What was an "alower of Society debts" in colonial America?
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Accepted answer
Presumably you are referring to an extract from the Essex Historical Records on Richard French, born 1675:
- Richard French, born in Topsfield, Aug. 18, 1676, called husbandman and yeoman in deeds, removed to Enfield, Connecticut, as early as 1699. He held no office in Topsfield, but his name occurs frequently on the Enfield records. He was chosen fence viewer, three times, surveyor of highways, three times, allower of town debts, twice, tythingman, four times, assessor, once, constable, once, and served on different committees a number of times. March 21, 1739, he was on a « Com tee to Dignify ye Seats in y e meeting house according to the rules fol- lowing : i. e. they shall adjust age usefullness Quallifica- tion and offices with the Last three years Lists " (History of Enfield, vol. 1, p. 388), He was also an u Alower of Society debts, May 12, 1632 " (Church Records, vol. 2). He was called Corporal, Dec. 15, 1730, and " Sargeant," March 10, 1734/5.
Given the other typos and the occurrence of both "allower" and "alower", plus the Middle English usage of "alower" as a synonym for the modern "allower*" (see below), let's take the meaning as being that of "allower".
Al`low´er
n. 1. An approver or abettor.
2. One who allows or permits.
The position seems somewhat similar to a modern credit agency, as determining if a debt would be allowed.
it's also possible, in light of the Middle English definition below, that it refers to a type of factor, who would co-sign the debt for an additional fee.
Notes:
From the Concise Dictionary of Middle English A-F:
Alowen, v. to assign, bestow, to give an allowance to, NED, Palsg.; allow, Sh.—AF. alower, OF. alouer, aloer; Lat. allocare, to place. (A- 7.)
With thanks to LegionMammal978 for digging up the original source for the OCR above.
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