February 2, 1785 .

On the petition of Thomas Ives.1

Ordered, That the petition2 of Thomas Ives, Collector of impost and excise in the county of Berkshire, with the papers accompanying, be referred to the Attorney General of this Commonwealth; and that he be, and he hereby is, directed to enquire into the facts alledged therein, and to take such measures thereon as may appear to him consistent with the laws, and for the interest of this Commonwealth.

Printed as Chapter 29 [Jan. 1784] in Acts and Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts [1784–1785] (Boston, 1894), 333–334.

1.

Thomas Ives (1753–1814) graduated from Yale in 1777 and was admitted to the Litchfield County bar in 1780. He relocated to Sheffield, Mass., shortly thereafter and was a major in the Berkshire militia by the fall of 1781. The General Court appointed Ives as collector of impost and excise for Berkshire County in 1783, but he left the post when “the laws regulating the collection of these duties became so unpopular, and in his opinion so oppressive, as to induce him to resign it” (Dexter, Biographical Sketches of Yale Graduates, 3:684–685). He later represented Great Barrington in the General Court beginning in 1785.

2.

Not located in RTP Papers or Massachusetts Archives.

Taunton Feby. 7. 1785 Sir,

I recd. yours1 with the money for which I am much obliged to you but do not mean to pay it till I have deducted something to pay you for trouble &c. Inclosed is a Receipt for the money.

I should have been in Boston E’er now if my family affairs would have admitted Mrs. Padelford is well abed now & has a fine son,2 all well she Joins me in Complts. to you & family wishing you & them Health & Happiness.

We in this Town stand in need of an other Justice of the Quorum as t[here] is but only one, in Town. I should be glad you’d mention it so that one more may be appointed. Apollos Leonard as he stands first I suppose will expect it—& I shall like it if but one is appointed, as I think it falls to him in Course—we often want one when we cannot come at one.

324

As soon as I can I intend to Visit you. From your Sincere friend & Humble Servt.,

Seth Padelford

Since writing the foregoing Aps. Leonard has had an appt. of a Special Justices Comission—I could be glad, my friend James Williams might be appointed a Justice of the Quorum—& if Friend Fales was also it wou’d not be too many—we often need, one &c.

Yours as before S. Padelford

RC ; addressed: “The Honble. Robt. T. Paine Esqr. Boston”; endorsed. Brackets represent a tear to the page.

1.

Not located.

2.

Charles, the sixth of the fourteen children of Seth and Rebecca (Dennis) Padelford, died Feb. 21, 1785, aged six weeks.