USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts > Part 67
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Bennett, William N., 1891.
Brayton, David A., 1855.
Benson, Luther J., 1897-98.
Brayton, David A., jr., 1884-85.
Biltcliffe, William, 1889, 1891.
Brennan, Edward, 1885.
Blackwell, James, 1896. Blaisdell, John G., 1883, 1890-91.
Brennan, James H., 1892.
Bolton, Richard R., 1897.
Brennan, Michael W., 1864, 1866. -
Bonney, Nathaniel, 1854.
Briggs, John, 1881-82.
Briggs, Zephaniah T., 1859.
Brigham, D. Sewall, 1854, 1868.
Boomer, Charles H., 1883, 1885. Borden, Alexander, 1863.
Brennan, James, 1891.
Baker, Charles E., 1896-97, resigned.
Borden, Major, 1857.
636
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
Brightman, Corey D., 1863.
Brightman, Perez O., 1858, 1860.
Brightman, Sheffield, 1854, 1856, 1872. Britland, Edward, 1893-94.
Brooks, Rodger, 1890.
Brooks, William J., 1889, 1891-92.
Brown, Charles E., 1883-84, 1890-91.
Brown, David F., 1869-70.
Brown, James, 1891.
Brown, Robert C., 1854-55.
Brown, Samuel M., 1858-60, 1864.
Brownell, Warren, 1867.
Bryans, John M., 1875.
Buckley, Isaac, 1889.
Buffinton, Charles C., 1882, 1887-88.
Buffinton, Elisha W., 1896.
Buffinton, John E., 1878-79.
Burch, Thomas, 1858. Burgess, John H., 1884.
Burgess, William, 1877.
Burgess, William J., 1884.
Burke, Michael D., 1887.
Buron, Joseph H., 1897.
Burr, Frank W., 1878-79.
Burrell, John T., 1885-86.
Butler, Patrick E., 1878.
Byron, Walter E., 1890-91.
Byrne, Michael, 1889-91.
Campbell, Phelps B., 1866.
Campbell, Sylvester, 1882.
Carey, John W., 1893. Carman, William A., 1884-85.
Carroll, John H., 1882.
Case, Charles E., 1866-67, 1870-71.
Cate, George W., 1898.
Chace, Augustus, 1865.
Chace, Isaac B., 1857, 1860, 1863, 1872-73.
Chace, Obadiah, 1854-55.
Chace, Robert L., 1866.
Chace, William, 1858. Chace, William H., 1877.
Chase, Clark, 1879, 1886.
Chase. Simeon B., 1877-78. Chagnon, John B., 1884.
Cheetham, William B., 1879, 1886.
Clark, Barnabas, 1857. Clarke, John S. B., 1892, 1895.
Clarkson, Alfred, 1896. Clarkson, George J., 1870, 1872. Clarkson, John, 1859. Clifton, Joseph, 1879, 1884, 1886. Connell, William, jr., 1866-67.
Connelly, John, 1855-58.
Connelly, John A., 1877-78, 1890.
Connelly, John H., 1892-93.
Connelly, Michael H., 1883-85. Conroy, Daniel, 1865-66, 1875
Cook, Algernon M., 1861. Cook, Vernon, 1855, 1859.
Cook, William H., 1885-86.
Cook, William M., 1885-88.
Corcoran, Edward J., 1895. Corcoran, William D., 1868.
Cort, Edward J., 1893.
Covel, Alphonso S., 1872-73.
Covel, Benjamin, 1858, 1860, 1862, 1869, 1874. Coyle, John E., 1865-67.
Creigh, John B., 1898.
Creighton, David, 1880.
Crowley, Jeremiah, 1893-95.
Crowley, John T., 1875.
Cunneen, James E., 1867.
Cunneen, William H., 1898.
Cuttle, John, 1869.
Darcy, Thomas, jr., 1883.
Davenport, James F., 1862, 1871.
Davenport, William, 1872.
Davis, Benjamin B., 1860.
Davis, Joseph M., 1869-70, 1877.
Davis, Noah, 1859-62. Darling, Joseph M., 1869-70, 1877. Davol, Abner P., 1892-93.
Davol, Bradford D., 1869-71.
Davol, James C., 1889.
Davol, John, jr., 1868.
Davol, William C., jr., 1873-75.
Dean, Charles H., 1866.
Dean, Gardner T., 1869.
Dean, Moses, 1863.
Delaney, Patrick, 1885.
Delehanty, Patrick, 1887-88.
Dennin, Peter J., 1854.
Desjardins, George T., 1898.
637
THE CITY OF FALL RIVER.
Desmond, John, 1882-83. Dillon, John, 1885. Diman, Henry, 1854-55, 1865-66, 1882. Diskin, John, 1887. Doherty, Thomas E., 1885-86. Donavan, John P., 1898.
Donavan, Thomas J., 1891, vice S. R. Thomas, resigned.
Doyle, Thomas L., 1884.
Driscoll, Daniel, 1889-90.
Duckworth, Richard, 1896-97. Dudley, Joseph, 1858-59.
Dunham, William E., 1876.
Dunn, John, 1887. Dunn, John F., 1872. Dunn, Patrick, 1888.
Durfee, George T., 1883-85.
Durfee, Holder B., 1870-71.
Durfee, Horatio N., 1877.
Durfee, Randall N., 1892-94.
Durfee, William B., 1859.
Durfee, William H., 1887-88.
Dwelly, Frank H., 1882.
Dynes, James E., 1890-91. Dyson, Amos H., 1889-91. Eames, Asa, 1857, 1860-61. Earl, Benjamin, 1858.
Earl, Gibbs, 1856. Earl, Henry H., 1882-84. Earl, Lloyd S., 1858.
Eddy, George H., 1856-57, 1859, 1876. Eddy, Leander K., 1870. Eddy, Thomas F., 1868-69.
Elsbree, Joseph F., 1855, 1861-62. Estes, John H., 1880. Fahey, Benjamin A., 1897. Fairbanks, George O., 1862. Fay, James A., 1897. Fennelly, William E., 1888.
Fenner, Henry S., 1886.
Finnegan, John, 1888. Finnegan, Thomas F., 1892, 1894.
Fish, Henry H., 1865-67. Fisher, Charles E., 1894. Flynn, William, 1890. Fogwell, Richard E., 1897. Foley, Patrick E., 1879-80.
Ford, Nathaniel, 1860.
Foulds, John E., 1882.
Fraprie, George W., 1857-60.
French, Asa P., 1856, 1861.
French, Job B., 1870-71, 1873. Friar, Thomas, 1885,
Funck, Frederick A., 1894-95. Galvin, John, 1884.
Gardner, Oliver L., 1856.
Gardner, Stephen B., 1866-69.
Garrahy, Simon, 1881. Garvey, Dennis, 1877.
Geoffrion, Victor, 1881.
Giblin, Edward M., 1893-95. Gifford, Daniel, 1859-60.
Gifford, Stephen B., 1858, 1867-68.
Gillan, Patrick, 1885,
Goff, Herbert M., 1894.
Goodrum, William P., 1854-55.
Gorman, Augustus P., 1889-91, 1893-94.
Grandfield, Michael, 1883.
Greene, Thomas E., 1895-96.
Greene, William S., 1876-79.
Griffin, Thomas H., 1889-90.
Grennell, Oliver, 1854.
Groves, Gardner, 1854.
Hacking, Thomas, 1885-86, 1888-89.
Hadfield, John H., 1895, vice C. F. Tripp, resigned. Haffards, Griffitts M., 1875.
Hambly, William H., 1871.
Hamilton, Charles H., 1884.
Hall, James L., 1896.
Hanson, Alfred, 1886, 1888.
Hargraves, James, 1893-95.
Hargraves, John W., 1885.
Hargraves, William H., 1892-93.
Harrington, Edward, 1875.
Harrington, Frank, 1894-96.
Harrington, Hiram C., 1860, 1864.
Harrington, James J., 1886-87.
Harrison, Joseph, 1874. Harrison, Sandy, 1881. Harrison, William H., 1863.
Hart, Abraham, 1856, 1866.
Hart, William J., 1889. Harwood, Peter, 1882-83.
638
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Harwood, Thomas J., 1884. Hathaway, Guilford H., 1864-65.
Hathaway, James B., 1856. Hathaway, Richmond B., jr., 1886. Haven, George C., 1887-88.
Hawes, William M., 1861-63, 1880-81.
Henry, James W., 1886-89, 1891.
Henry, John P., 1880-82.
Henry, Robert, 1863. Hicks, Thomas F., 1898.
Higginson, Edward, 1884-85. Hillard, Charles B., 1887-89.
Hoag, Frank W., 1896-97.
Hoar, James H., 1889-90.
Hodgson, George B., 1892-95.
Holleran, James, jr., 1898.
Hood, Francis B., 1861-62, 1872-73.
Hopewell, William, 1896-98.
Houghton, John H., 1863-64.
Howard, James, 1891. Howard, Robert, 1892. Howarth, James, 1874.
Huntsman, William V., 1862.
Hurley, John T., 1884.
Hurley, Richard, 1882.
Hurley, William J., 1880. Ivers, Michael L., 1871, 1879.
Jackson, Amos M., 1897.
Jackson, Edwin, 1896-97.
Jackson, James A., 1887-88.
Jalbert, Theodule, 1888.
Jennings, George F., 1893,
Jennings, William H., 1856, 1858-59. Jepson, Moses, 1878. Johnson, George F., 1898.
Johnson, Myles J., 1898.
Johnston, John F., 1890-91, 1895.
Jones, Michael B., 1887-88. Judge, Patrick H., 1886. Kay, Benjamin D., 1869-70.
Kearnan, Francis V., 1870. Kearns, David A., 1893. Keefe, Daniel, 1884.
Keefe, William F., 1895.
Kelly, Cornelius L., 1870-73, 1882.
Kelly, John J., 1898. Kelly, Michael J., 1882-84.
Kelly, Zeno, 1870-72. Kendall, Frederick, 1898. Kennedy, James, 1897.
Kennedy, William, 1892.
Keough, John, 1887. Kilburn, Elijah C., 1860-63, 1866-68.
Kilroy, Matthew, 1885-86.
Lawton, Thomas W., 1868.
Leary, Quinlan, 1876.
Le Boeuf, Francis X., 1897-98.
Lee, Thomas J., 1856. Leonard, Marcus, 1876.
Lewis, Robert, 1875-76.
Lincoln, Jonathan T., 1859-60.
Lindsey, Crawford E., 1869-70, 1874.
Locke, George W., 1863.
Lockhart, Alexander, 1880.
Lockwood, Allen, 1875.
Lomax, Terrance J., 1894-95, 1898.
Looney, Edward, 1880.
Luby, Patrick B., 1886-87.
Luscomb, Andrew, 1867-72.
Luther, Ebenezer, 1857-58.
Luther, James B., 1857, 1864.
Lunney, Patrick J., 1868, 1871-73.
Macfarlane, John A., 1874.
Macomber, Pardon, 1864, 1868-69, 1875.
Macomber, Philip C., 1882. Maines, Henry, 1892-93, 1895.
Malone, L. Frank, 1898. Mantius, Joseph H., 1896.
Martin, Thomas, 1879-80.
Mason, John, jr., 1854. Mayes, Ephraim, 1897.
McCann, John B., 1874-76.
McCarthy, John, 1896-97.
McCarty, Patrick J., 1877-78.
McCreery, Joseph, 1878.
McCreery, Thomas H., 1892.
McDonald, Edward, 1876.
McDonough, John F., 1867. McDermott, Andrew, 1875-77.
McFadden, Neil, 1878. McGraw, Frank, 1879, 1881.
McGraw, Joseph, 1896. McIntyre, William J., 1856, 1864, 1871. McKenna, Frank T., 1896.
639
THE CITY OF FALL RIVER.
McKenney, William H., 1881-82. McLauchlan, John R., 1889. McManus, Peter, 1875. Meek, William, 1880-81.
Mellor, Francis T., 1892.
Miller, Benjamin, 1858.
Miller, Lorenzo T., 1867, 1874-75.
Miller, David C., 1885. Mills, Charles E., 1894. Mills, Edwin J., 1893. Milne, James T., 1872. Milne, John C., 1861-65. Minnehan, John, 1881. Moran, Thomas, 1896-97.
Morrill, Jonathan E., 1867-69.
Morris, George H., 1880. Morrison, Andrew H., 1897.
Morrissey, John, 1890.
Murphy, Edward F., 1883.
Murphy, Edward H., 1892.
Murphy, James W., 1896, 1898. Murphy, John T., 1883. Murphy, Timothy C., 1874, 1892. Nason, Elias C., 1858-59. Neill, Joseph G., 1871, 1877. Newman, Michael, 1886-87. Nicholson, Mitchell, 1895.
Nicholson, Robert, 1886-88, 1894.
Nightingale, John, 1893-95. Norsworthy, Henry, 1872-74, 1876-77. Nuttall, Henry, 1873. Nuttall, Isaac, 1893-94. O'Connor, John F., 1885. O'Hearn, Michael, 1893. O'Hearn, Robert, 1873-74. O'Keefe, Timothy T., 1893-95. O'Neil, Dennis D., 1864. O'Neil, James D., 1877. O'Regan, Joseph, 1889. Osborn, Eben, jr., 1856. Osborn, Franklin P., 1882-83.
Osborn, James M., 1860, 1871. Osborn, Weaver, 1863. Paine, Walter, 3d, 1874, 1878.
Partington, James, 1882. Pashley, William F., 1898. Perkins, William, jr., 1888.
Pierce, Nathaniel, 1859. Pollard, George, 1879-80. Pope, Isaiah P., 1861. Potter, Thomas T., 1854, 1865. Powers, James, 1883. Powers, Thomas R., 1879.
Pratt, Henry, 1861. Quinlan, William H., 1893. Quinn, Andrew, 1892, 1894. Quinn, Martin, 1888-89.
Ragan, Philip, 1876, 1879
Randall, Benjamin F., 1882.
Read, Herbert H., 1892-95.
Read, Walter D., 1882-83, 1887-89.
Reagan, Edmund, 1886.
Reagan, Timothy E., 1897.
Remington, Clinton V. S., 1873, 1875-76.
Remington, Clinton V. S., jr., 1892.
Remington, Joshua, 1863. Reynard, Robert P., 1860.
Reynolds, John, 1886.
Reynolds, William J., 1897-98.
Rhodes, John, 1892-93.
Rich, Adolphus, 1881. Riley, John, 1874-75.
Riley, John W., 1889-90.
Rimmer, Jeffrey, 1895-96.
Ripley, Charles L., 1876-79.
Roberts, James J., 1880.
Robertson, George, 1857. Robertson, William S., 1857, 1882-83.
Robertson, William S., 2d, 1862.
Roth, John H., 1857. Rounseville, Cyrus C., 1883-85.
Russell, Henry, 1867. Ryan, Joseph H., 1891.
Sanderson, George, 1891.
Sandford, Thomas, 1883. Sargent, Leroy, 1866-67. Shaughnessy, Jeremiah W., 1891-92.
Shay, John F., 1875-76. Shay, Patrick H., 1891-92.
Shay, William, 1896-97. Shea, Michael H., 1892. Simmons, Alexander, jr., 1886-88.
Sisson, John F., 1855. Skinner, Herbert A., 1864.
640
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Slack, Joseph, 1895.
Turner, Joseph, 1898.
Slade, Brayton, 1855.
Tyrrell, Thomas, 1883-84.
Slade, Eugene O., 1891-96.
Walker, Amos, 1878.
Slade, John P., 1855, 1866-67, 1876-78. Slater, John, 1895.
Walsh, Philip S., 1884.
Smith, Charles, 1888, 1890, 1897-98.
Walton, Thomas, 1886-89.
Smith, James, 1879.
Waterhouse, Joseph H., 1898.
Smith, Robert, 1884.
Watters, Joseph, 1876.
Smithies, Robert, 1864-66.
Webster, H. Gordon, 1877.
Southworth, John, 1881-82.
Wells, John H., 1883.
Southworth, Spaulding, 1871.
Westgate, Abner L., 1857-58, 1865.
Whalley, William, 1885-86.
Whittaker, John B., 1861-62, 1864.
Sullivan, Daniel R., 1874.
Sullivan, James J., 1892.
White, Peter, C., 1856.
Wilbur, Henry, 1854-55, 1861.
Wilbur, Leander D., 1855.
Wilcox, Samuel B., 1868, 1880, 1882-85.
Wilkinson, Thomas, 1892, 1894-95.
Sullivan, Patrick R., 1872, 1875.
Sullivan, Simon S., 1895.
Sullivan, Thomas F., 1897.
Sweeney, Michael, 1884.
Synan, William, 1869-71. Taylor, George, 1864.
Winchester, John P., 1856.
Taylor, William H., 1856.
Terry, Joseph C., 1870-71, 1874.
Thacker, John F., 1868-69.
Winslow, Smith, 1854.
Winstanley, James H., 1898.
Winward, James, 1871.
Wixon, James, 1856. Wolfendale, William, 1873, 1875, 1877.
Wood, Joel, 1863, 1869-70.
Thurston, Anthony, 1866-67.
Wood, John J., 1873.
Thurston, James E., 1870-73.
Wood, William, 1881. Woodman, Job W., 1864-65.
Wordell, Jethro H., 1883, 1885-86.
Tillson, Joseph E., 1888-91.
Tinkham, John G., 1885-86.
Wiley, William J., 1880.
Yarwood, Mark, 1886-87.
CITY CLERKS.
Ballard, Alvan S., 1855-63.
Ballard, George A., 1864 to July, 1898.
Hodges, John R., 1854. Brayton, Arthur B., present clerk.
ASSISTANT CITY CLERKS.
Pritchard, George S. B., present assistant.
Buffinton, Clarence, 1884. Brayton, Arthur E., 1885 to 1898.
Whitaker, Peter, 1887-88.
Sullivan, John J., 1893.
Sullivan, Michael F., 1888. Sullivan, Michael H., 1880.
Willetts, Isaac, 1893. Willetts, Isaac E., 1894.
Wilson, Dwight B., 1881.
Wilson, James H., 1877.
Wilson, Job T., 1868-69.
Winslow, Albert, 1854. Winslow, Benjamin F., 1872.
Thackery, Richard, 1879. Thomas, Seth R., 1890-91, resigned. Thomas, William F., 1882-83.
Thompson, Edward F., 1896-97.
Thorpe, Vincent, 1881-82.
Tierney, Joseph, 1891. Tillinghast, Christopher W., 1854, 1857.
Wrightington, Stephen C., 1855-56.
Tripp, Charles F., 1887-91, 1894.
Tucker, Lorenzo D., 1859.
Walker, James, 1880.
Standring, James, 1893.
Stickney, Charles P., 1857.
Sullivan, Michael J., 1891.
641
THE CITY OF FALL RIVER.
CITY TREASURERS.
Ballard, Alvan S., 1855-63. Ballard, George A., 1864-74.
Brady, James C., 1877-85.
Brightman, Charles P., 1886-98. Brown, Samuel M., 1874-76. Hodges, John R., 1854.
CITY COLLECTORS.
Adams, Robert, 1868-71. Ballard, Alvan S., 1855-61.
Billings, George W., 1872-74.
Brady, James C., 1877-85.
Brightman, Charles P., 1886-98. Brown, Samuel M., 1874-76. Earl, Benjamin, 1862-67. Hodges, John R., 1854.
CITY AUDITORS.
Adams, Robert, 1868-71. Anthony, Arthur, 1882-84.
Billings, George W., 1872-81.
Buffinton, Clarence, 1884-95. Clark, Henry W., 1896-98. Earl, Benjamin, 1863-67.
CITY SOLICITORS.
Blaisdell, Josiah C., 1868-69, 1873-74. Boomer, Frederic A., 1860-63, 1870.
Hatheway, Nicholas, 1890. Jackson, James F., 1881-85, 1887-88.
Morton, James M., jr., 1864-67.
Peirce, William H., 1871-72.
Reed, Milton, 1875-80.
Grime, George, 1893-95.
Sullivan, Dennis V., 1886.
Wood, L. Elmer, 1896-98.
CITY MARSHALS.
Brigham, D. Sewell, 1878-81. Buffinton, Samuel R., 1858-59.
Eames, Asa, 1862-63. Gray, Franklin, 1866.
Greene, Chester W., 1857, 1860-61.
Hilliard, Rufus B., 1886-98.
Hunt, Josiah A., 1882-86. Sisson, William, 1855-56.
Wilcox, Henry C., 1864-65.
Winslow, Albert, 1867-68.
Wright, Andrew R., 1869-77.
ASSESSORS OF TAXES.
Biltcliffe, Thomas, 1878-81. Bliss, Hiram, 1855. Brown, Samuel M., 1873, 1877-78.
Buffinton, Edward, 1855, 1874-76, 1880-83.
Buffinton, Benjamin, 1886-88.
Collins, John E., 1876. Conroy, Daniel, 1869. Cook, William H., 1893-98. Cunneen, James E., 1881. Davol, Abner P., 1895-98.
Davol, Richmond, 1857, 1860-61. Durfee, Walter C., 1870. 81
Eddy, George H., 1889-94. Estes, John H., 1877. Fuller, Rufus T., 1868. Gardner, Stephen B., 1869. Gifford, Stephen B., 1855-56, 1859-60.
Gunn, Horatio N., 1854-56, 1866. Harrison, Sandy, 1888-96. Hathaway, Guilford H., 1854, 1857-58, 1861-62. Hathaway, Russell, 1856. Healy, Abram, 1889 (died, and George H. Eddy elected).
Borden, Simeon, 1857-59.
Braley. Henry K., 1874.
Brayton, John S., 1855-56.
Higginson, Edward, 1889, 1891-92.
642
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Healy, Joseph, 1862-63.
Hodges, John R., 1857.
Holder, Thomas F., 1872.
Hood, Francis B., 1868-69, 1871.
Howard, Albert G., 1864-65, 1867-68.
Kelly, Jeremiah, 1873-79.
Leonard, Daniel, 1856.
Marvel, Philip M., 1866-68, 1874-75.
Mason, John, jr., 1856.
McManus, Peter, 1879-80.
Morton, James M., 1861, 1865, 1868-69, 1873. O'Hearn, Robert, 1882-92.
Palmer, George W., 1870-72.
Pooler, Seth, 1863.
Searle, Charles F., 1866-67, 1869-72.
Slade, Jonathan, 1863-65.
Slocum, Mark A., 1857.
Stewart, William W., 1884-87.
Vickery, Caleb B., 1854.
Waring, William J., 1882-85.
Winslow, Benjamin F., 1857-60, 1862.
Winslow, Smith, 1855.
Wood, William F., 1863. Wrightington, Stephen C., 1858-59.
CITY ENGINEERS.
Borden, Philip D., jr., 1880-98. CITY PHYSICIANS.
Abbott, John H., 1879-81.
Bowen, Seabury W., 1872-74.
Buck, Augustus W., 1897-98 (resigned and John Gilbert elected). Copeland, Charles W., 1878.
Cummings, Michael A., 1894-96.
Davis, Robert T., 1857-58.
Dwelly, Jerome, 1855-56, 1859, 1865-68.
Hartley, James W., 1862-64. Kelly, Michael, 1891-93.
Learned, Ebenezer T., 1860-61.
Leary, John H., 1889-90.
Smith, Isaac, jr., 1871.
Sullivan, James E., 1882-88.
Tourtellott, John Q. A., 1875-77.
Whittaker, John B., 1869-70.
SUPERINTENDENTS OF STREETS.
Horton, Danforth, 1859-67, 1869-77. Thurston, Anthony, 1878-94.
Manchester, Alexander, 1868. Thurston, Frank A., 1894-98.
DISTRICT PHYSICIANS.
FIRST DISTRICT .- John Gilbert, 1891-93; Thomas Gunning, 1894-96; Joseph E. Huard, 1897-98.
SECOND DISTRICT .--- Valmore St. Germain, 1891-93; Peter A. A. Collet, 1894-96 ; Emanuel Harris, 1897-98.
--
1
Alawson Borden
643
THE BAR AND JUDICIARY.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE BAR AND JUDICIARY OF BRISTOL COUNTY.
The early judicial system established in the various counties1 of Massachusetts was modeled after that of the mother country, and to this day retains many of the characteristics of the English courts. The English law, also, constitutes the foundation of our own common law. It is probable, however, that the first permanent white settlers in Mas- sachusetts territory gave little thought to law or court during a consid- erable number of years after their arrival in the new world. Their first and paramount desire was to escape intolerance and oppression and to find a home where they could worship God untrammeled and in their own way. Indeed, peace and order were chiefly maintained in the early years far more through regulations and edicts emanating from the church, than otherwise. The compact for civil government made before the Pilgrims set their feet on our shores clearly indicates this fact. Religious, legislative, and judicial control, such as prevailed for many years after the first settlement, were intimately intermingled.2
The first General Court of Massachusetts was held October 19, 1630, in Boston. At that court it was agreed that, in future, the freemen should choose the assistants, and that the assistants should choose from among themselves the governor and the deputy-governor. The Court of Assistants was to have the power of making laws and appointing officers. In their zeal to establish a commonwealth on a religious foundation, they ordained "that none but church members should be
1 The first record of the word " county," as applied to government, was in the time of William the Conquerer. Then the sheriff was the most important official, and ruled the counties of Eng- land with an iron hand. County courts were then established. During the reign of Edward I, the county, notwithstanding all draw-backs, was still a living, self-governing body, and we find the fiscal business the most important function of the shire. All taxes were then assessed and col- lected by the juries elected by the county court .- From a lecture delivered before the Civil Gov- ernment Class, February 18, 1897, by William Sanders.
It may be added in this connection that the office of sheriff in this country in early years was a far more important one than at the present day.
2 The legislative and judicial authorities were very improperly mixed together, and it is with difficulty that we can keep our muscles in due subordination when we read some of their legisla- tive provisions, and some of their judicial discussions .- Writings of Abraham Holmes.
644
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
admitted to the freedom of the body politic," or enjoy the privilege of voting. This is further confirmation of the power and influence of re- ligious sentiment in public affairs in those times. After 1634 commit - tees consisting of ministers and leading laymen were appointed with almost annual frequency, for about twelve years, to prepare a code of laws for the colony, and enactments of imperative necessity were adopted. In 16481 these were collected, ratified by the court, and printed. In civil actions the rules of equity were applied as far as circumstances seemed to admit. In punishing offenses the old Mosaic law seems to have governed, at least as far as the moral character of that law was concerned. Note the following sentences found in the records :
Josias Plaistowe, for stealing four baskets of corn from the Indians, is ordered to return them eight baskets, to be fined five pounds, and hereafter to be called by the name of Josias, and not Mr., as formerly he used to be .?
Captain Stone, for abusing Mr. Ludlow, and calling him justass, is fined one hun- dred pounds, and prohibited from coming within the patent, without the governor's leave, upon pain of death.
Serjeant Perkins ordered to carry forty turfs to the fort for being drunk.
Edward Palmer, for his extortion in taking two pounds thirteen shillings and four-pence for the wood-work of Boston stocks, is fined five pounds, and ordered to sit one hour in the stocks.
Thomas Petit, for suspicion of slander, idleness, and stubbornness, is censured to be severely whipped and to be kept in hold.
Daniel Clarke, found to be an immoderate drinker, was fined forty shillings .- These are from Hutchinson's Hist. Mass., Vol. I, p. 436.
From these few extracts from an almost endless record of similar sentences, many of them for trivial and private delinquencies, it will be seen that courts of law after the modern form, rising by regular steps from the lowest to a very high tribunal, were scarcely necessary in those days, and that authority for maintaining good order in the com- munity extended into all the circumstances of social and domestic life. Attorneys were unknown; if recognized as members of a profession, it is quite probable they were regarded as an unnecessary evil. But the time
1 The first trial for witchcraft in Massachusetts, as shown by the records, took place in this year (1648), when Margaret Jones, of Charlestown, was indicted as a witch, found guilty and ex- ecuted, in accordance with the English laws. She was charged with " having such a malignant touch, that if she laid her hands upon man woman, or child, in anger, they were seized presently with deafness, vomiting, or other sickness, or some violent pains."
2 The title, "Mr.," carried with at a considerable well-defined dignity. It was not applied unless deserved and in comparatively few instances. A list of one hundred freeman of those times will not contain more than four or five with the prefix. The common title was "Good- man," and "Goodwife."
645
THE BAR AND JUDICIARY.
came when, with increasing population and the contentions inevitably arising from antagonisms in human nature and acts of dishonest or ma- licious men, courts of law were demanded. Coming into these courts with his grievance the ordinary freeman found himself incapable of in- telligently presenting his case; hence an advocate was wanted-a coun- selor-a lawyer. Those pioneers were accountable to nobody, unless perchance to their clients; they were sole judges of their own qualifica- tions; they took no responsibility, and were bound by no oath. If they won a case, it was more through the innate and evident justice of their client's claims, or their own natural talent or advocacy, than through their knowledge or application of established laws. They merely assumed the title of attorney and were recognized as such. Their standing in the early years may be indicated to some extent by the fact that it was enacted in 1683 that no attorney should have a seat in the Legislature; and that was the first mention of the office by the Legis- lature. Thirty-eight years later, in 1701, the form of oath to be taken by attorneys was established by statute; while in 1715 a law was passed prohibiting a party to a suit from retaining more than two of the sworn attorneys, so that his opponent might not be deprived of similar assistance.
Although Bristol county was formed in 1685, no court records have been found with date earlier than 1702, other than the following im- portant document, which was discovered in the basement of the old Taunton court house, just before its removal to make room for the new structure. It is a record of the courts from 1696 onwards, and in this connection is of great importance; hence its introduction here in full:
At his Majesties Inferior Court of Common Pleas held at Bristol July 14th in the eight year of his Majesties Reign, Annoque Dom. 1696.
John Saffin Esq President.
Justices present, Capt. John Brown Capt. Tho. Leonard, Esqrs Capt. Nicholas Peck,
Grand Inquest.
Cpt Reynolds form. M'Hugh Woodbery Bristol.
John Linkhorn
Not here. Richard Haskins . Taunton. Nicholas White
Henry Sweeting -
2 days Israel Reed Rehoboth.
Thomas Ormsby
Caleb Eddy William Howard ) Swansey.
Christopher Almy Will Palmer Little Compton.
Saml Shelly Ap. 13, 97. Philip Commin, Dartmouthi. Ralph Paine Freetown. Ap. 97 not here. Christ'p Allen :
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