History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

3$4 HISTORY OF AMESBURY.
Rev. Leander Thompson, of the West Amesbury Congrega-
tional church, was dismissed May 2d.
Rev. E. A. Rand was dismissed from the pastorate of the
Congregational church and society at the Mills May 3d, and
Rev. W. F. Bacon was ordained September 26th.
April 5th. A Baptist church was this day organized at West
Amesbury.
Rev. John Brady was assigned to the pastorate of the Catho-
lic church the present May.
Cyrus Blaisdell, son of James Blaisdell, jr., at the Ferry, was
found dead on the morning of June 15th on the hill north of
Pleasant Valley. He went out gunning the day before, and,
getting over the wall, his gun was accidently discharged, killing
him instantly, it was thought.
1868.
At a meeting held June 30th, Aubin street was accepted as
a public highway. Also, a part of the landing at the Ferry
was sold to the Merrimac Hat Company. The selectmen were,
also, ordered to sell the town's wood land in the West parish
and to purchase a pasture for the town's use. A large tract of
pasture and wood land was accordingly purchased of Page Ring,
lying near the house of Moses Flanders in Southampton, N. H.
It was a wise exchange.
The town being unable to purchase land to enlarge the East
End cemetery, directed the selectmen to petition the commis-
sioners to lay out the lot owned by Patrick Spillane as a cem-
etery, which was accordingly done. At the same time the
road near Samuel Bolser's was widened and straightened and,
also, at the Pond Hills, near John Blackstock's at Gill's corner.
This year will long be remembered for the act of the Legis-
lature ordering the bridges to be made free, like all public
highways. But to do this a large expense must be incurred, to
be .borne by the adjoining towns and the county. Amesbury
objected to being burdened with this tax, as no one of these
bridges touched her territory.
A town meeting was held August 18th, when it was decided
not to pay any costs arising on this account, but to employ