Month: April 1742

April 1, 1742

1742 April 1 (Thursday).  Mr. Hooper[1] at the public Lecture on 1 John.4.13.  Dined at Brother Samuels.[2]  N.B. Great Disgust given by Mr. Barnards[3] sermon last Thursday, and now continued among some by Mr. Hooper: as appeared to me at Evening at Mr. Coopers.[4]

[1]William Hooper (d. 1767), Edinburgh 1723, minister of Boston’s West Church, 1737-1746; Trinity Church, Boston, 1747-1767.  Frederick Lewis Weis, The Colonial Clergy and the Colonial Churches of New England (Lancaster, MA, 1936), 110.

[2]Parkman’s brother, Samuel Parkman

[3]Either John Barnard (1681-1770), Harvard 1700, assistant minister at the Brattle Street Church, Boston, 1705; chaplain, Annapolis, Canada, 1707, and for the ship Lusitania, 1709; in England, 1709-1710; minister at Marblehead, 1715-1770; SHG, 4:501-14; or John Barnard (1690-1757), Harvard 1709, minister at Andover, 1718-1757; SHG, 5:475-79.

[4]William Cooper (1694-1743), Harvard 1712, minister of Boston’s Brattle Square Church, 1716-1743.  SHG 5:624-34.

April 2, 1742

1742 April 2 (Friday).  Dined at Mr. Quincys.  My Aged, honoured Mother Well to a wonder.  May God preserve her a great and late Blessing still.  At Eve heard part of Mr. Buels sermon at Charlestown as I was upon my Journey up.  Spoke to Mr. Buel after his sermon upon his coming up to Westborough.  He said it was uncertain, for he was not determined which Road he should ride Home.  Mr. Foxcroft[1] of Cambridge in riding to F. Champneys but it was late.

[1]Thomas Foxcroft (1697-1769), Harvard 1714, minister of Boston’s First Church, 1717-1769.  SHG 6:47-58.

April 3, 1742

1742 April 3 (Saturday).  Returned Home — calling in at Deacon Sparhawks,[1] who was Sick.  At Mr. Williams of Weston where I dined; at Mr. Brintnalls[2] — and at Dr. Gotts.  My Family in safety.  D.G.

[1]Samuel Sparhawk was elected deacon of the Cambridge church, Apr. 12, 1734; died Apr. 4, 1774.  Stephen Paschall Sharples, ed., Records of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New England, 1632-1830, Comprising the Ministerial Records of Baptisms, Marriages, Deaths, Admission to Covenant and Communion, Dismissals and Church Proceedings (Boston: Eben Putnam, 1906), 287.

[2]Probably William Brintnall (17?-1745), Yale 1721, candidate at Rutland; schoolmaster at Sudbury, 1722-1726; DYG, 1:244-45.

April 9, 1742

1742 April 9 (Friday).  Thomas Splitting Hills and sowing Peas.  Windy, Cold.  Ebenezer and Tomme[1] carry Barley to Mr. Terrys at Grafton to be malted.  Neighbour Thurston[2] here at Evening.  N.B. His Experience of Extraordinary Grace the Months past.  His Discourse very savoury and very free.  Neighbour Beriah Rice[3] here to join to the church.

[1]Parkman’s second son, Thomas, b. July 3, 1729.

[2]Joseph (1700-1744) and Dorothy Thurston were admitted to the Westborough church by dismissal from Marlborough (Dorothy) and from Medfield (Joseph), Nov. 8, 1741 (WCR, 61)

[3]Beriah Rice was admitted to the church, May 30, 1742 (WCR, 62). He and his wife Mary were dismissed to Upton, May 26, 1751 (WCR, 89).

April 11, 1742

1742 April 11 (Sunday).  On Isa. 21.11.12.  P.M. repeat the remainder of sermon on Heb. 10.23.  N.B. began to Day to sing at Noon in the Family.  At Eve old Mr. Eleazer Bellows[1] of Preston here and Neighbour James Fay.  Account of the State of Religion at Preston.

[1]This may have been the Eleazer Bellows who was born in Marlborough, Apr. 13, 1671; MVR, 26.

April 14, 1742

1742 April 14 (Wednesday).  Rainy but yet Molly and I rode to Boston and were at the Ordination of the Rev. Mr. Andrew Eliot[1] at the New North Church.  Dr. Sewall[2] prayed, Mr. Eliot preached 1 Cor. 4.2, Mr. Webb the Charge, Mr. Appleton the Right Hand.  N.B. a vast Assembly, and a Glorious Time of Gods Grace.  I dined at Mr. Webbs.  There was entertainment also at Mr. Owens.  At Eve at Mr. Richard Salters[3] Chamber.  Lodged with my Kinsman Elias.

[1]Andrew Eliot, Jr. (1718-1778), Harvard 1737, minister at Boston’s New North Church, 1742-1778; SHG, 10:128-61.

[2]Joseph Sewall (1688-1769), Harvard 1707, minister of Boston’s Old South Church, 1713-1769; SHG, 5:376-93.

[3]Richard Salter (1721-1789), Harvard 1739, minister of Mansfield, CT, 1744-1787; SHG 10:404-409.

April 15, 1742

1742 April 15 (Thursday).  I returned to Cambridge leaving Molly to live at her Uncle Alex’s to go to School with his Daughter Esther.  From Cambridge past 2 o’Clock p.m., with Sarah Sparhawk[1] on the Horse Molly rode down, I rode up to Westborough and got up after 10.

[1]Sarah, dau. of Samuel and Sarah Sparhawk, was born Dec. 22, 1700, but died Oct. 9, 1701; CVR, 1:658, 2:744; Sarah, the daughter of Deacon Samuel Sparhawk was baptized Nov. 3, 1734; ibid., 657.  If that was her approximate date of birth, the Sarah Sparhawk who worked in the Parkman household was not the deacon’s daughter.

April 20, 1742

1742 April 20 (Tuesday).  Catechetical Exercise No.  5 at the Meeting House, above 30 young women (I Suppose) were present.  N.B. Mary Bradish[1] with me afterwards, being in some Spiritual Difficultys.

[1]Mary Bradish (b. 1715) was the author of the letter that Parkman read to his fellow ministers on June 16.  See “A Letter of a young woman after her passing through Some Singular Spiritual Conflicts and Trials,” 1742, signed M.B., Ebenezer Parkman, Commonplace Book (Massachusetts Historical Society), 92-95.

April 22, 1742

1742 April 22 (Thursday).  I had sent to Mr. Stone and to Mr. Cushing fruitlessly, to assist me.  I Sent a verbal Message to Mr. Burr[1] and though it was a rainy Day he came and preached my Lecture: a good usefull Sermon on Rom. 10, part of the 14 and 15 verses and the 17th, against Exhorters among the people etc.: with a moving Application.  Letter from Rutland read.  See Church Records.

[1]Isaac Burr (1697-1751), Yale 1717, minister of Worcester, 1725-1745, Windsor, Conn., 1747-1751.  DYG, 1:163-65.

April 25, 1742

1742 April 25 (Sunday).  Administered the Lords Supper.  Repeated on 2 Cor. 11.27.29.  P.M. on Eph. 5.14.  I was in much fear and trembling but cast my Self on God.  I chose to repeat in the forenoon that I might deliver the latter part of that Discourse; and likewise that I might deliver my Sermon in the afternoon more entirely by it self, it not admitting to be divided, but it being the Quantity of Two sermons.  I was much above an hour.  Some Number of Southborough people at Meeting and Some of Hopkinton.  Deacon Fay, Mr. William Johnson.  Madam Ward,[1] and her son Lieutenant Hezekiah Ward[2] dined with me.  N.B. Very Weary at Night.

[1]Probably Jane Ward.

[2]Probably Hezekiah Ward, son of William and Jane Ward, born June 28, 1703 (MVR, 187); died Mar. 6 1777 (Parkman diary, Mar. 9, 1777).  He and his wife Abigail joined the church, Sept. 7, 1729 (WCR, 20-21).  She died Mar. 30, 1735 (Southborough VR, 184).  Hezekiah was dismissed to the Southborough church, Sept. 3, 1741 (WCR, 59).

April 26, 1742

1742 April 26 (Monday).  Could not go with the Delegates till I had Sent to Grafton for my Mare.  When my sons were returned I rode to Shrewsbury.  Overtook Mr. Frink[1] riding up from Boston home.  Overtook our Delegates in Holden.  Reached Rutland at Night.  No Minister besides, for some Time.  At length Mr. Solomon Prentice.  Lodged at Deacon Stevens’s.

[1]Thomas Frink (1705-1777), Harvard 1722, minister of Rutland, 1727-1740; minister of the Third Church, Plymouth, 1744-1748; minister of Barre, 1753-1766.  SHG 7:69-75.

April 27, 1742

1742 April 27 (Tuesday).  Rutland Fast.  Mr. Burr and Mr. David Goddard, came in the Morning and Mr. Hall in sermon Time.  Mr. Prentice and I in the forenoon performed the Devotions of the Fast.  I preached on 1 Pet. 5.6.  P.M. Mr. Hall prayed and Mr. Burr preached on Rom. 10.14.15.17 verses.  O might it be a Day of Atonement etc.!  The Church was stayed, and directed to come to us in the Evening.  The Council was formed, and matters and Papers were put into our Hands, divers of them for hearing.  We read over 1/2 Dozen and referred the Rest till Tomorrow.  N.B. John Kidney.[1]  Lodged to night at Ensign Moses Hows with Mr. Hall of Sutton, but our Residence was at Deacon Stevens’s.

[1]John Kidney had served as an indentured servant to Parkman and tried to rape Molly Parkman (June 2, 1739).

April 28, 1742

1742 April 28 (Wednesday).  Hard at it in the Council — reading the papers and hearing their Defence.  Mr. Frink also very ready to wait on the Council, though he made a Distinction as he did not join with the Church in calling it.  P.M. Mr. Hall preached at the request of the people.  It interrupted the Business of the Council and carryed off the Members, So that we did not finish this Evening.  N.B. John Kidney acquainted me at large with the Methods of Gods Spirit with him in awakening him and, as he hoped, converting him.  Asked my pardon and my Familys — was ready to give it me under his Hand.  Several Gentlemen told me that in acquainting them with the wondrous Methods of Gods Grace with him he had made respectful mention of what he had received from me in the Time he lived with me: And he expressed the Same to me himself.  And among other Things when he was in Darkness and Distress from Day to Day and not able to find what method to take nor what to do, he was greatly relieved and directed by calling to mind those Lines he was wont to repeat with my Children, at the End of the morning and Evening Hymns, Praise God from whom all Blessings Flow etc.  He expressed his abhorrence of the Romish Religion — told me he was baptized at East Hadley and admitted into the Church there by Mr. Parsons[1] — but notwithstanding the Joys he had experienced about those Times yet that now he was in Darkness again and in great Fear and Trouble.  I directed and advised him as I thought his Case required.

[1]David Parsons, Jr. (1712-1781), Harvard 1729, minister at Hadley East or Third Precinct (Amherst), 1739-1781; SHG, 8:610-15.

April 29, 1742

1742 April 29 (Thursday).  When the Result was read and the Council Dissolved, and we had also waited on Mr. Frink we left the Town with Hopes of Peace: for we had the happiness of Satisfying all partys that we were concerned with (But it is far the greatest to please and glorify God).  They were full of their grateful Thanks, and even Mr. Frink also, notwithstanding he joined not with the Church in calling the Council.  Mr. Buckminster,[1] the probationer, accompanyed us down the Road.  N.B. Several Distressed persons detained me on the Way in Rutland and in Holden, with their Spiritual Troubles — viz. Mr. Jonathan Stones wife,[2] Mr. Caldwell,[3] Mr. James Smith.[4]  Stopped by the Rain at Shrewsbury at Mr. Allens.[5]  He sett Two Shooes upon my Horse.  N.B. his Son James nigh wasted to Death.  I warned and directed and prayed with him and his Parents and the Company at the Shop.  My wife went to Marlborough.  At Home Thomas had ploughed etc.

[1]Joseph Buckminster (1720-1792), Harvard 1739, minister at Rutland, 1742-1792; SHG, 10:348-54.

[2]There is no Jonathan Stone in the published Rutland or Holden vital records, but there was a John Stone in Rutland whose wife was Elizabeth.  She died May 21, 1751, in her 38th year; he died Oct. 11, 1776; RVR, 249.

[3]This may have been John Caldwell of Rutland, several of whose children were baptized in the 1740s and 1750s; ibid., 25

[4]This may have been the James Smith whose wife Margaret gave birth to a son, James, Mar. 29, 1722; ibid., 88.

[5]Robert Allen of Shrewsbury, blacksmith