Monadnock Moment No. 107

Era 3: Revolution and the New Nation - 1763 to 1820

Town Officers of Old

A close inspection of several local town reports reveals some rather unusual elected town officers. Did you know that some of our local towns elect fence viewers, hogreeves, liquor agents, public weighers of meat and hay, and surveyors of wood and lumber? These were elected officials who played an important role 200 years ago and have remained on many local election ballots to the present day.

Several of these officers were elected to insure the honesty of their neighbors. Surveyors of wood and lumber, for example, were elected as early as 1785 to measure cordwood, shingles and similar products to be sure that each load contained the proper amount of wood. They also regulated the sale of wood products. The public weigher of meat and hay carried out the same type of duties for those two agricultural products.

Fence viewers were very important when virtually everyone in town was a farmer. Fence viewers were supposed to settle disputes concerning the location of property boundaries and determine that fences were properly built and maintained.

The hogreeve was to capture all stray hogs from April 1 through October 31 and fit them with a nose ring and yoke so that they could not wander and damage crops.

Today these offices are honorary positions as the duties are no longer necessary or have been taken over by the state or the courts. When you look at a town report and see a hogreeve, however, you will now know why he was important 200 years ago.