Category: Diary

January 15, 1753

1753 January 15 (Monday).  Jacob Garfield here; and though he pretends he has come with great earnestness about the Affair that has lain so long between Mr. Parkman and him and wants to have it issued and done with, yet can’t stay to be examin’d, but must attend upon other Business; — but he thought he would call and see whether it would be now, or no.

January 16, 1753

1753 January 16 (Tuesday).  Billy goes to School to learn to write, the School being kept at Captain Maynards.  The Precinct meet to Day to enquire into their Debts and grant money instead of Mr. James Maynards Rates to make up my Sallery for last Year.  Mr. Martyn and his Wife came p.m. and tarry over night.  At Eve Mr. Stephen White of Waltham and Mr. Walker of Brookfield.

January 22, 1753

1753 January 22 (Monday).  Mr. Bond brought Plank for my Thrashing Floor and to fill out what is wanting in the Stable.  N.B. Mr. Elijah Rice gave the Timber.  Messrs. Moses Brigham and Daniel Forbush draw’d the Loggs to Mill; and Mr. Jonathan Forbush saw’d them.  N.B. I sell my Turkeys to Mr. Bond for Rye.  The Turkeys at 20/ apiece and Rye at 25 per Bushel.  I have a more Strong and lively Sense of the Mortality of my Body etc. than usual (for me).  O that it might be continued and improv’d! I visited at Neighbour Frosts — there are 3 of them there — and their sister Ruth.  I paid her what I have for some time ow’d her — was at Neighbour Barns’s etc. at Lieutenant Bruce’s and gave him a Note to Mr. Grow for 54£ old Tenor and to his son Ephraim for 26£ of like money.  N.B. Mr. John Rogers at Thomas’s procuring, to assist him in providing for a Frame for a Shop.  Part of p.m. Cutts Timbers.

January 27, 1753

1753 January 27 (Saturday).  Our Wood very Short; but a Stick or two left at the Door, and yet a Stormy, raw Cold Day — p.m. Snowy.  Lieutenant Tainter came to See how ‘twas with us as to wood, and went to Deacon Newtons and Esquire Bakers to See whether they would not bring some — but there came none.  But I was oblig’d to make what we had in the House and the few Sticks at the Door, do over the Sabbath.

January 28, 1753

1753 January 28 (Sunday).  Read Deut. 21.  Preach’d on Tit. 3.2.  P.M. read Gal. 3.  Mrs. Hannah Pratt din’d here.  The Weather is become comfortable.  May God enable us to improve our advantages and Comforts to His Glory! Shunning carefully the Sins which his holy word has prohibited and humbling ourselves for what has been Chargeable upon us — as the Sin of Slandering and defaming has been very much So.  I had (to God be Glory!) some peculiar Sense of the Vanity of Life, and the Greatness of Things Eternal.  O that it might be preserv’d and increas’d!

January 29, 1753

1753 January 29 (Monday).  A more than ordinary fine Day.  Messrs. Jonah Warrin and Jonathan Bond and Joseph Grout, brought, each of them, a Load of Wood.  The wood of the two first and partly the Cutting, am beholden to Lieutenant Tainter for.  Mrs. Newton Sends Milk again; and from Esquire Bakers a Gallon ditto.  I rode out to visit Mrs. Adams (Eliphalet’s Wife) and Mrs. Beeman (Abraham’s Wife) was also at Lieutenant Bruce’s who gave me up my Bond of 145.10/ old Tenor and I gave him a new one of 100£ old Tenor.  He gave me also a new Deed including 9 Acres and 1 Rod of the Island.  N.B. I owe him 1£ 11s., 8d, old Tenor, besides the Interest and besides the Remainder of our old Reckoning.

January 31, 1753

1753 January 31 (Wednesday).  After We din’d at home, my Wife and I rode to Mr. Clafflands and celebrated the Nuptials of Alpheus Newton and Elizabeth Clafflin, after which we had a plentifull Entertainment.  The Weather fine and the Company pretty large — but we came away in the first of the Evening and Captain Benjamin Wood of Hopkinton waiting on the Bridegrooms Mother.  Thus we finish this Month with much chearfullness and Joy but it becomes us to rejoice as though we rejoic’d not.

 

[The remainder of the diary for 1753 is not extant.]

January 1, 1754

1754 January 1 (Tuesday).  Through the Tender Mercy and Longsuffering of God I see the Morning of another New Year, and am at Brookfield.  Esquire Howard had Sent a Message to me Yesterday, and this Morning came himself to invite me and my son Ebenezer who is with me, as well as Mr. Forbush[1] and his Wife, to a New Years Dinner.  It prov’d a fine Day, which with good Company, and fine Eating, made it a chearful Time.  Thanks be to God for his great Goodness in which He is rich unto all!  May it be a truely happy New Year!  Captain Wit[2] and I rode from Esquire Howards up to Mr. Abraham Smiths to talk with him about his place, with a view to my son Ebenezer’s living there.  At Eve return’d to Mr. Forbush’s.

[1]Parkman’s son-in-law, the Reverend Eli Forbes.

[2]Ebenezer Witt.

January 2, 1754

1754 January 2 (Wednesday).  Am upon the Business of Mr. Smiths place.  Mr. Forbush and Lieutenant Gilbert[1] accompany us, as Mr. Smith shews us his Bounds.  But the Snow being on the Ground we can’t See the Soil.  At Eve Mr. Benjamin Ruggles,[2] preaching now a Days at New Braintree came to Mr. Forbushs.  I preach’d an Eve Lecture at the Meeting House there on Luke 29.10.  Mr. Ruggles pray’d.  N.B. This was the first Time Mr. Forbush got out since his Fall.  May God make his word effectual for our saving Profit!  Mr. Ruggles lodg’d with me at Mr. Forbushs.

[1]Benjamin Gilbert of Brookfield.

[2] Benjamin Ruggles (Yale 1721) had been minister of Lakeville, 1725-1753.  Because of an insufficient salary, Ruggles asked for and received his dismission.  He was called to the town of New Braintree where he served, 1754-1782.  Dexter, Biographical Sketches, pp. 255-56, and Sibley, VII, 46-650.

January 4, 1754

1754 January 4 (Friday).  Rain.  Agree with Mr. Smith.  Take a Deed of him and give him a Bond, to give him a Deed of my House, and nine acres and 1/2 of Land in Westborough.  Late in the Day leave Brookfield and rode to Mr. Eatons[1] in Leicester — were well refresh’d there, and though it was wet at Evening proceeded to the Reverend Mr. Goddards[2] and lodg’d there.  Through the divine Favour am also in good Comforts of Body, although my mind has been exceedingly agitated in my trading with Mr. Smith fearing whether it will be suitably improv’d by him and turn to his good.  But whilst I am thus concern’d for him pay him a great Price for his and sell my own but at very low rate.  His Wife also very backward to sign.

[1]The Reverend Joshua Eaton of Spencer.

[2]David Goddard of Leicester.

January 7, 1754

1754 January 7 (Monday).  I made a Visit to my old Neighbour and Friend Captain Maynard to acquaint him with what I had done with Mr. Abraham Smith and take his Advice.  Seeing likewise when I parted with Mr. Smith and saw how lost his Wife was, I told him that if I could do better, and his Wife should grow no easier, I Should still desire to throw up; I therefore relating the matter to Captain Maynard, ask’d both him and his Son whether they would b[u]y my whole (old) place, in Case Smith would release the Bargain; but they declin’d it, but especially refused the House.  Captain Wood[1] of Hopkinton brought a Letter from Mr. Barret[2] requesting me to assist there at a Fast by reason of the malignant Fever, which exceedingly rages and proves very mortal in Holliston, and begins to rage in Hopkinton.  N.B. Ten lay dead in Holliston last Friday.  Mrs. Prentice[3] was bury’d on Saturday last, but Mr. Prentice is recovering.  For want of Help, So many being Sick and Dead, they draw some Corps to their Graves on Sleds.[4]  N.B. Mr. Griffin here.

[1]John Wood,

[2]The Reverend Samuel Barrett of Hopkinton.

[3]Mary, the wife of the Reverend Joshua Prentiss of Holliston. This town was very hard hit in this epidemic, and Prentiss wrote an account of the sickness there.  See Mass. Hist. Soc. Collections, 1st Ser., III, 18-20.

[4]Modern authorities regard this as another outbreak of diphtheria, which was a problem in various parts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  See John Duffy, Epidemics in Colonial America (Baton Rouge, [1953]), pp. 125-126.

January 9, 1754

1754 January 9 (Wednesday).  It rain’d hard; but I rode to Hopkinton found Messrs. Stone and Smith with Mr. Barret.  Mr. Fish came also.  Mr. Barret pray’d a.m. and Mr. Stone preach’d on Rev. 6.8.  N.B. about 20 pray’d for.  The rain prevail’d so that we all lodg’d there.  At Eve Dr. Wilson among us; who tells us that in this Fever there is much of pleurisy and peripneumony.

January 10, 1754

1754 January 10 (Thursday).  Bright morning — visit Captain Wood and his Brother Lieutenant John Wood who has the fever.  I pray’d with him.  Mr. Fish[1] went to a Fast to Day at Mill-river in Mendon.  In my return home call’d at John Kelley’s to get Loggs for some choice Floor Boards — din’d at Mr. Daniel Hardys.  At Eve Mr. Ebenezer Chamberlin here, and Mr. Daniel Forbush.  They offer a Motion for a Fast here.

[1]The Reverend Elisha Fish of Upton.

January 13, 1754

1754 January 13 (Sunday).  I read part of Judg. 6.  I spent so much time in my Preparations for the Afternoon that I could not prepare for the forenoon only a brief Introduction of the Repitition [sic] of Sermon on Rom. 6.21 from page 37 to 46, but from Jam. 1.15 last Clause.  To this I was induc’d the rather because of my last repetition Concerning the unprofitableness and Shamelessness of Sin, have appear’d to be acceptable and useful, and I heard it wish’d that there might be more:  and again I was induced hereto also because of the Mortality in Neighbouring Towns.  P.M. read Heb. 7, and preach’d on Rev. 10.6 latter part on occasion of our Contributing for the Relief of Alpheus Newton and his Wife, lately burnt out;[1] which Contribution was this afternoon, and may God accept the offering of his people and sanctifie His holy Dispensations.

[1]The Westborough Church Records, Jan. 13, 1754, reveal that Newton’s house was burned down “in the Night between the 24th and 25th of December last.”