means Think Taxation and Representation Can be Sever'd without Committing a Palpable Breach in that Inestimable Paladium of English Liberty, Magna Charta And your Petitioners as in Duty Bound will Ever Pray. PETERBOROUGH. [This town was granted by the Province of Massachusetts, in 1738, to Samuel Haywood, and others. The first settlement was effected in 1739, by Wm Robbe, Alexander and William Scott, Hugh Gregg and Samuel Stinson. It was incorporated, by the Province of New Hampshire, 17 January 1760. ED.] Petition of the town of Peterborough. Province of New Hampshire ( To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Commander in Chief in and over his Majestys Province of New Hamp. The Honourable his Majestys Council of said Province. The Humble Petition of us the Subscribers Being Inhabitants of a Tract of Land Lying in said Province on the West side of Merrymac River of the Contents of about six Miles square, Commonly Called and Known by the Name of Peterborough in Behalf of ourselves and others the Inhabitants of said Tract of Land, Most Humbly shews, That about the year of our Lord 1739 a number of Persons in Consequence of a Grant of a Tract of land, had and obtain'd from the Great And Gen Court, or Assembly of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay by Samuel Haywood and Others his Associates Granting to them the s Tract of Land on certain Conditions of Settle and in Pursuance whereof a number of People Imediately went on to said Tract of land and began a Settlement, (Tho then Very Far from any other Inhabitants) which we have Continued Increasing ever since the s year 1739, Except Sometimes when we left said Township for fear of Being Destroyed by the Enemy who Severall times Drove us from our Settle soon after we Began, and almost Ruined many of us. Yet what Little we had in the World, Lay there, and we having no wheither Else to Go Return'd to our settle as soon as Prudence would addmit, where we have Continued Improving Constantly Ever Since and have Cultivated a Rough part of the Wilderness to a Fruitfull field, the Inhabitants of said Tract of Land are Increas'd to the Number of forty five or Fifty Famelys, and our Situation, with the Respect to the Terms we at first Settl'd on are Such that we Cannot hold any Propris meeting at all to pass any Vote or Votes that will be Sufficient to Oblige any person to do any part towards Suporting the Gospel Building a Meeting house and Bridges, Clearing and Repairing Roads all which wou'd not only be a Benefit to us Settlers to have it in our power to do but a Great Benefit to People Travelling to Connecticut river and those Towns settling beyond us. Therefore we Humbly Request of Your Excell & Hon to take the Premises under Considera tion and Incorporate us that we may be Invested with Town Priveledges and immunities as other towns are in this Province And Your petitioners as in Duty Bound shall ever pray &c. Oct 3d 1759 THOMAS MORISON Your Petition's beg leave to add as a matter of Considerable Importance that the only Road from Portsmouth thro' this Province to number four is thro' said Township of Peterborough & which makes it more necessary to Repair said Road within said Township & to make many Bridges which they cannot do unless Incorporated & Enabled to Raise Taxes &c. Petition for a new County. To His Excellency John Wentworth Esqr. Captain General, Governour & Commander in Chief in & over his Majesties Province of New Hampshire & the Honourable His Majesties Council & House of Representatives in General Assembly Conven'd. The Petition of the Subscribers Inhabitants of the Sundry Towns to which our names are annexed, All in the Province aforesaid Humbly Shews That by Reason of our Remote Situation from the Metropolis of the Government, where all the Courts Legislative & Executive are held Our Expense time & Trouble &c to Recover our Just Debts is Often greater than our Debts, & if the Case Requires Evidences & the Def Appeals & procures a few Continuances we had better let any man with Hold a sum Large enough to Distress a poor family than be quite Ruined according to Law, in Perticular our Widows, Fatherless, & Orphans suffer, to settle an Estate agreeable to Law leaves little or nothing to Suport the Survivors. Some are so unreasonable that they Report when we have a County on Our side Merrimac River, the Shire Town will be at that or Connecticut River & some are so weak as to believe it will be so, Either of which is so absurd & unjust it would be an affront to Common Sense & Impartial Justice to Offer Reasons for or against either. Our prayer is first that we may have a County Secondly that a Committee of Judicious Impartial Gentlemen may View all the Land & number all the Inhabitants, Intended to be Included in said County and every Circumstance being maturely Considered & every Reason Estimated at its Proper Nature we doubt not (from your well Known Clemency & Impartial Justice) But we shall have a County & the Shire Town Appointed where it will best Accommodate the Inhabitants that are or may be within its Bounds, Which is all our desire & your Petitioners as in Duty Bound will ever pray. Dated Sep. 2d A D. 1767. John Young Alexander Swan Samuel Cunningham Thomas Morison Charles White Thomas Morison Junr. Sam Mitchel Samuel Stinson John Robbe Moore Stinson James McCoone Petition relating to Peterborough Slip. To His Excellency John Wentworth Esqr. Captain General and Governour in Chief in and over his Majestys province of New hampshire and vice Admiral of the Same & the Honourable his majestys Council. The Humble Petition of us the Subscribers humbly sheweth that whereas there is a certain part or Tract of Land in our Said province, Known by the name of Peterborough Slip unincorporated and not enough to make a town or Destrick and not under any regulation whereby we can repair our Roads which Lys unrepaired to the great Detriment of the Inhabitants and the publick in general, we therefore humbly pray your excellency and honours that said tract or parcell of Land known by the Name of Peterborough Slip aforesaid may be annexed to the town of Peterborough as the most Contiguous Incorporate town that we may Injoy every privilidge consistant with our Infant State all which we Submit to your excellencys and your honours Clemency and as our Distant Situation is tion and Incorporate us that we may be Invested with T Priveledges and immunities as other towns are in this Prov And Your petitioners as in Duty Bound shall ever pray & Oct 3d 1759 THOMAS MORISON Your Petition's beg leave to add as a matter of Consi Importance that the only Road from Portsmouth_th Province to number four is thro' said Township of P ough & which makes it more necessary to Repair sai within said Township & to make many Bridges wh. cannot do unless Incorporated & Enabled to Raise T Petition for a new County. To His Excellency John Wentworth Esqr. Captain Governour & Commander in Chief in & over his Province of New Hampshire & the Honourable ties Council & House of Representatives in Gen bly Conven'd. The Petition of the Subscribers Inhabitants of Towns to which our names are annexed, All in t aforesaid Humbly Shews That by Reason of our uation from the Metropolis of the Government, Courts Legislative & Executive are held Our Ex; Trouble &c to Recover our Just Debts is Ofter our Debts, & if the Case Requires Evidences & peals & procures a few Continuances we had man with Hold a sum Large enough to Distress than be quite Ruined according to Law, in Widows, Fatherless, & Orphans suffer, to se agreeable to Law leaves little or nothing to Su vors. Some are so unreasonable that they R have a County on Our side Merrimac River, t' will be at that or Connecticut River & some to believe it will be so, Either of which is so. it would be an affront to Common Sense & I to Offer Reasons for or against either. Our prayer is first that we may have a Co Secondly that a Committee of Judicious! men may View all the Land & number al! Intended to be Included in said County and e being maturely Considered & every Reaso Proper Nature we doubt not (from your wel! |