MACLINTON-L Archives

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Subject: Clinton, Clintonville, its separation from Lancaster, Mass.
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2001 23:12:26 EDT

Subject: Clinton - Clintonville, Mass.
Source: History of Lancaster, Massachusetts by Rev. Abijah P. Marvin, 1879

p.482 - p. 483

At the November meeting, 1848, a movement was begun, looking to a division of
the
town of Lancaster, by the separation of Clintonville. The subject was
referred to the
following gentlemen, living in both sections, as a committee:

Elias M. Stillwell
James G. Carter
John H. Shaw
H. N. Bigelow
Ezra Sawyer
Sidney Harris
Charles G. Stevens
J. T. Otterson
Jacob Fisher

The committee, as might have been expected, were divided in opinion, and at a
meeting held in November of 1849, presented majority and minority reports.
Both
reports were laid on the table.

At the same time another committee made a report in regard to the land under
and near the old town house. It seems that a Mr. Danforth had built where
Mr. Royce now resides in 1832 and Capt Shaw was then living in the house. By
some means the town had six hundred and fifty two feet of Capt. Shaw's land.
How the matter
was settled the records do not inform us; but probably all that belonged to
the town
is now in the highway between the houses of Mrs. Abby Lane and Mr. Royce.

The dividing of the town was a matter that could not rest, as Clintonville
was rapidly
increasing in population and business. Therefore a special meeting was held
on the
fifteenth of February 1850, with Solon Whiting, Esq., in the chair. Charles
G. Stevens, Esq., then a young lawyer, recently settled in Clintonville,
submitted a preamble and resolve to the meeting in favor of a new town.

The subject was discussed, but before any action was taken, a committee was
appointed to confer with a like committee, chosen by the people of
Clintonville, and
"report as soon as may be, what terms, in their opinion, ought to satisfy the
town
of Lancaster to consent not to oppose a division of the town."

The committee chosen by the town were: John G. Thurston,
Jacob Fisher, Silas Thurston, Henry Lincoln and Nathaniel Warner. The
meeting
then adjourned, forty minutes. On reassembling, the committees unanimously
reported as follows:

1. That all the property, both real and personal, owned by the town of
Lancaster, at
the present time, shall belong to and be owned by the town of Lancaster,
after the
division shall take place.

2. That the inhabitants of Clintonville shall support and forever maintain
those persons who now receive relief and support from the town of Lancaster,
as paupers,
who originated from the territory proposed to be set off; and also forever
support
all persons who may hereafter become paupers, who derive their settlement from
this territory.

3. That Clintonville, or the town of Clinton, if so incorporated, shall pay
to the town
of Lancaster, the sum of ten thousand dollars in consideration of the large
number of
river bridges and paupers that will remain within the limits of the old town.
The same
to be paid in ten equal annual payments of one thousand dollars, with
interest semi
annually on the sum due, the first payment of one thousand dollars to be made
in
one year after the separation shall take place. And the amount shall be in
full for all the town debt which Lancaster owes."

The fourth article fixed the bounds as they now stand. Henry Wilder, Benjamin
Whittemore and John G. Thurston were chosen a committee to see the substance
of the foregoing articles put into the act of incorporation.

The report was adopted by the town; Clinton was incorporated by the
legislature at
its next session and in due time, paid for its freedom, according to
agreement, and
went on its way to prospering, with the good will of its venerable, but still
growing
and comely mother. Comparing the two, and reversing the words of Horace, we
may
write: "O filia pulchra mater pulchrior."

The number of families in the town previous to the division was six hundred
and
ninety two. Supposing the families averaged five persons, the population was
three
thousand four hundred and sixty. Now the population of Clinton is probably
double
the latter number while that of Lancaster is less than two thousand. But the
old town
has time and room for growing.

Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth

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