USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Salem > History of Salem, N.H. > Part 14
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Minister's.
Town.
State.
School.
Total.
To Joseph Thom .
$203.25
$119.70
$127.65
$119.70
$570.30
" Samuel Clement
144.58
117.69
136.96
117.69
516.92
$347.83
$237.39
$264.61
$237.39 $1087.02
By comparing this total, $1,087.02, with the figures quoted above, it will be seen that in the next fifty years the total taxa- tion did not much more than double. This represents the whole amount raised by the town, and was expended under six main - accounts.
Expenditures for 1800 :
To state and county,
$231.54
town services,
27.05
schools,
314.99
poor,
130.24
bridges,
8.70
minister,
300.00
wood for minister,
9.74
$1,022.26
About one-third of this total was paid for support of schools. Today scarcely one-fifth of the annual appropriation is used for this purpose, and yet many citizens are heard complaining that even this is too much. It seems that we may have something to learn on this point from our ancestors.
In 1800 the largest tax was paid by Joshua Merrill. If we divide the taxes into four groups, namely, state and county, town, minister's and school, we can summarize the payments of the twelve highest men on the list as follows :
State &
County
Town Minister School
Total
Joshua Merrill
3.94
3.60
7.12
3.60
18.26
Wm S. Kelly
3.59
3.28
6.49
3,28
16.64
DR. LEWIS F. SOULE.
165
CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.
Thomas Dow
2.69
2.48
8.64
2.48
16.29
David Allen
2.99
2.74
5.73
2.74
14.20
David Dusten
2.98
2.73
4.68
2.73
13.12
Jesse Merrill
2.58
2.36
5.28
2.36
12.58
Israel Woodbury
2.62
2.30
5.32
2.30
12.54
Sam'l Webster
2.57
2.35
4.70
2.35
11.97
William Thom
2.59
2.35
4.65
2.35
11.94
Nath'l Gorrell
2.46
2.45
4.50
2.45
11.86
Oliver Sanders
2.61
2.29
4.53
2.29
11.72
Oliver Kimball
2.51
2.29
4.44
2.29
11.53
These figures show that the minister's tax was the largest of the four, and not always in the same ratio to the others. In fact, this tax was not determined entirely by the amount of a man's property, but partially by the number of his family and their relation to the church. This was also true somewhat in case of the school tax.
The following table gives only the amount of the "town tax" of each taxpayer in 1800. While this is only about one-fifth of each man's total tax, it serves to show the comparative value of their property at this time :
Allen, Lt. David
$2.74
Austin, Jonathan .39
Austin, Abiel
.67
Austin, Moses
.70
Austin, David
.64
Austin, Nathan
1.14
Austin, John
1.16
Austin, Peter
.91
Austin, John, Jr.,
.33
Ayer, William
.84
Bailey, John N.
1.00
Boutwell, Sam'l
.27
Bayley, Dr. Dudley
1.03
Bradford, Simon
.49
Bayley, John
.55
Bradford, William
1.29
Bayley, Wd. of Jonathan
.34
Brickett, Edmund
1.31
Bayley, William
.62
Brickett, John
.59
Belknap, Nathaniel
1.00
Bryant, Andrew
.40
Betton, Silas, Esq.,
.57
Campbell, Robert
2.19
Clough, Wyman .87
Carleton, Nehemiah
.74
Coburn, Simon .12
Chase, Edmund
.27
Copp, Aaron .15
166
HISTORY OF SALEM.
Chase, Joseph
.27
Corless, Asa
1.66
Chase, Samuel
.85
Corless, Asa, Jr.,
1.29
Clark, John
1.24
Corless, Benjamin
.27
Clement, Samuel
.89
Corless, Ens. David
1.95
Clement, Stephen
.27
Corless, David
.27
Clement, William
1.12
Corless, John
.85
Clendenin, John
.59
Cross, David
.27
Clough, Isaac
.33
Cross, Jesse
1.11
Clough, Josiah
1.33
Cross, Lt. Sam'l
1.44
Clough, Timothy
1.13
Currier, Capt. John
1.95
Clough, William
1.45
Davis, Moses
1.13
Dow, Maj. Thos.
2.48
Day, Samuel
1.41
Duston, Benj.
.27
Dow, Abraham
.66
Duston, Caleb
.74
Dow, Amos
1.06
Duston, Caleb, Jr.,
1.02
Dow, Aquilla
1.14
Duston, David
2.73
Dow, Capt. Jeremiah
1.33
Duston, Ebenezer
1.71
Dow, Oliver
.50
Duty, William
1.34
Ellenwood, Henry
.76
Emerson, Samuel, Jr., .62
Emerson, Jonathan
.39
Emerson, Seth
.69
Emerson, Joshua
.91
Emerson, Simeon
.82
Emerson, Michael
.60
Emerson, Timothy
.90
Emerson, Samuel
.64
Endicott, Samuel
1.33
Foster, Paul
.60
Gage, Ens. John
.49
Gordon, Joshua
.34
Gage, Joseph W.
1.53
Gordon, Lebenar
1.23
Gage, Phineas
.27
Gordon, Phineas
1.18
Gilmore, Col. James
1.53
Gordon, Wells
.27
Gordon, Amos
.27
Gorrell, Gene
.33
Gordon, Lt. Benjamin
1.58
Gorrell, Maj. Nathaniel 2.45
Gordon, Henry
.27
Grandy, Charles
.46
Hall, Elijah
1.70 Haseltine, Jonathan 1.46
Hall, Jonathan
.27 Haseltine, Jonathan, Jr., .27
167
CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.
Hall, Joseph 1.33
Hastings, James 1.08
Hall, Joseph, Jr.,
.28
Hastings, Joseph 1.04
Hall, Joshua
.27 Hassett, Nathaniel
.54
Hall, Joshua, Jr.,
.27 Heath, John
1.13
Hall, Varnum
1.45
Heath, Joshua
1.48
Hardy, Caleb
.27
Johnson, Wd. Hannah
.37
Jones, Hezikiah
1.06
Johnson, Lt. Samuel
.86
Jones, Timothy .99
Kelly, wd. of Elisha
.35
Kimball, Barnet
1.62
Kelly, Nathan
.58
Kimball, John
.77
Kelly, Richard
.99
Kimball, Oliver
2.29
Kelly, Samuel
1.26
Kimball, Richard
2.19
Kelly, Lt. Wm. Somes
2.28
Ladd, Daniel
1.00
Little, Ens. Henry
1.73
Ladd, Joshua
.27
Little, William .27
Lancaster, John
.88
Lowell, John 1.55
Little, Abner B.
1.61
Marble, Samuel
.98
Merrill, Joshua
3.60
Massey, Jonathan
.27
Merrill, Perley
1.51
Merrill, Enoch
1.17
Merrill, Richard
.99
Merrill, Henry
.27
Messer, wd. Rachel
.10
Merrill, Maj. Jesse
2.36
Messer, Richard 1.22
Merrill, Jonathan
.93
Moreland, James
.90
Merrill, Ens. Joseph
1.21
Morrill, Philip
.72
Merrill, Joseph
.64
Morse, Caleb
1.34
Nevins, David
2.05
Ober, Israel
.11
Ordway, wd. Rebekah
.32
Ordway, David
.45
Page, Ebenezer
1.66 Pattee, Eliphalet .64
Page, James
.89
Pattee, Jonathan .81
Jones, Evan, Jr., 2.19
168
HISTORY OF SALEM.
Page, John
.40
Pattee, Richard .27
Page, John, Jr.,
.93
Pattee, Stephen .57
Page, Jonathan
.57
Pettingill, Dan'l .92
Parker, Ebenezer
1.32
Pettingill, Dea. Isaac
.39
Parker, Edward
.40
Pettingill, Jonathan .27
Pattee, Ens. Edward
1.48
Pettingill, Joseph
.76
Remmik, David
.27
Rowell, James
.84
Robinson, Stephen
.61
Rowell, Moses D.
.27
Robinson, Thomas
.94
Rowell, Philip
.96
Rollins, Abel
1.53
Rowell, Richard
,27
Rollins, Benjamin
.19
Rowell, Samuel
.27
Rollins, David
2.02
Rowell, William
1.16
Rowell, Israel
1.33
Runnells, wd. Phebe
.35
Rowell, Ens. Jacob
1.57
Sanders, Henry
.27
Smith, Solomon
1.02
Sanders, James
1.78
Smith, Lt. Thomas
1.41
Sanders, Oliver
2.29
Smith, William
.35
Silver, Daniel
.98
Stevens, Eliphalet
.34
Silver, Zebediah
.34
Stevens, Jonathan
1.12
Smith, Francis
1.16
Stevens, Simeon
.97
Smith, John
1.49
Stevens, William
1.28
Smith, wd. Phebe
.21
Taylor, Matthew
1.83
Thom, William, Esq.,
2.35
Thayer, Benj.
.90
Thom, William, Jr.,
.27
Thom, Joseph
.27
Towns, Col. Benjamin 1.91
1
Wardwell, Joseph
1.34
Wheeler, Richard
1.22
Webber, Abel
.92
Wheeler, Silas
1.13
Webster, wd. Hannah
.29
Wheeler, Warren
1.23
Webster, Col. James
1.77
Whittaker, Lt. Mitchell
.39
Webster, Capt. Jesse
2.22
Whittaker, Moses
.79
Webster, Jesse, Jr.,
.39
Wilson, John
1.20
Webster, Joseph
.57 Woodbury, Ebenezer
1.31
Webster, Joseph
.33
Woodbury, Elisha
1.75
Webster, Nathaniel,
78
Woodbury, Ens. Israel
2.30
ELIPHALET COBURN.
$
ROCK MAPLE IN CURRIER WEBSTER PASTURE, 13 FEET IN CIRCUMFERENCE. (M 468)
169
CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.
Webster, Rollins
1.39
Woodbury, John
1.30
Webster, Dr. Samuel
2.35
Woodbury, John, Jr., .82
Webster, Thomas
.27
Woodbury, Lt. Luke 1.15
Wheeler, Abner
1.65
Woodbury, wd. Mary .54
Wheeler, Amos
.89
Woodman, Ens. Abner
1.61
Wheeler, Lt. David
1.14
Woodman, Nathaniel
1.61
Wheeler, Ens. Isaiah
1.29
Worth, Edmund
.27
Wheeler, Ens. Jonathan 1.74
Worth, Stephen 2.39
There were twenty-five non-resident taxpayers.
From the records under date of 1802 is obtained a list of the "Objects of Taxation." The tax on each is given, as well as the number contained in the inventory for that year :
"Polls
Stallions
5.00
1
Horses and mares
.66
146
kept 4 winters
.50)
3 66
.34
72
60
2 “
.16
Oxen
.50
233
Cows
.34
360
Neat stock kept 4 winters
.25
.16 !
503
66 2
.08 |
Orchard, 10 barrels per acre
.25
Arable, 25 bushels corn per acre
.16
Mowing I Tun of Hay per acre
.16
Pasture, 4 acres per cow, per acre
.07
Mills 11/2 percent of net yearly income.
Buildings and improved lands 1/2 of one percent
Stock in Trade 1/2 of one percent.
Money at Interest 3/4 of one percent Property in the funds 3/4 of one percent"
For the purpose of comparison, the inventory for one hundred years later is here presented; that is, for 1902. And to show the rapidity of growth of travel by electric cars, as an explana-
3
Assessment on each $1.34
Number in town. 213
170
HISTORY OF SALEM.
tion of the change in the number of animals in town, a part of the inventory for 1906 is also given :
1802
1902
1906
Polls
213
456
506
Horses
146
338
292
Oxen
233
0
4
Cows
360
601
568
Sheep
36
6
Hogs
62
20
Fowls
3775
1690
It will be seen that the number of polls was slightly more than doubled in a hundred years, while a further increase of more than eleven per cent. took place within the last four years.
Another very noticeable feature of this comparison is the great reversal in the number of oxen and horses, and the decrease in the number of the latter within the last four years. It is a pe- culiar fact that the inventory for 1902 does not show a single ox, whereas formerly nearly all heavy work was done by these animals. Last year there were four in the town. It is evident that some parts of the town have drawn away from their former interest in the various activities of farm life. For while the pop- ulation and poll list have been steadily increasing, the loss of thirty-three cows, five sixths of the sheep, two thirds of the hogs and more than half the fowls, in this brief space of four years, is indicative of a strong attraction to other than farming occupa- tions.
AFFAIRS AT THE TOWN HOUSE.
Some of the records of town meetings, warrants, etc., show bits of interesting matter regarding the old town house and the men at the head of the affairs of the town. Some of these references show us that conditions which we are likely to consider peculiar to our own time were known to the voters of a century ago. For instance, an article in the warrant for 1767 had for its purpose "to see if the selectmen shall serve without pay, or if some cer- tain sum shall be set aside." The record for the meeting says "Voted in the negative," but leaves the reader in blissful ig- norance as to which clause of the article the action referred to.
171
CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.
In our cities and towns today are many voters who would see cer- tain officials serve without pay or receive a stated salary.
There was a strong feeling against vagrants in the early days, as is shown by a vote passed in 1770: "Voted that the Select men take Proper Care of all Straglers Runing about the Streets & Inquire into their Business & if they do not give a Reasonable account to take &, bind them out to masters that Shall take Proper care of them." Perhaps if some such treatment could be applied today it would be effective in ridding communities of troublesome wanderers who have the traditional distaste for work in all its forms.
In 1781 it was "Voted that Cap. Evan Jones and Richard Kimball be a committee to procure 6 barrells of new England Rum for Salem and charge the town for it." At first glance this looks bad, but it must be borne in mind that the temperance standards of a hundred years ago were far different from those of today. The record does not state the use to which this liquor was to be put; but such entries are by no means rare, while fre- quently the purpose is also stated. The repairing of a bridge or other similar piece of work was usually accomplished by the aid of a few gallons of rum. Such a course was sure to bring its own antidote. The abuse of liquors resulted in the various tem- perance movements that were subsequently instituted. A law was passed putting the sale of intoxicating liquors into the hands of the town and authorities. Agents were appointed to attend to this business. They at first sold the liquor, but later distrib- uted the sale to sub-agents in different parts of the town. In time these were given licenses to sell, until the present system was gradually developed.
Early in the last century tavern licenses were granted, includ- ing permits to sell spirits, often, however, limited as to the kind or amount. Whenever a person took dinner at the tavern he could obtain liquor, and usually did so. There are some curious accounts among the papers of the town, setting forth the items paid for to certain storekeepers or tavern-keepers-and generally these early merchants offered tavern accommodations. Here is one such paper, which, however, does not always clearly distin-
172
HISTORY OF SALEM.
guish between items ordered for paupers and those things in- cidental to the transaction of town business :
Selectmen to Hatch & Spofford Dr.
1816 March 16. 1 Pt Brandy 50. 30th 9 gills rum 44- April 11, 4 qts 11/2 pints Rum 2.59
2.59
May 29. Brandy, horse keeping & dinners
2.09
30 66 66 & paper 2.66
31 66 66 66 & rum 2.25
'June 1.
66 2.59
60 8. 1 Pint Brandy 40 c'ts. 22nd Brandy 25 c'ts .65
66 29 Punch 50 c'ts. July 6. Brandy 50 c'ts 1.00
July 22 Brandy 75 c'ts Aug 6 5 yds Cambric 1.90) Silk & thread 16 2.81
Aug. 7. De'ld Mrs. Rowell, 1 qt Rum 32 c'ts, 1 Dog Bread 17, . .49 )
$
1 lb. Candles 25 c'ts. 1 1b Sugar 17 c'ts. 42 91
De'ld Mrs. Austin's daughter.
10 Rum 17 c'ts. 13, 1 Dog Bread 17 c'ts. 1 qt. Rum 38- 55)
1/4 tea 34 c'ts 1 1b Sugar 17 c'ts 51 106 De'ld Austin girl.
22, 1 lb. Sugar 17 c'ts. 1 Pint Wine 25, Rum 30 72
22 Sept. 10 De'ld Austin girl, 1 yd cloth for Miss Young Brandy 60 c't's 60
21, Rum, 2 dinners & horse keeping 1.32
25, Pt Rum 25. also 3 gills 18 .43
Oct. 15. 2 dinners, horsekeeping & rum 1.42
Nov. 11. 11/2 pt Brandy 75 c'ts. 1/2 pt Shrub 25 1.00
18, 3 lbs Nails 38 c'ts 2 lbs Putty 25- 63)
3 dinners, rum & horsekeeping. 1.91 2.54
Dec. 11 31/2 y'ds cloth for J. B. (J. Bedel). 1.17
Jan 8 31/2 y'ds cloth de'ld Mr. J. Allen 1.17
25 1 Pt Brandy 40. Feb. 1, 5 gills rum 56 c'ts Inkstand and horsekeeping 1.20
Feb. 8 Brandy 50, 15th 1 Box Wafers horsekeeping & Brandy 89- 1.39
.94
JAMES EWINS.
173
CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.
March 1. Rum 20 c'ts 7th 1 Pt Rum 40. .60
11, 1 Quire Paper 24, Dinners, 1.00. Horse keep- ing 1 00 2.24
36.39
Just prior to 1840, when the temperance movement was begin- ning to make its influence felt, several attempts were made to re- strict the sale of liquor. In the warrant of 1837 appeared an ar- ticle to instruct the selectmen to issue no licenses ; but in the meet- ing it was voted down. The next year the article was inserted again in a modified form, seeking only to prohibit selling on Sun- day except for medicinal use. This time it was passed over.
About 1855, when the above mentioned law requiring liquor agents was passed, the whole business was considerably changed. It is interesting to note the large number of sales for "med- icinal use." The first report of the agent here follows :
LIQUOR AGENT'S REPORT.
"The Agent appointed by the Selectmen of the Town of Salem to sell liquors under the act for the suppression of intemperance respectfully submits the following
Report of Liquors Purchased.
411/2 gal. alcohol 80c per gal
$32 80
831/2 gal N E rum
39 67
19 gal. cog. brandy, 5 05 per gal.
95 95
22 gal. wine, 275 per gal.
60 50
100 Holland gin, 125 per gal
125 00
comission and truckage
18 62
freight
2 75
Whole amount of Purchase
375 28
And he has made 25 sales of Alcohol, 2g 11/2 p for mech use 2 45
21 sales Alcohol, 33/4 g for medicinal use
4 20
152 sales N. E. rum, 461/2 g 11/2 p, med. use
25.69
17 sales cog. brandy 11/2 g 1/2 p med. use
10 50
31 Holland gin, 51/4 g
9 24
2 sales wine, 1 qt
92
Whole amount sales 53 00
174
HISTORY OF SALEM.
Remaining on hand
351/2 g 1/2 p alcohol
28 45
171/4 g 11/2 p brandy
88 76
363/4 g 1-2 p N. E. rum
18 05
943/4 g Holland gin
118 44
213/4 g wine
59 81
Whole amount of Liquors on hand
313 51
Respectfully,
F. B. Kelly, Agent."
The business grew rapidly, and two years later the sales amounted to $334.06. Of this total the sales for medicinal use included
100 sales N. E. rum 293/4 gallons
19.64
4 sales alcohol 3 qts
.83
826 sales 2351/2 quarts 1 pint N. E. rum
150.68
160 sales gin, 231/4 gls 11/2 pints
40.82
50.19
94 sales brandy, 71/4 gls 1 pt 3 gills 44 sales wine, 5 gls
18.40
124 sales alcohol, 211/2 gls 1/2 pt
24.15
Which indicates how promptly the invalids must have been at- tended and how generously they were supplied with a panacea ! It did not take many years for this system to run its course. The last report was made in 1859, after which the town did not manage the sale of liquors.
One very pressing question before the voters for many years was the course to pursue in regard to the townhouse. Some favored repairing the building, others erecting a new one. A meeting held March 5, 1800, chose a committee to investigate the advisability of repairing it. The three men chosen, Oliver San- ders, Edward Pattee and Joseph Hall, reported that the house was not worth repairing! This finding may possibly be excused on the ground that the committee was in favor of a new build- ing. But what was even a longer step, the town voted to accept the report! ! Only think-a building that was condemned by three men of good judgment in most matters as not worth repair- ing in 1800, stood for a century in constant use, meantime being moved to a new location, and then at no very great expense was repaired and made into the present substantial building.
175
CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.
Of course the exterior lines of the house have no great beauty, except such as appeals to our love and veneration for fine colonial relics. But the fine frame, apparently as sturdy as when hewn from the native oak by the strong hand of Henry Sanders, is a suitable and worthy foundation for any amount of amplification and adornment.
In 1812 it was voted to sell the townhouse and the land ad- joining. What prevented the sale we do not know, but certainly the vote was never carried out. It became a serious question as to money for preaching, and different means of raising it were suggested; but perhaps the folly of selling the only meeting place in town became apparent. At any rate, it was voted in 1816 to raise one hundred dollars for preaching, and two years later it was decided to "vendue the parsonage and lay the money out for preaching at the old meetinghouse." This meant that the parsonage land was to be rented, not sold, to the highest bid- der. John Kelly bid it off for $27.10.
The active agitation regarding the disposition that should be made of the townhouse began in 1832 and continued for nearly fifteen years with unabated earnestness, until finally it was ended by the expenditure of a small amount of money for repairs. The erection of the Congregational Church in 1840 did a great deal toward settling the disputes, as it relieved the situation of one one of the most complicating circumstances, namely that this building had been the home of the church for a century, thus giving the town government and the church equal rights by rea- son of occupation and length of tenure. Some of the plans for remedying matters are here presented.
One of the wildest schemes proposed emanated from the west part of the town and was inserted in the warrant for a meeting to be held November 5, 1832. "Art. 7. On the petition of John Smith and others to see if the town will take measures to build a town house on Hovey's Hill, so called, near the center of the town, and if so, to see if the town will take measures to build said townhouse in common with a religious society in the follow- ing manner: The town to lay the foundations and to build the walls of the first, or lower story, of brick or stone, and to put on the roof. The religious society to finish the lower story suitable
176
HISTORY OF SALEM.
to town purposes, and to build and finish a second story of the same materials as the first, for a place of public worship, of which said society is to have entire control. Said society to be formed. and to obligate themselves to the town within six months to build their part of said house in manner aforesaid."
The petitioners for this were John Smith 2nd, Tristram Kim- ball, Asa S. Austin, Wm. S. Merrill, Francis Smith, John Clark, F. S. Smith, William Thom, Joseph Kimball, Asa Woodbury, Moses Hall and Seth Hall.
The request received slight attention at the hands of the vot- ters, and they summarily "voted to dismiss the article."
Early in the year 1833, a movement was started for transfer- ring the townhouse from the common to its present location. Here is the request, copied from the original papers :
"State of New Hampshire, Rockingham, S. S.
"To the Hon1 Selectmen of the Town of Salem in said County :
"We the undersigned inhabitants and legal voters in said town respectfully request that you insert an article in your next town warrant, to see if the town will vote that the Congregational meeting house be moved from the place where it now stands, to the school house common, so called, north of the grave yard, in case said meeting house shall be moved and put in as good repair as it now is, without any expense to the town whatever, and that the town shall have a good and satisfactory bond to that effect, and as in duty bound &c.
"Salem, Feb. 14, 1833
"John Clendenin, Peter Massey, Moody Foster, David W. Dickey, Charles C. P. Betton, Joseph Gorrill, J. C. Ewins, E. L. Noyes, Hazen Lowell, Jonathan Pettingill, Joshua Gordon, Wash- ington Woodbury, John Ewins, Luther Emerson, John R. Wheeler, John F. White, Sudrick Austin, James P. Ewins, Ab- ner Gage, Mark H. Webster, Edward Cook, Samuel Kelly, Dan- iel Wilson, Wm. S. Merrill, Enoch Merrill Jr., Luke Hovey, Jo- seph Haynes, John Allen, Elisha Smith, Richard Kimball, Abiathar Wheeler, Caleb Saunders, Robert Lowell, John Lowell Jr., Oliver Hall, Daniel Wheeler."
At the meeting held in March, 1833, it was "voted to permit the meetinghouse to be removed to the schoolhouse common, so
SCENE EAST BELOW POINT A. (M 233)
HON. JOHN W. WHEELER.
1
PANORAMA VIEW OF DEPOT VILLAGE, FROM HOVEY'S HILL.
177
CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.
called, in case all damages to said house are made good to the satisfaction of a committee to be chosen for the purpose, free of any expense to the town. Voted the selectmen be a committee to examine the meeting house before and after its removal, to see if it is in as good order after its removal as it is now."
This vote was not carried out at once, and several attempts to nullify it were made. The building was not moved until 1838, just a century after its erection.
Another article in the warrant of 1833 aimed "to see if the town will vote to move the Congregational meetinghouse from where it now stands, unto Luke Hovey's hill, so called, near the turnpike." This came up for attention at a meeting held April 2, 1833, and was dismissed.
The hill known as Hovey's Hill is in the northeast corner of Main Street and Broadway (Turnpike), at Salem Depot. A number of citizens of the town living in that section fixed upon this hill as an ideal centrally located place for the townhouse. The vast majority, however, did not like the plan to move the center of town activity away from the scene of its origin.
Article 2 of this warrant for 1833 also pertained to the town land: "To see if the town will vote to enclose all the land be- twixt the burying ground near the Congregational meeting house in said Salem, and the town schoolhouse near said meeting house, excluding as much room around said schoolhouse as will be rea- sonable sufficient for a proper passway to and from said school- house." This article also was voted down in the meeting.
In the warrant for the annual town meeting to be held March 10, 1835, article 15 was as follows: "On a petition of Chauncy N. Jones and others, to see if the town will vote that each re- ligious denomination may have an equal right in the Congrega- tional meeting house the present year." This meeting did not finish all the business on the tenth, but adjourned till the next day, when it was voted that each denomination have an equal right "according to their poll and estate," and that the select- men make the division, provided they would do it without ex- pense to the town.
The next year the vote passed upon this point included the rent of the parsonage, the selectmen being chosen a committee to
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HISTORY OF SALEM.
collect the rent and appropriate it according to the vote. The re- quest for the article was signed as follows:
Benaiah B. Gordon
John B. Webster
H. Bailey Sam'l A. Harris
John Wilson Jr.
John Russ
Jason Ingals
John R. Rowell
James Webster 2nd
John Wilson
William L. Russ
Jona. K. Gordon
Mark H. Webster
Joseph C. Morse
Chauncy N. Jones
John Woodbury
This granting rights to other denominations was naturally somewhat displeasing to the members of the Congregational So- ciety. An attempt was made in 1839, in a warrant dated Novem- ber 16, to take a step toward reclaiming the old house: "On petition of Frederick W. Bailey and others, to see if the town will accept a proposal of the first Congregational Society in said Salem, to enlarge, re-build, alter or repair the meeting house in which said society worship, and to quit claim a portion of said meeting house to said society, and to act anything relating thereto.
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