History of Fitchburg Part 45 Rufus Torrey 1st printing 1836


In December, 1797, Dea. Daniel Putnam was chosen to
represent the town in the State Convention held in Boston in
the following January, to take into consideration "the
subject matter of the new proposed Federal Constitution."
Objections to the Constitution were reported to the town,
and unanimously adopted.  The representative was instructed
to report these objections to the convention, if needful.  A
large majority of the town afterwards voted in favor of the
Constitution.

When the troubles with France broke out, in 1793, the town
promptly voted to pay the soldiers that might be drafted
from this place 50s. in addition to the pay they might
receive from the United States.

But few incidents worth of note, disconnected with
ecclesiastical affairs, have occurred since the year 1800.
Those few will be briefly alluded to.

It seems always to have been a favorite object with the
people of this town to have the County of Worcester divided,
so that the towns in the northern part, together with some
of those in Middlesex County, might be erected into a new
county.  In 1798, they sent a remonstance to the General
Court agaist building a new Court House in Worcester, and
petitioned to have the county divided.  The several towns of
the county voted on the question in April, 1798, by order of
the General Court.  In this town the vote was unanimous (77)
in favor of a division.  The attempt was again renewed in
1800, by conventions in Templeton and Gardner, which
delegates from this town attended.  The last attempt was
made in 1828, when the petitions of Ivers Jewett and othes
were sent to the General Cournt.  When the question was
referred to the County, the votes in Fithburg were 117 in
favor of a division, and 2 against.

It appears from a remonstrace sent to the General Court in
1804, that the number of legal voters at that time was 181.

In 1820, a large majority of the inhabitants were in favor
of a convention for revising the Constitution of the State.
To this convention Calvin Willard and John Sheply Esq4rs.,
were appointed delegates.  A majority of the voters appeared
to be in favor of most of the amendments proposed by the
convention.

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