 It was first settled in the winter of 1781-1782 by David Currier and his family.Rochester's boundaries expanded through annexation of part of Pittsfield town in 1806, annexation of an additional area from Pittsfield town plus a part of Braintree town in 1824, a part of Hancock town in 1834, and finally an annexation of part of Goshen town in 1847.The surface of the town is mountainous and broken, but the intervales along the White River provided good farmland.