[Mass. House Journal, Dec. 12, 1738.] A Petition of Leonard Lockman, Esq; shewing that he purchased, paid for, and gave Bond to settle divers Rights or Shares of Land in the Township Number Nine in the Line of Towns, since which it is manifest the said Lands are accounted not worth settling, so that he is without remedy if he cannot obtain Recompence, praying for an Equivalent in other Lands of the Province in such Quantity as to the Wisdom of the Court shall seem meet. Read and Ordered, That this Petition be referred to the next sitting of the Court, to be considered with the Petition of Samuel Lyscomb, and others, a Committee in behalf of the other Proprietors of said Township, as entred the 6th currant. [Mass. House Journal, July 3, 1739.] The Petition of Samuel Lyscomb, Jonathan Dwight, Thomas Cutler, and others, for themselves and the other Grantees or Proprietors of the Township Number Nine, in the Line of Towns, praying they may obtain another Grant of a Township by reason of the badness of Number Nine, as entred the 4th of December 1737, the 13th of June and 6th of December 1738. Read and Ordered, That the Petition be referred further to the next sitting of the Court for Consideration. [Vote and List of Grantees of Lempster, 1750.] [Mass. Archives, Vol. 115, p. 839.] At a Great and General Court held in Boston, the Twenty Fourth Day of November, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty Six, the following Vote passed the Two Houses, and was Consented to by the Governour-Vizt Voted, That m' Samuel Lyscom be and hereby is fully Authorized and Impowered to Assemble and Convene the Grantees or Proprietors of the Township Number Nine, lying in the Line of Towns between the Rivers of Connecticut and Merrimack, to assemble in such Place as they shall be Notified and warned to Convene and Assemble at, To Choose a Moderator and Clerk, and Committee to Allot and Divide their Lands & to dispose of the same, and to pass such Votes and Orders as by them may be thought Conducive for the speedy fulfilment of the Conditions of their Grants, And also to agree upon Methods for calling of Meetings for the future, Provided None of their Votes concerning the Dividing or Disposing of their Lands, that shall be passed, while they are under the Direction of the Committee of this Court, shall be of Force before they are allowed of by the said Committee A True Copy taken from the Book of Records belonging to the Grantees of the Township Number Nine S Clark for the Grantees of No 9— Attest Josiah Peirce { A List of the Names of the Grantees of the Township N° 9 Nathan Brigham Joseph Dwight John Goddard Thomas Cutler jun Ascan Lockman William Lockman Daniel Dwight John Harris William Cutler Jonathan Pool John Overing Ephraim Cutler Samuel Whitney Josiah Shattock Josiah Perry Josiah Peirce David Stratton Thomas Wellington Daniel Hastings John Fisk Peter Wyman Elisha Maynard Henry Spring Ephraim Perry Joseph Dix Ebenezer Stone I know not That any of the Grantees have fulfilled the Conditions of their Grants-The Reason of ye Neglect is, The Grantees employ'd a Committee to view the Township, & to lay out House Lots: who after viewing the same, Reported to the Grantees, That in their Judgment it was Utterly Impossible to be Inhabited as a Town; and therefore they laid out no Lots. Upon which the Grantees made Choice of a Committee to Petition the Great and General Court for a New Township in the Room of Number Nine at a Meeting December 6, 1737. Which Committee, I have often heard, Obtained, That the Grantees should be saved harmless. from their Bonds by a Vote of the Great and General Court. But have not been able to procure that Vote. Josiah Peirce Proprietors Clerk Hampshire ss Josiah Peirce Subscriber to the above Copies and Mar. 23. 1750 Account relating to the Township Number Nine made Oath that they were True before me Richa Crouch Just Peace LITCHFIELD. [This was originally a part of Old Dunstable, known as Naticook or Brenton's Farm. Granted by Massacusetts July 9, 1729, to John Richardson and others. The present name was adopted July 3, 1734. Incorporated as Litchfield, June 5, 1749. See New Hampshire charters following; IX, Bouton Town Papers, 467; XII, Hammond Town Papers, 414; Index to Laws, 292; historical sketch, by E. F. McQuesten, Hurd's History of Hillsborough County, 1885, p. 486. Consult authorities cited under title of Dunstable.] [Mass. Court Records, July 9, 1729.] A Petition of John Richardson, Joseph Blanchard & divers others, being some of the Proprietors of a Tract of Land in the Town of Dunstable called Naticook or Brenton's Farm, Praying for a Grant of Province Lands adjacent to the said Farm, of the Contents of about twenty one square miles lying on both sides of Merrimack River. Beginning on the East Bank of said River, Northward of said Farm, & to extend as the Line of said Farm runs, three miles; thence Northerly according to the general Course of the River, three miles; thence Westerly to said River, & to continue on the same Point four miles Westerly of said River; thence Southerly on a Line parallel to the general Course of the said River till it meets with Merrimack River, Which Tract of Land they will settle with Families as soon as they can have Encouragement for the same. In the House of Representves Read & Voted that the Prayer of the Petition be granted, & the Lands are hereby granted to the Petitioners & their associates accordingly; Provided they shall within three years lay out Sixty House Lots compacted & in a defensible manner, & set a part one Lot for the first settled Minister, one for the Ministry & one for the School, & settle fifty Families on the Place, each to build a House on his Lot, & Fence & break up three Acres of Land, & the Society settle a learned orthodox Minister, & build a Meeting house for the Worship of God within the Term; And that Major John Chandler, & Mr John Hobson be a Committee fully impowered to set off to the Grantees the Contents of Twenty one square miles; & that then the Grantees have Power to chuse a Committee among themselves to manage the Affairs of the Plantation until they shall be erected into a Township by this Court; The Charge of laying out the Land to be defrayed by the Grantees; who are not allowed to make Sale of the Land within the said Term, & unless the Conditions be complied with within the Term, the Lands shall be forfeited to the Province. In Council; Read & Concur'd [Mass. House Journal, June 9, 1731.] A Petition of Jonas Clark, Joseph Underwood and Caleb Blogget, in behalf of themselves and the other Subscribers, part of whom are Petitioners in a Petition called, The addition to Naticook Farm to make it a Township; and part belonging to a Petition called, Amaskeeg Petition; praying, That they may have a Tract of Land granted them for a Township, agreeable to the Bounds set forth in the Petition, and that they may have a Committee chosen among themselves, to lot out the same, and manage the Affairs thereof, for Reasons mentioned. Read. [Mass. House Journal, Aug. 13, 1731.] A Petition of Jonas Clark, Joseph Underwood and Caleb Blogget, in behalf of themselves and the other Subscribers, part of whom are Petitioners in a Petition called The Petition to Naticook Farm to make it a Township, and part belonging to a Petition called Amaskeag Petition, praying, That a Tract of Land within the following Bounds, may be granted them for a Town ship, viz. Southerly by Dunstable Line, and Souhegan River, Westerly by the Narraganset Township, a parallel Line to Piscataquogy River, and by said River to Merimack River, and from Merimack River to run Eastward Three Miles, then turning about Southerly, according to the Course of said Merimack River, until it comes to Dunstable Line first mentioned, for Reasons mentioned in the Petition. Read, and Ordered, That Mr. Chandler, Mr. Lynde and Capt. Goddard be a Committee to consider thereof, and Report what may be proper to be done thereon. [Mass. House Journal, Dec. 10, 1731.] A Memorial of Benjamin Woodbridge and Thomas Arnold, for themselves and as Agents on behalf of the several Petitioners Subscribers to a Petition exhibited in the Year 1726 praying, that the Court would revive the said Petition, and that (for the Reasons therein mentioned, and what further may be added) they would grant the Prayer thereof. Read, together with the Petition above referred to, as also the Report of the Committee appointed the last Session, to consider of the Petition of Joseph Underwood and others, praying, that a Tract of Land North of Dunstable on both sides Merrimack River, may be granted for a Township, as entred the 13th of August, and 6th of October last, and the House came into the following Order, viz. Ordered, That Mr. Shove and Mr. Samuel Chandler, be a Committee to take a Survey of all the Land lying between Dunstable North and Suncook Šouth Line, Three Miles East of Merrimack River, and Four Miles West thereof, so as not to interfere with the Narraganset Township, view and consider the Nature and Quality of the said Land, and whether the same will accommodate three Townships, and make Report as soon as may be, Sent up for Concurrence. [Mass. House Journal, Dec. 10, 1731.] A Memorial of Caleb Blogget, in behalf of himself and others, Petitioners for a Tract of Land for a Township on Merrimack River, joining to Dunstable, (as by a Petition in May 1731 will |