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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 03576 7711
Gc 974.4 B44e
Early Census Making in Massachusetts
A LIMITED EDITION of one hundred and twenty-five copies of this book (of which one hundred are for sale) was printed at The University Press, in Cambridge, Mass., April, 1905. This copy Number :.
EARLY CENSUS MAKING IN
MASSACHUSETTS 1643-1765
WITH A REPRODUCTION OF
THE LOST CENSUS OF 1765 (RECENTLY FOUND)
AND DOCUMENTS RELATING THERETO
Now First Collected and Published BY J. H. BENTON, JR.
BOSTON CHARLES E. GOODSPEED MCMV
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
Copyright, 1905, BY JOSIAH H. BENTON, JR.
Early Census Making in 1135724
Massachusetts
CENSUS enumeration in Massachusetts, either State or National, once in five years, has come A to be a matter of course. But the causes which led to the making of the first census in the Com- monwealth and the difficulties which attended it can only be ascertained by historical research. Such an examination has been prompted by the discovery of what is believed to be the only original compilation of the census or enumeration of 1764-5 now in existence.
The first census, or "Enumeration " as it was then called, of the inhabitants of Massachusetts was made necessary by the requirements of the Articles of Confederation of the " United Colonies of New England," adopted by the four Colonies of Plimouth, Massachusetts Bay, Conecticot, and New Haven, May 19, 1643.
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Early Census Making
The fourth of these Articles was as follows : -
"4. It is by thefe Confederats agreed that the charge of all juft warrs whether offenfiue or defenfiue upon what part or member of this Con- federacon foeuer they fall, fhall both in men and provifions and all other Difburfements be borne by all the parts of this Confederacon in differen: proporcons according to their different abillitie in manner following, namely that the Commiffioners for eich Jurifdiccon from tyme to tyme as there fhalbe occation bring a true account and number of all the males in euery Plantacon or any way belonging to or under their feuerall Jurifdiccons of what quallyty or condicon foeuer they bee from fixteene yeares old to threefcore being Inhabitants there. And that according to the different numbers which from tyme to tyme fhalbe found in eich Jurifdiccon upon a true and juft account, the fervice of men and all charges of the warr be borne by the Poll : eich Jurifdiccon or Plantacon being left to their owne juft courfe and cuftome of rating themfelues and people according to their different eftates with due refpects to their quallites and exemptions among themfelues though the Confederacon take no notice of any fuch priviledg : and that according to their differ- rent charge of eich Jurifdiccon and plantacon, the whole advantage of the warr (if it pleafe God to blefs their Endeavours) whether it be in lands goods or perfons fhall be proportionably deuided among the faid Confederats."*
The thirteenth Article also provided that where any person or persons should be found to have had their abode for more than three months in any "Jurisdiction," and not "warned out" by the authority of the place, and in case of a neglect of any person so warned to depart, if he was not by the first opportunity that the season would permit sent away to the place of his former
* ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION betweene the Plantations under the Gouernment of the MASSACHUSETTS the Plantacons under the Government of NEW-PLYMOUTH the Plantacons under the Government of CONNECTACUTT and the Government of NEW-HAVEN with the Plantacons in Combinacon therewith. Article 4. May 19, 1643. - Hazard's Hist. Coll., Vol. 2, pp. 2 and 3.
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In Massachusetts
abode, every such person should be counted an inhabitant where he was so found .*
The sixth Article provided for the election by each Colony of two commissioners authorized to act in its behalf, making eight for the four Colonies, and it was provided that six of the eight commissioners must agree to any matter in order to make their action binding.
This combination of the Colonies for their common defence necessarily required an enumeration of the male inhabitants be- tween the ages of sixteen and sixty, and accordingly, on May 10, 1643, the General Court of Massachusetts passed the following order for that purpose : -
" It is ordered, that warrant fhould bee fent to the townes to fend the number of males from fixeteen year ould to fixetie, in the begining of the 6th m next."t
In May, 1646, the General Court required the enumerations to be sent to one of the Commissioners for the United Colonies by the passage of the following order: -
"It is ord'ed, y' ye Secretary fhould fend forth warrants to all cun- ftables to bring in to one of ye comiffion" for the United Colonies ye iuft numb' of all ye males within the feverall townes between the ages of 16 & 60, by ye end of ye 4th month next, that ye charge of ye late expedition ec, & ye wampa" due from ye Narraganfets, may be duely pportioned, & y' for time to come ye comiffion's for ye United Colonies fhall, upon all fuch oc- cafions, fend forth their owne warrants to ye cunftables for ye fame purpofe, y' this Co'te may not be troubled therewth, nor ye fervice neglected." }
* For provision as to " warning out" strangers in Massachusetts towns, see Records of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1637, 17 May, p. 196.
t The Records of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1643, 10 May, P. 37. # Id. 1646, 6 May, p. 151.
-
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Early Census Making
It will be observed that these orders only required an enu- meration of all male inhabitants between the ages of sixteen and sixty. This was obviously because it was upon the number of such persons in each Colony that its contribution to the common defence was based by the Articles of Confederation. In 1646, however, it was found necessary not only for the purposes of the United Colonies, but also for the purposes of the Massachusetts Colony itself, that there should be an enumeration of all the male inhabitants and a uniform valuation and assessment of property for the payment of the charges of the Colony. Accordingly, in November, 1646, the General Court passed the following order providing for the uniform valuation of property for taxation and for an enumeration and assessment of all the males and all prop- erty by a person to be chosen by the freemen of each town and the selectmen, as follows : -
" For ye avoyding of all complaints by reafon of unequall rates, either of townes or pfons, occafioned through ye want of one gen'all way & rule of rateing throughout ye country, & y' levies hereafter may be more eafy, equall, & certeine, it is hereby ordered, y' in all publike rates (till this Co'te take further order therein) all fortes of cattle fhalbe valued as hereafter is expreft, viz : cowes of four year ould & upward, 5'; heifers and fteers betwixt 3 & 4 year ould 4'; heifers and fteers be- tween 2 & 3 year ould, fifty fhill"; & between 1 & 2 year ould, 30'; oxen 4 year ould & upward, 6'; horfes & mares 4 year ould & upward, 7'; 3 year ould, 5' betwixt 2 & 3 year ould, 3'; yearlins, 2'; fheope above a year ould, 30 fh'; goates above a year ould, 8'; fwine above a year ould, 20 fh'; affes above a year ould, 2' ; houfes, lands of all forts, marchantable goods, mills, fhipps, leffer veffels & boates, cranes, wharfes, togeth' w's all oth' vifible eftate, reall & pfonall, y' any pfon is poffeffed of, or hath in his cuftody, eith' at fea or on fhore, to be valued in ye fev-
[7
In Massachusetts
erall townes according to their worth, in ye faid places where they are, pportionable to ye aforefaid prizes of cattle; & it is ye meaning of this order y' becaufe arrable ground, medowe, & cattle are to be rated, y' there- fore hay, together wth all corne growing in ye country, in ye hufbandmans hand, fhall not be lyable to any rate; & for avoyding all partiality in rating lands & oth' eftate not pticulerly prized in this ord', it is ordered, y' y' fhalbe by ev'y towne one of their inhabitants chofen by ye freemen of ye faid towne, who, wth ye felect townes men fhall take ye iuft numb' of their males, & alfo fhall make a true valuation of all things rateable by this order, wch inhabitants aforefaid, for their feverall townes refpectively, fhall meete at their fheire townes upon ye 2th 4th day of ye firft month next enfuing, to examine ye truth & equity of each townes pceeding herein, who fhall cor- rect & determine as to the maior pt of them feems right & iuft to be done, according to ye true intent of this order; weh affeafm" of ye fev- erall townes they fhall, und' their hands, forth with deliv' to ye Treafurer, who fhall alfo forthwth fend forth his warrants for leviing ye fame w"bin one month, wherby he may have to anfwere ye engagem" of ye country ; & all affeafm" for eftates fhall henceforth be made ye firft 4th. day of ye 6th m, from time to time; but all levies for ye pfons fhalbe made & paid into ye treafury in ye firft m, from year to yeare, as is pvided in ye ord' aforefaid." *
Difficulties having arisen with reference to assessments under these orders, the General Court passed another order upon the same subject in October, 1647, as follows: -
"For a more aequall & ready way of rayfing meanes for defraying publicke chardges in time to come, & for pventing fuch inconveniencyes as have fallen out vpon former affeffments, it is ordered & enacted by ye authority of this Courte, that the Treafurer for ye the time being fhall, from yeere to yeere, in ye fifth moneth, w"bout expecting any other order, fend forth his warrants to ye conftables and felect men of euy toune wohin
* The Records of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1646, Novem- ber 4, pp. 174, 175.
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Early Census Making
this jurifdiccon, requiring the conftables & felect men to call together the inhabitants of the toune, who, being fo affembled, fhall chufe fome one of their freemen to be a comiffioner for the toune, who, together wth the felect men for their prudential affaires, fhall, from time to time, in ye 6 month then next enfewing, make a lift of all ye males in ye fame towne from fixteene yeeres old & vpwards, and the true eftimacon of all pfonall & reall eftates in ye fame toune, acording to juft valluation, and to what pfons ye fame doe belong," &c .*
Apparently the returns were not promptly made as required in these orders, and in 1655 an order was passed imposing a penalty for neglect, as follows : -
" It is ordred, that the secritary fhall iffue out warrents to the conftables of the feuerall townes within this juridiction, to fend him a true lift of all the males within their refpectiue townes, from fixteene yeares of age to fixtie, before the firft of Auguft next ; & if any cunftable fhall neglect to make their returne as afforefd, he fhall forfeit fiue pounds to the treafury."+
Under this and similar acts of the General Court from time to time afterwards passed enumerations and assessments were made for Colonial purposes, and owing to the Indian wars and the expenses for defence, as well as to the necessary expenses of the Government of the Colony, taxes increased until as early as 1695 they were said to have become "almost insupportable throughout the Province. "; But the colonists carried their heavy burdens with no help from the mother country, and in spite of their manifold difficulties increased in numbers and in property.
* The Records of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1647, 27 October, p. 116.
t The Records of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1655, 23 May, P. 384.
See p. 479, Appendix II, Vol. VII, Acts and Resolves, Province Mass. Bay.
[9
In Massachusetts
In the meantime the English government began to take more interest in its Colonies, or Plantations as they were then called, in America; and in 1675 the general supervision of them was assigned to a standing committee of the Privy Council called the "Lords of the Committee of Trade and Plantations," soon called simply "The Lords of Trade." The following extract from the records of the Privy Council shows the first attempt by the Lords of Trade to ascertain the population of the Massachusetts Province : --
" PLANTATION BOOK 1737/8 TO 1741.
"General Inftructions to Gouernor Shirley " Approved in Council 8: Sept .: 1741.
" (EXTRACT.)
" 44 You fhall fend an account to His Majefty and to His Com- miffioners for Trade and Plantations by the firft Conveyance of the prefent number of Planters and Inhabitants men women and children as well mafters as fervants free and unfree and of the flaves in the faid Province (Maffachufetts) as alfo yearly accounts of the increafe or decreafe of them and how many of them are fit to bear arms in the Militia of the faid Province.
" 45. You fhall alfo caufe an exact account to be kept of all Perfons Born Chriftned and Buried and you fhall yearly fend fair abftracts thereof to His Majefty and to his Commffioners for Trade and Plantations as aforefaid."
Although these Colonial orders for enumerations of inhabi- tants were general in terms and covered all male inhabitants, they were not, I think, understood to cover negro slaves. No record
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Early Census Making
of the returns of enumeration made under these orders is now to be found, and therefore it cannot be definitely ascertained whether the enumerations included slaves or not, but it will be observed that the instructions to Governor Shirley, September 8, 1741, by the Lords of Trade directed an enumeration of " Planters and Inhabitants, men, women and children as well mafters as fervants, free and unfree, and of the flaves in faid province."
No enumeration seems to have been made in compliance with this direction, but on November 19, 1754, Governor Shirley, recognizing the fact that the combination of the French and of the Indian tribes against the British Colonies in America would make it reasonable that the several Colonies should bear the charge of defence in proportion to their ability, sent a message to the General Court calling attention to this state of affairs, and saying that he was endeavoring to inform the Lords of Trade of the circumstances of the Province with regard to estates and number of inhabitants, but that there was "one part of the Eftate, viz., the negro flaves, which he could not have knowledge of " without the assistance of the Legislature. His message and the action of the General Court thereon was as follows: - -
" Gentlemen of the Council & Houfe of Reprefent""".
"As a General Defign feems to be formed againft the Britifh Colo- nies on the Continent, I make no Doubt but that it will be thought reafonable that the Charge of defending his Majefty's Interefts be born by the feveral Governments in fome Proportion to their refpective Abil- ities. I am endeavouring as well as I can to reprefent the Circumftances of this Province with Regard to the Eftates as well as the Number of
In Massachusetts
the Inhabitants ; There is one part of the Eftate, viz'. the Negro Slaves, which I am at a Lofs to come at the Knowledge of, without your Affiftance. If you will confider of fome Method, and do what is proper on your Part to carry it into Execution, in order to come at the exact Knowledge of all Negro Slaves, Male & Female above Sixteen Years of Age within this Government, as foon as may be, I imagine I fhall be able to improve it to the Advantage of the Province."
In the House of Representatives: "Upon Confideration of His Excellency's Meffage of this Day, Ordered that the Affeffors of the feveral Towns & Diftricts within this Province, forthwith fend into the Secretary's Office, the exact Number of the Negro Slaves, both Males & Females fixteen Years & upwards that are within their refpec- tive Towns & Diftricts,
" In Council ; Read & Concur'd ;- Confented to by the Govern'"
It has been said that the General Court passed this order "for the purpose of having an accurate account of slaves in the Com- monwealth as a subject in which the people were becoming much interested relative to the cause of liberty."# But it is plain from the record that this was not the purpose of the order.
Under this order an enumeration of negro slaves in Massachu- setts was made and returned to the secretary's office from the different towns. Most of these returns still exist in the archives of the Commonwealth, and a compilation of them shows that in the towns which made returns there were nearly three thousand negro slaves. The compilation in detail is as follows :-
* Vol. I, American Statistical Association, p. 198.
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Early Census Making
SUFFOLK
Males
Females
Totals
Boston
647
342
989
Dorchester
18
13
3 1
Roxbury
38
15
53
Weymouth
12
23
Hingham
Dedham
17
Braintree
20
16
36
Hull
In the town Ar the lighthouse
7
4
1
5
15
Medfield
3
I
4
Milton
15
4
19
Wrentham
13
3
16
Brookline
10
17
Needham
Į
I
Medway
3
7
Bellingham
2
Walpole .
Į
Stoughton
8
Chelsea
35
ESSEX
Males
Females
Totals
Salem
47
36
83
Ipswich
62
Newbury
34
16
50
Lynn .
Gloucester
61
Rowley
00
2
I 2
Salisbury .
6
I
7
Wenham .
16
Manchester
I
5
6
Haverhill
8
8
16
Andover
28
14
42
Marblehead
4
I
5
Amesbury
3
2
5
Beverly
I 2
16
28
Bradford .
3
2
5
Boxford
4
4
8
3 10
+-00
Topsfield
[13
In Massachusetts
ESSEX - Continued
Males
Females
Totals
Methuen .
Middleton
9
3
12
Danvers
9
12
2I
MIDDLESEX
Males
Females
Totals
Charlestown .
Watertown
7
5
12
Medford .
27
7
34
Cambridge
33
23
56
Concord
IO
5
15
Sudbury
9
5
14
Woburn
9
8
17
Reading
14
6
20
Malden
16
5
21
Groton
7
7
14
Billerica
3
5
8
Marlborough
3
3
6
Dunstable
Sherburne
3
O
3
Stow .
IO
3
13
Framingham .
Dracut
Weston
8
2
IO
Lexington
13
II
24
Littleton
3
5
8
Hopkinton
15
Holliston
Stoneham
6
2
8
Westford .
5
Bedford
2
6
Wilmington
4
7
Townsend
2
3
Tewksbury
I
2
Acton
I
I
Waltham
2
4
Shirley
1
0
I
Pepperell
Natick
O
3
Lincoln
16
Mn
23
3 4 +MAHON 2
8
Chelmsford
Newton
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Early Census Making
WORCESTER
Males
Females
Totals
Lancaster
Mendon
Brookfield
8
Oxford
3
I
4
Worcester
4
4
8
Leicester .
5
Rutland
I
3
Sutton
3
Westborough
+
2
6
Uxbridge
Rev. Mr. Webb
2
Deacon Read
4
7
Southborough
Rev. Mr. Nathan Stone
Shrewsbury
Lunenburgh .
Dudley
Harvard
0
Upton
Hardwick
Bolton
Sturbridge
Holden
Western
Douglas
N. Braintree .
Spencer
Rev. Mr. Joshua Eaton
2
I
3
Leominster
1
2
Rutland District
2
HAMPSHIRE
Males
Females
Totals
Springfield
22
5
27
Hadley
13
5
18
Westfield
15
+
19
Hatfield
5
4
9
Deerfield .
4
- I
5
John Elleson
o mo -
1482 8
4
Grafton
NNON
6
[15
In Massachusetts
HAMPSHIRE - Continued
Males
Females
Totals
Northampton
Northfield
Sunderland
Brimfield .
Blandford
Pelham
Palmer
Southampton
South Hadley
0
0
Greenfield
New Salem
Montague
O 0 0
0
0
Greenwich
Sheffield
Stockbridge
PLYMOUTH
Males
Females
Totals
Plymouth
Scituate
22
21
43
Duxborough . Marshfield
Kenelm Winslow, Esq.
4
John Winslow, Esq.
Mr. Jedediah Bourn
Deacon Israel Thomas
Thomas Foord .
O
Anthony Thomas Thomas Foster
O
Capt. Abijah White
-
John Little, Esq.
3
0
Edward Oaksman
I
0
Widow Jude Clift Mr. Nath. Ray Thomas
I 17
O 7
24
Bridgewater
Middleborough
12
Rochester
Plympton
Pembroke
6
4
IO
MOMMYMANO 3 I I 1 2 0
I
o
Granville
O
0
0
o
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Early Census Making
PLYMOUTH - Continued
Males
Females
Totals
Abington .
Kingston
3
3
Hanover
Nathaniel Sylvester
I
0
David Stockbridge, Esq.
I
I
Rev. Mr. Benjamin Bass
I
-
Job Tilden
1
-
Capt. Ezekiel Turner
Samuel House
-
Joshua Barstow
Matthew Estes .
Caleb Barker
Amos Sylvester .
O
I
John Bailey
0
Richard Curtis
I
0
Isaac Turner
7
I IO
17
Halifax
2
4
Wareham
BRISTOL
Males
Females
Totals
Taunton .
27
Rehoboth
Dartmouth
34
Swanzey .
Freetown
14
7
21
Attleborough
7
3
IO
Norton
Dighton
9
9
18
Easton
2
I
3
Raynham .
Berkley
7
2
9
NANTUCKET
Males
Females
Totals
Sherburne
5
2
7
6
[17
In Massachusetts
BARNSTABLE
Males
Females
Totals
Barnstable
18
15
33
Yarmouth
4
4
8
Eastham .
6
5
II
Falmouth
10
Chatham
Truro
Provincetown
Harwich .
8
6
14
DUKE'S COUNTY
Males
Females
Totals
Edgarton .
Tisbury
Chilmark .
3
4
7
YORK
Males
Females
Totals
York .
24
Kittery
18
17
35
Wells .
12
4
16
Falmouth
16
5
21
Scarborough
7
4
II
Berwick .
14
8
22
Biddeford
Arundel
2
I
3
N. Yarmouth
2
3
Brunswick
2
3
Georgetown
7
Newcastle
Gorhamtown
2
0
2
Total
2735*
* A compilation of these returns, said to have been made from the original returns in the Secretary's office in 1846, was printed in the Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, Volume III, Second Series, and is also printed in Collections of the American Statistical Association, Volume I, p. 208. This compilation, however, did not give the names of the owners of the slaves where they were given in the returns.
Sandwich
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Early Census Making
There is nothing to be found in the Massachusetts Archives, or in the Privy Council Records, or in the Public Record Office in London, to which on its completion the papers and records of the State Paper Office were transferred in 1843, which shows that any enumeration was made in compliance with the directions of the Lords of Trade to Governor Shirley in 1741; and, as I have said, it is not likely that he made any attempt to cause such an enumeration to be made.
But there is found in the Public Record Office an answer by Governor Belcher, of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, written in his own hand and dated April 5, 1751, to "queries" of the Lords of Trade. Although only a small portion of this docu- ment refers to the population of the Province, it contains much valuable information as to the condition of Massachusetts at that time; and as it has not, I believe, been elsewhere printed, it is printed here, as follows :-
"Answers to the Queries of the Right Honob" the Lords Commifioners for Trade & plantations referring to the province of the Maffa- chufets Bay.
"The Province of the Maffachufets Bay in N. E. is Situate wholly in the Seventh Climate, the Air being temperate and healthful, but fome- thing hotter in the Summer and colder in the winter, than in England : The Land is neither mountanous nor flat, but intermixed with hills and Valleys ; The foil moderately good, and for the moft part fit for paftur- age or tillage- Bofton, the Capital Town, lyes in the Longitude of 71:00, from the Meridean of Greenwich, & in the latitude of 42:25. The Longitude has bin fetled by divers obfervations made here of the Eclipfes [of
[19
In Massachusetts
of the Moon, & the Satellites of Jupiter compared with obfervations made of the fame Eclipfes from the Royal Obfervatory in Greenwich ; The Latitude as above, is likewife found by good obfervations.
" This Province lyes in two feveral parts, Seperate from each other, by the Province of New Hampfhire: on the Wefterly fide lyes that part formerly called the Colonies of the Maffachufets Bay and New Plymouth (which is by far the beft Peopled;). The mean breadth Northerly & Southerly, is about ninety Miles, and the length running from the Atlan- tick Ocean Wefterly about one hundred and fifty miles. on the South fide of this part, are the Colonies of Connecticut & Rhode Ifland ; The Boundary on the firft of thefe Colonies, after many years difpute, was fetled by a mutual and Firm agreement between the two Govern- ments made in the year 1713 and has never been fince difputed : The other part of the fouth line has long been, & is ftill controverted by Rhode Ifland Government; Pat Commiffioners are now appointed by the refpective General Affemblys to determin that difference, The Weft line between the Maffachufets and New York, is now in Contro- verfy with that Government, and the North line on the province of New Hampfhire has bin for many years difputed, and the Borderers much oppreffed, by the Challenges of both Governnien" .-
"As to the other part of the Province of the Maffachufets Bay, which lyes Northeaft of New Hampshire, It contains that Tract, which was for- merly called the Province of Mayne, and the Lands lying between Saga- dahock river, & Nova Scotia ; The Province of Mayne according to the Patent from the Crown to S: Ferdinando Gorge is bounded as follows viz ' Beginning at the entrance of Pifcataqua harbour, and fo to pafs up the 'fame into the River of Newichawanock, and thro the fame unto the 'furtheft head thereof, and from thence Northweftward till one hun- 'dred and twenty miles be finifhed, and from Pifcataqua harbours mouth ' afores. North eaftward along the fea coaft to Sagadahock & up the river ' thereof to Kynybeguy River, and thro the fame unto the head thereof, 'and into the Land Northweftward until one hundred and twenty miles ' be ended, being accounted from the mouth of Sagadahock ; and from the [‘ period
.
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Early Census Making
' period of one hundred and twenty aforest to Crofs over Land to the one ' hundred and twenty miles end, formerly reckoned up into the land from ' Pifcataqua harbour thro Newichawanock River.' The fouthweft line of the province of Mayne firft mentioned, is likewife Controverted by New Hampshire. As to the other Branch, in this Northeaft Divifion viz the Lands Lying between Sagadahock River and Nova Scotia, the extent thereof is not determined by any words in the Charter, or other Grant from the Crown and can no otherwife be known, than by fixing the Weftern boundary of Nova Scotia, which is generally reputed to be the River S! Croix or Paffamaquady ; And this opinion is fupported by divers ancient Inftruments referring to that Countrey ; from Sagadahock to S. Croix is about one hundred and fifty miles upon a North and by Eaft courfe neareft.
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