USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890 > Part 6
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He was educated in the public schools of Sandwich. In 1858 he learned the business of telegraphy, which he followed for two years; was then chosen superintendent of the Cape Cod and Cape Ann dis- tricts of the American Telegraph Company. September 7, 1865, he
* This sketch of Mr. Keith is by his friend and neighbor, Charles Dillingham. The Councillor's home at Sagamore is the subject of an illustration in the history of that village.
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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.
was married to Miss Eliza Frances Smith, daughter of Eben S. Smith, Esq., of Provincetown. In October, 1867, he resigned his position with the telegraph company and commenced with his father the busi- ness of railway car manufacturing, of which he is now the sole owner and general manager. In these days of labor troubles, his relations with his employees have always been of the most pleasant character. His sound judgment, business capacity and strict integrity have secured to him a large property as well as the high esteem and confidence of his fellow townsmen and business acquaintances. As an evidence of this it may not be out of place to mention that when- ever he has been presented to the electors of his native town he has invariably run ahead of his ticket. Mr. Keith was twice elected to the Massachusetts house of representatives, 1874 and 1875; twice sen- ator from the Cape Senatorial District, 1886 and 1887; and in 1888 and again in 1889 was elected one of the executive council from the First Councillor district, which office he now holds.
If it ever be allowable to write of the living, what perhaps more appropriately belongs to the province of the historian, it can truth- fully be said of Mr. Keith, that the ancient motto of the family, "Veritas V'incit," has never suffered violence at his hands.
SENATORS .- The constitution of 1780, providing that the senate should consist of forty members, made Barnstable county a district entitled to elect annually one senator. By frequent re-elections six- teen men only were elected within the first sixty years. Their names and the term of service, with year of first election, were: 1780, Solo- mon Freeman, Harwich, 19 years; 1788, Thomas Smith, Sandwich, 1; 1798, David Thacher, Yarmouth, 1; 1801, John Dillingham, Har- wich, 5; 1804, Richard Sears, Chatham, 1; 1806. James Freeman, Sand- wich, 2; 1808, Joseph Dimmick, Falmouth, 3; 1811, Timothy Phinney, Barnstable, 1; 1813, Wendell Davis, Sandwich, 2: 1815, Solomon Free- man, Brewster, 6; 1821, Elijah Cobb, Brewster, 2; 1823, Braddock Dimmick, Falmouth, 3; 1826, Nymphas Marston, Barnstable, 2; 1828, Elisha Pope, Sandwich, 4; 1831, John Doane, Orleans, 3; 1834, Charles Marston, Barnstable, 6.
By the terms of the Thirteenth amendment to the constitution, promulgated April, 1840, the county was for seventeen years entitled to two seats in the state senate. They were occupied by the follow- ing named persons, the number of years noted after each: 1841, Seth Crowell, Dennis, 2 years; 1841, Charles Marston, Barnstable, 1; 1842, Solomon Davis, Truro, 4; 1843, John B. Dillingham, Sandwich, 2; 1846, Zeno Scudder, Barnstable, 3; 1846, Barnabas Freeman, Eastham, 2; 1848, George Copeland, Brewster, 2; 1849, John Jenkins, Falmouth, 2; 1850, Stephen Hilliard, Provincetown, 2; 1851, Zenas D. Basssett, Barnstable, 2; 1852, Cyrus Weeks, Harwich, 2; 1853, James B. Crocker,
David Frisk
PRINT. E BIERSTADT, N. Y
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CIVIL HISTORY AND INSTITUTIONS.
Barnstable, 2: 1854, Robert Y. Paine, Wellfleet, 1; 1855, Sylvester Baxter, Yarmouth, 2; 1855, Lewis L. Sellew, Provincetown, 1; 1856, Alfred Kenrick, Orleans, 1; 1857, John W. Atwood, Chatham, 2.
By the Twenty-second amendment of May, 1857, the state was re- districted, and Falmouth, Sandwich and Barnstable were joined with Dukes and Nantucket counties to compose the Island district, while the Cape district comprised Yarmouth and the nine towns below. This apportionment existed until 1877, during which time the Cape district was represented in 1858, 1859 by Charles F. Swift, Yarmouth; 1860, 1861 by Marshal S. Underwood, Dennis; 1862, 1863, R. H. Libby, Wellfleet; 1864, 1865, Freeman Cobb, Provincetown; 1866, Reuben Nickerson, Eastham; 1867, 1868, Chester Snow, Harwich; 1869-1871, Nathaniel E. Atwood, Provincetown; 1872, 1873, Joseph K. Baker, Dennis; 1874, 1875, Thomas N. Stone, Wellfleet; 1876, Jonathan Hig- gins, Orleans.
The Island district was represented within this twenty years by Barnstable county men as follows: 1861, 1862, Charles Dillingham, Sandwich; 1863, 1864, Nathan Crocker, Barnstable; 1867, 1868, Eras- mus Gould, Falmouth; 1869, 1870, George A. King, Barnstable; 1873, 1874, Francis A. Nye, Falmouth; 1875, 1876, Ezra C. Howard, Sand- wich.
Since 1877 and until the present the three counties-Banstable, Dukes and Nantucket-have composed the Cape district, which was represented in 1877-1879 by John B. D. Cogswell of Yarmouth; 1880, 1881, by Samuel Snow, Barnstable; 1882, 1883, Joseph P. Johnson, Provincetown; 1884-1886, Howes Norris, Cottage City; 1887, 1888, Isaac N. Keith, Bourne.
David Fisk of Dennis was elected in 1888 for the session of 1889, and by re-election is the present senator. He is one of four brothers of that family name residing in South Dennis, who are intimately blended with the civil history of their native town, as well as the county. Of his ancestors little is known beyond his grandfather, Nathan Fisk, who settled during the last century in Dennis. His son Nathan, born in 1801, married Polly, daughter of Eliphalet Baker, one of the descendants of the large family of that name scattered over the Cape. Their children were eight in number, four of whom survive: Uriah B., Luther, David and Henry H. Fisk.
David Fisk was born May 6, 1838, at West Dennis, where his boy- hood was passed in acquiring such an education as was obtainable in the public and private schools, until the age of fifteen, when he went to sea, before the mast. Several years were passed in ascending the scale, and at the age of twenty-two he acted as master. In this capac- ity he continued for a period of fifteen years, coasting and occasion- ally making a voyage to foreign ports. In 1874 he retired and has
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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.
since acted as the agent for Fisk Brothers, in building vessels and in other shipping business. He was married in 1860 to Mary E. Wixon, who died leaving two daughters: Marion and Alice M. In 1886 he married for his second wife, Mary E., daughter of Zeno Gage.
As soon as he was permanently retired from the sea he was chosen by the republican party to serve as selectman, assessor, overseer of the poor, and surveyor of the public roads, which duties he declined after serving six years. He also served his town in the school com- mittee three years, commencing with 1875. His ability being appre- ciated, he was, in the autumn of 1SS1. elected to a seat in the legisla- ture, and re-elected in 1882. No happier tribute could have been paid to him than his nomination by acclamation and the election in 18SS to a seat in the senate and again in 1889-the highest honor of his dis- trict. His advancement has been as marked and he has been as suc- cessful on land as on sea, every position being filled with that natural energy and decision which inspires confidence in his ability.
He is liberal in his views in all matters of church and state, and is endowed with a firm and lasting friendship. In his business and official relations he is indefatigable in the discharge of every duty. His social proclivities induced him to unite with the Masonic frater- nity, and there, too, he has been elevated to the highest offices of the lodge. In every position where he has presided or mingled in the affairs of his fellow townsmen, the same firmness, tempered with jus- tice, has characterized him, and his success is established.
REPRESENTATIVES .- After Governor Bradford was elected his ill- ness in 1621 made it advisable that he have an assistant; this was continued, and in 1624 five assistants were chosen. In 1633 the num- ber was increased to seven, and not until the arrival of Andros was this branch of the civil government discontinued.
The election of deputies by the towns, as soon as they were legally incorporated, was a change to a representative form of government. The first representative assembly met June 4, 1639, at Plymouth, to which Sandwich, Yarmouth and Barnstable sent each two deputies. This was an enlargement as well as division of the powers of the gov- ernment, as in these deputies were conjointly invested powers which heretofore had been exercised by the governor and his assistants only. The extension of the settlements had created a necessity for delega- ting power to deputies and representatives, and thus the present repre- sentative form of government was inaugurated. The constitution of 1780 provided that towns already incorporated and having 150 ratable polls or less, should be entitled to one representative, to be elected in May of each year; and corporate towns containing 375 ratable polls, two representatives. Under this provision the representatives of the respective towns are given in the history of each, being considered as town officers until 1857.
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CIVIL HISTORY AND INSTITUTIONS.
Since 1831 the legislative year begins the first Wednesday in Jan- uary, by amendment Ten, promulgated May 11th of that year, the elec- tions being held in November. The amendment of 1836, article Twelve, changed the basis of representation, the census of ratable polls by towns to be taken in May, 1837, and every tenth year thereafter. This provided that each town of three hundred ratable polls might elect one, and for every additional 450 polls, another representative might be elected. By an equitable rule, towns having less than three hun- dred polls were to be represented a portion of the ten years only; and the reader may not expect to find the smaller towns represented every year, while the larger may have more than one for a portion of the time.
This arrangement was superseded in 1840 by article Thirteen of amendments, which provided that the next decade should begin in 1841; that the rate of representation be one for twelve hundred ratable polls and two for thirty-six hundred. Under this rule the apportionment of 1841 entitled each town of the county to one representative, except the towns of Barnstable, Sandwich and Eastham, the first two to have two each, and the latter only to have five within the ten years. This rule of apportionment existed from 1841 to 1850, inclusive.
The apportionment of 1851 gave Barnstable two representatives each year; Brewster one for seven years within the ten; Eastham for four of the same period; and every other town one each year.
In May, 1857, article Twenty-one provided that the house of repre- sentatives consist of 240 members, to be apportioned according to the census of 1857, and the county commissioners were to district the county at the beginning of each decade, after the legislature had as- signed the number of representatives to the county. The same amend- ment provided that the census should again be taken in May, 1865, and every tenth year thereafter, and the legislature should apportion the representatives to the counties at the first session after the enume- ration. This made a radical change in the system of apportionment, and since the election of the representatives in the fall of 1857, they can no longer be regarded as officers of the town, and are accordingly noticed in the following lists. The county was entitled to nine rep- resentatives by this act, and the commissioners divided the towns as follows: The First district included Barnstable, Sandwich and Fal- mouth, and was to elect three representatives; the Second included Yarmouth, Dennis, Harwich and Chatham, with three; the Third, Brewster, Orleans and Eastham, one: and the Fourth, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown, with two.
As each person elected represented the district in which he lived, and the residence being indicated with the name, the following lists are believed to be explicit as showing the district and years in which each man served:
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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.
1858. Zenas D. Bassett, Barnstable; John A. Baxter, Barnstable; Paul Wing, Sandwich; John W. Atwood, Chatham; Thomas Dodge, Chat- ham; Luther Studley, Dennis; Ira Mayo, Orleans; Nathaniel E. At- wood, Provincetown; Thomas H. Lewis, Wellfleet.
1859. Nathaniel Hinckley, Barnstable; John S. Fish. Sandwich; William Nye, jr., Falmouth; Benjamin H. Matthews, Yarmouth; James S. Howes, Dennis; Nathaniel Doane, jr., Harwich; Elijah Cobb, Brewster: Daniel Paine, Truro; James Gifford, Provincetown.
1860. Ansel Lewis, Barnstable: Joseph Hoxie, Sandwich; William Nye, jr., Falmouth; Benjamin H. Matthews, Yarmouth; James S. Howes, Dennis; Edward Smalley, Harwich; Nathan Crosby, Barn- stable; Simeon Atwood, jr., Wellfleet: James Gifford, Provincetown.
1861. John S. Fish, Sandwich; George W. Donaldson, Falmouth; Ansel Lewis; Samuel Higgins, Chatham; John K. Sears, Yarmouth; Edward Smalley, Harwich; Jesse Snow, Orleans; Lewis Lombard, Truro; James Gifford, Provincetown.
1862. Asa E. Lovell, Barnstable; Zebedee Green, Sandwich, John K. Sears, Yarmouth; Samuel Higgins, Chatham; George W. Donald- son, Falmouth; Danforth S. Steel, Harwich; Sylvanus Smith, East- ham; John P. Johnson, Provincetown; Benjamin Oliver, Wellfleet.
1863. Charles Marston, Barnstable; Elisha G. Burgess, Falmouth; Zebedee Green, Sandwich; Isaac B. Young, Chatham; Marshall S. Un- derwood, Dennis; Danforth S. Steel, Harwich; Truman Doane, Or- leans; Smith K. Hopkins, Truro; Benjamin Oliver, Wellfleet.
1864. Charles Marston, Barnstable, E. G. Burgess, Falmouth; Ezra T. Pope, Sandwich; Isaac B. Young, Chatham; M. S. Underwood, Dennis; David G. Eldridge, Yarmouth: Sylvanus Smith, Eastham; David Wiley, Wellfleet; Henry Shortle, Provincetown.
1865. Ezra T. Pope, Sandwich; Silas Jones, Falmouth; Simeon L. Leonard, Barnstable; David G. Eldridge, Yarmouth; Joseph Hall, Dennis; Solomon Thacher, Harwich; Tully Crosby, Brewster; Henry Shortle, Provincetown; Amasa Paine, Truro.
1866. Isaac K. Chipman, Sandwich: Silas Jones, Falmouth; S. L. Leonard, Barnstable; Edmund Flinn, Chatham; Joseph Hall, Dennis; Solomon Thacher, Harwich; Truman Doane, Orleans; Freeman A. Smith, Provincetown; Nathaniel H. Dill, Wellfleet.
The apportionment of 1865 for the next decade put Barnstable, Sandwich, Falmouth and Yarmouth into the First district for three representatives; Dennis, Harwich and Brewster composed the Second, for two; Chatham and Orleans made the Third, for one; and the four lower towns made the Fourth district, which was entitled to two rep- resentatives, all to be elected in November, 1866. The several incum- bents' names and year in which each was in office stand thus:
1867. Isaac K. Chipman, Sandwich; George Marston, Barnstable;
1
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CIVIL HISTORY AND INSTITUTIONS.
Heman B. Chase, Yarmouth; Solomon Thacher, Harwich; Frederick Hebard, Dennis; Edmund Flinn, Chatham; Nathaniel H. Dill, Well- fleet; Jesse Pendegrast. Truro.
1868. Alvah Holway. Sandwich; Lemuel B. Simmons, Barnstable; Heman B. Chase, Yarmouth; Samuel H. Gould, Brewster; Seth Cro- well, Dennis; Ensign B. Rogers, Orleans: Henry Shortle, Province- town; John H. Bangs, Eastham.
1869. Lemuel B. Simmons, Barnstable; Francis A. Nye, Falmouth; Alvah Holway, Sandwich; Samuel H. Gould, Brewster; Shubael B. Kelley, Harwich; Ensign B. Rogers, Orleans; John C. Peake, Well- fleet; Obadiah S. Brown. Truro.
1870. Francis A. Nye. Falmouth; Warren Marchant, Sandwich; Henry Goodspeed, Barnstable; Shubael B. Kelley, Harwich; Joseph K. Baker, jr., Dennis; Thomas Holway, Chatham; Joseph P. Johnson. Provincetown; George T. Wyer, Wellfleet.
1871. Henry Goodspeed, Barnstable; J. B. D. Cogswell, Yarmouth; Ezra C. Howard, Sandwich; Erastus Chase, Harwich; Joseph K. Baker, Dennis; Thomas Holway. Chatham; Joseph P. Johnson; Provincetown; George T. Wyer, Wellfleet.
1872. Ezra C. Howard, Sandwich; J. B. D. Cogswell. Yarmouth; Nathaniel Sears, Barnstable; Erastus Chase, Harwich; Zoeth Snow, jr., Brewster; Lot Higgins, Orleans; Jesse S. Pendergrast, Truro; Reuben G. Sparks, Provincetown.
1873. J. B. D. Cogswell, Yarmouth; Nathaniel Sears, Barnstable; Philip H. Robinson, Sandwich; David P. Howes, Dennis; Zoeth Snow, jr., Brewster; Lot Higgins, Orleans; R. G. Sparks, Provincetown; Thomas N. Stone, Wellfleet.
1874. Levi L. Goodspeed, Barnstable; Philip H. Robinson, Sand- wich; Joshua C. Robinson. Falmouth; David P. Howes, Dennis; George D. Smalley, Harwich; Solomon E. Hallett, Chatham; Henry Shortle, Provincetown; Lewis Lombard, Eastham.
1875. Levi L. Goodspeed, Barnstable; Joshua C. Robinson, Fal- mouth; Isaac N. Keith. Sandwich; George D. Smalley, Harwich; Luther Fisk, Dennis; S. Eldredge Hallett, Chatham; Isaiah A. Small, Provincetown; Edward W. Noble, Truro.
1876. Samuel Snow, Barnstable; Daniel Wing, Yarmouth; I. N. Keith, Sandwich; Freeman Doane, Orleans; Isaiah Small, Province- town; Noah Swett, Wellfleet; Elisha Crocker, jr., Brewster; Luther Fisk, Dennis.
The relative decrease in population at the next decade left Barn- stable county entitled to six representatives from 1877 to 1886, inclu- sive. Six districts were formed, with one representative to each, the first embracing Sandwich and Falmouth; the second Barnstable and Mashpee; the third Yarmouth and Dennis; the fourth Harwich and
4
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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.
Chatham; the fifth Brewster, Orleans, Eastham and Wellfleet; and the sixth including Truro and Provincetown. The representatives dur- ing this decade with the year of service were:
1877. Crocker H. Bearse, Falmouth; Samuel Snow, Barnstable; Daniel Wing, Yarmouth; Abiathar Doane, Harwich; Noah Swett, Wellfleet; Henry Shortle, Provincetown.
· 1878. Isaiah Fish, Sandwich; Asa Lovell, Barnstable; Thomas Prince Howes, Dennis; Abiathar Doane, Harwich; Freeman Doane, Orleans; Henry Shortle, Provincetown.
1879. Isaiah Fish, Sandwich; Asa Lovell, Barnstable; Thomas P. Howes, Dennis; Rufus Smith, Chatham; Elisha Crocker, jr., Brewster; Bangs A. Lewis, Provincetown.
1880. James E. Gifford, Falmouth; Clark Lincoln, Barnstable; Charles F. Swift, Yarmouth; Erastus Nickerson, Chatham; Jesse H. Freeman, Wellfleet; Joseph P. Johnson, Provincetown.
1881. James E. Gifford, Falmouth; Clark Lincoln, Barnstable; Charles F. Swift, Yarmouth; Watson B. Kelley, Harwich; Jesse H. Freeman, Wellfleet; Atkins Hughes, Truro.
1882. Bradford B. Briggs, Sandwich; F. D. Cobb, Barnstable; David Fisk, Dennis: Watson B. Kelley, Harwich; John A. Clark, Eastham; Atkins Hughes, Truro.
1883. Bradford B. Briggs, Sandwich; F. D. Cobb, Barnstable; David Fisk, Dennis; Clarendon A. Freeman, Chatham; Solomon Linnell 2d, Orleans; Edward E. Small, Provincetown.
1884. Meltiah Gifford, Falmouth; Zenas E. Crowell, Barnstable; Joshua Crowell, Dennis; Clarendon A. Freeman, Chatham; Solomon Linnell, 2d, Orleans; Edward E. Small, Provincetown.
1885. Asa P. Tobey, Falmouth; Z. E. Crowell, Barnstable; Joshua Crowell, Dennis; Ambrose N. Doane, Harwich; Tully Crosby, jr., Brewster; Benjamin D. Atkins, Provincetown.
1886. Charles Dillingham, Sandwich; Watson F. Hammond, Mash- pee; George H. Loring, Yarmouth; Ambrose N. Doane, Harwich; Isaiah C. Young, Wellfleet; Benjamin D. Atkins, Provincetown.
The present apportionment, made in 1886 from the census of 1885, entitles the county to four representatives. The First district includes Dennis and the six towns west of it, and elects two representatives. Charles Dillingham, Sandwich, and George H. Loring, Yarmouth, represented this district in 1887; A. R. Eldridge, Bourne, and Joshua Crowell, Dennis, represented it in 1888 and 1889; and Nathan Edson, Barnstable, and George E. Clarke, Falmouth, in 1890.
The second district, with one representative, includes the towns of Harwich, Chatham, Brewster and Orleans. It was represented in 1887 by John H. Clark, Brewster; in 1888 by Joseph W. Rogers, Or- leans; in 1889 by George Eldridge, Chatham; and in 1890 by Dr. George N. Munsell, Harwich.
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CIVIL HISTORY AND INSTITUTIONS.
The lower four towns are embraced in the third district. which was represented in 1887 by Isaiah C. Young, Wellfleet; in 18SS and 1889 by David Conwell, Provincetown; and in 1890 by Richard A. Rich, of Truro.
SHERIFFS .- William Bassett was the first sheriff of the county. He was appointed under the charter, May 27, 1692. The successive in- cumbents have been: From 1699, Samuel Allen; 1713, Shubael Gor- ham; 1715, Joseph Lothrop; 1721, John Russell; 1731, John Hedge; 1734, Shubael Gorham; 1748, John Gorham; 1764, Nathaniel Stone; 1775, Enoch Hallett; 1788, Joseph Dimmick; 1808, James Freeman; 1816, Wendell Davis; 1823, David Crocker; 1843, Nathaniel Hinckley; 1848, Charles Marston; 1852, Daniel Bassett; 1853, David Bursley; 1856, Charles C. Bearse; 1863, David Bursley; 1878, Levi L. Goodspeed; 1880, Thomas Harris; 1884, Luther Fisk; 1890, Joseph Whitcomb. of Pro- vincetown.
In 1720 Shubael Gorham was appointed "to be joint sheriff with Mr. Lothrop." The office of " joint sheriff" and " sole sheriff " are occasionally noted in the records of those years.
REGISTERS OF DEEDS .- The early deeds were recorded at Plymouth, but in 1686 Joseph Lothrop, as register for the new county. recorded on the fifth of October the first deed at Barnstable. The succeeding registers have been: William Bassett, John Thacher, Solomon Otis, Edward Bacon, Ebenezer Bacon, Job C. Davis, Lothrop Davis, Fred- erick Scudder, Smith K. Hopkins from 1874, Asa E. Lovell from 1877, and Andrew F. Sherman from 1887.
COUNTY INSTITUTIONS .-- Associations for more effective work in the church, and societies for the advancement of agriculture and other arts, have been formed in the county during the present cen- tury, of which the conference of the Congregational churches is the oldest. This was formed October 28, 1828, for the promotion of a closer union of its ministers and societies. No written constitution was adopted until April 26, 1837, and of this a revision was made in January, 1845. The pastors of the churches of the county. also those of Dukes county, with two lay members from each society, constitute the membership. The meetings are held in different towns, accord- ing to appointment, twice in each year.
The Barnstable Baptist Association was organized in 1832. embrac- ing the societies of that faith on the Cape, and at Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. The association, consisting now of fifteen churches, has a constitution for its government, and holds its sessions at least annually, commencing on the second Wednesday in Septem- ber in each year. Each church is allowed to send its pastor and four lay members, called messengers. The officers are a moderator, clerk and treasurer. To this association each church sends a communica-
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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.
tion containing an account of its condition and prosperity. The body has certain powers of its own, and has for its object the promotion of piety.
The Barnstable County Mutual Fire Insurance Company was char- tered in March, 1833, and in August of the same year opened its prin- cipal office at Yarmouth Port. The executive officers are the pres- ident and the secretary, who is also treasurer. The presidents in suc- cession, have been: David Crocker, Eben Bacon, Zenas D. Bassett, David K. Akin and Joseph R. Hall. The first secretary and treas- urer was Amos Otis, succeeded by his son, George Otis, and he, in January, 1882, by Frank Thacher, the present incumbent. The career of this institution has been uniformly successful. Careful manage- ment has reduced the average net cost of insurance to one-third the usual rates.
The Cape Cod Historical Society was organized at a meeting held at the camp meeting grove in Yarmouth, August 5, 1882. Its object, as stated in its constitution, is "the collection, preservation and dis- semination of facts of local history." The fee for membership was placed at two dollars, with a liability to assessment not exceeding one dollar per year. For life members the fee is ten dollars, without any additional charges. The annual meetings of the society are held on the 22d of February, or the day of its legal observance. At these meetings original papers are read, and discussions of historical sub- jects are conducted. When practicable a summer meeting is held or an excursion provided to some spot of historic interest. Three such occasions have occurred during the existence of the society-one in 1883, when a clambake was served near the site of the ancient trad- ing port of the pilgrims, at Manomet, when an address was delivered by Hon. Thomas Russell. and appropriate speeches made by other gentlemen. The following year the party visited Sandwich and inspected the site of the Cape Cod ship canal. One year some fifty members and their friends visited Plymouth and thoroughly explored its historic sites, burial grounds and record halls, and the rooms of the Pilgrim Society. Papers have been prepared and read at the annual meetings of the society which are worthy of preservation in a permanent form, and would make an interesting and instructive volume. They were written by Josiah Paine, Thomas P. Howes, E. S. Whittemore, Shebnah Rich, C. C. P. Waterman and Charles F. Swift.
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