Month: November 1742

1742 November 1 (Monday).  Town Meeting granted 140£ old Tenor as Support in addition to my 80£ Sallery.  Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Williams were the Committee to acquaint me with it.  But they could do nothing with respect to dividing the Town.  Snowed great part of the Day.  3 wolve’s Heads.  Many wolves in the Swamps.

1742 November 2 (Tuesday).  Sent my Mare again for Molly by Mr. Tainter by whom I sent a Calf to Markett.  Was at Mr. Cooks great part of the afternoon.  N.B. one Levett and his wife from Albany were at Mr. Cooks.  Pleasant Evening.  A Number of young Men levelling the Banks about the well.

1742 November 3 (Wednesday).  Fine pleasant Day — yet the Snow goes off but very little.  Mr. Grow worked for me in closing up the back part of the House where a passage was made to Carry stones and Mortar in building the Chimney — and other Small Jobbs in fitting the House for winter.  At Eve Brother Hicks here.  N.B. a very considerable Company attended John Oake at his Marriage this Evening.

1742 November 4 (Thursday).  Mr. Tainter returned with my Mare without Molly, She being not well.  I preached at Mr. Tainters on Mic. 7.7.  N.B. Many persons gone to Hunt Wolves.

1742 November 5 (Friday).  Mr. Mead to see me.  Mr. Jenison at Eve.

1742 November 6 (Saturday).  Mr. Jenison here at Eve.  Lodged here.  Wolves heard as if as nigh as in my Hill.

1742 November 7 (Sunday).  A.M. I expounded Mat. 11.20 to 24.  P.M. Mr. Jenison on Eph. ult. ult.  This Sabbath our Intermission was only an Hour according to the Vote of the Town last Munday [sic], made at my own Motion.

1742 November 8 (Monday).  Neighbour Aaron Hardy here.  Troubles in Grafton.  Mr. Mead here making a Curb for my Well.  At Eve Brother Hicks led an Hogg here which I bought of him at 10d per pound alive.  Mr. Mead and Brother Hicks lodged here.  Mr. Jenison finished School at Ensign Forb.

1742 November 9 (Tuesday).  Snowed last night and to Day.  Mr. Mead at work on the Curb.  Weighed the Hogg brought yesterday.  164.  N.B. No Catechetical Exercise by Reason of the Storm.  Tracks of Several wolves but a little way from my Fence in the Hill.

1742 November 10 (Wednesday).  Mr. Mead a.m. boarding the Curb.  P.M. Mr. Samuel Harrington[1] of Grafton and his Wife here, She being in Spiritual Troubles.

[1]Samuel Harrington d. Aug. 8, 1743 (Grafton VR, 342); his widow Mary mar. Thomas Drury, Sept. 26, 1745.  For Harrington’s deathbed conversion, see “Solomon Prentice’s Narrative of the Great Awakening,” ed. Ross W. Beales, Jr., Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society 83 (1971): 143.

1742 November 11 (Thursday).  Public Thanksgiving.  On Rom. 2.4.  Cold Day.  Mr. Joseph Green and Mr. John Mead dined with me.  At Eve read Mr. How on Rom. 6.13, Yield therefore unto God.

1742 November 12 (Friday).  Mr. Mead came to work to prepare a Well Crotch and Sweep.  N.B. I paid him for all his work of late, in Books — Mornay, Dr. Neville and St. Ambrose’s Christian Offices Chrystall Glass.  William Warland from Cambridge, here and lodged here.

1742 November 13 (Saturday).  William Warland returned.

1742 November 14 (Sunday).  On Mat. XI. 20 to 24.  Phil. 4.5.  The forenoon Exercise was Somewhat moving, and I pray may not (especially) go without Divine Blessing.

1742 November 15 (Monday).  Mr. David Mainard junior[1] and his Brother Ebenezer with Neighbour Hezekiah Pratt came and killed a Cow for Me.  N.B. Had a Calf within her, nigh ripe for Birth — The Cow weighed 18 Score and 11 Pound.  Read Some part of Dr. Clarks Demonstration of the Being etc. of God.

[1]David, son of David and Hannah Mainord, b. Jan. 20, 1705 (MVR, 125).

1742 November 16 (Tuesday).  Snow that fell last Night and this Morning — light yet of some Depth.  Mr. Jonathan Burnap here.  N.B. Mr. Pratt and Ebenezer Mainard cut out and Salted up my Beef for me.  N.B. Mr. Stephen Fay here and tarryed, and dined with me; was with me all the Afternoon and Some part of the Evening.  He revealed Several wonderfull Experiences which he had had both last Spring and lately.  He told me he had a weighty, pressing Concern for Two Souls.  I found he meant his own and mine.  I asked him what he had discovered in me that gave him reason to Suspect me.  He told me my preaching and Conversation.  For that if I had a true sight of Eternal Things he thought I Should be more Zealous and fervent for, for his part, he felt as if he could cry out etc.  I confessed my Dulness, yet made some appeal to my Sermons, especially of late deliver’d.  I Spake of the different Tempers of Men; the Diversitys of Gifts but the Same Spirit.  The different Frames which both Speakers and Hearers are in at different Times — professed however, my great Need of Divine Grace and the Supplys of the Spirit to revive and quicken and furnish and assist me; and of his prayers (and asked them) that I might obtain the presence and Spirit of God with me; and whatever God should afford, Should give in to me, I would endeavour to give out to them.  We parted in great peace and Love.  May the Lord sanctifie this admonition to me, and hereby Stir up in me a Spirit of Care,  and Jealousy over my own soul; and enliven me with respect to the Souls committed to my Care!  O might it please God to impress me deeply with the worth of Immortal souls, and my tremendous Account in the Day of Christ of those of this Flock, and all of my Charge!

1742 November 17 (Wednesday).  Very Rainy.  Should otherwise have expected Mr. Seccomb to preach my Lecture but he came not.  Very few came to meeting, about 25.  I preached to them from Joh. 14.21, latter part.

1742 November 18 (Thursday).  Rain a.m.  Mr. Cushing p.m.  He came on the Business of Sarah Sparhawks living here, that he might write to her Grandfather about her.  But she grows So untoward that we drew up determinations to put her away, unless she will reform.  Rainy Night.

1742 November 19 (Friday).  My Mind very heavy and my work goes on  but Slowly.  But my Hope is Still in God.  I humbly wait for His salvation.

1742 November 20 (Saturday).  Found I could not finish my Subject — So threw it by for the Present.

1742 November 21 (Sunday).  Sacrament.  On Rev.14.3.  Through Grace I was considerably enlarged and moved — hope it was not a lost Time.  Glory to God.  P.M. on Phil. 4.5.  Was much hurryed to get done in season.

1742 November 22 (Monday).  In the Morning rode to Ensign Daniel Bartletts, and Mr. Allens.  In my ride was greatly oppressed in sorrowful Thoughts of my Spiritual State, and of my Ministerial work.  When I returned found some Comfort in Mr. Shepherds Saints Jewel on 2 Cor. 7.1.  And p.m. came Mr. Samuel Streeter of Hopkinton and gave me some account of himself and his Spiritual State for Some years past, but especially of his darkness and trouble till the Fast at Hopkinton last December 29, and (to God the Sole Glory) the Help he received by my sermon on Ps. 63.8.  Mr. Wheeler here — nothing disquieting.  Brother Hicks here and lodged.

1742 November 23 (Tuesday).  Ensign Mainard and several other Hands raising up my New well Sweep.  Brother Hicks rode my Mare down to Boston to bring up Molly.  This is the Third Time I have sent down my Mare for her this Fall.  Ebenezer has begun to learn to Cypher.

1742 November 24 (Wednesday).  Mr. Samuel Fay junior had my Cattle to go to Boston.

1742 November 25 (Thursday).  Storm of Rain.

1742 November 26 (Friday).  Mr. Prentice of Grafton came to see me.  I enquired whether he had sought Reconcilement with Mr. Loring of Sudbury, as he had engaged at Rutland?  He could not say he had.  He brought me his Church’s Desire and his own, to assist them in a Fast next Thursday come sennight.  But I insisted upon his reconcilement with Mr. Loring.  N.B. Mr. Hall had told him and his wife that at his late visit to me, I received him but Coldly.  At Eve Brother Hicks returned from Cambridge but brought not Molly.  She was still confined with illness at Sister Bettys at Boston.  Brother Hicks lodged here.

1742 November 27 (Saturday).  Snowy.  One Ben Amos an Hatter from Hartford here, whom I sat to work to dress my Hatts.  Stormy Night.

1742 November 28 (Sunday).  Snowy and but few at Meeting.  On Mat. XI.20 to 24 a. and p.m.  Mr. Noah Rice and Mrs. Ruth Fay dined here.  The Exercises were very moving — the Subject very awfull!  Alas that I could manage it no better!  But O that God would bless what has been offered though in great imperfect[ion] and brokenness!

1742 November 29 (Monday).  Bright Day.  But No wood but what we could pick up — and no Cattle came home from Mr. Fays till Eve.  At Eve Mr. Fay, Mr. Williams and Ensign Mainard here.

1742 November 30 (Tuesday).  Rose early and visited Thomas Goodeno’s Daughter[1] which had the Iliac Passion, but through God’s Mercy grew better.  I proceeded on my journey to Boston.  Mr. Smith of Marlborough, justice Allen and his Daughter Lucy gone along.  I overtook ‘em at Baldwins and there we all dined.  Mother Champney (when I came to Cambridge) I found had been very ill — and was still confined.  Was at College.  Proceeded to Boston.  My Mother wondrous well and Comfortable.  D.G.  Was at Mr. Owen, the Taylors.  Lodged at Sister Bettys.  Molly had been long laid up with a Severe ague and Still kept House.

[1]Thomas and Persis Goodenow (also spelled Goodanow) had three daughters at this time, Persis, b. Jan. 11, 1735; Lucy, b. May 16, 1736; and Elizabeth, b. Sept, 10, 1740 (WVR, 54).