USA > Maine > Oxford County > Norway > The history of Norway: > Part 11
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Town officers for 1834: Job Eastman, Clerk : Joshua Smith, Treasurer; Jonathan Swift, Elliot Smith, John Mil- lett, jr., Selectmen ; Henry W. Millett, Collector. Ichabod Bartlett, Representative.
Valuation, $119,570. Number of polls 309; number of scholars 687 ; number of voters 355.
Highway tax, $2017,70.
State tax, - - -
$250.86
County tax, - -
-
255,45
Schools, -
- - 675,00
Poor, and town charges,
300,00
140
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Overlayings, delinquency highway, supplement, 97,01
Total money tax, - -
$1578,31
New.immigrants : Joel Barrows, Titus O. Brown, Gardner Chadbourn, Sampson Dunham, William Favor, Jotham Good- now, John Harmon, George Kimball, Joseph Morse, William H. H. McGillfry, Sumner Shed, Joshua B. Stuart, Benjamin Sturtevant, Daniel Thurston, David Whitcomb, Elhanan Winchester, Jonathan Whitehouse, James Yeatten. Old set- tlers' sons : Hiram Stetson, Samuel Andrews, jr., Samuel Beal, Asa Hix, jr., Chandler F. Millett, Henry L. Noyes, Simeon W. Pierce, Francis A. Reed, Lorenzo D. Shackley, William Witt.
About the fore part of May, this year, Pleaman Holt had a barn burnt, about 12 o'clock at night, with some hay, &c., in it. This fire was believed to be the work of an incendiary. but the thing was shrouded in so much mystery that the facts were never proved.
Town officers for 1835 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua Smith, Treasurer ; Jonathan Swift, John Millett, jr., Henry W. Millett, Selectmen ; Jacob Bradbury, Collector. William Parsons, jr., Representative.
Valuation, $129,949. Number of polls 306; number of scholars 663.
Highway tax, $2345,18.
State tax,
-
-
- $250,86
County tax, - - - 255.45
Schools, - - -
- 675.00
Poor, and town charges,
- 350,00
Overlayings, delinquency highway, supplement, 42,44
Total money tax, - - - $1573,75
New immigrants : Dwight Avery, Pinkney Burnham, Ballard, Frederick Coultman, Isaiah Daily, Lyman Daniels, Jonas Eastman, Seth Philpot, Edmund Foster, Rich- ard Garland, Ebenezer Holmes, Hiram Harris, Augustus
-
141
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Harris, Timothy Jordan, Charles Penley, John Pierce, Asa Thayer, William Wilkins, Loren H. Wrisley, Azel Tuttle. David R. Holden. Old settlers' sons : Benjamin Bird, Cad J. Blanchard, John Frost, jr., Amos T. Holt, John Hill, Na- than Morse, jr., William W. D. S. Millett, Ebenezer J. Pottle. Mark S. Richardson, Uriah Upton, Amos F. Noyes, Wash- ington French, William Noble.
On the 27th of April, 1835, Mr. David Whitcomb, for- merly of Waterford, was killed at Hall's saw-mill, by logs rolling upon him. He was about 65 years of age, and had lived in Norway but a short time. Ephraim Whitcomb, a blacksmith, was his son, and came to Norway in 1833; ho las resided in town most of the time since, but died in Paris in 1851, of hemorrhage of the lungs.
Town officers for 1836 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua Smith, Treasurer; John Millett, jr., Simon Stevens, Cyrus Cobb, Selectmen ; Joseph Bennett, Collector. Henry W. Millett, Representative.
Valuation, $127,607. Number of polls 306; number of scholars 664.
Highway tax, $2547,76.
County tax, - -
-
- $351.25
Schools, - - - - 675,00
Poor, and town charges,
350,00
Additional sum afterwards raised for town charges, 200,00 Overlayings, delinquency highway, supplement, 66.87
Total money tax, - -
$1643,12
New immigrants : David M. Brown, William W. Berry, Elbridge G. Fuller, Jeremiah Howe, William Hall, jr., Francis Holden, Benjamin Holden, Addison A. Latham, John Martin, John Millett, 3d, Hezekiah McIntier, Richard Mc- Intier, William Pratt, Samuel Pierce, James Yates, Richard Lombard. Old settlers' sons : Asa Packard, Ebenezer Ban- croft, jr., Samuel Crockett, Perley French, David O. Holt, Jeremiah W. Hobbs, Seth Pike, William Pingree, jr., Gran-
142
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
ville L. Reed, James Shackley, Daniel G. Town, Jacob Tubbs, Kimball Holt, Nathaniel Andrews.
On the 5th day of Feb., this year, Nathan Foster, one of the early settlers, died in a very sudden manner. Hc went to his barn about 9 o'clock, A. M., carrying with him some potatoes for his calves ; in a short time after, he was wanted, and when sent for, was found dead in his barn-yard. Hc. had sometimes been subject to faint spells, and the probability is, that he was taken in one of his fainting fits, fell upon the jey yard, and was stunned by the fall, or died in a fit. He left a large family to mourn his sudden exit.
Town officers for 1837 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Joshua Smith, Treasurer ; Simon Stevens, Cyrus Cobb, Jonathan B. Smith, Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Jonathan B. Smith, Representative.
Valuation, $123,719. Number of polls 322; number of scholars 723.
Highway tax, $3094,17.
County tax, - -
-
-
$383,17
Schools, - - - -
675,00
Overlaid in the assessment,
46,13
Delinquency of highway,
-
-
23.70
Supplement,
-
-
34,66
Total money tax,
$1162,66
-
New immigrants : Titus O. Brown, jr., Ebenezer Crowell, John Deering, Timothy H. Hutchinson, Edwin F. Hutchin- son, Ebenezer N. Holmes, Erastus Hilbourn, Richard M. Jordan, Peter Knight, Asa McAllister, John McAllister, George J. Ordway, Timothy Smith, Rev. Charles Soule, John B. Stowell, Samuel Stowell, Cyrus S. Thayer, William Verrill, Silas W. Bumpus, Rev. Reuben Milner. Old set- tlers' sons : George W. Cox, Luther F. Foster, Timothy J. Frost, James S. Greenleaf, Samuel Hill, Eben C. Shackley, Francis Upton, jr., David F. Young, Jocl S. Frost, George W. Everett.
143
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
This year, a town census was taken on account of the sur- plus revenue. The inhabitants, of all ages, numbered 1791. The first instalment was loaned in sums of $25 to $50; the second instalment was loaned in smaller sums of $10; and after the legislature passed an act giving towns the power to distribute the money, the town, or a large part of it, was anxious for the distribution, and it accordingly took place- the sum averaging $2 per head, besides the expense. It was quite an unnatural measure for government to distribute money to the people, while the government is supported by the people.
On the 4th of July, this year, Bradley Foster, aged 18 years, was drowned. There was a sort of celebration in the adjoining town of Greenwood, and he, with other boys, went to participate in the recreations of the day. A company of boys resorted to a mill-pond for the purpose of bathing, and by some mishap he got into too deep water, and drowned be- fore he could be rescued. He was the son of Nathan Foster, jr., and grandson of Nathan Foster, sen. His father died on the 19th of Jan., this same year, and his grandfather was found dead in his barn-yard on the 5th of Feb., 1836. The inother of the unfortunate boy still remains a widow, and resides in the city of Lowell, as also do several of her children.
Town officers for 1838 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Henry Rust, Treasurer ; Simon Stevens, Jonathan B. Smith, John Whit- marsh, Selectmen; James Crockett, Collector. Elliot Smith, Representative.
Valuation, $115,924. Number of polls 325; number of scholars 726.
Highway tax, $2092,49.
County tax, - -
.
-
-
$ 383,17
Schools, - -
-
-
675,00
Poor, and town charges, - - 1000,00
For building town-house,
-
- 500,00
144
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Overlayings, delinqueney highway, supplement, 126,81
Total money tax, - -
$2684,98
New immigrants : Daniel H. Blake, Salmon Cushman. Alonzo Curtis, Gilman Davis, Walter B. Drew, Charles Gardner, Timothy Hodgdon, Lorenzo Hathaway, John Howe. Jacob Herrick, James Haskell, Josiah Libby, Lewis Mixer, Ward MeIntier, Samuel Partridge, Joseph Richardson, Rev. Luke P. Rand, Stephen Rowe, David Sanborn, George W. Smith, Daniel B. Sawyer, Dr. Leander S. Tripp, Amos Pu- rington, Ephraim Brown, jr. Old settlers' sons : John Bancroft, Amos W. Briggs, William Briggs, Joshua Frost. John Gallison, William Hill, William Knight, Henry Love- joy, Solomon I. Millett, Nathan K. Noble, George W. Parsons, Moses A. Young, Daniel H. Buck, Simon P. Everett.
This year, the town built a suitable house in which to hold town-meetings, and for other town business. After the erec- tion of the Congregational meeting-house by Maj. Jonathan Cummings, the town-meetings were held in that building; but they made rather dirty work in the house, and some fault was found-probably not without reason ; so the town concluded to build a house for its especial use. There was some excite- ment on the question of a place for the house ; but the committee chosen for the purpose of selecting a central and convenient spot, selected the site now occupied, on the land of David Noyes, and he gave the land free to the town for so long a time as the house shall be used exclusively for the transaction of town business.
Town officers for 1839 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Henry Rust, Treasurer ; Simon Stevens, John Whitmarsh, Henry C. Reed, Selectmen : James Crockett, Collector. Elliot Smith, Rep- resentative.
Valuation, $114,968. Number of polls 318; number of .scholars 717.
Highway tax, $2218,99.
145
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
County tax, - - -
-
$ 348,62
Schools, - - -
- 675,00
Poor, and town charges, - 1000,00
Overlayings, delinquency highway, supplement,
89,12
Total money tax, - $2112,74
New immigrants : William Bisbee, Alva York, Caleb Cushman, Alvan Clifford, Henry Clifford, James F. Carter, John Coffin, Alvan Dinsmore, Ara S. Fuller, Isaac Farring- ton, Mark S. Grover, Saunders Kimball, Magnus Ridlon. Moses Swan, Samuel Whitney. Old settlers' sons : David Andrews, Asaph Bird, Henry L. Crockett, Hiram Everett, David Frost, William Lord, Jr., James Lassell, Leonard Young, Jacob F. Holt.
On the 15th day of June, this year, John S. Shed's house was burnt; cause of the fire unknown. Mr. Shed was ab- sent, about one mile distant, and did not get home in time to do anything towards saving the contents of the house. The house was 28 feet by 36, the outside well finished, and a con- siderable part of the inside ; it was rather a hard loss for the owner. His father, who was killed in 1818, in raising N. P. Shed's house, built the house in 1806, on the farm where he first began in 1788.
Town officers for 1840 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Henry Rust, Treasurer ; Simon Stevens, Henry C. Reed, Solomon Noble, Selectmen ; James Crockett, Collector. Simon Stevens. Representative.
Valuation, $116,887. Number of polls 321 ; number of scholars 713; number of inhabitants, by the census, 1786. Highway tax, common roads, - $1881.84 528,11
Extra roads, -
Total highway tax, -
-
-
$2409,95
State tax, -
-
-
-
$487,60
County tax, -
-
-
-
196,18
Schools,
-
- -
675.00
Poor, and town charges,
-
- 2500,00
10
146
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Overlayings in assessment, - - 112,95
Delinquency of highway, and supplement, 55,73
Total money tax, - - -
$4027,46
Now I hope our good citizens, and others, won't be startled at our enormous tax for this year, as the town then purchased a farm for its poor, which cost $1110, with several hundreds. of dollars additional for repairs of buildings, furniture, stock, and farming implements ; besides all this, the town incurred considerable expense in 1839 in fitting out the soldiers for the Madawaska war, which left the treasury rather low at the commencement of 1840.
New immigrants : Depleura Bisbee, Benjamin Cummings, Archibald B. Ward, Charles Cushman, William Coleman, Thomas Ellis, Jonathan Merrow, Horsley Shed, Winslow Ramsdale, Reuel Shaw, Theodore Verrill, Joshua H. Whit- ney, John Davis. Old settlers' sons : Daniel Bancroft, Ephraim S. Crockett, Samuel P. Frost, Robert Hall, Brad- bury C. A. Pingrec, Amos Upton, Jr., Joseph Eastman, Lewis H. Hobbs, Perez B. Latham.
In December, this year, there was a small fire in the Vil- lage. Daniel Holt's blacksmith shop was burnt in the night time, and his coal-house adjoining, or very near, was also burnt ; the wind being westerly, no other buildings were injured. Loss not very great, or distressing, but yet it caused considerable loss and inconvenience to the owner.
Early in the fall, 1840, widow Esther Millett lost her barn and its contents by fire. The cause of the fire ought to be a caution to all boys, and men, too, about discharging guns in or about their buildings. One of her boys seeing a squirrel on the barn, running along under the eaves, got his gun and shot the poor little animal ; and probably some part of the wad passed through a crack between the boards, and was un- noticed at the time, but shortly after the brrn was discovered in flames. Mrs. Millett, in May, 1826, lost her husband, in
147
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
the full vigor of manhood, aged 40 years, and had with un- common fortitude and industry encountered all the hardships and inconveniences of a widowed life ; she had nobly suc- ceeded in keeping her family and farm together, and finished a new house which was partly built when her husband died ; yet she was not exempted from this heavy loss. The next year she replaced the old barn by a much larger and better one, and is still living on the same farm, in good circum- stances.
Town officers for 1841 : Job Eastman, Clerk; Elliot Smith, Treasurer ; Henry C. Reed, Solomon Noble, Ichabod Bart- lett, Selectmen. Simon Stevens, Representative.
Valuation, $114,423. Number of polls 310; number of scholars 723.
Highway tax, common roads,
Extra roads,
-
-
$2318,35 1262,16
Total highway tax, -
-
,
$3580,51
State tax, -
-
-
-
$720,91
County tax, -
-
-
-
282,08
Schools,
- -
-
-
750,00
Poor, and town charges,
-
-
1500,00
Overlayings,
-
-
70,19
Delinquency of highway,
28,79
Supplement added after assessment,
-
66,07
Total money tax,
-
$3398,04
-
-
-
On the 12th day of Sept., the town voted to raise money for making the new County road from Ford's Corner to Otis- field line-the road to be let out in small sections to the lowest bidder ; and the sum was accordingly assessed, amounting to $1262,16. This made a large addition to the already heavy money tax, making the whole for this year $4660,20. The road was made that fall, and has proved a very useful one.
New immigrants : Isaac Abbott, Ephraim H. Brown, James HIale, Richard Jackson, Noah Jordan, Aruna Judkins, Dean
148
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
A. Kilgore, William Kelley, Alexander Libby, Joseph Tur- ner, Eugene Upton, Simeon Walton, Nathan Hathaway, Moses Hanscum, James N. Hall. Old settlers' sons : Joseph R. Ames, Benjamin G. Barrows, Hiram W. Deering, Henry Upton, Jonathan G. Noble.
The first new immigrant mentioned this year is Isaac Ab- bott. I speak of him here because I find his name on the tax list, but I hope his tax was abated. He came into the town in 1808, and has lived here mostly since, but a part of the time in Oxford. He has been a very unfortunate man, and is deserving the sympathy of all who possess the proper feelings of humanity. His father, with a large family, emi- grated from Andover, Mass., to East Andover, (as it was then called) in Maine, probably about 1800. The place was then new, with but few settlers. About the winter of 1804, a family wished to move from East Andover to Errol, N. H., on the west side of Umbagog lake ; and Isaac Abbott, then a very active, vigorous young man, went to drive an ox-team, among others, for the conveyance of the household goods and family. There was little, or no road through Letter B town- ship, and they had to cross Umbagog lake with their teams. On their return home, they found the water had risen over the ice ; they were overtaken by a violent storm and cold squalls, which completely hid the poor track; they were almost lost in the storm, and the whole company came very near perishing on the lake. They finally unyoked their oxen, and succeeded in getting out to a settlement with their lives spared. Mr. Abbott was frozen in a shocking manner, having both feet, nearly, or quite, to his aneles, frozen hard; and traveled for several miles, after his feet were hard as ice, by holding to the tail of a gentle ox. He was conveyed home, and after intense pain and suffering, had both feet amputated at the ancles ; but the thing was probably not very skillfully done ; he suffered a long time, and finally, before his legs could be healed up, he underwent a second amputation of both
149
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
legs about eight inches below the knees. After the last am- putation, his stumps healed up sound, and he ever since has walked on his knees, and has, wonderful to relate, performed much hard labor. A few years after his legs were amputated the last time, he married a daughter of Asa Lovejoy, (one of the carly settlers on the Waterford three tiers, ) and has brought up a family of several children.
I ought to have noticed, in the account of 1840, that Baker Ames had a son, John Ames, drowned in the mill-pond, above the Village mills; he went upon the ice to play, with other boys, and broke through, and before help could be procured, sank to rise no more. He was drowned Dec. 4, 1840, aged nine years.
There have been several very narrow escapes from drowning in the pond, by venturing upon ice when not strong enough to be safe. About 1833, on thanksgiving day, Ephraim S. Crockett, a son of Ephraim Crockett, who lives on the east side of the pond, nearly opposite the writer's farm, thinking to have a fine time skating on the ice, crossed the head of the pond to D. Noyes', and Claudius A. Noyes, then about twelve years of age, went with him to participate in the amusement of skating. They skated awhile, and growing more venture- some, went near the middle of the pond, when Crockett broke in, and could not get upon the ice again, as when he attempted to spring upon it, it would break, without assisting him from the water. In this dilemma, C. A. Neyes, although but & small boy, told him to hold upon the edge of the ice, and he would soon help him ; he then skated quickly to the shore, and took a long, slim pole from a fence, and going, within the length of the pole, to the other boy, he laid himself down on the ice, and reached hiin the small end, which he grasped tightly, and giving a smart spring, was pulled out of the water, and drawn to where the ice was strong enough to bear them. They had had skating enough for one thanksgiving. James Bennett, about the same year, broke through the ice
150
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
while skating, and being alone, came very near drowning. He kept trying to spring upon the ice, which continued break- ing, until it was broken to a place strong enough to hold him up, when he succeeded in getting from the water, but was nearly chilled to death. He says that was a sufficiency of skating for him.
Town officers for 1842 : Job Eastman, Clerk ; Elliot Smith, Treasurer ; Henry C. Reed, Solomon Noble, Ichabod Bart- lett, Selectmen. Benjamin Tucker, Jr., Representative.
Valuation, $154,018. Number of polls 300; number of scholars 690.
Highway tax, $2615,38.
State tax, - -
-
$720,01
County tax, - -
-
314,43
Schools, - - -
- 750,00
Poor, and town charges,
-
- 600,00
Overlayings,
79,99
- Delinquency of highway, and supplement, -
50,13
Total money tax, - -
- $2515,46
New immigrants : Elias Adams, Nathaniel G. Bacon, Isaac Bolster, Alfred P. Burnell, Henry R. Cushman, Caleb Her- sey, Jacob Herrick, James M. Lewis, Bartle Perry, Gardner Rowe, William Stowell, Elias Stowell, Rev. Timothy J. Ten- ney, Foster Wentworth. Old settlers' sons : Steadman Bennett, Joshua B. Crockett, Calvin L. Herring, Samuel Lord, 2d, Edwin Morse, Edward H. L. Morse, Israel D. Mil- lett, David B. Noyes.
This year, on the 18th day of March, Col. John Millett's house was burnt, and but little saved from it. It was a good farm-house, and the loss large. Origin of the fire unknown.
Town officers for 1843: Simon Stevens, Clerk ; Elliot Smith, Treasurer ; Jonathan Swift, John Parsons, Jr., Ben- jamin Tucker, Jr., Selectmen ; George J. Ordway, Collector. Classed with Oxford, and John J. Perry, of Oxford, Repre- sentative.
151
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
Valuation, $150,312. Number of polls 347 ; number of scholars 713.
Highway tax, $3610,01.
State tax,
-
-
-
$720,91
County tax, - -
-
-
262,02
Schools, -
- -
750,00
Poor, and town charges,
-
- 800,00
To build bridge pier, - - 50,00
Overlayings, delinquency highway, supplement,
134,84
Total money tax, -
- -
$2717,77
New immigrants ; William Andrews, Solomon Cloudman, Adna C. Denison, Moses G. Dow, Samuel Favor, Elhanan W. Fyler, Thomas Higgins, Nathaniel O. Hicks, Darius Holt, 3d, Ezekiel Jackson, William Hutchins, John Wood- man, Edmund S. Dean. Old settlers' sons : Ebenezer Ban- croft, Jr., Levi Bartlett, William Buck, Churchill Cobb, Nathan M. Crockett, Eliab Frost, Cornelius Hobbs, Lyman Hobbs, Ora Hix, Solomon S. Hall, Jeremiah Hall, Stephen Hall, William Merrill, Benjamin Marston, Claudius A. Noyes, Simon Stevens, 2d, Oren Tubbs, William Upton, Daniel M. Young.
This year will ever be memorable in the annals of Norway, on account of the destruction of Esquire Eastman's dwelling house by fire, and the records of the town from the time of its incorporation. It is supposed, but not certainly known, that the fire communicated to the house from ashes in the wood-house. When the fire was discovered, the inmates had not a moment to spare, but made their escape by the back door, which had not been used for the winter. They got out with nothing on them but their night-clothes. Esquire East- man was then about 93 years old, quite unwell, and could hardly walk in the house ; the snow was four feet deep from the door to the road, with a fence to be got over in the way. Mrs. Eastman, with almost superhuman strength, dragged him through snow nearly up to her arms, put him over the
.
152
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
fence, and got him into the barn-yard, as much from the wind as possible, and then wrapped him in a coverlet, which she had fortunately dragged from the bed with her husband. Ann A. Shaw, a granddaughter of Mrs. Eastman, about fifteen years of age, escaped in the same nude condition as the others, and rendered her grandmother all the assistance in her power. They were exposed to the severe cold for a considerable time. The fire was at length discovered from Mr. William Hobbs'- the alarm being given by old Mrs. Richardson-when his boys hastened to the scene of distress. As soon as they arrived at the burning house, one of them ran home, hastened back with a horse and sleigh, and carried the family to Mr. Hobbs' in a piteous condition. Mrs. Eastman's feet were shockingly frozen ; and as soon as the frost was out, they were a com- plete blister nearly to her ancles, excepting the upper parts. The girl was considerably frozen, but nothing compared to Mrs. Eastman. Esquire Eastman was very much chilled. but his wife had wrapped him in the coverlet so closely that he got frozen but a little. For more than a month Mrs. East- man was unable to walk, or stand; but by good care she at length entirely recovered, and has, till recently, been able, and willing, to perform much labor for an old lady. But on the evening of Feb. 13, 1852, she met with another affliction : she accidentally fell' upon the floor and injured her hip, so that she is entirely confined to her bed. How long her lame- ness will continue is uncertain, but the writer hopes not long.
The name and services of Job Eastman, for many, many years, were as familiar as household words to almost every man, woman, and child, in the town of Norway. After the incorporation of the town, Joshua Smith was town Clerk dur- ing two years, and in 1803, Joseph Rust was Clerk one year ; Job Eastman filled the office all the other years until 1843. He was first Selectman, and town Treasurer, for nine years after the town was incorporatel; and was an acting Justice
153
HISTORY OF NORWAY.
of the Peace from 1797 until his death, which took place Feb. 28, 1845, at the age of 95 years.
Mark S. Richardson and wife, with one young child, and his mother, lived in the west end of Esquire Eastman's house at the time of the fire. They escaped by the front-door with much less danger and difficulty than the Eastman family.
In the spring of this year, there was a remarkable freshet, which flooded many cellars, and carried off many bridges. Ephraim Brown then owned the old grist-mill at the Steep Falls, below the Village, and it was swept away by the flood ; his peg manufactory, also, shared the fate of the mill.
By a request to the Selectmen, there was a special town- meeting called on the Saturday previous to the first Monday in May, for the purpose of instructing the town authorities in regard to licensing suitable persons to sell spirituous liquors for medicinal and mechanical purposes. The meeting was rather thin, but the Selectmen were instructed to license no person, except the town Clerk and town Treasurer, to sell for the above purposes ; and the profits, after paying the expense of selling, to go into the town treasury for supporting the poor. What the profits amounted to, is as yet unknown to the town, as no report has been made.
A very melancholy affair happened in this town on the evening of the 6th of October, 1843. Mr. Dresser Stevens, next-door-neighbor to the writer, as is very common among farmers, made a husking for the evening, and invited his neighbors to assist him. In the course of the evening, some rather rude joking was indulged in by a portion of the con- pany at the expense of a youngster named Hiram Totherly, and his making rather a tart reply irritated the feelings of a few present, which caused hard words between the parties. At the close of the husking, Ebenezer Hobbs made an assault on Totherly, and they soon closed in with each other, and both fell on the floor in the squabble; Totherly, with his jack-knife, stabbed Hobbs in many places, and a wound just
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