History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

HISTORY OF AMESBURY. 219
Dr. Robert Rogers died April 28th, and was buried at the
Plain cemetery. He lived in the West parish and, probably, at
the River village, and it may have been in the house owned and
occupied for many years by the late David Sargent.
Patience Weed ( Martin ) swept the East parish meeting
house from 1745 to 1753.
At this time there were several families of Kimballs living at
the Pond, and we find the names of Abraham, Joseph, John
and Widow Hannah on the tax list. The name in that vicinity
has long since become extinct, but several old cellars are yet
to be seen where they may have lived.
The Friends have been greatly annoyed by the Brentwood
people since the meeting was allowed there, and this year a
complaint is made that " several persons, men and women are
speaking at one time in your meetings also saluting each other
men and women, old and young pretending it to be a kiss of
charity—which will prove of ill consequences if you continue
therein." The directing spirits of the meeting at Amesbury and
Hampton were devoted to plain, sincere worship, and labored
most faithfully to keep the order free from all corrupt influences.
But theirs was a hard duty to perform, requiring great patience
and much sound judgment. They were, however, increasing in
numbers and establishing meetings in all the surrounding towns.
But Brentwood's meeting was taken away for a while and, also,
Stratham's.
1754.
A new clerk was chosen this year, probably from inability on
the part of Orlando Bagley, Esq., who had served so faithfully
for nearly forty-two years.
Thomas Rowell, Esq., Capt. John Sargent and Jacob Bagley
were chosen "to deliver the town books and other papers belong-
ing to the town to the s d Thomas Bagley, without any cost
to y e town."
The town "voted to allow Capt. George Worthen, David
Clough and Isaac Merrill fore and twenty shillings for looking
over the town books and settling with y e ould constables."
The General Court recently passed a law granting his Majesty