By Muriel Bristol | September 25, 2024
Rochester, NH, received a charter from the NH Royal Governor, Samuel Shute, and his Executive Council, May 10, 1722. Nearly forty years later, on February 8, 1762, a number of Rochester inhabitants petitioned the NH Royal Governor of their time, Benning Wentworth, seeking representation in the NH Provincial Assembly.
To his Excellency Benning Wentworth, Esqr, Captain General, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over his Majesties Province of New Hampshire in New England and Vice Admiral of the Same ~
The Humble Petition of the Town of Rochester Aforesd ~ May it please your Excellency ~
Humbly Shewing that the town of Rochester being Granted by Charter in the Reign of King George the first of Blessed Memory and Settled by a Number of Inhabitants for upwards of thirty years past and Have by the Blessing of Providence grown to the Number of upwards of a Hundred and thirty families and Have for a Number of years past paid our Equal proportion of the publick Charges of this Province and never as yet have had a member to Represent us in General Assembly of sd Province altho perhaps for want of proper Application we therefore Humbly pray your Excellency would be pleasd to send us a Precept to Enable us to Choose a meet person Qualifyed by Law to Represent us in the general Assembly of sd Province ~ Which is the Prayers of your Humble Petitioners ~
Rochester february ye 8th 1762
[Column One:] Timothy Robarts, Stephen Berry, Joseph Walker, Edward Tebbets, William Allen, James Rogers, Zebulon Dam, Ephraim Berry, Charles Rogers, Benjamin Forst, James Knowls, Isaac Libbey, Richard Wentworth, Samuel Alley, Stephen Berry, Junr, Jonathan Cops, Joseph Tebbets, Aaron Tebbets, William Chamberlin, James Place
[Column Two:] David Cops, Ebenezer Chamberlin, Thomas Brown, Elexander Hodgdon, Clement Dearing, John Heard, John Plumer, Samuel Laighton, Ephraim Ham, Samuel Tebbets, James Berry, Joseph Knight, Zebulon Dam, Junr, Moses Brown, Thomas Young, Wentworth Hayes, Joshua Knight, Henry Tebbets, John Trickey, Samuel Winget
[Column Three:] Daniel Winget, Barnabas Palmer, Ichabod Corson, Gedion Tebbets, Obadiah Tebbets, Dodapher Garland, Daniel Cook, Thomas Withrell, Richard Nutter, Daniel Garland, Timothy Robarts, Junr, Peter Horn, Isaac Libbey, Junr, Elieazar Colman, Ebenezer Place, Joseph Dam, Shephen Wentworth, Moses Hays, Samuel Cops, Shadrach Allan, Abner Dam, Jabez Dam
[Reverse Side:]
[Column One:] Paul Libbey, Ephraim Chamberlin, James Dearing, Richard Walker, Nathaniel Burnam, Jonathan Hodgdon, Ichabod Horn, Ebenezer Place, Junr, Jacob Chamberlin, Benjamin Cops, Samuel Chamberlin, Samuel Yeaton, Benjamin Merrow, David Place, Solomon Laighton, George Place, Joseph Walker, Junr, Moses Down, Josiah Main
[Column Two:] Henry Allord, Thomas Pevey, Jonathan Laighton, David Laighton, Joseph Haghdon, John Nute, Samuel Downing, John Hammock, Abraham Pearl, Dimond Pearl, James Mcfee, Hezekiah Varny, Ithamer Seavy, Solomon Perkins, Peter Wallingsford, John Richards, Alexander Hoghdon, Junr, William Ham, Daniel Frorst, Daniel McGeel
Rochester’s first Representative to the NH Provincial Assembly, later in 1762, would be Lt. Col. John McDuffee (1724-1817).
References:
Find a Grave. (2010, February 10). LTC John McDuffee. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/48404192/john-mcduffee
Find a Grave. (2002, July 12). Benning Wentworth. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/6599412/benning-wentworth
Wikipedia. (2024, August 6). Samuel Shute. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Shute
Wikipedia. (2024, July 26). Benning Wentworth. Retrieved in en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benning_Wentworth
Milton Observer 