Month: August 1745

1745 August 1 (Thursday).  I went to Shrewsbury. Preach’d the Lecture on Mat. 13.39.  Few at Meeting.  Return’d at Eve.

1745 August 2 (Friday).  Thomas brought home 3 Load from the Meadow and got in one Load of Home Hay.

1745 August 3 (Saturday).  Thomas brought home the last Load from the Meadow although it has been very wett and troublesome stirring in the Meadow this Season.  At Eve Loud Cracks of Thunder and Sharp Lightning.  Through God’s great Goodness we were preserv’d and Safe.

1745 August 4 (Sunday).  Rainy. A. and p.m. on 1 John 3.23.  Heavy Rains which caus’d a great Flood.  N.B. James Dunlop from Cape Briton here, as I also daily hear of their Returning.

1745 August 5 (Monday).  Din’d at Deacon Newtons on Salt Fish.  P.M. rode to Southborough to Mr. Thomas Hudson.  Paid his wife 15 shillings old Tenor, Interest of £50 for one Quarter.  Mr. Hudson not being at Home.  Mr. Stone not at Home.  Return’d at Eve.

1745 August 6 (Tuesday).  Read Thoughts on Religion[1] and a Letter to a Baptist concerning Some Important Discoverys in Phylosophy and Theology — an Entertaining Piece.  N.B. Great Loss of Hay among our Neighbours by the Flood.

[1]Probably [Blaise] Pascal, Thoughts on Religion, and Other Subjects (London, 1704).

1745 August 7 (Wednesday).  My Little Daughter Sarah ill.  At Mr. Matthias Rice’s to talk with him about our North Precincts delaying to pay their £50 though I have waited upon them 3 months and paid Interest because of their Neglect.  He told me he would go to Lieutenant Holloway and Endeavour that he Should come and See me, or do what might serve me.  Was at Mr. Beemans[1] — at Levi Brighams, who has newly got to keeping House at old Mr. Brighams.  At Eve found Mr. Gay[2] of Suffield and his wife here, being on their Journey Home.  Brother Hicks here and his Son John from Cape Briton.

[1]Eleazer Beeman of Westborough.

[2]Rev. Ebenezer Gay, Jr. SHG 10:171-175.

1745 August 8 (Thursday).  The Company went off.  Thomas went to mowing at Mr. Beemans, but return’d without being able to do any thing the Waters were so high.  Neighbour Stephen Maynard here and gave me a Narrative of his Excursion in the public service at Fort Shirley and of the good Behaviour of their Captain (Ephraim Williams junior) towards them.  At Eve Mrs. Winchester here.

1745 August 9 (Friday).  Thomas works at his Fathers.  Ebenezer and the Two Boys clearing.  Mr. Abner Newton here and paid me £20 old Tenor.

1745 August 10 (Saturday).  Thomas at his Fathers.  Mr. Thomas Goodenow here.  Gave him a Letter from me to Mr. Martyn.

1745 August 11 (Sunday).  On Acts 20.21, and on Luke 18.21.

1745 August 12 (Monday).  Ezekiel Dodge[1] a Freshman of Harvard College here.

[1]Ezekiel Dodge (HC 1749), later minister of Abington, 1750-1770. See Benjamin Hobart, History of the Town of Abington (Boston, 1866), 96-98.

1745 August 13 (Tuesday).  I rode to Harvard Association, by Marlborough.  Was at Mr. Smiths Early, but he refus’d to go, though he was at the appointment of the Meeting and was himself the appointed Lecturer; his main Objection was rais’d from this, that Mr. Seccomb[1] had ask’d Mr. Whitefield to preach, and he had accordingly preach’d at Harvard.  But though Mr. Smith and Several others were not there yet there was a considerable Number and Mr. Trowbridge[2] and his wife from Groton.  Concior absent Mr. Loring repeated a sermon on Eph. 5.25, last Clause, and gave himself for it among the Collections [?]. Mr. Stone’s seem’d to be so much in Favour of Crying out that I could not help making my Remarks on it, how differently it would have been taken from some others (Ex. gr. from me) if Such Collection had been brought by them.

[1]Rev. John Seccomb of Harvard.

[2]Rev. Caleb Trowbridge of Groton.

1745 August 14 (Wednesday).  A Number of us went with Mr. Seccomb to his Island[1] with great pleasure.  Mr. Stone deliver’d an Excellent Sermon at the Public Lecture on Tit. 2.14.  N.B. Our Conversation on a Certain Meeting propos’d by some ministers to be at Boston September next to subscribe the Confession of Faith; but we determin’d nothing, unless to let it very much alone — wait and see.  Mr. Barrett my Company to Marlborough.  Supp’d at his Kinsman Barretts.  Home late.

[1]Rev. Mr. Seccomb “built a substantial summer cottage, as a place of pleasant resort,” on Grape Island in Bare Hill Pond. Henry S. Nourse, History of the Town of Harvard (Harvard, 1894), 187.

1745 August 15 (Thursday).  Hearing that Mrs. Tomlin (widow) was not well I visited her at Evening.

1745 August 16 (Friday).  Mr. Smith came up from Marlborough a.m. P.M. preach’d my Lecture on John 14.19.

1745 August 17 (Saturday).  Brother Hicks here, on his journey to Cambridge.  Rain p.m.

1745 August 18 (Sunday).  Rain in the Morning — but So held up afterwards that we had a Comfortable Day.  I preach’d on Isa. 25.9.  Mr. Nathaniel Parker[1] of Newton with us at Communion — and here at noon time but did not dine with us.  Deacon Fay and Deacon Forbush din’d here.  P.M. Repeated sermon on Luke 12.21.  Have great reason to mourn over my Dullness and want of Spiritual Taste etc.

[1]The proprietor of a saw mill.

1745 August 19 (Monday).  Mr. Parker of Newton here — his Discourse very much of one Bird,[1] a preacher among them.

[1]Samuel Bird was expelled from Harvard College, May 11, 1744, because he was “notoriously guilty of the most intollerable impudence, Arrogance and Contempt of Superiours, and especially of Ministers of the Gospel.”  He already had New-Light tendencies.  He came minister of Dunstable, 1747-1751, and later of the White Haven Church, New Haven, SHG 11:359-364,

1745 August 20 (Tuesday).  Catechetical Exercise to young Women.  Thomas to Mr. Beemans for a Load of Hay, of him.  At Night Thomas went to his Fathers to work some Days for himself.

1745 August 21 (Wednesday).  A.M. Captain Bass of Dorchester and Mr. Daniel Henshaw of Boston here.  Mr. Martyn also.  The last din’d and Spent the afternoon with me.  He told me that he draw the Last Petition which our North side put in to the Court, but he did not know how the Case was Circumstanced but as he took it from Lieutenant Holloways mouth.  We had some discourse of Changing after a while.

1745 August 22 (Thursday).  I visited Captain Forbush’s wife who had been in some Spiritual Concern and Distress.  Ebenezer went p.m. to Sutton to look up my Young Cattle which had not been heard of for some time.

1745 August 23 (Friday).  Mr. Simon Goddard here — he brought me 2 Pamphlets to read, one of which was Mr. Shurtleffs Letter concerning Mr. Whitefield.[1]  P.M. Mr. Abraham Knowlton who din’d with us.

[1]William Shurtleff, A Letter to Those of his Brethren in the Ministry Who Refuse to Admit the Rev. Mr. Whitefield into Their Pulpits (Boston, 1745).

1745 August 24 (Saturday).  Mr. Simon Goddard here again.  I rode to Hopkinton on Mr. Edwards Whipples Horse.  N.B. Ebenezer return’d from Sutton without any News of my Cattle. Thomas Winchester return’d at Eve from his Fathers.

1745 August 25 (Sunday).  Mr. Barrett preach’d here on Tit. 2.11, The Grace of God.  I preach’d at Hopkinton a. and p.m. on Song. 1.7.8.  N.B. Mr. David Snowden of Boston there.

1745 August 26 (Monday).  I return’d from Hopkinton.  Thomas at my work again.  Mr. James Fays son James Sick.  N.B. Mr. Fay came yesterday to Westborough meeting a.m. but because Mr. Barrett preach’d he went to Grafton p.m. and desir’d prayers for his son there.  Noah How p.m. sealing my new Closet (or little study).  Mr. Thomas Hudson at Eve.

1745 August 27 (Tuesday).  Catechiz’d the Children a. and p.m. at the Meeting House.  Mr. Peabody[1] going to a Fast at Worcester din’d with me.  Noah How at work at my new Study still.  Mr. Whitney here to ask my Mind about Mr. Hales[2] preaching next week at some House on the Road as would best accommodate — to which I consented.  N.B. Mr. Ball and Mr. Wheeler here.  Ebenezer was ill, bad cold etc.

[1]Rev. Oliver Peabody of Natick.

[2]Rev. Moses Hale (HC 1734), later minister of the First Congregational Church of West Newbury, 1752-1779. SHG 9:407-408.

1745 August 28 (Wednesday).  Thomas at Grafton a.m. hunting for my young Cattle, but in Vain.  Very hot Season.

1745 August 29 (Thursday).  Visited Mr. Daniel Forbushs wife who lyes Sick, but has her Senses.  I not only convers’d with her but read part of Mathers Dead Faith[1] etc.

[1]Samuel Mather, Dead Faith Anatomized (Boston, 1740).

1745 August 30 (Friday).  [No entry.]

1745 August 31 (Saturday).  Brother Hicks here and Mrs. Peggy Whittemore din’d with us.  It has been Sorrowful to hear of So many of those who have return’d from Cape Breton who have sicken’d and dy’d.