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Acushnet
From
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
A
DESCRIPTIVE AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF
BRISTOL COUNTY
MASSACHUSETTS
PREPARED AND PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF
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THE
FALL RIVER NEWS
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AND
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THE
TAUNTON GAZETTE
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WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF
HON. ALANSON BORDEN
OF NEW BEDFORD
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THE BOSTON HISTORY COMPANY, PUBLISHERS
1899
Retyped for the web by Stephanie Anderson
Acushnet. - This was the nineteenth town formed in Bristol county and is the youngest town in
the county with the exception of North Attleborough. It was originally a part of old Dartmouth until the erection
of New Bedford, when it became a part of that town. It so remained until the formation of Fairhaven February 22,
1812, when it became part of that town, from which it was set off and incorporated February 13, 1860. On April
9, 1875, a small part was annexed to New Bedford. The State census of 1895 gives the population as 1,115, and the
number of registered voters in 1897 was 247. The town forms a part of the Thirteenth Congressional district, and
with Dartmouth, Farihaven and Freetown constitutes the Sixth Representative District, with 2,409 legal voters,
entitling the district to one representative. Acushnet is situated in the southeast part of the county and is bounded
on the north by Freetown, on the east by Plymouth county, on the south by Fairhaven, and on the west by New Bedford.
It has two post-offices, Acushnet and Long Plain.
The village of Acushnet is in the southern part of the town on the New Bedford line and at the head of Acushnet
River. The larger part of its business interests are on the New Bedford side. On the Acushnet side of the line
is a general store, a provision store, a blacksmith and a paint shop, and the old Acushnet saw mill, operated by
the Acushnet Saw Mill Company in manufacturing boxes. Over the line in New Bedford is the post-office, three general
stores, a harware store, two blacksmith shops, a soap works, carried on by Thomas Hersom & Co, and one of the
two school house in the village, the other being across the line. The old Acushnet Congregational church, the history
of which has been given herein, is also on New Bedford territory. On the road to Long Plain is a general store
where Capt. David Cochran formerly carried on business. John R. Davis was a former merchant for many years in Acushnet
village. About one mile northeast of Acushnet on the road to Long Plain is a second box factory. Beside the church
mentioned there are tow others in the village, a Methodist and a Quaker.
The hamlet and post-office of Long Plain is situated about five miles northeast of Acushnet and contains two general
stores, a graded school and three churches, Methodist, Baptist and Friends'. Caleb Slade was a former merchant
here. Two miles from Acushnet village is a small settlement called Perry Hill, where is a Methodist church, a school
and a blacksmith shop.
The last town organized in the county is North Attleborough, which is sufficiently described in the preceding chapter.
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