USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1743-1783 (vol. 3) > Part 14
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Samuel Cole & William Warren were chosen Constables.
At a Town Meeting assembled & Held at the Court House in Plimouth on Thursday ye 28th of March Anno Domini 1765 at four of ye clock in the afternoon.
Messrs. Elkanah Watson, David Turner & Daniel Diman chosen to serve on the Grand Jury.
* John Russell was born in Scotland in 1728 and came to Plymouth about 1745 and married in 1757, Mercy, daughter of Nathaniel Foster. He was the grandfather of the late Thomas Russel and his brother, Capt. John Russell. He owned and occupied the house recently owned and occupied by Thomas B. Bartlett. He died in 1776.
PLYMOUTH RECORDS. 161
John Blackmer, Dean Joseph Bartlett, Thomas Swift, Thomas Jackson, Jeremiah Howes & John Finney chosen to serve on the Petit Jury For Tryalls.
All to serve at the Next Superior Court of Judicature &c; to be Holden at Plimouth Within & For the County of Pli- mouth on the third Tuesday of May next.
At a Town Meeting assembled & Held at the Court House In Plimouth on Monday ye 8th of Aprill Anno Domini 1765.
Whereas at a Town Meeting Assembled & Held at the Court House In Plimouth on ye 28th of March Last Samll Cole & William Warren were chosen Constables & Collec- tors For the year Ensueing & they Haveing Hired Mr. Jonathan Diman to serve in their Room & stead the sd Jonathan Being Present at sd Meeting Manifested His Will- ingness to serve For them Both & a Vote Was Called to know if the Town would accept of the sd Jonathan Diman to serve in the Room & Place of the sd Samll & William. Voted in the Affirmative, & accordingly the sd Jonathan made oath Before Thomas Foster Esqr Justice of the Peace to the faithfull Discharge of that Trust.
[215.] At a Town Meeting assembled & Held at the Court House in Plimouth on Thursday ye 16th of May An- no Domini 1765. At sd Meeting a vote was Called to Know the Town's mind if they would choose more then one Representative For the Current year. Voted in the Nega- tive.
Then the Town Proceeded & made Choice of Thomas Foster Esqr to serve as Representative to Represent the sd Town of Plymouth At the Great & Generall Court & As- sembly of this Province to Be Convened & Held at Boston Upon the Last Wednesday of May Instant.
At sd meeting Thomas Foster Esqr was chosen Modera- tor.
Then the Town Voted that A Committe Be chosen to take a veiw of the School House & the Situation of it & to Con- sider Whether it would Be Best for the Town to repair the House where it stands or to Build A new one in another Place & to make An Estimate of What The Expence Would be and make Report at the Adjournment of this meeting & voted that sd Committe consist of seven Persons.
Deacon Torry, Collo Watson, Edwd Winslow Esqr, John
II
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
May, Doctr Wm. Thomas, Dean Thos Foster, Collo War- ren were chosen a committee for that affair.
Then this meeting was Adjourned to Monday ye 20th of May Instant at 3 of the Clock in the afternoon.
At a meeting Assembled & Held at the Court House in Plimouth On Monday ye 20th of May A Domini 1765, By Adjournment From Thursday ye 16th of May Instant.
At sd meeting The Report of the Committe To take into Consideration the School House was Read in Town Meet- ing & the vote was put whether the Town will accept said Report, Voted in the Negative.
Then a vote was Put whether it was thought necessary by the Town that New School House Be Built. Voted in the affirmative.
Voted that a committee be chosen to consider of some Place that they shall think most suitable & Proper For the Town to build a School House upon & make Report at the next Town Meeting & that the Committe Consist of Seven Persons and Collo George Watson, Dean John Torry, Thos. Mayhew Esqr, Jno Cotton Esqr, Mr. John Russell, Mr. El- kanah Watson & Capt. Thos Jackson were chosen For sd committe.
Voted that a Committe Be chosen to take the care & to Have the oversight of Building a School House on such Place as the Town shall appoint & that they procure ma- terials For Building sd School House as soon as they can conveniently & Agree with Proper Workman To do the La- bour & James Hovey Esqr, Edward Winslow Esqr & Thos Mayhew Esqr were chosen For sd Committe.
The the Petition of Thos. Foster Esqr & others Respect- ing their Building a Gristmill at the Lower Bridge was again Read & Debated Upon & finally The Petitioners Beg'd Leave to withdraw their Petition, Which the Town Granted.
[216.] At A Town Meeting Assembled & Held at the Court House In Plimouth on Monday ye 17th of June An- no Domini 1765. At sd Meeting Nathll Churchill & Sam- uel Lanman to serve on the Petit Jury for Tryalls at the next Inferior Court of Common Pleas & Court of Generall sessions of the Peace to be Holden at Plimouth Within & for the County of Plimouth on ye Ist Tuesday of July next.
At a Town Meeting assembled & Held at the Court House In Plimouth on Monday ye 12th Day of August Anno Dom-
PLYMOUTH RECORDS. 163
ni 1765. Stephen Doten, Israel Clark, Thomas Davee & James Shurtleff chosen To Serve on the Petit Jury For Try- alls at the Next Inferior Court of Common Pleas & Gener- all Sessions of the Peace to be Holden at Plimouth Within & for the County of Plimouth on ye Ist Tuesday of October Next.
At sd meeting Thomas Foster Esqr was chosen Modera- tor & Took the oath Relative to other Governments paper money.
Then the Report of the Committe to consider of some Suitable Place For the Town to set a School House Upon Haveing taken the Matter into our Consideration are of opinion that the spot of Ground Lying Between the north End of the Upper meting House and the Land belonging to the estate of Mr. Thomas Wetherell Decd is the most suit- able Place For that Purpose.
John Torrey, Thos Mayhew, Elkanah Watson, John Russell, John Cotton, sd committe.
Plimouth August 10th 1765.
Voted that the old School House be sold For most it will Fetch & the Money arising By Sale thereof be returned into the Town Treasury & that a Committe of Three be ap- pointed For that end & Thos. Mayhew Esqr., Edward Wins- low Esqr & Lieut. Elkanah Watson be sd Committee.
[217.] Voted that a Committe be Chosen to Repair to the Beach & take a view of the Breaches & Weak Places thereof & Consider of some Proper method For the Town to take for the Security of the same & make Report at the adjournment of this meeting & that sd Comitte Consist of nine &
Collo James Warren, Cant. Theophilus Cotton, Edward Winslow Esqr, Gideon White, Lemuel Morton, Nathaniel Morton Junr, Deacon Nathaniel Warren, Capt. Thomas Jackson. Capt. John Finney & Deacon John Torrey. Capt. Cotton being excused By his Desire & Deacon Torrey was chosen in his Room. Then this meeting was Adjourned to Monday ye 19th of August Instant at 3 of ye clock in the afternoon.
At a Town Meeting Assembled & Held at the Court House In Plimouth on Monday ye 19th of August Anno Domini 1765, By adjournment From Monday ye 12th of August Instant.
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
The Committe appointed to Repair to the Beach Reported, the vote Was Put wether the Town would accept the Report of sd Committe as it now stands, voted in the Negative. Voted that the sum of Six Pounds thirteen shillings & four Pence be added to the sum of Fifty Three Pounds six shil- lings & Eight Pence For the Schoolmaster's salary the Pres- ent year.
Voted that the sum of Three Hundred Pounds be assessed on the Polls & estates of the Inhabitants of this Town For the Defraying the charges of the Town this Present year.
[218.] At a Town Meeting Assembled & Held at the Court House in Plimouth on Monday ye 14th of October A Domini 1765 James Warren Esqr was chosen Modera- tor & sworn.
A vote was Calld whether the Town would Give Instruc- tion to their Representative how to act at the Great & Gen- eral Court in the present Crittical Conjuncture of affairs, more especially in what is Relative to the stamp Act, Passed in the Affirmative unanimously.
Voted That a Committe be chosen to Draw up said In- structions & that sd Comitte consist of nine Persons & that they Lay them Before the Town at the Adjournment of this meeting.
Collo Warren, James Hovey Esqr, Thos Southworth Howland, Thomas Mayhew Esqr, John Torry, Nathll Good- win, Nathan Delano, Capt. Cotton, Ephraim Cobb, were chosen sd committe.
Then this meeting was adjourned to Monday the 21st of October Instant at 3 of the clock in the afternoon.
At a Town Meeting assembled & Held at the Court House in Plimouth on Monday ye 21st of October A Domini 1765 By Adjournment From ye 14th of October Instant.
At sd Meeting The Town unanimously voted to accept of the Instructions that were draughted by the Committe that were appointed For that purpose on Monday Last, sd Instructions are as followeth, viz :
[219.] The Committe appointed by the Town of Pli- mouth at their meeting on Monday the 14th Day of October Instant, to whom was Refer'd the Draughting of Instruc- tions For their Representative, Have attended that service & unanimously agreed on the following, viz : To Thomas Foster Esqr Representative of the Town of Plimouth at
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
the Great & General Court of the Province of the Massa- chusetts Bay in New England.
Sir, As we have the highest esteem of the British Consti- tution which we think Founded on the True Principles of Liberty and to Deserve on many accots the preference to any other now on Earth, We cant But Reflect with Pleasure on our own Happiness in being sharers in that Liberty, those Rights, and that security which Results from them to every subject, in the wide extended Dominions of our most Grac- ious Sovereign who has not forfeited his right to them by Disloyalty to his King, want of attachment and a Resonable submission to the British Government & Love to his Fel- low subjects there, these are so Foreign to the character of the People of this Country that Calumny itself has never been able to Fix it upon them we have evinc'd our Loyalty to our King, our affection to the Brittish Government and our Mother Country on all occasions By an uncommon Readiness to arrest in any Measures with our Blood & Treasure to extend their conquest & to enlarge their Do- minions From which they Reap so many and great ad- vantages, at the same time that we Reflect on our Happiness in haveing a natural & Constitutional Right to all the Privi- ledges of our Fellow subjects in Great Brittain we Behold with Pain & Horror any attempts to Deprive us of them, and cant but Look on such attempts as Instances of the Greatest Unkindness & Injustice this of the subject of our Present Complaint which not without Reason Echo From every mouth in every corner of this Distressed & Injured Country. Our youth the Flower of this country are many of them slain, our Treasure Exhausted in the service of our Mother Country, our Trade and all the numerous Branches of Business Dependent on it Reduced & Almost Ruined By severe acts of Parliament & now we are threatned by a Late Act of Parliament with being Loaded with Internal Taxes without our own consent or the voice of a single Representative in Parliament & with Being Deprived of that darling Priveledge of an Englishman, Trials By his Peers the consequence of the unconstitutional extension of the Power of Courts of Admiralty in America, these two are the main Pillars of the Brittish Constitution & the Glory of every Freeman their, so that the Depriving us of them creates such a Distinction Between us & them our Fellow subjects as cant be accounted For from any Principles of
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Justice & Impartiality & we certainly have never given any occasion For we shall say nothing on this occasion of our Inability to Pay the many & Great Taxes Laid upon us by the Stamp Acts of the many new crimes opened By it which cannot But be committed by many People However Desir- eous they may be to avoid them of the Prodigious Penaltyes annexed to them or of the Great Hardship in subjecting the Trial of them to the Judgment of such a Court & Such a manner of conviction or of the many Great Disadvantages that must arise From these Measures To Great Brittain herself there are obvious Facts & have Already been handled in such a Masterly & Convincing manner by some of the Friends of both this & the Mother Country And of the Brit- tish Constitution,
[220.] (For they cant be seperated) as to Render it Un- necessary to enlarge on them.
You Sir Represent a People who are not only Desended From the First Settlers of this Country But Inhabit the very spot the First Possesed. Here was First Laid the Founda- tion of the British Empire in this Part of America which From a very small Beginning has Increased & spread in a Manner very surprising & almost Incredible, especially when we Consider that all this has Been effected without the Aid or assistance of any Power on earth that we have Defended Protected & secured ourselves against the Invasions & Cruelty of savages & the Subtility & Inhumanity of our In- veterate & natural enemies the French & all this without the appropriation of any Tax by stamp or stamp Acts Laid Up- on our Fellow subjects in any Part of the King's Dominions For Defraying the Expences thereof. This place sir was at First the Asylum of Liberty & we hope will ever be Pre- serv'd sacred to it though it was then no more than a For- lorn Wilderness inhabited only by savage men & Beast to this Place our Fathers ( whose memories be Rever'd Pos- sesed of the Principles of Liberty in there Purity Disdaining slavery Fled to enjoy those Priveledges which they had an Undoubted Right to but were Deprived of By the Hands of Violence & Oppression in their native country. We sir their Posterity the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of this Town Legally assembled For that Purpose possesed of the same sentiments & Retaining the same ardour For Lib- erty think it our indispensible duty on this occasion to ex-
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press to you these our Sentiments of the Stamp Act & its Fatal consequences to this Country & to Enjoyn it upon you as you Regard Not only the Welfare but the very be- ing of this People that you (consistant with our allegiance to the King & Relation to The Government of Great Brit- tain) Disregarding all proposals for that Purpose Exert all Your Power & Influence to oppose the Execution of the Stamp Act at Least Untill we learn the success of our Peti- tion. For Relief We Likewise to avoid Disgraceing the memories of our Ancestors as well as the Reproaches of our own Consciences & the curses of Posterity Recommend it to you to obtain if Possible in the Honourable House of Repre- sentatives of this Province a Full and Explicit assertion of our rights & to have the same entred on their Publick Rec- ords that all Generations yet to come may be convinced that we have not only a just sence of our rights & Libertys, but that we never (with Submission to Divine Providence) will be slaves to any Power on Earth & as we have at all times an abhorrence of Tumults & Disorders, we think ourselves happy in being at Present under no apprehension of any & in haveing Good & wholesome Laws sufficient to Preserve the Peace of the Province in all Future times, unless Pro- voked by some Inprudent Measures, so we think it By no means Adviseable For you to Interest yourself In the Pro- tection of Stamp Papers or stamp officers. The only thing we have Further to Recommend to you at this time is to ob- serve on all occasions a suitable Frugality & Occonomy in the Publick expences & that you consent to no unnecessary or unusual Grants at this time of Distress when the People are groaning under the Burthen of Heavy Taxes & that you use your Endeavourers To Enquire Into & Bear Testimony against any Past & to Prevent any Future unconstitutional Draught on the Publick Treasury.
Jas Warren pr order.
[221.] Also voted that the Assessors of this Town shall make the County & Town Taxes In the same manner & Form as they were made the Last year, & also Voted that in makeing the Province County & Town Taxes the Assessors shall not exceed a susplusage of fifteen Pound in the whole.
At a Town Meeting assembled & Held &c on Monday ye 2nd of December Anno Domini 1765. .
At sd meeting James Clark. William Bartlett were chosen
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
to serve on the Petit Jury For Tryalls at the next Inferior Court of Common Pleas & Court of General Session of the Peace to be Holden at Plimouth Within & For the county of Plimouth on the second Tuesday of December Instant.
At a Town Meeting Assembled & Held at The Court House in Plimouth on Thursday ye 16th of January Anno Domini 1766. Thomas Mayhew Esqr Was Chosen Mod- erator & Took the oath Relative To other Governments Money.
Deacn John Torrey was chosen Town Clerk for the Pres- ent meeting (Samll Bartlett Esqr The Town Clerk Being Absent) & Was sworn By Edward Winslow Esqr.
Then this meeting Was Adjourned To The school House in Plimouth By Reason of The Extream Cold. The Town Meet Imediately in the school House & a vote was Calld Whether The Town would make an Address of Thanks to the Town of Boston Agreable To the Subject Matter of the Petition of Docter Lazs LeBarron & thirty seven others. Voted in the affirmative, sd Petition is as Follows.
To the select men of the Town of Plimouth :
Gentlemen. We the Subscribers Freeholders in the Town of Plimouth, haveing the Highest sence of The Noble Patriotism & Generous Conduct of The Town of Boston, in many Instances more especially with Regard to The Diffi- culties we are now Involved in & the Injurious oppressions We are Embarrasd with, & Being Fully convinced of the many Great Advantages that Have Resulted from their spirit & Conduct, not only to Every Part of This Province But to the Whole Continent & as we concieve The Good Peo- ple of this Town are unanimously of This Sentiment & would Be vey Glad of an opportunity To Express Their esteem of & Gratitude To the Town of Boston for their spirited conduct, do hereby Desire you To Call a Town Meeting as speedily as may be To Know if this Town will For the Reasons above vote an address of thanks to the Town of Boston.
Plimouth, Decn 30th 1765.
Dr. Lazs Le Baron Mr. Isaac Lothrop
James Warren
Willm Watson
Thoms Mayhew
Mr Elka Watson
Thoms Jackson Thos Davis
Nathan Delano
Epm Spooner
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
John Russell
Cornels Holmes
John Churchill
Joseph Rider Junr
Jere Holmes
Ebenr Nelson
Lemll Jackson
Ezek Morton
Perez Tillson
Silas Morton
Nathll Goodwin
Wm Rickard
Thos Torrey
Wm Ryder
Thos Southworth Howland Amaziah Churchill
Abiel Shurtleff
Nathl Foster
Epm Cobb
John Blackmer
Stepn Samson
Dean Joseph Bartlett
Benja Warren
Nehemiah Ripley
Saml N. Nelson
David Turner
Thos Spooner
[222.] Voted that a Committe of Three Persons Be Ap- pointed To Draw Up sd Address & Report it at the Ad- journment of This Meeting.
Voted that Collo James Warren, Thoms Mayhew Esqr, & Lieut Elkan Watson be sd Committe.
Then This Meeting Was Adjourned For half an hour, at the end of which time they Assembled again & the Above Committe Reported Their Draught of an Address of Thanks to The Town of Boston, which was Read twice in Town Meeting & a vote Was Calld Whither The Town would accept sd Report. Voted in the Affirmative, which Draught is as Follows :
To the Respectable Inhabitants of The Town of Boston :--
Gentlemen-Att a Time when the Rights & Libertyes of this Country are Invaded & The Inhabitants threatened with the loss of Every thing, that is Dear to them, when they are Embarass'd with every Distress that is the never Failing Consequences of slavery & Poverty, no man or Society of men, who are sharers in the Common Calamity (Unless To- tally Destitute of Every Spark of Publick Vertue & Patriot- ism) can Remain unfeeling & unactive spectators, but must be Ready on all occasions to Bless The Hearts Which Feel & The hands which exert Themselves to avert the Evils threatened & To Restore That Happiness Which Constantly attends the Full Enjoyment of Natural & Constitutional Rights & Libertyes. We therefore the Inhabitants of the Town of Plimouth Animated with a Spirit of Public vertue & Love of our country as well as Gratitude to all our Bene-
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
factors & more especially to such as have Distinguished themselves in the common cause of their country in this Day of Distress & Difficulty & Being Assembled in Town Meet- ing For that Purpose as a Publick Testimony of our esteem & Gratitude Beg you to Accept our Unitted & Generall Thanks for the Invariable Attachment you have (on all oc- casions & Particularly on the Present) shewn to the Prin- ciples of Liberty & For the vigorous exertions of your Lo- yall & Legal Endeavours to secure to your country the Un- interrupted Enjoyment of that Blessing & to Transmit the same Intire & Perfect to the Latest Posterity.
Instances of this much to your own Honnour & The In- terest of your Country distinguished By the Unerring Marks of Disinterestedness & Generosity Crowd Upon our minds on this Occasion, but to avoid the Imputation of Prolixity Permitt us to single out a few which are Recent & must Readily Occur to Every ones mind & which are sufficient of themselves to Justifie our sentiments & merit the Gratitude of every well Wisher to this country.
The new Regulation with Regard to mourning which has not only saved this Country a Great & Needless expence & in a manner abolished a ridiculous Pageantry, but Produced Consequences in our Mother Country very benificial to us & all Principally at your Expences as your merchants were the Principle Importers & venders of those articles, a Meas- ure which at the same time that it Reflects a Lustre upon your conduct shews By the success of it that the People of this country have vertue enough To Prefer its Interest to any Fashion that may stand in competition with it however
[223.] Established by long custom & very Perticular
prejudice. The opposition you have at all Times made both to the foreign & domestic Invation of our Rights, Per- ticularly the Legall & Warrentable Measures you have tak- en to Prevent the execution of the stamp act in this Prov- ince. The spirited & Noble Application you have made to have the Custom Houses & Courts of Justice opened in this Province, Upon which our Welfare Peace & Tranquility so much Depend. The Testimony you have From First to Last bore against & The Abhorrence you have expressed of all outragious Tumults & Illegal Proceedings & their con- sequences & the Measures very early Taken to Restore Tran- quility & the security of Property in your Town the Capital
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of This Province, & the Good example Thereby Given To the other Towns of That Love of Peace & Good order which Influenced you & which we think sufficient to Destroy all those Injurious conections the work of some Peoples Imagi- nations & From which they affect to draw consequences not only Disadvantageous to you but to the whole country. To Conclude that you & your Posterity may even be Possesed of the Full Enjoyment of that Liberty you have so Laudably asserted & contented for that your trade & Commarce the source of riches & opulence to this Country may be extended & Flourish that you may ever continue to Deserve & have the Justice Done you to be Possessed of the Love & esteem of your Fellow Countrymen who Renouncing that solecism in Politicks which arises From an Unnatural Distinction Between Landed & Comercial Interest shall exert themselves to encourage your Hearts & strengthen your Hands, are The sincere wishes & ardent Prayers of your Fellow Sub- jects to the Best of Kings, your Fellow Sufferers in the calamitys of this country & Your Fellow Labourers in the Vineyard of Liberty the Inhabitants of the Town of Pli- mouth.
We the subscribers a Committee For that Purpose do Re- port the Foregoing as a suitable Address of Thanks For this Town to make to the Town of Boston.
Thos Mayhew James Warren Elkanah Watson.
It was then voted that the Town Clerk Draft a Coppy of sd Address & Transmitt the same to the Clerk of the Town of Boston to Be Presented to the Town of Boston at their next Town Meeting.
See the Answer [227]
Then this meeting Adjourned Without Day.
At a Town Meeting of the Freeholders & other Inhabi- tants of the Town of Plymouth assembled & held at the Court House in said Town on Monday the 17th of March A D 1766 James Warren Esqr was chosen Moderator and took the oath prescribed by Law.
John Cotton Esqr chosen Town Clerk and sworn by Thomas Foster Esqr.
George Watson Esqr, Deac John Torrey, Dr Lazarus Le- Baron, Capt. Nathan Delano Mr. Elkanah Watson chosen Selectmen, who took the oath required by Law.
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Deac John Torrrey, Eleazer Stephens, John Blackmer chosen Assessors.
[224.] The Town voted their thanks to Samuel Bartlett Esqr for his good service in the office of Town Clerk for above 20 years past, and also to give him at his Request the old Province Law Book belonging to the Town. And tht the Town Clerk send him a copy of this vote.
John Cotton Esqr chosen Town Treasurer & sworn be- fore Thos Foster Esqr.
Then the Town bro't in their votes for Register of Deeds & County Treasurer which were sealed up in the open meet- ing by Jona Diman constable and comitted to his Care.
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