The dividing line between Beverly and Salem Village, as seen on the map, finally agreed upon in 1703, ran through the “Old Planters’ Farms,” particularly the portions belonging to the Dodges, Raymonds, and Woodbury.  It went through “Captain John Dodge’s dwelling-house, six foot to the eastward of his brick chimney as it now stands.”  At the time of the witchcraft delusion, the Raymonds and Dodges mostly belonged to the Salem Village parish and church.  They continued on the rate-list, and connected with the proceedings entered on the record-books, until the meeting-house at the “horse bridge” was opened for worship, in 1715, when they transferred their relations to the “Precinct of Salem and Beverly.”

When Sir William Phipps got up his expedition against Quebec, in 1690, William Raymond raised a company from the neighborhood; and so deep was the impression made upon the public mind by his ability and courage, and so long did it remain in vivid remembrance, that, in 1735, the General Court granted a township of land, six miles square, “to Captain William Raymond, and the officers and soldiers” under his command, and “to their heirs,” for their distinguished services in the “Canada Expedition.”  The grant was laid out on the Merrimack, but, being found within the bounds of New Hampshire, a tract of equivalent value was substituted for it on the Saco River.  Among the men who served in this expedition was Eleazer, a son of Captain John Putnam, who afterwards, for many years, was one of the deacons of the Salem Village Church.

The short, rapid, sharp, and sanguinary campaign against the Narragansetts seems to have tried to the utmost, not only the courage and spirit of the men, but the powers of human endurance.  The constitutions of many were permanently impaired.  As much fatigue and suffering were crowded into that short month as the physical forces of strong men could bear.  We find such entries as this in the town-books:—­“Salem, 1683.  Samuel Beadle, who lost his health in the Narragansett Expedition, is allowed to take the place of Mr. Stephens as an innkeeper.”  A petition, dated in 1685, is among the papers in the State House, signed by men from Lynn, the Village, Beverly, Reading, and Hingham, praying for a grant of land, for their services and sufferings in that expedition.  The petition was granted.  The following extract from it tells the story:  “We think we have reason to fear our days may be much shortened by our hard service in the war, from the pains and aches of our bodies, that we feel in our bones and sinews, and lameness thereby taking hold of us much, especially in the spring and fall.”

While there is “reason to fear” that the days of many were shortened, there were some so tough as to survive the strain, and bid defiance to aches and pains, and almost to time itself.  In a list of fourteen who went from Beverly, six, including Thomas Raymond and Lott, a descendant of Roger Conant, were alive in 1735!