Month: April 1736

April 3, 1736

1736 April 3 (Saturday).  I did not pretend to forward my preparations because of an Appointment I had made with Mr. Cushing to Change with him.  P.M. I rode to Shrewsbury, and Mr. Cushing rode to Westborough.  N.B. I had been at Lieutenant Bakers — for it was the Season to appoint the Communion but there was no effectual Care taken about the Difference with Samuel Hardy.  I had been also at Mr. Treasurer Newtons (Josiah’s) to prepare for my Journey Next week.

April 5, 1736

1736 April 5 (Monday).  I returned to Westborough as early as I could — my Journey being before me, and the weather very agreeable.  Lieut. Baker had been at my House before I got home, but hastily went back home, and So left matters respecting Hardys Case in some perplexed posture.  Mr. Cushing went home.  After waiting for Lieut. Holloway some while, he came to be my Company in my Journey.  I carried my Daughter Molly with me to Cambridge.  Mr. Cook[1] of Sudbury has lost Two Children by the Mortal sickness and divers others of his Children are sick,[2] but in an hopefull way.  At Mr. Baldwins I found Mr. Charles Coffin[3] of Boston who had been a Journey to Simsbury.  Coll. Quincy[4] came in, and some others with him.  We hear that Judge Davenport[5] is Deceased.  Lieut. Holloway lodged with me at F. Champneys.

[1]William Cooke (1696-1760), Harvard 1716, minister of East Sudbury (Wayland), 1723-1760.  SHG, 6:134-38. 

[2]Neither the Sudbury Vital Records nor the Wayland Vital Records record the deaths.  The Sudbury Vital Records list four children of William and Jane (Sewall) Cook: Jane, b. Jan. 26, 1724; Margaret, b. Sept. 7, 1725; William, Sept. 6, 1727; and Katherin, b. Feb. 6, 1734, all of whom married.  The gap between the births of William and Katherin suggests unrecorded births.  Vital Records of Sudbury, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston: New-England Historic Genealogical Society, 1903), 34.

[3]Parkman called him “Cousin Charles Coffin” (Sept. 2, 1724)

[4]Edmund Quincy (1681-1738), Harvard 1699; SHG, 4:491-95.

[5]Addington Davenport (1670-1736), Harvard 1689; SHG, 3:412-15.

April 6, 1736

1736 April 6 (Tuesday).  Lieutenant and I went to Boston.  Many <word crossed out> in the Town have the Sickness, but through the Mercy of God it is not So Mortal there as it was and Still is at the Eastward, yet some that have dyed in this Town have been far more putrifyed and Corrupted than they were there awhile agoe.  Sister Lydia at Brother Samuels.  Eve at Mr. Mountforts.[1]

[1]John Mountfort (1703-1722), Harvard 1722; SHG, 7:101-02.

April 7, 1736

1736 April 7 (Wednesday).  Saw Mr. McGregore[1] of Nutfield, by my Mothers Gate — appointed to Meet with him at Mr. Fennels Shop at 11 o’Clock; but he came not.  I dined at Brother Samuels.  Very rainy afternoon: confined at Brother Samuels.  Eve at Monsieur LeMercier’s[2] and I supped there.  Lodged at Brother Alexanders.  Judge Davenport was to have been buryed but it was prevented by the Rain.

[1]David McGregore (1710-1777), ordained as the first minister of Londonderry, NH (West Parish), Oct. 9, 1736; Weis, Colonial Clergy, 132.

[2]Andrew Le Mercier (c. 1692-1764), minister of the French Huguenot Church in Boston, 1722-1764.  Weis, Colonial Clergy, 126.

April 8, 1736

1736 April 8 (Thursday).  Mr. Prince[1] on Ezek. 36.26.  I expected a Funeral Sermon, but we had no word of it.  I dined at Mr. Foxcrofts,[2] as did Mr. Thatcher[3] and Mr. Mather.[4]  P.M. at Mr. James Pierpont’s[5] [marginal notation: and at Mr. Charles Coffins — N.B. String Beans there eat as well as New gathered, prepared in salt.  Soaked all night and parboiled before they were broke for the Pot: A very great and very agreeable Rarity] etc.  At Eve sister Lydia rode up to Cambridge with me.  N.B. My Horse had been kept a Day or Two at Mr. Charles Coffins stable, by means of my Brother Samuel.  Lit of Mr. Ivory Hovey on the Road to Cambridge.

[1]Thomas Prince (1687-1758), Harvard 1707, minister of Boston’s Old South Church, 1718-1758. SHG, 5:341-68.

[2]Thomas Foxcroft (1697-1769), Harvard 1714, minister of Boston’s First Church, 1717-1769.  SHG, 6:47-58. 

[3]Peter Thacher (1677-1739), Harvard 1696, minister of Weymouth, 1707-1719, and Boston’s New North Church, 1720-1739; SHG 4:303-08.

[4]Samuel Mather (1706-1785), Harvard 1723, minister of Boston’s Second Church, 1732-1741, and the Bennet Street Church, 1741-1785.  SHG, 7:216-38.

[5]James Pierpont, Jr., 1699-1776 (Yale 1718), son of Rev. James Pierpont (1660-1714; Harvard 1681) of New Haven.  He mar. Sarah, daughter of Nathaniel and Martha (Cunnable) Breck. DYG, 1:189-90.

April 9, 1736

1736 April 9 (Friday).  At College.  Met my neighbour Whipple who was coming to me at Cambridge.  Mr. Caleb Rice Some way before us upon the Road.  Neighbour Whipples Horse failed at Harringtons.  I pursued Mr. Rice to Mr. Baldwins.  He was there and Mrs. Pegge Dammon of Stow (Daughter in Law of Justice Whitman) with him.  We dined together and rode up by Mr. Lorings and accompanyed Mrs. Pegge home.  Then I rode with Mr. Rice to <word crossed out> Mr. Fishs in Marlborough to See Mr. Withington[1] (a Young Preacher at Marlborough and who had been up at Westborough along with Mr. Ivory Hovey when I was gone to Boston).  Thence I proceeded to Deacon Rice’s[2] (with his son) and Lodged there.

[1]Mather Withington (1714-1736), Harvard 1732; d. Apr. 28, 1736 at his home in Dorchester.  SHG, 9:265.

[2]Caleb Rice (father of Caleb Rice, Harvard 1730) served as deacon of the Marlborough church, 1718-1739; Worthley, Inventory, 352.

April 13, 1736

1736 April 13 (Tuesday).  Mr. Prentice of Grafton and then Mr. Cushing, came; and we all proceeded to Southborough to Ministers Meeting.  Left David Ploughing in order to sowing Some Rie.  Mr. Josiah Swan[1] Examined, and gave an Exercise on Mat. 5.14.  He was approved and we gave him a Certificate.  Four of us Lodged at Ensign Timothy Brighams.

[1]Josiah Swan (1712-1777), Harvard 1733, minister of Dunstable, N.H., 1738-1746.  SHG, 9:331-32.

April 15, 1736

1736 April 15 (Thursday).  Rainy.  Mr. Solomon Prentice at our Public Lecture, on [blank].  The Church stopped after Lecture — see Church Records.[1]  Though Rainy yet Mr. Prentice would go home.

[1]“The Church Stopped on Account of First the Proposal, respecting a Consociation in the County of Worcester; but it was desired that this matter, so New and so weighty might still lye for more mature Consideration – The Second Affair was contained in a Letter from the Church of Sutton, Setting forth that our Brother Peres Rice had refused to join with them and come under their Watch and Discipline, though dismissed from us, therefor) for some Special Reasons (as he Suggests) which Reasons they pray may be required of him by the Church in Westborough, and sent to them as our satisfaction with them that they may be satisfyed that there [is?] nothing reflecting or reproaching either them Selves or any of their Members, in said Special Reasons.  The Church of Westborough voted, that in Compliance with the Request of Said Letter, a Line should be sent to our said Brother Rice desiring or requiring those Reasons – The Last Article was, the Practice the Pastor had (as occasion required)  gone into of forbidding both parties to approach to Special ordinances when Complaint has been brought by one Brother against another, till the matter can be laid before the Church; which Practice the Church confirmed and settled by their (Silential) vote” (WCR, 40).

April 16, 1736

1736 April 16 (Friday).  Mr. Tainter and Mr. Daniel Forbush gave me a Days work in Digging stones down in the New Ground on the south side, and I Set David to Digging with them.  I was obliged to send my Desire to Brother Samuel Hardy, to Brother Baker etc. to request that unless they Should make up their Difference they would wave their approach to the Communion till some further Care can be taken about the matter.

April 22, 1736

1736 April 22 (Thursday).  Sent for to Mr. Ithamar Bellows’s wife.[1]  She was very Low; had lately lain in,[2] and had a great Degree of Fever: very self Judging; but not without Earnest Longing after the Divine Favour.  I was at Capt. Warrins little Moses lyes in a Languishing Condition yet.  John Rogers[3] helped David to Day in Carting Muck.  Our own Cattle and Horse; Ensign Maynards Cart.  I Catechized on North side.  N.B. Neighbour Josiah Rice cut his Leg and bled in so great Degree that they were in very great Fears what would be the Event.

[1]Mary, wife of Ithamar Bellows.

[2]Seth, son of Ithemore and Mary Bellows, b. Apr. 15, 1736; d. May 18, 1736 (WVR, 18, 229)

[3]John Rogers, son of William and Mercy Rogers.

April 29, 1736

1736 April 29 (Thursday).  Received from Brother Samuel Parkman a Mournfull Letter of the Death of his Dear Daughter Dorcas[1] taken with Sore Throat the 18th.  Expired the 24.  Buryed 28.

[1]Dorcas, daughter of Samuel Parkman.  Death not in Robert J. Dunkle and Ann S. Lainhart, comps., Deaths in Boston, 1700 to 1799 (2 vols.; Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1999).

April 30, 1736

1736 April 30 (Friday).  Mr. Jonah Warrin and Mr. Noah Rice came (upon hire) to get me Posts.  Mr. Warrin went away p.m.  It is an unusually Cold and Melancholly Season.  Grass very backward and Hay very short.  I hear it has gone hard with many Cattle in the Towns above us.  Through Divine Smiles I have Hay, Some Sufficiency, And have entertained Mr. Ebenezer Locks Cow most of the winter, and Brother Hicks’s 2 Steers the Spring.