1777-03-10th
At a legal meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Beverly on Monday the 10 day of March 1777.
Col. Henry Herrick Esq. was chosen Moderator of said meeting.
Voted that each district shall have the nomination of their Selectmen and Assessors by each district
repairing by themselves and there agreeing upon some person for that purpose and such
person to be by them nominated and the Town to choose them if they see cause.
Voted that all the Town Officers should be chosen by hand votes excepting the Committee of
Correspondence etc.
And each district nominated their Selectmen and Assessors accordingly
And the following persons were chosen to serve in the several respective offices hereafter named as
followeth. viz.
Selectmen William Langdell
& Dea. John Conant
AssessorsIsaac Thorndike
Lieut. Isaac Chapman
Joseph Wood
Town ClerkJoseph Wood
Town TreasurerColonel Henry Herrick Esq. and four to have2d per pound
for receiving and paying the Town’s money
Constablesand said Benjamin Woodberry Farms Ward
Capt. Zachariah Gage for The Ward
Robert Baker for Royal Side [Ryal Side] Ward
Josiah Obear for Bass River Ward
Richard Obear Jr. for Bald Hill Ward
WardensCapt. William Sears & Osmon Trask
Surveyors For ward No. 1. Ens. James Woodberry
of the No. 2. William Stanley Jr.
HighwaysNo. 3. Peter Obear Jr.
No. 4. Capt. Nicholas Thorndike
No. 5. Benjamin Leech
No. 6. Francis Smith
No. 7. William Butman
No. 8. William Taylor
No. 9. Joshua Balch
No. 10. Mark Dodge Jr.
No. 11. Timothy Leech
No. 12. Bartholomew Trask
HogreevesBenjamin Leech, William Green, Capt. Joshua Cleaves, John
nd
Boyles, Richard Obear 2 and John Batchelder.
TythingmenLieut. Caleb Balch, Nathan Wyman, Simon Lovett & Daniel
Wallis
Fence ViewersMalachia Woodberry, Nehemiah Presson, Richard Leech,
nd
William Green, William Taylor, Jonathan Dodge 2
Field DriversJonathan Patch, William Morgan 2d, Robert Woodberry,
William Elliott
Clerks of Capt. Josiah Batchelder, Capt. William Bartlett, Capt. James
the MarketLovett, Capt. John Lovett, Capt. Joshua Cleaves, Mr.
Richard Leech
Cullers of Hoops Capt. Caleb Dodge, Capt. James Lovett, Capt. John Lovett
and Staves & Heading
Surveyors of Boards,Capt. John Lovett, Capt. Josiah Batchelder, and Mr. Samuel
Shingles, Clapboards & LumberDawes
Sealers of LeatherCapt. Joseph Rae, Lieut. Peter Shaw, Robert Dodge 2d
Cullers of FishCapt. Larkin Thorndike, Mr. Isaac Thorndike, Simon Lovett
Pound KeeperOsmon Trask
Committee of CorrespondenceJoseph Wood, William Langdell, Dea. John Conant, Isaac
Inspection & SafetyThorndike, Lieut. Isaac Chapman
Votes for a County Treasurer were brought and sealed up as the law directs.
Voted That the Town will mend their Highways the year ensuing by a tax on the ratable polls and
estates of its Inhabitants.
Voted That the sum of £100 be raised on the polls and estates within this Town for to defray the
charge of repairing the Highways the ensuing year.
Voted that the swine should go at-large the ensuing year being yoked and ringed as the law directs.
Voted that the Bounties granted at a late Town meeting to be given to the noncommissioned officers
and private soldiers that shall enlist into the Continental Army for the Town for three years
or during the War be continued till a number not exceeding eighty shall enlist provided they
shall enlist on or before next May meeting.
Voted That Mr. William and Israel green should have liberty to work out their Highway tax current
year on the private way between their dwelling houses and the road under the inspection of
a Surveyor of the Highways.
th
At a legal meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Beverly March 101777 Mr. Joseph Lovett and
Capt. John Woodberry was chosen to serve on the Grand Jury at the Court of the General Sessions
of the Peace to be holden at Ipswich on the last Tuesday of March instant and at the several Courts
of the General Sessions of the Peace to be holden in said County for one year.
thth
Beverly March 14 1777 all foregoing Town officers chosen on March 10 instant had the oaths of
their respective offices administers unto them by me excepting the Assessors and Zachariah Gage &
Richard Obear, Constables and the Wardens, Pound Keeper, Wm. Bartlett & Josiah Batchelder Jr.,
Clerks of the Market, Samuel Dane, Surveyor of Lumber etc.
Joseph Wood, Town Clerk.
th
April 14 1777 William Langdell, John Conant, Isaac Chapman & Isaac Thorndike Assessors of the
Town of Beverly were sworn before me.
Joseph Wood, T. Clerk