[7-83] [Relative to the Election of Representative, 1762.] To the Gen" Assembly of the Province of New Hampe now held at Portsmouth in sd Prove

The Petition of the freeholders of Merrime in sd Province Humbly Sheweth that on the fourth Day of March Instant the freeholders of sd Merrimac and Monson was assembled at sd Merrimac to Elect a person to Represent them in the Gen Assembley and Joseph Blanchard Esq' was Declared to be Elected Representative for sd Towns But the Election of him was Illegal for the vots of some persons who had an Estate in sa Merrime where the sd Choice was Sufficant to Qualify them for voters according to Law was Refused and and others Allowed to vot in s Election who was Not Quallified according to Law the Election of sd Blanchard was not made by a majority of voters who Had an Estate in s Merrime as the Law Requires But by Persons from Monson Hollis & Amherst who had no Estate in s Merrime our Being joined with Monson in the Choice of a Representative instead of being a previlidge Strips us of all that Previlidge which By Law we ought to Enjoy in that Respect for Being Called to Meet together and Act Contrary to a positive Law of the Prove puts us in the utmost Confusion when Mett we theirfor pray that sa Meeting may be Declared nul and sd Election set aside because Illegal and that all the other Elections of the Like Kind may be set asid as unlawfull Elections and that the Persons thus Elected Contrary to Law may be dismissed with s Blanchard (viz) John Goffe Esq' Cap' Sam' Grele Capt Jonathan Cotton & Mr Jo Wright that they who are thus Elected Contrairy to Law May Not Be Suffered to sit in the Hon' Assembly to pas Laws and votes for others we Dont Beg for favours without Right but pray that we may be Defended in our Lawfull Rights and Previlidges and for the Due Execution of Laws so far as lyes in your power that we may Share in the Common Hapiness of the Province Laws Under the Goverment of So Good a King as we Now Enjoy And we Desire that the Carictore and Conduct of sa Blanchard May Bee Enquired into and Considered which we Judge is Such as renders him unfit of a Sate in the Gen' Assembly and that he May Be Desmisd for that if Not for the other Reasons and we as in Duty Bound Shall Ever Pray

The township was granted by the Masonian proprietors March 21, 1770, and incorporated by the legislature March 4, 1778.

In 1785 the inhabitants of the north part of Middleton, and those of a portion of Wolfeborough, attempted to get set off from their respective towns and be incorporated into a separate town. The scheme did not succeed, being strongly opposed by Wolfeborough and the south part of Middleton.

In 1794 the matter was again brought before the legislature, and the town was divided by an act passed Dec. 30 of that year, the north part being incorporated into a town by the name of Brookfield.

The town was settled by men from Rochester and Lee.

[7-62]

[Petition for an Incorporation, 1773.]

Province of New Hampshire

To His Excellency-John Wentworth Esquire Captain General, & Commander in chief in & over said Province of New Hampshire &c &c and to The Honorable His Majestys Council for the Same

The Humble petition of a Number of the inhabitants & proprietors of the Township of Middletown in the County of Strafford & province aforesaid being a tract of land granted by the proprietors of Masons patent so Call'd on the 21st day of March A D 1770-Most Humbly sheweth that great progress is made & is still making towards the Compleat Settlement of said tract of land, and that the inhabitants & proprietors thereof have been at great expence & Charge in making public roads. through said Township for the benefit of His Majestys Service-Your petitioners therefore prays that your Excellency and Honours would be pleas" to incorporate said tract of Land into a Township with such privaledges as other Towns enjoy

within this Province by the bounds and limits containd in s Grant and your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray

an Extent was Issued & the above Sum of Thirty Nine pounds four shillings & Ten pence paid in Certificates

[7-64]

J. T. Gilman

[Petition to be Incorporated.]

State of New Hampshire

To the Honble General Assembly of said State now conven'd at Exeter

The memorial of Simeon Dearborn in behalf of the Inhabitants of Middletown & Leavits Town (so called) Humbly shews that said Inhabitants are not incorporated into Towns, but were by the Gen' Court of said State (when under the former Goverment) Authorized to chuse Selectmen and a Constable for the Sole purpose of Raising a Province Tax-Since the late distraction of the Times have neglected to chuse said Officers, by which means they are return'd to a State of Nature-Therefore your Memorilest Humbly prays that said Inhabitants may be invested with Town priveledges, and in such a manner (if consistant) as to retain the Proprietary priveledges as heretofore-and your Petitioner shall as in duty Bound ever pray—

Exeter March 10th 1777

Simeon Dearborn

[In answer to this, Middleton was incorporated March 4, 1778.-ED.]

[R. 2-277]

[Soldiers' Orders.]

Middletown Oct 27 1784

To the Paymaster of Capt Jacob Smith Company in Col° Raynelds Regt in the year 1781

Sir Plese to Pay Daniel Cook or order all that is due to me from the State I having been a Soldier in the aforesaid Company and for the town of Middletown Value Received

Middletown February 6th 1785

To the Treasurer of the State of New Hampshire Sir Please to pay Dan' Cook or his order all that is due to my late Son William Lear who was a Soldier in the 2d Co of the 3d New Hampshire Regiment from Middleton and died in the Summer of 1778-Value Rec Witness my hand William Lear

[John Chamberlain, town-clerk, certified that said Lear was the father of said soldier.-ED.]

[R. 2-279]

Mr Treasurer Sir Please to pay Joshua Pickering or order all the arrears of wages due to me for my service in the late war in the Second New Hampshire Regiment his receipt shall be your Discharge—

Witness my hand-Middletown ye 6th Augst 1792

Attest

Andrew Bickford

Jonathan Buzzell

[R. 2-280] [Petition of John Barter, Soldier.]

[In a petition dated Middletown, Nov. 4, 1788, John Barter stated that whiles He was in the Service of the United States being a Serjeant in Capt Blodgets Company in the New Hampshire Regiment, He received a dangerous wound in Battle, was shot through the thigh." He was wounded Sept. 19, 1777, asked for an allowance, and was placed on the pension-list at the rate of two dollars per month.-ED.]

[7-65] [Relative to the Town's Quota of Soldiers, 1783.] ·

State of New Hampshire

To the honourable Council and House of Representatives for said State in General Assembly convened at Concord the 29 Day of october 1783

Humbly Shew the Subscribers Selectmen and other Inhabitants of said town of Middleton Situate in the County of Strafford and State aforesaid that your Petitioners by reason of the Scarcity of Corn and other Provisions among them Some Familys have been Greatly distressed and your Petitioners not Haveing Provision to sell to procure Money have not been able to get their Proportion of Soldiers nor to pay their tax for the year 1782 and for their Neglecting to get their Porportion of Soldiers the Estates of the Selectmen have been attached for the Sum of £256 pound Lawful money the whole of which Sum your Petitioners are not willing to pay by reason of their having two of said Soldiers in the Sarvice Namely Samuel Leach and Edward Elles but by Reason of not Laying Claim to said Soldiers in Season is the Cause of so Large a Sum but the Reason of their not Laying Claim to said Soldiers in Season was because the act was not Sent to said town before the time was Expired for Laying said Claim Wherefore your Petitioners Humbly Pray that your Honours would take the indigent Circumstances of your Petitioners under your Consideration and take of part of said Sum and Grant them Longer time to procure the money to pay their taxes or Such Relief as in your Wisdom may be Judged Proper and your Petitioners as in Duty bound Shall Ever pray &c