Month: December 1726

1726 December 1, 2, 3 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday).  I Employ’d myself almost wholly upon the Subject I Design further to Entertain my people with.

1726 December 4 (Sunday).  I preach’d a. and p.m. on Eph. 2.5.  It was a very stormy Day and I had but few hearers.  Mr. Jedediah How set the Tune and read the Line, p.m.

1726 December 5 (Monday).  Mr. Thomas Forbush, Junior’s youngest Child[1] dy’d very suddenly this morning, as I hear many Young Children in severall Towns round here.  In the Eve my Little Daughter was ill, But

[1]Thomas, Jr.

1726 December 6 (Tuesday).  Through the Divine Favour She was this Morning well recovered.  In the Afternoon I was at the funerall of Mr. Forbush’s Child.

1726 December 7 (Wednesday).  I rode over to Mr. Eagers upon the Affair of my absent Heiffer, But he was gone to Marlborough.  Hearing Mr. Thomas Ward[1] was at Mr. Allens[2] Mill I went Thither and met with him.  Mr. Allen requested me to go in and see his Wife.  I did and had an hour or Two’s Discourse with her.  I both found and left her in a poor Melancholly, dejected, distressed Condition.  From hence I rode to Marlborough.  I went down to Mr. John How’s (who I heard had my Heiffer) first with Two Young Men, Nathaniel Oak[3] and Joshua Goardin, and then with Mr. Ward (who had kept the Creature all Summer and winter Last) to prove it mine, if they were able to give Testimony.  They said (upon Seeing her) that they were not only able but ready, if call’d thereto, to give oath it was mine.  But these all not satisfying Mr. How we went over to Mr. Woods and Chose him and Mr. Jedediah Brigham[4] to Determine between us.  Upon hearing us it fell with full Consent to me and I gave Mr. How 10 Shillings for keeping her.  After this (it being Somewhat after nine o’Clock) I went to Mr. Brecks where I Lodg’d.

[1]Of Westborough.

[2]Ephraim Allen who lived in that part of Westborough which became Northborough in 1776.

[3]Nathaniel Oak (Oaks, Oakes), Jr. of Marlborough, later a resident of that part of Lancaster which became Bolton in 1738.

[4]‘ Son of Samuel Brigham of Marlborough and the proprietor of a tannery in that town.  Hudson, Marlborough, pp. 334-335.

1726 December 8 (Thursday).  Mr. Breck walked with me to Mr. Woods’s.  Here was Old Mr. How[1] of Hopkinton who told over the Manner and Methods of Mr. Barretts[2] coming into Hopkinton and Settling there.  Mr. Woods went up with us to Mr. Brecks where we din’d upon a Turkey.  When Near night I came away, but meeting Mr. Jacob Amsden[3] I went in with him into his Father Behmans,[4] and thence I came home with Mr. Amsden.

[1]John How who was prominent in the establishment of the First Congregational Church in Hopkinton in 1724. Manual of the First Congregational Church in Hopkinton (Boston,
1881), p. 20.

[2]Reverend Samuel Barrett, first minister at Hopkinton.

[3]Of Marlborough.

[4]Jacob Amsden married Sarah Beaman, daughter of Thomas Beaman of Marlborough, October 28,1719.  Jacob Amsden, son of Isaac Amsden, Sr., of Marlborough lived in Westborough as early as 1722.

1726 December 9, 10 (Friday, Saturday).  My Sermons took up the whole of my Time.  I sent John and Nathaniel Oak to Marlborough, and in the morn they brought the Heiffer home.

1726 December 11 (Sunday).  I preach’d again All Day upon Eph. 2.5.  Old Mrs. Forbush,[1] Mr. How[2] of Hassinemisco, and his wife, Mrs. Newton,[3] Mrs. Goodeno[4] din’d with us.  An Exceeding Cold Day.

[1]Probably the wife of Deacon Thomas Forbush.

[2]Nehemiah How.

[3]Either Mrs. Thomas or Mrs. Josiah Newton of Westborough.

[4]Mrs. David Goodenow of Westborough.

1726 December 12 (Monday).  Very Cold.  Our schoolmaster, Mr. Townsend[1] came into Town, and the School began.

[1]Joshua Townsend of Brookfield was engaged for £18 to teach six months in three parts of Westborough.  For twelve or thirteen years he continued to be the schoolmaster.  DeForest and Bates, Westborough, pp. 96-100.

1726 December 13 (Tuesday).  I was at Captain Fay’s,[1] Mr. Pratts,[2] etc., to get hands to Cut wood and kill my Swine.

[1]Captain John Fay of Westborough.

[2]Probably John Pratt, a neighbor of Parkman.

1726 December 14 (Wednesday).  Neighbor Pratt and Maynard[1] came and kill’d Two of my Swine.  P.M. it was Stormy, Snow, etc.  Mr. Ward Reckon’d with me.

[1]David Maynard.

1726 December 15 (Thursday).  Very high Winds and Sharp Cold.  Mr. John Pratt, Junior and his Brother Came and Cutt Several Load of wood for me.  An High German Doctor was here.

1726 December 16 (Friday).  I finish’d Mr. Addisons 3d volume containing His Dialogues upon Medals, The Present state of the War, 1707, and of the Christian Religion.

1726 December 17 (Saturday).  Upon My preparations.

1726 December 18 (Sunday).  I preach’d all Day upon Luk. 6.46.  Mr. Simeon Howard din’d with us.

1726 December 19 (Monday).  Very Stormy.  High winds and Rain.

1726 December 20 (Tuesday).  William Clark Thrash’d Oates for me.  Mr. Barrett[1] expected according to word sent us but Came not.  Mr. Peres Rice here with Complaints against his uncle, Mr. Samuel Fay, etc.  He told me Some in the Town were Examining whether my marrying the Rutland couple was according to Law.  Mr. Breck sent home my Political State 12 volumes, and a Pamphlet, by his son Mr. Robert and young Rice of College.[2]

[1]Reverend Samuel Barrett of Hopkinton.

[2]Caleb Rice (Harvard 1730), youngest son of Caleb Rice of Marlborough.  Later the first minister of Sturbridge, Mass., 1736-1759.  Sibley, III, 774-775.

1726 December 21 (Wednesday).  Very Cold and we but Short firewood.

1726 December 22 (Thursday).  In the morning I sent for Neighbor Clarks cart for my Lad to bring home wood upon.  But there Came some young Men that both Cut and Carted a good supply (of 7 Load).  Captain Fay’s 2 sons and Team, Peres Rice’s Servant and Nathaniel Child[1] were my men.

[1]Nathaniel Child of Westborough.

1726 December 23, 24 (Friday, Saturday).  My whole time is taken up about my subject, and I Desire no other Employment on these Dayes.

1726 December 25 (Sunday).  I preach’d upon Luk. 11.26 a. and p.m.  Mrs. Holloway[1] din’d with us.

[1]Either Mrs. William or Mrs. Adam Holloway of Westborough.

1726 December 26 (Monday).  A.M. I read Lowths Directions for Reading the Scriptures.[1]  P.M. I read the Clergyman’s Vade mecum.

[1]Probably the popular work Directions for the profitable reading of the Holy Scriptures by the English theologian, William Lowth, D.D. (1660-1732).  The work first appeared in a London edition of 1708.  Numerous other editions followed.

1726 December 27 (Tuesday).  I rode to Mr. Barretts.  Here was Mrs. Ford[1] and Mrs. Leasingby.[2]  O’bed I read Mr. Moodys[3] Memoirs of Joseph Quasson and Just Sentiments on the protestant Religion.  I likewise dip’d into Mr. Cooper’s[4] Account of Mr. John Coney.

[1]Probably Mrs. Stephen Ford of Charlestown.

[2]This name appears several times but extensive search reveals no clue to the identity of the person.

[3]Samuel Moodey or Moody, A Summary Account of the Life and Death of Joseph Quasson, an Indian (Boston, 1726).

[4]William Cooper, The Service of God. . . Preach’d on . . . the Death of Mr. John Coney [An Appendix, Containing a Further Account of Mr. John Coney, Collected from his Private Writings] (Boston, 1726).  Cooper (Harvard 1712) was minister of the Brattle Street Church in Boston, 1716-1743.  Sibley, V, 624-634.

1726 December 28 (Wednesday).  Very Stormy and Cold, but notwithstanding the women, out of their humourousness and gaiety Rode along with me to Mrs. Woods.[1]  I brought home my peacock, and got home well though it was a difficult Time, for the Riding, the Cold Storm, and it being in the Evening.

[1]The home of Captain John Wood of Hopkinton.

1726 December 29 (Thursday).  The storm Continues very hard.  I read in Mr. Coney’s Life and it very much affected me as I very well knew the man.  I could not but have the Saddest Reflections upon my Self when I see what men of far inferiour advantages attain to; and under no such bonds as I am by my Solemn Consecration to God, in my holy ordination.

1726 December 30 (Friday).  Mr. Barrett, Mr. Burnay and Wood came over with Mrs. Wood, Mrs. Fowl[1] and Leasingby to our house, and they returned in the Evening.

[1]Probably Mrs. John Fowle of Charlestown.

1726 December 31 (Saturday).  Very backward in my preparations but as the Year Concluded, the week and the Day my Sermons were brought to a Sufficient Length (if Every Discourse could be as good as it is Long).