Author: Anthony Vaver

1739 April 12 (Thursday).  Jotham Maynard work’d another half Day.  Powder hill on Blaze, in a dry Time and an high Wind.  The Fire broke out of Brother Hicks’s Ground and burnt me up all the Fence upon the South and the north and north East, although the wind was very strong at South and south West.  I preach’d the Lecture on Rev. 3.1 latter part.  N.B. Mr. Tainter brought up from Cambridge a 3 year old Heifer which I bought of Brother Champney for 10£.

1739 April 13 (Friday).  Very fine spring Weather.  Barley Sow’d.  At Evening there arose a Storm of Thunder and Lightning.  N.B. My old Bell sheep kill’d as ‘twas Thought by a Wolf on my Hill in the upper Clear’d Ground.  I have now lost no less than Four grown sheep this last winter and this spring.

1739 April 14 (Saturday).  Abiel Allen went home.  Nor could anyone be got in his [sic] room.  P.M. I rode over to the Funeral of a Young Child of Mr. John Pannell.  Very Warm Day.

1739 April 15 (Sunday).  Sacrament.  Preach’d on Mat. 22.12.  O that I had the Wedding Garment of a prepared soul to wait upon my Dear and blessed saviour in!  O that his own Righteousness might cover me that the Shame of my Spiritual Nakedness might not appear!  P.M. by means of my many avocations and Labours I was prevented Composing another Discourse, and therefor I repeated to page 7 of Sermon on Ps. 116.12.

1739 April 16 (Monday).  Abiel Allen having tarried over night, wash’d and did other heavy Business for my Wife.  N.B. Robert Bradish came and acknowledg’d his ill Conduct and Expressions at Two particular Seasons when he was with me as particularly in my House on October [blank] past, and on March 30, last at Evening and I forgave him and was reconcil’d to him.  This I bless God for, it having been an Article which I had much requested.  Fine weather — ploughing.  N.B. Hicks carry’d his Daughter Hannah to Cambridge.

1739 April 17 (Tuesday).  Catechiz’d at the Meeting House.  The Trees and divers of them, Apple Trees and Popplers, very Green and the Grass considerably grown.

1739 April 18 (Wednesday).  I went to Captain Fays with John Kidney who drove a Team and got 3 hundred pounds of Hay.  Neighbor John Rogers at work for me.  Splicing Rails and posts and Setting up Fence upon the back of the settle upon the Hill.  Receiv’d a Young Sow Pigg from Mr. Williams.

1739 April 19 (Thursday).  A white Frost last Night.  Neighbor John Rogers setting up Fence for me.  I went with John Kidney who drove my Team to Mr. David Brighams to get Sand.  My wife went as far as old Mr. Maynards.  The Turkey Hen Set.

1739 April 20 (Friday).  Mr. William Nurse here to request me to [go] up to a Sick Child a mile or Two above his House in Shrewsbury, but for many Reasons I could not.

1739 April 21 (Saturday).  Mr. Damon of Leicester here.  We sow’d a few Oates.  N.B. It was showery Some parts of the Day.

1739 April 22 (Sunday).  On 2 Cor. 15.16.  Widow Pratt din’d with us.

1739 April 23 (Monday).  Visited Neighbor Isaac Tomlin junior, he being in a very languishing Condition.  I had Neighbor Seth Rice’s Colt to ride upon from his House.  N.B. Captain Eager[1] from Court gave advice to Neighbor Rice[2] to go down to Boston to Confer with Two men who had been Captivated from Groton when they were but Ladds and had dwelt with the Indians ever since, whose English names were Tarbell[3] — Captain Kellogg[4] being likewise at Boston who was ready to serve them as an interpreter.

[1]James Eager of Westborough.

[2]Asher Rice, who had also been a captive of the Indians.

[3]See Samuel A. Green, Groton During the Indian Wars (Groton, 1883), 116-20.

[4]Joseph Kellogg.

1739 April 24 (Tuesday).  My old Red Cow Calv’d a fine large Bull Calf.  N.B. Colonel Woods, Mr. Stone of Southborough, Mr. John Burt[1] preacher at Marlborough and Mr. Jonathan Loring,[2] their School Master made me a Visit.

[1](HC 1736), later minister at Bristol, R.I., 1740-1775.  SHG, 10:29-31.

[2]Son of the Rev. Israel Loring of Sudbury.

1739 April 25 (Wednesday).  I walk’d to Mr. Noah Rice’s[1] to visit his wife, being under long Confinement and weakness, very discourag’d and Melancholly.  Continued my walk over to Mr. Tainters who had kept my Horse Sometime, and so rode back.  Call’d at Mr. Jonah Warrins.  N.B. Mr. John Pratt moving his Family to a new place by Mr. James Fays.  N.B. Mr. Peter Butler was at our House.  N.B. John Hicks junior help’d John Kidney in Carting out Muck.  Planted Peas, New Haven Squashes, etc. in the garden and sow’d various seeds.

[1]Son of Thomas Rice, an original settler of Westborough.

1739 April 26 (Thursday).  Neighbor John Rogers help’d in Carting out muck.  N.B. Brother Hicks lost his Black Ox.  Divers went to look for him up — found him dead in the mire of the Meadow on the North West End of the Great Pond.  My Wife rode to Marlborough.  N.B. Neighbor Seth Rice came up from Boston where he had Conference with the Tarbells of Groton and with Captain Kellogg upon the Affair of his Brethrens coming down from Canada.  N.B. He brought my wife some Honey Suckle Roots (for Vines for the Front Door) from Madame Lucy Dudley of Roxbury.

1739 April 27 (Friday).  My Lads fetch’d home some Hay from Neighbor Seth Rice’s.  Mr. Mead here.  It continues a very dry Season.  P.M. Brother Hicks help’d John in Carting Muck.  My Wife return’d from Marlborough and my Horse was kept this Night (as it was also the Night before last) at old Mr. Maynard’s.

1739 April 28 (Saturday).  John Hicks junior went on foot to Cambridge.  Ebenezer to Captain Eagers to carry Mr. Peter Butler 3£, 10 Shillings.  John Carting Muck Still.  Ebenezer Rode my Horse to Mr. Jacob Amsdens to have him kept there.

1739 April 29 (Sunday).  On 2 Cor. 2.15.16.  Very weary and faint at night, my Spirits having been greatly impress’d and my Body worry’d.  N.B. There had been a small Shower this Morn.  The wind Raw, and promising a Storm.

1739 April 30 (Monday).  A Rainy Time and the Earth much soak’d, after a very dry Week.  The praise to God for his Kindness and faithfulness.  Abiel Allen tarried over last night to help my Wife for Two or Three Dayes.

1739 May 1 (Tuesday).  John Kidney, with the Oxen help’d Brother Hicks in Carting out Muck.

1739 May 2 (Wednesday).  Mr. Andrew Boardman[1] and his Sister, with Adonijah Church[2] and Mrs. Betty Woods[3] made us a Visit.  N.B. It has been very cold ever Since the Storm on the 30th last.  Abiel went home.

[1]The schoolmaster of Hopkinton.

[2]Of Marlborough.

[3]Daughter of Benjamin Woods of Marlborough.

1739 May 3 (Thursday).  Very Cold still.  John ploughing the Grounds over in order to planting.

1739 May 4 (Friday).  [No entry.]

1739 May 5 (Saturday).  A very grievous Cold continues  upon me.

1739 May 6 (Sunday).  On Mat. 9.27 to 31, and on Ps. 99.5 and 9.  Some of our Cows lye out.

1739 May 7 (Monday).  We furrow’d the further piece of the north field and planted the most of it till the Rain increas’d so much that we were oblig’d to desist.  N.B. Sent for my Horse from Mr. Jacob Amsdens.  N.B. Mr. William Nurse brought me a fine Pigg of Two Months old and receiv’d only 2/6 (which was Scarcely a Quarter Price) for it.  N.B. receiv’d also a Pig of a Month old from Brother Hicks.  At Night the Storm prevail’d greatly.

1739 May 8 (Tuesday).  A.M. Rain and Stormy winds.  P.M. Clear’d off.  N.B. Neighbor How[1] brought us a Quarter of Veal.  Neighbor Aaron Hardy brought Hopps of us.  P.M. furrow’d.

[1]Hezekiah How.

1739 May 9 (Wednesday).  I sent out my Oxen under the Care of Ensign Maynard and Four Young Creatures under the Care of Captain Warrin,[1] into the Woods.  The Boys Planting; a fine warm Day.  P.M. Ruth Bradish[2] here to Discourse with me in order to her joining to the Church.

[1]Daniel Warren.

[2]Daughter of James and Dameris Bradish.

1739 May 10 (Thursday).  Finished Planting.  Cool Season again.

1739 May 11 (Friday).  Mr. John Green, of Brookfield, heretofore my near Neighbour, here.  Cool Weather.  N.B. Ebenezer rode to Marlborough to carry wool to be spun at the widow Bents[1] and to bring my great Coat from Mr. Tainters but succeeded not in the last.

[1]Mrs. Peter Bent.

1739 May 12 (Saturday).  Cold and high winds So that we cannot sow our Flax.  Youngest Calf being disorder’d and as we judg’d Tail soaken, we cut off the End of his Tail.

1739 May 13 (Sunday).  On Mat. 9.32 to 34.  Ps. 99.5.9.  N.B. Several Hopkinton people at Meeting, by Reason of Mr. Barretts illness.  N.B. Two Young Gentlemen of Boston at Meeting, whom I could not find out.  Mrs. Rice, heretofore Whood, at Dinner with me.

1739 May 14 (Monday).  Warm and pleasant.  Sow’d our Flax.  I walk’d down to see Mrs. Townsend[1] and went as far as Mrs. Byles’s and borrow’d her Horse for my Wife to ride to Hopkinton, whither we went and din’d there and return’d in Safety at Evening.  Mr. Barrett was walking about with great Currency but in an ill Habit.

[1]Mercy, wife of Joshua Townsend, schoolmaster of Westborough.

1739 May 15 (Tuesday).  Read the Life of Mr. Fairclough.[1]  Very Hot.

[1]Samuel Fairclough (1594-1677), an English nonconformist divine.  The only biography of Fairclough that seems to have been published at this time was in Samuel Clarke’s Lives of Sundry Eminent Persons in this Latter Age (London, 1683).

1739 May 16 (Wednesday).  Very Hot.  Mr. Edward Barns[1] marry’d to the widow Grace Rice.[2]  I walk’d to Deacon Tomlins[3] with Captain Forbush.[4]  N.B. Talk with Deacon about his Children, who had been guilty of fornication.[5]

[1]Of Marlborough, where he and his wife continued to live.

[2]Of Westborough.  Widow of Simon Rice.  Hudson, Marlborough, 315.

[3]Isaac Tomlin.

[4]Samuel Forbush of Westborough.

[5]Timothy Fay and Lydia Tomlin (or Tomblin) were married April 30, 1738.  The following entry appears in the Westborough church records, February 30, 1740: “Timothy Fay and Lydia his wife offered their public Humiliations for their committing the sin of Fornication and were restor’d to Charity.”