USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II > Part 75
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787
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
aged man. Of his sons are remembered Jonathan, who moved to Michigan, and Thomas and Samuel, who became physi- cians and settled in other localities. llis daughter, Sally, married John Temple, and Huldah, Joseph White.
Some years before this period of settlement Col. Jonathan White, of Leominster, became one of the proprietors of Char- lemont, and soon after Taylor's settlement his sons came here to live, locating in what is now the southwestern part of Ileath. At the house of the oldest of these, David White, who lived on the present O. Maxwell place, was held the first Charlemont town-meeting, in 1766. Two years later Mr. White was drowned in the Deerfield River, leaving an only daughter. In the neighborhood also lived the other sons, James and Asaph. The former was better known by the title of " Deacon," and died in Heath, May 1, 1824. His children were Jonathan, Ruth, Esther, Rebecca, Polly, Clarissa, Nabby, Sally, James, and Gardner.
Asaph White became a colonel of the militia, and was best known by that title. He died in lleath, Sept. 18, 1828. Ilis children by his first wife (Lucretia Bingham) were David, Joseph, Asaph, Jonathan, James, and Lucretia. Esther and Abigail, daughters of Col. Jonathan White, married Samuel and Leonard Taylor, of Buckland.
Col. White was born at Lancaster in 1700, and married Esther Wilder of that place in 1732, and in their old age they lived with their sons in lleath, both dying in the fall of 1788. Col. White held a commission in Gen. Ruggles' regiment, which marched against Crown Point in 1755, and was engaged at the battle of Lake George. He was an active man, and his enterprise greatly promoted the early prosperity of the town.
In the western part of the town Win. Buck was the first settler, and a little later the Thayer family located on what is now the " poor-farm." Its descendants became very numer- ous, but most of them removed years ago.
In 1767 the Rev. Jonathan Leavitt, a native of Suffield, Conn., settled on the present William Bassett place as the orthodox minister of the town of Charlemont, and resided here until his death, Sept. 9, 1802. He had a family of one daughter and eleven sons, named Clarissa, Jonathan, Hart, Joshua, David, Roger, Erastus, Roswell, Thomas, Samuel, Horatio, and Hooker, all of whom attained mature years and became useful citizens.
On the 16th of November, 1772, Hugh Maxwell, who was born in Ireland, April 27, 1733, came from Bedford and pur- chased a traet of land, which is now in part occupied by his descendants, and on the 16th of the June following he brought his family, consisting of his wife and six children, the journey from Bedford occupying six days. Hugh Maxwell first lived in a small house, having one room and a closet, but his intel- ligence and enterprise made him a prominent man among his neighbors, who frequented his little home to diseuss the start- ling condition of the country which so soon followed his set- tlement. Soon after the battle of Lexington a company of Minute-Men marched from this part of the county under com- mand of Capt. Oliver Avery and Lieut. Hugh Maxwell, and when the regular army was organized many of these enrolled themselves to form the second company in Col. Preseott's regi- ment. Of this llugh Maxwell was captain and Joseph Steb- bins lieutenant. At Bunker Hill; Capt. Maxwell was danger- ously wounded, but served through the war, and was at Sara- toga, Trenton, Princeton, and endured the horrors of Valley Forge. He had the friendship of Washington, and was pro- moted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. After the war he returned to lleath, and lived there until the fall of 1799, when he embarked with a cargo of horses for the West Indies, and died while at sea.
The children of Col. Maxwell were Hannah, who married Calvin Rice, of Charlemont; Lilly, who married Alfred Jones, of Buekland ; Dorcas, who married Samuel Kirkland ; Priseilla, died Feb. 7, 1852; Hugh, married Olive Newhall, of
Conway, and lived on the homestead at Heath, which is now occupied by his son, William Monroe, and has never been out of the Maxwell family ; Chloe, who married Roger Leavitt, the father of Joshua, Roger H., and Hart, all well-known citizens; and Sylvester, who was born in Heath in 1775, graduated at Yale in 1797, studied law, and followed his pro- fession in Charlemont until his death, in 1858. Two of his daughters, Tizah and Abigail, yet live in that town.
Benjamin Maxwell, a brother of the colonel, also did ser- vice in the French-and-Indian wars, and was a lieutenant in the company of Minute-Men. lle lived in Ileath, near his brother, on the place now owned by his granddaughter, Mary. His sons were Winslow, Benjamin, and Park. The latter removed to Charlemont, on the place now owned by A. P. Maxwell.
William Temple was an early settler in Heath, living on the Aaron Dickinson place, where he reared sons named Sal- mon, Seth, and Solomon. The former settled in the northern part of the town, and had a son named Tillotson. Seth lived near the homestead, and his sons were Seth, John, David, and Rufus, all of whom remained in the town. The third son, Solomon, settled in the southern part of the town, on the place afterward owned by his son, Solomon. Other sons were Nathaniel, Richard, Benjamin, and Asa. David Temple, a son of Nathaniel, now resides in the western part of Heath, on the farm first occupied by Deacon John Chapin, also an early settler. The Temples became, and are yet, one of the most numerous families in the town.
Another large family, the Goulds, settled early in " Gould HIollow," in Charlemont, among the sons being Samuel, Isaac, and Eli. The latter settled on Burnt Hill, in Heath, and two of his sons, Henry D. and George G., now live in the southern part of the town. Other early prominent settlers were Reuben Rugg, Joshua Warfield, Daniel Spooner, Thomas Harrington, Willis Wilder, William Hunt, Peter Hunt, Par- ley Hunt, David Baldwin, Joseph Butler, John Brown, Sol- omon Gleason, Silas Allen, and, at a later day, Luther, Daniel, and Jesse Gale. The names of others appear in the church history. In 1790 the town had 379 inhabitants; in 1830, 1199. In 1837 the population had decreased to 953, of which 16 were town paupers. The largest family was that of Abijah Gleason, which had 14 members. The families of Rufus Bar- ker, Solomon Temple, John Temple, David Snow, Horace Lawrence, David Rugg, Asahel Thayer, Ezra Lamb, Phineas Baldwin, Edward Tucker, William Thompson, David Gould, Squire Benson, Luther Thompson, Oliver Kendrick, Elijah Allen, and Job Warfield each had 10 or more members.
CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
By virtue of the authority reposed in Samuel Taylor, justice of the peace of Buckland, he direeted Asahel Thayer to warn the citizens of the new town of Heath to assemble at the school-house, near Solomon Hayward's, on Monday, March 21, 1785, to hold their first annual meeting.
At the appointed time Hugh Maxwell was chosen mod- erator, and the following officers were elected :
James White, Town Clerk ; Hugh Maxwell, Asaph White, John Brown, Selectmen and Assessors ; James White, Treas- urer; William Buck, Warden; Joseph Butler, Constable ; Benjamin White, Tithingman; Jonathan Thayer, William Buek, Jr., and Joseph Butler, Surveyors of Highways ; and Parley Hunt and Luke White, Hog-Reeves.
SELECTMEN.
The following have been the selectmen from the organiza- tion of the town to the present time :
1786 .- Hugh Maxwell, Asaph White, John Brown.
1787 .- James White, Benjamin White, Thomas Ilarrington.
1788 .- James White, Asaph White, Thomas Harrington.
1789 .- Benjamin White, Asaph White, William Buck.
1790 .- Benjamin White, Asaph White, Thomas Harrington.
788
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
1791-92 .- James White, Hugh Maxwell. Willis Wilder. 1793-94 .- Benjamin White, Hugh Maxwell, Jacob Chapin.
1795,-Benjamin White, Thomas Harrington, Jacob Chapin,
1796 .- Benjamin White, Thomas Harrington, William Buck, Jr. 1797 .- Benjamin White. Asaph White, John Brown. 1798 .- Benjamin White, Thomas Harrington, Jacob Chapin.
1799,-Benjamin White, Thomas Harrington, William Hunt.
1800-1 .- Benjamin White. Roger Leavitt, William Hunt. 1802 .- Benjamin White, Roger Leavitt, Benjamin Max well. 1×03,-Benjamin White, Roger bravitt, Jacob Chapin,
1×04 .- David White, Roger Leavitt, Thomas Harrington. 1805 .- David White, William Hunt. Thomas Harrington.
1:06 .- Benjamin White, William Hunt, Ebenezer Tucker. 1807 .- Benjamin White, David White, David Henry. 1808 .- Benjamin White, Roger Leavitt, Ephraun Hastings. 1×09 .- Luther Gale, Roger Leavitt, Ephraim Hastings. 1-10-11 .- Thomas Harrington, Roger Leavitt, William Hunt. 1812-13 .- Ephraim Hastings, Luther Gale, Peter Hunt. 1814 .- David White, William Hunt. Jesse Gale.
1815 .- Roger Leavitt, Reuben Porter, David White. 1816 .- Hugh Maxwell, Luther Gale, Ephraim Hastings.
1817 .- Solomon Gleason. Luther Gale, David White, 1×18,-Aaron Brown, Daniel Rugg, Winslow Maxwell.
1819,-Lother Gale, David Henry, Winslow Maxwell. 1×20,-Roger Leavitt, Aaron Brown, Pavil Thayer.
1821 .- Luther Gale, Aaron Brown, Ephraim Hastings, 1822 .- Daniel Gale, Aaron Brown, Benjamin Maxwell.
1×23 .- Daniel Gale, Samuel Hastings. Benjamin Maxwell. 1824 .- Roger Leavitt, Ephraim Hastings, David Rugg. 182%-Luther Gale, Ephraim Hastings, Joseph W. Hunt. 1826 .- David lingg, Sullivan Taft, Joseph W. Hunt. 1827 .- Benjamin Maxwell, Sullivan Taft, Timothy B. Harrington.
182% .- Joseph W. Hunt, Luther Gale, Enos Adams.
1829 .- Davil Temple, Roger II. Leavitt, Asa Kendrick.
1830 .- Benjamin Maxwell, Daniel Gale, Peter Hunt,
1831 .- Benjatuin Maxwell, Daniel Gale, George Eaton. 1832 .- Joseph W. Hunt, Luther Gale, Roger II. Leavitt.
1833 .- Benjamin Maxwell, Winslow Buck, Roger 11 Leavitt.
1834 .- Benjamin Maxwell, Winslow Buck, George Eaton.
1835,-Joseph W. Hunt, John Henry, George Eaton.
1836 .- Joseph W. Hunt, Luther Gale, John Temple. 1837 .- Winslow Buck, David Gould, William Gleason.
1838,-Winslow Buck, Joseph W. Hunt, Elward Tucker.
1839 .- Rudolphus White. Joseph W. Hunt, Edward Tucker.
1840 .- Joseph Chapin, David Rugg, John Henry.
1841 .- Elward Tucker, Hart Leavitt, David White. 1×42 .- Elward Tucker, Hart Leavitt, Joseph W. Hunt. 1843 .- Benjamin Maxwell, Aaron Smith, Jr., David Temple.
1844,-David Temple, Edward Tucker, Joseph W. Hunt. 1845,-Hart Leavitt, Presbury Hillman, Joseph W. Hunt. 1846 .- Alijah Gleason, Aaron Smith, Joseph W. Hunt.
1847 .- Davil A. Dalrymple, David Temple, Hart Leavitt. 1844,-Joseph W. Hunt, John Henry, Hart Brown. 1×49 .- David Temple, William Gleason, Hart Brown. 1850 .- David Temple, David Rngg, R. M. Wilson.
I851 .- Joseph W. Hunt, Edward Tucker, David Goukl.
1852 .- David Temple, William Bassett, John Reed. 1853 .- Benjamin A. Farnsworth, Pavil Gould, Joseph P. White. 1854 .- Joseph W. Hunt, John Reed, John Burrington.
1855,-Joseph W. Hunt, David Temple, John Burrington.
1856,-Joseph W. Ilunt, Arad Hall, William Bassett. 1557 .- John Reed, Arad Hall, David Temple.
185%,-Joseph Robbins, William Bassett, George C. Gale. 1859 .- Arad Hall. John Henry, John Burrington. 1860,-Hora e MeGee, John Henry, Pavil Temple. ISGI .- Arad Hall, John Henry, Joseph Robbins. 1862 .- David Temple, Horace McGee. David M. Sprague. 1863 .- David Temple, Cyrus Temple, John Reed. 1864 .- E. P. Thompson, John Henry, H. L. Warfield. 1×65,-E. P. Thompson. Arad Hall, William S. Gleason. 18GG-67 .- David Temple, John Reed, Cyrus Temple. 1868 .- Ilngh Maxwell, John Reed, Daniel Gale.
1869 .- Hugh Maxwell, John Reed, Samnel K. Gleason.
1870-71 .- Orsamns Maxwell, John Reed, E. M. Vincent.
1872 .- Orsamus Maxwell, John Reed, Ilorace McGee. 1873 .- William S. Gleason, Isaac W. Stetson, Daniel Gale. 1×74 .- William S. Gleason, John Reed, E. M. Vincent. 1875 .- William S. Gleason, Jonathan Peterson, William K. Hunt.
1876 .- David Temple, Hugh Maxwell, Edward M. Vincent.
1877 .- John Reed, Hugh Maxwell, Jonathan Peterson.
1878 .- John Reed, William S. Gleason, Albert J. Burrington.
TOWN CLERKS.
1786-93, James White; 1794, Daniel Spooner ; 1796-99, Hugh Maxwell ; 1800- 25, Thomas Ilarrington ; 1826-35, Winslow Maxwell; 1836-41, John Hastings, Jr .; 1842-49, Lysander- 31. Ward ; 1850, Benjamin F. Coolidge; 1851-52, Aaron Dickinson; 1853-54, Cyrus Temple; 1853-59, Aaron Smith ; 1860-65, Aaron
Dickinson; 1866-67, Cyrus Temple; 1868-71, Ephraim Septt ; 1872-78, Amos Temple.
THE TOWN RECORDS
contain much interesting matter, from which excerpts have been made as follows :
May 17, 1785 .- " Votul to raise £20 for preaching, and that Lieuts. Maxwell, White, and Gould be chosen a committee to secure the same."
Dec. 19th, the following accounts were andited :
£
F. d.
Col. Maxwell. Reuben Rugg
0 IG 0
1 1 0
Jonathan Thayer
Asaph White.
5 0
John Brown
6 0
W'm. Buck 12
8 1
Asaph White, for services performed before the town was incorporated, £20 13s. 4dl.
Dec. Is, 1786,-Asaph White, Asahel Thayer, Jonathan Taylor, Benjamin Max- well, and Win. Buck were chosen a committee to select a site for the meeting- house.
1787 .- " Voted to give Lieut. B. Maxwell $50 for one acre of land, to set the meeting-house on." "Voted to raise the sinn of £50 to pay for moving the mert- ing-house."
In 1788, Lieut. Benj. Maxwell and Seth Temple were ap- pointed a committee to act in behalf of the town in a suit brought against it by Rev. Jonathan Leavitt.
October 28th, Mr. Leavitt made this proposition :
"Gentlemen,-If you will cease rating me agreeable to the vote of April 14, 1785, and give me an order for what I am rated in two assessments, not collected, contrary to the above-mentioned vote, I will settle the execution I now have against yon in the following manner, viz .: in good beef cattle (bulls and stags excepted) delivered at my mansion house in this town, fo, at fifteen shillings per hundred weight to be paid down, and the remainder, with interest, on the 20th day of O.t. next, at seventeen shillings per hundred weight, the whole esti- mated on the foot by indifferent men."
Capt. Asaph White, Benjamin Maxwell, and Thomas Har- rington were appointed to settle on the above terms.
May 17, 1790, the town settled the Rev. Joseph Strong as its minister, at a salary of £120, in cash or in produce, at the following prices : pork at Gs. per score, beef at 15s. per hun- dred weight, wheat at 4s. per bushel, rye at 3s., and Indian corn at 2.4. 6d.
In 1792 thirty-six families were warned to depart from the town because they did not have proper license to remain and become citizens.
In 1800 a company muster was held in town, at which Ens. Isaac Chapin furnished two barrels of cider at the expense of lleath. " Likewise, voted to pay Capt. Benjamin White for carrying the same and the baggage of the company."
In 1808 the town sold its paupers to the lowest bidders, at about 5s. 4d. per week.
July 7, 1812, a public meeting was held to consider the state of the country, and give expression to the sense of the town regarding the same. Col. Roger Leavitt was appointed mod- erator, and Luther Gale, Ephraim Hastings, and Medad Dick- inson a committee to prepare a memorial to lay before the meeting. The report was accepted by a vote of 114 yeas and 3 nays. The first resolution recites, "That it is the sense of this meeting that the declaration of war by the Congress of the United States against Great Britain was unnecessary, im- politie, and ruinous, and that it was not demanded either by the honor or the interests of the nation." A further resolu- lion advised Congress " to wheel to the right," and not favor France, to the disadvantage of other powers.
In 1835 the sum of $300 was voted, and the proceeds arising from the sale of the old church appropriated to erect a town- hall, under the direction of Aaron Brown, Asa Kendrick, Elijah Allen, Winslow Buck, and Luther Thompson, as a building committee. This house was repaired in 1868, and is yet used for its intended purpose. It is located at Heath hamlet.
Aid to volunteers and drafted men was voted from time to time, and at the March meeting in 1863, $600 was appro- priated for the benefit of the families of the soldiers of the Union serving from the town. In 1878 the affairs of the town
789
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
were reported in a healthy condition, there being no public debt, and the town owned a good hall and a well-ordered poor- farm. The latter is situated in the south western part of Heath, contains about 150 acres, and was secured in 1852, at a cost of $2475. The cost of maintaining the town's poor in 1878 was $642.
PUBLIC ROADS.
As early as 1754 a road was located up the hill to the old meeting-house from Charlemont. In 1765 it was extended to the centre of the town, and a road built east to Jonathan Tay- lor's. At the March meeting in 1785, £20 was voted to be expended in the improvement of the roads, " labor to be paid at the rate of 4s. per day, and that a yoke of oxen shall be half the price of a man."
" Voted to accept the road from Isaac Gould's to Mr. Whelock's mill, as it was laid out by the selectmen of Charlemont ; also the road from Josiah Davidson's to George Kennan's as far as the south line of Ileath."
1n 1786 the road from Heath to Rowe was located, and nine years later the road to Hartwell's mill. In 1795 boys under the age of sixteen were not to be permitted to work on the roads, and, in 1799, $525 were voted to place the highways in repair.
In 1858 the town subscribed $7200 to the capital stock of the projected road from Troy to Boston on conditions which voided the subscription. Shelburne Falls, distant seven miles, is the principal railway point of the town.
A yearly appropriation of about $500 places the roads of the town in a passable condition, and in 1878 they were under the direction of fourteen surveyors.
CEMETERIES.
The first burying-ground was opened in the southern part of the town, on land donated by Col. Hugh Maxwell, in 1791, and, in 1798, Ilugh Maxwell, Jr., Roger Leavitt, and James White were appointed a committee to inclose this ground. The same year an aere of ground was purchased of Benjamin Maxwell, near Joseph Wilder's place, north of the centre of the town, for the second burial-place. At a later period the third cemetery was established, in the northern part of the town. In these grounds are interred many of the town's respected dead, and their graves are marked by fine and appropriate monuments.
THE MANUFACTURING INTERESTS
of the town have been few and comparatively unimportant. On Avery Brook, Ephraim Hastings built a small grist-mill, about 1800, which was operated by Thomas White. After a number of years the mill was abandoned, but the single run of stones with which it was supplied still lie in this locality. On the same stream, at a later period, Col. David Snow had a saw-mill, which became the property of the Temples.
At the hamlet Enos Adams put a tannery in operation about 1820, which was afterward conducted by Rufus and Samuel Barber. On the North Branch and its affluents saw-mills have been operated by the Flaggs and others. Near where Dwight Hitchcock's saw-mill now is Richard Temple built a saw-mill soon after 1800,-the first in those parts. Farther up this stream was a small mill, operated by Asahel Hawks and Samuel llaines. Near where Henry Fairbank's mill is Joel Rugg had a small tannery ; and, about 1840, Seymour Benson had a tannery in that part of the town, which contained 20 vats. Afterward chairs were made there by L. M. Ward & Co.
On Mill Brook, at Holland Dell, a grist-mill was put up about 1800, by Ephraim Ilastings, which was afterward oper- ated by Calvin G. Coates. Here his son, Charles P. Coates, now operates a mill, having two runs of stone and a fair grinding capacity. On a water-power a short distance below David Snow had a saw-mill, on the site of the present Wm. O. Bent mill. At the upper power llugh Maxwell had a carding-machine, about 1830, which was operated as long as there was a demand for such an industry. The power is now
employed to operate a feed- and cider-mill, owned by F. E. Benson.
Besides the cluster of houses around the mills at Ilolland Dell, the only hamlet in the town is
HEATH,
or, as it is locally known, Middle Heath. Here have centred the principal interests of the town aside from those named. The place contains Congregational, Methodist, and Baptist Churches, the town-hall, a store and post-office, which are built round a common, and about twenty buildings, built in a straggling manner along the cross streets.
Stores have been kept at the hamlet by a man named Shep- ard, David Thayer, Ephraim Smith, Obadiah Dickinson and John Hastings, Lysander M. Ward, John Drury, Frank Coolidge, Augustus Smith, Daniel Rugg, Elijah Carpenter, Cyrus Temple, and Horace G. McGee. In the building now owned by John Burrington as a dwelling Winslow Buck had a store. In the northern part of the town a man named Thompson had a store after 1820.
In the old red house at the hamlet, taverns were kept by Shepard, Thompson Smith, David Thayer, and Augustus Smith. For many years past the town has been without a publie-house.
The Heath post-office was established after 1820, and was first kept by Sylvauns Maxwell, in a building nearly opposite the Baptist meeting-house. Usually the merchants of the place have also been the postinasters. Hugh Maxwell is the present official. Three mails per weck are supplied from Shelburne Falls.
THE PROFESSIONS.
The first physician was Joseph Lathrop, who was in prac- tice as early as 1780. Three years later Dr. Stephen Bates established himself in practice; and from 1799 until after 1805, Dr. Benjamin Dickinson lived in the town. After 1800, Dr. Elijah Heaton commenced a practice, which was termi- nated by his removal before 1807. A year before, Dr. Joseph Emerson located in town, and followed his profession until his death, in 1842, which occurred just as he was about to visit a patient. Before this period, Dr. George Hill was in practice a short time. After 1830, Drs. Simeon Strong, Samuel Reed, and Ashman H. Taylor wore practitioners. One of the latter's students was Dr. Cyrus Temple, who also followed his pro- fession about a dozen years prior to 1867. Since that date Dr. Frederick Temple has resided here, although not regu- larly in practice.
The physicians of Ileath have been Jonas Brown, Ebenezer Tucker, Reuben Nims, Henry Maxwell, Harrington Brown, Thomas Taylor, Samuel Taylor, Joseph E. Fisk, David Allen, Roswell Leavitt, Thomas Leavitt, Horace Smith, Loren Allen, Roswell Trask, Cyrus K. Fisk, J. G. Holland, Jonathan Temple, Cyrus Temple, Theron Temple, Frederick Temple, Hiram Temple, Francis J. Caneday, Ora Lamb, and David Kinsman.
The lawyers from this town have been Hon. Jonathan Lea- vitt, judge of the Supreme Court, Sylvester Maxwell, Ilooker Leavitt, Joshua Leavitt, Henry Temple, John M. Emerson, and John Thompson. Joshua Leavitt had an office for the practice of law at the hamlet a short time. He is better known as an editor of the New York Independent. Other well-known editors from the town have been S. T. Allen and J. G. Hol- land. Another native, Thomas S. Miller, became a tutor in Amherst College, and Wm. W. Snow a member of Congress.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
At the organization of the town there was a school-house in the southern part, known as Hayward's, on which was yet rest- ing a considerable debt. Dec. 19, 1785, a meeting was held to consider school measures, when it was voted to pay the old house debt and build a new house near the centre of the town.
790
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
The following year " £20 was voted for schooling, £7 4s. of which shall be laid out for summer schools, half each to the north and the south schools." Asaph White, Asahel Thayer, and Joseph Butler were appointed a school committee.
In 1787, " £20 was voted for schools, enough of which shall be devoted for reading-schools, and the balance for writing- sehools." In 1789, " EI 4s. voted for a school in the east end of the town, if the people desire it." It appears that no school was established there until the summer of 1791, and the privilege was given the Taylor, Allen, Davidson, and Thayer families to send to the centre school in the winter. In 1793 the town was divided into four districts. In 1795, €9 was voted to hire a singing-teacher, and Deacon John Brown was appointed to secure his services. "The singing-master and the selectmen were to appoint a plan for the school, and agree upon such rules and regulations as shall be decent and proper." An appropriation of $166.66 was made for schools, and Hugh Maxwell, Peter Hunt, Jonah Thayer, and Seth Hunt were to provide instruction, each in his own district, and superintend the schools.
In 1878 the school committee, composed of Amos Temple, William Bassett, Charles P. Coates, Daniel Gale, and Jona- than Peterson, reported that eight schools, of two terms each, had been taught that year; that the number of children of school-age was 108; and that for the maintenance of these schools $1144.50 was expended ; and that most of the sellool buildings were in a good state of repair.
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