[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of
the Town of Montville as indicated in section histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
Incorporation.
Upon the Memorial and Petition of the Inhabitants
of the North Parish in New London in New London County, the North
part of Chesterfield Society in said New London the North East Part
of the Town of Lyme in said County, and the South East Corner of the
Town of Colchester in said County Shewing to this Assembly that from
their Local Situation and Circumstances they are in a great Measure
deprived of all Town Priveleges, and are also subjected to many other
Inconveniences and disadvantages Praying that they may Incorporated
into and Constituted a distinct and seperate Town as per Petition
on File &c.
Resolved by this Assembly that
the said Inhabitants living within the Limits aforesaid be and they
are hereby Incorporated into and Constituted a Town by the Name of
the Town of Montville, and the Bounds of said Town of Montville shall
be as follows viz, Beginning at the Mouth of Trading Cove, so called,
which divides the Town of New London, and Norwich running Westerly
with the said dividing Line to the Bounds of the Town of Bozrah then
by and on said Bozrah Line to the Great Pond so called, thence across
said Pond a streight Line to the North end of Asa Worthingtons Saw
Mill Dam thence Southwesterly to the North West Corner of the Glebe
Land or Ministers Lott so called in the Parish of New Salem in said
Colchester, thence Southerly to John Loomiss' Barn in said Lyme, thence
Southerly to the South West Corner of Col. Jonathan Lattimer's Land
a few Rods below said Lattimers Grist Mill, thence Easterly a streight
Line to the Head of Stebbins' Cove so called on Norwich River thence
through the Center of said Cove to the Mouth thereof, and to the Channel
of said River, and thence with said River and Channel to the first
mentioned Bounds. And said Town of Montville shall be Entitled to
and shall have and enjoy all the Rights Priveleges and Immunities
that the other Towns in this State have and enjoy, and shall have
Liberty to elect and appoint all Officers necessary and proper for
a Town to lay Taxes and Collect the same and do and transact all Business
and Matters proper and necessary for a Town in the same way and manner
as other Towns in this State are by Law Authorized and Impowered to
do. And the Inhabitants in said Town of Montville which belong within
said Town of New London shall pay their Part and proportion of all
the Debts of said Town of New London already incurred in proportion
to the List of that part of the said Town of Montville, which belonged
to the List of the Town of New London for the Year 1785, and said
Town of Montville shall take upon them the Charge and support of their
Part of the Town Poor of said Town of New London according to the
Rule and proportion aforesaid, and the Taxes already laid shall and
may be Collected for the Payment of the Debts and expences of said
Town of New London already incurred as aforesaid And the same being
paid and discharged said Town of Montville shall be entitled to and
receive their Part and proportion of the overplus if any be to be
ascertained by the Rule and proportion aforesaid, And the Inhabitants
in said Town of Montville which belong within said Town of Lyme shall
pay their Part and proportion of all Debts of said Town of Lyme already
incurred in proportion to the List of that part of the said Town of
Montville which belonged to the List of the said Town of Lyme for
the Year 1785, And said Town of Montville shall take upon them the
Charge and support of their Part of the Poor of said Town of Lyme,
and receive their part of the Town Stock to be ascertained according
to the said Rule and proportion. And the Taxes already laid shall
and may be Collected for the payment of the Debts and Expences of
said Town of Lyme already incurred as aforesaid, And the same being
paid and discharged said Town of Montville shall be Entitled to and
receive their Part and proportion, of the Overplus if any be to be
ascertained by the said Rule and proportion, And the Inhabitants in
the said Town of Montville, which belong within said Town of Colchester,
shall pay their Part and proportion, of all Debts of said Town of
Colchester already incurred in proportion to the List of that part
of the said Town of Montville, which belonged to the List of the said
Town of Colchester for the Year 1785, and said Town of Montville shall
take upon them the Charge and support of their part of the poor of
said Town of Colchester, and receive their part of the Town Stock
to be ascertained according to the said Rule and proportion, And the
Taxes already laid, shall and may be Collected for the Payment of
the Debts and Expences of said Town of Colchester, already incurred
as aforesaid, and the same being paid and discharged said Town of
Montville shall be entitled to and receive their part and proportion
of the overplus if any be, to be ascertained by the said Rule and
proportion, And the said Town of Montville shall hold their first
Meeting at the Meeting House in the North Parish Society in said Montville
on the second Monday of Novembr next at nine oClock in the forenoon
when they may Choose such Town Officers as by Law are required, who
shall remain in Office untill another Meeting shall be held in and
for said Town in the Month of December next, And said Meeting shall
have Power and Authority to transact all Matters necessary for a Town
and to adjourn to a future Day if necessary said Inhabitants who are
legal Voters being duely warned five Days before said Meeting by Written
Notifications signed by Joshua Raymond Esqr and Col. Jonathan Lattimer,
one of which Notifications shall by said Joshua Raymond Esqr be set
up on the Sign Post in said North Parish, One shall be set on the
Meeting House Door in said Chesterfield by said Col. Jonathan Lattimer,
One shall be served upon the Inhabitants taken from the Town of Lyme
who are legal Voters by reading the same in their Hearing, or a Copy
thereof left at their usual place of Abode by Stephen Billings five
Days before the Time of holding said Meeting, And one other such Notification
shall be served in the same manner upon the Inhabitants taken from
the Town of Colchester by Asa Worthington, And the said Joshua Raymond
Esqr or in Case of his Absence, said Col. Jonathan Lattimer shall
preside at said Meeting as Moderator, And the Select Men of said Town
of Montville shall make out and Certify to the Treasurer of this State
on or before the setting of the General Assembly in May next the Amount
and Sum Total of the List of said Town for the Year 1786, and also
the Name of the Collector they shall appoint at their Meeting in December
next to Collect the Public Taxes, And the Select Men of said Towns
of New London Lyme and Colchester shall also Certify to the Treasurer
the Amount of their several Lists after the deduction of the Lists
of said Montville are made and the Treasurer is to Issue his Warrants
accordingly,
Always provided that said Town
of Montville be restricted to One Representative only to represent
them in the General Assembly, anything in this Act to the contrary
notwithstanding.
Resolved by this Assembly, That
all those parts of the towns of Colchester, Lyme and Montville, lying
within the following limits, viz: beginning at the southeast corner
of East-Haddam; thence running easterly by the southerly line of the
late forfeited lands of William Brown, to the line that formerly divided
the towns of New-London and Lyme; thence northerly by said line, and
the former east line of Colchester to Gardner's lake, and still northerly
through said lake to the west line of town of Bozrah; thence still
northwardly by the west line of Bozrah to Lebanon corner; thence westerly
by the south line of the first society of Colchester, to the east
line of East-Haddam; thence southerly by said East-Haddam line to
the place of beginning, with all the inhabitants residing in said
limits, be, and the same are hereby incorporated into a distinct town,
by the name of "Salem;" and the inhabitants aforesaid, and their successors
forever, residing within said limits, shall have the enjoy all the
powers, privileges and immunities, which are enjoyed by the other
towns within this State, with the right of sending one Representative
to the General Assembly of the State.
And said town of Salem shall pay its proportion
of all debts, charges, expenses, suits, petitions and claims, already
due and accrued, commenced or existing against said towns of Colchester,
Lyme and Montville respectively, or for which the said towns may respectively
be made liable hereafter, by force of any claim now existing. And
the poor now supported by said respective towns, who belong to such
part of said towns respectively, as is hereby incorporated into the
town of Salem, shall be deemed inhabitants of said town of Salem,
and be maintained accordingly.
And said town of Salem shall take of the poor
persons now maintained by said towns of Colchester, Lyme and Montville
respectively, such proportion as (counting on the grand list of the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred eighteen) the list of
such part of said respective town hereby embraced in the town of Salem,
shall bear to the whole list of said towns respectively, and no more,
except as is provided in case of absentees.
And the select-men of the respective towns,
with the select-men of said Salem, associating with them Sylvester
Gilbert Esq., of Hebron, in case of disagreement, are hereby empowered
to apportion the poor according to the rule aforesaid. And said town
of Salem shall be liable to maintain all such poor of said respective
towns as are, or may be absent therefrom; provided such poor person
or persons, at the time of departure, belonged in such part of said
respective towns as is by this resolve hereby incorporated into the
town of Salem.
The collectors of the State taxes for the year
1819, already appointed in said respective towns, are hereby authorized
and empowered to collect of the inhabitants of said town of Salem
their proportion of said tax, according to the lists on which the
same was laid, in the same manner as though this resolve had not passed.
The first town meeting in said town of Salem,
shall be holden at the Presbyterian meeting house in NewSalem society,
on the third Tuesday of June next; Mumford Dolbear Esq. shall be the
moderator of said meeting, and shall call said meeting by setting
up a notification thereof on the public sign post in said NewSalem
society, at least eight days before said first meeting; and in case
of the death, incapacity or absence of said Dolbear, the duties assigned
to him shall be performed by Joseph Morgan Esq. aforesaid; and said
town of Salem, at said first meeting, and at all other successive
meetings, shall have all the powers, privileges and immunities incident
to other towns in Connecticut. The officers elected at said first
meeting, shall hold their offices respectively, until the next meeting
of said town, prescribed by law, for the choice of its annual officers.
And the town meetings, and meetings of the electors, shall be holden
at the meeting house in the said society of New-Salem.
Resolved by this Assembly:
Sec. 1.Â
That Henry A. Baker, David Hillhouse, Raymond
N. Parish, Augustus A. Parker, James H. Manwaring, James Allyn, [and]
Calvin Allyn be, and they are hereby, incorporated by the name, style
and title of "The Raymond Library Company," and that they, and such
others as shall be duly elected members of the said company as hereinafter
provided, shall be and remain a body politic and corporate by the
same name, style, and title forever, for the purpose of receiving,
holding, investing, and managing all such funds or real estate as
may from time to time be given or bequeathed to either or all of the
above named persons, or others in trust for the use and benefit of
the said Raymond Library Company, and also for the purpose of keeping
and maintaining a library for the use of the inhabitants of the town
of Montville.
Sec. 2.Â
The said corporation may have a common seal,
which they may change or renew at pleasure; may sue and be sued, defend
and be defended, answer and be answered unto, by their corporate name
in all courts and places whatsoever; may purchase, receive, hold,
and convey all kinds of property requisite or convenient for the purposes
of a public library; may elect a president and such other officers
and agents as they shall deem necessary, and may make and carry into
effect such bylaws, rules and regulations relative to the use of the
books belonging to their library, and to any injury to or loss or
widue detention of the same, and for promoting, securing, and carrying
out the objects of their incorporation as they shall judge expedient;
provided that the said by-laws, rules, and regulations shall not be
contrary to the provisions of this act or inconsistent with the general
laws of this state. And the property of said corporation, including
all trust funds, shall be exempt from taxation.
Sec. 3.Â
The said corporation shall hold a meeting annually
in the month of October, and at such other times as they shall judge
expedient; and at any meeting so held seven members of said corporation
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Sec. 4.Â
The said corporation shall at their annual meeting
elect their president and other officers and agents, and the president
and other officers and agents so elected shall continue in office
one year, and until others are elected in their stead. Vacancies occurring
in any of the offices of the corporation may be filled at a special
meeting called for the purpose.
Sec. 5.Â
Whenever the number of members shall be reduced
below ten the said corporation shall elect any other person or persons
to be members thereof, so that the whole number of members shall at
no time be less than ten.
Sec. 6.Â
Henry A. Baker, David Hillhouse, R. N. Parish,
A. A. Parker, and J. H. Manwaring, or any two of them, may call the
first meeting of said corporation by causing a written or printed
notice of the time and place of holding the same to be posted on the
public sign-post near the first Congregational meeting-house in said
town of Montville, and also a copy of such notice to be left with
or at the usual place of abode of each member of said corporation
at least rive days before the day appointed for said meeting, and
at said meeting the said corporation may elect officers, who shall
hold their offices until the next annual meeting of said corporation,
and may transact any other business necessary to the well ordering
of their affairs.
Sec. 7.Â
This act may be altered, amended, or repealed
at the pleasure of the general assembly.
Sec. 1.Â
The board of water commissioners of the City
of Norwich may lay mains and pipes and establish hydrants in the towns
of Bozrah, Franklin, Lebanon, Ledyard, Lisbon, Montville and Preston
for the distribution, supplying and selling of water in said towns;
but said water shall not be supplied to the detriment of the inhabitants
of said city, nor at lower rates than are charged to persons within
the city.
Sec. 2.Â
Number 436 of the special acts of 1949 is repealed.
Sec. 3.Â
The second sentence of section 89 of An Act
to revise and amend the Charter of the City of Norwich, approved July
5, 1871, is repealed.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Sec. 1.Â
Ralph H. Melcer, Howard Palmer, William H. Reeves,
and Frederick P. Latimer, and such other persons as may be associated
with them, and their successors and assigns, are hereby created a
body politic and corporate, under the name of The Palmer Memorial
Association, and by that name shall have perpetual succession, may
sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, in all courts of this state
and elsewhere; may adopt a common seal, and use and alter the same;
may take by purchase, gift, devise, bequest, and otherwise, and have,
hold, and enjoy, to themselves and their successors, real and personal
estate, and may sell, grant, alien, invest, use, and dispose of the
same and the income thereof as they may deem appropriate for the purposes
hereinafter set forth.
Sec. 2.Â
The purpose for which said corporation is hereby
created is to promote, establish, and maintain free public instruction
in literature, science, manual training, domestic economy, music,
and art, or any of these, and in its discretion to establish and maintain
a reading room or public library, for the benefit of the inhabitants,
especially the children of the public schools, of the town of Montville.
Said corporation may also extend such advantages to other persons
living near by.
Sec. 3.Â
The incorporators, or a majority of them, shall
call the first meeting of said corporation and they may adopt, alter,
and amend by-laws, rules, and regulations for its government, and
for carrying into effect the provisions of this act.
Sec. 4.Â
Such corporation shall be located in the town
of Montville, but it shall not be necessary that any of the meetings
of said corporation shall be held in said town.
Sec. 5.Â
The town of Montville is hereby authorized and
shall be bound by a vote of its legal voters in any meeting duly warned
for that purpose, to appropriate and pay such sum or sums annually
or otherwise as may be deemed proper, to the treasurer of said corporation
for the purposes hereinspecified.
Sec. 6.Â
The property of said corporation shall be exempt
from taxation to an amount not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars.
The Palmer Memorial School maintained by the
town of Montville in conjunction with the Palmer Memorial Association,
an educational corporation organized by number 119 of the special
acts of 1915, shall be deemed a public school of the Town of Montville
for the purpose of applications for grants under chapter 77 of the
general statutes, as amended.
No party to have majority representation on
any board.
Beginning with the election to be held in the
Town of Montville to be held the first Monday in October, 1955, no
party shall nominate and no elector shall vote for more than one-half
of the total number of members to be elected in said town to any town
board having an even number of members, or for more than a bare majority
of the total number of members to be elected to any town board having
an odd number of members.
