USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Andover Massachusetts town meeting records 1709-May 21, 1776 > Part 2
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At a lawful Town Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Tom of Andover, convened on the 9th day of May, 1720. Capt. George Abbott was chosen Moderator for the meeting.
Voted and passed that the Schoolmaster shall keep the school in the north and south precincts according to their pay and that the Selectmen are to divide the time as to the keeping of the schools according to each precinct's pay as above said.
At a lawful Town Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Tom of Andover, convened the 11th day of October, 1720. Deacon Nehemiah Abbott was chosen Moderator for said meeting.
Voted and passed that is to say that the Selectmen of said Town are fully empowered to levy on the said Town just as big a rate as the province tax as itis levied on said Town this year for the defray the said Town's charges for the year ensuing and shall be forthwith levied in said Town.
Voted and passed and fully empowered, the Selectmen in being this year to provide the Town with a Schoolmaster for the next year en suing.
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51 38 (Continued)
Voted and passed, that is to say, the Surveyors to call out men to work on the highways and Tom ways that are laid out and that said Surveyors allow for each man two shillings per day for work where there is need of work in the highways and to secure bridges, and the same to be allowed for persons for their work out of next year's highway rate.
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5139
At our Annual Meeting on the 6th of March 1720/21 of choice of Town Officers and other business was legal to be proceeded on, Lt. John Aslebe was chosen Moderator for said meeting. Sgt. John Frye was chosen Town Clerk for the year ensuing.
At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover convened on the 17th of March 1720/21, that was appointed by the Selectmen of said Tom for to see if the Town would agree that swine might be at large on the common within the bounds of said Town if yoked and ringed as the law directs for the year ensuing. Capt. Christopher Osgood was chosen Moderator for said meeting.
At the same meeting, it was agreed, voted and passed that the swine belonging to said Town may go at large the ensuing year within the bounds of said Town if yoked and ringed as the law directs.
At a legal meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover legally warned and convened on the 11th of May 1721, Capt. George Chandler was chosen Moderator for said meeting.
Voted and passed, that is to say, granted, 90 pounds or there- abouts for the levy of the Town on the said Town for the defray, of the Town's charges for the year ensuing.
At a legal meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover legally warned and qualified according to law, convened on the 18th of October 1721. Capt. George Abbott was chosen Moderator for said meeting.
Voted and passed that the Town would leave the care of Elizabeth Nicholls, child, that is called John Grow, to the Selectmen of said Tom, either by putting out said child or providing for it as in their provine they shall think best.
Voted and passed and left to the Selectmen of said Town to pro- cure a Schoolmaster for the next year ensuing.
Then the Town adjourned the said meeting until Tuesday next, the 24th of instant October at 12:00 o'clock and then met and then 'twas voted and passed by a major vote that the said Town would receive their respective part of the sum of 50,000 pounds loan of bills of credit according to General Court Act. Mr. Ephriam Foster, Mr. Nehemiah Abbott, and John Frye was chosen a Committee for to draw up some method or form as they shall judge best for the Town's safety in improving their part of the
aforesaid 50,000 pounds loan of bills of credit.
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51.40
It was voted and passed that the shall be trusted with the said Tom's part of the 50,000 pounds of the loan of bills of credit; shall let out the bills of credit at 5%. comfortnite
Then the Town adjourned the meeting 'til Tuesday
the 7th of November next at 8:00 o'clock in the morning and then met and after some debate, no business was effected. The meeting was dissolved.
At a lawful Annaal Town Meeting, the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover legally warned and convened on the 5th of March 1721/2. Capt. George Abbott was chosen Moderator for the meeting. Sgt. John Frye was chosen Town Clerk for the year ensuing.
At the same meeting, it was agreed and voted and passed that the swine belonging to the Town may go at large the ensuing year within the bounds of the Town if yoked and ringed as the law directs.
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51.41
Voted and passed and agreed to make and maintain the highways in the Town by a rate as some years passed. Fast.
'Twas granted a sum as big as our Town rate was last year for to make and maintain our Town and highways the ensuing year and every man shall have the liberty to work out his rate on the said ways and the Surveyors shall allow every man that works in May and June two shillings sixpense a day and one shilling for a yoke of oxen and sixpence for a cart.
'Twas voted and passed that there shall be so much money drawn out of the Town's Treasury as shall be sufficient for to buy plank to make the bridge over Shawsheen River by Capt. Osgood's.
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The report of the Committee that was chosen by the Town of Andover for to draw up some form of instructions for the Trustees of the said Town; all the said Trustees should improve by letting out of their part of the 50,000 pounds emitted by the General Court.
That is as followeth:
Firstly, that their Trustees let out the said Town's part of the aforesaid 50,000 pounds . Fat 5% by the year. Secondly, that the said Trustees shall not let out any of the said money or bills of credit without one good surety besides him or herself that hireth it, or good land security to double the value of the money, or the bills of credit that he or they shall hire, bringing to our said Town Trustees from under the hand of the register of this County that their lands are no ways conveyed or entagled, ffourthly, that the aforesaid Town's Trustees pay into our Town Treasurer or his successors in the same place of office for the time being, the fifth part of the third Town's part of the said 50,000 pounds by the first of April A.D. 1726 and so yearly a fifth part and that the said fifth part and every fifth part shall be paid into the aforesaid Town Treasurer in such bills of credit of this province as shall be accepted by the Treasurer of this province of the repaying of the said Town's part of the said 50,000 pounds when called for by the authority of the province, so that the said Town suffers no damage for the want of said money or bills of credit to return to this province Treasurer by the time and each of the times prefixed by the General Court Act; fifthly, that the said Trustees for the time being shall lay their accounts of the managements of their Trust as to the interest and principal of said Town of Andover's part of the said 50,000 pounds and you shall lay before said Town at their Annual Town Meeting in March 1723 and so at the said Town's Annual Meeting in March annually during their betressment for to see if the Town will approve and allow of the aforesaid Trustees' management of their trust and be it further voted and passed that/the removal or dectase of any of the aforesaid Trustees, the Town shall be notified to meet within a month after the removal or decease of any of the said Trusttes, to choose others in their room and stead, and to receive the account
a Thirdly that our trustees pay yearly to the Town Treasurer two thirds of the Interest and me.third they shall have tar care and trouble.
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5141 (Continued)
that the other two shall give to the Town so that if the said Town accept thereof, the said removed or deceased and their heirs may be discharged. that
The abovesaid instructions for the Trustees => shall be chosen for the management of the aforesaid Trust was voted on the affirmative. Benjamin Stevens, Esq .; Capt. James Frye; and Mr. William Foster was chesen Trustees for to improve the aforesaid Tom's part of the said 50,000 pounds, for the benefit of said Town: and that the said Trustees shall take such bills or bonds that shall run to the said Trustees and their successors at the same place of office.
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Andover
March 21s,1722/3
Received of the Trustees of the Town of Andover, which are en- trusted to improve the Town's part of the 50,000 pounds: the full and just of 19 pounds, 12 shillings and fourpence; I say, received by me, James Stevens, Town Treasurer, truly entered by me attest John Frye, Town Clerk.
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5142
At a lawful Town Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover legally warned and convened on the 11th of May, 1722. George Abbott was chosen Moderator for said meeting.
It was voted, passed and agreed that the Selectmen of Andover should forthwith levy about 70 pounds on the Inhabitants of said Tom for to defray said Town's charges for the ensuing year.
At a legal meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover legally wanred and convened on the 21st day of September, 1722. Capt. John Osgood was chosen Moderator for said meeting.
It was voted and passed that said Inhabitants of said Town would build fortifications as formerly and when said Inhabitants have agreed and builded fortifications sufficient for said Town and convenientefor said Town neighbors, so agreeing to do said work shall be discharged from any Town tax on that account. This above written vote was offered to said Town and passed on the affirmative.
At was voted and passed that there would be a new block house builded against Henry Bodwell's and the other three blockhouses in the said fom shall be repaired; all to be at the Town's charge.
At a lawful Town Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover warned and convened on the 26th day of September, 1722. «Deacon Nehemiah Abbott was chosen Moderator for said meeting. Sgt. John Johnson, Quartermaster Joseph Parker, Ensign Ebenezer Osgood, John Chandler, Mr. William Foster and Capt. Benjamin Abbott was chosen a Committee for to see that there, a new block house bu !!
againtwenty Badwells and the other three! beiforthwith benchhouses that is in said town is brothwith repaired; Le at said Towns Change according t. a cote D" said town that was passed on the this matant sept 1722
At a legal Annual Tom Meeting legally warned and convened on the 4th of March 1722/3, Deacon Nehemiah Abbott was chosen Moderator for said meeting. Sgt. John Frye was chosen Town Clerk for the ensuing year. (The usual Town Officers were chosen and will be listed as one or two new ones have been added: Selectmen, Constables, Town Treasurer, Surveyors, Fenceviewers, Poundkeeper, Trigmen, Fielddrivers, hogreeves, Clerk of the Market& Leather Sealer,)
Voted and passed and agreed that the Selectmen of this Town should be fully empowered to levy about 70 pounds on the said Town to defray the Town's charges for the ensuing year.
It was voted and passed that the highways in said Town shall be maintained as in some years past and a rate shall be made for that end as big as the Town rate was the year past and every man shall have the liberty for to work out his rate in May or June and he that works out his rate in said months shall be allowed two shillings sixpense per day and sixpence for a cart and one shilling for a yoke of oxen.
and when said Committee have accomplished said works of telling said blockhouse and repairing said blochhouses, then thing in their accounts of their lost thereof it the Selection of said Town .
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5142 (Continued)
It was voted and passed and agreed that swine may go on the com- mon the ensuing year if yoked and ringed as the law directs.
It was voted and passed that the Inhabitants of the east part of the said Town, eastward of John Mastons and Samuel Barker, Sr.'s houses shall have the Schoolmaster so much of the time as their pay towards paying the Schoolmaster.
It was voted and passed and agreed that the Selectmen of the said Town are fully empowered that they make such by-laws, Tom orders, as they shall think meet, but especially for the preserva- tion of the course of the fish called "ailives" in the brooks and rivers in the Town.
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5143
At a lawful meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover legally warned and convened on the 14th of May 1723. Lt. Benjamin Barker was chosen Moderator for the meeting.
At this same meeting, it was voted and passed and empowered the Selectmen of the said Tom to hire a Schoolmast for the Town for the ensuing year. 1
At a lawful meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover legally convened on the 26th of August 1723. Benjamin Stevens, Esq., was chosen Moderator for said meeting.
At the same meeting, it was voted and passed and empowered the Selectmen of the said Town to draw out money out of the said Town's Treasury for the relief of the poor.
It was voted and passed that the Selectmen of the said Town should take care that Margaret Gurrin be sent out of Town with her child so that she, nor her child, may not be a charge to the said Town, if any lawful means that the Selectmen of the Town may prevent the same.
At a legal Annual Town Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of North Andover, legally warned and convened on the 2nd of March 1723/4. Lt. Benjamin Barker was chosen Moderator for said meeting. Lt. John Frye was chosen Town Clerk for the year ensuing.
Lt. Benjamin Barker, Ens. John Chandler, Sgt. John Johnson, Steven Osgood and Joseph Robinson were chosen Selectmen and Overseers of the ppor for the year ensuing. (Other officers were elected as usual.)
Voted and passed that there shall be one pound set up for the whole Town and shall be set up before Ens. Henry Chandler's house in the most convenient place on that open ground.
Voted and passed and agreed and granted, about 60 pounds to be levied upon the Inhabitants of the Town forthwith to defray the said Town's charges for the ensuing year.
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5144
It was voted and passed that the highways shall be made and maintained in the ensuing year as in the last year at the same price for labor for men, teams of oxen and carts. The Selectmen of the Town are to levy a rate as big as last year's was.
Voted and passed and left to the Selectmen for to prefer a by-law to the next sessions for the preservation of the course of the fish called "airties" as was last year with amendments. alewives
Voted and passed and agreed that swine shall go at large on the common the ensuing year if yoked and ringed as the law directs.
At a lawful Town Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover legally convened on the 31st of August 1724. Mr. Ephriam Foster was chosen Moderator for said meeting.
At the same meeting, it was put to a vote to see if the Town of Andover would have the Selectmen of the said Town use all possible means to defend the Town from any charge by Thomas
Chulfs (?) residing in the said Town of Andover and that the Selectmen should take as good advice as they can and send him to Haverhill if they think meet and the said Town will stand by the said Selectmen's actions in the aforesaid cause, which said Town passed a clear vote on the affirmative.
At a legal, lawful Annual Town Meeting of the Town of Andover convened on the 1stday of March 1724/5. Benj. Stevens - Esq. was chosen Moderator for said meeting. Lt. John Frye was chosen Clerk for the year ensuing.
Voted that the Town and highways shall be made and maintained as in some years past by the same rules of labor and teams and that there shall he a rate made by the last Town rate for to make and maintain the said Town and highways by the rules aforesaid, ensuing year.
It was voted and passed and granted that about 60 pounds shall be forthwith levied upon the Inhabitants of said Tom for to de- fray the said Town's charges for the ensuing year.
At the same meeting, it was voted, passed and agreed that swine, if yoked and ringed as the law directs, should go at large on Andover common the ensuing year.
Voted and passed and agreed that the Inhabitants of the Town would bring all stray creatures to the pound the first Monday in November the next ensuing, so that people may come at their own creatures
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5245
At the same meeting, it was put to a vote to see whether the Town would build one Schoolhouse or the Town would continue as to the Schoolhouses as they are, which passed a chear vote that they would continue as to the Schoolhouses as they are.
It was voted and passed and empowered to present Selectmen to sell the three guns that belong to the Town and put the money into the Town Treasury for the Town's use.
These two votes, hereabove written, waze voted at the meeting dated on the other side of this leaf.
At a legal, lawful Town Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover, convened on the 11th day of May 1725. Lt. Benjamin Barker was chosen moderator for said meeting.
At the same meeting, it was put to a vote to see if the Select- men of the said Town would have power to hire a school too master for the ensuing year, which passed a clear vote on the af- firmative.
At a regular meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover convened on the 23rd of December, 1725, Benjamin Stevens, Esq. was chosen moderator for said meeting.
At the same meeting, the freeholders of said Town gave in their votes for a register for the County of Essex and then the meeting was dissolved.
Andover, March 20th, 1724: Received of the Trustees of the Town of Andover, which are entrusted to improve the Town's part of the 50,000 pounds, the full and just sum of 19 pounds, and ten shillings, I say received by me, James Stevens, Town Treasurer.
Andover, March 22nd, 1724/5: Received of the Trustees of the Tom of Andover, which are entrusted to improve the Town's part of the 50,000 pounds, the full and just sum of 19 pounds and 1@ shillings and fourpence, I say received by me, James Stevens, Treasurer. no
Truly recorded by me, John Frye, Town Clerk.
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5146
At a legal, lawful annual meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover on the 7th day of March 1725/6. Lot. Banjemin Barker was chosen moderator for said meeting. Lt. John Frye was chosen Town Clerk for the ensuing year.
At the same meeting, there was voted and passed that the highway shall be made and maintained in the ensuing year as in some years past and that there shall be about 75 pounds levied on the inhabitants of the Town or just as big a rate as the last year's Town rate, giving for labor and teams as in some years past.
Voted and passed and agreed that there shall be about 80 pounds levied on the inhabitants of the Town for the defraying of the Town's charges this present ensuing year.
Voted and passed that all stray creatures shall be brought to the pound on the first Monday in December next and so annually from year to year and so yearly.
At the aforesaid meeting, it was voted and passed thatx to empower the Selectmen they shall take care as they shall, in their prudence, think meet for the preservation of the course of the fish called "alewives" in the rivers and brooks of the Town. Voted, passed and agreed that thisxskakkxkax there shall be about 30 or 40 shillings that shall be drawn out of the Town Treasurer's office for to buy plank to mend the bridge below Daniel Poore's.
At the same meeting, there was a motion madeby several per- sons whether the said Town would have the County of Essex divided into two counties, which being put to vote passed a general note in the negative.
At a legal, lawful fown Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Tom of Andover, convened on the 4th of May 1726, Benjamin Stevens, Esq. was chosen moderator for said meeting.
At the same meeting, it was voted and passed that the Select- men of Andover shall have full power to hire a schoolmaster then Mr. Peters' time is out that he is hired for to keep school.
Voted and passed that there shall be a committee chosen to renew the bounds between Woburn and Andover and to make a record of all the bounds that have been reticularized between the said towns for many years past; and that John Frye, Kxkr Ensign John Chandler and Ephriam Abbot be a committee to manage, in effect, in abovesaid affair so that all the bounds between the said towns so that there may be a record of all the bounds between said towns if Woburn send a committee for that affair.
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5147
At a lawful Town Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Andover, legally convened on the 15th day of December 1726, Lt. Timothy Johnson was chosen moderator for the said meeting.
It was put to a vote to see if the said Tom of Andover would set off Ebenezer Styles, John Perkins, Thomas Curtis, and Timothy Perkins with their land and the part of the said Tom's lands with them and their lands, for to be laid to a part of Salem, Topsfield, Boxford and the part of Reading for to make a Township, who passed a clear vote in the negative. (Editor's note: This was the proposed Tom of Will's Hill, which later became Middleton.)
At the same meeting, John Frye and John Chandler were chosen Agents for to manage the said fom's concern in defending the said Town of Andover's right as to the management of the Town's affair in holding and managing the said Town's business; that John Perkins, Bbanezer Styles, Thomas Curtis and Timothy Perkins may not be laid to a part of Salem, Topsfield, Boxford and Reading or to make a Township with other lands that belongeth to Andover, leaving it wholly to and fully empowering the aforesaid Agents for the manage- ment of the aforesaid business at the general court at the form of Andover's Charge. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXMAXXXXXX
At a legal, lawful Tom Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Tom of Andover on the 6th day of March 1726/7.
At the same meeting, as abovesaid, Mr. Ephriam Foster was chosen Moderator for the said meeting. Lt. John Frye was chosen Town Clerk forrthe ensuing year.
At the same meeting, it was voted and passed that swine should Co at large on Andover Common if yoked and ringed as the law directs for the ensuing year.
It was voted and passed that the highway rate shall be as big as the Town and County Fate was the last year for to make and rain- tain the fom ways the ensuing year, allowing for labor and teams as in times past.
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5148
At the same meeting, xxxxxx as is dated on the other side of this leaf, it was agreed and granted that there shall be about 80 pounds levied on the said Town's charges for the ensuing year.
Voted and passed at the same meeting that the present Select- men should have full power to clear the course of the fish called "alewives".
At the same meeting, Mr Ephrian Foster, Deacon Nehemiah Abbot, John Frye were chosen a committee and were fully empowered to agree with Mr. Jonothm Abbot about the allowance for xxxxxxthatx the way that ** złxxxxxxxxzikdxjonathanxhbakz lyeth through the said Jonathan Abbot's land that lyeth on Prescott's Plain. The said committee having full power to agree with and make recompense for the damage for the said way going through the said Jonahban'Abbot's land at the place, and if the said committee can agree with the said Abbot, txt then to make return to the present Selectmen of the said Town, and that the said committee shall be paid by the said Town for thexzaxxvkaex their service.
At a lawful Town Meeting of the inhabitants of the Town of Andover convened on the 8th of May 1727, Lt. Timothy Johnson was chosen moderator for suid meeting.
Voted and passedand empowered the Selectmen of the said Town to hire a schoolmaster for the ensuing year.
In being put to a vote to see if the Town would choose a com- mittee for to take a new valuation of the real estate, that passed on negativo.
At the same meeting, it was put to a vote to see whether the Town would give those persons the Town's part of the fine that they had paid for selling drink, contrary to law; that passed in the negative and the meeting was dissolved.
At a lawful Town Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Tom of Andover convened the 25th of January 1720, Benjamin Stevens was chosen Moderator for the said meeting.
At the same meeting, it was voted and passed that the Constables of the said Town shall be allowed 18 pence per bushel for the trans- port of all sorts of grain that shall be allowed by those xadxxhakk that shall choose to pay their province tax in any of the sorts of grain mentioned in the General Court Act, and be it further voted and passed that those that shall so cause to pay their tax in any other of the species beside grain shall allow the Constables three shillings and sixpence Rax per hundred-weight for the transport thereof to the Province Treasurer and shall be allowed by those that shall see cause to pay their tax or taxes in any of the species mentioned by the General Court Act; and then the meeting was dissolved.
At a lawful Annual Town Meeting of the Inhabitants of the fom of Andover convened on the 4th of March 1727/8, Mr. Ephriam Foster was chosen moderator for said meeting. Lt. John Frye was chosen Town Clerk for the ensuing year.
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