History of Raynham, Massachusetts, USA

Raynham, Massachusetts
Bristol county. This town lies on Taunton river, and was taken from Taunton in 1731. Population, 1837, 1,379. It is 30 miles S. from Boston, 3 N.E. from Taunton, and 24 E. from Providence.

There are a number of large ponds in this town producing a good water power, and to which vast quantities of herring (alewives) resort. On the banks of one of these ponds the celebrated King Philip had a hunting house. The first forge in America was erected in this town, by James and Henry Leonard, in 1652. The house of the Leonards, an old Gothic building, is now standing, and owned by the 7th generation.

The manufactures of Raynham consist of bar iron, nails, iron castings, anchors, shovels, forks, coffee mills, and straw bonnets: total value the year ending April 1, 1837, $360,650; of which $300,000 was for nails.

Raynham is situated, upon Taunton River, above Taunton, of which it was once a part.

The outlets of certain ponds give a water-power that is used for the manufacture of nails, and other articles of iron.

King Philip is said to have had a summer residence in this town, and, during the war in which he fell, this town was several times molested.

Distance from Taunton, 3 miles; from Boston, 30.

Raynham, a township in Bristol co., Massachusetts, intersected by the Taunton railroad, 33 miles S. from Boston. Pop., 1541.

Raynham in the easterly part of Bristol County, and long associated with the cruder manufactures of iron, is 30 miles from Boston on the Taunton Branch of the Old Colony Railroad. The post-offices are Raynham (centre) and North Raynham; and the other villages, Prattville, East Raynham and South Raynham. Easton bounds it on the north; Bridgewater and Middleborough on the east; and Taunton on the south and west.

The township is of irregular form, — longest north and south, and broadest in the middle section. The assessed area is 10,815 acres. Smooch Hill in the east and Steep Hill in the west are the chief elevations. Two-mile River, flowing through the midst of the town, and Taunton River, forming a part of the southern line, afford valuable mill sites. Gushee Pond, in the cast, is the largest of the several ponds. Fowling Pond in the western part has for the most part become a swamp, covered — in common with the 4, 512 acres of wood-land in the town — with pine, oak and cedar. On...

Raynham, rain'am, a post-village in Raynham township, Bristol co., Mass., on the Old Colony Railroad, 31 miles S. of Boston, and 3 miles N.N.E. of Taunton. The township is bounded on the S.E. by the Taunton River. Pop. of the township, 1687.

Raynham. - This was the tenth town formed in Bristol county and was set off from Taunton April 2, 1731. It forms a part of the Twelfth Congressional District, with 2,459 legal voters, entitling the district to one representative. The State census of 1895 gives the population as 1,518, and the number of registered voters in 1897 was 295. the town contains three post-offices-- Judson, North Raynham and Raynham. The town is situated in the northeast part of the county and is bounded on the north by Easton; on the east by Plymouth county; on the south by Plymouth county and Berkley, and on the west by Berkley and Taunton.

The largest settlement in the town is Raynham Center, which contains a post office, the old Charles B. Gardner tack factory, which is now the Diamond Tack and Nail Works; a shoe manufactory recently started by William O. Snow and T. B. Johnson; two general stores, blacksmith and wheelwright shops, on e Congregational church, one school. Some years ago the village was...