7. The Freemen at Kent

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter I
2. Preface VII
3. Contents XI
4. Tables XII
5. Part I: The Settlement of Kent
6. Introduction 1
7. 1. Preliminaries to Settlement 3
8. 2. Settlement: The Speculative Settler Proprietors 12
9. Part II. Economic Opportunity in Kent
10. Economic Opportunity in Kent 29
11. 3. The Drive for Profits 31
12. 4. Threats to Economic Opportunity: Land Speculation and Absenteeism 55
13. 5. Threats to Economic Opportunity: Debt at Kent and Her Neighboring Towns 66
14. 6. Threats to Economic Opportunity: Poverty at Kent 83
15. Part III. Political Democracy at Kent
16. Introduction 105
17. 7. The Freemen at Kent 107
18. 8. The Role of Kent Freemen in Colony Government 115
19. 9. Local Democracy: The Town-Meeting Voter and Town Government 128
20. Part IV: Social Democracy at Kent
21. Introduction 141
22. 10. The Town Leaders of Kent 143
23. 11. “Steady Habits” at Kent 154
24. Conclusion: Democracy at Kent 169
25. Appendix I: Chronological Summary of Kent History 175
26. Appendix II: Original Proprietary Shares 178
27. Appendix III: Kent’s First Settlers, December 1, 1739 181
28. Notes 183
29. Bibliography 216
30. Index 221