THE TOWN GETS A NEW NAME
The first tax voted by the town in 1822 was high, six cents, or 60 malls, on the dollar; but the assessed valuation must have been very low, for the tax bills were very modest. Also, citizens could work out a part of their taxes on the highways, at eight cents an hour. This was under the Surveyors of Highways, who were paid at the same rate after they had worked out their own taxes. The office of tax collector was auctioned off to the lowest bidder. Nehemiah Woodruff owned a sizable farm in the Turkey Hill section; some of it was originally the Indian lands. His tax bill for 1837 was as follows:
To Town Tax on List of 1836, 5 per cent on $ $6.48
" State " " " " " " " " " " 1.30
Credit $7.78
3.24
$4.54
The office of "fence-viewer'' was taken rather seriously. All property owners were supposed to keep their fences in good condition. If a complaint was made, the fence-viewer notified the owner that he must put his fence in better order; if he failed to do this, the fence-viewers would have it repaired, sending the bill to the owner.
In 1822, Dr. Josiah M. Colburn, who had that year graduated from Yale, located here as a practicing physician. The record says that he continued here with much success until 1839, when he moved to Derby.
The very next year after the formation of the town, they resorted to the old New England custom of taking care of their poor. For, at the Town Meeting held October 6, 1825, it was voted, ''that the Selectmen may put out the town paupers on the first Monday of November next, to the lowest bidder, to be supported during the ensuing year; said disposal of them to be done at the house of Nathan Clark at one o'clock, p.m. They having received written and sealed proposals from individuals previous to
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