Month: April 1756

1756 April 1 (Thursday).  Rain.  I preached at the Private Meeting at Mr. Zebulun Rice’s; on 2 Pet. 1.10.  My wife was with me; and we were well entertained by the Family after the Exercises.  N.B. Sorrowfull Account from Leicester of the Sudden Death of Mr. Joshua Smith and his son there, by the Fall of a Tree, which was blown down upon them.  A Third man was wonderfully preserved among the Limbs of the Tree.

1756 April 2 (Friday).  [No entry.]

1756 April 3 (Saturday).  [No entry.]

1756 April 4 (Sunday).  Read 1 King. 11.  Preached on Mark 8.34 a. and p.m.  Read p.m. Mat. 15 and (after the Baptism of a Child) had a Contribution for James Allen of Hopkinton who was lately burnt out.

1756 April 5 (Monday).  Visited Mr. Moses Twitchell’s Child that is Sick; at Mr. Dunlops.  At Deacon Forbush’s at Eve to count out the Contribution-Money of Yesterday.  It amounted to 17£ and 12/ as we estimated it.

1756 April 6 (Tuesday).  Mr. Asaph Rice dined here.  Mr. Dunlop worked for me in my Garden.  Billy ploughed at Cook field.

1756 April 7 (Wednesday).  My sons wife and son rode to Watertown in my Chair.  I rode Barny Newtons Mare to Young Mr. Martyns Raising.  Visit Capt. Forb.’s Wife, and Cornet Brighams son.

1756 April 8 (Thursday).  Endeavour to raise a Team for crossing the Field behind the Meeting House.  Mr. Manning from Cambridge — and lodges here.

1756 April 9 (Friday).  Mr. Manning leaves us to go to Brookfield.  Mr. Moses Nurse breaks up a Yard at the East End of my House.  P.M. Mrs. Judith Bellows here; She is somewhat more moderate and mollifyed and desires we would not immediately proceed further against her in the Church.  Yet I fear her mind in the main is not altered.  God be mercifull to her and shew her her Error!  And grant us Grace to conduct in a suitable manner in the Discharge of our Duty towards her!  At Eve Mr. Zebulun Rice acquaints me that Ensign Harrington and Others are laying a scheme to come and cross my New Field.

1756 April 10 (Saturday).  Mr. James Allen for whom we contributed here.

1756 April 11 (Sunday).  Read 1 King. 12.  Text Luk. 9.23.  P.M. repeated on Mat. 15.21-28.

1756 April 12 (Monday).  A.M. Garden.  P.M. visit Aged Mr. Bradish and Mr. Snows Family.

1756 April 13 (Tuesday).  To Lt. Tainters and Harrington.  To Hopkinton.  Dined with Mr. Barrett.  P.M. to Sir Harry Franklands Seat to See Mr. [Troutbeck?] and Dr. Jones.  Mr. Barrett with me.  Returned at Eve.  Vines, etc.  Fine warm Weather.

1756 April 14 (Wednesday).  Elisha Jones came yesterday and prepared to go to work — and this morning came Mr. Daniel Willard and Elisha Jones to lay Floors etc. in my Kitchin.  Ebenezer has a Cause against Richard Barns before Justice Baker.  N.B. Mr. Willard was absent so much as that he counted but 1/2 Day.  I was at Mr. Eliezer Rices: he agrees to burn the Ministerial Meadow tomorrow, by leave of providence.  Mr. Willard and Elisha Jones lodge here.  Warm Day.

1756 April 15 (Thursday).  Mr. Daniel Forb.’s Son Daniel with 4 Oxen and Asher Newton with 4 Oxen likewise come to cross my field behind the Meeting House.  Through a Mistake another set of Oxen did not come.  We got Mr. Zebulun Rice’s.  His son Adam came and drove: and put in my own steers.  My son Thomas assisted — and with these was accomplished a good piece of work.  Mr. Willard and young Jones at work in the Kitchin.  At Eve Willard left us: Elisha lodges here.  N.B. It was an Hot Day, and sometimes Windy.  Sarah goes to live at t’other House.

1756 April 16 (Friday).  It has been a dry hot season of late, but to Day Cloudy and p.m. rain.  Mr. Jonah Warrin came with 4 Oxen, Ensign Harrington with 4 and Mr. Benjamin Tainter with 6, cross-ploughed the rest of my Field behind the Meeting House; and finished by 5 p.m. though it rained hard.  Elisha Jones at work at the Kitchin.  At Eve came the late Treasurer Phinehas Hardy, and Collector Daniel Warrin; but they don’t make up.  The storm prevails, and one of my young Cattle missing — the Evening Dark, it can’t be found.

1756 April 17 (Saturday).  This morning my sons found the young Steer dead in Mr. D. Hardys Meadow; both mired and drown’d.  The storm very vehement.  Elisha Jones at work about the West Door of the Kitchin.

1756 April 18 (Sunday).  Read 1 K. 13.  Preached on Luk. 9.23.  P.M. read Mat. 16.  Elisha Jones with us over the Sabbath.

1756 April 19 (Monday).  Elisha Jones at work here still.  He is casing and facing the West Door and about the Door it self.

1756 April 20 (Tuesday).  I left Elisha Jones at work and went to the Association at Marlborough.  I called at Mr. Barns’s and endeavoured to put some stop to the Troubles which he was involved in by an Execution in behalf of Mr. Green at Worcester, and would have traded with him for a little piece of Land joining to my Farm where my son lives, and chiefly for the Sake of the Damm there; but in vain.  My sons affair with him I could not meddle with.  At Mr. Smiths were nine or ten of us together.  Mr. Martyn gave us a laboured Concio on Isa. 2.5, first v.  At Eve Dr. Morse was called away.  Messrs. Seccomb, Goss, Davis and I lodged at my Kinswomans Mrs. Anna Brighams.  N.B. had Capt. Maynards Horse.

1756 April 21 (Wednesday).  At the Public Lecture I prayed and Mr. Barret preached on Ps. 139.2, last v.  P.M. Mr. Martyn prepared a Letter to be sent (in his own Name) to Deacon Mellens of Hopkinton in Answer to His to the Association.  I rode to Mr. Jonathan Lorings and returned his Chandler’s History of Persecution which I have had, now a very long time; but he Said I was most welcome; and his Conduct was very friendly.  In my returning Home I called at Mr. Richard Barns’s to See what could still be done for his Relief but he was not at Home.

1756 April 22 (Thursday).  This Day was a general Training every where — but the Companys apart.  The Design was to try for enlisting Soldiers for the Expedition against Crown Point: this tryal to be till 4 o’Clock p.m. and if Men did not offer willingly, then to press.  I had appointed my Lecture at 2 p.m. before I knew of the Training.  Therefore I did not put it by, but attended it, and preached from Ps. 68.24.  The whole Exercise but little more than an Hour.  After Meeting Mr. Ebenezer Rice, sheriff, came into my House with Mr. Richard Barns again — but our Efforts to help him were in Vain.  N.B. Barns and Silas Frost had listed [blot] press[blot]men etc.

1756 April 23 (Friday).  The Chief Noise is about the pressed mens paying their Fines.  They were these following Messrs.: Timothy Warrin, Jonathan Fay, Samuel Forb. junior, Solomon Maynard and Amasa Maynard.

1756 April 24 (Saturday).  Could prepare but one Sermon for tomorrow, but it was long.

1756 April 25 (Sunday).  I administered the Lords supper.  Read 1 King. 14.  Preached on Rev. 5.6.  P.M. repeated Expository Exercise on Mat. 15.29.  N.B. My Kinsman Daniel Needham from Norwich came this morning from t’other House, but he did not Partake with us.

1756 April 26 (Monday).  Brother Hicks came from Sutton for Boston.  Cousen Needham (with him) left us.  Mr. Dodge of Abington and his spouse dined here.  P.M. I rode to the Funeral of a Child of Mr. Jabez Snow’s which dyed by means of being burnt by a Warming Pan.

 

In returning from Mr. Snows I stopped at Lt. Bruce’s, where was Capt. Taplin and his Company: by his Request I prayed and gave them a word of Exhortation and Caution.

1756 April 27 (Tuesday).  Billy carts Muck from the Barn.  Nathan Kenny helps him.  It is to my great Comfort that Billy is able to do So well for me as he does, since it is so exceeding Difficult for me to get Help.  I sent a Letter of Solemn Warning to Mr. Richard Barns who is gone into the service.

1756 April 28 (Wednesday).  Billy at Neighbour Nurse’s part of the Day.  I desire to be humble that I am so poorly capable of the Great Work I am called to: and would lament my Dullness, and ill Frame in general.  O that the Lord would revive and quicken me!

1756 April 29 (Thursday).  Public Fast.  A.M. on Mat. 6.16.17.18.  P.M. Ps. 46.1.

1756 April 30 (Friday).  Visited Mr. Bowman who is Sick.  Dined at Deacon Forbush’s.  P.M. was a Vendue of Mr. Richard Barns’s Substance, So much as to satisfie for his Debts to Mr. Coroner Green of Wor’ster, and my son Ebenezer.  It was at his Father Bruce’s, and was managed by Mr. Ebenezer Rice, Deputy-Sheriff.  It was an Affair that affected me much, but the foolish man was obstinately neglectfull and insulting (as I understood) — and it was the more grievous as the man himself was gone (having marched last Tuesday) yet he was Sufficiently warned and Cautioned.

 

At Eve a number of Young Men met here in order to form into a society.  I instructed, directed, cautioned and prayed with them; and they Signed the Articles which the former young-Mens Society did; and that Copy drawn by my son Ebenezer which bears Date of 174[blank].  Their Names were Thomas Parkman, Jonathan Grout, Samuel, Thomas and Noah Hardy, Barnabas Newton, Joseph Baker, Daniel Forb. junior, Abner Warrin, Abner Whipple, and Joseph Harrington.  And they are, by divine Leave, to meet next Lords Day Evening at the widow Newtons.  May God be gracious to them and meet with them!