Editorial: An Origin Story

Last issue, the editorial was about Town Meeting (TM ) in Massachusetts. The first TM was held in 1622 shortly after the Puritans arrived from England, seeking liberty. TM was the people approving the costs they would pay and the laws they would ill obey — democracy in action. But there is more…

The Stockbridge TM was an experiment in multi-cultural democracy. In this place indigenous people and European settlers — two nations - founded a town and governed together.

In Indigenous People and the New England Town Meeting: Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1730-1775, 2019, Daniel Mandell wrote: "In June 1739, [the General Court granted] 40 Native and four white families who lived in the mission community of Stockbridge full status as a town."

TM was conducted in English with Tribal members who were fluent in English, translating. The Stockbridge-Munsee decided by consensus and the settlers decided by majority so there was more than a language barrier, but they made it work. Settler Timothy Woodbridge coached them about procedure and TM process.

Mandell wrote, "Town meetings exercised legislative, judicial, and executive powers, and had the authority to deal with all aspects of life: moral (individual behavior), economic (wages and prices), administrative (markets and roads), and even household relations. While only men with sufficient property could participate…the bar was low enough [so that] about 3/4 could participate."

The primary duty in the first Stockbridge TM was to elect a set of officers: selectmen, one or more constables, and men to lay out roads, inspect fences, prevent stray hogs and evaluate their damage (hog reeves), enforce Sabbath rules (tithingmen), assess property for taxes, and other community needs.

Sachem Konkopot and Umpachene called Stockbridge's first meeting on July 11, one month after the Court created the town. The Stockbridge-Munsee, who vastly outnumbered the settlers, chose settlers for the necessary positions.

Mandell went on, "Three of the five Anglo-American men living in the town were selected for the posts necessary to conduct the gathering: Ephraim Williams was chosen moderator; Timothy Woodbridge became town clerk, and Josiah Jones was chosen constable."

However, the Stockbridge-Munsee chose Konkopot and Umpachene to be selectmen, the most powerful jobs. In 1761, a decade after Umpachene died and Konkopot retired, Johannes Mthoksin and Captain Jacob Cheek-son-kun were selectmen. Right from the start Stockbridge was culturally diverse and was establishing a multi-cultural democracy without precedent. As this country becomes more diverse, the first Stockbridge Town meetings are things to learn about and learn from.

To me TM is a precious continuation of our heritage, a thing to protect and perpetuate. Like Stockbridge Updates, it is hard work, it is not so simple, but well worth doing.

Carole Owens
Executive Editor

Photo: Lionel Delevingne