USA > New York > Orleans County > Landmarks of Orleans County, New York > Part 51
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Ozias S. Church was born in 1785 in Windham, Conn. He married, in 1829, Parmelia Palmer, also a native of Windham. They removed to Otsego county, N. Y., in 1812, to Henrietta, N. Y., in 1817, and to Barre in 1834. Politically Mr. Church was a Democrat, and an active politician. He was census marshal in Monroe county in 1830, and in Orleans county in 1840. During twenty years he was postmaster at South Barre. Mrs. Church died in 1861, and Mr. Church in 1863. They were the parents of John P. Church, who died while clerk of Orleans county, in 1858, and of the late Chief Justice Sanford E. Church.
Jabez Hibbard was born in Connecticut in 1794. When he was three years of age his father died and he went to Canada to live with an uncle, who kept a hotel, and who was a confederate of the notorious counterfeiter, Stephen Burroughs. Mr. Burroughs was a frequent guest at this hostelry, and at one time they sent out young Jabez with a sum of counterfeit money to pass. He became alarmed for his safety and hid the money in a hollow stump to prevent it being found in his pos- session. Just before the war of 1812 he was for three months in mili-
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tary service in Canada, but on the breaking out of the war he took un- ceremonious leave and came to the State of New York. In 1821 he married Eveline A. Glover, of Phelps, Ontario county, N. Y. They lived for a few years in Cayuga and Wayne counties, and then came to Gaines, Orleans county. In 1840 they removed to Barre, a mile and a half west from West Barre, where he died in 1881. They reared to adult age seven children.
Many other prominent families and early settlers of the town of Barre are noticed at length in subsequent pages of this volume, and among these may be mentioned here the names of Lucius Allis, Stephen Angevine, Nathan Bragg, Orange Culver, Dennis Evarts Squire and Stillman Goff, Rufus Hallock, Major William Love, Ogden Sears, Relly M. Tinkham, and Weston Westherbee.
The first physicians in town were Dr. Orson Nichoson and a Dr. Brown, who resided about two miles north of Barre Center. Dr. Nicho- son was here as early as 1819, but in 1822 removed to Albion village. Dr. Ransom Smith came next, but after a few years' practice he abandoned medicine and engaged in other business. He finally went to Ann Arbor, Mich., where he became wealthy and where he died. Among their successors in town have been Drs. Hughes, Dana Shaw, Raymond, James Wood, two Clarks, Thomas Cushing, two or three Smiths, D. H. Brennan, and J. J. Simonds.
The first cemetery in Barre was located about a mile south of Barre Center. It contained about two acres of land enclosed with a log fence, and was opened in the winter of 1819-20 by the interment of Isaac Kelly, who had assisted in putting up the fence the fall before. While crossing Perry's Island in the Tonawanda swamp at night he succumbed to the cold, and the next morning was carried to the house of Cyril Wilson, where he died. This was the first death in Barre. Several other small burial grounds were opened in different parts of the town as occasion necessitated, but since the organization of Mt. Albion Ceme- tery at Albion village they have seldom been used, while many re- movals from them to the larger and more beautiful place of the dead have been made.
In 1828 the first and only murder committed in Barre occurred at a place about two miles northeast of Barre Center on a road for many
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years known as "Murder Lane." A man named Jones was said to have killed his brother's wife by strangling her. He was tried and sent to State's prison for life.
In the great war of the Rebellion the town of Barre sent to the front a goodly number of her brave and patriotic citizens, many of whom won honors imperishable, and a number of whom gave their lives to the country. As this town at that time comprised the present towns of Barre and Albion it is quite possible that an accurate separation of the single list, compiled under the authority of the State, into the fol- lowing list and a similar one in the chapter devoted to Albion has not been made, but we assure the reader that no efforts have been spared to make it as authentic as retentive memories will permit.
Francis G. Avery, 27th Inf. John M. Amos, 151st Inf.
John H. Babcock, 2d Mounted Rifles.
Charles H. Briggs, 8th H. Art.
John Frost, 33d Inf.
George R. Brignall, 27th Inf.
Richard Foreman, 151st Inf.
Charles Eddy, 151st Inf.
Henry C. Edwards, 151st Inf.
William Foreman, 17th Bat.
Manly Bannister, 14th H. Art.
Jerome B. Billings, 90th Inf.
John Foreman, 17th Bat. William H. Freeman, 4th H. Art
Jeremiah C. Fargo, 4th H. Art.
William H. Gage, 151st Inf.
Mortimer R. Gibson, 4th H. Art.
Benjamin F. Goodwin, 8th H. Art.
Allen W. Case, 8th H. Art.
Oliver Clark, 8th H. Art. Isaac Cornell, 151st Inf.
Isaac Gibbs, 151st Inf. Myron Gibbs, 4th H. Art.
Michael Hites, 8th H. Art.
George W. Crane, 19th Inf.
Orrin B. Hibbard, 8th H. Art.
Thomas Cushing, 28th Inf., 20th Col'd. Inf.
Isaac C. Humphrey, 27th Inf.
Franklin Chatidon, 8th H. Art.
William H. Cornell, 50th Eng. Corps. Robert Capstick, 11th Inf. William S. Cole, 15Ist Inf.
Oba W. Hoag, 8th H. Art. George D. Hollister, 8th H. Art.
Amasa B. Holt, 8th H. Art.
Sidney L. Hitchcock, 151st Inf.
Luther N. Herrick, 9th Cav.
Augustus F. Herdick, ship's clerk.
James Drummond, 151st Inf. John Dean, 151st Inf. Henry M. Delano, 23d Bat. Edwin Eddy, 27th Inf.
Delos H. Eddy, 3d Inf.
Almon B. Fargo, 151st Inf.
Samuel Frear, 151st Inf.
William A. Burroughs, 8th H. Art.
John Bowers, 169th Inf. John Bannister, jr., 27th Inf., 24th Cav.
Andrew Bentley, 4th H. Art.
Hiram H. Bradner, 8th H. Art.
Caleb P. Crowell, 151st Inf. Judson Crane, 90th Inf. John F. Cole, 151st Inf.
Porter J. Goodwin, 8th H. Art.
George R. Clark, 2d Mounted Rifles.
John D. Howard, 27th Inf.
Alfred T. Johnson, 8th H. Art. William H. Johnson, 8th H. Art.
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
Charles R. Johnson, 13th H. Art. Adelbert L. Jackson, 151st Inf.
James Ogden Reed, 8th H. Art.
James F. Raymond, 8th H. Art.
Frank H. Kregel, 3d Cav.
John A. Raymond, 2d Mounted Rifles.
Charles Austin King, 8th H. Art. John E. King, 27th Inf.
Orrin S. Stearns, 2d Mounted Rifles.
Oscar Stewart, 4th H. Art.
John Kellog, 8th H. Art.
Joel F. T. St. Clair, 151st Inf. .
William D. Lord, 8th H. Art.
John Sullivan, 125th Inf., 94th Vet, Inf.
Charles E. Lockwood, 151st Inf.
Hiram Starkweather, 151st Inf.
Zephraim La Riviere, 151st Inf.
Samuel B. Leavens, 17th Bat.
Alphonso W. Starkweather, 1st Sharp- shooters. Relly M. Tinkham, 8th H. Art.
Frank M. Loveland, 151st Inf.
Charles C. Loveland, 151st Inf.
Samnel Tent, jr., 151st Inf.
Charles B. Luce, 4th H. Art.
John H. Tower, 8th Cav.
Luther Morgan, 8th Cav.
James William Troley, 2d Mounted Rifles.
Henry C. Mattoon, 151st Inf. Gilbert A. Reed, 25th Inf.
Orra A. Van Dusen, 11th Inf,
Daniel J. Vermilyea, 23d Bat.
George Myers, 8th H. Art.
Elijah A. Vredenburgh, 23d Bat.
Charles H Mattison, 151st Inf.
Samuel H. McKay, 8th H. Art.
Jay Martin, 90th Vet. Inf.
Harlow B. White, 151st Inf.
Horace P. Mitchel, 14th H. Art.
Benjamin F. Wakefield, 8th H. Art.
James Madill, 2d Mounted Rifles.
William Henry Morse, 2d Mounted Rifles.
Chauncey A. Morrison, 151st Inf.
George W. White, 2d Mounted Rifles.
William P. Wage, 8th H. Art.
David Fish Morrison, 151st Inf.
James O. Nickerson, 28th Inf., 8th H. Art.
Lyman R. Patterson, 17th Bat.
William Thomas Piper, 8th H. Art.
Daniel D. Wolfram, 151st Inf.
James Prizey, jr., 8th H. Art.
George Weaver, 151st Inf.
Windsor Paine, 8th H. Art.
Bradley S. Webster, 8th Cav.
George C. Rosenbrook, 14th H. Art.
Charles M. Whitney, 8th H. Art.
Edwin L. Wage, 151st Inf.
George R. Mason, 27th Inf.
Andrew D. Warner, 151st Inf.
Franklin White, 8th Cav.
Clark M. Wolfram, 151st Inf.
In 1880 Barre had a population of 2,325 and in 1890 of 2, 154 In 1893 the town was assessed on real estate $1, 167,570 (equalized $1,- 176,032) and on personal property $37,850. The total tax on roll ag- gregated $7,537.26, the rate per cent. being .0060335. The town audits allowed amounted to $932.74. Two corporations owning prop- erty in town was assessed on real estate : The Glens Falls Insurance Company $1,610, and the Bell Telephone Company $450. The pres- ent (1894) town officers are as follows: William Luttenton, supervisor ; J. E. McKay, town clerk ; Homer D. Waldo, Weston Wetherbee, B. Talcott Porter, J. L. Batchelor, justices of the peace; Orren Evarts,
Wilson White, U. S. Navy.
Ammi Whitney, 26th Inf.
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Charles Cope, L. E. Allis, assessors ; Sylvester Bragg, highway com- missioners.
Since a comparatively early date deposits of peat have been known to exist in different portions of Barre, but they have not been generally considered of sufficient depth and extent to warrant the expense of utilizing it as fuel. In 1864 a bed covering about twenty two acres, and testing a depth of thirty-five feet without finding bottom, was dis- covered in the west part of the town, and a company consisting of An- drew Chester, C. J. Beach, H. B. Herrick, and M. H. Beecher was formed for working it. During that and the following year they dug and sold about 700 tons of peat, which proved to be of an excellent quality, and was said by some to be fully as good as coal. But owing to the distance from market and the lack of convenient shipping facili- ties the business was abandoned in 1866, and never revived. The moss, which grows exuberantly and gradually changes to peat beneath the water, has long been used by nurserymen near Rochester for packing trees, etc., for shipping to distant points. Within a few years this bed has been purchased by a company in Buffalo. The moss is gathered, baled and sent to nurserymen. That substance found next below this is sent to cities and utilized by livery stable men and others for bedding animals. The partially decayed matter lying still lower is taken away and used for fertilizing purposes.
In 1865 in the eastern part of the town indications of petroleum were discovered and two wells were sunk by a stock company organized for the purpose, but their expectations of striking oil resulted only in find- ing a quantity of salt water, from which, as an experiment, a good quality of salt was made. Even the production of this as well as work on the wells was finally abandoned. Three years afterward another well was begun, after securing oil leases of several farms in the vicinity, on a tract of some 1,600 acres of the Tonawanda swamp owned by a Mrs. Collins. The work was commenced, about a mile from any hard ground, at the suggestion of a spiritual medium, who asserted that the locality contained oil. Reaching a depth of 135 feet he drillers struck what was supposed to be a vein of valuable mineral water, and work was suspended. Near the well a large boarding house was built and preparations were made to utilize the water, which was thought to
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possess the best of sanative properties, but the untimely death of the proprietress put an end to the project. The sanitarium has since only been utilized as a tenant house and for occasional country dances. At a place "designated by the spirits," a half mile farther into the swamp, drilling was also prosecuted two or three seasons to a depth of 1,900 feet. While this work was in progress two boilers exploded, the first of which killed one man; the second seriously wounded another and totally destroying the engine house. In both instances the work was repaired and drilling resumed. Although some $40,000 were expended in this enterprise it nevertheless proved, so far as oil was concerned, a complete failure.
From the opening of the Erie Canal to the completion of the New York Central Railroad the Oak Orchard road was a thoroughfare of great activity. It was the favorite route in this vicinity for reaching the near- est shipping point, and the extensive transportation over it led to the frequent establishment of taverns to accommodate the large numbers of teamsters, of whom it is said that sometimes as many as thirty or forty could be seen at a single point. Joshua Raymond, familiarly known as " Uncle Josh," was one of the earliest tavern-keepers in town. His inn stood half a mile north of South Barre. About a mile southeast from the old Raymond Hotel still stands the house that was for many years known as the Ketcham tavern-from the name of its proprietor, David Ketcham. The building was commenced by John Doak, and completed by James Reed at a very early day. Only a few are now living who remember the frolics of which this hostelry was the scene. Choice spirits met here to while away their winter even- ings, and sociability was heightened by the choice spirits which the bar of mine host furnished. More than a quarter of a century has passed since this ceased to be a tavern, but in external appearance the house has undergone little change. Some fourteen years since a " grange hall " was erected on the opposite side of the street from this old tavern. This was used not only for meetings of the Patrons of Husbandry, but for social gatherings, lectures, etc. Spiritual mediums often held forth here, and disembodied spirits, it was said, frequently manifested themselves. The hall went up in smoke a few years since. These hostelries have been converted into farm houses, leaving few
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evidences indicating their former character. In some instances the place where the bar stood or the room in which dancing was once en- joyed is still well remembered. Several years ago the hotel at Barre Center was burned and none has been kept in the town since.
Probably the first highway in Barre was the Oak Orchard road, previously mentioned. In some places it was made passable with corduroy, especially over the Tonawanda swamp, where it makes use of two islands by an easterly deflection half a mile south of Barre Cen- ter. The land which it includes was not deeded by the Holland Land Company to settlers who purchased on one or both sides of it, but was laid out and reserved solely for public highway purposes. In 1852 what was known as the "straight road " was constructed across the swamp on the line between ranges one and two. This was authorized by the Legislature and the commissioners were John Dunning, Amos Root, David E. E. Dix, and Henry Monell. One of the earliest high- ways was the Lee road, which was opened as early as 1817, and runs west from the Oak Orchard road near the north line of the town. At a time when plank roads were considered best for heavy teaming a company was formed which planked the Oak Orchard road between Barre Center and Albion, but a few years later the planks were removed or covered with gravel. It was kept in repair till 1869, when it was abandoned as a toll road and once more became a public highway. In 1866 the town records were burned with the town clerk's office at Barre Center, and since then the highways in Barre have been resur- veyed under a Legislative act, but the dates of opening the principal roads are irreparably lost.
BARRE CENTER .- This is the largest village in Barre, and is situated nearly in the geographical center of the original town. Jesse O'Hara erected the first log house on its site in the spring of 1817 ; in the sum- mer of that year Joseph Pelow and Asa Phillips put up similar habita- tions, the former a half mile north and the latter a quarter of a mile south. Mr. Phillips's cabin stood on the site of the subsequent residence of Alvah Mattison. The first framed house was erected by Samuel Hathaway about 1822, and, with some alterations, is still standing. Many of the houses in the village were built between the years 1830 and 1835, but most of the present dwellings, several of which are fine
AM Jmkham
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
specimens of architecture, were erected within the last two decades. Stephen Skinner opened the first blacksmith shop about 1827, and was followed soon afterward by Jacob S. Flint as a carpenter and joiner and by Asa St. Clair as a shoemaker. Until 1867 a tavern was kept here, but in that year it was burned and since then no hotel has existed either in this village or in the town. About 1833 a steam saw mill was erected by Skinner, Crosman & Co. on the site of the present mill, and a few years afterward a grist mill was added, but this proved an unprofitable investment. In 1849 it was burned, and in 1850 was rebuilt by Floyd Starr and Stephen Crane, who subsequently sold it to R. M. Tinkham, who put in machinery for the manufacture of staves and heading, which soon became a prosperous business. He sold out in 1866 to Tent, Tice & Co., whose successor was Samuel Flint, who sold the property to Guy Salisbury in 1886. The capacity of the mill was increased, and connected with it is a large barrel manufactory. The present proprietors are Salisbury, Mattison & Salisbury. At this village also wagons and sleighs were formerly quite extensively manu- factured, and within the last few years a cider mill has been operated by William Cooper. Besides the industries named Barre Center now contains a church, two stores, and a post-office with Henry B. Jackson as postmaster. The first post-office in the original town was established about 1819 and was called Barre. Oliver Benton was appointed the first postmaster and held the office many years. Mr. Benton was also a noted tavern keeper on the Oak Orchard road north of this village.
SOUTH BARRE .- This hamlet is located on the Oak Orchard road some three mile's southeast of Barre Center, and in early days boasted a log hotel, but it never acquired the dignity of a village. About 1836 Christopher Brittain started a small foundry for the manufacture of plows, etc., but the business ceased at his death some ten years later. For a half dozen years following 1827 Lewis and Charles Genung built a number of their stationary threshing machines, which were said to be the first of the kind manufactured in Western New York. The place has also had a store or two and a wagon and blacksmith shop. Ozias S. Church was postmaster twenty years. The present incumbent is John Andrews.
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WEST BARRE .- The first settler at what is now West Barre was Ben- son Manchester, from whom the locality was originally called Man- chester's Corners. Later it became known as Jackson's Corners, from Ralph Jackson, another pioneer, but since the establishment of the post- office there it has generally been referred to as West Barre, its official name. It is situated in the southwest part of the town and for some years was the residence of Rev. Allen Steele, a distinguished clergy- man of the M. E. Church. The place contains a church, a store, a blacksmith, and a post office with Frank Gray as postmaster.
The Lee road, or Lee's Settlement, in early days was a somewhat active industrial locality. One of the first saw mills in Barre was erect- ed on lot 24, range 2, about 1817, by Artemas Houghton, and more recently it was known as Sill's mill. The pioneer tannery, a crude affair at first, was also located here, and was started by B. J. Gates, who carried on shoemaking in connection with his tanning business. For some years his only vat was a hollow log, but in time the industry was much extended. The tannery was burned several years ago and scarcely nothing remains to mark its former location. There are no streams in the town that afford sufficient water to propel machinery, and because of this lack of natural advantage manufacturing industries, being obliged to depend entirely upon steam or animal power, have never thrived to extensive proportions.
The First Presbyterian Church of Barre Center .- The pioneers of the original town of Barre were largely from New England or the eastern part of this State, and early in the settlement of this portion of the Holland Purchase they took measures to institute religious services. On the 5th of November, 1816, at the house of Joseph Hart on the hill on the Oak Orchard road just south from the railroad, in what is now Albion, the First Congregational Society was legally organized by Revs. Comfort Williams and Eleazer Fairbanks, of Rochester, with these constituent members : Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hart, Mr. and Mrs. Ebenezer Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. Ithamar Hebard, Artemas Thayer, Artemas Houghton, Joel Bradner, and Thankful Thurston. Artemas Houghton was the first deacon. In March, 1822, the Holland Land Company deeded the society the gospel lot, i. e., 100 acres, com- prising the north part of lot 19, town 15, range 2, as the first regu-
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lar religious organization in Barre. Services were held in school houses or dwellings in the vicinity of what is now Albion village (then New- port) until 1826, when a Presbyterian Church was formed there which took fifteen members from the parent body, and the meetings of the society were changed to Benton's Corners, where they continued till 1829, when they were transferred to Barre Center, where they have ever since been held. About 1873 the Presbyterian form of church government was adopted. It was not until 1834 that their first house of worship was erected. It cost $1,600, and in 1848 was enlarged at an expense of $700. In 1852 a thousand-pound bell, costing $400, was placed in the belfrey, and in 1875 this was superseded by a new bell and the interior of the edifice was rearranged at a total cost of $1,500, and the church was rededicated free from debt. In 1886 it was again remodeled at an expense of $1,300 and in 1889 the parsonage was repaired at a cost of $750. Of the pastors who have served this society the following is believed to be a nearly correct list : Revs. Charles Cook, Andrew Rawson, William Johnson, Mr. Clary, Ebenezer Raymond, Mr. Torrey, Mr. Gilbert, Jonathan Hovey, Robert Laird, Gilbert Crawford, Mr. Wood, A. H. Gaston, Bela Fancher, E. D. Tay- lor, Mr. Winship, J. B. Hoyt, Mr. Towry, E. Allen, S. W. Billington, E. W. Kellogg, W. G. Hubbard, D. K. Millard, J. W. Marcusson, J. D. English, A. W. Beecher, S. H. Beshgetoor, and N. B. Andrews.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of West Barre .- The class forming the nucleus of this church was organized about 1821 at Pine Hill, north of West Barre village. At first it consisted of five members, who inet for worship in a log school house, and one of its earliest ministers was Rev. Mifflin Hearker, a circuit preacher. A framed school house was erected at West Barre in 1827 and this was used as a place of meeting until 1833 in which year their first house of worship was built. This structure was superseded in 1850 by the present edifice, which was enlarged in 1866 at a cost of $1,700, of which amount Col. Elisha Wright contributed $600. In 1878 it was again repaired at an ex- pense of about $3,000. The auditorium was reconstructed with especial reference to correct acoustic arrangement, and it is now one of the best audience rooms in the county. These repairs were made without leaving any debt. Among the pastors who have served this church
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the names are remembered of Revs. M. Hearker, J. Brakeman, John W. Nivins, Gustavus Hines, Salmon Judd, Mr. Jerry, Mr. Bedford Thomas Castleton, W. D. Buck, J. B. Lanckton, Hiram Sanford, J. B. Hoyt, D. Luce, Carroll Luther, E. B. Sanford, Philander Powers, H. M. Riplev, J. W. Vaughn, John Timmerman, Allen Steele, R. N. Leak, William Magovern, Daniel Clark, E. Wildman, A. H. Maryott, D. D. Cook, Joseph Morrow, and P. P. Sowers.
The First Baptist Church of Barre was organized about 1823, and during its existence held services at what has long been known as Bragg's Corners. At one time it had 100 members. The first pastor was Rev. Asa Spencer, who ministered to the society until his death. Two of the other pastors were Rev. Elijah Parsons and Minor Blood. A house of worship was never built, but religious services were held in the school house or in private dwellings. The organization became extinct about 1842.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE TOWN OF SHELBY.
Shelby was erected from Ridgeway on the 6th of March, 1818, and remained a part of Genesee county until April 5, 1825, when it was annexed to the county of Orleans. Thus it will be seen that this town was not included in the original act incorporating Orleans county No- vember II, 1824. It was named in honor of Col. Isaac Shelby, a Revolutionary soldier, and for eight years governor of Kentucky.
The surface is undulating, and the soil is a mixture of sand, clay, and lime, being very fertile and producing excellent crops of grain, fruit, garden stuff, etc. It is drained by Oak Orchard Creek, which flows north through the center of the town, and by small tributaries of this stream and of Johnson's Creek, which have their sources respectively in the northeast and northwest corners of the township. It is the south- west corner town in Orleans county and comprises an area of 28,628 acres. The southern portion lies within the great Tonawanda Swamp.
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
The first seven town meetings were held at Ellicott's mill, in Shelby Center. At the first of these, which occurred on Tuesday, April 7, 1818, David Burroughs was chosen supervisor; Micah Harrington, town clerk ; Elijah Foot, Elijah Bent, and Matthew Bennett, assessors ; . Stephen Hill, Joseph Rickey, and William Dunlap, commissioners of highways; Samuel Whitney and Jacob Freeman, overseers of the poor; Alexander Coon, collector; Oliver R. Bennett, Samuel Whitney and Ebenezer Parsons, commissioners of common schools ; James Mason, Henry Garter, jr., and Martin Cheney, inspectors of common schools; and Alexander Coon and Orange Wells, constables. At that time justices of the peace were not elected, but were appointed by the governor, and it first appears by the town records that in 1820 Elijah Foote, John Lee, and Micah Harrington were magistrates in Shelby. The following have served as supervisors since the organization of the town :
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