MARLBOROUGH – Within the 44 pages of squiggles and funny-looking letters is the story of Marlborough from its earliest days.
Thanks to the work of volunteer Bob Fagone, the squiggles have been transcribed and about to be made publicly available at the Marlborough Public Library.
According to Library Director Sara Belisle, “A few years ago the library was given a book of Marlborough city records from 1666 to 1698. The book was at City Hall, and it was determined that we were the appropriate institution to house it.”
The previous director, Margaret Cardello, had the book assessed by the Northeast Document Conservation Center.
“It’s in pretty good condition, but was incredibly hard to read since it was handwritten and a bit faded,” said Belisle.
Enter Fagone, who was the former chairman of the city’s historical commission and had done historical research for Department of Public Works Commissioner John Ghiloni. He was interested in volunteering at the library and Belisle tasked him with the transcription.
“He was eager to help the library,” said Belisle.
Working two hours per day, Fagone worked his way through the spelling and abbreviations. It took him about a year; his transcription has become “A Meeting of the Inhabitants.” He said the title is based on whenever the residents held a Town Meeting.
Along the way, Fagone uncovered some interesting stories about the early days of the city.
Take Benjamin Franklin, for example. This Franklin was the uncle of his namesake and founding father, and he worked as a schoolmaster in the early 1690s.
He said Franklin was provided a house somewhere on present-day Maple Street.
Much of the book contains information on land transactions, along with tidbits about life in early colonial America. According to Fagone, authorities paid bounties for hunters bringing in wolves and rattlesnakes.
“It was definitely a frontier town,” said Fagone.
He also came across remarks on Native Americans (settlers were told “not to interfere with any grants already in place,” according to one notice) and a note concerning “Joseph’s Negro slave.”
There were also comments about building a new meeting house, and complaints about those attending services at the meeting house who weren’t listed as members.
In those days, the minister would be paid in “wheat, barley and goods;” Fagone said the minister wouldn’t be paid in cash until much later.
Belisle said the transcription will be available for public viewing in the new year, and it will be made available online later this winter.
“It’s an interesting piece of Marlborough history,” she said.
