BEDFORD. [This town was granted by Massachusetts in 1733, and continued under the gor. ernment of that Province until 1741. It was first called Narraganset, No. 5, afterwards Souhegan East. It was incorporated by the name of Bedford, 19 May, 1750. -ED.] Souhegan People's Petition for aid, &c. (Now Bedford.) Souhegan East June 12 1744 We the Inhabitants of Souhegan East Apprehending our selves Exposed to Immenent Danger both from the French & Indian Enemys & being in no capacity to make a proper Stand in case of an assault from do constitute & appoint Mr. John Chamberlin our Delegate requesting him in yt capacity with all possible speed to repair to Portsmouth & to represent our Deplorable case to his Excellency our Governor and ye general assembly and request of them such aids both in respect of men & military stores as to their great wisdom may seem meet and which may put us in a capacity to repel all attempts of our sd enemies John Riddel Sam! Woods John Riddel Jr. James Walker Benjamin Kidder William Patterson John Moor Robert Gilmore John McDugel Thomas Chandler Moses Barron Samuel Patten James Moor Matthew Patten John Burns Jonathan Lyon John Toms John Orr James Moor James Linn John Morehead John Durgee Eleazer Lyon Alex' Walker John Roby William Calwell John Carr Jas Little Thomas Vickere John Patten Thomas Vickere Sen Robert Walker A List of the names of the families of the Inhabitants of Souhegan East upon Merrimack River. Samuel Woods Ephraim Bushnel Thomas Worthley Levi Moses Barns Thomas Vickers Elizer Lion Robert Gilmore John Robe Benjamin Smith Jun Thomas Farmer John MacDugel Thomas Farmer Jun James Walker Benjamin Smith John Taylor Gorn (?) Ridle Wid MacQuade Robert Walker Hugh Ridle Forges Canada John Ridle Jonathan Lion James Little James Lynn James Mathews Elexander Walker Benjamin Smith third John Bell John Orr Samuel Pattin Joseph Canada Matthew Patten Jr. John Quig Kiders family. John Burns To Inable the Inhabitants on a Tract of Land on the West Side of Merrimack River, to raise a reasonable Tax for the Support of a Minister of the Gospel &c & to make choice of fit persons to collect the Same It is ordered by His Excelency with the advice of His Majestys Council That on day of April next Capt John Goffe holds the first Town meeting giveing Ten days Notice thereof to the Inhabitants. Petition of Presbyterians in Bedford. To His Exelly Benning Wentworth Esqr Governor & Com ander In Chief of His Majesty's Province of New Hampshire and to the Honourable His Majestys Counsil assembled at Portsmouth May yo 10th 1750. The Humble Petition of the Subscribers Inhabitants of Souhegan East so called Sheweth That your Petitioners are the Major part of sd. Souhegan that your Petitioners as to our particular persuasion in Christianity are Generally of the Presbyterian Denomination That your petitioners through a variety of Causes having been Long Destitute of the Gospel are now Desirous of taking the proper steps in Order to have it Settled among us in the way of Discipline which we judge to tend most to our Edification That your Petitioners not being incorporated by Civill authority are in no Capacity to Raise those Sums of money which may be needfull in order to our proceeding in the above Important affair. May it therefore Please your Excell'y & Hon's to take the Case of your Petitioners under Consideration and to Incorporate us into a town or Destrick or in Case any part of our Inhabitants should be taken off By any Neighbouring Destrick to Grant that those of our persuasion who are Desirous of Adhering to us may be Notwithstanding Excused from supporting any other Parish Charge than where they Consciencously adhere we Desiring the Same Liberty to those within our Bounds if any yet be and yo' Petiti's shall Ever Pray &c Samuel Miller Robert Gilmor sen. James Mathis Forges Kennedy John McLaughlin William Kennedy Forgious Kennedy David Thomsond James McNight Hugh Riddel John Burns Daniel Moor James Moore Gerard Rowell John Clark James Walker John McQuige Robert Walker John Bell Patrick Taggart Matthew Patten John McLaughlin Sen' These are to certifie that we the above Subscribers Do Commission John Goffe Esq' and Mr. samuel patten to present this petition in order to obtaine Incorporation for us according to their Instructions from us the subscribers JAMES LITTLE, Cleark. Daited May the roth 1750 ves Bedford Petition for the revival of their propriety. To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq' Gov? &c. The Hon his Majesties Councel And house of Represe in General assembly Convened at Portsmouth the thirteenth day of July 1756 The Inhabitants of the town of Bedford in the province of New Hampshire Most Humbly Sheweth That the proprietors of Narragansett Township No. 5 Alias Bedford and part of Merrymac have not had a prop's meeting for several years and that the Clerk of said propriety has been Dead some space of time and there is no Comitee in the propriety to Call proprietors meetings The Consequence whereof tends much to your petitioners Damage That there was Land Reserved by the prop's in their Survey of the said town for highways and inasmuch as roads Cannot be made on all the said land so reserved we are obliged to Lay out roads Elsewhere and for want of a prop" meeting Legally Called, The power of Disposal of said reserved land Cannot be given to the town which if it were we might change with those persons who have their land Cut with town roads who ought to have a proper Satisfaction for their lands so taken and would thereby prevent the towns paying a Considerable of money yearly Wherefore we pray that your Excellency and hon's would take the premises in Consideration and Grant us an order to Call a prop's meeting of Narragansett Township No five and your petitioners shall ever pray MATH" PATTEN by a vote of the town. In Council July 15 1756 Theodore Atkinson Secy This Petition being read ordered that it be Dissmissed A. Clarksen Clerk Bedford Petition for a tax on their land. To his Excelency Benning Wentworth Esqr. Govr. &c. The Hon' his Majesties Councel And house of Representes in General assembly Convend at Portsmouth the thirteenth day of July 1756 The Inhabitants of the town of Bedford in the province of New Hampshire would most humbly Remonstrate That the fewness in number of our Inhabitants with the Expences which Necessaryly arises for us to pay and the Deficultys attending the performing the settlement of a new Town That a large Quantity of the town Lying unsettled and vacant of any Inhabitants and have Recd no help to Defraying any of our Necessary Charges from the proprietors of any such unsettled land, for the space of twelve or fourteen years in which term we (being a Fronteer) Endured the hardship of the late Indian war for which Reasons your Petitioners is rendered very unable to Carrie on the building a house for the publick Worship of God or a house for the use of the ministery in said town Wherefore we humbly pray that your Excelency and hon" would take our case in Consideration, and Grant us a tax on all the land in the town (Exclusive of Ministery Ministerial School and highway Lands) for the term of two years at sixpence pr. acre Each year or so much as you in your wisdoms Shall think Sufficient for the purposes aforesaid and your petitioners shall ever pray MATTHEW PATTEN Agent for the town In Council July 15th 1756. Theod Atkinson Sec In the House of Representatives July 15th 1756 Ordered That the Petitioner be heard thereon ye 2d Day of the Sit ting of the General assembly next after the 1st day of sept next Ensueing & Yt in ye meantime ye petitioner at his own Cost & Charge Cause this order of Court with the Substance of sd Petition to be advertised in some publick print for three weeks successively Andrew Clarkson Clerk Theod Atkinson Secy This Petition being read Voted That the prayer thereof be Granted, & that the petitioner have Liberty to bring in a Bill accordingly Andrew Clarkson Cik. In Council Eodem Die read & concurred Theodore Atkinson Secy Petition of James Caldwell. To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esqr Captain General Governor & Commander In Chief In & over his Majesty's province of New Hampshire the Honbles his Majesty's Council & House of Representatives In General Assembly Conya the 30th day of Novi 1763 The Petition of James Caldwell of Bedford In said province Humbly Shews that your petitioner being one of the Selectmen of Said Town for the year 1762 together with Mr. John Goffe & Mr. James Lions did agreeable to their usual form & Custom & agreeable to Law (for calling Town meeting) put up a notification for calling the free holders & other Inhabitants of said Town together at the usual place for Chusing selectmen Constable & other Town officers for said Town as the Law Directed, agreeable thereto the Inhabitants of said Bedford met and at said meeting made choice of M" Jn° Bell to be their Moderator & then proceeded to the Choice of the Select men & other Town officers, when the Moderator Declared that by the Votes Brought In they had made choice of Mr. James Little, Mr. Sam' Pattin & your petitioner for their Select men & Mr. Richard M°Allester as Constable for Said Town to Collect the Taxes, so it hapned that at said meeting there was no Justice present to sware sa officers & no Refusal from any one of them |