Chapter 8 - Bellingham and the Revolution

The Town pulled back on funding men enlisting in the army. The next Town meeting on July 10, 1776 took one more step on this matter. The town must have been divided on the spending of money because it took some time, the appointment of a committee, the committee meeting and working out a recommendation before the Town Meeting took its vote.

 

The second article:
 

"To see what sum or sums of money the inhabitants will grant to pay men ordered to be inlisted in this town or to act any matter or thing relating thereto that they may think proper."
 

"Voted to raise a sum of money for to Pay men that will inlist into the Contenant Service.
 

"Voted to chuse a committee of 5 men to prepare vote to lay before the town Stephen Metcalf ->
 

 

Then the meeting was adjurned for half an hour
 

Then met according to adjurnment and Committee reported
 

"Voted that the sum of 187 be assessed on the Inhabitants of said town on Poles & Estates by the Last valuation Excepting where it shall evedently appear to the assessors that any estate is much shifted & paid into the town treasurer on or before the first day of October next ---
 

Excepting those that are now in the service and those that now inlist and pass muster there be paid to him in money if it can be procured if not in note of the town treasurer of said town the sum of Eleven Pounds and the treasurer of said town be inpowered to borrow money not exceeding the sum of 187 pounds and to give his note for the same in the following form (viz)
 

Bellingham July AD 1776
 

Borrowed and recived of the sum of for the use of Sd town of Bellingham and by order & in behalf of Sd town. I do hereby promes & oblige myself & successers in said office of treasurer to repay the said on his order the Sum of on or before the first day of ocober next with Interest till the Said first Day of october next
 

Witness my hand Treasurer
 

and Sd note to be witnessed by the Clerk of Said town "
 

"Voted that Sd treasurer be ordered to pay Sd men & to redeem said notes on the said first day of october necxt."
 

The town had jumped with both feet into the war. The town not only voted the money, but agreed to borrow, setting the form of a note to be given lenders. Its men were sent to war and the town was going into debt to do so. As we have seen, the men had been committed for over a year. The reality of this service in terms of cost was now coming home to the Town.
 

The cost of going to war would not go away. On July 22 the next warrant contained an article to "see what sum or sums of money the Inhabitants of Sd town of Bellingham will grant to pay men that will inlist into the Contenant Service"
 

Again the Town Meeting needed a committee and an adjournment for that committee to meet before it took final action.
 

"Voted to grant a sum of money for to pay men that will in list into the Contenant Services.
 

"Voted to chuse committee of 7 men to report to the town
 

Joseph Chilson ->
 

then the meeting was adjurned for half an hour
 

and according to adjurnment the committee reported the following"
 

"Voted that the sum of Eleven Pounds be paid to each of our men that shall Inlist themselves in the Contennantal Service & pass muster agreeable to a late resolve of the general court and the treasurer of said town is hereby ordered to borrow money and give Notes according to the Last Votes of said town for paying Inlisted men and the Assessors of said town are hereby ordered to assess the sum of fifty three Pounds in addition to the 187 granted at the last meeting of said town by the same Rules therein ordered. The above passed in the affarmitive."
 

Not all local matters were forgotten, at the September 26,1776, meeting, it was "Voted for the futur Every third year we hold our anual march meeting at the South meeting in Bellingham if the Proprieters of Sd house will give Liberty and to begin at Sd in march 1777 and the other years at the north meeting house in said town of Bellingham."
 

"the above vote Pased in the affarmitive."