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SECOND REVIEW OF OLD GRANTS

About twenty years after the settlement of the town, it was thought expedient, to have all the grants made during those years carefully examined, and properly recorded. For this purpose, on the 26th of September, 1658, the town appointed Roger Shaw, Henry Dow, Sen., and John Sanborn, together with Samuel Dalton, the town clerk, made it their duty "to examine all grants and appointments of lands, highways, and such like, and to perfect the same in the new Town-Book." For making the record, the town clerk was to receive sixpence for each grant or parcel, and half as much for transcribing for the Recorder, at the request of any grantee or owner.

In the following winter, the committee attended to the business assigned them. But in the course of their investigations, they met with instances of persons claiming land, of which they could find no grant on record, and this caused them not them not a little embarrassment. The town therefore voted, that, in such cases, the claimants should produce two or more witness to prove their grants; and that the committee should then cause a record to be made of such grants as, in their opinion, were valid.

At the same meeting on the 9th of February, it was also voted, that the committee, with the town clerk, should have further power given them by the town, to appoint, lay out, and record convenient highways to men's lands in the town, and to allow satisfaction to the proprietors according to their discretion, which satisfaction was to be made with portions of the town's land. The committee were also required to have all shares of the common recorded; and as this would occasion considerable labor to the town clerk, the other members were authorized "to adjudge what satisfaction" he sould receive his pay to be taken out of the next town rate.

The committee appear to have performed with great fidelity the duties required of them, and as the result of their labors, a large number of grants of land, returns of highways, and shares of commonage were entered upon the records. Henry Dow, one of the committee, died before the investigation was completed, and on the 9th of March, 1660, William Fuller was chosen to fill the vacancy.

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