In 1785 the offices of overseers of the poor were instituted, John Barker and Francis Secor being the first incumbents. In the town-meeting of 1789 it was enacted that the "Fence and Damage Viewers" should receive for their services at the rate of six shillings per diem, this being the first mention of any remuneration for town officers. The next year three "Commissioners of Highways " were chosen in addition to the other oflBcers, Jonathan G. Tompkins, John Barker and

John Cornell being selected to fill the positions. In 1792, nine years after the first recorded town-meeting, the following officers were chosen : Caleb Tom^jkins, town clerk ; Jonathan G. Tompkins, supervisor ; J. G. Tompkins, John Barker, John Cornell and William Popham, commissioners of highways; William Popham and Jonathan G. Tompkins, poor masters ; Elijah Cudney, constable and collector ; John Barker, Caleb Tompkins and Thomas Cornell, assessors ; Benjamin Underhill and Caleb Angevine, overseers of highways; Ferris Cornell and Elijah Purdy, Jr., fence and damage viewers; and Bartholomew Griffin, pounder. Up to this year Jonathan G. Tompkins and Benjamin Cornell had held the offices of supervisor and town clerk respectively since the first meeting. On April 5, 1796, commissioners of schools were chosen for the first time, as before mentioned. In 1801 and for several succeeding years Caleb Tompkins was chosen to the offices both of supervisor and of town clerk, thus being created a precedent which was frequently followed in subsequent town elections. In 1809 he was succeeded as town clerk by his brother Enoch, and held no local office of importance until 1822, when he was for the third time chosen supervisor, and that year Enoch Tompkins was succeeded in the town clerkship by Richard M. Popham. In 1823 William A. Popham held his first town office, that of school commissioner, and in 1825 he was chosen town clerk to succeed his brother Richard, holding the office for the next five years.