The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog

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served the town in the former capacity, and nearly always in the latter also, until 1781, when he
was re-elected for the last time; but, probably from the infirmities of age and a desire for rest,
he declined to serve. It was at this time that the town passed the vote of thanks, to which refer-
ence has already been made, for over forty years of continuous and faithful service; yet this did not
finish his town work, for he still continued to hold important offices for the following ten years.
In 1744-5 he was chosen a commissioner to lay out highways, and also surveyor of high-
ways. In 1748-9 he was sent to Boston, to the General Court, "to answer to a presentment.'
Towns in those days, as it appears, were sometimes delinquent, or charged to be so, and were
called to account for the same by the colonial authorities. For this service he was paid the sum
of thirty shillings, old tenor. In 1754 he was elected member of a committee to instruct the town
representatives to the General Court, relative to the e.xcise act, "which had been offered to the
town to know their minds upon it"—a delicate and important duty. At the same time he was
placed upon a committee "to examine the stock in the treasury to see if there be a surplus to
support schools." From the earliest days of its existence, the town looked carefully after and
cherished its public schools.
In the year 1755 he was chosen to represent the town in the General Court, which office
he held for sixteen successive jears, until 1771, through the exciting times that preceded the war
of the revolution. Succession or rotation in office seems not then to have been known, or if
known it was not generally approved. It was immediately after this that he was called tcr serve
the State in a higher capacity, being elected Senator, or member of the Council, its equivalent at
that time, for his district. He continued a member of the State Council, as the upper branch of
the Legislature was then styled, for several years. His services in these stations were of such a
character as to bring him into public notice, with honor to his native' town, and an eminence to
himself, attained until then by none of his townsmen. In his high position he well sustained the
reputation for sagacity and sound judgment that he had held for so long a time at home; and
here he took no insignificant part in the important events which culminated in the revolution,
producing a radical change in the nature of our government, and brought our nation out from a
dependency upon the English crown to the condition of a free people.
While the momentous struggle that brought about this important measure was in progress,
and it became necessary to provide a' new form of government for the administration of the infant
State, when the old condition of things had been cast off, a convention was called for the purpose,
to meet at Cambridge, and in July, 1779, Major Humphrey, then 68 years of age, was the man
selected by the town to be its representative upon that occasion, and to assist in the deliberations
of that convention which was to form a new constitution for the State in its changed relations;
and in the following year he was appointed upon a committee by the town to consider and report
upon the constitution thus provided.
The records of the town of Weymouth during the years immediately preceding the war of
the Revolution, ofi"er abundant testimony to the deep interest which the town took in that struggle,
and show how promptly and manfully its citizens responded to the calls for aid and counsel that
came to them from the State and provincial governments. In the various plans and measures that
were proposed to resist the tyranny of the ministers of the Crown, and to provide for any emerg-
ency that might suddenly arise, no town was more forward and energetic, nor any that entered
more heartily and cordially into any measures that promised the most speedy success. For the committees
of safety of the group of towns lying southerly from Boston, towards Plymouth, Weymouth
was a local centre, and her citizens were among the leading spirits at their meetings.
To show the kind of men who were accustomed to gather upon such occasions, and whose
rendezvous was at Arnold's tavern, at Weymouth Landing, it will be neccessary to mention but a
few of the names, such as Dr. Cotton Tufts, one of the ablest men in the commonwealth; Gen.
Soloman Lovell, Col. Asa White, and Capt. Nathaniel Bayley, as these were but representatives