Bruce Carpenter wrote:
"Could Mr. Chandler show me an example of an elected constable?"
But what good would that do? You can argue (and apparently WILL) until the
proverbial cows come home, & quote from every primary & secondary source on
the planet, and still end up disagreeing.
Perhaps we can convince rootsweb that we need 2 levels of surname groups:
one "basic" and one "Ph.D" Then you could entertain yourself with
etymological & historical ephemera without prohibiting other people from
asking about old uncle Henry Carpenter for fear of derision.
Have a nice day!
P. Hobson
From: "Bruce E Carpenter" <carp(a)tezukayama-u.ac.jp>
To: <CARPENTER-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2005 12:28 AM
Subject: [CARPENTER] surveys constables
"I've seen constables appointed and constables elected, but highway
surveyors were generally elected."
The University of Virginia scholars (quote below) seem to think constables
were appointed. Could Mr. Chandler show me an example of an elected
constable? In my Plymouth Colony Records volumes the "Surveyors of the
Heighwayes" are always listed together with other groups of court
appointments. Could Mr. Chandler find some evidence to convince me
otherwise? Surely land surveys and highway surveys were one of a kind.
"The Governor and seven Assistants were elected annually in the March
General Court session. They then appointed a number of lesser officials,
including "Constables" for the keeping of peace in individual towns (e.g.,
PCR 11: 7). Also appointed were "Messengers" who held a variety of duties,
from publishing announcements of intended marriages, executing
punishments,
acting as jailers, maintaining standards of measures, and conducting
land
surveys (PCR 11: 18-19)."
BC