100 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 



1622, however, another patent to Gorges and Mason conveyed 

 what was known as the Laconia grant, including land "situated 

 between the Rivers of Merrimack and Sagadehock, extending 

 back to the great lakes and rivers of Canada." Under this last 

 grant settlements were simultaneously made at Portsmouth and 

 Dover Neck, in the spring of 1623. In March, 1627, a grant to 

 Henry Roswell conveyed "the territory between a line running 

 from the Atlantic ocean three miles south of the mouth of the 

 Charles River, and every part thereof, and a line extending from 

 the Atlantic ocean, three miles north of the Merrimack river and 

 every part thereof." How far inland this great paralellogram 

 extended from the sea no one knew, and at that time no one be- 

 lieved, not even the grantees, that the northern limit extended 

 more than three miles beyond an east and west line projected 

 from Newburyport to Haverhill. The last fatal misconception 

 was the source of much subsequent trouble and disagreement, 

 the last echo of which did not die for two hundred and seventy 

 years, when the boundary line between New Hampshire and 

 Massachusetts was finally and definitely agreed upon — in favor 

 of Massachusetts. 



Up to this time every grant and patent, and all the territory 

 held or claimed to be held under them, as well as every occupa- 

 tion and settlement, were made in entire disregard of the right 

 or ownership of the Indians to any of the territory in question. 

 In the spring of 1629, however, the famous Wheelwright deed 

 was executed by Passaconaway and three other owners of the 

 soil in fee simple, conveying an extensive tract of land for a con- 

 consideration of ten or twelve pounds in lawful money. This 

 deed was subsequently pronounced a forgery, but no sufificient 

 proof has been produced to show that it was not a genuine con- 

 veyance. Our interest in the question is mainly historical and 

 especially in the local trend of the northerly line, described in 

 the instrument as passing through the present towns of Straf- 

 ford, Northwood, Deerfield, Candia, Hooksett and Manchester, 



