USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 15
USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 15
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No. 4 .- Dea. Simeon Clark,1 died 9 Dec., 1793, aged 70.
No. 5 .- Unity Durant, Consort of Mr. Joshua Du- rant,2 died 29 Nov., 1781, aged 20.
No. 6 .- Here lies the Body of Mr. Naham, who Dec'd [the rest obliterated].
No. 7 .- Ellis-, Henry-, Jedatiah Foster [the rest gone].
No. 8 .- Here lies buried Mr. Amos Foster,3 who Dec'd March the 22, 1761, in the 40th year of his age. No. 9 .- My Father.
No. 10 .- In Memory of Mrs. Hannah, Wife of Mr. John Grundy, Jun'r, who Dec'd Oct. 3, 1783, in ye 31 year of her age.
"Here lies the grief of a fond mother, She was a dear and dutiful daughter, A kind wife and a tender mother. Reader, behold as you pass by, As you are living, once was I."
No. 11 .- In memory of Mary, Daughter of Jere- miah Stiles, Esq.,4 & Mrs. Mary, his wife; she Dec'd April ye 17, 1781, aged 1 Day.
1 He belonged to the foot company, 1773. In 1778 was paid £2 2s. 4d., balance for serving in the late war.
2 He lived on the Baker place, Ash Swamp. Our Mr. Joshua D. Colony was named after Mr. Joshua Durant, and to show that it meant something in those days, the boy was presented with a fine wool sheep.
3 Amos Foster left, by will, one-half of his property to the town. The value of the legacy is not known ; but, in August, 1762, the town voted that Mr. Sumner's settlement and his salary for the first year should be paid from this fund.
4 Jeremiah Stiles was the writer's great-grandfather. He was a man whom the town of Keene delighted to honor, for he was in some office in the town from February 15, 1769, until his death, December 6, 1800-more than thirty years. Ile lived on the corner of Cross and Washington Streets, where Mr. Clark's house now stands. He be- longed to the foot company in 1773, to the Committee of Safety, 1776, was a representative of the town, delegate to the Constitutional Convention held at Concord, 1778, se- lectman, town clerk, assessor, petit and grand juryman, moderator in town-meeting, one of the committee to ar- range for the settlement of the Rev. Aaron Hall, and a subscriber to the fund to purchase the first town-clock ever in Keene, in 1797. He and his good wife, Mary, were buried in the old graveyard on Washington Street. Now will the present generation consent to have that neck of land set apart by the first settlers for a place to bury their dead be plowed np and planted, as was the case of the old yard on the Robinson farm ? I can't yet quite be- lieve it, but time will tell.
The town voted, March 3, 1789, to fence the several burying-places in the town and draw a committee of four for that purpose, who are hereby authorized to call on their neighbors to turn out and do said work without any cost or charge to the town. Chose Major Willard, Michael Metcalf,
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KEENE.
CHAPTER VI.
KEENE-(Continued).
BANKING INTEREST.
The Cheshire National Bank-The Ashuelot National Bank -The Keene National Bank-The Citizens' National Bank -The Cheshire Provident Institution for Savings-The Keene Five-Cent Savings-Bank-Keene Guarantee Sav- ings-Bank.
THE CHESHIRE BANK was chartered with a capital of $100,000, by the State of New Hampshire, in 1803, for a period of twenty years, or till 1824; then till 1844, and again till 1864, inclusive. The original corporators were Judge Daniel Newcomb, Noah Cooke, Esq., and Elijah Dunbar, Esq. John G. Bond, Judge Newcomb's son-in-law, procured most of the stock subscriptions, among which are the names of Samuel and Nathan Appleton, Eben Francis, Stephen Salsbury, John Bellows, Josiah Knapp and several others of Boston, Daniel Newcomb, John G. Bond, William Lamson, Moses Johnson, Alexander Ralston, Stephen Harrington, Eben Stearns, Joseph Hayward and Foster and Luther Alexander, of Cheshire County, with fifty-five others on the list.
The first building for the bank was of brick, two stories high, and was taken down in 1847 to make way for the Cheshire Railroad's pas- senger station. Daniel Newcomb was president from 1804 to 1811, when he resigned, and in the " war period," soon after, the bank struggled against insolvency till November, 1813, when Samuel Grant was chosen president and Na- thaniel Dana cashier, in place of Arba Cady (who was elected February, 1806, and whose predecessor was E. Dunbar), and a revival of credit and business secured. Mr. Grant was president till July, 1829, and Salma Hale, his successor, till March, 1842, at which time Levi Chamberlain was made president, and steps were taken to reorganize the bank under its amended charter, available from 1844 to 1864, inclusive. In this reorganization John Elliot
Levi Pattridge and Captain John Houghton." A vote was passed, August 27, 1792, to fence the several burying- grounds ; also, in March, 1795, and July 25, 1795, the town was divided into districts for burying their dead.
was chosen president ; was succeeded in 1856 by Levi Chamberlain and in 1861 by John Henry Elliot, under whom, at the expiration of its charter, the bank was made national, with a capital of $200,000. James Henry Williams was cashier from 1841 to 1847, then Zebina Newell till 1855, then Royal H. Porter, when the bank's State charter expired. He continues to be cashier at this writing, with John Henry Elliot as president. The bank's present granite building was erected in 1847, and has all the modern defenses against invasion.
THE ASHUELOT BANK, of Keene, was incor- porated January 2, 1833, with a charter for twenty years, and commenced business early in that year. The corporators named in the charter were John H. Fuller, Samuel Dinsmoor, Jr .. Phineas Fisk, John Elliot and Justus Perry, and the first meeting was held at Stephen Har- rington's hotel on February 19, 1833, when forty-five additional members were admitted to the corporation, making in all fifty.
The present banking-house was built in 1833, under the direction of John Elliot, at a cost of $2998.24.
The first board of directors were Samuel Dinsmoor, John H. Fuller, Thomas M. Ed- wards, William Buffum, George S. Root, Phin- eas Handerson and Benjamin F. Adams, the last-named being the only surviving member.
The first president was Samuel Dinsmoor, who served until his death, in 1835. He was succeeded by his son, Samuel Dinsmoor, Jr., who was continued in the office until he resigned, in 1853.
Thomas M. Edwards was chosen president in 1853, and held the office till elected to Congress, in 1859, when he resigned, and William Dins- moor succeeded him, and was annually re-elected until his resignation, in 1869, when Mr. Ed- wards was again chosen, and held the office till his death, in 1875. George A. Wheelock was appointed president upon the death of Mr. Edwards, in 1875, and has been annually re- elected since.
Two Governors of the State and one Repre- sentative in Congress are among the foregoing list of presidents of this bank.
Samuel Dinsmoor, Jr., was cashier from
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
March, 1833, to June, 1835; Henry Seymour, from June, 1835, to August, 1836 ; Thomas H. Leverett, from August, 1836, to June, 1869; and Henry O. Coolidge, from June, 1869, to the present time.
The bank was rechartered December 17, 1852, and was converted into a national organi- zation February 17, 1865, under the name of " The Ashuelot National Bank of Keene," and its corporate existence has been extended to February 17, 1905.
The original capital was $100,000. In July, 1875, it was increased to $150,000.
The present board of directors consist of George A. Wheelock (president), Caleb T. Buf- fum, Charles J. Amidon, John M. Parker, Al- fred T. Batchelder, Henry O. Coolidge and Christopher Robb.
KEENE NATIONAL BANK .- The Cheshire County Bank was organized August 11, 1855. First Board of Directors, Zebina Newell, George Huntington, William Haile, Frederick Vose, Amos A. Parker, Lawson Robertson and Har- vey A. Bill; Presidents, Zebina Newell, Fred- erick Vose, Edward Joslin ; Cashiers, George W. Tilden and J. R. Beal.
Mr. Newell held the office of president from organization till his death, March 29, 1858. Succeeded by Frederick Vose, who held the office till his death, November 24, 1871. Succeeded by Edwin Joslin, the present incumbent.
George W. Tilden held the office of cashier from first organization till his death, February 8, 1879. Succeeded by J. R. Beal, the present incumbent. It was organized as a national bank February 7, 1865.
First board of directors: Frederick Vose, John Bowker, Edward Joslin, Amos F. Fiske, Reuben Stewart and Horatio Kimball.
Original capital, $100,000; present capital, the same.
Present board of directors: Edward Joslin, John Bowker, Elisha F. Lane, Josiah G. Bel- lows and Alfred T. Batchelder.
This bank occupies its own banking-house, having purchased the building of Henry Pond when the Cheshire County Bank was organized ; rearranged and made substantial improvements to the building during the year 1883.
CITIZENS' NATIONAL BANK was incorporated September 18, 1875, and commenced business October 1, 1875, No. 2299, with a capital of $100,000.
The first board of directors were William Haile, Henry Colony, Stephen D. Osborne, Caleb T. Buffum, James Burnap, Samuel W. Hale and Daniel W. Tenney ; President, Stephen D. Osborne; Cashier, Obed G. Dort.
In January, 1878, Obed G. Dort was elected president and Henry S. Martin cashier, and continued in office until the present (1885). Present capital, $100,000 ; surplus, $25,000.
Present officers : Obed G. Dort, president ; H. S. Martin, cashier ; Obed G. Dort, James Burnap, John Symonds, Elijah Boyden, Sam- uel W. Hale, Clark N. Chandler and William P. Chamberlain, directors.
CHESHIRE PROVIDENT INSTITUTION FOR SAVINGS was chartered in July, 1833, and organized August 13, 1833. The incor- porators were Thomas Bellows, Samuel Grant, John Wood, Salma Hale, Eliphalet Briggs, Justus Perry, Aaron Hall, Levi Cham- berlain, Azel Wilder, Abijah Wilder, Jr., John Elliot, Oliver Holman, J. Colony, Amos Twitchell, Charles G. Adams, Levi W. Leonard, John H. Stecle, James Walker, Azel Hatch, Walter Tufts, Joseph Weeks, Larkin Baker, Elijah Carpenter, Levi Blake, Abner Boyden, William S. Brooks and George Tilden.
The first officers were Amos Twitchell, presi- dent ; Justus Perry, first vice-president ; Abijah Wilder, Jr., second vice-president ; George Til- den, secretary and treasurer.
First trustees : Salma Hale, John Wood, Levi Chamberlain, Larkin Baker, John Elliot, Phinchas Fisk, Azel Wilder, Walter Tufts, Levi Blake, Levi W. Leonard, Timothy Hall, Samuel Wood, Jr., Oliver Holman, Thomas M. Edwards and Eliphalet Briggs.
Board of investment : Justus Perry, John Elliot, Samuel Wood, Jr., Azel Wilder and Levi Chamberlain.
The first deposit was made September 10, 1833, by Ashley Spaulding ; amount, $100.
The following is a list of the presidents from 1833 to 1885: Dr. Amos Twitchell, from 1833
KEENE.
to 1853, deceased ; Hon. Salma Hale, from 1853 to 1856, resigned ; Hon. Levi Chamber- lain, from 1856 to 1867, deceased ; Hon. Sam- uel Dinsmoor, from 1867 to 1870, deceased ; Hon. William P. Wheeler, from 1870 to 1877, deceased ; Hon. Francis A. Faulkner, Esq., from 1877 to 1880, deceased ; George Tilden, from 1880 to 1883, resigned ; Edward C. Thayer, from 1883 to 1885, resigned ; George A. Wheelock, from 1885-present incumbent. The secretary and treasurers : George Tilden, from 1833 to 1880; Oscar G. Nims, from 1880- present incumbent.
The officers for 1885 are George A. Wheelock, president ; A. T. Batehelder, William S. Briggs, vice-presidents ; O. G. Nims, secretary and treasurer ; Trustees, John Henry Elliot, Henry C. Piper, R. H. Porter, Edward Farrar, F. C. Faulkner, J. R. Beal, George W. Stearns, C. J. Amidon, Barrett Ripley, J. G. Bellows, George H. Tilden, Silas Hardy, Reuben Stewart, F. H. Kingsbury and Frederick A. Faulkner; Board of Investment, A. T. Batchelder, Barrett Rip- ley, R. H. Porter, J. R. Beal, Reuben Stewart ; Auditors, J. R. Beal, William S. Briggs, George H. Tilden, F. C. Faulkner and Silas Hardy.
THE KEENE FIVE-CENTS SAVINGS-BANK was incorporated in 1868. The incorporators were as follows : John H. Fuller, Allen Giffin, Edward Joslin, John Grimes, Caleb T. Buffum, George Holmes, Dauphlin W. Buekminster, Samuel O. Gates, George W. Ball and Samuel Woodward.
The first board of trustees were Edward Jos- lin, John Bowker, George W. Ball, Caleb T. Buffum, D. W. Buckminster, Clark F. Rowell, John Humphrey, George Holmes, Wm. Haile, O. Sprague, Elijah Boyden, Henry Colony, F. Vose, H. O. Coolidge and P. Bateheller.
The first officers were John H. Fuller, presi- dent ; Samuel Woodward and Farnum F. Lane, vice-presidents ; O. G. Dort, treasurer.
The presidents have been John H. Fuller, Far- num F. Lane, Samuel Woodward, Henry Colony and C. T. Buffum ; Treasurers, O. G. Dort and G. A. Litehfield.
First deposit made by Nellie I. Rowell, Jan- uary 1, 1869 ; amount $10. The present deposits amount to $1,800,000.
The officers for 1885 are C. T. Buffum, president ; Edward Joslin, Elijah Boyden, vice- presidents ; G. A. Litchfield, secretary and treasurer ; Trustees, F. A. Perry, George W. Ball, H. O. Coolidge, Clark F. Rowell, John Humphrey, Don H. Woodward, N. O. Way- ward, John O. Jones, John B. Fisk, Obadiah Sprague, Elbridge Clarke, F. E. Keyes, Hiram Blake, Joseph B. Abbott and George C. Hubbard ; Board of Investment, C. T. Buffum, Edward Joslin, F. A. Perry, J. O. Coolidge and Hiram Blake.
KEENE GUARANTY SAVINGS-BANK was incorporated in 1883, with a guaranty fund of $50,000. Farnum F. Lane, James Burnap, Henry Colony, John Symonds, Obed G. Dort, John E. Colony, John S. Collins, Charles L. Russell and Asa C. Dort, incorporators.
The first board of trustees was composed of Henry Colony, Obed G. Dort, Horatio Colony, Samuel W. Haile, Farnum F. Lane, George E. Colbrook, Clark N. Chandler, James Burnap, John S. Collins and George G. Davis.
The first president was J. Burnap ; treasurer, O. G. Dort.
The officers for 1885 are : President, J. Bur- nap ; Treasurer, O. G. Dort ; Trustees, James Burnap, John S. Collins, Horatio Colony, Clark N. Chandler, William P. Chamberlain, Charles H. Hersey, Obed G. Dort, George G. Davis, George E. Holbrook and Silas M. Dins- moor; Board of Investment, J. Burnap, O. G. Dort, William P. Chamberlain, C. N. Chan- dler and S. M. Dinsmoor.
The first deposit was made October 1, 1883, amount, $25. Present amount of deposits, $225,000. Number of open accounts, six hun- dred. Deposits average 8375 each.
This bank was incorporated and organized on the new guaranty plan, the fourth of its kind in the States. A capital of $50,000 was subscribed and paid in, to be held as a special guaranty, that depositors should receive the principal which they deposited and the interest which the bank agrees to pay, the losses being chargeable to the guaranty fund.
And as the deposits inerease, the guaranty fund must be increased, and never fall below ten per cent. of the general deposits.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
The management of the bank is wholly in the hands of the owners of the guaranty fund (sub- ject to the banking laws of the State), and every officer must be a contributor to the said fund.
CHAPTER VII.
KEENE-(Continued).
EDUCATIONAL.
First Vote Concerning Schools-Judge Daniel Newcomb's Private School-The High School of 1828-Teachers' Institute-Catharine Fiske's Female Seminary-The Keene Academy-The Academy and District Troubles- The High School.
THE first reference to educational matters found on the old town records is under date of 1764, when the town voted six pounds sterling to defray the charges of a school, and in 1766 it is " Voted that the security for the money given to the town by Captain Nathaniel Fair- banks, deceased, the interest of which was for the use of a school in this town, be delivered to the care of the town treasurer and his successors in office for the time being."
Judge Daniel Newcomb is credited by Josiah P. Cooke, Esq., in Hale's " Annals," with having founded a private school about 1793, mainly at his own expense, and as the best friend of " good learning " that the town had.
" In 1821 the town records state that it is voted that the town will, at their annual meet- ing, in each year, choose five or more suitable persons to constitute a committee of examina- tion, whose duty it shall be to examine those persons who shall offer themselves as instructors of the public schools within the town; and in 1823 it is voted that Zedekiah S. Barstow, Aaron Appleton, John Elliot, John Prentiss and Thomas M. Edwards be a committee to examine teachers, agreeably to the vote of the town."
In 1828 we find, from the town records, that there was an endeavor to establish a High School, Rev. Z. S. Barstow, Rev. Thomas Rus- sell Sullivan, pastor of the Keene Congrega- tional (Unitarian) Society, General Justus Perry, Aaron Hall (son of the deceased minister
of that name) and Azel Wilder being a com- mittee on that subject. It was also "Voted that the instructor of this school shall not en- deavor to inculcate, in school, doctrines peculiar to any one religious sect, nor distribute to his scholars any religious publication." It was agreed that " the school might be kept during the first year, seven, and during the second year, eight months, which," it was urged, "is at least three and four months longer than a school has usually been kept by a master." It appears from minutes kept by the late Dr. Bar- stow, secretary, that after two or three months spent in writing to the presidents of Dartmouth, Amherst, Middlebury and Yale Colleges, Mr. Edward E. Eels, a graduate of Middlebury College, was engaged as High School teacher for two months, at twenty-five dollars a month, independent of board. His term expired January 29, 1829. Subsequently, Mr. A. H. Bennett was the instructor for three months, "at forty dollars a month, including board."
In 1845, and for a short time previous, a Teachers' Institute was established in the county by private subscription.
On March 12, 1850, Keene voted seventy- five dollars for a Teachers' Institute, on condi- tion of the co-operation of other towns in the county.
Reference to educational matters in Keene would be incomplete which did not chronicle the "School for Young Ladies and Misses," in which, under date of 1817, Miss Fiske and Miss Sprague advertise that they shall " pay all possible attention to the improvement of the manners, morals and minds of their pupils."
April 11, 1811, Miss Catharine Fiske began her school in Keene, known as " The Female Seminary," conducting it for twenty-three years, with signal success, until her death, 1837. Miss Fiske had been engaged in teaching for fifteen years before coming to Keene. Rev. Dr. Barstow, in an obituary sketch, published in the Boston Recorder for September 1, 1837, estimates that during the thirty-eight years of her service, more than two thousand five hundred pupils came under her care. He commends especially " her tact in eliciting the dormant energies of some minds, and the stimulus afforded to those
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KEENE.
that were apt to learn." Afterwards the late Mrs. Stewart Hastings and Miss Barnes, later Mrs. T. H. Leverett, were among the teachers associated with Miss Fiske in her school. Miss Withington conducted it for a while after Miss Fiske's decease.
KEENE ACADEMY .- In the year 1835 a movement was started for the founding of an academy in the town, and a committee, consisting of Eliphalet Briggs, William Lamson and Samuel A. Gerould were chosen to select a site and draft a plan for building. A subscription paper was circulated and one hundred and one subscribers were obtained. The site, corner Winter and Middle Streets, was selected, and in the fall of 1836 the building was completed. The academy was dedicated on Christmas eve, 1836, and opened early in 1837.
The first board of trustees were Joel Parker, Amos Mitchell, Zedekiah S. Barstow, Abial A. Livermore, James Wilson, Aaron Hall, Azal Wilder, William Lamson, Elijah Parker and Eliphalet Briggs, of Keene ; John Sabin, of Fitzwilliam; Elisha Rockwood, of Swanzey ; Alanson Rawson, of Roxbury ; Larkin Baker, of Westmoreland ; and Pliny Jewell, of Win- chester.
The lot was deeded to the trustees by Abijah Wilder, May 24, 1839, and the papers were drawn under the direction of Joel Parker.
The academy was understood to be an ortho- dox institution. Article 5th of the trust deed says, "The Trustees shall neither elect nor employ any person as Principal of said Acad- emy who is not a professor of religion in an Orthodox Congregational or Presbyterian Church, and who does not hold in substance the faith now held and maintained by the church of the First Congregational Society of Keene." It was also further stated that " The basement be used for a chapel by the First Congregational Church in Keene, and for no other purpose, they keeping it in repair. Also, the attic story for a singing hall for the church of said society, they keeping it in repair." 1
The first principal of the academy was Mr.
1 It may be well enough to state, however, that a large proportion of the subscriptions to build the academy came from the members of the Congregational Church.
Breed Batchelder, assisted by Miss Mary E. Parker and Miss Leverett.
Mr. Batchelder remained until the spring of 1839.
Mr. Batchelder's successors were as follows : Noah Bishop, from the spring of 1839 till the close of 1840 ; Abraham Jenkins, till the spring of 1841 ; Mrs. A. E. P. Perkins, till the autumn of 1844 ; Seneca Cummings, from the fall of 1844 to the spring of 1845 ; Miss L. H. Kim- ball, from the spring of 1845 to the fall of 1845; N. G. Clark, from the fall of 1845 to the spring of 1847 ; Wm. W. Blodgett, from 1847 till the spring of 1848; Mr. Woodworth, from 1848 to 1850; Wm. Torrance, from 1850 to 1853, being the last principal of the Keene Academy. Mr. Torrance was highly respected. He died here February 3, 1855, aged thirty- nine years.
The erection of the academy buildings en- tailed a larger expense than was originally an- ticipated (three thousand five hundred dollars), and the amount required (one thousand dol- lars) was borrowed on the notes of Elijah Parker, Aaron Hall and Eliphalet Briggs, and the amount, with interest, was paid from the estates of these gentlemen by their administra- tors. Mr. Timothy Hall presented the academy a bell, and also the blinds of the building, and Mr. Eliphalet Briggs presented a set of globes, valued at one hundred dollars.
In the spring of 1853 a committee of the associated school districts proposed to purchase the property for a High School. The first meet- ing of the trustees, to consider the proposition, was held at the academy April 28, 1853. Pres- ent-S. Hastings, William Lamson, Charles Lamson, Eliphalet Briggs, Daniel Aikens and Levi Chamberlain. At a subsequent meeting, held June 13, 1853, it was voted to lease the property to the districts for ten years, at an annual rent of two hundred and fifty dollars, the first three years' rent to be expended in repairs on the buildings. At the expiration of the lease it was renewed for three years, at three hundred and fifty dollars for the first two, and four hundred and fifty dollars for the third year.
December 19, 1866, a committee, appointed by the districts, was chosen to select a lot for a
88
HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
High School building, and the academy lot was decided upon ; and eight days later, December 27th, they made application to buy ; the trustees, however, refused to sell, claiming they had no authority. January 10, 1867, a petition was presented to the selectmen to lay out the lot, with the buildings, for the use of the High School. The trustees protested against the districts' tak- ing the property, but on the 30th of January, same year, the selectmen laid out the lot, for the use of the High School, and awarded six thousand one hundred dollars damages. The sum was not accepted, and the trustees applied to the Legislature, at the June session, for the incor- poration of the academy, and a charter was given.
September 22, 1868, the subject came up for hearing before Judge J. E. Sargent, referec, with Ilon. T. M. Edwards for plaintiff's and Hon. able W. P. Wheeler for defendants and the decision was in favor of the High School.
The present officers and trustces of Keene Academy are as follows: W. S. Briggs, pres- ident ; S. S. Wilkinson, vice-president ; R. H. Porter, secretary and treasurer ; W. S. Briggs, R. H. Porter, Solon S. Wilkinson, Bar- rett Ripley, George E. Holbrook, Isaac Rand, John Humphrey, Chas. Bridgman, S. G. Griffin, S. D. Osborn, Allan Gerould, Jr., Elisha F. Lane, S. Hale, Azro B. Skinner and I. N. Spencer, trustees.
Amount of the fund April 1, 1885, was, 822,731.36.
The High School opened with Mr. Tor- ranee as principal, and the principals from that time to the present have been as follows : Chas. E. Bruce, L. W. Buckingham, A. J. Bur- bank, S. H. Brackett, - Hooper, and M. A. Bailey the present incumbent.
CHAPTER VIII.
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