Editing Chester, New Hampshire (section)

==History==
From ''Statistics and Gazetteer of New-Hampshire'', 1875:
<blockquote>"Chester is considered one of the old towns of the state. In 1719, about eighty persons, chiefly from [[Portsmouth, New Hampshire|Portsmouth]] and [[Hampton, New Hampshire|Hampton]], formed an association, for the purpose of securing a tract of land in the "Chesnut Country" (so called) and stationed three men upon this tract, to hold possession until they should procure a lawful title. After considerable difficulty they obtained a grant of land, ten miles [16 km] square. Immediately the settlement was commenced by several persons from [[Rye, New Hampshire|Rye]] and Hampton, among whom were Samuel Ingalls, Jonathan Goodhue, Jacob Sargent, Ebenezer Dearborn, Robert Smith, E. Colby and S. Robie, who contributed largely to the permanent success of the enterprise. On the 8th of May, 1722 the township which had hitherto been called Cheshire, was incorporated under its present name, and comprising an area of over 120 square miles [310 km<sup>2</sup>]."<ref name="1875Chester">Article in [http://gedcomindex.com/Reference/New_Hampshire_1875/092.html ''Statistics and Gazetteer of New-Hampshire'' (1875)]</ref></blockquote>

Chester once included [[Candia, New Hampshire|Candia]], set off in 1763. It may have been the first of the settlement grants by [[Massachusetts]] selected for expansion of growing populations in the seacoast. The name may be derived from [[Chester]], the [[county town]] of the county of [[Cheshire]] in [[England]]. [[Earl of Chester]] is a title held by the [[Prince of Wales]].

In 1822, a portion of [[Hooksett, New Hampshire|Hooksett]] was taken from Chester. In 1845, the portion of the town known as Long Meadows was incorporated under the name of [[Auburn, New Hampshire|Auburn]].<ref name="1875Chester" />

<gallery>
Image:The Common, Chester, NH.jpg|The Common {{circa|1910}}
Image:Town Hall & Soldiers' Monument, Chester, NH.jpg|Town Hall in 1913
Image:Chester Street looking East, Chester, NH.jpg|Blacksmith Shop in 1909
Image:Chester Street, Chester, NH.jpg|Chester Street {{circa|1910}}
</gallery>