Category: Diary

1756 March 11 (Thursday).  Colder than it has been a great while.  I preached a Lecture at Southborough.  Text, Judg. 14.14.  At Eve was at Lt. Nathan Brighams.  And visited Mrs. Bruce who is Sick again, and confined to her Chamber.  Returned home at Night.

1756 March 12 (Friday).  Cold Day, to Day also.  Brother Hicks here in his Return from Boston, where he has been this Month, waiting upon his Case with Elijah Collins, which after all he has lost — except what the Judges in Chancery do for him.  Mr. John Green of Brookfield here.  Also Mrs. Whipple (wife of Thomas) in Some spiritual Difficultys.

1756 March 13 (Saturday).  Storm of Snow.  Ebenezer brought over Samuel from t’other House and John remains there.

1756 March 14 (Sunday).  Omitted the Public Reading a.m.  Preached on Rev. 5.5.  Administered the Lords supper.  P.M. read 1 King 8 from v. 22, and gave an Expository Exercise upon it.  Betty Bellows bad again; and I would gladly go to See her, but that I have not an Horse, neither am I firm enough after the Exercises of Such a Day to bear the Evening Air.  May God grant my Heart may be ever right with Him; and ever stedfast in His Covenant!

1756 March 15 (Monday).  Rode a.m. to Mr. Ithamar Bellows to See his Daughter Betty, who is very ill, and hardly in her Senses — fear She will Soon depart.  I dined there.  P.M. having ministred to the poor Young Woman as She was able to receive it, I visited Mr. Belknaps Children,  Mr. Joseph Woods and Mr. Chamberlins Family and returned at Eve by Mr. Eliphalet Adams’s, who is sick also.  [Marginal notation: Billy went on the 15th to work for Mr. Moses Twitchell.]

1756 March 16 (Tuesday).  Visited Old Mr. Fay and his Wife.  Would fain have talked with his son Jeduthun but he was not at home.  Was Strenuous with his Wife to have her consider her own great Duty and attest to it.  They have now Eight Children and all unbaptized.

1756 March 17 (Wednesday).  Rode to Marlborough.  Visit Mrs. Brigham who is recovering.  Was at Mr. Henry Barns’s — N.B. her Harpsichord.  At Madam Woods’s (or rather Brighams).  Dined at Mr. Smiths.  Preached his Lecture on Joh. 1.11.  At Coll. Williams at Eve; Capt. Fay accompanyed me home.  N.B. Mr. Jacob Amsden taken sick of a Fever.  I called to see him.  N.B. Betty Bellows dyed about 10 a.m., Aetatis 18.  Extremely Sorrowful in that House and Neighborhood, there being no other Daughter in that Family; and but one or two more Young Women in that Corner of the Town.  It is a Time of Sickness and mortality in the Other part of the Town likewise.  May God fit us for His divine Will!

1756 March 18 (Thursday).  Mr. [blank] Winchester of Brookline, and Mr. Samuel Sparhawk of Cambridge dined here.  The former wants to buy a place.  P.M. I attended the Funeral of Mrs. Betty Bellows.  At Eve Mr. Samuel Fay junior here; and disturbed that I did not Visit his Children when He was under Trouble in the Months Past; and especially when he went to Albany — whereas I dont remember that I was Seasonably informed of it: and was, I think, at Sutton when he went: Was confined by Lameness and Sickness some part of the Winter: but, in brief, he being so often from home, I did not think of Visiting the Family, till I might enjoy the Company of the head of it.

1756 March 19 (Friday).  Rain.  Engaged in my preparations.

1756 March 20 (Saturday).  When my Thoughts were deeply engaged in my preparations and I depended much on to Day for writing, I was called away to the North End of the Town, to a Funeral, viz. of Charles M’Allister — in his 32d Year and was the first Child that I ever Baptized: old Mr. Increase Ward being the first Person.  I dined at Mr. Martyns, who is still drooping and most of his Family indisposed.  In returning I called at Mr. Masons, at his Desire, and gave a Testimony concerning Mr. David Maynard junior to be carryed to Rev. Henchman of Lyn, carefully inserted that it Should not be understood as Passing my Word for him etc.

1756 March 21 (Sunday).  Read 1 K. 9.  Repeated Expositions on Mat. 13.45.46 a. and p.m. and p.m. read the latter part of that Chapter from v. 31.  N.B. I introduced the forenoon exercise with informing the Audience “That the Providences and Services of the Last Week had prevented my preparing, as I had designed, upon a subject that I had already made Some Progress in etc.”  I appointed divers Catechizings, and an Exercise at Lt. Bruce’s, in the ensuing Week.  After Exercises Stopped the Church on the Affair of Mrs. Judith Bellows, and the Church passed a vote to Suspend her from the Communion and from all special Privileges in this Church.  N.B. read the Petitions of James Allen of Hopkinton for a Contribution among us.  He had been burnt out, and lost his Goods, though the House was not his.  I read two Certificats concerning him; one from Simpson Jones Esq., the Other from Rev. Mr. Barrett.  I read also the Petition of Robert Cook, for a Contribution for him to assist him in building an House.  Having read these Petitions I desired the Deacons of the Church and the Committee of the Precinct would meet and advise what is best to be done.

1756 March 22 (Monday).  There being divers Carpenters at work in the Meeting House (they were building Pews for Mr. Ebenezer Rice, Capt. Fay and Mr. David Maynard), I was obliged to take the Children to my own House to Catechizing.  N.B. 28 Boys a.m. and 28 Girls p.m.

1756 March 23 (Tuesday).  My Wife and I rode to Ensign Millers, being formally invited to the Raising a New Barn there.

1756 March 24 (Wednesday).  A.M. I rode to Mr. Ithamar Bellows’s, their son Simeon being sick.  Visited also Mr. Belknap, who with four of his Children are Sick.  Visited Jabez Snow, sick — and Mr. Amsden, still Sick.  There I dined.  P.M. I preached at Lt. Bruce’s, by Reason of his Wife’s long Confinement.  Text Isa. 55.6.  Rain p.m.

1756 March 25 (Thursday).  Held a Catechetical Exercise to Young Men (about 20) On the Power, Holiness and Justice of God.  Used chiefly sermon on Exod. 33.18: page 7 and from p. 11 to 15.  At Eve the Deacons of the Church and the Committee of the Precinct Met at my Chamber to consult about the Petitions for Contributions.  They were unanimously against any for Mr. Cook, and for one in behalf of Mr. Allen.

1756 March 26 (Friday).  Mr. Francis Gardner comes again into our Parish to keep school; and both lodges and keeps School at my Son’s.

1756 March 27 (Saturday).  Mr. Daniel Forb. dined here.  N.B. He and Mr. Edwards Whipple are preparing a Second (Stone) step for the front Door of the Meeting House.  P.M. Mr. Forb. underpins my Kitchin, north side.

1756 March 28 (Sunday).  Read 1 King 10.  Preached a. and p.m. on Mark 8.34.  Read p.m. Mat. 14.

1756 March 29 (Monday).  Rain.  One John Connor dined here.

1756 March 30 (Tuesday).  I went over to my Son, who is very backward about the Business of the Season.  He is perplexed by Richard Barns.

1756 March 31 (Wednesday).  An unusually Cold Season for a Considerable While.  Mr. Joseph Manning from Brookfield, here.

1756 April 1 (Thursday).  Rain.  I preached at the Private Meeting at Mr. Zebulun Rice’s; on 2 Pet. 1.10.  My wife was with me; and we were well entertained by the Family after the Exercises.  N.B. Sorrowfull Account from Leicester of the Sudden Death of Mr. Joshua Smith and his son there, by the Fall of a Tree, which was blown down upon them.  A Third man was wonderfully preserved among the Limbs of the Tree.

1756 April 2 (Friday).  [No entry.]

1756 April 3 (Saturday).  [No entry.]

1756 April 4 (Sunday).  Read 1 King. 11.  Preached on Mark 8.34 a. and p.m.  Read p.m. Mat. 15 and (after the Baptism of a Child) had a Contribution for James Allen of Hopkinton who was lately burnt out.

1756 April 5 (Monday).  Visited Mr. Moses Twitchell’s Child that is Sick; at Mr. Dunlops.  At Deacon Forbush’s at Eve to count out the Contribution-Money of Yesterday.  It amounted to 17£ and 12/ as we estimated it.

1756 April 6 (Tuesday).  Mr. Asaph Rice dined here.  Mr. Dunlop worked for me in my Garden.  Billy ploughed at Cook field.

1756 April 7 (Wednesday).  My sons wife and son rode to Watertown in my Chair.  I rode Barny Newtons Mare to Young Mr. Martyns Raising.  Visit Capt. Forb.’s Wife, and Cornet Brighams son.

1756 April 8 (Thursday).  Endeavour to raise a Team for crossing the Field behind the Meeting House.  Mr. Manning from Cambridge — and lodges here.

1756 April 9 (Friday).  Mr. Manning leaves us to go to Brookfield.  Mr. Moses Nurse breaks up a Yard at the East End of my House.  P.M. Mrs. Judith Bellows here; She is somewhat more moderate and mollifyed and desires we would not immediately proceed further against her in the Church.  Yet I fear her mind in the main is not altered.  God be mercifull to her and shew her her Error!  And grant us Grace to conduct in a suitable manner in the Discharge of our Duty towards her!  At Eve Mr. Zebulun Rice acquaints me that Ensign Harrington and Others are laying a scheme to come and cross my New Field.

1756 April 10 (Saturday).  Mr. James Allen for whom we contributed here.

1756 April 11 (Sunday).  Read 1 King. 12.  Text Luk. 9.23.  P.M. repeated on Mat. 15.21-28.

1756 April 12 (Monday).  A.M. Garden.  P.M. visit Aged Mr. Bradish and Mr. Snows Family.

1756 April 13 (Tuesday).  To Lt. Tainters and Harrington.  To Hopkinton.  Dined with Mr. Barrett.  P.M. to Sir Harry Franklands Seat to See Mr. [Troutbeck?] and Dr. Jones.  Mr. Barrett with me.  Returned at Eve.  Vines, etc.  Fine warm Weather.

1756 April 14 (Wednesday).  Elisha Jones came yesterday and prepared to go to work — and this morning came Mr. Daniel Willard and Elisha Jones to lay Floors etc. in my Kitchin.  Ebenezer has a Cause against Richard Barns before Justice Baker.  N.B. Mr. Willard was absent so much as that he counted but 1/2 Day.  I was at Mr. Eliezer Rices: he agrees to burn the Ministerial Meadow tomorrow, by leave of providence.  Mr. Willard and Elisha Jones lodge here.  Warm Day.