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Page 9
The question of a new meeting-house was now agitating the inhabitants
of Dunstable. Their former building was in another Province, where
different laws prevailed respecting the qualifications and settlement of
ministers. It was clearly evident that another structure must be built,
and the customary dispute of small communities arose in regard to its
site. Some persons favored one locality, and others another; some wanted
the centre of territory, and others the centre of population. Akin to
this subject I give the words of the Reverend Joseph Emerson, of
Pepperell,--as quoted by Mr. Butler, in his History of Groton (page
306),--taken from a sermon delivered on March 8, 1770, at the dedication
of the second meeting-house in Pepperell: "It hath been observed that
some of the hottest contentions in this land hath been about settling of
ministers and building meeting-houses; and what is the reason? The devil
is a great enemy to settling ministers and building meeting-houses;
wherefore he sets on his own children to work and make difficulties, and
to the utmost of his power stirs up the corruptions of the children of
God in some way lo oppose or obstruct so good a work." This explanation
was considered highly satisfactory, as the hand of the evil one was
always seen in such disputes.
During this period of local excitement an effort was made to annex
Nottingham to Dunstable; and at the same time Joint Grass to Dunstable.
Joint Grass was a district in the northeastern part of Groton, settled
by a few families, and so named from a brook running through the
neighborhood. It is evident from the documents that the questions of
annexation and the site of the meeting-house were closely connected. The
petition in favor of annexation was granted by the General Court on
certain conditions, which were not fulfilled, and consequently the
attempt fell to the ground. Some of the papers relating to it are as
follows:
A Petition of sundry Inhabitants of the most northerly Part of the first
Parish in _Groton_, praying that they may be set off from said
_Groton_ to _Dunstable_, for the Reasons mentioned.
Read and _Ordered_, That the Petitioners serve the Towns of
_Groton_ and _Dunstable_ with Copies of this Petition, that
they show Cause, if any they have, on the first Friday of the next
Sitting of this Court, why the Prayer thereof should not be granted.
Sent up for Concurrence.
[Journal of the House of Representatives (page 264), March 11, 1746.]
_Francis Foxcroft_, Esq; brought down the Petition of the northerly
Part of _Groton_, as entred the 11th of _March_ last, and refer'd.
Pass'd in Council, _viz._ In Council _May_ 29th 1747. Read again,
together with the Answers of the Towns of _Groton_ and _Dunstable_,
and _Ordered_, That _Joseph Wilder_ and _John Quincy_, Esqrs; together
with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to take
under Consideration this Petition, together with the other Petitions and
Papers referring to the Affair within mentioned, and report what they
judge proper for this Court to do thereon. Sent down for Concurrence.
Read and concur'd, and Major _Jones_, Mr. _Fox_, and Col.
_Gerrish_, are joined in the Affair.
[Journal of the House of Representatives (page 11), May 29, 1747.]
_John Hill_, Esq; brought down the Petition of the Inhabitants of
_Groton_ and _Nottingham_, with the Report of a Committee of
both Houses thereon.
Signed _Joseph Wilder_, per Order.
Pass'd in Council, _viz._ In Council _June_ 5th 1747. The
within Report was read and accepted, and _Ordered_, That the
Petition of _John Swallow_ and others, Inhabitants of the northerly
Part of _Groton_ be so far granted, as that the Petitioners, with
their Estates petition'd for, be set off from _Groton_, and annexed
to the Town of _Dunstable_, agreable to _Groton_ Town Vote of
the 18th of _May_ last; and that the Petition of the Inhabitants of
_Nottingham_ be granted, and that that Part of _Nottingham_
left to the Province, with the Inhabitants theron, be annexed to said
_Dunstable,_ and that they thus Incorporated, do Duty and receive
Priviledges as other Towns within this Province do or by Law ought to
enjoy.
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