Town records for 1796

AGREEABLE TO A VENERE from the clerkof court of Common Peas, requiring one person drawn to serve as a grand Juror for the year ensuing and one person to serve as a petit juror the town met April 4, 1796 and Benjamin Brownell 2 was drawn as grand juror and Benet Cook was drawn as petit juror.

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AT A MEETING (to elect state officers on Monday, April 4,17961

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Samuel Adams 45 votes, Increase Sumner 4 votes, William Cushing 1 vote for Governor, Moses Gill 50 votes for Lt. Governor, Elisha May 42 votes, Holder Slocum 36 votes, Samuel Tobey 4 votes for Counsellors & Senators

AT A MEETING legally warned on the 4th day of April 1796 to act on the following articles contained in the warrant, namely: 1. To choose town officers for the year ensuing. 2. To conclude upon and vote what sum of money for the support of the poor and other charges. 3. To act and do what may be thought proper relative to hiring a town school master. 4. To receive returns of highways laid out or altered and to approve or disapprove of the same, that they may be recorded. 5. To choose a committee to receive accounts brought against the town and approve or disapprove of the same and to settle with the town reasurer for the year past 6. To vote for county register 7. To vote for country treasurer 8. To conclude by vote in what way or manner to support the poor of said town for the year ensuing. 9. For the town at said meeting to act and do what may be thought most proper relative to repairing the highways within the said town, either by way of tax or otherways

First, William Almy Esq chosen moderator. Second, William Almy chosen town clerk and sworn. Third, William Davis, Wesson Kirby, Roger White chosen select men Fourth, William Almy chosen town treasurer and to have 1 1/4 percent Fifth, Christopher Cornell, Lemuel Milk, and Humphry Howland chosen assessors Sixth, Silvester Brownell, Lemuel Milk and George Lawton chosen a committee to examine and allow accounts and to settle with the town treasurer. Seventh, Silvester Brownell, Peris Richmond, Christopher Cornell, Thomas Cornell, Thomas Tripp, Benjamin Brownell 2 and Abner Wilcox chosen fence viewers and sworn.

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Eighth, Abner Wilcox, Wesson Sowle, George Lawton, Eseck Taber, Henry Tibbets, John Tibbets chosen hog reeves and sworn; also George Brownell and John Cornell 2 chosen. Ninth, Benjamin Brownell, Abraham Cornell, Joseph Gifford, Henry Tibbits, Stephen Davis, carpenter, Eseck Taber and Williams Allen, chosen Field Drivers and sworn. Tenth, Nathaniel Kirby chosen pound keeper and sworn. Eleventh, Job Anthony, Barjona Devol, Stephen Davis, carpenter, chosen surveyors of lumber, shingles and clapboards and sworn. Twelfth, Job Anthony, Barjona. Devol, Stephen Davis, carpenter, and Peleg Potter, chosen corders and measurers of wood and affirmed. 13th, Barjona Devol and George Brownell 3 chosen cullers of hoops and staves 14th, Preserved Shearman and Thomas Briggs chosen sealers of weights and measures, leather 15th, Daniel Tripp 2, George Brownell, cooper, and Christopher Cornell chosen cullers of dry Fish 16th, Wanton Macomber and Wesson Macomber chosen tithingmen

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17th, Silvester Brownell, George Brownell, cooper, Joseph Gifford, Lemuel Sowle, Job Almy, Samuel Willcox and John Kirby chosen a committee to oversee the fishery. 18th, Voted to raise a sum of money by way of tax to amend and repair the highways the year ensuing. 19th, Voted that the Select Men have the direction in supporting the poor either by venduing or otherways as they shall judge for the interest of the town and comfort of the poor.

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20th, Upon collecting, sorting and counting the votes for county registrar it appear that James Williams Esq had 4 votes. 21st, Upon counting votes for county treasurer it appear that Appolas Leonard Esq had 31 votes.

Voted to adjourn this meeting to the second Monday in May next ten of the clock forenoon at this place. N.B. Previous to the meeting being adjourned, voted, that the resurvey and alteration of the town’s way, leading from the highway that crosses Hick’s Bridge so called, to the County Road near the east Branch of Acoaxset River, on the East Branch of said river, made by the Select Men and presented to this meeting, be accepted and the same be recorded accordingly. [Drift Road]

AT A TOWN MEETING legally warned and held at the town house in Westport on Monday the 6th day of April A.D. 1796 and continued to Monday May 9th following. Met accordingly.

The committee appointed to examine and allow accounts brought against the town of Westport, reported, that after giving due notice, they attended that service at the town house in said town, on Monday the second day of May A.D. 1796, and had examined and allowed accounts against the town of Westport, agreeable to a list of persons’ names, and sume presented to the amount of $320.76. And that the Select Men had allowed Master Simpson $192, making a total of $512.76. Also the committee agreeable to their appointment have examined the accounts of the treasurer and report that the treasurer had received for the town since the settlement made with him on the 27th day of April, 1795, the sum of including ballance L164:17:1 and that he had paid out the sum of L 162:17:7, leaving ballance in his hands May 2, 1796 of L 1:19:6, esqual to $6.58.

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The committee further reported that there was a ballance in favour of the town [in] April, 1795 between the sums allowed against the town and the sum assessed of L 13:18:2 equal to $66.36. Added to the amount assessed last year of $546.33, means the town is owed $592-69. It paid out or allowed in past year $512.76, and thus has balance of $79.93.

The committee further reported that there was in the hands of Thomas Woodle, collector, as balance of taxes, L 204:12:11; in John Gifford’s hands, L 8:12:6; in Capt. William Hick’s hands L8:18:10; in Wilharn Almy’s . as treasurer, L 1:19:6; in the hands of William Davis Esq, being money received by him of of Col. Earl, upon account of a house sold for the town, taken of chase L 5:1:8, totalling L 229:3:5, equal to $763.24.

Voted to accept the report of the committee and that the treasurer be directed to pay the accounts thus allowed by the committee, which accounts when paid shall discharge him

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of so much of the money he shall receive for the town.

Voted that there be raised by way of tax on the polls and estates of the inhabitants of the town of Westport for the support of the poor and other incidental charges of this town for the year ensuing the sum of five hundred dollars to be collected and paid into the town treasury within one year from the time of passing this vote and the assessors of said town are hereby directed to assess the same according to law and deliver a list or lists thereof to the constable or collector of said town requiring him to collect and pay over the same

accordingly And the treasurer is hereby directed to issue his warrant against the constable

or collectors for the sums he shall be deficient oif any at the expiration of one year unless he

be directed by the major part of the Select Men to suspend issuing his execution which

suspension shall at no one time exceed three months.

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Voted that the treasurer be and he is hereby directed to issue executions against the collector for the years prior to the year 1795 for the sums they shall be deficient within three months, and against the collector for the year 1796 within six months from the time of passing this vote.

On motion made and seconded to reconsider the vote passed at this meeting on Monday the 4th day of April for raising by way of tax a sum of money for the amending and repairing the highways within the town for the year ensuing. Upon collecting, sorting and counting the votes it appeared that there was a majority for not reconsidering.

Voted that for the amending and repairing the highways and townways, within the town of Westport, for the year ensuing, the sum of six hundred dollars be assessed on the polls and rateable estates, personal and real of the inhabitants, residents and non residents, of the town of Westport, as other charges are by law assessed and that the assessors deliver a list of the persons and the sums at which they are assessed to each surveyor for him limits according to law.

Voted that fifty cents be allowed to a person for a day’s work done on the ways and that seventeen cents be allowed for a cart or plow one day.

Voted that the hiring of a town school master be left to the select men to do as they shall think for the interest of the town.

Voted that Paul Earl, Humphrey Macomber, Peris Richmond, William Wood, Ebeneser Eddy, Edmond Tripp, Abner Potter, Nathaniel Kirby, Jonathan White, Thomas Cornell, Roger White, Isaac Howland, John Mosher, Barjona Devol, Ezekiel Brownell, Charles Baker, Henry Tibbits and Isaiah Burden be surveyor of highways for the year ensuing

Voted Benjamin Brownell sealer of weights and measures

Voted to adjourn this meeting to the first Monday of August next at ten forenoone then to meet at this place.

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AT A MEETING of the inhabitants of the town of Westport qualified agreeable to the Constitution [to elect state officers] held Monday, the 9th of May, 1796, elected William Almy, Esq, to be state representative.

AT A TOWN MEETING legally warned and held at the town house in Westport on Monday the 6th day of April 1796 and continued by adjournment to Monday the 1st day of August

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following, met agreeable to adjournment.

Voted that Paul Earl, William Wood Jr., Ezekiel Brownell and Isaiah Burden be surveyor of highways for the town of Westport

Voted to accept the return of the highways laid out by the select men on the east side of the East Branch of the River and that the same be recorded. [upper Drift Road I

Voted that the owners of the land through which the said highway is laid out be permitted to keep up the bars and gates as usual if they see cause to do it, until the first day of April next.

AT A TOWN MEETING held at the town house in Westport on Saturday the 27th day of August A.D. 1796k, for the purpose of drawing one man to serve on the petit jury at the Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace, September turn, William Gifford Jr. was drawn as the law directs.

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AT A MEETING [to elect congressional representative and electors called Monday, November 7,1796]

for Elisha May esq 17 votes for representative

for Seth Padleford Esq 15 votes for elect of President

for Elisha May Esq 1 voate for elector of vice president Also at the same meeting Thomas Brightman was drawn to serve as a petit juror at the next Court of Common Pleas to be holden at Taunton on the Tuesday of December next.