Westport Town Records

Town records 1802

AT A MEETING [held March 15, 1802 in house of Abner Brownell to choose juror for Grand

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Jury] Holder White was drawn and Peleg Sisson & Richard Gifford were selected petit jurors.

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TO ABNER BROWNELL, ESQ. [warrant to state representative to call towfi meeting, dated
March 16, 1802, from select men, Sylvester Brownell & Roger White]
1. To choose all such town officers as towns are by law required...
2. To give in votes for a county treasurer
3. To choose a committee to examine accounts .... and also to settle with the treasurer.
4. To conclude in what method to support the poor
5. Top conclude the sum needed to support the poor & for other expenses
6. To make provision for amending and repairing highways & driftways
7. To make provision for supprt & promotion of schools
8. To receive or reject returns of highways or drift ways
9. To do what shall appear expedient about disposing of law books belonging to said
town.
10. To know the town's mind about town house's accommodations & painting outside
11. And to give at the same time & place their votes for state officers

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AT A TOWN MEETING held April 5th A.D. 1802 inhabitants proceeded as follows: 1. William Almy chosen moderator 2. William Almy chosen town clerk 3. Sylvester Brownell, Abner Brownell & John Mosher chosen select men 4. William Almy chosen town treasurer to have 1 1/4% 5. Sylvester Brownell, Gideon Tallman & Wesson Tripp chosen assessors 6. Benjamin Brownell, Jr., chosen constable & collector of rates to have 2% 7. George Lawton, John Mosher & Lemuel Milk chosen a committee on accounts & to settle with the treasurer 8. Benjamin Devol, Christopher Cornell, Benjamin Cory, Benjamin Brownell, job Lawton, George Lawton, Charles Baker, Wesson Macomber, Henry Tibbitts, Thomas Woodle, Isaiah Burden, Peleg Cornell, Wanton Case, Edmond Tripp, Josiah Brownell, George Wood, Joseph Wing, Barjona Devol, Stephen Potter, job Milk chosen surveyors of highways 9. Thomas Tripp, Benjamin Brownell, Silvester Brownell, Jonathan Tripp, Robert Barker, Benjamin Brownell 2, Thomas Cornell, Christopher Cornell & Peris Richmond chosen fence viewers. Nathaniel Kirby chosen pound keeper.

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10. Jeremiah Willcox, Joseph Gifford, Ezekiel Brownell, Job Almy, Eseck Taber, Wesson
Sowle, Jonathan White, George Brownell chosen field drivers
11. Samuel Crocker Esq had 31 votes for county treasurer
12. Barjona Devol, George Brownell 2 and Abraham Gifford, carpenter, chosen surveyors
of lumber & clapboards
13. Elijah Potter, Daniel Tripp, Barjona Devol & Peleg Potter chosen corders & measurers
of wood
14. George Brownell 2 & Barjona Devol chosen cullers of hoops & staves

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15. Thomas Briggs & Preserved Sherman chosen sealers of leather
16. Christopher Cornell & Daniel Tripp chosen cullers of dry fish
17. Voted that the town clerk be requested to collect such law books that belong to the
town that is not needed in the clerk's office and bring them to the next meeting to be
disposed of as the town shall agree
18. Voted not to paint the out side of the town house.
19. Voted that the select men be a committee to enquire and report what alteration is
necessary in the inside of the town house and are requested to report a plan thereof at the
next meeting
20. Voted, that the return of an open highway, laid out by the Select men by roaches' Mill
so called, and presented to this meeting, be accepted, and the town clerk is hereby directed
to record the same.
21. Voted that the sum of twelve hundred dollars be assessed on the polls and rateable
estates, real and personal .... and that the assessors give a list of the persons and the sums
assessed to each surveyor for his limits...

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for the purpose of amending and repairing the highways 22. Voted that seventy five cents be allowed for one day's work of'a man or a pair of oxen & that twenty five cents be allowed for the use of a cart or plow one day 23. Voted that the sum of one hundred & twenty dollars of the sum that shal be voted for the town expenses for the year ensuing be appropriated for the support and encouragement of schools, as selectmen shall determine 24. Voted that Abner Brownell & John Mosher be a committee for the purpose of ascertaining the sum that shall be due to John Gifford for keeping the poor of the town the year past agreeable to the agreement between the town and said Gifford, and that they report to the committee on accounts... 25. Votes for governor: Caleb Strong 70 and Elbridge Gerry 6; Votes for Lt. Governor: Edward H. Robbins 76; Votes for Counsellors and Senators: Elisha May 57, Alden Spooner 57, Josiah Dean 4 & David Perry 4. 26. Voted to adjourn until 2nd monday of May.

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AT A MEETING [continuation on May 10, 1802 of adjourned meeting]
Voted to excuse job Milk from being surveyor of highways & Jeremiah Brownell was chosen in his stead. Ebenezer Baker chosen surveyor of highways. Barjona. Devol chosen surveyor of Lumber shingles & clapboards & corder and Measurer of Wood & culler of hoops & staves.
David Sanford and Wanton Macomber chosen tythingmen
Robert Barker, William Macomber, Eseck Taber & job Milk chosen hog reeves.
Silvester Brownell, George Brownell, cooper, Joseph Gifford, Job Almy, Samuel Willcox & John Kirby chosen overseers of fishery
The select men who were appointed a committee to enquire & report what alterations was necessary to be made in the inside of the town house reported that they had not agreed. Thereupon voted that the select men be requested to proceed and make such alterations as to them shall appear necessary & expedient.

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Voted that the providing for and supporting the poor, unless in instances where the select men shall think it best to agree otherways, having regard to their comfortable support & maintainance, be by venduing.
Voted that the law books belonging to the town exclusive of the two volumes last printed by order of court, be left in the hands of the select men, for the use of the inhabitants of the town and Abner Brownell took them accordingly.

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Committee on accounts & settlement with treasurer reported: allowed accounts total $886.44; treasurer had received in past year $1036.61 and paid out $1001.80, leaving balance of $34.81. Moreover, there was a remainder from last year of $163.94 and an assessment during the past year of $880.89, together totalling $1044.83. Expenses during past year were $886.44, leaving balance of $158.39. Further, Benjamin Brownell, collector, has the sum of $638.80. All which is submitted.

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Voted to accept Committee's report and to direct treasurer to pay accounts
Voted that there be raised by taxes [etc.] the sum of nine hundred dollars for support of the poor and other necessary expenses for year ensuing....
Voted to adjourn to July next

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AT A TOWN MEETING [held May 10, 1802 to elect state representative and a person to have care of town's bonds and securities] Abner Brownell, Esq. received 31 votes for representative of the town to the General Court, and voted that the treasurer keep in his office'all bonds and securities that have or may be given, to indemnify or secure the town and to make out and exhibit annually a list thereof to the select men.

Page 154 TO ABNER BROWNELL, ESQ. [warrant to call town meeting to be held Nov 1, 1802 to elect congressional representative for Bristol District, to consider not paying for the land for an open highway as laid out by a committee of the Court of General Sessions, and to regularize ear marks for creatures in this town as directed by select men on October 9, 18021
Laban Wheaton, Esq had 41 votes & Phanuel Bishop, Esq had 3.

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Voted that a crop of each ear shall not be considered as a sufficient and legal ear for creatures in this town.
The article respecting the highway was not acted upon