Amos Morrill bought from the estate of Andrew McClary (126-237) two home lots, #3 and #4 (January 5, 1790). He previously bought home lot #5 (by deed called #6) in three parts; the first on April 26, 1773, one half of the lot on the western end, from John and Deborah Berry; next on August 4, 1773, a quarter acre and a house from Samuel Jackson; and finally on November 16, 1774, the westerly half from Ephraim Berry. From this it would appear Amos Morrill made Lot 5 his residence. He sells all three home lots to William Locke, January 28, 1795 ‘three fifty acre lots in Epsom the same three of the home lots lying on the northerly side of the main road leading from Epsom the Chichester lying between land owned by James Harvey McClary and land owned by the heirs of the Reverend John Tuck including all the buildings standing thereon’.
The lot was drawn originally by Noah Seavey, but by the time the list of those drawing the out lots was made it was owned by Joshua Berry. Little is known about Joshua Berry, but it appears he lived in Epsom and Greenland. One half of the lot was in the hands of his son Ephraim Berry as he sold it to Amos Morrill, the eastern end, in November of 1774. Joshua Berry of Greenland, sold the western half to a John and Deborah Berry of Epsom, in April of 1773, this John either an identified son, or perhaps grandson, son of Ephraim. John and Deborah sold this half to Amos Morrill two days later, April 26, 1773. There is no doubt Joshua Berry owned the lot and perhaps lived there for some time, but was also occupied by his son Ephraim who raised his family in Epsom, as well as John and Deborah Berry.
In addition, a small piece of this lot was sold early on by Joshua Berry to John Blazo in 1762, just a quarter of an acre, ‘to be upon the west corner upon the road being part of one of the home lots joining to William Wallace’s.’ A few days later Blazo sold a dwelling house and the ½ acre to Samuel Jackson. Jackson likely lived on the small lot until 1773 when he sold it to Amos Morrill.
Amos Morrill sold all three of his home lots to William Locke of Rye in 1795, and William Locke sold some sections of the lots to several people, and the majority of the lots, including No. 5, to John Chesley on April 18, 1811. Morrill advertised the properties, with the three home lots described as follows:
8-28-1793
F A R M S
To be Sold in Epsom.
The first containing about 175 acres of good land, under good improvement,
consisting of mowing, pasturing, tillage, orcharding and woodland, pleasantly
situated near the meeting house, and will serve for two small farms, having
heretofore been improved as such, and has on it two houses, three barns
and out houses, and is well situated for a trader, tradesman or innholder.
Amos Morrill, William Locke and John Chesley were all blacksmiths by trade. John Chesley was already of Epsom and had married Elizabeth Blake, daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Bickford) Blake. Chesley’s house burned in 1831 and the barn in 1842, as seen in newspaper articles of the time:
7-4-1831 JOHN CHESLEY RESIDENCE
The dwelling house of Mr. John Chesley at Epsom was burnt on Wednesday
night last. There is no doubt the fire was set by an incendiary. Fire
had twice before, within a short time, been applied to Mr. Chesley's barn,
and had gone out, leaving the brands which were intended to enkindle the
flames. The house was so much on fire before it was discovered, that only
a small portion of furniture in the front part was saved.
1842
A barn belonging to Mr. Chesley was burned March 29, 1842 along with about
a dozen head of cattle. A person by the name of Hoit was committed to
prison under the charge of setting it on fire. The youth, identified as
13 year old Samuel Hoyt, was found guilty in September of that year and
sentenced to one day solitary confinement and three years hard labor in
the State Prison.
The homestead on Lot No. 5 became well known as the Chesley Place, and after the death of John Chesley, son Jonathan Steele Chesley, who died in 1879, owned the house. His son Walter was the next owner and used the house primarily summers as he removed to Massachusetts. Walter’s daughter Mary Chesley Oldfield was the last of the family to own the home.
The thirty acre out lot, No. 15 in the third range, was drawn by Joshua Berry and was sold as follows: March 23, 1757, Joshua Berry to William Blazo Jr.; William Blazo to Abraham Libbey March 31, 1757; Abraham Libbey to Tryphena Sanborn March 21, 1767; Josiah and Tryphena Sanborn, his wife, to Jeremiah Prescott, which may have fallen through as they sell the same Jan. 5, 1770 to Andrew McClary and includes lot 92 from here on; Andrew McClary to Jethro Blake in Jan. 6, 1770; Jethro Blake to Amos Morrill, 1784; Amos Morrill to Simeon Towle, March 3, 1792.
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY DEEDS HOME LOT #5
104-206 July 22, 1762
Joshua Berey (Berry) of Greenland to John Blaso (Blazo) of Epsom
One piece of land in Epsom containing one quarter of an acre being part
of the lot belonging to Joshua Berry being No. 6, which quarter of an
acre is to be upon the west corner upon the road being part of one of
the home lots joining to William Wallace’s running six rod upon the
road and so many rods back as will contain quarter of an acre.
67-96 July 26, 1762 John Blaso
(Blazo) of Epsom to Samuel Jackson of Newcastle, joiner;
A certain dwelling house and land it being part of one of the home lots
Number 6 on the west corner joining upon William Walles (Wallis) running
six rods upon the road and then running so many rods back as will contain
a quarter of an acre. John and Martha Blazo.
125-280 August 4, 1773
Samuel Jackson of Epsom, joiner to Amos Morrill of Epsom, blacksmith
A parcel of land in Epsom laying up (to) the southwestwardly corner of
one of the home lot Number 6, originally belonging to Joshua Berry, bounding
on the main road that leads through said Epsom containing one quarter
of an acre where the dwelling house, barn and orchard now stand. Samuel
Jackson.
105-366 April 24, 1773
Joshua Berry of Greenland yeoman, to John Berry of Epsom, yeoman
A parcel of land in Epsom, namely half of the Lot No. 6 of the lots laid
out for the settlers of said town beginning on the westwardly side of
said lot joining to land of the Reverend John Tucke’s and running
easterly upon the highway the full half width of said lot then running
northerly carrying the full half width of said lot to the north end of
said lot then running westwardly to the aforesaid adjoining land of the
Reverend John Tucke’s then southerly to the place where it first
began. Joshua Berry, witness James Gray and Amos Morrill.
105-411 April 26, 1773
John Berry of Epsom, yeoman to Amos Morrill of Epsom, blacksmith
A parcel of land in Epsom, namely half of the Lot No. 6 of the lots laid
out for the settlers of said town beginning on the westwardly side of
said lot joining to land of the Reverend John Tucke’s and running
easterly upon the highway the full half width of said lot then running
northerly carrying the full half width of said lot to the north end of
said lot then running westwardly to the aforesaid adjoining land of the
Reverend John Tucke’s then southerly to the place where it first
began. John and Debrer (Deborah) Berry.
138-289 November 16, 1774
Ephraim Berry of Epsom, yeoman to Amos Morrill of Epsom, blacksmith, and
Obediah Williams, physician
Land lying in Epsom, namely half of the lot No. 6 of the lots laid out
for the settlers of said town beginning on the eastwardly side of said
lot joining to Capt. Andrew McClary’s land and running westerly on
the highway to the middle of said then running northwardly carrying the
full half width of said lot to the north end of said lot then running
eastwardly to the aforesaid land of said McClary then southwardly to the
place where it first began. Ephraim and Abigail Berry.
113-400 Feb. 24, 1775
Elisha Blake of Barrington, yeoman to Ephraim Berry of Epsom, yeoman
A lot of land belonging to my father John Blake, 50 acres, #48 in the
2nd range.
113-263 Ephraim Berry of Epsom,
husbandman, to my son Thomas Berry of Epsom, husbandman,
Land in Epsom of John Blake lot #48, 50 acres; also that of John Philbrick,
lot #49, 21 acres in the 2nd range, original rights of John Blake and
John Philbrick. – Ephraim Berry (no spouse)
105-230 March 8, 1777
Obadiah Williams of Epping, physician to Amos Morrill of Epsom, Esq.
½ of land in Epsom, ¼ part of lot #6 purchased in conjunction
with Amos Morrill of Ephraim Berry.
183- 429 January 18, 1785 (Thomas
Berry ack. Jan. 19, 1805, rec. Jan. 1809)
Thomas Berry of Epsom, yeoman to Joshua Berry of Loudon, yeoman
A piece of land in Epsom containing 50 acres being the westerly end of
the lots No. 48 & 49 in the 2nd range laid out to the original rights
of John Blake and John Philbrick, all that lays on the westerly side of
the road that leads from Pittsfield to McClary’s Mills.
129-140 June 8, 1791
Thomas Berry of Epsom, husbandman, to Jonathan Brown of Kensington husbandman
and Levi Brown of Epsom, yeoman
A parcel of land in Epsom being a part of the lots No. 48 and 49 in the
second range of lots, the original right of John Blake and John Philbrick,
said tract to contain all the land belonging to the aforesaid lots No.
48 & 49 that lays on the easterly side of the road that leads through
said lots to Pittsfield, to contain 40 acres. –Thomas and Ann Berry
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY DEEDS OUT LOT #15 Second Range
56-375 March 23, 1757
Joshua Beareay (Berry) to William Blaso Junr. (Blazo) of Epsom
A parcel of land lying in Epsom 30 acres as it was laid out being the
lot number 15 of the thirty acre lots laying in the third range betwixt
the lots numbered ninety one and ninety two. – Josaw (Joshua) Bearey.
56-374 March 31, 1757
William Blazer (Blazo) to Abraham Libby
Land in Epsom, thirty acres as it was laid out for a 30 acre lot numbered
15 lying between lots numbered 91 and 92. – William Blazer
93-137 March 21, 1767
Abraham Libbe of Epsom to Tryphena Sanborn of Epsom, spinster,
The whole of lot No. 92 in the third range and 30 acres in the 3rd range
lying between lots No. 91 and 92 and is numbered in William Blazers deed
No. 15 in the third range, March 21, 1767.
97-271 July 27, 1769
Josiah Sanborn and wife Tryphena of Epsom, to Jeremiah Prescott of Epsom,
the whole of lot of land in Epsom being No. 92 and the whole of lot No.
15 in the third range, formerly the estate of Abraham Libbee of Epsom
deceased.
102-55 January 5, 1770
Josiah Sanborn and Tryphena, his wife of Epsom, to Andrew McClary, 2 lots
of land in Epsom, one, No. 15 and the other lot No. 92.
120-163 January 6, 1770
Andrew McClary sold lot # 15, along with lot No. 92 to Jethro Blake
120-164 August 25, 1785
Jethro Blake sold the 30 acre out lot in 1784, to Amos Morrill, along
with lot # 92.
135-266 March 3, 1792
Amos Morrill of Epsom to Simeon Towle of Epsom, March 3, 1792
Land in Epsom being a part of the lots No. 15 and 92 on the easterly side
of the road that leads from Epsom to Pembroke, with all the buildings
and orchard on the same and to contain 70 acres with all the buildings
and orchard on the same and to contain all the land I purchased of Jethro
Blake that lays on the easterly side of the aforementioned road except
what I sold Abraham Wallace as my appear by deed bearing date June 1,
1789.
PHOTO:
The old Chesley Place