as 1752, Theodore Atkinson (whose name will become more familiar to
us) and others in Eastern New Hampshire, had formed a plan for
acquiring and colonizing the best portion of this unoccupied, but
fertile and inviting, basin. But the proud and lordly Indian disputed
their right to invade this ancient and charming hunting-ground, whose
meadows almost spontaneously produced the choicest corn, and they
desisted from their purpose.

The immediate occasion of the settlement of this part of the
Connecticut valley was the French war. In the progress of that war,
the New England troops had cut a road from the older settlements in
the south part of the Province through Charlestown, then called No. 4,
to Crown Point. The soldiers in passing through this valley became
acquainted with its fertility and value.

The soil of Eastern Connecticut being exhausted in some measure, her
hardy and enterprising yeomanry now gladly turned toward a region
where honest industry would find a surer and better reward. Many of
them knew the value of religion by a vital experience, and all knew
the value of sound learning by experience or close observation.

The leading founders of Hanover were of the highly respectable Freeman
family, of Mansfield, Conn. The early history of this family in
America connects it with the Bradford and Prince families. The pioneer
settler at Hanover was Edmund Freeman. Of this worthy and enterprising
man, sincere Christian, earnest patriot, and valuable coadjutor of
President Wheelock, it is said: "Of distinguished uprightness and
integrity, he commanded universal respect and esteem." Hon. Jonathan
Freeman was his brother.

Another family to whom Hanover is largely indebted for its solid
foundations bears the no less distinguished name of Storrs, also of
Mansfield, the old ancestral home of all, or nearly all, of that name,
who in various ways have been conspicuous in giving "strength and
beauty" to American institutions. Of Joseph Storrs, an early donor to
Dartmouth, it is said: "He was the younger son of Samuel Storrs the
second, and grandson of Samuel Storrs the elder, from whom all of the
name in America are descended, excepting one family near Richmond, Va.
He was a member of the first board of selectmen of the town of
Hanover."

The town contained about twenty families at the period of which we are
writing. The relations of some other early settlers with President
Wheelock deserve equally careful notice. Jo