Rochester, New Hampshire
One of the county towns of Strafford county, is 10 miles N.W. from Dover, 22 N.W. from Portsmouth, 34 E. from Concord. Besides Salmon fall river, which divides this town from Berwick and Lebanon in the state of Maine, the Cocheco river runs the whole length of the town, and nearly in the middle, and the Isinglass river crosses the southerly corner of the town just before its junction with Cocheco river, at a place called Blind Will's Neck. Both Salmon fall and Cocheco rivers afford valuable mill-seats; on the latter of which, near the centre of the town, stands the principal village, called Norway Plains. It is a place of considerable trade, and a great thoroughfare from the upper towns in the county to Dover and Portsmouth. There is another village about 2 miles S.W. from this, called Squamanagonnick, the Indian name of the falls in the Cocheco at that place. Much of the soil in Rochester is good; the surface is uneven, with several swells, the principal of which is Squamanagonnick hill, which constitutes a considerable part of several valuable farms. In the W. part of the town, is a large tract of oak land, which is hard and stony, has a deep rich soil, and is very productive when well cultivated. The town was incorporated, in 1722. The first permanent settlement was made in 1728. Until Canada was taken by the British and American troops in 1760, it remained a frontier town; the people were poor and distressed, but not discouraged. Their men were bold, hardy and industrious; and their sons were trained to the use of arms. They early became a terror to their foes. In 1748, the wife of Jonathan Hodgton was killed on a Sunday morning by the Indians, on refusing to be taken to Canada with the party. Her husband married again, had 21 children in all, and died in 1815, aged 90 years. In the revolutionary war, many of the inhabitants bore a part. Captains David Place and John Brewster led companies to Ticonderoga, and suffered much in their retreat from that place in 1777. Of the soldiers from Rochester, 29 were killed or died in that contest. Pop. 1830, 2,155.
