The Old Council Journal

The Mansfield Savings Bank & Trust Co. Almanac, 1923

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Brief History of Mansfield ... Old Town Council Journal

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Source:  Mansfield Savings Bank & Trust Co. Almanac, 1923, pp. 45-47


OLD TOWN COUNCIL JOURNAL

The records of the town council were for the most part brief. The Journal for Thursday, January 29, 1946, is as follows:

            "Council met pursuant to notice. Present: Mayor T.H. FORD, Recorder William McBRIDE, Council James                 CANTWELL, A.L. GRIMES, G.W. CAROTHERS, Eli TEEGARDEN. On motion ordered that the mayor                 and recorder settle with John CRALL his bill against the Corporation for services as Market Master and                 Marshal in full. On motion ordered we adjourn to meet on Saturday Week." 

Evidently the "dads" did not have much business to record for the next entry is under date of March 6, 1846. 

At the meeting March 26, 1846, amonth the bills allowed is one of P.P. HULL for one dollar, as rent for Council room. Wood, candles and paper for the "past year". Rent and supplies were cheaper in those days. 

The Annual Report for the year ending April 1st., 1846 is appended: 

            RECEIPTS

            Amount in treasury as of 1st. April 1845 ........ $39.06
            Received from payements made .....................$65.55
            Received from Show Licenses .........................$24.00
            Received from Taxes .......................................$421.06
            TOTAL: .......................$549.67


            EXPENDITURES

            Amount paid for men clearing streets after WILER's Fire ... $19.62
            SMART, paving East Diamond Street ... $5.00
            MARRILL, services as Market Master ... $12.00
            CRALL, services as Marshal ... $21.00
            Repairing Hay Scales ... $17.00
            One crossing, Making .... $10.00
            Six crossings, each $4.00 ... $24.00
            Witness fees (Town vs. Stewart) ... $4.50
            HESSER, timber for culvert ... $5.25
            COOK, plank for cistern ... $6.00
            PLANK, for culverts ... $10.75
            C. WISE, for surveying ... $5.00
            Jeffersonian, printing ... $5.40
            Shield & Banner, printing ... $7.25
            Cleaning of Market House ... $3.50
            Making culverts ... $14.40
            CRALL, making cistern ... $21.25
            Removing dead carcass ... $.50
            ARNOLD, plank ... $4.00
            Recorder's Services ... $18.00
            Paid William McNULTY ... $14.96
            F. BARKER, Attorney's fees ... $5.00
            Stationary ... $1.00
            Treasurer ... $6.00
            Mayor and Council, each $5 ... $30.00
            George HULL, boarding Hands ... $15.00
            BALLIETT, for plank ... $4.00
            Cash in treasury ... $250.86

            TOTAL: .............. $549.67

            J.P. DRENNAN
            Treasurer, Town of Mansfield

Under the date of March 27, 1848, the bill of STURGES, GRIMES and Co., for $21.95 for one barrel of fish oil and forty-two pounds of tallow was allowed and they were given certificates of the same to apply on the payment of their corporation taxes. At the election, March 27, 1848, Samuel J. KIRKWOOD, had 243 votes for mayor, P.P. HULL had 203. Levi ZIMMERMAN defeated James E. COX for recorder by nine votes. The proposition to fence in the Public Square was voted upon at this election, 283 votes were cast against fencing it in and 152 for the fence. 

At the meeting May 10, 1849, the Marshal was instructed to take a list of all dogs and owners thereof in the town of Mansfield and return same to the Council. 

At the meeting of July 2, 1849, a resolution was adopted that the Board of Health he requested to procure lime and have it distributed in such manner as they may deem proper for the health of the town. 

At the next meeting, John RICKETS was allowed $26.60 for money expended for lime. At the same meeting an ordinance was passed making it an offense punishable by fine to open any of the public cisterns or to take any water out unless by direction of the Trustees or the fire company. NOTE: AN EPIDEMIC OF CHOLERA PREVAILED AT THIS TIME AND THERE WERE MANY DEATHS IN AND AROUND MANSFIELD.

In the record for October 1, 1849, P.P. MYER was given the privilege of digging a well on the sidewalk in front of the stable on West Diamond Street belonging to the North American Hotel, at his own expense, providing he fixes up the sidewalk and gutter . (South Main Street at Southern Hotel)

The proposition to subscribe $30,000.00 to the Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroad company voted upon at the courthouse on February 16, 1850, was nearly unanimous with 210 being in favor and only 1 vote against.

The old Market Laws were repealed September 23, 1850. Section 1, provided that "the Market days for the town shall be Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday of each week and market hours from one hour and twenty minutes before sunrise until nine o'clock a.m. during which time no articles of produce or meats shall be sold within the limites of said corporation by retail other than at the market house and any person violating the provisions of this section by purchasing or selling any such articles during time at any other places shall be liable on conviction thereof to a penalty of not exceeding $10."

In the council proceedings of December 2, 1850, it is recorded that "Mr. Wise who was a committee to have an alley filled up in "Frogtown" reported the job finished." Memo: Frogtown, so called in the old days, was that part of the city located east of North Main Street and north of East Fourth Street. 

In 1851, a motion carried "That the Methodist E. Church shall have the use of the Town Hall for the sum of $1 per month for the Sabbath Day alone, finding their own wood and light and keeping the House in order". 

On February 2, 1852, a petition was presented from the owners of stalls in the Market House, praying for a rebate on rents paid, owing to the burning of said Market House. Council decided after a lengthy argument, that the burning was an "act of God" and that the rents were overdue anyway, so no rebate could be paid. 

"In 1852, the congregation of the Second Methodist Church was given the use of the Town Hall 'on Sabbath days only for the ensuing year free of charge', providing they find their own wood and light." 

In these old records of council are found numerous indentures of apprenticeship, the person taking the apprentice agreeing among other things to teach him to read and write and the first four rules of Arithmetic and at the expiration of the time of service to furnish him with a new Bible and a "Freedom suit".