USA > Massachusetts > Nantucket County > The history of Nantucket County, island, and town : including genealogies of first settlers > Part 15
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In the latter part of 1761, the Town appears to have had some kind of a controversy with Shubael Folger and at a meeting held November 4, the Selectmen were appointed a committee to manage the affair with Shubel Folger Respecting the House Thomas Ellis lives in and to repair the House if they see Cause at the towns charge and to act therein in all Respects according to their Dis- cretion in behalf of the Town and make Report of their Doings therein to the next town meeting for their approbation." The Selectmen failed to file any report and the affair remains an un- solved mystery.
There must have been some street paving done at this period for at a Town Meeting held January 6, 1762, the Records say
"It being put to vote whether the Town will pave the Street from Phillip Pollards to David Macys it passed in the negative." At the same meeting it was voted "that the Town will buy an Engine to Extinguish fire." It was also voted "that a Committee be chosen to buy another Engine and that Joseph Rotch and the Selectmen of the Town be a Committee to have charge of Procuring another Engine of a larger Size than that we have got for the use of the Town." The Town voted at the same meeting to "Erect a Beacon in some Convenient Place for a mark for Vessels to come in at the East Channel," and chose Christopher Hussey, Robert Barker and Nathaniel Macy a Committee "to set up said Beacon in some convenient Place as they shall think Proper for the use of the Publick.'
At the Annual Meeting March 24, 1762, four Constables were chosen instead of two and there seems to have been no offer made for the privilege of serving in that capacity. John Coffin 2d, Paul Bunker, Nathaniel Macy, Robert Barker, John Russell and Chap- man Swain. were chosen Wardens, an office which seems regularly added to the list. At this meeting Samuel Cartwright, Seth Gard- ner, Elihu Gardner, and Benjamin Coffin Jr., were appointed "to watch the Town in the Night Season all four to watch from Dark till Ten of the clock and two of them all Night for one year Insuing for £800 old Tenor to prevent Disorder & immoralities in the Night Season and Seth Gardner shall be Master of the watch aforesaid."
The following year, the Town appointed William Coleman and Solomon Gardner to be the night watchman with Solomon Gardner as "master of the watch" and Richard Mitchell and Wil- liam Rotch to be overseers of the guardians of the peace. It would seem as though Coleman might have been made first mate, or made an officer of some kind to have given him a less neglected appearance.
It would appear as though quite a little local business must have been done in exporting oysters and that the Town Fathers
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were apprehensive of too heavy a drain on the source of supply, for at the Annual Meeting of 1763 (March 23) the Town voted "that no oysters be Exported out of the Town under the Severest Penalty of the Law." Voted "that no Person shall give or sell any oysters to any person to export out of this town under the Penalty of fifteen Shillings for every two bushels so given or sold to be Exported and so in proportion for larger or smaller quanti- ties." Thomas Arthur, John Coffin and Jonathan Burnell were ap- pointed to see that this order was executed and to prosecute all offenders.
July 13, 1763, it was voted "that an addition be made to the House where the Engine is now kept so as to be Capacious enough to hold the new one lately come to the Island," and a committee was selected to see that the purpose of the vote was carried out. The new engine was put under the care of the same committee that had the former one in charge and they were orderd "to try the same once in three months at least and to keep the same in repair for the Use of the Town."
At a Town Meeting held October 19, 1763, it was voted "that two Houses be built for the Reception of such persons as are In- fected with the Small Pox. Voted that said House (s) be built on Coatue Point. Voted that David Joy, Jonathan Swain and Joseph Swain be the committee to build said Houses. Voted that Eben'r Calef and Obed Hussey Esq'rs, be Joined in the affair with said committee towards building and regulating said Houses. Voted that the town will suffer Inoculation of the Small Pox to be prac- ticed in said Town by a Major vote of Sixty eight voices against Forty one. Voted that Inoculation be practiced during the Towns Pleas- ure. Voted that James Coffin, Francis Macy, Thomas Bunker, Solomon Gardner and Benjamin Fosdick be a Committee to Inspect the affair of Inoculation and to determine when it shall be proper for persons to come into the Town after they have been Inocu- lated.'
November 16, 1763, the Town voted "that the vote passed by the last Town Meeting for Setting the Houses that are to be built for the Reception of such as shall be taken sick of the Small Pox at Coatue be reconsidered. Voted that the Houses to be built for the Reception of such as have the Small Pox be built to the Eastward of George Husseys lot near the shore between the shore & Pond near where Joseph Marshalls House stood. Voted that the Hospital be built to the westward of the Pest House and at least to be fifty Rods Distance from it to be at the Discretion of the Committee that build the same"*
It is quite evident that the deportment and morals of the people had not so improved that surveillance was not needed, for at the Annual Meeting of the Town March 21, 1764, it was voted "that the Town will Hire a watch to watch the Town in the night season. Voted that Jonathan Coleman, Robert Coffin, Jethro Coffin, Job Coggsshall, Caleb Bunker Jr., & Charles Clasby be a watch to watch the Town in the night season for one year and that all Six walk the Town every night from Dark until Ten of the clock and after that for four of them to walk all night to Prevent Dis- orders in the Night Season for a thousand Pounds old Tenor among them all for a year and two of them walk near the watch House
*From this circumstance the Pest House shore derived its name.
.
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in the Center of the Town till ten of the clock and the other four through the Town till ten of the clock as aforesaid and that they frequently in the Night season give the Inhabitants of the Town the time of Night and looks of the weather & other Remarks worthy of Notice with a clear and Audible voice."*
August 15, 1764, the Town voted "that the Town Arms remain in the same situation that there are in at present. Voted-that the vote passed in a Town Meeting held at Sherborn October ye 19: 1763, that Inoculation for the small Pox be practiced in this Town be Reconsidered and that Inoculation for the Small Pox shall not be practiced or carried on in this Town."t
At the Town Meeting of March 4, 1765, Joseph Jenkins, John Coleman, Richard Mitchell, William Coffin, William Rotch, Obed Hussey Esq., Andrew Myrick 2nd, Tabor Morton, Jonathan Burnell & Joseph Heath be the men to take care of the Engines for this year and that Obed Hussey Esq. be master fire-ward." At this meeting the Selectmen were appointed a committee to agree with four suitable men for night watchmen and to settle on the price to be paid and report in the afternoon of March 20, to an adjourned meeting. At the adjourned meeting the Town refused to reconsider its vote and Christopher Worth and John Barnard were selected for the job at salaries of £500 each, old tenor. Why two men only were selected instead of the four voted for on March 4 is not in evidence.
A curious duplication of the Records appears as an apparent report of the Annual Meeting of 1765, the record of a meeting March 4 being practically identical with one held March 30th, the differences being largely in the order in which the names are written.
May 15 ,1765, the Town voted "that the owners of the North Shore Meeting House may Deposit the Inside work of said Meeting House in the Town House during the Ensuing Summer or till said Meeting House is Rebuilt."
Richard Coffin, who had served the Town for 19 years as Treasurer appears to have died about this time and at a Town Meeting held April 3, 1765, a committee was chosen to audit his account. At the Annual Meeting held March 19, 1766, Zaccheus Macy was chosen his successor and for the first time, as the Records indicate, was paid for his work his salary being fixed at 21/2 per cent. In the meantime the pay of the Collector had ad-
*About 100 years ago, probably longer, the emblem of office of the police was a wooden staff some five feet long, surrounded by an iron crook, like a shepherd's crook, quite a formidable weapon for offence or defence. The expenses at this time were low, the appropriation be- ing £250 lawful money.
"The reason for this marked change of opinion is not difficult to discover. Innoculation as then carried on consisted in communicating the small pox to the patient under such conditions as occasioned hin: a minimum of risk. So long as he was practically quarantined the peo- ple incurred but little danger of contagion, but they became careless, and mingling too soon with the people in general produced a dangerous condition. Hence the change in public sentiment. Mr. Macy says (p. 65) that this condition of affairs "at length caused a remonstrance against the innoculation to be sent to the Governor, requesting his aid to suppress it. This put a stop to the business for a time, but it was resumed in 1772, when the Town again took measures to put a stop to it, and at length agreed with the Doctor, he relinquishing the business, to buy his buildings at cost, which they accordingly did, and paid him the amount of his bills, viz: £1072, 17s, 6d old tenor." The old time paper, or "old tenor" as it was called, had become so debased that for several years it took £8. "old tenor to equal £1 of "lawful money."
#This was the Congregatinal Church vestry which was moved to its present location in that year.
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vanced to 334 per cent. At the same meeting, Solomon Pinkham and George Pollard were employed to watch the Town from 10 p. m. to 3 a. m. every night for eight months for the princely sum of 3s 8d per night between them! The last entry on the record of that meeting is "voted that the affair Concerning the french be referred till the Town Meeting in May next."
This, of course, refers to the Acadians who had been despoiled of their homes and removed from their own country, and dis- tributed among the various communities in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As to those assigned to Nantucket one can only judge about them by occasional indefinite statements in the Records. They are again referred to in the record of a meeting held August 13, 1766, the May meeting having passed without any mention of them. At that August meeting it was voted-"that the Representa- tives for the Town lay it before the House of Representatives to get the former order for removing the French from this Island to be Confirmed." "Voted that Richard Coffin, Timothy Folger & Francis Macy be a Committee to give proper Instructions to our Representative in behalf of the Town respecting the above affair Concerning the French." In the record of that August meeting appears another ambiguous statement in which it was voted that "Instructions be given to our Representative, in behalf of the Towns & he is hereby Instructed for Restitution to be made to Several Gentlemen in Boston for Damages done to them in August last out of the Publick Treasury."
At the meeting of February 7, 1767, the committee to settle tht accounts of the late Treasurer Richard Coffin was instructed to allow his estate "5 per cent for his commission."
At the Annual Meeting of March 18, 1767, the Collector was required to give bonds for the performance of his duties. The Committee appointed to audit the accounts of Richard Coffin, late Town Treasurer, reported that there was due to him £219. lawful money. The Town approved the report.
Because of some alleged illegality respecting the choice of a Collector at the Annual Meeting, another meeting was held a week later at which it was formally voted that the Town would choose a Collector of Taxes for the year, and that the Collector so chosen shall give bonds for the faithful discharge of his duties. Joseph Barnard was elected and allowed 31/2 per cent for collecting.
The Town must have made commendable improvement in morals for in the fall of 1767, it voted to employ only two men from October until March and then four until the following May.
At a Town Meeting held January 13, 1768, the Town voted to employ a Town Solicitor. The vote as passed was "that the Town will chuse an agent for this Town to sue and Defend if need so require." John Gardner 2d, was chosen.
At the Annual Meeting . of March 2d, 1768,* it was voted
*On page 128 of the Records appears what seems to be a revision -
of the record of the meeting of March 18, 1767, in the matter of the (See next page)
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"that a Highway be made through the Folger Land to the westward of Jethro Folgers of Two rods wide and that the Town will make the fence on each side of said Highway and the Selectmen are chosen to see the same done and accomplished as soon as may be. The Selectmen viewing the Ground laid out an Highway thro the Folgers lot aforesaid of one Rod and a half wide; they Judging that to be sufficient for the Use of the Town.
Attest FREDERICK FOLGER Town Clerk."
On March 23, 1768, it was voted "that the Town will Grant fifty Pounds lawful Money towards Defraying the charges of erect- ing a fulling mill and putting the same in order for Dressing of Cloth."
June 8, 1768, it was voted that the old Prison be repaired and a new one built near it of such bigness and Dimensions as the Committee appointed shall think fit with a Yard round it if they shall think proper." Benjamin Tupper, Reuben Folger, Wil- liam Coffin, Edward Starbuck, and Grafton Gardner Esq., were the committee selected "to repair the Prison and build a New one if they think proper and to carry on the whole affair." At the same meeting the Town voted "that the House Thomas Ellis lives in be appropriated for a work house for the Use of the Town," and that Edward Starbuck, Joseph Marshall and Frederick Folger shall be overseers of the work-house.
"At a Legal Meeting at Sherborn Sept. 24th, 1768, Caleb Bunker Esq., is chosen Moderator for this Meeting. Voted that one Man be chosen to Join the committee in Convention at Faneuil Hall in Boston to act in Concert for the good and welfare of the Province. Voted that Stephen Hussey be the Man to serve the Town in the Committee of Convention at Faneuil Hall in Boston and to repair thither as soon as conveniently may be."* Evidently there was a feeling immediately after this action that the Town might have been a bit precipitate for on October 5, at a meeting evidently called solely to consider this matter further the Town voted "that the votes that passed the last Town Meeting be re- considered" and further voted "that Joseph Marshall, Frederick Folger & Chris't'r Starbuck together with the Selectmen of the Town be a Committee to write to the Selectmen of Boston in answer to a Requesition of theirs of Sept'r 14th last to the Select- men of this Town Concerning a Committee of Convention to meet in Faneuil Hall. What the purport of that answer was is now a mere matter of guesswork.
November 9, 1768, the Town voted to "send a petition to the Commissioners of his Majesties' Customs to desire them to send Collector of Duties to this Town.'
The Records of December 14, 1768, state that at a Town Meeting of that date "James Coffin is chosen by a Major vote to be
election of Collector. It shows that Joseph Barnard was elected at a salary of 334 per cent. Benjamin Tupper and David Gardner dissent on the ground that the vote is not legal though the Records do not state why. They go on then to say that Thomas Arthur be Collector for 334 per cent "he giving bonds sufficient."
*This would appear to have been one of the meetings called to protest the Stamp Tax and owner acts of English misrule.
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Register of Deeds for the County of Nantucket in the Room of Nathan Coffin lately Deceased."*
By 1769, the sum to be raised for the Town's use had in- creased to £700 lawful money. At a meeting on February 8th of that year a committee was chosen to assist the Town Treasurer "to settle accounts with the Collector of Taxes for this Town." The same meeting voted that £10 old tenor per annum "be allowed to James Gardner for his services in collecting the Taxes in the year 1745 and 1746."+
The Dog annoyance, like history, repeated itself and the Records for September 4, 1769, show that the Town again called for their complete extinction.
December 22, 1769, the Town voted that "the Town will buy another large Engine to Extinguish fire. Voted that the Selectmen be a Committee in behalf of the town to send for an Engine to London as soon as may be of the value of £60 Sterling. Voted that the Selectmen Provide five Dozen Leather Buckets for the Use of the town and Purchase as cheep as may be. Voted that the Selectmen Provide Six Ladders for the use of the Town. Voted that Edward Cary be Captain of the large Engine and Shubel Bar- nard Captain of the small Engine and that Thomas Bunker, Francis Brown, Shubel Pinkham, Francis Macy, Joseph Coffin, Tho's Jen- kins, Chris't Hussey & Samuel Starbuck be assistants to the fire- wards in Case of fire. Voted that the Gun Powder be forthwith removed out of the body of the Town and that Nath'll Coffin & Nath'll Coffin 2d be chosen to see that the Powder is removed and procure a suitable place for the Reception of the same and that no man be allowed to keep more than Six Pounds of Powder in his House or Store at one time and that to be kept in a tin Cannis- ter.'
At a Town Meeting held January 10, 1770, Frederick Folger, Christopher Starbuck and Richard Coffin were chosen a Committee to draw up a petition to the General Court "to build a Light House on the end of Sandy Point of Nantucket at the Charge of the Province." At the same meeting the Town for some reason not quite clear refused to raise any money for the Town's use for the year. A week later, January 17, the Town voted to reconsider its vote regarding the Light House, and voted instead "that the Representative use his Influence in the General Court to get a Light House on our Point according to his own Discresion."} The
* Mr. Coffin was elected Feby. 21, 1753, to succeed Eleazer Folger, deceased.
¡There seems to have been no Collector in those years. James Gardner was a Constable and probably collected taxes in that capacity. though why settlement with him should have been deferred 22 years does not seem clear.
įThe General Court passed the following order (Mass. Archives Maritine, Vol. 61, p. 644): "Whereas the Inhabitants of the Island of Nantucket, at their own cost and charge, have att Different times Erected Light houses upon Brant point, at the Entrance of the Har- bor of Nantucket, the first of which was Destroy'd by fire and the second by a Violent gust of Wind the third is now Standing and is Absolutely Necessary for all Vessels Coming in and going out of Said Harbour but the Inhabitants of s'd Island have hitherto been att the Charge of Erecting and maintaining the s'd Light House which Burthen ought in Equity to be born by all Vessels, receiving Advantage from that Light Belonging to Strangers as well as to the said Inhabitants who have humbly Petitioned this Court for Relief" -- All Vessels after Aug. 1, 1774, of 15 Tons or more Burthen were subject to charge of six (See next page)
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Treasurer was "authorized and Impowered to pay Bills already taxed by the Court of Sessions for County charges. It is a little difficult to reconcile the action of the two meetings, unless, in the matter of the light house it was believed that a little quiet lobbying by the Representative would be more efficacious than a formal petition; and in the matter of the appropriation of money, it would be necessary to meet the charges imposed by the Court under any circumstances, and there were funds in the Treasury that could be used for that purpose.
At the Annual Meeting, held March 7, 1770, Benjamin Coffin 2d, Thomas Bunker and John Coleman 2d "be Clerks of the Markets for this year." A committee was chosen "to inspect into the late Collector's Books* and assist him to collect the Outstanding Taxes and make returns to the Next Meeting of their Proceedings there- in." This Committee reported March 24 and the report was ordered "lodged in the Town Clerk's office."
May 23, 1770, the Town voted to "build a work House for the Use of the Town of thirty three feet long, Sixteen feet wide & ten feet High the Posts as soon as may be" and appointed a Committee to select a suitable site, apply to the Propriety for it and superintend the erection of the building.
That the Town Treasurers of the day were not well versed in modern finance is shown by the fact that in settling the ac- counts of four of them who appear to have died in office the Town was indebted to their estates for considerable sums.
October 17, 1770, it was voted to dispense with the night watch.
By the record of a Town meeting held June 16, 1770,1 John Gardner, 2d, had been chosen to "collect the outstanding Taxes committed to Thomas Arthur and Delinquent Collector." Arthur does not appear to have surrendered his books and a Committee was chosen to accompany Gardner and procure them. The meet- ing adjourned until "Saturday next at 2 o'clock afternoon." In the meantime legal proceedings must have been taken against Arthur for the Committee made the following report:
Nantucket 1 mo. 19, 1771.
We the Subscribers being appointed at the Last Town Meet- ing the 16th Instant to go with John Gardner 2d to receive the former Rate Books of Thomas Arthur in Case he will deliver the same have accordingly attended that service & do receive for answer from the said Thomas Arthur that he is not willing to Deliver said Books or an Extract of the same while under Con- finement.
JOSIAH BARKER CHRIS'T STARBUCK STEPHEN HUSSEY."
shillings at the time of their first coming or going said fee to be paid but once in 12 months. No vessel was to be allowed to enter or clear without making this payment to the Inspecting officer at Nantucket- said sum to go to support the Light House.
*Andrew Worth was elected Collector at the meeting vice John Gardner 2d.
tArthur was elected collector in 1766 and re-elected in 1767. His collections were made on a percentage.
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June 6, 1771, a Committee was chosen consisting of Abishai Folger Esq., Zaccheus Macy, Frederick Folger, Josiah Barker and Timothy Folger in "conjunction with the Selectmen" to draw up and forward to the General Court a petition "to Desire and Re- quest that the Islands of Muskekit and Gravelly Island may be an- nexed to this County."*
At a meeting held September 11, 1771, it was voted "that a Remonstrance be sent to the Governor to lay the State of Inocula- tion before him in a true light and to desire him to sign a Bill to annex Muskeket and Gravelly Island to this County by a Majority of 114 voices against 4. Voted that Francis Macy, Joseph Marshall, Frederick Folger, Samuel Starbuck, Wm. Rotch, Stephen Hussey in conjunction with the Selectmen of the Town be a Committee to prepare the said Remonstrance and send the same to the Governor. Voted that Stephen Hussey be the Man to carry said Remonstrance to Boston & present the same to his Excellency."
By the year 1772, either the collection of taxes had become a little more difficult or the job seemed worth more for some other reason for the pay of the Collector had been advanced to 7 per- cent. A goodly number of Fire Wards seem to have been thought essential and the Town elected Joseph Coffin, John Coleman, Wil- liam Morton, Edward Cary, Timothy Coffin, Reuben Folger, Thomas Bunker, Shubael Barnard, Stephen Paddack, Joseph Heath, Thomas Jenkins, Benjamin Bunker, Jonathan Folger Jr., Peleg Bunker, Francis Joy, George Hussey 2d, Walter Folger, George Pollard, Richard Pinkham, Christopher Worth, Nathaniel Coffin 2d, Joseph Nichols, James Gardner 2d, and Samuel Starbuck, quite a respect- able sized fire department of themselves. Edward Cary was ap- pointed Captain and Thomas Jenkins Mate "of the large Engine; Reuben Folger Captain and Joseph Coffin Mate" of 2'd Engine; and Timothy Coffin Captain and Stephen Paddack Mate "of small Engine." Overseers of the Poor as such were elected for the first time this year-Edward Starbuck, Joseph Barnard, Timothy Folger, Zaccheus Macy, and George Hussey 2d being chosen.
At a Town Meeting held June 24,, 1772, it was voted "that the Town will purchase ' Doctor Samuel Gilston's buildings on Gravelly Island at a Reasonable Rate if he be disposed to sell the same," and a Committee of five was chosen to interview the Doctor and open negotiations and report at an adjourned meeting to be held the following Tuesday. Just what the Committee reported
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