History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

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HISTORY OF AMESBURY.
Bell's meeting-house, but before proceeding to business an ad-
journment was ordered to widow Esther Colby's. It may have
been a cold day and a little of her warm flip would be very
acceptable and comforting. The few in attendance thought it
advisable to adjourn again, and this time to meet on the 2 2d
at the West meeting house. Strange as it may seem the privilege
of voting for the first president did not awaken much
enthusiasm, and the meeting was again adjourned back to Mr.
Bell's meeting house on the 23d. With all this accommodation
the two electors only received 22 votes each, and the repre-
sentative to Congress 24.
The West parish meeting house dedicated last year but not
wholly completed, was painted this year, and it required 33 2-3
bushels of flax seed to make the " oyl." Deacon Orlando Sar-
gent and Capt. Robert Rogers made the oil and received^i, 4 s. 6 d.
for their services. At this time there were oil mills in town and
linseed oil was made at home. It was customary for every
farmer to raise flax, and few if any neglected to do so.
1789.
This year is specially noted for the visit of President Wash-
ington to Amesbury while on his northern tour. On leaving
Newburyport he passed up High street to the ancient ferry oppo-
site Amesbury, where he crossed the Merrimac, landing at the
foot of the court between the houses of Nathan Nutter and
Jonathan Morrill ( the latter then being the tavern of Ebenezer
Pearson ) and passed up to the main street. The north side
of the street, where the block now stands, was then an open
field and was lined with soldiers to receive his Excellency.
According to tradition there was a foreign vessel lying in the
stream with her flag floating above the stars and stripes, which
was noticed by Washington. Numbers immediately rushed to
their boats and in a few moments the flag was hauled to the
deck, leaving the American flag above all, as it should have
been at first. From the Ferry he crossed the Powow river,
passing through the Point to Rocky Hill, where several com-
panies of soldiers were drawn up to receive him. A soldier
who stood in the ranks that day informed me " that he passed