Category: Diary

1779 June 22 (Tuesday).  Mr. Forbes and daughter leave us to go to Concord, Camb. and Boston.  Wrote to Elias by him.  P.M. came Mr. Johnathan Hobby from Concord, and brought Mrs. Minot to see us.  They lodge here.

1779 June 23 (Wednesday).  Ephraim Parker begins to Mowe.  Mr. Hobby, Mrs. Minot and Sophy walk up to Squire Baker’s, but return to dine with us.  P.M. our Company leave us to go to Northborough, and Mr. Brigham and Sophy accompany them.  Mr. Fitch visits, to tell me he is engaged to Change with Mr. Sanford next Sabbath, but will change the 11 of July.  Mr. Cushing and Mr. William May came and lodged here.

1779 June 24 (Thursday).  I was a while at the Hay.  Mr. Cushing after Dinner goes to Lancaster, and carrys his son John with him, to go home.

1779 June 25 (Friday).  Mr. Henry Quincy came to Break fast with Breck — refreshed himself with me at 10.  By him I wrote to his Father now at Newtown and to Mr. Thos. Adams of Medfield, who I hear is much out of Health.

1779 June 26 (Saturday).  Received from Mr. Moore two Letters dated [blank].  He informs me that his Negro Man, Cato, is taken by the British force, and that he has lost 1500 wt. of Rice.  I hear of Rejoicings lately at Boston and Cambridge, on account of Gen’l Lincoln’s Victory over the English Army in South Carolina.  For several days I have drooped, and have but low Appetite, especially at dining.  I am become thinner, but Ps. 73.26.[1]

[1]Psalm 73.26: “My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”

1779 June 27 (Sunday).  Was but faint and my Exercises too long.  Read Zech. V.  From 1 to 4 v. was the Exercise a.m.  On Isa. 1.19 to page 11 p.m.  Admitted Hannah Whitney to Charity, and into Church Fellowship, and baptized a Child of Mr. Benj. Warrin’s.

1779 June 28 (Monday).  Read Bell’s Travels — thro’ Siberia and Tartary to Pekin.  I was somewhat lively, yet not as heretofore.  I thank God for my Preservation and earnestly wish for Grace to improve my Time and Talents.

1779 June 29 (Tuesday).  I opened and spread Hay a while a.m.  Mrs. P. has rid unto the South of the Town to procure Worsted Combings.  She went to the Outermost House and returned in Safety.  P.M. the News Papers which contain Gen’l Lincoln’s Victory over the British Forces in South Carolina.  To God be glory!  I wrote to Mr. Jonas Bond of the North of Sutton concerning Sister Champney.

1779 June 30 (Wednesday).  Some part of the Day I was feeble and faint, heartless and do but little — “Cur mundus, militat sub vana Gloria” etc. etc.[1]  Afterwards I had somewhat more of Vivacity.  D.G.  The Lord is Long-Suffering to astonishment!

[1]“Why does the world labor under vain glory?”  The medieval poem continues: “Whose prosperity is transitory,/ its power disintegrates as quickly.”

1779 July 1 (Thursday).  Read part of Dr. Cotton Mather’s Agathangelus and Celestinus.  Thus far it appears to be a very useful quickening Book.  I have reason to bless God and would heartily do so, for the eminent Writings of that pious and learned man.  Dr. Hawes, who has returned from Court, was here and communicated to me some of the Transactions of the Assembly, and what the Town of Boston have, by their Committee of Correspondence, sent to the Committee of Westborough relative to some fresh Efforts for the Appreciation of the public Currency.  N.B. Thomas’s Spy comes again to the Shop for a Numbers of the Neighbors.

1779 July 2 (Friday).  [No entry.]

1779 July 3 (Saturday).  [No entry.]

1779 July 4 (Sunday).  Preached a.m. on Zech. 3.4.  P.M. went on with Repetition of Sermon on Isa. 1, v. 19-20 to p. 15.

1779 July 5 (Monday).  Visited Mr. Belknap and dined there.  He has a Widow Sister that lives there.  Her name is Flagg.  I called at Mrs. Seth Wood’s, and obtained of her to weave for us.  I also made a Business of visiting and prayed with old Mrs. Chamberlain.  She was very ill and under hysteric Affections.  I called at Mr. William Johnson’s.  Young Mrs. Belknap went with me to her Father’s, Ensign Snow’s, who put a Cheese into my Saddle Baggs.  I called at Mr. Beeman’s and at Mr. Thos. Andrew’s.  On my way home I went into the Workhouse to see a Stranger who was taken sick on the Road from Fishkill and going to his Family at Casco Bay.

1779 July 6 (Tuesday).  I went to the Private Meeting at Mr. Joseph Grout’s.  I preached on Lam. 1.9 from page 8 to 13.  I was handsomely entertained, but principally request the divine Blessing.

1779 July 7 (Wednesday).  Read Smalley’s discourse on Joh. 6.44.  Visit the poor Sick Stranger at the Workhouse — and prayed with him.  His name is James Webber of Purpoodock and has a Wife and two Children: he is ill of bilious Fever and Camp-Distemper.

1779 July 8 (Thursday).  I sent my Watch by Mr. Moses Nurse to Mr. Simon Willard of Grafton: the chain being loose, unhooked.  N.B. Mr. Nurse has brought from Mrs. Lydia Garfield 31 and 1/2 yds. of tow cloth which she has wove, and for which I paid 21 Dollars and 5 Shillings.

1779 July 9 (Friday).  I was in some perplexity about my Haying, because nothing is done about it all this Week (except One Load on Monday) and yet Parker is going to work at Harrington’s.

1779 July 10 (Saturday).  I prepare for Hopkinton and p.m. I rode there.  I called to see old Mr. Jonas Warrin.  I carryed to Mr. Barrett his first Volume of Henry’s Exposition.  I lodged at Mr. Fitch’s.  Mr. Fitch to Westborough.

1779 July 11 (Sunday).  I preached at Hopkinton on Joel 3.13 a. and p.m.  It rained at eve.  It was so wet and uncomfortable that I tarried there: but yet Mr. Fitch himself got home.

1779 July 12 (Monday).  Went to Mr. Barretts, where I was very affectionately received.  He lent me the third volume of Mr. Henry, viz. on Job, Psalms etc.: he lent me also the third volume of the History of England in Folio and Howel’s Familiar Letters.  4 vols. bound in one Oct. Book, but in his Generosity he gave me the Folio which contains Dr. Stillingfleet’s Sermons, twelve, and his Discourse on the True Reason of the Sufferings of Jesus Christ.  This Cargo of Books I brought Home.  Having understood that Mr. James Webber was still sick at the Work house, I went there p.m. to see him and prayed with him.  Mr. Thomas Adams of Medfield came at Evening with a number of Books and lodged here.  We have a Sad Report that New Haven is taken by the Enemy.

1779 July 13 (Tuesday).  Mr. Adams has brought home to me at length Sir William Temple.  He has led me also into an Exchange of a number of Books, viz. For Voetius 3 vols. I have Dr. Stanhope’s Thomas a Kempis, Dr. Calamy, of Vows: Horneck’s crucified Jesus, and Dr. Goodman’s Old Religion.  For Monsr. Boileau’s 2d vol. and Mat Prior’s Works 2 vols. I have Dr. Hammond’s Annotations in large Folio.  For the Lay Monastery, I have Herman Prudence, and Three Select Pieces of Mr. Thos. Shepherd.  For Comin’s Real Christian, unbound, I gave him at his proposal a Pound of Sugar.  He presented me a Pamphlet, Dr. Gibson on the Sinfulness of Neglecting and profaning the Lord’s Day.  N.B. I returned him his Drexilius on Eternity.  He showed me a Manuscript of his Daughter’s forming in 4to Alphabetical, and contains an account of all manner of Errors, Sects, etc. in every age of Christianity.  He sold Breck a number of unbound Books, Firmin, Shaw, Shepherd, Doelittle etc.  After dinner he left us to go to Sherburn.

1779 July 14 (Wednesday).  Mr. Johanthan Hall of Hopkinton here.  I visited and prayed with the sick Stranger, Mr. James Webber.  He is grown worse.  May God prepare him and us for His Sovereign Will!  Mr. John Pigeon of Brookfield here and dined with us.

1779 July 15 (Thursday).  Am variously employed among the Books which I lately had from Mr. Adams and Mr. Barrett.  P.M. attended Mr. Webber’s Funeral, and prayed.  We have the Sad News of the British Forces invading New Haven, Fairfield, Stratford etc.

1779 July 16 (Friday).  The news from New Haven is confirmed.  Suse not well.

1779 July 17 (Saturday).  Isaac Baldwin came up from Cambridge where he has been examined and approved, though not admitted into College.  Lodges here.  A Letter by Baldwin from Mr. I. Quincy.  Ephraim on Breck’s Horse, at the Close of the Day, to Shrewsbury.

1779 July 18 (Sunday).  Read Ps. 103 and preached on v. 14.  Sam. Brigham dines.  P.M. on Isa. 1.20, and finish that Discourse.  At eve I read in Stanhope’s a Kempis on Death.  May God grant His almighty Blessing to accompany my Weak Efforts!

1779 July 19 (Monday).  Parker returned from Shrewsbury to his Work.  Mr. Eleazar Fairbank of North Shrewsbury, trades with Breck, and visits, dines, and spends good part of the p.m. with me.

1779 July 20 (Tuesday).  Read preface to Shaw’s Immanuel.  Newspaper from Boston, but am chiefly impressed and taken up with the weighty, important Things, which relate to my Dissolution and an eternal World.  It is wonderful that I am no more affected with them.

1779 July 21 (Wednesday).  Breck goes to Boston.  Mr. Elisha Forbes with his Team goes down to load up for him.  Miss Polly Howard here making Lace for my Daughter Cushing.  Mr. John Pidgeon came in his way to Brookfield, and lodges here.  He brings fresh news of our Success against the Enemy in recovering the Fort on Hudson’s River, which they had lately taken from the States, and fortified more Strongly, which is called Stoney Point, near King’s Ferry: May God grant to His people a suitable Frame of Mind upon Such Occasions!  Elias came from Cambridge.

1779 July 22 (Thursday).  Sr. Fish (as now I suppose he is honored) made us a Visit and dined here.  Mrs. Lamson ill, her aunt Knowlton, who tends on her, lodges here.

1779 July 23 (Friday).  Mr. Ebenezer Allen, a Stranger, born at the Vineyard, his parents live at Rochester, himself a Preacher, came here to see me, stayed and dined, is going to Needham to preach there.  Breck returns from Boston, tells me Salley is very comfortable.

1779 July 24 (Saturday).  I have very much left my Husbandry Business with Parker, and betake myself to my Studys.

1779 July 25 (Sunday).  Preached a.m. on Zech. v. 3.4.  Mrs. Maynard dined here.  P.M. for the sake of some Disconsolate persons, and a View to the Communion next Sabbath, I repeated with some Additions sermon on Ps. 69.32, which may God graciously succeed!  At eve read a Kempis Book IV, Chap. 1, the Communion being appointed.

1779 July 26 (Monday).  Applyed myself to Studys and began my Preparations.  Mr. Waters from Newtown, where he has been preaching calls here.  The Rain upon our Hay, it much perplexes and disappoints in various Respects.