History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

HISTORY OF AMESBURY. 157
son of Joseph Peaslee, who gave the General Court much
trouble many years ago by his persistency in preaching, and
Mary Martin, granddaughter of George Martin. This marriage
was signed by forty-seven witnesses.
1706.
For the first time the selectmen are ordered to make a rate
to pay the school-master, and this places the educational inter-
ests on a firm basis.
Nothing is said or done in regard to Indian troubles, which
were so threatening last year, and it is presumed that the fright
had passed away.
The town voted that "y e town is willing that Mr. Wells
should goe to Jamaco on third of y e Sabath days this year as
he did the last yeare."
Thomas Sargent, sen., son of William Sargent, died this year,
aged sixty-two years. He was born at Salisbury on the Mud-
noc road, so called, June nth, 1643, and was an active, capable
man. He served as selectman five years and held many
other important offices. It is probable that he lived near Bear
hill.
The saddest event of the year was the death of the Weed
family. Sarah, wife of Nathaniel Weed, and her three child-
ren : John, Daniel and Sarah, died in one day, the 4th ot
July. Their death resulted from an epidemic commonly denom-
inated "Throat distemper," which appears to have been very
fatal at this time. It was a fearful sight : in that house of
mourning lay four of the family, the mother beside her darlings,
the oldest of whom was less than three years, all clad in the
habiliments of the grave, and all borne away to return no more
to that hitherto happy home.
The father returned with a heavy heart ; they were his all
he had no more of whom death could rob him. All was gone
in a day. The impression on the public mind was such as to
cause this terrible affliction to be handed down from generation
to generation, until the present time. The record, also, con-
firms its truth. Mr. Weed lived near the late Ephraim Merrill's
;