USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Farmington > Farmington town clerks and their times (1645-1940) > Part 11
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"Voted, that the Committee for selling Highways be directed to lease to the wife of John Thomas about half an acre of land in the highway adjoining her house for a trifling Rent, during the pleasure of the town.
"Voted, that Bayze Welles be appointed in addition to the Committee for selling the highways, in that part of the Town which is in the Society for West Division.
"Adjourned to the next day meeting 3 o'clock P M And met according to adjournment.
Upon the petition of Theodore Wadsworth of Southington, and Eli Todd of Farmington, Physicians, requesting permission of the Town to establish and open a Hospital at some con- venient place within the limits of the Town and near the South- ington line, which shall be approved of by the Authority and Selectmen, for the purpose of inoculating for the small pox during the ensuing autumn
"Whereupon Voted, that the prayer of said petitioners be granted subject to such restrictions and regulations as the authority and select men shall adopt for the public safety.
"This meeting by vote dissolved."
Under date of a town meeting December 10, 1792:“. . Whereas it appears by inspection that various persons have by design or inadvertency encroached upon the Town Street in this Town and also upon other highways in different parts of the Town by advancing their buildings and fences upon the highway and by erecting yards and placing other incumbrances thereon - Which Evil to Prevent Voted That John Mix, Major Roger Hooker and Captain Isaac Cowles be and they are hereby ap- pointed a Committee with full power to ascertain the limits and bounds of all and singular the highways in the limits of the town, and monument the same in as plain and accurate a man- ner as the nature of the Case will admit - which said com- mittee are also hereby impowered and directed to cause all such incroachments and incumbrances to be removed, and the lotts adjoining said highways to be plainly monumented and to re- turn their doings into the office of the Town Clerk ... provided
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however, that if any important buildings shall be found to have been erected on said highways, or the lands encroached upon shall not be necessary for the accomodation of the public, in such cases the said Committee are authorized to lease or sell the said land to the proprietors adjoining at a reasonable price or rent if such proprietors will agree thereto."
"Town Meeting holden by adjournment April 8, 1793
"Voted, that the Selectmen be directed to draw on the Treas- urer for the sum of Nine shillings in favor of Reuben North, being for two loads of fire wood furnished by him for a Brigade of Troops in the late war.
"VOTED That Messrs John Hart, Eli Todd and Solomon Everist all of Farmington, Physicians, be permitted to Inocu- late all such persons, as may incline to Receive the same in this Town at any proper season of the year, at such place or places, and under such Regulations, as shall be approved of and adopted by the Civil authority and Selectmen of the Town.
"The meeting was then dissolved."
Adjourned Town Meeting September 18, 1797 John Tread- well Esq., Moderator.
"VOTED that the Selectmen be directed to see that the Road as altered on the mountain near that called Talcotts, be immedi- ately opened, and that they draw on the Treasurer for the amount of the sums as assessed to the several persons across whose land the road is laid.
"The Society of West Hartford by their agents gave informa- tion that they had agreed to petition the Gen'l Assembly to be incorporated into a distinct and Seperate Town; and requesting the consent of this Town that such part thereof as is now within their parochial limits might be joined with them for that pur- pose; after a very full discussion of the subject it was voted in the negative."
The meeting was then dissolved.
At the annual meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Farmington legally warned and held on the tenth day of De- cember, A.D. 1798, Lieutenant Governor Treadwell, moderator:
" .. . Voted; that a tax of two cents on a dollar be levied, col- lected and paid into the Treasuary by the Ist day of April next,
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for the purpose of defraying the incidental charges of the Town and building the bridge near the North Meadow Gate; also that near Morse's mill;
"Voted; that Messrs Saml Root, 3rd and Noadiah Hooker be a Committee to build the bridge near the North Meadow Gate - which is to be on the same construction of the present bridge.
"Voted - that Messrs John Mix, Timy Root and Noadiah Hooker be a Committee to view the place where the bridge near Morse's mill now stands, and determine where it can be moved to any other place better to accomodate the Town and the public, and if they Judge best to move it, they are to direct it so to be done, provided the extra expense of such removal can be secured either by individuals or the district where the bridge is.
"Voted; that Mr. Josiah Hotchkiss be appointed a Committee to build the Bridge near Morse's mills
.. A petition from sundry inhabitants living in the North East part of the Town, praying that this Town would appro- bate and consent that they should join in an application with the parishes of Wintonbury and Scotland to the Legislature to be incorporated into distinct and seperate Town, was pre- sented and Read - the day being very cold and the members of the meeting principally withdrawn, the consideration of said petition was postponed to some future meeting.
"The meeting was then adjourned untill the day of Freeman's Meeting in April next 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
"At a Town Meeting holden by Adjournment April 8, 1799 "Lieut Gov Treadwell Moderator
"Voted That Messrs Solo Cowles, John Mix, Timothy Root, Asahel Wadsworth, John Treadwell, William Judd, Roger Hooker, and Samuel Richards be appointed a Committee to attend on any Committee that may be appointed by the Genl Assembly to view the Road leading through the North and South parts of this Town to Litchfield ;- and that the Com- mittee now appointed shall not make any charge against the town for their services in this business.
"Voted - that if there should be two applications made to
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Farmington Town Clerks and Their Times
the Genl Assembly for the establishment of Turnpike com- panies on the different Roads through this Town from Hartford to Litchfield, the Representatives are hereby directed to move the Assembly to appoint judicious committee to view both those Roads to determine on which a turnpike ought to be established, if either, and Report to said Assembly.
"Voted; - that the Committee appointed to build the bridge near the North Meadow Gate, be directed to suspend any farther proceedings in that business untill after the Rising of the Gen'l Assembly, in May next; - and if a Turnpike Com- pany should be established to make and maintain the Road and Bridge, the Committee are to dispose of the timber which they have procured to the best advantage for the Town.
"Voted; That the Representatives be directed to see that the Bridge near the North Meadow Gate be placed on the Turnpike Company, should any such company be incorporated.
"March 4, 1805 Meeting convened agreeably to adjournment
"Voted That the Selectmen be directed at the expense of Noah Porter and others who have subscribed for a highway from said Porter's to David Gleason, to lay out said highway and to make report to the town, and thereupon the said Road shall be estab- lished, provided that the subscribers shall raise a sum sufficient to purchase the Road and to make it so as to be approved by the Selectmen of the town, and save the town free from all expense in purchasing and making the same.
"April 22, 1805 . . . The report of the Selectmen laying a Road Northerly from Deacon Noah Porters into Northington Parish was accepted on the terms and conditions pointed out by vote of the town passed at their meeting holden on the 4th day of March last.
"September 15, 1805 . . . Voted that Messrs Timothy Root, Ezekiel Cowles Jr and John Mix be and they are hereby ap- pointed agents on the part of the town to make such negotia- tions with the Danbury Turnpike Company and with any individual interested, as they shall consider most for the interest of the town, provided the alterations agreed to shall be ap- probated by the General Assembly - and the town will be
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holden for the fulfillment of any agreement they make under this appointment.
"September 15, 1806 Meeting convened according to adjmt
"The Selectmen made report of a highway which they had laid out in the Westerly part of the parish of Northington which was accepted - Voted - that the Selectmen be directed to agree with Erastus Gay if they can, on the amount of dam- ages he shall receive for the road laid across his land; if this cannot be effected, agree with him on a Committee to assess those damages - if neither can be done, they to appear before the County Court at their next session, and there attend to the appointment of such Committee."
At the annual meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Farmington on the sixteenth day of November, 1807, Lieuten- ant-Governor Treadwell moderator: "Voted that application be made to the County Court to come and view the situation of the Road lately laid out on the North side of Round Hill, and relay, discontinue or make such alterations in the Road across the meadows, as to them shall appear expedient and necessary, provided individuals will defray the whole expense of this application.
"Voted - that a tax of two cents on a dollar, list 1807 be levied, collected and appropriated for the repairs of highways - to be expended and accounted for agreeably to the regulations heretofore adopted - labor one day for a man to be estimated at one dollar in the months of May, June and July; and for a team the same price; Surveyors to judge as to the real value of team work.
"Town Meeting holden by adjmt Sept 19, 1808.
"Voted that the Selectmen be directed to make such negotia- tion with Erastus Gay respecting his store, a small part of which stands on the new Road lately laid out to Northington, as they shall judge most for the interest of the town; and the same commit to writing under their hands and the hand of said Gay, and the same lodge on file in the Town Clerk's Office "Meeting then dissolved.
"Town Meeting holden by adjournment April 18, 1809
Voted - that the School district of Cider brook in
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Northington parish have liberty to erect a School house in the highway at or near the place where the old School house now stands, and near a place where there is a stake now placed, provided it does not incommode the road of public travil.
"Town Meeting holden by adjournment April 9, 1810
"Voted - that the representatives chosen to attend the next General Assembly be and they hereby are appointed agents on the part of the Town to oppose the grant of a petition from the parish of West Hartford, praying to be incorporated into a distinct and seperate town, so far forth as the town of Farm- ington may be interested.
'Voted - That Messrs Luke Wadsworth, Solomon Cowles, and Ezekiel Cowles be appointed a Committee to confer with any Committee, Selectmen or others in the neighboring towns, to see if arrangements cannot be made in conjunction with some one or more of them, to erect a house for the accommodation of the poor of such towns as may unite in the measure, and report to some future meeting."
Town Meeting convened by special warning May 13, 18II. Governor Treadwell was chosen moderator.
A petition from a number of the inhabitants belonging to the parish of Northington which has been presented to the General Assembly at their present session praying to be incor- porated into a distinct and separate town, was introduced and read; after some little discussion of the subject, the question was put whether the Town would at this time take any order thereon - Voted in the Negative. The meeting was then dis- solved.
"Town Meeting holden by adjournment Dec 7, 1812
"Voted; That Governor John Treadwell, Messrs Asahel Wadsworth, and Samuel Richards be and they are hereby ap- pointed a Committee to have surveyed and laid out, and monu- mented the public land called the meeting house green, and get the same recorded."
The War of 1812 passed officially unnoticed by the town. The war was unpopular, particularly in New England, and was considered a matter entirely for Washington and the Navy, but not calling for either men or money from this town. John
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Mix's son Eben, or Elisha, was on the high seas all of that time, but apparently avoided capture, or losing his sailors by impress- ment, a situation which was made the apparent, if not the actual cause of the conflict.
At an annual meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Farmington legally warned and held on the fifteenth day of No- vember, A.D. 1813, Governor Treadwell was chosen Moderator by nomination, John Mix Esq, Clerk, Noadiah Hooker Esq., Treasurer, by ballot.
Town meeting convened by special warning for the purpose of appointing assesors October 5, 1819.
The assessment law was read:
"Voted - to appoint five assessors and by ballot Noadiah Woodruff, Truman Stanley, Thomas F. Bishop, Francis Wood- ruff, George Cowles, were appointed assessors.
"VOTED that the board of relief consist of three persons only and they be chosen by nomination, - when John Mix, Ezekiel Cowles and George Norton were chosen as a board of relief. The meeting was then dissolved.
"Town Meeting holden by adjournment April 21, 1823."
The consideration of the report of the committee on the sub- ject of Pauperism, which was postponed at the last meeting was again resumed - which report is as follows:
"The Committee appointed by the Town at their last annual meeting 'to inquire if any, and what means may be devised to retrench the expenses, and to ameliorate the condition of the Poor' beg leave to report:
"That they have considered the subject with all the attention which its importance demands ... On the whole, after a careful examination of the subject, your Committee believe that whether they regard the saving of money - the real comfort of the poor - or the application of the most efficient checks to the progress of evils in question - they are warranted in advising to the establishment of a House of Industry, con- nected with a public farm, for the reception, accommodation, and employment of the Poor - which the committee unani- mously concur in recommending to the town for their immedi- ate adoption - being fully persuaded that such a measure is
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too important to the interest of the town, to suffer any longer delay.
"VOTED: that the selectmen of the Town be, and are hereby authorized, in behalf of the Town to contract for and purchase a Farm and its necessary appendages, and prepare suitable buildings and other accommodations for the reception, and employment of the Poor; - "
The House of Industry became one of the important matters for the town fathers, as we shall see in the following chapters, when all details of the lives of the inmates, even to how, where and when they should wash their faces, comb their hair, dress, work and worship, was carefully planned out for them.
Running concurrently with his other inspirational works had been the Farmington Library. John Treadwell and John Mix organized "The Library of the First Society of Farmington" in 1795, with Deacon Elijah Porter as the first librarian and Martin Bull, John Mix and Isaac Cowles as the first com- mittee. Each was important in his way in his town. Martin Bull lived on Colton Street and made silver spoons, some of which are treasured by Farmington families today, was town treasurer for nine years and clerk of the probate court for thirty-nine years. He was a musician, leading the music in the church on Sundays, and we remember him as joining with John Treadwell in the manufacture of saltpetre during the Revolutionary War.
Isaac Cowles was a man of wealth as it was measured in those days, having large farms and a prosperous tavern on the Town Street.
On December 7, 1795, at a school society meeting the Hon- orable John Treadwell, John Mix, Noadiah Hooker and Martin Bull were appointed a committee to "digest rules and regula- tions for the benefit of schools and report." At a meeting in March 1796 "after a variety of observations on the subject the meeting was adjourned." The rules and regulations formed by the committee were adopted at the April meeting and covered such matters as:
"A suitable number not to exceed nine, of discrete persons of competent skill in letters and science to be Overseers of all the
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schools in the Society"; "the district committee in the several school districts, shall in no case contract with any person to keep a school within any such district, without the consent and approbation of the Overseers"; "The Overseers will take care that no persons be employed as schools masters in the Society, except such as have a thorough acquaintance with the best mode of instructing children in spelling and reading the English language, in the principles of English grammer and a good handwriting and who are persons of reputation and good moral character." "It is expected that the Overseers will introduce into the schools beside Websters institute in all its parts, as great a variety of reading both in prose and verse as the circum- stances of the people will admit; among these Dwights Geog- raphy ... and see that the Bible is statedly read by those forms who are capable of it ... and that the master of the respective schools close the school at night with prayer." "It shall be the duty of the Overseers to visit all schools quarterly or oftener ... and from time to time, give such general and specific rules or instructions as they shall think proper, with regard to the mode of instructing and governing the schools so as to best improve the children in letters, in morals and in manners and if they judge fit, they may, at the expense of the Society, dis- tribute small premiums of trifling value, to such as they shall find to excell in either of the aforesaid respects." "In addition the society shall be one entire district for the purpose of main- taining and supporting a school for the further instruction of those children and youth of both sexes who have passed through the ordinary course of learning in the common schools, to be kept near the center of the society . .. to perfect the youth admitted therein in reading and in the grammer of the English tongue, and to instruct them in Geography, Arithmetic, Com- position of speaking, also in the whole course of instruction, to impress their minds with a just sense of their duty to God, to their parents and instructors, to one another and to society, and, in general, to prepare them to act well in the various rela- tions of social life." "That said school shall from time to time, draw its share of all the public monies appropriated to the use of schools within the society." "That John Mix Esq., Honorable
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Farmington Town Clerks and Their Times
John Treadwell, Timothy Pitkin Jr., Esq. Rev. Joseph Wash- burn, Seth Wadsworth, Solomon Cowles, Elijah Gridley, Mar- tin Bull & William Judd Esq. Be a Committee or Overseers of all the Schools in this Society." "That the Overseers of Schools be desired to make out a plan for a new schoolhouse for the accommodation of all the districts and make report to the next meeting."
At a meeting October 10, 1796, Messrs. Solomon Whitman Jr., Isaac Cowles and Reuben S. Norton district committee be appointed to procure a room and master for said district (first). John Mix was moderator of the meeting which voted the com- mittee for all districts. The members were James Hunt, Chaun- cey Deming, Reuben S. Norton, Bissell Woodford, Jonathan Thomson, Roger Woodford, William Porter, Elijah Root, Joel Peck, Darius Woodruff, Joshua Woodruff and John Hurlburt Cooke.
At a school meeting held February 11, 1799, "for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of applying to the Gen'l Assembly for permission to appropriate a part of our pro- portion of Interest arising on the avails of the Western Reserve so-called for the support of the Gospel ministry, Roger Hooker, Esq. Moderator, it being a stormy day and but a small part of the members of the meeting attended it was adjourned. February 18, 1799 the meeting was holden and after a lengthy and critical discussion of the subject for which the meeting was principally warned, it was voted in the negative."
At the same meeting the committee appointed to define the limits of the twelve school societies brought in their bounds which were duly recorded. The twelve districts were East Dis- trict, North East District, North District, Middle District, South District, White Oak District, Great Plain District, Scott's Swamp District, West District, Union District, Extreme District and Lovely District."
At a school meeting held November 29, 1833, Edward Hooker was excused from serving longer as school visitor and Timothy Porter appointed in his place. Chauncey Brown was appointed a visitor in the place of Henry Farnum, removed from town.
The Committee on Burial Grounds reported on the subject
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of a new burial ground and the committee "Voted ... to pur- chase of Messrs. Timothy Pitkin and Zenas Cowles such quan- tity of ground as they may deem needful for the use of the So- ciety, near Pitkin's Basin, and to inclose and lay out the same, so as to insure convenience and economy in the use of said grounds."
This School Society Committee differed little if at all, from those who had preceded it, or those who followed after. They met, discussed, voted and then often met again to vote to re- scind the previous vote. It was the Great American Way of giving each and all a voice in Town Meeting.
Support of the schools came from several other sources than taxes. Five funds had been established at various times by the townspeople, who realized the difficulty of meeting the tax payment.
In the years 1737 and 1738 the land forming the townships of Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Norfolk, Salisbury and Sharon were sold by the Colony of Connecticut and the money so received was distributed among the towns of the colony in proportion to their tax-lists of the year 1733, the interest to be used for the support of their respective schools. On Decem- ber 27, 1784, the town voted to sell such highways of the town as were not required or of practical use, the avails of such sales to be a perpetual fund for the support of schools. A third fund came from the magnificent gesture made in 1662 when the colony was given, with truly royal extravagence, a strip of land the width of the present State, extending west to the South Sea, later modified to the Mississippi River. This the state ceded in 1786 to the United States, reserving the small part known as the Western Reserve, lying in present Ohio. From the sale of this Western Reserve land came the Connecticut School Fund. Another fund which came in 1836 was distributed to the several States by Act of Congress and was derived from a surplus rev- enue in the treasury of the United States and was propor- tioned according to the representation of each state in Congress. This fund was, and still is known as the Town Deposit Fund. Governor John Treadwell made a detailed estimate of the in- come available from these funds for 1799 and found that after
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all school expenses, there would be the sum of $447.84 "to be applied to the support of the gospel ministry." The school com- mittee appointed to apply to the General Assembly for per- mission to divert this fund received consent, but in later years the School Society refused requests from the Ecclesiastical Society for such surplus. This failure of the School Society and the Ecclesiastical Society to agree, indicates the impending division between town and church, to grow into a greater sep- aration between church and state.
In his last years John Mix lost his eyesight. If we are inclined to pity him as he sat there in his blindness, we might think of it as a merciful blindness, because rather than the new and chang- ing scenes, for which he had little interest, he could see the glorious and happy days of the past, - as an undergraduate at Yale; his sudden boyish marriage with one of the prettiest girls of the village; the war with its cold and hunger compen- sated by service close to his beloved General Washington. Then the years after the war, building and guiding the new state and his home town. He could have, again, his children with him, and live over the years he had worked with loved and loyal friends in church and civic circles, knowing that the fruit of it all would long survive him.
His last journey was not far. In 1834 it was just through the gate in the fence between his home and the old burying ground where so many of his friends and family were already awaiting him.
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