Diary of Ebenezer Parkman, 1737

1 Harriette M. Forbes, ed., The Diary of Rev. Ebenezer Parkman, of Westborough, Mass., for the Months of Feb., Mar., Apr., Oct. and Nov., 1737, Nov. and Dec. of 1778, and the Years of 1779 and 1780 ([Westborough,] 1899), 9–47.

2 Walett: Eleazer Flagg.

3 Forbes: Rev. John Whiting, of Concord, died May 4, 1752, aged 71. He was pastor of the church for 26 years, “a man of wealth, learning, influence and talents”—“a gentleman of singular hospitality and generosity.” His second wife, whom he married in 1731, was the widow of Dr. Jonathan Prescott. He was the grandson of Hon. Thos. Danforth, deputy-governor.

Walett: Rev. John Whiting of Concord.

4 Forbes: “Father Champney” was Samuel Champney, of Cambridge, born March 8, 1666–7 and died in March 1745–6. Mr. Parkman’s first wife was his daughter Mary, who was baptized May 21, 1699, married July 7, 1724, and died Jan’y 29, 1735–6.

“Sister Hicks” and “Sister Lydia,” often mentioned in the Journal, were two younger sisters of the first Mrs. Parkman. Rebecca, born in 1703, married John Hicks, while Lydia, born in 1705, was unmarried and seemed to have made her home part of the time in the minister’s family.

5 Forbes: Among the Epitaphs on Copp’s Hill is the following: “Here lyes buried the body of Mrs. Elizabeth Parkman, the virtuous and pious consort of Mr. William Parkman, aged 85 years and 7 months, Apr. y^e 13th, 1746.”

6 Forbes: Mr. Increase Sumner was son-in-law of Capt. Robert Sharpe, having married his daughter Sarah, a year or less before this date. She, as well as “Mistress Susanna,” was a cousin of Susannah Boylston, the mother of Pres. John Adams.

Their son Increase, born in 1746, was Governor Increase Sumner of Massachusetts.

7 Walett: Probably Captain John Foote of Amesbury, Mass.

8 Walett: Mrs. Elias Parkman.

9 Forbes: Capt. Robert Sharpe was a prominent citizen of Brookline. He owned all the land from the corner of School and Washington streets on the north side to a line above Park Street extending across Harvard Street to the Longwood Marshes, above the Aspinwall lands and below the present Stearns lands. His house was standing until about thirty years ago, never painted except the window frames, which were white. He was a man of wealth.

Mistress Susanna was born May 29, 1716,—so, was a maid of twenty-one summers at this time. She afterwards married Thomas Snow, of Boston.

Walett: A Prominent and wealthy resident of Brookline.

10 Walett: Elias Parkman of Boston.

11 Walett: The daughter of Captain Robert Sharp whose hand in marriage Reverend Parkman was seeking.

12 Walett: The son of Captain John Fay. He survived this illness and later became a prominent citizen of Hardwick, Mass. Johnson, Fay Family Tree, pp. 26–27.

13 Walett: Joseph Grout.

14 Forbes: Simon Tainter, and his son Simon, Jr., were always good friends of Mr. Parkman. The father in his will styles himself “gentleman” and bequeaths his “silver cup,” valued in the inventory at £1, 6s. 8 d., to his grandson Simon. He died in 1763 and Mr. Parkman writes in his journal under date of April 2: “My dear friend and brother, Deacon Simon Tainter Dyd! He expired about 11 A.M. May God Sanctify this death in a peculiar manner to me and mine. Tho my good deacon is gone, yet God who is All-Sufficient lives and is unchangeable.” And April 5 he writes: “I read Isac. 51. Preached A. M., on the occasion of the Sorrowful Death on I Thess. 4–18, read also 14, but could not handle that.” “His duty,” says the Boston Evening Post—in a piece probably written by Mr. Parkman, “was manifested by his high regard to the house of God, his constant attendance there, his esteem of the ordinance and ministers thereof.

“His deeds of Charity were unstinted, his heart and hands being ever open, to relieve and help, and to supply the necessitous, who now deplore the loss of such a friend and father.”

Simon, Jr., was born in 1715.

Mr. Parkman’s later Journals are full of instances of Dea. Tainter’s kindness to him—breaking in an unruly mare, killing, with his son’s help, cattle or hogs, inviting him and his wife to dinner, when “they had dressed a very large Pigg to entertain us,” sending him fresh meat and wood, a bottle of Madeira, or a few oysters from Boston, selling divers sorts of edibles for Mrs. Parkman in the Boston markets, ploughing, sowing and reaping, and helping him in a thousand ways, and the pastor writes: “I hope he does all sincerely and as to the Lord, for I am utterly unworthy, but this conduct must quicken me to endeavor to deserve it. May God reward him with Abundant Special Blessings.”

He lived on Mt. Pleasant Street, in the house now known as the Wadsworth house.

Walett: Deacon Simon Tainter.

15 Walett: Samuel Harrington.

16 Walett: Samuel Grow.

17 Walett: Son of Deacon Jonathan Forbush.

18 Walett: Son of Thomas Rice.

19 Walett: Son of Captain John Fay.

20 Walett: Rebecca (Champney) Hicks, Parkman’s first wife’s sister.

21 Forbes: Rev. Solomon Prentice—ordained as minister of the Grafton Church in 1731. “He became,” says Rev. Peter Whitney, “what was called in that day a zealous new light, or more properly, a raving enthusiast.” He died in 1773, leaving a will in which he provided that his wife Sarah, is to live in his house, and have all his household goods and furniture and indore movables; his riding chair and horse which is to be well kept for her, summer and winter, and replaced if he fails; her firewood cut at her door; as much cider as she shall have occasion to use in the house; full and free liberty to put up a friend’s horse or horses, to hay in winter and grass in summer, when they come to visit her, &c. All to be provided by Solomon, Jr., for her sole use and benefit during her natural life. £15 to be paid her annually by my sons.

Mr. Parkman was acquainted with Mr. Prentice before he came to Grafton, and with two other ministers signs a paper recommending him to the gospel ministry “when it shall please God to engage him in it and heartily pray he may prove a blessing to the churches.” This was in 1731.

Mr. Prentice built for himself a house in Grafton, which after his death was occupied by Rev. Aaron Hutchinson, and later by Rev. Daniel Grosvenor; Mr. Parkman doubtless was a frequent visitor to each of its owners. It was moved from its first location and now forms the front of Mr. Henry Prentice’s house on Oak Street, having come at last again into the family of the Rev. Solomon.

Walett: Reverend Solomon Prentice (Harvard 1727), minister of Grafton, 1731–1747. Sibley, VIII, 248–57.

22 Walett: Benjamin Kent (Harvard 1727), minister at Marlborough, 1733–1735, was dismissed and tried as a heretic.

23 Walett: Captain John Keyes of Shrewsbury.

24 Forbes: The Beeman family lived on the Flanders road. David Brigham’s house stood about 60 yards east from where the Hospital now stands. His farm comprised about 500 acres. His house was burned Oct. 16, of this year (see entry for that day). He rebuilt the house with the help of his son Jonas, who after his father’s death lived in it.

Walett: Ebenezer Beeman of Westborough.

25 Forbes: Stephen Fay, in spite of this severe illness, and lack of attention on the part of Dr. Thyery, lived many years. He was the son of Capt. John Fay and was born May 5, 1715. He lived in Westborough until 1743 when he moved from town, and later became one of the first settlers of Bennington, Vt. He built the first tavern west of the Green Mts., a house which had a stirring history during the Revolution. He had five sons in the Battle of Bennington, and Peter Fay, of Southborough, tells the following touching account of his learning after the battle that his oldest son John had been instantly killed by a ball through the head.

“A messenger was sent to bear the solemn tidings to Capt. Fay as gently as possible. He told him he had something bad to tell him concerning one of his sons. The Capt. instantly asked him:

“‘Did he disobey orders? Or desert his post?’

“‘No.’

“‘Did he falter in the charge?’

“‘No, worse than that. He is dead,’ was the answer.

“‘Then it is not worse,’ exclaimed the father. ‘Bring him in, that I may once more gaze on the face of my darling boy.’

“And when they brought him in, covered with dust and blood, he called for water and a sponge, and with his own hand bathed the disfigured features; declaring at the same time that he had never experienced a more glorious or happy day in his life.”

26 Forbes: Cornelius Cook, the blacksmith, was living at this time in the house still standing on the corner of East-Main and Lyman streets. This house was deeded to Cook, by his father-in-law, Thomas Forbush, in 1732, with four acres of land, for £4. 5s. Cornelius was the father of the famous Tom Cook. (See Aug. 27, 1779.)

He had eight other children: Jonathan, the oldest, was the father of Molly Cook, almost as well known for her eccentricities as her uncle Thomas.

Walett: Cornelius Cook, the blacksmith of Westborough.

27 Forbes: Capt. Forbush was Samuel Forbush, and he lived in the house now standing on the corner of Lyman Street and the Turnpike. The house has been enlarged since his day, but is probably the oldest in town. For many years it was used as a tavern. Samuel Forbush was a brother of Thomas, both of them being among the original settlers of Westborough.

Walett: Samuel Forbush.

28 Walett: The daughter of the late Reverend Robert Breck of Marlborough who married Reverend Parkman of Westborough, Sept. 1, 1737.

29 Walett: Sarah Breck, also a daughter of the Reverend Breck, married Dr. Benjamin Gott of Marlborough in 1728.

30 Forbes: Probably Rev. Samuel Mather, son of Cotton Mather. He was the fourth pastor of the dynasty of the Mathers over the Old North Church. In 1765, he was living in Moon St., and Gov. Hutchinson took refuge in his house when his own elegant mansion was sacked by a mob.

He died June 27, 1785, aged seventy-six, and is buried on Copp’s Hill, in the Mather Tomb with Increase and Cotton.

Walett: Reverend Samuel Mather of the Old North Church, Boston.

31 Walett: Samuel Parkman of Boston.

32 Walett: Mary, the widow of Reverend James Pierpont (Harvard 1681) of New Haven. She was the daughter of Reverend Samuel Hooker of Farmington, Conn., and the granddaughter of Reverend Thomas Hooker, the first minister of Hartford. Parkman was very fond of Mrs. Pierpont and she appears in the diary numerous times. After her death, Nov. 1, 1740, Parkman wrote a long eulogy which he intended to publish but did not. The manuscript is in the library of the American Antiquarian Society. See Sibley, III, 222–30. Note: Walett is mistaken. This was Sarah Pierpont, wife of James Pierpont, Jr.

33 Walett: Mrs. Increase Sumner.

34 Walett: In Brookline.

35 Forbes: Capt. Isaac Clark, of Framingham, was a noted man in his day. He commanded a company of troopers which was out in Father Raile’s War in 1725, and one his one hundredth birthday rode horseback to and from Col. Trowbridge’s. He lived to be one hundred and two, and died in 1768. His gravestone says: “His offspring that descended from him was two hundred and fifty-one.”

Walett: Isaac Clark.

36 Walett: Reverend Nathan Stone (Harvard 1726), first minister of Southborough, 1730–1781. Sibley, VIII, 99–105.

37 Walett: The development of Houssatonnuc townships was a matter of interest to numerous people in central Massachusetts. Reverend Parkman later purchased a share in the area that became Sheffield.

38 Forbes: Probably Thomas Rice, who was at this time eighty-three years old. He had formerly lived on the same road as the Fays, in the house which had earlier served for many years as a garrison, and near which occurred the sad tragedy of 1704, when two of his sons and two of his nephews were carried into captivity, while his youngest little boy was killed by the attacking Indians.

Thomas was one of the original settlers of the town and one of its most prominent citizens. He served in the Legislature, and did his best to promote the welfare of the Church and town during a long life. He died in 1748.

The house of Mr. Frank V. Bartlett now stands on the site of his old home. This place he had sold, and Abner Newton was living there in 1737, when his dwelling-house was entered in the night-time by Hugh Henderson, who paid the penalty of his crime with his life in November, as recorded in the Journal for that month.

Walett: Thomas Rice, an original settler of Westborough.

39 Walett: Francis Whipple of Westborough.

40 Walett: Colonel Benjamin Woods.

41 Forbes: Dr. Benj. Gott, a young physician in Marlborough, had married Sarah, daughter of the Rev. Robert Breck. Hannah was a younger sister, at this time being twenty-one years old. Her father had been a good friend of Mr. Parkman, when he first came to Westborough, and was a remarkable man. He was ordained pastor when twenty-two. “As to his learning,” says a writer in the News Letter for January 21, 1731, “I suppose it will be no offence to say, there were few of his standing that were even his equals. He was such a master of the learned languages that he could, and did, frequently, to the capacity of his family, read a Chapter of the Hebrew Bible into English, and the Greek was still easier to him. Pride, hypocrisy and affectation were his aversion; and covetousness was what he was a perfect stranger to. His temper was grave and thoughtful, yet cheerful at times, especially with his friends and acquaintances, and his conversation entertaining and agreeable.”

Mr. Parkman and Mistress Hannah were married September 11, 1737—all her objections finally overcome. A piece of her wedding dress, and her wedding slippers are still treasured by Mrs. Tuckerman. The dress is a heavy, white gros grain silk—the bodice evidently made with many rows of stitching, between which were run strips of cane.

The slippers are of brocaded silk—a green ground with figures in yellowish white and various shades of red—the heels are high, covered with the silk, and they are lined with a coarse linen.

Walett: Benjamin Gott of Marlborough.

42 Walett: Daniel Stewart of Marlborough.

43 Walett: There was no Deacon Woods in Marlborough at this time. James Woods was elected in 1741 and served many years.

44 Walett: Mary Stow died March 20, 1737.

45 Walett: Hannah Breck of Marlborough whom the Rev. Parkman was courting.

46 Walett: Of Marlborough. The commander of a company of militia.

47 Walett: Nathan Brigham of Marlborough.

48 Walett: President Benjamin Wadsworth of Harvard College.

49 Walett: Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Chandler, Woodstock’s first representative to the General Assembly of Conn. Clarence W. Bowen, Woodstock An Historical Sketc.h (New York, 1886), p. 47.

50 Walett: Probably Thomas Ward, an original settler of Westborough.

51 Forbes: After King Philip’s War, some of the Marlborough Indians who had been taken prisoners and confined on the islands in Boston harbor, returned to their old homes.

“Among those who returned,” says Rev. Dr. Allen, of Northborough, “was David alias David Munnanaow, who joined Philip and, as he afterwards confessed, assisted in the destruction of Medfield. This treacherous Indian had, it is said, a slit thumb, which circumstance led to his conviction. . . .

“His wigwam was on the borders of the pond near the public house long known as Williams’ Tavern, where he lived with his family many years and died in extreme old age.”

The last members of David’s family still made their homes in the field by the pond, within the memory of many persons now living. Until very lately, an extremely old chestnut has been pointed out as the tree under which these Indians had their wigwam. It was called the Wigwam Tree. At last, like old David himself, it has succumbed to old age.

Walett: Sometimes spelled Munnanaw and Munnanaow. He fought with King Philip but afterwards returned to his home in Marlborough.

52 Walett: Seth Rice and his sister Thankful were 2 of the children of Edmund Rice, an original settler of Westborough.

53 Walett: One of Parkman’s neighbors.

54 Walett: Captain Joseph Byles of Westborough.

55 Forbes: Mr. Silas Brigham, so unfortunately tardy this Sunday morning—had married Mindwell Grout, and the baby Jemima born four days before this, was their first child. She married Constantine Hardy.

Mr. Eleasar Pratt lived near Wild Cat Swamp, and was afterwards set off to Westborough. His baby, Sarah, was nearly six months old, and he hardly deserved so much more credit as Mr. Parkman would seem to give him, for he had his good wife Ruhamah to get the baby attired in its best frock, with the deftness which the care of three older children had given her.

Poor Silas Brigham, and poor Mindwell! How they must have worried, and how flushed his young face must have been when he marched down the aisle, after all the hurry, to have his pride in his first-born so humbled by the Minister’s censure.

The Church Records say under date of April 3, 1737: “Jemima of Silas and Mindwell Brigham baptized by Rev. Mr. Prentice of Grafton.”

Walett: Of Westborough. The child was Jemima, born 4 days before. On April 3, 1737 the child was baptized by Reverend Prentice of Grafton.

56 Walett: Eleazer and Ruhamah Pratt lived in a part of Shrewsbury later added to Westborough. Their child, Sarah, was six months old.

57 Walett: Lydia Champney, the sister of Parkman’s first wife.

58 Walett: John Hicks, Parkman’s brother-in-law by his first marriage.

59 Walett: Joseph, who had died the day before.

60 Walett: Abraham and Thomas, as well as Captain Isaac, were sons of Isaac Amsden, an early resident of Marlborough.

61 Forbes: From Boston News Letter for April 1, 1737:—“On Thursday Night the 24 instant, the middle Market House in this Town, together with several Butchers’ Shops near the same, were cut, pulled down and entirely demolished by a number of persons unknown: and several posts of the North Market House were also sawn asunder the same Night.”

In consequence of which Gov. Phipps issued a proclamation offering a reward of one hundred pounds for the detection of any of the ringleaders.

62 Walett: Supply Weeks of Marlborough.

63 Walett: Captain Abraham Williams of Marlborough married Elizabeth Breck, sister of Hannah Breck.

64 Walett: Parkman’s first son, born Aug. 20, 1727.

65 Forbes: The 2. Accidence was a small book containing the rudiments of grammar.

66 Walett: Elizabeth Champney, cousin of Parkman’s first wife, was the second wife of Benjamin Winchester of Framingham.

67 Walett: Probably a relative of Sarah Sartele (Sartell or Sawtell) who married Reverend Solomon Prentice of Grafton in 1732.

68 Forbes: Capt. Eager was one of the first settlers in that part of Westborough which afterwards became Northborough. His house was the first built on the New Connecticut Road, between Sam’l Goodenow’s Garrison and the Town of Worcester. It was the first tavern opened in the place. He died in 1755.

Walett: James Eager of Westborough.

69 Walett: Should be McClung.

70 Walett: Otherwise known as Hugh Henderson, at that time in jail in Worcester awaiting execution.

71 Walett: On Sept. 1, 1737, Hannah Breck, daughter of the late Reverend Robert Breck of Marlborough became Ebenezer Parkman’s second wife. Hannah was 21, some 13 years younger than Reverend Ebenezer. She bore him 11 children and survived him nineteen years. She died in 1801 at the age of 81.

72 Forbes: Rev. Isaac Burr was settled over the Old South Church in Worcester in 1725. Mr. Chas. E. Stevens writes: “No portraiture of his person or mind survives; no characteristic anecdote is on record and nothing testifies of his ministry save its continuance for a fifth of a century in a generally peaceful way.” Mr. Burr lived on the south corner of Main and Pleasant streets. His house was afterwards moved to Blackstone Street, where it stood until a few years ago. The little sketch of it made for Mr. Caleb Wall’s Reminiscences of Worcester, by “an accurate and experienced artist,” as he writes, is the only picture of this house in existence.

Walett: Reverend Isaac Burr of Worcester.

73 Walett: Daughter of Deacon Jonathan Forbush of Westborough.

74 Forbes: Paul Dudley, afterwards Chief Justice of the Province, at this time a judge of the Superior Court, born in 1675, died in 1751. He was the son of Gov. Joseph Dudley, of Massachusetts. He studied law in London. He bequeathed £100 (about $666) to Harvard College for the support of an annual lecture, called, from its founder, the Dudleian lectures. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society, and wrote on natural history and against the Church of Rome.

Seven years after this visit to Mr. Parkman, Judge Dudley had the famous “Dudley parting-stone” erected in Roxbury, where it still stands, with the inscriptions which has guided so many travelers for more than a hundred and fifty years,

“The Parting Stone. 1744. P. Dudley.”

And on one side, “Dedham and Rhode Island,” on the other, “Cambridge and Watertown.”

He had been Speaker of the House and member of the Executive Council. Judge Sewall writes of him: “Thus, while with pure hands and an upright heart he administered justice in the Circuit thro’ the Province, he gained the general esteem and veneration of the people.”

The town of Dudley is named “in token of respect to William and Paul Dudley.”

Walett: Paul Dudley (Harvard 1690), later Chief Justice of Massachusetts. Sibley, IV, 42–54.

75 Walett: Lydia Champney.

76 Walett: Susanna Champney, cousin of the first Mrs. Parkman.

77 Walett: Samuel Champney, Sr., father of Parkman’s first wife.

78 Forbes: Dana’s Tavern stood near the centre of the town of Brookline and was a famous hostelry for many years. It was a large gambrel-roofed house and stood until 1816, when it was destroyed by fire.

A story of the old tavern is given in Historic Sketches of Brookline, by Harriet F. Woods, in which Tom Cook (see Journal, Aug. 27, 1779) figures as chief actor.

She writes: “There was a notorious thief, well known in Brookline and the adjoining towns by the name of Tom Cook. He had many eccentricities, among which was a habit of stealing from the rich to give to the poor. In horse-stealing he was especially expert. He was frequently arrested, convicted and sentenced to short terms of imprisonment at the ‘Castle’ (now Fort Independence), that being then the common prison for all offenders in Boston and vicinity.

“On one occasion Tom stole a goose from a countryman’s wagon, which was under the shed at Dana’s Tavern; not, however, with generous designs for any of his poor protegés, but for the satisfying of his own appetite. But as an uncooked goose would be about as unsatisfactory as no goose at all, Tom resorted to the old schoolhouse,—school not being in session, to cook and devour it.”

Squire Sharpe’s house was nearest to the schoolhouse, and Squire Sharpe was a grandson of Capt. Robert, and a nephew of Mistress Susanna.

“The Squire, with his sharp eye on the interests of the town, discovered a smoke arising from the schoolhouse chimney, and as ‘where there is smoke, there must be fire,’ he proceeded to reconnoitre and caught Tom in the very act of roasting the goose. Laying the strong hand of the law upon him, he made him confess where he got the fowl and march back with it under his own escort to the Tavern, and, before the assembled inmates of the bar-room, gave him his choice to take then and there a public whipping, or be tried and sent to the Castle. Tom considered briefly and decided to take the whipping.

“The countrymen agreed, and flourished their long whips upon him with such vigor, that Tom’s appetite for roast goose was abated in a summary manner, and the punishment proved more effectual than his various sojourns at the Castle.”

Walett: Jonathan Dana kept a tavern near the center of Brookline.

79 Walett: Captain Samuel Forbush of Westborough.

80 Walett: Joshua Townsend of Westborough.

81 Walettt: Mrs. John Danforth.

82 Walett: Simeon Hayward.

83 Walett: Joshua Lock.

84 Walett: Mrs. John Rogers.

85 Walett: Probably Mrs. John Pratt.

86 Walett: Richard Tozer of Westborough.

87 Walett: Edmund Rice, an original settler of Westborough.

88 Walett: Reverend Job Cushing of Shrewsbury.

89 Walett: Joseph Wheeler.

90 Forbes: Capt. Joseph Byles had married Rebecca Forbush, the sister of Jonathan, Samuel and Thomas Forbush. He lived on the south side of Chauncy Pond. He was one of the “first inhabitants.”

91 Forbes: Dea. Jonathan Forbes b. in Marlborough in 1684—married in 1706, when he was a young man of twenty-two, a woman twice married, with a family of four children. At this time he was living near the present town reservoir. He was the first one of the family to write his name Forbes—his older brothers, Samuel and Thomas, and their descendants, being always known by the name of Forbush. The Massachusetts Gazette of March 31, 1768, says:—“His life was exemplary; his departure in the firm hope of a glorious immortality; his progeny numerous.”

Walett: Deacon Jonathan Forbush was one of the first to change the name to Forbes.

92 Walett: The Goddards were from Shrewsbury.

93 Walett: Reverend John Whiting, minister of the First Church in Concord, 1712–1737.

94 Forbes: Rev. Job Cushing, the first minister of Shrewsbury, pastor of the church there from 1723 to his death in 1760. He was the father of Col. Job Cushing—also of Rev. John Cushing, who married in 1767 Mr. Parkman’s daughter Sarah. She lived to be eighty-two years of age and died in 1825. Mrs. Tuckerman writes of this daughter Sarah, as follows:—“My grandmother married Dr. John Cushing, of Ashburnham, who taught school in Westborough the year after he graduated from Harvard College. He boarded in the minister’s family, and when he was ordained, at the age of twenty-four, he came back and carried off the daughter as his bride. This was in 1768. She was a remarkably bright and capable woman, judging from the family traditions. There were seven children in that large family younger than she, and she had so much to do that her mother could not spare her the time to go to school when it was kept at intervals. But she was ambitious to learn, and her father helped her all he could. She taught herself to write by copying letters with a piece of chalk on the barn floor, for paper and ink were precious in those days, and not to be unduly wasted.”

The house where the Rev. Mr. Cushing lived stood east of the Shrewsbury Town Hall.

95 Walett: Joshua Eaton (Harvard 1735), the first lawyer to settle in Worcester and later the first minister of Spencer. Sibley, IX, 533–38.

96 Forbes: The first sheriff of Worcester County was Daniel Gookin, who held the office until 1743. He was a son of Gen’l Daniel Gookin. (Worc. Hist.)

97 Walett: Daniel Warren.

98 Walett: Reverend Samuel Barrett of Hopkinton.

99 Walett: Ebenezer Chamberlain of Westborough.

100 Walett: Reverend Oliver Peabody of Natick.

101 Walett: Francis Moquet, an innkeeper. Temple, Framingham, pp. 642–643.

102 Walett: Colonel William Ward of Southborough.

103 Walett: Timothy Brigham was a distinguished citizen of Southborough, being town treasurer and selectman for many years.

104 Walett: Widow of Joseph Morse.

105 Walett: Ruth Rice died Nov. 7, 1737, age about 18 months.

106 Walett: John Danforth of Westborough.

107 Walett: Benjamin Lawrence of Westborough.

108 Walett: Gershom Fay, Jr., the nephew of Captain John Fay lived in that part of Westborough that later became Northborough.

109 Walett: John McCollister.

110 Forbes: Lieut. Edward Baker was one of Mr. Parkman’s first friends in Westborough, for he and James Eager had been the committee who brought him the news that he had been called to be the town minister. He was always prominent in town and church affairs, and chairman of the committee which built the old Arcade.

He lived on Main Street, on the Pollard place, where his son, Squire Baker, afterwards had his home. He had ten children, of whom one, Joseph, born in 1736, was “the Squire.”

His house was moved and in now part of Mrs. Gleason’s house.

He died in 1763, and his stone still marks his last resting place in the old burying ground, although that of Persis his wife has long since disappeared.

Walett: Edward Baker, an original settler of Westborough.

111 Walett: Keeper of a public house in Worcester.

112 Walett: Parkman’s sister, Susanna, wife of Captain Josiah Willard of Salem.

113 We have the following sorrowful Relation from Westboro’ in the County of Worcester.

That on the 16^th ult. Mr. Joshua Harrington, (late of Watertown, and who had removed with his Family into Westborough, but three Weeks) was gone on an Errand to a Neighbour’s House, when his Servant Boy, Eben. Chubb, (in his 15^th Year) was carrying a Gun up Chamber upon his Arm, which, it can’t be said how, went off, and shot his Mistress, Mr. Harrrington’s Wife, in the Head, a little above the Ear on the left Side; at which she immediately fell, and dy’d. The Boy ran to the nearest Neighbours, crying and informing what he had done—leaving only two little Children, the Eldest but about three Years old, in the House. The poor Father returning was met by the little Children Hand in Hand, crying to him that Ebbe had kill’d their Mother. The Coroner’s Inquest sat on the Body and brought in their Verdict Accidental Death. She was a Woman of a religious Character, 27 Years of Age last March; a portly comely Person; Daughter of Mr. Samuel Trewsdale of Newton. Her Funeral was attended by many, and with an apparent Sense of so peculiarly awful Dispensation of divine Providence.

It is remarkable that the Gun abovesaid cannot be made to stand upon the Cock, had been try’d 7 or 8 Times in the Day but could not be got off, was snap’d at the Door as the Lad was going up into the Chamber with it, nor had it any Priming.

Source: Boston Gazette, No. 934, Nov. 28-Dec. 5, 1737, p. [3].

114 Walett: Newton Vital Records indicate that Elizabeth Trusdall married Joshua Harrington in 1731.

115 Forbes: The goal or jail where Hugh Henderson was confined stood on the west side of Lincoln Street, a short distance from Lincoln Square. It was a building forty-one feet by eighteen. “The prison part,” writes Caleb Wall, “was eighteen feet square, made of white oak timber set with studs, four inches thick and five inches broad, and floored, roofed and ceiled with two-inch planks spiked together. A stone dungeon was underneath. The north end of the structure, finished as a dwelling, afterwards became part of the old ‘Handcock Arms.’” Probably at this time it was the dwelling-house of the jailer, Luke Brown.

116 Forbes: Daniel Haywood, one of the first deacons of the Old South Church in Worcester. He kept the first tavern in that town—he, his son, and grandson keeping for nearly a hundred years a hotel on the site of the Bay State. This old hotel is still standing in Worcester, having been moved years ago to the southeast corner of Salem and Madison streets.

117 Forbes: The sad story of Hugh Henderson we learn from these dying confessions, which, together with a poem on his untimely death, were published as a broadside and sold as a warning to all youth.

He was of Scotch-Irish descent and came to Massachusetts about 1735, and for two years indulged his wicked practices, when he was arrested and convicted of breaking and entering the house of Abner Newton, of Westborough, who lived at this time in the old Thomas Rice garrison. (See note for March 14, 1737.)

Four indictments were found against him, two for burglary and two for larceny, and he was tried, convicted and sentenced to be hanged on one for burglary. The Court was the Superior Court of Judicature sitting at Worcester in September, with the following named judges on the bench: Benj. Lynde, Paul Dudley, Edmund Quincy, Jonathan Remington and Richard Saltonstall.

In the following extracts from the Confession, we can detect Mr. Parkman’s pen:

“The Confession and Dying Warning of Hugh Henderson Who was executed at Worcester in the County of Worcester, Nov. 26, 1737, Signed by him in the Presence of four of the Ministers, the Morning of the Day of his Execution.

“I, Hugh Henderson, otherwise through my wickedness called John Hamilton of about 28 or 29 Years of Age, was born in Armagh in the Kingdom of Ireland, received Baptism in the Manner of the Presbyterians and was brought up by my uncle, who was obliged to give me suitable Learning, but did not; which Neglect, together with my own Neglect of learning the word of God afterwards, was a great reason of my taking to such wicked Courses as have brought me to my unhappy, untimely End.

“I began with smaller Sins, while I was Young: with but stealing Pins: against which I received warning oftentimes, but persisted in it, and was very disobedient, till I increased further in Sin.”

Then follows warning to various classes of people and confession of various sins, and the confession ends:

“Having given this Warning, I desire to commend myself to the Charity and Prayers of all God’s People for me, and that You would lift up your Hearts to God for me, for the Pardon of my Sins, an interest in Christ, and that I may be sanctified by the Spirit of God: But above all I commend myself to the infinite Mercy of God, in my dear Redeemer, begging and beseeching that through the Merits of His Blood, I may this Day be with Him in Paradise.”

“A Poem occasioned by the Untimely Death of Hugh Henderson alias John Hamilton who was hanged at Worcester for House Breaking, Nov. 24, 1737”—and an extract therefrom reads:

The N. E. Weekly Journal, Dec. 6, 1737, says:

“On the day of his Execution the Rev. Mr. Campbell of Oxford preached to the Prisoner and a great assembly, a very suitable sermon on I Peter 4–5. The Prisoner was exceedingly moved and in such Anguish of soul that the Expressions of it in the face of the congregation, in crying and moans, in prayers and tears and passionate gesture there were even to disturbance.

“At the place of execution, after the Rev. Mr. Hall of Sutton had prayed, the prisoner with great earnestness desired all that were present to hearken well to what was going to be read to them, and to mind to take the warning contained in it, after which he put up a most importunate and pathetical prayer himself which manifested more of knowledge of religion, sense of his own state and humble faith and hope in God, than anything that has been received from him before.”

So was ended this sad chapter in the history of Worcester County—her first execution!