Month: September 1752

1752 September 1 (Tuesday).  I have Somewhat comfortable Nights, and my Appetite is somewhat reviv’d, yet I am faint and weak, and have an inward Fever attending me, I suppose continually.  I humbly wait the Divine Will.  I am inform’d that divers Bears are about, and that one lay in my Field at the other Place lately, and has done Damage in the Corn.

1752 September 2 (Wednesday).  Somewhat dull and heavy.  Yet Mr. Stone and his Wife and Mr. Forbush from Brookfield and my Daughter, were here to see me and din’d with me.  Near Night came Dr. Willson and Deacon Burnap from Hopkinton to see me also.  Little Samuel brought home from Weaning.

[There are no entries dated September 3 to September 13, 1752 because of the change in the calendar.]

1752 September 14 (Thursday).  I remain feeble, yet I hope recruiting by slow Degrees.  Mr. Forbush Studys here to Day, being about his preparations for the Sabbath — Billy has been about the Stalks, which he having cut, he is gathering and Piking as he is able.  By Reason of the late Frosts the Bushes are so Brown’d that the Year is advanc’d into the Fall even more than in proportion to the alteration of the Date.  Rain at Evening.

1752 September 15 (Friday).  Mr. Forbush takes Leave and goes to Brookfield, appointing to return 4 Weeks from next Monday.  P.M. Mr. Martyn here and Mrs. Winchester.  At Eve I wrote a Letter to Dr. Scammell, Deacon Newton the Bearer.

1752 September 16 (Saturday).  This being the 51st Day in Old Style I would consider as being my Birth Day; and Bless God who has so wonderfully preserv’d me, and graciously born with me through such a long Space as 49 Years.  Vide Natalitia.

 

[Under the date of September 5, 1752 the following appears in the Natalitia.]

 

I attended in Some poor, broken manner upon like Exercises with those which have been wont to employ me on these Days.  But am now under the holy Frowns of a righteous God afflicting and chastizing me by the Remains of illness, pains and weakness, which may it please God to Sanctifie and remove!  And Blessed be His glorious Name, that in the Midst of Wrath he has remembered Mercy; and that I am in Some Measure reliev’d and hope I am in a Way of Recovery.  If it shall please Him to restore me to His service, May my Life be devoted to Him and to His Glory at another Rate than ever heretofore!  But desire humbly to yield myself to the Sovereign Will and Pleasure of the most high!  I will, by his Grace enabling Me thereto bear the Indignation of the Lord for I have sinn’d against Him.

 

[The entry for September 16, 1752 continued in the diary.]

 

My Thumb on my left Hand begins to be in Pain; and it increas’d more and more.  P.M. Mr. Joseph Manning comes from Concord and informs me that Mr. Minot, to whom I sent to preach for me tomorrow cannot come, it being Sacrament Day there.  Deacon Newton brings me Directions and a little vial from Dr. Scammell.

1752 September 17 (Sunday).  Nobody to preach Still.  How Melancholly, how Solitary!  They read at the Meeting House Dr. Watts on Rom. 1.16.[1]  Mrs. Tainter and Mary Biglo dine here.  My hand exceeding full of Pain.  At Night I put on a (Ninth) Blister.

[1][Additional note: “A Rational Defence of the Gospel,” Sermon XV, XVI, XVII in Sermons on Various Subjects, Divine and Moral: with a Sacred Hymn Suited to Each Subject (5^th ed., 2 vols.; London: Printed for E. Matthews, R. Ford, and R. Hett, 1734), 1:302-58.]

1752 September 18 (Monday).  My Hand much easier.  D.G.  Young Mr. Minot and Mrs. Bekky Hall[1] dine here, in their Return to Sutton.  As did Mr. Daniel Forbush who is laying the Front Door Stone.  P.M. I wrote to the Reverend Mr. Haven of Portsmouth concerning my Townshend Interest — sent it per Mr. Joseph Manning.  Ensign Millers Wife here.

[1]Rebecca was the daughter of the Reverend David Hall of Sutton.

1752 September 19 (Tuesday).  Ebenezer waits upon his Aunt Lydia to Cambridge in Sergeant Maynard[1] of Shrewsbury’s Chair.  Mr. Manning with them.  Mr. Wellman[2] din’d here.  Billy goes to t’other House to take Care of Things and Creatures etc. there.  Mr. Samuel Morris of Dudley here.

[1]Simon Maynard was one of the founders of the Shrewsbury Church.

[2]The Reverend James Wellman of Millbury.

1752 September 20 (Wednesday).  The Weather being clear and Warm I ventur’d to walk out abroad; and the air was balmy and refreshing.  Blessed be God for His great Goodness to me in raising me from so low and afflicted a State to so much Ease and Comfort.

1752 September 21 (Thursday).  My Wife went over to t’other House.  The Reverend Mr. Price of Hopkinton now from Worcester, here, to make me an offer about Books of his I had Spoke to him of; but he spent the Chief of his Time with me in vindicating the Church of England.  At Eve Mr. Newton — and divers others here to see me.  Mr. Winchester brought a kind Letter from my Brother Samuel Parkman and several Presents, therewith.  I walk’d abroad again.

1752 September 22 (Friday).  My son Ebenezer came up from Watertown last Night and brought his Bride, Mrs. Elizabeth Harrington, the Daughter of Mr. Joseph Harrington of Watertown, with him, for they were marry’d yesterday p.m., and Mr. John Rogers came with the Team loaded with her Goods.  May God please to make ‘em an happy pair!  A.M. Mr. Samuel Harrington being here I took the Opportunity to ride a few Rods on his Horse.  P.M. Thomas came with a Chair and drove me over to See the New-Married and I din’d with them.  He also brought me back before Night; so that I receiv’d no harm as I hope.

1752 September 23 (Saturday).  One Smith of Medfield here, enquiring about the Remedy for Cancers, his Father in Law, one Mr. Hammond having one, which has already destroyed one of his Eyes and now eats his Cheek.  Wrote to Mr. Martyn to preach here tomorrow if Mr. Frink[1] preaches for him.  The return was that he must preach at Marlborough.  I wrote also to Mr. Cushing having been inform’d that Mr. Swan[2] is to preach for him: the return was that tomorrow will be their Sacrament, but that he will not prevent Mr. Swans coming to us.  Billy brought over divers of our Goods from t’other House.

[1]Thomas Frink of Rutland.

[2]Josiah Swan, formerly the minister of Dunstable, and now a schoolmaster of Lancaster.

1752 September 24 (Sunday).  Through the great Goodness of God to me I went to His House, and was enabled to perform divine service both a. and p.m. but omitted Reading: I preach’d a.m. on Mic. 7.9.  P.M. (my son Ebenezer appearing Bridegroom) I preach’d a.m. on 1 Chron. 29.19.[1]  Nor was I at Eve Extremely overcome.  Blessed by God for His great Goodness and Mercy to me!  O that I might never forget His Benefits!  and might it please Him to perfect the recovery — that the Soul may be restor’d and have Eternal Life.  N.B. Mr. John Martyn junior din’d with us.

[1][Additional note: 1 Chron. 29.19, “And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.”]

1752 September 25 (Monday).  I am not any thing (apparently) worse for the Exercise Yesterday: but my Knees are still weak, and my Left Hand is not without some Pain and stiffness.  Noah Hardy came to plough my Stubble at the Island: but Billy was so late in bringing the Team from t’other House that they did little in the forenoon.  P.M. they kept to the Work.  The School has been kept several Days at Mr. Eliezer Rice’s.

1752 September 26 (Tuesday).  It is in General a very dry Time: very little Water in our Well — but there were considerable Showers of Rain last Night.  P.M. Deacon Newton here and gives me a distinct account of their late proceedings at the Superior Court.

1752 September 27 (Wednesday).  Bears are rife about: another is kill’d in Town.  As to myself, I hope I gather Strength in the Main, but it is Slowly.  I can read and write longer than I could a while agoe.  I desire to be heartily thankful to God for us.  May I have the Grace to make a due Improvement of it!  I almost daily endeavour something in my Preparations for the Sabbath.  Billy goes to Mill to Captain Drurys.[1]  Write to my Brothers.  P.M. Mr. Winchester.

[1]Thomas Drury of Grafton.

1752 September 28 (Thursday).  Constantine Hardy ploughs with my Team the rest of my Field at Cook Island.  At Eve Mr. Samuel Harrington here, and acquaints me that he has brought home one of the three young Cattle that were turn’d into the Woods last Spring.  The other two are missing, viz. a Three Year old Heifer and a Two Year old.  They were under the care of one Mr. John Curtis of Leicester, upper part.

1752 September 29 (Friday).  A Number of men were here who had been hunting Bears which they See the Tracks of in many places about us.  Mrs. Hephzibah Maynard to see me.

1752 September 30 (Saturday).  I feel Some pains in my left Shoulder, and Hand, and my Knees are weak.  After a considerable Drought there comes a great and plentifull Rain.