USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Brookline > Town records of Brookline, Massachusetts, 1838-1857, v. 1 > Part 2
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1000
66 of Buildings, &c.
500
Engine
150
Assessing & Collecting taxes
Town officers, stationery & contingencies
200
5325 00
The following resources will in part meet this, viz. :
Balance in the hands of Town Treasurer 468 00
of School Treasurer 197
Proceeds of Hayscales
80
Due from Common wealth
80 825 00
$4500 00
All which is Respectfully submitted by
CHARLES WILD, 7
ELIJAH COREY,
Committee.
EBENR. HEATH,
The meeting was adjourned to the first Monday in April at 3 o'clock P. M.
. 125
13
Meeting, April 1, 1839.
1839, APRIL 1st. At an adjourned meeting of the inhab- itants of Brookline from the 4th March,-
Deacon Thomas Griggs, Moderator.
The committee appointed to enquire into the situation of the Engine Norfolk made their report which was accepted and is as follows :-
The committee appointed by the Town of Brookline at their annual meeting in March to examine the circumstances attending the purchase of the Fire Engine Norfolk and ascertain what disposition can best be made of it, having attended to the subject ask leave to report, -- That from the list of subscribers which has been found it appears that in the year 1828 the sum of 325 Dollars was subscribed by the Inhabitants of Brookline and 150 Dollars by the Inhabitants of Roxbury, making a sum total of 475 dollars for the purpose of Purchasing a new Engine and erecting an Engine house. It also appears that the Engine Norfolk was accordingly purchased for the sum of 400 dollars, 30 dollars of which was paid from the sale of an old Engine, leaving a balance of 370 dollars, which deducted from the amount subscribed leaves the amount of 105 dollars to pay for building the Engine house. It further appears evident that the subscribers intended the Engine for the use & benefit of the Towns of Brookline & Roxbury without reserving any claim of individ- ual interest; altho no entry on our records appears to have been made of any formal presentment of said Engine to the respective towns, yet we find an appropriation was made by the Town of Brookline in 1829 of 50 dollars for the purpose of aiding jointly with Roxbury in providing Buckets and hose for said Engine, and subsequently expences to consid- erable amount for alterations and repairs have been paid by the respec- tive Towns, under whose joint and seperate care and direction it has been always held. Your committee believing that if said Engine should be still kept stationed at the village it may be useful to both Towns and that it can be readily manned by a voluntary company from both Towns, have concluded to recommend the relinquishiment of said Engine entirely to the Town of Roxbury as long as said Town will keep it in good repair and a supply of men can be found to voluntarily work it and unite with the Brookline Engine Company in extinguishing fires in both towns, pro- vided that said Engine shall be kept located at the Punch Bowl Village (so called). The Town of Roxbury having adjourned their annual meet- ing to the same day at which our meeting is adjourned without taking any action on this subject, your committee have had no opportunity of conference thereon with said Town. They would therefore respectfully recommend that a committee be appointed with authority to make to the Town of Roxbury a tender of said Engine on the above named conditions, and report the Result at a future meeting, all which is Respectfully sub- mitted.
Brookline, April 1, 1839.
SAML. PHILBRICK, TIMOTHY COREY, JOSHUA C. CLARK,
Committee.
14
Brookline Town Records.
Voted, That the same Committee call on the Town of Roxbury to ascertain if they will accept the proposition as stated in the above report.
Voted, That the Report of the committee on the South school house be accepted.
Voted, That the same committee carry the improvement recommended into effect.
The committee chosen at the Town meeting in March last for the pur- pose of examining the school houses beg leave to report.
That after several meetings and deliberating together we have finally agreed to recommend as follows, that the Putterham school house (so called) have the back end carried back eight feet and that the sides and the roof be made to correspond with the other part, and also to put in two windows to correspond with the others and all new seats such as we have seen at Dorchester. Expence estimated by Mr. Stone 125 dollars.
ELIJAH COREY, DANL. SANDERSON, & Committee. THO. TILDEN,
Voted, That a committee of three men be appointed, with authority to repair the Middle district school house where it now stands, or to remove the same or build a new one at their discretion on such a lot as Thomas H. Perkins and . others will provide to the satisfaction of the committee in exchange for the old lot, provided said Perkins and others will pay the Town Six hundred dollars for exchanging lots, and that Daniel Sanderson, Thomas Tilden and Samuel Phil- brick be that Committee.
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Read in Town Meeting by the Moderator.
The School Committee of the Town of Brookline would respectfully submit the following as their report for the year ending March 4, 1839.
Soon after their appointment the committee resolved to visit the several schools during the summer session individually assigning a par- ticular month to each member in order that their duties might be efficiently and faithfully performed as the laws of this state require. In their occasional visits during that session they found nothing in any of the schools that was particularly objectionable but much that was worthy of commendation. At the semi-annual examination it was evident that the school in the centre of the Town had suffered materially from a want of punctual attendance on the part of the scholars, an evil which tho much to be regretted the Comm. believe difficult if not impossible to remedy. The primary school they found in a very flourishing condition
15
Meeting, April 1, 1839.
giving abundant evidence of the faithfulness on the part of the Teacher as well as diligence on the part of the scholars. During the Winter Session the schools have all been in a prosperous condition, the several districts have it is believed, been singularly fortunate in obtaining well qualified instructors, and probably the Town as a whole has not for a number of years been more highly favored in this respect.
The committee have made no alteration in regard to Books except the introduction of Smith's Productive Geography in the place of Olney's and Malte Brun's. They have at present no suggestions to make in respect to any particular improvements, believing that no one method of proceed- ing can be adapted to all places, and that the general course which has been pursued the past year is well suited to the wants of this Town.
The committee however will ever be ready to listen to any suggestions upon the best method of improvement in regard to the schools generally, or to any recommendations of particular books, which the Board of Education may see fit to give and such suggestions and recommendations shall receive the attention which in the opinion of the Com. their impor- tance may demand.
JOHN PIERCE, Chairman of the Sch. Com. WM. H. SHAILER, Secretary.
O. WHYTE, Town Clerk.
1839. Be it remembered that on the 23d day of October, 1839, we the subscribers being authorized as the Law directs met and proceeded to perambulate the boundry line between the towns of Roxbury and Brook- line viz. :- beginning at the point in the full Basin where the bounds of Boston, Roxbury and Brookline meet, from thence continuing the channel of Muddy river to the northwest corner of Lemuel Foster's land to the stone monument marked RB, from thence to a stone monument on Washington street marked RB, from thence to a stone marked RB, lying in the wall near the dividing line between the land of Oliver Whyte and Samuel Philbrick, from thence to a stone marked RB lying and confined in a willow tree near the end of the wall by the edge of the swamp belonging to the heirs of Will'm Wyman, from thence to a stone marked RB lying on a rock in the wall between the land belonging to the heirs of William Wyman and John Tillson, thence to a stone marked RB lying in the wall by a rock in Thomas Wyman's pasture, thence to a large stone marked RB lying in the wall or fence between the lands of Thomas Lee and Joseph Curtis, from thence to a stone monument marked RB on Perkins street, thence to a stone set in the ground on the hill in Captain Cooke's land, from thence to a white oak tree standing in the wall between the land of Mrs. White and Joseph Goddard's land marked RB, thence by said wall to a stone monument marked RB, standing in land of B. Lincoln, thence to a monument marked RB at the corner of Alvin Loker's lane, thence to a stone marked RB, lying on the wall on the east side of the end of Loker's lane, from thence to a stone marked RB lying on a large rock between the land of Willard A. Humphrey and land belonging to Charles Stearns, Jr., from thence to a stone monument marked RB at the corner of the wall between the late William Baker and Mr. Wood-
16
Brookline Town Records.
ward's land, from thence to a large stone marked RB in A. D. Weld's meadow, thence to a rock marked RB and heap of stones in A. D. Weld's pasture, thence to a large stone on the rocks in land of Mr. Billings' marked RB, thence to a white oak tree marked RB standing in the wall, thence across the swamp to its westerly edge to a stone monument marked RNB which forms the corner bounds between Roxbury, New- ton & Brookline Line, all of which bounds we have agreed to and renewed the day and year before mentioned.
ELIJAH LEWIS, NATHI'L S. PRENTISS,
ISAAC DAVIS, Agents for Roxbury.
CHARLES STEARNS, JUN., JAMES ROBINSON,
O. WHYTE,
Agents for Brookline.
Be it remembered that on the 6th day of November, 1839, we the sub- scribers being authorized as the Law directs, met and proceeded to perambulate the boundary line between the Towns of Newton and Brook- line, viz. :- beginning at a stone monument marked BNB in John Kings- bury's meadow, and running to a stone marked NB on the wall at the end of the old lane, thence to a stone marked NB on the end of the old wall, thence to a heap of stones in a bunch of maples about 3 feet from a fence, one marked NB, thence to an abutment-stone at the corner of the wall in Joseph Lee's land marked NB, thence to a stone marked NB on the wall on the highway by land of Samuel Pettes, thence to a stone monument marked NB on the southerly side of the Worcester turnpike by land of Sam'l Pettes, thence to a stone marked NB in the wall on the northerly side of the road near the house of A. Hide, thence to a stone marked NB on the wall by Eben Crafts' land, thence to a stone marked NB in the wall near Capt. Clark's land, thence to a stone marked NB at the end of the wall near stake meadow, thence to a stake and stones marked NB in stake meadow, which bounds make a corner, thence to a stone marked NB on the wall by land of T. Hyde about 12 rods from the last mentioned bounds, thence to a stone monument marked NB in the Highway opposite the end of the wall, thence to a stone in the wall marked NB on the soutli side of the Road near the saw mill, thence to a heap of stones on a large rock in Caleb Craft's pasture one marked NB, thence to a stone monument marked RNB near the westerly edge of troublesome swamp which forms the corner bounds between Roxbury, Newton and Brookline line whichi bounds we have agreed to and renewed this day.
CHARLES STEARNS, JUN.,
O. WHYTE, JAMES ROBINSON, Agents for Brookline.
LUTHER PAUL,
OTIS TROWBRIDGE,
Agents for Newton.
Be it remembered that on the fifteenth day of November, A. D. 1839, We the subscribers being authorized as the Law directs met and proceeded to perambulate the boundary line between the towns of Brookline and Brighton, viz. :- beginning at the mouth of the smelt Brook where it empties into Charles river, thence by said brook to where it intersects
17
Meeting, November 11, 1839.
the western avenue, thence to a rock marked EB by the edge of the- swamp near the high land and about thirty rods distant from the house occupied by Horace King, thence to a stone marked EB set in the land belonging to the heirs of Moses Griggs near the end of the old stone wall, thence to a stone monument marked B.B. on the south side of the great road, thence to a stone marked EB set in the wall and land of David Coolidge witli [within?] one foot of a large walnut tree, thence to a stone monument marked B.B. on the great road at the corner of the late Jonathan Livermore's lane, thence to a stone marked &B set in the ground of Timothy Corey opposite to Horace Pierce's land, thence to a stone marked B.B. set in the wall at the corner of the heirs of Penniman and Charles Dana and Timothy Corey's land, thence to a stone set in the wall marked B.B. on the westerly side of the lane nearly opposite Joseph White's house, from thence to a stone monument set in the ground of John Kingsbury's meadow marked N.B.B. which forms the corner bounds between Newton, Brookline and Brigliton.
CHARLES STEARNS, JR., JAMES ROBINSON,
O. WHITE, Agents for Brookline.
HORACE HAYNES,
GEO. LIVERMORE, Agents for Brighton.
Nov. At a meeting of the Inhabitants of Brookline legally warned and assembled November 11, 1839, to give in their votes for Governor, Lieut .- Governor, Senators and Coun- sellors and Representitive to the State Legislature :
Edward Everett had seventy-eight votes for Governor.
Marcus Morton had fifty-four votes
Nathan Willis had fifty-three votes
George Hull had eighty votes for Lieut .- Governor.
Setli Sprague had one vote -
For Senators and Counsellors :
Joseph L. Richardson had seventy-six votes.
James M. Robbins 60 seventy-seven.
Appleton Howe seventy-five.
Benj. P. Williams fifty-five.
Bradford L. Wales
fifty-four.
Lucas Pond
fifty-one.
Samuel E. Sewell 66
one.
1
A. M. W. Worthington one.
William Jackson one.
Lewis Fisher one.
William Ellis 66 one.
Jona. Dorr 66 one.
2
18
Brookline Town Records.
For Representitive :
Ist trial. Thomas Griggs had fifty-seven votes.
James Bartlet forty-three.
Marshal Stearns 66 seventeen. Bela Stoddard
one.
Samuel Pettes
one.
2 trial. Thomas Griggs had fifty-seven votes.
James Bartlet forty-four.
Marshal Stearns sixteen. Doct. Shurtleff 66 one.
Silas Pierce
one.
3 trial. Thomas Griggs had fifty-two votes.
James Bartlet
forty-four. Marshal Stearns 66 eighteen. Silas Pierce one.
No choice being made it was voted that the meeting be indefinitely postponed.
Deacon Thomas Griggs was then chosen Moderator, & a vote passed that a committee of report at March Meeting the necessity and advantage of having a singing school supported by the Town.
O. WHITE, Town Clk.
1840, FEBRUARY. The Selectmen met at Mr. Newells 3d February and made a list of Paupers.
The number of persons relieved Eight, legal settlement in Town Six.
State Paupers in town two.
Foreigners (American) one, from England one. 80 Weekly cost of supporting Paupers Ten dollars 100. Made dependant in consequence of Intemperance Five. Total amount of expense of Paupers one year Five hundred . sixty-two dollars. Received from the State Treasury Forty doll-1.5
became
age born in came to this state chargeable up to
George Thompson. 64 yrs. England. 1802
1835 1840.
Ann Potter. 11 years. Brookline.
1828 1840.
19
Meeting, March 2, 1840.
1840. At a meeting of the Inhabitants of Brookline legally warned and assembled March 2, 1840, for the choice of Town Officers, &c .-
Deacon Thomas Griggs was chosen Moderator.
Oliver Whyte, Town Clerk.
Charles Stearns, Junr., Selectmen
James Robinson, and
Benjamin B. Davis, Assessors.
Artemas Newell, Colector and Treasurer.
Doct. John Pierce,
Rey. Will. H. Shaler, School Committee. .
Doct. Cha. Wild,
David Coolidge, North District
Daniel Sanderson, Middle
Samuel Hills, South
Prudential School Committee.
Charles Stearns, Junr., Daniel Sanderson, ) Trustees of Abijah W. Goddard, James Robinson, School Fund.
Artemas Newell,
Elisha Stone, Surveyors of Wood, &c.
A. W. Goddard, Marshal Stearns, Fence Viewers.
James Bartlet, Samuel A. Robinson,
Caleb Clark, George Cushing, Jos. L. White,
Field
Charles Pulsifer, Phin. Goodenow,
Samuel Hills, Simon Warren,
Marshal Stearns, James Bartlet, ? Firewards.
Seth T. Thayer,
George Cushing, Pound Keeper.
Doct. Charles Wild,
Committee on
Ebenezer Heath,
Town Accounts.
Dea. Elijah Corey,
Elisha Stone, Constable.
Charles Stearns, Junr., 1st North district
Dea. Elijah Corey, 2
66
$100 Surveyors 170 of
Caleb Clark, 3 66
80 Highways.
Charles Pulsifer, 1st Middle District $90
Thomas Quimby, 2 66 66 20
Daniel Sanderson,3
66 30
Surveyors
Chancy Woodward, 1st South
60
A. W. Goddard, 2
66 80
John W. Warren, 3
66 120
Highways.
Hugh M. Sandburn, Eastern Turnpike 160
Daniel Pierce, Western Do. 90
John Bullard had fifty-two votes for County Treasurer.
Voted, That the Report of the Auditors of Town Accts. be accepted.
Voted, That Three Thousand dollars be raized for the expence of the Town the current year beside the Highway Tax.
of
General
20
Brookline Town Records.
Voted, That one thousand dollars be raized for repairing the highways in this town the ensuing year-and that the same shall be assessed upon the Polls and Estates of the inhabitants residents and non residents as other town charges assessed and shall be collected as other town taxes are col- lected, and shall be divided between the several highway districts in the same proportions as the division of last year, and that the several Highway surveyors shall present their accounts of repairs to the Selectmen for settlement and that no account be allowed that does not conform to the require- ments of the Law in regard to the time when the labour is performed and that is not satisfactory to the Selectmen.
Voted, That the Treasurer and Collector receive two and one half per cent on the tax collected for the ensuing year.
Voted, That the Report of the School Committee be accepted and that the report be printed at the expence of the town and a copy distributed to each family in town.
Voted, That the School Committee be clothed with power to direct the management of all the schools in town with respect to Books, &c., and that they give names to the different school districts.
Voted, To accept the report of the Committee on the school fund.
Voted, That the thanks of the town be presented to those members of the committee who have not been re-elected.
Voted, That the subject of the committee on singing schools be dismissed.
Voted, That a committee of nine persons, viz., Seth T. Thayer, David Coolidge, Daniel Sanderson, Samuel Hills, Charles Stearns, James Robinson, Benjamin Davis, Abijah W. Goddard and Thomas Tilden be added to the general School Committee, to see if any improvement can be made in the town schools.
Adjourned for two weeks at three o'clock.
21
Meeting, March 2, 1840.
The committee to whom by the vote of the town was intrusted the duty of auditing the accounts of the treasurer of the Town of Brookline and of the school fund belonging to the town hereby report that they have performed the duty assigned to them and find the following to be the state of accounts for the past year :
Mr. Artemas Newell, Town treasurer, had a tax committed to his care for collection of $4524 53
from which abatements were necessarily made of 112 92
leaving the whole tax legally assessed of which every cent was collected of
$4411 61
He has collected from old debts, back taxes, Hay scales and other sources
638 94
which with the balance in his hands at last credit 468 60
making him accountable to the town in the total sum 5519 15
of this he has disbursed to the orders of the Selectmen 5049 60
Leaving in his hands a ballance of
$469 55
Deacon Thomas Griggs, treasurer of the school fund, has collected the interest of the whole fund
270 06
back interest 39 21
which with balance in his hands at last audit
197 13
making his Gro. Amt. $506 40
he has paid for stationary
1 50
M. Curtis, salary
ยท 140
J. Wilson
. 64
205 50
he now holds $300 90
There has been paid therefore by the Town treasurer
5049 60
school treasurer 205 50
5255 10
of which in payment of principal & Interest of town debt
1074 87
making current expences of the year .
$4180 23
Viz. For purposes of Education
993 32
Repairs of Highways
1088 39
Repairs general
165 32
66 to upper school house
507 53
Support of Poor
545 51
Engine
99 86
County & Needham taxes
511 37
Town offices
233 93
Contingencies
35 00
.
4180 23
Your Committee have great satisfaction in reporting that the pecuniary concerns of the town are in a very prosperous condition at no time within the last twelve years has there been less debt or responsibility
22
Brookline Town Records.
resting upon the town, and they believe the fact unprecedented that within ten months after the last annual tax had been levied every cent of it (except the abatements found necessary by the statutes of the Common- wealth) has been paid into the treasury, every order drawn by the Selectmen paid, and the balance, $469.55, tendered in cash by the treasur er to your committee. Beyond the ordinary current expences of the year there is short of $150 due as a debt from the town, while the balance in the hands of the treasury, with the probable income receipts for the ensuing year, will exceed $1100.00.
The Books and accounts have been found by your committee, kept with the most perfect promptness and accuracy, and they think that the present system of corresponding accounts between the Selectmen & town Treasurer with the close observance of issuing orders by that board and the scrupulous adherance to them by the Treasurer is productive of much precission and safety to the town and leave no room for improve- ment in the management of its concerns.
It has been suggested by the Selectmen that the commission allowed to the town treasurer as collector of taxes is by no means an adequate compensation for his labors & sacrifice in their collection, and the committee cheerfully concur in the opinion that for duties so faithfully and punctually performed a greater recompense would be no detriment to the general interest.
As a basis for the next levy of taxes we would submit the following :
ESTIMATE OF APPROPRIATIONS.
For extinction of Town debt .
150 00
Current debts
500
Support of the Poor
600
Education
1100
Repairs of Roads
1000
of Buildings, etc.
400
County & Needham taxes
650
Assessing & collecting taxes
150
Town officers & contingencies
200
4900
From this Deduct
Balance in hands of Treasurer
469 55
School Treasurer
300 90
Income from Hay scales
80 00
of school fund
270 06
say
1100
Will leave the sum necessary to be raized
.
.
$3800
or for security
$4000
Respectfully submitted by
CHARLES WILD,
ELIJAH COREY,
Auditing Committee.
March 2, 1840.
EBENR. HEATH,
23
Meeting, March 16, 1840.
At an adjourned meeting from the 2d of March to Mon- day 16th March :
Deacon Thomas Griggs Moderator.
George Cushing was chosen Surveyor of the 1st Middle district instead of Charles Pulsifer who declined serving.
Samuel Craft was chosen on School Committee instead of Doctor Charles Wild who declined serving.
Voted, That the report of the removal and repairs of the South school house be accepted.
Voted, That the report of the committee on the Fire Engine Norfolk be accepted.
Voted, That the former committee on this subject be continued and that a proposition be made to Roxbury to dispose of said Engine and the proceeds be divided between the Towns in proportion to what each advanced for the purchase.
Voted, That the Report of the committee on the Southwest school house and Lot be accepted.
Voted, That the Report of the committee on Guide-boards be accepted.
Voted, That the report of the committee on the improve- ment of schools be accepted with the reserve that the pru- dentials committee chosen remain the present year.
Voted, That the present prudential committee take into consideration the subject of dispensing with said committee in future and report at next March meeting.
Voted, That the Report of the Town treasurer with respect to disposal of Parish funds be accepted.
The committee appointed by the town of Brookline at an adjournment of their annual meeting in April last with authority to put in repair the Middle or Western district school house where it then stood or to remove the same or to build a new House at their discretion upon some other lot of land which Thos H. Perkins and others might procure and give in exchange for the old school house lot provided a consideration of six hundred dollars could be obtained for exchanging lots.
Now ask leave to report-That after repeated conferrences and corre- spondence with the parties interested in having the old school house removed, causing a delay of several months, an exchange of school house lots was finally effected on the conditions above named, and a title to the new lot was obtained for the Town from Benjamin White and Warren White and delivered to the chairman of the Selectmen to be placed on
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