USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1743-1783 (vol. 3) > Part 19
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Lemuel Drew for the North district
David Turner for the next district
Robert Hose for the next district
William Clark for the next district
Josiah Clark for the next or Southermost district, Sworn pr Thos Mayhew Esqr.
Then a vote was Called to Know if the town wil apply to the Court of Sessions that Capt Richard Wait & his wife may be maintained by those of their Children that have abillity, It passed in the Negative.
At said Meeting Messrs Ebenezr Samson Ebenezr Holmes Jonathan Harlow were Chosen Titheingmen
And Messrs John Thomas Junr Thomas Wethrell Elkanah Cushman Stephen Churchell Zadock Churchell Jacob Johnson Junr John Totman & Benjamin Goddard were chosen Hogreeves
And Messrs William Rider & Thomas Spooner were chosen Sealers of Leather
And Messrs John Russell & Samuel Cole Were chosen Clerks of the Market.
[263.] At Said Meeting Messrs Lemuel Jackson Thomas Lothrop James Bartlett Ebenezer Bartlett & Amaziah Churchell Were Chosen fence viewers & field drivers.
And Messrs James Warren Esqr George Watson Esqr Elkanah Watson Deacn John Torrey Ichabod Holmes & Zacheus Bartlett Were Chosen Firewards
And Messrs David Turner John Kempton Thomas Savory Joseph Treeble & Abial Shurtleff Were Chosen Sur- veyors of Lumber.
And Messrs Thomas Davie Amaziah Churchell Thomas
22I
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Jackson Junr Ichabod Holmes Jonathan Churchell Nathl Morton Junr Jonathan Samson Ebenezer Samson & James Doten were Chosen Cullers of Fish
And Messrs Benjamin Churchell James Drew & Thomas Jackson Junr were Chosen Suryevors of Clapboards & Shingle & Viewers & Cullers of Staves & hoops.
And Messrs William Ellis Thomas Clark & Samuel Don- ham Were Chosen deer reeves.
And Messrs Amaziah Churchell Lemuel Morton & Nathaniel Morton Junr Chosen to take Care of Plimouth Beach Agreeable to the Province Law.
And Messrs John Torrey Elkanah Watson & Thomas Davis Chosen to procure a Saxton.
And Messrs Zacheus Curtis Amaziah Churchell Elijah Dammon Ezekiel Morton Zacheus Bartlett & Eleazr Ellis Chosen Surveyors of the highways
At Said Meeting a vote was Called to Know the towns mind, if they will Choose a Committe of three persons to Examine the Chilldren that their Parents & Masters have a mind should go to the Grammer School & the Master of said School not to accept any but those that the Committe Examine & allow, it Passed in the Affirmative.
And then made Choice of Thomas Foster Esqr William Watson Esqr & Deacn John Torrey to be said Committe.
Then a vote was Called to know if the town will direct the Selectmen to procure Propper Staffs for the firewards, it Passed in the Affirmative.
Then voted that the Schools at the Ends of the Town be under the same regulations Respecting the Schollers admitted Therein by the particular Committes for supplying said Schools, as the Grammer School is at this time.
[264.] At said meeting the town voted to Conduct Respecting Alewives in town the presant year as the last year & Chose
Messrs William Crombe Benjamin Churchell & Silvanus Bramhall a Committee to take Care of the town brook.
Then a vote was Called to Know if the town will allow said Committe to let any fishermen take needfull bate at any time at their Discretion, it Passed in the Affirmative.
Then a vote was Called to Know if the town will build a powder house, for the towns powder & for private propperty as they may be occasion. It Passed in the Affirmative, and then made Choice of
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Messrs Thomas Foster Esqr John Torrey & Elkanah Watson a Committe to procure a place for sd powder house, Estimate the Cost thereof, and Report at the time this meet- ing may be Adjourned to.
At said meeting a vote was Called to Know if the town will Choose a Committe to take into Consideration that paragraph in the warrant, respecting the dogs in this town, when many of them in divers parts of the Country are Seised with that Distemper Called madness, and some Even in This town have been destroyed on account of haveing the Symptoms of it upon them, it passed in the Affirmative & then made choice of Messrs John Torrey Elkanah Watson & Thomas Foster Esqr Said Committee they to Report what they think propper for the town to do Respecting them at the time this meeting may be Adjourned to.
At Said meeting a vote was Called to Know the towns mind, if they will Choose a Committe to take into Consider- ation that Paragraph in the warrent Relating to our publick affairs & to Endeavor to Encourage & Support the Generous Efforts of the Merchants in Boston & other seaport towns in the Sacrifice they have made to the publick Good by the agreement for the non Importation of Goods & to report to The town what they Think best for the Town to do thereon, It Passed in the Affirmative & then made Choice of James Warren Esqr Deacn John Torrey Mr. Isaac Lothrop Thomas Mayhew Esqr & Capt Elkanah Watson a Committe for that purpose they to report at the Adjournment of This meeting.
Previous to the Choice of Selectmen at this Meeting was read the paper Sent into the town by George Watson Esqr & is as follows.
To the Inhabitants of the town of Plimouth Assembled March 1770.
Gentlemen, you have for a number of years made Choice of me the Subscriber as one of your Selectmen. I Allways Esteemed it a mark of Respect for which I now return
[265.] you thanks. I don't Know as any person Intends to vote for me as one of the Selectmen for the year Ensuing, perhaps their are some that do, if there any Such I must desire them to give their votes for some other person, as I Should be verry Glad to be Excused.
223
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Gentlemen I am with Great Respect Your friend & Humble Servt
Geo : Watson
This meeting was Adjourned to Monday March 26th at 3 a Clock P M.
At a meeting of the Town of Plimouth Regularly Assembled & held in the Court house in Plimouth on Mon- day March 26th 1770 by Adjournment from the 8th Currant
Lemuel Drew, David Turner & Robert Hose who were Chosen Constables & Collectors at this meeting ye 8th Currant Came into town meeting, & desired the town would Excuse them from Serving in sd office & Refused Serving.
Then a vote was Called to Know if the town will Give more than twelve pence per pound for Collecting the towns money the presant year, it passed in the offirmative.
Then voted to Choose a Committee of three persons at Vendue or otherways to procure the person or persons that will Collect the towns money in the four Northwest districts for the least sum over & above the Commissions he or they Giving bonds to Save the town harmless on their account. And then made Choice of Thomas Mayhew Esqr Deacn John Torrey & Mr. Stephen Samson to be sd Committe they to report to the town at the Adjournment of this meeting.
Then the Report of the Committe Respecting the powder House was red which was in the words folloking viz we the Subscribers, being appointed to Consider of a proper place to build a powder house & make an Estimate of the Cost Have attended that Service & are of opinion that the best place to build the same would be on the levile spot on the hill about a rod to the westward of Mr. Robbins fence that Incloses the personage being the northerly part of Fort hill we have allso Considered & made an Estimate of the Cost provided the town should think best to build a brick house which the Committee are of opinion would be safest & most Expedient & Supposeing the building to be round & thirteen feet diameter from outside to outside & six & a half Feet in the walls & a brick & half thick & brick roof the Estemate is twenty five pounds.
But if one brick, that is the length of one brick in the walls & Brick roof & twelve feet in diameter from outside to outside & six & a half feet in the walls which your Committe are of opinion will be Sufficiently strong, as allso Quit large
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Enough then we have Estemated the Cost at 20 £. All which is submitted by Thomas Foster Elkanah Watson John Torrey Committe
[266.] At sd meeting a vote was Called to Know the towns mind if they will build sd powder house with brick & in the manner proposed by the ( Committe) it Passed in The Affirmative. Allso voted it Shall stand on the Spot pro- posed by the Committe. And then made Choice of Deacn Torrey Capt Elkanah Watson & Mr Isaac Lothrop a Com- mitte to build sd house.
Then the Committe appointed to take into Consideration that Parregraph of the warrent Respecting mad dogs reported as follows viz the Committe haveing met & Con- sidered the Paragraph aforesd report as follows viz: that the accounts frequently published in the Newspapers of the dogs in many parts of the Country running mad & the bad Consequence Thereof is very alarming & require the Serious Attention of this Town & we think it very necessary that the Inhabitants make Themselves Acquainted with the symp- toms of that distemper & wherever any such Symptoms are discovered that the discoverer Should Immediately Give public notice thereof & Cause the daingerous Annimel to be distroyed & That the Town Clerk be ordered to Sett up at the door of Mr. John Bartletts Markit place a Copy of the discription of the Severall Symptoms of that distemper published in some of the late papers.
John Torrey Elkanah Watson Thomas Foster Plimouth March 26th 1770.
At said Meeting a vote was Called to know the towns mind if they will accept sd report It Passed in the Affirma- tive. Then at said meeting the committe appointed to take into Consideration that parapraph in the warrant respecting our publick affairs & the non Importation of European Goods Reported to the Town as follows. Every man not destetute of the Principles of Freedom and Independence and that has Sensibility Enough to feel the least glow of Patriotism must at this time be strongly Impressed with a Sense of the miseries of their Country in Generall & of the town of Boston in Particular where a Melitary force has for some time been Stationed to aid & Support the Exe- cution of Laws Designed to Subvert the liberties of English Subjects in America, & more Effectually to answer
PLYMOUTH RECORDS. 225
the purpose to begin by Suppressing that Spirit of Freedom which has at all times distinguished that town, in a man- ner that will not only Secure them the Applause of the pres- ant age, in Spite of the malevolence of placemen & pencion- ers, & all their adherents, but transmit their Character & Conduct down to posterity in the faithfull pages of Impar- tial History in the most Illustrious view there to stand as a Monument of Admiration to posterity, of their unparrelled firmness & disenteredness in the Cause of their Country. When the names of their Enemies however dignified now by titles of distinction Shall be rescued from Oblivion only to perpetuate their Infamy. And their Posterity Notwith- standing the Excessive
[267.] Emoluments Now Enjoyed by their Ancestors at the Expense of humanity & Every tender feeling Shall be undistinguished & neglected. Affected with these Senti- ments and Influenced by the principles of Gratitude & Justice to the merit of their Brethren of ye town of Boston in Generall & of the Respectable Merchants there in Par- ticular and willing to Contribute all in their power to Sup- port them in their Laudable purpose of Repelling Tyranny & oppression & Establishing those rights for themselves & Country which they are Intitled to as men and English- men. The Inhabitants of the town of Plimouth Assembled at their Annual Meeting do vote First that the thanks of this town be Given to the town of Boston for the firm & Spirited Opposition they have made to the Attempts of Tyranny & oppression to enslave us at the Expence of their Interest & their Blood & to Express the Sensibility of this Town on Occasion of the late Horrid Scene Exhibited in the butchery of Citizens which we Consider as a mark among many others of the Resentment of our Enemies against them for their steady regard to the rights of their Country & to Assure them that we shall at all times Assist them in all vigerous & Constitutional measures they shall adopt for the Preservation of our Common Rights. And that we will stand or fall with them in the defence thereof.
Secondly, That we will at all times Support & Encourage the nonimportation agreement of the Merchants & hold in the highest Detestation those who Continue Audaciously to Import Contrary to said agreement & all that are Con- cerned with them and that we will Encourage Frugallity
15
226
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Industry & the manufactures of this Country And dis- courage the use of Foreign Superfluities particularly that of Foreign tea so Pernicious to the health as well as the Interest of this Country.
Thirdly, That a Committee of Inspection be Chose to Enquire from time to time if any person among us Shall directly or Indirectly Trade or be Concerned with the very few who now stand recorded by a vote of the town of Bos- ton of ye 23rd Instant as prefering their own to the publick Advantage of their Country by taking Advantage of the Generous Self denial of their fellow Citizens & Continueing to Import Goods. And allso to enquire if any person by land or water Shall bring into the town Goods that were purchased from any of them & to Expose all such persons if any there be to the view of the publick & particularly to report their names to the next May meeting of this town.
Fourthly, That the Town Clerk be directed to transmit a Copy of these votes to the Selectmen of the Town of Boston.
Then a vote was Called to Know if the town will accept Sd Report it Passed in the Affirmative Unanimously. And then made Choice of Mr Ephraim Cobb Thomas Mayhew Esqr Mr Ichabod Shaw Mr Thomas Lothrop James War- ren Esqr Capt Thomas Jackson Deacn John Torrey a Com- mittee of Inspection according to the Proposal & for the purpose abovsd.
[268.] At sd Meeting Thomas Bartlett was Chosen Hogreeve.
Then this meeting was Adjourned to Wednesday ye 28th of March Instant to 3 of the Clock in the afternoon.
At a Meeting of the Town of Plimouth Regularly Assembled & held in the Court house in Plimouth on Wed- nesday ye 28th day of March A D 1770 by Adjournment from the 26th Currant.
The Committe appointed to procure a Collector for the four northern districts in this town the presant year Re- ported they had Procured Mr Benjamin Warren to Serve as Constable & Collector for the sd four Districts. Said War- ren came into town meeting & Manifested his willingness to Serve in sd office for the Sum of Eleven pounds nine Shellings Lawfull money more than the premium of twelve pence on the pound.
Then made Choice of sd Benjamin Warren to be Consta-
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
ble & Collector for the districts abovesd & to allow him the sum abovesd & the premuim on Condition he Gives Suffi- cient Security to Save the town harmless on his account. Then the oath of Constable & Collector was Administered to sd Benjamin Warren by Thomas Mayhew Esqr.
At sd Meeting a vote was Called to Know if the town would Choose a man to Prosecute Robert Hose & David Turner for their Refusall to Serve as Constables as Entd the 26th Currant it passed in the Negative.
At a Meeting of the Town of Plimouth Assembled & held in the Court house in Plimouth on tuesday the 8th day May 1770 Messrs John Kempton Abial Shurtleff & William Crombie were Chosen To Serve on the Grand Jury
& Messrs Ephraim Cobb Zacheus Bartlett James Drew Thomas Davis Silvanus Bramhall Meletiah Lothrop James Doten John Finney & William Rider were Chosen to Serve on the petit Jury, all at the next Superior Court of Judica- ture, Court of Assize &c to be holden at Plimouth on the third Tuesday of May Instant.
[269.] At a Meeting of the town of Plimouth Assem- bled & held in the Court house in Plimouth Monday May 2Ist 1770.
A vote was Called to Know if the town would send two Representatives the presant year, it passed in the Negative.
Then made Choice of James Warren Esqr to serve as Representative at the Great & Generall Court or Assemble appointed to be Convened held and Kept for his Majestys Service upon Wednesday the thirtyeth day of May Instant.
At said Meeting James Warren Esqr Chosen Moderator & Sworn by Edward Winslow Esqr. Then the petition of Doctr William Thomas & others proposeing to the town to have the burying hill fenced in, was red which was in the words following viz :
To the Selectmen of the town of Plimouth
these are to desire you to Insert a Clause in the next warrent you make out for Calling a town meeting to Know if the town will let out the feeding of the burying hill for a term of years to any person or persons that will appear to fence the same with Good post & rale fence, or whether the town will fence the Same at their own Cost, or any other ways Inclose sd hill as the please.
William Thomas Thomas Lothrop T. S. Howland Jona-
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
than Churchell Isaac Lothrop John Bartlett John Watson John Bartlett tertius Ichabod Holmes.
then a vote was Called to Know if the town would Grant the Pray of said Petition, it passed in the Negative.
Then a vote was Called to Know if the town would dis- miss sd petition, it passed in the Affirmative.
N B Immediately after Collo Warren was chosen Representative as abovesd for Reasons, he desired to be Excused from Serving in sd office. A vote was Called to Know if the town would Excuse him accordingly, It passed in the Negative.
At a Meeting of the town of Plimouth Regularly Assembled & held in the Court house in Plimouth ye 27th day of June Anno Domini 1770-
Isaac Symms & George Holmes were Chosen to serve on the petit jury at the next Court of Generall Sessions of the peace & Inferiour Court of Common pleas to be holden at Plimouth within & for the County of Plimouth on the first tuesday of July next.
[270.] To the Honourable the Justices of the Court of Generall Sessions of the Peace now holden at Plimouth within & for the County of Plimouth. The Memorial of us the Subscribers Selectmen of the town of Plimouth humbly Shewith.
That there are in the said town of Plimouth two Engines for the purpose of Extinguishing fires for which it is necessary their Should be a Convenient house nere the cen- ter of the town that the town is possessed of no Suteable Spott of land to Erect such a building upon & as the County so far as their building are concerned Share a proportional Advantage from Said Engines & have a spot of land at the Easterly end of the Court house very Suitable for the pur- pose & where your Memorialists apprehend such a house may be erected without any disadvantage to the County they therefore pray that your Honours would Give leave to the town of Plimouth to Erect an Engine house on the same there to remain dureing the pleasure of the Court & your Memorialists Shall Ever pray.
James Warren John Torrey Elkanah Watson Ephm Spooner .
Plimouth April 13th 1770
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Plimouth S S at his Majestys Court of Generall Sessions of the peace begun & held at Plimouth within & for the County of Plimouth on the Second tuesday of April A D 1770 the above written petition was presented & Read and the prayer thereof Granted.
Attest Ed Winslow Junr Cler pacis
At a Meeting of the town of Plimouth Regularly assembled & held in the Court house in Plimouth on Mon- day Septmb 17th 1770.
James Warren Esqr Chosen Moderator. The oath by law prescribed was administered to him by Thomas Foster Esq.
At sd Meeting voted to Excuse Manument ponds Pre- cinct from paying any part of the sum of 11.9 the Extre- ordinary Allowance Given to Benjamin Warren Collector The presant year & directed that the Assessors put sd sum in the bills that may be Given said Warren to Collect.
At sd meeting voted to Choose a Committe to Examine the town treasurs Accounts, books, Securitys &c & to make report the Exact State of the Treasury at the time this meeting may be adjourned to.
And then made Choice of George Watson Esqr Thomas Foster Esqr & Deacn John Torrey a Committe for that pur- pose.
Then made Choice of Thomas Lothrop, John Watson, Stephen Samson to serve on the petit Jury for Tryalls at the next Court of Generall Sessions of the Peace & Infe- riour Court of Common Pleas to be holden at Plimouth on the first tuesday of October next. For Reason sd Thomas Lothrop & John Watson were Excused by the Town from Serving as Jurors as abovesd & allso sd Stephen Samson he haveing Served as Juryman within Three years.
Then made Choice of Messrs Nathaniel Bartlett Jeremiah Holmes John Thomas Junr & Nathaniel Barnes to Serve as Jurors at the Courts above named.
[271.] Town Meeting September 17th 1770 Continued
Then the Petition of Capt Ezra Allen & Fifty others was read which was in the words following viz.
To the Selectmen of the town of Plimouth. Gentlemen.
We the Subscribers Pray that you would be pleased to Insert a clause in your warrent for the next town meeting
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
to Know if the town will take into Consideration the many Greavances which we labour under both in regard to labour & trade & whether the Exporting of timber plank & all sorts of naval stores to Great Britain, is not Very Detrimentall to the Interest of this Country, & of Pernicious Conse- quence to this town in particular, as many persons hereto- fore have & still Continue to do the same, to the Great Dis- couragement of Shipbuilding as well to the disadvantage of many other trades which hath allmost ruined business in all- most all the Seaports & if Continued will sink us if Possable much below what we have hitherto been & oblige us in a verry little time to Import from other parts materials to build our own vessells to our Great disadvantage, all which is humbly Submitted by Gentlemen Yours
Ezra Allen
Samuel Battles
Daniel Diman
Joshua Swift
Samuel Pearce
James Shurtleff
William Thomas
Jonathan King
William Crombie
Silvanus Harlow
John Howard
Samuel Jackson
Eleazr Churchell
Jonathan Samson
Ichabod Holmes
Benjamin Rider
Stephen Samson
Ephraim Darling
David Lothrop
Silvanus Bramhall
Ichabod Shaw
Ichabod Mroton
Seth Harlow
Stephen Churchell
Ephraim Cobb
Abraham Hammet
Ezekiel Morton
Amaziah Harlow
Samuel Ellis
John Kempton
Barnabas Hedge
Samuel Cole
John Harlow Junr
Thomas Spooner
James Doten Junr
Benjamin Churchell
James Drew
William Watson
William Hall Jackson
Amaziah Churchell
Eleazr Stephens
Thomas Davis
Thomas Savery
Joshua Bryant
Nathl Morton Junr
David Turner
Abial Shurtleff
Jonathan Diman
Daniel Whitman
John Waterman
Joseph Bartlett Junr
Then Voted to Choose a Committe to wate on those men that have Shipt & are about to Ship of timber Plank, &c to
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Great Brittain & learn what they say on the Subject & En- quire whether they desire to Continue their sd Exportation. And report to the town at The Adjournment of this ineet- ing.
Accordingly made Choice of William Watson Esqr Thomas Foster Esqr & Mr Ephraim Cobb a Committe for the purpose abovesd.
Then this meeting was Adjourned to Octr 29th next to 2 a Clock P M.
[272.] At a Town meeting Assembled & held in the court house in Plimouth on Monday Octobr 29th 1770 by Adjournment from the 17th day of Septembr last
The Committes that were Chosen on the 17th of Septembr abovesd to Examine the Town treasurers accounts &c & to discorse with those persons that are about to ship of lumber to Great Brittain, They not being able to report to this meeting (as mentioned to the town by Thomas Fos- ter Esqr who is one of boath sd Committes )are directed to Report to the town at the Adjournment of this meeting.
Then this meeting was Adjourned to ye 12th Novembr next at 2 a Clock P M.
Then the Warrant for Calling a meeting of this town on this day at three of the Clock P M to take into Considera- tion the Scituation of Eleriver bridge which is verry much Dammaged by the late Terrible storm, & to act & do what- ever the town shall think propper relative thereto was red.
Then James Warren Esqr was chosen Moderator & sworn by Thomas Foster Esqr.
Then voted to Choose a Committe to repair sd Bridge as Soon as may be & that sd Committe should Consist of three persons.
Then made Choice of Thomas Foster Esqr Mr Silvanus Bartlett & Deacn John Torrey a Committe for sd purpose.
At a meeting of the Town of Plimouth Regularly As- sembled & held in the Court house in Plimouth on Mon- day 12th November 1770 by Adjournment from 29th Oc- tobr last past.
At sd meeting the Report of the Committe appointed to Examine & Report the state of the Town Treasurey was red which was in the words following viz :
A list of Bonds due to the town of Plimouth taken No- vembr Ist 1770.
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Deacn Bartlett & Robert Bartlett March
4th 1756 with a years Intrest to last March
20 IO
O
I 4 7
Elkanah Watson & Thomas Spooner Septembr II 1758
9
9
4
David Turner & Silvanus Bartlett Octr 12th 1761 2 years Intrest
29
4
0
3 IO
I
Josiah Morton & Seth Morton Janry Ist 1762
15 5
8
John Finney & Nathl Warren Febry 20th I753
6
7
7
8
Nathl Warren & John Finney Febry 20th 1753 7
8
2
9
0
Thos Southwth Howland & Nehe: Ripley
Novr 24th 1767 3 years Intrest ye 24th Instant
8
5
0
I 9 81/4
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