MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS OF THE TOWN OF BRAINTREE
(NORFOLK CO., MA)
1640 to 1699
Edited by Samuel A. BATES

[Transcribed by Jane Devlin]

BRAINTREY'S BOOK OF RECORDS OF BIRTHS, MARRIAGES & DEATHS begininge in ye year 1643 At first kept by Henry ADDAMS Then by Capt. Richard BRACKETT Then by Christopher WEBB next by Benjamin THOMPSON next by Samuel THOMPSON ye Benjamin THOMPSON, 1696 Physician & Schoole Maister next by Joseph PARMENTER next by Benjamin WEBB, 1709, pt one year then by Mr. PARMENTER again 18 years Then again by Benjamin WEBB, 1728, 8 yrs Then by Richard FAXON, chose 7 Mar 1736/7 & he served 17 years Then by Elisha NILES, Esq., who was chose 5 Mar 1753, and continued in the Office until the day of his Death which was 1 Jul 1776 MILITARY Braintree originally was a part of Boston & before they were a Town and had ofisers of their own it was called Mount Wilistone & they had a Serjant or Levtenant sent from Boston to train them, since they were a Town they had ofisers of their own & they are as followeth as y Remember. a Levtenant colonell, one namely Edmond QUINSEY a major, one namely Edmond QUINSEY Capt's were 1 Capten Jams KENE. 2. Capten Wiliam TING. 3. Capten Richard BRACKETT. 4. Capten Edmond QUINSEY Levtenants were Georg WRIGHT, Richard BRACKETT, Wiliam ALIS, Samuel NILES, Edmond QUINSEY, Robert TWELVES, John CLEVERLY, Samuel TOMPSON, Alexander MARSH Ensigns were Ensign WINCHESTER, Thomas MATSON, Moses PAINE, Robert TWELES, Samuel TOMPSON, Christopher WEB, Wiliam VEASEY, Samuel PENNIMAN Serjants were Georg WRIGHT, Thomas MATSON, Richard BRACKITT, John REED, Francis ELIOT, Henery ADAMS, Thomas ADAMS, John HANSITT, William ALIS, Barnabas DORIFALL, Robert TWELS, John SANDERS, Samuel TOMPSON, Gregory BELCHER, Josiah CHAPIN, Henery NEALE, Samuel PENNIMAN, Nathaniel ----, William SAVILL, Benjamin SAVIL, James -----, John FRENCH, Peter ADAMS. Clarks of the band were William CHESBROUGH, Thomas MEKINS, Martin SAUNDERS, John FRENCH, Edmund SHEFIELD, Christopher WEB, John MILLS, Samuel PENNIMAN, Joseph PARMITER, Nehemiah HAYDEN. Dromers were John MARCHANT, John ADAMS, John HATHAWAY, Job HAWKINS, Samuel TOMPSON, Joseph ADAMS, Christopher WEB, John HAYDEN, Jonathan PICHER, John BASS,, Samuel WEBB, Samuel TOMPSON, Jr. Corporals - Many. Troopers, were Levtenant John BAXTER, Cornet BAXTER before Livtenant, Corporal CROSBEY MARKS OF CREATURES ENTERED BY THE OWNERS 9 Jan 1789, Capr. Silas WILD entered his mark, a slitt the underside of the left ear. 4 Jun 1790, Mr. Elkanah THAYER entered his mark for a slitt under the Right ear and the end of the left cut off 4 Jul ---, Lt. Joshua HAYWARD Enter'd his Mark a crop on the Right ear & a notch the underside of the Left. -- also Joshua HAYWARD, Jr., a crop on the left ear & a notch the upper side of the right. 15 Jan 1766, Daniel WHITE enter'd his mark for Creatures (viz) an L on the upper side of each ear. 19 Jan 1767, Benjamin THAYER, 2d, entere'd his mark for creatures viz. a slitt in the Top of the right ear & two notches on the underside of the left ear. 18 May 1776, Jacob GLOYD enter'd his mark for Creatures, viz, three notches the underside of the left ear. Dec 1777, Ebenezer THAYER, Esq., enter'd his mark for creatures viz an L on the underside of the left ear Dec 1778, Ebenezer THAYER, Jr., entere'd his mark for creatures, viz. an L on the underside of each ear 18 Apr 1794, he ommitts the L on the Right ear and has taken the same mark for Creatures that his father had as above. 26 Jun ---, Ezra PENNIMAN enter'd his mark for Creatures, viz, a Slitt in the top of the left ear 1 Jun 1779, Enoch HAYDEN Enter'd his mark for Creatures (viz) a crop off the top of the Right ear & a happany on the upper side of the left ear 13 Sep 1779, Capt. Samuel HOLBROOK Enter'd his mark for Creatures (viz) a crop off the Right ear 10 Apr 1782, Thomas PENNIMAN, Esq., Enter'd his mark for Creatures (viz) , a crop on the lef ear & a slit in the same 12 Sep 1786, Lt. Zacheus THAYER Enter'd his mark for Creatures (viz) a small slit in ye right ear 18 Aug, 1787, Mr. Joseph HUNT Enter'd his mark for Creatures (viz) a slit in the end of the Right ear & a Slit under the left ear 1 Mar 1788, Mr. Seth MANN, Jr., Enter'd his mark for Creatures (viz) a Slit in the end of each ear -- --- ----, Mr. Aaron LITTLEFIELD Enter'd his mark for Creatures (viz) a slit end of the Left ear STRAYS ENTERED 2 Nov 1789, James FAXON, Jr., entered a mare taken as a stray on 31 Oct, last supposed to be about 6 yrs old, between 14 & 15 hands high, Dark with one hind foot white & a large star on her forehead. 25 Dec 1789, Capt. James FAXON entered a heiffer taken up as strayed on the 24th. Inst. a Red heiffer, coming two years old, no artificial mark, granted a Warrent to Eph. Blancher & Eben'r DENTON to appraize 1 Mar 1790 4 Jun 1790, Elkanah THAYER entered 2 white sheep & one lamb as strays, the Sheep mark'd as followes, the Right ear cut off and a slin in the same one Redded on the back & shoulder, the other Reded on the back. 7 Sep, 1791, Thomas HAYDEN entered one white sheep taken up on Damage as a str'y marked as follows, both ears cutt off of the end & Split, Readed on the Rump and on the Right 17 Dec, 1791, Lt. William HARMOND entered a Barrow shote all white excepting a black spot on in the Brussells on his neck taken up as a stray. 18 Sep 1792, Eben'r THAYER, Jr., enters two ram lambs, one marked with reding on the Back, the other has the top of his right ear crop'd of also one Ewe sheep with both ears crop'd of and tar'd on the right shoulder, and one ewe lamb, the left ear crop'ed and half the right, and tar'd on the righ shoulder, taken up by him as Stray. 5 Dec, 1792, Stephen CHEESMAN entered a last Spring colt all Red taken up by him as a Stray.