1730 The General Court of Massachusetts allows the incorporation of the town of Wilmington, combining parts of Woburn, Reading, and Charlestown. The town’s male residents gather for the first town meeting and Giles Roberts is chosen to act as town constable.
1741 Wilmington elected Samuel Killam, Thomas Rich, and William Tucker to serve as constable. Each one refused to serve when elected and was fined by the town. The fourth person elected, Ebenezer Pierce, agreed to serve and was sworn into office.
1764 As political tensions with England increase, Constable Samuel Butters is served with a warrant ordering that he collect and turn over tax money to His Majesty’s Treasurer and Receiver General, Harrison Gray Esq.
1774 In an act of defiance to British rule, Constable Ephraim Buck Jr. gives tax money he collected to the town treasurer Timothy Walker, after townspeople voted to “indemnify and defend the constable from charges that may arise from not paying same to Harrison Gray”.
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