The Subscriber as Representative of said Town of Groton and in Behalf of said Town doth hereby manifest the Willingness of the Inhabitants of Groton in general that the Petitioners should be annexed to the said Town of Littleton with the Lands that belong to them Lying within the Line Petitioned for, but there being a Considerable Quantity of Proprietors Lands and other particular persons Lying within the Line that is Petitioned for by the said Petitioners.  The Subscriber in Behalf of said Town of Groton & the Proprietors and others would humbly pray your Excellency and the Honorable Court that that part of their Petition may be rejected if in your Wisdom you shall think 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