The Sterling genealogy

WILLIAM STERLING OF HAVERHILL, MASS. 251
ing twenty-seven persons and capturing thirteen. The first house
attacked was the home of Thomas Duston of whose heroic ex-
ploits and those of his wife, who was captured and carried away,
much has been written. (Hist, of Haverhill, George W. Chase,
1861.) No further attack was made that year, but in 1698
two men were killed and a son of each was captured.
Haverhill experienced considerable difficulty in securing a
sawmill and gristmill satisfactory to the needs of its people.
In December, 1651, permission was granted to build a sawmill
on " Thomas Hales river " (Little River) and a corn-mill was
established as early as 1665. Mar. 7, 1671, the town voted that
" John Haseltine or any other man hae free liberty to build a
mill . . . either upon west riuer (Little River) called saw-mill
river or upon east meadow river." These mills were so insuffi-
cient that in 1675 the town voted to prosecute the owners of the
sawmill for non-fulfillment of their contract and in 1678 permis-
sion was given Richard Bartlett of Amesbury to erect a saw-
mill " on the North meadow river." In 1683 Stephen Dalton
built a corn-mill and a party of four men secured permission
to set a sawmill on Merries creek.
In 1692, Joseph Peasely erected a sawmill on a stream by
or near " Brandy Brow." The location selected was the one still
occupied. A gristmill was built in 1694 by Samuel Currier and
Joseph Greeley on East Meadow River and was operated for
many years.
We may quote verbatim from the town records regarding
William Sterling's interest in milling and other matters:
" 1684. According to the manner of voting for Selectmen,
this day agreed upon and ordered ; Ensign Thomas Eatton, Sergeant
John Johnson, Daniel Lead, Jr., Josiah Gage and William
Starlin are chosen Selectmen for the year ensuing."
" Daniel Ela and William Starlin making a proffer to the
Town, as by their Bills then given in to the Moderator, to sell
their Livings, house and land, for a situation for a Minister or
the Ministry ; Lieut. Brown, Corporal Peter Ayer and Thomas
Whittier are chosen and appointed to treat with the said Ela and
Starlin, in the time of intermission before the afternoon, to understand
their terms and proposals, and in the afternoon to
make report of them both to the Town, so that the Town ac-