Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

60 GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES.
Mr. Huckins held numerous town and colonial offices, and
was a man in whom the people placed the utmost confidence for
his integrity and ability. He was propounded as one of the freeman
of the Colony in 1646, but it does not appear to have taken
the oath till 1652. He *as constable of Barnstable in 1 646, and
several years afterwards ; he was one of the board of Selectmen
in 1668, '70, '71, '72, '74, '75, '77, and '78 ; deputy to the colony
court in 1669, '70, '71, '72, '74, '75, '77 and '78. June 6, 1671,
he was elected a member of the council of war for the colony, and
in 1676 of the town council. In 1669, 1670 and 1672, he was a
member of the committee to audit the colony accounts, and in
1677 on a committee to adjust the claims against the colony for
expenses incurred during the Indian war. Beside these offices
his name appears as surveyor of highways, as a member of the
grand and petit juries, and in 1670 and 1671 he and Mr. Thomas
Hinckley were appointed by the court "to look after the minis-
ter's rate," which at that time was not so readily paid as in earlier
times.
In addition to his other duties, March 1, 1652-3, he was
licensed "to sell wines and strong waters until the next June
Court." June 1, 1663, he was approved by the court, and "his
former liberty renewed to keep an ordinary atBarnstable." From
this it appears that he had formerly been licensed to keep a public
house, probably the liberty which had been granted to him in 1653
bad been continued to that time. He was several years a receiver
of the excise imposed on the importation of wines and liquors and
on powder and shot. The return for 1663 presents some noteworthy
items. It appears that he was captain of the packet that
year, and that he brought into the town for himself 35 gallons of
wine and 9 of brandy ; for Joseph Lothrop 10 gallons of rum ; for
Nicholas Davis and his man, 4 gallons, and one case of liquors,
and 50 pounds of shot ; for Trustrum Hall 100 gallons, and six
cases of liquors, and one barrel of powder, and 200 pounds of
shot ; and for Mr. Thomas Clark (of Harwich) 20 gallons of rum.
Calling the case three gallons, 179 would be the amount used in
Barnstable in 1663, or about three gallons for every adult white
male. The Indians however probably drank the largest proportion
of the liquors, for the English then used malt liquors as*
their common beverage. The same year about the same quantity
*The quantity of malt liquor used in early times was large. It was a substitute at
meals for tea and coffee. There were certainly three if not four malt houses, within the
present limits o* the East Parish. Gov. Hinckley had one that stood in the little yard enclosed
by stone wall opposite the house of Mr. JabezNye; the Lewis' had one that stood
where Edward Phinney afterwards built his house, near the residence of Mrs. F. "W.
Crocker, and Mr. Samuel Sturgis had one that stood to the eastward of the house of Mr.
Wm. W. Sturgis. In addition the Crockers I believe had one that stood near the bounds of
the two parishes. Thej were not used exclusively for the manufacture of malt, they were
used as smoke houses for curing fish and meats in the Indian mode. The natives had
smoke houses and the places when put up were hence called agamam, also shawme, ehawmet,
sqam, t&c, meaning a place where fish are cured by smoking.