USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Athol > Athol, Massachusetts, past and present > Part 2
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ATHOL, PAST AND PRESENT.
When the English came up to the river, which was in the forenoon of Monday, they saw on the other side the smoke of the wigwams, which the retreating Indians had set fire to, but the stream was swollen by the Spring floods, and they did not attempt to cross.
The Massachusetts Council were deeply chagrined at the signal failure of this expedition, and in a letter to Major Savage, who had made his headquarters at Hadley, said : "Leaving Captain Turner in Captain Poole's place, with the rest of the army we expressly command you to draw homeward, and endeavor in your return to visit the enemy about Pachquake (Paquayag), and be careful not to be deceived by their lapwing stratagems, by drawing you off from your nest to follow some men."
Early in May the Indians that had gathered at Squak- heag separated into four parties, One remained at Squak- heag for planting and fishing; one went to Pacomptuck Meadows to plant corn, and one to Paquayag, now Athol, for the same purpose.
Nearly sixty years after King Phillip's War, a vote is passed, by both Houses of the General Court, in July, 1732, " that there be four towns opened of the contents of six miles square each ;" of these the first one named was to be at Paquoag, on Millers River. This was ordered to be surveyed in October, or November, of that year, and that there be sixty-three house lots laid out, one for the first settled minister, one for the ministry, one for the school, and one for each of the sixty settlers who shall settle thereon in his own person, or by one of his children. Among the conditions that the settlers were to comply with, was, that each settler actually live on his land within
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ANCIENT PEQUOIG.
three years from his admission; build an house on his land, of eighteen feet square and seven feet stud, at the least, and. within the same time, do sufficiently fence in and till, or fit for mowing, eight acres of land. The settlers in each town were also required to build a suitable meeting- house, and to settle a learned orthodox minister, within the space of five years from the admission of the settlers. In case the settler failed to perform these conditions he was to pay a forfeit of twenty pounds.
In the Proprietors' Records is found the following : "The following is a List of the Names of the men admitted by the Honorable William Dudley, Chairman of the Com- mittee and others. the Great and General Court's Com- mittee. to draw House Lotts in the Township of Pequoiag on Miller's River, on the 26 of June 1734 at Concord, as Settlers of said Pequoiag."
The names of the settlers given are as follows: Ed- ward Goddard, Daniel Epps, Jr., Daniel Epps, Sr., Eben- ezer Goddard, Zechariah Field, Nehemiah Wright, Richard Wheeler, Richard Morton, Samuel Morton, Ephraim Smith, Nathan Waite, Charles Dulharty, Gad Waite, Joseph Lord, Benoni Twichel, John Wallis, Samuel Willard, John Smeed, William Chandler, Jonathan Marble, William Higgens, James Kenney, Abner Lee, Abraham Nutt, John Headley, Isaac Fisk, Daniel Fisk, Thomas Hapgood, Richard Ward, Samuel Tenney, John Wood, Benj. Townsend, Jonathan Morton, Joseph Smith, William Oliver, Moses Dickinson, Joshua Dickinson, James Kellogg, Richard Crouch, Ezekiel Wallingford, James Jones, John Grout, Daniel Adams. John Cutting, Samuel Kendall, Jonathan Page, John Long- ley, Joseph Brown, John Child, Nathaniel Graves, George
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ATHOL, PAST AND PRESENT.
Danforth, James Fay, Captain Joseph Bowman, Francis Bowman, Stephen Fay, Israel Hamond, Benjamin Bancroft, Joseph Harrington, James Holden.
The next year after the drawing of the house lots, our the 17th of September, 1735, there arrived in the township five of these proprietors-Richard Morton, Ephraim Smith, Samuel Morton, John Smeed and Joseph Lord; they had traversed the wilderness from Hatfield and Sunderland, on the Connecticut, and had come to make their homes on these unimproved hills, and commence the first civilized settlement in old Pequoiag.
These five pioneer settlers must have been men of resolute spirit and bravery ; here they were on these hills with their families, miles from any settlement, surrounded by the virgin forest, through which roamed wild beasts, and the savage Indian.
All the means for their sustenance, except what they could procure from the wild game of the forests, must, for months, be transported from the Connecticut Valley ; their labors in clearing up their lands for cultivation must have been arduous, and they must have had a constant anxiety for the protection of their families and themselves against the prowling and wily Indian.
It is probable that they located their dwellings and spent the first Winter together, about a mile south of the Highlands, on what is now called the Street; here they built their first log huts, and here during the first Winter after their arrival, according to tradition, were born three sons, the first white natives of old Pequoig-these were Abraham Morton, son of Richard Morton, Abner Morton, son of Samuel Morton, and Thomas Lord, son of Joseph
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ANCIENT PEQUOIG.
Lord. The first white female born in town was Margery Morton, who was born in 1738; the baby shoes worn by her are still treasured as relics in the Kelton family by Mrs. Electa Kelton. who is a descendant of the Morton family.
In the Spring of 1736 this little company of settlers were joined by others, among whom were Aaron Smith. Samuel Dexter, Robert Young, Noah Morton, Nathaniel Graves, Eleazer Graves, Robert Marble, William Oliver and his three brothers-John, James and Robert. Other settlements were soon commenced in different parts of the town-" West Hill," in the northwest part of the town. and Lyon's Hill, in the east part, being the first localities cleared. Chestnut Hill was first settled about the year 1761, and the first settler was John Haven.
This was a frontier township, and especially exposed to the depredations of the Indians; while the breaking out of the French and Indian War. soon after the arrival of the first settlers, together with the fact that this was a favorite haunt of the Indians, made it necessary to exercise the greatest care and precaution against attacks from the wily foes around them, and the settlers were not only obliged to carry firearms with them while about their work, but also to build forts. for the mutual safety and protection of the settlement. Three of these forts are said to have been built, the first and principal one being on the "Street," in close proximity to where the first dwellings were erected ; another was located on what was called "West Hill," not far from where the old "Sentinel Elm" now stands, as if a monument to perpetuate the memory of the deeds and scenes of those trying days of Ancient Pequoig. The third
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ATHOL, PAST AND PRESENT.
place of refuge is said to have occupied the spot where the Pequoig House, in the Lower Village, now stands.
Notwithstanding the perilous situation, it is not known that more than one person was ever killed by the Indians in this town, and that was Mr. Ezekiel Wallingford, who was living at the time in the fort on "West Hill;" it is stated that, supposing he heard bears in his cornfield, one evening, he went out to watch, but soon discovered that he had been deceived by the Indians, who had imi- tated the noise of bears, and were surrounding him; he immediately started to regain the fort, which was about a hundred yards away, but was soon stopped by a musket- ball, and his life ended by the tomahawk. This was in August, 1746, and the next Spring, in April or May, Mr. Jason Babcock, while looking for his cows on the meadows of Tully Brook, was fired upon by the Indians, wounded, taken prisoner, and carried to Canada; in the course of a few months he was redeemed, and returned to his home, near what is now Silver Lake, where he lived for many years.
Rev. Mr. Clarke, in his Centennial discourse, gives an account of a little Athol girl, Mary Smeed, six years old, who, with her father, mother and brothers, was taken pris- oner at "Fort Massachusetts," on the Hoosac River, where they had gone for safety; they were carried through the wilderness to Canada, and, after a captivity of nearly two years, those of the party who survived were ransomed, and returned to their former home, at Pequoiag.
Several Athol men were in the army during the French and Indian War, among whom were Samuel Graves and Adonijah Ball ; also Abraham Morton, the first white child
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ANCIENT PEQUOIG.
born in Athol, who was engaged in the expedition against Canada under Colonel Rogers, and of whom tradition tells the following: That after Rogers' defeat, the party to which Morton belonged, on their return home, being out of provisions, came near starving, and the strong proba- bility is that the party drew lots to determine who of their number should yield his body to save the rest from fam- ishing. It is supposed that the lot fell on Mr. Morton, for he was never heard of afterwards.
One of the first settlers, Mr. Josiah Holmes, lost his life in consequence of sickness brought on by exposure and fatigue, "experienced while guarding and defending the garrison in which the little flock was obliged to resort for shelter and safety."
Such, briefly told, are some of the perils and privations passed through by the courageous and sturdy pioneers and their families, who planted on these hills the first homes of Ancient Pequoig.
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CHAPTER III.
" What's in a Name?"
NAMING THE TOWN.
THE FOUNDING of a New England town, and investing it with all the rights and privileges possessed by a town, was an event of great impor tance.
Every day brought its labors and duties that must be attended to; roads must be made, schools established and school-houses built, the young men trained to arms against the savages, the bears, wolves and wild cats; the preaching of the gospel must be maintained and meeting houses erected, and for all these taxes must be laid and collected.
All of these duties the first settlers of Old Pequoig performed, and laid for us the foundations of all that we enjoy to-day. For more than a quarter of a century this little settlement had grown and prospered under the Pro- prietors' control, when a movement was made for the incorporation of " Pequoig on Miller's River " into a town.
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NAMING THE TOWN.
What name should be conferred upon this new town when admitted to the sisterhood of towns in the Common- wealth? It seems somewhat singular that in all the State there are so few of our towns that bear their old and ro- mantic Indian names, but in most instances were given the names of towns in Old England, or those of the rulers or prominent men in the colony.
It would seem from the record of a warrant for a pro- prietors' meeting that appears in the second volume of the Proprietors' Records, that a different name than the one it now bears was first selected for the new town, but why and by whom we have not been able to determine. The record reads as follows:
[Seal] "Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, to Nathaniel Graves, of Paxton, in the county of Worcester, New England, Gentleman:
GREETING-
You are hereby required to notify the Proprietors of said Paxton, lately known by the name of Pequoig, lying on Miller's River so called, in the County of Worcester, that they assemble and meet at the Publick Meeting House in said township on the second Wednesday of March next, for the transaction of their usual business, &c."
This warrant was dated February 22, 1762, just twelve days before the town was incorporated with an en- tirely different name. Why the name of Paxton, which certainly was expected by the clerk of the proprietors to be the one selected, did not appear in the act of incorpora- tion is not known.
We may consider it a fortunate circumstance that the town escaped bearing the name of Paxton, for the people
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ATHOL, PAST AND PRESENT.
of another Worcester- County town upon which it was bestowed a few years after became so disgusted with the character of the man from whom they received the name that they petitioned the Legislature to change the name, but for some reason the petition was not granted. Charles Paxton, the man referred to, was one of the Commisioners of the Customs at Boston. He was remarkable for finished politeness and courtesy of manners, but is said to have been an intriguing politician and a despicable sycophant. On one occasion he was exhibited between the figures of the devil and the pope, in proper figure, with this label; " every man's humble servant, but no man's friend."
He made himself so obnoxious to the people of Boston because of his issuing search warrants to discover supposed smuggled goods, and was so insolent and tyrannical, that he became an object of such hatred that he was hung in effigy upon Liberty Tree, and was driven into Castle William.
On the evacuation of Boston he accompanied the British army to Halifax, and subsequently went to Eng- land, where he died in 1782.
The corporate act creating the new town is recorded in chapter XX of " Acts and laws passed by the Great and General Court or Assembly of His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England," and reads as follows :-
" Anno, Regni, Regis, Georgii III, Secundo, 1762." CHAPTER XX.
" An aet for ereeting the new Plantation ealled Payguage, in the County of Worcester, into a Town by the Name of Athol.
Whereas, it hath been represented to this Court that the inhabitants of the Plantation of Paygange in the County of Woreester, labor under great Difficulties by reason of their not being incorporated into a Town, and are desirous of being so incorporated;
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NAMING THE TOWN.
Be it therefore enacted by the Governor. Council and House of Representatives that the said Plantation be and hereby is erected into a Town by the Name of Athol. bounded as follows. viz .. Northerly on the Plantations of Royashire and Mount Grace, Westerly on Ervingshire and New Salem. Southerly on Petersham and the Plantation called Number-Six. and Easterly on said Number-Six : and that the inhabitants thereof be and hereby are invested with all the Powers. Privileges and Immunities that the Inhabitants of the Towns within this Province are by Law vested with. And be it further enacted. that John Murray, Esquire. be and hereby is directed and empowered to issue his Warrant. directed to some of the principal Inhabitants within said Town, requir- ing them to warn the Inhabitants of said Town, qualified to vote in Town Affairs, to assemble at some suitable Time and Place in said Town to choose such Officers as are necessary to manage the Affairs of -aid Town: Provided nevertheless the Inhabitants of said Town shall pay their proportionable part of such County and Province Charges as are already assessed in like manner as tho' this Act had not been made."
It is established beyond a reasonable doubt that Athol received its name from John Murray, Esq., whose name appears in the charter of incorporation as the one directed and empowered to issue the warrant calling the first town meeting, and who was also the moderator of that meeting. He was largely interested in lands in the township, owning several hundred acres before the incorporation of the town. and acquiring nearly as much more thereafter; several of the old deeds of his Athol property are now in possession of his descendants in New Brunswick.
That he was probably the most distinguished man among the proprietors is evident from the fact that the title of Esquire is attached to his name as it appears upon the records, which title is bestowed upon no other one of the proprietors. It seems reasonable also that he should desire to bestow his family name upon one of the New England townships in which he was so largely interested. and as Rutland, the town where he made his residence, had
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ATHOL, PAST AND PRESENT.
already been named, he would naturally look to the one in which he was next most largely interested, which was old Pequoig.
The fact that the beautiful and romantic scenery of the hills of the new town, which is said to resemble Blair-Athol, his ancestral home, might recall to his mind that (Pleasant Land) among the Scottish hills, and thus be an additional motive for the naming of the town.
Athol, in Scotland, is a district of 450 square miles, situated among the hills of Perthshire on the southern slope of the Grampian hills, and is intersected by many narrow glens, down which flow the rapid tributaries of the Tay. It is chiefly composed of gneiss and quartz rocks, with beds of primary limestone. It was once one of the best hunting districts in Scotland, and the Athol deer forest is said to contain 100,000 acres and 10,000 head of deer, of which 100 are killed annually. The larch trees surrounding Blair Castle, the seat of the Duke of Athol, are said to be remarkable for their enormous size, and for the fact of their being among the first planted in Scotland. In the picturesque pass of Killiecrankie in this district, .17 miles northwest of Dunkeld, Claverhouse fell in 1689, though victorious over the troops of King William III.
In this connection a sketch of the man who gave Athol her name will be of interest.
John Murray of Rutland, Mass., was the youngest son of the Duke of Athol in Scotland. Becoming displeased with his family, he left his country and went to America before the Revolution. It is said that by his enterprise aud good fortune he became the wealthiest man of the town. He was the principal man in his section of the
COL JOHN MURRAY.
- --- ميــ
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NAMING THE TOWN.
country, and represented Rutland in the General Court for twenty years, and was one of the country gentlemen or colonial noblemen who lived upon their estates in a style that has long since passed away.
He was a colonel in the militia, and in 1774 was ap- pointed a Mandamus Councillor, but was not sworn into office. When the Revolution broke out he remained loyal to his King, and was proscribed and his property seized. He abandoned his house on the night of the 25th of August. 1774, and with a friend, Mr. Hazen, escaped in the darkness of the night to the woods, and only their wives knew their hiding place. These watched their op- portunities, and carried them bread and meat. Sometimes the ladies would be so closely watched that they could not elude the revolutionists, and once it was three days that they could take them no food. Finally they escaped to Boston, and in 1776 Col. Murray, with his family of six persons, accompanied the royal army to Halifax. In 1778 he was proscribed and banished; and in 1779 his extensive estates in Rutland, Athol and Lenox, valued at 23,367 pounds, 17 shillings and 9 pencc, were confiscated, with the exception of one farm for his whig son, Alexander. After the Revolution Col. Murray became a resident of St. John, New Brunswick, and built a house in Prince Wil- liam street. He was allowed a pension of £200 per annum by the British Government. The descendants of Col. Murray, in New Brunswick, have several relics of the olden time of much interest; among these are articles of silver plate of a by gone fashion, books of accounts, bus- iness memoranda, muster rolls, or list of officers of the regiment which he commanded, deeds of his estates, &c.
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ATHOL, PAST AND PRESENT.
Of the latter, there are no less than twenty-two of his lands in Rutland, and several of property in Athol. One of the deeds is stamped, but it bears date some years previous to the passage of the odious stamp-act. The manner in which he kept his books and papers, shows that he was a careful, calculating and exact man in' his transactions. In person he was about six feet three inches high, and well proportioned, A picture of Col. Murray, by Copley, is in the possession of Hon. J. Douglas Hazen of St. John's, New Brunswick. In this picture he is represented as sit- ting, and in the full dress of a gentleman of the day; and his person is shown to the knees. There is a hole in this portrait, and the tradition in the family is, that a party who sought the Colonel at his house in Rutland after his flight, vexed because he had eluded them, vowed they would leave their mark behind them; and accordingly pierced the canvas with a bayonet.
CHAPTER IV.
TOWN GOVERNMENT.
"No other practicable human institution has been devised or conceived to secure the just ends of local government, so felicitous as the town meeting."
HE FIRST Town Meeting of Athol was held March 29, 1762. The call for the meeting read as follows :
"WORCESTER, SS. To George Cutting of Athol, in the County of Worcester, and one of the principal inhabitants of said Town: Whereas I, the Subscriber, am Impowered by act of the Great and General Court, to call a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Athol, to choose Town Officers, etc. These are there- fore in his majestie's name to Require you forthwith to warn and Notifie the said Inhabitants of Athol, qualified to vote in Town Affairs, that they meet at the Meeting House in said Town of Athol, on Monday, the 29 of this Instant March, at one of the clock in the afternoon, then and there to Choose a. Moderator, Selectmen, Town Clerk, Assessors, Town Treasurer, Wardens, Constables, Surveyors of Highways, Tyth- ingmen, Fence Viewers, Sealers of Weights and Measures, Field Drivers, Hog Reaves, and all other ordinary Town Officers, as Towns Choose in the month of March, annually.
Hereof fail not, and make return hereof with your Doings hereon, unto me before said meeting
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ATHOL, PAST AND PRESENT.
Given under my Hand and Seal at Rutland, in said County, this fifteenth day of March, 1762, in the second year of his present Majestie's, Reign, etc." JOHN MURRAY, Jus. Peace.
At this meeting John Murray was chosen moderator and the following town officers were elected :
Selectmen and Assessors, William Oliver, Aaron Smith, John Haven ; Town Treasurer, Nathan Goddard ; Wardens, Robert Young, Nathan Goddard ; Constable for South Ward, Richard Morton ; Constable for North Ward, Eph- raim Smith ; Surveyors of Highways, Nathan Goddard, John Oliver, Seth Kendall ; Tythingmen, Jesse Kendall and Jotham Death ; Fence Viewers, William Biglo, Martin Morton ; Sealer of Leather, Jotham Death ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, William Oliver ; Field Drivers, Joseph Dexter and James Oliver ; Deer Reeves, Eleazer Graves and Jason Babcock ; Hog Reeves, Silas Marble and Ichabod Dexter ; Sealer of Boards and Shingles, Jesse Kendall. No Town Clerk was chosen until the next annual meeting, March 7, 1763, when John Haven was chosen to that office.
The second town meeting was held May 25, 1762, when the first appropriations made by the town of Athol after its incorporation were voted. The following are some of the votes passed at that meeting :
"ART. 2. Voated the Rev. Mr. James Humphrey Fifty-two pounds for the ensuing year, beginning the year when we ware made a Town."
"ART. 3. On the third artecal, voated twenty pounds to repair highways."
"ART 4. On the fourth artecal, voted seven pounds to buy a book for records, and build a pound, and to defray other necessary charges."
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TOWN GOVERNMENT.
"ART. 5. On the fifth artecal. voted Lay out a road from the River to Royalshea line."
"ART. ". On the seventh artecal. voted that men be allowed three shillings a day for highway work, and one shilling and six pence for two oxen a day. and nine pence a day for a cart and nine pence a day for a plow, and that eight hours be esteemed a day's work."
It is interesting to know who the men have been who have been called upon by their fellow citizens to manage the affairs of the town, and to learn something of their history.
The following is a list of those who have served as Selectmen :
1763-Samuel Morton. Aaron Smith, John Haven.
1764-Aaron Smith. John Haven, Martin Morton, Samuel Morton. Silas Marble.
1765-Wm. Oliver, Aaron Smith, Nathaniel Graves, John Haven Abraham Nutt.
1766-Aaron Smith, Wm. Oliver. John Haven, Abraham Nutt. Setli Twichell.
1767-Wm. Oliver, Aaron Smith, John Haven.
1768-Nathaniel Graves, Wm. Oliver. Aaron Smith, Jesse Ken- dall. Ichabod Dexter.
1769-Nathaniel Graves. John Haven, Lieut. Wm. Oliver.
1770 -Aaron Smith. John Haven, Jesse Kendall.
1771-John Haven. Jesse Kendall, Nathaniel Babbitt.
1772-John Haven, James Oliver. Geo. Kelton.
1773-Aaron Smith, John Haven, Jesse Kendall.
. 1774-Dea. Aaron Smith. James Stratton, Jr., James Oliver. 1775-Aaron Smith, James Stratton, Jr., Hiram Newhall.
1776 -Aaron Smith, James Stratton, Hiram Newhall.
1777-Geo. Kelton, Hiram Newhall, Aber Graves. 1778-Geo. Kelton, James Stratton, Josiah Goddard. 1779-Josiah Goddard, Abner Graves, Hiram Newhall.
1780-Josiah Goddard, Hiram Newhall, Abner Graves. 1781-Josiah Goddard, Hiram Newhall, John Foster.
1782-Josiah Goddard, Caleb Smith, Daniel Ellenwood.
' 1783-Daniel Ellenwood. Thomas Lord, Simon Goddard, Josiah Goddard, John Foster.
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ATHOL, PAST AND PRESENT.
1784-Geo. Kelton, Josiah Goddard, Abner Graves. 1785-Geo. Kelton, Josiah Goddard, Abner Graves. 1786-Josiah Goddard, Abner Graves, Caleb Smith, 1787-Josiah Goddard, Abner Graves, Caleb Smith. 1788-Josiah Goddard, Aaron Oliver, Abner Graves. 1789-Josiah Goddard, Abner Graves, Aaron Oliver. 1790-Josiah Goddard, Joseph Pieree, Eleazer Graves, Jr. 1791-Josiah Goddard, Joseph Pieree, Caleb Smith. 1792-Josiah Goddard, Thomas Stratton, Aaron Oliver. 1793-Thomas Stratton, Eleazer Graves, Jr., Caleb Smitlı. 1794-Josiah Goddard, Thomas Stratton, Eleazer Graves, Jr. 1795-Josiah Goddard, Thomas Stratton, Eleazer Graves, Jr. 1796-Josiah Goddard, Thomas Stratton, Eleazer Graves, Jr. 1797-Samuel Young, Joseph Pieree, Aaron Oliver. 1798-Josiah Goddard, John Humphrey, Aaron Smith, Jr. 1799-Josiah Goddard, John Humphrey, Aaron Smith. 1800-Eleazer Graves, Samuel Young, JoshuaBallard. 1801-Eleazer Graves, Joshua Ballard, Wm. Young. 1802-Eleazer Graves, Aaron Smith, Elijah Goddard. 1803-John Humphrey, Eleazer Graves, Elijalı Goddard. 1804-John Humphrey, Eleazer Graves, Samuel Young. 1805-Eleazer Graves, Samuel Young, James Humphrey. 1806-Eleazer Graves, Wm. Young, James Humphrey. 1807-Eleazer Graves, James Humphrey, James Oliver. 1808-James Oliver, Elijalı Goddard, Joseph Pierce. 1809-Eleazer Graves, Elijah Goddard, Joel Morton. 1810-Eleazer Graves, Joseph Proetor, Elijah Goddard. 1811-Eleazer Graves, Elijah Goddard, James Oliver. 1812-Joshua Ballard, James Humphrey, James Oliver. 1813-James Humphrey, James Oliver, Joseph Pieree. 1814-James Humphrey, James Oliver, Joseph Pierec. 1815-James Humphrey, James Oliver, Theodore Jones. 1816-Eleazer Graves, Joseph Pieree, Zachariah Field, 1817-Eleazer Graves, Zachariah Field, Ezra Fish.
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