Town records of 1816
Posted on July 23, 2003 by Greg Stone
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TO GEORGE C. BROWNELL, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [ warrant for meeting April 1, 1816 to elect state officials]
AT A LEGAL MEETING [according to foregoing warrant] VOTES for the following persons were given in, sorted & counted and recorded and declaration thereof made as by the Constitution is directed, viz., For Governor, John Brooks, 207 votes & Samuel Dexter, 22 votes; for Lt. Governor, William Phillips, 207 votes, & William King, 22 votes.
Recorded by me, Abner B. Gifford, Town Clerk
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For Senators, Samuel Crocker, 207 votes & James Ellis, 2 votes, & William Wood, 22 votes, and Luther Sheldon, 22 votes.
TO GEORGE C. BROWNELL, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [warrant for annual town meeting to be held on April 1, 1816; typical articles; new is this: “to devise the best method of disposing of wood and timber which are standing on certain highways in this Town.”]
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AT A LEGAL MEETING OF THE INHABITANTS [held April 1, 1816 as annual town meeting]
Anselm Bassett, Esq. was chosen moderator
Abner B. Gifford chosen Town Clerk, Collector, and Town Treasurer upon the following conditions, viz., to have no remuneration for his services, except what is derived from the office of Town Clerk. He received 113 votes. Abner Brownell had 99 votes. Peleg Sisson had 1 vote.
VOTED that the Collector, after receiving the tax bills from the Assessors should notify the inhabitants of Westport thereof by posting up notifications, and all those who pay their taxes in to him within one hundred and twenty days after said bills are delivered to him shall receive a discount on their taxes of 3 per cent.
VOTED that the Treasurer shall pay all Town orders that may be presented to him for payment immediately after the expiration of the aforesaid one hundred and twenty days.
Peleg Sisson, Esq., Adam Gifford, and Pardon Cornell was chosen Selectmen
Isaac R. Gifford, Holder White & Nathaniel Tompkins were chosen Assessors of Taxes
John Mosher, Lemuel Milk, Nathaniel Kirby was chosen a Committee on Accounts
Humphrey Macomber, Zebedee Davis, Benjan-dn Wordlell, Phillip Tripp, Peleg Chace, Ebenezer Baker, Jonathan Peckham, Peter Davis, Levi Gifford, Nathaniel Kirby, William Kirby, Jonathan Records, Jonathan Howland, David Sanford, Ezekiel Brownell, Nathaniel Kirby, George White, Jonathan Brightman,
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Adam Gifford, Ephraim Thompson, Ephraim Gifford, Isaac Brownell, Perry Hazard, Zacheus Gifford & James Cornell chosen Surveyors of Highways
VOTED to adjourn this meeting until the llth day of May next at one oclock in the afternoon.
AT A LEGAL MEETING [called by warrant to select town representatives to General Court on May 11, 1816]
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Abner Brownell had 30 votes; Sylvester Brownell had 30 votes; Abner B. Gifford had 23 votes; Isaac Cory, Jr., had 7 votes.
AGREEABLE TO ADJOURNMENT [continuation of town meeting on May 11, 18161
Adam Gifford chosen Constable of the Town of Westport and to have seven dollars and seventy five cents for his services …for the year ensuing.
Abner B. Gifford, Jethro Howland, Stephen Howland & Micah Dean were chosen Surveyors of Lumber.
Perry Wilcox, Jonathan, Gifford (head of river), Nathaniel Kirby (over river), Pardon Gifford, Daniel Boomer, Joshua Petty, Wantong Macomber, Ephraim Macomber chosen Tythingmen.
George Gifford, Jonathan Davis, Isaac Brownell, Christopher Cornell, Benjamin Brownell, Edmond Tripp, Abraham Cornell, John Dyer & Wilbur Gifford chosen Fence Viewers
Jethro Howland & Zoeth Howland chosen Cullers of Hoops & Staves
Daniel Brownell and Preserved Shearman chosen Sealers of Leather
Phillip Davis, Jireth Brownell, Jerathmael White, Wilbur Gifford, Edward Manchester, Benjamin Corey, Zebedee Davis, Russell Gifford, Lott Shearman, Nathaniel Tripp, Peleg Gifford,
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Jonathan Gifford, Jr., Charles Little chosen Field Drivers.
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Jethro Howland and Gideon Davis chosen Cullers of Fish
Zacheus Gifford, John Gifford, Sr., Phillip Davis, Jr., Wilbour Gifford, Thomas Allen, tailor, Isaiah Kirby, Phillip Davis, Benjamin Wordell, Wanton Macomber, & Christopher Cornell chosen Hog Reeves
Lemuel Milk, Humphrey Howland & George Lawton chosen Overseers of Landing at the Head of the River
Capt. Abner Gifford, Gideon Palmer, Daniel Gifford, Pardon Cornell, Samuel Wilcox & Perry Gifford chosen Overseers of Fishery
VOTED that Thomas Richmond shall be the Town’s Physician to doctor all the poor this year.
VOTED that Ansehn Bassett be the Town”s agent in prosecutions the year ensuing.
VOTED that $800 be assessed …. for the repairs of highways and Town ways….
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VOTED that seventy five cents be allowed lby the Surveyors of Highways for a day’s work of a man or a pair of oxen….
VOTED that the aforesaid sum be expended on highways and town ways one half by the first day of July and the other half by the first day of September next
VOTED that the same measures be taken and to be under the same regulations as to treading down and cleaning out the roads when blocked up with snow this year as was the last year
VOTED that for providing for the poor of this town this year it shall be by venduing….
VOTED that fifteen hundred dollars be raised by way of tax …. for the support of the poor and schools and other expences of the said Town the year ensuing ….
VOTED that one hundred and twenty dollars of the aforesaid sum be appropriated to the support of schools in the same manner as was voted the last year
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Abner Brownell was chosen agent in behalf of the Town of Westport to examine the original records of the Town of Little Compton, and to take such extracts from said records as he thinks beneficial to the Town of Westport and deposit the same with the Town Clerk
VOTED that Abner B. Gifford and Barnea Hicks be a committee in behalf of the Town to sell and dispose of such wood and timber standing on the highways of said Town as they think requisite, and make report of their doings thereof at some future meeting
Committee on Accounts made a report in writing … that they had allowed … the sum of $1531.66. It was voted to accept their report and to direct the Treasurer to pay the sums against the Town. The Committe also report that agreeable to their appointment they made a settlement with the Town Treasurer: found he had received $1034.47 and paid out $986.29, leaving a ballance in favour of the Town of $48.18, and made a settlement with him accordingly.
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VOTED to allow Abner Brownell eighteen dollars and sixty four cents for his services as agent for the Town the year past.
VOTED to allow to William Earle the present husband of the Widow Richmond twenty dollars and ninety eight cents for so much money paid by him to Sylvester Gifford for floor contracted for by Bradford Richmond, late of Westport, deceased, as was said to be furnished for the guard stationed in Westport during the late war …. and the Treasurer is directed to pay the aforesaid sums and charge the same to the Town.
ON MONDAY THE FIRST DAY OF APRIL A.D. 1816
Samuel Crocker had 88 votes for Country Treasurer and James William had 67 votes for County Registrar.
TO ADAM GIFFORD, CONSTABLE, GREETING [warrant to elect representatives to General Court at meeting on November 4, 1816]
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AT A LEGAL MEETING [held November 4, A.D. 1816, according to preceding warrant] votes were as follows: Samuel Crocker had 46 votes and Marcus Morton had 4 votes.
Recorded by me, Abner B. Gifford, Town Clerk
TO ADAM GIFFORD, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [ a warrant to meet on December 21,1816 to act on the following articles]
1. To choose a moderator of said meeting.
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2. To know the mind of the Town in regard to accepting a report of the Selectmen of the Town as to districting the Town into eighteen school districts, when & where said report will be made.
3. To act upon all other matters and things respecting districting the Town, building school houses, and providing for the support of schools, as shall be regularly brought before them.
4. To regulate the jury box according to law.
AT A LEGAL MEETING [held December 21, 1816, according to foregoing warrant]
Peleg Sisson chosen moderator
A report of the doings of the Selectmen was presented and accepted by the Town, and ordered to be rocorded as followeth, viz.,
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Whereas the school districts in the Town of Westport which were laid out in the year 1798 by a committee who were then appointed for that purposes have been found insufficient inasmuch as in many instances two districts were connected together, & others were left not properly defined which renders it ineffectual. We the undersigned Selectmen of the Town of
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Westport having considered the subject do now proceed to frame eighteen school districts in the Town of Westport and define the same in the following manner, viz.
No. 1 to be all the inhabitants on the west side of the west branch of the River that belongs to this Town.
No. 2 to be all the inhabitants on the east side of the east branch of the River that belongs to this Town, from the sea shore up north to include Wilbur Gifford & Daniel Gifford.
No. 3 to be all the inhabitants on the east side of the east branch of the River, that belongs to this Town from No. 2 to extend north and include Shearman Slade(?) and David Wing
No. 4 to be all the inhabitants on the east side of the east branch from No. 3 northerly and include the widow Elizabeth White
No. 5 to be all the inhabitants on the east side of the east branch of the River-from No. 4 northerly and include Benjamin Sowle
No. 6 to be all the inhabitants on the Horseneck & and extend north one & a half miles from the Point from the east to the west branch of the rivers & including Christopher Cornell, Daniel Cornell, Gideon Cornell, Wesson Sowle and George Brightman, on the north.
No. 7 to be all the inhabitants north of No. 6 to include Benjamin Corey, Henry Palmer & Preserved Shearman on the north, Jacob Sowle & Benjan-dn Sowle on the east & the River on the west
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No. 8 to extend from No. 6 northerly & include Daniel Allen on the north easterly by the River & westerly to district No. 7, all within said limits
No. 9 to extend northerly from No. 7 including on the west, all the inhabitants to Tiverton line & to include Stephen Tripp, Jireth Brownell, Stephen Davis & the Jeremiah Wait house on the north, then from said Wait House southerly, a strate line to the Town House, then southerly as the road goes to Preserved Shearman, all within said limits
No. 10 to extend northerly from No. 8 by the River and include Justus Kirby & Abraham Kirby on the north & include John Wait & Jonathan Macomber on the west
No. 11 to extend northerly from No. 10 by the River and include Durfee Tripp and Benjamin Tripp on the north and goes to the road that leads from Jonathan Howlands to the Town House on the west
No. 12 extends from No. 9 northerly & includes Anthrony Tripp, William White, & Daniel Devol on the north Tiverton line on the west, and the road that leads from John Howlands southerly to the Town House on the east
No. 13 to extend northerly to No. 12 and includes Wesson Macomber and Henry Howland on the north Tiverton line on the west and Prince Howland on the east
No. 14 to include Jonathan A. Gifford and the house where he now lives, and Stephen Potter on the north Dartmouth line on the east and goes to No. 5, including the house of Adam Gifford on the south & also joins No. 11 on the south and includes John Howland & Peter Davis on the west
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No. 15 extends northerly from No. 13 & includes job Borden, & Stephen Gifford on the north, John Petty on the east & Tiverton line on the west
No. 16 extends northerly from No. 14 & includes the John Capren house on the north,
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Peleg Dennis on the east & includes Edward Stead, Rufus Tripp, Warren Gifford & Luther Gifford on the west
No. 17 to include all the inhabitants belonging to this town northerly of job Borden, Stephen Gifford & the John Capren house
No. 18 to extend northerly from No. 14, and include Ebenezer Baker & James Baker on the west & James Reed & Lemuel Reed Jr. on the north & Dartmouth line on the east
All which is respectfully submitted for consideration. Recorded by me, Abner B. Gifford, Town Clerk
The following is a list of the names of those persons who were proposed by the Selectmen as jurors, and accepted by the Town and ordered to be placed in the jury box, viz.
Wilbur Gifford, Stephen Cornell, Phillip Potter, Ephraim Gifford, William White, Abner Devol, Jonathan Davis, Holder White, Pardon Kirby, Russell Gifford, Charles Macomber, Ephraim Macomber, Elijah Gifford, Jr., John Lawrence, Wanton Macomber, Perry Gifford, Robert Sherman, Edmond Tripp, Samuel Stead, Ezekiel Brownell, Pardon Cornell, Isaac Cory, Jr., Peleg Sisson, Abner B. Gifford, Jerathmael White, Nathan C. Brownell
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Frederick Brownell, James H. Handy, Adam Gifford, Abraham Kirby, James Cornell, Thomas Winslow Peleg W. Peckham, Jireth Brownell, Luthan White, Nathaniel Tompkins, John Macomber, Joshua Potter, Benjamin Wing, and Major Allen.
Recorded by me, Abner B. Gifford, Town Clerk
AT A LEGAL MEETING [held in house of Abner B. Gifford, March 19,1816 to draw jurors] William White, Esq. & Ephraim Gifford were drawn traverse jurors for Supreme Judicial Court
AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at Gifford house March 2,18161 Peleg Sisson was drawn grand juror & Isaac Macomber & Pardon Kirby traverse jurors to serve at the C.C.C.Pleas
AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at Gifford house June 5, 1816] Jeremy Brownell & Ezekiel Brownell were drawn traverse jurors to serve at the C.C.C.Pleas
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AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at Gifford house Aug 27,1816] Humphrey Macomber & Wanton Macomber was drawn traverse jurors for C.C.C.Pleas
AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at Gifford house Oct 8, 18161 Isaac Cory, Jr. was drawn grand juror & Charles Baker & Israel Brightman drawn traverse jurors for S.J.C.