History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

FOR
HISTORICAL ADDRESS
nearly two centuries and a quarter, town meetings
were held here, but never in any town building other than
the meeting house. From the first the town meeting was
regarded as of high importance. In 1670 it was "ordered
that whatsoever inhabitant of this town shall absent himself
from any town meeting to which he shall be legally warned, he
shall for every such absence, forfeit four shillings. '*
Affairs of
the greatest importance were there discussed and settled, and
it was felt to be every citizen's duty to share in pubHc decisions.
What was a duty was also generally regarded as a privilege.
Originally these assemblies were held at the meeting
house in what is now Barrington, afterwards at North Swansea,
at private dwellings, in the meeting house at Luther's Corner,
and recently in the hall at Swansea Factory. The dwelling
house of Jonathan Hill and his son Caleb Hill, formerly the
residence of Mrs. Kate F. Gardner in this village, was thus
frequently used, as were also the houses of James Brown, James
Luther and of Caleb Slade, the latter now the residence of Mr.
and Mrs. James W. Henry. For four year just prior to the
division of the town the house of Capt. Joseph Swazey at the
north end of Somerset was thus utilized.
As long ago as 1812 a vote to build a town house was
passed, but it was speedily reconsidered, and the proposition
has never since been successfully carried through, although frequently
discussed in town meetings. The contention was
happily settled in March 1890, when the Hon. Frank Shaw
Stevens, in Town Meeting offered to build and present to the
Town, at Swansea Village the present handsome Municipal
Building which was dedicated September 9, 1891. We congratulate
Swansea upon receiving this tangible proof of the
loyalty and affection of her adopted son, and we congratulate
him that by this act he raised in the hearts of this people a
monument more enduring than the pile he reared. The wise
man says, "The liberal soul shall be make fat, and he that
watereth shall be watered also himself.
Outline Sketch
We aim to revive the memories of the old town, to recall
briefly some of the scenes, and some of the leading actors in its
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