Francestown is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

in Hillsborough County,

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

, United States. The population was 1,610 at the 2020 census. The village of Francestown, population 201 in 2020, is in the center of the town.

History

Incorporated in 1772, Francestown takes its name from Frances Deering Wentworth, the wife of colonial governor John Wentworth. There were 928 residents when the first census was taken in 1790. For some time the town used its location on the Second New Hampshire Turnpike, the only route between

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

and

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

, to collect a toll of one cent per mile from coaches and wagons. High-quality

soapstone Soapstone (also known as steatite or soaprock) is a talc-schist, which is a type of metamorphic rock. It is composed largely of the magnesium rich mineral talc. It is produced by dynamothermal metamorphism and metasomatism, which occur in the zo ...

was mined in Francestown from 1792 to 1912.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , of which are land and are water, making up 1.85% of the town. The highest point in Francestown is the summit of

Crotched Mountain Crotched Mountain is a small mountain in western Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, in the United States. The summit of the mountain is in the town of Francestown, while the western slopes of the mountain rise in the town of Bennington, and ...

, at above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...

, on the town's western border. Francestown lies fully within the

Merrimack River The Merrimack River (or Merrimac River, an occasional earlier spelling) is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Mas ...

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

, entirely via tributaries of the

Piscataquog River The Piscataquog River is a river located in southern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Merrimack River, which flows to the Gulf of Maine. The Piscataquog River begins at the outlet of Deering Reservoir, a lake in Deeri ...

. The town is crossed by state routes 47 and

136 136 may refer to: *136 (number) *AD 136 *136 BC 136 may refer to: *136 (number) *AD 136 Year 136 ( CXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 136th Year of the Common Era (C ...

Demographics

2000

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 1,480 people, 552 households, and 418 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 49.1 people per square mile (18.9/km²). There were 656 housing units at an average density of 21.7 per square mile (8.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.30%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.07%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.34% Native American, 0.27%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.47% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.55% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 0.54% of the population. There were 552 households, out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.04. In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $64,259, and the median income for a family was $71,471. Males had a median income of $50,521 versus $32,778 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $28,942. About 1.2% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

2020

Between the 2010 and 2020 census, the population of Francestown increased from 1,562 to 1,610 residents. There were 624 households and 740 total housing units, with 93 vacant housing units. Of the 1,610 residents, the median household income was $102,721, compared with $83,626 for Hillsborough County. The poverty level was 2.8%, and exclusively effected residents over the age of 18. Of the 66% employment rate, 60.9% of workers were employed at private companies, 20.2% were self employed, 6.9% were employed as private non-profits, and 12% were employed by local, state, and federal government entities.

Notable people

* Samuel Bell (1770–1850), 14th

governor of New Hampshire The governor of New Hampshire is the head of government of New Hampshire. The governor is elected during the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering Verm ...

James Wallace Black James Wallace Black (February 10, 1825 – January 5, 1896), known professionally as J.W. Black, was an early American photographer whose career was marked by experimentation and innovation.Encyclopedia of nineteenth-century photography, Volume ...

(1825–1896), photographer *

Titus Brown Titus Brown (February 11, 1786 – January 29, 1849) was an American politician and a United States Representative from New Hampshire. Early life Born in Alstead, New Hampshire, Brown graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1811. He then ...

(1786–1849), US congressman *

Benjamin Pierce Cheney Benjamin Pierce Cheney ( ; August 12, 1815 – July 23, 1895) was an American businessman, and a founder of the firm that became American Express. Early life Cheney was born in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, on August 12, 1815, to Jesse and Al ...

(1815–1895), businessman *

Ellen Cheney Johnson Ellen Cheney Johnson (December 20, 1829 – June 28, 1899) was an American prison reformer. She founded the New England Women's Auxiliary Association to the United States Sanitary Commission, worked with homeless and vagrant women after the Civil ...

(1829–1899), prison reformer *

Sylvester H. Roper Sylvester Howard Roper (November 24, 1823 – June 1, 1896) was an American inventor and a pioneering builder of early automobiles and motorcycles from Boston, Massachusetts. In 1863 he built a steam carriage, one of the earliest automobiles. The ...

(1823–1896), inventor; inducted into the

Motorcycle Hall of Fame The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is an offshoot of the American Motorcyclist Association, recognizing individuals who have contributed to motorcycle sport, motorcycle construction, or motorcycling in general. It also displays motorcycles ...

(2002); inventor of the shotgun choke * Aaron Draper Shattuck (1832–1928), White Mountain School painter *

Wallace Tripp Wallace Whitney Tripp (June 26, 1940 – September 9, 2018) was an American illustrator, anthologist and author. He was known for creating anthropomorphic animal characters of emotional complexity and for his great visual and verbal humor. He ...

(1940–2018), illustrator *

Eri D. Woodbury Eri Davidson Woodbury (May 30, 1837 – April 14, 1928) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Battle of Cedar Creek fought near Middletown, Virginia on October 19, 1864 ...

(1837–1928), awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

for his actions during the Civil War *

Levi Woodbury Levi Woodbury (December 22, 1789September 4, 1851) was an American attorney, jurist, and Democratic politician from New Hampshire. During a four-decade career in public office, Woodbury served as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the U ...

(1789–1851), associate justice of the

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

; 15th

Notable buildings

* Francestown Meetinghouse *

Francestown Town Hall and Academy and Town Common Historic District The Francestown Town Hall and Academy and Town Common Historic District encompasses a collection of historic 18th and 19th-century civic resources in the center of Francestown, New Hampshire. Located at the junction of New Boston and Greenfield ...

Levi Woodbury Homestead The Levi Woodbury Homestead is a historic house at 1 Main Street in Francestown, New Hampshire. With a construction history dating to 1787, it is a good local example of Federal period architecture. The house is most significant as the only know ...

* George Holmes Bixby Memorial Library

References

External links

*
New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile
{{authority control Towns in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Towns in New Hampshire