1742 January 3 (Sunday). I preached on 1 Thess. 1.10. Mrs. Thurston[1] and Mrs. Lawrence[2] dined with me.
[1]Probably Dorothy, wife of Joseph Thurston. They were admitted to the Westborough church, Nov. 8, 1741, by dismissal from Marlborough (Dorothy) and from Medfield (Joseph); WCR, 61.
[2]Jane, wife of Benjamin Lawrence. The Lawrences were admitted into the Westborough church by dismissal from Lexington, July 3, 1737, and were dismissed to the church in Bolton, Feb. 16, 1749; WCR, 45, 84.
1742 January 4 (Monday). Town Meeting. Great Disquietment in Town about Dividing the Town. William Pierce[1] and Cornelius Biglo[2] cutt wood for me part of the Day. Snow. Mr. Jenison was was [sic] very bad, much Stuffed and choaked up with his Cold.
[1]William and Sarah Pierce had owned the covenant in Hopkinton (WCR, 32: June 24, 1733). They were admitted to the Westborough church by dismissal from the Southborough church (WCR, 66: June 5, 1743).
[2]Cornelius Biglo (or Biglow) was b. Nov. 20, 1710, son of Samuel and Ruth Biglo; MVR, 30. He married Mary Greaves, Dec. 27, 1731; WVR, 123.
1742 January 5 (Tuesday). Mr. Jenison went to Watertown.
1742 January 6 (Wednesday). Snowed a little. _ [No note with this mark.]
1742 January 7 (Thursday). Cold Day, but I rode over to the private meeting at Deacon Forb.[1] and preached on Joh. 3.36. After which I had a brief Exercise of prayer and Exhortation to the society of young women. Tis agreeable to see how readily and gladly many receive the word.
[1]Jonathan Forbush (1709-1756) served as deacon of the Westborough church, 1738-1756.
1742 January 8 (Friday). [No entry.]
1742 January 9 (Saturday). Mr. Richard Pattershall[1] came — dined with me. Cloudy, Snowy — but by his extra Importunity I consented to undertake the difficult ride to Marlborough, Mr. Smith[2] gone to preach at Holden for Mr. Varney.[3] Lodged at Dr. Gotts.[4]
[1]Richard Pateshall (1714-1768), Harvard 1735; SHG, 9:558-60.
[2]Aaron Smith (1713-1781), Harvard 1735, minister of Marlborough, 1740-1778; SHG, 9:575-78.
[3]James Varney (1706-1783), Harvard 1725, minister of Wilmington, 1733-1739; SHG, 7:601-02.
[4]Dr. Benjamin Gott of Marlborough (1706-1751) had been married to Sarah Breck (1711-1740), whose sister, Hannah, married Ebenezer Parkman, Sept. 1, 1737.
1742 January 11 (Monday). Mr. Varney to Worcester. I returned home, but Mr. Pattershall was gone first.
1742 January 12 (Tuesday). A fine Day. My wife[1] rode with me to Mr. Belknaps at whose request I preached there to a considerable assembly on Isa. 55.7. Mr. T[ilbo?] lodged with us.
[1]Hannah (Breck) Parkman, Ebenezer Parkman’s second wife. Hannah (1716-1801) was the daughter of Rev. Robert and Elizabeth Breck. Breck (1682-1731), Harvard 1700, was minister of the Marlborough church, 1704-1731; SHG, 4:515-18
1742 January 13 (Wednesday). Snow. Mr. [Tatlo?] to Marlborough. The Snow Deep.
1742 January 14 (Thursday). Snowy morning — bright p.m.
1742 January 15 (Friday). Bright. N.B. How new leathered my Pump Box.
1742 January 16 (Saturday). [No entry.]
1742 January 17 (Sunday). On Matt. 11. Luk. 19.10. Cold. Mrs. Tainter[1] and Sarah Stretton[2] dined here.
[1]Rebecca (Harrington) Tainter, wife of Simon. They were born in Watertown. Simon was admitted to the Westborough church, Apr. 3, 1726; WCR, 3. Rebecca was admitted June 27, 1731, by dismissal from the Watertown church.
[2]Sarah Stretton may have been from Watertown (where Rebecca Tainter was born).
1742 January 18 (Monday). Snow. Old Mr. Graves came from William Pierce praying me to go to See his Child[1] which was Sick but by means of the Storm I could not go. At Eve the young Men came to sing.
[1]Possibly William, son of William and Sarah (Whitny) Pierce, b. Dec. 31, 1741, although the Pierces had other children ranging in age up to twelve; HVR, 147-49.
1742 January 19 (Tuesday). At Ensigns (I suppose Mainards).
1742 January 21 (Thursday). [No entry.]
1742 January 22 (Friday). [No entry.]
1742 January 23 (Saturday). [No entry.]
1742 January 24 (Sunday). Luk. 19.42. Luk. 19.10.
1742 January 25 (Monday). To Grafton.
1742 January 26 (Tuesday). Catechetical Exercise to Young Women. At Eve Singing.
1742 January 27 (Wednesday). Ephraim Whitney[1] and Eleazer Williams[2] came and cutt wood for me a.m. but p.m. Rain and they went home.
[1]Ephraim, son of Nathaniel and Mary Whitney, b. July 2, 1722 (WVR, 107).
[2]Eleazer, son of Samuel and Abigail Williams, b. Jan. 5, 1721; Sherborn VR, 95. Samuel and Abigail Williams were admitted to the Westborough church, May 30, 1742; WCR, 62.
1742 January 28 (Thursday). There being at Leicester very considerable awakenings among some of the people, they Sat apart this Day for Fasting and prayer for the obtaining a plentifull Effusion of the holy Spirit upon them and they having Sent for me to assist on that occasion, I went up. Mr. Edwards[1] of Northampton there, and preached a very awakening Sermon on Rom. 9.22 — Vessels of wrath. I preached p.m. on Zech. 12.10. In the Evening Mr. Hall[2] preached on Isa. 54.13. N.B. some stirrings. I lodged at Mr. Goddards[3] with his Father.[4]
[1]Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), Yale 1720, minister of Northampton, 1727-1750, Stockbridge, 1751-1758; President of the College of New Jersey, 1758; DYG, 1:218-26.
[2]David Hall (1704-1789), Harvard 1724, minister of Sutton, 1729-1789. SHG 7:345-56.
[3]David Goddard (1706-1754), Harvard 1731, minister of Leicester, 1736-1754; SHG, 40-43.
[4]Edward Goddard of Framingham.
1742 January 29 (Friday). Mr. Edwards preached on Joh. 12.32. A peculiarly moving and Useful sermon. May God bless it to me to draw my Heart Effectually to Jesus Christ by his Love, by his bitter and ignominious Sufferings on the Cross for me! I prevailed with Mr. Edwards before we went out of the pulpit, to come by divine Leave next week to Westborough. I dined at old Mr. Southgates.[1] I called at the Jayl to See the poor prisoner Green[2] in my Return home. Found him penitent, diligently on enquiry, Reading, Waiting on Jesus, respectfull to Ministers, and very gratefull to me for my pains with him.
[1]Possibly Richard Southgate (d. Apr. 23, 1758, a. 88; LVR, 275.
[2]Jabez Green was later convicted and executed for murder; see Sept. 24 and Oct. 21.
1742 January 30 (Saturday). Cold Winds.
1742 January 31 (Sunday). Probably on Luk. 16.23. (I Say probably for I wrote this Some while after.) I can’t help remarking what a wonderfull Time was now appearing. For there are great Movings upon the Hearts of the people of the Country, in one part thereof and another. O that I and mine might be stirred up earnestly and seasonably to put in for a Share! The Lord grant us His Mercy and let us not be left behind!
1742 February 1 (Monday). It was a rainy Day, but I rode to Grafton and Sutton. Mr. Prentice[1] though his Child was very ill, yet was gone up to Sutton. In going from Deacon Halls[2] in Sutton in order to find Brother Hicks’s[3] I wandered fruitlessly; for though I found the House they had dwelt in yet they having removed to their own House lately (which I was not informed of) I missed of them and struck across the woods to the Road up to Town. Mr. Edwards was come from Leicester. Mr. Webb[4] of Uxbridge and Mr. John Fairfield[5] there. Mr. Edwards to a large Assembly on Ps. 18.35. At Eve in a very rainy, stormy Time I preached to a Considerable Assembly on Ps. 68.8. I lodged at Mr. Halls. Religion has been of late very much revived in Sutton, and a general Concern about their souls.
[1]Solomon Prentice (1705-1773), Harvard 1727, minister of Grafton, 1731-1747, Easton, 1747-1755, and Hull, 1768-1772. SHG, 8:248-57.
[2]Percival Hall of Sutton.
[3]John Hicks was Parkman’s brother-in-law, having mar. Rebecca Champney, sister of Parkman’s first wife, Mary (or Molly) Champney, May 8, 1721; CVR, 2:71.
[4]Nathan Webb (1705-1772), Harvard 1725, minister of Uxbridge, 1731-1772; SHG, 7:617-19.
[5]Possibly John Fairfield (1712-c. 1767), Harvard 1732; SHG, 9:150.
1742 February 2 (Tuesday). Rainy morning. Mr. Edwards utterly denyed going out in the Storm. I resigned and took Leave. Mr. Edwards coming to the Door and seeing it began to clear up he put on Resolution and came with me to Westborough. Here were Mr. Cushing,[1] Mr. Stone,[2] Mr. Smith, Capt. Williams,[3] Dr. Gott and Mr. Daniel Barns,[4] who dined with me. Mr. Edwards preached to a great Congregation on Joh. 12.32. And at Eve at my House on Gen. 19.17. N.B. Mr. James Fay[5] was greatly wrought on by the sermon on Joh. 12.32. So were Samuel Allen[6] and Ezekiel Dodge,[7] who manifested it to me: and doubtless multitudes besides were so, Deo Opt. Max. Gloria.
[1]Job Cushing (1694-1760), Harvard 1714, minister of Shrewsbury, 1723-1760. SHG 6:45-46.
[2]Nathan Stone (1708-1781), Harvard 1726, minister of Southborough, 1730-1781. SHG 8:99-105.
[3]Abraham Williams (1695-1781) of Marlborough.
[4]Daniel Barns of Marlborough.
[5]James Fay later attended separatist meetings in Grafton. When he sought a dismissal to Hardwick in 1747, he acknowledged his disorderly conduct; WCR, 80. (Aug. 17, 1747). On the Fay family, see particularly Douglas L. Winiarski, Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina press, 2017), 374-80, 386, 403.
[6]Samuel, son of Ephraim and Susanna Allen, b. Sept. 7, 1720; WVR, 10.
[7]Ezekiel Dodge (1723-1770), Harvard 1749, minister at Abington, 1750-1770; SHG, 12:367-69.
1742 February 3 (Wednesday). Mr. Edwards returned upon his journey. My wife and I accompanyed him to Shrewsbury to Mr. Cushings, where we parted. I afterwards heard that he preached at Worcester. We dined at Mr. Cushings and at returning home we called at Bezaliel Eagers,[1] with whose wife,[2] mine was School mate. Fine Day.
[1]Bezaleel Eager, born Dec. 2, 1713 (MVR, 65); died Oct. 31, 1787 (Northborough VR, 133.
[2]Persis, wife of Bezeleel Eager, d. Oct. 1, 1768 (ibid., 133).
1742 February 4 (Thursday). Rain.
1742 February 5 (Friday). High Winds and very Cold.
1742 February 6 (Saturday). Mr. James Fay (who thinks he Sees Things in a New Light and that he is now Converted) was here to see me, and discourse with me.
