History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

454 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1698-1699.
for their maintenance, was then unknown. Aged, infirm,
or "distracted" persons, who became paupers, were ordi-
narily '
' boarded round " at the houses of such settlers as
were willing to take charge of them. ^
Unless other persons were si3ecially authorized to fill the
ofiice, the selectmen were empowered to act as overseers of
the poor, and up to this time they had performed all such
duties. In 1699, the first separate board of ofiicers with
that title, was chosen. The vote creating the commission,
gives the reasons governing the town in this matter, and is
appended in full —
:
"At a leagall Towne meeting, March : 7: 1698, the Towne Considering
of Seiieral lysons and familes in the towne w'^'^ if they were not taken
care of so that they followed some imploiment so as that they might be
in Capacity to maintaine them seines or at least be more Likely to
maintaine y"" seines would be a Towne Charge the Towne therefore
chose Leiut. King, Isaac Shelden Sen'' And Enos Kingsley to be onei'seers
of the poore to take care of such p''sons by prouiding for them
such things as are of nessessity And to take care that none of y"' Spend
their time vnprofitably or Idly observing the direction of y** Law in
Such cases : that so the Town may not be needlesly at charge to main-
taine y""."
This vote seems to have been aimed at certain families or
persons who were likely to become a burden upon the town.
It was an "ounce of prevention" designed to save a
"pound of cure." The duties of the board were to discourage
rather than administer to poverty. The modern
doctrine of helping the poor to help themselves was here
admirably exemplified.
Sheep Raising En- Foreseeing that the country must depend
couraged. Land upon itself ill a great measure for all of its
Sequestered for t ,
t j i t ^ p
Pastures. supplies, the government enacted laws tor
the establishment and encouragement of
sheep raising. Under these regulations, the industry had
greatly thrived throughout the country. The price per
head fell from 9s. and 8s. 6d. in 1690. to 6s. 8d. and 6s. in
1699, a pretty good indication that the number was rapidly
increasing. Like all domestic animals pastured on the
commons or in the woods, sheep were placed under the care
1 A disabled soldier of tlie town of Hadley, was supported by the town for a year
or two. Tliirty-two persons were paid for keeping him sixty-five weeks. He went
from house to house like the school-master, and was kept from one to three weeks at
a place. The pay was 4s. per week.—History of Hadley, p. 242.