Norwich bulletin., 1911-12-07
Town Meetings In Colonial Times
Subject of Paper by Miss Sarah L. Tyler Before the Norwich
 Round Table, Involving Much Research.

Before the Norwich Round Table where the topic this season is Con- necticut, Miss Sarah L. Tyler at the last meeting read a very interesting paper on Town Meetings of Colonial Days. This involved much searching or records, and will be read with keen appreciation as given herewith:
 The urSt recognition bya MaSSachu- setts or the Connecticut colonies lWtndsor, then named Dorchester; Hartford named Newtown, and Weth- ersfield. termed Watertown) was in June, 1885, when a constable was ap- pointed who was one of themselves
 Three months later each plantation was given permission to elect its own
 constable, who was to be sworn in.
 however, by a magistrate of MaSSachu-
 setts~ Bay. Three years later Say
 brook. the fourth colony in Connecti-
 cut, was settled, and about the same
 time New Haven. or Quinnypiack. in
 1859. New London came next, in 1646,
 and Norwich in 1860. The colonial
 records begin with 1656, and there is
 every reason to believe that no town
 acts were recorded before 1889, ana
 there are only four notes or memoran-
 da during that period.
 Golden Age of New England Town.
 In Connecticut between 1885 and
 l662 was the golden age of the New
 England town. Each town was a little state, having controIf of it's own af- fairs and bearing itself towards the CO.,
 lonia1 government in much the same
 way that the states of the Union did
 towards the national government in
 the earlier half of the last century.
 The town meeting was a government or pure democracy, and the COnnecti-
 cut town retains to the present time most of the rights it had in the begin ning- By an act passed at Massachu- sets Bay, colonies were allowed to
 elect townsmen. Early in the year 1639 the people of Hartford came to- gether and elected townsmen. The en- try is the first formal town record in the colony. Two weeks later appeared the famous constitution. In less than a year after the adoption of the con Sutution the general court passed or ders expressly reserving for the towns the right of choosing their own officers of assessing, taxing and distraining for Lon payments, of selling their lands, of recording titles, bonds. sales and mortgages of land within the try causes involving more than forty shillingS-
 The order for town meeting was given by the townsmen to the consta- ble, who gave a notice to the warner and drummer. The warner left 8 sum mons at every house. The drummer began to beat half an hour before the time of business, and if a constable and two tOWnSnen and fifteen inhab- itants appeared it was a legal meet ing.
 In New London. Feb. 25, 16A7. it was agreed Gas it had been by each of the other colonies) that any man being lawfully warned to appear at any gen. eral town meeting, that refused or did not come at the time appolntea. ol within half an hour of the appointed time. if he be at home, or have notice Of the citation, that man shall pay to the constable two shillings and six pence for the use of the town or if any person do vote after the com panic to come to vote, or before the | meeting be ended, without the com ] panles leave, that party shall pay two l shillfngs and six pence for his dis order, and further it is agreed that il any fail in either of these two things before mentioned and refuses to pay the penalty wben the constable de- rnands it, the constable shall have power to distraine. At a town meeting December Il, 1879, it was agreed and voted that the power and privilege ot voting in town meeting, in ordering any town affairs, shall only belong to those who are purchasers of said pIan- |