Month: March 1780

1780 March 1 (Wednesday).  Notwithstanding the Rain and very difficult travelling, I went a.m. to the Funeral of old Mr. Jonah Warren, who expired in the Eighty [blank] year of his age.  Many people attended.  I prayed — ventured to come home on foot.  The Snow and Ice made it dangerous to ride.  Breck is somewhat better.  At night he grew worse.  My Family and his united are 14.  The Harvard Vacancy is up today; but the weather rough and Roads very bad.  Elias cannot go to Cambridge.

1780 March 2 (Thursday).  Am engaged in my preparations for the Sabbath.  Breck is recovering.  D.G.

1780 March 3 (Friday).  Miss Polly Howard goes to Capt. Maynard’s.  Breck goes to his Shop.

1780 March 4 (Saturday).  [No entry.]

1780 March 5 (Sunday).  On 1 Thes. 4.14, on occasion of the Death of old Mr. Jonah Warrin.  Cousin Maynard, Misses Brigham (as well as Breck and his Family) fill our Dining Board.  P.M. repeated on 2 Tim. 3.7 to page 9 bottom.  Cousin Maynard lodges here.  N.B. Rec’d a Letter from Mr. Quincy by Mr. Thomas Whitney, dated Feb. 12.

1780 March 6 (Monday).  Town Meeting.  Mr. Ebenezer Maynard and Dr. Hawes came to me with the Town’s Request to go to the Meeting House and pray with them.  I went, prayed and add a few words of address to them, but no word concerning my own Case.  Mrs. Maynard and her son (Master Samuel) dine with us and at eve a number of young Scholars, Hazeltine, Sam’l Brigham.

1780 March 7 (Tuesday).  Mrs. Maynard and her son went home.

1780 March 8 (Wednesday).  Breck, Suse and the Child moved back to their Home.  Read Lord Chesterfield.  At night, Pearson on the Subject I am preparing upon for the next Lord’s Day.

1780 March 9 (Thursday).  Mr. Thad Warrin came and killed two Piggs for me, both of them weighed 226.  P.M. at Mr. Stockwell’s Desire I rode down to Mr. Tim. Warrin’s.  Elias went with me to drive the Sleigh.  I marryed Stephen Belknap to Eunice Warrin and supped there.  Elias went for me again at evening — and we returned safely, notwithstanding the badness of the way — the Horse breaking in to the Snow banks, oftentimes and the Sleigh tossing uncomfortably, being also in the Rain.  N.B. A number of Westborough combine to take again the Worcester News.

1780 March 10 (Friday).  I agree with Breck to pay half the Price of Thursday’s Worcester paper.  Anna Fay goes home, though the weather is bad.

1780 March 11 (Saturday).  The weather is still so rough and the roads so unfit for Travel, Elias remains at home, to my great Regret — but it cant be helped.  I desire to resign the whole matter to the Divine Providence.

1780 March 12 (Sunday).  Preached again on 1 Thes. 4.14 — “and rose again.”  P.M. went on with 2 Tim. 3.7 to the end of page 16, which may a Divine Blessing accompany!  It was so great a Storm of Snow and Rain that there were but few at meeting — especially in the afternoon.

1780 March 13 (Monday).  Adjournment of Town Meeting.  N.B. A sad Contest between Mr. Benj. Fay and Col. Wheelock, about a Chestnut Tree, cut down by the latter in the Time of the late Extremity for Wood.  Anna Fay again.

1780 March 14 (Tuesday).  We are much reduced as to wood, but the Weather is still too cold to be indifferent about it.  No going to the Ministerial Lot.  Elias goes to sundry places, and gets Hay seed to sow the Fields at the Island.

1780 March 15 (Wednesday).  Elias Sows Hay Seed upon the Snow.  Col. Brigham’s Daughters Mindwell and Anna come up in the morning on the Snow and lodge here.  Elias prepares to go to Cambridge tomorrow.  I wrote to the president — to Mr. Quincy — to my son William.

1780 March 16 (Thursday).  Elias depended upon Mr. Elisha Parker to go to Boston and in returning to bring up our Horse: but by Parker not going, Elias is disappointed and does not go.  I finished reading Lord Chesterfield’s Letters, but the Miscel. no farther than page 578.  We have such another Winter by the Storm of Snow, which came today as makes us think of the Value of Wood, and pity such as are destitute.

1780 March 17 (Friday).  Mr. Nathan Maynard junior and Mr. Isaac Parker brought Wood.  Two loads apiece.  Elias p.m. got Hay Seed at Mr. Batherick’s, several Baggs: which William sowed at the Island.

1780 March 18 (Saturday).  Mr. Moses Nurse brings a load of Wood for Mr. Maynard.  N.B. The Measuring of Wood has been chiefly performed by Elias, and sometimes by Breck at the Shop.  Mr. Amos Parker here.  He relates what occurred last Tuesday at North Shrewsbury by the deliriousness of Mr. Gershom Flagg, who did mischief at Mr. Fairbank’s new erected House, but chiefly at the Meeting House.  Mr. Parker speaks also of the Drowning of several men attempting to pass over Merrimack River.

1780 March 19 (Sunday).  Preached on 1 Thes. 4.14 and p.m. on 2 Tim. 4.7 which may God bless.  N.B. I read today Zech. 7.  P.M. I did not read, but we sung twice, began the 119th Psalm.

1780 March 20 (Monday).  Elias is still disappointed of going to Cambridge.  P.M. I rode to Squire Baker’s.  He gave me (as I understood him) the Tallow I wanted of him.  I was too destitute of common money, and therefore went to the Treasurer Newton for Supply — but there was none for me: but he offered to lend me an hundred pounds of his own Money.  I was at Deacon Wood’s — am grieved at its being such a Seat of Lazy Typlers.  N.B. I returned by Dr. Hawes, W. R. Cranch’s Biog. Univ.

1780 March 21 (Tuesday).  N.B. I delivered to Elias Four Hundred Dollars of which one hundred and seventy-six from my own Desk and borrowed 224 Dollars of my Son Breck.  Breck goes for Boston.  Sent by him to Mr. Quincy and to my kinswoman, Mrs. Eliz. Bradford.  Elias on Mr. Elisha Forbes’ horse to Cambridge, and by him I sent to the President, and to my Son William at Concord.  I borrowed 20£ of Money of Mr. Barney Newton, Treasurer, which he must have again from the Constable when  he can gather it of the People.

1780 March 22 (Wednesday).  Gave Mrs. P________ 33 Dollars to pay Miss Lucy Maynard.  Mr. Stone came — dined — preached my Lecture, on Isa. 53.6, tarried over night.  N.B. We read a Narrative of the Journal and discoverys of two of General Gage’s Officers, when reconnoitring the Roads and as far as Worcester — previous to Lexington Fight.

1780 March 23 (Thursday).  Mr. Stone and I walked up to Squire Baker’s to the stones and to see 4 great Oxen, of uncommon Bigness and Fatness.  Mr. Stone returned home.  Breck returned before night — brought two letters from Mr. Forbes to me.  One from Mrs. Rebecca Wetmore at London to Mr. William Spring.  One also from Mr. Thomas Barrett of Cambridge to Miss Lydia Champney, which relates the Death of her Brother, Mr. Samuel Champney, Feb’y 3rd last.  Breck brought also a present of a Barcelona Handkerchief to his Mother from Samuel and another from the same to Sophy, and another from the same to Suse.  I perceive that he gave 50 Dollars apiece for them.

1780 March 24 (Friday).  Breck unhappily brought back the Letter I wrote to my son William, about Wood for Elias.  I wrote another, but know of no conveyance.  It is so rugged Weather that I am much afraid Elias will be put to Difficulty, and he obliged to buy at the excessive Cambridge price.

1780 March 25 (Saturday).  Mr. Nathan Maynard junior brought one load of Wood, which my son Breck measured, and says is 77 feet.  But inasmuch as (to deal rightly) several loads of late have been of exceeding crooked wood, and this today has such a quantity of small wood I told my son I would be glad to have more allowance made on those accounts.

1780 March 26 (Sunday).  Preached again on 1 Thes. 4.14 and read the verses following.  I administered the Lord’s Supper.  O that it might be accepted through the Merits and Intercession of Jesus Christ.  Old Mrs. Green dined with us.  P.M. I went on with the subject from 2 Tim. 3.7.  From page 23 to page 29, which may God graciously own and bless!  In the eve read part of Mr. Henry on Due Return from the Lord’s Table.

1780 March 27 (Monday).  Dr. Crosby came in to see me.  He is about selling part of his place in Shrewsbury, viz, His Buildings, and about 60 acres of his Land, to old Mr. Rider.  William Winchester remains much unwell.  I was obliged to get Josiah Brigham to tend my Cattle in the Morning.  Breck has received two Letters from Mr. Moore.

1780 March 28 (Tuesday).  Josiah Brigham goes to Boston.  I write and send by him to Mr. Moore and also to Elias at College.  John Barrett of Hopkinton came to see me — dines here.  His ardency is still to go to College.  He is now desirous to go to that at Dartmouth.  He borrows two pamphlets of Mr. Hutchinson’s Sermons.  William Winchester still complains of much Indisposition, yet has been to the Barn.

1780 March 29 (Wednesday).  William grows worse, takes physic of Dr. Stimson, who called to see us and dines here.  P.M. Mrs. P________ to Harrington’s.  Suse goes to her Fathers, Breck takes care of the Cattle for me.  Eph. Parker was here at Evening.  I try to have him live here, but I cant succeed.  N.B. Mr. Nathan Maynard junior and Lieut. Bond, bring so much Wood as compleats (as they, Maynard and Breck say) Maynard’s Ten cord, so that I gave a Receipt for it.

1780 March 30 (Thursday).  Parker came to work on our Flax, but found it not rotted sufficient, therefore breaks off and returns.  Mr. Abr. Holland here and gives me a more perfect Account of Mr. Gershom Flagg’s Frenzy.  We cant but remark how uncommon the Cold has been and continued.

1780 March 31 (Friday).  Dr. Stimson came from Sutton and returns to Hopkinton — dines here; he gives William Winchester a Vomit, which works well, but he remains sick and exercised with Pain, in both Head and Stomach.  The months flie apace!  May I have a due sense of my own hastening hence!