William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 2

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[356] State aid to soldiers' families during the war, and which was afterwards repaid by the Commonwealth, was as follows: In 1861, $49.32; in 1862, $901.82; in 1863, $868.60; in 1864, $973.96; in 1865, $512.64. Total amount, $3,306.34.

The ladies of Prescott “sent to the hospitals in Alexandria several boxes and barrels of lint, bandages, clothing, socks, wines, jellies, and other necessaries, to the value of one hundred and twenty-five dollars.”

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South Hadley

Incorporated April 12, 1753. Population in 1860, 2,277; in 1865, 2,098. Valuation in 1860, $1,040,313; in 1865, $1,103,491.

The selectmen in 1861 and 1862 were Hiram Smith, Jr., Broughton Alvord, Thomas M. Nash; in 1863, 1864, and 1865, Hiram Smith, Jr., Broughton Alvord, Byron Smith.

The town-clerk and town-treasurer in 1861, 1862, and 1863, was David Turner ;¹ in 1864 and 1865, Joseph Bardwell.

1861. The first legal town-meeting to act upon matters relating to the war was held on the 2d of May, at which Ezra Allen and Paoli Lathrop were, with the selectmen, appointed a committee to endeavor to raise and drill a military company, to ‘arm and equip such persons belonging to South Hadley as may volunteer into the military service, to make all proper and necessary provision for the comfortable maintenance of their families,’ to aid and assist the Government as far as practicable in a vigorous prosecution of the war, and to borrow upon the credit of the town not exceeding five thousand dollars, which sum should be subject to their order.

1862. A town-meeting was held on the 17th of March, at which the town authorized the treasurer to borrow one thousand dollars for the purpose of paying aid to soldiers' families, and other expenses in regard to recruiting. Another vote of a similar kind was passed on the 4th of November, and the treasurer authorized to borrow an additional sum of fifteen hundred dollars.

1863. A town-meeting was held on the 16th of March, at