The Newtown bee., 1889-07-26
FRIDAY. JULY ae. 1880.
Newtown Granted Town Privileges,
 October II. I'll.


 After Newtown's purchase by Jeanes, Hawley and Bush, July 25, 1705; the legislative grant, May 13, l708; the first 20-acre layout, March 24, l7l0,came the first recorded meeting of the proprietors September 2t, I'll. They met at the house of Peter Hubbell, who was after ward town clerk. He was mechanic, for his shop is referred to in the records as one of the places where notices of town meetings were to be posted. The blacksmith shop of Abraham Kimberly was another place and he was associated with Kimberly in tho division of common lands. December P, 1716, 1t was voted In town meeting that Peter lIubbell keep house of entertainment for the year en- suing and tradition locates Peters home on the corner where Hon s. F. Glover now resides. That meeting in the Fall of I'll was n month earlier than the granting of town privileges to Newtown and was gathering of proprietors. In the early history of this and sister towns there were two distinct public organiza- tions side by side, the town and the pro prietors. Most of the male community belonged to both, for it was like the church and society organizations still ex istlng in the Congregational denomina- tion. The proprietors were owners of land while the town meetings were run by electors and the two, town and pro- prietors' meetings, continued side by side for some years. The proprietors' meet Ing at Peter Hubbell's, September 24, I'll, chose Peter town ''clarke," Abra- ham Kimberly constable, Ebenezer Prln- dlc and Thomas sharp surveyors of high ways, Joseph Gray and Daniel Foot fence viewers and Jonathan Booth field driver or hayward. As sample of the spell ing of those days, this vote will serve:
 yoted That Thomas Lake shall slip his twenty aeur devition and take 1t up the west sIdo of tho rhoad against the neither part of New Havene Plains, westerly of sd plains, to Dc laid out by the comeetee upon the said LalSc's charge,
 It was also voted that the IS proprie- tors who owned the town should have four acres of meadow apiece laid out to them on the Deep brook at the south end of the town and the meadow at the north end of the town where 1t may be as con venlent, either under Mt. Tom or else where. Swamp land that was suitable was to be considered meadow and, though they had no minister, four acres was to be set apart for the ministry, the propri- etors to draw for the lots 'tas hath been usual.n
 The Newtown proprietors had petition cd the General Assembly which met at Hartford in May of I'll to appoint a committee for laying out their lands. This prayer was granted and, when the Legislature met again in the Fall, New town came before it with petition for town privileges, which were conferred in these terms;
 Alta General Assembly holden ut New fla. ven, October II, l7ll
 Whereas, The General Assembly of this Colony, holden at Hartford in May last past, upon the petition of the inhab- itants of Newtown, did appoint Capt John Hawley and MT Benjamin Sherman of Stratford and Mir John Platt of said New town to be a committee to lay out such divisions of land within said Newtown (with the advice of Mir James Beebe and MT Thomas Taylor of Danbury) as should be agreed upon by the Proprie- tors thereof and to make areturn of their doings therein to this Assembly at this time. And the said committee, in pur- suance of the said act or order, having lately had general meeting of the said Proprietors and their agreement or order for laying out certain division or sun dry lots of land within the said town of Newtown, have thereupon proceeded and laid out the same and have now made their return thereof to this Assembly, which said return having been now con- sidered, the same is allowed and approv- ed by this Assembly and ordered to be kept on file.
 And whereas the aforesaid committee, by the desire and on the behalf of the Proprietors and inhabitants of the said Newtown, have now petitioned to this As sembly to have all such power, liberties and privileges granted to them as all oth- CT towns in this Colony generally have and enjoy and figure for brand mark for the horses to be appointed for them Upon consideration whereof, this Assem- bly do give and grant unto said Propri- etors and inhabitants of the said town of Newtown all such privileges, liberties and powers in all respects whatsoever as all other towns in this Colony generally have and do enjoy and do order and ap- point the figure to be the town brand mark for their horses.
 And it is ordered and enacted by this Assembly that the present constable of said Newtown shall give reasonable no- tlcc and warning to all the Proprietors and inhabitants thereof to convene to- gcther in a general town meeting within the said town some time in the month of December next upon day and at place by him appointed for the choosing of all town officers as the law directs"
 Newtown's first town meeting, held in accordance with this action of the Gen. eral Assembly, met December 4, I'll, al the house of Daniel Foot, where towr meetings were often held at first, Ebe. nczer Prindle, Samuel Sanford and John Platt were chosen townsmen, Abraham Kimberly constable and brander oi horses, Peter Hubbell town clerk, Johr Griffin and Benjamin Dunning surveyors of highways, Daniel Foot and Joseph Gray fence viewers, Jonathan BootI hayward, Peter Hubbell, Ebenezer Prin