Given at the Council Chamber at Portsmouth the thirtieth day of May, in the eleventh year of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lady Anne by the Grace of God of Great Brittaine, France and Ireland Queen, Defender of the faith, &c. Annoque Domini, 1712. By Order of the Council, Cha. Story, Secretary. [P. 293.] Province of New Hampshire. Att a Council held at Portsm°, on Fryday, the 13th June, Anno Domini, 1712. Her Majesties warrant, Dated the 14th February, 1711–12, Relating to the Swearing John Wentworth, Esq., a member "Allowed to Treasury to Thomas Baker, commander of a company of marching forces in the late expedition against the Enemy at Coos and from thence to the west branch of the Merrimack River* and so to Dunstable, in behalf of himself and Company, for one enemy Indian bethey scalped which seems so very probable to be slain. Consented to, J. Dudley." "Wednesday, June 11, 1712. "Upon reading a petition of Lieut. Thomas Baker, commander of a party in a late expedition to Coos and over to Merrimack river, praying for a further allowance for more of the Indian enemy killed by them than they could recover or their scalps, as reported by the enemy themselves, "Concurred with a resolve passed thereon, viz: That the sum of Twenty Pounds be allowed and paid out of the Public Treasury to the petitioner and Company. Consented to, J. Dudley." * ADDITIONAL NOTE:"About the year 1720, Capt. Thomas Baker, of Northampton, in the County of Hampshire, in Massachusetts, set off with a scouting party of thirty-four men, passed up Connecticut river, and crossed the height of land to Pemigewasset river, [which is the west branch of the Merrimack]. He there discovered a party of Indians, whose Sachem was called Walternummus, whom he attacked and destroyed. Baker and the Sachem leveled and discharged their guns at each other at the same instant. The ball from the Indians gun grazed Baker's left eye brow, but did him no injury. The ball from Baker's gun went through the breast of the Sachem. Immediately upon being wounded, he leaped four or five feet high, and then fell instantly dead. The Indians fled to the river; Baker and his party pursued, and destroyed every one of them. They had a wigwam on the bank of the river, which was nearly filled with beaver. Baker's party took as much of it as they could carry away, and burned the rest. Baker lost none of his men in this skirmish. It took place at the confluence or a small river with the Pemigewasset, between Plymouth and Campton, which has since had the name of Baker's river."-Farm and Moore's Coll., Vol. III, p. 100. [N. B. Perhaps the event above narrated relates to the foregoing period, 1712, instead of 1720.-ED.] of Her Majesties Council in this Province, was read at this Board, in hæc verba sequen. ANNE R. Trusty and Well beloved, Wee Greet you well; wee being well Satisfied of the Loyaltie, Integritye and Ability of our Trusty and well beloved John Wentworth, Esq., have thought fitt hereby to Signifie Our will and pleasure to you, that forthwith upon receipt hereof you Swear and Admitt him the Said John Wentworth to be one of our Council of that our Province of New Hampshire, in the Room and place of Winthropp Hilton, Esq., deceased; And for Soe doing this Shall be your Warrant, And Soe wee bidd you ffarewell. Given at our Court at Saint James's the fourteenth day of February, 1711-12, in the Tenth year of our Reigne. By Her Majesties Command, DARTMOUTHE. To our Trusty & well beloved Joseph Dudley, Esq., Our Capt. General and Governour in Chiefe of our province of New Hampshire, in New England, in America, and in his Absence to the Commander in Chiefe Or to the President of our Council of our said province for the time. being. John Wentworth, Esq., took the Oaths appointed by Law & Declared and Subscribed the Test and Declaration, As alsoe the oath of a member of Her Majesties Council of the province. [P. 295.] Province of New Hampshire. Att a Council held at Portsmouth, on Monday, the 7th July, 1712. Present. The papers brought here from a Special Sessions of three Justices of the peace within this Province, held the fifth day of July currant, relateing to Benjamin Gatchels trading with the Indians at Lahane the first of June last, haveing been read at this Board, where [were ?] delivered into the hands of Benjamin Gambling, Clerk of the General Quar. Sessions of the peace, &c. The petition of John Abbott relating to Benjamin Gatchel's Trading with the Indians, &c., was read at this Board, in hæc verba sequen: Province of New Hampshire. To the Honourable the members of Her Majesties Council for the Province of New Hampshire, now Sitting at Portsmo for said province, The petition of John Abbett, of said Portsmouth, Humbly Sheweth : That your petitioner did Sometime Since Shipp himselfe and proceed in a ffishing Voyage with Benjamin Gatchel of Portsmouth aforesaid, and that on the first day of June last, being on board of the Barque Richard, of which the said Gatchel was Master at Anchor in the Harbour Le Hane*, Said Gatchel went ashore in a Canoe, bringing an Indian on Board with him, and leaving a white man in his Room and Traded with the Indian Exchangeing Biskett, Rumm and Cloaths for Bever Skinns, &c., promiseing to meet them another time, which your petitioner is ready to Depose upon oath; And the other men belonging to the Said Barque, if put upon it cannot but doe the same; whereupon your petitioner fearing to Runn the Hazard of such another Voyage, and refuseing to proceed with the Said Gatchel any longer, is detained in prison to his Great Hurt and detriment, from whence he makes this complaint; And if any Debts, he is ready to pay, hopeing to receive some releife from your Honours, and that your Honours will put a Stopp to such unlawful practices. JOHN ABBETT. John Abbit appeared in Court and acknowledged the above Information to be exhibited at this Board by his Order, his wife haveing wrote his Name. Cha. Story, Secretary. • Or Le Have. [P. 296.] Ordered by the Council that the tenn Shillings ffine laid upon John Abbett by the Justices of the peace at their Special Court of Sessions, the third day of July, 1712, be Remitted, and that the rest of the Justices Judgments re. maine good, as alsoe the ffine to the Queen. Peter Legroe, a Fisherman, belonging to the said Barque Richard, being called was exam'd and Sworn as followeth : You shall true Answer make to all Such Questions on Her Majesties behalfe as Shall be demanded of you, relating to an Information Exhibited at this Board by John Abbett against Benjamin Gatchell, for trading with the Indians at Lahane to the Eastward, to the best of your knowledge. Soe help you God. Q. Whether did Benj. Gatchel goe ashoar at Lahane or not? A. He knew not that he was ashoar, but he was Sometime out of the Vessell. 2d Q. Did you see any Enemy Indians on Board the Barque Richard, and who brought them aboard if any were? Legroe Equivocated to this Question in his Answer, soe it was Ordered that the Secretary Imediately make a Mittimus to send him to Goal for not Answering according to the Tenor of the Oath Given him. 3d Q. Whether there was a Whiteman Sent ashoar in Exchange for the Indian that was on Board the said Barque? A. There was a Whiteman Sent ashoar in Room of the Indian, but not by Mr. Gatchel, but from on Board of some other Vessells there. James Leach, another Fisherman, being in the said Barque Richard, at Lahane, was sworn and exam according to the tenor of the aforesaid oath. And being exam" upon the first Question, Answered he did not know whether Mr. Gatchel was ashoar or not at Lahane, but see him in a Canoe going towards the Shoar. And being examined upon the Second Question, Answered that there was two or three Enemy Indians on Board the Barque Richard, which came out of the Woods, and that John Jackson belonging to New Plymouth told him he had been ashoar againe, And that there was a, Bear Skin and some other Skins, brought on Board the said Barque, and how many other skins he knows not; and further Sayth that there was a White Blankett put upp at the Ensigne Staff by Peter Legroe, one of the men belonging to the said Barque; And to the best of his knowledge, it was by Mr. Gatchel's Order; It being on a Sabbath day. And further Sayth that the Said Jackson told him that in the time of his being ashoar, an Indian took upp a Stone to Knock him in his Head; And the Said Jackson took upp another for his defence and than [then] the Indian would have Shott him as he believed, but a French man hindred him. Abraham Bertlett being another ffisherman on Board the Said Barque being exam upon oath as aforesaid; To the first question [P. 297.] Answered, that he knew not that he was ashoar or out of the Vessell the whole day. To the Second Question he Answered, that he neither See or Knew any Indian Enemy or French on Board of the Said Barque at Lahane. 3d Q. Answered, that he knew not of any whiteman sent ashoar in Room of any Indian. 4th Question. doe you Know that Benjamin Gatchel ever Traded with the French or Indian Enemy this Summer at Lehane? A. That directly or indirectly he knew nothing of any Such thing. The petition of Peter Legro was read, as on file, and he ordered to be sent for out of Goal, and to be brought to this Board, who being further exam, Answered as followeth, viz. To the Second Question he Answered that he see one Strange Indian or French man on Board the Barque Richard, the first of June last, on a Sabbath day. Q. of New: being asked who putt upp the white Blankett at the poop of the Vessell, by whose Order, and for what • end? A. He put upp the white Blankett, and he was Ordered by a person on board of a New Plym° Vessell. Q. doe you Know of any furrs brought in the Vessell or Barque Richard from Lehane? |