Levi Bates

Business Enterprises. — With the increase of pop- ulation and wealth there came also a revival of business enterprises, and soon after the beginning of the nine- teenth century a new era of prosperity dawned upon the town, commencing at Weymouth Landing, at the head of tide- water on Fore River, and gradually extending over other parts of the town. In 1805 a turnpike was built through Weymouth, opening a more direct communication between Boston and Plymouth, by which the village at the Landing was largely the gainer. Under the lead of Capt. Samuel Arnold, Levi Bates and others, various branches of mechanical industry were started, and a new life infused into the community- Within a few years a large number of buildings were erected within a radius of half a mile. Many of them, in magnitude and value, have hardly been surpassed to the present day. I^avigation was resumed, and quite a brisk trade carried on between the town and Boston by means of sailing packets, which ran regularly; and it was in these days that shoe man- ufacturing commenced, which has since grown into such vast proportions.

In 1800, March 10, there is found for the first time upon the records the warrant for the town meeting entered in full, a custom that has been continued ever since; and under date of May 11, 1801, are found the qualifications of voters at that time, who were to be twenty-one years of age, and to possess a freehold valued at sixty pounds, or one yielding an income of three pounds (free sufirage had not yet become the law of the land).

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: May 17 2021, 4:25:07 UTC