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