The Establishment of Charlestown Forts
Transcribed and contributed to Genealogy Trails by Janice Farnsworth - Farns10th@aol.com

Subject: The Establishment of Forts Nos. 1, 2, 3 & 4
History of Charlestown, N.H., the Old No. 4 by Rev. Henry H. Saunderson, printed at Claremont, N.H. 1876.

Chapter 1 -- Part 1
Circumstances connected with the Granting of No. 4 by the Massachusetts Bay, and matters preliminary to its settlement.

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The following facts afford an explanation without which much that is of interest in the granting, settlement and early history of No. 4 by the Massachusetts Bay, it was supposed that the territory now included in the township of Charlestown, was embraced within that province.

When the Charters of the Massachusetts Bay and New Hampshire were granted, the explorations of the country had been so imperfect, that the knowledge of its geography possessed by the sovereigns of Great Britain was both limited and inaccurate.

As a consequence, no little confusion was ultimately produced, re-sulting in conflicts, not only New Hampshire and Massachusetts, but Connecticut and New York became involved, and in the nature of the case this was unavoidable as, in numerous instances, different grantees were invested by their charters with right to the same territory.

Thus the western boudaries of Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut were by their charters upon the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. While King Charles II of England had granted to his brother, the Duke of York, the Province of New Netherlands, which lay along the Hudson River, directly west of these colonies. Here was direct and palpable conflict, which nothing but mutual concession and compromise could settle.

The boundaries of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, though not in the

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same manner conflicting, were still indefinite and undetermined, as each province claimed by its charter a divisional line greatly differing from that which was insisted upon by the other. It was absolutely essential, therefore, to an established peace and harmony between these provinces that some line of division should be mutually agreed upon, or that an appeal should be made for a decision to the power from which their charters had been originally derived. It being found that the former course was more likely to create new complications that to result satis-factorily to either of the parties, the feeling on the part of New Hampshire, at length became so intense for ascertaining definetely her territorial jurisdiction, that it was determined in 1733, to present a petition to his majesty, King George II (of England), praying for the appointment of commissioners, whose duty it should be to ascertain the respective boundaries of the two provinces.

In accordance with this determination the petition was prepared and presented and, to quote from the Provincial Records of New Hampshire, "Upon hearing of both parties before the Attorney and Solicitor General, the Board of Trade and the Council, His Majesty was pleased by his order in Council the 9th Februrary, 1736, to direct that a Commission should be prepared and pass Under the Great Seal, authorizing Commissioners to mark out the dividing Line between the Provinces of the Massachusetts Bay and New Hampshire, giving liberty to either party therein who thought them-selves aggrieved to appeal therefrom to his Majestie in Council.

In Pursuance of his Majesty's said Commission, Commissioners met and reported their Determination, specially; upon which both Provinces appealed to His Majesty as their opinion "That the Northern Boundaries of the Massachusetts Bay are and be a similar curve line pursuing the Course of Merrimac River at three Miles Distance from the North side thereof, beginning at the Atlantic Ocean and ending at a point due north of a place, in the plan returned by said commissioners, called, Pawtucket Falls and a straight line drawn from thence due west crossing the said River till it meets with His Majesty's other govern-ments and that the rest of the Commissioners' said report of Determination be affirmed by his Majesty. In 1738, His Majesty was pleased with the advice of his Privy Council to approve of their Lordships' Report and to confirm it accordingly, in Consequence whereof the Line has been marked out."

Chapter 1 Part 2

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After the petition of New Hampshire for a divisional line between the two provinces, during the years 1735-1736 and while the decision of His Majesty was still pending, the General Court of Massachusetts Bay granted above thirty townships between the rivers Merrimac and the Connecticut; which townships upon the running (that is determining) of the divisional line in 1738, fell with-in the Province of New Hampshire; and among them were those granted under the designations: No. 1., No. 2., No. 3., and No. 4; which are the present townships of Chesterfield, Westmoreland, Walpole and Charlestown.; which though they had fallen within the limits of New Hampshire, were all subsequently settled in dependence upon their grants received from Massachusetts. The settlers, therefore, as their grants had emanated from an authority which had no jurisdiction over the soil, had, as it was claimed, no valid title to their lands. And this they must have known, as the final decree of his Majesty fixing the boundary line, bears date March 5, 1740; and we find a petition of the proprietors of No. 4 dated Sept 29, 1740 to His Majesty, praying to be re-annexed to the Massachusetts Province, to which they had supposed they belonged. This was before any considerable settlement had been made. But notwithstanding their title was uncertain, we find that the settlement was still continued, though for the most part under differ-ent proprietors till 1753; when in consequence of the re-port of the Attorney and Solicitor General in relation to what was right and proper to be done concerning those townships which had been granted by Massachusetts, in which it was substantially recommended, that proprietors who had made improvements on their lands, should be con-firmed in the rights and privileges given them by their grants from that State, application was made by petition to New Hampshire to that effect, which was readily and cheerfully granted. Thus Charlestown was for between twelve and thirteen years after it settlement substant-ially a Massachusetts town.

The circumstances which led to the granting of the above mentioned townships by the Province of Massachusetts within the limits of New Hampshire, are explained by the action of her General Court in the years 1735 - 1736. A large number of petitions having been presented to the General Court, asking for grants of townships, a committ-ee was appointed on the 14th of January 1735 and "the next day January 15th 1735, Edmund Quincy, Esq., from the committee of both Houses on the petitions for town ships etc., gave in the following report."

Report. The Committee appointed, the Fourteenth Currant, to take into Consideration the several Petitions for Townships, now before the Court, and report what may be proper for the Court to do thereon, Having met and maturely considered the same, are humbly of opinion, that there be a careful View and Survey of the Lands between Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers from the North West Corner of Rumford on Merrimack to the Great Falls on Connecticut, of twelve miles, at the least, in breadth, or North and South, by a committee of Eleven Able and Suitable Persons, to be appointed by this court. Who shall after a due knowledge of the nature and circumstances thereof, lay the same into as many townships of the contents of six miles square, as the land in wedth as aforesaid will allow of; no township to be more than six miles east and west. And also lay out the land on the east side of Connecticut River, from said falls to the township laid out to Josiah Willard and others into as many townships of the contents of six miles square as the same will allow of, and also the land on the west side of the Connecticut River from said Falls to the equivalent land into one or two townships of the contents of six miles square, if the same will allow thereof, five of which committee to be a quorum for surveying and laying out the town-ships on each from Rumford to Connecticut River as a-foresaid; and Three of the Committee aforenamed shall be a Quorum for surveying and laying out the townships on each side of the Connecticut River as aforesaid. And that the said committee make report of their doings to this court at their Sessions in May next or as soon as conveniently they can, that so the persons whose names are contained in the several petitions hereafter mention-ed viz.;

In the Petition of Hopkinton; In the petition of Salis-bury and Almsbury; In the petition of Cambridge; In the petition of Bradford and Wenham; in the petition of Haverhill; In the petition of Milton and Brookline; In the petition of Samuel Chamberlain and Jonathan Jewett; and in the petition of Nathaniel Harris, etc.; in the petition of Stephens and Goulden and others; In the petition of Morgan Cobb etc., Jonathan Welles etc., Lyscombe and Jonathan Powers etc., John Whitman, Esq., Samuel Haywood etc., Josiah Fassett and others, John Flynt and others, Jonathan Howard and others, of Bridge-water that have not heretofore been admitted grantees or settlers within the space of seven years last past of or in any former or other grant of a township or particular grant on condition of settling; and that shall appear and give security to the value of forty pounds to perform the conditions that shall be enjoined by this Court; may by the major part of the committee be admitted grantees into one of the said townships; The committee to give public notice of the time and place of their meeting to admit the grantees, which committee shall be impowered to employ surveyors and chainmen to assist them in surveying and laying out said townships; the Province to bear the charge and be repaid by the grant-ees who may be admitted, the whole charge they shall advance. Which committee we apprehend ought to be dir-ected and impowered to admit sixty settlers in each township and take their bonds payable to the committee and their successors in the said Trust, to the use of the Province for the performance of the conditions of their Grant, viz't.

That each grantee build a dwelling house of eighteen feet square and seven feet stud at the least on their respective home lots and fence in and break up for plowing or clear and stock with English grass five acres of land within three years next after their admittance and cause their respective lots to be inhabited, and that the grantees do within the space of three years from the time of their being admitted to build and finish a convenient meeting house for the public worship of God, and settle a learned orthodox minister; and in case of the grantees shall fail or neglect to perform what is enjoined as above. The Committee shall be obliged to put the bonds in suit and take possession of the lots and the rights that shall become forfeit and proceed to grant them to other persons that will appear to fulfill the conditions within one year next after the said last mentioned grant. And if a sufficient number of petit-ioners that have no grant within seven years as afore said (viz't. sixty to each township) do not appear others may be admitted provided they have fulfilled the conditions of their former grant. The committee to take care that there be sixty three house lots laid out in as regular compact and defensible a manner as the land will allow of. One of which lots shall be for the first settled minister. One for the second settled minister and one for the School. To each of which an equal proportion of land shall accrue in all future divisions.

Fryday, January 16, 1735 In the House of Representatives.

Ordered: That Joseph Gerrish, Benjamin Prescott, Josiah Willard, Job Almy Esquires, Mr. Moses Pierson and Capt. Joseph Gould with such as the Honorable Board shall join be a committee to all intents and purposes to effect the business projected by the report of the committee of Both Houses to consider the petitions for townships which passed this day, viz't:

On the proposed line between Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers and on both sides of Connecticut Rivers and that there be granted and allowed to be paid out of the public treasury after the rate of fifteen shillings per diem (to each of the committee) for every day he is in the service in the woods and subsistence, and ten shillings per diem for every day to each one of the said committee while in the service in admitting settlers into the said township, and subsistence to be paid as aforesaid.

In council, read and concurred, and William Dudley, Samuel Welles, Thomas Berry, Joseph Wilder, and John Chandler, Jun'r., Esquires are joined with the committee of the House for the Line between Merrimack and Connecti cut Rivers, etc. End, Chapter 1 Part 2


History of Charlestown, NH, The Old No. 4 by Rev. Henry H. Saunderson printed at Claremont, NH 1876

Chapter 1 Part 3
Circumstances Connected with the Granting of No. 4

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At a Great and General Court held in Boston the Twenty-fourth day of November One Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty-six the following Vote passed the two Houses and was Consented to by the Governor viz't.

Voted - That Thomas Wells of Deerfield, Esq. be and hereby is empowered to assemble the Grantees of the Township Number Four on the East Side and next adjoining to Connecticut River giving timely Notice to the said Grantees admitted into said Township by the Committee of this Court to meet and assemble at some Suitable Place in order to Choose a Moderator and Proprietor's Clerk and Committee to Allot and Divide their Lands and to Dispose of the same and to Pass such Votes and Orders as by them may be thought Conducive for the Speedy ful-fillment of their grants and also to agree upon methods for Calling of meetings for the future, provided none of their Votes Concerning the Dividing and Disposing of their Land that shall be passed while they are under the Care and Direction of the Committee of this Court shall be of force before they are Allowed of by the said Committee."

By the words "At a great and General Court held in Boston on Nov. 24, 1736, etc," it does not mean that the above vote was passed on that day for it was not passed till the December following. The committee consisting of eleven persons from both houses of the General Court had proceeded in the discharge of their duty to lay out the specified townships on the Connecticut River and had sub-sequently in the month of September, 1736, given notice to the petitioners to meet at Concord, Massachusetts, for the purpose of complying with the conditions on which they would be granted.

*A large number attended the meeting (*see Hist. of Northfield, p. 226 for names of the sixty bondsmen and also the proprietors, see Miscellany) of whom sixty complied with the conditions prescribed and were admitted as grantees. The south bound of Township No. 1, was placed at a point on the river four and one half miles and twenty rods north of the southerly end of Merry's Meadow which would be near the present dividing line be-tween Hinsdale and Chesterfield.

The north bound of No. 4, was in the upper part of the present town of Charlestown, NH. The plat of these town-ships know by the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 was accepted by the General Court, Nov. 30, 1736, and December 13, the following persons were appointed and empowered to call the first meeting of the several proprietors for orani-zation, viz:

Samuel Chamberlain of Westford, for No. 1 (Chesterfield)

Nathaniel Harris of Watertown, for No. 2 (Westmoreland)

John Flint of Concord, for No. 3 (Walpole)

Thomas Wells, Esq., of Deerfield, for No. 4 (Charlestown)

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Thomas Wells, Esq., of Deerfield, having been empowered to call the first meeting of the Grantees of No. 4, re-cords his notification as follows:

Hampshire ss. Deerfield, March 29, 1737 "Pursuant to the order or authority above granted to me the Subscriber, I have caused the grantees or the prop-rietors of the Township of Number 4 above mentioned to be notified to meet at the house of Joseph Billings of Hatfield on Tuesday the Fifth of April next at Ten o'clock in the forenoon by Posting notifications of the Time, place and occasion of Said Meeting in Towns of Northampton, Hadley, Hatfield, Deerfield and Sunderland the places where the Grantees dwell."

This meeting was notified on the petition of Jonathan Wells of Deerfield and met at the time and place appoint-ed.

Capt. Thomas Wells of Deerfield was chosen Moderator, and Benjamin Dickinson of Hatfield, Proprietor's Clerk; and the following persons viz. Capt. Thomas Wells, Capt Nathaniel Coleman, Lieut. Joseph Clesson, John Catlin, and Noah Wright were voted committee for the township, whose duty it should be, as early as convenient to re-pair to it, and inspect it, and in the first place, lay out sixty three house lots upon upland, in the most de-fensible manner they could, agreeably to the order of the General Court, in the place which had been previously selected by the Proprietors, or if on examination, any other location should be adjudged more convenient, it was left discretionary with them to lay them out there. They were then to proceed to divide the meadow and inter-val lands in the township into into one or more divisions "to and amongst the proprietors: as on inspection, they might consider most conducive to their interest; yet it was left to the direction of the committee either to make a division of the whole of the meadow land, or only a part of it, as they should judge best. The committee were also directed to lay out convenient and necessary highways in the township, and in all the divisions of the lands. They were moreover directed to ascertain convienient places for a corn mill, and saw mill, and make a report of doings in the premises for the confirma-tion of the proprietors, at their next meeting; the whole to be done at the charge of the proprietors.

The following method was also adopted for calling sub-sequent meetings, viz.

That Five of the proprietors of Said Township, applying themselves to the Clark (clerk) of Said Proprietors, in their application setting forth the Time, Place and and Occasion of Said Meeting; and the clerk Setting up Notifications in the towns of Northampton, Hadley, Hat-field and Deerfield, five days at least before the time of Said Meeting; Setting forth also in said Notifications the Time, Place and Occasion of Said Meeting shall be sufficient for the calling of a meeting of the Said Proprietors for the future."

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The following vote was also passed at this meeting. "Voted - By the proprietors that they will Choose a Committee to require an account of those persons, that were entrusted with the money for Carrying on the Petition for the afore said Township; and also to receive from the former Committee an account of their Charge in Laying view-ing the land in said township; and their charge in laying out and dividing the same, so far as they proceeded; and that the said committee, when the accounts are adjusted, to lay the Same before the Proprietors to pass thereon, at their next meeting."

"Voted - That Capt. Isael Williams, Noah Wright and Nathaniel Kellogg be a Committee for the End afore Said.

The next meeting of the proprietors is thus recorded in the Proprietors' Records page 11.

"At a meeting of the proprietors of the Township0 of No. 4, on the East Side of the Connecticut River, at the House of Joseph Billings, in Hatfield on Tuesday, the 28th of June, Anno Domini, 1737.

1st. Voted - That Capt. Nathaniel Coleman of Hatfield, be Moderator of the Proprietors' Meeting.

2d. Voted - The whole accompts that hath been past of money expended and Labour done for bringing forward the Settlement of said Township.

3d. Voted - That the whole accompts here rendered, in proportion be paid by each man, before he draws his Lotts.

4th. Voted - The sum of fourteen pounds money, be granted to be Improved for Making and cutting a Road, as the dir-ection of the proprietors shall be hereafter.

5th. Voted - That Ensign Zach. Field of Northfield and Orlando Bridgeman of Fort Dummer be a committee with their assistants for marking and cutting a Road.

6th. Voted - That each proprietor shall pay his portions of money agreed upon by the Proprietors before he draws his Lots.

7th Voted - That the lots (viz.) No. 14, 15, and 19 to 38, that is not judged in quality, equivolent to other lots, that the committee that shall hereafter be chosen shall determine how and what land each one shall have, to make those lots equivolent to the other lots.

8th Voted - That they make choice of Joseph Billings of Hatfield, Proprietor's Treasurer.

9th Voted - That they allow Nathaniel Dickenson of Hat-field three shillings (O.T.) for bringing up the Proprietor's Book.

10th Voted - That the Several divisions of Lots that are now Laid out, be drawn for by those that have paid their money* (see miscellany for this drawing)

Historical Miscellany
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Grantees Admitted to No. 4

(Note: these are grantees - see the List of the Original Proprietors p. 634.)

The following list is copied from one in possession of the Hon. George Sheldon of Deerfield, Mass., and contains the names of the persons who gave bonds to the value of forty pounds for fulfilling the conditions which were enjoined by the Act of the General Court of Massachusetts on all who were admitted as grantees. The heading is as follows:

"A list of grantees admitted into the Township No. Four on the East Side of Connecticut River above the Great Falls: viz., Those that gave Bonds."

Capt. Jonathan Wells;
Samuel Barnard;
David Field, on his father's Right;
Joseph Clesson;
Joseph Severance;
Mary Wells, on David Hoit's Right;
John Datting, on Joseph Cotton's Right;
Benjamin Mun on John Mun's Right;
John Nims;
Thomas Wells;
Thomas Wells for John Wells, heirs,
John Hensdall, on John Arm's Right;
Daniel Belden, on Wm. Belden's Right;
Jno. Wait;
Jno Fitch, on Benjamin Field's Right;
Samuel Moody on Thomas Hovey's Right;
Nathaniel Coleman on John Well's of Hatfield's Right;
Benjamin Field, on John Ellis's Right;
Jonathan Bridgeman for James Bridgeman's heirs;
Samuel Dickinson;
Samuel Dickinson on Samuel Church's Right;
John Smith;
Martha Warner for her father, Daniel Warner;
Stephen Crowfoot;
Joseph Eastman for John Montague's heirs;
Samuel Church for Nathaniel Warner's heirs;
Joseph Wait on Benjamin Wait's Right;
Nathaniel Dickinson the third;
Aaron Graves for John Graves;
Ebenezer Nims;
Benjamin Dickinson for Samuel Foot's heirs;
Daniel Russell for Thomas Russell's heirs;
Jesse Warner, on Samuel Warner's Right;
Samuel Gilbert on John Bridgman's Right;
Joseph Smith; John Dickinson on Joseph Church's Right;
Eliphalet Allis for Samuel Allis' heirs;
Ebenezer Barnard for Thomas Barnard's heirs;
Richard Billings;
Israel Williams and Joseph Marsh for John Marsh's heirs;
Nathaniel Colman, Jun., on Robert Boltwood's Right;
Samuel Boltwood;
Ebenezer Sheldon;
Nathaniel Wait;
Solomon Boltwood;
Joshua Belding for Stephen Belding;
Nathan Dickinson for Ebenezer Dickinson;
Ebenezer Warner;
Nathaniel Ingraham for Jonathan Ingraham;
Joseph Billings on Zach. Field's Right, of Hatfield;
Joseph Wright; Noah Wright for his father, Joseph Wright;
John Bridgman;
Benjamin Stebbings;
Zachariah Field, Northfield;
Nathaniel Kellogg;
Thomas Stearnes;
Noah Jones; and Jeremiah Ballard to give bond to Col.Willard.
By Order of the Committee, John Chandler, Jr. & Josiah
Willard - Copy from file examined by Simon Frost.

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Original Proprietors of Fort No.4.

Joseph Clesson, Deerfield
Capt. Stevens, Rutland
Stephen Crowfoot, Hadley
Samuel Church, Hadley
James Severance, Northfield
Benjamin Stebbins, Northampton
Samuel Smith, Northfield
Ebenezer Nims, Deerfield
Daniel Russell, Sunderland
Samuel Gillit, Hatfield
Daniel Belden, Deerfield
Benjamin Dickinson, Deerfield
Nathaniel Dickinson, Northfield
Jos'a Wright, Northfield
John Smith, Hatfield
Benjamin Field, Hatfield
Thomas Wells, Deerfield
Waitstill Hastings, Hatfield
Joshua Belden, Hatfield
Nathanial Kellogg, Hadley
Stephen Kellogg, Hadley
Daniel Warner, Hatfield
Nathan Dickinson, Hatfield
Richard Billings, Hatfield
Jonathan Bridgman
Aaron Graves, Hatfield
John Wait, Hatfield
Jonathan Wells, Esq. Deerfield
John Nims, Deerfield
James Billings Hatfield
Ebenezer Warner, Hatfield
Noah Wright, Northfield
Lieut. Wetherby
Ebenezer Barnard, Deerfield
Orlando Bridgman, Northfield
Samuel Dickinson, Deerfield
Elisha Perkins, Hadley
John Fitch, Northampton
Stephen Farnsworth, Groton (founder 1740)
John Field, Hatfield
Eliphalet Allis
Nathaniel Coleman, Hatfield
Joseph Smith, Hatfield
Joseph Wait, Hatfield
Nathaniel Coleman, Northfield
Zachariah Field
Samuel Field, Deerfield
Jesse Warner, Deerfield
Samuel Mitchel, Deerfield
David Hoit, Deerfield
Nathaniel Coleman, Hatfield
Joseph Eastman, Hadley
John Catlin, Deerfield
John Dickinson, Hatfield
Thomas Wells, Deerfield

Author's note: It appears from the above table that there were four proprietors' rights which were not drawn. Two of these proprietors were Deacon William Dickinson of Hadley and Capt Israel Williams of Hatfield. The other two probably were Obadiah Dickinson, of Hat-field and Mr. John Hinsdell.

The proprietors appear to have been among the substantial men of Hampshire County and several of them had at the time, or obtained subsequently, no little distinction. Amond whom we mention Capt. Israel Williams, Orlando Bridgman of Bridgman's Fort, Capt. Nathaniel Coleman Capt Zachariah Field, Jonathan and Thomas Wells, John Catlin, Nathaniel Kellogg and Noah Wright all of whom acted well their part in their time.
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Only three of the original founders so far as it has been ascertained became settlers of No. 4 (Charlestown)

These were Stephen Farnsworth, Lieut. Ephraim Wetherbe (written Witherby and sometimes Wetherbee) and Capt. Phineas Stevens. Samuel Farnsworth was killed in an Indian attack at the fort and David Farnsworth returned to Groton prior to becoming a permanent resident.

Lieut Obadiah Dickinson, Lieut Joseph Clesson and Lieut Joseph Billings retained their proprietors' rights for a few years. It is possible that Mr. Billings might have settled in town for a short time, as his name occurs among the proprietors under the New Hampshire Charter.

End Part 3

THE GRANTING OF NO. 4
PART 4 OF 4

Chapter 1 -- Part 4
Circumstances Connected with the Granting of No. 4

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1. Voted - That the house lots be drawn for.
2d. Voted - That the Meadow lots in the lst Division be drawn for. 3. Voted - That the Second Division of Meadow lots be drawn for.

11th. Voted - That the Proprietor's Treasurer shall pay to the Respective Persons Their Several Sums of money that is due to them as their accompts then lay before them. 12th. Voted - That such Proprietors, that have not drawn their Lots, which are left in the hand of the Treasurer, first paying their proport-ion of past charges, may draw them with calling the Clerk and Treasurer together. 13th. Voted - That we will choose a Committee to Confer with men about the building of a saw mill and Corn Mill, upon the most easy terms they can. 14th. Voted - Capt. Nathaniel Coleman, Ensign Zach. Field Noah Wright, Nathaniel Kellogg and John Catting be a Committee for the afforsaid. 15th. Voted - That we will reconsider the eleventh vote. 16th. Voted - That the former Committee that were chosen to take in accompts, (viz.) Capt. Israel Williams, Nathaniel Kellogg, Noah Wright, shall be empowered to give order to the Proprietor's Treasurer to pay out moneys to the several persons to whom it is due. 17th. Voted - That we employ Nathaniel Kellogg of Hadley to lay the plan he hath taken and draught of the township No. 4, etc., for the approbation of the General Court's Committ-ee. 18th. Voted - That we accept the return of the Committee refering to the Laying out the Lotts and Highways and Confirm them Agreeable as they are laid in the plan. 19TH. Voted - That Joseph Billings' account be allowed for charges that hath arisen by the Proprie-tors (viz.) f3 3s 10d. 20th. Voted - That the meeting be adjourned to the 3rd Tuesday of October at eight of the clock in the morning. p.10. AN ADJOURNMENT At an adjourned meeting of the 18th of October, A. Domini, 1737 at the House of Joseph Billings of Hatfield.

1st. Voted - That Capt. Nathaniel Coleman be one of the Persons with the Clerk and Treasurer, for persons to apply to, to draw their lots, and that either two of the three, shall be sufficient to draw his lott with paying his money. 2d. Voted - To make choiceof John Catting to join with Orlando Bridgman, as a committee in behalf of Ensign Zach. Field to view and mark a rode a rode in the most convenient place as they like best to said township. 3d. Voted - That this meeting be adjourned to the lst Tuesday in January at eight of the clock in the morning, to the House of Capt. Nathaniel Coleman of Hatfield, Anno Domini 1738. AN ADJOURNMENT "At an adjourned meeting on the 3d day of January, Anno Domini 1738 at the house of Capt. Nathaniel Coleman of Hatfield, Innholder, etc.

1st. Voted - That we will chuse a Committee to Prose-cute (as the law directs) the Law upon such persons as refuse and neglect to pay their just proportion of Past Charges. 2d. Voted - That we choose a Committee to Confer with the Proprietors of some of the neighboring towns to do their proportion in cutting a road to such townships as they shall agree to. 3d. Voted - Capt. Thomas Wells, Capt. Nathaniel Coleman Lieut. Joseph Clesson, Deacon William Dickingson, Nathaniel Kellogg, John Catting Committee men for afores'd Purpose. 4th. Voted - That Nathaniel Coleman shall have two pounds ten shillings for providing for the Pro-prietors. 5th. Voted - That Lieut John Smith shall have one pound, five shillings for past charges for the proprietors. 6th. Voted - The sum of eight shillings to Joseph Billings for past charges.

The affores'd votes were voted at the affores'd meeting as attest Nathaniel Coleman, Moderator A true copy, attest Benjamin Dickinson, Proprietors' Clerk

THE GENERAL COURT The foregoing votes were presented to the Committee of the General Court for approbation, which were read and approved by said Committee. William Dudley. Boston, 28th June 1738 (listed is the material above)

p.13 The next meeting of the Proprietors of No. 4 on the East Side of the Connecticut River being legally warned and assembled this 29th day of September, 1740.

"The Proprietors being informed that by the Determination of his Majesty in Council respecting the Controverted Bounds between the Province of the Massachusetts Bay and New-Hampshire, they are Excluded from the Province of the Massachusetts Bay to which they always supposed them-selves to belong.

Therefore Unanimously Voted that a petition be refered to the Kings' Most Excellent Majesty, setting fourth our distressed Estate and praying we may be annexed to the said Massachusetts Province:

That Thomas Hutchinson, Esq., be Impowered to present the said petition to his Majesty and to appear and fully act for and in behalf of this town Respecting the subject matter of said Petition according to His Discression. Thomas Wells, Moderator Voted - That the charges of this Meeting amounting to the sum of f2. 11s. 0, be paid by the Proprietors. Thomas Wells"

Author's note: How much had been done previous to this time in pre-paring No. 4 for settlement cannot now be ascertained That some money had been expended is certain, but it is equally certain that some of the improvements which the proprietors voted to make had not been made. From their petition to His Majesty to be reannexed to Massachusetts, IF the proprietors ever heard, no record was made of it. It was of such a nature, that they could scarcely have had any expectation that it would receive a favorable answer. The exclusion of the township from Massachusetts was a great disappointment to the proprietors, and proved for upward of twenty years an exceedingly prolific source of trouble to the settlers, as from this history will hereafter be seen.

p.14 The first settlement of No. 4 was made by three brothers Samuel, David and Stephen Farnsworth in 1740. They were natives of Groton, Massachusetts but at the time of their removal to No. 4, were of Lunenburg, MA. They were soon followed by Isaac Parker and sons and Obadiah Sartwell from Groton, MA, John Hastings of Hatfield, Moses Willard of Lunenburg and Phineas Stevens of Rutland, MA.

End Part 4 of 4

Fort No. 4, Charlestown, NH - 1740 - its origins and its settlement.

Chapter 2 p.15

The anticipated war between England and France begins.

To appreciate the situation of the settlers of Fort 4, it is necessary to have some knowledge of the progress which the country had made at that time.

Beginning then, at Boston (MA) at that time the principal place in New England, we must not imagine it as containing its tens of thousands of inhabitants, but a taxable population of about eighteen hundred; for this, according to Holmes, was the number it contained in 1742. The same writer puts down the number of its dwelling houses as seven hundred and nineteen. From this we shall immediately perceive that it is not the Boston of our present ideas. In about the same year, the taxable persons in the county of Worcester were about three thousand two hundred. The settlement most easily reached was at Northfield, MA which was on the Connecticut River, about forty-five miles below; for though there were a few inhabitants at Upper Ashuelot, (now Keene) and Lower Ashuelot (now Swanzey) there was no other way, at the time, of reaching them except by way of Fort Dummer.

The nearest settlements within the present limits of New Hampshire with the exception of those alread mentioned were on the Merrimac and its branches. These were Penacook (now Condord), Suncook (now Pembroke) Contoocook (now Boscawen) New Hopkinton (now Hopkinton) Souhegan East (now Merrimac) Souhegan West (now Amherst). Hollis was also settled under the name of Nissitissit, or the West Parish of Dunstable.

West of the Connecticut, there were no settlements in the territory, now included in the State of Vermont, with the exception of Fort Dummer; and on the north, there were none this side of the borders of Canada.

No. 4, was, therefore, the most advanced frontier settlement, environed by deep forests on every side and the most exposed to the enemy in case of a French or Indian war, which, owing to the disturbed relations of France and England,was at

any time probable. Indeed, it was the apprehension of such a war that had long been the means of restraining emigration and preventing the progress of settlements on the Connecticut River, the lands on which were reputed to be exceed-ingly desireable. But the time at length arrived, when circumstances combined to create sufficient motives to induce their occupation, notwithstanding disastrous results which had attended nearly all previous settlements on the river.

The township of No. 4 was grante originally by Massachusetts but that, sub-sequently, by the decision of the King George 2nd - it was found to lie within the boundaries of New Hampshire and that on learning this, the proprietors had petitioned the King to have this township set back again under the jurisdiciton of Massachusetts. This was in September 1740 and before the next meeting, held September 1, 1742, most of the proprietors had disposed of their interests in the township probably owing to the doubtful character of their titles. Only three of the original proprietors became settlers. These were Captain Phineas Stevens, Lieutenant Ephraim Wetherbe and Stephen Farnsworth. A few others held their titles for awhile but eventually disposed of them. The settlement of Fort 4 was very slow, as in 1744 there were not more than nine or ten families.

The first settlement of No. 4 was made by three brothers, Samuel, David and Stephen Farnsworth in 1740. They were natives of Groton, MA. But at the time of their removal to No. 4, they resided at Lunenburg, MA (Turkey Hills).

They were soon followed by Isaac Parker and sons, and Obadiah Sartwell (Sawtell) from Groton, MA and John Hastings of Hatfield, MA and Moses Willard of Lunenburg and Phineas Stevens of Rutland. MA.

FORTIFICATIONS ON THE FRONTIER 1744

War Declared by Great Britain Against France and Spain
FORTIFICATIONS ON THE FRONTIER

p.21 War was declared by Great Britain against France and Spain. This declaration was made on the 29th of March 1744 though it was not proclaimed in Boston until the June following.

We shall better comprehend many things relating to this war by understanding the line of frontier which was open to attack, and which consequently required to be defend-ed. It must be remembered then, that the northern bound-ary of the settlements of New England and New York, at that time, was limited by a line commencing at St. George River in Maine, and running south-westerly parallel with the sea coast, embracing two or three ranges of towns until it intersected the Merrimac at Dunstable; thence up that river to the mouth of the Contoocook, and ascend-ing that river to its source, and continuing across the high lands to the head of the river Ashuelot; thence down that stream to Hinsdale and on a westerly course, crossing the Connecticut River at Fort Dummer. Leaving the Connecticut at that point the boundary extended in a south-west direction, crossing Bernardston and Coleraine to North River, in the latter town; thence down that river to its junction with Deerfield River and up this river through the valley of Charlemont to Hoosac Mount-ain; thence over the mountain nearly "in the old turn-pike road" to Hoosac River in Adams; thence following that stream to its junction with the Hudson. This was the New England frontier to be defended, in addition to which, were such settlements as were on the Connecti-cut River above the Ashuelot.

On this frontier nearly all the important places had erected temporary fortifications which were tenable only against Indian attacks with musketry, but which, as they were not liable generally to any different assaults, in the absence of stronger defences, answered very import-ant purposes for their protection. They became places of refuge into which, in times of Indian incursions, the inhabitants could flee and ordinarily be safe, till their savage enemies had passed on to make depredations on some other settlement, or were on their march back to Canada.

On this frontier, west of the Connecituct, the govern-ment of Massachusetts in the certainty that there was to be war, authorized the building of a cordon of forts, to extend from Fort Dummer to her western boundary; and thence down that boundary to the north line of Connecti-cut. Under this authorization the old defences at North-field and Greenfield were repaired; some mounts were erected and several houses were stockaded in Bernardston and Coleraine; a strong fort was built in the present town of Heath at the expense of the government and call-ed Fort Shirley; and another in Rome and named Fort Pel-ham; and a stronger fortress still in the present town of Adams called Fort Massachusetts. The following towns on the western frontier also had small defences, viz. Williamstown, Pittsfield, Stockbridge and Sheffield. At Blanford, farther in the State, a small work was also erected, not only for the protection of the settlers, but as a station on the then principal route to Kinder-hook and Albany in the State of New York. In addition to these defences there were Josiah Sartwell's Fort or Blockhouse built in 1738 in what was a part of Hinsdale but is now Vernon, VT., and Bridgman's Fort, which was built the same year and was deemed much stronger. Anoth-fort was east of the Connecticut River and nearly oppos-ite Sartwell's Fort in Hinsdale, NH, and was built in 1743 by Rev. Ebenezer Hinsdell, who was one of the proprietors of No. 4. Upper and Lower Ashuelot were also fortified by small block-houses. Such was the frontier to be defended in this war, and such the fortifications on which the settlers were to depend for protection.

King George II - Grant to Charlestown (No.4) Charter w/ Grantees named
CHARLESTOWN, NEW-HAMPSHIRE CHARTER

p.639
No. Four, Charlestown, New-Hampshire Charter Province of New Hampshire George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of ye Faith etc. To all Persons to whom these Presents Shall Come Greeting:

Whereas Sundry of our Loving Subjects before the settle-ment of the Dividing Line of our Province of New Hamp-shire, aforesaid and of our other Government of the Massachusets Bay began a Settlement of a Tract of Land called Number Four Lying on Conneticut River above the Great Falls, and made Sundry divisions of and Improve-ments upon the said Tract of Land, and there remained till the Indian Warr forced them off, and our s'd sub-jects being desirous to make an Immediate settlement on the Premises, and having Petitioned our Governor & Council For his Majesty's Grant of the Premises to be so made as might not Subvert & Destroy their former Surveys and Laying out In Severalty made thereon as afores'd.

Now Know ye that we of our Special Grace certain know-ledge and mere motion for answering the ends aboves'd and for the due Encouragement of Settling the s'd Plantation by and with the advise of our Trusty and well Beloved Benning Wentworth Esq'r our Governor and Commander in chief in and over our s'd Province of New Hampshire in America and of our council of our s'd Province, Have upon ye conditions & Reservations herein after made, Given and Granted unto our Loving Subjects Inhabitants of our s'd Province of New hamps're and our other Governments in New England and to their heirs and assigns for Ever; Whose names are entered upon this Grant, to be divided to and amongst them, Into so many and such shares and proportions as they now hold or claim ye same by Purchase Contract Vote or agreement, made amongst themselves, All that Tract or parcel of Land, scituate, lying and being within our said Province of New Hamps're, Containing by admeasurement Twenty three Thousand and Forty Acres, which tract is to contain six miles square and no more, out of which an allowance is to be made for high ways and unimproveable Lands by rocks, mountains, ponds and rivers, one Thousand and Forty acres free, according to a Plan thereof made and presented by our s'd Governour's orders and hereunto annexed; Butted and Bounded as follows viz't. Beginning at Tree on the Bank of Connecticut River marked for ye northwest corner of Walpole, then runs South 78 degrees East three miles and one hundred Rods to ye North East Corner of s'd Walpole from thence one mile and two hundred and eighty eight Rods East by ye Needle to an Angle in Newton. Then north 2 degrees West eight Miles & half by Newton & Burnet and to an angle in Buckingham - Then North 17 degrees East one Thousand and Sixy Rods by Buckingham afores'd Then North 78 degrees West up home to Connecti-cut River - Thence running down s'd River to ye Bounds first mentiioned; and that the same be and hereby Incorporated into a Township by ye name of Charlestown. And that the Inhabitants that do or shall hereafter In-habit the s'd Township are hereby declared to be En-franchised with, and Intitled to all and every, the Priviledges and Immunities that other Towns within our s'd Province shall be Fifty Families resident thereon shall have the Liberty to open and keep a Market one or more days in each week as may be thought most advanta-geous to ye Inhabitants; Also that the First Meeting For the Choice of Town officers and other affairs agree-able to the Laws of our s'd Province shall be holden on ye second Tuesday in August next, which meeting shall be notified by Phineas Stevens, Esq. who is hereby also appointed the Moderator of the s'd First Meeting which he is to Notifie and Govern agreeable to the Law and Custom of our s'd Province; and that the Annual Meeting for ever hereafter for ye Choice of such officers for the s'd Town shall be on the Second Tuesday In March Annually.

To have and to Hold the s'd Tract of Land as above expressed together with all the Privileges and appurten-ances to them and their respective heirs and assigns forever, upon the following Conditions (viz't.) That every Grantee his heirs or assigns shall plant and cultivate five acres of Land within ye term of five years for every fifty acres contained in his or their shares or proportion of Land in the Township and contin-ue to improve and settle the same by additional culti-vations on penalty of forfeiture of his Grant or share in the s'd Township and its reverting to his Majesty, his heirs and successors to be by him or them Regranted to such of his Subjects as shall effectually Settle and Cultivate the same. That all White and other Pine trees within ye s'd Township fit for Masting our Royal Navy be carefully preserved for that use and one to be cut or felled without his Majesty's Especial License for so doing first had and obtained, upon the Penalty of the Forfeiture of ye Right of such Grantee, his heirs or assigns to us our heirs and and successors, as well as being subject to ye penalty of any act or acts Parlia-ment that now are or hereafter shall be enacted; also reserving the power of adding to or Dividing the s'd Town so far as it Relates to Incorporation Only, to us our heirs & sucessors, when it shall appear necessary or convenient for the Benefit of the Inhabitants thereof

That before any further division of the s'd Lands be made to and amongts the Grantees, a Tract of Land in the most Commodious Place 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. Yielding and Paying therefor to us, our heirs and sucessors, for the space of Ten Years to be computed from the date hereof ye annual rent of one ear of Indian Corn only, commencing on ye first day of January ensueing the Date hereof; and every Proprietor, Settler or Inhabitant shall yeild and pay unto us, our heirs and successors yearly and every year forever from and after ye Expiration of the Ten years from the date hereof, namely on the first day of January which will be in ye year of our Lord Christ one Thousand seven hundred and sixty four, One shilling Proclamation money for every one hundred acres he so owns, settles and Possesses and so in proportion for a greater or Lessor Tract of the s'd Land, which money shall be paid by ye Respective Persons above s'd their heirs or assigns in our Council Chamber in Portsmouth, or to such officer or officers as shall be appointed to receive ye same and this to be in Lieu of all other rents and services whatsoever. In Witness whereof we have caused the Seal of our s'd Province to be hereunto affixed. Wittness Benning Wentworth, Esq our Governour and Commander in Chief of our s'd Province the second day of July in the Year of our Lord Christ 1753 and ye Twenty sevent year of our Reign By his Excellenc'y Command with the advice of Council B. Wentworth Theodore Atkinson, Sec'y Province of New Hamps., July 2d 1753 Entered & Recorded in ye Book of Charters, p.161, l62 - l63. Theodore Atkinson, Sec'y

NAMES OF THE GRANTEES OF CHARLESTOWN, New Hampshire

Joseph Wells Stephen Farnsworth John Sawyer, Jr. Isaac Amsden Andrew Gardner Josiah Willard Obadiah Dickinson Jonathan Hubbard Moses Willard David Farnsworth Phineas Stevens James Farnsworth Nathaniel Parker Seth Putnam Silvanus Hastings William Hayward James Kellogg Ebenezer Putnam Joseph Billings Thomas Adams Jonathan Page John Sawyer The widow and heirs of Obadiah Sartwell John Hastings, Jr. James Porter Isaac Parker Joseph Willard James Johnson John Hastings Ebenezer Hinsdale John Spafford Isaac Holden Benjamin Allen Abijah Wetherbee Seth Walker Thomas Putnam Moses Wheeler Caleb Dana Samuel Wetherbe Simon Sartwell Lemuel Hastings Peter Labaree Jonathan Wetherbe Joseph Woods

His Excellency Benning Wentworth, Esq., one tract of land of the contents of five hundred acres. One sixty-fourth part of the said tract for the Indorporated Socity for the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts. One sixty-fourth part for the first settled Minister of the Gospel in said town. One sixty-fourth part of the said tract for a Glebe for the Church of England as by law established. Recorded from the back of the Charter for Charlestown the 2d day of July 1753 Theodore Atkinson, Secr'y

1746 Petition for Fort 4
signed by Men of Boton, Harvard,Townsend, Groton, Lunenburg etc
[Signed by the following Petitioners]

Lancaster (Mass.)

Nathaniel Wyman; Joseph White; Asale (?) Phelps; John Wilder; Jewett Kilborn; Phinehas Willard; Asa Whitcomb; Hez' Whitcomb; Daniel Jewett; Tho's Sawyer; Caleb Wilder; John Snow; John Hoslen (?); James Houghton; Edward Phelps; Ebez' Bemond; Jona't Osgood; Sam'll Sawyer; Benj'a Houghton; Jacob Fowl; Abijah Wyman; Eph' Wilder; Josiah White; John Bennett; Hocker Osgood, Jr.; Joseph Osgood; Eph'm Wilder, Jr.; Daniel Osgood; Eph'm Sawyer; Joseph Bennett; Benj'a Houghton; Ezra Sawyer; Ruben Rugg; Jona't Pow(e)rs; Jona't Wilder; Aaron Dresser; Menassa Dinel; Sam'll Carter; Jeremiah Haskel; Andrew Wilder; Zaccarey Boynton; Phin'a Bemond; Ephraim Roper; James Ross; John Whelock; Henerey Haskill; Mathew Clark; Stanton Prentice; Isrell Houghton; Joseph Whit-comb; Jona't Kendall; Josiah Ballard; Nathaniel Sawyer; Shewbell Baley; Edwar'd Robins; Assa Richardson; Thom's Burpee; John Crosbee; Eben'z Buss; Daniel Wilder; Nathaniel White; Eben'a Taylor.

Leominster (Mass.)

Jona't White; Joseph Whelock; Tho's Wilder; Tho's Houghton; Garnor Wilder; Jona't Willson; Benj'a Whitcomb; Jonathan Carter; James Butler; Na't Carter; Tho's Debuenport; Will'm Dinel; Joseph Beman; Ab(i)jah Smith; Nathan Smith; Tho's White; Phillop Swetzer; Ebe'z Poley; Jona't Johnson; Ruben Gat(e)s; Stephen Buss; Simon Butler; John Phelps; Josiah White.

Lunenburg (Mass.)

Jonathan Hubbard; Thomas Prentice; Jonathan Bradstreet; Benj'a Goodridge; Samuell Johnson; John Hayward; John Grout; Wm Daves [or Downs]; Sam. Reed; Benj'a Foster; Jacob Stiles; Samuell Cumings; Thomas Carter; David Chaplin; Thomas Brown; Jeremiah Norcross; Josiah Bayley (?); Sam. Bradstreet; Jonathan Bradstreet; Ezekiel Wyman; John Gipson; Joshua Goodridge; Benj'a Coney; David Carlile; Moses Mitchel; Nath. Page; Jacob Warren; Phillip Goodridge; Eleazer Houghton; Jonathan Willard, Jr.; Joseph Fuller; James Kimbal; Wm. Haderson (?); Zachariah Whitney; Joseph Holt; Nathaniel Hastings; Patrick White; Charles White; Sam'll Page; Nathaniel Harwood; Jonathan Hubbard Jr; Jonathan Wood; Ebenezer Tarbell; John Jeneson; Aaron Brown; Jonathan Whitney; James Reed; John Scott; Reuben Dodge; Francis Butrick; John White; David Holt; Ephraim Wetherbee; Isaac Gibson; James Hilch; Abraham Sanderson; Hezekiah Wetherbee; Wm Canadee; Thomas Morrison; Robert Smith; John Smith; Wm Smith; Daniel Asleen; Thomas Dutton; Isaac Foster; Joseph Goodridge; Wm. Stewart; John Gipson; Josiah Dodge; Josiah Dodge, Jr; Eli Dodge; Jonathan Pearce; Abell Platts; Thomas Little; John Marlain; John Divul; John Mansfield; Sam'll Davill (?); Ephraim Whitney; Jacob Gould; Harington Gibson; Benj'a Ganey; Moses Gould.

Groton (Mass.)

John Gilson; Thomas Laurence; Aaron Woods; Francis Harris; Jonathan Holden; Abraham Moors; Shadrick Whitney; Phinehas Waight; Joseph Stone; Wm Bennit; Seth Walker; Isaac Holden; Henry Farwell; Isaac Green; Benj'a Chase; Benj'a Stone; Nathan Hubbard; Simon Pearce; Sam. Nichols; John Pratt; John Page; Wm Tarbell; Zera Farnsworth; Wm Parker; Jonas Varnum; James Lakin; Sam. Tarbell; Benj'a Bancroft; Benj'a Lawrence; Jonathan Shadick [probably intented for Jonathan Shattuck]; Peter Hubbard; Wm Simonds; Wm Lakin; Jabez Kendal; Benj Hassen [Hazen]; Ebenezer Nutten [Nutting] Daniel Nutten [Nutting] Isaac Phillips; Sam. Bowers; Joseph Parker; Nathaniel Lawrence.

Townsend (Mass.)

Daniel Taylor; John Connant; Joseph Baldwin; Jacob Baldwain; Isaac Spaldin; James Wilson; Ebenezer Wyman; Ephraim Stephen; Jeremiah Ball; Joseph Stephen; Wm Fletcher; Uriah Sarttle; Robert Avery; John Dutten; Zachariah Emery; Wm Robbe.

Harvard (Mass.)

Peter Atherton; Joseph Hutchings; Joseph Haskill; James Willard; Sam. Haskill; Tarbell Willard; Robert Holland; Oliver Atherton; Henry Willard; Wm Farr; Thomas Tunuley (?); Lemuel Willard; James Godfrel; David Whitney; Isaac Willard; Joseph Willard.

Bolton (Mass.) Elias Sawyer; Nath. Wilson; Elisha Sawyer.

Subject: 1746 Petition for the Protection of Township No. 4, Communicated by James Lawrence Bass Source: NEHGS Register, Vol 13, January 1859

[The document of which the following is a copy, is in my (Bass) poss-ession. The chirography is somewhat obscure; but wherever the least doubt exists, as to a correct deciphering, I have affixed an interro-ation mark. Believing this waif of the olden time of sufficient hist-orical and genealogical interest to merit a place in the Register, it is respectfully submitted.]

December 31, 1746

"To his Excelancy and the whol Court - the petition of us, the sub-scribers, (listed below) humbly showeth that dwelling near the front-iers of this Province and being hartely Consarned for the Interest of it as being members of the same and pertickelorly that of the most Ex-terior Inland fronteers, we cannot but attempt a modest Representation of our sentements to your Excelancey and honnors, as followeth."

"We humbly conceve it would be for the Good of the Province in General as well as the fronteers in partickler that the Tounship called No. 4 on the Connecticut River (which became Charlestown, New Hampshire) with the Asshaweletts & should be protected & aprehend the Inhabitance to have ben a a grate safegard to all that Lye near the senter of the province, as an arguement of which we might aledg the Repeted skirmages those inhabitance have had with the Indian Enemy who in al prowebilety would have infected the Interior Parts and Consequently would have ben much more extencively mischeveas had they not ben prevented by such a barrer, apprehending Lickewise that these places, if defended, may be of Singular sarvis to such volinteers on there Return as may be sent against the Enemy and that it cannot commode the publick to give the Enemy such a wide extent of Land unsettled as Lys within these Places and tho we must express our loall gratetude for the paternall care of the Goverment in allowing supplys of Soulders to the towns to which many of us belong yet we cant but think it would have ben as conducive to the General savefty, as well as the welth of the Province to have placed them nearer the Enemies Cuntrey, for which Reson we shall for the futer Readily submitt to there Removefall to these Exterior Places even tho' it should not sarve our own privett defence and advantage -for these Resons not to mention the pitefall surcomstances of these poore inhabitance we humbly Intreet your Excelancey and honnors to Protect there strong and Costley Garisons, if such a gracious answer to our prayer suitable obediance we will allways submitt and your petisioners will ever pray etc. December 31, 1746"

Today upon old Breakneck
As I stood and looked below,
And beheld the pleasant landscape
And the river in its flow,
And many a home of beauty
'Mid sweet embowering trees,
I said to my companion,
"What blessed times are these;
Just look upon those meadows,
And yonder mountains green:
Could there be a sight more lovely,
Or more peaceful and serene?
And look northward and look southward,
O'er all the vale afar,
And there is not a sight or sound
Its peacefulness to mar.
In all that meets our vision,
There is not a lurking foe;
But the fathers oft have told us
That it was not always so.
But that where now peace seems brooding
There once were wild alarms,
And hot haste among the people
As they heard the cry "To arms!".
For there was no delaying
When our fathers heard the shout
Of the wildly riding courier, -
"Turn out, my boys, turn out!
The enemy are on us!"
But,. leaving every tie,
They hastened to the rescue,
To conquer or to die.
For our fathers loved their country,
And were noble-souled and brave;
And the hate they had for tyrants
Was relentless as the grave.
So, when summoned to the conflict,
They did not even wait
To kiss their wives and daughters
Lest their help might come too late.
But, seizing their old flint-locks
And powder-horns, they sped,
To come home among the victors,
Or to lie among the dead.
And yonder street, so peaceful,
I have heard the fathers say,
Has been the path of thousands
As they rushed to battle fray.
And it may have oft been told you
By brave old Lemuel Royce,
While his frame shook with emotion
Which trembled in his voice.
What a stir there was in Charlestown
As a Courier once dashed by,
Crying "Arm, for all the Britons
Are marching upon the Ti -".
And how the boys were ready,
And at the signal gun,
Without waiting further warning
Came in upon the run;
And how that noble Captain
Abel Walker would not stay
For the coming of his Colonel
Who lived ten miles away.
And how the gallant Colonel
As he rode to town that night,
Praised the promptness of the Captain
And then hastened for the fight.
And perchance you may have heard too,
How all the towns below,
Soon swift couriers reached them
Were in readiness to go;
And how Litchfield and old Dunstable
and Nottingham, the West
And Merrimac and Amherst
And New Ipswich sent their best;
And Bedford and old Derryfield
And Hollis were on hand,
As they always were, whene'er a foe
Came threatening the land;
And there wer men from Wilton
And from Plymouth and from Weare
And from the Peterborough hills,
And almost everywhere;
From Walpole and from Westmoreland;
From Chesterfield and Keene
And from Concord and from Francestown
And all the towns between;
And Meredith and Henniker
And Goffstown heard the shout
Of the flying couriers as they passed
And turned their noblest out;
And from Lempster, Newport, Claremont
And all the country o'er,
Came the bravest of New Hampshire
Dashing into "NUMBER FOUR".

But this was merely nothing.
Good old Lemuel would say,
To what took place in Charlestown
When John Stark came up this way.
O, there were wild huzzaings,
When old John came riding in,
And I ne'er again expect to hear
Another such a din!
And when we would have fired salute
The General, riding nigh,
Cried, "Hold boys" save your powder;
We may need it by and by.
Let us save it for the Red-coats,
For it would work us ill
If it should chance to be with us
As it was at Bunker Hill."
And then tehere was another shout,
And the drums they wildly beat,
While every moment fresh recruits
Came thronging up the street;
For all New Hampshire was awake
And from hillside and from glen
Came answereing to the call of Stark
As had ne'er been seen till then.
And Nichols' men and Stickney's men,
And gallant Hobart's, too
(Hobart and Stickney were the same
Who fought the Tory crew.)
On double quick came marching up,
And into Charlestown, came;
Brave men were they upon a hunt
In search of Hessian game!
And Heywood, Hobart's Major,
Rode out to meet each band, -
(A truer or a braver man
There was not in the land) -
And led them up the ancient street
To where Elijah Grout
With his fair daughters stood to deal
Their balls and powder out!
And Colonel Hunt seemed everywhere
To see that all were fed;
And every girl made cartridges
Who was not making bread!
And O, to see that gathering,
It was a goodly sight,
And to see them start for Bennington
To fight the glorious fight!

Those days have long been over,
And thank God that it is so,
And we would not have our land again
Invaded by a foe.
Yet would we still recall the deeds
Which by our sires were done;
Their readiness to meet the foe,
The fields their valor won.
So would we let our thoughts go back
O'er all the years that lie
Between us and those stirring days,
When they marched to fight at Ti -
And we would, as a sacred trust,
Keep ever bright their fame;
And we would not let a laurel fade
That twines around their name;
But as we stand on Breakneck,
And look on scenes below,
And behold the pleasant landscape,
And the river in its flow,
And our homes of love and beauty
'Mid sweet embowering trees,
We would feel within our heart of hearts
Our fathers gave us these;
And we would not forget the days
Till life itself is done,
When they marched to meet the foe at Ti -
And fought at Bennington!

Author, Rev. Saunderson's notes:

Lemuel Royce was the last surviving Revolutionary soldier, originally belonging to Charlestown, NH.
Capt. Abel Walker, afterwards, Colonel Walker, was a prompt and energetic officer. He marched to Quebec in l776 in command of a company from Charlestown. He marched four times to the defence of Ticonderoga and was with his company in Colonel Hobart's regiment at the battle of Bennington.
All the towns here mentioned turned out companies of volunteers to go to Ticond-eroga.
Nottingham West is now Hudson.
Hollis sent a company of 58 under Capt. Daniel Emerson.
A portion of the companies of most of these towns were citizens of neighboring
or adjoining towns which were too small to send full companies and there fore added
their volunteers to those of the larger towns.
Col Moses Nichols was from Amherst.
Col. Thomas Stickney was of Concord.
Col David Hobart was orig. from Hollis but at this time from Plymouth
Hobart and Stickney were detached by Stark with their regiments to force the Tory
breastwork at the battle of Bennington, which they did in gallant style. Capt. Abel
Walker was in Hobart's Regiment as was also Major William Heywood.
Elijah Grout was the old commissary at Charlestown during the war of the Revolution.
Col Samuel Hunt was custodian of the military stores at Charlestown and was Lieut.
Colonel of Col. Benjamin Bellow's regiment at the battles of Saratoga and Stillwater.
"Ti" was the abbreviation universally given by the old soldiers to Ticonderoga.

Submitted by Janice Farnsworth