1780 January 26 (Wednesday). Squire Baker is so engaged in breaking Roads that he has got Elias and a yoke of my Cattle, on the Road again. Ephraim Parker being at work for me in dressing Flax for me, brings in a quantity of it on a Pole and hangs it before the Fire to drie it. I had a good deal of Reluctance at it, remembering that Capt. Gouge’s House at Hopkinton was, some years ago, burn’t down by Flax taking Fire.