NOTE.

The documents in this volume were copied from the manuscripts in Vols. IV, V, VI, and VII, of the collections of 1880, and Vols. II and III, " Indian and French Wars and Revolutionary Papers," in the office of the secretary of state. They are numbered to correspond with the originals.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

EARLY TOWN PAPERS.

GILMANTON.

This is one of the old townships, and was granted May 20, 1727, to Nicholas Gilman and one hundred and seventyfive others, but was not settled until about 1761, when Benjamin and John Mudgett moved into town with their families and there settled.

The Masonian Proprietors claimed the land, but a settlement was made whereby they relinquished their claim to all but eighteen shares, giving the town proprietors a quitclaim deed June 30, 1752.

Iron ore was discovered in the town, and works for the manufacture of iron were built as early as 1763, but the business not proving remunerative was in a few years abandoned.

Governor's Island was annexed to the town December 30, 1799. June 16, 1812, the northerly part of the town was set off and incorporated into a town by the name of Gilford. July 5, 1851, a tract of land was severed from this town and annexed to Gilford.

By an act passed June 29, 1859, the town was divided, and the north-westerly part incorporated into a town by the name of Upper Gilmanton, which name was changed to Belmont June 24, 1869.

Gen. Joseph Badger was the first magistrate, and for many years a prominent citizen of the town. He was a member of the council in 1784, 1790-'91, 1795-'96. Gen. Badger was born in Haverhill, Mass., January 11, 1722, and died April 4, 1803; was grandfather of Gov. William Bad

ger.

[4-85] [Petition for Authority to assess and collect Taxes, 1737.]

To His Excellency JONATHAN Belcher Esq': Gov' and Commander In Chief in and Over His Majesty's Province of New Hampre: The Honble His Majesty's Council & House of Representatives for Said Province in Gen' Court assembled—

The Petition of a Committee of the Proprietors of Gilmantown in the Province afores in behalf of the said Proprietors Humbly Sheweth-That the Propriet aforesd live in Several Towns within this Province & Some of them who became So by Purchase live in the Province of the Mass Bay-whereby they can by no means already Provided, Collect the money Voted by the Propriet's afores to carry on the Settlem & other matters relating to the Said Townships & Propriety, any further than they Voluntarily pay the Same.

That for want of Legal Authority to Collect the Said money the Settlemt of the Said Town is greatly Retarded, and an unequal Burthen bro't upon Such of the Said Proprietors as are Diligent & forward in carrying on the Settlem' who are Sometimes obliged to pay more than their proportion to prevent a total neglect of the Settlement.

That the Propriets who are zealously Concern'd to promote the Said Settlem' have been at Great Charge to Cut a Way up to the Said Township, & building houses of Defence, Laying out their Lots &c-which they only have Defrayed

Your Peticons in behalf of themselves & their Constituents therefore Humbly pray This Honble Court that you would be pleased to Enable their Selectmen for the time being to tax the Said Propriet to all Legal Charges relating to the Said Township And also the Constables or Collectors for the time being to Levy the Same on the Lands & rights of the Propriets who Neglect to pay their Said Taxes in Season and to make Sale of So much of the Said Lands of any Delinquent Propriet in the Same or Some Such manner as Constables of Towns are Enabled to do with the Goods of Such as do not Seasonably pay their Town Rates or in Such other way & manner as you in yo' Great Wisdom & Goodness Shall See meet— And Your Petition" as in Duty bound Shall ever pray

John Gilman
John Brown

&c

In The House of Representatives. Voted That The Prayer of the Petition" be granted with this Amendment—

That the Constable before the Sale of any Lands Destraned upon Give forty Days Notice in Some one or more of the publick Prints of the destres and Sale of Such Lands, and that ye

Lands So distraned upon be sold to the highest bider and after the sale thereof if there be any overplush besides a Suficiency to Pay that Assesment and the Charges acruing thereon, that ye Constable pay the Said Surplusage to ye Select men of Sd Town and there to remain in Sd Select mens hands and y' to remain, in order for ye Said Delinq' or Delinquents Proprieters to Draw out the Same when they Demand It—and if not demanded before a new Asesment then to be disposed of to defray Sd Charges of the new Asesments-Provided this act Continue for the Space of ten years & no Longer and that the Sale of Such Lands be a good title to ye Purchaser any Law usage or Custom to ye Conteray notwithstanding and that the Pet's have Liberty to Bring a Bill accordingly

James Jeffrey Cle' ass

In Coun' March 30th 1737

Read and non-concurr'd unanimously

Rich Waldron Sec

[4-86] [Petition of Inhabitants relative to a Road, 1770.] To His Excellency John Wentworth Esq-Captain General and Governour in Chief the Honble Council and the Honble House of Representatives of His majesties province of New hampshire in New England

The Petition of us the subscribers Inhabitants of the Town of Gilmantown, Humbly shew that by an act of this Government the proprietors of said Town were obliged to make a Road through the same and that we have Been always Informed that the Inhabitants had no Concern in it and the proprietors have Disobeyed the Courts order and voted that they would not make the Road and the Courts Committee have Been obliged to Do it and we understand that some of the proprietors of said Town are Desirous that this Great and Honourable Court would order that all the Lotts in said Town should be Taxed to pay that Charge which we apprehend would be a Grievous Burden upon us that are Inhabitants there for the Inhabitants have Venturd their Lives and fortunes to settle that town and have had no help from the proprietors to make any Road in it or but a very little and are obliged to be at the Expence of two Hundred Dollars a Year to make and maintain their Necessary Roads and if the Expence of making the province Road should be paid by a Tax on the Lotts there is a Great Number of proprietors who own Large Interest in the Common Lands that will pay Little or nothing by Reason they have sold the Greatest part of what

is Laid out and at an Exorbitant price by Reason of the settlement and Roads we have made at our own Expence

Therefore your Petitioners Humbly pray that Your Excellency and this Great and Honourable Court would take the matter into Consideration and Grant us some Releif as Your Excellency and Honours in your Great wisdom shall Judge proper and your petitioners as in Duty bound shall Ever pray &c Dated at Gilmantown aforesd Nov 20th 1770

4-87]

Jonathan Gilman

[Petition for a Magistrate.]

State of New Hampshire Strafford ss.

To his Excelency the President and the Honourable Council for Said State Convened.

The humble Petition of us the Subscribers being Inhabitants of the southerly part of Gilmantown in the County and State aforesaid humbly sheweth that whereas the said town of Gilmantown is large and Consisting of near Four Hundred Rateable Poles & as there is no person that is appointed and Quallified as a Justice of the peace in the Southerly part of the Said town as Afores'd and we Your Petitioners pray your Excelency and Honours would appoint and Quallify Mr. John Shepard of said town as a Justice of the peace for said County; as we think him to be a man of the best Quallification with us for the same : and your Petitioners as in Duty bound Shall ever pray