USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Farmington > Farmington town clerks and their times (1645-1940) > Part 23
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"Voted That it is necessary to make some provision for draining the water from the Highway running easterly from the McDonald house to Roaring Brook at Unionville and the Selectmen and Road Commissioner are hereby instructed to make such provision as is necessary to accomplish the object either by sewer or surface drainage as in their judgment seems best and to attend to the matter at once.
"Voted That the Selectmen of the Town of Farmington be required to lay out a new Road commencing at a point on
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Congregational Church First Church of Christ Unionville, Connecticut Built in 1841 on point of green. Moved in 1852 to this site. New church built and this one sold to town in 1886
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Lovely Street south of and adjoining George Dunham's, easterly across the land of G. Merriman, E. D. Prestons Heirs and G. W. Payne to the Avon Road at a point between F. Barry's new house and Atkins shop, following the survey made by Mr. Sanford as described by him on diagram as here submitted at this meeting. The same to be built within one year of this time for travel in good and substantial manner subject to the acceptance of the Selectmen - And provided that the land for the Road be given to the town and that the expense to the Town be not more than eight hundred dollars.
"Voted That the old highway and Road on first mountain near Wadsworth Reservoir be given up by the Town and the new Highway and Road be accepted in place of the same.
"Voted That the passway leading from Edward A. Jennings blacksmith shop, south to the new dwelling of A. A. Burnham and thence easterly to the terminus of said passway be accepted as a highway provided James L. Cowles the owner of said passway will give a three rod highway.
"Voted That the Selectmen shall in no case approve or authorize the payment of money for the care and improve- ment of private lots in any of the Cemeterys of the town except for the poor of the town or by a Special Vote of the town authorizing such expenditures in an annual town meeting."
A bill from Rosa Durning for damage to her carriage on account of defective highway for seventeen dollars was voted paid.
"Voted That fifty dollars be paid from the town treasury to W. M. Wadsworth for the horse watering trough in front of the post office."
At a special town meeting called by a petition signed by more than 130 legal voters and held in the basement room of the Old Church in Unionwille with Samuel Frisbie, chairman, it was:
"Voted Resolved That the Selectmen be and they are hereby empowered and instructed to purchase the property in Union- ville known as the Old Church property and owned by the Unionville Ecclesiastical Society at a price not to exceed $3500.00 and to accept a deed for the same with a reservation
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of the use of sheds on the property as now located with a right of passway to them. . . .
"Voted That the Selectmen be authorized and instructed to make such changes and repairs on the property (when pur- chased) known as the Old Church property as in their judgment the interests of the Town demands."
At a special town meeting held in the first district June 30, 1888, with Adrian R. Wadsworth as chairman, it was:
"Voted That the sum of Four Thousand dollars be and hereby is appropriated for procuring a site and building thereon a public Town Hall in the first voting district of this town.
"Voted That a Committee of Ten be appointed to select a proper site for a town hall in the first voting district. Also to consider plans and make an estimate of cost of the same. Also to provide for such an amount of money as may be needed over and above the appropriation to complete the same. And to report at an adjourned town meeting to be held on the second Monday of August at one o'clock P.M. "The following committee was appointed: D. Newton Barney, T. K. Fessenden, Adrian R. Wadsworth, Newton Hart, Erastus Gay, Julius Gay, Edward H. Deming, Sarah Porter, Mrs. Sarah E. Barney, James L. Cowles."
At the adjourned meeting the committee of ten appointed by the town June 30, 1888, to select a site for a town hall made the following report which was accepted:
"They have examined several sites and recommend unani- mously the purchase by the town of the Deming Lot as being the best site for the proposed town hall. Said lot is seventy five feet front on Main street and one hundred and thirty five feet deep and can be bought for the sum of one thousand dollars.
"They also recommend that a building of stone and wood be erected on said lot. Size about forty by seventy feet. Said building to be so arranged that there shall be two rooms on the first floor with suitable hallway - One room to be used for town purposes and the other room for a library. The second floor to be used as a hall and capable of seating about three hundred persons. With a stage about twenty feet square and a
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room on each side of the stage. Your committee have raised by subscription the sum of Four thousand seven hundred dollars which they hope and expect to increase to six thousand dollars. And they recommend the town to accept these sub- scriptions with the conditions named and to appoint a com- mittee of three who shall have power to build a town hall as described above at a total cost not exceeding the sum of ten thousand dollars."
The report of the committee was accepted by the towns- people present at the meeting and the committee was author- ized to proceed to purchase the land and build the town hall, with authority to the first selectman to draw orders from time to time to pay the chairman of the committee for expenses incurred, such orders not to exceed ninety per cent of the total amount of the cost .*
At the election of town officers October I, 1888, Adrian R. Wadsworth succeeded his father, Winthrop M. Wadsworth as first selectman. Frank Sanford and John P. Lewis were the other selectmen. Richard H. Gay was treasurer.
At the adjourned town meeting November 12, 1888, with Henry W. Barbour as chairman, it was:
"Voted That whereas Winthrop M. Wadsworth has for 28 years continuously held the office of first selectman of this town and has transacted the business of that office to the satis- faction of the tax payers and residents of the town Voted That we hereby extend to Mr. Wadsworth a Vote of Thanks and express to him our best wishes for his future welfare and prosperity."
At the meeting the following resolution and vote were passed:
"We the undersigned citizens of Farmington believe it is expedient at the present time to take measures for the divi- sion of the two voting districts of the town of Farmington into separate towns - Farmington November 10, 1888 - Winthrop M. Wadsworth, A. D. Vorce, C. B. Vorce, James L. Cowles, H. W. Barbour, T. H. Root, L. C. Root, A. H. Porter, S. P. Dickinson, E. H. Deming, E. F. Warren, Chauncey Deming,
*The stones used for the foundation were brought from the easternmost pier of the aqueduct, by Lewis C. Root.
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Farmington Town Clerks and Their Times
Henry N. Whittlesey, W. W. Gallagher, John Miles, Fred'k C. Jones, Henry C. Rice, Charles N. Lewis, E. L. Lewis, Royal Andruss, W. D. Hurlburt, H. L. Crandall, G. N. Whiting, Wm. Gay, Rich. H. Gay, Edmund B. Cowles, Julius Gay, Thomas K. Fessenden, Karl Klauser, Franklin Woodford, George Gallagher, E. C. Frizzell, Ami S. Janes, Edward Nuton, C. S. Mason, H. H. Mason, J. H. Rhodes, J. Hagstrom, John Reed, Asa Hawley, therefore the following vote is respectfully submitted
"Voted That a joint committee of three persons from each voting district be appointed to consider the division of the two voting districts of the town of Farmington into separate towns on terms, if possible, that may be satisfactory to each - Said joint committee to make report of their delibera- tions at an adjourned town meeting to be held in Farmington November 26, 1888.
"Voted that the chairman appoint a committee on or before the 20th inst to report at a meeting of the town on the 26th on the advisibility of dividing the town.
"Voted That the sum of three hundred dollars be appro- priated for the support and maintenance of an evening school of fifty sessions in the second voting district of the town of Farmington.
"Voted That the road from the Alling corners to the Scott Swamp road by Farmington Depot be worked through wide enough for teams to pass at all places."
At the adjourned meeting November 26, 1888, with Henry W. Barbour chairman, it was:
"Voted By this Meeting that a committee be appointed of citizens of the first Voting District of this town to appear be- fore the next General Assembly with Council and ask to have the two separate voting districts made into separate towns.
"Voted And that the first selectman be authorized and directed to draw order on the Town Treasurer for reasonable expenses to effect the object."
The following Committee were appointed by ballot in accord- ance with first vote passed at the previous meeting: W. M. Wadsworth, Nelson O. Keyes, Newton Hart, Winston A.
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Goodhue, Asa Hawley, Julius Gay, Adrian R. Wadsworth.
At a town meeting June 22, 1889, with George E. Taft as chairman:
"Voted Resolved that the bill of Joseph L. Barbour for retainer services and expenses in opposing the attempt of certain citizens to divide the town before the General Assembly said services having been rendered at the request of two of the selectmen of the town and the first selectman of the town is hereby authorized and directed to draw an order on the treasurer of the town for the amount of five hundred dollars in favor of Joseph L. Barbour whenever it can be done without violating the order of the Courts."
At a town meeting for the election of officers held in October 1889, Thomas L. Porter was elected town clerk, Oliver A. Beckwith Jr., town treasurer and John A. Merriman, Frank Sanford and Nelson O. Keyes selectmen.
November II, 1889, at an adjourned town meeting it was:
"Voted That a committee of three be appointed to devise some way in which the debt of this town be placed at a lower rate of interest. And report their recommendation to the Town at an early day. Committee, Erastus Gay, Samuel Frisbie and George E. Taft.
"Voted That the first Selectman be and he is hereby directed to draw orders on the town treasurer in favor of the Chairman of the Building Committee to an amount not to exceed two thousand dollars for the purpose of completing the town hall and heating and lighting the same."
On November 30, 1889 the indebtedness of the town to the Farmington Savings Bank amounted to $30,000 and the selectmen were authorized by town meeting to give notes of the town for $50,000.00 in order to pay off this and other indebtedness.
As an inducement for more manufacturing plants to locate in Farmington and Unionville, the town voted on April 8, 1890 "Resolved that the Town of Farmington hereby exempts from taxation for the term of five years all manufacturing property which shall be built or located within the limits of said town during the next five years."
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At the annual election in October, 1890 with John Egbert Cowles as moderator, some difficulty arose as to the election of Adrian R. Wadsworth or Frank Sanford for selectman and the decision was later given by Judge F. B. Hall of the Superior Court in favor of Frank Sanford.
The call for the state election of November 1890 was that "the electors meeting will be held in the new Town Hall in the Ist voting district and in District No. 2 in the new town hall." This is of interest as there is no record of any appropria- tion by the town for the new town hall in Unionville, other than that for the purchase of the Old Church property, showing that the church property was used as such hall until destroyed by fire.
On November 10, 1890 at an adjourned town meeting with John Egbert Cowles chairman, it was:
"Voted Whereas this town in 1862 voted to pay the family of every man who would voluntarily enlist as a Soldier in the War of the late Rebellion ten dollars per month. And whereas Simeon Stedman of this town did voluntarily so enlist in July 1862 and went to the front, was shot in the leg at the Bloody Battle of Antietem and was honorably discharged from the service at New Haven Hospital March 12, 1863, And Whereas his wife Lucy Ann declares that she never re- ceived one dollar of the promised ten dollars per month, Therefore Be It Resolved that the Selectmen be directed to ascertain the facts in the matter and if they find that ,Mrs. Stedman never received this promised ten dollars per month, then the Selectmen are directed to draw their order on the Treasurer of the town for the full amount due her." Mrs. Stedman was later paid $96.00 as the amount due her under this vote.
On October 5, 1891, Mr. Edward Hooker Deming was chosen third selectman, thereby beginning a long and eminently successful and fruitful life of service to his town. He was born in Northampton Massachusetts on July 14, 1857, son of John and Catherine (Williams) Deming. He traced his ancestry through the Farmington families of Hooker, Lewis, Hart, Cowles, Mygatt and Wiard, his pioneer ancestors being John
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Deming and Honor Treat, both of whom were born in England.
Mr. Deming attended Edward L. Hart's school and early became head of the Deming general store, then located in the stone store at the corner of Main Street and Mill Lane. He served as postmaster when that office was in the store. Mr. Deming was made treasurer of the Farmington Savings Bank in 1911, serving until his death June 10, 1928. He was always foremost in the activities of the town, his political acumen, sound judgment and generosity with time and money soon placing him at the head of all movements and committees for the public good. Under his judgeship the probate court for the District of Farmington was a place where confidence was respected, advice and aid freely given, and many a poor widow aided at a very small cost. One of the first in Farmington to own an automobile, Judge Deming preferred to walk from his home to the bank. His dignity of mind and manner never forsook him. He was never hurried and never late. His good judgment and advice in town meeting often guided the towns- people through difficult ways - both political and financial. He was universally beloved and respected and at his death the one expression heard was "Who can possibly take his place in Farmington?"
At the adjourned town meeting held October 31, 1891, with Henry W. Barbour as moderator, the matter of a private road for Ezra Ayer came up again. Having been first voted in 1886, with the understanding that Mr. Ayer "should build a dwelling house on his said land and pay the cost of laying out said highway in excess of $250.00 - And Whereas said Ayer fully complied with the condition as to building a House and has at all times stood ready to pay the excess of cost of said layout over $250.00, and whereas the good faith and legal liability of the Town is thereby pledged to lay out a highway or private way but the Statutes prohibited the layout of a highway within 100 yards of a Railroad tract without an order from a Judge of the Superior Court make an obstacle to the layout of a public highway Therefore be it Resolved That the Selectmen be instructed on or before the Ist day of January 1892 to make a layout of a private way from said Old Highway
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to land of said Ayer and to build said Road and to report the same to the next Town Meeting for acceptance provided said Ayer shall secure the payment of all excess over $250.00 to their satisfaction.
"Resolved That said Ezra C. Ayer be appointed a Com- mittee of the Town to negotiate with the officers of the New Haven and Northampton Railroad Company and The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company to obtain if possible their consent and other parties in interest to the layout of said private way across their land adjoining said Ayer's land. . . .
In the winter of 1895, Ezra Ayer moved the house which he had built near the railroad, to his farm in West District. Sleds were built for a runway and nine yoke of oxen used. The house went on smoothly until reaching Depot road near the home of Ellis Case, when it slipped to one side. About another three months were required, with tackle and chain to com- plete the journey. Robert Ayer remembers that his Saturdays that winter were spent in hard work, carrying coffee and food to the men, taking broken chains to the blacksmith for repairs and helping with the oxen.
October 31, 1891 it was "Voted - That the Town open a road from the highway leading to Unionville, namely from the residence of Mrs. Joseph Bailey, following the present cart path northward through Mrs. Bailey's land about 150 rods! and land of C. Georgia about 100 rods thence through lands of Wallace and Wollenberg and Wilhelm Wollenberg to join the road already built leading westerly past James McCanns and Joseph Goodfield, connecting with the West Avon Road near land of Thomas Trainor. Provided the owners of the land taken shall give the same free and the total cost to the Town of building and fencing the road shall not exceed Two Hundred Dollars.
"Voted: That no person be allowed to ride a Bicicle or Try- cicle on any sidewalk in the Town of Farmington within 200 feet of any dwelling house - And any person violating this regulation shall be fined Five Dollars - And the Selectmen be and are hereby authorized to post notices of the regulation.
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"Voted: That the Selectmen be authorized and directed to exact a license fee of not less than one dollar nor more than twenty-five dollars per year or any fraction of a year from all transient and non resident persons opening Stores, or otherwise, in the streets, private Buildings, or other places, selling goods, wares and merchandise at retail in Farmington, other than the products of the farms, gardens and waters of the State. That each and every sale made in violation of this requirement of a license is hereby prohibited under a penalty of not ex- ceeding Five Dollars for each violation thereof.
"Voted That the Selectmen be instructed not to render aid outside of the Town House to any person who is known to spend his earnings for intoxicating drink.
"Voted That the Board of Relief be and are hereby author- ized to grant the same relief to any person who has been pen- sioned by the Government of the United States for services in the late War as is allowed under Section 3821 of the General Statutes.
"Voted That the Selectmen be instructed to pay not to exceed Four Dollars per month for Rent to families helped by the Town outside of the Town House.
"Whereas Henry Lewis a Tax Payer of Farmington has been blind for five years and has been unable during the said five years to do any labor to support his family and has been paying taxes on his little property without knowing that by law he was entitled to an exemption of $3000.00 - Therefore Voted that the taxes he has paid for the years 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888 and 1889 be refunded to him by the Town and the Selectmen are hereby directed to pay him said sums. Amount of said Taxes -- $18.35.
"The committee appointed at the last annual Town meeting to examine into and report upon a proposed new road from Main Street in Farmington Village to High Street have met and examined the premises and beg leave to submit the follow- ing report, Viz:
"The members of the committee met by appointment on October 1891. They found the measured distance between the two roads from a point on Main Street near the corner of E. B.
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Cowles garden to a point on High Street half way between the house and barn of Mr. Keron Manion to be 880 feet - all of the layout to be on the land of Mr. John S. Rice with the exception of 100 feet on east end of which is the property of Mr. Keron Manion. The layout is a practical one, easy of construction and would have two houses on the Main Street and would not ex- ceed in cost of building, including fencing of wire over three hundred (300) dollars. The present property (owner) has been interviewed by a member of the committee and objects to the use of her land for the purpose aforesaid. To acquire right of way for a road to this house the Town would be obliged to buy the whole lot at owner's price or institute proceedings for con- demnation for what they want sufficient for a roadway.
"2nd. Another layout the Committee examined and measured was 879 feet in length from a point on Main Street near All- : deriges Photo Gallery along the north side of the division fence between Mrs. Hardy & Rice - Mrs. Manion & Rice to a point on High St. where said line intersects said High St. just North of said Manion's house, 332 ft of this layout is on land of Mrs. Manion. The rest 547 feet are on land of Mrs. Hardy. In esti- mating construction of this layout the Committee find one or two sluices will be necessary, also considerable grading and filling both at upper and lower ends as the nature of the soil is springy. 400 Dollars would probably cover the expense of con- struction including fencing. Mrs. Manion would object to any use of her land for a roadway and Mrs. Hardy would probably be far from being partial to the project. As a matter of conven- ience to the public the road would certainly accomodate many and it would be a Road that would be used to a considerable extent by the public in general. In the minds of the Committee the cost of acquisition at the present time would far outweigh the advantages that might accrue to the Town from the pur- chase and construction of either layouts.
Respectfully submitted A. R. Wadsworth N. O. Keyes Jas Southergill Committee
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January 21, 1892, at a special town meeting, Erastus Gay was appointed chairman. It was:
Voted That the Selectmen be directed to build a Lock Up at the Center of the First Voting District to be of brick or such other material as the Selectmen deem best, and detached from all other buildings, provided land can be obtained without ex- pense to the Town, the cost of said building not to exceed One Thousand Dollars.
Complying with a vote passed at the last adjourned annual town meeting requiring a report of the town officers to be pre- pared and submitted to the voters at least one week before the annual election, the annual business meeting was held at the Town Hall in the Ist Voting District on Monday September 25, 1893 with Henry Barbour chairman. Meeting was opened at Io a.m. It was:
"Voted: That the Selectmen are hereby directed to pay to the Quarter Master of E. H. Burnside Post, No. 62 G A R on or before the 15th day of May 1894 the sum of One Hundred Dollars for the purpose of defraying Decoration Day expenses.
"Voted That the Selectmen be instructed to negotiate with the owners of wood and stone fences in exposed places along the road sides where the snow drifts in winter for the removal of such fences and to substitution of wire instead at the discretion of the Selectmen.
"Voted That the sum of $9,050 dollars be and by the passage of this Vote is appropriated by the Town for the use of the Public Schools for the current year.
"Voted That the Selectmen be and they are hereby em- powered and instructed to contract with the Unionville Water Co. for the services of two hydrants in Unionville for the pro- tection of the Town Hall and two covered bridges in Unionville at a yearly compensation of twenty dollars for each of said hydrants.
Voted That the Selectmen be authorized and instructed to lay out a highway or Street known as Fluteville in Unionville commencing at the Plainville Road and running easterly so far as the interest of the public may demand. Provided the same can be done without land damages.
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"Voted That the Selectmen be instructed to lay out a High- way in Unionville beginning on Main Street opposite the House of J. F. Tracy and running westerly on the line of the street now in public use until it intersects with Elm St near the Canal of the Union Water Power Co. Provided they can do so without land damages.
"Voted That the Selectmen be instructed to lay out a High- way in Unionville beginning on Elm St near the House of A. F. Way and running Westerly on the line of the Street now in public use to such point as may be deemed advisable Provided that no land damages are necessary.
"Voted That the Selectmen be instructed to lay out a High- way through Cottage Street in Unionville Provided that the same can be done without cost for land damages Said Highway to commence at Farmington Avenue and extend Northerly so far as the interest of the public may demand.
"Voted That the Selectmen be and they are instructed to contract with A. R. Wadsworth for the services of a hydrant for the Town Hall in the first Voting District and for a water- ing trough at the north end of the Village in front of G. N. Whiting's house at a yearly compensation of $15.00 for each.
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