Massachusetts. Commissioners to Ascertain and Establish the Boundary Line Between Massachusetts and New Hampshire

The name cited above and variations thereof were used for various bodies that investigated the boundary dispute between Massachusetts and New Hampshire during the 19th century. The history of that dispute is given below.

Commissioners were appointed by the governor of Massachusetts as authorized by the General Court in 1825 (Resolves 1824, c 93), to resolve disputes arising from the uncertain status of the Massachusetts-New Hampshire boundary, which had been determined by a decree of the king in council in 1740, then surveyed and marked in 1741. The Massachusetts commissioners met with their counterparts from New Hampshire but were unable to come to an agreement, leading the Massachusetts commissioners to disband in 1827. Their report to the governor was submitted to the legislature (Resolves 1826, c 73) and authorization was given to erect monuments along the existing boundary (Resolves 1826, c 97).

The boundary issue was raised again in 1883 (Resolves 1883, c 28), when the governor was authorized to appoint commissioners to meet with their New Hampshire counterparts to reset monuments along the boundary line. Commissioners were again authorized in 1885 for determining the true jurisdictional line between the two states and all previous laws relating to the boundary were repealed (Resolves 1885, c 73). Agreement on the eastern portion of the boundary was reached in August 1888 and funds were authorized to carry out the commissioners' recommendations (Resolves 1889, c 108). Monuments were authorized to mark that portion of the boundary by Resolves 1890, c 73. The western portion of the boundary was settled in June 1894 and a tripartite agreement made with New Hampshire and Vermont in October 1894. The 1894 agreement was ratified by Massachusetts by Resolves 1895, c 106. Latitude and longitude measurements for boundary markers were defined and legally established by St 1899, c 369.

From the description of Agency history record. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122521126