Daily AncestorFence viewer
A fence viewer was a town officer who inspected fences and settled disputes between neighbors over fences and straying livestock.
When livestock broke through a fence and damaged crops, someone had to decide whose fault it was. Fence viewers checked that fences met the legal standard and divided the cost of shared fences between neighbors.
The office was common in New England and spread to other states. Ordinary farmers held it, so it is a good way to find an ancestor in town meeting minutes.
As seen in a recordTown meeting records, New England and Midwest
Fence viewers: Amos Rice, Eli Grout
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Daily Ancestor. "Fence viewer." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/fence-viewer. Last checked 2026-10-01.