Category: Diary

1768 December 18 (Sunday).  Omitted Reading, this Short, cold Stormy Day.  Preached on Eccl. 3.14.  On Occasion of Several Sorrowfull Deaths of late, viz. Mr. Curtis’s and Dr. Young’s last Tuesday Night.  This latter (Dr. Joseph Young of Hopkinton) was killed by an heavy Rider falling upon Him as he was creeping through a log Fence, in the Evening after the 13th.  May God grant His Blessing to accompany both His Word and Providence!  Master Jamison dined with us.

1768 December 19 (Monday).  Visit and pray with Lt. Thomas Forb. who is very ill, of nervous hypochondriac Disorders.  Hear of 3d Person killed last Tuesday — one [blank] of Holliston.

1768 December 20 (Tuesday).  Rode with Mrs. P________ to our Shrewsbury Corner.  Visit Mr. William Nurse and Mr. Artemas Bruce’s Wife, who is very weakly and long confined.  Dined at the Widow Smiths (or her son in Law, Child’s).  She is still in a very distressed, melancholy, desponding state.  I preached there (according to appointment last Lords Day).  My Text was the forepart of Ps. 43 — to page 10 of the Discourse.  As we returned we visited Mr. Moses Brigham who also is very weak and has not been at Meeting a great while.  We supped there.

1768 December 21 (Wednesday).  I visit Mr. Williams as I pass over to Mr. Whipples saw Mill after Plank.  Mr. Cushing from Ashburnham — and lodges here.  He brings me Mr. Maccartys sermon on the Execution of Arthur, from the Author.

1768 December 22 (Thursday).  Mr. Cushing dines here.  P.M. returns to Shrewsbury notwithstanding the Storm.

1768 December 23 (Friday).  Mr. Keys of Ashby here and dines.  Wrote to Billy by him and Send Samuels late Letter, of the Condition of Boston etc.

1768 December 24 (Saturday).  Mr. Ephraim Sherman calls, in his Return from Portsmouth.  He has been to get the Patent for Croydon Township renewed.

1768 December 25 (Sunday).  Still omitt Reading publickly.  Preached again on 2 Cor. 5.5, but carryed on the Design begun from Heb. 2.15.  P.M. Preached on Joh. 1.41, repeating part of my Discourse on that Text.  Began at page 11, but with some Introduction concerning Christ’s-Mass.  Forasmuch as, though we don’t keep the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord yet we would not be behindhand in paying our highest Regards to the Great and Glorious Redeemer.  O that I might be able, with true Spiritual Joy and Gladness, to declare, I have found the Messiah, which [“]is the Christ.”  Might also many Others!  It presses my mind and Heart.

1768 December 26 (Monday).  Mr. Hall of Sutton going to Boston, calls and dines here.  I write by him to Messrs. Mein and Fleming to continue the Chronicle another Year.  He gives me account of Mr. Edward Putnams Case among them, and of Mr. Corbens Case at Dudley.  Relates what he met with himself from [Dane?] Campb: Esq.  Towards Evening I went in my Sleigh to see Lt. Forbush again — found him Sitting up, but Still much troubled with Hyp.

1768 December 27 (Tuesday).  Having last Evening brought home a Gander which I have bought for 15/ of Dr. Hawes, this morning I went to Lt. Bakers and got a Goose, which he gave me; and likewise an Arm full (5 1/2 lbs.) of Tobacco which he has brought from Providence and Sells at 3/ per lb.  Mr. George Smith is here at Dinner Time, and he eats with us.  Old Mr. Seth Morse here; but alas!  in poor Trim.  P.M. Mrs. P________ and I ride in the Sleigh to See Capt. Jonas Brigham, and his Wife and Family: but Captain was not at Home.  Dr. Hawes and his Wife there.

1768 December 28 (Wednesday).  [No entry.]

1768 December 29 (Thursday).  Letters from Rochester of the 21, by way of Grafton, certifying of their Happiness: especially Suse’s Health.  Agreeable to an Invitation Mr. John Wood made,  My Wife and I rode up there, and after Spending the Evening and handsomely Supping with them we returned well pleased with the Visit we had made, except that I did not go in to t’other House to see old Mrs. Woods, who lodges at the Deacons and has done so for some Time: and Should be heartily glad that no more of Religious Conversation can be introduced into our Discourse: that God may be glorifyed and the Company more profited than by our Common Methods of entertaining one another.

1768 December 30 (Friday).  [No entry.]

1768 December 31 (Saturday).  Mr. Hall of Sutton only calls to inform me he had delivered my Letter to Mein and Fleming for the Continuance of the Chronicle, and other Letters to my Son Samuel etc. but brought nothing for me.

1769 January 1 (Sunday).  Through the Goodness of God we not only begin another Year, but begin it with a Sabbath.  I do not read publickly during these winter Seasons.  I preached upon Eph. 1.14.  For since all Earthly Things are transitory, we need to Secure a Lot in the heavenly and Eternal Inheritance.  I prepared largely for one Exercise; but I could not well divide it.  I thought it best to deliver the whole a.m. and chose for p.m. the Discourse on Rom. 2.4, latter part.  May God bless these Exercises for our highest Good!  Master Jameson and Mrs. Maynard dined here.  At Eve read in Dr. Taylors Contemplations on the state of Man.

1769 January 2 (Monday).  Mr. Jonah Warrin comes again (this is the third time) to see whether I shall preach at his House tomorrow.  I have alwayes consented when he has spoke to me, and with submission to providence design it.

1769 January 3 (Tuesday).  Neighbour Barnabas Newton Constable, not having his Rates yet to gather Money for me, lends me 4 Dollars.  Mr. Thaddeus Warrin works in Lt. Bruce’s Cedar Swamp, and John with him, to get Rails.  They get 80.  Mrs. Maynard and her son Gott dine here.  P.M. preached at Mr. Warrins (and chiefly direct my Discourse to his wife’s sorrowful Case), from Ps. 42.8, to the End.  In the Eve read Rutherfords Letters.

1769 January 4 (Wednesday).  [No entry.]

1769 January 5 (Thursday).  John goes to Master Jamesons School at Mrs. Kendalls.

1769 January 6 (Friday).  Mr. Isaac Harrington, his Wife and Daughter Zipporah, returning from the Burial of their sister, Deacon Woods Wife of Marlborough, come to See us and dined here.  John goes to School again.  Little Elias is this Day Eight years old.  May he be new-born by the Blessed Spirit of Grace!  May my Instructions to him, be blessed for this End!  Capt. Benjamin Fay has at my Desire paid Messrs. Mein and Fleeming for last Years Chronicle, wraping and directing it to me, and for an Almanack — for which I gave him 57/ old Tenor.

1769 January 7 (Saturday).  Was much impeded by a Cold.  John at home.

1769 January 8 (Sunday).  I have been but poorly able to prepare — thought in the night, I Should hardly be able to go to meeting; it being stormy.  But I went to meeting and preached.  Text Eph. 1.13.14.  Mr. Jameson and Mrs. Maynard dined here.  P.M. Text 1 Joh. 1.3.  Began Extemporaneously — then used Part of my sermon on that Text, from p. 10 to 17, with omissions and alterations.

1769 January 9 (Monday).  John goes to School again.  P.M. Visit Deacon Wood, and old Mrs. Wood.  Was at Mr. Zebulun Rice’s, who has sold his place to Lt. Baker, and has bought at Brookfield.  He makes strange of the Agreement between him and me, about our Bounds at the Pine Field; and of mutually giving Quit Claims; and holds to his Banister Plat, though he gave much Cause to expect he would make no Difficulty of Settling my Line according to Lt. Wards Draught.  This shews me again, the mutability and unsteadiness of human Minds.

1769 January 10 (Tuesday).  Rode to Capt. Maynards — especially to have him answer my obligation to Mr. Ebenezer Maynard of an hundred pounds old Tenor, the Note to him (Ebenezer) having been out on Dec. 25, and I had relyed on the Captain to take the Care of it; having long ago, told them both, that This was the way in which I should pay this Sum: and they consented to it.  I dined there.  Then visited at Hows, Fessendens, Phinehas Maynards and Beetons.  When I returned at Evening I marryed Isaiah Rider of Hopkinton to Mary Forbes (Mr. Daniel Forbes’s Daughter).  Memorandum Sent 3 Dollars by Mr. [J.?] Thurston to my Son Samuel to buy me a Ream of Paper.

1769 January 11 (Wednesday).  Mr. David Maynard and Neighbour Barnabas Newton killed our 2d Hog.  At Eve John, assisted by Nehemiah Maynard, Cut it out.  Weighed 229.  Mr. Chamberlain in the Eve.  Very full of the Sermons lately delivered.  I wish we might all profit by them.

1769 January 12 (Thursday).  John rides to Capt. Wards for Mr. Arnold.  William from Ashby, on his Journey to See his Sister Moore at Rochester.  At Eve (of the 12th) Mr. Tainter brought me a Ream of Paper from my Son Samuel but it proves, though fine yet too thin.

1769 January 13 (Friday).  William setts out for Medway, on his Journey aforesaid.  N.B. I sent by him to Mr. Moore an Account of what I would have him buy at Rochester for Suse — viz. Feathers etc. and Sent Religio Medici for Mr. S. West.  Wrote by Billy also to Mr. Thomas Adams and Sent his Select Collection of Poems.  N.B. John and Jonas Kenny go to the Ministerial Lot, with my Team to get Logs for Planks.  It rains so much and it is so heavy for the wheels that Jonas can get but one to the mill; though John has cutt another.  Dr. Hawes and his Wife here p.m. and into Evening.

1769 January 14 (Saturday).  [No entry.]

1769 January 15 (Sunday).  Had a Sad Night of deep Reflections but was more comfortable in the Morning.  Preached a.m. on Eph. 4.30.  The composing of which had took up my Time, So that I prepared no more, but went on with the Repetition of Sermon on 1 Joh. 1.3, viz. from p. 17 to 25.  Mrs. Maynard dined with us.  At Eve after our Family Exercise we read Dr. Youngs Estimate of human Life.

1769 January 16 (Monday).  Walked up to Woods, Rice’s and Bakers.

1769 January 17 (Tuesday).  Send to Samuel Linnin etc. per Mr. John Woods.  John and Jonas get two Logs to Maynards saw-mill.  At Eve Mr. Collins Moore brings an Horse from Mr. Bowman of Oxford for Sarah.  He informs that the Sickness and Mortality there, continues, and is very distressing.  71 have been buryed in a twelve-month.  7 Graves have 2 in each.  3 are to be buryed to day.  He lodges here.  N.B. Sarah had a bad Fall from the Mare.

1769 January 18 (Wednesday).  John to school again.  As Soon as we have dined, Mr. C. Moore and Sarah (notwithstanding She was bruised and hurt by her Fall yesterday) leave us for Oxford.

1769 January 19 (Thursday).  John goes with the Sleigh to Mr. Gales to have it Painted: and proceeds as far as Mr. Golding the Weaver at Marlborough.  At Eve Mr. Amasa Maynard here.

1769 January 20 (Friday).  I have been more closely applyed to the business of Sermonizing this Week than usual.

1769 January 21 (Saturday).  John goes to the Mills with the Team.  To Mr. Whipples Corn mill with a Grist, and to Mr. Maynards saw-Mill, and brings Eight plank.  Am much pressed with the Thoughts on the subject which I am composing Discourses upon, for tomorrow.