New Ipswich, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
New Ipswich is a town in Hillsborough County
, New Hampshire
, United States
. The population was 5,099 at the 2010 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts
border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New Ipswich Center, Smithville, and Wilder, though these village designations no longer hold the importance they did in the past. The Wapack Trail
passes through the community.
, Massachusetts
, from whence the name is derived, by Colonial
Governor Jonathan Belcher
and the General Court (Assembly) of Massachusetts. As was customary, tall white pine
trees were reserved for use as masts
by the Royal Navy
. Settlement began in 1738, when Abijah Foster arrived with his wife and infant daughter. In 1762, Governor Benning Wentworth
incorporated the town as "Ipswich", and then in 1766 as "New Ipswich". New Ipswich Academy
, later renamed Appleton Academy after benefactor Samuel Appleton
, was chartered in 1789, the second oldest in New Hampshire
after Phillips Exeter Academy
in Exeter
. It would also serve as high school for the nearby communities of Mason
and Greenville
. Appleton Academy closed in 1968. In 1969, construction of Mascenic Regional High School was completed in New Ipswich.
The Souhegan River
provided water power for mills, and in 1801, the first woolen
mill in the state was established at New Ipswich, followed in 1804 by the first cotton
mill. Other early factories produced glass
, potash
and linseed oil
. Cabinet making
craftsmen produced elegant furniture. The town's affluence would be expressed in fine architecture
, an example of which is the Barrett House, used as a setting for the 1979 Merchant Ivory film of The Europeans
by Henry James
. Bypassed by the railroad, the early mill town was preserved.
In the past half century, a notable influx of peoples of Finnish descent, particularly of the Apostolic Lutheran Church of America
, have settled in New Ipswich. Additionally, migrants from nearby Massachusetts make up a large percentage of new residents.
, the town has a total area of 33.1 square miles (85.7 km²), of which 32.8 sq mi (85 km²) is land and 0.3 sq mi (0.776996433 km²) is water, comprising 0.97% of the town. New Ipswich is drained by the Souhegan River. New Ipswich Mountain
, part of the Wapack Range
, is the highest point in the town, with an elevation of 1881 feet (573.3 m) above sea level
. Much of the town is made up of the wooded foothills of the Wapack Range. Secondary growth forests have reclaimed the vast majority of the pasture lands that dominated New Ipswich and much of New England at the beginning of the 20th century.
New Ipswich is bordered by Rindge
to the west, Sharon
and Temple
to the north, Greenville
and Mason
to the east, and Ashburnham
, Massachusetts
and Ashby
, Massachusetts
to the south.
of 2000, there were 4,289 people, 1,350 households, and 1,089 families residing in the town. The population density
was 131.0 people per square mile (50.6/km²). There were 1,449 housing units at an average density of 44.2 per square mile (17.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.55% White, 0.19% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.14% from other races
, and 0.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population. 19.7% were of Finnish, 13.2% French
, 13.0% English
, 10.4% Irish
, 9.7% French Canadian
, 6.5% German
and 5.6% American
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 1,350 households out of which 45.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.3% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.16 and the average family size was 3.55.
In the town the population was spread out with 34.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 104.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $53,939, and the median income for a family was $57,865. Males had a median income of $40,887 versus $26,724 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $20,210. About 4.3% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
New Ipswich has one of the highest population percentages of residents under the age of 18 in New Hampshire.
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 380,841 people, 144,455 households, and 98,807 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 149,961 housing units at an average density of 171 per square mile...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 5,099 at the 2010 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New Ipswich Center, Smithville, and Wilder, though these village designations no longer hold the importance they did in the past. The Wapack Trail
Wapack Trail
The Wapack Trail is one of the oldest public, interstate hiking trails in the United States. Opened in 1923, it follows the Wapack Range north-south for , between Mount Watatic in Ashburnham, Massachusetts and North Pack Monadnock mountain in Greenfield, New Hampshire...
passes through the community.
History
New Ipswich was granted in 1735 to 60 inhabitants of IpswichIpswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, from whence the name is derived, by Colonial
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
Governor Jonathan Belcher
Jonathan Belcher
Jonathan Belcher was colonial governor of the British provinces of Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.-Early life:Jonathan Belcher was born in Cambridge, Province of Massachusetts Bay, in 1682...
and the General Court (Assembly) of Massachusetts. As was customary, tall white pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
trees were reserved for use as masts
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. Settlement began in 1738, when Abijah Foster arrived with his wife and infant daughter. In 1762, Governor Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.-Biography:The eldest child of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715...
incorporated the town as "Ipswich", and then in 1766 as "New Ipswich". New Ipswich Academy
New Ipswich Academy
New Ipswich Academy was a historic private academy in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, which operated from 1789 to 1968.-History:...
, later renamed Appleton Academy after benefactor Samuel Appleton
Samuel Appleton
Samuel Appleton was an American merchant and philanthropist, active in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Great Britain. The city of Appleton, Wisconsin was named in his honor by Amos Lawrence.-Biography:...
, was chartered in 1789, the second oldest in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
after Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
in Exeter
Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
. It would also serve as high school for the nearby communities of Mason
Mason, New Hampshire
Mason is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,382 at the 2010 census. Mason, together with Wilton, is home to Russell-Abbott State Forest.-History:...
and Greenville
Greenville, New Hampshire
Greenville is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,105 at the 2010 census.The primary settlement in town, where 1,108 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Greenville census-designated place and is located at the junction of New Hampshire...
. Appleton Academy closed in 1968. In 1969, construction of Mascenic Regional High School was completed in New Ipswich.
The Souhegan River
Souhegan River
The Souhegan River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in the northeastern United States. long with a drainage area of , it flows north and east through southern New Hampshire to the Merrimack River....
provided water power for mills, and in 1801, the first woolen
Woolen
Woolen or woollen is a type of yarn made from carded wool. Woolen yarn is soft, light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn...
mill in the state was established at New Ipswich, followed in 1804 by the first cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
mill. Other early factories produced glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
, potash
Potash
Potash is the common name for various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water-soluble form. In some rare cases, potash can be formed with traces of organic materials such as plant remains, and this was the major historical source for it before the industrial era...
and linseed oil
Linseed oil
Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil, is a clear to yellowish oil obtained from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant . The oil is obtained by cold pressing, sometimes followed by solvent extraction...
. Cabinet making
Cabinet making
Cabinet making is the practice of using various woodworking skills to create cabinets, shelving and furniture.Cabinet making involves techniques such as creating appropriate joints, dados, bevels, chamfers and shelving systems, the use of finishing tools such as routers to create decorative...
craftsmen produced elegant furniture. The town's affluence would be expressed in fine architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, an example of which is the Barrett House, used as a setting for the 1979 Merchant Ivory film of The Europeans
The Europeans
The Europeans: A sketch is a short novel by Henry James, published in 1878. It is essentially a comedy contrasting the behaviour and attitudes of two visitors from Europe with those of their relatives living in the 'new' world of New England. The novel first appeared as a serial in The Atlantic...
by Henry James
Henry James
Henry James, OM was an American-born writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism. He was the son of Henry James, Sr., a clergyman, and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James....
. Bypassed by the railroad, the early mill town was preserved.
In the past half century, a notable influx of peoples of Finnish descent, particularly of the Apostolic Lutheran Church of America
Apostolic Lutheran Church of America
The Apostolic Lutheran Church of America is a Lutheran church established by Finnish-Americans in the early 20th century.The Finns came principally from northern Norway and were identified under the State Church. However, there were a number belonging to a party founded by Provost Lars Levi...
, have settled in New Ipswich. Additionally, migrants from nearby Massachusetts make up a large percentage of new residents.
Notable inhabitants
- Nathan AppletonNathan AppletonNathan Appleton was an American merchant and politician.- Biography :Appleton was born in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, the son of Isaac Appleton and his wife Mary Adams. Appleton's father was a church deacon, and Nathan was brought up in "strictest form of Calvinistic Congregationalism." He was...
, merchant & politician, born in New Ipswich - Samuel AppletonSamuel AppletonSamuel Appleton was an American merchant and philanthropist, active in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Great Britain. The city of Appleton, Wisconsin was named in his honor by Amos Lawrence.-Biography:...
, merchant & philanthropist - Benjamin ChampneyBenjamin ChampneyBenjamin Champney was a painter whose name has become synonymous with White Mountain art of the 19th century. He began his training as a lithographer under celebrated marine artist Fitz Henry Lane at Pendleton's Lithography shop in Boston...
, artist - Jonas ChickeringJonas ChickeringJonas Chickering was a piano manufacturer in Boston, Massachusetts.Jonas Chickering was born in Mason Village, and raised in nearby New Ipswich, New Hampshire where his father Abner Chickering kept a farm and worked as a blacksmith...
, piano manufacturer - Augustus Addison GouldAugustus Addison GouldAugustus Addison Gould was an American conchologist and malacologist.-Biography:...
, scientist
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 33.1 square miles (85.7 km²), of which 32.8 sq mi (85 km²) is land and 0.3 sq mi (0.776996433 km²) is water, comprising 0.97% of the town. New Ipswich is drained by the Souhegan River. New Ipswich Mountain
New Ipswich Mountain
New Ipswich Mountain is a monadnock located in south-central New Hampshire within the Wapack Range of mountains. It lies within the town of New Ipswich and is traversed by the Wapack Trail. Barrett Mountain is located directly to the north along the Wapack ridgeline; Stony Top, a subordinate peak...
, part of the Wapack Range
Wapack Range
The Wapack Range, sometimes referred to as the Pack Monadnock Range, is a 20-mile range of mountains in south-central New Hampshire and adjacent Massachusetts. The range is considered very scenic and rugged with many bare summits and ledges ranging from 1,800 feet to 2,290 feet. The 22 mile Wapack...
, is the highest point in the town, with an elevation of 1881 feet (573.3 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. Much of the town is made up of the wooded foothills of the Wapack Range. Secondary growth forests have reclaimed the vast majority of the pasture lands that dominated New Ipswich and much of New England at the beginning of the 20th century.
New Ipswich is bordered by Rindge
Rindge, New Hampshire
Rindge is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,014 at the 2010 census. Rindge is home to Franklin Pierce University, the Cathedral of the Pines, and part of Annett State Forest.-Native American inhabitants:...
to the west, Sharon
Sharon, New Hampshire
Sharon is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 352 at the 2010 census.-History:Settled in 1738, Sharon was originally a part of Peterborough...
and Temple
Temple, New Hampshire
Temple is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,366 at the 2010 census.- History :Incorporated in 1768, Temple takes its name from colonial governor John Wentworth's lieutenant governor, John Temple.- Geography :...
to the north, Greenville
Greenville, New Hampshire
Greenville is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,105 at the 2010 census.The primary settlement in town, where 1,108 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Greenville census-designated place and is located at the junction of New Hampshire...
and Mason
Mason, New Hampshire
Mason is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,382 at the 2010 census. Mason, together with Wilton, is home to Russell-Abbott State Forest.-History:...
to the east, and Ashburnham
Ashburnham, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,546 people, 1,929 households, and 1,541 families residing in the town. The population density was 143.4 people per square mile . There were 2,204 housing units at an average density of 57.0 per square mile...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and Ashby
Ashby, Massachusetts
Ashby is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,120 as of the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to the south.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,289 people, 1,350 households, and 1,089 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 131.0 people per square mile (50.6/km²). There were 1,449 housing units at an average density of 44.2 per square mile (17.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.55% White, 0.19% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.14% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population. 19.7% were of Finnish, 13.2% French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, 13.0% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 10.4% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 9.7% French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
, 6.5% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
and 5.6% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 1,350 households out of which 45.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.3% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.16 and the average family size was 3.55.
In the town the population was spread out with 34.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 104.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $53,939, and the median income for a family was $57,865. Males had a median income of $40,887 versus $26,724 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $20,210. About 4.3% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
New Ipswich has one of the highest population percentages of residents under the age of 18 in New Hampshire.
Sites of interest
- Barrett House (c. 1800)