The Boundary Lines of Old Groton. — ///.
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��past : provided also that the Meeting- House for the publick Worship of GOD in DiiJistable be erected agreable to the Vote of Dunstable relating thereto in May 17 S3- Sent down for Concurrence. Read and concur'd.
[Journal of the House of Representatives (page 21), June 7, 1753.]
The part of Nottingham, mentioned in these petitions, was not joined to Dunstable until a later period. On June 14, 1754, an order passed the House of Representatives, annexing " a very small Part of Nottingham now lying in this Province, unable to be made into a District, but very commo- dious for Dunstable ; " but the matter was delayed in the Council, and it was a year or two before the end was brought about.
The west parish of Groton was set off as a precinct on November 26, 1742. It comprised that part of the town lying on the west side of the Nashua River, north of the road from Groton to Townsend. Its incorporation as a parish or precinct allowed the inhabi- tants to manage their own ecclesiastical affairs, while in all other matters they continued to act with the parent town. Its partial separation gave them the benefit of a settled minister in their neighborhood, which, in those days, was considered of great importance.
It is an interesting fact to note that, in early times, the main reason given in the petitions for dividing towns was the long distance to the meeting- house, by which the inliabitants were prevented from hearing the stated preaching of the gospel.
The petitioners for the change first asked for a township, which was not granted ; but subsequently they changed their request to a precinct instead, which was duly allowed. The papers relating to the matter are as follows : —
Vol. II. - No. I. — B.
��Province of The Massechuetts Bay in
New England.
To His Excellency W^ : Shirley Esqf : Goveinr in & over ye Same And To The Hon'e : his Majestis Council & House of Representetives in Gen" : Court Assembled June 1742 :
The Petition of Sundry Inhabitants & Resendant in the Northerly Part of Groton Humbly Sheweth that the Town of Groton is at Least ten miles in Length North & South & seven miles in wedth East & West And that in Runing two miles Due North from the Present Meeting House & from thence to Run Due East to Dunstable Wes , Line. And from the Ende of the S^ : two miles to Run West till it Comes to the Cuntry Rode that is Laide out to Towns hend & soon S^ : Rode till it Comes tc Townshend East Line then tur[n]ing & Runing Northly to Nestiquaset Cornei which is for Groton & Townshend ther tur[n]ing & Runing Easterly on Dun stable South Line & So on Dunstable Line till it comes to the Line first mentioned, Which Land Lyeth about Seven miles ic Length & four miles & a Ouai'ter in Wedth.
And Thare is Now Setled in those Lines here after mentioned is about the Number of Seventy families all Redy And may [many ?] more ready to Settle there and as soon as scet oiT to the Petitioners & those families Settled in ye Lines afore sd : Would make A Good township & the Remaining Part of Groton Left in a regular forme And by reason of the ofreat Distance vour Petition- ers are from the Present. Meeting House are put to very Great Disadvantages in Attending the Public Worship of God many of Whom are Oblidged to travel Seven or Eight miles & that the Remaining Part of Groton Consisting of such good land & ye Inhabitants so Numerous that thay Can by no means be Hurt Should your Peti- tioners & those families Settled in ye Lines afore s^ : Be Erected to a Seprate & Dis- tinct Township : That the in Contestable situation & accomodations on the sd : Lands was ye one great reason of your Petitioners Settling thare & Had Not those Prospects been so Clear to us We should
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