Month: May 1738

May 1, 1738

1738 May 1 (Monday).  Mr. Habijah Bruce sent his son Charles with a Yoke of Oxen to cross my Grass-Ground and they began to work, but old Mr. Greaves gave me so much of his Experience of planting upon the sods, that offering also to assist me in it, we proceeded to have it harrowed and then planted it.  His Brother Francis Pierce also help’d in it.  N.B. Goodman Gore of Marlborough here.  Pleasant weather.  P.M. Charles ploughed over the rest of the stubble ground.

May 2, 1738

1738 May 2 (Tuesday).  Hired James Bradish and Noah How to cart out Muck, but before noon came Mr. John Watkin from Upton and offer’d to undertake my Work for longer or shorter Time.  Accordingly a little before noon he went to work.  P.M. Noah went home, and Mr. Watkin wrought at the Team in his Stead.  Cool, raw weather, p.m.  Great Expectation of Rain at the dry Time, but Clouds fail.

May 10, 1738

1738 May 10 (Wednesday).  A.M. finish’d planting Corn.  Abraham planted more Potatoes.  I sent 5 Young Cattle into the Woods in the Drove of Captain Warrins,[1] etc.  Susanna Cutting rode upon my Horse designing to visit her Parents at Waterton.  P.M. a great Storm of Rain.  Yesterday Mr. Bliss deny’d Marlborough.

[1]Daniel Warrin, one of the original settlers of Westborough.

May 13, 1738

1738 May 13 (Saturday).  Deacon Miles[1] of Concord and his Wife were here.  P.M. I rode down to Southborough intending to Change with Mr. Stone; and Mr. Stone was accordingly dressing himself when Mr. Man[2] from College came and so earnestly requested and importuned me to change with him that (at Mr. Stones Desire also) I rode over to Marlborough whilst Mr. Man rode up to Westborough.

[1]Samuel Miles.

[2]Hezekiah Man (Harvard 1731).  Sibley, IX, 65-67.

May 15, 1738

1738 May 15 (Monday).  Town Meeting at Marlborough to choose a Representative, and church meeting to choose a Pastor.  My Business lay with divers persons at both the Meeting House and School House (at the former the Town, at the latter the church met), So that I was unavoidably up there — but lest I Should fall under some Reproach I refus’d to pray with the Church notwithstanding their Sollicitous Messages one after another.  N.B. Discourse with Mr. John Sherman about Mr. Brecks pew which some had disorderly and clandestinely pull’d down in Marlborough Meeting House.  Having call’d at Captain Warrens I returned home.

May 24, 1738

1738 May 24 (Wednesday).  I rode into the South part of the Town as far as to Mr. Millers where I din’d and to Mr. Samuel Harringtons.  N.B. at my returning there was at Captain Fays Mr. Whitman,[1] minister of Farmington, and one of his Sons.  N.B. I visited Mr. Samuel Fays wife, but he was himself at New Medfield.

[1]Reverend Samuel Whitman (Harvard 1696).  Sibley, IV, 315-317.

May 25, 1738

1738 May 25 (Thursday).  Lecture.  Repeated Sermon on John 20.28.  Church was Stopp’d to receive the answers of the Brethren who were chosen Deacons.[1]  They each of them answer’d in the Negative.  There was much debating whether we Should accept Such Reasons as they Supported their Denyal with except what Brother Forbush offer’d concerning his Bodily Infirmities which considering the End and Design of our Choosing Deacons was esteemed of avail by all that Spoke.  There were so many differing Sentiments that I was oblig’d to offer to them to Dissolve all that had been done hitherto upon the Business and adjourn to this Day fortnight.  N.B. Mr. Livermore put down the New Box, which I had of Mr. Reed of Boston, into the Pump, on the long Spire that it might work in the lower Part of the pump.

[1]Thomas Forbush, Jr., and Seth Rice had been elected April 19, 1738.

May 29, 1738

1738 May 29 (Monday).  When the Rain in the Morning permitted, My Wife rode with me first to Mr. Joslins[1] which was a great hindrance to our Journey; then we proceeded to Marlborough, but the Rain prevailed to such a Degree that we were confin’d there all Night.  N.B. The Wooden Horse which some of the Rabble had fastened at Colonel Woods’s Door.  N.B. Proprietors Meeting but I had not Plot with me.  N.B. This Rain a great Mercy.

[1]Joseph Joslin of Westborough.

May 30, 1738

1738 May 30 (Tuesday).  We waited till after dinner for weather, but then ventur’d to undertake our Journey.  Mr. Cushing of Shrewsbury and Master Harrington in Company.  N.B. just at Evening from Captain Wells to Father Champney’s[1] we were in a heavy Shower of Rain.  Lodg’d at Cambridge.

[1] Samuel Champney of Cambridge, father of Parkman’s first wife.

May 31, 1738

1738 May 31 (Wednesday).  We rode to Boston.  Mr. Webb[1] on Isa. 9.6.  We din’d at Brother Parkman’s.  P.M. an Ague utterly indispos’d me for going abroad till the next Day.  So that I was not at the Conventions at Dr. Sewall’s.[2]  Lodg’d at Brother Elias’s.  N.B. Mr. Weld[3] of Upton and Mr. John Hunt[4] (preacher) Supp’d at Brothers.  N.B. Ebenezer Rode with us from Cambridge to Boston, which he had not Seen Since he was a Babe, but he in no wise likes it, because of the Evil Smells etc.  He is under great Infirmitys — weak and Sick and a bad cough.

[1]Reverend John Webb of the New North Church.

[2]Reverend Joseph Sewall of the Old South Church.

[3]Reverend Thomas Weld.

[4](Harvard 1734).  Hunt did some preaching and then settled down in his home town, Watertown, to become a prosperous merchant and Representative to the General Court.  Sibley, IX, 414-418.