totally frustrate, the further settlement, of that part of the State, for a long time; And prove as injurious, to the State at large, as to the Inhabitants in that quarter, or your Petitioners - Therefore, under these apprehensitions, your Petitioners as Citizens feel themselves deeply interested in these Events, As they had fondly, Anticipated, the future advancement, and benifits, of those Settlements And therefore, feel a disposition, as far as possible, to promote, an Accommodation of the disputes; and to make any reasonable sacrifice, to accomplish it - Although, we have the fullest confidence, in the legality, and Validity, of our Grants; which were made, by Governor Benning Wentworth; Yet as the establishing, and Ascertaining them, in a course of Law, will be attended, with immence trouble, and expence, and opperate, to the real injury, of the Proprietors, and owners, of the other Grants - Who have already, many of them, endured a greater share of hardships and inconveniencies than has been the Common lott of your Citizens, which inconveniencies and hardships, were gradually wearing a way, and more hopefull prospects, were opening, and the Settlement began rapidly to increase, and the prospects were fair, for having large numbers, Settled immediately, in that quarter; who were making purchases, and preparing, to move thier famalies — All which is now suspended, on account of the vexatious situation, into which, they must involve themselves - And from which your Petitioners, are under an immediate necessity, of extrecating themselves, (and if it cannot be effected by no other means) must remove to a new Situation where the advantages of being nearer to Navigation and of having Titles regularly established, will induce us to make a new effort, to establish, a Settlement, for our selves, in company with many of our Connections, in Connecticut, who are wealthy, and would immediately, enter upon, and soon compleat, a large and respectable Settlement, and establish tradesmen schools Meetings &c So that we may reap immediate advantages, therefrom, ourselves, and for our Children; all which advantages, the afore said Inhabitants, have for a long time, been in a great measure destitute of, and which under the present Situation, of those Towns, it is to be found, they will for a long time, continue to be- We therefore humbly emplore, your Honors, to take the matter into your wise consideration, and interpose, as far as is consistant, with the interest, Justice, and Policy of the state- And avert the evils, that are drawing very near, to those new, but promising Settlements for the Idea, of leaving those disputes, which (have been caused, by the errors, of the Royal administration of Government) to be Settled in Courts of Law, to attend which, many of the Inhabitants, and Proprietors, must go more than a hundred miles; which under thier weak, and impoverished circumstances, would be to them, to lose all sight of Justice; let thier claims, stand ever so fair-Therefore, to remedy all the afores difficulties, your Petitioners begg leave, to make the following proposals-That under the conditions, and for the purposes, hereafter mentioned - To have a grant made to them and to thier Heirs and Assigns for ever- of all that Tract of Land, Situate in the County of Grafton, and lying between, the Townships of Stuart, Colebrook, part of Cockburne, and Wm Erwings grant, west, and the district of Main East, and North and South between the grant, made to the Trustees, of Dartmouth Colliege, and a line runing from the South east corner thereof East 8° South to the said district of Main which will be at right angles with the province line, and North of the Townships, of Errold, and Millsfield, and if the last does not close with the said Erwings grant, to have a line drawn, from the North West corner of said Millsfield, to the South east corner of the said Erwings grant; including by estimation, Forty Six thousand And eighty Acres; the greater part of which Tract, is Mountainous, broken, and unfit for settlement; and was it not for the Intervales, that lie on the Streams, it would be no object; and except a road is opened, from Connecticut River, through it, its situation for a long time would be unfavorable for if not, forbiding Settlement; And if the said Tract contains more than the estimation (when measured) Nine pence Acre, shall be paid, for the overplus; and if it falls short, nine pence acre, shall be deducted from the sum, contained in this proposal; which is as follows, (viz) 1st That your Petitioners shall in a legal manner, acquit to the State, all thier claims, to the grants, made to the Proprietors, or the Townships, of Preston, and Dryden; the canceling of which grants, will bring to an end, all the disputes, and enterfering claims, in all the above mentioned, and many other Towns (which are and will be effected, by the afore said alterations) And in which the advancing settlement is of the greatest consequence to the State; 2dly that they will open, and make passable for teams, at thier own expence, a Road from Connecticut River to Amoroschogin River; which will, in concert, with the roads now opening to the eastward; be the best communication, to Water transportation; and by communicating, with the roads, opening into the Province of Canada, greatly benifit the Settlements, of the northern part of the State; and render the Situation, of the remaining public lands, much more eligible; and greatly enhance thier value - 3dly that they will have fifty famalies, Settled on the Premisses, within four years, unless prevented by a War - 4thly that they will, upon the execution of the grant, pay and secure to be paid in four years four thousand Dollars, & at the expiration, of which four years, the said road, Shall be compleated - Which, with the foregoing conditions, shall be the full consideration for the same And whereas, the several objects, which are comprehended in this Petition, and Memorial, will affect the Inhabitants aforesaid, Your Petitioners, and the State at large, in a very serious Manner, Your Petitioner, is induced to hope; that your Honors, will take the matter, into your wise consideration; and advert, to the consequences, of suffering the above stated disputes; being carried to the fatal extent, to which nothing short, of your Honors, interposition, can prevent — And to contrast, those evils, with the hopefull, and flourishing Situation, to which that quarter of the State, would soon arive; under the Political protection, and encouragement, of the Legislature - As rich, flourishing, and productive Settlements, would in the eyes of reason, soon be established: And by having the communications, which are formed, by the hand of Nature, opened, and put into good condition, would endue, and controul, the Inhabitants, who are now settled, and who may hereafter settle, either in the State of Vermont, or the Province of Canada, adjoining; to fall back, into this State, for thier supplies; and pursue those communications, which would be the best, and longest adhered to; and thereby secure lasting advantages to the state, by Attracting and riveting, the Friendship, and Interest, of the Inhabitants, of the very great settlements, that will in a short time. be made, in those neighbouring States; and which, if the present opportunity to secure, is neglected, will be lost to the State; As great efforts are making, to open communications, towards Quebeck, and to attract the attention of Settlers, and to turn the trade, and intercourse that way; which if not counteracted, will be no little disadvantage to the State; as the lands, in that Province, are to be obtained, only on condition of making Settlement; and many valuable Inhabitants, with thier property, will be lost to the State; as well as the real advantage, of securing the Friendship, of the Inhabitants, of those settlements, by the ties of interest, and intercourse - These considerations, with the Idea, of releaving, the aforesaid Inhabitants, from thier present, and long endured, embarassments; confirming peace, and opening a door, for immediate, and productive acquisitions, to the State-will, we doubt not, induce your Honors, to grant the prayer of your Petitioners, or in some other way, give relief and remedy the Evils, which, are here but faintly represented and your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray — Jabez Parsons [8-85] [More Facts relative to the Same Matter.] 1st Stonington was granted October 20th 1761 And was to begin about thirty miles from the mouth of Amonusic River, making a skip of 30 miles from any other grant on Connecticut River And was to extend six miles on said River and far enough back to make the contents of six miles square, 2d Woodbury Preston and Dryden were granted June 26th 1762 each lying six miles on the River and to extend far enough back to make the contents of six miles square Woodbury bounding on Stonington Preston on Woodbury & Dryden upon Preston 3dly Lancaster was granted July 5th 1763 and was bounded on Stonington And to extend about Seven Miles below on the river and to extend back far enough to make Six Miles Square -4thly Cockburne Colebrook & Stuart Towns were granted December 1st 1770-lying above the other Townships & not bounding on any other grant & to extend about four Miles each on the River and far enough back to contain six miles Square each. this was the state of the first grants that were ever made But when Stonington was laid out it was begun about a half farther up the River than it was bounded by the Charter, which likewise carried Woodbury Preston & Dryden as much farther up. this appears by Guildhall being moved down by the disicion of a Court of Law three Miles & half, which was bounded thirty Miles from the mouth of the said Amonusic and was laid out upon the other side of the River directly opposite to Stonington — The next error in course is an alteration that was made in Stonington Charter which appears by the Records now in the Secretaries Office the boundary lines of which have been scratched out and in several places holes scratched through the leaf and the lines wrote over agin, And the plan of the Township in the Book of Charters has been scratched out laid down in a different form so as to extend Nine Miles on the River instead of Six-by these alterations the Woodbury Proprietors were encroached upon, which occasioned a lawsuit between them, And the Proprietors of Stonington got a New Charter by the Name of Northumberland dated January 25th 1771 bounded in the same manner as Stonington was after the alterations were made, and is expressed to be the same as was known by the Name of Stonington The controversy between the said Proprietors was taken out of Court and submitted to & settled by Governor John Wentworth, And the Proprietors of Woodbury had a New Charter given them by the Name of Stratford dated May 26th 1773 And enlarged so as to contain 48603 Acres, but the North bounds are expressed in the Charter to be the North bounds of Woodbury - these enlargements with the three Miles & half lost in the wrong location took up all the land ex -- cept about three miles on the River between Stratford and Cockburne which vacancy or gore was granted to Seth Wales in May 1773 without any reference being had to the Preston & Dryden grants, the Proprietors of which could never determine with any certainty where to lay out thier Said Townships on account of all those grants below being in Controversy Although they kept up thier Proprietory Meetings Annually And appointed the proper Officers to transact thier business, which appears by thier Records, as does thier sending up a Committee to lay out thier Said Towns, in which they were prevented by these Contests - After these disputes were settled between Stonington & Woodbury Proprietors. then the Proprietors of Preston & Dryden, laid out thier said Towns begining at the North line of Stratford which by that Charter was called the North line of Woodbury, And extended Six miles up the River each agreeable to thier Charters, and which now covers the grant of Seth Waless and a part of Cockburne Colebrook and Stuart, From which may be seen the present Situation of those grants, and from the established maxim of the oldest grants being held good in Law, the Charters of Stratford. Northumberland and Waleses grant must be set aside, then the Charter of Stonington reduced to its first boundaries, the consequence of which will be to fall back three Miles & half upon Lancaster and Lancaster as much upon Dalton and how much farther, it will opperate below I have not Informed myself, And Stonington being reduced from nine to six miles on the river must extend back on some other grant far enough to get the contents of six miles square, this will remove Woodbury more than its width and by being reduced to six miles on the River will with Waleses grant make room for Preston and Dryden, between Woodbury and Cockburne, but in making these alterations so as to have the oldest grants take thier respective places as Chartered no less than eight or ten Towns must be altered. [8-86] [Peleg Sprague recommends Samuel Crosby, of Charlestown, for register of deeds for Cheshire county, January 26, 1794. — ED.] [8-87] [Instructions from Secretary of War, 1794] Instructions to Mr Bachet de Rochefontaine acting as temporary Engineer in the Service of the United States. In pursuance of the directions of the President of the United |