History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

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52 History of Swansea
Nicholas Tanner & John Allen Senr. were chosen select men for the ensuing
year.
(The above minutes are found in the first book of Town Records, page
6; and also in the Proprietors Records; and in the latter the following is
also included)
"It is further agreed upon yt Captin Thomas Willett, Mr. Stephen
Pain Senr., John Allen Senr. Mr. James Brown & John Butterworth who
were formerly appointed by ye Court to act in ye Prudential affairs of ye
Town be continued for ye next ensuing year & yt Benjamin Alby be added
unto them."
Such was the beginning of the organized and formal government of the
Town,—in Town Meeting assembled, and in the Council of the Proprietors;
recorded in separate books.
"Note.—At a Town meeting Lawfully warned ye 18th day of November
1670.
Impr. It is agreed upon That a pound be made three Rod square near
the meeting house & Benjamin Alby is to do it for forty shillings which
pound is to be up at or before ye first day of may next, which will be in ye
year of our Lord 1671. " This was a necessary provision for the retention
and care of straying animals.
"Note.—At a Town meeting lawfully warned December ye 22d 1670—
"It is agreed upon by ye Town yt a plot of ground lying and being by
ye hundred acres bounded on ye southwest on ye meadow on ye north by ye
Run of water yt is by ye house of George Aldridge on ye South East by a
pine swamp with a httle neck of land to ye East shall be a burying place."
" Itt—It is ordered by ye Town that Hugh Cole & Samuel Luther keep
possession of ye Town Lands at Mattapoiset against any that shaU Intrench
upon the same & yt they shall be defended & warranted by ye Town in what
they shall do therein."
Some of the records, as they stand, are not in chronological order,
perhaps because they may have been made on loose leaves, and afterward
entered in the books.
" Note—At a Town meeting Lawfully warned Feb. ye 7th 1670.
"Itt—It is ordered by general Consent yt from time to time & at all
times hereafter a Certain number of ye Inhabitants of this towne be yearly
Chosen by Paper vote on ye same dayTthat deputies & other officers are by
order of Court yearly chosen to be a select Committey for ye management
& ordering of all ye Prudential affairs for ye Respective ensuing year excepting
such things as ye Town at their general meeting shall see just Cause to
prehibit & that Capt'n Willett, John Allen Senr., Mr James Brown, John
Butterworth & Benjamin Alby be continued Select men to ye end of this
Present year.
At the same meeting, "Ordered that Hugh Cole & Benjamin Alby be
Surveyors for the Town & yt whatsoever Lands are granted shall be
recorded in the Town by ye Clerk for ye time being, whensoever ye sd
surveyors or one of them, and one or more of ye Select men for ye time being
shall bring a Certificate of ye quantity & bounds appertaining to their
Grant."
The records of lands laid out to Proprietors may be interesting in some
cases though of little practical value in these times. For instance, we copy
the bounds of "The Lands of Thomas Eastabrooke.
Thomas Eastabrooke house lot bounded by Mr. Brintons beginning at
Mattapoyset river, and there, bounded with a fork in the river round to the
Eastward to a high way that is to go in to Mr. Brintons farme and there
bounded with a stone set in the ground and from there to the northward
along the high way and soe by that till it comes to a stone set in the ground
and from thence west ward to another stone set in the ground and from
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