Februry 9th, 1709, it was voted that all the common lands not before granted, should be laid out in ten great lots, and the surveyors to determine how many shares shall be in each lot. These ten great lots contained more than 30,000 acres. There were 21 proprietors to the first great lot. At a proprietor's meeting in May, 1712, they granted on the petition of some Indians, 200 acres of proprietors' land at Fresh Pond, in Monument ponds parish, to be under the particular care and direction of the selectmen of the town. The town sold 100 acres of this

land in the year 1800.

Census of the town of Plymouth at early periods, 1643, Males from 16 to 60 years, capable of bearing arms, 146.

1646. Freemen and townsmen (voters,) 79.

1670. Freemen, 51.

1683-4. Freemen, 55.

1689. Freemen, 75.

There is a melancholy grandeur in contemplating the extinction of this novel and primitive government which was founded and continued in existence under circumstances without a parallel in the annals of history, for a period of 71 years, presenting to the world an illustrious example of sacrifices cheerfully made in behalf of the highest blessings,-christian and civil liberty, and equality.

I cannot omit to introduce here the noble pariot sentiments of the late excellent President Dwight, who expresses himself in the following eloquent language.* Plymouth was the first town built in New England by civilized man; and those by whom it was built were inferior in worth to no body of men, whose names are recorded in history during the last seventeen hundred years. A kind of venerableness, arising from these facts, attaches to this town, which may be termed a prejudice. Still, it has its foundation in the nature of man, and will never be eradicated either by philosophy or ridicule. No New-Englander, who is willing to indulge his native feelings, can stand upon the rock, where our ancestors set the first foot after their arrival on the American shore, without experiencing emotions very different from those which are excited by any common object

* President Dwight, formerly of Yale College, undertook a travelling excursion through New England and New York, at the early part of the present century. He estimated the extent of his labors at 15,000 miles. In 1822, he published, in four octavo volumes, the result of his observations. On the subjects of antiquity he dwelt with unceasing enthusiasm, and his volumes are replete with historical, statistical, religious, moral and philosophical information, and anecdotes of unrivalled interest and utility.

of the same nature. No New Englander could be willing to have that rock buried and forgotten. Let him reason as much, as coldly, and as ingeniously as he pleases, he will still regard that spot with emotions wholly different from those which are excited by other places of equal or even superior importance. For myself, I cannot wish this trait in the human character obliterated. In a higher state of being, where truth is universally as well as cordially embraced, and virtue controls without a rival, this prejudice, if it must be called by that name, will become useless, and may; therefore, be safely discarded. But in our present condition every attachment, which is innocent, has its use, and contributes both to fix and to soften man.' Speaking of our ancestors, he says, 'But when I call to mind the history of their sufferings on both sides of the Atlantic, when I remember their pre-eminent patience, their unspotted piety, their immoveable fortitude, their undaunted resolution, their love to each other, their justice and humanity to the savages and their freedom from all those stains which elsewhere spotted the character even of their companions in affliction, I cannot but view them as illustrious brothers, claiming the veneration and applause of all their posterity. By me the names of Carver, Bradford, Cushman, and Standish, will never be forgotten, until I lose the power of recollection.' * * *

"The institutions, civil, literary and religious, by which New England is distinguished on this side the Atlantic, began here. Here the manner of holding lands in free soccage, now universal in this country, commenced. Here the right of suffrage was imparted to every citizen, to every inhabitant not disqualified by poverty or vice. Here was formed the first establishment of towns, of the local legislature, which is called a town meeting, and of the peculiar town executive, styled the selectmen. Here the first parochial school was set up, and the system originated for communicating to every child in the community the knowledge of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Here, also, the first building was erected for the worship of God; the first religious assembly gathered; and the first minister called and settled, by the voice of the church and congregation. On these simple foundations has since been erected a structure of good order, peace, liberty, knowledge, morals and religion, with which nothing on this side the Atlantic can bear a remote comparison.

END OF PART FIRST.

PART II.

HAVING closed the first part of our history, and shown that the primitive colonial charter and government were abrogated in 1692, we now commence a new epoch, and our future details will pertain to the town as a constituent of the British Province of Massachusetts Bay, and after our Independence in 1776, a prouder and more glorious designation, the United States of America. By the new charter the Province embraced the whole of old Massachusetts colony, to which were added the colony of Plymouth, the Province of Maine, the Province of NovaScotia, and all the country between the Province of Maine and Nova-Scotia; also Elizabeth island and the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.

The representative from Plymouth to the General Court in 1693 was John Nelson, and in 1694 William Shurtleff.

1696.-A Frenchprivateer, fitted out at Bourdeaux, cruising on the American coast, was wrecked in Buzzard's Bay. The crew were carried prisoners to Boston; the surgeon, Dr. Francis LeBaron, came to Plymouth, and having performed a surgical operation, and the town being at that time destitute of a physician, the selectmen petitioned the executive, Lieut. Governor Stoughton, for his liberation, that he might settle in this town. This was granted, and he married Mary Wilder, and practised physic here during life, but died in 1704, at the early age of 36 years. Dr. LeBaron did not relinquish the Roman Catholic Religion, and was so strongly attached to the cross, that he never retired to rest without placing it on his breast.

This constantly reminded the people of a religion which they abhorred, and which they were scarcely willing to tolerate in a single instance. He made a donation of ninety acres of wood land to the town. His son, Lazarus, studied medicine, and enjoyed an extensive course of practice in Plymouth and its vicinity, and died lamented in 1773, aged 75 years. Two of his sons, Joseph and Lazarus, were also physicians, both of whom, after residing a short period in the West Indies returned to their native town, where they died, as did three other of his sons, viz. Bartlett, William and Isaac. The only surviving son is Rev. Lemuel LeBaron, minister of a church and society at Mattapoiset, (Rochester,) where he was ordained in 1772. From this stock, all that bear the name of LeBaron in this country are descended, and they are numerous and respectable.

The town agreed to pay to Rev. Mr. Cotton £75 in silver money for his salary the present year, with which he was well satisfied. They agreed also to pay the school-master £33, and to the French Doctor for curing Hunter's wife, £5.

1697.-March 24. Died, Thomas Clark, aged 98

years. It is a well received tradition that this ancient man was the mate of the Mayflower, and the one who first landed on the Island in Plymouth harbor which bears his name. Little is known of the life and circumstances of the mate of the Mayflower; his name is not among the signers of the original compact, nor mentioned among the first settlers. It may therefore be conjectured, that he was considered merely as an officer of the ship, and that he returned to England in her with Captain Jones, and subsequently came over and settled in this town. We find his name among those who received allotments of land in 1624; and he also shared in the division of cattle in 1627. He resided at Eel River, and it is supposed that his family were among the sufferers in the house of William Clark, when attacked by a party of savages, March 12, 1676. He being himself absent at meeting escaped, while eleven others were massacred and his son tomahawked, who ever after wore a silver plate on his head from which he was called silver head Tom. See page 390. Numerous lineal descendants from Thomas Clark now reside at Eel river in this town, and in other parts of the Old Colony. There is a handsome China mug whose pedigree is traced through the Clark family back to Thomas Clark, which had been presented to the cabinet of the Pilgrim Society by Betsey B. Morton a descendant, and also a leathern pocketbook with the initials T. C. impressed on its cover, presented by Amasa Clark. These relicts afford additional evidence that the mate of the Mayflower died in this town, and that his ashes rest in the grave in our burial place designated by a stone with the following inscription. Here lyes ye body of Mr. Thomas Clark, aged 98 years. Departed this life March 24, 1697.

1698. The town agreed with Abraham Jackson to ring the bell and sweep the meeting-house and see to locking the doors and fastening the windows for one year, for one pound and ten shillings.

1701.-A canal or water course, was cut, to convey the water from South Pond to the head of Eel river, about half a mile distant, the object being to form an artificial passage for alewives from the sea into the pond; but the project proved unsuccessful. Elder Faunce was the leader in this project, and as the water course crosses the road, we are, in passing, reminded of the venerable man whom we delight to bring to recollection.

1702-3. Liberty was granted to Major John Bradford to milk the pine trees upon the town's common, from the head of Blackwater, and from Duxbury bounds to Jones's river; he had liberty to employ two strangers, lately come from the westward, upon said commons within said limits, 'upon condition that said Bradford doth give in bonds to the selectmen to secure the town from any charge that may fall on said town by said persons, and do also instruct any of the inhabitants in what skill said strangers hath in milking the pines so far as they are capable of instructing in said art. This year, ministerial lands, a burial ground, and a training field, were laid out, at a place called the upper society. The south part was then called Samson's country, from a noted Sachem who resided there.

1706.-Plympton set off from Plymouth. The north western parish of Plymouth was incorporated November 26, 1695. At a town-meeting March 1706-7, it was voted that the town consent that the north parish be a township, in compliance with their petition to the town, with this proviso, that all real estate now belonging to, or which shall be improved by any in the old town, either by himself or tenant during their living here, shall be rated here, notwithstanding there being a separate town, and so the like of any estate that belongeth to any of them that lyeth in the old town of Plymouth.

1707.-The town was presented at the quarter sessions held at Plymouth on the third Tuesday of December, for their neglect in not keeping the bridge over Jones's river in repair; the town in full meeting voted that it is a great burden and charge to maintain two bridges over the said river when one might answer, that application be made to the county court, and to the court of the county of Barnstable, who are equally concerned in keeping the said bridge in repair, that a bridge might be built higher up the river, and they made choice of James Warren and Nathaniel Thomas, Jr. as the town agents, for the purpose of negotiating the business.*

1710-11.-March 21st, in town-meeting, it was voted, that all the land lying to the northward of the range of the land between Samuel Harlow's and John Barnes's, that is to say, to run up the same point of compass said range of Harlow's and

* Jones's river crosses the public road at the south part of Kingston, and, as is supposed, received its name from Captain Jones of the Mayflower. In exploring the neighboring lands and streams, this river was discovered; at which time, it is probable, the name which it bears was given to it in compliment to the captain. As the county of Barnstable was, for many years, included in the Old Colony of Plymouth, it was equally concerned in maintaining the roads and bridges throughout the colony.