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NAVIGATION
Massachusetts
Histories
Historical Sketches
Franklin County
Hampden County
Hampshire County
Middlesex County
Norfolk County
Worcester County
New York
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Maine
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Officials in America
1906
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HAMPSHIRE COUNTY was incorporated in 1662, and embraced at that time the three counties of the state which are
centrally intersected by Connecticut river. Before its division it was the largest county in the state, and Northampton,
being in the central part, was a shire town. The county was divided into three by the legislature of 1811 and ‘12.
Franklin county was formed from the northern section, Hampden the southern; Hampshire, the central part, retained
the original name. The surface of Hampshire is generally hilly, and in some parts mountainous. The land in the
western part of the county gradually rises, and its western border lies on the summits of the Green Mountain range.
The Lyme and Mount Tom ranges of mountains begin in this county, and continue to the ocean, on the southern shore
of Connecticut. The soil is of very unequal quality, being best in the center, and growing less and less fertile
towards the eastern and western extremities. There are, however, fine interval lands on the banks of the Connecticut,
being some of the best lands in the state.
The following is a list of the towns, which are 23 in number.
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Amherst,
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Granby,
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Northampton,
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Southampton,
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Belchertown,
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Goshen,
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Norwich,
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Ware,
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Chesterfield,
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Greenwich,
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Pelham,
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Westhampton,
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Cummington,
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Hadley,
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Plainfield,
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Williamsburg,
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Easthampton,
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Hatfield,
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Prescott,
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Worthington.
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Enfield,
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Middlefield,
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South Hadley,
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In 1820, the population of this county was 26,447; in 1830, it was 30,210; in 1837, it was 30,413.
FROM:
Historical Collections Relating to the
History and Antiquities of
Every town in Massachusetts with
Geographical Descriptions.
By John Warner Barber.
Worcester
Published by Warren Lazell.
1848
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