Rambles about Portsmouth. Sketches of persons, localities, and incidents of two centuries: principally from tradition and unpublished documents. By Charles W. Brewster.

BUILDING OF THE NORTH MILL AND BRIDGE. 79
Meserve family had vacated; and after a few years removed
into the house No. 35 Deer street, afterwards Thomas Martin's, and now owned and occupied by George Annable. In
1764, he made proposals to the town to build a bridge over
the mouth of Islington Creek, twenty feetwide, part thereof
to consist of a lifting bridge thirty feet long, with floodgates of the same length, upon condition that the town
would allow him to dam the water course in the Creek, for
the purpose of erecting mills. This was granted, and was
the first laying of the North Mill bridge, which was a
private enterprise of Mr. Livius. He was educated abroad,
but received an honorary degree from Harvard University
in 1767.
Of the members of the Council of New Hampshire, in
1772, seven were relatives of the Governor. Having been
left out of commission as a Justice of the Common Pleas,
on the division of the province into Counties, when new
appointments were made, and dissenting from the views of
the Council as to the disposition of reserved lands in grants
made by a former governor, Livius went to England, and
exhibited to the lords of trade several and serious charges
against the administration of which he was a member.
These charges were rigidly investigated, but were finally
dismissed. Livius appears, however, to have gained much
popularity among those in New Hampshire who were
opposed to the Governor, and who desired his removal;
and was appointed, by their influence, Chief Justice of the
Province. But as it was thought that the appointment,
under the circumstances, was likely to produce discord, he
was transferred to the more lucrative office of Chief Justice
of Quebec. Livius was of foreign extraction, and, as
would seem, a gentleman of strong feelings. He wrote to
General John Sullivan fiom Canada, to induce him to abandon the Whig cause.
This letter presents in a clear manner the arguments used