USA > Rhode Island > Bristol County > Barrington > A history of Barrington, Rhode Island > Part 20
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The record-book begins with a "town meeting of the free- holders and other inhabitants of the town of Barrington, legally warned on this seventh day of April, 1718," and
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THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
closes with the town meeting of March 29, 1744. We have therefore lost the records of the town for portions of three years.
The Barrington town meeting, begun in the year 1717, as a separate institution from Swansea, and continued to the present day, is an exact copy and illustration of the demo- cratic principles and methods established at Plymouth and in the cabin of the Mayflower, and still further traceable through English history to Saxon and Anglo-Saxon origin. It was an annual reference to the people of the choice of their rulers, and an annual declaration of the popular will on all subjects concerning the civil, and, at that time, the religious concerns of the people. The majority principle determined all matters relating to the town. The officers of the town, subject to an annual election, were a Moderator, to preside over the town meetings, a Clerk to keep the records of the town meetings, and of the Town Council, or Board of Select- men ; a Board of Selectmen, of three members, to have the charge of the town affairs during the year, and to carry out the declared or assumed will of the freemen ; the selectmen also usually acted as a board of assessors, to assess the taxes on the ratable estates and polls of the town ; a town treasurer to have charge of the public moneys of the town, and receive and pay out the same on order of the town or the selectmen; surveyors of highways, to view and repair the highways as directed by the town; a constable to assist in keeping the peace, and to make arrests of disorderly persons ; tything men, to preserve order at the meeting-house, and to collect the moneys due for the support of the minister of the town; fence viewers, to adjust all matters of difference between contiguous owners, as to proper fences, location of boundary lines, and other matters of like nature ; sealer of leather, to inspect leather used in the manufacture and repair of boots, shoes, harness, etc .; pound keepers, to have charge of the public pounds, and to impound cattle, horses, etc., going at large in the public highways, and to collect fines that the law imposed ; jurors to serve on the grand jury ; hog-reeves, to
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impound hogs running at large, and to execute ordinances as to swine. The town also elected representatives, or depu- ties, to the General Court. The following summary gives a good illustration of the legislation of a Massachusetts town, more than a century and a half ago.
1718.
The record of the town officers chosen at the first election in 1717 is lost. The first record appears under date of April 7, 1718, Timothy Wadsworth, moderator. The town chose Timothy Wadsworth to serve on the grand jury and Edward Luther on the jury of trials; April 21, the town then and there "chose the Reverend Mr. Samuel Torrey to be the minister for the said town." "For the labor voted to give £100, as a settlement to the Reverend Mr. Samuel Torrey," "and this £100 to be his property if he continues our minister for ten years, otherwise to be re- turned to the town again, and it is further voted that if it should please God to take him away by death before the said term of ten years is out that his heirs shall have out of said sum the ration of £10 a year so long as he shall labor our minister."
Voted, " That the Rev. Mr. Samuel Torrey have £70 as a salary for the labor, so long as he continues our 'minister," to be collected by the constable, paid in to the town clerk and by him paid to the minister.
Voted, "That Messrs. Zachariah Bicknell, James Adams and Sergeant Peck "be a comity to treat with the Rev- erend Mr. Samuel Torrey about what the town has voted " and to "report at this meeting's adjournment, this day fortnight, at five of the clock in the afternoon at the house of Zachariah Bicknell." Twenty-one inhabitants of the town entered their protest against being made respon- sible for the support of the ministry. These persons were Anabaptists and those in sympathy with them. August 4, "Reverend Samuel Torrey appeared at the town meeting and signified to the town that he accepted the call the town
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gave him to be their minister for the futor and also the voats that the town passed about him, both as to the settle- ment and salary which voats were passed the 21st of April last."
"The town chose Left. Peck to be a selectman and assessor for the remaining part of the year. The assessors were empowered to raise 25 shillings to pay for mending the meeting house glass."
1719.
Timothy Wadsworth, moderator ; Benjamin Viall, Zacha- riah Bicknell and James Adams, assessors ; Samuel Hum- phrey, town clerk ; James Brown, Jun., Constable ; Zacha- riah Bicknell and John Bosworth, surveyors of highways ; Timothy Wadsworth and Joshua Kent, tything men ; Nathaniel Peck and John Chaffee, fence viewers, Phebe's Neck; and Joshua Kent and Ebenezer Martin, New Meadow Neck; Samuel Humphrey, town treasurer ; Recompence Tiffany, sealer of leather ; Elisha May, grand juror ; Ebenezer Tiffany, Jury of trials ; James Adams; Representative to the General Court.
Barrington petitioned the Court to give the town power to tax the whole people for the support of the ministry inasmuch "as some of the Inhabitants being averse to a minister refused to pay their rate for his maintenance or to show their Estate to the Constable " and consequently were arrested and tried before the Superior Court which found for the defendants. Nathaniel Byfield and John Cushing were made a Committee for the relief of Barrington.
Nov. 25. Passed an act to prevent all questions and disputes about the election of Town officers for the town of Barrington in the Court of Bristol and for the further quiet settlement of said towns.
Zachariah Bicknell and James Adams were chosen a com- mittee to adjust the County rates with the town of Swansea. The assessors were directed to raise 25 shillings " to pay for mending the meeting-house glass."
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Samuel Kent and Josiah Torrey were allowed 15 shillings each for taking an account of the ratable estates of the town and making the rates for the town.
James Adams was voted £3, 4s. " for his wages as repre- sentative."
The town voted " to stand by " any person who should be distressed in the collection of taxes by any constable or collector of Rehoboth, for neglecting or refusing to pay any taxes assessed for meadow lying in Barrington.
" Voted, that Mr. Samuel Humphrey, Mr. James Adams and Mr. Zachariah Bicknell be allowed eighteen shillings for nine days that all of them spent as assessors, in making of rates."
1720.
Moderators, Timothy Wadsworth, Josiah Humphrey.
Lieut. James Adams, constable ; Josiah Torrey, Samuel Humphrey and Samuel Kent, assessors ; Samuel Humphrey, town clerk ; Joshua Kent, Zachariah Bicknell, and Daniel Allen, surveyors of highways ; Joseph Chaffee and Eben- ezer Martin, tything men ; Samuel Humphrey, town treas- urer ; Recompence Tiffany, pound keeper and sealer of leather.
Zachariah Bicknell was elected representative to the Gen- eral Court at Boston.
John Torrey was voted £4 for defending the town against Benoni Price.
Zachariah Bicknell was allowed 16 shillings for money laid out at Boston "for a copy of the General Court Acts."
Legal warrants for town meetings were ordered to be posted on the meeting-house and on John West's house, six days prior to meetings.
1721.
Moderator, Josiah Torrey; Daniel Allen, constable ; Josiah Torrey, James Adams, and Samuel Humphrey, select- men and assessors ; Samuel Humphrey, town clerk and
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town treasurer ; Zachariah Bicknell, John Torrey, and Joshua Kent, surveyors of highways ; Zachariah Bicknell, Jr., Joseph Allen, and John Short, hog-reeves ; Joseph Allen and Nathaniel Peck, tything men. Voted, " That Nathaniel Peck is to have fifteen shillings to provide the town with a good pair of stocks and all things suitable for them and bring them to the meeting-house forthwith." Voted, "That the selectmen provide standard weights and measures for the town at a cost of £3 more or less." Mr. Timothy Wadsworth was allowed £26, " for attorney's fees, his own work for the pound and meeting-house."
Recompence Tiffany was allowed seven shillings for a sealing hammer.
Voted, " That hoggs shall goe at large, being kept yoaked and ringed as the law directs," and that " no hog kind or sheep kind shall goe at large on the highways."
Zachariah Bicknell was chosen agent to prosecute a memorial to obtain the Court's Resolves at Boston, concern- ing those meadows which belong to the inhabitants of Reho- both lying within the township of Barrington. "Also the said Zachariah Bicknell is to have five pounds which he agrees to accept in full satisfaction for all his time and charge in case he obtained the Court's grant that those meadows shall become taxable or ratable by the assessors of the town of Barrington, but in case he doth not obtain such a grant or resolve of the General Court, then he is to have nothing for his time and charge."
Lieut. James Adams, Edward Luther, and James Brown were elected trustees to dispose of the town's part of the £50,000 bills of credit granted by the General Court. " No man shall have more than ten pounds of the bank money (bills of credit), and no man less than five pounds."
The town agreed with Lieut. Nathaniel Peck "to build a sufficient pound and soke the timber five weeks in salt water and git it up by the tenth of March next for five pound."
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1722.
Moderator, James Adams ; Zachariah Bicknell, constable ; Lieut. James Adams, James Brown, and James Smith, assessors ; James Adams, James Brown, and Benjamin Viall, selectmen ; Samuel Humphrey, town treasurer ; Ed- ward Luther, town clerk ; Ebenezer Martin, James Brown, and Ebenezer Allen, surveyors of highways ; Samuel Humphrey and Samuel Kent, tything men. By vote of the selectmen and approved by the town, April 2d, it was voted " that the town be provided with a schoolmaster to teach to read, write, and arithmetic," " who shall be obliged to keep school four months from the first of November."
James Adams, James Smith and, James Brown were a committee "to settle the highways according to the rec- ords."
Voted, "that the town change the way so that Lieut. Peck be to the Eastward of his fence as it now stands and is staked out."
Zachariah Bicknell was allowed £1, 10s. for use of a room for five months for a school. "The schoolmaster was allowed £18, 10s. for keeping of school five months."
1723.
Moderator, James Adams ; Lieut. James Adams, Ensign Benjamin Viall, and James Brown, selectmen ; Edward Luther, town clerk; Ensign Benjamin Viall, town treas- urer ; Matthew Allen, constable; James Brown, James Adams, and James Smith, assessors ; Samuel Kent, Jabez Brown, and John Read, surveyors of highways ; John Thomas and Ebenezer Smith, tything men ; John Torrey, James Viall, and Samuel Goff, hog-reeves. Voted, "that the town treasurer hereafter receive Mr. Torrey's salary."
Mr. Josiah Torrey was chosen "to represent the town of Barrington, concerning Rehoboth's meadows within this town."
Mr. Andrews was voted £20 "for keeping school twelve months if he see cause to accept thereof."
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Voted, " Twelve pence per rail to Mr. Samuel Allen for as many rails as is needful for ye repairing of ye pound."
The matter of land taxes was again in dispute with Reho- both and the following record appears in the minutes of the General Court of Massachusetts :
"A petition of Josiah Torrey, Agent for the Town of Bar- rington showing that the Meadow Land in the Said Town- ship and in Part owned by the Inhabitants of Rehoboth, & being tax'd by the Assessors of Barrington, the Proprietors refuse to pay the said Taxes, pretending an Agreement between Rehoboth & the Town of Swansea (of which Bar- rington was lately a Part) which exempts them from the Said Taxes, & that by their Refusal the Town of Barrington as well as their Constables ly under great Inconveniences, & therefore praying that this Court would enable the Con- stables of ye Town of Barrington to receive of the said Pro- prietors the Arrears of Rates due from them & their Pro- prietors of other Taxes for the Future.
" In the House of Representatives, Read & In Answer to this Petition, Resolved that all the Lands & Meadows lying & being within the township of Barrington be henceforward assess'd to all Rates & Taxes whatsoever in Barrington only, And that all the Lands and Meadows lying & being within the Township of Rehoboth be henceforward assess'd in all Rates & Taxes whatsoever in the said Town of Reho- both only, Any Law, Usage or Custom to the Contrary Not- withstanding.
"In Council, Read & Concurr'd. Consented to, Wm. Dum- mer. November 15, 1723."
The Committee "to settle highways" reported on the lines of said highways, establishing the two, four, and eight rod highways, already laid out and marked by stakes, stones, and trees.
In answer to a request of the selectmen of Swansea as to what part the town would do in the rebuilding of Myles bridge, it was voted "to defer their determination until March meet- ing, 1724."
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Voted, Mr. Josiah Torrey " £5, 18s., 6p., for his services concerning the meadows belonging to Rehoboth men," also, £1, Is., 6p., "for the hire of a house to keep school in."
1724.
Moderator, Lieut. James Adams; Samuel Humphrey, Josiah Torrey, and Zachariah Bicknell, selectmen and asses- sors ; Matthew Allen and Edward Luther, surveyors ; Jona- than Viall and Samuel Barnes, fence viewers ; Lieut. James Adams, treasurer ; Josiah Torrey, town clerk, Thomas Dexter, constable; Josiah Bowen and Thomas Medbury, tything men; John Bullock and John West, hog-reeves.
Zachariah Bicknell, Edward Luther and Samuel Allen were chosen a Committee to meet the Swansea Committee relative to rebuilding Myles Bridge. The town voted £24 to pay for the new bridge.
Voted to raise £25 to hire a schoolmaster for nine months, and Benjamin Viall, James Smith, and Ebenezer Allen were made the Committee "to agree with a schoolmaster for nine months."
"In answer to the General Court order that the several towns should give their reasons why the County (Plymouth) should not be divided, it passed by a clear vote that they were against it for these reasons, because it would increase the charges of the County upon the town of Barrington, and also multiply our Jurors, and because it would be no comfit (benefit ?) to the town of Barrington but a damage in other respects."
Barrington, Sept. 9th, 1724. "Taken up by Matthew Allen a stray yoak of cattle of a red color and the top of each of. their horns cut off, and marked with a hollow crop on the right ear, and a half penny on the upper side of the near ear."
1725.
Moderators, Zachariah Bicknell, Benjamin Viall and James Adams ; James Adams, clerk ; James Adams, Samuel Allen, and Matthew Allen, selectmen and assessors ; Benjamin Viall, treasurer ; Josiah Torrey, constable.
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Voted "to give £25, for the encouragement of a school- master to continue one year." Joseph Chaffee, Jun., con- stable and hog-reeve; James Adams, Jun., tything man.
Josiah Torrey was chosen agent to represent the town at the General Court concerning the meadows in town owned by Re- hoboth men, and was allowed £6, 8s. Voted, that the town do not allow the raising of Mr. Torrey's salary.
Zachariah Bicknell was allowed 6 shillings for a house to keep school in, Joseph Chaffee 15 shillings, and Samuel Barnes 8 shillings for a like purpose; Josiah Humphrey was allowed £2, Ios. for keeping school a month.
1726.
Moderators, James Adams and Timothy Wadsworth; Zach- ariah Bicknell, Benjamin Viall, and James Adams, selectmen and assessors ; Josiah Humphrey, town clerk ; Benjamin Viall, town treasurer; Samuel Low, constable; Ebenezer Tiffany, Samuel Allen, and Ebenezer Martin, surveyors ; Ebenezer Smith and Isaac Brown, hog-reeves for Phebes Neck; James Humphrey and Philip Short, tything men ; voted, " 3p. per head for foxes killed by the inhabitants of this town for three months," the heads to be delivered to the constable and reported to the treasurer.
Voted 30 shillings " to a person to sweep the meeting-house and look after the doors and keep the key."
Voted, "That Left. Nathaniel Peck, Samuel Kent, and Samuel Humphrey be a Committee to go to Rev. Mr. Samuel Torrey to know what his demands are and report to the town."
"The town voted not to raise Mr. Torrey's Salary."
Josiah Torrey was made an agent to act with the Swansea agent to procure " the division of the pastors and teachers lots from the school lots,"
Samuel Allen, Daniel Brown and John Torrey were in- structed to tell Rev. Samuel Torrey why the town would not raise his salary.
Ebenezer Martin was authorized to pull down all fences
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and obstructions on the highways on New Meadow Neck leading to the burying place, and "lay open the burying place and train field as formerly lay open."
Voted, "That the selectmen do take care to provide a schoolmaster for the town by next July Court."
Voted, "That the town would not concur with the Church in dismissing the Rev. Mr. Torrey from being their minister provided a council advise it." Then follows Mr. Torrey's receipts for his salary from 1723 and also for the £100 set- tlement, which was paid by individuals and not by the town.
November 16. It was voted, "that the town see cause to hear another minister after Mr. Whitmarsh's turn is out that is agreed for."
Voted, "That the town raise forty pounds and order it into the deacon's hands for the defraying the necessary charges of paying a minister or ministers which may be requested and employed by the town to preach the gospel amongst us from time to time," and "that John Torrey and Josiah Humphrey be impowered to procure a minister to preach the Gospel amongst us."
December 28. The town rescinded the votes of November 16, and voted "to raise forty or rather fifty pounds for the support of the ministry in this town," and "that James Adams, Benjamin Viall, and Zachariah Bicknell be a Com- mittee to supply the pulpit from time to time with a minister." At the same meeting £5, 5s. were allowed "for killing foxes."
June 26. "Voted, that James Smith keep and board Christian Phippen one year at the rate of three shillings per week or in like proportion if she should not survive."
Samuel Barnes was allowed 16s. for the use of his house three months for keeping school.
1727.
Moderator, Lieut. James Adams ; Lieut. James Adams, Samuel Humphrey and Samuel Allen, selectmen and
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assessors ; Josiah Humphrey, clerk ; Ebenezer Smith, con- stable; Samuel Kent and Joseph Chaffee, surveyors of highways; Ensign Benjamin Viall, town treasurer.
March 23. Voted, that the town concur with the Church "in choosing the Rev. Moses Hale to be the minister of the town," and that the town raise £100 for his salary, and £200 for his settlement, and that Timothy Wadsworth, Deacon Humphrey, Lieut. Adams, Samuel Allen and Nathaniel Smith be a Committee to report to Mr. Hale the action of the town.
Voted, That "the selectmen provide for a school for the town, as soon as they can conveniently." Voted, that Lieut. James Adams, Samuel Kent and Samuel Allen be a Com- mittee to maintain the town's rights in the burying ground and "train field on which a meeting house was formerly built " on New Meadow Neck.
Edward Luther and Lieut. Adams were elected trustees of the bank money.
August 3. Timothy Wadsworth, moderator ; Lieut. James Adams, Zachariah Bicknell, and Samuel Allen were chosen a committee to provide the town with a minister, and that the town raise £100 " for the payment of a minister or ministers."
October 27. Voted, "that the town concur with the Church in choosing Mr. John Wadsworth to be the minister of this town," and that his salary be £100, and his settle- ment £200 to be paid in two years, £100 a year. Mr. Wadsworth's answer was in the negative. The town allowed to pay a schoolmaster £21, "to mend the meeting- house f1, Ios.," "to Mr. Samuel Kent for mending the great bridge 7 shillings."
1728.
Timothy Wadsworth, moderator ; Samuel Humphrey, Lieut. James Adams, Samuel Allen, selectmen and assess- ors ; Josiah Humphrey, town clerk; James Bicknell and Jonathan Viall, constables ; Benjamin Viall, treasurer ; Elisha
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May and Isaac Brown, tything men ; Samuel Barnes and Samuel Humphrey, surveyors for Phebe's Neck, and James Thomas for New Meadow Neck.
The votes of the town in 1727, relative to Rev. Mr. Wads- worth were repeated relative to Rev. John Sumner, who also declined the call to be the minister of the town. Lieut. Peck, Zachariah Bicknell, and James Smith were chosen a committee " to lay out a burying place and to agree with Ebenezer Allen what to give him for the ground."
Voted on the 8th of February, " that the town give Eben- ezer Allen £5 for half an acre of land for a burying place."
May 3. The town accepted its quota of bills of credit lately granted by the General Court, and Zachariah Bicknell, Samuel Allen, and Lieut. Allen were chosen trustees "to receive and let out the same."
May 27. The town concurred in the vote of the church in choosing Mr. Peleg Heath to be the minister of the town, at a yearly salary of £110, and a settlement of £200 to be paid in one year which Mr. Heath accepted.
Voted, " that the town will uphold a quarterly contribu- tion for Mr. Peleg Heath during his ministry here."
MR. HEATH'S ANSWER TO THE TOWN.
" Whereas you the people of God in this place have given me an invitation to labor in the gospel among you, having taken it into deliberate consideration as it is a call of God, I do therefore in his strength engage therein, and desire your prayers that I may be directed, assisted, succeeded and accepted."
Barrington, September 9, 1728.
PELEG HEATH.
ACT OF 1728 OF MASSACHUSETTS COLONY.
" Relief for Anabaptists and Quakers, Taxing Pedobap. tists.
That from and after the publication of this act, none of 17
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the persons commonly called Anabaptists nor any of those called Quakers, that are or shall be enrolled or entered in their several societies as members thereof, and who alledge a scruple of conscience as the reason of their refusal to pay any part or proportion of such taxes as are from time to time assessed for the support of the minister or ministers of the churches established by the laws of this province, in the town or place where they dwell, shall have their polls taxed toward the support of such minister or ministers, nor shall their bodies be at any time taken in execution, to satisfy any such ministerial rate or tax, assessed upon their estates or faculty, provided that such persons do usually attend the meetings of their respective societies, assembling upon the Lord's day for the worship of God, and that they live within five miles of the place of such meetings."
1729.
James Adams, moderator ; Lieut. James Adams, Deacon Peck, and Samuel Allen, selectmen and assessors ; Josiah Humphrey, town clerk and town treasurer ; Elisha May and Joseph Chaffee, Jun., constables ; Oliver Brown and Nicholas Tanner, tything men; Zachariah Bicknell, James Smith, and Joseph Allen, Committee " to provide the town with a school- master."
Ebenezer Allen was allowed £1, "for looking after the meeting-house."
Mr. Bicknell, Samuel Kent, Samuel Allen and Nathaniel Peck, Jun., were a Committee "to go to the selectmen of Swansea to get a division of the lands called by the name of pastors and teachers lots from the school land, and to take the regular steps of the law in obtaining said pastors and teacher's lands."
Voted, "that thirty shillings be allowed for mending the meeting-house glass."
Voted, " that Josiah Humphrey be allowed twenty shil- lings for sweeping and looking after the meeting-house in 1728."
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October 27. John Webber was hired to keep school for five months from date for the sum of £20, and was " settled near the center of said town."
Ebenezer Allen gave a deed of a half acre of land at Princes Hill for a burying place, for the sum of £5, under date of December 1, 1729.
1730.
Lieut. Adams, moderator; Lieut. Adams, Deacon Peck, and Samuel Allen, selectmen; Matthew Allin, Joseph Allen, and Joseph Humphrey, assessors ; Josiah Humphrey, town clerk ; Samuel Allen, treasurer; Philip Short and James Smith, Jun., constables.
Voted, "that the town provide a schoolmaster for seven months;" "that the school be kept three months at New Meadow Neck, and two months at the meeting-house or thereabouts, and two months at Benjamin Vialls or there- abouts."
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