of Stones, then North 12 deg′ East one mile to yo northeasterly corner of Dotchester-Canada Township, being y maple first mentioned, with the allowance of one rod in Thirty for uneven Land & Swag of chain & a further allowance for ten large ponds & a large shrub Swamp about four miles in length & a mile in Bredth. In Council Read & ordered that five thousand Acres only be allowed for Ponds & that the Committee be Directed to reform the plot upon the Spot accordingly at the charge of the Grantees, & Report to this Court at the next May session. In the House of Representatives, Read and concurd. Andover, April 3a, 1750. We y Subscribers being appointed by a Committee chosen by yo Proprietors of Rowly-Canada Township to go in y capacity of surveyors & run a line from three miles North of Black Rocks in Salisbury, sixty miles Due west, have so done & find that Sixty miles extends one mile & a half into sd Canada Township. Sam' Johnson jun N. B. We have neither of us any interest in sa Township. ROCHESTER. [Rochester was originally granted by Massachusetts to a number of Proprietors in 127 shares, and contained upwards of 60,000 acres of land. The town was incorporated 10 May, 1722. ED.] Meeting of Proprietors. At a Publick meeting of ye Proprietors of the Town of Rochester legally warned and holden at y Meeting house in said Town of Rochester on ye tenth day of July 1732 Voted, That the Rev1 Mr. Joseph Adams (1) be yo Moderator of the present meeting. Voted, That the Proprietors of the Town of Rochester with the Inhabitants of sd Town support a Gospel Minister in said Town During ye tern of seven years longer than was exprest in an Act of y Gen Court Dated May y 10th 1731, Beginning at ye Expiration of said Act and so continuing till y seven years be expired, each one paying according to their Intrest. Vera Copia, as on Rochester Town Book. Attest, Paul Gerrish, Proprietors Cler. (1) Rev. Joseph Adams was a native of Braintree, Mass.; born 1689; graduated from Harvard College, 1710; ordained as minister of Newington, N. H., Nov. 16, 1715; continued in the ministry there 68 years; and died 26th May, 1784, aged 95 years. ED. Petition of Rochester, relating to the Gospel Ministry. To his Excellency Jonathan Belcher Esq' Governor & Commander in chief in & over his Majesty's Province of New Hampshire, in New England, and to the honourable his Majestyes Council with the honourable house of Representatives in General Assembly conven'd at Portsm° in said Province: The Petition of your humble Petitioners Inhabitants of the Township of Rochester in the Province afores humbly sheweth : That we, the Inhabitants of Rochester, being persuaded that the Gospel & Means of Grace is a rich & invaluable privilidge, for which reason we can't but much lament our sad State, while we live without s means; & seeing no Rational Prospect of obtaining them for some considerable time to come, without the help & assistance of the non-Resident Proprietors, especially considering our own poverty & the Difficultys in subduing a wilderness, and hopeing it may not be deem'd unreasonable to Desire some assistance from them, in order to our Injoying the Gospel among us, since 'tis too evident to need any proof that their temporal interest is greatly advanced by us; that is, by our settling in s Town; and withall, persuading ourselves that this honourable Court will Reconsider our State & now doe some what for our Relief;—We, whose names are underwritten doe once more humbly Request the Legislative Power to pass an Act whereby to oblige the Proprietors of said Rochester to assist us the Inhabitants in supporting the Gospel in said Town of Rochester for the space of six or seven years; till, 'tis likely we may be able to doe it of our selves; or for such a term or Time as this Honourable Court should think fit: As also that the honourable Court would appoint two or three persons for calling the Inhabitants of the Town together for this present year for the choice of Town officers &c. And your humble Petitioners shall ever pray as in Duty bound. Benjamin Merrow Joseph Heard Joseph Miller John Jennes Jonathan Cops John Wentworth William Chamberlin William James April 29, 1736, In the House of Representatives, The within Petition was read, and considered of, and Voted, That every Proprietor of a full share of Lands in the town of Rochester, pay the Sum of fifteen shillings pr Annum to the Inhabitants of the said Town (or such person or persons as they shall appoint to receive the same), towards the support of a Gospel minister amongst them During the full term of seven years, and so in proportion to the sum of fifteen shillings pr annum according to their Propriety, be the same more or less, during the term aforesaid. Provided & the Petitioners are hereby obliged to keep an orthodox minister during said term, and that the Revd Jos. Adams & John Jennes & Wm. Chamberlaine be impowered to call a Town meeting to choose town officers, as the Law directs, for the present year, and yt all such officers so chosen shall have full power & authority as other town Officers have by Law & that the Peti have liberty to bring in a Bill accordingly. In Coun' eo. die. Rich Waldron, Sec James Jeffrey, Cler. Assm Assented to J. BELCHER. [An Act was passed agreeably to the foregoing vote (1). ED.] (1) See copy of said Act in MS. "Town Papers," Vol. VI. p. 115. ED. Petition of William Chamberlin and John Fenness, for further relief. To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq' Governor and Commander in Chief in & over his Majesty's Province of New Hampshire, the Honble his Majesty's Council & House of Representatives for said Province in General Court convened. The Humble Petition of William Chamber" [Chamberlin] and John Jenness both of Rochester in the Province of New Hampshire, as a Committee for the said Town, shews: That the said Town of Rochester being an Infant settlem the Inhabitants thereof Labour under many hardships & Inconveniences unknown to Places come to maturity and that are able to supply with all the necessaries of life. That the General Court in consideration of the Indigent circumstances of the said Inhabitants past an Act some few years since subjecting the non-resident Proprietors to the payment of fifteen shillings upon every whole Right or share, and in proportion for a Lesser part towards the support of the Ministry & other charges of the said Town;-which Act was temporary & expires in March or April next. That the said Inhabitants have labored under the frowns of Providence in a peculiar manner for the two last years, by cutting short their crops of Indian Corn (their chief support) with early & unseasonable Frosts, which has greatly distrest them & made them more Indigent than when the Court granted them the aid above mentioned; especially too considering there is no Grist Mill in the said Town & that they suffer many other inconveniences too numerous to be here particularly mentioned:-Wherefore your Petitioners in behalf of their constituents most humbly Pray this Hone Court to Revive the aforesaid Act for such time as shall seem meet or to grant them leave to bring in another, drafted in such manner as this Court shali think to be a proper support & succour to the said Inhabitants, or give them such other Relief as in your Great Wisdom & Goodness you shall think proper;—and your Petitioners as in Duty Bound (in their said capacity) shall ever pray, &c. WILLIAM CHAMBERLIN JOHN JENNES. Feby 13 1741 In the House of Representatives: The within Petition read and the Petitioners heard and som of the Proprietors p'sent at the hearing: Voted, That the Prayer of the Petition be thus far granted, viz. That the non-resident Proprietors shall pay ten shillings annually for one whole share & so in proportion to their interest in s4 Town, for & towards the support of the Ministry in said Town, and that the Petitioners have leave to bring in a Bill accordingly: the Act to continue for three years & no longer. James Jeffry, Cler. AssTM The within Petition read & voted, That the Proprietors (both resident and non-resident) of the first and second divisions of land in the Town of Rochester and the Proprietors of any part or parts of the said first or second divisions be subjected by a special Act to pay annually a tax of five shillings for a home lot and five shillings for a second division, and pro rata for a part of a first or second division, for & towards the support of the Gospel ministry in the said Town, for and during the space of three years next coming and that the Petitioners have leave to bring in a Bill accordingly. It is to be understood that the five shillings above mentioned is to be according to the value of our present current Province Bills. R. Waldron, Sec. February the 23d 1741 In the House of Representatives. The above Vote of Council Read & concurr'd & the Petitioners have liberty to bring in a Bill accordingly. Feb. 23, 1741. James Jeffry, Cler. Ass Petition for a guard of soldiers, 1746. To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq Capt. Gen' And Governor-in-Chief, in & over his Majesty's Province of New Hampshire, in New England, and to y Honourable Council & Representatives, in Gen Court assembled: The Humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Rochester in ye Province afores humbly Sheweth: That whereas your Petitioners are few in number & under Indigent circumstances, living in a wilderness, where we are continually liable to y Assaults of y Barbarous Indian Enemy who have killed four of our men already & taken one man & a Boy in y week past & have killed & wounded a considerable number of our Cattle that we have found already (more being missing) and they are continually Lurking about our Houses and Fields (being seen by some of us almost every day) so that we cannot go out or come in without being liable to Fall by them, & our Families are suffering & we not able to go out to our labour, and we have no soldiers in the town at this time; Therefore, we humbly Pray & Intreat your Excellency & your Honours to take our Deplorable circumstances under your wise consideration & to extend your paternal care & affection to us, By allowing us a suitable Number of soldiers to Guard us in our Garrisons & about our necessary employ ments from time to time; and your Petitioners as in Duty Bound shall ever Pray, &c. Rochester July 1, 1746. Tim Roberts Jonathan Young Henery Allerd John McFee Joseph Richards Beniman Heays Zebolon Damm Jonathan Hodgen In Council, July 24 1746. Stephan Berey John Garlon William Chamberl Solomon Perkins. Read & sent down to the Honble House. Theodore Atkinson, Sec. |