In 1798, a dog licensing law was passed in Massachusetts providing that each dog owner shall pay an annual tax and be responsible for providing the dog with a collar. The collar was to contain the name and town of the owner. Mr. Hoyt has written a formal letter of subtle protest declaring that he is the “true sole & lawfull Owner of a small spotted dog (of the cur breed) commonly known …as Bug Hoyt” and that he will follow the law by dressing the dog with a brass collar suitably engraved. Elihu Hoyt went on to serve in the legislature in 1803, and served there twenty-seven years. He was born and brought up in the Old Indian House in Deerfield.
Hoyt, Elihu. Letter to Deerfield Assessors by Colonel Elihu Hoyt. April 1, 1798. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/l99-166/. Accessed on October 16, 2024.
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