Chap. 0060 AN ACT FOR INCORPORATING THE EASTERLY PART OF THE TOWN OF DARTMOUTH, IN THE COUNTY OF BRISTOL, INTO A SEPERATE TOWN, BY THE NAME OF NEW BEDFORD.
Be it Enacted by the Senate, and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the lands hereafter described, to toil, beginning at a Bridge lying across a stream that runs through the beach, by a place called Clark's Cove, thence running northerly as the main branch of the stream runs, till it comes to a little Bridge lying across the Country road, at the foot of a hill about twenty rods to the eastward of the dwelling house, where James Peckman, deceased, last dwelt; thence northerly on a streight line to Nathaniel Spooner's Saw Mill ; from thence northerly on the west side of Bolton's cedar Swamp, till it comes to the dividing line between Dartmouth and Freetown, near the place called Aaron's causeway ; thence east twenty two degrees and one half north, in the dividing line between said towns, to a Rock-, known by the name of Peaked Rock ; thence southerly by the Country road that leads from Dartmouth to Boston, one hundred and eight rods, to the south-west corner of Ebenezer Lewis's homestead farm; thence east about three hundred rods in the dividing line,
between Rochester and Dartmouth, to a large white-pine tree, marked on three sides ; thence south six degrees and one half east, in the dividing line, between Dartmouth and Rochester, to a heap of Stones by the sea ; thence westerly, to the first mentioned bounds ; with all the Islands heretofore known to be a part of Acqushnot village, with the inhabitants dwelling on the lands above described, be, and they are hereby incorporated into a Town by the name of New Bedford: and the said Town is hereby invested with all the powers, priviledges and immunities, to which Towns within this Commonwealth are, or may be intitled, agreeably to the Constitution and laws of the said Commonwealth.
Provided nevertheless, And be it further Enacted, that any of the inhabitants now dwelling on the above described lands, who are or may be still desirous of belonging to the Town of Dartmouth, shall at any time, within two years from the passing this Act, by returning their names into the Secretary's Office, and signifying their desire of belonging to said Dartmouth, have that priviledge ; and shall with their polls and estates belong to, and be a part of the said Dartmouth; they paying their proportion of all taxes, which shall have been laid on the said Village of Acqushnot, or town of Neiv Bedford, previously to their thus'returning their names, as they would by law have been holden to pay, had they continued, and been a part of the Town of New-Bedford.
Be it Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the inhabitants of the said town of New Bedford, shall pay all the arrears of taxes, which have been assessed upon them, and their proportionable part of what remains unpaid of the Beef tax, so called, together with their proportion of all debts, that are now due from the said Town of Dartmouth, and shall support their own poor.
Be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that the public lands, and the buildings standing thereon, also the town's stock of Powder, and other Town's property, shall be estimated and divided in the same proportion, that each Village paid in the last State Tax, by Committees to be appointed for that purpose, at their annual town meeting in March or April next: and whatever sum shall be found due to the town of Dartmouth, in consequence of the Work house, standing within the line of New Bedford, as shall be reported by said Committees, the inhabitants of said New Bedford, shall pay to the said Town of Dartmouth.
And be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that Elisha May, Esqr; be, and he hereby is empowered, to issue his Warrant, directed to some principal Inhabitant, requiring him to warn and give notice to the inhabitants of the said Town of New Bedford, to assemble and meet at some suitable place, in the said town, to choose all such Town Officers, as Towns are required to choose at their annual Town meetings, in the month of March or April, annually. 
February 23, 1787.