USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Groton > Historical sketch of Groton, Massachusetts. 1655-1890 > Part 9
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Lexington ; and his absence from Groton may have been, in part, the cause of the long delay in settling the dispute. Neither Deacon Lawrence nor Mr. Page was chosen to the Assembly that convened on May 31, 1693.
John Paris was a member of the Council for Safety of the People, which met on May 9, 1689, just after Governor Andros was deposed. It is probable that the town was unrepresented during the following years : 1693 (first session), 1694-1698, 1700-1704, and 1707, as the Provincial records of those dates do not mention any member from Groton.
In the following list of representatives I have given the church, civil and military titles found in the rec- ords, inasmuch as they indicate, approximately, the period when they were acquired. For nearly a cen- tury and a half the term of service of each member was during the year of his election. The name of John Sheple, as spelled in the town records, is writ- ten John Shepley in the Provincial records, but the two names refer to the same man, and the Nathaniel Sawtell of the town records is identical with the Na- thaniel Sartle of the Provincial records.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Date of Election. [November 7, 1683, Captain James Parker.] [May 9, 1689, John Paris.]
Under the Charter of William and Mary.
[June 8, 1692, Nathaniel Lawrence. ]
[June 8, 1692, John Page.]
[May 31, 1693 (first session), probably none chosen.]
October 30, 1693 (second session), Captain James Parker.
[May 30, 1694, probably none chosen.]
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[May 29, 1695, probably none chosen.] [May 27, 1696, probably none chosen.] [May 26, 1697, probably none chosen.] [May 25, 1698, probably none chosen.] May 9, 1699, Jonas Prescott.
[May 29, 1700, probably none chosen.] [May 28, 1701, probably none chosen.] [May 27, 1702, probably none chosen.] [May 26, 1703, probably none chosen.] [May 31, 1704, probably none chosen.] May 8, 1705, Jonas Prescott. May 8, 1706, Simon Stone.
[May 28, 1707, probably none chosen.] [May 26, 1708, John Farnsworth.]
May 25, 1709, Ensign John Farnsworth. May 22, 1710, Ensign John Farnsworth.
[May 30, 1711, John Farnsworth.] May 7, 1712, Ensign John Farnsworth.
May 11, 1713, Ensign John Farnsworth. [May 26, 1714, John Farnsworth.]
[May 25, 1715, Thomas Tarbell.] [May 30, 1716, John Shepley.] May 21, 1717, John Sheple.
[May 28, 1718, John Shepley.]
[May 27, 1719, John Shepley.]
May 6, 1720, Captain Jonas Prescott, Jr.
May 22, 1721, Captain John Sheple.
August 8, 1721, Captain John Sheple. [May 30, 1722, Captain John Sheple.] May 1, 1723, Lieutenant Benjamin Prescott.
May 18, 1724, Lieutenant Benjamin Prescott.
May 14, 1725, Captain John Sheple.
May 19, 1726, Captain John Sheple.
May 17, 1727, Benjamin Prescott.
May 10, 1728, Captain John Sheple.
May 14, 1729, John Longley.
May 18, 1730, Deacon John Longley.
May 17, 1731, Deacon John Longley. [May 31, 1732, Nathaniel Sartle.]
May 21, 1733, Nathaniel Sawtell, Esq.
May 8, 1734, Benjamin Prescott, Esq. May 19, 1735, Benjamin Prescott, Esq.
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GROTON.
May 18, 1736, Benjamin Prescott, Esq. May 17, 1737, Colonel Benjamin Prescott.
May 15, 1738, Benjamin Prescott, Esq. (died in office on August 3, 1738). December 25, 1738, Justice Nathaniel Sawtell,in the place of Benjamin Prescott, Esq., deceased.
May 23, 1739, Justice Nathaniel Sawtell.
[May 28, 1740, John Longley.]
May 25, 1741, Justice Nathaniel Sawtell.
May 12, 1742, Nathaniel Sawtell.
[May 25, 1743, William Lawrence.]
May 14, 1744, Nathaniel Sawtell.
May 17, 1745, William Lawrence, Esq.
May 18, 1746, William Lawrence, Esq.
May 18, 1747, William Lawrence, Esq.
May 17, 1748, William Lawrence, Esq.
May 22, 1749, William Lawrence, Esq.
May 28, 1750 (the town voted not to send).
May 27, 1751, William Lawrence, Esq.
May 14, 1752, William Lawrence, Esq.
The district of Shirley was set off from Groton on January 5, 1753, and the district of Pepperell, three months later, on April 12th, and after these dates, un- til the period of the Revolution, the two districts were represented in the General Court by the parent town.
Date of Election. May 14, 1753, William Lawrence, Esq. [May 29, 1754, William Lawrence.] May 13, 1755, Colonel William Lawrence.
May 17, 1756, William Lawrence, Esq. May 13, 1757, William Lawrence, Esq. May 17, 1758, William Lawrence, Esq.
May 25, 1759, William Lawrence, Esq. May 26, 1760, William Lawrence, Esq. May 15, 1761, William Lawrence, Esq. May 17, 1762, Captain Abel Lawrence. May 16, 1763, Captain Abel Lawrence. May 21, 1764, Captain Abel Lawrence. May 14, 1765, Captain Abel Lawrence.
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GROTON.
May 12, 1766, Colonel James Prescott.
May 18, 1767, Colonel James Prescott.
May 10, 1768, Colonel James Prescott.
May 23, 1769, Colonel James Prescott.
May 21, 1770, Colonel James Prescott.
May 20, 1771, Colonel James Prescott.
May 18, 1772, Colonel James Prescott.
May 17, 1773, Colonel James Prescott.
May 9, 1774, Colonel James Prescott.
May 22, 1775, Honorable James Prescott.
After this date Pepperell and Shirley were each represented in the General Court separately, and not by the parent town. Owing to the political disturb- ances, a new Assembly was chosen by the Province in the summer of 1775. The precept issued to the town of Groton, with the answer, is found among the Archives (CXXXVIII. 214) at the State House, as follows :
" COLONY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY.
" These are to will, and require you forthwith to cause the Freeholders, & other Inhabitants of your town that have an Estate of Freehold in land within this Colony or Territory of forty Shillings Pr. annum at the least, or other Estate to the value of forty Pounds sterling, to assemble at such time, & Place as you shall appoint ; then & there to elect, and depute one or more Persons (being freeholders, and resident in the same town) according to a number set, & limited by an Act of the General Court or Assembly, which was conven'd at Watertown on the nineteenth day of July current for the Service of this Colony, and is still in being ; and to cause the Person or Persons so elect, and deputed by the major part of the electors present at such election to be timely notified, & sum- moned by one of the constables of your town forthwith to attend the Service of this Province in the said general Court, or Assembly, & dur- ing the Session or Sessions of the same .- Hereof fail not, and make a Return of this Precept with the name or names of the Person, or Per- sons so elected, & deputed, with their being summoned into the General Assembly, as soon as may be after such election, & summons shall be made.
"Dated at Watertown this 31st-day of July A.D. 1775. " By order of the House of Representatives
" JAS : WARREN Speaker
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GROTON.
" To the Selectmen of the town of
Groton in the County
of Middlesex
Greeting.
"Pursuant to the Precept within written the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the town of Groton qualify'd as is therein directed, upon due Warning given, assembled and met together on the Twenty first day of August and then did elect, & depute Capt. Josiah Sartell-to serve for, and represent them in the Session, or Sessions of the great, and gen- eral Court or Assembly which was conven'd at Watertown on the nine- teenth day of July current for the Service of this Colony the said Per- son being chosen by a major part of the electors present.
" Dated in Groton aforesaid the 21st day of August-A.D. 1775.
" OLIVER PRESCOTT Selectmen ISAAC FARNSWORTH of
AMOS LAWRANCE Groton
" The Person chosen as abovesaid notified thereof & summon'd
to attend accordingly by me Constable of Groton
OLIVER FLETCHER
[Indorsed] " Return from Groton Capt Josiah Sartell
" Mr Fowle Please to make out a Precept for the town of Hancock in the County of Berkshire-according to this Form- [Addressed] "To The Selectmen of the Town of Groton."
Date of Election.
August 21, 1775, Captain Josiah Sartell.
May 20, 1776, Colonel Josiah Sartell.
May 26, 1777, Honorable James Prescott. Deacon Isaac Farnsworth, declined, and Colonel Josiah Sartell chosen in his place.
May 18, 1778, Honorable James Prescott.
May 17, 1779, Honorable James Prescott.
May 15, 1780, Honorable James Prescott.
The first General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts met on Wednesday, October 25, 1780, and the Honorable James Prescott was the represen- tative from this town. He was chosen to the House on September 4th, and a short time later, in order to fill a vacancy in the Senate, he was elected to that
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body by a convention of both branches on Thursday, October 26, 1780; and subsequently by another simi- lar convention on Friday, October 27th, to the Execu- tive Council. At that time the Councilors and Sen- ators were chosen on the same general ticket, without any special designation of either office, and then the Legislature selected from the upper body the mem- bers of the Council.
The Continental Journal, etc., (Boston), November 2, 1780, gives a list of the members of the General Court, where Mr. Prescott appears not only as a rep- resentative, but also as a Senator and a Councilor ; and in another column of the same newspaper it is announced, as a resolution of the Legislature, that owing to Mr. Prescott's acceptance of the Senatorship, his office as sheriff of Middlesex County was render- ed vacant, and owing, furthermore, to the lack of time in filling it, agreeably to the new Constitution, the session cf the Superior Court of Judicature, Court of Assize and General Gaol Delivery would stand ad- journed for one fortnight. He was also chosen, during the years 1781, '82, '83, '84 and '86, first to the Senate, and shortly afterwards to the Council, where he ap- pears to have served through the respective terms. He had previously represented the town in the three Provincial Congresses of 1774 and 1775, and his ex- perience in legislative bodies was large.
Two of the representatives in the following list, namely, the Hon. Timothy Bigelow and the Hon. Luther Lawrence, have been Speakers of the House. Mr. Bigelow was first chosen to that position on May 29, 1805, and for eleven years, at intervals, he con-
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tinued to fill the office-the longest term of service in that capacity ever held by one person-though during a part of this period he was representing the town of Medford. He was Speaker at the time of the separation of Maine from Massachusetts. Mr. Lawrence, a brother-in-law of Mr. Bigelow, was elected to the same office on May 29, 1822, and held it during one year. It is not a little singu- lar that they both were occupants, at different times, of the same dwelling, formerly situated on Main Street, but now moved away; and both had their law-offices in a building near by, where, also, Mr. Dana, the president of the Senate, had had his law-office. This coincidence is by no means weak- ened by the fact that Governor Boutwell, the present owner of the place, was once the Democratic candi- date for the Speakership, when the Legislature met on January 6, 1847, and he also was a resident of the town at that time. It may be worthy of note that another Speaker, the Hon. Timothy Fuller, the father of Margaret, who is known as the Countess d'Ossoli, was a citizen of Groton for some years before his death, which took place on October 1, 1835.
Under the Constitution originally the political year began on the last Wednesday of May, but the Sena,- tors and Representatives were chosen at different times. The members of the House were elected, annually, in the month of May, ten days at least be- fore the last Wednesday of that month, and their term of service was during the year of their election.
GROTON. 129
UNDER THE STATE CONSTITUTION.
Date of Election.
September 4, 1780, Hon. James Prescott.
May 14, 1781, Deacon Isaac Farnsworth.
May 13, 1782, Deacon Isaac Farnsworth, declined, and Israel Hobart chosen in his place.
May 12, 1783, Israel Hobart.
May 10, 1784, Dr. Benjamin Morse.
May 9, 1785, Ebenezer Champney.
May 8, 1786, (the town voted by one majority not to send).
On March 7, 1787, the General Court passed an or- der fining the town of Groton twenty-four pounds and ten shillings for its neglect to send a representative during the preceding year. Forty other towns were fined various sums at the same time for a similar neglect ; and among them were Pepperell, Dunstable, Westford, Littleton, Harvard and Lunenburg.
Date of Election.
May 7, 1787, Dr. Benjamin Morse.
May 12, 1788, Dr. Benjamin Morse.
May 11, 1789, Dr. Benjamin Morse.
May 4, 1790, (the town voted not to send).
May 9, 1791, Major Aaron Brown.
May 7, 1792, Major Aaron Brown.
May 6, 1793, Major Aaron Brown, Mr. Timothy Bigelow.
May 12, 1794, Mr. Timothy Bigelow.
May 6, 1795, Mr. Timothy Bigelow.
May 2, 1796, Mr. Timothy Bigelow.
May 1, 1797, Mr. Timothy Bigelow. May 14, 1798, Hon. Timothy Bigelow. May 6, 1799, Hon. Timothy Bigelow. May 5, 1800, Hon. Timothy Bigelow.
May 4, 1801, Hon. Timothy Bigelow.
May 3, 1802, Hon. Timothy Bigelow. May 2, 1803, Samuel Dana.
May 7, 1804, Hon. Timothy Bigelow,
May 6, 1805, Hon. Timothy Bigelow, Speaker. May 5, 1806, Hon. Timothy Bigelow, Speaker. May 4, 1807, Joseph Moors. 9
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GROTON.
May 2, 1808, Joseph Moors.
May 1, 1809, Joseph Moors, Oliver Prescott.
May 7, 1810, Oliver Prescott, James Brazer.
May 6, 1811, Major Joseph Moors, Major Thomas Gardner.
May 4, 1812, Joseph Moors, Luther Lawrence.
May 3, 1813, Joseph Moors, Luther Lawrence.
May 2, 1814, Joseph Moors, Luther Lawrence.
May 1, 1815, Luther Lawrence.
May 6, 1816, Luther Lawrence.
May 5, 1817, Luther Lawrence.
May 4, 1818, Luther Lawrence.
May 3, 1819, Luther Lawrence.
May 1, 1820, Luther Lawrence.
May 7, 1821, Luther Lawrence.
May 6, 1822, Luther Lawrence, Speaker.
May 12, 1823, (the town voted not to send).
May 23, 1824, Captain Noah Shattuck.
May 2, 1825, Hon. Samuel Dana.
May 1, 1826, Hon. Samuel Dana.
May 7, 1827, Hon. Samuel Dana.
May 5, 1828, (the town voted not to send).
May 4, 1829, Caleb Butler, declined, and William Livermore chosen in his place.
May 3, 1830, Luther Lawrence, William Livermore.
May 11, 1831, Captain John Boynton.
(The town voted not to choose a second representative.)
By the tenth Article of Amendment to the Consti- tution of Massachusetts, adopted by the General Court during two successive sessions, and ratified by the people on May 11, 1831, the beginning of the political year was changed from the last Wednesday in May to the first Wednesday in January, and the day of election changed to the second Monday in November. In this list hereafter the term of service is during the year following the date of election.
Date of Election.
November 12, 1832, Captain John Boynton, Captain John Rockwood. November 11, 1833, Captain John Boynton, Captain John Rockwood.
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GROTON.
November 10, 1834, Captain John Boynton, Timothy Blood.
November 9, 1835, Captain John Boynton, Timothy Blood.
November 14, 1836, John Gray Park, Dr. Joshua Green. November 13, 1837, Dr. Joshua Green.
(The town voted not to choose a second representative.)
November 12, 1838, John Gray Park, Captain Daniel Shattuck.
November 11, 1839, (the town voted not to send.)
November 9, 1840, John Boynton.
November 8, 1841, George Sewall Boutwell.
November 14, 1842, George Sewall Boutwell.
November 13, 1843, George Sewall Boutwell.
November 11, 1844, William Livermore, Jr.
November 10, 1845, William Livermore, Jr.
November 10, 1846, George Sewall Boutwell.
Mr. Boutwell was chosen on the third trial by five majority. On the preceding day there had been a tie vote twice between him and Edward Coburn, the Whig candidate.
Date of Election.
November 8, 1847, George Sewall Boutwell.
November 13, 1848, George Sewall Boutwell.
November 12, 1849, George Sewall Boutwell.
November 11, 1850, Phinehas Gilman Prescott.
November 10, 1851, Phinehas Gilman Prescott.
November 8, 1852, William Shattuck.
November 14, 1853, William Shattuck.
November 13, 1854, John Warren Parker.
November 12, 1855, John Warren Parker.
By the fifteenth Article of Amendment to the State Constitution, adopted by the General Court during two successive sessions, and ratified by the people on May 23, 1855, the day of election was changed to the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November.
Date of Election.
November 4, 1856, Warren Fay Stone.
Under Chapter CCCVIII., Acts of 1857, a new apportionment of Representatives was made through-
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out the State, and the town of Groton became, there- by, in connection with the towns of Pepperell, Shir- ley, Westford and Dunstable, the Twenty-sixth Mid- dlesex District, with two Representatives.
Date of Election.
November 3, 1857, Eliel Shumway.
November 3, 1857, Robert Parker Woods.
November 7, 1860, George Henry Brown.
November 4, 1863, George Samuel Gates.
November 8, 1865, Benjamin Franklin Taft.
Mr. Shumway's election was contested before the General Court by Allen Cummings, of Dunstable, and a hearing was given by the Committee on Elec- tions; but the matter was decided in favor of Mr. Shumway. For a full statement of the case, see "Reports of Controverted Elections in the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1853 to 1885 inclusive " (page 41), by Edward P. Loring and Charles Theodore Russell, Jr. (Boston, 1886).
By another apportionment, made under Chapter CIII., Acts of 1866, Groton and Pepperell became the Thirty-first Middlesex District, and were entitled to one Representative. The town of Ayer, on its incorporation, February 14, 1871, except that part which had previously belonged to Shirley, was added to the district.
Date of Election.
November 7, 1866, Danial Needham.
November 4, 1868, William Livermore.
November 2, 1869, Edmund . Dana Bancroft.
November 5, 1873, George Samuel Gates.
By still another apportionment, under Chapter XV., Acts of 1876, Groton became, in connection
GROTON. 133
with Westford, Dunstable and Pepperell, the Thirty- fourth Middlesex District, and entitled to one Repre- sentative.
Date of Election.
November 8, 1876, Asa Stillman Lawrence.
November 3, 1880, Asa Stillman Lawrence.
November 7, 1883, Moses Poor Palmer.
November 12, 1886, George Sumner Graves.
Colonel William Lawrence was a member of the General Court during seventeen years,-the longest term of service of any Representative from the town ; and after him came the Hon. James Prescott, who served fifteen years.
Mr. Boutwell is now the senior surviving member, and, with the exception of Phineas Gilman Prescott, William Shattuck, Warren Fay Stone, George Henry Brown and George Sumner Graves, all his successors are still alive.
REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
FIRST PROVINCIAL CONGRESS OF DEPUTIES.
Date of Election.
Term of Service. May 9, 1774 . . Honorable James Prescott . 1774
SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS OF DEPUTIES.
December 26, 1774 . . . Honorable James Prescott 1775
THIRD PROVINCIAL CONGRESS OF DEPUTIES.
May 22, 1775 Honorable James Prescott 1775
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF WAR.
October 30, 1776 . . . Oliver Prescott, declined.
November 16, 1776 .. . James Prescott 1776-1779
MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL.
May 29, 1777 . Oliver Prescott 1777-1779
According to the records of the General Court, when the Board of War was first chosen on October
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30, 1776, " Brig !. Prescot " was elected a member. This referred to Dr. Oliver Prescott, at that time a brigadier-general, but it does not appear that he ever took his seat with the board. On November 13th the records state that two of the members, whose names are given, had declined, and their places were at once filled ; and on November 16th five more resignations were announced,-though no names are mentioned,- and the vacancies then filled. Dr. Prescott was un- doubtedly one of the five who declined at this time. Among those chosen at the second election was "Colonel Prescot," who was James, a brother of Oliver. It is a little singular that their Christian names are not given in the records, as both were well- known men. The " Journal of the House," October 30, 1776, prints the name of "James Prescott, Esq ; " as one of the nine original members chosen at that time, but this is an error. Colonet Prescott attended his first meeting with the Board of War on Decem- ber 18,- according to the manuscript minutes of the Board.
VARIOUS OFFICERS.
GOVERNOR OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
Date of Election. Term of Service January 11, 1851 . . . Honorable George Sewall Boutwell 1851, 1852
SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES TREASURY. (Under President Grant.)
March 11, 1869 . . Honorable George Sewall Boutwell . 1869-1873 SENATOR IN CONGRESS.
March 12, 1873 . . . Honorable George Sewall Boutwell . 1873-1877
REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS.
November 5, 1810 . . . Honorable William Merchant Rich- ardson 1811-1814
November 7, 1814 . . . Honorable Samuel Dana 1814, 1815 November 4, 1862 . . . Honorable George Sewell Boutwell 1863-1869
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GROTON.
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
October 27, 1780 . Honorable James Prescott . . 1780-1784, 1786 May 28, 1802 . Honorable Timothy Bigelow . 1802
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTOR.
November 6, 1820 . . . Honorable Samuel Dana 1820 (The Electoral College of Massachusetts cast its vote on December 7, 1820, unanimously in favor of James Monroe for President.)
DELEGATES TO CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS.
Convention for forming the Constitution of Massachusetts, September 1, 1779. Date of Election. Term of Service.
August 16, 1779 . . . . Honorable James Sullivan . . 1779, 1780 (Mr. Sullivan was afterward Governor of the Commonwealth, and died on December 10, 1808, while holding the office.)
Convention for adopting the Constitution of the United States, January 9,1788.
December 3, 1787 . . . . Dr. Benjamin Morse, Joseph Sheple, Esq. 1788 (Both these delegates opposed the adoption.)
Convention for altering the Constitution of Massachusetts, November 15, 1820.
August 21, 1820 Luther Lawrence, Esq.
Honorable Samuel Dana, 1820, 1821
Convention for altering the Constitution of Massachusetts, May 4, 1853. March 7, 1853 . . . . . John Gray Park, Esq .. 1853 (Mr. Boutwell, of Groton, represented the town of Berlin, Worces- ter County, in this Convention.)
JUDGES AND OTHER COURT OFFICERS.
CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.
Term of Service. Date of Appointment.
June 3, 1803 . . . Honorable James Prescott, Jr. . 1803 (By an Act passed on June 21, 1811, the Court of Common Pleas became the Circuit Court of Common Pleas.)
CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.
October 14, 1811 . . Honorable Samuel Dana 1811-1820
JUSTICE OF COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.
December 21, 1782 . . Honorable James Prescott . 1782-1800
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GROTON.
JUDGES OF PROBATE.
July 1, 1779 . . Honorable Oliver Prescott . . 1779-1804 (Reappointed on March 27, 1781.)
February 1, 1805 . . . Honorable James Prescott, Jr. . 1805-1821
SHERIFF.
September 6, 1775 . . Honorable James Prescott . 1775-1780
CLERK OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.
May 28, 1783 . William Swan, Esq. 1783-1789
" The Massachusetts Register and United States Calendar for the year of our Lord 1806" (page 75) gives Ephraim Wood, of Groton, as one of the jus- tices of the Court of Common Pleas in Middlesex County, but the place of residence is without doubt a mistake. I cannot find that Judge Wood ever lived at Groton.
A LIST OF THE RESIDENTS
Of Groton who held Commissions from the Governor and Council, during the Provincial Period.
Date of Appointment.
August 27, 1713, Captain Jonas Prescott, Justice of the Peace. December 9, 1715, Captain Jonas Prescott, Justice of the Peace. December 26, 1727, Benjamin Prescott, Justice of the Peace.
October 10, 1729, Benjamin Prescott, Justice of the Peace.
March 19, 1729-30, Captain Nathaniel Sartle, Justice of the Peace. July 9, 1731, Benjamin Prescott, Justice of the Peace.
July 9, 1731, Nathaniel Sartle, Justice of the Peace.
June 27, 1735, Benjamin Prescott, in place of Paul Dudley, a Special Justice of the Superior Court of Judicature.
January 2, 1735-36, Benjamin Prescott, Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum.
November 10, 1737, Benjamin Prescott, in place of Paul Dudley, a Spec- ial Justice in divers cases.
December 29, 1739, William Lawrence, Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum.
August 12, 1749, William Lawrence, Special Justice of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas.
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GROTON.
June 21, 1751, William Lawrence, Special Justice of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas.
January 2, 1753, James Prescott, Justice of the Peace.
June 26, 1755,- Williamn Lawrence, Justice of the Inferior Court of Com- mon Pleas, in place of Francis Fulham, resigned.
November 20, 1761, William Lawrence, Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum.
November 20, 1761, James Prescott, Justice of the Peace.
June 8, 1764, Abel Lawrence, Justice of the Peace.
CORONERS .- The first three names mentioned below are taken from the Council records ; but the others are found in the "Record of Civil Commissions," in the office of the Secretary of State. Under the Con- stitution coroners were appointed for life, unless sooner removed ; but by an act passed on April 29, 1862, their tenure of office was limited to seven years, subject to reappointment. By another act passed on May 9, 1877, the office was abolished, and, so far as related to inquests, the medical examiner was substi- tuted in place of the coroner.
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