In the early days, fence viewers had power to make and enforce rulings regarding escaped or trespassing livestock, the location of fences, and, above all, maintenance of fences. With fences so crucial to keeping livestock where it belonged, loose boards and rotting posts were big concerns.
I did a little search and learned that every town in the old days had weighers, surveyors, and fence viewers. These were term appointments by the town board. They had weighers of various things like hay, wood, stone, and other items sold in bulk. I'm guessing that these individuals must have certified the load of material in question as being accurate. Did they have scales??
Ashley was also a 'surveyor of the forest' and 'weigher of lumber and hay'. I don't know what these titles mean or involve. Maybe the NIHS can tell us.
As a boy I thought every town had a Willmore Ashley, only later in life did I realize he was a special person. My Dad and I visited him ag least once a year, fishing & hunting licenses, taxes. voter registration, marriage license (only 1 visit for that), notary of the public, etc. He had this large rolltop desk and wooden file cabinet. He was well-organized, every item had its place. He must have organized his time pretty well; every he did was town oriented. Many of those men in the Tiger 1 company were devoted public servants and wore multiple hats.
What was a fence viewer in the Revolutionary War?
In the early days, fence viewers had power to make and enforce rulings regarding escaped or trespassing livestock, the location of fences, and, above all, maintenance of fences. With fences so crucial to keeping livestock where it belonged, loose boards and rotting posts were big concerns.
I wonder what the 'fence viewers did?
I did a little search and learned that every town in the old days had weighers, surveyors, and fence viewers. These were term appointments by the town board. They had weighers of various things like hay, wood, stone, and other items sold in bulk. I'm guessing that these individuals must have certified the load of material in question as being accurate. Did they have scales??
There were scales in front of the Masonic Lodge on Turnpike Road. Temple has just rebuilt theirs which are located near the green.
Ashley was also a 'surveyor of the forest' and 'weigher of lumber and hay'. I don't know what these titles mean or involve. Maybe the NIHS can tell us.
As a boy I thought every town had a Willmore Ashley, only later in life did I realize he was a special person. My Dad and I visited him ag least once a year, fishing & hunting licenses, taxes. voter registration, marriage license (only 1 visit for that), notary of the public, etc. He had this large rolltop desk and wooden file cabinet. He was well-organized, every item had its place. He must have organized his time pretty well; every he did was town oriented. Many of those men in the Tiger 1 company were devoted public servants and wore multiple hats.