1779 July 1 (Thursday). Read part of Dr. Cotton Mather’s Agathangelus and Celestinus. Thus far it appears to be a very useful quickening Book. I have reason to bless God and would heartily do so, for the eminent Writings of that pious and learned man. Dr. Hawes, who has returned from Court, was here and communicated to me some of the Transactions of the Assembly, and what the Town of Boston have, by their Committee of Correspondence, sent to the Committee of Westborough relative to some fresh Efforts for the Appreciation of the public Currency. N.B. Thomas’s Spy comes again to the Shop for a Numbers of the Neighbors.
Month: July 1779
July 2, 1779
1779 July 2 (Friday). [No entry.]
July 3, 1779
1779 July 3 (Saturday). [No entry.]
July 4, 1779
1779 July 4 (Sunday). Preached a.m. on Zech. 3.4. P.M. went on with Repetition of Sermon on Isa. 1, v. 19-20 to p. 15.
July 5, 1779
1779 July 5 (Monday). Visited Mr. Belknap and dined there. He has a Widow Sister that lives there. Her name is Flagg. I called at Mrs. Seth Wood’s, and obtained of her to weave for us. I also made a Business of visiting and prayed with old Mrs. Chamberlain. She was very ill and under hysteric Affections. I called at Mr. William Johnson’s. Young Mrs. Belknap went with me to her Father’s, Ensign Snow’s, who put a Cheese into my Saddle Baggs. I called at Mr. Beeman’s and at Mr. Thos. Andrew’s. On my way home I went into the Workhouse to see a Stranger who was taken sick on the Road from Fishkill and going to his Family at Casco Bay.
July 6, 1779
1779 July 6 (Tuesday). I went to the Private Meeting at Mr. Joseph Grout’s. I preached on Lam. 1.9 from page 8 to 13. I was handsomely entertained, but principally request the divine Blessing.
July 7, 1779
1779 July 7 (Wednesday). Read Smalley’s discourse on Joh. 6.44. Visit the poor Sick Stranger at the Workhouse — and prayed with him. His name is James Webber of Purpoodock and has a Wife and two Children: he is ill of bilious Fever and Camp-Distemper.
July 8, 1779
1779 July 8 (Thursday). I sent my Watch by Mr. Moses Nurse to Mr. Simon Willard of Grafton: the chain being loose, unhooked. N.B. Mr. Nurse has brought from Mrs. Lydia Garfield 31 and 1/2 yds. of tow cloth which she has wove, and for which I paid 21 Dollars and 5 Shillings.
July 9, 1779
1779 July 9 (Friday). I was in some perplexity about my Haying, because nothing is done about it all this Week (except One Load on Monday) and yet Parker is going to work at Harrington’s.
July 10, 1779
1779 July 10 (Saturday). I prepare for Hopkinton and p.m. I rode there. I called to see old Mr. Jonas Warrin. I carryed to Mr. Barrett his first Volume of Henry’s Exposition. I lodged at Mr. Fitch’s. Mr. Fitch to Westborough.
July 11, 1779
1779 July 11 (Sunday). I preached at Hopkinton on Joel 3.13 a. and p.m. It rained at eve. It was so wet and uncomfortable that I tarried there: but yet Mr. Fitch himself got home.
July 12, 1779
1779 July 12 (Monday). Went to Mr. Barretts, where I was very affectionately received. He lent me the third volume of Mr. Henry, viz. on Job, Psalms etc.: he lent me also the third volume of the History of England in Folio and Howel’s Familiar Letters. 4 vols. bound in one Oct. Book, but in his Generosity he gave me the Folio which contains Dr. Stillingfleet’s Sermons, twelve, and his Discourse on the True Reason of the Sufferings of Jesus Christ. This Cargo of Books I brought Home. Having understood that Mr. James Webber was still sick at the Work house, I went there p.m. to see him and prayed with him. Mr. Thomas Adams of Medfield came at Evening with a number of Books and lodged here. We have a Sad Report that New Haven is taken by the Enemy.
July 13, 1779
1779 July 13 (Tuesday). Mr. Adams has brought home to me at length Sir William Temple. He has led me also into an Exchange of a number of Books, viz. For Voetius 3 vols. I have Dr. Stanhope’s Thomas a Kempis, Dr. Calamy, of Vows: Horneck’s crucified Jesus, and Dr. Goodman’s Old Religion. For Monsr. Boileau’s 2d vol. and Mat Prior’s Works 2 vols. I have Dr. Hammond’s Annotations in large Folio. For the Lay Monastery, I have Herman Prudence, and Three Select Pieces of Mr. Thos. Shepherd. For Comin’s Real Christian, unbound, I gave him at his proposal a Pound of Sugar. He presented me a Pamphlet, Dr. Gibson on the Sinfulness of Neglecting and profaning the Lord’s Day. N.B. I returned him his Drexilius on Eternity. He showed me a Manuscript of his Daughter’s forming in 4to Alphabetical, and contains an account of all manner of Errors, Sects, etc. in every age of Christianity. He sold Breck a number of unbound Books, Firmin, Shaw, Shepherd, Doelittle etc. After dinner he left us to go to Sherburn.
July 14, 1779
1779 July 14 (Wednesday). Mr. Johanthan Hall of Hopkinton here. I visited and prayed with the sick Stranger, Mr. James Webber. He is grown worse. May God prepare him and us for His Sovereign Will! Mr. John Pigeon of Brookfield here and dined with us.
July 15, 1779
1779 July 15 (Thursday). Am variously employed among the Books which I lately had from Mr. Adams and Mr. Barrett. P.M. attended Mr. Webber’s Funeral, and prayed. We have the Sad News of the British Forces invading New Haven, Fairfield, Stratford etc.
July 16, 1779
1779 July 16 (Friday). The news from New Haven is confirmed. Suse not well.
July 17, 1779
1779 July 17 (Saturday). Isaac Baldwin came up from Cambridge where he has been examined and approved, though not admitted into College. Lodges here. A Letter by Baldwin from Mr. I. Quincy. Ephraim on Breck’s Horse, at the Close of the Day, to Shrewsbury.
July 18, 1779
1779 July 18 (Sunday). Read Ps. 103 and preached on v. 14. Sam. Brigham dines. P.M. on Isa. 1.20, and finish that Discourse. At eve I read in Stanhope’s a Kempis on Death. May God grant His almighty Blessing to accompany my Weak Efforts!
July 19, 1779
1779 July 19 (Monday). Parker returned from Shrewsbury to his Work. Mr. Eleazar Fairbank of North Shrewsbury, trades with Breck, and visits, dines, and spends good part of the p.m. with me.
July 20, 1779
1779 July 20 (Tuesday). Read preface to Shaw’s Immanuel. Newspaper from Boston, but am chiefly impressed and taken up with the weighty, important Things, which relate to my Dissolution and an eternal World. It is wonderful that I am no more affected with them.
July 21, 1779
1779 July 21 (Wednesday). Breck goes to Boston. Mr. Elisha Forbes with his Team goes down to load up for him. Miss Polly Howard here making Lace for my Daughter Cushing. Mr. John Pidgeon came in his way to Brookfield, and lodges here. He brings fresh news of our Success against the Enemy in recovering the Fort on Hudson’s River, which they had lately taken from the States, and fortified more Strongly, which is called Stoney Point, near King’s Ferry: May God grant to His people a suitable Frame of Mind upon Such Occasions! Elias came from Cambridge.
July 22, 1779
1779 July 22 (Thursday). Sr. Fish (as now I suppose he is honored) made us a Visit and dined here. Mrs. Lamson ill, her aunt Knowlton, who tends on her, lodges here.
July 23, 1779
1779 July 23 (Friday). Mr. Ebenezer Allen, a Stranger, born at the Vineyard, his parents live at Rochester, himself a Preacher, came here to see me, stayed and dined, is going to Needham to preach there. Breck returns from Boston, tells me Salley is very comfortable.
July 24, 1779
1779 July 24 (Saturday). I have very much left my Husbandry Business with Parker, and betake myself to my Studys.
July 25, 1779
1779 July 25 (Sunday). Preached a.m. on Zech. v. 3.4. Mrs. Maynard dined here. P.M. for the sake of some Disconsolate persons, and a View to the Communion next Sabbath, I repeated with some Additions sermon on Ps. 69.32, which may God graciously succeed! At eve read a Kempis Book IV, Chap. 1, the Communion being appointed.
July 26, 1779
1779 July 26 (Monday). Applyed myself to Studys and began my Preparations. Mr. Waters from Newtown, where he has been preaching calls here. The Rain upon our Hay, it much perplexes and disappoints in various Respects.
July 27, 1779
1779 July 27 (Tuesday). Mrs. P. is with my Neighbor Harrington’s wife in her Travail.
July 28, 1779
1779 July 28 (Wednesday). They have a Daughter born. I read Bell’s Travels to Pekin, and went to see Mrs. Harrington. Mrs. Dolly Rice here.
July 29, 1779
1779 July 29 (Thursday). Mrs. Lamson being still in a very unfit Situation to be alone, has Mrs. Drury, Daughter of her aunt Knowlton with her from Day to Day, but she lodges here — ever since last Saturday night.
July 30, 1779
1779 July 30 (Friday). Drury Fairbank, who sometime ago was Sick and languishing, under a dangerous consumptive Cough, is strangely raised to Health, and is going into the Service. P.M. came from Worcester, my Daughter Baldwin, with her son Isaac waiting upon her. She has been of late much borne down with her Disorders, but is (just now) somewhat brighter. They lodge here, as does Mrs. Ellwell, who in coming to help Mrs. Lamson, had a Fall from her Horse, and is rendered incapable to help her.
July 31, 1779
1779 July 31 (Saturday). Isaac Baldwin returns to Brookfield, but leaves his Mother and her Chaise here. Mr. Waters returning to Newtown. How swiftly this month has fled! So teach us to number our Days that we may apply our Hearts to Wisdom![1]
[1]Psalm 90.12: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”