THE BOUNDARY LINES OF OLD GROTON.—III.
By the Hon. Samuel Abbott Green.
The running of the Provincial line in 1741 cut off a large part of Dunstable, and left it on the New Hampshire side of the boundary. It separated even the meeting-house from that portion of the town still remaining in Massachusetts, and this fact added not a little to the deep animosity felt by the inhabitants when the disputed question was settled. It is no exaggeration to say that, throughout the old township, the feelings and sympathies of the inhabitants on both sides of the line were entirely with Massachusetts. A short time before this period the town of Nottingham had been incorporated by the General Court, and its territory taken from Dunstable. It comprised all the lands of that town, lying on the easterly side of the Merrimack River; and the difficulty of attending public worship led to the division. When the Provincial line was established, it affected Nottingham, like many other towns, most unfavorably. It divided its territory and left a tract of land in Massachusetts, too small for a separate township, but by its associations belonging to Dunstable. This tract is to-day that part of Tyngsborough lying east of the river.
The question of a new meeting-house was now agitating the inhabitants of Dunstable. Their former building was in another Province, where different laws prevailed respecting the qualifications and settlement of ministers. It was clearly evident that another structure must be built, and the customary dispute of small communities arose in regard to its site. Some persons favored one locality, and others another; some wanted the centre of territory, and others the centre of population. Akin to this subject I give the words of the Reverend Joseph Emerson, of Pepperell,—as quoted by Mr. Butler, in his History of Groton (page 306),—taken from a sermon delivered on March 8, 1770, at the dedication of the second meeting-house in Pepperell: "It hath been observed that some of the hottest contentions in this land hath been about settling of ministers and building meeting-houses; and what is the reason? The devil is a great enemy to settling ministers and building meeting-houses; wherefore he sets on his own children to work and make difficulties, and to the utmost of his power stirs up the corruptions of the children of God in some way lo oppose or obstruct so good a work." This explanation was considered highly satisfactory, as the hand of the evil one was always seen in such disputes.
During this period of local excitement an effort was made to annex Nottingham to Dunstable; and at the same time Joint Grass to Dunstable. Joint Grass was a district in the northeastern part of Groton, settled by a few families, and so named from a brook running through the neighborhood. It is evident from the documents that the questions of annexation and the site of the meeting-house were closely connected. The petition in favor of annexation was granted by the General Court on certain conditions, which were not fulfilled, and consequently the attempt fell to the ground. Some of the papers relating to it are as follows:
A Petition of sundry Inhabitants of the most northerly Part of the first Parish in Groton, praying that they may be set off from said Groton to Dunstable, for the Reasons mentioned.
Read and Ordered, That the Petitioners serve the Towns of Groton and Dunstable with Copies of this Petition, that they show Cause, if any they have, on the first Friday of the next Sitting of this Court, why the Prayer thereof should not be granted.
Sent up for Concurrence.
[Journal of the House of Representatives (page 264), March 11, 1746.]
Francis Foxcroft, Esq; brought down the Petition of the northerly Part of Groton, as entred the 11th of March last, and refer'd. Pass'd in Council, viz. In Council May 29th 1747. Read again, together with the Answers of the Towns of Groton and Dunstable, and Ordered, That Joseph Wilder and John Quincy, Esqrs; together with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to take under Consideration this Petition, together with the other Petitions and Papers referring to the Affair within mentioned, and report what they judge proper for this Court to do thereon. Sent down for Concurrence.
Read and concur'd, and Major Jones, Mr. Fox, and Col. Gerrish, are joined in the Affair.
[Journal of the House of Representatives (page 11), May 29, 1747.]
John Hill, Esq; brought down the Petition of the Inhabitants of Groton and Nottingham, with the Report of a Committee of both Houses thereon.
Signed Joseph Wilder, per Order.
Pass'd in Council, viz. In Council June 5th 1747. The within Report was read and accepted, and Ordered, That the Petition of John Swallow and others, Inhabitants of the northerly Part of Groton be so far granted, as that the Petitioners, with their Estates petition'd for, be set off from Groton, and annexed to the Town of Dunstable, agreable to Groton Town Vote of the 18th of May last; and that the Petition of the Inhabitants of Nottingham be granted, and that that Part of Nottingham left to the Province, with the Inhabitants theron, be annexed to said Dunstable, and that they thus Incorporated, do Duty and receive Priviledges as other Towns within this Province do or by Law ought to enjoy.
And it is further Ordered, That the House for publick Worship be placed two Hundred and forty eight Rods distant from Mr. John Tyng's North-East Corner, to run from said Corner North fifty two Degrees West, or as near that Place as the Land will admit of.
Sent down for Concurrence.
Read and concur'd with the Amendment, viz. instead of those Words, ... And it is further Ordered, That the House for publick Worship be ... insert the following Words ... Provided that within one Year a House for the publick Worship of GOD be erected, and....
Sent up for Concurrence.
[Journal of the House of Repesentatives (page 26), June 6, 1747.]
To his Excellency William Shirley Esquire Captain General and Governour in Chief in and over his Majestys Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England The Honble: the Council and Honble: House of Representatives of the said Province in General Court Assembled at Boston the 31st. of May 1749.
The petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Dunstable in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay
Most Humbly Shew
That in the Year 1747, that part of Nottingham which lyes within this Government and part of the Town of Groton Called Joint Grass preferred two petitions to this Great and Honble: Court praying that they might be Annexed to the Town of Dunstable which petitions Your Excellency and Honours were pleased to Grant upon Conditions that a meeting house for the Publick Worship of God should be built two hundred and forty Eight Rods 52 Degs: West of the North from North East Corner of M. John Tyngs land But the Inhabitants of the Town Apprehending Your Excellency and Honours were not fully Acquainted with the Inconveniencys that would Attend placeing the Meeting House there Soon after Convened in Publick Town Meeting Legally Called to Conclude upon a place for fixing said meeting house where it would best Accommodate all the Inhabitants at which meeting proposals were made by some of the Inhabitants to take the Advice and Assistance of three men of other Towns which proposal was Accepted by the Town and they accordingly made Choice of The Honble: James Minot Esqr. Majr: Lawrence and Mr. Brewer and then Adjourned the Meeting.
That the said Gentlemen mett at the Towns Request and Determined upon a place for fixing the said meeting house which was approved of by the Town and they Accordingly Voted to Raise the sum of one hundred pounds towards defraying the Charge of Building the said House But Upon Reviewing the Spot pitched upon as aforesaid many of the Inhabitants Apprehended it was more to the southward than the Committee Intended it should be And thereupon a Meeting was Called on the Twenty Sixth day of May last when the Town voted to Build the meeting house on the East side of the Road that leads from Capt: Cummings's to Mr Simon Tompsons where some part of the Timber now lyes being about Forty Rods Northward of Isaac Colburns house which they Apprehended to be the Spot of Ground the Committee Intended to fix upon.
And for as much as the place Last Voted by the Town to Build their meeting house upon will best Accommodate all the Inhabitants,
Your petrs. therefore most humbly pray Your Excellency and Honours would be pleased to Confirm the said Vote of the Town of the 26th: day of May last and order the meeting house for the Publick Worship of God to be Erected on the peice of Ground aforementioned,
And in duty bound they will ever pray &c.
Simon tompson
Eben Parkhurst
Comtee for the
Town of Dunstable
[Massachusetts Archives, cxv, 507, 508.]
The Committee appointed on the Petition of a Committee for the Town of Dunstable, reported according to Order.
Read and accepted, and thereupon the following Order pass'd, viz. In as much as the House for the publick Worship of GOD in Dunstable was not erected within the Line limitted in the Order of this Court of June 6th 1747, the Inhabitants of Groton and Nottingham have lost the Benefit of Incorporation with the Town of Dunstable: Therefore
Voted, That a Meeting House for the publick Worship of GOD be erected as soon as may be on the East Side of the Road that leads from Capt. Cummins to Simon Thompson's, where the Timber for such a House now lies, agreeable to a Vote of the said Town of Dunstable on the 26th of May last; and that the said Inhabitants of Groton and Nottingham be and continue to be set off and annexed to the Town of Dunstable, to do Duty and receive Priviledge there, their Neglect of Compliance with the said Order of June 6th 1747, notwithstanding, unless the major Part of the Inhabitants and rateable Estate belonging to said Groton and Nottingham respectively, shall on or before the first Day of September next in writing under their Hands, transmit to the Secretary's Office their Desire not to continue so incorporated with the town of Dunstable as aforesaid; provided also, That in Case the said Inhabitants of Groton and Nottingham shall signify such their Desire in Manner and Time as aforesaid, they be nevertheless subjected to pay and discharge their Proportion of all Publick Town or Ministerial Rates or Taxes hitherto granted or regularly laid on them; excepting the last Sum granted for building a Meeting House. And that the present Town Officers stand and execute their Offices respectively until the Anniversary Town-Meeting at Dunstable in March next. Sent up for Concurrence.
[Journal of the House of Representatives (pages 46, 47), June 26, 1749.]
Whereas the Great & Generall Court of the the [sic] Province of the Massachusetts Bay in June Last, On the Petitions of Dunstable & Nottingham has Ordered that the Inhabitants of Groton and Nottingham, Which by Order of the sd Court the 6th of June 1747 Were On Certain Conditions Annexed to sd Dunstable & (Which Conditions not being Complyed with) be Annexed to sd. Dunstable to do duty & Receive priviledge there their neglect of Complyance notwithstanding, Unless the major part of the Inhabitants and ratable Estate belonging to the sd. Groton & Nottingham respectively Shall on or before the first day of September next in Writing under their hands Transmitt to the Secretarys Office their desire not to Continue so Incorporated With the town of Dunstable as aforesd. Now therefore Wee the Subscribers Inhabitants of Groton & Nottingham Sett of as aforesd. do hereby Signifie Our desire not to Continue so Incorporated with the town of Dunstable as aforesd. but to be Sett at Liberty As tho that Order of Court had not ben passed
Dated the 10th day of July 1749
Inhabitants of Groton
Timothy Read
Joseph fletcher
John Swallow
Samuel Comings
Benjamin Robbins
Joseph Spalding iuner
Inhabitants of Nottingham
Samuell Gould
Robert Fletcher
Joseph perriaham Daken [Deacon?]
iohn Collans
Zacheus Spaulding
and ten others
[Massachusetts Archives, cxv, 515.]
A manuscript plan of Dunstable, made by Joseph Blanchard, in the autumn of 1748, and accompanying these papers among the Archives (cxv, 519), has considerable interest for the local antiquary.
In the course of a few years some of these Groton signers reconsidered the matter, and changed their minds. It appears from the following communication that the question of the site of the meeting-house had some influence in the matter:—
Groton, May 10, 1753. We have concluded to Joine with Dunstable in settling the gospell and all other affairs hart & hand in case Dunstable woud meet us in erecting a meting house in center of Lands or center of Travel.
Joseph Spaulding jr.
John Swallow.
Timothy Read.
Samuel Cumings.
Joseph Parkhurst.
[Nason's History of Dunstable, page 85.]
The desired result of annexation was now brought about, and in this way Joint Grass became a part and portion of Dunstable. The following extracts give further particulars in regard to it:—
A Petition of a Committee in Behalf of the Inhabitants of Dunstable, within this Province, shewing, that that Part of Dunstable by the late running of the Line is small, and the Land much broken, unable to support the Ministry, and other necessary Charges; that there is a small Part of Groton contiguous, and well situated to be united to them in the same Incorporation, lying to the West and Northwest of them; that in the Year 1744, the Inhabitants there requested them that they might be incorporated with them, which was conceeded to by the Town of Groton; that in Consequence of this, upon Application to this Court they were annexed to the Town of Dunstable with the following Proviso, viz. "That within one Year from that Time a House for the publick Worship of GOD should be erected at a certain Place therein mentioned": Which Place was esteemed by all Parties both in Groton and Nottingham, so incommodious, that it was not complied withal; that on a further Application to this Court to alter the Place, Liberty was given to the Inhabitants of Groton and Nottingham, to withdraw, whereby they are deprived of that contiguous and necessary Assistance which they expected: Now as the Reasons hold good in every Respect for their Incorporation with them, they humbly pray that the said Inhabitants of Groton by the same Bounds as in the former Order stated, may be reannexed to them, for the Reasons mentioned.
Read and Ordered, That the Petitioners serve the Inhabitants of Groton therein refer'd to, as also the Clerk of the Town of Groton, with Copies of this Petition, that so the said Inhabitants, as also the Town of Groton, shew Cause, if any they have, on the first Tuesday of the next May Session, why the Prayer thereof should not be granted.
Sent up for Concurrence.
[Journal of the House of Representatives (pages 138, 139), April 4, 1753.]
John Hill, Esq; brought down the Petition of a Committee of the Town of Dunstable, as entred the 4th of April last, and refer'd. Pass'd in Council, viz. In Council June 5th 1753. Read again, together with the Answer of the Inhabitants of that Part of Groton commonly called Joint-Grass, and likewise William Lawrence, Esq; being heard in Behalf of the Town of Groton, and the Matter being fully considered, Ordered, That the Prayer of the Petition be so far granted, as that Joseph Fletcher, Joseph Spaulding, Samuel Comings, Benjamin Rabbins, Timothy Read, John Swallow, Joseph Parkhurst, and Ebenezer Parkhurst, Jun. with their Families and Estates, and other Lands petitioned for, be set off from the Town of Groton, and annexed to the town of Dunstable, agreable to the Vote of the Town of Groton on the 18th of May 1747, to receive Priviledge and do Duty there, provided that Timothy Read, Constable for the Town of Groton, and Collector of the said Parish in said Town the last Year, and Joseph Fletcher, Constable for the said Town this present Year, finish their Collection of the Taxes committed or to be committed to them respectively; and also that the said Inhabitants pay their Proportion of the Taxes that are already due or shall be due to the said Town of Groton for the present Year, for which they may be taxed by the Assessors of Groton, as tho' this Order had not past: provided also that the Meeting-House for the publick Worship of GOD in Dunstable be erected agreable to the Vote of Dunstable relating thereto in May 1753. Sent down for Concurrence.
Read and concur'd.
[Journal of the House of Representatives (page 21), June 7, 1753.]
The part of Nottingham, mentioned in these petitions, was not joined to Dunstable until a later period. On June 14, 1754, an order passed the House of Representatives, annexing "a very small Part of Nottingham now lying in this Province, unable to be made into a District, but very commodious for Dunstable;" but the matter was delayed in the Council, and it was a year or two before the end was brought about.
The west parish of Groton was set off as a precinct on November 26, 1742. It comprised that part of the town lying on the west side of the Nashua River, north of the road from Groton to Townsend. Its incorporation as a parish or precinct allowed the inhabitants to manage their own ecclesiastical affairs, while in all other matters they continued to act with the parent town. Its partial separation gave them the benefit of a settled minister in their neighborhood, which, in those days, was considered of great importance.
It is an interesting fact to note that, in early times, the main reason given in the petitions for dividing towns was the long distance to the meeting-house, by which the inhabitants were prevented from hearing the stated preaching of the gospel.
The petitioners for the change first asked for a township, which was not granted; but subsequently they changed their request to a precinct instead, which was duly allowed. The papers relating to the matter are as follows:—
Province of The Massechuetts Bay in New England.
To His Excellency Wm: Shirley Esqr: Goveinr in & over ye Same And To The Honle: his Majestis Council & House of Representetives in Genll: Court Assembled June 1742:
The Petition of Sundry Inhabitants & Resendant in the Northerly Part of Groton Humbly Sheweth that the Town of Groton is at Least ten miles in Length North & South & seven miles in wedth East & West And that in Runing two miles Due North from the Present Meeting House & from thence to Run Due East to Dunstable West Line. And from the Ende of the Sd: two miles to Run West till it Comes to the Cuntry Rode that is Laide out to Townshend & soon Sd: Rode till it Comes to Townshend East Line then tur[n]ing & Runing Northly to Nestiquaset Corner which is for Groton & Townshend then tur[n]ing & Runing Easterly on Dunstable South Line & So on Dunstable Line till it comes to the Line first mentioned, Which Land Lyeth about Seven miles in Length & four miles & a Quarter in Wedth.
And Thare is Now Setled in those Lines here after mentioned is about the Number of Seventy families all Redy And may [many?] more ready to Settle there and as soon as scet off to the Petitioners & those families Settled in ye Lines afore sd: Would make A Good township & the Remaining Part of Groton Left in a regular forme And by reason of the great Distance your Petitioners are from the Present Meeting House are put to very Great Disadvantages in Attending the Public Worship of God many of Whom are Oblidged to travel Seven or Eight miles & that the Remaining Part of Groton Consisting of such good land & ye Inhabitants so Numerous that thay Can by no means be Hurt Should your Petitioners & those families Settled in ye Lines afore sd: Be Erected to a Seprate & Distinct Township: That the in Contestable situation & accomodations on the sd: Lands was ye one great reason of your Petitioners Settling thare & Had Not those Prospects been so Clear to us We should by no means have under taken The Hardship We have already & must go Throu.
Wherefore Your Petitioners Would farther Shew that Part of ye Land here Prayed for all Redy Voted of by the Sd town to be a Presinct & that the most of them that are in that Lines have Subscribed with us to be a Destncte Township Wherefore Your Petitioners Humbly Pray your Honnors to Grante us our Desire according to This our Request as we in Duty Bound Shall Ever Pray &c.
Joseph Spaulding iur
Zachariah Lawrance
William Allen
Jeremiah Lawrance
William Blood
Nathaniel Parker
Enoch Lawarnce
Samuel Right
James larwance
Josiah Tucker
Samll fisk
Soloman blood
John Woods
Josiah Sartell
benjn. Swallow
Elies Ellat
Richard Worner
Ebenezer Gillson
Ebenezer Parce
James Blood iu
Joseph Spaulding
Phiniahas Parker iur
Joseph Warner
Phineahas Chambrlin
Isaac laken
Isacc Williams
John Swallow
Joseph Swallow
Benjn: Robins
Nathan Fisk
John Chamberlin
Jacob Lakin
Seth Phillips
John Cumings
Benjn: Parker
Gersham Hobart
Joseph Lawrance
John Spaulding
Isaac Woods
In the House of Repives June. 10, 1742.
Read and Ordered that the Petrs serve the Town of Groton with a Copy of this Petn that they shew cause if any they have on the first fryday of the next session of this Court why the Prayer thereof should not be granted
Sent up for concurrence
T Cushing Spkr
In Council June 15. 1742;
Read & Non Concur'd
J Willard Sec'ry
[Massachusetts Archives, cxiv, 779, 780.]
To his Excellency William Shirley Esqr. Captain General and Governour in Cheiff in and over his Majesties Province of ye. Massachusetts Bay in New England: To ye. Honourable his Majesties Council and House of Representatives in General Court Assembled on ye: Twenty sixth Day of May. A:D. 1742.
The Petition of as the Subscribers to your Excellency and Honours Humbley Sheweth that we are Proprietors and Inhabitants of ye. Land Lying on ye. Westerly Side Lancester River (so called) [now known as the Nashua River] in ye North west corner of ye. Township of Groton: & Such of us as are Inhabitants thereon Live very Remote from ye Publick worship of God in sd Town and at many Times and Season of ye. year are Put to Great Difficulty to attend ye. same: And the Lands Bounded as Followeth (viz) Southerly on Townshend Rode: Westerly on Townshend Line: Northerly on Dunstable West Precint, & old Town: and Easterly on said River as it now Runs to ye. First mentioned Bounds, being of ye. Contents of about Four Miles Square of Good Land, well Scituated for a Precint: And the Town of Groton hath been Petitioned to Set of ye. Lands bounded as aforesd. to be a Distinct and Seperate Precint and at a Town Meeting of ye. Inhabitants of sd. Town of Groton Assembled on ye Twenty Fifth Day of May Last Past The Town voted ye Prayer of ye. sd. Petition and that ye Lands before Described should be a Separate Precinct and that ye. Inhabitants thereon and Such others as hereafter Shall Settle on sd. Lands; should have ye Powers and Priviledges that other Precincts in sd. Province have or Do Enjoy: as pr. a Coppy from Groton Town Book herewith Exhibited may Appear: For the Reasons mentioned we the Subscribers as aforesd. Humbley Prayes your Excellency and Honours to Set off ye sd Lands bounded as aforesd. to be a Distinct and Sepperate Precinct and Invest ye Inhabitants thereon (Containing about ye No. of Forty Famelies) and Such others as Shall hereafter Settle on sd. Lands with Such Powers & Priviledges as other Precincts in sd. Province have &c or Grant to your Petitioners Such other Releaf in ye. Premises as your Excellency and Honours in your Great Wisdom Shall think Fit: and your Petitioners as in Duty bound Shall Ever pray &c.
Benj Swallow
Wm: Spalden
Isaac Williams
Ebenezer Gilson
Elias Ellit
Samuel Shattuck iu
James Shattuck
David Shattuck
David Blood
Jonathan Woods
John Blood iuner
Josiah Parker
Jacob Ames
Jonas Varnum
Moses Woods
Zachery Lawrence Junr
Jeremiah Lawrence
John Mozier
Josiah Tucher
Wm Allen
John Shadd
Jams. Green
John Kemp
Nehemiah Jewett
Eleazar Green
Jonathan Shattuck
Jonathan Shattuck Junr
In the House of Reptives Novr. 26. 1742
In Answer to the within Petition ordered that that Part of the Town of Groton Lying on the Westerly Side of Lancaster River within the following bounds vizt bounding Easterly on said River Southerly on Townsend Road so called Wisterly on Townsend line and Northerly on Dunstable West Precinct with the Inhabitants thereon be and hereby are Set off a distinct and seperate precinct and Vested with the powers & priviledges which Other Precincts do or by Law ought to enjoy Always provided that the Inhabitants Dwelling on the Lands abovementioned be subject to pay their Just part and proportions of all ministeriall Rates and Taxes in the Town of Groton already Granted or Assessed.
Sent up for Concurrence.
T Cushing Spkr.
In Council Novr. 26 1742 Read and Concurr'd
J Willard Secry
Consented to, W Shirley,
[Massachusetts Archives, cxiv, 768, 769.]
When the new Provincial line was run between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, in the spring of 1741, it left a gore of land, previously belonging to the west parish of Dunstable, lying north of the territory of Groton and contiguous to it. It formed a narrow strip, perhaps three hundred rods in width at the western end, running easterly for three miles and tapering off to a point at the Nashua River, by which stream it was entirely separated from Dunstable. Shaped like a thin wedge, it lay along the border of the province, and belonged geographically to the west precinct or parish of Groton. Under these circumstances the second parish petitioned the General Court to have it annexed to their jurisdiction, which request was granted. William Prescott, one of the committee appointed to take charge of the matter, nearly a quarter of a century later was the commander of the American forces at the battle of Bunker Hill. It has been incorrectly stated by writers that this triangular parcel of land was the gore ceded, in the summer of 1736, to the proprietors of Groton, on the petition of Benjamin Prescott. The documents relating to this matter are as follows:—
To his Honnor Spencer Phipes Esqr Capt Geniorl and Commander In Cheaf in and ouer his majists prouince of the Massachusets Bay in New england and to The Honble his majestys Counsel and House of Representatiues In Geniral Courte assambled at Boston The 26 of December 1751
The Petition of Peleg Lawrance Jarimah Lawrance and william Prescott a Cumttee. for the Second Parish In Groton in The County of Middle sikes.
Humbly Shew That Theare is a strip of Land of about fiue or six hundred acors Lys ajoyning To The Town of Groton which be Longs To the town of Dunstable the said strip of land Lys near fouer mill in Length and bounds on the North Line of the said second Parrish in Groton and on the South Side of Newhampsher Line which Peeace by Runing the sd Line of Newhampsher was Intierly Cut off from the town of Dunstable from Receueing any Priuelidge their for it Lys not Less then aboute Eight mill from the Senter of the town of Dunstable and but about two mill and a half from the meeting house in the said second Parish in Groton so that they that settel on the sd Strip of Land may be much beter acommadated to be Joyned to ye town of Groton and to the sd second Parish than Euer thay Can any other way in this Prouince and the town of Dunstable being well sencable thare of haue at thare town meeting on the 19 Day of December Currant voted of the sd Strip of Land allso Jarnes Colburn who now Liues on sd Strip Land from the town of Dunstable to be annexed to the town of Groton and to the sd second Parish in sd town and the second Parish haue aCordingly voted to Recue the same all which may appear by the vote of sd Dunstable and said Parish which will be of Grate advantige to the owners of the sd. strip of Land and a benefit to the said second Parish in Groton so that your Petitioners Humbly Pray that the sd. strip of Land may be annexed to the said second Parish in Groton so far as Groton Nor west corner to do Duty and Recue Priulidge theare and your petionrs In Duty bound shall Euer Pray
Peleg Lawrence
Willm Prescott
Jeremiah Lawrence
Dunstable December 24 1751
this may Certifye the Grate and Genirol Courte that I Liue on the slip of Land within mentioned and it tis my Desier that the prayer of this Petition be Granted
James Colburn
In the House of Reptives Janry 4. 1752
Voted that the prayer of the Petition be so farr granted that the said strip of Land prayed for, that is the Jurisdiction of it be Annex'd to the Town of Groton & to ye Second Precinct in said Town & to do dutys there & to recieve Priviledges from them.
Sent up for Concurrence
T. Hubbard Spkr.
In Council Jany 6. 1752 Read & Concur'd
J Willard Secry.
Consented to
S Phips
[Massachusetts Archives, cxvi, 162, 163.]
The west parish of Groton was made a district on April 12, 1753, the day the Act was signed by the Governor, which was a second step toward its final and complete separation. It then took the name of Pepperell, and was vested with still broader political powers. It was so called after Sir William Pepperrell, who had successfully commanded the New England troops against Louisburg; and the name was suggested, doubtless, by the Reverend Joseph Emerson, the first settled minister of the parish. He had accompanied that famous expedition in the capacity of chaplain, only the year before he had received a call for his settlement, and his associations with the commander were fresh in his memory. It will be noticed that the Act for incorporating the district leaves the name blank, which was customary in this kind of legislation at that period; and the governor, perhaps with the advice of his council, was in the habit subsequently of filling out the name.
Pepperell, for one "r" is dropped from the name, had now all the privileges of a town, except the right to choose a representative to the General Court, and this political connection with Groton was kept up until the beginning of the Revolution. In the session of the General Court which met at Watertown, on July 19, 1775, Pepperell was represented by a member, and in this way acquired the privileges of a town without any special act of incorporation. Other similar districts were likewise represented, in accordance with the precept calling that body together, and they thus obtained municipal rights without the usual formality. The precedent seems to have been set by the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, which was made up of delegates from the districts as well as from the towns. It was a revolutionary step taken outside of the law. On March 23, 1786, this anomalous condition of affairs was settled by an act of the Legislature, which declared all districts, incorporated before January 1, 1777, to be towns for all intents and purposes.
The act for the incorporation of Pepperell is as follows:—
Anno Regni Regis Georgij Secundi vicesimo Sexto
An Act for Erecting the second Precinct in the Town of Groton into a seperate District
Be it enacted by the Leiut. Govr: Council and House of Representatives
That the second Precinct in Groton bounding Southerly on the old Country Road leading to Townshend, Westerly on Townshend Line Northerly on the Line last run by the Governmt. of New Hampshire as the Boundary betwixt that Province and this Easterly to the middle of the River, called Lancaster [Nashua] River, from where the said Boundary Line crosses said River, so up the middle of ye. said River to where the Bridge did stand, called Kemps Bridge, to the Road first mentioned, be & hereby is erected into a seperate District by the Name of ———— and that the said District be and hereby is invested with all the Priviledges Powers and Immunities that Towns in this Province by Law do or may enjoy, that of sending a Representative to the generall Assembly only excepted, and that the Inhabitants of said District shall have full power & Right from Time to time to joyn with the sd: Town of Groton in the choice of Representative or Representatives, in which Choice they shall enjoy all the Priviledges which by Law they would have been entitled to, if this Act had not been made. And that the said District shall from Time to time pay their proportionable part of the Expence of such Representative or Representatives According to their respective proportions of ye. Province Tax.
And that the sd. Town of Groton as often as they shall call a Meeting for the Choice of a Representative shall give seasonable Notice to the Clerk of said District for the Time being, of the Time and place of holding such Meeting, to the End that said District may join them therein, and the Clerk of said District shall set up in some publick place in sd. District a Notification thereof accordingly or otherwise give Seasonable Notice, as the District shall determine.
Provided Nevertheless and be it further enacted That the said District shall pay their proportion: of all Town County and Province Taxes already set on or granted to be raised by sd. Town as if this Act had not been made, and also be at one half the charge in building and repairing the Two Bridges on Lancaster River aforesaid in sd: District.
Provided also and be it further Enacted That no poor Persons residing in said District and Who have been Warn'd by the Selectmen of said Groton to depart sd: Town shall be understood as hereby exempted from any Process they would have been exposed to if this Act had not been made.
And be it further enacted that Wm Lawrence[1] Esqr Be and hereby is impowered to issue his Warrant directed to some principal Inhabitant in sd. District requiring him to notify the Inhabitants of said District to meet at such Time & place as he shall appoint to choose all such Officers as by Law they are Impowered to Choose for conducting the Affairs for sd. District.
In the House of Reptives April 5, 1753
Read three several times and pass'd to be Engross'd
Sent up for Concurrence
T. Hubbard Spkr.
In Council April 5 1753 AM
Read a first and Second Time and pass'd a Concurrence
Thos. Clarke Dpty. Secry
[Massachusetts Archives, cxvi, 360-362.]
1 ([return])
This name apparently inserted after the original draft was made.