Henniker, New Hampshire
Merrimack county. It is 23 miles N.W. from Amherst and 15 W. from Concord. Contoocook river passes easterly through its centre, and divides the town into nearly equal portions of territory and population. Its course is rather circuitous, and in many places presents scenes of considerable interest and beauty. Few places afford better prospects for the successful operation of water machinery than this. There are several ponds of considerable size. Long pond is the largest, being between 1 and 2 miles in length, and from 40 to 80 rods wide—situated 1 mile N. of the centre village. Craney hill is the principal elevation, and embraces a large portion of territory on the S. of the town. It is mostly in a state of cultivation. The soil of the hills is favorable for wheat—the valleys produce good crops of corn.
Henniker was granted in 1752, under the name of Number 6. Its settlement commenced in 1761. It was incorporated in 1768, when it received its present name from Gov. Wentworth, in honor of his friend Henniker, probably John Henniker, Esq., a merchant in London and a member of the British parliament at that time. Population in 1830, 1,725.
