USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Some things about Coventry-Benton, New Hampshire (town history) > Part 12
USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Benton > Some things about Coventry-Benton, New Hampshire (town history) > Part 12
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Daniel Batchelder. The vote for governor was : William Badger, dem., 72, Joseph Healey, whig, 2.
Voted to raise for town charges and poor $500, for high- ways $500, for schools $150.
Oct. 31. Special town meeting. Chose : Moses Whitcher town clerk, to fill vacancy caused by removal of Nathan Coburn from town ; James J. Page selectman, to fill vacancy caused by removal of Nathan Coburn ; Peter Howe select- man, to fill vacancy caused by death of David Whitcher.
[1836.] March 8. Annual meeting at house of Deliv- erance Woodward. Chose : moderator, Daniel Batchelder ; town clerk, Deliverance Woodward ; selectmen, James J. Page, Deliverance Woodward, Daniel Batchelder ; repre- tative, Daniel Batchelder ; highway surveyors, Alvah Ayer, Deliverance Woodward, Stephen Jeffers, Jonathan Marston, Chellis Goodwin, Nathan B. Davis, Jacob Whitcher, John Stow; sealer of weights and measures, Moses Whitcher ; constables, James J. Page, Alvah C. Wright ; superintend- ing school committee, David Page, Moses Whitcher, Daniel Batchelder ; surveyors of lumber, Moses Whitcher, Peter Howe, Jacob Currier, John P. Ayer, Nathan B. Davis.
For governor, Isaac Hill 78 votes ; William Badger 1.
Voted to raise for town charges and poor $300, highways $100, schools $150.
There is no record of a meeting in November for the choice of presidential electors.
[1837.] March 14. Meeting in school house, district No. 5. Chose : moderator, James J. Page ; town clerk, Deliverance Woodward ; selectmen, Enos Wells, James J. Page, Peter Howe ; highway surveyors, John Lathrop, D. Woodward, Stephen Jeffers, Asa Smith, Chellis Goodwin, Nathan B. Davis, Jacob Whitcher, Elisha Tyler ; sealer of
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weights and measures, D. Woodward ; surveyors of lumber, Moses Whitcher, D. Woodward, Peter Howe ; hog reeves, Caleb S. Ford, Elijah S. Gray, Moses Mead, Edwin Tyler, Alfred Tyler, William Whitcher, Jr .; constables, Moses Mead, Nathan B. Davis ; representative to General Court, Enos Wells. For governor 65 votes were cast, all for Isaac Hill.
Voted to receive from the state the "surplus revenues."
Voted that Deliverance Woodward be agent to receive the town's proportion.
Voted that it shall be at the option of the agent to receive it in specie or bills.
Voted that the money be loaned to inhabitants of the town in sums of not more than $100, or less than $25, to a single individual, on real estate security.
Voted that the town bring suit against the town of Bos- cawen for support of Betsey Bowley, and that James J. Page be agent to prosecute the action.
[1838.] March 13. Annual meeting at house of Ben- jamin Little. Chose : moderator, Daniel Batchelder ; se- lectmen, Enos Wells, James J. Page, Peter Howe ; repre- sentative, Daniel Batchelder; highway surveyors, John Cummings, Benjamin Little, Stephen Jeffers, James H. Cox, Peter Howe, Alfred Tyler, Jacob Whitcher, Jonas G. Brown ; constables, Daniel Batchelder, William Gannett, Moses Whitcher ; surveyors of lumber, John Lathrop, Wil- liam Gannett, Peter Howe, Moses Whitcher, Jonas G. Brown ; sextons, Jonathan Marston, Jacob Whitcher ; tyth- ing men, Enos Wells, Peter Howe. The vote for governor was : for Isaac Hill 72, James Wilson 7.
Voted to raise for town charges and poor $250, for schools $150, highways $600.
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Voted that James J. Page be agent to take charge of the "surplus money."
[1839.] March 12. Annual meeting in school house, district No. 5. Chose : moderator, David Page ; town clerk, Enos Wells ; selectmen, Moses Whitcher, David Page, Winthrop G. Torsey ; representative, Daniel Batchelder ; highway surveyors, Josiah F. Jeffers, Caleb S. Ford, Ste- phen Jeffers, Richard Brown, William Whitcher, Jr., Israel Flanders, Hazen Whitcher, William Keyser ; school tax collectors, Jonathan Welch, Caleb S. Ford, David Page, Bartlett Marston, Moses Whitcher, Nathan B. Davis ; sealer of weights and measures, Amos Whitcher ; constables, Moses Whitcher, Daniel Batchelder, James J. Page, John Cummings ; tything men, Nathan B. Davis, Samuel Tyler. The vote for governor was : John Page 77, James Wilson 11. Voted to raise for town charges and poor $300, for schools $150, highways $300.
August 20. Special town meeting in district No. 5 school house. Voted "to discontinue the Meadow road from Haverhill town line to Warren town line, provided the Turn- pike Company assume to build and repair said road, and assume liabilities." Chose a committee of five to carry this vote into effect-Daniel Batchelder, Moses Whitcher, Win- throp G. Torsey, Enos Wells, James J. Page. [The con- dition imposed on the Turnpike Company was not accepted. ] Voted that Capt. Amos Whitcher make out a roll of the soldiers who did military duty in 1838, and the selectmen pay the soldiers.
[1840.] March 10. Annual town meeting was held at the school house in district No. 5. Chose : moderator, James J. Page ; town clerk, Enos Wells ; selectmen, James J. Page, Enos Wells, Moses Whitcher ; representative,
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James J. Page ; highway surveyors, Jonathan Welch, Solon Woodward, Samuel Page, Winthrop G. Torsey, Samuel Mann, Nathan B. Davis, Hazen Whitcher, Elisha Tyler ; school tax collectors, Josiah F. Jeffers, David Elliott, M. Hull, W. G. Torsey, Ira Whitcher, John Stow, Jr. ; Con- stables, Moses Whitcher, Daniel Batchelder. The vote for governor was : John Page 74, Enos Stevens 6.
Voted that James J. Page, Enos Wells, Moses Whitcher, and Daniel Batchelder be a committee to transact any busi- ness relative to the Meadow road, and that the town raise $320 to be expended under their direction. Voted to hold the annual meetings in the north and south parts alternately.
November 2. The meeting to vote for presidential elec- tors was held in the school house in district No. 5. For the Democratic ticket, headed by John W. Weeks, 73 votes were given ; for the Whig ticket, headed by James Healy, 9.
It was in the year 1840 that the town took the name of Benton, an act changing the name from Coventry having been passed by the legislature of 1839, which was ratified at the annual meeting in March, 1840, by a vote of 77 to 2, Major Samuel Mann and Ira Whitcher giving the two neg- ative votes. There were two motives for the change : Cov- entry was a backwoods town, and Coventry people were the objects of ridicule on the part of the aristocratic class in Bath and Haverhill. If only the name Coventry could be got- ten rid of! Then there was no doubt as to the political sen- timent of the town. A community, who in the year of "Tip- pecanoe and Tyler, too," would stand by Martin Van Buren by a vote of 73 to 9, might pretty safely be called a Demo- cratic town. And was not Thomas H. Benton of Missouri, who, according to the plan of the Jackson dynasty, was to succeed Martin Van Buren in 1844, the heir apparent to
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Democratic idolatry ? Coventry would rid itself of its hated name and at the same time swear alligiance to the coming president, and it did it. But the result of the election of 1840 blasted the hopes of the Missouri senator, and a change of name did not change the character of the town. It was in this year, 1840, too, that the factions, which for the next thirty years contended for political and official honors in the town, were separated by pretty clear dividing lines. Whigs, and later Republicans, did not count for much, and were pretty thoroughly absorbed in one or the other of the Demo- cratic factions, Page-Wells-Whitcher. From 1840 to 1870 inclusive no one was elected a representative to the General court unless he bore the name of Page, or Wells, or Whitcher, except for the years 1857 and 1860, when George W. Mann, who had married a Whitcher, was elected. No one of these factions ever had of itself a clear majority of the votes, and this fact led to deals and bargains, and the good old Democratic doctrine always prevailed that "to the victors belong the spoils." The chief political prize was the office of representative, but there were other spoils-town clerk, selectmen, highway surveyors, tax collector, school committee, not to mention fence viewers, hog reeves, and such like. Politics was a serious business to the voters of Benton. A campaign began on the evening of the March election and usually lasted all through the year, when com- pacts more or less binding were made and unmade. Politics entered into business relations, into social life, into church life, even sometimes becoming a factor in revivals of religion. The town in these thirty years, until by death or removal of the leaders of the factions, was a town of partisans. In the year 1840, a Page was elected representative, and a Page, Wells, and Whitcher made up the board of selectmen, but it
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was not till long years afterwards that this latter was repeat- ed.
[184I.] March 9. Annual town meeting held at dwell- ing house of Chase Whitcher on North and South road. Chose : moderator, James J. Page; town clerk, Moses Whitcher ; selectmen, James J. Page, Moses Whitcher, John Lathrop; representative, James J. Page by a vote of 68 to 4 for Moses Whitcher. For governor, John Page received 69, all the votes cast. Highway surveyors, John Lathrop, Solon M. Woodward, Lewis Sawyer, Joseph Annis, Ira Whitcher, Samuel Whitcher, Hazen Whitcher, Humphrey P. Tyler ; school tax collectors, John Lathrop, Caleb S. Ford, Aaron Knight, Charles K. Merrill, Ira Whitcher, John C. Brown ; constables, Daniel Batchelder, Ira Whitcher, Caleb S. Ford ; tything men, James J. Page, Moses Whitcher, John Lathrop. One looks in vain for the name Wells in the foregoing list. The "thirty years' warfare" between the factions had begun in earnest.
Voted to raise for town expenses and support of town poor $250, for highways $300, for schools $150.
[1842.] March 8. Annual town meeting held in dis- trict No. 5. school house. Chose : moderator, James J. Page; town clerk, Moses Whitcher, selectmen, James J. Page, John Lathrop, Ira Whitcher ; highway surveyors, Alvah C. Wright, David Elliott, James J. Page, Orrin Marston, Ira Whitcher, Samuel Whitcher, Hazen Whitcher, Humphrey P. Tyler ; sealer of weights and measures, Caleb S. Ford ; surveyors of lumber, John Stow, Jr., James J. Page, Ira Whitcher, John Lathrop, Moses Whitcher ; con- stables, Caleb S. Ford, Ira Whitcher. The whole number of ballots cast for representative was 69. Moses Whitcher had 48, James J. Page 10, Enos Wells 1, and Moses
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Whitcher was elected. For governor Henry Hubbard had 67, Enos Stevens 4. Voted to raise for town expenses and support of poor $300, for highways $350, for schools $150. [1843.] March 14. Annual town meeting at house of John Buswell. Chose : moderator, James J. Page ; town clerk, Moses Whitcher; selectmen, James J. Page, John Lathrop, Ira Whitcher; highway surveyors, Alvah Ayer, Caleb S. Ford, Benjamin Parker, Gilbert P. Wright, David M. Howe, Samuel Whitcher, Hazen Whitcher, Humphrey P. Tyler ; surveyors of lumber, Moses Whitcher, Ira Whitch- er, John Lathrop, James J. Page, Caleb S. Ford ; supt. school committee, James J. Page, John Lathrop, Moses Whitcher, William Whitcher. For representative, James J. Page had 1 vote, Moses Whitcher 45, and Moses Whitcher was declared elected. The vote for governor stood : Henry Hubbard 48, John M. White 4, Anthony Colby 2. Voted to raise for town charges $300, for schools $100, for high- ways $300. Voted that the interest on the surplus revenue be distributed equally among the ratable polls on the 1st of April.
[1844.] March 12. Annual town meeting in district No. 5 school house. Chose : moderator, James J. Page ; town clerk, Moses Whitcher ; selectmen, James J. Page, Ira Whitcher, Winthrop G. Torsey ; highway surveyors, James Harriman, James J. Page, John Buswell, Bartlett Marston, James Norris, Samuel Whitcher, Hazen Whitcher, William K. Bruce ; surveyors lumber, William Eastman, Moses Whitcher, Enos Wells, John Brown, Jacob Currier ; superintending school committee; Moses Whitcher, James J. Page, John Lathrop.
On the first ballot for representative there was no choice. It stood, James J. Page 10, Enos Wells 17, John Lathrop
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20, Moses Whitcher 40. The second ballot resulted as fol- lows : James J. Page 4, Enos Wells 14, John Lathrop 16, Moses Whitcher 53, and Moses Whitcher was declared elected. The vote for governor was : John H. Steele 81, John H. White 6. Voted to raise for schools $150, for town charges $300, for highways $400.
Nov. 4. At the Presidential election the Democratic ticket, headed by William Badger, received 83 votes, and the Whig ticket, headed by Joseph Low, 8 votes.
[1845.] March 11. Annual town meeting at the dwell- ing house of John Lathrop. Chose; moderator, Ira Whitcher ; town clerk, Moses Whitcher ; selectmen, Enos Wells, Nathan B. Davis, Winthrop G. Torsey ; highway surveyors, Josiah F. Jeffers, John Buswell, Ephraim Cross, Joseph Annis, George W. Mann, Noah C. Hutchins, Hazen Whitcher, William K. Bruce ; surveyors of lumber, Moses Whitcher, William Eastman, Ira Whitcher, James J. Page, Enos Wells; constables, Nathan B. Davis, James Norris, Caleb S. Ford; superintending school committee, James J. Page, Nathan B. Davis, Moses Whitcher.
William Eastman was elected sealer of weights and meas- ures and was re-elected annually for a period of 28 years.
Ira Whitcher was elected representative on the second ballot. The result of the first ballot was : James J. Page 1, William Whitcher 1, Moses Whitcher 2, Jeremiah B. Davis 2, Enos Wells 40, Ira Whitcher 40; second ballot, Enos Wells 40, Ira Whitcher 45.
The vote for governor was : John H. Steele 71, Anthony Colby 10, scattering 2.
Voted to raise for town charges $300, for schools $200, for highways $350.
[1846.] March 10. Annual town meeting in school
.
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house, district No. 5. Chose : moderator, Ira Whitcher ; town clerk, Moses Whitcher ; selectmen James J. Page, Jeremiah B. Davis, George W. Mann ; highway surveyors, Josiah F. Jeffers, Daniel Bailey, Daniel D. Page, Winthrop G. Torsey, David M. Howe, Nathan B. Davis, Jeremiah A. Clark, Joseph Hutchins ; surveyors of lumber, William Eastman, N. B. Davis, Moses Whitcher, Enos Wells, John Stow, Jonathan Clement ; constables, Daniel D. Page, Jo- siah F. Jeffers, Ira Whitcher, James Norris, Chase Whit- cher, 2nd.
The ballot for representative resulted as follows : Samuel Howe 2, James J. Page 3, Enos Wells 22, Ira Whitcher 65. The vote for governor was : Jared M. Williams 68, Nathaniel S. Berry 9, Anthony Colby 9.
Voted to raise for town charges $250, for highways $400, for schools $200.
March 21. Ira Whitcher was appointed town clerk to fill the vacancy caused by death of Moses Whitcher.
[1847.] March 9. Meeting at house of John Buswell. Chose : moderator, Enos Wells ; town clerk, Ira Whitcher ; selectmen, Enos Wells, Peter Howe, Jonas G. Brown ; highway surveyors, Robert Gray, Caleb S. Ford, Jonathan Marston, William Whitcher, Israel Flanders, John Brown, Sewell Waterman, Joseph Annis ; constables, James Harri- man, William F. Morse, Caleb Ford ; surveyors of lumber, Ira Whitcher, James J. Page, William Eastman, John Stow, Enos Wells, William Whitcher ; superintending school committee, James J. Page, George W. Mann, Peter Howe. The result of the election for selectmen and representative was a pretty complete triumph for the Wells faction, and Messrs. Page and Mann declined toserve. This left "Uncle Peter" in charge of the schools for the year.
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One should have known "Uncle Peter" to properly appreci- ate the situation. He could read and write and "figger," and his library consisted of the Bible and the Farmers' Almanac. )
There were two ballots for representative. The first stood : Winthrop G. Torsey 1, William K. Bruce 1, Ira Whitcher 1, William C. Stow 1,. Daniel D. Page 1, Sam- uel Howe 6, James J. Page 35, Enos Wells 43. On the second ballot Capt. Enos won out as follows : whole number of ballots 90, W. G. Torsey 1, John Stow 1, Daniel D. Page 1, Samuel Howe 4, James J. Page 32, Enos Wells 51. (The Page contingent were, however, on deck the next year, and Capt. Wells did not secure the usual second term. )
The vote for governor was : Jared W. Williams 78, An- thony Colby 10, Nathaniel S. Berry 5.
Voted to raise for schools $200, for town charges $200, for highways $300.
[1848.] March 14. Annual town meeting at district No. 5 school house. Chose : moderator, Ira Whitcher ; town clerk, Ira Whitcher ; selectmen, Daniel D. Page, Jo- nas G. Brown, Jonathan Hunkings ; highway surveyors, Jonathan Welch, William Gannett, Daniel D. Page, Jona- than Marston, William Whitcher, Noah C. Hutchins, J. Dean Norris, John Brown, Samuel C. Annis ; constables, William Gannett, George W. Mann, Robert Gray ; sur- veyors of lumber, William Eastman, William C. Stow, Ira Whitcher, Jonas G. Brown ; superintending school commit- tee, Jonathan Hunkings, Darius K. Davis, James J. Page.
James J. Page was elected representative on the first ballot : whole number of votes 90; W. G. Torsey 1, Samuel Howe 9, Enos Wells, 33, James J. Page 47.
The vote for governor was : Jared W. Williams 83,
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Nathaniel S. Berry 9.
Voted to raise for town expenses $300, schools $250, highways $400.
Nov. 7. At the meeting to vote for presidential electors the ticket headed by Samuel Tilton received 75 votes, and that headed by James Bell 11.
[1849.] March 13. Meeting at dwelling house of Wil- liam Gannett. Chose : moderator, Ira Whitcher ; town clerk, Ira Whitcher ; selectmen, Daniel D. Page, Nathan B. Davis, Jonathan Hunkings ; highway surveyors, James Har- riman, Jacob Place, James A. Cox, William Whitcher, William Davis, Merrill Norris, W. Carlos Stow, Samuel C. Annis ; surveyors of lumber, William Eastman, W. C. Stow, Jonas G. Brown, Amos Whitcher, Robert Gray, Enos Wells ; superintending school committee, James J. Page, George W. Mann, William Eastman.
The whole number of votes cast for representative was 82. Ira Whitcher received 1, Darius K. Davis 1, Robert Coburn 1, Nathan B. Davis 3, Winthrop G. Torsey 11, Enos Wells 18, James J. Page 47, and James J. Page was declared elected.
The vote for governor was : Samuel Dinsmore 79, N. S. Chamberlin 13, Nathaniel S. Berry 4.
Voted to raise for town charges $250, for highways $500, schools $200.
On an article in the warrant to see if the town would vote to settle the Rev. William C. Bixby as minister and give him the minister lot of 100 acres of land, voted in the negative.
[1850.] March 12. Annual meeting in school house, district No. 5. Chose : moderator, Ira Whitcher ; town clerk, Chase Whitcher ; selectmen, Nathan B. Davis, James
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J. Page, Josiah F. Jeffers ; highway surveyors, James M. Harriman, Nathan M. Chase, Cornelius Carr, Bartlett Marston, Daniel Whitcher, William Davis, Elijah Curtis, John C. Brown, Caleb Wells ; surveyors of lumber, Ira Whitcher, William Eastman, Daniel Whitcher, Jonas G. Brown, Josiah F. Jeffers, George Wells, Bartlett Marston, John Buswell; constables, Peter Howe, 2nd, Daniel Whitcher, Caleb Wells.
Two ballots were taken for representative. On the first the whole number of votes cast was 90. Jonathan Hunkings had 1, Peter Howe, 2nd, 1, Kimball Tyler 2, Enos Wells 2, Samuel Howe 2, Daniel D. Page 37, Ira Whitcher 42. On the second ballot 87 votes were cast. There were scattering 6, Daniel D. Page had 31, Ira Whitcher 50, and was de- clared elected.
The vote for governor was : Samuel Dinsmore 74, Levi Chamberlin 17, N. S. Berry 5.
Voted to raise for town charges $300, schools $200, high- ways $400.
Oct 8. At a special town meeting held for the purpose of choosing a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, chose : moderator, Ira Whitcher, delegate, Ira Whitcher.
[185I.] March 11. Annual town meeting held at house of William Gannett. Chose : moderator, Ira Whit- cher ; town clerk, Chase Whitcher ; selectmen, Nathan B. Davis, James J. Page, Josiah F. Jeffers ; highway surveyors, James Harriman, Jonathan Stickney, Cornelius Carr, Bart- lett Marston, Myron Bailey, Amos Wilson, Elijah Curtis, William Keyser, Gardner G. Annis ; constables, Moses W. Howe, Thomas F. Cox, James Harriman ; surveyors of lumber, Jonas G. Brown, Ira Whitcher, Gilbert P. Wright, William Eastman, John Buswell, Abel S. E. B. Davis ;
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superintending school committee, George W. Mann, James Page, Caleb Wells.
The whole number of votes cast for representative was 102. Jonas G. Brown had 1, John K. Davis 1, Caleb Wells 1, James J. Page 1, Daniel D. Page 44, Ira Whit- cher 54, and was declared elected.
The vote for governor was : Samuel Dinsmore 74, Thomas E. Sawyer 18, John Atwood 8.
Voted to raise for town charges $300, schools $250, high- ways $400.
[1852.] March 9. Annual meeting held in No. 5 school house. Chose : moderator, Ira Whitcher; town clerk, George W. Mann; selectmen, Ira Whitcher, Darius K. Davis, Jeremiah B. Davis ; highway surveyors, James Harriman, William Gannett, Hiram King, Gilbert P. Wright, Moses W. Howe, John Flanders, Samuel Howe, William K. Bruce, Enos C. Wells ; superintending school committee, Caleb Wells, Amos G. Torsey, Thomas F. Cox ; constable, Samuel Pike ; treasurer, Ira Whitcher.
Chase Whitcher was chosen representative on first ballot, which resulted as follows : Whole number of votes, 91; Caleb Wells had 1, Winthrop G. Torsey 1, Darius K. Davis 4, Enos Wells 6, Robert Coburn 11, Chase Whitcher 68. For governor the vote was : Noah Martin 76, Thomas E. Sawyer 20, John Atwood 3.
Voted to raise for town charges $300, schools $250, high- ways $450. The money raised by taxation for the support of schools was apportioned to the school districts as follows : district No. 1, $26.07; No. 2, $39.80; No. 3,25.03; No. 4, $45.06; No. 5, $63.56; No. 6, $42.69; No. 7, $7.50.
Nov. 2. At the election for choice of Presidential elec- tors the vote for Democratic electors was 76, Whig 9, Free
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Soil 3.
[1853.] March 8. Annual meeting at district No. 1 school house. Chose : moderator, Ira Whitcher; town clerk, George W. Mann ; selectmen, Ira Whitcher, Darius K. Davis, Jeremiah B. Davis ; highway surveyors, Josiah F. Jeffers, John Hyde, James J. Page, Thomas F. Cox, Amos Whitcher, John Flanders, Samuel Howe, William K. Bruce, Samuel C. Annis ; superintending school committee, Darius K. Davis ; collector, James Norris ; treasurer Ira Whitcher.
Chase Whitcher was chosen representative as the result of the following ballot ; whole number of votes 75; Samuel Pike had 1, Robert Coburn 14, Chase Whitcher 60.
The vote for governor was : Noah Martin 76, James Bell 8, John H. White 3.
Voted to raise for town charges $350, schools $300, high- ways $450.
[1854.] March 4. Annual meeting at 5th district school house. Chose : moderator, Ira Whitcher ; town clerk, Caleb Wells ; selectmen, Ira Whitcher, Silas M. Welch, Gilbert P. Wright ; highway surveyors, Josiah F. Jeffers, Jonathan Stickney, Joseph Blake, Gilbert P. Wright, Amos Wilson, Darius K. Davis, Samuel Howe, Walter Mulliken, Caleb Wells ; constable, George W. Mann ; supt. school committee, Amos G. Torsey ; collector of taxes, Daniel Whitcher ; treasurer, Ira Whitcher. A ballot for representative resulted in the choice of Enos Wells. Whole number of votes was 100. Necessary to a choice 51. Caleb Morse had 1, Chase Whitcher 1, Darius K. Davis 1, Stephen C. Sherman 3, William Eastman 7, Daniel D. Page 36, and Enos Wells 54. The vote for governor was : Nathaniel B. Baker 90, James Bell 10, Jared Perkins 3. Voted to
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raise for town charges $350, for schools $300, for highways $350.
[1855.] March 13. Annual meeting at 1st district school house. Chose : moderator, Ira Whitcher; town clerk, Caleb Wells ; selectmen, Silas M. Welch, Gilbert P. Wright, George W. Mann; highway surveyors, John Lathrop, Walter F. Pike, Calvin Corliss, Leonard Brown, Charles C. Tyler, Abel S. E. B. Davis, Daniel Howe, John E. Keyser, George Wells; supt. school committee, Amos G. Torsey, James Page ; constable, George W. Mann ; col- lector, Daniel Whitcher ; treasurer, George W. Mann. The whole number of ballots cast for representative was 104. Necessary to a choice 53. Caleb Morse had 1, Enos Wells 1, Robert Coburn 3, Chase Whitcher 3, William Eastman 12, Jonathan Hunkings 26, and Daniel D. Page 58, and the latter was declared elected. For governor, Nathaniel B. Baker had 74, Ralph Metcalf 25, James Bell 2. Voted to raise for town charges $350, for schools $300, for highways $350.
[1856.] March 11. Annual town meeting in district No 5 school house. Chose : moderator, Ira Whitcher ; town clerk, Chase Whitcher ; selectmen, James J. Page, George W. Mann, Bartlett Marston ; highway surveyors, Silas M. Welch, Jonathan Stickney, Joseph Blake, Gilbert P. Wright, Ira Whitcher, Jeremiah B. Davis, Samuel Howe, Walter Mulliken, Nathaniel Stow ; supt. school committee, James Page, Amos G. Torsey ; constables, Jonathan Stickney, Daniel Whitcher. The whole number of votes cast for repre- sentative was 84. Necessary to a choice 43. Enos C. Wells had 1, Enos Wells 5, Jonathan Hunkings 16, Daniel D. Page 62, and Daniel D. Page was elected. The vote for governor was : John S. Wells 73, Ralph Metcalf 20.
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