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and to redress our grievances, and likewise that your Excellency would be pleased to take some care that we may be put into a capacity for the support of the Ministry which is in Danger of being obstructed by reason of our unsettled posture; and likewise that we may be enabled to carry on our other affairs.

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Letter from Theo. Atkinson Esq. to Selectmen of Londonderry & Windham, 1742.

GENTLEMEN

Portsmouth, Dec. 28th 1742.

It has been represented by some of the Inhabitants on the District of Methuen, as settled by Act of the Gen' Assembly that the Constables of London Derry have levied the Province taxes on s Inhabitants, who had before paid their Province tax to the officer chosen by said District;-a copy of said representation you have herewith sent you for your Government:

I am therefore by his Excellency's order to advise you to return the said Taxes so levied to the respective persons, from whom they have been taken, unless they have heretofore been rated to your Town or Parrish, as the contrary behaviour may tend to create disorder & confusion in the Government.

To the Selectmen of Londonderry or the Parish of Windham.

THEO1 ATKINSON, Sec.

Sent by Mr. John Ober, the day above s.

Petition for a Parish, 1743.

To his Excelleney Benning Wentworth Esq' Governor & Command in chief in & over his Majesty's Province of New Hamp the Honble his Majesty's Council & House of Representatives in Gen' Assembly convened, June 25, 1743.

The Humble Petition of John Ober & Daniel Peasely as a Committee in behalf of the Inhabitants of a place called Methuen in said Province, Shews:

That the said Inhabitants are in an unsettled state & condition, not being within any Parish or Town, nor having any Power or authority to raise money for the support of the Min

istry, Schools & other necessary charges among them, for want of which they are involved in many Difficulties which are too obvious to need a particular enumeration:

That what was done by this Government as to making of Districts having relation to the Province tax only, could be no Relief to the said Inhabitants in Regard of the Difficulties above referr'd to, had that regulation continued, and as they have & shall always cheerfully contribute their proportion towards the support of the Government to which they belong, they are encouraged to hope for & depend on the justice of this Government to grant them those aids which are necessary to their subsistence & well being, & by virtue whereof they will be the better Enabled to pay their part of the Public Taxes:

That they have been now a long time in this uncomfortable situation and can't possibly any longer support y Gospel Ministry among them under their present circumstances, & live too remote from any Town or Parish to enjoy it with them.

WHEREFORE, Your Petitioners in behalf of their principals most humbly pray that they may be Incorporated into a Parish or Precinct by the following Boundaries: viz. Beginning at the East End of a Pond commonly called & known by the name of the Captain's Pond, & from thence to Run to the late dwelling house of one Richard Petty now deceased, upon a strait line, and from thence to the North part of Pollicy Pond so called, & so running by said pond to the South West part thereof, and then on a West course until it comes to Dracut Line & then by Dracut Line till it comes to the Province Line & so running by that till it comes to the place first mentioned: and invested with the usual Parish Powers & Privileges within this Province, and your Petitionors, as in duty bound shall ever pray, &c.

In the House of Representatives, June 25, 1743

JOHN OBER
DANIEL PEASELY.

The within Petition read, & Voted that the Petitioners serve the Selectmen of Windham (forth with) with a coppy of this Petition and the Votes thereon, and that they appeare Thursday the Seventh of July next (to shew cause if any, why the Prayer of the Petition may not be granted) and if the General Assembly be not then sitting, then to appeare the third day of the sitting of the Gen' Assembly at their next sessions; and that the Constables & Collectors of Windham do not make distress for any Rates or Taxes: Except for the Province tax, until after the hearing above intended.

In Council, July 2, 1743.

Read & concurr'd.

James Jeffrey, Cler. Ass"

Theodore Atkinson, Sec'.

Eodem die-Assented to

B. WENTWORTH.

Petition of Part of Methuen to be a Township, 1746. To his Excellency the Governor and the Honorable Council of the Province of New Hampshire:

The humble Petition of us the subscribers, sheweth :

That whereas the Inhabitants of the District of Methuen, viz. those who are included within the following lines, that is to say, Beginning where the Line between the Province of New Hampshire and the Massachusetts Bay crosses the Ancient line between Haverhill and Methuen, from thence Northwesterly upon s Line to about 2 miles. to a Red Oak tree marked, from thence westerly to the North East end of Pollicy Pond, so called, from thence thro' s Pond to the westerly end of s Pond, from thence westerly to Dracut Line so called, from thence Southerly upon Dracut Line to the above s Line between the Provinces, from thence upon s Province line to the bounds first mentioned; Those Inhabitants included in the abovs Lines have been at charges in erecting a meeting House and settling a Minister, and are commodiously situated to attend the worship of God in s District: And whereas the Inhabitants included in s Lines consist of but about Forty-five Families, who are of a different Perswasion from the Inhabitants of Windham, they being Presbyterians and we being Congregationalists

We therefore your Petitioners pray that there may be a Township erected according to the above mentioned boundaries which boundaries are inclusive of us the subscribers and your Petitioners shall ever pray.

Meth District,
April 4, 1746.

Peter Merrill
Eben' Woodbery
William Sanders

Josiah Clough

Moses Morgan

John Hall

John Hill

Jonathan Woodbery

Robert Corgel
Isaac Clough
John Ober
Joseph Peaslee
Oliver Sanders
Benj Corning
Sam' Sanders.
Daniel Peaslee

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Province of
New Hamp'

Petition in relation to taxes, 1746.
To his Excellency Benning Wentworth, Esq
Governor and Commander in chief in and
over his Majesty's Province of New Hamp
shire, the Honorable his Majesty's Council &
House of Representatives in General As-
sembly convened, the second day of Decem-
ber, Anno Domini 1746.

The Petition of Daniel Peasley Esqr. & John Ober, Inhab itants of that part of Methuen so called, that lyeth in this Province in behalf of sundry Inhabitants therein, most humbly shews: That by virtue of the District Act so called, they have rated sund ry Persons and their Estates to pay their Province Rates there, and also that the same Persons and their estates are claimed by the Parish of Windham in s Province, and there rated to pay their Province Rates;-whereby they are twice rated; which lays such persons under a great burden and difficulty, and that the s persons and their Estates pay all their other Rates to Methuen afore s1: Wherefore your Petitioners most humbly pray your Excellency and honours to order that such persons and their Estates may pay their Province Rates to Methuen only, & your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray, &c.

In Council, December the 5th 1746.
Read & ordered to be sent down.

Theo Atkinson, Secy

DANIEL PEASLE JOHN OBER.

Petition for a Township, 1749.

To his Excellency the Governour, the Honourable his Majesties Council of the Province of New Hampshire:

The Petition of us the subscribers Inhabitants of the District of Methuen, sheweth

That notwithstanding the care of this Government in forming of us into a District, and notwithstanding those Inhabitants of Windham who used to pay Taxes to Methuen are by special Act of Court obliged still to do it; yet since a Number of of those who were formerly of our Society continue in the Massachusetts-Bay Government, and since the Act of forming us Into a District is but temporary, it appears to us impracticable for us to fix a settled support upon the Rev Abner Bayley our Minister for the time to come, both upon account of our small number and upon account of our District being but a temporary settlement; which makes him in

dulge tho'ts of a removal from among us; for having carried on the work of the Ministry among us for near ten years past without any such fixed support, now calls upon us to settle affairs with him, which we ought to do, otherwise must expect that he will remove from among us. Further, that since a number of the Inhabitants of the westerly End of the District of Haverhill are very conveniently situated to joyn with us, from which considerations your Petitioners humbly pray-That a Township may be incorporated out of the District of Methuen with such an addition out of the Westerly end of the District of Haverhill as may be sufficient to support the Gospel among us and carry on our other Town affairs. And your Petitioners shall ever pray.

Meth. District, Jan. 1, 1749.

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Letter from Daniel Peaslee to Thomas Packer, Esq

SIR-When I was at your House I desired that you would represent our difficult cirumstances to his Excellency and Council and endeavor to obtain a Township by taking part of Haverhill District and that the Line should be Southeast from the South Easterly Corner of London Derry being a Red Oak near the widow Patee's Corn Mill; however having more fully examined that Line find that it will extend too far Easterly upon the Line between the Provinces, for having drawn a Plan which I herewith send you, the Easterly line of which is South Twenty three Degrees East from the above said Tree, but upon scaning this Plan find that this is as much too little as the other was too much, and accordingly should be oblig'd to you if you would use your endeavours that the above said Line should be from the above said Tree, South Thirty four Degrees East. What we aim at and desire to have are those Inhabitants that were by the settlement of the Massachusetts Bay Government, but are cut off by the Province Line, of Mr. Bachellers Parish.

Sir-I herewith transmit to you a Petition of Sundry of the Inhabitants of Methuen District to be laid before the Governour and Council and as this represents our small number so we desire that all those who have been of late years obliged to pay taxes to the support of the ministry &c. to Methuen District, whose number is but small, together

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