History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

HISTORY OF AMESBURY. 357
meeting-house this year, which was located where the present
church stands.
The Universalist society at West Amesbury settled Rev. J. S.
Barry as their pastor this year.
On the 7th of October Rev. Seth H. Keeler was dismissed
from the pastorate of the Congregational church and society
at the Mills.
1840,
Appropriations: Schools, $1500; Poor, etc. $2500 ; Highways,
$1200. At the annual meeting a committee was chosen to con-
sider the expediency of selling the poor-farm. It was located
on Saunders' hill, and the soil was wet and heavy, which ren-
dered it unfit for old people to work on, and hence the neces-
sity of selling it.
April 6th. A meeting was held and the selectmen were
instructed to sell the farm.
The necessity of a Town House was beginning to be felt,
and at the annual meeting a committee was chosen to consider
the matter and report a suitable location. But at the April
meeting the town voted to take no action in regard to the
matter, and the subject was dropped temporarily.
The White Hall road having been widened and straightened
to the New Hampshire line by the commissioners, the selectmen
were ordered to work and repair the same.
The proprietors of the Essex "Merrimac bridge having peti-
tioned for an extension of their charter, the town authorized the
selectmen to employ counsel to defeat the petition.
This year is more specially known for the " hard cider cam-
paign" and election of William Henry Harrison to the Presi-
dency. The vote in Amesbury was 493, being the largest ever
cast. Harrison had 269, Van Buren 213, and the Abolition
ticket 11.
Sept. 1 6th. Rev. Samuel H. Merrill was installed as pastor
over the Congregational church and society at the Mills.
A porch and spire was this year built to the Congregational
church at the Mills at an expense of about $1500.
Mr. James H. Davis opened a school in the Academy this