Town records of 1819

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AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at the house of Frederick Brownell, February 22, 1819, for the purpose of drawing Jurymen] Abner Devol was drawn grand juryman, Isaac Macomber & Benjamin Wing were drawn traverse jurors to serve at the C.C.C.Pleas to be holden at Taunton on the second Monday of March next.

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at the house of Frederick Brownell, May 29, 1819, to draw jurymen] Peleg Sisson, Esq., & Peleg W. Peckham were drawn traverse jurors to serve at the C.C.C.Pleas to be holden at Taunton on the second Monday of June next.

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at the house of Frederick Brownell, August 10, 1819 to draw jurymen] William White, Jr., & Ezekiel Brownell were drawn traverse jurors to serve at the C.C.C.Pleas to be holden at Taunton on the second Monday of September next.

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TO THE TOWN CLERK OF WESTPORT this will inform you that the subscribers, Assessors of said Town, have determined that the property of Humphrey Anthony & Pardon Cook, both of Dartmouth, Raymond Castino of Nantucket & Michael Wainer & Thomas Wainer, both of New York, shall be taxed in school district No. 8, which you will make a record of agreeable to law. William White, Jr., & Adam Gifford. Westport, November 5,1821

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TO NICHOLAS LITTLE, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [warrant to meet to elect state officers on April 5, 18191

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held April 5, A.D. 1819 for the purpose expressed in foregoing warrant]

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VOTES for the following persons were given in, sorted, counted, recorded and declaration thereof made…

For Governor: John Brooks, 226 votes; Benjamin Crowninshield, 40 votes

For Lt. Gov: For William Philllips, 226 votes; for Benjamin Austin, 40 votes

For Senators: James Howland, Jr., 226 votes; John M. Williams, 226 votes, Hercules Cushman, 40 votes; James L. Hodges, 40 votes.

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TO NICHOLAS LITTLE, CONSTABLE, GREETING. fwarrant for annual town meeting to be held April 5, 1819; most are typical articles; new are these: #4 “to know the Town’s mind in regard to a work house establishment and the support of paupers the year ensuing; #7 regulations in regard to oyster fishery; #11 about erecting a Town Pound at the Head]

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AT A LEGAL MEETING [held April 5,1819, agreeable to preceding warrant]

Abner B. Gifford chosen moderator, votes 51

Votes for Town Clerk 232; majority needed = 117; Frederick Brownell had 130 votes & was chosen. Also chosen Treasurer for the year ensuing and to have no compensation for his services (from the Town) as Treasurer or Clerk for the year ensuing.

Selectmen: Peleg Sisson, Daniel Wing, Nicholas Little

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Assessors: Daniel Wing, Frederick Brownell, Jonathan Davis

Committee on Accounts: Barney Hicks, William White, Jr., Sylvester Brownell

Surveyors of Highways: Zebedee Davis, Elijah Blossom, Gardner White, William White, Jr., Ebenezer Baker, Nicholas White, Jonathan Davis, Peter Davis, Isaac Macomber, William Kirby, John Dyer, Jr., Sylvester Brownell, John Howland, David Sanford, Peleg Manchester, Daniel Gifford, Luthan White, Adam Gifford, Ezekiel Brownell, Nathan C. Brownell, Jonathan Gifford, Christopher Cornell, Ephraim Gifford, Ephraim Macomber, Ichabod Kirby, Billings Cory, Richard Gifford

VOTED to raise one thousand dollars for repairs of highways & town ways

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VOTED that seventy five cents be allowed by the Surveyors for a day’s work of a man

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or one pair of oxen and in that proportion for part of day’s work, and that twenty five cents be allowed for a cart or plow, for one day

VOTED that the 7th article [regulating oyster fishery] be dispensed with

VOTED to not have any oysters taken from their beds in the east river above Hicks’ Bridge (so called) within four years from this time

VOTED to not have any Town Pound at the Head of the east river

Pound Keeper: Nathaniel Kirby, Jr.

Sealer of Weights & Measures: William Gifford

Samuel Crocker had 50 votes for County Treasurer

VOTED to dispense with fourth article in the warrant [work house for paupers] untill the second monday in may next.

VOTED to adjourn this meeting to the second monday in may next 1 oclock afternoon.

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VOTED that the sum raised to be expended in repairs of highways be expended on the highways and town ways one half by the first day of July & the other half by the first day of September next.

VOTED that when any highways or town ways within the Town of Westport are blocked up with snow or incumbered with it, the Surveyors of such ways shall assign to the several persons in his limits their proportion of day’s work and team, if necessary, according to his real & personal estate as near as he can, and shall assign a time for the purpose of treading down or removing the snow….

Recorded by me, Frederick Brownell, Town Clerk

TO NICHOLAS LITTLE, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [warrant to assemble on May 10, 1819 to elect representatives to General Court]

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AT A LEGAL MEETING [pursuant to above warrant on May 10, 18191 VOTES for the following person were given in, sorted, and counted, record & declaration thereof made as by the Constitution is directed. Sylvester Brownell, Esq. had six votes & was chosen.

Recorded by me, Frederick Brownell, Town Clerk

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AGREEABLE TO ADJOURNMENT from the first monday in April, the inhabitants of Westport met accordingly. The following town officers were chosen, viz.

Constable & Collector of Taxes: Nicholas Little was chosen and to have 2.3 per cent for all the money he collects and pays in to the several Treasurers and to do the business for the Town as Constable without any compensation from the Town

Surveyors of Lumber: Abner B. Gifford, Stephen Howland, Micah Dean, Frederick Brownell, Jethro Howland

Tythingmen: Tillinghast Almy, William Brownell, Thomas W. Mayhew, Zacheus Gifford, Cornelius White, Peleg Gifford, Wing Howland, George Gifford, Benjamin Sowle, Stephen Howland, David Sanford, Ephraim Thompson

Overseers of Landing, Head of River: Lemuel Milk, John Anthony, John Howland

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Fence Viewers: Abraham Cornell, Sylvester Brownell, Nathan C. Brownell, Wilbur Gifford, Adam Gifford, George Gifford, Jonathan Davis, Christopher Cornell, Edmund Tripp, John Dyer

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Cullers of Hoops & Staves: Jethro Howland, Micah Dean, John Howland, Jr.

Sealers of Leather: Preserved Shearman, Daniel Brownell, Culbert Booth

Field Drivers: Phillip Davis, Jr., Stephen Cornell, Wilbur Gifford, George Kirby, Benjamin Cory, Russell Gifford, John Milk, William Brownell, Nicholas Gifford, Charles Little, Benjamin Wordell, Thurston White

Cullers, of Fish: Jethro Howland, Gideon Davis

Hog Reeves: Ephraim Macomber, Phillip Davis, Jr., Wilbur Gifford, Lawton Manchester, Phillip Davis, John Wordell, Samuel Wilcox, Thomas Winslow, Nicholas Gifford, William Wood, Jr., Stephen Howland

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Overseers of Fishery: Capt. Abner Gifford, Gideon Palmer, Daniel Gifford, Henry Brightman, Samuel Wilcox, Perry Gifford

VOTED that the sum of thirteen hundred dollars 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

VOTED that the sum of two hundred dollars be raised by way of tax for the support of schools

VOTED that Surveyors of Highways have the liberty of drawing out of the Town’s Treasury what was returned by them last year to the Assessors and that they have it expended on the same roads

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The Committee on Accounts made a report in writing that they had attended to the business assigned them and that they had allowed to the several persons named the several sums in the whole to the sum of $1104.23. It was voted to accept the report and to direct the Treasurer to pay the amounts. The Committee also reported that the Town Treasurer had received the sum of $1801.55 and paid out $1655.45, making a ballance in favour of the Town of $146.10. The Committee further report

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a balance from last year of $858.40. Respectfully submitted, William White, Jr., Sylvester Brownell, Barney Hicks, Towes Committee on Accounts

VOTED to adjourn meeting to the last saturday in August at one oclock P.M. and it was adjourned accordingly.

Recorded by me, Frederick Brownell, Town Clerk

AUGUST 28, 1819, AGREEABLE TO ADJOURNMENT from May 10, 1819 the inhabitants of Westport met accordingly. Abner Brownell, Esq. was chosen moderator pro tem:

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Thomas T. Cornell was chosen Surveyors of Highways instead of Gardner White who refused to accept

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. Weston Allen, Major Allen, Charles Allen, George Allen, Isaac Cory, Jr., John Potter, Nathan C. Brownell, Russell Gifford, son of Perry, Abner Gifford, Ephraim Gifford< Page 413 Pardon Kirby, John Lawrence, Robert Lawrence, Charles Macomber, Thomas W. Mayhew, Weston Potter, Gideon Palmer, Henry Palmer, Humphrey Slocum, Tillinghast Tripp, Phillip Tripp (of Edmund), Daniel Wing, Benjamin Wing, Jacob Allen, Jireh Brownell, George C. Brownell, Stephen Cornell, Jr., Wanton Case, Jr., Stephen Howland, George Kirby, John Milk, John Macomber, Joshua Potter, Phillip Potter, Jonathan Sowle, Capt. Benjamin B. Sisson, Nathaniel Tripp, Jr., Reuben Wait, Thomas Winslow, George Wood, George White, Luthan White, Wilson Wing, Ezekiel Brownell, Elijah Blossom', Allen Davol, Jonathan Davis, Pardon Gifford, Levi Gifford, Abner B. Gifford, Adam Gifford, Zacheus Gifford, Isaac Macomber, Peleg W. Peckham, Ephraim Tompson, Ephraim Macomber, Rufus Tripp, Nicholas Little, Lot Shearman, Robert Shearman, John A. Gifford, Nicholas White, Frederick Brownell, Peter Davis, Elijah Gifford, George M. Brownell, Green Allen, Green Sisson, Easton Howland, Peleg Gifford, Barker Gifford, Billings F. Cory, Nathaniel Kirby, Jr., Joseph Davis, Nathan Wood, Shepher Gifford, John Gifford (of William), Benjamin Tripp (of Edmund), Lawton H. Cory. Recorded by me, Frederick Brownell, Town Clerk Page 414 AT A LEGAL MEETING [to draw jurors held at house of Brownell, October 12,1819[ Nathan C. Brownell was drawn grand juror; Nicholas Little & Abner B. Gifford was drawn traverse jurors for SJC at Taunton on October 2 AT A LEGAL MEETING [to draw jurors at Brownell house, November 29, 1919] Thomas W. Mayhew and George White drawn traverse jurors for C.C.C.Pleas at Taunton AT A LEGAL MEETING [to draw jurors at Brownell house, February 28,18201 Phillip Tripp, carpenter, chosen grand juror; Stephen Howland & Peleg Gifford drawn traverse jurors for C.C.C.Pleas at Taunton Page 415 AT A LEGAL MEETING [to draw jurors at Brownell house, May 13,18201 Daniel Wing drawn grand jurors; John Milk & George Allen -drawn traverse jurors for SJC at Taunton AT A LEGAL MEETING [to draw jurors at Brownell house, May 20,1820] Nicholas White and Nathan Wood drawn traverse jurors for C.C.C.Pleas at Taunton AT A LEGAL MEETING [to draw jurors at Brownell house, September 2, 18201 George C. Brownell & Wilson Wing drawn traverse jurors for C.C.C.Pleas at Taunton 1819 40 Page 416 TO NICHOLAS LITTLE, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [warrant for special town meeting for December 11, 1819] 1st To choose a moderator 2nd To know the Town's mind in regard to choosing an agent to defend the suit brought against the Town for not providing schoolmasters agreeable to Law. 3rd To act on all other prudential affairs as the Town shall think expedient. Given under our hands and seals this twenty seventh day of November, 1819. Daniel Wing & Nicholas Little: Selectmen of Westport Page 417 AT A LEGAL MEETING [held December 11, 1819 at the Town House according to preceding warrant] Abner Brownell, Esq., was chosen moderator Nathan C. Brownell, Esq was chosen an agent to defend the suit brought against the Town VOTED that the sum of two hundred dollars (which was voted at our last annual meeting to be raised for the support of schools) be applied to the payment of the fine, if the Town should be fined for not providing schoolmasters agreeable to law (if not) to be proportioned as was then voted. Recorded by me, Frederick Brownell, Town Clerk Page 418 TO NICHOLAS LITTLE, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [warrant for special town meeting to be held December 5, 1819 at the Town House] 1st to choose a moderator 2nd To take into consideration the expediency of petitioning the Legislature at their next session that New Bedford may be made a half shire town for said County of Bristol 3rd To choose a committee or committees to carry into effect the foregoing, if necessary and expedient 4th To act on such other business as shall legally come before the said Town. Given under our hands and seals this eleventh day of December, 1819: Peleg Sisson, Daniel Wing, Nicholas Little: Selectmen of Westport Page 419 AT A LEGAL MEETING [held December 25,1819 to act on the articles in the preceding warrant] Abner B. Gifford, Esq, chosen moderator On the 2nd article in the warrant it was VOTED not to petition the Legislature at their next session for New Bedford to be a half shire town of said County of Bristol It was also VOTED our representative be requested and directed to oppose any petition that may be presented to the next General Court from any town in this County praying for the division of said County or for making New Bedford an half shire town, unless Westport can be exempted from paying any part of the expense of building another jail & court house. Recorded by me, Frederick Brownell, Town Clerk