Town records for 1795

AT A MEETING of the inhabitants on 12 January, 1795 to elect a congressional representative, The Honorable George Leonard had 9 votes; the Honorable David Cobb had 1 vote; and declaration made thereof in Town meeting accordingly.

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AT A MEETING of the inhabitants on 23 March, 1795 for the purpose of voting for a rep for the third southern district in this commonwealth to the U. S. Congress, it appeared that George Leonard had 10 votes and David Cobb had 3 votes and declaration was made thereof in town meeting according to law.

AT A MEETING of the inhabitants on 6 April, 1795, to act on the following articles, namely:

1. To choose town officers. 2. To determine amount of tax for the poor. 3. To consider

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having a house for the poor. 4. To vote for a County Treasurer for the year ensuing. 5. To receive returns of highways, laid out or altered by the Selectmen and approve or disapprove of the same. 6. To act on allowing Culbert Wilcox liberty to set up a small building on the town’s landing at Hicks Bridge. 7. To deten-nine in what manner the highways shall be repaired for the year ensuing. 8. To choose a committee to examine accounts and settle with the treasurer. 9. To determine what is proper about selling spiritous liquors on said meeting days at or near said town house. [signed by selectmen and notarized by constable.]

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1. William Almy Esq chosen Moderator and Town Clerk.

2. William Davis Wesson Kirby and Lemuel Milk chosen Select Men.

3. William Almy chosen town treasurer & to have one and 1/4 per cent

4. Christopher Cornell, Lemuel Milk, & Humphrey Howland chosen assessors

5. Silvester Brownell, Lemuel Milk and George Lawton chosen committe to examine

accounts

6. Benjamin Brownell, Abraham Cornell, Joseph Gifford, Henry Tibbitts, John Davis,

Benjamin Cory, Thomas Allen & Samuel Willcox chosen field drivers

7. Nathaniel Kirby chosen pound keeper

8. Benjamin Brownell chosen sealer of weights and measures

9. Thomas Woodle chosen constable, collector of taxes and to have two per cent

10. Job Anthony, Barjonah Devol and Stephen Davis chosen surveyors of lumber, shingles

and clapboards

11. George Brownell and Barjona Devol chosen cullers of hoops & staves

12. Thomas Tripp, Christopher Cornell, Abner Willcocks, Silvester Brownell & Peris

Richmond, Benjamin Brownell and Peleg White chosen fence viewers

13. Stephen Davis, Barjona Devol, Job Anthony & Peleg Potter chosen corders of wood and

measures

14. Benjamin Cory. & Preserved Shearman chosen sealers of leather

15. Daniel Tripp and Christopher Cornell chosen cullers of dry fish

16. Levy Shearman, Jonathan Faber, Humphry Macomber, Benjamin Devol, Joshua Petty,

Barjona Devol, Eseck Taber, Nathaniel Kirby, Job Shearman, Edmond Tripp, Philip Cornell,

Charles Baker, chosen surveyors of highways

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17. Upon collecting and counting votes for County Treasurer, Appollas Leonard Esq had 41 votes. 18. Upon the 7th article in the warrant, Voted not to raise a sum of money by way of tax for repairing the highways. 19. Voted that the Select Men be a committee to view the town’s landing near Hicks Bridge, and report to the adjournment of this meeting whether it is best in their opinion for Culbert Wilcox to have leave to set a building on said landing. 20. The committee appointed the last year to view the Bridge at head of the river and report what was necessary to be done to it, reported that in their opinion it was best to only make some small repairs for the present. Voted to accept the report. 21. Thomas Woodle was sworn constable and collector of taxes. 22. This meeting adjourned to the sixth day of May, nine o’clock forenoon.

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AT A MEETING to select state officers held 6th April, 1795, it appeared: Samuel Adams had 61 votes for governor; Moses Gill had 54 votes for Lt Gov.; Thomas Durfee had 37 votes for Counsellor\Senator; Elisha May had 56 votes for counsellor\ senator

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AT A TOWN MEETING continued by adjournment the 6th day of May. 23. George Lawton, John Wate, David Russell, Robert Kirby, Job Milk, Thomas Cornell chosen surveyors of highways. Edmond Tripp excused from same. 24. George Brownell 3rd and Ebenezer Baker chosen tythingmen 25. Silvester Brownell, George Brownell 3rd, Joseph Gifford, Lemuel Sowle, Job Almy, Samuel Willcox, and John Kirby chosen to oversee the fishery. 26. Henry Tibbetts, George Lawton, George Tripp, Prince Brownell, Wesson Sowle, George Brownell 3rd, Abraham Cornell, and John Cornell chosen hog reeves 27. The committee appointed to view the town’s landing by Hick’s Bridge and to report to this meeting whether in their opinion it was expedient to give Culbert Wilcox liberty to set a building on the said landing made their report. That it was expedient to give him liberty to set a building on said landing, to stand there during the town’s pleasure, and that no other person have liberty to improve it but himself. Voted to accept the report of said committee and that he have liberty to set a building on said landing upon those conditions. 28. Voted that the Resurvey and Alteration of the Drift Way leading from the Head of the East Branch of Acoaxet River on the West side down to Hicks Bridge made by the Select Men and presented to this meeting, be accepted and that the same be recorded.

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29. Voted that the Resurvey and alteration of part of the Drift Way leading from the Highway by Job Macomber to Tiverton line, made by the Select Men and presented to this meeting be accepted, and that the same be recorded. 30. Voted that the Select Men be directed to fix on the time and place when and where they will meet, to vendue or dispose of the poor of this town, for the year ensuing to that person or persons that will keep them the cheapest on such conditions and restrictions as the Select Men shall there agree upon, and the Select Men are requested to give due notice of time and place of meeting and to dispose of said poor accordingly. 31. The committee appointed by the town to examine and allow accounts that shall be brought against the Town of Westport, report that they have attended that service and that they have examined and allowed accounts against the town of Westport to the amount of L 143:12:11 agreeable to the fist herewith presented. Also the committee agreeable to their appointment, reported that they had examined the accounts of the treasurer and find that he has received into the treasury within the year past L 144:7:7 and paid out the sum of L 139:2:10, leaving a ballance in his hands of L 4:4:9. They further reported that as near as they can ascertain the expense of the town from the corporation [1787] to May 1794 was L 557:10:7. Assessed before May, 1794 was 558:10:9, and the ballance against the town 4:0:7. Allowed May 1795 143:12:11 [PLUS BALANCE] = 147:13:6. Assessed the last year 161:11:6. Leaving balance of L13:18:0. 32. Voted to accept the report of the committee and that the treasurer is hereby directed to pay the several accounts thus allowed, out of the treasury, which accounts thus paid shall discharge him of so much of the money he shall receive into the treasury.

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33. Voted to raise by way of tax for the support of the poor and other expense of the

town for the year ensuing the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds lawful money and the

assessors are directed to assess accordingly.

34. Voted to adjourn to Wednesday 20th of May at 2 o’clock

AT A MEETING on May 6th, 1795 to vote on revising the state constitution, there were 29 votes for not revising it. Also voted to choose William Almy as representative to general court.

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AT A MEETING legally warned and held at the town house in Westport on Monday the 6th day of April AD 1795 and continued by adjournment to Wednesday the 20th day of May following, met accordingly. I. Voted to remove Elizabeth Devol to the place where she can be kept cheapest. 2. William Wood chosen and sworn Surveyor of Highways; Thomas Cornell sworn to same. 3. Voted not to act upon the article respecting selling spiritous liquors near the town house on town meeting days. 4. Voted to adjourn this meetring without day and it was. W. Almy, Town Clerk

AT A MEETING held June 1, 1795 to elect a representative to the Congress of the U.S. it appeared that George Leonard, Esq had 18 votes and declaration made thereof in town meeting by the Select Men agreeable to law.

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AT A TOWN MEETING legally warned and held on Saturday, the 28th of November AD 1795. 1. Voted William Almy, Moderator 2. George Lawton, Wesson Kirby and Lemuel Milk chosen a committee to build a bridge across the head of the east branch of Acoaxset River and they are hereby requested to view the stream and agree upon the width to build said bridge and to provide the stuff of such materials and in such manner as they shall think most advantagious to the town, and to build said Bridge as soon as conveniently may be and the season of the year will adn-dt of it. 3. Agreeable to a venire from the clerk of court of Common Pleas requiring one person drawn to serve as a petit juror at said court in December term, the town met on the 28th day of November, 1795 and Humphry Howland was drawn to serve as juror.