Documentary History of American Water-works

Boscawen

Boscawen, New Hampshire

Boscawen was settled in 1734.

The first aqueduct in Boscawen was built in 1794 using logs to convey "water from the house-lot laid out to the right of the houses of Samuel Sweatt and Henry Kingsbury, to the houses of Timothy Dix, Daniel Carter, Samuel Morrill, and Joseph Gerish." [Dix was the father of John Adams Dix, who was born in Boscawen in 1798 and became a senator and governor New York State.]

The Boscawen Aqueduct Corporation was incorporated in 1827 by James West, Benjamin Morrill, Joseph Chadwick, and Worcester Webster. No further information has been found about this company.

The Boscawen and Penacook Water-Works Company was incorporated in 1889 by John C. Pearson, E. E. Graves, Isaac K. Gage, A. C. Alexander, John E. Rines, E. S. Harris, Charles J. Ellsworth, Charles E. Chadwick, Frank L. Gerrish, Willis G. Buxton, A. A. Harris, Charles H. Amsden, D. Arthur Brown, E. H. Brown, S. N. Brown, C. H. Sanders, W. H. Allen, H. F. Brown, S. I. Brown, J. H. Moore, S. Choate, J. C. Morrison, C. W. Webster, G. L. Pillsbury, N. S. Webster, C. W. Carter, Charles M. Rolfe, W. E. Sweatt, G. A. Morse, S. R. Mann, George Neller, F. Gilman, T. Blake, L. Gage, H. Bonney, and J. Chandler "for the purpose of furnishing water to those locations known as the Boscawen Plain Village, located in the town of Boscawen, and the Penacook Village, located in said town of Boscawen and city of Concord, in subterranean pipes. Substantial local opposition delayed the project and it was decided to form a water precinct to own and operate the water system.

The Pencacook and Boscawen Water Precinct was formed on August 18, 1891, and it was decided that the Water-Works Company should construct the project which would then be bought by the water precinct. The Water-Works Company awarded a contract to Michigan Pipe Company of Bay City, Michigan to build the system using their Wyckoff wooden pipe system, and water was supplied in January 1893. A 1933 history reported that the Wyckoff pipe was very satisfactory.

Water is supplied by the Penacook and Boscawen Water Precinct.

References
1827 An act to incorporate the Boscawen Aqueduct Corporation. July 4, 1827.

1878 The History of Boscawen and Webster [N. H.] from 1733 to 1878, compiled by Charles Carleton Coffin
Page 149: 1794 - An aqueduct--probably the first in town--was laid during the year, conveying water from the house-lot laid out to the right of the houses of Samuel Sweatt and Henry Kingsbury, to the houses of Timothy Dix, Daniel Carter, Samuel Morrill, and Joseph Gerish. The water was conveyed in logs.
Page 609: Benjamin Rolfe b. 20 Jan., 1773. He had a fondness for mechanical labor; and in addition to the cares of his farm employed himself making wood aqueducts and pumps. Nearly all of that kind of business in the east part of town was done under his direction. Many of his pumps made from the old white pine are now in use, and are preferred by some to the modern inventions. He d. 19 Jan., 1857.

1889 An act to incorporate the Boscawen and Penacook Water-Works Company. August 14, 1889.

1892 Engineering News 27:467 (May 5, 1892)
Penacook, N. H.--May 5 an election will be held in the water precinct to vote on abandoning the contract with the Boscawen & Penacook Water-Works Co., on purchasing the charter rights and franchises of the company, and on constructing precinct works.

1892 Engineering News 27:619 (June 16, 1892)
Penacook, N. H.--The Michigan Pipe Co., Bay City, has the contract for gravity works, with 11 1/2 miles of Wyckoff pipes; price $65,000.

1897 "Boscawen," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.

1902 "The Penacook and Boscawen Water System," contributed by Hon. John C. Pearson. The History of Penacook, N.H.: From Its First Settlement in 1734 Up to 1900, compiled by David Arthur Brown. | also here |

1905 An act to authorize and empower the Penacook and Boscawen Water Precinct to refund its bonded indebtedness. March 10, 1905.

1933 "Penacook and Boscawen Water Precinct," from History Boscawen-Webster: Fifty Years 1883-1933, compiled by Willis G. Buxton. Includes the Record of Establishment of Penacook and Boscawen Water Precinct.