Plymouth County, Massachusetts - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 1 of those read), 1884

Chapter with an unread heading (no. 1 of those read)

Petition of tbe Nortli Precinct to be set otF into a separate Town - Charter for ii Precinct - First Meeting of tlio Satue - Selectmen - Clerks - Treuuurers - Parish Committee - Moderators of Precinct Meeiings - Parish Tax for 1744 - Poll Tax List fur 177U - Unilod States Land Tax, 1798.

North Parish of Bridgewater. - On account of the labor of attending ou church worship at "so remote a distance" from home, fifty-five individuals belonging in the old North Parish sent a petition to the General Court, xsking to be set off into a separate township, which petition was so far granted as to allow them the powers and privileges usually allowed to parishes.

"To His Excellency Jonathan Belcher, Esq""., Ciipt*° General and Guvernuur in Chief in and over bis Majesties Province of the Mastiuchu.<ctt^ Bay, in New England, and to the llunuuroblc hid ^Majesties Cuuueil and House of Representatives in Generil Court Assembled at Boston, on the 31"*' of Alay, 173S, the Petition of us, the Subscribers, Inhnbitants of the Town of Bridgewaler, Consisting Chiedy of tbe North part of the west precinct, and two Familys of the East Precinct, in s** Town, -

" Humbly Sheweth : "That, when the meeting-house was lately bult In the West precinct, the Inhabitants of the North part of a<^ Wedt preeinrt Cheerfully C»UAented to, and Did their proportionable part In, building of b"^ meeting House where it Now stand;;, tho very Remote from the Pclitioni-rs, and at sucU a Diatnncc iiom them so as but few of their Fjiiuilies Ever Cuuld, without Great DitHculty, attend tlie Publick Worship of God there; but, Notwithstanding, thay were Willing to Do the utmost of their power and ability to l*rumt>ie tlie Worship ot God their. In hopes when they were able to have it Nearer to them; and, by tho Piovidenci: of God. tiiay are Greatly Increased In Numbers and Something In Estates, So that tbay look upon themselves Capable of ! Buldiuga Mt L-ting-Hou^c, and Sittling a Minister,aud uphold- | ing the PuhlicU Worship of Guil amuug themcelves, aud are lu j ho[>es that the Best part ol' the Town and \Vcst preeinet have ! no Just Cause to ol'jeel uguinst it, Since we have been 5o help- I ful, aud Done to the utmo.-t of our power in SittUng the uiiu- ; i?ter ami Uulding the New Meeting House, In s** We?t preeiiiuts i and we are willing aud Desirous that what we then Did should be left to that precinct, who are now able of themselvei, under I their priesent good and Growing Circumstance-'^, to maintain tlio Publick Worship of God there without us, us will appear by the Valuation of their E^tates herewith exhibited, which the more Eruboldens us to petition this Honourable Court to Set us oil' a Distinct and Separate Township, by the following metes and Bounds, which Includes not only the North part of Bridgewatcr, but a small Tract of land and a few of tbe Inhaliitants of the town of Stoughton, which suitable accomoditea them as well as ufl, viz.: Beginning at a white-oak tree standing on the North west part of Jonalhun Packard's field, on the Easrerly side of Countrey Road, and from thence East and West till It meets with EastoQ Line, and East till it meets with the East precinct Line, and (hen North on s*^ Line Half one uiile, and then North East till it meet with Beaver Brook; then by ^aid Brook to tbe Colony Line, So called; then Westerly by s^ Lino to a Beacb-tree which is the Easterly Corner Bountls of Stoughton ; then on the Line between Brantrey and Stoughton to Capt. Curtis' Land; then Westerly to Salisbery plain River; then Southerly by a** Rover to the Colony Line; then Westerly by a** Line to Easton Lino; and then South By a*^ Line lii.-t mentioned. We, having in tinie pa;<t once aud again petitioned this Honourable Court for Relief in the prouiises, hut it i^o happened that this Honoured Court Did not then Grant the prayer of our petition in full, But Nevertheleas, according to oui' Denier, Sent a Committee to view aud Consider our Cireumrtam.es, whoso report (we bumblcy Coucove) was something DiUerent from What wo prayed for in our petition, and the uialier falling through, in as much as it happeucd that his Excellenoy tho Governour Did not then sign what the Honoured Court atled on »aid report, and we remaining under oui' Dillicultles and unrelieved, But yet taking encouragement t'runi what wa> acted ou s^ report by the Honoured Court, and also from what was acted by our town in general, at a Town-meeting Legally Callid and Notified to that purpose, on the lo^i^of February T^aaf, In which Wo had tbe major vote for our being set oil' a Di>tinrt Toun- Bhip, and, that we might not be under Ditllculties In Bulding an Uouso and Settling a Minister all iit once, have ereeleil ami Incloaed a good House lor the publicke Wor.--hip of tJod Wliere it may Best accomodate us all. AVe Do therfoic think it uiir duty oueo mure humbly to Renew our Petition thai We may bo set ort' a Township as Before herein [irayeil for, and we Iltnnblo beg leave here to say, that what we uow oiler in Ite-peel ol our being So Set otf is Sincerity for the promoting the Wurahip of God and Religion In the Puriety uf it among u:-.

" Wherefore we pray your Excellency and lluuouis would be pleased to here our Ret^uest and Grant our pL-tiiion, aud ar we in Duty Bound Shall Ever pray.

-' Iv Tin: HousK of UKiMiEsiCNT.VTn-Ks, June U, IT.'iS. " Kcail anil ordi-re.l that lliu petitioners .«aivo the We;^t Precinct in the town of l!i idgoivalcr, and also the town ul' Stonghtou, with a Copy of the peiition, that Ihay show Cause (Ifany they havej, on the lir.-t Thursday of the jetting of the Couit, why the prayor thereof .-hould not be granted; and Ihe petition is referred, the njcautime, fur Consideration. "Sent lip for Concurancc.

" lle.id again, togather with the answer of the West Precinct, In the town of Bridgewater, and otiier papers In the Case ; and, the parties bciug admitted before the Bord. were fully Heard, in their picas and allegations, thereon ; all which being considered, -

" Or.Df;i:i:u, That Ihe prayer of the petition be so far granted as that all the land, with the inhabitants thereon living, half a mile to Ihe northward of an east and wett line, from the whitoouk at Jonathan Packard's corner, together with David Packard, .Solomon Packard, and Jacob Allen, inhabitants of the east aide of the river, their families and esuies, bo set ott' and constituted a distinct and separate parish, and be invented with the poures, privileges, and imniunitys that all other precincU or parishes wetliin this Province do or by law ought to Injoy.

"The North Precinct, In Bridgewater, Being Legally Notifyed, meet to (iather at the place and time of Day Spesselied In the Notilication, and the meeting was settelcd by Iho Chose of Timothy Keith, ilodorator of a^ meeting, i Robert llawaril was chosen Clark of s'' meeting, and the Moderator, by the voice of the precinct, ajorned the meeting Half one Houre to the house of John Johnson, :ind Robert Haward was precinct L'lark for the present year, and sworn to the faithfull Discharge of his Ollise, anil Timothy Keith, David Packard, ,v Daniel llmvaid ware Chosen precinct Commettec, and it was further put to vote whether the precinct would Ch use any more precinct Ollisers, and it was voted In the Negetive,

Official History of the North Parish of Bridg-ewater (now Brockton). - Previous to 17uo the imuiber of selectmen in the old town of Bridgewater was three, and they were chosen by nomination, which cu.stom was continued till 1757, when the number chosen yearly was five, - one from each parish, - till the incorporation of the town of North BriiJ;.;ewatLT. The following are those chosen for the North Pari.^h of Bridgewater :

Parish Committee Moderators Of Precinct Meetings

MODERATORS OF PRECINCT MEETINGS. Moderators of the yearly precinct meetings for tlie choice of officers from 1738 to the incurjiurution of the town of North Bridgewater in 1821, also the date of annual meetings :

Parish Tax, 17-14

PARISH TAX, 17-14. Tlie following is a list of rates as made out by the assessors in the North Parish of Bridgewator (now Brockton) for the payment of Rev. John Porter's salary for the year 1744, as made out by Daniel Howard and Robert Howard, assessors of the precinct, September ye 14th, 1744, and committed to Joshua Warren, constable, for collection, and is inserted to show the inhabitants of tlie parish at that date:

Poll-Tax List for 1770. - The followin<: list is inserted tu bliuw the rcMdents of the North Purisli of Bridgewater (now Brockton) in 1770, with the number of polls against each householder :

United States Land Tax. - ** General list of all Dwcllinj; Huuiies which, with the Out- [louses appurtenant thereto and the Lots on which the Same are erected, not exceeding two Acres in any C;ise, were owned, possessed, or occupied, on the 1st day of October, 1798, witliin the Assessment District No. 10, in the Sixth Division of the State of Massachusetts, exceeding in value the Sum of One Hundred Dollars :"

Precinct Controversy and Incoiporation of the Town - Indian History - Petition of the North Pari.-h lA.-a Howard and otliers) to be IncoipuratcJ into a Town - Bcmon.-.tranee of Gideon Howard and others - Remonstrance of Eliab Wliilraan and others - Petition in aid of Asa Howard and others for an Act of Incorporalion - itemoustrance of Daniel Howard, Esq., a.s .\gent for the Town of Bridgewater - \'oie of tho Town - Petition of Jesse Packard and otlicrs in aid of Asa Howard's Petition - The .\ct of Incorporation .is pastel Juno 15, 1821 - First Town-Meeting.

Precinct Controversy and Incorporation of the Town. - Tlie people of tiie Nortli Parish luiiiaiiioii contented with their connection with the otiier portions of the town for a lonj^ time ; but, as the iiuinher uf iuluibitants increased, they coniuieuced tu di.scu=s the propriety of becoming; a town by tlieinsclvL-.s. The first step taken in that direction was in IT'Jo. In a warrant fur a pari.sh meetiiii;', dated Jiuu! 1:'), ITLl."!, we find the following :

" To see if tiie Parish will petition to the town to bo set off into a. town by themselves, or petition the West Parioli to join with them into a town if they should get voted off by said town." At a meeting held June 26, 1793, agreeably to notification, " tlie above article was negatived, and the nieeting was dissolved by the moderator."

Things remained quiet in reference to the sulijeet of division of the town till Nov. 25, 1814, at wliicii time a meeting was held " to see if tho parish will petition the town of Bridgewater to vote tiicm off into a separate town by themselves." -' Vutcd nut tu do so."

Another measure was then proposed ; namily, -' To see if tlie parish will petition the Legislature of this Commonwealth to incorporate them into a town by the name of North Bridgewater, or such other name as the parish may think proper, with all the rights aud privile;res of otiier iocorporated towns." Upon tills aitic.lL' " no action was taken, and the meeting was di.'j.stilvcd." Ai:ain we find, jMurch 4, 1816, a coiuajlttec of sovou were chosen " to consider the subject of requesting the town to .set them off into a town hy themselves', and to report at a future meeting." Col. Calub Howard, Daniel Howard, Esq., Abel Kingman, E.S(|., Gideon Howard, Esq., Howard Gary. Esq., Joseph Sylvester, Esq., and John Wales were the coniuiittoo. The meeting was then adjourned to April 8, 181 G, at which time the parish came together, and, after hearing a verbal report from their commitice, '- Voted to take measures to have the pari.-ili separated from the town and incorporated with tile privileges of a town." Also " voted the .same cuiumittee petition the town to vote that the parisli be incorporated." What this committee did towards forwarding the wishes of the town does not appear ou record. Again, November 11th of the same year, the parish " voted to take measures to have this parish separated from the town aud incorporated with the privileges of a town." Thirty-nine in favor, nineteen opposed to tlie measure. We should judge by the records that nothing was done for a few days, aa we find auotlier meeting was held ten days after the above vote was passed, at which a committee of four was chosen, with full instructions to petition the Legislature to incorporate the parish witli the privileges of a town. Sixty-two were in favor, aud thirty-six opposed to the same. Abel Kingman, Esq., Joseph Sylvester, Esq., Col. Edward Southworth, aud Col. Caleb Howard were the committee to carry the above vote into effect.

At a meeting held May 5, 1818, to uscertaia the yeas aud nays on the question of a division of the town, the yeas were one hundred and twelve; the nays, nineteen.

Indian History. - The war of the colonists with King Philip proved very disastrous to the Indian race. Many obstacles were thrown in their way, which so far discouraged them that they were forced to give up their possessions and seek other localities away from the new-comers, who were gradually extending their territory westward.

** Tlici-e Wi»g a tiuio wlicn red men climbed these hills, And wandered by tlioso pliiins tiiid rilln, Or ruwed the light canoo alung yon river, Or ru:jhcd to conflict armed with huw and quiver, Or, 'ncath the forest leaves that o'er tiiem hung, They council held, ur loud their war-notea sung."

To what extent Indians occupied the North Parish (now Brockton) we are unable to learn. We have no doi^t, however, that they were quite numerous, as the plow frequently brings to light some relic of past days and of an uncivilized people. Spear-points, arrow-heads, mortars, pestles, gouges, and stone hatchets are often found in different sections of the town.

In the north part of the town are found hearthstones of ancient Indian wigwams. There was one directly under the house of the late Oliver Howard, which was taken down a few years since. Judging from the number of relics found in the noitherly section of the town, we should judge they frequented that part of the parish to a consideiable extent.

The writer has a clay pipe found by Mr. Willard Howard near his residence; also specimens of arrowheads of stone found by Bela Keith, Esq., on his land at Gampello, which are splendid specimens of natives' work, besides many other relics of barbarous days.

There is another evidence of the town having been the residence of the red man. In the west part of tlic town, on what is called " Stone House Hill," a natural cave is found in the solid stone, from which the hill derives its name, which is said to have been the dwelling of some tribe of Indians. It is situated on or near the old road leading from North Bridgewater (now Brockton) to Easton, and near the residence of Timothy Remick.

It is also traditionary that Indians had their huts in the valley of Salisbury River, opposite Gampello, and so on north as far as the bridge at " Sprague's Factory." There was an Indian family named Hammond, who lived on the land recently owned by the late Benjamin Kingman, Esq., west of hi.s larni-barn, in a lot formerly known as the " Old Pasture," and nearly opposite the residence of Lucius Keith, or the Seth Kingman place. The native Indian tribe.s living upon maize and fish principally, as well as game, we are inclined to the opinion that they generally sought for dwelling-spots near some stream, where fish could be found, as it made no difference about their game, that they could find all over the forests.

It is impossible at the present time for us to realize to ourselves the situation of the first white settlers of the town. They lived in constant fear of a sudden attack. Exposed at all times, they were haunted in their imaginations by death with torture, or of a hopeless captivity. The principal companion of the white man, whether in the field or at his dwelling, was his gun. While at his daily labor in the cultivation of his lands, if he had not bis gun, he was likely at any time to be carried away.

We do not learn that the people of the North Parish were so ujuch molested as in some other portions of the ancient town, for the reason the white people did not settle that portion to an}' extent till after ITUO.

Mitchell, in his excellent '* History of Bridgewater," says " that the people displayed ^rcut courage and intrepidity during Philip's war, and were often advised to desert tlicir dwellings and repair to the seashore tuwiis." They, however, resolutely kept their ground, and helped other towns to do the same. Whatever others may think, there In something sad in the reflection that the natives of these hills and valleys have disappeared, and at the same time we cannot regret tiiat a Christian and enlightened people have taken the places of a barbarous and heathen race. The last vestige of the tribe that once traveled over the soil of Bridgewater has long ago disappeared.

Petition of Asa Howard and others. - March 25, 1810, the parish *' voted to petition the Legislature the next session for a division of the town." Abel Kingman, Esq., Col. Caleb Howard, Josepli Sylvester, Esq., and Col. Edward Soutliworth were cliosen a committee to draft a petition and get petitioners. The following is a copy of the same as presented to the General Court:

"The petition of the subscribers, inhabitants of tho north preciuet of Bridjjewutor, humbly showi that the town of BriJgowater is largo an<l extensive in territory, and furnishea about cluvun or twulve hundred votert^, of which number nearly three hundred bolon;; to the north preoinot^ and have to travel IVoiii nve to seven miles on an average to attend town-meetings, over a piece of way which is generally vcr)- bad in the montiis of March and April ; and in having (o transact our town busine.'^^j such a distance from home, it subji-uts us to a great expense of timo and travel, which might be saved if wc wuro set oil' into a suparute town, as we then could transact alt our town and [latish buaineas on the same days. \Vu would further rcpreseut that it is very ditlicult in full meetings doing tlic business of the tiiwn in llieir piesenl huu^e un account of It being out of repair and not of suU'icieiit size. Several atteiupts havu been made to repair and make the house suitable for the whole town to meet and transact thuir buaiiiess in, but liave failed.

"Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that the lionorable Legislaturu will take into their wiae consideration tho grievances above slated, and set oil" and incorporate said precinct into a separute town, by the name of North Uriilgewater, and b> >he liiicfi nnd estates that it was incorporated by, and

" On a petition aforesaid, Ordered, That the petitioners c;iuse an attested cupy of their petition, with this order thereon, to be served on the Town Clerk of said town of Bridgewater, thirty days at least before the second Wednesday of thu second Session of the present General Court, that all persons interested may then appear and show cause (if any they have) why the prayer of said petiliua should not be granted.

" S. F. McClEARY, Clerk of the Senate." " Bridgewateu, September 27, 1819. "This order of notice, with a copy thereof, was left with me by Abel Kingman, Esq.

At the second session of the General Court, the town of Bridgewater was represented by Daniel Howard, who hud been chosen as the agent of the town to oppose the petition of Asa Howard and others fur an act of incorporation. Remonstrances against the petition were also presented from Gideon Howard and ninety-eight others, and Eliab Whitman, Esq., and fifty-eight others, also residents of the North Parish, and a petition of Bela C. Dike and nineteen others, whicli we publish in full, to show the feeling of tlie parish at that time:

'* To the Honorable Senate and House of Jiepretien tat ices of the Commonwealth of Masaachiiaetts m General C<*nrt amtembUd, Januari/ Term, IS20:

'* The subscribers, inhabitants of the North Parish uf the town of Bridgewater, beg leave respectfully to remonstrate against the petition of Asa Howard and others praying the General Court of Maaaachusotta to set off and incorporate tiic Nurth Parish of the town of Bridgewater aforesaid witii all the privileges uf a town. Your remonstrants feel inipcMiously urged by a sense of duty to again come forward, the steady and decided supporters of the union of the town of Bridgewiitcr. The preservation of the uuioo, resources, indueuce, ropeetabiliiy, and friendly intercourse which subpii*ts between ihc sectiima of so large a town is with them an object truly desiriible; ;iDd, upon must caudid examination, they ate at a loss ou what to bottom this eager desire to loosen the bauds of its uniou and degrade its importance. It is a fact well known that but few towns in the county of this Commonwealth havo uiaiiagcd their publio business more correctly for fifty years past th^in the town of Bridgewater; and it is believed that, at the prc.-cnt moment, did not the question about division agitate and, imleed, irritate the feelings of its inhabitants, the business of the town might bo performed understandingly, decently, and in order. We feel assured your Honors will search in vain for re:iaons to support au opinion that the lasting and substantial interests of the town will be promoted by division; and we feel equally assured that tho Bepanitioo of the section prayed for in the petitiuii aforesaid will immediately result in a complete division of the whole town. Your remonstrants would not attempt a display of arguments or objectioaa on this subject, but cheerfully submit their interest and wishes to your wise consideration. A former decree, on a petition to divide the town of Bridgewater, inspires your remonstrants with ooDfidcnce in renewing their opposition to an impolitio measure. They are further encouraged by a recent vote of the town, which, by a majority of sixty-live votes, declared that the North Pariah should continue a part of the town of Bridgewater. The town has at all times been uniform in its oj)po8ition to division, and an application being mad« to the

Gonerul Court for division h;Ld invariably voted by liaadsoiue luajority to preserve ltd union. Your remonstrants, boivever, conlidt'Dt of .success in tlieir oppositiun, may be diiuppuinted. all due deference to tbe decision wbicli tlio General Cuurt may make on ih'is important subject, anxious fur ibe fate of Bridgewater us a town, they will early search for tbe evidence uf a final result. And the first ui.iuicnt of doubt will intlueo them to petition your Honors to belonj^ with the projicrty which tbey respectfully hold to the town of Bridgewater.

" 7o Ihe Honorable the Senate and the JIononiLlc the Ifuime of UeurtventatioeH of the CumnionioeHlth uf Mii-.iiarhnaetta hi General Court anaeniLled, Anno Dom. 18'_'U.

"We, the undersigned inhabitants of the North Paiish in Bridgewater, understanding that an onler of notice frutn your honorable body has been served un said town of Bridgewater, purporting that Asa Howard and 2FJ others have pttitioued the General Court praying that said North Pari=h may be set otr from the town of Bridgewater, and incorporated into a separate town by the name of North Bridgewater, do most respectfully represent that, in our opinion, the propu^ed diaiuenibcrment of the town of Bridgewater cannot he suppui ted by such reasons and arguments as will justify a mc:i^ure mi re[uignant to the interest and happiness uf the aaid North Parish, as well as to the town at large. Wo cannot conceive wliat new reasons or arguments can be offered for dividing the town. It is a fact that the population of said town has been nearly .-tationary for forty years past, and the distance from the centre has not increased, but in several instances has been considerably shortened, and the roads very much improved in that time. It is also a fact that there are sections of the i^uuth, east, and Titieut parishes nearly us remote from the centre of the town as the most remote section of the North Parish, and they cannot be much relieved by the proposed division. Tlie town-house is a substantial building, and ample in it3 size, and with a very small expense might be made a convenient accommodation for our most numerous town-meetings. Nevertheless, should your Honors, in your great wisdom, think it expedient to grant the prayer of said petition, and incorporate the said North Parish into a distinct and separate town,

" We, the undersigned inhabitants of said Nortli Parish, being deeply impressed with the belief that such n measure will be pregnant with many great and serious evils to said North Parish, do most earnestly wish, and humbly pray your Honor:?, that we, the said undersigned, may, with our estates, be exempted from said Act of Incorporation, and still retain our connection and relation to the town of Bridgewater ; and, as in duty hound, will over pray.

" To the iloiioraUe Seittite unit the Ilonuiable Uoime of Kepre- HcuUilnet 111 Geiicrul Coitrl aaaeiubUll, A.l). 1SI9: "The petition of the underai;^iieil inhabitants of the North Pariah of liridgewaier humbly shows that whereiLs there is now pcndiu;; before tlic honorable legislative body the petition of Asa iluwaril and two hundred and thirteen others praying for said Xoitli Parish to bo set oft' into a town for various reasons dill not sign said petition, but have .'iincc taken into con:>idera. tion the subject- matter of said petition, and are of an opinion that it will be very advantageous to the inhabitants of said parish to be set olf iis aforesaid, aud cannot see any disadvantage that will arise to the remaining part of the town by granting the prayer of said petitioners. For the foregoing reiison your petitioners wish to have their names anne.\ed to said petition, and, iij duty bound, will ever pray, "liela C. Dike. Abijah Pitcher.

" To the lioiiorahU Semite and Himne of Repreieutativea in General Court annembled. " The subscriber, an agent for the town of Bridgewater, duly appointed for this purpose, begs leave, in behalf of said town, respectfully to remonstrate against the petition of Aaa Howard and others, praying that the North Parish of said Bridgewater the petitioners would acquiesce in the decision of the last (Jeneral Court, whose attention was called to the subject by a ]ielition, botb in substance and in form like the present. The

"There is no town in the Commonwealth the inhabitants of which, if so disposed, cannot complain of some inconveniences to which they are subjected in the transaction of their municipal concerns. The inconveniences experienccil in this respect I by the town of Bridgewater are not more numerous than what j are sulTered by the greater part of the towns in the State. The I distuuce traveled by the petitioners to attend town meetings, I and the badness of the roads, may bo inconveniences, but they are not more so now than they have ever been since the town was incorporated. They are inconveniences to which the inhabitants of every country town must, in a greater or less degree, submit, and to which the people of the North Parish, iu their more unambitious days, quietly submitted, in the full persuasion, no doubt, that they could not be remedied withtiut subjecting themselves and the town to others of a much more serious and formidable nature.

" It may be asserted, however, with truth, that the roads in Bridgewater are, generally speaking, uncommonly good. They have been much improved, and, within a few years, new oucs have been opened, lessoning the distance of travel I'roni various parts of the town (particularly tho North Parish) to the centre. "The numerous population of Bridgewater, to which the petitioners have alluded, constitutes no impediment to the correct and orderly transaction of the business of the town.

" Their system of town government, practiced upon lor many years, very much facilitates the management of their municipal concerns. Each parish has the nomination, and, in fact, the appointment of its proportion of town oQicers, and thus the interests of uil arc equally consulted.

" If the town house is out of repair, as stated in the petition, it can be eiuily fitted so as to accommodate all the inhabitants, aud nothing ban prevented this but the fear of a division, which the petitioners have contributed so much to e.xcitc aud keep alive.

"The whole amount, then, of what the petitioners would gain by a separation would be barely saving to themselves of a few miles' travel, an advantage too inconsiderable to balance the many disadvantages to the town at large, of which such a measuro must ho productive.

"The separation of the North would douhlless be followed by a total dismemberment of the ancient and respectable town. A short time would see us divided into four or five petty towns, with an increase of expense to each, involved iu perpetual litigations with each other, and vexed with internal broils. Tho seeds of dissension are already sown among us, and wait only the favorable moment of a separation to spring up and yield a plentiful harvest.

down in order all tliiit can bo said against granting tho request of llio petitioners. Enough has been said in this bi ief stutoment, it is apprehended, to convince every candid and reflecting mind that u separation of tlie North Parish would, to itself, be productive of no real advantage, but to the town of great and lusting injury.

" The Coiuuiittee of both Houses appointed to consider applications for the Incorporation of Towns, to whom was referred tho petition of Asa Howard and others, inhubitauts of tho north precinct of Bridgewater, praying that said precinct may bo incorporated into a separate town, have had the same under consideration, and ask leave to report, that the prayer of the petition be so far granted that the petitioners have leave to bring in a bill for that purpose.

Vote of the Town. - The vote on tlie acceptaueo of tlie report was seventy-eight in favor, and sixtyeight opijosctl. An effort was made to reconsider the above vote, which was rejected.

"On the petition aforcAaid, Urdcreil, That the petilioilers cause an attested copy of their petition, with this order thereon, to be served on the Town Clerk of Bridgewater, thirty Jays at least before the lirst Wednesday of the next session of the present General Court, that all persons interested may then and there appear and show cause (if any they have) why the prayer of said petition should not be granted.

Tlie town, upon the receipt of the above order of notice, lield a meeting Nov. G, 1820, " to see whether the town would vote to be divided." One iiundred and forty-four voted in favor of division, and one hundred and sixty-four against the same.

The meeting then adjourned to the 24tli of Novetuber, at which time the vote was put to see whether they would choose an agent to oppose a division of the town. Two hundred and six voted to choose an agent, and three hundred and twenty-one voted against the same. This is the last attempt of the town to oppose the passage of the bill to incorporate the North Parish into a town.

Petition of Jesse Packard and others in aid of Asa Howard. - At the next session of the G^'iieml Court, held in Boston, January, 182 1, the subject of division was again brouglit to their notice, as appears of record. The petition was read and referred to the Committee on Incorporation of Towns, Jan. 18, 1821, together with the following petition :

"Tho undersigned humbly represent that we did, in the course of the last year, sign a paper remonstrating against the petition of Howard and others, inhabitants of the Xorth Parish of Bridgewater, praying for said parish to be incorporated into a town, and was at that time fully of an opinion that it would be best for tho town to keep together; but, taking into consideration the petition of tho West Parish to become a town, and the proceedings of the town at a late meeting on the subject of said petition, do not think it proper to oppose any further; but if the honorable Legislature should think proper to grant the prayer of the said Asu Howard and others, we wish to he incorporated with them, notwithstanding any petition to the contrary.

"The committee of both Houses, to whom was referred the petition of Asa Howard and others, praying that the North Precinct, in the town of Bridgewater, in the county of Plymouth, may be set off from Bridgewater, aud incorporated into a separate town, have had the same under consideration, and aak leave to report that tho prayer of the petition be so far gratited that the petitioners have leave to bring in a bill for that purpose.

" Tli-.a all tliat part of tho North Parish of Bridgewatcr which lies within tiie suid town of'BriJjjcwaler, ueuording to the present territuiiiil limits thereof, be mid hereby is estiiblir^hed aa a separate town, by the uaiue of North Uridyewater ; and the inhabitiinu-i nf tiie ^aid town td' North Uridyewatcr aie iierulty vested wirh all the poweis and privileges, and shall uL-o be subject to ail the duties and requisitions of other corporate towns, accordiuL; to the constitution and laws of this commonwealth.

"StcTlo.M 2. Le ,t farther eiiavleU, 'iha.1 tho inhabitants of the town of North Ujidgewater shall bo holden to pay tho arrears of all State, county, and town ta.\es whicli have been legally a:-scssed upon them, together with their proportion of all debts line front tlte said town of Bridgewater prior to the date of this act; and the said town of North Bridgewater shall ho entitled to receive their proportion of the said debts and t4LXes due to tlie said town of Bridgewutcr. when collected and paid into the treasury of said town ; and the said town of North Bridgevv;ttcr shall be entitled to hold their propoitioD, accord- ] ing to the present valuation of all the real and personal property belonging to the town of Bridgewater before the passing of this aet, I

".Skction 3. Be it further eimclej. That the Haid town of i North Briilgewater shall bo holden to support their proptn'tion of the poor of the town of Bridgewater which are now chargeable to said town, which proportion shall be ascerUiincd by tho present valuatiou of the town; and all persons who may hereafter become chargeable as paupers to the said towns of Bridgewutcr or North Bridgewater shall be considered as belonging to that town on tho territory of which they had their settlement at the lime of the passing of this act, and shall in future beclmrgcable to that town only.

"Slctiox 4. Be it farther enaeted, That all future State and County ta.\cs which may be levied on tlie said towns of Bridgewater and North Bridgewater, jirevious to a new valuation, shall be assessed and paid in the same ]iroportion ad tliey now arc accoiding to the present valuation.

"Skltiox 5. lie it further enacted, Tb^t iiny Justice ij{ the Peace for tho County of Plymouth is hereby empowered, upon application therefor, to issue a warrant, directed to a freehold inhabitant ot' the said town of North Bridgewater, retjuiring him to nolify and warn tho inhabitants thereof qualilicd to vote in town aH'airs to meet at sueh convenient time and place as shall he appointed in tho said warrant, for the choice of such otBeers as towns are by law required to choose and appoint at their annual town-meetings."

of the same waa July 4, 1821. The meeting wa.s opened with prayer by Rev. Daniel Huntington, tiiu pastor of the First Congregational Church. Joseph Sylvester, Esq., waa chosen moderator, and Col. Edward Southworth town clerk. Abel Kingman, Esq., Howard Cary, Esq., and Capt. Zechariah Guriiey were chosen selectmen, after which the other town oflBcers were chosen. The number of voters present at the first town-meeting was about two hundred.