1736 January 24 (Saturday). My Wife very ill, by means of her being so exceedingly exposed last night with the Child — Fever upon her very bad — grows worse — p.m. sent David Baverick to Cambridge to inform our Relations <there?>, of my wife’s illness and of Brother Hicks’s Daughter Ruth’s, who was sick of the Same Fever: and to wait upon sister Ruth Champney[1] hither. My Wife was in great Distresses in the Eve and night — is perswaded she Shall die of this Sickness. She was in many Terrors at the Apprehension of the wrath of God [especially?] in the same night She told me she heard fine singing of Psalm Tunes, and Supposed it to be heavenly Musick. About midnight she was So exceeding bad that I (having no body in the house but Deborah to assist us, and She taken up with the Young Child, I) ran to Ensign Maynards and requested him to go or Send to Marlborough forthwith to bring up Dr. Gott. He sent Jotham; and Mrs. Maynard came up <word crossed out> to my Wife. She fetched her Breath exceeding Short — and difficultly worried out the Night.
[1]Ruth Champney, dau. of Samuel and Hannah, b. Jan. 16, 1708 (CVR 1:128), sister of Mary Parkman, sister-in-law of Ebenezer Parkman.