Win Marston-Settled by himself Benj Staniford Randall John Mann settled abt. 20 acres under good Edmund Mason-James Calkins do ab' 14 do. do. do Nicholas White-Benj" Baldwin Jun' do. 5 do. do Meshech Weare Esqr.-Dan' Mason settled do. Theo. Atkinson Junr. Esqr.-Daniel Tillotson Junr. do. Mark H. Wentworth Esqr.-Benj Baldwin do. (Potash) & 20 acres under good Improvement. Ephraim Marston Edward Moulton Thornton Wason Thomas Nudd Thomas Sawyer Settled, about 80 acres under good Jon Towle-Eben" Baldwin Settled, ab 17 acres under good Improve ment. John Weeks Jun-John Crosby improving Jacob Brown-Thom' Sawyer Junr. abt 16 acres under good Improve ment. Jeremiah Post Settled, 40 or 50 acres under good Eldad Post settled, about 20 acres under good Im- Improvements making by Col. Moulton, about 33 acres fell & about 13 of which is well cleared Jon Leavitt-Jona Darbee Settled Jon Marston Jun' Capt. Dewey Settled, 8 acres under Improvement George March thereabouts Benjamin Batchelder-Noah Dewey settled, ab't 6 acres under do. Nathan Moulton Jun } Improvements made for Col. Moulton. Philip Hooker Names of all the Men, Women and Children in Orford. NOTE.-Readers will notice some discrepancy in the lists of names above. ED. Petition of William Simpson & others in behalf of the inhabitants of Orford. Province of To his Excellency John Wentworth Esq New Hampshr Captain General, & Governor &c. in and over the Province aforesaid and to the honble his Majesty's Council & House of Representatives in general Assembly conven'd on Tuesday the fifth Day of Jan. A. D. 1773. The Petition of William Simpson, John Man and James Calkin, Inhabitants of the Town of Orford humbly sheweth, that the Major Part of the Inhabitants of said Orford, by their Agents Alexander Phelps and Israel Mowry prefer'd a Petition to the General Assembly, on the twelfth Day of December A.D. 1771 Praying that his Excellency and your honours wou'd enact and order that a Tax of two Pence L Money to be assessed on each and every acre of Land in said Orford indiscriminately as well improved as unimproved Lands (the Public Rights excepted) annually for the next four years, and that they be impowered to levy and collect the same of the owners of said Land to be by the Inhabitants expended Solely for their Ministers Settlement & Salary as they shall become due, And for building a House for divine Service, as in and by said petition will more fully and largely appear. Now the said Simpson, Man and Calkins your Petitioners beg Leave to represent to your Excy & Honours, that the major Part of the said Inhabitants of Orford are of the dissenting or Congrega tional Profession, that there Ministers called and settled there is of the same Profession; but that your Petitioners are of the Profession of the Church of England, as Established by Law, that they have possessions and Lands in the said Town of Orford, that they claim by natural Right and Liberty, and upon the Principles of Religion an Exemption of having their Lands or Estates taxed for the Maintainance, Support or Charge either in Building or any other Manner, for any Minister other than for the Profession of the Church of England; that it wou'd be illiberal and cruel to tax their Lands & Estates against there Consent, to maintain and support the Ministers of other Professions while they maintain and support their own; that they have taken Measures, and Contributed towards the Expence in Conjunction with some of the Inhabitants of the Neighboring Towns, to procure a Minister of the Church of England to settle among them; that they do not ask nor expect any one of a different profession to aid or assist in his Maintainance or Support in any Manner whatever: Wherefore your Petitioners most humbly pray your Excellency & Honours, that their Lands & Estates in the Said Town of Orford, and the Lands & Estates of all others in said Town, now of the profession of the Church of England, may be exempted from all Taxes and Impositions, for the Purpose of Maintaining & supporting any Minister, other than of their own Profession, or if your Exc'y & Honours in your Wisdom shall think fit and proper to tax the Lands and Estates of your Petitioners and others, they most earnestly pray that the Monies arising on said Tax may be at their own Discretion, appropriated to the use and Benefit of supporting their own Minister, or for the Purpose of other religious and Charitable Uses. And your petitioners, as in Duty Bound will ever pray. Portsmouth Jan 8th 1773 In Council Jany 8th 1773 WILLIAM SIMPSON Read and ordered to be sent down to the Honble Assembly Geo. King D. Secy |