In the House of Representatives Nov' 11th 1782 Read and Concurred Approv'd Nath Gorham Speaker John Hancock. Memorial Thomas Porter. To the Honble Senate & Honble House of Representatives in General Court Assembled Sept 27th 1782. ¶ The Memorial of Thomas Porter of Topsfield in the County of Essex & Stephen Longfellow Jun' of Gorham in the County of Cumberland Humbly shews That the s Thomas Porter being Head of a Class in sd Town of Topsfield, procured Timothy Bacon as a Soldier for the Continental Army agreeable to a Resolve of the general Court the 2d of Dec 1780 which Soldier has since been determined agreeable to sd Resolve properly to belong to s Town of Gorham, wherefore your Memorialists humbly pray that s Town of Gorham may be discharged from the deficiency of one Man they stand charg'd with & the s Thos Porter be allow'd some proper Time to procure another Man Y' Memorialists as in Duty bound will ever pray Thomas Porter Stephen Longfellow Jun' in behalf of the Resolve on Same. Com on Wealth Massachusetts House of Representatives Sept 30th 1782 On the Petition of Thomas Porter & Stephen Longfellow¶ Resolv'd that the Treasurer of this comoon Wealth be & hereby is directed to discharge the Town of Gorham from the deficiency of one Man they stand Charg'd with upon the resolve of the 2d of Dec 1780 & that Thomas Porter of Topsfield be allow'd forty Days to procure a Man in lieu thereof Sent up for concurrence In Senate Oct 24th 1782 Nath Gorham Speaker Read & Concurred as taken into a New Draft. S Adams Presid In the House of Representatives Nov 1st 1782 Approv'd Nath Gorham Speaker John Hancock Resolve Additional to Foregoing. Commonwealth of Massachusetts In the House of Representatives Sept 30, 1782 On the Petition of Thomas Porter & Stephen Longfellow ¶ Resolved that the Treasurer of this Commonwealth be & hereby is directed to discharge the town of Gorham from the deficiency of one man they stand charged with upon the Resolve of the 2d of Dec 1780 And in order to Prevent a deficiency in the Quota of men Sett on the town of Topsfield by the aforesaid Resolve-¶ It is further Resolved, that Thomas Porter of Topsfield one of said Petitioners, be and hereby is directed and Required to procure one able bodied man to serve in the Continental Army for three years or dureing the War (in Lue of the man taken from the Town of Topsfield and carried to the credit of the town of Gorham by the determination of the Muster-master) And to the Acceptance of the Continental Muster-master at Boston and Take his receipt for said Soldiers; Which Receipt shall be Lodged in the Treasurers office on or before the tenth day of Dec' next. And in case of neglect or refusal he the said Porter shall Forfitt and pay a fine of Eighty five pounds thirteen shillings; equal to the average price of the men raised agreable to a Resolve of the Gen' Court Passed the Second of Dec 1780- And in case of neglect or refusal as aforesaid, the Treasurer of this Commonwealth is hereby directed to isue his execution against the said Thomas Porter for the said fine Without delay Petition James Avery. To the Hon'ble the Senate & Honble House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. ¶ The Petition of James Avery of Boston Humbly Sheweth, ¶ That your Petitioner is most earnestly requested by Lieut William Albee, Commanding the Artillery Company at Machias, to inform the Hon'ble Court that the indigent State of the Stores there has prevented his receiving from the Company his Rations, which appears by the Certificates herewith presented. Therefore requests the Hon'ble Court would permit him to receive them from the Company's Store at this place as he has a large family who are in the utmost distress for want of the necessaries of Life, and there remains no possibility of procuring such necessaries in that part of the Country where he is stationed. Your Petitioner wou'd be insensible to the calls of humanity if he did not comply with the request of the Men lately under his Command, in laying before the Hon'ble Court their truly piteous Situation for want of Cloathing-they have not received any for above Eighteen Months and are now entirely destitute; the Winter Season now approaching and they Stationed in part of the Country very Severe, must prevent their doing any the deficiency of one Man they stand Charg'd with upon the resolve of the 2d of Dec 1780 & that Thomas Porter of Topsfield be allow'd forty Days to procure a Man in lieu thereof Sent up for concurrence In Senate Oct 24th 1782 Nath Gorham Speaker Read & Concurred as taken into a New Draft. Sent down for Concurrence S Adams Presid In the House of Representatives Nov′ 1st 1782 Approv❜d Nath Gorham Speaker John Hancock Resolve Additional to Foregoing. Commonwealth of Massachusetts In the House of Representatives Sept 30, 1782 On the Petition of Thomas Porter & Stephen Longfellow ¶ Resolved that the Treasurer of this Commonwealth be & hereby is directed to discharge the town of Gorham from the deficiency of one man they stand charged with upon the Resolve of the 2a of Dec 1780 And in order to Prevent a deficiency in the Quota of men Sett on the town of Topsfield by the aforesaid Resolve-¶ It is further Resolved, that Thomas Porter of Topsfield one of said Petitioners, be and hereby is directed and Required to procure one able bodied man to serve in the Continental Army for three years or dureing the War (in Lue of the man taken from the Town of Topsfield and carried to the credit of the town of Gorham by the determination of the Muster-master) And to the Acceptance of the Continental Muster-master at Boston and Take his receipt for said Soldiers; Which Receipt shall be Lodged in the Treasurers office on or before the tenth day of Dec' next. And in case of neglect or refusal he the said Porter shall Forfitt and pay a fine of Eighty five pounds thirteen shillings; equal to the average price of the men raised agreable to a Resolve of the Gen' Court Passed the Second of Dec 1780- And in case of neglect or refusal as aforesaid, the Treasurer of this Commonwealth is hereby directed to isue his execution against the said Thomas Porter for the said fine Without delay Petition James Avery. To the Hon'ble the Senate & Honble House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. ¶ The Petition of James Avery of Boston Humbly Sheweth, ¶ That your Petitioner is most earnestly requested by Lieut William Albee, Commanding the Artillery Company at Machias, to inform the Hon'ble Court that the indigent State of the Stores there has prevented his receiving from the Company his Rations, which appears by the Certificates herewith presented. Therefore requests the Hon'ble Court would permit him to receive them from the Company's Store at this place as he has a large family who are in the utmost distress for want of the necessaries of Life, and there remains no possibility of procuring such necessaries in that part of the Country where he is stationed. ¶ Your Petitioner wou'd be insensible to the calls of humanity if he did not comply with the request of the Men lately under his Command, in laying before the Hon'ble Court their truly piteous Situation for want of Cloathing—they have not received any for above Eighteen Months and are now entirely destitute; the Winter Season now approaching and they Stationed in part of the Country very Severe, must prevent their doing any |