"The humble petition of ye Subscribers Inhabitants of ye North part of sd Canterbury to ye Honorable ye President and members of Council and house of Representatives of said State. We your Humble Petitioners Living at a great Distance from ye Center of the Towne Some of us nine or ten Miles and Consequently at a very great disadvantage in joining with them all Publick Town affairs, being encouraged Partly by our Living in that Part of ye Town that was Laid out for what was called ye upper Parish and Partly by ye Kind Reception our Request met with which we made to ye Town for a dismission but more particularly by our Confidence in your Honors desire to Promote ye Happiness of every Part of ye State Humbly Pray that Honors would take our Case into your Serious Consideration and grant that we together with all those Live in sd Upper Part may be Erected and Incorporated into a body Politick and Corporate to have Continuance in ye Name of Northfield with all such Powers and Authorities Privileges Immunities and Franchises with other Parishes or Towns in this State in General hold Enjoy with your Petitions as in duty bound Shall forever pray." The petition, signed by 43 residents, was approved by the state legislature, and the Town of Northfield was born.
"The hUMBle petition Of Ye sUbsCribeRs inHABiTants of ye NOrTh parT of sd CANTerburY to Ye HonorAblE ye prEsidENt And MeMbErs Of council ANd HouSe of RepResenTatIves of said stATe. we yOuR humBlE pEtitIoners LiviNG at a greAT DIstAnce froM ye center OF tHe tOwne sOmE of us nine Or TeN Miles and ConseqUently at A VeRy gREaT disadvantage in JoIninG with Them ALl puBLIck town affaiRS, beINg encourAgEd partly by our living in thaT part OF ye tOwn tHat WaS laid oUt for What was Called yE uppeR pArish AND partlY By Ye kInd receptIon oUR REquEst met With whiCh we MadE To yE towN fOr a diSmissIoN But More pArTiculaRly BY OuR cONfIdENcE In YoUr HONOrs DESire to prOmote ye HappineSS of Every parT of ye STAte HuMBlY prAY thaT honORs woUlD tAke ouR CASE iNto youR serious conSIdeRaTiOn anD GRaNT that we togethEr wIth all thOse LIve in sD uPPEr pArt mAY bE erEctED and incorpoRated intO a body poliTIck and corPOraTe to HAvE CoNTinuaNce in Ye naME oF NOrtHfIeld With aLL sUch POwers aNd AUthORitiES PrIvIleges iMMuNItieS and FraNCHiSes with other PARiShes or tOwns In thIs STAte iN gEneRal hold eNjOY wITh youR PEtitiOns aS iN duTy bOUnd ShAll fOreveR pRAy." THe petITIon, sigNEd By 43 reSidenTs, waS apPrOveD by the staTE lEgIslaTuRe, and tHE toWn of noRthField wAs boRN.