The act for establishing the district of Shirley is as follows:—­

     Anno Regni Regis Georgii Secundi Vicesimo Sexto.

     An Act for dividing the Town of Groton and making a District by the
     Name of....

Whereas the Inhabitants of the Southwesterly part of the Town of Groton by Reason of the Difficulties they labour under being remote from the place of the publick worship of God have addressed this Court to be Sett off a Separate District whereunto the Inhabitants of Said Town have Manifested their Consent Be it therefore enacted by the Lieutenant Governour Council and House of Representatives that the Southwestwardly part of the Town of Groton Comprehended within the following boundaries viz begining at the the [sic] mouth of Squanacook River where it runs into Lancaster [Nashua] River from thence up Said Lancaster River till it Comes to Land belonging to the Township of Stow thence Westwardly bounding Southwardly to said Stow Land tilll it comes to the Southwest Corner of the Township of Groton thence Northwardly bounding westwardly to Luningburgh and Townsend to Squanacook River afores’d thence down said River and Joyning thereto to the mouth thereof being the first bound—­Be and hereby is Sett off from the said Town of Groton and Erected into a Separate and Distinct District by the name of ... and that the Inhabitants thereof be and hereby are Vested with all the powers priviledges and Immunities which the Inhabitants of any Town within this Province do or by law ought to Enjoy Excepting only the Priviledge of choosing a Representative to represent them in the Great & General Court, in choosing of whom the Inhabitants of Said District Shall Joyn with the Inhabitants of the Town of Groton, as heretofore has been Usual, & also in paying said Representative

Provided nevertheless the Said District Shall pay their proportionable part of all such Town County Parish and Province Charges as are already Assessed upon the Town of Groton in like manner as though this Act had never been made.

And Be it further Enacted that M’r Jn’o.  Whitney be and hereby is impowred to Issue his Warrant directed to Some principal Inhabitant in s’d District requireing Him to Notifie & warn the Inhabitants of S’d District qualified by law to vote in Town affairs to meet at Such Time & place as shall be therein Set forth to Choose all such officers as Shall be Necessary to manage the affairs of s’d District

     In the House of Rep’ives June 4, 1752

     Read three several times and pass’d to be Engross’d

     T. HUBBARD Spk’r.

     Sent up for concurrence

     In Council Nov’r. 28, 1752 Read a first Time 29 a second Time and
     pass’d a Concurrence

     THO’s.  CLARKE Dp’ty Secry.

     [Massachusetts Archives, CXVI., 293, 294.]

This act did not take effect until January 5, 1753, when it was signed by the governor.