1781-03-12At a Legal Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Beverly March the
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121781.
Mr. William Green was chosen Moderator.
Voted. That the Town Meeting be adjourned to half after one o’clock in the afternoon and the
Moderator adjourned the meeting accordingly.
Town meeting met according to the above said adjournment. Moderator being absent Josiah
Batchelder Esq. was chosen Moderator for the remaining business of the meeting.
Voted. That the Town would proceed in the same way and manner in choosing of their Selectmen
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and Assessors as they did in the last annual March meeting on the 13 of March 1780 which
is as followeth. Viz.
That each district shall have the nomination of their Selectmen and Assessors by each district
repairing by itself and their agreeing upon some person to be by them nominated and the Town to
choose them if they see cause.
Then each district repaired by themselves and agreed upon some person for their Selectmen and
Assessors and nominated the same accordingly.
Voted. That all Town officers should be chosen by hand vote.
And the following persons were after named were severally chosen to serve in the several respective
offices annexed to each of their names the ensuing year. Viz.
Selectmen Robert Standley
and Weeden Cole
Assessors
Town ClerkJoseph Wood
Town TreasurerCapt. James Lovett. Voted that the Town Treasurer should have the
ensuing year three pence per pound for receiving and paying the Town
money.
ConstablesJohn Thissell, Farm District
Israel Thorndike, Ferry District
Nathan Smith, Royal Side [Ryal Side] District.
Israel Woodberry, Bass River District
Robert Patch, Bald Hill District
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Surveyorsfor ward No. 1 Benjamin Woodberry 2
ofNo. 2 Peter Pride
HighwaysNo. 3 Benjamin Smith
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No. 4 John Lovett 2
No. 5 Benjamin Lovett Jr.
nd
No. 6 Jonathan Dodge 2
No. 7 William Butman
No. 8 Lieut. Samuel Cole
No. 9 Lieut. Peter Shaw
No. 10 Capt. John Woodberry
No. 11 Jonathan Creesy
No. 12 John Batchelder
George Raymond Jr.
HogreevesJoseph Baker
Benjamin Lovett Jr.
nd
Nathaniel Raymond 2
Jonathan Creesy
Cornelius Woodberry
John Batchelder
Asa Dodge
Tything John Boyles
MenBenjamin Balch Lovett
John Dane
Jacob Edwards
John Batchelder Jr.
FenceSimon Lovett
ViewersWilliam Elliott
John Trow
Bartholomew Trask
Thomas Hovey
William Standley
FieldSamuel Cole Jr.
DriversAbner Dodge
Archalus Brown
Benjamin Leach
nd
William Trask 2
Theophilus Hull Jr.
Clerks ofCapt. Edmund Giles
the MarketCapt. Joshua Cleaves
Capt. James Lovett
Mr. Richard Leech
Cullers of HoopsCapt. James Lovett
Staves & HidingCapt. Caleb Dodge
Mr. Elisha Woodberry
Capt. John Lovett
Surveyors of Boards,Capt. Asa Leech
Shingles, Clapboards,Capt. John Lovett
and Lumber
Sealers ofJohn Trow
LeatherThomas Foster
Cullers ofSimon Lovett
FishWilliam Homan
Deer reevesNehemiah Presson
Joseph Corning
Pound KeeperOsman Trask
Weigher of Hay etc.Francis Smith
County Treasurer and for a County Register of He was brought in and sealed up as the law directs.
Voted. That the Town will mend their Highways the current year by a tax on the polls and estates
of the Inhabitants and in the same method as in several years past has been practiced in this
Town.
Voted. That the Selectmen set the price of labor per day in repairing the Highways current year both
as to men and teams as they shall think just and equitable.
Voted. That the Swine shall go at large the ensuing year being yoked and ringed as the law directs.
Voted. That the Selectmen be a Committee to supply the families of the soldiers that are in the
Continental Army for three years or during the War agreeable to the Resolves of the General
Court.
Voted. That Asa Brown and others that petitioned shall have liberty to work out their Highways tax
the ensuing year on the way between their dwelling houses and the country road under the
inspection of the Surveyor of the ward No. 12.
Voted. That the 7th article of the warrant be referred to be acted upon at the adjournment of this
meeting.
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Voted. That the Town Meeting be adjourned to Thursday the 15 day of March instant at 3 o’clock
in the afternoon and the meeting was adjourned accordingly.
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At a Legal Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Beverly on the 15 of
March 1781 being on adjournment.
Voted Capt. Israel Thorndike should be excused from serving Constable the current year.
Voted. That Mr. Nathan Smith should be excused from serving in the office of a Constable the
ensuing year. Joseph Lee was chosen to serve in the office of a Constable for the Ferry
District.
Voted. That the above said Capt. Joseph Lee be excused from serving as Constable and Capt.
Benjamin Obear chosen to serve in his room, it going for said Lee’s turn.
nd
William Trask 2 was chosen to serve in the office of a Constable for Royal Side [Ryal Side]
ward the ensuing year.
Capt. Asa Leech, Joseph Ford & Dea. William Dodge was chosen to serve in the offices of
Selectmen and Assessors the ensuing year.
Voted. That the Selectmen and Assessor should be allowed six shillings hard money per day or the
exchange for each day they shall spend in the service of the Town the current year.
Voted. That the sum of six hundred pounds hard money be assessed and raised on the polls and
estates within this Town as soon as may be for the purposes of paying the money the
Committee appointed by the Town at a legal Meeting on the 8th instant have hired and for
paying of the men that are procured by the Town Committee for this Town to serve in the
Continental Army for three years or during the War.
Voted. That each person that shall pay in the aforesaid hard money tax by the first eight of June next
shall be allowed 10 percent out of his tax and the several Constables are hereby directed to allow the
same accordingly.
Voted. That the Assessors and militia officers be desired to proceed to class the Inhabitants of this
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Town is directed by a resolve of the General Court of the 26 of the border last.
Voted. That the Town will indemnify and pay all finds that shall be exact in from any class in this
Town for not procuring their man or man for two serve in the Continental Army for three years or
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during the War provided said men or man procured by the 15 day of June next and not afterwards.
At a Legal Meeting of the Inhabitants of Town of Beverly March 151781.
Mr. Francis Smith and Mr. William Elliott was chosen to serve on the Grand Jury at the Court of the
General Sessions of the Peace to be hold at the Town of Ipswich on the first Tuesday of April next
and so on the several Courts of the General Sessions of the Peace successively to be holden in the
County of Essex for the term of one year.