USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > History of the town of Middleboro, Massachusetts > Part 41
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1714. Capt. Jacob Tomson, Lieut. Joseph Vaughan, and Ens. El- kanah Leonard.
1715. Capt. Jacob Tomson, Peter Bennett, and Rodolphus Elmes.
1716. Capt. Jacob Tomson, Lieut. Joseph Vaughan, and John Ben- nett, Jr.
1717. Capt. Jacob Tomson, Capt. Joseph Vaughan, and John Ben- nett, Jr.
1718. Capt. Jacob Tomson, Capt. Joseph Vaughan, and John Ben- nett.
1719. Jacob Tomson, John Bennett, and Ichabod Southworth.
1720. Capt. Jacob Tomson, Capt. Joseph Vaughan, and John Ben- nett.
1721. Capt. Jacob Tomson, John Bennett, and Lieut. Ichabod Southworth.
1722. Capt. Jacob Tomson, Capt. Joseph Vaughan, and Lieut. Ichabod Southworth.
522
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1723-42
1723. Capt. Jacob Tomson, John Bennett, and Deacon Samuel Barrows.
1724. Capt. Jacob Tomson, John Bennett, and Deacon Samuel Barrows.
1725. Capt. Jacob Tomson, Lieut. Nathaniel Southworth, and Dea- con Samuel Barrows.
1726. Capt. Jacob Tomson, Deacon Samuel Barrows, and Lieut. Nathaniel Southworth.
1727. Capt. Jacob Tomson, Deacon Samuel Barrows, and Lieut. Nathaniel Southworth.
1728. Deacon Samuel Barrows, Capt. Ichabod Southworth, John Bennett, John Tinkham, and Elkanah Leonard.
1729. Deacon Samuel Barrows, Capt. Ichabod Southworth, John Bennett, Lieut. Nathaniel Southworth, and John Tinkham.
1730. Deacon Samuel Barrows, Capt. Ichabod Southworth, Lieut. Nathaniel Southworth, John Bennett, and John Tinkham.
1731. Deacon Samuel Barrows, Capt. Ichabod Southworth, Lieut. Nathaniel Southworth, John Bennett, and John Tinkham.
1732. Deacon Samuel Barrows, Capt. Ichabod Southworth, John Bennett, John Tinkham, and Thomas Nelson.
1733. Deacon Samuel Barrows, Capt. Ichabod Southworth, John Bennett, Elkanah Leonard, and Jacob Tomson.
1734. Deacon Samuel Barrows, Capt. Ichabod Southworth, John Bennett, Elkanah Leonard, and Jacob Tomson.
1735. Capt. Ichabod Southworth, John Bennett, Jacob Tomson, Elkanah Leonard, and Benjamin White, Esq.
1736. John Bennett, Capt. Nathaniel Southworth, Jacob Tomson, Elkanah Leonard, and Benjamin White, Esq.
1737. John Bennett, Nathaniel Southworth, Jacob Tomson, Elkanah Leonard, Esq., Benjamin White, Esq.
1738. John Bennett, Capt. Nathaniel Southworth, Jacob Tomson, Elkanah Leonard, and Benjamin White, Esq.
1739. John Bennett, Capt. Nathaniel Southworth, Jacob Tomson, Elkanah Leonard, Esq., and Benjamin White, Esq.
1740. John Bennett, Capt. Nathaniel Southworth, Jacob Tomson, Elkanah Leonard, Esq., and Benjamin White, Esq.
1741. John Bennett, Capt. Nathaniel Southworth, Jacob Tomson, Elkanah Leonard, Esq., and Benjamin White, Esq.
1742. Capt. Nathaniel Southworth, Jacob Tomson, Benjamin White, Esq., Ens. Jonathan Smith, and Deacon John Hackett.
.
1743-62]
523
SELECTMEN
1743. John Bennett, Capt. Ichabod Southworth, Capt. Nathaniel Southworth, Lieut. Jacob Tomson, and Benjamin White, Esq.
1744. Deacon Samuel Barrows, Capt. Ichabod Southworth, Capt. Nathaniel Southworth, Deacon Samuel Wood, and Capt. Eben- ezer Morton.
1745. Capt. Ichabod Southworth, Capt. Nathaniel Southworth, Lieut. Jacob Tomson, Capt. Ebenezer Morton, and Peter Oliver, Esq.
1746. Capt. Ichabod Southworth, Capt. Nathaniel Southworth, Lieut. Jacob Tomson, Capt. Ebenezer Morton, and Peter Oliver, Esq.
1747. John Bennett, Capt. Ichabod Southworth, Capt. Nathaniel Southworth, Lieut. Jacob Tomson, and Capt. Ebenezer Mor- ton.
1748. Capt. Ichabod Southworth, Peter Oliver, Esq., Lieut. Jona- than Smith, Nathaniel Smith, and Deacon Benjamin Tucker.
1749. Capt. Ichabod Southworth, Lieut. Jonathan Smith, Nathaniel Smith, Deacon Benjamin Tucker, and John Weston.
1750. Capt. Ichabod Southworth, Lieut. Jonathan Smith, Nathaniel Smith, Deacon Benjamin Tucker, and John Weston.
1751. Lieut. Jonathan Smith, Capt. Nathaniel Smith, Deacon Ben- jamin Tucker, Thomas Nelson, Jr., and Elias Miller.
1752. Lieut. Jonathan Smith, Capt. Nathaniel Smith, Deacon Ben- jamin Tucker, Thomas Nelson, Jr., and Elias Miller.
1753. Lieut. Jonathan Smith, Thomas Nelson, Jr., and Elias Miller. 1754. Lieut. Jonathan Smith, Thomas Nelson, Jr., and Elias Miller. 1755. Elias Miller, Elder Mark Haskell, and Joseph Tinkham.
1756. Elias Miller, Elder Mark Haskell, and Joseph Tinkham.
1757. Elias Miller, Lieut. Thomas Nelson, and Joseph Thomp- son.
1758. Lieut. Thomas Nelson, John Thompson, Gershom Cobb, David Alden, and Ens. Isaac Peirce.
1759. Lieut. Thomas Nelson, John Thompson, David Alden, John Montgomery, and Henry Thomas.
1760. Lieut. Thomas Nelson, John Montgomery, Henry Thomas, Lieut. Benjamin White, and Ichabod Wood.
1761. Lieut. Thomas Nelson, John Montgomery, Henry Thomas, Lieut. Benjamin White, Ichabod Wood.
1762. Lieut. Benjamin White, Ichabod Wood, Samuel Snow, Capt. Nathaniel Smith, and William Harlow.
524
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1763-82
1763. Lieut. Thomas Nelson, Lieut. Benjamin White, Ichabod Wood, William Harlow, and Capt. Gideon Southworth.
1764. Lieut. Thomas Nelson, Lieut. Benjamin White, Ichabod Wood, John Thompson, and Gideon Southworth.
1765. Lieut. Thomas Nelson, Lieut. Benjamin White, Ichabod Wood, Capt. Gideon Southworth, and Hon. Peter Oliver.
1766. Capt. Nathaniel Smith, Ichabod Wood, John Montgomery, Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt, and Joshua White.
1767. Capt. Nathaniel Smith, Joshua White, Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt, Nathaniel Wood, and Edward Washburn.
1768. Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt, John Montgomery, Joshua White, Ens. Nathaniel Wood, and Zebulon Leonard.
1769. John Montgomery, Joshua White, Zebulon Leonard, Ens. Nathaniel Wood, and Nathaniel Bumpus.
1770. John Montgomery, Joshua White, Ichabod Wood, Zebulon Leonard, and Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt.
1771. John Montgomery, Ichabod Wood, Zebulon Leonard, Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt, and Capt. Benjamin White.
1772. John Montgomery, Ichabod Wood, Zebulon Leonard, Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt, and Capt. Benjamin White.
1773. Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt, Capt. Benjamin White, Zebulon Leonard, Capt. William Canedy, and Jacob Bennett.
1774. Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt, Capt. Benjamin White, William Harlow, George Leonard, and Nathaniel Sampson.
1775. Maj. Ebenezer Sproutt, Capt. Joshua White, William Harlow, George Leonard, and Nathaniel Sampson.
1776. William Harlow, George Leonard, Nathaniel Sampson, Capt. Nathaniel Wood, and Abner Kingman.
1777. William Harlow, Nathaniel Sampson, Capt. Nathaniel Wood, Lieut. Abner Kingman, and. Amos Nelson.
1778. Capt. Nathaniel Wood, Lieut. Abner Kingman, Maj. John Nelson, Deacon Amos Nelson, and Isaac Thompson.
1779. Isaac Thompson, Edmund Wood, Thomas Nelson, John Alden, and Henry Strobridge.
1780. Isaac Thompson, Edmund Wood, Thomas Nelson, John Alden, and Henry Strobridge.
1781. Isaac Thompson, Thomas Nelson, Lieut. John Murdock, Lieut. Ezra Harlow, and Rufus Richmond.
1782. Isaac Thompson, Thomas Nelson, Lieut. John Murdock, Capt. Ezra Harlow, and Rufus Richmond.
525
SELECTMEN
1783-1801]
1783. Isaac Thompson, Thomas Nelson, Lieut. John Murdock, Rufus Richmond, and Zachariah Weston.
1784. Isaac Thompson, Thomas Nelson, Capt. Ezra Harlow, Rufus Richmond, and Capt. Abner Bourne.
1785. Isaac Thompson, Thomas Nelson, Capt. Ezra Harlow, Rufus Richmond, and Capt. Abner Bourne.
1786. Isaac Thompson, Thomas Nelson, Capt. Ezra Harlow, Rufus Richmond, and Capt. Abner Bourne.
1787. Capt. Ezra Harlow, Joshua White, Esq., Lieut. Peter Hoar, Isaac Soul, and Noah Clark.
1788. Isaac Thompson, Thomas Nelson, Rufus Richmond, Capt. Abner Bourne, and Nehemiah Bennett.
1789. Isaac Thompson, Esq., Thomas Nelson, Rufus Richmond, Capt. Abner Bourne, and Nehemiah Bennett.
1790. Isaac Thompson, Rufus Richmond, Lieut. John Murdock, Nehemiah Bennett, Capt. Perez Churchill, Capt. James Peirce, and Lieut. Robert Strobridge.
1791. Isaac Thompson, Esq., Nehemiah Bennett, David Richmond, Zebulon Leonard, and Hugh Montgomery.
1792. Isaac Thompson, Esq., Nehemiah Bennett, David Richmond, Zebulon Leonard, and Hugh Montgomery.
1793. Isaac Thompson, Nehemiah Bennett, David Richmond, Zeb- ulon Leonard, and Hugh Montgomery.
1794. Hon. Isaac Thompson, Nehemiah Bennett, David Richmond, Zebulon Leonard, and Hugh Montgomery.
1795. Hon. Isaac Thompson, Nehemiah Bennett, Esq., Capt. Peter Hoar, Hugh Montgomery, and Zephaniah Shaw.
1796. Hon. Isaac Thompson, David Richmond, Hugh Montgomery, Capt. Peter Hoar, Capt. John Carver.
1797. Hon. Isaac Thompson, Nehemiah Bennett, Esq., David Richmond, Hugh Montgomery, and Rufus Richmond.
1798. Nehemiah Bennett, Esq., David Richmond, Hugh Mont- gomery, Rufus Richmond, and Samuel Tucker.
1799. Lieut. John Tinkham, Ens. John Morton, Samuel Tucker, Samuel Pickens, and Zephaniah Shaw.
1800. Lieut. John Tinkham, Capt. John Morton, Samuel Tucker, Samuel Pickens, and Zephaniah Shaw.
1801. Maj. Peter Hoar, Lieut. John Tinkham, Samuel Tucker, Samuel Pickens, and Luke Reed.
526
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1802-21
1802. Maj. Peter Hoar, Lieut. John Tinkham, Capt. John Morton, Samuel Tucker, and Luke Reed.
1803. Maj. Peter Hoar, Lieut. John Tinkham, Capt. John Morton, Samuel Tucker, and Luke Reed.
1804. Lieut. John Tinkham, Capt. John Morton, Samuel Pickens, Luke Reed, and Elijah Shaw.
1805. Capt. John Morton, Samuel Pickens, Luke Reed, Capt. Wil- liam Thompson, and Ens. Samuel Cobb.
1806. Capt. John Morton, Samuel Pickens, Luke Reed, Capt. Wil- liam Thompson, and Ens. Samuel Cobb.
1807. Maj. Peter Hoar, Samuel Pickens, Capt. Calvin Pratt, Jo- seph Cushman, and Lieut. Seth Miller.
1808. Maj. Peter Hoar, Samuel Pickens, Esq., Capt. Calvin Pratt, Lieut. Joseph Cushman (2d), and Martin Keith.
1809. Maj. Peter Hoar, Samuel Pickens, Esq., Capt. Calvin Pratt, Lieut. Joseph Cushman (2d), and Martin Keith.
1810. Maj. Peter Hoar, Samuel Pickens, Esq., Luke Reed, Lieut. Seth Miller, Jr., and Thomas Weston.
1811. Maj. Peter Hoar, Samuel Pickens, Esq., Capt. Calvin Pratt, Lieut. Seth Miller, Jr., and Thomas Weston.
1812. Peter Hoar, Esq., Samuel Pickens, Esq., Luke Reed, Seth Miller, Jr., Esq., and Thomas Weston, Esq.
1813. Peter Hoar, Esq., Samuel Pickens, Esq., Luke Reed, Seth Miller, Jr., Esq., and Thomas Weston, Esq.
1814. Peter Hoar, Esq., Samuel Pickens, Esq., Thomas Weston, Esq., William Nelson, and Seth Eaton, Jr.
1815. Peter Hoar, Esq., Samuel Pickens, Esq., Thomas Weston, Esq., William Nelson, and Seth Eaton, Jr.
1816. Samuel Pickens, Esq., Thomas Weston, Esq., William Nel- son, Seth Eaton, Jr., and Samuel Bates.
1817. Thomas Weston, Esq., William Nelson, Seth Eaton, Jr., Samuel Bates, and Capt. Ebenezer Pickens.
1818. Thomas Weston, Esq., William Nelson, Seth Eaton, Jr., Capt. Ebenezer Pickens, and Capt. Enoch Haskins.
1819. William Nelson, Seth Eaton, Jr., Capt. Enoch Haskins, Capt. Samuel Thompson, and Abner Clark. .
1820. Seth Miller, Jr., Esq., Seth Eaton, Jr., Capt. Enoch Haskins, Capt. Samuel Thompson, and Abner Clark.
1821. Seth Miller, Jr., Esq., Seth Eaton, Jr., Capt. Enoch Haskins, Capt. Samuel Thompson, and Abner Clark.
527
SELECTMEN
1822-41]
1822. Seth Miller, Jr., Esq., Seth Eaton, Jr., Capt. Enoch Haskins, Capt. Samuel Thompson, and Lieut. Abner Clark.
1823. Seth Miller, Jr., Esq., Seth Eaton, Esq., Capt. Enoch Has- kins, Capt. Samuel Thompson, and Abner Clark, Esq.
1824. Seth Miller, Esq., Seth Eaton, Esq., Capt. Enoch Haskins, Capt. Samuel Thompson, and Abner Clark, Esq.
1825. Seth Eaton, Esq., Capt. Enoch Haskins, Capt. Samuel Thomp- son, Abner Clark, Esq., and Samuel Harlow.
1826. Capt. Enoch Haskins, Capt. Samuel Thompson, Luther Wash- burn, and Nathan Washburn.
1827. Luther Washburn, Nathan Washburn, Samuel Harlow, Brad- ford Harlow, and Andrew Haskins.
1828. Luther Washburn, Nathan Washburn, Samuel Harlow, An- drew Haskins, and Reuel Thompson.
1829. Luther Washburn, Nathan Washburn, Andrew Haskins, Reuel Thompson, and Col. Benjamin P. Wood.
1830. Luther Washburn, Nathan Washburn, Andrew Haskins, Reuel Thompson, and Col. Benjamin P. Wood.
1831. Luther Washburn, Seth Eaton, Andrew Haskins, Bradford Harlow, and Col. Benjamin P. Wood.
1832. Seth Eaton, Esq., Andrew Haskins, Bradford Harlow, Col. Benjamin P. Wood, and Ethan Peirce.
1833. Bradford Harlow, Col. Benjamin P. Wood, Andrew Haskins, Capt. Eathan Peirce, and Lieut .- Col. Oliver Eaton.
1834. Bradford Harlow, Capt. Jonathan Cobb, Capt. Ethan Peirce, Capt. Nathaniel Staples, and Gamaliel Rounseville.
1835. Bradford Harlow, Capt. Jonathan Cobb, Luther Washburn, Capt. Nathaniel Staples, and Gamaliel Rounseville.
1836. Bradford Harlow, Capt. Jonathan Cobb, Luther Washburn, Capt. Nathaniel Staples, and Gamaliel Rounseville.
1837. Bradford Harlow, Capt. Jonathan Cobb, Luther Washburn, Capt. Nathaniel Staples, and Gamaliel Rounseville.
1838. Bradford Harlow, Capt. Jonathan Cobb, Gamaliel Rounse- ville, Zattu Pickens, Jr., and Thomas Doggett.
1839. Bradford Harlow, Gamaliel Rounseville, Zattu Pickens, Jr., Thomas Doggett, and Stillman Benson.
1840. Bradford Harlow, Gamaliel Rounseville, Zattu Pickens, Jr., Thomas Doggett, and Stillman Benson.
1841. Bradford Harlow, Gamaliel Rounseville, Zattu Pickens, Jr., Thomas Doggett, and Stillman Benson.
.
528
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1842-63
1842. Bradford Harlow, Gamaliel Rounseville, Zattu Pickens, Jr., Thomas Doggett, and Stillman Benson.
1843. Bradford Harlow, Gamaliel Rounseville, Zattu Pickens, Jr., Thomas Doggett, and Stillman Benson.
1844. Bradford Harlow, Gamaliel Rounseville, Zattu Pickens, Jr., Thomas Doggett, and Stillman Benson.
1845. Thomas Doggett, Stillman Benson, Jirah Winslow, Richard Sampson, and Venus Thompson.
1846. Thomas Doggett, Stillman Benson, Jirah Winslow, Richard Sampson, and Venus Thompson.
1847. Jirah Winslow, Venus Thompson, Ichabod F. Atwood, Wil- liams Eaton, and Nathaniel Sampson.
1848. Ichabod F. Atwood, Williams Eaton, Otis Soule, Nathaniel Sampson, and Job Peirce.
1849. Ichabod F. Atwood, Williams Eaton, Otis Soule, Nathaniel Sampson, and Abiel P. Booth, Esq.
1850. Otis Soule, Zephaniah Shaw, Asa T. Winslow, Ansel Benson, and Apollos Haskins.
1851. Asa T. Winslow, Apollos Haskins, Zephaniah Shaw, Capt. Jonathan Cobb, and Samuel Thompson.
1852. Otis Soule, Apollos Haskins, Capt. Jonathan Cobb, Asa T. Winslow, and Everett Robinson.
1853. Otis Soule, Capt. Jonathan Cobb, Asa T. Winslow, Andrew Haskins, and Everett Robinson.
1854. Stillman Benson, Thomas J. Wood, and Joseph T. Wood.
1855. Joseph T. Wood, Nathaniel Shurtleff, and Lewis Soule.
1856. Col. Benjamin P. Wood, Lewis Soule, and Cornelius B. Wood.
1857. Col. Benjamin P. Wood, Lewis Soule, and Cornelius B. Wood.
1858. Col. Benjamin P. Wood, Lewis Soule, and Cornelius B. Wood.
1859. Col. Benjamin P. Wood, Cornelius B. Wood, and George W. Wood.
1860. Col. Benjamin P. Wood, Cornelius B. Wood, and George W. Wood.
1861. Col. Benjamin P. Wood, Cornelius B. Wood, and George W. Wood.
1862. Col. Benjamin P. Wood, Sidney Tucker, and Ira Smith. 1863. Joseph T. Wood, Ira Smith, and Alpheus K. Bishop.
529
SELECTMEN
1864-1900]
1864. Joseph T. Wood, Ira Smith, and Alpheus K. Bishop.
1865. Joseph T. Wood, Joshua M. Eddy, and Abishai Miller. 1866. Joseph T. Wood, Joshua M. Eddy, and Abishai T. Clark. 1867. Joseph T. Wood, Joshua M. Eddy, and Thomas Smith. 1868. Joseph T. Wood, Thomas Smith, and Joshua M. Eddy. 1869. Joseph T. Wood, Thomas Smith, and Lewis Leonard.
1870. Joseph T. Wood, Lewis Leonard, and Isaac S. Cushman. 1871. Joseph T. Wood, Lewis Leonard, and Sylvester F. Cobb. 1872. Joseph T. Wood, Lewis Leonard, and Stillman Benson. 1873. Joseph T. Wood, Lewis Leonard, and Stillman Benson. 1874. Joseph T. Wood, Lewis Leonard, and Sylvester F. Cobb. 1875. Joseph T. Wood, Lewis Leonard, and Sylvester F. Cobb. 1876. Albert T. Savery, Alpheus K. Bishop, and Warren H. South- worth.1
1877. Joseph T. Wood,. Albert T. Savery, and Alpheus K. Bishop. 1878. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Alpheus K. Bishop. 1879. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Abishai T. Clark. 1880. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Nathaniel S. Cushing. 1881. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Nathaniel S. Cushing. 1882. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Nathaniel S. Cushing. 1883. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Nathaniel S. Cushing. 1884. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Nathaniel S. Cushing. 1885. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Sylvanus Mendall. 1886. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Sylvanus Mendall. 1887. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Sylvanus Mendall. 1888. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Sylvanus Mendall. 1889. Joseph T. Wood, Albert T. Savery, and Sylvanus Mendall. 1890. Albert T. Savery, Sylvanus Mendall, and Joseph E. Beals. 1891. Albert T. Savery, Jared F. Alden, and Joseph E. Beals. 1892. Albert T. Savery, Jared F. Alden, and Joseph E. Beals. 1893. Albert T. Savery, Jared F. Alden, and Edwin F. Witham. 1894. Albert T. Savery, Chas. W. Kingman, and Edwin F. Witham. 1895. Albert T. Savery, Chas. W. Kingman, and Edwin F. Witham. 1896. Albert T. Savery, Chas. W. Kingman, and Edwin F. Witham. 1897. Albert T. Savery, Chas. W. Kingman, and Edwin F. Witham. 1898. Albert T. Savery, Chas. W. Kingman, and Edwin F. Witham. 1899. Albert T. Savery, Chas. W. Kingman, and Edwin F. Witham. 1900. Albert T. Savery, Chas. W. Kingman, and Edwin F. Witham.
1 W. H. Southworth was elected, but did not accept, and J. T. Wood was afterwards elected.
530
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1681
TOWN CLERKS
Among the offices which, under the colonial law, each town was obliged to have, was that of town clerk. By the statute of the General Court at Plymouth in 1646, it was enacted that in every town in the colony some one should be appointed as clerk, with the special duty of keeping a register of the mar- riages, births, and burials, and by a statute of 1671 he was required to publish all contracts of marriage. From the first he kept a record of the election of all officers, and the impor- tant votes and acts of the town. In many cases these were quite full and complete. The publishing of intentions of mar- riage was observed throughout the colony until about the mid- dle of the last century, when it was discontinued by an act of the legislature. These were posted upon a bulletin prepared for the notices in the vestibule of the church.
There is a generally received tradition that William Hoskins 1 (sometimes spelled Haskins, and sometimes spelled Hodskins) was the first town clerk of Middleboro, but this is authenti- cated by no record. He was chosen by the town May 24, 1681, and according to tradition he had previously served for twelve years. He was one of the proprietors of the Twenty-six Men's Purchase, although at the breaking out of the war he was not in the fort. The rate of compensation for his services was fixed May 24, 1681, when the town agreed that he should receive for keeping their records, a load of fish, taken at the herring-weir and delivered at his house, for each year's ser- vices. His successors in this office usually served for a number of years, and their records, beginning with that of 1681, are full and accurate.
The following were town clerks from 1681 to 1900, with the date of election and the period for which they held this office : -
William Hoskins, May 24, 1681, twelve years. John Bennett, March 28, 1693, thirteen years. Jacob Tomson, March 14, 1706, thirty years.
1 See chapter on Early Settlers.
53I
TOWN TREASURERS
1736-1905]
Nathan Bassett, March -, 1736, one year. Jacob Tomson, March 16, 1737, seven years. Seth Tinkham, March 14, 1744, one year. Jacob Tomson, March 5, 1745, three years. Ebenezer Sproutt, March 28, 1748, seven years. Joseph Tinkham, March 31, 1755, twelve years. John Morton, March 23, 1767, eight years. Abner Barrows, March 13, 1775, six years. Nathaniel Wilder, March 5, 1781, six years. Jacob Bennett, March 5, 1787, one year. Nathaniel Wilder, March 10, 1788, two years. Cyrus Keith, March 1, 1790, fifteen years. Sylvanus Tillson, March 11, 1805, seventeen years.
Isaac Stevens, May 8, 1822, eight years. Reland Tinkham, March 3, 1830, two years. Foster Tinkham, March 5, 1832, three years. Allen Shaw, March 9, 1835, eleven years. Jacob B. Shaw, March 9, 1846, three years.
Everett Robinson, March 5, 1849, two years.
George Pickens, March 10, 1851, four years. Andrew M. Eaton, March 18, 1855, six years. Sidney Tucker, March 11, 1861, two years. John Shaw, Jr., March 9, 1863, one year.
Cornelius B. Wood, March 7, 1864, seventeen years.
Charles T. Thatcher, March -, 1881, to 1894.
Augustus M. Bearse, 1894 to 1898.
Amos H. Eaton, 1898 to the present time.
TOWN TREASURERS
The office of town treasurer was not created until after the union of the two colonies, when by a statute in 1693-94 it was enacted that there should be chosen in each town, at the time and in the same manner as other officers, " a town treasurer, who should have power to receive all debts and dues belonging or owing to such town or to the poor thereof, and to sue for and recover the same by due process of law ; also to pay out such monies according to order from the selectmen or officers ยท of the poor as they shall receive instructions of the town, and
532
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1711-1861
such treasurer shall make a true account to the town of such payments and receipts when required."
It is impossible to state when the first town treasurer was chosen under this law. The first to fill this office was Ephraim Tinkham, who served until March I, 17II. He had been a resident of the town for some time, and probably was duly chosen after the passage of this act, but of this we have no record excepting that he had been town treasurer up to March I, 17II.
Town treasurers from 171I, with the date of their election and term of service : -
Ephraim Tinkham, from - to March 1, 17II. Deacon Jonathan Cobb, March 1, 1711, four years.
John Bennett, Jr., March 7, 1715, seventeen years.
Samuel Tinkham, March 17, 1732, three years. Simon Lazel, March 17, 1735, one year. Jacob Thompson, March -, 1736, eight years. Benjamin Tucker, March 14, 1744, one year.
Jacob Thompson, March 5, 1745, three years. Elias Miller, March 28, 1748, nine years. John Thompson, March 14, 1757, ten years.
Captain Ebenezer Sproutt, March 23, 1767, two years. John Morton, March 27, 1769, six years. William Bennett, March 13, 1775, four years.
Nathaniel Wilder, March 1, 1779, twenty years. George Morton, March 11, 1799, six years. Levi Peirce, March 11, 1805, two years. Sylvanus Tillson, March 2, 1807, fifteen years. Levi Tinkham, May 8, 1822, five years. Isaac Stevens, April 2, 1827, three years.
Reland Tinkham, March 3, 1830, one year. Foster Tinkham, April 4, 1831, three years. Allen Shaw, March 11, 1834, twelve years. Jacob B. Shaw, March 9, 1846, three years. Everett Robinson, March 5, 1849, two years. George Pickens, March 10, 1851, four years. Andrew M. Eaton, March 18, 1855, six years. Sidney Tucker, March 11, 1861, two years.
533
DEPUTIES
1863-1905]
John Shaw, Jr., March 9, 1863, one year.
Cornelius B. Wood, March 7, 1864, seventeen years.
Charles T. Thatcher, March -, 1881, to 1894.
Augustus M. Bearse, 1894 to 1898.
Amos H. Eaton, 1898 to the present time.
DEPUTIES
The deputies to the Plymouth Colony Court were very im- portant officials in the Old Colony. As early as 1638, a law was enacted " that every town should make choice of two of their freemen, and the town of Plymouth four, to be the committees or deputies to join with the bench to enact and make all such laws and ordinances as shall be judged to be good and wholesome for the whole." These laws, however, " were to be propounded at one Court and not to be considered until the next Court, and afterwards to be confirmed, and that if any act, confirmed by the bench and committees, which, upon delib- eration, shall prove prejudicial, the freemen may, upon the next election, repeal the same and enact others useful for the whole." The expenses of these deputies were to be borne by the town; they were to receive the votes, not only of the freemen, but of such others as had taken the oath of fidel- ity, masters of families and inhabitants of the towns in which they lived ; and in order that the purity of this body might be carefully guarded, it was left for the bench and other mem- bers of the court to dismiss such individuals as they deemed improper, and for the town to choose other freemen in their place.
This act was passed in the early days, and the duties of the deputies were afterwards enlarged until they assumed all of the authority belonging to a legislative body acting for the benefit of the colony. In all matters which came before the magistrates they had an equal vote, and it was left with them to propose candidates for freemen. In the early history of Middleboro John Morton was chosen as the first deputy, for the years 1672 and 1673. In 1674 and 1675 John Tomson was
534
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1692-1750
the deputy, and there seem to have been no other deputies elected to represent the town until 1680, when John Tomson was reelected, and served for seven years up to 1686. At the close of Andros's administration Isaac Howland was elected for the years 1689 to 1692, when the Plymouth and Massa- chusetts colonies were united under the name of the Pro- vince of Massachusetts Bay in New England, and from that time the officers who had performed similar service in the Plymouth Colony Court were known as representatives to the Great and General Court.
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