USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Plymouth > History of Plymouth, New Hampshire; vol. I. Narrative--vol. II. Genealogies, Volume I > Part 3
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I. That every Grantee, his Heirs or Assigns shall plant and cultivate five Acres of Land, within the Term of five Years, for every fifty Acres contained in his or their Share or Proportion of Land in said Township and continue to improve and settle the same by additional Cultivations on Penalty of the Forfeiture of his Grant or Share in the said Township, and of its reverting to Us our Heirs and Successors to be, by Us or them, Regranted to such of Our Subjects as shall effectually settle and cultivate the same.
II. That all white and other Pine Trees within the said Township, fit for Masting Our Royal Navy, be carefully preserved for that Use, and none to be cut or felled without Our special License for so doing first had and obtained, upon the Penalty of the Forfeiture of the Right of such Grantee, his Hcirs and Assigns to Us, our Heirs and Successors, as well as being subject to the Penalty of any Act, or Acts of Parlia-' ment that now are or hereafter shall be Enacted.
III. That before any Division of the Land be made to and among the
20
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTHI.
Grantees, a Tract of Land as near the Centre of the said Township as the Land will admit of shall be reserved and marked out for Town Lots, one of which shall be allotted to each Grantee, of the Contents of one Acre.
IV. Yielding and paying therefor to Us, our Heirs and Successors, for the Space of ten Years to be computed from the Date hereof, the Rent of one Ear of Indian Corn only, on the twenty fifth day of Decem- ber annually if lawfully demanded, the first Payment to be made on the twenty fifth day of December, 1763.
V. Every Proprietor Settler or Inhabitant shall yield and pay unto Us, our Heirs and Successors, yearly and every Year forever, from and after the Expiration of ten Years from the abovesaid twenty fifth Day of December, namely on the twenty fifth Day of December which will be in the Year of Our Lord, 1773, One Shilling Proclamation Money for Every Hundred Acres he so owns settles or possesses, and so in Pro- portion for a greater or lesser Tract of the said Land ; which Money shall be paid by the respective Persons abovesaid, their Heirs or Assigns in our Council Chamber in Portsmouth, or to such Officer or Officers as shall be appointed to receive the same; and this to be in Lieu of all other Rents and Services whatsoever.
In Testimony whereof we have caused the Scal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed. Witness
BENNING WENTWORTH Esq., Our Governor and Commander in Chief of Our said Province, the fifteenth Day of July In the Year of our Lord Christ, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty three And in the third Year of Our Reign.
B. Wentworth
By His EXCELLENCY's Command
With Advice of COUNCIL Theodore Atkinson Secry
The Names of the Grantees of Plymouth. [Engrossed on the Charter]
Joseph Blanchard, Esq.
William Cumings
William Read
Jonathan Hobart
Oliver Lawrence
Benja Parker
William Nevens
Samuel Thompson
Onesepherous Marsh
Josiah Brown
Samuel Goodhew
Elnathan Blood
Samuel Cumings Esq.
Moses Merrell
Samuel Hale
Zachariah Parker
Joseph Warner
Amos Phillips
Daniel Emerson Jun.
John Willoby
21
THE CHARTER AND DRAFT OF LOTS.
Thomas Merrell
David Wright Thomas McClure
Stephen Powers
Elnathan Blood Jun.
David Hobart
John Willoby Jun.
Samuel Cummings of Dunstable
Ebenezer Cumings
Abner Keyes
Richard Pierce
Jonas Keyes
John Brown John Harvel James Hobart
John Hobart
John Phelps
Mathew Patten Esq
Jotham Cumings
Francis Powers
Gershom Hobart
Peter Hobart
James Underwood
William Nutting
Nahum Powers
Thomas Daves
Jonathan Johnson
Nathiel Garfield
James Cowan
Jacob Hilldreth
Stephen Ames
Oliver Parker
Phinehas Lund
Theodore Atkinson Esq
James Nahor
William Temple Esq
William McClure
Theod Atkinson Jun. Esq
Abel Webster
Ebenezer Hartshorn
Meshech Weare Esq Col. Joseph Smith
On the back of the charter is engrossed : -
One tract of land for his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. to con- tain five Hundred acres as Marked B W in the Plan which is to be Ac- counted two of the within shares one Whole Share for the Incorporated society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, one Share for a Glebe for the Church of England as by Law Established one Share for the first Settled Minister of the Gospel and one Share for the Benefit of a School in Said Town.
THE FIRST DRAFT OF LOTS DECEMBER 20, 1763.
NAME OF PROPRIETOR
TWO FIFTY ACRE LOTS OF UPLAND
ONE SIXTEEN ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
ONE 53 ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
Joseph Blanchard.
No. Six, in Bakers river Range No. eight, in fourth Range No. fifty six, joining on the Pemegewa- sette River.
No. eight, north-side of Baker's river.
No. seventeen Lower vale
Inter-
William Read.
No. one, in the third Range.
No. thirty seven, north side of Baker's river.
No. ten in the Lower Inter- vale
22
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
NAME OF PROPRIETOR
Two FIFTY ACRE LOTS OF UPLAND
ONE SIXTEEN ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
ONE 53 ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
Oliver Lawrence.
[ No. twelve, first Range. No. eight, second Range.
No. thirty five, north side of Baker's river.
No. forty Lower Intervale
William Nevins.
No. seven, Baker's river Range No. seven, fourth Range.
No. nine, north side of Baker's river.
No. fifty five Lower Inter- vale
Onesipherus Marsh.
No. sixteen first Range (No. ten third Range. No. fourteen, Baker's river Range.
No. twenty six, south side of Bakers river.
No. twenty five Lower Inter- vale
Samuel Goodhue.
No. three, fourth Range. No. one, in the first Range. No. ten, in the second Range. No. twenty four, Baker's river Range
No. thirty three, nortli side of Baker's river.
No. twenty seven Lower Intervale
Samuel Hale.
No. six second Range. No. fifty eight joining the upper Intervale on Pemegwasette river
No. two, north side of Baker's river.
No. forty four Lower Inter- vale
Daniel Emerson.
No. two, fourth Range. No. four, first Range. No. thirty eight, ly- ing to the west of and at a distance from the Lower In- tervale.
No. one in the Horse Pasture, or upper In- tervale on the Peme- gewasette river.
No. one middle Intervale on Plemegewa- sette river.
Thomas Merrill.
No. seven, first Range No. thirty nine lying to the west of and at a distance from the Lower Inter- vale.
No. five, six, & seven five & half acre lots in the middle Inter- vale eaquel to a six- teen acre lot.
Steplien Powers.
No. nineteen, first Range.
No. fifty three, north side of' Bakers river.
No. twenty four Lower Inter- vale.
No. thirty, north side of Baker's river. No. sixty joining the upper Intervale on Pemegewasette River. No. forty two, east of & join- ing the fourth Range.
No. four north side of Bakers river.
No. thirty three Lower Inter- vale.
Elnathan Blood, Jr.
John Willoughby.
No. fourteen, first Range. No. twelve, second Range.
No. twenty eight, south side of Bakers river, two acres on the In- tervale lot.
No. thirty nine, Lower Inter- vale
. Samuel Cummings.
No. twenty four, south side of Baker's river.
No. three mid- dle Intervale
Joseph Warner.
No. forty seven, north side of Baker's river
23
THE CHARTER AND DRAFT OF LOTS.
NAME OF PROPRIETOR
Two FIFTY ACRE LOTS OF UPLAND
ONE SIXTEEN ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
ONE 53 ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
Ebenezer Cummings.
No. thirteen, first Range No. seven, second Range.
No. thirty four north side of Baker's river
No. two in the middle Inter- vale on Peme- gewassette river
Richard Pierce.
No. eight third Range. No. thirty seven, join- ing on Pemegewa- sette river.
No. five, horse pasture or upper Intervale on Pemegewasette river
No. sixty Lower Intervale.
No. fourteen, second Range.
No. thirty six, north side of Baker's river.
No. fifty six Lower Inter- vale
Jonas Keyes.
No. fifty three, lying on the west end of the fifty acre lot No. thirty six that joins the middle Intervale on Peme- gewasette river
No. twenty five, south side of Bakers river.
No. thirteen Lower Inter- vale
John Hobart.
No. twenty five, on Baker's river R. No. nine, in the sec- ond Range.
No. thirty nine, north side of Bakers river.
No. thirty six Lower Inter- vale
John Phelps.
No. nine, third Range. No. fifty seven, join- ing the upper In- tervale on Pemege- wasette river.
No. twenty two south side of Baker's river.
No. eighteen Lower Inter- vale
Jotham Cummings.
No. seventeen and eighteen, first Range.
No. forty eight, northı side of Baker's river
No. eight mid- dle Int. on Pemegewa- sette River
Gershom Hobart.
No. thirty five, north of Bakerriver. No. forty three, lying on the east side of the fifty acre No. forty-two that joins the south Range
No. thirteen, third Range
No. three, in the horse pasture or upper Int. on Pemegewassette river
No. forty seven Lower Inter- vale
James Underwood.
No. fifty four, joining the middle Inter- vale on Pemegewa- sette River.
Nahum Powers.
No. thirteen on Baker's river Range.
No. seventeen, south side Bakers river
No. twenty three Lower Intervale
No. six, third Range. No. one, Baker's river Range joining Pemegewasette river
No. twenty seven South side of Bakers river.
No. fifty Lower Intervale
Jonathan Johnson.
No. twenty six, on Baker's River Range
24
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
NAME OF PROPRIETOR
Two FIFTY ACRE LOTS OF UPLAND
ONE SIXTEEN ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
ONE 52 ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
Stephen Ames.
No. twenty three, on Baker's river Range. No. four, in the third Range
No. twenty three, south side of Bakers river.
No. twelve Lower Inter- vale
James Nahor.
No. twenty seven, joining Governors farm north side Bakers river
No. one north of Baker's river.
No. four, in fourth Range No. fourteen, in the third Range
No. thirty eight, north side Baker's River.
No. thirty five Lower Inter- vale
William McCluer.
No. fifty-five joining Pemegewasette and Middle Inter- vale.
No. thirty, north side Baker's River.
No. thirty two. Lower Inter- vale
Ebenezer Hartshorn.
No. thirty two, north side of Bakers River.
No. fifty one, north side of Bakers River.
No. twenty six Lower Inter- vale
William Cummings.
No. ten first Range. No. six, first Range. No. eleven second Range.
No. four, horse pasture Upper Intervale.
No thirty one Lower Inter- vale
No. one, in the fourth Range.
No. three, north side of Bakers River.
No. nineteen, Lower Inter- vale
Jonathan Hobart.
No. fifty nine, joining the Upper Inter- vale Pemegewa- sette River
No. twelve, south side of Bakers River.
No. fourteen, Lower Inter- vale.
Benjamin Parker.
No. eight, Bakers River Range. No. thirteen, fourth Range.
No. three, in Bakers River Range.
No. six, north side of Bakers River.
Samuel Thompson.
No. eleven, in the fourth Range.
No. thirty two, north side of Bakers River.
No. thirty eight, Lower Inter- vale
Josiah Brown.
Large lot No. three, at the lower end of the town joining the Lower Inter- vale.
No. seventeen, on Bakers River Range
No. eighteen south side of Bakers River.
Elnathan Blood.
Moses Merrill.
No. two, third Range. No. fifty two, lying on the West end of the fifty acre lot No. thirty seven, which joins Pemg river. No. seven, third Range.
No. six in the horse pasture or Upper In- tervale on the Peme- gewasette River
No. sixteen, Lower Inter- vale
Abel Webster.
Large lot No. four, at the lower end of the town joining the Lower Inter- vale.
25
THE CHARTER AND DRAFT OF LOTS.
NAME OF PROPRIETOR
TWO FIFTY ACRE LOTS OF UPLAND
ONE SIXTEEN ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
ONE 5} ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
Zachariah Parker.
No. five, second
Range.
No. fifty five, north side Bakers River.
No. forty eight, Lower Inter- vale
Amos Phillips.
No. twenty eight, north side . Bakers River, joining the Goveners farm No. eight, first Range. No. nine, on Bakers River Range
No. thirteen, south Side Bakers River.
No. twenty eight Lower Inter- vale
David Wright.
No. twenty two, Bakers River Range.
No. twenty one south side Bakers River.
No. forty three Lower Inter- vale.
No. four, second Range.
No fifty, north side of Bakers River.
No. twenty one Lower Inter- vale
Thomas McCluer.
No. thirty three, north side Bakers River. No. eleven, in the first Range
No. thirty one, north side of Bakers River.
No. thirty seven Lower Inter- vale
David Hobart.
Large lot No. one, at the lower end of the town joining the Lower Inter- vale
No. twenty, south side of Bakers River.
No. nine, Lower Intervale
Samuel Cummings of Dunstable.
No. Nineteen, in Bakers River Range.
No. one, in the second Range No. five third Range. No. eleven, in Bakers River Range
No. fifteen, south side Bakers River.
No. eleven, Lower Inter- vale
John Brown.
River.
No. nine, first
Range.
No. thirty one, north side of Bakers River.
No. fifty two, north side Bakers River.
No fifty two, Lower Inter- vale.
John Harvell.
No. fifteen, second Range.
James Hobart.
No. two, in Bakers River R. No. twelve, fourth Range.
No. five, north side of Bakers River
No. fifty three Lower Inter- vale.
No. five, in the first Range.
No. forty, north side Bakers River.
Matthew Patten.
No. eleven, third Range.
[No. twenty one, Bakers River No. three, second Range.
No. forty one, north side Bakers River.
No. forty five, Lower Inter- vale
Peter Hobart.
No. twelve, Bakers River Range
No. sixteen, south side of Bakers River.
No. forty two, Lower Inter- vale.
John Willoughby.
No. five, fourth Range.
Abner Keyes.
No. twenty nine, north side of Bakers
No. fifty four, north side Bakers River.
No. fifty one, Lower Inter- vale.
26
IIISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
NAME OF PROPRIETOR
Two FIFTY ACRE LOTS OF UPLAND
ONE SIXTEEN ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
ONE 5} ACRE LOT OF INTERVAL
Jacob Hildreth.
No. eighteen, in Bakers River Range No. forty one, joining on the east of the second Range.
No. nineteen, south side of Bakers River.
Oliver Parker.
No. fifteen, first Range. No. thirteen, second Range.
No. twenty nine, south side Bakers River.
No. four, mid- dle Intervale.
Joseph Smith.
No. twenty in Bakers River R.
No. forty two, north side Bakers River.
No. thirty four Lower Inter- vale
No. two, second Range.
No. forty nine, north No. forty nine side Bakers River.
Francis Powers.
No. thirty four, north side Bakers River. No. forty four, on the east side of the fifty lot No. forty two, that joins fourth Range
No. five, Bakers River Range
No. seven, north side of Bakers River.
Meseheh Esq.
Weare,
No. ten, fourth Range.
No. ten, Bakers River Range.
No. fourteen, South side of Bakers River
William Temple, Esq.
No. four, fourth Range.
No. three and twelve, in the third range fifty acre lot of Upland
Nathaniel Garfield.
No. two in the horse pasture or Upper Intervale on Pemege- wasette is a sixteen acre lot of Intervale.
Theodore Atkinson.
Eaqual to the first division is laid out two hundred and forty acres in a large lot in the Gore south of the Pond.
Theodore Atkinson, Jr. Esq.
Eaqual to the first Division is laid out two hundred and forty acres in a large lot No. two in the Gore south of the Pond.
Incorporated Society Right.
Eaqual to the first Division is laid out two hundred and forty acres in a large lot No. five in the Gore south of the Pond.
Glebe or Church Right.
Eaqnal to the first Division is laid out two hundred acres in a large Lot No. six in the Gore south of the Pond.
School Right.
Eaqual to the first Division is laid out two hundred and thirty acres in a large lot No. one in the Gore south of the Pond.
Ministers Right.
No. two, in the first Range Upland fifty acre lots.
James Cowen.
Proprietors Property.
Thomas Davis.
Proprietors Property.
Phinehas Lund.
Proprietors Property.
Lower Inter- vale
William Nutting.
No. nine, fourth range No. four, Bakers River Range.
No. ten, south side of Bakers River.
No. six, in the fourth Range.
27
THE CHARTER AND DRAFT OF LOTS.
NAME OF PROPRIETOR
Governors' Two Rights.
( Part of which is laid out in the north east corner of the Town, north of Bakers River and joining on Pemegewasette River. (The remainder was laid out when the second Division was laid out and lies in different places in town. See the record of the second division.)
Meeting house lot. Mill lots.
No. three in the first Range. Reserved by proprietors.
No. fifteen and sixteen, in Bakers River Range. Reserved by proprietors.
To avoid the confusion of frequent changes, the proprietors of Plymouth, following a custom prevailing in other towns, con- tinued the record of each right or share in the name of the original grantee. Several of the grantees early sold their interest or share in the propriety and others died. Thus many of the original rights in a short time were owned by successors who attended the meetings of the proprietors and had a vote in the association. Whenever money was raised for the use of the pro- prietors, it was assessed in the name of the original proprietor and paid by the successor in ownership. In the same manner, in subsequent divisions of land, the lots were drawn in the name of the original grantee, but became the sole property of the suc- cessor. From first to last there were sixty persons entitled to a vote in the meetings of the proprietors, and a deed of a right in the common or undivided land obtained from an original grantee or his assigns was the credential of admission and the right of voting. Whenever a proprietor sold one or more of the lots which had been drawn and assigned to him, the sale did not interrupt his membership in the association or his interest in the common land.
After the first draft of land, in 1763, the proprietors from time to time sold tracts of land to meet the current expenses of the association. On account of the disturbance of the Revolution and other causes, it was over twenty years before a second division of land was ordered. At a meeting assembled Oct. 26, 1784, the proprietors voted : -
28
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
To lay out all the common land upon the southerly side of New- found pond and as much other common land as with said land on the southerly side of said pond, will make two fifty acre lots to a right.
That Lieut. Josiah Brown, Lient. Elisha Bean and Mr Samuel Marsh be a committee to lay out said lots
June 14, 1788: -
Voted that Mr. James Blodgett be a committee man in the room of Lieut. Josiah Brown, deceased to join with the surveying committee men, namely, Licut Elisha Bean and Samuel Marsh to lay out the land already voted to be laid out.
At a meeting assembled at the house of Col. David Webster, Nov. 25, 1788, the committee made a report and submitted a plan of the fifty-acre lots. Capt. Jotham Cummings was the surveyor. The lots were drawn at this meeting. There were also laid out at this time lots Nos. 3 to 22 in the first, and 4 and 5 in the second range, which were not drawn.
In the following record of lots drawn, the figures represent number of the lot, the words first, second, third, etc., the number of the range, and N. and S. for north or south of Newfound Lake.
Joseph Blanchard 14 in third, 19 in second, S. William Read 21 in second 15 in third S.
Oliver Lawrence 10 in second 11 in second N. William Nevins 10 in third, N. 10 in third S. Onesipherus Marsh 1 and 12 in broken range Samuel Goodhue 9 in first and 1 in second N. Samuel Cummings Esq. 5 in second 5 in third N. Samuel Hale 1 in fourth 13 in third S.
Joseph Warner 8 in fourth 14 in fifth N. Daniel Emerson Jun. 2 in second S. 6 in second N.
Thomas Merrill 4 in third 4 in fourth N. Stephen Powers 6 in first, 7 in first N. Elnathan Blood Jun. 8 in second N. 13 in second S. John Willoughby Jun. 2 in third 12 in second S. Ebenezer Cummings 13 in first 7 in fourth N. Richard Pierce 1 in first 2 in first S.
Jonas Keyes 20 in second 15 in third S.
Attention Scanner: Foldout in Book!
29
THE CHARTER AND DRAFT OF LOTS.
John Hobart 15 in first 16 in first N. John Phelps 8 in second 4 in third S.
Jotham Cummings 9 in seventeenth 10 in seventeenth N. Gershom Hobart 8 in third 9 in third S. James Underwood 3 in eighth 4 in eighth N. Nahum Powers 9 in second 3 in first N. Jonathan Johnson 1 in fifth 4 in fifth N.
Stephen Ames 7 in seventh 8 in seventh N.
James Nahor 1 in third 11 in second S. William McCluer 1 in third 1 in fourth N.
Abel Webster 5 in fourth 4 in seventh N.
Ebenezer Hartshorn 10 in fourth 3 in seventh N.
William Cummings 2 in second 3 in second N.
and also a tract of 70 acres below Francis Worcesters farm, on the New Chester line. Jonathan Hobart 22 in second 17 in third S.
Benjamin Parker 6 in fourth 6 in seventh N.
Samuel Thompson 2 in fourth 3 in fourth N. Josiah Brown 12 in fourth N. 12 in third S. Elnathan Blood 5 in third 14 in second S. Moses Merrill 4 in second 2 in third N. Zachariah Parker 8 in broken range, 17 in first N.
Amos Phillips 6 in second S. 7 in second N. John Willoughby 4 and 5 in broken range David Wright 14 in fourth N. 21 in third S. Thomas McCluer 2 in fourth 3 in fourth S David Hobart 6 and 7 in broken range Samuel Cummings of Dunstable 1 in eighth 2 in eighth N.
Abner Keyes 11 in first N. 15 in second S. John Brown 13 in broken range 11 in third N. John Harvel 8 in third N. 18 in second S. James Hobart 7 in third N. 17 in second S.
Matthew Patten Esq. 8 in first 12 in first N. Francis Powers 2 and 9 in broken range Peter Hobart 4 in first 5 in first N. William Nutting 13 in fourth N. 20 in third S.
Nathaniel Garfield 9 in third N. 16 in second S. Jacob Hildreth 11 in fourth 2 in seventh N.
Oliver Parker 10 in first 5 in seventh N.
Hon. Theodore Atkinson Esq. 9 in fourth 1 in seventeenth N. William Temple Esq 2 in fifth 3 in fifth N.
Theodore Atkinson Jun. Esq 7 in second 3 in third S.
30
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTHI.
Meshech Weare Esq 3 and 10 in broken range Col. Joseph Smith 5 in eighth 6 in eighth N. David Nevins 3 in third 2 in fifth N.
The privileged rights exempt from taxation drew the following lots : -
Benning Wentworth 18 in third 19 in third S.
Benning Wentworth 6 in third N. 11 in third S.
School Right 1 in second 3 in second S. Incorporated Society 6 in third 7 in third S. Glebe 9 in second 10 in second S
First Settled Minister 11 and 14 in broken range
To satisfy the demands of five rights, on account of an in- equality of the draft in 1763, the committee laid out six large lots at the extreme southern limit of the township. These lots were numbered on the map one to six. They were donated by the proprietors as follows: -
No. one, 230 acres to the School Right No. two, 240 acres to Theodore Atkinson Jun. No. three, 240 acres reserved by the proprietors No. four, 240 acres to Theodore Atkinson No. five, 240 acres to Incorporated Society No. Six, 200 acres to The Glebe
31
THE PROPRIETORS.
IV. THE PROPRIETORS.
Y THE Masonian Proprietors purchased the claim of John Tufton Mason July 30, 1746. The Mason patent was tri- angular in form and was bounded on the south by the province line, extending from the sea west sixty miles, and on the eastern line of the province north sixty miles. The third side of the triangle connected the western and the northern termini. In familiar and present terms the patent was bounded on the south by Massachusetts, on the east by Maine and by a line extending northeasterly from Rindge to Conway. The new proprietors quit- claimed all right, if any they had, to the established towns within their domain, and were liberal in the acknowledgment and adjust- ment of the rights of many settlers in unincorporated places. Taking advantage of the nominal suspension of hostilities which succeeded the truce of Aix la Chapelle, they granted many town- ships before the war was renewed in 1754. It became a work of necessity to locate and establish the northwestern line of their domain. Beginning at a point in the State line in the town of Rindge, the line was run to the Pemigewasset River in 1751. The line crossed Sunapee Lake and Newfound Lake and ex- tended on the north line of the present town of Bridgewater to the Pemigewasset. It was the dividing line between New Chester and Plymouth as these towns were originally granted. The sur- veyor who established this line in 1751 was Joseph Blanchard, one of the grantees of Plymouth and a resident of Merrimack, Thornton, and Amherst. Among his assistants was Lieut. Josiah Brown, one of the pioneers of this town, and among the early settlers it is possible that it was he whose foot first pressed the soil of Plymouth.
32
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
From the close of the French and Indian War to the Revolu- tion was an era of peace and enterprise. The conquest of Canada brought that region into friendly relations with New Hampshire and the other English Colonies of New England. The hostile incursions of the Indians and the fear of predatory raids no longer delayed the occupancy of new territory and the settlement of new towns. In those days all were tillers of the soil. The ministers, lawyers, and doctors, the merchants, carpenters, and blacksmiths were also farmers. Whenever a township became wholly occupied with farms and no wild land remained, such towns were said to be full, and the young men removed to new settlements where wild land was cheap and the cleared farm was the product of their own labor. Under such conditions farms were multiplied with the increase of the population and new territory was in constant demand. During years of war and a suspension of immigration the population of many towns had become congested. With peace came an unprecedented demand for new territory, and petitions for townships rapidly accumu- lated. These were palmy days for Gov. Benning Wentworth and an active season for the tripod and the chain. Townships were surveyed in New Hampshire and in Vermont, then claimed by New Hampshire, in great number. Within the present county of Grafton were granted in 1761 Lebanon, Hanover, Enfield, Cockermouth, Dorchester, Canaan, Lyme, Orford, Bath, Rumney, Campton, and Lyman. Holderness, which was granted during the suspension of hostilities in 1751, was regranted the same year.
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