Chapter 7 - Battle for the Town - The Election(s) of 1765

The election of 1765 was a watershed in Bellingham's history. For many years the town had been changing. A second generation was emerging. The town was developing on two ends, north and south. The Town was split between competing religious parties, Baptist against Congregational. An uneasy truce existed and had existed between the old and the new, north and south, Baptist and Congregational, breaking out with a small conflict here and there, but always able to patch up the differences in order to run the town. In 1765, this no longer was possible. Exactly what caused the division and whether all or none of the above were involved is not known. What is known is that the election was the battleground. Neither side was willing to give in. The election nearly never ended.
 

According to custom, the warrant went out for the annual Town Meeting, to be held on March 6, 1765 at 9 a.m. in the old Meeting House. The first order of business, as at all town meetings into the early 20th century was the election of a moderator. Joseph Holbrook was elected. In the manner of the day, the vote was not recorded. The meeting then proceeded to the election of town officers. The nomination and vote was accomplished from the floor of the town meeting. The Town Clerk of the day recorded only those elected.
 

The early offices were filled, but apparently not smoothly. Normally the town election was complete before adjournment. On this day only Five Selectmen, a Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, Wardens, Assessors and Constable were elected before the meeting was adjourned at noon. The new Board of Selectmen contained only one man who had previously held the office. All the members from 1764 were gone.
 

There was not harmony in the meeting. One group had come to this meeting in force. Their political foes were caught sleeping, but not for long.