In Our Own Words: The Path to Independence 1760 – 1790

A project to transcribe Revolutionary War-era town records

 Co-sponsored by the Westport Historical Society and the Dartmouth Historical and Arts Society

The late 1700s was an era of revolution for the American colonies. It was also a time of formation for Westport and other neighboring towns. In the decade following the Revolution, Westport separated from Dartmouth and, in 1787, was incorporated as a town, forging its own unique identity. In order to gain a deeper understanding of this region before, during, and after the Revolutionary War, we will undertake a project to transcribe town meeting records of Old Dartmouth from 1760 – 1790. During this time Old Dartmouth encompassed Westport, Dartmouth, New Bedford, Fairhaven, and Acushnet.

Join our team of volunteer transcribers and take this journey through the 1760s – 1780s! Volunteers can log on to a website FromThePage, a crowdsourcing platform for archives where volunteers transcribe historic documents. It enables volunteers to work from home.

Roundtable discussion

The Path to Independence

10 AM Tuesday December 9, 2025 at the Westport Public Library

We will kick off this project with a roundtable discussion bringing together local historians from Old Dartmouth communities to provide context and diverse perspectives. In 1776 the town meeting was called in the name of “his majesty King George III.” By 1779 the warrant came in the name of “the Government and people of the state of Massachusetts.” Volunteer transcribers will receive guidelines and an introduction to the website FromthePage. Bring your own questions!

 

There are many issues to explore:

 

  • How did this region respond to the momentous events of the Revolutionary War?

 

  • What challenges did the townspeople of the late 18th century face?

 

  • How did the local Quaker community respond to the call to arms?

 

  • What led to the break-up of Old Dartmouth and the move to form independent towns?

 

FAQ

 

How many pages need to be transcribed?

About 200 pages

 

Is the handwriting difficult to read?

The documents are easy to read because the records were transcribed by hand in the early 20th century. Here is a sample:

 

 

Do volunteers have to transcribe a certain number of pages?

Volunteers can choose to work on as many or as few pages as they wish.

 

What is the anticipated timeframe for this project?

Our goal is to transcribe the pages by the end of March 2026.

 

Do volunteers need computing skills? Or other skills?

Volunteers will need access to a computer, internet connection and must have basic typing ability. No special skills are required. Familiarity with the geography of this area/place names is helpful.