I 44 Library of Congress. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SHELf DIARIES / Rev, Timothy Walker, The First and Only Minister of Concord, N. H., From his ordination November i8, 1730, TO September i, 1782. Edited and Annotated JOSEPH B. WALKER. CONCORD, N. n. : Ira C. Evans, Printer, 13 and 15 Capitol St. 1889. 7.>7. 9 O'OO T4^ Diaries of the Rev. Timothy Walker, The first and only minister of Concord, New Hampshire, from his ordination, November 18, 1730, to his death. September 1, 1782. PREFATORY NOTE. The Rev. Timothy Walker, author of the following diai-ies, was the first minister of Pennycook, now Concord, N. H., and from the organization of its church to his death, a period of fifty-two years, its only one. . '' He was born in Woburn, Mass., on the 27th day of July, 1705, was graduated at Harvard College in 1725, and settled at Pennycook on the 18th day of November, 17:50. This was his first and only settle- ment. As did his neighbors, he went there to stay, and at once identifying himself with all their interests, he devoted to these the energies of his entu-e life. He possessed good mental abilities, a good eduation, strong common sense, and marked wisdom. He was not only their spiritual advisor, but their legal and temporal coun- sellor as well. His modest salary,* insufficient for his support, was supplemented by the income of the parsonage lands and the farm which was given by the proprietors of the township to their first settled minister. He thus became a farmer as well as minister, and, through this relation, was brought into more intimate sympathy with his people than he might otherwise have been. His pacific feelings and good sense contributed to the maintenance of friendly relations with the neighboring Indians, liable at any time to be provoked to acts of violence by imaginary grievances or the wiley counsels of the French. But, pacific as was his disposition, he held firmly to the sacred right of self-defence. When, therefore, some twenty years after his settle- ment at Pennycook, a company having little existence but upon paper laid claim to the fair town which his people had wrested from the wilder- ness, he pei'sonally championed their cause, and, in the prosecution of * iilOO per annum, equal toiS!l:)0.67 in silver. 4 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. appeals from the decisions of tlie Xew Hampshire courts, made no less than three voyages to England in their behalf, where he finally obtained, from the King in Council, the redress denied them at home. This struggle lasted about thirteen years. All through the Revolutionary war he was an ardent patriot. He lived to rejoice at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, to see the estab- lishment of independence, and the substantial close of the war. He died September 1, 1782. For a large portion of his life Mr. Walker kept brief diaries of current events. It is to be regretted that most of these have per- ished. Three, however, have been preserved entire, and fragments of six others. They afford vivid pictures of New Hampshii-e life on the Indian frontier while the question of English or French supremacy on this contineirt was being decided and while the inestimable privi- leges of American independence were being achieved. J. B. VV. Concord, March I, 1889. Diary of Rev. Timothy Walker. 1746. Wood well's Garrison was taken April 22.^- Thomas Cook & als. killed May y' 9r Richard Blanchard scalped June 11.^- Bishop was captivated June 25. Jon" Bradley & als. killed Aug: 11.*- Easterbrook killed Nov' 10.^- Killed, 8. Captivated, 12. Died of his wounds, 1, 1. Wood well's garrison was in Hopkinton, a short distance from Contoocookville, near the point where the road to Tyler's Bridge branches from the main road. 2. A Boscawen man, killed on Clay Hill just al)ove the Plain. 3. A Canterbury man. 4. Jonathan Bradley of Exeter, Sanniel Bradley and Obadiah Peters of Concord, John Lufkin of Kingston, and John Bean of Brentwood, who were massacred on the road to Hopkinton, about a mile from Concord. A granite obelisk now marks the locality and commemorates the event. 5. He was a Hopkinton man, and was shot by an Indian near the watering trough at the foot of Rum Hill. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKEK. 5 JANUARY. 1, D. Very cold. Remained at Woburn. 2, D. At night Avent and lodged at Brother Walkers.*^- 3, D. Sat out honie\vard. Lodged at Mr. Flaggs.''' 4, D. Arrived home. 5, D. Preached all day at home. G, D. A^isited over y" River. 7, D. Moderate weather. 8, D. Ditto. 9, D. Snowed and then turned to rain. Visited with Mr. Stevens over y^ River. 10, D. Cleared up very cold. Capt. Goffe dined at our house. ^ 11, D. A very cold morning. Went up to Con- toocook. 12, D. Preached all day there. Mr. Page preached here. Returned liome at night. lo. D. Visited Capt. Eastman^ just returned from Boston with news of y^ Pretender s suc- cess in Scotland. ^^ lo, D. Capt. Eastman and wife dined at our house. Remainder of y^ week tarried at home. This week has been very warm. 19, D. Preached all dav at home. 6. Samuel Walker, of Woburn, Mass. 7. Rev. Ebenezer Flagg, a classmate of Mr. Walker aud for sixty years the pastor of the church in Chester. 8. Afterwards known as Col. John Goife, a prominent citizen of Amherst. 9. Capt. Ebenezer P^astman, one of the most enterprising citizens of Concord. 10. Charles Edward, son of James Francis Edward Stuart, grand- son of James 2d and claimant of the British tlirone. The success mentioned above was, probably, the defeat of the English army at Preston Pans, September 21, 174."), and the capture of Carlisle, Nov. 26th of the same year. G DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 20, D. Visited Mr. A. Whittemore being sick of fever.^^" 22, D. Visited at Deacon Merall's.'" 25, D. A warm snow. This week ; also has been very warm. 2G, D. Preached all day at home. Cleared up very blustering. Y^ new snow being about mid leg deep drifted very much. 27, D. Warm again. 28, D. Warm. Began to hall Fort Timber.^^^- 27 D. Moderate y" rest of this Week. N : B : o'^ day pd. Mr. Philips all y' I owed liim except — 13 — 4. and Wm. Pudney's order of 3 — 00—00. Sum Total— or what I owe him is 3—13—4. FEBRUARY. 1, D. A. M. Snowed. Mr. Stevens^* came and lodged at our house. 2, D. He preached here and baptized Abraham, y^ son of Ab"" Colb}^ ; Eben"". y^ son of Sampson Colby, and Abigail y^ daughter of James Abbot Junior. I Preached at Contoocook. 3, D. At night it hail a great deal. 4, D. Visited at Mr. Lovejoys^'*^ Y^ rest of y^ week very warm. 11. Rev. Aaron Whittemore, first minister of Pembroke, ordained March 12, 1787. 12. John Merrill, the first deacon of the Concord church, against whom the first suit for ejectment was brought in the celebrated Bow controversy. 18. This timber was for tlie garrison built around Mr. Walker's house this year. 14. Rev. Phineas Stevens, first Pastor of the Boscawen church, ordained Oct. 8, 17-10. 14^. Probably Capt. Henry Lovejoy, who had a grist mill at West Concord, aTid afterwards a forge used in the mamifacture of bar iron. DIARIES OF REV. TrMOTIIY WALKER. 7 8, D. It seemed to tliickeii up for a storm ol' ruin but cleared away again. 0, D. Preached all day at home, and baptized Isaac y^ son ot" Benj" Aljljot and Sarah y* daughter of Joseph Pudney. 10, D. Eben Hall came to live Avitli me. We sledded wood. Ditto. At night Col. Kolfe^' returned from New- bury. It was a cold night for this mod- erate winter. Col. Rolfe dined at our house. Warm again. Snowed a little. Ditto. Preached all day at home. Fair weather. Received a letter from Wol)urn. 10, D. Visited with Col. Kolfe over y'^ River. At night he lodged at our house. N. B. From the 8 instant to y" 20 inclusive got home about 30 loads of wood for my years stock. 21, D. A very cold, blustering day. 22, D. Y^ weather moderated. Looked like rain but turned to a spitting snow. 23, D. Preached all day at home, and baptized Ezekiel y" son of Tim. Walker Junior. 24, D. Extraordinary cold for y^ season. Visited at Col. Rolfe's. Pd. Mr. Simonds for my barrel of cyder. 25, D. Cold. Carried my wife up to Mr. Love- joy's a visiting. ^•''^ 11, D. 12, D. J 3, D. 14, D. 15, D. 16, D. IT, D. 15. Col. Benjamin Rolfe, the largest landholder of Concord, and one of its most prominent citizens. He subsequently married one of Mr. Walker's daughters. 15|-. Neighbourhood visiting was vigorously pursued in olden times. Mothers frequently carried their infants to tea parties, and 8 DJAKIES OF KEV. TLMUTUV WALKEK. 20, D. Received y" news of v^ King of Prussia having made peaee with y Queen of Hungary."' Y^ rest of the week cold whilst y^ Satur- day and then y" weathei' moderated. MAliClI. 2, Day Preached all day at home. 3, '' (Japt. Got!e was at our house. 4, " Carried my wife a visiting down to Col. Piolfe's." Wind still strong at North West for a fortnight. 5 "' Weather moderated. Visited with my wife at Uncle Walker s. Married Jacoh Shute and Aljigail Evans. Now warm, Spring-like weather. 6 " Fetched a load of rails from Tim. 7 " Sledded dung overto y" Island. 8 "• Hauled oft' my logs from my plowed land. 9 " Preached at Contoocook. Mr. Stevens preached I'or me and baptized Peter y^ son of Nath' Pvix. A North East storm which lasted •> or 4 days. 11 '•' Measured (?) Jos. Pudney's hay. 13 " A general Fast. Preached all day. 14 '' A warm, pleasant day. 15 " A N : East storm. Very uncomfortable weather. 16 "• Y^^ storm continued. Ver^- miry going. Preached all day at home. when putting on theiv wraps to return home, they laid them for a moment somewhat promiscuously upon the bed. This practice some- times led to inadvertent changes, a matter of little consetpience, Judge Walker used to remark, as the mistake could always be righted at the next meeting, sure to come a few days after. l(i. Frederick the (rreat and Maria Theresa. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 9 20 Day Went over y^ River upon y^ ice. It grew very rotten. Capt. Stevens^^ came up and lodged at our house. 21 " I settled accts. with him for boarding soldiers to y^ 2r)tli of Feb. past. N. B. Y^ week past has been cold for y' sea- son. 22 " Preached all day at home. 23 " Y' weather moderated. 24 " Wife in company with her brother, James Burbeen/"^ sat out for Woburn. Crossed y^ Ferry upon y* ice which was very weak, 25 •• Went over the river. 26 " Haled in some logs into Capt. Eastman's mill. N. B. 25 D. Began to hew timber for my East Buttery [?] 28 " Capt. Stevens sat out home. 29 " Moderate weather. Capt. Stevens re- turned to execute some new orders. 30 •' Preached at Suncook. Mr. Whittemore preached here and Ijaptized Sarah y^ daughter of Nathan Stevens. APRIL. 1 Day Cut thro y^ ice and crossed Horse Pond with a canoe. 2 " Began to cross plow at y^ Island. ^'^ 3 Day Ditto. 17. Probably Capt. Phineas Stevens, a celebrated Indian fighter and one of the first settlers of Charlestown. 17^. The grandson of John Burbeen, of W^oburn, Mass., who was a Scotchman and the first Anglo-American ancestor of the family of that name. This name, as a sirname, is now supposed to be extinct in this country. 18, Horse-Shoe Island, which constituted a part of Mr. Walker's farm. (2) 10 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 4 Day. Was beat oft' by y^ rains v,-^ come in pretty great plenty. 5 " Y^ freshet rose considerably ; cold, windy. 6 " Preached all day at home. Administered y^ Sacrament. Baptized Nath', y^ son of Judah Trumball. 7 " Snowed some. 8 " More moderate. 9 " Went to Contoocook with Col. Rolfe. 10 " Burnt my lower pasture. 11 " Showery. Col. Rolfe sat out for Newbury. 12 '' Very warm. Began to plo^v' over y^ River. 13 " Showery. Preached all day at home. Baptized Miriam y^ daughter of Lieu- tenant Jere. Stickney. At night rained hard. 14 " Sowed my barley. 15 & 16 Day Dripping weather. 17 Day Carried my Team over y^ River to plow my land there. 18 & 19 Day ' Tarried at home. The Floods, not- withstanding y^ many threatenings were not great this year as yet. 20 " Preach all day at home, and baptized Jeremiah y^ son of Stephen Farrington. 22 " Y^ Indians took Woodwell's Garrison. 23 " Sat out to meet my wife. Lodged at Mr. Moore's. 24 " Met Col. Rolfe. P. M. Went to Wil- mington. 25 " Went to Boston to carry news of y^ In- dian mischief. 26 " Return to Woburn. 27 " Kept Sabbath there. 28 " Sold my place there. P. M. Went to Litchfield. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 11 29 Day. Returned home. 30 " Tamed at home. N : B : Y" 6th day admitted Nath' Abbot and wife y^ full communion. MAY. 2. Day Visited over y^ River. ^-- 3 "" Tarried at home. 4 " Preached all day at home. Jos. East- man, Tertius, owned y^ covenant. In the night we had tidings of mischief being done about sunset at Contoocook bv v^ Indians. Thomas Cook & als. killed. 5 " Col. Rolfe sat out to Boston. 7 " A considerable Frost. 7 & 8 Day Planted my corn. 9 Day Went up to Rattlesnake for stone. 10 " My Pasture fence built up. 11 " Preached all dav and administered the Sacrament. 10 '' Turned y* cows into my pasture. 12 " Got hands and mended my pasture fence. 13 " Col Blanchard and als. came up. 14 '• They dined here. 15 " Returned to Suncook. 16 " Very warm. 17 " Nath' Rolfe returned from Newbury. 18 " Preached all day at home. 19 " Mrs. Rolfe sat out for Newbury. 22 " Married William Pudney and Hannah Bryar. 23&24 " Joseph Pudney & als. built their chim- neys. 25 " Preached all day at home. 18^. East Concord. 12 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY AVALKER. 26 Day Dined at Col. Rolfe's. 27 " At night Col. Rolfe came and lodged at our house. 28 " Election. Joseph Pudney and Ob'' Fos- ter moved into y^ houses. ^^ 29 " Sold my colt to Mr. Leonard Ilarriman. 30 " Mr. Nath' Rolfe sat out for Newbury. 31 " Very warm. N. B. The fore part of y^ last week of May was a very cold season. JUNE. 1 Day. Preached all day at home. Baptized Sam' y^ son of Wm. Curry. 2 " Capt. Melvin^^^ came up and l^rought news of an expedition to Canada.~° Breakfasted at Col. Rolfe's. He sat out for Boston. Visited over y* River. Warm. Mr. Stevens returned from Andover. Preached all day. Baptized David y^ son of Jos : Eastman y^ 3d. Administered y^ Sacrament. 9 " Went over y^ River. 19. Small houses erected within the walls of Mr. Walker's garri- son. The families assigned to this fortification, May 15, 1746, by the committee appointed by Gov. Benning Wentvvorth, " for settling the garrisons in the frontier towns and plantations " of New Hampshire, were those of Capt. John Chandler, Abraham Bradley, Samuel Brad- ley, John Webster, Nathaniel Rolfe, Joseph Pudney, Isaac Walker, Jr., and Obadiah Foster. 19^. Capt. Eleazer Melvin, of Concord, Mass., a survivor of the battle at Pigwacket and a soldier in King George's war. 20 The expedition was supported by the several colonies as far south as Virginia. The New Hampshire House of Representatives assembled on the third day of June and decided a day or two after to cooperate with their sister colonies in the enterprise. o 4 5 6 7 8 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 13 10 Day Soaking rain, Sat out about 200 cabbage plants. 11 " Cleared up. Benj" Blanchard, of Canter- bury, was scalped Ijy y^ indians. 12 " Our Town was universally alarmed by y^ hearing some guns discharged in y"" woods. At night Col. Rolfe returned from Boston. Teams arrived home. Extreme hot. Turned up cool. Preached all day at home. Moulded^^ my Island Corn. We heard abundance of great guns at Portsmouth at night. Married Eben Hall to Dorcas Abl)ot. Capt. Stevens came up. A most plentiful rain after a sore drought. Cleared up. Preached all day at home. Baptized Isaac y^ son of Isaac Waldron. Built y^ Tailor's chimney."" Wm. Stickney brought up my new gun,^' and my mare from Andover. Visited over y^ River. Showery. Carried my wife down to Un- cle Walker's. 28 " Showery. N. B. 25 D.— Bishop was cap- tivated by y' Indians. 21. " Moulded " was synonymous with " half-hilled." The three successive hoeings of a com crop were denominated weeding, mould- ing and hilling. 22. Isaac Walker, familiarly called Tailor Walker, from his occu- pation. He had a temporary dwelling within the inclosure of Mr. Walker's garrison. 23. Tradition says that Mr. Walker had the best gun in the parish and that, during times of danger, when his people went to meeting, this stood beside him in the pulpit while he conducted the services. 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 14 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 29 Day Preached at home. Baptized Jemima y^ daughter of Edward Abbot, and Mehit- abel y^ daughter of Amos Eastman. 30 " An ahirm over y^ River on account of In- dians being seen. JULY. 1 Day. News from Newbury of Admiral War- ren's^^ arrival Dorcas Hall saw an Indian at night. George Hall lay abroad and saw six Indians.^*^ 4 " Thomas Eastman arrived home from Cape Breton. 5 " Attended y^ funeral of Lieu* Stickney's child. 6 " Preached all day at home. 7 " Some small showers. Visited over y^ River. 8 " Extreme hot. 9 " Ditto. Capt. Eastman returned from Cape Breton. 10 " A pubHck fast to implore y^ divine blessing upon y^ Canada expedition.-'' Preached all day at home, 11 " Visited over y" River. Very hot. 12 " Showering in some places. 13 " Preached all day at home. 14 " Tarried at home. 15 " In company with Capt. Eastman and oth- ers sat out for Woburn. Lodged at Capt. Copp's. 2.5. Sir Peter AVarren, commodore of the British squadron, en- gaged at the siege of Louisburg, in 1745. 26. During hostilities between England and France, incursions of Indians were liable to occur at any time and a sharp watch for them was maintained. 27. The plan of this expedition was never executed. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY AVALKER. 15 16 Day Went to Woburii. 18 •*• Went to Boston. Returned to Wobiirn at night. 20 " Preached P : M : at Woburn Precinct. 22 " Went to Boston again. 23 " Went to Wihnington. 24 " Lodged at Capt Baldwin's. 25 " Arrived home. 27 '' Preached all day at home. N : B : 24 D. Night rained considerably. 30 " Capt. Eastman and others returned from Boston. N. B. 24 D. Reckoned with my brother Samuel Walker and for y^ 300 pounds old Tenour he has ol mine he accounted for in the following manner. 100 he let Christopher Temple have. 100 he gave me up my bond and note to him £50 each, for y^ other hundred he produced my note to Col. Rolfe. AUGUST. 1 Day. Went to see Capt. Eastman newly re- turned from Boston who paid me £30 upon account of Leonard Harriman. 3 " Rained somewhat. Preached all day. Baptized Samuel y^ son of Patrick Gar- vin. 4 " Went to Contoocook and fetched my ox from thence [there ?] . 6 " AVent in y^ evening to Lovejoy's mill. 8 " A very great shower. 9 " Spread my flax. Extreme hot. 10 " Preached at home. 11 " Jon* Bradley and als. were killed by the Indians. 12 " Josej)h Pudney's wife was buried. 14 " A publick Thanksgiving for y^ suppres- sion of y^ Scotch Rebellion. 15 Day IG u 17 (.(. 18 (.(. 23 a 24 a 25 ^; 26 ^^ 27 iC 23 a 29 a 30 ^^ 16 DIARIES OF KEY. TIMOTHY WALKER. Got up y* great boat and began to get OYer my English corn. Got OYer all my English corn. — AndoYcr men came up to guard us.^*^ Preached all day at home. Mighty foggy weather the most of this week, especially y^ 3 first working days so y' but little business could be done. I had six hands to mow for ine.^^ Preached all day at home. Raked my hay. Carted 4 loads. Sat out for AndoYer. Lodged at Capt. StcYcns. Went to Woburn. Went to Boston. Put in a petition for help against y^ In- dians. 31 " Kept Sabbath at y^ new meeting house, Woburn. ^~ SEPTEMBER. 1 Day Almost lay still with my boil. 2 '^ Ditto. Stormy. 3 " Went to Boston to obtain a grant of 20 men."^'^ 30. Massachusetts repeatedly sent small bodies of soldiers to guard the frontiers. New Hampshire did the same, but the people of Concord were not favorites at Portsmouth, and the town was never allowed a representation in the assembly under the Provincial Gov- ernment. 31. Much of the grass cut on the interval at that time was a wild grass (Andropogon Virginiensis and A. scoparius) which does not ma- ture until the middle of August. It is of inferior quality as com- pared with cultivated grasses. The first species sometimes attains a height of over seven feet. 32. The meeting-house of Woburn, Mass., Precinct, now Burling- ton, erected in 1732. 33. These doubtless were to guard the frontier. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 17 4 Day Gov'. Shirleys wife was buried. At night returned to Woburn. 5&6 " Tarried there. 7 " Preached half of y' day for Mr. CLap.^* 8 " Went to Andover. 9 " From thence to Dunstable. Lodged at Col. Blanch ard's.^^ 10 " Sat out homeward with a company from Billerica. 11 " Arrived home. 12&13 D Tarried at home. 14 Day Preached all day at home. 15 " A lalse alarm. Went up to -Dresser's for apples. IG " Capt. Stevens arrived here with news of a French Fleet.^^ 17 " Showery. 18 " Went out into the woods a scouting.^" 19 " My brother and y^ Billerica men sat out homeward. 20 " Tarried at home. N : B : 14 D. Baptized Eleanor y^ daughter of Eben"^ Eastman Junior and Sarah y^ daughter of James Peters. At night visited some sick children and baptized Edward y* son of Joseph Ordway. 21 " Preached all day at home. 22 " Y^ news of a French invasion revived. 23 " Went out with Capt. Stevens to Hales Town.^« 34. Kev. {supply Clapp, first pastor of Woburn Frecinct Church. 35. Col. Joseph Blanchard was an able officer in the French and Indian wars. 35^. This fleet caused great alarm but did no harm. It was on the northern coast but a short time. A part of the vessels were wrecked and the rest returned to France. 36. Like other able bodied men he took his turn at scouting. 38. Incorporated in 1704, as Weare. 18 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 24 Day Returned home. 25 " Carted my Island corn. 26 " Tarried at home. 27 " Ditto. 28 " Preached all day at home. Baptized Peter y^ son of George, Mr. Osgood's servant.^* 30 " Visited over y^ River with Capt. Stevens. N : B : Capt Stevens came to board here y^ 17 D. OCTOBER. I to 4 Day The remainder of this week gathered my .Hales Point Corn. 5 Day Preached all day. Administered the Sac- rament. Baptized Step" y^ son of Step° Hoit. 6 " Tarried at home. 7 " Visited over y^ River. 8 " Attended y^ funeral of y^ child of Jam^ Peters. 10 " A storm. II " Attended y' funeral of Deacon George Abbot's^^ child. 12 " Preached all day at home. 13 " Picked up stones at Rattlesnake Hill. 14 " Snowed. 15 " Capt. Stevens and Judith went away. 16 " Visited over y^ River. 18 " There fell snow 6 inches deep. 19 " Preached all day at home. 20 " Burt came here as a soldier. Visited over y^ River. The snow began to run away. 39. Slavery existed in New Hampshire under British rule, and was never abolished by the Legislature. There were 158 slaves in the state in 1790. 40. The fourth deacon of the Ilumford church. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 19 21 Day Very warm, pleasant weather for y^ season, and so remained y^ most of this week. The snow all went away. 25 " Sent John with my team for a load of candle wood. '^^ 26 " Preached all day at home. Baptized Ephraim y* Son of Dr. Carter.^^ 27 " Turned my cattle over to y^ Middle Inter- val. N : B : Last night killed a cow. Weighed ft)75 per quarter. Hide Aveighed 431b. 29 " Jos. Farnum helped me burn up logs upon y'= Island. A is out for never was a night of finer weather at this time of year than y* last of this month. NOVEMBER. 1 Day Began to cross plow. Attended y^ fun- eral of Joseph Hall's daughter. 2 " Preached all day at home. Adminis- tered y* Sacrament. Baptized Stephen y* son of George Abbot. 3 " Sat out for Woburn in company with Mr. Abra"" Bradley. Lodg"^ at Mr. Richard's. 4 " Pd Mr. Richards [?] for 2 bushels Salt. Went to Woburn and tarried in town y^ rest of y^ week. Generally very cold. I preached at y^ 3d Parish in Woburn 43 10 " Received of Abra'" Bradshaw £300 old ten^ of w*^ see vacant page of this Alma- nack. 10 y* Indians killed Ester- brf)ok. 41. A splinter of pitch wood was often used instead of a candle. Hence the name. 42. Dr. Ezra Carter, the first regular physician in Concord. 43. This parish was composed of seceders from the first parish, and had but a temporary existence. 20 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 11 Day At night lodged at Brother Walker's.** 12 " Lodged at Brother Wyman's.*^ 13 " Lodged at Capt. Mitchell's. 14 " Arrived home with Judith Wyman. 15 " Began a long storm. 16 " Preached all day at home. Baptized Abner y^ son of Jos. Farnham. Con- tinued stormy. 17 " Visited at Capt. Eastman's. 18 " Began to snow at night. Snowed consid- erably. 20 " Our soldiers were dismissed.*® 21 & 22 Day Moderate weather. 22 D. Some of Capt Goffe's*' men arrived at Pen- nicook. 23 Day Preached all day at home. 24 " Esq' Little arrived here from Haverhill. 27 " Thanksgiving. Preached all day at home. 28 " Capt. Goffe's men went away, and carried 5 days provisions. 30 " Preached all day at home. Baptized Henry y^ son of Henry Lovejoy. DECEMBER. 1 Day Heard y^ news of a cessation of hostil- ities.*® 2 " Visited over y^ River with my wife. 3 " Killed my hogs. 5 " Bought 3 sheep of Lieut. Stickney. 6 " Very warm it has been in general this fall. 44. Samuel Walker, of Wilmington, Mass. 45. His brother-in-law, Capt. Jesse Wyman, of Woburn, Mass. 46. Soldiers who had been stationed at Concord to guard the frontier. 47. Afterwards Col. John Goft'e. 48. Settled peace was not secured until Oct. IS, 1748, by the treaty of Aix La Chapelle. 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 18 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY "WALKER. 21 7 Day Preached all day at home. Visited Col. Rolfe being sick. AVeiit into y^ woods. Lodged there.'*^ Snowed somewhat and then turned to rain. We had a very time. Y^ coldest this winter. Continued very cold. Preached all day at home. Went to mill with a hand sled.^*^ Y^ weather somewhat moderate. Y^ cold y^ renewed y^ signs of thaw. Foul weather all turns to cold. So ends y^ week. 19 " At night Edward Wyman Junior arrived here. Preached all day at home. Bought two deer skins for brother Wyman. Very windy. A cold week. Y^ cold somewhat abated. Snowed a little. Preached nil day at home. Baptized Abi- gail y^ daugliter of Deacon Morrill and Dorothy y^ daughter of Lieut. Nath' Aljbot. 30 " Haled logs off my plow land. 31 " AVent to Canterbury. Bought a negro wench of Capt. Clough,^^ for w" I am to give him £140. Received of Jere Bradley £—17—00—00. Evil com- munications corrupt good manners. 1747. JANUARY. 1 Day Gave Capt. Clough note for my Negro to be paid y" first day of June next. 49. At the mast camp. 50. To the mill at AVest Concord. 51. Captain Clough of Canterbury. 21 u 22 ii 23 a 27 a 28 a 22 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 2 Day It snowed hard. 3 " Very cold. 4 " Preached all day at home. Very cold and snowed. [On a separate page of Mr. Walker's diary for 1746, is recorded the following account of boarding soldiers sent to help guard the town, viz :] My account of boarding soldiers since Feb. 25th, 1745-6. Feb. 25. Trull went home and carried two days provisions with him. March y^ 1st, P : M : he returned and Tarried whilst y^ 8th before dinner and then went away the same day after dinner. Wyman came and tarried whilst Tuesday the 25th, after dinner and then went home y* same day before dinner. Clerk Roberts came here and in y^ afternoon we fitted him out with six days provisions for a scout. 24 D. Lodged Whittemore and gave him supper and breakfast. April y^ 1. P : M : Pett came here to board and tarried wdiilst August y^ 2d. Sept. 17. Capt Stevens came here and went away Octo. y'^ 15. Burt came and tarried whilst Nov' 20 and then was dismissed. 1748. October 27. Mr. W. attended y^ funeral of his aged mother-in-law. 1749. January 7. Ben. Eastman and family moved up here. March. Pd Sam. Little for making clock case. May 7. Abigail, second wife of Jacob Shute, ad. full com. She was widow Evans, mother of Jno. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 23 July 2. Sampson Colby and -wife ad. full com. August 29. Bot chair.'-' October 10. Preached to Convention at Dover. 1750. April 8. Ben. Eastman and wife admitted into y^ church. June 24. Sarah Abbot ad. to full com. October 7. Received Jonathan Straw and wife into our church. 1757. January 27. Richard Herbert married to Hannah Hall. October 16. Both owned y^ covenant. November 20. Jona. bap. 17G1. JANUARY. Sun. 1st of January. New Year's day. Mod- erate weather. Preached. Baptized Abigail of Enoch Webster and Mary of Jona. Merrill. Mon. 2. Very cold. Matrimonio conjunxi^ David Gage and Hannah Osgood. Tues. 3. Very cold. Mr. Gale mended my chains. Wed. 4. Y^ weather moderated. Visited y^ child of James Clements. It was dead before I arrived. Thurs. 5. Snowed moderately. Attended y^ fun- eral of James Clement's child. Killed 4 hogs."^ * A vehicle on two wheels, designed for the accommodation of one person, later known as a " gig." This was the first one brought to Concord. 1. Mr. Walker kept up his knowledge of the classics and was accustomed, occasionally, to fit boys for college. 2. Like all country ministers of his time, Mr. W. obtained a part of his support fi'om his farm. While the weights of his swine killed this year may seem light to a farmer of the present day, they were, doubtless, a fair average of those of an hundred years ago. 24 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. Weight of my 1st hog 165 lbs; i2d -' 195 " 3d " 292 " 4th '' 227 ^' 879 " Frid. 6. Cleared up cold. Sledded logs. Sat. 7. Continued cold. Sun. 8. Baptiz*^ Benj'' of Benj"* Emery and Eliza- beth of Eben"" Griffin. In evening visited Col°. Rolfe.^ Heard the good news of an accommodation with y* Indians. Mon. 9. Y*" mast teanr sat out. Cold. My children visited Col° Rolfe. Tues. 10. Continued cold. Sledded logs for my fence. ^ Y^ coldest night w'' has been. Wed. 11. Weather a little moderated. Visited Col° Rolfe. On my return, bought a moose skin of Courser for which I am to pay J° Chandler Junior £16-10-00. Thur. 12. Sledded logs for my fence. 1. Col. Benjamin Rolfe, who graduated at Harvard College in 1727, was one of the early proprietors and most influential citizens of Concoi'd. In 1764, he built the house now occupied by the Rolfe & Rumford Asylum, and soon after married Sarah, the oldest daughter of Mr. Walker. Col. Rolfe died in 1771, and his widow subsequently became the wife of Benjamin Thompson, now known as Count Rumford. 2. The furnishing of masts to the ship builders of the coast towns was, for many years, an important business in Concord. Their trans- portation to the river bank, whence tliey were floated to their destina- tion, I'equired very large teams, some of which numbered twenty yoke of oxen. Many were collected and rolled into the Contoocook at a place called the " mast yard," Hence came the name of that locality. 3. Fences were often made of whole logs piled one above another upon shoi't blocks between them, and sometimes of split rails sup- ported by morticed posts. Chestnut was a favorite timber for the latter, on account of its easy rift and durability. DIARIES OF REY. TIMOTHY WALKER. 25 Frid. 13. A fine, moderate day. Maj"^ How of New Ipswich came to advise about settling upon y^ Lds. reserved Land. At night Capt Hudson & Mr. N. Rolfe arrived here. Sat. 14. Appearance of a thaw. Dined at Col° Rolfe's in company with Capt- Hudson & Mr. Rolfe. Sun. 15. A very pleasant day. Preached all day. Mon. 16. My team sledded fencing stuff. Capt. Hudson and Mr. Rolfe dined at our house. Tues. 17. Jan. Capt. Hudson took his departure. My team sledded logs. At night Prince^ with one yoke of oxen went into y^ mast camp. Wed. 18. Mr. Webster^ hauled his great mast at night. Mr. Cotton came & lodged here on his way to Starkstown.^ Thurs. 19. Went with Mr. Tim° Bradley to find clapboard timber. It thawed very much, then turned cold. Frid. 20. Moderately cold & clear. At night Prince returned from masting. Sat. 21. Went to Canterbury in order to change with Mr. Foster.* P : M : News came of Reuben Morrill's being killed bv the fall of a tree. Sun. 22. Preached at Canterbury. Mr. Foster preached for me. He baptized Sarah,^ of Ezekiel Carter. Returned home in y^ evening. 1. Prince was a slave belonging to Mr. Walker. He was subse- quently given his freedom and went to Andover, Mass., and afterwards to Woburn, where he died. The bill of sale given to Mr. W. has been preserved and reads as follows : " Woburn, July 10, 1751. For value received, I have this day sold to Mr. Timothy Walker a negi'o boy, named Prince, which I have owned for some time past. Ruth Hayward." 2. Lieut. John Webster, a famous mast master in his day. 3. Starkstown, now Dunbarton. 4. Rev. Abiel Foster, pastor of the Canterbury church from 1761 to 1779. He was subsequently much in public life and a member of Congress. 5. It seems to have been common for a minister, when preaching (3) 26 DIARIJ]S OF KEY. TIMOTHY WALKER. Moil. 23. Dined at Col° Rolfe's. P.M. Attended y' meeting of y^ inhabitants to choose assessors.^ Tues. 24. Snowed about o inches deep. Cleared up with a North West wind. Wed. 25. Capt. McMilleir dined here. Visited y^ child of Stephen Farrington sick of y" throat disease. Thurs. 26. Dined at Capt. McMillen's. Frid. 27. Attended y^ funeral of Stephen Far- rington's child. Sat. 28. A pleasant day. Prince sledded logs for fence. Towards night it turned up cold. Sun. 29. Preached all day. A very moderate day. Mon. 30. Lot Colby paid me £24-10-00. in full for 4 barrels of cider. £12-00-00 towards his rate for this year. Tues. 31. Sent my team & brot 900 long shingles^ from the mast swamp as far as Tim° Bradleys. My team stopped there all night. Signs of rain. FEBRUARY. Wed. 1st of Feb. My team brot 900 long shingles. Arrived home about 9 o' the clock. Lamed one of my oxen. on an exchange, to baptize children of the Parish to which he was tempo I'arily ministering. 1. There is a blank in the Concord town records from 1749 to 1767, owing, doubtless, to the want of a town government during the Bow Controversy. 2. Capt. Andrew McMillen came to this country from Ireland, and for many years was a prominent citizen of Concord. He was a sol- dier in the last French and Indian war and was present at the destruction of the Indian village of St. Francois in 1759. He removed to Conway in 1774. 3. Long shingles were unshaved, riven shingles, about live or six inches wide and six feet long. They were laid upon purloins, with- out an underboarding, and wei-e lapped upon one another at the ends and sides. DIARIES OF KEY. TIMOTHY AVALKEK. 2/ Tlmrs. '1. Fell about G inches of snow, j" cleared up moderate. Frid. o. Fetched uiy 900 long shingles from Mr. Tim° Bradleys. Sat. 4. My team brot ()o rails fn^m Jon^ Chase's. P. M. Attended y^ funeral of Dan' Flanders' child. Sun. 5. A fine, moderate day. Preached all day. Mon. G. Disordered with a cold. Visited Col° Rolfe. Tues. 7. Dined with wife at Lieut. Hazeltines. P. M. Began to snow pretty hard. Wed. 8. Cleared up. Sledded logs. Sent Edward Abbot i Johannes.^ Sus pep'. Tliurs. 9. Ml'. Blunt'* visited me. Sledded logs. Frid. 10. Prince cleaned about 10 bush'^ wheat. Lent Mr. Gale 2 dollars Black pep't. Sat. 11. Mr. dale returned me y" 2 lx)rrowed dollars. Sun. 12. A very warm day. Preached. In y*" evening visited Col° Rolfe. Mon. 13. Col° Rolfe gave me a Johannes in y^ room of that I gave my son by his order so that I have now 3 Johan^ of his or y^ Proprietor's money. Tues. 14. Changed a heifer with Ensign Walker for a steer. Am to give a dollar to boot. A very great thaw. Capt. Page'^ lodged with me. Wed. 15. Continued warm. Sold my quarter of y^ cider mill for 8 days work to Farrington. He paid me £24-00-00 for son &c, and £1-00-00 over. N. B. I drew an order on Ed. Presson, dated Feb. 1, to pay Wm. Moore £244-10-00 which is to come out of said Presson's note. 1. A Portuguese gold coin of the value of about eight dollars. The name was often contracted into jne. 2. Probably Rev. John Blunt, minister of New Castle. 3. Capt. Caleb Page, of Dunbarton. 28 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. Tliurs. 16. Continued warm. Matrimo° con- junxi Nath' Merrill and Anna Walker. Frid. 17. Attended the marriage entertainment at Deacon Merrill's. Sat. 18. Prince cleared up 23 busli^ of oats. Capt. Oilman and Mr. Barrett visited me. The week has been so moderate that it has carried away most of y^ snow. Mr. Scales Junior^ came to see us. Sun. ID. Preached. Baptiz'* Ruth — of Reuben Abbot. Moil. 20. Snowed a little and then turned to rain. Tues. 21. Team sledded logs. Matrimon° junxi Nath' Hutchins and Mehitable Ordway. Wed. 22. Capts. Page, Stark and their wives dined with us. Thur. 23. Dined at Col° Rolfe's, with Page. In y^ evening Major Rogers^ arrived. Frid. 24. Major Rogers dined with us, and Mr. Paul Burbeen^ arrived. Sat. 25. Cros"^ Ab™ Bradley's rates* and paid him £8 cash. Am to pay his father £1, which is y"" whole of his due for making long shingles for my barn. 1. Mr. Stephen Scales, son of Rev. James Scales, minister of Hopkinton. 2. Major Robert Rogers, the celebrated ranger. 3. Paul Burbeen, then of Woburn, Mass., was a nephew of Mr. Walker's wife. He was a soldier in the French war, serving under Capt. Ebenezer Eastman. He graduated at Harvard College in 1743, and was a man of much intelligence. He died at Concord, Mass., about 1795. 4. For many years Mr. Walker collected more or less of his salary. During the time the town had no legal government, its pay- ment was a voluntary act on the part of his parishioners. The barn alluded to above was taken down in 1830. DIARIES OF REY. TIMOTHY WALKER. 29 Sun. 26. Preached. Baptiz^Abner of Jam'' Clements. In the evening visited Aunt Walker. Mon. 27. Cleared up cold. Set out for Ports- mouth. Lodged at Mr. Butler s/ Nottingham. Tues. 28. Very cold, as any y' winter. Went to Dover. Lodged at Capt. Waldron's.~ Wed. 29. Li company with Mr. Evans'^ went to Portsmouth. In evening visited Col° Atkinson,* Dr. Jackson^ &c. MARCH. Thur. 1st day of March. Visited Mr. Treasurer.*^ Afternoon sat out for Newbury. Rained most of the way. Frid. 2. Rained. Preached Mr. Lowell's^ lec- ture &c. Sat. 3. Dined with Mr. Ftirnham. Lodged at Mr. Rolfe's.^ Very cold. Sun. 4. A. M. Preache'^ f )r Mr. Tucker.-' P. M. for Mr. Lowell. Mon. 5. Sat out homewai'ds. Fiodged at Mr. Coffin's.^^ 1. Rev. James Butler, pastor of the eliurch of Xottingham from 1758 to 1770. 2. Capt. Richard Waldron, the son of Major Richard Waldron, who was killed by the Indians in 1689. 3. Probably Mr. David Evans, of Concord, a soldier of the French war, and present at the destruction of the village of St. Francois. 4. Hon. Theodore Atkinson, Jr., Secretary of the Province. 5. Dr. Clement Jackson, who died Oct. 10, 1788, aged 82. 6. George Jaffrey, Esq. 7. Rev. John Lowell, minister at Newbury from 1726 to 1767. 8. Possibly Henry Rolfe, Esq., of Newbmy, a proprietor of Con- cord, and father of Col. Benjamin Rolfe, of C. 9. Rev. John Tucker, d. d., pastor of the first church in New- "bury, Mass. 10. Rev. Peter Coffin, pastor of East Kingston from 1739 to 1772. oO DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. Tues. 6. Snowed. Went to Chester. Lodged at Mr. Flaggs.^ Wed. 7. Arrived home comi'^ Mr. Josiah Flagg. It cleared up cold. Prince cleaned up 61 bushels Indian corn. Thur. 8. Visited Aunt Walker, Farrington's child &c. Cleared up some', being cool. Moon passed by y" Pleiades &c. Capt. Page's rule failed. Frid. 9. A number of teams brought me 16 loads of wood,^ w*' with what I had before made about 20 loads. Sat. 10. Grew colder. Prince swingled lbs 11 Flax.3- Sun. 11. Weather moderated. Preached. Bap- tiz'^ Martha — of Capt. M<=Millen, and Betty — of Moses Merrill. Voted y^ dismission of Ab'" Kimball & wife. Mon. 13. Attended Town meeting. Concluded to complain to y^ King* &c. Jos^ Hall and my team sledded 7 loads of maple wood. Continued cold. 1. Rev. Ebenezer Flagg, a classmate of Mr. Walker and pastor of the church in Chester from 1736 to 1793. 2. At this time, in addition to his salary, the New Hampshii-e minister often had furnished to him a stipulated quantity of wood each year. 3. The raising of flax, no longer pui'sued in New Hampshire, was very common one hundred years ago. It grew like grain, and, when mature, was subjected to several processes to prepare it for use, viz. : 1st, to Pulling, to detach it from the ground. 2d, to Thrashing, by which the seed was separated from the stems. 3d, to Rotting, which destroyed the adhesion of the fibres to one another. 4th, to Break- ing, which detached the woody stalk from its fibrous envelope. 5th, to Swingling, which separated the bark and broken stalks from the flax. 6th, to Ilatcheling, by which the various impurities were combed from the flax and its fibres straightened. 4. In relation, probably, to the disturbed condition of the affairs of the township, in consequence of the refusal of the provincial gov-^ ernment to grant to its inhabitants an act of incorporation. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 31 Tiies. 13. Weather moderated. Wind South- wardly. Began to sled dung. Sledded 9 loads. Wed. 14. Weather continued moderate. Sledded 8 loads dung. Thur. 15. Snowed a little A. M. P. M. Cleared up wind^. thawed exceedingly. Dined with my children at Col° Rolfe's. Bot. i cwt. of Sugar of Capt. M'^Millen. Frid. 16. Prince swingled 12 lbs. flax. Weather continued very moderate. Sat. 17. A spring like day. Opened my cabbage vault. ^' Paid Tim° Bradley 7 dollars on his son Ab'"^ acct. P. M. The weather turned up cold. Sun. 18. Preached. Propounded Benj° Hanni- ford's wife for full communion. In y^ evening visited old Aunt Walker" being very bad. Mon. 19. A pleasant day. My men dressed flax. Tues. 20. Dined at Col° Rolfes. Wed. 21. Went with Prince to get timber for a cart. Thur. 22. A pleasant day. Y^ spring very for- ward. Frid. 23. Drew ofl" 13 barrels of cider, besides about two left on y^ lees. Had a new rum barrel of Mr. Webster towards a barrel of cider he had of me. He also overpaid £b for a former barrel. Sat. 24. Breakfasted at Col° Rolfe's. Saw a team plowing. P. M. Rained somewhat. Sun. 25. Preached. Wife of Nathan Colby own- ed y^ covenant.^ Baptized Nathan of Nathan Colby. 1. Potatoes and other vegetables were often kept through the winter in pits, dug in the ground, and covei-ed to a .sufficient depth with earth to prevent their freezing. 2. Mrs. Margery Bruce Walker, wife or widow of Isaac Walker, one of the original proprietors of Concord and uncle of Mr. Walker. 3. The half way covenant was in use in the Concord church dur- ing Mr. Walker's ministry. 32 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. Men. 26. Prince trimmed my orchard at home. Tues. 27. Prince trimmed my Island orchard.^' P. M. Visited Mr. Wehster with wife. Wed. 28. Went with my men and mended Wa- ternummon's fence in order to keep y^ cattle out of j" field. Thur. 29. Made up my house lot fence and kept my cattle out of ye field. Frid. 30. Misty weather. Went Mr. Emery to cut timber for a cider mill and press but without suc- cess. P. M. Visited Col° Rolfe. Sat. 31. Capt. Chandler^ went with Mr. Emery to look out timber for a cider press. Prince went in his room to roll in y^ masts. N. B. 26th of March sat out 63 young apple trees in a single row beginning next y^ road ; then sat 2 young plum trees ; then live of best winter apples ; then 9 of y^ spice apple, making 79 in y' whole. APRIL. Sun. 1st of April. Fell a snow about 6 inches deep. Preached. Admitted to communion the wife of Benj^ Hanniford. Baptized Sam' of Dan' Abbot. P. M. Cleared off moderate. Mon. 2. Set out for Woburn. Dined at Capt. Stark's.^ Lodged at Col° Lovewells.* 1. Mr. Walker had an orchard on the west end of Horse Shoe Island. Three of the apple trees were standing in a tolerable state of presentation as late as 1850. 2. Capt. John Chandler, one of the original proprietors of Con- cord, and grandfather of Al)ipl Chandler, the founder of Chandler School at Hanover. 3. Capt. John Stark's, at Manchester. 4. Probably Zaccheus Lovewell, of Dunstable, l)rother of Capt. John Lovewell of Pigwacket fame. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 33 Tiies. 3. Rained plentifully. Dined at Mrs. Blancbards. Drank tea at Col° Jno. Tyng's.^ In the evening went to Wilmington. Lodged at my brothers." Wed. 4. Visited at sundry places in Woburn and w^ent to Roxbury to attend Inferior Court there, but found 'twas adjourned till Friday. Tliurs. 5. Visited the President,* Mr. Appleton,* Mrs. Brown. Lodged at Saltmarshes. Frid. 6. Went to Roxbury and thence to AVoburn. Sat. 7. Went to Wilmington. Sun. 8. Preached all day at Wilmington. Mon. 9. Sat out for Portsmouth. Dined at Mr. Sym's. Visited at Mr. Barnard's.^ Lodged at Capt. Barnard's, Almsbury. Tues. 10. Went to Portsmouth. Visited Mr. . Wed. 11. Prepared a petition to offer \^ General Court.*^ Thur. 12. Presented my petition which was read in Council. In the evening went to Kittery. Took up note to Sir William Pepperel. Lodged at Mr. Steven's." Frid. 13. Returned to Portsmouth. P. M. The General Court was adjourned to Tuesday May y^ first. Set out home. Lodged at Mr. Sargent's. Sat. 14. Arrived home. It proved a rainy dav. Sun. 15. Preached A. M. P. M. Son timothy preached. 1. In Dunstable. 2. Deacon Samuel AValker, of Wilmington, Mass. 3. President Edward Holvoke of Harvard College. 4. Probably Nathaniel Appleton, Fellow of Harvard College. 5. Probably Rev. Edward Barnard, pastor of the First Church of Haverhill, Mass. 6. For the incorporation of Concord or a renewal of the District Act. 7. Rev. Joseph Stevens, of Kittery, Maine. 34 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY AVALKER. Mon. 16. Visited Col° Rolfe. Pitched y^ place for his house. ^ Tues. 17. Mr. Hanniford made me a new harrow. Wed. 18. Sowed peas at Hale's Point; wheat in Waternummons. Thurs. 19. Mr. Virgin sowed rye and peas over y^ River. I sowed on y^ Island, and 1 bush' rye, 1 peck of large peas, 3 pecks of Hotspurs and 5 bush'^ oats. Frid. 20. A general Fast. Preached all day. A snow fell about 3 inches deep, but a little way in y^ woods a foot deep. Sat. 21. Cleared up warm. Sat out about 20 apple trees in y^ Island orchard and y" Joel orchard. At night Mr. Scales Junior came here to preach. Sun. 22. Mr. Scales Junior preached for me. Baptized John of John Stevens. Mon. 23. Bot 40 young apple trees of Philip Eastman. Brot y" home and sat y"' out. Tues. 24. Lent Mr. Gale 6 dollars. Joseph Walker Junior came to live with me a week for ,£7-10-00. Set out about (30 young apple trees in y^ house lot. Began to make log fence. P. M. Deacon Stickney and Mr. Carlton visited me. Have had 4 or 5 days cold. Wed. 25. Made log fence around my young orchard. Thur. 26. Nihil memorab''. Frid. 27. Deacon Hall- sowed hay seed for me. Sat. 28. Harrowed in hay seed. Bot i bushel flaxseed of Edw'' Abbot for £3-10-00. Sun. 29. Misty weather. Preached. Appointed y^ sacrament. Propounded y^ wife of W"" Coffin for conniiunion. Proved a rainy night. 1. This house is now occupied by the Rolfe and Rumford Asyhun. 2. Deacon Joseph Hall, the third deacon of the Concord church, 1744-1784. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 35 Men. 30. Cleared up moderate. Visited Col° Rolfe. MAY. Tues. 1st of May. Wrote a letter to George Jaffrey Esq. Mended my pasture fence. AVed. 2. Set out 8 elm trees^ about my house. Tliur. 3. Plowed my land at y^ Middle Interval. Frid. 4. Went with Capt. Chandler to CoP Rolfe's to settle about our trial at Portsmouth. Sat. 5. Sowed a bushel of barley and more than a bushel of flaxseed and harrowed it in. Sun. 6. Preached. Administered the Sacrament. Received the wife of Wm. Coflin to full communion. Mon. 7. Joseph Walker returned to complete his month. Worked upon my orchard fence. Tues. 8. Sold a barrel of cider to Nath' Abbot for which he is to pay me 1 dollar and I. Wed. 9. We turned yearlings up to Contoocook plain. Thur. 10. Prince and John helped Nath' West. Joseph Walker carted 2 loads of poles to y^ cause- way by Mr. Carter's. Frid. 11. P. M. We had a fine rain. Things look finely. Sat. 12. A pleasant day. Sun. 13. Preached all day. Mon. 14. Teams went to Rattle Snake Hill^ for rocks for Col° Rolfe. Planted^ Middle Interval & Hale's Point. 1. Five of these trees are still standing (Dec. 13, 1888), and the largest has a circumference of 17 feet 6 inches at three feet above the ground. 2. The ledges of Rattlesnake Hill have afforded stone for building purposes from the first settlement of Concord. The top sheets were used at first, most of which were stained. The quarrying methods of to-day were unknown to the fathers of the town. 3. The first day of May, old style, was considered by the early farmers of the town as the proper time to plant Indian corn. 36 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. Tues. 15. Furrowed my Island in order for plant- ing. P. M. Wed. 16. Set out for Portsmouth. Lodged at Tliurs. 17. Went to Portsmouth. Entered y' action. Heard Dunstable and Derry case tried. Frid. 18. Post M. Returned home. Lodged at Mr. Moody's^ of New Market. Sat. 19. Dined at Mr. Tuck's.- Returned home by Paul Morrill's. Rained somewhat before 1 got home. Sun. 20. Preached A. M. P. M. Son preached. Propounded widow Worthen for full communion. Mon. 21. Visited Col° Rolfe. Tues. 22. Visited wife of Reuben Kimball. P. M. Attended training. Paid Joseph Walker £18 — 05 — 00 old tenor. Wed. 23. Finished the Joel lot fence. Thur. 24. Hung y* lower gate. Visited Col** Rolfe, being sick. Frid. 25. Mr. Nath' Rolfe arrived here. Sat. 26. We have advice that y* woman was cleared accused of murdering her child. Begins to be very dry. Sun. 27. Preached. Admitted the widow Joanna Worthen to full communion. Baptized John — of Thomas Saltmarsh. Mon. 28. Amos Abbot came to make me a cart. Tues. 29. Finished my cart and shoeing my sleds.^- Wed. 30. Sent the Col" molasses within 2 inches and J of y" top of j" tub. Also Iblli Sugar bag with it. 1. Kev. John Moody, minister of New Market from 1730 to 1778. 2. Rev. John Tuck, minister of Epsom from 1761 to 1764. 3. Mr. Walker's promptness is evidenced by this shoeing of his sleds in May that they may be in readiness for use the next winter. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 37 Thurs. 31. Col°. Rolfe raised his house. ^" Capt. Page and wife came in and lodged with us. JUNE. Frid. 1st of June. Capt. Page returned home. Went with my chair" to y^ 11 Lots.^ Sat. 2. Prince began to weed my house lot corn. Sun. 3. Preached. Propounded Nath^ Merrill, Sam' Coll^y, Benj" Farnham and their wives to own y^ covenant. Mon. 4. Joseph Walker set out for Portsmouth. Continued very dry. Son Tim° set out for Woburn. Had hands to weed my Middle Interval corn. Tues. 5. Reckoned with Nath' West. Very cold for y^ season of y* year. Wed. 6. With daughter Sally visited CoP Rolfe. Capt Gale arrived here from Haverhill. Thur. 7. Continued very dry. Warm days and cool nights. Frid. 8. At night the witnesses respecting Bo wen &c. returned home. Sat. 9. James Abbot Juner* arrived from Cowass. Sun. 10. Preached. Nath' Merrill & Avife owned y^ covenant. Mon. 11. Capt Gale & wife dined at our house. P. M. The weather suddenly altered. Y^ wind sprang up at East. Tues. 12. A fine and plentiful rain after long drouth. Wed. 13. Continued wet. Transplanted 250 cabbages and cucumbers. P. M. Visited Col° Rolfe being indisposed. 1. Now occuj)ie(i by the Rolfe and Rumford Asylum. 2. This chair is said to have been a two wheeled open vehicle, resembling a chaise with the top removed, and the first carriage on springs brought to Concord. 3. A range of 11 lots rear the Concord Bridge. 4. James Abbot, Jr., was a citizen of Concord as early as March, 1744. 38 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. Tlmrs. 14. They found Tliom^ Spring missing since Tuesday morning. Frid. 15. Prince and John work for Wehster at liis farm. Sat. 1(5. At night my men returned from Web- ster's farm. Sun. 17. Preached. Sam' Colby, Benj" Farnham with their wives owned y*" covenant. Baptized Ju- dith — of Eph"" Farnham Juner. and Sarah — of Sam' Colby. Mon. 18. Visited Col° Rolfe. Tues. 19. Visited Jona. Worthen. Wed. 20. Mr. Moses Badger visited here : Tar- ried all night. Thur. '21. Mr. Paul Burbeen and Sally visited. P. M. Visited Col° Rolfe. Kil"^ a calf. Lent Mr. Coffin a quarter — wt. ft)sl4j Rained finely all night. Frid. 22 Rained by showers. Mr. Virgin helped me. Sat. 23. Mr. Virgin shaved shingles for me. Sun. 24. Preached all day. Administered y*" Sacrament. Mon. 25. Visited Dr. Carter s.^ Put my hat into Mr. Kinsman's hand to vend for w'' he is to make me a new one. Tues. 26. This day and y^ last my men mowed bushes at my upper pasture. Dined at Col° Rolfe's. Pretty hot. Wed. 27. Dined at Capt. M^Millen's. Thurs. 28. Mr. Burbeen and sister visited at Capt. Page's. Returned late at night. At night son Timothy returned from Rowley Canady.'^' 1. Dr. Ezra Carter, the first settled physician of Concord. 2. Hon. Timothy Walker was educated for the ministry and preached a short time at Rowley Canada (Ilindge), where he declined an invitation to settle. He also preached at other places for different periods but was never settled. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. -VJ Frid. 29. Mr Paul Burbeen and sister departed. Very hot. Jos*' Walker. Sam' &c. helped me mow bushes. Sat. 30. Jos'' Walker, Sam' &c. mowed ])ushes for me. .JULY. Sun. 1. Preached. Propounded Dan' Chandler and wife to own y^ covenant. At night a line rain. Mon. 2. Moulded^ my Middle Interval corn. Tues. 3. A great concourse of people to swear y* militar}- officers. Dined with Col° Goffe at Capt. M'^Millen's. Visited Jona. Worthen. Wed. 4. Extremely hot. P. M. A remarkable thunder shower. Thurs. 5. Simon Trum])ull helped fit up my barn. Frid. G. Finished moulding my Island corn. Set the missing tobacco plants.'" Sat. 7. Sat out for Bakers Town.^ Arrived there. Sun. 8. Preached at Bakers Town. Mr. Scales Junior preached for me. I baptized Esther of Barber. In evening I returned home. Mon. 9. Began to mow at Hale's Point. Jos. Walker pd. Simon Trumbull for mending my barn. Tues. 10. Eeuben Kier came to shingle my barn. Matr° junxi Benjamin Osgood and Miriam Stickney. Wed. Jl. Continued exceedingly hot weather. Attended Mrs. Osgood's entertainment. 1. Farmers of tlie olden time designated the three hoeings which they gave their corn as, 1st. Weeding, a simple cutting up of the weeds ; 2d. Moulding, the making of a flat hill about the corn plants, dishing towards the centre ; 3d. Hilling, a further elevation of the hill that it might afford support to the stalks. 2. Tobacco was raised in a small way, for private use, in Concord, down to a time within the memory of persons now living. 3. Now Salisburv. 40 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. Thurs. 12. Mat" junxi Jacob Waldron and Sarah Abbot. Reuben Kier finished shingHng my barn. Frid. 13. Rained hard y^ most of y^ day. Cleaned out my barn. Sat. 14. Hilled my house lot corn. P.M. Mowed my Island orchard. Sam' OvSgood visited here. Weather continued very dull. Sun. 15. Rained. Preached all day. Dan' Chandler and wife owned y^ covenant. Mon. 16. Turned my hay. P. M. A small shower. Tues. 17. Fair but hay dried little. Got in 2 small loads of hay. Wed. 18. A plentiful rain. Visited CoP Rolfe. At night my cows got into the field. Cleared up at night. Thur. 19. Clouded up P. M. so that hay dried very little. Frid. 20. Col. Frie dined with us. P. M. Showery. Sat. 21. Carted 3 loads of hay. P. M. A light shower. Sun. 22. Preached. Col° Frie dined with me. Baptized Molly and Hannah of Dan' Chandler. Mon. 23. Mowed my Island Lot No. 1 with two hands. Tues. 24. Finished mowing No. 1. Wed. 25. Carted y' hay off No. 1. Thur. 26. Hilled my Middle Interval corn. Frid. 27. Began to hill my Island corn. Sat. 28. Finished hilling. It has been a very hot week. No rain but a very growing time. Sun. 29. Continued very hot but showery. Sac- ramentum administravi. P. M. Son Timothy preached. Mon. 30. Visited at Jona. Stickneys with other company. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 41 Tuc!^. 31. Went to Contoocook^ with Mr. Wliit- teniore.^ Forwarded a composition between Mr. Morrill'"' and Capt. Gerrish. Returned home about 11 o'clock. AUGUST. • Wed. 1st day of August. Pulled my flax and reaped my winter wheat. Thur. 2. Reaped winter rye. Equa con'. Very hot weather. Frid. 3. Very windy in y"" morning. Sat. 4. Carted 15 shocks and h of winter rye. Hack^ my peas. Sun. 5. Preached. Baptized Betty — of Reuben Courrier. Propounded Isaac Walker Juner and wife to own y." covenant. Messrs. Paul Burbeen and Thom^ Flagg came here the 4tli inst. Mon. 6. Visited at Col° Rolfe's Tues. 7 A ver}^ heavy shower Wed. 8. A good hay day. Carted two loads from Hale's Point. Thur. 0. Reaped part of my summer wheat. Frid. 10. Rained a little A. M. P. M. Cleared away. Sat. 11. Finished reaping my wheat. Mended fence of Lot No. 1. Sun. 12. Preached. Baptized Moses — of Ben- jamin Fifield, and Pliebe — of Nath' Aljbot Juner. Propounded John Chase and wife to own y^ cove- nant. Mon. 13. Turned cows into Lot No. 1, y^ Island. Tues. 14. Mowed my grass upon Waternummons Brook. 1. Now Boscawen. 2. Rev. Aaron Whittemore, minister of Pembroke from 1737 to 1767. 3. Rev. Robie Morrill, pastor of Boscawen church from Dec. 29, 1761 to Dec. 9, 1766. (4) 42 DIARIES OF REV. TlMOTIir WALKER. Wed. 15. Cows broke into Dan' Chandler's corn. Thur. IG. Mr. Paul Biirbeen departed from here. Frid. 17. Mr. Foster came and dmed here. Lent Mr. Webster £0—00—00. cash. , Sat. 18. Set out w^ith daughter Molly for Can- terljury. Dined there. Sun. 19. Preached at Canterljurv. Mr. Foster preached here. Mon. 20. Cloudy. Bad hay weather. Tues. 21. A wet season after a considerable drought. Wed. 22. Spread my flax. Continued showery. Dined at Mr. Emery's. Thur. 2o. Completed my bargain with Mr. Far- rington Sold him my quarter of cider mill for 7 days i work. He helped Col° Rolfe on my account one day, so that he owes me 6 days h work. Mr. Aaron Stevens was witness to y^ bargain and the 6 days i work are chalked up above his mantle piece. P. M. Attend Taylors Raising. Frid. 24. Weather cleared up, having been all this week foul. Fetched 4 bushels h Peas from Mr. Virgins. Sat. 25. A fine hay day. Carted 2 loads of hay. Sun. 26. Preached all day. Propounded Tim° Chandler and wife to own y" covenant. Mon. 27. Matrimonio junxi David Evans and Catherine Walker. At night Mr. James Tyng ar- rived here. Tues. 28. Visited Major Noj-es at Suncook in company with Capt. Walker. Wed. 29. Carted hay from Hales Point. Thur. 30. Finished Mowing. At night a smart shower. Frid. 31. Mr. Nath' Rolfe dined with us. Began to fence Hales Point upper lot. DIAEIES OF REV. TIMOTHY "WALKER. 43 SEPTEMBER. Silt. 1st of Sep'. Finished haying. Just at night n smart shower. Sun. 2. Preached A. M. Administered the Sac- rament. P. M. Son Timothy preached. Propounded Ezek' Colby and wife to own y^ covenant. Mon. 3. Children Timothy and Sarah set out for Woljurn. Put y" cows in Hales Point. Tues. 4. Cleaned up 11 bushels peas^ at Hales Point, and 3 on y* Island. Wed. 5. Mr. Blaisdell began to work on y^ cider mill. Prince helped CoP Rolfe. Tliurs. 6. Brot cider mill sweep from Rattlesnake Hill. Prince helped CoP Rolfe. Frid. 7. Began to frame y^ cider mill. At night a pretty hard frost. Sat. 8. Continues cold. Men worked on y^ cider mill. Sun. 9. Preached. Tim° Chandler and wife, John Chase and wife, Ezekiel CoUjy and wife owned y* covenant. Baptized Tabitha and Tini° — of Tim° Chandler; — John — of John Chase; Miriam and Ezekiel — of Eze' Colby. Mon. 10. Jos. Walker left me for a fortnight to be made up after his three months have expired. N. B. Cider mill expenses are in Diary for ITGl and under y^ month of Aug\ Tues. 11. Intended to have raised cider mill but was disappointed. Wed. 12. Rained hard. Thur. 13. Rain somewhat abated. It has been y most plentiful rain of any these several years. P. M. Raised y^ cider mill. 1. Peas were raised in far greater quantities formerly than now. Besides their use for human food, they were ground, mixed with oat meal and fed to swine. 44 DIARIES OF EEY. TIMOTHY AVALKER. Fricl. 14. Prince helped Col° Rolfe about his chimnies. Sat. 15. Thom^ Fhagg came here. Son Tim° and daughter Sarah returned from Wol)urn. Nath' Par- ker and his sister came with them. Sun. 16. Preached. Baptized Caleb — of Stilson Eastman. This night was a very severe frost. Mon. 17. Had a bad cold. In night was taken with vomiting and purging, Tues. 18. Visited at Col° Rolfe's. Dined with com- pany at Capt. M'^Millen's. Signs of a storm. At night my purging returned somewhat. Wed. 19. Set out for Pigwacket.^ Comitante Capt. M'^Millen. Went through Epsom. Lodged at Capt. Kate's. Thur. 20. Breakfasted at Major Titcombs. Dined at Mr. Stanyan's, and lodged at Kennebunk. Frid. 21. Traveled and lodged at a meadow above the Great Falls on Saco River. Rained somewhat. Sat. 22. Arrived at Pigwacket about 10 o'clock. Sun. 23. Preached at Pigwacket. About 45 per- sons present. Mon. 24. Viewed y* interval and y^ great mead- ows. Tues. 25. Viewed Lovells Pond. ^ Y^ great went round . Wed. 26. Dined at Mr. Springs. Thur. 27. Visited up at y^ Mills. Dined at Nath* Merrills.^ 1. Pigwacket included the country upon the Saco river now em- braced in the towns of Conway and Fryeburg. Many of their first set- tlers had been parishioners of Mr. Walker, and thither he was wont to go to visit them and administer to their spiritual wants, until they had pastors settled among them. 2. The scene of Lovewell's fight with the Indians. 3. " In the summer of 1763, Mr. Nathaniel Smith moved his fam- ily into Fryeburg, This was the first family of white people which DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 45 Frid. 28. Went into the great with Col. Frye. Sat. 29. Visited at Sundry places. Sun. 30. Preached. Baptized Eliz'' — of Jede- diali Spring. OCTOBER. Mon. 1st of October. Set out homeward with a large company. Lodged at Kellog meadow. Tues. 2. Dined at Stanians. Lodged at Major Titcombs. Wed. 3. Went through Barrington — Dined at M-^Cleary's at Epsom. "Went by Paul Morrill's. Arrived at Reuben Kimijalls 5 minutes after 7, in 12 hours to a minute from Major Titcombs. Thur. 4. Visited at sundrj^ places. Frid. 5. Husked corn from the Island. Sat. 6. Rained. Prince helpel Benj" Emery husk. Sun. 7. Preached. Admitted Timo. Walker y^ 4tli and wife to full communion. Baptized Elizabeth of Aaron Abbot. Mon. 8. Mr. Hanniford worked upon y* cider press. Tues. 9. Some small showers. Very warm. John Colby helped Tim° Chandler. Wed. 10. Visited Capt. Brown. Comitates, Mrs. Osgood and Capt. M^'Millen. Thur. 11. Sowed two Ijushels of winter rye. Brot a large load of corn from over y^ River. erected a habitation in tlie country vulgarly called Pigwacket. On the 20th November of the same year, Messrs. Samuel Osgood, Moses Ames, John Evans, and Jedediah Spring moved into Fryeburg, from Concord, in New Hampshire, through a rough, hilly country, uninhabited for 50 or 70 miles. Mr. David Evans and Mr. Nathaniel Merrill (then young men) accompanied them as first settlers." — Intro- duction to LoveweWs Fight, j^P- IV and V., Jan. 1799. 46 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. Frid. 12. Brot my corn from y^ Middle Interval.^ At night had a hnsking.^ Mr. Bayley and Mr. Badger lodged here. Sat. 13. Borrowed a barrel of cider of Dr. Carter. Snn. 14. Preached all day. David Gage and w^ife owned y^ covenant. Mon. 15. Placed my corn in y^ crib. Loaded Mr. Sam' Clement's — Tnes. 16. Sent two teams to Capt. Stark for 2 hogsheads of lime. Made 7 barrels of cider. Wed. 17. Made two barrels of water cider. At night Mr. Winget and son came and lodged here. Tlinr. 18. Made 12 barrels cider.^ Frid. 19. Rained considerably. Covered my cider press. Sat. 20. Made 4 barrels of water cider. Gave Lient. Webster one of them. Sun. 21. Preached. Sacramentum administravi. Baptized Jeremy of Thomas Stickney. Mon. 22. Messrs. Sam' and Benj" Osgood dined at our house. Tues. 23. Divided the salt &c. which Mr. Clem- ents sent. I had 1 bushel salt and 1 bushel 1. That part of Concord interval near the Free Bridge. 2. Huskings have been common in Concord down ahnost to the present time. Both social and economical, they were held in the evening and often attended by both sexes. After the husking had been finished, the company were wont to adjourn from the barn to the house, where the scene changed from one of work to one of fes- tivity. 3. To any one, surprised that the sober parson of a sober New Hamp- shire parish should make twenty-five barrels of cider in a single year, it may be said that cider was a common beverage on almost every farm in the state down to about fifty years ago. The late Reuben Abbot, of Concord, once remarked in the hearing of the editor that he had known his father to put into his cellar sixty barrels in the fall, which all disappeared in the course of the following twelve months. DIARIES OF REY. TIMOTHY WALKER. 47 and f rock salt and 3 gal. and I molasses, worth about £2G N. H. old tenor. N. B. Deacon Hall paid ni}- son Tini° £5-19-09 Mass. old tenor toAvards his rates. Son Timothy set out for Rowly Canady. Wed. 24. ' Filled up y" lower well and opened y^ road for winter that wav. Thur. 25. Mr. Nath Rolfe came up. Benj° Emery returned from Newljury. Prince set out for Woburn. Frid. 26. A very hard rain. Sat. 27. Snowed somewhat and very cold for y" season. Sun. 28. Continued cold. Some squalls of snow. Preached. Baptiz^ Abiel of Tini° Chandler and Anne of Daniel Carter. Mon. 29. Visited Col° Rolfe. John Colby got a load of candle (wood).^ Remained cold lor y*" season. Tues. oO. Began breaking up. Oilman West helped me and Eben Simonds with two oxen. Wed. 31. Continued breaking up. Had Gilnian West, Eben Simonds and Simon Trumlnil with 4 oxen. XOYEMBER. Thur. 1st of No\ ^ Warm for the season. Con- tinued breaking u}). Frid. 2. Heard of arrival in America. Sat. 3. Cloudy. Moderate weather. C(jntinued breaking up. Sun. 4. Preached. Baptiz"^ Hannah of Eben Hall and Elizabeth of Asa Kimball. Continued moderate. Mon. 5. Took a plan of Capt. Lovejoy's land. 1. This was dij, hard pine wood, very full of pitch, cleft into small pieces, often used instead of a candle, and, at other times, for kindlina:. 48 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. Tues. G. Mustered my breaking up team. A warm, pleasant clay. Brot my corn from y^ Middle Interval. Wed. 7. Plowed down y^ Taylors liill.^ Son Timothy returned from Boston. Thur. 8. Rain in night. Thanksgiving. Frid. 9. Went out to Dunljarton training. Sat. 10. Capt. Badger'~ and Mr. Foster dined at our house. Sun. 11. A very rainy day. Mr, Foster preached for me. Administered y^ sacrament. Mon. 12. It cleared up something cold. Capt. Walker's son came and made my lime mortar. Tues. 13. Set out for Portsmouth. Lodged at Barber's. Wed. .14. Arrived at Portsmouth. Attended Court. Thur. 15. P. M. Our case came on and was continued. Lodged at Capt. Folsom's. Frid. 16. Arrived home. It has been a very cold week. Sat. 17. Returned Dea" Hall the 19 Dollars I received of him. On y^ Proprietor's account gave M'^Millen y^ receipt from Dan' Sherburne for y^ <£350 I carried for him. He owes me £2 for getting his deed recorded. P. M. Attended y^ funeral of Eben Halls child. Sun. 18. Preach'^. Baptiz/ Dean Osgood of David Gage. Col° Frye dined and lodged here. Mon. 19. A lowery day. Prince brot 7 bushels turnips from Capt. Page's. Brot GOO thin boards from Nath' Abbot's. Tues. 20. A very rainy day. Boys set y" barn in order. 1. " Ye Taylor " was Mr. Walker's neighbor, Mr. James Walker, who was a tailor and lived at the corner of State and Penacook streets. 2. Piobably Captain (afterwards General) Joseph Badger, of Gil- manlou. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 49 AVed. 21. Cleared up moderate. John Kimball came to help me. Kill'^ my old sow. Weig^ 220 lbs. Thur. 22. Capt. Walker plaister^ my chamber entry. Pretty cold. Frid. 23. He plaister'^ the long entry. Sat. 24. He plaister'' the North room. Jno. Khnball helped me four days this week. N. B. Capt. Adams and Mr. Chaml^erlin here. Sun. 25. Cloudy. Looked likely for snow. Preach*^ all day. Mon. 26. Capt. Walker began my stone chimney. Tues. 27. Finished my stone chimney. Weather grew moderate. Wed. 28. Visited at Enoch Webster's with wife and company. At night Mr. Powers and Scales lodged here. Weather moderate for y^ season. Thur. 29. Tim° Chandler helped me cart dung. Mr. Powers departed for Cowas. Frid. 30. A snowy day but moderate. Nov. 13. Kil'^ a cow. Wt. about 90 per quarter. Hide about 42. ^^^^\^}, ^ I Killed 4 hogs. Wt. about 850. Dec' od. ( ^ Dec' 3. Killed my sullen heifer. Fore quarters weighed 234 lbs. Sent y^ hide to Sam^ Colby. Wt. 42. DECEMBER. Sat. 1st of December. Continued snowing. Sun. 2. Preach^ Baptiz'^ Barnard — of Tim° Walker 4tli. Still snowy weather. Mon. 3. Still snowy. The snow about 6 or 8 inches deep. Kill'^ my 3 hogs and my young cow. Tues. 4. Dined at Mr. Coffins. P. M. Attended y" funeral of Barnard son of Tim° Walker y" 4th. 50 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. Wed. 5. Capt. Walker laid me two hearths. Jiio. Kimball came to help me lay my jjest room floor. ^ Thur. 6. Visited CoP Rolfe. Helped split a large door stone. Frid. 7. Tim° Chandler helped me cart dung. Towards night it rained. Sat. 8. A rainy day. Jno. Kiml^all finished lay- ing my best room floor. Sun. 9. Preach'^ all day. Forgot to propound Eben'^ Simonds and wife to own y^ covenant. Mon. 10. Son Tim° began his school. Jno. Colby went. Tues. 11. Moderate weather. Spoke to Gale for some staples. Wed. 12. Snow fell about inches deep. Thur. lo. A very cold N. W. wind. Silloway died upon y" road near Irvings. Frid. 14. Prince was indisposed with a cold. Mr. West shod my oxen. Sent Thom^ Spring to school. Jno. Coll^y has been four days this week. Sat. 15. Weather moderate. Sun. 16. Preach'^. Propounded Eben" Simonds and wife to own y" covenant next Sunday. Mon. 17. Sledded two loads of wood out of Wa- ternummons. Tues. 18. Carried a load of wood to y^ school house and brot, one home at night. Mr. Stephen Scales came here. Visited Capt M'^Millen. Wed. 10. Sledded two loads of wood. Thur. 20. Snow lell about one foot deep. Prince cut up my wood at y^ school house. Frid. 21. John Colby and Jos. Carter brot me 1. This floor, wliicli was removed in 1849, was then in good con- dition. It was made of pitch pine boards, held in place, upon white oak floor timbers, by wrought iron nails, about four inches long. The virtual termination of the Bow Controversy in Dec, 170'2, seems to have encourae:ed Mr. AV. to finish his house. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 51 two loads of rails from Jon'' Chase. Dined with my family at Col° Rolfe's. Maj' Rogers came to Town. Sat. 22. Major Rogers and Mr. Scales Juner dined here. Sun. 23. A fine pleasant day. Preach'^ all day. Eben' Simonds and wife owned y* covenant. Bap- tiz'^ — Jona. Stickney and John — of Eben' Simonds. Mon. 24. Set out for Portsmouth. Lodged at Mr. Flaggs. Mr. Scales overtook me there. Tues. 25. Dined at Folsoms, Exeter. Lodged at Folsoms at Greenland. Wed. 26. An extraordinary storm of snow. Tar- ried at Greenland. Teams were stopp*^. Thur. 27. With difficulty we arrived at Ports- mouth. The snow so drifted by y^ Globe Tavern y* 'twas with difficulty we worried through. Frid. 28. A pleasant day but no General Court. Sat. 29. A second great storm of snow. Drifted verv much. Dined at Mr. Cut's. Sun. 30. Very blustering. Snow flew prodig- iously. A. M. Heard Dr. Langdon.^ P. M Tarried at home. Mon. 31. Continued cold. No General Court." Visited Dr. Jackson. [XoTK. Inasmuch as the above mentioned journey to Portsmouth embraced a few days of the following year, the diary of the first twelve days of January 1765, is subjoined. — J. B. W.] 1. Rev. Samuel Langdon, d. d., pastor of First Parish in Ports- mouth, from 1747 to 1774. 2. Mr. Walker's object in going to Poi-tsmouth at this time, was to obtain of the General Court, if possible, the incorporation of his town or the renewal of the District Act, by which it had once been governed. 62 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 1765. JANUARY. Jan. 1. Dined at Parson Brown's.^ Spent y^ evening with Dr. Thornton. Wed. 2. No travelling yet and so continued this week. Sat. 5. Dined at Mr. Haven's." Sun. 6. A. M. Preach'^ ll>r Mr. Haven. P. M. For Dr. Langdon. Mon. 7. Y^ General Court met. Tues. 8. Heard Russells Petition. Wed. 9. Did little business. Thur. 10. Left my aftairs with Major Blanchard. P. M. Set out homeward. Lodged at Capt Hoits, Strath am. Frid. 11. Dined with Mr. Stearnes. Lodged at Tiltons. Sat. 12. Arrived home. Very cold. N. west wind blew hard. 1766. Sunday 28th September. Preached at Mr. Swan's in Pigwacket. Arrived 25th ; lodged at Capt W's. Monday, 29. Visited and lodged at Mr. Moses Day's. Bap. Judith his daughter. October 5. Preached at Pigwacket. Bap. Susan- na, daught. of — Holt; Barnard, son of Timothy Walker, Jun. ; Susanna, daught. of Sam. Osgood ; Ann, daught. of Leonard Harriman ; Robert, son of David Page ; William, son of Jno. Evans ; Sarah, daught. of David Evans ; Wm., son of Wm. Eaton ; Moses, son of Jas. Osgood ; Wm., son of Ben. Os- good, 11 bap. at Pigwacket. 1. Rev. Arthur Browne, rector of the Episcopal Church, at Ports" mouth. 2. Rev. Samuel Haven, d. d., pastor of Second Parish in Portsmouth' from 1752 to 180G. DIARIES OF EEY. TIMOTHY WALKER. 53 1780. w. M. 1780. January has 31 days. 7 1 Cold weather begins y" year. 1 2 Continued cold. Preached all day. In y^ eveninu; visited the sick son of James Hazeltine. 2 3 Fell a snow of considerable depth. Visited daughter Thompson.^ 3 4 Coldest weather we have had. Winds high. Snow vastly drifted. AYeather a little moderated. Wind increased. Travelling very difficult. Wind continued excessive high. Philip^ went with a team to Portsmouth. Winds y^ same. Very cold. Weather still y^ same. Preached all day. Y*" first pleasant day for a long time. Continued pleasant weather. Mr. Foster arrived from Exeter, being y^ first y* arrived since y* turbulent weather. Weather continued pleasant. The N. W. wind resumed y* ascendency. Married Stephen Hall and Patience Flanders, both of Concord. N. W. wind still prevalent. Teams y' had been detained below a fort- night by the deep and drifted snow arrived. Preached all day. Still very cold. Had a very bad cold. Visited Daughter Thompson. Cloudy, but no snow. Cleared up cold. 1. Mrs. Sarah Thompson, wife of Benjamin Thompson, afterwards Count Rumford. 2. Philip Abbot, his hired man. 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 1 9 2 10 3 11 4 12 5 13 6 14 7 15 1 16 2 17 3 18 4 19 5 20 54 DIARIES OF REY. TIMOTHY ^'ALKER. 6 21 Visited Daughter Tlionipson. 7 22 Continued very cold. 1 23 Preached all day. Very cold. The coldest Sunday y' has been for years. 2 24 Son Timothy^ set out for Boston. 3 25 This and y^ preceding day more pleasant than we have had. 4 26 Nothing remarkable. 5 27 Visited at Daughter Thompson's. 6 28 N. W. wind renewed its force. 7 29 Continued very cold. 1 30 Preached all day. 2 31 Perhaps the coldest day we have had y^ season. Account of maiTiages in Jaiuiary. .13 d. Stephen Hall and Patience Flanders, both of Concord. February has 29 days. 3 1 Light wind, southerh'. Clouded P. M. 4 2 Cleared up. Wind N. W., but not extreme cold. 5 3 A very pleasant day. 6 4 Do. 7 5 The N. W. wind revived with increased vigor. 1 6 Preached all day. In y^ evening Col. Hurd advenit. 2 7 A pleasant day. 3 8 A moderate snow, four or five inches deep. 4 9 Cleared up cold. Wind N. W. 5 10 Do. 6 11 Weather a little moderated. 7 12 Had news from y*" General Court. 1 13 Preached all day. 1. Hon. Timothy Walker. 2 14 3 15 4 16 5 17 6 18 7 19 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 55 Visited at Capt. Roach's. Attended y^ funeral of Mrs. Shute. Began • a thaw. Rained chief of y^ night. Mr. Prince preached a lecture here. Dined with Mr. Prince^ at Mr. Kinsman's. The thaw much damaged y^ travelling. Attended y^ funeral of Joseph Clough's child, and baptized Elizabeth, his other daughter. 1 20 Preached and in evening married Samuel Willard and Sarah Thompson, both of Concord. 2 21 Thawy weather. Capt. Kinsman* arrived from Boston. No news. 3 22 Visited at Daughter Chandler's.^ 4 23 Visited at Daughter Thompson's. 5 24 Went to William Brown's and there married John Dobbin and Sarah Brown, Ijoth of Chester. G 25 Cold but not extreme. Son Timothy set out for Exeter. 7 26 Hazy. Likely for a snow. 1 27 Preached at Pembroke. Baptized a daughter of Aaron Whittemore. Do. of John Head. Do. of Nath' Lakeman. Mr. Colby* preached for me. 1. Rev. Joseph Prince, first minister of Barrington. 2. Capt. Aaron Kinsman, of Bow, was an ofiicer of the Revo- lution who commanded a company in Stark's regiment at Bunker Hill, and served through the whole or a good part of the Revolution- ary period. He subsequently resided in Concord, and was highly respected. 3. Mr. Walker's youngest daughter, the widow of Capt. Abiel Chandler, of Concord, who died in 1777. She afterwards married Henry RoKe, of Concord. 4. Rev. Zaccheus Colby,ordained March 22, 1780, and pastor of the Pembroke church from 1780 to 1803. 5 9 6 10 7 11 1 12 56 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 2 28 Heard various rumors of j" revolt of Ireland. 3 29 A very pleasant day ends y^ month. Account of marriages in February, viz : 20 D. Samuel Willard and Sarah Thompson, both of Concord. 24 D. John Dobbin and Sarah Brown, both of Chester. March has 31 days. 4 1 The first, second and third days pleasant. 7 4 Dined at Daughter Thompson's with Sq"" Page. 1 5 The company kept Sabbath here. Preached. Baptized Peter Hazeltine — of Dan' Abbot ; Abial — of Benj'' Farnum ; Sam' — of Rich- ard Ayer ; Hepzibah — of Jabez Abbot and Betty— Obadiah Hall. 2 6 Dined at Mrs. Osgood's^ with Sq" Page. Annual Town Meeting. 3 7 Continued moderate weather. 4 8 Heard pr. Mr. Carlton that Mr. Ingalls from Androscoggin" said y^ snow had not been above twelve inches deep there this winter. Nothing remarkaljle. Last night and to-day fell about six inches snow. Cloudy, but no falling weather. Preached. Snowed somewhat. Read the letter from Pembroke ch. to assist in or- daining Mr. Colby. The church chose Col. Thomas Stickney and Tim° Walker, Jr., Esq., delegates. 1. Mrs. Hannah Osgood, whose patriotism was as hearty as her hos- pitality, and who was commonly called " Mother Osgood," kept a well known inn in Concord for many years. 2. About this time many persons emigrated from Concord and set- tled at Rnmford, on the Androscoggin river in Maine. 2 13 3 14 4 15 5 16 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 57 A pleasant day. Marriecl Alexander Long and Anna Moor of Bow. Visited at Mr. Stevens's^ and Mr. Harris's.^ Married Mr. Nathaniel Rolfe, Jnnior, and Mrs. Judith Chandler, both of Concord ; also James Garvin, Junior, and Sarah Mitchell, both of Bow. Nothing remarkable. Do. Preached all day. Nothing remarkable. Married Samuel Abbott, Junior, of Pem- broke, and Lydia Perrum of Concord. 4 22 Attended y^ ordination of Mr. Colby at Pem- broke.^ Messrs. Rice and Kelley departed. Fell a small flight of snow and hail. Cleared up, moderate. Preached. Baptized James Osgood — of Jeremiah Abbot. The last week in March cold blustering weather for y^ most part. 6 17 7 18 1 19 2 20 3 21 5 23 6 24 7 25 1 2(3 Account of marriages in March. 14 D. Alexander Long and Anna Moor, both of Bow. 16 D. Nath' Rolfe, Jr., and Judith Chandler, both of Concord. 1. John Stevens, an Englishman, educated at the University of Cam- bridge, was for many years a trader in Concord. His store stood at the north vpest corner of Main and Pleasant streets. In 1777 he was suspected of Toryism and sent to Exeter jail, but was subsequently released by the Legislature. He died in 1792. 2. Robert Harris, for many years a prominent trader and citizen'of Concord. 3. Rev. Zaccheus Colby, dismissed May 11, 1803. {5} 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 58 DIARIES OF KEY. TIMOTHY WALKER. 16 D. James Garvin, Juii., and Sarah Mitchell, both of Bow. 21 D. Sam' Abbot, Junior, of Pembroke, and Lydia Perrum, both of Concord. April has thii'ty days. 7 1 Very cold for y"" season. Post brought y" first newspaper we have had. Preached all day. Very cold. Town meeting is adjourned to y^ first Monday, July. Y^ first spring-like day for a good while. Weather continued moderate. Nothing remarkable. Weather grew colder. In y^ evening hurt my foot badly. N. B. Sat'y y^ 8tli sowed my first peas. Was detained at home by lameness. A. M. A smart rain. Snow up country. Cleared up cold. Something of a freshet. Continued cold for the season. Weather much y^ . My lameness in- creased. No news from Europe of importance. Mr. Foster^ advenit. Daughter Susan pep'. Preached. Baptized Betty — of son Timothy Walker. 2 17 A cold rain. Went to mill. Nath' East- man's house was burnt. 3 18 Visited at Daughter Thompson's. 4 19 5 20 A rainy day. 6 21 Cleared up cold for the season. 7 22 The nurse went away. 2 10 3 11 4 12 5 13 6 14 7 15 1 16 1. Rev. Abiel Foster, pastor of Canterbury church from 1761 to 1779. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 59 23 Weather moderated. Preached. After meeting Sam^ Davis and wife owned y^ covenant. Baptized Robert and Betty, cliildren of do. In y^ evening turned up very cold. Continued verv cold for y^ season. Weather a little moderated. A continental ftist. Preached. Mat" junx' Moses Kimball and Hannah Chase, both of Concord. AVeather moderated much. This week's news gives ace' of a large French fleet arrived at Charleston, S. C. Was not attacked y^ V'*" inst. 1 30 Pleasant weather ends y^ month. Preached. Propounded y^ Sticrainent. 2 24 3 25 4 26 5 27 6 28 29 Account of marriages in April. 27 D. Moses Kimball and Hannah Chase, both of Concord. May has 31 days. 2 1 A cold rain, but moderate. 3 2 Do. The freshet rose, but not high. 4 o Cleared up but cold for 3'^ season. 5 4 Do. 6 5 The first warm day for some time. Visited at Daughter Thompson's. 7 6 A pleasant day. Post brought y* ace' of y^ arrival of y^ . 1 7 Preached. Sac/". 2 8 Pained a little. Catched a violent cold. In y^ night was taken with a violent ague fit, with vomitinii'. 3 9 Was so weak I could scarcely walk. P. M. Catched a bad fall down staii-s. 4 10 Grew better. A very warm, pleasant day. 60 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY AVALKER. 5 11 Turned up cold for the season. 6 12 Weather continued cold for y^ season. Mr. Smitli of Dartmouth College advenit.^ 7 13 Weather moderated. Planted my first beans^ viz : 8 rows. Preached all day. Weather continued warm. Planted 1) hills of squashes, 9 of cucumbers, and 8 rows of beans, whereof 1 and about H were Mr. Kimljall's sort. Warm, pleasant weather. Began to plant Indian corn. A remarkable dark day although the clouds appeared thin. Finished planting Indian corn. Y*" Post not arrived. The reason not known. Preached all day. Began to complain of y^ drowth. Contiinied warm and dry. Saw Capt Mitchell from Androscoggin. Visited at daughter Thompson's. Heard the good news from Capt. Roaclr y' y^ Regulars had raised the siege at Charles- ton, S. C, with considerable loss. 7 27 Had a small, refreshing shower, and another in y^ night following. 1 28 Preached ; appt)inted the Sacrament. Bap- tized Susanna — of Jacob Carter, and Hannah — of Joshua Chandler. 2 29 Son Tim°. set out for Woburn. 1. Rev. John Smith, d. d., Professor of Latin and Greek lan- guages. 2. Capt John Roach, a native of Cork, Ireland, came to Concord about 1778. He was a Continental soldier and lived at south end of Main street. He married Elizabeth Rogers after her divorce from her husband, Major Robert Rogers. 1 14 2 15 3 16 4 17 5 18 6 19 7 20 1 21 2 22 3 23 4 24 5 25 6 26 DIARIES OF REV. TEVIOTHY WALKER. Gl 3 30 Warm, dry weather. 4 31 Tarried at home ahnost alone. Account of marriages in May. 10 D. John Chandler of Boscawen and Emma Farnum of Concord. June has' 30 days. 5 1 Dined at Mr. Harris's Avith Mr. Hunt. Mat- ri° junx' Daniel Flood of Wear and Sarah Kimball of Concord. Visited at daughter Judith's. Son Timothy returned from Woburn. N. B. On the evening of the 2d was some frost but did no harm in this neighborhood. Preached. Administered y^ Sacrament. Weather moderated. Continues warm j^leasant weather. Visited at daughter Thtmipson's. Rained moderately most (jf \^ day. Cleared up cool. A light frost. Mr. Kelly advenit.^ Dined at Mr. Kim- ball's.- Warm and some signs of rain. Preached all day. Nothing remarkal^le. Capt. from Newburyport bro* ace* y* y^ siege of Charleston was raised.^ Mr. Nath' Rogers arrived. A moderate rain. Sat out about 140 cab- bage plants. Cleared up. There was but little rain. Something cloudy. Sat out 150 cabbage plants. 6 2 ^ o / O 1 4 2 5 3 6 4 7 5 8 6 9 7 10 1 11 2 12 3 13 4 14 5 15 6 16 7 17 1. Rev. William Kelly, minister of Warner from 1772 to 1801. 2. Deacon John Kimball. 3. May 12, 1780. 62 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY AVALKER. Preached Ijoth parts of y^ day. Sat out 1-50 cabbage plants. Some signs of rain. In y^ night past we had a fine rain. Cleared up pretty cool. Heard the news that Charleston, S. C, was taken. Warm, growing weather. Set out some cabl)age plants. ^flJIji Preached. Baptized Robert — of Daniel Hall. Mr. Woodman^ and wife advenit. Visited at Dr. Green's. ~ A fine rain. Mr. Rice^ advenit. Continued raining. Heared the French fleet had got possession of Halifax. Finished setting out cabbage plants. Sat in y^ whole about 500 or 600. N. B. Agreed with y*" Post Rider for half a year's newspapers, beginning y^ 28j of June and to end y^ 21 of December. 1 18 2 19 O 20 4 21 5 22 6 23 7 24 1 25 2 26 3 27 4 28 5 20 6 30 Account of marriages in June. 1 D. Daniel Flood of Wear and Sarah Kimball of Concord. July has 81 days. 7 1 Cleared up warm after a beautiful rain which has mended the prospect of hay, very mucli. 1 2 Preached. Baptized Sarah — of Stephen Abbot. 2 3 A fine shower. 1. Rev. Joseph Woodman the minister of Sanbornton from 1771 to 1806. 2. Dr. Peter Green, who practiced medicine in Concord from 1772 to 1828. 3. Rev. Jacob Rice, minister of Henniker from 17G9 to 1782. 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 1 9 2 10 3 11 4 12 5 13 P) 14 7 15 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY AVALKER. 63 Sat out for Henniker council. Dined at Mr. Fletcher s.^ Lodged at Capt. How's. Met y" other members of y^ council at Mr. Rice's. Prevailed with v^ contending parties to sub- mit their matter to a mutual council. Returned home. A very hot day. Mr. Ilutchinson dined with me. Preached. Baptized Jennv — of Asa Kim- ball. Began to inoAv. Cloudy. Rained a little. Raked our hay y' was mowed Monday. Carted 3 loads of hay. Carted 4 loads of hay. Cloud}'. Signs of rain. Carted 3 loads of hay. Sally Walker^ returned from Wo- burn and brought -news of }^ arrival of y* P'rench rieet at Newport. 1 16 Preached. Propounded Stephen Hall and wife to own y^ covernant. 2 17 Carted in y" last of clover, making 15 loads in y^ whole. 3 18 A. M. A moderate rain. P. M. Cleared up. A good hay day. Visited at Mr. Harris's. A cool morning, but a pleasant day. Remained good hay weather. Preached. Remained fair weather. Do. Do. A small shower in v^ afternoon. 1. Rev. Elijah Fletcher, minister of Hopldnton from 1773 to 1786. 2. Afterwards Mrs. Major Daniel Livermore. 4 19 20 6 21 7 22 1 23 2 24 25 64 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 4 26 Have had 3 or 4 of the hottest clays this season. Weatlier grew a Httle cooler. Weather grew hot again. Do. Preached. Propounded the sacrament. Stephen HalTs wife owned v^ covernant. Baptized Daniel — of Ezra Carter and Moses — of Stephen Hall. 2 31 Visited at daughter Thompson's. 5 27 6 28 7 29 1 30 1 4 2 5 3 6 4 5 2 7 o 8 4 9 5 10 G 11 7 12 1 13 2 14 No marriages this month. August has 31 days. A very warm day. Do. P. M. A smart thunder shower. Began to reap winter rye. Very hot. In y^ evening a shower. Carted 12 shocks of winter rye. P. M. A small thunder shower. Preached. Sac. ceV. Baptized Amos — of Mr. Caleb Chase.^ Went on with reaping our rye. Weatlier very hot about three days. Nothing remarkable. Finished winter rye harvest. Had about 51 shocks. Weather extreme hot. Mr. Rawson advenit. Mr. Rawson preached for me. Visited at Esq. Green's.^ Finished summer rye harvest, about — shocks. Also stack- ed our flax. 1. Caleb Cha.se was town clerk of Concord from 1787 to 1791. 2. Hon. Peter Green was Concord's first lawyer. He commenced practice there in 1707. He held important offices and died in 1798. He was supposed, at times, duringthe Revolution, to entertain Tory prin- ciples, and was consequently unpopular. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 65 3 15 Continued very hot Aveather. 4 16 There has been 5 or 6 extreme hot days. 5 17 Matr° jux' John Straw and Mary Emerson, both of Concord. 6 18 A very plentiful rain. 7 19 Post Ijro' news of a great mob in London. 1 20 Preached. Weather changed from extreme hot to very cold for y^ season. 2 21 Began to reap my Syberian wheat. 3 22 Finished reaping and carting y^ Syberian wheat, viz. : 32 shocks. 4 23 Extreme hot. 5 24 Continued y^ same. 6 25 The air was cooled bv a pleasant breeze. 7 26 Helped Dr. Goss^ cart his hay. 1 27 Preached. Admitted Nathan Kinsman and wife to full communion. 2 28 Our Androscoggin meeting was adjourned to v*" 8 of Sept. next. 3 29 Son Timothy sat out for Exeter. 4 30 Finished y^ haying. Y^ weather changed to cold for y^ season. There has been a long spell of very hot weather. 5 31 Rained a little X. B. 22d inst. Sent £200 by y^ Post to Henry Gardner, Esq., for taxes for Waterford. 2d Sept. Post bro' me Mr. Gardner's letter y' he had received y^ £200 which letter son Timothy has in keeping. Account of marriages in August. 17 D. John Straw and Mary Emerson both of Concord. 1. Dr. Ebenezei- Haniden Goss, who married Mr. Walker's daugh- ter Mary in 1768. He removed to Brunswick, Me., and subsequently to Paris Me. 6 1 7 2 1 3 2 4 3 5 4 6 66 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. September has 30 days. Rained somewhat. Continued rainy weather. A pretty rainy day. Preached. Adminis- tered y^ sacrament. Visited at Daughter Eolfe's. Began })icking peas. Heard y^ news of y^ re-enforcement of y^ French fleet. Matr°junx' Moses Hacket and Keziah Ladd, both of Goffestown. Messrs. Sterns^ Merrill dined here. Post brought little news. Spread our flax. Preached. Visited with Daughter Thompson at Dr. Goss's. Nothing remarkable. Married Nathan Holt and Sarah Thompson, both of Bow. Our Androscoggin sat out. Pleasant weather. The Post brought no extraordinary news. Mr. Fessenden preached for me. Went up to Chandler's mill, Contoocook. Visited at Mr. Harris's. Married William Walker and Eunice Stevens, both of Coucord. Made one Ijarrel (jf cider. Philip Abbot spread his iiax. Nothing remarkable. . Mr. Fletcher- advenit. Nothing remarkable. Preached and propounded y^ sacrament. Pleasant weather. Philip spread his flax. Mr. Welch adv'. 1. Rev. Josiah Stearns, minister of Epping from 1758 to 1788. 2. Probably Rev. Elijali Fletclier of Hopkiiitoir 6 8 7 9 1 10 2 11 3 12 4 13 5 14 6 15 7 16 1 17 2 18 3 19 4 20 5 21 6 22 7 23 1 24 2 25 3 26 4 jj/ 5 28 6 29 7 30 DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 67 A pleasant day. Went out to Bow and married John Bayley of Dunbarton and Margaret Hall of Bow. Philip Ablx)t our flax. A pleasant day ends y^ month. Account of marriages in September. 7 D. Moses Hacket and Keziah Ladd, both of Goffes Town. 1.3 D. Nathan Holt and Sarah Thompson, both of Bow. 20 D. Will™ Walker and Eunice Stevens, both of Concord. 28 D. John Bavlev of Dunbarton and Margaret Hall of Bow. October has 31 days. 1 1 Preached. Administered y* sacrament. Bap- tized Ebenezer — of John Farnum and Naomi — of Ephraim Farnum, Junior. 2 2 Went to Flanders' mill with a team. 3 3 Tarried at home. 4 4 Tucker leathered the corn upon CogswelVs^ lot. 5 5 Took up our flax. 6 6 Finished picking apples. 7 7 Prince plowed at Hale's Point for winter rye. 1 8 Preached all day. 2 9 Nothing extraordinary. 3 10 Visited Daughter Goss. 4 11 Sowed 4 bushels winter rye at Hale's Point.^ 1. The second lot in the Waternummon's Field in Concord. 2. Hale's Point, as may be seen by consulting the map of the Concord interval, found in the records of the proprietors, and also in Bouton's History of Concord, page 125, was in 1780 on the west side of the Merrimack river. It is now upon the east side, having been cut off by a freshet in January, 1828. 6 13 7 14 1 15 2 16 o IT 4 18 5 19 6 20 68 DIARIES OF KEY. TIMOTHY WALKER. 5 12 Married Bruce Walker and Mehitabel Courier, both of Concord, Rained moderately. Visited Mr. Hunt at Mr. Harris's. Preached. Baptized Betty — of Nath' Currier. Rained, and as we hear, snow up country. Went on with Indian Harvest. Began making cider. Made 6 barrels and i. Made 3 barrels water cider. ^ The town was assembled to raise men to resist y^ enemy at Cowos. 7 21 Finished making cider, having made 13 barrels cider and upwards of 5 of water cider. 1 22 Preached. Baptized Hetty — of Maj-^ Jona- than Hale. 2 23 Visited at Daughter Thompson's. 3 24 Finished gatliering corn, 4 25 Finished husking. 5 26 Visited at Mr. Harris's. 6 27 Visited at Daughter Goss's. A remarkable eclipse of the sun a1)out noon. 7 28 Mr. Fletcher advenit in his way to Canter- J^ury. 1 29 Y^ most plentiful rain we have had for a louii" time. Preached all day. 2 30 Went to Flanders' mill and to y^ clothier."' 3 31 Went asrain to Flanders' mill. Account of marriages in October. 12 D. Bruce Walker and Mehitable Courier, both of Concord. 1. " Water cider " was a weak cider, made by watering the pumice, after the ordinary pressing. It was usually drank before that of the best quality. 2. Much of the woolen cloth worn at this time was sj)un and woven on the farm and dressed at a clothier's mill. DIARIES OF REV. TIMOTHY WALKER. 69 XovEMBER has 30 days. A cold snow storm. Snow fell al^oiit two inclit'8. Cleared up cold for y^ season. Continued cold. The post 1jr()u