[THOMAS MARTIN TO JOHN BROWN, 1779.] *KNOW ALL MEN by these Presents that I Thomas Martin *5-171 of Portsmouth in the County of Rockingham in the State of New Hampshire Esq' for and in Consideration of the sum of one thousand two hundred Pounds lawful money of said state to me in hand paid by John Brown of Providence in the State of Rhode Island Esq' have given quitclaimed released and Confirmed and by these Presents do give quitclaim, release & confirm unto the said John Brown and his Heirs & Assigns all my Right Title Intrest Claim Challenge & Demand of in and to the Within mentioned Two Thousand Acres of Land be the same more or less with all the Priviledges and appertinances thereto belonging To have and to hold the same clear of all Govermental Taxes or any other Costs or Expences whatsoever unto this Day, 5-172 unto him the said John Brown and his Heirs & Assigns for ever to hold possess and enjoy the same in the same manner as I my self could have done by Vertue of this within mentioned Grant so that no person holding or Claiming by from or under Me my Heirs, Executors Administrators or Assigns Shall ever hereafter have Right or Claim to the Premises which are particularly described admeasured & pland as may appear by the Annexed Plan thereof Referrence being had thereto, and Ann the Wife of the said Thomas for the Consideration aforesaid do hereby acquit all her Right of Dower & Power of Thirds in and to the Premises In witness Whereof we have hereunto set our Hands and Seals this 27th day of April 1779 Signed sealed and delivered? In the presence of Us John Wendell Th Martin { seal Ann Martin Geo® Gains State of New Hampshire Portsmouth April 26 1779 Rockingham ss S Personally appeared the above Named Thomas Martin & Ann his wife & acknowledge this Instrament to be their Voluntary act & Deed Before Geo' Gains Justice Peace Recorded According to the Original Attest E Thompson Scy MASON. [Granted by the Masonian Proprietors as Number 1, Nov. 1, 1749, to William Lawrence and others. Incorporated as Mason, Aug. 26, 1768, and named in honor of Capt. John Mason. The inhabitants voted, June 22, 1768, to call the town "Sharon," but the governor named it Mason. Greenville was set off and incorporated June 28, 1872. The line with Greenville was established July 2, 1873. See Masonian Papers in following volumes; papers under title Groton (old grant) in Massachusetts charters preceding; XII, Hammond Town Papers, 577; Index to Laws, 336; History, by John B. Hill, 1858, pp. 323; sketch, Hurd's History of Hillsborough County, 1885, p. 513; Two Lectures on History of Mason, by Ebenezer Hill, 1846, pp. 16; Memoir of Rev. Ebenezer Hill, with his discourse on history of the town, by John B. Hill, 1858, pp. 114; Baptist Churches in N. H., by E. E. Cummings, 1836, pp. 11, 20; Lawrence's New Hampshire Churches, 1856, pp. 206, 209; Centennial Celebration, 1868, pub. 1870, pp. 115; Celebrations, 23, N. E. Hist. Gen. Register, 354.] [MASON INCORPORATED, 1768.] *1-303 *Province of New Mason L. S. of the faith &ca GEORGE the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France & Ireland King Defender To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting WHEREAS Our Loyal Subjects Inhabitants of a Tract of Land within our Province of New Hampshire known by the Name of No ONE and containing about Five miles square and bounded as here after mentioned. Have humbly Petitioned and Requested us that they may be erected and incorporated into a Township and infranchised with the same Privileges with other Towns within our said Province have and Enjoy by Law -AND it appearing unto us to be conducive to the general Good of our said Province as well as of the said Inhabitants in particular, by maintaining good Order & encourageing the Culture of the Land, that the same should be done KNOW YE therefore that we of our especial Grace, certain Knowledge and for encouraging & promoting the good purposes and ends aforesaid, and with the advice of our Trusty and well-beloyed JOHN WENTWORTH Esq Our Gov and Commander in Cheif of our Council for said Province Have erected & ordained and by these Presents for us, our heirs & successors, Do will and ordain that the Inhabitants of the Tract of Land aforesaid and others who shall inhabit & improve thereon hereafter (the same being butted and bounded as follows Viz. Begining at a Stake and stones on the said Province Line, then runing on the same line five miles and Twenty Rods to the South east Corner of New Ipswich then runing N° on New Ipswich line five miles to a white Pine tree to Wilton Corner, then runing East on the South line of Wilton five miles to a Hemlock tree, then runing S° 5 miles by the needle to the bounds first mentioned.) be and hereby are declared to be a Town Corporate, and are hereby erected and incorporated into a Body Politic and Corporate to have Continuance for Ever, by the name of Mason with all the Powers and Authorities, Privileges, Immunities and Franchises, which any other Towns in said Province by law have & Enjoy, to the said Inhabitants or who shall hereafter Inhabit there and their Successors for Ever, (always reserving to us our heirs and successors all WHITE PINE Trees which are or shall be found growing and being on the said Tract of land fit for the use of our Royal NAVY. Reserving also to us our heirs and Successors the Power and right of dividing the said Town when it shall appear necessary and convenient for the Inhabitants thereof. PROVIDED Nevertheless and it is hereby *1-304 declared that this Charter and Grant is not intended nor shall in any manner be Construed to extend or affect the private property of the Soil within the Limits aforesaid-And as the several Towns within our said Province are by Laws thereof enabled & Authorised to Assemble and by a Majority of the Voters present to chuse all such Officers and transact all such affairs as in the said Laws are declar'd-WE DO by these Presents nominate & appoint Obadiah Parker Gent. to call the first meeting of said Inhabitants to be held within the said Town at any time within Forty days from the date hereof, giving legal Notice of the time and design of holding such meeting. after which the annual Meeting of said Town shall be held for the Choice of said Officers and the purposes aforesaid on the 2nd Monday in March annually. IN TESTIMONY Whereof we have caused the Public Seal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed WITNESS JOHN WENTWORTH Esq: our aforesaid Governor the 26th day of August in the Eigth year of our Reign Annoque domini 1768. J' Wentworth. By his Excellency's Command with advice of Council T: Atkinson Jun' Sec Recorded according to the Original, this 30th Augst 1768. Attest. T: Atkinson Jun Sec MEREDITH. [Granted by the Masonian Proprietors Dec. 31, 1748, to Samuel Palmer and others, and called Palmer's-town, afterwards New Salem, some of the settlers coming from Salem. This territory was previously mentioned as Second Township. Incorporated as Meredith Dec. 30, 1768. Two islands in Winnipiseogee Lake were annexed Dec. 30, 1799. Laconia was set off and incorporated July 14, 1855. A part of Meredith was annexed to Centre Harbor July 3, 1873. See Masonian Papers in following volumes: XII, Hammond Town Papers, 581; Index to Laws, 340; sketch, Hurd's History of Belknap County, 1885, p. 833; Glimpses of the History of Old Meredith, by J. E. Fullerton, 3, Granite Monthly, 437; Stewart's History of the Free Baptists, 1862, pp. 252, 302; Baptist Churches in N. H., by E. E. Cummings, 1836, pp. 7, 9, 22; Lawrence's N. H. Churches, 1856, p. 501; Central New Hampshire, by G. F. Bacon, 1890, p. 37.] [MEREDITH INCORPORATED, 1768.] *1-323 Province of New Hampshire Meredith. GEORGE the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France & Ireland King Defender of the Faith &ca TO ALL to whom these Presents shall come GREETING WHEREAS Our Loyal Subjects Inhabitants of a tract of Land within our Province of New Hampshire known by the name of NEW SALEM and containing Six miles square, and bounded as hereafter mentioned, have humbly Petitioned us that they may be erected and Incorporated into a Township and infranchised with the same Priviledges which other Towns within our said Province have & enjoy by Law, and it appearing unto us to be conducive to the general good of our said Province as well as of the said Inhabitants in particular by maintaining good order and encouraging the Culture of the land that the same should be done KNOW YE that we of our special grace certain knowledge & for the encouragement and promotion of the good purposes and ends aforesaid, and with the advice of our Trusty and well-beloved JOHN WENTWORTH Esq' our Governor and Commander in Cheif of our said Province & of our Council of the Same, have erected and ordained, and by these Presents for us our heirs and Successors Do will and ordain that the Inhabitants of the Tract of Land aforesaid and others who shall improve thereon hereafter, the same being butted and bounded as follows Viz Begining at a Hemlock tree mark'd with Sundry Letters and spotted on 4 sides, standing at the Great Bay on Winipesiokee River at the N: E: side line of Sanborn Town, where Said line leaves said Bay, thence runs North westerly bounding on said Sanborn Town Five miles & 124 rods to a beach Tree marked, it being the corner bounds between said Towns, thence N° 55 Degrees East ten miles and 226 Rods to an hemlock tree and Spruce tree marked both standing on a Rock, thence S° 35 Degrees East 30 Rods to a Pine tree markd standing on a ledge of Rocks by the side of Winipesiokee Pond where a small brook or branch runs into said Pond on the Easterly side of said Pine tree, then bounding on said Pond, River & Bays till it comes to the bounds began at. be & hereby are declared to be a Town Corporate, and *are hereby erected and Incorporated into *1-324 a Body Politic and corporate to have Continuance & Succession for ever: by the Name of MEREDITH with all the Powers and Authorities, Priviledges, Immunities & Franchises which any other Towns in said Province by Law have & Enjoy, to the said Inhabitants or who shall hereafter Inhabit there, and their Successors for Ever: (always reserving to us our heirs & Successors all WHITE PINE trees which are or shall be found growing and being on the said Tract of Land fit for the use of our Royal navy reserving also to us our heirs & Successors the Power & Right of dividing said Town, when it shall appear necessary and Convenient for the Inhabitants thereof: PROVIDED nevertheless and 'tis hereby declared that this Charter and grant is not intended and shall not in any manner be construed to affect the Private property of the Soil within the Limits aforesaid, & as the several Towns within our said Province are by the Laws thereof enabled & Authorised to Assemble & by the Majority of the Voters present to chuse all Officers and transact such affairs as in the said Laws are declared. We do by these Presents nominate & Appoint EBEN SMITH to call the first meeting of said Inhabitants to be held within the said Town at any time within three months from the date hereof, giving legal notice of the time & design of holding such meeting after which the Annual meeting in said Town, shall be held for the choice of said Officers and the Purposes afores on the first monday in April annually |