USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Needham > History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711-1911 : including West Needham, now the town of Wellesley, to its separation from Needham in 1881, with some reference to its affairs to 1911 > Part 51
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Wellesley > History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711-1911 : including West Needham, now the town of Wellesley, to its separation from Needham in 1881, with some reference to its affairs to 1911 > Part 51
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 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
The following surveyors were also elected but excused: - Nathaniel Bullard, 1726, '30, Eleazer Kingsbery, 1727, Zachariah Mills, 1730, Henry Dewing, 1731, Jeremiah Fisher, 1731, Ebenezer Newell, 1737, Samuel Parker, 1741,
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
John Woodcock, 1743, Robert Ware, 1743, Jonathan Hunt- ting, 1743, Samuel Bacon, 1744, Eliakim Cook, 1748, Timothy Newell, 1750, Ebenezer Fisher, 1752, Joseph Daniell, Jr., 1761, '68, '72, Daniel Bacon, 1763, John Ayers, 1768.
Tythingmen, 1712-76: - John Parker, 1712, Ephraim Ware, 1713, Benjamin Mills, Sr., 1714, Jonathan Parker, 1715, '18, '19, Sergeant Joseph Daniell, 1716, '18, Joseph Haws, 1716, '24, '25, John Smith, Jr., 1717, Joseph Boyden, 1717, '20, Jeremiah Woodcock, 1718, '24, '34, Eleazer Kingsbery, 1719, Sergeant Thomas Metcalf, 1720, Samuel Parker, 1721, '23, '37, John Rice, 1721, Christopher Smith, 1722, Samuel Bacon, 1722, '30, '53, Samuel Wilson, 1723, '29, Ensign Thomas Fuller, 1725, Joseph Mills, 1726, Zach- ariah Mills, 1726, '38, '40, '46 (Lieutenant in 1746), Heze- kiah Broad, 1727, '28, Daniel Pratt, 1727, '28, '46, Josiah Newell, 1729, '35, '38, '41, John Smith, 1730, Andrew Dew- ing, 1731 (excused), Thomas Fuller, Jr., 1731, Peter Edes, 1731, '45, '47 (Ensign in 1747), Israel Mills, 1732, John Underwood, 1733, Lieut. Thomas Metcalf, 1734, Nathaniel Bullard, 1735, '37, Joseph Barber, 1736, William Chub, 1736, '41, '43, Stephen Bacon, 1739, James Smith, 1739, James Kingsbery, 1740, '45, John Woodcock, 1742, Josiah Ware, 1742, '50, '62, '67, David Mills, 1743, '47, Jonathan Parker, 1744, Ephraim Ware, Jr., 1744, Samuel Huntting, 1748 (the town refused to excuse him), 1763 (excused), '64, Nathaniel Tolman, 1748, Jonathan Smith, 1748, '49, Isaac Mills, 1749 (declined), Timothy Newell, 1749, '52, Ebenezer Fisher, 1750, '51, '53, '56, William Mills, Jr., 1751, '54, '56, Eleazer Kingsbery, Jr., 1752, Stephen Hunt- ting, 1754, '60, Jonathan Smith, 1755, '72, John Simpson 1755, Samuel Daniell, 1756, '68, Nathaniel Fisher, 1757, '70, Henry Dewing, Jr., 1757, Samuel Mackentire, 1758, '59, '63, '68, Amos Fuller, Jr., 1758, '65, Josiah Woodward, 1758, William Alden, 1758, John Kingsbery, 1759, '64, '69, Samuel Daggett, 1760, Reuben Dunton, 1761, John Mills.
679
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
1761, William Smith, 1762, Ebenezer Skinner, 1763, Joseph Daniell, 1765, Benjamin Whitney, 1766, Thomas Pain, 1766, '74, Silas Alden, 1767, '71, '72, John Ayers, 1768, Benjamin Mills, 1769, Thomas Hall, 1769, Aaron Smith, Jr., 1770, John Alden, 1770, Timothy Kingsbery, Jr., 1771, Isaac Underwood, 1771, Lieut. Samuel Townsend, 1772, Joseph Daniell, Jr., 1773, Ebenezer Clark, 1773, Nathaniel Tolman, 1773, Ephraim Stevens, 1774, Samuel Fisher, 1774, Oliver Mills, 1775, Josiah Newell, Jr., 1775, Samuel Huntting, 1775, Ensign Eliakim Cook, 1776, Jonathan Deming, 1776, Ebenezer Newell, 1776; all three sworn in 1776.
Field Drivers, 1712-76: - John Gill, 1712, Andrew Wat- kins, 1712, '13, Jonathan Smith, 1713, '15, '20, '23, '27, '29, 33, Nathaniel Bullard, 1713, '23, William Mills, 1713, Andrew Dewing, 1714, Samuel Wilson, 1714, '20, Ebenezer Mills, 1715, Jeremiah Gay, 1715, '21, '27-9, '31, '33, '42 (seven years), Christopher Smith, 1716, Henry Dewing, 1716, Robert Cook, Jr., 1720, John Woodcock, 1721, '39, Edmund Dewing, 1722, '24, Ebenezer Mills, 1722, Joseph Barber, 1724, '38, '48, Jonathan Gay, 1725, Robert Ware, 1725, '37, Joseph Haws, Jr., 1726, Nathaniel Tolman, 1726, Isaac Mills, 1728, '41, '42, '45, '47, Jeremiah Hawes, 1731, '35, '44, Hezekiah Kingsbery, 1732, '39, John Fuller, 1732, Jeremiah Woodcock, Jr., 1734, Robert Prentice, 1734, Josiah Broad, 1735, Isaac Gill, 1736, John Parker, 1736, 40, Ebenezer Skinner, 1737, '46, '47, Nathaniel Ayers, 1738, '40, Thomas Kinch, 1741, '43, '44, James Parker, 1741, John Ockinton, 1742, Jeremiah Fisher, 1743, Stephen Hunt- ting, 1743, '48, William Alden, 1745, Jesse Kingsbery, 1746, '55, Jonathan Mills, 1747, John Pain, Jr., 1748, Jonathan Deming, 1749, '55, William Smith, 1749, '59 (May 24), '64, Hezekiah Gay, 1750, Nathaniel Tolman, 1750, '76, Christopher Smith, 1751, '60, Jacob Mills, 1751, Samuel Daniell, 1752, '61, '62, Ebenezer Huntting, 1752, '62, Eliphalet Kingsbery, 1753, Ephraim Bullard, 1753, '54, Jeremiah Dewing, 1754, '56, Solomon Dewing, 1756, '58,
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Robert Smith, 1757, Ephraim Ware, Jr., 1757, Joshua Parker, 1757, Nathaniel Fisher, 1758, Ebenezer Fuller, 1759, '66 (perhaps did not serve as he was not sworn), Lieut. Samuel Townsend, 1759, Samuel Ware, 1760, '61, '76, Joseph Daniell, Jr., 1763, '71, Nathaniel Kingsbery, 1763, '65, Moses Kingsbery, 1764, '68, '69, Reuben Dunton, 1765, David Smith, 1766, Elisha Mills, 1766 (May 22), Samuel Daggett, 1767, '68, Silas Alden, 1767, Aaron Smith, Jr., 1768, Moses Bullard, 1768, Oliver Mills, 1769, Amos Mills, 1769, Jonathan Gay, 1769, Ebenezer Wilkinson, 1770, '74, '75, Ebenezer Ware, 1770, Josiah Newell, Jr., 1770, Nathaniel Fisher, 1771, Thomas Fuller, 1771, Eleazer Fuller, 1772, Ebenezer Clark, 1772, Thomas Hall, 1772, David Ockinton, 1773, Henry Dewing, 1773, '76, John Ayers, 1773, Lieut. Jonathan Day, 1774, John Bacon, Jr., 1774, Moses Fisk, 1775, Aaron Pain, 1775, Nathaniel Tolman, 1776, Samuel Ware, 1776.
There appears to be no record of the election of field drivers in 1717, 1718 and in 1719.
Fence Viewers, 1712-76 :- Thomas Fuller, 1712, '30 (Ensign, declined), Thomas Metcalf, 1712, '26, John Smith, Jr., 1713, '16, '19, '29, Joseph Daniell, 1713, '14 (Sergeant), '16, '17, '19, Joseph Mills, 1713, '16, '25, '31, Sergeant John Smith, 1714, John Parker, Sr., 1715, Ephraim Ware, Sr., 1715, '28, Joseph Boyden, 1716, '22, '26, James Kingsbery, 1717, William Mills, 1717, Robert Fuller, 1717, John Fisher, 1718, '20, Nathaniel Bullard, 1718, '22, John Rice, 1718, '24, Samuel Bacon, 1718, '21, '38, Samuel Wilson, 1719, '25, Joseph Barber, 1719, '27, Josiah Newell, 1720, '31, Chris- topher Smith, 1720, Nathaniel Tolman, 1720, '27 (excused), Ebenezer Ware, 1721, '27, Jeremiah Gay, 1723, Joseph Haws, 1723, '29, '30, '32, Matthew Tambling, 1724, Peter Edes, 1728, Robert Ware, 1730 (May 18, vice Thomas Fuller), '42 (September 6), '49, Jonathan Smith, 1732, '34, '35, '39-42, '44-7, '50 (twelve years), Edmund Dewing, 1733, Jeremiah Fisher, 1733, '36, Henry Dewing, 1734-6, '39-42,
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
47, '48 (nine years), John Pain, 1737, Ebenezer Skinner, 1738, '46, '47, William Chub, 1742, Robert Fuller, Jr., 1743, Jeremiah Woodcock, Jr., 1743, Jonathan Huntting, 1744, Josiah Newell, Jr., 1745, '46, Josiah Ware, 1748, Samuel Mackentire, 1749, Amos Fuller, 1749 (declined), Jonathan Deming, 1750, Samuel Daniell, 1751, '58, '61, '62, '71, Josiah Dewing, 1751, Josiah Woodward, 1752, John Edes, 1752, Christopher Smith, 1753, '55, '62, Hezekiah Gay, 1753, '57, William Smith, 1754, '56, '67, Aaron Smith, Jr., 1754, '67, '69, '70, '72, Henry Dewing, Jr., 1755, Amos Fuller, Jr., 1756, '58, Jonathan Smith, 1757, David Smith, 1758, '60, William Mills, Jr., 1759, Josiah Eaton, 1759, Samuel Daggett, 1760, Ebenezer Huntting, 1761, '64, Ebenezer Ware, Jr., 1763, Jacob Parker, 1763, Isaac Under- wood, 1763, Ebenezer Fuller, 1763, '65, '66, '69, '70-2, '74, '76 (nine years), Josiah Upham, Jr., 1764, Thomas Hall, 1764, '75, '76, John Bird, 1765, '66, Thomas Broad, 1766 (May 22), Ebenezer Ware, 1767, Stephen Huntting, 1768, Nathaniel Fisher, 1768, James Man, 1768, Elisha Mills, 1769, '70, Moses Bullard, 1769, '70, Jonathan Smith, 1771, Thomas Fuller, 1771, '73, '76, William Fuller, 1772, William Smith, 1772, Aaron Smith, 1773, Robert Smith, 1773, Na- thaniel Ware, 1774, Moses Fisk, 1774, Joseph Daniell, Jr., 1775, Silas Alden, 1775 (vice Ebenezer Ware), Benjamin Mills, 1776.
Committee to Reckon with the Town Treasurer 1712- 76: - Sergeant John Smith, 1727, Josiah Kingsbery, 1727, Dea. Timothy Kingsbery, Thomas Metcalf and Eleazer Kingsbery were chosen on March 10, 1728/9, to reckon with the "two Late Trefuerers", and the town clerk, Capt. Robert Fuller, was added to the committee on May 14, 1729, Capt. Robert Cook, 1730 (chosen on January 27, 1730/1), Andrew Dewing, 1730, '32, Thomas Metcalf, 1730, Nathaniel Bullard, 1732, Zachariah Mills, 1732, Jonathan Smith, 1732, Ensign Thomas Fuller, 1732 (those chosen on March I, 1731/2, doubtless audited the accounts of the year then
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
just completed), William Mills, James Smith and Jeremiah Woodcock were chosen on March 10, 1734/5, to reckon with former town treasurers, Dea. Timothy Kingsbery, 1736-9, '43, Ensign Thomas Fuller, 1736-9, Dea. Eleazer Kingsbery, 1736-8, Capt. John Fisher, 1739, Samuel Parker, 1743, '44, Jeremiah Fisher, 1743, '46, '47, '49, Amos Fuller, 1744, '46, , 47, Jonathan Parker, 1744, Josiah Newell, Jr., 1746, '47, 49, '60, '66; he was Deacon in 1749. The committee chosen on May 19, 1746, was to reckon with former town treasurers. If an auditing committee was elected every year the fact does not appear in the records. To continue the list :- Aaron Smith, 1749, '73, Jonathan Smith, Dea. Josiah New- ell and James Smith were chosen on June 25, 1750, to reckon with Capt. Robert Fuller, late treasurer, Ensign Eliakim Cook, 1753, '60, '63 (committee chosen September 12), Eleazer Kingsbery, Jr., 1753, '66 (Captain), '68, '69 (no "Jun!"), '71, '74, Jonathan Deming, 1753, Timothy Newell, 1754, '58, Dea. John Fisher, 1754, '58, Ebenezer Skinner, 1754, '58, Hezekiah Gay, 1756, Nathaniel Fisher, 1756, '60, '75, David Smith, 1756, Michael Metcalf, 1763, '66, '68, '69, '71, '75, Ensign Lemuel Pratt, 1763, Lieut. Jonathan Day, 1768, '69, '70, '75, Aaron Smith, Jr., 1770, '71, '74, Capt. Caleb Kingsbery, 1770, William Smith, 1773, Lieut. William Mackintash, 1773, William Fuller, 1774, '75. Aaron Smith, William Smith and William Mackintash were chosen on March 18, 1773, and reported for 1772, at a later date than was customary.
Sealers of Weights and Measures
The first law as to weights and measures in Massachusetts dates from 1631, and four years later the towns were required to have standard weights sealed by the marshal, then James Pen. In 1647 the selectmen and the constables were to choose a sealer of weights and measures, who was to hold office until his successor was appointed, and the Auditor-
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
General of the Colony was to be prepared to supply the weights and other standards. In 1679 the County treasurer was the authority in these matters, and in 1680 an extensive equipment of new scales, weights, and measures was obtained from London by the Colony. On January 29, 1717/18, the town of Needham chose John Smith, Sr., Samuel Parker and Thomas Metcalf to provide "Scalls and weights Such as the Law Directs" and "Meafuers for Standards for this town", and in 1720 John Fisher was chosen "to Seal Wights and Meafuers the first munday in April appointed to bring ye Sd Wights and meafuers to be proved". Mr. Fisher was not, however, the first sealer of weights and measures in Needham, Thomas Metcalf having been appointed in 1712. In 1773 two shillings were granted Capt. Caleb Kingsbery for repairing the "Towns Scale Beam". The sealer of weights and measures was usually chosen in May by the selectmen and one, or more, of the constables, acting to- gether, but in 1859, 1879, and other years, he appears to have been chosen in town meeting, or the nomination of the selectmen ratified. Late in 1802 the town paid Colonel Kingsbery $28.90 for a "Town Standard and for giting the same Sealed", and later in the year the Colonel obtained of Richard Austin a "pair of Brafs scales for the town standard", for $3, and also one "28 and one 7th weight for said town Standard". The latter cost $2.50.
In 1909 the town appropriated $400 for public scales and that autumn a Fairbanks scales was placed on the north side of the town hall.
A complete list of the sealers of weights and measures from 1712 to 1716 cannot be prepared from the town records which contain only the names of the following: - Thomas Metcalf, 1712, '28, '39 (Lieutenant in 1739), Matthew Tam- bling, 1713, '14, John Fisher, 1720, '21, Samuel Parker, 1729- 33, '35, '37 (seven years), Jeremiah Woodcock, Jr., 1741, 43-9, '53-5 (he ceased to be "Jr." in 1752), '58 (twelve years), John Fisher, Jr., 1759.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
The Haywards were a short-lived board, 1717-19, and consisted of either two or three men. This office was held by: - Christopher Smith, 1717, Henry Dewing, 1717, Jona- than Gay, 1718, Jonathan Smith, 1718, Edmund Dewing, 1718, Ephraim Ware, Jr., 1719, Zachariah Mills, 1719.
Sealers of Leather
The Sealers of Leather are referred to in the Acts of the General Court in 1692. Stephen Huntting was the first one in Needham and was chosen on March 14, 1719/20. Usually two were annually elected until they were abolished in 1867. In 1766 the town paid Samuel Daggett five shil- lings "for a hammer to Seal leather". In 1819-21 no sealers of leather were chosen, and in 1855 there were four.
Lieut. Jonathan Smith was a sealer of leather thirty- three years between 1769 and 1819. Jonathan Smith, pre- sumably the elder, had served ten years between 1745 and 1772, but it is possible that Jonathan, Jr., later known by his military title, should be credited with some of these years. Ephraim Pain was a sealer of leather thirty-one years from 1757 to 1791.
The Sealers of Leather from 1720 to 1776 were: - Stephen Huntting, 1720, '21, '30, Nathaniel Tolman, 1722, '23, Nathaniel Morse, 1725-8 (four years), Dea. Timothy Kings- bery, 1729, '46 (excused in 1731), Jeremiah Woodcock, Jr., 1731-4, '36, '38, '43, '44, '48, '49 (ten years), Dea. Jere- miah Woodcock, 1737, '39-42, '47 (six years), Jonathan Smith, Jr., 1745, Joshua Smith, 1748 (May 19), John Edes, 1750, John Keith, 1751, Joshua Parker, 1752, Timothy Kingsbery, Jr., 1753, Jonathan Smith, 1754-6, '59-61, '66 (May 22), '71, '72 (nine years), Ephraim Pain, 1757-70, '73, '74, '76 (seventeen years), Ebenezer Wilkinson, 1765, '66, '68, '70-3, '75, '76 (nine years), Moses Kingsbery, 1767, Jonathan Smith, Jr., 1769, '74, '75.1
1 Apparently there is no record of an election of a sealer of leather in certain years, and in 1737, 1741 and 1747 Jeremiah Woodcock may have been either the Deacon or his son as the record fails to indicate which it was.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Deerreaves, 1739-76: - John Goodanow, 1739-42 (four years), Jonathan Smith, 1739-42, '47-9 (seven years), Josiah Ware, 1743, '46, '49, '52-9, '61, '63-76 (twenty-six years and also nine years later, a total service of thirty- five years), Edmund Dewing, 1743, '44, Thomas Gardner, Jr., 1744, '46, Joshua Smith, 1746 (May 19), Henry Dewing, 1747, Nathaniel Man, 1748, Jeremiah Dewing, 1750, Jona- than Deming, 1750, '51, Eleazer Kingsbery, Jr., 1751, Jeremiah Fisher, 1752, Jesse Kingsbery, 1753, Solomon Dewing, 1754, '57, Theophilus Richardson, 1755, Aaron Smith, Jr., 1756, '76 ("Liet"), Jonathan Capron, 1758, Samuel Daggett, 1759, Lieut. Aaron Smith, 1760, '73-5 (four years), Ephraim Bullard, 1760, John Bird, 1761, Jonas Mills, 1762, Ebenezer Fuller, 1762, Samuel Huntting, 1763, Capt. Ephraim Jackson, 1764, Ebenezer Fisher, 1765, Jonathan Whitney, 1766, Ezekiel Richardson, 1767, Moses Dewing, 1768, '69, '71, Jonathan Gay, 1770, Samuel Ware, 1772.
Hogreaves, 1719-76: - Jonathan Smith, 1719,' 22, '30, Andrew Watkins, 1719, Caleb Smith, 1720, John Wood- cock, 1720, '25, '31, Samuel Bacon, 1721, '33, Samuel Morse, 1721, Josiah Newell, 1721, Ensign Thomas Fuller, 1722, '27, '28, Hezekiah Broad, 1723, '29, Aaron Smith, 1723, Stephen Huntting, 1724, '45 (possibly two individuals), John Pain, 1724, Henry Dewing, 1725, Jonathan Huntting, 1727, Dea. Jeremiah Woodcock, 1728, Thomas Fuller, Jr., 1728, Israel Mills, 1729, Samuel Smith, 1729, Edmund Dewing, 1729, '48, Nathaniel Ware, 1730, '43-7, '52 (seven years), Jeremiah Woodcock, Jr., 1730, Jonathan Smith, 1730, '44, '46, '52, Timothy Kingsbery, Jr., 1731, '36, Robert Ware, 1732, '38, Joseph Boyden, Jr., 1732, Josiah Ware, 1733, Samuel Bacon, Jr., 1733, Daniel Boyden, 1734, Eben- ezer Newell, 1734, Robert Prentice, 1735, Nathaniel Wood- cock, 1735, Joseph Daniell, 1736, Hezekiah Kingsbery, 1737, John Fuller, 1737, Edward Smith, 1738, '40, Stephen Dewing, 1739, Thomas Ockinton, 1739, '46-8, '56 (five
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
years), Nehemiah Mills, 1740, John Ockinton, 1740, John Pain, Jr., 1741, Jesse Kingsbery, 1741, Samuel Huntting, 1742, '47, Nathaniel Tolman, 1742, Samuel Mackentire, 1743, '50, Josiah Woodward, 1748, Ephraim Bullard, 1748, Ebenezer Skinner, 1749, Caleb Kingsbery, 1749, David Mills, 1749, '50, '51, Hezekiah Gay, 1749, Samuel Richard- son, 1750 (he had declined in 1748), David Smith, 1751, '52, '56, '59, '60, '64, Seth Wilson, 1751, Uriah Coller, 1753, '56, '61, '63, Ebenezer Huntting, 1753, '54, Henry Dewing, Jr., 1754, Theophilus Richardson, 1754, William Smith, 1755, '57, Samuel Daggett, 1755, Aaron Smith, Jr., 1755-7 (three years), Peter Edes, 1757, Jesse Knap, 1757, Chris- topher Smith, 1758, Moses Bullard, 1758, '62, '63, Ebenezer Fuller, 1758, '60, Samuel Ware, 1758, John Bird, 1759, '64, Ensign Peter Richardson, 1759 (May 24), Samuel Greenwood, 1761, Moses Kingsbery, 1761, '66, Abijah Mills, 1762, '63, Reuben Dunton, 1762, '75, Thomas Hall, 1762, '65, '68, Nathaniel Kingsbery, 1762, Jonas Mills, 1764, '70, David Hall, 1764, '72, Ebenezer Dewing, 1765, '66, Nathaniel Ware, Jr., 1765, '67, Timothy Kingsbery, Jr., 1765, '69, Nehemiah Mills, 1765, Jeremiah Gay, Jr., 1766, Ebenezer Wilkinson, 1766, Edward Beaverstock, 1766, Isaac Goodenow, Jr., 1766, Josiah Upham, Jr., 1767, '68, Amos Fuller, Jr., 1767, John Bacon, Jr., 1767, Moses Dewing, 1767, Henry Alden, 1768, Ebenezer Clark, 1768, Timothy Gay, 1768, David Ockinton, 1768, Thomas Descomb, 1769, Ithamar Smith, 1769, Samuel Alden, 1769, John Fuller, Jr., 1770, Jonathan Smith, 1770, Jonathan Kingsbery, 1770, '75, Elisha Mills, 1770, Jesse Kingsbery, 1771, Jonathan Deming, 1771, David Mills, Jr., 1771, William Mackentash, Jr., 1771, '73, Aaron Molton, 1771, Ephraim Woodward, 1771, Samuel Daniell, 1772, '76, Amos Mills, 1772, Timothy Broad, 1772, Joseph Col- burn, Jr., 1772, William Smith, 1772, Eleazer Fuller, 1773, Oliver Mills, 1773, Stephen Bacon, Jr., 1773, Luke Mills, 1773, Isaac Underwood, 1774, John Ayers, 1774, Jere- miah Daniell, 1774, Jonathan Smith, Jr., 1774, Solomon
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Fuller, 1774, Isaac Bacon, 1775, Amos Edes, 1775, Tim- othy Fisher, 1775, Richard Blencow, 1775, John MeIntash, 1776, Lemuel Mills, 1776, Ebenezer Day, 1776, Jeremiah Smith, 1776, Timothy Huntting, 1776, Moses Kingsbery, 1776.
Clerk of the Market and Sealers of Bread
The duties of the Clerk of the Market do not appear to be clearly defined, but by Act of the General Court in Decem- ber, 1696, they were directed to inspect all bread offered for sale, and if the loaf was below the required size to seize it, to retain one third of it as a fee, and to deliver the rest to the selectmen for the poor. The constables were directed to assist the clerk of the market when necessary. The office was held in Needham by John Fisher, Jr., in 1716, '17, '19, '22, and by Thomas Metcalf in 1718, but was discon- tinued in 1723. Sealers of Bread were first chosen in this town on March 16, 1772, when Timothy Newell, Lieut. William Mackintash and Ensign Ephraim Bullard were elected. The two former were succeeded the next year by Lieut. Jonathan Day and Ebenezer Newell. Sealers of Bread, usually two in number, were chosen annually until they were abolished on March 4, 1867. Amos Fuller, Jr., who served eleven years between 1789 and 1804, filled this office as long as anybody. Rufus Mills built "the Bake House", which in 1878 was removed from its location close by the road, just south of where the granite steps lead to the Dwight School, to the slope of North Hill, where it has been occupied as a dwelling from time to time. In February, 1909, the Bake House resumed its travels, was slid down from North Hill, and, after remaining partly in the road and partly on the Burrill place for two or three weeks, it was ulti- mately located, by John F. Mills, on Rosemary Street, on what was once Parish land. The building was badly damaged by fire on the afternoon of July 13, 1911.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Deacon Timothy Kingsbery was Surveyor of Hemp and Flax from March 10, 1735 to the spring of 1739, but had no successor.
Surveyors of Timber
On March 14, 1774, the town voted to "Chufe Three Perfons to be Surveyors of Timber this year", viz., Michael Metcalf, Aaron Smith, Jr., and Capt. Eleazer Kingsbery, but the next year none were chosen. There were two Sur- veyors of Lumber prior to 1844, when Seth Dewing became sole surveyor, and so continued for years, but later served with colleagues. In 1862 there were four surveyors of lumber.
Surveyors of Wood
The first Surveyors of Wood chosen in Needham were Benjamin Slack, Ephraim Bacon, Capt. Michael Harris, Jonathan Richardson, Lemuel Bracket, David Scot and Lieut. Jonathan Smith, who were elected at the annual meeting in 1805. Of these Messrs. Slack, Harris and Smith were prominent citizens, and Squire Slack held the office of surveyor of wood for many years, as did Solomon Flagg, Sr., who was elected for the first time in 1806. Capt. Michael Harris, Jr., was precocious as an office-holder, and in his twenties filled positions of importance in the town and parish, in addition to that of a militia captain. Lieutenant Smith was an active man in Needham, and the Wellesley Town Hall and Library occupy the site of his house. The survey- ors of wood were later known as Measurers of Wood, and have seldom exceeded fourteen in number, although there were seventeen in 1878; some years they have also been Weighers and Gaugers. In 1910 there were eight Measurers of Wood and Bark, two Surveyors of Lumber and six Public Weighers. . William Flagg was a surveyor of wood for thirty-three consecutive years, 1828-60, and Robert Mansfield thirty years, 1861-90. A brother of the latter,
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
John Mansfield, served twenty-six years between 1828 and 1859. Samuel W. Dix held this office for twenty-five years between 1821 and 1848, and Newell Smith an equally long time between 1825 and 1860. George W. Hoogs was for twenty-one years a surveyor for the Lower Falls, between 1810 and 1841.
JURYMEN
In Provincial times the list of proposed jurors, prepared by the selectmen, or by a special committee, was offered to the town for acceptance, as at the present day, and some were excused by vote of the town. On occasion each name in the list was acted on separately, and committees were appointed to "Regulate the Jury Box's", which were kept locked until a juryman was required. In modern times the names are drawn by the selectmen and one of the constables. The first record of a juryman in Needham is when Ephraim Ware, Sr., was selected as a Grand juror on July 1, 1719, and the second instance is the choice of Captain Cook as a Traverse juror on March II, 1733/4. Prior to 1776 the names of but twenty-nine other jurors are preserved in the Needham records; some of these were for the Superior Court, others for the General Sessions of the Peace or the Inferior Court.
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"FOR A THOUSAND YEARS IN THY SIGHT ARE BUT AS YESTERDAY WHEN IT IS PAST, AND AS A WATCH IN THE NIGHT".
Addenda
Apparently in ancient times The Hundreds Dividend reached some distance south of Blossom Street, and probably included the "School Farm", if not The Leg. The statement on page 21 that The Hundreds extended substantially to Blossom Street was influenced by the positive assurance of a native of West Needham (Wellesley), who has been regarded as an authority in such mat- ters, that that was the fact, but this opinion was at variance with impressions derived by the writer from the study of early records. It seems reasonably certain that the territory known in 17II as The Hundreds was larger than that so designated a century later.
In 1859 the aqueduct in Needham broke and for five days Boston was without its supply of water.
Israel Whitney was called "Deacon Would Be" by some people, but it does not appear how generally the worthy man's supposed ambition was thus recognized. Mr. Whitney had on one or more occasions received votes for the office of deacon, and his facetious title was in contrast with that of his neighbor, "Deacon Could Be."
The Tea and Toast Club, referred to on page 597, has invariably consisted of fifteen married ladies.
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