Andover, New Hampshire
Merrimack county. It lies 20 miles N.W. from Concord and about 18 E. by N. from Newport. Population, 1830, 1,324. The Blackwater, in the S.W. part of the town, is the principal stream; but numerous rills and brooks find their way down the hills into the ponds or Blackwater. There are six ponds in Andover, the largest of which are Chance and Loon ponds, both picturesque, and their waters pure. The surface of this town is extremely uneven, and in some parts rocky and barren. The Ragged Mountains pass along the N., and the Kearsarge extends its base along the W. The soil is in many parts of good quality, and pleasant villages are formed in different parts of the town. This town was granted in 1746, and was called New Breton, in honor of the captors of Cape Breton in 1745; in which expedition several of the grantees were engaged. It retained this name until June 25, 1779, when it was incorporated by its present name. The first inhabitant of Andover was Joseph Fellows, who moved into the place in 1761: he died March 14, 1811, aged 84. Among the deceased citizens who are remembered with respect by the inhabitants, we may mention Dr. Silas Barnard, the first physician in town, a native of Bolton, Mass., who died June 25, 1795: Dr. Jacob B. Moore, a native of Georgetown, Me., born Sept. 5, 1772; settled in Andover in 1796; died Jan. 10, 1818. He possessed respectable poetical talents; was a writer on political subjects in the public papers, and was eminent in his profession. Jonathan Weare, Esq., a civil magistrate, highly respected for his integrity, died in 1816. Mr. Joseph Noyes was much honored for his charitable disposition. In 1782 a congregational church was formed and the Rev. Jossiah Babcock, of Milton, Mass., was ordained. Andover, though rough, is well adapted for grazing. It feeds about 4,000 sheep.
