USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hancock > The history of Hancock, New Hampshire, 1764-1889 > Part 17
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Voted, To choose a committee to purchase a farm for the use of the paupers, and to have it in readiness for use by the 1st of April, 1828. Thatcher Bradford, Jacob G. Lakin, and Timothy Moors were chosen said committee.
The above committee were instructed to dispose of all the land belonging to the town that could consistently be sold, and Thatcher Bradford was to be the agent of the town to deed said land away.
Jacob Flint was chosen an agent to oppose the laying out of two roads, one through the land of John Sprague and one through the land of Moses Dennis, to Peterboro' line, by the court's committee. If said committee laid out either of these contemplated roads, then said Flint was to oppose the acceptance of their report at the Court of Common Pleas.
Sept. 18th. " Heard the report of the committee chosen to pur- chase a farm."
" Voted to delay purchasing a farm for the present," and the com- mittee was discharged.
March 11, 1828. The selectmen were directed to provide a house for the use of one family for the ensuing year, and two other families were each given the use of a cow belonging to the town.
The support of two persons was sold at auction.
Nov. 3d. Voted for presidential electors. Seven persons received 167 votes each, one person received 166 votes, and eight persons 61 votes each.
Dec. 29th. "Voted that the town agrees to allow a stove or stoves to be put into the meeting house."
149
ANNALS OF THE TOWN.
March 10, 1829. Vote for members of congress : John Broad- head, 152; Joseph Harmon, 152; Jonathan Harvey, 152; Thomas Chandler, 152; Henry Hubbard, 152; John W. Weeks, 152; Langley Boardman, 41; David Barker, Jr., 41; Ezekiel Webster, 33; John Wallace, Jr., 41; Jotham Lord, 41; Joseph Bell, 37.
" Voted that our proportion of the Literary fund be put at interest the present year."
$500 were raised for schools, and $1500 to defray town charges.
March 9, 1830. $1500 were raised to defray town charges, $500 for schools, and $30 for singing. Charles Symonds was chosen to lay out the money raised for singing, and also as instructor of the singing-school.
" Voted that the Town pay the remainder due for the stove in the meeting house not exceeding $30, and the remainder of the funnels be the property of the Town."
March 8, 1831. "Voted that the ringing of the Bell finding wood and tending the fire as usual - the meeting house swept eight times in the year, and the aisles and desk washed in the month of May, be let out at auction to the lowest bidder." It was struck off to Joshua Davis at $30.
The vote for representatives to congress was taken. Six persons received 157 votes each, three persons received 40 votes each, and three persons received 39 votes each.
The entire support of the poor in the town for the ensuing year " To be supported in sickness and in health, doctoring clothing &c included," was let out to the lowest bidder, and awarded to John Gray, for $312.20.
$30 were raised for singing. The agent to lay out this money, was instructed not to lay out any of it on Sunday.
" Voted that the first Congregational society in Hancock may have the funnel that was left of the stoves in the meeting house to convert to their own use."
March 13, 1832. "Voted to sell the great pine tree near the grave yard at auction struck off the aforesaid tree to Joshua Davis, at $1.15 -"
Nov. 5, 1832. Voted for presidential electors. The vote stood 197 to 38.
March 12, 1833. The vote for representatives to congress was, 148 to 14. The state was now entitled to five members.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Charles Symonds was chosen to lay out the $30 appropriated for singing.
" Voted that the selectmen provide at the expense of the town moor cloth (so called) to be used at burials and also to provide suitable posts and hooks, or hooks, to tye horses near the grave yard."
A by-law was made at this meeting by the town to prevent, in the exact language of the law, "horses Jacks mules neat stock sheep and swine from going at large." The penalty for permitting any thing of this kind was a fine not exceeding $4 and costs of suit.
There were in favor of the revision of the constitution, 59 votes, and 60 votes against such revision.
March 11, 1834. "The sense of the qualified voters being taken on the subject of a convention for the revision of the Con- stitution, the yeas were 112, the nays were 44."
March 12th. A committee that had been appointed to look into the situation of the real estate belonging to the town, and also the situation of the poor, reported that they would recommend the town to retain the Nahor farm and support the paupers on the same, and employ a man and a woman to take care of said farm and paupers. Jacob G. Lakin was chosen overseer of the poor, and agent to make purchases to stock the farm and provide help to carry it on.
Voted, That the selectmen be instructed to sell the Abraham Davis house, so called.
" Voted that the house on the town farm be the house of correc- tion."
" Voted that the select men proceed agreeable to the statue of the state respecting idlers and tiplers immediately."
"Voted to paint the outside of the meeting house except the shingles on the roof."
"Voted that the superintending school committee dispense with visiting the schools."
March 10, 1835. Five members of congress were voted for at this meeting. We give the number of votes received by each person : Samuel Cushman, 185; Benning M. Bean, 185; Frank- lin Pierce, 185; Joseph Weeks, 185; Robert Burns, 184; Samuel Hale, 29; Anthony Colby, 29; James Wilson, Jr., 29; Joseph Bell, 28.
March 11th. $2000 were raised to defray town charges, $500
151
ANNALS OF THE TOWN.
for schools, in addition to which $100 were appropriated for schools from the literary fund; this had been the custom for several years.
" Voted that the paupers in town may have their choice of Phy- sicians in town and in any extraordinary case may have advice from a physician out of town."
The office of pound-keeper must have retained, at this time, something of its original significance, as the following will show: -
" March 20, 1835. Col. David Low having refused to take the oath of Pound keeper Capt. John Washburn was appointed pound keeper by the selectmen and took the oath of office before T. BRADFORD Justice peace
" Copy Attest J. WHITCOMB Town Clerk "
Sept. 3d. At a special town-meeting Andrew C. Cochran was elected to act as agent of the town in opposing the laying out of a road on the petition of Samuel Miller and others, " now pending in the court of Common pleas."
" Voted to choose an agent to convey the Lee farm to David Mathews on the conditions which may be agreed on by the select- men."
Abijah Hadley, Jr., Jacob G. Lakin, and Moses M. Lakin were chosen a committee to view the town-farm buildings, and report their condition to the town.
John Whitcomb was appointed to get the town-farm buildings insured.
Dec. 25, 1835. The following paper was presented to the town clerk, with the request that it might be recorded on the town book : -
" Hancock October 27, 1835 We the undersigned met and have laid or staked the ground to locate an academy where the liberty pole stands on the south side of the Common, said academy to be 40 by 45 or 50 feet, in order to present our doings to the town for permission. JONAS HUTCHINSON
DAVID PATTEN Committee
" A true copy attest, JOHN WHITCOMB, Town Clerk."
March 8, 1836. Leave was granted by a vote of the town to allow "Jonas Hutchinson, David Patten and others to build a house 40 by 50 feet, two stories high for an academical institution in front of the meeting house a little to the east of the center dis- trict school house on the south line of the common, so long as it remains a public building for an academy or meeting house "
" Voted that the select men shall designate or stake out the ground on which the above named building shall stand."
152
HISTORY OF HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Nov. 7th. Voted for presidential electors ; 167 votes were cast on the one side, and on the minority side, five persons received 3 votes each, and two persons received 2 votes each.
The question, " Is it expedient for the state to grant an appropria- tion to build an insane hospital ?" was presented to the people. 87 votes were in favor of the appropriation, and 35 votes were against it.
Feb. 14, 1837. It appears that, by an act approved Jan. 13, 1837, providing for the distribution of the public money of the United States, a certain portion was to come to Hancock. A special meeting was called to accept it. It was voted to accept it, and the faith of the town was pledged for the safe keeping and return of the same if called for.
John Whitcomb was chosen as agent to receive said public money, and lend it to people in town on such security as the select- men and agent might approve.
March 14, 1837. Samuel Cushman, James Farrington, Charles G. Atherton, Joseph Weeks, and Jared Williams each received 168 votes for members of congress. There appear to have been no votes on the other side. If the records can be trusted, or if they are understood, beginning with the year 1834, a check list was used in voting for the representative to the legislature and at no other time;1 a special record of the fact being made each year.
$600 in addition to $100 from the literary fund were raised for schools. This was $100 more than had been raised at any pre- vious year.
The twelfth article in the warrant was, "To see if the town will prohibit the selectmen from licensing tavern keepers to sell ardent spirits." . It was voted to dismiss the article; but the following vote was " that the selectmen look into and see to the management of the public houses from time to time and if the keepers of said houses do not conform to the laws respecting licensed houses that the selectmen be requested to take their license from them."
March 13, 1838. 14 votes were cast in favor of a revision of the constitution, and 158 votes were cast against a revision. 112 votes were cast in favor of the legislature's enacting a law authorizing town clerks to record deeds, and 90 votes against such a law.
March 12, 1839. Three tickets appear to have been in the field,
1 It is now used for nearly all ballots.
153
ANNALS OF THE TOWN.
in the election of members of congress this year. On the first ticket the vote was from 205 to 208; on the second ticket it was from 56 to 73, and on the third ticket, from 16 to 17.
March 13th. "Voted that the selectmen immediately post up all idlers and tipplers."
" Voted that John Whitcomb be discharged from any further re- sponsibility respecting the surplus revenue he having paid the same to the town treasurer."
March 10, 1840. Three hundred and twenty-five voters' names on the check-list.
" Voted that the town do not allow of any more exhibitions in this house."
Nov. 2, 1840. Town voted for presidential electors. The vote was 211 to 83.
March 9, 1841. In the vote for members of congress, on the one side the vote was from 187 to 191; on the other side the vote was 64. Six persons were honored by receiving 1 vote each.
" Voted that the com. to examine schools be instructed to visit the schools at the expense of the town."
" Voted that the selectmen procure blanks and cause every man in town to certify on the same to the correctness of their invoice, or take his oath as said selectmen shall see fit."
March 8, 1842. Voted again on the revision of the constitution : yeas, 8; nays, 79. The report of the superintending school com- mittee was heard and accepted.
" Voted to have the real estate appraised anew."
" Voted that the sexton mow the burying ground and clear the rubbish from the ground."
It was voted to sell the town farm and purchase a new one.
Sept. 21, 1842. This meeting was called to take into considera- tion the subject of forming a new town at "Hancock Factory Village." Kendall Gray was chosen an agent to procure counsel and oppose the formation of the new town. There were present 2 voters who favored the formation of the new town, and 122 voters who were opposed to it. It was also voted to instruct our repre- sentative to exert his influence in the legislature to oppose said division.
This is all the opposition that the records show was made to the formation of the new town. When it is remembered that the num- ber of legal voters in the town at the time was three hundred and
154
HISTORY OF HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
twenty-five, and only one hundred and twenty-two took interest enough in the matter to go to the town-meeting to enter their pro- test, it will be seen that the opposition was not very strong.
We give in this place a copy of the last official act that is found in our records of the parent town in the interest of " Hancock Factory Village," with the autographs of the board of selectmen of Hancock at that time :-
" This certifies that the following persons are duly constituted members of the Hancock Factory Engine Company No. 1, and are Bound to perform the duty of engine men in said company viz.
" Gideon D. Paige Lewis A. Fletcher
Benjamin Burt Jr. Timothy C. Warren W. Brooks James S. Burt, Jr.
Abraham Burt Whittemore
Wm. D. Butler John W. Flagg Wm C. Cross Amos Whittemore
Archibald Winn John J. Whittemore Jonathan F. Keyes Arnold Burt
Samuel Baldwin Samuel G. Dodge
Willard Stephens John B. Barker
GIDEON D. PAIGE Clerk"
" April 8, 1842 Lemuel Coton + Selectivo Sensuel Stesright
Nathaniel Down
3. 20 2
Séances
CHAPTER IX.
ANNALS OF THE TOWN. - CONCLUDED.
March 14, 1843. The state was now entitled to only four mem- bers of congress. Four parties were in the field. We give the names of persons voted for, with the number of votes each received : John R. Reding, 146; Edmund Burk, 145; Moses Norris, Jr., 146; John P. Hale, 143; Ichabod Goodwin, 48; George W. Nesmith, 48; Enos Stevens, 48; Joseph Sawyer, 48; Joseph Cilley, 10; Daniel Adams, 10; Jared Perkins, 10; Nathaniel S. Berry, 10 ; John Page, 6; James Clark, 6; Israel Hunt, Jr., 4; Abner Greenleaf, 6; John H. Steel, 1.
For sixty-two years the town had annually chosen tithing-men. This office had been filled by some of the leading men of the town.
155
ANNALS OF THE TOWN.
The last incumbents, chosen in 1842, were Thatcher Bradford and Amos Whittemore. According to Webster, a tithing-man is a parish officer chosen annually in New England to preserve good order in church during divine service, and to make complaint of any dis- orderly conduct. The need of such an officer having passed away, it was voted at this meeting to dispense with the office.
A plan had been proposed to sell the town farm to some person who might be willing to support the paupers of the town for a certain number of years, and receive the farm and personal property for so doing. This plan was not acceptable to the town, and it was voted not to sell the farm. $10 from the literary fund were appro- priated to each school district in town, and $525 raised for schools.
Number of legal voters in town, two hundred and eighty-five.
March 18, 1843. Notice was given that the town clerk, in the presence of the selectmen, would attend to the drawing of grand and petit jurors at the store of Joseph Davis, on Saturday, the twenty-fifth day of April, said jurors to serve at the Court of Common Pleas, to be holden at Amherst on the second Tuesday of April, 1843.
These jurors were duly drawn. This was also a new departure. At the first it seems that jurors were chosen by the town, as other officers were; then the town was invited to witness the drawing of their names from a box, and now the selectmen and town clerk were allowed to draw them.1
March 12, 1844. " Voted instructing the selectmen not to license any person in town to sell spirituous liquors, or wine in the same."
"Voted instructing the selectmen not to license any person or persons to sell spirituous liquors in town in any case whatever."
The article in the warrant that called out these votes was to in- struct the selectmen not to license the sale of spirituous liquors, save for medicinal purposes.
Nov. 4, 1844. Presidential electors were voted for. Three tickets were in the field. The vote stood 154, 57, and 4, with the exception that John McNeil received 153 votes, - one less than his ticket, - and Isaac Hill received 1 vote. Without doubt Mr. McNeil's name was "scratched," and Mr. Hill's put in its place.
In favor of the abolition of capital punishment, 59; against the abolition of capital punishment, 60. In favor of a revision of the constitution, 96 ; against such revision, 74.
1 All citizens who choose to be present are still invited to witness the drawing.
156
HISTORY OF HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
March 11, 1845. Vote for members of congress : John Wood- bury, 136; Moses Norris, Jr., 142; Mace Moulton, 143; James HI. Johnson, 143; Ichabod Goodwin, 45; G. W. Nesmith, 45; Thomas M. Edwards, 45; Joseph Sawyer, 45; John P. Hale, 23; Joseph Cilley, 11; Reuben Porter, 20; Humphrey Moore, 18; Jared Perkins, 20; Moses Norris, 1.
The treasurer was instructed not to pay any money to the pruden- tial committees for the payment of the teachers in the various schools, till said prudential committees shall have presented him a certificate from the superintending committee that said prudential committees have furnished them all information in regard to the schools that the law requires.
Sept. 23, 1845. Voted for one member of congress : John Wood- bury had 130 votes, Ichabod Goodwin had 44 votes, John P. Hale had 1 vote; for John P. Hale 9 votes not designating to what office he was to be elected.
Nov. 29th. Voted for member of congress again. The same candidates were voted for, with but little change. Mr. Woodbury had the same number, Mr. Goodwin had 47 votes, and Mr. Hale had 25 votes.
March 10, 1846. The same persons were again voted for for member of congress. Mr. Woodbury had 127 votes, Mr. Good- win had 49 votes, and Mr. Hale had 44 votes.
· Voted, To instruct our representative to vote to receive the money now in the treasury of the United States, belonging to this state, received from the proceeds of the sale of public lands; 83 votes in the affirmative, and 76 votes in the negative.
Voted, To instruct our representative to vote in the legislature for districting this state for representatives to congress ; 70 votes in the affirmative, and 65 votes in the negative.
Voted, To instruct the selectmen not to license any person to retail spirituous liquors.
Voted, That the selectmen repair the windows in the meeting- house; the repairing of the windows in the north gable end to be left to their discretion.
March 9, 1847. Vote for representative to congress: Mace Moulton, 145; James Wilson, 60; John Preston, 31.
The subject of repairing the meeting-house had been agitated for several years. At this meeting a committee was appointed to take the matter into consideration. Marcus A. Anthony, Gardner Nay,
-----
157
ANNALS OF THE TOWN.
Eli M. Baldwin, Jacob G. Lakin, and David Low were appointed said committee.
The subject of the revision of the constitution again came before the town. The vote was 23 yeas to 73 nays.
The school committee, as had been the case for a few years, was treated with due consideration. Their report was heard, accepted, and placed on file. That those most interested desired to see the report, had not yet dawned upon the minds of the intelligent (?) voters.
"Voted to raise the five per cent which the law allows to be raised for a teacher's institute in this county and paid over as by law directed."
July 8th. Voted again for member of congress. Mace Moulton had 135 votes, James Wilson had 61 votes, John Preston had 18 votes.
The selectmen having been directed to survey the land given to the town by James Hosley, reported that they had attended to the duty assigned them and had placed an upright stone post, with a hole drilled in the top of the same, at the north-east corner of said land, on the line of the second and third range of lots; thence west fifty-three rods and five links to a stone post placed upright at the north-west corner of said land; thence south, fourteen degrees west, ten rods and twenty-two links, to a stone post placed as afore- said at the south-west corner of said land (it being the south-west corner of the burying-ground) ; thence south sixty-five degrees, forty- five minutes east, sixty-one rods eleven links, to a stone post placed upright in the ground as aforesaid; thence north thirty-five rods twenty-two links to the bounds first mentioned.
March 15, 1848. Gardner Nay was chosen as an agent authorized to sell the pauper farm.
Voted, To raise $600 in support of schools, and to divide the literary fund equally among the districts.
Nov. 7, 1848. The town voted for presidential electors. There were five parties in the field. The first set of candidates received 142 votes; the second, 43; the third, 25; the fourth, 13, with the exception of two candidates, who received but 12; the fifth, 3; in addition there was scattering 1 vote.
" In the year 1848 that part of the farm of John Flint lying in the town of Antrim being about one-third of the same, with the inhabitants thereon living was set off to Hancock with all the privileges as though they had been a part of the town from the beginning. JARED WILLIAMS Gov.
" Jan. 1, 1849."
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
March 13, 1849. Voted, To instruct the selectmen to repair the gates of the grave-yard, and to straighten the wall; also to repair the gate of the pound.
March 12, 1850. Voted, To raise $600 to defray town charges, and $600 for schools.
" Is it expedient to alter the constitution ?" Yeas, 156; nays, 38.
Dec. 17, 1850. The second article in the warrant was to see if the town, in connection with pew-holders, will agree to move and repair the meeting-house, and adopt such measures as may be necessary for the purpose. Voted in favor of moving the meeting-house : Yeas, 46; nays, 24.
David Low, Richard Emerson, Z. W. Brooks, Ebenezer Ware, Jr., and Eli M. Baldwin were chosen a committee to examine the meeting-house and report at the adjourned meeting. Marcus A. Anthony, John Brooks, and Joseph Kimball were chosen a com- mittee to consult the pew-holders and report.
Jan. 15, 1851. Met according to adjournment. Above com- mittees reported. Both reports were laid on the table, and after some discussion, meeting adjourned to Feb. 13th, when the report as amended was adopted, which was as follows: "The committee appointed by the town of Hancock at a meeting held the 2nd inst to examine and report at an adjourned meeting as to the propriety of moving and altering the meeting-house in said Hancock, so that. the town and pew-holders may be better accommodated, have at- tended to the duty assigned them and report as follows: Your com- mittee are of opinion that it would better to alter and repair the meeting house where it now stands.
"But if John Brooks 2nd and others wish to move the meeting house to the north so that the front of the meeting house will range with the front of the vestry and put the meeting house upon a permanent stone foundation and leave the meeting house in as good repair as it now is, we recommend that they have leave to do so, if they will do it without expense to the town. Also that the meeting house may be so altered or divided as to give the town and pew holders separate parts, by carrying the south partition to the north side of the second window casings on the sides of the meeting house, the space to be occupied by the town to be from said parti- tion when moved as aforesaid, northward to the north end of the meeting house and upwards to the plastering under the galleries, and also the town to occupy and use the porch and entry and the bell
PRESENT CHURCH AND TOWN HALL.
159
ANNALS OF THE TOWN.
for all purposes for which the town may wish to use the same in common with the pew holders. Also (the town) reserving for a wood room the space under the stairs, running eastward and up- ward on the east side of the house. The pew holders having the right to remove the pews seats and pulpit and to erect all necessary supports for the floor above. And also to erect chimneys from the foundation for the purpose of conducting the smoke from the town hall and the meeting house. The town reserving the right to insert their funnel in the said chimneys, in the town hall for the above named purpose, and your committee would further recommend that if division or alteration be made in the meeting house that the town pay one third of all necessary repairs on the outside of the same while it is occupied for a town house (except the windows). The town to repair the windows in the lower part of the house and no others. Also that when the pews shall be offered for sale that it be on the same conditions as were the original pews in this house. All of which is respectfully submitted."
Joel Gates, Lemuel Eaton, and Cristy Duncan were chosen a committee to consult with other committees in relation to appoint- ing a committee to appraise the pews.
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