USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Rye > History of the town of Rye, New Hampshire, from its discovery and settlement to December 31, 1903 > Part 16
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The following is a list of the fires which have occurred each year :
1808. Samuel Wallis' house situated on the south side of the highway. opposite where Freeman J. Locke resided.
1809. John Brown's house.
1821. Daniel Treadwell's barn struck by lightning.
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HISTORY OF RYE.
1824. Jan. 18. Amos S. Parsons' store and house, which was opposite Jedediah Rand's.
1831. John Jenness' barn struck by lightning.
1838. Robinson Foss' barn.
1848. East schoolhouse.
1849. Carr Leavitt's mill at the Harbor.
1849. House of John Brown, 3d.
1850. James Marden's barn with contents; also the barn of Joshua M. Foss.
1852. John W. Tucker's barn and Samuel Foss' barn.
1853. James Thomas' barn.
1854. John Ira Rand's house.
1855. John Mace's house ; Albion D. Parsons' house at Ragged Neck ; and Simon Brown's barn at East Rye.
1858. William S. Odiorne's house.
1862. June 22. Ocean House, Job Jenness, proprietor.
July 10. Prospect House, Sandy Beach, R. & H. Foss, proprietors.
Sept. 4. Odiorne's saw and grist-mill, Little Harbor.
1863. Joseph Brown's house.
1865. John H. Webster's house struck by lightning.
1866. Samuel Rand's house and shed, located in the field west of William J. Holmes.
1867. Woodbury Seavey's house, East Rye.
1868. March 30. Daniel M. Foss' house.
1872. Thomas H. Philbrick's house and barn, and A. Y. Rand's house.
1872. Surf House, Jenness Beach, Oliver Philbrick, proprietor.
1873. April 3. Ocean House, Job Jenness & Son, proprietors. Sept. 28. Abraham Drake's house and barn.
1876. July 9. Richard Jenness' house and wood house on South road. J. Curtis Philbrick's barn struck by lightning, slight damage.
June 12. Louise Marden's store, and goods of Wesley and E. C. Jenness.
1877. Aug. 8. J. Newell Philbrick's house and buildings.
1882. April 18. Farragut Hotel, Frank Philbrick, proprietor.
Aug. 15. Levi T. Sanborn's house, cottage, and stable, together with Abraham Perkins' house and barn.
1890. Daniel M. Foss' house. John H. Foss' house.
1894. Cottage near Jenness' Beach belonging to E. A. Straw.
1901. Daniel W. Dalton's house, opposite Sea View Hotel. John Salter Marden's house.
Jerome Butler's house at Wallis Sands.
Turner House, built by Job Jenness.
1903. May II. Eben Odiorne's house, East Rye.
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INDUSTRIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
STORES.
John Carroll, an Irishman and school teacher, opened the first store of which there is any record. It was located in the yard in front of the present residence of Fred D. Parsons.
The building was afterwards moved and is now a part of the house occupied by Thomas W. Rand. Carroll kept on sale a few needles, pins, and such small things in a little room. Later he was associated with his brother-in-law, Simon Goss, under the firm name of Carroll and Goss, and opened a store where T. W. Rand's store is now. Carroll moved to Hampton about ISoo; then Goss carried on the business until I810, when he built the house and opened a store where T. J. Parsons resided and continued there until he sold out to Amos Seavey and Jonathan Drake, David Wedgewood and Amazeen taking his old store. Amos Seavey sold to Jonathan Drake and went to Greenland ; John Drake followed; then Hamilton Locke and Joseph L. Locke ; then Thomas J. Parsons, who continued in act- ive business for nearly sixty years. Major Thomas Rand took the old Carroll & Goss store and was succeeded by his brother, Jedediah Rand, and the business is still carried on by his son, Thomas W. Rand.
Abraham Nudd opened a store at Chesley's Four Corners, which was afterwards kept by Samuel Elkins, William S. Gar- land, William and Simon L. Chesley. At present there is no store in that section of the town. In 1798 Joseph Parsons had a store on the southerly corner opposite T. W. Rand's. Col. Amos S. Parsons continued the business until the premises were destroyed by fire. He then built a store and hall near the highway in front of the residence of Fred D. Parsons, and continued in business there several years, and finally sold the building ; it was moved up in the field adjoining Albert M. Walker's house, and was occupied as a residence by Capt. Ben- jamin W. Marden, the latter keeping the post-office there and also a small library more than fifty years ago. The house was moved again down in the field west of Everett Odiorne's, and was occupied by Samuel Rand until it was destroyed by fire in I866.
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HISTORY OF RYE.
Otis D. Marden erected a store on the corner opposite his residence. He was succeeded by Wesley Jenness and Emery C. Jenness, they continuing the business until the building was destroyed by fire. Emery C. Jenness opened a store in the res- idence formerly occupied by his grandfather, and continues the business up to the present time. Charles D. Garland erected a dwelling house and store in 1879 on the corner opposite the residence of the late William C. Garland at West Rye. The store was opened the following year and he still continues in the business, carrying a stock of groceries, grains, and the dif- ferent departments that go to make up a country store.
During the summer months R. Jenness Locke, in connection with his bathing pavilion at the beach, has a store for the sale of confectionery, cigars, and soda.
Charles W. Spear, the existing postmaster at Rye Beach, has opened a similar store during the summer season.
FIRST CARRIAGE.
Probably the first wheeled vehicle in town was a chaise pur- chased shortly after the Revolution, and belonging to Amos Seavey. Mark Randall had the chaise to move his family up in the country in April, 1782. In July, 1800, Amos Seavey tried to ride in the old chaise and broke it. (Taken from his account book. ) John Garland owned a chaise in 1825 or prior. Dr. John Wilkes Parsons bought a chaise about the same time. The following is copied from the original :
This is to certify that Simon Jenness of Rye in the County of Rocking- ham, in the first collection district of New Hampshire, has paid the duty of two dollars for the year to end on the 31st day of December next for and upon a two-wheel Carriage called a chaise, hanging on Wooden Springs, owned by him and the harness used therefore. This Certificate to be of no avail any longer than the aforesaid Carriage shall be owned by the said Jen- ness, unless said Certificate shall be produced to a Collector and an entry be made thereon, specifying the name of the owner of said Carriage, and the time when he became possessed thereof. Given in comformity with laws of the United States this 24 day of Jan" 1815.
Collector of Revenue for the Edw Cutts & first Collection district of New Hampshire.
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RYE BEACH BATHING PAVILION.
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HISTORY OF RYE.
NEGRO SLÅ VES.
Hannah Seavey in her will dated September 10, 1741, gives to her negro woman, Anna, one cow.
William Seavey, clothier, deeds in 1744 to his brother, Amos Seavey, joiner, besides land, one negro boy named Hampshire, about 12 years old, who ran away and was seen by Doctor Joseph Parsons in Rhode Island during the Revolutionary war.
Joseph Libby owned a negro child called " Glocester"; bap- tized in 1749.
"Receipt of Alexander Raitt New Castle Jan. II, 1750 for £87. 10 New tenor for Negro Girl Phillis now at house of Joseph Newmarch, New Castle. Condition upon delivery of said Phillis to Mr. Samuel Parsons of Rye. Geo. Frost, John Blunt, Witness."
Phillis Wallis negro woman, aged So, died March 17, 1821. Probably the same Phillis as above, who must have been in 1750 about 9 years old.
Portsmouth, July 11, 1778. Bill of negro boy bought for £150, lawful money, of Capt. William Parker, agent for owner of private armed schooner Friends Adventurer, by Mr. Samuel Wallis of Rye. Cæzar Wallis, a black man, alias Cæzar Sea- vey, died Nov. 18, 1821, aged 81 years ; perhaps the same as above.
In 1769 Merrifield Berry bought Peter Long, a slave, for £30 of Samuel Whidden and wife Hannah. He afterwards ran away.
James Seavey had a negro called "Bow," and in 1806 a negro boy. He also had negro children, "Titus and Dinah," who were baptized September 13, 1772.
John Sandy, negro, baptized October 8, 1772. Col. Benja- min Garland had a negro called "black Prince" whom he fitted out and gave money to pay his expenses to see his relatives in Rhode Island, who went once and returned, but the second time he went he returned no more.
"Jenny, our negro woman, went away from us on the sab- bath day morning, 1795." (Taken from Amos Seavey's account book.) He had also George, Phillis, and Dinah, negro ser vants.
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INDUSTRIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
Paul and Prince, two b'acks, were given their liberty to enlist in the Revolutionar var by Job Jenness.
Madam Odione ownec. the Treadwell farm (where Gilman and Albert Rand live) and had a negro Jack, who married one of James Seavey's negresses.
Old Black Peter lived a while in the house near the black- smith shop at the Center, built for Eben Berry and occupied by Reuel Garland, Albert M. Walker, and others.
MAIL SERVICE AND POSTMASTERS.
Previous to 1840 the residents of Rye obtained their mail from Portsmouth and North Hampton. From 1840 to 1845 the records at Washington show that the Rye office had "special" supply, but there is no data showing the frequency of service or the point from which supplied (probably Ports- mouth ). Beginning in 1845 and running to February 19, 1855, the office was supplied by "special" routes under contract from Rye to Portsmouth, two round trips a week.
From February 20, 1855, to June 30, 1857, the office was supplied by a regular star route from Portsmouth by Rye, to Rye Beach, three round trips a week.
The service following this by star routes is as follows :
From July 1, 1857, to June 30, 1868, Portsmouth to Rye, three round trips a week.
From July 1, 1868, to June 30, 1881, from Greenland Depot to Rye, six round trips a week.
From July 1, 1881, to June 30, 1885, from Greenland Depot to Rye, six round trips a week, with six round trips a week additional from June 21 to September 30 each year.
From July 1, 1885, to June 8, 1890, from Rye, by West Rye to Greenland Depot, six round trips a week, with six round trips a week additional from June 21 to September 30 in each year.
From June 9, 1890, to March 31, 1892, from Rye, by West Rye to Greenland Depot, six round trips a week, with six round trips a week additional from May I to October 31 each year.
From April 1, 1892, to January 13, 1895, from Rye, by West
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HISTORY OF RYE.
Rye to Greenland Depot, six round trips a week, with six round trips a week additional from April I to November 30 each year.
From January 14, 1895, to September 5, 1903, from Rye, by West Rye to Greenland Depot, twelve round trips a week the entire year. From last named date the star service supply of Rye was discontinued.
From April 15, 1901, mail service was established on the electric car line from Portsmouth to North Hampton, twelve round trips a week, on which Rye and Rye Beach are supplied as intermediate offices.
The following is a list of postmasters with the dates of appointments :
Joseph L. Locke, May 12, 1840.
Jonathan T. Walker, March 26, 1841.
Benjamin W. Marden, July 31, 1845.
Thomas J. Parsons, December 21, 1848.
Jonathan T. Walker, November 21, 1849.
Albion D. Parsons, July 1, 1853. Thomas J. Parsons, December 29, 1856.
Jonathan T. Walker, April 12, 1861.
Lewis E. Walker, December 21, 1884.
Annie D. Hodgdon, August 24, 1885. Lewis E. Walker, July 15, 1889.
Annie D. Hodgdon, August 26, 1893.
William C. Walker (present postmaster), August 27, 1897.
A post-office was established at Rye Beach, July 27, 1875, with one mail a day from North Hampton, Gilman H. Jenness, postmaster. He was succeeded February 1, 1890, by Charles WV. Spear, who still continues in office.
At West Rye the post-office was established in 1882, the mail service being supplied from Greenland Depot. Charles D. Garland was appointed postmaster and still retains the office.
North Rye Beach has a post-office and mail service from Portsmouth for a few weeks during the summer season.
A special delivery service was inaugurated from Portsmouth through the east and west part of Rye in 1903.
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INDUSTRIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
PHYSICIANS.
The first resident physician in Rye was Dr. Joseph Parsons, who commenced practising about 1770. Prior to that time physicians were called upon from Portsmouth and Hampton to attend the sick. Dr. Parsons studied medicine with Dr. Dear- born of North Hampton and was succeeded by his son, John Wilkes Parsons. His prominent traits of character were inde- pendence, decision, and energy.
Dr. John Wilkes Parsons was for nearly fifty years a practis- ing physician in Rye. He acquired and sustained the charac- ter of a judicious and faithful physician. He was surgeon on the privateer Orlando in the War of 1812 ; also surgeon's mate of the Thirty-fifth Regiment, State Militia.
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RESIDENCE OF DR. WARREN PARSONS.
Dr. Warren Parsons received his degree of M. D. from the Columbian university of Washington and practised in this and adjoining towns for about sixty years, and for fifty years was the only resident physician in Rye. He was successful in his profession and was held in much respect by the community.
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HISTORY OF RYE.
Dr. Charles F. Patterson came to West Rye in 1896 and opened an office, where he continued to practise until 1900, when he removed into his new house at the Center, and at present is the only resident physician in town.
Other physicians have resided and practised in town tempo- rarily.
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ABENAQUI GOLF CLUB HOUSE.
ABENAQUI GOLF CLUB.
The Abenaqui Golf club of Rye Beach was organized in 1899 and the club house built the following year. The club was incorporated in 1903, and it is said will purchase the grounds upon which its links are at present located.
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY LIGHT AND POWER CO.
The following articles of agreement of the Rockingham County Light and Power Co. were filed on the town records December 11, 1900. The principal place of business of said corporation is to be at Portsmouth. Its business is to be car- ried on in the cities and towns of Portsmouth, Greenland, Rye, and other towns, and said corporation is established for the pur- pose of manufacturing, creating, furnishing, and selling for light-
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INDUSTRIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
ing, manufacturing, heating, transportation, propulsion of cars, machines, and engines and for all mechanical, commercial, and business purposes, electricity and gas, and all other illuminants and motive power. Also to set poles and stretch wires to con- duct and transmit the same, and to install and lay all neces- sary means or instrumentalities for conducting, storing, and transmitting the same.
MILLS.
Probably the first sawmill in the town was built in 1695. Dow, in his History of Hampton, says the contract for its erec- tion was dated May 3, 1695.
" John Badson of New Castle, Millwright, agrees with Francis Jenness, Joseph Philbrook, James Stanyan, and Thomas Jen-
JENNESS SAWMILL.
ness to build for them a dam and Saw Mill to go with one saw on Cedar Swamp run, commonly so called, near said Francis Jenness' house, for which he is to receive twenty shillings a week, in good lawful money of New England, as follows: Ten
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HISTORY OF RYE.
shillings thereof at the end of each week he works, and the other ten shillings a week at one whole intire payment at the now dwelling house of the said Francis Jenness, when the mill is finished and sufficient sawing has been done to amount to. the required sum ; the above company to furnish material for building, also sufficient meat, drink, lodging, and hands during the building, and pasturing for his horse while he is there at work."
This mill has been in the Jenness name, in whole or in part, since its erection, and is now owned by Charles Austin Jenness. It is not probable, however, that there is any material in the mill now that was put into it when it was built.
Deed, 1740-'41. "John Jenness of Parish of Rye to James Marden of Rye one sixteenth part of the Saw Mill commonly called Jenness' Saw Mill, standing on Jenness brook, so called, with all the Iron dogs, Cranks, Crows, gear, &c., belonging to said Sixteenth, and one-sixteenth part of the land privileges for laying logs and boards and appurtenances and rights apper- taining thereto.
" Witness, Richard Jenness, Job Jenness.
"Given in the eighth year of the reign King George Second."
The Cedar Swamp run of 1695 and the Jenness' brook of 1740 are identical. The stream takes its rise in the low land northerly from the junction of West and South roads, and empties into the sea near the terminus of Ocean road.
On this stream, about half a mile above the Jenness sawmill, is the Brown grist-mill, erected more than one hundred years ago; and there was also a grist-mill, changed a number of years ago into a shingle mill and now abandoned, about thirty rods below the Jenness mill. A fourth mill stood about half a mile farther up the stream than Brown's mill. It was erected by a Mr. Leavitt at an unknown date. Leavitt sold it, with the farm of three hundred acres or more, to Peter Johnson. Nathan Knowles bought the mill and took it down in 1844.
Prior to 1752 there was a tide grist-mill in Harvey Locke's pasture, between Harbor road and the road to Locke's Neck, where there was a dam to hold the water. This mill was
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burned, and Nathan Goss bought the site and privilege, and on June 10, 1778, raised another grist-mill there. Goss' records state that he pulled this mill down in June, 1792; on June 12 the same year " raised the new mill ;" on June 14 "got one mill [stone ] to grinding. June 30 got the other to grinding." This mill took fire from a pitch pine torch which Mr. Goss left burning when he went to supper, and was destroyed.
After Rye harbor was dug out a tidal grist-mill was erected at the bridge, and remained until about twenty years ago, when it was torn down.
There was at one time a mill, probably a fulling mill, to the westward of the stone bridge on the road leading to Locke's Neck, but it long ago disappeared. Anciently a windmill was owned and operated by the Lockes, near where Central and Grove roads meet; this mill was taken down and moved to Hampton.
A sawmill built and owned by Amos and James Seavey, located to the westward of the small creek (a branch of Seavey's creek), near which they lived, was raised May 31, 1759. The Odiornes had both saw and grist-mills at Little Harbor, at the Pine Tree bridge across Seavey's creek ; these mills were burned in September, 1862.
Doctor Joseph Parsons had a grist-mill and extensive salt works near Pass River point, from which circumstance the local- ity long bore the name of Doctor's Mills; this is what is now known as Concord point. The mill was standing as late as 1806, and vestiges of it can still be seen at the mouth of Pass river. Both mill and salt works were destroyed by a very severe storm.
Parson's mill, Seavey's mill, Goss' mills, and Jenness' and Brown's mills on Jenness' brook, are all designated on Morrill's plan of Rye ( 1805), but the Odiorne mills at Seavey's creek are not.
BELLS.
Although the first meeting house was built before the Sandy Beach district of New Castle was set off as the parish of Rye, it was not until many years later that the first bell was placed
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HISTORY OF RYE.
in its steeple. At the annual town meeting in March, 1763, it was "Voted to raise $500, old tenor, towards buying a bell." Apparently this vote failed of being carried into effect, for at the March meeting in 1764 the town again "Voted to raise £500, old tenor, towards buying a bell;" and this latter vote, or the votes of the two meetings conjoined, proved effective, for in 1766 it was " Voted that the three men chosen to buy the bell hire persons to hang it;" and shortly after it had been hung, in the same year, there appeared an article in the warrant for a town meeting "To see if they will put a stop to ringing the bell at an unusual time on the Lord's day." From this it may be inferred that, the bell having been procured and hung, some of the people of the town, presumably the younger ones, regarded it as a sort of public toy, to be played with at unsea- sonable times, instead of being reserved to call the voters to town meeting, or the populace at large to the solemn duty of listening to almost interminable sermons and prayers. What action was taken by the town meeting to suppress such trifling is not recorded, but is indicated by the following, which is copied from an original document, dated 1767 :
"To Mr. James Goss. Sir: There is a Complaint against you by Mr. Daniel Philbrick for Ringing the Bell the last Lord's Day. I believe you had better come & pay your fine, other Ways you May be Exposed to Court & trouble from ye friend and Servant, Richard Jenness 3d."
In 1775 it was " Voted to have the bell rung at twelve o'clock for nine months."
After the old meeting house was taken down the town voted "to hang the Bell on the Congregational Meeting House at the expense of the Town, and the Town to control the same."
The old bell, which weighed 889 pounds, having become cracked after many years of faithful service, was exchanged for a new one that weighed 891 pounds, the exchange, freight, and other expenses amounting to $101.70. Feb. 10, 1842, the new bell was broken while Esq. Jonathan Philbrick was ringing it, the day it was hung. In April of the following year another new bell, sent to replace the one broken, was hung in the belfry,
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and this continued to do good service, especially on the Fourth of July every year, until the Congregational society ordered it removed.
In 1873 the town voted to appropriate $200 and the old bell to procure a new one to put on the town house, and on the 20th of August in that year the new bell was hung on that building, and is still in service.
In 1877 a bell was hung in the belfry of the Episcopal church, St. Andrew's-by-the Sea, and calls the people of that communion to worship regularly throughout the summer months.
In 1893 the Congregational society purchased a bell and clock, which were placed in the church tower on February 14th of that year. This was the first tower clock in Rye, and is the only one in the town.
Each of the four schoolhouses of the town is provided with a bell.
TOWN HALL.
In the early days of the parish and town of Rye, as in all other New England towns, the meeting house was the place appointed for holding town meetings, and in Rye this custom held until a comparatively recent date. At the time the old meeting house, where the town meetings had always been held, was proposed to be taken down, many persons were in favor of having it fitted up for a town hall, but the necessary vote for this could not be obtained, and the building was demolished, after which the vestry under the Congregational church was the place for holding the town meetings.
After the Methodist society ceased holding services in their church, negotiations were entered into by the trustees of the church and the town authorities regarding the purchase of the edifice by the town for a town hall ; and at a town meeting held in 1873 the town voted to buy the Methodist church and land provided the property could be bought for $1,000. Some $3,000 was expended on the front and interior of the building to fit it for the purpose intended, and in 1890 the
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HISTORY OF RYE.
town voted to put 14 1-2 feet on the rear, the amount ex- pended for this purpose not to exceed $400. The town hall has proved to be rather an expensive building, as repairs have
TOWN HALL, RYE.
frequently been required, and will continue to be as long as it remains on its present foundation. It was dedicated as a town hall on November 19, 1873.
PUBLIC LIBRARY-SLEEPER LEGACY.
Of the thirty-seven towns in Rockingham county thirty-six have public libraries in successful operation, the one lonesome town that stands out in such splendid isolation being Rye ; and yet Rye came very near establishing a public library so long ago that if it had then been established it would have put the town well up toward the head of the list of New Hampshire towns having such institutions, in the order of their creation.
Oliver Sleeper, a native of Rye, who died in Massachusetts, left to the town by will about $8,000 for a library, with the proviso that if the town declined to accept the bequest it should
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go in equal sums to the two churches (the Congregational and the Christian ) of the town. A special town meeting was called for August 1, 1883, to take action on the question of accept- ing the legacy. That was the farmers' busiest time of year -- haying time-and as the meeting was generally assumed to be a mere matter of form, and the acceptance of the bequest by unanimous vote a certainty, only a handful of the town's three hundred and more voters attended the meeting, and the vote stood twenty-six against acceptance to six in favor of accepting.
Then came something very like a storm. The great majority of the voters who had failed to attend the town meeting were intensely dissatisfied with the action of the majority of those who did attend it, and said so. They declared that the outcome of the meeting was due to the shrewd work of a few persons who wished the churches instead of the whole town to benefit by the Sleeper legacy, and who had very quietly managed to have enough of the old voters who were in sympathy with their plan, and many of whom had not attended a regular town meeting for years, on hand at the special meeting to outvote the few who would probably leave their hay fields to vote for acceptance. The selectmen were induced to call another spe- cial meeting, at which the vote of the previous one was recon- sidered, and acceptance of the bequest by the town approved almost unanimously, most of the voters who attended the first meeting ignoring the second one, claiming that the latter was illegal and any action it might take void.
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