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BOUNTIES FOR NEW SETTLEMENTS

After the lapse of a quarter of a century from the first settlement of the town, the population was still confined to the part of the territory lying near the seacoast; but now there was on the part of many of the inhabitants a desire that other portions should be occupied. When the New Plantation had been laid out a little more than a year, the town, for the purpose of procuring its immediate settlement, agreed upon a measure that seemed likely, to some extent at least, to effect an object so desirable. As an inducement for persons to settle there, it was voted, November 24, 1664, that any who would give in their names to the selectmen should be allowed to take up twenty acres of land to a man, for house lots, on condition that they would make use of their lots, for this purpose, within twelve months. Soon afterwards (December 9), permission was given to such of the inhabitants as had land granted to them in the township near Great pond, to take up ten acres each in Ashing swamp, between Ass brook and the township, which should be laid out at the discretion of the lot-layers, and should be accounted as so much of the land granted to them.

The plan however, did not prove successful, and a few years afterward it was thought expedient to offer other and greater inducements. It was then voted, that those inhabitants of the town, who would give in their names at a meeting to be holden for that purpose, and agree to improve land at the New Plantation, by building upon it and fencing it, should be allowed to take up forty acres apiece, to begin at the northern part of the western boundry, next to Exeter, and have their lots laid thence homeward towards the town, provided that none of them should extend more than three-quarters of a mile eastward of Ass brook. This was April 14, 1669.

Twelve men accepted the terms, and the town voted that lots should be laid out for them in two divisions. These twelve men were:

        William Sanborn,        Abraham Perkins, Sen.
        Samuel Fogg,            Nathaniel Batchelder,
        John Moulton,           Morris Hobbs,
        William Marston,        John Smith (the cooper),
        Henry Moulton,          Robert Smith,
        Anthony Taylor,         Thomas Marston.

More than three years earlier the town had voted to give William Marston, Sen., one hundred acres of land, to be laid out as near the Great pond in the western part of the township as might conveniently be done, provided he should build upon it and settle some person there during the next year. As Goodman Marston was at that time far advanced in life, being about seventy-five years of age, it was not probably expected that he should settle there himself.

At the same meeting, Ens. John Sanborn, Samuel Dalton and Abraham Drake were appointed as measurers of land, to lay out, or, it may be, to complete the laying out of the land granted as a Second Division in 1663, or later. They were ordered to lay it out by the end of May following, so arranging the lots as to allow each person to have his full proportion in one body so far as practicable.

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