USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Andover Massachusetts town meeting records 1709-May 21, 1776 > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
·
5205
to the Crow of Great Britain as upon all occasions we have hitherto done by cheerfully exhibiting our substance for the defense of the British Dominions in this part of the world. But of being deprived of some of our most valuable privileges, which, by charter and loyalty we have always thought and still think ourselves justly entitled to.
Therefore, take it to be a duty justly due to ourselves and posterity to instruct you that you do not give your assent to any active assembly that shall signify any willingness in your constituents to submit to any internal taxes that are under any Colony(?) composed otherwise than by the General Court of this Province agreeable to the Constitution of this Government; that you join in such dutiful demonstrances to the King in Parliament and other be- coming measures as shall carry the greatest probability to obtain a repeal of the Stamp Act and alleviation of the embarrassmants, the commercial affairs of this Province labor under by the rigorous execution of the Acts of Par- liament respecting the same; and we also desire you to use your utmost en- doavors that all extraordinary grants and expensive measures may upon all oc- casions as much as possible be avoided, and we would recommend particularly the strictest care and the utmost firmness to prevent all unconstitutional drafts upon the public Treasury-that you would also use your best endeavors in conjunction with the other measures of the General Court to suppress all riotous unlawful assemblies and to prevent all unlawful acts of violence upon the person and substance of His Majesty's Subjects in this Province. The meeting was then dissolved.
March 3, 1766
5206
The meeting was then adjourned to the 7th instance at one o'clock after- noon and then met. Voted that all persons be and they hereby are prohibited from catching any fish in the fish gutters near the mills on Shawsheen River; also in all the parts of Cochewick Brook, except that between the bridge near Dr. Kittredge's dwelling house and Mr. James Parker's mill dam, and also in that part of Blanchard's Pond Brook between the upper side of Mr. David Abbot's Sawmill dam and the Merrimack River.
Voted that the sum of 40 pounds be raised to defray the charges of gram- mar schools and the further sum of 15 pounds to defray the charge of schools in the outer parts of the Town, and also the sum of 120 pounds more to defray the other charges of the Tom the ensuing year.
Voted that the highways be mended as in years past and that the sum of 130 pounds be proportioned and worked out accordingly.
Voted that Capt. James Frye be allowed to erect three gates across two Town ways viz. one across the way leading from Michael Carleton's house to the Falls Meadow, one across said way at the south end of said Frye's land, and another across the way leading out of the aforesaid way to Thomas Gray's at a walnut tree at the corner of
5207
said land near the aforesaid Thomas Gray's house, said gates to be continued during the Town's pleasure.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will direct that the road leading from the southwardly part of Andover through a farm in said Town called Aslebe's Farm, Salem, be laid out and opened. It passed in the negative.
Voted that Mr. John Lovejoy be allowed help by the Tom in mending the bridge over Shawsheen River near said Lovejoy's house. The meeting was ad- journed to the 19th day of May next, then met. Mr. John Ingalls was chosen Warden for the year ensuing, and Col. James Frye excused from serving in said office. The meeting was then dissolved.
May 14, 1766
Being put to vote whether the Town will allow Mr. Theodore Carleton Executor to the Estate of Mr. Benjamin Barker, late of Andover, deceased, for a road laid out through said Barker's land, by Merrimack River, be- ginning at a road that leads to Swan's Ferry so on by said river to land of Capt. Thomas Poor. It passed in the negative.
Voted that Mr. Daniel Ingalls be allowed 8 shillings a year for his services in clearing fish courses viz. in the year 1756, 1757, 1758.
Voted that Mr. Thomas Bragg be accepted to serve as Constable in the room of Mr. Thomas Osgood.
June 2, 1766
Being notified by order of the Great and General Court of this Province to make answer to a petition of the Town of Danvers, praying that the bridge over Water's River in said Danvers may be maintained by the County of Essex exclusive of said Danvers. Opon due consideration thereof, it was voted un- animously that we apprehend it would be very unjust that the Town of Andover should be burdened with any part of the charge of maintaining said bridge for the reasons following, viz. (1) the Town of Andover never has been and never expects to be any way benefited by said bridges, (2) the Town of Andover is at the charge of building and maintaining no less than ten large bridges over Shawsheen River so-called besides sundry other bridges for public use for the support of which we apprehend there is much more reason that we would be assisted by the County than burdened with the charge of maintaining any in other towns, (3) that the way from Andover to Salem over said bridge is further, much worse, and more disadvantageous for the marker than the good old way which we always use --- for which reason and others which might be given, we most humbly and earnestly pray that the Town of Andover may not be subjected to any part of the charge of said bridge.
Being put to a vote whether the Town would allow Mr. Jonathan Abbot Jr. his account or any part thereof for Charles Abure(?) and family from Sept- ember 3th, 1760 to May 24th, 1765(?). It passed in the negative. The meet- ing was then dissolved.
5208
September 1, 1766
Being put to a vote whether the Town would instruct their Representative to use his influence in the Great & General Court of the Province that the sufferers in the late troublesome times in Boston may have a consideration paid them out of the Province Treasury or such other way as said Court shall judge to be most fit and equitable. It passed in the affirmative.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will accept of the alteration of the road leading from John Phillips' to Bradford Road beginning at a stake and stone on the southerly side of said road near said Phillips' Barn and then south and easterly on said Phillips' land sixteen poles to a stake and stones, then more easterly on said Phillips' land four poles to a stake and stones by Stephen Barker's land, then easterly on said Barker's land, eight poles to a stake and stones standing by said Phillips' land, then northeasterly by said Phillips' line on said Barker's land 32 poles to a walnut tree marked so on northeasterly of said Barker's land 57 poles to a white oak tree marked standing by the aforesaid Bradford Road. It passed in the negative. The meeting was then dissolved.
March 2, 1767
(At this meeting the following officers were chosen: Moderator, Clerk, Selectmen, Wardens, Constables, Treasurer, Leather Sealer, Clerk of the Market, Poundkeepers, Surveyors of Highways, Cullers of Lumber, Deer Reeves, Field Drivers, Fenceviewers, lything men, Surveyors of Lumber, Hog Reeves, Fish Officers.)
5209
The meeting was then adjourned to Monday the 9th inst. 2:00 o'clock afternoon, then met. Voted that all persons be, and hereby are, prohibited from catching any fish as was voted by the Town at their Annual Meeting in March last.
Voted the sum of 40 pounds be raised to defray the charges of a grammar school and the further sum of 15 pounds to defray the charge of reading and writing schools in the outer parts of the Town. Also the sum of 100 pounds more to defray the other charges of the Tom the ensuing year.
Voted that the highways be mended as in years past, and that 130 pounds be proportioned and worked out accordingly.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will reconsider their vote passed on the first day of September last relating to the way through land of John Phillips and Stephen Barker to the road by Hananiah Barker. Passed in the negative.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will build a work house. It passed in the negative.
The meeting was then adjourned to Monday, the sixteenth of March inst; four o'clock afternoon, then met and voted that George Abbot Esq. be, and that he hereby is, empowered to appear at
5210
The Court of General Sessions of the Peace next to be holden at Ipswich within and for the County of Essex (with power of substitution) in behalf of the Town of Andover to make answer to a complaint against that Town sited in said Court at their session in Salem December last by the Selectmen or the Overseers of the poor of the Town of Bradford, respecting the report of one Sara Homans(?) and her child, Sara, agreeable to the order of said Court. The same to pursue to final judgment and execution. The meeting was then dissolved.
May 18, 1767
Being put to a vote whether the Town will accept of the alteration of the way leading from Samuel Fields to Lt. Zabediah Chandler's through Dr. Joseph Abbot's land as recorded in the other book. It passed in the affirm- ative. The meeting was then dissolved.
March 7, 1768
5211
Voted that the sum of 40 pounds be raised to defray the charge of the grammar school and a further sum of 15 pounds to defray the charge of the reading and writing schools in the outer parts of the Town and also the sum of 140 pounds more to defray the other charges of the Town the ensuing year.
Voted that the highways be mended as years in past and that 130 pounds be proportioned and worked out accordingly.
Voted that Samuel Phillips Jr., Capt. Asa Foster, Capt. Peter Osgood, George Abbot Esq., Col. James Frye, Capt. John Foster and Mr. Joshua Holt be a committee to consider of some measures that might tend to encourage prudence and manufacture and to lessen the use of superfluities in the Town and report at the Annual Meeting of the Tom on May next.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will discontinue for a reasonable consideration a way laid out some years ago leading from the road that leads from Isaac Chandler's to the Rough Meadow Bridge into the road that leads from Capt. John Foster's to Zebediah Abbot's. It passed in the affirmative.
Voted that the sum of 7 shillings and fourpence be remitted to Mr. Nathan Barker, said sum being due from said Barker to the Town Treasurer.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will appoint some proper place for a center school. It passed in the negative.
Being put to a vote whether the Tom will accept of a road laid out on the north of John Peabody's on land formerly Ens. Ebenezer Osgood's in lieu of a road that leads from John Phillips to the road that leads from John Peabody's to Stephen Barker's. It passed in the negative.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will discontinue a road leading from Newbury Road west of the house of Mr. Nathan Barker Jr. to a road east of the house of Mr. Thomas Spofford leading to Ipswich Road, provided any persons appear to give a reasonable consideration for said road. It passed in the negative. The meeting was then adjourned to the 23rd day of May next five o'clock afternoon, then met and the committee appointed as above
5212
to consider some measures that might tend to encourage manufacture and lessen the use of superfluities in the Town reported as followeth: viz. that in or- der to the securing to ourselves and transmitting to posterity those invalu- able rights and privileges both civil and religious that have been dearly purchased by our predecessors, the first settlers of this country, the loss of which is greatly threatened by the great and growing imprudences and im- moralities amongst us, the committee are humbly of the opinion that it is ab- solutely necessary the inhabitants of this Town use their utmost endeavors and that they enforce their endeavors by example for the suppressing extra- vagance, idleness and vice, and for the promoting industry economy and good morals; and by all prudent means endeavor to discontinue the implication and use of foren (?) superfluities and to promote and encourage manufactures in the Town --- the above report being put was unanimously accepted by the Town. The meeting was then dissolved.
May 23, 1768
Then was accepted by the Town the alteration of the way that leads from Blanchard's Pond Brook near to Benjamin Moar's over Bald Hill to the High Plain as it is recorded in the other book, The meeting was then dissolved.
September 12, 1768
Voted that Joshua Phelps be allowed the former road laid over Bald Hill til it comes to the northwest corner of said Phelps' land in lieu of the new road laid out through said Phelps' land and accepted by the Town in May last.
Voted that no allowance be made to those persons that remove the stone wall to accommodate said road as a consideration for said service.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will choose a committee to come to some agreement with the executors of the last will and testament of Mr. Timothy Osgood, late of Andover, deceased, on the account of Benjamin Page, who was lately brought from Haverhill to Andover to be supported as one of the poor of said Andover. It passed in the negative.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will prosecute said executors or the heirs of the said deceased in the law for the charge of supporting said Page. It passed in the negative, for the reason following, viz. no de- mands haveing been made upon the Town for said charge. The meeting was then dissolved.
September 21, 1768
5213
Samuel Phillips Esq. was unanimously chosen to act for the fom as a committee in convention with such as may be sent from the several Toms in this Province to meet at Faneul Hall in Boston on Thursday, the 22nd of September inst; in order that such measures may be consulted and advised as may tend to the real service of our gracious soverign and the peace and welfar of his subjects in this Province. The meeting was then dissolved.
March 6, 1769
Voted that the sum of 40 pounds be raised to defray the charge of a grammar school and 15 pounds more to defray the charge of reading and writ- ing schools in the outer parts of the Town, and the further sum of 130 pounds to defray the other charges of the Town the ensuing year.
Voted that the highways be mended as in years past and that the sum of 130 pounds be proportioned and worked out accordingly allowing pay as voted in the year 1761.
Voted that the Town Treasurer be, and that he hereby is, directed to take all legal measures to recover the cost of the chargex that hath arisen for the support of Benjamin Page of any person or persons by law obliged to pay the same.
Sundry roads returned by the Selectmen and accepted by the Town and recorded in the other book. The meeting was dissolved.
5215 (5214 is election results only)
May 22, 1769
Being put to a vote whether the Tom will be at the cost of making about 90 rods of stone wall in order to open the road that leads from the south meetinghouse to Ephraim Abbot's. It was thereupon voted that 12 pounds law- ful money and no more should be paid out by the Town Treasury for making said wall, provided Capt. Joseph Simpson would lay said way open within one year.
Voted that Capt. Benjamin Ames, Lt. Samuel Phelps, Messrs. Joshua Chandler and Nehemiah Abbot Jr. be a committee to receive and approve said 12 pounds for the purpose aforesaid.
Voted that the Town Treasurer be, and that he hereby is, directed to take all legal measures to recover the cost of the charge that hath arisen for the support of Dorkis(?), the wife of Bristo, formerly a molatto servant of John Osgood, Esq. and their children.
Being put to vote whether the Town will allow Samuel Field two rods and width of the road from the Roush(?) Meadow Bridge to the Rough Meadow Hill and to allow said Field the old road opposite to the new road laid out through said Field's land last March to make amendation to said Field for said road. It passed in the negative. The meeting was dissolved.
September 5, 1769
Being put to a vote whether the Tom will accept an alteration of the road that leads to the bridge over Shawsheen River near Ballard's Mill to the south meetinghouse in the Town. It passed in the affirmative. The meet- ing was dissolved.
March 5, 1770
5216
(This page is entirely a record of the election and will not be copied here.)
5217
Being put to a vote whether the Town will allow Samuel Fields the old road opposite the new road laid through his land last year, and also along such part of the road from Rough Meadow Bridge to the bridge west of said bridge as is now within his fence for amendation for said road laid through said Fields' land, provided said road be left full two rods wide from said bridge to said bridge. It passed in the affirmative.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will come to any measures with the executors or heirs of Mr. Timothy Osgood for the support of Benjamin Page. The vote passed by the Town relative thereto in March last not withstanding. It passed in the affirmative.
Voted that Capt. Asa Foster, Samuel Phillips Jr., Mr. Moody Bridges, George Abbot Esq. and Col. James Frye be a committee to confer with said heirs on said affair and report to the Town as soon as may be. The meeting was adjourned to the 21st day of May next, four o'clock afternoon, then met. The committee last chosen reports that considering the expense of a process in law and the of the event, it is advisable for the Town to be at one-half of the expense of the maintenance of said mentioned Page at the expiration of five years from the last time that Capt. Peter Osgood received said Benjamin into his house, provided said Osgood will contract with the Town after this meeting, to keep the said Benjamin at his own expense til the said term of five years are expired and after the expiration thereof, meet one-half of the expense of his maintenance during life; signed by Asa Foster, Samuel Phillips Jr., James Frye, Moody Bridges, Committee, which report was accepted by the Town and consented to by Mr. Peter Osgood as above.
Being put to a vote whether the Tom will accept of an alteration of a private way laid out through land lately owned by Nehemiah Abbot as bounded in the warrant. It passed in the negative. The meeting was adjourned.
May 21, 1770
Being put to a vote whether the Tom will allow Mr. Daniel Ingalls pay for a road laid out on said Ingalls' land from Mr. Richard Kimball's house to Merrimack River. It passed in the negative.
·
5218
Col. James Frye, Capt. Peter Osgood and Mr. John Wilson were chosen a committee to consider the expediency of discontinuing a road by Mr. Nathan Barker's Jr. and report at the adjournment of this meeting.
Messrs. Barachias Abbot, Asa Abbot, Isaac Blunt were chosen a committee to consider the expediency of discontinuing a piece of road by Barton Plain and report at the adjournment.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will remit to Benjamin Smith the charge which the Town has been asked for his support in his last sickness. It passed in the negative.
The fown, then taking into consideration the distress that this Province is laboring under by the operation of a late Act. of Parliament imposing duties on tea, paper and glass, made and passed with the express purpose of raising a revenue in the American Colonies without their consent; which Act we ap- prehend is opporessive repugnant to the natural and constitutional rights of the people contrary both to the spirit and letter of the Royal Charter granted by their Majesties King William and Queen Mary to the inhabitants of this Province, whereby are ordained and established the having and enjoying all liberties and immunities of free and natural born subjects, and subversive of the great and good designs of our most worthy ancestors who crossed the ocean willingly exposing themselves to every danger, parted with their blood and treasures, suffered hunger, cold and nakedness and every other hardship human nature is capable to purchase and defend a quick habitation for them- selves and posterity.
.
Thereupon, voted, Nemine Contradicente, (1) that it is the duty of every friend to liberty to the British Constitution to use all legal measures to prevent, if possible, the execution of said Act; and would embrace this op- portunity to express our warmest gratitude to the merchants and other gentle- men in Boston and other trading towns in the Province for the regular con- stitutional and spirited measures pursued by them from principals truly noble and generous for the repelling tyranny and oppression and establishing those rights for themselves and country, which they are entitled to as men, and as Englishmen. (2) that we will, by all legal and constitutional measures in
our power, support and encourage the non-importation agreement of the merchants, and that we will have no commercial or social connections directly or indirectly with those persons who, as enemies to the country, divested of every public virtue and even of humanity itself, regardless of and deaf to the miseries and calamities which threaten this people, pursuing their own private in- terests to the liberty and freedom of the community, are solidly endeavoring to counter-act such benevolent and salutary agreement. (3) that we shall encourage frugality industry and the manufactures of this company; and that we will not make use of any foreign tea or suffer it to be used in our families (case of sickness only excepted) until the Act imposing a duty on that article shall be repealed and a general importation take place.
The meeting adjourned til the 10th day of September next, two o'clock afternoon, then met and voted that the road by Mr. Nathan Barker's be altered. The meeting was then dissolved.
.
5219
September 10, 1770
Being put to a vote whether the Town will allow Capt. Isaac Osgood pay for the 472 feet of plank to cover the bridge over Shawsheen River near the Widow Sara Ballard's. It passed in the negative.
March 4, 1771
(The balance of the page is taken up with a record of the officers elected. )
5220
Voted that the sum of 40 pounds be raised to defray the charge of the grammar school and the sum of 20 pounds more to defray the charge of reading and writing schools in the outer parts of the Town, and the further sum of 120 pounds to defray the other charges of the Town the ensuing year.
Voted that the highways be mended as in years past and that the sum of 170 pounds be raised for the purpose.
Voted that each person have liberty to work out his tax at several rates following, viz. allowing to each man for his labor, 2 shillings and 8 pence per day; 1 shilling and 4 pence per day for a pair of oxen; and 3 pence per day for a cart, such work to be done between the first day of May and the last day of July; and provided any person or persons (after due notice given by the surveyors of highways) shall refuse or neglect to work out his or their taxes at the several rates above allowed, that in such case the surveyors of highways are directed to make return of all such delinquents on their respective lists to the Selectmen of the Town on or before the last day of July next to be by them added to such delinquents Town rate the present year.
Voted that swine may go at large if yoked and ringed according to law.
Being put to vote whether the Town will accept of a road laid out from the road leadinb by Samuel Griffin's; it passed in the negative.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will accept of a road laid out from the road which leads from Mr. John Ingalls' to Mr. Asa Carleton's to the road leading from said Carleton's to Mr. Joseph Martin's --- road being 2 rods wide and where it is now trod. It passed in the affirmative.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will open the road from Mr. John Johnson's by the Widow Sara Ballard's to Boston Road. It passed in the negative.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will allow Capt. Thomas Poore some consideration for the road laid out through his land by Merrimack River near his house in the year 1762. It passed in the negative.
Being put to a vote whether the Town will allow some help for repair- ing the bridge at the Merchants Ford, so-called, over the Shawsheen River. It passed in the affirmative.
The meeting was adjourned to the next day of the Town Meeting September next, viz. four o'clock P.M.
May 23, 1771
The meeting was adjourned to the day of the Town Meeting in September next, fiz. five o'clock afternoon.
.
5222 (5221 lists officers elected March 2, 1772)
March 2, 1772
Voted that all persons be, and that they hereby are, prohibited catching any fish in any of the fish gutters near the mills near the Shawsheen River. Also in all the parts ofCochewick Brook except that between the bridge near Dr. John Kittredge's dwelling house and Mr. James Parker's Mill Dam-also in that part of Blanchard's Pond Brook between Mr. David Abbit's Saw Mill Dam, and the Merrimack River. And also in the fish gutter by the mill on Foster's Brook.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.