New Hampshire Town and County Development

In order to find many records for New Hampshire ancestors it is important to know exactly where to look. This is part one of a comprehensive list of New Hampshire town and county developments over time. Initially, New Hampshire was initially one province with an individual town government. In 1769, an act proposing the establishment of five counties to handle growing demand on government administration was sent to England for confirmation. The Crown confirmed the act in 1771 and the new system was established a year later.

What follows are descriptions of each of the first five counties, original boundaries, and the towns founded within those bounds. Each town list includes:

• The name of town with the date it was adopted
• All known previous names and date name was adopted, when known
• Date of town grant or incorporation
• Parent town set off from, when applicable and known
• Date settled
• Date of affiliation with county or counties

All information in this article regarding the formation of counties, their bounds, the towns in each county with dates, and county seats is taken from the preface of Otis G. Hammond, ed. Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire vol. 39, State Paper Series (State of New Hampshire: 1941), viii. For a statewide alphabetical list of New Hampshire town names see this volume. Also Isaac W. Hammond, ed. Town Papers, Documents Relating to Towns in New Hampshire vol. 6-8, State Paper Series (Concord, NH, Parsons B. Cogswell, State Printer: 1891) was used to obtain information about former names and dates of settlement. When information from these sources conflicted, or dates of settlement were missing, various town histories were consulted. In addition a list of old town names arranged alphabetically found in the New Hampshire Vital Record office, Hazen Drive, Concord, NH, was incorporated. This list is not sourced and when information from the list conflicted with the State Papers series, or did not make sense, it was not used.

Part two of this article will cover later counties and associated towns.

Rockingham County was one of the first five counties established under the act of 1769. Its boundaries were then from the mouth of the Piscataqua River, along the river up to the easterly corner of New Market, then northwesterly by Nottingham, Chichester, and Canterbury to the Merrimack River, down the river to the westerly lines of Bow, Concord, and Pembroke, following the river again to the northwest corner of Derryfield (Manchester), then by the easterly lines of Derryfield, Litchfield, and Nottingham West (Hudson) to the province line first mentioned, including the Isles of Shoals belonging to this province. Rockingham County records are kept at Exeter.

Towns in Rockingham County

Strafford County began at a point at the northwest corner of Canterbury, across the river, then down it to the Pemigewasset, then to run up Pemigewasset River to Campton, then round the westerly end of Campton and by the northerly side lines of Campton, Sandwich, and Tamworth, then easterly to the province line on the same course with the northerly sideline of Eaton, then down the said province line to the line of the first county, then by the same to the bounds first mentioned. Because Strafford and Grafton counties were in their early growth, they were initially annexed to Rockingham and under the jurisdiction of that court. The county was given independent jurisdiction in 1773, and records since that date are kept at Dover.

Towns in Strafford County

Hillsborough County was bounded by a line beginning at the southeast corner of Nottingham West (Hudson), then westerly by the province line to the southeast corner of Rindge, then by the easterly side line of Rindge, Monadnock Number Two (Jaffrey), Dublin, the townships Number Six (Marlborough, [now Henniker]), Number Seven (Hillsboro) and Number Eight (Washington), then to the south end of Sunapee Pond, then by the easterly side of said pond to the north end thereof, then by the northwesterly side line of Dantzic (Newbury) and Heidlebourg (New London) , and by the northerly side lines of Heidlebourg and northwesterly side line of Emery’s Town (Andover) to Pemigewasset River, down the river to the bounds of the first county (Rockingham), then by the same to the bounds first mentioned. Hillsborough County records are kept at Nashua.

Towns in Hillsborough County

Cheshire County was bounded by a line beginning at the southeast corner of Rindge, then westerly by the province line to the western bank of the Connecticut River, up the same till it comes opposite to the northwest corner of Plainfield, then crossing the river to the last mentioned corner of Plainfield, then by the northerly side lines of Plainfield and Grantham to the northeast corner of Grantham, then by the easterly side line of Grantham and the north side line of Saville (Sunapee) to the boundary line of the third county (Hillsborough), then by the same to the bounds first mentioned. Cheshire County records are kept at Keene.

Towns in Cheshire County

Grafton County is the last of the five original counties established in 1771. It contains all the land in the province not included in the other counties at the time of establishment.  Grafton, like Strafford, was initially annexed to Rockingham County, falling under the jurisdiction of the Rockingham court until 1773. That year Grafton County was given independent jurisdiction and records after that date are kept at Woodsville.