Petition of Ebenezer Hinsdale for protection against the Indians. Hinsdale Decemb' 24th 1755 To His Excelly Bening Wentworth Esq. Capt Gen & Commander in Chief in & over his Majestys Province of New Hampsh To the Honourble his Majestys Councill & House of Representatives when In Gen" Court Assembled. The petition of Ebenezer Hinsdale of Hinsdale in the province of New Hampsh' In behalfe of himself & others of said Town, Humbly Sheweth that the said Place is the first Town above the Massachusetts line on Connecticut River a part of which has been under Improvement for sixty or seventy years past; That they have now made Considerable Improvements Even above any Town Ship In the province of New Hampsh' on sd River; That they have been formerly Protected by the Province of the Massachusetts Bay but have Lately been much Neglected as not being within their Line of Jurisdiction; That of late we have been kindly cared for of your Excelly & Honours which Imboldens us to pray to you for yo' further care. We look upon ourselves one of the most Exposed places in these parts In as much as the desent from Crown Point by the way of Otter Creek & down west River (out of the way of our Forts at Lake George &c) Is as Easey by West River to us as by Black River to Charles town the uppermost Settlement on Connecticut River. It is Evident from the Numerous attacks made on this place at the close of the last Warr, and their Repeated strokes on us the last Summer that we are a people much Exposed & Stand in as special need of your Protection as any Place what so ever, and without it we cannot long continue here. I have Compleated the best fortification in these parts as will be allowed by any who have seen it. It appears hard to give it up to his Majestys Enemies, Never the less I must be obliged to Resign it with out your assistance In the Protection of it. We are in Constant fear of an Enemy desending upon us since the forces are drawn off in a great measure from Lake George In as much as those Forts maintain'd there stand not in the Way of the Enemies usuall Desent upon these frontiers. We therefore Intreat you will afford us a speedy & Steady Protection & we as in Duty bound will ever pray. EBENEZ HINSDALE, In y name of ye rest. In Council Jany 2a 1756, Read & recommended & ordered to be sent Down to the Honbi Assembly Theod Atkinson, Secry. Petition of Daniel Jones of Hinsdale for remission of taxes. To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Captain Generall and Governor in chief in and over his Majestys Province of New Hampshire and to the Honorable his Majestys Council and House of Representatives in Generall Court Assembled, June 25th 1766. The petition of Daniel Jones of Hinsdale within said Province of New Hampshire in Behalf of the Inhabitants of that part of Hinsdale which lieth within The province of New Hampshire aforesaid, Humbly shews That by his Majestys Order in Council of July 20th 1764 Connecticut River is the Dividing Line Between the Province of New Hampshire & New York By which settlements Near one half of ye Poles and Rateable Estate within the Town of Hinsdale are taken into the Province of New York. By which means the Inhabitants of that part of said Hinsdale which lieth within the Province of New Hampshire have been obliged to pay for y year past towards the province tax that whole sum of money or proportion of the province tax that used to be Laid on the Inhabitants & Rateable Estate of ye Town of Hinsdale on Both sides of Connecticut River. Your Petitioner therefore in Behalf of the Inhabitants of ye town of Hinsdale within said Province of N. Hampshire Humbly prays your Excellency and Honors woud remit to said Inhabitants that part of the Province tax that would have been laid on ye Inhabitants of Hinsdale on the Western side of Connecticut River had they have remained to ye Province of New Hampshire for y year past & also to assess them for the Future in the same proportion with other Towns within said Province all which is humbly submitted by DAN JONES. June 5th 1766. Province of New Hampshire, In Council 4th July 1766, Read & Ordered to be sent down to the Honble house. T. Atkinson Jr. Secry. At a Legall meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Hinsdale held at Hinsdale on ye 30th day of October 1765, Voted, that Daniel Jones Esq. Messrs Thomas Taylor & Daniel Shattuck the Selectmen of said Town of Hinsdale or Either of them is hereby appointed and desired to prefer a petition to the Generall Court for the province of New Hampshire desireing an abatement of the province Tax for the present Year and for the Future as a Considerable part of said Town of Hinsdale that used to be Taxed for the support of the Province of New Hampshire is Now within the province of New York The above is a True Coppy of Record Extracted from the Records of the Towh of Hinsdale within the province of New Hampshire. Pr. Dan Jones Town Clerk, for said Hinsdale. Decem' 9th 1767. Province rate for the town of Hinsdale, 1764, including Polls, Real estate & Personal estate. [The sum total of each only is carried out. ED.] NAMES. Thomas Holton William Orvis Eleazer Paterson Samuel Stratton Joseph Stebbins Capt. Orlando Bridgman Daniel Sargeant Rufus Sargeant Capt. Nathan Willard Benjamin Barret Benja Barret, jun. John Barret Thomas Rockwood Daniel Jones, Esq' Mrs. Abigail Hinsdale alias Hall Daniel Shattuck Peter Evans I Aaron Cooper Wm. Orvis, jun. Lt. Jon Belding This Rate of the Province Tax is to be understood in Sterling or Lawful money of great Brittain, made by us Nov 27, 1764. John Evans assessors John Bridgman Province of New Hamp" May 29th 1766. Then Mr. Amos Tute appeared before me & made Oath that the within is a true coppy of an assessment made for the Province tax for ye year 1764, which was committed to him as constable to collect, and it is ye assessment by which ye Rate was collected. Dan' Jones, Jus. Pacis. Report of Committee. We find by Examining into the state of Hinsdale by Reason of part of said Town being Taken into the Government of New York there ought to be Remitted to said Hinsdale the sum of Two pounds six Shillings Lawfull money and the sum of thirteen pounds sixteen shillings New Tenor of their Province Tax for the year 1765, & the sum of Two pounds fourteen shillings & sixpence Lawful money & the sum of Eleven pounds thirteen shillings & six pence New Tenor for the year 1766; also the sum of three pounds Fourteen shillings & three pence Lawfull money for the year 1767. And beg leave to Report the same accordingly Christor Toppar Committee |