The Committee appointed on Matters similar to those set forth in the within Petition beg leave to report their opinion that Litchfield & Derryfield be joined in the Precept to send a Representative to the next General Court

Geo: Atkinson for the Come

[The report was accepted, and Litchfield and Derryfield were classed for a representative.-ED.]

[6-73] [James Underwood relative to some confiscated Estates, 1780.]

Mr Speaker

Sir

Litchfield 27th June 1780

The Committee have Yesterday finished the Sales of Zacheus Cuttlers personal Estate have been to Colo Bauldwin the Agent or Trustee of said Estate and find he will Only pay or alow us our Costs in takeing an Inventory Vendueing &c of sa Estate when we have Don the Business through this County taking Inventory Leaseing out &c that Estate being sold thereby procured money to Discharge our Expence in our Duty & what money was Overplush put into the State Treasury we now desire the Court would now take some Order that we may make a final setlement and be properly discharged as I have been three times to Exeter to settle that matter, with that of Col Lutwyches as our business extended through the County Costs & Expence are so blended together can not be well seporated Therefore pray the Agents may be Impowerd, or some Other person, or persons, to settle these matters as Col° Nichols is Nominated to go into the Servise I take this Opportunity to Inform the Court that the Committes Accot is so blended together that they can not be Settled without the whole of the Committe pray sir press the matter that the Committe of Safety may be Impowed in recess of the Court if nothing better Can be done

I am your Honors Obt & Very Humb1 Set
James Underwood

[6-74] [ William Patterson relative to some confiscated Estates, 1782.]

To the Hon the President of the Committee of Safety for the State of Newhampshire

SI Beg leave to inform you that I am now Seventy three years old and have lived on lands which formerly belonged to

Mr Thomson now an Inhabatiant of Great Britain 33 years said land lying in Litchfield I took a lease of said Thomson of the farm I now live on to pay him the sum of sixty dollars yearly to be paid in money or improvements on the farm which I have Comply with: untill last year when I was about putting Seed into the Ground in the mounth of April I was informed that the State had taken the farm into their hands and appointed an Agent to rent out the same; Some evil minded person as I suppose offered to give one hundred dollars yearly rent: having done a considerable part of my Spring Labour was Constrained to give that Sum or move off: your Hon' and every Gent in the Honbl Commitee must be sensable that the Public Tax for the Defence of the present war is very high which with the rent aforesaid and the hire of Labourers amounted to a very great sum I Beg leave to Observe that I have had no notice to move off before very leatly when I have prepared for a new Crop I Expected to have had the farm at the rent that I Contracted for last year tho very high yet I would been content but to my great Surprise I have been informed that some person have offered more; the Agent Co" Chase being sensable that the rent paid last year with the Tax that will be Called for this year is as much if not more than the farm is worth

He desired me to send to your Hon" to know whither I may have the farm at the same Rent that I paid last year I paying the whole Tax for this year; which is not Customary when a Tennant takes a farm by the Shares he pays half of the Tax only; I Beg further that a person or persons may be appointed to settle all Back arrirages and to Receipt for the same and to put me in full possession in the name of the State I would further Observe that I have been Oblidged for several years past to purchess the greater part of the wood for my use there being little wood on the farm as I am an old man and willing to give the whole value for the farm Reather than move of at present your Hon's Compliance will much Oblidge your Hon'

Most Hub' Sert

Litchfield April 3d 1782

William Patterson

[R. 2-190] [Selectmen concerning Soldiers, 1783.]

To the Honble the Councel & House of Representatives for the State of New Hampshire Convened at Concord June 1783 The Humble Petition of the Select men of Litchfield in the County of Hillsborough-Humbly shews that said Town filled up their Quota of Soldiers in the Continental army for the first

7

three year service & gave each soldier Fifty dollers as a Towns Bounty-one of said Soldiers, Viz' John Loring who was an Inhabitant of said Town, was in the Massachusetts line Tho' by a vote of the Honble Assembly of this state he was to be accounted to the Town he belong'd to, his Family was supported for three years for which no allowance has ever been made them-That said Town by Order of Court raised four men to reinforce Gen' Sullivan in Canada & paid them fifty dollars each as Bounty that in June 1779 said Town Inlisted one William Raymond during the war & paid him four hundred & fifty pounds Lawfull money That we have at all Times done our full proportion in the war & had our Quota of men in the field, Notwithstanding all which Col° Kelley sheriff of said County has brought an Extent or Execution against us for sixty pounds for a soldier said to be wanting in the war. We are Consious to ourselves that we have done our full proportion in the war as to soldiers &c and ought not pay said Extent Wherefore we pray your Honors would Postpone the payment of said Execution untill the matter may be fully inquired into

[The foregoing was referred to the committee of safety. -ED.]

[6-75]

[Return of Ratable Polls, 1783.]

Decemer 9th 1783 A True Accot of the number male Polls in the Town of Litchfield upwards of Twenty one Years of Age paying for themselves a poll rate which is fifty five

James Underwood | Select
John Cochran

men

Hillsborough ss Decem' 9th 1783 then James Underwood & John Cochran personally Appear'd and made Solemn Oath to the truth of the above Number of polls in said Town before

John Goffe Justice of Peace

[6-76] [Relative to their Quota of Soldiers, 1783.]

To the Honourable the Council and Gentlemen of the Honourable house of Representatives at Exeter Convened the Twelfth day of February 1783

The Humble Petition of the Selectmen of Litchfield in the County of Hillsborough & State of New Hampshire whose Names are hereunto Subscribed

Sheweth that the Inhabitants of the said Town have had the Honor of being distinguished, by many General assemblies, for their Loyalty and Zeal in promoting the Public Welfare, according to their utmost Abilities

That-the premises being granted Your Honors may easily conceive, that your Pet's must be under the deepest concern, when they find themselves, and their Constituents, lie under the Imputation of Disloyalty at this day, and the Sherif approaches with an Extent to levy a large sum of money on Your Pet's Estates, in their said Capacity, upon a Supposition that one Soldier is wanting in their Quota.

That the Matter arises from the desertion, of one William Raiment, whom the Town procured in 1779, at a very great Expence, to serve them as a Soldier, during the War, whom they saw duly mustered-receive his proportion of provisions. shoes, and Stockings at Exeter, and march to Worcester with the rest of the Soldiers-What cod they do more?

But-Your Pet" pray leave to refer Your Hon' to the Depositions herewith exhibited, In humble confidence, that upon mature deliberation of the premises you will be pleased to resolve, that the Sherif of the County aforesaid, may be Injoined to surcease the said Extent, and that your Hon will resume the Consideration of the premises, and grant such relief therein as to You in your great Wisdom shall seem most meet. And Your Pet's as in Duty bound shall ever pray &c

[6-77] [Petition for a Bridge at Cromwell's Falls, 1794.] To the Honorable Legislature of the State of Newhampshire to be convened at Amherst on the first Wednesday of June 1794

A Petition for a Bridge at Cromwell's Falls

Whereas from experience it is found practicable and of great publick convenience to have Bridges over Merrimack River and as one at Cromwells falls at the lower end of the Town of Lytchfield would greatly facilitate the passing from the westerly part of this State to our Metropolis-Therefore we pray your Honors to make us a grant for that purpose similar to that made to Colo McGregore & others at Amoskeig Falls-And your petioners as in duty bound will ever pray

Lytchfield June 3 1794

This town embraces the southern portion of a grant made, Nov. 17, 1764, to James Avery and others, by the name of Chiswick, which grant also comprised the present town of Dalton.

The grantees were bought out by Moses Little, merchant, of Newburyport, Moses Little, Jr., of Newbury, both in the province of Massachusetts, Israel Morey, of Orford, N. H., and Alexander Phelps, of Hebron, Conn., who petitioned for a re-grant of the township. The request was favorably considered by Gov. Wentworth, and on the 18th day of January, 1770, the township was re-granted by the name of Apthorp to the foregoing, with George Apthorp, of London, Eng., Nathaniel Carter, Benjamin Harris, and Tristram Dalton, of said Newburyport, and Samuel Adams, of Boston, as associates. Five hundred acres each were reserved for Benning Wentworth, Theodore Atkinson, and Mark Hunking Wentworth, they being grantees under the Chiswick charter. The town bore the name of Apthorp, in honor of George Apthorp, until Nov. 4, 1784, when by an act of the legislature it was divided, the north part incorporated by the name of Dalton, in honor of Tristram Dalton, and the south part by the name of Littleton, in honor of Moses Little, both of whom were large owners in the townships respectively. The first settler was Capt. Nathan Caswell, about the year 1770. The town did not gain in population very fast, and contained but fourteen ratable polls in 1785. Since 1800, however, the increase has been more rapid, and the town is now one of the most enterprising and prosperous in the state.