ies Province of y'e. Massachusetts Bay
in New England: To y'e. Honourable his Majesties Council and House of
Representatives in General Court Assembled on y'e: Twenty sixth Day of
May. A:D. 1742.

The Petition of as the Subscribers to your Excellency and Honours
Humbley Sheweth that we are Proprietors and Inhabitants of y'e. Land
Lying on y'e. Westerly Side Lancester River (so called) [now known as
the Nashua River] in y'e North west corner of y'e. Township of
Groton: & Such of us as are Inhabitants thereon Live very Remote from ye
Publick worship of God in s'd Town and at many Times and Season of
y'e. year are Put to Great Difficulty to attend y'e. same: And the
Lands Bounded as Followeth (viz) Southerly on Townshend Rode: Westerly
on Townshend Line: Northerly on Dunstable West Precint, & old Town: and
Easterly on said River as it now Runs to y'e. First mentioned Bounds,
being of y'e. Contents of about Four Miles Square of Good Land, well
Scituated for a Precint: And the Town of Groton hath been Petitioned to
Set of y'e. Lands bounded as afores'd. to be a Distinct and Seperate
Precint and at a Town Meeting of y'e. Inhabitants of s'd. Town of
Groton Assembled on y'e Twenty Fifth Day of May Last Past The Town
voted y'e Prayer of y'e. s'd. Petition and that y'e Lands before
Described should be a Separate Precinct and that y'e. Inhabitants
thereon and Such others as hereafter Shall Settle on s'd. Lands;
should have y'e Powers and Priviledges that other Precincts in s'd.
Province have or Do Enjoy: as p'r. a Coppy from Groton Town Book
herewith Exhibited may Appear: For the Reasons mentioned we the
Subscribers as afores'd. Humbley Prayes your Excellency and Honours to
Set off y'e s'd Lands bounded as afores'd. to be a Distinct and
Sepperate Precinct and Invest y'e Inhabitants thereon (Containing
about y'e N'o. of Forty Famelies) and Such others as Shall hereafter
Settle on s'd. Lands with Such Powers & Priviledges as other Precincts
in s'd. Province have &c or Grant to your Petitioners Such other
Releaf in y'e. Premises as your Excellency and Honours in your Great
Wisdom Shall think Fit: and your Petitioners as in Duty bound Shall Ever
pray &c.

Benj Swallow
W'm: Spalden
Isaac Williams
Ebenezer Gilson
Elias Ellit
Samuel Shattuck iu
James Shattuck
David Shattuck
David Blood
Jonathan Woods
John Blood iuner
Josiah Parker
Jacob Ames
Jonas Varnum
Moses Woods
Zachery Lawrence Jun'r