USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Lebanon > History of Lebanon, N.H., 1761-1887 > Part 18
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CLARK HOUGH.
185
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.
Aug 30 1790 Voted to direct the Selectmen to examine into the request of Messrs Robt. Colburn, & Lem. Hough with respect to their Losses in paying the arrears of Taxes for the Town to the State Treas- ury.
No action of the town seems to have been taken in this matter.
Voted for representatives to Congress with the following results. Abiel Foster had 2 votes Saml Livermore 32 John Saml Sherburne 26 Elisha Payne Esq. 20, Jonathan Freeman 11, Aaron Hutchinson 10, Elisha Ticknor 1. Elihu Hyde 1.
Of these candidates Samuel Livermore only was elected.
At a meeting in October they again voted for members of Congress, when Jeremiah Smith had 55 votes, John S. Sherburne 43, Abiel Foster 13. Jeremiah Smith was elected.
The following shows to what extent one branch of manufac- tures was pursued in the town :
This certifies that Daniel Robinson of Lebanon in the County of Grafton and State of New Hampshire has made or caused to be made three hundred thousand of wrought ten penny nails between the eighth day of Feby Anno Domini 1789 and the twentieth day of Jany current.
In witness whereof the selectmen of said Lebanon hereunto set their hands and seals and the nearest justice of the peace countersigns, this 28th day of - 1791
Jesse Cook [SEAL]
Stephen Billings [SEAL]
Attest
Aaron Hutchinson Jus. pacis
Endorsed Rec'd an order on the treasurer for fifteen pounds.
This was in accordance with an act passed 1787 to encourage the manufacture of nails in the state, repealed in'1805.
Records for the year 1791 are not to be found.
The state constitution of 1784 provided for a revision after seven years. A convention was called for the purpose in 1791 to meet at Concord, and Elisha Payne, Esq., was chosen the dele- gate from Lebanon. The convention met September 7, and be- gan its work of revision. Various amendments were proposed, some to be accepted, while others were rejected. September 16 the convention appointed a committee, of which Elisha Payne, Esq., was a member, "to take into consideration the Constitution and the Resolutions passed at this session and the several mo- tions made for alterations that have not been acted upon and
186
HISTORY OF LEBANON.
prepare and report to the Convention at the adjournment altera- tions and amendments to be submitted to the people."
The convention met again February 8, 1792, heard and consid- ered the report of the committee, when it was ordered that the amendments proposed should be printed and sent out to the people for their approval, returns to be made on the last Wednes- day in May.
April 26, 1792, the town chose as a committee to take into con- sideration the revised constitution, Col. Elisha Payne, Aaron Hutchinson, Esq., and Capt. David Hough.
May 7 the town met "at the remains of the old meeting house," to act upon the amendments of the constitution. The above committee probably made some report and recommendations. They then proceeded to vote upon the seventy-two amendments proposed. One of the proposed amendments was promptly re- jected, Article VI, which would allow anyone to be free from the support of the minister of a town upon his filing his dissent with the town clerk within certain specified times. Nos. 37 and 43 were also rejected. The latter required a property qualifi- cation of five hundred pounds.
When the convention re-assembled at Concord in May, it was found that some of the amendments had been accepted and others rejected. Other articles were, therefore, prepared and sent out to the people, to be considered by them on the twenty- seventh day of August, when the town voted unanimously for the acceptance of the constitution. When the returns from the state came in it was found that the amendments were accepted by the people.
A Coppy of Ye Inventory for 1792
Below is the earliest inventory of the town which is to be found among the town papers. Its items furnish interesting informa- tion concerning the condition of the town at that time :
No. of Polls from Eighteen to Seventy years of Age 236
No. of Acres of Orchard Land
4671%
No. of Acres of Arable or Tillage Land
883
No of Acres of Moing land
1148
No of acres of Pasture land
144
No of Horses and Mares
No of oxen 177
No of cows 277
187
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.
No of Horses and Cattle three years old
115
No of Horses and Cattle two years old
182
Yearly rent of mills wharves and Ferries repairs being de- ducted £69-8
Sum total of the Value of all Real Estate improved owned by the inhabitants £5520-
Sum total of the Value of all Real Estate not owned by the Inhabitants 234
Sum total of the Value of Stock in Trade
Sum total of Money in hand or on Interest
No of Horsis & Cattle one year old
299
Jesse Cook 7 Selectmen
James Crocker
Stephen Billings
August 27, 1792, the town voted for six presidential electors, with the following result :
John Pickering Esq.
56 John White Esq 56
Elisha Payne Esq. 51 Benj. Bellows Esq 56.
Joseph Badger Esq. 55 Jonathan Freeman Esq 1
Barret Esq 55
The above record indicates the singular fact that the town clerk did not know the Christian name of one of the candidates. In these days if the votes were cast as recorded above, it might. defeat a president. It should be Charles Barret.
At this same meeting the town voted for representatives to Congress, with the following result :
Payne Wingate Esq. 55 Jeremiah Smith Esq 59
John Sherburne Esq 48 Elisha Payne Esq 49
Beza Woodward Esq 2 Jonathan Freeman Esq 7
Abial Foster Esq
10 Timothy Walker Esq 2
John S. Sherburne, Payne Wingate and Abiel Foster were elected.
Now and then during these years there appears a vote direct- ing Rev. Mr. Potter where to preach on the Sabbath. Upon the question whether he should preach a part of the time at the old meeting-house, the vote was affirmative 32, negative 55. The town meetings this year were held generally at "Robt Colburn's New Barn," which was on the ground where H. W. Carter now lives.
For some reason they voted again for presidential electors, November 12, 1792, and Josiah Bartlett, John Pickering, Thomas:
£450
188
HISTORY OF LEBANON.
Coggswell, Timothy Farrar, Benj. Bellows, and Jonathan Free- man each had 52 votes. They also voted again for represen- tative to Congress, when Payne Wingate had 53 votes.
March 12, 1793, at the annual meeting the vote was as follows: For governor, Josiah Bartlett, 59; senator for the 12th district, Samuel Emerson, 59; Col. Elisha Payne, 7. Col. Elisha Payne was chosen representative to the Legislature. Jonathan Free- man had 85 votes for councillor.
This was the first time the town voted for governor of the state, the title having been changed under the revised consti- tution from president to governor. It was also the first time the town voted for a councillor. This was the first town meet- ing in the new meeting-house.
To show the ancient manner of calling a town meeting, the general form is here given for the annual meeting March 11, 1794 :
State of New Hampshire To Ephraim Wood Constable in Grafton ss and for the town of Lebanon Greeting.
You are hereby directed and required to warn all the Legal Voters in the town of Lebanon to meet in town meeting at the New Meeting house in said Lebanon on Tuesday the 11th Day of March Next at nine o'clock A. M. on s'd Day to act on the following articles :
Given under our hand and seal in said Lebanon this 20th Day of Febry A D. 1794
Nath1 Porter Asher Allen
Selectmen Dan1 Phelps
hereof fail not and make Return of your Doings to the town clerk of . said Lebanon by the 11th Day of March Next at Nine o clock in the morning on s'd Day.
In Parsuance of the above Warrant I have Posted up a true coppy of the above Warning on the 24th of Feby 1794
Attest Ephraim Wood Constable
At this meeting votes for governor were: John S. Gilman, 99; Elisha Payne, 16; Benj. Bellows, 2; Jonathan Freeman, 1; Nicolas Gilman, 1; Elihu Hyde, Esq., 1.
This is the largest vote cast to this date.
Votes for councillor : Jonathan Freeman, 53; Beza Wood- ward, 8; Elisha Payne, Esq., 11; Robert Colburn, 1.
For senator for 12th district: Jonathan Freeman, 5; Elisha Payne, Esq., 76; Moses Dow, 6.
REV. STORY HEBARD.
189
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.
Maj. David Hough was chosen representative.
For the first time the selectmen presented a detailed account of their doings and the affairs of the town.
August 25, 1794, the town was called together to vote again for representatives to Congress, there being no choice at the previous election.
December 8, 1794, the town again met to choose a represen- tative, their ballots being limited to Payne Wingate and Abiel Foster. Abiel Foster had 32 votes, but Payne Wingate was elected.
The years which follow, to the close of the century, were years of quiet, so far as the affairs of the town were concerned. They regularly elected their town officers, voted for representatives to Congress, for governor and other state officers. They were busy laying out new roads, improving the old, now and then symptoms of a contest appearing. These years will, therefore, be passed over without particular mention. Some things which are new in town affairs, or which may have special interest, will be noted.
March 10, 1795, Pelatiah Buck was appointed fish inspector. March, 1796, Jude Bailey was appointed inspector of the fishery, and again in March, 1797.
When the country was new and the Connecticut poured its floods into Long Island Sound unrestrained by dams, its waters were the resort of a multitude of salmon and shad. They came up as far as Lebanon, the salmon turning up White River and the shad up the Mascoma to deposit their spawn. Great num- bers of these fish were taken by the early settlers for their own use and for sale to the people not so happily situated. It is with these matters that the inspector of fish was concerned.
The old people used to say that they had seen the clear waters of White River blue and almost solid with the shoals of salmon struggling up its current.
Two weeks in June, 1795, must have been full of interest to the people here, for at that time the Legislature was in session at Hanover. Most of the people saw their law-makers at work for the first and only time. Whether it increased their respect for, and confidence in, that august body tradition does not say. The place of meeting was very convenient for Colonel Payne,
190
HISTORY OF LEBANON.
the representative of the town. John G. Gilman was governor, Russell Freeman of Hanover speaker of the house, and Ebenezer Smith, president of the senate.
The name of Stephen Kendrick, for many years town clerk and prominent in all affairs, makes its first appearance in the records March, 1796, when he was chosen sealer of weights and measures.
November, 1796, voted to procure two palls, one large and one small one, and to be kept at Mr. Simeon Peck's.
In March, 1797, the town, by vote, established prices for work on highways as follows :
Laboar from the first of May to the first of August 3/6 per day; from the first of August to the first of October 3/ per day, and 2/6 per day the rest of the season.
Oxen carts and plows to be one half the price of Man's labor at each of the afore said times.
During this year the cemetery in the center village was pur- chased of John and Benjamin Kimball for $66.66, and also the cemetery near Ebenezer Cole's.
The year 1798 might appropriately be termed the bridge year, for it was a year in which large sums were spent in building and repairing bridges. Among the charges for this work are the following, which read strangely to this generation: For rum at the lower bridge, $.57; for rum for two bridges, $18.76; for rum at the bridge, $3.75. Here are similar charges for 1799: For liquor for venduing bridge by Col. Payne's, $1.36; for rum to work on the road, $.75; for rum used at the bridge, $6.00; for . rum and wine for Barbrick family, $2.00; for rum for his fam- ily, $.50.
THE TOWN IN 1800.
Before entering upon the events of another century, let us try to realize the condition of the town at this period. It is about thirty-six years since the first settlements were actually begun. What progress has been made? How much has been done to- wards subduing the wilderness? Who are living here now ? Who of those who began with the early days of the town have passed away? What improvements have been made in roads, in the comforts and conveniences of life? What are the people doing-what are they talking about ?
191
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.
The town is settled and quiet in its state relations, which in the years past occupied so much of time, thought and expense. The town is not connected with Vermont nor planning any union with that state. It is not in a "state of nature"; that is, inde- pendent and sovereign, but is connected "with respect to its internal police" with New Hampshire and contented. Its large arrearages of taxes have happily been paid, though Messrs. Hough and Colburn are still a little sore on that point. We learn who were living here at that time from the following list of tax-payers :
Asahel Abbott
John Andrews
Beriah Abbott
Cyprian Andrews
Josiah Adams
Daniel Alden
Andrew Aldrich
Zenas Alden
Andrew Aldrich, Jr.
Zalmon Aspenwall
Clark Aldrich
Cady Allen
Elisha Aldrich
William Avery
Richard Aldrich
Solomon Abba
Abijah Allen
Richard Andrews
Asher Allen
Daniel Abbott
Diarca Allen
Joseph Abbott
Joseph Amsden
John Abbott
Judah Bailey
Edward Bosworth
Andrew Baker
Pelatiah Buck
Gideon Baker
Richard Buswell
Gideon Baker, Jr.
Stephen Bliss
Nathaniel Bidwell
Stephen Billings
Alfred Bingham Azariah Bliss Asel Bliss
Samuel Barker John Buswell Jacob W. Brewster George Booth Pelatiah Bugbee Wm Burbech Stephen Barker
Daniel Bliss
Ebenezer Bliss
Isaiah Bliss Widow Anna Blodgett
Justis Bruce
Abijah Chandler Waters Clark
Samuel Crocker Joshua Cushing
192
HISTORY OF LEBANON.
Aaron Cleaveland John Colburn Robert Colburn Stephen Colburn
Giles Cook Jesse Cook, Jr. William Corning James Crocker
Asa Colburn Roswell Clark
Jonathan Conant Seth Convers
Colton Center Jonathan Colby Daniel Castet
Joseph Castet
William Dana
Samuel Dustin
William Dana, Jr.
Timothy Dudley
Daniel Demon
Joseph Dodge
William Downer
Rufus Durkee
Timothy Darling
Silas Downer Andred Downer
Jacob Ela Joseph Ela
Zuar Eldridge
Oliver Ellis
Aaron Estabrooks
Hobart Estabrooks
Rhodolphus Estabrooks Benjamin Ela
Theodore Ela
Samuel Estabrooks, Jr.
Joseph Evans
James Ela
Oliver Edwards
Phineas Elkins
Joseph Ellis
Moses Farnam Humphrey Farrar
Otis Freeman Nathaniel Freeman
Benj. Fuller
Benj. Fuller, Jr.
James Fuller
John Fox
Nathan Flanders
Abraham Forster
Caleb Fellows
Joseph Flint
Jedediah Freeman
Oliver Griswold
Barnabas Fay Asa Fitch
Asa Fitch, Jr.
Edmund Freeman
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
Roger Freeman
Enoch Freeman
Elijah Gould
-
Joseph Downer Martin Dewey
Zacheus Downer James Duncan, Jr. Nathan Durkee
ABRAM PUSHEE.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.
193
Samuel Gage Joseph Goodridge John Gray David Gray Joseph Griswold
Joseph Garland Ezekiel Gove Joseph Giles Comfort Goff
Dan Hall
Orla Hall
Nathaniel Hall
John Hewet
Jonathan Hamilton
James Hartshorn
Aaron Hebbard
Asaph Hyde
James Hebbard
Elihu Hyde
Moses Hebbard, Jr.
David Hinkley
Silas Hyde
Daniel Hough David Hough
Guy Hough
Widow Hannah Huntington
Lemuel Hough
Thomas Hough
James Hebbard, Jr.
James Huckins
James How
Joseph Hill
Daniel Hinkley
Silas Hebbard
John Jeffers Nathan Jewett
Thomas Kirshaw Stephen Kendrick John Kimball Benjamin Kimball
Wm Loomer Denison Lathrop Elijah Lathrop Samuel Lathrop
Nathaniel Mason
Uriel Huntington
William Huntington William Huntington, Jr.
Ziba Huntington
Joseph Huntington
Aaron Hutchinson
Elihu Hyde, Jr.
John Houston
Witherel Hough
Elias Huntington
Miller Huntington
James Jones Joel Joslyn
John Kile Ephraim Kile Aaron Kinsman
Sloman Lathrop Richard Lyman James Little Ebenezer Lewis
John Martin, Jr.
13
194
HISTORY OF LEBANON.
Joshua Markham Bela Markham
Elam Markham
John Martin Jonathan Martin Joseph Martin
Joseph Martin, Jr. Elias Marsh
Reuben Mason
Jesse Morse
Jeremiah Marston
Parly Mason
Wm. H. Packard David Packard
Ichabod Packard
Nathaniel Packard
Nathaniel Packard, Jr. Phineas Parkhurst
Elisha Payne, Jr. John Payne William Payne Simeon Peck Eliel Peck
Walter Peck Ebba Peck
Jahleeb Peck
Turner Peterson
Daniel Phelps
John Porter
Nathaniel Porter
George W. Post
Noah Powers Howard Phelps Elisha Payne
Arnold Porter
Luther Pyke
Absalom Packard
Jonathan Quimby
Cephas Robinson Elijah Reid
Enoch Redington James Ralston Daniel Richards
Ebenezer Simon
Arad Simons Abner Smith
Alpheus Smith Asa Smith Daniel Smith
Elijah Sprague Elkanah Sprague Widow Deborah Sprague
William Rowland Micajah Rowell Noah Read
Amos Robinson Thomas Ray
Constant Storrs
Constant Storrs, Jr.
Jesse Storrs
Nathaniel Storrs
Phineas Strong Clap Sumner Jeriah Swetland Roswell Swetland Orsemus Strong
195
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.
Elijah Sprague, Jr. William Spring
Daniel Strong - Sexton
Benjamin Taylor
Osgood True
Elish Ticknor
Jesse Tibbets
John Ticknor
James Ticknor
Paul K. Ticknor
Joseph Tilden, 3d
Charles Tilden
James Trussel
Joseph Tilden, Jr.
Joel Tilden
Nathan Upton
David Underhill
John Walton
John Wood
Thomas Waterman
Joseph Wood
Hezekiah Waters
Luther Wood
Luther Waters
Roger Wood
Joseph Weed
Abel Wright
Thomas Wells
Francis West
Eliphalet Wells
Abel Wright, Jr.
Andrew Wheabley
Jocob M. White
David Whitmore
Isaac Warren
Daniel Willes
Ebenezer Whitmore
Roger Willes
Jonathan Ware
Ephraim Wood
Samuel Young .
The names of forty-one of those who signed the "Association Test," in 1776, appear in this list. Of the eighty-seven names appended to that test, more than one half have either died or left the town.
THE PROPERTY IN TOWN, 1800.
There were about 300 polls, indicating a population of over twelve hundred; twenty acres of orchards. In 1792 none are returned.
Tillage, about 442, which is less than in 1792.
Mowing, about 1,164, a gain of nearly 300 acres.
196
HISTORY OF LEBANON.
Pasture, 1,674 acres, a gain of about 500 acres.
Horses, 211.
Oxen, 248.
Cows, 405.
Cattle, four years old, 152; three years old, 223; two years old, 362.
Value of buildings and improvements, $13,370.
Stock in trade, $950.
Money at interest, $1,143.
In estimating quantities of land, the law of that period estab- lished the following rules : "Accounting so much orchard as will in a common season produce ten barrels of cyder or peavey, one acre; so much pasture land as will summer a cow, four acres; what mowing land will commonly produce one town of good English hay yearly or meadow hay in proportion, one acre; and what arable and tillage land will commonly produce twenty-five bushels of corn, one acre; in which is to be considered all land planted with indian corn, potatoes and beans and sown with grain, flax or peas." Laws for Inventory, 1797.
In inspecting the foregoing returns of the land, the reader will please keep these rules in mind.
In the number of polls the following are not included :
"Those from eighteen to twenty-one enrolled in the militia; instructors and students of colleges ; ordained ministers and pre- ceptors of academies, paupers and idiots."
The inventory shows that the town has made rapid progress in population and improvements. The following are the town officers for the year 1800 :
Moderator, Col. David Hough.
Town Clerk, John Colburn.
Selectmen, Thomas Waterman, Gideon Baker Jr., Jonathan Hamilton.
Tything men, Abel Wright, Barnabas Fay, Nathan Jewett, and Ephraim Wood
Highway Surveyors, Joseph Downer, Hubbard Estabrook, James Crocker, Paul N. Ticknor, Maj Constant Storrs, Nathan Durkee, An- drew Baker, Nathan Jewett Pelatiah Buck, Clap Sumner, Enoch Free- man
Fence viewers, Joseph Martin, Jr., John Payne, Zuar Eldridge, Will- . iam David, Jr.
SIMEON S. POST.
197
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.
Hog-rieves Theodore Ela, Daniel Bliss, William Loomer Zalmon Aspenwall, Clark A. Aldrich, Nathaniel Freeman
Surveyor of lumber, Thomas Hough.
Representative, Col. Elisha Payne.
Constable and collector, Edmund Freeman
No sealer of leather, or of weights and measures chosen
Votes for Governor, Hon. John Taylor Gilman 156 Timothy Walker Esq. 3
Councillor David Hough
Russell Freeman
54
Senator for 12th District David Hough
106
Constant Storrs
Voted to raise two hundred dollars for the use of the town the year ensuing
Voted to raise five hundred dollars for the use of the highways the ensuing year.
Roads and Bridges.
An inspection of the records shows that the town was well supplied with roads in all directions, and that they were dili- gently improving them. About this time there were movements throughout the state to improve the means of communication with the different portions of the state. The people were pros- pering and had a surplus from their farms seeking a distant market. Bridges over the Connecticut were planned and char- tered. Turnpikes had already been built in some portions of the state and others were projected, and among them the fourth New Hampshire turnpike, having its northern termination at West Lebanon, to connect by Lyman's bridge with a turnpike through the valley of the White River. The Connecticut River was at this time the channel of transportation. Farm products were carried in boats down the river to "Old Har'ford," which returned laden with salt, sugar, molasses and other supplies.
The boats floated with the current downward, assisted by poles, and sails when the wind served. Their return was more difficult, as they had the current against them, and were obliged to gain every foot by the exertion of strength. This transpor- tation gave employment to a large number of men. What is . called the "Point" on the opposite bank of the Connecticut was a harbor for these boats. Sometimes a hundred would be tied to the banks at the same time.
To improve the navigation of the river, locks were built and canals cut. Among them those at Olcott's Falls were chartered a little before this time. They had already been built at Bel- lows Falls and a charter had been sought for locks at Water Quechee, in Hartland. Much of the pine lumber found in this and the surrounding towns was floated down the river in rafts to older towns in Massachusetts, but chiefly to Hartford, Conn. From there it could be readily sent to New York by water.
In this region there were no public conveyances. If any one
199
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
wished to take a journey he must go on foot or on horseback, or in his own carriage. A large part of the journeying was on horseback. Mail facilities were few and far between. During the Revolutionary War a post rider started from Portsmouth once a fortnight, rode to Haverhill, from thence down the river to Charlestown and back again to Portsmouth. In 1791 there were four post routes over which the post-rider went once a fortnight. Postoffices were established in ten of the principal towns and postmasters were allowed two pence on every letter which passed through their hands. By 1800 there had been some improvement in this system, but chances to send letters were still few and far between, except by private conveyance.
At this period the business of the town was mainly farming. Cattle and horses were raised for market, pork to a limited ex- tent. Flax was cultivated, dressed and spun and woven into garments. Oil was pressed from the seed. People made their own cloth, which was dressed by David Hinkley, clothier, whose mills were on True brook. The trees which they were obliged to cut down to prepare their land for cultivation, such as were not fit for lumber of the first quality, they burned, and from the ashes made pot-ash in large quantities. There were several tan- neries in different parts of the town. Lumber was manufac- tured largely at Payne's mills, at other points on the Mascoma. Almost every brook had its temporary sawmill.
Of stores there were many. The Lymans on the Point did the heaviest business, taking in exchange for sugar, molasses, salt, nails, etc., beef, pork, etc. James Duncan had a store near the new meeting-house. He was also licensed to retail "speritous liquors" and wines. Turner Peterson on the river road had a store and he is licensed to sell "foreign distilled liquors." Joel Tilden, merchant, on the river road, was approbated to sell liquor. Uriel Huntington had a store west of where E. Cole now lives, and was licensed to sell "foreign Distilled Speritus liquors." . Winneck & Ralston had a store at Payne's Mills (East Lebanon).
Taverns were plenty. Samuel Gage on the south side of the Mascoma, Sumner Clap on the county road from Concord to Hanover, Beriah Abbott at the head of School Street, Capt. Joseph Wood on the river road, Theodore Ela on the river road,
200
HISTORY OF LEBANON.
Enos Kellogg in the east part of the town, Ephraim Wood in the south part of the town, Rodolphus Estabrooks on the river road, all licensed to sell liquor. In the year of 1800 there were at least fifteen places where liquor was sold according to law, which is significant enough of the customs of the times.
What were the people thinking and talking about in those days? They had their own immediate concerns, improvements in their farms, new comers to be discussed and estimated, mar- riages, engagements, births, deaths, now and then a choice bit of scandal; politics there were, Federalists and Republicans, and party spirit ran high in those days; theology, the doctrines were warmly discussed from morning to night, and late in the night, discussed with loud voices, sometimes with quickened temper. Upon these great themes the people thought more and thought deeper than nowadays. One sad event was prominent in their thoughts and conversation. A stranger had come among them, sickened and died; none knew his name or whence he came. The record concerning him is brief, but pitiful; it runs thus in the accounts of the selectmen :
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