January 1, 1769

1769 January 1 (Sunday).  Through the Goodness of God we not only begin another Year, but begin it with a Sabbath.  I do not read publickly during these winter Seasons.  I preached upon Eph. 1.14.  For since all Earthly Things are transitory, we need to Secure a Lot in the heavenly and Eternal Inheritance.  I prepared largely for one Exercise; but I could not well divide it.  I thought it best to deliver the whole a.m. and chose for p.m. the Discourse on Rom. 2.4, latter part.  May God bless these Exercises for our highest Good!  Master Jameson and Mrs. Maynard dined here.  At Eve read in Dr. Taylors Contemplations on the state of Man.

January 3, 1769

1769 January 3 (Tuesday).  Neighbour Barnabas Newton Constable, not having his Rates yet to gather Money for me, lends me 4 Dollars.  Mr. Thaddeus Warrin works in Lt. Bruce’s Cedar Swamp, and John with him, to get Rails.  They get 80.  Mrs. Maynard and her son Gott dine here.  P.M. preached at Mr. Warrins (and chiefly direct my Discourse to his wife’s sorrowful Case), from Ps. 42.8, to the End.  In the Eve read Rutherfords Letters.

January 6, 1769

1769 January 6 (Friday).  Mr. Isaac Harrington, his Wife and Daughter Zipporah, returning from the Burial of their sister, Deacon Woods Wife of Marlborough, come to See us and dined here.  John goes to School again.  Little Elias is this Day Eight years old.  May he be new-born by the Blessed Spirit of Grace!  May my Instructions to him, be blessed for this End!  Capt. Benjamin Fay has at my Desire paid Messrs. Mein and Fleeming for last Years Chronicle, wraping and directing it to me, and for an Almanack — for which I gave him 57/ old Tenor.

January 8, 1769

1769 January 8 (Sunday).  I have been but poorly able to prepare — thought in the night, I Should hardly be able to go to meeting; it being stormy.  But I went to meeting and preached.  Text Eph. 1.13.14.  Mr. Jameson and Mrs. Maynard dined here.  P.M. Text 1 Joh. 1.3.  Began Extemporaneously — then used Part of my sermon on that Text, from p. 10 to 17, with omissions and alterations.

January 9, 1769

1769 January 9 (Monday).  John goes to School again.  P.M. Visit Deacon Wood, and old Mrs. Wood.  Was at Mr. Zebulun Rice’s, who has sold his place to Lt. Baker, and has bought at Brookfield.  He makes strange of the Agreement between him and me, about our Bounds at the Pine Field; and of mutually giving Quit Claims; and holds to his Banister Plat, though he gave much Cause to expect he would make no Difficulty of Settling my Line according to Lt. Wards Draught.  This shews me again, the mutability and unsteadiness of human Minds.

January 10, 1769

1769 January 10 (Tuesday).  Rode to Capt. Maynards — especially to have him answer my obligation to Mr. Ebenezer Maynard of an hundred pounds old Tenor, the Note to him (Ebenezer) having been out on Dec. 25, and I had relyed on the Captain to take the Care of it; having long ago, told them both, that This was the way in which I should pay this Sum: and they consented to it.  I dined there.  Then visited at Hows, Fessendens, Phinehas Maynards and Beetons.  When I returned at Evening I marryed Isaiah Rider of Hopkinton to Mary Forbes (Mr. Daniel Forbes’s Daughter).  Memorandum Sent 3 Dollars by Mr. [J.?] Thurston to my Son Samuel to buy me a Ream of Paper.

January 13, 1769

1769 January 13 (Friday).  William setts out for Medway, on his Journey aforesaid.  N.B. I sent by him to Mr. Moore an Account of what I would have him buy at Rochester for Suse — viz. Feathers etc. and Sent Religio Medici for Mr. S. West.  Wrote by Billy also to Mr. Thomas Adams and Sent his Select Collection of Poems.  N.B. John and Jonas Kenny go to the Ministerial Lot, with my Team to get Logs for Planks.  It rains so much and it is so heavy for the wheels that Jonas can get but one to the mill; though John has cutt another.  Dr. Hawes and his Wife here p.m. and into Evening.

January 15, 1769

1769 January 15 (Sunday).  Had a Sad Night of deep Reflections but was more comfortable in the Morning.  Preached a.m. on Eph. 4.30.  The composing of which had took up my Time, So that I prepared no more, but went on with the Repetition of Sermon on 1 Joh. 1.3, viz. from p. 17 to 25.  Mrs. Maynard dined with us.  At Eve after our Family Exercise we read Dr. Youngs Estimate of human Life.

January 17, 1769

1769 January 17 (Tuesday).  Send to Samuel Linnin etc. per Mr. John Woods.  John and Jonas get two Logs to Maynards saw-mill.  At Eve Mr. Collins Moore brings an Horse from Mr. Bowman of Oxford for Sarah.  He informs that the Sickness and Mortality there, continues, and is very distressing.  71 have been buryed in a twelve-month.  7 Graves have 2 in each.  3 are to be buryed to day.  He lodges here.  N.B. Sarah had a bad Fall from the Mare.

January 26, 1769

1769 January 26 (Thursday).  Went to Visit Lt. Bruce, who has lately lost his Brother Elisha, but he was not at home.  Visit Stockwell, Samuel Hardys and Garfields Familys.  N.B. When I began some serious Discourse with Garfield, he answered me with Baseness.  Visit Lt. Forbush again.  Call at Dr. Haws’s.  She is poorly and on the bed.  At Eve my son William returned from Rochester, with Letters etc.  He came by the way of Roxbury.  He brings me from Mr. West of Dartmouth, Sale’s 2d Volume of the Koran, and from Mr. Thomas Adams of Medfield, Kennicotts two Dissertations, viz. on the Tree of Life; and on the Offerings of Cain and Abel.

January 27, 1769

1769 January 27 (Friday).  Billy with us.  A young man from Hopkinton, one Joseph Gay, bears a Message to me from Mr. Barrett, that there has occurred among them a sorrowful Burning last Tuesday Night when the House of Mr. James Mellen was Consumed, but the Letter is lost.  He is going also to Chauxit, with the like.  P.M. Miss Elizabeth Arnold Visits here.

January 28, 1769

1769 January 28 (Saturday).  Billy (having left with me a Pair of Silver rim’d Buckles, at 6£ old Tenor, as part of what I have lent him) goes upon his Journey home.  Mr. Ballard of Oxford and his Brother of Charlton here and breakfast.  They bring me a Pair of Moscovy Ducks from Mr. Surcomb.  And they inform me that Mr. Holbrooks Leg was cut off, and it is doubtful whether he will out live it.  We send to Sarah, packet from Rochester Shrewsbury etc.  P.M. Mr. Steward came, and lodges here.

January 29, 1769

1769 January 29 (Sunday).  Mr. Steward preached for me a. and p.m. on Mal. 3.16.  May God bless the word to us, and bless His Servant, the dispenser of it!  Old Mrs. Wood prayed for; She having lately had a bad Fall down Cellar, whereby her Arm is broke and her Head and Neck much bruised.  This morning we finished the 2d Volume of Pool’s, that is, the [Continuation of?] Annotations.

January 31, 1769

1769 January 31 (Tuesday).  Mr. Steward left us.  N.B. He has read out Kennicott’s two Dissertations, viz. on the Tree of Life; and on the Offerings of Cain and Abel.  I visited Mr. Artemas Bruce’s Wife and Twins and prayed with them.  Din’d there.  Visit the Widow Smith and prayed with her.  Then passed over to Mr. Gershom Brighams — to Mr. Gleasons — Mr. Samuel Fay’s — Edwards Whipples, where I drank Tea — and Mr. Solomon Bakers, with whom I reckoned, and paid for 41 pounds Cheese.  28 pounds at 2/ and 13 at 1/6.  In the Eve, marryed Elisha Forbes to Hannah Flag.