History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 129

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 129

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1726. Having accomplished a separation from the First Church and Society, the new parish proceeded on the 19th of May to organize a Second Church and

make preparations for the ordination of the Rev. Pain Wingate, who had been called to the work of the ministry. Letters were sent to neighboring churches, and the ordination services were held in the new house on the 3d of June. Rev. Mr. Gookin preached the sermon from John 20 : 15; Rev. Mr. Tufts offered prayer ; Rev. Mr. Cushing gave the charge, and Rev. Mr. Parsons gave the right hand of fellowship. On the 13th of July the organization of the church was completed by the choice of Abraham Merrill and Jo- seph Colby as deacons.

1727. Old dairies and account-books mention an earthquake which occurred October 29th at ten o'clock P.M. David Blasdell's account-book calls it the first carthquake. Richard Kelley wrote as fol- lows in his diary : " In ye yeare 1727, October 29, about ten of ye clock, it being Sabbath day night, was the Grate earthquake which was extrodenery loud and hard as awaked many out of sleep, the housen did shake & windows ratel and puter and dishes clater on ye shelves & ye tops of many chim- neys fell of & many ware so shatered as that people were fain to take them down and new build them again."

On the 26th of January Mary, wife of Thomas Wells, died.

1728. The province treasurer was directed to issue £60,000 in bills of credit, to be loaned to the towns on the same principle as those of 1721. In the first issue of £50,000 the town received £373, and had the same proportionate share been received now, it would have been £447 instead of £473 which was received. This shows that the town had been prosperous for the last seven years beyond the average of the prov- ince. This was called the Second Bank.

The ordination of the Rev. Edmund March, who was chosen to assist the aged pastor in the East Parish, took place July 3d. He was a graduate of Harvard College, in the class of 1722, being then twenty-five years old. There is bnt little doubt that Mr. March had assisted Mr. Wells for several years previous to his ordination.

1729. A lawsuit with Captain Humphrey Hook about the ferry was giving the town a good deal of trouble. Ile had at some time obtained possession of the privilege and refused to give it up. Public opin- ion was divided in regard to the merits of the case, and the town-meetings which were held sometimes showed his friends in the ascendancy and sometimes his opponents. It was a vexatious suit and not soon ended.

On the 21st of November, Josiah, son of Stephen and Hannah Bartlett, was born at the Ferry. 11is parents lived on the lot designed for an Old Ladies' Home. He studied medicine, and removed to King- ston, N. H., where he became prominent in political affairs from his intense love of freedom, and was elected to Congress carly in the Revolutionary strug- gle, and is said to have been the first signer of the

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Declaration of Independence. He was very popular in the State of his adoption, and was chosen its first Governor. Just previous to the Revolution his house was burnt by the Tories, who hated him very cordially for his patriotism.

1730. The punishment of certain offenses in the early history of the colony was singular, but far more effectual than that of modern times. Sitting in the "stocks or bilbowes, or putting their tongues in split sticks" were common punishments for small offenses, and, no doubt, were effectual in shaming culprits. The stocks were set up in some public place where friends, as well as foes, would be likely to notice them. At this time the town had on hand a lot of small rogues who deserved punishment, but no stocks suitable for the occasion, and so the annual meeting "voted to have one paire of stocks immediately built and set where ye Selectmen shall think most conven- ient."

1731. Jonathan Barnard obtained leave to build a bridge "across ye falls on Powow river, about four rods below ye bridge now across sª river, provided ye town of Salisbury may consent thereto, he ye sª Barnard to make and keep ye sª bridge forever at all times in good and sufficient repair, in consideration whereof he ye sª Barnard to have our part of ye ould bridge and also ye liberty of making a dam across sª river for his own use for ye flooding and stopping of water for ye use of a mill or mills not damnifying ye highway nor ye town of Salisbury nor any other dam or dams, mill or mills." The water-power here was gradually being turned to account by the many mills on the stream.

The West Parish bought land of Captain Foot or John Foot, Jr., for a burying-place, and also two hundred and ten rods of land for a training-field. This last lot now lays common near the cemetery on Church Street.

1732. The Rev. Mr. Wingate received a supply of thirty cords of wood for his year's use, it being the usual quantity furnished.

1734. An effort was made by the town to establislı a free school ; and John Blasdell, Representative to the General Court, was instructed to petition that body for a grant of land for that purpose ; but as no school was set up, it is safe to infer that the effort met with poor success.

At the May session of the General Court a very stringent law was passed in regard to fishing in the Merrimac River. People had, hitherto, been allowed to set up " wears, hedges, fish-garths, stakes, kiddles or other incumbrances," but these were all forbidden under a penalty of £50 for the first offense, and £100 for all subsequent offenses. This was, probably, the first attempt to regulate the river fishing. Salisbury early exercised authority over the Powow, but the Merrimac was free.

Rev. Thomas Wells died July 10th, in his eighty- eighth year. He was born at Ipswich, January 11,

1647, and was a son of Dr. Thomas Wells, who died in 1655, while Thomas was a mere boy. Some provi- sion was made for his education, so that he studied for the ministry and was called to settle in Amesbury, next after Mr. Hubbard. ITis life-work was here, and during his long pastorate of sixty-two years he labored faithfully for the good of his people. He married Miss Mary Parker, of Newbury, by whom he had seven sons and three daughters. His residence was close by the High School building, where his well may yet be seen and his favorite flowers-the lilacs-still bloom. He was buried very nearly where the little church stood in which he preached for more than forty years.

1735. The town voted to join with Newbury in pe- titioning the Court of Sessions to establish a ferry at Savage's Rock, but the petition was not granted. Application was then made to the Quarter Court in September, and the request was granted.

On the 13th of October a town-meeting was held, when it was " voted to have our county of Essex di- vided into two counties," and Representative Blasdell was instructed to present the matter to the General Court. No reasons are given for this sudden move- ment.

1736. A new road was opened this year, along the river bank from Clapboard Landing to Cottle's Land- ing, " to encourage trade and for the conveancy for traveling." The owners gave the land for this much- needed way.

1737. A new move was made this year, looking to the erection of a house for idle persons, by the towns in this vicinity ; but not receiving support from other towns, nothing was accomplished.

Wolves were even at this late day becoming trouble- some, and a bounty of forty shillings was offered for each one killed.

A road was laid out through land of Thomas Hoyt to the "ould forte," for which the land damage was £100.

1739. At the annual meeting it was " voted to give unto David Blasdell ours ye towns Meeting-house Bell." Mr. Blasdell was a clock-maker, and may have used this ancient bell for casting clock bells.

Dr. Nathan Huse is first taxed in the West Parish this year.

1740. The prominent event of this year was ton- neling the pond ridge. This singular geological formation of sharp ridges, extending in one continn- ous and nearly unbroken line from the Ferry Hill, far into Newton, N. H., has ever been to the student of nature a great curiosity. Its general course is north- west, and stretching along through the Great Swamp, passing the pond, it still continues its well-defined course, slightly broken by some pre-historic cause near the late Thomas Colby's, sufficiently to afford the only outlet which Kimball's Pond originally had. It then passes into Newton, and is there known as Pine Hill. On the early record this break is termed

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the " terrormost end of ye pond ridge." A large tract of meadow land lay near the pond's mouth, almost worthless from stagnant water.

To improve and render valuable this waste tract, the project of tunneling was undertaken by Orlando Bagley, Esq., and Capt. Caleb Pilsbury. Having ob- tained leave of the town, a favorable locality was selected where the base of the ridge contracts some- what, and the work of excavating a tunnel or drain was commenced and carried through to completion. This opened a short, direct route through to Powow River, which in its winding course comes near the ridge.

The road and landing at the river (now Merrimac Port), were bounded out and described as being given by Capt. John Sargent and Deacon Thomas Stevens, whose houses the road passed.

1741. The subject of an almshouse, in common with Salisbury and Newbury, was again brought up and approved by the town ; but as before, it failed of ac- complishment. The town was heartily tired of the old system of putting out the poor and would gladly have established a more humane practice.

Orlando Bagley and his son, Jonathan, petitioned for leave to build a wharf fifty feet wide, on the flats between Gideon Lowell's wharf and Timothy Cur- rier's, from the bank to the channel of Powow River, and was granted the privilege.

1742. The plan of building a common almshouse having failed, it was determined to establish one at home. For this purpose a meeting was held in Feb- ruary, and the plan adopted. The house of John Bartlett was secured, and he was chosen master, to take care of those entrusted to him and keep them to work. This was the first almshouse or workhouse in town.

1743. Rev. Edmund March, of the First Church, was dismissed this year by a council held at his house, and the Rev. Elisha Odlin was settled in his stead. The parish was badly in debt, owing Mr. Marsh nearly £400. In a financial point of view, Mr. Marsh's ministry was not a success.

1744. Deacon Abraham Merrill, of the West Parish, died September 26th. He was born in Newbury, and lived opposite Pleasant Valley until nearly sixty years of age. About 1722 he removed to the West Parish with his three sons-Abraham, Isaac and Jacob-and two daughters. When the church was or- ganized in 1726 he was chosen deacon.

1745. The East Parish built a house for the use of the minister this year, costing £65 178. 6d.

For many years there has been a few church people in town, and not far from this date a meeting-house was built at the Pond Hills, on the lot known as the "old church-yard."

The Rev. Matthias Plant, of Newbury, was their first minister, and in a letter written this year says,- " You will not think it amiss if I inform you that I have a pretty church at Amesbury, on the other side

of the Merrimac River. I gave a calf towards a din- ner for the men who raised it, and £5 this currency for nails towards shingling it. I was going to send for glass to England for it, but, this unhappy quarrel arising, I forebore, but it is worthy of the notice of that venerable body. I have preached there for many years in a house before the church was built, and since in the church, where I had a numerous congregregation." Samuel Weed and William Pressey are mentioned as churchmen as early as 1716, and George Worthen in 1722.

1746. The first by-laws of which any record is found were passed this year, and approved by the Court of Sessions. The penalty for violating them was twenty-five shillings, which was given to the poor.

1747. King George's War involved the colonies in a very expensive conflict with the French and In- dians in Canada, which resulted after a protracted siege in the capture of Louisbourg. This year the order-book has the following :

" March 24, 1747, Ordered to Stephen Barnard, being in ye service at cape Brittain. ...

£1 48. 6d. To Jacob Bagley, Jr., being in captivity. 260 To Jacob Bagley being rated for a vessel that wastaken 1 13 9 "

Amesbury men served in all the old French wars each town being required to furnish their quota.

William Whicher was given leave to set up a brick- yard "near the Button tree," at the town-landing at the Buttonwood. How long Mr. Whicher continued in the business is not known, but, judging by the ex- tensive excavation, there must have been a great many bricks made. It was favorably situated for boating to a market, which was the easiest convey- ance at this date. Two other yards on the Button- wood Road were formerly worked, indicating an ex- tensive business in this vicinity.

The " Button tree " was a bound next the Bradstreet farm, and was mentioned in 1703, which shows it to be a very ancient tree.

Rev. Matthias Plant received £15 Ils. 2d. from the parish rate on account of the church men, of whom the following is a list: John Bartlett, Ehod Bartlett, Frank Bartlett, William Currier, John Huntington, Samuel Huntington, Jonathan Huntington, Gideon Lowell, Samuel Lowell, John Hook and Batt Moul- ton. Their full tax was £20 38. 6d. out of £879.

1748. The old road over the Ferry Hill was this year exchanged with Gideon Lowell (so far as went through liis land) for two pieces of landing at Powow River.

1749. For many years the paper money has been growing of less value each succeeding year, till it now becomes necessary to designate in all deeds and con- tracts what money is meant. "Old tenor" was the depreciated paper in general use.

1750. The want of a bridge over the Powow at the Ferry had long been felt, and now some of the prominent men there and at the Point came forward

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and offered to build one without expense to the town, provided leave is given. There is some evidence which goes to show that a bridge was built within a few years of this date. If built, it was not an expen- sive structure, like bridges of the present day, but of wood, with a draw, no doubt, as vessels were then freely passing up and down the Powow River.

Joseph Bartlett was granted land for a lime-kiln under the bank at Powow River. Lime was then made from clam-shells, which were found in large mounds on the shcre below Ring's Island.

1751. Theodore Hoyt and Thomas Colby petitioned for a piece of land near Gideon Lowell's wharf for a ship-yard, and to set a work-house on. Ship-building was good, and other yards were occupied. The peti- tion was granted.

1752. Rev. Elisha Odlin died in the early part of the year, and his widow Judith was appointed admin- istratrix of his estate. The town voted Mrs. Odlin a present of twenty pounds. Rev. Mr. Wiburd sup- plied the pulpit the remainder of the year.

1753. Dr. Robert Rogers died April 28th, and was buried at the Plain Cemetery. He lived at the river, and probably in the house owned and occupied by the late David Sargent.

1754. Thomas Bagley was chosen town clerk in place of Orlando Bagley, Esq., who had grown old in the service. For nearly forty-two years he had faithfully performed the duties of the office. He was a very prominent business man, holding courts and officiating at a great many marriages.

This year closes the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Wi- burd, and begins the labors of Rev. Thomas Hibbert. He was from Kittery, Maine, and during the early part of his ministry was quite popular.

1755. On the 18th of November there was a shock of an earthquake, which Richard Kelley, in his diary, describes as follows :

"1755, November ye 18, it being Tuesday abont 4 o'clock in the morn- ing, was an exceeding shock of ye earthquake, which shook me nere as much as that in ye yere 1727, October 29, but ye noise was not so loud ; it continned a great while, I think the longest that ever I herd in all my life and just as ye day brake there was another but nothing so hard as ye former and I have herd it every day since to yo 22d day of sd month."

The French and Indians were very troublesome, and the colonies were obliged to keep an army in the field for many years. This town furnished about forty soldiers for Kennebec, Minis and Crown Point.

1756. The colonial forces were operating at several points along the Canadian frontier, hoping to reduce some strongholds and finally secure a lasting peace. Capt. Worthen and his company were at Lake George, and several of his men died there. A strong force was sent to the Bay of Fundy, under Col. Monson, which soon reduced the two principal forts there, and Arcadia fell into the hands of the English, The result of this victory was such as the world seldom witnessed. The peaceable inhabitants were assem- bled in various places, under false pretences, to the

number of twelve thousand, and some seven thousand of them were hurried on board of the ships and brought to the colonies, where, by order of the author- ities they were scattered among the towns for sup- port. Several of them were quartered on Amesbury, where for years they were cared for by the town, under the name of " French neutrals." Very few of them ever reached home-Joseph Busway and his daughter dying here in 1764.

Orlando Bagley, Esq., died May 3d. He was grand- son to Orlando (1st), who married Sarah, daughter of Anthony Colby. He owned the farm at the Pond Ilills, where Albert C. Hill lives. He was nearly ten years old when his father arrested and carried to Salem Susanna Martin, to be tried for her life on the charge of witchcraft. He was a very able and active man, holding many offices in town for a period of more than forty years. He succeeded Thomas Cur- rier in the clerk's office, which he held for about forty-two years.

1757. The East Parish bought one acre and a half of the " Vane lot" at Sandy Hill, of Col. Jonathan Bagley, for a meeting-house lot. The house was built at the parsonage before the division into par- ishes ; but the population having largely increased at the Ferry and Mills, it was proposed to remove and enlarge it for the convenience of the majority. But it was not till 1761 that this plan was carried into effect.

David Blasdell, the elockmaker, gunsmith, black- smith, trader, etc., died at Lake George, whither he had gone as armorer with the forces stationed there. He was very much of a genius, readily turning his hand to almost any branch of business.

Early in the season a call was made for soldiers, and Capt. George Worthen being in high favor with the royal Governor, impressed twelve men, most of whom procured substitutes. Later in the season (Au- gust 15th) a draft was made from the second company (Jamaco) of twenty-four men. The first company fared no better, having a very large number im- pressed and drafted. These recruits marched away August 16th, to join the main army under Lord Loudon, destined to fight the French and Indians at the Lakes. But when near Worcester, news of the fall of Fort William Henry reached them, and owing to the lateness of the season, they were allowed to return home.

1758. William Bayley, having contracted to build a large ship, asked the town for some land " near the stern of his ship one rod," his reason for the request being that "from his yard is sumthing difficult to launch." His request was granted.

Lord Loudon again collected an army to subdue the French, and Amesbury was called upon to supply men for the campaign, Captain Kelley's company, by enlistment, furnished twenty men, and no doubt the East Parish company enlisted as many more.

1759. The French and Indian War still continues,

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and preparations are making at Lake George to prose- cute it with vigor this season. Batteaux were being built at the Lakes, and some sixteen men went there to work. Several men were in Captain Sikes' and Bayley's companies from Amesbury.

The roads were this year repaired by a rate of £40, and the wages were, for each man, 28. per day ; for cach man and yoke of oxen, 38. 6d .; for each man, yoke of oxen and cart or plow, 48.

1760. Small-pox, the scourge of early times, made its appearance in town, causing very general alarm. Two pest-houses were provided-one in the East Parish and one in the West. It seems to have been prevalent in all sections of the town.

Captain Robert Sargent was now running a fulling- mill at South Amesbury. the town abating the taxes on it. Very likely it stood on the stream where, at a much later date, the tannery was built.

William Whicher, who was granted the privilege of making bricks at the Buttonwood in 1747, now asks the privilege of a small piece of land, there to set a house, stating that not much lumber was brought there. The result does not appear on the record.

1761. The meeting-house at the parsonage was taken down and removed to Sandy Hill, where a lot was bought in 1757. Having stood at the parsonage forty-six years, it was now destined to be rebuilt nearer the centre of the population. It was enlarged and greatly improved in style of architecture. The internal finish was highly ornamental. It stood at Sandy Hill eighty-seven years, when it was sold and entirely demolished.

1762. At this period vessels could hardly be built as fast as wanted, although the shore was dotted with ship-yards for miles. Theodore Hoyt proposed set- ting up a new yard, and the town readily granted him liberty to do so, he keeping the bank-wall in repair. This yard was on the Powow River, and not far from the store of Daniel Worthen & Son.

At a very early period a log house stood near where "Swett's shop " now stands, and was mentioned when the Ferry road was laid out, in 1719. This may have been the William Huntington place, given him by his father (Bailey ) in 1650.

1767. The French prisoners were this year allowed to return to their homes in Arcadia, the town giving them fifteen dollars to help them on their way. They were prisoners here for eleven years, receiving help, to some extent, annually, during that time, and when setting out on their long journey home, the town paid Stephen Bartlett, Jr., £3 to " transport them " to some point not stated on the record.

The F'erry now appears to be the busiest section of the town, and the town land was in good demand. Moses Chase was granted a small lot near Theodore Hoyt's ship-yard to build a hat-shop on. Marchant Cleaves also obtained a lot next to Chase's for a tailor-shop, and Eli Gale was granted a lot for "a

large blacksmith-shop," thus occupying this seem- ingly worthless steep bank on the Powow.

1768. Ichabod March received liberty to build a house on the spot where the meeting-house stood, on the corner of the Martin road, and there are yet some living who remember this gambrel-roof cottage, which went to decay about 1815.

1769. A sad event happened, on the 16th of April, by the upsetting of two boats on the bar. Fishing out over the bar in open boats had from the first been common, supplying an important article of food to the surrounding country. At this time Philip Gould, John Gould, Samuel Blasdell and Moses Currier went out in the evening, as was customary in those times, in company with another boat, but in returning, both boats were swamped on the bar.

1771. The unpopularity of the royal government was growing more apparent every year, as taxes were constantly increasing, the province rates amounting to as much as the town rate, frequently ; and, taken together, imposed a heavy burden on the people. An address to the Governor was ordered at the May meet- ing, and Isaac Merrill, Jonathan Bagley and Thomas Rowell, Esq., were chosen to prepare the document. No doubt this address was designed to set forth some wrongs and ask redress. Every infringement of the people's rights now meets with determined remon- strance. The beginning of stirring times is at hand.

Timothy Barnard was given leave to build a wharf on the Mills flats at the foot of the falls to lay lum- ber on.

1773. On the 14th of Angust occurred the most violent tornado ever known in this vicinity. Al- though not lasting more than three minutes, it damaged or destroyed about two hundred buildings, which came within its course. Two vessels were removed twenty feet from the stocks, one of which was about ninety tons, and Captain Smith was killed. Its extent was about one-quarter of a mile in width and a mile and a half in length, near the river, in this vicinity. The damage at the Ferry was very great.1

1774. The people were now organizing throughout the colony, and making all necessary preparations for open resistance in case of any emergency. A town- meeting was held and £2 8s. 7d. appropriated for the Committee of Correspondence, which will soon be found the chief managers of political affairs. Gov- ernor Gage dissolved the refractory General Court and commenced fortifying Boston.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 129

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1672

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672