Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-02-27
HALIFAX IN It'll.

A List of the Heads of Families in Town
that Year, with other Facts of EARLY
History.
The interesting article on the town clerks
of Halifax brings to mind that there must
have been clerk earlier than is mentioned
The town had a constable in l11l, and
would not be likely to have such an officer
without being organized and having a clerk.
The governor of the province of New York
had a census taken in March of that year,
and that for Halifax was taken by the con
stable. Here is his return
"A List Of the heads of families which belong
to Halifax is follows Seth Knowles, John
Pannel, VIM. Gault, James Taylor, John Gault,
Simeon Smith, Simeon Smith, jr Elisha Pratt
Elisha Pratt, jr., David Rich, Sam'l Brown, Jos.
Mcclure Simeon Blackmore, David Bartlett,
Ezekiel Perham, Rufus Harrington, Ebenezer Sa.
bin, John Goodrich Jonas Sheperd, Mm. scott
Robert CroLier, Thomas Sabin, John Crozier,
James Woodward Saml Woodward, VIM. Hen
derson. Nathan Williams, Joseph WrmS, Eben.
ezer Parish, James Carey, Benz. Henry, Sam'l
Morrison. VIM. Cooper, Abner Rice, Robert Pat
terson iona. Stafford. Sam'l CLARK, Robert GILES,
Thomas Clark, Abner Newton, Edward Harris,
William Wilson, James CLARK, Nathan Wilcox,
William Wilcox, Sam'l Thomas, John Thomas,
Benz. Thomas, Slml Baker, Joseph stuart,
George Lyon.
White males under 10, 100
White males above IL and under a., 80
White males 20 aud upwards
White females under IL, -
White females above III, Is
Blacks none,
Total 3S3
No Of the heads NJ families, ~
A true list-test-per me-l'l.
NATHAS WILLIAMS, Constable
Only three towns on the east side of the
mountains had larger population. These
were Westminster with 41S, Guilford with
436 and Brattleborough with 4O3
The town was chartered by Benning
Wentworth, royal governor of the prov
| ince of New Hampshire, to Oliver Partridge
and 63 others May H. 1850, and was the
second chartered by him in the New llamp-
| shire grants which became the state of Yer
mont. Bennington being the first, chartered
| in l149 1t was divided into equal shares
among the proprietors, with six-sided
tract in the centre for public uses, aud the
lots were marked at the corners with last
ing boundaries. settlement was begun
in 11Jl, but had to be left on account of
the Indian war then going on. 1t was
continued in 1851 by Abner Rice from
Worcester county Massachusetts, and fur
ther by others from Coleraine and Pei
ham in 1903 The territory became part
of the province of New York, by order OF
the king in council July 20, 1854. On No
vember IL, 1854, Mr.. Partridge wrote to
Lieut. Gov Cadwalder Golden, of that prov
ince, about his grant of Halifax and the iu-
risdiction of New York over it, and OctO-
ber !, 1865, he and the other proprietors
presented a memorial for a grant and con
iirmation of their charter They repre-
sented that the proprietors of more than
forty lots had renewed their exertiOns for
settlement with good proficiency that al
though the township consisted largely of
mountain lands heavily loaded with timber,
they thought their settlement would prove
beneficial to the public A charter was ad-
vised to he granted hut never issued. Han
nah Horsey, widow of a reduced officer of
the army, petitiUned for a grant Of land in
Halifax January -, 1866 Captain Viii
liam Handheld, reduced officer, petitioned
for 5000 acres January 2S, 1866, and he
and Lieut. Charles Shirreh, another re-
duced officer, for 5000, January %, 1867.
No grants were made on any of these pc
titions.
The town was organized by electing such
officers as were required by the laws of the
province of New York, probably in 1853
or l110. These did not include selectmen
or listers, but did supervisor, assessors,
and others. Probably Samuel Woodward
was the first clerk Some of the voters OF
the town attended the election at West
minister of representatives from the county
of Cumberland 10 the colonial assembly of
New York in 1913. John Bolton of West
minister paid unto Jout. Stafford nine
Shillings and Six pence Lawful money Of
the Bay province for Nesesares the People
of Halifax had when they Come TO Lex
tion, 9" which was refunded by the cand
dates Col. Benjamin Carpenter after
wards of Guilford, was a delegate from
Halifax 10 the convention of September
9jth l716 at Cephas Kent's, Dorset, which
laid the foundation for organizing the state
of Vermont, The meeting Of March 3d
l71S which was the first Tuesday in March
was the first under the laws of Vermont
these meetings have ever since been con
tinued. There were 10 voters in town
August IL, l11S. Edward Harris Esq
and Hubbel Wells, Esq were elected rep
resentatives 10 the general assembly OF
Vermont in that year.