be Reckn'd or counted, it was answered it was not worth while for that a great many was gone away and none spoke to the contrary, which line is voted as followeth that the Southerly line of our toun upon the westerly side of Beaver Brook shall be the line upon that side and from said line and by Beaver Brook upon the westerly side until it come to the Road that leads towards ammasceegg begining near the old Saw mill upon the Southerly side of Will Cockrons lott thence Runing as said Road as Highway leads to the foord way upon the Brook known by the name of the twelve acre Brook and from said foord way upon another line until it come to Chester town line and from said Chester line to the Southerly line first mentioned. A true copy taken out of the second book of Records for Londonderry Attest pr. John Wallace, town clerk Petition of 2o Congregation relating to Presbyterial author ity, &c. To the Honourable Richard Waldron Esq Secretary of His Majestys Council in New Hampshire. The Humble Petition of Sundry the members of the 24 Congregation In Londonderry and Province aforesaid In behalf of themselves and others, Sheweth, That those of your Petitioners who dwell In the Western side of the Town were disannexed as a distinct Parish by a Vote of the Town in a legal Town meeting In the year 1736. That those who dwell within ye Bounds of the old Parish were dismissed from said Parish by Presbyterial Authority all which we can make appear by authentick Records. That the place of worship where we now meet was agreed upon before our minister was ordained by a Great Majority of our Congreg" as we can make appear by a written agreement to that purpose. That we beg your Hon' would hear our agent Mr Reid upon this Head who can plainly demonstrate the necessity of our place of worships being fixed where it is. That the vigorous oppos" w has been made against us from time to time what ever specious pretences it may be cloathed withall proceeds from a rooted antipathy against our Minister or rather against his Father y late Mr M Gregore whose memory is still dear to us and we think ought to be to our whole Town. That had we an opportunity of letting your Honor Into some passages of the Secret History of our Town we could make it manifest that this is no groundless inuendo. That the prayer of our petition now before his Excellency and Council if Granted cannot hurt the old congregation whatever clamour of this sort they may make they being still far more numerous and wealthy than we and their meeting house as well or better situated for the accomodation of their People. That we cannot help sus pecting that we have been Secretly Stigmatized as persons disaffected to his Excellencys Governm' by some who make lies their refuge. That if nothing be done for our relief at this Juncture we are affraid our minister will be obliged to leave us which will be exceeding heavy to us considering the great love we have to him and the Edification and comfort we enjoy under his administrations. That your Honours doing somewhat to extricate us from our present difficulties will lay such an oblig" to Gratitude upon us as will endear you to us more than ever which we shall be ready to make appear by our future conduct. May it therefore Please your Hon' since we flee to you for Succour to use your Interest upon our behalf with his Excellency & the other honourable members of the Council That our Petition may be reconsidered and that somewhat may be done for our relief that may be looked upon as reasonable and Just and your Petit as In duty bound shall ever pray. Signed at Londonderry, this 18 James Nesmith John Archibald James Anderson James Adams George Duncan John Blair By appointment In Council February 21 1739-40 day of Feb. 1739-40 by Sam. Gregg James Cleark Daniel Macduffee Nathan Macfarland Alexander McNeill James Reid Matt. Reid Upon reading the petition for a new parish in the Toun of Londonderry, Voted that the Petitioners have leave to bring in a bill for making a new Parish by the bounds mentioned in a vote of the said town dated X1 1735, with a saving to forty persons to go over to the new pish from the old and the like number from the old to the new, if there be so many on each side that desiers it Provided they make their request Known to the select men within two months from the date of the Act, and that what money shall be collected or has been collected from the Petitioners the curr yeare for paying the Incumbent at the old meeting house shall be refunded or pay'd to the selectmen of the new Parrish that shall be chosen by Virtue of the act now to be made towards defraying the Charge and Sallary of the New parish. Richard Waldron, Secry. Eod die. In the House of Representatives Read and Concurr'd with this amendment, Viz that it be said, the like number from the new to the old Instead of from the old to the new. James Jeffrey. Cler. AssTM In the House of Representatives Feb 23d 1739-40 The annexed Bill passed to be enacted. James Jeffrey Clr AssTM AN ACT for erecting and Incorporating a New parish in the town of Londonderry in the province of New Hampshire. Whereas sundry of the Inhabitants of the said town have petitioned the Generall Court setting forth that the number situation and other circumstances of the inhabitants of the said town Rendered it necessary to have Two parishes there, That the Inhabitants at a Town meeting in the year 1735, Voted where a Dividing Line show'd Run in case this Court should see meet to allow and confirm it and praying that a New Parish might be incorporated with all the necessary and Common Powers and Authoritys of Law. Be it therefore enacted by his Excellency the Governour Council and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same. that there shall be and Hereby is a New Parish made erected and Incorporated within the Township of Londonderry aforesaid by the following meets and Boundaries viz. the southerly line of said Town upon the westerly side of the Brook Called Beaver Brook shall be the line on that side and from said Line by Beavour Brook upon the westerly side untill it comes to the Road that leads Towards ammaskeag Beginning Near the old saw mill upon the southerly side of William Cochrans Home Lotts thence running as said Road or High way Leads to the fordway upon the brook Known by the Name of the twelve acre Brook and from said fordway upon a North Line until it comes to Chester Town Line and from said Chester line to the southerly line first mentioned Being the same dividing lines that were Voted by the inhabitants of the said Toun at a meeting there held on the first of December In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty five for the Boundaries of a New Parish-And all Poles and estates Living within and comprehended by the aforesaid Lines except as is herein after excepted shall be disannexed from and Exempted and discharged of and from paying towards the support of the ministry school or schools and all other parish charges of and in the other part of the Town or the old parish and are hereby erected and Incorporated into a New Parrish with full power and Authority to Raise Money on the said poles and Estates by way of Tax for the support of the ministry school or schools and all other charges of the Nature of parish charges within said Parish according to and in the way and manner by Law directed for Raising and defraying toun Charges within the Touns of this province. Only excepting saving and Reserving a Liberty unto any number Not exceeding fourty of the persons living within the limits of the old parish aforesaid to go over unto and to Become members of the said New parish if they see cause and on the Contrary for any number not exceeding forty of the Persons Living within the Bounds of the said New Parrish to go over unto and become members of the said old parish if they see cause-And in order To determine who are or shall be the persons unto whom the said liberty is granted it is hereby ordered and Directed that those who Incline to exchange to belong to the parish in which they do not Live as aforesaid shall within the limits of two months from the publication of this act give in their Names to the selectmen of the town or old Parish for the time being signifying their desire of Exchanging Parishes as aforesaid and all such persons who shall give in their names not exceeding the number aforesaid on each side with their families and estates shall be parishioners of and belong unto the said Parishes respectively as they shall signify the same as aforesaid—And to prevent Disputes who shall be of the said Number in case more of both or either side should desire it, the same shall be determined by the order of entring the Names as aforesaid Beginning with the first on each side Read three times and passed in the House February 25 1739-40 Andrew Wiggin Speaker Petition for a new Parish. To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Gov and Commander In Chief in and over His Majestys Province of New Hampshire, The Hone His Majestys Council and House of Representatives for said Province in General Court convened. The Petition of Sundry of the Inhabitants of the South part of Londonderry in said Province, Humbly Shews, That your Petitioners by the Situation of their estates and Places of residence in the said Town labour under considerable difficulties unknown to others not in their circumstances, more especially with respect to their Attendance on the public worship. The greater part of them or rather all of them except three living upwards of Seven miles from either of the meeting houses in the said Town, the inconveniences of which are self evident. That the Inhabitants of the Parish in the said Town to which your Petitioners principally belong sensible of the difficulties attending your Petitioners in this regard have lately at a public meeting voted what should be the boundaries of a new parish if the Petitioners can obtain the authority of this court to incorporate them and that there will be no opposition (as your Petition" conceive) from any part of the said Town to the erecting a new parish by the boundaries voted as afores Wherefore your Petitioners most humbly Pray this Honble Court to erect a New Parish in the said Town by the boundaries aforesaid which will Comprehend a tract of land of near six miles in length and four in breadth lying on the South side at the Easterly end of the said Town and Take in your Petitioners habitations & estates and that they may be invested with such legal powers and authorities as may be sufficient to answer the ends and purposes of such a precinct, and your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray &c Thom: Morrison Halbert Morrison Jn° Dinsmore Alexand Dunlap David Bolton m Henry Campbell Sam M Adams Ezek Morrison Sam' Campble Rob Dinsmore Sam Morrison W1 Jameson Jno Kyle, Jr Nath Hemphill Jan. the 2: 1741. In the house of Representatives. The within Petition read and Voted, That the Petitioners serve the Selectmen of the Town of Londonderry forthwith with a Copy of the Petition and the Votes thereon, that the said town of Londonderry may appear at the General assembly on thursday fortnight to shew cause if any they have why the prayer of the petition may not be granted, and if the General Court shall not then be sitting then to appear the third day of the sitting of the next session of General Assembly James Jeffrey, Cler. Assm B. WENTWORTH. The petition's having bro't a certificate from the Selectmen of Londonderry that excepting 3 or 4 persons they have nothing to object agt the prayer of the petition being granted, the House having considered thereon, Voted that the prayer of the Petition be granted (Excluding the persons & estates of John Archibald James Clark, James Moore John Hopdins & John Cockrane) that they be set off by the Bounds in the Petition and have all powers within themselves as other Towns have keeping & supporting an orthodox minister to preach amongst them & joyn with the Town of Londonderry and pay their proportion to him & all taxes allready made, and that they have Liberty to bring in a Bill accordingly. James Jeffry Clr. Assm Feb. 10th 1741-2 [In the original is a plan of the said Parish. ED.] The Bounds of the Town of Londonderry as run out p me are as follows (viz), Beginning at a Beach Tree the south East Corner of Chester & from thence it runs South four miles & one half mile to a Read Oak spotted on four sides & marked L. D. for Londonderry & Sundry other Letters, then it runs West one mile & three Quarters of one mile to an Oak stake standing three rodds & one half rod to the North of a Bunch of maples Standing in a hollow & spotted & marked as aforesaid then it runs south six miles & one half mile to a Pitch Pine tree standing about 25 rods to the South of hally hack meadow marked as the first, then nine miles & half west North west to a Pitch Pine standing ninety two rods over a Brook marked as aforesaid, Then North Eleven miles & one half mile to a Pitch Pine marked as aforesaid then north north east three miles to a Red Oak marked as aforesaid then E. S. E. one mile to a White Ash tree standing in a run of Water that runs into a Pond, then strait to Chester Corner it being three Pitch |