1843-11-11 ElectionEssex, ss. To one of the Constables of the town of Beverly. Greeting.
You are hereby required
in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to notify and warn the qualified voters of said
Town (in the usual manner) to meet at the Town Hall on Saturday the eleventh day of November
current at three o’clock afternoon for the purpose of choosing a Town Clerk (to fill the vacancy
occasioned by the resignation of Dr. Bradstreet) for the remainder of the current year.
You are also further
hereby required by said authority and in the same manner to warn the qualified voters aforesaid to
meet at the Town Hall on Monday the thirteenth day of November current at nine o’clock before
noon for the following purposes: viz.:
To decide whether the town will choose one or more persons to represent
them in the next General Court and if they so decide to give in their ballots for the purpose of
choosing the same.
Also to give in their ballots for Governor & Lieutenant Governor of this
Commonwealth and for Senators for this district for the ensuing political year.
The ballots for all these offices will be received on one piece of paper & the
poll will open immediately after deciding upon sending representatives and close at 4 o’clock P.M.
Hereof fail not but make due return of this warrant with your
doings thereon before said time.
Given under our hands & seal this third date of November one
thousand eight hundred forty-three.
Wm. H. LovettSelectmen
John Wilson of
John I. Baker Beverly
Beverly November 10,1843. Pursuant to the foregoing warrant I have notified the persons
therein named as therein directed.
Ezra O. Woodberry, Constable of Beverly.
At a legal meeting of the town of Beverly held pursuant to the foregoing warrant the
Selectmen called upon the qualified voters to bring in their ballots for Town Clerk for said meeting
as the former Town Clerk had resigned his office. The whole number of ballots was 196 & John I.
Baker having 127 was chosen - John Safford was then chosen by ballot Moderator of said meeting-
and after discussion and in regard to the necessity of choosing a Town Clerk the electors proceeded
to ballot and the whole number of ballots was 211 & John I. Baker having 147 was chosen to that
office and then the meeting was dissolved.
th
Essex, ss. Nov. 11 1843. Then John I. Baker was duly sworn to the faithful discharge of his duties
as Town Clerk for the present town meeting.- Before Edward Pousland, Justice of the Peace.
Nov. 11,1843 John I. Baker was sworn to the faithful discharge of the duties of the office of Town
Clerk for the current year in open Town Meeting.John Safford.
At a legal meeting of the qualified voters of the town of Beverly held pursuant to the preceeding
warrant of the Town Hall on Monday the thirteenth day of November A. D. 1843. After the reading
of the warrant the following motion was submitted in writing by Hon. Robert Rantoul - viz.:
In Town Meeting
in Beverly. Nov. 13,1843. Robert Rantoul, a legal voter in said Town makes the following motion
viz.: whereas Edward Bradstreet the Town Clerk is not now present in this Town Meeting it is moved
that the Town proceed to elect a Clerk pro tempore.
Which said
motion was rejected by a unanimous vote - The ground of objection made against a choice of Clerk
on Saturday was understood to be that no resignation had taken place as it had not been made to the
Town but to the Selectmen - and only verbally to them - and if made at all even to the Town it would
not avail as Dr. Bradstreet had no right to resign at all - this opinion was disputed on the ground of
the following opinion of B. Merrill Esq.
Salem, Nov. 13,1843.
I am of the opinion that in case of the resignation of the Town Clerk the inhabitants who are
voters, have a right, and it is their duty at a Town Meeting duly called for the purpose, to vote for
and choose another Town Clerk - such choice is legal.
No particular form exists for
resigning. It may be done verbally or in writing, and may be made known either to the Selectmen or
to the town.-Benj. Merrill.
The Town then voted to choose
two Representatives to the next General Court - the whole number of ballots given in were sorted
& counted and were in all eight hundred & sixty.
Necessary to a choice four hundred & thirty-one
Edwin M. Stone had four hundred & fourteen votes
John Pickett had four hundred & twenty-four votes
John Porter 2d had three hundred votes
Josiah Lovett 2d had three hundred & two votes
John Wilson had one hundred & thirty-two votes
Samuel Lummus had one hundred & thirty-three votes
John I. Baker had five votes
Edward Stone had two votes
James Stone had two votes
Israel Trask 2d had one vote
E. H. Moulton had one vote.
There being no choice the meeting was adjourned to Tuesday morning at nine o’clock.
155 to 142.
Attest. J. I. Baker, Town Clerk.
At a legal meeting of the qualified voters in the town of Beverly held pursuant to warrant on page 85,
for the purpose of giving in their votes for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts - The whole number of persons who gave in their votes was ascertained, as is
directed in the Revised Statutes (Chap. 4, Sec. 13) by counting the whole number of separate ballots
given in and the whole number of ballots was eight hundred & sixty four votes-
And the whole number of votes
given in for Governor were sorted, counted, recorded and declaration thereof made as by the
Constitution is directed - and were for the following persons:
George N. Briggs of Pittsfield four hundred & thirty two votes
Marcus Morton three hundred & two votes
Samuel D. Sewall of Roxbury one hundred & twenty-nine votes
Francis Jackson of Boston one vote.
And the whole number of ballots
for Lieutenant Governor was ascertained in the foregoing manner and were eight hundred & sixty-one
votes.
And the whole number of votes
given in for Lieutenant Governor were sorted, counted, recorded & declaration thereof made as by
the Constitution is directed - and were for the following persons-
John Reed of Yarmouth had four hundred & twenty-six votes
Henry E. Childs had three hundred & two votes
William Jackson of Newton, one hundred & thirty two votes
John Q. Adams had one vote.
And the whole number of ballots
for Senators were ascertained as is directed in Rev. Statutes (Chap. 4, Sec. 13) by counting the
number of separate ballots given in and the whole number of was eight hundred & sixty-two.
And the whole number of votes
were sorted, counted, recorded & declaration thereof made as by the Constitution is directed - and
were for the following persons:
Allen W. Dodge of Hamilton four hundred & twenty-six
John Safford of Beverly four hundred & twenty-nine
Francis S. Newhall of Lynn four hundred & twenty-seven
Alfred Whittridge of Haverhill four hundred & twenty-seven
Thomas J. Clark of Salisbury four hundred & twenty-seven
George Hood of Lynn three hundred & two
George Savary of Bradford three hundred & two
Stephen J. Usley of Newbury, three hundred & two
Cayton P. Osgood of Andover, three hundred & four
Samuel Gilbert of Gloucester, three hundred & four
Jesse Putnam of Danvers one hundred & thirty-three
William Carey of Amesbury, one hundred & thirty-three
Dan Weed of Ipswich one hundred & thirty-three
John Russ Jr. of Methuen, one hundred & thirty-three
Daniel Perley of Lynn one hundred & thirty-three
Charles L. Remond of Salem one vote
Israel Perkins of Lynn one vote
Joseph Brown of Andover one vote
Joseph L. Noyes of Georgetown one vote
Eben Hunt of Danvers one vote
A true record. Attest. John I. Baker, Town Clerk.
At the adjourned meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Beverly held on Tuesday the
fourteenth day of November current at nine o’clock before noon for the purpose of choosing
Representatives to General Court according to the vote on page 86 etc..
Voted, that the poll be closed at five o’clock afternoon. The electors then proceeded to
ballots for two representatives to General Court and all number of ballots given in were sorted &
counted and were in all nine hundred ballots.
Necessary to a choice - four hundred fifty-one votes.
And the ballots were for the following persons
John Pickett had four hundred and sixty one
Edwin M. Stone had four hundred and fifty-three votes
John Porter 2d had three hundred and twenty-four votes
Josiah Lovett 2d had three hundred and twenty seven votes
John Wilson had one hundred and twelve votes
Samuel Lummus had one hundred and twelve votes
Edward Stone had three votes
James Stone had two votes
Daniel Hildreth had one vote
J. Butman had one vote
John I. Baker had one vote
And John Pickett and Edwin M.
Stone having more than the number necessary to a choice were declared elected-
A true record.
John I. Baker
Town Clerk.