USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Sullivan > A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917, Volume I > Part 13
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The last of the adjourned meetings with reference to the 2d meetinghouse (See annals for 1805) was held in this structure, on Jan. 4, 1809. All town meetings for the next 40 years were held in this 2d meetinghouse, which many readers of this book will remember well. The great event of the year 1808 was the dedication of this edifice on the 29th of December. See the chapter on ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Mar. 14, 1809-Elijah Carter, M .; Elijah Frost, Benjamin Eaton, Ichabod Keith, S. M .- Appropriated twenty dollars for instruction in sacred music. Voted to build a new pound, two
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rods square, of stone. This is the one nearly opposite J. B. Seward's. A superintending school committee of three persons was chosen. They were Rev. Wm. Muzzey, Roswell Hubbard, Esq., and Solomon White. They were the first school inspec- tors chosen by the town. A list of such officers will be found in the section of this book treating of the SCHOOLS. Capt. Abel Allen reported that he "had received, as a legacy* for the town," the personal effects of James Rowe, which he had placed in the hands of the select-men. At a special meeting, Sept. 25, Abel Allen, M., voted not to build a house for the poor.
Mar. 13, 1810-Elijah Frost, M .; Elijah Frost, Roswell Hubbard, John Wilson, S. M .- There were special meetings on Aug. 27, Erastus Hubbard, M., to vote for Congressmen ; and on Sept. 24, same moderator, to appoint a committee to repair the bridge at Mason's mill. Chose Samuel Osgood, Elijah Frost, and John Wilson for that purpose.
Mar. 12, 1811-Col. Erastus Hubbard, M .; Roswell Hub- bard, Benjamin Eaton, Amos Wardwell [Sr.], S. M .- At a special meeting, Sept. 2, Caleb Winch, M., it was voted to choose a committee to take such action as they may deem proper about the public land. No names of such a committee are recorded. See section on Public Lands at close of this chapter.
Mar. 10, 1812-Erastus Hubbard, M .- Owing to an infor- mality in the warrant, this meeting was not valid for town affairs, and another meeting had to be summoned for March 19. At this meeting Elijah Frost was M .; Elijah Frost, Roswell Hubbard, and Samuel Seward were chosen as select-men. There was a special meeting on Sept. 7, Caleb Winch, M., when it was voted to send two delegates to a county convention, when- ever one should be called, "to take into consideration the alarm- ing situation of our public affairs". Chose Jonas Stevens and Elijah Frost as delegates. This refers to the war known as the " War of 1812". Voted to authorize the select-men to sell the Rowe land set off to the town as purchasers of John Rowe's share of the estate of his brother James Rowe. There was a special meeting on Sept. 30, John Wilson, M .; also on Nov. 2, Samuel Seward, M., when votes were cast for Congressmen and Presidential electors.
*The town having to support John Rowe, a brother of James, John made over to the town his share of the estate, which is here improperly called a legacy.
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Mar. 9, 1813-Erastus Hubbard, M .; Roswell Hubbard, Samuel Seward, Jr., John Mason, S. M .- There was a special meeting, Sept. 13, Caleb Winch, M., when the old "Gulf Road " was discontinued. It led west from where M. J. Barrett lives to the old Gilsum meetinghouse.
Mar. 8, 1814-Erastus Hubbard, M .; Samuel Seward, Jr., John Mason, Samuel Locke, S. M .- On question of revision of state constitution, there were 69 opposed, none in favor. Voted to build a wall on the west side of the road to Roxbury, against Zadok Nims, to compensate him for land taken. That road was accepted at this meeting. There were special meet- ings on Aug. 29, Erastus Hubbard, M .; and on Sept. 29, Ros- well Hubbard, M .- at the former votes were cast for Con- gressmen.
Mar. 14, 1815-Erastus Hubbard, M .; John Mason, Samuel Locke, Roswell Osgood, S. M .- At a special meeting, Oct. 2, Calvin Locke, M., money was raised to pay the soldiers who went to Portsmouth. See MILITARY HISTORY.
Mar. 12, 1816-Elijah Frost, M .; Roswell Osgood, John Wilson, Stephen Foster, S. M .- There was a special meeting, Sept. 24, Samuel Locke, M .; also one on Nov. 4, Erastus Hubbard, M., at which votes were cast for Congressmen and Presidential electors.
Mar. II, 1817-Roswell Hubbard, M .; John Wilson, Stephen Foster, Joseph Seward, S. M .- Special meetings on Oct. 15, Erastus Hubbard, M .; and on Dec. 18, Calvin Locke, M., had reference to the minister, Mr. Muzzey. See chapter on ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Mar. 10, 1818-Roswell Hubbard, M .; John Wilson, Joseph Seward, Rufus Mason, S. M .- At a special meeting, Oct. 13, Elijah Frost, M., a committee, consisting of Josiah Seward, Erastus Hubbard, and Elijah Frost, was appointed to apply to James Comstock for a division of the school-right, and, on his refusal, to take such advice as they might think fit, and otherwise to proceed in the business as they might think proper. His farm was originally a lot reserved for schools by Gilsum. See section on Public Lands at end of chapter.
Mar. 9, 1819-Elijah Frost, M .; John Wilson, Rufus Mason, Breed Osgood, S. M .- Votes were cast upon the ques-
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tion of dividing the original Cheshire County (which then included what is now Sullivan County). Two votes were in favor and 25 against the measure. Such a division was finally effected on July 5, 1827. Votes were cast at this time for Con- gressmen. At a special meeting, Oct. 12, Elijah Frost, M., a road was accepted from Mr. Frost's to Mr. Winch's.
Mar. 14, 1820-Erastus Hubbard, M .; Roswell Hubbard, Samuel Seward, Calvin Locke, S. M .- The matter of dividing the county again came up and 86 votes were thrown against the measure, none in favor. Sixty dollars were appropriated for instruction in singing. Charles Cummings, Dalphon Gibbs, Samuel Seward, and Solomon White were chosen a committee to "lay out the money appropriated for music." There were special meetings on Oct. 9, Calvin Locke, M .; and on Nov. 6, Rev. Charles Cummings, M. At the latter meeting, votes were cast for Presidential electors and Congressmen.
Mar. 13, 1821-Col. Erastus Hubbard, M .; John Mason, Samuel Seward, Isaac Rawson, S. M .- At a special meeting on Oct. 10, Rufus Mason, M., a committee, consisting of Ros- well Hubbard, Erastus Hubbard, and Samuel Locke, was chosen to dispose of the public land belonging to the town by terms of the incorporation. See end of chapter. On Mar. 13, there were 93 votes against, none in favor of, a revision of the state consti- tution.
Mar. 12, 1822-Col. Erastus Hubbard, M. ; John Mason, Samuel Seward, Jr., Dalphon Gibbs, S. M .- Appropriated $160.00 to paint the meetinghouse like the one at Keene. Chose Calvin Locke, John Wilson, and Wm. Brown a committee to attend to it. Voted to abate the taxes of Rev. Messrs. Muzzey and Cummings. Special meetings were held on Sept. 16, Calvin Locke, M .; and on Sept. 30, Amos Wardwell [Sr. ], M. ; at the former of which votes were cast for Congressmen.
Mar. II, 1823-Col. Erastus Hubbard, M .; Samuel Seward, Jr., Dalphon Gibbs, Roswell Osgood, S. M .- 73 votes were cast for Edmund Parker for Congress. A special meeting, Oct. 23, Stephen Foster, M. Business unimportant.
Mar. 9, 1824-Calvin Locke, M .; Roswell Osgood, Amos Wardwell [ Sr.], Stephen Foster, S. M .- There were special meetings on Oct. I, Solomon White, M .; on Nov. I, Samuel
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Seward, Jr., M., to vote for Congressmen and Presidential electors ; and on Feb. 1, 1825, Elijah Frost, M .; at which latter meeting it was voted to "admit a stove into the meetinghouse," also voted not to build a town hall.
Mar. 8, 1825-Elijah Frost, M .; John Wilson, Roswell Osgood, Stephen Foster, S. M .- Votes were cast on a second ballot for one Congressman, and for another in place of one who had declined. On the question of retaining Charlestown as a shire town for northern Cheshire, 16 votes were cast in favor and 19 against, On the question of making Newport the northern shire town, the vote was 22 in favor and 15 against. The legislature finally enacted, Dec. 8, 1824, that the court in the following May should be held at Newport, which became henceforth a shire town. There were special meetings on Apr. 18, Col. Solomon White, M .; and on Sept. 29, Amos Wardwell [Sr. ], M. At the former, it was voted not to raise money to pay the salary of Mr. Muzzey, and a committee was appointed to consult with him. See ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Mar. 14, 1826-Col. Erastus Hubbard, M .; John Wilson, Roswell Osgood, Selim Frost, S. M .- Voted that cattle shall not run at large. Chose Calvin Locke, John Wilson, and Joseph Seward a committee to draught by-laws for the town. The first record of such a kind. There were special meetings on May 5, John Wilson, M .; on Aug. 26, Calvin Locke, M .; and on Oct. 7, Selim Frost, M .; at the first of which they passed over an article in the warrant "to see whether the inhabitants of said town are better satisfied with him [Rev. Wm. Muzzey] than they were the preceding year." Mr. Muzzey was a scholar and a gentleman and one of the best of men, but men have always protested against paying taxes, if they could possibly help it, and probably always will. The legal obligation to pay taxes is all that makes a government possible. The union of church and state, with an obligation to pay a clergyman by municipal taxa- tion, cannot work well whenever persons of different religious denominations or convictions exist in the same community. It was a pity that these disputations should have dragged Mr. Muzzey personally into the matter, for he was a man who was loved and respected by everybody.
Mar. 13, 1827-Elijah Frost, M .; John Wilson, Samuc!
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Locke, John Mason, S. M .- Votes were cast at this meeting for Congressmen instead of during the preceding autumn. Voted to purchase a hearse and build a house to keep it in, as near the graveyard as can conveniently be done. On the question of dividing the county, 10 votes were cast in favor and 29 against the proposition. There were two special meetings, this year, on Apr. 25, Joseph Seward, M., several times adjourned, and on Oct. 8, John Mason, M. The former meeting was very impor- tant, resulting in measures leading up to the dismission of Rev. Mr. Muzzey. It being no longer obligatory by law for towns to enter into any new contracts to support a minister of the gospel, the pressure to bring such a ministry to an end became very great. There were Baptists and Universalists and Unitarians in the town, all of whom were most likely in favor of the change. There were also certain members of the church who thought that they could get rid of paying as much as they were then taxed. It must, however, be said to the credit of others, that they cheerfully gave much more than ever after the town ceased to support the ministry. The county was divided into Cheshire and Sullivan counties, July 5, 1827.
Mar II, 1828-Elijah Frost, M .; John Mason, Samuel Locke, James W. Osgood, S. M .- There were special meetings for drawing jurymen on Apr. 23, Ira Ellis, M .; on Sept. 13, Calvin Locke, M .; and on Oct. 4, John Mason, M .; also a special meeting on Nov. 3, Amos Wardwell [Sr.], M., to cast votes for Presidential electors.
Mar. 10, 1829-John Wilson, M .; John Wilson, Rufus Mason, Harrison Rugg, S. M .- Votes were cast at this meet- ing instead of the last fall meeting, for Congressmen. Four special meetings were held this year : on Mar. 10, John Wilson, M. ; on July 31, Rufus Mason, M. ; on Sept. 19, Rufus Mason, M .; and on Dec. 26, Enoch Woods, M. ; all to draw jurymen.
Mar. 9, 1830-Amos Wardwell [Sr.], M .; Samuel Locke, Roswell Osgood, Benjamin Kemp, Jr., S. M .- Voted that cattle should not run at large from May I to Nov. I, but the select- men may license persons to let cattle run at large, by paying what they deem it worth, or even by paying nothing. At this meeting a vote was passed which was repeated for many years. It was a vote to pay for making coffins and digging graves ;
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thus relieving the friends of a deceased person from driving any bargain with respect to such solemn matters. It now became customary to hold meetings for such matters as drawing jury- men or arranging for the poor at some store or private house, for the attendance was small. Three meetings were held at the store of Nathaniel Evans, this year: on Mar. 24, Dr. T. L. Lane, M .; on July 28, James W. Osgood, M .; and on Sept. 24, Dr. T. L. Lane, M. Two more special meetings were held at the meetinghouse : on Nov. 16, Isaac Rawson, M .; and on Dec. 25, William Comstock, M. At the former, much opposi- tion was manifested to the building of the Concord Road.
Mar. 8, 1831-Elijah Frost, M .; Samuel Locke, Roswell Osgood, Benjamin Kemp, Jr., S. M .- A similar vote was passed to that of the preceding year with respect to cattle in the roads, except that, if persons were licensed to use the highways for pasturage, the rate should be twelve and a half cents per week for each and every cow and other stock in proportion. Votes were cast for Congressmen. Chose Rufus Mason, Selim Frost, and Amos Wardwell [Sr.] a committee to name the best place for a town hall. They reported that the best place would be on the east side of the common. Voted that individuals might erect such a building, 22 feet wide, length not limited, on the east side of the common. Four special meetings were held for minor business at Wardwell's store: on Mar. 25, I. N. Ward- well, M .; on July 25, no moderator recorded; on Aug. 31, Joseph Seward, M .; and Dec. 24, Nathaniel Heaton, M. At a meeting on Oct. 6, Charles H. Cummings, M., an appropriation of $65.00 was made for the road from near Mr. Hemenway's in Gilsum to a point just north of where Mr. Moore's road now leads from the highway.
Mar. 13, 1832-Elijah Frost, M. ; Samuel Locke, Roswell Osgood, Ellsworth Hubbard, S. M .- Voted $8.00 to be used for the " singing society", for a room to meet in. There were two special meetings : on Aug. 20, when the town voted to dis- continue the Concord Road ! and petitioned the court to sustain this vote and chose Nathaniel Heaton an agent to present the petition ; also on Nov. 5, to vote for Presidential electors. Amos Wardwell [Sr.] was the moderator of both meetings. There were four meetings at Wardwell's hall for minor busi-
9
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ness : on Mar. 29, Selim Frost, M .; on Aug. 1I, Joseph Thurston, M. ; on Sept. 28, Benjamin Tyler, M .; and Dec. 28, James W. Osgood, M.
Mar. 12, 1833-Samuel Locke, M .; Samuel Locke, Ros- well Osgood, Ellsworth Hubbard, S. M .- On the question of revising the state constitution, 73 votes were cast against the measure, none in favor. No votes for Congressmen were cast, so far as records show, either in 1832 or in 1833. At a special meeting, Nov. 7, Samuel Locke, M., it was voted to appoint a committee and provide means for building the Concord Road. The committee appointed consisted of Amos Wardwell [Sr.], Samuel Locke, and Roswell Osgood. Appropriated $219.12 for damages and cost of defending the town against the road, the opposition being unsuccessful. There were two meetings at Wardwell's hall for minor business: on Mar. 27, Wm. Brown, M .; and on Sept. 21, Selim Frost, M.
Mar. 11, 1834-Samuel Locke, M .; Roswell Osgood, Nathaniel Heaton, Ephraim Foster, S. M .- On question of revis- ing the state constitution, six votes were cast in favor of and 62 against the proposition. A plan for the revision of the boundary lines of the school districts was accepted. There were two meetings for minor business at Wardwell's hall, on Mar. 26, Wm. Brown, M .; and on Sept. 22, Gilman Breed, M.
Mar. 10, 1835-Samuel Locke, M .; Roswell Osgood, Na- thaniel Heaton, Ephraim Foster, S. M .- There were two meet- ings for minor business at Ephraim Foster's : on Mar. 28, Nathaniel Heaton, M .; and on Sept. 24, Jacob Spaulding, M. This year, and until 1877, in odd years, votes were cast at annual meetings for Congressmen.
Mar. 8, 1836-Charles H. Cummings, M .; Nathaniel Heaton, Selim Frost, Joseph Seward, S. M .- Voted that in working roads men and oxen should be allowed eight cents an hour. At a special meeting, Nov. 7, Amos Wardwell [Sr.], M., votes were cast for Presidential electors. There were two minor meetings at Ephraim Foster's : on Mar. 25, Nathaniel Heaton, M. ; and on Sept. 21, Daniel Grosvenor Wright, M.
Mar. 14, 1837-Charles H. Cummings, M .; Selim Frost, Charles H. Cummings, Alonzo Mason, S. M .- Voted to receive the town's share of public money, according to the act of Jan.
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13, 1837, of the state legislature. This vote is thus explained. During President Andrew Jackson's administration, the public debt of the United States was paid and a surplus of thirty-six million dollars, or more, was in the treasury. Opposed to any surplus, and hostile to its being used for internal improvements, President Jackson induced Congress to divide it among the states, according to a fixed ratio. The share that came to New Hampshire approximated $800,000.00. The state legislature authorized its distribution among the towns, a half according to the rateable polls, and a half according to the proportion which each town paid of the state tax. The towns could invest this money and spend the interest, but the principal was to be returned whenever the state treasurer should demand it, upon a requisition by the U. S. authorities. It was regarded as a loan by the United States and, until recently, the books of the national treasury department carried the loan as unavailable assets. The towns were to give bonds to comply with these obligations, but no such bonds are filed in the state treasurer's office. There was great carelessness in the matter. It is not certain what all of the towns did with the principal. From the records of the annual meeting for 1839, it would appear that the income of Sullivan from this public money amounted to about $140.00 a year. This would imply that the principal was about $2,400.00, or at least between two thousand and three thousand dollars. In 1839, this income was applied to town charges. In 1840, so much of this public money as was neces- sary was used in building the West Road. Then, for a few years, the income of the remainder was applied to the paying of town charges. After 1843 the records do not allude to it. It had probably all been used for public purposes. In some towns, their " surplus money " as it was called, was divided among the legal voters and applied to the payment of their taxes. In reality, the towns would have been liable to refund this public money, if demanded, but it is probable that no demand was ever made for it. In fact the books of the United States treasury no longer carry this loan. It has, by some method, been dropped from their ledgers. There was a special meeting at Wardwell's Hall, Mar. 28, Charles H. Cummings, M., and two more at the meetinghouse : on June 3, Nathaniel Heaton, M .; and on
-
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Sept. 16, Hosea Foster, M. At the third, it was voted not to support Abiah Ellis unless compelled by law. The business transacted at the other meetings appears in other parts of this volume.
Mar. 13, 1838-Charles H. Cummings, M .; Ephraim Foster, Dexter Spaulding, Charles Franklin Wilson, S. M .- On the question, "Is it expedient to enact a law authorizing town clerks to record deeds?" voted, one yes, 76 no. On the question of revising the state constitution, the vote was none for and 85 against so doing. There were two special meetings at Wardwell's store, to draw jurymen : on Mar. 27, Martin Spaulding, M .; and on Sept. 26, Ezra Wardwell, M. A special meeting at the meetinghouse, on Sept. 29, Selim Frost, M., was held to take action upon what we call the West Road. Action was postponed until the annual meeting.
Mar. 12, 1839-Samuel Locke, M .; Charles Franklin Wilson, Nathaniel Heaton, Ashley Mason, S. M .- On the ques- tion of providing a fire-proof building for the county, the vote of Sullivan, this year, was 30, yes; 29, no. Such a building was built in 1840. It was a two-story granite building, on the site of the present Court House at Keene. There were two minor meetings : one at Wardwell's store, Mar. 25, Nathaniel Heaton, M., and the other at the meetinghouse, Sept. 21, with the same man for moderator. At a special meeting, Sept. 21, Roswell Osgood, M., it was decided, after many delays, and much oppo- sition, to build the West Road, and a thousand dollars was appropriated to build it, and, as we have seen, a part of the "public money ", which came to the town, was used for that purpose.
Mar. 10, 1840-Samuel Locke, M .; Roswell Osgood, Lucius Nims, Dauphin Spaulding, S. M .- A special meeting was held on Mar. 31, at Selim Frost's, Amos Wardwell [Sr.], M., and another at Wardwell's store, on Sept. 22, I. N. Ward- well, M., both for drawing jurymen. Votes were cast for Presi- dential electors on Nov. 2, Samuel Locke, M.
Mar. 9, 1841-Daniel Grosvenor Wright, M .; Joseph Seward, Ellsworth Hubbard, Dauphin W. Wilson, S. M .- Voted that the town clerk procure a set of the "New Hamp- shire Reports", at the expense of the town. There were two
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special meetings for minor business at Wardwell's store: on Mar. 29, Daniel Grosvenor Wright, M .; and on Sept. 25, I. N. Wardwell, M.
Mar. 8, 1842-Samuel Locke, M .; Joseph Seward, Ells- worth Hubbard, Dauphin W. Wilson, S. M .- Voted not to suffer horses, cattle, and swine to run at large. Accepted the following by-laws :- I. "Be it enacted by the Town of Sul- livan that from and after the first day of April next there shall no horses, neat cattle, or swine be allowed to run at large in any public highway in said town, between the first day of April and the first of November, annually" .- 2. "And be it further enacted that for each and every violation of the foregoing act the offender shall be liable to the following fines : for every horse or horse kind a sum not exceeding $2.00 or less than $0.25 ; for every neat cattle a sum not exceeding $1.00, nor less than $0.25 ; for every swine or swine kind a sum not exceeding $1.00, or less than $0.50, according to the opinion of the justice before whom it may be tried, to be recovered before any justice of the peace competent to try the same, one half to the person com- plaining, the other half for the benefit of the town."-3. "And be it further enacted that the foregoing shall continue in force until repealed." On the question of revising the state constitu- tion, one vote was cast in favor of and 45 against it. There were two meetings for minor business at Wardwell's store: on Mar. 26, Ichabod Nichols Wardwell, M .; and on Sept. 26, Leander Felt, M.
Mar. 14, 1843-Ephraim Foster, M. ; Dauphin W. Wilson, Joseph Felt, Ephraim Foster, S. M .- Refused to exempt " Baptist Hall" from taxation. Appointed Samuel Locke, Selim Frost, and Chauncy W. Rawson a committee to repair the meetinghouse where it is defaced and " bring aggressors to justice if possible". Passed over an article with reference to painting the meetinghouse. From this time on, names for jury- men were selected by the town clerk and drawn by him, pub- licly, and formal meetings for that purpose were no longer called. In accordance with a petition signed by 13 citizens of the town, the select-men, on May, 5, 1843, divided the town into five school districts. They were practically the same that had been in existence, but their limits were more specifically
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defined. They are detailed in the chapters devoted to FAMILY HISTORIES. At a special meeting on Feb. 17, 1844, Samuel Locke, M., it was voted "that the select-men be instructed to make returns to the town clerks of Sullivan and Nelson of a straight line between said towns". It would seem that the line usually recognized had deviated from the true line, which would of course be a straight line. It was voted to sell to the First Congregational Society all right to the religious privileges in the meetinghouse, they having the right to make alterations and construct a chapel, leaving a basement eight feet high for town purposes, and they keeping all their part in repair or forfeiting their title. Evidently plans of this nature had been considered. Nothing of the kind was ever done, however. Many believe that it would have been a wise thing to have adopted these plans. It would have preserved an historic structure. Had the work been properly done, a most beautiful building could have been made of it.
Mar. 12, 1844-Ephraim Foster, M. ; Joseph Felt, Ephraim Foster, Charles Franklin Wilson, S. M .- There was some competition, this year, for the office of representative to the General Court. Votes were divided between C. W. Rawson, Joseph Seward, and Joseph Felt. The last-named won on the fifth ballot. It was the first time in the history of the town that a second ballot was recorded for a representative. Three men were paid $12.64 in all for keeping Mrs. Pompey Woodward (a colored woman). An extra appropriation of $400.00 was made on account of " breaking the roads in deep snows ". At a special meeting, Nov. 4, Charles Franklin Wilson, M., votes were cast for Presidential electors. On the question of revising the state constitution, 14 votes were in favor of and 67 against the proposition. On the question of abolishing capital punishment in the state, 19 votes were in favor of it and 64 against it. Voted that "our representative to the General Court remon- strate against the alteration of the line between Sullivan and Nelson ". No alteration was made, in fact. Voted that Ros- well Curtis Nourse be hereafter exempted from taxes, so long as he does not ask for a road from his house to any public highway.
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