USA > Vermont > Addison County > Cornwall > History of the town of Cornwall, Vermont > Part 10
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The Holy Spirit came with power, Inspired the heart, refreshed the mind; How sweet was that delighted hour, When God to us appeared so kind.
The Savior was a friend indeed, A helper always nigh at hand, And by his smiles we seemed to speed, Toward the heavenly Canaan's land.
As servants of the Church we stood, To carry round the bread and wine, This we_esteemed our life and food, When we on Jesus could recline.
How often we have felt the tie Of Christian friendship, in the soul; And on the Savior could rely, And on him all our burdens roll.
Dea. Bingham was an eminent example of obedience to the in- junction - " Be diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord .? ' He was equally remarkable among his acquaintance, for
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
the energy and perseverance with which he prosecuted his secular business, and for the zeal and consistency with which he discharged Christian duties. His prosperity was fully commensurate with his spirit of enterprise. Few men in town did more surveying. Few men consequently understood better the favorable opportunities for procuring titles to lots of land on easy terms, by making pitches on those unappropriated. This knowledge he might have improved, and at a comparatively cheap rato have become an extensive land- holder. But the records inform us, that though he owned much land at an early period of his life, he paid an equivalent for his titles.
Dea. Bingham was a model of promptness in supporting the Gospel at home, and of liberality in conferring his benefactions on every meritorious object of Christian charity. He was in a word, a happy illustration of the proverb : "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth." Having previously done for his family what he deemed proper, he left at his deccase a considerable estate, to be distributed in accordance with his will for benevolent purposes. After a life of constant activity and usefulness, "he came to his grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in its season."
" Of no distemper, of no blast he died, But fell like autumn fruit that mellowed long; E'en wondered at, because he dropped no sooner! Fate seemed to wind him up for for fourscore years; Yet freshly ran be on twelve winters more, Till, like a clock worn out with beating time, The wheels of weary life, at last, stood still."
His tomb stone marks XCIV years.
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119
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
CHAPTER XIII,
ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN - OFFICERS OF THE FIRST TOWN MEETING-OFFICERS NOT NOW CHOSEN, DEER RIFTS OR REEVES --- BRANDERS OF HORSES ; LEGISLATION ON THE SUBJECT-TYTHING MEN - CHORISTERS -- POUNDS AND POUND KEEPERS -- LIST OF TOWN OFFICERS FROM THE BEGINNING.
We have already had occasion to notice the fact that very many of the first settlers in Cornwall arrived in 1783-84. A few, who had previously commenced their settlements and had been com- pelled to abandon them, and had for years impatiently waited for the time when they might prudently return, embraced the first moment to revisit their chosen places of abode. Others, who had been deterred by the inevitable risks of immigration from making an earlier attempt, as soon as peace with Great Britain was pro- claimed, hastened to take possession of anticipated homes which a few of the more adventurous had actually surveyed and located, but which others had seen only through the medium of fancy.
Between January, 1783, and March, 1784, a sufficient number of settlers had arrived to warrant the organization of the town, which event occurred March 2nd, 1784. This was considerably earlier than the organization of any of the adjacent towns, except Bridport, and a few weeks earlier even than that. At the meeting when the town was organized, the following officers were chosen :
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120
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
Moderator, JEREMIAH BINGHAM.
Town Clerk, JOEL LINSLY.
SAMUEL BENTON, JEREMIAH BINGHAM, Selectmen.
ELDAD ANDRUS,
Treasurer, HILAND HALL.
Constable, ZILLAI STICKNEY.
NATHAN FOOT, 3 Listers.
ROSWELL POST, S
ELDAD ANDRUS,
STEPHEN TAMBLING, Highway Surveyors.
WILLIAM JONES,
ISAAC KELLOGG,
This was the entire list of officers deemed necessary by the town during the first year of its existence. At the Annual Meeting in March, 1785, and for several subsequent years, they added several officers to the number, some of which are unknown in our day, and by a change of circumstances, have long been unnecessary. They appointed a deer rift or reere, and some years, two or three of them, whose duty it was to see that the laws were executed, protecting the life of deer from the tenth of January to the tenth of June, annually, while their meat would be comparatively valueless. So important were the provisions of this act deemed, that its execution was enforced by no less a penalty than fifteen pounds for each offence, and peculiar facilities were granted for detecting offenders. A case is mentioned on the records of 1791, where this penalty was imposed for "unlawfully killing a deer, " but finally remitted by vote of the town, in consideration of palliating circumstances.
So the fathers appointed among their town officers a brander of horses, in accordance with a statute passed in 1779, entitled "an act for ascertaining Town Brands and providing and regulating Branding and Branders of horses." The act required the appoint- ment of the officer, and prescribed the place and circumstances of his performing his duty, and specified the form of the brand to be used in more than sixty towns in the state. In many cases it was
121
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
the initial letter of the name of the town, but as the names of many of the towns began with the same letter, inverted initials, or Arabic numerals, or marks of punctuation, or signs of the Zodiac, or other marks entirely arbitrary, were designated for many of the towns. That for Cornwall was the letter U, and it was to be placed, as were the brands in all the towns, at a town pound, or some other place appointed for the purpose, "on every horse or
horse kind, on or near the left shoulder." Addison, whose mark
was the letter X, was the only town in this County, besides Corn- wall, for which a brand was prescribed by the statute. This may perhaps be accounted for by the fact, that they were the only towns in the county represented in the General Assembly of 1779. As this relic of early Vermont legislation, which may be found in Slade's " Vermont State Papers," is probably inaccessible to most of my readers, I copy it, omitting only the long list of marks prescribed for the several towns.
" Be it enacted, &.c., That each town in this state shall have a town brand, to brand their horses with ; which shall be the several letters or figures as are hereafter and hereby directed.
" Every of which brand shall be set respectively, on every horse or horse kind, on or near the left shoulder.
" And the inhabitants of each town shall choose a suitable person to be a brander of horses in such town; and each brander shall be under oath, and shall make an entry of all horse kind by him so branded, with the age and color, natural and artificial marks, in a book kept by him for that purpose.
" And if any such brander shall presume to brand any horse, mare, or colt, that is above one year old, at any other place than at a town pound, or those places appointed by the town for that work. (unless he has first received a special order from the Selectmen of such town so to do, ) he shall forfeit and pay the sum of four pounds for every such offense, one half to the complainer, and the other half to the Treasury of the town in which he lives.
" And if any such brander shall refuse or neglect to brand or record any horse, mare, or colt, (except such as he is by law for- bidden to brand and enter,) presented to him by any person or persons, after his just fees are tendered to him for the same; he shall, for every such offense, forfeit and pay the sum of twenty shillings to the person presenting such horse, and all damages
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
sustained by such person, by him made to appear, through such brander's neglect.
" And be it further enacted, That if any person or persons shall counterfeit any town brand, or cause to be branded any horse, mare, or colt, on or near the left shoulder, with any letters or figures, being the brand of any town in this State, without the knowledge or order of one of the branders of such town, (under his hand) he or they so offending shall forfeit the sum of ten pounds for every such offense ; one half to the complainer, and the other half to the county treasury."
This legislation, or something aiming at the same result, was perhaps indispensable at a period when the country, almost an unbroken forest, was destitute of the enclosures which are needful to restrain the erratic propensities of some animals. It might hap- pen, that the horse might wander so far, and be absent so long, that the question of his identity might be difficult to settle. In such circumstances a mark, amounting even to a blemish, might be a desi- rable evidence of ownership. But such legislation, it is needless to say, could it now be forced upon our statute books, would not enjoy a moment of peaceful toleration. The breeders of sleek and graceful " Black Hawks," to compare small things with great, would raise about the ears of the officer, by whomsoever appointed or com- misioned, who should attempt to affix a brand"upon their petted animals, a storm of indignation scarcely less determined, than that which prompted the Boston patriots of '78 to cast the tea into the . dock, or the patriots of 1861, to combine with united purpose to exterminate rebellion.
Aaron Scott was chosen brander of horses in 1785, and '86, and afterwards Jacob Peck held the office while it was continued.
Among their officers the town were also accustomed, down to a comparatively late period, to appoint two or more tything men .-- These officers were charged with the duty of endeavoring to secure an appropriate observance of the Sabbath ; especially order and decorum in places of worship. The necessity for their existence is obvious, when owing to the want of proper places of worship, the settlers were obliged to meet in barns, where every opportunity might be enjoyed by mischievous boys, or unprincipled men to make
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
disturbance ; or to meet in private dwellings so narrow in dimen- isons as to exclude many of the attendants. Even after the crection of meeting houses, the call for these officers was scarcely less urgent, as owing to the fullness of the congregation, most of the seats below were needed for the "old folks," presenting a strong temptation, if not a necesssity, for the "young folks" to seek accommodations in the galleries ; where too often, as the writer can testify from the recol- lection of his childhood, the presence of the tything men, imposed salutary and not needless restraint.
It was also the practice of this town for a long period, to number among their officers choristers for the several congregations, and to appoint them at the annual March meetings, and if they did not often appropriate money from their treasury for the support of singing, they evidently regarded it as appropriately a subject of town concern.
In Nov. 1792, an article was inserted in a warrant for a town meeting, "to see if the town will do anything for the encourage -. ment of singing," and the action was as follows :--
" Voted, That no money be drawn from the Treasury, for the encouragement of singing.
" Voted, That a committee be chosen to take care of Psalmody singing, and circulate subscription papers for the purpose of encour- aging singing, and also to pay such sums as they shall obtain, to the several teachers who shallbe approved of, according to their service, in their judgment, and account to the town."
Pounds and Pound keepers are institutions which figured largely on the records of Cornwall, as they must of necessity in every new settlement. Besides the building of pounds, several private yards in different parts of the town were designated for this purpose, and sufficiently numerous keepers appointed to indicate clearly that the fences of the town were very poor, or the stock very unruly, or its owners very careless.
We have already seen that Jeremiah Bingham was chosen the first Moderator, and Joel Linsly Town Clerk. The duties of this office, which was held by Judge Linsly, continuously, with the excep- tion of two years, until his decease in 1818, a period of 34 years,
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
were by him most ably discharged. His hand writing was distinctly legible, and the style in which his records were written was easy and perspicuous. From these records, which have been faithfully kept by his successors, we can gather the name of every man who has held office in the town, from the date of its organization to the present time. Such a list, however, would form a volume, by itself, and I subjoin only the names of those who have at different periods held the offices of Town Clerk, Selectman, Representative, Treasurer and Constable. The name of the Constable each year is designated by the letter "c" in the same column as that of the Treasurer. In 1784 and '85 no Representative was chosen. We learn, however, fram Slade's Vt. State Papers, that, in 1778-79, Dr. Nathan Foot was recognized as Representative from Cornwall in the General Assembly of the New Hampshire Grants, though the town had not been organized.
TOWN CLERK.
SELECTMEN.
REP'TIVE.
TREAS. & CONS.
1784
Joel Linsly.
Samuel Benton, Jer. Bingham, Eldudl Andrus.
Hiland Hall. Zillai Stickney. c
1785
Joel Linsly.
Samuel Benton, Jer. Bingham, Jared Abernathy.
Hiland Hall. Thos. Bently. c
1786
Joel Linsly.
Samuel Benton, Jer. Bingham, Jared Abernathy.
Hiland Hall.
Hiland Hall. Thomas Bently, c
1787
Joel Linsly.
Jer. Bingham, Thomas Bentley, Nath'l Blanchard.
Samuel Benton.
Hiland Hall. Samuel Blodget. c
1788
Joel Linsly.
Jer. Bingham, Abial Linsly, Thomas Bentley.
Samuel Benton.
Hiland Hall. Samuel Blodget. c
1789
Joel Linsly.
Samuel Benton, Thomas Bentley. Timothy Squire.
Samuel Deaton.
Frederic Foril. Samuel Blodget. c
1790
Joel Linsly.
Jer. Bingham, Joseph Dagget, Joseph Cook.
Thomas Tolman.
Joseph Dagget. Samuel Blodget. o
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
125
TOWN CLERK.
SELECTMEN.
REP TIVE.
TREAS. & CONS.
1791
Jool Linsly.
William Slade, Joseph Dagget. Joseph Cook.
Samuel Benton.
Joseph Dagget. Samuel Blodget, e
1792
Joel Linsly.
William Slade, Joseph Cook, Joseph Dagget.
William Slade.
Joseph Dagget. Sam'l Blodget, c Richard Miner, c.
1793
Joel Linsly.
{Isaiah Gilbert, [Nathan'IBlanchard Joel Linsly. Ethan Andrus.
Joel Linsly. Samuel Blodget, c Richard Miner, c
1794
Joel Linsly.
Isaiah Gilbert, Joseph Cook, Nath I Blanchard.
Joel Linsly.
Joel Linsly. Samuel Blodget, c
1795
Joel Linsly.
Ethan Andrus, William Slade, Israel C. Janes.
Joel Linsly.
Joel Linsly. Samuel Blodget, c Timothy Squier, e
1796
Joel Linsly.
Ethan Andrus, Israel C. Janes, Nath 1 Blanchard.
Joel Linsly,.
Joel Linsly. Cyrus Abernathy, e
1797
Joel Linsly.
Nath'l Blanchard, William Slade, David Foot.
Joel Linsly.
Joel Linsly. Winant William- Son, C
1798
Joel Linsly.
David Foot, Benj Sanford, Samuel Blodget.
William Slade.
Joel Linsly. Winant William- SOD, C
1799
Joel Linsly.
David Foot, Benj. Sanford. Samuel Blodget
Joel Linsly.
Joel Linsly. Samuel Blodget, c
1800
Joel Linsly.
David Foot, Israel C. Janes, Sam'l Ingrabam.
William Slade.
Joel Linsly. Samuel Blodget. c W. Williamson, c
1801
Joel Linsly.
Israel C. Janes, William Slade, Joseph Cook.
Joel Linsly.
Joel Linsly, Samuel Blodget, e Aaron Delong. c
1802:
Joel Linsly.
Israel C. Janes, William Slade, Joseph Cook.
Joel Linsly.
Joel Linsly. Samuel Blodget, c Aaron Delong, c
1803
Martin Post.
David Foot, Benj. Sanford, Roswell Post.
David Foot.
Joel Linsly. Aaron Delong, c
1804:
Joel Linsly.
David Foot, Benj. Sanford, Titus Fenn.
David Foot.
Joel Linsly. Samuel Blodget, c Aaron Delong, c
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
TOWN CLERK.
SELECTMEN.
REP TIVE.
TREAS & CONS.
1805
Joel Linsly.
David Foot, Benj. Sanford, William Slade.
Benj. Sanford.
Joel Linsly. Aaron Delong, c
1806
Joel Linsly.
David Foot, Benj Sanford, William Slade.
Benj. Sanford.
Joel Linsl. Aaron Delong, c
180%
Joel Linsly.
David Foot, Joel Linsly, Benj. Sanford.
David Foot.
Joel Lin ly. Thomas Delano, e
1808
Joel Linsly.
Joel Linsly, Benj. Sanford, William Slade.
Joel Linsly.
Joel Linsly. Aaron Delong, c
1809
Joel Linsly.
Benj. Sanford, Erastus Reeve, Joel Lins'y.
Joel Linsly.
loel Linsly. Aaron Delong, 0
1810
Joel Linsly.
Joel Linsly, Eras us Reeve, Darius Matthews.
Titus Fern.
Toel Linsly. Aaron Delo g, c
1811
Joel Linsly.
loel L'nsly, Erastus Reeve, Darius Matthews.
Darius Matthews.
'oel Linsly, Aaron Delong e
1812,
Joel Liusly.
Darius Matthews, Darius Matthews. Erastus Reeve.
Joel Linsly. Aaron Delong, c-
1812
Joel Linsly.
Joel Linsly, Darius Matthews, Darius Matthews. Erastus Reeve.
Joel Linsly, Linus Everts, c
1814:
Joel Linsly.
Joel Linsly, Samuel Ingraham, Darius Matthews. Joshua Stockwell
Joel Linsly. Linus Everts, c
1815!
Joel Linsly.
Darios Matthews, Aaron Delong, Elias Douglass, i
Darius Matthews.
Joel Lins'y. Linus Everts, e
1816:
Joel Linely.
David Foot, Benj. Sherwood, Aaron Delong.
Darius Matthews.
Joel Linsly. Linus Everts, c
1817
Joel Linsly.
Aaron Delong, Nathan Eells, Joshua Stockwell.
Darius Matthews.
Benj. Sanford, Linus Everts, c
1818
Joel Linsly.
Aaron Delong, Nathan Eells, Comers Gale.
1
Aaron Delong.
Benj Sanford. Linus Everts, c
. .
Joel Linsly,
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
TOWN CLERK.
SELECTMEN.
REP TIVES.
TREAS. & CONS.
1819 Darius Matthews.
Aaron Delong, Nathan Fells, Somers Gale.
Aaron Delong.
Benj. Sanford, Linus Everts, c
1320 Asshel Bingham.
Aaron Delong, Nathan Eells, Somers Gale.
Thos. P. Matthews
Benj. Sanford. Linus Everts, c
1821 Asahel Bingham.
Aaron Delong, Nathan Eells, Somers Gale.
Benj Sanford.
Benj. Sanford, Elzur Peck, c
1822 Asahel Bingham.
Aaron Delong, Nathan Eells, Somers Gale.
Asahel Bingham.
Benj. Sanford. Elizur Peck, c
1823 Asahel Bingham.
Aaron Delong, 'Horace Janes, Wm. Hamilton.
Benj. Sanford.
Benj. Sanford, Elizur Peck, c
1824 Asahel Bingham.
Horace Janes, Wm. Hamilton, Daniel Wright.
do
Benj Sanford. Linus Everts, c
1825 Asahel Bingham.
Horace Janes, W'm. Hamilton, Jesse Ellsworth.
Horace Janes.
Benj. Sanford. Linus Everts, c
1826 Asahel Bingham.
do.
do
Benj. Sanford. Linus Everts, e
1827 Asahel Bingham.
do
do
Thos. P. Matthews. Linus Everts, c
1828 Asahel Bingham.
do
do
Thos. P. Matthews. Linus Everts. c
1829 Asahel Bingham.
do
Chauncy Cook.
T. P. Matthews. Linus Everts, e
1830 Asahel Bingham.
do
do
T. P. Matthews. Linus Everts, c
1831 Asahel Bingham.
Jesse Ellsworth, Chauncy Cook, John Sanford.
Wm. Hamilton.
Wm Hamilton. Linus Everis, c
1832 Asahel Bingham,
l'hauney. Cook, Joha anford, Russel Foot.
do
Wm Ilamilton. Julius Delong, €
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128
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
TOWN CLERK.
SELECTMEN.
REP'TIVE.
TREAS, & CONS.
1833
Asahel Binghamn.
Russel Foot, Alanson Peck, Truman Fells.
Asahel Bingham,
W.m. Hamilton. Julius Delong, e
1834
Asahel Bingham.
Jolin Sanford, Jesse Ellsworth, Hiram Miner.
Asahel Bingham.
Win. Hamilton. J. Delong,
1835
Asahel Bingham.
John Sanford, Tesse Ellaworth, Truman Eells.
Asahel Bingham.
Wm. Hamilton, Nathan Green, c
1836
Asahel Bingham.
Jesse Ellsworth, Truman Eells, Rouben P. Bingham.
Jesse Ellsworth.
Wm. Hamilton, Sam'l Everts, €
1837
Asahel Bingham.
Truman Eells, R. P. Bingham, Abram Foot.
Jesse Ellsworth.
Wm. Hamilton. Sam'l Everts, c
1838
Marcus O. Porter.
Abram Foot, Jesse Ellsworth, Elijah Benedict.
Jesse Ellsworth.
Wm. Hamilton. Sam'l Everts, e
1839
Marcus O. Porter.
Jesse Ellsworth, (Wm. Lane, John Sanford,
Jesse Ellsworth.
Wm. Hamilton. Abram Foot, c
1840
Marcus O. Porter.
William Lane, John Sanford, Austin Dana.
Ebenezer Matthews.
Wm. Hamilton. Abram Foot, c
1211
M. O. Porter.
John Sanford, Austin Dana, Chesterfield Hooker.
Ebenezer Matthews.
Wm. Hamilton. C. H. Stowell, c
1842
M. O. Porter.
Austin Dana, Chesterfield Hooker, Daniel Sanford. Calvin G. Tilden.
¡Wm. Hamilton, C. H. Stowell, c
1843!
M. O. Porter.
Chesterfield Hooker, Calvin G. Tilden, Air m Foot.
Calvin G. Tilden.
Wm. Hamilton. C. H. Stowell, c
1844
M. O. Porter ..
C. in C. Tilden, A. .. m Foot, s Skinner.
Calvin G. Tilden.
Edward Hamilton. C. H. Stowell, c
1845
M. O. Porter.
am Foot, sterfield Hooker, Jan .. es T. Lane.
Abram Foot.
Edward Hamilton. C. H. Stowell, c
1846
M. O. Porter.
Chesterfield Hooker, James T. Lane, Harris Bingham,
Abram Foot.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
1847
M.O. Porter.
James T. Lane, Harris Bingham, Chas. De Long,
C. G. Tilden.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
1848|
M. O. Porter.
Harris Bingham, Chas. De Long, Charles D. Lane.
C. G. Tilden.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
129
HISTORY OF CORNWALL,
TOWN CLERK.
SELECTMEN.
REP' TIVE.
TREAS. & CONS,
1849
M. O. Porter.
Charles De Long, Charles D. Lane, Chesterfield Hooker.
Rollin J. Jones.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
1850
M. O. Porter.
Horace A. Pinney.
1851
M. O. Porter.
Chesterfield Hooker, Horace A, Pinney, Samuel E. Cook.
M. O. Porter.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
1852
M. O. Porter.
Horace A. Pinney, Samuel E. Cook, James T. Lane.
M. O. Porter.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
1853
M. O. Porter.
Samuel E. Cook, James T. Lane, Calvin W. Foot.
Abram Foot.
Edward Hamilton, A. Foot, c
1854
M. O. Porter.
James T. Lane, C. W. Foot, B. F. Bingham.
Horace A. Pinner.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c.
1855
B. F. Bingham.
C. W. Foot, B. F. Bingham, Charles Benedict.
H. A. Pinney.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
1856
M. O. Porter.
B. F. Bingham, Charles Benedict, Wm. R. Remele.
Orin Field.
Edward Hamilton, A. Foot, c
1857
M. O. Porter.
Charles Benedict, Wm. R. Remele, Jesse Ellsworth.
Orin Field.
Edward Hamilton, A. Foot, c
1858
M. O. Porter.
Charles Benedict, Wm. R. Remele, Jesse Ellsworth.
Simeon S. Rockwell.
Edward Hamilton, A. Foot, c
1859
M. O. Porter.
Harris Bingham, Victor Wright, Reuben T. Samson.
S. S. Rockwell.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
1860
M. O. Porter.
Harris Bingham, Victor Wright, Keubon T. Samson.
Charles D. Lane.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
1861!
Samuel Everts.
Victor Wright, R. T. Samson, Henry Lane.
Charles D. Lane.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
1862
Samuel Everts.
R. T. Samson, Henry Lane, Franklin Bond.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
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Charles D. Lane, Chesterfield Hooker, R. J. Jones.
Edward Hamilton. A. Foot, c
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130
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
CHAPTER XIV.
ANNEXATION OF PART OF CORNWALL TO MIDDLEBURY-PROBABLE. REASONS.
Though the territorial limits of Cornwall have been narrowed, by the annexation of a part of it to Middlebury, our nominal bound- aries have not been changed.
At a town meeting held the 15th day of December, 1795, we find that the first proposal was made to set off the "north and easterly part of Cornwall to Middlebury." It was voted,
. " That the town are willing to have the following part of Corn -.. wall annexed to the town of Middlebury, namely, Beginning at the mouth of Flat Brook, so called, thence running west half a mile, thence in a straight line to the corner of the road at the west end of the long causey, then north to Weybridge line." At a subse- quent meeting, held the first Tuesday of Sept. 1796, this vote was rescinded, and another passed with the following variations as to boundaries, viz : "Beginning at Middlebury south-west corner, then running west so far that a north line will strike the west end of the long causey ; then a straight line to the south-east corner of Ethan Andrus' farm that he now lives on, then on the east line of said farm to the north-east corner thereof; then a straight line to a large white pine stump, whose body was well known by the name of the shingle tree ; from thence north to the north line of the town."
This vote was not, however, quite satisfactory to all the inhabit- ants, as we may infer from the fact that another meeting was con- vened on the first Monday of October following :
131
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
"1. To see if the town will revoke the last vote, setting off part this town to the town of Middlebury.
" 2. To see if the town will set or vote all the town of Cornwall forth of a west line from Middlebury south-west corner, to the own of Middlebury."
" On motion, voted that we will not revoke any part of the vote, annexing part of the town of Cornwall to the town of Middlebury."
The second of the above propositions was equivalent to a dismem- berment of the town, as a line extended across the town westwardly from the south-west corner of Middlebury, would have reached the south-east corner of Bridport, so as to have thrown into Middlebury nearly two-thirds of Cornwall. The remainder of Cornwall would have been too feeble to sustain a town organization.
In the act of the Legislature consummating the arrangement between these towns, the boundaries specified are substantially those named in the last vote passed by the town. The act bears date Oct. 25th, 1796, and reads as follows :
" An act annexing a part of the town of Cornwall to Middlebury.
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