Nashua was divided June 23, 1842, by a line commencing on Nashua river at the line of Hollis, and running down said river to the Lowell railroad bridge; thence by said railroad to the old ferry road; thence by said road to Merrimack river; and all that portion of the town lying north of that line was incorporated into a town by the name of Nashville, and so remained until June 27, 1853, when the two towns were united and incorporated as a city by the name of Nashua, which has become one of the most populous manufacturing communities in the state. Artillery pond was thus named because it was included in a grant made by Massachusetts, October 11, 1673, O. S., to the Boston Artillery Company. That grant was of one thousand acres, and included the territory now in the compact part of the city north of Nashua river, and remained in possession of said company until it was purchased by Col. Joseph Blanchard about 1743. Col. Blanchard was one of the leading men of Dunstable, and for some years agent for the Masonian proprietors. [7-104] [Vote of Town relative to Bridge over Nashua River, 1753.] At a Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Dunstable in the Province of New Hampshire being meet According to Law ye it day of may 1753 and Continued by Adjournment to ye 14th of Said May An Extract from the votes of Said Meeting Pasd at Said Ad journmeent That in as much as the Bridge over Nashuway River in this Town is of Great expence in Building & keeping in Repair. latly at a large expence Built and cared away with a freshetso much Travilling for the Publick it is of Great nedcessety for Rebuilding the Heavy charge lying on this Town for their other necessary affairs has left them of Inabillity according to the corse of common Taxes to perform the same with out further Aide and Where as there is large Quantitys of land unimproved belonging to Residents and nonresidents which are not Rateable that rise in value by reason of the Improvements and taxes a moungst us Therefore Voted that this Town Petition to the Gen" Assembly of this Province shewing our deficultys & pray that the Sum of one Hundred and fifty pounds newtenor be lev'y'd upon the lands in this Town in Equall proportion per acre in such maner as shall be free of charge for Collecting to be Appropriated for the Building a Bridge over Nashuway River and no other use whatso ever & that the Hon' Joseph Blanchard Esq' and m' Jonathan Lovewell be desired to Petition the Gen" Assembly for their Grant Agreable to the foregoing vote Pased in the Affairmative Voted that a Bridge be built over Nashuway River the Ensuing_sumer at the charge of this Town & That the Hon" Joseph Blanchard Esq' m' Noah Johnson & m' Jonathan Lovewell be a Comtee Authorized & Impowered in behalf of this Town to agree & contract with any person or persons at their discretion to Effect the same and that such their contract or Agrement be Obligatory & binding upon this Town for pay ment A True Copy from Dunstable Records Exama per Jonathan Lovewell Town Clerk— [7-103] [Relative to Bridge over Nashua River, 1753.] Province of New Hamps To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq' Governor and Commander in Chief in and over his majestys Province of new Hampshire, To the Honorable his majestys Council and House of Representatives in General assembly Convened June 19th 1753 The Petition of Joseph Blanchard Esq' and Jonathan Lovewell in behalf of the Town of Dunstable in said Province most humbly shews That it is necessary that there be a Bridge over Nashuaway River That the Town of Dunstable have lately been at great Cost and Charge to build a Bridge over said River which was the last Spring carryed away by a freshet-That the Town of Dunstable have lately passed a vote to build another Bridge over said River (as will appear by the annexed Copy) for the Conveniency of Travellers—That there is a Considerable quantity of unimproved lands lying within the Town of Dunstable which belongs to Residents and Non: Residents which encreases in value yearly without any Taxes whatever being paid for the Same by the owners-wherefore your Petitioners pray that there may be a Tax of one hundred and fifty Pounds New Tener (clear of all Charges for Colecting) laid upon all the lands lying in Dunstable aforesaid whether improved or not improved in equall Proportion, to be improved for and towards. the building a Bridge over the said River and no other use whatever and your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray &c Jon Lovewell for Self & Jo Blanchard Esq' [In H. of Rep., January 23, 1754, the foregoing petition was granted.-ED.] [7-105] [Relative to Representative, 1762.] To the Gen' Assembly of the Province of New Hampshire now Setting at Portsmouth in said Province The Petition of the Freeholders of the Town of Dunstable in said Province Humbly sheweth, that there are several persons Returned as Representatives whose choice is Ilegal (viz) Joseph Blanchard Esq' for merrimac and monson Cap Sam' Grele for Nottinghamwest and Litchfield Cap' Jona Carlton for Plastow and Hamstead m' Joseph Wright for salem and Pelham and John Goffe Esq' for Bedford and Amherst and that— in the Election of Each of said Persons as Representatives many persons wer Allowed to vote who had no Real Estate in the Town Parrish or Precinct where shuch Election was. directly against a Law of this Province Intitled An Act for calling and Ellecting Assembly men and their Quallification and even the Returns of the writs for the choice of said persons for Representatives shew that the meetings for Electing them wer Illegall and tho' the Town of Dunstable had thirty five families settled in it in the year 1680 most of which wer within the bounds of said Town as now Incorporated in this Province yet we are omitted and deprived of having any voice in the Election of a Representative in this Assembly the said Town Recd a Charter ap 1 1746 from the Governor and Council of this Province with all the Powers and authorities Immunities and Franchises with other Towns within said Province or any of them by Law have and Enjoy and yet other Towns not so long Settled nor Taxed so much have the previledge allowed them which we are denied we pray that these Affairs may be Exam into and Considered and something determined upon the same so that people may know how to practice for the future we pray the said persons may not be allowed to set in the Assembly to vote and Act as assembly men that we may not have any Laws or Votes passed before the House of Representatives be purged of those whose choice is Ilegall and that said persons may not be Allowed to vote or act in any Affair before it be determined wheither their Election is Legal or not we pray that we may be supported protected and defended in the Enjoyment of our Lawful Rights and Previledges as a free people under the English constitution and Goverment so that we and others may not be Striped of the same and we as in Duty bound Shall ever Pray Oliver Farwell abraham heall Samuel Searles Benja French Jonathan Whiting Ephrim Butterfeld David Alld Medad Combs Jos: Senter [7-106] [Trouble at a Town-Meeting, 1762.] Province of N Hampshire Jan 19th 1762. Proceedings of a meeting held at Dunstable at the house of Collo Zaccheus Lovewell's, by the Inhabitance of the towns of Dunstable and Holles, being assembled by notifications, sign'd by the Select-men of both Towns, pursuant to a precept directed to them from the high Sheriff of said Province, to assemble the inhabitants of said Towns, Qualify'd for voting in the choice of Representatives, to make choice of a Person to rep resent them in Gen" Assembly; and being met, Jon Lovewell Esq' One of the Selectmen for the Town of Dunstable Open'd the meeting in the following manner, (viz) he read the precept sent up, also read one of the Notifications pursuant to the precept, sign'd by the Selectmen for both Towns after which he address't himself to the People assembled, setting forth what an unrighteous and unjust thing it was to Couple these Towns to make choice of a Representative, and signify'd it was taking away Our Priviledges &c, and after considerable of Preamble, said that Holles had no right to vote in this meeting, Only such as had a real Estate in the Town of Dunstable; to which One of the Selectmen for the Town of Dunstable, and the Selectmen for the Town of Holles, made answer, that the Inhabitance of Holles had as good right to vote as the People of Dunstable, by appealing to the Precept; and that those Towns has been Coupeld togather here to fore; and further appeal'd to the Notification pursuant to the Precept, sign'd by the Selectmen of both Towns-M' Lovewell said twas Contrary to Law for both Towns to vote together; and Desir'd the Inhabitance of Dunstable to seperate themselves from the Inhabitance of Holles, (Only such as had real Estate in the Town of Dunstable) and bring in their votes for a Moderator; upon which one of the Select men for the Town of Holles, refusd Complying with, and beg'd there might be no seperation between said Towns in their Voting, and Desir'd the People of both Towns to go on peacebly and According to the Precept, which was directed as much to Holles, as Dunstable, which Mr Lovewell publickly refus'd, by ordering the Inhabitance of Dunstable to seperate themselves from the Inhabitance of Holles, and to bring in their votes for a Moderator; upon which the Selectmen of Dunstable and Holles, spake Audibly to the People of both Towns, to bring in their votes together, for a Moderator according to the Precept, &c, and the votes being brot in there was one hundred and two for Deacon Worcester, and there was sixty five for Jon Lovewell Esq' upon which Esq' Lovewell Immediately declar'd, that the Town of Dunstable had made choice of himself for a Moderator; upon which the Select Men of Dunstable and Holles, as aforesaid, Declar'd the Inhabitance of Dunstable and Holles, had chosen Deacon Worcester for a Moderator for this meeting, by a great Majority, then Esq' Lovewell orders the men of Dunstable to bring in their votes for a Representative; M' Worcester Moderator, Insisted that it was his right to order as a Moderator, requested the Precept of Mr Lovewell, which m' Lovewell Publickly refus'd to let him have or see; upon which Mr Worcester (having one of the Notifications) said, Pursuant to the Notification founded upon the Precept &c to the Inhabitance of the Town of Dunstable and Holles, to bring in their votes for a Representative, the votes being brot in, there was One hundred and two for Doctor Hale, and there was sixty three for M' Lovewell; which Mr Lovewell Immediately declar'd the Town of Dunstable had Chosen himself for their Representative M' Worcester declar'd, pursuant to the Notification, founded upon the precept to Dunstable and Holles, they had made Choice of |