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.

26) 9 April 1750 Visited {Colonel} Tyng with my wife and dined there - AM visited {Jonathan} Bates his child sick & prayed

10. Visited {Captain} Chamberlain's family, & Son {Jonathan} & son {Benjamin} his {daughter} sick & prayed with {them} - {Leiutenant} Minot & dined there - his son {Jonathan} Dr. Tucker & Andrew Betty - {Toward} night I visited Old Mr. Dutton and Prayed with him, he being considerably Indisposed -

11. Visited {Oliver} Peirce his wives Mother the Widow Varnum being ill there - & pray'd &c.

12. Visited {Colonel} Stoddard in the Evening

13. Visited {Colonel} Stoddard in the Evening {Colonel} Brattle & {Reverend} Mr. Hall being there -

14. Wrote sermon

x15. Lords day I preach'd all day from {Proverbs} 26.13. read 2 {Kings} 11. {Matthew} 2. Baptized [Persi?] the {daughter} of Jim & Mary Fletcher -

16. Visited {Samuel} Barron. {Reverend] Mr. Webb of Boston Died.

17. This {morning} called up Early to Visit {Jonathan} Butterfield Senior sick - I went & found him dying & he died while I was at Prayer with him. Discoursed with Ruth Parker & [spirits?]. Visited John Parker his wife yet ill - of Rhumatism.

18. Attended the funeral of {Jonathan} Butterfield {Ætas} 66. {Reverend} Mr. Wilkins lodged with us -

19. Mr. Wilkins dined with us. I visited Jonathan Barron in the Evening -

20. Visited {Nathaniel} Harwood & his son. PM Very much Engaged in business abroad, about my land, with men helping of me - {Reverend} Mr. Parker Visited me in his way from Boston & lodged with us -

21. Wrote sermon

x22. Lords day. I preach'd all day from {Ecclesiastes} 3.11 read 2 {Kings} 12. {Matthew} 3.

23. Went to Boston with Peggy Stoddard, dined there & PM Visited Friends

24. Dined at {Deacon} Barrits with {Reverend} Mr. Eliot -

27) 25 April 1750. Dined at Mr. Whites -

26. Saw a Woman, one Rich and in the Pillory - and a Man, one Williams whipt - In King Street, being Convicted of Writing [illeg.] Sending Incendiary, threatening letters to Mr. Wells, the Counsilor & Others -- P.M. Came home with Peggy Stoddard

27. Visited [Samuel] Barron Josiah Fletcher & {Colonel} Stoddard

28. Received Visit from Mr. [Jonathan] Tyng -

x29. Lords day I preach'd all day from {Romans} 5.1 Old sermons - Read 2 {Kings} 13. {Matthew} 4. Baptized John the Son of {Benjamin} & Lydia Prockter & Nathan the Son of Israel & Sarah Prockter Stop'd {Church} after Service to Contribute for the Communion table -

30. Exceeding buisy abroad

1. May 1750. Visited {John} Mowers his wife ill & pray'd & {Jerathmeel} Bowers his negro boy hurt at a raising - {Thomas} Fletcher & dined with him {Colonel} Clark

2. Visited {Jonathan} Barron

3. {Lecture} day. Rev. Messrs. Hall & Chandler [illeg.] dined with us (& Mrs. Chandler) -- the [latter] preached fm. [from] Acts 7.37 --

4. Visited John Parker ---

5. Wrote Sermon

x6 Lords day & {Communion} day I preach'd all day from {Hebrews} 7.26 - Read [Matthew] 5 - Administered sacrament of support - & Baptism To Lydia the {daughter} Of Robert & Lydia Bates -

7. Visited {James} Dutton - & Widdow Stevens Ill - & pray'd

8. [illeg.] last night began to [oint?] for the Itch - & kept house this day -

9. and also this day - Filthy work -- !

10. Wash'd - and became a little more comfortable

11. Rode out PM - a little for the Air -- but weak

28) 12 May 1750. Rode out PM & visited Widdow {Rebecca} Parker, she & her {daughter} Bridget ill

13. Lords day I Preach'd all day from {Psalm} 26.8 old sermon - read 2 {Kings}. 14. {Matthew} 6 - foul day

14. Visited Henry Byham his child scalded & pray'd PM Visited {Colonel} Clark with my wife - I visited {Jonathan} Bowers Sick, & prayed with him

15. busy abroad - PM visited {Jonathan} Barron

16. Visited {Lieutenant} Spaulding, {Samuel} Richardson & Son {Ebenezer} {Lieutenant} Blodget, & {Deacon} {Ephraim} Spaulding -

17. Rode into the Neck PM - and Visited & supp'd with Henry Fletcher (at the house Of his brother Andrew) who raised a Dwelling house

18. Discoursed with {Benjamin} Farmer one of this [Church's?] now living in Wesford about Infant Baptism - which he seems to scruple, &c ---

19. Wrote Sermon

x20. Lords day Preach'd all day from Acts 8.30.31.35 It being a year this day since I was ordained &c Read 2 {Kings}15]. {Matthew} 7. Baptized Henry the Son of Henry & Lucy Byham ---

21. {Reverend} Mr. Parker dined with me - PM I visited {Colonel} Stpddard with him --

22. Visited {James} Foster having his thigh broke & being br'ot home from Woburn last night - I pray'd with him &c PM Visited {Samuel} Prockter his {daughter} very ill by reason of broken bones, lately brot. home from Wilmington - I pray'd &c - Visited {Daniel} Prockter - & Thomas Barret -

23. Visited {Samuel} Barron his wife sick & pray'd

24. Visited {Colonel} Clark & dined with him -- {Jonathan} Baron sick - {Benjamin} Parker, & his son {Benjamin} Jr. Mowers his wife ill & pray'd with {them} - Intended a Visit to {Oliver} Peirce to see Widow Varnum, but got lost & came home via Billerica

29) May Visited Widow Stevens & pray'd - Widow 25) Spaulding with her Son Simeon - & Josiah Fletcher ill and disordered in his head

26. Wrote Sermon x27. Lords day. Preached all day from {Psalms} 43.1 latter part {Verse} - read 2 {Kings}. 16. {Matthew} 8 -

28. Set out for Boston with my wife & {daughter} Salley - PM Visited {Reverend} Mr. Turell at Medford -- Took our Lodgings at Brother Whites -

29. Dined at Mr. Whites - PM Visited {Reverend} Mr. Welste-ed with my wife

30. {Reverend} Mr. Phillips Of Andover Preached the {Lecture} Sermon - I dined at Mr. Edward Jackson's -

31. {Reverend} Mr. Welsteed preach'd theConvention {sermon} he having bin chosen last year as a second To the {Reverend} Mr. Williams of Weston, who was prevented by a late unhappy fall - whereby his Moral Character is wounded - Mr. Westeed preached the Same sermon as he did at my ordination, & I was glad to hear it - I dined with him - & supp'd with my wife at the {Reverend} Mr. Grays --

1 June 1750 -- I did design homeward but the wine being high - I refered it till tomorrow - I dined at Mr. James Pitts's - & Visited Dr. Mayhew PM -

2 Returned home in Safety - dined at the {Reverend} Mr. Chandlers - found family well - for which I have abundant Cause to be thankful, as well as for innumerable Mercies - Brother White Came from Boston & supp'd with us - but lodged at {Colonel} Stoddards -

x3 Lords day I preach'd all day from {Psalm} 106.3.4.5 old sermon - I read 2 {Kings}. 17. - {Matthew} 9 - Baptized Martha the {daughter} of John & Unis Tucker - & Sarah the {daughter} of Josiah & Mary Fletcher - In the Evening Brother White {Colonel} Stoddard & wife supped with us -

4. Mr. White went homeward - {Reverend} Mr. Meril dined

30)- 5 June 1750. Visited John Robbins & son Jonas dined with the young man - John Barret, & {Jonathan} Barrat & propounded in general terms what I had mention'd in my sermon on the 20 May last - & They Seemed to discover a readiness To lay aside Old things - at least, did not object to my Offers which I made {them} Of serving {them} & theirs as a Gospel Minister -- Visited {Jonathan} Swallow, & {Jonathan} Snow his family ill & pray'd with {them} --

6. Went Dracut Ministers Meeting at {Reverend} Mr. Parker's Present {Reverend} Messrs Hall, Rogers, Meril, Spaulding myself & Mr. John Dennis preacher a stranger I supp'd at {Colonel} Stoddard's -

7. Rev. Mr. Hall Dined with me

8. Visited Robert Reading his child sick & pray'd &c.

9. Wrote sermon

x10. Lords day preach'd all day from {Proverbs} 28 26 Read 2 {Kings} 18. {Matthew} 10 --

11. discoursed with {John} Pierce, & acquainted him of an Information I had had, of his being Drunk at the Tavern in Billerica - {Israel} Foster was my Informer & [strikeout] [Je..] [/strikeout] he own'd it, he was guilty - & I told him he must expect to give {public} satisfaction

12. Visited Josiah Fletcher, disordered yet in body & Mind Received a Visit AM from {Nathaniel} Gardner - PM from Mr. John Simpson & his wife from Boston, They Spent afternoon, & Supp'd, with us -

13. dined at {Colonel} Stoddard with Mr. Simpson & wife &c PM] {Colonel} Pollard & {Reverend} Mr Cooper came To {Colonel} Stoddards - we all rode to the River & Visited {Reverend}] Mr. Parker - Returned at night & Supped at {Colonel} Stoddards --

14. {Colonel} Pollard, {Colonel} Stoddard & wife Mr. Simpson & wife, {Reverend} Mr. Parker & Reverend} Mr. Cooper dined with me - {Reverend} Mr. Hall Visited me PM

15. This morning the Company went home - In the Evening I Visited Oliver Fletcher -