200 FACTS RELATING TO GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS. 



In the House of Representatives, 

 JUNE the 14th, 1764. 



READ, and ordered, That the Petitioners insert Copies of this 

 Petition in all the Boston News Papers, three Weeks succes- 

 sively, that so the several Towns in the Counties of Middlesex and 

 Worcester may shew Cause (if any they have) on the Second Wednes- 

 day of the next Session of this Court, why the Prayer thereof should 



not be granted. 



Sent up for Concurrence, 



Thos. Clapp, Speaker Fro Teinpr. 



In council, Jime 14. 1764, read and concurred. 



A. Oliver, Sec'ry. 



It will be seen that the spelling of some of the names of 

 these towns differs from the modern method. Lyttleton, 

 Townshend, and Pepperrell were formerly common ways of 

 writing them. It is somewhat doubtful how Littleton got its 

 name ; but Townsend was so called from Viscount Towns- 

 hend, a member of the Privy Council ; and Pepperell from Sir 

 William Pepperrell, the hero of the capture of Louisburg, 

 who always wrote his surname with a double " r." While, 

 therefore, these forms were correct more than a century ago, 

 long and good usage has now decided against them. 



It is useless at the present time to speculate on what might 

 have been, if the prayer of the petitioners had been granted. 

 It would have materially changed the destiny of Groton, which 

 was to be the shire town of the new county. 



In February, 1765, the following petition was presented : 



Province of the ] To his Exceellency Francis Bernard Esq"^ Cap- 

 Massachusetts Bay j tain General and Govener in Cheiff in and 



over his Majestys S- Province and to the Hon- 

 ourable Council and house of Represantatives 

 in Gineral Court assembled at Boston Febru- 

 ary A.D. 1765 



Humbly shews — The Subscribers agents for several Towns in the 

 County of middlesex, that they in behalf of their Constituents in 



