1737 February 24 (Thursday). Had sent to Mr. Prentice of Grafton[1] and very much depended upon him to preach my Lecture, but he failed. I repeated Sermon on Heb. 7.25. A very cold day — very slippery — few at Lecture. Heard by Cousen Winchester that Sister Ruth Champney at Cambridge was sick.
[1]Forbes: Rev. Solomon Prentice – ordained as minister of the Grafton Church in 1731. “He became,” says Rev. Peter Whitney, “what was called in that day a zealous new light, or more properly, a raving enthusiast.” He died in 1773, leaving a will in which he provided that his wife Sarah, is to live in his house, and have all his household goods and furniture and indore movables; his riding chair and horse which is to be well kept for her, summer and winter, and replaced if he fails; her firewood cut at her door; as much cider as she shall have occasion to use in the house; full and free liberty to put up a friend’s horse or horses, to hay in winter and grass in summer, when they come to visit her, &c. All to be provided by Solomon, Jr., for her sole use and benefit during her natural life. £15 to be paid her annually by my sons.
Mr. Parkman was acquainted with Mr. Prentice before he came to Grafton, and with two other ministers signs a paper recommending him to the gospel ministry “when it shall please God to engage him in it and heartily pray he may prove a blessing to the churches.” This was in 1731.
Mr. Prentice built for himself a house in Grafton, which after his death was occupied by Rev. Aaron Hutchinson, and later by Rev. Daniel Grosvenor; Mr. Parkman doubtless was a frequent visitor to each of its owners. It was moved from its first location and now forms the front of Mr. Henry Prentice’s house on Oak Street, having come at last again into the family of the Rev. Solomon.
Walett: Reverend Solomon Prentice (Harvard 1727), minister of Grafton, 1731-1747. Sibley, VIII, 248-257.