The following passage is part of the original colonial charter for Newport, New Hampshire.<\/p>\n
\u201cGeorge the Third, By the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith & etc\u2026 that the same be and hearby is incorporated into the name of NEWPORT. And the inhabitants that do and shall hereafter inhabit the said township are thereby declared to be enfranchised with and entitled to All and Every the privileges and immunities that other towns without or Province by law and exercise and enjoy\u2026\u201d[1]<\/a><\/p>\n As for why they decided to call the name of the town Newport,\u00a0 “… there are two versions of the origin of Newport’s name.\u00a0 A reminiscence at the 1846 historical celebration in Newport claims the town was named for Sir Henry Newport of England, but the New Hampshire State Papers record that it was named after Newport, Rhode Island.”[2]<\/a>\u00a0It’s very possible that these two stories do not actually conflict, or that only one of them is true.\u00a0 At any rate these were the very first were white settlers to arrive and start a community. It was quite small at first because,\u00a0\u201cAt this time there were only fifteen permanent families in town.\u201d[3]<\/a>\u00a0The first of these families to arrive were from Killingworth, Connecticut.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Previous Page:\u00a0The Sunapee Tribe<\/a><\/p>\n Next Page:\u00a0Colonial Settlement<\/a><\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Same Edes H. Tales from the History of Newport<\/em>. (Newport: The Argus-Champion. 1963). 6-7.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> McGuire, 5.<\/p>\n