To his Exelency Benning Wentworth Esq' Capt. General and Governor in chief in and over his Majesties Province of New Hampshire in New England the Honorable the Council and House of Representatives in General Court con vened. The Memorial or Petition of Dan' Wilkins in the name and behalf of the Inhabitants of the Township or Plantation called Souhegan West No. 3 in the said Province Humbly sheweth the said Town has been settled by his Majesties subjects about nine years and a Gospel Minister ordained almost three years that the Settlers had an Eye at enlarging his Majesties Dominions by going into the Wilderness as well as at their own Interest, that some thousand of pounds has been spent in clearing and cultevating the Land there and vast sums in building Houses Barns & fences beside much time and expence in building fortifications by his Excelency the Governers order. That the Breaking up the Settlement will not only ruin the Memorialists but greatly disserve his Majesties Interest by encouraging his Enemies to Encroach on his deserted Settlements and be also hurtful to the Province by Contracting its borders and drawing the war nearer the Capital: That it was by a long and importunate Intercession of this Province, (and not of the Memorialists Seeking) that they are cast under the immediate care of this Government which they conceive give them so much the better Right to its protection: That as war is already declared against France and a Rupture with the Indians hourly expected your Memorialists unless they have speedy help will soon be obliged to forsake their Town how diservisable soever it may be to the Crown dishonorable to the Government hurtfull to the Province & ruinous to themselves: Wherefore, Your Memorialists most humbly supplicate your Exelency the honorable Council and House of Representatives to take the premises into your wise and mature Consideration and to grant them such seasonable relief as may enable them to subsist in the war and secure against the Ravages and Devastation of a blood thirsty and merciless Enemy and your Memorialists as in duty bound will ever pray. Dated at Portsmouth June ye 22 1744. DAN WILKINS. Petition for protection against the Indians, 1747. To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq' Gov. &c The Hon. his Majestys Council & House of Representatives in Generall Assembly Convened May 13th 1747. The Petition of us the Subscribers Inhabitants of the New Plantation called Souhegan West Humbly Sheweth That there is Settled and now remains in this plantation thirty five familys in which is about Fifty eight men upwards of sixteen years old. That when we began our Setlement, we apprehended no Danger of Our ever being a frontior, there being at that time so many above us begun and obligated to fullfill the Conditions of the Massachusetts Grants, which occasioned us to setle scattering, only Regarding the Advantages of Good and Compact farms. That the difficulty of War happening so early on our Settlements, and the Defenceless Condition they was in, has oblidged them all viz: Petersborough Salem-Canada New Boston & Hillsborough (so called) Intirely to draw off as well as the Forts on Connecticut River left naked. Whereby we are now left as much exposed as any of the Frontiers on Merrimack River That the First year of the present war we was Favoured with a Scout from This Province (which we Thankfully acknowledge) and Salem-Canada with an other which was Equally Serviceable to us Since that time, both SalemCanada and this Place has had a guard from the Massachusetts till the Winter passed together with our Inhabitants keeping a constant Scout (Tho much Impoverished thereby) That this encouragement has occasioned our venturing here till now That as we are now left without either Scout or Guard-Apprehend we are in Imminent Danger, Yet Loath to yield Ourselves Such an easy Prey to Our Enemies or Suffer Ruin by leaving our Improvements wast, One Whereof we have no Reason to Think, but must unavoidably be our lot, unless this Government Compassionately Grants us Protection. Wherefore Your Petitioners most Humbly Pray that your Excellency & Hon's would so far Comiserate our Present Difficult Circumstances as to Grant us so many Soldiers as your Excellency & HonTM may Judge of Necessity for Our Defence and your Peti as in Duty bound Shall Pray &c. In Council May 13th 1747 read & ordered to be sent Down to the Honble House. Theodore Atkinson Secy. Petition from Monson. (1) To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq Gov' &c The Honb his majestys Council & House of Repres in Gen11 Assembly convened May 13th 1747. The Petition of the Inhabitants of the town of Monson, Hereunto Subscribers Humbly Shews That the Said town is Lately begun to Setle & but about Fifteen Familys there. That they are one of the Frontier Towns west of Merrimack River, & the most northerly One, already incorporated, Lying Between Hollis & the New Plantation Called Souhegan West. That could we be assisted by Souldiers Such Competent number as might Enable us to Defend our Selves Shall Chearfully Endeavour to Stay there by Which we Shall Serve as a Barrier in part to Holles Merrimack and Dunstable. That last year we was Favoured by Souldiers From the Massachusetts, that Prevented Our Drawing off. That Should the War be pursued by the Enemy as vigorously as Last year, (unless we are Favoured by some assistance from Ye Government) We Humbly apprehend 'twould be too great Presumption to venture our Selves & Familys there That it will be very Ruinous to your Petitioners To leave their Settlements & the Frontier Widned, & for a Necessary Defence will Require a Greater number of Souldiers than to assist us there Wherefore your Petitioners most Humbly Pray that your Excellency & Honors would be pleased to Take the Premises into your Consideration & Grant us a Guard for two Garrisons & a small Scout on Our Front Or Otherwise Releive us in the Premises as in your Great Wisdom Shall Seem meet & y' Pet's as in Duty bound Shall ever Pray. In Council May 13th 1747 read & ordred to be Sent Doun to the Honble House. Theodore Atkinson Secy. (1)The town of Monson lay adjacent to Amherst, and was afterwards incorporated with it in part.-ED. Prove of New In the House of Representatives 15th May 1747 Voted That in answer to ye two annexed Petitions Viz: that of Souhegan West & that of Monson, His Excellency be desired to give orders for inlisting or impressing fifteen good executive men to Scout & guard under proper oficer or oficers s Souhegan West & Monson 'til ye twentyeth of octo' next if need be & that s men be shifted once a month. D. Peirce Clk. Theodore Atkinson Secy. Eodm Die In Coun" read and Concurred Eodm Die Assented to B WENTWORTH. Petition of Monson, for annexation, &c. Province of New To His Excellency Benning Wentworth J Esq Gov &c & To the Honbie His Majestys Council the day of 1754. The Petition of us the Subscribers Inhabitants of the town of Monson Humbly Shews That there is a tract of Land of about the Contents of seven Thousand acres Lying on the North of Monson and adjoyning Included by the following Bounds, viz 1, to begin at Monson Northeast Corner and to Run North by the Town of Merrymac Two miles and the next Station to begin at the North west Corner of Monson & to Extend north two miles and from thence a Strait line to the end of the aforementioned Two mile, and to Bound Southerly on Monson afores". On Which Sundry Familys are Settled & would be of accomodation & Convenience to Monson to have them annexed and Incorporated with Monson and would with that addition make it but about five miles and an half in Breadth one place with the other that Sundry of the Inhabitants of the s1 Tract hath together with this Petitioned your Excellency & Honors to be annexed and Incorporated with us. (And as we apprehend would be of Great Convenience to them, & help to us.) Wherefore we most Humbly Pray that your Excellency and Hon would be pleased to annex and Incorporate the sa Tract with the Inhabitants Thereon to the town of Monson & your Pet" as in Duty Bound Shall ever Pray BENJAMIN HOPKINS ROBERT COLBURN Selectmen. few more that has not sin'd William Colborn Jun Ebenezer Ball William Colborn John Burns Josiah Crosby Nathan Hutchinson Petition of Monson to be exempt from taxes. Province of New Esqr Gov &c. the Hon his Majestys To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Councill & House of Represves Convened In Gen11 Assembly Humbly Shews The Pet of the Inhabitants of Monson That Whereas they Have Recd a late Order to render into the Secretarys Office an Invoice of their poles & estates in order for apportioning the taxes Which we have done, and Woud Further beg leave to Remonstrate Our Infancy & Inability to bear any part of the publick Charge at present. That there is but thirty six poles in the Whole, Severall of them transiently hired for a short space to Labour or otherthere without any Estate: but twenty one Houses Cheifly Small Cottages only for a present Shelter the Charge of Building yet to Come on. ways That they are all plain men Dwelling in these tents, Husbandry their Employment their Improvements very small, their Lands yet to Subdue. The Progress much Retarded by their Necessity to work out of town the prime of the year or at Other Business to procure provision Tho the town is part of Old Dunstable it has always till now bin a frontier and Remained a totall Wilderness till within a few years the Owners under no Injunction of Settlement the Land very antiontly Granted to Gent' in farms, & part of the Divisions of Dunstable Comon who still hold the Greatest part and Continue unimproved by Which means the few setlers are scattered all ab the town much Labour has & must be spent in Opening and making Roads & Bridges Causes &c that are of Present Necessity, a burthen of it self too Heavy for the Strength of the small weak nomber that is there, in the late war at the expence of Garisoning Scouting & Defending themselves Besides many Other charges they have & must go thro so therefore apprehend themselves utterly unable to Bear any part of the publick taxes as yet, but hope their Small Begining in time may become usefull if they may be nurssd & favoured now In their Infancy Wherefore your Pet Humbly pray that they may be Considered in this their Infant & Chargable State & that they may not be taxed, till they are of ability to go thro their own necessary charge and when that shall be they will Chearfully Contribute according to their Power & shall ever pray &c In behalf of ye Inhabitants Prov N Hamp' April 25 1753. BENJI HOPKINS Selectmen The within Petition read & ordered to be Sent Down to the Honbl House of representatives. Theodore Atkinson Secy. |