History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

HISTORY OF AMESBURY. 20 7
The selectmen were ordered to procure standard weights and
measures for the town's use.
Rev. Elisha Odlin first appears in town this year, in July, as
the following, from the East parish record, shows :
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" Ordered to Capt. John Currier for boarding Mr. Odlin and
keeping his hors, and troble, from y e 22 of July to y e 22 of
February, twenty pounds, old tenor."
Rev. Edmund March, the colleague of Mr. Wells from 1723
or near that time, was dismissed in the early part of the year
by a council held at his house. The parish was in debt to
Mr. March, and in February, 1744, paid him ^300, old tenor,
which partially settled his account. A note of £86 was also
paid about this time, and it looks as though the parish was
badly in debt during the last of his ministry.
Nathaniel Hunt and Nathan Barnard were " taken under the
watch and care " of the Friends' monthly meeting, October 20th,
1 743-
1744.
Sept. 26. Deacon Abraham Merrill died. He was born in
Newbury and lived across the river opposite Pleasant valley,
until he was sixty years of age, when, with his three sons, (and,
probably, two daughters,) he came to Amesbury and located in
the West parish, about 1722. When the second church was
organized, in 1726, he was chosen deacon, which office he held
till his death. The church record has the following :
"March 10, 1745. The brethren of the church being desired
to stop after divine service, the pastor first mentioned the death
of good old Deacon Merrill."
He must have been at this time more than eighty years of
age. He was frequently sent as messenger to other churches,
and served as selectman in 1726.
To pay the expense attending the ordination of Mr. Odlin
last year, a rate of ^42, 13 s., 4 d., old tenor, was assessed
upon the parish February 8th. This was rather expensive for a
parish already somewhat in debt.
The cause of Mr. March's dismission last year is nowhere
stated definitely, but is spoken of as "the affair" betwixt him