USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1743-1783 (vol. 3) > Part 21
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Then voted to raise the Sum of ten pounds Lawfull money to defray the Charges that may arise by a sute with the County of Barnestable as mentioned at this meeting.
Then voted that the Assessors shall Include the County tax in the town tax the presant year as Usuall. Allso voted they the Assessors Shall not Include a Surplusage in the tax of more than fifteen pounds.
Then voted to build a Shed or porch over the door of the School house and accordingly made choice of Thomas Fos- ter Esqr for that purpose.
At a meeting of the town of Plimouth Assembled & held in the Court house in said Town on Monday Decr 2nd Anno Domini 1771 Messrs John Howard Thomas Spooner Sam- uel Battles & Lemuel Holmes were appointed 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 on the Second tuesday of Decembr Instant.
At a meeting of the town of Plimouth Assembled & held in the Court house in Plimouth on Monday the 9th day of March A D 1772 James Warren Esqr was Chosen Modera- tor & Sworn by Thos Foster Esqr.
Messrs John Waterman & William Chombie were Chosen to Serve on the Grand Jury the year Ensuing & Amaziah Churchell Joseph Barnes Samuel Doten & Josiah Johnson were Chosen to Serve on the Petit Jury at the next Court of Generall Sessions of the peace & Inferiour Court of Com- mon Pleas to be holden at Plimouth on the 2nd Tuesday of April next.
Then this meeting was Adjourned to Monday ye 16th of March Instant to 10 a clock A M.
[284.] At a Meeting of the town of Plimouth Assembled & held at the Court house in Plimouth on Monday March 16th A D 1772 by Adjournment from the 9th Currant.
Ephraim Spooner Chosen Town Clerk & Sworn pr Thos Foster Esqr.
Mr. John Blackmer Deacn John Torrey James Warren Esqr Capt Elkanah Watson Ephraim Spooner were Chosen
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Selectmen. The oath pr Law appointed was Administered to them pr Thomas Foster Esqr.
Mr John Blackmer John Cotton Esqr & Deacn John Torrey Were Chosen Assessors & were Sworn pr Esqr Fos- ter
John Cotton Esqr Chosen Town Treasurer & Sworn pr Esqr Foster.
Then voted to have as many Schools & under the same Regulations as the last year & as agreeble to the Regulation come into Sept 27th 1756.
Then the votes for a County Treasurer were brought in & seald up in meeting by Mr. Bartlett Lebarron Constable, & Delivd to him.
Then made Choice of James Warren Esqr Deacn John Torrey & Capt Elkanah Watson A Committe to Supply the Grammer School with a Suteable Schoolmaster the Ensuing year
Stevens Mason Chosen Sexton
Messrs Silvanus Bartlett James Clark & Seth Holmes Chosen a Committe to Supply the School at Manument with a Suteable Schoolmaster
Messrs Josiah Morton Junr Ezekiel Morton & Capt. John Finney Chosen a Committe to supply the School at Eell- river with a Suteable Schoolmaster
Messrs Ichabod Holmes Nathaniel Morton Junr & Sam- uel Bartlett Chosen a Committe to Supply the School at Wellingsly with a Suteable Schoolmaster
Messrs Ebenezer Nellson Lemuel Jackson & Silas Mor- ton Chosen a Committe to Supply the School at the North End of the town with a Suteable Schoolmaster
Then Voted to Allow the Collectors the presant year 12d on the pound for Collecting & paying in the Towns money on the Same Condition as the last year
Then voted to Choose a Committe to hire a Collector for the four northern districts as Cheep as may be over & above the premium of 12d on the pound above mentioned, he or they Giving bonds with Sufficient Suretys to Save the town harmless on their Accounts.
And Accordingly made Choice of Thomas Foster Esqr Deacn John Torrey & Mr Ephraim Cobb a Committee for that purpose they to report at the Adjournment of this meeting.
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Then voted to Excuse Manument ponds from paying any part of the Sum that may be Given to hire a Collector or Collectors more than 12d on the pound
[285.] At said meeting John Bartlett Junr was Chosen Constable for Manument Ponds
Edward Winslow Junr Richard Cooper Ichabod Holmes Josiah Morton Junr Benjamin Rider Junr & Eleazer Ellis were Chosen Surveyors of the highways.
Then voted to Conduct respecting alewives in this town as last year & is as in the year 1766 Exceptg they now Chose a Committe viz Deacn John Torrey Mr Zacheus Curtis & Mr John Kempton Junr To See that the laws of the Province be put in Execution respecting the Town brook.
Allso Voted to allow the fishermen in this town liberty to take bate as they may need, under the Direction & at the discression of the abovesd Committe.
Then the Committee who were Chosen to take into Con- sideration the making a way for herrings to Go from Eell- riven into South pond reported. And for reasons voted to Choose a Committee to take into Consideration the matter of the land thro which the brook may run, whose property it is & to Examine the laws of this Province respecting Ale- wives & the brooks through which they do or may run & to Examine the records, & all matters & things respecting said way. And then made Choice of John Cotton Esqr Thomas Foster Esqr Deacn John Torrey Mr Stephen Sampson & Mr. Jeremiah Howes a Committe for that purpose they to report to the town at the time this meeting shall be Adjourned to.
Then the Act respecting the Observation of the Lords day & the Choice & duty of Wardens was read after which
Messrs Stephen Samson James Doten William Trenholm Thomas Bartlett Elkanah Holmes Samuel Pearce were Chosen Wardens
Then Messrs James Drew Benjamin Churchell Stephen Churchell were Chosen Guagers of Cask & Packers of Fish.
Messrs Abiall Shurtleff Jonathan Samson & Capt Nathaniel Bartlett Were Chosen Tytheing men
Messrs William Rider & Thomas Spooner Were Chosen Sealers of Leather
[286.] At sd meeting Messrs Benjamin Churchell Francis Adams George Lemont John Totman William Coye
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Jesse Churchell Levi Drew Nathaniel Churchell Junr Stevens Mason sworn pr Esqr Foster Phillip Leonard & Nathaniel Bartlett Junr Were Chosen Hogreeves.
Messrs John Russell & Samuel Cole Chosen Clerks of the Markit.
Messrs Ebenezr Samson Thomas Davis Amaziah Churchell Eleazer Churchell Robert Bartlett Lemuel Jack- son Ichabod Holmes Samuel Bartlett & Thomas Southworth Howland Were Chosen Cullers of Fish
Messrs Ichabod Shaw Thomas Jackson Junr William Crombie Ezekiel Morton & James Clark Were Chosen fence viewers & field drivers
Messrs James Warren Esqr George Watson Esqr Deacn John Torrey Capt Elkanah Watson Ichabod Holmes & Zacheus Bartlett Were Chosen firewards
Messrs John Kempton David Lothrop David Turner Lemuel Drew & Abial Shurtleff were Chosen Surveyors of Lumber
Messrs Benjamin Churchell James Drew & Thomas Jackson Junr were Chosen Surveyors of Clapboards & Shingles & Viewers & Cullers of Staves & hoops
Messrs Isaac Jackson Joseph Trask & William Clarke Were Chosen Deere reeves
Messrs John Shareman Nathl Morton Junr & Josiah Mor- ton Were Chosen to take Care of Plimo Beach Agreeble to Law.
[287.] At sd meeting Thomas Foster Esqr Deacn John ยท Torrey & William Watson Esqr Were Chosen a Committe to Examine the Schollars that may be Admitted into the Grammer School
Then voted & Directed the Town Treasurer to lay before the town the State of the Treasury, what is Due from it on all Accounts, Bonds, Notes &c at the May Meeting Annu- ally
Then the Petition of Edward Winslow Esqr & Nine others respecting the Towns building a work house was read & is as follows.
To the Selectmen of the Town of Plimouth Gentlemen
We the Subscribers freeholders of the town of Plimouth Concieving Great Advantage would accrue to the town from a work house in it, under proper regulations, desire
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
you to Insert a clause in Your warrant for Calling the next town meeting so as to bring a matter of Such Consequence to the Interest of the town under their Proper Consideration & to Enable them to act & do in that respect what they may think Fitt.
Edward Winslow
Thomas Mayhew
Thomas Jackson
Jeremiah Howes
Wm Watson
Barnabas Hedge
Gideon White
Jonathan Diman
William Thomas
Isaac Lothrop
Plimouth ye 19th Febry A D 1772
And then voted to Choose a Committe to take into Con- sideration the above Petition & to Enquire what Expences & Advantages might Attend the Same and to Consider the whole matter fully, and then made Choice of
Capt Thomas Jackson Pelham Winslow Esqr
Thomas Foster Esqr
Deacn John Torrey
James Warren Esqr
Capt Theophilus Cotton &
Mr Samuell Cole
a Committe for said Purposes
Then made Choice of Stephen Samson Surveyor of the highways in the room of Edward Winslow Junr who De- sired to be Excused.
Then the meeting was adjourned to Tirdsday ye 19th day of March Instant to 3 a Clock P M.
[288.] At a Meeting of the town of Plimouth Regularly Assembled & held in the Court house in Plimouth on Thurs- day ye 19th day of March 1772 by Adjournment from the 16th Currant. Voted to Choose a Committe to Petition the Court of Generall (Sessions) of the Peace for the County of Plimouth desiring they would repair their part of the Almes house & house of Correction in this town or that they would relinquish their Interest therein.
And then made Choice of Thomas Foster Esqr for that purpose.
Then voted that whereas this Town being indebted to Doctr Nathaniel Lothrop Eighty pounds Lawfull money did at their meeting in May Anno: Domini 1763 vote to allow him Interest for sd Sum from the Ist day of January 1763 till it should be paid. And he not haveing Received more than one years Interest, Therefore from this time he shall
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
have Interest on all that is now due both principal & Interest till it is paid.
Then voted that the Selectmen Shall agree with some person or persons to build an Engine for weighing loaded Carts of hay &c to be set up on the town land neere Capt Thomas Nicholsons, on such part of sd land as the Select- men Shall direct at the Expense of him or them that Shall build & Sett up the same the owner of sd Engine shall have so much & no more for Weighing a lood as the Selectmen Shall agree to & receive his pay of the owner of sd hay &c.
Then the Committee who were appointed to hire a Col- lector for the presant year reported they had hired Mr Bart- lett Lebarron *to be sd Collector & agreed to Give him forty Shillings Lawfull money more than 12d on the pound he Complying with the Conditions voted at this meeting ye 16th Currant. Said Lebarron appeard in meeting & de- clared his acceptance of sd office on sd Conditions. Then the town voted said Lebarron sd sum on ye Condition abovesd.
Then made Choice of Mr Bartlett Lebarron sd Con- stable who was sworn by Thomas Foster Esqr.
Then voted that the Selectmen Shall agreeble to law ap- point Suitable persons to be Sealers of Wood in this town.
At sd meeting it was Sayd that Mr William Trenholm who was Chosen a Warden refusd to Serve, a vote was Called to Know if the town would Excuse him from serving in said office it passed in ye Affirmative.
Then this meeting was Adjourned to Monday the 6th of Aprill next to 3 a clock P M.
[289.] At a meeting of the Town of Plimouth Regularly Assembled & held in the Court house in Plimouth on Mon- day ye 6th day of April Anno Domini 1772 by Adjournment from the 19th past.
Voted & Allowd the Sexton Eight pounds for his Sallery for the Currant year.
The Committe that were Chosen to Examine the Records &c respecting a way for herrings to Go from Eellriver to South pond not being able to report to this meeting, voted that they be directed to report at the adjournment of this meeting.
* Bartlett LeBaron was a son of Dr. Lazarus LeBaron of Plymouth, where he was born in 1739, and died in 1806. He graduated at Har- vard in 1756.
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Then this meeting was Adjourned to Monday ye 13th of April to 5 a Clock P M.
At a meeting of the Town of Plimouth Regularly Assembled & held at the Court House in Plimouth on Mon- day the 13th day of April Anno Domini 1772 by Adjourn- ment from the 6th day of April Current
And Mr. Ephraim Spooner the Town Clerk being absent the Town made Choice of John Torrey for Town Clerk for this present meeting; who was sworn by Thomas Foster Esqr.
At said meeting the report of the Committe chosen in Octr last to take into Consideration the makeing a way for herrings to Go from Eellriver into South pond was red which was in the words following viz :
The Committe appointed by the town at this meeting in Octobr 1771 to take a view of South pond and the Passage from thence to the brook that leads from Finneys meadow Into Eellriver & report their opinion, whether their may not a Convenient Passage or brook be made to run from said pond into Eellriver for the alewives to pass up said Eellriver into sd South pond, to cast their spawn.
The Major part of said Committe have attended that ser- vice & a number of People being Desirous of making a try- all offerd their service to labour part of a Day upon free cost. And did stop the water and dug a passage 30 or 40 rods long, & in oppening a passage found verry considerable brook run down Quit large enough for alewives to pass, and are Informed a verry considerable brook runs ever since, tho we do not apprehend that wat is dug already is sufficient, yet your Committe are of opinion that a sufficiant passage may be made with not more than twenty pounds Cost, to make a sufficiant brook for the Alewives to pass or go up out of Eellriver, into sd pond to Cast their spawn.
And Further your Committe on the best Information find that number of Alewives Annually come up the Eellriver, and Doubtless if their was a Good passage dug would go up the said river & brook into sd pond to Cast their spawn, and we are of the mind that their is the Gratest probability, if the affair be well managed the brook, would soon be verry profitable to the town, All which is submitted.
Plimouth May 16th 1772 Ichabod Holmes Thomas Foster
Stephen Samson
Lemuel Jackson
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Then the town Voted to accept the above report
[290.] At said meeting, the report of the Committe chosen in March last to take into Consideration the matter of the land through which the brook may run from south pond to Eellriver, whose property it is, & to examine the laws of this province respecting alewives, and the brooks through which they do, or may run & to examine the rec- ords & all matters & things Respectg said way was red & is in the words following viz :
We the subscribers being appointed a committe as by the within vote of the town; have attended that service, & find that in the year 1704, when the town settled the Propriety *their was a reserve made of all the lands that were before appropriated to any particular use. And your Committe allso find that in the year 1701 there was a reserve made of three rods of land on each side of the water Course Issuing out of the Great South pond into the brook that runeth through Finneys meadows into Eellriver, to severall per- sons that undertook to make a passage for the Alewives to pass up into South pond, which work being never accom- plished, Your Committe are of the opinion said land still belongs to the Town in Consequence of the above reserve, so that the town has power still to make use of it for such pur- poses as they shall Judge best. And Therefore your Com- mitte think best for the town to proceed to act agreeable to the report of ye former Committe, and that a Committe be now chosen to proceed as soon as possible to make a con- venient way for Alewives to pass up from Eellriver into said pond & to agree with the owners if any such their be of lands that have any Grants of land, prior to the aforementioned Reserve, as allso to make a sufficient way for the Alewives to pass up thro Eellriver Gristmill dam & to agree with the owners of said Mill about Cutting said way through the dam. All which is Submitted.
John Cotton Thomas Foster John Torrey & Stephen Samson.
Then the town voted to accept the sd Report. And ac- cordingly made choice of
* A partial examination of the records leads the editor to doubt whether this reservation was ever sold by the town.
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Thomas Foster Esqr John Torrey Stephen Samson William Warren &: Ichabod Holmes a committe for the purposes abovesd.
At a meeting of the Town of Plimouth regularly assem- bled & held in the Court house in Plimouth on Monday May IIth A D 1772. James Warren Esqr was chosen moderator & sworn pr Thomas Mayhew Esqr.
Then made choice of Messrs Jonathan Diman, Thomas Jackson & Thomas Mathews To serve on the Grand Jury and Messrs Nathaniel Morton Junr, Joseph Silvester, Wil- liam Crombie, Deacn Joseph Bartlett, John Russell & John Blackmer were appointed to serve on the petit Jury, All at the next Superiour Court of Judicature, Court of Assize &c, to be holden at Plimouth within & for the County of Pli- mouth, on the third tuesday of May Instant.
[291.] At a meeting of the Town of Plimouth Regular- ly Assembled & held at the Court house in Plimouth on Monday the 18th day of May A D 1772.
A vote was Called to know if the town would choose two Representatives for the presant year & they both to draw the pay of but one. It passed in the Affirmative.
And then made choice of James Warren Esq & Mr. Isaac Lothrop to serve for & Represent them at the Great and Gen- erall Court or Assembly of this Province to be Convend & held at Cambridge upon the last Wednesday of this Instant May upon the Conditions abovesd.
Then made choice of James Warren Esqr Moderator of this meeting, he desired to be Excused from serving & ac- cordingly he was Excused. Then the Town made choice of Deacn John Torrey who was sworn pr Esqr Cotton.
Then voted to choose a Committe to Examine the records respecting the rodes & streets in this town & see what of them are laid out & on record & what are not & to report to the town at the next town meeting. Accordingly made choice of the Selectmen for that purpose.
Then voted to choose a Committe to Enquire whether the town have power to dispose of any part of ye lands Called
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
the Sheep pasture & to report to the town at the next town meeting. Accordingly made choice of
John Cotton Esqr James Warren Esqr & Mr. Isaac Lothrop
a committe for that purpose.
Then voted to continue the Consideration of the Petition of John Kempton Junr for a Grant of a part of the sheep pasture so called untill the next town meeting.
Then voted to accept the report of the Committe ap- pointed to prepare a bill to regulate the powder house in this town & the lodging therein the powder that may be in this town in time to come viz :
Plymouth in the County of Plimouth. At a town meet- ing legally warned & held at Plimouth May 18th A D 1772 the following order or by Law for regulateing the powder house in said Plimouth & obliging the traders & other In- habitants of said Town to store their powder in said house was voted.
Whereas said Town of Plimouth for the better secureing & preserving the towns stock of gun powder & preventing casualtys befalling the same, have built a powder house for the reception thereof & have lodged the towns stock of pow- der therein.
And the town considering the Eminent hazard the town is in by the Inhabitants & traders keeping their Gunpowder in their dwelling shop, or store houses with other Goods & Merchantdize which said powder house is sufficiantly large to receive all the Gunpowder that traders or other persons may Import or have occasion to store in their dwelling houses, shops or warehouses-Wherefore for the better se- curety of the Inhabitants & safety of the town, the town at sd meeting ordered & voted that for the future no trader, or Importer in said
[292.] Town of any Gunpowder or any other Inhabitant be allowed to store any gunpowder in any dwelling house, warehouse or shop, or keep the same in any vessell at any of the wharfs in said Town, but all such powder Imported or brought into the town shall be lodged in the town powder house within twenty four hours after its brought into the town.
And every trader or other person that shall after this or-
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
der, act or by law, shall be confirmed by the sessions presume to keep any Gunpowder in his Dwelling house, warehouse, Shop or store or vessell at any of the wharfs more than twenty four hours, before the same is lodged in sd powder house, shall forfit & pay to & for the use of the Poor of said Town the sum of twenty shillings for each & every such of- fence, to be recovered by action brought before any Court proper to try the same against such person or persons that shall refuse to lodge their powder in said powder house, such action or actions to be brought by the treasurer of the town of Plimouth for the time being, who is hereby fully Inpow- ered to sue for & recover the same; and if the town treasurer shall neglect to prosecute such persons or do not comply with this order or by law, he shall pay the sum of twenty shillings for every such neglect, to be recovered by an action brought against him by the selectmen of the town, said forfiture al- so to be for the use of the poor of said town of Plimouth.
Saveing nevertheless that any trader may have liberty to keep in his shop or store a Quantity not exceeding 501b for trade, or retailing & every house keeper, so much as the law requires for a stock for himself & Sons & servants above sixteen years of age, and others for fowling & hunting a Quantity not Exceeding twenty pounds. And it is further ordered & voted that for all Gunpowder that shall be lodged in said powder house by Importers, traders & private per- sons, their shall be paid to the keeper of said house by such person or persons twelve pence per barrell, at the receipt thereof, and six pence for a half barrell, & four pence per barrell a month & two pence a half barrell for every month after the first month dureing its lying in said Powder house, out of which the charges of the Keepers looking after said house shall be paid, as allso for his trouble in taking care of said powder, if said sum be sufficient. The Selectmen of the town for the time being allways to appoint the keeper, and allso to Give orders from time to time for regulateing the house & preserving the powder put in the same, either by the town or particular persons. And the keeper of such house shall duly attend on such persons as bring their pow- der to said powder house. to receive & secure, as allso to Di- liver the same agreeable to this Act, and to keep an Exact account allso of all money received for storeage, & to render their accounts to the selectmen once a year or oftener if re-
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
quired, and if in the Judgment of the Selectmen, the money received for storeage is not a sufficiant reward for the keep- ers trouble, they are to make him such further Allowance, as they shall think reasonable, which is to be paid out of the town treasury. The Selectmen to render their accounts
[293.] Annually to the town of the charge of repairing & looking after said house & of the Income of the same.
This order or by law to be in force till the town shall re- peal or alter the same. Then made choice of Thomas Fos- ter Esqr to present this order or by law to the Next Court of Generall Sessions of the peace to be holden at Plimouth within & for the County of Plimouth on the first tuesday of July next for their approbation & allowance.
Then voted to choose a committe to sell the land that Eleazer Churchell secured to this town for the payment of his debt to the town, they to apply to Mr. Churchill first & see if he hath found a purchaser & if no purchaser appear, then they to sell sd land at Publick vendue, after suteable publick Notice Given of such sail, & then made choice of Mr. Ephraim Cobb, Thomas Foster Esqr & Mr. Stephen Sam- son a Committe for that purpose.
Then made choice of James Warren Esqr & Mr. Isaac Lothrop our two representatives as Agents to prefer a peti- tion to the Generall Court praying them to enable this town to recover the money due to the town from the County of Barnestable for the repairs of Eellriver bridge.
Then a vote was Called to know if the town would Give their representatives any Instructions at this time, it passed in the Negative.
Then Capt. Thomas Jackson chairman of the Committe chosen at last March meeting to take into Consideration the expense &c of building a work house & to report to the town at this meeting, Informed the town that for reasons they were not ready to Report at this time. Then voted that said committe be directed to report to the next town meet- ing.
We the Subscribers Selectmen of Plimouth & Wareham having this day perambulated the line & renewed the bounds between the town of Plimouth & the town of Wareham, have agreed upon the following bounds viz: beginning at the brook Called red brook & so runing up ye said brook to the head thereof, And so to the meadow lying some space
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
above the head of said brook Called Bartletts Marsh, and so bounded by said meadow on the easterly side thereof, so as to Include the whole of said meadow within the township of Wareham, to a large pine tree mark PxW at the head of said meadow, & from said tree, north a little easterly by a range of marked trees, neere a Quater of a mile to a Great pond Called White Island pond, a large pine tree old marked & now new marked PxW is in the said range standing neere the pond, & from said range where it cometh to the pond on a strait course by a range of marked trees to two pine trees standing close
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