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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1862-1863 Overseers of the Poor + Highway Surveyors ReportANNUAL REPORT OF THE OVERSEERS OF THE POOR, AND SURVEYORS OF HIGHWAYS, OF THE TOWN OF LEXINGTON. 1862...63. BOSTON: PRESS OF T. R. MARVIN & SON, 42 CONGRESS STREET. 1863. ANNUAL REPORT. THE Overseers and Surveyors, in submitting this, their Annual Report, have deviated from the course adopted by former Boards, as the circumstances varied their duties, and were incidental to the year. REPORT OF THE OVERSEERS OF THE POOR. Immediately after having sworn to perform the duties of Overseers of the Poor for the year ensuing, we were urgently called upon, by anxious creditors, for the several amounts due them from our pre- decessors in office. The following list of bills are a part of their expenditures. Paid Town of Dorchester, for aid furnished Artemas Cut- ter and family, . . . . Damon & Blinn, for coal furnished the Alms -house, " Franklin V. Butters, for dry goods for the Alms -house, " A. P. Spofford, for board of Isaac Blodgett, . " William Smith, for harness work, . . " H. B. Mitchel, for fresh fish, . . " Town of Topsfield, s for aid furnished Mrs. A. M. Hill and family, (Mrs. Hill was the daughter of Isaac Blodgett,) . . . . . " Town of South Danvers, for aid furnished Randolph L. Stickney, Jr., and family, . " A. P. Richardson, for rent of pasture, . . " Nathaniel Mulliken, for milk to Mrs. Bridges, " William M. Ashby, for sawing lumber, . . " City of Lynn, for aid furnished Mrs. Ann Blodgett, the wife of a son of Isaac Blodgett, . " H. B. Mitchel, for fresh fish] . . Credit by cash of the town of Woburn, . $ 6 50 13 50 4 78 17 00 6 43 16 07 10 50 30 54 12 38 1 20 1 63 71 25 3 37 $ 195 15 7 00 $ 188 15 Cost of supporting the poor for 1861, as shown by Select- men's Report, . 1,538 24 Sum total for maintenance of poor for 1861, . . $1,726 39 4 The sixth day of March we examined and appraised the 'property belonging to the Town, and connected with the Poor Farm, to wit : , 2 Swine, . $ 16 1 Horse cart, . 15 1 Harrow and 1 cultivator, 4 2 Ploughs, ▪ 10 17 Fowls, . • 6 Vinegar and casks, . 8 4 Chains and lead chains, 2 1 Cart harness, . 4 1 Plough harness, 2 2 Manure forks, 1 4 Hoes, 2 Draft chains, . • 3 1 Wagon harness, • 7 2 Heifers, two years old, 36 1 Cow, . 30 7 Tons of hay, . 84 Hay forks and hay cutter, 3 1 Feed trough, . . 1 1 Pung sleigh, . . 2 1 Horse wagon, . . 35 00 1 00 00 00 4 80 3 00 00 20 00 3 00 00 50 00 00 00 2 00 00 7 00 00 50 00 Stake wagon for hay, Fire -wood, Horse sled, Saws, Baskets, . Provision in the pantry, Galls. molasses, Tons of coal, Potatoes, Salt pork, Casks in cellar, Tea, brooms and rice, White beans, Stocks of boards, Corn, Hay rakes a• nd 2 ▪ scythe snaths, 2 50 Furniture in the house, 200 00 12 00 60 00 • 8 00 • 2 00 50 25 00 5 60 18 75 18 00, 28 00 3 00 13 50 13 00 3 50 26 25 $ 710 40 On the first of March, the number of persons in the Alms -house receiving support from the Town was ten. The oldest was 97, and the youngest was 57 ; they averaged 77 years. From these, not much labor was to be expected ; yet the products of the farm will show a good degree of industry, well directed. One of the inmates, before alluded to, voluntarily left the House and went to the State of Vermont, with the avowed intention of never returning. Two of the others having become heirs to small amounts of property, have been put under guardianship ; and the Town is now receiving pay for their board. Although the Overseers would not think it best to convert the Alms -house into a Boarding-house, yet as these two old persons had been there a long time, and manifested no wish to remove, but a strong desire to stay, as it was " their home,"—and as in all probability they will again become chargeable to the Town, it was thought advisable to let them remain, for the present at least, as the room was not wanted for other purposes. Their names are Stephen Winship and Jonathan Trask. About the 20th of June, a male child was left at the door of James Mead, late in the evening, and there abandoned. It has been placed in good hands, and named William Albert Stone. In looking into the Statutes for a better understanding of our duties as Overseers, we found in chap. 22, sec. 3d and 4th, that the law required us to meet " once in every month, and at other times as occasion may require." This requirement we have observed, by meeting at the Town Hall on the last Monday in each month. We think this regular meeting of the Board secures many advantages, some of which would otherwise be lost. We would say, in this connection, that the roof of the Alms -house will need to be shingled the coming season, and recommend the Town Air 5 to make early provision for that necessary expense. We also suggest the economy of giving the House a coating of paint ; the window sashes and the doors, with some other parts of the building, will otherwise decay very fast. Expenditures of the Overseers. Paid Bennett & Saville, for groceries, L. R. Crosby, for tobacco, Lexington and W. C. Railroad Co., f▪ or transportation, CC CC Whitcher, Sackrider & Co., for grain, C' Bennett & Saville, for groceries, John B. Smith, for labor as carpenter, 64 Harrington & Locke, for painting wagon, 46 Gershom Swan, for mason work, . Lex. and W. Camb. Railroad Co., for transporta• tion, " Howard Emerson, for butter, 64 James H. Hallett, for bedding, Albert Fitch, for beef, cc cc cc G. Bray, for horse, Henry Durell, for bbl. of • mola▪ sses, Ayer & Raymond, for bbl. of flour, John Hastings, for rye, Gershom Swan, for mason work, H. W. Vinal, for oats, Lex. and W. Camb. Railroad C▪ o., for • transporta• tion, Whitcher, Sackrider & Co., for grain, A. P. Spofford, for boarding Isaac Blodgett, Albert Fitch, for grain, Franklin V. Butters, for dry go▪ ods, Lex. and W. Camb. Railroad Co., for transporta• tion, James Mead, for nursing, Colburn Hadlock, for butter, George F. Chapman, for services, . F. M. Harrington, for horse hire, William M. Ashby, for sawing lumber, F. V. Butters, for dry goods, Geo. F. Chapman, for sundries, Patrick Reynolds, for bacon, . Eli Simonds, for hay for litter, Bennett & Saville, for groceries, Surveyors of highways, for labor, Henry Mulliken, for carpentry, A. T. Perkins, for bug poison, C. K. Tucker, for wheelwright work, Henry Durell, for salt fish, F. V. Butters, for dry goods, A. E. Thomson, for dry goods, CC cc cc C4 cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc CC CC cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc GC cc cc cc cc cc $217 3 00 1 21 38 00 17 94 2 63 4 50 3 04 3 25 7 40 6 00 6 32 21 72 165 00 15 67 7 00 1 70 4 50 8 80 68 13 20 13 00 11 50 4 56 38 3 00 5 60 112 50 6 00 1 90 1 34 4 07 3 69 5 20 27 61 11 00 2 50 43 11 17 3 75 1 46 76 Amount carried over, . $ 565 15 6 Amount brought over, . Paid Bennett & Saville, for groceries, . . Rodney Centre, for boarding E. F. Stearns 6 months, GG J. A. Butterfield, for groceries, . George F. Chapman, for cash advanc• ed, . J. M. Damon, for sundries, . Estabrooks & Blodgett, for a cow, . For trusses, . . . . Howard Emerson, 301 lbs. butter, @ • .21, John G. Tilton, for grain, . J. T. Boynton, for meat, . . . Town of Woburn, boarding John Wyman ▪ 2 weeks, T. Hastings & Co., 17 lbs. ham, @ .10, . John A. Butterfield, for grain and groceries, . H. B. Mitchel, fresh fish, . . GG Hannah R. Furgusou, boarding Wm. ▪ A. Stone, GG Geo. F. Chapman, for services, . GG Colburn Hadlock, 35 lbs. butter, @ .20, GG 0. W. Kendall, for burial services, . GG A. Webb, for 14 flour barrels, . 'G Eli Simonds, for 14 barrels, . . GG George F. Chapman, for 3 barrels, GG James S. Monroe, for furniture, . GG Hannah R. Furguson, for boarding Wm. ▪ A. Stone, N. & J. Howe & Co. for wooden ware, . Davis & Taylor, for grain, . Geo. F. Chapman, for furniture, GG F. V. Butters, for dry goods, . GG A. P. Spofford, for boarding Isaac Blodgett, GG Howard Emerson, for 102 lbs. butter, @ .23, G G Davis & Taylor, for 1 bbl. flour, . . GG John Dexter, for 8 lbs. tobacco, @ .40, . GG A. N. Swallow & Co., for groceries, . GG Lex. and W. Camb. Railroad Co., for transportation, GG Town of Seekonk, boarding Mrs. Thomas Locke, . GG Rufus Warren, for boots, . GG Gershom Swan, for mason work, . . GG William Simonds, for wood and coal, GG H. R. Furguson, boarding William A. Stone, . GG Wm. Woodbury, for dry goods, . GG Henry Durell, for salt fish, . GG Albert Fitch, for 3 pigs, . GG GG GG beef, . GG GG GG 2 pork barrels, GG Sawtell & Whitcher, for grain, . GG Hammond Reed, for standing wood, . GG J. A. Butterfield, for 21 lbs. tobacco, @ .32, GG Edward Reed, for making cider, . GG Wm. A. Lane, for standing wood, . GC Geo. F. Chapman, for sundries, . GG 6 GG GG GG $ 565 15 8 04 5 00 7 13 10 00 5 88 '38 00 6 75 6 41 19 46 5 58 2 00 1 70 23 20 9 11 20 77 112 50 7 00 4 25 1 83 4 00 50 3 42 9 30 1 50 9 00 58 35 12 27 00 23 46 9 25 3 20 1 93 58 2 50 6 37 8 00 12 25 14 07 2 75 4 25 9 50 15 41 1 50 3 32 7 50 80 4 22 28 50 3 31 Amount carried up, . . $ 1,112 85 7 Amount brought up, . Paid Bennett & Saville, for groceries, " Wm. Smith, for harness work, Henry Mulliken, for carpentry, H. B. Davis, for groceries, . Edmund Symmes, for sundries, A. P. Spofford, for boarding Isaac Blodgett, . Wellington Brothers, for coal for Mrs. Hurly, GC Edward E. Melvin, for meat, t4 Warren Duren, for boots and shoes a• nd repairing, . Estabrooks and Blodgett, for pasturing, . John G. Tilton, for grain, Darius Dow, for 284 lbs. scraps, . GG GG expressing, . George F. Chapman, for David Penn• y's c▪ lothes, Charles Robinson, Jr., for legal services, J. T. Boynton, for meat left at the house, Rodney Centre, for board of E. T. Stearns, 6 mon• ths, Charles K. Tucker, for wheelwright work, . Howland Holmes, for medical attendance, Aaron P. Richardson, for use of pasture, F. V. Butters, for dry goods, Hannah Furguson, for boarding Wm. • A. Stone, A. P. Spofford, GG Isaac Blodgett, Bennett & Saville, for groceries, . William Ham, for blacksmithing, . Albert Fitch, for repairing truss, 115 lbs. beef, @ .051, 31 cords manure, (& 6.00, . Geo. F. Chapman, for services, Luther Eaton, for curing bacon, Eli Simonds, for 9 days' services, @ 2.00, Attending 11 evening meetings, @ .50, Services as Treasurer, 11 days to Danvers and Tops▪ field, Expenses, . Expenses incurred in buying a ▪ horse, 2 days to Seekonk, . Expenses, . 1 day to Lowell an▪ d Tew• ksbury, Expenses, . 1 day to Boston, . Expenses, . Cash paid an itiner• ant, GG Albert Fitch, for 9 days' services, @ 2.00, . Attending 11 evening meetings, @ .50, GG I. N. Damon, for 81 days' services, @ 2.00, . Services as Clerk, 1 day to Lynn and expenses, 1 day to Woburn and expenses, GG GG GG $ 1,112 85 25 45 2 71 4 25 13 33 13 70 19 30 9 25 12 12 7 78 10 00 7 60 2 80 1 87 8 50 4 40 9 25 5 00 1 89 25 00 12 00 87 12 52 12 75 3 73 7 39 1 25 6 32 21 00 225 00 1 33 18 00 5 50 4 00 3 00 2 00 1 50 4 00 9 78 2 00 50 2 00 62 2 00 18 00 5 50 17 00 6 00 2 20 2 25 Amount carried over, . $ 1,707 06 I 8 Amount brought over, Paid I. N. Damon, for cash paid express, itinerants, horse hire, . stationery and postage, . c' Wellington Brothers, for coal for Edward Winship, E. Symmes, boots and shoes, GG 64 . $1,707 06 26 1 30 75 24 1 25 5 82 Paid outstanding bills, belonging to 1861, Total expenditures, . $1,716 68 . 195 15 . $1,911 83 Recapitulation of Expenditures by the Overseers. Amount paid for the support of poor out of the house, " expended at the Alms -house, . (C GG cc paid outstanding bills for 1861, " repairs on the house, . of income in value of property at the house, $ 210 39 1,027 74 195 15 32 67 250 73 $ 1,716 68 The Overseers of the Poor have charged themselves with the following amounts as received, to wit : From the town for labor performed on Randall's Bridge, . " sale of old iron from the house, . CC Estabrooks & Blodgett, for keeping cattle, . C4 Albert Fitch, for a calf, . . GC I. N. Damon, guardian, for board o▪ f Stephen Win- ship, . . . . I. N. Damon, guardian, for Jonathan Trask, hay sold from the farm, . potatoes sold from the farm, apples 44 44 other produce " 5 bbls. cider, . . . the surveyors of highways, for ▪ labor of Chapman and farm horse with cart, and boarding the two road horses, . . . the sale of a cow to Estabrooks & Blodgett, the sale of a cow to Swan, . . the town of Woburn, for support of Flint, the Town Treasurer of Lexington, . '' cc cc cc cc GG cc GC CC GC • • • $ 6 25 4 92 4 00 6 60 60 67 3 50 73 53 13 19 42 58 19 41 7 50 447 51 35 00 37 00 7 00 1,143 17 Total receipts, . $ 1,911 83 l f� 9 Valuation of Personal Property, as appraised by the Overseers, Feb. 28, 1863, belonging to the Alms -house. 1 Grey mare, . $ 165 2 Cows, . . 50 Hay, . 110 Corn fodde• r, . . 5 Feed trough and hay cutter, . 2 00 Wagon harness, . 8 00 Grain, salt and scraps in barn, . 6 Harness for cart, 5 44 " plows, . 2 Hay and manure forks, 2 3 Swine, . . . 27 2 Casks and vinegar, . 11 1 Plow and harrow, . 1 Stake wagon, 1 Yung, . 1 Light wagon, 2 Wheelbarrows, 00 00 00 00 • • 5 5 3 35 4 1 thain and 4 stake chains, 2 1 Horse cart, . . 10 20 Fowls, . . . 11 2 Saws and 2 chains, . 1 5 Hoes and 2 baskets, . 1 Wood, . 102 Sled, 5 3 Saws, 1 3 Axes, . 2 Flour and meal in house, 7 50 00 00 50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 64 50 00 50 00 50 25 00 Butter, . Bbl. Soap, Molasses, Vinegar and keg, Potatoes, Apples, . Roots, . Beef, . Salt pork, Old casks and Ham, . Sugar, Tea, . Tobacco, . Lard, 5 4 New broom▪ s, . 1 Peas and beans, 11 Codfish and rye, 6 Corn, • . 40 Hay rakes, scythes and snaths, • 3 Furniture in hou▪ se, . 200 • • b▪ oxes, 13 80 2 00 8 00 1 50 20 00 4 50 3 00 4 00 22 00 5 00 13 00 5 00 2 10 84 00 00 00 00 00 Amount as taken March 6, 1862, 00 00 $ 961 13 710 40 Increased value, . $ 250 73 The whole number of paupers at the Alms -house during the year, has been eighty-six ; of this number, seventy-two have remained but one night ; seven have been supported throughout the year. The number now at the Alms -hoose is 10. Average number for the year, 9i. Four hundred and ninety-five weeks' support have been furnished paupers at the house, at an average cost per week of $1.02, exclusive of interest on the farm. 2 10 Whole expenditure at the Alms -house, . $1,716 68 Paid poor outside, Stock and produce sold, Labor and board, . Increase of property, $ 210 39 . 238 81 . 447 51 . 250 73 $ 1,147 44 Deducting amount received for board of Stephen Winship and Jonathan Trask, . Cost of supporting the poor at the house, All of which is respectfully submitted. Lexington, March 10, 1863. $ 569 24 64 17 $ 505 07 ELI SIMONDS, ALBERT FITCH, Overseers of Poor. ISAAC N. DAMON, We have this day examined the foregoing bills of expenditure, as enumerated in this Report., and find them correctly stated and properly settled. WEBSTER SMITH, Selectmen WM. HENRY SMITH, 2d, Sof Lexington. 11 REPORT OF THE SURVEYORS OE HIGHWAYS. THE Surveyors of Highways, on entering called upon to pay the following bills ; which that is past, namely : Paid Isaac Huffmaster, William Hartwell, CG William Ham, Humphrey Chadbourne, William Simonds, Bowen A. Tufts, . Thomas H. Rhoades, George Locke, Cyrus P. Simonds, . William H. Smith, 2d, Ebenezer R. Smith, Emery A. Mulliken, James S. Munroe, Isaac Shattuck, . GG GG GG GG GG GG GG GG GG GG GG GG upon their labors, were bills belong to the year Cost of repairing highways for 1861, as shown by Select- men's Report, . Sum total for repairing roads in 1861, . $ 8 00 5 00 1 14 3 50 1 00 4 00 3 50 3 75 5 50 5 00 1 50 1 00 1 60 15 00 $ 59 49 2,178 72 . $ 2,238 21 The Surveyors found, on the 6th March, the following list of prop- erty belonging to the Town, and used by the Surveyors in repairing the highways, and appraised it as follows : 2 horse carts, . $ 55 00 1 road plow, . 5 00 2 cart harnesses, . . 18 00 Chains and level chains, 4 50 Blanket and surcingle, 2 00 8 shovels, 3 00 Double whiffle -tre• es, . 4 00 3 hammers and lot of drills, 5 00 4 picks, . . 2 00 Scythe and r▪ ake for the roads, 1 50 3 crow bars, 1 50 1 brown horse, 110 00 1 white GG . 10 00 Wheelbarrow and stone • drag, 6 00 1 ox cart, 10 00 $ 237 50 14.10 12 Expenditures of the Surveyors. Paid William Hartwell, for breaking snow, Willis Wright, for . George T. McLaughlin & Co., for hammer, . Webster Smith, for breaking snow, J. Breck & Son, for pick -handles and a rake, . Overseers of the Poor, for breaking snow, George B. Brown & Co., for stationery, . Overseers of the Poor, 504 days, Chapman, @ $1.50, lob44" 45 " horse & cart, @ 1.00, " " 44 " 3 mos. & 1 day's board of man, " " " `� boarding 2 horses 3 months, . " Michael Crimmens, for 53i days' labor, @ 1.00, . " Edward Winship, for 56 days' labor, ! i 1.00, 66Walter Wellington, breaking snow, " Eli Simonds, for use of horse and cart 4 d• ays, " Daniel Collins, for 43i days' labor, (& 1.00, . 4;Patrick Joy, for 16i 66 " Harrison Pierce, for 33 " @ 1.25, 4' Joseph T. Simonds, for 10 loads of gravel, @ .05, " Cyrus Reed, for 120 loads of gravel, 0 .10, . 'f Patrick Reynolds, for 1 day's labor, 46Damon & Blinn, for labor shoveling snow, GGGeorge Reeves, for 39 days' labor, @1.00, . 44Jacob Hanscom, for load of covering stone, " Eli Simonds, for 1 day's labor and a pick handle, " William Ham, for blacksmithing, . 44 Daniel F. Moody, for 3 months' labor, . GCSamuel Rendall, for chestnut colored mare, 44Wm. Henry Winning, for pasturing horses, .4Wm. Ham, for blacksmithing, Edward Winship, for 28i days' labo• r, " George H. Morse, for 2 plow points, • . 64Eli Simonds, for use of horse 5 days, " James S. Munroe, for 118 loads of gravel, na .0▪ 8, . Overseers of Poor, for 484 days, Chapman, @ 1.50, " " " for 53 dayshorse and cart, " for 2 months' board of man, " " for 14 weeks' board of horse, " Michael Crimmens, for 434 days' labor, . " Daniel Collins, for 494 days' labor, Jere. Shea, for 32i days' labor, . " Daniel F. Moody, for 2 months' labor, 64Edward Winship, for 22i days' labor, 44Michael O'Brine, for 2i days' labor, " Bowen A. Tufts, for breaking snow, Hammon Reed, for labor, . Franklin M. Harrington, for horse h• ire, Amount carried up, . . $ 1,082 18 cc GC 44 GG " $ 1 00 2 50 1 50 2 50 1 95 10 75 1 X15 76 13 45 00 30 00 52 00 53 25 56 00 7 50 4 00 43 25 16 50 41 44 50 12 00 1 00 2 08 39 00 2 50 1 75 25 29 51 00 65 00 8 16 14 84 28 50 84 3 75 9 44 73 13 53 00 20 00 28 00 43 75 49 75 32 50 34 00 22 25 3 13 2 00 5 00 3 50 13 Amount brought up, Paid Overseers of Poor, for board of horses, . " Eli Simonds, for 7 days' services, . . " for services as Treasurer of ▪ the Board, 44Albert Fitch, for 6i days' services, . Isaac N. Damon, for 7 days' services, . fe " for services as Clerk of the Board, " for stationery, . $ 1,082 18 . 59 50 14 00 3 00 13 00 14 00 3 00 47 Outstanding bills paid, belonging to 1861, Sum total disbursed by Surveyors, $ 1,189 15 59 49 . $1,248 64 416 k Surveyors' Receipts. The Surveyors' Receipts have been from the following sources, viz: From the Town, for labor done on Randall's Bridge, $ 9 39 " Michael Crimmens, for one shovel, 25 " the Overseers of the Poor, for labor of man on farm, 11 00 64 the sale of the white horse, . 25 00 " the Town Treasury, . 1,200 00 " John Bannon, for old bridge plank, 3 00 $ 1,248 64 .Recapitulation of Expenditures. Amount paid outstanding bills due for 1861, . cc expended for breaking snow, Increased value of property used for repairing roads, Amount of actual expense of repairing roads, 1862, • $5949 • 28 33 32 25 . 1,128 57 $ 1,248 64 14 List of Appraised Property used for Repairing Road, made Februury 28, 1863. 2 Horse carts, $ 40 00 2 plows, 10 00 Lead harness, lead chains, and other chains, 7 00 2 cart harnesses, . 14 00 9 shovels, . 2 25 Bush scythe, 1 00 Picks, pick handles, hammers, rake, and 3 crow bars, 7 00 Drills, hammers, and old hinges, 7 00 Brown horse, 100 00 Brown mare, 75 00 2 cart girts, . 1 50 1 ox cart, . 5 00 269 75 Value as appraised, March 6, 1862, 237 50 Increased value, . $ 32 25 All of which is respectfully submitted. ELI SIMONDS, ALBERT FITCH, Surveyors of Highways. ISAAC N. DAMON, Lexington, March 10, 1863. We have this day examined the foregoing bills of expenditure, as enumerated in this Report, and find them correctly stated and prop- erly settled. WEBSTER SMITH,Selectmen WM. HENRY SMITH, 2D, .5 of Lexington.