History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

HISTORY OF AMESBURY. 339
zilla Lombard and David Currier" limited to the height of the
dam at the Pond's mouth.* Manufacturing had already become
an important branch of business at the Mills, and the above
shows the number of companies in the village.
The "Amesbury flannel Manufacturing Company" was incorporated
this year with a capital of $200,000, and annually made
fifteen hundred pieces of flannel, containing forty-six yards each,
five thousand pieces of satinet, containing twenty-five yards each,
and employed one hundred and sixty operatives. Joshua Aubin,
Esq., was the agent.
1823.
This year the hotel at the Mills, now known as the American
house, was built by Mr. John Oilman. The old wooden build-
ing, which had been occupied by Mr. Daniel Long as a tavern,
was removed to make room for the new brick building that was
needed for the accommodation of the village.
The general muster was this year held at Rowley and embraced
a full brigade, as in 181 7. The regimental muster, which was
formerly held on Benjamin Merrill's plain, Brown's hill, Salis-
bury, the plain at the middle cemetery, West Amesbury, or at
the plain below the chain bridge in Newbury, was superceded
by the one muster of the entire brigade. This year the town
gave the soldiers fifty cents each towards their expenses.
April 7th. John Blaisdell was drowned in the Merrimac river
by the upsetting of his boat.
Feb. 28th. Pegg, a black woman, died at the Pond Hills.
1824
The common land near the house of Joseph Merrill, where
the meeting-house stood, and subsequently the house of Col.
March, was this year sold to David Currier.
A portion of the landing at the Mills was, also, sold to the
Amesbury Flannel company, of which Joshua Aubin was agent.
The necessity of a bridge across the river at the Ferry was
pretty freely discussed, and Robert Patten, Esq., and others, by the
approval of the town, petitioned the General Court for a char-
ter.
* Colby papers.