***-----Original Message----- ***From: Joan C. Miller [mailto:jrm107@juno.com] ***Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2002 9:14 PM ***To: MAYFLOWER-L@rootsweb.com ***Subject: [MFLR] Re: MAYFLOWER-D Digest V02 #115 *** *** ***I'm reading and learning what you're saying re "Freeman". Are there ***other definitions of this word? *** I have a copy of Lucius R. Paiges publication, "List of Freemen of ***Massachusetts, 1630-1691". *** It states, "Before a member of society could exercise the right of ***suffrage, or hold any public office, he must be made a "freeman" by the ***general or quarterly court." *** "The "Freeman's Oath" was the first paper printed in New England. It was ***printed at Cambridge, by Stephen Daye, in 1639, upon a single sheet, in ***the manner of a handbill, and without date." *** Of course, it goes on to define the "Oath" and gives a list of these ***freemen. Joan, I believe that Paige's book lists freemen of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which was a separate governmental entity from Plymouth Colony. Each colony had its own laws and practices, rather as if they were separate states today. In 1691 Plymouth Colony lost its independence and merged with Mass. Bay. So for the period covered by Paige's book there would be small differences in what exactly being a freeman entailed, but I think what you quote--that a man (not "member of society," if you will pardon a little indignation on behalf of the others) had to be officially approved by the central government before he could vote or hold office--is the important core. We're talking about a long period of time and completely different colonies made up of people of somewhat different backgrounds. Over this period of time the make up of the population and the challenges the colonies faced internally and in their relationship with England changed enormously, and one would expect that voting rights would change too, just as they have in the twentieth century. So it seems that the only "static" definition one would find would have to be a very general or basic one.