Town records of 1841

1841 page 174.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Bristol S. S.. To Jireh Brownell Constable of the Town of Westport. Greeting

in the name of said Commonwealth you are required to notify and warn the Inhabitants of said Town of Westport-qualified to vote in Elections and in Town affairs. To meet at the Town house in said town on Monday the fifth day of April next at 10 o’clock in the forenoon, then and there to

act on the following articles-viz.

1st. To choose a Moderator to preside in said meeting.

2nd. To chose all necessary Town Officers for the year ensuing.

3rd. To bring in their votes for three County Commissioners and two special Commissioners being inhabitants of different towns in said County.

4th. To bring in their votes for a Register of Deeds.

5th. To bring in their votes for a County Treasurer.

6th. To determine the sum to be expended in repairs of highways, and the manner it shall be appropriated.

7th. To chose the Committee to receive and examine all accounts brought against the town and to settle with the Treasurer.

8th. To raise a sum of money for the support of Schools and determine the mode of appropriations.

9th. To raise a sum of money for the support of the Poor and other incidental expenses.

10th. To see if the Town will appoint their Treasurer Collector of taxes-determine the rates of abatement for prompt pay-at what time the collection shall be completed and the amount to be allowed the Collector for his services.

11th. To know the mind of the town in regard to regulating the Fishery in the Rivers.

12th. To know the mind of the Town in regard to building a Stone Bridge across Bread and Cheese Brook, and another across the stream near Stephen P. Kirby’s.

End of page 174.

1841 page 175.

13th. To chose such other Committees or Agents as may be thought expedient.

Hereof fail not and make return of this warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at said time of meeting.

Given under our hands and seals at Westport this eighteenth day of March in the year of of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one.

Signed Frederick Brownell, Jonathan Davis, John A. Gifford, Selectmen.

Pursuant to the within warrant I have notified the male Inhabitants of Westport by posting up notifications one at the head of the East River, one at the Town house one at the store of Thomas Mayhew and one at the store of Frederick Brownell to meet at the time and place and for the purpose within mentioned.

March 22, 1841. Signed Jireh Brownell, Constable.

At a legal meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Westport qualified agreeable to law held in the town house in said Town on Monday the first day of April A.D. 1841 for the purpose expressed in the foregoing warrant-the following Officers were chosen and votes passed, viz..

Nathan C. Brownell Esq.. Chosen Moderator.

Frederick Brownell. Town Clerk and sworn.

Frederick Brownell, Jonathan Davis, John A. Gifford, Selectmen and sworn.

Frederick Brownell, Jonathan Davis, John A. Gifford, Assessors the and sworn.

Peleg W. Peckham, Andrew Hicks, Freeman Lawrence, Committee on Accounts.

End of page 175.

1841 page 176.

Surveyors of highways.

Jireh Brownell sworn, Joshua Wodell, David Lawton sworn, Stephen Howland sworn, Abraham C. white, John C. Baker sworn, Lemuel Reed sworn, Holder L. Borden, John Lawton sworn, Gideon Gifford sworn, Gideon W. Tripp sworn, Peleg Manchester sworn, Elijah Gifford Jr. sworn, Peleg W. Peckham sworn, Isaac Francis sworn, Jeptha Gifford sworn, Daniel Wing sworn, Jacob Allen sworn, Justus Shearman sworn, Peleg Snell sworn, Peleg L. Sanford, Stephen P. Kirby sworn,

Stephen K. Howland sworn, John Sanford sworn, Carmi Tripp sworn, Peleg Brownell sworn, Peter Devol sworn, Andrew Hicks sworn, Benjamin Tripp sworn, Godfrey Cornell sworn, Jonathan Pearse Jr. sworn, Jared Chace sworn, Levi Gifford sworn, William Tripp.

Prudential Committees.

1. Osmon Brownell, 2. Jeptha Gifford, 3. Abraham C. White, 4. Stephen Tripp, 5. Gideon Davis Jr.,6. Allen Tripp, 7. Edward B. Hazard 8.Daniel Tripp,9. Gilbert Macomber, 10. George Lawton, 11. Leonard Macomber, 12. Philip Potter, 13. Robert Lawton, 14. Stephen Howland, 15. Holder Earl 16. Jonathan Pearse Jr., 17. Perry Davis, 18. John R. Whalon, 19. Jeremiah Tompson 20. Joseph H. Tripp.

General School Committee.

Azrel. P. Ladd, John A. Gifford, Edward S. Gifford, Daniel B. Anthony, and Stephen A. Gifford.

Voted. That the sum of one thousand dollars be raised by tax on the polls and estates of the Inhabitants and nonresident proprietors of the Town, for repairing the highways the year ensuing. And the Assesors are directed to assess said

End of page 176.

1841 page 177.

Said sum as soon as may be and deliver lists thereof-with the persons names and the sums they are assessed to to each Surveyor with his limits according to law. That one dollar be allowed for nine hour

labor of a Man and or yoke of oxen Thirty three cents for a plow and twenty five cents for a cart and in that proportion for less or more time. And that said sum be expended agreeable to law.

$1334. Voted. That the sum of thirteen hundred and thirty four dollars be raised by tax in addition to what may be received from the State School Fund for the support of schools in the year ensuing-that five dollars per month be paid for schools taught five months previous to the first day of November next and in that proportion for less time-and the balance divided among the Districts that shall have schools taught therein four months or less between the first day of November and the fifteenth day of March next in proportion to the time the school is taught. Provided that where male Teachers are employed in the summer they shall receive eight dollars per month and where female teachers are employed in the winter they shall receive six dollars per month-and the balance divided among the Male teachers employed in the winter. And the Selectmen on receiving Certificates of the time the schools have been taught to for the summer by the first day of November and for the winter by the fifteenth day of March-are directed to draw orders on the Treasurer in favor of the teachers that comply with the law accordingly.

End of page 177.

1841 page 178.

Voted. That the General School Committee the requested to approbate none-but suitably qualified Teachers, and to perform all the other duties required by law.

Voted. That the Selectmen examined the Bridges mentioned in the 12th article in the warrant and report at the adjournment of this meeting their opinion of the expedientcy of building new bridges-the kind, and probable expense.

Votes for following persons were given in sorted, counted, record and declaration thereof made as by law directed, viz.-

For County Commissioners.

Honorable Seth Whitmarsh of Seekonk one hundred and eighty two votes 182.

Honorable Nathan C. Brownell of Westport one hundred and seventy votes 170.

Honorable Elkhanah Briggs of Attleboro one hundred and sixty nine votes 169.

William Seaver of Taunton fifty votes 50.

Thomas A. Greene of New Bedford forty nine votes 49.

Elkanah Bates of Mansfield forty five votes 45.

Guilford H. Hathaway three votes 3.

Iram Smith three votes 3.

Jonathan Pratt three votes 3.

Dan Wilmarth seven votes 7.

For Special Commissioners.

Adoniram Crane of Berkeley 225.

Cyrus E. Clark of Fairhaven 168.

Lemuel may of Attleborough 45.

Elkanah Briggs 6 votes, John Burbank 4.

Rodney French 4 votes, James Hathaway 3.

End of page 178.

1841 page 179.

For County Treasurer .

Honorable Foster Hooper Fall River two hundred and three votes 203.

Honorable Horatio L. Danforth fifty three votes 53.

For Register of Deeds.

Benjamin T. Congdon of New Bedford one hundred and thirty votes 130.

Foster Hooper one vote 1.

Voted. That this meeting be adjourned to the last Monday in may next at one o’clock p.m. then to meet at this place.

Recorded by Frederick Brownell Town Clerk.

End of page 179.

1841 page 180.

Monday may 31, 1841. Agreeable to adjournment from the first Monday in April last the Inhabitants of the Town of Westport met accordingly and passed the following votes.

John Mitchell chosen Pound Keeper.

Field cab drivers.

Abner T. Pettey, Abner B. Tripp, Howard P. Tripp, Willard Reed, Stanton Gray, Isaac Tripp Jr., Stephen Howland, Perry Albert, Lemuel Reed, Allen Reed, Ephraim Briggs, Philip Davis.

Fence Viewers.

Peleg Manchester, Adam Gifford, John Potter, Humphrey A.Slocum, Lemuel Brownell, Nathan C. Brownell, Jonathan Davis, Major Allen, Nathan Wood.

Surveyors of Lumber and measurers of Wood.

Abner B. Gifford, Frederick Brownell, Freeman Lawrence, Stephen Howland, Russell Gifford second, David Thomson, David Sanford, Varnum Macomber.

Overseers of landing Head of East River.

Jeremiah T. Thompson, George H. Gifford, Isaac Francis.

Overseer of landing at the Point, Andrew Hicks.

Frederick Brownell Treasurer and Collector on same conditions as in 1839.

Jireh Brownell Constable and sworn-to be paid $5.from the Treasury for doing Town’s business as Constable.

Voted. That the Selectmen be Agents for the town.

End of page 180.

1841 page 181.

$1400. Voted. That the sum of fourteen hundred dollars be raised by way of tax on the polls and estates of the Inhabitants and nonresident proprietors of the Town of Westport for the

support of Paupers

and other incidental expenses to be assessed and collected and paid into the Treasury by the first day of March next. And the assessors were directed to assess said sum in the way and manner provided by law and deliver lists thereof to the Collector as soon as may be.

The Committee on accounts made a report in writing that they had tended to the duly assigned them and found due to the several persons named in the list presented by them the sums set against their names respectively

amounting to $2752.72.

It was thereupon voted to accept said report and the Treasurer is directed to pay the sums found due by the Committee to the several persons therein named and charge the same to the Town.

The Committee also made a report that agreeable to their appointment they had examined the treasurer’s account and found that he had received for the town the year past $2662.23.

And has paid out $2662.23.

The committee further report

that the town is now indebted $889.03.

Westport may 29,1841 signed P. W. Peckham, Freeman Lawrence, Andrew Hicks.

Voted. That the Selectmen cause a Stone Bridge to be built across Bread and Cheese Brook of such dimensions as they shall think the interest of the Town requires.

Recorded by Frederick Brownell Town Clerk.

End of page 181.

1841 page 182.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Bristol S. S.. To Jireh Brownell Constable of the Town of Westport. Greeting.

In the named of said Commonwealth you are hereby required to notify and warn the Inhabitants of said town duly qualified to vote in Town Affairs to meet at the Town house in said town on Monday the thirty first day of may instant at one o’clock in the afternoon to act on the following articles, viz.

1st. To chose a Moderator for said meeting.

2nd. To know the town’s mind in regard to laying out a highway from Samuel Dyer’s southerly to the Sea Shore, and to take such measurers in relation thereto as may be thought expedient.

Hereof fail not and make return of this warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at or before said time of meeting.

Given under our hands and seals this seventeenth day of may A.D. 1841.

Signed Frederick Brownell, Jonathan Davis, John A. Gifford, Selectmen.

Westport may 17,1841. Pursuant to the within warrant I have notified the Inhabitants qualified to vote in Elections and in Town Affairs, by posting up notifications one at the store of Church and Anthony, one at the Town house, one at the store of Mayhew and Macomber and one at the store of Frederick Brownell, to meet at the time and place and for the purposes within mention.

Signed Jireh Brownell, Constable.

At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Westport held at the Town house on Monday the thirty first day of may A.D. 1841 for the purposes expressed in the foregoing warrant.

Azel P. Ladd chosen Moderator.

Voted. That the Selectmen be requested to layout a highway or Town way from Samuel Dyer’s southerly to the Sea Shore.

End of page 182.

1841 page 183.

Voted. That this meeting stand adjourned to the third Monday in June next at two o’clock in the afternoon.

Recorded by Frederick Brownell, Town Clerk.

Bristol S. S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To Jireh Brownell Constable of the town of Westport. Greeting.

You are hereby required in the name of said Commonwealth to notify and warn the Inhabitants of said Town of Westport qualified by law to vote in Town Affairs to meet at the Town house in said Town on Monday the twenty first day of June current to act on the following articles.

1st. To choose a Moderator.

2nd. To see if the Town will accept of the highway as laid out by the Selectmen from Samuel Dyer’s southerly to the Sea Shore.

Hereof fail not and make return of this warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at or before said time of meeting.

Given under our hands and seals at Westport this 12th day of June A.D. 1841.

Signed Frederick Brownell, Jonathan Davis, John A. Gifford, Selectmen.

Bristol S. S.. June 14, 1841. By virtue of the foregoing warrant I have notified and warned the

Inhabitants of the Town of Westport qualified as therein expressed to meet at the time and place and for the purposes therein mentioned by posting up one notice on the Town house one at the head of the East River and one at the store of Frederick Brownell.

signed Jireh Brownell Constable.

End of page 183.

1841 page 184.

Nathan Wood chosen Moderator.

Voted. To accept of the return of the Town way laid out by the Selectmen and presented to this meeting-from Samuel Dyers to the Sea Shore-and that the same be Recorded.

Recorded by Frederick Brownell Town Clerk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Bristol S. S.. To Jireh Brownell Constable of the Town of Westport. Greeting. You are hereby required in the name of said Commonwealth. To notify and warn the Inhabitants of said Town of Westport qualified by law to vote in Elections. To meet at the Town House in said Town on Monday the eight day of November next being the second Monday in said month at ten o’clock in the forenoon to act on the following articles viz.:

1st. To give in their votes for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of said Commonwealth and for 3 Senators for Bristol District on one ballot.

2nd. To make choice of one Representative to represent them in the General Court to to be convened and held at Boston on the first Wednesday in January next.

3rd. To see if the Town will make an alteration in the line between School Districts no. 12 and 13.

The toll will be open at half past 10 o’clock a.m..

Hereof fail not and make return of this warrant with your doings thereon at or before said time of meeting.

Given under our hands and seals at Westport the twenty fifth day of October in the

End of page 184.

1841 page 185.

The year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one

Signed Frederick Brownell, Jonathan Davis, John A. Gifford,.

Bristol S. S.. Pursuant to the within warrant I have notified the male Inhabitants of said Town by posting up notifications one at the Town house one at the store of Church and Anthony and one at the store of Frederick Brownell to meet at the time and place and for the purposes within mentioned.

October 25, 1841 signed Jireh Brownell Constable.

At a legal meeting of the qualified Voters of the Town of Westport-held at the Town house in said

Town on Monday the eight day of November 1841-being the second Monday in said month for the purposes expressed in the foregoing warrant-votes for the following persons were given in sorted, counted, record and declaration thereof made as by the Constitution is directed.

For Governor.

Marcus Morton two hundred and eighty nine 289.

John Davis seventy 70.

For Lieutenant Governor .

Henry H. Childs two hundred and eighty nine 289.

George Hull seventy 70.

End of page 185

1841 page 186.

For Senators.

Foster Hooper of Fallriver two hundred and eigty nine 289.

Sampson Perkins of New Bedford ” 289.

Johnson Gardner of Seekonk ” 289

Joseph Tripp of Fairhaven seventy 70.

Seth Presbury of Taunton ” 70.

John Daggett of Attleborough ” 70.

For representative to the General Court .

John Avery Gifford Esq.two hundred and sixty eight votes 268.

Recorded by Frederick Brownell Town Clerk.

End of page 186