The Somerset reporter., 1897-04-01


Whitaker, Il member of the Salem Pres
bytery preach sometime, and being salts
fled with his Principles In Doctrine ant
Discipline, and with his Ministerial Gifts
and his Character on the Testimonials HI
has exhibited from his Presb'y Do make
Choice of him, the sd DR.. Whitaker TO b'
our minister" He was TO receive N
salary, ESQ each year or its equivalen
In produce, was To have five acres o.
land cleared for seed every year for ter
years, and twenty cords of wood hauled
10 his door yearly. At meeting hello
jan. %, 1870 the town voted "a deelin
ature from the Presbyterian form OF
church government. The following
persons entered their dissent and order
ed it to be recorded Peter Haywood
Esq, Elders John White, solomon Clark
Isaac Smith, Peter Haywood, Jr., Salnue
Whitman and John Weston" Alse
Voted to receive the congregational
form of Government agreeable to the
Cambridge platform
Dir. Whitaker was a man of great
ability, an Englishman by birth, wei
educated and fine looking, but with al
utter lack of moral principle. In conse-
quence of this the town made repeated
attempts to dissolve his connection
with the church and this was fiaally
accomplished sometime in 1880
In 1874, Rev. jonathan Calef was or
daned and Congregational church took
the place of the old Presbyterian one.
In 1896 nine of the tax payers were re-
leased from supporting the ministry OF
Mr.. Calef, provided they could give evil
dence satisfactory to the seeetmen that
they aided in the support OF the Baptist
denomination, The question was tried
in town meeting My %, 1893, whether
the Rev. Jonathan Calef can be useful
To the majority of the Inhabitants of this
town as a Gospel Minister, passed in the
negative by large majprity.' More
town meetings were held, al one OF
which it was voted to pay Mr. Calef 500
TO sever his connection 18th the church,
but it was not till 1901 that he asked and
received dismissal. After Mr.. Calefs
departure, the church WAS reorganized
with fifteen members, the beginning of
the present Congregational church IN
! Skowhegan.
The first survey of the territory OF
Canaan was made in l779, by John Jones,
Esq. The plantation was first called
Heywoods-tow or Howardston and
sometimes the plantation of Wesserrun-
/ stIb Dub iiit HtIF bO' mug iOi
common use and Canaan finally became
the accepted title. As early as 1893, and
perhaps before then, records were kept
Of the plantation affairs, and at the meet
ings held In Peter Heywoods house the
regular officers were chosen. Taxes
paid to the common wealth of Massa-
chusetts were hard to collect. A war.
rant issued by the State treasurer to
Samuel Weston, collector of HowaTdston,
dated Nov. 20, 1888, ordered an assess
ment of f32 Is 9Kd upon the planta-
ton, under an ac. passed by the Great
and General Court" early in 1881; and
the assessors OF Canaan or Howardston,
on making the apportiOnment for this
tax, write to Samuel Weston. "We
commit to you this bill or assessment OF
f32 Is 9Hd, it being a part of f67 los Cd
a State tax bearing date November the
8th day, l78l."
Money was 80 scarce that the settlers
were unable to pay their taxes and were
Obliged TO petition he General Court oil
Massachusetts to have them RENTED
At one time tax of 60 was imposed
and there was actually not that amount
of money to be found in the whole
plantation. This was not because they
were really so poor, but all business was
carried on by barter, and farm produce,
furs, ETC., were practically legal tender
among themselves. In l7SS the General
Court passed IAN act for Incorporating
certain tracts of land in the county OF
Lincoln with the inhabitants thereon,
into town by the name of Canaan,
The record of the first town meeting
may be interesting to the descendants OF
| the men who attended it.
ssrhe inhabitants of Canaan being met
Aug. 2lst, 1888, pursuant to warrant
issued by Daniel Cony, Esq, for the
choice of Town Officers az eeable to an
act of the General Court Of the Common
wealth of Massachusetts dated June Is,
1888, voted as follows, viz
Chose Daniel Cony, Esq, moderator.
Chose Samuel Weston. town clerk.
Chose Samuel Weston, John Fowler
and Seth Wyman, selectmen and asses
sors.
Chose Levi Powers, constable.
Chose Joseph Weston, town treasurer
Chose Joseph Savage, Samuel Varnum
John Cakes, Samuel Emery, Solomon
Clark, William Steward, John Weston
and Eli Weston, surveyors of highways
Chose Samuel Weston and John
Fowler, surveyors of lumber.
Chose Samuel Whitman, Lieut.. Isaac
Smith, John Emery and Robert Hood
tithingmen.
Chose Peter Haywood, Jr. and Jane:
Turner, wardens.
Chose Messieu Salmon White, Christie
pher Webb and John Fowler, fence view
ers.
Chose Solomon Oaks, Abraham Ire
land, Jr. and Solomon Steward, Jr.
field drivers.
Chose Mr.. william Steward, sealer OF
leather.
Chose Lieut.. Isaac Smith, informer OF
deer and moose.
Chose William Steward, Jr., Perley
Rogers, Abraham Ireland and William
Weston, hog-reeves.
Chose Joseph Weston, sealer Of
weights and measures.
Chose Eli Weston, pound keeper.
Voted that Mr.. Eli Weston's barn oil
barn yard shall serve as close or pound
the ensuing year.
Voted that the town will give as s
premium, tenpence per pound for col
lecting the State and County taxes tt
any person who shall serve as collector
Chose Samuel Emery, collector Of
taxes.
Voted that town meetings for the pre-
sent years shall be notified by posting
notifications at the usual place of public
worship, unless the exigency of affair,
may require a shorter notice, when i
LII, H, h., Int, IS . 10 nln