Westport Town Records

Town records of 1825

Page 511

Barnstable Wymphas Marston had 25 votes and Hezekiah Barnard had 11 which were sorted, counted, record and declaration thereof made agreeable to law. Recorded by Frederick Brownell, Town Clerk

TO CHARLES S. GIFFORD, CONSTABLE, GREETING [warrant for special meeting on January 3, 1825 to select congressional representative from Bristol District]

Page 512

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held January 3,1825 pursuant to foregoing warrant]
The following persons were voted for:
Francis Baylies 215 votes; James L. Hodges 24 votes, which were sorted, counted, record and declaration thereof made agreeable to law.
Recorded by Frederick Brownell, Town Clerk

TO CHARLES S. GIFFORD, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [warrant for special town meeting on January 3,1825 "to know the Town's mind in regard to an indictment found against said Town by the grand jurors for said County for not having schools agreeable to law, and also to choose an agent to attend to that and for other purposes if thought necessary and expedient."]

Page 513

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held January 3, 1825 pursuant to foregoing warrant]
Nathan C. Brownell chosen moderator.
Jonathan Davis chosen an agent in behalf of the Town to defend the action commenced against said Town for not having schools agreeable to law, & to settle it on the best conditions he can.
Recorded by Frederick Brownell, Town Clerk

Page 514

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at house of Frederick Brownell February 22,1825 to draw jurors] John Macomber was drawn grand juror & Ezekiel Tripp and Peleg Gifford drawn traverse jurors for C.C.Pleas in Taunton in March.

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at Brownell house April 5,1825] Peleg W. Peckham was drawn grand juror and job Allen & David Sisson traverse jurors to serve at Supreme Judicialk Court at Taunton in April

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at Brownell house June 6,18251 John Gifford, son of Ephraim,

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and Abner Wilcox, Jr., were drawn traverse jurors for Court of Common Pleas in Taunton in June

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at Brownell store August 27,18251 Peter Devol, Jr. and Edmund Tripp, Jr. were drawn traverse jurors for C.C.Pleas at Taunton in September.

Page 515

TO CHARLES S. GIFFORD, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [warrant for special town meeting to vote for state officials April 4, 18251

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held April 4,1825 pursuant to foregoing warrant]

Page 516

Votes for the following persons were given in, sorted, counted, record and declaration thereof made as by the Constitution is directed, viz.
For Governor: Levi Lincoln had 54 votes;
For Lt. Governor: Marcus Morton had 54 votes.
For Senators: Thomas Rotch had 38 votes; John Mason had 50 votes; Joseph Tripp had 54 votes; Solomon Pratt had 16 votes and Matthew Mayhew had 5 votes.

Page 517

TO CHARLES S. GIFFORD, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [warrant for annual town meeting to be held April 4, 1825; typical articles; new is #8 "to know the Town's n-dnd in regard to regulating the Oystery Fishery"]

Page 518

AT A LEGAL MEETING of the Inhabitants of Westport qualified according to law, assembled at the Town House in said Town on Monday the fourth day of April at nine oclock in the forenoon for the purposes contained in the foregoing warrant.
Nathan C. Brownell chosen moderator
Frederick Brownell chosen Town Clerk and Town Treasurer.
Daniel Wing, Frederick Brownell and Jonathan Davis chosen Selectmen
Frederick Brownell, Daniel Wing, Jonathan Davis chosen Assessors
VOTED that all other Town Officers be chosen by hand vote.
Barney Hicks, Abner B. Gifford, John Macomber chosen Committee on Accounts
Surveyors of Highways: Gilbert Macomber, Capt. William Tripp, Gershom. Wordell, Emmanuel Devol, Stephen Cornell, Jr.,

Page 519

Ebenezer Baker, Abner Wilcox, Isaac Gifford, Peleg Reed, Samuel Slade, Abner Davis, Canaan G. Dyer, Sylvester Brownell, George C. Brownell, David Sanford, Peleg Brownell, Tillinghast Almy, Luthan White, Nicholas Little, Ezekiel Brownell, Nathan C. Brownell, Peleg W. Peckham, John Potter, John Gifford, David Wing, Samuel Allen, Ichabod Klrby, William T. Davis, Pardon

1825 66

Shearman.
Pound Keeper: David Brownell
Surveyors of Lumber: Abner B. Gifford, Frederick Brownell, Stephen Howland, John Anthony, David M. Brownell, Micah Dean, Jethro Howland, & Perry Wilcox.

Page 520

Tythingmen: Michah Dean, Cornelius White, Wing Howland, Benjamin Sowle, John Gifford, Thomas Winslow, Ephraim Tompson, William Brownell, Zacheus Gifford, Peleg Gifford, George Gifford, David Sanford, Francis Tripp and Gilbert Macomber
Overseers of Landing, Head of East River: Adam Gifford, John Anthony, Jonathan Peckham & Pardon Gifford.
Fence Viewers: Peleg Manchester, Nathan C. Brownell, Wilbur Gifford, Adam Gifford, George Gifford, John Potter, Edmund Tripp, Jonathan Records, Major Allen & Humphry Slocum
Cullers of Hoops & Staves: Jethro Howland, Micah Dean, John Howland, Jr., & Stephen Howland
Cullers of Fish: Jethro Howland & Gideon Davis
Field Drivers: Stephen Cornell, Jr. Wilbur Gifford, George Kirby, Russell Gifford, John Milk, Abner Lawton, Pardon Gifford, Charles Little, Abner Lawton, Pardon Gifford, Charles Little, Elijah Blossom, Nathaniel Tripp, Jr. Silas Pettey, Abraham Davis, Simeon Craw, & William G. Sowle.

Page 521

For County Treasurer, Charles Porter had 58 votes, James L. Hodges had 17 votes & Apollos Tobey had 1 vote.
$1000. VOTED that the sum of one thousand dollars be raised for repairing highways and town ways in the Town of Westport the year ensuing .... [usual amounts allowed for road work]
VOTED that this meeting be adjourned to the second monday in May next.... Recorded by Frederick Brownell, Town Clerk

MAY 9,1825: AGREEABLE TO ADJOURNMENT from the first Monday in April ... the following town officers were chosen:
Hog Reeves: Ephraim Macomber, Wilbur Gifford, Wing Howland, Phillip Davis, Elijah Blossom, Samuel Wilcox, John Anthony, Wanton Macomber, Barney Hicks, Gideon Davis, Abner Wilcox, William Tripp & Arnold Wood

Page 599

Overseers of Fishery: Gideon Davis, Pardon Allen, Perry Brightman, David Wing, Perry Hazard
The Comn-dttee on Accounts reported-they had allowed $1651.74 in charges against the Town. VOTED to accept the report and to direct the Treasurer to pay the charges. The Committee also reported that the Treasurer had received $3404.52 and paid out $2670.16, leaving a ballance for the Town of $734-36. The Committee further report that there was by the report of the Committee last year a ballance against the Town between the sum assessed on the Town the year before and the accounts that had been allowed against the Town the sum of $356.92; that the amount of accounts they had allowed being $1651.74, making $2008.66

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Page 523

And that there had been assessed on the inhabitants the year past as by report this day presented the sum of $3136.08, leaving a ballance in favour of the Town of the sum of $1127.42. Respectfully subn-dtted by Abner B. Gifford, Barney Hicks & John Macomber.
VOTED that the law which requires this Town to employ schoolmasters instructed in the Greek and Latin languages be dispensed with.
VOTED that the Selectmen provide schools for the inhabitants of this Town agreeable to law, and that they draw orders on the Treasurer for the expenses.
VOTED to remitt Peleg Sisson's tax assessed on him in 1824 in consequence of his keeping his brother & sister the year past.
$3000. VOTED that the sum of three thousand dollars be raised ... for the support of the poor, for publick schools, towards extinguishing the debts against the town, and other incidental charges....

Page 524

Tillinghast Almy, Abner B. Gifford & James H. Handy chosen a committee for the purpose of preparing a petition to send to the General Court for the purpose of having the County of Bristol divided. A petition was prepared, read in Town Meeting and accepted by VOTE, and ordered to be presented to the next General Court.
VOTED that this meeting be adjourned to Saturday the twenty first day of May instant....

TO CHARLES S. GIFFORD, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [warrant for special town meeting on May 9, 1825 to elect representatives to the General Court]

Page 525

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held May 9, 1825 pursuant to foregoing warrant] VOTES for the following persons were given in, sorted, counted, record & declaration thereof made as by the Constitution is directed, viz.
Abner B. Gifford had 20 votes; Tillinghast Almy had 20 votes; Nathan C. Brownell had 15 votes & Doctor James H. Handy had 5 votes.

TO CHARLES S. GIFFORD, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [warrant for special town meeting on May 9, 1825 ...

Page 526

"to choose a Collector of Taxes to finish the collection of the taxes assessed in the year A.D. 1824"1

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held May 9,1825 to act on foregoing warrant]
Nathan C. Brownell was chosen moderator
VOTED to adjourn to Saturday the twenty first day of May, 1825

AGREEABLE TO ADJOURNMENT from May 9, 1825, the inhabitants of Westport met accordingly.

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Abner B. Gifford was chosen moderator
George C. Brownell chosen Collector of Taxes to finish the collection of taxes assessed in the year A.D. 1824 to have one & a half per cent on what he collects and pays into the Treasury & to have no allowance for uncurrent money.

Page 527

AGREEABLE TO ADJOURNMENT [continuation of annual meeting from May 9,18251
VOTED that the vote which was taken November, 4,1892 respecting the report of Abner Brownell as agent for this Town in contesting Peleg Sisson's administration account, etc. be reconsidered.
VOTED that the Town Clerk deliver to Peleg Sisson the report of Abner Brownell, agent as aforesaid, together with a copy of James Gifford & his wife Rhoda's bond to Peleg Sisson & a copy of Peleg Sisson's obligation to James Gifford & his wife Rhoda.
John Potter & Pardon Allen were chosen Overseers of the Landing at the Point.
VOTED that twenty six dollars be paid by the Town Treasurer to Barbary Devol for expences incurred in supporting herself from May 20, 1824 to May 20, 1825 & that he charge the same to the Town.
VOTED that the representatives be instructed to use their influence in having an act passed by the legislature regulating the Oyster Fishery so that the Town may [sell?] the priviledge of taking oysters in said Town for such time & under such regulations as the Town shall direct & that the emolument arising from said priviledge be appropriated to such purposes as the inhabitants in Town Meeting may direct.
George Cook Brownell chosen Constable & Collector of Taxes for the year ensuing on the same conditions the Constable was chosen last year to have one & a half per cent on an the money he shall collect of the taxes of 1825 ....

Page 528

TO GEORGE C. BROWNELL, CONSTABLE, GREETING. [warrant for special town meeting on November 11, 1825 "to know the Town's mind in regard to the doings of the Selectmen in laying out a private way over Arnold Wood's land for the use of Nathan Wood."]

PURSUANT to the within warrant I have notified and warned the inhabitants of Westport within mentioned to met at the time and place within mentioned & for the purpose within mentioned by posting up notices at the Town House & at the store of Frederick Brownell, George C. Brownell, Constable.

Page 529

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at House of Frederick Brownell on December 1, 1825[ Wing Howland & Silas Kirby were drawn traverse jurors for the C.C.Pleas in Taunton this month.

AT A LEGAL MEETING [held at the Town House on November 11, 1825] VOTED to accept of the return of a private way laid out by the Selectmen over Arnold Wood's land for the use of Nathan Wood, and that the same be recorded.