History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

170 HISTORY OF AMESBURY.
June 15th. Hannah Fowler, wife of Thomas Fowler, died.
Sept. 27th. Widow Mary Challis died.
Dec. 1 6th. Jeremiah Davis died.
1717.
The annual meeting was held in the old meeting-house,
which may have been uncomfortable, and the few in attend-
ance adjourned to the house of Elizabeth Colby, to meet in a
quarter of an hour. Elizabeth was the wife of Samuel Colby,
if he was living, but the vote would rather look as though he
was dead.
Before completing the whole business the meeting was again
adjourned, to the house of Thomas Challis, on the 15th inst.,
This was an accommodation to the west part of the town, as
Mr. Challis lived near Sandy brook, just west of Daniel F.
Morrill's.
Upon reassembling "The town then met did vote and chuse
Thomas Challis for to finish our school house that is already
raised according to his best judgment by y° time before men-
tioned at y e town's coast."
Instead of hiring a master to " wright and sifer," as formerly,
the town chose Left. Currier and Left. Stevens to hire a
" grammar school master and school dames for y e use of s d
town." The good cause is slowly but surely progressing. The
people are doing all they can for its advance.
The meeting-house was not yet completed and the town
voted that those having leave to build pews should do so with-
in twelve months or lose the privilege, excepting Mr. Wells.
The pulpit and deacons' pew seem to have been completed as
the meeting proceeded to seat some of the most prominent
men—Capt. Barnard, Capt. Foot and Ensign Orlando Bagley,
sen., were "set in y e front seate at y e table." Capt. Chandler,
Left. Currier, Ensign Hoyt and Cornet Blasdell were " to set at
y e table in that seate next y° pulpit. Thomas Stevens and Sargent
John Kimball are to set w th y e deacons, and also Joseph
Lanckester, sen."
The town voted to give Mr. Wells the old meeting-house,
and it is probable that it was torn down and wholly disappeared