USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Sullivan > A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917, Volume I > Part 47
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Marriages in Sullivan have always been solemnized by a simple and unosten- tatious ceremony. In the Roman Catholic church, marriage is reckoned among the seven sacraments. . The ceremony, except the questions propounded to the bride and groom, is in Latin, sometimes followed by a nuptial mass. The elabo- rate and pleasing marriage ritual found in the " Book of Common Prayer " of the Protestant Episcopal church is now very largely used, with slight verbal changes and modifications (often without any change), by clergymen of all the Protestant sects where a very ceremonial service in "full form " is desired in accordance with all customs appropropriate and proper on such an occasion, especially at a church wedding, or at an evening wedding in a private house. With respect to the details, the fashions change from time to time.
In Sullivan, these " full form " weddings have rarely, if ever, occurred. There have been very few church weddings. Marriages are usually at the home of the bride. As a rule, the guests are limited to the families of the bride and groom, with near relatives, and sometimes a few very intimate friends. The ceremony is usually in the following form : an invocation, brief address of a half-dozen sen- tences, the usual questions propounded to the groom and bride, the proclamation of marriage, prayer, and benediction. Some of these parts are occasionally omitted. Justices of the peace usually do no more than to ask the questions and make the proclamation of husband and wife. Instead of a home wedding, the bridal couple often repair to the house of some clergyman or justice for the ceremony, without inviting any guests, or no more than one or two.
At private houses, the ceremony is usually followed by serving the wedding guests with a slice of the "wedding cake." The additional " bride's cake " is seldom used. Occasionally tea and coffee and other light refreshments are served on such occasions. In the olden time, a rather elaborate dinner occasion- ally followed a wedding ceremony. Miss Emily Muzzy, a daughter of the first Sullivan minister, informed the writer that she went with her father to the marriage of James Matthews and Abigail Keith, the writer's grandparents; that a dinner followed the wedding, which she never forgot, " because they had raisins in their apple pie." The best and largest turkey in the flock was often saved to be roasted for the marriage feast of some girl of the family. Sometimes, though more rarely, the invited guests would include a large number, quite filling the house. As a rule, weddings have been what would now be called "morning weddings " or " day weddings." In the earliest times, wines and liquors were furnished at weddings, but not since about 1830.
It will be observed that several of the marriages recorded in the preceding table were not recorded upon the Sullivan books. Licenses are not always taken from the towns where both bride and groom reside. Unfortunately many such
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.
marriages escape proper record. Town clerks, in former days, were often noto- riously careless about recording deaths, births, and marriages.
One fact in connection with these Sullivan marriages is very important from an ethical point of view. Including the foot notes and the note at the end of the list of marriages, we have here made a record of the marriages of 752 couples of whom one or both parties, in each case, properly belonged to Sullivan. Of all these 752 couples only eleven are positively known to the writer to have been divorced. Of two more he is in some doubt with respect to the facts. Thus, of all couples married in the town, or who were, in some way, connected with the town at the time of marriage, only about one and seven-tenths per cent were ever divorced. It would be difficult indeed to find any town which has a better record in this particular. Even this record is considerably reduced, if we remember that two women were each twice divorced.
CHAPTER X.
SCHOOLS. .
At the town meeting, Mar. 11, 1788, it was voted that Ezra Osgood, John Chapman, Timothy Dimick, Roswell Hubbard, and James Locke, Jr., be a com- mittee to divide the town into school districts. £12 were voted to support schools. At a meeting of the town, June 3, 1788, the committee on school dis- tricts reported that the town be divided as follows, their report being accepted :
" The Northeast District beginning at Thomas Morse's south line (he lived at 65 on map) and taking all east of the Patent Line north. One District in the northwest corner, taking in all west of the Patent Line, and south as far as Mr. Baker's south line (Baker lived at 103). The rest of the town to be one District for the present."
Sept. 8, 1788, the town voted " that the several 'squadrons' have the money they pay for the support of schools and set up their own schools." The " squad- rons " were probably the districts just described.
On Mar: 10, 1789, {12 were again voted for schooling. After this, we shall not speak of the amounts yearly raised for schools. They may be seen in the table of appropriations in the chapter on INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY. Mar. 9, 1790, it was voted to divide the Centre District, so that all that was Keene should be a new district, all west of the east line of Benjamin Ellis (in reality all west of the road leading past numbers 236, 235, 230, 229, and 228, north of the south - ern and south of the northwestern district) should be one district, known as the Western District, and that the Centre District should extend east to the Great Brook.
Oct. II, 1792, the town voted to raise £100 (about $500.00) for building schoolhouses in the several districts and that each district have its own money
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SCHOOLS.
They chose Benjamin Ellis, Joshua Osgood, Joseph Woods, Samuel Seward, and Timothy Dimick a committee to lay out the money. Previous to this the schools were taught in barns; in the Centre District, in the barn of Mr. Rowe on the hill; in the Northeast District, in the barn of Samuel Seward (at 135) ; in the Southern District, in the barn of Zadok Nims (at 152) ; in the Western District, in the barn of Timothy Dimick (at 250); and in the Northwest District, in the barn of Joshua Burditt (at 183). Mrs. Celeste Fifield said that her mother (whose maiden name was Lucinda Seward) had often spoken to her of going to school in her father's barn. She related some little incidents connected with the school which are rather too personal for publication. The writer's grandmother (whose maiden name was Polly Wilson, daughter of Daniel Wilson who lived at 64) often spoke to him of her school days in the Rowe barn (which stood at 69, where the first public religious service was held). Hosea Foster, Ashley Spaulding, and Dauphin W. Wilson were the authorities for locating the barns in which the schools were held respectively in the Northwest, West, and South Districts. Packer's Quarter (now District No. I) had not as yet been erected into a district. It had no inhabitants when the town was incorporated, nor for some years after that.
The five schoolhouses built with the appropriation of Oct. II, 1792, were located at the places marked 75, 157, 249, 184, and 133 on the map. Mar. 8, 1796, the town voted to make a new district of "Packer's Quarter," being all of the town east of the Patent Line and south of the line dividing the land of Daniel Wilson and Samuel Osgood (which was the old south line of the original Boyle and Gilsum, indicated on the map by the dotted line crossing Osgood Hill), as far as the " Branch." (or Otter River), then along that stream to the northeast, to the town line. The first schoolhouse in this district was built where the house of Lyman Davis now stands (at 20).
Mar. 13, 1810, it was voted by the town that the Centre and West (or Dimick) Districts be united into one for school purposes. They remained as separate districts for road and general purposes. At the same meeting, it was voted to number the school districts as follows : Packer's Quarter to be No. 1 ; the Cen- tre District, No. 2; the Northeast District to be No. 3; the South District to be No. 4 ; the North District to be No. 5; and the West (then usually known as the Dimick) District to be No. 6; it being understood that, for school purposes, Nos. 6 and 2 were to be regarded as one, to be known as school district No. 2.
From 1796 until 1830, the collectors of the school taxes were chosen at the annual March meetings. They were the following, the number following each name representing the number of the district for which said man was chosen. As we have seen, the districts were first numbered in 1810, but, before that date, these numbers may be used for the corresponding districts.
1796. Calvin Wilder, [ ; Daniel Wilson, 2; Josiah Seward, 3; Roswell Hubbard, 4; Timothy Dimick, 5; Dudley Smith, 6 .- 1797. Samuel Osgood, I ; Josiah G. White, 2; Nathan Bolster, 3; Elijah Osgood, 4; John Farnsworth 5; Timothy Dimick, 6 .- 1798. Reuben Morse, I; Enoch Woods, 2; Elijah Rugg, 3; Eleazar Brown, 4 (who died during the year and Elijah Osgood was appointed in his place) ; John Farrar, 5; Timothy Dimick, 6 .- 1799. Samuel Mason, I ; Abraham Clarke, 2; Ichabod Keith, 3; Ezra Osgood, 4; Joshua Corey, 5;
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.
David Cummings, 6 .- 1800. Jonathan Heaton, I ; Daniel Wilson, 2; Samuel Seward 3; Zadok Nims, 4; Isaac Rawson, 5; Jonathan Baker, 6 (who owned land in No. 6, and would therefore be eligible to this position) .- 1801. Nathaniel Mason, I; James Wilson, 2; Josiah Seward, 3; Benjamin Kemp, 4; David Emery Boynton, 5; Thomas Spaulding, 6 .- 1802, Thomas Rider, I ; Enoch Woods, 2; Jonathan Kendall, Jr., 3; Oliver Osgood, 4; Isaac Rawson, 5; Solo- mon Rugg, 6 .- 1803. Jeremiah Leland, I ; Solomon White, 2; Nathan Bolster, 3; Jonas Stevens, 4; Solomon Woods, 5; Dr. Messer Cannon, 6. 1804. Eph- raim Adams, I; Calvin Locke, 2; Ichabod Keith, 3; Cornelius Howlett, 4 ; Stephen Foster, 5; Philip Proctor, 6 .- 1805. Jesse Morse, I ; Elijah Osgood 2 ; Ebenezer Kendall, 3; Elijah Carter, 4; Dalphon Gibbs, 5; Amasa Brown, 6. 1806. Jonathan Heaton, I ; Solomon White, 2; Thomas Mcleod, 3; Joseph Kingsbury, 4 ; Benjamin Eaton, 5; Timothy Dimick, 6 .-- 1807. John Wright, I ; John Wilson, 2; Samuel Seward, 3; Asahel Nims, 4; Isaac Rawson, 5; David Cummings, 6 .- 1808. Samuel Osgood, I; Elijah Frost, 2; James Com- stock, 3; Oliver Brown, 4; Reuben Wright, 5; Joshua Osgood, 6 .- 1809. Na- thaniel Mason, I ; Abel Allen, 2; Luther Wilder, 3; Jonas Stevens, 4; Dalphon Gibbs, 5; Thomas Spaulding, 6. Abel Allen lived in No. 6, but had land in No. 2, hence eligible for this position.
In 1810, the sixth district was made a part of the second for school purposes, but was retained as the sixth district for highway purposes. This year, as we have seen, the numbers were first given to the districts which they have since borne. The remaining school-tax collectors were the following: 1810. Oliver Wilder, I ; Michael Saunders, 2 ; Ebenezer Kendall, 3; Roswell Hubbard 4; Stephen Foster, 5 .- 1811. Amos Wardwell, I; Josiah G. White, 2 ; Benjamin Hastings, 3 ; Asahel Nims, 4; David Emery Boynton, 5 .- 1812. John Mason, I ; Calvin Locke, 2 ; Nathan Bolster, 3 ; Benjamin Kemp, 4; David Chapman, 5 .- 1813. Roswell Nims, I; Thomas Spaulding, 2; Ichabod Keith, 3; Jonas Stevens, 4 ; Benjamin Eaton, 5 .- 1814. Joseph Mason, I ; Messer Cannon, 2 ; Josiah Seward, 3; Jeremiah Leland, 4; David Emery Boynton, 5 .- 1815. David McIntire, I ; Philip Proctor, 2; James Comstock, 3; James W. Osgood, 4; Stephen Foster, 5 .- 1816. Rufus Mason, I ; John Winch, 2; Josiah Seward, Jr., 3; Samuel Seward, Jr., 4 ; Reuben Wright, 5 .- 1817. Reuben Morse, I ; Eph- raim Applin, 2 ; Hammond Keith, 3 ; Cephas Brown, 4; Silas Atwood, 5 .- 1818. Samuel Osgood, I ; Samuel Locke, 2; Harrison Rugg, 3; Ellsworth Hubbard, 4; Dalphon Gibbs, 5 .- 1819. Nathaniel Heaton, I ; Breed Osgood, 2; Ichabod Keith, 3; Benjamin Kemp, 4; Samuel Winchester, 5 .-- 1820. Nathaniel Mason, I ; John Wilson, 2 ; Sparhawk Kendall, 3; George Nims, 4; Benjamin Eaton, 5 .- 1821. Amos Wardwell, I ; Amasa Brown, 2; Nathan Bolster, 3; Eliakim N. Kemp, 4; David Boynton, 5 .- 1822. Joseph Mason, I; John Winch, 2; Samuel Seward, 3; Samuel Seward, Jr., 4; John Chapman, 5 .- 1823. Amos Wardwell, I ; Daniel Brown Brooks, 2; Abijah Seward, 3; Erastus Hubbard, 4; Stephen Foster, 5 .- 1824. Rufus Mason, I', Calvin Locke, 2; Aaron Miiler, 3; Roswell Hubbard, 4; Stephen Foster, 5 .- 1825. Samuel Osgood, 2d, I ; Roswell Hubbard, Jr., 2; Sparhawk Kendall, 3; Benjamin Kemp, 4; Dalphon Gibbs, 5 .- 1826. John Mason, I; George Hubbard, 2; Samuel Seward, 3; Asahel Nims, 4; Stephen Foster, 5 .- 1827. Jeremiah Mason, I ; Samuel Locke, 2 ;
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SCHOOLS.
James Comstock, 3; Benjamin Kemp, Jr., 4; Samuel Winchester, 5 .- 1828. Selim Frost, I; Joseph Seward, 2; David Esty, 3; Ellsworth Hubbard, 4; Stephen Foster, Jr., 5 .- 1829. Reuben Morse, Jr., I ; Martin Rugg, 2; Abijah Hastings, 3 ; Asahel Nims, 4; Chauncy W. Rawson, 5 .- 1830. David McIntire, I; James Bolster, 2 ; Harrison Rugg, 3; James W. Osgood, 4; David Boynton, 5. After this year, no more special school-tax collectors were appointed, and the money was collected by the town collectors.
A superintending school committee was first chosen at the annual March meeting in 1809, consisting of Rev. Wm. Muzzy, Esq. Hubbard, and Col. S. White. Their report, rendered at the annual March meeting of 1810, will be important because it was the first such document ever submitted. It was as follows: " The undersigned committee, chosen by the town of Sullivan for the inspection of schools, report that, agreeably to our appointment, we have visited the several schools in town and it is with pleasure that we can say that we have generally found them well instructed and governed and that the scholars, many of them, have made such advances in the several branches of literature that, if pursued, together with good conduct, they may become honorable members both of church and state. Which is submitted by us .- Wm. Muzzy, Roswell Hub- bard, Solomon White (Committee). Sullivan, Feb. 28, 1810."
The following is the list of school superintendents chosen at the annual March meetings : 1809 (first appointed). Wm. Muzzy, Roswell Hubbard, Solo- mon White .- 1810. Rev. Wm. Muzzy, Col. Erastus Hubbard, Capt. John Wilson .- 1811 (chosen this year on Sept. 2)., Rev. Wm. Muzzy, Samuel Osgood, Nathaniel Mason, John Wilson, Calvin Locke, Samuel Seward, Ichabod Keith, Roswell Hubbard, and Jonas Stevens, nine in all, a rather bulky committee for a town so small. 1812 (chosen, Mar. 19). Rev. Wm. Muzzy, Reuben Morse, Elijah Frost, Samuel Seward, Roswell Hubbard, Charles Cummings .- 1813. Rev. Wm. Muzzy, as General Inspector, Nathaniel Mason, Abel Allen, Josiah Seward, Zadok Nims, Charles Cummings .- 1814. Rev. Wm. Muzzy, General Inspector, John Mason, Elijah Frost, Samuel Seward, Roswell Hubbard, Charles Cummings .- 1815. Rev. Wm. Muzzy, General Inspector, Samuel Osgood, Elijah Frost, Samuel Seward, Samuel Seward, Jr., Charles Cummings .- 1816 to 1819. No record of the choice of any school inspectors .- 1820. Samuel Osgood, John Wilson, Josiah Seward, Samuel Seward, Jr., Charles Cummings .- 1821. Rufus Mason, John Wilson, Sparhawk Kendall, Samuel Seward, Jr., Stephen Foster, Jr .- 1822. Rev. Wm. Muzzy, General Inspector, Amos Wardwell, Joseph Seward, Sparhawk Kendall, Samuel Seward, Jr., Rev. C. Cummings. Mr. Muzzy was probably the General Inspector the year before, in 1821. They voted that year to have such an inspector, but there was no record of the choice .- 1823. Voted to have a board of three to "inspect masters and schools both." Samuel Seward, Jr., Charles H. Cummings, Selim Frost .- 1824. Samuel Seward, Jr., Selim Frost, Roswell Osgood .- 1825. Joseph Seward, Sparhawk Kendall, Selim Frost .- 1826. Joseph Seward, Nathaniel Evans, Dr. Timothy L. Lane .- 1827. Voted to have none this year .- 1828 to 1843. In these years there is no record of any school board. In 1837, the records of the annual meeting show that such a report was presented to the meeting, and at the annual meeting of 1843, it was voted to dispense with the visitation of schools by the superintending school
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.
committee. In the next year they were appointed by the select-men, and it is likely that the select-men had appointed such officers during these years, of which no record was made .- 1844. Alonzo Mason, Hosea Foster, Dr. Jesse A. Crow- ley (appointed by select-men respectively Apr. 15, 16, and 20, 1844) .- 1845. Dr. J. A. Crowley, A. Mason, II. Foster (Apr. 12), D. W. Wilson, (Oct. 29.) -- 1846. HI. Wardwell, F. Buckminster (appointed by select-men, Apr. 21 and 25, 1846, re- spectively) .- 1847. F. Buckminster, S. Frost, H. Foster .- 1848. F. Buckminster, Charles Mason, and Selim Frost (appointed by select-men, Apr. 24, 1848) .- 1849. Charles Mason, Selim Frost, Geo. C. Hubbard (appointed by select-men, Apr. 18, 21, and 27, respectively) .- 1850. Charles Mason, Selim Frost, Hosea Towne (appointed by select-men, Apr. 27, Apr. 29, May 1, respectively) .- 1851. Frank- lin Buckminster, Hosea Towne, James Osgood (appointed by select-men, Apr. 17, 24, and 26, respectively) .- 1852. Charles Mason, Hosea Towne, Franklin Buckminster (appointed by select-men, Apr. 22, May 12, May 19, respectively). 1853. Charles Mason, Joseph Whitney, Geo. C. Hubbard (appointed by select- men, Apr. 22, 22, and 25, respectively) .- 1854. Geo. C. Hubbard (appointed by select-men, Apr. 21) .- 1855. Charles Mason, Geo. C. Hubbard (by select-men, Apr. 12 and 13, respectively) .- 1856. T. S. Norton, Geo. C. Hubbard, Charles Mason (by select-men, qualified, Apr. 19, 26, 18, 1856, respectively) .- 1857. Rev. T. S. Norton (by select-men, qualified, Apr. 26) .- 1858. Rev. T. S. Norton, Joseph Whitney (by select-men, qualified, Apr. 15 and 12, respectively) .- 1859. Geo. C. Hubbard (by select-men, qualified, Apr. 15) .- 1860. Geo. C. Hubbard, Chas. E. Houghton, Charles Mason .- 1861. Geo. C. Hubbard, Chas. E. Hough- ton, Geo. Lyman Nims .- 1862. Geo. C. Hubbard, Alanson A. Nims, Chas. C. Wilson (by select-men, qualified, Apr. 7, except Mr. Hubbard, who did so on May 5) .- 1863. Charles Mason, Alanson A. Nims, Geo. C. Hubbard (by select- men, qualified, Apr. 21, May 2, May 8, respectively) .- 1864. Rev. John M. Stow (by select-men, qualified, May 3) .- 1865. Rev. John M. Stow (by select-men, qualified, Apr. 25) .- 1866. Rev. John M. Stow, Alanson A. Nims (by select- men, qualified, May 9 and 10, respectively) .- 1867. Rev. John M. Stow (by select-men, qualified Apr. 12) .- 1868. Rev. John M. Stow .- 1869. Rev. John M. Stow .- 1870. Rev. John M. Stow (by select-men, qualified, May 28). Geo. . C. Hubbard was appointed by the select-men to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Stow, and qualified, Aug. 26, 1870 .- 1871. Geo. C. Hubbard (by select-men, qualified, Apr. 28) .- 1872. Geo. C. Hubbard. The select-men appointed Alan- son A. Nims to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Hubbard. Mr. Nims qualified Dec. 24, 1872 .- 1873. Alanson A. Nims .- 1874. Alanson A. Nims (by select- men, qualified, Apr. 10) .- 1875. Henry Melville Osgood (by select-men, quali- fied, Apr. 1) .- 1876 to 1880, both years inclusive, Alanson A. Nims (by select-men, in 1876, qualified, Apr. 11) .- 1881 to 1885, both years inclusive, and until the school board under the new law began service, Rosabelle S. Rugg.
Since 1886, the school board has been elected by the town union school district at their annual meetings. These annual SCHOOL BOARDS have, thus far, been the following : 1886. Rosabelle S. Rugg, Henry C. Rawson, Mason A. Nims. 1887. Henry C. Rawson, Almon P. Tyler, Rev. Frederick B. Phelps *.- 1888.
* Qualified Apr. 29, 1887, in place of Rosabelle S. Rugg, resigned.
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SCHOOLS.
Almon P. Tyler, Leslie H. Goodnow, Rosabelle S. Rugg .- 1889. Almon P. Tyler, Leslie H. Goodnow, Rosabelle S. Rugg .- 1890. George Kingsbury, John H. Woodbury, Amanda E. Dunn .- 1891. George Kingsbury, John H. Wood- bury, Frederick A. Wilson .- 1892. George Kingsbury, Frederick A. Wilson, Joseph N. Nims .- 1893. Frederick A. Wilson, Joseph N. Nims, George Kings- bury .- 1894. George Kingsbury, Ora Ann II. Woodbury, Althea S. Barrett. 1895. George Kingsbury, Ora Ann H. Woodbury, Sarah M. D. Nims .- 1896. Sarah M. D. Nims, Mason A. Nims, George Kingsbury .- 1897. Sarah M. D. Nims (died Dec. 16, 1897), Mason A. Nims, George Kingsbury .- 1898. Mason A. Nims, George Kingsbury, Fanny L. Hubbard .- 1899. George Kingsbury, Fanny L. Hubbard, Horace R. Fifield .- 1900. Fanny L. Hubbard, Horace R. Fifield, Rosabelle S. Rugg .- 1901. Horace R. Fifield, Rosabelle S. Rugg, Mar- shall J. Barrett .- 1902. Fanny L. Hubbard, Marshall J. Barrett, Horace R. Fifield .- 1903. Marshall J. Barrett, Horace R. Fifield, Fanny L. Hubbard. 1904. Horace R. Fifield, Fanny L. Hubbard, Edwin F. Nims .- 1905. Clara A. Barrett, Eugene Marston, Arthur H. Rugg .- 1906. Clara A. Barrett, Arthur H. Rugg, Joseph A. Reed.
The treasurers of the union school district have been the following : 1886 to 1888. School Board, jointly .- 1889. Leslie H. Goodnow, for the School Board .- 1890 to 1897. George Kingsbury .- 1898 to 1906. Lyman Davis, who is serving in that office as we go to press.
The auditors of the union district have been the following : 1886 to 1891. Same as the town auditor .- 1892 to 1897. Henry Davis .- 1898 to 1906. Asahel N. Holt, who is still serving as we go to press.
The annual meetings of the district from 1886 to 1888 were held on Mar. 17, 1886; Feb. 22, 1887 (with a special meeting on Apr. 19, 1887), and Mar. 6, 1888. From 1889 to 1899, the meetings were on the town meeting day, the 2d Tuesday in March, at 2 o'clock P. M. Since then, they have been on Mar. 15, 1900 ; Mar. 14, 1901 ; Mar. 13, 1902; Mar. 3, 1903; Mar. 3, 1904; Mar. 2, 1905; and Mar. 13, 1906. The preceding officers were chosen at the annual meetings of the year named. Hon. Daniel Willard Rugg has been the moderator of every meeting of the district, as we go to press, and Lyman Davis has served as clerk of the dis- trict from the first to the present time.
Mar. II, 1834, the town accepted a plan of the school districts prepared by the select-men, who, at a meeting on Nov. 7, 1833, were authorized to divide the town into such districts. It was as follows :
" A PLAN OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE TOWN OF SULLIVAN.
" Submitted for the consideration of the town by the undersigned, who were appointed at a legal meeting of the town, held on the 7th day of November, 1833, a committee to divide the town into school districts and to report the same to the town at the next legal town meeting .-
" Bounded as follows :
" No. I. Beginning at the north-west corner of Selim Frost's home farm [108 on map], and running easterly on the line between the said Frost and Wilson's [64] farms till it strikes the town line (being the south line of the 11th range of lots under Gilsum laying out), thence southerly on the town line to the
53
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.
south-east corner of the town, thence westerly on the town line to the old PATENT LINE, thence northerly on said Patent Line to the first mentioned bound.
"No. 2. Beginning on the south line of lot No. 3 in the eleventh range of lots in said town (under Gilsum laying out), at the Great Brook so-called [leading from Spaulding's mill -118-], and running westerly on said line to the north- east corner of the farm formerly owned and occupied by Joshua Osgood, thence southerly, on the east line of said farm, to the south-east corner of said farm, thence westerly, on the south line of the aforesaid farm, to the town line, thence northerly on the town line till it strikes the south line of the eighth range of lots [Gilsum laying out], thence easterly, on the south line of the said eighth range of lots, till it comes to the brook which runs from Chapman Pond to Spaulding's mill, thence southerly on the said brook to the first mentioned bound. [The writer states, for the benefit of readers, that the lot 3, range II, of the pre- ceding description, should have been lot I, range II. It was an error of the clerk probably. The old Gilsum lots, so far as they covered the Packersfield section, are indicated on the map by dotted lines. Those lots covered the whole of the Stoddard section. They are not indicated on the map, but anybody who desires to see where they were can easily do so by taking his map and continuing the present lines by aid of a rule.]
"No. 3. Beginning at the south-east corner of Dis. No. 2, and running northerly, on the east line of said district, thence north to the town line, thence bounded north and east by the town line and south by Dis. No. I. [The brook to which the preceding paragraph referred was the Chapman Brook, continuing with the Spaulding Brook. The west line of this district followed the Spaulding Brook to the outlet of the Chapman Brook, then followed the Great Brook. It was understood by the inhabitants of the district, though never expressly so stated, that the district line followed the Great Brook to where it last crosses the Patent Line, going northerly, then followed the Patent Line to the Town Line.]
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