| |||||||||
|
DOCUMENTS IN OAKLAND HISTORY
Act of Incorporation of the Town of Winslow 26 April 1771 An act for incorporating a certain tract of land in the County of Lincoln, into a town by the name of Winslow. Whereas the inhabitants of a certain tract of land lying on the east and west side of the Kennebec River, in the County of Lincoln, are desirous of enjoying the privileges that will arise to them by being incorporated into a town. Be it therefore enacted by the Governor, Council and House of Representatives, (Sect. 1) That the tract of land aforesaid, butted and bounded as follows: viz., beginning on the east side of Kennebec River, at a hemlock tree standing on the bank of said river, and one rod west-north west of a large rock, and two miles and half a mile on a north-east course, from Fort Halifax, -- and from said tree, to run, east-south-east, five miles, to a beech tree, marked; thence, to run, south-south-west five miles and one hundred and seventy-eight poles; thence, west-north-west, to the northeast corner of the town of Vassalborough; thence, on the northerly line of said town, west-north-west, five miles, to Kennebeck River; thence to run across said river, the same course, to the end of five miles on the west side of said river, -- butting, thus far on the same northerly course of the said town of Vassalborough; thence, northerly, on such a course, so far as to meet the west end of a line running, from the hemlock-tree above mentioned, west-north-west, five miles from Kennebeck River, thence to run, east-north-east, on the last mentioned line, five miles, to said Kennebeck River, thence across said river, to the hemlock tree aforesaid, the first mentioned bounds, -- be and hereby is erected into a town by the name of Winslow; and that the inhabitants thereof be and hereby are invested with all the powers, privileges and immunities which the inhabitants of any of the towns within this province, respectively do, or by law ought to enjoy. And be it further enacted, (Sect. 2.) That James Howard Esq, be, and hereby is, empowered to issue his warrant, directed to some principal inhabitant in said town, requiring him to notify and warn the inhabitants thereof, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, to meet at such time and place as shall therein be set forth, to choose all such officers as shall be necesssary to manage the affairs of the said town. And be it further enacted, (Sect. 3.) That the freeholders of the said town shall be, and hereby are, empowered, at their said first meeting, to bring in their choice for a register of deeds, for the county of Lincoln, also for a treasurer for said county, qualified according to law; and the votes for such register and treasurer shall, at the same time, by a constable (who may be chosen and sworn), be sealed up and by him returned unto the court of general sessions of the peace to be holden in June next, at Pownalborough, for the said county in like manner as is provided by law in like cases for other towns within this province; which court is hereby authorized and required to receive the said votes; which, with the votes of the other towns of said county, shall be opened, sorted and counted as the law directs for determining the choice of such register and treasurer; and such shall be, to all intents and purposes, valid and effectual in law. And be it further enacted, (Sect. 4.) That if by reason of sickness, or any other means, the said James Howard Esq. shall be prevented from performing the business, or any part thereof, to which he is appointed by this act, then in that case William Cushing esq. shall be and hereby is impowered to transact the whole or any part of such business, as fully and effectually as the said James Howard Esq. is, by the second clause of this act empowered to transact the same. Passed and Published April 26, 1771.[1] Petition to Divide the Town of Winslow To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court assembled: The Petition of the Subscribers, Inhabitants of the Town of Winslow, in the county of Kennebec, being a committee chosen by said Town in Town meeting assembled, humbly Report to hour Honours that it is the wish of the Inhabitants of the said Town that the territory lying on the westerly side of said River, in said Town, as it is now bounded, should be set off from said Town by the name of Waterville. Your petitioners in behalf of said Town, beg leave to offer to hour Honours, the following reasons: That the value of the property now owned in said Town is nearly equally divided on each side of said river. That the Town and religious meeting are held alternately at the meeting houses now erected on each side of said river, and that in several parts of the year it is very difficult and almost impossible to cross said river to attend said meetings. That in the spring season, at the annual meetings held in said town, the Inhabitants thereof living on the opposite side from where the said meeting is to be held, are frequently prevented by the particular situation of said river from crossing the same to attend said meeting. That said river nearly divides said Town of Winslow in equal halves. Whereof your Petitioners in behalf of said Town humbly pray that said territory may be set off, and as in duty bound will ever pray. (Com. of the Town of Winslow.) Asa Soule Thomas Rice Nehemiah A Parker Josiah Hayden Reuben Kidder That the now Town of Winslow shall be divided through the middle of the river Kennebeck as the river usually runs across the width of said Town. That that part of said Town which lay on the Eastern side of the Kennebeck shall retain the name of Winslow, and the part which lay on the Western side be erected into a town by the name of Waterville. That all debts except such as concern meeting house that shall be due from the Town when divided, or damages the Town may be liable to pay, shall be apportioned and paid by each Town according to the present valuation. That Josiah Hayden, Esq., being the only Selectman of the present Town of Winslow, residing on the east side of the Kennebeck river, shall, after a division, have power to call the first meeting without consulting his colleagues. The above are articles agreed on by us in a division of the now Town of Winslow, in behalf of said town.
Waterville, Act of Incorporation 23 June 1802 COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS In the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two. An act to divide the Town of Winslow in the County of Kennebec, and to incorporate the westerly part thereof into a separate Town by the name of Waterville Section 1st. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that all that part of the town of Winslow which lies on the west side of the Kennebec river, as known by its present bounds, and by a line drawon on the middle of Kennebec river as its future eastern boundary, be and is hereby incorporated into a separate Town by the name of Waterville. And the inhabitants of ye said town are hereby invested with all the powers, privileges, rights, and immunities, with which other Towns are invested by the Constitution and Laws of the Commonwealth. Section 2nd. And be it further Enacted, that the said Town of Waterville shall pay all arrears of taxes, which have been assessed upon them, together with their proportion of all debts owned by the said Town of Winslow prior to the date of this Act, excepting such debts as concern the building of their Meeting Houses, which shall be due from the said Town when divided, or damages the town may then be liable to pay, shall be apportioned and paid in proportion according to the present valuation, and all dues and demands, other than those which include the expenses of Meeting Houses, belonging to the Town when divided, shall hereafter be adjusted, divided and paid to each of said Towns in proportions according to the present valuation. And the proceeds of the sales of all pews on the lower floors in the two Meeting Houses standing on the banks of the Kennebec, as also the Monies voted to complete the same, shall be equally divided between the said Towns after a division; and the monies assessed for building a meeting house in the west pond settlement shall be paid and exclusively appropriated for that purpose, and subject to no demand on said town of Winslow. Section 3rd. And be it further Enacted, that all future State taxes which may be levied on the two Towns aforesaid, previous to a new valuation, shall be assessed and paid in the proportion of two-fifths by the Town of Winslow, and three-fifths by the Town of Waterville. Section 4th. And be it further Enacted, that all property now belonging to the said Town of Winslow, not mentioned in the foregoing section, shall be divided between the said Towns in the proportion as mentioned in the second section of this act. Section 5th. And be it further Enacted, that any Justice of the Peace of said County of Kennebec, be and he is hereby authorized upon application thereof, to issue a Warrant directed to some suitable person, an inhabitant of the said Town of Waterville, requiring him to notify and warn the Inhabitants thereof qualified to vote in Town affairs, to assemble at such convenient time and place as shall be expressed in the said Warrant, to choose such officers as Towns are by law empowered to choose in the months of March or April annually. In the House of Representatives, June 23, 1802. This Bill having had three several readings passed to be Enacted. John C. Jones, Speaker. In Senate June 23, 1802. This Bill having had two several readings passed to be Enacted. David Cobb, President. June 23, 1802. By the Governor approved. Caleb Strong.[2] An Act to Establish the Town of Dearborn in the County of Kennebec. Chapter CXXIV, 1812 Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the plantation heretofore called West Pond, in the county of Kennebec, as contained in the following described boundaries, shall be, and hereby is established as a town, by the name of Dearborn, viz. easterly by the town of Waterville, southerly by the town of Belgrade, westerly by the town of Rome, and northerly by the south line of the county of Somerset. And the inhabitants of the said town of Dearborn are hereby vested with all the powers and privileges, and subject to the like other incorporated towns, according to the constitution and laws of this commonwealth. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That any Justice of the Peace for the county of Kennebec is hereby authorized, upon application therefor, to issue a warrant, directed to a freeholder and inhabitant of the said town of Dearborn, requiring him to notify and warn the free-holders thereof, to meet at such time and place as shall be appoointed in the said warrant, for the choice of such officers as towns are by law required to choose at their annual town meetings. (This act passed 22d February 1812) An Act to Annex Benjamin Corson and Others to the Town of Waterville. Chapter CXVI, 1815 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That Benjamin Corson, Robert Hussey, Jonathan Nelson, Samuel Wade, Henry Richardson, 3d., Ebenezer Holmes, Thomas Gleason, Thomas Magrath, Spencer Thayer, Alvin Thayer, Abner Young, and Asa Young, with their families and estates, as contained within the following described lines, be, and they are hereby set off from the town of Dearborn, and annexed to the town of Waterville: Beginning at the southwest corner of said Waterville, from thence to run a west northwest course, in the southerly line of said Dearborn, till it meets the pond formerly called Richardson's mill pond, which is connected with Magrath's pond by a streight, called the narrows, from thence northerly by the easterly shore of said ponds, till it meets the bog near the head of said Magrath's pond, thence north-easterly, by the easterly edge of said bog, till it meets the southerly line of land owned and occupied by John Magrath, from thence east southeast, in the south line of said Magrath's lot, to the west line of said Waterville, from thence southerly, in the said west line of Waterville, to the bounds first mentioned. And the said lands with the inhabitants thereon, shall hereafter be held and considered a part of the said town of Waterville as fully and completely as though it had been originally incorporated therewith: PROVIDED HOWEVER, that the several persons herein named with their estates shall be holden to pay their respective taxes due, and payable to the said town of Dearborn, legally assessed, and not paid prior to the passing of this act. An Act to Set Off Asa Young, With His Estate from the Town of Dearborn and to Annex the Same to the Town of Waterville. Chapter XCVIII, 1822 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in Legislature assembled, That Asa Young, with his estate, lying within the boundary line of the town of Dearborn, on the east side of the pond, be, and the same hereby is set off from the Town of Dearborn and annexed to the town of Waterville. Provided, That the said Asa Young shall be holden to pay all taxes assessed against him in the said town of Dearborn, prior to the passing of this act. (This Act passed January 21, 1822) An Act to Set Off Nahum Corson, With His Estate from Dearborn, and Annex the Same to the Town of Waterville. Chapter CCCCXII, Approved February 28, 1826 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in Legislature assembled, That Nahum Corson, of Dearborn, in the county of Kennebec, with his estate, being about two hundred acres on great lot B Two, it being the same lots he purchased of Charles Vaughan and Robert H Gardiner, as laid down on Solomon Adams' plan, be, and hereby is, set off from said Dearborn and annexed to the town of Waterville: Provided said Corson shall be holden to pay all taxes assessed against him, in said Dearborn, prior to the passing of this Act. (Approved by the Governor, Feb. 28, 1826) An Act to set Off Peaslee Morrill From Dearborn to Belgrade Chapter 397, Approved January 29, 1834 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in Legislature assembled, That Peaslee Morrill with his estate, consisting of that part of his farm on which he now lives, within the boundary line of the town of Dearborn, be, and hereby is set off from the town of Dearborn, in the county of Kennebec, and annexed to the town of Belgrade: Provided, That said Morrill shall be held to pay all taxes assessed against him in said Dearborn prior to the passing of this Act. An Act to Set Off Certain Lands in Dearborn and Annex the Same to Belgrade Chapter 553, Approved March 22, 1839 Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Legislature assembled, That a part of the town of Dearborn in the county of Kennebec with the inhabitants having a legal settlement thereon, embraced within the following limits, viz: all that part of said town which lies south of a line commencing at the west line of said town on the north line of fifteen mile lot A Two, and running thence easterly on said north line to the east line of the William Varney lot; thence southerly on said east line, and east line of Reuel Williams' plantation, so called, to the south line of said fifteen mile lot A Two, thence easterly on the south line of said fifteen mile lot A Two, to the West line of Waterville, be and the same hereby is set off from said town of Dearborn and annexed to the town of Belgrade in said county. Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That the inhabitants and territory set off as aforesaid shall be and are liable for their just proportion of all corporate debts now due or owing from said town of Dearborn; and the same may be assessed by the proper officers of said town of Dearborn in the same manner as if this act had not passed; said inhabitants being entitled also to their just proportion of all moneys due to said town. An Act to Incorporate the Town of Smithfield Chapter 27, Approved February 29, 1840 Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Legislature assembled, That the territory herein after described, with the inhabitants having a legal settlement thereon, to wit; so much of the town of Mercer in the county of Somerset as lies east of a line commencing at the south west corner of Norridgewock, and running thence southerly in the west line of land possessed by Caleb Gilman, and continuing thence the same course to the north line of land possessed by William Allen; thence westerly in said Allen's north line to the Bog Stream; thence southerly in the thread of said stream to the North Pond; and thence south to the north line of the county of Kennebec; - Also the territory called East Pond Plantation; - Also so much of the town of Dearborn in the county of Kennebec as lies west of a line formed by the west line of Stephen Willey's farm, and the extension of said line northerly in the same course to the south line of Somerset County, and southerly in the same course to the north line of Belgrade, -be, and the same is hereby incorporated into a town by the name of Smithfield... Sec. 5. that the boundaries of the counties of Kennebec and Somerset be, and they hereby are, so far altered as to include said town of Smithfield within the county of Somerset... An Act Dissolving the Incorporation of the Town of Dearborn Chapter 200, Approved April 20, 1841 Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Legislature assembled, That the act incorporating the town of Dearborn, in the county of Kennebec, be and the same hereby is repealed and that said incorporation is dissolved. Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That the territory and inhabitants, comprising the present town of Dearborn, be and the same hereby are created a plantation, by the name of Dearborn Plantation, with all the privileges, immunities and liabilities, to plantations incorporate incident. Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That said plantation and inhabitants shall be, and are liable for all debts now due or owing from said town in its corporate capacity. This act shall take effect from and after its approval by the Governor. An Act to Annex Dearborn Plantation to the Town of Waterville Chapter 90, Approved March 17, 1843 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Legislature assembled, as follows: Sec. 1. That the territory comprising Dearborn Plantation in the county of Kennebec, together with the inhabitants dwelling and having their home, and being now residents thereon, be, and the same are hereby annexed to the town of Waterville, in said county. Sec. 2. The inhabitants and property of said plantation shall remain liable for all corporate debts of said plantation, and the same may be enforced by the creditors, by suit or otherwise in the same manner as if this act had not passed, and the existing officers of said plantation and such as may be selected to succeed them, and may be necessary to discharge said corporate debts and incidental charges. And said town of Waterville shall in no respect be liable for said debts. Sec. 3. This act shall take effect from and after its approval by the governor. West Waterville, 1873, Incorporation of the Town. Reported in the Waterville Mail, 21 February 1873, along with several other articles on the division of the town. Be it enacted by the Senate & House of Representatives - (Boundaries - all Waterville west of a line) "... commencing in the north line of the town of Sidney about two miles west of Kennebec River, in the range of the west line of the second mile rangeway of the town of Waterville; thence northerly to said west line of said rangeway to the center of the cross road leading from Emerson Bridge to West Waterville village; thence northerly on the westerly line of said second mile rangeway road to the south line of the McKechnie road; thence westerly in the south line of said McKechnie road about forty rods to the east line of Henry J Morrill's land, and in the same course to the southerly line of the Marston road; thence westerly in the southerly line of said Marston road to the thread of the Emerson stream; thence northerly down the thread of said stream to the mouth of the Tuby brook; thence up said Tuby brook, in the south line of the town of Fairfield ..." |
|
