Archive Record
Metadata
Catalog Number |
036 |
Object Name |
File, Document |
Scope & Content |
ms 036 Boxford-Perley Papers, 1774-1859, bulk 1800-1825 Seven Boxes (3.4 linear feet) Correspondence and papers of members of the Perley family from Bridgton, Maine, and Boxford, Massachusetts, including Enoch Perley (1749-1829), his brother Thomas (1746-1831), Enoch's son John (1779-1841), and others. The letters deal with family and business matters involving timber, agricultural products, the tanning industry, and the family's extensive real estate holdings. Of particular interest are letters from John's daughter Mary, describing a party in 1825 for the Marquis de Lafayette when he visited Portland (box 1, folder 44). The collection contains records of the Bridgton Proprietors, including notes of meetings, receipts for work on roads and other civic projects, petitions to the Massachusetts General Court, and other documents regarding the establishment of the town of Bridgton, which was incorporated in 1794. There is interesting correspondence between the proprietors and Moody Bridges, for whom Bridgton was named, involving a dispute over land between the two parties. There are extensive records regarding the roads in Bridgton, as well as some pertaining to neighboring towns, reflecting Enoch and John Perley's position as Justice of the Peace and tax collectors, as well as their private landholdings and business dealing. Also of interest are several indentures for young boys to John Perley to learn the tanning trade, including Rufus Gibbs (1800-1892), who went on to become one of Bridgton's leading businessmen and mill owners (box 4, folder 6). The papers touch on several disputes between towns, including Harrison's claim against Bridgton for ministerial property (Box 4, folder 17, 1814-1817) and a dispute between Cumberland and North Yarmouth (box 4, folders 18-19, 1821-1824) regarding responsibility for the care of paupers when the two towns separated. The collection also includes extensive judicial and legal records, again reflecting Enoch and John Perley's prominent positions as Justices of the Peace and attorneys. Box 6 contains records from a number of court cases and disputes. Perhaps the most unusual, folder 29, is a Coroner's Inquest into the death of Barnard McDowell, in 1820, a stranger to town who was described by several witnesses as "deranged," and by [Dr.] Theodore Ingalls as possibly having suffered from epilepsy. His body was found at the intersection of the road from Bridgton to Sweden and the road form Bridgton to Denmark, apparently near or just west of the present-day junction of Sam Ingalls Road and US Route 302 (North High Street), at a time prior to the construction of the Moose Pond Causeway. The collection includes material regarding the Ministerial fund and the establishment of the South Parish Church in 1825, including details about choosing a site for and building the meetinghouse, a dispute with the First Parish regarding the Ministerial Fund, and papers about the Sabbath School. Finally the collection includes records of the Militia, 1805-1840, and documents regarding the Cumberland and Oxford Canal (including lottery returns), the Moose Brook Canal, and the Stearns Pond Canal. The Boxford-Perley Papers were donated to the Town of Bridgton in 1985 by the Boxford (MA) Historical Society, who retained those portions of the collection which were deemed to be relevant to Boxford. In 1991 the town transferred stewardship to Bridgton Historical Society. The collection was re-boxed and foldered in 2014. The original organization, which had many folders over-stuffed, was largely retained, although some modifications were undertaken. A record of the original organization has been retained, including a copy of the original inventory as the papers were received. There is a related collection in the Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts (see Allied Materials). Container List Box 1 Perley Family Papers Folder1-22Correspondence to Enoch Perley from his brother, Thomas, 1783-1821 23Correspondence to Enoch Perley from Aaron Perley, 1795-182124Miscellaneous Papers of Enoch Perley, 1808-1823 25Correspondence to John Perley from Asa Peabody, 1807-1813 26 from James Emerson, 1816, 1820 27from various writers, 1816-1819 28from Elijah Upton, 1818-1822 29from John Varnum, 1819 30from Moses Perley, 1818-1821 31from Nathan Hale, 1818, Samuel Parkman, 1819, 1821 32from Augustus Peabody, 1818-1819 33 1820-1821 34 1822-1824 35from Mary Perley, and Susan Perley (daughters) 1821 36from various writers, 1819-1820 37from various writers, 1821 38 Feb, 1821 39 July-Dec, 1821 40 1822 41 Jan-Mar, 1823 42 Apr-Aug, 1823 43 1824 44To Sarah Perley from daughter Mary, 1825-1827, includes description of reception for Lafayette when he visited Portland Box 2 Folder1-9Correspondence to General John Perley, from Aaron Perley, Jeremiah Perley, and Thomas Perley, 1826-1828 10General John Perley, Memorandum Book, 1813-1830 11Inventories, Accounts & miscellaneous papers, 1812-1840 and n.d. 12Assignment of Road Repairs, 1827, Description of cider- making process, 1827, List of years and dollar amounts, 1799-1824 13Sarah H. Perley Notebook (mostly poetry),1825-1837 14"The Art of Surveying and Measuring Lands Made Easy," (hand-written), "J. Perley, 1800" on cover. Reverse of Book includes Docket records of John Perley in 1830's. 15Thomas Perley Record Book (as Justice of the Peace, Boxford) 1797-1827 16Enoch, Thomas, & Aaron Perley, Land Lists, 1784-1817 17Thomas Perley to Enoch Perley, Deed for lot of land (lot #4, Range 26) 1792 18-27Perley Family Deeds (to be more fully processed) Box 3 Folder1Tax Receipts, Enoch & John Perley, Bethel, 1811-1831 2Tax Receipt, John Perley, Denmark, 1830 3Tax Receipts, Enoch, John, and Thomas Perley, Otisfield, 1830-1834 4 "" , John Perley, Sweden, 1823-1830, and Assessment, Sweden, 1823 5 " " , most John Perley, Waterford, 1830-1838 Bridgton Proprietors and Civic Records 6Records of Meetings of Bridgton Proprietors, 1780-1781 7___________________________________, 1782 8___________________________________, 1783 9___________________________________, 1784-1788 10___________________________________, 1789-1791 11___________________________________, 1792-1798 & 1806 12Petitions to the General Court, 1779 & no date OSCorrespondence with Moody Bridges, 1782 13Correspondence, deeds, and accounts with Enoch & Thomas Perley, and Jonathan Parker re: Lot of land in Bridgton, 1794-1816 14Enoch Poor & Others re: Securing title to lands, ca. 1812-1815 15Billy Emerson, Deeds & papers re: Land in Baldwin (Sebago) 16Accounts for Work, ca. 1780s-1820s, arranged alphabetically by last name, A-B 17___________________________________________________________, C-F 18___________________________________________________________, G-I 19___________________________________________________________, J-M 20___________________________________________________________, O-Y 21___________________________________________________________, Multiple names 22Accounts with Bridgton Proprietors for official work -advertising meetings, laying out of roads, delivering petitions, etc., 1774-1798 & no date 23Bridgton Proprietors Receipts for Land sales, 1798-1811 Box 4 Folder1Pages from Town Clerk's Book, 1794-1829 2Marriage Intentions, 1775-1820 3Remonstrances and Agreement re: Election of State Representative, 1812, and other documents re: elections, 1806-1839 4Miscellaneous Inventories, accounts, and papers, 1782-1825 & no date 5Agreements, leases, and indentures, 1795-1806 6Agreements, leases, and indentures, 1812-1835 ********** 7Settlement of Taxes, Bridgton, 1794-1804 8Settlement of Taxes, Bridgton, 1805-1826 9Records of School district #1, (Bridgton), 1823-1840 10District 2 Road Survey (tax) books, 1825-1829; District 3, 1830; Minutes of Road Surveys, 1828 11Miscellaneous papers, accounts, & notes, not fully identified, 1825-1828 & no date 12Tax Receipts and Settlements, Harrison, 1807-1824 13Tax Receipts and Settlements, Harrison, 1826-1831 14Accounts for Labor on Roads, Harrison and Waterford, 1820-1839 15Papers re: Roads - Flintstown (Sebago/Baldwin), Bridgton, Harrison, & others, 1798-1830 16Petition for Fishways on Presumpscot River, Gorham, Windham, Piersontown (Standish), Bridgton, no date 17Town of Harrison Claim on Bridgton for Ministerial Property, 1814-1817 18Dispute between Cumberland and North Yarmouth, 1821-1823 19Dispute between Cumberland and North Yarmouth, 1824 20Papers re: Establishing boundary between Denmark and Hiram, Committee of John Perley, Simeon Pease, and James Steele, 1828 Judicial and Legal Records Box 5 Folder1Complaints, summonses, and other legal documents 2Recognizances, 1794-1816 3Lists of Grand Jurors, Cumberland County, 1838-1839 4Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, 1790-1800 5Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, 1801-1805 6Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, Jan-Jun, 1806 7Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, Aug-Dec, 1806 8Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, Jan-Mar, 1807 9Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, Apr, 1807 10Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, May-Jun, 1807 11Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, Aug-Dec, 1807 12Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, Feb, 1808 13Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, Mar-July, 1808 14Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, Aug, 1808 15Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, 1809 16Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, 1810-1816 17Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, Mar-May, 1817 18Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, July-Nov, 1817 19Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for debt, 1818-1819 20Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, (printed forms), 1791-1798 21Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, (printed forms), 1799 22Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, (printed forms), 1800 23Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, (hand-written), 1798-1799 24Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, (hand-written), 1800 (fragile) 25Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, (hand-written), 1801-1804 Box 6 Folder1Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, (printed forms), 1801-1805 2Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, (printed forms), 1806 3Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, 1807 4Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, 1808 5Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, 1809 6Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, 1810-1811 7Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Executions for collection of debt, 1812-1818 8Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Military Writs, 1806 9Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, 1807-1808 10Enoch Perley, Justice of the Peace, Writs for assault, 1794-1800 11Court Cases, Hartford v. Gammon, 1809 12Court Cases, Deposition of Richard Peabody, Sarah Hales, John Adams re: Land in Rowley Canada, 1811 13Court Cases, Pierce v. McKenney, 1818 [Pike v. Pierce?] 14Court Cases, William gammon v. Enoch Gammon, 1820 re: Timber 15Court Cases, Gage v. Perley & willett, 1822 16Court Cases, Richard Gage v. Houghton et. al., 1823 17Court Cases, Pitts & Howard v. Gould & White, 1823 18Court Cases, Green v. David, Davis v. Ingalls, 1824 19Court Cases, Gage v. Flint, 1824 20Court Cases, Chase v. Walker, 1825 21Court Cases, Partridge & Gage v. Gammon, 1825 22Court Cases, Blake v. Welch, 1826 23Court Cases, Gibson v. Spring, 1826 24Court Cases, Farrar v. Perley, ca. 1826, New Suncook (Lovell) 25Court Cases, Tyler P. Poor, Accusations of drunkenness and wrongdoing, 1830 26Court Cases, Dispute between John Chaplin of Bridgton and Jacob Chaplin of Harrison re: Jacob's farm in Harrison, 1832 27Court Cases, Dennett v. Morrison, no date 28Richard Gage Estate Papers, 1835-1836 29Coroner's Inquest into the death of Barnard McDowell, 1820 South Parish Church Box 7 Folder1Petition to General Court and incorporation of Parish 2Lists of families in new Parish, miscellaneous scraps used to bundle other papers (found loose and out of context) 3Choosing a site for the Meeting House, 1825 4Building the Meeting House, 1825-1826 5Dispute with First Parish re: Ministerial Fund, 1827-1829 and no date 6Miscellaneous papers, 1830-1836 7Sabbath School papers, 1821-1829 8Ministerial Fund, Petitions to General Court and enabling legislation, 1819, 1823, 1830 and no date [1849?] 9Ministerial Fund, notes & receipts, 1822-1839 10Ministerial Fund Receipts, 1840-1866 11Ministerial Fund, Treasurer's Report and records, 1822-1829 12Ministerial Fund, Treasurer's Report and records, 1830-1839 13Ministerial Fund, Treasurer's Report and records, 1841-1849 14Ministerial Fund, Treasurer's Report and records, 1850-1859 & no date Militia 15Documents re: establishment of company and regulations, 1805, 1811 16Rosters and Muster rolls, 1810 and no date, several units 17Choice of Officers, 1813-1814, including petition by Capt. Foster protesting others' election 18Reports of Elections of Officers, Bridgton, 1815-1817, North Yarmouth 1819, Gray 1820 19Records of Court Martial of Lt. Col. Andrew grant, 1816 20 Records of Court Martial of Major Joshua Chamberlain, 1816 21Correspondence and petition re: Separation of Baldwin into two companies 22Brigade, Division, and Regimental Orders, 1814-1840 23Miscellaneous documents, 1819-1820 and no date Canals 24Cumberland & Oxford Canal, Assessments, receipts and other documents, 1823-1830 25Moose Brook Canal Corporation, Proprietors records, 1812-1813, 1820-1822 26Moose Brook Canal Corporation, Receipts and papers, 1800-1818 and no date 27Moose Brook Canal Corporation, Proprietors v. Henry B. Osgood, 1813 28Moose Brook Canal Corporation, Rules and Regulations, Assessment, and other papers, 1820 29Moose Brook Canal Corporation, Receipts and papers, 1821-1822 30Moose Brook Canal Corporation, Canal Boat Book and freight records, 1833 31Stearns Pond Canal Records, 1827-1830 |
Title |
Boxford-Perley Papers |
Other number |
ms036 |