Harvard University

Description

The documents consist of handwritten records compiled during a civil investigation into drunken underage parties and “nightwalking” in December 1676 and January 1677. The investigation was likely carried out by Cambridge Justice of the Peace and Harvard Steward Thomas Danforth, in his capacity as town officer, and focused on the actions of adolescent Cambridge residents, between the ages of 16-23 regarding their involvement in parties that involved “drinking, and had singing and dauncing.” The documents includes testimony from Harvard students James Alling and Thomas Barnard of the Class of 1679, Thomas Cheever of the Class of 1677, and Percival Green, who would later graduate as a member of the Class of 1680, regarding their activities on December 28, 1676. The documents offer a resource for studying the drinking and social behavior of both male and female adolescents in 17th century Massachusetts, including servants. The documents mention the involvement of an individual identified as "Silvanus Negro."The documents have been transcribed and published in the Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Volume 49, pages 115-131.Title supplied by the cataloger.Harvard University. Examination of College students and others for disorderly conduct, 1676. UAI 15.350, Harvard University Archives.Related materials in the Harvard University Archives include Records of the Faculty relating to disorders, 1768-1880 (UAIII 15.21.6).

Record Contributed By

Harvard University

Record Harvested From

Harvard Library