Author: Anthony Vaver

1739 March 8 (Thursday).  Fair.  Ebenezer Maynard came upon my sending for him to cut wood — and John Kidney sledded.  N.B. Ebenezer Maynard gave the Day.

1739 March 9 (Friday).  Snow.  We had prepared to carry a Pine Logg out of the Lot to the Saw Mill and Ebenezer Maynard came to help load it, but the Storm prevail’d and we gave over.

1739 March 10 (Saturday).  With Brother Hicks’s Cattle and Neighbor Aaron Hardys joined to my own Team, Ebenezer Maynard and John Kidney carry’d a Large Logg to the Saw Mill.

1739 March 11 (Sunday).  Snow’d again.  On Prov. 4.7.  N.B. but few at Meeting p.m.  N.B. My Wife has been somewhat disconsolate by her Limbs Swelling.

1739 March 12 (Monday).  Brother Hicks to Shrewsbury upon my Horse.  He went to Cambridge.  Ebenezer went down to Mr. Daniel Matthews[1] for Malt.

[1]Of Marlborough, and later of Southborough.

1739 March 13 (Tuesday).  [No entry.]

1739 March 14 (Wednesday).  Catechizing — it having been appointed on this Day because of the Disappointment last Week by the Storm.

1739 March 15 (Thursday).  Storm of Rain and Hail.

1739 March 16 (Friday).  I rode to Marlborough.  Exceeding bad Travelling.  To Mr. Tainters,[1] Phelps,[2] Colonel Woods’s, Dr. Gotts at Evening and at Captain Williams[3] late.  Yet returned home.

[1]Deacon Joseph Tainter.

[2]John Phelps, a cordwainer of Marlborough.  About 1742 he moved with his family to Rutland, Mass.  Hudson, Marlborough, 428.

[3]Abraham Williams of Marlborough.

1739 March 17 (Saturday).  [No entry.]

1739 March 18 (Sunday).  On Prov. 4.7.

1739 March 19 (Monday).  Mr. Jeremiah Townsend came to us from New Haven.

1739 March 20 (Tuesday).  Captain Williams of Marlborough here and made up Accounts as Executor of Mr. Brecks[1] Will, as Administratee Upon Mr. Brecks Substance, and as Guardian to my Wife.  P.M. I rode to Deacon Tomlins[2] and to Mr. Icabud Druce’s.

[1]The late Rev. Robert Breck of Marlborough.

[2]Isaac Tomlin of Westborough.

1739 March 21 (Wednesday).  Rode South.  Lieutenant Bakers, Captain Fays, Mr. Samuel Fays, etc. etc.  N.B. Mr. James Taylor[1] of Worcester here.

[1]An early proprietor of Worcester.  Lincoln, Worcester, 46-47.

1739 March 22 (Thursday).  A Meeting of the Proprietors of Hoossatunnoc No. 3.  N.B. The Committee for that Business had agreed with Captain Hazletine[1] of Upton to build a Saw Mill.  I assisted ‘em in Drawing Two Bonds.

[1]John Hazeltine.

1739 March 23 (Friday).  Town Meeting upon the Article of the Meeting House, but still did nothing.  Mr. Samuel Harrington took my Horse to keep.

1739 March 24 (Saturday).  My wife went to the Kitchen about this Time.

1739 March 25 (Sunday).  On Mat. 9.18.

1739 March 26 (Monday).  Town Meeting by Adjournment.  N.B. Marlborough propos’d Meeting.  I sent down, a second time, a Plot of Two acres and 30 Rod upon Powder Hill, by old Mr. Maynard,[1] but oppos’d by Mr. Richard Barns.  N.B. some warm answer to old Mr. Maynard and Neighbor Williams[2] when they gave me account of the Proprietors not accepting it.  N.B. began to Garden.  We plough’d in some early Peas.

[1]David Maynard.

[2]Eleazer Williams.

1739  March 27 (Tuesday).  Very fine Weather.

1739 March 28 (Wednesday).  Receiv’d from my Mother by Mr. Simon Goddard[1] Tulip Roots, etc.  Mr. David Bell of Boston in his Journey to New Haven came to us at Evening in the Rain and Lodg’d here.

[1]Of Shrewsbury.  He had previously lived in Hopkinton.  Ward, Shrewsbury, 285.

1739 March 29 (Thursday).  Public Fast.  I preach’d on Ezek. 36.25 to 32 and part of 37.

1739 March 30  (Friday).  Mr. Bell pursued his Journey to New Haven bearing Letters from us, Scil. to Mr. Pierpont[1] and Mr. Daniel Edwards.[2]  The Wind exceeding high last night.  Rugged, Cold, windy Day.

[1]James Pierpont, Jr., of New Haven.

[2](YC 1720).  Clerk of the Superior Court of Connecticut.  Dexter, 216-217.

1739 March 31 (Saturday).  I walk’d into the Neighbourhood as far as to Mr. Williams and I borrowed his Horse to Southborough, Mr. Stone having writ to me in the beginning of the Week, to Change with him.  I expected Mr. Stone, but he came not.  I rode down to Southborough upon Mr. Williams’s Horse, but it was nigh dark when I got to Mr. Stones, So that he tarried till morning.

1739 April 1 (Sunday).  Mr. Stone rode up to Westborough in the Morning.  I preach’d at Southborough on Heb. 10.38 a. and p.m.  William Pierce had excepted against Mr. Stones form of baptizing because of his using the word [into] instead of [in] the name, etc. and therefor entreated me to baptize his youngest child.[1]  Mr. Stone had intimated the matter to me and consented freely that the Man Should request me, but I first opened the matter to him, read him Dr. Collins’s annotation upon Mat. 28.19 in the Continuation of Mr. Pools[2] and demanded of him whether he had any Disgust with Mr. Stone on any other, etc.  The name of the Child was Seth.  At Evening I return’d to Westborough.  Met Mr. Stone by the way.  N.B. Mr. Stone had forgot his Notes by changing his Coat, and had none with him at Westborough.  It was so late in the morning that he could not return home to fetch ‘em, but my wife, at his request, Show’d him a parcell of my Sermons and he chose them that are on Hos. 13.9, and preach’d from them a. and p.m.  N.B. My Young Red Cow brought a fine large Cow Calf.

[1]Baptism recorded in Westborough church records.

[2]Matthew Poole, a learned Non-Conformist divine, published Annotations on the Holy Bible, wherein the Sacred Text is inserted, and various readings annexed (2 vols.; London 1688).  Poole wrote the portion as far as chapter 58 of Isaiah.  Other writers continued the work.

1739 April 2 (Monday).  Jotham Maynard came to work and Molly Bruce[1] came as a Taylor to make a Coat for Ebenezer.  Jotham beat off at Noon by the Rain.  Read in Mr. Clarks last volume of Lives.[2]  Lost Two Ewes, one yesterday, the other to Day.

[1]Mary, daughter of Abijah Bruce of Westborough.

[2]Samuel Clarke (1599-1683), an English theologian, published The Marrow of Ecclesiastical Historie, Conteined in the Lives of the Fathers, and Other Learned Men, and Famous Divines (London, 1650).  This work was enlarged and published in a variety of subsequent English editions.

1739 April 3 (Tuesday).  Dull heavy Weather.  Jotham Maynard at Work all Day on the Fences of the Southside.  At Night a great Storm.  Windy, Cold, rain, Snow.

1739 April 4 (Wednesday).  The Snow a Considerable Depth, but the Storm over.  N.B. Mrs. Josslyn[1] here both yesterday and to Day.

[1]Mrs. Joseph Joslin.  Sometimes spelled Joslen or Josling.

1739 April 5 (Thursday).  Sister Hicks at Dinner with me.  I preach’d at the private Meeting at Mr. Whipple’s on Rev. 3.1.

1739 April 6 (Friday).  The Boys plough’d p.m., the Snow being so gone.  Hannah, wife of Daniel Warrin junior here.

1739 April 7 (Saturday).  The Boys plough’d all Day.

1739 April 8 (Sunday).  All Day on 2 Cor. 2.15.16.

1739 April 9 (Monday).  Boys at Plough again.  Samuel Rogers at work for me.

1739 April 10 (Tuesday).  I rode to Sudbury, in Company from Captain Williams of Marlborough with Mr. Cushing.  Mr. Nathan Stone and Mr. Seccomb at Mr. Lorings.  My Concio was on 2 Cor. 2.15.16.  The Occasion of this Discourse on this Text was the ill Conduct of divers Ministers, but particularly of Mr. Seccomb of Harvard.  N.B. Seven Towns in that Neighbourhood had had ministers guilty of Scandalous offences.

1739 April 11 (Wednesday).  Mr. Prentice of Grafton preach’d the public Lecture on Isa. 1.16.  N.B. Conversation with Mr. Samuel Cook upon the Affair of his refusing Marlborough.  Mr. Cushing, Mr. Stone, and Mr. Prentice of Grafton rode with me up to Marlborough.  I turn’d away to Mr. Edmund Rice’s at the urgent request of his wife, to discourse with their Daughter in Law who was under Spiritual Trouble.  Was at Colonel Woods’s and settled all accounts with him to this Day.  At the Doctors[1] at Eve.  Mr. Prentice my company up to Westborough but he stood along for home.  N.B. some free Conversation with him about his Preaching.  N.B. Samme Breck[2] at my House.  Came up yesterday.  Jotham Maynard work’d half a Day.

[1]Benjamin Gott, the physician of Marlborough.

[2]Samuel Breck, Parkman’s brother-in-law.