where he presided until his death, on the 14th of May, 1885. On the 28th of May, 1885, the vacancy caused by Judge Rockwell’s death was filled by the appointment of George P. Lawrence to the justiceship of the district.
PRACTICING PHYSICIANS.
Below is given a list of the early physicians and the dates of their settling here, as nearly as can be ascertained. Previous to 1800 the physicians from Williamstown and Adams were summoned to attend patients here:
Dr. ______ Waters, about 1803.
Dr. James Cummings, 1805.
Dr. Anson Holloway, 1810.
Dr. Robert C. Robinson, 1812. He left and returned twice, dying here in 1846.
Dr. George Hill, 1822.
Dr. Thomas A. Brayton, 1824. He gave up practice in 1831 and became engaged in manufacturing.
Dr. Isaac Hodges, 1824. Left and returned twice.
Dr. Charles Knowlton, 1826.
Dr. Ambrose Brown, 1828. Died here in 1831.
Dr. Ellhu S. Hawkes, 1829. Succeeded Dr. Brayton’s practice. Died May 17, 1879.
Dr. Martin Bryant, 1830.
Dr. Lawson Lang, 1832.
Dr. L. J. Aylsworth, 1835.
Dr. Henry P. Phillips, 1836. Practiced for some time previous in Adams. Died here November 24, 1881.
Dr. William H. Tyler, 1837.
Dr. Thomas Taylor, 1837. Died here in 1854.
Dr. S. N. Briggs, 1840. Still in practice in 1885, and is now senior resident in the profession here.
Dr. N. S. Babbitt, 1845. Practiced ten years previously at Adams.
Dr. Alvah Harvey, 1845.
Dr. George H. Wilson, 1852.
Dr. George C. Lawrence, 1859. Practiced twelve years previously at Adams. Died January 6, 1884.
At the present time, 1885, there are fourteen resident physicians in town.
REPRESENTATIVES TO THE GENERAL COURT.
It will be seen by the following list that the doctrine of “rotation in office” was not very strictly observed in early times, and
probably not appreciated, or else the citizens were not very ambitious for office:
1779, Samuel Todd.
1780, Reuben Hinman, at a town meeting on May 25. Enos Parker, at a meeting of the town October 11. The state constitution was not then in fairly working order, and it required two representatives a season.
1781-2, Eiios Parker.
1783-4 there was no record of a Representative having been chosen. Probably the town did not feel able to afford the expense, as this was a period of excruciating money pressure.
1785-6. Isreal Jones; the last year with written instructions, given by a committee of seven, chosen in town meeting September 30. December 18 it was voted that the town had no further business for him — a polite hint that he was not a Shays man.
1787-8, Reuben Hinman; the first year with istructions from a committee of five.
1789, Jonathan Remington.
1790, Reuben Hinman.
1791, Reuben Hinman. Appointed.
1792, Israel Jones. He was re-elected for five years.
1798, Abraham Howland. He received 114 votes to 94 for Israel Jones. In this year the Democratic— then called Republican — party first gained that supremacy in the town which they maintained for over forty years.
1799, Abraham Howland received 94 votes to 4 scattering, and in 1800 he received 70 votes, all that are recorded as having been cast.
Until 1831 the town meeting for the choice of Representatives was held on the first Tuesday in May, and the General Court met on the fourth Wednesday of the same month. As the state and county officers were voted for on different days, and the town was so overwhelmingly Democratic for many years that a contest was futile. The average vote for Representative was very light, often less than 0ne-quarter as large as for the Governor and Senators.
1801, Abraham Howland, by 52 votes, all that appear to have been cast.
1802, Abraham Howland, by 79 votes to 24 for Shubael Wilmarth.
1803, Abraham Howland, by 74 votes, all that are recorded.
1804, Abraham Howland, by 58 votes to 26 for Stephen Jenckes.
1805, Stephen Jenckes, by 88 votes to 63 for Abraham Howland.
1806, Stephen Jenckes, by 89 votes to 64 for Elisha Wells.
Edited and adapted from the original by Laurel O’Donnell
© Laurel O’Donnell 1999-2006, all rights reserved,
Do not reproduce nor distribute without written permission.
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