USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our county and its people : A history of Hampden County, Massachusetts. Volume 2 > Part 40
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"In regard to the Episcopal Church," Mr. Gibbs says, "we have not been able to learn much of its early history. We are informed, however, that about the year 1790, the Rev. Mr. Badger asked for a dismission from the Presbyterian Church, but was refused by his church and society. This placed Mr. Badger in a dilemma from which it required no little strata- gem to extricate himself. To succeed in his wishes, it is said he commenced preaching with great power and efficiency the doc- trine of unconditional election. This caused a division in the congregation. The disaffected portion separated from the other
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and established a new church after the form of the Church of England. This church sustained preaching a part of the time, until about the 1830. At this time the church erected an Episco- pal church edifice. The institutions of the church were sus- tained for about fifteen years. They have (1850) a snug fund, the object of which is to sustain the ministry."
The intensely religious spirit of the first settlers of Bland- ford may be further illustrated by a "covenant with God," writ- ten and signed by David Boies, as follows :
"Eternal Jehovah, I desire to come unto thee a poor wretched sinner, a miserable creature who am full of sin and of iniquity, defiled in all the powers and faculties of both soul and body by reason of original sin and actual transgression, and am justly liable unto thy wrath and displeasure not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and that I can by no power of mine own nor no created being, either angels or men, can help me out of this miserable condition in which I am, and seeing those hast made known to me in thy Blessed name that there is a way provided for the relief and recovery of poor sin- ners in and through Jesus Christ, and hath been pleased to con- descend so low as to make known to me the way how to obtain the pardon of my sins and be again restored unto God's favour, and the way is if ever I expect salvation in and through the blessed redeemer Jesus Christ I must be denied to myself and all mine own righteousness and to accept of him as he is freely offered in the Gospel and to be for thee and never for another, and to follow thee through good report and Bad report and to continue faithful unto my life's end.
"And now O Lord the Eternal God, the wonderful, con- descending and merciful God, the heart searching and re- intrieng God who hath been pleased of thy boundless and infinit mercy to provide such a way of relief in and through Jesus Christ the only Saviour and redeemer of poor Lost and undon sinners and hast made proclamation in the Gospel that whoso- ever cometh to thee in and through him thou will in no way cast out, and has invited the weary heavy laden sinner to come unto thee and they shall find rest unto their soule and seeing O Lord
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God thou hast been pleased to invite such a poor wretched sin- ner as I am to come and enter into covenant with thee who De- serveth rather to be cast into hell for my sins than to have such a kind offer made unto me: yet O Lord God seeing thou art pleased of thy infinit mercy to condecend so low as to invite me poor sinfull miserabl me to come and enter into covenant with thee, which would have indeed Been unpardonable presumption in me to have attempted to do were it not that thou has invited me to come. I do hartily imbrace the offer O Lord Let it be a Bargin Lord of Belive help my unbelif Lord I give myself to thee to be for thee and to serve thee for ever Lord let thy grace be suficent for me and now O Lord my request and my petition is to thee for Grace to help me to perform this covenant aright and O Lord God let not my failings mak void this covenant: now ( Lord God what I have now don on earth let it be ratified in heaven amen and amen.
"Deated the 18th of April; 1728 David Boies."
The penmanship of the original is excellent. All the pecu- liarities of the original are, so far as possible, preserved in the above copy.
At Blandford village :
"In the year 1826 a Baptist church was organized, consist- irg of about 40 members. The following year the Rev. Charles A. Turner was ordained, and preached here for several years. During his ministration numbers were added by baptism and profession of faith to the church. There are several worthy fam- ilies who have sustained preaching a part of the time until the past year." (1849). From Mr. Gibbs' address. At that time they numbered 35 members.
The Methodist Episcopal Church at the village of Bland- ford was organized and a meeting-house erected about 1846; and it has been quite prosperous since its organization. Mr. D. P. Robinson and the Rev. N. E. Cobleigh were active in its organiza- tion. About this time there was a transfer of many members from the church at North Blandford to this church.
Rev. N. E. Cobleigh appears to have been the first pastor in the years 1845-1846; Rev. Mr. Ward, 1847-1848; Rev. Mr. Cha-
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THE TOWN OF BLANDFORD
pin, 1848-1850; Rev. H. M. Bridges, 1851-1852; Rev. M. Leffing- well, 1853; Rev. B. F. Green, 1854; Rev. J. W. Lee, 1855-1856; Rev. J. H. Gaylord, 1857; Rev. J. Capen, 1858-1859; Rev. Ephraim Scott, 1860; Rev. F. C. Morse, 1861- August 1862, when he enlisted in the civil war; Rev. Thomas B. Treadwell, 1863- 1864; Rev. J. H. Gaylord, 1865-1866; Rev. E. J. Stevens, 1867- 1868; Rev. D. K. Merrill, 1869-1870; Rev. N. M. D. Granger, 1871-1872; Rev. R. F. Holway, 1873-1874; Rev. George Hewes, 1875; Rev. J. W. Cole, 1876-1877; Rev. W. T. Miller, 1878-1880; Rev. A. O. Abbott, 1881-1883; Rev. W. Ferguson, 1884-1885 ; Rev. Joseph Wood, 1886; Rev. W. H. Atkinson, 1887-1888; Rev. Joseph Wood, 1886; Rev. W. H. Atkinson, 1887, 1888; Rev. George Hudson, 1889-1891; Rev. John Van Bast, 1892; Rev. Nelson L. Porter, 1893-1895; Rev. John Mason, 1896; Rev. J. Hall Long, 1897; Rev. E. B. Marshall, 1898-1900; Rev. H. H. Weyant, 1901.
Mr. Gibbs in his address in 1850, devoted some space to the subject of Temperance in Blandford, and quoted some votes taken at town-meetings to pay for liquors used in connection with some officers touching the church. This of itself was not unusual in those times. Other town records show like votes. He notes that "There have been in Blandford since the incorporation of the town, 38 taverners. Of these 3 died of delirium tremens; 17 became intemperate; one died in the poor house; 18 lost their property ; 17 did not improve their pecuniary condition by the business. Three only acquired property; 4 were cursed with intemperate wives; 25 sons and 4 daughters became intem- perate."
At a reunion of the sons and daughters of Blandford August 26, 1897, Rev. H. L. Hastings, the orator of the day, gave sub- stantially the account quoted above from Mr. Gibbs' address, and added this fact: "I know an old cellar in the town of Blandford, where, I have been told, 200 barrels of cider have been stored in the fall, and rolled out in the spring and distilled into brandy, which was drank and sold; and the man who owned that cellar was a preacher of the gospel." It is a lamentable fact that the condition of things in Blandford justify the above
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statements. "Early in the 19th century the pastor of the church, Rev. John Keep, fought the rum traffic single handed and alone." But, to the credit of the town, such a state of things could not exist, nor would it be tolerated to-day. It is a relict of the olden time when taverns were scattered along the highways every four or five miles-in the old stage times and when the old methods of transportation were in use-before the railroad came.
Mr. Gibbs gives an account of minerals in Blandford on the authority of Dr. Shurtleff, then residing in Westfield. But the general chapter on the geology of the county refers to every- thing of practical value.
But Mr. Gibbs gives an account of an incident which the writer used to hear accounts of in his boyhood, and it was be- lieved to have some foundation in fact. "About the year 1795, John Baird, who lived in the north part of the 'second division', discovered a mass of lead and silver ore near the north line of the town. He cast a portion of it into balls, and sent one pound of it by Mr. Knox, then our Representative, to Boston, to be an- alyzed. It proved to contain nine ounces of lead and and two ounces of silver to the pound. A number of gentlemen from Boston made Mr. Baird an offer, which would make him inde- pendently rich, if he would show them the place where he had discovered the ore. He went from home in a clear sun-shiny day through the wilderness into a valley which united with the Chester river. The fog from the river rendered said valley so dark that it frightened Baird, who was superstitious, to such a degree that neither money nor friends could induce him ever after to visit the place. Hundreds have searched for that mine, but have never discovered it. There is no doubt but that if found, it might be worked to great pecuniary advantage." There were many people in Blandford and in Chester who concurred with Mr. Gibbs' opinion. Several attempts have been made in Blandford to search both for silver and gold.
The population of the town. In 1776, 772; 1790, 1,416; 1800, 1,778; 1810, 1,613; 1820, 1,515; 1830, 1,590; 1840, 1,427; 1850, 1,515; 1860, 1,256; 1870, 1,020; 1880, 979; 1890, 871; 1900, 836.
Burial places. There are four cemeteries in town; the most ancient is in the village of Blandford near the school house, and
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was laid out in 1742. The new cemetery in the village is opposite the meeting-house. There is one at North Blandford, and there is one in the south part of the town about 11/2 miles south of Blair pond.
School houses. There are twelve school houses in the town. The first action of the town upon the subject of schools appears to have been taken in September, 1756, when the town voted that £3 be expended to hire a school teacher. The first regular school in town was taught by James Carter, a sea captain, in the house of Robert Black. For several years the schools were kept in dwelling houses, and continued only two months in the year. In 1758, the town voted "That the five pounds Given to us By the Honorable Corte and two pounds more to Be applied to the use of schooling."
The record shows that in 1759 the town voted £6 for school purposes that year; and Isaac Gibbs, James Montgomery, William Mitchell were chosen a committee to look after the schools, and hire teachers. In 1760 £10 were appropriated for schooling. In 1762 the town was divided into three school dis- tricts, and three school houses were built, after which rapid progress was made in education, a teacher being employed for three months in the year. In 1802 the town was divided into thirteen school districts. One of these districts included a part of Chester Village.
During the year 1805 widow Jane Taggart bequeathed to school district number 3 $1,200 for the purposes of education within that district. And by act of the legislature, March 9, 1808, Ephraim Gibbs and eighteen others were incorporated as "trustees to receive and hold said legacy, and all other money for the purpose aforesaid, however accruing, to the amount of eighty-five hundred dollars; and real estate to the amount of five thousand dollars in trust, for the use and benefit of the in- habitants of said district, and the permanent support of schools within the same; and shall constitute a body politic and cor- porate, to have perpetual succession for the due and faithful management of said trust; and shall be vested with all powers incident to corporations, necessary or requisite for that purpose."
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Union Agricultural Society Fair, 1897. " A Blandford Cattle Show " Exhibit
THE TOWN OF BLANDFORD
In March, 1833, an additional act was passed by the legisla- ture, constituting the freeholders of the district the trustees of the fund. This fund was put at interest. By aid of this fund the cause of education was greatly advanced not only in that district but in the town at large.
There is a Free Library in the village. The number of books in 1897, 1,756 volumes.
Agricultural Society. The Union Agricultural and Horti- cutural Society was incorporated in 1867. The act states that "Enos W. Boies, Howard P. Robinson, Henry A. Blair, their associates and successors, are hereby made a corporation by the name of the Union Agricultural and Horticultural Society, and established in the town of Blandford," etc. It originally raised by contribution $4,447.23 ; and in 1897 had $9,000 invested as a capital stock in real estate and personal. Total assets $9,099.65, of which $8,000 was in real estate. In that year it paid in pre- miums and gratuities $1,152, which went to 19 cities and towns. One hundred and ninety-eight received premiums and ninety-two gratuities. The society reported 1,308 members-605 males and 703 females. The annual fairs and cattle shows held on the sightly grounds of the society, are attended by hundreds of people from the surrounding towns, and the occasion is Bland- ford's gala day.
Blandford as a summer resort. The great altitude of this town, the extensive view from the village and vicinity, the dry and invigorating atmosphere, the unsurpassed op- portunities for erecting fine residences with ample grounds, and the fine drives about the town, bring many people every summer from Springfield and other cities to this locality. A stage runs from the village to the railroad station to Russell twice a day or oftener, a distance of 4 miles. There have usually been two hotels in the village. But many of the summer resi- dents occupy their own cottages, the number of which increases yearly. The citizens are hopeful that in a year or two they will enjoy the advantages of a line of trolley cars to Russell.
The following is a list of Blandford men who served in the revolutionary war :
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Minute men who responded to the Lexington alarm: Capt. John Ferguson, Lieut. David Hamilton, Sergeants Silas Noble, James Nut; Corporals James Stewart, Moses Ker; Privates Timothy Blair, Joseph Baird, Archable Black, John Crooks, Cornelius Cochran, Solomon Ferguson, Samuel Hamilton, Oliver Knox, John Knox, James Knox, David Kennedy, John Kennedy, William Mitchell, Alexander Moroson, John Proven, Matthew Proven, Jehial Stewart, Spencer Stewart, John Savage, John Wheeler, Jonathan Henry, Reuben Boies, Robert Blair, Joel Boies.
Names of those other than the minute men who served in the war: James Anderson, John Ashmun, Stephen Bullard, Barzilla Benjamin, Nathan Bennett, Ebenezer Bartlett, John Blair, David Boies, David Butler, Thomas Bigelow, David Blair, David Black, James Blair, Jr., Matthew Blair, Jacob Blair, John Black, Seth Blair, William Crooks, Nathaniel Cannon, David Campbell, John Coney, Robert Currey, William Cannon, Samuel Ellis, William Fullerton, Elisha Fobes, Jonathan Frarey, Joseph Gilbert, Warham Gunn, James Gilmore, John Gibb, Isaac Gibbs, William Gilmore, David Harroun, Asa Havens, Jonah Halliday, Charles Hewes, James Hogan, Joel Hayden, David Knox, William Knox, Elijah Knox, William Lindsey, John Lindsey, William Longhead, James Longhead, 2d., John Longhead, 2d., David McConoughey, Michael McManus, James Matthews, Elijah More, James More, Alexander Morrison, William Mor- rison, Robert McGorney, James Pelton, Abner Pease, Abner Ramsey, Spencer Stow, Jedediah Simonds, Timothy Simonds, Joshua Stevens, Moses Steward, Sylvanus Steward, Christopher Smith, Samuel Sloper, William Thompson, Stephen Velleau, Joel White, Ephraim Warfield, Jonathan Gregg Wilson, Moses Wheeler, John White, John Wilson, Reuben Warfield, John Watson, James Wallace, Stephen Ward.
Names of men who served for Blandford, but were from other towns: James Law of Boston, Thomas Thorp of Boston, William Fry of Boston, Gilbert McIntire, Michael Tuway, John Benbeck, Samuel Fry, all of Boston; Henry Flood of Falmouth, Jonathan Bissell of Windsor, Elijah Atkinson, a sea-faring man,
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Paul Langdon of Cambridge, Jonathan Norton, a transient man, Timothy Smith of Murrayfield, Samuel Peters of London and Moses Eggleston of Murrayfield.
CIVIL LIST
Selectmen. 1742-43, David Boies, Robert Cook, Jas. Hazzard, John Stewart, John Young: 1744, Wm. Knox, David Boies, John Steward, Jas. Hazzard, Jas. Montgomery; 1745, David Boies, Wm. Knox, John Stewart, Jas. Montgomery, Jas, Hazzard; 1746, Thomas Read, John Hamilton, Matthew Blair, William Donohue, David Campbell; 1747, David Boies, Robert Wilson, Jas. Mont- gomery, John Stewart, John Hamilton; 1748, Samuel Crooks, Israel Gibbs, Matthew Blair, James Baird, Robert Black; 1749, Walter Stewart, Israel Gibbs, John Knox, Robert Black, Mat- thew Blair; 1750, David Boies, Robert Henry, Israel Gibbs, William Knox, Matthew Blair; 1751, Robert Henry, Walter Stewart, Matthew Blair, William Boies, Robert Black; 1752, David Boies, David McConoughey, Israel Gibbs, Walter Stewart, William Boies; 1753, Robert Huston, Israel Gibbs, William Hus- ton, Robert Henry, John Boies; 1754, Robert Henry, Robert Blair, William Boies, Robert Black, John Boies; 1755, Robert Henry, William Boies, Matthew Blair, Robert Black, John Boies ; 1756, Robert Henry, Robert Black, William Boies, John Hamil- ton ; 1757, Robert Henry, Robert Black, Samuel Boies, David Black, William Knox; 1758, Robert Henry, John Knox, David Black, John Boies, James Montgomery; 1759, Robert Henry, Israel Gibbs, John Knox, Matthew Blair, John Hamilton; 1760, Robert Henry, John Knox, Robert Black, David McConoughey, John Hamilton; 1761, Robert Henry, David McConoughey, Robert Black, William Mitchell, William Knox; 1762, Samuel Boies, David Black, John Hamilton, Nathaniel Pease, William Knox; 1763, Samuel Boies, Nathaniel Pease, William Knox, William Boies, Robert Blair; 1764, John Hamilton, Robert Henry, David McConoughey, Nathaniel Pease, William Boies; 1765, William Boies, William Knox, Israel Gibbs, William Mitchell, John Hamilton; 1766, Robert Blair, John Wilson, William Mitchell, William Knox, Samuel Ferguson; 1767, John
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Hamilton, Robert Blair, William Boies, John Knox, William Mitchell; 1768, Robert Blair, William Boies, John Hamilton, Israel Gibbs; 1769, Robert Blair, William Boies, John Hamilton, John Scott, Jr., Alexander Osborn; 1770, Robert Blair, William Boies, William Knox, Israel Gibbs, David McConoughey; 1771, William Boies, Robert Blair, William Knox, John Scott, David McConoughey ; 1772, William Knox, Robert Blair, Samuel Boies, William Carnahan, William Boies; 1773-74, William Knox, William Carnahan, Solomon Brown, John Furguson, Juda Bement; 1775, Juda Bement, David McConoughey, William Carnahan, William Knox, Samuel Boies; 1776, Samuel Boies, Juda Bement, David McConoughey, Samuel Sloper, John Knox ; 1777, John Knox, Samuel Boies, Juda Bement, Solomon Stewart, Isaac Gibbs; 1778, William Boies, Samuel Sloper, Solomon Stewart, John Furguson, Isaac Gibbs; 1779, Samuel Sloper, David Conoughey, Nathaniel Taggart, Ephraim Gibbs, Solomon Brown; 1780, John Wilson, John Furguson, William Knox, Robert Blair, Israel Gibbs; 1781, Wareham Parks, Justin Ash- mun, John Gibbs, Samuel Ferguson, Samuel Cannon; 1782, Wareham Parks, David McConoughey, William Boies, Justin Ashmun, John Scott; 1783, William Boies, Wareham Parks, John Scott, Reuben Boies, John Hamilton; 1784, Wareham Parks, John Scott, Samuel Boies, Samuel Sloper, John Fergu- son ; 1785, Wareham Parks, Samuel Sloper, John Scott, John Watson, Robert Lawhead; 1786, Samuel Sloper, Samuel Boies, John Ferguson, Justin Ashmun, John Watson; 1787, Samuel Sloper, Samuel Boies, John Cochran, David Boies, Asa Blair; 1788, John Ferguson, Samuel Beard, Reuben Boies, Isaac Gibbs, Samuel Knox ; 1789, John Ferguson, Reuben Boies, Robert Blair, Jr., Timothy Blair, Timothy Hatch; 1790, Robert Blair, Jr., Reuben Boies, Timothy Hatch, Asa Blair, Samuel Boies; 1791-92, Robert Blair, Jr., Reuben Boies, Timothy Hatch, Timothy Blair, David Boies; 1793, Samuel Sloper, Reuben Boies, David Boies, Ebenezer Bruce, Adam Blair; 1794, David McConoughey, David Boies, Asa Blair, Samuel Knox, Timothy Hatch; 1795, David McConoughey, David Boies, Reuben Boies, Rufus Blair, William Knox; 1796, David McConoughey, William Knox, Timothy
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Hatch, William Knox, Jr., Jedediah Smith; 1797, David Boies, Jedediah Smith, William Knox, Reuben Boies, Samuel Knox; 1798, David Boies, William Knox, Asa Blair, Abner Pease, Rus- sell Atwater; 1799, David Boies, Asa Blair, David McConoughey, Abner Pease, John Crooks; 1800, David Boies, William Knox, Reuben Boies, Asa Blair, David McConoughey ; 1801, Asa Blair, Russell Atwater, William Knox, Reuben Boies, John Hamilton ; 1802, David Boies, Reuben Boies, Adam Blair, Russell Atwater, Reuben Blair; 1803, Asa Blair, David Boies, Reuben Boies, Reuben Blair, Eli P. Ashmun; 1804, Reuben Boies, Eli P. Ash- mun, David Boies, Samuel Knox, Asa Blair; 1805; Eli P. Ashmun, David Boies, William Knox, Reuben Boies, Abijah Babcock; 1806, Eli P. Ashmun, Samuel Knox, Reuben Blair, William Knox, Abijah Babcock; 1807, David Boies, William Knox, Samuel Knox, Asa Blair, Nathaniel Cannon; 1808, Wil- liam Knox, Reuben Boies, Adam Blair, David C. Osborne, Samuel Boies, 2d; 1809, David Boies, Asa Blair, Samuel Knox, David Boies, 2d, Robert Lloyd; 1810, Samuel Knox, David Boies, 2d, Andrew Wilson, Robert Lloyd, John Hamilton; 1811, Samuel Knox, Reuben Blair, David Boies, Samuel C. Gibbs; 1812, Samuel Knox, Andrew Wilson, Reuben Blair, Solomon Noble, Isaac Lloyd; 1813, Samuel Knox, Reuben Blair, Andrew Wilson, David Boies, 2d, David Blair, 2d; 1814, Samuel Knox, Andrew Wilson, David Boies, 2d, David Blair, 2d, Isaac Lloyd; 1815, Samuel Knox, Reuben Boies, David Boies, 2d, Andrew Wilson, Abner Gibbs; 1816, Reuben Boies, David Boies, 2d, Tsaac Lloyd, Andrew White, Abner Gibbs; 1817, Reuben Boies, David Boies, 2d, Abner Gibbs, David Blair, 2d, John Gibbs; 1818, Abner Gibbs, David Blair, 2d, Isaac Lloyd, Reuben Boies, 2d., Israel Cannon; 1819, Abner Gibbs, Reuben Boies, Jr., John Gibbs, Setphen Rowley, Henry Knox; 1820, Abner Gibbs, David Boies, 3d, David Blair, Jr .; 1821, David Blair, Jr., Reuben Boies, Jr., David Boies, 2d; 1822, Reuben Boies, Jr., David Boies, 3d, Robert Lloyd, Enos Boies, Israel Cannon; 1823, Reuben Boies, Jr., David Blair, Jr., Israel Cannon ; 1824; David Blair, Jr., Israel Cannon, Henry Tracy, Justin Wilson, James Watson; 1825-26, Israel Cannon, Henry Tracy, Justin Wilson;
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1827, Henry Tracy, Justin Wilson, David Blair, 3d; 1828, Henry Tracy, Justin Wilson, Adam Blair, Jr .; 1829, Henry Tracy, Adam Blair, Curtis Knox; 1830, Adam Blair, Jr., Justin Wilson, Oliver Watson; 1831, Abner Gibbs, David Parks, Curtis Hall; 1832, Logan Crosby, Alfred Smith, Porter Gibbs; 1833, Logan Crosby, Alfred Smith, Kilbourn Bates; 1834-35, Kilbourn Bates, Curtis Hall, Spelman Gibbs ; 1836, Kilbourn Bates, Lester E. Gibbs, Joel Hall; 1837, Lester E. Gibbs, David Parks, Reuben Boies ; 1838, Edward Ely, Curtis Hall, Milton Boies; 1839, Orrin Sage, Lyman Gibbs, Justin Wilson; 1840, Lyman Gibbs, Orrin Sage, Olcott Osborn; 1841, Orrin Sage, Olcott Osborn; 1842, Olcott Osborn, Leverett Sackett, William C. Clark; 1843, Justin Wilson, Leverett Sackett, Kilbourn Bates; 1844, Justin Wilson, Adam Blair, Edwin Ely; 1845, Adam Blair, Edwin Ely, Kil- bourn Bates; 1846, Edwin Ely, Orrin Sage, Justin Knox ; 1847, Justin Wilson, F. W. Gibbs, Albert Knox ; 1848, George C. Gibbs, John F. Collister, Westley L. Boies ; 1849, W. L. Boies, John F. Collister, Thomas S. Chaffe; 1850, T. S. Chaffe, Leverett Sackett, John Parks ; 1851, Albert Knox, John Parks, S. A. Bartholomew ; 1852, Albert Knox, S. A. Bartholomew, Thomas Herrick; 1853, Thomas Herrick, S. A. Bartholomew, John Cross; 1854, Albert Knox, Leverett Sackett, Curtis Hall; 1855, Thomas S. Chaffe, Linus Shepard, Stephen Burton ; 1856, S. A. Bartholomew, Israel M. Gibbs, Eli P. Hayden ; 1857, Samuel A. Bartholomew, E. W. Shepard, Eli H. Osborn; 1858, E. W. Shepard, Alva Foot, Eli Osborn; 1859, E. W. Shepard, Eli Osborn, Charles Lee; 1860, George C. Gibbs, Frank C. Knox, B. S. Bracket; 1861, T. S. Chaffe, Lyman K. Norton, David Bates; 1862, James C. Hins- dale, William M. Lewis, Alfred Peckham; 1863, Watson E. Boies, Francis Bates, Eli A. Cross; 1864, Samuel A. Bartholomew, William M. Lewis, H. D. Tinker; 1865, William M. Lewis, Eli Osborn, George C. Collister ; 1866, Eli Osborn, Charles M. Wait, Henry K. Herrick ; 1867, George C. Gibbs, F. C. Knox, William H. H. Blair; 1868, Francis Bates, Franklin C. Knox, Alva. Bishop ; 1869, F. C. Knox, Wm. H. H. Blair, Eli A. Cross; 1870, Franklin C. Knox, Noah B. Nye, James F. Blair ; 1871, Henry K. Herrick, Noah B. Nye, James F. Blair; 1872, E. W. Shepard,
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George C. Collister, James W. Knox; 1873, Franklin C. Knox, Henry S. Burdick, Lewis C. Nye; 1874, F. C. Knox, S. A. Bar- tholomew, Lewis C. Nye; 1875-79, H. K. Herrick, James W. Knox, Jarvis J. Lloyd ; 1880, James W. Knox, Jarvis J. Lloyd, William Bates; 1881, 1882, James W. Knox, Lyman R. Nye, Wil- liam Bates; 1883, James W. Knox, William Bates, William H. Watson; 1884, William Bates, William H. Watson, Martin S. Phelps; 1885, 1886, 1887, James W. Knox, Henry E. Lee, Mar- vin A. Hall; 1888, James W. Knox, Fred M. Waite, Edward W. Bennett; 1889, James W. Knox, Fred M. Waite, Joseph H. Moore: 1890, James W. Knox, Fred M. Waite, E. A. Bishop; 1891, James W. Knox, E. A. Bishop, H. S. Burdick; 1892, E. A. Bishop, H. S. Burdick, William H. Lewis; 1893, E. A. Bishop, William H. Lewis, Lee W. Higgins; 1894, 1895, Edward A. Bishop, Lee W. Higgins, J. E. Cooney ; 1896, E. A. Bishop, John E. Cooney, W. D. Healy ; 1897, E. A. Bishop, James W. Knox, B. H. White; 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, J. E. Cooney, S. H. Bodurtha, A. W. Lloyd.
Town clerks. James Hazzard, 1742-48; John Knox, 1748; David Boies, 1749-52; David McConoughey, 1752; William Hus- ton, 1753 ; Robert Black, 1757-57 ; Robert Henry, 1757-62 ; William Boies, 1762-66 ; Robert Blair, 1766 ; William Boies, 1767-73; Judah Bement, 1773-78; Robert Blair, 1778; David McConoughey, 1779-84; Samuel Sloper, 1784-88; Robert Blair, 1788-94; David McConoughey, 1794-1806; Joseph Bull, 1806-9; Reuben Blair, 1809-11 ; Alanson Knox, 1811-19; Orrin Sage, 1819-21; Alanson Knox, 1821-30; Russell A. Wilson, 1830-32; Orrin Sage, 1832- 36 : Samuel S. Day, 1836-38 ; Orrin Sage, 1838; Enos Boise, 1839- 43; Thomas S. Chaffee, 1843-49; David P. Robinson, 1849; Justin Wilson, 1850-52; Thomas S. Chaffee, 1852-54; Watson E. Boise, 1854; Elisha W. Shepard, 1855; Timothy R. Boise, 1856-58; Norman V. Lewis, 1858-65; B. R. Norton, 1865; Elisha W. Shepard, 1866-80; Henry K. Herrick, 1880; Levi D. Tiffany, 1881: Enos W. Boise, 1882 to the present time.
Representatives prior to the division of the county :
To the Provincial Congress-1775: William Knox and Wil- liam Carnahan.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
Gibbs says that "For many years the town could not get any one to accept the office of representative, and as appears from the records, 'voted to send if we can get any one to ac- cept.' " But the following list shows that they could get some to go to the General Court: 1787, Timothy Blair; 1789, John Ferguson ; 1792, 1793, 1794, Reuben Boies; 1795 and '96, Jede- diah Smith; 1797, Reuben Boies; 1799 and 1801, William Knox; 1803 and 1804, Eli P. Ashmun; 1805 and 1806, David Boies ; 1807, Joseph Bull; 1808, Edward Pinchon; 1809, David Boies ; 1811, Samuel Knox; 1812, Alanson Knox.
Civil War list. Henry B. Cannon, 10th Mass .; Austin Williams, 10th Mass .; Edwin Jones, 27th Mass .; Harvey De Forest, 27th Mass .; William W. Bracket, 27th Mass .; James Waters, 27th Mass .; Lewis E. Robinson, 27th Mass .; Maxon J. Haley, 27th Mass .; Frank T. Smith, 27th Mass .; David I. Hall, 27th Mass .; Jarvis W. Stewart, 27th Mass .; Lyman B. Cannon, 27th Mass .; Jefferson P. Moore, 27th Mass .; James M. Thompson, 27th Mass .; Henry T. Jackson, 27th Mass. In the 31st Mass. the following names: Alexander H. G. Lewis, Philander Dickinson, Robert McDarby, Geo. War- field, Geo. W. Griswold, Wm. J. Nye, Luther C. Nye, Elijah Nye, Charles P. Snow, Edward Chapman, Charles Granger. In the 46th Mass., Albert F. Sizer, Leroy Warfield, Chas. Tinker, Jr., Geo. W. Frost, Chas. R. Bemis, Fred Tracy, Peter Hall, Jas. S. Brooks, Edwin E. Gibbs, Chas. B. Hayden, John Aiken, John W. Bradburn, Milo E. Cook, Orlando W. Dayton, Geo. N. Granger, Franklin J. Hall, Benj. P. Kyle, Dwight C. Osborn, Edward Phelps, John T. Linnet, Lewis Herrick. In the 37th Mass., Wil- liam E. Pease. Frank C. Morse, Wm. A. Waterman. In the 34th Mass., Dighton Goddard, Lester C. Farnum. In the 59th Mass., Thomas Jackson, Edwin Baker, S. W. Burdick. In the 1st Mass. Cavalry, Wm. H. Smith, Franklin L. Cannon, Lewis C. Allen, Judson S. Sizer, Thos. B. Brooks, Ezra J. Dudley, Patrick Ballou, Joseph Kingsley, Edward Norton.
(End of Vol. II)
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