1688-05-21[Town Meeting May 21, 1688]
At a general town meeting holden on the 21 day of May in the year 1688 by virtue of a law
th
made by his Excellency the Governor & Council bearing date the 17 day of March 1687 there were
chosen for Selectmen for to serve for one whole year from the date thereof
Capt. Paul Thorndike
old select Cornet Thomas West
John Dodge senior
an old se: Roger Haskins
At the same time & town meeting Andrew Elliott senior was chosen to serve as a
Commissioner for said year to sit with said Selectmen according to said law.
At the same town meeting Daniel Wallace was chosen to serve in the office of Constable in
Bass River Ward for said year & according to said law.
At the same meeting John Coy was chosen Constable for Mackerel Cove Ward for said year
according to said law.
At the same meeting it was voted & agreed upon by the inhabitants of said Beverly then
convened that Mr. John Pearly our late schoolmaster should be paid for his service in our Town of
Beverly & said pay to be collected & gathered by rate already made or by rate made by the present
Selectmen.
At the same meeting it was taken into consideration that there is at present a matter of
difference between Mr. Samuel Hibbert of Boston as an attorney to his father Mr. Jeremiah Hibbert
who was once minister in our Town of Beverly and it was voted & agreed upon by the inhabitants
then convened that the present Selectmen with the assistance of the present Commissioner and John
Raymond senior & William Raymond senior & Samuel Corning senior & John Lovett should as a
committee treat [with] the said Mr. Samuel Hibbert and that the said committee or the major part of
them have full power by these presents to consummate issue & finally determine all matters of
difference between the said Mr. Samuel Hibbert as he is an attorney unto his said father and said
town.
At the same time & town meeting it was voted & agreed upon that whereas our Town of
Beverly was indebted unto Mr. Samuel Hardy for his former service in & for teaching of school in
our said town the sum of five pounds the inhabitants then convened have & do hereby grant unto the
said Hardy the three acres of land which formally was granted unto David Perkins upon conditions
which said Perkins have broken as will appear by said grant and said Hardy accepted of it in full
satisfaction for the said five pounds.
At the same town meeting it was voted & agreed upon by the said inhabitants then convened
upon the many complaints of the spoil made in the wood & timber in our town common that from
the date hereof not any person or persons, either by themselves or any other, shall cut or fall any tree
or trees upon said common on forfeiture of twenty shillings to the Town per tree so felled or cut
down and Richard Thissell, Richard Woodberry, Joseph Lovett, Thomas Woodberry were to look
after such offenders that they might be dealt with according to said order.