History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

[56 HISTORY OF AMESBURY.
ox-carts. The Indians were, also, on the war path, watching
every opportunity to glut their savage vengeance. The way from
Jamaco was long and in places dangerous to the little church
at the burying ground, and very truly old people could not ride
on horseback so far with safety, and it was a wise measure to
appoint meetings nearer home. Scholars were, also, in great
danger when going through the woods, as they were obliged to
do, and changing to accommodate different localities was a wise
precaution. Our fathers could hardly sit under their own vine
with none to molest or make them afraid.
At the representative meeting in May the town gave the
selectmen leave to lay out a highway to "James Creek" if they
thought advisable. This was, probably, from the six rod road
near Thomas Page's to Pressey's creek, or on the west side
from the steep bank to this ( then James' ) creek.
Mary, wife of Thomas Currier, sen., (town clerk) died this
year and also Robert Ring, who was, probably, a son of the
first Robert, of Salisbury.
From an early period there had been a few Friends in Ames-
bury and Salisbury, and in 1699 a minister from England held
a meeting at the house of Samuel Weed, there being no meet-
ing house nearer than the one built at Hampton in 1701. This
year the Friends in this vicinity made a move towards building
a house to worship in and the Hampton monthly meeting chose
a committee of two to look out a location suitable for the pur-
pose. This committee subsequently reported that a piece of
land could be had, and the whole matter was left in their hands
to carry out the minds of Friends at "Salisbury, Amesbury and
Gemaco." Thomas Barnard gave the lot and it was, according
to tradition, situated on Friend street, near No. 8 mill. Thomas
Challis, who opposed the minister's rate last year and, also,
paying Samuel Colby for ringing the bell, was one of this com-
mittee. Thus the Friends were gradually gaining in numbers
and becoming of importance in town.
The first marriage recorded among this order took place this
year at the house of Thomas Barnard, where a meeting was
held for the occasion. The parties were John Peaslee, grand-