USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Dunbarton > History of the town of Dunbarton, Merrimack County, New-Hampshire, from the grant by Mason's assigns, in 1751, to the year 1860 > Part 9
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On the second Monday of September, 1784, Voted the grave-yard be fenced with logs, said fence to be made by a rate. Chose David Story agent to defend the suit of said Hogg.
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1785. Voted eight days' preaching; school money voted down. Chose Abraham Burnham, James Clement, and James McCalley a committee to settle with Mrs. Stark, concerning the school lot.
Brought in votes for State President : John Langdon 26, George Atkinson 20, John Hogg 1.
Voted, Five dollars for every full grown wolf, killed by inhabitants of the town; and for every wolf's whelp, half the sum. Voted, That Dr. Dugall's petition be granted; and voted that the selectmen be empowered to
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
limit the ground where said Dugall builds his house and makes his improvements on the minister lot.
Dr. Dugall petitioned for liberty to clear and build a house on a part of the parsonage, or minister lot, and occupy the same till a minister was settled; then to remove, and have his betterments allowed, or liberty to remove the same. He erected buildings on the cross road where a house now stands, near the store of Samuel Burnham.
The committee to confer with Mrs. Stark respecting the school lot, reported, "That she refuses to take a lease of the school lot, or to have a house built for her; but that she will leave the matter to indifferent men, what the town shall give her for buidings and improvements, she not claiming the soil of said school lot, after she has had pay for the buildings and making improvements."
The town voted not to leave the matter to men, but chose a committee of three to settle the matter with Mrs. Stark. Nathan Burnham, James Clement, and David Story were chosen the committee.
Voted, That the above committee have full power to settle the matter with Mrs. Stark concerning the school lot, and if they can not settle the matter with her, to carry the same into execution by law.
On the third Tuesday of April, 1785, the committee above named reported Mrs. Stark's proposal that the town should give her $1000. Voted not to accept it.
Voted, That the constable carry Mrs. Dawson out of Dunbarton to Goffestown, and deliver her to the constable, so that she may be carried on to Ipswich.
The following men protest against paying any of the cost of carrying into execution a lawsuit with Mrs. Stark: viz., Samuel Stuart, William Stinson, John Fulton, James Stinson, David Hogg, Samuel Allison, William Smith.
1786. Voted ten days' preaching, and no school money. Voted a pall for the town's use.
119
HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
Votes for State President : George Atkinson 18, John Langdon 27.
Voted at the adjourned meeting, March 22, seventy-two dollars for the town school for the present year, to be divided into proper districts.
March 28, 1786. James Clement was chosen Represent- ative for Dunbarton and Bow.
November 13, 1786. Voted not to have any paper money made upon any plan. [This vote was for the instruction of the Representative, such a scheme being then agitated in the Assembly.] Put to vote to see if the town will treat with Mr. Williams in regard to settlement as a gos- pel minister, and it passed in the negative.
1787. Votes for State President : John Langdon 67, Gen. Sullivan 1. For Senator, Ebenezer Webster (father of Daniel) 20, Matthew Thornton 20.
At the adjourned meeting the last Monday of March, Voted fifteen pounds for preaching. Voted, To see if the people in the east end of the town shall have their proportion of preaching in some convenient place in the east end of the town; and it passed in the affirmative. Put to vote to see if Caleb Stark and Thomas Stickney have their proportion of the preaching according to their rates at their own houses; passed in the affirmative. Chose Caleb Stark town treasurer. Adjourned to first Monday of March, 1787. Then, Voted, that the select- men proportion the foreign, domestic and State debt to each individual, so that they may have opportunity to pay the same to the State treasurer; each tax to be made in a separate column. No school money voted this year.
A meeting was held January 12, 1787, to see if the town would absent themselves from the joint meeting with Bow, to elect a Representative, upon the ground that Dunbarton contains a sufficient number of polls for the choice of one. Voted down.
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
1788. Chose John Stinson and Ebenezer Hacket to assist the selectmen in taking the inventory.
Votes for State President : John Langdon 62. .
Voted to raise fifty dollars for preaching. Voted to raise eighty dollars for a town school, and that the select- men divide the town into proper districts for a town school, and that no men send from one district to another.
At a meeting held October 30, 1788, chose Jeremiah Page to join a formerly appointed committee; and, Voted, that they agree with Mr. Harris for one year, if he will consent; and if not, to agree with him on a shorter time to preach on trial. Voted, that Lieut. John McCur- dy have five dollars for his son's service in the year 1777, made equal to what the other men had for the tour.
On the third Monday of December, 1788, a meeting was held to vote, according to the new act, for three persons to represent this State in Congress. Jeremiah Page, Mod- erator. Votes : Joshua Wentworth 23, Abiel Foster 24, Samuel Livermore, Esq., 5, Benjamin West, Esq. 26, Samuel Dana 2, Joshua Atherton 4, Benjamin Bellows, Esq. 1, Woodbury Langdon 1. Also, at said meeting, brought in votes for electors of President and Vice-Pres- ident, as follows : viz., for General Bellows 27, Timothy Farrar, Esq. 28, Francis Worster 27, Ebenezer Thompson, Esq. 28, John Dudley, Esq. 27, Woodbury Langdon, Esq. 31, Benjamin West 1, Gen. Moses Dow 1.
At a meeting held January 26, 1789; after the insertion of the warrant for said meeting, the record says : "Since the above, we have orders to bring in our votes for three men out of six of the highest numbers voted for as repre- sentatives for the United States, according to said num- bers ; therefore it is notified that at the above meeting the town bring in their votes according to order of our Gen- eral Court, for said representatives." According to the warning, met at time and place, and chose Jeremiah Page moderator, and proceeded to bring in votes for representa-
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
tives, as follows, viz: For Benjamin West, 38, Samuel Livermore, Esq., 38, Abiel Foster, Esq., 38.
Thirdly. Voted to give Mr. Walter Harris a call to settle in said town as a gospel preacher. Voted to give said Walter Harris seventy pounds, lawful money, yearly ; the one half to be paid in cash, and the other half in corn and rye; corn at three shillings a bushel, and rye at four shillings a bushel, for his salary during his ministry in this town.
Fourthly. Voted, That Lieut. John McCurdy, Mr. Sam- uel Burnham and Ensign William Tenny, together with the former committee that was to supply the pulpit, should wait on Mr. Harris and inform him of the proceedings of the town. Adjourned to the second Tuesday of March next. Then, Voted to give Mr. Harris the use of the parsonage during his ministry, as is recorded in the pro- ceedings of the annual meeting which was held the same day.
On the 27th of March, 1789, at a meeting held at the house of Henry Putney, David Story was chosen to repre- sent Dunbarton and Bow in the General Court.
1789. Votes for New-Hampshire President: John Pick- ering 43, John Sullivan 1, Gen. Peabody 1.
Voted, To raise £24 for a town school.
Voted, To give the first settled minister the parsonage lot, during his ministry in said town, reserving to our- selves, for the use of the town, six acres off the west end of said lot : beginning at the north-west corner of the lot, and running south by the highway until it comes to the highway that leads to Woodbury's Mills ; thence east- erly by said highway, as will make the six acres by turn- ing to the north side of the lot, and running on the line of the lot until it strikes the bound first mentioned.
Voted to build a new meeting-house. At a meeting held June 22, 1789, brought in votes for a federal repre-
9
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
sentative, which were as follows : for Abiel Foster, Esq., 21. [Mr. Benj. West refusing to accept his appointed office occasioned the call for another election.]
Voted, That the last Wednesday of August next be the day for the ordination of Mr. Harris. August 3, 1789, Voted to postpone raising money for preaching at pre- sent.
Voted, That the head of every class in town bring a receipt from the school master: [meaning probably the committee-man of every school district, who was required to produce a receipt, &c.]
1790. Votes for State President: John Pickering 31, I. Wentworth 24.
Voted, £24 for schooling. The warrant calling a town meeting on Monday, December 13, contains the following article : To bring in votes for two men out of four, who have the highest number of votes, that were not elected to represent this State in the Congress of the United States.
Votes were brought in for the following gentlemen : Mr. Sherburne 10, Mr. Smith 14, Mr. Gilman 11, Mr. Foster 7.
To WILLIAM GARDNER, Esq., State Treasurer :
In obedience to your warrant we have assessed the polls and estates of the town of Dunbarton, of the sum of seven- teen pounds, twelve shillings and three pence, and have ordered the constables to pay the same into the treasury on or before the last day of December next: viz., Asa Burnham to pay twelve pounds, twelve shillings and seven pence; and have ordered the other constable, William
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
Moore, to pay four pounds, nineteen shillings and eight pence ; and have given them warrants to collect the same.
Dated at Dunbarton June ye 10, 1790.
JAMES CLEMENT, EBENEZER HACKETT,
Committee.
£
8. d.
Asa Burnham,
12
12
7
and William Moore,
4 19 8
£17 12 3
1791. Voted 35 pounds for the use of a school.
Votes for State President : President Bartlett 51, Jon- athan Smith 1.
Voted, That there be a pound built in the town, to be at the cost of the town ; likewise a pair of stocks, at the expense of the town.
Voted, That a burying cloth be provided for the town's use.
Voted, That there be a grave-yard put in good repair, south of the meeting-house, on the rise of ground west of the fence that Dr. Dugal built on the parsonage lot, by the main road, where the " Great Hemlock" now stands.
Voted, To build a pound of stone, for the use of the town, near James Stinson's.
Voted, To choose a committee to form a plan for said pound ; to consist of three-James Stinson, Capt. Wm. Stinson and Abraham Burnham.
Report of the Committee .- Dimensions of the pound : twenty-two feet square, inside; six feet high, of stone, and a stick of timber sided and locked on the wall at the corner ; the wall four feet thick at the top, and made of large stones ; to be completed before the last day of Sep- tember next. Struck off at vendue to Abraham Burn- ham, at £8 10s.
Voted, The timbers of the old pound to Mr. Harris.
124
HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
An act of the Legislature, December 19, 1791, allowed the inhabitants of Dunbarton to hold their annual town meeting on the first Tuesday of March. A previous vote of the town directed Jeremiah Page, Esq., to petition for said act.
STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE. In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one.
[L. S.] An act altering the time of holding the annual meeting in Dunbarton.
Whereas the annual meetings in Dunbarton are by law to be holden on the second Tuesday of March, and it has been found inconvenient that the meeting should be holden on that day,-
Therefore-Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- resentatives, in General Court convened, That the annual meeting in said town of Dunbarton shall forever hereafter be holden on the first Tuesday of March, any law, usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding.
STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE. In the House of Repre- sentatives, December 13, 1791. The foregoing bill having been read a third time passed to be enacted.
Sent up for concurrence :
. WILLIAM PLUMER, Speaker.
In Senate, December 14, 1791. This bill having been read a third time, voted that the same be enacted.
JOSIAH BARTLETT, President. A true copy : attest : JOSEPH PEARSON, Secretary. A true copy from the act.
DAVID STORY, Town- Clerk. Town Records, p. 305, vol. 1.
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
1792. Votes for State President : Josiah Bartlett 66.
At a meeting, August 27, voted for Presidential Elect- ors as follows : John Pickering 19, Ebenezer Smith 26, Timothy Farrar 26, Moses Dow 26, Robert Wallace 19, Benjamin Bellows 26, Joseph Cilley 7, Nathaniel Pea- body 7. Also for Representatives to Congress : Abiel Foster 17, Jeremiah Smith 18, Timothy Walker 10, James Sheafe 20, Nicholas Gilman 12, Nathaniel Peabody 1, Paine Wingate 2. On the "acceptance of the constitu- tion," thirty votes were given in favor of, and none against it.
At a meeting September 26, 1792, Voted, That no person have liberty to innoculate for the small pox within this town.
1793. Votes for Governor : John Langdon 64, Josiah Bartlett 7. For Representative to the General Court : Major Stark 21, David Story 41, who was elected first representa- tive from Dunbarton, no longer classed with Bow.
1794. Votes for Governor : J. T. Gilman 54, Col. Walker 10, Archelaus Perkins 1.
At a meeting held December 8, 1794,-Voted for Rep- resentative to Congress (U. S.) : for Abial Foster 43.
Voted, To give each soldier two dollars as bounty on his enlisting, and two dollars more as bounty when they march for the place of rendezvous ; and make up eight dollars per month with what the continent hath already granted.
1795. Votes for Governor : J. T. Gilman 57.
Voted, To choose a committee of three persons, to take a legal method for the recovery of a school lot in said town ; and made choice of Capt. Story, Capt. Leach, and Asa Burnham for that purpose.
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
1796. Votes for Governor : Hon. Judge Thompson 81. We find no record of the vote for Presidential electors. 1797. Votes for Governor : J. T. Gilman 87."
1798. Votes for Governor : J. T. Gilman 76, Col. Walker 1.
1799. Votes for Governor : J. T. Gilman 80. Votes for a Representative in Congress, in place of Hon. Peleg Sprague, resigned : For James Sheafe 29.
Voted, Ebenezer Chase, John Mills, and Lieut. Ladd be a committee to treat with Mr. Harris respecting taking a lease of the parsonage lot.
Voted that no horse kind, or any kind of neat stock, meaning horned cattle, be suffered to go at large on the common by the meeting house in Dunbarton, on the Lord's day, from 10 o'clock A. M. until 4 o'clock P. M., from the first day of December until the first day of April ensuing, annually, on penalty that the person or persons having the care of such creatures forfeit and pay three shillings for each offence, to be recovered by action of debt, by any person who shall prosecute the same.
Voted, That the clerk furnish ye Session with a copy of the vote concerning creatures going at large on ye common Sundays.
This vote approved by the Court of Common Pleas, September term, 1799. Hillsborough ss.
R. FLETCHER, Clerk.
Voted, To abate Major Caleb Stark's minister tax for 1793; also those of Arch'd Stark, James Stark, John Stinson, and David Favour ; also to abate the minister tax for the year 1794 of the following persons :
£ s. d.
Caleb Stark, 273
Arch'd Stark, 0 14 6
James Stark, 0 10 6
John Stark, 046
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
1800. Votes for Governor : J. T. Gilman 74, Timothy Walker 9.
Votes on the revision of the Constitution : In favor of it, 38 ; against it, 3.
1801. Votes for Governor : John T. Gilman 107, Tim- othy Walker 18, Capt. Caldwell 1, Timothy Farrar 1.
Voted, That the selectmen assess as much money as they shall judge necessary for the support of the poor, and to defray other town charges for the present year.
The amount of money to be assessed was for several years left at the discretion of the selectmen. At the adjourned meeting in 1801, the town voted to indulge the Rev. W. Harris with a few observations the present meeting. They also voted Jeremiah Page, Esq., and Eben'r Chase a committee, to look up the school land belonging to the town, and report their proceedings.
1802. Votes for Governor : J. T. Gilman 54, John Langdon 46.
Voted, A bounty of $5.00 on wild cats' heads, and 17 cents on crows' heads.
At a meeting in August, 1802: Voted that stocks be erected near the meeting-house in Dunbarton : Also that they be erected at the expense of the town.
1803. Votes for Governor : J. T. Gilman 83, John Lang- don 50.
1804. Votes for Governor : J. T. Gilman 83, John Lang- don 55.
1805. Votes for Governor : J. T. Gilman 78, John Lang- don 71, William Beard 1, David Putney 1.
Chose David Story, Major Stark and Major Mills, a com- mittee to take a survey of the town the current year.
1806. Votes for Governor : John Langdon 58, Timothy Farrar 76, John Baker 1, John Stinson 1.
1807. Votes for Governor : John Langdon 94, Timothy Farrar 26, Jeremiah Smith 18, J. T. Gilman 2.
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
In 1807, probably in consequence of the hostile attack by a British man of war (the Leopard) upon the United States frigate Chesapeake, it was voted that. the town make up to the soldiers who enlist in the United States' service, ten dollars a month, with the sum government is to pay : Said wages to begin when the soldiers are called to said service. Voted, also, to give said soldiers one dollar, as bounty when they enlist.
1808. Votes for Governor : John Langdon 94, J. T. Gil- man 1, Phineas Parker 1. Presidential vote: Federal ticket: Jeremiah Smith and others, 62. Democratic ticket : John Langdon and others, 49.
At the adjourned meeting in March, 1808, voted to give in Robert Stark's minister tax for 1807; to pass over that of Peter C. Page; to give in that of James Tag- gart ; to pass over those of Jacob Carr, Amos Webster, Philip Emery, and John Page. Voted William Beard fifty cents for taking a crazy man. Voted Jeremiah Stin- son $8.37 17% for services rendered the committee in the sale of the parsonage land. Voted Thomas Mills two dollars for service in dividing said land. At the meeting held August 28, 1808, the town " Voted the selectmen pay no attention to widow Mary McGwinn, under the present circumstances."
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1809. Votes for Governor : John Langdon 73, Jeremiah Smith 1, Capt. William Parker 1.
" Voted, That the selectmen provide, at the expense of the town, the powder, balls, flints and camp-kettles required of said town by law, and provide a suitable place to deposit such articles." When the supplies were procured in 1810 the town voted that they should be deposited in the chamber over the porch in the meeting-house.
Voted, That the selectmen attend to Mrs. McGwinn's situation, and make provision for her, and likewise, look
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
up her property, if she has any. She was the widow of William Stark, and occupied the school lot, with no other title than possession and a claim for " betterments" could give.
1810. Votes for Governor : Jeremiah Smith 73, John Langdon 94, John Mills 1.
Voted to grant the request of Mr. Peter Patterson of a certain piece of land to set a potash upon, opposite his store ; and that the bounds be left discretionary with the selectmen. At an adjourned meeting, Voted that the report of the committee on Mr. Patterson's petition be accepted, with this variation : viz., to exclude the term of leasing said land nine hundred and ninety-nine years ; and also the sum specified in the report. Voted that the owners of the shed on the common move it off.
At the meeting to vote for members of Congress, August 27, " Voted to have prayers." This is the first and only vote of the kind we have observed in the records.
1811. Votes for Governor : John Langdon 112, Jeremiah Smith 68, Jedediah K. Smith 1, J. T. Gilman 1.
William Beard refused to take the oath as tithing-man .* Voted twenty cents be given to any inhabitant of this town for every crow that shall be killed within the limits of said town from the middle of March to the last day of June next ensuing. [The same bounty was voted in 1812.]
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1812. Votes for Governor : William Plumer 92, J. T. Gilman 77, Nathaniel Gilman 5, Naham Parker 1, William Brown 1.
Voted, To give any soldier called for, who may enlist, ten dollars per month each, for every month they may
* Copied from D. Record of 1811. "Tithing-men chose .- 1. Lieut. Thomas Mills ; 2. William Beard. Do. refuse to take the oath. 3. Major William Brown."
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
serve, including the five allowed by law. Also, Voted to give a bounty of two dollars to each man who may enlist in the service of his country, to serve six months after rendezvous. The number of men for our said town is eleven.
Voted, To give to each man belonging to the cavalry " the same as a soldier above."
1813. Votes for Governor : William Plumer 114, J. T. Gilman 98.
1814. Votes for Governor : J. T. Gilman 108, William Plumer 116.
The article in the warrant, To see if the town will vote to grant the request of a number of petitioners which is to give them their part of the parsonage money, that they may thereby be enabled to support the Gospel in said town, in the manner their conscience dictates. Put to vote and passed in the negative.
Upon the question of revising the Constitution, the vote was: nays 193; yeas 4.
1815. Votes for Governor : William Plumer 115, John T. Gilman 105.
1816. Votes for Governor : William Plumer 119, James Sheafe 96.
Voted, That freeholders only should be town-officers.
1817. Votes for Governor : William Plumer 120, James Sheafe 92, John Langdon 1, J. T. Gilman 1, Jeremiah Mason 1.
1818. Votes for Governor : William Plumer 114, Jere- miah Mason 81.
1819. Votes for Governor : David L. Morril 50, Samuel Bell 24, William Hale 21, William Plumer 8, John Harris 5, Major John Mills 1.
1820. Votes for Governor : Samuel Bell 106, David L. Morril 22, John Prescott 4, John Whipple 1, William Hall 1.
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
1821. Votes for Governor : Samuel Bell 93, David L. Morril 9, John Mills 7, John Whipple 3, Edward Gould 3, James Allison 1, Oliver Bailey, Jr. 1, William Hall 1, Henry Moulton, Jr. 1, Jeremiah Mason 1, scattering 27.
1822. Votes for Governor : Samuel Bell 109, David L. Morril 14, Caleb Austin 1, David Austin 1, Thomas C. Clement 1, Agnes Whipple 1, David Tenny 1; in all scat- tering, 5.
Voted, That whereas Major John Mills, having served the town more than twenty years as selectman, has expressed his wish to surrender his office, and not be con- sidered a future candidate ; whereupon it was unanimously voted to express the thanks of the town for his faithful and able discharge of the various and difficult duties of that office; and that this vote be recorded on the town book.
Major Mills was elected treasurer in 1791, and con- tinued in that office until 1826, (thirty-five years,) when he was succeeded by Caleb Page.
Votes in respect to the new county of Merrimack : 140 in favor of, and 18 against it.
In 1822 a portion of territory was detached from the south-east part of this town, which, with sections of Chester and Goffstown, composed the town of Hooksett, which was incorporated in June, 1822.
1823. Votes for Governor : Levi Woodbury 95, Samuel Dinsmoor, 58.
1824. Votes for Governor : David L. Morril 99, Jeremiah Smith 39, Levi Woodbury 12, Amos Hadley 12.
Voted, To choose a committee to settle with the town of Hooksett on the best possible terms, but not to exceed six hundred dollars. Committee : John Mills, John Mills, Jr., and Edward Gould.
A portion of Hooksett having been set off from Dun- barton, the new town was allowed a portion of the public property of Dunbarton.
1825. Votes for Governor : David L. Morril 174, James Allison 3, John Mills, Jr., 2.
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HISTORY OF DUNBARTON.
1826. Votes for Governor : David L. Morril 106, Benja- min Pierce 60, Amos Mills 2, Edward Gould 1, James Stone 1.
Voted : Whereas Major John Mills, after having served the town for more than thirty years as town treas- urer, has expressed his wish to surrender his office and not be considered a future candidate ; whereupon it was unanimously Voted, To express the thanks of the town for his faithful and able discharge of the various and diffi- cult duties attending that office.
1827. Votes for Governor : Benjamin Pierce 98, David L. Morril 32, Matthew Harvey 1.
Voted, To raise eight hundred dollars, by a tax, to defray town charges the present year .*
Voted, That Amos Woodbury be excused from pay- ing highway taxes while he remains without a road to his house.
1828. Votes for Governor : Benjamin Pierce 110, John Bell 97.
On Monday, November 3, 1828, the town met to ballot for Presidential Electors. The votes were as follows :
For Andrew Jackson.
For John Quincy Adams.
John Harvey,
110
George Sullivan, 108
Benning M. Bean,
110
Samuel Quarles, 108
William Pickering, 110
Samuel Sparhawk, 108
Jesse Bowers, 110
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