USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > Stratford > History of the town of Stratford, New Hampshire, 1773-1925 > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
At a Meeting of the Proprietors of the Township of Woodbury in the Province of New Hampshire held at Wm. Thompson's in Woodbury, Conn., by adjournment 31st day of March 1773 Agur Tomlison Esquire chosen Moderator voted that Agur Tomlison Esquire and Mr. Joseph Holbrook be a committee and fully Im- powered to proceed forthwith to Portsmouth in New Hampshire
45
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
Also John Wendell Esquire of Portsmouth Agur Tomlison and Joseph Holbrook or either two of them to be a committee and fully impowered to agree settle and compromise all matters and things relating to a controversy subsisting between the Proprietors of Woodbury and Northumberland and to be determined and de- cided by his Excellency the Governor of New Hampshire and to surrender and give up the old charter of said Township and the renewed charter and extention if Necessary. Also that a tax of Forty shillings on each Right be laid and immediately collected of the Proprietors that they may be enabled to pursue the settlement proposed to the Proprietors of Northumberland and to survey said Township, that when his Excellency Governor Wentworth shall have determined the Controversy and fixed the bounds be- tween the two Townships of Woodbury and Northumberland Messrs Holbrook and Tomlison or either of them to proceed to survey said Township of Woodbury and after that is done and the first Division allotted either shall return to Portsmouth for the new charter. Also that Lieut. Elijah Hinman be a Comittee and is appointed to proceed to said Township and asist in allotting the first Division and second Division if they think proper and that the Proprietors and settlers who proceeded first last year and had their Choice of pitch for allotment to take their first this year and the rest of the settlers who get there next by succession have their next Successive Choice of settlement also that the Committee Messrs Holbrook and Tomlison and Hinman or either two of them do lay out a Town Plant in said Township And that the same be laid upon the Hill if they think proper and the Place most Con- venient and that they draw lots for each Proprietors Right or situation leaving first a suitable quantity of Land in the most con- venient place for the Publick uses. Also that the Proprietors Meeting be held at Portsmouth in New Hampshire and that it be warned according to the laws of that Province and that this pres- ent meeting be adjourned greeting.
WOODBURY PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. To the Worshipful Samuel Penhallow Esqr
one of his Magesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Rock- ingham in the Province aforesaid.
We the subscribers being owners of more than one sixteenth part of the Township of Woodbury in the said Province desire that you would call a meeting of sd Proprietors of said Township at the
46
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
House of Capt Jacob Tilton Innholder in Portsmouth on the seventh Day of May next at two o'clock P. M. then and there to act upon the following Things first to choose a Moderator for said meeting second to chose a Proprietor's Clark pro Tempore third to chose a Proprietors Treasurer or any Collector or Collectors that may be found to be necessary fourth to agree upon some methods to call all future meetings fifth to adopt, confirm and establish all such votes and transactions at any former meetings held at Strat- ford Conn or elsewhere out of said Province of New Hampshire agreeably to the Records of such meetings as they now stand Re- corded in the Proprietors book sixth to choose a committee of one or more Proprietors to defend any of the Proprietors or others act- ing under them in any Suit or Suits for supposed Trespasses com- mitted in the bounds of Woodbury brought by the Proprietors of Northumberland as supposed to have done within the bounds Northumberland and to empower the said Comittee * to com* Disputes by Reference to one or* for
the better ascertaining and establishing the true Limits and Boundaries of both Townships to impower said Committee to join in a mutual Agreement of any Comittee that may be appointed by the Proprietors of Northumberland to Submit the settlement of dividing Lines of both Townships to any such Person or Persons that may be mutually chosen as the Arbitrators of said Limits and further if need be to make a Surrender of said Charter and its Renewal for the better and more final Adjustments of all Con- trovarsies about said Limits and Boundaries seventh to determine at what Place to hold Proprietors meeting in future.
WILM SAML JOHNSON AGUR TOMLISON
JOSEPH HOLBROOK ISIAH BROWN
SAMUEL BEERS ELIJAH HINMAN
SAMUEL AVERILL DANIEL JUDSON
WILLIAM THOMPSON JOSEPH TOMLISON
STEPHEN CURTISS IZRAHIAH WETMORE
JOHN WENDELL
In Pursuance of the above Request I do hereby notify and warn a meeting of said Proprietors of Woodbury at the Time and Place above requested then and there to act upon the several matters therein mentioned.
SAMUEL PENHALLOW.
*Blank spaces for location and date probably left to be filled at discretion of proprietors.
47
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
At a meeting of the Proprietors of the Township of Woodbury in the Province of New Hampshire at the house of Capt Jacob Tilton Innholder in Portsmouth on the seventh day of May 1773 agreeable to a notification in the Hampshire Gazette under the hand of Samuel Penhallow Esqr one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace of said Province.
Voted Mr. Joseph Sheaffe Moderator
Voted Mr. John Wendall Clerk Pro Tempore
Voted Mr. Agur Tomilison Esqr Treasurer to settle the accounts of collectors
Voted That the future meetings be held at Stratford Conn to be called by the Standing Clerk, upon application to him signed by six Proprietors who owned so many whole original Rights or shares either as Granters or Purchasers giving at least fourteen Days Notice in such manner as the Major Part of said Proprietors may hear of the same provided this vote shall not continue any longer than found necessary and convenient.
All former acts of meetings of the Proprietary as recorded on its Book were adopted established and confirmed.
Meeting held within the Province of New Hampshire.
Voted That Agur Tomlison Esqr John Wendall Esqr with Mr. Joseph Holbrook or any two of above be a comittee to defend at the charge of the Proprietary any of the Proprietors or others acting under them in any suit or suits for supposed Trespasses com- mitted within the Bounds of Woodbury brought by Proprietors of Northumberland and as supposed to have been done within the Bounds of said Northumberland and the said Committee are hereby Impowered to compromise such Disputes by a Reference of the whole to the Judgment and Wisdom of his Excellency John Wentworth Esq (if he will be pleased to condescend to take so much trouble upon him) to decide and determine the whole controversy by affixing and ascertaining where the Boundary Lines between Woodbury and Northumberland shall be, and if it shall be thought necessary by his Excellency for the better determining the Dispute to surrender the Charter and Renewal of the same to the Crown. Then he said comitee are here directed and in- structed to do the same if his Excellency requests it.
Voted That this meeting be adjourned to Monday at this house at six o'clock p. m.
JACOB SHEAFFE, Junr Moderator.
48
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
May it please your excellency We are Subsribers Comittees for the Proprietors of the Townships of Northumberland and Wood- bury lying on Connecticut River at Upper Cohoss so called, being Chosen and duly empowered to settle all Disputes respecting the Boundaries of each Town which have been some time pending in the Law finding after much altercation We are not likely to come to any agreements among ourselves and being sensible that we should pursue the present course of the Law much more time and money may be fruitlessly spent before we come to a final Decision by which means the settlement of that part of the colony will be greatly retarded, If your excellency will indulge us so far since your- self have sworn a Inclination and Willingness to have us bring our Differences to an amicable adjustment We have concluded to withdraw our action from the Courts of Law and to submit all our Disputes to your sole Judgment and Determinations relying that your known Honor and Uprightness in all judicial Matters, Your knowledge of the whole Province and that part in particular with your kind and good Disposition to forward and assist all the new settlements that you will impartially consider of an adjust these our hitherto unlucky Disputes as may be to the entire satisfaction of each party And in consequence of this we have readily entered into mutual obligation to abide by and rest satisfied at all events upon what your Excellency may Judge and say by the Plans of each Township to be laid before you shall be our respected Bounds and acknowledge extremely obliged being with the greatest Defference and Respect
Your Excellency's
Most obedient Humble Servants.
Portsmouth 13th May 1773
JOHN HURD THOMAS MARTIN JOHN PENHALLOW A. R. CUTTER JACOB TREADWELL
Comittee for the Proprietary of Northumberland.
AGUR TOMLISON JOHN WENDALL JOSEPH HOLBROOK
Comittee for the Proprietary of Woodbury.
49
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
To his excellency John Wentworth Esqr. Governor of the Prov. of New Hampshire &c. &c. &c. Rockingham Ss. May 28th A True Copy of the Committes letter to Gove. Wentworth filed on Record this day
D. PIERCE Recorder.
1773 N. B. This Mr. Danl. Pierce Recorder for the county of Rockingham lives and keeps his office in the Town of Portsmouth in the Province of New Hampshire in New England in America.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 15th May, 1773.
Whereas the Proprietors of Woodbury and Northumberland have submitted their whole affairs respecting the whole location of said towns to be finally and absolutely determined by me and being disposed to render the property of both adequately to their grants and beneficiary to them respectively I do therefore in testimony of my regard for all the Parties after mature considera- tion and a perfect knowledge of the whole matter and according to the Power vested in me by the reciprocal Letters of the parties make and declare the following determination: First That all parties interested do from this Day obliterate all former transac- tions that have happened; that they be and remain in perfect amity; rendering to each other all kind offices as fellow citizens embarked in one common cause of mutual benevolence and prosperity-Northumberland to quit claim and release to Wood- bury all the Towns in their Township from the Elm tree being their northerly corner on the River down by the said River as it runs unto the Southerly line of lot No 15 then easterly by the line of said lot No 15 and to extend from the end thereof in the same course as said line until it reach that boundary line of Northumber- land which runs from a certain Elm Tree on Connectt River South 55 dgs east four miles 25 rods to a certain spruce tree marked 55 70 all the lands within these described lines including Lot No 15 as marked and delivered upon a plan returned by Edmund Morss to be quit claimed to Woodbury-That there be granted to Wood- bury a certain Gore of land lying and being between Northumber- land and Whitings Woodbury so-called surveyed by Edward Buckman containing 7141/2 acres as by his plan appears. That a new patent be granted to Woodbury to include Whitings Wood- bury the Gore and the quit claim lands out of Northumberland,
50
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
allowing five years to complete the settlement and free of the Governor's fees That Woodbury quit claims to Northumberland all claims or pretensions to every other part of Northumberland- That Woodbury pay the cost of the Survey of the Gore they obtain -That there be granted to Northumberland such a tract of un- granted or vacant land adjourning to the S. 7 Degrees East line of Northumberland as the Governor shall direct free of his fees Northumberland to pay the cost of survey. That each town shall pay their own cost incurred hitherto. That if any useful labor has been done on the land on either side it shall be valued on oath by one man chosen by each party and a third by those two; which three or two of them shall award how much shall be paid by the possessor for labor done on his land That all Parties forthwith carry this judgment into execution as far as in them lies.
J. WENTWORTH.
Rockingham, Ss. 28th May 1773, the above is a true copy of Governor Wentworth's Determination filed on record this day.
D. PIERCE, Record'r.
N. B. This Mr. Dan'l Pierce Recorder for the County of Rockingham lives and keeps his office in the Town of Portsmouth in New Hampshire in New England in America.
June 21, 1773. Meeting opened according to adjournment ..
Voted that Mr. James Curtiss be added to the committee for clearing the woods &c. also that said Committee for the Highway be paid by the Proprietors 4/6 Lawful money pr day for every day they faithfully Labor at the Rode they providing for themselves their supplies so far as that until the Road through the Township is made tolerable passable.
Several adjourned Meetings are held during the summer at Joshua Lamkin's and also Joseph Holbrook's Agur Tomilson acting as Moderator. August 13, 1773. The Governor's Lot is defined as follows the same be laid situate and located at the south end of the said Township from the mouth of Bogg Brook where it empties into the Connecticut River southworth running down sd River to the south boundary Line of said Township and extending East from the mouth of said Bogg Brook and the said south boundary line until said Lines intercept the north boundary line of Northumberland and running Is 757 acres on this condition only proposed and made by his Excellency's own con- sent and proposal that he will accept of said 757 acres of Land as
51
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
full satisfaction for the aforesaid three Rights and will releace and acquit to us said Proprietors of Stratford any further Quantity of Land in any future Division in said Boundaries for sd three Rights of land (It seems that Joshua Wentworth Esq. and Messrs. William Gardiner and Joseph Seward were the original Granteers of these Rights) voted in the affirmative. Voted also that a tax 40/I Lawful Money be paid on each Proprietor's Right of Land and to be collected as soon as conveniently can be for to Defray the expenses of taking out the Charter and alloting the River Tear of Lots. Provision is made for calling future meetings-the call shall be signed by the clerk and three other Proprietors and the Notice posted at William Thompson's in Stratford at Allins in Ripton and at Lieut. Elijah Hinman's in Woodbury. Voted also that the Doing conduct and transactions of our former committee that is John Wendall, Agur Tomlison Joseph Holbrook who were concerned in managing the Disputes of Townships when called Woodbury with the Proprietors of Northumberland be approved and accepted. Voted that Agur Tomlison be desired to procure the Charter recorded. Voted also that this meeting do approve and accept of the allotment of the River Tear of Lots as made and Returned to us by our said Committee Josiah Burnham Surveyor and that the same be filed upon Record for the Benefit of sd Pro- prietors. Voted Capt. Isaiah Brown and Capt. Daniel Judson to be assessors. Voted Capt. Samuel Beers be collector and Capt. Agur Judson be Town Treasurer.
Adjourned to the first Tuesday in September next at the Dwell- ing house of William Thompson. Met according to adjournment and chose Abner Judson Moderator.
Voted that the sum of ten dollars be paid by the Proprietors to Mrs. Barlow wife of Joseph Barlow on account of this Reason only that she have proceeded with her husband and family of children to Coös our Township of Stratford and is the first woman that hath settled upon said Township.
Voted also that all those Pitches of the Lots in said Township of Stratford Coös that are made by the several Proprietors and Settlers that are legal to abd are established and confirmed to be abide and remain as good as Such Person Settler and Proprietor Adjourned to second Tuesday in December and that meeting to the fourth Tuesday of this month. Met and adjourned the following day which was the 30th day of December 1773. A tax of eighteen Shillings Lawful Money was laid on each Proprietors
52
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
Right of Land to defray the Proprietor's expense-Capt. Samuel Beers was chosen to collect said tax from all proprietors of Strat- ford and out of the government of Connecticut and Thomas Tousey to collect of all north of Stratford and in sd government.
Capt. Brown and Capt. Daniel Judson were chosen assessors. Chace James Brown, Joshua Lamkin and James Curtiss a com- mittee to take care of and See that the Road be cut through the Township according to the Governors Order.
Voted that James Curtiss, James Brown and Joshua Lamkin be Select-men for the ensuing year.
Voted to choose three disinterested persons as a committee to decide who by doing duty as settlers have entitled themselves to their Pitches. Robert Fairchild, John Brooks and Samuel Whitten were chosen.
The following is their report dated December 3Ist 1773.
To the Gent'm Proprietors of the Town of Stratford in the Province of New Hampshire now convene and sitting in your meeting at the dwelling house of William Thompson innholder in the town of Stratford in the County of Fairfield we the subscribers being Desired to come Into your meeting and to determine by your former Voats. And having the Parties which of the Pro- prietors have by Doing Duty or otherwise on their Rights entitled themselves to their Pitches-and being instructed with power to establish such Pitches to such Persons as we should Judge Just and Equable and Legal according to the former votes of sd meet- ing and have fully heard you severally on all three things sub- mitted to us and carefully examined your former votes and have well weighed and considered of all matters referred to us and do therefore Judge and determine the Pitches as they are set in the Following List Equitably and Legally made viz
No. To No.
To
5 Capt. Agur Judson
40 & 4I Thomas Wooster
3 William Thompson I2 Joseph Wooster 2nd
I Capt. Sam. Beers
Joseph Holbrook
29 Mr. Israhiah Wetmore
4 Capt. Agur Tomlison
IO Stephen Curtis
7 David Judson
31 Joseph Welton
47, 48, 49, 18 Arthur Wooster Jabesh Baldwin
17 Ebenel Wooster
6 Thomas Wooster
8 Capt. Agur Judson
42 Agur Judson Jr.
9 James Curtis
53
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
No. To
No.
To
I3 Isaiah Brown
22-25 Capt. Daniel Judson
II Samuel Curtis
30 Judson Burton
19 Samuel Munn
14-15 Elijah Hinman
43 Sam. Wm. Johnson Esq. 24 Hezekiah Tomlison
32 Stiles Judson
It will be noticed that among the Pitches established in the above list as Judson Burton. As the name does not appear in either list of Proprietors we insert the following vote passed at the meeting held August 1Ith 1773 which will show how he obtained his Pitch Judson Burton was not an original Proprietor but bought of Samuel Averill, Jacob Glazer being the original Grantee Burtons Deed to Deforest is dated Stratford County of Fairfield, Conn.
Voted that Judson Burton be benefited and do receive the 10 Dollars that was heretofore voted for the benefit of his settlers Timothy Deforest who hath deserted his cause.
CHARTER OF STRATFORD Province of New Hampshire: George the Third by the grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c.
Know ye that we of our special Grace certain knowledge and mere motion for the due encouragment of setling a new Planta- tion within our said Province by and with the advice of our trusty and well-beloved John Wentworth Esquire our Governor and Commander in chief of our said Province of New Hampshire in New England and of our council of the said Province Have upon the Conditions and Reservations herein after made given and Granted and by these presents for us our Heirs and successors, do give and grant in equal shares unto our loving subjects Inhab- itants of our said Province of New Hampshire and other Govern- ments who have petitioned us for the same setting forth their Readiness to make immediate settlement, and to their Heirs and Assigns forever whose Names are entered on this Grant, to be divided to and among them into seventy one equal Shares, all that Tract or Parcel of Land situate lying and being within our said Province of New Hampshire containing by admeasurement Forty-eight Thousand Six hundred and three Acres, and is to
54
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
contain something more than miles square out of which an Allowance is to be made for highways and unimprovable Lands by rocky Mountains and Rivers . .
. Two thousand six hundred Acres according to a Plan and Survey thereof exhibited by our Surveyor General by our said Governor's order and returned into the Secretary's Office a copy whereof is hereunto annexed, butted and bounded as follows, viz:
Beginning at a Hemlock Tree standing on the Bank of Connec- ticut River which was marked B. W. by Benjamin Whiting for the northwest corner of Woodbury, thence North Eighty-eight degrees East Six miles to a Fir Tree marked by said Whiting for the north east corner of said Woodbury, thence on the same course one mile and a half, thence South two Degrees east eleven miles and two hundred and twenty Rods, thence north Fifty Five De- grees west Four miles and two hundred and thirty-eight Rods to a Spruce Tree at the northeast corner of Northumberland, thence two hundred and eighty-eight Rods on Northumberland line, thence West Two Miles one hundred and fifty-two rods to Con- necticut River, thence by said River as that tends to the bound begun at
To have and to hold the said Tract of Land as above expressed together with all the Privileges and Appurtenances to them and to their respective Heirs and Assigns Forever by the name of Stratford upon the following conditions, viz:
(First) That the Grantees at their own Cost shall cut, clear, bridge and make passable for carriages of all kinds a Road of Four Rods wide through the said Tract hereby granted, and this to be compleated in Two Years from the date of this Grant, on failure of which the Premises and every part thereof shall be for- feited and revert to us and our Heirs and Successors to be by us or them re-entered upon the re-granted to any of our loving Sub- jects.
(Second) That the said Grantee shall settle or cause to be settled Twelve Families by the first day of June 1774 who shall be ac- tually cultivating some part of the Land and resident thereon and to continue making Further and additional Improvements Cul- tivation and Settlement of the Premises so that there shall be actually settled and resident thereon Seventy-one Families by the First Day of June, 1778, on Penalty of the Forfeiture of such delinquent's Share and of Such Shares reverting to us and our Heirs and Successors to be by us or them entered upon and re-
55
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
granted to such of our Subjects as shall effectually settle and cul- tivate the same.
(Third) That all white and other pine trees within the said Township for Masting out Royal Navy may be carefully preserved for that use and none to be cut or felled without our special Li- cence for so doing first had and obtained upon Penalty of the Forfeiture of the Right of such Grantee by his Heirs and Assigns to us our Heirs and Successors as being subject to the penalty pre- scribed by any present as well as future Act or Acts of Parliament.
(Fourth) That before any Division of the Land be made to and among the Grantees a Tract of Land as near the Center of 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.
(Fifth) Yielding and paying therefor to us our Heirs and suc- cessors on or before the First day of January, 1775, the Rent of one Ear of Corn only if lawfully demanded.
(Sixth) That 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 One year from the above- said First day of January, namely on the First day of January which will be in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and seventy six One Shilling Proclamation Money for every hundred Acres he so owns settles or possesses and so in pro- portion for a greater or less Tract of the said Land which Money shall be paid by the respective Persons above said, their Heirs or Assigns in our Council Chamber in Portsmouth or to such Officer or Officers as shall be appointed to receive the same.
In Testimony whereof we have caused the Seal of our said Prov- ince to be here-unto affixed. Witness John Wentworth Esquire, our said Governor, Commander in Chief of our said Province of New Hampshire, the Twenty-sixth day of May in the Thirteenth year of our Reign and in the year of our Lord Christ, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-three.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.