[Spencer, Worchester, Massachusetts]
Town Origin. — The birth of the town then, really,
dates from this act, — although by it, it did not attain
the full dignity of a township, owing to the terms im-
posed. By this act one Thomas Steel, Esq., was "em-
powered to issue his warrant, directed to some princi-
pal of said district, requiring him to notify and warn
the inhabitants of said district to meet at such time and
place as shall be therein set forth, to choose all such
officers as shall be necessary to manage the affairs of
said district." In accordance with this authority, in
him vested, he issued his warrant to Captain Benjamin
Johnson, and a meeting for the above purpose was
called, at which the- following officers were elected,
as directed by the law, viz. : Captain Benjamin John-
son, moderator; Captain Benjamin Johnson, town
clerk ; Deacon John Worster, John Cunningham,
John Muzzy, Deacon James Willson and Captain
Benjamin Johnson, selectmen ; Captain Benjamin
Johnson, treasurer; Samuel Bemis and James Ormes,
constables ; the selectmen were voted assessors ; En-
sign John Stebbings, Samuel Garfield, John Prouty,
Caleb Bridges and Robert Griffin, highway surveyors
on the north side of the county road; Jacob Stod-
dard, Jonathan Lamb and David Adams, highway
surveyors on the south side of the county road ;
James Richardson, highway surveyor on the county
road ; Joshua Draper and Benjamin Woodard, hog-
reeves ; Deacon John Worster and Thomas Bridges,
fence-viewers; Israel Holton, sealer of leather ; Lieu-
tenant John White, sealer of weights and measures ;
John Draper and Jacob Stoddard, tythingmen. One
of the first acts passed by the district was to " allow
Lieut. John White the sum of £2 ISs. 4d. for his ser-
vices in going to the Grate and General Corte in
order to git us to be a District."
1861.— Town Cleric, William D. Peck ; Selectmen, Perley Bartlett,
Asa Keyes, Edward Burpee ; Assessors, Julin H. Davis, P. M. Rugg,
508
[Sterling, Worchester, Massachusetts politicians]
HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
Ezra Sawyer; School Committee, Benjamin Woodard, Rev. E. B. Fair-
child, Jon*^. Davie.
