Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-01-25
Puritahical Precincts and PeO
pie.

| On the ZlSt or January, / 100, was helu
the first mee ting i'm Concord n. Fl. y to
elect town officers. Previous to that
time they bad been appointed, on
which occasion were elected a Modera-
tor Parish Clerk, three Trustees or
Selectmen, Constable, two Tithing-
men (who could arrest persons travel
ing on Sunday, or desecrating the
Lords day., Surveyor of Highways,
Sealer of Leather and Sealer OF Weights
and Measures. The right to manutac-
ture leather was one claimed by the
king for those who paid tor the mo-
nopoly of that business, SO that their
protection was at the expense of their
neighhOrs, as is the case to this day in
all countries where protective tariffs
or taxes are laid for the enrichment of
those who cannot stand honest COM
petition.
HOSTING OF THE CRANE.
The first iron crane seen or used here
was put in q chimney fire place by
Stephen Harrington in his house IN
RumfOrd, in 1857. In these days across
fire places, lug poles were let in so that
pots and kettles could be suspended
therefrom over the fire. One day while
heating water to scald hogs, the lug
pole broke, the hot water was spilled
into the fire and over the floor, to the
peril OF children playing about. Mr..
Ferrington "studied out" a new idea,
went to Portsmouth, bought a bar of
iron, brought it home on horseback,
and had it made by blacksmith into
a crane. The neighbors look. d on and
laughed at him. They said it could
not hold up the weight as would lug
| pole. harrington was not laughed out
of his idea, but had the crane made, and
made several bets that it would hold a
certain weight. He rigged it to tree,
gave q public exhibition of its style,
strength and convenience, won all his
bets and then put III the stay irons, set
| the crane in his chimney and was vic
| tor. For ninety years that crane was
| used in the family, and in 1858 was, by
a descendant of the family, presented
| to the State Historical Society.
SLAVES IN NEW ENGLAND.
In 1857 slaves were held in New En-
gland. l am permitted by Mr.. e. s.
Nutter to copy from all old bill of sale,
as follows:
CONCORD, n. H., March 4, 1867.
Received of Andrew Mcmillan the sum of
| forty seven pounds ten shillings, lawful
| money, in full consideration for my Negro
,, Boy slave named Caesar, aged about eleven
to said Mcmillan, and promise to warrant
| and defend the property of said Negro Boy
| to him, the said Mcmillan, and his heirs or
| assigns forever, against the claims of any
other person or persons whatsoever.
In witness whereof, have hereunto set
| my hand and seal, the day and date above
written: BENJAMIN OSGooD.
5aMEs PASE bossooD, oseooH,, Witnesses.
Patrick Gault, on the oath of May,
1868, sold his Negro Carl Dinah" "aged
eight years, to Andrew Mcmillan for
twenty pounds lawful money.
From an old copy OF the Essee Jour-
nal, of Newburyport, March 2, 1774, is
| copied this:
To BE SOLD.
A HEALTHY NEGRO GIRL,
About % years old-born in this country.
LIKEWISE
A SERVICABLE MARE
which goes well in a carriage.
Enquire of the Printers.
Probably taken in on subscription!
DOGS AND BOYS AT CHURCH.
The old Puritans had their fun and
Jokes as well as have the rest of us.
Aaron Stevens, the Coroner, called the
"Crowner, )" had stout negro man who
was duly elected dog whipper. Such
dogs as came to We meeting house on
the Sabbath were cOrralled and kept
over till after service, when to please
the boys, they, the dogs, were let out
and whipped till their howls formed
sort of wild dog-sology, or postscript to
the prayers Of the pious. For this SER
vice, which was canine if not canonical,
the old dark received n few pennies oc-
casionaIly-and the dislike of all the
dogs in town.
RUNNING A SAW.
The pioneers here were a healthy
people. In 1882 Richard Potter was
logging about four miles from home.
A log slid from its place and so bruised
one of his knees as to endanger his life.
The few doctors of the place were called
i'm council and they said that Potter
must die, and that it would be useless
to amputate his crushed foot and lower
part OF the leg. They wen. away leav-
ing him to die, when Il DR.. Carrigain
sail that Potter would soon die if his leg
were not cut off, and that he might live
ifit were. He then cut the flesh around
from the bone Just below the knee and
went to work with an old saw. It was
dull and he had Benjamin Thompson,
neigh bor run home quarter of a mile |
ami bring Il saw that was sharp. By the |
time he had the leg off, Potter was in
sensible, but in forty-eight hours knew |
his watchers and got well. The bone
was cut off just below the knee SO it was
left bare. To make the skin heal over
it, DIR. e. ordered New England rum to
be heated and poured on, W hile the bone
was picked and roughed by pegging
awl, the patient grinning and bearing
the pain. After Potter got we'll ne
made tor himself wooden leg, ran foot
races, and was q successful wrestler,
dying July 6, 1928, aged 81 years.
CARRIGAIN CARvEs AGAIN.
In 1870, while Town House was
being erected, Benjamin Rolfe had a
fidger so badly jammrd that amputa-
ton was necessary. DIR. Carrigain
the dull saw surgeon, was called.
With a chisel amt maliet he cut the
finger off. leaving the bone protrud-
ing, so that in the winter, in cold
weather, the flesh would recede, the
bone would crack, and Mr.. Ralfe suffer
yrest pain. We have an idea that DIR. 5
Carrigain was the head OF the sur
slcal and medical school that furnish i