Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-09-03
WILLIAMSVILLE,
How the Newfsne Ministers SALARY
Was Raised a Hundred Years Ago.

The very interesting "reminiscences of
early church services on Newfane Hill fur
nished by Mrs. l.. {. Cushing for the re-
cent vesper service on the hill, and pub
lished in The Phoenix of August 20, sug
gest comparison of the present system
of supporting preaching with the system
IN vogue in NeNfane during the first 30
years Of her history. The town was or
ganized May l., 1874, and June 80, IVA,
the Congregational church was organized,
and Rev. Hezekiah Taylor settled as pas
tor
November -, 1881, atown meeting was
called "To see if the inhabitants OF New
fame will vote the Rev. Mr.. Taylor to be
their minister Also, ITO see what
means they would choose in regard to hav-
ing the salary of the Rev. Mr.. Taylor as
sessed upon the inhabitants At this
meeting 1t was Voted unanimously that
the town approve OF and accept the Rev.
Mr.. Taylor to be minister of the gospel for
said town" Also, Voted TO raise POO
hard dollars to pay the salary due TO the
Rev. Mr.. Taylor on the Both day OF De
cember next" Also, "Noted a salary of
60 pounds, meaning POO Spanish milled
dollars, per annum, to be assessed annually
SO long as the Rev. Mr. Taylor remains a
minister of the gospel in said town
When this salary was voted it was prob
ably not anticipated that Mr.. Taylor would
remain the pastor of the church for a
period of 80 years. 1t is inferred that
some Of the inhabitants of the town soon
became restless under the system OF com
pulsory support of preaching, for the town
records show that many Of the tax payers
filed afhdavits, stating that they were adj
herents of different religious faith, for
the support Of which they were regular
contributors. 1t is presumed that the filing
of such a statement by tax payer was
allowed TO grant him exemption from the
assessment of a minister tax.
With the establishment of a strong Bap-
fist society in the south part of the town
the system Of township support Of preach
ing was abandoned, but the feature of rails
ing the preachers salary by tax Oh the
grand list CT its members was retained by
the Congregational society for some years.
The writer has IN his possession a tax bill
issued by the society for the year 1919, the
certificate attached 10 which reads as fol-
lows.
The prec, ding is tax bill 10 pay the salary
which b-came due 20 the Rev. Jonathan aye for
his services for the year ending Nov. D, 1919.
granted m a legal meeting Of the First Christian
Society held al the Meeting house ln Newfaue on
the tirst day of November lsls Assessed Nov.
j., 1879
VA. BARTLETT
On this tax bill were ~ names The
smallest tax was 50 cents few Of the
larger tax payers were. Sias Kenney,
S27.5I: David SanboIn. S2O.22; Daniel
Fisher. S1sG0; William H. Williams,
SlG62. Every tax but one bears the paid
mark.
The rate of taxation was eight and one
half cents on the dollar of the grand list.
In the back Of The book is a memorandum
by the collector: COLLECTED on this tax
bill S44S.Gj. Deficiency SI3j.' The
early inhabitants of Newfane transmitted
a good many good things 10 their descend
ants, but we fear that the faculty of rails
ing a $50 minister tax with a deficiency
Of only Sl.3j in some way got left out.