1745 March 13 (Wednesday). A Storm of Snow. My Wife grows very bad. No possibility of gratifying Mr. Smith in his Lecture: nor does he indeed Deserve it, having Twice Disappointed me, by engaging me to preach, without appointing the Lecture or Sending me Word, So that I went, once part of the way, and the other time wholly to the House expecting to preach, but behold! there was no Lecture appointed. But I am ready to forgive the Injury; and was very much upon going to Day were it not for my wife’s Circumstances — and the Storm. Yet I wrote a Letter to give him word and Committed it to Captain Maynard for Conveyance. My Wife gave us the Alarm. I hasted to old Mr. Maynards and got Nathan to go for Mrs. Forbush,[1] who was brought. Nathan went also for Divers other Women. We got as many together as were needed, before or by 12 o’Clock. By Gods Power and Mercy my wife was deliver’d of her Third but my Sixth Daughter, being my Ninth Living Child about 1/2 past 2 o’clock. The Glory be to God! May We who are the Instruments of its Natural be under God, of its Spiritual Birth! And may the Lord yet magnifie his Mercy to His Handmaid and recover her to Health and Strength again! Nor We be unmindfull of God’s Goodness or of our Obligations to Him therefor! The Women assisting to Mrs. Forbush were the following — viz. old Mrs. Whipple, Mrs. Rogers, Mrs. Maynard, Mrs. How, Captain Samuel Forbushs and Lieutenant Aaron Forbush Wife’s. Our Eating was over before Night — prayer also — and Thomme began to carry Home the Women, though some of them tarry’d in the Evening whilst others were returning. But Granny Forbush tarry’d all Night.
[1]Widow of Thomas Forbush. She often served as midwife.