History of Rochester, Massachusetts, USA

Rochester, Massachusetts
Plymouth county. A large maritime town on Buzzard's bay, 9 miles E. from New Bedford and 48 S.S.E. from Boston. Incorporated, 1686. Population, 1837, 3,570. The face of the town is uneven and the soil light. Mattepoiset and Sipican rivers, rising in large ponds in the town, empty into the bay and form good harbors. The manufactures of Rochester consist of vessels, salt, bar iron, boots, shoes, &c.; value, the year ending April 1, 1837, $101,811. During that period there were 9 vessels engaged in the whale fishery, and brought into port 116,928 gallons of oil, valued at $71,658. A number of merchant vessels belong to this place, and numerous coasting and fishing vessels.

This is a very large township, originally called by the Indians Sippican, and named Rochester, after Rochester in England, from which some of its first settlers came to Scituate, and thence hither.

The chief village, called Mattapoiset, has a good harbor on an arm of Buzzard's Bay, and is largely concerned in the whale fishery.

Ship-building is extensively carried on in this town, and at Sippican Village much salt is manufactured.

Distance from Plymouth, 16 miles; from Boston, 48.

Rochester, a post-village of Plymouth co., Massachusetts, near the head of Rochester harbor, in Buzzard's bay, on the Cape Cod Branch railroad, 50 miles S. by E. from Boston. It has considerable ship building, and several vessels engaged in the whale fisheries. Population of the township, 3808.

Rochester is a large farming town in the southwesterly part of Plymouth County, 50 miles southeast of Boston. It is bounded on the north by Lakeville and Middleborough, east by Wareham and Marion, south by Mattapoisett, and west by Acushnet and Freetown. The assessed area is 18,410 acres; and above 10,000 acres are occupied by forests of oak, pine and cedar. There are several extensive swamps; the ponds are Snipatuit in the northwest section, with Great and Little Quittacus lying on the northern border; a considerable hill between the three affording a fine view of them and their surroundings. Mary's Pond lies in the east, and in the west is another fine pond with a long hill in the cast, and one or two grist mills near by. Sippican River drains the eastern, and Mattapoisett River the western section of the town.

In the eastern section are other grist mills, and saw mills are found in all parts of the town. There are manufactures of nails, boots and shoes, carriages, etc.; and the...

Rochester, a post-village in Rochester township, Ply mouth co., Mass, about 9 miles N.E. of New Bedford, 3 miles from Buzzard's Bay, and 3 miles W. of the Cape Cod Railroad. It contains an academy, lumber-mills, and 5 churches. Pop. of the township, 1001.

Rochester, a post-village in Rochester township (town), Plymouth co., Mass., about 9 miles NE. of New Bedford and 3 miles from Buzzard's Bay. Pop. of the town in 1900, 986.