USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 1, 1924 > Part 35
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
A man entitled to land could build his house on an unoccupied lot in the town and impale it in the proportion of half-an-acre of ground for fifty pounds adventured, unless the governor and council changed the rate. If any one desired a deed of his land, a conveyance was made in the name of the Company, under its common seal.
1Massachusetts Bay Colony Records, May 7, 1629.
2 Massachusetts Bay Calony Records, May 18, 1629.
3This was finally agreed by the Company May 22d, the ships being ready to sail, with the second letter to Governor Endecott, copies of records, etc.
ST
marks
Indians
Saluti
44
P
Kakan
B
a
MAP IN BRITISH MUSEUM.
Agawam .
3II
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TOWN
Each person who came over at his own expense and was an adventurer in the common stock had forthwith allotted to him fifty acres of land for each individual in his family ; but the master of a family who was not an adventurer in the common stock, had fifty acres of land and as much more as the governor and council deemed necessary according to his expenses and standing.
To such as had transported servants, land was allotted at the rate of fifty acres for each servant; and, if the master was re- sponsible for or had paid the cost of the servant's transportation and wages, in order to recover what he had paid, he was entitled to sell the land.
The Company wished to deal fairly with the Indians, and in the first general letter to Governor Endecott the latter was advised to make composition with such of the savages as pretended to claim title to any of the land within the patent limits. In the second general letter Governor Endecott was requested to be care- ful to discover such claimants, and by the advice of his council to make such reasonable composition with them as might free the Company and council from any scruple of intrusion, "and to this purpose, if it might bee convenyently done, to compound & con- clude wth them all, or as many of yo" can at one tyme, not doubting but, by yo" discreet ordering of this business, the natives wilbe willing to treat & compound wth yo" vpon very easie conditions."
In the first general letter to Governor Endecott, the Company stated that it desired to grant to each of the Brownes two hundred acres in the first division of lands, but whether they received the land is doubtful. In the second general letter to Governor En- decott, the Company expressed its desire that Thomas Beard, the shoemaker, might have fifty acres of land since he had transported himself at his own expense. "But as well for him as all others that shall haue land allotted to them in that kinde, and are noe adventurers in the common stock, weh is to support the charge of ffortyficacons, as also for the ministrie & divers affaires, wee holde it fitt that these kinde of men, as also such as shall come to inheritt lands by their service, should, by way of acknowledgmt to such from whom they receive these lands, become lyable to the pform- ance of some service certaine dayes in the yeare, and by that service they and their posterite after them to hold and inherite these lands, weh wilbe a good meanes to enioy their lands from being held in capite, and to support the plantacon in genall and pticuler."
Salem was accordingly laid out between the North and South rivers.
Essex Street was a path probably before the old planters came, and this was doubtless true of the way to the location of their
..
312
HISTORY OF SALEM
ANCIENT ROAD IN HIGHLAND PARK.
houses. From St. Peter Street each of these ancient ways led to a peninsula. In the other direction, from St. Peter Street, a way ran southwesterly, following the course of Essex Street, then through what was formerly Warren Street Court into the great pasture. It passed over the eastern side of the Bertram athletic field, then southerly through Highland Park, over Diamond bridge to Vinnin Square, then through Tedesco, Humphrey, Pleasant, Washington, Lee, Gregory, Hooper and Washington streets to the peninsula of Marblehead. From the Bertram athletic field, a branch of the ancient way passed westerly down Powder House lane, southeasterly of the high school building, crossing Highland Avenue, into Pope Court, thence between the river and the ridge to Putnam Street, then over Boston, Aborn, Washington and Lynn streets southerly to the present city of Lynn and on to Bos- ton. At the junction of Boston and Aborn streets, a westerly branch ran through Main, Central and North Central streets, in Peabody, to the old path running on the southerly side of Waters River northeasterly to Great Cove. From the head of North Central Street the path ran around the head of Waters River, then by Sylvan, Ash, Elm, Conant, Dodge and Enon streets to Wenham Lake and from thence northerly toward Ipswich. From a point on Conant Street, easterly of Folly Hill, the path to the Cape Ann peninsula ran through the athletic field at the head of Bass River, then through Balch, Cabot and Hale streets and by the old Gloucester road through Manchester. Another path went from Danvers Square, through Maple and Locust streets, passing be-
-
3
>
8
1
5
6
9
10
=
21
12
22
23
13
14
24
15
16
25
18
19
26
20
37
35
34
33
32
30
29
38
39
50
40
48 A
16
54
42 43 44
53
12
15
55
74
76
57
58
79 78
77
80
8
59
84
56
61
62
86
87
88
89
63
92 91 90
93
94
95
64
96
91
65
98
99
00
101
102
69
103
70
104
71
105
107 106
108
109
114
115
[118
117
116
119
120
122
126
121
. 128
127
129
130
31
132
134
133
136
135
137
138
NORTH RIVER
LAYOUT OF THE TOWN.
28
27
31
THE HARBOR
41
52
15
73
81
85
RIVER
67
68
The Old Planters'
Settlement
123
124
125
COVE
66
17
SOUTH
313
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TOWN
tween the house and barn at the Rea-Fowler homestead, then past the Burley house, crossing Burley Street, and running on the northerly side of Cherry Hill, then by Trask, Cabot, Cedar and Cherry streets to Main Street, in Wenham, where it connected with the path running easterly of Wenham Lake. These paths were the ways of least resistance in which to pass to the various peninsulas and rivers, lakes and coves of the region. They were undoubtedly originated by animals, then used by the Indians and finally adopted by the English settlers, as they were the best land routes as probably centuries of use had proved. These various paths were crooked and long, but they were comparatively level and were the most feasible routes, passing around the hills, swamps, rivers and arms of the sea. A map, showing some of these through routes, was found some years ago by Henry Fitz Waters of Salem in the Sloane collection of maps in the British Museum, in London. It was made about 1633, but its delineator is unknown. So much of it as was included in original Salem is herewith reproduced, slightly reduced.
No record of the first layout of Salem is known to exist. The plan of the layout of that part of Salem known as the "town" has been prepared by tracing the land titles to the earliest date possible. The recording of deeds began too late to give the earliest changes of titles. Most of the earliest lots were two acres each, and soon after (before 1635) they were limited to one acre. Apparently the two-acre lots were on the North River and those of one- acre were along the South River and easterly of Central Street. Some of the lots shown on the plan were the aggregate of several original small ones, and in some instances several small ones con- stituted one original lot. The lot marked B. G. is the original burying ground. The lots are numbered only so that they can be here referred to intelligently. They were not so designated on the records. The following is a list of the names of the various owners of the lot's at the dates stated, which is the earliest informa- tion that has been obtained. The scale of this map is one inch to eleven hundred and forty feet.
I. Thomas Trusler, 1654. 2. John Alderman, 1657. 3. Rob- ert Moulton, 1640. 4. Henry Rennalds, 1655. 5. Philip Verrin, 1650. 6. William Bacon, 1640. 7. Thomas Goldthwaite, 1650. 8. Townsend Bishop, 1646. 9. Thomas James, 1652. 10. John Reeves, 1680. II. Thomas Spooner, 1640. 12. Richard Bishop, 1657. 13. Thomas Robbins, 1663. 14. Thomas Trusler, 1653. 15. Thomas Cole, 1679. 16. Samuel Belknap, 1663. 17. Allen Kennison, 1647. 18. Jeffrey Massey, 1664. 19. Philip Verrin, 1649. 20. William Williams, 1637. 21. Robert Cotta, 1673. 22. John Pickering, 1657. 23. Michael Shafflin, 1638. 24. Thom-
314
HISTORY OF SALEM
as Antrum, 1658. 25. Richard Graves, 1654. 26. Philip Verrin, 1649. 27. Ralph Fogg, 1656. 28. William Browne, 1666. 29. Thomas Wilkes and wife Mary, 1656. 30. Samuel Sharp, 1629. 31. Edmond Thompson, 1639. 32. Robert Adams, 1649. 33. Ed- mond Batter, 1639. 34 .. John Humphrey, 1644. 35. Hugh Peter, 1636. 36. Hugh Peter, 1637. 37. George Emery, 1637. 38. Francis Higginson, 1629. 39. William Lord, 1634. 40. Hugh Laskin, 1647. 41. Samuel Skelton, 1629. 42. William Browne, 1687. 43. Elias Stileman, 1640. 44. William Browne, 1664. 45. Peter Palfrey, 1629. 46. John Gedney, 1660. 47. Thomas Weeks, 1656. 48. John Woodbury, 1629. 49. Hugh Peter, 1636. 50. John Horne, 1636. 51. George Ropes, 1661. 52. Thomas Oliver, 1661. 53. John Endecott, 1629. · 54. George Burdett, 1636. 55. John Symonds, 1652. 56. Lucy Downing, 1639. 57. John Whitlock, 1650. 58. Christopher Waller, 1658. 59. Richard Stackhouse and wife Susan, 1658. 60. John Gedney, 1640. 61. Edward Norris, 1640. 62. John Burrows, 1637. 63. George Williams, 1653. 64. Thomas Watson, 1640. 65. Thomas Tuck, 1639. 66. John Neal, 1670. 67. Henry Skerry, 1673. 68. Henry Cook, 1638. 69. Richard Graves, 1649. 70. Miles Ward, 1650. 71. Gervas Garford and daughter Ann Turland, 1635. 72. Robert Gutch, 1651. 73. John Bourne, 1655. 74. John Holgrave, 1655. 75. Anthony Dike, 1638. 76. Francis Webb, 1636. 77. Alexander Field, 1649. 78. William Goult, 1659. 79. Edward Grove, 1669. 80. John Friend, 1654. 81. Eleazer Hathorne, 1653. 82. Peter Palfrey, 1652. 83. John Horne, 1655. 84. William Hathorne, 1654. 85. Alexander Field, 1650. 86. James Hyndes, 1649. 87. Joshua Ward, 1669. 88. William Al- len, 1652. 89. Samuel Archer, 1658. 90. Daniel Rumball, 1659. 91. Samuel Archer, 1665. 92. John Archer, 1665. 93. Henry True, 1658. 94. John Browne, 1660. 95. William Jeggles, 1658. 96. Joseph Hardy, 1656. 97. John Ingersoll, 1656. 98. Richard Raymond, 1659. 99. John Baylies, 1649. 100. Elias Mason, 1661. IOI. William Cockerel, 1660. 102. Paul Mansfield, 1661. 103. Tim- othy Watson, 1653. 104. John Swazey, 1652. 105. Timothy Laskin, 1656. 106. Joseph Grafton, 1661. 107. Matthew Dove, 1661. 108. Richard Prince, 1653. 109. Thomas Jeggles, 1661. IIO. John Ormes, 1661. III. Thomas Day, 1661. 112. Samuel Gardner, 1661. 113. George Gardner, 1661. 114. Thomas Browning, 1652. 115. Joseph Grafton, 1652. 116. Mr. Moore, 1661. 117. Edward Woolen, 1667. 118. Richard Lambert, 1661. 119. Richard Hilliard, 1655. 120. Joseph Grafton, 1664. I21. Henry Harwood, 1663. 122. John Becket, 1665. 123. Edward Harnet and wife Eunice, 1655. 124. John Smith, 1661. 125. Wil- liam Goose, 1637. 126. Joseph Swazey, 1658. 127. Richard Hol-
RIVER
86
87
88
84
90
2
102
101
001
66
98
97
96
25. ý 94
93
9:1
51
General
5
6
82
N
8
7
52
10
1
77 :
78;
47
The
65
North Field- "Gate in
72
64
15
46
the
70
63
42
18
71
68
43
38
39
44
20
33
21
DIVISION of
22
Field.
2.32
30
29
28
27 9
25
24
NORTH FIELD
23
NORTH RIVER
SCALE: 1 inch = 2200 feet.
GREAT COVE
WILLISTON RIVER
89
3
92
The
83
(Shipley's Cove
(Skerry's Cove
Fènce
76
80
58
79
60
in
56
55
53
54
19
11
73
12
62
14
13
69
66
41
17
....
67
45
19
37
36
34 ...
35
0 ₺
North
75
81
59
85
COW-HOUSE
4
31
315
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TOWN
lingworth, 1653. 128. Francis Collins, 1637. 129. Andrew Wood- berry, 1658. 130. Joseph Younges, 1649. 131. Robert Lemon, 1667. 132. Mathew Nixon, 1667. 133. Andrew Woodberry, 1668. 134. Edward Hilliard, 1653. 135. Thomas Rix, 1661. 136. Roger Conant, 1658. 137. John Beckett, 1653. 138. Thomas Solas, 1661.
When the North field was laid out is unknown, but it must have been before the town records were begun. Apparently most of the original lots consisted of ten acres each. By tracing the land titles the accompanying plan is made possible. The following is a list of the lots with the names of the owners at the dates stated.
I. This was the horse pasture, which was owned by Capt. George Corwin (five-fourteenths), Philip Cromwell (five-four- teenths), William Browne, sr. (two-fourteenths), and Dr. George Emery (two-fourteenths) in 1669. 2. Thomas Watson, 1669. 3. Robert Butten before 1674. 4. John Shipley about 1650. 5. Robert Goodell, 1658. 6. Francis Skerry, 1682. 7. Francis Lawes and John Luff, being two ten acre lots, in 1659. 8. John Massey, 1700. 9. Francis Lawes and John Luff, 1659. 10. John Trask, 1695. II. Thomas Robbins, 1680. 12. Daniel Ray, 1655. 13. Alice Fermaies, 1655. 14. Thomas Watson, 1655. 15. Thomas Tuck and Joseph Harris, 1659. 16. Mark Fermaies, about 1670. 17. Thomas Wilkes and wife Mary, 1656. 18. Thomas Watson, 1656. 19. Thomas Oliver, about 1670. 20. John Symonds, before 1670. 21. Robert Buffum, 1661. 22. The easterly part belonged to widow Spooner and the westerly part to George Corwin very early. 23. Robert Buffum before 1690. 24. John Kitchen, 1659. 25. Edward Gaskill, 1659. 26. Thomas Spooner, 1659. 27. John Trask, 1672. 28. - Marshall, about 1650. 29. Thomas Gard- ner, 1658. 30. Henry Phelps, 1658. 31. William Bacon, 1653. 32. Thomas Gardner, 1644. 33. Richard Bishop, 1654. 34. Sam- uel Gaskill, 1670. 35. Thomas Gardner, 1674. 36. Samuel Gaskin, 1682. 37. Robert Stone, 1682. 38. John Alderman, about 1650. 39. Samuel Gaskill, 1659. 40. Thomas Goldthwaite, 1659. 41. Job Swinerton, 1681. 42. William Place, about 1650. 43. James Sy- monds, 1698. 44. Samuel Ebourn, about 1680. 45. Col. Bar- tholomew Gedney, 1697. 46. Col. Bartholomew Gedney, 1697. 47. Samuel Ebourne, 1698. 48. John Blevin, 1698. 49. John Gedney and John Symonds, 1665. 50. John Gedney, 1667. 51. Hugh Peter, 1640. 52. John Higginson, 1679. 53. John Nor- man, sr., 1636. 54. Mr. Herbert, before 1650. 55. Robert Good- ale, 1663. 56. Thomas Reed, 1663. 57. Henry Bartholomew, 1663. 58. Thomas Reed, 1667. 59. John Foster, 1700. 60. David Foster, 1700. 61. John Tompkins, 1675. 62. Edward Beacham, 1682. 63. Benjamin Gerrish, 1682. 64. Thomas Spooner, before 1680.
316
HISTORY OF SALEM
65. John Hill, 1675. 66. Hugh Pasco, 1682. 67. Caleb Buffum, 1682. 68. John Pease, about 1680. 69. Job Swinnerton, 1664. 70. Joseph Pope, 1664. 71. Henry Birdsall, 1650. 72. John Bourne, 1653. 73. Hugh Jones, 1688. 74. Anthony Buxton, 1680. 75. John Pudney, sr., 1692. 76. William Robinson, 1661. 77. Thomas Wheeler, about 1661. 78. George Corwin, 1658. 79. Ed- ward Beachem, 1662. 80. John Alderman, 1656. 81. Thomas James, 1662. 82. John Foster, 1675. 83. John Small, 1700. 84. Henry Williams, 1654. 85. Robert Butten, before 1650. 86. William Towne, 1652. 87. Richard Waters, 1658. 88. John Tompkins, 1658. 89. John Tompkins, 1664. 90. Robert Cotta, about 1650. 91. John Foster, 1664. 92. Thomas Scudder, about 1660. 93. Thomas Robbins, 1681. 94. George Smith, 1679. 95. Henry Cook, 1680. 96. Samuel Goldthwait, 1687. 97. John Burton, 1683. 98. John Marsh, 1673. 99. Nathaniel Felton, 1667. 100. Lawrence Leach, 1660. 10I. - -- Veren, 1660. 102. William Cantlebury, about 1660.
The South field was laid out probably at the same time as the North field. A fence ran along the upper end of it from the South River to Palmer Cove and along the southwesterly side of it from the first. Most, if not all, of the lots were originally of ten acres. The following is a list of them with the names of the owners at the dates stated.
I. Hugh Peter, 1640. 2. Daniel Rumball, 1652. 3. Henry Bartholomew, 1664. 4. Peter Palfrey, 1662. 5. Richard Hide, 1652. 6. John Swazey, 1652. 7. Richard Hide, 1652. 8. George Ropes, 1662. 9. Samuel Archard, 1660. 10. Richard Prince, 1662. II. Joseph Hardy, 1675. 12. William Lord, sr., 1668. 13. Dea- cons' marsh, 1668. 14. Joseph Hardy, 1668. 15. William Allen, 1652. 16. Hugh Laskin, 1650 (?). 17. Joshua Rea, 1660. 18. John Orne, 1679. 19. Richard Raymond, 1662. 20. Mr. Gott, 1660. 21. William Ager, 1653. 22. Samuel Archer, sr., 1667. 23. Nathaniel Pickman, 1669. 24. Thomas Browning, 1658. 25. John Talby, 1652. 26. John Bourne, 1655. 27. Henry Harwood, 1661. 28. William Jeggles, 1658. 29. Elias Mason, before 1692. 30. Richard Waters and Richard Adams, 1650. 31. John Pick- ering, 1678. 32. Henry Cooke, 1652. 33. Daniel Baxter, 1644. 34. John Neale, sr., 1671. 35. Thomas James, 1652. 36. Friend, 1660. 37. John Ruck, 1680. 38. William Lord, about 1680. 39. Alexander Field, 1652. 40. William Lord, about 1680. 41. Henry True, 1653. 42. John Mousar, 1639. 43. John Orne, about 1680. 44. John Holmes, 1672. 45. William Flint, 1670.
Salem was never incorporated until it received a charter as a city in 1836. Its origin as a municipality is unique. At first, it was the only settlement within the territory of the Massachusetts
SOUTH RIVER
2
3
1
KGate/
5
6
7
4
STAGE
POINT.
9
10 :
11 :
12
13
14
15#
:: 16
:: 17
4 18
#19
Castle Hill
:20
#21
1: 23
24
25
26
28
27
29
30
:35
31
32
36
Gatto 37
¥38.
33
FOREST RIVER
0
42
41
43
44
Sx
SCALE : Iin. = 1635 feet.
DIVISION OF SOUTH FIELD.
317
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TOWN
Bay Colony. When other settlements were made within the bor- ders of the colony, it became necessary to establish division lines between them. So the settlement of Agawam or Ipswich caused the line north of Wenham and Manchester to be established ; the settlement of Gloucester induced the eastern line of Manchester to be determined; and the settlement of Lynn caused the western boundary of Salem to be fixed. Wenham was detached from Salem in 1643; Manchester in 1645 ; Marblehead in 1648; Beverly in 1668; and Danvers in 1752; leaving the territory of Salem practically as it is at present. It is the survival of many elimina- tions.
The origin of its town government is as interesting and peculiar as its beginning as a town. Originally, Salem was locally under the immediate control of the governor and council ; but after the general court had been transferred to Newtown, the freemen of Salem held town meetings, granted land, made orders relating to its affairs and appointed a number of themselves to carry on the routine business of the settlement. The duties of the latter were similar to those of the later boards of selectmen. The free- men appearing to have thus acted for the town before March 3, 1635-6, were John Endecott, William Trask, Philip Verrin, Townsend Bishop, John Holgrave, Edmond Batter, Thomas Gardner, Roger Conant and Jeffrey Massy. The number of the settlements had so increased that the general court had too many important duties to which to attend to give its attention to the ordinary affairs of the individual towns, and, March 3, 1635-6, definitely provided that the freemen in each town be empowered to dispose of their own land and make such orders as might con- cern the well ordering of their town, enforce penalties for their breach, not exceeding one pound, and to choose their own officers, such as constables and surveyors of highways.
For at least a year or two before this order was passed the freemen of Salem met in what the town records, in some instances, called "a general court," but generally "a meeting of the freemen," "a town meeting" or "a meeting of the town in general," and after- ward it was ordinarily called "a general town meeting," although sometimes "a general town meeting of the freemen," or "a public town meeting.'
Commencing in 1636, "the town's representatives" granted land and performed other acts as if delegated by the freemen. March 28, 1636, the town records called "the town representatives" "the thirteen men ;" among them during that year were John Balch, Edmond Batter, Townsend Bishop, Roger Conant, John Endecott, Thomas Gardner, John Holgrave, Jeffrey Massy, Wil- liam Trask and Philip Verrin. In 1637, until June 19, the men
.
318
HISTORY OF SALEM
who served were John Balch, Jacob Barney, Townsend Bishop, John Endecott, Ralph Fogg, Lawrence Leach, Robert Moulton, Daniel Ray, Thomas Scruggs, Elias Stileman, Philip Verrin, Wood and John Woodbury. At a general town meeting, June 19, 1637, twelve men were "chosen for manadging the affairs of the Towne" for six months. These were John Balch, Townsend Bishop, Roger Conant, Thomas Gardner, William Hathorne, John Holgrave, Jeffrey Massy, Robert Moulton, Peter Palfrey, Daniel Ray, Thomas Scruggs and John Woodbury. John Endecott ap- pears as one of them on Christmas day, 1637, and through the next year. The meetings of these twelve men were called "town meet- ings." At a general town meeting, Dec. 31, 1638, seven men were chosen to manage the affairs of the settlement for the next year. These were John Balch, Roger Conant, John Woodbury, John Endecott, William Hathorne, Lawrence Leech and Jeffrey Massy ; the same men were reelected for 1640. At a meeting in the autumn of 1642, Thomas Gardner, Peter Palfrey and William Lord appear in place of Roger Conant, John Woodbury and John Balch. At a general town meeting, Dec. 4, 1643, John Endecott, William Hathorne, William Lord, Jeffrey Massy, Peter Palfrey, Thomas Gardner and Henry Bartholmew were chosen and ordered to meet monthly. If any of them were absent at such meetings without "just ground" they were liable to a penalty of ten shillings. These men continued in this office until Feb. 23, 1646-7, when the "eight men" present at the meeting were William Hathorne, William Lord, John Hardy, George Corwine, John Porter, Samuel Archer and Edmond Batter. May 17, 1647, the "seven men" were the same persons and William Clerke. May 12, 1647, they were the seven men as of the preceding Feb. 23d. From March 20, 1647-8, until 1650, the "seven men" consisted of Henry Barthol- mew, Edmond Batter, George Corwin, Emmanuel Downing, William Hathorne, Jeffry Massy and John Porter. Commencing with March 13, 1648-9, they were ever afterward denominated selectmen.
Next to the general managers of the affairs of the town, the constable was the most important officer. He had to preserve the peace, and perform other duties at various times. A staff was the emblem of his office before 1647. The first known constable in Salem was John Woodbury, who was chosen and sworn by the court of assistants at Charlestown Sept. 28, 1630. Elias Stileman was a constable in 1635, and Francis Weston in December, 1636. Philip Verrin was sworn constable April 10, -1637; and Samuel Archer was chosen Dec. 4, 1637. Verrin and Archer were those officers in November, 1638 : and Daniel Ray, in 1639. John Alder- man was sworn constable July 8, 1639; and Gervas Garford was
319
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TOWN
chosen to that office in January, 1639-40. Edward Burcham was sworn constable March 31, 1640; Robert Elwell of Marblehead June 30, 1640 ; William Lord July 1, 1640 ; and Joseph Batchelder in July, 1641. Gervas Garford was also constable in 1641. Thomas Spooner was sworn Oct. 20, 1641; Henry Bartholmew and Thomas Venner, Aug. 10, 1642 ; Robert Button Nov. 29, 1642; and Richard Prince Dec. 27, 1642. Thomas Truslar was sworn Sept. 4, 1643 ; and was constable in 1644. Moses Maverick was sworn constable Dec. 26, 1643. Thomas Edwards was chosen con- stable for Marblehead Feb. 26, 1643-4, and he and David Cur- within of Marblehead were sworn March 25, 1644. Richard Bishop was elected Sept. 30, 1644, and sworn Dec. 31st following. Henry Harwood was chosen and sworn April 7, 1645; and Michael Shaflin Jan. 26, 1645-6. Jeffry Massy was chosen Feb. 16, 1645-6, and sworn April 15, 1646. Walter Price was chosen and sworn Oct. 26, 1646. John Jackson was chosen May 1, 1647. Henry Skerry was sworn July 6, 1647; and Samuel Archer was constable Sept. 30, 1647. John Robinson was chosen, in Mr. Price's stead, Oct. 18, 1647. Daivid .Curwithin of Marblehead was constable in 1647 and 1648; and Thomas Watson was sworn to that office June 27, 1648. John Kitchin was chosen constable, in place of Mr. Robinson, Nov. II, 1648, and sworn three days later. Francis Skerry was chosen and sworn May II, 1649.
Selectmen and constables were chosen by the freemen of the town generally, but lesser officers were appointed by the selectmen or constables.
Apparently, the early town meetings were warned by having them announced in the regular service of the church, even though only one day's notice might thus be given, as every freeman was presumed to be present, since he was compelled to attend the church services.
Nov. 30, 1635, the town agreed that "all such orders as the towne shall thinke meet to be published, shalbe published one the next lecture day after the towne meeting." Orders made by the town were recorded by Ralph Fogg, the clerk, as there was at that time (Feb. 6, 1636-7) no "print howse or some other meanes whereby to publish them," that the people then living here and those who would come might learn what they were.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.