The idea of a town history was prevalent in the minds of some of the citizens of Goffstown many years ago, and had the same been written then, much that is forever lost or shrouded in almost impenetrable obscurity would have been preserved.

In 1889, Judge Samuel Upton made an attempt to bring the matter before the townspeople, and called a meeting of several of the citizens of the town at his office, among whom were Hon. John M. Parker, Edward C. Shirley, Samuel M. Barnard, William S. Whipple, Edwin Flanders, George Pattee, George P. Hadley, and possibly others. The matter was discussed in its different bearings, the feasibility, possibility and expense attending. They were unanimously in favor of publishing a history, but no organization was attempted, and the matter was allowed to drop.

At the Old Home gathering in September, 1904, the matter again received attention, but, as the spirit of "Old Home Day" subsided, likewise did the history. At the annual election in the spring of 1908 the subject was brought before the voters of the town, and George Pattee, William S. Whipple, Edwin Flanders, Henry H. Stark and George P. Hadley were appointed a committee, and the town likewise made an appropriation of $100 toward the publication of the same.

On the 11th of April, 1908, the committee met, and effected an organization with the choice of a president, secretary and treasurer. At this meeting they authorized the writer to proceed toward the collection and arrangement of material for the publication of a history.

On the 25th of March, 1913, William S. Whipple died, and at the March meeting following, John G. Dodge was elected to fill the vacancy. On November 29, 1915, Mr. Dodge died, and Dr. Maurice A. Stark was elected in his place.

November 2, 1914, Henry H. Stark, the youngest member of the board, and one who took a great interest in its work, after a brief illness passed away, and Frank A. Parker was elected his successor.

The collecting, arranging and classifying the material, the collating of annals and events of a historical nature, and the work of preparing for publication have been a gigantic task, which was undertaken with reluctance and not without a partial realization, at least, of the vast amount of labor and expense which it would involve. But with no move having been made in the irretrievable past, I asked myself the question, Who would undertake the task in the future if I did not, and with this in mind I attempted the work. It has been delayed beyond all expectation, but the only reason I will attempt to assign for delay is the amount of matter involved and time consumed in minor details in seeking actual facts both of history and genealogy.

The early records were fairly well kept. The proprietor's records going back to 1748, in writing of Matthew Patten, proprietor's clerk, with exception of two pages, are well preserved. In 1750 the town was called Gofes town; for seventeen years preceding this it was known as Narragansett No. 4, as called Shoves town. The original grant was quite extensive, and included part of Hooksett and Manchester; the part in Hooksett was set off in 1822, and in Manchester in 1853. It is the intention of this work to trace as a whole to the time of disannexing of the respective portions, and from that time down of the town as it now exists.

The early records of the church and town are so closely connected and interwoven from incorporation to 1828 that it was with great difficulty the church record was separated, but the church and ministry so far as possible are in distinct chapters from town record. Plans of the highways in each former school district and the location of present, and as far as possible abandoned homesteads, are indicated by figures which refer to a corresponding figure in the chapter on Locations of Homesteads, and both the maps and the chapter referred to involved much labor and research. Also there is found a copy of the original map drawn by Matthew Patten about 1748, and a plan of the town showing original lots, the first roads and the streams.

No pains have been spared to have the chapters relating to the War of the Revolution, of 1812, and the Rebellion as concise and accurate as possible, and to give as correct and account of the service of each soldier, likewise the World War. We have given a list of the taxpayers once in ten years. The tax lists give a person a good idea of the taxpayers and residents of the town those years.

The collection of the material for the genealogical record and arranging the same has been an extremely burdensome task; many of the early families of the town are extinct, and the descendants of some within the memory of the present generation are widely scattered, but as a rule when found have cordially aided in the work. To find records of the vital statistics of so large a number of persons not present residents in town involved a vast amount of travel, expense and correspondence. Ofttimes the dates of family Bible, tombstones and town records are all different, and in many cases the records of families had to be revised and rewritten a second and third time.

I have made use of public information wherever found, not, however, without a sense of gratitude and appreciation of the aid and assistance rendered by those who have previously placed works of this class before the public. Among the very helpful volumes consulted are the Provincial Records, state and Town Papers, Adjutant-General's Report by General Ayling, the town histories of New Hampshire and the History of Hillsborough County.

We also extend our thanks to the officers of the State Library, New Hampshire Historical Society, and to those in charge of the office of vital statistics; to the secretary of state and registrar of deeds and registrar of probate of Hillsborough County for access to the records. We also extend our hearty thanks to our townspeople in general for hearty co-operation, and in particular to the officers of St. Anselm's College for the article relating thereto; to S. B. Gilchrist and Henry M. Beard for articles relating to Uncanoonuc and Junior Granges; to Sylvester Aiken for an account of the Baptist Church, and to Mrs. Georgia F. Martin for the historical account of the Second Methodist Episcopal Church; to Maurice E. Blaisdell for the account of the birds of Goffstown; to Mrs. Mary Belle Bartlett for her untiring energy and perseverance in writing and rewriting countless pages of manuscript, without which the work would never have been accomplished. And finally, again permit me to extend my thanks to those who have in anyway aided by words of encouragement when well-nigh discouraged.

We now commit the work to the judgment of our fellow-citizens, realizing that it might have been more attractively written, and with greater rhetorical flourish, but it has been the sole aim to record historical events in plain English language.

It is the wish of the author that it shall receive a charitable reception in the homes of Goffstown for the well-meant work, and that posterity and children's children may by this means learn of the privations, hardships and loyalty of their ancestors.