Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-12-05
VOL. XXI, NO.lO.

ter be determined by the town or state
out Of some future tax, that shall be
raised by the town or state. A COM
mittee of five was appointed to sap
point or lay out burying ground and
agree with the men who own the land.
Voted that the town petition the Assem-
bly, to grant tax OF two pence on the
acre of all the land in Turnersburg.
September 29, 1888, a third town
meeting was held in which it was voted
to petition the Assembly to alter the
name of the town and call it Brookline.
At the next town meeting, held March
3, 1889, the warrant begins with the
date OF Chelsea, alias Turnersburg, and
to meet at the house of Samuel Moore,
thus proving that the suggested name
OF Br0Okline was not accepted, but that
that of Chelsea was. At this meeting
the town voted to accept the burying
ground laid out on the Branch voted
to appoint a committee to find the CEN
ter OF the town for the most suitable
place for meeting house, and COM
mittee Of seven was appointed for that
purpose. July 80, 1889, voted to petit
ton the Assembly not to doom them
this year; voted not to send repre-
sentative to the Assembly; voted, 1871,
to agree with Roger Wales for two
acres of land for common. Theophi-
lus Harrington seems this year to have
been appointed first justice of the
peace. In 1894 it was voted to pay
Capt. Nathaniel Oak 19 IL bushels Of
wheat for building the pound, stocks
and sign posts. Nothing is here said
about a whipping post, nor is mention
made anywhere in the records Of such
post, but that such post existed there
can be but little doubt. Several of the
older inhabitants now living remember
the talk about the whipping post. The
stocks, a sort of cOntrivance in which
guilty persons were made to stand with
their feet fastened, stood, am told, on
the south corner, near the western bor-
der. After votes taken at two previ-
Gus town meetings, it was voted Dec.
5, 1895, that Capt. Stephen Buhonon be
directed to deed to Reuben Hatch the
whole Of the public building or town.
house. so-called,~ III Chelsea, on condi-
ton that said Hatch shall lease to the
selectmen of Chelsea and their success
ors in office, for the use of the town,
the privilege of repairing to upper
arched room in said house and the i'm
provement of said room and gallery
for regular town meetings, public wor-
ship, and for the use of the county
court if wanted for that purpose Also
said Hatch was to have the privilege of
courts, arbitrations or such
like regular meetings into said house
without any hire to him or owners.
This public building was sometimes
called a town house, but only the pub
lie hall was used for town meetings,
for religious worship and for courts,
and other like public wor-
ship.
Here Rev. Frederic Plummcr,
celebrated Christian minis
ter in his day, and here Rev. Lathrop
Thompson and his son-in-law and sue
cessor, Rev. Calvin Noble, preached to
Con9regationalists and Christians, hold
inc public religious services alternate
". Sometimes there would be little
friction between the two societies, Mr..
Plummer displayinga good deal of tact
md smartness, for which the grave
preachers were little
One day Mr.. Plummer took
he stand, many Congregationalists re-
naming to worship with the Christians,
,ut being displeased with something
Mr. Plummer said, several started to
cave the hall, when Mr.. Plummer re-
marked, 1.-The wicked flee when no
nan pursueth, but the righteous are
,old as a lion"
The earliest record we find Of the
owns providing for the preaching of
he gospel was in 1895, when at a town
Meeting it was voted that some method
'e taken for hiring preaching for the
ime the town thinks it convenient.
lay 10Th Of that year it was voted in
own meeting to hire Mr.. Hubbard,
,ho had previously preached four Sab
aths, ''some longer, till one Sabbath
tier the first Tuesday in September"
1ishing no doubt to keep the towns
Olitics pure until after the election. 1t
vas at the same time voted that the
Vest Hill have its share OF preaching,
CCOIuiilS W tllC SIdIlu liSl vi sdlu w tSU
I'LL. There was then small Baptist
)ciety in that part of the town and the
lembers claimed their share of the
,wn's money appropriated for preach
lg, and the town was liberal enough
) grant their claim.
In 1895 the town voted to raise one
INT on the dollar of the grand list, to
efray town expenses and to raise, in
1dition, money for a school or school
Duse, and one penny on a pound for
payable in wheat at four
lillings bushel. This year, 1895,
us marks the centennial of the first
wn appropriations for the support of
e gospel and of public instruction.
he first schoolhouse built in town now
ands on the west side Of Main street,
i'll substantial building, and is occu-
ed as a dwelling house.
TO illustrate the manner of disposing
the towns poor, and the cost ofmain-
ining that class of its population, I
tote from the town clerks record the
flowing item:
March 2, 1902.
Voted to sell at vendue to the highest