Establishing an Academy in this Town would be agreable to the Spirit of the Charter and the design of Goverment and therefore that it ought to be appropriated accordingly upon the Towns voteing to receive the above Report of the Committee Respecting the School Right in Gilmanton, voted that the whole of said Right. Excepting the Northwest half part of the first Division forty acre Lot which is reserved for Public uses be Given and Granted forever hereafter for the benefit and Support of an academy in said Town of Gilmanton when ever there shall be a Sufficient fund subscribed to Set up the same attest Wm Smith Town Clerk At a Legal Town meeting held by the freeholders and other Inhabitants of Gilmanton on Monday the 27th Day of Inst. (meaning) August 1792 Voted to Choose a Committe to consist of Seven men to take the Charge of the Right of Land voted at the last Town meeting for the use of an Academy in Said Town and to apply to the General Court to procure an act for Incorporation and to open a Subscription for the benefit of said Academy Hon. Joseph Badger Esq' Co' Ebenezer Smith Co' Samuel Greeley Joseph Parsons Esq Co' Antipas Gilman Thomas Cogswell Esq' and Joseph Badger Ju' Esq' were Chosen for the above Committee attest Wm Smith Town Clerk At the annual Town meeting held by the freeholders and other Inhabitants of Gilmanton March 14th 1793 voted that the proposed Academy shall be set on Co1 Badgers Land within Thirty Rods of the School House by Huckins Brook so Called voted to adjourn said meeting to Monday 25th of March Instant at one oClock P M March 25th Met according to adjournment The vote that was passed fixing the place where the proposed Academy should Set is voted to be reconsidered Voted that a meeting be Called by the Selectmen and be Seasonably Notified to be held on the first Monday in September to determine where the proposed Academy Shall set Attest Joseph Parsons Town Clerk At a Legal meeting of the freeholders and other Inhabitants of Gilmanton on Monday the Second day of September 1793 voted that the proposed Academy shall be Erected on Joseph Badger Jun' Esq Land near Huckis Brook within fifty Rods of the School House attest Joseph Parsons Town Clerk [4-97] [Thomas Cogswell to Hon. Abiel Foster relative to the Academy.] Sir Amherst 14th June 1794 The duties of my Office require my attendance on Tuesday next, at Moultonborough, Eighty or ninety Miles from this place-Since I was before the Hon' Senate a Doubt has arisen, whither the Land voted by the Town, of Gilmanton for the use of an Academy, can be holden for the use of Such an institution; If it should turn out that they cannot be holden, there would be a great impropriety in the vote of the Town carrying so large a feature in the Act-What amendments the Hon1e Senate may propose-I shall be so unfortunately situated, as not to know at present-under these circumstances. If my Proposals of amendment should not meet the approbation of the Hon' Senate, & no relicaf granted, I must, under all circumstances request the Hone Senate to Postpone the Bill until the next Session of the Gen' Court-Perhaps before that time we shall compromise & Settle the matter, which at present appears to be in dispute between us— I am Sir with much etseem Yours &c Thomas Cogswell Hon' Abiel Foster [4-98] [Thomas Cogswell to Hon. John Prentice, relative to the Academy.] Sir Amherst June 12th 1794 it often happens that a Citizen doing Business with the Legislative Body of the State is under the Necessity through you to Communicate his Sentiments on a Subject that is not only interesting to himself but the public, under these circumstances I trust it will be a Sufficient appoligy for me to request you to lay before the Representative Body of this State the following Sentiments-Viz.-Sometime Since the Town of Gilmantown appointed Joseph Badger Esq and others a Committee to open a Subscription for the Benefit of an Accademy in Said Town, and to apply for an Act of incorporation early in this Session a Petition was prefer'd to this Honerable Body for an Act of incorporation of an Accademy in Said Town and an Order of this Court Issued with Leave to bring in a Bill accordingly. The Act for that purpose now under consideration contains a Clause fixing the place of said Accademy in Said Town which to me appears to exceed the power of the Committee or agents from the Town.-to exceed the request of the Petitioners, to Exceed the Order of Court thereon and is differant from any other grant of this kind, known in the Union-it will have a tendency (if So continued) to enhance the Board of pupils and many ways discourage and hinder the increase and prosperity of Such a Semminary of Learning-under these considerations, I Flatter myself it will be considered when I Suggest the Idea of the Clause fixing the Accademy at a Certain place to be Struck out, that I have no other view than the General GoodI am Sir with Every Sentiment of Esteem your Most Obe1 hum' Servant Thomas Cogswell The Honble John Printis Speaker of the House of Representatives Stat N Hampshire [4-99 To the Honourable the senate and House of Representatives for said state Humbly shew We the subscribers agents appointed by the Town of Gilmanton, to apply to the General Court for an Incorporation of an academy in Gilmanton, we therefore pray Your Honours that an act of the General Court may be Passed for the establishment of said academy with Powers and privileges Enjoyed by other academys in said state and Your Petitioners as in Duty Bound shall Ever pray &c Dated at Gilmanton, May ye 5th 1794 Antipas Gilman [Gilmanton Academy was incorporated June 20, 1794, with the following gentlemen as trustees: Hon. Joseph Badger, Rev. Isaac Smith, Rev. Joseph Woodman, Rev. Jedediah Tucker, Rev. Simon Fenley Williams, Joseph Badger, Jr., Thomas Cogswell, Ebenezer Smith, Joseph Parsons, and Samuel Greeley. The institution has been successful, and numbers many eminent men among its alumni.-ED.] GILSUM. This town was granted December 28, 1752, to Joseph Osgood and others, by the name of Boyle. None of these grantees ever settled in the town, probably on account of the depredations of the Indians, and the grant was forfeited. It was regranted July 13, 1763, to Samuel Gilbert and others. Said Gilbert and Thomas Sumner were prominent in procuring the grant. Their families were connected by marriage, and the town was named by taking the first syllable of each name and coining the word Gilsum. Jonathan Bliss and Josiah Kilburn were the first settlers, in 1762. March 9, 1769, the west part of the town was set off, and, with a portion of Westmoreland, incorporated into the town of Surry. September 27, 1787, the south-east part of the town was set off, joined with portions of Keene, Stoddard, and Packersfield (Nelson), and incorporated into the town of Sullivan. A dispute relative to the boundary line between this town and Stoddard was settled by an act passed June 27, 1797, by which the "curve line of Mason's Patent" was made the dividing line of the two towns, and Gilsum lost another tract of land. In 1873 a few acres of land were taken from Sullivan and annexed to this town. Every man in town signed the "Association Test," and the town did its full share in the Revolutionary war and in the suppression of the Southern Rebellion. Among the prominent men of the town was Hon. George W. Hammond, for many years an eminent physician. He was a member of the constitutional convention of 1850, member of the state senate in 1855-'56, and died January 30, 1872, at the age of 70 years. [4-111] [Petition for a Grant of the Township, 1752.] To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq Gov' of the Province of New Hampshire &c. Humbly Shews The Petition of William Lawrence of Groton & Thomas Read of Westford in the Province of the Massatts That they together With fifty Six more of their Neighbours Are desireous of Setling a township in the Province of New Hampshire many of them not Having a Sufficiency of Lands in the Massachusetts to Employ them Selves in Husbandry And haveing Account of a tract of Land Yet ungranted by Your Excellency, that we Apprehend is Capable of Setlement. (which Lyes Northerly of the Upper Ashuelot and Westmoreland and Easterly from Walepool Adjoyning to those towns, and Extends Eastward to make the Contents of Six miles Square) and in case we may Obtain the favour of your Excellency in making us a grant on ye Conditions, Other of his Majestys Lands there are Granted, Shall make a Spedy & Effectuall Setlement there Wherefore we pray that y' Excellency would See meet to favour us with Liberty to Survey the Same Under your directions, And that we may Óbtain a Grant Accordingly And as in Duty bound Shall pray &c Groton March 16: 1752 William Lawrence [4-110] [Petition to have the Charter lengthened out, 1763.] To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq' Gov' & Commander in Chief in and Over his Majesty's Province of New Hamp' and To the honble his Majesty's Council for Said Province The memorial of Thomas Sumner in Behalf of himself & Others Prop in the Town of Boyle in Said Province. Shews That in the Year 1752 Your Excelly & Honors Granted the Township of Boyle upon the Conditions & under the restrictions as Per Charter Declar'd That by the Intervention of the Late War your Memorialist' Constituents have been (till Very Lately) Prevented from Doing the Duty, but Notwithstanding they have Sever'd & Drawn by Lotts the Said Tract of Land to & among all the Prop", that Many of Your Memorialists Constituents are now Actually Living with their familys on Sd Tract of Land & Many More Going Early In the Spring & there are Now Many Acres of Wheat Sowd there & In all Probability the Township Will be Intirely Settled According to the True & Intent & Meaning of the Grant by Next Summer But as the Time Prefix'd in the Grant Was Elaps'd & that Before it Was Possible (for the reason afores) for 'em To Enter & Improve, they Conceive it Absolutely Necessary that Your Excell & Honors (if you think fit) Shod Grant a Suspension of the forfeiture & further indulge 'em with Such a Term of time as they may be Enabled to fulfill the Duty aforesaid & are Encouraged to Ask the fav' Because your Exc & |