The Reasons why an account was taken of the Estates of those that lived or owned land in that part of New Hopkinton claimed by Bow are as Follows: 1st Because the order sent by the General Court for taking account of Estates was left by the Sherriff that brought it, with one of the men that lived in Bow claimed. 2d Because one of the men that were impowered by the selectmen of Boscawen to take account of the Estates in New Hopkinton was one of those men. 3 Because it was their own desire. 4th Because Canterbury selectmen who took account of Estates in Rumford extended their accounts no further than Rumford Claim. We are your Excellencys & your Honours' Obedient & humble Servants. Joseph Pudney Matthew Standle Zebediah Watson Ezekiel Straw New Hopkinton April 30, 1763 In Council June 3d 1763. John Burbank Jacob Straw John Chadwick John Easman. Read & ordered to be sent down to the Honble Assembly. T. Atkinson Jr. Secry. Province of In the house of Representatives June 8th 1763. This New Hampsh petition being read, Voted, That the prayer thereof be granted so far as that the petition' be allowed to Bring In a Bill Impowering them to collect the province Tax & obliging those persons mentioned as claimed by Bow to pay with them till there shall be a new proportion made for collecting thereof. A. Clarkson, Clerk. Petition for power to sell common land. To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Governor & Commander in Chief in & of His Majestys Province of New Hampshire, The Hon. His Majestys Council & General Assembly for & of said province: The petition of us the Subscribers, Proprietors & Inhabitants of New Hopkinton so called in said Province Humbly Sheweth : That a part of our said Township is covered by the claims of the proprietors of Bow, That several of our said Proprietors living within said claim, have already purchased of said proprietors of Bow their claims within said Cover, that we suppose it communicative Justice that the whole charge of Purchasing said Land as also the Charge of law suits respecting and relating to said Lands be defreyed by our said propriety in equal shares That by selling so much of our common & undivided Land in said Town would be easiest to us for that purpose, That we suppose ourselves unable Validly so to do, and therefore pray your Excellency & Honours to favour & enable us with an act whereby we may be so capacitated, or such other act or acts conducible to said end as your Excellency & Honours in your great Wisdom shall see meet-And your Petitioners shall as in Duty bound ever pray. Hopkinton Feb'y 8, 1762. Matthew Stanley David Woodwell Joseph Easman Joseph Putney Joseph Chandler Jeremiah Kimball John Easman Tim Kimball. New Hopkinton, February 8th 1762. In Council January 19th 1763, Read & Ordered to be sent down to the Honble Assembly. T. Atkinson Jr. Secry. Province of In the House of Representatives } New Hampshire. Jan 19th 1763. This petition being read, Voted, That the petitioners be heard thereon the first Wednesday In March next if the General Assembly be then sitting if not then on the Second day of their sitting next after, & that they cause the Substance of this petition & order of Court thereon to be inserted three weeks successively In one of the Boston news papers, & In the New Hampsh Gazette, that any persons concerned may appear and shew cause if any they have why the prayer thereof should not be granted. In Council Eod Die. A. Clarkson, Clerk. T. Atkinson Jr. Secry. Province of In the house of Representatives New Hampsr June 3d 1763. This petition being read, Voted, That the prayer thereof be granted & that the petitioners have liberty to bring In a bill accordingly. In Council Eodem Die, Read & concurred. T. Atkinson Jr. Secy A. Clarkson Clerk. Petition of sundry persons for an Act of Incorporation. To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Captain General and Governour in chief in and over his Majestys Province of New Hampshire And to the Honourable his Majestys Council for this Province: The petition of the Inhabitants of New Hopkinton (so called) including the Inhabitants of that part of Bow which covers a part of said New Hopkinton in the province aforesaid humbly sheweth: That whereas your humble Petitioners are and have been ever since we first began to settle this place, under great Inconveniences and Difficulties for want of Town Powers & Privileges whereby the settlement of this Place has been much retarded & We therefore humbly pray your Excellency and your Honours to take our case into your wise consideration, and to Incorporate into a Town, with the Powers and Priviledges of other Towns in this province, That tract of Land which was granted by the gentlemen owners of the Right of John Tufton Mason Esqr to Messrs. Henry Millen, Thomas Walker & Thomas Millen, and their associates, commonly called New Hopkinton; & contained within the same Bounds & Limits; including that part of Bow which covers a part of said Tract of Land, yet not affecting any man's Property. For which Goodness your humble Petitioners for your Excellency and your Honours, as in Duty bound shall ever pray. Dated at New Hopkinton aforesaid this fourth day of June, Anno Domini 1764. Moses Emerson Pelatiah Watson William Eastman Joseph Pudney Jacob Straw Abraham Colbee Matthew Standle John Putney John Eastman Petition for Incorporation. To his Excellency Benning Wentworth, Esq' Captain General, and Governour in chief in and over his Majesties Province of New Hampshire; To the Honourable his Majesty's Council, and To the Honourable Assembly of this Province, in General Court convened: The Petition of the Inhabitants of New Hopkinton (so called) including the Inhabitants of that part of Bow which covers a part of said New Hopkinton, in the Province aforesaid, humbly sheweth: That whereas your humble Petitioners are about to present a Petition to his Excellency the Governour & to the Honourable his Majestys Council to incorporate into a Town, with the Powers & Privileges of other Touns in the Province that Tract of Land commonly called New Hopkinton contained within the same Bounds & Limits which it was contained in when granted by the gentlemen owners of the rights of John Tufton Mason Esqr., to Messrs Henry Millen, Thomas Walker & Thomas Millen & their associates, including that part of Bow which covers a part of said New Hopkinton, without affecting any man's property: We, therefore, your humble Petitioners pray your Excellency & your Honours to annex that part of Bow which covers a part of New Hopkinton unto the said New Hopkinton, or that Tract of Land which commonly is known by that name in such a manner as is above expressed (if there be need of the Act & Authority of the General Court in the case) so that it may be corporated with the rest into a Toun (if his Excellency with the Council should see cause to grant our Petition for a Corporation) that so we may be in a Capacity to raise, assess & collect Taxes; both our part of the Province Tax, & also, to Defray necessary charges among ourselves in a regular & effectual manner; For which Goodness, your humble petitioners, for your Excellency & your Honours as in Duty bound shall ever pray. Dated at New Hopkinton aforesaid, this fourth Day of Joseph Chandler Samuel Kimball Thomas Easman Moses Gould Samuel Putney Mark Jewett Abraham Colbee Moses Hills William Peters Richard Merrill John Chadwick John Gage Jacob Straw Joshua Bayley Isaac Colby John Jewett Pelatiah Watson Prov. of New Hamp In Council, Jany 8th 1765, Read & ordered to be sent down to the Honble Assembly. Province of Theoe Atkinson Jr. Secy. New of In the House of Representatives, Jany 9th 1765, This Petition being read, Voted, That the Prayer thereof be granted & that the Petitioners have leave to bring in a Bill accordingly. In Council eodem die A. Clarkson, Clerk. Read & concurred The Atkinson, jun. Secy Reasons for said Petition. Reasons humbly to urge and intreat a speedy Proceedure upon the petitions preferred to the Honourable General Court by the Inhabitants of New Hopkinton without the formality of a public Notification. 1st That all differences between Bow Claimers & New Hopkinton Proprietors, or Inhabitants about Property are adjusted so far that the claimers of that Part of Bow which interferes with New Hopkinton sell or settle said Land without opposition or Molestation, The Gentlemen who purchased Mr Masons Patent having given to New Hopkinton Proprietors out of their fifth Part of said New Hopkinton, acre for acre for the land claimed by Bow Proprietors in said New Hopkinton. 24 The settlers on Bow Claim in said New Hopkinton are included in |