1775-03-13th
At a legal meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Beverly on Monday March 13 1775.
Col. Henry Herrick was chosen Moderator of said Meeting and the following persons were
chosen to serve in the following respective offices for the year ensuing viz.
Voted that each district shall have the nomination of the respective officers and such persons so
nominated be chosen by the Town if they so cause.
Voted that the above vote shall not be understood to have any influence any further than in the choice
of the Selectmen and Assessors at this meeting and each district nominated the same accordingly viz.
Selectmen and AssessorsCapt. William Langdell, Capt. Edmund Giles, Capt. Nicholas
Thorndike, Mr. Jonathan Conant & Joseph Wood.
Town ClerkJoseph Wood.
Town TreasurerCol. Henry Herrick and to have three pence a pound for receiving and
paying the Town’s money.
Constablesfor the Farm District Isaac Thorndike
for the Ferry District Ebenezer Ellinwood
for Royal Side [Ryal Side] District Nathaniel Creesy
for Bass River District William Seirs
for Bald Hill District William Morgan
WardensIsaac Kimball & John Batchelder
Surveyors of the HighwaysFor Ward No. 1 Capt. Jonathan Hart
No. 2 David Larcom
No. 3 Peter Obear Jr.
No. 4 Lieut. Joseph Rae
No. 5 Lieut. Isaac Chapman
No. 6 Col. Henry Herrick
No. 7 William Butman
No. 8 William Tayler
No. 9 Capt. Ebenezer Francis
No. 10 William Dodge
No. 11 William Elliott
nd
No. 12 William Trask 2
HogreevesJonathan Standley, Joshua Balch, Benjamin Leech, Benjamin Corning,
Jonathan Creesy, and Ens. Bartholomew Trask
Tything menRobert Dodge 2nd, James Friend, Wells Standley & John Byles.
Fence ViewersMalachi Woodberry, Nehemiah Presson, Samuel Woodberry, John
nd
Woodberry, Benjamin Leech & William Morgan 2
Field DriversJonathan Hatch, Jonathan Standley, Benjamin Leach, William Elliott
& James Dodge
Clerks of the MarketCapt. William Bartlett, Capt. Josiah Batchelder Jr., Capt. James
Lovett, Mr. Samuel Goodridge, Capt. Ebenezer Francis, and Capt.
Joshua Cleaves
Cullers of Hoops andCapt. Caleb Dodge, Capt. James Lovett & Capt. John Lovett
Staves and Heden
Surveyors of Lumber,Capt. John Lovett, Ens.Josiah Batchelder & Ens. Samuel Goodridge
Board, Shingles and
Clapboards
Sealers of LeatherLieut. Joseph Rae, Lieut. Peter Shaw
Deer ReevesCapt. Caleb Dodge & Mr. Benjan Raymond
Cullers of FishCapt. Larkin Thorndike, Lieut. Isaac Thorndike and Simon Lovett
Pound KeeperOsmon Trask
The votes for a County Treasurer was brought in and sealed up as the law directs.
Voted that the Town will mend their highway the year ensuing by a tax on the Polls and Estates of
its Inhabitants.
Voted that ,100 pounds be raised on the polls and estates of this Town to defray the charge of
repairing the Highways the ensuing year.
Voted that the Swine should go at-large the year ensuing being yoked and ringed as the law directs.
Voted that the Article in the warrant for this meeting relative to the building a house for the
Reception of the Poor People etc. be referred to May meeting.
Voted that the article in the warrant relative to the regulating of wood that is brought into the Town
for sale on carts or shiles etc. be dismissed.
Voted that Andrew Ellinwood, petition relative to Margaret Sollows be dismissed.
Voted to choose a Committee to take under consideration the ninth article of the warrant for this
meeting which is to see if the Town will inquire into the privilege of a landing at a place called
Mingo’s Beach and devise means for removing any encumbrance that obstructs a free passage to said
Beach.
Voted that begin Benjamin Cleaves, Capt. Larkin Thorndike and Joseph Wood be said Committee
and make report at the next May meeting.
Voted that they do approve and accept of the way laid out by the Selectmen on the ninth day of June
last which is as follows viz.:
At the request of Josiah Trow and others petitioners for a way from said Trow’s house to the road
near Mr. William Trask’s house etc. we the Subscribers, Selectmen of Beverly, have as by law
empowered accordingly proceeded and have laid out a private way for said petitioners through Mr.
William Trask’s pasture as follows, viz.. Beginning by the gate near said Trow’s house and running
from thence as the wall stands on Baker’s line easterly 11 ½ deg. north distant fifty-three poles the
wall to be the standing line and to extend to the Southward one and a half pole of s and from thence
South 21 deg. east 20 poles and from thence South 46 deg. 30 minutes east nine poles and from
thence east 7 deg. 111 South 9 poles and seven links to the wall and from thence east 15 deg. north
30 poles as the wall stands, and from thence east 22 deg. 30 min. as the wall stands 3 poles and
thence east 13 deg. north ten poles and from thence east 1 ½ deg. south as the wall stands four poles
and from thence E. 14 deg. south four poles and from thence as the wall stands to the road near Mr.
William Trask’s house that leads down into the body of this Town and the above mentioned courses
to be the standing line of the way and for to extend from each of these courses easterly and northerly
Lee so far as to make the way one pole and one half wide the whole of the said way in all the way laid
out through Mr. William Trask’s pasture and each of the above said courses are according to the
needle and whereas it appears to us that the petitioners and their predecessors have enjoyed the
privilege of a private way through said Trask land for passing and repassing without molestation (till
of late) except gates and drawbars we award no damages therefore but we allow said way shall be
now improved by gates.
Beverly June 9th.1774.Caleb Dodge
Richard ObearSelectmen of
William LangdellBeverly
Caleb Wallis
Joseph Wood
Voted that the Town doth allow, approve and accept of the Report of the Selectmen of a way laid
th
out by them on June 14 last from the northwest corner of Jonathan Woodberry’s land to Obear Cove
so-called which report is as follows, viz.:
At the request of William Groves and others as also agreeable to a vote of this Town that a way be
laid out by the Town from the northwest corner of Jonathan Woodberry deceased, land on which his
house stands to Obear Cove so-called. We the subscribers, Selectmen, of Beverly have as by law
empowered proceeded and have laid out a Town highway from said Woodberry’s corner to Obear
Cove so-called as follows, viz..: beginning at the northwest corner of Mr. Jonathan Woodberry’s land
at the middle of the way leading down to said Woodberry’s Point so-called and from thence the first
course East 17 deg. south on the southern side of said way 18 poles and three links through said
Woodberry’s land and from thence E. 9 deg. 13 poles and 22 links, 8 poles and 19 links of it through
Lovett’s land and four poles and 9 links of it through Butman’s land thence East 8 deg. south 15
poles and 14 links on said Butman’s land thence East 17 deg. south three poles and 22 links on said
Butman’s thence East 17 deg. 30 min. south 10 poles and 20 links on Groves thence East 31 deg. 30
min. south 3 poles and 7 links on James Obear’s land thence 31 deg. east 2 ½ poles on said Obear’s
thence south 46 deg. East 5 poles an 11 links through Obear’s land then on the same course through
Bowles’ land 3 poles and ½ thence south 2 ½ deg. East 10 poles down to the Beach on Ober’s land
along by Bowles’ fence and all the above mentioned courses are to be the standing line & from said
line to extend northerly and easterly on every angle as to make said way twenty-four feet wide and
from our last mentioned course on the Beach to run West 34 deg. 30 min. south 1 pole and three links
and from thence Southerly down to low watermark and from the easterly side of said way on the
Beach to extend easterly one pole and from thence down to low watermark so as to make a landing
on the Beach 3 ½ poles wide and whereas said way has been empowered time out of mind without
molestation till of late we award no damage to any person.
th
Beverly June 14 1775.Caleb Dodge
Richard ObearSelectmen
William Langdell of
Caleb Wallis Beverly
Joseph Wood