Joseph LUCAS

                   Historical information included in notes.



·  From History of Carver: He was one of 13 men receiving land from Jonathan Shaw 'for divers good causes but principally and more especially for the encouragement and ye erecting of a furnace or newiron works at a place called Popes Point in ye town of Plympton'. This was the beginning of the industry which was operated there to make pots, kettles, tea kettles, cauldrons, flat irons, bake pans, and fire dogs or andirons for more than a century. 'As the smelting was done with wood and charcoal, an incidental business of making charcoal was established ... farmers for miles around engaging in the work as a side issue. Ore was brought for miles from Carver and adjacent towns and this was no small feature of the industry of the times. ... The furnace was in operation upwards of a century... A few of the last years of the operation of the plant was as a cupola furnace, the last blast in 1836.'Records of Town Meetings of Plympton show he was Precinct Clerk 1732-1740, Standing Committeeman in 1733, Assessor 1732-34 and 1736-42. He first appears in the record of a meeting 1 Mar 1720/21 when he was chosen Constable. He was chosen again 11 May 1722, juryman in June 1716, Mar 1729. On 29 Jan 1730/1 he was chosen with 3 others as agents for the town to settle the line between Plympton and Middleton and, on 15 May 1732, he was paid 1:8:0 for 4 days work to run the line from Kingston to Bridgewater line.Some interesting business conducted by the council consisted of a 1723 vote that every freeholder should kill 6 blackbirds, jaybirds, or brown woodpeckers and bring the heads to the selectmen or pay a fine of 2 shillings. In 1724 squirrels were added to the list. 17 May 1729, a bounty of 5 shillings was offered to any who would kill a wildcat and bring the head to the selectmen. They were, however, interested in conserving wildlife as in 1742 a committee was chosen to make a law to prevent destruction of deer.On 12 May 1731, he was on a committee respecting a petition by residents in the south part of the town for being set off in a distinct precinct. The petition was denied. On the same date, he appeared with many others signing a protest against supporting two ministers in one meeting house.On 1 Nov, he appears as one of 54 signers, 'inhabitants of the southerly part of said town' of another petition to be set off as a distinct precinct and have their own minister, due to 'our difficult circumstances regarding our attending the stated place of public worship --'. This petition was also denied but subsequently granted and the precinct, later called Carver, was incorporated . He was one of the first Deacons of the Church in the South Precinct.On 6 Jan 1734, the meeting voted that those in South Precinct be absolved of tax to the school in North Precinct if they would provide a school in the South Precinct to instruct children to read and write. Thiswas accomplished and, on 29 Mar 1737, he was chosen trustee in place of Samuel Lucas, deceased (This was probably not his father but another Samuel who died 1736).On 12 Jun 1739, he was chosen along with Benjamin Weston to examine the account of Dr. Policarpus Loring, former Town Treasurer. Also to demand town books and papers lying in the hands of Mr. Joseph Thomas, former Town Clerk, and, upon his refusing to deliver, to prosecute him in the law. He made his report at a meeting 4 Jul 1739 'that he had been with Joseph Thomas, former Town Clerk, and made demand -- before Samuel Shaw, James Cole and William Gamon, who returned that he would not deliver them yet'. At a meeting 20 Dec 1739, he was given 14 shillings pay for this. 17 May and 5 Jul 1742, he was chosen moderator of the town meeting. The final mention of him was at the town meeting of 1 Nov 1742 when 'Mr. Benjamin Weston was chosen a Selectman in the room of Deacon Joseph Lucas, deceased.' His sons John and Samuel appear in the records from here on.The 'Mayflower Families...' Richard Warren account (1997) says 'Joseph Lucas was a Deacon of the First Church at Carver; he owned a Smith's shop, part of a furnace and land on John's 
Pond.The will of Joseph Lucas of Plimpton, yeoman, names his wife Meletiah; sons John, Samuel, and Barnabas, who was under 21; and daus. Hannah and Patience. The inventory was taken 18 Feb 1743. No Plymouth Co. PR or LR for Malathiah Lucas.' It gave the source of the will as Plymouth Co. PR 9:1.
·  Note: 
(Research):Birth from Plymouth records, first marriage is in Plympton Vital Records, second marriage in Bridgewater Vital Records, death in Carver Vital Records. Some of the records for this family are found in published Vital Records of both Plympton and Carver. According to the History of Carver, it was first part of Plympton. In 1732, the south part of Plympton became a separate precinct and was later called Carver. It is not clear in the history when the name was adopted. When Joseph Lucas wrote his will he called himself 'of the town of Plympton'.Family group sheets of both marriages were found in the FGRA collection in the Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, submitted by Mrs. Corria Montierth, (now deceased). Both had 'Mayflower Desc' V 3 pg 10 as the source, with an additional source, Middleboro History V. 4 pg 1779-1781, for the first sheet. There were several dates and places missing which were found in vital records.LDS proxy temple ordinances are in the 1997 IGI from temple records. The endowment record showed the temple as MANTI but the film number, 170564, was St. George.