| Notes |
- Harbottle Dorr, son of Edward Dorr and Elizabeth Hawley, was born in Bo ston, May 1696 and died there in 1746. He was a leather draper in Bost on where he married in 1724, Dorothy Weld, who at his decease, was appo inted his administrator. With her he settled in Boston and carried on t here his trade of Leather Draper. His son, Harbottle is called in lega l papers after his decease " of Boston, Esquire. The inventory of his e state indicated a condition of great responsibility." "Harbottle Dorr's remarks at Parish meeting." The last time the Proprietors met, was on a Sabbath day, after div ine service, in the afternoon, which in my humble opinion was not well t imed, or the notice properly given: as not only "the Proprietors if Pew s, but the constant contributors" were notified, although the Law which w e have adopted (and which is the only rule to direct us in these matter s knows only the owners. There was something which was called a vote passed though there wa s no negative put, which always ought to be, and is practiced every whe re else, that each Proprietor and etc. should from time to time mark hi s money, which vote several were dissatisfied with, (Myself among the r est) not only as to the method of voting, without putting the negative, b ut as there was not time to deliberate on such an affair. I think we o ught to settle things now on a sure bottom and that the Proprietors oug ht to know whether it is expected that any tax should be paid during th e blockade of the Town, if none is expected then there ought to be a vo te of the Society, and properly recorded, "that not tax shall be paid d uring that period", otherwise in case of any of the owners in time to c ome, should have occasion to fill their Pews, the Committee would have p ower by Law, to deduct so much as their Tax came to within that time, w hich would be very unjust. I would beg leave to propound a few queries ; first premising that I have always paid my tax cheerfully, and shall f or future, if the burden doth not lay on a part instead of the whole. Query 1, Whether when it was voted at the last meeting "that from t hat time they would begin to mark their money as usual" it was to be un derstood that we were then to begin anew; and consequently that all the m oney due for Taxes, at the time the town was blockaded was to be sunk o r remitted? Query 2, Whether there was not a large sum due for Taxes at that t ime, viz. when the Town was first Blockaded; and whether it ought not t o be collected, or delinquents proceeded with agreeable to the Law whic h we have adopted. Query 3, Whether we have any other rule to direct us, but the law a bove said, except it is set aside, in whole, or in part by a vote of th e Proprietors? Query 4, Whether it is not partial to take Pews as forfeited, if a ll the delinquents are not proceeded with in the same manner? Query 5, Whether it is not unequal that A. should pay if it was b ut one penny tax, on his pew, when perhaps B. who owners a better Pew, o r is in better circumstances pays but a farthing, or perhaps nothing? Query 6. Whether that is not precisely the case, if some persons c onstantly pay their Tax, and after some years there is a great deficien cy from some persons not paying any or but a small part, and the money d ue which makes the deficiency, is from one period to another remitted, a s has been the case once and again, since the deceased of the Rev. Mr. Webb, whereby a very large sum, which ought to have been in stock, i s sunk? Query 7, Whether the Committee has not from time to time, taxed so me Pews, according to the ability of the owners and not according to th e Convenience, or situation of them, which is only mode pointed out by t he law? Query 8, Whether taxing the Pews in that manner, would not if it w ere contested, overset the whole Tax? Query 9, Whether the Proprietors ought not to have an Annual Meet ing, and the Treasurer's Accounts be audited - and the Society made acq uainted with a True state of their affairs from Year to Year? I submit the above to the Conclour of the Society, and mean not to g ive offence to any; at the same remembering that he who never dares giv e offence is not an honest man. Signed Harbottle Dorr
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Puffer Genealogy
1696 - 1746 (50 years)
[3, 4, 5]