History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

138 HISTORY OF AMESBURY.
The Indians were very troublesome at this time, notwithstand-
ing Sir William Phipps, the governor, had tried every means to
bring them over to the English. Especially after his death,
which took place at London (whither he had been summoned
by the king to answer to the accusation of his enemies ) on February
1 8th, 1694 or 1695. These eastern Indians now made
descents upon nearly all the towns, committing murders, carry-
ing off the inhabitants into captivity not much better than death,
and burning and destroying wherever they went.
"Sept. 4. Mr. Joseph Pike of Newbury Deputy Sheriff of
Essex travelling with one Long between Amesbury and Haver-
hill in execution of the duties of his office fell into an ambus-
cade of the enemy, and both he and his companion were mur-
dered." This murder was said to have been committed on the
ridge near Oilman Merrill's, a little west of the brook which
crosses the road.
All the towns in the vicinity of Portsmouth, N. H., suffered
severely, as did most eastern towns.
It may have been at this time that one Rowell, who was a
mail carrier between Newbury and Portsmouth, was killed in
Patten's hollow. The date of the murder is uncertain, as our
only authority is tradition.
The bounds of John Weed's ten-acre lot at the "Indian
ground" was defined this year, as follows: "East by the town
highway, on y e south Merrimack river, on y e West with y e land
of Edmond Eliot, on y e North with y e lots of Samuel Foot,
Walter Taylor and William Huntington." This lot is now owned
by Thomas Page, where his barn sets, and here the famous
Indian mortar was found worked out in a rock that would weigh
a ton or more, and large enough for the use of the whole Indian
village.
1695.
From the following vote it would seem that people felt but
little interest in town meetings and that they were very thinly
attended :
—
"Voted that all those that are towns men and freemen that
have liberty to vote in y e town affires as y e law directs shall attend