USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania : from its first beginnings to the present time, including chapters of newly-discovered early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume III > Part 9
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At this same session the Assembly resolved "that all the State taxes arising on the list of the year 1780, in the town of Westmoreland, be and the same are hereby abated."
At Philadelphia, under the date of January 26, 1781, the Hon. Joseph Reed, President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, wrote to Capt. Alexander Mitchell in part as follows :*
"It is with great satisfaction we have heard that, agreeable to a resolution of Congress General Washington has appointed you to the command of the garrison at Wyoming. As a dis- puted territory between two States, we have no doubt you will observe an impartial and disinter- ested attention to your trust, and rectify the abuses which have long prevailed at that place while under an interested Commander. These were principally encouraging settlers of all characters and denominations to occupy the disputed lands contrary to the letter and spirit of the enclosed Resolution of Congress. And secondly, distributing supplies, ostensibly for the garrison, to such settlers under the denomination of officers and soldiers.
"You and your people will doubtless be tempted by offers of land, and other artifices, to engage you in their interests and favor their views, which are to strengthen themselves in number and possession, so as when occasion serves to substitute force instead of Right. * * *
"Sensible of the abuses practised at the Post, we refused to permit supplies to pass until they were rectified; but as we are now fully satisfied with the arrangement made, I enclose you a letter to Colonel Huntert, Lieutenant of Northumberland County, and to our Commissioner there, directing them to forward all necessary supplies to that Post as heretofore." * * *
On the same day President Reed wrote to Colonel Hunter (mentioned above) at Sunbury, in part as follows:
"The Congress having lately, on our representations, passed a Resolve directing General Washington to garrison the Post at Wyoming with troops of a State indifferent to the dispute subsisting between this State and Connecticut; and his Excellency having, agreeable thereto, ordered a detachment of the Jersey Line under Captain Mitchell to occupy that Post, we now think it our duty to revoke the order formerly given you to stay the passing of provisions and supplies from this State, and request you to give Captain Mitchell-who is a gentlemen of fair character and a good officer-all the assistance and civility in your power.
"As we are informed that there are quantities of provisions in that country, we request you to consult Captain Mitchell on the appointment of some person to act as Purchaser at Wyo-
*See "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series, VIII: 716.
SAMUEL HUNTER, a brief sketch of whom will be found on page 664, Vol II, and whose name is mentioned on pages 724, 849, 979, 1054, 1094, 1146, and elsewhere, began his military career in 1760, when, on May 2, he was commissioned Lieutenant of Capt. Joseph Scott's company in the battalion of the Pennsylvania Regiment commanded by Lieut. Col. Hugh Mercer, mentioned in the note on page 361, Vol. I. March 24, 1772, he was commissioned one of the first Justices of Northumberland County. From 1772 till 1775 he was a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly, and in 1775 and '76 he was a member of the Committee of Safety of Northumberland County. Upon his death he was succeeded in the office of County Lieutenant by Capt. William Wilson of Northumberland.
Colonel Hunter was married to Susanna Scott, a sister of Maj. Abraham Scott of Northumberland County, and they became the parents of two daughters-Nancy, who became the wife of her cousin, Alexander Hunter, of Sunbury, and Mary, who became the wife of Samuel Scott of Sunbury.
#See "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series, VIII: 717.
1275
ming and its vicinity on behalf of the State. As he is to act under the State it is needless to add that he must be a person well affected to its interests, as well as trustworthy in other respects."
It does not require a magnifying-glass to see, on reading these letters, that President Reed was not only unfriendly to the Wyoming settlers, but that he was unjust to some of them to charge-in the manner he does-that the military authorities at Fort Wyoming had distributed government supplies to Wyoming settlers "under the denomination of officer and soldiers." He seems either to have lost sight or been ignorant of the fact that a large number of Wyoming, or Westmoreland, men were formally and regularly in military service, under pay and subsistence, at Fort Wyoming; and that the wives and children of some of these soldiers were, as the customs of the time permitted, housed and main- tained in the garrison.
The following copy of a report* made by Captain Mitchell to President Reed indicates what was the strength of the Wyoming garrison, and how it was made up, at the time Colonel Butler was relieved of his command.
"Return of rations drawn per day by the troops under the command of Col. Zebulon Butler at Wyoming, when Captain Mitchell took command February 22, 1781.
"NAMES OF COMPANIES
Colonel
Captain
Lieuts.
Doctor
Com'is'y
Forge
Master
Serg'ts
Rank &
File
Wom'n
& Child'n
Artific'rs
Totals
Field Officer
1
1
Capt. Simon Spalding's Company,
1
2
7
52
116
Capt. John Paul Schott's Company Staff Department,
2
1
4
54 19
8 3
4
12
TOTALS,
1
3
3
2
1
11 .
74
63
4
163"
With his company Captain Mitchell marched from the camp of the 1st New Jersey Regiment to Wilkes-Barre, and took command of Fort Wyoming on Washington's birthday, 1781.# Three days later Captains Schott and Spald- ings marched with their companies from Wilkes-Barré to join Washington's army on the Hudson, encamping the first night, according to the journal of Lieut. John Jenkins, Jr., "at the Spring House." About the same time Colonel Butler set out from Wilkes-Barré to join, as its Colonel, the new 4th Regiment of the Connecticut Line, then at Camp "Connecticut Village", on the Hudson.
At Fort Wyoming, Wilkes-Barré, under the date of May 25, 1781, Captain Mitchell wrote to President Reed of the Supreme Executive Council, at Phila- delphia, in part as follows :||
"By the return of stores on hand, and the number of troops that draws rations at this Post you may easily judge how the garrison is supplied. The bearer is Mr. [Thomas] Hamilton, who I have appointed Issuing Commissary at this Post. * * *
"In answer to your letter of 26 January last, you may depend I shall make it my study to carefully abide by the Resolutions of Congress and the orders of his Excellency, General Wash- ington. You may rest assured, whilst this place continues disputed between two States, that
*See "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series, 1X: 166
tDr William Hooker Smith.
See "The Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania", I: 465.
§Captain Spalding's company hecame a part of the new Ist Regiment of the Connecticut Line (under the formation of January 1, 1781, continuing to January 1, 1783). Col. John Durkee, the founder and namer of Wilkes-Barre, com- manded this regiment until his death in May, 1782. The following roster of Spalding's company is taken from "Conn- ecticut in the Revolution", pages 315 and 318. The roster represents "the state of the command nn January 1, 1782"; and nearly all the men named therein were paid for service "from January 1, 1781, to December 31, 1781."
Captain, Simon Spalding, retired by consolidation, January 1, 1783; served from 1776. Lieutenants, Reuben Pride (Norwich) and Andrew Griswold (Norwich). Ensign, Phineas Beckwith (Lyme). Sergeants, Henry Booth, Joshua Williams, Josiah Steele, Thomas Baldwin and Peregrine Gardner. Corporals, Benjamin Clark, Daniel Denton . James Shields, Benjamin Grover, John Hutchinson, Amos Sheppard and Samuel Fox. Drummer, Ezra Downer. Fifer, Joseph Teal. Privates, Jack Antony, James Brown, Richard Becwith, Esan Carter, William Cornelius, David Crouch, Gideon Church, Edward Carter, Jack Demming, William French, Elisha Garrett, Israel Harding, John Hal - stead, Richard Halstead, Andrew Harrington, Daniel Harrington, Harris Jones, Joseph Johnson, Seth Kellogg, Titus Kent, Josiah Knight, David Lewis, Nathan Lester, Amos Ormshy, Lebbens Qui, William Roch, Richard Reed, Samuel Simons, Caesar Smith, Nathan Smith, Isaac Smith, Jesse Sheppard, Peter Thayers, Obadiah Walker, Jabez Whitte- more and Solomon Woodruff.
!! See "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series, IX: 165, 166.
34
1
2
1
1
1276
I will not suffer any person under my command to join in partie on either side; nor shall I suffer any stores or provisions belonging to the public to be given to any person as an inducement for them to continue here, unless those entitled by the Resolves of Congress to it.
"I have got my Fort almost completed, and have built a magazine, which the place was in great want of, as there was no place to hold the ammunition but the boxes-covered with snow and exposed to any storm that might approach-when I arrived here to take command. I should have wrote you Sooner, but it has drawn all my attention to put the Fort in a cituation of defense. * * *
"Return of stores on hand in the Commissary Department at Wyoming Post May 25, 1781 :
"65 bbls. of flour, 13,975 lbs. net weight; 4 bbls. salt-shad, containing 400; 3,489 lbs. of dried beef, which has been condemned; 10 bushels of potatoes; 120 1bs. bisquet; 1 hogshead, 5 bbls and 9 kegs of salt ; 5 bbls. of whiskey, containing 152 gallons; 2 bbls. of soft soap; 160 lbs. of candles
The regular semi-annual session of the General Assembly of Connecticut was held at Hartford in May, 1781, and was attended by John Hurlbut* and Jonathan Fitch, as the Representatives from Westmoreland. Early in the session Zerah Beach, John Hurlbut and Capt. John Franklin were appointed Justices of the Peace and Quorum in and for the county of Westmoreland. Later in the session, after Representative Hurlbut had left Hartford for home, the following appointments were made: Col. Nathan Denison to be Judge of the County Court of Westmoreland for the ensuing year; Nathan Denison, Obadiah Gore and Hugh Forseman to be Justices of the Peace; Nathan Denison to be Judge of Probate; William Stewart to be Assistant Commissary of Purchases for the county of Westmoreland. In due time these officers were commissioned by Governor Trumbull, and entered upon the performance of their several duties.
At "Camp High Lands," June 7, 1781, Col. Zebulon Butler wrote in part as followst to Col. Eliphalet Dyer, a Representative in the Continental Congress from Connecticut (see page 393, Vol. I.), but then at Hartford.
"I understand by Esquire Hurlbut that when he left the Assembly there was no Court nor Authority appointed at Westmoreland that had gone through both Houses. Only himself had taken the oath of Justice, and said he did not know whether it would go through till October. I would beg to have it go through this session. There has been so much said in the Assembly they are not able to judge of the matter if our Deputies are absent. I have no names to mention, but must beg to have the Court, &c., appointed this Assembly and the appointments sent on to me. I can forward them to Westmoreland.
"My reason for urging this is our settlers have been very much distressed with fears from the Pennsylvania enemies since our men were ealled away, but finally concluded the Civil Law was sufficient to keep out Pennsylvania settlers. But now, to have no Court, it will shock them and the opposite party will take the advantage of it." * * *
Miner says ("History of Wyoming," page 296) that on Sunday, June 9. 1781, "a party of twelve Indians made an attack on a block-house at Button- wood, in Hanover, three miles below the Wilkes-Barre fort. They met with a warm reception. The house was gallantly defended, the women aiding the men with alacrity and spirit. A party from the fort, on receiving the alarm, hastened down, and found pools of blood where Lieut. Roasel Franklin had wound- ed, probably killed, an Indian. *
* The Rev. Jacob Johnsont now returned with his family from their exile to Connecticut. Glowing with ardor for religion, liberty and the Connecticut claim, the return was welcomed by his flock, indeed by the whole settlement, with cordial congratulations."
At Wilkes-Barré, June 17, 1781, Lord Butler wrote to his father, Col. Zebulon Butler, in part as follows :§
"The Indians came a few days ago to Buttonwood, and about break of day came to the doors and struck their tomahawks into the doors; but the men hearing that, leaped out of bed and fired upon them at the upper houses first, and that disturbed the lower houses. Lieutenant
*See (+) note, page 1246.
+The original letter is document "No. 140" in the collection of MSS. described in paragraph "(3)", page 29. Vol. I. #See last paragraph on page 746, Vol II
§The original letter is in the collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society.
1277
Franklin, opening his door, saw three Indians standing about three rods off. He fired and wounded one, who they afterwards followed by the blood some distance; but they killed none dead nor took any prisoners. Our people sustained not any loss. * * * Mr. Johnson's family arrived safe here. *
* I have looked for the coat-of-arms in the old desk, but can't find it as yet; but I shall look until I find it, and send it as soon as possible."
On the same day that the foregoing was written, Capt. John Paul Schott, who was then in Wilkes-Barre, wrote to Colonel Butler in part as follows:
"Mr. Johnston and family are safe arrived here. We have hath several allarms of Indians but no damage. *
* Your presence is much wanding here and I hope you will pay us a visit before long.' *
At Wilkes-Barre, under the date of July 27, 1781, Obadiah Gore wrote to Colonel Butler in part as follows :*
"The dispensation of Providence towards you in taking away the partner of your lifet shows the uncertainty of all earthly enjoyments. * *
* 'Necessity'# has again gone to Sunbury, which is the second time since his appointment in the Commissary Department. Cap- tain Mitchell keeps up a correspondence from below [i. e. Sunbury], which is kept to himself. He threatens Mr. [William] Stewart that if ever he comes here he will make this place too hot
* We have for him-alleging that Stewart has made free with his character below. * *
nothing new turned up in our Cabinet of politics. * I believe that if the Devil had his own we should not have either Mitchell or Hamilton here."
At Wilkes-Barré, under the date of August 1, 1781, Dr. William Hooker Smith (whose name is several times mentioned hereinbefore) wrote§ to Colonel Butler, giving him an account of "an ominous dream" which he had had. De- claring that he feared plans were being laid for enabling the Pennamites to gain possession of Wyoming, he continued as follows:
"Congress was wearied out with complaints against you and Captain Spalding's company and at length you was removed from this Post-I think by the suggestion and influence of the Pennamite claimers. The second step was, troops sent from the Jersies to this Post-and in that State a great part of the claimers live. These troops are commanded by Captain Mitchell, who, to my satisfaction, is a party man. * * * If we are betrayed the Lord only knows what will become of us. We have killed the last Continental beef. There is nothing left but flour. * * * Did not the Pennamite claimers rejoice when we were cut off in the day of the bloody battle, and the country laid waste?" * * *
In the Summer of 1781, Capt. John Franklin, Christopher Hurlbut and Jonah Rogers, the regularly elected Listers of Westmoreland, made up "A true list of the polls and estate of the town of Westmoreland, ratable by law the 20th of August, 1781." Under the laws of Connecticut then in force a poll tax was laid on the male inhabitants-those from sixteen to twenty-one years of age being "rated", or assessed, at £9; those from twenty-one to seventy years of age being rated at £18. Ministers of the gospel and a few others were exempt from taxation. A full and complete copy of the 1781 tax-list referred to above is printed in Hayden's "The Massacre of Wyoming" (pages 78-83), published by The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society in 1895, and from it the present writer has carefully compiled the following table:
NAMES
Polls
Minors
Horses
Cows
Respective
Sums
NAMES
Polls
Minors
Horses
Cows
Respective
Some
Atherton, James
1
2
5
53-16
Bailey, Benjamin Burnham, Asa
1
2
25-00
Alden, Prince
1
2
1
2
54-00
11-20
Ayers, Samuel
1
2
40-05
Avery, William
1
1
1
40-16
1
1
33-00
Butler, Col. Z.
1
2
1
59-08
1
27-00
Bidlack, Capt. James
1
2
21-12
Brown, Thomas
1
?
16-00
Brink, William
1
2
2
42-10
Brown, David
1
3
2
34-00
Brink, James
1
2
1
34-00
Borlain, John
1
2
2 33-00
*The original letter is in the collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society.
+The wife of Colonel Butler had died at Wilkes-Barre on the previous day, as noted on page 638, Vol. II.
#Undoubtedly Thomas Hamilton, "Issning Commissary" at the Wyoming post, is here referred to.
§The original letter is in the collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society.
*
Barnum, Richard-& and Gregory Buck, William
2
1278
NAMES
Polis
Minors
Horses
Cows
Respective
Sums
NAMES
Polls
Minors
Horses
Cows
Respective
Sums
Prink, Nicholas
1
3
2
43-00
Brewster, David
1 1 1 11111 1 1
1
2
31-00
Bennett, Ishmael
1
1
1
1
37-00
Cole, Benjamin
1
1
8-10
Bennett, Isaac
1
1
2
1
36-00
Hopkins, Timothy
1
1
2 30-10
Comstock, John
1
2
2
36-00
Hammond, Lebbens
1
2
3 37-00
Comstock, Peleg
1
1
2
2
62-10
Heberd, William
1
1
1
30-00
Cary, Nathan
1
1
I
51-00
2
2
3
75-10
Church, Gideon
I
2
27-00
Hyde, John
1
1
2
27-15
Disberry, Joseph
1
3
29-00
Harris, Elijah
1
2
1
27-00
Durkee, Sarah
1
17-10
Hageman, John 1
?
4
50-05
Eveland, Frederick
1
7
3
51-12
Harding, Henry
1
2
1
27-00
Elliot, Henry
1
1
21-00
Halstead, Richard
1
2
1 27-00
Franklin Roasel
1
3
3
53-00
Inman, Elijah
1
Í
2
3 54-04
Forsyth, Jonathan
1
1
2 30-00
Inman, Richard
1
2
2 35-00
Fitzgerald, Richard
1
1
22-00
Jones, Crocker
1
1
2
1 54-00
Fish, William
I
1
29-00
Johnson, Turner
1
3
1 30-00
Fuller, Capt. Stephen
1
1
1
5
85-15
Joslin, Thomas
1
1
1
2
40-10
Fitch, Jonathan
1
2
3
51-00
Kenny, Lawrence
I
3
1
33-00
Gore, Obadiah
1
1
2
50-00 7-00
Kellogg, Josiah
1
1
21-00
Gore, Hannah
2
2
27-10
Kelsey, Abner
1
1
21-00
Gore, Daniel
1
2
2
55-14
Landon, Capt. Nath.
9-00
Gale, Cornelius
1
2
2
30-00
Lummis, John
1
18-00
Grimes, James
1
1
1 44-15
Stewart, Dorcas
1
29-12
McClure, Thomas
1
1
22-15
Spalding, Capt. Sim'nı
1
1
2
1 47-00
Nelson, William
1
2
3 36-00
Smith, John
1
1 7-00
Nesbitt, James
I
1
4
2 54-10 24-15 9-00 2
Sill, Jabez
1
1
5
1 59-08
Neal, Thomas
Sutton, James
1
1
23-00
O'Neal John
1
18-00
Taylor, Silas
1
2
1 30-10
Park, Thomas
Thomas, Joseph
1
2
1 49-01
Pettebone, Lucy
Tuttle, Benjamin
1
2
24-00
Pierce, Hannah
Terry, Jonathan
1
1
1
24-00
Pell, Josiah
I 1
1
21-00
Trucks, William
1
?
40-00
Racer, Benjamin
1
2
1
27-00
Tripp, Job
1
1
2 27-00
Rice, James
9-00
Travis, Nieod
1
2
2 33-10
Ransom, Samuel
4
1
26-00
Tyler, Ephraim
1
1 3
3 54-10
Roberts, John
1
3
3 45-12
Tillbury, John V.
1
1
2
1 27-00
Ross, William
1
1
2 64-06 Van Orman, Joseph
1
1
2
1 47-15
Reed, Thomas
1
2
2 35-00
Washburn, Jonathan
1
18-00
Rogers, Jonah
1
3
3 56-04
Warner, William
1
20-00
Sullivan, Daniel
1
1 21-00
Williams, William, Jr.
1
1
1
24-00
Stoddart, Thomas
1
2
2 2 31-00 48-00
Williams, Nathaniel Williams, William
1
1
2 31-00
Stevens Uriah*
1
1
1 4 ?
1 48-08
Westbrook, Abraham
2
1
3
2 70-10
Spencer, Walter
1
1 27-00 Westbrook, Leonard
1
1
2 33-00
Yarington, Abel
1
7
4 49-01
1
3
8
75-00
Chapman, Asa
2
24-00
Burney, Henry
1
2
2
28-00
Cooley, Preserved
2
2 30-00
Blanchard, John
2
1
24-00
Cook, Reuben
2
1
28-00
Blanchard, Andrew
2
8-05
Cook, Nathaniel
133-05
Brokaw, Abraham
1 1 11
1
2
2
46-12
Cole Benjamin, Jr.
Heberd, Ebenezer
1
1
1 36-10
Corey, Jonathan
1
Corey, Jenks
1-04
Hurlbut, Christopher Huribut, John
Hallet Samuel
1
1
22-00
Denison, Col. Nathan
7
1
11-00
1
3-00
Hoslenback, Matthias
Franklin, Capt. John
1
31-05
Ingersoll Daniel
1
1
2 30-00
Forseman, Hugh
1
1
22-00
Jackson, William
Kingsley, Lient. N.
1
18-00
Gore, Elizabeth
Stewart, Martha
36-10
Mann, Adam
I
4
4 47-00
Sanford, David
2
1 15-00
Nash, Phineas
1
1
1
1
1
24-00 2-10 5-00
Tubbs, Lient. Lebbens
1
1
3 2
46-10
Platner, John
1
6-00
39-12
Ryon, John
2
1 16-08 Underwood, Isaac
1
1
1
6-00
Spencer, Caleb
- 1
1 2
1
24-00
Lantamon, John
1
3
9-00
Fish, Joanna
?
8-00
Jameson, John
1
2 36-05
1 21-00
2
27-00
1 35-00
Bennet, Solomon
Cady, Manasseh
1
5-00
Bennett, Asa
2 37-02
>Poll, abated
1
2 2
Smith, Dr. Wm. H.
1
Elliot, Joseph
46-00
1279
"RECAPITULATION
114
male polls, from 21 to 70, not especially exempted, at £18 cach, .
£2,052-00
26 male polls, from 16 to 21, at £9 234-00
45 oxen, four years old and upwards, at £4. 180-00
208 Cows, three years old and upwards, at £3. 624-00
14 steers, three years old, at £3.
42-00
18
steers and heifers, two years old, at £2
36-00
57
steers and heifers, one year old, at £1. .
57-00
173
horses, three years old and upwards, at £3
519-00
4
horses, two years old, at £2. .
8-00
7 horses, one year old, at £1
7-00
127
swine, one year old and upwards, at £1.
127-00
98912 acres of plough land, at 10s.,.
494-15
19112 acres of upland mowing and clear pasture, at 8s. 6d.,
76-12
95 acres of bush pasture, at 2s. 9-10
? silver watches, at £1, 10s. 3-00
ASSESSMENTS-TRADERS AND TRADESMEN, &c .:
John Hageman and Matthias Hollenback, 50-00
15-00
Capt. John Franklin, 1 silver watch
1-10
Sarah Durkee, 1 silver watch. 1-10
Total amount of ratable polls, property and assessments, .
£4,534-17"
This tax-list indicates that there were in Westmoreland, in August, 1781, 161 male inhabitants from sixteen to seventy years of age. However, some of the men thus listed were Continental soldiers, as for example : Col. Zebulon Butler, Capt. Simon Spalding, Asa Burnham, Benjamin Cole, Gideon Church, Frederick Eveland, Thomas Niell, John Platner, or Platmore, John Ryon and Nathaniel Williams. Undoubtedly some of these men were at home on furlough in August, 1781, while others were with their commands "at the front."
On the other hand, we miss from the list the names of a number of men who, it is well ascertained, were inhabitants of and property owners in Westmore- land in 1781, as well as for several years previously and subsequently. As for example: the Rev. Jacob Johnson, the gospel minister of the settlement; Ben- jamin Harvey, who had returned from captivity among the Indians on July 4, 1781, as previously narrated; Capt. Solomon Strong, Lieut. John Jenkins, Jr., Justus Gaylord, Ambrose Gaylord, Mason F. Alden, John Swift, Waterman Baldwin and Zerah Beach. For various reasons these men were not considered by the Listers as "ratable by law" in August, 1781.
On the whole, this tax-list clearly demonstrates the paucity and the poverty of the inhabitants of Westmoreland, in the Summer of 1781.
Miner states ("History of Wyoming," page 301) that on Friday, September 7, 1781, a band of Indians made an attack on the settlement in Hanover Township, not far from Wilkes-Barré, and took off Arnold Franklin and Roasel Franklin, Jr., the foster son (nephew) and son of Lieut. Roasel Franklin. Several horses were stolen, and much grain, in stack, was consumed by fire. Captain Mitchell, with a detachment of soldiers from Fort Wyoming, went in pursuit, but the enemy eluded his vigilance. The captives, who were aged sixteen and thirteen years respectively, were taken to Niagara, where they were detained till the end of the war, when they returned to their home in safety.
At a town-meeting "legally warned and held in Westmoreland," at Wilkes- Barré, September 8, 1781, John Hurlbut, Esq., serving as Moderator, the follow- ing resolutions were adopted.
"Voted, That a tax be granted of four pence on the pound, as soon as the list can be com- pleted, to be paid* either in hard money, or in produce at the following prices : flax, 10d. per pound; wheat, 3s. 6d. per bushel; rye, 2s. 6d .; and corn, at 2s. per bushel.
*At a subsequent town-meeting the time for paying the tax in flax and grain was extended to January 1. 1782. and the constables were instructed "to conform themselves accordingly."
Benjamin Bailey, blacksmith,
1280
"Voted, That Obadiah Gore and John Franklin be agents to negotiate a petition, praying for an abatement of taxes for the present list of 1781, at the General Assembly in October next."
In pursuance of the last-mentioned vote, a memorial* addressed to the General Assembly of Connecticut, was duly prepared and was signed by Col. Nathan Denison, John Hurlbut and Capt. John Franklin, "Authority," and Capt. John Franklin, James Nisbitt and Jabez Sill, "Selectmen." Requesting an abatement of taxes, the memorial set forth, among other reasons for the re- quest, the following: "We are exposed to the enemy in such manner as to render it unsafe to labour but in companies together under the protection of a guard at our own expense. Also, we have been frequently called upon to scout after the enemy-all without any expense to the public."
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