New Hampshire: Granite State (nickname)

New Hampshire was first called the “Granite State” at an honorary dinner for Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834) on June 22, 1825. Philip Carrigain (1772-1842), a former secretary of state of New Hampshire, wrote a song with this verse:
 
“He comes by fond entreaties mov’d,
The GRANITE STATE to see.”
 
Residents of New Hampshire were called “Granite Boys” in 1832 and “Granite Staters” in 1878.
 
     
Wikipedia: White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. They are part of the northern Appalachian Mountains and the most rugged mountains in New England. The range is heavily visited due to its proximity to Boston and, to a lesser extent, New York City and Montreal.
 
New Hampshire (official government site)
Nicknames
New Hampshire has 4 nicknames. The first is the one by which the state is commonly known. Granite State: for our extensive granite formations and quarries
Mother of Rivers: for the rivers of New England that originate in our Mountains
White Mountain State: for the White Mountain Range
Switzerland of America: for our beautiful mountain scenery
 
Famous Americans (Appletons Encyclopedia)
CARRIGAIN, Philip, lawyer, born in Concord, New Hampshire, 20 February, 1772 ; died there, 16 March, 1842. He was graduated at Dartmouth in 1794, studied law, and practiced successively at Concord, Epsom, Chi-chester, and again at Concord. He was secretary of state of New Hampshire four years, and also clerk of the senate. He surveyed a great part of the state, of which he published an excellent map in 1816, and was the first to apply to New Hampshire the name of the “granite state.”—His father,, Philip, born in New York City in 1746” died in August,1806, was the son of a Scotch physician, who died in :New York, and became himself an eminent physician and surgeon, having the largest practice in the state.
 
27 June 1825, New-Hampshire Statesman (Concord, NH), “Gen. Lafayette,” pg. 2, col. 3:
SONG.
Written by Col. CARRIGAIN.
TUNE—“Scots wa ha wi’ Wallace bled.”
North, and South, and East, and West,
Grateful homage have express’d,
Greeting loud the Nation’s Guest:
Son of Liberty;
Whom Tyrants curs’d–when Heav’n approv’d,
And millions long have mourn’d and lov’d;
He comes by fond entreaties mov’d,
The GRANITE STATE to see.
 
18 July 1825, New-Hampshire Statesman (Concord, NH), “Miscellany,” pg. 2, col. 1:
As small proof of the rapidity from which he was conducted from place to place, we mention on the best authority, that in one of the not least mountainous part of the Granite State, he travelled 17 miles in one hour and 20 minutes, including some necessary stops.
 
13 August 1825, The Statesman (New York, NY), pg. 1, col. 6:
CONCORD (N. H.), Aug. 8.—Our friend Carrigain, in his excellent song, welcoming La Fayette to New Hampshire, has given it the appropriate appellation of “THE GRANITE STATE.” And when the state shall have completed those canals which are contemplated intersecting the waters of the Merrimac, the Pizcataqua and the Connecticut, aided by our wealthy neighbours of Massachusetts, by no means the least valuable portion of her productive property will be her hills and mountains of Granite. (...)—Patriot.
 
8 October 1825, Gazette & Patriot (Haverhill, MA), pg. 1, col. 1:
We have a letter from Col. Carrigain, dated at Barnet, Sept. 25, in which he informs, that Col. Clinton will accompany him across the country to Concord, making such reconnaissance by the way on the Pemigewasset, &c. as may be most advantageous to the Granite State, lookout out (the best place for a water communication between the Connecticut and Merrimack rivers). (...)—Conc. Pat.
 
11 October 1825, New Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth, NH), pg. 3, col. 1::
If New-Hampshire is called a Granite State, Boston may be called a Granite City–for Art makes as great a display of this beautiful and durable material here, as nature does there.–Bost. Pal.
 
NYS Historic Newspapers
26 September 1826, St. Lawrence Gazette (Ogdensburgh, NY), pg. 3, col. 4:
... and Aaron Leland, Lieut. Governor of the granite State of Vermont.
 
7 April 1832, New-Hampshire Statesman and State Journal (Concord, NH), pg. 2, col. 4:
We. however, have ever entertained the opinion—at least the hope—that in the face of appearances, the vote of the “Granite Boys” would be given for HENRY CLAY.
 
28 September 1832, Albany (NY) Argus, “From N. Hampshire and Maine,” pg. 4, col. 2:
The granite boys here, are hzzaing for Jackson like so many sons of thunder.
 
23 August 1836, American Traveller (Boston, MA), pg. 2, col. 3:
The ‘Gothamites,’ ‘Pukes,’ “Bay State boys,’ ‘Granite boys,’ ‘Green Mountain boys,’ ‘Chickens,’ ‘Buckeyes,’ ‘Wolverines,’ ‘Suckhers,’ ‘Hooziers,’ ‘&c. &c. &c.’ will hereafter be compelled to yield the palm to the ladies of Wisconsin, who now and henceforth are determined to be known as the Hawk Eyes.
 
Google Books
April 1845, Cincinnati Miscellany (Cincinnati, OH), pg. 240, col. 1:
New Hampshire, Granite boys.
 
Chronicling America
23 August 1845, Ripley (MS) Advertiser, pg. 1, cols. 4-5:
NATIONAL NICKNAMES.—It will be seen by the following from an exchange paper that the people of every state have nicknames, and some very curious and ludicrous ones:
 
The inhabitants of Maine, are called Foxes; New Hampshire, Granite Boys; Massachusetts, Bay Staters; Vermont, Green Mountain Boys; Rhode Island, Gun Flints; Connecticut, Wooden Nutmegs; New York, Knickerbockers; New Jersey, Clamcatchers; Pennsylvania, Leatherheads; Delaware, Muskrats; Maryland, Craw-Thumpers; Virginia, Beagles; North Carolina, Weasels; Georgia, Buzzards; Louisiana, Creowls; Alabama, Lizzards; Kentucky, Corn crackers; Tennessee, Cottonmanics; Ohio, Buckeyes; Indiana, Hoosiers; Illinois, Suckers; Missouri, Pewks; Mississippi, Tadpoles; Arkansas, Gophers; Michigan, Wolverines; Florida, Fly-up-the-Creeks; Wisconsin, Badgers; Iowa, Hawkeyes; N. W. Territory, Prairie Dogs; Oregon, Hard Cases.
 
Chronicling America
4 July 1860, The Spirit of Democracy (Woodsfield, OH), “National Nicknames,” pg. 1, col. 7:
The inhabitants of Maine are called Foxes; New Hampshire, Granite Boys; Massachusetts, Bay Staters; Vermont, Green Mountain Boys; Rhode Island, Gun Flints; Connecticut, Wooden Nutmegs; New York, Knickerbockers; New Jersey, Clam Catchers; Pennsylvania, Leather Heads; Delaware, Muskrats; Maryland, Claw Thumpers; Virginia, Beagles; North Carolina, Tar Boilers; South Carolina, Weasels; Georgia, Buzzards; Louisiana, Creowls; Alabama, Lizards; Kentucky, Corn Crackers; Ohio, Buckeyes; Michigan, Wolverines; Indiana, Hoosiers; illinois, Suckers; Missouri, Pukes: Mississippi, Tad-Poles; Florida, Fly up the Creeks; Wisconsin, Badgers; Iowa, Hawkeyes; Oregon, Hard Cases.
 
Google Books
June 1865 The Wisconsin Journal of Education, pg. 328:
The following are the “nicknames” of the native inhabitants of the different States:
... New Hampshire, Granite Boys; ...
 
2 August 1878, Cedar Falls (IA) Gazette, pg. 3, col. 1:
If those Granite Staters want to see hogs, come west, and see them “grow up with the country.”
 
Google Books
U. S.
An Index to the United States of America
Compiled by Malcolm Townsend
Boston, MA: D. Lothrop Company
1890
Pg. 71:
NICKNAMES OF THE STATES.
(...)
New Hampshire…Granite...The mountainous portions, being largely composed of granite, which is mined to a great extent.
 
Google Books
Universal Dictionary of the English Language
Edited by Robert Hunter and Charles Morris
New York, NY: Peter Fenelon Collier, Publisher
1898
Pg. 5343:
New Hampshire. The Granite State (from its granite-quarries).
Pg. 5344:
New Hampshire. Granite Boys (see Names of States).
   
New Hampshire’s History Blog
19 May, 2007
New Hampshire: How the “Granite State” Got Its Name
Posted by Janice Brown
(...)
So how does Lafayette fit into our state’s moniker? It is said that the name “Granite State,” was first applied to New Hampshire in a song composed by Colonel Carrigain, that was sung [by Maj. J.D. Abbot] at the public Lafayette dinner, on June 22, 1825,  the first stanza of which was–
 
“North, and South, and East, and West,
Grateful homage have express’d,
Greeting loud the Nation’s Guest:
Son of Liberty;
Whom Tyrants curs’d–when Heav’n approv’d,
And millions long have mourn’d and lov’d;
He comes by fond entreaties mov’d,
The GRANITE STATE to see.”
 
One history book indicates the poem was first published in the Concord Register on June 25, 1825.  I found that this poem was published in the newspaper, The New Hampshire Patriot & State Gazette, published in Concord New Hampshire on June 27, 1825.  In 1842 this poem in its entirety was additionally published in “The New Hampshire Book: Being specimens of the literature of the Granite state, by Samuel Osgood, J. Munroe and Company: 1842.
   
Concord (NH) Monitor
Philip Carrigain
Monumental mapper
By DANIEL BARRICK
Monitor staff
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Philip Carrigain’s resume still sparkles after 200 years. He served five years as secretary of state, coined the phrase ‘The Granite State’ and helped name several of the Presidential Range peaks. At the State House dedication ceremony in 1818, it was Carrigain who delivered the inaugural address.
 
But at his death, Carrigain was so poor he couldn’t afford a marker for his grave. Fortunately, he left a more enduring monument: the first accurate map of New Hampshire.