Bridge, Ebenezer, 1716-1792. Ebenezer Bridge papers, 1740-1792. Diary, pages 1-48 : autograph manuscript (unsigned), 1749-1750. MS Am 1186 (27). Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

8) 3 {September} 1749. Lords day & {Communion} Day. See page 7 - and administered Baptism to Eliscus the son of {Samuel} Junior & Sarah Barron - Read 15 chapter {Revelations}.

4. Sometime in the night past died Sarah the Daughter of Henry Spaulding with the throat distemper, so that now he is wholly bereaved of children - I visited Deacon Peirce he is very bad, & pray'd with him - Robert Fletcher very ill his wife better. - And Henry Spaulding & discoursed with him.

5. Attended the funeral of Sarah Spaulding -

6. Went to Littleton Ministers meeting there; present Messrs. Trowbridge, Parker, Hall, Meril, Chandler & myself - my wife went with me -

7. Dined at {Colonel} Tyngs - Carried Peggy Stoddard there.

8. Began sermon. {Reverend} Mr. Chandlers wife delivered of a {daughter}

9. Wrote sermon. This evening died Deacon Stephen Peirce.

x10. Lords day. I preach'd all day from {Proverbs} 30.8.9 Read 1 {Kings} last chapter: {Revelations} 16 - Baptized {Samuel} the son of {Samuel} & Mercy Hutchins - & {Jonathan} Son of {Daniel} & Hannah Whitney.

11. Visited David Spaulding his {daughter} sick throat distemper & a grandchild of old Deacon Spaulding sick with the same and pray'd with {them} - Attended the {funeral} of {Deacon} Peirce with my wife and daughter Sally.

12. Visited {Zachariah} Emmery bruised by a fall - Visited {Daniel} Prockter his child sick of throat distemper - & {Jonathan} Barrats his child sick with the same & prayed with {them} - also Visited {Jonathan} Swallow -

13. Visited {Colonel} Stoddard (NB. he received his Commission as {Lieutenant Colonel} yesterday) his {daughter} {Elizabeth} sick - {John} Mowers & Oliver Peirce -

14. Visited {Colonel} Stoddard his {daughter} yet sick -

15. Sometime in the night past died Henry Spaulding a young lad son of {Deacon} Andrew Spaulding of Wickford, at his grandfathers, in this town - of the throat distemper - I Visited the Deacon, and his son David whose eldest child lays dangerously ill of the same distemper - Wrote sermon this day, & night & last night - A very plentiful rain after a grievous drought. I was very ill myself and distressed in my mind, especially in the night season

9) 16 {September} 1749. Wrote sermon. Attended the {funeral} of Henry Spaulding a grandson of old {Deacon} Spaulding - and Visited Davids child - In the evening Mr. Lawler came to my house from {Colonel} Tyng's, to keep {Sabbath} with us -

x17 Lords day. I preach'd all day from Acts 7.59 last clause - read 2 {Kings} 1. {Revelation} 17. - Before sunrise this morning I visited {Edward} Jewet very ill and prayed with him - & in the evening {Colonel} Stoddards child yet sick.

18. Visited Edward Jewet sick - and PM {John} Rich and son. & the {Captain} and {Lieutenant} Blodget two children sick of the throat distemper & pray'd with {them}.

19. I went to Boston - and PM Visited Friends.

20. Entered upon business in settling my Dear & {honored} Fathers Estate. - Dined at Mr. Whites

21. Dined at Dr. Mountforts -

22. Dined at my {honored} Mothers - and finished some business there PM

23. Returned home from Boston & found that the throat distemper has increased among us - This PM {Lieutenant} Blodget buried a son about 13. [lay?] of age with it - {Reverend} Mr. Parker attended the funeral - Mr. Lawler came from {Colonel} Tyngs to my house to keep {Sabbath} with us -

x24. Lord's day. I preach'd all day from {Psalm} 39.4 old sermons. Read 2 {Kings} 2. {Revelation} 18. After meeting PM, visited Peggy Stoddard at her brothers sick throat distemper, also his son Vryling and daughter {Elizabeth} yet sick - So I did in the evening and prayed with {them}. Attended the funeral of a Child of {Daniel} Prockters & visited Rebecca Foster sick of the throat distemper & Widow Parkers.

25. Visited {Jonathan} Swallow two children, {Jonathan} Snow one child, Widow Swallow a grandchild, {Daniel} Prockter 2 children sick throat distemper & pray'd with each. As also in {Colonel} Stoddards family with those sick there. Last night died another child of {Lieutenant} Blodget.

10) 26 {September} 1749. Visited {Captain} {Jonathan} Richardson sick & pray'd with him, dined at {Colonel} Tyngs PM attended the funeral of a Child of {Lieutenant} Blodgets & in the evening Visited {Colonel} Stoddard family as I did in AM -

27. Visited David Spaulding 2 or 3 Children sick throat {distemper} one dangerous. & pray'd &c. and Visited Jacob Spaulding, & discoursed with his wife whose father viz. Jacob Peirce died on {Saturday} night last at Westford & last night was buried in this Town - In the evening received a Visit from Dr. Abot. Visited {Colonel} Stoddards family in the forenoon & evening

28. Visited {Colonel} Stoddards family Twice, his son Vryling now exceeding dangerous - David Spaulding's son Robert died - Dr Abbot & wife visited in PM.

29. This morning called up before day & visited {Colonel} {Stoddard} his son Vryling seemingly near his end, I prayed with {them} - {Reverend} Mr. Parker & {Lieutenant} Varnum dined with me. I attended the {funeral} of a Child of David Spaulding - Went to bed much tired but was called up again to visit Mr. Stoddards child, who was seized with fitts, but I thought the child better notwithstanding - & pray'd with {them} -

30. This Morning Visited Mr. {Stoddards} family & his son Vryling seems to be better yet - but {daughter} {Elizabeth} in a dangerous state. Visited {them} again PM. Mr. Lawler came again from {Colonel} Tyngs to keep {Sabbath} with us.

1. October 1749. Lords day. I changed with {Reverend} Mr. Parker & preached all day drawn from 1 {Corinthians} 14.20. Dined at Mr. Woods - a Violent rainy day - I was very uncomfortable riding so far in the rain - Mr. Parker Baptized Uriah the son of {Daniel} and {Susanna} Prockter, and Lucy the {daughter} of John and {Elizabeth} Warren - and propounded {Nathaniel} and Martha Barrat to own the {Covenant} -

11) 2 October. I Visited David Spaulding, and while I was there his son Philip died of the throat distemper - I pray'd with {them} both before and after the child died - Attended the {funeral} of a son of {Jonathan} Swallow who died of same illness on Saturday - Visited the {Colonels} family - and Widow Swallow's grandchildren, & Thomas Barrat's {daughter} Hannah sick throat distemper, and pray'd with two last, and was quite tired when I got home -

3. Visited {Deacon} {Ephraim} Spaulding his wife and {daughter} ill, and {Deacon} Colburn, his son {Jonathan} & {daughter} Rebecca Butterfield sick throat distemper each, and pray'd with each. Visited {Colonel} Stoddards family - & attended the funeral of David Spauldings child -

4. Visited {Colonel} Stoddard his family - and Mary Fletcher sick & prayed with her - considerably indisposed myself ever since {Sabbath} past when I catch'd a great Cold in the rain -

5. Visited Joseph Adam upon business - considerably indisposed yet myself.

6. Visited Jacob Spaulding 2 Children sick & {Deacon} {Ephraim} Spaulding his son {Jonathan} sick, himself indisposed, & {Colonel} Stoddard and his {daughter} very bad and pray'd with Each - {Reverend} Mr. Parker came from Boston in the evening & lodged with us.

7. Visited {Lieutenant} Blodget his wife {daughter} and eldest son ill - & Captain {Jonathan} Richardson yet ill & prayed with each -

x8. Lords day. {Reverend} Mr. Chandler preach'd for me all day (AM from {Hebrews} 13.3 - PM from Job 10.2 last clause,) we having agreed upon a Change, & he having help unexpectedly, I sat still - I read 2 {Kings} 3 {Revelation} 19 - This night there was a Violent storm

9. I Visited Israel Prockter & {William} Prockter both having the throat distemper in their houses & pray'd with {them} - Also visited Gershom Procketer his wife ill.

12) 10 October 1749. I visited {Deacon} {Ephraim} Spaulding his Son yet sick & pray'd with {them} - Attended the {funeral} of Jacob Spauldings Child - Visited Mary Fletcher sick & pray'd with her - In the evening was called to Visit {Colonel} Spaulding & pray'd with {them} his daughter {Elizabeth} died, about quarter after 8 o Clock in the evening Aged 7 years last February -

11. Visited Edward Jewet, Widow {Joanna} Parker, PM & in the evening Mary Fletcher & {Colonel} Stoddard

12. Mr. John Dennis preacher dined with me. {Reverend} Mr. Parker Visited me PM - Attended the funeral of Elizabeth the {daughter} of {Colonel} Stoddard -

13. Wrote sermon. Discoursed with {Nathaniel} Barrat & Deborah Bates & drew confession for the latter -

14. Wrote sermon

x15. Lords day. I preach'd all day from {Hosea} 9.11.12 Read 2 {Kings} 4. {Revelation} 20. Propounded the Covenant to {Nathaniel} & Martha Barrat - & Stop'd Church after service to read to {them} a confession of {Deborah} Bates's in order to see whether they would be satisfied with one so general - They voted they would be satisfied with it when it {should} be read in {Public} -

16. Visited Widow Peirce & Robert Fletcher in the Neck and in the evening {Ebenezer} Foster his {daughter} Mary sick & pray'd.

17. Visited Old {Deacon} Spaulding, & son David & son Jacob {daughter} yet sick & pray'd, attended the {funeral} of Ruth {daughter} of {Lieutenant} Blodget - Visited {Ebenezer} Foster his {daughter} sick & pray'd - And in the evening {Colonel} Stoddard {Family} not well

18. I visited {Nathaniel} Harwood & son - Thomas Barrat, Mary Fletcher sick & {Colonel} Stoddards family not well. A Child of {Daniel} Locks was buried - I was not ask'd to attend the {funeral} Because {said} Lock is a most violent New light, & I have always oppos - ed his measures from the beginning etc etc etc

19. Visited {Samuel} Barron and son {Samuel} he having 2 children sick throat distemper & prayed with {them} Joseph Warren - In the evening married {Jonathan} Barron and Rachel Howard for 30/1.