April 1, 1773

1773 April 1 (Thursday).  I catechized at the meeting House.  Upward of 40 Boys.  It rained p.m.  Only 4 Girls.  N.B. my Kinsman Bradshaw left us in the morning to return to Stoughtonham: and my son Cushing (taking with him his 2 first vols. of the Dictionary of Arts and Sciences) went to Shrewsbury (in his way home) carrying with him Several Volumes of Spectator also.

April 4, 1773

1773 April 4 (Sunday).  I rode over to Northborough and preached there on Heb. 12.15, former part, a. and p.m.  Mr. Whitney here.  His text a. and p.m. 1 Joh. 3.21.22.  May a gracious God add his Blessing, and teach us who dispense the word, and those who have heard it to profit by it!  We returned home respectively.  Squire Wood of Colrain and his Kinsman Joseph Wood of Hopkinton visit here.

April 5, 1773

1773 April 5 (Monday).  Jonathan Maynard came to live with me and work for me, the Terms, Eight Months for 12£ 13.4 Lawful Money.  Miss Hannah Fish here, dined with us.  I understood by her that her Father designed to go to Bolton tomorrow.  I therefore wrote to him a Letter earnestly advising and cautioning him against the threatening Evils etc.  P.M. Visited at Mr. Amasa Maynards, his Daughter Annis being very ill: Lethargic.  Was at old Mr. James Maynards.

April 6, 1773

1773 April 6 (Tuesday).  Capt. Silas Bailey and Mr. James Goddard here, and desire Copys of what our Association wrote upon the Bolton Affairs.  N.B. I read the Letter which I had prepared Some Months past, to Capt. Bailey and Mr. Nathaniel Longley.  But Capt. Bailey Said he did not desire it.  Mr. Mellen of Chauxit came while I was reading it.  Mr. Fish also came, and we had a good deal of fervent Debate.  What I chiefly insisted for, was, that they would proceed according to the Constitution — that they would call a mutual Council, and prevent a Rupture.  Mr. Mellen dined here.  The rest left us to go to Capt. Maynards.  P.M. Mr. Mellen to Hopkinton.  My wife and I to private Meeting at Mr. Whitneys, where I preached on Ps. 34.8.  Which O that God would Succeed to His Glory and our highest Advantage!

April 7, 1773

1773 April 7 (Wednesday).  Very much taken up with our gardening.  Breck has Sent to Boston for an Assortment of Seeds for his Shop – supplys me with several Sorts, and assists in the work we are engaged in.  John Fay’s Time was out last night, but he works for me to Day, and spends his Time and Pains in the Garden.  At Night I paid him as he expects from my promise £25 old Tenor.

April 8, 1773

1773 April 8 (Thursday).  Mr. Mellen, returning home, calls here — acquaints me further with his own Troubles; that his people are about to call a Council; that he believes that the major part of the Church are against him, though the major part of the people, he thinks, are for him.  He goes to Mr. Whitneys to dine.  I visited Neighbour Nurse, She being very low and weak.  When I returned found that Mr. Fish had been here: he tells Mrs. Parkman, that the best way to put an End to the Contention in Bolton, is to Settle a Minister there as fast as they can.  As if the true method of quenching a Flame was to throw Oyl upon it.  Unhappy People to be guided in this manner!  So out of all Rule or Reason.  At Eve came Messrs. Eli Whitney and Joseph Harrington.  The former brought a present of a Number of Trees of some bigness, that had been graffed at the Ground.  Four of them with which he much gratifyed me.  But the Latter has the Affair of Bolton, and the new-published Narrative,[1] in his mind, and therefore he wants to discourse of that.  I gave but few, and cautious Replys.  Chiefly,  That Mr. Goss was not (as I apprehended) orderly dismissed, because  1.) If he were guilty, yet it has not been made to appear by a fair Trial.  The Council (large and mutual) had not found him guilty: and there had been no Trial Since.  2.) There had been no Church meeting called according to the Constitution to dismiss him — no Meeting So much as asked for according to the Platform.  And 3.) The members were but few who met and did this important work, compared with the whole Church.  And 27 out of 52 or 3, had, Since that Vote, received the Communion of Mr. Goss: That if they were more now who were against him, and if he were bad, and ought to be dismissed, yet there ought to be regular Steps taken in order to accomplish it.  And Further, the Narrative is very defective in divers parts of it.

[1]Not clear what the “new-published Narrative” was.  In 1773 there appeared The Result of an Ecclesiastical Council, Convened at Bolton, August 3, 1773, at the Desire of the Pastor and Church of Christ in that Town (Boston, 1773).  Evans 12,686.  See entry for August 17.

April 11, 1773

1773 April 11 (Sunday).  Read Ps. 27.4.  P.M. read 1 Joh. 3.  Mr. Bradshaw preached a.m. on Ps. 27.4.  John Fay dined here.  P.M. Mr. Bradshaw on Prov. 23.17, last Clause, “but be thou in the Fear of the Lord” etc.  Very useful Discourses.  May God succeed them!  At Eve he repeated the Heads of both.  O that we might obtain the divine Concurrence!

April 12, 1773

1773 April 12 (Monday).  Mr. Bradshaw leaves us to go to his Fathers.  P.M. sister Cushing came to See us.  John goes away, designing to go to Mr. Watsons.  A Town Meeting about the Pews.  To pacifie Several old men and gratifie some others, they vote that the Two designed Rows, of three Pews each, before the fore seats, be built back of the long Seats.  N.B. Neighbour Newton, and Joseph Bond assist in plowing my new-broke up Land.

April 14, 1773

1773 April 14 (Wednesday).  My Kinswoman Mrs. Bradford came her son William and Daughter Dorcas with her.  They dine with us: They also tarry with us.  Molly Badcock becomes of our Family.  Hear from Leicester that my Son Alexander has another son born.  The Lord be magnifyed for His great Goodness!  May the Child be blessed and prove a Blessing!  Will the Lord please to perfect the begun Salvation and restore His Handmaid.

April 16, 1773

1773 April 16 (Friday).  My Kinswoman and her Children left us after dinner, to go to Mr. Allens at Shrewsbury.  Miss Molly Taylor yet with us teaching Sophy to knit a curious Lace.  Mrs. Bowker of Sym[illegible] here.  Cousen Nanny Davis here to be examined.  At Eve Mr. Henry Quincy and Lt. Baker who gives Account of his Great Ox, [marginal notation: Drapers Paper for Apr. 8 says, the largest fat Ox ever Seen in America] which he sold at Boston for 50£ lawful money, He weighed alive 2501 neat.  Measured from his Nose to his Rump, 12 feet 2 inches.  9 feet [illegible] round: 5 feet, 11 inches high.  5 feet from top of Weathers to Br[illegible].  Mr. Quincy lodges at Lieutenants.  N.B. My Son Baldwin came from Brookfield and my Daughter Hannah from Leicester.  My Horse (which she rode) has been sick.

April 19, 1773

1773 April 19 (Monday).  We undertook to break up what we have been wont to call the Middle Pasture.  Assisting my Young Man with my 4 Cattle were Mr. Barnabas Newton with a Yoke of Oxen, Neighbour Nathan Kenny with Do., Neighbour Nathan Maynards Son Nehemiah with Do., Mr. Ebenezer Maynards and Mr. Joseph Bonds: in all 14 and Capt. Jonas Brighams large Plough.  “Manus ad Stivam, Oculus ad Caelum!”  P.M. rode to Lt. Harringtons to See old Mr. Stretton, and a Sick Child.  Prayed there.  Breck to Providence, and Sends 3 Load of Shingles there.

April 21, 1773

1773 April 21 (Wednesday).  Break up again.  The Help was Lt. Harrington with a Yoke of Oxen, Mr. Nathan Kenny with Do., Mr. Silas Hill’s Do., Mr. Joseph Bonds Do.  Just before noon Mr. Thomas Frost work with his Cattle — So that with mine there were still 14 Cattle at the Work.  I rode to Ministers Meeting at Southborough.  But few came, viz. Mr. Smith, Mr. Goss, and Mr. Peter Whitney.  Mr. Stone delivered a serious, useful Sermon on the Passage 1 John 3.5, “And ye know that he was manifested to take away Sin” etc.  We hear that Mr. Adams of Lunenburg is preparing to answer the Bolton narrative.[1]

 

A Paper for subscriptions head, and we Signed it, for a Number Books.  Returned at Even — all Well — Blessed be God!  Hear the Bolton people have chose Mr. Walley for their pastor.  N.B. Mr. Daniel Hemingway and a Number of other Carpenters came to Work at the Meeting House: framing etc.  Two of the Carpenters board and lodge here at 30/ old Tenor Each.  Viz. Mr. John Harrington and Nathan Caruth.  Mr. Hancock the Taylor comes to work for Sophy, making her a Riding Habit.  Daughter Hannah droops as if with Jaundice.  I visit Mr. Amasa Maynards little Daughter again — prayed there.  The Child is extremely ill.  The Lord prepare it and the parents for the Event!  Breck returns from Providence.  Miss Molly Taylor returns home to Grafton by Help of Deacon Stow.

 

[1]Zabdiel Adams (1739-1801), An Answer to a Pamphlet Lately Published, (Under the Signature of a Neighbour), Intitled, “A Treatise on Church Government.” Wherein the Errors of This Anonymous Author’s Narrative of the Troubles and Transactions in the Church at Bolton Are Corrected (Boston, 1773).  Evans 12,636.

April 26, 1773

1773 April 26 (Monday).  Breck and Sophy Sat out for Boston.  N.B. gave Breck 12 Dollars to lay out for me in Boston.  An old England Man, one Joseph Keenes, of Warminster in Wiltshire, a Taylor, came to work here for Breck.  Mr. John Maynard came to acquaint me  with the Death of his Brother Amasa’s little Daughter Annis, and to desire me to attend the Funeral tomorrow.