542.
Value of lands, $325,304.
Stock in trade, $8094.
Value of mills, factories, &c., $22,738.
Number of sheep, 1349.
Do. neat stock, 1514.
Do. horses, 254.