History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

Q2 HISTORY OF AMESBURV.
Well may the people of the town cling fondly to the name
which has come down to them from the pre-historic time of
the Druids, Arthur and the Round Table, and which the great
poet of the century has embalmed in his immortal verse."
1668.
The Prudential men were authorized to order all affairs,
excepting the disposing of land and timber and commencing
suits at law.
Phillip Challis, William Osgood and Richard Currier were
chosen commissioners to end small cases.
" At the same metting it is agreed that the minister shall
have all that is giveing in by contrybushon besides his dieght."
Although the town had been incorporated two years, yet no
name had been passed upon until the April session of the
General Court, when the name voted in 1667 was confirmed
and "Emesbury" made the legal name.
The town petitioned the General Court for leave to keep a
ferry over the river, " about Mr. Goodins house," * and had
leave to do so ; but the appointing of the ferry-man and price
was left to the county court, which decided as follows :
"The County Court held at Hampton y e 13th of y e 8th mo 1668
Mr. Edward Goodwin being presented by y e Selectmen of y e
town of Amesbury to y e Court to keep y e ferry over Merrimack
river above y e mouth of y e Powous river where y e s d
Goodwin now dwelleth this Court do allow & approve of y e s d
person for one year next following and until y e Court shall take
further orders there in and for y e prices to be as followeth so
for every single passenger, two pence, for a horse and man six
pence and for all great cattle four pence per head & for sheep
and other small cattle under two years old two pence p r head."
On the 1 8th of February a meeting was held which may
with propriety be designated as the great la?id meeting. One
hundred lots were disposed of in four divisions of twenty-five
lots each. The first division was on Whittier's hill, the second
was in the vicinity of the pond ridge, the third was between
the pond and " Borcheng medow," and the fourth was to begin
*At Mrs. Babb's.
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