In Council Jan'y 6. 1752 Read & Concur'd

J Willard Secry.

Consented to

S Phips

[Massachusetts Archives, cxvi, 162, 163.]


The west parish of Groton was made a district on April 12, 1753, the day
the Act was signed by the Governor, which was a second step toward its
final and complete separation. It then took the name of Pepperell, and
was vested with still broader political powers. It was so called after
Sir William Pepperrell, who had successfully commanded the New England
troops against Louisburg; and the name was suggested, doubtless, by the
Reverend Joseph Emerson, the first settled minister of the parish. He
had accompanied that famous expedition in the capacity of chaplain, only
the year before he had received a call for his settlement, and his
associations with the commander were fresh in his memory. It will be
noticed that the Act for incorporating the district leaves the name
blank, which was customary in this kind of legislation at that period;
and the governor, perhaps with the advice of his council, was in the
habit subsequently of filling out the name.

Pepperell, for one "r" is dropped from the name, had now all the
privileges of a town, except the right to choose a representative to the
General Court, and this political connection with Groton was kept up