Month: January 1724

1724 January 1 (Wednesday).  To Day it was very Stormy or I should have (according to appointment) visited Mr. Breck.

1724 January 2 (Thursday).  Fair Pleasant Weather invited me to Visit Mr. Breck.  I rode my Landlords horse.  The Conversation was very instructing and very Pleasant.  We Sat up very late discoursing of many Things miscellaneously.  I read Edifying Letters of the Jesuits, Missioners to the East Indies; after I was a bed.

1724 January 3 (Friday).  Mr. Breck oblig’d me to offer the morning Sacrifice.  After Sundry Colloquys we took a Walk to Merchant Woods’.[1]  I borrow’d the Spectator of him (volume 9).  I din’d at Mr. Breck’s.  After a Dinner, a Pipe, and Some Discourse, of Mr. Ickyl’s[2] Seat at Stow, of Westborough, etc., I repair’d home.

[1]Benjamin Woods of Marlborough.

[2]A Mr. Jekyl, an Englishman residing at the lower village in Stow, gave the town a small bell to hang in the meeting house in 1722.  Stow, Mass., 1683-1933 (Stow, n.d.), p. 11

1724 January 4 (Saturday).  I prepar’d (partly) for Sabbath.  In the Afternoon came Mr. Elmer[1] and Mr. Goddard[2] of Shrewsbury as they were passing to Sherborn.  Mr. Elmer invited me in Mr. Barrett’s Name to meet Mr. Barrett and the Company with his Wife, down at Framingham next Wednesday.

[1]Reverend Daniel Elmer (Yale 1713), who preceded Parkman as minister at Westborough.  Dissension arose and Elmer was dismissed.  He moved to Springfield in 1724, and in 1728 was ordained at Fairfield, New Jersey.  DeForest and Bates, Westborough, p. 51.  Franklin B. Dexter, Biographical Sketches of the Graduates of Yale College . . . 1701-1745 (N.Y., 1885), pp. 110-111.

[2]Edward Goddard.

1724 January 5 (Sunday).  I preach’d at Westborough all Day.  My Text was Math. 28.6.  In the Evening I was visited by Mr. Thomas Forbush.[1]

[1]One of the first settlers and selectman of Westborough.  See Frederick C. Pierce, Forbes and Forbush Genealogy (n.p., 1892).

1724 January 6 (Monday).  Town Meeting.  In the Evening Captain Fay and Mr. Oliver Ward[1] with Mr. Daniel How were with me.  Mr. Eliot and I nominated.  Messrs. Baker[2] and Holoway[3] committee.

[1]A selectman of Westborough.

[2]Edward Baker.

[3]William Holloway.

1724 January 7 (Tuesday).  I rode home, p.m., with Mr. Elmer who came to See me this morning.  Upon Seeing Mrs. Elmer in lonely and dejected Circumstances I made many Reflections concerning my own Manner of Living in Future Times, etc.  I went to Mr. Cushings[1] to See his Library and Discourse about Dr. Manton’s Works, 5 Volumes,[2] which he had talk’d of Selling to Me.  I rode back to Mr. Elmers, and (though by this Time it was very Dark) I rode home alone.

[1]Reverend Job Cushing of Shrewsbury (Harvard 1714).  Sibley, VI, 45-46.

[2]Thomas Manton, D.D. (1620-1677), Presbyterian divine, whose numerous works appeared in various editions.

1724 January 8 (Wednesday).  In the Morning came the Committee to treat with a Minister, to acquaint me that the Town had nominated Mr. Eliot with me in order to Choose one of us Minister for This Place.  I was moved with the Thought and manifested to them the Sense I had of the Weightiness of the Affair, And in Truth I was at a Stand (though I did not express any extraordinary hesitation) considering My incapacite on Every head.  But my Eyes and my Heart were directed to the Father of Lights from whom descends every Grace Sufficient that I might be endow’d and prepar’d in Some measure for which his providence might call me.  Mr. Cushing by this Time was come and waited for me below.  The Committee retir’d and I prepar’d to Ride.  Mr. Cushing and I rode to Mr. Whoods to gain Intelligence.  We were directed to Mr. Swifts.  We rode down and got there about Dark.  The Company was not arrived till 8 o’Clock.  Mr. Barrett and his Wife, Two Fathers, Brother Thornton Barrett[1] and Sister Greaves.[2]  Mr. Tilestone[3] and Son James[4] were there.  Mr. Tylestone informed me of the Death of Uncle Clough[5] and Mr. John Mountfort[6] at Boston.  We Sup’d very plentifully and for Rarity had a Pea-Hen roasted.  I lodg’d there with Mr. Tilestone and Mr. Thornton Barrett.

[1]Of Hopkinton.

[2]Perhaps Rachel Graves, wife of Joseph Graves of Framingham.

[3]Probably James Tileston (1678-c. 1740) of Boston.

[4]James, Jr. (b. 1704), son of above.

[5]Ebenezer Clough, father-in-law of Ebenezer Parkman’s brother, Elias.

[6]A prominent merchant of Boston.

1724 January 9 (Thursday).  In the Morning Mr. Swift oblig’d me to pray, and to return Thanks after Breakfast.  Mr. Morris and Deacon Barrat[1] went Back to Boston.  By the Deacon I convey’d a Letter to John Hicks[2] for me.  Between 12 and 1 o’Clock we Set out from Mr. Swift’s for Hopkinton.  We stop’d at the Tavern (Maynards)[3] where there was a great Number of Hopkinton People, and at Mr. Jones’s[4] we stop’d also.  Colonel How[5] was in the Company and with great Ceremony congratulated me.  We rode together on the Journey to Hopkinton, and he Gave me to Understand that he had been at Westborough at his Son Agar’s where he was informed how Affairs were carry’d on.  And the Colonel told me of the Opposition Mr. Thomas Ward[6] endeavour’d to raise, of which I believe more may be Said hereafter.  At Hopkinton there were very plentiful Provisions made, And there were many People.  In the Evening we Sang a Psalm, the 128 by Mr. Deming[7] and Sundry Psalm Tunes.  I had a great Deal of Discourse with Mr. Barret, of the Country, etc.  Mr. Deming, Mr. Cushing and I rode home with Mr. Whood.  Mr. Deming pray’d.  Mr. Cushing and I lodg’d together.

[1]Samuel Barrett, father of Reverend Samuel Barrett of Hopkinton.

[2]Of Cambridge.

[3]Jonathan Maynard’s tavern in Framingham.

[4]Colonel John Jones, then in Hopkinton (now Ashland).

[5]Thomas Howe of Marlborough.

[6]One of the first inhabitants of Westborough.

[7]Probably Daniel Deming (Harvard 1700) who had been minister at Needham, Mass., and was later supply pastor at Lyme, Conn.  Sibley, IV, 518-519.

1724 January 10 (Friday).  In the Morning I was appointed to go back to Mr. How’s (upon Mr. Cushing’s Horse) to Bring Madame Graves in Company with Mr. Barrett and Madame, Old Mr. How[1] and his Wife.  We din’d at Mr. Whoods Upon roast Goose, roast Pea hen, Bak’d Stuff’d Venison, Beef, Pork, etc.  After Dinner we Smoak’d a Pipe, read Governor Shute’s[2] Memorial to the King and Mr. Cushing and I rode home.  This Eve I visited Old Mr. Rice.[3]  Ensign Newton[4] was with him.  I borrow’d an Horse of him for my Service to Marlborough and to Stow.  I returned Mr. Pratt’s[5] Horse, which I had Us’d through all these Frolicks, by his young Son.  In the Morning I rode to Marlborough.  After Dinner (upon Roast Beef) with Mr. Breck, and our Concerting Measures upon Changing, Mr. Breck rode away for Westborough.

[1]Captain Thomas Howe of Marlborough.

[2]Governor Samuel Shute of Mass.

[3]Thomas Rice of Westborough.  See Andrew H. Ward, A Genealogical History of the Rice Family (Boston, 1858).

[4]Thomas Newton of Westborough.

[5]John Pratt of Westborough.

1724 January 11 [?] (Sunday).  I preach’d all Day at Marlborough from 1 Sam. 16.7.  In the Evening Mr. Breck returned.

1724 January 12 (Monday).  In the Forenoon Mr. Breck and I rode to Stow to Mr. Gardners[1] and over to See Mr. Ickyls Seat.  We arrived again at Marlborough about Seven, Evening.

[1]Reverend John Gardner (Harvard 1715).  Sibley, VI, 88-90.

1724 January 13 (Tuesday).  [No entry.].