Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-07-28

barn and taught by Hester Fisher.
The first town meeting of which there
is any record, was in 1888, but there is
evidence in the records of that meeting,
that there had been previous town meet
ings. AT this meeting it was voted to
have preaching from neighboring towns
that season and David Stickney was ap-
pointed to get preaching that season ;
and it was voted that hogs should not
run at large. In town meeting 1884,
chose Ebenezer Burgess town clerk /;
Ebenezer Burgess, Aaron Putnam and
Edward Putnam, selectmen chose Sam
uel Spring committee to look out a
road or part of road to Rockingham +;
chose Charles Perkins brander of horses.
In town meeting 1885 chose Stephen
Hayward town clerk; Charles Perkins,
brander of horses. Voted that man
shall have three shillings day for high
way work, and yoke of oxen two
shillings day; voted that the law
book should be kept at the town clerks
office voted that all OK sleds in town
shall be four feet wide; voted to pur-
chase ground for burial place and that
each man give one days work to clear
the ground. The place was located at
the center of the town. On the goth
day of June 1885, the Congregational
Church was organized. In 1886 Eben-
ezer Burgess was elected town represen-
tative and justice of the peace. Mr.
Bullen, also Mr.. Smith preached each
a short time, but the people were not
agreed to hire either and in 1887 Rev.
William Hall, after preaching a few
weeks on trial, accepted call to settle
as pastor of the Congregational Church,
upon salary of thirty pounds for the
first year, and to be increased ten pounds
year until the sum amounted to sixty
pounds to be paid in rye at four shillings
per bushel or wheat at five shillings per
bushel.
In 1856 David Stickney and Moses
Gray were chosen tything men. Amos
Dennison and Edward Putnam fence
viewers. Mr.. Dennison was a man of
excellent moral qualities, regarded by
all as a conscientious, good man and
when conscious of committing wrong
nothing would give him peace of mind
but full confession to his brethren and
sisters in church meeting My lament
ed friend, Capt. Gutter, has related to
me many incidents in his life illustrating
this fact. Allow me to repeat one. One
Saturday afternoon in church meeting
he arose and said he had burden upon
his mind he had been guilty of an act
OF cruelty and desired to confess. Said
he caughta blue jay, held it by its legs-er,
picked all the feathers from its body ex-
cept its tail feathers-er and its wing feath-
ers-er he then held it upabout as high as
his header, with its bare body exposed
to the sun-er, he let go its legs-er and it
flew away, hollering Amos, Amos,
Amos He hoped to be forgiven.
The town in February of this year
voted to hire Mr.. Bullen to preach two
months; voted to make the law their
rule to make and repair highways for
the year ensuing voted that selectmen
be allowed days work at highways for
a day laying out highways. In August
voted not to hire any preaching at pres
ent. In 1888 the town voted to build a
pound and to divide the town into
school ricks, and to raise thirty pounds
in rye at 4 shillings per bushel to pay
town charges.
In 1892 the population of the town
was Dol, an average annual increase of
AZ. Considering that this was then a
perfect wilderness the town for the first
twelve years of its existence did well.
This is not at all surprising when we
consider that families in those DAYS usu-
ally consisted of father, mother and a
number of children that no prudent man
would bet upon. For instance: The
children of ziba Cooper and wife num-
'ered II, Samuel Whitney and Samuel
spring 2 each, Thos K. Parks 10. Oil
yer Davis 16, Jonas Amsden IS. Noah
Emery 21, making 103 children in seven
happy families. If families in town at
he present day were fortunate in this
espect like their predecessors, the trou.
lie about consolidating school districts
would cease. 1t is said that when the
hildren of Otis Whitcomb and wife.
Who resided near where Sherman Sher.
yin now resides, numbered II, the good
roman was greatly elated when prom
sed by her husband calico dress upon
be birth of her 10th child. Some time i,
fter, while speaking to Peter Pettengill
f his promise. he closed with the re.
lark, By gun guess she will get it."
lr. Whiteomb soon after removed to |
wanzey, N. H., and whether or not I
FRS. w. was fortunate enough tn receive :