The Boundary Lines of Old Grot on. — ///.
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��ell — 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 meet- ing-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 cor- ruptions of the children of God in some way to oppose or obstruct so good a work." This explanation was con- sidered highly satisfactory, as the hand of the evil one was always seen in such disputes.
During this period of local excite- ment 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 north- eastern 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 con nected. 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 Dimstable, 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 Representaiives (pag- -64), March 11, 1746.]
Fraiicis Foxcroft, Esq ; brought down the Petition of the northerly Part of Groton, as entred the nth of March last, and refer'd. Pass'd in Council, inz. In Coun- cil May 29th 1747. Read again, together with the Answers of the Towns of Groton and Dimstable, and Ordered, That Joseph Wilder and Joh^i (Jinncy, Esqrs ; together with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to take under Con- sideration 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 iij, May 29, 1747.]
John Hill, Esq ; brought down the Petition of the Inhabitants of Groton and Notti7ig]iam, with the Report of a Com- mittee 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 JoJm Swallow and others. In- habitants 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 1 8th of May last: and that the Petition of the Inhabitants of Nottingham be granted, and that that Part of Notting- ham left to the Province, with the Inhab- itants theron, be annexed to said Dun- stable, and that they thus Incorporated, do Duty and receive Priviledges as other Towns within this Province do or by Law ought to enjoy.
And it is fiirther Ordered, That the
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