USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Medway > The history of Medway, Mass., 1713-1885 > Part 8
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The warrants of 1794 define the qualifications for voting for state officers to be, a residence in the state one year, twenty-one years of age, having an estate, the annual income of which is three pounds, or any estate of the value of sixty pounds ; and for town affairs, such as pay a single tax besides a poll, equal to two-thirds of the poll-tax.
Federal money began to appear on the records, and in the year 1795 the town expenditures were put down in dollars, cents, and mills, and there- after pounds, shillings, and pence, disappeared from the books.
In 1795 the town directed the selectmen to set up guide-posts in accord- ance with an act of the Legislature, and the price for labor on the highways was fixed at six cents an hour for a man or a good team.
In one of the warrants for 1803, an article " to see if the town will give their suffrage for a turnpike road to be laid out through said town " was dis- missed. This was the Hartford Turnpike built some two or three years after, running from Medfield meadows westerly the whole length of the town, nearly in a direct line. It was deemed a most important undertaking, and its construction was watched with as much, perhaps more, interest than the building of a railroad would now excite. It has proved a great convenience to the town, but the hopes of its projectors in regard to its financial results were doomed to disappointment and failure. It was used as a turnpike until about 1835, when it became a town way and has since been supported as other highways are.
The following petition was addressed to the selectmen with the view of constituting the two parishes of the town into one :
" MEDWAY, APRIL 6th 1803."
" To THE SELECTMEN OF MEDWAY,"
" Gentlemen : Please to Insert an Article in your warrant for your next Town Meeting, viz :
To see if the East and West Parrishes of our said Town of Medway will agree to be formed into one distinct Town " (i. e. Parish) " or act any thing on the Subject as the said two Parrishes shall think proper.
In doing which you will oblege your Humle Servts.
(Signed) Nathaniel Lovell, Ezekiel Plimpton, Simpson Jones, Stephen Clark, Ebenezer Ellis, Jeduthan Bullen, Elisha Fisher, Elijah Bridges, Sylvanus Adams."
This matter, as subsequently appears, had been under discussion for the past ten years in town-meetings, and various committees were appointed from time to time, to report to the town, but still the two parishes continued to remain distinct and separate.
In Pursuance to an " Act of the General Court of the Common Wealth of Massa- chusetts, for regulating elections. The following is an alphabitical list of the Inhab- itants of the Town of Medway, as appear to the Subscribers, by the Valuation of said Town, to be Quallified by the Constitution of said Common Wealth, and of the United States, to Vote for Governor, Lieut. Governor, Senator, Representatives in General Court, & Representatives in Congress, viz :
A.
Nathaniel Allen Ezra Adams Obediah Adams
Hezekiah Adams Eliakim Adams Moses Adams Aaron Adams Amos B. Abbee
John Abbee Jonathan Adams Micah Adams Silas Adams Moses Adams Jur
-
Oliver Adams Silvanus Adams Jasper Adams Elijah Allen
Horatio Adams
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B.
Moses Bullen Mathia Bullard Joseph Barber Joseph Barber Jun" Isaac Bullard George Barber Seneca Barber George Barber, Jur Jeduthan Bullen Liberty Bullard Timothy Bullard Ralph Bullard Jonathan Bullen Adam Bullard Elijah Bridges Amos Bullard David Bullen
C.
Elisha Cutler Nathaniel Cutler Simon Cutler Simon Cutler Junr Samuel Clark Asa Clark Timothy Clark Theodore Clark Joseph Clark Samuel Cleaveland Calvin Cutler Stephen Clark John Clark Jur Phillips Clark
D.
Henry Daniels Lemuel Daniels Asa Daniels Asa Daniels Jur Israel Daniels Amos Daniels Henry Daniels Jur Sabin Daniels Jesse Daniels Jeremiah Daniels Jur
Jeremiah Daniels 3d Elias Daniels Moses Daniels
E.
Oliver Ellis Ebenezar Ellis John Ellis John Ellis Junr Henry Ellis Junr Henry Ellis Samuel Ellis Moses Ellis
F.
William Feltt Moses Feltt Joel Fisk Silas Fairbank Elihu Fisher
G.
James Gibbs William Greene
H.
Theodore Harding Joel Haws Reuben Hixson John Harding Jur Timothy Hill Thomas Harding Stephen Harding Moses Hill Isaac Hixson Seth Hixson Asa Hixson Samuel Hill
Abram Harding Simon Hill Timothy Hammond Asa Harding Reuben Hill Abner Holbrook
I.
Daniel Ide Daniel Ide Jur J. Simpson Jones Nathan Jones K. Isaac Kibbey Zebina Kingsbury
L.
David Lawrence Joseph Lovell Nathaniel Lovell Thaddeus Lovering Peter Lewitt Amos Lovering
M.
Thomas Morse Ralph Mann Benoni Morse Jur Luther Metcalf Abner Morse Abner Mason Simon H. Mason
N.
Joseph Newell P.
Elijah Partridge Ezekiel Plimpton Simeon Partridge Job Plimpton Jedediah Phillips Ezekiel Partridge Joel Partridge Samuel Partridge Seth Partridge
Darius Partridge Ziba Partridge Joseph Partridge Moses Pond Junr Nathan Plimpton
R.
Simeon Richardson Ezra Richardson Elisha Richardson Amos Richardson Abijah Richardson A bijah Richardson Jr Joseph Richardson Asa P. Richardson Prince Royal Moses Richardson Moses Rockwood Moses Rockwood Jur Amos Richardson Jur Artemus Richardson Aaron Rockwood Amos Rockwood Marcus Richardson
S.
Jabez Shumway Philo Santford Timothy Smith
T.
Nathan Thayer Amos Turner Hezelton Taftt Samuel Twiss Aaron Thayer
W.
Elias Whiting Joseph Ware James Wight Lewis Wheeler Timothy Whiting Aaron Wight Comfirt Walker Joshua Whiting
MEDWAY, December 12th 1804.
THEODORE CLARK, ) Assessors JABEZ SHUMWAY, of
LEWIS WHEELER, Medway.
Gentlemen : Selectmen of the Town of Medway."
In 1805 Ezekiel Plimpton petitioned the town that liberty might be granted to the owners of land to set out and cultivate various kinds of trees along the highways against their own premises. This article was referred to another meeting and dismissed. Mr. Plimpton was a hundred years in advance of his time. If his plan had been adopted, we should to-day be enjoying great benefits.
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It was in 1805 that the limits of the school districts were defined, and the districts were numbered from one to six.
A survey was made in October, 1806, by Samuel Bullard, Esq., with a view to the division of the town. The new town was to include the westerly part of Medway, i e., the New Grant, also parts of Bellingham, Holliston, and Franklin, 10,310 acres in area. On the basis of this survey Job Plimp- ton and others petitioned for a division of the town ; a committee to whom the matter was referred, reported in 1807 that they " are of opinion that the great and heavy expense which would fall on the remaining part of the town, by reason of the great number of bridges over Charles River which falls into that part of the said town, are powerful objections against the division, also the limited situation, both as to territory and population of that part of the town which is to remain being unable and thereby being deprived for a great number of years, if not forever, of any representation in the legislature." Not being able to separate, the next year an effort was made to consolidate the two parishes and build a church in the centre of the town, and in 1809 a committee was chosen, who reported that they had located the centre of the town " on the westerly side of Black Swamp on land of Thomas Wight, 132 rods due north from the turnpike road." This was not a satisfactory place, and several other spots east and west of this were proposed, and the matter was adjourned from meeting to meeting for a year or two, and finally dropped until 1813, when it was taken up and a committee of thirteen, after carefully examining the subject, reported that " we are of the opinion that the two societies should unite" and recommended the building of a meeting-house " on the rising ground which is on the land of Timothy Hammond and the Widow Bathsheba Clark's dower, south of the Hartford and Dedham turn- pike, and southerly of the centre of said town," and that the town should pe- tition the General Court to be incorporated as one parish, and that the town should purchase of the society in the west parish any material which had been provided for a new house there. On the 24th of May the town, in ac- cordance with this report, voted to build on a site near that selected by the committee, but after reconsideration in two or three adjourned meetings the whole matter seems to have been dismissed.
In 1814 the town voted not to send a representative to the legislature " by reason of the town being at great expense by building meeting-houses, and also for an additional number of poor newly thrown upon the town." A vote was also passed " that all soldiers who shall be called into the United States service the present year shall receive from the town such a sum as with their pay will amount to sixteen dollars per month."
It had been the custom to choose two tithing men annually, but in 1815 four were chosen, and the following vote passed :
" Whereas the profanation of the Lord's Day by many inconsiderate per- sons has become notorious and is incompatible with a due regard to the christian sabbath, it being the ardent wish of this town that the tything men should use their vigilant exertions in order to put a stop to all unnecessary traveling on the Sabbath, and in all things cause the laws for the due obser- vance of the Lord's Day to be duly executed according to the tenor and intent of their solemn oath."
The practice of choosing tithing men at the March meeting continued un-
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til the year 1845. Samuel Force and Anson F. White being the last incum- bents of that office.
In 1818 the town voted " hereafter to hold the town meetings two out of every three years at the east parish and one year in the west parish also voted that it is expedient to build a convenient house for the holding of town meet- ings and for the storage of the town ammunition." A parish house, as it was called, was soon after built in each part of the town where town-meetings were afterwards held. In 1823, voted to hold the meetings alternately in East and West Medway ; this was continued until 1842 when it was decided to hold the meetings every third year at the Village, as is the custom at the present time.
A SUBSCRIPTION FOR BUNKER HILL MONUMENT.
" BUNKER HILL MONUMENT ASSOCIATION.
Received of MR. JOSEPH L. RICHARDSON One hundred fourteen & 28 Dollars, be- ing the amount subscribed in the town of Medway toward the erection of a MONU- MENT on BUNKER HILL.
$114760 (Signed) For NATH1. D. RUSSELL, TREASURER. ISAAC C. BREWER.
BOSTON, 30th May, 1825."
Previous to 1826 the few town paupers had been boarded by individuals at the expense of the town, but the increasing number of them led to the appointment of a board of overseers of the poor, and a committee was chosen to select a farm suitable for accommodating the poor of the town ; and the same year the " old poor farm" on Farm Street, now occupied by Mr. Edward O'Donnell, was purchased and used for that purpose until 1865.
CHOIX
THE ALMSHOUSE. 1865-1885.
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It appears that a reliable keeper was hired and an elaborate code of regula- tions was adopted, by which nothing stronger than beer or cider was to be allowed the inmates; no inmate could leave the place without permission from the master ; fires and lights were to be extinguished by nine o'clock in the evening ; no inmate was allowed to find fault with the master except to the overseers ; a reasonable amount of labor was required of such as were able, and a " room of correction " was provided where transgressors were confined on a diet of bread and water.
For almost forty years the town's poor were provided with a comfortable home on these highlands of Medway, overlooking all parts of the town, and having a view of more distant landscapes, and enjoying a scenery nowhere surpassed in the region.
Afterward one of the finest residences at that time in the town was pur- chased in 1865, at an expense of nearly ten thousand dollars, as a home for the poor. It was located on the ancient homestead of Joseph Lovell, Esq., who for many years was the most prominent and honored citizen of the town. The dwelling-house was comparatively new, and near it stood, as sentinels, several majestic elms of more than a century's growth. These are still standing in vigorous life, and continue to give their own peculiar charm to the place, which is owned by Professor C. W. Emerson, M. D., Principal of the Monroe Conservatory of Oratory, in Boston. The house is being fitted up for a private residence, and will doubtless become one of the most attractive in the new town of Millis. Dr. Emerson has devoted the farm to the production of milk and stock.
In 1831 the time of the sitting of the legislature was changed to January, and, in consequence, the annual election of state officers and representatives took place in November. The observance of Election Day on the last Wednesday of May, which had heretofore been kept as a holiday, after this gradually fell into disuse. The next year a board of health was chosen on account of the prevalence of the cholera, and vigorous sanitary measures were adopted ; the dwellings and surroundings of citizens were inspectcd, cellars cleaned out, offal removed, and measures that it would have been wise to have continued, were taken to ward off the dreaded scourge. Fortunately, very few cases occurred in this vicinity.
By act of Congress in 1836, the surplus revenue in the treasury was ordered to be distributed to the several states in proportion to the number of electors to which each was entitled. The amount received by Massachusetts was divided among the towns, and it was voted by this town that its share should be invested and the income devoted to educational purposes, and Warren Lovering, Luther Metcalf, Joseph L. Richardson, James Lovering, and Eleazar Daniels were chosen to take charge of it, and at a following meeting they reported that about three-quarters of the amount expected had been re- ceived, amounting to $2,560.31, and that this was all, probably, that would be received, and this amount had been loaned to individuals secured by mort- gage and the interest applied as voted by the town. This arrangement was continued until 1843, when the larger part of it was used to pay the town debt.
In 1840 the expense for the support of the poor was unusually large, owing to some special expenditures that were deemed necessary, and the
-
- --
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overseer of the poor recommended "that hereafter a detailed account of the expense of the poor be drawn up and printed for the use of the tax-payers," and at the meeting following it was voted " that the accounts of the select- men be included in the foregoing, and that a copy be furnished to each voter on the first of March."
THE FIRST PRINTED TOWN REPORT.
" EXPENSES OF THE TOWN OF MEDWAY, FOR THE YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY 25, 1841.
Expenditures and Receipts connected with the support of the Poor at the Alms House for the year ending February 13, 1841.
Expenditures.
For Grain. $36 43
" Flour and Bread . 17 06
" Butter and Cheese 45 95
" Sugar and Molasses 20 39
" Coffee and Tea .. 21 36
" Fresh and Salt Meat. 41 65
" Fresh and Salt Fish 15 35
" Potatoes. 19 05
" Cider, Vinegar and Apples 9 46
" Clothing and Shoes. 49 50
" Sundries. 40 13
Grass and Garden Seeds II OI
" Pasturing and Grass 24 07
Neat Stock 108 00
" Swine. 10 05
" Blacksmith work 5 92
" Farming Utensils 8 12
" Repairs of Buildings 7 49
" Labor and Team Work 9 16
" Sawyers Bill. 23
" Medical Attendance 8 30
" Salary of J. Gould, Keeper $15 00
" Services of Overseers . 21 00
$753 68
Receipts and Credits.
For Neat Stock $23 25
" Swine
12 50
" Beef. 25 91
" Pork and Lard 6 57
Fowls 4 46
" Knitting and Straw Braid 8 88
" Sundry Articles 13 31
" Lumber .. 15 61
" Labor and Team Work. 53 52
" State for support of Pauper. 2 17
$166 18
Whole Expense of Poor.
.$587 50
Amount due to sundry persons prior to March 1, 1840. 543 45 Interest on the same 19 20
$562 65
Amount due from sundry persons prior to March 1, 1840, con- sidered good. $59 17
Leaving a balance due of. $503 48 Agreeable to a vote of the Town the subscribers herewith present a Statement of the Poor House Expenditures and Re- ceipts for the last year, and also the amount due prior to that time, which we believe to be substantially correct.
All which is respectfully submitted. NATHAN HARDING, SILAS RICHARDSON.
Expense of Schools.
Paid for District No. 1 $214 50
66 2 . . 270 06
3 .. 86 62
66 4 . . 236 06
66 5 . . 142 52
66 6 .. 106 33
7 .- 201 14
46
8. . 124 39
S. H. Mason and
Son 6 33 $1,387 95
Expense of Town Officers.
Paid J. L. Richardson, Collector for 1839. $28 59
" J. L. Richardson, Collector for 1840 32 26
" A. Cole, Selectman, 1840 .. 10 00
Jos. Adams, =
.. 7 00
O. Mason, 5 00
Assessors, 130 86
School Committee .. 45 00
1839 64 00
$322 71
70
Miscellaneous Expenses.
Paid for 1,941 feet of Plank for Bridges.
$33 78
. 270 feet of Timber for Bridges II 16
66 Labor on Bridges 21 74
Labor on Roads . 1 25
Bridge Materials, includ- ing Irons 10 15
=
" Labor repairing Milford road .
11 35
Building a Bridge on said road .. 26 50
" Expenses of repairs of West road . 623 00
" Expenses of repairs of East road. 243 75 Building Stone Bridge, &c. by S. Cutlers .... 157 00
Building a temporary Bridge, by A. Daniel's saw-mill 34 67
School Books. 30 76
2 Guide Boards. 1 00
Discount on Taxes.
159 48
" Military Services. 25 00
Paid for Repairs on Turnpike road . $16 00
" Interest on Money ac- cruing against the town 132 00
Expenses of borrowing said money and paying Interest . 9 00
" Court Fees on 2 Indict- ments . 22 78
Taxes abated on W.
.. Cushing's 2 bills. 7 33
Taxes abated on J. L. Richardson's 4 bills. .. 56 90
services and labor on Turnpike road in 1839 15 75
=
" Printing Town Expenses &c 7 50
$1,657 85
$3,368 51
All of which is submitted.
JOSEPH ADAMS, ( ORION MASON,
Selectmen.
Medway, Feb. 25, 1841."
THE TOWN REPORT OF EXPENSES above, was printed on a single sheet and distributed in accordance with the foregoing vote.
It was found so convenient that two years later, in 1843, there was a town report, still more in detail, issued for the first time by an auditor ap- pointed to examine and certify to the accounts of the different boards of town officers. The auditor for that year, and several years following, was Christopher Slocomb ; the charge made by him for service was four dollars per annum. The bill for printing three hundred copies was six dollars.
From so small a beginning, the auditor's annual report has grown from year to year to its present elaborate form, which includes a statement of the whole receipts and expenditures of the town, together with reports and state- ments from the different departments of the town administration, births, marriages, and deaths, and numerous other matters interesting to the citi- zens.
In 1844 a proposal was made that the towns of Medway and Franklin should replace, by one of stone, the bridge leading over Charles River at the Village, near the Medway cotton manufactory ; the existing bridge being insecure, and from its position a difficult one to maintain. As this neces- sarily involved very great expense, it met with considerable opposition, but the town finally decided to build a stone arch bridge of thirty-six feet span, just below the location of the old one. The next year a plan having been made by Mr. Whiting, and proposals called for, the estimated cost, $6,000, was so great that the subject was for a time postponed. In 1846 it was taken up, and the selectmen were directed to contract for the building of the bridge, provided it could be done for the sum of $4,000. This proved to be an un- wise restriction which eventually involved the towns in considerable addi-
7I
tional expense, as the structure was not firm enough, and in a short time partially fell down. In 1847 it was rebuilt in a more thorough manner, and still stands, and bids fair to be permanent.
In 1845 it began to be evident that the population and size of the vil- lages in town imperatively demanded a fire department, the means of subduing fires being exceedingly primitive and inefficient ; and a committee was chosen to take the matter into consideration, but the necessary expense involved caused considerable delay. An account of the formation of this department may be found in another place.
November, 1853, " Voted that the town clerk be authorized to deposit in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society for preservation a vol- ume of the Old Colony Laws commencing July 19 1775 the same contain- ing 207 pages to be kept by said society for said town and subject to the order of said town at any future time." In 1855 it was voted that the above volume be deposited in the State Library for preservation.
The progress of the town is indicated by the following report of a com- mittee in 1857: "The public good requires a lock-up, or some place for confinement of disturbers of the peace, and your committee recommend that the town authorize the selectmen to procure some suitable place for the same and fit the same up in a convenient manner."
This year the state was divided into representative districts. Medway was in the Twelfth Norfolk District, which included also the towns of Foxboro, Wrentham, and afterwards Norfolk, and was entitled to send two repre- sentatives. In 1876 the state was re-districted, and Medway was in the Eighth Norfolk District, which included also the towns of Foxboro, Wren- tham, Franklin, and Bellingham, and sent two representatives.
The record of the town in the great War of the Rebellion will be found elsewhere. The 29th of April, 1861, a town-meeting was called " To see if the town will adopt measures to raise and equip a military company for the service of the government and to raise and appropriate any sums of money necessary for that purpose." This meeting was a large and enthusi- astic one ; a military committee was chosen to furnish needful supplies for soldiers, and to provide for the families of those who enlisted.
During the four years of the war the town furnished its quota of troops as they were called for. Money was freely voted and expended, leaving the town at its close with a debt of about $30,000.
In 1865, the old almshouse having become too small for the accommoda- tion of the poor, it was proposed to build a new one of sufficient size to ac- commodate the present and prospective needs of the town, and the board of overseers were authorized to procure a plan and provide materials for such a house ; but before this was carried out it was thought best to dispose of the old farm and purchase a new one. Committees were chosen and lengthy reports made which resulted, finally, in the purchase of a suitable place.
In 1865 a code of by-laws containing directions for the government of town-meetings, police regulations, the collection of taxes, and other matters connected with the administration of town affairs, was adopted, printed, and circulated among the voters of the town ; this was afterward superseded by the present code, adopted in 1871.
In 1867 the streets of the town were named and copied into the records ;
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and all streets and ways laid out since that time have received a name at the time of their acceptance by the town.
In 1868 a committee consisting of Granville E. McCullum, A. S. Hard- ing, William Daniels, M. M. Fisher, D. A. Partridge, Amos H. Boyd, and W. P. Clarke, made a report recommending the erection of a monument to the memory of the soldiers from this town who fell in the war, to stand in or near Oakland Cemetery in the Village, and that the sum of $3,500 be granted for that purpose. This report was accepted, but no further action has been taken by the town.
In the latter part of 1868 a fire occurred which consumed the town clerk's office. The records were saved with the exception of a portion of the births, marriages, and deaths, which have since been copied from the lists at the State House in Boston. The library of the town was destroyed, but has since been replaced by a donation from the State of such law reports and documents as were lost.
The Warrant for the March Meeting 1871, contained the following article, viz. :
" To see what action the Town will take in regard to the code of By-Laws which were presented to them at the last November meeting by a Committee appointed for that purpose, or act any matter or thing concerning the same."
On which article the following action was taken, viz .:
Voted to accept the Report of the Committee as amended.
Voted to adopt the Report of the Committee as amended.
NORFOLK, SS.
A true copy of Record, Attest: GEO. P. METCALF, TOWN CLERK. Superior Court, Sept. 7, 1871.
Approved.
LINCOLN F. BRIGHAM, C. J. S. Court.
A true copy of the By-Laws as approved.
ERASTUS WORTHINGTON, CLERK. Attest :
RULES AND BY-LAWS.
ADOPTED APRIL 3d, 1871.
ARTICLE I. - TOWN MEETINGS.
Sec. I. Town Meetings shall be held in East Medway in the year A. D. 1871, West Medway in the year A. D. 1872, Medway Village in the year A. D. 1873, alternating at each of said places, once in three years.
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