USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Sutton > History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1704 to 1876, including Grafton until 1735, Millbury until 1813 and parts of Northbridge, Upton and Auburn > Part 11
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ANNALS OF THE
"To the Clerk of the first Congregational Society in Sut- ton to be communicated to said Society.
" ASA GOODALE "AARON PIERCE."
Answer to the foregoing request or demand :
" To Lt. Asa Goodale, Josiah Stiles and Aaron Pierce Esqs., Gentlemen.
"Having been appointed by the first Congregational Society in Sutton at their annual meeting in March last to present to you an answer to your request, in conformity to the votes of the second Parish in Sutton at their meeting held march 9th 1812, to. the first Congregational Society in Sutton for the one half of the ministerial fund now in the hands of the Treasurer of said Society. In answer to your demand we can only say that, in consequence of so unex- pected a request, we have examined the Charter of the Town, the proprietors Book, and the town records, and can find nothing to justify a compliance with your demand - and unless you can, Gentlemen, shew us some ground either in justice, or law, we cannot comply with your request.
" JOSIAH WHEELOCK "DAN'L TENNEY .
" Agents for the First Congregational Society in Sutton. "Sutton April 8th 1812"
1813.
Jan. 11th. The inhabitants of the north parish continue to petition the General Court for an act of incorporation constituting them a separate town and the town vote "to oppose the prayers of the petitioners in the second Parish." A committee of five is appointed to draw up a remonstrance against their application.
The remonstrance was prepared and reported, whereupon it was " Voted that the aforesaid remonstrance was agreea- ble, and that it be accepted," also " that the Representative of the town present the said 'remonstrance to the General Court."
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
The remonstrance of the people of the south part of the town against the incorporation of the second parish into a new town proved unavailing.
An act of incorporation was obtained and became a law by the approval of the Governor June 11, 1813. The act is as follows :
June 11th. An Act to Incorporate the North Parish in the Town of Sutton into a separate town by the name of Millbury.
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of. Repre- sentatives in General Court assembled and by authority of the same .- That all the lands comprised within the North Parish in the town of Sutton, in the county of Worcester as the same is now bounded together with the farm on which Joshua Chase now lives in said town, with all inhabitants dwelling thereon, be and they hereby are incorporated with all the powers, privileges and immunities and subject to all the duties and requirements of other incorporated towns agreeably to the constitution and laws of this Commonwealth.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted : That the inhabitants of said town of Millbury shall be holden to pay all the arrears of taxes which have been assessed upon them by the town of Sutton ; and shall also support and maintain all such per- sons as heretofore have been, now are, or here after may be inhabitants of that part of Sutton, hereby incorporated, and are or may become chargeable according to the laws of this Commonwealth, and who have not obtained a settlement else where therein.
Sec. 3d. Be it further enacted that the inhabitants of the said town of Millbury shall be entitled to receive and hold such proportion of all real and personal property of the said town of Sutton of what kind soever it may be, now owned in common by the inhabitants of said town as the property of the Inhabitants of Millbury bears to the property of all the inhabitants of the said town of Sutton according to the last valuation thereof; and shall also be holden to pay their proportion (to be ascertained as aforesaid) of all the debts now due and owing from the said town of Sutton and the inhabitants, and the inhabitants of said Millbury or any
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ANNALS OF THE
religious Society therein shall furthermore be entitled to receive and hold such proportion as they are now entitled to, if any, of the ministerial money raised by the sale of ministerial lands in said Sutton which money is now in the hands of the First Congregational Society in Sutton:
Sec. 4. Be it further enacted : That in case the dividing line between the said town of Millbury and said town of Sutton should happen to divide the farms of any of the inhabitants of either of said towns, the said inhabitants shall be taxed for the whole of their home farm in that town only where they may respectively dwell.
Sec. 5th. Be it further enacted : That any Justice of the Peace for the County of Worcester upon application there- for is hereby authorized to issue his warrant, directed to any freeholder in the said town of Millbury requiring him to notify and warn the inhabitants thereof to meet at such time and place as may be appointed in said warrant for the choice of all such town officers as towns are by law required to choose at their annual town meetings.
August 16th. The town " chose Capt. Reuben Waters, Major Josiah Wheelock, Mr. James McClellan Jonas Sibley Esq. Dea. Jonathan Leland, Mr. Darius Russell and Mr. Peter Dudley a Committee to establish the line between the towns of Millbury and Sutton and make a settlement with Millbury."
Sept. 27th. The committee above mentioned report as follows :
The Committee appointed by the Town of Sutton for the purpose of settling with the Town of Millbury such matters as arise from the recent incorporation of that town, ask leave to report that they have attended in part to the affairs of their appointment, and have agreed with a Com- mittee appointed by the town of Millbury to report the following particulars for the consideration of the town.
1st. That the line lately reviewed by the aforementioned Committees and stated to be the original line between the North and South Parishes in Sutton be considered as the line between the towns of Sutton and Millbury.
2ndly. That the valuation of real and personal property in the late town of Sutton be considered the standard for
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
dividing the debts and property belonging to the towns of Sutton and Millbury.
3dly. That the real estate given or purchased for the support of any of the paupers of the late town of Sutton be considered as the property of that town to which such paupers shall fall for maintenance.
4ly. That the powder house, pound, hearse-house and hearse, in Sutton, belong to that town. That the hearse- house and hearse in Millbury shall be the property of the town of Millbury. That the town of Millbury, however have the privilege of depositing their stock in the powder- house in Sutton as long as is convenient.
5thly. That the money raised for the support of schools, the poor &c. by the late town of Sutton in May last, be divided before it is assessed and each town be at liberty to assess its share, but the State and County taxes must be assessed by the assessors chosen by the late town of Sutton in March last upon all the inhabitants of Sutton and Mill- bury; each town however to pay for the collecting of its own inhabitants.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
1815.
March 20th. The society " voted to choose six choris- ters, and made choice of Major Thomas Harback, Mr. John Carpenter, Capt. Nathaniel Sibley, Mr. John Morse, Mrs. Lydia Cummings, and Miss M. Whiting."
April 5th. The town " voted to choose a Committee of five to consider the propriety of building a house for the poor who are to report the same to the town at their next March meeting."
1816.
March 4th. The above committee reported, but no action was taken on the report.
1817.
May 5th. We copy the following from the Worcester Spy :
Died at Sutton on the evening of the 5th instant, Ensign
19
.
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ANNALS OF THE
John H. Bartlett, aged 38. - In attempting to take a bag of meal from the fore-end of a loaded cart while the team was moving along, Mr. Bartlett, by some means fell directly before the wheels : unable immediately to extricate himself, the wheel passed over the lower part of his head and frac- tured his skull in a shocking manner. A portion of the brain was forced out at each car. He lived about two hours after the accident.
Also at Sutton on the 8th instant Lieut. Jonathan Burden, aged 56. Mr. Burden brother in law to Mr. Bartlet, early on Tuesday morning, the 6th instant, set out for Upton to give information of the death of the latter. Being on foot he did not confine himself to the road, but took the nearest course across the fields and lots. In attempting to get over a fence he fell backwards (as was supposed) upon his head and shoulders, and from that moment was unable to move from the spot where he then lay. His long absence excited much alarm among his friends and neighbors. On Wednes- day evening a number of the inhabitants assembled and made a diligent search till one o'clock that night, when he was found nearly exhausted by cold and the effects of the injury he had received. He had been lying in this situation upwards of forty hours. After being removed to the nearest house he died in about ten hours.
Nov. - Measures were taken for the establishment of a line of stages from Boston to Hartford, through the towns of Framingham, Grafton, Sutton, Oxford and Dudley in Massa- chusetts, and Woodstock, Ashford, etc., in Connecticut. Divisions were made of the route, and companies formed for the purpose of raising the necessary funds for its equip- ment. For the division extending from Grafton to Ash- ford the sum of seventeen hundred ($1700.) dollars was required, which was divided into shares at twenty-five dol- lars each. Subscriptions were solicited from the inhabit- ants of the towns chiefly benefited. Among the subscribers names we find from Sutton : James Freeland, two shares ; Stephen Monroe, one share; Moses L. Morse, one share ; Daniel Hovey, one share.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
1818.
May 4th. The town " chose a Committee of five to look into the propriety of building a poor house and make report to some town-meeting next to be called."
Dec. 14th. The above Committee reported and their report was recommitted to be presented at the next annual meeting.
1819.
March 1st. The Committee reported, and their report was accepted, and the Selectmen were appointed a Commit- tee to procure a suitable house to accommodate the poor of the town.
The town chose Mr. Samuel Taylor and Sumner Barstow and Daniel Tenney a Committee to take measures to obtain possession of the donation made by the late Mr. John Cole to the south parish in Sutton for school purposes, if, upon investigation, it shall be found that it was the design of Mr. Cole to make it to that part of the town formerly regarded as the first or South Parish.
1820.
The town "voted that a suit be forthwith commenced in order to obtain the legacy of the late Mr. John Cole."
1821.
May 7th. "Voted that Sumner Barstow be directed to endorse a writ made in the name of the First Parish in Sutton against Hannah Cole and the town will pay all ex- pense."
This action was taken for the purpose of obtaining posses- sion of the legacy above mentioned.
1822.
March 18th. The society " voted to choose a Committee of three to see what a stove for the meeting house will cost and report to the next Society meeting, and made choice of Dea. Jonathan Leland, Dea. John Morse, and Capt. Enoch Stockwell."
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ANNALS OF THE
1823.
March 17th. The above Committee reported, and the society " voted to adjourn the matter until our next annual meeting."
April 7th. .. Voted to purchase a farm for the purpose of supporting the town poor thereon."
" Voted to choose a Committee of five to examine such farms in the town as are for sale and ascertain the price at which each may be purchased, and at the anniversary meet- ing May next, report to the town which in their opinion it will be most for their interest to purchase."
May 5th. The committee report and are authorized "to purchase for and in behalf of the town a farm and buildings such as they shall judge suitable . and most convenient for the purpose of supporting their poor thereon, provided that the price does not exceed the sum of three thousand ($3,000. ) dollars."
This proviso was afterwards reconsidered and discretion- ary power was given to the committee "to exceed the sum of three thousand ($3,000.) dollars if in their opinion the interests of the town will be thereby promoted."
Ang. 16th. In society meeting the following votes were passed :
" Voted to repair or exchange the new bell and to raise the money by subscription.
" Chose Dea. Win. Bond, Jonas L. Sibley Esq., Mr. Samuel Taylor, Major Moses L. Morse, and Mr. Elisha Hale a Committee to obtain subscriptions and to procure the bell and have it placed in its proper place ; the bell not to exceed seven hundred pounds in weight." Also " Voted that it is the sense of this meeting that money ought to be raised to help support singing - but as we are not going to raise any money at present, it is not thought best to raise any at this time."
1824.
March 1st. The committee chosen to purchase a farm for the town for the use of the poor " reported, that they had not purchased any and asked to be discharged from further duty."
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
March 15th. The society's committee to procure a bell reported as follows :
Weight of new bell. -
-
1084 lbs.
C'ost of new bell. - - - - $374.00
· Carting and raising. - - - - $20.70
Whole cost of bell, - - - $394.70
Received for the old bell. -
$179.75
The old bell had upon it the following inscription :
"This bell is a present made by Mr. Ebenezer Waters to the First Society in Sutton as long as the gospel Ministry is maintained by the Congregationalest, Presbyterian - Epis- copalian and Baptist in this place, if all the above fail in this place then to some other preferance to the First Parish."
June 23d. We find in the Massachusetts Spy of this date the following notice :
UNION CELEBRATION:
The Forty-ninth Anniversary of our National Indepen- dence will be celebrated at Sutton on the 5th of July next, , without distinction of party. An address will be delivered on the occasion by the Rev. Mr. Hoadley of Worcester. A dinner and other accommodations, both for gentlemen and ladies, will be provided at the house of the Rev. Edmund Mills by two citizens of the town. Tickets fifty cents exclu- sive of liquor, which will be furnished to those who call for it by paying for the same.
Necessary accommodations for horses by Edmund J. Mills. Services to commence at 11 o'clock.
CALEB BURBANK.
Per order of the Committee of Arrangements.
1825.
March 21st. In a meeting this date the society " Voted that the singers choose their own leaders."
May 2d. "Voted to raise forty (40.00) dollars for the support of singing," and " chose Benj. Bateheller. Daniel Woodbury and Nathaniel Sibley a Committee to lay out and spend the above forty dollars.
Nov. 7th. Rev. Edmund Mills died.
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ANNALS OF THE
1826.
March 20th. The society "Voted that the Committee be directed to procure gravestones to the Rev. Edmund Mills' grave, said stones not to exceed forty (40.00) dol- lars."
May 4th. The society " voted unanimously to join with the Church in giving Mr. John Maltby an invitation to settle with them in the ministry."
Trouble with singing and singers continues, as is evident from the following vote :
" Voted that the Society disapprove of the scandalous let- ter addressed to Mr. Vernon Titus, one of the Choristers, and chose a Committee of three to inform Mr. Titus of this vote and request him to resume his office as Chorister."
1828.
March 3d. The town " chose Jonas L. Sibley, Nathan- iel Woodbury and Thomas Harback a Committee to inquire into the expediency of purchasing a farm for the poor of the town, and see if one can be procured, and make their report at the April meeting."
April 7th. The above committee reported that they had examined Dea. Bond's farm, containing about ninety acres, valued at three thousand dollars, the farm of. Mr. Elias Pratt, being about one hundred and thirty acres, and valued at thirty-eight hundred (3800.) dollars.
"They preferred the one occupied by Mr. Simon Hutch- inson to either of the others, containing about one hundred and fifty acres, and recommend that the town purchase the same. But the question being put whether this report should be accepted ; it was negatived."
The question was submitted-" shall a new County be formed by taking from the County of Worcester the seven- teen following towns : to wit, Royalston, Winchendon, Athol, Templeton, Philipston, Lancaster, Bolton, Harvard, Gardner, Westminster, Ashburnham, Fitchburg, Leominster, Lunen- burg, Princeton and Hubbardston."
The majority voted " no."
TOWN OF SUTTON. . 151
November 3d. The church erected in 1751 was burned. A town meeting had been held in it during the day to vote for representative to congress'and electors of presi- dent and vice president. The fire occurred at night; its origin was never ascertained, and by many it was supposed to be the work of an incendiary.
Nov. 24th. A meeting of the society was held for the purpose of taking measures to erect a new house of worship. At this meeting it was "voted that the Rev. John Maltby be invited to open the meeting by prayer, which invitation · was given and complied with."
"Voted that it is the ardent desire of the members of this Society that a new house of Public and Religious wor- ship should be erected near the site of the old meeting- house to be called the First Congregational Society's Meet- ing-house in Sutton, and the Proprietors thereof to form the said Society and be entitled to the funds now belonging to said Society, and all the powers and privileges of the same, and that individually we will use our utmost endeavors to accomplish the object."
A committee was appointed to raise by subscription the necessary funds.
The following were appointed a building committee :
Amos Armsby, Jonas L. Sibley, Daniel Tenney, Elisha Hale and Nathaniel Woodbury.
1829.
June 15th. The corner stone of the new meeting-house was laid with appropriate services.
In this stone was deposited a silver plate, upon which is the following inscription : "Erected by the first Congrega- tional Society in Sutton dedicated to God - Father, Son and Holy Ghost -A. D. 1829."
A list of the subscribers for building the house was also placed in the corner stone, and the sums specified which each contributed.
The contract for the stone work of the church was $1, 140, and for the house $4,800.
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ANNALS OF THE
1830.
The new meeting-house seems to have been completed in February of this year. It was dedicated February 24th. Edmund J. Mills was marshal on the occasion.
1831.
May 11th. The town "Voted to hold its meetings in the future in the basement of the Congregational Meeting-house and to pay the Congregational Society the sum of twenty- five dollars per year for the use of said room."
June 15th. The society finding the act of incorporation . of 1794 in some respects defective, secured an amendatory act as follows :
An Act in addition to an Act to incorporate the First Congregational Society in Sutton.
Section 1st. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled and by the authority of the same :
That the First Congregational Society in Sutton, be and they hereby are authorized and impowered to raise by tax on the pews or parts of pews or seats in the Meeting house of said Society, or on such portion of them as said Society at a legal Meeting thereof shall vote and determine to be taxed and assessed such sum or sums of money as they shall agree upon and Grant for the purpose of maintaining and support- ing a public Teacher or Teachers of morality, for repairs and alterations of their said Meeting-house and for all other purposes incident to and connected with the objects of said Society.
Section 2nd. Be it further enacted : That it shall be the duty of the Collector or Collectors of said Society to give notice to the proprietor or proprietors of the pews or parts of pews or seats in said Meeting house, by posting up at the entrance thereof and at some other Convenient public place in said town of Sutton, a notification in writing of the time and place he or they will meet the said Proprietor or Propri- etors, thirty days at least prior to the time of such meeting, together with a Copy of the Tax Bill committed to him or them to Collect to receive the tax or assessment made upon
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
his or their respective pew or pews or parts thereof or seats for the purposes aforesaid ; and if any proprietor or propri- etors as aforesaid shall fail to meet said Collector or Collectors as aforesaid, and pay to him or them the tax or assessment made upon his or their pew or pews or parts thereof or seats as aforesaid, and shall neglect or refuse to pay the same to said Collector or Collectors of said Society, they are hereby authorized and empowered to sell at public vendu such delinquent proprietor or proprietors pew or pews or interest therein or seat or seats - having first given public notice of the time and place of sale, by posting up notifications thereof at two or more public places in said Town of Sutton four days at least before the time appointed for said sale and make and execute a good and sufficient deed or deeds thereof to the purchaser or purchasers of the same : provided how- ever that such sale or sales shall not be valid nor the Deed or deeds be given as aforesaid, unless said Collector or Collectors shall have first obtained the consent in writing of the prudential Committee of said Society to make such sale or sales as aforesaid, and in case the proceeds of the sale of such delinquent or delinquents pew or pews or parts thereof or seat or seats made as aforesaid shall not be sufficient to pay the whole amount of the sum assessed upon them as aforesaid and all legal charges, such Collector or Collectors are authorized and empowered, and it is hereby made their duty to collect such deficiency with all the expense attending the same out of other property of such delinquent or delin- quents in the same manner as Town, County or State taxes are collected.
Sect. 3d. Be it further enacted : That so much of the Act to which this is in addition, as is inconsistent with the provisions of this Act be and hereby is repealed.
In House of Representatives June 15th 1831.
Passed to be enacted
W. B. CALHOUN, Speaker. In Senate June 15th 1831.
Passed to be enacted
LEVERETT SALTONSTALL President.
June 15th 1831.
Approved
LEVI LINCOLN.
20
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ANNALS OF THE
1833.
March 4th. Origen Harback and others petition for " lib- erty to erect a public house for a tavern on the Common near the Congregational Meeting-house on the site of the old meeting-house."
A committee is appointed to take the matter under con- sideration. At an adjourned meeting this committee report " that it is the opinion of the Committee that the Town sell the Town Common in lots at public auction to the highest bidder for the purpose of erecting buildings thereon, as may best accommodate purchasers, the town giving Quit-Claim Deeds for the same." Which report was not accepted.
1835.
March 2d. The warrant for a town meeting contained the following article :
" To see if the town will instruct the Selectmen to with- hold any approbation or recommendation for any person as a retailer of spirituous liquors in said town for the ensuing year and to see what other directions the town will give their Selectmen in relation to the same subject." Upon which the town " Voted not to instruct the Selectmen not to grant licences."
1836.
May 9th. The town "Voted that a Committee of five be nominated by the Selectmen for a Committee to purchase a farm for the Town and Edmund J. Mills, Caleb Chase, David Putnam, Joshua Armsby and Samuel Waters were nominated and chosen for said Committee to buy a farm."
1837.
Jan. 23d. The town took action as follows upon the dis- position of the surplus revenue which had accumulated in the United States treasury and by act of Congress been divided among the several states.
"Voted to adopt the following Resolves and that our Representatives be furnished with a copy of the same and requested to Act accordingly.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
" Resolved that while we feel deeply sensible of the importance of the general defusion of intelligence and knowledge throughout the community at large as inductive of public happiness and virtue as well as for the better understanding of the principles of our government, and the preservation of our liberties, and of Public schools as pro- motive of this end -as also of the great and general benefit resulting from a liberal and well regulated system of Internal improvements within the State - and while we would rec- ommend those as well as the general interests of education to the guardian care and fostering hand of government - yet as the revenues of the Country are collected from the people through the Custom-houses or by the sale of the public lands which are the property of the people, therefore
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