Month: January 1740

1740 January 1 (Tuesday).  Through the tender Mercy and Long suffering of God I am again permitted to begin another New Year.  Blessed be His glorious Name for it!  But I am under Infirmity and Pain in my Limbs and under Confinement So that although I can follow my studys yet, cannot go from Home, nor Venture to my Barn when it is very Cold or Damp weather.  This Morning was rainy, but clear’d up and was moderate and pleasant a.m.  P.M. was very rugged.

1740 January 2 (Wednesday).  Very high winds and extreme Cold.  Mr. Caleb Rice[1] of Stourbridge here and din’d with us.  We were very Short of Wood and were oblig’d to Cut up an Old Hoggs Stye to burn.  Jotham Maynard getting out Flax for us.

[1](HC 1730).  The first minister at Sturbridge, 1736- 1759.  SHG, 8:774-775.

1740 January 3 (Thursday).  Very cold.  Captain Warrin[1] and Jotham Maynard p.m. got wood.  In the Evening Deacon Newton,[2] Lieutenant Baker and Lieutenant Tainter[3] here to Enquire how I was [illegible] for wood.  Mr. Joseph Crosby here with Leather and I bought a Skin for Breeches of him.

[1]Daniel Warrin of Westborough.

[2]Josiah Newton.

[3]Simon Tainter, Jr.

1740 January 4 (Friday).  Mr. Crosby again.  I dispos’d of 4 Sheep Skins to him.  I sent Ebenezer to Southborough for Salt it being most Scarce round about us.  Mr. Jonathan Whipple here with Check’d Linnen Cloth which he had wove for us.  David Baverick clearing in my swamp, and Lodg’d here.

1740 January 5 (Saturday).  David Baverick, Ezekiel Pratt, and Jonathan Rogers clearing in the Swamp and din’d here.  P.M. Two more, viz. Sam Bumpso and John Rogers at the same work.

1740 January 6 (Sunday).  Clear and somewhat Cold.  To Day I first put on my usual Cloths.  Text Ps. 68.20.  Mr. Miller,[1] lately recover’d from the Meazles din’d with us.

[1]James Miller of Westborough.

1740 January 7 (Monday).  Mr. Ebenezer Nurse’s eldest son, Ebenezer, a Youth of about 19, died last Friday of the Iliack passion, and this Day I was at his Funeral.  Mr. Jedidiah How help’d by Noah kill’d Two Hogs for me.  Weight of my Two Hoggs was 19 Score.  A.M. the 3 young men Clearing.  Mr. Peter Butler of Rutland sadler was here, and lodg’d.

1740 January 8 (Tuesday).  Mr. Butler having rectify’d my Cloth Housing, new stuff’d my wife’s side saddle, etc., and settled accounts with me.  Went off.  Some Number of Hands came to get wood.  Lieutenant Baker with a Yoke of oxen, and Neighbor Benjamin Fay[1] with 2 Yoke and Cart, Lieutenant Tainter For Mr. Beriah Rice, Neighbor Grow[2] For Deacon Newton,[3] Harrington,[4] Seth Rice[5] with his Team p.m., Eliezer Rice,[6] James Maynard, Sam Bumpso, David Baverick,[7] Ezekiel Pratt, Hezekiah Pratt, John Rogers for Mr. Abner Newton,[8] Josiah Green junior, Eliezer Williams, Samuel Rogers from Mr. William Nurse, Phinehas Forbush,[9] and Thomas Whitney.  The first Cart went with onely one Yoke of Oxen and therefore could not load up.  The other Cart had one Yoke and an Horse, and loaded decently, the other Two Yoke of Oxen drew a sled which for want of Snow could not be loaded up.  The Wood was cut on the East Side of the Hill, and was a great deal of it very Small, but they clear’d the Small Tract as they went, of such Turns as aforesaid they made (as they gave account) 39 by Duskish.  Lieutenant Tainter tarried in the Evening and Cut up and Salted my Two Hoggs which were kill’d Yesterday.  They weighed both of them about 19 Score.

[1]The son of Captain John Fay.  Benjamin became a frequent officeholder of Westborough.  Johnson, Fay Family Tree, 27-30.

[2]Samuel Grow.

[3]Josiah Newton.

[4]Samuel Harrington.

[5]Son of Edmund Rice.

[6]From Marlborough, near the Westborough line.

[7]David Batherick of Westborough.

[8]Son of Thomas Newton.

[9]Son of Deacon Jonathan Forbush.

1740 January 9 (Wednesday).  Snow’d last Night.  The 3 Young Men, Scil. David Baverick, Ezekiel Pratt and Sam Bumpso, came to clearing but the Rain beat them off.  Nurse Sherman was carried Home by Ebenezer, not to Marlborough the Meazles being thick there and about there but to Grafton.  Mr. Bowman and Mr. Daniel Hardy here at Eve.

1740 January 10 (Thursday).  Snow’d last Night but turns to rain this morning.  Snow returns and the Storm of Snow and Rain continues all Day.  My Wife greatly afflicted with the Tooth ach.  Meazles at Ensign Maynards.

1740 January 11 (Friday).  Bright, Clear Day.  Stephen Maynard[1] missing ever since Wednesday.  His Father, uncle James and Cousen David gone after him again to Day and brought him from Providence.

[1]Son of Captain John Maynard.

1740 January 12 (Saturday).  Pleasant Day.  My Wife (Except her Toothach) so far recover’d through Gods Mercy, that today She went into the Kitchen.  Samuel Bumpso thrash’d Barley.

1740 January 13 (Sunday).  I preach’d a. and p.m. on Rev. 2.21.  Mr. Cornelius Biglo din’d here.  After Meeting Mr. Biglo came in and my wife improv’d him to put out her Tooth.

1740 January 14 (Monday).  Samuel Bumpso finish’d Thrashing Barley a.m.  Mr. Daniel Warrin (who bought my Oxen) drove them down to Boston.  Mr. Moses Pierce junior of Boston, on his Journey to Connecticut, by whom I wrote to Mr. Pierpont, my Acknowledgments for his Bounty in presenting Me Dr. Fuller’s Church History of Britain and History of Cambridge[1] which I receiv’d last Saturday night.  Mr. Beman[2] came to call me to visit Matthias Rice[3] who was sick of the Meazles, and I ventur’d to go.  Mr. Abraham How of Marlborough came home with me.  Mr. Bowman here in the Evening.

[1]Thomas Fuller (1608-1661) wrote The Church-History of Britain; from the Birth of Jesus Christ, until the Year 1648 (London, 1655).  There were later English editions.  This work included ‘“The History of the University of Cambridge since the Conquest.’“

[2]Eleazer Beemon or Beamon.

[3]Son of Benjamin Rice of Marlborough.  Hudson, Marlborough, 433.

1740 January 15 (Tuesday).  Great Storm of Snow.  High winds and very Cold.  Very difficult for my Boys  to tend the Cattle and get Wood.

1740 January 16 (Wednesday).  Bright, Windy and Cold.

1740 January 17 (Thursday).  Mr. Nathaniel Oake here to desire me to visit John Caruths[1] Sick Child.

[1]Of Westborough.

1740 January 18 (Friday).  I rode over to see John Caruths sick child, and in returning I visited Deacon Tomlin.[1]

[1]Isaac Tomlin.

1740 January 19 (Saturday).  [No entry.]

1740 January 20 (Sunday).  On Ps. 119.59.  P.M. My wife went to Meeting, the first after her lying in.

1740 January 21 (Monday).  Lieutenant Holloway brought a Letter from Mrs. [sic] Pierpont and acquainted me that my Friends at Boston were well, and in particular My Brother Elias whom he had din’d with.

1740 January 22 (Tuesday).  It is a good Sledding Time but I have nobody to improve it.

1740 January 23 (Wednesday).  Ensign Maynard brought me the Sorrowfull Tidings that my Brother Elias was struck with the Dead palsie (as its commonly call’d) on Monday last; that he was himself with him Yesterday, and he lay in a very dull, insensible state, and it was greatly to be fear’d whether he would get over it.  At Eve Brother and Sister Hicks[1] were here.

[1]Mr. and Mrs. John Hicks of Westborough.

1740 January 24 (Thursday).  I had many heavy Thoughts; very much desir’d to get down to see my Brother, but I was under So much Weakness and often in Pains that It could not be judg’d Safe for me to venture out in So Cold Weather upon such a Journey.  Ensign Maynard here Sometime in the forenoon.  Said it was very Sharp Cold, etc.  At Eve Mr. Samuel Harrington here.

1740 January 25 (Friday).  [No entry.]

1740 January 26 (Saturday).  [No entry.]

1740 January 27 (Sunday).  Ps. 119.59.  Mr. Moses Pierce junior was come from New Haven.  I took him Home and he din’d and lodg’d with us.

1740 January 28 (Monday).  Rode to Marlborough in Company of Mr. Pierce.  We went through Marlborough.  At Waltham we had more Company.  Mr. Jabez Ward of Marlborough.  Mr. Pierce rode with me to Father Champneys but thence he went to Boston — it proving Evening I durst not Venture further.

1740 January 29 (Tuesday).  This Memorable and Melancholly Morning I was full of Wormwood and the Gall.  I drank so deep of this Day Four Years since.[1]  It was very Cold but I was too uneasy to keep from my Dear Brother Elias to whom especially I was making my Visit.  At Roxbury at Mr. Davis’s Shop I got my Mare new Shod that I might help her as to her stumbling.  At Boston it was very grievous to see my Brother in So strange a Condition.  He did not know me in some Time — but in the afternoon he undertook to tell over to me the whole Manner of his being taken, etc., which he went through very intelligibly and exactly, but which he had not till now, nor had appear’d So rational or Compos’d till now.  Blessed be God for Such a measure of Mercy.  My Venerable mother there with her son Continually, and in a Measure of Comfort and Health.  I made this my Chief Residence although I Sometimes lodg’d and Din’d otherwhere.

[1]This was the anniversary of the first Mrs. Parkman’s death.

1740 January 30 (Wednesday).  A.M. I went to Christ’s Church and heard Dr. Cutler[1] on Dan. 6.21.  P.M. at Mr. Condy’s[2] Lecture on 2 Pet. 3.18 forepart.  After service Mr. Chauncy,[3] Mr. Condy, Mr. Gray[4] and I went to Mr. Welsteeds.[5]  But at Evening I was at an Entertainment at Brother Alexanders, our Kinsman John Parkman having brought his Mistress to them at this Time.

[1]Rev. Timothy Cutler (HC 1701), minister of Christ Church Episcopal in Boston, 1723-1765.  SHG, 5:45-67.

[2]Rev. Jeremiah Condy, Jr. (HC 1726), who had recently returned from England and was minister of the First Baptist Church, 1738-1764.  SHG 8:20-30.

[3]Rev. Charles Chauncy (HC 1721), minister of the First Church of Boston, 1727-1787.  SHG, 6:439-467.

[4]Rev. Ellis Gray (HC 1734), minister of the New Brick Church of Boston, 1738-1752.  SHG, 9:400-404.

[5]Rev. William Welsteed (HC 1716), minister of the New Brick Church of Boston, 1728-1753.  SHG, 6:153-158.

1740 January 31 (Thursday).  Mr. Chauncy preach’d at the public Lecture on 2 Pet. 3.16.  Those words, In which are some Things hard to be understood, a Sermon as no doubt, very pleasing to Some So very Disgusting to others.  Very cold.  At Eve Mr. Harb Dorr and Mr. Davenport (the Baker) at Brother Elias’s.  N.B. Brother Hicks brought a Letter from my wife, but I saw not him.  N.B. Sorrowful News of Mr. John Adams’s[1] (My old Friend) Death and of Mr. Ebenezer Hancock[2] of Lexington.

[1]Parkman’s classmate at Harvard.

[2]Rev. Ebenezer Hancock (HC 1728), minister at Lexington, 1734-1739.  SHG, 8:427-429.