1742 February 9 (Tuesday). Ensign Team and another Team partly mine partly Neighbour Chamberlains going to Day. Neighbour J. Rogers,[1] Stephen Mainard,[2] Ebenezer Mainard,[3] Noah How,[4] Samuel Bumpso,[5] Thomas Winchester[6] and Moses Pratt[7] cutting and sledding wood. P.M. came Neighbour Jedidiah How and Seth Rice.[8] N.B. Mr. James Fay came for me to go and see Isaiah Pratt[9] who lay in a Strange Condition at his House — not having Spoke nor been sensible ever since nine o’Clock last night. I went to him and seeing him lye so insensible, and his pulse exceeding Slow I advised them to send for Dr. Gott to bleed him, but sitting by him and rousing him by Degrees he came to. Many were present and were astonished. When he regained his senses he Said he had not been to Sleep; had seen Hell and had seen Christ; and said Christ told him his name was in the Book of Life etc. When he had taken some Slender Food he yet further revived and Spake more freely. We gave Thanks and prayed and I gave some Exhortation. N.B. One of the Deacons of the Church was there who took me aside to lament to me his Dullness and backwardness in the Things of God. These Things are now (blessed be God) more frequent which heretofore were very rare. May God increase them and furnish me abundantly for His Work in every part of it!
[1]John Rogers owned the covenant, May 25, 1740; WCR, 56. His wife Susanna died Apr. 2, 1740 (WVR, 252). He died Oct. 11, 1756 (Parkman diary).
[2]Stephen, son of John Maynard, Jr., was bapt. Nov. 20, 1720 (MVR 124).
[3]Ebenezer, son of David and Hannah Maynard, b. May 18, 1716 (MVR, 125).
[4]Noah, son of Hezekiah and Elizabeth How, b. Sept. 8, 1721 (MVR, 105).
[5]Samuel Bumpso or Bumso, described by Parkman as “Indian” (Feb. 11, 1736), worked occasionally for Parkman. He died in 1756 or earlier, as his estate was probated in 1756; Index to the Probate Records of the County of Worcester, Massachusetts, from July 12, 1731, to July 1, 1881, Series A (Worcester: Oliver B. Wood, 1898), Case 8935. There was a vendue (i.e., auction) to sell thirty-six and a half acres of land in Natick, “late Estate of Samuel Tobumso, late of Westborough, deceased”; Boston Evening-Post, Oct., 23, 1758.
[6]Thomas Winchester was the son of Benjamin Winchester and his first wife, Prudence (May). Benjamin Winchester’s second wife was Elizabeth Chamberlain, widow of John Chamberlain, daughter of Joseph Champney, and sister of Parkman’s first wife, Mary Champney. Thomas Winchester worked for Parkman over several years before marrying Mary Pratt of Grafton (Nov. 24, 1748; WVR, 222). He and his wife moved to Hardwick.
[7]Moses, son of Isaac and Eunice Pratt, b. Oct. 7, 1723 (WVR, 85).
[8]Seth, son of Edmond and Ruth Rice, b. Oct. 1, 1705 (MVR, 105); mar. Dorothy Robinson, Dec. 22, 1727 (WVR, 201).
[9]Isaiah, son of John and Bathshebah Pratt, b. Feb. 14, 1723 (WVR, 85).