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

pounds, one shilling and ten pence 1t
was voted to allow the amount and pay
the same out of the town stock of rye,
at 3 shillings, 8 pence bushel.
DIR. Amos Fisher was this year re-
elected town clerk and held the Office
most of the time for II years.
In the agreement with Mr.. Hall the
town were to clear for him 10 acres of
land annually for 5 years each inhab-
tant was TO work out his proportion.
Many failed to perform their part of the
labor, and in 1889 the town voted a
hard silver money tax upon all delin-
quents for their respective shares. This
was the first money tax the town ever
raised. All previous taxes had been
made payable in grain.
The subject of building a meeting
house was agitated in town meetings
early as 1856, but final action was not
taken until 1892, when, at a town meet
ing held at the house of Ensign Jona-
than Gibson it was voted to build a
Westinghouse. The spot selected for
the site was near, if not the same spot
where the last meeting house stood at
the center of the town. 1t was voted to
sell the pews on the ground floor to raise
fund to build with. Ensign Jonathan
Gibson was allowed fifteen shillings and
nine pence for flip furnished the 18th
day of February, 1892, at the selling of
the pews.
The building of the house was sold at
auction to Joseph Axtell at $500.
The first annual March meeting held
in this house was in 1893, and the last
In 1857, the town occupying it ga years.
it appears that the sum raised from
the sale of pews was insufficient, for the
same year tax was raised called the
Westinghouse tax, amounting to a92,
A shillings, 6 pence. The directions to
the collectors were as follows:
1oMLINsON, Oct. D, 1872.
To Nathan Dumbolton, Constable :
Sir, you are to collect the within list,
three quarters of it in wheat at 5 shil-
lings per bushel, and one quarter in cash
and pay the same to Joseph Axtell by
the last day of October Instant and take
his receipt for the same and deliver said
receipt to the Treasurer of the town.
5ssS.ss ssss 5sS:: IL. asSS: as1'A"" ss'ss'nsn-
There were then III tax payers in
town. | will give you the names Of
few whom think many present will re-
member and others whose descendants
are known to many present Joseph
Axtell, Alexander Axtell, Amos Denni-
son, Benjamin Dwinell, Oliver Davis
John Goodridge, Jr, Moses Goodridge,
whom some Of you remember with plea
sure on account of his many virtues.
One of his children only is living, Allen
Goodridge of Washington, D. c., but
large number of his grandchildren and
great grandchildren are now acting well
their respective parts in the drama of
life in various parts of the world, two
in this town, but the prospect that the
name of our respected citizen, S. w.
Goodridge, will be perpetuated through
his posterity is at present under cloud.
Solomon ellison, several of whose rela-
tives now reside in this town was tax
payer then also John Kidder, Stephen
Hayward, and Ziba Hayward now spell
ed Howard, Robert Holmes, Mannasseh
Houghton, Capt. David Palmer, Lieut..
Thomas Palmer, Edward Putnam, Eli
jah Phelps, Samuel Spring, number of
whose descendants have occupied exalted
positions in life, with distinguished abil-
ity; DIR. William Stickney, William
Stickney, Jr., George Smith, Jr., who
was for many years deacon of the Bap-
tist church, was father of Mrs. Wash |
ington Walker, Mrs. Samuel Walker
and Mrs. Henry Chase, whose children
now residing in this town number re-
spectively, five, three and one. A large
of his grandchildren and great
grandchildren are now living but scat
tered in several different states.
RogerSmith, brother of George Smith,
lived in log house few rods west of
the present dwelling-house of Cutler
Blodgett, on land now owned by John
Ayres. He had four children. Desir-
'us Of spending the evening with towns
man, Mr.. and Mrs. Smith left their chill
iren with hired man, Peter Pettengill.
md hired maid whose name | have
never been able to learn, and made their
'vening visit. On their return they were {
lorrified to find that their dwelling had
,een devoured by fire and the objects of s
heir tenderest love and affection had
in the flames. One of the chill. 6
Iren had carried lighted candle to the
.arret and put the blaze in contact with |
quantity of tow. Mr. Petteno;U anJ 7