USA > New York > Steuben County > Landmarks of Steuben County, New York > Part 4
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After the lapse of seven short years the same necessity led to the erection of another county, and, therefore, through the energetic efforts of Charles Williamson, agent of the Pulteney association and others, Steuben county was formed from Ontario, the act therefor being passed and approved on the 8th day of March, 1796. At the census taken in 1790 the districts comprising the new jurisdiction contained only two hundred inhabitants; in 1795 about one thousand, and in 1800 a total of two thousand. Within its present boundaries Steuben county con- tains about one thousand three hundred square miles of land, and is among the largest civil divisions of the State.
The county was named in honor of Frederick William Augustus, Baron Steuben, who with several other titled and honored foreigners gave substantial aid to the American cause during the first war with Great Britain. The life and services of this distinguished and patriotic "Knight of the Order of Fidelity " are worthily recorded in the pages of history and need no reproduction here, yet, as a brief tribute to his memory, we may state that Baron Steuben, previous to his departure for America, was aid de camp to Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. Under Congress and General Washington he was major-general and inspector-general in the American army, serving during the Revolu- tionary war. "Esteemed, respected and supported by Washington, he gave military skill and discipline to the citizen soldiers, who (fulfilling the decrees of Heaven) achieved the independence of the United States."
Baron Steuben was born in one of the German provinces about the year 1730. He came to the United States on the Ist of December, 1777, where he ever afterward lived. He died on the 25th of Novem- ber, 1795.
Steuben county, as originally constituted, was materially larger in area than at the present time, having surrendered portions of its territory
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LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
to other jurisdictions, which we may briefly note. On March II, 1808, the seventh range of townships was set off to Allegany county, which was created April 7, 1806. The part in the fork of Lake Keuka was annexed to Ontario county, February 25, 1814. A part of Dansville was attached to Livingston county, February 15, 1822, and a part of Reading to Yates county in 1824. Another part of Reading was set off to Schuyler county on the creation of the latter, April 17, 1854. When Steuben was erected its territory was divided into six towns or provi- sional districts, and known respectively as Bath, Canisteo, Dansville, Frederickstown, Middletown and Painted Post. Of these original divi- sions the names of only two are now preserved as towns of the county. Bath originally comprised the entire northern portion of the county, including the towns now known as Bath, Urbana, Wheeler, Prattsburg, Pulteney, Avoca, Howard, and a portion of Cohocton. Dansville com- prised all that is now Dansville, Fremont, Wayland, and part of Howard and Cohocton. Frederickstown included Wayne and Bradford in this county, and also Barrington and Starkey in Yates county, and Tyrone, Reading and Orange in Schuyler county. Middletown comprised all that is now Addison, Rathbone, Thurston, Tuscarora, Woodhull, and parts of Troupsburg and Jasper. Canisteo comprised the present town so named, also Greenwood, West Union, Huntsville, Hornellsville, and parts of Jasper and Troupsburg.
After the erection of the county a complete organization was effected with little difficulty. The first officers were William Kersey, first judge ; Abraham Bradley and Eleazur Lindley, associate judges ; George D. Cooper, county clerk ; William Dunn, sheriff; Stephen Ross, surrogate. In accordance with the determination of the most influential element of the county, the village of Bath was designated as the seat of justice, and the agents of the proprietary made generous provision for the county buildings and other public purposes.
The first court-house was completed and occupied for court purposes on the Ist of June, 1796. The building was of frame, one and one- half stories high, with two wings, and served the necessities of the county until 1828, then being superseded by a more substantial brick structure, the latter, however, being destroyed by fire in October, 1859. Following the disaster, in 1860, the present attractive court-house was erected. In 1796, also, the first county jail, a log building, was erected
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33
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND INSTITUTIONS.
and stood in the rear of the subsequent stone jail, the latter standing at the northwest corner of the square. The next jail was built in 1845, and, in turn, was replaced with the present brick building, erected in 1882, at a total cost of nearly $30,000. The new clerk's office was built in 1872, at a cost of about $11,000, and the surrogate's office in 1886, at an expense of $8,707.77.
As the county increased in population and commercial importance, the convenience of the inhabitants demanded a division into jury dis- tricts for court purposes. Consequently, on the 19th of July, 1853, an act was passed making the desired division, and designating the now city of Corning as the seat of justice of the second jury district of the county. From that time courts have been held alternately at Bath and Corning. However, during the legislative session of 1888-89 an at- tempt was made to secure the passage of an act establishing a western jury district in the county, the proposed seat to be at Hornellsville, and although the act was passed by both houses of the Legislature. the bill failed to become a law through lack of the executive approval. The court-house at Corning, a substantial and attractive brick building, was built during the years 1853 and '54, and cost $14,000.
Having referred to the general buildings and properties, in this con- nection we may also properly make some brief allusion to another im- portant institution of the county, that in which are kept and supported the unfortunate poor. At the annual session of the Board of Super- visors held in November, 1833, it was "Resolved, that a poor-house shall be established in the county of Steuben for the reception of the poor of said county, and that all distinction between the county poor and town poor be abolished, etc .; " also " that Messrs. Knox, Reynolds and Towsley be a committee to ascertain where a farm can be had for the use of the poor, etc." In December following the supervisors directed the superintendents of the poor to purchase the farm offered by Ephraim Barney, and also appropriated the sum of $4,000 for the purpose of paying for the farm and the erection of a poor-house build- ing. The county farm is located in the town of Bath, about two miles north of the village. From the humble beginning noted above the present excellent institution for the care of the county poor has grown. The property consists of a large and well tilled farm, while the build-
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LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY
ings, of brick, stone and frame, are ample and comfortable. This de- partment of the county government receives the same careful attention as do all others.
Now, having referred to the various properties and interests of Steu- ben county, it is proper that a record be made of the names of persons who have been identified with the county in its civil and political his- tory. In other words, it is fitting that we publish a complete list of officers who have represented this county in Federal, State or local government ;
Presidential Electors -John Lloyd, 1828; Grattan H. Wheeler, 1840; John D. Higgins, 1844; Ferral C. Dininny, 1852 ; James Alley, 1864; Horace Bemis, 1868; John McDougall, 1876; Amory Hough- ton, jr., 1880; Anthony L. Underhill, 1884; James B. Day, 1892.
Representatives in Congress .- Daniel Cruger, 1817-19; William Woods, 1823-25; John Magee, 1827-29, and 1829-31 ; Grattan H. Wheeler, 1831-33 ; Edward Howell, 1833-35 ; John T. Andrews, 1837-39 ; William S. Hubbell, 1843-45 ; David Rumsey, jr., 1847-49, and 1849-51 ; Robert V. Van Valkenburgh, 1861-63, and 1863-65 ; C. C. B. Walker, 1873-75 ; John N. Hungerford, 1875-77 ; David P. Richardson, 1878-80, and 1880-82; John Arnot, 1882-84; Ira Daven- port, 1884-86, and 1886-88 ; John Raines, 1888-1890, and 1800-92 ; Charles W. Gillett, 1892-96.
Lieutenant-Governor .- Robert Campbell, of Bath, elected November 2, 1858. Mr. Campbell was also regent of the university, appointed February 2, 1846, vice John A. Dix, resigned.
Canal Commissioner .- Stephen T. Hayt, of Corning, elected No- vember 6, 1866.
Canal Appraiser .- Henry H. Hull, of Bath, appointed April 5, 1855.
Superintendent of Banks .- Daniel C. Howell, of Bath, appointed February 3, 1870.
State Senators .- Vincent Matthews, 1798-1804; Henry A. Towns- end, 1811-15; Grattan H. Wheeler, 1829-32; George Huntington, 1836-40 ; William M. Hawley, 1848-49; William J. Gilbert, 1851; Andrew B. Dickinson, 1854-55 ; John K. Hale, 1856-57 ; Samuel H. Hammond, 1860 61 ; Stephen T. Hayt, 1864-66 ; G. T. Harrower, 1872- 73 ; George B. Bradley, 1874-76, and 1876-78 ; Ira Davenport, 1878- 80 ; Charles E. Walker, 1892-93.
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CIVIL LIST.
1142211
Members of Assembly -Charles Williamson, 1798-1800; James Faulkner, 1804; John Wilson, 1805-07 ; George Hornell, 1808; Henry A. Townsend, 1809; John Knox, 1810-II; Jacob Teeple, 1812-13 ; Daniel Cruger, 1814-16 ; William B. Rochester, 1817-18 ; John Dow, 1819-21 ; Grattan H. Wheeler, 1822; George McClure and William Woods, 1823 ; George McClure and Grattan H. Wheeler, 1824; John Kennedy and James McBurney, 1825; D. Cruger and G. H. Wheeler, 1826; Paul C. Cook and George McClure, 1827 ; Dugald Cameron and William Woods, 1828; Randall Graves and Henry Phoenix, 1829; Andrew B. Dickinson and Josiah Dunlap, 1830; Paul C. Cook and Josiah Dunlap, 1831; Edward Howell and John McBurney, 1832; William Hunter and William Kernan, 1833 ; Joshua Healey and Will - iam Kernan, 1834; Jeremiah Baker and Joshua Healey, 1835 ; Lemuel B. Searles and Henry Switzer, 1836; Henry G. Cotton, John I. Pop- pins and Benjamin Smead, 1837; Samuel Griggs, David Hall and Manning Kelly, 1838; Andrew G. Chatfield, Abram M. Lybolt and Johnson N Reynolds, 1839; Richard Brower, Andrew G. Chatfield and Abram M. Lybolt, 1840; A. G. Chatfield, William S. Hubbell and Samuel A. Johnson, 1841 ; Aaron W. Beach, Francis E. Erwin and Ziba A Leland, 1842 ; Morris Brown, Francis E. Erwin and Ziba A. A. Leland, 1843 ; John Jamison, Asa McConnell and Jeffrey Smith, 1844; William C. Rogers, Ansel C. Smith and Jacob Van Valken- burgh. 1845 ; A. G. Chatfield, Otto F. Marshall and William C. Rogers, 1846; Hiram Chapman, William Diven and William Hunter, 1847; Abel Kendall, John G Mercereau and Alex. H. Stephens, 1848; Abram J. Quackenboss, John G. Mercereau and John K. Hale, 1849; Edwin F. Church, Ferral C. Dininny and James Alley, 1850; Charles G. Higby, James M. Miles and Joel Carrington, 1851 ; R. B. Van Valkenburgh, Benajah P. Bailey and Nathaniel M. Perry, 1852 ; Dryden Henderson, John McBurney and Henry H. Bouton, 1853; John F. Williams, B. P. Bailey and Obediah Stephens, 1854; Seth B. Cole, Sylvester Smith and Peter C. Ward, 1855; Goldsmith Denniston, Albert C. Morgan and Harlo Hakes, 1856; R. B. Van Valkenburgh, George T. Spencer and Solon O. Thacher, 1857 ; R. B. Van Valken- burgh, Washington Barnes and William B. Jones, 1858 ; Abel Eveland, Wickham R. Crocker and John T .. Plato, 1859; David B. Bryan, Henry Sherwood and Samuel M. Alley, 1862 ; John W. Taggart, Henry
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LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
Sherwood and Horace Bemis, 1863; William E. Bonham, Alexander Olcott and J. Harvey Stephens, 1864; William E. Bonham, Alexander Olcott and Horace Bemis, 1865 ; William B. Boyd, Amaziah S. Mckay and Frederick M. Kreidler, 1866; William B. Boyd and Christian Minier, 1867; John F. Little and Lyman Balcom, 1868; Monroe Brundage and Samuel Mitchell, 1869; James G. Bennett and John Davis, 1870; Thomas M. Fowler and James B. Murdock, 1871; Thomas M. Fowler and Stephen F. Gilbert, 1872 ; Stephen D. Shattuck and Charles F. Houghton, 1873 ; Stephen D. Shattuck and Lucius C. Pierson, 1874; William B, Ruggles and Jerry E. B. Santee, 1875 ; William B. Ruggles and Jerry E. B. Santee, 1876; Azariah C. Brundage and George R. Sutherland, 1877-79; John W. Davis and Russell M. Tuttle, 1880; Charles S. Longwell and Russell M. Tuttle, 1881; Orange S. Searle and Allen A. Van Arsdale, 1882 ; Orange S. Searle and Andrew B. Craig, 1883; George E. Whitman and Andrew B. Craig, 1884; George E. Whiteman and Charles D. Baker, 1885; Franz S. Wolf and Charles D. Baker, 1886; Azariah C. Brundage and Charles D. Baker, 1887; Azariah C. Brundage and Milo M. Acker, 1888; Charles H. McMaster and Milo M. Acker, 1889; Peter B. Pealer and M. M. Acker, 1890 ; Grattan H. Brundage and M. M. Acker, 1891 ; Gor- don M. Patchin and Herman E. Buck, 1892-93; Willoughby W. Bab- cock and Merritt F. Smith, 1894-95.
Justices of the Supreme Court .- Thomas A. Johnson, April 7, 1847, to November 7, 1865 ; David Rumsey, appointed January 7, 1873, vice Johnson, deceased ; elected for full term in November, 1873; William Rumsey, elected November 2, 1880; re-elected ; George B. Bradley, elected November 6, 1883 ; appointed judge Second Division, Court of Appeals, January 21, 1889 ; now on General Term bench,
County Judges .- William Kersey, appointed March 31, 1796 ; James Faulkner, February 16, 1804; Samuel Baker, January 18, 1813 ; Thos. McBurney, April 15, 1816; James Norton, February 7, 1823 ; George C. Edwards, January 13, 1826; Ziba A. Leland, January 9, 1838; Jacob Larrowe, April 17, 1843 ; William M. Hawley, January 30, 1846; David McMaster, elected June, 1847; Jacob Larrowe, November, 1851; David McMaster, 1855 ; Washington Barnes, 1859; Guy H. McMaster, 1867; George T. Spencer, 1871; Guy H. McMaster, 1877; Harlo Hakes, 1883 and 1889; Frank H. Robinson, 1892.
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CIVIL LIST.
Surrogates .- Stephen Ross, appointed March 31, 1796; Henry A. Townsend, March 24, 1800; George McClure, March 25, 1805 ; John Metcalf, April 6, 1813; James Read, April 8, 1815 ; Samuel Baker, April 10, 1817; Wm. Read, March 20, 1821 ; James Brundage, March 28, 1823 ; Wm Woods, January 8, 1827 ; Robert Campbell, January 31, 1835 : David Rumsey, jr., January 24, 1840; Ansel J. McCall, February 3, 1844, county judge from June, 1847, to January, 1884; Guy H. McMaster, elected November, 1885 ; John F. Little, appointed to fill vacancy, September 19, 1887 ; M. Rumsey Miller, elected No- vember, 1888, and November, 1894.
County Clerks .- George D. Cooper, appointed March 31, 1796; Henry A. Townsend, February 11, 1799 ; John Wilson, March 21, 1807; Henry A. Townsend, February 8, 1808 ; Dugald Cameron, February 16, 1810; Henry A. Townsnd, February 11, 1811; John Wilson, Feb- ruary 13, 1815 ; Edward Howell, March 19, 1818; John Metcalf, Feb- urary 19, 1821 ; and elected in November, 1822; David Rumsey, 1829; Wm. H. Bull, 1832 ; Wm. Hamilton, 1838 ; Paul C. Cook, 1844; Philo P. Hubbell, 1850; Chas. W. Campbell, 1853 ; Samuel M. Alley, 1856; Orson Moshier, 1859; Oscar J. Averell, 1862 ; Allen Van Orsdale, 1865 ; Nirom M. Crane, 1868; Henry C. Faucett, 1871 ; Archie E. Baxter, 1874 ; Lucius A. Waldo, 1877; Wm. W. Wilson, 1880; Jacob H. Lansing, 1883; James A. Drake, appointed to fill vacancy, Novem- ber 12, 1885; Robert K. Faulkner, 1886; Edward P. Graves, 1889; James H. Giffin, 1892.
Sheriffs .- William Dunn, appointed March 31, 1796; John Wilson, March 3, 1800; Dugald Cameron, February 22, 1804; Jacob Teeple, February 16, 1808; Howard Bull, March 22, 1810; Cornelius Young- love, March 25, 1811; Thomas McBurney, March 7, 1812; Benjamin Wells, February 23, 1813; Lazarus Hammond, March 2, 1814; Geo. McClure, February 28, 1815 ; Henry Shriver, March 2, 1819; John Magee, February 19, 1821, and elected November, 1822; John Ken- nedy, 1825 ; Alva Ellas, 1828; Geo. Huntington, 1831; Jno. T. Andrews, 1834; Henry Brother, 1837; Hiram Potter, 1840; Hugh Magee, 1843; Henry Brother, 1846; Oliver Allen, 1849; Gabriel T. Harrower, 1852; Lewis D Fay, 1855; Orange Seymour, 1858; Ed- win R. Kasson, 1861 ; Wm. N. Smith, 1864; Willis E. Craig, 1867 ; Wm. B. Boyd, 1870; Holland B. Williams, 1873 ; Frank D. Sherwood,
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LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
1876; Erastus P. Higgins, 1879; Esek Page, 1882; Henry Baldwin, 1885; Oscar B. Stratton, 1888 ; George Hollands, 1891 ; Leslie D. Whiting, 1894.
District Attorneys .- This office was created April 4, 1801, and the State comprised seven districts (Steuben county being in No. 7). Each county was constituted a separate district in April, 1818. Previous to this year the seventh district was represented as follows : Wm. Stewart, appointed March 2, 1802 ; Daniel W. Lewis, March 9, 1810: Wm. Stewart, February 12, 1811; Vincent Matthews, March 12, 1813; Daniel Cruger, April 17, 1815; Daniel Cruger, June 11, 1818; John Cook, February 19, 1821 ; Henry Welles, October 22, 1824; Edward Howell, February 7, 1829; B. W. Franklin, 1834; Edward Howell, June 21, 1836; Lazarus H. Read, March 4, 1840; Andrew G. Chat- field, December 2, 1845; Morris Brown, June 20, 1846; Alfred P. Ferris, elected June, 1847; Robert L. Brundage. November, 1850; Jos. Herron, 1853 ; John Maynard, 1856 . Chris. John McDowell, 1859; Harlo Hakes, 1862 ; John H. Butler, appointed 1865, elected Novem- ber, 1865 and 1868 ; Alphonso H. Burrell, 1871 ; Ellsworth D. Mills, 1874 and 1877; Daniel L. Benton, 1880; Irving W. Near, 1883; Frank H. Robinson, 1886 and 1889; William W. Clark, 1892.
County Treasurers-An act of the Legislature, passed December 16, 1847. authorized the election of a county treasurer in each county of the State ; previous to that time the office was appointive by the super- visors. James R. Dudley, elected November, 1848 ; Perry S. Donahoe, 1851; Alex. Hess, 1857; Peter Halsey, 1858 ; John T. Allen, 1861; Peter Halsey, 1864; Theodore A. Silsbee, 1873; Sebastian G. Lewis. 1876; Frederick L. French, 1882 ; S. Smith Fairchild, 1885 ; Zenas L. Parker, 1888; Gameliel T. Conine, 1894.
School Commissioners .- By an act passed April 17, 1843, supervisors were directed to appoint county superintendents of common schools, but the office was abolished in 1847. During its operation, Ralph K. Finch and Alanson S. Phillips filled the office in Steuben county. Previous to 1857, school commissioners (an office which succeeded county superintendent) were appointed by the supervisors, but since that year have been elected. The incumbents of the office in the several districts of this county have been as follows:
First District .- Geo. McLean, Stephen Vorhis, Eli H. Brown, R. R.
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THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.
Calkins, Jos. B. Westcott, Geo. P. Avery, Jno. C. Higbee 2d, Zenas L. Parker, Geo. H. Guinnip, Edgar A. Higgins, Loring H. Barnum, Albert W. Fenton, Clark W. Halliday and Edwin C. Smith.
Second District .- P. J. Farrington, Noble H. Rising, Edmund A. Peckham, Wm. M. Sherwood, Jacob H. Wolcott, Reuben H. Williams, Abner Morrill, Wesley W. Smith and Howard B. Harrison.
Third District .- (Created in 1859, abolished in 1874, and restored in 1890) Wm. S Hall, Horatio Pettingill, Rodney Dennis, Albert T. Park- hill, Edwin Whiting, William P. Todd, Charles Moore, 1890; Charles Marlatt, 1893.
Having furnished a brief civil and political history of Steuben county, and having referred to each of its public buildings, properties and depart- ments of government, and also to its representatives in public offices, it is deemed appropriate that succeeding pages be devoted to the several civil divisions of the county, that the reader may acquire some tangible idea of the settlement, organization, growth and development of each. However, in treating of the towns only incidental reference will be made to the villages and hamlets, and in another department of this work will be found more extended histories of each. Churches, also, are made the subject of a separate chapter in this volume, classification being considered desirable for purposes of reference.
CHAPTER VI.
THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.
ADDISON .- Addison is not only one of the most progressive and prosperous interior towns of Steuben county, but it is one of the oldest of its civil divisions. It was formed under the name of " Middle- town" in March, 1796, and was one of the original provisional dis- tricts created at that time, that some form of authority might be exercised over the sparsely settled region. The old name was preserved until 1808, and then changed to Addison; and so called, we are told, in respectful allusion to Joseph Addison, the English author of note in his time.
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LANDMARKS OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
The old town of Middletown embraced a large area of territory, in- cluding all that is now Addison, Rathbone, Thurston, Tuscarora, Wood- hull, and a part of Troupsburg and Jasper. In fact, the district included the entire southern portion of the county, chiefly hill lands, yet so inter- spersed with valleys and elevated flats as to invite early settlement and consequent subdivision. As now constituted, under the present name, the town contains 16,500 acres of land, small indeed, comparatively, but rich in resources and enterprise, hence one of the best divisions of old Steuben.
Samuel Rice was the pioneer of what is now Addison. He was a Connecticut Yankee by birth, a farmer by occupation, a hero and sur- vivor of the Revolution by patriotic instinct and love of country, and a worthy pioneer in the Genesee country. Mr. Rice made his settle- ment on Tuscarora Creek, near the so-called Wombaugh mills, in 1791, and built the first house in the town. Other pioneers soon followed Rice, and among them we may mention Reuben and Lemuel Searles, George Goodhue, Oliver Miller, John Martin, Jonathan Tracy, Isaac and James Martin, Abel White, James Benham, Silas Morey, Asahel Stiles, Lemuel Stiles, Elisha Gilbert, William Wombaugh and Martin Young. These pioneers were farmers and lumbermen, kindred pursuits in the then wilderness region. They came prepared to fell the forests, manu- facture lumber for domestic use, and also to ship to market, but the ultimate purpose of the majority of them was to build up comfortable farms and homes in the new country. That they were successful is fully attested in the fine farms and beautiful homes that line the streams in this town of hills and valleys. Later generations, perhaps, have im- proved upon the condition of things left by the pioneers, yet the founda- tion for this after prosperity was laid by the first comers during the last years of the eighteenth century.
The beautiful Tuscarora valley extends south from Addison village ; the equally charming valley of the Canisteo stretches away to the west, while to the northward is the lesser valley of Goodhue Creek. The little body of water called Goodhue Lake lies in the extreme northwest of the town. At the village the Tuscarora unites with the Canisteo, while to the eastward the creek from the north adds its volume to the general flow, and the Chemung River eventually receives the combined waters of the three. These " boatable " streams were large enough to
NELSON COWAN.
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THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.
permit running large rafts during the early history of the region and as lumbering and rafting were important and profitable industries of the time, this was a central locality, and one widely known to lumber- men and speculators. Therefore we are not surprised at the very early settlement of the town, nor at loss to account for early evidences of thrift and comfort which distinguished this from some other localities less favored by nature.
The inference that Addison, or Middletown, was comparatively well settled at a very early day seems to be borne out by fact, for the census reports show that the population of the district in 1800 was 174, and in 1813 had increased to 369, and that despite the fact that a large part of Troupsburg was taken off in 1808. Although the records throw no light on the point, it is confidently believed that when this district was formed in 1796, there were one hundred inhabitants on the territory. At all events there was population sufficient to perfect the town organi- zation.
The first town meeting was held on the first Tuesday in February, 1797, at which time officers were elected as follows: Reuben Stiles, supervisor ; Oliver Miller. town clerk ; Lemuel Searle, constable ; Jonathan Tracy and Asahel Stiles, poormasters; John Martin, George Goodhue and Stephen Dolson, highway commissioners ; Lemuel Searle, collector ; Abel White, Oliver Miller and Jonathan Tracy, school com- missioners ; Elisha Gilbert and Silas Morey, fence viewers, and Reuben Searles, poundmaster.
From this it will be seen that the governmental affairs of the town were placed in proper condition in the year next following the creation of the county, but it would appear that the first meeting of electors was rather poorly attended, for there were not enough incumbents for the several offices without " thrusting double honors " upon some of the freemen present.
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