East Main Street

Zacharia Davis as granted xxx in xxx as the 3rd division.

Included in that was approximately 19A land bounded between River Road, East Main Street, Merrimac Street (aka Jamaica Path), and the Merrimac boarder (including Back Lane). In 1730, Davis sold this land to John Swett who sold it to Dr. Simeon Brown in 1742.  Simeon willed it to his children (probate xxx) Henry Young Brown, Ruth Brown, and Simeon Brown in xxx.  They subsequently sold the land to James Carr in 1773.

James started splitting up this piece of land in the late 1700’s and early 1800 and the street started to take on the look of today with some minor exceptions.

Note:  check out Swett’s tavern, location and timing.  If the 19 acres stayed together until 1800, then how did the Tavern exist on this street in 1725?

School House Lot: 366 Amesbury Line Road
18 East Main St (360 Amesbury Line)
19 East Main St
20 East Main Street: Swartz House: Circa 1898
21 East Main:  Donegan
23 East Main Street: Moses G. Jaques, c. 1798
28 East Main Street: Elliott, Swett
29 East Main Street: “The Countess House”: Circa 1750
34 East Main Street: Moses George House, 1760
37 East Main Street: John R. Estabrook, 1792
38 East Main Street: Samuel Carr and Joseph Estabrook 1789
47 East Main Street:  Daniel Chase: Circa 1799
49 East Main: John Foote Store: c 1760
40 East Main Street: Sawyer’s Store, 1850
Johnson Tavern

Early Deeds

1730. Zacharia Davis to John Swett, Ferryman: 19.25 A bounded n on Back Lane, e on River, w on Jam path and s on highway from Jam Path to Ferry and partly by the landing place of this ferry, being part of land laid out by Wm Holdridge’s 3rd division. (55/118).

1730 June 1:  Samuel and Elizabeth Betchelder (Mariner) to John Swett (Ferriman)(59/176). Formerly the estate of Father Zacharias Davis.

1742 John Swett to (Dr.) Simeon Brown 19 A Near Swett’s ferry : near bound rock and Jam Path and (back lane), landing. (87/139) Same land as 134/22.

1745: Simeon Brown to James Bowdoin (88/55) 19A more or less. (Mortgage)

1773, June 30: James Bowdoin, administrator of estate of William Bowdoin to Henry Young Brown, seems to make mortgage null and void for 44pd, 12 shillings, 4 pence.  19A

1773, July 3: Henry Young Brown of Brownfield county of York and Simeon Brown of Haverhill (blacksmith) and (Ruth Brown) of Kingston mantle maker, to James Carr yeoman land near Swett’s ferry 19 A, approx. bounded by Highway to Kingston, Jamaica way, two rod way and way set aside by John Swett. No mention of dwelling house etc. (134/22)

Somehow, Ephraim Elliott gets some land on East Main before 1774.  28 East Main, where John Swett’s Tavern was.

1774, Aug 26. James Carr innholder To Francis Carr (wife Mary Elliott) of Almsbury, cooper, 19A dwelling house all other buildings bounded by highway west(?) from bound rock to Jamaica path then s on Jam path to road from Kingston to Swetts ferry then on said road e to Ephraim Elliots upon said road then on Elliots n to s&s then Elliots s to the road or landing then on landing e to a 2-rod way Swett allowed then on said way n to the way from bound rock to Jam path (start). (134/ 23) Same as above minus Elliot’s land…maybe Elliot owned one or more house lots on E Main?

Ephraim Elliot dies in 1809