[R. 2-77] [Joseph Patterson, wounded Soldier.] In the House of Representatives Nov 13th 1778. The Committee on the Petitions &c of wounded soldiers &c reported their opinion that Joseph Paterson, a soldier in Capt Emery's Company in Colo Baldwin's Regiment who was wounded at White plains and lost sundry articles to the amount of five pounds fourteen shillings be allowed & paid the said sum of five pounds fourteen shillings, which is submitted— signed Nich' Gilman for the committee [The said amount was allowed and paid. It has been handed down in the family that Joseph Patterson was on guard at the time of attack by the British troops at White Plains, October 28, 1776. He fired an alarm, and was immediately shot, the ball entering back of the ear, and passing out through the cheek. He fell, and was for some time unconscious, but reviving he found the enemy passing over him. Watching his opportunity, he rolled under a log, and remained apparently dead till all was quiet. He then succeeded in getting to a house, in an exhausted condition, found the woman friendly to the cause of the colonies, and was cared for by her for some weeks. When sufficiently recovered, he gave the woman all the money he had, and started on foot for New Hampshire. He had received an overcoat from home just before the battle, and attempted to take that with him; but one day, while attempting to ford a rapid stream, the coat became saturated with water, and being too weak to stem the current with it on, he was obliged to take it off and let it drift. He reached home, and lived to tell the tale to his grandchildren, to one of whom, Hon. James W. Patterson, I am indebted for the foregoing.-ED.] [R. 2-78] [Abraham Kimball, wounded Soldier.] [In H. of Rep., November 14, 1778, Abraham Kimball, "a soldier in Capt Baileys Company Col° Stickney's Regiment & General Starks Brigade wounded in the Battle of Bennington 16th of August 1777" was allowed £27, 14, 6 for his doctor's bills, nursing, etc. It was also voted that he was entitled to half pay for two years, from September 18, 1777. Council concurred.-ED.] [R. 2-79] [Soldier's Order, 1779.] Henniker Sept 13th 1784 Mr Gilman S Be Pleased to Pay to Robert Wallace or Bearer all My Wages Travel Money Deficiency in Cloathing, and all that is due to me for my Serving in the Continental Army one year in Co" Reeds Regt in Capt Rowels Company which time Began July 1779 and this Shall Be your Discharge: and you will Much [oblige] Witness Present Wim Wallace William Partrick your Humble Serv Simeon pope [5-66] [Petition for the Appointment of a Committee to locate a Meeting-House, 1786.] To the Honourable Senate and House of Representative of the State of newhampshire now Seting at Exeter in Said Statewe the Subscribers Inhabitants of the Town of Henniker Humbly Sheweth whereas we are about Building a Meeting house in Said Town and are So unhappy as not to agree upon the Spot where to Set Said house although we have had Two Commitee to Perfix the Place for Said house and they reported to Two Different Places and the Distance Between the Two Spots is about one hundred and forty rods where four we Pray your honnours to appoint a Disinterested Commetee from the Neighbouring Towns Consisting of three men to View the Situation of the Place and hear the Pleas and Determin the Spot where Said house Shall Be Set and we your Petitioners as in Duty Bound Henniker September y 11th 1786 [In H. of Rep., September 13, 1786, a committee was appointed, consisting of the following men: Major Isaac Chandler of Hopkinton, Ninian Aiken, Esq., of Deering, and Samuel Caldwell of Weare. Their report has not been found.—ED.] HILL. The township was granted by the Masonian Proprietors, September 14, 1753, to eighty-seven proprietors, mostly Chester men, and went by the name of New Chester until January 14, 1837. In 1768, settlements were made by Capt. Cutting Favour and Carr Huse. The latter was town-clerk for thirty-three years, and held other offices. Several other families from Chester settled the same year. The town was incorporated November 20, 1778, in answer to a petition from the inhabitants, and named New Chester at their request. The town being about nineteen miles long, and in one place not more than one mile wide, made it very inconvenient, and it was divided February 12, 1788, the north part being incorporated into the town of Bridgewater. In answer to a petition from the selectmen, an act was passed by the legislature, June 11, 1808, appointing William Webster, Bradstreet Moody, and Enoch Colby "to determine the jurisdictional lines between the Towns of New Chester, Alexandria, and Danbury," and report to the legislature. By an act approved June 24, 1819, all that part of the town "which lies northerly of Smith's river" was, with a portion of Bridgewater, incorporated into a town by the name of Bristol. December 21, 1820, the town was enlarged by the annexation of a portion of Alexandria; and by an act approved December 21, 1832, a tract of land was severed from New Chester, and annexed to Wilmot. The name of the town was changed, January 14, 1837, to Hill, in honor of the Hon. Isaac Hill, who was at that time governor of the state. The town lost another portion of territory June 26, 1858, when certain lots of land were severed, and annexed to Danbury. The town was in Grafton county until July 1, 1868, at which time it was annexed to the county of Merrimack. [5-67] [Petition to be Incorporated into two Towns, 1776.] To The Honourable Council and House of Representatives of The Colony of Newhampshire The Humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Township of New Chester Wee the Inhabitants of Sa N. Chester Do Labour under many Grievances and disadvantages for want of an In Corporation whereby wee might have officers Endowed with Power and Authority, as other Towns in this Colony Do Enjoy We therefore Humbly Pray your Honours to Grant us a Charter of In Corporation-Investing us with the Powers Priviledges and Authorities as other Towns within this Colony have it is the Desire of your Humble Petitioners that the Sa Township may Be In Corporated into two Distinct Towns if your Honours Please, By Reason of the Township Being Very Long, which will abundantly Best Accomodate the Inhabitants of Sa Town Ship, it is Desired that Sa Towns may Be Divided at New Found River So Called Allowing the upper Town to InClude the priviledges for mills upon S River within the Limits of Sa Town, and your Humble Petitioners as in Duty Bound Shall Ever Pray N. Chest Decemb* 24th 1776 Robert Crawford Nathaniel Sanborn Benj McAllester Tilton Bennet [5-68] [Arms and Ammunition asked for, 1776.] New Chester June ye 29th 1776 To the Honourable Colony Committe We the Subscribers being A Majority of the Select Men and Comittee of Safety for the Township of New Chester being willing to Defend ourselves and fellow Country men to the Utmost of our Power-But finding our Selves Destitute in A Gret Measure of Arms and Amunition Humbly beg You would use your Interest to procure About 56lbs of Powder and 112 lbs of Lead & about 150 Flints and Fifteen Guns which we Bind our Selves to the Honest payment of as Witness our hands [5-69] [Petition to be Incorporated, 1778.] To the General Court of the State of Newhampshire The Humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Township of New Chester. Wee the Inhabitants of Sa Township Do Labour under Many Grievances and Disadvantages for Want of an Incorporation whereby wee might have officers indowed with Power and authority and that wee might Lay out our highways So that wee Might make and Repair them So that travilers might Safely travel, or pass through the Town Ship Saifly for want of which wee are Sensible Some of your Honours are Sensible of and many more Difficulties which wee Labour under, we therefore Humbly Pray your Honours to Grant us a Charter of Incorporation Investing us with the Powers Priviledges and authorities as other Towns within this State Do Injoy, and your Humble Petitioners as in Duety Bound Shall Ever Pray New Chester October 15th 1778 It is Desird that the Town May Be Incorporated By the name of New Chester Carr Huse Jacob wells Abner fellows Tilton Bennet |