USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Townsend > History of the town of Townsend, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from the grant of Hathorn's farm, 1676-1878 > Part 24
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1756. Moderator, Jonathan Hubbard; Clerk, Samuel Manning. Selectmen-Jonathan Hubbard, Amos Whitney, Daniel Adams, Zacheriah Emery, Samuel Manning.
I757. Moderator, Jonathan Hubbard ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Jonathan Hubbard, Amos Whitney, Daniel Adams, Ebenezer Wyman. William Stevens.
1758. Moderator, Jonathan Hubbard; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Jonathan Hubbard, Dan- iel Adams, Amos Whitney, Daniel Taylor, Benjamin Brooks.
I759. Moderator, Benjamin Brooks: Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Benjamin Brooks, Amos Whitney, Isaac Spaulding. Daniel Adams, Eph- raim Heald.
1760. Moderator, Daniel Taylor; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen -Daniel Adams, Amos Whitney. Daniel Taylor, Ephraim Heald, Isaac Spauld- ing.
1761. Moderator, Daniel Taylor ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen -Daniel Adams, Daniel Taylor, Zacheriah Emery, Isaac Farrar, Ephraim Heald.
363
TOWN OFFICERS.
1762. Moderator, Daniel Taylor ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Amos Whitney, Oliver Hildreth. Jonathan Wallis, Daniel Taylor, Daniel Adams.
1763. Moderator, Daniel Taylor ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Isaac Spaulding. Daniel Taylor, Benjamin Brooks, Zacheriah Emery.
1764. Moderator, Daniel Taylor ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Amos Whitney. Ephraim Heald. Thomas Warren, Jonathan Wallis.
I765. Moderator, Daniel Taylor ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Daniel Taylor. Ephraim Heald. Ephraim Brown, William Clark.
1766. Moderator, Daniel Taylor ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Ephraim Heald. Benjamin Brooks. James Hosley, Jonathan Wallis.
1767. Moderator, Ephraim Heald : Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Ephraim Heald, Thomas Warren, Isaac Farrar, Jonathan Wallis.
1768. Moderator, Ephraim Heald ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Ephraim Heald, Jonathan Wallis, Benjamin Brooks. Amos Heald.
364
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
1769. Moderator, Samuel Manning; Clerk, Samuel Manning. Selectmen-Samuel Manning, Amos Heald, Isaac Farrar, Jonathan Patts, Daniel Sherwin.
I770. Moderator, Amos Heald ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Amos Heald, Isaac Farrar, Thomas Warren, John Conant.
1771. Moderator, James Hosley ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, James Hosley, John Conant, Benjamin Spaulding, Samuel Douglas.
I772. Moderator, Jonathan Wallis ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen - Daniel Adams, Isaac Farrar, Samuel Douglas, Zacheriah Emery, James Hosley.
1773. Moderator, James Hosley : Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen- Daniel Adams, James Hosley. Zacheriah Emery, Benjamin Brooks, Jonathan Wallis.
1774. Moderator, Daniel Taylor : Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Daniel Taylor, Richard Wyer, Jonathan Wallis, Benjamin Brooks.
1775. Moderator, James Hosley : Clerk, James Hosley. Selectmen-James Hosley, Isaac Farrar, Thomas Warren, Daniel Emery, Richard Wyer. Representative in the Provincial Congress. Israel Hobart.
365
TOWN OFFICERS.
I776. Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, James Hosley. Selectmen-James Hosley. Isaac Farrar, Daniel Emery, Richard Wyer, Zacheriah Emery. Representative in the Provincial Congress, Israel Hobart.
I777.
Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, James Hosley. Selectmen-James Hosley, Richard Wyer, Levi Whitney, Zacheriah Emery, Thomas Warren. Representative, James Locke.
1778.
Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, James Hosley. Selectmen-James Hosley, Richard Wyer, Thomas Warren, Benjamin Spaulding, Elijah Wyman.
Representative, James Locke.
I779.
Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, James Hosley. Selectmen-Thomas Warren, Benjamin Spauld- ing, Samuel Maynard, Daniel Adams, Jr., Elijah Wyman.
Sent no Representative.
1780.
Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, James Hosley. Selectmen-Thomas Warren, Richard Wyer. Isaac Farrar, Daniel Adams, Jr., Benjamin Spaulding.
Representative, James Locke.
1781.
Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, James Hosley. Selectmen -Thomas Warren, Richard Wyer, Benjamin Spaulding, Lemuel Petts, Daniel Adams, Jr. Representative, Thomas Warren. 47 .
366
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
1782. Moderator, Isaac Farrar ; Clerk, Benjamin Ball. Selectmen-Benjamin Ball, Daniel Adams, Jr., Lemuel Petts, Daniel Sherwin, James Giles. Representative, James Locke.
1783. Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, Benjamin Ball. Selectmen-Benjamin Ball, Daniel Adams, Jr., Benjamin Spaulding, Thomas Seaver, Elijah Wyman.
1784. Moderator, William Hobart: Clerk, Benjamin Ball. Selectmen-Benjamin Ball, Daniel Ad- ams, Jr., Benjamin Spaulding, Thomas Seaver. Lemuel Petts.
Representative, William Hobart.
1785. Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, Benjamin Ball. Selectmen-Benjamin Ball, Thomas Seaver, Thomas Warren.
1786. Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, Benjamin Ball. Selectmen-Benjamin Ball, Thomas Warren, Benjamin Spaulding.
1787. Moderator, Daniel Adams : Clerk, Daniel Adams. Jr. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Jr., Lemuel Petts, Benjamin Spaulding. Jacob Blodget, Abner Adams. Representative, Daniel Adams.
1788. Moderator, David Spafford; Clerk, Daniel Ad- ams, Jr. Selectmen-Benjamin Ball, Benjamin Spaulding, David Spafford, Jr .. Thomas War- ren, Thomas Seaver. Representative, Daniel Adams.
367
TOWN OFFICERS.
1789. Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, Benjamin Ball. Selectmen-Benjamin Ball, Benjamin Spaulding, David Spafford, Jr., Daniel Adams, Jr., John Campbell.
Representative, Daniel Adams.
1790.
Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, Daniel Adams, Jr. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Jr., Benjamin Spaulding, John Campbell, Richard Wyer. Lemuel Petts.
Representative, Daniel Adams.
I791. Moderator, Daniel Adams; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Jr. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Jr., Benjamin Spaulding, Nathan Conant, John Campbell, John Emery.
I792. Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, Daniel Adams, Jr. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Jr., Lemuel Petts, Jonathan Wallis, John Campbell, Nathan Conant.
Representative, Jonathan Wallis.
1793. Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, Life Baldwin. Selectmen-Life Baldwin, Daniel Adams, Jr .. John Campbell, Jonathan Wallace. Zacheriah Hildreth.
Representative, Jonathan Wallace.
I794. Moderator, Walden Stone ; Clerk, Walden Stone. Selectmen-Life Baldwin, John Campbell, Jona- than Wallis, Abner Adams, Thomas Seaver. Sent no Representative.
368
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
1795. Moderator, Walden Stone ; Clerk, Jacob Blodget. Selectmen-Jacob Blodget, Abner Adams, John Emery, Samuel Stone, Nathan Scales. Sent no Representative.
1796. Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, Jacob Blodget. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Jacob Blodget. Ab- ner Adams, John Emery, Samuel Stone. Representative, Daniel Adams.
1797. Moderator, John Campbell ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams. Jacob Blodget. Ab- ner Adams, Samuel Stone. Josiah Richardson. Representative, Daniel Adams.
1798. Moderator, Jonathan Wallis; Clerk, Isaac Mulli- kin. Selectmen-Walter Mullikin, Jacob Blod- get, Abner Adams, Josiah Richardson, Samuel Brooks.
Sent no Representative.
I799.
Moderator, John Campbell ; Clerk, Isaac Mullikin. Selectmen-Isaac Mullikin, Abner Adams, Jo- siah Richardson, John Emery, Samuel Brooks. Representative, John Campbell.
1800. Moderator, Daniel Adams ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Abner Adams. Jo- siah Richardson, Samuel Brooks, John Emery. Representative, John Campbell.
1801. Moderator, Caleb Sylvester : Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Josiah Richardson, Joseph Adams, Abner Adams, Caleb Sylvester. Representative, John Campbell.
369
TOWN OFFICERS.
1802. Moderator, Caleb Sylvester ; Clerk, Isaac Mulli- kin. Selectmen-Isaac Mullikin, John Camp- bell, Jonathan Keep, Samuel Stone. Daniel Conant.
Sent no Representative.
1803. Moderator, John Campbell : Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Abner Adams, John Campbell, Josiah Richardson, Jacob Blodget. Sent no Representative.
1804. Moderator. John Campbell : Clerk. Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, John Campbell. Jacob Blodget. Benanuel Pratt, Shubal C. Allen.
Sent no Representative.
I805. Moderator, Caleb Sylvester : Clerk. Josiah Rich- ardson. Selectmen-Josiah Richardson, John Emery, Daniel Conant, Ebenezer Stone, Richard Warner.
Representative, John Campbell.
1806. Moderator, Daniel Adams; Clerk. Josiah Rich- ardson. Selectmen-Josiah Richardson. John Emery, Daniel Conant, Ebenezer Stone, Richard Warner. Representative, John Campbell.
1807.
Moderator, Daniel Conant; Clerk, Josiah Rich- ardson. Selectmen-Josiah Richardson, John Emery, Daniel Conant, Ebenezer Stone. Richard Warner. Representative. Abner Adams.
370
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
1808. Moderator, Daniel Adams; Clerk, Josiah Rich- ardson. Selectmen-Josiah Richardson, Ebene- zer Stone. Aaron Warren, Samuel Brooks, Nathaniel Cummings.
Representative, Abner Adams.
1809.
Moderator, John Emery ; Clerk, Josiah Richard- son. Selectmen-Josiah Richardson, Aaron Warren, Samuel Brooks, Nathaniel Cummings, Noah Ball.
Sent no Representative.
1810. Moderator. Aaron Warren; Clerk, Josiah Rich- ardson. Selectmen-Josiah Richardson, Aaron Warren, Samuel Brooks, Nathaniel Cummings, William Archibald.
Representative. Abner Adams.
ISII.
Moderator, Aaron Warren ; Clerk, Samuel Brooks. Selectmen-Samuel Brooks, Richard Warner, Aaron Warren, Nathaniel Cummings, William Archibald.
Representative, Samuel Brooks.
1812. Moderator, Aaron Warren ; Clerk, Samuel Brooks. Selectmen-Samuel Brooks, Richard Warner, Aaron Warren, Nathaniel Cummings, William Archibald.
Representative, Samuel Brooks.
1813.
Moderator. Aaron Warren ; Clerk, Samuel Brooks. Selectmen-Samuel Brooks, Aaron Warren, Nathaniel Cummings, William Archibald, Joseph Adams.
Representative. Samuel Brooks.
371
TOWN OFFICERS.
1814.
Moderator, Aaron Warren ; Clerk, Samuel Brooks. Selectmen-Samuel Brooks, Aaron Warren. William Archibald, Joseph Adams, Eliab Going.
Representative, Samuel Brooks.
1815.
Moderator, Aaron Warren ; Clerk. Samuel Brooks. Selectmen-Samuel Brooks, Joseph Adams. Eliab Going, Nathaniel Cummings, Isaac San- ders.
Representative, Samuel Brooks.
1816.
Moderator, Josiah Richardson ; Clerk, Nathaniel Cummings. Selectmen-Nathaniel Cummings, Josiah Richardson, Isaac Sanders, Zela Bartlett. Solomon Jewett.
Representative, Samuel Brooks.
1817. Moderator, Aaron Warren ; Clerk, Nathaniel Cummings. Selectmen-Nathaniel Cummings. Josiah Richardson, Isaac Sanders, Benanuel Pratt, Joel Adams. Representative, Samuel Brooks.
1818. Moderator, Aaron Warren : Clerk, Nathaniel Cummings. Selectmen-Nathaniel Cummings. Samuel Brooks, Aaron Warren. Sent no Representative.
1819.
Moderator, Aaron Warren : Clerk, Nathaniel Cummings. Selectmen-Nathaniel Cummings. Samuel Brooks, Aaron Warren. Representative, Aaron Warren.
372
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
1820. Moderator, Aaron Warren: Clerk, Nathaniel Cummings. Selectmen-Nathaniel Cummings, Samuel Brooks, Isaac Turner. Representative, Aaron Warren.
1821. Moderator, Aaron Warren : Clerk, Aaron Warren. Selectmen-Aaron Warren, Samuel Stone, Jr., John Shipley. Representative, Aaron Warren.
1822. Moderator, Nathaniel Cummings ; Clerk, Aaron Warren. Selectmen-Aaron Warren, Samuel Stone, Jr., Daniel Giles. Sent no Representative.
1823. Moderator, Aaron Keyes ; Clerk, Aaron Warren. Selectmen-Aaron Warren. Samuel Stone, Jr., Daniel Giles. Representative, Aaron Warren.
1824. Moderator, William A. Bancroft: Clerk, Aaron Warren. Selectmen-Aaron Warren, Joel Adams. Joel Spaulding. Representative, Aaron Warren.
IS25. Moderator, Joel Adams ; Clerk, Joel Adams. Selectmen-Joel Adams, Joel Spaulding, Josiah G. Heald. Sent no Representative.
1826. Moderator, Aaron Warren ; Clerk, Aaron Warren. Selectmen-Aaron Warren, Josiah G. Heald. Samuel Brooks, Aaron Keyes, William Pratt. Representative, Aaron Warren.
TOWN OFFICERS. 373
1827. Moderator, Solomon Jewett, Jr. ; Clerk, Aaron Warren. Selectmen-Aaron Warren, Samuel Stone, Jr., William Pratt, Joel Spaulding, Aaron Keyes.
Representative, Aaron Warren .*
1828. Moderator, Jacob S. Ryner; Clerk, Aaron War- ren. Selectmen-Aaron Warren, William Pratt, Josiah G. Heald, Paul Gerrish, Aaron Keyes. Representative, Aaron Warren.
1829.
Moderator, Solomon Jewett, Jr. ; Clerk, Aaron Warren. Selectmen-Aaron Warren, William Pratt, Paul Gerrish, Aaron Keyes, Richard W. Pierce.
Representative, Aaron Warren.
1830.
Moderator, Solomon Jewett, Jr. : Clerk, Aaron Warren. Selectmen-Paul Gerrish, Aaron Keyes, Richard W. Pierce, Solomon Jewett. Jr., Benjamin Barrett, Jr. Representative, Aaron Warren.
1831. Moderator, Solomon Jewett. Jr. ; Clerk, Solomon Jewett, Jr., Selectmen-Solomon Jewett, Jr., Richard W. Pierce, Benjamin Barrett, Jr .. Josiah G. Heald, Isaac Spaulding. Sent no Representative.
*In 1827, "Voted that the town will abolish the custom of receiving a treat from their representative when chosen." Townsend commenced early in the temperance cause. Aaron Warren, this year, instead of furnishing the liquors, presented an expensive pall or burying-cloth to the town. This might have been intended as a symbol of public opinion which was preparing to bury His Majesty, King Alcohol.
48
374
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
1832. Moderator, Aaron Keyes ; Clerk, Solomon Jewett, Jr. Selectmen-Solomon Jewett, Jr., Richard W. Pierce, Benjamin Barrett. Jr., Joel Emery, Levi Sherwin.
Representative, Paul Gerrish.
1833. Moderator. Joel Adams ; Clerk, David Palmer. Selectmen-Solomon Jewett, Jr., Richard W. Pierce, Benjamin Barrett, Jr., Levi Ball, Abra- ham Seaver.
Representative, David Palmer.
1834. Moderator, Henry Sceva ; Clerk, Paul Gerrish. Selectmen-Paul Gerrish, Joel Emery, William Pratt.
Representatives, David Palmer and Elnathan Davis.
1835. Moderator, Joseph Steele ; Clerk, Paul Gerrish. Selectmen-Paul Gerrish, William Pratt, Benja- min Barrett, Jr.
Representatives, Joel Emery and David Palmer.
1836. Moderator, Samuel Adams ; Clerk, David Palmer. Selectmen-Quincy Sylvester, Luther Adams, Daniel Adams. Representatives. Joel Emery and Samuel Adams.
1837. Moderator, Samuel Adams ; Clerk, David Palmer. Selectmen-Joel Adams, Levi Ball, Elnathan Davis. Representative, Joel Emery.
375
TOWN OFFICERS.
1838. Moderator, Henry Sceva ; Clerk, David Palmer. Selectmen-William Pratt, Benjamin Barrett, Jr., Paul Gerrish. Representative, Josiah G. Heald.
1839. Moderator, Ezra Blood ; Clerk, Samuel Adams. Selectmen-Joel Adams, Joel Emery, Luther Adams.
Representative, Luther Adams.
1840. Moderator, Henry Sceva; Clerk, John Bertram. Selectmen-Joel Emery, Richard W. Pierce, William Pratt.
Representative, Daniel Giles.
1841. Moderator, Henry Sceva ; Clerk, John Bertram. Selectmen-Henry Sceva, Ebenezer Rawson, Henry A. Woods. Sent no Representative.
1842. Moderator, Henry Sceva ; Clerk, John Bertram. Selectmen-Henry Sceva, Henry A. Woods, Luther Adams. Representative, Henry Sceva.
1843. Moderator, Ezra Blood; Clerk, Daniel Giles. Selectmen-Paul Gerrish, Luther Adams, Daniel Adams.
Representative, Henry Sceva.
1844. Moderator, Ezra Blood ; Clerk, Daniel Giles. Selectmen-Paul Gerrish, Daniel Adams, Luther Adams. Sent no Representative.
376
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
I845. Moderator, Samuel Adams; Clerk, Daniel Giles. Selectmen-John Scales, Levi Stearns, Ebenezer Rawson.
Sent no Representative.
1846. Moderator, Daniel Adams; Clerk, Daniel Giles. Selectmen-John Scales, Joseph Adams, John Hart.
Representative, Levi Warren.
1847. Moderator, Ezra Blood, Jr. ; Clerk, Joseph Adams. Selectmen-Joseph Adams, Levi Stearns, John Hart.
Representative, Joel Kendall.
1848. Moderator, Ezra Blood, Jr. ; Clerk, Joseph Adams. Selectmen-Joseph Adams, Levi Stearns, Joel Emery.
Representative, Joel Emery.
1849. Moderator, Ezra Blood, Jr. : Clerk, Joseph Adams. Selectmen-Joel Emery, Luther Adams, Ezra Blood, Jr.
Representative. Samuel Hart.
1850. Moderator, Ezra Blood; Clerk, Joseph Adams. Selectmen-Joseph Adams, John Scales, Zimri Sherwin.
Representative, Henry A. Gerry.
1851. Moderator, Charles Powers; Clerk, Henry A. Gerry. Selectmen-Charles Powers, Aaron Pressey, Joel Emery. Representative, Samuel S. Haynes.
377
TOWN OFFICERS.
1852. Moderator, Levi Sherwin ; Clerk, Quincy A. Syl- vester. Selectmen-Quincy A. Sylvester, Levi Sherwin, Nathaniel F. Cummings. Sent no Representative.
1853. Moderator, Abram S. French ; Clerk, Quincy A. Sylvester. Selectmen-Daniel Adams, Nathan- iel F. Cummings, Charles B. Barrett. Sent no Representative.
1854. Moderator, Samuel Adams; Clerk, Daniel Ad- ams. Selectmen-Joseph Adams, Levi Stearns. Charles B. Barrett. Representative, Benjamin E. Wetherbee.
1855. Moderator, Ezra Blood ; Clerk, Rector T. Bart- lett. Selectmen-Nathaniel F. Cummings, Ezra Blood, James E. Adams. Representative. Frederick A. Worcester.
1856. Moderator, Eliab Going ; Clerk, Rector T. Bart- lett. Selectmen-Nathaniel F. Cummings, Dan- iel Adams, Alexander Craig. Representative, Luther Adams.
1857. Moderator, Eliab Going ; Clerk, Rector T. Bart- lett. Selectmen-Henry Sceva, Albert Howe. Benjamin E. Wetherbee. Representative, Frederick A. Worcester, of Town- send .*
* Townsend and Ashby constituted District No. 27, this year.
378
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
1858. Moderator, Ezra Blood; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Joseph Adams, William H. Lewis, Zimri Sherwin.
Representative, Noah Ball, of Townsend.
1859.
Moderator, Ezra Blood; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-John Scales, Jr., John Whitcomb, Jonathan Pierce.
Representative, Alexander Craig, of Townsend.
1860. Moderator, Christopher Gates ; Clerk, Daniel Ad- ams. Selectmen-John Scales, Jr., Alexander Craig, Benjamin F. Lewis.
Representative, Joseph Foster, of Ashby.
1861. Moderator, Ezra Blood; Clerk, Ezra Blood. Se- lectmen-Nathaniel F. Cummings, Alexander Craig, Benjamin F. Lewis. Representative, Abram S. French, of Townsend.
1862. Moderator, Edwin A. Larkin; Clerk, Noah Wallace. Selectmen-Nathaniel F. Cummings, Alexander Craig, Benjamin F. Lewis. Representative, Abram S. French, of Townsend. 1863. Moderator, Samuel S. Haynes: Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Nathaniel F. Cummings, Oliver H. Pratt, Charles H. Warren. Representative, Paul Gates, of Ashby.
1864.
Moderator, Stillman Haynes; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Nathaniel F. Cummings. James N. Tucker, Newton C. Boutell. Representative, Anson D. Fessenden, of Town- send.
379
TOWN OFFICERS.
1865. Moderator, Stillman Haynes ; Clerk, Daniel
Adams. Selectmen-Oliver Proctor, Stillman Haynes, Abel G. Stearns.
Representative, George L. Hitchcock, of Ashby.
1866.
Moderator, Samuel S. Haynes; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Abel G. Stearns, Noah Ball, Edwin A. Larkin.
Representative, Noah Wallace, of Townsend.
1867. Moderator, Christopher Gates; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Abel G. Stearns, Benjamin F. Lewis, Edwin A. Larkin. Representative, Jonathan Pierce, of Townsend .*
I868. Moderator, Christopher Gates; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Abel G. Stearns, Edwin A. Larkin, Jonathan Pierce. Representative, A. A. Plympton, of Shirley.
1869. Moderator, Christopher Gates ; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Abel G. Stearns, Charles Osgood, Benjamin Brown. Representative, Samuel R. Damon, of Ashby.
1870. Moderator, Christopher Gates; Clerk, Daniel Adams. Selectmen-Abel G. Stearns, Charles Osgood, Benjamin Brown. Representative, Benjamin F. Lewis, of Townsend.
* In 1867, Townsend, Ashby and Shirley, constituted a representative district. Middlesex county was entitled to forty-one of the two hundred and forty members of the House of Representatives.
380
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
1871. Moderator, Ithamar B. Sawtelle: Clerk, Chris- topher Gates. Selectmen-Abel G. Stearns, Benjamin Brown, Joshua S. Page. Representative, Alvin Lawton, of Shirley.
1872. Moderator, Ithamar B. Sawtelle; Clerk, Chris- topher Gates. Selectmen-Abel G. Stearns, Benjamin Brown, Joshua S. Page. Representative, Samuel S. Haynes, of Townsend.
. 1873. Moderator, Ithamar B. Sawtelle: Clerk, Chris- topher Gates. Selectmen-Abel G. Stearns, Benjamin Brown, Joshua S. Page. Representative, Alonzo A. Carr, of Ashby.
1874. Moderator, Albert L. Fessenden ; Clerk, Christo- pher Gates. Selectmen-Charles Osgood, Eliot Moore, Ephraim S. Wilder.
Representative, Edwin A. Spaulding, of Town- send.
1875. Moderator. Albert L. Fessenden ; Clerk, Chris- topher Gates. Selectmen-Charles Osgood, Ephraim S. Wilder. George A. Upton. Representative, Samuel Longley, of Shirley.
1876. Moderator, Ithamar B. Sawtelle ; Clerk, Christo- pher Gates. Selectmen-Ephraim S. Wilder. Abel G. Stearns, Eugene R. Kilbourn. Representative, Alfred M. Adams, of Townsend .*
* In 1876, Ayer, Ashby. Shirley and Townsend. constituted one representative district.
381
TOWN OFFICERS.
1877. Moderator, Ithamar B. Sawtelle; Clerk, Christo- pher Gates. Selectmen-Abel G. Stearns, Ben- jamin Brown, Benjamin Henecy.
Representative, George V. Barrett, of Ayer.
1878. Moderator, Ithamar B. Sawtelle; Clerk, William P. Taylor. Selectmen-Abel G. Stearns, Ben- jamin Brown, Edwin A. Spaulding.
The following is a list of the Justices of the Peace. in Townsend, since its incorporation in 1732 :---
JOHN STEVENS,
HIRAM WALCOTT,
ISRAEL HOBART,
SAMUEL JENKINS,
JAMES LOCKE,
FREDERICK A. WORCESTER,
DANIEL ADAMS,
LEVI STEARNS,
ISAAC MULLIKIN,
JAMES N. TUCKER,
JOSIAH RICHARDSON,
NOAH BALL,
SAMUEL BROOKS,
HENRY SCEVA,
AARON WARREN,
HARTWELL GRAHAM,
WALTER HASTINGS,
EPHRAIM S. WILDER.
SHOBAL C. ALLEN,
STILLMAN HAYNES,
RICHARD WARNER,
ITHAMAR B. SAWTELLE,
ALBERT HOWE.
LEVI SHERWIN, AARON KEYES,
GEORGE TAFT.
The town, in the choice of its officers, especially dur- ing the early part of its existence, invariably put the right men in the right place. For example, in 1735, the town "chose Capt. John Stevens to appear at the General Court to get the lands subjected," that is, have a law passed whereby non-residents' land should be taxed. "Voted that he shall ask the Honorable Court for two pence an acre for the first year, and one penny for the next two years." John Stevens was a field surveyor, and had a large acquaintance in Middlesex county.
49
382
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
The court granted the request of the town, and for a long time the tax on non-residents' lands was a penny an acre. The payers of this tax, living in the oldest settled towns in the province, were men of wealth, and some of them were members of the Assembly, which acceded to the request of the town, made through Capt. Stevens. Thirty pounds of the penny acre "rait" were appropriated "toward finishing some part of the meeting house."
In 1738, "Voted that Capt. John Stevens appear in the name and behalf of the town, to desire of the town of Groton, that the bridge over the great river, in said town, be forthwith rebuilt, or upon their refusal to make applica- tion at Quarter Sessions next to be holden at Concord, that a county road may forthwith be laid out through Groton."
For a time, this was delayed; but the Townsend people were determined to have a county road laid out from this town to Groton, which would require a bridge over the Nashua, where the Fitch bridge now stands. James Locke, Jr., with suitable assistance, surveyed a route for this road, and drew a plan of it, which was pre- sented to the Court. (This plan may now be seen in the office of the Secretary of State, volume 4, page 51, an- cient plans and maps.) A county road, according to the plan, was ordered by the Court. Groton felt aggrieved because the town was obliged to build and maintain so many bridges, and claimed that Townsend should be compelled to bear one-half of the expense of the bridge, according to Locke's survey, which was greatly for the benefit of Townsend .*
* Butler's history of Groton, page 55.
383
TOWN OFFICERS.
Groton had as many bridges over the Nashua, in 1751. as at the present time, and in nearly the same places. The present road between Townsend and Groton, after entering the limits of the town of Pepperell, is situated further north than the one surveyed and accepted for the county road, at that time, which is now discontinued. Considerable feeling was manifested between the citizens of the two towns. The people of Townsend accomplished their object, whether justly or not, through the adroit management of two or three sharp men.
It appears that wild animals, either ferocious or timid, were not numerous here, when the town was settled. The bear and the wolf had receded from the sound of the woodman's axe. Occasionally one of these animals would make a raid on the flocks and herds. Eldad Bailey, a truthful old gentleman, now eighty-seven years old, says that he saw Capt. Zacheriah Hildreth shoot a bear near his (Mr. Bailey's) house, when he was a boy. The ani- mal had a piece of a log chain-link in his body, which he probably received from the gun of an Ashby man who shot at him with that ammunition, a considerable time pre- vious to his capture. Deer in pairs, and in small herds, were seen at times. An effort was made, for a long time, to protect these animals from the pitiless marksmen. Two officers were annually chosen, called deer-reeves, whose duty it was to inform if any one molested the deer at cer- tain times during the year, and to assist in punishing the offenders against the regulation of the town concerning that animal.
384
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
In 1734, the town chose three hog-reeves. The duty of these officers was to take care of the hogs, which were allowed to run at large for more than eighty years after the incorporation of the town. The hogs "were rung," as it was called ; that is, a piece of wire was put through the upper part of the hog's snout, bent in the form of a ring, and twisted together at the ends. When the creature commenced subsoiling, the wire would cause pain and prevent the operation. The animals were prevented from going through fences, by a wooden yoke. If the citizens neglected to put this regalia on their porcine workmen, the hog-reeves were obliged to do it for them for which a regular fee was allowed. A little mirth always attended the election of these officers. The three latest married men were sure to be chosen on this board. No one ever became angry, or considered himself insulted, by being honored with the office, but patiently waited to see how much fun he could have with his successors.
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