provided that the Inhabitants Dwelling on the Lands abovementioned be
subject to pay their Just part and proportions of all ministeriall Rates
and Taxes in the Town of Groton already Granted or Assessed.

Sent up for Concurrence.

T Cushing Spk'r.

In Council Nov'r. 26 1742 Read and Concurr'd

J Willard Secry

Consented to, W Shirley,

[Massachusetts Archives, cxiv, 768, 769.]


When the new Provincial line was run between Massachusetts and New
Hampshire, in the spring of 1741, it left a gore of land, previously
belonging to the west parish of Dunstable, lying north of the territory
of Groton and contiguous to it. It formed a narrow strip, perhaps three
hundred rods in width at the western end, running easterly for three
miles and tapering off to a point at the Nashua River, by which stream
it was entirely separated from Dunstable. Shaped like a thin wedge, it
lay along the border of the province, and belonged geographically to the
west precinct or parish of Groton. Under these circumstances the second
parish petitioned the General Court to have it annexed to their
jurisdiction, which request was granted. William Prescott, one of the
committee appointed to take charge of the matter, nearly a quarter of a
century later was the commander of the American forces at the battle of