USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Bristol > History of the town of Bristol, Grafton County, New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 27
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In 1873, the Liberal party of the state nominated Hon. Samuel K. Mason, of Bristol, for governor; but the movement was not popular, and he drew only seventeen votes here. The Prohibition candidate received twenty votes; the Democratic candidate, one hundred and eleven, and the Republican ticket, one hundred and eighty-seven. Ezekiel A. Straw, the Republican can- didate, was elected governor this year. In 1874, the Liberal Republican vote disappeared, being absorbed by the Democrats. The Prohibition party in town cast forty-nine votes, the largest number cast in any town or ward in the state. Luther Mc- Cutchins, the Republican candidate, drew two hundred and four votes ; James A. Weston, Democrat, one hundred and forty-two. Mr. Weston was elected governor. In April, 1874, Rev. George W. Norris, who held the Prohibition party together in Bristol, and who was one of the leaders in the state, removed from town, and the party dwindled to one-half its former strength. In 1876, it cast but three votes. In 1877, the parties voting in Bristol were again narrowed to the Republican party, which cast two hun- dred and forty-six votes, and the Democratic party which polled one hundred and forty-four; but the next year the Greenback party appeared, and four broke their party ties to vote this ticket. The next year, only two voted the ticket, and, in 1879, all the votes cast were for the Democratic or Republican ticket, though the Greenback and Prohibition parties still had candidates in the field for governor.
In 1872, Bristol was entitled for the first time to send two representatives. David Mason, Republican, was elected for the first member, it being his second term, and David Calley, Republican, as the second member, it being his first term. In 1873, David Calley was nominated for first place and was elected, and Edwin S. Foster was nominated by the Republicans for second place. The agitation of the temperance question in
GEORGE T. CRAWFORD
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New Hampshire by the Prohibition party, had created a sensi- tiveness on the subject in politics never before known, and many of the Republicans of Bristol declined to support Mr. Foster because he was a druggist. Samuel D. Farrar was nominated for representative by the Prohibitionists and drew a part of the disaffected Republican vote. Others, who would not vote out- side the Republican party, supported Daniel S. Mason. The first vote for second representative was: Daniel S. Mason, twenty-five; Samuel D. Farrar, forty-five; Lorenzo D. Day, Democrat, one hundred and two; Edwin S. Foster, one hun- dred and twenty-six. Mr. Foster lacked twenty-four of a major- ity. The second vote failed to change the situation materially and a vote was secured to pass the article, and Bristol had but one representative that year.
In 1874, Mr. Foster was renominated. The same conditions existed as the year before. On the first ballot, Mr. Mason received forty-one votes; Dr. J. M. Bishop, the Prohibition nominee, sixty-four ; Lorenzo D. Day, one hundred and twenty- eight; Mr. Foster, one hundred and forty-two, and therefore Mr. Foster lacked forty-six of an election. Another ballot was taken without a choice, and then the meeting voted not to elect, and the town had no representative that year. The result of this contest was reflected in the election of town officers. Charles H. Day, Democrat, was elected town clerk on the third ballot over Richard W. Musgrove, Republican. For first selectman, Ebenezer K. Pray was elected on first ballot, and Caleb L. Clay, Democrat, was elected second selectman over Seth Cass, Republican. Mr. Cass was then put in the race for third place, against George M. Wooster, Democrat, and Milo Fellows, Pro- hibitionist. The first ballot was : Cass, one hundred and thirty- two; Wooster, one hundred and fifty; Fellows, forty-seven. Seven ballots were taken with but little change in the situation, when the meeting was adjourned till the next day. Then the Democrats substituted the name of James H. Brown for that of Wooster, and after two more ballots Mr. Brown was elected. Mr. Brown was a Republican and had served on the board the year previous, but had failed of a renomination. Party disci- pline was very apparent in the fact that on the second day not a vote was cast for Mr. Wooster.
In 1875, new candidates were selected by the Republicans for representatives, with the result that David Mason and Philip S. Drake were elected. The Democratic nominees were Oscar F. Morse and George W. Sumner. In 1876, Mr. Drake was nominated for first member and Marshall W. White for second member by the Republicans, and the Democrats renominated Mr. Morse. Mr. White declined the nomination and Mr. Foster was again put in the race. The result was that Mr. Drake and Mr. Foster were elected. Mr. Foster was reelected in 1877, and
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made a creditable record. Calvin H. Mudgett, Republican, was elected the second member from Bristol over Lucius W. Ham- mond, nominated by the Democrats.
At the November election in 1876, Marshall W. White and William A. Beckford were elected members of the state consti- tutional convention which was to meet at Concord, Dec. 6, of that year.
In 1878, the members of the House from Bristol were Mr. Mudgett and Marshall W. White.
The constitution of 1878 made the state elections and sessions of the legislature biennial instead of annual as before, and so reduced the membership of the house that Bristol was entitled to but one member. £ The first election under this constitution took place in November, 1878. Up to this time, it had been the custom to send representatives two terms. Mar- shall W. White had served one term in the house and had had a seat in the constitutional convention, and was now renom- inated for representative. His election was opposed by some on the ground that his term in the convention should count as one term in the house, and that the policy of the party under the biennial elections was ordinarily to give a man but one term in the house. On election day, those opposed to Mr. White's election succeeded in preventing a choice. After balloting six times without avail, Mr. White withdrew in favor of Benjamin F. Holden, who was elected.
In 1880, Capt. William A. Beckford was nominated by the Republicans for representative. Some, opposed to his nomina- tion, brought forward Abner Fowler as an opposition candidate. The result on the first ballot was, Abner Fowler, thirty-two; George M. Cavis, Democrat, one hundred and thirty-nine; Capt. Beckford, one hundred and sixty-four; and there was no choice. On the third ballot, Capt. Beckford was elected.
Appearances then indicated a calm in local politics; but in the fall of 1882 there came a storm of no small proportions. Albert Blake, Jr., Republican, had been appointed postmaster in 1875, and was holding that office in May, 1882. This was before the days of civil service reform, and instead of its being a breach of the rules of the department to engage in active partisan work, the more active the postmaster was in such work the firmer was the grasp with which he held the office. Mr. Blake did not measure up to the standard in partisan work, and the consequence was, Hon. Ossian Ray, the member of congress from this district, requested his removal and the appointment of John H. Brown in his place, which was done. Mr. Blake and his friends were highly indignant. Mr. Ray, perhaps seeing, when too late, that he had made a mistake, and hoping that the patrons of the office would justify him in his action, suggested an expression of opinion in a Republican caucus. The caucus
HON. BENJAMIN F. PERKINS
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POLITICAL HISTORY
was held June 6, 1882, but the friends of Mr. Blake refrained from voting, and of the eighty-six votes cast, Mr. Brown received all but two. Mr. Brown assumed the duties of the office and matters drifted till the time for the fall election that year drew near, when it became evident that Richard W. Mus- grove would be the nominee of the Republicans for representa- tive. A few days before the nominating caucus, the friends of Mr. Blake took council together and then went to work with the cry. "Mr. Blake or nobody." Capt. Musgrove was nominated, and the contest was carried into town meeting. The Democrats put in nomination Charles H. Proctor, who, like Capt. Mus- grove, was a veteran of the Civil war. The first ballot stood : Albert Blake, seventy-three; Charles H. Proctor, one hundred and thirty-five; Richard W. Musgrove, one hundred and forty- five; and there was no choice. Voting continued with intense interest, and above the din of three hundred and fifty excited men could frequently be heard the cry of Mr. Blake, "Hang ! Hang !" On the eighth ballot, the declaration was, scattering, three ; Blake, forty-nine; Proctor, one hundred and twenty- eight; Musgrove, one hundred and twenty-seven. Fifty-five less had voted than on the first ballot. At this point, a motion was made to pass the article without further action. On this the yeas and nays were demanded. One hundred and fifty voted in the affirmative, and one hundred and forty-one in the negative. The motion carried, and Bristol was unrepresented in the legislature of 1883. During the next two years, Mr. Ray succeeded in finding a place for Mr. Blake as railway mail clerk, and, civil service rules coming into operation soon after, Mr. Blake is still occupying a good position under the govern- ment. At the election in the fall of 1884, Capt. Musgrove was elected representative.
At the fall election in 1882, Benjamin F. Perkins of Bristol was elected a member of the state senate from District No. 4.
In March, 1886, John H. Brown, Republican, was elected chairman of the board of selectmen, to succeed John R. Connor, Republican; and Homer Roby, Democrat, succeeded Fred W. Bingham, Republican. Mr. Bingham had served one term and was renominated by his party for reelection, and, as a Democrat could not be elected except by the aid of Republican votes, the friends of Mr. Bingham charged his defeat to the Republican party. Mr. Connor desired to represent his town in the legislature, and at the caucus of his party in the fall of that year was a candidate for this office. Rev. George J. Judkins was nominated, but the disaffected friends of the two named above ran Mr. Connor as an independent candidate. The first ballot was as follows : George J. Judkins, one hundred and sixty-three; Charles H. Proctor, Democrat, one hundred and forty-three; John R. Con- nor, forty-six; Fred H. Briggs, Prohibitionist, seven ; scatter-
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ing, five. Three more ballots were taken without a choice, when Mr. Judkins and Mr. Connor both withdrew in favor of Dr. George H. Calley, who was elected.
In 1887, the Democrats refrained from voting for first and second selectmen, and for both places two Republicans were in the field; for first place, Simeon H. Cross, who received ninety votes, and John H. Brown, who received one hundred and thirty, and was elected ; for the second place, George A. Emerson received one hundred and sixteen votes, and Simeon H. Cross, one hundred and nineteen. Homer Roby, Democrat, was elected without contest for the third place. A similar state of affairs existed in 1888. No effort was made to elect a Demo- crat for the first or second place; but Messrs. Cross and Emer- son were again contestants for the first place with the result that the latter won. Ebenezer K. Pray, Republican, was elected for second place without contest, while for the third place there were three Democrats in the field: Homer Roby, Charles P. George, and Charles E. Mason. Mr. Mason was elected. In 1889, Mr. Emerson was conceded first place without contest, and Charles E. Mason, second place. For the third place there were two Republicans and one Democrat in the field, with the result that Clarence A. Smith, Republican, won. In 1890, Messrs. Cross and Emerson were again pitted against each other for the office of first selectman, and the latter won. Smith D. Fellows, Republican, and Herbert H. Follansbee, Democrat, were elected second and third selectmen, respectively.
In the presidential election in November, 1896, there were seven political parties in the field. In Bristol the Mckinley and Hobart electors, Republicans, polled two hundred and ninety-six votes ; Byron and Sewell, Silver Democrats, fifty-two; Palmer and Buckner, Gold Democrats, forty ; all others, including Populists and Prohibitionists, ten. At this election, George A. Ramsdell, Republican candidate for governor, ran fifty-one votes behind the Mckinley vote, while Henry O. Kent, Democrat, on a Bryan platform, ran thirty-six ahead of the Bryan electors. The Gold Democrats, Populists, and Prohibitionists in Bristol cast a total of seventeen votes for governor.
At the fall election in 1890, Richard W. Musgrove was elected to represent the fourth senatorial district in the New Hampshire senate.
At the annual town meeting in March, 1889, the sense of the voters was taken on the nine questions submitted by the constitutional convention of that year. The following is the record :
I. Do you approve of changing the time of the meeting of the legis- lature from June to January? Yes, 185; No, 38.
2. Do you approve of a fixed salary for members of the legislature ? Yes, 175 ; No, 29.
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3. Do you approve of filling vacancies in the senate by a new election ? Yes, 135; No, 33.
4. Do you approve of having the speaker of the house act as governor in case of vacancies in the offices of governor and president of the senate? Yes, 115; No, 19.
5. Do you approve of inserting in the constitution an article prohib- iting the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors ? Yes, 66; No, 155.
6. Do you approve of making the bill of rights, nonsectarian? Yes, 106 ; No, 63.
7. Do you approve of representation in classed towns as proposed in amended constitution? Yes, 121 ; No, 31.
At the election in November, 1900, the Mckinley presiden- tial electors received a majority of one hundred and forty-six ; Chester B. Jordan, Republican candidate for governor, received a majority of one hundred and thirty-one. At this election Wilmer C. Cox, Republican, was elected representative. Ira A. Chase, Esq., of Bristol, was the Republican nominee to represent the fourth district in the state senate, and he was elected. George H. Kendall, Republican, of Bristol, was elected register of deeds for the fourth term. Mr. Kendall was first elected in 1894, and such was his efficiency in office that he was renominated three times. At each election he ran largely ahead of his ticket. He did a great work in re-indexing the records of the register's office.
Since 1869, there has been a less partisan spirit in town affairs than previously. In scanning the list of selectmen pre- vious to that date there are found only two or three instances, for many years, when a Democrat was elected to that office. In 1870, George T. Crawford was first elected and served two years ; Caleb L. Clay served in 1874; Robert A. Horner, three years from 1878; Homer Roby served in 1886 and 1887 ; Charles E. Mason, in 1888 and 1889; Herbert H. Follansbee, in 1890, and Charles E. Davis served four years commencing with 1897.
By a law of the state, the so-called Australian system of secret voting went into effect at the fall election of 1892. By vote of the town at that time the same system was adopted for town elections. Since then there have been no unseemly wran- gles or excitement when voting, and, as a plurality now elects, no lack of a choice.
REPRESENTATIVES
For the election of representatives, New Chester was first classed with Plymouth, Campton, and Rumney. New Chester first took part in a state election when members were chosen to the Fourth Provincial Congress, which met at Exeter, May 17, 1775. This congress changed the apportionment, and gave one representative to New Chester, Plymouth, Cockermouth, and Alexandria. Under this apportionment, elections occurred on the second Tuesday of December, and congress convened for its
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
first session on the third Wednesday of the same month. The first election in this district, under this apportionment, occurred at the court house in Plymouth, Dec. 12, 1775. The voters of Alexandria, in view of the long distance to be traveled, sent delegates to this meeting to vote for the town, and their indig- nation was great when they were allowed to vote only as individuals. Two remonstrances were sent to congress, one from Plymouth and one from Alexandria, protesting against this unjust treatment, but they were promptly dismissed. These remonstrances were as follows :
Plymouth 13th Decr 1775
To the Honourable Congress of the Colony of New-Hampshire-
May it please your Honors-
We your humble petitioners, beg leave to lay before you our Remon- strances against the proceedings, at a Meeting of a Number of the Inhab- itants of this Town together with a few from the Towns of New-Chester, Cockermouth and Alexandria, held at the Court-House in Plimouth, the 12th of this Instant in order to make choice of a Delegate to represent said Towns in Provincial Congress.
We beg leave to inform your Honors, that the Inhabitants of the Town of Alexandria, by reason of the distance of Way and Difficulty of Traveling at this time of the Year, convened, and chose Men, and sent them to Plimouth to act in behalf of the Town ; but they were suffered to act, in no other Capacity than as Individuals, by which means they were deprived of a Share in the Choice of a Representative-Also that a party Spirit has much prevailed in this Town of late which we are very sorry for- And we think sundry People have been influenced thereby- And that the Gentleman lately elected, was chosen by a party. And we think Things have not been fairly conducted.
We are dissatisfied with the above proceedings, therefore beg of your Honors to condescend so far as to grant a Warrant for another Meeting or permit another Choice to be made, in such a Manner, as that the whole may have a Voice in said Election -
David Webster
Stephen Webster Junr
Silos Brown
Peter Emerson
Saml Derbon
Winthrop Wells
Edward Evans
John webber
onesiphes mash
Jonas Ward
Jacob mash
Amos Fish
Samuel marsh
Paul Wells
Josiah Brown
Benjamin Wells Beniamin Darbon
Joseph Read
Colony of New Hampshire to the Honourable Congress to be heald at exeter on the twenty first Day of December Instant at three of the Clock in the afternoon - Wee Pray That the Congress Will Consider our Grevinces in not Having any fear Chance in Voting for a Person to Represent us in general Congress after the Warant Come to the town the town met and thought it might Answer to Send two of their Select- men to act for the town For this Reson Because it was So fare for the Whole Town to attend they had all Near thirty Miles to gow and the Traviling So Bad to Whear they apointed the election to be Held and the two Selectmen met at the time and Place And the Modretar Refused to Let them Cerrey in Vots for the Legal Voters of Sd town Without evir
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POLITICAL HISTORY
Puting it to Vot to Se Whither the Rist of the towns Wood consent of it or not and ther is Number of the Voters of the other towns is Verey much Dissetisfied With His Presedings and the Selectmens of Plymoth and we the Subscribers Do Beg that the Honourable Congress Will Let us have New choice of a person to Represent us in Congress or wee Shall think that wee are Very hardly Imposed upon By the Congress
Alexandria December ye 25th 1775
Nason Cass Jr. Jonathan Palmer
Eliphalet Gale
Anthony Taylor Jonathan Palmer Jun
Josiah Emerson
James Taylor
William Palmer
Joseph Basford Jr.
William Morrow
Daniel McMurphy
John Moor Corless
Jonathan Taylor John McMurphy
William Corliss
Robert Morrow
Asa Hastings
William Polee
Ebenezer Farrar
Benjamin Hoyt
George Corliss
William Powell
David Cross
Thomas Hoit
Jonathan Clark
Nathaniel Lad
Joseph Hoyt
In 1792, New Chester was classed with Alexandria, Cocker- mouth, Andover, and New London. . Under the constitution of 1784, elections for representatives were held in the month of March, and the legislature assembled on the first Wednesday of June, following. New Chester was now classed with Cocker- mouth and Alexandria. When Bridgewater was incorporated in 1788, its territory continued to be classed as before, and when Hebron was incorporated in 1792, it was classed for one year with the towns named above.
The legislature of 1793 classed New Chester, Bridgewater, and Alexandria together. This continued for three years, when Danbury was added to this district. Two elections were held under this arrangement, when the two following petitions were sent to the legislature praying that the district be divided :
State of New Hampshire. Grafton SS
To the Honorable the General Court of Said State.
The petition of the inhabitants of the Town of Bridgewater, New Chester, Alexandria & Danbury, Sheweth, that whereas, Said Towns, at Present contains a Sufficient Number of Inhabitants to Send Two Repre- sentatives to the General Court of our Said State .- Therefore we pray your Honors would Divide Said District for said purpose and class Bridgewater & Alexandria together, & New Chester & Danbury, and your petitioners as in Duty Bound will ever pray
Novr 19th 1798
Theophilus Sanborn Selectman of New Chester.
Stephen Gale Selectman
Joshua Tolford
william martin Jonah Tirel
Moses Lewis
Moses Sleeper Ebenr Kelly
Christopher Bartlet
Alexander Craig
Peter Ingalls
Benjamin Kidder
Nathan Sleeper
Peter Ladd
Eliphalet Gale
To the Honorable the General Court of The State of New Hampshire; to be convened at Concord on the Third Wednesday of November A. D., 1798.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
Your Petitioner Humbly Shew, that the District of New Chester, Alexandria, Bridgewater, and Danbury contains about Three Hundred Legal Voters, and that the Distance from the upper part of Bridgewater to Danbury is about twenty miles which makes it extremely inconvenient for the freemen to attend Election Meetings, they therefore Pray your Honors to Divide the said District into two Representative Districts, or grant them such relief as you in your wisdom shall think fit; and as in Duty bound will ever Pray. Signed for and in behalf of the town. Novr 13, 1798.
Thomas Crawford Selectmen Daniel Morse of
John Harriman Bridgewater
The result of these petitions was the passage of a resolution, Dec. 24, 1798, classing Bridgewater with Alexandria, and New Chester with Danbury. This arrangement continued till 1806, when New Chester and Bridgewater were each entitled to send one member. In 1805, the selectmen of New Chester sent to the selectmen of Danbury the following communication which speaks for itself :
New Chester, May 29, 1805.
To the Selectmen of Danbury, Greeting :
We the undersigned have Rated and Counted the Ratable Polls of New Chester, and find the amount to be Rising of one hundred and fifty. And in pursuance of the Constitution and laws of the State of New Hampshire, and for the further Consideration of the Inhabitants of Dan- bury we give you this information that we are of age and shall Choose a Representative by ourselves the next election that ever comes the Con- sideration of this is such that we Consider you will prepare and make provision accordingly
John Wadleigh Selectmen
W. W Sargent
Moses Sleeper New Chester of
New Chester and Bridgewater each sent one representative from this time till the incorporation of Bristol. Bristol was repre- sented in the General Court by one member till 1872, when the number of her ratable polls entitled her to two. This continued till the adoption of the constitution of 1878, which reduced the membership of the house, and based the representation on the population. The election of representatives now occurred "on the Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, biennially;" and the legislature convened on the first Wednes- day in January following. Since 1878, therefore, Bristol has had but one representative.
The following is a list of the representatives from New Chester and Bridgewater, and the towns classed with them, till 1819, and of Bristol since its incorporation.
From New Chester, Plymouth, Campton, and Rumney.
(Elections in May)
1775 Abel Webster
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POLITICAL HISTORY
From New Chester, Plymouth, Cockermouth, and Alexandria. (Elections in December)
I775 Samuel Emerson I779 Joseph Senter
1776
Francis Worcester
1780
Enoch Noyes
1777 Francis Worcester
1781 Joseph Senter
From New Chester, Cockermouth, Alexandria, New London, and Andover.
1 782 Carr Huse
From New Chester, Alexandria, and Cockermouth. (Elections in March)
1784 Carr Huse 1786 Joshua Tolford
I 785 None
1787 Thomas Crawford
From New Chester, Bridgewater, Cockermouth, and Alexandria. (Also including Hebron in 1792.)
1788 William Powers
1791 Thomas Crawford
1789 Thomas Crawford 1792 Thomas Crawford
I790 Thomas Crawford 1793 Thomas Crawford
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