New Hampshire Grants (aka Benning Wentworth Grants) were land grants made between 1749 and 1764 by Benning Wentworth, the provincial governor of New Hampshire. After the grants were made, people primarily of English descent begin arriving from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Road Island. But the settlers found out that their land was being claimed by the Province of New York.

On January 28th, 1760, Benning Wentworth, granted a charter to the township of Pownal, which he named after his fellow governor, Thomas Pownall, the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

In 1766, the residents of Pownall wrote a paper to the King of England, George III. In the letter, the people complained that they had previously paid for grants and patents for one hundred townships in the western parts of the province of New-Hampshire. Then, they were notified that the lands were within the province of New York. The people attempted to have the Governor of New York have the lands confirmed to them as had been granted by the Governor of New Hampshire. They were denied their request unless they paid fees of more than 33,000 pounds sterling. In the letter below, they begged the King to have the area remain under the jurisdiction of New Hampshire and to waive additional fees. They explained that many people could not afford the loss of their original investment and the enormous cost proposed by the Governor of New York.

Apparently, George III ignored the letter. Legal and physical conflicts broke out between the "Yorkers" and the settlers in the Benning Wentwort Grant lands. In 1770, the New York Supreme court declared all of Wentworth's grants invalid. A paramilitary organization called the Green Mountain Boys lead in the establishment of the self-declared Vermont Republic and lead in the rebellion against the New York government.

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On The Spot in Pownall - 1766

The following is taken from New Hampshire State Papers
By A. S. Batchellor [1895], Vol 26.

"To the KING's Most Excellent MAJESTY.

The Humble Petition of the several Subscribers hereto, Your Majesty's
Most Loyal Subjects,
Sheweth to your Majesty;
THAT We obtained at considerable Expence of Your Majesty's
Governor of the Province of New-Hampshire, Grants and Patents for
more than One Hundred Townships in the Western Parts of the said
supposed Province(1); and being about to settle the same, many of
Us(2), and others of Us, having actually planted Ourselves on the
same, were disagreeably surprized and prevented from going on with
the further intended Settlements, by the News of its having been
determined by Your Majesty in Council, That those Lands were
within the Province of New-York; and by a Proclamation issued by
Lieutenant Governor COLDEN, in Consequence thereof forbidding any
further Settlement until Patents of Confirmation should be obtained
from the Governor of New-York. Whereupon We applied to the
Governor of said Province of New-York, to have the same Lands con-
firmed to Us in the same Manner as they had been at first granted to
Us by the Governor of the said Province of New-Hampshire; when,
to Our utter Astonishment, We found the same could not be done,
without our paying as Fees of Office for the same, at the Rate of
Twenty Five Pounds, New-York Money, equal to about fourteen
Pounds Sterling, for every Thousand Acres of said Lands, amounting
to about Three Hundred and Thirty Pounds Sterling at a Medium, for
each of said Townships, and which will amount in the Whole to about
£. 33,000 Sterling, besides a Quit-rent of Two Shillings and Six Pence
Sterling, for every Hundred Acres of said Lands; and which being
utterly unable to do and perform, We find Ourselves reduced, to
the sad Necessity of losing all our past Expence and Advancements
and many of Us of being reduced to absolute Poverty and Want
having expended Our All in making said Settlements.
Whereupon Your Petitioners beg Leave most Humbly to observe.
1. That when We applied for and obtained said Grants of said
Lands, the same were and had been at all Times fully understood and
reputed to lie and be within the said Province of New-Hampshire,
and well within the Power of the Governor of that Province to grant:
So that Your Petitioners humbly hope they are equitably entitled to
a Confirmation of the said Grants to them(3).
2. The said Grants were made and received on the moderate Terms
of Your Petitioners paying as a Quit-rent One Shilling only, Pro-

APPENDIX. Pg 593
clamation Money, equal to Nine Pence Sterling per Hundred Acres;
aud which induced Us to undertake to settle said Townships through-
out, and thereby to form a full and compacted Country of People,
whereas the imposing of the said Two Shillings and Six Pence Sterling
per Hundred Acres, will occasion all the more rough and unprofitable
Parts of said Lands not to be taken up; but Pitches, and the more
valuable Parcels only to be laid out, to the utter preventing the full
and proper Settlement of said Country, and in the Whole to the
lessening Your Majesty's Revenue.
3. Your humble Petitioners conceive, that the insisting to have
large and very exorbitant Fees of Office to arise and be computed
upon every Thousand Acres in every Township of Six or perhaps
more Miles square, and that when one Patent, one Seal, and one Step
only of every Kind, toward the completing such Patents of Confirm-
ation respectively, is necessary, is without all reasonable and equitable
Foundation, aud must and will necessarily terminate in the totally
preventing Your Petitioners obtaining the said Lands, and so tlie same
will fall into the Hands of the Rich, to be taken up, the more valu-
able Parts only as aforesaid, and those perhaps not entered upon and
settled for many Years to come; while Your Petitioners with their
numerous and helpless Families, will be obliged to wander far and
wide to find where to plant themselves down, so as to be able to live.
Whereupon Your Petitioners most humbly and earnestly pray, that
Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to take their distressed State
and Condition into Your Royal Consideration, and order that We
have Our said Lands confirmed and quitted to Us(4), on such reason-
able Terms, and in such Way and Manner, as Your Majesty shall
think fit. Further, We beg Leave to say, that if it might be con-
sistent with Your Majesty's Royal Pleasure, We shall esteem it a very
great Favour aud Happiness, to have said Townships put and con-
tinued under the Jurisdiction of the Government of the said Province
of New-Hampshire, as at the first, as evry Emolument and Convenience
both publick and private, are in Your Petitioners humble Opinion,
clearly and strongly on the Side of such Connection with said New-
Hampshire Province. All which Favours or such and so many of
them as to Your Majesty shall seem meet to grant, We humbly ask;
or that Your Majesty will in some other Way grant Relief to Your
Petitioners; and they, as in Duty bound, shall ever pray.
Dated in New-England, November, 1766. And in the Seventh Year
of His Majesty's Reign.

Cotton M Smith
G Caldwell
Sam(ll) Elmer Juner
Samuel Hurlbut Tempe Worthington
Tho(r) Pardee
Martin Elmer Juner
xxxviii

APPENDIX. Pg 605
the following is a list of the Inhabants of Pownall who are all on the Spot-
Seth Hudson
Asa Alger
Isaac Vanarnum
Timothy Grover
Petter Payne
James Archer
Caleb Raynolds
Petter Robards
Theophels Whaley
John Dafoo
Abraham Bass
Loreance Cry
Woolrod Kriger
Andrew Burns
Mathew ford
David Carey
Mathew Randal
Benj(m) Briges
Daniel Perce
Jonathan Card
Joseph Williams
George Gardner Ju(r)
James Fuller
Andrew Alger
Boaz Brookens
Jonathan Wright
David Mallery
Witherly Wittam
Ely Nobels [Note: This is probably Josiah Nobel's (#131) brother]
Daniel Luce
Edward Hicks
Silas Pratt
Benj(m) Anderson
George Mitchel
Dan Howlet
Joseph Miller
Ephriam Burlinggame
Ebenez(r) Wright
Samuel Waters Ju(r)
Sam Brown Ju(r)
Amos Leach [although his name is the same, this is not Amos Leach (#33); he had not been born; perhaps it is his unknown grandfather; Amos' (#33) father, Levi Leach's (#65), was born about 1766. Perhaps Levi's father was Amos.]
Moses Corbin
Direck Smith
Michel Duning
David Perigo
Enos Grover
Luke Vanernum
John Vanernum
Abraham Jacob Laynghtson
Isaac Whaley
Charls Wright
Elijah Woolcutt
Noah Pratt
John George Kriger
Crispen Bull
Francies Burns
Peeter Fursbury
Paul Gardner
Elisha Card
Benj(m) Raynolds
George Backer
Ephraim Mallery
George Gardner
Benoni Permenter
William Hayward
Benj(m) Gardner
Philip Brookings
Joseph Gallop
Elezer Marsh
Jerimeah Gardner
Josiah Nobels [This is probably Josiah Nobel (#131)]
James Curtis
George Hicks
Samuel Anderson
Benj(m) Grover
James Perigo
John Blakley
James Draper
Moses omsted
Levi West
Joshua Raynolds
Elish Noble
Obadiah Noble
Isaac Lawrance
APPENDIX. Pg 606
Sam(ll) Waters
Jacob Marsh
Rufuss Bakon
David Blakelee
George pengree
Sam(l) wortors
Dan Howlit
Jediah Dewey
Sephen Fay
Abiather Waldo
Sam(l) Adams
Machir Mertin
Mills sly
Sam(el) waters Junr
Ebenezer Wood
Nathan Clark
Jonathan Eastman
Joseph Wickwire
Libbeus Armstrong
Joseph Rudd
Josiah Fuller
Silas Pratt
Elijah Story
simeon Harmon
Sam(ll) Pratt
Samuel Safford
Thomas Smith
Joseph Robinson
Samuel atwood
Nathanael Holmes Ju(r)
Sam(ll) Hunt
Isreal hurd
Sam(l) Tubs
John Corey
Jonathan Cerpenter
Joseph Barber
Daniel Scott
Silas Robinson
Tho(s) Henderson
Elknah Ashley
Zech(h) Harwood
Freegift Cole
Ichabod West Ju(r)
Isaah Cerpenter
Ichabod Cross
John Bunum
Isaac Lawrance
Jestins olin
Ichabod west
Peleg spencer
Isaac serls
John Burnum J(r)
Matthias Cobb
Sam(el) waters
Moses Robinson
Jacob Hide
Henry Walbridge
John Fasset Jun(r)
Jedediah merrill
Timothy Pratt
Jonathan Scott
Joseph willoughby
Jonathan Fossett
Elisha Field
Joseph Richardson
Benj(m) Whipple
Henry Walbridge
James Breakenridge
Gideon Spencer
John Smith
Nathaniel Holmes
Nath(l) Spencer
Daniel mills
Benjamin Corey
Nathan Clark Jun(r)
Joseph Smith
Nath(ll) Dickinson m D
Sam(ll) Robinson Ju(r)
Zephaniah Holmes
Elnathan Hubbel
Lenard Robinson
John Smith jun

APPENDIX. Pg 607
Benajah Story
Benajh Rude
Robert Cochren Ju
Ebenezer Robinson
John Fasset
Benj(a) Warner
John Warner
Weight Hopkins
Direck Smith
Michal Duning
Seth Hudson
Timoth Grover
Petter Payne
James Archer
Caleb Raynorlds
Peeter Robards
Theophels Whaly
John Dafoo
Abraham Bass
Lorance Cry
Woolrod Kriger
Andrew Burns
Mathew Ford
David Carey
Mathew Raynorlds
Benj(m) Brigs
Daniel Perce
Jonathan Card
Joseph Williams
George Gardner Jun(r)
James fuller
Andrew Alger
Boaz Brookens
Jonathan Wright
Davied Mallery
Witherly Wittam
Ely Nobels [Repeat of name above: This is probably Josiah Nobel's (#131) brother]
Daniel Luce
George Hicks
Silas Pratt
Benj(m) Anderson
George Mitchell
John Willson
Petre Harwood
Robert Cochren Ser
Jonathan Scott
Stephen Fay
Samuel Cuttler
Daniel Warner
Seth Warner
Stephen Hopkins
Asa Alger
Isaac Vanernum
David Perigo
Enos Grover
Luke Vanernum
John Vanernum
Abraham J Lanson
Isaac Whaley
Charls Wright
Elijah Woolcutt
NoahPratt
John George Kriger
Crispen Bull
Frances Burn
Peter Fursbury
Paul Gardner
Elisha Card
Benj(m) Renorlds
George Baker
Ephriam Mallery
George Gardner
Benoni Permentor
William Hayward
Benj(m) Gardner
Philip Brookens
Joseph Galloop
Eiezer Marsh
Jarmiah Gardner
Josiah Nobels [Repeat of above: [This is probably Josiah Nobel (#131)]
James Curtis
Edward Hicks
Samuel Anderson
Benj(m) Grover
James Perigo"

[The above information is from the Pownal Historical Society] (Ken Held of the PHS notes that the list of 251 Pownall petitioners appears to somewhat repeat itself with the last 75 names. Careful analysis of the list reveals that there were only 185 petitioners on the spot in Pownall.

 

Contact person for this website is Susan Snyder: susanleachsnyder@gmail.com