Joseph Dow is the author of the "History of Hampton," a monumental work on the early history and genealogy of Hampton, New Hampshire.

"Let us pause each April 12th, and pay honor to the birthday of JOSEPH DOW, teacher, historian and friend -- for his great contribution of one of the finest town histories ever written in New England."

View Dow's History of Hampton in its entirely on this website => Joseph Dow's History of Hampton at the Lane Memorial Library website

Robert Piercy Dow in his book "The Book of Dow: Genealogical Memoirs of the descendants of Henry Dow 1637..." has this to say about Joseph Dow:

"Joseph Dow, illustrious author of Hist Hampton, was well qualified for the work, his five ancestors in direct line having been town clerks for 100 consecutive years. He grad Dartmouth 1833; A M in 1836; salutatorian of his class, which included Judge Asa Fowler of Concord, Dr Edward Spaulding of Nashua, Hon James F Joy of Detroit, John Ford LL D, and others of distinction. He became principal of Pembroke Academy for 4 years; then in charge of the Gardiner, Me, Lyceum. The panic of 1837 came and next year this school went down in the general crash. He then taught in academics at West Machias, Pompey, NY, and elsewhere until in 1862 he retired to his native Hampton. He was commissioned Maj of militia in 1867 by Gov Isaac Hill; was justice of the peace and quorum throughout the State. One of his first duties on return to Hampton was to make a new survey of the town. In 1860 he was elected president of the NH Historical Society. He engaged in probate and other legal business, which brought him in contact with the old wills and deeds of Hampton. From 1852 to his death he devoted himself to writing the [History of Hampton, which was almost finished. His daughter completed it within a year and published it. Little sale was anticipated for the two-volume work and the edition was small. It was not "pushed." After several years Miss Dow sold the "remainder" for a trifle to a dealer. For years it was obtainable at about original price, $7.00. It is now [1929] worth about treble that. That the book is the finest example of a New England town history is everywhere conceded. No equal genealogical effort has ever been accomplished."

Links

• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=hampton%2Dnh&id=I3580