Month: February 1776

1776 February 1 (Thursday).  Brother Smith of Marlborough came — dined with us.  I was obliged to leave him, and attend upon a religious Exercise at Mr. Daniel Warrins, where I preached p.m. on Eccl. 12.1 at the Request and chiefly directed to Young Daniel (Brother in Law) who is in a consuming State and reduced very low.  May the Lord be pleased to add His Blessing!  Plentiful Supper followed.  Squire Whipple tarried with me and attended me home.  Mr. Ebenezer Davis of Charleton here, and tarrys over night.

1776 February 2 (Friday).  Mr. Davis leaves us.  Mr. Thaddeus Warrin kills two young Hogs for me.  Reckoned with Nat. Chamberlain for nine Days Carting Wood, and for one Day helping Mr. Nurse in Shooing my sled @ 9/ per Day.  The Reckoning of Cutting the Wood, viz. how many Load or Cord, is deferred.  Mr. John Fessenden was here and paid me, in Bills £67.10.0 old tenor and by Mr. Barn. Newtons Account £15.2.6 old Tenor in all, this time, £82.12.6 or £11.0.4 L.M.

1776 February 3 (Saturday).  Seventeen New Recruits for the Army, out of this Town, march to go to Cambridge Head Quarters.  Nathaniel Chamberlain, going to the Army, receives of Me 4 Dollars.

1776 February 4 (Sunday).  Preached a. and p.m. on 1 Tim. 2.5, “There is — one Mediator between G. and M. the M. Christ Jesus,” carrying on the Discourse from Rom. 3.28.  May a divine, [blot] efficacious Blessing render the word successfull!  A Letter from my Son Baldwin, of Jan. 18 on the Death of his Sister Forbes.  Suse Brigham dined with us.

1776 February 5 (Monday).  My Son Samuel returned from Rochester, Bedford etc.

1776 February 6 (Tuesday).  By reason of the very Cold weather, I am obliged to keep House and have Leisure for my Studies.  Sermonizing etc.

1776 February 7 (Wednesday).  Notwithstanding the Cold I walked to Neighbour Thaddeus Warrins, and (though with some Difficulty) prevailed with him and Samuel Williams to go tomorrow to Cutting and Sledding Wood.  Went to Mr. Nurse’s also to reckon with him for mending my Cart and shooing my Sled.  24/ for one; 4/6 only for the other — 5/ also for Bows and soals for Cattle.  P.M. and Eve Nanny Beeton with her Kinswoman Miss Polly Ayres and a Friend of hers, were here.  Miss Polly takes the Profile of the Faces of Breck, Samuel, Sally, Sophy, Hannah and Elias.  [blot]

1776 February 8 (Thursday).  Warrin (as agreed) went to cutting — and Williams Sledding — See the Almanack.  Ben went with Williams and Elias at the Barn etc.

1776 February 9 (Friday).  Williams takes Elias with him to Sledding.  My Son Baldwin (having visited his Wife at Brookfield) returns to the Camp this way.  Breakfast here.  He delivers me a Proclamation from the General Court, to be read to the public Assembly.  My Thoughts are Somewhat exercised upon the 3d Paragraph containing a Maxim etc.[1]

[1]The paragraph to which Parkman objected reads: “It is a Maxim, that in every Government, there must exist somewhere, a supreme, sovereign, absolute, and uncontroulable Power: But this Power resides always in the Body of the People; and it never was, or can be delegated to one Man, or a few; the Great Creator having never given to Men, a Right to vest others with Authority over them, unlimitted either in Duration or Degree.”  By the Great and General Court of the colony of Massachusetts-Bay. A proclamation. The frailty of human nature, the wants of individuals, and the numerous dangers which surround them, through the course of life, have in all ages, and in every country, impell’d them to form societies, and establish governments … [Watertown, Mass. : Printed by Benjamin Edes, 1776; Evans 14,839].  The proclamation was dated January 3, 1776.

1776 February 10 (Saturday).  [No entry.]

1776 February 11 (Sunday).  A.M. on 1 Tim. 2.5.  P.M. on Heb. 12.24, carrying on the Same subject, and used some of the preparations at Catechetical Exercise on the Mediator.  Did not read the proclamation — the Season was tedious; and I must have curtailed the sermon to its Detriment.

1776 February 12 (Monday).  Wrote divers Letters; to Mr. Rawson — to Mr. Pierpoint.  At Eve General Wards son Thomas Walker, and Daughter Sally.

1776 February 13 (Tuesday).  Breck sets out for New York.  Send the Letters wrote yesterday by him.  Mr. Stone came to see me, dined.  He prayed in my Study with me.  Deacon Batchellor came here.  I mentioned the Exceptionable Passages of the proclamation to both of them.

1776 February 14 (Wednesday).  Mr. Daniel Warrin (Neighbour to Mr. Thomas Twitchel) came requesting me to Visit Molly Twitchell, who was very ill of Canker.  I went — but she expired before I got to the House — in her 24th year.  I prayed with them.  Dined at Mr. Phinehas Hardy’s.  P.M. I visited old Mrs. Whitney.  N.B. soldiers are marching from Connecticut, to the Army.  Two lodged here last night, viz. Mr. Chaplin and Mr. Mosely.

1776 February 15 (Thursday).  Dr. Hawes acquaints me with the very distressed Condition of Mr. Edmund Antwistles Family.  I went to See ‘em, and found his Wife and two Children and a Girl (whose name was Grover) Sick — but especially their sister Submitt Harrington, was exceeding bad.  All of them of the Canker.  Prayed and discoursed with them as they could bear.  N.B. Mr. Benjamin Hicks dined here.  Mr. Gale came and delivered me a Brief for a Contribution for his son in Law, Mr. Nichol of Munson, whose House, goods, etc. were burnt last December.  N.B. [by?] Moses Brigham I sent to Mr. Cushing Ortons sermon.  [At evening?] marryed Mr. Reuben Maynard and Molly Garfield.  Two Soldiers came and lodge.  They are of Lebanon Crank.  One was Mr. Pomroy, the other Basto.

1776 February 16 (Friday).  Attended the Funeral of Miss Mary Twitchel.  Prayed there.

1776 February 17 (Saturday).  I am informed that Mrs. Antwistle and her sister Submit Harrington are dead.  Mr. Edwards Whipple here.  He has a Cancer on his Lip — is going to Mendon to put himself under the Care of Dr. Pope — and desires public prayers tomorrow for him.  Mindwell Batherick, whose Cloths etc. were burnt in an House at Westminster — and needs Charitable Assistance.

1776 February 18 (Sunday).  By reason of a proclamation from the General Court, which has Some Passages concerning Government I preached on Ps. 2.6 on Christs executing the Office of a King — He alone having Universal, Supreme absolute, uncontrolled Dominion and sovereignty.  P.M. on the Example of Christ from John 12.26.  Read the proclamation, with some Corrections.  After meeting I went to Mr. Antwistles — and many of the Congregation.  His Wife and sister to be buryed this Evening.  I prayed with them.  Then by Desire, went to Mr. Daniel Warrins — (Mrs. Parkman with me.  We rode in Capt. Maynards covered Carriage, at Cousin Maynards Invitation).  Young Daniel Warrin is much lower.  Prayed with him.  At Eve Benjamin Clark left us to return home to his Father, at Ashburnham.  He went over to Mr. Bathericks, to be ready to go with Richard Barns junior, his Wife and Mindwell, early tomorrow Morning.  Three Young Soldiers, from Wallingford, on their Journey to the Camp, came in and lodged with us, viz. Nathan Chittenden, [blank] Foster, and Asahel [blank].

1776 February 19 (Monday).  Read an excellent Tract (of I suppose Dr. Cotton Mathers) entitled “Right Sentiments of Religion?  Instructions for a son of my Loves and Hopes.”

1776 February 20 (Tuesday).  Rode in my sons Chaise to Shrewsbury to see Mrs. Sumner who still lies in a languishing Condition.  Dined there.  Prayed with them under their Affliction.  Sister Cushing came there.  In returning at Eve called at Beetons, and took Miss Polly Ayres with me to our House to work as a Taylor.  She lodges here.  N.B. am informed that Isaiah Thomas Printer of the Spy at Worcester, is disenabled; his Printing Office etc. seized.

1776 February 21 (Wednesday).  Mr. Thaddeus Warrin here to inform me that his Brother Daniel dyed last Eve, about the Sunsetting.  He was nigh 18 years old.  May God sanctify this to his mother, and to the Rest!  Moses Sever here for his Note which Lieutenant or Capt. Joseph Baker gave him of 15£ Lawful Money, and which was entrusted to me.  Sever not humble.  I did not care to give it to him, but committed it to Mr. [illegible] Warrin to be carryed up to Capt. Baker, that they might settle [illegible] he sent it me again.  At Eve came Mr. Piper with [request?] to send it up to him notwithstanding.  I gratifyed him, [illegible] me security.

1776 February 22 (Thursday).  Elias is Sent with a Line from me to Capt. (I hear it is now Squire) Baker, concerning poor Sever’s [Case and?] Conduct.  P.M. attended the Funeral of Daniel Warrin.

1776 February 23 (Friday).  [No entry.]

1776 February 24 (Saturday).  The Affair of poor Sever is finished.  Mr. Piper brings from him another Dollar in acknowledgment from Sever, for his wickedness.  This I deliver to Elias.

1776 February 25 (Sunday).  Preached on Rom. 3.28 a. and p.m.  Read the proclamation for Public Fast.  N.B. had a greater Number of Notes than usual.  Suse Brigham here.

1776 February 26 (Monday).  A.M. at Squire Bakers — his Wife is ill.  He lends me his Horse to go over to the House of the late Martyn Tavern, there being a Vendue of Household Goods.  I dined there — returned at Eve.

1776 February 27 (Tuesday).  Rode to Southborough to See Mr. Stone who was so ill on Lords day as not to preach — but was better, and was gone to Col. Jonathan Wards.  I went to Mr. Bowens and dined there.  P.M. was stormy — Rainy and very bad Road.  Yet returned to Mr. Stones, and then home.  Mr. Thomas Kendall Missionary, came to see me, and lodged here.

1776 February 28 (Wednesday).  Mr. Kendal has a large subscription (the Introduction wrote by Dr. Langdon) for his going to preach at [Cagnarvage?].  General Washington begins it with 42/ — it is followed with many Officers and others; so that it amounts to full 30£ Lawful Money.  I gave him Somewhat.  Mr. B. Bradshaw came from Providence, and last from his Fathers: breaks fast here and left us to go to New Braintry.  Mr. Kendal, Mr. Israel Walker and his Wife dined here.  P.M. Mr. Kendal leaves us to go to Mr. Seth Rice’s.

1776 February 29 (Thursday).  Mr. Bradshaw having given me one of the Books entitled Common sense, I begin to read it — bold Strokes!