PROVINCE OF } To his Excellency Benning Wentworth NEW-HAMPSHIRE. Esq. Captain General Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over his Majestie's province of Newhampshire in New England to the Honorable his Majestie's Council and house of Representatives in general Assembly Convened: The Humble Petition of us the Subscribers Inhabitants of the North Westerly part of Chester in the province afores Most Humbly Sheweth that the Situation of the place where we live is such that we cannot without much Difficulty attend the publick worship of God with our familys in good Weather, and at many times in the year not at all. And the Town of Chester being sensible of our Difficulties have passed a Vote in their Annual Meeting the 25th of March 1762 that we should be set off from them as a Distinct parish about five Miles and a half in Length and about four Miles in Breadth as followeth (viz) Bounding Notherly upon Notingham line Easterly on the old Hundred acre lots So Called. Southerly on the Longe Meadow parish, as that is Voted off already, and Westerly on the forty acre lotts. Wherefore we pray that we may be Incorporated into a parish agreeable to the above Mentioned Bounds and be Invested with all those privelidges that other parishes have within this province. The granting of which we Humbly Conceive will be a great benefitt to your Humble petitioners and our familys. And your petitioners as in Duty Bound Shall ever pray, Chester March 22d Anno Domini 1763. Benjamin Batchelder, Samuel Mooers, William Turner, Winthrop Wells, Jonathan Hills, Samuel Towle, Nicklus Smith, Jonathan Towle, Thomas Chretchet, John Clay, Moses Baker, Theoph Sargent, Abraham Fitts, Zebed Barey, Elisha Been, Phineas Towle, In Council June 2nd 1763. David Hills. Read and ordered to be sent down to the Honble House. T. ATKINSON, Jun., Sec'y. This copy was taken from the original document in the office of the Secretary of State at Concord, and probably has upon it the name of every voter at that time within the limits described. Here is given also a copy of the action of the House of Representatives, and of the Council, in regard to the petition. Ordered That the petitioners be heard thereon the second day of the sitting of the General Assembly after the first day of August next and that they cause the Substance of this petition and order of Court thereon In the New Hampshire Gazette three weeks successively that any persons Concerned May Appear and shew cause if any they have why the prayer thereof should not be granted. Voted that the prayer thereof be granted and the peti tioners have liberty to bring in a bill accordingly. A. CLARKSON, Clerk. Eadem Die. In Council. Read and Concurred. THEOD. ATKINSON, Jun., Sec'y. Following is the act of incorporation, as taken from the town record: Anno Regni Regis Georgii Tertii Magna Brittanniæ Franciæ et Hibernia Quarto: L. S. An Act for Erecting and Incorporating a New Whereas a Petition has been Exhibited to the General Assembly by a Number of the Inhabitants of Chester Aforesaid Setting Forth, that it would be Very Convenient for them to be Incorporated into a New Parish as they lived a Considerable Distance from the Parish in said Town to which they belonged and there was a Number in the same situation Sufficient to make a New Parish to which the town had Consented of which due Notice having been given and no Objections made; and the Petitioners praying to be so Incorporated by the Bounds and Limits agreed to by the town It is therefore Enacted By The Governor, Council and Assembly that there be and thereby is a New Parish Erected and Incorporated in the Town of Chester by the following Boundaries, (viz.) Beginning at the North East Corner of said Parish on the Line of the Township of Nottingham at a Hemlock tree at the head of the old Hundred acre Lotts, then runs South twenty Nine Degrees West joining to said lotts as they are Entered on the Proprietors Records about four miles to a stake and stones, then West North West to a Maple Tree being the North East bounds of the Lott Number forty three in the Second part of the Second Division, and Continuing the same course by towerhill pond to a stake and stones what compleats five miles and a half upon this course, then North Twenty Nine Degrees East to a Pitch Pine which is the South West Boundary of the Eighty acre lott in the Third Division Number one hundred twenty three, ther North twenty Nine Degrees East to Nottingham Line and then on that Line to the Hemlock Tree first mentioned. And all the Inhabitants Dwelling or that shall dwell within the said Boundaries, and their Estates are hereby made a Parish by the name of CANDIA and Erected into a Body Politick and Corporate to have Continuance and Succession for Ever, and are hereby Invested with all the Powers and Enfranchised with all the Priviledges of any other Parish within this Province and are Chargable with the Duty of maintaining the Poor that do or shall Inhabit within said Parish. Repairing all High Ways Within the Same; and Maintaining and Supporting the Ministry and Preaching of the Gospel, with full power to manage and transact all Parochial Affairs as fully to all Intents and Purposes as any Parish in said Province may legally do. And the Said Inhabitants are hereby Exonerated from paying any Taxes That Shall hereafter be Assessed in the said Town, With Regard to the Support of the matters and things aforesaid, but Shall Continue to Pay their Province Tax in the same manner as before the Passing of this Act untill a New Propotion thereof shall be made among the Several Towns and Parishes within the same. And SAMUEL EMERSON Esq: is hereby appointed and authorised to call the first meeting of said Inhabitants Giving fourteen Days Public Notice of the time Place and Design of the meeting. And they the said inhabitants at such meeting are Authorised to Choose All Necessary Parish Officers as at the annual meetings is done in other Parishes and such Officers Shall hereby be Invested with the Same Power of other Parish officers in this Province. |