Town records of 1827-B

Note: This appears to be a second transcription of the 1827 records. Not sure what the difference is, but for now I’m including both it and the earlier one. – Greg Stone

1827 page 1

Bristol S. S.. To George C. Brownell constable of the Town of Westport.

Greetings.

You are hereby required in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To notify and warn the free holders and other inhabitants of said Town of Westport, duly qualified to vote for Town officers and in other town affairs-to assemble at the Town House in said town on Monday, the second day of April next at 9 of the Clock in the forenoon and to act on the following articles viz,

1st To choose a Moderator to regulate said meeting.

2nd To choose all such officers as Towns by-law are authorized to choose annually and upon such conditions as the majority, shall then and there agree.

3rd To choose a committee to receive and examine all accounts brought against said Town and also to settle with the Treasurer.

4 To determine what sum to raise by way of tax for the support of schools and in what manner it shall be apportioned and also to know the minds of the inhabitants in regards to providing school masters instructed in the Latin and Greek languages.

5 To determine what sum to raise by way of tax for the support of paupers and other incidental charges.

6 To determine what sums shall be expended in the repairs of highways and in what manner it shall be appropriated.

7 To know the minds of the town in regard to opening a way formerly laid out from the highway that goes from John Howland’s to the town house in said town, and to run easterly between the lands of Obed White and Luthon White to the River where it Was formerly laid out. and also in the regards to highways laid out by the Selectmen.

8 To know the minds of the town in regards to making alterations in the school districts in said town.

9 To know the Town’s mind in the regards to regulating the oyster fishery.

10 To choose such committee or committees agent or agents as circumstances may render expedient.

11 To give in their votes for a county treasurer.

Hereof fail not and make return of this warrant with your doings thereon to us the subscribers on

or before said time of meeting.

Given under our hands and seals at Westport this fourteenth of March A,D. 1827.

Signed Daniel Wing ,Frederick Brownell Selectmen.

End of page 1

1827 page 2

Bristol S. S.. Westport April 2nd. 1827. Pursuant to the within warrant I have notified the

inhabitants of said town of Westport to appear at the time and place and for the purpose within mentioned by posting notifications ,one at Peckham and Howland’s store one at Frederick Brownell’s and one at Isaac Cory’s store 14 days previous to this date.

Signed ,George C. Brownell, constable

At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of Westport qualified according to law — assembled at the town house in said town on Monday the 2nd. day of April at 9:00 in the forenoon and for the purposes contained in the foregoing warrant.

The following officers were chosen, viz..

Abner B.Gifford Esq. moderator

Frederick Brownell town clerk , sworn

Frederick Brownell town treasurer

Frederick Brownell selectman ,sworn

Jonathan Davis selectman ,sworn

John Macomber selectman ,sworn

Gilbert Macomber, William H. Potter, Joshua Wordell, George C.. Brownell, Stephen Cornell 2nd., Ebenezer Baker, Jonathan sowle , Isaac Gifford, Thomas Records, Sylvester Brownell,Abner Mosher, David Sanford, Peleg Brownell, Henry Wilcox, Luthon White , Thomas W. Baker, John Sanford, Nathan Wood, Peleg W. Peckham , John Potter, John Gifford, Wiliam W. Cornell, Ephraim Macomber, Obediah Lawton, Benjamin Cory, and Simeon Macomber. — Surveyors of highways ,sworn.

Daniel Wing, Jonathan A. Davis, Stephen Hall , committee on accounts.

Nathan C.. Brownell Esq. Pound Keeper .

1000 dollars, voted. That the sum of 1000 dollars be raised for repairing highways and town ways in the town of Westport. The year ensuing, to be assessed on the polls and estates of the inhabitants as other taxes are assessed and that the assessors assess the same as soon as may be and deliver a list of the persons names and out of the sums they are assessed to each

surveyor of his limits.

End of page 2.

1827, p. 3

According to law – that 75 cents be allowed by the surveyor for a days work of a man or yoke of oxen and in that proportion for parts of days that 25 cents be allowed for a cart or plow one-day and the aforesaid sum be expended 1/2 by the first day of July next and the other half by the first day of September next that whenever the surveyor of any district shall make known to the selectmen that he has faithfully expended all the tax assessed on his district, and the highway is not sufficiently repaired. The Selectmen shall determine the additional sum he may expand on said way and he may draw orders on the treasurer for the amount so determined by the selectmen.

Anselm Bassett Esq., Abner B. Gifford Esq.,Nathan C. Brownell Esq. Thomas

Richmond and Richard Allen were chosen a school committee to have the general

charge and superintendance of all the public schools in the town.

William White 2nd,Tillinghast Almy and Stephen Holland were chosen a committee to view school districts and where in their opinion there ought to be alterations to report the same to the Town for acceptance.

Voted that this meeting be adjourned to the second Monday in may next at 1:00 P.m. Then to meet again at this place.

Recorded by Frederick Brownell town clerk.

Monday may 14 1827 — — agreeable to adjournment from the first Monday, in April last — the inhabitants of Westport met accordingly.

The following officers were chosen ,viz..

Abner B. Gifford, Frederick Brownell, Stephen Howland, Abraham Anthony, David U. Brownell, Thomas W. Mayhew , Jethro Howland, and Perry Wilcox. — surveyors of lumber.

Micah Dean, George U.Brownell, and Elijah Blossom. Tythingmen.

Adam Gifford, Abraham Anthony, Jonathan Peckham, David N. Brownell and Wilson Wing overseers of landing at head of River.

Peleg Manchester, Nathan C. Brownell, sworn. Wilbour Gifford, Adam Gifford, Greshom Wordell, John Potter, John Macomber, sworn Major Allen, Humphrey Slocum, fence viewers.

Jethro Howland, Micah Dean, John Howland 2nd. and Stephen Howland,Cullers of hoops and staves.

Jethro Howland and Gideon Davis. Cullers of fish.

End of page 3.

1827 page 4

John White , Wilbour Gifford, Benjamin Cory, Russell Gifford, John milk, Charles Little, Elija Blossom, Nathaniel Tripp 2nd., Silas Petty, Abraham B. Davis, and William G.Sowle. Field drivers

Ephraim Macomber, Martin Bessey, sworn, Jonathan Gifford, sworn, Philip Davis, Elijah Blossom, Samuel L. Wilcox, Abraham Anthony, Wanton Macomber, Barney Hicks, Gideon Davis, Abner Wilcox, William tripp, Arnold Wood, and Joshua Potter. Hog Reeves

Warren Gifford, Pardon Allen, Perry Brightman, David Wing, and Perry Harard. Overseers of fishery.

George C. Brownell, sworn. Constable and collector of taxes. To have two and one fourth percent on all the money he collects and pays into the treasury and to have no allowance for bad or uncurrent money.

Voted . That there shall be no oysters taken from the beds the year ensuing without a permit from the majority of the selectmen. Upon special occasions of sickness and the quantity in such permit to be

specified.That, the town clerk post up copies of this vote at the head of the river, at Hicks Bridge,and at the point.

Voted. that the selectmen review the drift way formerly laid out from Tripps corner Eastward to the river and to report at the next meeting their opinion of the expedientcy of making an open road of it. And the probable expence that will attend to it. That they also view the drift way from Little Compton line easterly by Sylvester Brownell’s to the River and also report their opinion of the expediency of laying out an open highway in lieu thereof and the probable expence that will attend that.

$2000. Voted that the sum of two thousand dollars be raised by way of tax on the polls and estates of the inhabitants of the town of Westport. For the support of paupers, Public Schools,

Towards extinguishing the debts against the Town and other incidental charges, to be assessed, collected and paid into the Town Treasury one half by the first day of December and the other half by the first day of April next, and the assessors are hereby directed to assess said sum in the way and manner provided by law. And deliver a list or lists thereof to the Collector as soon as may be

Voted that the Selectmen confer with the Selectmen of Dartmouth on the expedientcy of petitioning the Legislature to have the line between the Towns altered..

End of page 4

1827 page 5

The following persons were chosen prudential committee for school districts viz.. For district No. 1 Peleg

Manchester ,No. 2 Henry Wilcox ,No. 3 John Gifford ,No. 4 Wiliam White II, No. 5 Richard Lawton, No. 6 Thomas W. Mayhew ,No. 7 ,Wiliam T. Davis ,No. 8 S, Tilinghast Tripp,No. 9 Sireh Brownell, No. 10 Frederick Brownell ,No. 11 Nathaniel Tripp, No. 12 Edmund tripp Jr.,No. 13 George C. Brownell, No. 14 Abner B. Gifford ,No. 15 John Sanford, No. 16 Peleg Gifford ,No. 17 George Gifford, No. 18 Richard Allen .No. 19 George F. Tripp.

Voted that James Laws 1826 tax be remitted. The committee on accounts made a report in writing that they had tended to the business assigned them and had found due to the several person named in the list presented by them to several sums set against their names..Amounting in the whole to the sum of three thousand sixty-five dollars and thirty one cents . $3065.31

It was thereupon voted to accept the report and the treasurer was directed to pay the sums found due by the committee to the several persons therein named and charge the same against the town .

The committee also made a report that agreeable to their appointment they had examined the accounts of the Treasurer and found that he had received for town the year past the sum of $3517,71. And had paid out by his account the sum $3508.83.

Leaving a balance in his hands of $ 8.88

The committee further reported that the town is now in debt to sundry persons on notes and orders. The sum of $931.17. That there is in the collector’s hands by the Treasurer’s book $497.49.

Making a balanced against the town the sum of $433.63

All which is respectfully submitted Westport May 14 1827

signed Daniel Wing, Jonathan Davis, Stephen Howland, committee.

Voted that this meeting be adjourned to the last Saturday in August next at 1:00 P. M. then to meet again at this place

Recorded by Frederick Brownell town clerk.

End of page 5

1827 page 6

August 25 1827. Agreeable to adjournment from may 14 1827 the inhabitants of Westport met accordingly.

The selectmen made a report in writing that they had viewed the drift way formerly laid out from Tripp’s corner easterly to the river, and think it not expedient to lay out an open highway there at present believing the expense would greatly exceed the public advantage— and that they had

viewed the drift way from Little Compton easterly to the River, and think it is expedient to have

an open way laid out there in lieu of said drift way.

It was thereupon voted to accept the report, and direct the selectmen lay out an open highway from Little Compton line easterly to the river, and present the returns to the town or acceptance.

Voted that the Treasurer pay John Lawton four dollars and 50 cents for work done on the road and Nathan Tripp one dollar and fifty cents and charge the same to the town.

Recorded by a Frederick Brownell, town clerk.

To George C. Brownell constable of the Town of Westport , greetings.You are hereby required in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to notify and warn the inhabitants of said town of Westport qualified by the Constitution to vote for representatives to meet at the town hall of said Town on Monday the 14 day of may next at two o’clock in the afternoon for the purpose of choosing one or more representative to represent them at the general court appointed to be convened and held at Boston on the last Wednesday in may next. Hereof fail not and make a return of this warrant with your doings thereon to us the subscribers on or before said time of meeting .Given under our hands and seals this 14th day of April 1827 Frederick Brownell, John Macomber selectmen.

Bristol S. S. may 14 1827,By virtue of this Warrant I have notified and warned the inhabitants of Westport to meet at the time and place and for the purpose within mention by posting up one notice at Frederick Brownell’s store one at Isaac Cory’s and one at Peckham and Howland’s 14 days prior to the date hereof.

Signed George C. Brownell, constable

End of page 6

Page 7

At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of Westport qualified by the Constitution to vote for representatives. Assembled at the town house in said Town on Monday the 14 th day of may A.D. 1827 for the purpose expressed in the foregoing warrants.

Voted that this town send two representatives.

Tillinghast Almy Esquire and Nathan C. Brownell Esquire were accordingly chosen and records and declaration thereof made as by the Constitution is directed.

Recorded by Frederick Brownell, town clerk

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Bristol S. S. to George C. Brownell constable of the Town of Westport greetings.

You are hereby required in the name of said Commonwealth to notify and warn the Freeholders and other inhabitants of said Town of Westport duly qualified to vote for representatives to the general court of said Commonwealth to assemble at the Town House in said Town on Monday the fourteenth day of may next at 3:00 o