July 4, 1744

1744 July 4 (Wednesday).  At Meeting the Gratulatory oration was delay’d till the Governor and the Mohawk Chiefs came.  I din’d in the Hall.  The Mohawks din’d there also.  N.B. Great Disorder (we hear) were lately at Ipswich by means of one Woodberry[1] who with Mr. Gilman[2] of Durham has Sent Letters to many Ministers of the Province as from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  N.B. I transcribed a Letter of Mr. Newmans[3] Study from Madam Christian Wainwright[4] of Ipswich to Madam Dudly[5] of Roxbury respecting the Ipswich Disorders in the last Month, horrible to relate.  My Brother Samuel Parkman was present at Ipswich whilst some of those Facts were done.

[1]Richard Woodbury was associated with the Rev. Gilman of Durham, who ordained him in a ceremony that produced numerous protests.  See The Boston Gazette, July 24, 1744, and The Boston Evening Post, July 30, August 6, 1744.

[2]The Rev. Nicholas Gilman (HC 1724), minister at Durham, N.H., 1742-1748, was “the wildest of the New-Lights.”  SHG 7:338-44.

[3]John Newman (HC 1740), later minister at Edgartown, Mass., 1747-1758.  SHG 10:528-31.

[4]Mrs. John Wainwright.

[5]Wife of Justice Paul Dudley.