Month: March 1739

1739 March 1 (Thursday).  Rode over to Cambridge and to College.  Thence up to Waterton for Neighbor Hezekiah Hows Company.  Overtook him at Woolsons.[1] Stop’d by Mr. William Williams[2] about Harvard affair, and by Brother Breck in Sudbury.  Visited Mr. Cook[3] and his Kinsman[4] who has receiv’d a renewed call to Marlborough.  Having been handsomely refresh’d there I pursued my Journey to Hows Tavern,[5] where came Neighbor Townsend but I had his Company but 2 or 3 miles for I came to Dr. Gotts, and made it into Evening, Cold, heavy, Dirty and Weary Home.

[1]Joseph Woolson of Framingham.

[2]Minister at Weston.

[3]Rev. William Cooke of Wayland, Mass.

[4]Samuel Cooke, later minister at Arlington, Mass.

[5]The Wayside Inn.

1739 March 2 (Friday).  Mr. Stone of Southborough brought with him Captain Whitney of Harvard, with a Letter from Deacons and Brethren, and from Mr. Seccomb.  Mr. Stone preach’d my Lecture on Ps. 146.8, last clause.  After Lecture Mr. Stone and I had long Conference and Debates upon Harvard Affair.  We wrote to Captain Sawyer.  Mr. Stone return’d home late.  Captain Whitney lodged here.

1739 March 3 (Saturday).  John Kidney Clearing Land, and did considerable of it in the Time of my Absence.

1739 March 4 (Sunday).  Sacrament.  On Rom. 8.6.  P.M. Repeated the latter part of Sermon on Phil. 1.21.  Very weary and not well at night.

1739 March 5 (Monday).  Before the yearly Meeting there was a Town Meeting by adjournment about the Meeting House.  Mr. Daniel Stone brought me Two Heath Hens and a Cock.

1739 March 6 (Tuesday).  Storm of Snow.  Mr. Tainter came and kill’d Two Swine for me.  I read Mr. Samuel Mathers Apology for the Churches in New England.[1]

[1]An Apology for the Liberties of the Churches in New-England (Boston, 1738).  Mather (HC 1723) was the youngest son of Cotton Mather and at this time minister of the Second Church, Boston.  SHG, 7:216-238.

1739 March 7 (Wednesday).  Snow Storm continues.  Cold and Windy.  Mr. Tainter came and cut out and Salted up my Pork.  No Catechizing (although it had been appointed this Day) because of the storm.

1739 March 8 (Thursday).  Fair.  Ebenezer Maynard came upon my sending for him to cut wood — and John Kidney sledded.  N.B. Ebenezer Maynard gave the Day.

1739 March 9 (Friday).  Snow.  We had prepared to carry a Pine Logg out of the Lot to the Saw Mill and Ebenezer Maynard came to help load it, but the Storm prevail’d and we gave over.

1739 March 10 (Saturday).  With Brother Hicks’s Cattle and Neighbor Aaron Hardys joined to my own Team, Ebenezer Maynard and John Kidney carry’d a Large Logg to the Saw Mill.

1739 March 11 (Sunday).  Snow’d again.  On Prov. 4.7.  N.B. but few at Meeting p.m.  N.B. My Wife has been somewhat disconsolate by her Limbs Swelling.

1739 March 12 (Monday).  Brother Hicks to Shrewsbury upon my Horse.  He went to Cambridge.  Ebenezer went down to Mr. Daniel Matthews[1] for Malt.

[1]Of Marlborough, and later of Southborough.

1739 March 13 (Tuesday).  [No entry.]

1739 March 14 (Wednesday).  Catechizing — it having been appointed on this Day because of the Disappointment last Week by the Storm.

1739 March 15 (Thursday).  Storm of Rain and Hail.

1739 March 16 (Friday).  I rode to Marlborough.  Exceeding bad Travelling.  To Mr. Tainters,[1] Phelps,[2] Colonel Woods’s, Dr. Gotts at Evening and at Captain Williams[3] late.  Yet returned home.

[1]Deacon Joseph Tainter.

[2]John Phelps, a cordwainer of Marlborough.  About 1742 he moved with his family to Rutland, Mass.  Hudson, Marlborough, 428.

[3]Abraham Williams of Marlborough.

1739 March 17 (Saturday).  [No entry.]

1739 March 18 (Sunday).  On Prov. 4.7.

1739 March 19 (Monday).  Mr. Jeremiah Townsend came to us from New Haven.

1739 March 20 (Tuesday).  Captain Williams of Marlborough here and made up Accounts as Executor of Mr. Brecks[1] Will, as Administratee Upon Mr. Brecks Substance, and as Guardian to my Wife.  P.M. I rode to Deacon Tomlins[2] and to Mr. Icabud Druce’s.

[1]The late Rev. Robert Breck of Marlborough.

[2]Isaac Tomlin of Westborough.

1739 March 21 (Wednesday).  Rode South.  Lieutenant Bakers, Captain Fays, Mr. Samuel Fays, etc. etc.  N.B. Mr. James Taylor[1] of Worcester here.

[1]An early proprietor of Worcester.  Lincoln, Worcester, 46-47.

1739 March 22 (Thursday).  A Meeting of the Proprietors of Hoossatunnoc No. 3.  N.B. The Committee for that Business had agreed with Captain Hazletine[1] of Upton to build a Saw Mill.  I assisted ‘em in Drawing Two Bonds.

[1]John Hazeltine.

1739 March 23 (Friday).  Town Meeting upon the Article of the Meeting House, but still did nothing.  Mr. Samuel Harrington took my Horse to keep.

1739 March 24 (Saturday).  My wife went to the Kitchen about this Time.

1739 March 25 (Sunday).  On Mat. 9.18.

1739 March 26 (Monday).  Town Meeting by Adjournment.  N.B. Marlborough propos’d Meeting.  I sent down, a second time, a Plot of Two acres and 30 Rod upon Powder Hill, by old Mr. Maynard,[1] but oppos’d by Mr. Richard Barns.  N.B. some warm answer to old Mr. Maynard and Neighbor Williams[2] when they gave me account of the Proprietors not accepting it.  N.B. began to Garden.  We plough’d in some early Peas.

[1]David Maynard.

[2]Eleazer Williams.

1739  March 27 (Tuesday).  Very fine Weather.

1739 March 28 (Wednesday).  Receiv’d from my Mother by Mr. Simon Goddard[1] Tulip Roots, etc.  Mr. David Bell of Boston in his Journey to New Haven came to us at Evening in the Rain and Lodg’d here.

[1]Of Shrewsbury.  He had previously lived in Hopkinton.  Ward, Shrewsbury, 285.

1739 March 29 (Thursday).  Public Fast.  I preach’d on Ezek. 36.25 to 32 and part of 37.

1739 March 30  (Friday).  Mr. Bell pursued his Journey to New Haven bearing Letters from us, Scil. to Mr. Pierpont[1] and Mr. Daniel Edwards.[2]  The Wind exceeding high last night.  Rugged, Cold, windy Day.

[1]James Pierpont, Jr., of New Haven.

[2](YC 1720).  Clerk of the Superior Court of Connecticut.  Dexter, 216-217.

1739 March 31 (Saturday).  I walk’d into the Neighbourhood as far as to Mr. Williams and I borrowed his Horse to Southborough, Mr. Stone having writ to me in the beginning of the Week, to Change with him.  I expected Mr. Stone, but he came not.  I rode down to Southborough upon Mr. Williams’s Horse, but it was nigh dark when I got to Mr. Stones, So that he tarried till morning.