BLAKE, James

Other Events and Attributes:

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Notes:

He was an early surveyor described as having outstanding abilities. He is particularly remembered for the notable "Plot of the Twenty five Divisions" that he produced in 1730. He was called "The Annalist," because he maintained a comprehensive record entitled Blake's Annals of Dorchester, in which he noted public events, details of his own wide-ranging public service, and records of his surveys. He held many public offices in Dorchester. He served as a Selectman, Assessor, Proprietor's Clerk and Town Treasurer from 1724 to 1748. In 1743 he was a member of the Committee for building the meeting house. He also maintained the Dorchester Town Records. James was a successful Farmer, he develop the same land at Dorchester Neck that his great Grandfather William Blake was granted. James was skilled in the construction of sundials. One of the dials he had made was the ancient wall sundial formerly seen on the old Town House at the head of State Street in Dorchester. One of the dialing instruments he had made, are among the Blake Papers in the New England Historical and Genealogical Society.

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