Author: Anthony Vaver

November 10, 1736

1736 November 10 (Wednesday).  Mr. John Barrett[1] of Cambridge (who is published (as I hear) to Sister Ruth) came up.  Lucy considerably recover’d.  Received a Letter from Brother Samuel per Mr. Josiah Rice informing that Mrs. H______ B______ had been better, but took a Vomit last Friday, and since that time was not better.  This was Sad News at the Preparation for the Thanksgiving.  David wrought at Mr. A. Hardy’s.

[1]John Barrett mar. Ruth, daughter of Samuel Champney, Sr., of Cambridge, May 5, 1737 (CVR, 2:26).  John d. Nov. 16, 1754, a. 49; Ruth d. Dec. 25, 1768, a. 61. y. (CVR, 2:462, 463).

November 11, 1736

1736 November 11 (Thursday).  Thanksgiving.  Rev. 14.3.  Mr. Barrett (aforesaid) with us.  O that we might be redeemed from the Earth and that we might be taught by the Holy Spirit of God the New Song of the 144000![1]  But the Duty of the Day Difficulter than usual — We must Sing of Judgment as well as Mercy, through the Land indeed, but particularly in my Family!  Oh!  What alterations and Changes since the last Solemnity of this kind!  What an intermixture of Frowns and Smiles — the observablest in the Course of this Year of any through the whole Course of my Life!  God sets one over against another that we may find nothing after Him.

[1]Rev. 14.3: “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.”

November 14, 1736

1736 November 14 (Sunday).  Mat. VI.25 and onward.  Rev. 3.1, last Clause.  Mr. Tainter and his wife[1] dined with us.  Pleasant though somewhat Cold a.m.  Cloudy, Raw p.m.  Yet winter holds off.  At night there came up a flurry of Snow.

[1]Simon Tainter mar. Rebecca Herrington of Watertown, 1714 (Records of Births Deaths and Marriages: First Book and Supplement, 51, separately paginated supplement to Watertown Records Comprising the Third Book of the Town Proceedings and the Second Book of Births Marriages and Deaths to the End of 1737 Also Plan and Register of Burials in Arlington Street Burying Ground (Watertown, MA: Watertown Historical Society, 1900).  She was admitted to the Westborough church by dismission from the Watertown church, June 27, 1731 (WCR, ___).

November 15, 1736

1736 November 15 (Monday).  A Clear, Cold Morning.  We undertook our journey to Cambridge and we ventured to carry down my Little Daughter Lucy.  Mrs. Hephzibah Maynard and Mrs. Jemima Lee upon the Road also.  The Latter overtook us at Mr. Baldwins; and they proceeded with us to Father Champneys and (except Mr. Barrett) we all lodged there.  N.B. The Child had a Comfortable Journey.

November 16, 1736

1736 November 16 (Tuesday).  Mrs. Maynard, Mrs. Jemima and I rode to Boston.  As Soon as I had Waited upon my Mother <words crossed out> I visited Mrs. Hannah Breck whom I found confined to her Chamber, and had been So ever Since the awfull Death of her Uncle.  I dined with Mr. Pierpont and Madam.  N.B. Mr. Pierpont and Madam give me their hearty wishes and encouragements but Madam in Some Doubt whether I shall Succeed.  Mr. Pierpont undertook a difficult Journey to Providence, Narragansett etc.: but Madam and I took a Dish of Tea with Mrs. H______h.  At Eve at Brother Elias’s who was confined by indisposition.  My Daughter Molly had been in Town for 3 Weeks and chiefly resided there.  Mrs. Maynard and Mrs. Jemima Lee there in the Eve and Supped with us.  After Supper I went with them to Mr. John Lee’s where they lodged.  N.B. The Town is every where full of Mr. Hooper, the Scotch Preacher.

November 17, 1736

1736 November 17 (Wednesday).  Attended to various Business a.m. and made divers Visits.  N.B. Talk of Sister Willards marrying one Mr. Reas of Philadelphia.  I dined at Brother Samuels.  After Dinner I went in to Mr. Pierponts.  <Several words crossed out.>  I determined to Say Nothing to Mrs. H______ of the weighty Matter under Consideration whilst She remains in So ill a state of Health, but She entered upon it her Self and discover’d to me that She had the most maturely considered things, and they were Still darker to her.  She thanked me for the respect I had Shewed her and their Family, but was now settled and determined etc.  Upon my requesting She would wave a final determination, she replyed that she had done so already; that she thought it was now high time to put an End to the whole affair, and therefore prayed me to withdraw my offers to her and Spare my Visits upon such Head, for that she was Sure it would be utterly in Vain: That this proceeded from no influence of any Body else: That She had no Eye to any Future Prospects; and if it Should so happen that She Should be less happy in any other match, yet She Should not have so clear a Conscience if She accepted of my Proposals, whilst things appeared to her mind as they do.  I went down to drink a Dish of Tea with Madam Pierpont and Mrs. Elizabeth Pierce and after Tea I had a private Minute with Madam who told me She was heartily Sorry to find her Kinswoman so resolutely determined to refuse me etc.: gave me her hearty wishes that I might have other and better Success otherwhere, prayed it might not break my Friendship at the House etc.: Upon which I returned to Mrs. H______ who continued the above mentioned strain — would return me (how much soever against my inclination) a little present I had made her, and which (she said) no Eye besides had Seen.  I was much put to’t to conduct my self with Decency, but I was obliged to undergo my Affliction, and thus with my best regards to her I took my final Leave.  Returned to Brother Elias’s and Supped and lodged there.  Thus have I been labouring and toiling at the Corn fields for divers Months, have ploughed with one Heifer after another, and watched all opportunitys and improved all advantages to benefit my Cause, having Spared nor Cost nor Pains, but now when the Time is Come when I might expect a joyful Harvest, <word crossed out> I have no Crop; instead thereof I find nothing by a Sign.  Mr. Pierpont kept the Sign of the Corn-Fields.

November 19, 1736

1736 November 19 (Friday).  Though it was very cold and raw yet I undertook to carry my Daughter Molly to Westborough and through Divine Goodness she bore the Journey very well.  N.B. We called at Mr. George Cuttings[1] at Waterton to speak with his Daughter Lydia[2] to come and keep my House, but she was at Mr. Amos Waits at Framingham, where I Spoke with her.  N.B. Snow from Mr. Swifts to Mr. Stone’s but a clear Evening.  N.B. A Boy of about 14 killed yesterday at Watertown, by a Timber falling upon his Head and mashing it against another Timber.  My Family in my absence had been well and Comfortable.  Deo Gr.!

[1]George Cutting, b. Apr. 26, 1686, son of John and Susan Cutting; Records of Births Deaths and Marriages: First Book and Supplement, 58, separately paginated supplement to Watertown Records Comprising the First and Second Books of Town Proceedings with the Lands Grants and Possessions also the Proprietors’ Book and the First Book and Supplement of Births Deaths and Marriages (Watertown, MA: The Historical Society, 1894).  George Cutting mar. Mary Brown, Jan. 31, 1709/10; ibid., 44.

[2]Lydia, dau. of of George and Mary Cutting, b. Feb. 3, 1711; ibid., 43.

November 23, 1736

1736 November 23 (Tuesday).  David carted out Muck.  P.M. Neighbour Hezekiah How[1] with him.  At Eve at a very handsome Supper at Mr. Townsends, and handsomely invited to it; Neighbour Rogers and his wife there also.

[1]Parkman identified Hezekiah How as among the “first inhabitants” of Westborough (WCR, flyleaf).  How died on June 19, 1768: “My old Neighbour Hezekiah How dyed about 10 o’Clock this forenoon. May god Sanctify it to me! and to those he has left behind!”  His wife Elizabeth had joined the Westborough church on Oct. 25, 1730, having been dismissed from the Marlborough church (WCR, 24).

November 28, 1736

1736 November 28 (Sunday).  Mat. VI.32.33.34.  Mrs. Townsend[1] (wife of Benjamin) dined with us.  Received from Mr. Hezekiah Ward[2] (of New Medfield) Mr. Rob. Camell’s Three Sermons[3] and read ‘em this Evening.

[1]Susannah Townsend, wife of Benjamin Townsend, whom Parkman listed among the first inhabitants of Westborough (WCR, flyleaf).

[2]Hezekiah Ward of New Medfield (Sturbridge).

[3]Robert Camell, I. The great benefit of afflictions: II. The long-suffering of God, with respect to sinful communities. III. The duty of Christ’s ministers, and the offence of some taken at their doctrine ; considered. In three sermons, preached in St. Nicholas’s church and St. George’s chapel, in Great Yarmouth, at several times in the years 1724, and 1725 (London: Printed; and sold by the booksellers of London and Norwich, 1726).

December 6, 1736

1736 December 6 (Monday).  Pleasant morning.  I undertook a Journey to Cambridge.  On the way I called at Mr. Joslins — and at Mr. Belknaps, whose wife had long laboured under great Disorders, by Fits, etc.: There I marryed Eleazer Ward to Tabitha Newton, and then proceeded upon my Journey to Framingham where I stopped to have a Couple of Shooes made and put on my Horse’s hind feet and then, at Dark, continued my Journey to Waterton.  Stopped at Mr. George Cuttings — Thence to F. Champneys before they went to Bed.  N.B. Mrs. Suse Champney here.

December 8, 1736

1736 December 8 (Wednesday).  Rose early and Set out with Design to go to Salem to the Ordination of Mr. John Sparhawk,[1] but I found it so exceeding Cold, and so rough, hard riding that I diverted to Charleston Ferry.  N.B. Capt. Clark[2] of Framingham I carryed in to Brother Elias’s to Breakfast with us.  Visited Mr. Pierpont late p.m.  Mrs. Hannah Breck got down below.  The Ladies tarried in the room but a little while, but left Mr. P______t and I to Smoke our Pipes together.  I took leave of him without making further trouble about them.  He asked me to dine with him next Day, but I declined engaging my Self, and repaired to Mr. Coopers and thence to Brother Elias’s where I Supped and had Mr. Charles Coffin and his wife.  Lodged there.

[1]John Sparhawk (1713-1755), Harvard 1731.  SHG, 9:100-06.

[2]Thomas Clark (1704-1775).  John Clark, Records of the Descendants of Hugh Clark, of Watertown, Mass. 1640-1866 (Boston: Printed for the Author, 1866), 22-23, 31.

December 9, 1736

1736 December 9 (Thursday).  Last night Exceeding Cold — and to Day.  Mr. Byles[1] Lecture on Ps. 42.2.  I dined at Mr. Chauncy’s,[2] as did Mr. Benjamin Gerrish.[3]  Visited Brother Alexander.  At Eve to Cambridge.  N.B. Mrs. Suse and Sister Lydia to Boston to Day notwithstanding the Cold.

[1]Mather Byles (1707-1788), Harvard 1725, minister of Boston’s Hollis Street Church, 1732-1776.  SHG, 7:464-93.

[2]Charles Chauncy (1705-1787), Harvard 1721, minister of Boston’s First Church, 1727-1787.  SHG, 6:439-67.

[3]Benjamin Gerrish (1714-1752), Harvard 1733.  SHG, 9:297-98.

December 12, 1736

1736 December 12 (Sunday).  On Act. 26.28 and Phil. 1.21.  Fowl w. Snow etc.  Mr. Joseph Thurston dined with me.  At Eve Dr. Joshua Wheat[1] here.

[1]This is Parkman’s only reference to Joshua Wheat.  Wheat was warned out of Needham, Worcester, and Westborough.  See George Kuhn Clark, History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711-1911… (Cambridge: Privately Printed at the University Press, 1912), 560; Franklin P. Rice, ed., Records of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace for the County of Worcester, Massachusetts, from 1731 to 1737 (Worcester: Worcester Society of Antiquity, 1882), 132, 182.