Town of Palmyra – Minutes - 1798
Records of the District of Palmyra, 1798: At an annual town meeting held at the house of Stephen Phelps in Palmyra on the first Tuesday of April, 1798, the meeting being opened, adjourned to the school house near John Russell’s. Town officers chosen as follows: Stephen Phelps – Town Clerk
Jonah Howell – Supervisor
Noah Porter, Joel Foster, and John Hurlbut – Assessors
Darius Comstock & Thomas Goldsmith – Overseers of the Poor
Job Durfee & James Reeves – Commissioners of Highways
Voted to choose two constables.
Jonah Howell, Jr. and Constant Southard – Constables
Voted that the Constables serve as Collectors.
Overseers of Highways: 1st Thomas Goldsmith, 2nd Benet Bates, 3rd William Willcox, 4th Israel Dillon, 5th Elias Reeves, 6th John Kingman
Pardon Durfee, Nathan Comstock, and Festus Goldsmith
Commissioners of Schools
Voted that the Overseers of Highways shall serve as Fence Viewers.
Voted that there shall be a pound erected, and the supervisor to pay the person employed to build it at the expense of the town.
Voted that the Pound Master shall erect the pound. Voted that the pound shall be erected the north side of the road joining William Galloway’s lot in the corner of the road between the Main Street and the road running by the school house.
John Swift, Esq. chosen Pound Master.
Voted that the owner of swine running at large shall pay all damage done by said swine.
Voted that the Overseers of Poor shall deliver the money reposed in their hands to the supervisor for the use of the town.
Darius Comstock and Humphrey Shearman chosen to settle with the Supervisor.
Voted that John Hurlbut shall meet the several Assessors of the county in Canandaigua to confer with them respecting the assessment.
Voted that this meeting stand adjourned until the first Tuesday of April next to this place of adjournment.
A true copy of the original. Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
I, Stephen Phelps, Clerk of the Town of Palmyra in the County of Ontario, do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will faithfully and honestly keep all the book of records, writings, and papers by virtue of my said office of Town Clerk and which shall be committed unto me and in all things to the best of knowledge and abilities will faithfully perform the duties of my said office without favor or partiality. Stephen Phelps
April 3rd, 1798, the above qualification taken before me.
John Swift, Justice of the Peace
A true copy.
I, Jonah Howell, do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will in all things to the best of my knowledge and ability, impartially execute and perform the trust reposed in me as supervisor of the Town of Palmyra in the County of Ontario; and I will not pay any account of article thereof wherewith I shall think the said county is not chargeable nor will I disallow account or article thereof wherewith I shall think is justly chargeable. Jonah Howell
Palmyra, April 3rd, 1798, the above qualification was duly taken before me. William Rogers, Justice of the Peace
A true copy of the original. Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
I, Noah Porter, do solemnly and sincerely promise and affirm that I will honestly and impartially assess the several persons and estates within the Town of Palmyra in the County of Ontario and that in making such assessment, I will to the best of my knowledge and ability observe the directions of the several laws of this state directing and requiring such assessment to be made.
Noah Porter
Palmyra, April 3rd, 1798, the above qualification duly taken before me. William Rogers, Justice of the Peace
I, John Hurlbut do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will honestly and impartially assess the several persons and estates within the Town of Palmyra in the county of Ontario and that in making such assessment, I will to the best of my knowledge and judgment observe the several laws and directions of this state directing and requiring such assessment to be made.
John Hurlbut
Palmyra, April 3rd, 1798, the above qualification was duly taken before me. William Rogers, Justice of the Peace
I, Joel Foster, do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will honestly and impartially assess the several persons and estates within the Town of Palmyra in the County of Ontario, and that in making such assessment, I will to the best of my knowledge and judgment observe the directions of the several laws of this state directing and requiring such assessment to be made.
Joel Foster
Palmyra, April 4th, 1798, the above qualification was duly taken before me. John Swift, Justice of the Peace
A true copy of the original Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
I, Darius Comstock, do solemnly and sincerely promise and affirm that I will in all things to the best of my knowledge, understanding, and ability will execute and perform the trust reposed in me as Overseer of the Poor of the Town of Palmyra in the County of Ontario. Darius Comstock
Palmyra, April 3rd, 1798, the above qualification was duly taken before me. William Rogers, Justice of the Peace
I, Thomas Goldsmith, do solemnly and sincerely promise and affirm that I will in all things to the best of my knowledge, understanding, and ability will faithfully execute and perform the trust reposed in me as Overseer of the Poor of the Town of Palmyra in the County of Ontario. Thomas Goldsmith
Palmyra, April 3rd, 1798, the above qualification was duly taken before me. William Rogers, Justice of the Peace
A true copy of the original Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
We, Constant Southward and Jonah Howell, Jr., do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that we will in all things to the best of our knowledge, understanding, and ability will faithfully, execute, and perform the trust reposed in us as Constables of the Town of Palmyra in the County of Ontario.
Jonah Howell, Jr. and Constant Southward
Palmyra, April 3rd, 1798, the above qualification was duly taken before me. William Rogers, Justice of the Peace
I, Job Durfee, do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will in all things to the best of my knowledge and understanding faithfully execute the trust reposed in me as a commissioner of Highways for the Town of Palmyra in the County of Ontario without favor or partiality. Job Durfee
Palmyra, April 3rd, 1798, the above qualification was duly taken before me. William Rogers, Justice of the Peace
I, James Reaves, do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will to the best of my abilities do the duty of Commissioner of Highways without affection or favor to any person. James Reaves
April 7th, 1798, the above oath taken and subscribed before me
John Swift, Justice of the Peace
I, Nathan Comstock, do solemnly promise and affirm that I will according to the best of my abilities do the duty of a Commission of Highways without affection or favor to any person.
Nathan Comstock
April 9th, 1798, the above affirmation taken and subscribed before me John Swift, Justice of the Peace
A true copy of the original Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
I, Thomas Goldsmith, do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will do the duty of Overseer of Highways, according to the best of my abilities without affection of favor to any person.
Thomas Goldsmith
The above oath taken and subscribed before me on April 14th, 1798 John Swift, Justice of the Peace
I, Elias Reaves, do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will, according to the best of my abilities do the duty of Overseer of Highways without affection to any person. Elias Reaves
April 7th, 1798, the above oath taken and subscribed before me
John Swift, Justice of the Peace
A true copy of the original Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
A record of a highway beginning at the northeast corner of Lot No. 17 from the south 124 rods, thence south 30 degrees, east to the southern bank of Mud Creek 53 rods, thence east 38 degrees, south 42 rods, thence south 32 degrees, east 44 rods, thence south 14 degrees, east 160 rods, thence south 7 degrees, east to where it intersects a public highway a little south of Darius Comstock’s dwelling house 60 rods.
We, the subscribers, think proper that the road formerly laid and established directly from Darius Comstock’s to Jacob Gannet’s should cease to be a public highway for the future.
Palmyra, April 23rd, 1798. Nathan Comstock & Job Durfee
Commissioners
A true copy of the original Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
Record of a highway beginning in a public highway a few rods west of Thomas Goldsmith’s dwelling house, thence north 10 degrees, west 72 rods, thence east 21 degrees, north 12 rods and 18 links, thence north 11 degrees, east 6 rods, thence north 5 degrees, east 43 rods, thence north 18 degrees, east 43 rods to a stake and stone in a highway a little east of Gideon Durfee’s. Said road to be 2 rods wide and no more except in the place that the bridge is to be built across Mud Creek, and there a little wider. June 16th, 1798
Nathan Comstock, Job Durfee, & James Reeves
Commissioners
A record of a highway beginning about 40 rods west of Sylvenus Conant’s in a public highway, thence north 30 degrees, west 24 rods, thence west 5 degrees, north 100 rods, thence west 15 degrees, south 90 rods where it meets a public highway.
Nathan Comstock & Job Durfee, Commissioners
A true copy of the original. Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
A record of a highway beginning at the southwest corner of Lot No. 56 in Township No. 12, 3rd Range from thence east 2½ miles to the southeast corner of Lot No. 52, thence east 15 degrees, south 160 rods, thence east 17 degrees, south 24 rods, thence east 20 degrees, north 10 rods, thence east 2 degrees, south 42 rods, thence east 3 degrees, north 26 rods, thence east 21 degrees, north 32 rods, thence east 3 degrees, south 24 rods, thence east 39 degrees, south 22 rods, thence east 22 degrees, south 24 rods, where it crosses the northern branch of Red Creek, thence east 20 degrees, north 12 rods, thence east 30 degrees, north 26 rods, thence east 88 rods, thence north 37 degrees, east 38 rods, thence north 45 degrees, east 20 rods, thence east 9 degrees, south 26 rods, thence east 20 degrees, south 10 rods, thence east 5 degrees, south 48 rods, thence east 214 rods.
Record of a highway beginning 40 rods east of Lemuel Durfee’s in a public highway, thence south 40 rods into a highway.
Nathan Comstock and Job Durfee, Commissioners
A true copy of the original. Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
Record of a highway beginning 4 rods north of Joel Foster’s former dwelling house at a stake and stones, thence south 31 degrees, west 134 rods, thence west 40 degrees, south 40 rods, thence west 38 degrees, south 80 rods, thence south 40 degrees, west 12 rods, thence west 39 degrees, south 40 rods to the old road.
Nathan Comstock and Job Durfee, Commissioners
A true copy Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
Due the present year 1798 to the town of Palmyra $50.41 for the support of schools by order of the Board of Supervisors.
Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
Marks applied for in 1798:
Elisha Sanford: A slope the upper side of each ear and a half penny underside of the right. (Transferred to P. Bills on page 242.)
Joshua Bridge: A hole in the right ear and a crop off the end of the left. (Transferred to Herbert Mallory on page 191.)
Weaver Osburn: A crop the underside of the left ear and a slit in the end of the right. (Transferred to Wilson Herendeen, page 243.)
Pardon Durfee: A crop of the left ear and slit the upper and underside of the same. Brand: P D
Cyrus Foster's mark: A crop of the left ear and a half penny the upperside of the same.
Cyrus Foster’s mark: A crop of the left ear and a half penny the underside of the same.
Jeremiah Smith: A swallows tail in each ear. (Transferred to John Borden on April 15th, 1814.)
Caleb MacCumber: A swallows tail in the left ear. (Transferred to Joseph S. Knowles on April 24th, 1826.)
Cyrus Packard: A slit the upper side of the left ear. (Transferred to James White on page 189.)
At an annual town meeting held at the town house in Palmyra the first Tuesday in April, 1799, William Rogers, Esq., Inspector said meeting. The meeting being opened, town officers chosen as follows: Stephen Phelps - Town Clerk
John Swift, Esq. – Supervisor
John Hurbut, Nathan Comstock, & Thomas Goldsmith
Assessors
Thomas Goldsmith and Noah Porter
Overseers of the Poor
Darius Comstock, John Hurlbut, & Festus Goldsmith
Commissioners of Highways
Voted to choose one Constable. Constant Southworth – Constable
Constant Southworth – Collector
Overseers of Highways: 1st District – Sylvenus Conant
2nd John Gilson 3rd David Warner
4th William Rogers, Esq.5th James Galloway
6th James Reeves 7th Pardon Durfee
8th Jonathan Hayden
Noah Porter, Nathan Comstock, and John Hurlbut
Commissioners of Schools
Voted that the Overseers of Highways shall serve as Fence Viewers.
Voted there shall be a pound erected opposite the crossroad near William Jackways.
Voted the pound shall be built 40 feet square.
Voted that Gilbert Howell, Noah Porter, and Job Durfee shall erect the pound in such a manner as they shall think proper at the expense of the town within the term of two months.
Voted that the owners of swine running at large shall pay all damage done by said swine.
Voted that the Poor Masters shall deliver the money which comes into their hands to the supervisor for the use of the town.
Voted that William Rogers and Darius Comstock shall settle with the supervisor.
William Jackway voted in Pound Master.
Voted there shall be $15 raised to be appropriated to pay the arrears due toward building the public house to be delivered to the trustees of said building.
Voted that there shall be $60 raised the present year to defray the expenses of the town.
Voted that ram shall be confined from the middle of august to the first of November, and for a penalty the owners of rams running at large within said term shall pay a fine of $5 to be appropriated for the use of the town.
Voted to choose an Inspector of Lumber. Voted that Joel Joster shall serve as Inspector of Lumber.
Voted this meeting stand adjourned to the first Tuesday of April next, then to meet at this place of adjournment at 10:00 o’clock.
A true copy of the original Stephen Phelps, Town Clerk
I, Stephen Phelps, Clerk of the Town of Palmyra, County of Ontario, do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear that I will in all things to the best of my knowledge and abilities faithfully and honestly keep all the books of records, writings, and papers by virtue of my said office of Town Clerk and which shall be committed unto me without favor or partiality. Stephen Phelps
We, Thomas Goldsmith and Noah Porter, do solemnly and sincerely promise and affirm that we will in all things to the best of our knowledge, understanding, and abilities will and faithfully execute and perform the trust reposed in us as Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Palmyra in the County of Ontario.
Thomas Goldsmith and Noah Porter