The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-03-19
HISTORICAL "REMINISCENCES.
No. 4.

No. 4.
The archives of the town do not con-
tain its earliest records. Many of these
records are probably lost or laid away in
some old closet or garret belonging to
some of the old families of the town.
Some are known to exist in possession OF
individuals, among the latter are town
records between April 5, l775 and Feb,
A, 1888, the original charter of London
derry dated Apr 20, 1880 and the original
document granting that portion of the
town to certain individuals, known as
Aiken's gore. The town should try to
gain possession of these by gift or pur-
chase, or at least obtain certified copies
of them for the archives of the town.
Some of these as well as the first book
of records in the clerks office are in
very bad condition, and should be copied
into well-bound book while they are yet
legible. Portions of them are already be-
yond deciphering and the rest is fast
passing to the same condition.
The earliest of these records, now for a
brief season in the possession of the
writer through the courtesy of Barnet
Wait, Esq, give the doings of the town
for period of about eight years, previous
to Feb. 4, 1888 There is then hiatus
until Feb. 10, 1893 " hen the first record
is made in the first book in the town
clerks office, period of about sixteen
years. Perhaps some one may be able to
solve the conundrum as to where these
missing links may be found. Deponent
saith not The records obtained from
Mr.. Wait are valuable as being the ear
liest of the town known to exist and will
be given in these papers rerbatim ct liter
atm, so far as they are decipherable.
The first record is warning of town
meeting in the following terms:
Kent, Apr. 5, l775.
Province of 20
New York
County of Cumberland.
You are hereby requested to warn the
inhabitance of said Town to meet att the
Grist Mill on Monday the Eight day of
May Next att one of the clock afternoon
to consider and vote on the following
Article viz.
10 see whether they will give their con
sent to change the School Lot as it inter
feres with James Patterson, and that
said land should be taken for it in somt
other part of the Town and this shall bt
your warrant given by my hand
To Mr.. David Oughterson.
| Edward Aiken Town Clerk.
1t is SAID that the. first town fmeetins
! for the election of officers was h,Sd il
I March 1875, and the fact of there being
town clerk as given in the above docu
ment bears testimony of some such meet
ing, but no record of it is known to exist
| The meeting of which the above was
warning was duly held and the following
is the record:
''Kent May ye Sth l775.
James Patterson chosen Moderator
Voted on the above warrant in the afiir
native that there should be Land takel
in some other Part of the town for tn
School Lot and that Edward Aiken
Samuel Dunlap and David Cochran be
committee to Estimate the same and
shall be as valuable as the Land for whic
it is changed"
The record of the above meeting is o.
the first page and detached from the rest
1t comes to close at the bottom of tn
page, and as it is not signed may hav
been continued on the next page. If S
the remaining part is lost as the mex
record is dated nearly two years later
The pages are not numbered so we can
not tell whether there are any missing.
Kent, Feb. 21, 1777.
You are hereby Required to warn tn
inhabitance of said Town to meet at tn
Grist Mill on Tuesday the l1th Day o
March Next att one of the Clock after
noon to act and Vote on the followin,
Articles viz.
lst. To chuse their Town officers fo
the present year.
2ndly to see whether they will agree L
Buy House for Public Worship in Sal
Town, and where it shall stand and thi
Shall Be your warrant given under m
hand.
To Mr.. Hugh Montgomery
Town Constable.