tioners Charge) And that they appeare to be heard Tuesday the twelfth Currt to shew cause why the prayer of the Petition may not be granted (if the Court is then sitting) if not then the third day of the sitting of the Gen Assm next sessions. In the House of Representatives Feb. 14th 1739-40 The within petition read, and the partys heard by their Council, the House having considered thereof. Voted that there be an assessment made on the whole Town in Common according to the method of defraying Town Charges in other Towns for three years now next ensuing for the ministers Rates and that the same be applyed and pay'd to the ministers each his respective Salary already agreed for: and that the Rate already made be gathered and applyed in the same manner, and that the Petitioners have liberty to bring in a Bill accordingly. James Jeffry Cl. Ass In Coun. Feb. 15th 1739-40 R. Waldron, Secry Counter Petition. We the under Subscribers being Inhabitants of L: Derry and province of New Hampshire (viz) living in the Southerly part of s town, we are Informed that their are Sundry of our Neighbours Petitioners your Excell and Hon's for a new parish in s Town, therefore we wod signify to your Excell. & Hon that we hope by the blessing of God in a fue years to be fit to be Erected into a parish or precinct by ourselve theirfore we pray your Excell. and Hon" not to hurt our yong beginings in setting off a new parish in said town of Londonderry, as wittness our hands. Dated at Londonderry aforesaid Feby the 9th 1739-40. John Kille Ezekiel Morison Tho Morison Will Thorn Willm Bolton Thomas Quigley John Vance John Aram Strong John Willson Alex Park Robart Park Joseph Waugh William Campbell John Cochron Jon. Cochran Jr. Answer of Selectmen of Londonderry. To His Excellency Jonathan Belcher Esq. Governor and Commander in chief in and over his Majesties Province of New Hampshire, the Honourable his Majesties Council for sd province and the House of Representatives in General assembly Convened. The Answer of the selectmen of Londonderry to a petition of sundry of the Inhabitants of sd Toun for a new parish, shews, That at the General Court held at portsmouth in and for said Province in April 1736 there was a petition preferred to the General Court of s province that there might be a parish set off in the westerly part of s'toun agreeable to a vote of s toun, that then the General Court was pleased by a Vote to set off a parish in the westerly part of s toun and that the meeting House or place of worship should be where it then Stood in the westerly part of said toun and that to the number of thirty five in s westerly parish might Remain to the old parish, and also thirty five of the old parish might go to the New parish, and that Before the s Vote of the General Court was reduced to an act the Secretarys House was consumed by fire the sd Vote among other papers was Burnt at which grant to our neighbours by your Excell. & Hon" your answerers was fully satisfied and contented, But it hath so hapned since the Destruction of s papers that their is a party in the old parish friends to the Rev M: M Gregore that has removed the publick worship of God from the Westerly meeting House Contrary to your Excell. & Hon" orders and have Built another meeting house within a mil and a half to the old meeting House which we conceive will tend more to the fomenting of our present Debets and the destroying of Religion than any thing Ells, and have used all means & methods to tear our toun into peaces and also they have tray'd all meathods to destroy our meathod in Rising our ministers Sallary in the old meeting house which meathod was to Rise the ministers Sallary upon the pews or seats in s House they still crying out that such a meathod was unjust and also contrary to the Laws of s province till this present year that they obliged the Town to pass a vote to Rise sd Sallary by the poles and estats of sd Toun agreeable to the Laws and Custom of this Province. That a number of the Inhabitants of sd toun have Petitioned this Honorable Court (this present sessions) for a new parish in s1 toun. Wherefore your Petitioners most humbly pray that if their be any new parish in s town it may be agreeable to the line agreed upon in the s1 town and agreeable to the vote of the General Court, Namely that the meeting House be where it was first Built in the westerly part and that thirty five may go from the westerly part to the old parish and as many from the old parish to the westerly parish, and that the taxes already assessed in s town for this year past may be pay'd as assessed by s town. Feb. 11th 1739-40. Votes relating to the places of public worship, &c. Prov. of At a meeting of the proprietors freeholders & Inhabitants of Londonderry held at the old meeting House Oct. the 6th 1739. The Seventh article in the foregoing Warrant Being Read & considered by s Inhabitants It is Voted and agreed upon that the most westerly meeting House in the westerly side of s Toun shall be the place of publick Worship for that Parish when set off by authority and laws of sd province A true copy taken out of the second Book of Records for Londonderry the 9 day of Feb 1739-40 Attest p. Jo Wallace town Clerk. It is also voted & agreed upon at the afore sd meeting by sd Inhabitants that they will pay their Suppliers or Preachers of the Gospel in the old meeting House according to the Law and Custom of s province A true Copy attest p. Jo" Wallace, At a Toun meeting held at L: Derry Decb' yo 5th 1735. Whereas at the aforesaid meeting after severall arguments and overtures made by the proprietors freeholders and Inhabitants where they wo'd have the aforesaid line made for a new precinct in the westerly side of this town in order to maintain a gospel ministry in that part of Londonderry the Moderator Desired all those that were Qualified to draw or form themselves up before the South side of the meeting house in two parties those that was for having a line Determined to be in one place and those that was not for having a line made to be in another place upon which those that was willing and contented to have a line Determined formed themselves together in order to be number'd and the town clerk, (viz) John M Murphy Rekn'd or counted them one hundred and twenty for having a line determined for a new precinct, upon which the moderator desir'd all those that was not for sd line to form themselves also but they wo'd not and upon their refusall the moderator desir'd them to repair into the meeting House and either bring in written votes or to put themselves in form so as they might 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 untill 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 2 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 obliga 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. be 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 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 18th day of Feb. 1739-40 by James Nesmith James Adams George Duncan John Blair By appointment In Council February 21 1739-40 Sam. Gregg * James Cleark - Nathan Macfarland James Reid c 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 Xber 1st 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 currt 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. Ass In the House of Representatives Feb 23d 1739-40 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 |