Following is a portion of what I have scanned from the Records of Ware River Parish, and published in my Newletter on Jabez Olmsted of Ware. The remainder of what I scanned will be of interest only to descendants of Jabez Olmsted, Thomas March, and Timothy Brown. Spelling as in transcription of the original. Carl Hommel hommel@sundial.net To his Excellency William Shirley Esq., Capt'n General & Govenor in Chief, the hon'able Council & Represent'ives in Gen'l Court assembled, 26th May, 1744. The Petition of Thomas Marsh and others, to the number of thirty three house holders about and between Wear River and Swift River, near Brookfield; Humbly sheweth, That your Petitioners are settled on a track of land bounded, begining at the South west corner of the ten thousand acres of Equivalent land, of Swift River, thence running due east to Brookfield Bounds, thence on Brookfield to Ware River, thence on Ware River to Hardwick; thence on Hardwick to the ten thousand acres of Equivalent land, aforded on the Bounds of the said ten thousand acres including the same, unto the first mentioned Boundary. They dwell at a great distance from any place of Publick worship, most of them six or seven miles, therefore cannot enjoy that privilege in their present condition, but as their hearts are sincerely desirous of the Publick worship of God, they persuade themselves they shall be able cheerfully to bear the Charge that will attend it. But as some of them beinng to the town at the Elbows, some to Brookfield, the rest of them live on farms of the Province Grants, they cannot properly & lawfully Proceed to erect and maintain the Publick worship of god among them, without the aid of the Court. And therefore Pray this hon'ble Court to inquire into their state and circumstances & make them a separate & distinct Township or Parish: and your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever Pray, &c. Jer'em Omsted ,Jab's Omstead, John Read, for the Pet', Isreal Omsted, Jos. Marsh ,Thomas Marsh Jacob Comins jun'r, Richard Rogers, Joseph Marks Sen'r, Nahum Davis, Jacob Comins, Joseph Marks, James Commins, Sam'l Allen Joseph Brooks, Edm'd Ayers, Benj. Shiple, Isaac Magoon jun'r, John Andrason, William Pateson, Thomas Chapen, Joseph Simones, Daniel Thtusen, Job Corly, Isaac Magoon, Sam'l Marsh, John Post, Judah Marsh, Sam'l Davis, Ephraim Marsh, Paul Thurston (Thirty one names only, given in the original record, one of whom, John Read, was probably a nonresident.) The petition was successful. The record shows that the General Court allowed the formation of a Parish, as the Committee that came to the area did not believe that the inhabitants could support a Town. The "Comitte" report said: The Committee appointed on the Petition of Thomas March, & others Living near Ware River in the County of Hampshire, have attended on said service, been upon the spot, viewed the Lands Prayed for to be erected into a Township, inquired into the Circumstances of the Pet'rs & heard the objections of some of the Inhabitants of Kingstown, & are of opinion that the Pet'rs at present are not sufficient in order to erect a Town with privileges &c. but inasmuch as they live at a veary great distance from any place of public Worship, &.meet with great Difficulty thereby we are further of the opinion that the petitioners living Northward of a Line Run due East from the South east Corner of the land Belonging to John Read, Esq. to Western Line be freed from all Taxes to any other Place or Town during the pleasure of the General Court, so that they may be able to provide preaching among themselves. Which is submitted in the Name & by order of the Comitte, Dec'r 4, 1742. (The following was not scanned, but important information (to me) was extracted.) (A justice of the peace in Springfield in the following February, 1742 (Old Style) issued a warrant for a meeting to be held "at the house of Jabez Olmstead, in said Precinct on the third Tuesday of march next at ten Clock, forenoon" "to Choose a moderator, to Choose a Clark, and to Choose a Committee to manage the Publick affairs of said Precinct, Assessors, Treasurer, Collector.". Israel Omsted was chosen one of the two "servairs of hi-ways".) (The house of Capt. Jabez was also chosen for the Parish Meetings held on 3 March, 1742, 13 Marsh, 1744, 6 July, 1744, 12 March 1744, 11 July, 1745, and 2 November, 1747.)