1778-02-26th
At a Meeting of the Selectmen for Feb. 261778.
Ordered that a Town meeting be warned and held on the 9th day of March next at ten o’clock in the
forenoon at the stated place for holding of Town meetings in said Town for the following purposes:
1ly. To choose Town officers for the ensuing year as also to choose a Committee of
Correspondence, Inspection and Safety for the ensuing year.
2ly. To choose a County Treasurer.
3ly. To see if the Town will mend their Highways the ensuing year by a tax on its inhabitants and
what wages they will give per day for that service. Also determine what sum of money they
will grant to be raised for that purpose and act any thing relative thereto as they shall think
best.
4ly. To see if the Town will give Liberty for their swine to go at-large the year ensuing being yoked
and ringed as the law directs.
5ly. To see if the mind of the Town to have the whole of the charge of procuring of the militia of this
Town to go into the Army the year passed, as also for the future, be paid by the Town by a
tax on the Inhabitants allowing those persons that have been themselves with out receiving
any monies therefore the usual sum that hath been given in the same campaign and act and
do anything relative thereto as they in their wisdom shall think proper.
6ly. To choose a Committee to supply the soldiers’ families that are in the Continental Army and
determine what measures they will come into for to enable them to accomplish the same.
7ly. To receive the report of the Committee appointed to inquire about the small pox etc. and act and
do anything relative thereto as may then be thought best.
8ly. To receive the report of the Town Treasurer relative to the monies procured or hired and
delivered to Capt. John Woodberry for procuring of five men for to enlist into the Continental
[Army] for this Town and raise money for to pay the same and act and do anything relative
thereto as they may think proper.
And there was a warrant issued out to Constable Zachariah Gage to warn the same accordingly.
Attested Joseph Wood, T. Clerk.
th
At the Meeting of the Selectmen Feb. 26 1778.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Joseph Baker nine pound seven shillings & four pence in full for
Selectmen’s and Town meeting expenses at his house the year past.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Jonathan Perkins six pound thirteen shilling and four pence for
keeping district school near William Dodge’s the winter past.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Daniel Friend £ 6-13-4 for keeping of District School near the
mouth of the Mill Lane this winter.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Benja. Jones Esq. one pound eleven shillings and eight pence
29/8 of said sum for medicines and attendance for Martha Thissell & 2/ the wid. Clark.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Thomas Hovey two pound ten shillings and eight pence 12/8
of said sum for 16 gallons of cider for the fatigue men when built breastworks near his house. 38/4
in full for timber and damages for building forts and cutting of turf as on the farm he lives now or to
this date.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Mr. Isaac Thorndike eleven pounds 16/of said sum for four days
making highway tax, for going to Ipswich horse and expenses to the County Convention of
Committees. For about nine days times spent about the small pox the year past 50/ for his account
for sundries found for Lydia Patch which were expended when she was sick with the small pox 14/2
for wood and sundry found Joseph Pierce’s wife 26/8 for cut of beef delivered out to several poor
persons 60/ for 150 short layers for the use of the fort 10/ and for sundry other services for the Town
31/3.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Benjamin Batchelder 16/ - 10 shillings of said sum for moving
of William Lovett with small pox and 6/ for moving of Joseph Bradshaw, ditto.
nd
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Wm. Trask 2 nineteen shillings, ten shillings of said sum for
extraordinary charge as Surveyor of the Highway 1775 & 9/ over taxed in 1777.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay William Herrick Jr. 24/ over taxed that sum in 1777.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay William Butman four pounds thirteen shillings 83/4 for keeping
of John Martin his third quarter as per agreement and 9/8 for sundries found John Martin about
clothing to this date.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay William Grover 48/ being over taxed that sum by mistake.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Samuel Woodberry four pounds for damages he sustained by
reason of the small pox being brought to Doctor Woodberry’s house the year past.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Livermore Whittridge 28/ for warning of six meetings two of
them verbally.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Wm. Dike six pounds for nursing of Richard Harris 24 days with
the small pox.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay wid. Elizabeth Presson 52/ in full for nursing of Richard Harris
when sickened and died with the small pox.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay John Herman two pounds sixteen shillings of the Town’s money
for fetching and carrying and tending to Mr. Wallis’s house when Richard Harris had the small pox
there and for necessaries found and provided for them.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay John Todd’s wife 45/ for to provide her sum wood with under
poor circumstances.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay Freeborn Groves 48/ in part for keeping Susanna Ellinwood’s
child which term commenced on the first Monday of October last.