CHAPTER II .

Proprietary history of the township . therefore thought fit for the due en- Previous to the establishment of an in- couragement of settling a new plantatio n dependent state government in Vermont , within this State, and other valuable con- in January, 1777, New Hampshire, whic h siderations us hereunto moving, and do province claimed the jurisdiction of al l by these presents and by the authority o f the territory now contained in this state , the Freemen of Vermont, give and gran t had issued many charters of townships . In unto said Phinehas Lyman and th e this way, more than one half of the land of several persons hereafter named, his Vermont had been granted before she associates, viz : Joseph Hawley, Esq .; assumed the responsibility of self- Timothy Lyman, Samuel Clark, Noadia h government, and the remainder was in a Warner, Samuel Cook the second, John few years granted by the State authority. Smith, Nathaniel Brush, Elijah Dewey , The process of securing and grantin g Lucretia Colt, Elisha Porter, Esq ., charters was something as follows: Upon Stephen Goodman, Moses Hubbard , application from a company of men, resi- Oliver Smith, Benjamin Colt, Daniel Colt , dent and non-resident, who wished to Edmund Hubbard, Moses Hubbard, Rev. become the proprietors of a township, the Samuel Hopkins, Eleazer Porter, Samuel General Assembly appointed a standin g Gaylord, Jr ., Rev. Joseph Lathrop, committee to examine the grounds of thi s George Breck, Heman Day, Samue l application, and to act upon it . If this Lathrop, Seth Lathrop, Joseph Lathrop , committee reported favorably, whic h Jr., John Eastman, Timothy Eastman, usually occurred, a vote was accordingl y Obadiah Dickinson, Obadiah Dickinson , passed by the Assembly, and the Gover- Jr., John Chester Williams, Esq ., Elijah nor, immediately upon the payment o f Dickinson, Elihu Dickinson, Elisha Ellis , the required fee, issued the requeste d Jr., Peter Olcott, Esq., Ichabod Hyde , charter. The grants before made by Ne w Paul Davison, Daniel Bowen, Jonas Hampshire were also acknowledged and Howard, Benjamin Howard, Phinea s confirmed by the State . The charter of Tyler, John Hayward, Paul Spooner , Brookfield was not granted till 1781 ; Jedediah Hyde, Amasa Hyde, Nathan therefore this was one of the towns Roberts, Nathaniel Humphrey, Nathaniel chartered by the State, and Brookfiel d Humphrey, Jr., Shubael Cross, Joseph had no part in the violent controversy be- Cross, Daniel Tillotson, Jr ., Oliver I tween New Hampshire and New York . Hamblin, Caleb Martin, Annah Dean, Most of the towns in the state wer e Daniel Tillotson, John Paine, James chartered before any settlement had bee n Moulton, His Excellency Thomas Chit- made within their limits ; but, on the con- tenden Esq., Timothy Brownson Esq., trary, Brookfield was not granted unti l John Fassett Jr ., Esq., Moses Robinson , two years after the first settlement, and Esq., Jonas Galusha, Esq ., Elkanah not until the population of the settlemen t Sprague, and Ebenezer Brewster , must have been considerable . The reason together with five equal shares or right s of this has already been explained, and to be appropriated to the public uses this circumstance seems to be one o f following: viz: One share or right for the those strange anomalies which constitute use of a Seminary or College within thi s the interest and romance of history. State; one share or right for the use of the CHARTER OF BROOKFIELD County Grammar Schools throughout The Governor, Council, and General this state; one share or right for the first Assembly of Representatives of th e settled minister of the gospel in said Freemen of Vermont, to all people t o township, to be disposed of for that pur- whom these presents shall com e pose as the inhabitants thereof shal l —greeting . direct; one share or right for the support Know ye, that whereas it has bee n of the. ministry; and one share or right fo r represented to us by our worthy friends the benefit and support of a school o r Phinehas Lyman and company to the schools within said township—the follow- number of sixty-five, that there is a trac t ing tract or parcel of land : beginning at of vacant land within this State, which has the northwesterly corner o f not heretofore been granted, which they Turnersburgh, then southwardly on th e pray may be granted unto them ; we have line of Turnersburgh about six miles to a n

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angle thereof, then carrying that breadth Cross in said Brookfield, on the 18th day back north sixty-one degrees west so fa r of February, 1783, agreeable to a warning as that a line being extended north thirty- in the Springfield paper No . 36. three degrees east across said breadth 1st. Voted, and chose Lieut. Caleb will encompass the contents of six miles Martin moderator to govern said meeting . square;—and the same be and hereby i s 2dly. Voted, and chose Lieut. Shubael incorporated into a township by the nam e Cross clerk for said propriety. of Brookfield, and the inhabitants that d o 3rdly. Voted, that those of the pro- or shall hereafter inhabit said township prietors that have not pitched one hun- are declared to be enfranchised and en- dred acres of land on their right or rights titled to all the privileges and immunitie s have the privilege of making their pitch that other towns within the State do by on any land not already pitched. law exercise and enjoy . 4thly. Voted, that there be a tax of fif- To have and to hold the said granted teen shillings lawful money paid on each premises as above expressed with all th e right, public rights excepted, to be lai d privileges and appurtenances thereunto out in repairing roads this spring. belonging, to them and their respective 5thly. Voted, to raise a tax of two shil- heirs and assigns forever, under th e lings on each right to defray past charges . following conditions and reservations , 6thly. Voted, that this meeting stan d viz: That each proprietor of said townshi p adjourned until the 19th instant at eigh t of Brookfield, his heirs and assigns shal l o'clock in the morning . plant and cultivate five acres of land an d build a house at least eighteen feet square February 19th, 1783 on the floor, or have one family settled o n The proprietors ' meeting was opened each respective share or right of land i n agreeably to the foregoing adjournment . said township within the term of thre e years next after the circumstances of th e 1st. Voted, to choose a committee of war will admit of it with safety, on pain o f five to look out a mill spot, suitable for a the forfeiture of his respective share or saw-mill, and make report to the next right of land in said township, and the meeting. same to revert to the Freemen of this 2dly. Voted, and chose State, to be by their Representatives re- Peter O1cot, Esq . granted to such persons as shall appear t o Phinehas Lyma n settle and cultivate the same : That all Ichabod Palmer for said pine timber suitable for a navy shall be Paul Spooner committe e reserved to and for the use and benefit of Oliver Hambli n the Freemen of this State. In testimon y 3dly. Voted, to choose a committee o f whereof we have caused the seal of this five to complete the allotment of sai d State to be hereunto affixed, the fifth day town. of August, in the year of our Lord one 4thly. Voted, and chose thousand seven hundred and eighty-one , Paul Brigham and in the fifth year of the Independenc e Daniel Tillotson, Jr . of this State and sixth of the United Benjamin Colt for said States. Jonas Howard committee Thos Chittenden Phinehas Lyma n By His Excellency's comman d 5thly. Voted, to raise a tax of ten shill- Joseph Fay, Sec'y ings lawful money on each right-to-defray—- Although this charter was issue d the expense of completing the allotmen t August 5, 1781, the town organizatio n of said town. was not effected until March 18, 1785 . In 6thly. Voted, to choose a committee o f 1786 the town was first represented in th e five to manage the prudentials of the pro - Legislature, then known as the Genera l priety in the recess of the meetings . Assembly, and consisting of a House of 7thly. Voted, and chose Representatives and a Council, the latte r John Lyman of which could not be regarded as a coor- Nathl Humphrey dinate branch of the Legislature, and wa s Shubael Cross for said abolished on the substitution of the Caleb Martin committee Senate in 1836. Abel Curtis The first proprietors' meeting of whic h 8thly. Voted, to choose a collector to we have any account was in February , collect the three several taxes voted an d 1783, of which and of the meeting s raised as aforesaid. following we quote the records complete. 9thly. Voted, and chose John Paine At a meeting of the proprietors of th e collector of the aforesaid taxes . township of Brookfield, legally warned 10thly. Voted, that the clerk make out and holden at the house of Lieut . Shubael a rate bill of the several sums voted to be 8

East Brookfield valley, about 1910, looking south, with the John Sprague farm in the middle foreground. (Courtesy Doris Hill)

raised as aforesaid, and deliver said rat e acres to his right, have leave to pitc h bill to said collector, taking his receipt fo r anywhere except where there have bee n the same. pitches already made, having care to lay 1lthly. Voted, to pay L24, 15s for 99 his lot uniform with those lots already days work done at highways, which is 5s laid out, leaving no gores or strips of lan d per day to those who have performed the between the lots . labor on said roads . 4thly. Voted, and chose Shubae l 12thly. Voted, that this meeting stan d Cross, Caleb Martin and Nathaniel Hum- adjourned until the second Wednesday in phrey a committee to see that every pro- June next, then to be held at this place. prietor pitches in regular form and makes Attest, Shubael Cross, proprietors' clerk . return of his pitch immediately to the pro- prietors' clerk . And if any proprietor shal l Brookfield, June 11th 1783 . neglect to make his pitch within six mon- The proprietors of Brookfield met ac- ths from this date, it shall be the duty o f cording to adjournment from the 19th o f the committee to proceed to pitch_a_lot t o February, 1783 . each delinquent right . 1st. Voted, that the following pro- 5thly. Voted, to give Mrs. Hepzibat h prietors shall have the lots they have pit- Cross one hundred acres of land . ched and made improvements upon, viz : 6thly. Voted, to give Mr. John Lyman Shubael Cross No . 63, Joseph Cross No . one hundred acres of land, it being the lo t 34, Daniel Tillotson Jr . No. 65, Phineas he ,now lives on, with the condition that Tyler No. 33, George Breck No. 68, he, said Lyman, do twenty days' work on Amasa Hyde No. 67, Daniel Bowen No. the road, exclusive of what he has already 70, Paul Spooner, No . 72, Benjami n done, to the acceptance of the committe e Howard No. 74, Nathaniel Humphrey No. appointed for the purpose of laying out —, Nathaniel Humphrey Jr. No. —, An- and mending highways, and also con- nah Dean No . 86, Caleb Martin No . —, tinue settlement on said lot. Ichabod Hyde No . 37 . 7thly. Voted, to allow Shubael Cross to 2dly. Voted, that the lot No . 69 be pitch the lot formerly owned by Mr . Oliver reserved for the first settled minister and Hamblin as a second hundred acre divi- other public uses . sion on his own right . 3rdly. Voted, that each proprietor who 8thly. Voted, to lay out a road throug h has not already pitched one hundred the town, near the Branch, six rods wide , 9

in the most convenient place . lot next after every proprietor has pitche d 9thly. Voted, to leave out four rods his first hundred . wide between every other East and West , 7thly. Voted, that the Prudential Com- north and south. mittee be empowered to warn pro- 10thly. Voted, to adjourn this meeting prietors' meetings for the future in the until the 12th instant, at this place, at following manner, viz : to set up a notifica- nine o'clock in the morning . tion fourteen days before their meeting , Shubael Cross, proprietors' clerk said notification to be set up in the places as follows: in the State of Massachusetts Brookfield, June 12th, 178 3 Bay at a public house in Old Hadley; in The proprietors met according to ad- the State of New Hampshire at Dresden journment from the 11th inst . and Orford at public houses; and in the 1st . Voted, to allow any person or per- State of Vermont at Brookfield, at the sons that will build two mills, viz : a grist- house of Lieut . Shubael Cross . mill and saw-mill, to be built where a 8thly. Voted, that the Prudential Com- committee appointed for that purpose mittee be directed to apply to th e shall direct, and keep said mills in repai r Surveyor General or his deputy to hav e three years, and have the mills done by the outlines of the town ascertained . the first day of November next - 9thly. Voted, to pitch one hundre d (There is evidently a mistake or omis- acres on the school right before any pro- sion in this record as the sentence i s prietor makes any further pitch or pit- not complete . The vote was probably a ches. grant of two hundred acres of land t o 10thly. Voted, to choose a committee any proprietor who would undertake to pitch said school lot . the building of these mills .) l lthly. Voted, and chose 2dly. Voted, to choose a committee of Daniel Tillotson Jr. a committee . seven to agree with any person or persons Shubael Cross for that to build said mill or mills. Nathaniel Humphrey purpose. 3dly. Voted, and chose The above committee made a report Phinehas Lyman that lot No. 36 is the best situated for a Jonas Howard school lot. Caleb Martin a committee 12thly. Voted, to accept the abov e Shubael Cross for the report. Oliver Hamblin last mentioned 13thly. Voted, that the doings of thi s Daniel Tillotson Jr. purpose. meeting be recorded in the proprietors' Nathaniel Humphrey book. 4thly. Voted, to adjourn this meetin g 14thly. Voted, to allow Mr. Phinehas until two o 'clock afternoon at this place . Lyman the cost of procuring the charte r of Brookfield, and the cost of the adver- Brookfield, June 12th 1783 . tisement for this meeting . Including both Met agreeably to adjournment . makes the sum of 34s. 1st. Voted, that the above committe e 15thly. Voted, to dissolve this is empowered to agree with any person o r meeting. persons concerning a mill spot, to set th e Caleb Martin, Moderator above mills, and also to agree with regar d Shubael Cross, proprietors' cler k to flooding or ponding any ground for the The next meeting—of—the proprietors accommodation of said Mills . was held in Brookfield, June 16th, 1784 , 2dly. Voted, that said committee be at which officers were elected and a com- directed, if occasion requires, to divide mittee appointed to make a new plan o f said land between those who build sai d the land that had been allotted, and th e mills, according to the best of their judg- pitches that had been made . The meeting ment. was then adjourned till the day following. 3rdly. Voted, to choose a committee of three to lay out a road through the tow n Brookfield,' June 17th, 1784 . from Randolph to the north line . The proprietors of Brookfield met 4thly. Voted, and chose agreeably to the foregoing adjournment . Daniel Tillotson Jr. a committee 1st. Voted, that the votes and pro- Caleb Martin for the above ceedings of the former meetings of this Nathaniel Humphrey purpose. propriety, as they stand recorded in this 5thly. Voted, that Mr. Phinehas Lyma n book with the amendments, shall be goo d purchase a proper book at the expense of and valid, and are established as such by the proprietors suitable for to keep thei r this meeting. records in. 2dly. Voted, that Mrs. Hepzibath Cros s 6thly. Voted, that Mr. Jonas Howard b e have the liberty to pitch and lay out th e allowed to pitch his second hundred acre lot north of lot No . 73 in the third range, bounded westerly by lot No. 15 in the se- 6thly. Voted, that Mr. Cross have one cond range, pitched on the right of Jonas month's time to pitch his other lot fo r Galusha, for her hundred acre lot, voted building said mills. to her by the proprietors of said 7thly. Voted, and chose Jonatha n Brookfield at their adjourned meetin g Pierce, John Lyman, and Nathaniel Hum - holden at said Brookfield June 11th phrey a committee for to lay out a 1783 . highway, beginning at the south line o f 3dly. Voted, and granted to Lieut . the town, meeting the road from Ran- Shubael Cross, his heirs and assign s dolph near Mr. Joseph Griswold's land, forever, two hundred acres of land for his from thence northerly until it meets th e encouragement in building two mills, viz: highway leading up the hill from th e a grist mill and sawmill, upon conditio n Branch near Mr. Jonathan Pierce's, and that said Cross be bound in a bond of tw o also to see that said road is well opened hundred pounds for the faithful perfor- and cleared upon the proprietors' cost . mance of the same, and that said mills b e * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * kept in repair and fit for business the ter m 8thly. Voted, to adjourn this meeting of three years, said bond to be given to until the 18th inst. at seven o'clock in the the Treasurer of said propriety for their morning at this place, and it is according - security; and also voted, that said mills ly adjourned. be got ready and fit for business, th e Attest, Paul Brigham, proprietors' clerk sawmill by the first day of July next, an d The hundred acres of land voted to b e the grist mill by the first day o f granted to Mrs . Cross was in accordanc e September next—both of said mills stan- with a custom to present a lot of land to ding on the Branch, near said Cross' . the first woman who should enter a new 4thly. Voted, and chose Lieut. Caleb township. This custom gave rise to a Martin, Jonathan Pierce and Oliver ludicrous and yet almost tragic incident Hamblin a committee to see that sai d in relation to the town of Williamstown, mills are got ready and fit for business b y which will be hereafter mentioned . the time specified as aforesaid, and also Of the mills thus voted into existence , to see that the bond is properly made and the grist mill was situated at the foot o f executed and laid in the proper office. the Falls west of the place now owned b y 5thly. Voted, that Lieut. Shubael Cross Mr. Nathaniel Wheatley . The saw mill wa s 4 be allowed to take and pitch lot No . 93 in probably located nearby, though, owin g the fourth range as one of those lots for to conflicting accounts, its exact locality building said mills. cannot be determined.

East Brookfield valley, 1953-54, looking north. Albert Martin farm buildings appear in the left foreground. At the far north end is the school, with the Sprague farm beyond. (Courtesy Doris Hill)

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