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Washington County Local History
New York History
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The Patent Becomes a Town
The patent by 1793 contained sufficient residents to be set off from Westfield
as a separate town. This was done on March 23rd of that year. Nathaniel Bull gave to the new town the name of Hartford,
from the Hartford Indians who had frequented the vicinity. The adoption of this name was influenced no doubt by
the sentimental feelings of the majority of the inhabitants, most of whom had come from Connecticut. It was not
until 1808 that Putnam and Dresden were set off from Westfield, and not until 1810 that the remaining portion received
the name of Fort Ann.
The electors of the newly organized town met at the house of Daniel Mason to hold their first town meeting. The
following officers were elected; Supervisor Daniel Mason; town clerk, Asahel Hodge; assessors, Joseph Bolton, David
Baker; collector, Caleb Goff; commissioners of the highways, Jonathan Wood, Ichabod Hawley, Daniel Brown; overseers
of the poor, John Buck, Asaheal Hodge; constables, Matthew Taft, Caleb Goff; treasurer, John Buck; fence viewers,
Jonathan Covel, Benjamin Stewart, Ezekiel Goodell, Abraham Stockwell, Daniel Comstock. There being no banks nearby,
for some years the treasurer of the town acted in that capacity. He was required to pay six per cent. for all money
in his hands at the end of the year. As the poormasters and the constables had the handling of some public money,
they had to procure bail. In 1818, a sealer of weights and measures was added to the list of town officers. Daniel
Mason acted as moderator or chairman of the first meeting. A list of those who have filled the principal offices
in subsequent years may be found in the Appendix. Some of the residents of the Provincial Patent who had held office
in Westfield were: Daniel Mason, supervisor, 1793; Nathaniel Bull, town clerk, 1789 and 1790; Asahel Hodge, town
clerk, 1793; and Ezekiel Goodell, collector, 1789. It was possibly through the influence of Daniel Mason and Asaheal
Hodge in the town matters of Westfield that the patent was set off at that date. The town meetings of Westfield
had occasionally been held within the patent at Nathaniel Bull's. For the town clerk of the new town some stationery
was purchased, besides a book for town records. This old book with its wealth of valuable as well as interesting
records of town meetings, road surveys, etc., is in the office of the town clerk and is still in a good state of
preservation considering its age.
SORCE:
The Story of Hartford
A History
Compiled by: Mrs. Isabella Brayton, Town Historian
in collaboratin with John B. Norton.
Hartford, NY 1929
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Washington County Local History
New York History
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