This is a transcription of the Nelson, 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.
NELSON
NELSON, Cheshire county. Bounded north by Stoddard, east by Antrim and Hancock, south by Dublin and Roxbury, and west by Roxbury and Sullivan. Area, 22,875 acres. Distance from Concord, 40 miles, south-west; from Keene, 8, north-east. Situated on the height of land between Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers. The surface is hilly, but good for grazing. The soil is generally hard, but productive. There are seven ponds, covering a surface of 1800 acres. Long Pond, the largest body of water, is four miles in length; from this issues a branch of the Contoocook River. Several excellent mill privileges are furnished by streams flowing from these ponds. Plumbago is found in large quantities here. The mines yield on an average 220 tons annually. The inhabitants are principally farmers, of industrious habits. Within a few years considerable attention has been paid to manufactures, which have added much to the growth and prosperity of the town. The cotton factory owned by Alvan Munson has 640 spindles and 12 looms. The capital stock is valued at $12,000. Manufacture 10/4 cotton sheetings; number of yarn, 20; number of operatives, 20.
Harrisville, a pleasant and thriving village, is situated partly in Nelson, and partly in Dublin. It is named from Bethuel Harris, an active and enterprising man, who, in 1820, commenced business here without funds save his energy and perseverance. The village now contains a meeting house, school house, a store, public house, and a large wooden ware shop. It has a population of 350 inhabitants. The woollen factory of Messrs. Harris & Hutchinson, also that of Milan Harris, Colony, & Sons, are widely known for the fine doeskins, of a truly superior quality, manufactured here. The capital stock of Messrs. Harris & Hutchinson is valued at $20,000; number of spindles, 300; do. looms, 7; do. operatives, 18. 30,000 pounds of fine wool are consumed annually. Agent, Charles C. P. Harris. There is also a chair factory, in which 10 hands are employed. Besides these already named, there are in Nelson two meeting houses, one store, three shoe manufactories, one tannery, and one blacksmith’s shop.
This town was formerly called Monadnock Number Six. It was granted by the Masonian proprietors February 22, 1774. The first settlers were Breed Batchelder and Dr. Nathaniel Breed, who came here in 1767. The Congregational church was organized January 31, 1781.
Population, 751.
Number of legal voters in 1854, 180.
Common schools, 8.
Inventory, $252,100.
Value of lands, $142,296.
Do. mills and factories, $6550.
Stock in trade, $2730.
Money at interest, &c., $23,595.
Number of sheep,3832.
Do. neat stock, 740.
Do. horses, 117.