USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > History of the town of Douglas, (Massachusetts,) from the earliest period to the close of 1878 > Part 3
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Voted, That ye said committee, viz., Deacon Benoni Learned, Eleazar Holbrook, John Death, Joseph Ware, and Thomas Jones, shall begin at ye northeast corner of ye said tract of land, and to work from there to ye westward, through ye same in ye same range of lotts ; then turning eastward in their work, through ye land again for ye second range of lots ; then working westward for ye third range ; and lastly, to work eastward for ye fourth range of lots, ye Lotts to be 200 rods in length, northerly and southerly, and ve breadth of them to be easterly and westerly according to their bigness ; and ye said committee to lay out ye whole of ye said traet of land, one with another, good and bad, as near as they can according to equity, to ye proprietors as ye town have voted and agreed upon ; and also to ye Committee that looked up and implatted ve said tract of land, as ye town have agreed with them. Provided also, that allowance shall be made for convenient waye in ye laying out of ye said Lots. Voted in ye affirmative. Also voted for ye said proprietors to proceed to draw lots for dividing ye land ; and Dea. Hopestill Lealand was chosen to draw lots for those of ye said proprietors that were absent. Voted in ye affirmative by ye pro- prietors, ye 10th day of October, 1715.
Attest, JOSEPH MORSE, Moderator."
"Also, there was chosen Isaac Coolidge, to serve as one of ye said Committee in ye room of Joseph Ware, his desire being to be dismissed by reason of ye stress of his business. Voted in ye affirmative.
Attest, JOSEPH MORSE, Moderator."
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, ERECTED IN 1748 AT DOUGLAS CENTER.
CHAPTER III.
ALLOTMENT OF OTHER GRANTS.
ELOW we give the minutes on the Records of the town of Sherborn touching the orig- inal allotment of the territory included in the New Grant, of which the diagram fol- lowing is a fac simile, as well as of the additional grants. That portion which is shaded includes the 4,000-acre grant, and the balance the subsequent grants :
"LOTTS DRAWN BY YE PROPRIETORS OF SHERBORN NEW GRANT, OCT. YE 10TH, 1715 :
NAME OF PROPRIETOR.
NO. OF LOT.
NAME OF
NO.
PROPRIETOR.
OF LOT.
Noah Morse, ·
1
Ebenezer Hill, Jun'r, 21
Eleazar Fairbanks, Jun'r,
2
Moses Adams, Jun'r,
. 22
William Sheffield,
3 Ebenezer Lealand, Sen'r,
. 23
Jonathan Whitney, .
4
John Goulding,
. 24
John Hill, Sen'r,
5
Edmund Gookin,
25
John Holbrook,
6
Richard Sanger,
26
William Barron,
7 George Fairbanks,
27
Benjamin Bullard,
8 Thomas Holbrook,
28
Benjamin Twitchell, Jun'r, John Morse,
9 Nathan Morse, John Twitchell,
30
Ensign John Death,
11
Eleazar Rider,
31
Joseph Cozzens,
.
12
Moses Adams, Sen'r,
32
Samuel Perry, .
13 Benjamin Twitchell, Sen'r,
33
James Lealand,
14 Timothy Lealand,
34
Nathaniel Morse,
15
Joshua Underwood,
35
Robert Daniel,
16
Jacob Cozzens,
36
Capt. Samuel Bullard,
·
17 William Wait, .
37
Eleazar Hill, Jun'r, .
18 Ebenezer Hill, Sen'r,
38
Plain Aaron Morse, .
19 Ebenezer Lealand, Jun'r, 39
Lieut. Jonathan Morse,
20 Isaac Bullard, .
40
.
.
29
10
.
33
ALLOTMENT OF OTHER GRANTS.
NAME OF
NO. OF LOT.
NAME OF PROPRIETOR.
NO.
PROPRIETOR.
OF LOT.
John Brick,
41
Henry Lealand,
74
John Lealand, .
42
Daniel Sheffield,
75
Hopestill Lealand, Jr.,
43
William Lealand,
76
Widow Mary West, .
.
44
William Bull,
77
The Joseph Johnson, 45 ·
John Sawin,
78
Eleazer Hill, Sen'r, .
· 46
Nathaniel Perry,
79
John Hill, Jun'r,
.
47
Jonathan Fairbanks, Jun'r,
80
Nathaniel Sheffield, .
48
Dea'n Benoni Learned,
81
Jonathan Morse, Jun'r, .
·
49 Doct'r Jonathan Fairbanks, .
82
Benoni Adams,
50
Ebenezer Pratt,
83
Daniel Rider,
51
Abraham Cozzens, Sen'r,
84
Solomon Hill,
52 The Widow Mary Coolidge,
85
James Morse, .
53
William Rider, Jun'r,
86
Thomas Jones,
54 Benjamin Whitney Wholder, .
87
Joseph Whitney,
55
Ebenezer Badkick, . .
88
Joshua Kebbe,
56
Nathaniel Hill, James Adams,
90
Joseph Ware, .
.
58
Eleazar Fairbanks, Sen'r, .
91
William Rider, Sen'r,
59
Lieut. Thomas Sawin, · 92
The Widow Bethia Perry,
61 Ephraim Bullin,
94
Joseph Morse, Jun'r,
62
Benjamin Whitney, Sen'r, 95
. 96
Farm of Aaron Morse,
64
Jolın Bullen,
97
Dea. Hopestill Lealand, . .
65 Joseph Twitchell,
98
The Widow Lealı Goddard,
66
Eleazer Holbrook,
99
Isaac Learned, 67
John Fisk, 100
101
Abraham Cozzens, Jun'r,
69
Nathaniel Holbrook,
A.
The Widow Deborah Morse,
70
William Johnson,
B.
Isaac Coolidge,
71 Mary Morse,
C.
Capt. Joseph Morse,
72 Israel Morse,
D.
The Widow Lydia Twitchell,
73
Ephraim Hill, .
*
.
Isaac Cozzens, .
.
63 Daniel Morse, .
.
89
Samuel Morse,
57
60 The Widow Sheffield Estate, 93
Joseph Perry, .
.
In the year 1715 the committee, viz., Deacon Benoni Learned, Eleazar Holbrook, John Death, Thomas Jones, and Isaac Cool- idge, having so far " completed their work in ye proportioning and laying out ye 4,000 acres of land lying westward of Mendon, late granted by ye Gen" Court to ye town of Sherborn, with ye assistance of Mr. Thomas White, their surveyor," made their " re- turn of ye service they had done " by a plan of it, drawn by Mr. White, to ye Town for acceptance, as also their demands for their service, and to pay Mr. White for his in ye aforesaid business ;
3
·
·
·
·
Joseph Sheffield, 68 Moses Morse, .
-
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 1 10 9 8 7 65 4 3 21
2
M
4
1615 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5
A3 46 4/ 48 49 5051 52 53 59160
68 67 6663
BAD LUCK SWAMP-
AIBICIDIA
52 6160 59 5857 58 55 54 535251 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30
HEDGE-HOG CORNER.
6364 6566 676859 70
73 7475 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85
ALDRICH'S FARM.
86
113 112 111 110| 108107, 1/05 103|02 |0|100 99 98 979695 94 9392919089888786 109 1106-104
MENDON,
114
115
116
117 |118 119 120 121122 124. 126127128
123
125
129
13013 !! 133 132
THE PROVINCE .. LINE.
DIAGRAM OF THE SEVERAL LAND GRANTS.
2628
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 29
35
ALLOTMENT OF OTHER GRANTS.
and ye town voted an acceptance of ye sd committee's work, and the cost, amounting to ye sum of about ten pounds, one way or another. Old Mr. Ebenezer Hill appeared (his Lott falling well), and freely undertook to pay off and satisfy ye committee and sur- veyor for their service, as above said, which was accepted by ye town."
1142898
" At a meeting of ye inhabitants of Sherborn, Dec. 29, 1721, ye town granted to Ephraim Hill, and his heirs forever, 20 acres of land within ye common and undivided land in ye said 4,000 acres, in ye 4th range, next to ye last lott there granted, to be laid out in a regular form, in consideration of his being the first settled inhabitant there."
The Sherborn Records contain the following additional minutes of the action of the town in the year 1725 concerning the several land grants :
" At a meeting of ye Proprietors of ye undivided land in three several grants of land made by ye Great and General Court of His Majesty, Province of ye Massachusetts Bay, of late, to ye town of Sherborn, lying westward of and partly adjoining to ye Township of Mendon, in ye county of Suffolk, commonly called New Sher- born, viz. : First, a grant of 4,000 acres ; secondly, a grant of 3,000 acres ; and thirdly, a grant of 3,700-being regularly assembled and convened upon ye 27th day of December, 1725, by legal warning, and from thence held by several continuations to ye sec- ond Monday in November next following, and then met Monday, November ye 14th, 1726."
" Upon a motion made to ye said proprietors, being assembled at time and place as aforesaid, whether it would not be for ye best to make but one lotment and division in ye 3,000 acres and ye 3,700 acres Grants made by ye General Court to ye Town of Sherborn, situate and lying westward of Mendon, saving what ye Town has disposed of to pay for ye Purchase Grant and Badluck Cedar Swamp, to and among ye proprietors, both in Sherborn and Hollis- ton, and any others that rights are belonging unto them therein, according to such rules as ye said proprietors have agreed upon and stated, which motion, being tried by a vote, it unanimously passed in ye affirmative."
" At ye said meeting it was proposed to ye said proprietors to lay out ye said grants to and among them, excepting what is be-
RESIDENCE OF MR. CHARLES A. CAOUETTE, EAST DOUGLAS.
JEL
37
ALLOTMENT OF OTHER GRANTS.
fore granted, in ye following manner and form - that is to say, to begin at ye northwesterly end of ye said 3,000 acres, and so to lay out lots across ye same till it come to ye cedar swamp called Badluck ; then to work on ye north side of ye 3,000 acres, begin- ning at ye southeast corner of ye 4,000 acres, and extending on a straight line with ye south side thereof until it come to Mendon line ; then to work westward in ye next range, then eastward again, and then westward, and lastly eastward, next to ye Prov- ince line, making but 4 ranges betwixt ye said 4,000 acres and ye patent line, saving 500 acres, or thereabouts, of ye roughest of ye land at Hedgehog Corner, and so eastward below Badluck, and at ye head of ye first long range against ye said 4,000 acres. Voted in ye affirmative."
"Voted, by ye said proprietors, that Ensign John Death and Sam- uel Fairbanks, David Morse, Timothy Leland, Joseph Johnson, James Whitney, and John Leland, be a committee fully empow- ered by a vote of said proprietors to agree with a surveyor, and at ye cost and charge of ye proprietors, to lay out ye above said land into lots, according to ye rule above mentioned. Voted in ye affir- mative."
" Voted, by ye said proprietors, to continue their said meeting to ye house of Richard Gookins, on ye aforesaid day."
" Voted, by ye said proprietors, to continue their said meeting unto ye 28th day of this present November, at ten of ye clock be- fore noon, at ye public meeting house in Sherborn. Voted in ye affirmative.
Attest, SAMUEL BULLARD, Moderator."
NAME OF
NO
NAME OF
NO.
PROPRIETOR.
OF LOT.
PROPRIETOR.
OF LOT.
Capt. Sam'll Bullard,
60
David Morse,
93
Doct. Fairbank's Estate, .
75
John Holbrook, Sen'r,
47
Deacon Hopestill Lealand,
53
Joseph Ware,
113
Eleazar Holbrook,
80
Daniel Morse, .
98
John Hill,
33
Eleazar Morse,
7
John Breck,
57
Noah Moses' Estate,
2
James Adams,
22
Arthur Clark, .
10
Tho. Holbrook's Widow,
.
67
Lieut. Jonat'n Morse,
. 68
Samuel Holbrook,
16 William Barron,
. 63
Moses Hill,
124 Mary Morse,
72
Jonathan Fairbanks,
45 Sam'll Perry,
64
Samuel Fairbanks, .
. 40 Eleazar Rider, .
·
56
·
.
.
.
·
.
.
38
HISTORY OF EAST DOUGLAS.
NAME OF
NO.
NAME OF PROPRIETOR.
OF LOT.
Noalı Allen,
. 130
Ephraim Twitchell, . . 111
Eleaz'r Fairbanks, Sen'r,
. 101
The Widow Twitchell,
91
Eleaz'r Fairbanks, Jun'r,
71 Benjamin Bullard, .
120
William Rider, Sen'r,
1
Eleaz'r Hill, Sen'r, . 127
William Rider, Jun'r,
6
Eleaz'r Hill, Jun'r, .
105
Sam'll Williams,
39
Solomon Hill, .
115
Daniel Rider,
48
Nathan'l Hill, .
25
The Widow Coolidge,
89
Benj'n Twitchell,
29
James Coolidge,
106
Ebenez'r 'Twitchell,
82
Nathan'l Morse,
73
Abraham Cozens, Sen'r, .
107
Dea. Larned, .
77
Jacob Cozens, .
89
Robert Daniel,
92
Joseph Cozens,
23
James Whitney,
17
Hopestill Leland, Jun'r, .
32
The Widow West,
69
Joshua Kebbe, Sen'r,
36
Nathan'l Perry,
59
Joshua Kebbe, Jun'r,
54
Edmond Gookins,
51 William Leland,
118
Richard Sangar,
81
William Sheffield,
85
Moses Adams, Sen'r,
35
Isaac Sheffield, .
52
Isaac Adams,
112
Daniel Sheffield,
99
William Bull, .
84
Joseph Sheffield,
96
William Greenwood,
42 Nathaniel Sheffield, .
10
John Phipps,
74
Jolın Golding, .
103
John Fisk,
62
George Fairbanks, ·
129
Joseph Perry, Sen'r,
65
Farm Aaron Morse,
126
Ephraim Bullin,
97
Joshua Underwood,
. 117
John Death,
8 Ebenez'r Hill, Sen'r,
114
Benjamin Muzzy,
87 Ebenez'r Hill, Jun'r, 44 David Hill,
110
Henry Leland, .
43
Thomas Jones,
128
James Travis,
46
Ebenez'r Pratt, Jun'r,
131
Isaac Coolidge,
78
John Leland, .
133
Jonath'n Morse, Jun'r,
102
Joseph Johnson,
70
Jonath'n Sewing,
9
Moses Adams, Jun'r,
121
Joseph Marslı, .
14
Benony Adams,
100
Isaac Morse, Jun'r, .
37
Isaac Morse, Sen'r, .
34
Jonath. Torrey,
50
Timothy Leland,
61
Daniel Holbrook,
49
James Leland,
38
Joseph Perry, Jun'r,
20
Isaac Bullard, .
19
Obadiah Morse,
27
Timothy Knowlton,
4
Ebenez'r Lealand, Sen'r,
119
Jonath'n Whitney, .
88
Ebenez'r Leland, Jun'r, .
90
Abrah'm Cuzens, Jun'r, .
24
James Morse,
58
Isaac Cuzens, .
94
Joseph Morse,
15
Isaac Foster,
108
Ebenezer Babcock,
.
132
Gershow Eames,
116
Joseph Twitchell,
66 John Wallis,
109
NO.
PROPRIETOR.
OF LOT.
31
Ebenezer Pratt, Sen'r,
39
ALLOTMENT OF OTHER GRANTS.
NAME OF
NO.
PROPRIETOR.
NO OF LOT.
NAME OF PROPRIETOR.
OF LOT.
Joseph Lealand,
79
James Maverick, 21
John Holbrook, Jun'r,
122
The Widow Babcock,
3
Plain Aaron Morse, .
·
125
William Wait,
28
Edmond Morse,
18
Benj'm Twitchell, Jun'r, 95
John Larned, .
83
Sam'l Morse's Widow, 123
John Twitchell,
26
Rich'd Gookin, 30
Moses Morse, .
11
Benj'm Bullard, Jun'r,
76
David Stanford,
13
Lieut. Sawin,
55
The Widow Goddard,
12
John Sawin,
41
Cornet Whitney's Widow,
.
5
RESIDENCE OF DEA. ALBERT BUTLER, EAST DOUGLAS.
RESIDENCE OF MR. A. F. JONES, EAST DOUGLAS.
CHAPTER IV.
FROM 1735-1754.
ROM the Sherborn Records we obtain the fol- lowing account of the doings of the people of Holliston touching what they deemed an en- croachment on the territory belonging to them : "At a meeting of ye proprietors, etc., holden in Holliston, November 18, 1735, Capt. John Death was chosen moderator to regulate said meeting.
Nathaniel Sheffield was chosen agent, or attorney, to prosecute for or defend ye said proprietors in any action that may be brought for or against them -especially to prosecute any that hath or shall commit trespass on ye aforesaid common land.
Capt. Ephraim Hill and Ensign Joseph Marsh were chosen a committee to inspect, oversee, and take care of ye timber of ye aforesaid common land, and to secure any timber that is already cut down, and to find out if any man commits trespass on said common land, and make report to their agent or attorney.
Capt. John Death, Lieut. Isaac Coolidge, and Nathaniel Shef- field were chosen a committee to treat with ye inhabitants that are already settled on ye aforesaid grants of lands, or any whom they shall appoint to treat with our committee, to adjust and consult what may be for ye best as to setting up of ye preaching of ye Gospel in that place - whether we shall petition ye Great and General Court to incorporate it to be a town, or any other way."
" At a meeting holden May 18, 1736, ye proprietors voted to set apart one hundred acres of ye common and undivided land in said grants where it shall be most suitable, for ye first learned, ju-
42
HISTORY OF EAST DOUGLAS.
dicious Orthodox Congregational minister that shall be lawfully settled and ordained there.
Also, voted to set apart 40 acres of land in said common and undivided land for ye use and benefit of a school and school-house, where it shall be thought most suitable.
Also, voted to set apart 10 acres of land in said common and undivided land, where it shall be thought most suitable, to set ye meeting house on, and for a training field and burying place."
"Nov. 13, 1739 .- William Leland, Nathaniel Sheffield, and Capt. Ephraim Hill were chosen and appointed to be a committee fully empowered to perambulate, and run linds, and renew bound marks with any of ye adjacent towns or proprietors who have lands ad- joining ye lands called New Sherborn."
" At a meeting held at the house of William Jennison, Dec. 9, 1765, thé proprietors made choice of Capt. Caleb Hill to be their agent to prosecute in ye law (to final judgment and executionany trespass or trespasser that hath or may be committed on their un- divided lands or cedar swamp rights."
They also " voted to choose a committee to lay out ye cedar swamp (with the assistance of a surveyor) into lots, according to each original proprietor's rights and property, and that whoever possesses more than one original right shall have ye liberty to have his rights joined in one draught, and so in one lott-provided said possessors shall evidence to ye proprietors at ye time of their drawing lots for ye above division (that he or she is possessed of more than one right, as above said)."
Also, " voted that but 3 of ye committee for laying out ye said cedar swamp shall be under pay at one and ye same time; and furthermore, ye proprietors of ye above sd meeting voted that ye sd committee in lotting out sd cedar swamp shall do it equally, according to ye best of their judgment, both for quantity and qual- ity, according to each proprietor's rights.
Ye proprietors also granted twenty-five shillings towards tran- scribing ye Proprietors' Records for ye better accommodation of those proprietors that are settled in Douglas.
Attest, DAVID WHITE, Moderator."
The following document will be invested with no little interest, from the fact that it is, as it purports, the record of the doings at
43
FROM 1735-1754.
the first legal meeting of the residents of Douglas of which there is any authentic copy in existence :
MINUTES FROM THE RECORDS OF DOUGLAS.
The warrant calling the first town meeting of Douglas of which there is any record in the town archives is as follows :
" To William Jeperson, Constabel for ye South sid of Douglas District, in ye County of Worcester, greeting :
These are in his Majesty's Name to require you forthwith to notify all ye inhabitance in your partickulor part of Douglas Dis- trict how have any acounts Relative to ye Building of ye meeting house in said town or District, that they prepair and lay ye same before ye Inhabitance at their meeting on ye twenty third day of January Next. You are also required by ye same authority to warn and give notice to all ye freeholdirs and others, Rattabel Inhabitance in your part of ye town or Destrict of Douglas, To meet at ye house of Ensign Joseph Marshe's, freeholder in said Douglas, on Friday ye twenty third day of this instant January, at nine of thee clock in ye forenoon on said day, then and there to consider and act upon ye following articles, viz :
1. To choose a suitable person for a Moderator of said meeting.
2. To see if ye Inhabitance of ye town or Destrict will invite Mr. James Weelman to seetel with them in ye work of ye gospell ministry.
3. To see what yearly salery ye Inhabitance will give Mr. Weelman as an encouragement to setel in ye work of ye gospell ministry.
4. To see wheir ye inhabitance will receive and allow ye ac- counts Relating to ye building of said meeting house which shall be laid before them.
5. To see wt sum or sums of money they will grant for defrey- ing ye charges which all Ready have arisen, or shall arise by means of inclosing ye meeting-house in said town.
6. To see whether ye Inhabitance will vote to levy a tax on ye lands which belong to themselves equall to wt ye grate and Generall Court have ordered to be assessed on land belonging to ye non Residents.
44
HISTORY OF EAST DOUGLAS.
And make return of this warrant with your doings therein att, or before ye day above mentioned.
Dated Douglas Destrict, January eight, Anno Domini 1746, '7.
SAMUEL DUDLEY, - JOSEPH MARSH, of
Selectmen
EPHRAIM HILL, Douglas.
Pursuant to ye foregoing warrent, ye Inhabitance met and made choice of Capt. Caleb Hill for a Moderator to Regulate sd meeting.
lly. Ye District voted to have ye accounts together.
2ly. Ye articual in ye warrant, Relating to giving Mr. James Weelman a call to settle in ye work of ye Gospell ministry in Douglas, passed in ye Negative.
3ly. Ye severall sums and acounts which was brought and laid before ye town or Destrict towards building ye meeting house in sd Douglas on said day are excepted and allowed by ye Inhabi- tance of Douglas.
4ly. Ye Town or Destrict voted to grant three hundred pounds old tenor for defraying ye charges of building ye meeting house in Douglas Destrict.
5ly. Ye Town or Destrict voted to levy a tax upon their own land equall to ye tax the Great and Genrall Court have laid upon ye non-residents proprietors."
The records of 1747 show that the farm of Jonas Wheeler, in Sut- ton, was set off from that town and annexed to Douglas. A rav- enous wolf had been committing depredations on Mr. Wheeler's live stock, and, with a courageousness that seems to have been duly appreciated, after arming himself with a good flint-lock mus- ket, he sallied forth and slew the ferocious animal, and laid it as a trophy of the exploit before the Selectmen for a bounty. In con- sideration of the important service done to his neighbors by dis- . patching such a mutual enemy, Mr. Wheeler's taxes were omitted for the current year. Wolves were not only quite numerous at this time, but deer also abounded, and their flesh formed a most accept- able article of food.
The spirit of energy and enterprise among the inhabitants of the town seems to have shown itself almost immediately on their attaining to independence of the town of Sherborn - a fact not
45
FROM 1735-1754.
difficult to account for, either on the ground of freedom from for- mer restraints, or of an inspiration begotten of their new condi- tion. Perhaps in nothing is the real public spiritedness, not to say the good common sense, of a community more practically mani- fested than on the subject of providing facilities for intercourse and communication with each other and their neighbors. Roads are a first necessity, felt to be so from the earliest ages ; and the earliest Roman history abounds in records of some of the grandest achievements in this line, the remains of which challenge the admi- ration of the world. The very first year's records of the town are entirely creditable on this point. In September, 1747, the follow- ing minute shows that " a road was laid out from 'ye widow Car- penter's old hous,' running southward down a rocky hill to Ever- ton's lands, and from thence ' to sd Everton's siler.'" Two other roads were laid out on the same day, and were promptly accepted by the town. Most of these, it should be said, perhaps, were sim- ply unfenced and ungraded paths through the woods and fields, quite passable, however, for the "rolling stock" of those days, and generally leading from the habitations of the settlers to the meeting-house, a point never lost sight of in those times. Their course was usually indicated by hewn trees and heaps of stones. Some of them were designated as " bridle roads." Considerate as our fathers always seem to have been, the owners of the lands adjoining these rude highways were permitted to maintain bars across them - a very pardonable obstruction to travel, as we shall all concede when we call to mind the scarcity of fences which must then have prevailed, and the difficulty in any other way of prevent- ing the cattle from straying, often beyond recovery.
An entry in the records under the date of Aug. 31, 1748, signed by John Marsh, Town Clerk, gives a list of five persons, said to comprise all the legal voters in the town or district of Doug- las at that time. Their names were Joseph Marsh, Ephraim Hill, Caleb Hill, Thomas Jepherson and Isaac Comings. The names of Caleb Hill and Joseph Titus were appended as Assessors, although the latter was not included in the list of legal voters. The town clerk's name was also omitted, from which we conclude that men were eligible to office who were denied the right of suffrage. The statement, however, forms no basis for estimating the population of the town, for, as will be seen by the proceedings of the annual
46
HISTORY OF EAST DOUGLAS.
meeting which took place in the previous March, a considerable number of persons were elected to office whose names were not enrolled as voters. It is hardly reasonable to suppose that every man, like those in Artemus Ward's home guards, was an officer, hence there must have been between fifty and one hundred resi- dents in town, all but five of whom, though competent to manage the affairs of a town corporation, were nevertheless debarred from the right of assisting to elevate their fellow citizens to a like dig- nity.
The elective franchise was deemed in those days to have been secured at altogether too great a cost to be held either in any trivial estimate or to be bestowed on those not capable of appreciating the weighty responsibility attaching to it. The people of our own times might profit by the example of our fathers in this particular, learning as much from the mistake which Rhode Island committed for so many years (on the point of property qualification), as from the greater blunder of admitting to the rights of suffrage those who have as good as no fair opportunity of becoming acquainted with the genius of our civil polity.
In March of this year the town chose Joseph Titus and Joseph Morse to take care of the " choole monny," and Dea. John Marsh and Joseph Robbins were chosen " Tything-men."
The amount appropriated for building and repairing the high- ways was £200 (old tenor), which was to be " worked out."
Educational matters received some attention at this meeting, three months of summer schooling being voted, although it does. not appear that any money was appropriated to meet the expense. There was but one school-house in town, and that was used until the meeting-house was built for almost all purposes of a public nature. This school was kept in what is now the Center village, but which was then only a very sparsely settled neighborhood, in the midst of an almost unbroken forest, through which the scholars were obliged daily to make their way by following difficult trails.
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