During the first century of the life of the province no family was more prominent or carried a larger influence in the public affairs of New Hampshire than the Waldrons. Whatever may be said of peculiar characteristics which were displayed by some members of the family, the early Waldrons were, as a rule, strong, hard-headed pioneers, the type of men most needed in subduing a hostile wilderness. Later generations became wealthy, and wealth brought to them education and refinement, as brains brought distinction, both civil and military. Secretary Richard Waldron, whom we assume to be the author of the reply to Governor Belcher’s message, was the son of Richard, and grandson of Major Richard, who was killed by the Indians at Dover in 1689, and was born Feb. 21, 1693–4. He was graduated from Harvard in 1712, and soon removed from Dover to Portsmouth. He was a member of the Governor’s council, Secretary of the province, and Judge of Probate. It is to the burning of his house in 1736 that we may charge a considerable loss of the early New Hampshire archives and records, and the breaks in the records which were thus created are serious obstacles to the historian of the present day. The friendship of Governor Belcher kept Waldron in his office of Secretary until the end of the Belcher administration, but Governor Wentworth suspended him from the council, and removed him from the offices of Secretary and Judge of Probate. In 1749 he was elected Speaker of the House, which the Governor refused to allow, and a controversy was created which lasted three years. He died soon after, August 23, 1753. The original manuscript of his “Scrub Poetry” is on file with the Governors’ messages in the archives in the office of the Secretary of State at Concord, N. H. On the second day of January, 1733–4, the governor thus addressed the Council and House of Representatives: Gen^t of the Council & House of Representatives. By the last ships from London I have received an account of the French King’s Declaring War against the Empe^r of Germany with whome his Brittanick Maj^{tie} is in alliance & how far this unhappy Rupture may lead to a Gen^{ll} War in Europe is uncertaine, however I think it a faire Alarm to all his Maj^{ties} Dominions to put themselves in a Posture of defence & you cannot but be sensible how naked & Exposed this Province is both by Sea and Land. Fort William & Mary at the Entrance of this River (the only Fortifications his Maj^{tie} has in this Province) you know Lyes in a miserable condition nor are you ignorant how often I have prest the Repaire of this Fortress upon the Assembly here altho it has forty Guns yet it has for a long time had only a Capt a Gunner and two Centinels belonging to it. I hope your own Safety as well as his Maj^{ties} Hon^r (at this Critical juncture) will put you upon doing what is absolutely necessary in this Important affaire.