Town records of 1811

1811 1

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TO ADAM GIFFORD, CONSTABLE, GREETING

You are hereby required in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to summon and notify the freeholders and other inhabitants of said town qualified by law to vote in town meetings, viz, such as pay to one single tax besides the poll or polls a sum equal to two thirds of a single poll tax, to assemble at the Town House on monday the first day of April next at nine of the clock in the forenoon to act on the following articles, viz,

1. To choose all such officers for the year ensuing that towns by law are required or authorised to do.

2. To choose a committee to examine accounts brought against said town. And also to settle with the Town Treasurer.

3. To vote what sum is necessary to raise by way of tax for the support of the poor & schools & other expences. Also what sum shall be expended in amending & repairing highways & drift ways the year ensuing.

4. To choose such other committees or agents, & devise such measures as may appear most expedient & necessary for the benefit of the town.

5. To know the minds of the town respecting the due regulation of the Town Landings at the heads of Westport rivers and devise such measures as may appear most beneficial respecting the same. And make return of this Warrant with your doing thereon, to the Clerk of said town at or before said time of meeting.

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Given under our hands & seals this sixteenth day of March, Anno Domini, 1811.

Abner Brownell, Christopher Cornell, Abner Gifford: Selectmen of Westport

BRISTOL SS WESTPORT, March 25, 1811. Agreeable to the within warrant I have summoned and warned the freeholders and other inhabitants of the aforesaid town of Westport qualified as within mentioned to meet at the time and place and for the purpose within specified, by me, Adam Gifford, Constable. [Recorded by me, William White, Jr., Town Clerk]

AT A LEGAL MEETING of the inhabitants of the Town of Westport assembled at the Town House in said Westport on Monday the first day of April A.D. 1811 at nine of the clock in the forenoon for the purposes contained in the foregoing warrant.

Abner Brownell, Esq was chosen Moderator; William White, Jr. Esq. chosen Town Clerk and sworn before Abner Brownell in town meeting.

Abner Brownell, Esq., Christopher Cornell & Abner Gifford, merchant, chosen Selectmen & duly engaged.

The above Selectmen chosen Assessors & Humphrey Howland & Capt. Barney Hicks, Assistant Assessors and was duly engaged

William White, Jr. Esq chosen Treasurer for the Town & to have one and one fourth per cent on the money that he shall receive into the Treasury & was duly engaged.

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John Mosher, Lemuel Milk, & Nathaniel Kirby, blacksmith, was chosen a Committee on Accounts & to settle with the Town Treasurer

1811 2

Nathaniel Kirby, blacksmith, chosen Pound Keeper and was duly engaged.

Humphrey Macomber, Wesson Potter, Nathaniel Sowle, Samuel Devol, George Gifford, Stephen Cornell, Jr., Jonathan Sowle, Ephraim Macomber, Samuel Slade, James Cornell, Nathaniel Kirby, Tillinghast Tripp, John Dyer, George Lawton, Samuel, Borden, Jonathan Tripp, Samuel Wilcox, Benjamin Cory, Lemuel Milk, job Gifford, Humphrey Wilcox, Wing Howland was chosen Surveyors of Highways & were all duly engaged

Voted to adjourn this meeting to monday the thirteenth of May next at ten of the clock in the forenoon then to meet at this place. [William White, Jr., T.C.1

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TO ADAM GIFFORD, CONSTABLE, GREETING [warrant to all male inhabitants of twenty one years of age and upwards “having a free hold estate within the Commonwealth of the annual income of ten dollars or any estate to the value of two hundred dollars” to meet April 1, 1811 at Town House to vote for state and county officials.] Avowal by Gifford of warning having been given.

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AT A LEGAL MEETING of the inhabitants of the town of Westport assembled at the Town

House in said Westport on the first day of April A.D. 1811 at eleven of the clock in the forenoon

for the purposes contained in the foregoing warrant. Votes for the following persons were given

in, sorted, counted & declaration thereof made as by the Constitution directed, viz. For

Governor, Christopher Gore, 211 votes, and Elbridge Gerry, 61 votes. For Lt. Governor, William

Phillips, 212 votes, and William Gray, 61 votes. For Senators, Seth Washburn, 212 votes,

Sylvester Brownell, 212 votes, Joseph Tisdale, 61 votes, Thomas Hazzard, Jr., 60 votes. For

County Treasurer, Samuel Crocker, 167 votes. For County Register, James Williams, 165 votes.

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AT A MEETING [held April 6, 1811 to draw a juror for grand jury of Supreme Judicial Court] Wanton Case was drawn to serve as a grand juror at said court.

WARRANT [issued April 6, 1811 to Constable to call meeting to vote for town’s representative to the General Court]

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AT A LEGAL MEETING of the inhabitants of the Town of Westport assembled at the Town House in said Westport on Monday the thirteenth day of May A.D. 1811, for the purpose contained in the foregoing warrant, the following persons were chosen Representatitives for said Town of Westport: Abner Brownell, Esq, who had 107 votes; Sylvester Brownell, Esq, who had 108 votes, Abner Gifford, merchant, who had 108 votes; and declaration thereof was made by the Selectmen.

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held May 13th, 1811 to continue adjourned town meetingl

Abraham Cornell, Bradford Richmond, Christopher Cornell, Benjamin Brownell, Benjamin Brownell, Jr., Sylvester Brownell, Jr., Jonathan Tripp, Edmond Tripp, Wilbur Gifford, chosen

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Fence Viewers and engaged.

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Major Allen, Wilbur Gifford, Edward Manchester, Benjamin Cory, George C. Brownell, Joshua Potter, Wesson Potter, Jonathan Sowle & James Cornell chosen Field Drivers and engaged.

John Milk chosen Constable and to have three and one half per cent on the money he shall pay into the Treasury, & was engaged.

Abner Gifford chosen Sealer of Weights and Measures, and engaged

Levi Standish, George Brownell, John Anthony, Daniel Howland, Abner Gifford & Pardon Allen chosen Surveyors of Lumber, Corders & Measurers of Wood

George Brownell and Zoeth Howland chosen Cullers of Hoops & Staves

Daniel Brownell & Preserved Shearman chosen Sealers of Leather

Zoeth Howland chosen Culler of Dry Fish

Benjamin Cory, Ebenezer Sowle, Daniel Boomer, & John Snell chosen Tythingmen

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Pardon Gifford, Philip Davis, Jr., Major Allen, Barnabas Potter, Jonathan Gifford, George C. Brownell, Joshua Potter & Job Gifford chosen Hog Reeves

Gideon Palmer, Daniel Gifford, Pardon Cornell, Samuel Wilcox & Perry Gifford chosen Overseers of the Fishery

VOTED that the manner of providing for the poor that belongs to this Town be by Venduing unless in instances where the Selectmen shall think it best to provide otherwise having regard to their comfortable support and maintainance.

VOTED that the sum of $1200 be raised by way of tax on the polls and estates of the inhabitants of the town for the support of the poor & schools and other expences of said town the year ensuing to be collected and paid into the Town Treasurer by the first day of April next, and the Assessors are directed to assess said sum in the way and manner direct by law, and deliver a list thereof to the Collector as soon as may be.

VOTED that the sum of $120 of the aforesaid $1200 be appropriated for the support of schools to be proportioned to each school kept in the Town in proportion to the number of days schooling the whole number of scholars shall receive in said school. The schools kept by schoolmistresses to have one half the sum in proportion to the day’s schooling as those schools kept by schoolmasters. And that in each School District the schoolmasters and schoolmistresses are required to return the number of days of schooling in their schools kept within the year to the Selectmen on or before the first Monday of April next, and those that do not make such returns by said time, are not entitled to any of said sum, neither are any of said returns to be accepted of by the Selectmen at any time after, and Selectmen are hereby directed to divide the money accordingly.

VOTED that for the amending and repairing the Highways and Town ways in the town of Westport the year ensuing the sum of eight hundred dollars f$800) be assessed on the polls and estates as other taxes are assessed & that the Assessors assess the same as soon as may be & deliver a list of the persons names, and the sum which they are assessed to each Surveyor of Highways for his limits according to law.

VOTED that seventy five cents be allowed by the Surveyor of Highways for a day’s work of a man or pair of oxen and in proportion for parts of day’s work. And that twenty-five cents

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be allowed for the use of a cart of plow one day.

VOTED that the above sum be expended on the highways and town ways one half by the first day of July & the only half by the first day of September next.

VOTED that when any Highways or town ways within the town of Westport are blocked up or incumbered with snow, the Surveyor of Highways of such ways shall assign to the several persons in his limits their proportion of days’ work and team if necessary, according to his real & personal estate as near as he can & shall assign a time for the purpose of treading down or removing the snow in the same manner as highways are repaired in towns who neglect to vote a sum of money for the purpose of repairing the highways in said town.

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Capt. Barney Hicks chosen Agent for said Town of Westport to collect of Capt. Benjan-dn Wilcox the sum reported to be due from him on the eight day of April A.D. 1809 by the Committee appointed by said Town at said Wilcox’s request.

Abner Brownell, Esq., chosen Agent for the Town the year ensuing in all cases relative to the concerns of said Town not already provided for by other officers already chosen.

The Committee on Accounts made a report in writing that they had attended the business assigned them & that they had allowed to the several persons named in the list presented by them, the several sums set against their respective names amounting in the whole to the sum of one thousand two hundred & eighty seven dollars & seventeen cents. $1287-17. It was thereupon VOTED to accept the report of the Committee & the Treasurer is directed to pay the several sums thus allowed by the Committee to the several persons therein named & charge the same to the Town. The Conu-nittee also report that agreeable to their appointment they made a settlement with the Town Treasurer & found that he had received for the Town the year past the sum of $1657.18, and has paid as by his accounts $1615.95, leaving a ballance in favor of the Town of $41.23, and that they had made a settlement with him accordingly. They further report that they find by the report of the Committee the last year there was ballance in favor of the town between the sums that had been assessed the Town & the sums allowed against the Town the sum of $245.18, and that the assessed the last year was $804.43, making $1049.61. And the sums allowed for the expences the last year as by report presented $1287.14, leaving a

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balance against the town of $237.56. Dated May 13, 1811. Signed by the Committee on Accounts: John Mosher, Nathaniel Kirby, Lemuel Milk

Lemuel Milk, Humphrey Howland & Abner Gifford was chosen a Committee to put the law in force respecting the regulation of the town landing at the Head of Westport River, or to receive complaints.

VOTED that the list of jurors prepared by the Selectmen be accpeted of by the Town.

VOTED to adjourn this meeting to Saturday the twenty fourth day of August next at two of the clock in the afternoon, then to meet at this place.

Record by me, William White, Jr., Town Clerk

AT A MEETING [held June 4, 1811 to choose juror on Traverse Jury at the Court of Common Pleas] Daniel Boomer was drawn.

AT A MEETING [held at the house of William White, Jr., on September 3,1811 to drawn one

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man as juror at the Court of Common Pleas) Ebenezer V. Sowle was drawn.

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AT A MEETING [at house of William White, Jr., held October 5, 1811, to drawn one man as a Grand juror for Supreme judicial Court] Capt. John Anthony was drawn as Grand juror and Holder White as a Traverse juror at said court.

AT A MEETING [at house of William White, Jr., held December 4, 1811, to draw man as a traverse juror] Samuel Slade was drawn.