1705. Oakes, Checkley, Savage, Holyoke. 1706. Oakes, Checkley, Savage, Holyoke. 1707. Oakes, Checkley, Savage, Holyoke. 1708. Barns, Savage, JOHN CLARK, THOMAS HUTCHINSON. 1709. Barns, Clark, Hutchinson, THOMAS FITCH. 1710. Barns, Savage, Clark, Hutchinson. 1711. Clark, Hutchinson, Fitch, ADDINGTON DA VENPORT. 1712. Clark, Hutchinson, Fitch, Davenport. 1713. Clark, Hutchinson, Fitch, Davenport. 1714. Clark, Hutchinson, ADAM WINTHROP, Oliver NOYES. 1712. Winthrop, Noyes, WILLIAM PAYNE, ELISHA COOKE, jun. 1716. Noyes, Payne, Cooke, ANTHONY STODDARD. 1717. Tay, EDWARD HUTCHINSON, JOSEPH WADSWORTH, HABIJAH SAVAGE. 1718. Tay, Hutchinson, Wadsworth, Savage. 1719. Tay, Noyes, Cooke, WILLIAM CLARKE. 1720. May. Tay, Noyes, Cooke, W. Clarke. July. J. Clark, Noyes, Cook, W. Clarke. 1721. May. J. Clark, Cooke, W. Clarke, WILLIAM HUTCHINSON. Aug. J. Clark, Cook, W. Clarke, Hutchinson. 1722. Tay, J. Clark, Cook, W. Clarke. 1723. Tay, J. Clark, Cooke, Ezekiel Lewis. 1724. Tay, J. Clark, Lewis, THOMAS CUSHING. 1725. Tay, W. Clarke, Lewis, Cushing. 1726. Wadsworth, Lewis, Cushing, JOHN BALLAN 1727. TINE. Wadsworth, Lewis, Cushing, NATHANIEL November. Cooke, Lewis, Cushing, SAMUEL 1728. Cooke, Lewis, Cushing, Welles. 1732. Cooke, Savage, Cushing, Welles. 1733. Cooke, Cushing, Welles, OXENERIDGE THACH ER. 1734. Cooke, Cushing, Welles, Thacher. 1735. Cooke, Thacher, TIMOTHY PROUT, THOMAS CUSHING, jun. 1736. Cooke, Thacher, Prout, Cushing, jun. 1737. Cooke, Prout, Cushing, jun. THOMAS HUTCHINSON, jun. After Cooke's death, JOHN WHEELWright was chosen for next session. 1738. Cushing, jun. Hutchinson, jun. JOHN READ, SAMUEL SEWALL. 1739. Cushing, jun. EDWARD BROMFIELD, JAMES ALLEN, CHRISTOPHER KILBY; and Kilby going agent to England, for next session NATHANIEL CUNNINGHAM was chosen. 1740. Cushing, jun. Hutchinson, Bromfield, Allen. 1741. Prout, Cushing, Bromfield, Allen. 1742. Prout, Cushing, Bromfield, Allen. 1743. Prout, Cushing, Hutchinson, ANDREW OLIVER. 1744. Prout, Cushing, Hutchinson, Oliver. 1745. Welles, Cushing, Hutchinson, Oliver. 1746. Welles, Hutchinson, Oliver, THOMAS HUBBARD. 1747. Hutchinson, Allen, Hubbard, SAMUEL ADAMS. 1748. Hutchinson, Allen, Hubbard, JOHN TYNG. 1749. Allen, Hubbard, Tyng, SAMUEL WALDO. 1750. Allen, Hubbard, Tyng, Harrison Gray. 1751. Allen, Hubbard, Tyng, Gray. 1752. Allen, Hubbard, Tyng, Gray. 1753. Welles, Allen, Hubbard, JAMES BOWDOIN. 1754. Welles, Allen, Hubbard, Bowdoin. 1755. Hubbard, Tyng, Bowdoin, WILLIAM COOPER. 1756. Welles, Hubbard, Tyng, THOMAS FLUCKer. 1757. Hubbard, Tyng, Flucker, BENJAMIN PRAtt. 1758. Hubbard, Tyng, Flucker, Pratt. 1759. Hubbard, Tyng, Flucker, Pratt. 1760. Welles, Flucker, ROYALL TYLER, JOHN PHIL LIPS. 1761. Tyler, Phillips, JAMES OTIS, jun, THOMAS CUSHING. 1762. Tyler, Phillips, Otis, jun. Cushing. 1763. Tyler, Otis, jun. Cushing, OXENbridge THACHER, jun. 1764. Tyler, Otis, jun, Cushing, Thacher, jun. 1765. Otis, jun. Cushing, Thacher, jun. THOMAS GRAY. 1766. Otis, jun. Cushing, SAMUEL ADAMS, JOHN HANCOCK. 1767. Otis, jun. Cushing, Adams, Hancock. 1768. Otis, jun. Cushing, Adams, Hancock. 1769. Otis, jun. Cushing, Adams, Hancock. 1770. Bowdoin, Cushing, Adams, Hancock. 1771. Otis, jun. Cushing, Adams, Hancock. 1772. Cushing, Adams, Hancock, WILLIAM PHIL LIPS. 1773. Cushing, Adams, Hancock, Phillips. 1774. Cushing, Adams, Hancock, Phillips. TO THE REV. DR. HOLMES. SIR, Rochester, Sept. 25, 1821. I TAKE the liberty to present to you a short topographical sketch of the town of Rochester in the county of Plymouth. I am sensible that, in the fourth volume of the new series of the publications of your Society, there is a topographical description of that town, and I have read the same with great pleasure and satisfaction, and the account there given I think is correct in all its parts. But as there are many particulars, which could not be known to the writer of that account, I thought I would sketch out some of those particulars, which might serve as an appendix; which I have done, and which I now, with a rough draught of the town, present to you, that you may (if you think proper) communicate the same to the Society. I am, Sir, With due respect, ABRAHAM HOLMES. TOPOGRA HICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN OF ROCHESTER, IN THE COUNTY OF PLYMOUTH. THIS town is situated in the south-westerly corner of the county of Plymouth, and is bounded on the north by Middleborough, on the east by Wareham, on the west by Fair Haven, on the south by Buzzard's Bay. Its breadth is about six miles, from east to west, and its mean length about nine or ten miles, though, to the extremity of some points running into the sea, it is farther, and from the heads of some coves it is not so far. Soil. The soil in this town is very variant. Near the centre it is a light sandy soil, tolerable for tillage, but indifferent for grazing. Some parts of the town are rocky, ironbound, unfit for cultivation, and will probably be kept for wood in other parts the soil is luxuriant, and produces good crops of grass. On the sea shore are considerable margins of salt marsh, without which it would be difficult to keep the stock of cattle necessary for the use of its inhabitants. The town never produces a sufficiency of corn for its own consumption; large quantities are imported from the southern states. As much pork is made as is consumed, but part of the beef is supplied from the western counties. Little or no wheat is raised here, but large quantities of flour are imported from New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Alexandria. Manufactures. The principal manufacture in this town is SALT. This business is carried on on an extensive scale, and it is believed that more salt is manufactured in this town than in any other town in the commonwealth; and it is the most productive of any business here practised. Here is one forge for making iron, but the scarcity of water in a great measure cramps its usefulness in the summer season. Here is also one furnace which, in the winter season, does much business. There are nine saw mills in this town, the operations of all which are confined to the fall, winter and spring seasons. There are also nine corn mills, but two of which grind any in the summer, Ship building is a very considerable branch of business in this town. Four ships, besides sundry smaller vessels, have been built here this season, most of which were built for foreign markets. Potash was formerly manufactured in this town, but that has long been discontinued. Parochial Divisions. This town was originally one entire parish. The Rev. Samuel Arnold was the first minister. The records of that time are lost; but it is supposed that he died pretty early in the eighteenth century. In the year 1710* the Rev. Timothy Ruggles was here settled in the minis try. While he was the minister, the population of the town increased, and the inhabitants of the south-westerly part of the town, living remote from the place of publick worship, proposed to be set off in a distinct parish. The residue of the town, convinced of the propriety of the measure, gave their consent; and they were accordingly incorporated by metes and bounds about the year 1733, and the Rev. Ivory Hovey was ordained their minister. This parish contains that part of the town, which still retains the Indian name of Mattapoisett. Mr. Hovey was a very pious and useful minister, yet nevertheless some internal difficulties arose in the parish, and in 1767 he thought proper to ask a dismission, which was granted; and he afterwards settled in the south parish in |