that have Been in Town so long as two years, & they were Poor People that mov'd in for y sake of Cetching a few fish to support their familys; many of us have Been here But one year & some not so long, our Land is very heavy to clear & after it is clear & affords us a considerable Crop of indian Corn it is next to imposable to Plow the Land for some years by Reson of y stumps & Roots; there hath Been But a very few acres ever Plowd in Town, not more then six or seven men that have Plowd any & on y whole it is not without a great deal of Difficulty that we Bring ye year about, Being obliged to spend on the Store we had Before we moved up, those that had any & those that had not, to Run in debt many of us or be beholden to friends, which cant we humbly conceive be thought strange considering that this was all a wilderness so very lately. : Now with submission to your Excellency's Pleasure, our humble Petition is, that your Excellency would Consider our Sircumstances & Release us from paying any tax for a Little time your Excellency granting which we Humbly conceive will be an advantage, not only to your humble Petitioners But also to the Publick as it will enable us to make the greater Progress in clearing our farms & so of consequence to Pay y greater tax which at present could be but very small, having but a Little to pay for. We remain your Loyal humble servants James Cates Thomas Sencler John Gale John Samborn Josiah Samborn Winthrop Hoit Daniel Lary Thomas Lyford Edward Kelly [NOTE. The above names are mostly written by one hand: which may account for the spelling of Sanborn, uniformly with an m. ED.] Petition for Incorporation. Province of New Hampshire. To his Excellency, John Wentworth, Esq' Captain General, Governor & Commander in Chief of the Province aforesaid, In Council. The Petition of Joseph Hoit of Stratham & his Associates, humbly sheweth: That your petitioners being agents for, & interested in the Township of Sanborn (so called) in which there are upwards of Forty Familys settled, who are very desirous of being incorporated into a Town, for many good reasons, humbly request your Excellency & Honours to grant them that privilege by a Charter of Incorporation as usual, and your petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray, &c. Portsm° 1 March 1770. JOSEPH HOIT Petition for the appointment of a Justice of the Peace. Province of New Hampshire} To his Excellency John Wentworth, Esq Captain General, Governor & Commander in Chief in & over his Majesty's Province of New Hampshire, In Councill. The humble Petition of the Subscribers, Proprietors of the Town of Sanbornton in said Province Sheweth : That your Petitioners humbly conceive that it would be greatly for the Benefit of the Inhabitants as well as the Proprietors of said Town to have one of the Inhabitants of said Town Comissionated as a Justice of the Peace there, and having understood that the Inhabitants have already petitioned your Excellency that Daniel Sandborn Esq' of that Town may be Appointed by your Excellency to that honourable Place, We begg Leave to join them in the said request and Pray your Excellency to appoint him accordingly (and do heartily recommend him as the most suitable Person for keeping and Promoting Peace & Concord amongst the said Inhabitants). And your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray &c. July 10th 1771. Sam Folsem Joseph Hoit John Taylor Josiah Sanborn Josiah Dearbon John Folsom SHELBURNE. [As early as 1775, David and Benjamin Ingalls commenced a settlement at Shelburne, and not long afterwards several families were added. The town was not incorporated until December 13, 1820. ED.] Petition of Daniel Rindge, Esq' Province of New Hampshire: To his Excellency, John Wentworth, Esq Governor in Chief in & over said Province The Hon his Majesty's Council in s Province, in Council convened 25th May, 1770. The Humble Petition of Daniel Rindge of Portsmouth in said Province, Esq' in behalf of himself and the other Proprietors of Shelburne in said Province, Sheweth: That the Township of said Shelburne is very mountainous and Rockey, by means whereof a considerable Part of the same is and ever will be useless to the said Proprietors. Wherefore, your Petiter humbly prays, in behalf of himself and said Proprietors, that your Excellency and Honors wou'd be pleased to make them an additional Grant of Land agreeable to the Plan herewith exhibited, or in any other manner thought advisable, and your Petition' shall ever pray. Granted 4th of July, 1770. DANIEL RIndge. SOCIETY-LAND. [Incorporated 14th January, 1774 (1). ED.] To his Excellency John Wentworth, Esq. Captain General, Governor & Commander in chief in & over his Majesty's Province of New Hampshire & Vice Admiral of the same &c. the Honourable his Majesty's Council & House of Representatives in General Assembly convened. The Petition of the subscribers, Inhabitants on that part of that Tract of Land known by the Name of the Society Land, Humbly Shew:-That we are Purchasors from the Purchassion of John Tufton Mason Esq' Patent, and have not Legal Authority to oblige any person to support the Gospel, Nor to Build Mills or Bridges, or clear Roads &c. & must either Live without all these great Privileges, or a few men be at the whole expence, which will ruin their families. Therefore your Petitioners Humbly Pray your Excellency & Honors to Incorporate the Tract of Land hereafter described into a Township, with Town privileges, (viz.) Beginning at the North West Corner of Francestown, from thence East to the Township of Weare, from thence North to the Township of Henniker, from thence West Bounding partly on Henniker, & partly on Hillsborough six miles, from thence South to the first bounds mentioned: & your Petitioners as in Duty Bound will ever pray, &c. Society Land, April 26th 1773. SOMERSWORTH. [Somersworth was formerly a part of Dover; it was made a Parish Dec. 19, 1729, and incorporated April 22, 1754. The settlement was probably begun as early as 1650, by William Wentworth, John Hall, Wm. Stiles and others. ED.] July 23, 1746. A true list of all the Train Souldiers in the Jonathan Wentworth, jun Nath Nock Jonathan Merrow Ebenr Heard John Wentworth Benja Roberts Drisco Nock William Stackpole James Foy Joseph Varney, jun Elipha. Cromuel Daniel Smith John Calland Isaac Hanson Daniel Hanson Richard Philpott John Sulevant Saml Allien John Muzert Neal Vickers Dodepher Garland Benja Warren Samuel Roberts Francis Roberts Saml Downs, jun |