USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > History of Coos County, New Hampshire > Part 61
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These persons were the most wealthy of the early settlers, and luxury had no place in this hard working community.
Abraham Frisbee took the collectorship of the town (excepting high- way taxes) for $4.98 for the year. At the annual town meeting Levi Osgood, Moses Blake, John Blakslee. Thomas Fisher, and Nathaniel Brown were elected surveyors of highways; Jacob Barrows, Sr., and Eber
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TOWN OF DALTON.
Miller, as tithingmen; Capt. Paul Cushman and Moses Blake. fence viewers: Edward Whipple, sealer of weights and measures: Roswell Evans, hog reeve: Amos Kidder. John Blakeslee, and Thomas Fisher, school commit- tee. The meeting voted to raise $30 on the grand list to defray the town expenses, also to raise $200 to be expended in making and repairing roads and bridges, also to allow an able bodied man eight cents an hour on the highways from June 1st to September 30, he finding himself tools and diet, and six cents an hour for a yoke of oxen and chains.
First Three School Districts .- July 15, 1809, the three school districts were organized as follows: "District No. 1 shall contain all the settle- ments from the westerly line of Joshua Whitney's farm to the town line adjoining Lancaster, thence up John's river to David Hall's, and all the settlements on Blakeslee's Hill, so-called, also William Loud. Roswell Evans and Urial Barrows. District No. 2 shall contain all the settlements from the westerly line of Joshua Whitney's farm to the town line adjoin- ing Littleton, thence southerly to Nathaniel Brown's, thence easterly between Joseph Streeter's and John Snow's to the westerly line of said Whitney's farm. District No. 3 shall contain the remainder of the settlers now in said Dalton."
1809. The town tax on residents amounts to $21.12, the county tax $46.03, and school lax to $55.95, -a total tax of $123.10. As there was now a proper tribunal easy of access, the settlers who until now had only the advantages of the " county road," wished to replace the private paths and byways leading to their several places of abode by legal roads, and the selectmen were kept busy in hearing applications, laying out, and considering highways. December 4, 1809, John Blakeslee, Amos Kidder, and Jacob Barrows were appointed a committee to examine the bridge over John's river. They report that it will last two or three years longer with a little repair, and no new one is voted. At the same meeting voted to choose a committee to appoint one person to be commissioned as justice of the peace for Dalton, and the committee reported Edward Reid for that office.
1810. At the town meeting held March 13, 1810, a new officer was elected, Joshua Whit- ney, "Surveyor of lumber." At this meeting " His Excellency, Jeremiah Smith, Esq'r " received thirty-five votes for Governor, while "His Honor, John Langdon, Esq'r " received but seven. The town voted to raise $70 as a town tax this year, and " to assess " $250 for roads and bridges. June 9, voted in town meeting " to erect a post with a board on the same at the corner of Edward Reid's wall, the upper side of the county road, for the posting of warrants for town meetings and other papers for the benefit of the public." In July " chose Joshua Whitney pound keeper, " and a com- mittee " to inspect John's River bridge, and wait on Mr. Moses Blake to look out a piece of land for a burying yard and take a deed of the same."
1811. By this time the machinery of town government was in working order, nearly all the leading and ambitious men had some office in the gift of the people; quite a lively opposition had arisen in local politics, for while Asa W. Burnap receives twenty votes for county register, John Wilson receives seven. " His Honor Jeremiah Smith " receives twenty-eight votes for gov- ernor, "His Excellency John Langdon" gelting only four. School district No. 1 is divided; the new district, No. 4, " to consist of all the inhabitants south of Joel Crandall's south line and from Lancaster line to the westerly line of district No. 1." The laying out of roads still continues, and points and distances of them are in the records. The arable land has increased to four acres of which Moses Blake has three and Paul Cushman one. Moses Blake has now eleven acres of ." mowing" land, and Joshua Whitney seven. Several have from four to five acres of pasture
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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
land. Levi Osgood and Paul Cushman have each six cows. John Blakeslee and Edward Reid each four, William Ewen, Jr., and Ezra Cushman each five. The non-resident owners now num- ber several other names than the two chief proprietors. "Heirs of John Innis Clarke, dec." and " John B. Murry Esq.," and are Atkins Hutcherson, Nathaniel Brown, Sr., Daniel Barnes, Hubert Glidden, Phineas Olds, Jeremiah Turner, Mariette Mathews, and Abel Moore.
1812. Twenty-five dollars voted to defray town expenses the current year. Abel Moore chosen agent to attend the Court of Judicature held in May at Lancaster and defend an action brought against the town for the badness of the roads. A resident tax of $25.86 laid to pay expenses of muster.
1813. Dalton Blake and Paul Cushman chosen sextons. Capt. Paul Cushman and John Blakeslee chosen grand jurors. One hundred and twenty dollars raised to defray town expenses. One hundred dollars raised to repair roads and bridges.
1814. Daniel Webster receives seventeen votes for Member of Congress to John K. Par- rott ten.
1815. The arable land inventoried at six aeres, meadow land seventy acres, and pasture sixty-eiglit.
1816. Paul Cushman has one aere arable land, Nathaniel Hurlbutt one, Roswell Evans one, Dalton Blake four acres, and William Ewen, Jr., one.
1819. Ten years have passed since the first inventory of the town. The acres of arable land are now nineteen. Paul Cushman has three, Levi Osgood one, Nath'l IIurlbutt one, Nathan Wilder one, Roswell Evans three, Sam'l Atherton one, William Ewen, Jr., one, John Blakslee two, Dalton Blake four, Jacob Barrows one, Abel Moore one. Seventy acres mowing land, no in- crease for two years.
1820. Voted " to fence the grave yards now occupied as such."
1821. Voted to build a pound with hewn posts and sills and plates, twenty-six feet square, or such as would answer the law, and located the site near the horse barn of Oliver P. Brooks.
1822. John Blakslee was elected sealer of leather.
1823. Oliver P. Brooks, John Tenney and George Carleton appointed a committee to settle with the town officers. James B. Sumner appears to have settled in town this year as a merchant. John C. Fletcher has buildings inventoried at $100, James B. Sumner & Co. $350, Thomas Davis $75. Joel Crandall $170, Dalton Blake $250, William Ewen $312. About this time the desire for more convenient buildings and the example of a few progressive people seem to have brought forth fruit.
1824. This year there is a large increase in the valuation of buildings, the total sum being $4,451.
1826. The town voted to fenee the burying grounds by John's River, and by Paul Cush- man's farm. Oliver P. Brooks was chosen town agent to defend the suit pending in the Superior court of Coos county brought by the "Society for propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts," who claim, as tenants in common, one fifty-first part of the whole town.
1827. The improved condition of the people and the tangible result of their industry is shown by the fact that the inventory of 1827 presents " Money at Interest." John Blakslee has $300, John Tenney $50, HIiram Moore $100, against their names in this column.
1829. Town meeting was held at Inn of B. & B. Brooks, Jr., Asa Taylor is inventoried as possessing eighty sheep. $600 was raised for highways and bridges and eight cents an hour was voted as " wages for an able-bodied man to work on the road, he finding his tools and dyet, and the same for yoak of oxen and chain." Eighty-one votes were cast for Richard Eastman for County Treasurer. Benj. Pierce received forty three votes for governor to John Bell thirty-eight.
1830. O. P. Brooks paid one dollar for recording deed of grave-yard.
1831. The town meeting voted to "pass by " the Sth article in the warrant calling for the purchase of a stove and funnel for the meeting-house. Some means for warming this edifice- must have been provided by private enterprise, for the town meeting held March 12, 1832, was held " in the meeting house "
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TOWN OF DALTON.
1833. In 1833 the number of votes had increased to eighty-six. Crandall and Sanborn re- ceive an order of $210 for building bridge.
1834. James B. Sumner inventoried $1,200 on his bridge.
1836. In 1836 an able-bodied man is allowed ten cents an hour on the road. Thirty-five "Nays" to one " Yea " were voted on the question :- " Is it expedient to grant an appropriation to build a State Insane Hospital?"
1837. Jas. B. Sumner, Benj. Brooks, Jr., and Benj Fay were chosen a committee to receive the town's apportionment of the surplus money of the United States, which shall be deposited with this state, "and to loan the same to residents of the town in sums of not less than twenty-five nor more than fifty dollars." Benj. Fay was chosen agent to transact the business with the state, and instructed to require the specie of the state Treasurer. It appears that the chilly temperature of the meeting house had not been appropriately modified, for the town voted this year " to purchase stoves and funnel for the meeting house, on condition that the Society or owners of said house shall grant the use of the same to hold all public meetings of said town in, said town still to hold and have power to control all said stoves and funnel and remove them at pleasure." Voted that the interest of the surplus money shall be used for schools. Paid $62.62 for stoves and pipe.
1838 Jas. B. Sumner, Amos Parker, Benj. Brooks, JJr., O. P. Brooks, and John Young were chosen to take care of the surplus money, and voted that the town treasurer, B. Fay, hand over the notes and money for the surplus to the chairman of the committee. Some of the largest sheep raisers were Samuel Atherton, forty-eight; John Bond, fifty-two; Moses Buck, thirty-three; John Blakslee, thirty-three; Chester Hurlbutt, thirty-five: Oliver Ewen, thirty-one: Dexter New- ton, forty-nine; J. B Sumner, sixty-five; Asa Taylor, thirty-six; John Tenney, thirty-three: E. Crane, fifty.
1839. William B. Crane receives $13 for his services as tax collector.
1841. The town voted that whenever the company of infantry of Dalton shall have uni- formed themselves agreably to law in such case provided, that the selectmen shall take measures to procure the arms provded by the state.
1842. One hundred and twelve votes cast this year. William Ewen is chosen to take care of the state arms used by the company of infantry.
1843. The selectmen " license Daniel Ewen to sell wine and spirituous liquors for four months, at his store at Sumner's bridge, in any quantity not less than one pint, for medicinal pur- poses, and upon any proper occasion, to be sold, delivered, and carried away." The town dispenses this year with the services of town treasurer, and elects none.
1844. Election of treasurer, tithingmen, and auditors dispensed and offices kept vacant. Paschal Blake & Co., and Oliver D. Ewen were licensed to sell liquor " to be carried away before be- ing drunk." Ninety-two votes for and six votes against altering the state constitution. Forty- eight votes for and forty-one votes against abolition of capital punishment in the state. Voted to take the surplus money and build a Town-House, and Aaron Ballou, Horace Cushman, Linus Blaks- lee, Lorenzo Farr, and Robert Taylor chosen a committee to locate site, purchase land, and appro- priate money for the building. Paid Daniel Ewen $5.76 for gates for burying-yard.
1845. The town took action to remove "one stove and funnel enough to go with it, and put it into the Town House when it shall be ready, and to let the other remain in the meeting-house for the present." Paid Nahum Crane five dollars for making guide boards.
1846. Elisha Cushman paid seven dollars for stone guide posts.
1847. Voted to build a bridge with stone abutments across John's river before April 1, 1848, also to use the Town House for high schools, and elected Linus Blakslee to see that the town be remunerated for any damage done to the building. [Among the teachers of this high school were Alfred Rix, who attained some prominence in after life in California. ] At a town meeting warned a few days later the vote given above to build a bridge was rescinded, and the selectmen authorized to repair the "existing one." Jared W. Williams receives eighty-one votes for Governor, to Na- thaniel S. Berry forty-five.
1848. The financial improvement of the town in the last forty years will be plainly shown by the necessity of now introducing into the inventory of the town such items as " money in Bank,
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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
and other corporations:" "Carriages;" " money on hand at interest, &c.," " Stock in Trade;" "Lum- ber," etc.
1849. In 1849 the lines between Dalton and the towns of Littleton, Bethlehem, and Lancas- ter were adjusted, run out, and boundaries properly marked.
1850. The town voted $600 to build a new bridge across John's river at its mouth, and elected Charles C Gordon superintendent of its construction. Elijah Baker, Benjamin Fay, and John Blakslee, Jr., were chosen to prosecute those who " sell and drink spiritnous liquor con- trary to law." Benjamin Brewster was chosen delegate to the convention at Concord to revise the state constitution.
1851. Voted unanimously in favor of a State Homestead Exemption law. The following were inventoried on "stock in trade" as merchants: J. B. Sumner & Co., $6,390; O. M. Brooks & Co., $400; William Rigney, $400; Benjamin F. Fay, $200; A. Morrison & Bradbury & Co., $1,500 on 100,000 feet of "mast-timber;" Aldrich Morrill, $400 on mast-timber; J. B. Sumner, $5,000 on "milis." The following have " money at interest:" John Blakslee, $300; Lucius Bond, $200; Horace Cushman, $200; Charles Dunsmore & Co., $100; John Tenney, $300; Nelson White, $300.
1852. William Rigney and Dr. J. Brunson were licensed to sell wines and liquors in quan- tities. W. G. Cushman licensed as a " taverner."
1853. The town raised $150 for " schooling in addition to what the law allows."
1854. Voted $600 for town charges, and $800 for highways.
1855. Voted to hire a farm for the support of paupers; voted $700 for town charges, and $600 for roads and bridges; Joseph F. Hurlbutt appointed town agent to sell liquors: Ballou, Bond & Co., merchants, are inventoried at $3,850, "stock in trade."
1857. Voted $150 to fence the grave-yard near W. G. Cushman's with a good post-and- board fence.
1859. Moses H. Rix received ninety-nine votes for county commissioner. He is elected.
1863. Voted fifty-eight against, one vote for, the expediency of altering the State Constitu-
tion The first tax on dogs occurs. Thirty-two dogs are taxed one dollar each.
1865. Frederick Smythe receives fifty six votes for Governor to E. W. Harrington seventy- five. Ifarry Bingham gets seventy-five votes for member of Congress to J. W. Patterson fifty-six.
1866. Voted to raise $3,000 to defray town charges and pay the debt of the town, also to raise $1,000 for roads and bridges, and to tax all money at interest, on deposit, or "on demand," belonging to residents of the town.
1867. Thomas J. Smith received eighty-five votes for Senator to Ossian Ray forty-nine. The town raises $3,000 for town charges and debts, and $1,000 for highways and bridges. The whole number of votes cast on the question, " Is it expedient to abolish pauper settlements in towns, and throw the entire support of paupers upon counties? " was seventy-three, all against the prop- osition.
1868. Walter Harriman for governor gets fifty-six votes to John G. Sinclair one hundred and two. The town voted $3,000 for town charges, $1,200 for roads and bridges and allowed twelve cents an hour for labor on highways.
1869. Voted $1,650 for roads and bridges, and to allow one shilling an hour for labor on the highway.
1870. "Sumner & Steele & Co." inventoried for taxation on 700,000 feet of lumber at Lit- tleton, 200,000 feet at Bethlehem, 300.000 feet at Whitefield, 500,000 feet in Round pond. Mrs. Burnside's estate is taxed in addition to saw-mill and starch factory on sixty-three tons of starch.
1873. Laura E. Farr and Mrs. Helen Weston were appointed to the office of Superintend- ing School Committee.
1875. The town votes to fence the cemetery in the Ladd neighborhood, the town to fur- nish the boards and posts " provided the people in the neighborhood will do the work." Voted to instruct the selectinen to prosecute every case of illegal liquor selling in the town that may come to their notice; also, that the selectmen put every man upon his oath, whom they have reason to believe may have money at interest, or other property concealed from taxation, in re- gard to the same, and to tax the same as the law directs.
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TOWN OF DALTON.
1876. Voted to settle accounts with the liquor agent and have the office cease from this date. Raised $1,200 for highways.
1877. Jonathan M. Lang received eighty-eight votes for county treasurer.
1878. Selectmen are empowered to fund the town debt if it can be done at 5 per cent; voted to prohibit the sale of cider in amounts less than ten gallons.
1880. Bert A. Taylor receives eighty-seven votes for county commissioner.
1881. The Whitefield Silver Mining Co. is incorporated by John Lovering of Claremont, George S. Gove, George W. Libby, Nathaniel W. Libby, and Frank P. Brown of Whitefield to operate mines in Dalton and Whitefield. Articles of incorporation are recorded in Dalton in May, 1881. Two hundred thousand dollars capital. One thousand dollars paid in.
1883. John Blakslee had fifty-eight votes for county treasurer. Bert A. Taylor seventy- eight votes for county commissioner. The town voted to raise $5,000 to defray town expenses and pay on the debt and interest of the town: G. W. Carpenter and John Page elected fish and game wardens.
1884. Voted to refund the whole or part of the town debt to 5-20 bonds at 4 per cent.
Nothing worthy of special mention is on the records since 1854.
CHAPTER L.
Early Births-Early Marriages-Early Residents-Ear Marks-Dalton in 1821-Early Inn Keepers-Whitefield Road-Bridge across the Connecticut-Carriages -- Mills-Residents' Names,. 1849-Civil War, Action of the Town, Etc .-- Mines -- Murder -- Personal Sketches.
ARLY Births .-- The first birth in Dalton was Bathsheba, daughter of Moses and Lucy Blake, born March 16, 1785. Ruth, daughter of Moses and Lucy Blake, was born February 15. 1787. It is stated in the "Gazetteer of New Hampshire," 1821, and by others since, that the first white male child born in Dalton was Dalton," son of Moses and Lucy Blake; who, on this account, was granted 100 acres of land. His birth oc- curred March 21, 1789. Abigail. daughter of Joshua and Esther Whitney. was born July 15, 1788. John Whitney, son of the same parents, was born September 12, 1792. Joshua Whitney, Jr., son of Joshua and Electa Whitney, was born November 11, 1795. Obadiah, son of the same, was born April 6, 1799. George Whitney, son of the same, was born February 13, 1800. Sally, daughter of the same, born March 30, 1803. Nahum, son of Joel and Hannah Crandal, was born April 25, 1801. Eliza, daughter of Joel and Susanna Crandal, was born March 30, 1805. Robert B., son of the same, July 4, 1809. Hannah Bailey, daughter of Amos and Hannah Kidder, was born October 14, 1503. Adeline, daughter of Amos and Su- sanna Kidder, was born November 2, 1806. Amos Kidder. Jr., was born
#Nahum Blake denies this, and says the first male child was Aaron Bloss.
520
HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
October 15, 1808. Robert and Polly Crane's daughter, Juliana, was born November 8, 1804. Maryan, daughter of the same parents, was born August 4, 1806. Edward L., their son, was born November 1, 1808. Robert Crane, Jr., was born July 29, 1810. Calvin, son of Tristram and Polly Cheney, was born December 23. 1806. Clarissa, their daughter, was born April 4, 1809. Curtis, another son, was born July 14, 1811. Nahum, son of Dalton and Deborah Blake, was born December 2, 1811. Sarah, daughter of the above, was born July 2, 1813. Moses, son of William and Rhoda Crane, was born March 2, 1803. Patty, their daughter, was born August 2, 1805. Otis, son of William and Rhoda Crane, born April 17, 1807. Viana, daughter of the above, born August 2. 1809. Nahum, son of John and Lydia Crain, was born November 12, 1801. Lydia, daughter of the same, born May 6, 1804. Ona Crain, son of Nahum and Lydia, born No- vember 26, 1806. Willard H , born August 6, 1808 Mary Ann, daughter of William Ewen. Jr., and Ruth, his wife, was born December 11, 1808. Edward Ewen, son of the same, born March 8, 1810. Abigail, daughter of Edwards and Milly Whipple, born May 11, 1802. Matthew W., their son, born October 23, 1803. Benjamin, son of Edwards and Milly Whipple. December 11, 1804. Louisa, daughter of the same, May 26, 1806, and Mary, August 25, 1808. Louis, son of Louis and Polly Buck, was born December 25, 1807. Mary Ann, their daughter, was born September 4, 1809. Lyman F., son of Jonathan and Rebecca Fisher, was born March 29, 1808. Christopher was born September 8, 1809. Aaron. son of Thomas and Eunice Fisher, was born August 31. 1804. Lorenzo Dow, son of the same, was born October 18, 1806. Olivet, daughter, born December 25, 1807. Nathaniel Atherton, son of Samuel, was born May 9, 1809.
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Early Marriages .- From town records :-
" This may certify that Mr. Justis Stephen and Miss Lydia Barrows both of Dalton ware this day joined in marriage by me Tristram Cheney -Justis of Piece, Dalton, Nov. 22, 1810."
" This may Certify that John Blakslee and Bathsheba Blake was solemnised in marriage by me this seventh day of April, A. D. 1814, in the Town of Dalton County & State aforesaid. " Jonas Baker Justice of Peace."
Early Residents .- We copy from the town records the list of taxable inhabitants for the year 1809, preserving the original spelling :-
" Samuel Artherton, Moses Blake, John Blakslee, Jacob Barrows, Nathaniel Brown, Jared Barker, Urial Barrows, Paul Cushman, Joel Crandal, William Crain, John Crain, Robert Crain, Trustrim Cheny, John Crandal, Michael Coner, Moses Buck, William Ewen, Seign., William Ewen, Jr., Asher Evens, Abraham Frisbee, Peter Fuller, Thomas Fisher, Jonathan Fisher, Ros- wel Evens, Solomon McGun, David Hall, Amos Kidder, Benjamin Kent, Eber Miller, Isaac Osgood, Levi Osgood, Joel Sartwell, Austine Skinner, John Snow, Seignor, John Snow, Jr., Joseph Streetor, Edward Reid, Joshua Whitney. Edwards Whipple, William Wallace, Henry Philbrook, Richard Tailor, Spaarvel Tailor, Justus Stevens, William Loud."
Ear-marks .- The scarcity of cleared pasture land or woodland under fence made it necessary for the early settlers to have some means of iden-
521
TOWN OF DALTON.
tifying their sheep which ran at large. This was done by ear-marks re- corded in the town clerk's office. July 15, 1809, Robert Crain records his "ear-mark." "a square crop off the left ear and a notch on the upper side of the right." February 17, 1810, Joshua Whitney's "ear-mark " is re- corded as "a square crop off the left ear, and a slit in the end of the same." March 13, 1810, Joseph Streeter's "ear-mark" is "a slit only in the left ear." June 9. 1>10, Edward Reid's "ear-mark is a round hole in both ears." March 12, 1811, Moses Blake's mark for his sheep "is a round hole through each ear, one forth of an inch." Amos Kidder marks his sheep, in 1811. by "a piece cut out on the under side off the right ear." Aaron Edmands's mark was "a square crop off the left ear, and a slit in the same." In 1813, Benjamin Kent's ear-mark was "both ears cut off square. and a slit in each." 1815, Nathaniel Hurlbutt marks his sheep by " a square crop off the left ear." Chester Hurlbutt records his mark, in 1827, as "a swallow tail on the right ear."
Early Merchants .- Oliver P. Brooks was probably the first trader. He was inventoried in 1819 three hundred dollars on his stock in trade. James B. Sumner & Co. (Asa Taylor) were in trade in 1823 with a large stock of goods for the time, and were inventoried $1,500 stock in trade. Benjamin Fay was inventoried in 1833 at $500 stock in trade. The same year Moses Blakslee had $1,400 stock in trade. Linus Blakslee was in trade in 1840; Moses Blakslee & Co. in 1841 with $1,200 in stock.
Dalton in 1821 .- Adino N. Brackett writes thus, in 1821. The description of the town applies to-day as well as then: "Dalton is a post-town situ- ated on the bank of the Connecticut river directly below Lancaster, by which it is bounded on the northeast in part, and part by Whitefield, southerly by Bethlehem, sonthwesterly by Littleton, and north and north- westerly by the Connecticut river. The ` fifteen-mile falls' commence in Dalton, and roar and tumble along the northwest border, not of Dalton only, but of Littleton and Lyman. Besides the Connecticut, this town is watered by John's river. Its course is nearly northwest, and from its source in Pond-i-cherry pond, it runs through Whitefield and Dalton, and falls into the Connecticut sixty rods above the head of the fifteen-mile falls. The western and southern part of Dalton is high, hilly land, cov- ered with a thick growth of maple, birch, beech. ash, some hemlock, and spruce. Along the banks of John's river the majestic white pine abounds. [A remark may here be made which applies to the whole country east of Bath and west of the White Mountains, that the pitch pine is not to be found .* ] The soil is deep on the high lands, and well adapted to grazing; some of it, particularly the pine land, is sandy, and of easy cultivation after the pine roots are destroyed. Dalton is divided into two school dis-
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