NH: Individual County Chronologies

BELKNAP created from STRAFFORD. (N.H. Laws 1840, ch. 539, secs. 1-2, 16/pp. 455-456, 462)

Boundary between BELKNAP and CARROLL through Lake Winnepesaukee was clarified [no change]. (N.H. Laws 1841, ch. 621, sec. 1/pp. 547-548)

BELKNAP lost to CARROLL when town of Wolfeboro gained from town of Alton. (N.H. Laws 1849, ch. 859, sec. 1/p. 402)

Boundary between BELKNAP and CARROLL through Lake Winnepesaukee was clarified [not mapped]. (N.H. Laws 1897-1898, ch. 199, sec. 1/pp. 197-198)

CARROLL created from STRAFFORD. (N.H. Laws 1840, ch. 539, secs. 1-2, 16/pp. 455-456, 462)

Boundary between CARROLL and BELKNAP through Lake Winnepesaukee was clarified [no change]. (N.H. Laws 1841, ch. 621, sec. 1/pp. 547-548)

CARROLL gained from BELKNAP when town of Wolfeboro gained from town of Alton. (N.H. Laws 1849, ch. 859, sec. 1/p. 402)

CARROLL gained towns of Bartlett and Jackson and the gore of Hart's Location from COOS. Hale's Location remained part of COOS, although it was surrounded by CARROLL. (N.H. Laws 1853, ch. 1290, sec. 1/p. 1230)

CARROLL gained the gore of Hale's Location from COOS. (N.H. Laws 1853, ch. 1425, sec. 1/p. 1348)

CARROLL gained from GRAFTON when town of Sandwich gained small area from town of Waterville [too small to map]. (N.H. Laws 1864, ch. 2891, sec. 1/p. 2850)

Boundary between CARROLL and BELKNAP through Lake Winnepesaukee was clarified [not mapped]. (N.H. Laws 1897-1898, ch. 199, sec. 1/pp. 197-198)

CHESHIRE created as one of the five original New Hampshire counties. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 3, ch. 9 [1769]/pp. 524-530)

CHESHIRE lost to HILLSBOROUGH when town of Fishersfield (now Newbury) was created from unincorporated lands. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 4, ch. 17 [1778]/pp. 189-190)

CHESHIRE gained town of Protectworth (now Springfield) from GRAFTON. (N.H. State Papers, 13:444, 449)

In an unsuccessful attempt to annex part of New Hampshire (the so-called East Union), Vermont created WASHINGTON (Vt. original, extinct) and expanded its WINDSOR (Vt.) so that they overlapped CHESHIRE; New Hampshire did not lose control of the area. (Vt. State Papers, 13:17-18, 55-56; Vt. Recs. Gov., 2:294-296)

Vermont gave up its attempt to annex part of New Hampshire known as East Union. Overlap of CHESHIRE by WASHINGTON (Vt., original, extinct) and WINDSOR (Vt.) ended. (Vt. State Papers, vol. 3, pt. 2: 67-68)

CHESHIRE lost small area to HILLSBOROUGH when town of Bradford was created from Washington Gore and the towns of New Bradford and Washington. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 5, ch. 6 [1787]/pp. 280-281)

CHESHIRE boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 5, ch. 14 [1791]/pp. 766-767)

CHESHIRE gained from GRAFTON when town of Springfield gained Heath's Gore. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 8, ch. 24 [1817]/p. 620)

CHESHIRE lost to HILLSBOROUGH when town of New London gained from town of Wendell (now Sunapee). (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 8, ch. 11 [1817]/pp. 607-608)

CHESHIRE lost to creation of SULLIVAN. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 48 [1827], secs. 2, 13/pp. 649-650, 653)

CHESHIRE boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 100 [1829], sec. 1/pp. 879-882)

COOS created from GRAFTON. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 7, ch. 33 [1803]/pp. 206-207)

COOS gained Nash and the gore of Sawyers Location from GRAFTON. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 7, ch. 15 [1805]/pp. 398-399)

COOS lost town of Chatham to STRAFFORD. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 30 [1823], sec. 1/p. 210)

COOS boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 100 [1829], sec. 1/pp. 879-882)

COOS lost to GRAFTON. COOS lost towns of Bartlett and Jackson and the gore of Hart's Location to CARROLL; Hale's Location remained part of COOS, although it was surrounded by CARROLL. (N.H. Laws 1853, ch. 1290, sec. 1/p. 1230)

COOS lost the gore of Hale's Location to CARROLL. (N.H. Laws 1853, ch. 1425, sec. 1/p. 1348)

Boundary between COOS and GRAFTON was redefined [no change]. (N.H. Laws 1875, ch. 31, sec. 1/p. 457)

Vermont made a second attempt to annex part of New Hampshire (the so-called East Union); first attempt was made in 1778 but did not affect counties. Vermont created WASHINGTON (Vt., original, extinct) and expanded its WINDSOR (Vt.) and ORANGE (Vt.) so that they overlapped CHESHIRE and GRAFTON. (Vt. State Papers, 13:17-18, 55-56; Vt. Recs. Gov., 2:294-296)

Vermont's overlap of New Hampshire ended when Vermont gave up its attempt to annex the East Union. (Vt. State Papers, 3, pt. 2: 67-68)

GRAFTON created as one of the five original New Hampshire counties; GRAFTON not fully organized, attached to ROCKINGHAM for administrative and judicial purposes. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 3, ch. 9 [1769]/pp. 524-530)

GRAFTON fully organized, detached from ROCKINGHAM. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 3, ch. 12 [1773]/pp. 587-588)

GRAFTON lost town of Conway to STRAFFORD. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 4, ch. 3 [1778]/p. 170)

GRAFTON lost town of Protectworth (now Springfield) to CHESHIRE. (N.H. State Papers, 13:444, 449)

In an unsuccessful attempt to annex part of New Hampshire (the so-called East Union), Vermont expanded its ORANGE (Vt.) and WINDSOR (Vt.) so that they overlapped GRAFTON, but New Hampshire did not lose control of the area. (Vt. State Papers, 13:17-18, 55-56; Vt. Recs. Gov., 2:294-296)

Vermont gave up its attempt to annex part of New Hampshire known as East Union. Overlap of GRAFTON by ORANGE (Vt.) and WINDSOR (Vt.) ended. (Vt. State Papers, vol. 3, pt. 2: 67-68)

GRAFTON gained towns of Campton and New Holderness (now Holderness) from STRAFFORD. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 4, ch. 2 [1782]/p. 479)

GRAFTON boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 5, ch. 14 [1791]/pp. 766-767)

GRAFTON lost town of Burton (now Albany) to STRAFFORD. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 6, ch. 4 [1800]/p. 647)

GRAFTON lost to creation of COOS. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 7, ch. 33 [1803]/pp. 206-207)

GRAFTON lost Nash and the gore of Sawyers Location to COOS. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 7, ch. 15 [1805]/pp. 398-399)

GRAFTON lost small area to CHESHIRE when town of Springfield gained Heath's Gore. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 8, ch. 24 [1817]/p. 620)

GRAFTON boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 100 [1829], sec. 1/pp. 879-882)

GRAFTON lost to MERRIMACK when town of Wilmot gained from town of New Chester (now Hill). (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 10, ch. 19 [1832], secs. 1-2/pp. 365-366)

GRAFTON gained from SULLIVAN when town of Enfield gained from town of Grantham. (N.H. Laws 1836, ch. 290, sec. 1/pp. 257-258)

GRAFTON gained from COOS. (N.H. Laws 1853, ch. 1290, sec. 1/p. 1230)

GRAFTON lost small area to CARROLL when town of Sandwich gained from town of Waterville [too small to map]. (N.H. Laws 1864, ch. 2891, sec. 1/p. 2850)

GRAFTON lost town of Hill to MERRIMACK. (N.H. Laws 1868, ch. 14, sec. 1/p. 148)

GRAFTON lost town of Danbury to MERRIMACK. (N.H. Laws 1874, ch. 96, sec. 1/p. 338)

Boundary between GRAFTON and COOS was redefined [no change]. (N.H. Laws 1875, ch. 31, sec. 1/p. 457)

HILLSBOROUGH created as one of the five original New Hampshire counties. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 3, ch. 9 [1769]/pp. 524-530)

HILLSBOROUGH gained small area of the town of Hopkinton from ROCKINGHAM [too small to map]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 3, ch. 1 [1772]/p. 576)

HILLSBOROUGH gained from CHESHIRE when town of Fishersfield (now Newbury) was created from unincorporated lands. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 4, ch. 17 [1778]/pp. 189-190)

HILLSBOROUGH gained small area from CHESHIRE when town of Bradford was created from Washington Gore and the towns of New Bradford and Washington. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 5, ch. 6 [1787]/pp. 280-281)

HILLSBOROUGH boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 5, ch. 14 [1791]/pp. 766-767)

HILLSBOROUGH gained from CHESHIRE when town of New London gained from town of Wendell (now Sunapee). (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 8, ch. 11 [1817]/pp. 607-608)

HILLSBOROUGH gained from ROCKINGHAM when town of Hooksett was created from towns of Chester, Dunbarton, and Goffstown. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 42 [1822], secs. 1,4/pp. 141-143)

HILLSBOROUGH lost to creation of MERRIMACK. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 38 [1823], secs. 2, 12/pp. 221, 224)

HILLSBOROUGH gained town of Pelham from ROCKINGHAM. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 10 [1824]/pp. 301-302)

HILLSBOROUGH boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 100 [1829], sec. 1/pp. 879-882)

MERRIMACK created from HILLSBOROUGH and ROCKINGHAM. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 38 [1823], secs. 2, 12/pp. 221, 224)

MERRIMACK gained from STRAFFORD when town of Franklin was created from towns of Andover, Northfield, Salisbury, and Sandbornton. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 62 [1828], sec. 1/pp. 784-786)

MERRIMACK boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 100 [1829], sec. 1/pp. 879-882)

MERRIMACK gained from GRAFTON when town of Wilmot gained from town of New Chester (now Hill). (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 10, ch. 19 [1832], secs. 1-2/pp. 365-366)

MERRIMACK gained town of Hill from GRAFTON. (N.H. Laws 1868, ch. 14, sec. 1/p. 148)

MERRIMACK gained town of Danbury from GRAFTON. (N.H. Laws 1874, ch. 96, sec. 1/p. 338)

King Charles II made New Hampshire a royal colony, separate from Massachusetts; no western limit was specified. (Swindler, 6:322; Van Zandt, 61)

The arrival of its first royal governor inaugurated the Dominion of New England, the new single province that King James II created (8 October 1685) by uniting King's Province (present southwestern Rhode Island), Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine (area between New Hampshire and the Kennebec River). (Farnham, 7:367; Hart, 1:573; N.H. Early Laws, vol. 1, p. 99; W. D. Williamson, 1:576)

Upon learning of the Glorious Revolution (replacement of King James II by King William III and Queen Mary II) in England, Bostonians imprisoned the royal governor and others, thereby ending the Dominion of New England. Over the next months New Hampshire and the other colonies that had been united to form the Dominion had to resume self-government. (Craven, 224; Morris and Kelly, pl. 11)

[19 March 1689/1690] Massachusetts formally extended its jurisdiction over New Hampshire, which had petitioned on 20 February 1689/1690 for the annexation as a means to fill the governmental void left by the fall of the Dominion of New England on 18 April 1689. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 1, p. 261, and ch. 235 [1689]/p. 371)

[1 March 1690-1691] King William III and Queen Mary II commissioned a royal governor for New Hampshire, effectively separating it from Massachusetts. Jurisdiction extended from three miles north of the Merrimack River to the Piscataqua River, but, as in 1679, no western limit was specified. Both Massachusetts and New Hampshire granted land and established towns in western New Hampshire west of the Merrimack River, often in conflict with each other. (N.H. State Papers, 2:57)

King George II settled the boundary lines between Massachusetts and New Hampshire substantially as they are today. Under this decree New Hampshire challenged New York's 1674 claim to the area of present Vermont by first claiming a western limit equal to Connecticut and Massachusetts (20 miles east of the Hudson River) and later (chiefly in 1761 and 1763) creating in present Vermont more than 100 towns, which became known as the New Hampshire Grants. (Farnham, 8:47; Van Zandt, 61)

King George III established the boundary between New Hampshire and New York along the west bank of the Connecticut River, north of Massachusetts and south of the parallel of 45 degrees north latitude. Although disputes occasionally broke out later, this line became the boundary between New Hampshire and Vermont and has not changed to the present. When New York refused to recognize land titles through the New Hampshire Grants (towns in present Vermont created earlier by New Hampshire) dissatisfied colonists organized in opposition, which led to the creation of independent Vermont in 1777. (Slade, 13-19; Van Zandt, 63)

New Hampshire created five original counties to cover all territory in the colony. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 3, ch. 9 [1769]/pp. 524-530)

NORFOLK (Mass., original, extinct) created as one of the original Massachusetts counties; included the New Hampshire settlements. (Mass. Recs., 2:38)

King Charles II made New Hampshire a royal colony, separate from Massachusetts; NORFOLK (Mass., original, extinct) eliminated. (Swindler, 6:322; Van Zandt, 61)

ORANGE (Vt.) overlapped GRAFTON when Vermont attempted to annex part of New Hampshire (area known as East Union); New Hampshire did not lose control of the area. (Vt. State Papers, 13:17-18, 55-56; Vt. Recs. Gov., 2:294-296)

ORANGE (Vt.) overlap of GRAFTON ended when Vermont gave up its attempt to annex East Union; ORANGE (Vt.) eliminated from New Hampshire. (Vt. State Papers, 3, pt. 2: 67-68)

ROCKINGHAM created as one of the five original New Hampshire counties; GRAFTON and STRAFFORD not fully organized, both attached to ROCKINGHAM for administrative and judicial purposes. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 3, ch. 9 [1769]/pp. 524-530)

ROCKINGHAM lost small area of the town of Hopkinton to HILLSBOROUGH [too small to map]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 3, ch. 1 [1772]/p. 576)

GRAFTON and STRAFFORD fully organized, detached from ROCKINGHAM. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 3, ch. 12 [1773]/pp. 587-588)

ROCKINGHAM boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 5, ch. 14 [1791]/pp. 766-767)

ROCKINGHAM lost to HILLSBOROUGH when town of Hooksett was created from towns of Chester, Dunbarton, and Goffstown. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 42 [1822], secs. 1,4/pp. 141-143)

ROCKINGHAM lost to creation of MERRIMACK. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 38 [1823], secs. 2, 12/pp. 221, 224)

ROCKINGHAM lost town of Pelham to HILLSBOROUGH. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 10 [1824]/pp. 301-302)

ROCKINGHAM boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 100 [1829], sec. 1/pp. 879-882)

ROCKINGHAM gained small area from STRAFFORD when town of Newmarket gained from town of Durham [too small to map]. (N.H. Laws 1870, ch. 43, sec. 1/p. 428)

STRAFFORD created as one of the five original New Hampshire counties; STRAFFORD not fully organized, attached to ROCKINGHAM for administrative and judicial purposes. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 3, ch. 9 [1769]/pp. 524-530)

STRAFFORD fully organized, detached from ROCKINGHAM. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 3, ch. 12 [1773]/pp. 587-588)

STRAFFORD gained town of Conway from GRAFTON. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 4, ch. 3 [1778]/p. 170)

STRAFFORD lost towns of Campton and New Holderness (now Holderness) to GRAFTON. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 4, ch. 2 [1782]/p. 479)

STRAFFORD boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 5, ch. 14 [1791]/pp. 766-767)

STRAFFORD gained town of Burton (now Albany) from GRAFTON. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 6, ch. 4 [1800]/p. 647)

STRAFFORD gained town of Chatham from COOS. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 30 [1823], sec. 1/p. 210)

STRAFFORD lost to MERRIMACK when town of Franklin was created from towns of Andover, Northfield, Salisbury, and Sandbornton. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 62 [1828], sec. 1/pp. 784-786)

STRAFFORD boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 100 [1829], sec. 1/pp. 879-882)

STRAFFORD lost to creation of BELKNAP and CARROLL. (N.H. Laws 1840, ch. 539, secs. 1-2, 16/pp. 455-456, 462)

STRAFFORD lost small area to ROCKINGHAM when town of Newmarket gained from town of Durham [too small to map]. (N.H. Laws 1870, ch. 43, sec. 1/p. 428)

SULLIVAN created from CHESHIRE. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 48 [1827], secs. 2, 13/pp. 649-650, 653)

SULLIVAN boundaries were redefined [no change]. (N.H. Early Laws, vol. 9, ch. 100 [1829], sec. 1/pp. 879-882)

SULLIVAN lost to GRAFTON when town of Enfield gained from town of Grantham. (N.H. Laws 1836, ch. 290, sec. 1/pp. 257-258)

WASHINGTON (Vt., original, extinct) created when Vermont attempted to annex part of New Hampshire (the so-called East Union). WASHINGTON was located entirely in New Hampshire and overlapped part of CHESHIRE; New Hampshire did not lose control of the area. (Vt. State Papers, 13:17-18, 55-56; Vt. Recs. Gov., 2:294-296)

WASHINGTON (Vt., original, extinct) eliminated when Vermont gave up its attempt to annex part of New Hampshire known as the East Union. (Vt. State Papers, 3, pt. 2: 67-68)

WINDSOR (Vt.) overlapped CHESHIRE and GRAFTON when Vermont attempted to annex part of New Hampshire (the so-called East Union); New Hampshire did not lose control of the area. (Vt. State Papers, 13:17-18, 55-56; Vt. Recs. Gov., 2:294-296)

WINDSOR (Vt.) lost its part of the gore east of the town of Bromley to BENNINGTON (Vt.); area within New Hampshire was unchanged. (Vt. State Papers, 13:19)

WINDSOR (Vt.) overlap of CHESHIRE and GRAFTON ended when Vermont gave up its attempt to annex East Union; WINDSOR (Vt.) eliminated from New Hampshire. (Vt. State Papers, 3, pt. 2: 67-68)

New Hampshire: Individual County Chronologies