USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > History of the town of Middleboro, Massachusetts > Part 42
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The representatives from Middleboro to the General Court of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England from 1692 until 1905 were as follows : -
1692. John Tomson, Isaac Howland.
1693-1714. No record.
1715. John Bennett, Jr.
1716. Capt. Jacob Tomson.
1717. Malachi Holloway.
1718. John Bennett.
1719. Capt. Jacob Tomson.
1720. Dea. Samuel Barrows.
1721. John Bennett.
1722. Lieut. Ichabod Southworth.
1723. Edward Thomas.
1724. Nathaniel Southworth.
1725-28. Lieut. Nathaniel Southworth.
1729. Samuel Wood.
1730-31. Samuel Barrows.
1732. Lieut. Nathaniel Southworth.
1733-34. Dea. Samuel Barrows.
1735-37. Elkanah Leonard, Esq.
1738. John Bennett.
1739-43. Elkanah Leonard, Esq.
1744-45. Dea. Samuel Wood.
1746. Benjamin Tucker.
1747-48. Samuel Bennett.
1749. Peter Oliver.
1750. Voted not to send.
535
REPRESENTATIVES
1751-1806]
1751. Peter Oliver, Esq. 1752. No record.
1753-54. Capt. Nathaniel Smith.
1755-56. Ebenezer Sproutt. 1757. Capt. Nathaniel Smith.
1758-64. Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt.
1765. Daniel Oliver, Esq. 1766-67. Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt.
1768-69. Capt. Benjamin White.
1770. Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt.
1771-72. Capt. Benjamin White.
1773-74. Mr. Ebenezer Sproutt.
1775. Capt. Joshua White.
1776-77. Benjamin Thomas.
1777. Nathaniel Sampson. 1778. Maj. John Nelson.
1779. Dea. Benjamin Thomas.
1780. Dr. Samuel Clark.
1781-82. Ebenezer Wood.
1782. Isaac Thompson. 1783. Isaac Thompson.
1784. Isaac Thompson, Zebulon Sproat.
1785-86. Isaac Thompson.
.
1787. Joshua White, Esq., Ebenezer Wood, Perez Thomas, Noah Fearing, Esq. 1788. Benjamin Thomas. 1789. Zebulon Leonard.
1790. Zebulon Leonard, James Sproat.
1791-92. James Sproat, Esq.
1793. Nehemiah Bennett. 1794. James Sproat, Esq.
1795-98. Nathaniel Wilder.
1799. Capt. Nathaniel Wilder.
1800. Nathaniel Wilder.
1801-02. John Tinkham.
1803-04. Lieut. John Tinkham.
1805. Lieut. John Tinkham, John Morton, Levi Peirce, Chilling- worth Foster.
1806. Lieut. John Tinkham, Capt. John Morton, Levi Peirce, Dr. Chillingworth Foster.
4
536 HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1807-36
1807. John Tinkham, Levi Peirce, Maj. Jacob Cushman, Samuel Pickens.
1808. John Tinkham, Esq., Levi Peirce, Maj. Jacob Cushman, Sam- uel Pickens, Esq.
1809. Maj. Levi Peirce, Samuel Pickens, Esq., Maj. Peter Hoar, Thomas Weston.
1810. Samuel Pickens, Esq., Maj. Peter Hoar, Thomas Weston, Martin Keith, Esq., Hercules Cushman.
1811. Maj. Peter Hoar, Thomas Weston, Esq., Martin Keith, Esq., Hercules Cushman, Esq., Capt. Calvin Pratt.
1812. Thomas Weston, Esq., Martin Keith, Esq., Calvin Pratt, Esq., Maj. Levi Peirce, Rev. Joseph Barker.
1813. Rev. Joseph Barker.
1814-1815. Thomas Weston, Esq.
1816. Samuel Pickens, Esq.
1817-18. Seth Miller, Jr., Esq.
1819. Thomas Weston, Esq.
1820, Had no representative.
1821. Martin Keith, Esq.
1822. Seth Miller, Jr., Esq.
1823-24. Isaac Stevens, Esq.
1825. Seth Eaton, Arad Thompson, Thomas Sturtevant, Esq.
1826. Seth Eaton.
1827. William Nelson, Esq.
1828. Seth Eaton, Esq., William Nelson, Esq., Zachariah Eddy, Esq. 1829. Seth Eaton, Esq., William Nelson, Esq., Zachariah Eddy, Esq., Gen. Ephraim Ward, Oliver Peirce, Esq., John Benson. 1830. Hon. Hercules Cushman.
1831. Hon. Hercules Cushman, Silas Pickens, Ziba Eaton, Andrew' Haskins, Samuel Thompson, Esq., Elisha Clarke.
1832. Col. Benj. P. Wood, Reland Tinkham, Esq., Bradford Har- low, Capt. Nathaniel Staples, Luther Washburn, Tisdale Lincoln. 1833. Col. Benj. P. Wood, Bradford Harlow, Luther Washburn, Ephraim Leach, John Perkins, Capt. Ethan Peirce.
1834. Col. Benj. P. Wood, Samuel Thompson, Esq., Ephraim Leach, John Perkins, Capt. Ethan Peirce, Luther Murdock.
1835. Samuel Thompson, Esq., Andrew Haskins, Capt. Ethan Peirce, Ansel Benson.
1836. Andrew Hoskins, Ansel Benson, Capt. Jonathan Cobb, Reuben Hafford, Gamaliel Rounseville, George Atwood.
537
REPRESENTATIVES
1837-80]
1837. Gen. Ephraim Ward, Andrew Hoskins, Jonathan Cobb, Esq., Reuben Hafford, Gamaliel Rounseville, Lothrop Thomas, George Atwood.
1838. Tisdale Leonard, Eliab Ward, Esq., Stillman Benson.
1839. Tisdale Leonard, Eliab Ward, Esq., Stillman Benson, Zebu- lon K. Pratt.
1840. Zebulon K. Pratt, Dr. George Sturtevant, Consider Fuller, Thomas Doggett.
1841. Consider Fuller, Thomas Doggett.
1842. Eliab Ward, Esq., Dr. George Sturtevant.
1843-44. Dr. Morrill Robinson, William Shurtleff (2d).
1845-46. Capt. Josiah Tinkham, Asa T. Winslow.
1847. Cephas Shaw, Nahum M. Tribou.
1848. Cephas Shaw, Nahum M. Tribou.
1849. None sent.
1850-52. Joshua Wood, Everett Robinson.
1852. Joseph T. Wood, Eliab Ward.
1853. None sent.
1854. Joseph T. Wood, Richard Sampson.
1855. Col. Nathan King.
1856. Soranus Standish, Jared Pratt (2d).
1857. William H. Wood.
1858. Foster Tinkham.
1859. Everett Robinson.
1860. Andrew M. Eaton.
1861. Francis M. Vaughan.
1862. Andrew J. Pickens.
1863. Everett Robinson. 1864-65. George Soule. 1866-67. Andrew C. Wood.
1868. Levi A. Abbott.
1869. Augustus Pratt.
1870-71. Henry H. Shaw.
1872. Noah C. Perkins.
1873-74. John Shaw. 1875. John B. LeBaron.
1876-77. Isaac Winslow.
1878. James P. Peirce of Lakeville.
1879. Mathew H. Cushing.
1880. James L. Jenney.
538
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1881-1905
1881-82. John C. Sullivan.
1883. Sprague S. Stetson of Lakeville.
1884-85. Albert T. Savery.
1886-87. James H. Harlow.
1888. Sidney T. Nelson of Lakeville.
1889. Jared F. Alden.
1890. Charles W. Turner.
1891. Charles W. Turner.
1892. George L. Soule.
1893. Jabez P. Thompson of Halifax.
1894. George L. Soule.
1895-96. Samuel S. Bourne. 1897-98. David G. Pratt.
1899-1900. William C. Litchfield.
1901. William Perkins, Jr., of Plympton.
1902-03. William A. Andrews.
1904-05. George R. Sampson.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE
There was no resident of the town who held the commission of a justice of the peace until 1720. From early days to the commencement of the Revolutionary War, this was considered an office of great honor all through the colony ; many of the duties of the selectmen were transferred to his Majesty's jus- tices of the peace, who had civil jurisdiction in all matters of debt, trespass, etc., wherein the claim did not involve the title of their lands nor exceed forty shillings in amount. They were bound to keep a regular record of their proceedings, and from time to time their jurisdiction was extended to cover certain criminal offences which might be brought to and passed upon by them, with power to enforce their verdicts as the statutes provided. They held their office for the term of seven years, if during that time they conducted themselves properly in the discharge of said office. Most of the justices so appointed, at the expiration of that time had their commission renewed for a further term of seven years. In addition to the judicial power entrusted to this office, they could administer oaths, take the
539
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE
1720-1841]
acknowledgment of deeds, and other legal instruments, and were generally conservators of the peace in the community.
This office in early times was invariably filled by the most prominent men of the towns. The duties continued substan- tially the same until trial justices were appointed within cer- tain districts, who had exclusive jurisdiction in the trial of civil and criminal causes.
The justices of the peace for the town up to the year 1850 were as follows : -
July 22, 1720, Jacob Tomson Oct. 29, 1814, Abiel Washburn June 22, 1736, Elkanah Leonard Feb. 16, 1816, William Bourne Aug. 18, 1744, Peter Oliver June 10, 1817, Charles Hooper June 26, 1755, John Fearing Feb. 3, 1818, Noah Clark
Oct. 31, 1760, Joseph Tinkham Aug. 28, 1775, Ebenezer Sproutt Aug. 28, 1775, Joshua White April 7, 1787, Samuel Clark April 26, 1787, Isaac Thompson July 5, 1789, James Sproat July 18, 1791, John Nelson
Jan. 23, 1819, Joshua Eddy, Jr. June 19, 1819, Levi Peirce Sept. 7, 1821, Amos Washburn Nov. 21, 1821, Thomas Bennett Jan. 16, 1822, Ebenezer Pickens Jan. 23, 1822, Isaac Stevens Jan. 16, 1823, Abner Clark
Feb. 20, 1795, Nehemiah Bennett Aug. 26, 1823, Abiel P. Boothe March 2, 1800, Wilkes Wood Feb. 17, 1824, William Nelson
May 24, 1800, David Richmond Feb. 17, 1824, Oliver Peirce Feb. 20, 1804, James Washburn July 1, 1825, Peter H. Peirce Jan. 23, 1808, Samuel Pickens Feb. 23, 1808, John Tinkham Jan. 2, 1828, Seth Eaton March 5, 1808, William Thompson June 11, 1829, Paul Hathaway Feb. 17, 1810, Zachariah Eddy Sept. 3, 1810, Martin Keith Feb. 5, 1811, Peter Hoar Feb. 22, 1811, Thomas Weston Nov. 14, 1811, Seth Miller, Jr.
Feb. 15, 1826, Samuel Thompson
June 9, 1830, Arad Thompson June 16, 1831, Reland Tinkham April 24, 1832, Joshua Haskins, Jr. March 26, 1833, Benjamin P. Wood March 26, 1833, Bradford Harlow Oct. 29, 1811, Hercules Cushman Aug. 25, 1835, Luther Washburn Jan. 25, 1812, Calvin Pratt March 18, 1836, Jonathan Cobb Jan. 27, 1837, Abiezer T. Harvey March 15, 1837, Silas Pickens Aug. 3, 1812, William Canedy June 9, 1813, Jacob Bennett June 9, 1813, Cyrus Keith March 6, 1838, Eliab Ward
June 9, 1813, Thomas Sturtevant Aug. 24, 1841, Abishai T. Clark
S, ne at For rer the
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540
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1842-95
March 31, 1842, Cornelius B. Sept. 20, 1843, Tisdale Leonard Wood Oct. 31, 1843, Andrew Weston
Dec. 17, 1842, Bela Kingman Feb. 3, 1844, William H. Wood
Jan. 5, 1843, Nathan King July 1, 1845, James G. Thompson March 14, 1843, Gamaliel Rounse- March 31, 1846, Apollos Haskins ville July 7, 1848, Everett Robinson
March 14, 1843, George Sturte- June 5, 1849, Philander Washburn vant Oct. 2, 1849, Ichabod F. Atwood
March 14, 1843, Stillman Benson April 25, 1850, Zebulon Pratt
TRIAL JUSTICE Ebenezer Pickens
By various legislative enactments the number of trial jus- tices throughout the commonwealth have been much reduced, and their jurisdiction transferred to the various police, district, and municipal courts.
Between the years 1850 and 1868, the office of trial justice for the town was held by Ebenezer Pickens, after which the jurisdiction was enlarged by the creation of a district court under the name of the Fourth Plymouth District Court.
FOURTH PLYMOUTH DISTRICT COURT
This court was established by an act of the legislature in the year 1874, having the usual criminal and civil jurisdiction of the district courts of the commonwealth, embracing the. towns of Middleboro, Wareham, Lakeville, Marion, and Mat- tapoisett, with courts held at Middleboro and Wareham.
JUSTICES
Francis M. Vaughan, appd. 1874, died 1891 George D. Alden, appd. 1892, resigned 1901 Nathan Washburn, appd. 1901
SPECIAL JUSTICES
Andrew L. Tinkham, appd. 1874, died 1887
Lemuel LeB. Holmes, appd. 1874, resigned 1895.
541
MANDAMUS COUNCILLOR
1774]
Nathan Washburn, appd. 1888, appd. Justice 1901 George W. Stetson, appd. 1895, resigned 1900 Dennis D. Sullivan, appd. 1900 Bert J. Allan, appd. 1901
CLERK
William L. Chipham, of Wareham, 1874 up to the present time
MANDAMUS COUNCILLOR August 9, 1774, Peter Oliver
The appointment of Peter Oliver and others as Mandamus Councillors was one of the acts of the British Government against what was believed to be the just rights of the colo- nists as granted by their charter, and which perhaps did much to provoke open resistance to the Crown and led to the ultimate separation of the colonies from the mother country.
In 1774, with the change on the part of the Crown in the appointment of the judges of the courts, the privilege of electing councillors was taken away from the legislature of the province, and their commissions were given directly from the Crown. These mandamus councillors were held in greater odium by the colonists than any other officers appointed by the king. So great was the feeling against them that jurors in many counties refused to serve under judges who were mandamus councillors, or who had received their commission from the governor and these councillors. It was among the first acts of rebellion which soon after led to open rupture at Lexington. It is doubtful whether Judge Oliver ever assumed the duties of this office, but his appointment as the chief jus- tice of the highest court of the province tended greatly to excite the enmity, not only of the people of the town, but throughout the whole province, and his blameless life did not shelter him from bitter opprobrium.
With the evacuation of Boston, in 1776, by the British troops, the office became extinct.
542
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1779-1889
REPRESENTATIVE TO THE NATIONAL CONGRESS 1805-09, Joseph Barker
MEMBERS OF CONVENTION FOR FRAMING A CONSTI- TUTION OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY
1779, John Miller 1779, Captain William Shaw
MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION TO ADOPT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
1788, Rev. Isaac Backus 1788, Isaac Thompson
1788, Benjamin Thomas 1788, Isaac Soule
MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS
Nov. 15, 1820, Levi Peirce Nov. 15, 1820, Seth Miller, Jr.
Nov. 15, 1820, Samuel Pickens May 4, 1853, William H. Wood
Nov. 15, 1820, Thomas Weston May 4, 1853, Noah C. Perkins
JUDGES OF PROBATE COURT
1821-43, Wilkes Wood
1858-72, Wm. Henry Wood
REGISTER OF THE COURT OF INSOLVENCY 1857-58, Nathan King
This court, in 1858, was abolished, and its duties assumed by the Probate Court, which became a Court of Probate and Insolvency.
REGISTER OF THE COURT OF PROBATE AND INSOL- VENCY
1889 to the present time, John C. Sullivan
HIGH SHERIFF 1845-54, Branch Harlow
CLERK OF COUNTY COURTS 1811-13, Hercules Cushman
543
PUBLIC OFFICERS
1828-1906]
JUDGE OF THE COURT OF SESSIONS 1828, Thomas Weston
This court was abolished in the year 1828, and a board of County Commissioners was established, having jurisdiction and duties similar to those which had been exercised by the Court of Sessions.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
1828-34, Thomas Weston
1873-82, Joseph T. Wood
1847-56, Ebenezer Pickens
PUBLIC OFFICERS
SENATORS
1796-1805, Isaac Thompson 1849-50, Philander Washburn
1813-16, Wilkes Wood 1850-53, William H. Wood
1815-17, Thomas Weston 1856-57, Nathan King
1820-22, William Bourne
1867- Everett Robinson
1826-28, Peter H. Peirce
1876- Everett Robinson
1843- Eliab Ward 1889-90, James H. Harlow
1848-49, William H. Wood
1901-1903, David G. Pratt
MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL
1759-66, Peter Oliver 1881-83, Mathew H. Cushing
1823-27, Thomas Weston 1896-99, Nathaniel F. Ryder
1848-50, William H. Wood 1906, David G. Pratt
The first Provincial Congress of Massachusetts met at Salem, October 4, 1774; at Concord, October 14; at Cam- bridge, October 17 and November 23, and prorogued Decem- ber 10, 1774. Captain Ebenezer Sproutt was a member at that time.
CHAPTER XXIX
CIVIL HISTORY
F the first settlement of the town, no authentic date can be ascertained. The copy of the records of the First Church in 1694 begins with the quotation from Scripture in these words, "Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God hath led thee these forty years." The early settlers were familiar with the scriptures of the Old Testament, and would hardly have made such a quo- tation 'at so solemn a time as the formation of their church had the reference not been true, and as it could only have referred to the time when the town was first occupied by white settlers, it has always been considered that the first settlement was in 1654.
1658
" These may certify all whom it may concerne, that the fourth of March, 1658, that these men whose names are vnder- written, by the intelligence of an Indian, came to a place a little below Namaskett, where the Indians tooke vp an English man out of the Riuer of Tetacutt, with a blew paire of stock- ings and a gray listed garter, and likewise pte of a lockorum paire of briches with wyer bottons fastened about his wast ; but wee found noe blemish about the man that should any way cause his death, but as wee conceiue was drowned acce- dentally ; and finding the man thuse, wee haue buried him, and haue satisfyed the Indians for theire paines.
Samuell Edson · Thomas Haward, Juni"
Nathaneell Willis
Wiltam Snow
John Willis
Lawrance Willis
John Vobes Solomon Lenerson
Arthur Harris Guydo Bayley
John Haward, Seni" Nathaneell Haward
Marke Laythorpe John Carew from Bridgwater." 1
1 Plymouth Colony Records, vol. iii, pp. 159-160.
545
CIVIL HISTORY
1661-69]
1661-62
The Twenty-six Men's Purchase was made.
1662
Purchade Purchase was made. 1663
Five Men's Purchase was made.
" This year, there having been a complaint of the inhabitants of the town of Taunton for some years in reference to the bounds of their town, an order was made to establish those bounds." 1
1664
Little Lotmen's Purchase is recorded.
1665
This year the lands on the westerly side of the Namasket River were apportioned by the General Court among the vari- ous owners in the Little Lotmen's Purchase.
1667
" At the Court held on the 2d of July, there was granted Robert Finney 100 acrees of land where mr Alden and Cap- taine Southworth hath land att Namassakett River, if it may be had there ; if not, then to haue such a portion with Hugh Cole neare Acushenet.2
"The bounds of the land of Francis Coombs were laid out lying on the westerly side of Namasket River and was called the 'Black Sachem's ' field, abutting upon the river against the stone weir." 3
1668
In 1668 Governor Thomas Prince and Francis Coombs pur- chased a tract of land within this territory (known as Prince and Coomb's Purchase).
In June of this year the court ordered Major Winslow, Cap- tain Southworth, and Lieutenant Morton "to lay out this land, as they shall think meet or to settle the whole of it to him if on the site and view thereof, they shall see cause."
1 669
From the number of purchases made by order of the court at Plymouth for different settlers during the ten years previ-
1 Plymouth Colony Records, vol. iv, p. 45. 2 Ibid. vol. iv, p. 160.
3 Ibid. vol. iv, pp. 171, 172.
546
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1670-71
ous, it is evident that there was a population sufficient for the town to become incorporated, although the number with the names of all who were then inhabitants cannot at present be accurately ascertained. At the court held on the Ist of June, 1669, the town was incorporated by the following order :
" Att this Court, the Court graunted that Namassakett shalbe a township, and to be called by the name of Middleberry, and is bounded with Plymouth bounds on the easterly syde, and with the bounds of Taunton on the westerly syde, and the bounds of Bridgwater on the northerly side or end, and on the southerly side or end to extend six mile from the wadeing place, (and att the end of the said six mile to run east to Plymouth line, and from the said line west to Taunton line ; and incase the west line ruñes to the southward of Taunton line, then to run vntill wee come vp to the southermost pte of Taunton bounds, and then square of north to it.) And it is further ordered by the Court, that a competencye of land be prouided and reserued for a minnester within theire township, of such lands as are vnpurchased." 1
John Nelson was elected constable and surveyor of high- ways, and William Haskins was probably elected town clerk and served in that capacity for many years, although there is no record of his election until the year 1680. There is no record of any other town officer chosen that year.
1670
On the 29th of May, 1670, Nathaniel Morton, Secretary of the Court at Plymouth, made a transcript of all of the freemen in the colony at that time, and from that record we learn of the freemen in Middleboro.2
In this year John Morton, who had formerly resided in Plymouth, bought into the Twenty-six Men's Purchase and took up his residence here, and was then chosen to represent the town in the General Court for the month of June, the first representative sent from Middleboro.
1671
No deputy was sent to the General Court, and the only town officer of whom any record is made is Gershom Cobb, who was chosen constable.
1 Plymouth Colony Records, vol. v, pp. 19-20. The addition of the part of the bounds in parentheses was made at the General Court July 7, 1680. Ibid. vol. vi, p. 48.
2 See page 517.
547
CIVIL HISTORY
1672-73]
The tax of the colony, exclusive of officers' salaries or wages, for which all the towns were proportionately rated, was £268, but Middleboro was not taxed for the year.
At the General Court held on the 8th of July, the colony was ordered to furnish 102 men to meet a threatened insur- rection of the Indians, and Middleboro's quota was two men for this expedition.1
" It was alsoe ordered by the Court, that the armes of the Indians of Namassakett and Assowamsett, that were feched in by Major Winslow, and those that were with him, are confis- cate and forfeite from the said Indians, for the grounds aboue expressed, they being in complyance with Phillipe in his late plott, and yett would neither by our Gours order nor by Phillips desire, bring in theire armes, as was engaged by the treaty ; and the said guns are ordered by the Court to the major and his companie, for theire satisfaction in that expedition." 2
1672
The town was not taxed by the colony.
An island in Quitticus Pond, variously spelled, but in the record called " Quettequas," was let by the colony to a Mr. Palmer to plant and sow.
Elizabeth Howland, the wife of Mr. John Howland, Sr., deceased, came into the court of Plymouth and acknowledged that she freely gave and surrendered all her rights in the lands of her late husband lying at Namasket in the township of Middleboro to Mr. John Gorum of Barnstable.
This year an agreement was made between Mr. Constant Southworth and Philip, the sachem, in reference to the boun- dary of the land at Assawampsett Pond.
1673
The South Purchase was made. John Morton was chosen deputy for the last time to the General Court this year. The town seems to have chosen no selectmen.
In September there was another court at Plymouth, and a new summons was issued, and Jonathan Dunham was chosen to represent the town, probably on account of the decease of John Morton, the former deputy. The town was not taxed for its proportional part of the expenses of the colony.
As there had been a former grant of certain lands between Assawampsett Pond and the bounds of the town of Dart- mouth, the town of Middleboro laid claim to a greater por-
1 Plymouth Colony Records, vol. v, p. 74. 2 Ibid. vol. v, pp. 63-64.
1 t t
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the , vi,
548
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1673-74
tion thereof, and the court ordered "that the town should re- cover these lands, and that the purchasers thereof have liberty to purchase land elsewhere." 1
1673
" The Treasurer and Serjeant Tomson are appointed by the Court to make purchase of such lands in the township of Mid- dleberry as the Indians doe or may tender to sell, which may be by them purchased for the vse of the towne, and the propria- tors of the land in that township, and for the payment of such debts as the Indians owe to any as occation may require, and what lands they purchase ; the pay for it to be defrayed by the towne and propriators aforsaid, for the cecuritie of them the said Mr. Constant Southworth and Serjeant Tompson, and in case the said purchassers and propriators doe not make pay- ment of the charge of the purchase within one yeare after the said purchase is made, that then it shalbe in the libertie of the said Treasurer and serjeant to make sale of soe much of the said land as will defray the charge thereof." 2
1674
The colony tax was £188, 15 shillings, and 10 pence, Middle- boro's portion of which was £4, 19 shillings.
"In reference vnto the first propriators of the lands in the Majors Purchase, soe called, which is in the township of Middle- berry, between the two pathes, that wheras the record of theire graunte expresseth onely thirty acrees a peece and proportion- able comonage, the Court heerby declares, that theire intent was, that all the lands within that tract called the Majors Purchase is settled and doth appertaine vnto them and theire heires and assignes for euer, excepting such smalle psells as haue since bin graunted vnto seuerall psons within said tract, wherof a psell was thirty acrees in the said tracte graunted to John Dunham, Juni™, as followeth : -
"Thirty acrees of land is graunted by the Court, with the consent and concurrance of such as are the propriators in the said Majors Purchase, vnto John Dunham, Juni™, being layed out & bounded by Willam Nelson by order from Captaine South- worth, is as followeth, vizs .: it lyeth on the easterensyde of the head of Rauen Brooke, marked with a stake att the northwest corner, and att the northeast corner with a smalle red oake, and on the southeast corner it is bounded with a rocke, and att the southwest corner it is bounded with a smalle red oake." 3
1 Plymouth Colony Records, vol. v, pp. 132-133.
3 Ibid. vol. v, p. 1.50.
2 Įbid. vol. v, p. 138.
549
CIVIL HISTORY
1675]
1675
This was the most eventful year in the history of the col- ony or of the newly incorporated town of Middleboro. The probable designs of Philip had been previously reported to the government at Plymouth, and his conduct had been viewed with suspicion, although the authorities did not suppose a crisis was so near at hand. The town officers had been elected as usual, John Tomson being deputy; George Vaughan, consta- ble; John Nelson, a member of the grand inquest, with Francis Coombs, John Tomson, and Jonathan Dunham, selectmen, and Obadiah Eedey and John Morton, surveyors of highways. Not- withstanding the excitement in the colony, the town seems to have continued in its ordinary business until after the attack and burning of the town of Swansea on the 24th of June.
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