I am inclined to believe there Was One Lot Laid out for the Minister, & One for the school, in the first Division, between the fifty seventh, & fifty Lots on Merrimack River but they are not Numbred & Recorded, as i Can find, so that i fear they Will be Lost. The first Minister, the Ministry, & school Lots, in the second & Third Division are as followeth I have No Account who are setled in the Town: but by Word of Mouth, according to that account, their names follow I am informed there are four sawmills in the Town and two Corn Mills. I Cannot inform Who have Performed the setling Conditions, any Otherwise than I have Done. Humbly offered Milton march 25 1751 samuel Wadsworth Proprietors Clerk Suffolk ss. Boston 26th March 1751 Mr Samel Wadsworth appeared, & made solemn Oath that the foregoing Return is to the best of his knowledge just & true Tho Hubbard J. Pacs Before me [Petition of Joseph Joscelyn for Equivalent Grant, 1774.] [Mass. Archives, Vol. 118, p. 763.] Province of The Petition of Joseph Josselyn of Hanover in the County of Plymouth Esq' Humbly Sheweth that there was a Grant of a Township made by the Great & General Court in June AD. 1732 To Benjamin Smith and Others for Services done in the Naraganset Indian War. which Township was laid out on Merimack River in the year 1733. and Commonly called No 5. Your Petitioner having Purchased of the Heirs of Benjamin Bates one of the Soldiers in that War his Right which was afterwards laid out in said Township to your Petitioner who has been at Considerable trouble and Cost from Time to Time in Bringing on the Settlement agreable to the terms of said Grant. But after Some Years, upon Runing the Line Between this Province and that of New Hampshire, the whole of said Township was taken into that Province, and Your Petitioner was thereby deprived & Excluded from all Property and Benefit of his said Lands. Wherefore He Prays your Excellency and Honours to take this his Case into your Wise and Compassionate Consideration And in your Wisdom and Goodness make him Such a Grant of Some unappropriated Lands of this Province as shall appear to you Just & Reasonable or otherwise Relieve him in this Case as to you Seems meet.— And as in Duty bound Shall Ever Pray &c Joseph Josselyn [In answer to this petition, the General Court granted the petitioner four hundred acres of land to the eastward of Saco River, March 3, 1774.] BOSCAWEN. [Granted by Massachusetts as Contoocook, Dec. 8, 1732, to John Coffin and others, of Newbury, Mass. The grant was confirmed by the Masonian Proprietors, Jan. 10, 1758. Incorporated as Boscawen, April 22, 1760, and named in honor of Admiral Edward Boscawen, of the British navy. The charter was renewed Oct. 7, 1763. Webster was set off and incorporated July 4, 1860. This division was attempted in 1791, when the inhabitants of the west part of the town asked to be set off and incorporated by the name of Bristol. See New Hampshire charters and Masonian Papers in this and following volumes; IX, Bouton Town Papers, 57; XI, Hammond Town Papers, 193; Index to Laws, 62; Descriptive and Historical Account of, by John Farmer, 1821, XX, Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 71-76; Chronological Register, by Ebenezer Price, 1823, pp. 116; Proceedings of Centennial Celebration, 1876, pp. 27; History of Boscawen and Webster, by Charles Carleton Coffin, 1878, pp. 656; One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of Settlement, 1883, pp. 211, pub. 1884; historical sketch, Hurd's History of Merrimack County, 1885, p. 169.] [Mass. House Journal, Dec. 20, 1731.] A Petition of John Coffin and others, Inhabitants of sundry Towns within this Province, praying, that they may have a Tract of Land above and adjoining to Pennicook, of the Contents of seven Miles square granted to them, under such Limitations as may compel them to settle the same, for which they are willing to pay, for the use of the Province, Five Hundred Pounds in Bills of Credit. Read, and Ordered, That Mr. Welles, Major Chandler, and Major Brattle, be a Committee to consider thereof, and Report what may be proper to be done thereon. [Mass. House Journal, Dec. 22, 1731.] The Committee to whom was referred the Petition of John Coffin and others, entred the 20th Instant, Reported, Read, Accepted and Ordered, That the Prayer of the Petition be so far granted, as that the Petitioners be and hereby are impowered by a Surveyor and Chain-Men under Oath, to Survey and lay out a Township of the Contents of seven Miles square above and adjoining to the new Town at Pennicook, on both sides of Merrimack River, to extend three Miles on the East side, and four Miles on the West side of the said River, and return a plan thereof to this Court at their Session in May next for Confirmation; at which time the Grantees shall pay into the Province Treasury, for the use of the Province, Five Hundred Pounds in Bills of Credit, and that thereupon the Petitioners be impowered to chuse and appoint a Committee for laying out one Hundred Home-Lots, (which shall be drawn for by the Grantees) and such other Divisions as shall be agreed upon by the Major Part of them; the whole of the Charge to be equally paid by the said Grantees. And that, for the effectual bringing forward the Settlement of the said Township, the Grantees shall within six Years from the first Day of July next, have actually upon the Spot, Ninety Seven Families, each of which to have a Dwelling-House of eighteen Feet square, and seven Feet Stud, at least, and three Acres of Land well stock'd with English Grass, fit for Mowing and four Acres of Tillage Land brought to fit for Improvement, upon pain of forfeiting his Interest to the Province, and the Sum of Ten Pounds, for which Security shall be given at the Payment of the said Five Hundred Pounds, to a Committee of the Court to be appointed for that Purpose; and that there be Three Home-Lots, with all after Rights, part of the said One Hundred, sequestred, viz. One for the first settled Minister, One for the Ministry and one for the School. Sent up for Concurrence. [Mass. Court Records, Dec. 23, 1731.] A Petition of John Coffin & a great number of others praying for a Grant of a Tract of Land of Seven Miles square lying on each side of Merrimack River abover Penicook, for the Consideration of the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds to be paid into the province Treasury & the performance of such Conditions for ye Settlemt of sd Land as this Court shall Order. In the House of Representves Read & Ordered that the prayer of the Petition be so far granted as that the Petitions be & hereby are impowered by a Surveyour & Chain men under Oath to Survey & lay out a Township of the Contents of Seven Miles square above & adjoining To the new Town at Penicook on both sides of Merrimack River to extend three miles on the East side & four Miles on the West Side of the sd River & Return a Plat thereof to this Court at their Session in May next for Confirmation, At which Time the Grantees shall pay into the province Treasury for the Use of the Province Five Hundred Pounds in Bills of Credit & that thereupon the Petition" be Impowered to Chuse & Appoint a Commtee for laying out One Hundred home Lotts (which shall be drawn for by the Grantees) & such other Divisions as shall be Agreed on by ye Major Part of them ye whole of the Charge to be equally pd by the said Grantees, & that for the Effectual bringing forward the Settlemt of the sd Township the Grantees shall within six Years from the first day of July next have actually upon the Spot Ninety seven Families, Each of wch to have a Dwelling House of eighteen foot square, & seven feet Stud at least & three Acres of Land well stock'd with English Grass fit for Mowing & four Acres of Tillage brought to fit for Improvement, upon pain of forfeiting his Interest to the Province & the Sum of Ten Pounds, for which Security shall be given at the Paymt of the sd £500, to a Commtee of this Court to be appointed for that purpose & that |