nk it proper and that they be sett off
with the lands only that belong to them Lying within the Line
Petitioned for as aforesaid, and the Subscriber in Behalf of the
Town of Groton &c will as in Duty Bound ever pray &c.

NATHANIEL SARTELL

[Massachusetts Archives, cxiv, 300.]

_John Jeffries_, Esq; brought down the Petition of _Peter Lawrence_
and others of _Groton_, praying to be annexed to _Littleton_, as
entred the 12th ult. Pass'd in Council, _viz._ In Council _January
4th_, 1738. Read again, together with the Answer of _Nathanael
Sartell_, Esq; Representative for the Town of _Groton_, which
being considered, _Ordered_, That the Prayer of the Petition be so
far granted as that the Petitioners with their Families & Estates
within the Bounds mentioned in the Petition be and hereby are set
off from the Town of _Groton_, and are annexed to and accounted as
part of the Town of _Littleton_, there to do Duty and receive
Priviledge accordingly.

Sent down for Concurrence. Read and concur'd.

[Journal of the House of Representatives (page 86), January 4,
1738.]

In the autumn of 1738, many of the settlers living in the northerly part
of Groton, now within the limits of Pepperell, and in the westerly part
of Dunstable, now Hollis, New Hampshire, were desirous to be set off in
a new township. Their petition for this object was also signed by a
considerable number of non-resident proprietors, and duly presented to
the General Court. The reasons given by them for the change are found in
the following documents:--

To His Excellency Jon'a. Belcher Esq'r. Captain General and
Governour in Chief &c The Hon'ble. the Council and House of
Rep'tives in General Court Assembled at Boston November the 29th
1738

The Petition of the Subscribers Inhabitants and Proprietors of the
Towns of Dunstable and Groton.

Humbly Sheweth

That your Petitioners are Situated on the Westerly side Dunstable
Township and the Northerly side Groton Township those in the
Township of Dunstable in General their houses are nine or ten miles
from Dunstable Meeting house and those in the Township of Groton
none but what lives at least on or near Six miles from Groton
Meeting house by which means your petitioners are deprived of the
benefit of preaching, the greatest part of the year, nor is