History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

Io8 HISTORY OF AMESBURY.
1681.
The bounds of land was ordered to be renewed this year
and a complete return made in the book of records ; and had
the book been carefully preserved, it would have been very val-
uable at the present time. But the careless treatment during
two hundred years, which it has evidently received, has resulted
in the loss of portions of valuable record.
1682.
At this period it was difficult to find persons willing to serve
as selectmen. The first board chosen this year declined, and
at an adjourned meeting, Richard Currier was fined i s. for
refusing to serve, and several others when chosen declined.
What the real cause of this singular course was, we have no
means of knowing ; but it is certain that the pay of town offi-
cers at this time was mere nothing.
George Martyn, Robert Jones and John Prowse were appointed
to lay out the peeke land.
An ancient plan found in the commissioner's office at Salem,
made in 1715, shows that the "peeke" was not then wholly
laid out. This plan, also, shows that there was a regular sys-
tem of lotting the town from the first. All farms and lots were
laid with right angles, making squares or rectangles.
It is evident by the following deposition that the saw mill was
yet in order and doing its work as at first :
"The deposition of Richard Currier, aged about sixty-six
yeares, testyfieth that I kep a Sawe Mill at Amesbury neare unto
the Sawe Mill that do belong unto Salsbury upon the seam
river and I have sawin this Spring about five or six thousand
foot of bord a weeke for three months together, and doe Swere
that y e Sawe Mill that do belong unto Salsbury is no waies
inferior to the mill at Amesbury and have ben as well improved,
and further saith that the Saw mills did sett about four month
but had not a full hed of water."
September 25th, 1682.
1683.
The little burying ground was found insufficient for public-
convenience and the town chose a committee to make an
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