USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 145
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Josiah Hincken.
Jobn Denton, corporal.
Thomas Jones.
Reuben Gilbert, corporal.
Samuel Kimbal.
John Dodge, corporal.
Daniel Keyes.
Samuel Marsh, drummer.
Jonathan Marble.
Benjamin Gilbert, drummer.
Thomas Nichols.
Hosea Edson, drummer.
Jonathan Ormes. Elijah Pollock.
Jesse Adams.
Obadiah Adams.
Ezra Richmond.
Charles Adanıs.
Joseph Stephens.
Jesse Banister.
John Stephenson.
Jonas Biglow.
Samuel Stephens.
Ebenezer Baker.
John Smith.
Abner Bartlett.
Moses Tyler.
John Hersey.
Seth Dean. Benjamin Foster.
Ahel Johnson.
John Patterson.
David Leland.
Wm. Cunningham.
Jonathan Sevier.
Stephen Chandler.
Abner White.
Ebenezer Wright.
Joseph Gilbert, colonel.
Fraucis Pellet.
James Converse, colonel.
Itlamar Bowker.
Wm. Raiment.
Jonathan King, captain. Rufus Putnam, lieut .- colonel.
Nathan Hamilton, captain.
John Bowker, lieutenant.
Ephraim Wheeler.
Joseph Olmstead, corporal.
Jesse Wheeler.
Thomes Kimball, corporal.
John Green.
Wm. Gilbert, corporal.
Ephraim Richmond.
Prince Haskell, drummer.
Ezekiel Bowker.
Barnabas Potter.
John Bowen.
Zadoch Gilbert.
Seth Twitchell.
Edward Allen.
Ichabod Warren.
Philip Allen.
Uri Babbitt.
Abner Gilbert.
Daniel Howe.
The enlistments in 1777 and 1778 were as follows :
Thomas Briggs.
Wm. Hincken, sergeant.
Lemuel Ross.
Jonathan Willis.
Nathan Barns.
Josiah Wood.
Elisha Bartlett.
Theophilus Waterman.
Jedediah Gilbert.
Azariah Willis.
Aaron Gilbert.
West Waterman.
The following also enlisted in 1775 for eight months and joined various companies and regiments:
Bethuel Washburn, lieutenant. Jonathan Fletcher.
Nathan Goodale, lieutenant
John Liddle.
Alexander Oliver, corporal.
John Pollard.
Isaac Cutler, corporal.
Isaac Hodgman.
Moses Ayres.
Nathan Hill, sergeant.
Daniel Barris.
Amos Rice.
Solomon Bartlett.
Elisha Rice.
Ahner Gilbert.
Ephraim Stone. Josiah Stone.
John Sabin. Elisha Livermore.
. Daniel Matthews.
Edward Stone. Amos Hale.
Ebenezer Ball.
Nathaniel Hayward, drummer. Elijah Allen.
Jude Foster.
527
BROOKFIELD.
Joseph Bartlett. Jareb Bacon. Moses Bedunah. John Bowker. Samuel Bunn.
Jason Rice.
Joshua Dodge, Jr.
Wm. Peso.
Samuel Gilbert. Daniel Wait.
James Ross.
Jason Rice.
Francis Stone, capt.
Levi Rice.
The soldiers whose names are repeated in the above and following lists enlisted more than once during 1777-78.
The following enlisted in 1779:
Joseph Olmstead, lient.
Simon Rice.
Jesse Abbott, eergt. Wm. Hamilton.
Solomon Bauister, corp. Jude Adams.
Jonas Newton, corp. Jndeth Steveos.
Josiah Hamilton, corp.
Isaiah Bowen.
Nahum Davis.
Benjamin Jennings, Jr.
Simeon Wright.
Samuel Walker.
Wm. Old.
Ezra Tucker.
Daniel Upham.
Jonss Biglow.
Silas Bridges. Richardson Durham.
Benjamin Forbush.
Thomas Tucker.
Nathan Hemilton.
Oliver Walker.
Nathan Moore.
Zachariah Green.
Phinehas Upham.
Nathen Rice.
John Gilbert, (2d).
Elijah Harrington. John Hubbard.
Daniel Walker.
Gershom Jennings.
Benjamin Bragg.
Samnel Lancaster,
John Hamilton.
Erastus Hamilton.
Abner Rice.
Isaac Lackey.
Daniel Bullard.
Joseph Hamilton.
Obadiah Wait.
Abner Lasell.
Adoniram Walker.
Nathaniel Hamilton.
Wm. Peso.
Ephraim Cooley.
Thomas Hincken.
Elijah Beros.
Gad Williston.
Simon Rice.
Thaddeus Dodge.
Jonathan Snow.
Joseph Barrett.
Joseph Brown.
Jonathan Abbott.
Josiah Cutler.
John Pollard.
Abner Old. Jonathan Owen. Joseph Olmstead. Jesse Parker.
John Waite.
Nathaniel Sabio.
Joseph Richardson, capt.
Gershom Makepeace.
Peter Bowen.
Joseph Thornton, lieut.
Ephrain Potter.
Elisha Hamilton.
Jacob Harrington.
Isaac Abbott.
Josiah Hamilton.
Abner Witt.
Oliver Gilbert. Noah Hatch.
John Smith.
Jason Walker.
Joseph Hamilton.
Thomas Lampson.
Asahel Stearns.
Nathan Whitney.
Ebenezer Miller.
Ass Partridge.
Gad Smith.
Elisha Brigham.
Thomas Wedge.
Anthony Cutter.
Gershom Whitney.
Daniel Newell.
Thomas Hincken.
Isaac Severn.
Silas Newton.
Ebenezer Witt.
Thomes Hamilton.
The enlistments in 1780 were as follows:
Jonathan Willie.
Levi Kendall.
Abner Witt.
Moses Dorr.
Lemuel Ward.
Thomas Summer.
Wm. Kimball.
John Brown.
Joseph Ranger.
Wm. Posy.
John Warren. Caleb Willis. Jonathan Willis.
James Washburn.
Asa Gilbert.
Scipio Witt.
Josiah Cutler.
John Pollard.
Eli Wood. Joseph Wood,
John Gilbert.
John Pollerd.
Amos Wheeler.
John Gilbert (4th).
Thomes Dodge, Jr.
Amos Rice.
Benjamin Gilbert.
Caleb Willis.
Nathao Rice.
Buenos Ayres.
Silas Newton.
Solomon Livermore.
Benjamin Jennings, Jr.
Benjamin G. Ball. Joseph Ball. Phinehas Bewman.
Abner Perry.
Thomas Lampson. Isaac Wetherbee.
Abuer Hebery.
Ebenezer Bartlett.
Ichahod Stockwell.
Thomas Wood, (3d).
Thomae Hall. John Burk.
Philip Allen.
Aaron Forbes.
Nathan Davis.
Thomas Cole.
Samuel Gilbert.
Ezekiel Hardy.
Thomas Young.
Jacob H. Delaod. Abraham Hair.
Rufus Hamilton.
Lewis Witt.
Aaron Forbes.
Nathan Moore.
Benjamin Dane.
Shadrack Wetherbee.
David Chamberlain.
Thomas Ranger.
Thomas Hathaway, Jr.
Jude Stevens.
Nathaniel Sabin.
Wm. Forbes.
Jacob H. Deland.
Eli Watson.
Benjamin Barrett.
Thomas Wedge, Jr.
Jeremiah Dewing.
Daniel Watson.
John Bowen. Levi Rice.
Elisha Whitmore.
Peter Barton.
Silas Morse.
Timothy Armstrong.
Antipas Dodge. Thumas Dodge. John Eveleth. Elisha Foster.
Thomas Wedge.
James Wood.
John Wright.
Asa Danforth, captain.
Benjamin Gilbert.
James Hathaway, lieutenant. Jonas Bigelow, lientenant.
Henry Gilbert.
Peregrine Foster, sergeant.
Jedediah Gilbert. Thomas Gilbert. John Hayward. Benjamin Hill. James Hill.
Amos Adams, sergeant.
Abraham Adams, sergeant. Obadiah Rice, sergeant.
Joseph Richardson, corporal.
Reuben Gill, corporal.
Jude Adams, corporal.
Jesse Banister, corporal.
Richard Wellington.
Joel Jennings.
Ephraim Cutter.
Reojamio Lyndo. Joseph Marble. JoDas Newton. Joseph Newell,
John Linds.
Silas Hamilton
Andrew Banister, fifer.
John Hobbs.
Joshua Green.
Israel Aiken.
(Negro) Robeus. Lemuel Ross.
Samuel Owen.
Caleb Loomis.
Gershom Whitney, Jr.
Obadiah Wright.
John Allen.
Jeremiah Streeter.
Eleazar Whitney.
Benjamin Howard.
Elias Witt.
Samuel Green. John Wade.
Peter Washburn.
Sylvanus Curtis.
Wm. Peso.
Moses Walker.
Thomas Wood. Timothy Woolcott. Ebenezer Bacon.
Benjamin Walker.
Silas Stone.
Neverson Hastings.
Asa Gilbert.
Jerre Hamilton.
Silas Barns.
Ebenezer Marsh.
Philip Haskell. John Herrick. Josiah Hincken.
Jonathan Danforth.
Josiah Cary.
Amos Leonard. Thomas Maddea. Joseph Owen. Mirick Rice. Robert Richmond, Jr. Wm. White. Daniel Gilbert, captain. Wm. Clapp.
Jonathan Barng.
Jacob Kent.
Wm. Beals. Silas Newton.
Joseph Richardson. James Ross.
Phinehas Stevene. Wm. Stone.
Elijah Callay. Hezekiah Cutting.
Joshua Taylor.
John Waite.
Thomae Marsh, Benjam Adams.
Martin Bridges.
Joseph Kimball. Jason Ayres. Jedediah Deland.
Jonathan Witt.
Wal. Hamilton.
Hezekiah Whitney. Israel Whitney.
Joseph Hamilton. John Holden. Joha Hopkins. Joseph Green.
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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
Jesse Ayres.
Samuel Lewis. Levi Stockwell.
John Cox.
Job Hinckley.
Wm. Richardson.
The enlistments in 1781 were as follows :
Joseph Bartlett.
John Eveleth.
George Townsend.
Amos Gilbert.
Joseph Kimball.
Jonas Gilbert.
Silas Whitney.
Elisha Gill.
Ezekiel Hardy.
Eliphalet Hamilton.
Abijah Patten.
Salma Keyes.
Asa Gonld,
Samnel Pike.
Samuel Stevens,
John Smith.
Jesse Watson.
Samuel White.
Amos Leonard.
Jonathan Willis.
Scipio Witt.
Jesse Banister.
John Rice.
Thomas Banister.
Moses Bragg.
Simon Rice.
John Bowen.
Jabez Upham.
Joseph Hamilton.
Jacob Deland.
Levi Rice.
Joseph Cutler.
Thomas Dodge.
The above is an incomplete list of the soldiers fur- nished by Brookfield, but it indicates plainly enough the active and patriotic part which the people of the town took in the War. Not only were men furnished, but the resources of the inhabitants were largely drawn upon and seriously depleted by the demands constantly arising from bounties and supplies. The action taken by the town at various times to meet the exigencies of the period shows that its affairs were in the hands of earnest and devoted men who were determined that, so far as the burden of the War rested on them, it should be borne with courage and hope. The names of the first committee of correspondence, chosen in 1774, have already been given. In 1775 they were: Jede- diah Foster, David Hitchcock, John Phipps, Daniel Gilbert, Thomas Moore, John Lyscam, Josiah Hobbs, Ephraim Walker, Ithamar Wright. In 1776 they were: Thomas Moore, John Wait, Tilly Rice, David Hitchcock, Jabez Crosby, Ithamar Wright, John Ham- ilton. Iu 1777 they were: David Hitchcock, Thomas Wheeler, Daniel Watson, Joseph Chadwick, Onesiph Ayres, Jonathan Bond, Ithamar Wright, Esekiel Olds, Jabez Crosby.
At a town-meeting held May 22, 1776, under a re- solve of the General Court the question " whether the town would support the Honorable Congress in the measure if they for our liberty should see fit to declare the colonies independent of Great Britain " was decided almost unanimously in the affirmative. Indeed, the support of the War and the defense of the rights and liberties of the colonies received the united sym- pathies of the people. There was little or no dis- loyalty to the patriot cause. Joshua Upham was one of the few pronounced loyalists in the town. He was a graduate of Harvard in the class of 1763, and among his classmates was Sampson Salter Blowers, a noted loyalist, who rose to high judicial distinction in Nova Scotia, having risen from the bar through the grades of attorney-general and speaker of the House of As- sembly to the seat of chief justice of the Supreme Court of the province. Mr. Upham retired to Boston,
and soon after became colonel of dragoons and aide de camp to Sir Guy Carleton in New York.
He was with Arnold in the expedition to New London, and in 1781 was Deputy Inspector-General of Refugees at Lloyds Neck, Long Island. He set- tled in New Brunswick after the war, and became a member of the Council and judge of the Supreme Court. He was the father of the late Hon. Charles Wentworth Upham of Salem. His death occurred while on a business visit in England, in 1808.
Daniel Murray was another loyalist, a son of Col- onel John Murray, and a graduate of Harvard in 1771. Mr. Murray entered the service of the crown, and was major of the King's American Dragoons. In 1778 he was proscribed and banished, and, retiring to New Brunswick, where he lived after the war on half pay, was, in 1792, a member of the House of Assem- bly. He died in Portland, Maine, in 1832. Colonel John Murray, of Rutland, the father of Daniel, with the other sons, Samuel, Robert and John, two of whom, it is believed, lived in Brookfield, were also loyalists.
In 1777-78-79 committees were appointed by the town to provide for the families of non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Continental Army. In 1778 one hundred pounds per man and a blanket, were given for the soldiers in the second precinct, for the Continental Army ; seventy pounds each to the militiamen, and one hundred pounds each for four men who were already in the field. In the same year it was voted to raise £988 8s. to defray the expenses of hiring the Continental and militia men recently enlisted, and also in the same year to "accept the confederacy of the Continental Congress, and to en- join it on their representatives that they consent to the same." In 1779 it was voted to form a State con- vention, "for the sole purpose of forming a new . constitution." An effort had been made by the Legislature to form a constitution, which failed. In 1780 the vote in favor of the new constitution stood one hundred and forty-three to eleven. In November of that year Brookfield furnished fifty two head of cattle, thirty-three blankets, sixty-seven shirts, sixty- seven pairs of shoes and sixty-seven pairs of hose.
In 1781 it was voted in the second precinct that "the sum of £1080 in hard money be assessed upon the polls and estates of the precinct for the purpose of hiring twelve soldiers for three years' service, at £90 each." This vote of the second precinct was followed in the other two precincts, and was in obedi- ance to a vote of the town that " the three precincts should raise soldiers for three years, or during the war, and choose committees to enlist men, and hire such sums of money as might he needed." "In the same year Brookfield furnished the army thirty-three blankets, sixty-seven shirts, sixty-seven pairs of shoes and sixty-seven pairs of hose, at a cost of £10,411, and before the close of the year, thirty-one blankets, sixty-two shirts, sixty-two pairs of shoes, and 15,450
1
BROOKFIELD.
529
pounds of beef. In 1782 the town furnished thirty- one blankets, sixty-two sheets, sixty-two pairs of shoes and sixty-two pairs of hose."
After the treaty of peace the people once more resumed their old occupations, and songht by deter- mined effort to repair their individual and corporate condition. Since the date of thé original grant, in 1660, there had been, up to this time, few years free from the alarms, and annoyances, and horrors of war; now, for the first time, there seemed to be a pathway before them in which they might walk with prosperous steps.
In 1784, the town instructed its representative that "it is the opinion of this town that the articles of confederation and perpetual union between the thir- teen United States, ratified and established by each state in the union, are solemnly binding on the several states, and that no attempt ought to be made to dis- solve or weaken the same ; but, on the other hand, if we mean to support our dignity as a nation, every effort ought to be used to strengthen the union, and render the bonds indissoluble." Thus, in advance of the formation of the Con-titution of the United States, the people of Brookfield declared what the result of the Civil War has confirmed, and what now every citizen of our country believes, in every State of our Union, whether East or West, North or South, that the nation established by our fathers is not a rope of sand, but is a welded, compact, and forever-united Union.
The annoyances of the French war in the latter part of the century from which the people on the seaboard suffered, like the summer air from the ocean, were not felt in the inland towns, Nor did the war of 1812 much disturb them. What was called Shays' Rebellion caused a momentary ruffle on the surface of public affairs which soon subsided. The next real source of disturbance to the people of Brookfield was the movement of the inhabitants of the second precinct to he incorporated as a separate town by the name of North Brookfield. The move- ment began in 1810, and in that year, under the direction of a committee consisting of Daniel Gilbert, Jason Biglow, Luke Patten. Aaron Forhes aod Jacob Kettridge, the following petition was presented :
To the Honbl Seoate and House of Representatives: The Inhabitants of the Second Precinct in Brookfield humbly pray that they may be set off from the other precincts io said town, and be incorporated into a township by the name of North Brookfield; and that the territorial limits of ench incorporation may be the same as those whereby the said Precinct is designated.
And the said inhabitants would beg leave to further state that from the extensive limits of said town, it being separated into three distinct precinets together with the necessary mode of transacting the business of the same by ennnal rotation in each precinct, they not only find the distance of travel burdensome, but in considering the transacting of their parochial concerns a two fold labor and expense, that the offices of suid Town are of necessity distant from the centre, and that from the numbers of its inhabitants and the multiplicity of the business of the said town, the term of one day insufficient for transacting the same."
This petition failed to receive a favorable consider- ation and on the 15th of April, 1811, another petition
was presented, which the town voted to oppose under the direction of a committee formed for that purpose, consisting of Dwight Foster, Seth Banister and Na- than Allen. The result, however, was this time favorable to the petitioners, and the following Act of incorporation, amended in some of its provisions in 1818, was passed February 28, 1812 :
Sect. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled and by the authority of the same, That all that part of the town of Brookfield which has been heretofore called and knowa by the name of Second or North Parish (excepting that part of said territory now lyiog south of the post-road leading from Worcester through Spencer to Springfield) together with the inhabitants thereon be and the same is hereby incorporated into a separate town by the name of North Brookfield. And the said town of North Brookfield is lierehy vested with all the powers and privileges and shall also be subject to all the duties to which other corporate towns are entitled and subjected by the constitution and laws of the Commonwealth.
Sect. 2. Be it further enacted, That the inhabitants of the said towa of North Brookfield shall be entitled to hold such proportion of all the personal property now belonging toaod owned by the inhabitants of the town of Brookfield as the property of the said inhabitants of North Brookfield hears to the property of all the inhabitants of the town of Brookfield according to the last valuation thereof.
Sect. 3. Be it further enacted, That the inhabitants of the said town of North Brookfield shall be holden to pay all arrears of taxes due from them together with their proportion (to be ascertained as aforesaid) of all the debts now due and owing from the said town of Brookfield on what may he hereafter found dne and owing by reason of any contract or other matter and thing heretofore entered into or now existing.
Sect. 4. Be it further enacted, That the said town of North Brookfield shall he holden to support their proportion of the present poor of the town of Brookfield, which proportion shall be ascertained by the present valuation of the towa; and all persons who may hereafter become chargeable as paupers to the town of Brookfield and North Brookfield shall be considered as belonging to that town or the territory of which they had their settlement at the time of passing this act, and sball in future be chargeable to that town only.
Sect 5. Be it further enacted, That the said town of North Brook field shall be holden to pay their proportion of all state, town and county taxes assessed on the inhabitants of the said town of North Brookfield until a new valuation shall be made of the said towns. Provided, That the said town of North Brookfield shall be holden until the further order of the legislature to pay the town of Brookfield such proportion of any of the expenses of maintaining the bridges and causeways over the rivers in the towo of Brookfield as e Committee of the Court of Sessiong for the County of Worcester shall deterouine ; and said Court of Sessions are hereby anthorized on application of either of the inhabitants of Brookfield or North Brookfield from time to time to appoint a committee for the above purpose whose report made to and accepted by said court shall be binding on said towns.
Sect. 6. Be it further enacted, That any Justice of the Peace for the County of Worcester upon application therefor is hereby authorized to issue her warrant directed to any freebolder in the said town of North Brookfield, requiring him to notify and warn the inhabitants thereof to meet at such time and place as shall be appointed in said warrant for the choice of euch officers as towns are by law required to choose at their an- nuel town meetings.
On the 20th of February, 1818, the following amendatory act was passed :
Be it eoacted, that Austin Flint, of Leicester, Nathaniel Jones, of Barre, and Joseph Cummings, of Ware. are hereby appointed a com- mittee to hear and consider the claim of Brookfield on one part and of North Brookfield on the other ; and finally to determine whether the town of North Brookfield ouglit in future to pay any part of the expenses of maintaining the bridges and canseways in the town of Brookfield.
Sect. 2. Be it further enacted, That from and after the time the report of said committee shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth the said fifth section of said act incorporating the town of North Brookfield shall be repealed, and the duties and liabilities of said North Brookfield resulting from the said section shall altogether cease.
On the 8th of February, 1823, an act was passed
34
530
HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
by the Legislature which still further, though in a moderate degree, changed the bounds and contracted the territory of the town. It provided that Daniel Coney, with so much of his estate as is within the towns of Brookfield and Weston, in the county of Worcester, be and they are hereby set off from said towns and annexed to the town of Ware, in the County of Hampshire. A much earlier change in the boundaries which has not before been mentioned in the narrative was made in 1791, when the General Court in establishing a line between Brookfield and New Braintree set off a tract of land to the latter town and annexed to the former, "the lands of Calvin and Francis Stone and a part of Whitney Hill, so called."
The next change in the boundaries and the next birth of a new town from the loins of the mother- town occurred in 1848. On the 22d of the previous November, at a town-meeting over which Alanson Hamilton presided as Moderator, it was voted "that the town choose a committee of two, nominated by the Moderator, one from each Parish, to present a petition to the next Legislature to send out a dis- interested committee to report to their body the terms upon which this town be divided, and that the town will abide said decision; provided that the town shall not agree among themselves upon the terms of division previous to the first of January next, in which case said committee will petition the Legisla- ture to divide the town upon the terms agreed upon." John N. Fisk and Francis Howe were appointed on the committee. It was also voted that a committee of twelve, six from tach parish, be appointed to agree on terms of division. This committee con- sisted of Perley Blanchard, Elliott Prouty, Alfred Rice, Wm. J. Adams, Wm. Howe, Charles Flagg, Baxter Ellis, Baxter Barnes, Nathaniel Lynde, Wm. Adams, Joseph Dane and Avery Keep.
At an adjourned meeting held on the 27th of De- cember, 1847, the following report of the committee was adopted :
The Committee chosen by the town of Brookfield to consider and agree upon so equitable division of said town into two distinct towns in such manner und upon such terms as shall subject each town to hear the just proportion of the burdens or expenses and present liabilities of the whole undivided town, respectfully submit the following report : having duly considered all the facts and circumstances that we could bring to our minds, are of the opinion that the town should be divided by the same line that divides the two ancient parishes, all the part lying west of said line, except Preston Haver's land, shall be incorporated as a new and distinct town by the name of West Brookfield, with the following condi- tions on agreement, viz .: if the County Commissioners shall order either the road from Ware to West Brookfield depot or the road from Fiskdale to South Brookfield depot, or both of them to be made as they are now located, except & slight alteration may be made without additional ex- pense, within two years each town shall pay an equal portion of the expense of making said road or roads ; also of the present debts of the town, if any there be, West Brookfield shall relinquish and give up to Brookfield all their right or interest in the town farm with all the per- sonal property on or belonging thereto, and Brookfield shall keep and support all the paupers who are now at the said establishment during their lives, West Brookfield paying to Brookfield fifty cents a week each for one half the number of said panpers now at said almshouse during their lives. The names of the persons to be there supported are as fol-
lows, and no other person, viz .: Joseph Porter, Abigail Stephens, Simeon Johnson, David Snow, Eleanor Gilbert, Solon Phipps, Hannah Lawrence, Martha Richardson, Elizabeth Hobbs, Harriett Richards, Sally Forbes, Sally Parker, Huldah Wood, Mary Walker, Mary Ward, Esther Jen- nings, Sully Thomas, Abigail Paddock, John Lindly, Wm. Richardsen, Emily P. Morris, Ben Itamilton. Ruth Henshaw, insane, is to be enp- ported by the town of Brookfield and Harriett Cording te be supported in West Brookfield. All persons who may hereafter claim tewo aid to be supported or assisted by the town in whose territorial limits they may have gained a settlement by the laws of the Commonwealth previens to the division of said towo of West Brookfield, shall have the right to visit said Almshouse by an Agent or Committee for the purpose of seeing that said panpers are well treated or taken care of.
The expense incurred by your Committee they pray may be allowed, and that the town direct the Selectmen to give an order to Perley Blan- chard, Chairman, for the sum of sixteen dollars for that purpose.
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