In 1791, seventy-one men signed the following petition to separate from Boscawen. The townspeople of Boscawen approved the building of a second Meeting House instead. A new town was not created until 1860, 69 years later.
“PETITION FOR A NEW TOWN.
“To the Honerable Senate & House of Representative’s of the State of New Hampshire in General Court Assembled:
“The subscribers, Inhabitants of the westerly half of the town of Boscawen in said state, Humbly beg leave to show that the easterly half of said Town was first settled & that the meeting House built to accommodate that part of the Town only, giving the westerly part which was then thinly inhabited encouragement for a parish when their numbers were sufficient, but as it is not agreeable to the laws of the state, your petitioners are exposed to great inconvenience & hardship in attending public worship, Town Meetings & especially in the winter season—it being more than five miles from the Meeting House to the Centre of the westerly half of said Town & that from the combination of Ponds, Hills & Swamps &c which lie between the easterly & westerly half will ever render it inconvenient to remain in one District & in our present situation we have no redress without the aid of this court.
“Your petitioners therefore pray that the Westerly half of said Town may be set off from the easterly half & incorporated into a seperate Town by the name of Bristol with the same privileges as other Towns in this state or otherways relieved as your Honors in your wisdom shall see meet & your petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray. “Boscawen June 1, 1791.”
(from The History of Boscawen and Webster, From 1733 to 1878, by Charles Carleton Coffin, pp. 137-138)