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Boston Tax Records: 1780-1821

Abatement Books

Tax abatements (i.e., the reduction or elimination of taxes for specific individuals) are recorded in both annual volumes and in volumes combining multiple years. These are often also used as "additional" books, where assessments not recorded in the other tax books are added-in. Though generally organized by ward, the contents of additional/abatement books are sometimes mixed, so researchers are advised to check the entirety of each annual volume for specific years of interest. 

Shown below are two pages from the 1802 ward 2 additional/abatement book. Additions to the tax rolls are on the left, while abatements are primarily listed on the right.