946 acres.

Beginning at Kimball's corner . . .

6. "From Goodhue's corner to Day's corner, by the River, etc," about 578 acres (5 and 6 including Bush Hill and Turner's Hill).

7. Turkey Hill and land about Egypt river, 954 acres. 8. Toward Rowley line, 850 acres.

The Committee proceeded to assign the commoners to their proper eighths, and each man's right was decided as accurately as possible.

Some title to Castle Neck still remained in the possession of the commoners, as appears from the vote of 21 Mar., 1726, instructing the Treasurer to execute a deed of sale or conveyance of their whole right and title in the "wood that now is, or that shall hereafter be standing, lying, or growing on any part of Castle Neck so called beyond Wigwam Hill," to Symonds Epes, Esq., for ten pounds sterling. The commoners relinquished their “right att Rocky Hill unto James Fuller, Ebenezer Fuller and Jabez Treadwell, they paying the sum of sixty pounds old Tenor, for ye Com° use." Aug., 1745. (This is the hill now occupied by Mr. Moritz B. Philipp.)

Unappropriated thatch banks were let each year to the highest bidder, only commoners having the right to bid. Rights and privileges in the “Gravill Pit and Clay pitts" were reserved by the commoners for their use and profit. The beaches belonged to the Commoners, and in 1757 they voted that "Capt. Jonathan Fellows of Cape Ann, have the liberty of all the sands lying in the Town of Ipswich for the space of one year for the sum of 2£ 13s. 4d."

Their authority reached also to the flats and the clams that dwelt therein, and in 1763 the vexed question of the control of the shell fishery led to the first regulation of which I am aware. The commoners voted, on July 4th, "That the Committee take care of all ye flats & clams therein, belonging to ye proprietors of ye Common lands in Ipswich & that no person or persons be allowed to digg any more clams than for their own use, & to be expended in ye Town, & that all owners of fishing vessels and Boats shall apply to one of sd. Committee for liberty to digg clams for their vessels use fare by fare, & no owners of vessel or vessels, boat or boats, shall digg more clams than shall be allowed by one or more of sd. Committee on penalty of prosecution; said Committee are to allow one Bar1 of clams to each man of every vessel going to the Banks every fare, & so also in propr. to boats fishing in the Bay, and a majority of said Com. are impowered to prosecute all offenders."

The income accruing from these sales and leases was expended for various public uses. In 1771, a hundred pounds was voted for the use of building a work house in the Town of Ipswich," provided the town build within eighteen months. In 1772, £20 was voted to Wm. Dodge and others "to erect sutable land marks for the benefit of vessels outward and inward bound," and 6s. to Anthony Loney for ringing the bell from Feb. 1771 to Feb. 1772. In 1773, £50 was voted for reading and writing schools, provided the town raise £40. Finally, in 1788, the majority of the commoners voted, though vigorous opposition was made by the minority, to resign all their interests in

lands, etc., to the town toward the payment of the heavy town debt incurred during the Revolution. Mr. Felt estimated that this grant was worth about £600.

Thus the body of commoners ceased to be, but we still are reminded of the old commonage system by the "Common Fields," so called, in the neighborhood of the Poor Farm, and our South Common and the open lands in the centre of our town.

BY-LAWS.

I.

The objects of the Society are the gathering and recording of knowledge of the history of Ipswich and of individuals and families connected with said Ipswich; the collection and preservation of printed and written manuscripts, pamphlets, and other matters of historic interest, and the collection of articles of historical and antiquarian interest, and the preservation of and furnishing in colonial style of one of the ancient dwelling houses of said Ipswich.

II.

The annual meeting for the election of officers shall be held on the first Monday in December of each year, and meetings for literary and social purposes shall be held on the first Monday of February, May and October. All meetings shall be called by the directors by a warrant under their hands, addressed to the clerk of the corporation, directing him to give notice of such meeting by sending a notice to each member of the corporation by mail four days at least before the time of holding such meeting; which notice shall contain the substance of the matter named in said warrant to be acted upon at such meeting. Said warrant shall state all the business to be acted upon at such meeting, and no other business shall be transacted at such meeting. Special meetings may be called by the directors in the same manner as other meetings.

III.

Any member of the corporation may present the name of any person for membership to the clerk, who shall announce at the next meeting of the corporation thereafter the name of said person so proposed for membership; and said corporation may vote to admit said person to membership of the corporation at the next meeting of said corporation held after the clerk has announced the name for membership.

IV.

Every member shall pay an annual fee of two dollars which shall be due on the first day of December, and failure to pay this fee for two years shall forfeit membership unless said corporation otherwise direct.

V.

The officers of the corporation shall be a president, two vice presidents, treas urer, clerk, corresponding secretary, librarian and three directors.

These officers shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting and their term of office shall be for one year from the date of that meeting and until their successors

Vacancies in any of these offices shall be filled by the directors for the

are chosen. unexpired term.

VI.

The directors shall determine the use to be made of the income and funds of the Society; shall endeavor to promote the special objects of the Society in such ways as may seem most appropriate, shall appoint such committees as may seem expedient and shall have charge and custody of all property and collections of the Society.

VII.

These By-Laws may be amended at any regular meeting on recommendation of the directors by vote of two-thirds of the members present, provided that due notice has been given of the proposed change at a previous meeting.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The second annual meeting of the Ipswich Historical Society was held on Monday, December 4, 1899, at the house.

The following officers were elected by ballot :

President T. Frank Waters.

Vice Presidents - John B. Brown, John Heard.

Clerk John W. Goodhue.

Treasurer Joseph I. Horton.

Directors Charles A. Sayward, John H. Cogswell, Everard H. Martin.
Corresponding Secretary - John H. Cogswell.

Librarian John J. Sullivan.

The Reports of the President and the Treasurer were read and accepted.

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