GLASTENBURY.

 

BY HON. HILAND HALL.

 

This township is a little more than 6 miles square, chartered by Gov. Wentworth, of N. H., Aug. 20, 1761. It is bounded N. by Sun­derland. E. by Somerset, S. by Woodford. and W. by Shaftsbury. It is one of the roughest and most mountainous towns in the state, and until quite lately has been considered a pret­ty safe place of retreat for bears and other wild animals. Although much the greater portion of the town is wholly incapable of cultivation; yet it produces abundance of spruce and hemlock timber, which has lately been worked into lumber, in considerable quantities, and sent to market. A portion of it goes West, to and through Shaftsbury, and the residue South and Westerly, through Woodford.

A small notch of stonny land that runs up a short distance among the mountains, from the east side of Shaftsbury, has been occu­pied by a few families, for many years. Until the year 1834, they were considered, for all practical purposes, as belonging to Shaftsbury. On the 31st of March, of that year, the proper legal steps having been taken, the town was duly organized; since which it has been represented in the General Assembly.

In 1850 the population was 52, and in 1860 it was 47. In 1859 the Grand List was $201, 80, being one sixtieth part of that of Bennington, and one twenty-eighth part of that of the adjoining town of Shaftsbury. The vote of the town for state officers has ranged from 9 to 14, always being unanimously given for the democratic candidates. Last year the vote for governor was 13, for John G. Saxe. The town has the smallest population, and the fewest voters of any organized town in the state.

 

 

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