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.

13.) 20 October 1749. Yesterday PM visited Widow Esther Peirce - This day, Visited {Ebenezer} Foster his {daughter} yet sick & prayed with {them} -

21. Visited {Ebenezer} Foster his daughter yet ill. Mr. Swain preacher dined with me in his way to Dunstable.

x22. Lords day. I preach'd all day from 2 {Corinthians} 4.17.18 old sermon - Read 2 {Kings} 5. {Revelation} 21. Read the Confession of Deborah Bates in the {public} [Communion?]

23. Visited {Ebenezer} Foster his {daughter} yet sick & prayed - The PM visited {Colonel} Stoddard and his family

24. Visited {Ebenezer} Foster his {daughter} sick etc.

25. Visited Joseph Farrar his child sick & in evening {Captain} {Zachariah] Richardson his eldest {daughter} sick. PM visited {Colonel} Blanchard at {Colonel} Stoddards - In the evening Received a Visit from {Colonel} Blanchard, {Colonel} Stoddard, {Captain} Read - and Mr. Chandler of Rowley - who supped with me and the last gentleman lodged with us.

26. Visited {Ebenezer} Foster his {daughter} yet very ill and pray- ed with {them} - I went to Boston, Mr. Willis rode down with me

27. Visited some Friends. Visited & prayed with {Reverend} Baker & wife sick.

28. Entered upon business, Toward settleing my late honored fathers Estate

x29. Lords day. Heard {Reverend} Mr. Welstead preached AM from {Jeremiah} 45.5. Two first Clauses - I preached PM from {Matthew} 11.19 - Dined at Mr. Welsteads & supped at Mr. Grays - {Reverend} Mr. Swan preached for me, and Notified of sacrament to be next {Sabbath}.

30. Went on upon business, as Saturday last -

31. Ditto. Lodged last night at {Reverend} Mr. Grays

{November} 1 - 1749. Ditto - lodged last night at Roxbury with {Captain} Dow who lately married my honored Mother. Attended funeral of Elder Baker who died the last Lords day - Evening Visited {Reverend} Mr. Mather.

2. Engaged in same business as before

14) 3 {November} 1749. Returned home from Boston and {brought} Molly Stoddard with me - found my family well - and my {people} in general better -

4. Visited {Ebenezer} Foster his {daughter} Mary upon the recovery Mr. {Nathaniel} Gardner preacher visited me.

5.Lords day and {Communion} day. Preached all day from {Psalm} 51.4 beginning {verse}. Sermon number 500.1 - from {Genesis} 39.9 last clause - Deborah Bates was admitted to full {Communion} - I administered Sacrament supp't - Read the last Chapter Revelation PM - Read proclamation for General Thanksgiving - Attended the funeral of a young Child of {Samuel} Barron Junior - Sarah Blanchard alias Burge maiden name was dismissed to Church in Hollis

6. Spent the day at home & in the Town Meeting about my sallary - they voted me 50£ and ten [shillings] above what I had the last year

7. Visited {Jonathan} Harwood 2 Children sick - John Adams sick with several of his Children ill {Samuel} Barron Junior one Child sick, Ephraim Warren & his wife both sick & prayed with all of {them} -

8. Went to Dracut with my wife Dined at the {Reverend} Mr Parkers - {Reverends} Messrs Spaulding & Chandler & wives were there also

9. Visited {Richard} Stevens & son {Samuel}. Old {Deacon} Spaulding, a Granddaughter sick at his house and pray'd with {them} - All his children in that neighborhood - and Samuel Perham - & in the evening {Ebenezer} Foster

10. began sermon. Visited {Colonel} Stoddard

11. Wrote sermon.

x12. Lords day. Preach'd all day from {Psalm} 119.67 Read 2 {Kings} 6 - Baptized John son of {Edward} and Sarah Jewet propounded Asa Martin to own the {Covenant}

15) 13. {November} 1749. Visited Oliver Fletcher in the evening.

14. Visited Robert Peirce & {Deacon} Spaulding AM PM {Deacon} Spaulding his granddaugher yet dangerously sick & pray'd with {them}

15. Wrote sermon.

x16. Thanksgiving day. I preach'd from {Hebrews} 13.15.16. Dr. King dined with us

17. Spent the day cheifly in reading -

18. PM Went to Billerica, & lodged at {Reverend} Mr. Chandler's -

x19. Lords day. I preached all day at Billeri ca on a Change with {Reverend} Mr. Chandler. I discoursed from Job. 34.31.32. by reason of sickness & mortality there - Rode home at evening

20. Visited Peter Prockter sick & pray'd with him - Visited {Benjamin} Prockter & his mother & {Ebenezer} Harris. -PM attended the funeral of a granddaughter who died, at Deacon Spauldings - {Daughter} to {Deacon} Spaulding of Wesford -

21. Visited {Colonel} Stoddard with my wife & Mary Stoddard.

22. Visited {Ephraim} Warren he being yet sick

23. Visited {Captain} {Jonathan} Richardson, {Leiutenant} Blodget & {Benjamin} Gould

24. Wrote sermon - in evening Visited {Colonel} Stoddard

25. Mr. Swain the preacher dined with me Wrote sermon

x26. Lords day. Preach'd all day from {Psalm} 34.11 read AM 2 Kings . Propounded the {Covenant} to Asa Martin - and Baptized his {daughter} by the name of Molley - Stopp'd {Church} and proposed to {them} the Choice of another Deacon - it having been proposed to me

16) 17. {November} 1749. Visited Jonas Adams Sick & [Jim?] Spaulding a Child sick, & {Joseph} Warner his wife dangerously ill Of a Cancer - and prayed with Each - Visited Deacon Adams and his son {John} -

28. Visited Peter Prockter sick - {Nathaniel} Harword & son Jonathan _ {Reverend} Mr. Wilkins Supp'd and Lodged with us -

29. Did design to go to Boston but was prevented

30. Visited Jonah Fletcher & Son with my wife in the Evening. Supp'd at the Old Mans -

1 {December} 1749. Visited {Colonel} Stoddard much indisposed this day & night following -

2. Wrote sermon -

x3. Lords day. I preached all day from 2 {Kings} 2.23.24. Read 2d. Kings 8th {chapter}. After service PM Stop'd {Church} and asked {them} their minds as to the Choice of a Deacon as proposed last lords day - and they signified their minds by a Vote there. They {would} proceed to the choice of a {Deacon} and that the parties be desired to call a meeting

4. for that End - (4) Visited {John} Mowers & dined with him with my wife and son {Jonathan}- (5.) Visited {Ephraim} 5 Warren He and wife sick, & {Joseph} Herrick sick & pray'd with Each - Spent eving and Supp'd at {Deacon} Spauldings Junior

6. It was my turn to have the Ministers meeting at my home, but none came - the weather being not quite fair - {Colonel} {Stoddard} dined with me

7 Visited {Joseph} Adams his wife sick - (8) Wrote sermon

(8) 9. Wrote sermon - (10) Lords day. Preach'd all

x10. day from {Proverbs} 23.29.30., and reproved my {people} in fitts at the Tavern. Read 2 {Kings} 9 {Chapter} - and In the Evening Visited {Jonathan} Warren his eldest Child Sick with the Canker Quincy - & pray'd there

11. Visited {Jonathan} Warner his Child dangerously Sick & pray'd - PM this Child died - In the Evening Visited {Jonathan} Warren his wife dan gerously ill of a Cancer in her shoulder & pray'ed there

25) 23 {March} 1749/50. Wrote Sermon

24. Wrote Sermon

x25. Lords day. I preach'd all day from {Matthew} 18.11. & propounded the desires of {Robert} Bates to own the {Covenant} -

26. Rode as far as {Colonel} Clarks -

27. {Morning} Visited {Colonel} Stoddards youngest child taken again with fitts & pray'd with {them} - Ditto in the Evening - PM Visited {Ebenezer} Foster

28. Received a Visit from {Reverend} Mr. Hall - Wth him I Visited {Colonel} Stoddard his child yet ill -

29. Visited {Colonel} Stoddards child -

30. Visited Oliver Fletcher & {Colonel} Stoddards child &c. PM Wrote Sermon -

31. Visited {Colonel} {Stoddard} being sent for & pray'd with his Child &c. &c. Visited again toward night -

x1 April 1750 - Lords day. I changed with {Reverend} Mr. Hale - I preach'd from {Hebrews} 11.25. & from {Psalms} 10.4. - Mr. Hall Baptized with us Uriah the Son of {Zachariah} & Dinah Keyes - In the Evening I Visited {Colonel} Stoddards child dying, being sent for, - It Died about 12 O Clock in the night -

2. Visited {Colonel} Stoddard in the Evening {with} my wife

3. Visited {Captain} Parker wounded with the fireing off of a gun, by one of his Soldiers at training

4. {Reverends} Messrs. Parker & Meril dined with us - PM Attended the {funeral} of {William} the Son of {Colonel} Stoddard aged about 11 {months} -

5. Rode to Dracutt with my wife upon a Visit to {Reverend} Mr. Parker, dined there -

6. Visited {Colonel} Stoddard in the Evening

7. Wrote {Sermon}. Received a Visit from {Reverend} Mr. Carpenter

x8. Lords day I preach'd all day from {Proverbs} 3.13.14. Began to read in Course for this Season - & Read 2 {Kings} 10 {Chapter} & {Matthew} 1. Propounded the {Covenant} to Robert Bates -