Columbia SInttJcrsfttp intl)f©tpofiIlrttigork THE LIBRARIES V. fll^. -7 <^>9-/^.0-'*-t.-«.^ DIARY OF Thomas Robbins, D. D. 1 7 g6 — 1854. PRINTED FOR HIS NEPHEW. Owned by the Connecticut Historical Society. IN TWO VOLUMES. EDITED AND ANNOTATED INCREASE N. TARBOX. VOLUME L iyg6-r825. BOSTON: Beacon Press ; Thomas Todd, Printer. 1886. V. I T INTRODUCTION. ? The author of this diary, Rev. Thomas Robbins, D. D., was born in the town of Norfolli, Connecticut, August ii, 1777. He was the son of the Rev. Ammi Ruhamah and Elizabeth (Le Baron) Robbins. His father was the first minister of the town of Norfoll<, holding office from October, 1761, to his death in October, 1813, fifty-two years. The earliest American ancestor in this paternal line was Richard Robbins, of Cambridge, who came from England to this country as early as 1639, settling first at Charlestown, but soon removing to Cambridge, Massachusetts. From him the order of descent was through Nathaniel, born in Cambridge, 1649; Nathaniel, born in Cambridge, 1678; Phile- mon, born in Cambridge, 1709, a graduate of Harvard College, 1729, and the life-long pastor at Branford, Connecticut, 1732-1781 ; Ammi Ruhamah, born in Branford, 1740, a graduate of Yale College, 1760, whose ministerial record is given above. On the maternal side Dr. Robbins traced his line directly back to the honored Gov- ernor William Bradford, of Plymouth. This line, downward, ran through William Brad- ford, Jr., son of the Governor by his second wife, Alice Southworth, nle Carpenter; then through David, son of William and Mary Holmes, nie Atwood. A daughter of David and Mary was Lydia Bradford, born December 23, 17 19. By her marriage, the name Le Baron was brought into this maternal line, and the story connected with this name is curious and romantic. In the year 1694, a French Privateer, hovering around our shores to capture vessels loaded with grain, was wrecked near the upper end of Buzzard's Bay, and the men on board were rescued and taken off as prisoners of war. This was in the reign of William in. The Treaty of Ryswick brought peace in 1697. The surgeon on board this French Privateer was Francis Le Baron. In the transfer of these prisoners from the head of Buzzard's Bay to Boston, a halt was made at Plymouth. On the day of their arrival, it so happened that a woman of Plymouth had met with an accident, causing a com- pound fracture of one of her limbs. The local physicians decided that the limb must /be amputated. But Dr. Le Baron asked permission to examine the fracture, and decided I that he could save the limb, which he did. This led to a petition on the part of the Selectmen of Plymouth to the public authorities, asking that Dr. Le Baron might be released, to become a physician and surgeon at Plymouth. The request was granted. He went there in 1694, married in 1695 Mary Wilder, a native of Hingham, Massachu- setts, and became the father of three sons, James, Lazarus, and Francis. This Lazarus Le Baron, in the year 1743, married, for his second wife, Lydia Bradford, named above, daughter of David. She was then twenty-four years old, but had already lived a brief married life as the wife of Elkanah Cushman. As the wife of Dr. Lazarus Le Baron, she was the mother of seven children, the second of whom was Elizabeth, the wife of the Norfolk minister, and the mother of Dr. Thomas Robbins, the author of this diary. 7 4'80n tV DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. Young Robbins was fitted for college in his own home, where many other boys pursued their preparatory studies. The pastor's house at Norfolk was a kind of acad- emy for Northwestern Connecticut in those early years. The hours of study with young Robbins were diversified with labors on the farm, for the country minister of that day was also a farmer. Though destined for a scholar, he was, nevertheless, in his early life, made practically familiar with almost all kinds of farm work. At the age of fifteen, in the year 1792, he was fitted for college, and was entered at Yale. He was there when President Stiles died, in May, 1795, and when President Dwight was inaugurated in September of the same year. While young Robbins had been a member of Yale, Williams College had been organized in Western Massachusetts, and his father, the Norfolk minister, had been made one of the early trustees. In 1795 Williams graduated her first class. In the autumn of 1795 young Robbins's father, wishing to show a practical interest in the infant college at Williamstown, of which he had been made one of the guardians, desired his son to remove from Yale to Williams, and pursue his senior studies there. He did so, and the whole matter was so fi.xed, by previous arrangement, that after his graduation at Williams College, September 7, 1796, he went the following week to New Haven, and was graduated with his Yale classmates, September 14, 1796. His name stands as an alumnus on the General Catalogues of both colleges for the year 1796. In Williams College, on the first of January, 1796, young Robbins began the diary now embraced in these two bulky volumes. It ran (with some small breaks by reason of sickness) from that date to 1S54, a period of fifty-eight years. It is a diary, in the strict sense of the word, with its daily entries as regular as the daily rising and setting of the sun. Soon after his graduation, at the age of nineteen, he was engaged for several months in teaching in Sheffield, Massachusetts, at the same time pursuing theological studies with Rev. Ephraim Judson, pastor at Sheffield. For a year or two after closing his col- lege course, he spent a considerable portion of his time at his father's house pursuing various studies, and assisting his father in teaching. In the summer and autumn of 1797 he studied theology with Dr. Stephen West, of Stockbridgc, Massachusetts. In the winter of 1797-1798 he taught in Torringford, Connecticut, and pursued theological studies with Rev. Samuel J. Mills. During the year 1798 he studied again with Dr. West, of Stock- bridge. He was licensed to preach by the Litchfield North Association, September 2\ 1798. During the winter of 179S-1799 he was preaching as a supply at Marlborough) Connecticut, closing his service there in April, 1799. During the summer and autumn of! 1799 he made a long horseback journey through the new towns of Vermont, preaching as he went. At the close of that year he was called to Danbury, Connecticut, to teach the academy, having previously supplied the jjulpit a few Sabbaths at Brookfield, Connecticut. At Danbury, teaching and supplying pulpits in the neighborhood, he remained till iSoi. Then he went on another long missionary journey tlirough the new settlements in New York, not returning till August, 1802. Kor another year he supplied pulpits in Con- necticut and Massachusetts, and received some earnest calls for settlement, but he was not ready to accept any of them. In May, 1803, he was ordained to go forth in the service of the Connecticut Missionary Society to the new settlements on the Western Reserve, Ohio. From this service he returned in 1806, seriously broken in health, so that INTRODUCTION. V it was a year or two before he was able to resume regular ministerial labors in any place. In the summer of iSo8 he commenced preaching in the south parish of East Windsor, Connecticut (now South Windsor), whose first minister was Timothy Edwards, father of Jonathan Edwards. Dr. Robbins preached here continuously from this time, though he was not formally installed until May 3, 1809. His whole ministry in East Windsor was not far from nineteen years, beginning in June, 1808, and ending in September, 1827. Here it was that he first really began the great enterprise of his life, viz. : that of collecting a library which was destined to become one of the large private libraries of his generation. This enterprise, as a whole, and in its various details, is the subject of innumerable references through the course of the diary, from the time when the process of collecting books began. If one would see what can be accomplished in this way by an unmarried country minister, without inherited property, and with only the ordinary salary of New England country clergymen in the early years of the present century, let him go to the rooms of the Connecticut Historical Society, at the Wadsworth Athe- nseum, Hartford, and the result will be fully spread out before him. As already stated, Dr. Robbins closed his ministry in East Windsor in September, 1827. For one or two years he again supplied churches miscellaneously, but was never for anv length of time without employment. In the latter part of 1S29 he preached at Stratford, Connecticut, where he accepted a call to settle, and was installed in Feb- ruary, 1830. This did not prove a permanent settlement. He was dismissed in Septem- ber, 1831, his whole ministry here, including supply of pulpit before installation, being less than two years. After leaving Stratford, without any long delay, he was led to Mattapoisett, in the town of Rochester, Massachusetts, to assist his revered uncle, Rev. Lemuel Le Baron, who had already been pastor there nearly sixty years, when Dr. Robbins was called to be his helper. After preaching here several months, he was regularly installed October 16, 1S32, and continued until 1S44, his whole ministry in this parish covering nearly thirteen years. Meanwhile his uncle died November 26, 1S36, in his ninetieth year, and in the si.\ty-fifth of his ministry, and Dr. Robbins was left sole pastor. In the year 1844, Dr. Robbins having reached his sixty-seventh year, and having been engaged in teaching and preaching not far from forty-six years, an arrangement was effected, chiefly through the agency of Hon. Henry Barnard, of Hartford, by which (leaving out all minor details) Dr. Robbins's library was to become the property of the Connecticut Historical Society, and he himself was to become the Society's Librarian, on a stipulated salary, through the remaining years of his active life. This position he gracefully and honorably filled for ten years. In 1854 the infirmities of age came upon him, and he was obliged to close his diary and retire from all public duties. He lingered on until September 13, 1856, when he passed away peacefully at the house of his niece, Mrs. Elizabeth (Robbins) Allen, in the town of Colebrook, Connecticut. We have given this rapid outline of the author's life, for the convenience of those studying or consulting the diary. It would be in vain for us to attempt to point out all the uses for which such a work as Dr. Robbins has here left may be employed. If the meteorologist wishes to follow the record of winter cold and summer heat through a long course of years, VI DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. he will not often find so large and valuable a compilation of facts as that contained in these volumes. If the student of history wishes for practical illustrations showing how intense and narrow were the political prejudices of men in the early years of the present century, how bitterly the Federalists hated the Democrats, and how bitterly they were hated in turn by the Democrats, he may find all the evidence he wishes in these pages. Dr. Robbins was a Federalist of the most positive type, as were the ministers of the standing order generally throughout New England, but especially in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He was as conservative also in theology as in politics. If the historical student wishes to gather information about the local customs and habits, civil and religious, prevailing seventj'-fivc years ago over those large ranges of country covered by this narrative, he will find few books more valuable than this. We might dwell upon other uses, but each one will determine for himself whether the diary will answer the questions arising in his own mind. The reader will find the pages of these volumes largely furnished with notes. He will discover also, in many instances, that these notes are briefly and in substance repeated. This was done knowingly and intentionally, to save the reader the trouble of turning over many pages, perhaps, to find something which has dropped from his memory, and which a line or two will recall. The diary appears in these volumes almost verbatim et literatim as Dr. Robbins left it. Occasionally a line that might possibly give offence, through its indirect relation- ships to some person or persons now living, has been erased. It was not needful, however, to remove many lines for this reason. The record is remarkably free from offensive personalities. Certain modes of expression which are now generally outlawed, are left to stand, because they reflect the period in which they were written. Dr. Robbins never married, yet the diary shows that, in his early manhood, the subject of matrimony was much in his thoughts. But, from the time that the project of making a great library was first formed and fixed, he doubtless concluded that with wife and children on his hands, he could not hope to gather this large and choice collection of his dreams, and so he made the journey of his life alone. He had, how- ever, easy and friendly access to many cultivated households among his kindred and acquaintances, and was eminently a social and companionable man. Through all the early and middle years of his professional life he was a very busy man. Besides his regular parish cares and responsibilities, he was called upon, to a very large extent, for public sermons and addresses, and many outside tru.sts. He was, moreover, a kind of pioneer in a class of studies and labors pertaining to early New England history and genealogy. He was one of the founders of the Connecticut His- torical Society, was an active member of the American Antiquarian Society of Worces- ter, as also of the New England Historic Genealogical Society of Boston. He wrote and published his little volume entitled Historical View of the First Planters of Nt-j) England^ and he superintended the first American edition of Cotton Mather's Magnalia. When the Massachusetts Board of Education was first formed in 1837, with Hon. Horace Mann for Secretary, Dr. Robbins, being then pastor at Mattapoisctt, was made a member of the Board, and traveled considerably with Mr. Mann, making addresses on Education before large gatherings of the people. It was while at Mattapoisett, in 1838, that he received the degree of D.D. from Harvard College. INTRODUCTION. VII Dr. Robbins's method of keeping his diary was that commonly adopted by those in old times, who went into the business thoroughly and systematically, viz. : by the use of interleaved almanacs, prepared year by year as they were wanted. These were care- fully kept, and when his library was passed over to the Connecticut Historical Society, in 1844, they, so far as completed (with ten more to be added), became the property of the Society. After Dr. Robbins's death, they were bound in twelve neat and mod- erate-sized volumes, each covering five years, except the last, which included between three and four years. Dr. Robbins's handwriting was compact, but clear, and after a very little e.xperience it was easy to decipher these closely-written pages. Almost the whole of the work was copied from the original by a young lady, Miss Emily E. Hawley, with a type-writer. It was the work of several months, but was more quickly and easily done in this way than with the pen. It needs but a glance at these bulky volumes to convince any one that the simple work of copying must have been a long one. Dr. Robbins's sister Sarah, two years younger than himself, married, in 1S05, Joseph Battel!, Esq., a prosperous Christian merchant of Norfolk, Connecticut. It is by children of this marriage, Robbins Battell, Esq., and Anna Battell, of Norfolk, that this work is now printed and sent forth, in the belief that it contains some valuable materials for history and biography, gathered from the long period which the narrative covers. Philip Battell, Esq., of Middlebury, Vermont, brother of the above, has also aided much by his memories and suggestions, thoroughly acquainted as he is with the family history, recent and ancestral. INCREASE N. TARBOX. IVesi Newton, February S2, 1886. DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D.' ivee. January. 1. A member of Williams College, Senior year; was appointed to a degree as a degree of merit.^ 2. Reciting now, Paley's Moral Philosophy. 3. Attended meeting. Heard Mr. Swift ^ preach. Very warm weather. 4. My friend Turner'' very dangerously sick in college. 5. Attended the public concert of prayer. 6. The public paper brought an account of a promising happy session of Congress.' 7. A violent storm of snow, perhaps eight inches. 8. A sudden death in the neighborhood. A man died with a species of the lockjaw. 9. A full conference meeting. Very serious. 10. A funeral sermon was preached on the late death — well adapted. 11. Formed an agreeable acquaintance. Very cold at night. A violent snow-storm. Mr. Judson' and wife arrived to see their sick son. 12. Weather quite warm, but good sleighing. 13. Received a letter from home. Spoke on the stage. 14. Finished Paley's Philosophy. A hard storm. 15. Moderate weather, preparing for exhibition. Lower classes offended about the ball ' now coming. 16. Wrote a letter to Uncle Robbins." ' Thomas Robbins, on his father's side, college by young Robbins's father. He was was descended from Richard Robbins('), of afterward settled in New Marlborough, Cambridge, Mass. (1639), through Nathan- Mass., and died after a thirteen years' min- iel(^), Nathaniel(^), Philemon(*), and Ammi istry, at the age of forty-one. Ruhamahp). s fhis was the 4th Congress, the 1st hav- ^ Going to Williams College from Yale, ing been convened in 1789. as he did, in his Senior year, his rank at the ^ Rev. Ephraim Judson, of Sheffield, whose first had to be determined by general esti- only child of the same name was then in. mate, rather than by computation of his marks Williams College, where he was graduated in at recitation. the following year. ^ Rev. Seth Swift, a native of Kent, Ct., ' A college exhibition winding up with a graduated at Yale in 1774, was the settled ball, does not indicate that our fathers, nearly minister of Williamstown, Mass., from May a century ago, were so rigid as is sometimes 26, 1779, to Feb. 13, 1807, when he died. supposed. * Nathaniel Turner, who was graduated at ° This was Chandler Robbins, D. D., of Williams in 1798. He was a native of Nor- Plymouth, Mass. ; minister therefrom Jan. 30, folk, Ct., and had probably been fitted for 1760, to June 30, 1799, aged sixty. DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1796. 17. Attended meeting — heard of the death of Gov. Huntington.' 18. Wrote to Uncle L. Lebaron' [Le Baron]. Preparing for exhibition. 19. My father arrived in town.' Had a verj' fine exhibition. At evening was at ball. 20. Set out for home. Very stormy. 21. My mamma found a new nephew, Mr. Goodwin, of Lenox.* An agree- able visit. 22. Arrived home. All well. Very cold. 23. Preparing for the necessary business of my vacation as soon as possible. 24. Heard my father preach. Mr. Huntington,' tutor at my father's. 25. Mr. H. and 1 tried to persuade Si Battle' to become a bookseller at Williamstown. 26. My father went with me to the merchant's and let me trade about £4. 27. Excellent sleighing. Snows a little every day. My brother N." came last night. 28. Began my oration for Society exhibition. Wrote a letter to my old classmate Bishop." 29. My father and I went to the woods and got a good load of wood. ' Samuel Huntington, Governor of Con- necticut from 17S6 to his death. In 1779 ■i"'^ '80 lie was President of the Continental Con- gress. He died at Norwich, Ct., January 5, 1796, and young Robbins heard of his death on Sunday the 17th, so slowly did news travel in those days. ^ Young Robbins's mother was Elizabeth(') Le Baron, of Plymouth, Mass., daughter of Dr. Lazarus Le Baron. Her grandfather was Dr. Francis Le Baron, who, as surgeon on board a French privateer, was wrecked in Buzzard's Bay, and being thrown thus on a strange shore, settled in Plymouth in 1696. Her mother's maiden name was Lydia(*) Brad- ford, daughter of David(*) Br.adford, grand- daughter of William(=) Bradford, Jr., and great granddaughter of Gov. William(') Bradford of the Plymouth Colony. Thonias(') Rob- bins's line of descent from the noble Pil- grim governor is, therefore, clear and dis- tinct. His Uncle L. Le Baron, to whom he writes, is Rev. Lemuel Le Baron, a graduate of Yale in 176S, the life-long Congregational minister in one of the churches of Rochester, Mass., now called Mattapoisett. ^ To reach Williamstown from Norfolk, Ct., Rev. Mr. Robbins had to make a jour- ney of about fifty miles among the Berkshire hills. * Lenox was on the way home, and this new nephew that Mrs. Robbins found was a son either of her half-sister Lydia, who mar- ried Nathaniel Goodwin, or of another half- sister, Hannah, who married Benjamin Good- win. The Goodwins of Plymouth seem to have come from Christopher Goodwin, of Charlestown, Mass., who was resident there as early as 1643. 5 Rev. Dan Huntington, was graduated at Yale in 1794, and settled afterwards at Litch- field and Middletown, Ct. Died at Hadley, Mass., 1864, aged ninety. He was the father of the Rev. Frederic Dan Huntington, D.D., Bishop of Central New York. Mr. Dan Huntington w.is tutor at Williams 1794-1796, and at Yale 1796-1798. <■ Josiah Buckingham Battell. ' Nathaniel Robbins, one of his older broth- cr.s. He had two brothers older and three younger than himself. ' This was Timothv Bishop, of New Haven, a graduate of 1796, at Y.ale, who lived seventy- seven years after his graduation, dying in 1873. For several years before his death, he was Yale's oldest living graduate, and since the founding of Yale, though there have been many long-lived students, no graduate, i)er- haps, has exceeded him in the length of his post-graduate life. 1796.] AT WILLIAMS COLLEGE. 3 30. The coldest day we have had. My father went to exchange with Mr. Mills.' Obliged to return. 31. My father preached a good part of the day about Vermont." February. 1. Capt. Lawrence summoned my father, according to law, to go to Litchfield as an evidence. He would not. 2. Almost all the town met to count as evidence in the contest between Lawrence and Phelps.' 3. Wrote a letter to my old classmates Hooker and Denison.* 4. At my father's wood-spell, worked hard all day. 5. With my sister S.' I went to Canaan to visit my brother A.' 6. Returned from C. in a moderate snow-storm. 7. My father preached that there was reason to weep over the calamitous state of mankind. 8. Mr. Huntington called here on his return to college. I was gone from home. 9. My father went to Lee to a Council. Left me to take care of the School. 10. Mr. Dunbar, tutor,' went from here in the morning for college. 11. It rained all day. Snow went very fast. First thawing day we have had for three weeks. 12. Had an account from Albany of a number of persons taken up and confined for burglar}'. 13. My mamma and sister finished my bed to carry to college." 14. My father preached of the danger of being overrun with infidelity. 15. Set out for college in a sleigh. Bitter cold. Came as far as Pittsfield. • Rev. Samuel Mills, of Torringford, Ct., received the degree of A. M. both from Yale pastor there from June, 1769, to his death in and "Williams, and was tutor at Yale 1799- May, 1833. He was the father of the well- iSoi. known Samuel J. Mills, Jr. Torringford was ^ Sarah Robbins, then sixteen, afterwards distant from Norfolk some twelve or fifteen Mrs. Joseph Battell. miles. Mr. Mills's wife was Esther Robbins, ■'• Ammi Ruhamah Robbins, Jr., an elder daughter of Samuel Robbins, of Canaan. She brother. was descended from John Robbins, of Weth- ' Elijah Dunbar, graduated at Harvard Col- ersfield, Ct., while the Norfolk minister was lege 1794. Tutor at Williams College 1794- descended from Richard Robbins, of Cam- 1796, and Daniel Dunbar, graduated at Yale bridge, M.iss. But Richard and John are College 1794, tutor also at Williams 1794- believed to have come from the same family 1796. The one spoken of in the diary was in England. probably Daniel, as the Norfolk parsonage - The Connecticut churches looked after was more likely to be a kind of halting place the new settlements in Vermont, where many or home for a Yale man than a Harvard man. little companies of Connecticut people had Daniel died in 1S41, and Elijah in 1850. gone. The last named was settled in Peterborough, ' This suit seems to have been an exciting N. H., from 1799 to 1S27, and afterwards one, but we have not been able to discover preached as occasion offered without settle- the point at issue. ment. ■• John Hooker and Charles Denison, who ' This was an age of home manufactures were graduated at Yale in 1796. Denison and old-fashioned simplicities. 4 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l796. 16. Arrived at Williamstown.' 17. Employed in settling my affairs to live at Mr. Skinner's.' 18. In the afternoon made a visit to Esq. Noble's^ — a number of ladies. ig. The President has started a subscription for a meeting-house. It is circulating. 20. Was exposed to the measles which are prevalent here. At night attended conference meeting. Some scholars, after a sleigh ride, at 2 o'clock called up .Mr. Skinner. 21. Attended meeting. Baptism administered. At evening attended with Miss A. Skinner. 22. A sense of the distraction of the world and the incapacity of all terres- trial things to make us happy. 23. Troubled with the toothache. 24. Excessive toothache, couldn't find doctors — used opium freely. At night, a ball here very much troubled me. Weaned from some parts of the world.* 25. Thawy weather. A black man here broke his leg very badly. 26. Wrote to my old classmate Stebbins,' a dancing master. 27. Settled the matter. [What matter does not appear.] 28. My thoughts too much on wordly objects. May it' never be an occasion of grief. 29. It rains and the snow all goes off. From January 18th till the end of February it has been continually the best of sleighing all over the country. March. 1. A tooth which has given me much pain was extracted. Speculation the rage of the day. 2. Arranging matters for the exhibition of the Societies next week. ' It was on the 20th of January that he house, that young Robbins was to live, and left Williamstown for vacation. The vacation, this house seems to have been a kind of pub- therefore, had lasted about a month in the lie house. depth of winter. This was according to the ' David Noble, a graduate of Yale in 1764, college custom of that day, so that young a lawyer and merchant. He settled in Will- men might teach in winter, and because, also, iamstown in 1770, w.is one of the Trustees of the great difficulty of heating public build- of the College, and warmly interested in its iiigs. We now avoid the hot summer months welfare. for study, but the old college curriculum * As we understand this sentence in this reached entirely through the summer to the connection, he means to say, that while he early autumn, as we shall see. may be very wordly in some things, he does ' I Ion. Thompson J. Skinner, son of not care much for balls. Kev. Thomas Skinner, Colchester, Ct. (West ' He was some classmate at Yale, who did Chester parish), settled in Williamstown in not graduate, perhaps concluding that to be a 1775, and was one of the foremost men of the dancing m.-ister did not require a full course town, and a Trustee of the College. There of college education. was another man, Benjamin Skinner, who ' This // underscored very likely refers to may or may not have been a brother of the the " matter " just before spoken of, but wc one just named. It was probably at his have no means of knowing. 1796.] AT WILLIAMS COLLEGE. 5 3. Reviewing, classically," for examination, today, Rhetoric. About, getting candles.^ 4. Finished my oration for Societies' exhibition. Troubled. 5. Good spring weather. Very muddy. Inviting people to the exhibition. 6. Attended meeting. At evening the authority attended to the diffi- culty in the classes about the ball at Januarx' exhibition. I said nothing. 7. The President' gave his opinion in public about the matter last evening. 8. Gen. Skinner^ arrived from Boston. Great loss there in speculation upon Georgia lands. g. At evening was the exhibition of the Societies in the Chapel. As many people as could possibly get in. 10. Miss A. Skinner taken sick; bids fair to have a fit of sickness. 11. Very thoughtless; taken up entirely with wordly thoughts. 12. Went and washed in the Sand Spring.' My salt-rheum rages some. 13. My eyes rather weak. Much afflicted at seeing Alice so careless in her sickness. 14. Extraordinary warm and pleasant weather for the season. 15. Began to rain. The President determined to examine us with the Juniors. 16. Was examined very critically. A violent snow-storm. 17. Our examination continued till night. The chapel cold and uncom- fortable. 18. The Sophomore class was examined. True friendship.' Sickles, a member of the Academy, was dismissed with disgrace. 19. Freshmen examined. Deacon Stratton' attended our Conference meeting. 20. My thoughts excessively taken up with wordly objects. Growing callous. A proclamation for a fast. 21. Miss A. S. recovering from her sickness. Academy examined. ' That is by classes. ' A spring in Williamstown having prop- = This was long before the days of kero- ^"^^^^ "^e some of the Saratoga Springs. sene, and gas was unlinown in those parts, ' Occasionally in the early parts of the and the coming exhibition required a great diary we come upon places where a few store of candles. dots stand in the room of words. This may 3 Rev. Ebenezer Fitch, D. D., a graduate be a continuation of the enigmatical "matter " of Yale. President 1793-1815. and "it "just before noticed, and may possi- * Hon. Thompson J. Skinner, mentioned ''">' ^^ <:°""«<:'ed ^vith Miss A. Skinner. But in a previous note as one of the Trustees of "'"^ '^ ''"'^ "^^ '" "■y'"g '° ^"'^ °"' "^^ the College, was also General Skinner. He '=".^' thoughts and feelings of a young fellow was largely a public man, and was, at differ- ° ^'^ ^^"" ent times, in both branches of the State Leg- ' Ebenezer Stratton, chosen deacon of the islature, and member of Congress. He was Williamstown church, as successor to Deacon much in Boston, and died there January 20, Natlian Wheeler, who removed from town in 1809. 17S4. DIARY OF RF.V. THOMAS ROBBIXS, D.D. [1796. 22. Began to recite Vattell.' My brother N.' arrived in town. The storm below terrible. Messrs. Joel Grant' and -Solomon Curtis, at Norfolk, died last week. 23. My brother talks of coming here with a book-store. Wrote to my sister B., moved to Paris since I left. 24. Began to read Millot.* The President publicly protested against the drinking companies after examination. 25. Spring seems to be advancing. 26. A lengthy and useful recitation on religious establishments. Ver)- full conference. 27. What advantages I have had in preaching and religious institutions, now gone. 28. A number of scholars went to Bennington to have the small-po.x.' 29. I am in danger of becoming effeminate. Muddy beyond description. 30. Junior appointments given out. Papers declare the French very successful. 31. A day appointed for fasting. April. I. Very fine weather. My classmate Romeyn primus^ was, I hear, quite unwell ; lingering. ' Until the present century our text-books for schools and colleges were almost all brought from the old world. Vattell on the Rights of A^ations was a standard work of that period. ^ Nathaniel Robbins, five years older th.in Thomas. ' This Joel Grant was the father of Miss Z. P. Grant (afterwards the wife of the Hon. William Banister, of Newburyport) who, for so many years, made the Female Academy at Ipswich, Mass., by her wisdom and scholar- ship, an institution famous throughout the land. * A French historian, who jjublishcd Ele- meiils of the History of England, Elements of Universal History, etc. ' This was before the days of our modern sj'stem of vaccination. Innoculationfor the small-pox was a much more serious matter and must be attended to with great sys- tem and care, but even then not unfrequcntly it proved fatal, as in the case of Jonathan Ed- wards, in March, 1758, just after his removal from Stockbridge to Princeton, N. J. " It was at this time [17:1] that the practice of innoculation was introduced. Dr. Zabdicl Boylston [of Boston] is known to be the first physician in the British dominion that dared to do it. He commenced with his own family, innoculating his own son Thomas and two of his servants on the 26th of June, and he met with success which at that time seemed wonder- ful. The clergy of the town encouraged and supported him, but the physicians joined the populace and opposed the practice with all possible vehemence. By Dr. Boylston's account it appears that of 5,759 who had had the disease in the natural way, 844 died; whereas of 247 cases attended by him- self, and 39 by Drs. Roby, of Cambridge, and Thompson, of Charlestown, only six termi- nated fatally." — Snow's History of Boston, pp- 21S-19. The year 1721 was when tlie small-pox made such ravages in Boston. The popula- tion of the town was then 10,567, of these 5,813 had the dise-ase, and 771 dicd- * There were two Romeyns in young Rob- bins's class, brothers, sons of a Dutch clergy- man- Their names were Benjamin and Tliomas. Benjamin was Romeyn primus, and Thomas Romeyn secundus. Both were probably studying for the ministry, but Ben- jamin died three months after graduation. Thomas, after a long and successful ministry, died in Amsterdam, N. Y., in 1S57, at the ago of eighty. 1796.] AT WILLIAMS COLLEGE. 7 2. Made a visit at Esq. Noble's. Saw in the paper a compliment to Gen. W. [Washington] given by a Dutchman at Amsterdam, the greatest that could be. A great deal of electioneering in the papers for a Governor' of this State. 3. Very full meeting. The meeting-house foundation is begun. 4. Freemen's Meeting, full and disorderly. Almost all voted for the old Governor. 5. Attended the concert of prayer. No disposition for serious things. 6. At evening a balP here. Troubles me some now. 7. This world appears vain and lighter than air. Only in friendship can we find, etc. 8. How scandalous that we must have Commencement in this old meet- ing-house.^ Almost discouraged about its being destroyed. g. A dispute in conference about fasting. May God direct us in the right way. 10. A member of the church confessed for drunkenness. My classmate Stebbins in town. ir. Stebbins going to set up a dancing-school. I am sorry. Wrote to Field in the Square. 12. A young man dies in town with a consumption. Great noise about the President of the U. S.* refusing to give up the papers respecting the treaty with Great Britain. 13. Went to the Sand Spring. Down to tea at Gen. Skinner's. 14. Except a little in the morning, did nothing all day. Very stormy. 15. Young company here in the house. I am rather obliged to be with them. 16. Received a letter from home. Electioneering in Connecticut for Gov. Wolcott.' Commotion about the President of U. S. refusing, etc. Rode up to Bennington. Scholars in the small-pox have it hard. 17. Attended meeting at Bennington.' Heard Mr. Swift' preach. In the evening rode down. Most excellent weather. • The celebrated Samuel Adams was then vice. He claimed that the treaty-making Governor of Massachusetts, and had been power belonged to the President and Senate, since 1794. But he was growing old, was and not to the House of Representatives, and now 74, and many thought a younger man he would not give up the papers at the call of should be chosen. He was, however, re- the House. elected for one year more. Notice the words ^ Oliver Wolcott, LL.D., son of the Co- under April 4, "Almost all voted for the old lonial Governor, Roger Wolcott. From 17S6 Governor." to 1796, he had been Lieut.-Governor of " By what has gone before, and what will Connecticut. In 1796 and 1797, he was follow, we may learn that balls occurred fre- chosen Governor. quently in Williamstown, and were intimately ' Bennington, Vt., was distant from Will- connected with the college. iamstown about twelve or fifteen miles. The ' Not only the Commencement for 1796, only town intervening between the two towns but also that of 1797 was held in the Old was Pownel, Vt. House. In the autumn of 179S the new house ' This was Rev. Job Swift, D. D., a native was done. of Sandwich, Mass., and a graduate of Yale * This was George Washington in the last in the class of 1765. He was pastor at Ben- year of his second term of presidential ser- nington, Vt., from 17S6 to iSoi. 8 .DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['796. 1 8. Wrote a letter home. Disputed necessity of immediate manumission of our slaves.' Settled affirmalivel3\ 19. Appointments for Commencement given out. I am well suited. My classmates M. and N." gone to Lenox to attend court. 20. Excessive hot. In the afternoon made a visit to the President with Alice. 21. Some of the scholars return from the small-pox. Walked to the Spring. 22. The President taken up in building farm-fence, etc. I e.xercise con- siderable, playing ball. 23. Something' sickly in town. 24. Attended the funeral of a child that died with the dysentery. What do the minds of most that attend meeting appear to be upon ? 25. May I never be in the noise and bustle of civil life. Wrote a letter home. 26. Very dry season. Great fires. Difficult to get good questions for Commencement. 27. Read a lecture in the Societ)'. Sophomores wish to avoid exhibition. 28. Two funerals in town. Children died with dysenter)\ Stebbins like to get a dancing-school. 29. Attended a sacramental lecture. Very uncomfortable weather. Daniel Welch'' from New Haven. 30. Political difficulties run high. The President put an entire stop to a dancing-school.' May. 1. The slothful man says, a lion in the way. Saw the first instance of gambling since I have been in town. Some of the apparatus for college arrived. 2. Van Shaack' of Pittsfield, moved to obtain petitions to have the treaty with Great Britain carried into immediate effect. Feel very discouraged. ' There was a strong anti-slavery senti- the kindred of Rev. Daniel Welch, pastor ment in the country long before the Carrison at North Mansfield, Ct., 1752-17S2, whose company existed. It was stronger, indeed, son, Rev. Moses C. Welch, D.D., succeeded in the last years of the last century than it him in the ministry at North Mansfield, and was in 1830. was pastor there 1784-1824. ' David Mason and Daniel Noble. ' This was a little hard on Stebbins. He ' The word "something," is often used in came to town April loth, and had been slowly this diary in the same sense as we now use working up his pet scheme, when his plans " somewhat." One of Webster's definitions were suddenly cut short by this overbearing of something is, " In some degree, somewhat, and tyrannical President. ' somethhig loo much of this.' " *■ Mr. Henry Van Shaack, a prominent citi- * The first minister of Williamstown was zen of Pittsfield, Mass. The petitions which Rev. Whitman Welch, a native of New Mil- he wanted to obtain were on the side of Wash- ford, Ct., and a graduate of Yale in 1762. ington. The House of Representatives, be- He died as chaplain of the northern army, cause it thought itself slighted, was obstruct, of small-pox, in Canada, 1776. This Daniel ing the treaty, and trying to frame laws to Welch may have been of his kindred ; or, prevent the treaty from going into practical from his given name, he may have been of effect. 1796-] AT WILLIAMS COLLEGE. 9 3. The corporation met. My father in town. They drove business ver)- much. Dreadful tumult here. 4. The corporation went off in the morning. In the afternoon rode down to Col. Sloan's on a visit. Received a packet of letters from my old classmate. 5. Finished reciting Vattell. Attempting to study chemistrj-. Do not well like it. 6. Considerable talk in town about the situation of the new college. Drank tea at Starkweather's.' 7. I am in danger of being of a tyrannical disposition.'' An excellent conference. Ford' came to enter college from Yale. 8. Good preaching. The fading nature of the world. Troubles between the lower classes and the town people about a ball. 9. It rains after a very uncommon drought for the season. The scholars begin to wish to go home. 10. The universal voice of the people in favor of our Federal government.* My eyes weak. Human nature ugly and obstinate. 11. Town meeting very full. This house all bustle. 12. Finished reading Millot. Inspected the Society's library.' In good order. 13. My classmate 'R.omeyn primus, came to join the class again. Vanities will engross my attention. 14. The scholars clean the ground around college thoroughly. I attend serious meeting and my heart far distant. 15. At evening very rainy. Full meeting, but little serious attention. 16. Wrote letters to my cousins W. and J. Gould.' Received a letter from home. 17. The Juniors had a very good exhibition. Got out of the noise of the ball. My horse came from home.' 18. Set out for home, came to Lanesborough. It rained all afternoon. 19. Visited my old classmate Fowler' at Pittsfield. Disturbance lately at Yale College. Came to Stockbridge. It rained in afternoon. Stayed. ' Young Robbins here uses the language of the Society's library at Williams College, of familiarity. There was a family of Stark- is not without significance, weathers in Williamstown, of which William * Rebekah Hannah Robbins, daughter of Starkweather, graduated at Williams College Rev. Philemon Robbins, of Branford, Ct., in 1S09, was a member. married Mr. William Gould. W. and J. - No one would have suspected it. Gould are her sons, living at Manchester, ^ Simeon Ford of the class of 1798, Will- Vermont, iams College, afterwards a lawyer. ' It was a common custom of that day, ' After the e.\periences of Shays's Rebel- when students went and came between their lion in 17S7, it was but natural that men homes and the colleges, to go on horseback, should be timid and watchful as to the sue- some one going with them to lead back the cess of our new experiment in government. horse and vice versa. ^ Remembering how much of Dr. Robbins's 'This was Bancroft Fowler, afterwards life-work centered about the collecting, shap- tutor, both at Yale and Williams, and Pro- ing and managing of a library, the fact that, fessor of Sacred Literature in Bangor Theo- at the age of nineteen he was made inspector logical Seminary. 10 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l796. 20. Arrived home.' The family mostly been verj- sick with the measles. All well and recovering. 21. My father received a letter'from my sister B.' at Paris. Like to live comfortably. 22. Attended meeting. Unsearchable riches, etc. The mourners here numerous. 23. A good visit from SilP from Goshen. Very rainy backward weather. 24. My brother A. here. Traded considerably. Wrote a letter to Steb- bins now at New Haven. 25. Preparing to go to New York. Assist daily in hearing my father's scholars. 26. Made a visit to old Mr. Darby. He li\es here, likely to live long, and cut off.* 27. Set out on my journey for New York. Came to my brother's' in Canaan. Fever and ague prevailing in Canaan. 28. Came to Warren. Something rainy. Agreed to tarry over Sabbath. 29. Pretty full meeting at Warren.' Singing very well. Speculators all over the countr)-. 30. In the forenoon very rainy. In afternoon came to New Milford. Stayed with an acquaintance. 31. Rode to Stamford. Missed my way between Danbury and Ridgefield. Lost four miles. Lodged at a tavern. From Norfolk to New York, one hundred and twenty miles.' June. 1. Took stage at Kingsbridge," arrived at New York in the afternoon. Found Mr. Watson' at home and very kind. Crops on the road pretty prom- ising. Saw Esq. Smith, formerly of Bennington. 2. Walked about town with Mr. W. and nephew, and alone. Mr. W. ' He had been out two nights on the jour- ' lie left Norfolk April 27. Leaving out ney. In going from Williamstown, Mass., to Sunday he was five days on the journey. Norfolk, Ct., he would pass through the towns ' Kingsbridge is thirteen miles north of City of New Ashford, Lanesborough, Pittsfield, Hall, New York, on the Harlem River. It Lenox, Stockbridge, Great Harrington, and was a small place in the last century, but fig- portions of Sheffield and New Marlborough. ured somewhat conspicuously in the Revolu- = Elizabeth Robbins (called Betsey), now tionary War. Mrs. Lawrence, wife of Grove Lawrence, and ' James Watson, a native of Litchfield, Ct., living at r.-iris, N. Y. fitted for college by Rev. Mr. Robbins at 'Theodore Sill, a graduate of Yale in Norfolk, was graduated at Yale in 1776. He 1757. settled in New York, and became a wealthy ■• Meaning probably a lonely life, cut off merchant, and a man of l.irge public spirit. from societv. He was Speaker of the New York House of ' The same brother spoken of just before, Representatives, State Senator, and United Ammi Ruhamah, Jr. States Senator. He remained a fast friend ' The minister there was Rev. Peter Starr, of Mr. Robbins's f.imily. James Watson his uncle, a graduate of Yale in 1764, one Webb and James Watson Robbins, younger of the Trustees of Yale, whose ministry at brother of Thomas, were both named from Warren lasted from 1769 to 1825. him. He died in 1S06. 1796-] SUMMER VACATION. II took me into the museum. Much talk and agitation about State elections. The Federal party triumphs. Went to Col. Fay's.' His sons home from W. College. A vast quantity of shipping here. 3. Dined at Col. Fay's with Gov. Robinson.= Found an old college acquaintance, Gardiner. Saw an elephant kept as a curiosity. Attended the theatre; out about n o'clock. Seven counties \isible from one of Mr. W.'s chambers. 'Congressmen come on from Philadelphia. It [Congress] rose Wednesday the first. 4. Walked along up the North River. Saw a ship of 900 tons. Dined with Gardiner.' Went over to Governor's Island, and saw the fortifications there. Mr. W. went in the evening to the coffee-house. Very uncertain and contradictory accounts about peace in Europe. 5. Wet weather. Attended meeting A. M. at Dr. Rogers.* He admin- istered the sacrament before the whole congregation at a table. Dined on green peas. P. M. heard Mr. Bisset,' Episcopal, at St. Paul's. A grand monument there to the memory of Gen. Montgomery. In the evening Mr. W. talked to me excellently about conduct in life. Company here today at dinner. Great parade. A common and polite ma.xim that all mankind did not descend from the same source.'* 6. Walked with Fay and Rathbone, an academic acquaintance, all round the extension of the city. Quite warm. Provisions cheap in Europe, will likely [be] so here. Am sorry I know not the dimensions of mamma's coat of arms. Could easily get a glass here. 7. Two or three foreign ships arrived this morning. Peace is expected this summer in the West Indies. Good men here consider Connecticut* the sheet anchor of our government. Viewed the new hotel. O ! the depravity of mankind. O ! the state of religion and morals. 8. Mr. W. helped me to pay for my clothes. Went to a number of places to get letters to carrj- to different places. The small-pox very thick and common here. By the latest accounts, very little prospect of peace in Europe very soon. The democratical interest very lawless. 9. Provisions are falling. Left New York, 9 o'clock. Came in the stage to Kingsbridge. Took my horse' and rode thirty-eight miles to Norwalk after 12 o'clock. Excessive hot. ' Col. Joseph Fay, formerly of Bennington, tor of Brick Church, N. Y., 1765 to his death Vt., and a prominent man in public affairs in in iSii. Vermont. His later years were passed in = Rev. John Bisset, a Scotchman, born in New York. His two sons, Joseph Dewey 1762, made Assistant Minister at Trinity and Hiram Fay, were graduated at Williams Church, New York, in 1792. An eloquent College, the former in 1798, and the latter in preacher. 'Soo. 6 The position of Connecticut, in the last " Moses Robinson, second Governor of century, was very peculiar. In the number Vermont. Afterwards elected United States and character of her educated and public Senator. rnen, she was foremost among the States. ' Jonathan Gardiner, a graduate of Yale, " He had left his horse there in stable or '795- pasture during his visit of eight days in New * Dr. John Rodgers, native of Boston, pas- York. 12 niARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['796. 10. AFiich disturbed in my sleep last night by bad fellows at the tavern. Came to Mrs. Silliman's,' Fairfield, to breakfast. Arrived at New Haven after noon. Very happy with my classmates. Never heard a prayer but at meet- ing, nor a blessing at the table, after I went from Warren, till 1 came to New Haven.^ 11. My classmate Davis' thinks of coming to take Stockbridge school. Went to see the President. Three or four scholars must be e.xpelled. P^at in Commons. Very good. They behave quite orderly. At evening attended praying meeting. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop* very kind. 12. In the forenoon the President' preached in the Chapel. In the afternoon, Mr. Holmes,' of Cambridge. Talked some about Phi Betiens in the next class. 13. Had something to settle about an old classical rate. Came from New Haven after prayers, and got home at supper. Very warm day. 14. Quite tired. Joiners at work at our house. Helped my brother get timber. 15. Attend to my father's school. Read some in Paine's Age of Reason. Shocking ! 16. The present state of the Eastern world shocks humanity. The pros- pect is blood and carnage. 17. Worked in the barn-yard with stone-work. 18. Very hot weather. Preparing to go to college. Consulted Poole's Synopsis^ 19. Mr. Hallock" preached here very well. Crowded out of our pew. Meeting very full. Sing well. 20. Set out for college. Came to Stockbridge. Agreed with Mr. Bidwell for Davis ' to take that school. 21. Came to college. A very hot and growing season. Extraordinary prospects for crops. 22. My little brother'" went off with my horse. Arranging my things. My classmate Romeyn primus, gone home very unwell. ' Benjamin Silliman, afterwards the distin- First Church, Cambridge, Mass., 1792 to 1831. guishcd professor for long years at Yale, was Father of Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes. a classmate of young Robbins, and this Mrs. ' Mathcw Vodin's, Synopsis Criliconim Bib- Silliman, now a widow, was his mother. Her licorum, or elucidations of Scripture by vari- husband, Col. Gold Selleck Silliman, a dis- ous hands : 5 vols, folio, 1669. tinguished graduate of Yale, in the class of 'Jeremiah Ilallock, pastor at West Sims- 1752, died in 1790. bury, Ct. [now Canton], from 1785, to his ^ This was very likely young Robbins's death in 1S19. Received the honorary degree first experience of life out of New England, of A. M. from Yale College in 17S8. and he noted the differences. 'This business had been entrusted to him by ' Henry Davis, D.D., the President, in Davis at New Haven, because he could attend after years, of Middlebury and Hamilton Col- to it on his way back to Williams College, leges. '° Possibly it may have been Francis Le * The father and mother of Timothy Bishop Baron Robbins, in after life minister at En- already mentioned. field, Ct. He was then nine years old, and ' Dr. Timothy Dwight. the youngest of the family. More likely it ' Abiel Holmes, D. D., a native of Wood- w.is either James Watson Robbins, then four- ktock, Ct., graduate of Vale 1783, pastor of teen years old, or Samuel, twelve years old. I 1796.] AT WILLIAMS COLLEGE. I3 23. Began to write my Lauin oration. Sent to New York for parchment for diploma.' 24. The probability that the President will be candidate next election. Makes great speculation." 25. Spoke on the stage this week. Very hot and growing. Verj' hard shower. 26. Meeting-house much crowded. At evening at Gen. Skinner's. 27. Appointed monitor. Conversed a good deal with Mr. Linsley.^ 28. Finished my oration. I grow constantly callous and thoughtless. Troubled about the old meeting-house.* 29. Studying chemistiy. Doubting whether to attempt to write a dialogue for Commencement. 30. Mr. Linsley in my room a considerable part of the day. Capital pun- ishment getting out of date through the country. July. 1. A member lately expelled from Yale College. Attended sacramental lecture. Went to see a member of the Academy. Very sick. The meeting- house assaulted, more or less, every night.^ 2. A number of students gone out of town on accoimt of Independence, to be celebrated particularly at Richmond.' Read some pieces in the confer- ence. Very attentive. 3. Sacrament administered. At dinner swallowed a pin. Sat up very late writing. 4. The students fired guns, etc., then came here and were veiy noisy, drinking toasts, etc. At evening was at Gen. Skinner's. 5. Disputed before the President. Attended the concert of prayer. Saw a man making brick — to make 300,000 for a new college. 6. Bray' came up to see me from Lanesborough. Began our classical exercises for examination. 7. Bray lost his horse. Had to go round town with him to hire one. Find it a great job to write a dialogue. 8. Excessive hot, relaxing weather, as it has been for a number of days. Have considerable company at my room. ' It seems to have been the custom then ment exercises in it. Had been hoping for a at Williams for each graduating student to new one. provide parchment for his degree and have it ^ This was a student-Uke way of testifying printed at his own charge. righteous indignation. ^ President Washington was not again can- * Richmond %vas some twenty-five miles didate. In September, 1796, he published his away. This was Saturday, and they must go Farewell Address, and retired to private life. on that day in order to be ready for Monday ^ Noah Linsley, a graduate of Yale 1791. the 4th. Had been tutor at Williams in 1793 and 4. ' Oliver Bray, probably, who was gradu- * Because they must have their Commence- ated at Yale in 1795, the year before. 14 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1796. 9. A considerable change in the weather, dr)', windy, and ver\- dusty. Had a good visit with Mrs. Fitch." It appears that the French will triumph this campaign.' 10. Mr. S., of Bennington,^ preached here most excellently. 11. Messrs. Huntington and Dunbar came to my room to see me. Wheat is much fallen. E.xtraordinary prospect for crops of all kinds. 12. The Professor lost his youngest child.'' Very pretty. Showery, rela.x- ing weather. 13. Attended the funeral of Mr. McKay's child. Danger that the dy.sen- tery will prevail in this town. 14. Better harvests hardly ever known in United States. 80,000 inhabi- tants in Philadelphia.' What a highly favored land. 15. Great disturbance in town on account of the meeting-house being set on fire last night.' It was happily extinguished. Various conjectures about the perpetrators. 16. The whole week has been wet and lowery weather. Fruit plenty. Peace and plenty crown the year through the loving-kindness of God. 17. The weather warm and the house crowded. Was very faint at meet- ing. In afternoon, the President preached on account of the Professor's child's death. Excellent sermon. ' 18. The town and college considerably alarmed about the dysentery.' The weather unfavorable. Wrote a letter home. Considerably unwell. 19. A number of scholars getting leave to go home. Some unwell, and others afraid they shall be. 20. This morning we are met with the solemn tidings that French, an amiable and worthy member of the Sophomore class, last night slept in death, with the dysentery in four days from a state of health. May we hear God's voice. Also a woman, close to college, in the prime of life, in about three days from health. Both funerals attended in the afternoon." Could not wait for French's friends to arrive. A very solemn and affecting occasion. ' This was the wife of the President. * Professor Mackay, the instructor in When slie married him she was Mrs. Mary French. At that time he was the only per- Cogswell, a higlily cultivated and intelligent son in the College who bore the title of woman. Her maiden name was Mary Backus, Professor. All the rest of the instruction and she was daughter of Major Ebenczer and was given by the President and the tutors. Mercy (Edwards) Rackus of Windham, Ct. ' This estimate is too large. In iSoo Phil- Her first husband, with whom she lived only adelphia had about 70,000 inhabitants. a brief married life, was .Samuel Cogswell, ' It is not safe to explore those good old son of Rev. James Cogswell, D. D., of Scot- times too closely. land parish, Windham, Ct. Her first and ' The dysentery seems to have been more second husbands were playmates in child- of a fatal epidemic in those years than at hood, and classmates in Vale College. present. ^ This w.as the year of Napoleon's brilliant * F'unerals were hastened probably on ac- campaign in Italy, including the battles of count of the nature of the disease, though, Arcole, the one at the Bridge of Lodi, and as a common fact, there was apt to be a shorter others. interval then between death and burial than ' Key. Job Swift, D. D. now. 1796.] AT WILLIAMS COLLEGE. 1 5 2 1. Finished my dialogue and carried it to tlie President. His youngest child very sick with dysenter)-. He denies scholars to go home. The weather is now very favorable on account of sickness. 22. There is a prospect that almost all Europe will declare Great Britain in a state of siege. People in the heat of haying. 23. The yellow fever appears in New York. Hope it may not spread. A very serious conference. Read a funeral sermon of President Davis.' Very good. 24. Mr. Swift in the afternoon preached on the occasion of the late deaths here. At evening attended singing meeting. They sing well here.'' 25. On account of the President's sick child he cannot attend recitations. The weather this summer, the doctors say, generally unhealthy. 26. I am quite unwell with an excessive cold. A number sick in town. 27. The dysentery in other places, particularly Sheffield. The war insup- portable in Great Britain. In fourteen months past Mr. Pitt has laid out ;^4,ooo,ooo. This evening Free Masons meet here. Noisy. 28. Made a cone, for the Sophomores, in the brick-yard. Engaged in reviewing for e.\amination. 29. A man dies with the dysentery in the prime of life. Large concourse at the funeral. The Free Masons have great formality.' 30. Very rainy. At night a very good conference. 31. Very much crowded and hot at meeting. The mourners'* here are many. At evening had some noisy company at my room. Could not easily avoid it.' August. 1. The dysentery prevails considerably in the country, but what is it to the horrors of '76 and '77. A wicked world must have judgments. 2. Our examination for degrees began this afternoon at 3 o'clock.' The President much detained with his sick child. The tutors examine. Those of the corporation in town attend. 3. Our examination closed at 4 o'clock. Went round ninety times. All admitted. We finally passed very accurately. The ■examiners give us the preference to the last class.' In the evening a Society exhibition in the chapel. Very good. ' Without doubt, Rev. Samuel Davies, * Those afflicted by the recent deaths, elected President of the College of New = Saturday evening was kept as a portion Jersey in 1759, on the death of President of the Sabbath, and Sunday evening was re- Jonathan Edwards. He himself died after garded as secular time. holding the office but a brief term, in 1761. * The examination of the Seniors took A collection of his sermons was published in place a month and more before the close of London in 1767, in five vols., and passed the term, that they might be released from through several editions. the regular college duties in order to prepare = The Billings and Holden style of church their parts for Commencement, music was then in full vogue. ' That is the ordinary fact with each class, 3 That is, at the funeral. He was doubt- from that day to this, as the classes under- less interred with Masonic rites. stand it. l6 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l796- 4. Thus have I arrived at the close of my college course. I look back on these four years with pleasure and regret. O ! that I could go over with them again. As an emblem of real life, I am strikingly convinced of its fleeting nature. I feel very disagreeably, in a measure nonplussed. May I be directed in my duty whatever it be. May I not depend too much on the world. What is life, connections, education, when compared with an hereafter.' Received a letter from Mr. Judson, Sheffield.' 5. Last night the worst frolic here that I ever knew. \\'rote a letter home. My feelings e.xceedingly wounded with the carouse. My dialogue approved for Commencement.^ 6. Something unwell and uneasy. Very unable to study. A scandal that all college must get out to see horses run. Some seriousness in col- lege.^ 7. In the afternoon Mr. Huntington,'' the tutor, preached very acceptably. Meeting very full. At evening heard them sing beautifully. 8. Last night, the President's little child, sixteen months old, closed the scene of mortal life. May the frequent instances of mortality around us have some little efTect. 9. Attended the funeral. Had a long private talk with a member of the Sophomore class about Commencement. I hope all will turn for the best. 10. Delivered a farewell address to the Society. Sent off my diploma to be printed. Am very sorry to ditTcr from my classmates in opinion about Commencement. 11. 'Thus nineteen years have rolled over my head.^ At evening an exhibition here by a travelling fellow. 12. Am exceedingly pleased with Montesquieu.' At evening attended the exhibition here. It was the first, and, I presume, the last. 13. Rode up to Manchester.' Quite tired. Found my cousin, W. Gould. Stayed with him. Very hot. 14. Found my Uncle Gould' in a pretty poor situation. He retains his mental powers. I had no idea of the irreligion and profanity that prevail in Vermont. No Sabbath at all.' ' Rev. Ephraim Judson, D. D., already ' This was his nineteenth birthday. noticed. He was a prominent divine in those ' Charles de Secondat, Baron of Breede, parts, and instructed young men in theology. born 1689, a noble thinker and writer, quoted ' In those early days at Williams College, often in every generation since his death, but when the classes were small, it was natural better known in the List century than now. that the students graduating should ajipear ' ' Manchester is a Vermont town about on the stage in more than one part. Young fifty miles north of WiUiamstown. Kobbinp, as we shall sec, had three parts in ' William Gould, who nLirricd Rebekah the Commencement exercises. Hannah Robbins. ■• The worldly and the serious here brought 'The state of morals and religion was dose together. very low in New England generally in the last * Rev. Dan Huntington was a minister of years of the last century, caused in part by far more than ordinary grace and culture. the Revolutionary War. 1796.] AT WILLIAMS COLLEGE. I7 15. Age of Reason is greedily received in Vermont. Heard of the death of Esq. Woodbridge," of Stockbridge. Rode back to Williamstown. 16. Young people rode up to Bennington to celebrate the day of the Ben- nington battle 1777. My classmates less strenuous about Commencement ball. 17. Fi.xed upon a question with my classmate Noble.^ Very dry and dusty. The President all taken up with his painting. 18. Wrote letters to Mr. Judson, of Sheffield, and home. England herself, as well as France, seems determined on her destruction. Western posts given up.^ 19. Wrote letters to Uncle Robbins, Aunt Thompson,* and Uncle Lemuel Le Baron. 20. Excessive hot. Very sickly at Sheffield.' The dysentery. Serious thoughts quite worn off. 21. People here are not offended at close preaching, because they do not care anything about it. 22. My sister S.'s birthday.' People of this county much agitated about the election of a member of Congress.' 23. A number of Academicians dismissed for stealing corn to roast. Some troubled with the toothache. 24. Began to write my dispute for Commencement. Heard rather vaguely that the Emperor had made peace with France. 25. Troubled to get my Latin oration inspected. A small shower of rain. 26. Feel considerably low spirited. My dispute finished. 27. All confusion with electioneering. At evening a very good Senior's conference. ' Hon. Jahleel Woodbridge, who in 1764 of the town, was very fatal in Sheffield. In married Lucy Edwards, fifth daughter of Jon- the early part of the season the dam was athan Edwards. His wife died in Oct., 1786. raised a foot, or a foot and a half, and the He married again the widow of Rev. John banks of the pond and stream, then covered Keep, of Sheffield, who was the daughter of with vegetation, were overflowed. The season Rev. Philemon Robbins. Mr. Woodbridge was uncommonly hot, and heavy rains fell at was a graduate of Princeton, a Judge of Pro- intervals of fifteen and twenty days, by which bate, and four years a member of State Senate. the water was successively raised, and then ^ That is, a question for a public disputa- lowered by the letting off of the water at the tion on Commencement day. mills. The sickness began in July and con- ' Fortified positions held by these nations tinned and increased until the occurrence of in our western world, given up for the more frosts in October, during which about sixty complete consolidation of their forces for persons died." — History of County of Berk- their strife at home. shire, 1S29, pp. 179 and iSo. ■' Aunt Thompson was Irene Robbins. ' Sarah, afterwards Mrs. Joseph Battell, daughter of Rev. Philemon Robbins, who mar- her seventeenth birthday, ried Mr. G. D. Thompson. ' Theodore Sedgwick, of Stockbridge, had ' " In the summer and autumn of 1796, the been member of Congress from this district dysentery and bilious remitting fever, then from 17S9 to 1797. The election now on hand caWtA pond fever, from its supposed origin in was for the fifth Congress, 1797 to 1799, and the miasma of a mill pond (known at that Col. Thompson J. Skinner, of Williamstown, time as Hubbard's mill pond), near the center was chosen. l8 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROnniNS, D.D. [1796. 28. Mr. Huntington preached all day. Works will never save the soul. Very hot and dry. 29. Turner,' of the Sophomore class, delivered a funeral oration on the death of his late classmate French. 30. Received a letter from home. My classmate Mason arrived in town. 31. The papers full of electioneering. The Junior class e.xamined. Months roll away, and I do no good in the world. S&PTEMBBR. 1. Attend examination. Engaged in committing my pieces for Com- mencement. 2. A steady rain. No rain except one very small shower since the 30th of July. The greatest drought I ever saw. 3. This house all confusion preparing for Commencement. Much affected at the conference. We are continually connecting and parting in this world. 4. Dr. Cogswell,^ of Scotland, preached in the forenoon, Mr. Lee,^ of Lis- bon, in the afternoon. In the evening wrote an account of the fearful time on the 5th of August. Had a particular conversation with Mills.* 5. Today this county is in a complete femient electing a member of Congress.' Two hundred and ninety-six votes in this town. This the master place for company. 6. My father arrived in the evening. In the afternoon my mamma and brothers. In the evening a very handsome illumination. 7. This day I close my career in college. Human science in some degree I have got. Bui what is that alone. Exhibited in three parts. Received a degree. At even attended the ball.' Very fine weather, a great concourse of people. A scandal to have Commencement in such an old meeting-house. May I be directed in whatever I may be called to do in life. 8. Attended the morning lecture. The corporation very full of business. They expunged Dr. Hopkins's system.' My mamma made a visit to Mr. Skinner's. Settled all my accounts. ' Nathaniel Turner, afterwards minister of ' From remarks in the diary, we infer that New Marlborough, alrc.idy spoken of. young Robbins would have preferred there - Dr. James Cogswell, from 1772 to 1804 should be no Commencement ball. Hut as the pastor of Scotland parish, Windham, Ct. the opposite opinion prevailed, he attended He was a native of Saybrook, Ct., a graduate probably out of courtesy. of Yale in 1742, and a conspicuous divine of ' "Through the influence of Dr. West, of the last century. President Fitch was a Stockbridge, Dr. Hopkins's .System of Divin- nephew of his, and had been fitted for Yale ity was, for a time, one of the te.xt-books of College by him. the Senior class. In March, 1797, the Presi- ' Dr. Andrew Lee, of Lisbon, Ct., pastor dent writes: 'In future we shall read Dod- thcre from 1768 to 1832, a graduate of Yale dridge's Lectures in lieu of Hopkins's Sys- in 17C6. tern.'" — Durfie's History 0/ Williams College, * Elijah H. Mills, LL.D., a graduate of p. 84. Williams in 1797. A member of Congress. Dr. Hopkins was the new school man of his ' Col. Thompson J. Skinner elected as just time, and the conservative elements in the before stated. He was son of Rev. Thomas corporation at Williams College prevailed Skinner, minister at Westchester, Ct., 1740- against liini. 1762. J 796.] COMMENCEMENT AT YALE. 1 9 g. In the morning quite rainy. Towards noon tool; a final leave of all the endearments of college, and set off for home. Came to Pittsfield. 10. The sickness at Sheffield is dreadful, greater apparently, than at Phila- delphia. Pond fever and dysentery. Got home late at night. My things came pretty safe. 11. Very full meeting. A shame that we cannot have a pew." 12. Set out with my sister^ for New Haven. Ver}- hot, rode to Farming- ton. At evening hard shower. 13. Got to New Haven. At evening the most splendid fire-works and music I have ever seen. Extravagant. The corporation are determined to stop it. The whole cost this year above ;^so. Very much surprised to hear of the death of my old classmate Herrick.' 14. The best Commencement I have ever seen. Davis delivered an oration against theaters forty minutes long. The exercises very long. Went on the stage in alphabetic order with the class and took a degree. Extremely hot. At evening a violent thunder shower. My sister attended the ball. Wrote a letter to Uncle Robbins. 15. Davis delivered an oration on Herrick's death. Met with the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Bought some books, a chart of history, etc. In tiie afternoon attended the funeral of Benj. Heyward, who was yesterday his own murderer. He shot himself about noon, and lived in great anguish till mid- night. Such respect ought not to be paid to a suicide.* 16. Set out for home with my sister. Received the greatest kindness at Mr. Bishop's. Came to Litchfield.' The drought is very great and universal. 17. Got home towards night.^ I am preserved and prospered in the house and by the way. But how do I acknowledge all favors ? 18. A very cold, chilly day. In the afternoon, before the stated exercise, was a short season of prayer for afflicted Sheffield. 19. Read Mr. Ames's speech in Congress.' Most masterly. Cast up my expenses at College. The whole of the money I have received of my father £\2-j \\s. loil The two first years I had about £5°' the third year about £40, and the last about £37." ■ For some reason the parish had taken * From Litchfield to Norfolk not more away the minister's pew, probably to compel than eighteen or twenty miles, him to buy or hire one. ' This was the great speech of Fisher = The sister that goes with him is Sarah, Ames, in the United States House of Repre- two years younger than himself. sentatives on the British Treaty. It was given 3 Edward Herrick, whose name stands with April 28, 1796, on the basis of the following the class of 1796, in the Yale Triennal with resolution: (postoOit) after it. ''Resolved: That it is expedient to have » Here we have a burial not more than the laws necessary to carry into effect the thirteen or fourteen' hours after death. The treaty lately concluded between the United hastf, in this case, is not the same that led States and the King of Great Britain." to quick burials at Williamstown, but proba- ' This record shows two things clearly, biy because the dead man committed suicide. viz. : Young Robbins's economy while in col- 5 About thirty-five miles from New Haven lege, and his habifs of order in keeping his to Litchfield. accounts. 20 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1796. 20. How highly Connecticut is favored, no internal broils, all is peace and harmony. 21. Engaged m reading RoUm s A/iaait I/is/on: The latter harvest much cut off. 22. How happy has been my life for a few years past." I see trouble and anxiety before me. 23. Wrote to my oldest sister at Paris." May she be prepared for some- thing in life. 24. A very hard headache. My father preparing to go to the westward.^ 25. My father preached. Baptized a child born five months after his father's death. 26. Mr. Wales,* a candidate, came to preach for my father in his absence. Fine weather. 27. My father set out on his journey westward as a missionar)- to the new settlements from this State. 28. Gen. Washington has publicly refused to be considered as a candidate for President of the United States for the ne.xt election. May the advice he has left us be carefully attended to. 29. Had a tooih extracted which has given me considerable pain. (General trainings all over the country. 30. Was informed of the account of our Commencement in Stockbridge paper. Not right. OCTOBEH. ' 1. Rode up to Stockbridge. Saw my classmate Knapp,' and my old classmate Parker.' The sickness in ShetTield much abated, /.aus Deo. 2. Mr. Avery,' of Tyringham, preached at Stockbridge very seriously. Drank tea at Mr. Sedgwick's.' 3. Got acquainted with Mr. Andrews. Wrote a piece to put in the paper. My Aunt Woodbridge rather melancholy but pretty well. 4. Rode home. Think of taking Sheffield school. My friend, Mr. Wat- son, of New York, here in the evening. 5. Mr. Wales and I making some salve for the salt-rheum. \\'orkcd at husking. ' Dr. Robbins through his long life was ' David Knapji, graduate of Willi.ims Col- of an even temperament, and of a calm, lege 1796. happy, gentle spirit. 'Joseph Parker, class of 1796 at Vale. ^ Elizabeth, known according to the New Young Robbins makes a distinction between England fashion as Betsey, before spoken of. tho.se with whom he sjient the Senior year ^ This was common among the .settled at Williams, and his .issociates for three ministers of New England, before the Mis- years at Vale. He calls the first classmates, sionary Societies of Connecticut and Massa- and the other old classmates, chusetts were formed, and even afterwards. ' Rev. Joseph Avery, a native of Stoning- * There was a Mr. Elcazar Wales who was ton, Ct., pastor at Tyringham, Mass., from licensed by the Windham County Associa- 17S9 to iSaS. lion in 1765, and he was probably the man ' Hon. Theodore Sedgwick, M. C, a supplying the pulpit at i>?orfolk in the pas- very prominent man, mentioned in a previ- tor's absence. ous note. 1796.] AT HOME AT XORFOLK. 21 6. Reading the histon- of Alexander. He was made a scourge of the human race to fulfill the prophecies. 7. Prettj- much taken up with my father's scholars. Steady, cool weather. 8. Made some black-ball. I live along from day to day, and from week to week, useless.' 9. Mr. Gillet,^ of Torrington, preached here. Few places where people are so good to attend meeting and so attentive to listen as here. 10. A number of scholars here going up to college — two new ones gone from this town. 11. Wrote to my old friend and classmate Dads. Fine weather and the f)eople of the countn,' very much journeying.' , 12. My salt-rheum begins to rage ver}- much. Strongly beset to attend a minister's meeting. Refused. 13. Electioneering runs higher than ever in the county of Berkshire. If such a spirit becomes prevalent in our republic, adieu freedom of elections. 14. Mv brother A. and Mr. Lawrence' here — the latter from Paris. The drought is distressing all over the countn". Ever)-thing presages a hard winter. 15. My classmate Mason came to see me and tarried over the Sabbath. Going to s^Jdy law at Stockbridge. 16. Mr. Bogue,^ of Winchester, preached here. A hard rain. 17. Historj- makes mankind appear in their true light. It also shows the admirable fulfillment of the sacred prophecies. 18. Fruit this year very light, as also the latter har\'est. Accounts of a decisive French victory' in Italy. 19. Considerably unwell. Some troubled with the headache. Dr. Hunt- ington's posthumous work in favor of universal salvation has come out.' 20. I am too much attached to this world. Place my happiness on things below. My thoughts too much engrossed with intruding vanities. 21. Worked with my brother sowing clover seed, etc. 22. Rode about town on errands. Read some in President Edwards's Miscd/anies. 23. Heard Mr. Wales preach. Crowded out of my mother's pew. Wrote a letter to Uncle Robbins. ' Expressions like these must be under- ' Rev. Publius V. Bogue, a native of Avon, stood by reference to the habits of those Ct., a graduate of Yale in 17S7, pastor at times among Christian people. Winchester from 1791 to jSoo. ^ Rev. Alexander Gillet, a native of * This news came probably from the bat- Granbv, Ct., pastor at Wolcott, Ct., eighteen tie of Roveredo, fought on the 4th of Sep- vears, and at Torrington, Ct., thirt)--four tember, in which the French were victorious years, a man of more than ordinary pulpit over the .\ustrians, followed by the battle of power. Bassano on the Sth of September, in which ^ This entry presents a happy picture of the French were also victors, families making their way over the hills in ' Dr. Joseph Huntington, of Coventry, the pleasant October days to visit their kin- Ct. The work referred to was entitled Cal- dred and friends. vinism Imprmed. It was not known that he * Mr. Grove Lawrence, his brother-in- had wTitten such a work till after his death law from Paris, N. Y. in 1794. 22 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['79''- 24. Wrote a letter to Uncle I. Le JJaron." Went and looked over old town records. In the afternoon attended town meeting. 25. Heard the result of the election in Berkshire. There is no choice. The contest all to be renewed. 26. Perhaps I have never in my life had less real business on hand, and yet my time, by some means, hangs heavily. 27. People about very much digging wells. A fine time.'' Lent hooks return almost always ill-used. 2S. We had a visit from Gen. Wilson and wife from Sheffield. My brother N., I suspect, forming serious connections. 29. Something rainy. Other nations than the Romans in a dreadful con- dition when they rose. 30. Mr. Wales preached exceedingly well. A number of singers came and sang with Mr. W. 31. A man in the north part of the tow-n absconded. A general rally to look. He is found. November. 1. Ver)' cold for the season. Fetched water from the brook' as I have every vacation since I went to college. 2. Attended a public singing meeting. Singing here declines fast. Worked a little at highways. 3. Went to library meeting. The library will run out soon. Finished reading Rollin.'' 4. Went about town on errands. A very healthy time here. 5. Worked some. 'R.&a.A Age «/ Jicason. Part II blasphemous. My salt- rheum rages very much. 6. Mr. Catlin,' of North Marlborough, preached here. Stormy day. Read Some in Pilgrim'' s Progress. 7. Very cold. Trying to recollect former events of my life to set down. W'e have a great deal of company. 8. We hear from my father. \\'orked some. Read Paine. 9. All signs of rain fail. Attended a funeral at South End. ' Isaac Le Baron, about two years older ' Dr. Jacob Catliii, of New Marlborough, than his mother. Mass., was a somewhat conspicuous ilivine ^ Because it was so dry. of his day. Born at Harwinton, Ct., he was ' A living stream of water, fed by many graduated at Yale College in 17S4 and was springs, ran through the field, with a strong pastor at New Marlborough from 1787 to his current, only a few rods from the house. death in 1S26. He was among the men who * Rollin's Ancient History filled an iinpor- instructed young men in divinity. Norfolk tant place in the education of young people and New Marlborough were adjoining fifty and one hundred years ago. Rollin was towns, the former being in Connecticut, and born in Paris, and died in 1741 at the age of the latter in Massachusetts, about eight mifes eighty. apart. 1796.] STILL AT NORFOLK. 2$ 10. Moderate weather. Towards night my father arrived from his tour to the West, having been about 220 miles.' The drought great and universal. 11. Read Bishop Watson's" Apology for the Bible. A thorough answer to Paine. At even went out. 12. Things begin to appear rather unfavorable on the side of the French.' When will war cease ! 13. My father preached. In evening played game of backgammon.'' 14. Very cold. Considerably rainy. The earth thirsts exceedingly. Worked some. 15. Read part of Belknap's' American Biography. Can do nothing to help my salt-rheum. 16. My father received a letter wishing me to engage in the school at Sheffield. 17. Rode up to Sheffield. Engaged to keep that school for si.xteen dollars a month. It appears that Gen. S., of Williamstown, is chosen member of Congress.' 18. Rode home. Dined with Mr. Grossman/ preaching at Canaan. Have a bad cold in my head. 19. Busied in writing of myself years back. 20. Attended meeting. Sacrament administered. Rainy. Thin meeting. 21. Had a coat made. Something sickly in town. Getting ready to go away. 22. Rode two miles to see a spring which is not dr)'. It rains consider- ably. My father has continued applications to take scholars. ° 23. My brother N. carried me up to Sheffield in a wagon. The paper this ' He left home Sept. 27, and returned the Bible was meant to be an answer to Paine's Nov. 10. His journey only e.xtended to the Age of Reason. He died 1S16, at the age of new settlements out in Central New York. seventy-nine. " Among the early missionaries appointed ' After the French victories aheady men- by the General Association of Connecticut, tioned, came the disastrous battle of Alten are found the names of Rev. Moses C. kirchen fought on the i6th of September, and Welch for 1794, Rev. Messrs. Joshua Knapp, the rumors of that event had probably reached David Huntington, Ammi R. Robbins, Lem- these shores. But soon after came victory uel Tyler, and Levi Hart for 1795; for 1796 again to the French. Rev. Messrs. Robbins, Nott, Lyman, Ely, ■* In Connecticut they generally kept Sat- Kynne, and Benedict. They were severally urday night and not Sunday, employed for periods ranging from four weeks ' Jeremy Belknap, D. D., of Boston, to four months. As a specimen of the labor ' We have already recorded this fact, performed by itinerating missionaries at that ' Joseph W. Grossman, a graduate of early period of missionary operations in the Brown University in 1795, was pastor at Sal- new settlements it may be noted, that Mr. isbury, Gt., from 1796 to his death in 1S12. Robbins on his mission of forty days' continu- ° These schools in the houses of minis- ance, preached forty-two sermons, in addition ters, some of them, like this at Norfolk, to to his other ministerial labors performed." — fit young men for college, and some for Hotckiiss's History of Western A'ew York, p. young men who had completed their college 177. course, and were studying divinity, were a ^ Richard Watson, Bishop of Landaff, a marked feature of New England life a ceiv man of much rude strength. His Apology for tury ago. 24 DIARY OF REV. THO.NfAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l795- week lirings news of the misfortunes of the French. Some writing about a disruption of our States. 24. Began my school, had only thirteen scholars. Live at Mr. Hubbard's." A good place. 25. My friend Turner came in to see me from Wiliiamstown. Brought me a letter from my friend Davis. Wrote on the Being of a God. Showed to Mr. Judson." 26. Reading Clark on the Being and Attributes of God. In the evening read sermons to Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard. 27. In the afternoon Mr. Judson got out to meeting, the first time since his sickness. E.xtreme cold, the river freezing over. 28. My school increases. \\'rote to my friend Davis. .Sent to New York for Pres. Edwards's sermon, Sinners in the Hands, etc' 29. Much troubled with the salt-rheum. Something unwell. Read the papers. Great danger that we shall soon be involved in the horrors of war with the French, on account of our treaties with Great Britain. When will wars cease? When will men love one another? May God avert impending dangers. 30. Received a letter from home. Sent my Enfield's Philosophy^ to Turner to carry to Wiliiamstown. Decbmbek. 1. The weather continues severe. If winter comes on now, as I much fear, without rain, it will be distressing indeed. 2. Gave an old watch-chain and key to Mr. Fuller,' a minister. The North River shutting up. 3. The wea'Jier moderates. In the afternoon went to skating. Read some in the Bible almost daily. 4. Attended meeting. People here appear little affected with their grievous sickness. 5. Wrote a letter home. Afraid I shall not get along in my school witii- out correction. 6. In the evening wrote on the attributes of God from the light of nature.' In the night it rained some. " This was probably Jonathan Hubbard, ' This was the notable sermon preached Deacon of the Sheffield Church, and son of by Jon.athan Edwards in r.nfield, Connecticut, Rev. Jonathan Hubbard, the first minister of in 1741. Sheffield, settled in 1735. Deacon Jonathan * A text-book for schools and colleges Hubbard died in 1825, aged eighty. prepared by Dr. William Enfield, a disscnt- ' Rev. Ephraim Judson was settled in ing minister in England. Sheffield in 1791, and continued till his death ' This was Rev. Samuel Fuller, a gradu- in 1813. He had been settled twice before, ate of Dartmouth College in 1791. He had seven years in Norwich, Ct., and ten years taught school in Sheffield, and studied thc- in Taunton, Mass. He was a theological ology with Rev. Mr. Judson. He w.as settled teacher, and had students in his family. in the .State of New York, and in after years Young Robbins commenced his theological became an Episcopalian. He died in 1847. studies under his direction. Mr. Judson was *> These papers which he writes all pass a native of Woodbury, Ct., and a graduate prob.ably under the inspection of Rev. Mr of Yale in 1763. Judson. 1796-] TEACHING SCHOOL AT SHEFFIELD. 2| 7. A good deal unwell with an ague in my face. At night took a sweat. Troubled with a swelling at my throat. 8. Cold weather again. Snowed yesterday considerably. Some sleighing. 9. Am pretty well suited with keeping school. As yet it is small, averag- ing not more than twenty. 10. In afternoon rode out in a sleigh. Informed that there has been plenty of rain at the westward. Almost all mills stop here. 11. Veiy comfortable day. Mr. Judson failed in sermon through indispo- sition. Proclamation for thanksgiving.' 12. My eyes something weak. Wrote on the goodness of God from the light of nature. This evening felt willing to be annihilated. - 13. My brother S. here, going up to Stockbridge. 14. My older brothers came into my school. N. going to Albany. Pretty good sleighing. At evening my father came up to Mr. Judson's.' 15. Thanksgiving in this State. My father preached. A great many people — uncommon for this town. 16. My little brother'' came along back from Stockbridge. At evening snowed. 17. My brother came back from Albany. Consulted old Doctor Barnard' about my throat. 18. It snowed very hard. Rode to the meeting-house with Mr. Judson. No meeting. 19. It hailed some. Very cold. Got a horse to ride home. 20. There have lately been dreadful fires in New York, Baltimore, and Savannah. Two thirds of the latter destroyed. 21. In the afternoon rode home. Was almost overcome with the cold. 22. Thanksgiving in Connecticut. Extreme cold and stormy. Ver)' agree- able at home. 23. One of the coldest days we ever have. 24. Traded on my own hook' for the first time. Rode up to Sheffield. 25. Attended meeting. Comfortable weather. People anxious about a President of the U. S. 26. My school amounts to more than thirty. Aunt Woodbridge' called, going to Norfolk. Wrote to Parker at Stockbridge.' ' The old Thanksgivings in New England ' Not yet o£ legal age, but as he was earn- did not fall on fixed days as now, but ranged ing money for himself, he was honored in from October to January, though usually in being allowed to spend it for himself. November or December. ' As will be remembered her first husband ^ He had probably been e-xercising his was Rev. John Keep, a superior man, who mind in a Hopkinsian way. died at Sheffield in 1785, in the thirteenth year ^ To help Mr. Judson out on Thanksgiv- of his ministry in that town. She afterwards ing Day. married Hon. Jahleel Woodbridge, of Stock- ■* Young Robbins, as before mentioned, bridge, and was now again a widow. In had three brothers younger than himself, stopping at Sheffield she was back again at James Watson, Samuel, and Francis Le her old home, and in the midst of many I'laron. friends. ' Dr. Lemuel Barnard, a native of Deer- ' Joseph Parker was his classmate at Yale field, and a graduate of Yale in 1759. College. 26 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBHIN'S, D.D. ['79^' 27. The snow ver\' deep in the new countries North and West. 28. At evening walked out. Wrote on tlie perfect goodness of God. 29. Considerably unwell. Headache. Very good sleighing. 30. Forgot to write on the 23d that a piece of an apple-core came out of the swelling under my throat. It caught on the inside, the 15th of October, and has now come out.' Snowed considerably. 31. Talked seriously to my school. Thus another revolving year has rolled over. My conduct poorly bears the test of a scrutinizing conscience. May I not live another year in such a thoughtless and inconsiderate manner. ' He swallowed a pin some months since, but as we have heard nothing more, probably no harm came of it January. 1. Attended meeting. Have no heart to begin a year in a suitable man- ner. May I live another year and do something for the glory of him to whom only it belongs. 2. Am unable to study much evenings. Pretty tired. 3. Traded some at the merchant's. My sister B. came down from Paris.' 4. Very cold. Poor fires at school. 5. Few signs of peace in Europe, although an English ambassador has gone to Paris. 6. Verj' warm and pleasant. At even conversed seriously with Mr. Judson. 7. Agreed for a pair of boots. Read Newton on the Prophecies.^ 8. Extreme cold. Thought to be the coldest we have had. 9. My sister S. called, going up to Stockbridge with Aunt Woodbridge.' 10. It appears that John Adams* is chosen President of the United States ; and Thomas Jefferson Vice-President. 11. Stormy. Wrote on the Divinity of the Scriptures. 12. Refused to take my boots.' 13. One of the children that has come to school steadily till yesterday, now sleeps in death. Difficulty in the head ; some supposed being hurt in play. 14. Received a letter from my classmate Parker at Stockbridge. Set out to go home ; returned by reason of storm. Attended the funeral. 15. Moderate weather. We hope for a thaw. 16. Wrote an inscription for a gravestone for Mr. Hubbard's' two chil- dren that died last summer. 17. Rode up to Stockbridge in a sleigh with Mr. Hubbard. 18. Came back : snowed some. ' This was Elizabeth (Betsey) Robbins, on her way to Norfolk. After a stay of Mrs. Lawrence, before mentioned, who was thirteen days she is now returning home, living at Paris, Oneida County, New York. with Sarah Robbins as traveling companion. She was seven years older than her brother * This was a warmly contested election, Thomas. and Mr. Adams was elected by a small ma- ■^ Bishop Thomas Newton, an eminent jority, 71 electoral votes out of 140. English divine. He was born at Litchfield, ' jj^ Robbins was always nice in his Eng., in 1704, was Bishop of Bristol, and dress, and was particular to have the e.\- died in 1782. He edited editions of Milton's act articles which he had bargained for. Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. His This was the age of top-boots. Dissertations on the Prophecies was his chief 'This was probably Mr. Jonathan Hub- work, bard, where he was boarding, though there 3 It may be remembered that " Aunt were other families of the name in Shef- Woodbridge " called at Sheffield, Dec. 26, field. 27 28 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l797- 19. My school will average at more than forty.' 20. Trying to get a horse to ride home. Difficulty. 21. Received a letter from Davis, Parker, and one from my classmate Romeyn." Scholars come home from Williamstown.^ Rode home.* 22. Had an agreeable visit with my sister B. at home. 23. My father disclosed to me a difficulty he has which is truly alarming.' May God have mercy. He rode up to Sheffield with me. 24. In the evening went to see wax work. 25. Declined going to a ball, though urged.' 26. Much taken up with my school evenings as well as days. 27. Quite thawy weather, which is the first we have had since about the middle of December. 28. Began to make a double cone to roll.' 29. Mr. Judson verj- feeble. Very warm. 30. Cold and tedious weather. 31. It snows. Mr. Lawrence and my sister stayed here going up to Paris.' February. 1. Apt to have little wood at the school-house. 2. Had people in to see the school. 3. Heard from home; my father no poorer. 4. My children learn the catechism pretty well.' 5. Felt serious at meeting. How little religion there is in the world. 6. Frequent changes in the weather. Sleighing mostly gone. 7. Things look unfavorably respecting the French towards us. 8. Received a letter from my classmate Noble at Williamstown. 9. Unwell, at night hard sick. Rainy weather. 10. Had my boots footed. Feel rather better. 11. Traded some. Some prospect of a great embargo. 12. Went to meeting in a wagon. Heard Mr. Grossman." 13. Snowed a little. People arc much disappointed about mo\ing. ' A very gratifying gain, since November cone for the Sophomores at Williams Col- 24th, when he began with thirteen. lege. He is now making a double cone for ' The name stands on the college cata- his school. loguc, Romeyn, but pronounced Romayne. ' Mr. Grove Lawrence was a native of ' The winter vacation at the college had Norfolk, a son of Capt. Lawrence who had come. the lawsuit with Mr. Phelps. He lived at * It wasiiaturday, and he was going home Paris, Oneida Co., New York. They were simply to spend the Sabbath, and sec his making the journey back to Paris some sev- sister Elizabeth. cnty miles from Norfolk. ' As his father lived yet sixteen years ' It was the old custom in New England, after this, dying in 1S13, his trouble did not for scholars in school to repeat the Assem- prove immediately dangerous, though very bly's Catechism at the close of school .Satur- painful and trying. day. It will be noticed that it is on .Saturday ' Evidently balls were of far more com- th.it this entry is made. mon occurrence than now. '" Rev. Joseph W. Crossman, pastor at ' It will be remembered that he made a Salisbury, Ct. 1 797-] TEACHING AT SHEFFIELD. 29 14. The French have had a battle in Italy, which lasted eight days. Suc- cessful." 15. Attended a public exhibition of a school in the meeting-house." 16. Wrote letters to my classmates Noble and Davis ^ at Williamstown. 17. Wrote to Parker at Stockbridge. On the 13th received a letter from home. 18. Received an excellent and very affectionate letter from my dear Uncle Robbins.* 19. Mr. Judson preached on man. Wrote on the Divinity of the Bible. 20. Cold, raining weather. Wrote a letter to Uncle Robbins. 21. At evening walked down to Esq. Lee's.' First men here gamble.* 22. The prospect of peace in Europe brightens. Danger of difficulty on the Susquehanna about titles. 23. Talked with Mr. Judson on the Prophecies. 24. On the 2ist bought Bishop Watson's' Apology. Considerably unwell. 25. Rode home. Saw boys playing ball. My father's difficulty much the same. 26. Chilly weather. No sleighing. 27. Traded some. Talked considerably on the important work of the ministry. 28. Rode up to Sheffield. Pretty cold. March. 1. Much engaged in writing a dialogue.' 2. The boys play ball smartly. 3. Warm weather. Something unwell. 4. My classmate Parker at Stockbridge has gone to Canada. 5. Very windy indeed. 6. Very cold. School grows thin. 7. No school on account of wood. Wrote all day. 8. Finished my dialogue. We are in some danger of war.' 9. The boys feel much engaged to learn the dialogue. ' During the Italian campaign in the clos- and Daniel Noble's home was at Williams- ing months of 1796, and early part of 1797, town. Napoleon went on from victory to victory. ■* Chandler Robbins, D. D., of Plymouth, There was nowhere, however, a single bat- who was seriously out of health, tie lasting eight days, but rather a rapid ' Elisha Lee, Esq., a lawyer, and also the succession of battles in which he was vie- first postmaster of the town of Sheffield, torious. He was a graduate of Yale College, in the - In the olden New England days, the class of 1777. meeting-house was apt to be the only large * Another proof of the low state of morals public building in town, and was used for at the close of the last century, town meetings, school exhibitions, etc. ' Richard Watson, Bishop of Landaff. ^ Henry Davis had gone from his school ° For his scholars to speak, in Stockbridge, to be tutor at Williams, ' With France. 30 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. L'797- 10. My sister S. came here from Stockbridge. Received a letter from Mr. J. Woodbridge." A great call for candid.ites. 11. Snows some. M\' sister concludes to stay over the Sabbath. Read my dialogue to Mr. Judson and others. Liked. 12. Sacrament administered. At evening went with my sister to Sally Hubbard's. 13. My brother S.^ came up, and my sister went home. Talk here about destroying the mill pond.' 14. Wrote to Davis' at W'illiams. Prospect of peace in Europe grows dark. 15. One of the principal actors in my dialogue fails, tion vo/o. Therefore it must fall tlirough. At evening walked out. 16. Went to board at Moses Hubbard's. Verj- muddy. 17. Received a letter from Davis. Judson^ returned from Williamstown. 18. Serious thoughts have little place in my heart. Oh, for grace. 19. Heard Mr. Catlin, of North Marlborough. 20. Received an excellent letter from Uncle Robbins. Drank tea at Gen. Fellows's.' 21. The prospect of peace in Europe is entirely vanished. Lord save us from the horrors of war. A little black boy of about four years, came into school and asked me what was the matter of my thumb, as there was a rag on it. I told him I cut it. Said he how ? I told him. Said he, if I had some plaster I would give you some to put on it. He appears to act from the pure dictates of nature, without the least cultivation. If in any one, I think we can see nature in him. Is there not then in human nature a principle of benevolence.' 22. Think of going to Williamstown next week. Very muddy. 23. Very rainy. It seems that there will be rain enough to supply the deficiency of last fall. 24. Settled with Mr. Stanley. Owed him £2 los. The river very high. 25. Three of the children said all the catechism.' Dismissed my school.' Settled my affairs. Cold weather. 26. Very pleasant weather. Pretty full meeting. Fixing to go home. 27. So rainy I did not go home. In the afternoon with Judson sailed on the meadow in a canoe. ' Probably Jonathan Woodbridge, son of officer, born in Pomfret, Ct, 1733, served in lion. Jahlccl Woodbridge. His father's death the French War. Led a regiment to Boston, occurred the year before. He was, later in on the breaking out of the Revolution. After life, known as Gen. John Woodbridge. the war he took up his residence at Sheffield, ° Samuel Robbins, then thirteen years old. and was high sheriff of Berkshire County. ' This was the mill pond which caused the ' Rather a daring question for a young great sickness of the year before. divinity student to ask in 1797, but it can now * Henry Davis, who took the school at be answered in tlic affirmative. Stockbridge, was, as before stated, called " Almost every school in those times away to be tutor at Williams College. would furnish a few scholars who could ac- ' This was Ephraim Judson, Jr., then in coniplish the feat of saying the whole catc- thc Senior class. chism through. ' Gen. John Fellows, a Revolutionary ' Vacation. 1 797-] AT HOME AT NORFOLK. 3 1 28. Mr. Hubbard carried me home in a wagon. Water very high. Cold. 29. A Hmner at our house had taken my father, and mother, and sister S. Last week read the speeclies of Mr. Adams and Mr. Jefferson at their inaugura- tion.' The Empress of Russia,^ who lately died, for a number of years has been in such dread of ih-ath that she would never let any instances which happened in the court be told her. And she even prohibited funerals to be attended in Petersburg in the day time. But by an apoplectic shock she died in twenty- four hours after she was taken. 30. Read Bicheno ^ on the signs of the times. Settled with Betts. 31. Sent money to my brother N. ; fifteen dollars. O, for grace to enter on the important work of the ministry. 1. Went to the sap-works with my brother J.* Agreed to go to Williams- town next week. 2. A proclamation for a fast. Difificulties in my father's church. 3. Agreed not to go to Williamstown at present. Mr. Grossman here today. Has a call at Salisbury; ;^2oo settlement, and ^120 salary-.' 4. In the afternoon attended the concert of prayer; pretty full and serious. Afterwards a church meeting. Warm weather. 5. Very hot for the season. Worked hard yesterday and today at the spinning mill. I fear that my brother N. will give us all trouble with a con- nection. Saw a man sowing. 6. War appears inevitable. Think of going to Williamstown tomorrow. Bonaparte,' the French general in Italy, has gained a great battle over the Austrians. Taken 23,000 prisoners, and killed 6,000 men. This was about the middle of Januarj^ The French army in Italy under him has in sLx months taken 100,000 prisoners, 400 pieces of cannon, no stands of colors, and destroyed five armies of the Emperor. 7. Set out for Williamstown. Went no farther than Sheffield on account of rain. 8. The President of the United States, Mr. Adams, has issued a procla- mation to convene Congress.' Went on to Stockbridge. Rainy. ' These speeches were made on the 4th of ' James Watson Robbins, fifteen years old. March, and it is now the 29th. ' The ordinary form of settling a minister ^ Catherine II, haughty and cruel, though at that time. The jf 200 was to provide a powerful as a sovereign. She was born at house and lands, and the other was for the Stettin, May 2, 1729, and died at St. Peters- yearly support. This was a bargain expected burg, Nov. 17, 1796. Her death, therefore, to last for life, and ordinarily it did so con- occurred only a few months before this was tinue. written. ' Bonaparte's victorious progress was as ' J. Bicheno, an English writer, author of keenly watched on this side the water, as in several popular works. His book on the Europe. Si!;ns of the Twu-s was republished in this ' That is, for a special session. Questions countr)-, at Providence, R. I., in 1795, and at growing out of the European wars were dis- Springfield in 1796. turbing this country. 32 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1797- 9. Dr. West' preached on Charity. A missionary society' is established in New York to propagate the gospel among the heathen. There is one of the same kind in London. May they do good. 10. Talked with Dr. Sergeant' about my father's difficulty. Went on to Williamstown. Glad to see my friends there. 11. Walked about to see old acquaintances. A universal scarcity of hay. 12. Was with my old friend Davis considerably. Also my classmate Noble. 13. On the whole a very good visit. 14. Fast in Connecticut. A number of scholars in the small-pox. They are much engaged in building at Williams College. The meeting-house and some houses are to be built this summer. Came down to Stockbridge. 15. A universal scarcity of money. Very warm. My horse failed. Got home. 16. Mr. Pinckney,* our ambassador at Paris, is not received. The wonder of antichrist is likely near an end. 17. Read Edwards's Miscellanies? At evening saw a comedy acted. 18. Mantua is in the hands of the French. American vessels taken by the French. Great stores found in Mantua. 19. Reading Pres. Edwards's Miscellanies. 20. In afternoon worked with my brother N. mending fence. 21. Took a catalogue of the scholars that my father has ever had. They amount to one hundred.' 22. Warm. Worked at the garden getting sand. My father went to change with Mr. Grossman.' 23. Heard Mr. C. preach. Read a letter in public to the church. A thief came to the house last night, but dare not come in on account of the dog, etc. 24. Play ball some. The spring as yet rather backward. 25. My father went to Sandisfield to a council and dedication. Set out some trees. 26. Attend to my father's scholars. Finished Edwards's Miscellanies. 27. A very growing season. Read some in Bible. ' Dr. Stephen West, of whom we shall French Directors caused the rejection of our hear more as we pass on. conciliatory propositions and the order to "The society thus established was in Pinckney to quit the French territory." — Northern New York, and was especially for Drake's Diet, of Am. Biograp/iy, p. 720. work among the Indians of this continent. ' Edwards's Miscellaneous Observations on ' Erastus Sergeant, M. D., son of Rev. Important Theological Subjects, was published John Sergeant. An honored physician. Young in Edinburgh in 1793, ^'"^ another work with Kobbins consulted him about his father's the same essential title in 1796. physical ailment. Dr. Sergeant had been ' His father had then been settled in Nor- then in practice about thirty years. folk thirty-six years. ■• Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, born at ' Joseph W. Grossman, already mentioned. Charleston, S. C, Feb. 25, 1746. He had accepted his c.ill to Salisbury, Ct., "Appointed in July, 1796, minister pleni- and was prcacliing there, but was not or- potentiary to France. The hostility of the dained until June of that same year. I797-] AT HOME AT NORFOLK. 33 28. My father returned. They have dismissed Mr. Storrs' from Saudis- field. Worked considerably. 29. Worked hard all day getting water on the mowing. Very tired. 30. Cold and rainy. Feel very cold and stupid in things of infinite im- portance. Received a letter from Davis. Yesterday wrote a letter to my classmate Romeyn' at Schenectady. 1. Training day. In afternoon walked out with my sister. My brother went after shad.' Rainy. 2. Wrote a letter to my friend E. Watson* at New York. Bonaparte has made peace with the Pope. A prospect of a bloody campaign. 3. Read some sermons. The world coming either to Christianity or infi- delity, sects being laid aside. 4. It rains very frequently. The deficiencies of nature in one season are supplied in another. 5. Worked considerably at the water, garden, etc. Cold. Yesterday went to see if I could live with Dr. Edwards' this summer. He was not at home; but his wife' said she could not take boarders. 6. Wrote a letter to Davis. Set out trees. 7. Sacrament administered. Beholding' the ordinance was deeply im- pressed with the idea that I should be shut out in a similar manner at the •Great Day. 8. My father set out for Stockbridge to be doctored by Dr. Sergeant on account of his difficulty.' Ministers going to election.' ' Rev. Eleazar Storrs, a native of Mans- field, Ct., and a graduate of Yale in the class of 1762. " He was ordained pastor of this church and people Feb. 26, 1766. He was a popular preacher, and retained the affections of his people until the unhappy Shays's insurrec- tion. At that time, from his measures in favor of government, a' considerable number were offended and left his ministry. He, how- ever, continued his pastoral relations till, in consequence of ill health, he was dismissed, April 26, 1797." — Hist, of the County of Berk- shire^ p. 301. ^ This was Thomas Romeyn, as Benjamin died in 1796. ^ It was an important matter of business every spring in the olden time, for families to lay in their store of shad for the year's use. The shad in the Connecticut river in those years were abundant and of most excellent quality. ' This was probably the nephew of Mr. James Watson, spoken of in connection with his visit to New York the previous year. ' The younger Edwards, Dr. Jonathan Ed- wards, left his pastorate in New Haven, Ct., in 1795, and in 1796 was settled in Colebrook, Ct. There it was that young Robbins went to see him in the hope of studying theology with him. 'This was Dr. Edwards's second wife, Miss Mercy Sabin, daughter of Mr. Hezekiah Sa- bin, of New Haven. She seemed to be will- ing to take the responsibility of answering young Robbins's question. His first wife was Miss Mary Porter, of Hadley, Mass., who was drowned in 1792. ' He had not yet made a public professiort of religion. ' It will be remembered that, about a month before, young Robbins consulted Dr. Sergeant about his father. ' Election that year was at Hartford, and the election sermon was preached. May n by Rev. Isaac Lewis, of Greenwich. 34 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l797- 9. Read the Bible. We hope war may be avoided. 10. Have some thoughts of making a whirling table. Work at the water almost daily. 11. My brother N. gone to Kent. My father sent down for mamma. 12. Very good weather. Rode to Sheffield with mamma, and saw trees in the blow. 13. Read in the volume of collected sermons just published. 14. Thin meetings without a minister. Read in public both parts of the day.' 15. Take a good deal of pleasure with the water.' Read sermons. At even walked out. 16. There is an account that our differences with France are settled. Fear it is not true. 17. At even heard the school children speak pieces. 18. Received a letter from my father. He is low, but gaining. Scholars along from Williams College.^ 19. Rode to the south part of the town, and attended a conference. Prayed. 20. Rode to Canaan in quest of a letter from New York, which is lost be- tween here and Salisbury.' The weather this week has been every day alter- nately fair and rainy. 21. Very warm. Read all day in public' Read the volume of collected sermons last week. Thunder. 22. My brother J.' went after my father. Received an excellent letter from my friend, E. W.,' New York. Copied a will. 23. Had a tooth extracted. No confirmation that our affairs are settled with France. It appears that the President of the United States means to send another envoy. 24. Jerome,' a Junior in Williams College, came to see me. My father returned. Laus Deo. considerably well. 25. The fullest blow for fruit ever known in the memory of any. 26. Did but little. Scholars to see us. Warm weather, but a backward spring. 27. Wrote in my diary of my younger years. 28. Pretty full meeting. Read some in the Theological Magazine. 29. Very cold for the season. ' His father being absent he read sermons center o£ Salisbury, the distance is about ten before the congregation both forenoon and miles, afternoon. ' Sunday, and his father being still sick ' A brook ran near his home, and he was and absent, he again reads sermons before probably engaged in irrigating the mowing the congregation, lands, ' James Watson Robbins. ^ Going home for the spring vacation. ' E. Watson, before noticed. ■• Canaan adjoined Norfolk, and Salis- ' Amasa Jerome, a native of Stockbridge, bury was between Canaan and the New graduate ol Williams in 1798, and afterwards a York line. From the center of Norfolk to man of influence and character in the ministry. I I797-] -^T HOME AT NORFOLK. 35 30. Rode to the south part of the town with Aunt Woodbridge. Went a fishing ; caught none. 31. The family of the Mills's,' formerl)- at Simsbury, was fourteen children. All lived to be married at once. Parents living. JUNB. 1. All sat round fires. The scholars came down from the chamber, and got wood for a fire." 2. A little frost this morning. Quite sick with the ague in my face. Had some young ladies here from Kent.^ 3. The coldest May, and the most backward spring known for many years. Things are just coming up in gardens, etc. Warm. 4. Yesterday the assembly arose.* Our legislature finds little business. 5. A little riding in the morning. Went to Warren from Goshen with Aunt Woodbridge.^ Gave cousin Peter' a little piece on the dead languages. 6. Very warm and pleasant. Rode to my brothers at Canaan.' Con- versed with Esther de rebus privatis. 7. Came home. The President of the United States has sent two envoys to France to accommodate our differences. The unrivaled Bonaparte has de- feated the hitherto successful general Archduke Charles in Italy. He has killed and taken about 20,000 men. The French have also been successful on the Rhine. It is supposed that Germany can hold out no longer, and this will be a prelude of a happy peace. ^ 8. Mr. J. Watson from New York was here. Been proving cannon at Salisbury. Very kind to invite me to his house, etc. 9. Fine weather. Read Bible, etc. A steeple raised at Torrington. 10. Excessive hot. Hurt myself in work at the water. 11. Rained last night. At even went to see a young man with a broken leg. 12. Traded some. Very hot weather. Visited Mr. Darley. 13. Rode to Winchester with my father to association. Dr. Edwards' preached. At night rained a great deal. 14. There seems to be a direct account of peace between France and Germany. May it be true. 15. Wrote a letter to Miss Esther Robbins." Feel some unwell. So hot. ■ This was Rev. Gideon Mills, who died in folk, and from Goshen to Warren was about 1772. ten or twelve miles. ^ This was for the school-room up stairs. ' Peter Starr, son of Rev. Peter Starr, was ' Kent was about twenty miles south of then a Junior in Williams College. Norfolk, bordering on New York. " He went home by Canaan. * The assembly was convened on Wed- * A continuation of successes in his Italian nesday. May 10, so the session had lasted campaign, about three weeks. ' Rev. Jonathan Edwards, D. D., settled 5 His Aunt Woodbridge was going to War- the year before at Colebrook. ren, probably, to visit her sister, Mrs. Starr, '° Miss Esther Robbins, of Canaan, with and young Robbins attended her thither. whom on June 6th he had talked de rebu. Goshen was the next town south from Nor- privatis. 36 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l797- 16. Helped my little brothers make a trough. From the 3d of June till today it has been very hot weather. Cool. Attended a funeral. 17. Last Saturday a man was executed at Hartford. 18. Mr. Catlin,' of North Marlborough, preached here. At even an unusual light. 19. Rainy. White-washed in the hou.se considerably. At even walked out. 20. Dr. West and lady' came at noon. Rode to North Marlborough and attended the association. 21. Hot. Rode home. Considerable contention in Congress. People not yet done first hoeing. 22. Set out for Stockbridge to study with Dr. West.^ My brother brought me to Sheffield. 23. Came to Stockbridge in the stage very early. Received kindly. Rainy. Yesterday destroyed a letter which I received April 11, 1796.* 24. Cool weather. Reading Fuller's letters.' O, that I may be prospered in my important studies, and may I know my own heart. Dr. W. very strict in observing holy time. 25. Afternoon rained hard while at meeting. Serious. Fears of a false hope. 26. Finished Fuller's letters. Mrs. Sedgwick and her daughters' here on a visit. 27. Reading Pres. Edwards's Inquiry? Warm weather and thunder daily. 28. Suppose there is an ordination at Salisbury today." Sleep with my window open constantly. 29. Read a portion of the Scriptures every day. At evening Mr. Swift came here from Williamstown. New college going on well. 30. Very warm weather steadily. Great preparation for independence all about. Finished Edwards's Inquiry. Wrote home. ' Dr. Jacob Catlin. commonplace entry, is the following R . . ^ Dr. Stephen West, of Stockbridge. Dr. e . . . i Let him who can, guess West's first wife, with whom he was then the riddle. living, was Miss Elizabeth Williams, daugh- ' Rev. Andrew Fuller, a distinguished Bap- ter of Col. Ephraim Williams. She died in tist divine o£ England, who in the closing 1804. His second wife was Miss Eleanor years of the last century and the early years Dewey, daughter of Mr. Daniel Dewey, of of the present, was very conspicuous as an Sheffield. evangelical worker, thinker, anc} writer. ' Rev. Stephen West, D. D., a native of ' Wife and d.aughtcrs of Hon. Theodore Tolland, Ct., and a graduate of Yale, 1755, Sedgwick, who, at th.it time, was a member was a theological teacher of acknowledged of the United States Senate, ability. He came to Stockbridge as sue- ' This w-is Edwards's great work on the cessor to Jonath.-in Edwards, in the work of freedom of I lie Will. Christianizing the Housatonic Indians, and ' Rev. Joseph W. Grossman was ordained was pastor of Stockbridge church from 1759 and set over the church in Salisbury June to 1770. 2Sth, 1797, as we find by the church records 'Under date of April 11, 1796, after .a of Salisbur)'. 1797-] STUDYING THEOLOGY WITH DR. WEST. 37 July. 1. Wrote some. Reading Dr. West's Essay on Moral Agency} Walked down to see my classmate Mason studying law in town. 2. An amiable young woman admitted into the church. Dr. West very strict in many principles. 3. Wrote to Davis, and to my classmate Noble at Williamstown. 4. A serious mutiny in the British fleet. Ireland almost in a state of insurrection. Attended the concert of prayer. 5. Much unwell. Headache. Studied too hard. A very growing season. 6. Finished West on Agency. Had a ticket for a ball.^ Walked down to Mr. Bidwell's. 7. Wrote on the Divinity of the Scriptures. People begin to mow. 8. Peace between France and Germany almost certain. The character of Bonaparte rises fast. 9. In the morning very rainy. Connecticut about forming a missionary society.^ 10. Wrote to Uncle Robbins. Read Hume's essay on Miracles. Wrote on the Moral State of Adam before the Fall.'' 11. Read Campbell's' answer to Hume. Drank tea at Mr. Sedgwick's. 12. Wrote on the Moral State of Man Now. Extremely hot. Fine hay weather. 13. Read Home's letters on Missions. A conspiracy discovered. Blount,' a senator in Congress, had a considerable hand in it. 14. Mr. Sedgwick and Gen. Skinner' came home from Congress. After- noon walked out. 15. Reading Dr. Taylor on Original Sin. A hard thunder-shower. 16. Afraid I am resting my eternal welfare on a false hope. O may I know my own heart. ' Dr. Stephen West's Essay on Moral were prepared to be read before Dr. West, Agency was first published in 1772, and re- as a part of his theological training, published with an Appendix in 1794. It was ^ Rev. George Campbell, D. D., Professor a work that attracted considerable attention of Church History in St. Andrew's University, among the theologians of that day. Dr. Scotland. Hume, the author of the work on West conferred much with Dr. Joseph Bel- Miracles, which Dr. Campbell answered, was lamy, of Bethlehem, Ct., Dr. Samuel Hopkins, the well-known English historian and skepti- of Newport, R. I., and Dr. Jonathan Edwards, cal writer, then of Colebrook. * William Blount. "In 1796, he was ° We do not learn whether he attended chosen president of the convention in Ten- the ball, but from what has already passed, nessee. He was afterwards elected by that we may conclude that balls were regarded as State to a seat in the United States Senate, w/wrtwire'j- rather than otherwise. but was e-xpelled in July, 1797, for having ^The Connecticut Missionary Society was instigated the Creeks and Cherokees to as- not fairly organized until the following year, sist the British in conquering the Spanish I798- territories near the United States." ^ These papers, the one before mentioned ' Mr. Sedgwick, Senator, and Gen. Skin- on the Divinity of the Scriptures, and this on ner, of Williamstown, member of the House the Moral Character of Adam before the Fall, of Representatives. 38 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l797- 17. Wrote letters to my father and my sister S. L30n, in Congress, from Vermont, ridiculed extremely. 18. Reading Edwards's answer to Dr. Taylor." Steadily fine weather. 19. Had an invitation to go to Mar}'land as a Latin instructor in a gentle- man's family. Received a letter from home. 20. Am troubled to keep my attention well fixed when reading. A great many cherries. 21. Rode up to Lenox to see my cousin Goodwin.^ At night slept verj' poorly on a feather-bed. 22. Rode back. Wrote on the question concerning Original Sin. 23. Read in Dr. Hunter's' i?/i'.5';-(7//rf. Showery and cooler. 24. Reading Edwards's I-ast End of Creation* The French annoy our vessels very much. 25. Wrote to my cousin Starr at Williams College. Lodged at Aunt Woodbridge's. 26. Wrote to my friend, E. R. Watson, of New York. "There is a founda- tion laid in nature for kind alTections between the sexes that are truly diverse from all inclinations to sensitive pleasure, and don't properly arise from any such inclination." — Edwards's N'ature of True Virtue, Chap. VL 27. Wrote to my father. Rainy weather. Things appear more favorable at France. Peace is made with Germany. 28. Complaint that wheat is much blasted. Bad weather for hay and grain. 29. Wrote on the Necessity of Atonement. Received a letter from Starr. 30. Received a letter from my classmate Noble. Comfortable weather. Dr. West preached very close. Read Miss Anthony's life.' 31. Wrote on the Necessity of Regeneration. Some prospect of a general peace. Montesquieu the most comprehensive and piercing genius of his age. August. 1. Wrote a letter to Davis. People in the heat of harvest. Generally in the country good. 2. Reading Dr. West on the Atonement.' Heard from Williamstown. 3. Wrote on the Nature of Atonement. Cloudy and dry weather. 4. England in a most deplorable state. Near thirty sail of their fleet have mutinied. Things look ver)- dark. If God's time has come to destroy that wicked nation they will fall. ■ Dr. John Taylor, a distinguished dis- ' Miss Susanna Anthony, a Quaker lady, scnting minister of England, who wrote and distinguished for her piety and goodness, published a treatise on Original Sin. Dr. Samuel Hopkins had just published her ' Joseph Goodwin, before noticed. memoirs, and large extracts from her writings. ' Probably this was Dr. John Hunter, of The first issue w.is in Worcester, Mass., 1796. Scotland. Two editions were afterwards published at • Edwards's Last End 0/ Creation, and A'a- Hartford, Ct., the first in 1799. lure of True Virtue, were published together '' Dr. West's Essay on //;<• Seriplure Doc- in the spring of 1755. trine oftlte Atonement was published in 1785. 1 797-] STUDYING THEOLOGY WITH DR. WEST. 39 5. Reading West on the Resurrection. Rainy. Received an excellent letter from Uncle Robbins. A large account in it from England of the mis- sionar)' society there. 6. Last night a very hard shower. 7. Wrote on the Cause and Nature of Regeneration. 8. Received a letter from home. Concluded not to go to Maryland.' Very rainy. 9. A dreadful fire at Albany. Eighty-two dwelling-houses, one hundred and sixteen stores and out-houses consumed. 10. Wrote home. Reading view of religions. Mr. Fox° has delivered a remarkable speech in Parliament on reform. 11. A delirious man in town has killed himself. Thus twenty years have rolled over my head. 12. A great prospect of a general peace. Had my name printed for books.' Wrote on Promises to the Unregenerate. 13. By Dr. W.'s sermon I trust I was brought in some measure to see the wickedness of my heart. 14. Read Dr. Hopkins* on True Holiness. Wrote on the same subject. Very cool weather for the season. 15. Wrote letters to Noble and my cousin Starr at Williamstown. 16. Wrote on the Ground of the Sinner's Justification. I am amazingly stupid. 17. Read in Dr. Hopkins's System? Good weather. People haying yet. 18. Discontents in Ireland increase. Affairs in France assume a new face. Venice in a very bad situation. 19. Wrote on the Difference between Justification by Faith and by Works. 20. Very close preaching. Rainy. Read forty-sixth chapter of Isaiah. Prophecy perhaps accomplished in the present war [in Europe]. 21. Received a letter from my friend, E. Watson, and a good one from Davis. A mayor of a city in the south of Ireland writing to the English gov- ernment, gives an alarming account of things there. He concludes : " At the moment I am writing, for my personal safety, I carry a pistol in each hand, and a sword in the other."'' 22. Wrote a letter to Uncle Robbins. Wrote on Election. 23. Wrote a letter to Miller,' a student at Williams College. Reading Edwards's Retnarks. Negotiation opened between France and England. 24. An account that the mutiny in England is subsiding. ' He had, as before mentioned, received ' This System was published in two vol- an application from Maryland to go there as umes in 1793. a teacher. ' An excellent Irish bull. ^ Charles James Fox, the eloquent English ' Joseph Miller, a graduate of Williams orator and statesman. College in 1799. He was a native of Tor- ^ That is, as we understand it, printed to rington, Ct., and afterwards became a promi- be pasted into his books. nent lawyer in Litchfield County, Ct., remov- ' Dr. Samuel Hopkins, of Newport, R. I. ing in his later life to Richland, Mich. 40 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l797> 25. Wrote largely on the Doctrine of Decrees. Rainy almost every day. My brother came after me. 26. Rode home in a wagon. Unwelcome news from my sister B.' 27. Ver)' full meeting. Seven persons taken into the church. May God make additions of such as shall be saved. 28. Putting my name on books, etc. A neighbor invented a machine to bore logs by water. Cool. 29. At evening young Dr. Perkins" came here and gave my father a pair of metallic points. 30. My father sowing. Reading Scott's^ Vindication. 31. Writing. The prospect of peace in Europe increases. Sei>temdbr. 1. Very hot. Visited old Mr. Darley. Preparing for my journey. 2. My father set out for Williamstown. Worked some. 3. Mr. Aver)',* of Tyringham, preached here. Fine weather. 4. Set out for Williamstown with my sister Sally.' Came to Esq. Walker's' and lodged. There was a festival on the i6th of .August in I?oston, in honor of President Adams,' the most extravagant ever known in the United States. 5. Arrived at Williamstown. My father's two scholars admitted into college. At night an illumination, and a class of forty. Walked. 6. A very good exhibition. Saw many old friends. At even attended a lecture in college hall. 7. Came down to Lanesborough. The new college at Williamstown is nearly shut in. 8. Came down to Lenox to our cousin Goodwin's." Kindly received. 9. Had a good visit at our cousins ; towards night came down to Stock- bridge. Not very well. 10. Troubled with our horses going to meeting. At even made a visit to Dr. West. Attended singing meeting. 11. Came home. A prosperous journey. Some profit. ' Elizabeth Robbins's marriage with Mr. ington, Ct., minister of the Congregational Lawrence did not prove altogether a happy church in Tyringham, Mass., from 1789 to one. They lived, it will be remembered, at 1808. Paris, Oneida County, New York. ' Sally is Sarah, afterwards Mrs. Joseph "Dr. Elisha Perkins, of Plainfield, Ct. Battell. He calls \\\myotmgy though he was a man be- ' Willi.im Walker, Esq., whose son Will- tween fifty and sixty, because his father, iam P. Walker was gradu.itcd at Williams Joseph Perkins, had also been a physician of College in 1798, and was admitted to the bar eminence at Plainfield, and had very recently in 1803. lie practiced in Lenox, died. ' It was so much for Massachusetts to ' Dr. Thomas Scott, the commentator, who own the second President of the United had published a Miidication of the Iiispini- States, that it was natural to make a hero of lion of the Ifoly Scripture, republished in New him. York in 1797. ' Josciih Goodwin, before mentioned as * Rev. Joseph Avery, a native of Ston- the son of Mrs. Robbins's sister. 1797 ] AT HOME AT NORFOLK. 41 12. The yellow fever prevails in many places. It is a great wonder that we are not desolated with judgments. 13. Began to read Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History. Have something of the dysentery. 14. Some robberies near Philadelphia. Operated on the rheumatism suc- cessfully with the metallic points.' 15. Never felt more unhinged and doubtful what to do in my life. Oh for direction ! 16. Took water-levels about. Warm. Reading Mosheim. 17. Read History of Redemption^ My sister B. lives now comfortably. 18. Attended freemen's meeting. Rainy. Considerable company. 19. Worked hard in the forenoon cutting stalks. Little prospect of a general peace in Europe. 20. A little frost. Wrote to Esther Robbins.' Heard from Uncle Rob- bins;* rather unwell. 21. Reading Mosheim. Worked among hay. 22. Worked a good deal. It made me feel better in health. 23. My brother buying a horse for my father. Very fine weather all the time. 24. Mr. Weston,^ of Cornwall, preached here. Full meeting. 25. Wrote a letter to Mr. Oilman' at Marietta. Yesterday and today much troubled with an ague in my face. 26. Rode to Goshen with Dr. Edwards to association. Rainy. A good association. Gillet' licensed. 27. Good weather. Rode home. General training at Salisbury. Some frost. Wrote a letter to Medad Curtis. 28. Yesterday took cold and am distressed with the ague. Could not get opium. 29. Rode to the south end of the town and attended a conference. Warm. 30. Worked some. Helped raise a small building near by. This month has been very pleasant and warm weather. As yet no frost of conse- quence. ' He was trying the tractors which his of Plymouth. Mr. Gilman was living at Ma- father had received from Dr. Perkins. rietta, Ohio. ^ Published in Edinburgh, Scotland, in ' This must have been Mr. Nathan Gil- 1777, with an introductory note by Rev. John lett, of Granby, Ct., who was graduated at Erskine. Williams in 1798. But his name does not ^ In Canaan. appear as a Litchfield County licentiate in * Dr. Chandler Robbins, of Plymouth. the contributions to the Ecclesiastical History 5 Rev. Hercules Weston, graduated at of Connecticut. Nathan Gillett was settled Dartmouth in 1783, and settled at Cornwall, in Gilead, a parish of Hebron, in 1799. Ct., 1792-1803. Mr. Robbins speaks of him familiarly as ' Mr. Benjamin I. Gilman, who married he would naturally speak of a fellow stu- Hannah, daughter of Chandler Robbins, D.D., dent. 42 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBEINS, D.D. [l797- October. 1. My father preached on the great spirit that prevails to Christianize the heathen." Rainy. 2. Attended the funeral of Capt. I. Holt." A vast many people for this town. 3. Attended the concert of prayer. Very sickly in many parts of the United States. 4. Little prospect of a general peace. Rainy. Reading Mosheim. 5. Last night the greatest storm of wind we have had for years. 6. At evening Mr. Steele' came here from Paris. My sister's family more peaceable. 7. Worked considerably, picking apples. Hard frosts now. 8. Read magazine. Full meetings ; hope some seriousness. 9. Wrote to my friend L. F. Scholars came. We have a great deal of company. 10. My father set out for Stockbridge to be doctored. Cold. 11. Read. Attend to the scholars steadily.* Papal power almost daily declining. Read lecture on France and Portugal. 12. My father sent down for my mother to go to Stockbridge. Quite poor. 13. My mamma went up to Stockbridge. I have the whole care of busi- ness, and attend to the scholars. 14. Worked. At even Mr. Steele' came and tarried. Moderate weather. 15. Mr. Smith, a candidate, came to preach. He preached in the fore- noon, Mr. Steele in the afternoon. Cold. 16. Dug a hole for potatoes. Last night wrote to my father, and to my sister B. 17. The sickness at Philadelphia abates. Danger of internal enemies in our Republic. May God avert. 18. Worked picking com. Frequent applications to take scholars.' 19. Had some company. Buried some apples.' Work and attend to the scholars steadily. 20. Buried potatoes. Had a letter from my father. He is very poor, but gaining. > The Baptist Missionary Society in Eng- took the church at Paris there were nineteen land had been organized in 1792, and the members. There were received during his London Missionary Society in 1795. In this ministry two hundred and seventy-three mem- country, from the days of Edwards and the bers. great Whiteficld revivals, the missionary spirit 'His father being now for some time was abroad, but the time for the organ- absent, he had the full charge of the scholars, ization of societies for foreign work had not ' Rev. Eliphalet Steele, just before men- yet been reached. tioncd. ' Capt. Isaac Holt, Jr. His father of the ' The school at Norfolk was popular. same name died in 1S06. ' The practice of burying potatoes and ' Rev. Eliphalet Steele, born in Hartford, apples in the fall, to have them crisp and Ct., June 26, 1742, graduated at Yale College fresh in the spring, was common among the 1764, settled at Egremont, Mass., 1770-1794, old Connecticut farmers, and is perhaps so and at Paris, N. Y., 1795-1817. When he at present. I797-] -^T HOME AT NORFOLK. 43 21. Read some. Cold. 'R&a.A T/ieohgical Magazine' :it ty^ning. 22. A ver^' rainy day ; no meeting. Prayed in the family. 23. Attended a funeral. Dr. Edwards'' preached. Have little time to read. 24. The papers very barren of news. The Governor unable to attend the assembly.' 25. At evening had a spell of paring apples. 26. Boiling cider.'* My brother returned from Vermont ; brought back the letter I wrote on the 9th. My father gaining. 27. At evening had a great husking.' My salt-rheum rages very much. 28. Worked pretty hard. My heart little disposed to serious things. 29. No preaching. I read all day.'' Wet and cold weather. Read His- tory of RedetnptionJ 30. My brother J.' went after my father in a wagon. Had a husking. 31. My brother was appointed deputy sheriff.' Read Mosheim. Nego- tiations for peace go on very slow. 1. My father came home very poor. Worked pretty hard. 2. Considerable company. Warm. Produce lower than last year. 3. Worked at making cider. A great deal made this fall. 4. Worked pretty hard. Our assembly rose yesterday.'" Fine weather this week. 5. Rainy. My father unable to preach. Read all day ; also the procla- mation. 6. Some snow. Made a medicine and some salve for the salt-rheum. 7. Went into Canaan and traded some. Very cold. 8. Traded some. Find little time to read. Read newspaper. 9. Set out to go to Cornwall. Went as far as my brother's in Canaan. An agreeable night. 10. Went to Cornwall. Disappointed about taking a school there. Went on to Warren. Dreadful road. ' The Theological Magazine was published the old-fashioned country enjoyments. It was in New York. It was started in 1796, but a festival occasion, rather than a time of continued only three or four years. mere toil. ° Dr. Jonathan Edwards, of Colebrook. ' His father was still absent, and no one ' Gov. Oliver Wolcott, and this the fall came to supply the pulpit, session of the assembly. ' Jonathan Edwards's History of Re- * From the entries Oct. 25th and 26th, it demption was published in Edinburgh, in is evident that the family was engaged in 1777. making the customary supply of applesauce ' James Watson Robbins. for the season. 9 Nathaniel Robbins. ^ The husking, where the neighbors were '° The fall session of the assembly meet- invited in of an autumn evening, was one of ing in October was apt to be short. 44 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBIXS, D.D. ['797- 11. So stomiy could not come liome. My brother N. came there. His connections at Kent at an end.' 12. Ver)- rainy. Little meeting. Read Prcs. Rthuards^s Life^ 13. Rode home across Canaan Mountain. Warm. Very wet season. 14. Worked making a hog-pen. Great commotions in the interior of France. 15. Mr. Jefferson, our Vice-President, grows unpopular. At night Mr. Judson ' came here. 16. Thanksgiving.' Mr. Judson preached. Blessed be God that we have such abundant cause for thankfulness. O, for hearts ! 17. Exceeding cold for the season. Snowed considerably. Our young people much addicted to frolicking. 18. Severe weather. In the afternoon worked sledding wood. 19. My father preached for the first time since October 8th. People grow ver}' extravagant at our great cities. 20. At evening read Peter Porcupine' s'' Papers. Worked getting wood. 21. Read. Human nature all selfish. Yesterday in the afternoon Dr. Goodrich,'' of Durham, called here very well, took dinner, and towards night rode out to Capt. Ives's. This morning a messenger has come, and informed us that he has gone the way of all the earth. He got up, as is supposed, well, got partly dressed, and, as appears, was seized with a fit of the apoplexy, stretched himself on the floor, and expired. It was about an hour after they heard him get up, before they found him dead. 22. Rainy and freezing. My brother N. has a great deal of business. Litigation much prevails. 23. Great complaint of a scarcity of money. Went out to Capt. Ives's:' saw mourners, corpse, etc. May I improve rightly. 24. Steady cold, .•\ustin, of New Hartford, came here to study. I play some at chequers, etc. ' From previous hints about the connec- umes published in London in iSot) has left a tions which Nathaniel was likel\' to form, the picture of the politics and leading politicians fact recorded in this entry was doubtless of America, which (with caution) must be pleasing to his family. studied by all who would understand the party ' This was doubtless the Life of Edwards, questions with which they were dis^cussed." by Dr. Sainuel Hopkins, first published in ' Rev. Elizur Goodrich, D. D., a native of 1764. Wethersfield, graduate of Yale College in ^ Rev. Ephraim Judson, of .Sh-iffield. '752, minister at Durham from 1756 to his 'Thanksgiving day earlier than in some death, 1797. He was a member of the Cor- years. poration of Yale College. He was father of 'The Peter Porcupi?te Papers were writ- Hon. Chauncey Goodrich, Representative and ten by William Cobbett, a controversial Eng- Senator in Congress, and Lieut.-Govcrnor of lishman, who was born in 1762, came to this Connecticut. Elizur Goodrich, LL. D., a country, and settled in Philadelphia in 1796. member and Secretary of the Yale Corpora- He had taken the nam de plume of Peter Por- tion, was also his son. The last named was cupinc before coming hither, and carried it father of Rev. Chauncey Allen Goodrich, back with him on his return in 1800. He D. D., Professor of Rhetoric in Y.ale College was a very voluminous writer, and of marked from 1817 to icSjg, and from 1S39 to i860 ability, so much so that Chancellor Kent Professor of the Pastoral Charge, said : " Cobbett, in these volumes (twelve vol- ' Where Dr. Goodrich died. I797-] AT HOME AT NORFOLK. 45 25. Worked some. Read a tragedy. My salt-rheum grows better. 26. Read History of Redemption. Troubled about wood. Sacrament administered. 27. Extreme cold. Think of keeping a ciphering school. Worked. The Mohawk River was crossed on the ice about the middle of this month. 28. Yesterday morning Col. Adams,' of Litchfield, our Chief-Justice, died of a lingering disorder, aged sixty-one years. Read. There are said to be 333,000,000 inhabitants in China. 29. Our envoys^ have arrived at France. Worked and caught a very bad cold. Received a letter from Mr. Battell,^ Torringford, requesting me to go and take a school there. 30. At evening a tragedy spoken in town. I did not go. Read Mosheim. Excessive cold. Decemdeg. 1. My sister B.* not the most happy in her family. Troubled with a divided household. Had a great coat made yesterday. 2. The weather moderates. Received a long and foolish letter from Medad Curtis. 3. Pretty full meeting, and very serious. We hear that Gov. Wolcott" died last Friday morning of a lingering illness, aged seventy-one. Thus our Governor, Chief Judge, and one of the first of the clergy. Dr. Goodrich, have gone near together. 4. Spoke considerably in town meeting about seating the meeting-house. Last night there was a total eclipse of the moon, but it was so cloudy it could not be seen only by its effect on the light. 5. Thought to be the coldest day we have had. Caught a bad cold last night. The season is ver}' extraordinary. About the middle of November cold weather came on and everything froze up. The weather continued freez- ing cold till the 26th of November, and ever since that it has been extreme. Winter is undoubtedly set in. Many people have now cider to make, corn and potatoes to gather in. Such a season cannot be remembered. ' Andrew Adams, graduate of Yale 1760, * Mrs. Lawrence, at Paris, N. Y. Member of Congress and Chief-Justice of ' Oliver Wolcott, LL. D., son of Roger Connecticut. He was King's Attorney be- Wolcott, Colonial Governor of Connecticut, fore the Revolution, and was a member of Oliver Wolcott was bom in Windsor, east the Continental Congress. side of the river, Nov. 26, 1726, but removed ^ Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Mar- to Litchfield on his appointment to be high shall, and Elbridge Gerry. sheriff of Litchfield County in 1751. He 3 Josiah Buckingham Battell, brother of was graduated at Yale in 1747. He died, as Joseph Battell, who married Sarah Robbins, by the record above, Dec. i, 1797. It will brother also of Sally Battell, who became be remembered that an entry in the diary in the wife of Rev. Dr. Abel McEwen, of New October, states that he was unable to be pres- London. The mother of these was Sarah ent at the meeting of the assembly. The Buckingham, of Milford, Ct., and hence Jo- Wolcott family furnished many vahiable men siah Batteli's middle name. for the public service. 46 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l797- 6. Read Mosheim. I find nothing more beneficial for a liard cold than exercise. 7. Rode out in a sleigh with my father. We hear now and then of a little attention to religion. 8. Made a synip for the salt-riieum of winter-green, sarsaparilla, and black birch bark. 9. Worked some. The weather more moderate. At evening, my brother A. and his wife came over to make us a visit. 10. Had no room to sit in our pew.' We are troubled about my sister B. 11. Had some clothes made. People apt to run to see shows. 12. Considerable noise in town about our pew in the meeting-house. 13. Rode down to Torringford, and agreed to take a school at a shilling a week by the scholar.'' 14. Rode home. Very warm, so that the frost breaks through, and people are making cider. 15. Rode to Canaan, and had a coat cut out. A cold rain. 16. Traded considerably. Cold; the thaw over. Read some. Wrote a letter to Davis and another to Denison,^ now preceptor at Williamstown. 17. We hear now and then of a little religious interest. Laiis Deo. 18. My father desired the town to let him have a pew in the meeting- house. It was debated, and they refused. Giles Pettibone* talked extremely saucy. ig. Had some clothes made ; a jacket I cut myself sets very well. E.x- treme cold. Finished reading the fourth volume of Mosheim. 20. Rode down to Torringford with my brother F.' 21. By far the coldest day we have had. Felt much concerned about Frank,' after he went away, on account of the cold. In the afternoon began my school. 22. Boarding at Mr. Battell's. Weather moderates. 23. Cold for a long time past, but no sleighing. Mr. Mills' went over to preach at Litchfield. They are destitute. 24. No preaching. I read all day. Difficult mo\ing ; ice. 25. What time I can get reading Dr. Trumbull's History of Connecticut.' ' There seems to have been an outbreak ' Francis LeBaron Robbins, who carried at Norfolk, of the fierce democratic spirit him down to Torringford to keep school. sitting in judgment on the minister's rights ^ This is short for his brother Francis and privileges. LeBaron. ' This is not the old shilling of the pounds, ' .S.imuel J. Mills, minister at Torringford shillings, and pence order, as we understand, from 17C9 to 1S33. but the more modern New England shilling, "Dr. Benjamin Trumbull, minister at North or the sixth part of a dollar. With thirty Haven, Ct., from 176010 1820. The first vol- scholars this would give five dollars a week, ume of his History of Coniiecticut had just which meant far more then, than the same been published, when Mr. Robbins went to sum now. Torringford, and was eagerly read all over ' Charles Dcnison. the State. The second volume did not aj)- * Giles Pettibone was a prominent m.in in pear until 181S. It still remains a book of town, and h.ad been often representative to authority, and is much prized among schol- the assembly. ars, especially Connecticut men. 1797-] TEACHING AT TORRINGFORD. 47 26. 1 have a very good school of youths, about twenty-five. Rainy. 27. Very cold. Trumbull's history very good. My father preached a dedication sermon at Torrington." 28. At evening attended a brilliant wedding. Stayed too late. 29. The English have defeated the Dutch fleet in a great naval fight.'' 30. At night received a good letter from mamma, and one from Mr. Gil- man at Marietta. Read Newton's^ Letters. 31. Pleasant weather. Good preaching. Read Theological Magazine. Wrote a letter to mamma. Thus another year has passed over me. How do I fall in debt every year. I resolve and resolve and that is the most. O, for assistance that I may live answerable to mercies received. ' Torrington is the town of wliich Tor- Duncan defeated the Dutch fleet under ringford is a parish. Admiral De Winter, the latter losing fifteen ^ This was the battle of Camperdown, ships, fought Oct. II, 1797, in which Admiral ' Rev. John Newton xves. January. 1. Have a poor heart and little inclination to begin the year as a moral agent and an accountable being ought to do. 2. At night received letters from my sister S., my cousin P. Starr, and from Davis. 3. Much dejected in spirits. May it be a means of giving me true humility and submission. Read in Mr. Newton's Letters to his Wife. 4. My school increases. Read Pope's Homer's Iliad} 5. Considerable snow last night and today. 6. Talked seriously to my school. Very much pleased with Homer's Iliad. 7. Read the Theological Magazine. Great things doing to Christianize the heathen. May they be succeeded. At evening attended a singing meeting. 8. 'SjfsA^X.x&X.zMs Beauties of History.'' At night it snowed. Wrote home. 9. At evening began an evening school. At length a definitive treaty of peace is concluded between France and Germany. A very good newspaper this week. 10. Not very well. At evening wrote. Thawy weather. 11. Very cold. Read Stretch's Beauties of History. 12. At evening had a school. Unwell for the want of sufficient exercise. 13. Heard from home. Warm. E.xercised considerably. 14. At evening wrote to my sister S., and to Esther Robbins. 15. Very warm. The snow goes very fast. Read Beauties of History. 16. Yesterday a young man at Norfolk had his arm cut off; a misfortune in bleeding. 17. A thorough January thaw. Things in France appear unfavorable to- wards the United States. Read. 18. Had some occasion for reproof in my school. Cold. 19. I get tired and almost sick with my school day and evening. 20. Went to live at Mr. Mills's. Read Mr. Strong against Universalists.' ' The translation of Homer's Iliadhy Pope Calvinism Impro-jcd, from the pen of Dr. Jo- was first published by subscription from 1715 seph Huntington, of Coventry. Dr. Hunt- to 1720, but it has appeared in many editions, ington died in 1794, and the existence of any and found a multitude of readers in every such work was not known until after his generation since. death. It was Universalist in its doctrine. ^ L. M. Stretch's Beauties of History, pub- It was published in 1796, and was soon fol- lished in London 1797 and 181 5. Two vol- lowed by a treatise from the pen of Dr. Nathan umes. Strong, of Hartford, entitled. The Doctrine of ^ One of the great theological events in Eternal Misery Consistent with the Infinite Be- Connecticut, near the close of the last cent- nnmlence of God . This last was the work that ury, was the appearance of the book entitled Mr. Robbins was reading. 49 5© DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['798- 21. At evening went to singing meeting. Mr. M. preached closely on Divine Sovereignty.' 22. Connecticut River is now principally open. In the afternoon rainy. 23. Very cold. Sudden changes in the weather lately. Considerable speculation in the State concerning a Lieutenant-Governor. 24. It appears the French are about to destroy the Pope.° The French are e.xcessive haughty. 25. Considerably unwell. Thinking of a subject for a dialogue. Some headache. 26. Snowed, but warm. We have as yet had no sleighing of consequence. 27. Cold, and snowed hard all day. Talked seriously to my school. 28. Yesterday and last night the hardest storm we have had since March, 1796. People breaking paths. 29. Engaged writing a dialogue. Considerably troubled with a pain in my jaw. 30. Pleasant weather, and excellent sleighing. 31. Towards night rode home. Found at my father's Uncle Starr, Peter, etc. My father has a great deal of company.^ February. 1. Very cold and blustering. Wrote some. My brother* does a great deal of business as sheriff. 2. Visited the school. Saw Combs,' the scholar, at Williams College. 3. Rode back to Torringford. Cold. Very good sleighing. 4. Mr. Mills gone to preach at Winsted, now vacant.' Read all day. My classmate King' came here ; brought a letter from Davis at Somers. I wrote back to Davis. 5. Had a very good visit from King. Wrote on a dialogue. 6. Our commissioners in France in a very critical situation. 7. Cold, and very good sleighing. My school improves very well. 8. Extreme cold. I pray in the family in Mr. Mills's absence. 9. Have very full evening schools. It seems the whole world is engaged in sleighing. 10. He.ard from home. Saw Lee's new arithmetic. Appears pedantic. 11. At even finished my dialogue. Read. Mr. Mills preached on the Ten Commandments. ' This was a favorite topic with the New * Nathaniel Robbins. England divines a hundred years .igo. ' There was no graduate of Williams Col- ' They did greatly cripple his temporal lege by the name of Combs. He may have power, and broke in upon it still more in the been in the .\cadcmy. present century ; but the Pope is not yet ' Rev. Ezra Woodworth, who had been destroyed. settled in Winsted in 1792, was .ibout to leave. ^ It is more and more evident that the ' Salmon King. He and Davis were at So- parsonage at Norfolk was a center of many mcrs, Ct., studying theology with Dr. Charles varied influences. .Streams were flowing in Backus, at that time one of the most conspic- and out continually. uous theological teachers in New England. 1798.] TEACHING AND STUDYING THEOLOGY AT TORRINGFORD. 51 12. Mr. Bordwell," of Kent, and wife, came here for a visit. Instructive, though odd. 13. Troubled some with a pain in my jaw. Great noise at Congress that Mr. Lyon has spit in Mr. Griswold's ' face. 14. Snowed considerably. Mr. Bordwell preached a lecture. Evening wrote. IS- 16. Paine. 17- 18. Warm. At evening wrote a letter. Congress too much in parties. Fine sleighing. Mr. Bordwell went home. Read in Levi's ^ LciUrs to Wrote to Joseph Battell.* Wrote. Considerably unwell. Cold. Mr. Mills in sermon represented Christ sold at vendue.' The Theo- logical Magazines arrived. 19. The Magazine very good. The missionary spirit increasing. Wrote very late. 20. My school does very well. At night very cold and stormy. After long debate in Congress, Mr. Lyon ' was not expelled. 21. Quite sick all day with a pain in my jaw. Dismissed school. 22. Feel much better. Read Magazine. At evening saw S. Kingsbury from Norfolk. My brother James sick. 23. Quite thawy all day. Snow goes very fast. 24. Talked seriously to my school. May I do some good. Read Magazine. 25. Snowed. Felt something serious. At evening walked up to Dr. Woodward's.' 26. Cold. All freezes up. Went to Col. Strong's.' Congress conducts ridiculously. 27. Mr. Griswold and Mr. Lyon at Congress have been fighting.' Very cold. Heard from home. 28. Gave my dialogues to my school. Conversed with Mr. Mills on Divinity." ' Rev. Joel Bordwell, minister at Kent from 1758 to 181 1, when he died. He was graduated at Yale in 1756. ^ The persons engaged in the quarrel were Mathew Lyon, of Vermont, and Roger Gris- wold, of Connecticut. Lyon was a Democrat, and a somewhat notorious character. Roger Griswold was a distinguished Federalist, and was afterwards Governor of Connecticut. ^ David Levi, a tradesman of London, of considerable fame as a writer and man of learning. * Who afterwards was united in marriage with Mr. Robbins's sister Sarah. ^ Mr. Mills in his pulpit performances could say and do things, that in other men would have seemed odd, but were natural and admissible with him. ' There was an effort to expel him for his low and dirty act, but the effort miscarried. In iSoi, it will be remembered that Mr. Jef- ferson and Mr. Burr had an equal number of electoral votes, and the man who turned the scale for Mr. Jefferson is said to have been this Mathew Lyon. ' Dr. Samuel Woodward, an honored phy- sician. * Col. John Strong. ' As Congress did not expel Mr. Lyon, the affair led on to a personal encounter. '° Mr. Mills was not so much known as a theologian as a man of broad and general power, with a quaint style of speaking and writing. In those respects he was one of the most original and well-known preachers of his generation. 52 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1798- March. 1. Good sleighing. Some unwell. At evening rode over to Torrington.' 2. In the morning rode back. Had a ver)' good visit at Mr. Gillet's.' Rainy and hail. 3. My school engaged learning dialogues. Robberies and murders grow frequent in this country. 4. At evening wrote. In the afternoon Mr. Woodworth,' of Winsted, preached here. 5. At evening made some visits. A verj' great and universal cry for hay. 6. Was invited to a ball. At my evening school went deep into mathe- matics. For equal mills, as the square of the hight of one dam multiplied by its quantity of water, so is another. 7. Much distressed with my old pain in my jaw. Wrote. 8. My boys spoke one dialogue. Poor but hopeful. In evening viTote a short dialogue. 9. Quite warm. The sleighing seems to be going. 10. Sap runs a little. Mr. Hallock* came here from Simsbury to preach. Some awakening up the country-. 11. A verj- uncomfortable storm. At night wrote on an oration for my exhibition. 12. At evening had a peculiar interview with . The sleighing is gone. 13. Went to board at Col. Strong's.' Finished my night-school. 14. Saw Uncle Starr. Mr. Griswold,' of New Milford, has published a piece defaming that association. 15. Saw Mr. Judson, of Sheffield. Wrote home. Merchants break very frequently. The King' of Prussia is dead. 16. Dreadful stirring. People begin to make sugar. 17. Walked up to see Bissell,' formerly a scholar at our house. Many people are going up to Winsted to have the small-pox. 18. Saw Josiah Battell. Roads and turnpikes verj' much the rage of the day. ' Torrington Centre was a few miles from Ct., born in 1733, and one of the early settlers Torringford. on the west side of Torrington. ^ -Mexander Gillet, native of East Granby, ' Rev. Stanley Griswold was a native of graduate at Yale in 1770; settled in Wolcott, Torringford, graduated at Yale in 17S6, set- Ct., 1773 to 1791 ; settled in Torrington 1792 tied at New Milford in 1790, and dismissed to 1826. in 1802. While pastor at New Milford he 'Church in Winsted organized in 1790; embraced Unitarian sentiments, and involved Ezra Woodworth, first pastor from 1792 to himself and his church in a course of disci- 1799. pline. ' * Rev. Jeremiah Hallock, pxstor at Can- ' Frederick William II. ton Centre from 1785 to 1826. He received 'The second settler in Torringford was the degree of A.M. from Yale in 17S8. Benjamin liissell, who went there in 1745. ' Col. John Strong, a native of Windsor, His descendants were numerous. 1798.] TEACHING AND STUDYING THEOLOGY AT TORRINGFORD. 53 19. My school much engaged preparing for exhibition. Griffin," a college acquaintance, called to see me. 20. There is ever)' appearance that the French are determined to go to Great Britain. Our commissioners not like to do anything. 21. Parties high at Congress. Went to board at Mr. Battell's.' A hard storm. 22. At evening my children' spoke their dialogues very welK Poor weather for sugar. 23. At night rode out. Got some warm sugar. 24. Took a very affectionate leave of my school. A peculiar scene. Made out the school-bill ; a great job. Very stormy. 25. The winter breaking up. Very bad going. 26. Helped my boys to make a stage in the meeting-house.'' Fixed things in good order. All feel much engaged in the exhibition. 27. We had, I think, the best exhibition of a school I ever saw. All my own composition. I closed with an oration. At night had an agreeable company at Mrs. Battell's. My father came down, brought me a horse, and attended the exhibition. 28. My wages for thirteen weeks, boarding myself (which was low),' were sixty dollars. People paid me very cheerfully. Had a great audience yesterday. 29. Rode home. Snow in the road a great part of the way. Dangerous riding. 30. Very warm; snow goes very fast. My cousin, G. Thompson,' must die soon by reason of his intemperance ; very stupid. 31. My sister B.'s family more peaceable. The streams very high. I think I gain constantly in the knowledge of geography and histor}'. April. 1. My father exhibited the proclamation for a Fast. Our nation and State are in great danger of internal commotions. May God save this nation as he has heretofore. 2. Wrote the former transactions of my life. Finished my first little diary. Rainy. The season is backward. A good deal of snow yet. Ver\- little sugar weather. A very great scarcity of hay. Danger that many cattle will die. A very great spirit of litigation prevails ; eight hundred cases before the present county court. I had a very agreeable school at Torringford. They improved beyond all expectation. My connection with them was very ' George Griffin, in the class of 1797 at ^ That is, his board was low, probably not Yale. more than a dollar a week. - William Battell. * Irene Robbins, of Branford, Ct., sister of ' The younger scholars of the school, for Rev. Ammi Ruhamah Robbins, married Mr. whom he had written a special dialogue. G. D. Thompson. G. Thompson is doubt- * In the old New England towns, the meet- less one of her sons. His mother was ing-house had to serve for almost all public living at this time at Plymouth, Massa- occasions. chusetts. 54 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iTQ^- agreeable. I was never irritated or spoke a cross word to one of them. Their alTection and esteem for me appeared to be no less than I had for them. Tliey were generally from fourteen to eighteen years of age ; and on the whole I do not believe there is a more agreeable school in the country. 3. There has been a good deal of cider' made this spring, as well as in the winter thaws. Dreadful going. Attended the concert of prayer. It snows. 4. Difficulties in my father's church. Parties in Congress seem to be permanently fixed. The French take our vessels at a great rate. 5. Reading Montesquieu's Spirit of Laws?' Wrote to the printer at Hartford. 6. Fast day. My heart very cold in the duties of religion. A young child died in town with a scald. 7. The Democrats made a great stir in this State to influence the ensuing election for Congress. Read Mosheim's History. 8. Read History of Redemption. Quite warm. The ground settles very fast. 9. In consequence of some late news from Congress, handbills were sent last night from Litchfield through the country. They had a very good effect. The Democrats' had scarcely any votes; not one here. 10. The President of the United States* has issued a proclamation for a National Fast. Opened a potato hole ; half rotten. 11. Finished Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History? Very good and useful. May I retain. 12. Began to read Prideaux's* Connections. Rainy. Our country seems in a degree in commotion. 13. Worked considerably. Drove plough ; caught cold. 14. Troubled some with rheumatism. Metallic points useful. Read. Rainy. 15. Mr. Morgan, about to settle at North Canaan, preached here, my father preached there. 16. Read Prideaux. Streams very high. It seems that the countrj' will be almost ruined by litigation. ' The family cider was regarded as one of has been reading Mosheim's Ecclesiastical His. the essentials of life, and if it could not be /ory for some months. Moshcim died in 1755, made in the fall, it must be made in the at the age of sixty-one, while connected with spring. We remember that apples were buried the University of Gottingcn. His works were in the fall. Out of these probably the spring first translated into English in 1764, but a cider was made. much better edition was furnished by our ' Esprit dcs Lois first published in 1748. own countryman, Dr. James Murdock, in "One of the most laborious books ever writ- 1845. ten." ' Dr. Humphrey Prideaux, whose Con- ^ Connecticut was then very strongly Fed- nection of the OIJ and iVcw Testament with the era!. History of the jleivs ami Neighboring Nations * Second year of President John Adams's has been of such service to scholars. He administration. was born at Padstow in Cornwall, England, ' It will be remembered that Mr. Robbins in 1648, and died in 1724. 1798.] AT HOME AT NORFOLK. 55 17. Very cold for the season. Ground so frozen that it can't be plowed. Bought Dr. Trumbull's History of Connecticut. 18. The papers give us the instructions to the French commissioners, and the accounts received from them. France determines all nations shall be tributaries. War seems inevitable. Worked some. Connecticut River has not been known so high for many years. Universally the streams are at a very unusual hight. The great depth of the frost has made a long season of mud, and almost impossible to move. The ground not settled yet. We have had a very long and severe winter. I think the longest, though not the cold- est, I can remember. 19. Warm. At night finished the first part of Prideaux's History. 20. Yesterday we had the melancholy news of the death of our cousin, George Thompson." He died of a kind of a consumption occasioned by his licentious life. A great deal of rain this spring. 21. My mamma much troubled with complaints, nervous, etc. Quite un- well. Quite warm. Made a syrup to drink for the salt-rheum. 22. Rainy. I grow better in health since I came from Torringford. 23. Read the History of Connecticut^ Worked considerably. 24. My father went to Stockbridge to be doctored for his old difificulty. Public news very interesting. 25. My father returned without effecting anything. Worked pretty hard. 26. Worked. Made a very good great gate for a fence. 27. Very hot. Our National Fast is put off by reason of our election. 28. A very hot and growing time. On the 24th bought Ramsay's ' History of the American Rn'olution. Read it. 29. A man at Southington lately died with the hydrophobia. Missionary societies I fear will be too common.* 30. Quite warm. A family in town poisoned eating herbs. Read Ramsay's History. May. 1. Worked. Put on linen clothes for the first time. Extremely hot. 2. The conduct of the French towards this country is nearly equal to a declaration of war. In the afternoon a very great shot of rain.' 3. My classmate King' came here to make me a visit. Afternoon he preached a lecture. The first preacher in the class. ' Vide note on March 30th ult. expression " shot of rain." The word must ^ Trumbull's. have been used in those days to signify a ' David Ramsay, M. D., born April 2, 1749, sudden and powerful shower, perhaps accom- in Lancaster, Penn., graduated at Princeton panied with high winds. College in 1765, settled in Charleston, S. C, ' Salmon King, who had been studying as a physician, and became eminent. His with Dr. Charles Backus, of Somers. He History of the American Revolution \r\\.\\o\o\- had recently been licensed (April 10) by the umes, published in 1789. Tolland Association. "The first preacher * If there was danger of this when he in the class " means simply that he was the wrote, what shall we say now? But his fear first one of the Yale class of 1796 to receive was quite unnecessary. his license to preach. It was not yet two years ' We have once before, at least, had this since he was graduated at Yale College. 56 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1798- 4. Wrote a letter to Uncle Robbins. My brother J. came from Hartford, having been after shad.' Good luck ; one weighed above six pounds. 5. My fatlier bought a number of apple-trees at 14//. each. Worked a good deal setting them out. Read in Peter Pindar." 6. If it be such a trial to be excluded from the visible church, what will it be at last ? 7. Worked. Making a fence round the house. Ur. West came and tarried here going to election. The Democrats in this country lose ground fast. 8. A great struggle in the State of New York for Governor. Mr. Jay has likely got it. My father had a small building drained. 9. My father went to election. This is the day in all the States but this for the Fast. May God hear the prayers of his people. 10. Rained a little. The young people here very fond of balls; chil- dren too. 11. Finished the fence before the house. Jonathan Trumbull' is chosen Governor, and John Treadwell,* being the highest, is put in Lieutenant-Gov- ernor of this State. 12. Pettibone' at Williams College, from this town, dangerously sick. His friends gone up. My father went to Canaan to preach. 13. Mr. Farrand' preached here; seventj^-eight years old. Holds his age remarkably. 14. Got the water on the mowing. The trees in full bloom. Cool weather steadily. 15. Dr. Elisha North thinks of settling in this town. Read Ramsay's History. Disturbances at Philadelphia at the late Fast. 16. This day the Fast was attended through this State. Pretty full meeting here. The first National Fast since I can remember.' Pettibone like to live. 17. Received a letter from my classmate Noble at Williamstown. Wrote to Sally Battell. 18. Read Ramsay. A very dry and cool season. • May was the month for filling the Con- * John Treadwell was of Farmington, and necticut shad barrel, or barrels, for the year. after the death of Gov. Trumbull just named, ' Peter Pindar was Dr. John Wolcott, of was Governor for two years. He was the England, born at Dodbrooke, Devonshire, in first President of the American Board of 1738, and dying in 1819. He was a very bold Foreign Missions. and effective satirist, and George HI, Dr. ' Sereno Pettibone, who recovered from Samuel Johnson, Boswell, and many others, this illness, and graduated at Williams Col- felt the sharp arrows of his wit. lege in iSoo. ' Jonathan Trumbull, of Lebanon, chosen ' Rev. Daniel Farrand had been settled Governor of Connecticut in 1798, to take the at Canaan forty-si.\ years, at the time of this place of Gov. Oliver Wolcott, who died near preaching. He remained five years longer, the close of 1797, was the son of the famous till his death in 1S03. Gov. Jonathan Trumbull of the Revolution- ' Our autumnal Thanksgivings have now ary period. He was chosen each year for all become National as well as State appoint- eleven years, till his death in 1809. He and ments, but a National Fast has not occurred, his father were both graduates of Harvard as wc remember, since the close of the War College. of the Rebellion. 1798.] AT HOME AT NORFOLK. 57 19. Worked a little at planting. The water very useful for the mowing. 20. Read Dr. West' on Infant Baptism. Some seriousness in some parts of the town. 21. Very warm. Read Ramsay. Rode. 22. Every preparation is making in the United States for war.^ War be- tween France and Switzerland. 23. Pettibone at college recovering. Worked some. Unwell. 24. Finished Ramsay's History. One of the most entertaining histories I ever read. Had a pair of boots made. 25. Rained a good deal. We have had none of consequence before since the 2d of the month. Read Peter Pindar. 26. Quite cool. Rode to Torringford with my sister Sally.^ Mr. Griswold, of North Milford, has ruined his character by imprudence.* 27. In the morning a little frost. Mr. Mills preached, and Mr. Gaylord,' of Hartland, a third sermon. 28. A very hard rainy day. My friends at Torringford quite affectionate. Weighed one hundred and twenty-two pounds. 29. So rainy I could not ride home. Got all my pay for schooling. 30. Rode home with my sister. Switzerland seems fast falling a prey to the French. Traded considerably. 31. Read. Streams very high. A bad time for seeds to grow. Cold and wet. June. 1. Had some clothes made. Pained with a whitlow on a finger. 2. Worked a little at highways. Our representatives returned from the assembly. Went to see Pettibone ; recovering. It has rained every day this week, but the Sabbath. 3. My father e.xchanged with Mr. Morgan* at Canaan. A very great in- attention to religion prevails here. 4. Finished reviewing Dr. Ramsay. Mr. Backus's election sermon this year extraordinary. 5. Wrote a letter to my classmate Noble. Rode to Canaan with my father to attend an installation. Saw my classmate Denison' at Canaan. The French ever)'where triumphant, are excessively haughty and proud ; ever)' exertion is making to invade England, in which Spain and Holland will assist. Their projects in all parts, especially to the East, are romantic. The balance of Europe seems destroyed ; what will be the event is left with the wise Disposer of all events. ' This was not Dr. Stephen West, o£ Stock- * Vide previous note, bridge, but Dr. Samuel West, of New Bed- ' r^v Nathaniel Gaylord, first minister of ford, Mass. West Hartland, settled from 1782 to 1841, fifty- ^ Notwithstanding all the ominous signs nine years. He graduated at Yale in 1774. growing out of the hostile movements of Eu- ' Rev. Solomon Morgan, about to be in- ropean nations, we were happily saved from stalled at North Canaan, war, in those years. 1 Charles Denison, of the class of 1796 at ' Sally is Sarah Robbins. Yale. 58 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROIiBINS, D.D. [iTQS- 6. Mr. Morgan was installed at North Canaan.' Rode with my sister down to my brother Amnii's. 7. Rode home; quite wet. Had a good visit. I never saw the streams in Canaan so high. 8. Read Dr. Trumbull's History. A late conspiracy is discovered, the most fonnidable in the records of time." The wet weather is extraordinary. On the last day of May Connecticut River was higher at Hartford than it lias been for twelve years, except this last spring. Whole fields of summer crops destroyed. 9. Rode some. We have at length got fair weather after more than a fortnight of wet. 10. Felt very serious. The churches in the country apparently .declining. At evening wrote to Sally Battell,^ Torringford. 11. Rode to Goshen, and back for my brother N.* My brother A.' quite sick with the colic. My mamma went over to Canaan. 12. Rode to Canaan. My brother low, but getting better. Warm. 13. Rode home with my mamma. Mr. Adams, of Canaan, much afllicted with my father's disorder. 14. Dr. North,' of Goshen, came to our house and operated upon my father for his disorder. Quite warm. 15. Rode up to Stockbridge from Sheffield in the stage, to live with Dr. West.' 16. Began to read Jones's' Canon of the N^ev.> Testament. May I be directed in my studies this summer. 17. Read the Magazine and Bible. I fear I don't know my own heart. 18. Read steadily. My health very good, but I fear it will be impaired by study. 19. A number of ministers with Dr. W'est went to Williamstown to association. 20. Very warm. Political union in the country very much increases. The ' Rev. Solomon Morgan was installed June James O'Coigley was executed as a traitor, 6, over the church in North Canaan, where protesting his innocence, on June 7th." — he remained till his death in 1804. He had Haydn's Dictionary of Dates, jYew Yorl; iSyS, been previously settled in Voluntown, now p. 148. Sterling, Ct. ' Afterwards married to Ur. Abel Mc- ' "Corresponding Society of London Ewen, of New London. was formed about the year 1791, to spread ■* Nathaniel Kobbins. liberal opinions, and check the tyranny of the ' Ammi Ruhamah, of Canaan. British government, then much alarmed by '' Dr. Elisha North, who has been before the French Revolution. Home Tooke and spoken of as having thoughts of sculing as a other members were tried and acquitted, physician in Norfolk. October, 1794. The meetings of the society ' Dr. Stephen West, of Stockbridge. at Copenhagen Fields and elsewhere in Octo- 'William Jones, of England, known as ber and November, 1796, were termed trea- "Trinity Jones" or "Jones of Wayland," a sonable. On April 21, 1798, Messrs. O'Con- clergyman of the Church of England, and a nor, O'Coigley, and others, were tried for voluminous writer. He was born at Lowick, corresponding with the French Directory, and England, 1726, and died in iSoo. 1798.] AT HOIIE AT NORFOLK. 59 President of the United States lias addresses constantly from all parts of the country, of support, etc. 21. A growing season. Ministers returned. Read Jones. Wrote some. At Williamstown yesterday the thermometer rose to ninety-six. 22. A distressing thought that I have tried all my days to dishonor God. A verj' growing season. Dry. 23. All negotiation with France seems to be at an end. Two of our en- voys' have left Paris, one has arrived at New York. War seems begun. Finished reading Jones's Ca)io)i. Wrote a letter to Esther Robbins. Went into the water. 24. Last night a very fine shower. Read in Dr. Dwight's sermons against Infidel Philosophy.' Warm. 25. In the morning Dr. West told me I must write a sermon. I therefore set apart the day to fasting and prayer. Trust I had some help. O, for humility ! Wrote to my friend Davis ^ at Somers. 26. Began to write a sermon on John iii : 5. Read newspaper, etc. Had green peas. 27. Wrote most of the day. O, for assistance. Towards night walked out. 28. Finished my sermon. Suited myself better than I expected. Today I suppose there is an ordination at Sandisfield. Fine weather. 29. On the 29th made a commonplace book. Received a letter from my sisters. In afternoon Mr. Shepard,* of Lenox, preached a lecture here. 30. Read Jones's' Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity. I have four first cousins in college ; * their fathers all educated at Yale, none of these there. Two at Harvard, one at Providence, and one at Williams. Attended a funeral of a young woman died in town. JULV. 1. Read the Bible. At night a hard shower. There seems to be as much religion in this as in most any town. 2. Excessive hot. The thermometer rose to ninety-two ; yesterday it was at eighty-eight. I could not be comfortable in any place with most of my clothes off. Wrote on the question : Does the Absolute Dependence of the Creature Tend to LTnconcern and Security ? ' ' The three envoys to France were John ■* Rev. Samuel Shepard, D. D., minister Marshall, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and at Leno.\ from 1794 to his death, January 5, Elbridge Gerry. The two former were re- 1S46, a native of Chatham, Ct., and a gradu- quested by the French government to leave ate of Yale 1793. the country, while Elbridge Gerry was al- ' William Jones, just before noticed as lowed to remain. the author of the Canon of the Scriptures. ' Two sermons on the Nature and Danger ' These were Samuel Prince Robbins, of of Infidel Philosophy addressed to the candi- Harvard, Lewis Gould, of Harvard, Lemuel dates for the Baccalaureate in Yale College, LeBaron, of Brown, and Peter Starr, of 1797. Williams. 2 Henry Davis, his cl.assmate at Yale, vvlio ' This was one of the questions in the- is still at Somers studying theology with Dr. ology which Dr. West had probably given Charles Backus. him as a step in his theological training. 6o DIARY OF REV, THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['79^- 3. Read Jenyn's Origin of Evil} Attended the concert. A violent shower while we were at meeting. 4. Independence is celebrated in almost every town. A great frolic. Wrote a piece on Decrees to send to Williamstown. 5. Wrote letters to my Uncle Robbins, and to cousin Sam. P. Robbins." Yesterday a man was very much hurt with a cannon at Leno.x. A man lately killed himself in Washington. 6. Wrote on the question, Does Repentance Imply a Willingness to be Cast off Forever?^ Began a sermon on Rom. v: i. 7. Ver)- barren in composition. O, for divine assistance, without which I can do nothing. Began a sermon on Rom. iii: 19. Wrote a piece for the newspaper on the ball in this town July 4th. 8. Wrote some. Read the Bible. Wrote at meeting. 9. Wrote almost all day. My piece published in the paper. Wrote a letter to my cousin P. Starr at Williams College, and sent my piece on Decrees. 10. Finished my sermon on Rom. iii : 19. Walked out. Quite cool. 1 1 . Troubled with the headache. Read Edwards's Religions Affections.* The people in this country generally very Federal on the Fourth of July. People generally wear cockades. Received a letter from my father. 12. Wrote letters to my father and my brother .K. Wrote on a sermon. Democrats in Congress very impudent. 13. Attended the funeral of a woman who died of a consumption. At night Mr. Weeks' and Mr. Smith, candidates, came here and lodged. People haying generally. 14. The Delaware, sloop of war, has taken a French privateer of twelve guns and seventy men. May this, our tirst stroke of war, be a prelude to a glorious success, under God. 15. Read the Bible. I am verj' hardened and stupid. I think it is un- lawful for Christians to marry any other. iG. Finished my sermon on Rom. v : i. It took me full three days. Con- gress has declared treaties with France void. A man lately died in London aged thirty-one. His hight seven feet and nine inches ! ! ! 17. Read Edwards's Religious Affections. Received a letter from my cousin Starr at Williams College. Made a visit at Mr. Sedgwick's.' 18. Quite wet and cool for the season. Congress has passed an excellent sedition bill ; in the House of Representatives forty-four to forty-one. 19. Wrote a letter to Mr. Day,' tutor at Williams College. Begun a sermon on Luke ,\ii : 36. ' Soame Jenyn. His works, including 'Holland Weeks, settled in 1799, at \Va- above, published in 1790, in four volumes. tcrbury, Ct. Graduated at Dartmouth in 1795, ' Dr. Chandler Robbins, of Plymouth, and and received the honorary degree of A. M. his .son. at Yale in 1800. ' This was one of the tough theological ' Hon. Theodore Sedgwick, a native of points which students had to settle in their West Hartford, Ct., a man eminent in many own minds in those days. ways. * Pres. Kdwards's treatise on the Keligious ' Jeremiah Day, D. D., 1,1.. D., afterwards Affection! was first published in 1746. President of Yale College from 1S17 to 1846. I 1798.] STUDYING THEOLOGY AT STOCKBRIDGE. 61 20. Wrote considerably. In afternoon walked out. People beginning to har\'est. 21. Warin. The weather has been very cool for the season and pretty wet for about a fortnight. Worked with Dr. West in hay. Tired. 22. At evening visited Esq. Bacon." Read the Bible. Dr. West com- monly preaches forty-five minutes. 23. Finished my sermon on Luke xii : 36. W'e had cucumbers. The President of the United States has formally dismissed all French consuls, which closes all connection with France. On the i6th Congress closed the longest and most important session under our present Constitution. 24. Read Mason ^ on Self Knowledge. Mr. Hooker, of Goshen, here. Warm. 25. Wrote a lengthy letter to Esther Robbins; another to my sister S. Finished reading Mason. 26. Failed of sending my letters. Received a letter from Mr. Tutor Day. My piece that I lately wrote for the paper is published in Porcupine's Gazette. Began a sermon on Isa. xxviii : 18. 27. Never had such a view of divine wrath. Unfortunate in composing. 28. Wrote considerably. Excessive hot. Went into the water. 29. Mr. Shepard,' of Lenox, preached here. Very warm ; rainy. Read some in the Greek Testament. 30. Rode up to Williamstown. Verj' kindly received. The new college and new meeting-house go on fast. The former good, the latter elegant. 31. Attended the examination of the Seniors. I examined some.* Much less Democracy here than there was two years ago. August. 1. Examined a good deal. I think I never saw a class pass a better ex- amination. All were admitted for degrees ; twenty-eight in all.' At evening attended an exhibition of the societies. 2. Rode down to Stockbridge. Made a visit to Mr. Goodwin's' at Lenox. Very warm. ' John Bacon, native of Canterbury, Ct., were not able to graduate on Commencement graduate of Princeton College, 1765, first a Day were afterwards admitted to the bach- minister, and settled over the old South elor's degree. Church, Boston, from 1771 to 1775, then an ' The following is fuller information re- able lawyer, resident at Stockbridge. specting Mr. Goodwin, of Lenox, spoken of - John Mason, of Cheshunt, Hartfordshire, in note under date, Jan. 4, 1796. His name Eng. was Joseph Goodwin, and he was the son of ■■ Samuel Shepard, D. D. Benjamin and Hannah (LeBaron) Goodwin. ■" His school-teaching had doubtless fur- He was born in Boston, Dec. 26, 1761, and bished up his mind, so that asking questions in 17S4 married Susannah Keith, of Easton, was easy. Mass. He removed to Lenox in 1785, where ' This was the fourth class graduating at he was engaged in the iron manufacture, and Williams College, and was a large advance was president of the Berkshire bank. He on the previous classes as to numbers. Mr. represented the town of Lenox in the Massa- Robbins states the number as twenty-eight ; chusetts Legislature for thirteen years. He but on the Triennial Catalogue it stands removed to Hudson, N. Y., in iSii, and died thirty. Probably one or two members who there in 1S22. 62 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS RORBINS, D.D. ['798. 3. Quite unwell with my journey. Receivef! a letter from my cousin S. P. Robbins. President Willard' not like to live. Unable to officiate at Commencement. Jerome," from Williams College, came here to study. W'a had green corn. 4. Finished my sermon on Isa. x.xviii : 18. Read Magazitu. 5. Read considerably. Rainy weather. The missionary ship. Duff, lias been heard of at Canton. 6. Finished reading President Edwards's Religious Affictions. The Eng- lish clergy are making resolves to observe Sabbath better than they liave done. 7. Read Toogood's ' answer to Mr. White on Dissenting from the Estab- lished Church. W'alked out. 8. Began a sermon on Psalm xlvi : 10. Very hot; last week and this the heat of harvest. Generally in country good. 9. Finished my sermon I began yesterday. The heat almost makes me sick. Can hardly keep about. 10. Finished reading Toogood. A very growing season. My former classmate, B. Fowler,* called to see me. For three days the heat has been excessive. The thermometer at about ninety-two and one half each day. 11. Almost sick with the heat. 12. Finished reading the Bible in course, which I began about the begin- ning of the last year. 13. Read President Stiles's' election sermon. Wrote a letter to my friend Davis at Somers. 14. Read some manuscripts between Mr. Bacon' of this town and Dr. Hopkins' on the Atonement. 15. Read Robinson's Proofs of a Cotupiracy. Quite warm. Grasshojv pars very thick. 16. Began a sermon on Rom. vii : 24. A cloud seems to be thickening in Europe, soon to burst on France. " Ye shall hear of wars," etc. 17. Steadily warm. Dr. Sargeant's daughter taken very crazy. Walked out. 18. Finished my sermon on Rom. vii : 24. Went into the water. Received a letter from my classmate Denison, tutor at Williams College. 19. Sickness begins to prevail considerably at Philadelphia. The Presi- ' President Joseph Willard, of Harvard tagcs afforded by the Church of England to College. His disease, whatever it was, did her communicants. not then prove fatal. He lived six years * liancroft Fowler, his classmate at Yale, longer, dying in 1804. afterward Professor at Bangor Theological ^ Amasa Jerome, who was graduated at Seminary. Williams that year. The .Seniors were dis- ' This sermon of Pres. Stiles was preached missed to prepare for Commencement, and in 17S3, justat the close of the Revolution- he came there probably to write his oration. ary War, and was memorable as a highly i>a- He was afterwards pastor at New Hartford, triotic and historical production. Ct. ' John r.acon, Ksq., already noticed as ' Rev. Charles Toogood, a dissenting min- once pastor of ih^ Old South Church, Bos- istcr, wrote a reply to a sermon published by ton. Ucv. Thomas White, on the religious advan- ' Dr. Sauuiil Hopkins, of Newport, K. I. 1 798.] STUDYING THEOLOGY AT STOCKBRIDGE. 63 dent of the United States received with unfeigned respect in all places from Philadelphia to his home at Braintree. 20. Wrote a letter to my friend E. Watson, New York. Wrote in niy common-place. Read the History of Popery. 21. Wrote to Denison at Williams College. Last night Mr. Williston," the missionary, stayed here. He has the greatest appearance of piety and zeal of any man I ever saw. Began a sermon on Isa. xxvi : 4. 22. Wrote in the afternoon ; attended the funeral of an elderly man. Till now, it has been steadily hot for about three weeks. 23. Wrote. At noon my friend Davis came here.„ Just begun to preach. Rode to Lenox with him, called, etc. He is courting at Williamstown. 24. Wrote a piece for the paper here, addressed to the President and Trustees of Williams College. Read Robinson's Proofs of a Conspiracy^ 25. Finished my sermon on Isa. xxvi : 4. Read Robinson. Warm. Yellow fever prevails at Philadelphia. 26. Excessive hot. Read the Bible. I almost fear at times I am out of the reach of divine mercy. 27. Began a sermon on Jer. viii : 20. Wrote home. Read Lowman ^ on the Revelation. 28. Wrote to Davis at Williamstown. Comfortable weather. 29. On the 27th my piece came out in the paper. Bonaparte is blocked up in Corsica by a British fleet. Rebellion high in Ireland. Rebels lost six thousand in one battle. Dr. Edwards here. 30. Finished my sermon on Jer. viii : 20. Cool weather. 31. Read Lowman.^ An excellent book. Afternoon attended a sacra- mental lecture. " The summer is ended," and O may I not add the rest of the text with too great propriety. September. 1. Began a sermon on Eph. iv: 24. Finished Robinson's Proofs of a Conspiracy. Laus Deo., that that conspiracy has been detected. 2. Read Lowman. 3. In the morning my father came here and went on to Williamstown with Dr. West. Saw my brother James. 4. Rode to Williamstown ; very tired. My brother J. admitted into college ; passed a good examination. At even attended an exhibition of part of the Senior Class. I think I have been injured, but O may I feel that God works all things. 5. The Seniors exhibited very well. In the new meeting-house. An ' This was doubtless Seth Williston, a a time, but was found not to rest on truth, graduate of Dartmouth College in 1791. (See note June 8, 1798.) ^ John Robison (not Robinson). Proofs ^ Rev. Moses Lowman, an eminent dis- of a Conspiracy against all the Religions and senting minister in England, of the last cent- Govcrmnents of Europe carried on in tlie Secret ury. Among other works he wrote // Para- Meetings of Free Masons, Ilhiminati, and Read- flirase and Notes on the Revelation of St. John, ing Societies. This book had a great run for London, 1737 and 1791. 64 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1798- agreeable Commencement. Many people. Kindly entertained at Esq. Noble's. Saw and convtrsed with Davis. 6. Directed my father to propound me for a member of his church ne.xt Sabbath.' I fear I have gone wrong. O for light, particularly the knowledge of my own heart. Rode down to Lenox; stayed at Mr. Goodwin's. Very tired. 7. Rode down to Stockbridge. At even ])r. West and my father came here. The corporation had a hard struggle to reintroduce Dr. Hopkins's system as a classic, but could not.'' 8. My father went off. Wrote. Read. Rebellion in Ireland runs high. The French conduct intolerably everywhere. 9. Finished reading Lowman on the Rt-i'elation. An excellent book. A species of lUuminatism in Leyden, near Deerfield. 10. Pretty warm. Finished my sermon on Eph. iv : 24, which is my tenth, and which concludes my study of divinity under an immediate instructor.^ Have lived very happily at Dr. West's, and I hope received much good in- struction. Parted with him at night affectionately. Board twelve weeks, six- teen dollars.* 11. Rode to Sheffield in the stage; from there home on horseback. Sickly at Sheffield. Sickness rages at Philadelphia, New York, New London, and some at Boston. Forty thousand said to be moved out of Philadelphia, and above fifty die some days.' 12. Rode out with my father and attended a conference. Much affected. Very dry season. 13. My parents preparing to go their journey next week. Read some. Wrote. 14. Worked some. Very little fruit this fall. 15. Quite warm. I think this is the best j'ear for Indian corn that I ever saw. Set apart this day for fasting and prayer for a preparation for the solemn covenant which I expect to enter into tomorrow. 16. My father preached upon the Qualifications for Communion. I this day entered into the most solemn and important covenant that I ever have or shall in this world. Last evening my brother .\. and wife' came here to go to Plymouth. Very hot. ' Up to this time, notwitlistandinp all his * This board bill, which prob.ibly included religious exercises and emotions he has not instruction, shows the simplicities of the old felt himself worthy to be a member of the New England times. church. * The yellow fever "raged with uni)aral- ^ It will be remembered that Hopkins's leled violence in Phil.idelphia in October, System of Divinity vi'as, thrown out from being 1762. . . This fever again spread great dev- a text-book at Williams College two years astation at Philadelphia in July, 1793, carry- btfore. ing off several thousand. It again appeared ' The old system of theological instruction in October, 1797, and spread its ravages over was very short as compared with the modern the northern co.ist of America in September, seminary course. But Mr. Robbins had stud- 179^" — lluydn's Dictionary of Dates. ied before at Mr. Judson's at Shefiield, and a ' They came from Canaan, and stopped little at Torringford. over night. 1798.] AT HOME AT NORFOLK. 65 17. This morning my parents, my brotlrer A. and his wife set off for Plym- outh in a wagon." May God give them a prosperous journey. Wrote to Uncle Robbins. 18. Reading the fifth volume of Rollin's Ancient History, which I ha\e not read before. 19. Whitewashed. Finished Rollin. Rained some. The season very dry. 20. Wrote. Not very well. Bache,' a Democratic printer in Philadelphia, of the paper Aurora, is dead. The yellow fever rages very much in Philadel- phia and New York. In the former about fifty or sixty die daily ; in the latter about forty. 21. Rainy. Worked some making a fence. Read Prideaux's Connections. 22. Rode to Colebrook to see Dr. Edwards. In the afternoon worked getting in rowen. 23. No preaching. I read.' There seems to be some hopeful religious attention at Torringford. 24. Read Prideaux. Cool and dry. Few apples. 25. Rode with Dr. Edwards to Cornwall through Watertown. The asso- ciation began my examination.* 26. My examination was lengthy (about three and one half hours) and particular. Was licensed unanimously to preach the gospel. May I never forget my insufficiency, and constantly look to the infinite fountain for help. This morning there was some frost, which is the first we have had. Afternoon rode to M'arren with Uncle Starr. If it were not God's will that I should become a preacher, I trust that I sincerely wished that I might not be licensed; but as I was licensed unanimously, I humbly hope that it is God's will. Newspaper, under the head of New Haven, Sept. 19th, says : Died in this city of a lingering decay, Mr. Ebenezer Lines,^ in the eightj'-first year of his age, well known to the public for his feats of strength and activity in his j'ounger days, and for a fund of wit and humor through his whole life. 27. In the afternoon rode home. Regimental trainings very frequent and common. Today at Norfolk. 28. Pretty cool. Attend to scholars. Made some blackball. 29. Very cool for the season. In the afternoon rode to Goshen to preach by exchange with Mr. Hooker.' 30. Felt disagreeably in the morning. Had a pretty good night. Preached ' The fact that he mentions the wagon, as.sociations were accustomed to do their work implies that journeys of this sort were then thoroughly, more commonly made on horseback. ' When in college, in New Haven, Mrs. ^ Benjamin Franklin Bache, whose paper, Jeremiah Townsend, a widow, with whom the the Aurora, opposed Washington in his ad- writer boarded, used to tell out of her own ministration, and was now opposing Adams. knowledge and experience (for her memory ^ He had sermons enough, but he had not reached back before the Revolution) many yet been licensed to i)reach. funny stories of this Mr. Ebe;.ezer Lines. ■* It was the Litchfield North Association, ' Rev. Asahel Hooker, minister at Goshen by which he was examined and licensed. from 1791 to iSio, known as an excellent The length of his examination shows that the theological teacher. 66 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['798. both parts of the day ; succeeded better than I expected. After I began I felt considerable freedom ; trust I had divine assistance. O may 1 never be insensible of the infinite importance of the work, and of my own great insulhciency. October. 1. Rode home. Quite warm. Sold some fat cattle of my father's." Dys- entery prevails considerably in country. 2. Sickness in our cities seems to increase. It seems to fall remarkably upon printers — Bache, editor of the Aurora, Philadelphia, Greenleaf, editor of Argus, New York, Fenno, editor of Gazette of the United States, Philadelphia, Webster, printer at Philadelphia, McLean, an editor of the JVew York Gazette, New York, and some others. 3. In New London about ten or twelve die in a week. Read Prideaux. 4. Worked some. Bonaparte is on the sea, and will probably experience a reverse of his success. 5. Worked. Making a walk before the house. 6. It has been very warm all the week. It rained some. Wrote. Had some clothes made. 7. One of the most rainy days I ever saw, which we wanted very much. Preached both parts of the day.^ Tired. 8. Rainy. Dysentery prevails some in the country. Finished my black- ball ; very good. 9. Worked considerably. The weather warm after the storm. 10. Rode to the south part of the town to attend a conference. Preached. Sickness more than ever in our cities. 11. Wrote. Rode about town. At night we had a great husking. Corn very good universally. I think the best year for it that I ever knew. 12. ^^"orked considerably. Quite warm. The season dry. 13. Finished our walk before the house. Expected my parents very much ; but they came not.' 14. Preached all day. A full meeting. At evening had company. 15. My father had some cattle prized; very low. Young beef sells at 15 cents a hundred. All produce about as low as 't was eight years ago. 16. Lyon, of Vermont, has lost his election ; and farther, has been tried and found guilty of sedition. Sentenced to four months' close imprisonment, and to pay a fine of one thousand dollars.'' 17. Yesterday rode down to Litchfield to attend an ordination. Heard ' By many entries in the diary, it will be ' It was Saturday, and as his father did recognized that young Robbins was brought not get home, the consequence was that he up to work and to business, as well as to had to preach again the next day, which he study. In those days almost all classes of rather dreaded. New England people worked with their * Matlicw I.yon, who personally insulted hands. Mr. Roger Griswold, on the floor of Congress. ' Ilis father was away on his journey to It was e.isier to convict a man of political Plymouth, and he supplied the pulpit. crimes then than now. 1798.] AT HOME AT NORFOLK. 67 the examination. A great many ministers, but none asked ' to sit with tlie council. I was kindly entertained at Esq. Lord's. Attended the ordination of Mr. Dan Huntington." I think the most people I ever saw on a similar occasion. Dr. Dana preached. In the afternoon rode home. Towards night my parents, brother A. and wife, with my cousin S. P. Robbins, arrived safely from Plymouth.^ They have had a very prosperous journey. Laus Deo. 18. My Uncle Robbins in a poor state of health. Gillet,* a candidate, came here to see us. 19. Quite cool. Read some strictures on Harvard College. 20. Rode to my brother's at Canaan. Read a sermon. 21. Preached for Mr. Farrand, who preached at Salisburj'. 22. Had a serious talk with C. Robbins ; in danger of being unfortunately connected. Rode home. Very warm. 23. Read Prideau.x. Rainy. There is an account that far-famed Bonaparte is captured in a naval engagement. We hope it is true. The French use every effort to ruin us by intrigue. Our people grow more united, and more exasperated with them. 24. Finished the third volume of Prideaux. Quite cold. At night Mr. Grossman' and his wife came here and lodged. 25. Worked some. At night Mr. Weeks,' a candidate, came here and tarried. 26. Quite warm. Wrote. Rode out to Canaan and traded. Gave a note. 27. Expected to have gone to New Marlborough to preach for Mr. Stevens ; ' apparently not like to live long. The afternoon being very rainy prevented. 28. Quite rainy all day. My father preached. Yesterday my Aunt Wood- bridge * came here from Warren on a visit. 29. Rode to Goshen with my aunt ; tarried at Mr. Hooker's. Very cold. 30. The factions are taken up on the new sedition law. Rode home. Wrote to J. Woodbridge,' Stockbridge. 31. My brother James went off to college at Williamstown. May he be carried safely through, and prepared for usefulness in his day. Made extracts from ancient history. ■ That is, were asked. There is no fixed tied the next year (1799) in Gilead Parish, usage in this respect. Sometimes other min- Hebron, Ct. isters are invited, as a matter of courtesy, to ' Joseph W. Grossman, minister at Salis- sit with councils, but certain ministers object bury, Ct. to this on the ground of the rules of Congre- '■ Holland Weeks, settled the next year at gational propriety. Waterbury, Ct. - Rev. Dan Huntington, as before stated, ' Rev. John Stevens, of New Marlbor- was the father of Bishop F. D. Huntington, ough, Mass., who died on the 6th of January D. D., of Central New York. following. ' This was the last time, probably, in ' His Aunt Woodbridge, left a widow in which the brothers, Dr. Chandler Robbins, of Stockbridge, was making a stay now in War- Plymouth, and Rev. A. R. Robbins, of Nor- ren, with Rev. Peter Starr, who married her folk, ever saw each other on earth. sister. 'Nathan Gillet, probably, who had just ' J. Woodbridge was the son of Hon. Jah- graduated at Williams College, and was set- leel Woodbridge. 68 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBEINS, D.D. [''■79^- November. 1. Cold. Traded some. Received two letters from my friend J. Wood- bridge. Afternoon attended a sacramental lecture. Wrote. 2. Last night it snowed a good deal. Making out catalogues of ancient kings. 3. For four days now have studied closely. Yesterday our assembly rose.' They have incorporated the missionary society." 4. Came to the holy ordinance of the Lord's .Supper. Had something of a sense of my own unworthiness. My father preached in the forenoon and I in the afternoon. 5. Last night it snowed some. Read Prideau.x. Made an ink-stand. 6. It continues cold. Read considerably. Worked some. My brother A. here. 7. Had made a good new saddle and saddle-bags. My father pays for the saddle £^ 12s., and I for the other £1 5X. Attended a church meeting. An ugly difficulty. 8. Rode to Warren. Bad riding. There seem to be horse thieves in the country. 9. Rode down to Kent with my Uncle Starr. I never was at Kent before. Kindly received. 10. Visited some. Afternoon rode back to Warren. Very cold. 11. Preached for my uncle all day. At evening considerable company came in. 12. Rode home by Canaan. Found that a man had been to get me to go and preach at Marlborough.' 13. Wrote a letter to Mr. J. Woodbridge. Bonaparte is in Egypt. He seems to find rather uncomfortable times. 14. Had some clothes made. Wrote a letter to Miss E. Robbins.* 15. Set out to go and preach at Marlborough. Exclusive of my library, which contains upwards of thirty volumes, I have now the use of a horse this winter, as my father designs to give me one next spring, a saddle, bridle, and saddle-bags new, and a little money. I am in debt about £4. los. \\'ith the money I have got keeping school, I have bought the chief of the clothes I have had since 1 left college, and paid Dr. West for my living there. By the help of Providence, I hope to be able now to support myself. I came on to New Haitford, and saw Baker who was hurt in a scrape at Capt. Austin's on the evening of the 29th of October, the worst I ever heard of. I came on to West Simsbury,' and tarried at Mr. Hallock's.' A great awakening there. I preached at night at conference. A surprising seriousness and attention. Trust I was assisted. Some sweetly trembling and praising souls stayed and ' This was the fall session, meeting abuut ' Marlborough, Ct. the middle of October. ■* Esther Robbins, of Canaan. ' The Connecticut Missionary Society, ' Now Canton center, which was the earliest of the State mission- "■ Rev. Jcrcnii.nh Hallock, already noticed. ary societies in this country. A man of large influence. lygS.] PREACHING AT MARLBOROUGH, CT. 69 conversed till near midnight. O may the great work prevail and spread over all the land. And all the praise be to God. 16. Mr. Gillet,' of Torrington, also at Mr. Hallock's. After some converse in the morning with three young women who tarried all night, and with the family, came off. I never witnessed such a scene before. A turnpike road is made from New Hartford to Hartford. Very good. Crossed the ferry at Wethersfield ; " bad. Arrived at Marlborough, about twenty miles from Hart- ford, at dusk in safety.^ 17. This is a society formed of three towns in three counties.* The towns are Hebron, Colchester, and Glastonbury. 18. Last night there was considerable thunder. Rainy. Preached. A thin meeting. Very tired. The last week has been verj- good weather, and the snow went off in the beginning. 19. Quite rainy. The account is confirmed that Admiral Nelson has obtained a victory over the French fleet,* though Bonaparte was not in it. I live at a certain Mr. Carter's. A good house. Began a sermon on Psalm ciii : 2 for Thanksgiving. 20. Began to read in the Bible at Psalms. O may I retain. It snowed here all day. Wrote. 21. Wrote. Considerable snow. Began to read Morse's Universal Geog- raphy!' Cold. 22. Finished my Thanksgiving sermon. Read the Bible. 23. Read Morse. Walked out. Pretty good sleighing. 24. Read and wrote. May I be prepared for the approaching Sabbath. Bought me a new Psalm Book. 25. Rode to meeting. People here appear very hard. Talked ver)' seri- ously with a young lady in the house. In future, when I am silent about it, it may be taken for granted that on the Sabbath I preached all day. 26. Many rejoicings in England for their late naval victor)'. Rode to Hebron, saw Mr. Basset,' and my classmate King. Came back through Gilead. 27. Quite warm. The snow thaws considerably. Began a sermon on Jer. viii : 22. 28. Rode out. Wrote considerable. Read Bible. ' Rev. Alexander Gillet. ' Dr. Jedediah Morse, of Charlestown, a - Marlborough, whither he was journey- native of Woodstock, Ct., graduate of Yale ing, was southeast from Hartford, and his 17S3, published a small geography in 1784. path would run naturally through Wethers- His larger work in two volumes was pub- field, lished in 1793, ^"'^ '" many future editions. ' From West Simsbury (Canton) to Marl- He is known as father of American geog- borough was a day's journey of not far from raphy. forty miles. ' Rev. Amos Basset, D. D., was a gradu- * The three counties were Hartford, New ate of Vale in 17S4, and received his title of London, and Tolland. D. D. from Williams College in 1S17. He ' The battle of the Nile was fought Aug. was pastor at Hebron from 1794 to 1824. I, 179S. He was a native of Derby, Ct. 70 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iTQS- 29. Had a pretty lengthy exercise. Quite warm. The most pleasant Thanksgiving' we have had for years. The snow in a great measure gone. Blessed be God that we have such great reason for thankfulness. O for hearts. 30. Slept very poorly last night. Wrote home. This society requested me to continue with them till the first of next April. I gave the committee some encouragement of staying. May God direct me in every undertaking. Have nervous feelings. December. 1. Wrote considerable. At night almost overwhelmed with the wcigln of the ministerial work. 2. It snowed considerably. People here attend meeting pretty well. Very nervous. 3. The late naval action took place in Rosetta Bay, in one of the mouths of the Nile. The English had twelve ships and two frigates ; the French thirteen ships and four frigates. Never a more complete victorw Of the French ships, nine were taken, two blown up, and two escaped ; frigates, one burnt, one sunk, and two escaped. Nelson the hero. Rode down to West Chester^ alias Pine Swamp, and made visit to Mr. Robbins;^ also to Colchester and agreed to exchange with Mr. Cone next Sabbath. 4. Began a sermon on Psalm Ix.xx : 14-15. Had a scholar come to study with me. 5. Wrote. Some people in to see me. The library of the society* is brought to this house. Read some. 6. Finished my sermon on Psalm Ixxx : J4-15. Preached a lecture pre- paratory to the sacrament. It snowed. Received some money. 7. Wrote some. Have considerable many visitors. 8. Rode to Colchester to exchange with Mr. Cone.' Afternoon it snowed. 9. Very cold and stormy all day. Very tiiin meeting. 10. Last night one of the most tedious snow-storms we ever have. Rode back to Marlborough. Cold. 11. Set out early to ride home. I believe the coldest day we ha\e had. The snow about one and one half feet deep, and very little road. Arrived at Mr. Hallock's, West Simsbury, at dusk. Attended an evening lecture. Dr. Edwards ' preached. A ministers' meeting there. 12. The ministers censured my dress.' Rode home. A vcr)- poor path ' As to the state of the weather, he piob- country parish owned a parish library in ably means. 'TQS- ' Usually spelled Westchester, a parish in ' Rev. .Salmon Cone, pastor at Colchester the town of Colchester. 1792-1830. A graduate of Yale 17S9. ' Rev. Robert Robblna, a graduate of Yale ' Dr. Jonathan Edwards, of Colebrook. 1760, pastor at Westchester from 1764 to ' Probably because of his particularity in 1804. He was probably a descend.int of the matter of his dress. T?ut a young man fohn Robbins, of Wethersfield, and if re- who had made such a winter journey on iatcd at all to Thomas Robbins, only very horseback about forty miles, in extremely distantly. cold weather, and through untrodden snow, » It is interesting to notice that this plain need not be considered effeminate. 1798.] PREACHING AT MARLBOROUGH, CT. "] I all the way. I never was more fatigued with any journey. I froze both ears. I crossed the river at Hartford yesterday in a boat. 13. Traded considerably. Rode out to Canaan in a sleigh. Warmer. .\t evening it snowed. 14. Snow very deep here; almost two and one half feet generally. .\t the westward deeper still. Assisted in making my father's rate bill. 15. Rode to my brother A's in Canaan, and back in a sleigh. Cold. Very good sleighing. My father rode up to New Marlborough, to preach for Mr. Stevens' in a dying state. 16. Preached. Extreme cold and windy. I suppose on account of my e.\ercise and labor the week past, I have not felt so healthy and strong for a long time. 17. My cousin S. P. Robbins" in a school at Goshen. At evening we had some letters from my brother James ^ at Williams College. Wrote some. 18. Had a pair of socks made. 19. Had some clothes made by Warren, of Canaan. N. B. I suppose he took some cabkigc* Made a visit at Mr. Adams's. My friend J. \\'oodbridge came to my fathers and brought his brother Timothy' to live. The 15th, i6th, 17th days there was such a blast of wind from the northwest as I hardly ever knew. Happily, the snow being covered with a little crust, lay still. 20. Set out for Marlborough. Rode to West Simsbury. The road con- siderably filled up. At evening preached at IVIr. Hallock's. The awakening appears as powerful as ever. We had a very solemn meeting. Many tears. O that the flame might spread to this place and to all places, for the sake of Christ. 21. Comfortable weather. Bought a number of books in Hartford. Good sleighing and a great deal of business doing. Crossed the river on the ice at Rocky Hill.* At dusk arrived safely at Marlborough, my desired haven ; very tired. O for gratitude. 22. Wrote considerably. Read some. Settled my disordered things. Made some ink. Read Young's A^ig/if Thmights. 23. Quite stormy. Read some. I live in an excellent family. Opposi- tion appears in Congress at the beginning of the session. 24. Wrote steadily. Very good sleighing. I don't like this part of the State as well as western. ' Rev. John Stevens, who died in the next ' Timothy Woodbridge, son of Hon. Jah- month, Jan. 6. 1799. He had been only a leel Woodbridge, of Stockbridge. He was little more than four years settled in New born Nov. 22, 1783, and was now nearly six- Marlborough. teen years old. He was brought to be fitted ^ Samuel Prince Robbins, son of Dr. for college. He was graduated at Williams Chandler Robbins, of Plymouth. He had in 18 12, and afterwards settled at Green graduated at Harvard, a few months before. River, N. Y. ^ James Watson Robbins, now in his ^ Rocky Hill is five or six miles southerly Freshman year at Williams College. from Hartford, on the west side of the Con- * Mr. Robbins rarely, in his diary, in- necticut River, over against the southern part dulges in a joke; but this maybe accepted of Glastonbury-, where Dr. Calvin Chapin was as something in that direction. so long pastor. 72 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['798- 25. Finished my sermon on Jer. viii : 22. At evening walked out. 26. Began a sermon on Psalm xc : 9. Rode out. It is an unhappiness that there are about six respectable families in this place who are churchmen. 27. Wrote. In sermonizing I commonly write about a page in an hour. Warm, and it thaws considerably. Read Thomson's Seasof/s. 28. Mr. Huntington,' the former minister here, called to see me. At night visited a rich, stupid, poor old man. 29. On the 25th wrote a letter to Lewis Adams, Hartford. Wrote consid- erably. Rainy. Mr. Asa A. Mills and wife from Norfolk, called to see me. 30. Quite blustering. Preached very seriously. The people here appear serious, but secure. I think there has not been greater preparations for war in Europe since the beginning of the present war than now. 31. Made several visits. Rode to Easthampton (Chatham) and saw Mr. West,^ minister there. Had some dispute with a churchman. Thus "another year" rolled over my head. A retrospective view certainly ought to fill me with shame and humility. ' Rev. David Huntington, a graduate of ' Rev. Joel West, a graduate of Dartmouth Dartmouth 1773, minister at Marlborough 1789, minister at East Hampton 1792-1825, 1776-1797, a native of Lebanon, Ct. a native of Columbia, Ct. January. 1. Finished my last j^ear's diarj'. Attempted to fast and pray. Cor- ruptions of heart verj- great. Wrote a long letter to two young ladies in the house, Misses J. and E. Carter. Wrote a letter home. Snowed considerably. 2. Mr. Mills from Norfolk called here, going home. Wrote. Read Thomson's Smscv/s. 3. Finished my sermon on Psalm xc : 90. It snowed considerably. Company here from abroad. 4. Began a sermon on Mark xvi : 16. The text given me by a friend. Good sleighing as can well be. 5. Very cold. Mr. Carter has cut an oak-tree, and brought it up for wood, which had in a hollow in the upper part a root of spikenard, now alive, having grown two summers at least. Wrote. 6. Snowed a little. Weather very severe. At evening had company. France seems to be losing strength as fast as she ever got it. Commodore Warren has beat tiiem in a sea fight.' 7. Visited some. Read. Too much given to levity. 8. Wrote steadily. Weather moderates. Finished reading Thomson's Seasons. 9. Last night it snowed some. Rode to Gilead in a single sleigh. Saw my classmate King," now preaching there. 10. Rode back to Marlborough. Weather very pleasant; thaws consid- erably. Received a letter from my father. Snow at Norfolk nearly four feet deep. 11. Wrote considerably. Quite warm. I think I never wrote easier than now lately. 12. Wrote all day. Snow goes very fast. Feel very unfit for the great work to which I am called, of preaching the gospel. 13. It snows some. People here pretty good to attend meeting. 14. Wrote, endeavoring to make some records of this church, which must be taken by verbal accounts.^ The sleighing is gone. 15. Rode with the school visitors, and saw the schools in the society. Read Kohinson' s * Proo/s of a Conspiracy. ' Oct. 12, 179S, a French fleet of nine this business for some time, as will be seen ships carrying troops to Ireland was attacked by later entries. In some cases he had to by Sir John Borlasse Warren, and five of gather the facts by personal inquiry, the ships were captured. * This was not Robinson, but John Robi- ^ Rev. Salmon King, his classmate at son, who wrote a book entitled. Proofs of a Vale. He was a native of Vernon, Ct. In Conspiracy agaiiist all the Religions and C7ot'- iSoo he was settled in Manchester, Ct. ermncnts of Europe, etc., which was after- ' The church records in Marlborough had wards regarded as a false alarm. (See pre- been neglected. Mr. Robbins wrought at vious notes.) 73 74 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['799- i6. Visited the other schools. There are five in the society. Bad riding. Read. 17. Had the headache hard. Wrote some. At night quite sick. 18. So unwell unable to study. Visited all day. Quite warm. 19. Wrote to my Uncle Robbins. Afternoon rode 'to Gilead to exchange with Mr. King. 20. It rained some. There appears to be but little religion in the world. 21. It snowed considerably. Rode back. Visited. Quite cold. 22. Wrote all day. At night finished reading Robinson's J'roo/s. An excellent book. 23. Wrote. Got a bad tremor by a little violent e.\ercise. Read consid- erably. 24. Wrote a good deal. Read some in Col. Humphrey's' works. At night it snowed some. 25. Rode out and visited some old people in the society. There are several people here past eighty, and some over ninety years. I live in a \ery agree- able family. 26. Finished my long sermon on Mark .\vi: 16. Rainy. Very little sleighing. 27. In the morning it rained hard. Mr. Skinner," a native of this place, late minister at Coventry, preached for me in the afternoon. 28. Rode to Lebanon. Visited Mr. Gurley,' Exeter society, and tarried with Mr. Ely at the old society. Quite cold. 29. Visited Mr. Brockway * at Lebanon Crank. Saw some college friends studying law at Hebron. Rode back to Marlborough. Began a sermon on Isa. xli : 21. 30. Awakening very great and remarkable at Hartford. Was called to see a woman very sick. 31. Wrote some. Had company. Something of the headache. Read in the History of Peter the Great. February. 1. Wrote fast all day. At evening walked out. Mr. Peny,' of Rich- mond, and his wife came here on a visit. 2. Finished my sermon on Isa. xli: 21. Began another on James iii: 19. ' Col. David Humphreys, son o£ Rev. had been settled at North Coventry 1794- Danicl Humphreys, minister o£ Derby, Ct., 179S, and was now dismissed. 1733-1787. Col. Humphreys was graduated ' Rev. John Gurley, a graduate o£ Vale at Yale College in 1771, was aid to Gen. College, 1773, minister in Lebanon, Ct. (F..\c- Israel Putnam, and to Gen. Washington. ter Parish), 1775-1S12. He was the father He was afterwards Minister to Portugal and of Rev. Ralph R. Gurley. .Spain. He was the author of a Life of Putnam, * Rev. Thomas Brockway, minister at Leb- and of many miscellaneous writings in poetry anon Crank (now Columbia), 1772-1S07. and prose. ' Rev. David Perry, a native of Hunting- " This was Rev. Ichabod Lord Skinner, a ton, Ct., graduate of Vale, 1772, miniilcr at graduate of Yale in the class of 1793, who Richmond, Mass., 17S4-1S16. 1 1 799-] PREACHING AT MARLBOROUGH, CT. 75 3. Last night a pretty deep snow fell. Mr. Perry refused to preach.' Very tired. 4. Rode out. Wrote home. Wrote to Dr. West, of Stockbridge. Pretty cold. Good news of awakenings in Litchfield County. 5. Good sleighing. Rode and visited. Wrote some. 6. Finished my sermon on James iii: 19. Began another on Rom. .\iii: 13. Quite pleasant. 7. Wrote some. Afternoon preached a private lecture. Ver\- cold. Read Mr. Pickering's '^ report on French affairs. 8. Wrote all day. .'\t evening walked out. At night it began to rain. 9. Very rainy all day. The snow gone. At night read Davies's ' sermons. 10. People here very attentive, though no special seriousness. I hope I ha\e killed the half way practice in baptism here.'' Talked very seriously with young women in the house. 11. Rode out and visited. Read the History of Peter the Great. 12. Received a letter from Mr. West,' of Easthampton. Had company. Was called to see a young woman in a dying state. O my stupidity ! Cold. 13. Wrote some. The young woman I went to see last night is gone. Had company. 14. Mr. Morgan,' minister at North Canaan, called to see me. He tells me my Aunt Woodbridge is not like to live long. Rode to Easthampton, preached a sacramental lecture, and returned. 15. Began a sermon on Job xiv : 2. Attended the funeral of Lucy Car- rier. Very many people. Cold and tedious. 16. Finished my sermon on Job xiv : 2. At evening read. ' It was hardly fair to hinder a young min- use, without, it would appear, any formal ac- ister by visiting and then not preach for him. tion of the church upon the subject. ^ Timothy Pickering, a native of Salem, " The following anecdote is given on the born in 1746. From 1795 '° iSco he was authority of Mr. Cone: 'While the society United States Secretary of State. was holding their meeting to vote on the ' Rev. Samuel Davies, President of Prince- question of his settlement, and the members ton College. of the church were assembled by themselves •* The half-way covenant plan of baptism in one of the peivs, to act on the same ques- and church-membership was widely going out tion, a member of the society casting his eyes of use in the closing years of the last century, toward the little company, inquired whether and the opening years of the present. To the same number of persons could not be show the condition to which the half-way picked from among them equal in all re- covenant had reduced the church in the spects to those church-members. A vener- neighboring town of Colchester, we copy the able member of the society by the name of following from the Contrilmtions to tlie Ecclc- Wright, made the laconic reply, ' You need siastical History of Connecticut, p. 364: not pick.' To so low a state was the church " In a paper submitted by the church to reduced in point of numbers and standing." Mr. Cone for his assent, as a condition of his ' Rev. Joel West, already noticed, settlement" (Mr. Salmon Cone was settled * Rev. Solomon Morgan, a native of Gro- there in 1792), "it is stated that the half-way ton, minister in North Canaan from 179S to covenant had been a standing regulation of his death in 1804. He had been previously the church from the time of its organization settled in Canterbury, Ct , and in Sterling, (1703), but during his ministry it went out of Connecticut. ^(> DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROr.IilN'S, D.D. [l799' 17. It snowed most all day. Very tired with preaching. 18. Rode to Ilarlford. Difficulty in crossing the ferry. A great awaken- ing there. Attended a conference ; very full. Prayed, etc. Many under the most powerful conviction ; and many rejoicing Christians. Very kindly en- tertained at Mr. Strong's. O that the glorious work may become universal. Received a letter from my father, announcing the melancholy death of my dear Aunt Woodbridge." She died on the 9th instant. 19. Mr. Strong, of Hartford, is a Free Mason ; but he gave me as great an impression of their ridiculous frivolities as I have ever had. Dr. Hopkins." of Newport, has lately been struck with a fit of the numb-palsy. Returned. Bought some books. Became acquainted with Mr. Lockwood,' of Glaston- bur}'. Read Abclard mid Eloisa* 20. Began a sermon on Ps. xxv : n. Rode out in a sleig?.. 21. Rode with the visitors, and saw the schools. Read Abelard and Eloisa. 22. Wrote considerably. At evening walked out. In the forenoon quite rainy. Snowed some. 23. Wrote ten pages. Finished my sermon on Ps. xxv : 11, and the one on Rom. xiii : 13. Very cold. 24. I fear my sermon on James ii : 19 has given some ofTence. I fear I have not a talent like some of delineating truth without offending. 25. Rode in a sleigh and visited two schools. Quite cold. " Died at Warren, on the 9th instant, of a lingering illness, Mrs. Hannah Woodbridge, in the forty-eighth year of her age; widow of the Hon. Jahleel Woodbridge, of Stockbridge, and daughter of the Rev. Philemon Robbins, of Branford. deceased. Her funeral was attended the Sabbath after, and a sermon preached on the occasion from Isa. Ivii : 15, first clause, by the Rev. Mr. Robbins, of Norfolk." — Connccfiait Courant for February 2^tli. 26. Read. Wrote. Afternoon rode out and visited a number of places. 27. Read. Wrote a piece for publication in the paper. At evening walked out. It snowed considerably. 28. Wrote making records for the church in this place. Finished reading Ehisa and Abclard. Traded some. Wrote to Mr. Cone, of Colchester. March. I. Began a sermon on Isa. xlvi : 10. At evening rode out in a sleigh with company. ' We may recall tacts which have already what we should now call ])aralysis. He was been stated, that Mrs. Woodbridge was Man- for a time unable to use his lower limbs, but nah Rcbckah, daughter of Rev. Philemon was partially restored so that he preached, Robbins. Mcr first marriage was with Rev. and lived about four years longer. John Keep, minister of Sheffield, Mass., who ' Rev. William Lockwood, settled at Glas- died in 17S5, at the age of thirty-five. Her tonbury 1797-1S04, a man of remarkable second marriage was with Hon. Jahleel learning for his lime. He was son of Rev. Woodbridge, of .Stockbridge, M.-iss., who James Lockwood, of Wethersficld. died a few years bclbre her own death, which * 77/c l.hh-s of AMnnt and Ehisa, with the occurred, as above given, Feb. 9, 1799. original letters, had been published in Lon- ' Dr. Samuel Hopkins was at this time don in 1784, in quarto. This was probably >;ov- severe. Traded considerably. 27. Wrote to Mr. Mills, of Torringford. Rainy. Quite sick with my ague all day. 28. Not able to sit up but little ; at times my pain is quite severe. O for resignation. 29. Quite unable to sleep nights. Spring seems to come on. Received a letter from Mr. Jeremiah Mills,^ of Torringford. 30. Pleasant weather. Am some relieved of my pain, blessed be God. Have scarcely had so sick a turn for years. Attended the funeral of a child. Awakenings seem to increase in this town. May. 1. Caught a bad cold by working out a little, and at even had a severe turn of the ague. Quite rainy. 2. Wrote a long letter to Capt. Hubbard, of Colchester. A young woman died in town of a quick consumption. Preached a sacramental lecture."^ A hard shower of rain. 3. Snow to be seen in many places. Rode to Torringford in company with Mr. Smith, a candidate. Preached a lecture there. The awakening there very great. A number of my quondam pupils to appearance sweet Christians. At evening attended conference. Verj- serious. 4. Conversed seriously and agreeably with my young friends at Mr. Mills's' and Mr. Battell's. Afternoon rode to Winsted. 5. Preached and attended a conference. Considerable seriousness here. This is the day appointed by the assembly for contribution through the State for the missionary society." In this place it was four dollars. ' Probably to accompany his brother Am- ' The first Sunday in May was a sacra- mi home. mental Sabbath. Young Robbins preached ' Her death, it will be remembered, was the preparatory lecture in Norfolk on Thurs- recorded under date of Feburary 25, two day, and went the next day to Torringford, months before. She had doubtless left him and did the same, some legacy or token of remembrance. ' Rev. Samuel J. Mills, of Torringford, ' Wincliester adjoins Norfolk on the S. E. married Esther Robbins, daughter of Samuel * Because of our European complications Robbins, of Canaan. She was distantly re- and dangers. lated to the Norfolk minister. ' Jeremiah Mills was the son of Rev. Sam- ^ The Missionary Society of Connecticut uel J. Mills, was born in 1777, so that he was organized in 179S, and for many years was now about twenty-two years of age. The the annual collection was taken for it in author of this diary was born the same year. May, by State authority. 82 DIARV OF RKV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['799- 6. Rode home. Prayed and dined with the miHtary company. Turner,' a candidate belonging to this town, now preaching at New MarHiorough, came here to .see us. Received a letter from Mr. Catlin, of New Marlborough. Foot companies much more respectable than horse." Warm. 7. Wrote a letter to Miss Jerusha Carter.' Quite wet and cold. Mr. Atwater,'' tutor at Yale College, called here going to Middlehuiy. Vt., to preach. Contributions are large. In this town twenty-si.x dollars, New Hart- ford forty, Farmington forty, Colebrook nine, etc. I hope in two hundred societies there will be fifteen dollars in each.' 8. My father set out for Hartford. In the morning the ground was covered with snow. Very cold for the season. 9. Rode to south part of the town ; preached a lecture, and attended a conference. There were a great many people, and very serious. In most of the towns hereabout, instead of the customary diversions, dancing, etc., people are assembled today for religious worship and conversation. 10. Set out on my journey to Vermont.' O for assistance and direction in the undertaking. E.\pect to be gone all summer. Dined with Mr. Catlin,' New Marlborough. Came on to Stockbridge. 11. In the morning called on Dr. West. He got home from Hartford last night. He solicited me to tarry over the Sabbath. Contrary to previous arrangement I consented. Quite cold. 12. Preached. Almost as cold as winter. Water froze nearly half an inch thick last night. At even my friend Mr. Woodbridge* called to see me. 13. Rode. Hay very scarce. Came to Williamstown. 14. Received a letter of the President, which he was about to send me, appointing me to deliver an oration at the ensuing Commencement.' Con- ferred with the president. Afternoon attended an exhibition. Wrote liome. My cousin Starr a fine scholar and promising character. 15. Quite warm. Rode through Pownal to Bennington. Dined with Mr. Swift. Shaftsbur)', part of Arlington,'" and Sunderland to Manchester. Ver)' tired. Tarried at tavern. 'His old friend, Nathaniel Turner, of ^ Mr. Robbins later was a missionary, com- Williams College. missioned by the Connecticut Missionary So- ^ Not abstractly considered, but according ciety to the Western Reserve, Ohio, but this to the habits of those years. Vermont journey seems to have been on his ^ A member of the family where he own motion, boarded in Marlborough, Ct. ' This country hospitality was general in ' Jeremiah Atwater, D. D., afterwards those days. President of Middlcbury College. He was ° Probably Mr. John Woodbridge, before graduated at Yale in 1793, ^"^ '''^^ in New mentioned. Haven, Ct., in 1858. « The coming Commencement would be ' That is, ou the average, which would three years after his graduation, when, ac- have realized the sum of Sj,ooo. Hut the cording to custom at that time, some were actual result of the contributions that year, appointed to give masters' orations. as shown in the first volume of the Connec- '° Pownal, Bennington, .Shaftsbury, and ticut /;r'<7«;r//irt/ Mat;aziuL\ was $2,033.63, a Arlington are Vermont towns whose west- less amount than some single churches in em boundary is New York. Sunderland Connecticut now furnish yearly to home and Manchester are one tier back from the missions. New York line. 1799-] ON A JOURNEY THROUGH VERMO^fT. 83 16. Saw my Uncle Gould. Quite rainy. A bear l ton. Fairhaven, Westhaven, Benson, and dined at Rev. Mr. Kent's.' A\'ent through Orwell, part of Shoreham, to Cornwall. Tarried with Rev. Mr. Wooster^ in a log-house, the first in which I ever slept. 22. Mr. Wooster rode with me to Middlebur)'. Afternoon rode to the north part of the town, and found many quondam Norfolk people. They kindly received and entertained. Roads here are not yet diy, and extremely bad, some places almost impassable. Warm. 23. Last night there fell considerable rain. There is a neighborhood in the north part of Middlebury and south part of New Haven, mostly of Nor- folk people. Preached a lecture. Quite warm. Wrote home. 24. Set out for Poultney. We now have hot weather for the first time this year. Rode to Benson, and tarried with Rev. Mr. Kent. Bad riding. I came from home a little too early in the season. 25. Got to my present home in safety. Laus Deo. I live at a Mr. Thompson's.' Somebody from Goshen. Afternoon quite shower)-. Since Wednesday vegetation has been astonishing rapid. Blossoms begin to appear on apple-trees. Wrote. 26. People here stare at preaching as if it were some new thing. They are however attentive. Gave some account of awakenings below. ' Rev. William Jackson, D. D., a gradu- Connecticut people, and western Vermont ate of Dartmouth in 1790, settled in Dorset, from the western towns o£ Connecticut. Sept. 27, 1796. All this part of Vermont was ' Rev. Dan Kent, a native of Suffield, very new. There was no church in this vicin- Ct., and the Congregational minister at Ben- ity that was over fifteen or twenty years old. son from 1792 to 1S2S. - Rev. John Griswold, a native of Nor- ' Rev. Benjamin Wooster, a native of wich, Ct., a graduate of Darmouth College in Waterbury, Ct., a graduate of Yale College 1789, was settled at Pawlet, Oct. 23, 1793, in 1790, and minister at Cornwall from 1797 and remained till 1S30. to 1S02. ' There had been a quarrel and a division ' Dr. William Thompson, of Hartford in the church at Poultney, and since 1796 Theological Seminary, and Dr. Augustus A. there had been no settled minister. Thompson, of Roxbun^ Mass., are brothers * Vermont was very largely settled by and natives of Goshen, Ct. 84 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBIXS, D.D. ['799- 27. Unhappil)- a majorky of the people of this and the neijjhboring towns are deluded Democrats. Lyon ' is a man of great art, and has done vast damage to this State. Visited. Fine weather. 28. Visited. Some very obstinate deists here. Disputed them some." 29. Rode to Middlebury, and attended a council. The church here in a very bad situation. Got acquainted with some ministers; those of the Baptist only hold communion. 30. Rode back. Very warm. Afternoon rode out. Quite rainy. An ox near here killed with lightning. Got quite wet. 31. Caught a bad cold by being wet yesterday. Much pained with tiie toothache. Afternoon preached a lecture. Quite cold. It seems the past winter has been no less unusually severe in Europe than in this country, both as to quantities of snow and severity of weather. In England the Thames froze over ; for a time many roads were impassable on account of snow, and many persons perished. In Germany the rivers froze, and there were great quantities of snow. It is said such a winter has not been known in Europe for two or three centuries. It is also said that very hard winters have come about once in four hundred years. In this country it lias been long and severe, but probably not so cold and tedious as the one at the begin- ning of the year 1780, or the beginning of the year 1741. The stage-sleigh ran from Boston to Portsmouth eighteen weeks successively.' At the north- ward, in Canada, the winter has not been more severe than usual. Just and true are thy ways. June. 1. Quite sick with my cold and the toothache. Infidels in religion are apt to be Democrats. 2. But just able to preach ; there is too much levity in my conduct. 3. Had a tooth extracted which tore my jaw very much. Received ten dollars from this town. Preached a lecture to a pretty large and attentive audience. It is a trial to be urged contrary' to our wishes. 4. Rode to Granville, N. Y.,* and attended the association of ministers and churches for the western district of Vermont, and parts adjacent. The association adopted the articles, a copy of which I bought. ' Rev. Asa Lyon, a native of Pomfret " That is, he held .m argument with them. (Abington Parish), Ct., a graduate of Dart- ' Only a few winters since there were six- mouth, 1790, a man of strong, original, but teen weeks of consecutive sleighing in the somewhat daring and eccentric mind. One northern parts of Massachusetts, but only who knew him intimately describes him about twelve that winter in the vicinity of thus: "He had a dark comple.\ion, coarse Boston. Eighteen weeks of consecutive sleigh- features, powerful build, more than six feet ing between Hoston and Portsmouth, along high, large boned, giant framed, and a little the shore, would not probably occur once in stooping." lie was the Congregational min- a century. There is a difference in this re- ister at South Hero, 1S02-1840. lie was spect between the ocean shore and fifty miles also largely occupied with civil and political inland. affairs, was much in the Vermont legislature, 'Granville is in Washington County, N.Y., was member of Congress 1815-1817. just over the line from Pawlet, Vt. lygg.J ON A JOURNEY THROUGH VERMONT. 85 5. Attended association. Very warm. The ministers talked considerably of dividing into two, but concluded it is not best. Rode back to Poultney. Strongly requested to return here. Am sorry." O for direction. 6. Rode through Castleton/ Hubbardton, part of Sudbury to Whiting,' and tarried with an old acquaintance. It rained considerably. People are yet planting. Wheat looks promising. A very growing season. 7. Rode through Cornwall'' to Middlebur)-. Treated kindly by my old friends. Visited a son of Linus Beach, formerly from Norfolk, just gone. 8. The young man died last evening. Afternoon attended the funeral.^ Rainy. The roads not yet drj'. g. Last night we had a very great shot' of rain. My jaw has been very sore since my tooth was drawn, and is yet. Preached in the lower part of New Haven.' A prettj' full meeting. I guess one half quondam Norfolk people.'' ID. Visited some. Read the Bible. Wrote. Since the winter the season has been e.\traordinar}'. We had a cold March, a cold April, and a cold May. The season has not been so backward generally for a great number of years. Perhaps it was in some parts in the year 1789. A Philadelphia account says: " The natural world seems to vie with the moral in retrogression. The season is such as to bring farmers' business nearly a month in arrears." Warm weather did not properly come on till the 23d of May. For a number of days after that vegetation was astonishingly rapid, and it has been a very growing season ever since, though pretty wet. II. Fi.xed my things. Very warm. Read some. Walked out. From the Boston Mercury oi June 11. [An after entrj-.] "It is with the deepest sorrow that I communicate the melancholy event of the death of his late Excellency, Increase Sumner,' Esq., which iiappened this day about 1 1 o'clock. Moses Gill." '° In this death that State has met with a verj' heavy ' He went to Vermont on a tour of obser- 1797, but there was no settled pastor there, vation and usefulness, and not with the pur- until Rev. Silas L. Bingham, a native of pose of settling there. He had other plans. Hebron, Ct., Yale, 1790, was installed June - Poultney, Castleton, Hubbardton, and 22, 1804. Sudbury were in Rutland County. In all ^ He finds people who had moved up to these towns churches had been organized, Vermont from his native town wherever he but they were all without settled ministers. goes. ' A church had been organized in Whit- 1 Increase Sumner, a native of Roxbury, ing about five months before, but was with- Mass., Harvard 1767, was chosen Governor out a minister. in 1797 to succeed Gov. Samuel Adams. He ■* Cornwall, in Addison County, as already was of a superior mind and character, but stated, had a settled minister. Rev. Benjamin hardly equal, comparatively, to the estimate Wooster. of the diary. * Another illustration of the short time '° Moses Gill, Harvard, 1784, was chosen elapsing between death and burial. Lieutenant-Governor with Mr. Sumner, and ' We can make nothing of this word but upon the death of the last named, was Gov- "shot." The word may then have been used ernor for that year. He w'as succeeded in for a violent rain-fall. the following year by Caleb Strong, of North- ' A church had been organized in New ampton, a man of fine presence and superior Haven, nearly two years before, Nov. 15, character. 86 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l799- and perhaps an irreparable loss. Without doubt he was the best calculated to fill that office of any man that has ever presided over that Commonwealth. O that it might be a means of good to that great people, by teaching them not to trust too much in an arm of clay. Gov. Sumner was in his fifty-third year. 12. The weather very unsteady. Rode about in New Haven ; visited old acquaintances. Very bad riding. 13. Rode to Middlebury Falls. Requested to preach. 14. I live with a Mr. Foot." Great number of mills at this place. Rainy. 15. Quite cool. Walked out to see the gun manufactory.'' They work here largely at this business. Received a letter from my father. Wrote a letter to my brother N. 16. Dr. Edwards/ of Colebrook, is chosen President of Union College, and leaves it wholly with the association whether he must go. Preached in the court-house. People here generally exceedingly stupid.'' 17. Very warm. There seems to be very great preparations for war in Europe, and determinations to pursue it with vigor. The Austrians, Russians, and Turks, against the French and their conquered countries. A frame of a house, partly covered, so that a poor family lived in it, burnt near by. A man killed in town by the fall of a tree. Visited. 18. Read considerably. Wrote to my brother J., and cousin P. Starr,' at Williams College. Very warm. Received a long and excellent letter from my father. The work of God still goes on in Connecticut with great power. Let all the people praise Thee. I fear that my dear Uncle Robbins must die soon. He lately set out for Connecticut, but was forced to turn back from Providence. My Aunt Thompson has been up and made a good visit. She arrived at Norfolk the day after I left home. For me unfortunate. 19. A fine growing season. The roads dry very fast. .Vttended tiie funeral of the man who was killed. One killed at Moulton in the same manner, the same hour, of the same age, and left a similar family. The two men had long been intimately acquainted. 20. Rode into New Haven, and preached a lecture. Something rainy. 21. Rode back to Middlebury. Quite warm. Many people in these parts, w-ho are the most serious, are opposed to sound doctrines. Heard a Baptist preach. He would not differ with me.' Heard of the death of Gov. Sumner.' ' In 1783 Daniel Foot moved from Titts- his death. The coincidences between his field, Mass., taking with him his five sons, own life and death, and those of his illustri- Philip, Freeman, Martin, Stillman, and John, ous father, have often been pointed out. his wife remaining behind at Pittsfield till ■" In the hearing of the gospel message, the following year. It was with one of the ' His brotlier James Watson is a freshman menabovenamcd, probably, that Mr. Robbins in the college, and his cousin Peter St.irr, of made his home in Middlebury. Warren, Ct., is to graduate that summer. ' Jonathan Nichols had a contract with '" Doctrinally, a Calvinistic Baptist and an government to manufacture a thousand guns. average Congrcgationalist are much alike. ' Dr. Jonathan Edwards h.id been jiastor They separate on rites and ordinances, at the North Church, New Haven, 17(39-1795. ' It was eleven days after Gov. Sumner's He had been at Colebrook from fanuary, death that the news reached him. The pas- 1796, to June, 1799, and was now going to sage already reported, under dale of June ir. Union College for a brief presidency before was from an after entry. lygg.] ON A JOURNEY THROUGH VERM()NT. ' 87 22. \\'rote a long letter to my parents. Wrote to my sister S. 23. Very warm. A shower. Many people here opposed to what I con- sider the plain truth. 24. Read. AV'alked out and visited. Had considerable dispute with a man on imputation. 25. Attended the funeral of an infant child. Was invited to dine with the Free-Masons. Mr. Sanders, of Vergennes, preached. They were pretty orderly ; still I hate Masonr}'. 26. Mr. Sanders' is a pretty agreeable man, but not a divine. Very warm. Considerable noise with trooping,', etc. 27. Dreadful slaughter and bloodshed in Europe. There have not been such battles during the war, as lately between the Austrians and French. They fight most obstinately. It appears the French are defeated in all quarters.' Zaus Deo. In the conquered countries are insurrections and mas- sacres. The plague is in Bonaparte's army in Egypt. 28. In all the wars and confusion God is at the helm. Rode to Ver- gennes.* Visited friends there. Steady hot weather. 29. This is a place of considerable business. I believe this State is recovering from infidelity and great immoralities. Rode to Capt. Phelps's,' New Haven. 30. Had a pretty full and serious meeting. Very hot. Received three dollars as a contribution. [Later entry.] This last was the day that my dear Uncle Robbins' was summoned from our world. July. 1. Rode to Monkton' and preached a lecture in a house. Had a long discourse with a number of Methodists. A very hard thunder-shower. 2. Rode down to Middlebury. Yesterday the wind was very high in ' Daniel C. Sanders, D. D. He was a * Chandler Robbins, D. D., of Plymouth, doctor of divinity in title, but Mr. Robbins, in Mass. His father. Rev. Philemon Robbins, saying that he was not a divine means that the life-long minister at Branford, Ct. {1733- he was not theologically educated and in- 1781), had nine children, three .sons and six structed. He was graduated at Harvard in daughters. His three sons were all started 1788, and was minister at Vergennes from on a course of public education. One of them 1794 to 1799. He was dismissed about two died while in college. The other two were months after this interview, Aug. 24, 1799. the eminent ministers at Plymouth, jMass., ^ The old fashioned troopers in their occa- and Norfolk, Ct. Chandler Robbins was or- sional gatherings for e.xercise, were apt to be dained at Plymouth, Jan. 30, 1760, and con- rather disorderly. tinued till his death, June 30, 1799. ^During the spring and early summer of The grandfather of Chandler and Ammi this year there had been a succession of bat- Ruhamah was Nathaniel Robbins of Cam- ties, in which the French were beaten, such bridge, whose wife was Hannah Chandler, as Stokach, Verona, Magnano.Cassano, Adda, Hence the given name of the Plymouth pas- and Zurich. tor. * Vergennes was about fifteen miles north- ' Monkton, in Addison County, Vt., had west of Middlebury, near Lake Champlain. no Congregational church at that time, nor ' Captain Matthew Phelps, one of the was there any organized until May 24, 1824. most enterprising men of the early town. There was probablv Methodist preaching His son, Maj. Matthew Phelps, was gradu- there, though it may have been by a man of ated at Middlebury College in 1S04. some other denomination. 88 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROIiBlNS, D.D. [l799- some places. I am requested Ijy this town to preach here while I continue in the countr)-. Afternoon rode to Starksborough ' with company. 3. Had a good night with Deacon Hall" and family, formerly from Nor- folk. Preached a lecture. The Methodists have had considerable hold in these new towns, but they are evidently on the decline. The Baptists still pretty strong. 4. Rode to Bristol and preached a lecture with a great concavity for my footstool, and a greater concavity for my canopy.' Had a dispute with some Arminian' people. Rode to New Haven. May this day be recognized with gratitude and praise by all American people. 5. Awakenings increase in Connecticut, particularly in Norfolk. Laus d gloria. Warm and showery. Rode down to Middlebury. 6. Began an oration for the next Commencement.' O for a sense of the importance of the work of the ministry. 7. People here appear to be something serious. Gave some account of the awakenings below. I cannot help hoping that it will extend to this part of the country. 8. Rode out and visited. Caught a bad cold from a w^et floor. The French armies have ill success. g. Wrote on my oration. Read some. At evening walked out. 10. Rode and visited. People talk considerably about the awakening. Weather pretty cool. 11. Visited a woman in New Haven most gone with the consumption. My cold quite bad. People beginning to mow. 12. Wrote on my oration. Troubled with the dysentery. It rained some. 13. Quite unwell. I weighed one hundred and twenty-one. Wrote a letter to President Fitch' and one to Dr. Howe,' of Poultney. • 14. Fashionable people here think I preach too close. Warm. Troubled with a diarrhoea. 15. The morning rainy. Set out on a journey northward. Rode through New Haven to Moulton and tarried. 16. Went through a part of Ferrisburgh' to Charlotte.' Visited Mr. Newell,'" formerly minister at Goshen. Through Shelburne to Burlington Bay. ' There was 110 Congregational church in ' Ebenezer Fitch, D. D., President of Will- Starksborough until 1S04. iams College. ^ With the old Norfolk families he felt ' Nchcniiah Ilowe and Silas Howe, were peculiarly at home, and it was a great pleas- among the first settlers of Poultney between ure to them to see some one who could 1770 and 1780. Silas Howe was first deacon revive the old memories. of the Congrcg.itional church. ' There was no Congregational church or- ' No Congregational church in Ferris- ganized at liristol until July 8, 1S05. By his burgh until 1S24. descrii)tion wc understand that he preached ' Charlotte is in Chittenden County, in the open air. '° This was Kcv. Abel Newell, a graduate • Probably the terms Arminian and Mctli- of Yale in I75r, and settled at Goshen, Ct., odist are meant in this Vermont connection 1755-1781. He was already an old man, to be somewhat interchangeable. nearly fifty years out of college, but he lived ■' Early in the ne.\t September. till 1813. 1799-] '^^ A JOURNEY THROUGH VERMONT. 89 Found some acquaintance. Very kindly entertained at Col. Keyes's." My disorder has left me. Graf/a Deo. 17. May I remember this morning. This morning at Col. Keyes's a gen- tleman asked me if I wished to look at a late Walpole paper." I took it, and looking among the deaths I saw, " Dr. Chandler Robbins, of Plymouth, si.\ty." How was I shocked. Crossed Onion River bridge ; a great curiosity. Passed through Colches- ter, Esse.\, Westford, Fairfax, a part of Fletcher to Fairfield.^ Quite hot weather. People all engaged in haying. These northern towns appear new. Found friends at Fairtield. 18. Rode to the north part of the town. Visited Norfolk people. People here live mostly in log-houses. I am now the farthest from home that I have ever been, about two hundred and thirty miles.' 19. A little rain. Afternoon preached a lecture. 20. Rode back to the middle of the town. This is a good town for grass. Very hot weather. 21. Preached in a barn. Full meeting. Saw Esq. Turner,' formerly from Norfolk. 22. Laid the plan of a house for a man about to build. Afternoon preached a lecture. 23. Rode down to Fairfax with Esq. Turner, and preached a lecture. Forded the river La Moille as I did going up. Came to Essex and lodged. Some rain. 24. Came to Stephen Butler's.^ He was formerly from Norfolk. Almost overcome with the heat. In the coolest place I could find was put to it for breath. Towards evening rode to Jericho,' and visited a Mr. Kingsbuiy.' A very dry season. Fine hay weather. 25. Found old acquaintance. Mr. Kingsbury has trials. He is the only settled minister north of Cornwall. He rode with me to Essex. People almost universally drink water, and that oftentimes poor. Preached a lecture in a barn. We had a very fine shower. 26. Rode in company with Esq. Turner and wife through part of Jericho, forded Onion River, through Williston to Hinesburgh.' I think I never saw better land than the meadows of the Onion River. Afternoon preached a ' Probably Elnathan Keyes, a graduate of ■• Fairfield is within twelve or fifteen miles Dartmouth, who was a practicing attorney in of the Canada line. Burlington as early as 1794. s Probably Bates Turner, elsewhere men- - The Farmer's Museum was started in tioned. Walpole, N. H., April n, 1793, ^n^ still '■From iSoi to 1S06 Stephen Butler was exists in the succession, as the Cheshire Re- constable in Essex, Vt. publican, now published at Keene, N. H. ' There was a Congregational church at ^ The first named towns were in Chitten- Jericho, founded in 1791. den County, and the others in Franklin. ' Rev. Ebenezer Kingsbury, a native of Franklin County touches New York on the North Coventry, Ct., and a graduate of Yale west and Canada on the north. In none of in 17S3. the above named towns was there a Congre- ' Hinesburgh had a Congregational church gational church except in Essex. founded in 17S9, but Williston had none. go DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l799- lecture. People in this State do not appear to be so much infected with infi- delity, as erroneous views in religion. The Methodists have a pretty strong hold at Hinesburgh, Starksborough, and Monkton, but not much at the northward of those places. The disorganizing principles of the Baptists do considerable damage. In most of the towns people seem disposed to hear preaching, and wish to get regular ministers. I have many applications. Masonic lodges are forbidden to meet by law in Great Britain.' 27. The Methodists go great lengths in fanaticism. They hurt their own cause. Eat green peas. Rode to Starksborough.'' E.xcessive hot. 28. Preached in a barn. People appear serious. Methodists appear to hate me with great sincerity.^ The Baptists are very jealous of regular, edu- cated ministers. Eat cucumbers. 29. Rode to Monkton,* and preached in a neighborhood of Methodists, by previous desire. Their champion, Mitchel, was present. After meeting we had considerable talk. The hearts of all people are in God's hands, and may he direct them in the right way. Rode to New Haven, and tarried. 30. People generally beginning harvest,' which comes in pretty well. The last two weeks the heat of haying. Rode down to Middlebury. Thanks to God for such a prosperous journey. It has been fatiguing, but I ha\e been surrounded with mercies. Universally a dry and hot season. We have the other extreme from the spring. The riding in this country very good now. Flies are very troublesome to a traveler. I am very kindly treated wherever I go. Ver}' great want of ministers in this State. Received a letter from my father announcing the mournful death of my dear Uncle Robbins, and another from cousin Samuel P. Robbins,' at Norfolk, soon after he heard the affecting news. O that I might have feeling, and take due notice of such solemn calls of God's holy providence. My friend N. Turner is settled at New Marl- borough. I am very sorry, and believe he has done wrong. 31. Wrote a letter to Deacon Steele,' of Hinesburgh, and another to Dr. Hall, of Starksborough. Walked o\it. ' That is a quiet remark, by the way, sug- ' Samuel Prince Robbins was the son of gestecl doubtless by what he saw of Masonry Dr. Chandler Robbins, of Plymouth. He in Vermont. As we know from a previous had gr.aduated the year before at Harvard utterance, he did not admire the institution CoUcfje. A few years later he was ordained there. to the work of the ministry at Marietta, ' There was no Congregational church in Ohio, his cousin, Rev. Thomas Robbins, Starksborough. the author of this diary, preaching the ser- ' There was far more of denominational men. jealousy and prejudice in the country at the ' Dea. Josiah Steele was from East Hart- beginning of this century than now. ford, Ct. He was the chief mover in the or- * No Congregational church at Monkton ganization of the Congregational church in till 1824. Hinesburgh, and was its first deacon. His ' The harvest was the gathering of the son Kliphaz was clerk of the church from grains, whc.it, rye, oats, etc., which did not 1802 to 1S18. The men going up from usually begin in New England till haying was Connecticut were apt to be church-going well-nigh done. people. I 1 799-] ON A JOURNEY THROUGH VERMONT. 9I August. 1. Wrote on my oration for Commencement. Had company. 2. Received a letter from the town of Charlotte, requesting me to go tlien; and preach. I cannot go.' For about a fortnight past I think there has been as hot weather as I ever knew for so long a time. Nights, however, rather cool. 3. Finished my oration. Went into the water. Walked out and drank tea. 4. Last night we had a very heavy shower on the very thirsty ground. Full meeting. 5. Rode out and visited. People in the Jiight of harvest. It comes in generally very full. I.atis Deo. There has been a remarkably good season to get hay. Became considerably acquainted with Gov. Tichenor." 6. Nearly all the maritime forces of Europe are now in the Mediterranean Sea. Carnage is expected. Wrote a letter to Mr. Hills, of Charlotte. Re- ceived one from my brother James. Walked out. 7. Wrote home. Rode to Waybridge,^ and preached a lecture. Rode down to Cornwall and visited Mr. Wooster. Great quantities of wheat in this country. 8. Rode back to Middlebury. They are building a large and good bridge here. The building of it will cost eighty dollars besides the materials. 9. Wrote a letter to Mr. Bates Turner, '' of Fairfield. Attended conference. 10. Wrote a letter to my brother A., and one to my friend D. Noble. As I expect to be taken up tomorrow, which will be my birthday, it being the Sabbath, I set aside this day to fasting and prayer. Showers. At e\ening was informed that a town-meeting is warned here to give me a call. I was much surprised and ver}' sorry.^ 11. My voice, I think, is not so clear and strong as it has been. I fear I shall fail. Thy will be done. Thanks to God who has brought me to the close of another year, and to another joyful birthday.' O for more gratitude and love. My last year has been happier than I could have expected. 12. Rode out and visited in the eastern part of the town. In the morning had a long talk with some unprincipled men about the situation of the town. Showery. 13. Rode to Salisbury,' and preached a lecture. Afterwards had a dispute with a young man there in public on doctrines. Quite warm. Returned. ' Because he is engaged at Middlebury, II, p. 192, Hates Turner is given as among so long as lie stays in Vermont. the early settlers of Fairfield. He was prob- ^ Isaac Tichenor, a graduate of Princeton, ably of the Turner family of Norfolk, Ct. 1773, Senator in Congress and Governor of * Ministers were so scarce in all this re- Vermont, gion that it was hard to resist the importu- ^ Mr. Robbins in his diary spells this place nities of people asking him to stay and settle ■ Waybridge. It is now written Weybridge. with them. But he had formed other plans There was a Congregational church in this of labor. town organized in 1794, but the first settled *■ He was now twenty-two years old. mini.ster was Rev. Jonathan Ilovey, a native of 'Salisbury adjoins Middlebury on the Mansfield, Ct., who began his work in 1S06. south. It had no Congregational church ■* In the Vermont JJistorical Gazetteer, Vol. until February, 1S04. 92 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l799- 14. Rode to New Haven and visited. People generally have done haying and harvest.' 15. Returned. Began a sermon on Luke ii : 10.^ Visited. 16. The combined armies of Austria and Russia seem likely to restore Europe to its primitive state. Preached a sacramental lecture. 17. Wrote. Afternoon Deacon Hall and wife from Starksborough called to see me. Rode to Cornwall,^ to e.\change with Mr. Wooster. Forded the creek in this town. The Methodists in the towns above tell many false stories about me. May I forgive my enemies. 18. Had a full meeting. Conversed considerably. Visited a sick man. Mr. Wooster, as a minister, is rather solitary. 19. Rode back. Rode out and visited. Walked three miles. 20. Wrote considerably. Learning my oration. Attended a small con- ference. 21. Finished my sermon on Luke ii : 10. Visited. I think this town is like to be a large place.' 22. Studied some. Walked out and visited. Went to the town-meeting, which was warned to give me a call ; and after saying a number of things, desired them not to come to any vote.* I am not willing to be settled. The matter dropped easily. 23. Walked to Waybridge and back.' A very hot and dry season. 24. Rode out. It is rather trying to leave old friends here. 25. Had a verj' full and attentive meeting. Very many people called in to see me. 26. Received five dollars of this town.' Set out for Connecticut. Rode through Salisbur}-, Leicester, Brandon, and Pittsford to Rutland.' Tarried with Rev. Mr. Ball.' ' Haying and harvesting would be two or ' This was a true and honorable course three weeks later in this region than in of conduct. Some young men would have southern New England. allowed them to extend the call, even though - " And the angel said unto them, fear they were determined not to accept it. Hut not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of Mr. Robbins was a very conscientious, care- great joy, which shall be to all people." ful, sincere Christian man, and would not ' Cornwall joins Middlebury on the west. seem to act a double part. ~ His conjecture was right. Middlebury •■ Weybridgc touches Middlebury on the is one of the important towns of Vermont northwest corner of the town, for business; as also for other things. A ' His journey to Vermont was evidently Congregational church was organized here not a money making expedition. .Sept. 5, 1790, and two months later Rev, 'At first he starts southward through John Harnett, a native of Windsor, Ct., a a more inland tier of towns than those graduate of Vale in 1780, was set over it. through which he came up. He remained for five years. When Mr. I<(jl> ' Kev. Iltman Hall, D.D., a native of bins was here they had no minister, but in Springfield, Mass., gradu.ite of Dartmouth, the fall of that year (1799) Rev. Jeremiah 1791. who was settled at Rutland, Feb. i, Atwater, I). D., came here, and in 1800 1797- The Congregational church at Rut- Middlebury College was founded, and Dr. land was one of the older churches of the Atw.iter was made its first I'residcnt. State. 1 799-] GOING TO COMMENCEMENT. 93 27. Rutland is the largest place I have seen in the State. Called on Rev. Mr. Haynes,' West Rutland. Rode through Ira, Castleton, and tarried in Poultney.'' Cool nights. 28. A very diy season. This morning a little frost. In some places it is quite sickly. Rode through Wells, etc. ; the same road in which I went up. Tarried at Arlington. 29. Rode to Bennington. A rainy day. Very joyful. Tarried with Mr. Swift. This State much engaged in electioneering. 30. Rode to Williamstown. Found my brother James ; kindly received. Quite warm. 31. My oration was affirmed. Visited Mr. Swift. College in a good situation. September. 1. A hard rain. Rather a thin meeting. Preached all day. Attended the holy sacrament. O for a sense of its importance. Became acquainted with President Willard.' After meeting the President delivered an excellent discourse to the candidates for degrees in the chapel. 2. Had a long talk with the President. Visited. There is the best meeting-house * here I have ever been in. At night tarried at Mr. Swift's with ministers. 3. Afternoon rainy. My father and brother A., Uncle and Aunt Starr,' and other friends, arrived in town. At evening attended an exhibition. 4. It rained moderately the greatest part of the day. In the afternoon no procession. A great many people. The exhibition very good. I delivered an English oration on Annihilation.* Took my second degree. Thanks be to sovereign grace, who has thus prepared me through seven happy years, in which I have been allied to college. 5. In the morning quite rainy. My father is this day fifty-nine years old. Visited a scholar very sick, but happily recovering. 6. Set out for home with my father and others. Came down to Stock- bridge.' 7. Arrived home safely after an absence of nearly four months. My most sanguine hopes for the summer have been answered. O for gratitude. At night very rainy. Very refreshing to the thirsty ground. ' Rev. Lemuel Haynes, the famous col- in which he was graduated three years be- ored preacher. He was a native of West fore. Hartford, Ct., but was settled at West Rut- = Rev. Peter Starr and wife from Warren, land from 17S8 to 1818. to see their son graduate. Mrs. Starr was ' From Poultney down he followed the sister of Rev. Mr. Robbins, of Norfolk. path in which he came up. *■ Rather a rare and unique subject for a 'Rev. Joseph Willard, D. D., from 1781 Commencement oration, but capable of being to 1804 President of Harvard College. He effectively handled. was the son of Rev. Samuel Willard, minister ' His Aunt Woodbridge was no longer of Biddeford, Me. there to welcome her friends. She died, it * A great contrast to the meeting-house will be remembered, the previous February. 94 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROnBINS, D.D. [•799- 8. My father rode to Colebrook and preached.' I never saw such an appearance in this town as now. The work of God is indeed very great. Forty are already added to my fatlier's church. Manv more have hopes, and the work still goes on gloriously. How shall we bless and prai.se the Most High. 9. Went on a journey to New Haven. Dined at Litchfield. Rode on to Salem, and tarried at Mr. Fowler's. Found old acquaintance. 10. Forenoon very rainy. Rode into New Haven. From Litchfield here is a turnpike road. Found many former friends. About forty freshmen are admitted into college. Afternoon there was an oration delivered to the P. B. K. Society. Dr. Trumbull ° preached on the c\idences of Christianity. It was seven years this day since I was admitted into college. 11. The exercises were lengthy, but pretty good. Afternoon very hot. Many eminent characters were present. I took a degree of master of arts with my class. 12. Attended meeting; P. B. K. Society. We had considerable debate about altering it from a secret society' to some other, but could not. A part of a regiment of the United States amiy is encamped near this city. Left town and came to Cheshire. 13. I think I have not felt the heat more any day this year. Came on to Torringford and arrived home in safety. 14. My sister S. quite unwell. Worked some. Dr. Perkins,' inventor of the metallic tractors, died lately in New York of the yellow fever. He went down to oppose it, and fell a sacrifice. 15. Rode to Colebrook and preached. Some awakening there, but not great. 17. Walked out. Afternoon rode with my mamma. 18. Worked considerably. My father is emploj'cd incessantly in his ministerial labors. 19. My father has entered four scholars in Williams, and three in Yale College this fall. Rainy. A number of people came here to be examined by the church committee in order to be propounded for communion. They ' Dr. Jonathan Edwards, whose long ministry had been at New Haven Ct., had been at Colebrook from January, 1796, and was dismissed in June, 1799, to be President of Union College. He removed with his family to Schenectady in July of that summer. The Norfolk n:iinister supplied the pulpit in Cole- brook on that second .Sabbath of September, and his son Thomas probably preached in the Norfolk pulpit. °l!r. Benjamin Trumbull, minister at North Haven from 1760 to 1820, a native of Hebron, graduate of Yale, 1759, author of The History of Coitnccliiiil. ' The secrecy was mostly taken out of it before the writer entered Yale College in '835- ' Dr. Elisha Perkins, son of Dr. Joseph Perkins, of Norwich, Ct., was a physician in large practice in Plainfield, Ct. About 1796 he invented the metallic tractors, two instru- ments, one with steel points, and one with brass, which being passed over the diseased parts of the body would, as was claimed, re- move the disease. For a few years, both in this country and in F.ngland, Dr. Perkins and his tractors had a great reputation. He died September, 1799, as the diary relates. The e.vcitcment about the metallic tractors was temporary. 1 799-] AT HOME AT NORFOLK. 95 appear very well. Their relations are clear and rational. I preached a lecture. People flock to all meetings. Began a sermon on 2 Cor. vi : 2. 20. Wrote. Traded some. The assassination of the French plenipoten- tiaries at Rastadt' seems to have been a project of the Directory. 21. Rode out. Wrote considerably. My brother A. and wife came over to make us a visit. 22. My father not being very well, I preached all day. The house very much crowded. I have never preached to so large an audience. Very serious and attentive. My father propounded twenty-four persons for communion. At evening the conference very full. 23. Laying out to go to Plymouth with my sister. My cousin Isaac Rob- bins" came to make us a visit on his way from Ohio to Plymouth. He has been from Plymouth above nine years. He is a Methodist, "sometimes" preacher. 24. Rode with my father to New Hartford,^ and attended association. Went on the new turnpike road ; like to be very good. 25. Rode home. A militaiy brigade met yesterday at Bennington, and were reviewed by Gov. Gill* 26. Rode out. Afternoon Mr. Gillett,' of Torrington,' preached a lecture. My father has had a stated Thursday lecture all summer. 27. Had a new hat made. Dr. Humphreys and wife from Pawtucket, came to visit us. Preparing for our journey. 28. This morning considerable frost ; the first real one that we have had. A fine year for apples and cider. In the afternoon set out with my sister for Plymouth. Rode to New Hartford. 29. Mr. Griffin is absent. Preached. Very windy. The awakening has been very great there, but has mostly subsided. Wrote a letter to Mr. Catlin, . New Marlborough, and one to Mr. N. Munger, Middlebur)', Vt. ' " On the breaking up of the Congress of ford was filled by Edward D. Griffin, then a 1799 without any definite result, the three young man of twenty-nine. He afterward French plenipotentiaries set out for Stras- became the celebrated Dr. Griffin, Professor burg on the evening of April ig, but they at Andover Theological Seminary, Pastor of had scarcely got beyond the gates of Ras- Park Street Church, Boston, and President tadt, when they were attacked by a number of Williams College from 1821 to 1837. He of Austrian huss.1rs; two of the three were was a native of East Haddam, Ct., born Tan. slain, and the other sabered and left for dead 6, 1770. in a ditch. . . . This flagrant violation of the ■* Elected Lieutenant-Governor, but Gov- law of nations roused the indignation and ernor by the death of Gov. Increase Sumner, horror not only of France, but of all Europe." s Alexander Gillett, a native of East — Chambers's Encyclof-irdin, Vol. VIII, p. 117. Granby, Ct. (Turkey Hills), graduated at Vale, ^ Isaac Robbins was a son of Dr. Chand- 1770, the pastor at Torrington from 1792 to ler, Robbins, of Plymouth, born in 1770, now 1826. twenty-nine years old. He was living out in ' Torrington was the name of the town- Ohio, of which Torringford was a part. It was an ^ At this time, the pulpit of New Hart- important town in western Connecticut. 96 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l799- 30. Rode to Glastonbury and tarried with Mr. Lockwood." Very dry and dusty. My sister is hardly able to perform the journey. October. 1. Rode to Marlborough, and tarried at my old home. Mr. Carter's. This society has given Mr. Gould," who is chosen tutor at Williams College, a call to settle with them in the ministry. 2. There has been considerable awakening in this parish the past sum- mer, but I fear it is subsiding. Rode through Hebron and Windham to Plainfield. Fine weather. My sister very tired. The academy in this town very flourishing. 3. Rode on through Sterling in Connecticut ; and in Rhode Island, Cov- entry, Foster, Scituate, and tarried at a tavern in Johnston,' three miles from Providence. My sister quite unwell by the fatigue of the journey. 4. Rode on. Walked around Providence. This city appears flourishing. Went into the Baptist and new Presbyterian meeting-houses ; * the best meet- ing-houses in New England. Rode through Providence, part of Rehoboth, Barrington,' and Warren to Bristol. Bristol and Warren are very pretty towns. We arrived safely at Dr. Bradford's;' an uncle by marriage. Very kindly received. 5. My sister quite unwell. My uncle here lives in a fine situation, a mile from the town, on a large farm on Mount Hope, the celebrated seat of King Philip. Fences here are most wholly large stone walls. Read some in The Forresters. 6. Attended meeting and the holy sacrament. O may my mind be solemnized whenever I approach the holy table. Heard Mr. Wight,' the minister here, preach. Dr. Bradford is a man of great information. ' Rev. William Lockwood was the pastor Presbyterian. The meethig-house here re- at Glaslonbury from 1797 to 1S04, when he ferred to was probably that of the so ruary, iSoi, and continued in the office eight tized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all ? years without bringing ruin on the country. Why are they then baptized for the dead? " ' Rev. Uriel Gridley, graduated at Yale ^ Sixty years ago it was the custom in in 17S3, pastor at Watertown, 1784-1820. 124 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [180O. 4. In the morning there was a frost, the first this season. Afternoon rode to Brookfield and back in a carriage. 5. Preached to young people. O for divine grace to make an impression. At night verj- rainy. 6. At night finished my drama, consisting of eighty -nine pages in quarto. Cool. 7. At evening was invited out. Quite cool. 8. The Democratic editor in this town has blown out and moved to Nor- walk. The boys attended him out of town with bells, quills^ etc' At even- ing had a meeting. 9. Dined out. Mr. Langdon seems to decline fast. Wrote. 10. My school are much engaged in learning their parts. Wrote on a dialogue. 11. The whole country appears to be in a ferment on account of the approaching election of President. 12. In the morning rode to Brookfield and preached. 13. Quite rainy. Returned at night and finished my dialogue. 14. Quite cool. At evening walked out. Read. 15. Afternoon rode to Ridgebury and attended the funeral of Rev. Mr. Camp's vvife.^ Preached extempore from Isa. li : 15. Bought a number of books of Mr. Camp.^ 16. Returned. Ver)' rainy all day. Read Flowers of History. 17. My school much engaged in learning their pieces. 18. A very hard rainy day. Expected to have gone to Salem;* prevented by the rain. 19. Preached. Quite rainy. It is said there are about twenty-five Demo- crats in our present House of Representatives.-' They have their matters reduced to system. 20. Wrote considerably. Had company. Cool. 21. Crops of corn are said to be very large. 22. Quite warm. At evening had a full meeting. Read Flowers of History. 23. Quite rainy. The committee called to see my school, and appoint an exhibition. 24. Cold for the season. Walked out and visited. 25. Afternoon rode to Salem, in the State of New York, to preach. 26. Had a full meeting. This society rather small. At evening returned. 27. Preparing for an exhibition of my school. Began to build a stage. Had my foot badly hurt. 28. Dined out. Find it a great deal of labor to prepare for an exhibition. ' Such was the end of the man who under- ' The buying of books is to be a marked took to publish a Democratic i)ai)cr in D.an- feature of Mr. Robbins's life for many years bury, in the good old Federal days of Con- to come, necticut. * Salem is in the Slate of New York. ' Rev. Mr. Camp himself, who was very ' The Connecticut Mouse of Representa- ill and hardly expected to live, had recovered, lives was large and the Democrats were a but his wife was called away. 'feeble minority. l8oo.] TEACHING SCHOOL AT DANBURY, CT. 12$ 29. I have so much anxiety and labor, I can eat but Httle and sleep very poorly. Dined out. 30. Had an exhibition of my school. Thirty-two had parts. The per- formances continued two and one-half hours, all of my own composition. There was a great audience. The meeting-house was full. They performed beyond my expectation, and to universal approbation. 31. Cleaned the meeting-house. Afternoon took an affectionate leave of my school after being with them ten months in great harmony. It was a trying scene.' November. 1. Last evening called on Mr. Langdon. I think he sinks fast. The committee requested me to preach five Sabbaths. I agreed to. Afternoon rode to Salem. Rainy. 2. Showery. Thin meeting. Societies in this State rather in a disorgan- ized situation. 3. Received of this society ten dollars.'' Returned to Danbury. Quite cold. 4. Wrote home. Began to read Hume's History of England. 5. Received a letter from my father. Wrote to Mr. Judson,^ of Sheffield. 6. Finished my sermon on 2 Cor. vi : 2. 7. Began a sermon on John vi : 35. Read Hume. 8. Finished sermon on John vi : 35. Warm for the season. 9. An Episcopalian preached in town, and many people went to hear him. I fear if Mr. Langdon should be taken away this society would be in a broken state.* 10. Rode to Newtown to get Dr. Penny to come and see Mr. Langdon. Quite cold. 11. Read Hume. At evening walked out. My salt-rheum troublesome. 12. Began a sermon on Ex. .xxxiv : 6. Read Bible. 13. Wrote all day. Quite cold and tedious. It is said that in this quarter it is thought there was never so much Indian corn in one year as this. 14. Wrote. Mr. Langdon appears to be sinking fast. 15. Finished my sermon on Ex. xxxiv: 6. Am somewhat troubled with a pain in my breast. Traded considerably. 16. Preached upon Truth. People very attentive. There is an account that our envoys at France have made a treaty of amity and comity.' 17. The British have taken Malta.' The armistice between Austria and France is extended. Received a letter from the society in Milton' requesting me to go there and preach. ' In all his e.\periences as a teacher in ^ Probably not a correct report. No treaty different places, he was remarkably successful. of the kind seems to have been concluded ^ For two Sabbaths' supply. before 1S03. ' Rev. Ephraim Judson, his old theological 'Malta was surrendered to the British teacher. under Pigot, Sept. 5, 1800. * By several hints, Mr. Robbins evidently ' A parish in the town of Litchfield, or- thinks Mr. Langdon and his church not alto- ganized in 179S; but it had no settled min- gether in a sound doctrinal state. ister until 1802. 126 DIARV OF RF.V. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [180O. iS. The county court convened here. At evening attended a Sandema- nian meeting.' Tliey ditfer from us very little in doctrines ; but in modes and forms they are absurd in the extreme. Read Mume. 19. Pray with tlie court and dine with them daily." Traded considerably. Wali^ed out. 20. Quite cold. Finished reading the Bible which I began at the Psalms, Nov. 20, 1798. I lament witii shame that I have been .so long. Have how- ever generally read two or three chapters a day with my school. Saw- a criminal tried fgr stealing and committed. 21. It snowed hard all day. The storm ver}^ severe. Read Hume. Be- gan a sermon on Heb. .xiii : 2. 22. I believe the snow is a foot deep. Read Hume and wrote. 23. Snowed some. Thin meeting. It appears that the Presidential elec- tion depends on the Pennsylvania Senate. Their governor is a Democrat. Their House of Representatives is about fifty against twenty, and the Senate have eleven Democrats out of twenty-four. They are now in session striving to make a law to choose electors, but it appears that a majority of the Senate are like to counteract all.' 24. Rode to Bethel in a sleigh and returned. Very good sleighing. Gov. Jay* has declined a reelection. It is conceived to be a great misfortune. Began a Thanksgiving sermon on Isa. i : 23. 25. Last evening began to read the Bible from the beginning in course. May God grant in infinite mercy that I may read it with profit. 26. Finished my sermon on Isa. i : 23.' Traded some. Was invited out to supper. 27. Thanksgiving. Warm and pleasant. The snow thaws considerably. Invited out to dinner. 28. The snow goes fast. Wrote. Invited out to dine. Slept at Mr. Langdon's ; he is very low. 29. Finished my sermon on Heb. .xiii : 2. 30. Thaws considerably. Thin meeting. Mr. Langdon appears to be a little better. Decbmder. 1. Read Hume. Quite cold. The prospect of a Federal President brightens. 2. Read. My salt-rheum troublesome. ' Terhaps he was led to attend the meet- ernor of the State of New York from 1795 to ing from the fact that he was boarding with 1801, but declined being a candidate for rc- the daughter of one of the .Sandcmanian election. He died in 1S29 at the age of leaders. eighty-four. ' This was in accordance with the old ' If one will read this text chosen for this time ways of New England. Th.inksgiving sermon, he will sec that the ' It was a close study in the year 1800 to preacher's thoughts were probably running see how, bv possibility, Mr Jefferson might upon the condition of the country, and the be kept out of the Presidential chair. awful possibility that Mr. Jefferson might be * Hon. John Jay. who had already been President. Great is the power of political Chief-Justice of the United .States, was Gov- prejudice. iSoo.] PREACHING AT DANBURY, CT. 127 3. Began a sermon on Heb. xi : 30. 4. Writing on the subject of means. Shall destroy a sermon I began on that subject Jan. 11, 1799, but never finished, on Jer. xiii : i6. 5. Wrote fourteen pages. Troubled considerably with a pain in my breast which alarms me. May God give me health if he pleases, but especially resignation to his will. Snowed some. 6. Finished my sermon on Heb. xi : 30. 7. The Episcopal society of this town have hired Mr. Butler,' of Reading, to preach here a fourth part of the time for a year. Quite tired. 8. The Pennsylvania Senate have done laudably. They have brought the House of Representatives to submit to their terms in the choice of electors.'' Read Hume. Wrote to Miss Clarissa Taylor, one of my pupils, now at New Haven. 9. Read Hume. Troubled with a pain in my breast. Heard of the death of Mr. Taylor, of New Milford. 10. Began a sermon on Isa. l.wi : 2. Quite cold. Read, little. 11. Rode to New Milford, and attended the funeral of Rev. Mr. Taylor. Mr. Bordwell,^ of Kent, preached. A number of ministers present. 12. Very rainy all day. The streams are very high. 13. Rode to Danbury with difficulty. Finished my sermon on Isa. Ixvi : 2. Was requested to continue here till January. 14. Mr. Langdon very low. Received a letter from my father. Wrote home. 15. Read Hume. Making historical collections for a century sermon.* 16. Wrote considerably. Read Hume. An admirable historian.' Walked out. 17. Rode to Bethel. Making historical collections. Troubled some with a pain in my breast. 18. Began a sermon on Gen. i : 15. Quite warm. 19. Wrote considerably, and studied on my century sermon. At evening walked out. Quite mild. 20. Rainy all day. Wrote home. Quite warm for the season. 21. Quite tired. It appears probable that Mr. Jefferson will be our Presi- dent. I think I never heard bad tidings on anything which gave me such a shock.' Our prospects had become perfectly sanguine. Contrary to the ' Rev. David Butler, before mentioned. ton's birthday, but was in the line of his " Mr. Robbins, about that time, needed to regular preaching, as one supplying tlie pul- read again the story about whose ox it was pit of Danbury. that was gored; the anecdote of the unjust ' Yes, in many respects; but his preju- judge illustrated by the last picture in Web- dices were often stronger than his regard for ster's spelling-book. truth, so that, from a historian he some- ' Rev. Joel Bordwell, graduated at Yale, times descended to the rank of a special par- 1756, pastor at Kent, 175S-1811. tisan pleader. * This century sermon, which he was now ' Mr. Robbins was to survive this shock, setting himself to prepare, was not a sermon and to learn that his fears, though in some written by request, like his oration on Wash- measure just, were altogether exaggerated and ington's death, and his sermon on Washing- unreasonable. 128 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSoo. expectation of all parties, South Carolina have all voted for him. Our only consolation is that the Lord reigns. May we not complain of his disposal. 2 2. The frost all out of the ground. Collecting materials for a century sermon. Invited out to supper. 23. On the 2ist received a most excellent letter from my dear mamma. Began and finished a sermon on Luke x.xiii: 39-43. Troubled with a pain in my breast. 24. Wrote on my century sermon. At evening saw a tragedy performed.' 25. Considerably troubled with the pain in my breast. Considerable labor to make all the collections for my century sermon. Boys played ball. 26. Much oppressed with a cold. Began a sermon on Prov. viii : 15, 16. 27. Finished my sermon on Prov. viii : 15,16. It is suggested that the weather this week has not been colder than it was in October. Boys play at ball till night without the least inconvenience. Received a letter from Mr. Curtis Clark, Brookfield. 28. On the 24th received a letter from Esq. Everett, of New Milford. Wrote one in answer. Received a letter from my brother N. Rainy. Preached on public affairs. 29. Made a hymn for New Year's day. 30. Still engaged on my century sermon. It costs much labor to make collections. 31. Finished my century sermon on Gen. i: 14, at three quarters after eleven o'clock, P. M. The year is now closing. ' In some local exhibition probably. It was common in the early years of this century, for private companies in the country towns of Connecticut to get up dramatic exhibitions on quite an extended scale. 1801. January. 1. Afternoon preached a century sermon' to a very large audience. Quite cold. Received a request from the committee of the society of Milton to preach with them. 2. Last night snowed some. At evening walked out. 3. Extreme cold. People go some in sleighs. Copying my sermon for publication. 4. Thin meeting. Very cold. Yesterday morning the thermometer stood five below zero. Jefferson and Burr have each seventy-three votes for the Presidency. It will remain with Congress to decide.^ 5. Last night snow fell about a foot deep. 6. Received a request from the civil authority and selectmen of this town for a copy of my sermon for publication.^ Rode to Ridgebury. Mr. Camp comfortable. 7. Bought some books of Mr. Camp.' Returned. Afternoon quite rainy. An admirable New Year's poem in Hartford paper. 8. Quite warm. Snow mostly gone. Received sixty-seven dollars from this society. Received considerable from the school committee. g. Have lived more than a year in this town, and all at one house, very agreeably.' What shall I render to the Most High for all his mercies. Left Danbury. Rode to Warren.' Uncle Starr unwell. 10. Rode to Milton,' a society in Litchfield. Quite warm for the season. Rainy. 11. The meeting-house unfinished. Very hard to speak. Full meeting. At evening rode to Goshen.' 12. Rode home.' Never have been so long from home at once. My mamma not very well. Cold. ' There has been discussion in times past ' It was quite a triumph for a man so whether the first day of January, 1800 or young as he, to prepare three addresses with- 1801, began the nineteenth century. It ve- in a year, which should be requested for quired one hundred years to make the eight- publication. eenth century, and the year iSoo was one of •* He had bought books once before of them, and the nineteenth century therefore Mr. Camp. It had been supposed, as we began Jan. i, iSoi. Mr. Robbins's century have seen, that Mr. Camp had a fatal illness, sermon was preached as a special religious and this may have led him to part with his service, on a week day, Thursday, and it is books, thinking he should not want them, gratifying to know that it was preached "to a ' At the house of Mr. Whittlesey, very large audience." ' About twenty-one miles from Danbuiy. ^ That religious people in New England ' Four or five miles from Warren in the should desire the defeat of Jefferson, and the northwest part of the town of Litchfield, election of a man so corrupt as Aaron Burr, * About eight miles from Milton to Goshen, is one of those political riddles which are ' About eight more from Goshen to his hard to solve. father's house in Norfolk. 1:9 130 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [180I. 13. Set out for Danbury. Rode to Milton. No sleighing ; bad riding. 14. Rode to Danbury. My cousin P. Starr' accompanied me from Warren. 15. \'ery rainy. Considerable thunder. Mr. Langdon very low. Wrote on my century sermon. 16. Inspected one proof-sheet of my sermon. Rode from Danbury to New Milford. At evening had a long Democratic dispute with a Mr. Board- man." of New Milford. 17. Rode to Milton. Cold. Quite tired with riding. 18. Had a full meeting. Very cold. People here appear very stupid. At evening had a Democratic dispute with Esq. Welsh of this place. Agreed to preach here a few Sabbaths. 19. Rainy. Read the Bible. Had company. I live at a Deacon Munson's. 20. Rode home. Cold and exceeding windy. Found all well. 21. E.xtreme cold. .Apprehended the most severe weather we have had this winter. No sleighing. There has been very little this season. 22. The weather is more severe. My brother James came home from college. Mr. BushnelP the missionary, came from the westward, and tarried with us over night. 23. Went with my brother James and got a load of wood.* Difficult mov- ing on account of ice ; yet no sleighing. At evening read my play Columbus before a number of people by desire. 24. Read. Saw some people from Vermont. Several families about to move from this town to New Connecticut.^ Went and got a lodd of wood. 25. Preached for my father all day. The subject, Means. At evening attended a conference. Very cold. 26. Left home early. Rode to West Hartford ; got a piece of blue cloth my mamma had sent there to be dressed. Rode to Farmington, eat supper with Mr. Pitkin;'' rode to West Britain,' and tarried at a tavern. 27. Rode to Litchfield and breakfasted, and rode to Danbury. Rode yes- terday and today about ninety-seven miles. 28. Last night it snowed a little. Since the Sabbath the weather has been quite mild. Rode to an outer part of the town to collect some facts for my century .sermon of a Baptist society. In\ited out to supper. 29. Finished copying my sermon for the press. Wrote to Mr. Jacob Gil- bert, of Salem. Walked out. Quite rainy. 30. Stayed at Mr. Laiigdon's. He appears to be just gone; declining fast. My century sermon was published. Walked out. Warm. 31. Left Danbury. Rode to Warren and tarried. I'eople universally very anxious for sleighing. ' Peter Starr, Jr., was graduated at Will- iams, 1799- serve, Ohio. ^ Probably Mr. Elijah lioaidnian. ' Rev. Timothy I'itkin, who was settled in ' Kev. Jcdadiah ]!ushnell, graduated at Farmington in 1752, but was dismissed in Williams College in 1797. 17S5. He lived, however, until 181 1. ' lie was not above hard work when oc- ' Only a few miles from Farmington to casioii called. West Britain. l8oi.] PREACHING AT MILTON, CT. I3I February. 1. Rode to Milton. Quite cold. Very tired. 2. Read Hume. Troubled some with a pain in my breast. 3. Read. I presume this country has never been in such universal anxiety on account of political matters as at present, since the establishment of our present government. 4. Rode to Warren and to Kent with Uncle Starr." Attended a minis- ters' meeting. Preached.'' 5. Soft night; it snowed a little. Before that the ground was almost entirely bare. Rode to Warren. My horse fell, and threw me off ; not hurt. Preached a sacramental lecture. 6. Rode to Litchfield and Milton. Dined with Mr. Huntington.' Warm. Wrote to Noah Webster,* New Haven. Many accounts of fires in different places. 7. Read Hume. People move some in sleighs. Had company. 8. People here seem generally dispo'sed to attend meeting; but prett}' ignorant. 9. Rode home. It snowed considerably. Troubled with a pain in my breast. 10. Rode out in a sleigh. My brother James went off to college.' 11. A vast number of people seem in motion to improve the sleighing. It snowed all day. Rode out with my father. 12. Worked getting wood. Quite cold. Read some. 13. Wrote to my sister B. Rode out. Afternoon it snowed hard. 14. The snow is quite deep. Difficult moving. Afternoon my father went to Milton.' 15. Quite thin meeting. Very cold and blustering. I think my mamma is more healthy this winter than she has been winters past. At evening Mr. Bogue, late minister at Winchester, came and tarried with us. He now lives at the westward. He appears to be much disappointed on his prospects in retiring from the ministry. 16. Worked some. At evening Mr. Washburn, of Farmington, and his wife, came and tarried with us. Heard of the death of Mr. Langdon, of Dan- bury. He died last Tuesday.' His funeral was attended on Friday. Mr. Goodrich, of Ridgefield, preached on the occasion. The last time Mr. Lang- don preached was on the Fast, the nth of last April. ' He rode to Warren alone, and from dying in 1843, ^' ^^^^ Haven, at the age of Warren to Kent with his Uncle Starr. His eighty-four, uncle was now more than fifty years old, hav- = Now in his junior year, ing been settled twenty-nine years at War- ' His father went to Milton to preach on i-en. a" e.xchange of pulpits with his son. From ' It was a compliment to ■ ask a young Norfolk to Milton about sixteen miles, minister not yet twenty-four years old to ' February 10, and Mr. Robbins heard of preach before a ministers' association. it at Norfolk, a little more than forty miles ' Rev. Dan Huntington. distant, the following Monday, February 16. ■• Mr. Noah Webster, author of the Great Mr. Langdon had been between fourteen and American Dictionary, was then forty-two fifteen years at Danbury, having been settled years old, and he lived forty-two years longer, in 17S6. 132 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSoi. 17. Set out with my brother N. in a sleigh to go to Danbury. Rode to Watertown.' It rained all the afternoon. Got very wet. 18. Rode to Waterburj'.^ It rained hard all day. Towards night rode to Wolcott.' 19. Rode home.'' Found pretty good sleighing. Yesterday it snowed here all day. 20. Worked some. Warm for the season. Read Hume. 21. Rode to Milton. O that I may be delivered from stupidity, and realize the great work of the gospel ministry. 22. Had a pretty full meeting. Many people here appear to have bad sentiments. I fear Episcopalians are gaining ground.' 23. Read Hume. Walked out. Was informed that Mr. Jefferson is chosen President of the United States. I think it is clearly a great frown of Providence.' May we learn humility, and may the God of our fathers still be our God. 24. In the forenoon quite rainy. Warm. Wrote. Read newspapers. 25. Very warm and pleasant. Snow goes very fast. Rode to Warren. 26. Remarkably warm for the season.' The sleighing is gone. Returned to Milton. Visited. 27. Preached a private lecture. Bad riding. Wrote e.\tracts from H-ume. 28. On account of some difficulty here about Episcopalians, I determined to be absent tomorrow. Rode to Cornwall.' Very bad riding. March. 1. Preached for Mr. Weston.' Mild spring weather. Ver)- tired. 2. Rainy. Unwell. The pain in my breast very hard. O for preserving mercy. Walked out. 3. Rode home. Very little snow to be seen ; and the ground is breaking up. Such a winter is not remembered. 4. Quite sick with a severe pain in the left part of my breast. Afternoon my father preached a singing lecture. The people here sing excellently. 5. Rode out. Worked some. Much cooler than it has been. • More than twenty miles. „o(e carefully the changes of weather in our = Four or five miles from Watertown. ^^.^ England year, will remember that the ' Four miles perhaps from Waterbury. j^^t days of February, or the first days of ■• That is, back to Norfolk, not having March, are quite likely to be warm, gone apparently to D.anbury, their original 8 j^^ p^ade an exchange with the Corn- destination, wall minister. What the precise difiiculties ' A little hard to charge the bad senti- ^^ere with the Episcopalians does not appear, ments of the place upon the Episcopalians. 9 Rev. Hercules Weston, p.astor at Corn- ' Very likely Mr. Kobbins afterwards saw ^^n^ 1792-1S03. He was a graduate of Dart- that certain evil tendencies in our government mouth College in the class of 17S3. Corn- were changed by the eight years' administra- ^y^n^ c,., was the town in which the Foreign tion of Mr. Jefferson, so that he might have Mission School was opened in' 1817, and was been ready to say, continued till 1826. Here Henry Obookiah " From «ci«i«f evil Biill cduciiiK good." from the Sandwich Islands died and was ' Those who have been accustomed to buried. iSoi.] PREACHING AT MILTON', CT. 1^3 6. It snowed hard all day. Read \\'iIberforce's View} Had some clothes made. At evening my father had a small building burnt by accident. 7. Rode to Milton. Snow about a foot deep. Warm. Read Hume. 8. Thin meeting. Bad morning. At evening my brother N. came here from Warren and tarried. 9. Rode to Danbury. Mr. Thomas Starr, of this town, lately left his house and cannot be found. Great search has been made. 10. The neighboring ministers supply the pulpit here at present.^ Snow goes fast. At night very rainy. Some thunder. 11. Left Danbur)'. Rode to Washington, tarried at Mr. Porter's.' Stopped several times by rain. 12. Rode to Milton. The snow gone. E.xtreme bad riding. Had company. 13. Wrote, copying my diary in this book, as I did not obtain it till lately. Read Hume. 14. The pain in my breast hard. Wrote. Mr. Parker,* a candidate, came here wishing to exchange with me tomorrow, and ha\'e me go to Washington. I cannot go. Rode out and visited. 15. Walked to meeting. The ground begins to settle. People here appear attentive, but I think are very stupid. 16. Wrote. Rode out and visited. Warm. Ground breaking up. Last Wednesday the Democrats in this State had a great fete at Wallingford, to celebrate the election of Mr. Jefferson to the Presidency. As I was riding through New Milford I heard the cannon.' 17. Rode to Cornwall. Attended a good exhibition of the school there under Mr. Knapp,' of Norfolk. 18. Very rainy all day. Entertained kindly at Mrs. Marwin's. 19. Lowery all day. Saw the largest oxen I ever saw ; six feet high. Read. 20. Rode to Milton. Very wet. Streams are yet very high. Wrote extracts from Hume. ' William Wilberforce's Practical View of fered him and declined. In 1S27, he was Ciiristianity, a work that has exercised a vast made President of Andover Seminary. This influence among men. was an office which had not before existed. ^ It was an old New England custom, and * This was probably I3aniel Parker, a na- still continues, that on the occasion of the live of Washington, and a graduate of Vale death of a minister, the neighboring ministers in 1793. He was afterwards settled 1S02- should give each a Sabbath's supply for the i8i2 as the first minister in Ellsworth, a benefit of his family. parish in Sharon. Here he established a ' Rev. Ebenezer Porter, D. D., pastor at school which he conducted for years after his Washington, Ct., from 1796 to iS I r, and then dismission, and which proved a successful called to be Bartlet Professor at Andover, in enterprise. place of Dr. Edward Griffin. After going to ' This was very distant music, but distance Andover he was sought for to fill many public did not lend enchantment enough to make it places, but remained there till his death in pleasing to his ear. 1S34. The Professorship of Divinity at Yale *■ Mr. Isaac Knapp, graduate of Williams College, the Presidency of Hamilton, Middle- College, iSoo, afterwards for many years pas- bury, South Carolina Colleges, were all of- tor at Westfield, Mass. 134 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSoi. 21. Rainy. Began a sermon on Rev. iii : lo. Rode to Warren to ex- change with Uncle Starr. On account of death of one of his neighbors, he could not leave home. Roads very much gullied with tlie Hood, many bridges and mill-dams gone. 22. Rode to Milton. Rainy. There seems to be unhappy parties in this society. 23. Wrote. Rode home. The riding in Goshen extremely bad. My cousin S. P. Robbins' here. Received a letter from Becket, and another from Poultney, Vt., each requesting me to go and preach with them. 24. My cousin set out for Salem, N. Y., *to supply them by my avas born in Methuen, M.iss., 1769, gradu- ' See note under date Oct. 4, 1799. •*'"' ^^ lirown University, 1790, and died * Jonathan Ma.xey, D. D., born at Attic- 1836. borough, Mass., Sept. 2, 17OS, graduated at ''That is, aside from tuition. Uronn University, 1787, President of lirown ■ Henry Wight, U.I)., pastoi at Uristol, University, 1792-1S03, President of Union K. i., 1785-1S2S. A graduate of Harvard College, N. v., 1802-1804, President of the College, 1753. l8oi.] ON AN EXTENDED JOURNEY'. I49 Alden,' ihe preceptor, gave me two spelling-books ° he has lately published. Little English grain raised in this State. The season ver}- dry. Crops of corn very good. October. 1. Left Bristol. Crossed Bristol ferry, a mile wide, in a sail-boat to Rhode Island. Rode through Portsmouth and Middletown to Newport. This island very fertile, and in a very high state of cultivation. This town appears rather poor. Many decaying buildings ; some erecting. A very long and valuable wharf barely completed. A very handsome State House. Here and at Providence a very valuable three-story brick market. Preached a sacramental lecture for Mr. Patten.^ Tarried with Dr. Hopkins,* eighty years old last month. His mental powers pretty good, but his speech much in- jured by a paralytic shock. From Bristol here fourteen miles. 17. 2. Rode from Newport through thirteen towns on the island, crossed Rowland's ferr)', one half mile in a sail-boat to Tiverton ; rode on through Westport (Mass.), Dartmouth, New Bedford, Fairhaven, to Rochester. Re- ceived by my friends with great kindness. Thirty-five miles. Almost all the streams are dry. From Howland's ferry to New Bedford exceeding stony and barren land. A toll-bridge connects New Bedford and Fairhaven, two flour- ishing, commercial towns, nearly a mile long. Very fine fields of corn. 1.03. 3. Wrote. Afternoon rainy. My Uncle Le Baron' building a brig. Have not had occasion in my whole journey to put on my great coat. Have been wonderfully prospered. 4. Preached. Attended the holy sacrament. O for more ardor of love. Quite cool. 5. Walked out. Afternoon left Rochester. Rode to Wareham. Tarried with Mr. Everett.' Weather very dry. 6. Afternoon preached for Mr. Everett at the concert of prayer. Rode to Plymouth, fifteen miles. Found friends well, though several have died since I was here. The family of my dear uncle ' are dispersed. 7. Quite a sickly time in town. More or less deaths daily; dysentery. Saw salt-works, to make salt by evaporation. The society of my uncle have separated, and a part have built a very good new meeting-house. The church ' Abiier Alden, a descendant of John AI- * Tlie famous Samuel Hopkins, D. D., den, born 1764, graduated at Brown Univer- father of the Ilopkinsian scheme. He was sity, 1787 ; an eminent teacher. born in Waterbury, Ct., 1721, graduated at ' Mr. Alden had some reputation in his Yale, 1741, pastor of the First Congrega- day as the author of school books. tional Church in Newport, 1769-1S03, when ' Rev. William Patten, D. D., a graduate he died at the age of eighty-two. He was of Dartmouth, 1780, pastor of the Second the hero of Mrs. Stowe's volume, T/w M/ri- Congregational Church, at Newport, R. I., is/cr's Wooing. 1786-1S33. A native of nalifa.\, Mass. Dr. ' See note Oct. 20, 1799. Patten succeeded Dr. Ezra Stiles, who left ' See note Oct. 23, 1799. Newport in 1777,10 take the Presidency of ' Rev. Chandler Robbins, D. D., who died, Yale College. as before stated, June 30, 1799. ISO DIARY OF REV. THOMAS RODBINS, D.n. [iSoi. is lately divided, twenty-two males in the old, and eighteen in the new. My cousin Chandler Robbins' a little while in town. Saw him a few minutes. 8. Quite cool. Walked out and viewed the new meeting-house. Read Belisarius^ Visited Mr. Kendall.' 63. 9. A hard frost. There was very little in September. Fishing business here very extensive. Dined at Aunt Hammatt's.* 10. In Rhode Island there are five printing-presses. Three of the papers Federal, two not. Visited. The English and Turks have taken Cairo.' 37. 11. Forenoon heard Mr. Kendall. Afternoon preached for him. At even- ing preached a lecture in the new meeting-house. Mr. .\. Judson there at present. Quite warm. 12. Left Plymouth. Rode through Kingston and Halifa.x to Bridgewater, seventeen miles. At Kingston called and saw Mr. Cobb/ born March 22d, O. S., 1694. Tarried at Mr. Russell's, the husband' of my cousin Martha Le Baron.' 13. Rode through Bridgewater, North Parish, called on Mr. Porter," through Randolph, Braintree, Quincy, to Milton. 22. Very kindly received at E. H. Robbins's.' At Quincy called and saw President Adams. Conversed with Mr. R. about our family ancestors. 14. Rainy. Tarried all day. Read Mather's Magnolia. Mr. R. a man of great information. Wrote to my father. Great crops of corn gathered in heaps near the houses for husking. Farmers here generally use ox wagons instead of carts. 15. Rode from Milton through Dorchester, Ro.xbury, and Boston, to Charlestown. 8. Put up at a tavern. The man's name Thomas Robljins. ' Oldest child of Dr. Chandler Robbins, On the first of April, 1794, he completed his born Aug. 19, 1762, graduated at Harvard hundreth year, and continued to live until College, 1782, Judge of Probate at Hallo- December, iSoi, when in his one hundred well, Me., died in Boston, 1S34. and eighth year. Being born in 1694, he " The story of Belisarius, born in the si.vth lived in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and century, the heroic soldier in the reign of the nineteenth centuries." — Sketch of the One Emperor Justinian, is narrated at length by Hundred anil Fiftieth Anniversary of the To;un Gibbon in the forty-first chapter of his Decline of A'ingslon, Mass. and /''all of the Koman Empire. This story has ' M.irtha Le Baron w.is daughter of his often been used in a half fictitious and half Uncle Isaac. She married Nath.iniel Rus- histovical way by many writers. Who was sell, and they were living at Kingston. the author of the work read by Mr. Robbins ' Rev. John Porter, who had then been does not appear. pastor at North Bridgewater sixty-one years, ' See note Oct. 12, 1799. having been settled in 1740. He died the * Priscilla Le Baron, sister of Mr. Rob- following year at the age of eighty-seven, bins's mother, married Abraham Hammatt. ' Son of Rev. Nathaniel Robbins who Priscilla Le Baron was eight years younger was pastor at Milton, 1750-1795. This Na- than Elizabeth, who married Rev. Mr. Roll- thaniel was born 1726, and graduated at Har- bins. vard, 1747. This son, Edward H. Robbins, ' Cairo, taken by the united forces of the was Lieut.-Govcrnor of M.issachusetts, and British and Turks, June 27, 1801, when five for many years Judge of Probate in Norfolk thousand French troops capitulated. County. He was graduated at Harvard in ' "The most remarkable case of longevity 1775. A daughter of hif. married Judge in this vicinity was that of Ebenezer Cobb. Joseph Lyman, of Northampton. l8oi.] ON AN EXTENDED JOURNEY. 151 He and I are second cousins. Walked to Boston, about the town. The State House is the best building I ever saw ; cost one hundred and thirty-five thou- sand dollars." The poor-house an excellent brick building, four stories high, one hundred and seventy feet long. The town very flourishing. Walked back to Charlestown. Consulted the town records for my ancestors ; got some information. Kindly entertained by Dr. Morse. ^^. 16. Yesterday looked over the things which belonged to my cousin R. Gould.'' Sold a book for twenty-five cents. Took two pair of cotton hose. Got some acquainted with President Smith, ^ of New Jersey. Rode to Boston. Paid four dollars for cleaning my watch. Rode to Cambridge, to Little Cam- bridge,* and Newton, Watertown, to Lexington. 14. Inquiring for the his- tory of my family.' Tarried with Mr. Thomas Robbins,' a cousin of my father. 33. 17. By some means which I cannot conceive, I have lost a five dollar bank-bill since I was at Plymouth. Viewed the monument, and the place where the battle was fought April 19th, 1775. Got considerable information respecting our family from Mr. Robbins. Rode to Cambridge, called on Mr. Holmes,' thence to Charlestown, Maiden, Lynn, Danvers, to Salem. 27. Tarried with Mr. Hopkins.^ 25. 18. Last night some rain. In the forenoon heard Mr. Hopkins. After- noon preached for him, and in the evening a lecture. Full meeting. 19. Very cold for the season. Rode through Beverly, Wenham, Hamilton, to Ipsw'ich. Accidentally got acquainted with Dr. Dana, my father's class- mate. Dined with him. Rode on through Rowley and Newbury to Newbury- port. 24. 82. 20. Rode through Newbury, Salisburj', Saybrook,' N. H., Hampton Falls, Hampton, Northampton, Greenland, to Portsmouth. Got acquainted with Rev. Mr. Alden ; '" dined with him. Got acquainted whh Rev. Mr. Buckminster," who showed me the town. Last night tarried with Mr. ' The old State House at the head of meager then as compared with the present State Street having been outgrown, in 1795, time. the worlv of building the present house be- ^ Thomas Robbins, of Charlestown, the gan. Mr. Robbins saw it without its later keeper of the hotel, was born in 1723, and extensions, but the architecture of the coun- the father of Thomas Robbins, the writer of try then was in a plain and simple state, and this diary, was born in 1740. very natur.ally the building met his eye as a ' Dr. Abicl Holmes, very imposing structure. ^ Daniel Hopkins, D. D., native of Wa- ^ Son of William and Rebekah H. (Rob- terbury, ' Ct., born 1734, graduated at Yale, bins) Gould, of Manchester, Vt. 175S, pastor oi South Church, Salem, 177S- ' Samuel Stanhope Smith, D. D., Presi- 1S14. dent of the College of New Jersey, 1794-1812. « Seabrook. He died seven years later at the age of si.vty- '" Rev. Timothy Alden, born at Yarmouth, nine. Mass., Aug. 28, 1771, graduated at Harvard * Little Cambridge was afterwards Brigh- College, 1794, pastor of Second Church, Ports- ton, and at the present time is a part of the mouth, X. H., 1799-1S05. city of Boston. " Joseph Luckminster, D. D., born in Rut- ^ The printed materials for the construe- land, Mass., 1751, graduated at Yale, 1770, tion of his genealogical history were very pastor at Portsmouth, 1779-1812, 152 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROnBINS, D.D. [180I. Dana,' of Newburyport, spent the evening with Rev. Mr. Carey." Left Portsmouth, rode back to Greenland, thence to Stralham. 11. 1.15. Tarried at a tavern. 21. Rode through Exeter, a flourishing town; one of its meeting-houses and the academy are elegant buildings; Kingston, Plaistow, to Haverhill, Mass. Haverhill a pleasant large town on the Merrimac. Rode through Bradford, Andover, to Tewksbury. 37. There is an ecclesiastical society, a part in Plaistow and a part in Haverhill. The meeting-house near the line of the States. My horse a little lame. At Andover stopped a little while to see an exhibition of their academic school.' Tarried at a tavern. Warm. i.io. 22. Rode through Chelmsford, Westford, Littleton, Harvard, Lancaster, to Sterling. 36. Got my horse shod. His shoes have lasted since I left home. 2.00. 23. Rode through Boylston (rode out three miles) to Worcester. 13. Dined with Rev. Mr. Austin.* Rode through Leicester, Spencer, to Brook- field. 17. Tarried at a tavern. 24. Yesterday morning at. Sterling; gave to old Mrs. Parker a quarter of a dollar, as a small compensation for an old pewter plate which she gave me. Rode through Western, Palmer, Ware, Belchertown, Amherst, Hadley, crossed Connecticut River to Northampton. 35. The ferryman ferried me across with a setting-pole. Tarried with Rev. Mr. Williams.' 1.2 1. 25. Preached for Mr. Williams. I think the largest congregation' to which I ever preached, except at New York. This quite a large and pleasant town. 26. Last evening wrote to my cousin S. P. Robbins. Rods through Hat- field, Whately, Deerfield, to Greenfield. 21. Tarried at a tavern. Hatfield and Deerfield handsome old towns. Greenfield new and flourishing. The season very dry universally. 1.46. 27. Rode through Bernardston, Guilford (Vt.), Brattleborough, Dum- merston. Putney, Westminster, to Rockingham. 43. Morning very cool. 1. 18. Tarried at a tavern. Not wearied with riding. 28. Connecticut River is said to be fordable in many places between ' Daniel Dana, D. D., born in Ipswich, First Cluircli in Northampton, 1778-1S34, Mass., 1771, graduated at Dartmouth, 17S8, fifty-si.\ years, was the son of ]iliph.ilet Will- pastor of First Presbyterian Church, New- iams, D. D., pastor at East Hartford, Ct., buryport, 1794-1820, afterwards p.istor of the 174S-1S03, fifty-five years, who was the son Second Presbyterian Church, in the same town. of Solomon Williams, D. D , pastor at Lcba- ' Rev. Thomas Carey, born in Charles- non, Ct., 1722-1776, fifty-four years, who was town, Mass., 1745, graduated at Harvard, the son of Rev. William Williams, p.istor at 1761, pastor at Third Congregational Church, Hatfield, Mass., 16S4-T741, fifty-seven years. Newburyport, 176S-1808. The united ministries of the father, son, ' Phillips Academy, founded in 77S0. grandson, and great-grandson make up two 'Samuel Austin, 1). D., born in New hundred and twenty-two years. Haven, Ct., 1760, graduated at Yale, 1784^ <■ From the days of Rev. Solomon Stod- pastor of First Church, Worcester, Mass., dard and Jonathan F.dwards down, for more 1790-1815; afterwards President of Vermont than a hundred years, that congregation was University, 1815-1S21. very large for those times. The people went to ' Kev. Solomon Williams, pastor of the meeting and all worshiped in First Church. l8oi.] ON AN EXTENDED JOUKNEV. 153 Vermont and New Hampshire. Crossed the bridge at Bellows Falls into New Hampshire. Rode through Walpole, Charlestown, Claremont, Cornish, crossed the bridge into Windsor, Vt. 2S. Very kindly entertained at Mr. Jacobs's. I.I I. 29. Rode through Hartland, crossed Connecticut River in a ferry-boat at the mouth of Waterqueechy River into Plainfield, through part of that and Lebanon to Hanover. Kindly entertained at a Mr. Lang's. 16. 30. Viewed the college. Dined loith Prof. Smiih^ Museum, etc. Crossed the bridge into Norwich. Rode through that to Thetford. 10. Tarried with Mr. Burton." Quite cold. 05. 31. Concluded to go no farther up the river, but to go and supply a desti- tute people on the Sabbath. Having traveled on Connecticut River about one hundred and twenty miles, and crossed it in my whole journey si.x times, I now leave it. Rode through Fairlee, Vershire, and Corinth, to Washington. 21. This quite a new town. Concluded to preach, Deo Vol., on the morrow. November. 1. Preached in a log-house. A good number of hearers. A church has been lately organized here. Within a few rods of where I preached there are two springs, one of which runs to White River, and the other to Onion River. Cold. 2. In the morning it snowed considerable. Rode through Orange, Barre, Berlin, to Montpelier. Went down Onion River, through Middlesex, crossed the river into Moretown, rode three miles, recrossed to Waterbury. Tarried at a tavern. 3. In the morning considerable snow fell. Rode through Bolton, Rich- mond, to Jericho. Tarried with Mr. Kingsbury. Mr. Swift,^ late of Benning- ton, now a missionary, here. At evening preached a lecture. Quite cold. 4. Crosssed Onion River to V\'illiston, through that and Kingsburgh to Charlotte. Found some bad riding. Blessed be God who has brought me here. Kindly entertained at Mr. NewelFs. 5. Concluded to tarry here,* and preach a few Sabbaths. My salt-rheum troublesome. ' Prof. Nathan Smith, one of the notable Scheme in Theology. Born in Stonington, men of his generation. He was bom in Re- Ct., Aug 25, 1752. At the age of thirteen his hoboth, Mass., Sept. 30, 1762, but his parents parents removed to Norwich, Vt. He was soon removed to Chester, Vt., where he was graduated at Dartmouth, 1777, and was pa.s- brought up on a farm. At the age of twenty- tor at Thetford, Vt., 1779-1836, though his four he began the study of medicine. He active labors in the ministry ceased 1829. was the second graduate of the Harvard ' Job Swift, D. D., native of Sandwich, Medical School in 1790. He was the pro- Mass., graduate of Vale, 1765, pastor at Ben- jector and founder of the Medical School at nington, 1786-1801. Dartmouth College. He was professor there ■' The Congregational church at Charlotte, from 179S to 1813. In the latter year he was Vt., was organized, Jan. 3, 1792, and Rev. elected Professor of the Theory and Practice Daniel O. Gillet was ordained its lirst pastor, of Physic and Surgery at Yale College. In who remained until 1799, ^"d ^^'^ ^ prosper- 1821, he was the first teacher of medicine in ous and highly successful ministry. After Bowdoin College. He died in New Haven, his departure there was no regular minister Jan. 26, 1829. until Rev. Truman Baldwin settled in 1807, ^ Dr. Asa Burton, author of the Tiste and continued till i8r5. 154 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS R0I5BINS, D.D. [iSoi. 6. Last night quite rainy. Read. Began a letter to my father. 7. Wrote. Had company. Read in Dr. Hopkins's SysUm of Divinity} 8. The people meet in a large school-house. Congregation considerably large. .Afternoon a Mr. Newell, from New Hampshire, preached for me. 9. Rode to Burlington to attend the trial of a woman indicted for murder- ing a child. Tarried with Mr. Sanders.^ A college is building here of brick, one hundred and si.xty feet long, forty-five feet wide, with a protuberance in the middle both in the front and rear, of fifteen feet out, and forty wide. There are to be twelve chimneys.^ 10. Attended at the court. The Supreme Court and Bar appear rather indifferently. 11. Gave the printer a piece for publication. Rainy.' At evening the jury brought in their verdict, " Not guilty," though people generally appear convinced that the child died through the mother's means. In the govern- ment of this State there appears to be no energv at all. 12. Last night it snowed conbiclerably. Rode back to Charlotte. 13. Finished my letter to my father. A man informed me on Tuesday evening that he lately saw my father at New Lebanon Springs.* I feel an.xious about his health. Read Dr. Hopkins. 14. Wrote to mv brother James at Williamstown. My salt-rheuin verj- bad. 15. Cold. Full meeting. Quite tired. The Methodists something trouble- some in town.' 16. Read Dr. Hopkins. Yesterday read a proclamation for Tiianksgiving. Wrote. Mr. Leonard,' a missionary, called to see me. 17. Wrote to Mr. F. Kingsley, of Becket. Rode out. Quite warm for the season. 18. Quite rainy. Worked on a saddle-quilt. This tnwn very muddy in a wet season. 19. Wrote to E. H. Robbins,' Esq., Milton, Mass. The people here appear very an.xious to have me continue wi:h them. I have reluctantly agreed to tarry till after the first Sabbath in December. 20. Very cold. Wrote to Mr. B. Merrill, New Hartford, Whitestown. Read Dr. Hopkins. Read the liilile. ' Dr. Samuel Hopkins, two volumes. First years before, but bad been bindered for want published in 1793. of funds. Meanwhile the plan of it had been ' Daniel C. .Sanders, I). D., born at Stur- enlarged. bridge, Mass., May 3, f 7OS, was graduated at ■* New Lebanon lies in the iioilhcast coiner Harvard, 1788, ordained Congregational min- of Columbia Counly, X. Y., only a few miles ister at Vcrgennes, Vt., June 12, 1794, I'rcsi- west of rittsfield, M.nss. dent of University of Vermont, 1S01-1S14. ' There is more denominational comity In his later years he was a Unitarian, and now than at the beginning of this century. was pastor of the First Church in Medficld, ' Rev. Samuel Leonard. Mass., 1815-1S29, when he resigned. lie ' Son of Rev. Nathaniel Robbins, of Mil- died in Medfield, Oct. 18, 1850. ton, already noticed. See note for October ' This building had been commenced some 13, 1801. l8oi.] ON AN EXTENDED JOURNEY. I5S 21. Read the History of Robinson Crusoe} Read the Bible. 22. We have quite winter weather. People here appear very stupid as to the great interests of eternity. 23. Rode to Vergennes and to New Haven. Tarried at Capt. Phelps. Quite cold. 24. Rode to Middlebury. Rainy. Got quite wet. There appears to have been a real work of God in New Haven and Middlebury the summer past. 25. This town increases fast. Went to see Mr. Atwater,^ and the college. At evening preached a lecture at Dea. Mills, New Haven. 26. This day is appointed for Thanksgiving in New Hampshire, Massa- chusetts, and Connecticut. Will God give grateful hearts to his people. Treated quite unhandsomely in a Baptist meeting. At evening preached a lecture. Yesterday traded. 27. Rode back to Charlotte. Good riding. New Haven in a very broken state about building a meeting-house. At Vergennes called on my classmate Edmond.' 28. Rode out. Read the Bible. My humor much better than it has been. 29. Quite warm for the season. Full meeting. People in this State appear to travel on the Sabbath equally with any other day. 30. Read Dr. Dwight's Grcenjiclil Hill} An indifferent poem. Read Dr. Hopkins. I hope to be cautious of telling stories to e.\cite laughter.' December. 1. Rode out and visited. Verj' cold. This town in considerable agita- tion about building a meeting-house. 2. Read the Bible. Studied on a sermon for tomorrow. On the 29th ultimo was informed that peace had taken place between England and France. We now have it officially that the preliminaries were signed at London, Octo- ber I St. This is the conclusion of the great sanguinary drama of ten years; and of a war probably more pernicious and destructive, particularly on gov- ernments and manners, than any which has been in Europe in the last two centuries, though there is reason to fear that peace will be of short duration.' Yet may God grant that it may long continue. 3. This day is Thanksgiving through this State.' Will God hear die. prayers of his people ? It snowed considerably. ' This is commonly regarded as a book ■" This poem was written by Dr. Dwight for boys and girls only. But i£ one who read in 1794, while he was pastor at Greenfield, it in early life will take it up and read it Ct. again in his mature years, he will still find it * That is, in the pulpit, interesting, and will discover many things ' He was right in this conjecture. Some which he did not before notice. of the greatest battles were yet to come. - Rev. Jeremiah Atwater, U. D., first Pres- ' In Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New ident of Middlebury College. Hampshire, Thanksgiving was a week earlier ^ David Edmond, Yale, 1796. He re- that year. There w'as not then as now any ceived the degree of A. M. from Middlebury uniformity among the States in the appoint- CoUege, 1811. - ment of such days. 156 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBniNS, D.D. [180I. 4. Read the Bible. Rode out. Tlie price of produce appears to be rapidly falling. 5. Rode out and visited. Had a bad accident with my watch." Left it hanging in the house, and it appears to have been broken. 6. It snowed considerably. People at meeting very attentive. Troubled some with a pain at my breast. 7. Quite cold, .'\fternoon the people met to contrive some method to build a meeting-house. I fear they cannot be united. Received of the town twenty-five dollars.'' 8. Left Charlotte. Rode through Ferrisburgh, Vergennes, Waltham, New Haven, to Middlebur}', twenty-three miles. 9. Rode through Cornwall, Shoreham, Orwell, and Benson, to West Haven. 34. Tarried at Dr. Smith's. Quite warm and pleasant. ID. Quite rainy. Rode through Hampton, N. Y., to Whitehall. Tarried at a tavern. Snow all gone. Wrote to my parents. 11. Rode through Westfield, alias Fort Ann,^ Kingsbury, .Argyle, alias Fort Edward,' to Easttown. 40. The tavern keeper with whom I tarried last night would take nothing from me. 31. Tarried at a tavern. 12. Rode to Schaghticoke.' 16. Very cold. Bad riding. Tarried with Rev. Mr. Page.' 04. 13. Preached for Mr. Page. Extreme cold. Attended a Dutch funeral. This is a very pleasant, private, old Dutch village. 14. Something stormy. Walked out and visited. This valley appears to me to resemble the valleys of Piedmont in the twelfth century. 15. Left Schaghticoke. Rode to Lansingburgh. Dined at Capt. Hickok's. Rode to Troy. Crossed the Hudson River; full of floating ice. Ferriage half a dollar. Rode through Watervliet to Albany. Very cold. Drank tea with Mr. Nott. Wrote to my sister S. Tarried at a tavern. 50. 16. Rode through Schenectady, Princetown, to Florida. 31. Very cold and the ground very rough. Tarried at a tavern. In the morning traded. 17. Rode through Charlestown, Canajolnrie, to Minden. 34. Tarried at a tavern. The weather extreme cold. The Mohawk not generally frozen. No snow of consequence. 18. The cold a little abated. Rode through Geneva Flats, Frankfort, to ' He had recently paiil four dollars to * Fort Kdw.ird was the military station have it fi.xed. which Putnam, at great hazard, saved from ' He had preached here five Sabbaths at destruction by fire This fort w.-\s built in the old price of five dollars a Sabbath. 17^5 near the beginning of the French and ' This is a name which has come down Indian War. from the French and Indian War. This re- ' .Schaghticoke in Rcnssel-ncr County, was gion was one of ihe old fighting grounds, organized as a town in 178S. where Gen. Israel Putnam and other generals •■ Probably Rev. Thomas Page, home mis- of the Revolutionary period received their sionary, and a native of North Coventry, early military training. Connecticut. iSoi.] ON AN EXTENDED JOURNEY. 157 New Hartford, in Whitestowu." Tarried with Col. Sanger. This place appears flourishing. 19. Last night it snowed some. Pleasant. Read. Wrote. People move considerably in sleighs. Concluded to tarry and preach a few Sabbaths in this place. 20. Cold. Meeting not very full. At evening had company. Read Washington's Legaiirs. 21. Rode to Paris to see my sister Betsey.^ She has live children. All well. 22. My brother Lawrence has a very good place here. Wrote. At even- ing rode out. 23. It snowed considerably. Traded. 1.08. Read. 24. Returned to New Hartford. Afternoon warm. Very little prospect of sleighing. 25. Produce of all kinds very much fallen in the country. Bonaparte signed a treaty of peace with Great Britain, Russia. Turkey, and Portugal in a few weeks. Peace now seems to be the order of the day in Europe. I live at a Mr. Ripley's. Very warm and pleasant for the season. 26. Wrote poetry for the New Year. A letter was given me directed to my sister B., which opening I found to be from my sister S. It appears that ' Mr. Robbins gives some interesting sta- tistics in connection with the long journey he had been making. From Norfolk, Ct., which he left September 23, his circuit through Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, to Charlotte, Vt., amounted to seven hundred and one miles. The time was forty-three days, of which twenty-three were days of traveling, and twenty of visiting. His average per day, when traveling, was about thirty miles. After tarrying at Charlotte five weeks, his journey thence to New Hartford, Whites- town, N. Y., was two hundred and thirty- nine miles. He was live days in the saddle, making twenty-six and one half miles a day. While at Charlotte he made two excur- sions out amounting to seventy miles, making in all not very far from one thousand miles on horseback. When he left home he took with him fifty-nine dollars and thirty cents. He re- ceived for his preaching at Charlotte twenty- five dollars ; making the whole sum in hand eighty-four dollars and thirty cents. He lost a five dollar bill in Boston. He bought various small articles and clothing, etc., on his journey, and reached New Hart- ford, December 18, with forty dollars and twenty-si.x cents, making the whole expendi- ture by the way, forty-four dollars and four cents. In this journey he gathered the following facts. There were in Rhode Island, at that time, five Federal newspapers : two in Provi- dence, one in Warren, and two in Newport. In the same State there were two Democratic papers, one in Providence, and one in New- port. In Massachusetts there were twenty Fed- eral papers : one in New Bedford, five in Boston, two in Salem, one in Newburyport, one at Haverhill, one at Dedham, two at Worcester, one at Leominster, one at Brook- field, one at Springfield, one at Greenfield, one at Stockbridge, one at Pittsfield, and one at Northampton. There were in Massachusetts also five Democratic papers : two at Boston, one at Salem, one at Worcester, and one at Pittsfield. There were five newspapers in the district of Maine. In the State of Vermont there were ten Federal papers: one at Brattlebor- ough, two at Windsor, one at Randolph, one at Peacham, one at Burlington, one at Middle- bury, one at Rutland, and two at Bennington. There were two Democratic papers in Vermont : one at Windsor, and one at Bur- lington. - Elizabeth Robbins, Mrs. Lawrence. 158 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [180I. my brother N.' was married ihe 2d instant, that my brother A.' has a promising son. 27. Quite rainy. The people here appear 10 be in an unsettled state about ecclesiastical matters.^ 28. Finished my New Year's poetry. Quite warm for the season. 29. Wrote. Rode out. Very hard sleighing. 30. Quite cold. Rode to Utica.* This quite a flourishing village,' at the head of good boat navigation on the Mohawk. 31. Read the Bible. Rode out. Visited a consumptive woirfan. God in his holy and merciful providence has brought me to the close of another year. ' Nathaniel, living at Norfolk. * It was about twelve or thirteen miles to ^ .^mmi Ruhamah, now living at Cole- Utica from New Hartford. brook, Ct. ' This flourishing village has now grown ^ Quite likely the question was up whether to be a city of some thirty thousand or forty the church should be Congregational or Pres- thousand inhabitants, and an important busi- byterian, but it became Presbyterian. ness and railroad center. 18 02- January. 1. Rode to Paris," and preached a sermon on the occasion of the New Year. Very warm and pleasant. Will God enable me to begin this year in the fear of him, and preserve me to the close of it for his mercy's sake. 2. Returned. Rode to Utica. ;\Iy New Year poem was published. Col. Sanger" has lost his only son. 3. The snow is gone, the ground very muddy. Attended the funeral of Col. Sanger's son. Quite tired. 4. Very rainy. Made a draft of a family-piece.^ 5. Read the Bible. Rode out. Was requested by this society to preach with them three months. Concluded to. .\nd may God grant that I may be rendered an instrument of good. Dined out. 6. Wrote to my parents. Very bad moving. It is said that there is a prediction among the Indians that we shall have seven moderate winters, the last winter being the first of the seven. 7. Rode out and visited. Very warm ; it seems as if the ground would entirely break up. Wrote to Maj. H. Barrs, Charlotte. Read the Bible. 8. Worked on a family-piece. Had company. At evening walked out. 9. \^'rote. Troubled some with the pain in my breast. The country verj' still about political matters. 10. Troubled with a diarrhcea. Rained quite hard. Thin meeting. 11. Last night it snowed some. Wrote. Read the Bible. 12. My diarrhcea very severe. Wrote. Read the History of Redcmftion.^ 13. Very warm for the season ; hardly able to go out. Had company. Read. 14. Rode to Paris. Quite bad riding. I fear my sister is far from much serious reflection. 15. Remarkably warm. Heard Mr. Marcy' preach a lecture. At night quite unwell with dysentery. 1 6. Returned to New Hartford. The ground almost entirely destitute of snow. I never knew- such a season. Received two good letters from my two parents. \\'rote. Will God prepare me for the duties of the holy Sabbath approaching. ' The town of Paris, N. Y., was taken Rev. Dan Bradley from Connecticut, licensed from the large town of Whitestown in 1792, by the New Haven West Association in 1790, and wa« so named in honor of Mr. Isaac a graduate of Yale, 17S9. Paris, of Fort Plain, a merchant who had ^ Plan for a small family record, helped the early settlers there in a time of 'President Edwards's History of Redevip- great scarcity. tioii, Edinburgh, 1777. Many of his works ^ Jedediah Sanger, one of the first settlers were first published in Scotland, of New Hartford. The first minister wa.s ' Rev. Bradford Marcy. '59 i6o DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROnBIX.S, D.D. [1802. 17. Preached o:i Means. People very attentive. They appear greatly ignorant of doctrines. Quite tired. Cold. 18. Some snow. Rode to Utica and bac:<. Visited. Saw the Hartford New Year's poetry. I think hardly equal to what it has been sometimes.'^ 19. Read. Received a letter from Mr. McLean, of Utica, the printer.^ Visited a school. Walked out. 20. Read the Bible. Wrote. It snowed some. .\. very dull time for busi- ness of all kinds. 21. It snowed all day. Peqi3le greatly gratified. There has been no good sleighing this winter. Wrote a piece for publication. 22. There is an account of a very magnificent coronation of Alexander I' at Moscow. Rode in a sleijh to Whitesborough. Very cold. Tarried at Mr. Gould's. 23. Returned. Good sleighing. There is an account of a revival of religion in Georgia. 24. Pretty full meeting. Extreme cold. .At evening had company. 25. People very much engaged to improve ' the sleighing. .Attended the funeral of a woman; died with the consumption. Mr. Eastman called to see me. Read History of Redemption. 26. Rode out and visited. The great cheese,' made at Cheshire, Mass., was presented to the President on New Year's day. 27. Congress have refused to increase the ratio of population to repre- sentatives.' There is a prospect that the coun:r_\- wi alarmed in conse- ' .\ kind of shadowy liint that he thought his own better, which very likely was true. ^ The printer probably who had published his New Year's piece. ■'Alexander Paulowitch, born 1777, \.m- peror of Russia and King of Poland, suc- ceeded his father Paul, who was murdered in iSoi. * That is, to use it. ' " The Cheshire cheeses are widely and deservedly celebrated. The famous viainmoth ^//(^•cjt' presented to President Jefferson, Jan. i, 180Z, had no small influence to bring these into notice. On a day appointed the dairy women sent their curds to one place. The quantity sent proved to be too great to be pressed even in a cider-mill press, so that be- sides ' the monster ' three smaller ones were made of 70 lbs. each. The mammoth cheese weighed about 1,450 lbs. Mr. Jefferson sent back a good sized piece of the cheese to the inhabitants, to sati.sfy them of its excellence, and he also sent pieces of it to the governors of the several .States." — Bai/u-i's Ilisl. Col- UctionSy Mass., p. 67. •• At the formation of the govcrnnR-nl, it was a part of the Constitution that " the num- ber of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but that each .State shall have at least one." .^t that time the number of the members of the House was sixty-five. So matters stood till March 4, 1793, ^^'"=" =* new basi.s of representation went into use, by which there was to be one member for every thirtv-three thousand persons, and the whole number of members one hundred and five. In 1S03, there was still to be one member lor thirty-three thousand inhabitants, but the whole number of members one hundred and forty-one. In 1S13, thirty-five thousand was to be the number of people to a member, and the whole number of representatives one hundred and eighty-one. Every ten years the basis changes. In 1873, one hundred and thirty- one thousand four hundred and twenty-live persons were entitled to a member, and the whole number of members was two hun- dred and ninety-three. The present House of RepresenLitives, Forty-Eighth Congress, 1S83-1885, consists of three hundred and twenty-five members, one member for one hundred and fifty-four thousand three hun- dred and twenty-five inhabitants. l802.] PREACHING AT NEW HARTFORD, NT. Y. l6l quence of no prospect of indemnifications for French spoliations. Rode out. Quite warm. The snow goes off. A great many people caught out with sleighs. 28. Mr. Gallatin," in a lengthy report on the state of the treasur}-, calcu- lates to pay off the whole national debt, eighty million dollars, in fifteen years. Rode to Paris and preached a lecture. .So warm that a great coat seems a burden. At evening visited IVIr. Steele."^ There is an account of a very extraordinary revival of religion in Kentucky. 29. Rode to Clinton. Riding very bad ; ven' muddy. Visited Mr. Kirk- land. Visited Mr. Norton. Tarried with Mr. Porter. Clinton Academy^ quite llourishing. 30. Rode to New Hartford. Cold. The riding very difficult. Mrs. Ripley was last night delivered of a fine son. Received a letter from my father, and one from my brother N. Received another from the committee of Becket. The country appears to be much alarmed at the prospect that Con- gress will repeal some of the most important laws of the country. 31. The people appear considerably attentive. Maj. Austin,* of New Connecticut, tarried with me. February. 1. Read History of Redemption. Read the Bible. Troubled considerably with a pain in my breast. 2. The piece I wrote on the 21st ult. published. Walked out. Very bad going. 3. Last night it snowed some. It is said that in Connecticut the ground has not been white with snow tliis winter. Read the Man of the Worlil? M\- sister B. called to see me. Attended a church meeting. Hope to settle some old difficulties. ' Albert Gallatin, born in Geneva, Switz- The academy was opened in 1794, under erland, 1761, came to this country in 1779, the care of John Niles, a native of West- and settled at length in Pennsylvania. In Chester, Ct., and a graduate of Yale in 1797. 1793, he was elected a Senator, but his seat He was succeeded by Robert Porter, a native was vacated because of his foreign birth. of Farmington, Ct., and a graduate of Yale He was then chosen to the House of Repre- in I79i;. It was this Mr. Porter with whom sentatives, and served in this office till 1801, Mr. Robbins stayed. They were old college when he was made Secretary of the Treasury friends. by Jefferson. He conducted the affairs of * There was a family by the name of this office in a very able manner. He was Austin, that went from Suffield, Ct., to New afterwards much employed in foreign embas- Hartford, N. Y., and one or two of the sons sies, etc, to the great satisfaction of the gov- afterward went on to New Connecticut, Ohio, ernment. His conjecture touching the na- Nathaniel and Eliphalet Austin were the tional debt might not seem so surprising now names of those removing to Ohio. as then. ' Tlsc Man of Ffeliiiff, by Henry Macken- ° Rev. Eliphalet Steele, preaching at zie, published in London in 1771, was fi'l- Paris. lowed by Ti'ie Man of the World, by the same ' This academy, incorporated through the author in 1773. The first was superior to the exertions of Rev. Samuel Kirkland in 1793, second, but both were widely read in the under the name of the " Hamilton Oneida closing years of the last century, and in the Academy," grew in 1S12 into Hamilton Col- beginning of the present. -Mackenzie war. lege, of which Dr. Azel Eackus was the first born in 1745 and died in 1S31. He was cdi- president. tor of the Mirror and the Lounger. l62 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROEBIXS, D.n. [l8o2. 4. Rode to Whitesborough. Preached a sacramental lecture. At even- ing attended a conference. I'eople move some in sleighs. 5- Returned. Very cold. Considerably unwell. Wrote. ' 6. Read History of RcM-mpthm. Rode to Westmoreland,' to exchange with Mr. Porter,^ now preaching there. 7. This appears to be quite a respectable society for this country. Peo- ple generally in this quarter amazingly stupid. 8. Returned. Visited. Read newspapers. It is said that forty-eight of the late electors for the President, and fifty-four of the present members of Congress are natives of Virginia.' At evening walked out. 9. It snowed considerably, to the great joy of all. Read. At evening rode to Utica in a sleigh and attended a conference. 10. It snowed some. At evening walked out and visited. Wrote letters. One to Rev. Dr. Morse, Charlestown, one to Mr. James Rudd, Becket, one to Mr. Kennickerbacker, Schaghticoke, and one to Miss 11. Rode to Utica. Good sleighing. Very cold. Read History of Re- demption. 42. 12. Read the Bible. Rode to Norwich,* and preached a lecture. .\t even- ing attended a conference. Returned. Warm. 13. Very warm. The snow goes off. Wrote a large addition to a sermon on Isa. xli : 21. 14. Troubled with a bad cold. As warm as April. People came here from New Hartford, Ct.' 15. Attended a church meeting. Settled, as I hope, a long quarrel in this church. Very bad riding. 16. Rode to Westmoreland. Attended a conference. Rode tn Clinton. Tarried with Mr. Kirkland.' 17. Returned. Very bad riding. The frost almost entirely out of the ground. Visited. 18. Wrote to my father. Visited a school. The schools here under good regulations. 19. Wrote letters. One to my sister L., one to my brother N., and one to Mr. Hersey Bradford, Bristol, R. I. ' About ivvclve miles from New Hartford. pastor of the Third Congregational Churcli The Congregational church in Westmoreland in Norwich, Ct. (now Lisbon), lie was born was founded in 1792. in 1741, and spent his active life as a mis- ^ This was Rev. Robert Porter, just no- sionary to the Seneca and Oneida Indians, ticcd, a native of Farmington, Ct., who was New York. In these western wilds was born licensed in 1797, and served as a hoinc mis- in 1770, his son, Rev. John Thornton Kirk- sionary in New York. land, I). D., afterwards the accomplished ' That report m.ay possibly be true, though scholar .and preacher, who from iSio to 1S2S, seemingly improbable. was one of the distinguished presidents of * The church at Norwich was Presbyterian. Harvard College. Rev. -Samuel Kirkland ' That is, the early settlers, hence the died in iSoS, and was buried near the place name. where Mr. Robbins found him in 1S02. The * This was no other than Rev. Samuel town of Kirkland, Oneida County, was so Kirkland, a son of Rev. Panicl Kirkland, named in honor of him. l802.] PREACHING AT NEW HARTFORD, N. Y. 163 20. Began a sermon on Acts viii : 8. Read the Bible. 25. 21. People at meeting appear attentive and solemn. Will God Almighty grant that a shower of grace may descend upon this withered place, like rain upon the mown grass. 22. It snowed all day. Wrote to Mr. T. Robbins,' Charlestown, and to Mr. Whittlesey,'' Danbury. Read. 23. Extreme cold. The coldest weather which has been this year. Fin- ished reading the History of Redemption. Had company. 24. Read the Bible. Rode out. Pretty good sleighing. 25. Finished reading the Bible, which I began Nov. 23, 1800. Finished my sermon on Acts viii : 8. It snowed considerably. Had company. 26. Wrote a piece for publication. Rode to Utica and back. Visited. Warm. Saw Norfolk people moving.' 27. The bill for the repeal of the judiciary law has passed the United States Senate. Began and finished a sermon on Matt, .xjcii : 5. It snowed considerably. 28. It snowed. Warm. Full meeting. This society in considerable agitation about the settlement of a minister. Quite tired. March. 1. Read the Life of Mahomet* Rode out and visited. Good sleighing. The piece I wrote on the 26th ult. published. It is said that at the eastward the snow is very deep. 2. Began a sermon on Acts xxvi: 8. At evening rode to Utica, and attended a conference and returned. 3. Wrote. Quite warm. The snow goes very fast. Rode out and visited. 4. Heard Mr. Dodd preach a lecture. Wrote. Rode out. 5. Rode to Clinton and preached a sacramental lecture. Bad riding. Tarried with Mr. Kirkland. 6. Returned. Received a letter from my cousin Sam. P. Robbins, and one from Mr. Steele, of Paris. 7. Very cold and tedious. Preached on Regeneration. 8. Read the History of Rasselas? Wrote. Began to read the Bible in course. Will God mercifully enable me to receive instruction. 9. Attended a conference. It snowed considerably. The country ' Mr. Thomas Robbins, at whose hotel he siiiia, written, as the author told Sir Joshua stayed in Charlestown, Mass. Reynolds, in the evenings of a single week, ^ Mr. Whittlesey, with whom he boarded for the purpose of obtaining money to pay in Danbury, Ct. the expenses of his mother's funeral, and ' The tide of emigration from Connecticut some small debts which she had contracted, to New York, through the early years of this has probably been more widely circulated century, was very large. and read than any other of his works. It has * There have been so many lives of Ma- been translated into almost all modern lan- honiet, that it would be impossible to tell guages. It was first published in London in which one he read. ^1%9- In ^ letter written soon after, John- * Dr. Johnson's Rassclas, Prince of Abys- son calls it •' a little storj--book." 164 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBIXS, D.D. [l8o2. appears to be in great agitation in consequence of tiie proposed repeal of the judiciary law by Congress. 10. Warm. Finished my sermon on Acts xx\'i : 8. Rode to Paris and visited ray sister. 11. Returned. Yesterday this society iiad a meeting, and gave a call to a Mr. .Snouden." of New Jersey. I think it will he attended with bad con- sequences. Rode to Utica and back. \'isited ; bad riding. Traded. 8.04. 12. Preached a sacramental lecture. Very muddy. Traded 4.50 ; weighed 128 pounds. Began a sermon on Mark i : 15. 13. Wrote a sermon on Jude .\i. Had some clothes made. 14. Exchanged with Mr. Dodd.'' In the forenoon rode to Utica and preached afternoon at Whitesborough. Quite cold. .\t evening attended a conference. Caught a very bad cold. 15. Rode to Clinton and to New Hartford. In the morning visited an Indian in prison under sentence of death. Bought Neal's History of the Puri- tans ' for eight dollars. Received a letter from my father. 16. Almost sick with my cold. Warm. Wrote to my parents. Began to read Neal's History. 17. Rode to Paris and preached a singing lecture. The ground breaking up. Read. 18. Returned. Very warm. Rode out and visited. Read Neal's History. 19. Read the Bible. Wrote. Rode to Utica and back. The ground appears to be settling fast. Received fifteen dollars of this society. 20. Wrote a sermon on Phil, ii : 12, 13. Rainy. Very bad stirring. 21. Pretty tired. People pretty attentive. Read the history of Joseph.* 22. Read Neal. The snow all gone. We have had such sudden changes of weather, and such an extraordinary winter, that people are apprehensive of a sickly season. 23. Had company. Princeton College was burnt on the 6th inst. The bill to repeal the judiciary act ' passed the House of Representatives on the 3d inst. ' Rev. Samuel F. Snowden. Mr. Jolin Dickinson, of Pennsylvani.i, Dec. ° Rev. Ucthuel Dodd, ordained in 1794, 19, iSoi, he gives his views touching the the first pastor of the United Society of judiciary law as follows: Whitcstown, which was in Utica. " My great anxiety at present is, to avail ' Rev. Daniel Neal, born in London 167S, ourselves of our ascendency to establish good and died in 1743. lie was educated on the principles and good practices; to fortify re- continent at the University of Utrecht. He publicanism behind as many b.arriers as pos- was an eminent preacher and extensive writer. siblc, that the outworks may give time to He wrote the History of the Puritans., in four rally, and save the citadel should that be volumes, and the History of A<-W' Englctnd, in again in danger. On their part they have re- two volumes. tired into the judiciary as a stronghold. There * Book of Genesis, chapters 3S-50. the remains of Federalism are to be preserved ' The diary looks at all matters pertaining and fed from the treasury, and from that bat- to .Mr. Jefferson, from the )''cderal side, which tery all the works of republicanism are to be in that day, was extremely i)rejudiccd. There broken down and erased, liy a fraudulent were a good many things in the old Federal use of the Constitution, which has made rule and jurisdiction that needed correction. judges irremovable, they have multiplied use- In a letter which Mr. Jefferson wrote to less judges merely to strengthen their pha- l802.1 PREACHING AT NEW HARTFORD, N. Y. 165 24. Wrote a sermon on Psa. cxix : g. Wrote eighteen pages. Consider- ably more than I ever did in one day. Rainy. 25. Read. Alternoon preached a school lecture. Cold. Wrote a piece for publication. 26. Rode to Whitesborough. Saw an Indian executed for murder." A very great concourse of people. This the first capital punishment in this western country. Very muddy. Returned. Received a letter from my father, and one from my sister S. 27. Yesterday bought Plutarch's Lives'" for twelve dollars. Rode out and visited a sick woman. Received a letter of thanks from the school for my services on the 25th. Began to read Plutarch's Lives. 28. Weather very cold and uncomfortable. Had meeting in the school- house. Read the Life of Romulus. 29. The ground very hard frozen. Read Plutarch. Had company. 30. Received a letter from Maj. Barrs, and one from Mr. Newell, of Charlotte, Vt., wishing me to return there. Will God make plain my duty. Read Mr. Bayard's ^ speech in Congress. Thought to be the best ever spoken in America on any occasion. Read Plutarch. Wrote. Finished my sermon on Mark i : 15. 31. Received a letter from my father. Rode to Utica and back. Had company. 54. \m^:' — Life of Jefferson, by Henry S. Randall, LL. D., 3 vols. Vol. 2, p. 690. The bill to repeal the old judiciary law passed the Senate, Feb. 3, 1S02, "by one ma- jority, and the House, March 3, by a vote of fifty-nine to thirty-two. ' Through the early years of this century, e.xecutions for murder were public, and this publicity was supposed to be necessary in order that the moral lesson against murder might be most deeply impressed upon the mind. There was hardly anything that would bring together such an immense crowd of people as a public execution. Even in this very sparsely populated region, the diary says, " a very great concourse of people " was present. Three years before, a woman, Sylvia Wood, had been condemned to death in this viciniiy, for the murder of her husband. Major Wood, of Augusta, Oneida County. But she killed herself in the jail the night before her execu- tion was to take place. The execution of the Indian was therefore the first public execu- tion in these parts. This Indian's name was Peters, and he was condemned to death for killing his wife, Eunice Peters, at Rome, Oneida County, on the 24th of February, loOD. This is the first time since we began the editing of this diary that we have found any important discrepancy between the diary and published history. Mr. Robbins, who was present, records this e.xecution as taking place March 26, 1S02. Mr. Pomroy Jones, in his Annals of Oneida Cmtnty, published at Rome, N. Y., 1S51, says page 43 : " Peters was sentenced to be hung on the 28th day of August, iSoi, and he was accordingly executed under the direc- tion of Sheriff Brodhead, upon the hill west of the village of Whitesborough." We must think Mr. Robbins's date to be right from the circumstances of the case. Probably the original day appointed was Aug. 2S, iSoi, and for some reason the exe- cution was deUayed ti'l the following March. - The editions of Plutarch's lives are now numerous, but the edition which he probably bought was the one published in London in 1774, in six volumes. ' James K. Bayard, of Delaware, graduate of Princeton College, 1784. From 1796-1804, he was a member of the National House of Representatives, when he was transferred. He was afterwards much employed in diplo- matic business for the government abroad " He was one of the most eloquent, patriotic, and high-minded men of his day." Hon. Thos. F. Bayard is of the same family. t66 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBEINS, D.D. [l802. 1. Read Plutarch. Very valuable. Rainy. Ground settles fast- 2. Quite warm. Began a sermon on Gen. ii : 17. 3. Wrote all day. I think my health has not been better for studying for some years than at pre.sent. 4. Cold. Preached upon the Universality of the Divine Agency. I fear the people do not assent to it. Read the Death of Abel^ 5. Rode out and visited. .\ young woman died in the neighborhood. People beginning to plow. 6. Read newspapers. Attended a funeral. Visited. Traded. 7. Wrote a piece for publication. Read Plutarch. Rode out and visited. Warm. Spring advances fast. 8. Read Plutarch. Wrote. Rode to Utica. Visited. 9. Rainy. I fear I have hurt my horse by giving him grain. This State in something of a tumult about the approaching election," but I think much less than last year. 10. Read the Bible. Something unwell. In the night alarmed with the crj' of fire. A blacksmith's shop near by was burnt. Cold. 11. Preached on the Doctrine of the Resurrection. Pretty full meeting. People very attentive. 12. Read Plutarch. Afternoon rode to Paris. Visited Mr. Steele. Tarried at my sister's. 13. Returned. Quite warm. Wrote an addition to my sermon on Rev. iii : ID. Had a coat made. 14. This day is observed as a Fast in the societies in this vicinity, at the recommendation of the association of ministers.^ Will God hear the prayers of his people. Quite cool for the season. 15. Wrote to my parents. Rode to Utica. Federalism seems to be gain- ing ground in the country, particularly in Massachusetts.* Many of the debates in Congress are very triHing. iC. Kezd Plutarch. Wrote. Last night considerable snow fell. 72. Quite cold for the season. 17. Stormy. The season pretty backward. It is said to be quite sickly at the westward. 18. Rainy. Quite thin meeting. O for more zeal and affection in the great work of the ministry. Read the Death (if Cain.' 'The Death 0/ Abel is a prose poem in * Not so fast, however, but that at the next five books, written by a German n.imcd Gess- presidential election in 1804, Mr. Jefferson ner. It was translated into Knglish by Mary received one hundred and sixty-two of the Collycr, and published in Philadelphia in one hundred and sevcnty-si.x electoral votes, 1802, by Thomas L. Ploughman. the only .States voting against him being ' George Clinton, who had been Governor Connecticut, Delaware, and Marj'land. Jcf- of New York, 1789-1795, was again inadc ferson's first term convinced the people that Governor in 1801, and continued in oflicc till he was not such a dangerous man as had 1S04. been represented. Seldom has a President ' The Oneida body of ministers which been elected by a larger majority. were organized the next month. May, 1S02, ' The Dealli of Ca.n was written anony- by the Presbyterian General Assembly into mously, by a lady, after the manner of the the Presbytery of Oneida. Deatli of Abel. Sec April 4, 1S02. l802.] ON A JOURNEY IN NEW YORK. 167 19. Last night a very sudden death in the neighborhood; a man a little over sixty years. A Icind of apoplexy. Began a sermon on i Cor. vii: 29, 31. Had company. Received a letter from my father. 20. Finished my sermon on i Cor. vii: 29,31. Attended a funeral and preached. Masonic ceremonies ridiculous and irreligious. An account in the newspaper of great revivals in religion in the Southern States. 21. 'R.e-a.A Phetarc/i. The season thought to be rather backward. At even- ing walked out. 22. Rode out and visited. Quite cool. Have had lately several applica- tions to preach in places at the westward. 23. Read Plutanh. Walked out and visited. It seems by the lives of Plutarch, that the best of heathen virtue was defective. 24. Quite warm. Afternoon rode to Clinton' to exchange with Mr. Norton." 25. Weather very warm and faint. People quite attentive. At evening attended a conference. 26. Visited Mr. Kirkland. Returned. The situation of this State is such as to require a great number of acts and laws to be passed annually.^ 27. Wrote to my parents. Read Plutatrh. This and the two succeeding days is the time of the election in this State. 06. 28. Rode to Augusta,' and preached a lecture. After which rode to Tus- carora, the settlement of the Stockbridge Indians.' Tarried with Mr. Sargent. 29. This is a Fast day with these Indians. Preached all day by an inter- preter. The Indians appear quite devout in time of worship. After meeting rode to Augusta. 30. Rode to Brothertown' and preached a sacramental lecture for Mr. Boos:e. Tarried with him. ' The church at Clinton was organized by ' Near the close of the last century, a part Rev. Jonathan Edwards, D. D. (the younger of the Stockbridge Indians, who had been Edwards), who was then pastor of the North under the pastoral care of Jonathan Edwards Church, New Haven. On a visit to this and John Sergeant, at Stockbridge, Mass., western country, he organized this Clinton removed to Oneida County, and John Ser- church as a Congregational church in 1791. geant became their teacher and preacher. - Rev. Asahel S. Norton, D. D., a native The place where these Indians had settled of Farmington, Ct., graduated at Vale, 1790, adjoined Augusta, where Mr. Robbins had pastor at Clinton, N. Y., 1 793-1 S33. Dr. preached the day before his preaching to the Norton died in 1853, at the age of eighty-eight. Indians. ' It was a very large State, some of it old, ' Brothertown was the place where the but the larger part, territorially new, and in Brothertown Indians had their home. These a very changing condition. were made up from the remnants of several * Augusta is in the southwestern corner tribes in New Jersey and Long Island, who, of Oneida County, and is on a swell of land as early as 1763 had been invited by the which sends its waters by three different Oneida Indians to remove thither. In 1786, routes, the Hudson, the St. Lawrence, and the Rev. Samson Occum, the celebrated Indian Susquehanna rivers, to the ocean. ACongre- preacher, lived with the Brothertowns. In gregational church was organized here in 1797, iSiS, Rev. John Sergeant, long connected with by Dr. Norton, of Clinton, and Rev. Joel Brad- the Indian Mission at Stockbridge, Mass., ley, of Westmoreland, but it had no regular wrote of these Brothertowns: "They have lost minister until Rev. John Spencer, a native of their language, and are now, perhaps, more Connecticut, began preaching here in 1804. corrupt than any other Indians in the country." l68 DIARV OK REV. THOMAS ROBBIXS, D.D. [lSo2. Mav. 1. Returned to New Hartfoid. Very cold for the season and very dry. Vegetation proceeds slowly. 2. Full meeting. People here appear very hardened. At evening had company. 3. Read Plutarch. Rode to Utica. Visited. 4. Last night some rain fell. Rode out and visited. The season back- ward. 5. Rode to Tuscarora. Lost my way. Attended a council. DitTicuhies among the Indians. 6. Savage manners very disagreeable." Returned. Quite tired. 7. Afternoon rode out and visited. Read newspapers. 8. Finished a sennon on Gen. ii : 17. Quite warm. Read Plutarch. 78. 9. Preached on the subject of Truth. Full meeting. My brother and sister Lawrence here. Received a letter from the committee of Augusta. 10. Read. Had company. It appears that the Federal interest is in- creasing in almost all the States." 11. Quite warm and dry. Rode to Whitesborough and Utica. Attended a conference. Traded. 12. Read Plutarch. Something rainy, which is a very great favor, for the ground is very dry. Wrote to my mamma. 13. Wrote to Maj. Barrs, Charlotte, and to Col. Messenger, Becket. My feelings are very different about Becket from what they have been. I feel at present inclined to seek repose. Perhaps I can be as useful and enjoy as much ease there as in a populous town. Will God mercifully direct me, and dispose of me for his glory. 14. Read Plutarch. Rainy. Mr. Marcy called to see me. Yesterday had a request to preach at Pompey. 15. Rode out. Gov. Fenner,' a most degraded character, is elected Gov- ernor of Rhode Island. Read. Cool. 16. Warm, Full meeting. People attentive, (^uite tired ; affected in my nerves. ;7. Read. It rained iiard all day. Made a box to send liome my things. 18. Rode to Utica. Bad riding. Gov. Strong* is re-elected Governor of Massachusetts by a majority of more than ten thousand votes. Finished reading Plutarch's Lives. May I retain things which arc useful. ' White people are uncomfortable to flcal from 1799 to 1805, when he dietl. Ili.s son, with when they get into a quaiiel, but .Mi. James Fenner, was Governor of Rhode Is- Robbins thought the Indians worse. land, 1S07-1S11, w.as then for many years in = The wish in this case may h.ive been, in the service of the general government in va- part, father to the thought. Federalism had rious capacities, and was again Governor o£ been so strong through the administrations of his State in his old age, 1S42-1S44. Mr. Rob- Washington and Adams, twelve years, that bins caught his prejudices probably from his it was hard for it to retire, and take the kindred in Uristol, R. I. second place. * It was the fashion then to keep a good ' Gov. Arthur Fenner. The language governor for years. Gov. Caleb Strong was which Mr. Rol)bins uses i^ stronger probably Governor of Massachusetts, 1S00-1S07, and than was needed. Mr. Fenner was Governor again i8l2-iSl6. l8o2.] JOURNEYING IN WESTERN NEW YORK. 169 ig. Wrote. Wet weather. Walked out and visited. Fixed my things to send home. 20. Walked out. Read. Afternoon rode to Paris and to Clinton. Tar- ried with Mr. Kirkland. 21. Had a long conference with .Sally Kirkland' on her peculiar affairs. Vi.sited Mr. Porter and the academy. Returned. Showery. 22. Wrote an addition to my sermon on Rev. x.\ii : i8, ig. Mr. Snowden^ called on me. Warm. 23. Quite rainy. Preached in the forenoon. Took my leave of the people. I have rarely left any people who manifested greater attachment. Afternoon Mr. Snowden preached. Something superficial. Wrote to my parents. 24. Sent off my things for Norfolk. Quite warm. Dined out with Mr. Snowden. At evening rode to Paris and visited my sister. 25. Returned. Afternoon settled with the trustees of the society and re- ceived one hundred and fifteen dollars.' The more serious people feel very gloomy at their society prospects. 26. In the morning traded ; paid for making clothes. Left New Hartford with a degree of reluctance. Have been treated there with kindness, and am not without hope that I may have been an instrument of some good. Rode through a part of Chenango County to Pompey in Onondaga County.'' Passed through the settlement of Oneida Indians.' Ver)^ warm. 27. Stayed in Pompey.* Rode out. Afternoon preached a lecture. This place quite new. 28. Rainy. Sav,- some Norfolk people. Rode to Marcellus' in Onondaga County. Very bad riding. Tarried with Mr. Bradley." Concluded to tarrj' and preach in the town a little while. Passed some old Indian springs. ' This was Sarah Kirkland, the second of ' It was twenty-two miles westerly from Rev. Mr. Kirkland's three daughters. What Pompey to Marcelhis. her "peculiar affairs" were we do not know, ' "In the autumn of 1795 Hon. Dan Brad- but she was married two years later, 1804, to ley and Dea. Samuel Rice commenced the Mr. Francis Amory, of Boston. Her younger settlement of the village. Dea. Rice came sister, Eliza, in 1818, became the wife of the directly from Connecticut. Judge Bradley was celebrated scholar, Rev. Edward Robinson, originally from Connecticut, but immediately I>. D., a native of Southington, Ct. from Whitesborough. He was a liberally ' Rev. Samuel F. Snowden, afterwards educated man, and with honor sustained the settled in that parish, 1807-1813. office of the gospel minister." — i%fc/;to;'j ' He reached this place in December pre- History of Western .Viw York. ceding, and this pay appears to be for twenty- This Mr. Dan (or Daniel Bradley) had three Sabbaths at five dollars a Sabbath. been graduated at Yale College in 17S9, was ' Instead of turning his steps toward his licensed to preach by the New Haven West Connecticut home, he continues his journey .\ssociation in 1790, and was settled in the westward. ministry at Mt. Carmel in Hamden, near New ' This was within the bounds of the pres- Haven, in 1792, and afterward at New Hart- ent town of Stockbridge, Madison County. ford, N. Y. Tliough for some reason he had ' Organized near the beginning of the left the ministry, he had not lost any of his present centurj'. interest in the Christian church. lyo DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8o2. 29. Read the treaty of peace between England, France, Spain, and Hol- land." The ordinar)' forms of religion which have generally been observed in treaties, in this one omitted. Read the British Plutanh'' Attended the funeral of a child. 30. Rainy. Preached in a barn. A decent congregation. They have never had but a little preaching here. Mostly New England people. 31. Quite rainy. Read the British Plutarch. Many people have come into this part of the country from Connecticut^ to work on the roads. June. 1. Quite warm. Walked out. Read two of Cicero's Orations.' 2. It rained hard all day. This town has not been settled but about six or seven years. 3. Rode to the western part of the town. The ground very wet. 4. Read the Bible. This quite a pleasant place at the end of Skaneate- les lake. There are mills on the outlet of the lake, and the whole lake, nearly forty miles in circumference,' is raised about four feet by a dam. 5. Rode out and visited. Very bad riding. There appears to be a prospect of war in the east of Europe. Democracy has triumphed in this State at the late elections. 6. Verj' warm. A pretty large congregation. Preached in a dwelling- house. Quite tired. 7. Wrote. Rode out. Some people here quite forehanded. Very hard showers. Read newspapers. 8. Quite rainy. Read almost a volume of the Spectator.'' I unagine the manners of the British nation altered very little in the last century.' 9. Rode out and visited. Warm. Read the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine. A roost valuable work. I do not believe tiiat the habits and insti- tutions of Connecticut will be overturned while that shall continue.' 10. Wrote to my parents. Waters very high. Something unwell. 11. Attended the funeral of an infant child. Preached. Was requested to preach to a Masonic lodge on the 24th. Hard showers. Read the ])ible. ' This was the peace of Amiens, con- ■* Probably in the original Latin, eluded March 27, 1S02. ' Goodrich in hSs, Pictorial Geography s,-X)-s: ' The British Plutarch, so-called, was the " Skancatclcs Lake, fifteen miles long, and one edition of Plutarch's lives, translated about to one and one half miles wide; this abounds the middle of the last century by Dr. John with fish, and its trout are very large." Langhorne and his brother. It is prob.ibly '' This was probably an edition of the the same edition which Mr. Robbins has pre- Spectator in sj.x, eight, or twelve volumes, viously referred to, though he did not call it ' That is, he thinks society in Great Brit- by this full name. Chambers's Cyclopa-dia of ain to be much as .-Vddison described it a £>/f//V; Z//(n;/»/«, published 1876, says of this hundred years before. work : " It still maintains its ground as the ' That has proved a safe prediction. The best English version of the ancient author." Connecticut /Si'aiigelieat .Uaxazine Tan through ^ In every way there was a very close coiv fifteen volumes, ending in 1815, and Conncc- nection between Connecticut and the early ticut stood firmly to the end of that period, history of Central and Western New York. and stiil stands. l8o2.] JOURNEYrNG IN WESTERN NEW YORK. fjl 12. Rode to east part of town. Very bad riding. Ground exceeding wet. Quite warm. Read. 13. Hot and rainy. Troubled with the toothache. Urged to continue here with a view of settHng. I think I cannot. 14. Bonaparte has made a treaty with the Pope. AboHshed the Decades, and established Sunday." Established the Catholic religion and tolerates all others. He received sacrament in April. Visited. Read the British Plutarch. 15. Read one of Cicero's Orations. Wrote. A very growing season. Rode out and visited. 16. Rode to Onondaga and viewed the salt springs." A great curiosity. Seventy gallons of water will make a bushel. Returned. Bad riding. Troubled some with toothache. 17. "Rff^A yosephus. Crops of wheat appear ver)- promising. Spring crops greatly injured by the wet. 18. Rode to the western part of the town. The riding grows better. Mr. Proudfit, a missionary, called here and preached a lecture. Read the Bible. 19. Read. Quite warm. Some people here much opposed to a minister's preaching with notes.^ My horse lame. I think gravelled. 20. Preached in the forenoon from Rev. xxii : 18, 19, without any notes. Last night a hard thunder-shower. People here appear to be very stupid. 21. Worked some on the road. Quite warm. Rode out. Was informed of a great awakening at Yale College.' 22. Read the Spectalnr. Began a sermon on Micah vi : 8. Quite warm. A very growing season. 23. Finished my sermon on Micah vi : 8. Rainy. Walked out. Finished reading the fourth volume of the Spectator. 24. Preached to a lodge of Free-Masons. Received five dollars from them. Quite rainy. Received a letter from my father, one from my sister Sally, and one from Mr. D. Risley,' Whitestown. Had a very hard turn of the toothache. ' In the early part of the French Revolu- preaching without notes has been the rule, tion the reckoning of time by weeks was and preaching with notes the exception, abolished, and the system of len was to take ■* At the time when that revival began, in the place of jt-r«. By this arrangement with the spring of 1S02, there were among the the Pope, he brought France back into line students of Yale not more than five or si.x with the rest of the Catholic world. professors of religion. Jeremiah Evarts, after- = "The salt springs are too numerous to wards so prominent in the American Board, particularize. The most important are those was one of the first fruits of that religious in- of Onondaga, which rise in a marsh at the terest. By the first Sunday in August, 1802, head of Onondaga Lake. Fifty gallons of sixty-three students were admitted to the the water make a bushel of salt." This is the church, and it was reckoned in all, that out testimony of Goodrich's Geography, written of the two hundred and thirty students then half a century nearly after the diary, when in the college, about one third (seventy-six) perhaps the methoos of extracting the salt were converted, from the water had been improved. ' David Risley was one of the men to 'That has been an open question for a whom, in 1797 and 1799, George Washington long time, and is not yet settled. Taking the and George Clinton gave deeds of lands in Christian world from the beginning until now, Oneida County. 172 riARY OF REV. THOMAS ROEniNS, D.D. [l8o2. 25. Cool. Read the Bible. Wrote to Mr. D. Rislcy. Rode to the east part of the town. 26. Quite warm. Read newspapers. The illuminations in London on on account of peace were amazingly brilliant and expensive. A woman in England lately delivered of her twentv-fifth child. 27. Had quite a respectable congregation. Preached in a barn. Re- ceived a letter from Mr. E. Cock, of Westmoreland, requesting me to go there to preach. 28. Read the British Plutarch. Had a request from this society to stay and preach with them on probation. 29. Read. Received fifteen dollars from this society. Had a request for a copy of my sermon to the Free-Masons' for publication. Rode to the other part of the town. 30. Quite warm. Rode out and visited. Roads dry very fast. A very growing season. JULV. 1. The heat extreme. Very great crops of wheat in this country. Rode out. A prospect of a large and pleasant settlement here on the Skaneateles Lake. 2. Rode to Camillus^ and viewed the remains of an ancient fortification.' Some rain. Read the Bible. 3. Read the Bible. Hope I liad some comfort in secret solemn duties. Cool. Went into the water. 4. Full meeting. Had the same request from this part of the town as the other to stay and preach on probation. The people appear quite anxious to have me tarry. Received a letter from Mr. D. Bradley, of this town. Yester- day wrote to Mr. E. Cook, of Westmoreland. May the hearts of a grateful people ascend in praise to a holy God on the remembrance of this day.* ' He was not a Free-Mason himself, and to south, and from east lowest a little less. not in love with the order, as we learn from The mound is from two to three feet above various expressions scattered through the pre- the natural surface, and about six feet thick, vious pages of the diary. The ditch is about two feet deep. On the ' Camillus was organized in 1789, and west side are very plainly two places for was one hundred and forty-one miles west of gates, there Ijeing no rise at the mound, or Albany. fall at the ditch. There is one similar place ^ " In the western parts of New York are on the cast. On the west side are evident numerous remains of ancient Indian fortifica- marks of violence, places in the wall being lions and towns. Some of them inclose a thrown down into the ditch. I measured a space of five hundred acres." — Goodrich. whitc-wond and a black-oak tree, which stood The following is Mr. Robbins's description, on the wall, and which, three feet above the in a little appendix to his entry lor July 2d, ground, were above eleven feet in circumfcr- of this ancient fortification. cnce. There was a hemlock and some other " In the town of Camillus, I saw tlie re- trees on the wall of nearly the same size. mains of an ancient fortification. It is situ- Wiihin the walls arc old rotten trees which ated on a rising ground, which descends appear to have lain there a long course of gently from it every way. It is nearly four years." square, the corners a little rounded, fac- * For tlie peculiar interest attending these ing very nearly the four cardinal points. It religious services in a new country, the people is a little more than twenty rods from north had occasion for gratitude. l802.] JOURNEYING IN WESTERN NEW YORK. 173 5. Rainy. Read the Spectator Something S'ckly in town. Preparing for my journey. Received fifteen dollars from this society. Had a tooth extracted. 6. Wrote to my brother G. Lawrence. Quite warm. Left Marcellus. Rode to Aurelius," Cayuga County. Tarried at a tavern. 7. Rode to Geneva,^ Ontario County. Dined. Thence to Jerusalem.^ Tarried with Jemima Wilkinson/ called the universal friend. She has perhaps fifteen families of her followers, situated in a pleasant valley. Geneva is a pleasant flourishing place on the Seneca Lake. The Cayuga bridge is three hundred and fifteen rods long and twenty-two feet wide, per- fectly level. Toll very high ; a man and horse twenty-five cents. Very hot. 8. Rode to Canandaigua.' The most of the way through the woods. The heat very great. As I came to Canandaigua, had the points of compass right, which I had not since before I got to Whitestown.' Tarried with Mr. Field. 9. Wrote to my father. This quite a pleasant, rich village. The best this side of Utica. Rode to Bloomfield.' Tarried with Esq. Norton. 10. Visited old acquaintance. They have built a good, new meeting- house in this place, the only one this side of Oneida County. Returned to Canandaigua. 11. Preached for Mr. Field. ° A respectable congregation, but small. Very little appearance of religion in this place. 12. Set out for Niagara. Had the company of the post.' At Bloomfield had a very agreeable conversation with Rev. Mr. Williston.'" Crossed the ' Aurelius was organized as a town in pany of men, bouglit of the State of Massa- 1789, one hundred and fifty-nine miles west chusetts tlie title to immense tracts of land of Albany. in this region of New York. In 17S9 he ^ Geneva, bounded in 1794, and incorpo- opened a land-office in Canandaigua for the rated as a town in 1812, one hundred and sev- sale of these lands. "This was the first enty-nine miles west of Albany. Geneva land-office in America for the sale of her College was founded there in 1S25. forest lands to settlers." The settlement in ' Jerusalem is southerly from Geneva in Canandaigua began in 1790. Yates County. ' Many persons have experienced a similar * Jemima Wilkinson was born in Cumber- mental confusion in regard to points of com- land, Rhode Island, in 1753. When she was pass. more than twenty years old, in a fit of sick- ' Bloomfield is in Ontario County, a few ness, she passed into a state of apparent miles west of Canandaigua. death, and when she came out of it she ^ Rev. Timothy Field, of Canandaigua, na- claimed that she had been dead, and was live of Madison, Ct., graduate of Yale, 1797. raised from the dead. She had a little com- ' The mail carrier. pany of followers, whom she led to Milo, " Rev. Seth Williston, D. D., was born in N. Y., in 1790, and afterward to Jerusalem, Suffield, Ct., graduated at Dartmouth Col- where Mr. Robbins found her and her com- lege, 1791, ordained as a missionary at Avon, pany of believers in 1802. Ct., June 7, 1797, settled first at Lisle, N. Y., ' Canandaigua was in Ontario County, one 1797-1S07, settled again at Durham, N. Y., hundred and ninety-seven miles west of Al- 1S10-182S, then still working on as a mission- bany. In the year 17S8, Hon. Oliver Phelps, a ary, until his whole term of ministerial ser- native of Windsor, Ct., but then living in Gran- vice had reached fifty-lour years. He was an ville, Mass., associating himself with a com- eminently useful man. 174 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBIN'S, D.D. [l8o2. Genesee River, about the size of the Housatonic, at New Milford. The part of the State west of Genesee River is the county of Genesee. Tarried at a Mr. Bates's in Ganson's settlement, twelve miles from the river. The road today ver)- good. Bloomfield appears older than any town west of Whitestown. 13. Made welcome by Mr. Bates. Had a pretty hard turn of dysentery. Rode with some difficulty. Rode through Batavia," crossed an open plain of four miles, and rode to the Tonawanda Indian village on the Tonawanda River. Tarried at Rodney's, a French Indian. Wrote. 29. The road is divided into two, one leading to Niagara, and one to Buffalo on the plain, thirty-two miles west of (ienesee River. 14. Through divine goodness, am in a measure recovered of my disorder. Rode through the Tonawanda swamp, ten miles. This very troublesome. Crossed an opening, twelve miles. Passed but one white family all day. Rode through the large Tuscarora village," to the east landing on the Niagara River. This the most majestic river I ever saw. Banks amazing high. Tarried at a public house. Quite warm. 15. Rode to the Niagara Fort.^ 8. Good road. Very hot. Had the misfortune to find that my cousin Francis Le Baron,* who has been the sur- geon to this garrison, went from here to Michiliinakinak. Treated politely by the officers. Viewed the fortifications. 16. Crossed the Niagara River to Niagara. Saw the British fortifications. Rode through Queenstown' to the falls. Very warm. Spent almost four hours at the falls, got very much fatigued. Rode through Chippeway,* etc. Tarried at a tavern. 17. Rode seven miles and crossed the ferry. The river more than a mile wide and very rapid. This the only time I was ever out of the United States, and probably I never shall be again.' Rode on the beach' to Buffalo. 11. ' Batavia was in Genesee County, organ- son. In 1796, it was surrendered to the ized the very year Mr. Robbins was there, United States. In the War of iSi2, it was 1802. President Dwight, in his travels two .again taken by the British on the 19th of De- years later, passed through the place, and bomber, 1S13. It was restored to the United described it as containing "from twenty to States in March, 1S15. thirty houses, a considerable number of them * Francis Le Baron, son of liis Uncle Isaac built of logs." Le Baron. He was born in 17S1, and then ° About eight miles below the Falls, and twenty-one years old. three miles back from the Niagara River, ^ On the hights of Queenstown in 1812, was the Tuscarora reservation, four miles Oct. 13, there was a hard fought battle be- long, and two miles wide. These Tuscarora tween the British and Americans, in which Indians came originally from North Carolina the Americans seemed to have the victory, about 1712, and joined the Five Nations in but by the coming up of British reinforce- New York, as they were called, they them- nienls they at last were beaten, selves making the si.xth of the .Si.\ Nations ^ Now spelled Chippewa. This was about altcrwards existing. two miles from the Falls, on the Can.ida side. ■• Fort Niagara, on the .American side of At this pl.icc in 1S14, July 6, there w.is an the Falls, was at the first, in 1679, a small obstinate battle between the llrilish and .\mcr- spot enclosed with palisades by a French icans, in which the British were beaten, officer, M. Dc Salle. In 1725, the fort itself ' This suggestion proved true. He never was built by the French. In 1759, it was left the soil of his native land again, taken by the British under Sir William John- ' Along the north shore of Lake Erie. l8o2.] JOURNEYING IN WESTERN NEW YORK. I7S Ver)' hot. Quite weak with the dysentery. Concluded to tarry here for the present at a tavern. 18. There are but eight or nine families in this place.' The Seneca nation of Indians, more than sixteen hundred, about four miles from here. Afternoon preached to a few. Forenoon unable. Some rain. 19. Saw some formerly Connecticut people. Am some better of my dis- order. Read the ItaliiVi Nun. Wrote. At night quite unwell. Felt very gloomy at being so far from friends. 20. Left Buffalo. A man walking kept my company as far as I went. Rode fourteen miles. Tarried at a Mr. Phelps's, formerly from Norfolk, in an extra fine old opening. Quite feeble. Very warm. Passed four houses. 21. Through divine mercy my disorder is evidently abating. Rode on alone by five or six houses, then eighteen miles without a house. 26. Tar- ried at a tavern. The flies excessively troublesome. I imagine about one half of the way from Buffalo here, is old openings.^ 22. Had company. I think I derive much benefit in my disorder from burnt brandy. Rode to Batavia, five miles to Genesee River. 24; and to West Bloomfield. 12. 41. Tarried at a tavern. Made welcome. The heat very severe. I felt while beyond the Genesee River as if I was in an uncivil- ized country. From where I tarried to Canandaigua, thirteen miles. 1.63. 23. Rode to East Bloomfield,^ 6; and where I feel myself among ac- quaintances and friends. I must record the goodness of God, which has been my protector and guard since I left this place. He has been my whole support in sickness and trial, otherwise friendless and unsupported. Blessed be his name. I cannot be sufficiently thankful. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Afternoon attended with several ministers on a council about difficulties in this church. 24. Am still unwell, but through great mercy my health and strength are evidently gaining. Visited. Afternoon rode to West Bloomfield.* Eat green peas. 25. Preached. Mr. Hotchkin,^ a candidate preaching here, supplied a ' He saw this place in its earliest infancy. the mind will be unable to free itself ; for the The town was laid out in iSoi. There was thought, .though given up, will recur again no church organized here till 1812. and again in spite of his absolute conviction ^ Old openings, or oak openings, as they that he is in the heart of an immense wilder- are sometimes called. These were supposed ness. At the same time a sense of stillness to be places which the Indians in times past and solitude, a feeling of absolute retirement had burned over in order to secure open past- from the world, deeper and more affecting ure grounds for their deer. Dr. Dwight, in than any which he had even suspected be- his journeys through this region in 1S04, says fore, will be forced upon him while he is rov- in his Book of Travels, fourth volume : ing over one of these sequestered regions." "When one of these plains is seen at a ' In 1796 a Congregational church was little distance, a traveller emerging from the organized at East Bloomfield. forest naturally concludes that it is the com- ' In 1799 a Congrega'^'onal church was 01- mencement of a settled country, and as he ganized at West Bloomfield. advances towards it is instinctively led to cast * Rev. James H. Ilotchkin, a graduate of his eye forward to find the village of which Williams College, iSoo, ordained pastor at this is the outskirt. From this impression West Bloomfield, May 19, 1863. In his later 176 DIARY OF RKV. THOMAS ROBBIXS, 1 D.D. [l8o2. neighboring town. Some awakening liere. After meeting rode to East Bloomfield, and preached a third sermon. I never preached three sermons in a day before. This a very respectable society. 26. Left Bloomfield in company with Mr. VVilliston." Rode through Can- andaigua to the north of Geneva, to the village of Cayuga, at the east end of the bridge. 36. Tarried at a tavern. Fields of grain in their glory. People finishing haying. Never a better season. Very great crops of grass and grain through the country. Will God dispose his people to remember the great Giver. 50. 27. The earth begins to suffer considerably with a drought. Called on Rev. Mr. Higgins ' at Aurelius. He preaches at five places in this town. Arrived safely at Marcellus,^ 20 ; just three weeks from the time I left here. I pray for gratitude to that glorious Being who has been my kind and merciful preserver and benefactor. 25. 28. I apprehend yesterday and today to be the hottest days we have had this year. Walked out. Wrote. Afternoon Mr. Williston came here and preached a lecture. Read the Bible. 29. People are generally finishing their haying ; never a better season. This week they are harvesting generally at the westward, but a little later here. Afternoon some rain upon the parching earth. Read the Spirfa/ar. 30. A very refreshing rain, to the joy of all. While we rejoice may we be thankful. People here appear very anxious to have me continue with them. Will God direct me. Read. 31. Finished reading the first volume of the Spectator. Read the Bible. Wrote to my parents. May I never forget the mercies of God, which I have enjoyed this month. August. 1. Lowery. Meeting thin. People prettv attentive and apparently some- thing serious. May the Almighty power of God enforce divine truth. Fevers appear to prevail some. 2. Read. Visited a sick woman. Worked some in reaping. 3. Rode to the east part of the town. People in the heat of harvest. Fine weather. The grain generally very heavy on the ground, but some shrunk. Accounts from different parts of the country, however, represent the harvest as very great. May tiiis be a prelude of a glorious harvest of souls. 4. Read newspapers. The turnpike from Albany to Canandaigua pro- gressing very fast. years he was the author of a vahiablc book ticut, gr.iiUiatcd at Vale, 17S5, licensed by the entitled, History of Western Xtiu York. He Hartford South Association, June, 17S6, ap- was a native of Cornwall, Ct., and his father, pointed by the General Association of Con- Rev. Beriah Hotchkin, made .'X.M. at Yale, necticut missionary to New York, 1794. He 1794, was a native of Guilford. Both father was settled at Aurelius, Oct. 6, i8o3. and son were able workers among the early ' This town of Marcellus was commenced churches of New York. in 1795, and a Congregational church was ' Sec previous note, July 12. organized iSoi. 'that church became Presby- ' Rev. David Higgins, a native of Connec- tcrian in after years. l802.] PREACHING AT MARCELLUS, N. Y. 177 5. Rode to the western part of the town and back. Afternoon a hard shower. Got very wet. 6. Rode out and visited. People here generally appear prosperous in business. 7. Visited a young man very sick. Read. Warm. 8. Preached in a barn. Meeting very full. Quite warm. At night saw Mr. Thomas Wilcox, of Norfolk, on his way from New Connecticut. 9. Drew a plan of a public house in this place. Visited. The defection of Col. Burr' from the Democratic party produces great controversies among them, and is like to unfold great scenes of iniquity. 10. Extremely warm. Rode to the western part of the town. Mr. Bush- nell," the missionary, called upon me. Received a letter from Mr. Medad Curtis, of Onondaga, and wrote to him in reply. 11. Rode to the elP of this town, and preached a lecture. The first ser- mon ever preached in the place. There is now a flourishing settlement, where the first family went in April of last year. Returned quite tired. I am this day twenty-five years old. 12. Last night a hard and very refreshing rain. Wrote. Rode out. 13. Rode and visited all day. Quite cool. The people here generally appear desirous to have me return to them. 14. Read the Bible. Rode out. Afternoon attended a conference. 15. Quite warm. Very full meeting. May the blessing of a merciful heaven rest upon this town. Received ten dollars of this society. 75. 16. Left Marcellus in company with Mr. Bradley * for Connecticut. Will a merciful God favor me with a prosperous journey. Rode through Onondaga to Manlius. 22. Tarried at a tavern. 17. Rode through Cazenovia, Oneida, Vernon, to Paris. 35. Visited Mr. Norton' and Mr. Kirkland.^ T.arried with Mr. Porter.' 18. Rode to my sister's. Blessed be a holy God, who has thus far pre- served me on my long journey. At evening rode to New Hartford. Very kindly received by friends. 19. Visited. Left New Hartford. Rode through Utica, crossed the Mohawk River for the first time to Deerfield," through Schuyler to Herkimer. 14. Tarried at a tavern. 20. Rode through Fairfield, Salisbury, and Palantine, to Johnstown. 43. ' Yet Aaron Burr was the man whom the wards settled at Cornwall, Vt., 1S03-1S36. religious people of New England wanted for He died in 1S46. President in place of Mr. Jefferson. ^ Probably a formation like the L part of - Rev. Jedediah Bushnell, D. D., born at a hou.se. Saybrook, Ct., 1769, graduated at Williams * Hon. Dan Bradley already noticed. College, 1797; studied theology with Rev. ' Rev. Asahel H.Norton. Mr. Judson, of ShelSeld, Mass. After being •■ Rev. Samuel Kirkland. licensed to preach, he went West and preached ' Rev. Robert Porter, in Canandaigua, N. Y. He was appointed ° Deerfield, in Oneida County, organized by the missionary society of Connecticut to 179S, one hundred miles west of Albany. It labor in New York and Vermont. After- has now a Congregational church. 178 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS RDBBtNS, D.D. [l8o2. Tarried at a tavern. Saw the locks at tlie Little Falls ; si.\ locks and twelve pair of gates. 78. 21. Rode through Broadalbin, Galloway, Milton, to Ballston. 28. Viewed the springs. A very great number of people at them. The water very loath- some.' Quite hot. Tarried with Mr. Bradley. 1.13. 22. Preached for Mr. Bradley. Congregation not large. House very- poor. A'er)- warm. Affected in my nerves. 23. Parted with my company, Mr. Bradley. Rode through Malta, Still- water, crossed the Hudson Rixer, Schaghticoke, recrossed the river. Half- moon, VVaterford to Watervliet. Tarried at a tavern. 24. Rode through Albany, crossed the Hudson, Greenbush, Schodack, Kin- derhook, Claverack, to Hudson." Tarried at a tavern. This a llourishing place on a situation quite unhandsome. Extremely hot. 48. 25. Rode from Hudson to Livingston. Very kindly received and agree- ably entertained at Mr. H. W. Livingston's.^ This situation one of the pleasantest I ever saw. Read Wood's* History of President Adams's Adminis- tration. Yesterday and today are thought to be clearly the hottest days of this summer. 26. Read. Mr. Livingston and lady very agreeable. Rode to Ancram,' just at evening. Tarried at a tavern. 27. Rode on in the town of Livingston, to Salisbury, Ct., Canaan, and Norfolk, my much loved native town. At my father's house found all well. A holy God has thus preserved me through a long journey, in infinite mercy and brought me home surrounded with infinite blessings. Blessed be God for all his goodness. Bless the Lord, my soul.' ' He was ])robabIy a novice in the busi- Atlantic World. Ilis Historv of the .-idminis- ness of drinking mineral waters. trjtion of John AJamsv/ns published in 1802. ^Hudson is in Columbia County, N. Y., Mr. Kobbins probably found it as a book fresh on the high bank east side of Hudson River, from the press at the house of Mr. Livingston, twenty miles or more below Albany. Hudson ' Ancram was within the Livingston manor, was founded in 1783 by enterprising men and was so named from the parish in .Scot- from Rhode Island and Nantucket. Its growth land where Rev. John Livingston, father of was rapid. Robert the founder, lived and preached. ' This was on the old Livingston manor, ' Mr. Robbins left his home the ye.ir be- the first founder and proprietor of which was fore, September 23. He had been absent Robert Livingston, who came to this country eleven months and four days. \Vc g.ive his from Scotland about 1672. It has been a debt and credit account up to the time of his family of eminent men, not a few of whom leaving Charlotte. He readied New Hart- have been distinguished in the public service. ford, Oneida County, N. Y., about the begin- Nine men of this family name have been crad- ning of 1S02, with forty dollars and twenty- uated at Yale College, four at Harvard, and six cents in his pocket. When he reached two at Williams. The member of the family Norfolk in August that year, after his long who enterlained Mr. Robbins was a Yale journey to Niagara, by his preaching at New graduate of 17S6, Hon. Henry W. Livingston, Hartford and other i)laces, he had covered Member of Congress, Jndge and Ambassador all expenses, bought books, etc., and had to France. Yet he died in 1810 at the early on h.and one hundred and thirty-one dollars age of forty-two. and ninety-six cents. His journey since leav- ' John Wood, a native of Scotland, who ing Norfolk, the year before, had been not edited a paper in Kentucky called the ll',sf- far from two thousand miles, made wholly on em IVorlil, and a paper at Washington, tlic horseback. l8o2.] AT HOME AT NORFOLK, CT. 179 28. Worked some. Wrote. I think my parents are more healthy and smart then they were a year ago. A hard rain. On the 24th bought a ticket in tlie lottery for the encouragement of literature in that State.' No. 10,046, price six dollars. 29. Quite rainy. Afternoon preached for my father. At evening attended a conference. 30. My parents, my sister, and brother," set out for Williamstown. Set out myself. Rode to Becket. Tarried with Esq. Kingsley. This town in a critical situation. 31. Rode to Williamstown. Very warm. At evening attended exhibition. Septemdeu. 1. Attended the Commencement. The e.xercises very good. My brother Tames delivered a very good poem.^ Quite warm. Political matters seem to be much more still here than formerly. 2. Cooler. Visited. Read newspapers. The situation of this college is quite flourishing. 3. Rode to Bennington by request to preach on the next Sabbath. Tar- ried with Col. Robinson.'' At night quite rainy. 4. Read. Walked out and visited. Party spirit appears to be much moderated in this town. 5. Cold and rainy. A very great change of weather in a few days. Thin meeting. There has been but little regular preaching here since Mr. Swift was dismissed.' 6. Left Bennington, rode to Lanesborough. Tarried with Rev. Mr. Collins.' 7. Rode to Partridgefield,' took the dimensions of their meeting-house. Rode back to Dalton, to attend an ordination.' Heard Mr. Jennings ex- amined in council. ' New York, for he was in that State on ° Rev. Ebenezer Jennings, a native of the 24th. At that day good people thought Windham, Ct., graduated at Williams, 1800, it right to set up lotteries for various impor- was ordained at Dalton, Sept. 8, 1802, and tant purposes. remained tliere till 1S34. It will doubtless ^ His brother Francis and sister Sarah. have been noticed in the foregoing pages how ^ This was the graduating day of James many of the ministers and prominent men in Watson Robbins, and his father, two broth- Western Massachusetts came from Conncc- ers, Thomas and Francis Le Baron, and his ticut. A sentence from the American Qiiar- sister Sarah, were present. tcrly Register, Vol. VII., p. 37, will help to ■* Moses Robinson, born in Hardwick, illustrate this. Speaking of the ministers of Mass., in t74i, was one of the early settlers Berkshire County down to the year 1S34, the and principal citizens of Bennington, Vt. Me writer says : " Forty-three of the ministers was Colonel in th? Revolutionary army, and were born in Connecticut, thirty in Massa- afterwards Governor of the State of Vermont, chusetts, three in New York, two in New and United States Senator. Hampshire, two in Vermont, and one in each ' Rev. Job Swift, D. D., who was settled of the States of New Jersey and Maine. The in Bennington, Vt., in 17S6, was dismissed birthplace of one is not ascertained. Thirty- June 7, iSoi. nine were educated at Yale College, sixteen * Rev. Daniel Collins, native of Guilford, at Williams, seven at Harvard, si.x at Dart- Ct , graduated at Vale, 1760, pastor at Lanes- mouth, four at Union, three at Princeton, borongh, Mass., 1764-1S22. two at Middlebury, and one at Amherst. ' Partridgefield is now the town of Peru. Seven were not publicly educated." l8o DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l802. 8. Attended the ordination. A large collection of people. Rode to Middlefield. Tarried with Mr. Nash.' Towards niglit felt very unwell. 9. Rode to liecket. .\greed to come here to preach after the ne.xt Sabbath. Rode to Pittstield. Grow constantly more unwell. 10. My appetite gone. Anxious to get to Bennington. Rode with difficulty to Wiiliamstown. C'ould get no further. May 1 acquiesce in the righteous dispensation of an holy Providence. Tarried at Prof. Fitch's. At evening was bled,'' and took physic. Much distressed. 11. My disorder seems to be a canker with a pretty high fever. Took phy.sic morning and evening. Can sit up but little. 12. Much distressed in my head. No appetite. Vomit considerably. Took physic. 13. My physic operated powerfully. Feel some relief. Quite warm. 14. Was bled. Very weak. The soreness of my throat abates. E.x- tremely hot. On the nth wrote to Col. Robinson, Bennington. 15. Through the blessing of a merciful Providence, I think I am gaining moderately. Stepped out of the house. Last night a hard shower. Weather more comfortable. 16. Read some, which hurt me. My head very weak. 17. Walked out a little way. I gain strength very slowly. 18. Cool. Able to read some. Considerably sickly in this town and through the country. 19. Have something of a diarrhcea. Afternoon attended meeting. Blessed be God that I may enter his house. 20. Showery. Read some. Troubled with a pain and dizziness in my head. 21. Wrote to Col. Robinson, Bennington. Received five dollars from Bennington. Received a letter from Col. Robinson. 2.00. 22. Quite rainy. Read. I gain strength but moderately. Intended to have set out for home today, had the weather been favorable. Traded. 96. 23. Read tiie Pursuits of Literature.^ The president received a letter from my father informing that he had heard and was very anxious about my sick- ness. Steadily wet. 24. Read newspapers. Afternoon the rain stopped. Paid the doctor's bill, three and one-half dollars. Rode to Mr. Swift's.' Blessed be a holy God, who has thus far raised me to healtii, tiiat I may set out for home. \\\\\ he carry me to my father's house. 25. Clear weather. Rode moderately. Am more weak than I e.\pected. Rode to Pittsfield. Tarried witii Mr. Gold.' ' Rev. Jonathan Nash, Middlclicld, was in ' Tiie Piirsuits of Litcraluie was a poem Hampshire County, and Mr. Nash was pas- i)ublished in Philadelphia in iSoo. tor there 1792-1S32. ' Ruv. .Seth Swift, pastor at Williams- ^ IJleeding was the common practice then, town, already noticed. but now for many years almost entirely aban- ' Thomas Gold, Estp, a iinmiinent lawyer doncd, except in a few i)eculiar cases. It is in Pittsfield, was born in Cornwall, Ct., grad- somelimes claimed that bleeding was the right uated at Vale in 1778. Mis son, Thomas A. thing then, when, owing to the change in the tlold, also a lawyer, was graduated at Will- human constitution, it would be wrong now. iams, 1806. l5o2.] AT HOME AT NORFOLK, CT. l8l 26. In the forenoon attended meeting. Afternoon preached for Mr. Allen,' he performing the fore part of the exercise. 27. Rode to Barrington.^ Tarried at a tavern. Quite tired. Some reports are circulating respecting ?»rr. Jefferson, wliich it is thought will render his character infamous.^ 28. Rode home. Thanks be to God's great name. My brother N.'s wife has lately lain in, and is very sick. My Uncle L. Le Uaron," his wife and son, at my father's. Called at Capt. Clark's in Sheffield, and saw, I presume, the best piece of painting in America. 29. Walked out. Quite feeble. Read. My father returned from asso- ciation. 30. Afternoon attended the weekly concert of prayer, which is attended here and in many places. It is feared the Democrats are increasing in this State. October. 1. My Uncle Le Baron set off on his journey. Read the Vagabond. On the 28th ult, received a request from the committee of South Canaan^ to preach with them. Wrote. 2. Read. Afternoon tried to work some. Am still quite feeble. There have been no frosts to stop the growth of vegetables till this week. 3. Afternoon preached. At evening attended a conference. Last even- ing caught a hard cold. 4. Quite sick with a cold. Bonaparte' has new modelled the French government, and is probably the most powerful sovereign in Europe. 5. Wrote to President Fitch, Williamstown. My brother J. set off for Williamstown. Have a bad cough. 6. Looked over my books. Have lost some small ones. Fear I shall not be able to preach for some time. 7. Rode out. Quite warm. Hope my brother N.'s wife is recovering, though yet very low. 8. Wrote to the committee of South Canaan. Afternoon set out for Becket. But just able to ride. Rode to Sanderstield. Tarried with Mr. White.' 9. Rode to Becket. Much fatigued. Very warm for the season. ' Rev. Thomas Allen, native of North- ' This was the parish where Rev. Daniel ampton, graduated at Harvard College, 1762, Farrand had then been pastor for fifty years, pastor at Pittsfield, 1764-1810. Sometimes He was still living, but died in the following called " the fighting parson," from his cour- year. He was probably too infirm to supply age and activity in the Revolutionary struggle. the pulpit. = Great Harrington. ' -*\ug. 2, 1S02, Bonaparte was made first ' It was not safe at that time to accept Consul for life. This was a very important New England rumors concerning Mr. JefEer- point gained in his career of ambition and son. power. < Rev. Lemuel Le Baron, of Rochester, ' Rev. Levi White, native of Randolph, Mass. (Mattapoisett), his wife, who was Eliz- Mass., graduated at Dartmouth, 1796. Set- abeth Allen, of Martha's Vineyard, and prob- tied in Sandisfield, 1798, as colleague with ably his son Lemuel, who was graduated Rev. Eleazar Storrs, and remaining there three yeais before (1799) at Brown University. until 1832. Mr. Storrs died in 1810. iSa DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8o2. 10. Was enabled through divine mercy to preach both parts of the day. Though quite too weak to have attempted it had not the situation of this people been critical.' There were two burials. 11. Very lame with a rheumatism in my left leg. Never had so severe a turn. Cool. Read. 12. My lameness a little better. Afternoon attended the funeral of an infant child. 13. Read the Bible. Quite confined. A great deal of travel this season. 14. Read all day. Political matters pretty still in the country. The harvest of corn rather light. 15. Rainy. Read Fries's trial. My lameness is much wor.se than it has been. At night my knee was so painful I could hardly sleep. 16. Quite rainy. Wrote. The people here generally appear an.xious to have me continue with them, though I think there is not that perfect union there was a year ago. Wrote to Col. Lawrence, of Marcellus. 17. My lameness is much better than it has been. Attended the funeral of a child. The congregation here sing very well. 18. Remarkably warm for the season. Read Mr. Strong's" Benevolence and Misery? Wrote. 19. Rode to Lenox to attend the association of this county.'' Visited at Mr. Goodwin's.' Cool. 20. Mr. D. L. Perry,' of Richmond, was approbated to preach, .\fter association rode to Stockbridge with IJr. West. Had an agreeable visit at his house. 21. Rode to Lee. Preached a lecture for Mr. Hyde.' Very little special serious attention in the country. 22. Rode to Becket. Visited. Read the Bible. 25. 23. My cough something troublesome. The society's committee called to see me. Read. Wrote. Troubled some with a pain in my breast. 24. Very cool for the season. Afternoon preached principally without writing. 25. Attended the funeral of a child. Rode to Stockbridge. Visited Mr. Hyde at Lee. Tarried with Mr. Woodbridge.° 26. Rode home. My mamma has been very sick some days with nervous disorder; but now hopefully recovering. 27. Read. Rainy. Very little cider made in the country this year. Read the Vagabond? ' The people of Becket seem to have had Williams, 1798, and had been tutor at the no settled minister from the time Rev. Za- College. In KS04, he was settled in Sharon, dock Hunn left them in 178S, until Rev. Ct., where he remained till his death in 1835. Joseph L. Mills was installed there in 1806. ' Dr. Alvan Hyde, native of Franklin, Ct., = Dr. Nathan Strong, of Hartford. gradiuite of Dartmouth, pastor at Lee, 1792- ' The more e.xact title of the book is 1833, a leading minister and theological Eternal Misery Reconciled wil/i the lienci'olence teacher. of God. ' t;en. Jonathan Woodbridgc. » Berkshire County, Mass. ' This book has been before mentioned, ' His mother's cousin. prob.ibly some novel then new and current, ' David L. Perry, who was graduated at but like hundreds of others not enduring. l8o2.] JOURNEYING IN EASTERN CONNECTICUT. • 183 28. Traded. 1.09. Wrote to my cousin S. P. Robbins, now in the district of Maine. 29. Read. Afternoon set out on a journey. Rode to Colebrook, tarried with my brother Animi. 30. Rode to Farmington. Quite cold for the season. Tarried with Mr. Washburn.' 31. Rainy. Preached for Mr. Washburn. This society very large. My cough seems to have principally left me. November. 1. Some very elegant houses building in this town. Rode to Hartford. Tarried at Mr. Strong's. 2. Rode to Durham. Middletown has but little appearance of trade or business. Tarried with Mr. Smith.' 3. It snowed considerably. Concluded to make a little stav here. Very kindly entertained. Read poetry. 4. Read the Magazine.^ The prospect of Christianizing the Indians at present appears pretty small. Afternoon preached a sacramental lecture for Mr. Smith. At evening attended a conference. 5. Rode to Branford.* Visited. Tarried with Mr. Huntington.^ 6. Rode to Guilford and to Durham. Warm for the season. 28. 7. Preached for Mr. Smith. At evening attended a conference. People very inquisitive about important doctrines. 8. Rode to North Killingworth, and visited Mr. Andrews.' Prayed at the opening of the town-meeting.' Rode to Guilford. Preached an evening lecture for Mr. Brainerd.* Some seriousness here. 9. Rode to Chatham. Attended a ministers' meeting at Mr. West's.' 10. Rode to Marlborough and to Hebron. Tarried with Mr. Bassett.'" 11. Very warm. Rode to Colchester. Visited Mr. Robbins ; " quite poor. Rode to Millington. Tarried with Mr. Lyman.'' 12. Afternoon preached a lecture for Mr. Lyman. Rode in the evening to ' Rev. Joseph Washburn, pastor at Farm- 1S02, dismissed in April, iSii. Graduated ington, Mass., 1795—1805, a graduate of Yale, at Yale, 1797. 1793. ' A general custom in the old New Eng- ^ David Smith, D. D., a native of Bozrah, land days, and not yet entirely discontinued. Ct., graduate of Vale, 1795, pastor at Dur- "^ Rev. Israel Brainerd, a graduate of Y.ile, ham, Ct , 1799-1S32. 1797, pastor at Guilford, iSoi-i8o6. After- ^ No magazine, in those parts then, but wards removed to Verona, N. V. Died 1S54. the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine ; and 'East Hampton in Chatham, Rev. Joel this was the number probably for November, West, pastor 1792-1825, graduate of Dart- l8o2. mouth, 17S9. * Where his grandfather Robbins was '° Rev. Amos Bassett, D. D. settled. " Rev. Robert Robbins, pastor in West- 5 Rev. Lynde Huntington, a native of Chester parish (Colchester), 1 764-1804, grad- Norvvich, Ct., graduate of Yale, 17SS, pastor uate of Yale, 1760. at Branford, 1795-1S04, when he died after a "' Rev., William Lvman, D. D., pastor at short ministry. Millington (East Haddam), 1787-1823, grad- ' Rev. Josiah B. Andrews, settled in April, uate of Yale, 17S4. lS4' DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8o2. Hadlyme. Tarried with Mr. Vaill." On the loth ministers at East Hampton desired me to be at Haddam next Sabbath, now vacant." 13. Rode to Haddam. Quite a rough town. Staid at Dr. Drainerd's.^ This week has been remarkably warm and pleasant. 14. Pretty full meeting. Large house. My cough has not entirely left me. At evening attended a conference. Quite full. The committee re- quested me to be here the ne.\t Sabbath. 15. Read Shakespeare's plays. Had a request to go and preach at Saybrook. 16. Had company. Read. My salt-rheum something troublesome. Wrote. T. Paine has arrived at Baltimore.'' 17. Wrote. Rainy. E. Kirby' had fifty-three votes in the House of Representatives in this State for Senator in Congress. 18. Worked some. Read Shakespeare. Wrote a small dialogue. 19. Considerable controversy in this town respecting a turnpike road. Had company. Read. 20. Read the Bible. Quite warm. O for a due preparation for the approaching Sabbath. 21. Had a large congregation. People very attentive at meeting and conference. 22. Rode out and visited. Considerable ship building done here. At night rainy. 23. The storms this fall are all short and clear off warm. Saw a vessel launched. Began a sermon for Thanksgiving on Isa. xii : 2. 24. Wrote. Some pain in my breast. Finished my sermon on Isa. xii : 2. 25. This day is Thanksgiving in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Will a holy God give us grateful hearts, and hear the prayers of his people. 26. Read Shakespeare. Afternoon rode out and visited. At night rainy. 27. Read the Bible. At evening Mr. Williston' arrived from Vermont, who is engaged to preach here for some time. 28. Mr. Williston rode to East Haddam. .Xt evening preached at the conference. Very full. 29. Received ten dollars from the committee of this .society. The com- mittee expressed a wish that I would not be soon engaged. Left Haddam. Rode to Durham. Tarried with Mr. Smith.' ' Rev. Joseph Vaill, a native of Litchfield, ■• Jefferson gave him permission the year Ct., graduated at Dartmouth, 1778, pastor at previous, to come over in one of our govern- Hadlyme, 1780-1838. mcnt ships. lie reached Baltimore in October. - Rev. Elcazar May, graduated at Yale in ' Ephraim Kirby, of the class of 17S7 at 1752, and settled in Haddam in 1754, was Yale. He was not however elected. now in his old age, and had withdrawn from '' Rev. David H. Williston, a gr.aduatc of the active duties of the ministry. He died Yale, 17S7. Sent by the Connecticut Mis- the following year, 1S03. sionary Society to labor among the new set- ' Haddam v,as the special home of the tlenients in Vermont. He was a sturdy lirainerds, the descendants of Daniel Ijrain- Christian worker living on to nearly eighty crd, who, removing from Hartford, settled years of .age. there in the early New England years. ' Dr. David Smith. See note Nov. 2, 1S02. l8o2.] PREACHING AT BECKET, MASS. 185 30. Rode to New Haven. Visited friends. Rode out of town, and tarried at a tavern. Traded. 1.96. The warmest and pleasantest November I ever knew. Tlie Thanksgiving day was singularly so. December. 1. In the forenoon very rainy. Afternoon rode to the lower part of Litchfield. Tarried at a tavern. 2. Rode home. My mamma much healthier than when I left home. My father has received a letter from Becket informing him that the church and society have unanimously given me a call to settle with them. I am sorry. 3. Wrote. T. Paine is verv intimate with Mr. Jeflferson. He is publish- ing letters to the people. 4. Rode through New Marlborough to Becket. Bad riding. The people here appear to have been in some anxious suspense about my absence. 5. A hard storm of rain. My health much better than when I left the town. Read the Bible. 6. Read Cormick's' Continnation of the English History. Quite cold. Had company. 7. Read. Rode out and visited. I feel a very great disinclination to settling in this place. 8. Attended an ecclesiastical council which met in this place in conse- quence of difficulties in the church.° Quite winter weather. 9. I hope and trust the result of the council here will be of essential service to this church and societ)'. Visited a school. Very cold. Read Lloyd's ^ Continuation. 10. Extreme cold. Visited two schools. My salt-rheum troublesome. 11. It snowed some. Weather moderated. Read Lloyd. Had company. 12. Pleasant. This congregation I think considerably smaller than a medium in the country. 13. Rode home. Quite cold. My mamma better than she has been, but still feeble. 14. It snowed some. Worked some. Worked a difficult question in arithmetic. 15. Read newspapers. Strong symptoms of renewed hostilities in Europe. Will a holy God mercifully avert the evil. 16. Extreme cold. Much the most severe weather we have had this year. No snow for sleighing. Visited at my brother Nathaniel's.* 17. The thermometer stood this morning at ten below zero. Walked out.- Read. 18. It snowed some. Weather less severe. Rode to New Marlborough- to exchange with Mr. Catlin/ who went to Becket. ' C. M. Cormick, before mentioned, who land down to the year 1764. This was pub- wrote the History of Eiiglctnd from the death lished in London, 1764. of George II, to the peace of 1783. " Mis home was in Norfolk. - We have not been able to find the par- '' Rev. Jacob Catlin, D. 1)., native of Har- ticular matter of difficulty for which the coun- winton, Ct., graduated at Yale, 17S4, pastor cil was called, but the chuich was in a weak of First Church in New Marlborough, Mass., and troubled state for some years. 17S7-1S26. .Vn able preacher and theological ^ Thomas Lloyd wrote the History of Eng- teacher. l86 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8o2. 19. The weather moderates. This society rather small. At evening attended a singing meeting. 20. Rode to Canaan. Visited Mr. Farrand." Quite poor. Bought of him one third of Poole's ^ Synopsis for twenty shillings. Rode home. Wann for the season. 21. Rainy. Finished reading the Vagabond. At evening walked out. 22. Finished reading Lloyd's History. May I retain things which are useful. My mamma feeble. 23. Wrote. Afternoon attended the weekly concert of prayer. Quite rainy. Switzerland making a struggle to regain her lost liberties. It appears to be vain to contend against Bonaparte. On the 17th wrote to Mr. Redfield, a society committee of Saybrook. Th'rough the great goodness of a holy God, my cough, with which I have been afflicted nearly three months, appears to have left me. Blessed be God for all his goodness. 24. A very sudden change in the weather last night. Quite cold. Rode to Becket. Very bad riding. Got only to lower part of the town. 25. Began to read Payne's Geography.^ May I be able to finish it and derive useful information. Read the Bible. 26. Meetings here must be quite thin in uncomfortable weather. Read the President's message to Congress. He appears to have but one object, popularity.* 27. The committee of the church and society in this town, presented to me an invitation to settle with them in the ministry. The union is said to be great. O for divine guidance and direction that I may know what to do. 28. Rode out and visited a school. Quite warm and rainy. The ground appears to be breaking up. Wrote to Mr. D. Risley,' Whitestown. 29. Visited two schools. The schools in this town under pretty good regulations. But I think there is considerably less schooling in this State than in Connecticut.' Read. 30. Read Payne's Geography. Wrote. Cold. We have \ery sudden changes of weather. 31. Wrote a piece for publication. Read the Bible. Read the New York Kriiew. ' Mr. Farrand, as before said, w.is quite ' Hard to see anything good in Mr. Jeffer- agcd, and though still pastor in name, had son. given up mainly the care of his parish. ' David Risley, spoken of in previous ' Matthew Poole, born at York, Kngland, note. 1624, died 1679. '^'S Synopsis Criticonim ^ At that time, the common schools of has long been a well-known work among Connecticut were accounted superior to those scholars. of any other State. Afterwards, for a time, ' John Payne's Universal Geography^ Lon- she dejjended too much upon her school fund, don, 1791, two volumes, folio. but now t.ixes herself freely. 1803- January. 1. Attempted to give thanks to God for the kind preservation of another year. Finished my former diary, and prepared this. Read the Bible. Quite cold. 2. Meeting full and serious. At evening had company. Read Dr. Em- mons's ' Sermons. 3. Read Payne's Geography. In the afternoon this society had a meeting and voted me a salary of three hundred and sixty-seven dollars on condition of my settling with them. 4. Quite cold. The ground covered with snow, but no sleighing. 5. Rode to Stockbridge. Tarried with Mr. E. Brown.'' The piece I wrote last week is published. 6. Last night a very hard rain. Warm. Returned to Becket. 7. Rode out and visited. The people here propose to give me some assistances in addition to the salary of three hundred and sixty-seven dollars. They appear universally desirous to have me continue with them, but I feel at present that I shall not.' 8. Read Payne's Geography. Read the Bible. Wrote. 9. Extreme cold. Very bad going. Had company. Read the Bible. 10. Received of this society forty-five dollars. Left Becket. Perhaps I shall not return. Rode to my father's. 11. Warmer. Worked some. Bought a cow for sixteen dollars. This town considerably agitated in consequence of a man lately running away in the debt of many people. 12. Rainy. Wrote. Afternoon set out for Saybrook. Rode to Torring- ford. Tarried with Mr. Mills.'' 13. Bad riding. Very muddy. Rode to Berlin.^ Tarried at a tavern. ' Dr. Nathaniel Emmons, native of East ' It was a cause of pain to Mr. Robbins Haddam, Ct., graduate of Yale, 1767, pastor to refuse these hearty overtures for settle- at Franklin, Mass., 1 773-1840. Dr. Sprague nient. He would have been much better in Annals of the American Pulpit (Congrega- pleased if the people of Becket had not asked tional). Vol. i, p. 699, says: " Dr. Emmons him to settle. published five octavo volumes of sermons on * Rev. Samuel J. Mills, father of Samuel Christian Doctri>ie and Diitv. and one vol- J. Mills, Jr., of Foreign Mission memories, ume of occasional sermons ranging from iSoo 'In Berlin, Rev. Evans Johns, a Welsh- to 1826." man, educated in England, and for some time ^ Ephraim Brown was one of the men who minister at Bury St. Edmunds, had been set- went from Spencer, Mass., to Stockbridge to tied the June before. He was probably such assist Rev. John Sargent in his work among an entire stranger that Mr. Robbins would the Indians. This E. Brown may have been not tax him for the usual ministerial hospi- a son of his. tality. 187 1 88 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBIN'S, D.D. L'^°3- 14. Rode to Middletown. Afternoon and r.t night il rained ver)- lutrd. Tarried at a tavern. 15. Rode through Haddam to Sa\brool<. The people ajspear to have been in anxious expectation of my coming. 16. This society- appears to be small. It is the third society in the town. They sing very well." At evening had company. 17. Read Fuller's" Gospel its Own Witness. I live at a Mr. Kelsey's. At evening called to see a Mrs. Devotion,' widow of the late minister. 18. Finished reading Fuller. Very cold. The people here do consider- able in coast navigation.' Had company. 19. Read the Bible. Extreme cold. Read the Biographical Mirror} Walked out. 20. No more snow to be seen than in summer. Wrote. Had company. The singers met here and sang. 21. Read. Very still times in the country respecting political matters. Walked out and visited. 22. Finished reading the Biographical Mirror. Read Xight Thoughts. This week has been steadily very cold, but no snow. 23. Preached upon Means. People here pretty ignorant concerning doc- trines. At evening attended a singing meeting ; prayed in it. 24. Began to read Dr. Robertson's' History of Charles V. Visited a young woman very sick. The committee of this society requested me to preach with them for the present. 25. Last night very sick. I suppose in consequence of eating clams. Read. Walked out. At night it rained some. 26. Read Robertson. Warm. Rode to the old society in this town, and attended a funeral of a man who. in middle age and perfect health, was found dead in his bed yesterday morning. 27. The President has appointed Gov. Munroe' Envoy Extraordinary to Spain. It snowed considerably. At night there was a ball where I live. I went' and spent the evening, and slept at a neighbor's. ' It will have been noticed that Mr. Rob- 15ut lie seems to have been a younger bins often speaks of the singing in the par- brother. Lshes where he preaches. * From generation to generation many " Rev. Andrew Fuller, .an eminent liaptist men in Saybrook grew rich in that way. divine born at Wicken, Eng., 1754, died at ' Mirror, exhibited by the sayings and Kittering, 1815. transactions of the greatest men in Europe. 3 Rev. John Devotion had been pastor of umo, Boston, 1S02. the Third Church in Saybrook (now West- <" Or. William Robertson, of .Scotland, son brook) from October, 1757, to September, of the parish minister of Horthwick, in Mid 1802, when he died. Ebenczer Devotion, his Lothian, was himself a very able minister of brother, was pastor of Scotland Parish (Wind- the Church of Scotland, but gave himself ham), 1 735-1 77 1, and they were sons of Rev. largely to literary work. W\% History of Ebenczer Devotion, pastor at Suffiekl, Ct., Cliiirles T was first published in 1769. 1710-1741. The father was a graduate of 'James Monroe was appointed in 1803 Harvard, 1707, and the two sons of Yale, Minister Plenipotentiary jointly \yith Charles Ebenczer in 1732, and John in 1754. Dr. Pinckney to negotiate with Spain. Sprague in his Aiimils makes John Devotion, ' That is, nnt to the l)all, but to the neigh- nf Saybrook, son of Ebcnezcr, of Scotland. bor's house to spend the night. 1803.J PREACHING AT WESTBROOK, CT. 189 2S. Rode out. Very cold. Visited a school. At evening attended a conference meeting with Baptists. 29. Visited a young woman apparently near the close of life. Pretty good sleighing. Wrote a negative answer to the call of the church and society of Becket. Wrote to Mr. James Rudd, of Becket. 30. Read the Bible. A very cold rain. Thin meeting. 31. Set out to go to Danbury. Dined with Mr. Mansfield," of Killing- worth. Rode to East Haven, tarried at a tavern. February. 1. Rode through New Haven, breakfasted with Mr. Davis." Rode through Derby and Newtown to Danbury. Very kindly received. 2. Visited. Quite rainy. Find many apparent friends. There is hope- fully some seriousness in this town. 3. There have been an unusual number of deaths of heads of families in this town in two years past. Rainy. At evening attended a conference. 4. Concluded not to attempt to get to Saybrook this week. Very cold. The riding extremely bad. .Agreed to tarry here over the Sabbath. Tarried at Mrs. Taylor's. 5. Walked out and visited. Read newspapers. Traded. 6. An exceeding rainy day, yet a good number of people at meeting. Many appear quite serious. Tarried at Mr. Mygatt's. Mrs. M. apparently sinking with a consumption. 7. Warm. Very muddy. Wrote to my father. Read. Traded. Had some clothes made. 8. Received many kind attentions. Left Danbury. Verj' bad riding. Rode to Huntington,^ tarried with Mr. Rexford.'' 9. Rode to Milford. Tarried with Mr. Pinneo.' .At evening attended a conference. 10. Very cold and tedious. Rode to New Haven. Traded; bought books. Rode to Guilford. Tarried with Mr. Brainerd.' 11. Rode to Saybrook. Pretty much fatigued. At evening walked out. Received a letter from Rev. Mr. Mills,' of this town. 12. Wrote. Began to read Milton's Paradise Lost in course. 13. People at meeting quite attentive. Afternoon and at night a cold and violent rain. 14. Read Milton. It snowed some. At evening had company. ' Rev. Achilles Mansfield, pastor of the ^ Rev. Bezaleel Pinneo, a native o£ that First Church o£ Killingworth (now Clinton), part of Lebanon, Ct., which is now Columbia, 1779-1814. He was a native of New Haven, a graduate of Dartmouth, 1791, pastor at ^nd a graduate of Yale, 1770. Milford, 1796-1849. He was one of the lead- ^ Henry Davis, his Yale classmate, was ing ministers in Connecticut in the early still tutor at the college. years of the present century. ' That part of the town which is now ' Rev. Israel Brainerd. Monroe. ' Rev. Samuel Mills, pastor in that part * Rev. Elisha Re.xford, pastor at Hunt- of the town of Saybrook now kno\Mi as ington (now Monroe), 1765-1S0S, a graduate Chester, 1786-18:4, a graduate of Vale, of Yale, 1763. 1776. 190 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBHINS, D.D. [1803. 15. Quite cold. Rode out and visited. Collected the genealogy of the Whittlesey family. 16. Read the Bible. Read newspapers. Finished reading Paradise Lost. A very hard storm of snow. 17. Walked out and visited. It appears probable that Democracy is on the decline in the United States." The greatest exertions, however, are made in this State. May a merciful CJod preserve us. 18. Warm for the season. We have exceeding variable weather. .At evening rode out and preached a lecture. Preached without notes from Isa. xxvi : 4. Quite a full meeting. 19. Read Robertson's Charks V. Had company. I think this society is in some danger from the Baptists. Read the Bible. 20. People at meeting quite attentive. I think there is a prospect that they will hear the humbling doctrines of the gospel here, though in times past they have not been much used to them.'' 21. Warm. Rode to Saybrook ' and visited Mr. Hotchkiss.* Very bad riding. 22. Read Robertson. Afternoon rode to Chester, visited Mr. Mills. At evening preaciied a lecture. Some awakening there. 23. Remarkably warm for the season. Rode down to Pettipague,' and preached a lecture for Mr. Ely.'' Rode to Pochogue. 24. Read. Had company. It snowed considerably. Walked out and visited. 25. Quite cold. Afternoon preached a sacramental lecture. Walked out. Received a letter from Mr. Brainerd, of Guilford. 26. Wrote. Read the Saybrook PlatformJ Afternoon rode to Saybrook to exchange with Mr. Hotchkiss.' 27. All societies in this town rather small. At evening attended a sing- ing meeting. The spirit of religion appears here but little. 28. Returned. Rode to Killingworth, visited Mr. Mansfield.' Returned. Makch. 1. Read Robertson's Charles V. It snowed some. Walked out. Quite cold. 2. Very cold. Read. At evening was invited out to a supper. ' As already suggested, the Democrats in ^ Rev. Richard Ely, p.istor at Pettipaug, 1804 elected Jefferson for a second term by 1786-1814, a native of Lyme, and graduate of a much more decisive vote than in iSoo. Yale, 1754. He had been before settled at ' This remark seems to imply that Mr. North Madison, Ct., 1757-17S5. Devotion, the last minister, h.ad been rather ' .\ system of church government pre- Arminian in his tendencies. pared at Saybrook in the year 170S, for the ' Old Saybrook, the first ecclesiastical use of the churches of Connecticut, some- parish in the town. what more rigid than the Cambridge Platform * Rev. Frederick W. Hotchkiss, pastor at prepared at Cambridge, Mass., in 1648. lioth Old Saybrook, 17S3-1844, a graduate of Yale, these platforms are now largely outlawed. 1778, native of New Haven. ' See note February 21. ' Pettipaug, now Centerbrook, Ct. ' See note ante January 31. 1803.] PREACHING AT WESTCROOK, CT. 19I 3. Weather moderates. People are beginning vessels.' At evening attended a wedding. I have not been in a sleigh through the winter, a cir- cumstance which I presume has never taken place before in any winter of my life. 4. Finished reading Robertson's History of Charles V. At evening rode out and visited. 5. Read. The people of this State are in considerable agitation respect- ing a Democratic Thanksgiving to be held at New Haven next week. 6. Preached on the Doctrine of the Resurrection. Much fatigued. At evening quite sick. 7. Considerably unwell. Walked out and visited. At evening it snowed some. Mr. Bushnell,' the missionary, came here and tarried. 8. Wrote to my parents. Afternoon rode to Pettipague,^ and heard Mr. Bushnell preach. At evening he preached again, after which I preached extempore from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. Tarried with Mrs. Hayden. g. Last evening my horse got away. Afternoon found him without much difficulty. Returned to Pochogue. 10. Preached a lecture in the upper part of the society, with a few short notes on 2 Pet. i : 5,6, 7. The Thanksgiving* at New Haven was yesterday. The people in Kentucky appear to be much alarmed by the interruption of their commerce. Our government appears to be mere pusillanimity. 11. Wrote to Mr. Brainerd,' of Guilford. Began a sermon on 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. Troubled with a sickness at the stomach. 12. Wrote considerably. Mrs. Devotion, widow of the late minister, very poor, probably near the close of life. Received a letter from ray father. 13. The spring appears to be approaching. Quite troubled with a stom- ach sickness. At evening attended a singing meeting. 14. Read. Had company. The State in considerable agitation about political matters. 15. Took tartar emetic. It operated very violently. It makes me very feeble. 16. Had engaged to ride today to Guilford. Am totally unable. Walked out. Several persons sick in this place. Very warm for the season. 17. Read Mortimer's Scholar'' s Dictionary!' I presume Congress have done far less business during their late session than at any one under the present government. ' The spring was opening, and the work of probably simply a special rejoicing on the building vessels, which was an important busi- part of Democrats that they were now in ness interest of the place, had begun. power. Such rejoicings now on the part of ^ Jedediah Bushnell, D. D., before noticed any political party are regarded simply as a in connection with his missionary work among matter of course. Liberty, political and re- the New York churches, was a native of this ligious, is better understood now than then, town of Saybrook. ^ See note ante February 10. ^ See note February 23. ^ The SttidenCs Pocket Dictionary, or Com- * This was the Democratic Thanksgiving fendium of Universal History, in two parts, iust before spoken of in the diary. It was By Thomas Mortimer, London, 1777. 192 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1803. 18. Had a request to preach at Haddam. Have concluded to go after the second Sabbath in April. Rode out and visited. Mrs. Devotion died this afternoon." 19. My stomach sickness continues. Quite warm. Went out on the water. Afternoon went to Saybrook to exchange with Mr. Hotchkiss. 20. Was enabled to go through the e.xercises of the day better than I expected. Returned to Pochogue ; ' and attended the funeral of Mrs. Devo- tion. Rainy. Three neighboring ministers at the funeral. 21. Visited a school. At evening walked out. Unable to attend to study. 22. Worked considerably in leveling a site to build a vessel. Read the Life of Col. Gardiner.^ 23. Through divine goodness I am much better of my disorders. Went to live with Esq. Say. Worked some. Afternoon a very violent snow-storm. 24. Read. Democracy is now making its most violent efforts in this Slate. May the God of our fathers preserve us. 25. Received a letter from Mr. Andrews, North Killingworth, requesting me to go and preach at Middletield/ a society in Middletown. Received a letter from my father with a request from the town of Middlebury, Vermont, that I would go there to preach. At evening the committee of this society called to see me. O for divine direction, and that I may be willing to go where duty calls. 26. Quite cool for the season. Received a letter from Mr. Brainerd, of Guilford. Wrote. At night quite rainy. 27. People pretty attentive here, but I fear very stupid. Quite tired. At evening attended a singing meeting. 28. Rode out and visited. Read newspapers. Tlie Federalists were never so alarmed and never made such exertions in this State as at present.' 29. Rode to Saybrook and back. Viewed the place of the first settlers.' Making some collections of the Whittlesey family. 30. Wrote. Tried to break my horse' for a carriage. He acts quite badly. Walked out. 31. Wrote. Afternoon rode to Saybrook and preached a sacramental lecture. Returned. At evening was at a wedding. ' Her husband died the year before, after ' Connecticut continued to be one of the being pastor of the church forty-five years. Federal States after almost all the others be- " Pochogue, several times before men- came Democratic, tioned, was the Indian name of that part of •■ There was a fort at Saybrook built by Saybrook where he was preaching. the younger John Winthrop as early as 1636, ^ Col. James Gardiner, a British officer, the year when the Hooker Company came to remarkable for his earnest religious life. He Hartford, and two years before the settle- was killed at the battle of Prestonpans, 1745. ment began at New Haven. Young John His life W.1S written by Ur. Philip Doddridge, Higginson preached to the few people in and and has been very widely circulated and read. about the fort in i6j6, and for four or five * After the death of Kev. Abner lienedict, years afterward, pastor at Middlefield (in Middletown), 1771- ' This is the horse, so f.ir as appears, that 1785, the church had no settled minister until he bought of Rev. Mr. Avery, of Tyringham, May, 1820, when Rev. Stephen Hayes began and with which he made his two thousand his work there. miles' journey. 1803.] AT HOME IN NORFOLK, CT. I93 April. 1. Read newspapers. Finished my sermon on 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. Poorly able to study. Warm for the season. 2. Made a family piece for the Whittlesey family." Walked out and visited. People here much engaged in building vessels. 3. Full meeting. Quite warm. People appear quite anxious to have me return here. 4. Received fifty dollars from this society. Left Saybrook, rode to Branford. Tarried with Capt. Russell. 5. Rode through New Haven to Fairfield and Greenfield. Tarried at a tavern. 6. Rode to Danbury. Kindly received. Warm. I imagine that political commotions have risen in this State to their hight.° 7. There being no preacher here ^ at present concluded to tarrj' till after the Sabbath. Cool for the season. At evening attended a conference. 8. This day is the Fast through this State. Preached. Something rainy, with considerable thunder. 9. Had a pair of boots* made; cost si.x dollars. Paid for a beaver hat made for me, seven and a half dollars.' Quite cool. Visited. There is a prospect of a minister being settled here. There has lately been an addition to the church of sixteen members. More are expected. 10. There was the fullest meeting I ever saw here on an ordinary occa- sion. At evening rode to New Milford. Tarried at a tavern. Received ten dollars from the society at Danbury. 11. Rode ver)- early to Litchfield and to Norfolk by two o'clock. Attended Freeman's Meeting. The votes for Governor here were one hundred and ninety-nine, fifteen of which were for E. Kirby.' 12. The people in this quarter appear to have been universally at the Freeman's Meeting which has consequently issued in a great defeat of Democ- racy. Quite warm. Read. Received a printed letter from Mr. Carey,' of Philadelphia. Received one from my cousin, S. P. Robbins. 13. Rode out. Read Mr. Rosse's and Mr. Morris's speeches in the Senate of the United States on the subject of our injuries at New Orleans. I believe they will hereafter be greatly celebrated. ' By hints here and there we see that Mr. ' Ephraim Kirby was the Democratic can- Robbins, as a young man, was engaged in didate. He was a man of ability, and was genealogical investigations when that occu. Judge in the United States District Court in pation was, as yet, very rare in New England. New Orleans. He stood no chance for Gov- ^ He begins to discover a reaction, which, ernor in the Federal State of Connecticut, under the circumstances, was quite natural Jonathan Trumbull, son of Jonathan Trum- and proper. bull of Revolutionary memory, was re-elected ' There had as yet been no one settled in Governor in 1803. He held the office by re- Danbury in place of Rev. Mr. Langdon, de- election, 179S-1S09, and was followed by ceased. In the month of May following Rev. other Federalist Governors imtil 1S17. Israel Ward began his labors there. ' Mathew Carey, a native of Dublin, Irc- * These were top-boots. land. Established himself in Philadelphia, 5 He was choice and particular in all 17S4, as printer and j-ublisher, and founder of articles of dress. the firm of Carey & Son. t> 1^4 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1803. 14. Read newspapers. Democracy has probably received the greatest shock in this State that it has had since its first existence. Wrote to Mr. N. Munger, Middlebury, Vermont. Wrote to the committee at Westmoreland. 15. Expected to have set out for Haddam, but the rain prevented me. Read. At night it snowed pretty hard. 16. My father rode to South Canaan to preach to that people now desti- tute in consequence of the late death of Mr. Farrand. Read Backus on Regeneration} 17. It snowed most all day. Thin meeting. 18. Thought to be the greatest snow we have had the past winter. It goes very fast. Worked considerably. 19. Dated my reading in several of my books. Have been very fortunate with my library. Walked out and visited. Worked some. Federalism in- creasing in the neighboring States.' 20. Rode out with my brother's wife.^ Very poor. Afternoon set out for Haddam. Rode to my brother's* at Colebrook and tarried. 21. Rode through Farmington to Berlin. Tarried with Mr. Upson. Quite warm. 22. Rode through Middletown to Haddam. Kindly received. Very warm for the season. 23. I live at Dr. Brainerd's. This place was considerably divided about their late preacher, Mr. Williston.' Mr. May,' their late pastor, died on the 14th inst. Walked out. 24. Full and attentive meeting. Something unwell. After meeting at- tended a funeral. There have been many deaths of old people here of late. 25. Read Shakespeare. Heard from Pochogue. They appear to be desirous to have me return to them.^ 26. Read. Walked and saw the tishermen catch shad. This town is quite a place for fish. Had company. 27. Walked out and visited sick people. Quite cool. Wrote to my father. 28. Rode to East Haddam and visited Mr. Parsons.' Drank tea at Gen. Champion's.' Returned. Found Mr. S. Cowles here from Norfolk, who tarried the night. 29. Quite unwell, sick at the stomach, and very poor appetite. Rode out. Crossed the river and visited. 30. Quite warm. Read Shakespeare. Wrote. Yesterday one seine in ' A work by Dr. Charles liackus, of .Som- ■* Ammi Kuhnmali Kobbins. crs, published early in this century. Dr. » Rev. David II. Williston from Vermont. Backus died Dec. 30, 1803. <■ Rev. Klca/..-ir May. See a previous note. = This growth did not make itself manifest ' Rev. lilijah I'arsons, pastor at East Had- in the following year, 1804, when only Con- dam, 1772-1827, fi(ty-five years. Graduated necticut, Maryland, and Delaware voted at Yale, 1768. against Jefferson for his second presiden- » Epaphrodilus Champion, Brigadier Gen- lial term. cral of Connecticut Militia, prominent in the ' Nathaniel Kobbins's wife. settlement of the Connecticut Reserve, Ohio. 1803.] PREACHING AT HADDAM, CT. I9S the river, between Saybrook and Lyme, took more tlian four thousand shad ' at one time. Had some serious conversation in the family. May. 1. Rainy. Preaclied on the subject of Missions. At evening attended a conference. People here something inclined to the Baptist sentiment. 2. Walked out and visited. Dnred with a military company. Military spirit not very high here. 3. Rode to the west part of the town and preached a lecture without notes from Psa. cxxiv : 8. At night Mr. Stone,= a candidate, called and tarried with me. Quite cool. 4. In the morning a prettv hard frost. Rode to Saybrook. People here appear an.xious to have me settle with them. 5. Quite rainy. Visited. The society's committee came to see me. 6. Showery. Left Saybrook," rode to East Haddam. Tarried at Gen. Champion's.^ 7. Rode to Haddam. Read the Bible. This morning a ver}- hard frost. Many apple-trees are blown, and it is feared they will be much injured. 8. Very rainy. It snowed considerably. In some places the snow is si.x inches deep. Very thin meeting. I don't recollect having ever preached to fewer persons. 9. In the morning the ground lately dug was so frozen as to bear a man walking. Walked out and visited. Had company. 10. Rode out and visited. Some snow that fell on the 8th remaining. Fruit trees in the bloom. 11. Rode to Hartford to attend the election. Quite warm. Saw the Governors* entrance in the town. A very handsome parade. My father, sister, and brother J.' here. 12. Public e.xercises very good. A great concourse of people. The votes for Governor are twenty-two thousand four hundred and forty-eight ; six thou- sand six hundred more than were ever given in the State before. Kirby had seven thousand eight hundred and forty-eight. Melancholy.' Last even- ing the trustees of the Missionary Society appointed me a missionary to New Connecticut.' I don't know what to do. ' That was in the old-time shad-fishing. ' James Watson Robbins. There have been times since when shad ' It was melancholy, he means, that Judge seemed to be almost driven out of the Con- Kirby should have about one third of all the necticut River, though we have the impres- votes cast. sion that they are now again becoming more ' The eight northeastern counties of Ohio numerous. were called New Connecticut. Under the " Rev. William Stone, a graduate of Yale, charter of Charles II Connecticut claimed 1786, licensed by New Haven East Associa- large territories at the West, but there were tion, 1787, but seems never to have been conflicting claims, and the United States finally settled in Connecticut, but was probably set- gave to Connecticut the right of owner- tied somewhere out of the State. He was a ship to 3,000,000 acres in the northeasterly native of Madison, Ct., and died in 1S40. portion of the State. The early settlers were 3 See note April 2S. chiefly from Connecticut, and it was long * Gov. Jonathan Trumbull, second Gov- called New Connecticut or Connecticut Re- ernor of Connecticut of that name. serve. But later, when the population be- 196 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROEniNS, D.n. [1803. 13. Could not give * the missionary trustees an answer. Rainy in the morning. Heard the Governor's speech. Afternoon rode to Haddam. 14. Wrote. -Afternoon rode to Guilford to exchange with Mr. Brainerd.' 15. A large congregation. This the worst meeting-house I ever saw. At evening had company. 16. Quite warm. Rode by Chester to Haddam. Visited. Some people here inclining to the Methodists. Very much fatigued. 17. Walked out and saw the shad-tishing. Read. Had company. My stomach sickness in a degree still continues. 18. Very warm. Rode out. Began a sermon on Zech. ix : 12. 23. 19. Rode to Middle Haddam, visited Mr. Selden, to East Haddaui, and returned. Attended a Baptist conference. Heard women exhort. 20. Rainy. Walked out ; caught a pretty bad cold. Wrote. The Demo- crats in the State exult at the issue of the late election. M'ill the God of our fathers preserve us. 21. Quite unwell with my cold. It is believed that the apples are not injured by the late frosts. 22. Full meeting. Had the contribution for the Missionary Society ; eighteen dollars and fifty cents were collected. At evening attended a con- ference. 1. 00. 23. Walked out. Visited some sick persons. The committee of the society conversed with me ; they appear very anxious to have me return liere. 24. Rode to Hadlyme and attended a ministers' meeting. Preached. Ministers in this vicinity quite harmonious. On the 22d finished my sermon on Zech. ix : 12. 6. 25. Dined at Gen. Champion's. Returned to Haddam. Preached a lecture in the Baptist meeting-house without notes from i Cor. ii : 4, 5. 26. Read President Edwards on Infant Baptism. Walked out and visited. Wrote a paper. 27. Rode to Middletown and back with Mrs. Brainerd. Visited Mr. Hunt- ington.' Quite cool for the season. 28. Read the Bible, ^^'rote a letter to M. L. C. O for a due preparation for the duties of the Sabbath. 29. Serious and solemn meeting. Very full. At evening a full confer- ence. Attempted to explain. " It is impossible for those who were once enlightened," etc. 30. The people here api^ear very anxious to have me return. Visited. Very warm. Received thirty dollars fmm tliis society. came more mixed, it was called the Western ' Rev. David Huntington h.id been pastor at Reserve. The first settlement on this territory the South Church in Mitldlctown, 1797-1S00, was at Cleveland and Ncwburg in 1797, and and was still living there. He w.is a native of in 1798 a settlement was commenced at Lcb.-inon, a graduate of Dartmouth, 1773, .ind Voungstown. In 1800, there were on the had previously been pastor at Marlborough, Reserve 1,144 white inhabitants, and in 1810, Ct., 1776-1797. He was afterw.ards settled, 16,241. The large school fund of Connec- December, iSoj, at Hamburg, a p.arish in the ticut was raised from ihc sale of these lands. town of Lyme, where he died 1S12. He was ' Rev. Israel lirainerd. one of many ministers born in Lebanon, Ct. 1S03.J PREACHrNG AT HADDAM. CT. igy 31. A small but ver)' refreshing rain. The earth has suffered much with drought. Rode to North Killingworth and preached a sacramental lecture for Mr. Andrews.' Attended a conference. June. 1. Rode to Durham. Very warm. Bought Carey's^ Bible for which I was a subscriber, for eight dollars. Tarried with Mr. Smith. ^ 2. Rode to Haddam and to Saybrook. Quite tired. 13. 3. Read the Bible. Read newspapers. The States New York and Rhode Island seem to be effectually given over to Democracy.* We hope the God of our fathers will yet protect us. 4. Read the Bible. The Legislature of our State adjourned yesterday. Rainy. Concluded not to think of tarrying with this people. Hope I have acted conscientiously. 5. Pretty full and attentive meeting. At evening attended a singing meeting. I believe my preaching here will help open the way for the recep- tion of Calvinistic doctrines.' 6. Quite cool for the season. Read. The people here appear to be much disappointed, and some of them offended, at my refusing to continue with them. Walked out and visited. 7. Rode to North Killingworth and attended the Association. The Asso- ciation quite agreeable. The congregation in this place very large. 8. Rode to Haddam and attended a funeral. Preached without notes from John xi : 25. Returned to North Killingworth. 9. Rode to Pachogue. Very warm. Read. Visited. 10. Read the Bible. Rode to Saybrook. Visited Mr. Hotchkiss and Gen. Hart.' English grain appears very w-ell. Returned. 50. 11. Ver)- hot. Wrote. Walked out and visited. Quite disagreeable to tell people I cannot continue here. 12. Meeting very full. A very dry season. Took leave of this people in public. Received ten dollars of this society. On the 7th was requested to preach as a candidate at Pettipague.' 13. Left Saybrook, rode to Haddam, and to Berlin. Tarried at a tavern. E.xtremely hot. The people at Haddam wish me to return there, but there is a prospect of some opposition. I think I shall unless I accept of my western appointment. ' Rev. Josiah B. Andrew.', before noticed. 'All the States but three went that wav This place was called North Killingworth the next year in the presidential election of until the division of the town, when that 1804. which had before been called Killingworth, ' A hint like that he made, a little wav back, where the first church was, became Clinton, respecting the parish in Saybrook. He inl- and North Killingworth Ijecame Killingworth. plies that Mr. May's preaching had been ' An edition probalily published bv .Mathew Arminian. Carey, of Philadelphia, about which, probably, ' Gen. Hart. the letter before mentioned from Mr. Carey ' Pettipague was one of the old parishes was sent. of the to«n of Saybrook. Territorially Sav- ^ Rev. David Smith, I). 1)., of Durham, brool< was very large, and a considerable Ct., before noticed. number of parishes were within its limits. 198 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [lSo3' 14. Rode to Warren from Saybrook, eighty miles. Attended the associa- tion.' My father is inclined to ha\'e nie accept of my mission. ' Showery. 15. Rainy. Stayed through the day. The association quite numerous. Fatigued with my journey. 16. Rode home with my father. My brother N. has begun in trade. My mamma seems rather inclined to have me go to the westward. 17. Read Bossuet's Uniirrsal History. A\'alked out. Crops pretty back- ward. 18. Quite warm. My cousin S. P. Robbins arrived here from the district of Maine. Wrote. 19. My cousin preached in tlie forenoon and I in the afternoon. At even- ing attended a conference. Something rainy. 20. Walked out. My brother and wife came here and made us an agreeable visit. 21. Concluded after long consideration to accept of my appointment as a missionary. Will God mercifully go with me and use me for his praise. Wrote to Mr. Strong, of Hartford. Wrote to Dr. West, of Stockbridge. 22. Very warm. Worked some preparing for my journey. Read. A great appearance of a renewal of war in Europe. 23. Attended the concert of prayer which is observed here weekly. The season quite dry. 24. E.xcessive hot. Rode to Colebrook with my father, attended the Masonic celebration of St. Johns.^ Mr. Lee' preached. Returned. Dined with the Masons. 25. Wrote on my accounts. Afternoon rode to Goshen. A copious and very refreshing shower. Good is Jehovah. 26. Preached for Mr. Hooker.' The appearance of religion in the towns in this vicinity is much less than a few years past. 27. Rode home. The neighboring towns seem to have a supply of rain, while this is passed over. Received a letter from Mr. Hyde,'' of Lee, request- ing me to deliver an oration in that town on the 4th of July. I cannot go. 28. Rode to Hartford. Tarried at Mr. Strong's. Quite tired. 29. E.xcessive hot. Wrote to my father. Wrote a formal answer to my missionary appointment, to Mr. Flint,' secretary to the trustees. Towards evening rode to Middletown. Tarried at a tavern. 30. Rode to Haddam. Worked considerably in hay. Eat green peas. On the 29th had my hair cut short, which I have worn tyed about twelve years.' ' This was the General Association of the ' Rev. Asahel Hooker, of Goshen, before .Stale, whose meeting was usually about the noticed, middle of June. ' Rev. Alvan Hyde, D. D. ' His father was specially interested as we ' Rev. Abel Flint, D. D., pastor of South have seen in this home missionary work. Church, Hartford, 1791-1824. ' .St. John the Ijajitist's Day, a great day ° He was now twenty-six years old, so he with the Kree-Masons. licnan to wear his hair tied when he w.is four- * Rev. Chauncey Lcc, I). D., pastor at teen years old. This fashion passed out of Colebrook, 1800-1828. use generally about that time. 1803.] PREACHING AT HADDAM, CT. I99 July. 1. Extremely hot. Afternoon rode to East Haddam and preached a sacramental lecture. Tarried with Mr. Parsons." Visited Col. Moseley.'' At evening a very hard shower. 2. Rainy. Very refreshing. Returned. Troubled with a toothache. 3. Preached upon Discriminating Doctrines. Some people receive them with difficulty. Attended a conference. The people here much disappointed at the prospect of my going on a mission. 4. Attended with a pretty large company the celebration of Independence. Quite agreeable. Made some toasts. Cool. 5. Rode to Hartford. Tarried at Mr. Strong's. Visited my old class- mate Robbins.' 6. Rode home. Quite tired. My parents making preparation for my ordination. 7. Had a tooth extracted which has given me much pain. Very hot. Wrote. 8. Set out for Haddam. Wrote to Mr. Jerome/ New Hartford. Rode to Farmington. Tarried at Mr. Gridley's. 9. Rode to Hartford and to Haddam. Excessive hot. Traded. Very tired. There have been two deaths of grown persons here this week. People generally beginning harvest. 10. I think I never was more oppressed with the heat. Attended a conference. 11. The tooth I had extracted on the 7th was the last double tooth in my upper jaw. Walked out and visited. People generally beginning harvest. 12. Visited. Crossed the river in a boat alone. The Democrats in the country exult much at the late purchase of New Orleans.' Shower)'. 13. Set out for home. Excessive hot. Rode to Berlin. Tarried at Dr. Smalley's.^ Have something of a diarrhoea. 14. Rode to Hartford and onward. Had a coat made. Quite showery. A great deal of hay and grain down. Tarried at a private house in a part of Bristol. 15. Rode some. Very tired. Have been very fortunate in obtaining ex- changes to supply at Haddam next Sabbath. i6. My brother Lawrence ' here from Paris. Worked some preparing for ' Rev. Elijah Parsons, pastor at East Had. afterwards generally accepted and approved, dam, 1772-1827, before noticed. and recognized as vastly important to this '^ Col. Jonathan O. Moseley. country. ' Levi Robbins, who was with him at ' Dr. John Smalley, a native of that part Yale, probably of the Wethersfield family of of Lebanon which is now Columbia, gradu- Robbins, descendants of John Robbins. ated at Yale, 1756, pastor in that part of * Rev. Amasa Jerome, graduated at Will- Berlin which is now Ne%v Britain, 1758-1820, iams, 1798, pastor at New Hartford, Ct., one of the chief ministers and theological 1802-1S13. teachers in Connecticut in his time. He ' The Louisiana purchase under Jeffer- lived to be nearly eighty-si.\ years old. son's administration in 1S03; condemned ' Grove Lawrence, who married Elizabeth sharply by the Federalists at the time, but Robbins. 200 DIARY OF REV. THONfA? ROCRrN-.S, D.D. [1803. the ordination. My father rode to New Hartford to preacli tomorrow for Mr. Jerome.' 17. Preached at home, supplying at Haddam by exchanges. People pretty attentive. At evening attended a conference. My brother N.'s cliild very sick. 18. Engaged in preparing for the ordination. My Uncle and Aunt Starr" came to attend the ordination. Attempted to devote the day in some meas- ure to fasting and prayer, preparatory to my ordination. 19. Worked considerably. Made a long table in the door-yard, and a covering of cloth for a shade. Weather quite clear and cool. My brother's child still remains very sick. Afternoon the council convened in number 34. They met at the meeting-house and attended to the examination. Several ministers are present not belonging to the council. 20. The most solemn, and to me important, day I ever saw. May its solemnities never be efifaced from my mind. I was this day in the most sol- emn manner set apart to the great work of the gospel ministr}'. Towards night the council dispersed. Quite tired. We had considerable company be- sides the council. Fifty dined exclusive of our family connections or town people. The ordination was performed in the following manner: Mr. Flint,' of Hartford, made the introductor)' prayer. Mr. Strong.* of Hartford, preached from Matt, xxviii: 19, 20. Mr. Mills,' of Torringford, made the consecrating prayer. My father gave the charge. Mr. Perkins,* of Hartford, gave the right hand of fellowship. Mr. Hooker, of Goshen, made the concluding prayer. Mr. Mills, Mr. Perkins, Mr. Hooker,' and my father imposed hands. All the parts were performed in a very able and solemn manner. The charge was peculiarly affecting. In it my father gave me a Bible. Almost all the members of the council observed that it was the most solemn ordination they ever saw.' The audience, very large, were solemn and very much affected. The day was very fine. 21. Set out for Haddam. Yesterday my cousin S. P. Robbins' was appointed to a short mission to the Black River. Rode through Farmington to Middletown. Tarried at a tavern. Rode late. Very tired. 22. Rode to Haddam in the morning. The Superior Court in session here. Dined with the court. Very much fatigued with the labor of the week. Something shower)-. Attended court. ' Rev. Amasa Jerome, just before men- ' Rev. Nathan Perkins, D. D., of West tioncd. Hartford. A pastor there 1772-1S38. ^ Rev. Peter and Sarah (Robbins) Starr ' Rev. Asahcl Hooker, of Goshen, Ct. from Warren, Ct. At this time Mr. S'.arr ' This was an ordination without pastor.il had been pastor in Warren thirty-one years, charge simply for missionary and evangelistic having been ordained there in 1772- pnri)Oses. This ordination took place, of 'Rev. Abel Flint, D. D., South Church, course, in Mr. Rolibins's native town of Hartford, Ct. Norfolk. * Rev. Nathan Strong, D.D. , First Church, ' He, though belonging in Ma.ssachusetts, Hartford, Ct. received his missionary appointment from the ' Rev. Sam'l J. Mills, of Torringford, Ct. Connecticut Missionary Society. 1803.] PREPARIXG FOR MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 20I 23. There have been five deaths hi this town in this month, three of grown persons. Read Shakespeare. Visited. 24. Very warm and faint weather. At noon attended a funeral. At even- ing a conference. Trust I had divine assistance to perform the duties of the da)', for in the morning I felt very unable. 25. A society meeting was held here, warned for the purpose of giving me a call to settle in the ministry. I went into the meeting and desired tiie so- ciety not to take any vote upon the subject.' They however proceeded to vote and gave me a call to settle. I agreed to give them an answer ne.xt week. 26. Had company most all day. Read Shakespeare. Showery. 27. Wrote. The President has issued his proclamation to convene Con- gress on the 7th of October. Eat green corn." Afternoon crossed the river and tarried the night. 28. Last night and this morning it rained very hard. Afternoon rode to the west part of the town and preached a lecture without notes from Psa. .xvii : 15. Tarried. 29. Visited. Clear weather after lowery far a week. Many people here appear very an.xious to have me stay with them. The vote was one hundred and twenty-eight against fifty-seven. Miss L. Champion here. 30. The price for which Louisiana is purchased is said to be fifteen mill- ion dollars.' Read Shakespeare. Wroie. V^ry warm. 31. Something troubled with stomach sickness and frequent spitting in speaking. At evening a very full conference. August. 1. Wrote and delivered to the society committee a negative answer to their call. Many people appear much disappointed and to feel very disagree- ably. Very hot. A very hard shower. 2. Rode to New Haven. Find friends at college agreeable. Tarried with Mr. Bartletf" at college. Signed for Gm. Washington' s Life ;^ paid three dollars in advance. 3. The heat very oppressive and severe. Rode to Haddam. Attended a wedding in Durham. 4. Rode out and visited a school. Sickness begins to prevail in the ' This was the same course, it will be re- Bartlett, a native of Lebanon, who was grad- membered, which he adopted some years uated at Yale, iSoo, and who studied theology before at Middlebury, Vt. under President Dwight. In the February - Almost every year Mr. Robbins notes following he was ordained and installed over the time when the corn was ready to be used the north parish in East Windsor, where he for green corn. filled out a fifty years' ministry. For nearly 'The price paid for Louisiana was sixty twenty years, 1S0S-1S27, Mr. Robbins was million francs, and it was agreed that five and the minister in the south parish of the same one third francs should count for a dollar. town, and the two were very intimately as- The price in dollars was between eleven and sociated. twelve millions. ' MarshairsZ//(r(yf!^/«/K^/'(»j,whichcamc ■* This was without much doubt Shubael from the press in the following year, 1804. 202 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS RODEINS, D.D. [1803. cities. Quite sickly at New Haven. Many people here believe my leaving them will be a great injury to the society. A hard shower. 5. Saw Dea. Cone, of this town, mowing. He is nearly ninety-four years old, and has been an ordained deacon sixty years. Visited a school. Read the Bible. • 6. Wrote. Copying my father's charge to me for publication. Had company. Had a valuable book, Orations on Washington, presented me by a young Mr. Parmalee. 7. Last night was taken with a bad turn of dysentery. Poorly able to perform the duties of the day. Took my leave of the people. At evening a very full and serious conference. Talked seriously to the people concerning their situation; some have considerable feeling. 8. Last night many people had a late meeting to devise some plan to detain me with them. Wrote to the committee requesting them to trouble me no farther, for 1 cannot stay. Rode to East Haddam and back. Left Had- dam. Rode to Durham, preached an evening lecture for Mr. Smith. Some awakening here. Meeting very full. 9. The people at Haddam have warned a meeting to renew their call to me. Rode to Hartford. Many places quite sickly. Tarried at Mr. Strong's. 10. Very hot. Perhaps a more difficult season for haying is not remem- bered. People have not yet done. Received my commission and instructions for the mission." Rode to New Hartford. Tarried at a tavern. Rode quite late. On the 8th received thirty dollars from the society at Haddam. 11. Rode home. Pretty tired. Walked out with my sister. This day concludes my twenty-sixth year. Blessed be God, my kind Preserver. May I be humbled for my imperfections, ingratitude, and sin. 12. Bought a horse ^ for sixty dollars, six years old. Rode to Canaan and back with my mamma. 13. On the loth received sixty dollars in advance from the Missionary So- ciety. Rode to Stockbridge to visit Dr. West.' Very atlectionately received. 14. Preached for Dr. West. A great awakening here. Sixteen lately admitted into the church, and ten now propounded. 15. Rode home. Cool for ihe season. People generally not done haying. 16. Preparing for my journey. Rainy. Walked out. 17. My cousin S. P. Robbins set off on a mission to the Black River.* Worked some. ' The headquarters of the Connecticut affection and gratitude, for he was going out Missionary Society were at Hartford. Drs. into the great wilderness of the West for an Strong and Flint were officially connected unknown term of service, with it. ■* The lilack River rises in the mountain- ' This is his third horse ; liut this was a (ins country of northeastern New York, where horseback age, and such journcyings as those some of the springs send their waters cast to through which wc have already followed Mr. the Hudson. The Ulack River runs westerly Robbins might be expected to use up a horse and northwesterly through Hamilton, Her- in two or three years. kinier, Oneid.n, Lewis, and Jefferson Cdiiu- ' This was a kind of farewell visit of tics to Lake Ontario. The name of the river 1803.] ON HIS MISSION'ARV JOURNEY. 203 18. A very hard shower. Afternoon attended the weekly concert of prayer. 19. Find it to be a laborious task to make all the preparations for my journey. Rode out. 20. Had some clothes made. On the i6th Mr. Higgins and Col. Brainerd, a committee from Haddam, came here and presented me a call from the church and society there to settle with them in the ministry. The society voted a salary of five hundred dollars a year. There appears to be a great union of the people. But under my circumstances I could not accept. I wrote a negative answer to the church and people. Wrote to Mrs. Brainerd with whom I lived. Received a letter from her. That day and this wrote a long answer to her letter. 21. Preached for my father. In the afternoon with short notes from Gen. xxviii : 20, 21. People as well as I considerably affected. At evening attended a conference. 22. Quite cool. Looked over and arranged my books. I have one hun- dred and thirty volumes.' Paid a sadler $6.25. 23. Had company. Preparing to leave home tomorrow. Paid a merchant $15.30. Mr. Battell concludes to take my subscription for Washington's Life, and paid me three dollars which I advanced on the 2d inst. At evening Esq. Selden and wife came here from Haddam and tarried. Received a letter from Mrs. Brainerd, and one from Dr. Ward, of Haddam." Yesterday wrote to Dr. Clark, of Haddam. 24. Considerably unwell. Think I cannot go today. Wrote to Dr. Ward, of Haddam, and to Mr. C. S. Mygate, of Danbury. Visited the neighbors. 25. Am almost disposed to shrink from the great work I am about to undertake. But, through God strengthening me, I can do all things. Left home for a long tour, as I hope, in the service of my Redeemer. Almighty Father, do thou go with me, and be my helper. Rode through Salisbury into New York State, tarried at a poor tavern. 26. In the morning rode to H. W. Livingston's.^ Kindly received. Tar- ried the most of the day. Very warm. Towards evening rode to Mr. Lixings- ton's* and tarried. Very kindly entertained. 27. Crossed the Hudson to Catskill. \\i\\ a holy God preserve me and en- able me to recross it with joy ? So hot I could not comfortably ride. Rode to Shingle-Kill. Tarried with Esq. Sayne. Found much kindness in the is derived from the color of its waters, and ' Henry W. Livingston, judge, noticed in this color is imparted by the deep dark rich a previous entry. With him Mr. Robbins soil through which it flows. stopped the year before on his return from ' This was the early state of a library his journey through New York, which afterwards grew into thousands of •• Henry Livingston, General in the Revo- books and pamphlets. lutionary Army, a man of most noble life ° The attachment of the Haddam people and character. "He died at his residence to Mr. Robbins seems to have been particu- in the manor of Livingston, May 26, 1S23, brly strong, but under all the circumstances and his remains were placed in the family of the case they urged their call undulv. vault." 204 DIARV OF RKV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1803. middle of the day at a Dutch tavern. Saw Mr. Brown." a merchant, formerly minister at Glastonbiir\ . 28. This village, Shingle-Kill, belongs to the society of Acra,° where Mr. E. J. Chapman,' formerly missionary to New Connecticut, now preaches. Rode to Acra, three miles, in the forenoon; preached for Mr. Chapman from 2 Tim: iv : 7, 8. Afternoon heard him. Returned to Shingle-Kill and preached from Zech. ix : 12. Where I do not mention the mode, I shall preach without notes, as I have today. 29. Warm and exceeding dusty. This part of the country suffering much with a drought. Rode to Acra. Mr. Chapman rode with me to New Dur- ham. Mr. Townsend concluded to tarry till tomorrow. Esq. Selden and wife* here from Haddani. This a pleasant town. A meeting-house here and one at Acra. 30. Wrote to my father. Weather much cooler. Rode on a good turnpike road. Crossed the Delaware bridge. Turned out a few miles to Jefferson. Tarried with Esq. Bayard. 31. In the morning preached from Zech. ix : 12. Rode to Harpersfield, and preached in a meeting-house from Gen. vi : 3. .'\t evening attended a conference. Some thoughtfulness here. Mr. Marsh, of ]5allston, preached in the afternoon before me in the same exercise. In conference sjjoke against the practice of relating experiences, which they have practiced here. Mr. Fenn.^ the minister here, gone to Connecticut. Tarried. Left home with cash $141.67. September. 1. Rode to Meredith' and out to Delhi.' Called on Eben Foote, Esq. Treated politely. In the evening preached in the court-house from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. In almost every settlement find some former acquaintance. 2. Rode back to Meredith and on to Franklin. ° Preaclied with notes principally at a funeral from i Cor. vii : 29, 31. A large concourse of people. A hard shower. Saw Rev. Mr. Harrower,' of Walton,'" near here. He as- sisted in the exercise. Concluded to stay here till after the Sabbath. ' Rev. William Brown, a graduate of Yale, 'Probably Stephen Fenn, a native of 1789, licensed to preach by the New Haven Watertown, Ct., a graduate of Yale, 1790. West Association, 1791, and pastor at Glas- *■ Meredith was in Delaware County, and tonbury, Ct., from May, 179:;, to January, was a new town with an excellent cl.xss of in- 1797, when for some reason he left the min- habitants. In iSoo, its population numbered istry for secular pursuits. only two hundred and thirteen. ' The town of Acra, in which Sliini;lc-Kill ' Delhi, in the same county, was organized was embr.iccd, was in Greene County, New in 1798. ^'ork. It was fourteen miles back from the ' Franklin, in the s.ame county, sixteen Hudson River in the CatsUill Mountain region. miles west of Delhi, was settled in 1785. ' Rev. Ezckiel J. Chapman, graduated at ' David Harrowcr, who labored as a min- Valc, 1799, licensed by Tolland Association, ister and missionary in Kastern and Central Oct. 6, 1801, and commissioned the same New York, received the degree of A. M. year by Connecticut Mi'isionary Society for from Williams College in 1S05, and died in service in New Connecticut. 1854, aged eighty-si.v. He was pastor at * It will be remembered that they were at Trenton, Oneida County, for some years. Norfolk, Ct., just before Mr. Robbins left '" Walton was taken from Franklin in home. 1797- & 1803.] ON HIS MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 205 3. Had some clothes washed. Wrote in my diary. Walked about and visited. Wrote to my father. 4. The people here have a new meeting-house nearly finished and a very respectable congregation. Preached from Jude .xi : i; Zech. i.x : 12. At evening attended a conference. 5. In the morning my horse was gone ; but through the kindness of a good Providence he was found in a neighboring pasture at some distance. Rode to Jericho.' Crossed the Susquehanna = at Wattle's ferry by fording. Crossed the Unidillai' near by in the same way. Rivers very low. From Catskill to Wattle's ferry there is a turnpike road nearly completed, ninety miles. Tarried with Rev. Mr. Chapin.* 6. Rode to Greene/ alias Jones settlement. Tarried at Capt. Parker's, formerly from Norfolk. Found Mr. Dickinson and Miss P. Jones from Nor- folk. Wrote to my brother James. Preached from 2 Tim. iy : 7,8. Quite cool. 7. Rode to Lisle."^ Tarried with Mr. Williston.' Bad road and quite unpleasant country. Very few inhabitants. Crossed the Chenango with con- siderable difficulty. Very cold for the season. 8. Had an agreeable and instructive visit with Brown's settlement in the town of Tioga.' This morning a hard frost. A very great drought through this country. At evening preached from 2 Tim. iv 17,8. A very cold night. Rode six miles without a house. 9. Called on Mr. S. Farrand,' formerly from Canaan. Rode down the Owego Creek to Owego village. At evening preached from Acts viii : 8. This place quite corrupt. 10. I don't know as I have been in one settlement without finding some persons who know me or my father. Rode down the Susquehanna to Tioga Point '° in Pennsylvania. Will God be with me while I remain in a State in which I never was before. This village very pleasant. The frosts appear to have put a stop to vegetation. 11. Preached from Jude xi and Acts .x.xvi ; 8. Quite warm. Yesterday my watch fell out of the bed and broke the crystal. Cannot get it replaced. Was requested to baptize a child by half-way covenant parents." After meet- ■ Jericho (not then a town), was eighteen we have several times written, was pastor miles west of Franklin. here at Lisle, 1S03-1S10. ^ The Susquehanna divides Delaware ° Tioga was in Tioga County. The town County from Otsego County. was formed in iSoo, and is one hundred and ' A small river in Otsego County, empty- seventy-six miles from Albany, ing into the Susquehanna. ' Probably a son of Rev. Daniel Farrand, * Rev. Joel Chapin, born at Ludlow, the life-long minister of Canaan. Mass., 1761, graduated at Dartmouth, 1791, '<> Tioga Point appears to have been some died at Bainbridge, N. Y., Aug. 5, 1S45. local designation in the town of Litchfield, 5 Greene was in the southwestern corner Bradford County, Penn. of Chenango County, and was formed by " He does not tell us whether he baptized combining Union and Jericho. the child or not. The half-way practice had *■ Lisle was in Broome County. been long in use in the New England churches, ' Rev. Seth Williston, D. D., of whom though it was now rapidly passing away. 206 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1803. ing crossed the Tioga,' then the Susquehanna, below the confluence to the east side, and rode to New Sheshequin." In the evening preached from Zech. ix: 12. Afterwards had a warm attack from Universalists. 12. Disputed with a Universalist the most of the forenoon. Very absurd and liardened. Crossed the river and rode out to Smithfield.^ Preached without any boolc from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. Some thoughtfuhiess among the people here. A verj' new place. Quite warm. 13. Rode to old Sheshequin alias Ulster.' 7. Preached with notes from Phil, ii : 12, 13. Saw two Bingliams, formerly from Norfolk. 14. Mostly Connecticut people here. They have some an.xiety about holding their lands. There is not a settled minister in this county, Luzerne,' very large. The drought such that the most of the mills in the country are still. Crossed and recrossed the river and rode to Claverack alias Sugar Creek. 6. Preached from 2 Tim. ii : 19, a clause. Tarried with Mr. Beards- ley, from Norfolk. 15. Had some clothes washed. Wrote in my diar)-. A church at Smith- field,' Congregational, and one here, Claverack, under the Morristown Pres- bytery. The Connecticut Evangelical Magazine is taken in most all these settlements. Rode to Wypore Creek. Had appointed a lecture, but in con- sequence of a hea\y rain, and not great notice, the people did not collect. The rain a great blessing. Crossed to .the east side of the river. Good meadows on this river in some places. 16. Rode to \\'yalusing," alias Springfield. Tarried with Maj. Gaylord from Norfolk. Preached from 2 Tim. iv : 7, S. Rode through a very narrow and hideous strait. The settlements on this river principally at the mouths of the creeks. This a pretty .settlement. 17. Rode to Black Walnut Bottom, alias Braintrem.' Tarried with Mr. Justus Gaylord from Norfolk. Preached from 2 Tim. iii : 9. A Presbyterian church here and one at W'yalusing. Visited a sick woman. 18. Preached in a barn in the forenoon from .Acts viii : 8. .-Administered the holy sacrament. Was much alTected. Hope I found it a good and refreshing season. Afternoon preached from Zech. ix : 12. Quite cool. People ver)' attentive. 19. My horse's back quite sore. Some difficulties in this church. The sentiments of the Universalists prevail considerably in this part of the coun- ' The Tioga was a small stream running County when he said this. T.ut Luzerne through the Tioga valley, and emptying into County was to the southeast, and it does not the Susquehanna. appear that he h.id then been within its bor- ^ New Sheshequin was in Bradford Countvi ders, though he afterwards went there. Perm., on the cast bank of the Susquehanna. ' Smithficld, where he was making this ' Smithfield was in Bradford County, about passing stay, was more than thirty miles to nine miles west of New Sheshequin. the northwest from l.uzerne County. * He now returns on his track. Old She- ' W'yalusing is about twenty miles south- shequin or Ulster, was on the west side of the cast from Smithfield, on the west bank of the Susquehanna. lie had passed through the .Susquehanna in Bradford County, place in going from New Sheshequin to ' Braintrem is still farther to the south- Smilhfield. east, and is in Wyoming County. He was - It would seem that he was in Luzerne journeying in a southwest direction. 1803.] ON HIS MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 20/ try. Preached in the evening to a pretty good number, very solemn, from 2 Cor. iv: 3. On the 17th rode over a very high hill, where I had a most grand, extensive, and happy prospect. 20. Wrote. Rode to Tunkhannock Creek," alias Putnam. Got consider- ably wet with rain. 21. Rode up the Tunkhannock Creek.^ Preached from 2 Tim. ii : 19. There has been a considerable religious commotion in this quarter for some time past. Mostly Baptist, but I believe in many instances a good work.' 22. Rode back to the mouth of the creek. Preached to twelve persons from Acts xvii : 31, last clause. People here very ignorant and stupid. 23. Difficulty between husbands and wives in this country very frequent. Separations and remarryings not uncommon. Rode to Wilkesbarre.* Since I came to this river I have traveled over a very hilly country. Near the river the land is ver}' poor, mountainous, and great forests of pine. A few miles back from the river is a passable, settleable^ country. Immense quan- tities of lumber carried down this river. It is thought that on the Tunkhan- nock Creek there are now two million feet of boards ready for exportation. Last spring was no freshet and very few were carried. As I approached to Wilkesbarre I came into a more open and pleasant country. This the hand- somest town I have seen since I left Catskill, settled more than thirty years. Crossed and recrossed the river, once in a boat, and every other time I have crossed was by fording. 24. Crossed the river to Kingston by ferry, and rode out five miles. Saw the ground of the great Indian battle,' July 3, 1778. Four hundred people went out to the battle, and about three hundred were killed. Preached from Matt. XX : 14. Quite warm. Returned. 5-1-5:= 10. This neighborhood all formerly called Wyoming. People here mostly from Connecticut. 25. Preached in the court-house to a respectable congregation. Forenoon from Acts xvii : 31. Last evening from Acts viii : 8. A respectable Congre- gational church here.' A large, good meeting-house, with a high steeple, erected here and enclosed. Quite tired. ' Tunkhannock in Wyoming County, is War. Mr. Robbins dates it July 3. Otliers still farther southeast on tlie east bank of the say July 4. A Tory wretch by the name of Susquehanna. John Butler, with a company of Indians and - This creek is the Tunkhannock River, white men painted to appear like Indians, in- a small river, being called a creek in many vaded this valley, and overcame a small force parts of the country. under Col. Zebulon Butler sent out against ' Denominational courtesies and charities him, and then set fire to the dwellings and in those days are to be noted and cherished. slaughtered men, women, and children indis- •• Wilkesbarre was in Luzerne County, criminately. This was the foundation of Penn., on the east bank of the Susquehanna. CampbelTs celebrated poem, *' Gertrude of ' A word that Mr. Robbins seems to have Wyoming," which has been read by millions coined on the spot. on both continents. ' Kingston was on the other side of the ' There is a Congregational church now river from Wilkesbarre, and the scene of the at Kingston, Penn., but the organization of slaughter was a few miles from Kingston up 1803 probably passed to the Presbyterians, the beautiful valley of the Wyoming River. The present Congregational church there was This slaughter was during the Revolutionary organized in iSCS. 208 DIARY OK REV. THOMAS ROUBINS, D.D. [1803. 26. On the 24th finished reading the Bible," which I began and began to read the New Testament in course. A pretty hard rain. Dined with Mr. Griffin,' a lawyer and acquaintance. Wrote. Towards evening vode to Hanover.' Preached from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. Some poor, hardened infidels, and many wrong religionists here. 27. Rode to Plymouth,' alias Shawnee, across the river. Preached to a large number of people in the evening from 2 Tim. ii : 19. Several of the people here strong Universalisls. Preached plainly, and I hope with some power. 28. The finest season for journeying I ever knew. The weather perfectly favorable. Rode to Huntington' off from the river to the west. Stayed with Mr. Tubbs, formerly from Norfolk.' Walked out and saw his sons, all settled. They raise great quantities of buckwheat all over this country. They fre- quently sow it after a crop of wheat. 29. In the forenoon preached from John iv ; 15, wholly extempore. Thought of the text after I began the exercise. Rode out and saw some acquaintance, then to another part of Huntington. Preached in the evening from 2 Cor. iv : 3. A number of Universalists here. They have had two preachers of that class, but their characters appearing to be consistent with their principles, I think the people are getting off from the sentiment. In consequence of the peculiar situation of this people, was persuaded, contrary to my plan, to be here on the ne.xt Sabbath. Tarried with Mr. Hoyt from Norfolk. 30. Rode to Fishing Creek,' Northumberland County. Preached in the evening from Matt, xviii : 3. Quite cool. The man with whom I stayed yesterday harrowed twelve acres of ground, and eleven acres today twice over, with one pair of horses. October. 1. Rode up Fishing Creek five miles, and preached from Matt, xxvii : 43. Rode back to Huntington. 17. Very little attention paid here to Saturday evening, and but little to the Sabbath. 2. Quite full meeting. Preached from Jude xi and from 2 Peter ii : 2. People pretty attentive, and some I think solemn. After meeting talked till ' liible here means Old Testament, and he younger brother of the celebrated Edward forgot to insert the date when he began the Uorr Griftin, D. I). Old Testament. ' Hanover, a few miles south on ihe cast ' George Griffin, LL. D., graduated at side of the Susquehanna River. Yale, 1797. lie was the father of Edmund ■* I'lymouth, in Luzerne County, on the D. Griffin, born in Wyoming, 1S04, an emi- west b.ink of the river. nent scholar and writer, who died in New ' Huntington, in Luzerne County, about York, Sept. i, 1830, at the age of twenty-six. eight miles west of the Sus(|uehanna. Allen in his Iliographkul DulUmary says : ' Connecticut pcoi)lc seem to be pioneers " Probably America cannot boast of any in this part of Pennsylvania .is in New York, young man who, at so early a period, reached " Eishing Creek is now in Columbia such a hight of learning and elo(|uence. County, but Northumberland County adjoins, George Critfm, the father, was a native of and probably at that time Columbia County Connecticut, burn at East Haddam, and a did not e.\ist. 1803.] ON HIS MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 200 night with some ignorant, obstinate Univeisalists. At evening rode out and preached from Acts viii : 8 ; three miles. Very tired, but God gives me strength beyond what I could expect. 3. Rode to Fishing Creek. This is training day in this State. The militia veiy far in the rear of the militia in New England. The militia law in this State excuses no person except postmasters and ferrymen. At evening preached to a good number from 2 Tim. iv : 7. 8. .At night a considerable rain, very refreshing to the ground sufifering with drought. 4. Rode on in Northumberland County, down Fishing Creek to the river, crossed the river to Catawissa.' This a pleasant little town, regularly laid out, at the mouth of Catawissa Creek. The people mostly Germans and Quakers. At evening the people collected, and, I preached from Acts xvii : 31, last clause. 5. I have now finished my mission in this part of the country. Crossed the river after receiving some very sincere good wishes from several Quakers, and rode down on the west side to Northumberland. Called on Dr. Priestly.^ Treated politely. His library and laboratory quite a curiosity. Dined, etc. Crossed the river, rode through Sunburv, and several miles below. Tarried at a tavern. From the time I left home till I finished my mission' was forty- one days. I preached thirty-nine times, attended two conferences, and admin- istered the sacrament of the Lord's Supper once. In the time I rode four hundred and seventy-one miles. My expenses did not exceed three dollars. 1 met with the utmost kindness wherever I went. I never enjoyed better health, and the weather, excepting two or three hot days, was as favorable as could be wished for. I am not without hopes that I have been made a means of some little good. 6. Rode to Paxton.'' Crossed a very high mountain. The river in many places very rocky and rough. The annual election in this State is to be next week. Candidates for office all engaged electioneering, carried on in a very gross manner.' Almost all the fruit in this country cut off by the frosts the 8th and 9th of May, which were hard and very extensive. 7. Rode to Harrisburgh,' a flourishing trading town, crossed the river, a ' Catawissa is also in the present Colum- ' From the expression here used, it is evi- bia County, near its western boundary, and dent that he had a special commission from on the easterly (or, more probably here), the Connecticut Missionary Society to do this southerly side. work in Pennsylvania, on his way to. his chief -Joseph Priestly, D. D., born at Field- work on the Connecticut Reserve. It was (or head, Vorshire, Eng., March 24, 1733, a phi- this in part, and in part because of sickness, losopher and voluminous writer. After a wide 'hat he was kept so long in I'ennsylvania. range of experiences he was settled in Bir- ■* Paxton was in the e.xtreme southwest mingham. Here he was mobbed and his corner of Northumberland County, house burned because of his sympathy witli ' Political corruptions not confined to the French Revolutionists. This was in 1791. modern times. In 1794, he came to this country and settled ' He is following down the Susquehanna in this town of Northumberland. Here ho River. I larrisburg is about twenty-seven miles died soon after this visit of Mr. Rcbbius, from Paxton, in Dauphin County ou the east Feb. 6, 1S04. side of the river. 210 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROnRINS, D.D. [l8o3- mile wide, and rode to Carlisle." Concluded to tarry till next week, my horse being pretty tired. From Harrisbiirgli to Carlisle eighteen miles, the finest farming country I ever saw. The mountainous countn- ceases a little above Harrisburgh. Last week and this people have generally done their sowing. The crops this year generally light in consequence of late frosts in the spring, the great drought, and a hard frost the 8th and 9th of September. .After crossing the river at Harrisburgh I was in the county of Cumberland. Where 1 have come in this State the people generally live in houses of squared logs, some in houses of stone. I have crossed the Susquehanna fifteen times, twelve of which by fording. 8. This an old and for an inland quite a populous town. The houses mostly of stone. The college' Jiere has e.xisted about twenty years. Very small endowments. A building has been lately burnt; they are now erecting a new one, one hundred and fifty feet by fifty-five, four stories, of stone. Wrote to my parents. Called on Rev. Dr. Davidson. 9. Afternoon preached to a large audience from Zech. ix : 12 for Dr. Nisbet,' the president of the college. Tarried with Dr. Davidson.* 10. The missionary business is a matter of novelty here. Wrote to Dr. West, Stockbridge, and to Dr. Strong, Hartford. Walked out and saw the barracks in this town erected in 1777. They are of brick, two stories, twenty- two feet wide. Two cf the buildings are ninety yards in length, one eighty, and two seventy. They catch shad in the Juniata River, one hundred and fifty miles from its mouth. 11. Set out on my journey to cross the mountains. Rode through Ship- penburgh' to Strasburgh,' at the foot of the first mountains, Franklin County. This day is the annual election in this State. A confused scene. Saw their mode of procedure in several places. From Harrisburgh here a beautiful countr}-. Bill in the morning 4.50. 12. Cros.sed the first three mountains, ten miles. Rode to foot of Sideling hill, Bedford County.' I think those three mountains the hardest I ever passed. 13. Crossed Sideling hill, seven miles, rode through Bedford to Shells. Last night a pretty hard rain, very favorable, as the country universally suffers much with the drought. So great never known here. A great number of wagons with the finest teams of horses constantly on the road from Philadel- phia to Pittsburgh. ' Carlisle is near the center of Camber- * Rev. Robert Davidson, D. U., had been land County, west from Harrlsburg about a professor in the college almost, if not quite, eighteen miles. from the first, and on the death of Dr. Nis- ' Dickinson College, located in Carlisle, bet was made president. 1783. ' .Sliippenburg is in the southwest corner ' Rev. Charles Nisbet, D.I)., a native of of Cumberland County. Scotland, was made president of Dickinson ' .Str.asburg i.s in Kranklin County, near College at its foundation, but did not enter the western line of the county, upon the duties of his office till 1785. He ' lie is now journeying through the south- died soon after this visit of Mr. Robbins, em tier of counties in Pennsylvania bordering Jan. 17, 1804, aged si.\ty-six, on Virginia. 1803.] ON HIS MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 211 14. Crossed the Alleghany Mounlain, the highest in the United States. The ascent on the east side is perhaps four miles. On the west very gradual and distant. Rode through Stystown, Somerset County. Crossed the Laurel Hill, six miles to East Liberty, Fisher's, Westmoreland CountY.' 15. Last night a hard rain. The only time that T haYe been hindered any by rain since I left home. Crossed the Chestnut Ridge. Rode to Greens- burgh, the shire town of Westmoreland County. I have now done with the mountains. The Laurel Hill on the west side is the worst of all ; ne.xt to that are the three mountains near Strasburgh. Heard about cousin Isaac Rob- bins," a Methodist preacher in this country. 16. In the forenoon went to meeting a§ a stranger. Heard Mr. Spear,^ who preaches here and at a neighboring congregation. A very respectable congregation met in the court-house. .Afternoon preached from Zech. ix : 12. After which rode to Unity with Mr. Spear. Mr. Spear a very worthy man. 17. Quite cold. Concluded not to proceed immediately on my journey as I had intended, but to go a little out and attend a Presbytery and a sacra- mental occasion next Sabbath. I conclude it will not be inconsistent with the design of my mission. Afternoon set out with Mr. Spear lo go to the Presby- tery. Rode eight miles. 18. A very great and extraordinary religious work in this part of the countr)'. Rode to the forks of the Yohoganv.'' Met with the Presbytery ; about ten ministers. They appear very well. Treated kindly. 19. Most of the ministers and serious people in this part of the country, and of all classes, are Democrats.' The Presbytery licensed two candidates. I was requested to sit with the Presbytery. There is scarcely a Presbyterian congregation in Westmoreland or Washington Counties where the work of religion does not appear.' At evening preached from 2 Tim. ii : 19. Three persons were struck down.' .\ most extraordinary sight such as I never saw or conceived. 20. This day is observed by the people here as a Fast, preparatory to the sacrament. Mr. Guthrie," a candidate, preached in the forenoon ; I preached in the afternoon from Acts viii : 8. In the time of the exercises and soon ' He is passing now somevvliat more to Presbytery occurred. Tlierc is a town Yohog- tlie nortli. Fayette County lies between any, and tlie meeting seems to have been at or Westmoreland County and the Virginia line. near the Yohogany Forks, about thirty miles ° It will be remembered that this Isaac west of Greensburgh. Robbins made a visit at the Norfolk parson- ' A somewhat strange and stubborn fact age years before. He was a son of Dr. to encounter Ijy a thorough-going Federalist Chandler Robbins, of Plymouth, Mass., born from Connecticut. June 19, 1770, but did not have a college ' .Some special religious interest, education. ' This was a common occurrence among ' Rev. William .Spear, a graduate of Uirk- the early Methodists of this country in times inson College, 17SS. of religious excitement, but seems also to * We are yet within the bounds of West- have prevailed among these earlier Presbv- moreland County, Penn., but close on thebor- terian churches in western Pennsylvania, der of Alleghany County. Mr. Robbins does » Jiev. James Guthrie, a graduate of Uick- not name the town where this meeting of the inson College, 179$. 212 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROnBINS, D.D. [1803. after, about ten or twehe persons fell, mostly younj^ women. Some make a very great noise. The scene is not to be described. At evening attended a conference, three persons fell, others far more lightly affected. 21. The Presbytery finished ilieir business last evening. The people here make considerable preparations for company at tiie sacrament. 22. About noon' the people met to begin tiie public e.\ercises. There are four ministers and several candidates. Mr. Swan " preached, after which Mr. Porter^ gave an exhortation. The ministers here in all their exercises are very long. The assembly was quite large. Perhaps twenty or twenty-five were struck. I prayed with some under very great affections. The degrees of impression are very various. • At evening Mr. Woods preached. Part of the time the noi.se is such that a speaker cannot be heard. 23. Public worship was held in a grove.* I imagine there were near three thousand people. Mr. Green' preached in the forenoon. After which the sacrament was administered. The communicants were about three hundred. There were five setts at the tables. Mr. Porter^ served the tables and admin- istered to the first, Mr. Swan' to the second, Mr. Woods' to the third, Mr. Spear' to the fourth, I did at the fifth. The sacramental exercises were about three hours. It was an exceedingly solenm and affecting occasion. Many persons fell at the tables and were supported. I was very much affected. Mr. Porter preached towards niglit. In the course of the day perhaps forty or fifty persons fell. There was more or less noise the whole time. In the evening there was what they term a society, held in the meeting-house. Exercises of alternate singing and praying. I delivered an extempore address from Luke XV : 17. The people were dismissed after ten o'clock, and the most of the ministers and some others retired. But the most of the people continued in the exercises of worship till after one, and some till three or four o'clock in the morning. People are collected from all the neighboring places and some from fifteen, twenty, or thirty miles. All treated with perfect hospitality. In the evening the religious exercises were very powerful, and in some instances the noise greater than I ever heard from human voices. 24. The people met for worship at the grove about eleven o'clock. The number almost equal to what it was yesterday. I preached from Jer. viii : 20. Many fell. Some of the time the people very much alTected. After 1 had ' This was Saturday. The mceling began ord as throwing a clear light over times and the Tuesday before. customs past and forgotten. The usefulness ' Kev. William Swan, graduate of Jclfcr- of such exercises depends upon circumstances, son College, having charge of Presbyterian ' Rev. .^shbel Green, D. D., pastor of churches at Long Run and Scwickley. Second Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia. ' Rev. Samuel Porter, pastor of Prestiy- ' Rev. SanuicI Porter. tcrian church at Congruity, Penn. ' Rev. William Swan. * The details of this meeting Mr. RobI)ins ' Rev. William Woods, pastor of Presby- has given at length. In its general plan and terian churches at Slippery Rock and Lower conception it was not unlike an old-fashioned Neshannock. Methodist camp-meeting. In some respects ' Rev. William Spear, pastor of churches it was quite different. It is a valuable rec- at Unity and Greeusbuigh. 1803.] ON HIS MISSIONARV JOURNEY. 213 preached, the people not appearing willing to disperse, Mr. Woods preached and the people were dismissed towards night. Tlie ground was not wholly Lft till sunset. There appeared clear evidences of the divine presence and power through the whole exercises of the occasion. Very tired, having slept and eat little and irregularly for some days. Weather quite warm and pleas- ant for the season. 25. The religious exercises of the people here consist much in singing hymns. Find the people very friendly. Afternoon set out on my journey for New Connecticut. Rode to a Mr. Perry's on the Monongahela, Alleghany County. Kindly entertained. The rivers in this country lower than ever was known. 26. Last night about twelve o'clock was taken with a hard diarrhoea." It still continues attended with considerable fever. My strength very much reduced. 27. My disorder in some degree abated. Had considerable pain and fever. 28. Am worse than yesterday. I fear I shall be confined for some time. Have the kindest attention from Mr. Perry and his family. 29. Walked out. Crossed the Monongahela and returned. The banks of the river opposite to where I stay was the headquarters of Gen. Morgan' and his army at the time of the insurrection in this country.^ Got worried by going out, and took some cold. At night my disorder came on with greater violence than ever. 30. Very weak and sick. In the morning sent for a physician. Scarcely able to sit up through the day. 31. Through God's mercy am better than )-esterday, though very weak. I believe bilious disorders are my principal difficult)-. Kept my chamber. I could not have been taken better care of had I been at home. Blessed be God for all his goodness. November. 1. Some people in this part of the country have monthly seasons for prayer. There are a great variety of religious denominations, but I believe the Presbyterians are the most numerous. 2. Hope I am getting better. Think considerably about home. Some of the time pretty gloomy. Friends called to see me. 3. Had a poor turn, and bad return of my disorder. Fear I am too anxious about pursuing my journey. Endeavored to commit my whole cause to God, and to yield wholly to his disposal. 4. Feel considerably gloomy, but am better than yesterday. 'A week like that which he had just 1737, but emigrated to Virginia. He died in passed through might naturally prepare him 180:;. tor such an attack. ^ The Whiskey Insurrection in 1794. To ' Daniel Morgan, Brigadier General, a suppress it Washington was obliged to call Revolutionary officer, born in New Jersey, out the troops. 214 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['^OJ 5. All the rivers in this country arc lower than was remembered ever to have been. Yesterday rode out a mile and heard a Methodist preach. His doctrines quite corrupt and he wholly unable to defend them. Today rode out two miles. Pretty tired, but hope it was of service to me. Gave notice that I would try to preach tomorrow at the house where I keep. 6. A pretty large number of people collected. I was unable to stand to preach, but sat in an armed-chair on a table and preached from Zech. i.\ : 12. A number of persons fell. Quite tired, but I believe my preaching has done nie no injury. 7. \\'ro'.e some for the first time in my sickness. Quite cool. It snowed some. 8. Had an ill turn, with something of my disorder. May the Lord take care of me. 9. The treaty is published and ratified by whicli Louisiana is ceded to this country. I believe it to be unconstitu^tional, for I believe the Constitution was made for the United States and no other." Very cold. 10. Think I get better, but it is but slowly. Rode out a little distance. 11. In the morning the Monongahcla was frozen over. Rode to the upper congregation," in the forks of the Yohogany, where I was at the sacrament on the 23d ult., nine miles. Blessed be God that 1 am at length able to ride. 12. Rode to Col. Cook's. Mr. Porter came here to preach tomorrow, this congregation being vacant. With several joung people had one of the most serious and solemn evenings I ever witnessed. I was very much affected. 13. Something wet. Pretty feeble. Made out to ride to meeting, and heard Mr. Porter preach. 14. Took some cold yesterday. Treated with great kindness wherever I go. It is thought that one half of the people in this State over thirty years of age are nati\es of Europe. 15. Quite poor. Afternoon preached in the meeting-house with notes. People here nmch unused to ministers using notes. None fell ; some consider- ably affected. 16. Tarried last night with Dr. Smith from Connecticut, who was my phy- sician in my sickness. Rode to Col. Perry's where I was sick. Quite cold. Hope I am better than yesterday. 17. Yesterday received four dollars and ten cents from Col. Power, of the upper congregation, for my preaching among them. Rode out. Tarried with Mr. Shields. 18. Rode to tlie upper congregation. Visited. At evening preached at ' That was an idea of the Federalists at of our govcniincnt. It added to our national the time, as they were not prepared to find territory those vast regions of the West and anything good in the acts of President Jeffcr- Northwest, without which we should now son. A nephew of the writer of this diary, seem crippled and poor. This populous ter- now well advanced in life, and never a I)em- ritory has v.ist spaces yet to he filled. ocrat, says, in this year 18S4, that he consid- " There seem 10 have been two congrega- ers the purchase of Louisiana the most states- lions, called the upper and the lower, at the manlike act to be found in the whole hislciry Yohogany Forks. i8o3.] ON HIS MtSSTONARY JdMRNEV. Col. Power's from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. A considerable number fell. It snowed some. The people in these congregations appear to be desirous that I would stay with them. 19. Visited. Rode to the lower congregation. Am still weak. 20. Preached in the meeting-house from 2 Cor. iv : 3. Several fell, some made a great noise. After meeting rode to Mr. Perry's. 21. I think I am in such measure restored that I may proceed on my journey. I have been detained here nearly four weeks. Received four dollars from this congregation for preaching. Col. Perry made me no charge. Left his house, crossed the Monongahela, rode down and recrossed to Pitts- burgh.' This town appears to be a place of business, pleasantly situated, but pretty dirty, and the houses very black with the smoke of the coal which they use almost entirely for fuel. Some good brick buildings. Traded and paid a tailor $17.70. 22. Called on Baldwin,^ an attorney, a former acquaintance. Crossed the Monongahela, rode down the Ohio on the west side to Scot's, Beaver County. 20. 1.41. 23. Quite cold but pleasant. Rode ten miles and crossed the Ohio ' to Mcintosh. Took the road to New Connecticut ; rode to Beers.' From Pitts- burgh to Mcintosh, alias Beaver,' the shire town of Beaver County, the river runs considerably north of northwest. The distance is thirty miles. 24. The man who kept me would take nothing. Rode three miles, came into the State of Ohio, Columbiana County.' Rode on to Poland, Trumbull County,' alias New Connecticut. 14. From Mcintosh here thirty-one miles ; the course is I believe but a little west of north. The road pretty good. This day is Thanksgiving in Connecticut. Through the kind care of a merciful and holy Providence I have been preserved on my long journey, and now brought to the end of it. I have been three months on the road,° have ' This was in Alleghany County. He first crossed from the east to the west side of the Monongahela, rode down the river, and then recrossed the Monongahela, and went to Pittsburgh, a few miles ea^it of the river. Pittsburgh, now a city of more than 1 50,000 inhabitants, in 1803 had a population of about 2,000. ^ Henry Baldwin, a native of New Haven, Ct, son of a farmer, graduate of Yale, 1797, classmate of George Griffin, mentioned in previous note, whom he found at Wilkes- barre, Penn., classmate also of President Jere- miah Day, D. D., Lyman Beecher, D. D., and other notable men. Mr. Baldwin was member of Congress from Pennsylvania, and for many years Associate Judge of the Su- preme Court of the United States. ' After the Alleghany and Monongahela mingle their waters the river is the Ohio. ■* Beers seems not to have been the name of 3. town. ' Beaver, the shire town of Beaver, is about at the central point of the county. '' At last he is in the State of Ohio, though not yet on the Connecticut Re- serve. ' Originally there were eight counties on the Connecticut Reserve. These were Ash- tabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Huron, Loraine, Medina, Portage, and Trumbull. By subse- quent divisions four more counties have been made almost entirely out of this same ter- ritory. The additional counties are Mahon- ing, Lake, Summit, and Erie. Poland, where he stopped in Trumbull County, is now in Mahoning. ' He left home the 26th of August, and it was now the 24th of November. He passed the State line between New York and Penn- sylvania on the loth of September, so that by the detentions of labor and those of ill- ness, he was on the Pennsylvania soil about two and a half months. 2l6 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROEBIKS, D.D. [1803. met with great kindness from people, and have been under the uninterrupted care and protection of a holy God. Rode on my journey ei,:j;ht hundred and thirt\-four miles. 25. Quite unwell. Had something of my late disorder. Believe I was too much worried by my journey. Treated with kindness. 26. Quite weak. Visited several families. Quite cold. 27. Before preaching read my papers from the Missionary Society and my father's charge. Preached from Acts viii : 8 and Zech. i.\ : 12. A very good number of people and quite attentive. Mostly Pennsylvanians. At evening Mr. Badger,' the other missionary in this county, came to see me. 28. Think I am getting better. Rode through Boardman to Canfield.' 29. Kept at Mr. Wadsworth's from Litchfield, Ct., with Mr. Badger. Be- gan a letter to my parents. Visited some families. This town considerably settled. -About si.xty families. 30. Wrote on my letter. People here have been expecting me for a con- siderable time. There appears to be much need of missionary labors. Considerable awakening at Austinburgh' and other parts of the county. Blessed be the Author of all good. At night considerable rain. Dbcemser. 1. Visited. Rode to Boardman* and preached a lecture from Luke xv: 17. Rainy and cold. Roads pretty bad. 2. It snowed some. Quite cold. Rode to Poland' and back to Can- field. Conclude to spend a few weeks in this part of the county. Visited. 3. Finished my long letter to my parents. Gave a particular account of the work of grace in Pennsylvania. 'OLD TOWNSHIP RECORDS." ' Rev. Joseph Badger was born in what under date of Oct. 23, 1S84, as follows: is now Wilbraham, Mass., Feb. 28, 1757. In " Canfield has its name from Hon. Judson early life his father removed to Peru, in Canfield, who was born in New Milford, Ct., Berkshire County. At the breaking out of Jan. 23, 1759, gr.iduatcd at Vale in 17S2, ad- the Revolutionary War, he enlisted as a sol- mitted to the bar and settled in Sharon, Ct., dier and served several years in the army. in 1786. State .Senator from 1808 to 1S15. Afterwards being at service in New I'reston, Died Kcb 5, 1840." Ct., he studied with Rev. Jeremiah Day, and recited with his boys Jeremiah and Thomas, the former of whom was afterwards for many " April, 179S. Voted, that township No. years President of Yale College, and the i in 3d range should be called Campfield. latter Secretary of State in Connecticut. "April 15, 1880. Voted that the above Badger entered Yale College and was gradu- township should be called Canfield." atcd in 1785. He was settled 17S6-7, at Ply- ' Austinbnrgh or Austintown, as it is now mouth, Ct., and 1787-1800, at Blandford, called, is the township next north of Can- Mass. In the hatter year he entered upon his field, and is within the present Mahoning work as home missionary, commi.ssioned by (then Trumbull) County. It received its the Connecticut Missionary Society, and be- name from Kliphalet Austin, a native of Tor- came a veteran in the service. He died in ringford, Ct., wlio removed first to New Ohio in 1S46, at the age of eighty-nine. Hartford, Ct., thence to New H.irlford, N. V., ' Boardman .ind Cinfield .ire in the pres- and thence to New Connecticut in 1799. cnt Mahoning County. ' Boardman joins Cinfield on the cast. Rev. John S. Whitman, pastor of the ' Poland next town east from Canfield. Congregational church in Canfield, writes Poland touches the Pennsylvania line. 1803.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 217 4. Quite a respectable congregation. Mpstly Connecticut people. Preached from 2 Tim. ii : 19, a clause, and from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. The people appear pretty stupid. 5. Read the Bible. Rode out. Saw a log-house put up. Quite warm for the season. Discoursed considerably on Christian doctrines. 6. Read newspapers. The conduct of Congress in most things quite contemptible. Read. Wrote. Began a letter to Dr. Strong, of Hartford. 7. Wrote. Afternoon preached a lecture from John iv: 15. People here appear but little disposed to attend lectures. 8. Visited several families ; a sick woman apparently in a consumption. Quite rainy. The young people in this town had a smart dance. 9. Roads pretty muddy. Wrote. Some people here appear disposed to cavil with Christian doctrines. 10. Had some clothes made. Rode to Boardman. Finished my letter to Mr. Strong, in which I gave an account of the revival of religion in Penn- sylvania. 11. Preached from Jude xi and Heb. xi : 30. Quite rainy. The most of the people in this town are Pennsylvanians. At evening read a Hartford newspaper.' 12. Visited some families. Rode to Canfield. Bad riding. The land here generally very muddy in a wet season. 13. Worked on some articles of convenience for myself. It snowed and rained considerably. For a week past there has been a great deal of rain. The mills which were generally dry begin to do business. Towards night rode out. 14. Visited nine families. There is a prospect of an open winter. Many people here hold bad principles in religion, and some are much inclined to infidelity. 15. Read. Visited. Rode to Poland. Cold. Very bad riding. Penn- sylvania people very kind.^ 16. Visited families. Visited and catechised' a school of seventeen scholars. They appear in a pretty good way. It snowed some. Read. 17. Rode to the north part of the town. Mostly Pennsylvania people living generally on their land without regard to roads. Preached a lecture from I Cor. ii : 4, 5. Quite cold. 18. Preached from Gen. vi : 3 and Luke xxiii : 39, 43. A pretty large- meeting. Tr>'ing to propose a plan for society regulations in this town.* ' The Connecticut Courant without much then commonly taught in the district schools doubt. of Connecticut, and the Connecticut people ' Some of these Pennsylvania people may would be likely to take this custom along have been Connecticut people by a second with them to Ohio. Or he may mean that remove. It will be remembered that Mr. he only asked questions about their school Robbins found Connecticut people all the studies. We know by later entries that the way along through Pennsylvania. Assembly's Catechism was in honor in Ohio. ' He may mean that he examined them * The town where he is now making bis- on the Assembly's Catechism, which was home is Canfield. 2l8 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBEINS, D.D. [1803. 19. Set out to go to Warren." Rode to Youngstown," then missed my road and rode into the woods seven or eight miles. I then turned about and came back four or five miles and turned off and found a house. 20. Rode to Warren from Poland, twenty miles. Very kindly received. Received an excellent letter from my father. The coldest weather we have had this season. 21. The ground very hard frozen. Wrote. Visited. At evening preached from Heb. xi : 30. A good number of hearers. People appear to have been expecting me for a considerable time. Received a letter from Mr. Badger.^ 22. Severe cold. Rode to Youngstown. At evening preached from Acts viii : 8. Traded. 5.50. 23. Rode to Canfield. Rainy. The religious revival in these parts of the country a subject of general conversation. 24. Rode to Boardman and returned. Read. Conversed upon religious doc- trines, particularly the error of Universalism. On the 2 2d visited a sick woman. 25. Preached from 2 Cor. iv : 3. People appear pretty attentive. I hope a church may be formed here ere long. 26. Visited. Very muddy riding. Wrote. Had a coarse coat made. Paid a tailoress $3.25. The season ver\' open. Weather mostly cloudy but not stormy, 27. Rode to Warren, nine miles through the woods. Called at the salt spring. I think those works can never be of much utility. It requires about twelve hundred gallons of water to make a bushel of salt. 28. Rode out and visited. A Baptist church is formed in this town. People generally appear pretty careless about serious things. 29. Wrote to B. I. Oilman,* Marietta. Some people here do much in hunting. They kill a good many bears. At evening preached from 2 Tim. iv: 7,8. People appear pretty attentive. 30. It snowed considerably. Visited a school. Pretty poorly regulated, but appear ambitious. Visited families. Wrote to Col. Perry' on the Monongahela. At evening at family prayer was much affected, and after it had a turn which continued some time. 31. Wrote to Miss Peggy Perry,' Monongahela. Yesterday received a letter from one of my pupils at Danbury, Elisha Whittlesey. Find myself con- stantly quite full of business. May the Lord of all grace be praised that I am now brought to the close of another year. ■ He starts on this joumey to Warren bins, daughter of Dr. Chandler Robbins, of from Poland. Warren is the shire town of Plymouth. She was born Sept. 29, 1768. Trumbull County. Mr. Oilman was one of the founders of Mari- ' Youngstown, the first township he en- ctt.i, Ohio, and bore a very prominent part in tered after leaving Poland, was in the original its growth and development. Trumljull County, but is in the present Ma- ' Col. Perry, at whose house he was so honing County. kindly and generously taken care of during ' Kcv. Joseph Badger, see previous note. his sickness. •Benjamin I. Oilman married Hannah Rob- ' The daughter probably of Col. Perry. 1804. January. 1. It snowed considerably, but warm. Preached from Jude xi and Luke xvi : 5, last clause. The meeting was serious and solemn ; one person fell. 2. Rode out and visited. There appears to be something of a disposi- tion among people here to attend to serious things. 3. Very muddy, bad riding. It snowed some. Visited a school of more than twenty scholars. They appear pretty well. At evening preached from 2 Tim. ii : 19. An uncomfortable time, but a good number of people col- lected. Wrote to Col. Power, Forks of Yohogany. After evening prayer my nervous system very much affected. 4. Very cold. Thought of setting out today for the upper part of the county.' But weather and riding are too unfavorable. Prepared this Alma- nack^ and finished my former one. Read the Bible. 5. \^'rote to Gen. E. Champion, East Haddam, Ct. Rode out and visited. Am treated kindly by all sorts of people. At evening Mrs. Lane, where I stay, fell,' after evening prayer. I was also much affected. The occasion was very solemn. Some serious people present. 6. Rode through Vienna'' to Hartford,' through lovely woods. Snow three or four inches deep. 7. Rode to Smithfield.^ There appears to be a powerful work of divine grace here. The bodily affection is a constant twitching and frequent falling without any cessation and without noise.' 8. Preached from Gen. vi : 3, a clause, and Luke xvi : 5, last clause. A good number of people. Some pretty violently exercised, but no noise. At evening attended a conference. A small church was formed here last fall. ' That is, Trumbull County. Directly north ing on the subject, but it still remains a of Trumbull County, and of the same width, somewhat unexplained phenomenon, is Ashtabula County, bounded on the east by ■• Vienna is the next town east of War- Pennsylvania, and on the north by Lake Erie. ren, where he was staying. ^ The preparation of the Almanack con- ' Hartford is the next town northeast of sisted in taking it apart and inserting blank Vienna, and borders on Pennsylvania. It leaves of writing paper in connection with was named from Hartford, Ct., while the every month, and several additional leaves at county was named from Gov. Jonathan Trum- the end of the year, immediately after the bull, of Connecticut. month of December. These last were for ' In the original laying out of the Con- the extension of his diary, for any month, necticut Reserve, there was a town named when the leaf for that month would not hold Smitlifield in Trumbull County, but it was all the entries, for an index also, and any gen- afterwards changed to another name, prob- eral remarks. ably because there was also a town of Smith- ' We shall not attempt to explain this field in Jefferson County, Ohio, matter of falling, under religious impressions ' Here we have a new phase of the physi- and convictions. There has been much writ- cal effects wrought by religious excitement. 219 2 20 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBIMS, D.D. [1804. 9. Worked on some of my things. Visited. Stormy and cold. 10. It snowed hard all day. Walked out. The storm quite severe. Many here appear doubting and hesitating about important doctrines. 11. Wrote considerably. Walked out and visited. The snow about a foot deep. 12. Visited some young women severely exercised. Preached a lecture from Acts viii : 8. At evening attended a conference. Meetings are very- much attended. 13. Rode to Hartford. Preached from 2 Tim. iv: 7, 8. The most of the people here appear very little affected with the work of grace in their neigh- borhood. 14. Rode out and visited. Find very little time to read or study. Pretty good riding. 15. Preached to a large and very attentive audience from Heb. xi : 30 and Jer. viii : 20. At evening attended a conference. Quite cold. 16. Rode to Kinsman.' Preached from 2 Tim. ii : 19, a clause. It snowed some. 17. Rode with company to Morgan,' sixteen miles, without a house. Snow and mud very deep. Quite cold, and it snowed considerably. 18. It snowed pretty hard all day. Find old acquaintance. At evening preached wholly extempore from Rev. iii : 10. 19. Rode to Austinburgh.' Got considerably wet crossing a creek. Vis- ited my old friend and classmate Battell,* now a farmer. Found several quondam Norfolk people. Am very affectionately received. A very great religious awakening here. Preached from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. At evening attended a conference with Mr. Badger. Received a letter from my sister Sally, and a bundle of my clothes sent from home. 20. Returned through the woods towards Smithfield. Very cold. Rode to Gustavus.' At evening preached extempore from Heb. i : 2. 21. Rode to Smithfield. The snow a foot and a half deep. Much fatigued. Find good entertainment. ' Kinsman is the northeastern town in according to modern usage. The first Amer- Trumbull County. The town of Vernon on ican ancestor of the family, Thomas ISattelle, the south lies between Kinsman and Hart- was in Pcdham, Mass., in the early years, ford. and the name was pronounced in its French ' Morgan is northwest from Kinsman, near fashion, Battelle. Theodore Dwight, of Ded- the center of Ashtabula County. ham, as Justice of the Peace, appears in the ' Austinburgh is in Ashtabula County, record book assaying, " Personally appeared the town next north from Morgan. before me Thomas I5attaly and acknowl- * Probably Josiah Buckingham Kattell, of edged," etc., showing that the name was then Torrington, brother of Joseph Hattell, who pronounced with three syllables, though he married Mr. Robbins's sister Sarah. He spelled it wrong. Afterward it came to be speaks of him as a classmate. He was for a Battle, but now I!.ittell, with the .icccnt thrown time connected with the class of 1796 at on the last syllable, bringing out the French Yale, but did not graduate. origin of the name. This same family name has several times al- ' Gustavus is on the northern line of ready appeared in the diary, where it has com- Trumbull County, ne.vt west from Kins- monly Ix-.en written Battle. Here it is written man. 1804.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 22 1 22. Preached from 2 Cor. iv : 3. Some new instances of awakening since I left here. At evening attended a conference. 23. Yesterday and last night a great fall of snow. It is now more th^.n two feet deep on a level. More than has been ever known here. Very cold. People are generally pretty well provided with food and fodder. 24. It has snowed nearly every day for three weeks. Some young people here get comfort and appear pretty well. Wrote to Mrs. Brainerd," of Had- dam. At evening attended a conference. Much affected. E.xtreme cold. 25. Rode to Hartford and preached from Matt, xiii : 11. A prospect th;^.t this will be a pretty good town. The work of religion here much less than in Smithfield. 26. Rode to Smithfield. Very good riding. At evening attended a con- ference. Expounded upon the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. All quite attent- ive. Some very solemn. About eight or ten fall almost every meeting." 27. Wrote. Afternoon preached from Jer. 1 : 34, first clause. Some few people have doubts of the genuineness of the present work of grace. 28. Wrote to my parents. Find much kindness from people wherever t go. 29. Preached from Jude xi. In the afternoon preached from i John iv : i. Endeavored to show that the present work of religion in these back countries is a work of the true spirit. I hope it satisfied many doubting minds. Peo- ple were very attentive. At evening attended a conference ; very full. 30. Rode to Vienna. Preached from Acts viii : 8. This is a new settle- ment, but appears pretty flourishing. Yesterday took some cold. Have some rheumatic pains in my back. Houses very smoky. 31. Very good riding and sledding. Rode to Smithfield. Almost worn out with fatigue. At evening attended a conference. February. 1. Wrote. Set out to go to Austinburgh. Rode to Gustavus and tarried. Have something of a diarrhcea. 2. Something rainy. Rode through the woods to Morgan. Had a dis- agreeable time. 3. Read. Afternoon preached from Acts viii : 8. Rode to Austinburgh and tarried with Mr. Badger.^ Quite cold. ' With whom he boarded when preaching mon in the earlier years. But Mr. Robbins, in Haddam, Ct. a Congregationalist, had not been brought ^ How far Mr. Robbins came toward ac- in contact with it. quiescing in this feature of those Western ' .See previous note on Mr. Badger. In revivals, he has not exactly told us. He has addition it should be said, that he was the previously told us that he never saw anything first Congregational missionary on the Con- of the kind until he met with it in Western necticut Reserve. He left New England, Pennsylvania in 1S03. He might have seen Nov. 15, 1800, and after a hard journey it in New England among the Methodists. reached the Reserve the last of December. It was very common in their camp-meetings. His first preaching service was at Youngs- and in their church meetings twenty years town, Ohio, the last Sabbath of December, later in New England, and probably was com- 1800. He says : 222 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1804. 4. Rode to Morgan. The creeks now generally hard frozen. 5. Preached from Jude xi and 2 Kings iv: 6, last clause. Pretty full meeting. At evening attended a conference. Some violently exercised. 6. Helping the people here to fix upon a place for a public ground. Visited families. Tarried with my old friend Battell. 7. Rode to Austinburgh, Capt. Austin's. Preached from Rom. xiii : 11. At ev'ening attended a conference. 8. Cold and rainy. Wrote. Walked out and visited. Read. This a very flourishing and respectable neighborhood. 9. Rode to the south part of the town. Afternoon and evening, by the assistance of Mr. Badger and three or four members of the church, composed a Confession of Faith and Covenant and Articles of Practice for the churches in this county. May God grant that they may be long useful to these churches. 10. Wrote. Preached from 2 Tim. ii : ig. At evening attended a con- ference. Quite cold. 11. Worked some with the people building a large bridge. Rode to the north part of the town. Visited some families. 12. Preached from Luke xvi : 5 and i John iv: i. People very solemn, some much affected. At evening attended a conference. 13. Visited a school. Wrote considerably. Rode to Morgan. 14. Visited. Afternoon worked considerably helping the people here to clear a piece of ground for public uses. 15. Walked out. Afternoon preached from Rom. xi : iS, first clause. At evening attended a conference. People quite attentive. 16. Rode to Austinburgh. Very pleasant weather. Afternoon preached from Matt, xiii: 11. Read the account of the deliverance of New Orleans to the United States Commissioners. 17. Rode to Harpersfield.' Afternoon preached from i Cor. ii : 10, last clause. In one part of this settlement the work of grace this winter has been very great. The other part very stupid. 18. Visited a school and several families. The snow appears to be wast- ing away by the gentle heat of the sun. 19. Full meeting and quite solemn. Preached from Gen. vi : 3 and Zech. ix : 12. Quite tired. Had a turn of sickness. 20. There has been considerable opposition to the work of God here, but " I had now entered the great field where Mr. Badger organized the first church on I was to preach and visit from house to the Connecticut Reserve in October, iSoi, at house. There were no regular roads from Austinburg, Trumbull County. lie took his place to place, and the marks of intercourse family to Ohio for permanent settlement in were not very plain. The communication to 1802, and Mr. Robbins was appointed his the lake settlements was not then opened. assistant in 1S03. The winter and spring I spent in the south, ' Harpersfield is the town next west of visiting and preaching to all, or nearly all the Austinburg, in the northwesterly part of Ash- settlements in that part of the Reserve. In tabula County. Its name was given in honor June, as soon .ts the waters were fordable, I of Capt. James Harper, one of the surveyors visited the more interior settlements." who laid out these townships. 1804.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 223 I hope he will overrule it for good. Conversed with several people about the erection of a public house for meetings. Rode to Morgan. At evening preached from John iv: 19. The work of grace here appears lamentably declining. 21. Rode to Gustavus. Verj' bad riding. Not very well. 22. Wrote considerably. Afternoon preached from John iv • 15. But three families in this town. We have had ver)' pleasant weather for near a fortnight ; it now comes on cold. 23. Quite cold. Roads very icy. Rode to Smithfield. People appear to receive me affectionately. 24. Assisted some people in measuring a piece of ground for public uses.' At evening preached from 2 Kings iv : 6. People much disposed to attend meetings. 25. Yesterday began a letter to Rev. Mr. Flint, of Hartford, Ct. Rode to Hartford. Assisted some people in measuring a piece of ground for public uses. Visited. 26. Meeting very full and attentive. Preached from i Cor. ii : 10 and Phil, ii : 12, 13. At evening attended a conference. People very inquisitive. 27. Rode to Smithfield. Worked with the people clearing their public ground. Assisted the church in examining three young men for communion. They appear ver\- well. Preached in the evening from Rev. xxii : 20, last clause. Meeting verj- serious. 28. Rode to Hartford. Visited. Worked some with the people on their public ground. I think it will be a prett}- handsome place. 29. Rode to Vienna. Preached from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. Baptized a child of parents formerly members of a church in Pennsylvania. The first time I ever administered the ordinance.^ March. 1. Assisted the people in measuring out a piece of public ground and working on it. Visited some families. 2. Rode to Hubbard.' Ver}- good riding. Visited. This town contains more than sixt}' families. Quite cold. 3. Received an excellent letter from my father. Extreme cold. Read newspapers. Visited families. 4. Yesterday and today the coldest days we have had this winter. A good number of people attended meeting for such a severe season. Preached from Acts xvii : 31. last clause, and 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. At evening walked out. After meeting conversed with a number of Methodists. V Mv horse has received a bad wound. Weather moderates. Rode to ' This helpfulness of Mr. Robbins in all brought to him in Pennsylvania, whose par- ways would increase his influence for good ents wished him baptized on the Half-Way among the people, especially in a new coun- Covenant plan, try where everything was in the rough. ^ Hubbard is the southeastern town in ^ He did not, therefore, baptize the child the present Trumbull Coimty. 224 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1804. Coitsville.' Tarried with Rev. Mr. \Vick.° He quite agreeable. At e\ening preached from Luke .\vi : 5. 6. Rode to Youngstown and to Warren. Pretty tired. Tlie court-house ' in the town was burnt last week. Streams quite low. 7. Visited. Wrote. Most of the people here appear to think higlily of the work of grace now in this country. Read newspapers. 8. Wrote to Rev. Mr. Strong, of Hartford. Had company. 9. Wrote. Walked out. At evening preached from Heb. i : 2. People attend meeting very well. 10. Wrote to Dr. Wilcox, Hartland, and Elisha Whittlesey, Danbury, Ct. Visited. Read newspapers. Conversed upon the present work of grace in the country. 11. Preached from i Cor. ii : 10 and Gen. vi : 3. Meeting quite full and attentive. 12. Had company. Conversed considerably with some Baptists. Wrote considerably. Rainy. Very bad going. 13. Began a letter to my parents. The county court began their session in this town. Considerably unwell. 14. Attended at the session of the court. Litigation very little prevalent in this county. A Masonic Lodge about to be installed here. Received a request from their committee to deliver them an address tomorrow. Mr. Badger came and tarried with me.* 15. Last night considerable snow fell. Afternoon met with the Masons and delivered to them a public discourse, taking for my guide 2 Pet. i : 3. Mr. Badger and I dined with them. 16. At my request the court authorized me to perform marriages.^ Re- ceived five dollars from the Masons with their thanks. Mr. Badger and I attended the church here, and they adopted the Confession of Faith, Covenant, and Articles of Practice which we lately drew up. They also chose me their moderator. On the loth inst. the church at Smithfield chose me their moder- ator and pastor. At evening Mr. Badger preached at a meeting which I had appointed. The first sermon I have heard'' since I have been in the country. 17. On the 14th received a letter from my sister Sally. Quite feeble. Finished my letter to my parents. Assisted in writing a notification of the incorporation of trustees for a college in this count}',' which was sent to Con- necticut for publication. ' Coitsville is tlie town next south of IIul)- ' That subject belonged to the civil law, bard, the northeast town of tlie present Ma- and the right to perform marriages must be honing County taken from Trumbull County. conferred by the civil authority. " Mr. Wick was a Presbyterian minister, ^ That is, on the Connecticut Reserve, as there were, at that time, no Congregational He heard preaching several times while pass- ministers on the Reserve except Mr. Badger ing through Pennsylvania, and Mr. Robbins. ' The plan for a college in that county ' Warren, it will be remembered, was the was not then carried into effect. Afterward shire town of Trumbull County. the first college in New Connecticut was * These things were passing at Warren Western Reserve College, founded 1826. where he had his home. This is now removed to Cleveland, Ohio. l804.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 225 18. Very bad going. Preached from 2 Cor. x: 4 and Zech. ix : 12. Con- versed with some persons about making a profession of religion. 19. Visited several families. Warm. Waters very high. Read Gen. Tracy's' very able speech on the alteration of the Constitution. Visited ? school. 20. Rode to Poland. Very bad riding. Tarried with Mr. Fowler." 21. Visited families. Difficulties attend ecclesiastical regulations here Hope they may be got over. 22. Rode to Boardman and Canfield. People appear anxious to have me visit and preach with them. Waters very high and difficult to be crossed. 23. Returned to Poland. Attended a society meeting. Some of the people are disposed to give an immediate call to a minister. I took pains to prevent it. 24. Wrote considerably. Preached from Rom. x: i. The Pennsylvania churches are on a pretty poor foundation as to sentiments, modes, or numbers. 25. Preached from 2 Cor. x: 4 and Luke xvi : 5. The serious' among the Pennsylvanians I think pay less regard to the Sabbath as holy time than is done in New England. The greater part of New England people in this county pretty loose characters.* 26. Attended a society meeting. They voted to apply to the Presbytery for Mr. Pittinger' to settle with them for part of the time. The more think- ing people oppose it, as he has preached but five times in the town. I think it will be attended with bad consequences. Assisted the people in laying out a piece of ground, forty rods by sixteen, for public uses. They are not very well agreed. 27. Traded. 6.00. Rode to Hartford. Very bad riding. Quite warm. The snow appears likely to go off by warm dry weather, which is a great favor. It is now nearly gone. Waters quite high. A little before I got to Hartford, I hurt my horse by his running a large stick into his thigh ; he is now very lame. At evening married two young persons. The first I ever did.^ 28. Rode to Smithfield. The awakening here I fear is declining. 29. Wrote. Preached to a few people from Rom. x : i. At night quite a hard rain. People receive me affectionately. • 30. Visited. Rode to Hartford. The work of God appears to remain in a few instances with great power. My horse very lame. Quite cool. 31. Walked to Smithfield; my horse cannot be used. Had some clothes made. Conversed with some persons much impressed. ■ Uriah Tracy, of Litchfield, Ct., a native ' Serious minded people, of Franklin, Ct., born 1754, graduated at ■* This entry divides the bad things pretty Yale, 1778; for quite a number of years evenly between the Pennsylvanians and the member of United States Congress and Sen- New Englanders. ate, died July 19, 1807, at Washington, D. C, ^ Rev. Nicholas Pittinger, having charge and was the first person buried in the Con- of churches at Poland and Westfield. gressional burying-ground. ' His license from the county court, per- ' Jonathan Fowler, who emigrated to Ohio mitting him to perform the marriage cere- from Wallingford, Ct. mony, used for the first time. 226 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1804. ArRiL. 1. Preached from 2 Cor. x: 4 and Gen. xxviii : 20, 21. Admitted three young men into the church. This ciiurch adopted the Confession, Covenant, and Articles ' which we drew up at Austinburgh, February 9th. At evening attended a conference ; quite serious. 2. Considerably unwell. May the Lord strengthen me according to my need. Wrote considerably. Conversed closely with a family on tiie duty of family prayer. 3. Rode to Kinsman and performed a marriage.^ Very bad riding. Returned to Smithfield. 4. Rode to Gustavus and performed a marriage.^ Got something wet with rain. Returned to Smithfield. Received for these two marriages two dollars. 5. Rode to Hartford. Visited. Conversed with several persons under serious impressions. At evening preached from John vii : 34. A serious meeting. A pretty hard thunder-shower. 6. Procured a horse to ride, mine being unfit for use. Rode to Vienna. Keeping for horses very scarce. Rainy. 7. Worked with the people at their public ground in the center of the town. Visited. 8. Preached from Matt, xviii : 3 and Luke xv: 17. People here appear very stupid and unfeeling. Much troubled with stomach sickness. 9. Set out to go to Greensburgh^ to attend the session of the Erie Pres- bytery. Rode into Pennsylvania. Got considerably wet with rain. 6. 10. Rode to Greensburgh. Set with the Presbytery. They are much crowded with business. In this Presbytery are fifteen ministers. They appear to be pious men, but have very little learning and still less knowledge of mankind. They are generally near and past middle life, and but two that have preached as long as I have.* 11. An application was made by the congregation at Poland for leave to present a call to the Presbytery of Ohio for Mr. Pittinger.' I opposed it in a particular statement of facts which relate to the matter. It however passed with some opposition. Should it finally succeed I think the consequences will be unhappy. 12. The Presbytery concluded their session. Wrote to the moderator of the Presbytery of Ohio. There was an exhibition of the Academy in this ' Mr. Badger and Mr. Robbins drew up •* He reached Greensburgh on the sec- this plan to be used in the founding of ond day, and the statement which he makes churches. They were ecclesiastical pioneers is quite instructive as to the character and and organizers on the Reserve. ciualifications of the ministers in this part ' He is in a new country, with a good pro- of the country. These men, as a rule, took portion of young people, and marriages are up the business of preaching late in life, and increasing. without much special training for their pro- ' Greensburgh, it will be remembered, is feasion. the shire town of Westmoreland County, ' This Rev. Nicholas Pittingcr Is a min- Pcnn., and is forty or fifty miles away from ister who is not traceable in the college the place where he then was. catalogues. 1804.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 227 town. The performances were barely tolerable. Many things quite indeli- cate, and a great mixture of religion with things very different. Left Greens- burgh and rode five miles. 13. Rode to Poland and Boardman." Considerably unwell. The ground dries very fast. 14. Read newspapers. Wrote considerably. Rode to Canfield. Mr. Fowler,^ at Poland, had a large house raised. 15. Quite warm. Preached from Luke .\vi : 5 and Luke xv : 17. Quite unwell. Some unhappy disturbances in this place. 16. Visited families. Tried to provide some way to heal the difficulties existing here. Read newspapers. 17. Wrote to my father. Last night a very hard rain. Preached from Rom. x: i. People here tr)'ing to establish a fund for the support of a minister. 18. Visited families. Quite warm. Conversed with people about forming into a church in this town. 19. Rode to Hubbard. The Mahoning ' higher than any time this year. People generally beginning to plow. 20. Rode out and visited. Great numbers of families are coming into this county from below. Visited a school. 21. Wrote. Rainy. Visited a school. Preached from John iv : 15. 22. Much affected with stomach sickness. Preached from Luke xvi : 5, 15 and XV : 17. Afternoon asked Mr. Smith, a Methodist preacher living in this town, to make the first prayer.* 23. Worked with the people here clearing a piece of public ground twenty- six rods square. Rode to Liberty.' 24. Rode to Canfield. Waters very high. The riding in this country not so bad as in many parts of Connecticut in a wet season. 25. Began a letter to Mr. Flint, of Hartford. Afternoon with Mr. Badger attended a meeting of a number of people here,' on the subject of forming into a church. Mr. B. preached. 26. Rainy. Examined several persons who offered themselves for church- members. Visited. 27. Afternoon preached from Gen. xxviii : 20, 21. After which the church was regularly organized, consisting of three men and six women. May the great Head of the Church have it under his holy protection. Finished my letter to Mr. Flint. Considerably unwell. ' With the start of five miles the night * This was such an instance of denomina- before he made the rest of the journey back tional charity and courtesy it was fit it should the next day. be recorded. ' Mr. Jonathan Fowler, who seems to have ' Liberty is one of the southern tier of been a man of enterprise, and of considerable towns in the present Trumbull County. It property. is the second from the Pennsylvania line, ^ Mahoning River seems to have given Hubbard being on that line, the name to the county which was afterwards ' That is, in the town of Canfield, where formed. one of the early churches in Ohio was formed. 228 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1804. 28. Visited. Rode to Poland. The Presbytery of Ohio approbated the call put in by the people here for Mr. Pittinger," and he has accepted. I think the consequence may be disagreeable. Rainy. 29. Preached from i Cor. ii : lo and 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. People appear pretty stupid in regard to the excellency and spirit of religion. 30. Received a letter from the clerk of the Ohio Presbytery. Traded. 1.50. Rode to Hartford. After a long turn of backward wet weather, we have now settled spring weather. May. 1. Rode to Smithfield and returned. My horse, which I left here some- time since on account of lameness, has got well. At evening preached from Rom. X : i. The awakening here appears to be declining. 2. Visited. Rode to Vienna. Attended the raising of a house. The first frame erected in the town." Warm. 3. Rode to Warren. Very warm for the season. Attended a meeting, heard a Baptist^ minister preach. Assisted in the exercise. Received a letter from Mr. Badger. 4. Received a letter from my parents. It appears that the past winter in New England has been very severe. A very great quantity of snow. Quite equal to the year 1780. Wrote. Very hot summer weather. 5. Wrote to my parents. Visited. Read newspapers. In the late election in Connecticut, Democracy appears to have gained a little.' 6. Preached in the forenoon from Luke xv : 17. Afternoon Mr. Smith, a Baptist minister, preached, after which he baptized three persons in the river. In the forenoon I baptized a child. Some rain. 7. Visited families. Attended a military election for the choice of com- missioned officers. The militia in this State is now about to be organized. Electioneering common in this country for all offices.' 8. Rode to Smithfield. A very warm day. A very growing season. Wheat on the ground appears exceeding well. 9. A framed barn in this neighborhood was burnt by accident. Walked out. Worked on some of my things.'' 10. Worked on some of my things. Visited families. Rode to Hartford. Vegetation comes on very fast. ' Rev. Nicholas Pittinger remained here der a Plan of Union, which made them, in from his settlement in 1804 till 18 10. a certain sense, one. ' This reveals the new state of tlie coun- * The Democratic parly being in power try, and helps us to a conception of the con- at Washington, it was but natural that the ditions under which Mr. Robbins was prose- opposition to Democracy in Connecticut outing his work. lie was now enduring should weaken a little, "hardness as a good soldier." ' In his native State he had not then been ' Already we have had glimpes of four used to this. Christi.in denominations working on this gen- ' These were articles for his comfort and cral (icld, Presbyterians, Congrcgationalists, convenience at his lodgings. He was natur- Baptists, and Methodists. The Congregation- ally ingenious and could turn his hand to alists and Presbyterians were working im- mechanism. l804.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CON'XECTICUT. 229 11. Rode out and visited. Afternoon preaclied a sacramental lecture from Luke xxii : 19, last clause. Assisted the church in examining four per- sons for communion. 12. Rode out. Afternoon preached from John xiv : 6. Fires run con- siderably. 13. Preached to a large assembly from Prov. i : 24, 25, 26 and Zech. ix : 12. Administered the holy sacrament. Was much affected. The season was very solemn and I hope comforting to God's people. Admitted four young women into the church. Baptized a child. Some formerly Norfolk people present from Austinburgh. At evening attended a conference. Con- siderably unwell. The awakening here appears to be declining. 14. Assisted some people in looking out a road. They are not very well agreed. Hope I did them some good. Raining. Wrote. 15. Rode to Smithfield. Considerably unwell. Visited families. Visited a school. At night quite rainy. 16. Rode to Hubbard. Preached from John xiv : 6. Some people appear quite serious. 17. Rode to Canfield. Preached a sacramental lecture from Luke xxii: 19. Quite feeble. Few people attend lectures. 18. Rode to China.' Preached from John xiv: 6. The settlement new ; people generally attended. 19. Returned to Canfield. Received an Almanack, sent from home by mail. Read newspapers. Visited. Serious contentions in this town. 20. Preached from Prov. i : 24, 25, 26 and Zech. ix : 12. Administered the sacrament of the supper. A large number of people. All tarried at the sacra- ment, by desire. Several Pennsylvania people joined with us in communion. 21. Visited families. Read. Rainy. Last night a hard thunder-shower. Quite warm. 22. Set out to go to Pittsburgh. Rode to Poland. A very hard rain. Vegetation conies on very fast. 23. Rode to Greensburgh."^ Verj' wet riding. Waters very high and diffi- cult crossing. Tarried at Mr. Hughes's. 24. Had company on the way. Rode to Beaver and onward towards Pitts- burgh. From Beaver ' to Pittsburgh,* on the north side of the river, the road not passable for teams, and but few settlements. The militia in this country very ordinary-. The land near the river quite mountainous. On the 22d finished reading the New Testament in course, which I began Sept. 24, 1803. 25. Rode to Pittsburgh. Two men drowned here yesterday. Was out ' There seems to be no town now in Ohio Ohio, and not the place in Westmoreland of the name of China, and it may be that this County, Penn., to which attention has been name then designated a locality rather than a before called. town. The diary says the place was new. ' Beaver, shire town of Beaver County, All places then were new in that region, but Penn. that was new in a special sense. * From Beaver to Pittsburgh, following ' This is Greensburgh, Trumbull County, Ohio River, from twenty-five to thirty miles. 230 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBIMS, D.D. [1804. with the people looking for the bodies which could not be found. Rode to Elizabethtown ' in the Forks of Yohogany. 26. Rode to Col. Perry's.' Find many acquaintances. Rode to the lower meeting-house. The people met to begin the exercises of a sacramental occasion.' Preached from Luke .\vi : 5. Mr. McPherin * and Mr. Snow, ministers and a candidate, present. 27. The work of divine grace appears wonderfully expelled here by party contentions and animosities. Not so many people as at the sacrament last fall. But little bodily exercise. Near two hundred communicants. Three tables. I administered the last. At evening attended a praying meeting. 28. Preached from Prov. i : 24, 25, 26. The people appear to be in an unhappy, captious state, about ministers and serious things. The enemy appears to have great hold in all the congregations in this vicinity. 29. Rode to the upper congregation. Visited friends. Tarried at Col. Brewer's. 30. Visited. Warm and showery. The people here contending about the settlement of a minister. Read. 31. Wrote. Very warm. Preached in the meeting-house from Rom. x: i. Tarried with Dr. Smith. Shower}'. JUNB. 1. A very great prospect of fruit of all kinds. Wheat likely to be consid- erably injured in these parts by the fly. Rode out. At evening had a long discourse with several people on original sin and universal atonement and invitations.' The serious people here are generally attached to the literal meaning and terms of the Westminster Confession and Catechisms. They are particularly alarmed at new terms. 2. Visited Mrs. Smith, widow of the late minister.' A New England school-master here, doing very well. 3. Preached from Acts xvii : 31 and from i Thess. v: 25. The after- noon discourse was very solemn and afl'ecting to me and the people. Quite tired. Had some bad turns of stomach sickness. 4. Rode to Pigeon Creek, Washington County.' Attended at Mr. Gwin's sacramental occasion. A large collection of people. Considerably more than • In Lancaster County, Pcnn. Christ and be saved. The old school peo- ' Who greatly befriended him in his sick- pie of that time held that Christ died only ness. for an elect number. Mr. Robbins held to ' It was for this that the long journey was strong doctrine, but trained under New Eng- undertakcn. land divines he rejected the doctrine of lim- * There were two Presbyterian ministers ited atonement. at tliat time of this family name, though the ' Rev. David .Smith. name is wrongly spelled in the diary. These ' Washington County, Penn., was next were Rev. John McPherrin and Thomas Mc- south of Alleghany County, of which Pitts- Pherrin. We do not know which of these burg was shire town. It was a journey of two were present on that occasion. thirty miles perhaps from the one meeting to ' Universal invitations to men to come to the other. l804.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 23 1 at the Forks last sacrament. Preached from Luke xv : 17. After the exer- cise, a great deal of falling and noise. Though the work is sensibly on the decline, through the countr)', there is reason to fear a spirit of contention will succeed. After the e.\ercise, rode to Mr. McMillan's and tarried. 5. Had the misfortune not to see Mr. McMillan." He is leader of the ministers, this side of the mountains. Rode to Canonsburgh, called on Mr. Dunlap," the president of the college.' This college has about fifty students. But I think it is a poor place for education, and ever will be. Rode to Pitts- buro-h. Very hot. The bodies of the two men who were drowned have since been found and buried. 6. Traded. 18.77. 2.50 of which for primers to be given on my mission in the name of the Missionary Society. Got some articles of medicine. Rode to Beaver, alias Mcintosh. 7. Rode to Canfield. There has been a great deal of rain in this quarter for two or three weeks past. Muddy riding. 8. Rode to Smithfield. Much fatigued with my journey. Have had company from Pittsburgh. 9. Very hot. Wrote. Fixed my things. Wrote to Mrs. Steele, Forks of Yough, and to Mr. Asa Lane, Warren. Wearied with my journey. 10. Rode to Kinsman and preached from Heb. i: 2 and 2 Tim. iv : 7-8. Full meeting. This is a respectable settlement. 11. Walked out and visited. Could not find my horse. Walked to Smith- field. Assisted at the raising of a barn. My horse brought to me at evening. 12. Rode to Hartford. Tried to settle some differences about a road.'' Rainy. My horse quite lame. Walked to Smithfield and preached from Matt, xxvi : 42. A serious meeting. 13. Considerably unwell. Wrote records for the church here. Walked over the creek and back ; a valuable and pleasant part of the town. 14. Visited. Conversed considerably with two Methodist preachers, occa- sionally in town. One of them preached. I think they will get but little encouragement here. Rode to Hartford and preached from Matt, xxvi : 1-6. 15. Set out to go to Meadville,' in Pennsylvania. Quite rainy. Rode about twenty miles, tarried at a private house. Very wet and bad riding. 8. 16. Rode to Meadville. Kindly welcomed by Mr. Stogdon.' People were waiting to go into meeting. Preached immediately from Acts viii : 8. ' This Rev. John McMillan, though of ' Meadville, the shire town of Crawford large influence, does not seem to have been County, Penn., one of the Pennsylvania coun- a man of college education, but he was prob- ties bordering on Ohio. It was about forty ably the father of Rev. John McMillan, D. D., miles from his home at Warren, Ohio, to graduated at Jefferson College, 1S07, and Meadville, Penn. afterwards professor of theology in that in- <■ We think that Mr. Robbins must have stitution. mistaken this name, writing it by sound - Rev. James Dunlap, president of Jeffer- rather than by knowledge of the true spell- son College, 1803-1811. ing. The only Presbyterian minister we can 3 Jefferson College, founded at Canons- find that seems to justify this entry is Rev. burgh, Washington County, Penn.. 1802. Joseph Stockton. With a slight difference * A minister in a new country has to make in pronunciation it might easily be spelled him.'self generally useful. Stogdon. 232 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBDINS, D.D. [■8o4- Kindly and handsomely entertained. This is the largest town in the State this side of the Alleghany River. 17. Attended meeting at a tent on the bank of the French Creek. A large and respectable collection of people. Mr. Stogdon preached in the forenoon, and I in the afternoon from Luke xv : 17. I served the tables and administered to the first and third ; he at the second. There were about sixty communicants. We were obliged to suspend the e.xercises awhile, after serving the tables, on account of the rain. I was also stopped in the midst of the afternoon sermon, and the congregation moved to the court-house where the e.\ercises were finished. A very solemn occasion." 18. Many respectable and wealthy people in this town. Received several marks of kindness and gratitude. A valuable jacket pattern was given me. Rainy. Preached in the court-house, from Acts xvii : 31. People quite attentive and serious through the whole occasion; but no bodily exercise. Rode home with Mr. Stogdon. Mr. Galbreth, a candidate, with us. 19. Rode to Hartford. From Meadville, about thirty-five miles. Warm and showery. 20. Rode to Smithfield. Visited. Wrote. A hard shower. Had ap- pointed and expected to preach, but was prevented by the rain. On the iSth eat green peas. On the 12th at Smithfield, after preaching, baptized a woman and two children. On the 14th at Hartford, after preaching, bap- tized a young woman. These two adults were admitted into the church May 13th, but their baptism then was forgotten. 21. Wrote records for this church. Worked on some of my tilings. Visited. 22. Visited several families. Visited a school, very well regulated and instructed, particularly in the catechism.^ Rode to Hartford. 23. Had some clothes made. Very warm. Rode to Liberty. Bad riding. It has been a very rainy season. It has rained the most of the days for about six weeks. 24. Had appointed to preach at Youngstown. Rode there and found Mr. Badger, in consequence of an arrangement between him and Mr. Wick. I then rode to Hopewell and preached for Mr. Wick and he preached at Hubbard.' 2. 25. Set out with Mr. Badger and Mr. Wick' to go to the session of the Presbyter)', about twenty-five miles in Pennsylvania.' Very warm. 26. Met with the Presbytery, quite agreeable. Rainy. These ministers are generally opposed to Hopkinsiaii divinity,' but think of it more favorably than heretofore. ' ' By Mr. Robbins's attendance so many ' An arrangement which tnrned Itself in- times upon these sacramental occasions, we to what ministers call a triple exchange, gain quite a clear conception of the nature ■* Rev. William Wick, of these services. ' This was not a sacramental occision, ' By this it appears that the Assembly's but a ministers' meeting. Catechism was taught in the schools of Ohio, ^ The Hopkinsian divinity was the New as well as in those of Connecticut. England new school theology of that day. 1804.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 233 27. Had a particular discussion in the Presbytery of the question of a man's marrying his brother's wife. The Presbytery decided against it. After- noon preached from Heb. ii : 30. After which set out with Mr. Badger and Mr. Wick on our return. Last Sabbath preached from Heb. i : 2 and Matt. xxvi : 42. 28. Returned to Mr. VVicli's. Very tired. Read Hopkins's System^ 29. Sent money to Mr. Badger, $15.25. On the 15th sent to Mr. W. Jones, of Hartford, $5.00. Rode to Canfield. 30. Very warm weatlier. Wrote to Mr. Pittinger, preaching at Poland. A tliunder-shower. July. 1. Preached from Heb. i: 2 and Matt, xxvi: 42. People pretty attent- ive. Serious people here apprehensive of inroads by Methodists. 2. Wrote to Mr. Hezekiah Howe, New Haven, Ct. Cool for the sea- son. 3. Visited several families. Afternoon rode to Deerfield." The most of the people here Methodists. A Methodist church has been formed here for some time. 4. Conversed and disputed some with Bostwick, the Methodist preacher. I fear he is a dangerous character.' Rode to Rootstown." Tarried with Esq. Root' from Hartford. 5. Last night a very hard shower. Rode to Hudson.' The bridge over tlie Cuyahoga quite a curiosity. Very warm. The roads very muddy. 6. Wrote to Mrs. Brainerd, of Haddam. I believe the hottest weather we have had this season. Rode out. 7. Wrote the records of the church ' in this town in a new book I brought for them. Afternoon preached from Acts viii : 8. Excessive hot. 8. The people not very generally out at meeting. I have a good church. Preached from Heb. i : 2 and Matt, xxvi : 42. Almost overcome with the heat. 9. Wrote on the church records. Wrote to my parents. Showery. For five days past the weather has been excessive hot. ID. Began a letter to Mr. Flint, of Hartford. On the 8th began to read the New Testament in course. Visited a school. Catechised the children. II. Wrote. Rode out and visited. Valuable mills lately burnt here. ' After the discussions at the meeting of ' Rootstown is also in Portage County, Presbytery, he is refreshing his mind on the nearer the center of the county, points of the Hopkinsian system. = Ephraim Root, Esq., from Hartford, Ct., " Deerfield is in Portage County, the next who gave the name probably to the town. county west of Trumbull. Deerfield is the ' Hudson is now in Summit County, which southeast town of Portage County. was formed later, but was then in Portage ^ It was hard for a Congregationalist or a County. Presbyterian of that day to do even and ex- ' The church in Hudson was organized in act justice to a Methodist, though we know 1802, and remains Congregational to this nothing of the merits of this particular case. day. 234 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1804. People generally haying. A great crop of grass. Read Hunter's' Sacred Biography. \2. Visited families. This very troublesome. Roads quite wet. After- noon preached from Acts vii : 34. I hope there are several serious people here, but they appear dull and worldly. 13. Rode through the woods to Cleveland. ° Tarried with Esq. Kingsbur)-.' This the oldest settlement in the count)'. 14. Rode out with Col. Huntington.'' Went to the mouth of the Cuya- hoga. A very pleasant situation, commanding an extensive prospect of the lake. The people rather loose in principles and conduct. 15. The morning rainy. Had a pretty full meeting. The people gen- erally quite attentive. The most of them have not heard a sermon or a prayer in eighteen months.' Preached from Acts viii : 8 and Luke .\v : 17. 16. Rode into Euclid' and back. Visited families. People generally anxious to have me visit them again. 17. Rode to Hudson. Visited families. My health quite good. Mr. Bostwick, the Methodist, preached here today. He had but few hearers. A little before I got to Hudson I killed a very large yellow rattlesnake. 18. Visited. Some people here and at Cleveland sick with the fever and ague. Rode to Aurora.' Wrote. 19. Rainy. Finished my letter to Mr. Flint.' Wrote to Mr. Strong,' of Hartford. Preached from Heb. i : 2. 20. This is the anniversary of my ordination. Rode to Nelson.' In Hiram '° visited a man very sick with the bite of a rattlesnake. Settlements in this part of the county very small. 21. Wrote to Dr. Wilcox, of Hartland. Visited a small school. Visited families. 'Rev. Henry Hunter, a Scotch clergy- at Paincsville, Ohio, July 7, 1817. This Sam- man, born 1741. uel Huntington, though son of Dr. Joseph, " Cleveland is in Cuyahoga County on was the adopted son of Gov. Samuel Hunt- the lake shore. In 1804, when Mr. Robbins ington, of Norwich, Ct. was there, there were only a few fainilies in ' There was no church organized then in the place. In 1810, the jiopulation was 547. Cleveland. In 1880, it was 160,146. This place took its ' Euclid, a few miles from Cleveland, in name from Gen. Moses Cleveland, of Canter- the northeast corner of Cuyahoga County, bury, Ct, one of the chief men in the early ' Aurora is the northwest town of Portage days of New Connecticut. County. Mion. James Kingsbury, "The Judge," 'These communications of his to Drs. as he was called, was born in Norwich, Ct., Flint and Strong were in the nature of offi- Dec. 29, 1767. When young his parents re- cial reports to them as officers of the Con- moved to Alstead, N. II., where he grew up, neclicut Missionary Society. Several of them married, and from that place emigrated to were published in the fourth, fifth, and sixth Ohio in 1796, settling at Cleveland. volumes of the Connecticut /;Vvas graduated at Yale College in 1785, County. went to t)hio in 1801, was made Chief-Jus- '"Hiram, in I'ortage County, next town ticc of the State, Governor 1808-iSii, died west of Nelson. l8o4.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 235 22. Preached from Luke xvi : 5 and Matt, xxvi : 42. There are but seven families in this town.' 23. Rode through the woods to Warren. At evening preached from Acts iv: 27, 28. The people here appear fond of being visited by missionaries. Received a letter from my cousin S. P. Robbins (now a missionary on the Susquehanna), my father, and one from my brother James. Received one from Mr. Flint, of Hartford, informing me that I am appointed a missionar)' for another year. 24. Rode to Hartford. Weather very cool for the season. People gen- erally harvesting. The grain grew large, but it is injured by being lodged down, and not verj' well filled. 25. In the morning felt considerably unwell. Expected to ride to Canfield today, but am unable. Kept about all day, but quite drooping. Afternoon preached from Matt, xxvi: 39, latter part. At night quite sick. July 26. I was more unwell, my disorder of a bilious kind, and I was persuaded I should have a turn of sickness, but expected it would con- tinue but a few days, like a turn I had September, 1802. I sent for a physician and was bled copiously, and took physic. The next day I was worse;'' afternoon a very distressing weariness, with a high fever and consid- erable derangement of mind. At night had a watcher, for the first time since I can remember. Dr. Wright, my physician, was very attentive ; his applications I believe were very judicious, and I was treated with the best care by attendants. But Heaven destined for me a pretty severe fit of sickness. I believe I constantly grew worse through the month. On the 30th I had an intermission, and appeared to myself and others much better. But my disorder soon returned with violence. My fever high, my nights were very restless. August. At the beginning of the month my disorder continued to rage constantly with increasing violence. My fever ran high and my nights were verj' rest- less and tedious. My mind was much affected and at times quite deranged, so that I can remember but little that passed. Excepting the restlessness of the fever, I had but little pain. My physician, attendants, and watchers paid the most faithful attention, and I had, perhaps, as good accommodations as I could have had at home. I did not suppose at any time that I should die with this disorder, still, for a few days I considered my case very critical and began to think of death, so far as my feeble mind would admit, in earnest. It appeared to me more of a reality and more solemn than ever before. But I trust I derived much support and consolation in the con- sideration of the universal and perfect government of God. My fever formed no regular crisis, but it appeared to break about the fifth or si.xth instant. ' Hiram. notes. In the present case, from his condi- ^ This matter of bleeding, which was ac- tion the next day, it may fairly be questioned cording to the common medical practice of whether the bleeding did not work him in- that time, has been referred to in previous jury. 236 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBIXS, D.D. [1804. and from that time gradually to wear away. On the fifth. Mr. Badger and Capt. Case came to see me, and I was much comforted by the visit. I sent for Mr. B. three days previous. For the first week after my fever declined I gained but very little. My weakness was very great, the heat of the season was so extreme, that I was but barely supported for many days. The second week I gained some strength and sat up a little every day. I had a supply of good port wine, which was of great benefit. Such fruit as could be obtained was brought me constantly. I had watchers steadily for about three weeks. Being taken care of by experienced persons in sickness and confiding in their directions, I believe I had as few poor turns in my recovery as most any one that is brought so low. The third week of my recover)' I got strength sufficient to go out. I paid Dr. Wright for his attendance in my sickness, thirteen dollars. I paid for wine, two gallons, seven dollars. One or two articles, forty cents. The people in Smithfield and Hartford, by contribution, have paid Mr. Spencer for his keeping me, twehe dollars.' 22. I was dressed, and with assistance, rode out a little distance. To- wards night the brethren of the church met here to converse upon some difficulties. I did too much. Had a poor night. 23. Poorer than yesterday. Afternoon rode out a little way. 24. Quite feeble. Set up but ver\- little. Evidently got overdone the two days past. 25. The weather excessive hot. It seems to be very difficult to gain strength at such a season. I have a very good supply of watermelons brought me. Afternoon Mr. Mills and Mr. Beech, from Austinburgh," called to see me. 26. Rode out with some assistance a little way, and attended meeting.' I lay on the bed the most of the time, but sat up and prayed, appointed the psalms, and made some observations after the reading of the sermons. The meeting was serious. I believe it did me no injury. 27. My head is very weak. I cannot bear close attention to any subject. A great number of excellent plums grow about here spontaneously. Company apt to be injurious in severe sickness.* 28. Rode out. Can ride but a little way without stopping. Rode to the lower part of Smithfield. At evening performed a marriage. Able to stand but very little. 29. Rode to Esq. Smith's. Very feeble and poor. My fatigue yesterday and my accommodations, it being the first night 1 have slept from Mr. Spencer's, were too much for my weak state. Afternoon rode back to Hart- ' It will be observed that this break, the ' It will be remembered that he is now in first which has occurred in the diary, covers the town of Hartford, where this attack nearly a month, from July :;6th to August 22d. stopped him. • Austinburgh contained a good number ' That is a general remark with a particu- of people from that part of Connecticut lar application. Hut in this case he was in vbere Mr. Robbins was born, several from too much hurry to get about his regular work his own town of Norfolk. again. l8o4.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 237 ford. Quite overdone. Rode on a side-saddle. It seemed to revive me to get Jiome. 30. Quite feeble. Afternoon visited a sick child. Rode to Esq. Brock- way's. Got too much worried. 31. Was comfortably well in the forenoon, but I think more weak than I have been. Afternoon I had a hard fit of fever and ague. The ague was severe, after which I had a high fever, which was succeeded by a copious sweating. Septbmber. 1. Sent for my physician. Took stimulant medicine to prevent fever and ague. A little of this disorder is common in this countrv' in the convalescence of a bilious fever. Returned to Mr. Spencer's. Afternoon the brethren of the church here met, and attended to some difficulties which I think will issue favorably. At evening had a moderate fit, which appeared to be much miti- gated by wine and other medicines. 2. Very weak. Sat up but very little." E.xcessive hot. Towards night was carried out a little way, rode on a pillow, and attended a funeral. At night had a slight fit. Took powerful stimulating medicines through the day. 3. Forenoon rode out a little way. Afternoon quite rainy. 4. A cool and very agreeable air. Till now the weather has been uni- formly remarkably hot for about four weeks. Began a letter to my parents. 5. Wrote. Capt. Canfield^ called to see me. I think I gain strength pretty fast. 6. Rode out. Finished my letter to my parents. Could write but a little while at a time. My head is quite weak. Received a good letter from my brother James, one from Mr. Tower, and one from Mrs. Perry at the Forks of the Yough. 7. Warm. Afternoon rode to Smithfield. I cannot be sufficiently thank- ful that I have so far recovered as to be able to ride in some measure comfortably. 8. People generally appear pleased to see me again about. Rode out. Quite warm. Read newspapers. 9. Attended meeting. Sermons were read. I performed the other exercises, and made some remarks after the sermons. I was pretty much fatigued, but I believe I received no injury. 10. Read the particulars of the fatal duel between Col. Burr and Gen. Hamilton.' Perhaps no event, saving the death of Washington, has excited such general regret and mourning in the United States as this. Rode to Hartford. ' If Mr. Robbins had been an older man, land, etc, were named after persons, while a or had had a wife of good judgment, he far larger number of names were copied from would have kept more quiet until he had re- the old Connecticut towns, like Hartford, covered strength. Farmington, Vernon, Simsburj-, Windham, ■ This Capt. Canfield, Judson Canfield, and many more, probably gave name to the town of Canfield. ' Hamilton was shot by Burr July 11, and Many of the towns on the Reserve like died the ne.\t day. This news was nearly Rootstown, Hubbard, Harpersfiekl, Clcve- two months in reaching Ohio. 238 DIARY OF RKV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1804. 11. Wrote considerably. My head is still quite weak. Read the Bible. Quite rainy. A very bad season for clearing land. 12. Rode to Smithfield. Got quite fatigued. At night had something of the fever and ague. 13. Quite poor. Much overdone by my fatigue yesterday. Rode a little way. At night had an ague and quite restless. 14. Very poor and feeble. Took pains to settle an unhappy difference between two neighbors. I hope I was successful. Had appointed to go to- day to Kinsman to examine some candidates for communion in this church, but was unable to go. Sent a notice. Received an affectionate letter from my parents. 15. Am a little better than yesterday. Afternoon rode to Hartford. 16. Attended meeting. In the afternoon preached from Heb. i : 2, the first time since my sickness.' Was obliged to keep my seat. Quite tired. 17. Rainy. Afternoon rode to Smithfield. Some expectation in this set- tlement of obtaining the college which is to be established in this county.' 18. Rode to Kinsman. Married a couple of persons. Some families here exceedingly distressed with sickness, fever, and ague.' 19. Quite a wet season. Several members of the church in Smithfield came here, and seven persons were examined and approved for admission into the church. At two marriages lately received $2.50. Rode to Smithfield. 20. Visited. Rode to Hartford. Have considerable care in providing for the sacrament. Gave Dr. \\'right an order on the Missionar}' Society for fifty dollars, thirteen I owe him for his attendance in my sickness,* for the remainder took a due bill. 21. Wrote to my mother. Had company. Considerable electioneering in the county.* 22. Rode to Smithfield. Began in the afternoon the exercises of a sacra- mental occasion. Mr. Badger preached. 23. A large collection of people ; about sixty communicants.' Admitted seven persons into the church. We had a ple.isant place in the woods. The meeting verj' attentive and solemn. I preached in the forenoon from Amos vi : I, first clau.se. Mr. Badger preached in the afternoon and evening. Very tired. Was carried through the exercises better than I expected. I adminis- tered at one table yesterday. I received a handsome Psalm Book, a present from Mrs. Ripley, of VV'hitestown. 24. Meeting most as large as yesterday. Preached from Luke xvii : 15. The meeting was dismissed about one o'clock. I hope it received the divine blessing. • He had been present at two or three Salv there for the phy.sician not to receive pay for bath services where sermons were read. attendance npon the minister. ° Wc have before had intimations of this ' This w.is the autumn for the fifth presi- dream about a college, but it was not realized dential election. for many vears. ' .So they co]jied and introduced into ' The fever and ague is the curse of new Ohio from Pennsylvania the sacramental oc- countries. casion, which w.as, to say the least, a doubt- * It seems not to have been the custom ful good. l804.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 239 25. Rode to Kinsman and back. Some families there much afflicted with the fever and ague. 26. Commenced with the people on the subject of the college, which is expected soon to be established. Rode to Hartford. 27. Set out to go to Canfield. Rode to Hubbard. Very tired, poorly able to ride. 28. Rode to Canfield. My ride, though fatiguing, I hope will do me no injury. Very kindly received. 29. Wrote to Mr. Tower, Forks of Yough. Something rainy. Afternoon attended meeting. Mr. Badger preached. Very few people attended. To- morrow is appointed for a public sacrament here. The prospect is pretty discouraging. This town in a great ferment on account of a town quarrel and the approaching election. 30. Quite cold. Held meeting in an open new house. I preached in the forenoon from Acts xxviii : 24. Mr. Badger preached the sacrament. A good number of people. Mr. B. preached in the afternoon. Some of the people quite disorderly. Concluded not to have any meeting tomorrow. There is so little prospect of having any number to attend. October. 1. Wrote to Col. Perry, now of Charlestown, Virginia. Wrote to Mr. Gilman," of Marietta. Mr. Badger set out to attend the Synod at Pittsburgh. I expected to have gone had my strength been sufficient. 2. Wrote records for the church here. Walked about half a mile. Got too much worried. 3. Wrote to Dr. West, of Stockbridge. Rode out. Great electioneering on account of the approaching election.^ • 4. Read newspapers. Began a letter to Esq. Holmes,' of Litchfield. Rode out. 5. Quite unwell. I believe I have been too attentive to business this week. 6. Rode to Boardman. Visited. Quite cool for the season. 7. Had a full and attentive meeting. Very tired. This is the first time that I have preached twice in a day since my sickness. Preached from Luke xii : 20, first clause, and Rom. x : i. 8. Visited. Many people sowing. Rode to Canfield. 9. This day is the election for State and county offices through this State.* Finished my letter to Esq. Holmes. Quite rainy. 25. ' Mr. Benjamin I. Gilman, who* mairied ^ Uriel Holmes, Esq. Hannah Robbins, of Plymouth, Mass. " This was the second Tuesday in Octo- - The Presidential Electors were then ber, 1804. As we write in the early days o£ chosen by the State Legislatures, and the October in this Presidential vear, 1SS4, the political campaign was directed l)y the par- whole country is waiting eagerly for the State ties toward securing such legislatures in the election in Ohio on the second Tuesday of: several States as should carry out their wishes. October, which this year falls October 14. 240 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1804. 10. Rode to China and preached from Luke v: 27, hist clause. Returned to Canfield. 11. Quite feeble. Visited. Several Dutch families have moved into this town.' 12. Rode out and visited. I gain strength very little. I think I am scarcely any better than I was a fortnight ago. 13. Wrote considerably. Visited a school. Rode out. 14. Preached on the doctrine of Original Sin from Rom. v: 18. People ver}' attentive. Baptized three children. The first baptisms in this town. At evening was at a singing meeting. 15. Quite rainy. Read the Bible. Visited. Many people in this town are very friendly to me. 16. Visited. Rode to Poland. Many New England families are arriving in the county." Bought apples for ten a dozen. 17. Rode out and visited. The Indian harvest rather light. Said to be owing to the wet season. Traded. 2.50. 18. Rode to Warren. I begin to ride in my usual way. A hard shower. Got something wet. Roads pretty bad. 19. For some weeks past many people have been quite sickly. Received a letter from my father. Read Boston's' Fourfold State. Rainy. Wrote. 20. Wrote to my father. Read newspapers. Walked out and visited. The late elections in Connecticut' have issued favorably. 21. Pleasant weather after a long turn of wet. Preached from Acts xxviii: 24 and from Matt. x.Kvi : 42. Quite tired. 22. Visited. Wrote to Mr. Strong, of Hartford. Something unwell. 23. Wrote to Mr. Bacon,^ a missionary lately arrived in the county. Yes- terday was requested to baptize a child of parents who made no profession. Refused. 24. Visited. Rode to Vienna. Bad riding. Wet and cold. Traded. 2.20. 25. Ten New England families have moved into this town this year. Rode out. My strength gains. 26. Read. Wrote. Visited. At evening preached a lecture from Matt, ix : 9, a clause. Quite cold. ■ As we understand it he is still making umphcd. Unfortunately in Ohio they were his home at Hartford. Democratic that year. 'Then Trumbull County, but now the s Rev. David Hacon, f.ither of the late Dr. southern part where Poland is, is a portion Leonard Bacon, lie was sent in the summer of Mahoning County. of iSoo as a missionary to the Indians and 3 Thomas Boston, a popular Scotch di- trading companies in the region of Detroit, vine, born at Dunse, Berwickshire, 1676. Mich. Were his son Leonard was born in He died May 20, 1732, at Ettrick, where he February, 1802. In 1S04 he was tranferrcd was settled in the ministry. His best known to the Western Reserve, his two-year old work is his Fourfold Slate, which was pulv boy being carried on his shoulders much of lishcd 1720. Other popuUir works of his in the way. There was a younger child, a babe their day were The Ctook in the Lot, and the of only a month old. The little family at Manmvof Mod.rn Divinity. length reached Cleveland in the fall of 1S04, * The elections in Connecticut were all after a long and wearisome journey attended right because the Federal party had tri- with great hardships. 1804.] MISSIONARY IS NEW CONNECTICUT. 24I 27. Wrote to Mr. Flint, of Hartford. 28. Prett)' full meeting. Preached from Gen. vi : 3 and Luke xvi : 5. At evening walked out. Received a letter from Dr. Wilco.x, of Hartland. 29. Worked a little all day helping to raise a log-house. At evening the people here met and conversed some on the subject of building a meeting- house. 30. Rode to Hartford. Weather quite warm and pleasant. Twelve fami- lies have lately moved into this town from Hartland,' Ct. Visited. 31. Visited. Afternoon Mr. Badger preached a lecture. My health, I think, grows better, but I am not yet at my usual state. May the Lord help me more and more. November. 1. Rode to Smithfield. There appear to have been some late instances of serious impressions here. 2. Rode to Westfield' and preached to eight persons from Matt, ix : 9. Returned to Hartford. 3. Wrote to Esq. Holmes, of Litchfield, Ct. Read the Bible. Afternoon assisted in raising a log-house. Felt, I hope, in some measure, a spirit of prayer for assistance on the approaching Sabbath. 4. Preached to a large and respectable congregation from Luke xii : 20, first clause, and from Isa. xxxv : i. Quite attentive. Ver)' good singing. Smithfield ' and Hartford together is now the largest New England settlement in the count}-. 5. Read. Afternoon assisted in raising a log-house. Worked too hard. It did me an injur)-. Rode to Smithfield. 6. Walked out and visited. At evening Mr. Badger and Mr. Bacon, our brother missionary, came here. Formed an agreeable acquaintance with Mr. Bacon.* 7. Mr. Bacon has set out to go to Connecticut on foot. He chooses to go in that way. Wrote to my parents and to Capt. Ripley, of Whitestown. Rode to Hartford. 8. Visited. Rode to Smithfield. At evening preached from Isa. vi : 9, 10. People in general here appear to accord with those doctrines which exalt God and tend to humble creatures. 9. Rode to Johnston' and preached from Heb. i : 2. Returned to Smith- ' It is likely that the letters, which for a ' This remark makes it plain that Smith- time had been passing between him and Dr. field, no longer bearing this name, was in the Wilcox, of Hartland, Ct., had reference to immediate neighborhood of Hartford, this proposed movement of Hartland families. ■'David Bacon was born in Woodstock, - Westfield seems to have been some place Ct., baptized Sept. 15, 1771, and died at near Hartford in Trumbull County, which Hartford, Ct., Aug. 27, 1S17. He was the either was not a township, or if a town, the first missionary to the Indians sent forth by name was afterward changed. There is a the Connecticut Missionary Society in 1800. Westfield in Morrow County, Ohio, more ' Johnston, named from James Johnston, than a hundred miles away from this pl- dr\- season. Last Sabbath received a man into the church. Sabbath, the 2Sth, above one hundred and fifty people were counted at meeting, belonging to Hartford and Smithfield nearly equally. August. 1. Wrote considerably. Afternoon rode to Kinsman. The roads quite dry and good. 2. Rode out and \asited. Heard a small part of a discourse of an ignorant Methodist." Afternoon attended a church conference, and assisted in examining three persons for communion. 3. Rode to Hartford. Conversed with some people at Kinsman on the subject of joining the church. They appear strongly attached to some of the trivial Pennsylvania customs. 4. Rode to iirookfield and preached from (Jen. vi : 3 and Isa. Ixiii : i, last clause. Felt considerably unwell. 5. In the morning quite sick with considerable fever. Rode with diffi- culty to Smithfield. Immediately sent for Dr. Wright, who came and left me medicine. In hopes not to have a hard turn. 6. Last night rested tolerably. Am exceedingly weak. Cannot sit up scarcely any. I think I have less fever than yesterday. 7. Walked some. Hope that my sickness will go off with a short turn. 8. Able to write some. My head, however, very weak. Wrote to my parents. Drew an order on the Missionary Society of five hundred dollars, payable to my brother Nathaniel. Visited a woman under serious impressions. 9. Rode to Hartford and back. Assisted in laying a plan for a bridge over the creek in this town. I gain strength considerably. 10. Rode to Kinsman. Assisted in examining two persons for communion in the church. Preached preparatory to the sacrament from Matt, xxviii ; 20, first part. Am much stronger to preach than I expected. Visited a man ver)' sick. A large mill-pond appears to be the occasion of disorders, I think, similar to lake fever. Rode to Smithfield and tarried. 11. In the morning felt quite feeble, but hoped to be carried through the exercises of the day. Rode to Kinsman. A large collection of people. Several present from Austinburgh. The place of meeting very convenient. Preached from Num. x: 29 and Rev. xx: 15. Received eight persons, four men and four women, into the church. Four of whom had been church- members heretofore. One was baptized. Administered the sacrament. It ' As a rule at that time the Methodist were rather disposed to boast of the fact, as ministers were men without education, and if to their credit. 1805.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 263 was a very solemn season. Talked largely. There were about fort)' com- municants. Three persons fell. The whole assembly appeared much sol- emnized. Had great freedom in preaching. Baptized two children. I am this day twenty-eight years old. 12. Visited sick people. Rode to Smithfield. Afternoon attended with the people at work at a large bridge. Very warm. 13. Wrote considerably. Wrote to my brother Nathaniel. 14. Rode out and visited families. A great number of rattlesnakes have been killed in this town this year. People on the eastern side of this town improving their lands quite fast. 15. Rode and visited all day. Very warm. The State of Pennsylvania in a very great electioneering ferment. 16. Visited. Afternoon preached at the house of a sick woman from Ps. xlvi : 10. There appears to be some instances here of serious impressions. 17. Rode to Hartford and visited families and returned. Some people have the fever and ague. I believe it to have been taken in other places. 18. Had a very full and attentive meeting. Preached from Ex. xx : 8 and Isa. V : 3. Towards evening attended a conference, which is their ordinary custom here. Esq. Smith, of this town, was yesterday chosen brigadier- general of the militia of this county. 19. Wrote considerably. Walked out and visited families. I hope there are some instances of genuine seriousness. 20. Wrote all day. Attending to a very difficult case of duty of a friend. I hope I have given advice which will be useful. I think a promise of mar- riage ought not to be complied with where the affections obstinately refuse." 21. Very warm. Thought to be equal to any this summer. Eat water- melons ; ver)' good. After a kind of respite of more than six weeks I now again undertake to itinerate. Rode to Hubbard. 22. Visited families. Afternoon preached from Gen. vii : 16. The Meth- odist and Baptist interest here appear to gain some strength. The people here quite sick. Streams lower than have been known in this country. 23. Rode to Vienna. Flies very severe. Some people here quite sick. 24. Read newspapers. The drought in the Eastern States very severe. Received a letter from my father. My dear sister Sally was married on the 24th ult. to Mr. Joseph Battell, of Norfolk.^ I think it a very favorable con- nection for her. And as it is what I have been wishing to have take place for some years, so I desire now to be thankful, and I hope the blessings of a gracious Providence may rest upon them. 25. The people here I fear are more slack about attending meeting than before they had their Baptist preacher among them. Preached from Ex. xx : 8 and Isa. ii: 17. Baptized a child. ' As he himself lived and died unmarried, this marriage came one of the large and he may or may not have been a wise adviser excellent families of Connecticut. The hus- in such matters. band was then thirty-one years of age, and - This marriage took place just a month the wife twent}'-five. Mr. Battell was a man before this eiitrj-, i.e., July 24, 1805. From of great enterprise and ability. 264 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBDINS, D.D. L'^^S- 26. A pretty hard rain. Visited. A fine season for melons and garden productions generally. 27. Paid for shoeing my horse §1.75. Received of Maj. Perkins thirty dollars, on account of an order I gave him on the Missionary Society last spring. Rode to Bristol.' Preached towards evening from Matt. .\ : 32. The people in this new settlement collected very well. 28. My health quite as good as I could expect at this season. Rode to Mesopotamia.' Had a tedious time. The road bad and blind; and the flies and mosquitoes very troublesome. Towards night a very hard rain. It is thought that the mills generally will now go. The most of them in the county have been still for some time. 29. Rode to Windsor.'' Eat some very fine watermelons. This town settling considerably. Quite cool. Provision quite scarce. 30. Visited families. The people in this quarter have suffered consid- erably of late for want of grinding. Afternoon preached from Num. x : 29. The people in the town generally attended. 31. Rode to the south part of the town and preached from Gen. \ii : 16. After which rode to Mesopotamia. The people in this town not very well united. • Wrote to Mr. Badger. Septbmbbr. 1. The settlement in this town increases but moderately. Preached from 5x. XX and Esther iv : 16. People here generally pay but little regard to the Sabbath. 2. Rode to Middlefield and to Burton. Several people here sick with fever and ague, and there have been some instances of lake fever. 3. I am enabled to bear the fatigue of labor and riding much better than I feared. Visited families. Afternoon preached in the Academy from Matt. x: 32. The Academy Ms enclosed and glazed. Quite warm. 4. Rode to Parkman. Quite tired. At evening preached from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. The first sermon ever preached in the town. 5. Rode to Nelson. Visited families. Some sickness here. In general the country is quite healthy. At evening preached from Matt, xvii : 5. People attended very well. Very warm. 6. Rode to Warren and Salem. The county in consider.able agitation with regard to the approaching election. Very tired. 7,. In the morning my horse was missing. After considerable search he could not be found. It appears that he jumped out of the pasture. Walked to Canfield, ten miles. I desire to be thankful that I am able to endure so much fatigue. ' There is a town named Bristui, in Mor- bull County, and tlic latter the southwest gan County, Ohio, but that is far away from town of .Ashtabula County, this locality. This was one of the early towns 3 This is the institution probably which on the Reserve whose name was changed. has several times been called a college, but ' Mesopotamia and Windsor join ; the which never rose apparently above the grade former being the northwest town of Trum- of an academy. iSoJ.J MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 265 8. It is thought that the weather is as warm as any that we have had. Was unable to preach without standing in an outside door." Preached from Heb. xii : 17 and Heb. xi : 13, latter clause. Visited in the evening. Several persons here still quite serious ; baptized a child. 9. A considerable supply of peaches in this town. On the 7th received a letter from my father and one from Mr. G. H. Tower, Forks of Yough. Quite tired with so much walking in the heat. 10. Wrote to Mr. G. H. Tower. Borrowed a horse and rode to Salem to the house where my horse left me. I found him. He was brought yesterday. Rode to Warren. 11. Rode to Hubbard and to Hartford. In the evening performed a marriage. Had a pretty numerous and an agreeable wedding. After which rode to Smithfield. Very tired. 12. Wrote to the Missionary Society. The people here considerably anxious about the approaching election. 13. Rode to Hartford. Several people have the fever and ague. Wrote to my Brother and Sister Battell. At evening met with the people here to converse upon attempting to get the college in the county placed in this town. 14. Visited. Considerably unwell. Rode to Hubbard and preached from Heb. xii : 17. 15. Preached in the forenoon from Ex. xx : 8. After which rode into Pennsylvania and assisted at the administration of a sacrament in Mr. Satter- field's ^ church. There were about one hundred and twenty communicants. After the ordinance preached from Num. x: 29. The exercises were con- cluded about sundown. Rode to Hartford with company. Had considerable difficulty in getting through the woods. Lost our road in the dark several times. Preached in the evening from Esther iv : 16. 16. Almost sick with the fatigue of yesterday. My horse is not to be found. Visited a woman very sick with the nervous fever. Walked to Smith- field. At evening preached from Matt, v : 8. 17. Quite warm. Walked out and visited. Visited the sick woman, prob- ably a-dying. She has a husband and one child ; moved from Connecticut this summer. I have never witnessed so trying a scene in this country.. Found my horse. 18. In the morning heard of the death of the woman I visited yesterday. May the Lord help. Afternoon attended the funeral. Preached from i Cor. vii : 29, 31. A good many people very solemn and some very much affected. 19. Very warm. Rode to Brookfield. Conversed with some people on the subject of forming into a church. Tarried with Mr. Hughes. ' As we understand, he was not regretting ' This church of Mr. Satterfield's, which that he had stood in a draft, but is telling us has been brought to our notice before, was that the heat was so great he could not only a little way from the dividing line be- preach with any comfort without standing in tween Ohio and Pennsylvania. He was at •' draft. Upper Neshannock, Lawrence County, Penn. 266 DIARY OF RKV. THOMAS ROBUINS, D.D. [1805. 20. Visited several families. Rode to Vienna. Afternoon after preaching from I John iv : 11, conversed with several persons who presented letters and certificates of good standing in different Christian churches, on the subject of forming into a Christian church. Concluded to proceed further on the subject tomorrow. 21. Wrote. Afternoon preached from Matt, xvi : i8. After which pro- ceeded in the examination of those who wished to be organized into a church. Having obtained satisfaction, concluded to constitute them publicly tomorrow. Mr. Matthews, committee of the church at Smithfield, was present and assisted. 22. Preached from Matt, xvii : 5 and Gen. v: 24. After sermon in the afternoon publicly organized thirteen persons — seven men and six women — as a church of Christ,' charged them to keep covenant with God and one another, and endeavored to commit them to the care and grace of the great Head of the Church. Several people attended from the neighboring towns. Rainy. 23. Quite cool after long warm weather. Rode to Westfield. Preached from Gen. xii : 3. Some here inclining to the sentiments of the Universalists. 24. Rode to Vienna. Wrote considerably. Rode to Warren. The riding I believe as good as I have ever seen in this country. 25. Received a letter from my brother James at Williamstown. Visited. A good frame of a house raised in town. At evening wrote to my brother James. 26. Wrote a petition to be presented to the Legislature of this State for admission of this county.^ Afternoon preached preparatory to the administra- tion of the sacrament from Matt, xvi : 18. But few people attended. Rainy. 27. Rode out and visited some people sick with the fever and ague. Some members of the church I think will be unable to attend at the sacrament. 28. Wrote. Afternoon preached from Gen. xvii : 12. After which exam- ined several persons for admission in the church. Ver)' thin meeting. 29. Preached in the forenoon from Num. x : 29. Received five persons — two men and three women — into the church, three of whom had previously been members. This the first addition to this church. Administered the sacrament of the supper. The season appeared to be striking and solemn. Afternoon preached from Rom. xiv : 10. A full and attentive meeting. Had ' The Congregational churches organized serve, consisting of eight male and six female on the Western Reserve by the early mis- members." So also the church, organized at sionaries of New lingland from iSoo to 180S, Hudson in 1S02, remains Congregational, generally became Presbyterian. The church Next to these in .age comes the church of in Austinburgh, organized by Rev. Joseph Tallmadge, which was formed in 1S09. Badger, remains Congregational. InMr. l!ad- The Congregational church of Marietta gcr'sy4«/o/'/Vy/-rt///)', published in the thirteenth to the south, on the Ohio River, is older volume of the American Quarterly A'cgislcr, than any of these, having been organized in pp. 317-J28, he says ot this church at Austin- 1796. biirgh :" There I preached on the .Sabbath, ''"This county" is Trumbull County, and on the next Wednesday, the 24th of Octo- which seems by this entry not to have been at ber (iSoO.fonncd the first church on the Re- this time officially recognized by the State. 1 805.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 267 great freedom in preaching. Several people appeared considerably affected. Baptized a child. In the morning a little frost. 30. Set out' to go to Pittsburgh. Rode to Greensburgh." A horse-race at Youngstown with fifty dollars risqued.^ October. 1. Rode to Beaver* and to Pittsburgh. This State in a very warm con- tention with regard to the approaching election. Quite fatigued. Have rode about eighty miles ' in two days. 2. The Synod of Pittsburgh met here. I sat with them. x\bout forty ministers present. Very cordially entertained by my old friend, Col. Perry. At evening preached in the court-house to a very numerous and attentive audience from Rom. .\ : i. The ministers here have not yet generally imbibed the sentiment of the literal return of the Jews to their own land.* Traded, etc. ii-33. 3. Sat with the Synod. Visited Mr. Addison. The ministers appear agreeably. I think they manifest a little too much bitterness against opposite denominations. At evening a very good missionary sermon was preached and a collection made of sixty or seventy dollars. 4. Traded, etc. 6.31. Rode to Beaver. At evening preached in the court-house from Rom. i : 16. Saw people moving from Connecticut to New Connecticut. Treated very kindly. Quite tired. 5. Rainy. Rode to Boardman. In the morning received for preaching last evening $2.50.' It is their usual custom to give something. Have had a prosperous journey. 6. Preached from Isa. ii : 17 and Ex. xx : 8. Quite cold. Before this vegetation has not generally been killed by the frost. At evening rode to Canfield. 7. Rode to Warren and to Smithfield. The farthest I have ever rode in a day in this country. The roads get something wet. 8. In the morning a hard frost. This is the day of election of State and county officers in this State and Pennsylvania. Wrote considerably. Cool fall weather. 9. Rode to Kinsman. Visited sick people in Smithfield and Kinsman. About thirty families in this town and all sick but one. A large mill-pond ' His preaching the day before was at directly in the line of his journey to Pitts- Warren, from which place he sets out on his burgh, in Alleghany County, Penn. journey to Pittsburgh, Penn., taking a south- ' Considering the state of the roads, the east direction. journeys that used to be made on horseback ^ This, as before said, is not the Pennsyl- show a good measure of endurance on the vania Greensburgh, but a place in Trumbull part both of man and beast. County. ' That point was far more under discus- ^ YoungstoOTi, where this betting on sion si.xty or seventj' years ago than now. horses took place, was then in Trumbull ' This was for his preaching in Beaver, County, now in Mahoning. paid him the next morning, as he was starting ■* Beaver, in Beaver County, Penn., was on his way to Boardman. 268 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8o5- here supposed to be the cause. It produced considerable sickness last year; but this season its effects are much more extensive and severe.' 10. Rode to Gustavus. Every family in the town sick, some of whom, every individual. Generally fever and ague, in some instances severe bilious fever. Some want much for attendants. Rode to Smithfield. Visited thir- teen sick families. Some infant children have died. The sickness is in all directions, about three miles from the pond.^ 11. Visited. Rode to Vienna.' My horse quite lame. Had appointed to preach a sacramental lecture, but the lameness of my hor.se hindered me so that I did not arrive in time. Quite warm. Wrote to Col. Perry, of Pitts- burgh. 12. ^^'rote records for the church here. Afternoon the church chose me for their standing moderator, and chose a committee and clerk. Preached preparatory to the sacrament from Rev. .\v : 15. Some people from Pennsyl- vania came to attend the sacrament.* 13. PreachedfromMatt.-x: 32 and Esther iv: 16. Administered the sacra- ment. The first time in this place. A very agreeable and solemn season. A full meeting, appeared solemn and attentive. 14. Preached in the forenoon from Rev. x.x : 15. Rode to Smithfield. A man has lately died of the prevailing fever in Gustavus. Received a letter from my cousin, S. P. Robbins. 15. Visited the sick. Received thirty-seven dollars by an order I gave on the Missionary Society last fall. Received a letter from Mr. Chapman, of Canfield. 16. Wrote to Mr. Chapman, of Canfield. Rode out and visited. Sick people find much difficulty in getting suitable attendants. 17. Rode to Austinburgh. Quite bad riding. Delegates from the churches in Smithfield and Vienna accompanied me. 18. Rode to Harpersfield. Met with Mr. Badger and Mr. Bacon and delegates from four of the churches, and formed ourselves into an ecclesiasti- cal convention' for the promotion of union and the general benefit of the churches. Mr. Hawley,' a minister from Connecticut, attended with us. We were happily united in sentiment. ' This is a kind of repetition of the sad of Churches. The ministers were Rev. Jo- scenes in Sheffield, Mass., during the months seph Badger, Rev. David Bacon, and Rev. of August and September, 1796. Thomas Robbins. The names of the delegates ' Kinsman, Gustavus, and Smithfield (now from the four churches are not given. The Vernon) were adjoining towns. These town- four churches represented by these delegates ships were five miles square, and the pond were, without much doubt, those of Austin- was so situated as to affect all three towns. burgh, Canfield, Smithfield (now Vernon), ' Vienna, it will be remembered, is the and Vienna, place where he had just before organized •■ Rev. Rufus llawlcy, from Avon, Ct. a church. He was settled at Avon (then Norlhington) 'Vienna was not on the Pennsylvania in 1769 and continued to his death in 1S26. line, bul was separated from it by the town He was not a missionary, but was prol)ably of Bronkfield. on a journey of observation among the new » What would now be called a Conference settlements. 1805.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 269 19. The convention was dismissed. Afternoon Mr. Badger preached pre- paratory to the sacrament. 20. I preached in the forenoon from Rev. xvi : i6. Mr. Badger preached in the afternoon. In the administration of the ordinance, he performed the first part, and I the second. 21. In the morning Cephas Case and Henr)' Badger set out for Sandusky ' to live with tlie Indians. They went down Grand River in a canoe with which they e.xpect to go the whole way. Rode to Austinburgli and preached from Rev. xvii : 14, latter clause. Read newspapers. 22. Rode to Morgan and preached from Heb. xii : 17. Unhappy diffi- culties still subsist in the church here. Quite cool. Mr. Badger building a new log-house. 23. Rode to Somers. At evening preached from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. The first sermon ever preached in the town. But four families in the town. The prospect of this settlement is favorable. The riding good for the season. 24. In the morning it snowed considerably. Rode to Gustavus. Visited sick people, generally convalescent. Rode to Smithfield. Preached on ac- count of God's visitation in the prevailing sickness from Isa. i : 5. Had a serious and solemn meeting. Visited. 25. Wrote. Attended the funeral of an infant child. Wrote to Maj. Perkins, and Mr. Edwards, of Warren, and Mr. Titus Brockway, Hartford. Something rainy. 26. Quite cold and stormy. It snowed the most of the day. Rode to Mercer" to attend on a public sacrament. Had quite a tedious time, but got along better than I feared. 27. Mr. Tait' preached in the forenoon. Mr. Satterfield introduced the sacrament. I administered at the second table. There were eighty or ninety communicants. The season was solemn and the congregation very attentive. There was but little of the bodily affection. I preached in the evening from Rev. xvi: 15. The snow in the morning about three inches deep and the most of it continued through the day. 28. Preached in the forenoon from Rom. i : 16. People attended very well. They appeared much gratified with my being with them. Assisted the congregation in doing some congregational business. Set out with Mr. Tait to go to the meeting of the Presbytery. Rode to Nishannock. 29. Rode to Greensburgh.' Sat with the Presbytery. The ministers appear quite friendly. There was a sacrament here last Sabbath, and people spent the nights on the ground. ' Sandusky was at the extreme western miles from the dividing line between the end of the Connecticut Reserve, then in States. Huron (now Erie) County, Ohio. The white ' Rev. Samuel Tait. settlements in Ohio as yet were almost en- ■* This must be Greensburgh, Ohio, as tirely on the eastern portions of the Reserve, Greensburgh, Penn., is eighty or ninety miles with scattered families farther west. from Canfield, Ohio, and by his entry (Oct. - This was Mercer, the shire town of 31) he seems to have made the journey to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, about twenty Canfield from Greensburgh in a short time. 270 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1805. 30. Presented to the Presbytery an account of our ecclesiastical conven- tion and requested a union and good understanding. They appeared much disposed to cultivate and maintain a harmony with the New England people, and passed a vote correspondently, which I drew. They appear very willing that we should retain our own habits and practices. They dispatched busi- ness very speedily. At evening walked out two miles and preached from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. Other ministers attended and spoke a little. 31. Rode with company to Canfield. Quite warm for the season. Received a letter from my Uncle Starr. Some of his people have moved to this country. November. 1. Wrote to my Uncle Starr. Visited. Quite rainy. Several families have lately moved into this town. At evening preached from Isa. xliii : 13, last clause. The people here appear anxious to procure a preacher. 2. Rode to Warren ' and to Youngstown. Some people at Warren have the fever and ague. 3. Preached from Rom. i : 16 and Rev. xvi : 15. But few people attended meeting. The greater part of the people here appear indifferent as to any religion, and the others are much divided.^ 4. Had a talk with several of the principal people. I think they are pretty destitute of principle, and appear inimical to me and to religion. They have circulated false and ungenerous reports about me, with regard to an interference in the late election. Yesterday morning my horse was gone.' He is not yet to be found. Rode a borrowed horse to Liberty. 5. Rode to Smithfield. The sick people in this quarter are generally getting better. Wrote. Wrote to Mr. Elliott,* a New England minister, requesting him to come to this country and preach in Canfield and Boardman. 6. Paid for home-made cloth for two shirts, ?3.33. Wrote to my parents. Walked out and visited. The wolves are something troublesome here. 7. Wrote to Deacon Mills, of Austinburgh. Rode to Hartford. Visited sick people. At evening preached from Isa. i : 5. 8. Had some clothes made. Visited. Rode to Liberty. Cannot hear anything of my horse. I have considerable anxiety about him. 9. Rode and walked to Canfield. Got something wet with rain. Heard of my horse. It appears that he came pretty direct to this town.' Towards evening preached preparatory to the sacrament from Matt, xxviii : 20. Mr. Bacon and his family are here.' ' Warren probably received its name the church in Madison, Ct., where he was from Moses Warren, one of the surveyors pastor 1791-1824. He was a Corporate who laid out the townships on the Western Member of Y.ilc College from 1S12 to his Reserve in 1797. death, 1824. - This is said of the people of Youngs- 'He had been there a good many times town. before, and perhaps he specially liked the ' This experience of losing his horse was place, growing serious. ' Rev. David liacon, his wife, Alice ■• Without much doubt, this was Rev. (Parks) Hacon, Leonard Bacon, then three John Kliott (afterwards D.D.), minister of years old, and a babe of one year. iSos-] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 271 10. Mr. Bacon preached in the forenoon. Received a woman into the church, hopefully a subject of the late work in this place. Mr. Bacon and I together administered the Lord's Supper. Preached in the afternoon from Isa. v:3. Baptized two children. At evening visited families. 11. Quite cold. Visited. Rode to Youngstown and returned. Two men, heads of families, have lately died in this vicinity. 12. Set out on a journey to Marietta. May the Lord go with me. Rode through New Lisbon ' to the salt-works. The roads very dry. 13. Rode through Steubenville ; crossed the Ohio to Charlestown, and on to Wheeling.^ From New Lisbon to the Ohio, the land is very hilly and appears poor. Very fine weather. Very tired. 14. Something rainy. Rode to Herd's Ferry. The settlements through which I passed very thin and poor. 15. Rode all day in a single horse path. Many moving families on the river. Rode to Newport.^ Begin to find New England people. 16. Rode to Marietta.* Very affectionately received by my friend Mr. Gilman and family.' Very tired with my journey. This town appears much larger than I expected. Mr. Lindsley,* the Presbyterian minister here, called to see me. 17. Mr. Lindsley preached in the forenoon. I preached in the afternoon from Rom. i : 16. A quite respectable congregation. They sing very well. Find some old acquaintance. 18. Read newspapers. Walked out and visited with my cousins.' The ' New Lisbon is in Columbiana County, which then joined Trumbull County, but now Mahoning County lies between. - From his starting-point in the morning to Wheeling, Va., was more than forty miles. Charlestown and Wheeling are in what is now West Virginia. ^ Newport only a short distance from Marietta. * The ride from Youngstown to Marietta not far from one hundred and fifteen miles. The oldest regular white settlement in Ohio was made at Marietta in 178S under the auspices of the Ohio Company. This com- pany was composed of revolutionary officers and soldiers, to whom the Continental Con- gress gave 1,500,000 acres of land to the northwest of the Ohio River. This company was organized in Boston, in 17S6. Forty- seven emigrants from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut were the first movers, and they started the settlement at Marietta, April 7, 1788. Some of the chief men in the management of the affairs of this Ohio Com- pany were : Gen. Rufus Putnam, Rev. Ma- nasseh Cutler, LL.D., Col. Israel Putnam, Gen. Samuel Holden Parsons, Commodore Abraham Whipple, Hon. James Mitchell Varnum, a general in the Revolutionary Army, Col. Ebenezer Battelle, Capt. Jona- than Devol, Col. Return Jonathan Meigs, Gen. Benjamin Tupper, Col. Ebenezer Sproat, and Griffin Greene, Esq., cousin of Gen. Nathaniel Greene. ' Benjamin I. Gilman, whose wife was Hannah Robbins, daughter of Dr. Chandler Robbins, of Plymouth, Mass. She was born Sept. 29, 1768, and was married to Mr. Gil- man, in 1790. A son, of the same name with his father, was a well-grown lad at this time, and was graduated at Brown University in 1813. '' Rev. Stephen Lindsley. We do not find the name of this clergyman among the col- lege graduates of the country, and it is prob- able that he, like the majority of the Presby- terian ministers in those parts at that time, was not a man of college education. ' His cousins were Benjamin I. and Han- nah (Robbins) Gilman. 272 niAKY OF RKV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['805. people here appear to have a great attachment to my cousin, Sam. P., as a preacher. 19. Wrote considerably. Something rainy. Played backgammon. Had company. Mr. Oilman appears to do a great deal of business. Wagons arrive at this town from Alexandria.' 20. Visited. Was invited out to dine. Many families here live in pretty high taste. Mr. Oilman has a very good rope-walk, in which business is done extensively. He is building a very good brig. At evening had company. 21. Rode up the Muskingum, 'sixteen miles, to Waterford.' Mr. Lindsley,* the minister here, absent from home. Preached to a few attentive hearers from Num. x : 29. People appear much gratilied with my visit. 22. Returned to Marietta. Much of the land in this quarter, very poor. Mr. Lindsley,' of Waterford, called and tarried with me. Walking in the even- ing in the dark ran against a fence, and considerably wounded my face. 23. Dined at Oen. Putnam's. He has lately received a letter from my cousin, Sam. P.,^ and one from my father, addressed to the committees of the church and society here. Called on several families. Treated very politely. Wrote. A prospect of a great continental war in Europe. Something rainy. 24. Wet and rainy. Preached to a very attentive audience from Heb. xi: 30 and Luke xv : 17. Some people here appear to have been perplexed with some of Sam. P.'s doctrines. 25. Rode to Belpre ' and preached from Num. x : 29. Tiiis is a very fine farming settlement. It appears more like Connecticut than any other in this State. At evening attended a singing meeting. 26. Returned to Marietta. At evening met with the committees of the church and society here, and concluded to have cousin Sam. P.'s ordination the first of next May. Wrote a draft of a letter to the ministers and churches to be sent to. Attended a singing meeting. 27. Walked out and visited. Expected to have set out today on my journey, but find it difficult to leave friends and to get ready. Wrote to my cousin Sam. P. Endeavored to give him the best advice in my power with regard to his conduct here, as his situation on some accounts will be critical and difficult.' Received presents from my friends to the value of nine or ten dollars. Weather remarkably mild and pleasant. Traded, etc. 4.62. ' Alexandria, Va. The journey from Alex- there and had now gone back to New Eng- andria to Marietta across northern Virginia land. more than two hundred miles. A lo.id for ' Rev. )•;. A. Mirick, Congregational pas- carriages through this country had then tor of Hclprc, writes in answer to inquiry: recently been completed. " Newberry is merely a local name for south- " Marietta was at the mouth of the Musk- ern end of lielprc. Little Hocking is the ingum Kivcr. post office of th.-it locality. l)cl))rc is a long ^ Waterford and Marietta were both in and narrow town, twenty-one by three miles, Wa.shington County. back from the river. Newberry is at its * Another man of the same name with the lower extremity, on the river." minister of Marietta. ' New Kngland then, more than now, ' Rev. Jacob Lindslcy, supplying at Wa- represented advanced education and ideas, terford. .and there was a jealousy toward her on the ^ .Samuel I'rince Robbins had preached part of those who were less enlightened. l8oS.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 273 28. Left Marietta early in the morning. Rode on my journey up the river thirty-six miles. Comfortably accommodated. A large good bridge is build- ing over Duck Creek. 29. Considerably afflicted with a stiff neck. Rode to Grave Creek. Quite warm. The road very 'crooked. 30. Something rainy. Thunder-showers. Arrived at Mr. Potter's,' near Steubenville, towards night. Kindly entertained. Mr. Potter lives on the bottom formerly occupied by the Mingo Indians. The grave of Logan,^ their celebrated chief, is near here. Traded. 1.67. Mr. Potter a minister formerly in Vermont. Decbmbbr. 1. Preached in the court-house in Steubenville ^ from Rom. i: 16. The audience very attentive. Mr. Snodgrass,* a Presbyterian minister, is settled here for half the time. 2. Rode to the salt-works. A considerable part of Jefferson and Colum- biana Counties appears to be poor land. 3. The morning quite cold. Had company all day. Rode to Canfield. Blessed be God who has given me a most agreeable and prosperous journey and a safe return. My cousin Sam. P. was here last week to see me, and taking another road to Marietta I have missed him. 4. Received two letters from my cousin S. P. His preaching here is much approved of. Visited. Wrote to my cousins Sam. P. and Hannah at Marietta. 5. Visited families. Set out to ride to the northward, but was stopped by rain. Wrote. The people here generally extremely thoughtless. 6. Quite rainy. Rode to Hubbard. Some thunder. There have been no rains to raise the streams before now this fall. 7. My horse left me ; was found about five miles distant. Afternoon preached in a Methodist neighborhood from Rev. xvii: 14. 8. Preached from Matt, xvii : 5 and Rom. viii : 29. The discourse in the afternoon was by request. The Pennsylvania people have very imperfect ideas of divine sovereignty and human liberty. Many people here are very fond of having meetings and preaching. 9. Visited many families. Rode to Smithfield. Very pleasant weather. This place appears to me more like home than any other in this country. 10. Wrote considerably. Wrote to Mr. Badger. Rode out. Quite cold. Waters getting high. Have a number of winter things in making. People very kind. ' This may have been Rev. Lyman Potter, is familiar to the school-boys of the past a native of Connecticut, and a graduate of generation, if not the present. His Indian Dartmouth College, 1799. Mr. Robbins, as name was Tah-Gah-Jute. a rule, gives only family names in his diary. ^ .Steubenville is the shire town of Jeffer- I£ he had furnished us with the given names son County, Ohio. also, the work of identification would be ■* Rev. James Snodgrass, having charge o£ much more easy. Presbyterian churches at Steubenville and ' The speech of Logan, the Mingo chief. Island Creek. 274 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1805. 11. Visited fourteen families. Tlie riding getting pretty bad. Some families have lately moved into this town. 12. Rode to Kinsman and preached from Isa. i : 5. Many people here not yet recovered from their sickness. The number of people here the sum- mer past has been about one hundred and eighty* And the number of individuals that has escaped the sickness is less than twenty." 13. Rode to Smithfield and preached preparatory to the sacrament from I Cor. .xi : 30. 14. Rode to Hartford and preached a sacramental lecture from i Cor. xi : 30. Expecting to receive some people here into the church. Their case is not so favorable as I could wish. I hope, however, the great Head of the Church will take care of this tender vine and preserve it from corruption and danger. Last night a great rain. 15. Preached from Rev. xvii : 14 and John vi : 68, latter part. Adminis- tered the sacrament. Admitted seven elderl)' people into the church. Bap- tized a child. Being disappointed of wine made a composition of brandy, vinegar, water, and brown sugar, which answered well ; I presume was not perceived. Towards night it snowed considerably ; the first we have had, saving a turn in October. 16. Rode to Smithfield over the creek and preached from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. The Methodists have attempted to form a society in this neighborhood. I think they will not get great strength. 17. Rode to Johnston and preached from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. This town appears likely to settle fast, with a good set of inhabitants. Ver)- bad riding. 18. Rode to Smithfield. Received a letter from the church at Marietta. It appears that after cousin Sam. P. arrived there they concluded to have the ordination soon, and have accordingly sent an express.^ Wrote to cousin S. P., and Gen. Putnam, and to Mr. Potter, of Steubenville. Wrote. 19. This day is observed here as a day of Thanksgiving.' Preached from Ps. 1: 14. People attended meeting very well. Very warm for the season. At evening performed a marriage. Wrote to Mr. Badger. 20. Rode to Liberty. The roads very muddy. Received from a man some unkind treatment and hard words and false accusations. He forbid me to preach in his house, which 1 was expecting to do the Sabbath after next. This is the first instance of the kind in this country.* 21. Rode to Newton.' This is quite a flourishing settlement. I hope a favorable prospect here of the future enjoyment of gospel privileges. ' 'I'his fact itself would make it evident to Jamiaiy. Tlic last Tliuisday of Novem- that there must have been some powerful bcr has now become the fi.xed and regular local cause for the sickness. d.iy for this observance. ' At the time he was at Marietta, it will * He means jiroKibly in his own expe- be remembered, it was arranged to have the rience in that country, but the country itself ordination not until the first of May. was very young. ' Thanksgiving Days in the olden times ' Newton the southwest town in the pres- wcre quite irregular, ranging from October cnt Trumbull County. 1805.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 275 22. Preached from Rom. i : i6 and Rev. xvi : 15. The people here appear much gratified to be visited. Baptized a child. 23. Rode to Warren and preached from Heb. iv : 9. A young man here very bad with the dropsy, succeeding a turn of fever and ague. Received two letters from cousin Sam. P., one from my father, and one from my brother James. He and my parents have lately been a journey to Plymouth. 24. It snowed pretty hard all day. Rode to Hartford. Missed my way and lost, I believe, a travel of five miles. Had a very tedious day. The snow eight or ten inches deep. 25. Very great warlike preparations by the great nations of Europe. I hope the Corsican usurper ' may be humbled, but I fear that it is uncertain. Rode to Smithfield. Received a letter from Mr. Badger. He is gone on for Marietta and left word for me to come on alone. I think he has not done right, as there can be no advantage in his being forward of me." Wrote to my parents. Can get no member of this church' to go with me to Marietta. 26. Rode with some others to Kinsman, by an appointment of the people, to converse with Mr. Kinsman, respecting his mill-pond. It is agreed on all hands, that that is the cause of the late severe sickness in this vicinity. It is the general wish that it may be drawn off immediately. I hope he will do it. Returned to Smithfield. 27. Set out for Marietta. I have seldom set out on a journey with more reluctance or anxiety. I hope, however, in the glorious protection of the God who reigns in Zion. The riding extremely bad. Rode to Vienna. 28. In the forenoon quite rainy. The snow mostly goes off. Rode to Liberty. The ground exceedingly wet. The settlement in this town has increased considerably this year. 29. Quite cold. The waters verj' high. The weather so tedious that few people attended meeting. Preached from Mat. xvii : 5 and Rom. xiv : 10. The most of tl>e people here appear to care very little about serious things. 30. Very cold and stormy. Rode to Warren. The Mahoning extremely high. I cannot cross. Read an account of a naval victory by Lord Nelson over the combined fleets of France and Spain.' I think it was the greatest naval action ever fought. The great admiral was slain. Received twenty dol- lars from Major Perkins, for which to give an order on the Missionary Society. 31. Several men with a large keel-boat carried me over the Mahoning. Rode to Canfield. This is the first real cold weather we have had this season. ' France was formed into an empire and the French and Spanish fleets under Admiral Napoleon made Emperor May iS, 1S04. He Villeneuve, eighteen French and fifteen Span- was crowned King of Italy, May 26, 1805. ish vessels, all ships of the line, were de- He gained the victory at Austerlitz Dec. 2, feated by Lord Nelson with twenty-seven Brit- j3oc. ish ships of war. Lord Nelson was killed, ^ Mr. Robbins regarded this as a want of and fell uttering those memorable words, courtesy, and so it certainly appears. " England expects every man to do his duty." ' That is, as a delegate. This victory was gained Oct. 21, 1805, and * This was the battle of Trafalgar, where was a very notable event. isoe. January. 1. May the Lord God of heaven, who has ever been my father, and my father's God, be with me this year, and enable me to devote it to his holy service. Left Canfield for Marietta. I have much concern about this jour- ney," but I hope I am in the way of duty, and I know I am in safe hands. Rode to the salt-works. From New Lisbon had company. 2. The waters not so high as I feared, having fallen considerably. Rode with company to Steubenville. It snowed some. The Ohio is so high that I cannot with any safety ride to Marietta, and unless it should fall it would be hardly possible to cross the gulfs and runs. Conclude to leave my horse here, and go down in a boat. Was very fortunate in finding a Kentucky boat ready to start soon. It was a poor one, but tolerable. The accommo- dations very indifferent. Procured provision for my passage. Started at six o'clock in the evening. The water being so high we floated a little more than three miles an hour. 3. Last night watched till near one o'clock in the morning, and rested very little afterward. Got along with much greater ease and safety than I expected. The traveling on the banks appears to be quite as bad as I imagined. 4. At three o'clock in the morning I arrived at Marietta. From Steuben- ville more than one hundred miles. I had no sleep till after I got here. The boatman would take nothing for my passage. I went to a tavern and got a good sleep. In the morning found my dear cousin Sam. P. Robbins, and crossed the Muskingum to Mr. Gilman's. Very much fatigued. 5. In the forenoon Mr. Badger preached, in the afternoon my cousin Samuel. Mr. Badger and Mr. Potter from Steubenville arrived here last Monday, before the waters got very high. I preached in the evening from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. The ground very wet and muddy. 6. Began a sermon on Matt, xxiv : 14' for the approaching ordination. Have a very short time to prepare. In the afternoon the ordaining council met and formed, consisting of five ministers. They attended to a particular and satisfactor}' examination of cousin S. P., and arranged the parts for the ordination. 7. This day is observed as a fast previous to the ordination. I did not attend till near the close of the second meeting. The church adopted the ' When it is considered that this journey, ^ Text : " And this gospel of the king- twice to Marietta back and forth, involved dom shall be preached in all the world, for a more than five hundred miles of travel witness unto all nations, and then shall the through a new country in the winter season, end come." The circumstances of this ordi- one need not wonder that he " had much con- nation in the Western wilderness were quite cern about it." peculiar, and his text was impressive. 277 278 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1806. Confession of Faith, which I think considerably defective. Am under poor circumstances for writing. 8. Finished my sermon near three o'clock in the morning. Very cold. Attended the ordination, preached from Matt, x.xiv: 14. The people suffered verj' much with the cold, the house being quite open.' Some parts of the exercises very solemn. I never spoke with so great embarrassment from the cold. There is a ver}- happy union among the people. .-Vni almost sick with fatigue and want of sleep. 9. The ice runs considerably. Mr. Badger and Mr. Potter set out on their return. I fear they will have a severe time. Read Addison's works. 10. Severe cold. Read considerably. Read newspapers. Wrote. Had company. Bonaparte appears to be successful against the .A.ustrians." I fear he will be permitted to make great desolations. 11. Wrote. Afternoon rode to Belpre/ by request, to preach with them tomorrow. Ground very hard frozen. 12. They have here a convenient log meeting-house. The people at- tended very generally. Preached from Matt, xvii : 5 and Acts xxviii : 24. The people here wish to hire me to preach with them. I think it cannot be consistent with my engagements and duty. 13. It rained steadily the most of the day. Received from the people here five dollars.* Rode to Marietta. Got considerably wet. 14. Wrote, completing my last year's diary. The rivers rise ver\' fast. "Very difficult crossing. Walked out. 15. Wrote to the Missionary Society. Very cold. The rivers very full of running ice. Am accommodated here with great kindness. 16. Wrote, copying my late ordination sermon. The thermometer was at ten above zero. Considerably unwell with a cold. 17. Wrote on my sermon. Visited a school, very well instructed. I think the weather for a few days has been nearly as severe as any last winter. 18. Considerably affected with a cold. Very difficult crossing the river. Wrote. Afternoon rode to Belpre. Very hard, rough riding. It snowed some. The river continues to be very full of running ice. 19. Wet and rainy the most of the day. Preached from Heb. xi : 30 and Rom. xiv : 10. People quite attentive. They appear to be much in need of sound instruction. 20. Rode to Newberry' and preached from Matt, x: 32. Returned to ' The services of ordination are not often ^ This refers to the great battle of Aus- compressed into less time than two hours, or lerlitz, fought Dec. 2, 1S05. two and a half, and to sit in a poorly built ' As before stated, about twelve or fifteen house, without fire, on a severely cold day, miles down the Ohio River, for that length of time, was one of the afflic- * The price, in Ohio as in New England, tions which our fathers had to endure. The seems to have been generally about five dol- ministers taking part in these services were lars for a Sabbath's services. Rev. Joseph liadger, Rev. Thomas Robbins, ' Newberry (or Newbury), a short distance Rev. Lyman Potter, Rev. Stephen Lindsley, from Marietta, w.is probably a part of the and Rev. Jacob Lindsley. township of Rclpre, and not a town by itself. i8o6.] MISSIONARY IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 279 Belpre. Preached in the evening from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. Though the evening was quite unpleasant and the going very bad, there was quite a full and attentive meeting. 21. Received from the people here four dollars and a half. Rode to Nog- glestown ' and preached from Matt, ix : 9. Very muddy riding. Rode to Marietta. Quite tired. 22. Wrote. Walked out and visited. Was applied to for a copy of my sermon preached at the ordination here for publication. Had an application to come to this place and take the charge of an academy, with a pretty large salary. I hope for divine direction, but conclude I cannot comply.'' Quite wet. Roads very muddy. At evening preached from Matt, xvii : 5. Tarried at Gen. Putnam's.^ 23. Rode with my cousin to Salem. Preached to a few people from Matt. X : 32. The people here are very stupid and loose, and greatly in want of gospel instruction. 24. Rode down to Marietta. Preached in an out neighborhood from John vi: 37. Very warm and pleasant for the season. Maple sap runs. I think I have preached more this week than any one since I came to this State.* 25. Very warm. Wrote. Afternoon rode to Waterford to spend the Sabbath with Mr. Lindsley. My cousin Hannah very sick with an ague in the face. Mr. Lindley ' quite disappointed in not having heard of my coming. The message which I sent failed. The frost nearly out of the ground. 26. Preached in an out neighborhood from John vi : 37. Quite few peo- One of the chief of the early settlers of Belpre was Col. Ebenezer Battelle, a native of Dedham, Mass., of the same name of his father, a graduate of Harvard College in 1775. He was from the same Dedham an- cestor (Thomas Battelle) as the Connecticut family of this name. In a previous note we have spoken of the different ways of spelling and pronouncing this family name. Eben- ezer Battelle retained the ancient spelling, but pronounced the word in two syllables in- stead of three, as was the custom when the family first came over and settled at Dedham. ' Nogglestown is another place which we cannot identify. ^ His relations with the Missionary So- ciety were such that it might have seemed a want of good faith if he had turned again to teaching, though he loved the business of teaching, and was very successful in it. ' Gen. Rufus Putnam, as we have already suggested, was the leading man of this colony. He was born in Sutton, Mass., in 173S, and was at that time si.\ty-eight years old. ♦ He had preached eight times in six days, last past. ' In this entry of the diary this name is spelled, as will be seen, in two different ways. Dr. Israel W. Andrews, President of Mari- etta College, in his historical address at the National Centennial, 1S76, writes the name Stephen Lindley. He was the pastor of the Presbyterian church, and had only very re- cently come there at the time of Mr. Rob- bins's visit. The oldest church in the State of Ohio is the Congregational church at Ma- rietta, which was organized in 1796, and had for its first pastor Rev. Daniel -Story, a native of Boston, born in 1755. The Presbyterian church at Marietta was formed some years later, and its first pastor, Rev. Stephen Lind- ley, began his labors there in 1S04. Rev. Manasseh Cutler, LL. D., scientist and minister at Hamilton, Mass., did very important work for this Ohio company in drawing up a plan for a territorial govern- ment, which was then a new thing. His scheme is said to have been a kind of model for subsequent territorial governments. It was through Dr. Cutler's agency that the services of Rev. Mr. Story were secured as the early preacher and minister at Marietta. 28o DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1806. pie. There was a misunderstanding in appointments. Mr. Lindslcy preaches on the Sabbath at three different places. Returned with Mr. Lindsley, and preached in the evening to a good number of people, very attentive, from Matt, .wii : 5. The people here sing exceedingly well. Mostly New Eng- land people, yet Mr. Lindsley's church is Presbyterian.' 27. Rode with Mr. Lindsley to an out neighborhood and preached from Heb. xi : 30. There appear to be here a number of quite serious people. Visited. 28. Rode to Marietta without any great coat. Pleasant and warm as March. Played backgammon. Mrs. Oilman still quite unwell. 29. Read. Walked out and visited. At evening preached from Esther iv : 16. But few people attended. 30. Afternoon attended with my cousin at a church meeting. They appear to be very well united. At evening attended Mr. Lindsley's stated evening meeting and preached from Luke xvi : 9. I fear my cousin may have some difficulty with the Presbyterian society here. 31. Read newspapers. Am very earnestly requested to come and take the charge of the academy^ in this town. Walked out and visited. The printer began the printing of my sermon. There has been for several nights past no frost at all. February. 1. Wrote. Rainy. Afternoon Mr. Oilman's fine brig sailed down the river for New Orleans and Philadelphia.^ Yesterday saw a large cable layed for it in his rope-walk. The river quite high. 2. Preached from Rom. x : i and Acts xvii : 31. Sargeant, a sectarian imposter, preached in town, and baptized six persons in the name of Christ at the river. I fear he will get a number of followers here. Wrote. At evening walked out. 3. Quite cold. Wrote considerably. My cousin S. P. has quite con- venient accommodations for study, and appears disposed to be studious. 4. Wrote. Walked out and visited. Inspected a proof-sheet. Some people here alarmed at the progress of Sargeant's doctrines. 5. Wrote to my parents. Walked out and visited. At evening preached from Rom. viii : 29. But few people attended. ' Already under the Plan of Union the but a fuller statement will be in place. Ben- process was going on by which the m.ijority jamin Ives Oilman w.-is a native of Exeter, of Congrcgationalists going from New Eng- N. II., born in 1765, and was in his youth cd- land to the West were changed into Presby- ucatcd at Exeter Academy. In 1789 he went terians when they passed beyond the Hud- with his parents (Joseph and Rebecca Gil- son River. man) to Marietta, Ohio. In 1790 he re- ' This was the Muskingum Academy, turned to New England, was united in which was organized soon after the beginning marriage with Hannah Chandler, of Ply- of the settlement. mouth, and the young bride and bridegroom ' This was probably its first voyage, for a made a horseback journey through the plains few weeks before it was in process of build- and over the mountains, occupying from ing. Wc have before spoken of Mr. Oilman, twenty-five to thirty days. l8o6.] MISSION'ARV IN NEW CONNECTICUT. 281 6. Rode with my cousin to Salera ' and preaclied from Rev. xvi: 15. Rode to an outer neigiiborhood in Marietta, and preached in tlie evening from John .wiii : 37. Very cold. People attended these meetings very well. 7. Rode into town. A very cold rain. Read newspapers. Bonaparte makes rapid strides in Germany .° Wrote. 8. Finished the copy of my sermon for the printer. A very hard rain. .\fternoon rode to Belpre.' Very bad riding. 9. Quite cold. Preached from John vi : 37 and Esther iv : 16. People quite attentive. They have heretofore been very much divided in their opinions. At evening preached again from John xviii : 37. Quite tired. 10. Received of the people here five dollars and a half. Visited. The psoplc here met and requested me to preach with them as much as I can. I have agreed to supply them on the Sabbath generally, in case I t.ake charge of the Academy at Marietta. E.xpected to have crossed the river to the mouth of the little Kanawha ■* to preach, but the ferriage being so bad I did not dare to attempt it. 11. Rode to Marietta. The river and tributary streams very high. Was necessitated to ride considerably in the woods. 12. Walked out and visited. At evening attended a conference with cousin S. P. Expounded upon the first chapter of Matthew. There appear to be some unpleasant prejudices here between the two societies.' 13. Visited. Some people here appear to be considerably alarmed at the progress of sectarian Sargeant. Was applied to, to answer him publicly, but concluded it will not be expedient. 14. Wrote. Read newspapers. The prospect of our foreign relations with several nations is pretty embarrassing. Bonaparte assumes a dictatorial tone towards our minister.* 15. Afternoon had a long talk with Sargeant. He is very artful, and appears very destitute of seriousness. I think he means to hold his system comformable to circumstances. A thunder-shower. 16. Yesterday my cousin rode to Belpre, and left me to preach for them. Preached from Ex. xx : 8 and Num. x : 29. Full and very attentive meeting.. At evening walked out. 17. Rainy. Assisted in forming a plan for an academical school. Yes- terday Mr. Gilman left home to go down the river in a vessel from Pittsburgh.'' Walked out and visited. ' Salem was made a town in 1797. ' The Presbyterian and the Congrega- ' Bonaparte established the kingdoms of tional churclies. The Congregational church Bavaria and Wurtemberg in 1S05. was organized here in 1796, and the Presby- ^ Belpre (a French name meaning beau- terian a little later, ful meadow or field) was the second place ^ Our Minister to France, at this time, settled by the Ohio Company. Marietta, Bel- was Hon. John Armstrong, of Pennsylvania, pre, and Waterfoid were incorporated as appointed to the place by Jeffer.son in 1804. towns in 1790, and these are the oldest towns ' In a vessel which was coming down the in Ohio. river from Pittsburgh. By the windings of * This would have taken him over to the the river Marietta is more than one hundred. Virginia side. miles below Pittsburgh. 282 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1806. iS. My cousin S. P. and Hannali gave me cloth and trimmings for a coat, which cost about fifteen dollars. Quite uncomfortably warm. At evening preached extempore from John vi : 44. Preparing for my journey. 19. .\ committee of the Academy here called on me with their application that I would engage as an instructor. On condition that my parents consent, I have given encouragement of undertaking next fall. Was expecting to set out on my journey, but my company was not ready. Drank tea at Col. Meigs's.' At evening preached from Gen. vii : 16. My sermon at cousin's or- dination is published, and pretty well executed. 20. Quite rainy. Left Mr. Oilman's and crossed the Muskingum. The rain re-commencing, concluded to tarry till tomorrow. My cousin Jane gave me a gold ring.'' Traded. 5.25. 21. Set out for New Connecticut. The people here promised a horse for me to ride to Steubenville, and a young man to bring it back. Rode twenty- eight miles. The water rising pretty fast. Very bad riding. Some trees on the bank of the river begin to appear green. 22. The creeks and guts of the river very high and difficult to be crossed. Rode twenty-five miles. Crossed the Ohio. At evening preached to a few people from Matt, xvii : 5. The first time I ever preached in Virginia. 23. Rode twenty-five miles to Grave Creek. In the evening preached to a good number of people from Rom. i : 16. This is, I believe, the first time that I ever traveled on a journey on a Sabbath. Towards night the river began to fall. Treated with much kindness on the road. 24. Rode to Steubenville. Found my horse in very good order. A good many boats starting down the river. At evening wrote to my cousin S. P. 25. Visited Mr. Potter. Paid the tavern keeper for keeping my horse, since I went down, $13.50, of which ten were given me at Marietta for that purpose, I think he was quite reasonable in his charge.' Rode on my journey to Weirs.* At evening wrote considerably. 26. Rode to New Lisbon. At evening preached from Rom. i: 16. A good number of people attended. The ground is pretty well settled. ■ This wa_s Col. Return Jonathan Meigs, Mass., h.id a cKiughter, Jane I'rince Robbins, Senior or Junior. The first was a KevoUi- born in 1764, who in 1787 married Francis tiortary soldier, and was one of the leaders of Le Baron Goodwin, and died in Maine in the Ohio Company, and drew up the system iSoi. It would seem, therefore, that the of regulations for the guidance of the M.v diary meant to say she had left him a ring, ■rietta colony, which w.is posted on ., of Hebron, the former graduated at i)arentlv he was not a college graduate. l8o6.J AT HOME IN' NORFOLK. 299 September. 1. Rode to Hartford. Talk of getting some cabinet work of Mr. Chapin.' He has some very good. Rode to Suffield. The most of the way in a moder- ate rain. Tarried at Esq. Leavitt's. 2. Rainy and wet all day. Am entertained very kindly at Esq. Leavitt's. Visited Mr. Gay and some others. Read Humphreys's Poems.' The first rainy day in many months. Fruit pretty plenty. 3. Quite rainy. Rode to Windsor and Hartford. The trustees of the Missionary Society met and organized for the ensuing year. Tarried at Mr. Strong's. He has resigned his office of trustee. 4. Received of the missionary trustees twenty-nine dollars, the amount of my account. Paid for a new coat, §15.50. 5. Rode to Rocky Hill. Preached a sacramental lecture. Mr. Chapin ^ still in New Connecticut. Preached from Num. x : 29. There have been a good many deaths in this town since I left here. 6. Rode to Branford. Missed my way. Called on Mr. Eells,'' North Branford. He has lately broken his leg. Mr. Williams, a very worthy man, is preaching here.' 7. Mr. Williams preached in the forenoon. We joined in administering the sacrament. It was a very solemn and feeling occasion. I preached in the afternoon from Luke xv : 17. He preached a third sermon. The people here are very desirous to settle a minister. 8. Walked out and visited all day. Am desired to come here and preach. I think I can't. 9. Rode to New Haven to attend Commencement. Went to see the figures of wax-work.*^ Quite a curiosity. Find many old acquaintances. Found my brother James whom I have not seen before since I came home. 10. Attended the exercises of Commencement. I think not so good as sometimes. Last evening there was speaking for premiums. I think not so ' Dea. Aaron Chapin, a native of Chico- to Portugal. He was a copious writer. A pee, Mass., removed to Hartford in early collection of his poems and tracts was pub- life, and established himself in the cabinet lished in New York in 1790, and another making business. His only son, Laertes edition in 1S04. Chapin, father of President Aaron L. Chapin, ^ Rev. Calvin Chapin, of whom we have D. D., of Beloit College, toward the close of before spoken, still absent on his missionary the last century, became partner with his journey to Ohio. father, and the firm was known for long years ' Rev. Samuel Eells, pastor at North as the firm of Aaron Chapin & Son, and Branford, 1769-1S08. known also for the honesty and thorough- * Mr. Eells was now growing old, and ness of their work. Aaron Chapin was dea- Mr. Williams was assisting him. There con of the First Church of Hartford from were so many ministers of the name Will- 1813 to his death in 1838. iams, that without farther clue we cannot tell " Col. David Humphreys, son of Rev. who this Mr. Williams was. Daniel H. Humphreys, of Derby, born 1753, ' It will be remembered in a previous died 1S18. He was aid to Gens. Putnam note respecting Mr. Reuben Moulthrop, the and Washington in the War of the Revolu- painter, that he worked more in wa.vwork tion, was private secretary of Washington, than on the canvas. Very likely these figures 17SS-1790, when he was appointed Minister were by his hand. 300 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1806. many ministers present as sometimes. At evening Dr. Cyprian Strong' preached the Concio. 11. Visited acquaintance. Attend the meeting of the P. B. K. Society. Dined with Mr. Davis.^ Left New Haven. Rode with my brother James to Salem. ^ Quite cool. 12. A pretty good year for cider. Rode home, near forty miles. After- noon quite rainy. My brother Frank now at home. Quite tired. 13. Received a letter from Dr. Sampson, Whitestown. Mrs. Battell,* of Torringford, not likely to live. Rode with James to Winchester. 1 4. James preached in the forenoon. I preached in the afternoon from Num. X : 29. The people were generally at meeting and were affected and rejoiced that they can again meet for worship without prejudice or difficulty. At evening walked out. We have agreed to supply the pulpit here six or seven Sabbaths. 15. Last evening my brother went to Torringford. Set out for home afoot. Stopped at Mr. Bigger's. He let me ride his horse. Attended Freemen's Meeting. It was quite agreeable. Two hundred and eight votes — thirty-four Democratic. They do not appear to gain any in this town. 16. Very warm. The thermometer at 82°. Studied most all day endeavor- ing to reckon and balance my own accounts. Rode to Canaan and back with my sister. 17. Wrote. Very warm. Rode out and labored considerably with a church-member under censure. The case is something difficult. 18. Mrs. Battell, of Torringford, died last night. My parents there. Rode to Colebrook and attended the funeral of an infant child of brother Ammi's. The accounts of the Freemen's Meeting through the State are very favorable. There is not one Democratic Representative chosen in the county of Litchfield.' 19. Extreme heat. The thermometer at 90°. Wrote to Isaiah Thomas,' of Worcester, and to Esq. Leavitt, of Suffield. A hard thunder-shower. 20. Wrote to Mr. Woodbridge,' of Stockbridge. Worked considerably trying to alter the course of the brook. Read Lee's Trial 0/ Virtue. It much exceeds what I expected. 21. My father preached in the forenoon. Afternoon I preached from Rom. x: i. At evening attended a conference. Talked on the salvability of the heathen. 22. Endeavored to write on the subject of the Moral Taste. My pain at the breast something troublesome. Read Lord Nelson's Lift: ' Pastor of the First Church at Portland, of Milford, Ct. In 1S07 Mr. Battell married Ct, 1767-1811. for his second wife, Mrs. Mitchell, widow of ' His classmate Henry Davis, frequently Rev. Justus Mitchell, of New Canaan, Ct., mentioned. whose maiden name was Martha Sherman. ' This is now the church in Naugatuck, ' The Federalists kept their strength in but was then Salem Parish in the town of Connecticut longer than in almost any other Waterbury. State. * Wife of Mr. William Rattcll, and mother ' Isaiah Thomas, of Worcester, published of Mr. Joseph Battell. Ilcr maiden name the Almanacs, which he used for his diary, was Sarah Buckingham, and she was a native ' I'robably Gen. Jonathan Woodbridge. l8o6.] AT HOME IN NORFOLK. 30I 23. Worked all day ; endeavoring to fix a family to move to New Connecti- cut. Their prospects are pretty poor. 24. Worked, as yesterday. Wrote on the subject of Moral Taste. I think that a system which cannot be supported. Read. 25. Quite cool. For two or three mornings we have had frosts. After- noon attended the weekly concert of prayer and a church meeting. The church excommunicated a member. 26. Wrote to my cousin S. P. Robbins. Rainy. Wrote to Rev. Mr. Brown," Washington, Penn. 27. Rode to Torringford. There is a turnpike through Winchester all the way. Tarried at Mr. Battell's." 28. In the forenoon Mr. Mills preached. Afternoon preached from Num. x: 29. In the evening preached again from Esther iv : 16. Some serious- ness here. Meetings quite full. 29. Rode home. My brother Ammi's wife quite sick. Last evening quite tired, but am evidently stronger at the lungs than I have been. 30. Rode with my father to Salisbury and met with the association. The regiment of militia met at Canaan. The association examined and licensed four young men ' who appeared very well. They acknowledged me as one of their number. October. 1. Preached before the association from Rom. x: i. The association had a great deal of business. Rode home. My father has three scholars admitted freshmen in Williams College.* 2. Wrote to Esq. Leavitt, Warren, New Connecticut. Received a letter from Esq. Leavitt, Suffield. Gov. Treadwell ' and Mr. Ely * came to my father's and tarried. 3. Rode to Goshen. A militan,' regin^pnt of foot, and one of horse, met ' Rev. Matthew Brown, Presbyterian min- ministry, was long the able President of ister. Amherst College. Hediedin Pittsfield, Mass., ' Mr. William Battell, father of Mr. Jo- in 1S61, aged eighty-two. seph Battell, of Norfolk. Rev. Frederick Marsh was pastor at ' These four young men were Rev. Tim- Winchester, Ct., from 1S09 to 1851, and died othy Phelps Gillet, son of Rev. Alexander in that town in 1S73, ^' "^^ ^g^ °^ ninety- Gillet, of Torrington, Ct., Rev. Bennet Ty- three. It is rare that a ministerial associa- ler, D. D., a native of Middlebury, Ct., Rev. tion has the opportunity to license in one Heman Humphrey, D. D., a native of Bur- day four young men destined to so large a lington, Ct., and Rev. Frederick Marsh. The measure of Christian service, first of these was the life-long pastor at Bran- * The little family school, in the parson- ford, 1S08-1866, dying in the fifty-eighth year age house at Norfolk, was sending out its of his ministry, and in the eighty-seventh candidates for college year by year. On the of his age. The second of these. Dr. Tyler, very spot where this parsonage house stood, was pastor in Connecticut, and in Portland, a handsome building for a family school is Me., whence he was called to be the head of now in process of erection by the grandchil- the Connecticut Theological Institute, now dren of the old Norfolk pastor and teacher, better known as the Hartford Theological ^ Gov. John Treadwell lived at Farming- Seminary. He died at the age of seventy- ton, Ct. five, after large activities, in 1S58. Rev. Dr. ' Who this Mr. Ely was we have not the Humphrey, after several years' labor in the means of determining, though we conjecture 302 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROnBINS, D.D. [1806. and were received here.' They have ver)' good officers. Rode to Litchfield. Tarried at Mr. Allen's.^ 4. Rode to Torringford and home. Am much belter able to ride than I have been. Very warm. Tried to buy the Uuivcisal History. The owner would not sell it. Mrs. Akins,^ our neighbor, died last night. 5. My father preached both parts of the day. Afternoon on occasion of Mrs. Akins's death. The meeting-house very much crowded. At evening attended the conference. 6. Read all day. Finished reading the Life of Lord Nelson. I think him one of the first characters of the age.* 7. Rode to Colebrook and back. All of our family except sister Betsey dined together at home. This has not been the case before in several years. Considerably unwell with a cold. 8. My cold pretty bad. Wrote. My brother Frank went off to college.' Read Pope's works. g. Wrote considerably. Worked picking up apples. A pretty good year for them. 10. I think I have, on investigation, got some pretty good ideas concerning moral character and inability. Wrote all day. 11. Rode to Warren. Quite cool. Rode in the dark. The roads dr\- and the streams very low. My father received a letter to go to New London to attend an ordination,' but concludes not to go. 12. E.xpected to have gone to New Preston and preached, now vacant by the death of Mr. Day.' Hearing that they were .supplied, preached for Uncle Starr from Acts x.xviii : 24 and Num. x : 29. Rainy. At evening had company. 13. Two or three families who moved from this vicinity to New Con- necticut are coming back.' Wrote considerably. My nerves are weak. that it was Rev. afterwards Dr. David Ely, ' This was the ordination of Rev. Abel of Huntington, a member of the corporation McEwen, D. D., wliose wife was Sarah of Yale College. Gov. Treadwell and Dr. Battell, daughter of William liattell, of Tor- Ely, though not classmates, were in college ringford, and aunt of Mr. Robbins. Dr. together, Gov. Treadwell graduating in 1767, McEwen was a notable man, and his min- and Dr. Ely in 1769. istry at New London lasted from 1806 to ' It was the year for the regimental train- iSGo. ings which came on alternate years. It will ' Rev. Jeremiah Day, father of Dr. Jere- be remembered that only a few days before miah 1 )ay. President of Vale College, and there was a training of this kind at Canaan. Hon. Thomas Day, .Secretary of .Stale in ^ Hon. John Allen, before noticed. Connecticut. Mr. Day had been settled at 'Mrs. Akins was the wife of Edmund New Preston since 1770, and died Sept. 12, Akins, Esq., a highly esteemed lawyer, of 1806. the town of Norfolk. He himself died in the ' This was no uncommon circumstance, following year. The fever and ague, with attendant hardships •• Probably Mr. Robbins would have this and calamities of various sorts, made many understood as true in many respects but not of those early emigrants sigh for their homes in all. in the East. When we consider that the ' Francis Le Haron Robbins, the youngest West was settled under such conditions, it is of the family, now a Sophomore at Williams. wonderful how fast the work has gone on. l8o6.] AT HOME IN NORFOLK. 303 14. Rode to Burlington ' and attended a Ministers' Meet ng. Read a long piece on the subject of Moral Character and Change " which was well approved. 15. Sat with the Ministers' Meeting. Rode to Goshen. The prospect of peace in Europe is, happily, dissipating.' My breast pretty weak. 16. Very cold. Rode home. Read the Vicar of Wakefield.'' Political parties very quiet. 17. Finished reading the Vicar. Almost winter weather. Dr. Wilco.x, from Hartford, here with his family; moving to New Connecticut. Walked out and visited. An e.xhibition of wa.\-work in town. 18. On the nth wrote to Mr. T. Crosby, Smithfield, New Connecticut, Asa Spalding, a Democrat, got forty-six votes for United States Senator in our House of Representatives. Rode to Winchester. A young horse which I rode threw me off with great violence. My leg was hurt considerably, yet was most mercifully preserved. 19. Quite lame in consequence of my fall. Preached from Acts xxviii : 24 and Esther iv : 16. People very attentive and meetings for this place very full. Had company. 20. Walked and rode home. Walk with difficulty. My mamma quite unwell. The season remarkably dry. Read Pleasures of Hope? 21. Worked all day setting glass. The weakness at my breast continues. I fear I am not like to be freed from it. May I submit. 22. Set glass at my sister's.' Read. It appears likely that there will be no peace between England and France at present. Under the circumstances I think we may rejoice.' 23. Looked over my books and wrote in those which I have read. Read Bossuet. 24. Worked. With my father made a well-curb. Cool weather, but very pleasant. Wrote to my brother James, and to Dr. Skinner, New Haven. Walked out and visited. 25. Finished reading Bossuet. My mamma much better than she has been. Mr. I. Knapp, of Westfield, here to preach for my father tomorrow. Rode to Winchester. Am still somewhat lame. A remarkably fine season to gather in fall crops. 26. Quite warm for the season. Preached from John vi : 37 and Rom. i : 16. My breast quite weak. Had company. The prospects of this society are quite encouraging. Mr. Bassett ' does not attend meeting. ' Burlington was a small town about twenty place in literature from generation to genera- miles southeast from Norfolk, having Farm- tion. ington on the east. s Thomas Campbell's poem entitted /Vifaj- - This was a theological paper, such as a ures of Hope was first published in 1799. ministerial association would like to hear and ' Mrs. Joseph Battell. discuss. ' Here he more fully expresses what he ' So it stands written in the diary. What has just before suggested. .\ peace made at precise thought was in his mind we do not that time would be premature. know. 8 Rev. Archibald Bassett, who was dis- * Goldsmith's charming story keeps its missed there a short time before. 304 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1806. 27. Wrote. On the 19th wrote to Col. ]5arker, of Branford, that I could not go there to preach. Walked out and visited. Very warm. Rode to Goshen and home. 28. Read. Assisted in tending Mr. Hartlett's store, his clerk being sick. The dust flies very much. Some men called on me directly from New Connecticut. 29. Read Polite Learning. Wrote to my brother Frank at college. Read newspapers. We have still some fears of peace taking place between Eng- land and France. 30. It snowed the most of the day. Attended a sacramental lecture and church meeting. Wrote a catalogue of all my father's students, exceeding one hundred and eighty.' 31. Wrote to Mr. Andrews, of Canaan. Rode to Winchester. Preached a sacramental lecture from Luke -x.xii : 19. Quite cold. Had company. November. 1. Rode out and visited. Read the account of the Pellew Islands.^ Read Whitefield's Life.^ His industry was astonishing. 2. Preached from Matt, x : 32 and Amos vi : i. Administered the sacra- ment. The church quite solemn and affected. They have not had a sacrament before in a long time. Baptized three children. At evening had company. 3. Rode to Winsted and home. Attended the town-meeting. Wrote. Received a letter from Dr. Skinner, New Haven, and one from Charlotte, Vt., wishing me to go there to preach. 4. Worked the most of the day making and setting up a well-crotch.* Read the History of the Court of St. Cloud!' 5. Quite warm for the season. Worked. Carried apples with a team to the mill. Read St. Cloud. 6. Worked making cider. Rainy. Wrote to brother James. He is now at Windham in this State. ' His father had now been settled in Nor- was probably that of Rev. J. Gillies, D. D., folk forty-five years, and as he did not pro- which first appeared in 1772, two years after fcss to keep school, but only to t.ake pupils Whitefield's death. Other editions were into his family, the number one hundred and published in 1798, 1811, etc. eighty is large. ■* This ancient arrangement for drawing ° The Pellew (Pelew) Islands, belonging water from wells has now almost entirely to Spain (the .Sp.iniards having discovered ceased from among us. Occasion.iUy in jour- thcm in 1545), arc a group of twenty in the neying through the rural districts of New Northern Pacific Ocean at the western ex- Hnghind one sees a specimen of the old- tremity of the Caroline Archipelago. They fashioned well-sweep. arc mountainous and rugged as seen from ' The Semt History of St. Cloud, Lon- the water, but within are fertile, and abound don, 1806. St. Cloud is a beautiful spot on in tropical fruits. The inhabitants are of the the river Seine, near Paris, celebrated for its Malay race, about ten thousand in number, gardens and parks. It was the favorite resi- of very primitive manners, but of gentle and dence of Napoleon, and so the imperial court kindly natures. of Krance during Napoleon's supremacy was ' The Li/i: of Whitefidd which he read called the Court of St. Cloud. l8o6.] AT HOME IN NORFOLK. 305 7. Read Sf. Cloud. It developes the greatest scenes of iniquity that I have ever heard of. Traded some. 8. Rode to Winchester. Read Franklin's Lifc.^ Quite cold. We have now had a moderate rain, yet thought to be the greatest in eight or nine months. 9. Preaclied from 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. The society here have requested me to preach with them through the winter. But my health is so poor I cannot engage. Baptized two children. 10. Rode to Torringford and back. Very cold and windy. Read con- siderably. 11. Finished reading the lives of Franklin and Whitefield. Mr. Lee' preached a lecture in the south part of the town. A good number of people attended. My breast is so weak I cannot read steadily. Played chequers. 12. Rode home. 'ReaA Court of St. Chnid. My lungs quite weak. Rainy. Some little commotion in town with regard to making a permanent addition to my father's salary. Some prospect of a continental war in Europe. It seems Mr. Fo.\^ died Sept. 13th. 13. Worked considerably. Wrote. My brother S.* has engaged to keep a school at Warren. There appears to be some prospect of disturbances in the western country, fomented by Col. Burr.' The pusillanimity of our govern- ment probably will not be able to suppress any considerable insurrection.' 14. Finished reading the History of St. Cloud. The mainspring of French domination appears to be avarice. I expect the $15,000,000 our country has paid is a speculation for private coffers. Dined at my brother N.'s. Reck- oned the number of families in this town, making two hundred and seventy- three. There were probably more ten or fifteen years ago.' 15. A very cold tedious storm of rain. Rode to Winchester. Read Backus's Sermons on Regeneration.' At evening talked seriously with the family where I live. i6. It snowed all day. Had a very thin meeting. Preached from Rom. x: 20. Less worried than usually. 17. Read the whole of the Trial of Virtue.'^ I think it one of the best ' Two volumes of Franklin's Essays with ^ Burr was suspected o£ treasonable nego- his Life were published in London in 1792. tiations, and in the year following was tried But the work which Mr. Robbins was read- on this charge in Richmond, Va. Though ing was probably the one published in Lon- acquitted by the court, he could never clear don in 1806, entitled: T/ie Complete JVorks himself from suspicions on the part of the in Philosophy, Politics, ami Morals of Dr. people. Franklin, first collected and arranged, with a ' This is a somewhat gratuitous remark, memoir of him. 3 vols., 8vo. inspired by the hatred of the Federalists ° Rev. Chauncey Lee, D. D., settled at toward Jefferson. Colebrook, Ct., 1800-1828. ' He thinks the population had decreased ^ Charles James Fox, the great English because of emigration to New York. This statesman, was born Jan. 24, 1749, and died was doubtless true of many towns in Western Sept. 13, 1S06. He was a man of extraordi- Connecticut. nary character, a strange mixture of high in- ° Dr. Charles Backus, of Somers, Ct., tellectual powers and noble political aims died. His volume on Regeneration was joined with habits of extreme dissipation. brought out soon after his death. * Samuel Robbins. 9 This poem we have not chanced to find. 306 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1806. poems ever published in this country. Received a dollar, a present from a certificate man ii^ this society. Tliere seems to be a project to set the Demo- crats tiirough the country addressing the President, praying him not to decline reelection. What idiots and slaves 1 ' 18. Read Best's Logic' Wrote. The snow about eight or nine inches deep Quite winter weather. Rode out. At evening attended a conference. Some people here appear quite disposed to have conferences. 19. Read the whole of Se/f Scrutiny. Walked out. My brother Frank, I hear, has come home from college ; something unwell. Weather moderates. 20. Read Y{n\)b:irA's^ Auirnifit>e of Indian Wars, the whole volume. I think our fathers manifested something of an unfeeling disposition towards their Indian enemies, though there appears to have been much conscience and the fear of God in their deliberations and conduct. 21. Rode and visited all day. The people here * appear very anxious to have me continue to preach with them through the winter, but I think my weakness forbids. 22. Yesterday and today the snow thaws quite fast. Wrote. Read Locke on Education? I wish his ideas could be received in general practice. One hundred and forty families in this society, of whom si.xteen or seventeen are certificated.* Began to read the Bible in course. Will the Lord spare my life- to complete it. 23. In the morning wrote considerably on notes for a sermon, but did not carry them to meeting. Preached from Cor. .\ : 4 and Gen. vi : 3. People appear very attentive and solemn. 24. Walked out and visited. Read Locke. Quite unwell with weakness of the breast and nervous affections. 25. Read Goldsmith's Miscellanies. Rode out. At evening attended a conference. Pretty full. 26. Rode and visited all day. Quite cold and rainy. Read Locke on Education. The people here are quite ambitious in their society matters. 27. This day is the Thanksgiving. Never did I see a Thansgiving with such great obligations. Preached from Ps. 1: 14. After meeting rode home. ' This remark had reference to a possible ' lie is still supplying the pulpit at Win- third term for Jefferson, just as, a few years Chester, Ct. ago, many men were in favor of a third term ' John Locke, as a thinker and philoso- for Gen. Grant, pher, was in far greater repute at the begin- ' Referring probably to a work of W. M. ning of this century than now. But John Best, an English writer, On Principles of Locke, as a man, was possessed of rare ex- Evidence. cellences of character, and his reputation, in ' Rev. William Hubbard, minister of Ips- that respect, abides. Mr. Robbiiis prob.ibly wich, Mass., 1656-1702. He wrote a History refers to his short treatise entitled. Some of New England, and a separate work on the Thoughts Concerning Reading and Study for a Indians and Indian Wars. Mr. Hubbard Gentleman. was born in England, and came to this coun- ' Mad signed off and paid their taxes to try as a boy in his father's family about 1630. other denominations than the Congregational, He was a member of the first class gradu- as they were then allowed to do by the atcd at Harvard College in 1642. law. l8o6.] AT HOME IN NORFOLK. 307 Have not been home at a Thanksgiving since '99. All my brothers here except lames.' A couple came to my father's at evening and were married. 28. Worked helping to break a colt. Dined at Mr. Battell's. Mr. Smith,' of Sharon, died yesterday. 29. My father went to Sharon. Worked considerably. Read the Ei'ole. Warm and wet. The ground has got quite bare. 30. Rode to Colebrook and preached.' Mr. Lee went to Winchester for me. Speak quite feebly. Tarried at Mr. Bodwell's. Preached from Gen. vi : 3 and Num. x : 29. December. 1. Quite cold and chilly. Rode home. Read Eulogies on General Washington.'' Paid Mr. Battel!' $2.11. Paid for a book, etc., $2.00. 2. Worked getting wood. Rode to Canaan with considerable company on a visit. Came home in a large carriage ; quite dark. 3. Worked. Afternoon and evening a very severe snow-storm. Rode out and performed a marriage. 4. Great preparations for war in Europe. Prussia appears likely to lead • the coalition against France.^ The negotiation between England and France has failed. I don't think the English history affords an instance of a rupture of a negotiation for peacp giving such universal joy. Read Washington Eulo- gies. Very cold. 5. Read. My brother Frank went off to college. Rode to Winchester in a sleigh. Sleighing not very good. On the 2d a man in our neighborhood killed two pigs t\vo hundred and thirty-six days old ; one weighed two hundred and thirty and, the other two hundred and thirty-five pounds. The snow drifts very hard. ,' 6. Finished reading Locke on Education. The snow thaws considerably. Read the Bible. 7. P-feached from Isa. vi : 9, 10. Cold winter weather. People attend meeting/very well. At evening examined a young woman to be propounded for conxmunion in the church. 8. ' Drew a confession for an excommunicated member of this church now in Ne^x: Connecticut. Rode home. Pretty good sleighing. 9- Worked getting wood. Finished reading Eulogies on Washington. I think the best is Gouverneur Morris's.' Have something of a cold, but no cough. ' James, at last report of the diary, was part of Great Britain, Russia, Prussia, and living at Windham, Ct., where he was sup- Saxony, was completed Oct. 6, 1S06. plying a vacant pulpit. ' Gouverneur Morris was born in Morris- ^ Rev. Cotton Mather Smith. He had ania, N. Y., 1753, and died in same place, beeni settled at Sharon fifty-one years, 1755- 1S16. He was, in his day, one of the most 1806, He was a native of Suffield, Ct., and accomplished public men in the country, fill- a graduate of Yale in 1751. ing many different offices with dignity and '' On an exchange with Rev. Chauncey ability. He was a graduate of Kings Col- Lee.( D. D. lege in 1768. This is now Columbia College. "* This was a volume published in Boston It was called King's College while we were in the year 1800. under British rule. In 1784 the name was " His brother-in-law, Joseph Battell. changed, to give it a more free and American '■ The coalition against France, on the aspect. 3oS DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1806. 10. Worked at my library, excluding several unimportant books from the numbers. War is now probably raging in Europe. I hope the (jod of heaven will stop French domination.' 11. Rode to Canaan and back. Got a ticket in the New York lotterv" for he encouragement of literature and inland navigation, for which I sent some time snce. It cost seven dollars and a half, and its avails, if any, are devoted to, as I tlink, a charitable purpose. Number 23,461. Assisted the selectmen in making my fiither's rate bill. Very cold. 12. It snowed iie most of the day. One of the severest stonns. Read the Life of lFas/i///g/on,v/hich I began on the loth. 13. Rode to WinchestU'- Many drifts very bad. Wrote. My eyes rather weak. Read the Bible. 14. Very cold. Preached fpm Isa. Lxiii: i. E.xercise very short. Had but one exercise, and have cOncltrfed for the present to have but one on the Sabbath. Read the Bible. 15. Read the Zfe tf JVashiiigton.^ This evening heard the distressing intelligence that hostilities have commenceLbetween France and Prussia, and that the French have regained a great battfi.-'' Our only consolation is that • that vilest conqueror and scourge of nations fi. ^^ instnunent of infinite wisdom. 16. Read. Walked out and visited. Weather lipderates. At evening attended a conference. Very full. 17. Rode home. Good sleighing. Read newspaper. vi:'5 still to be hoped the Prussians will not give up the contest. 18. Walked out. Worked considerably. People move pretith '"sily in the sleighs. 19. Rode out with my mamma. Warm and pleasant. Snow pO^s pretty fast. Eat supper at Mr. Battell's with several neighbors. 20. Yesterday wrote to Mr. Chapin,' of Hartford, and to Mr. i^- Howe, of New Haven. Rode to Winchester. Read Washington's Life. QU'^e bad riding. 21. Preached from Ex. xx : 8. Meeting very full and attentive. At ^^'^n- ing attended a singing meeting. Procured some medicine for my comp'i''»'»ts. My parents think they are rheumatic. I hope they may be nothing* wOrse. Read the Bible. 22. Read Life (f Washington. It is more properly the history of Amer'<^fS, D.D. [1807. 16. Read the Life of Dr. Hopkins} Rode out. Very cold. Many people appear displeased that Mr. Bassett" is appointed a missionary. 17. The late freshet appears to have been higher than the one preceding. Read the Stranger in Ireland} Mr. Humphrey* here, a candidate, about to be settled at Fairfield. 18. Wrote to Mr. Whittlesey,' a candidate. Last night and in the morning considerable snow fell. Afternoon and at evening it rained pretty steady and hard. Poland seems to have become the theater of most destructive war.' 19. Wrote to M. E. L.' Afternoon rode to Colebrook and preached in the evening at Moore's tavern to a pretty numerous collection from Acts viii : 8. In the morning the waters were higher than ever I saw them, though I believe not so much water in the streams. Tarried at my brother A.'s. 20. Rode home. The roads very icy. Extreme cold. Very little sleigh- ing. Wrote to Esq. Leavitt, Suffield, and to Dr. Strong, Hartford. 21. Rode to Winchester. Read Neal's History of the Puritans. Mr. Grossman, of Salisbury, has been here this week to commence a course of discipline with this church for their treatment of Mr. Bassett." I think it is wrong. 22. Preached from Matt. \\ : 9. At evening attended a conference. Per- formed a marri.ige. The people here considerably agitated on account of the late dealings with the church.' 23. The destruction by the late freshets has been great and extensive. Read Neal. Rode out and visited. Two or three persons here very sick. 24. Read. Walked out and visited. At night a pretty hard storm of snow. Roads very icy. 25. The snow eight or ten inches deep. Very cold. Read considerably. Wrote. I think the first Puritans discovered something of a separatical spirit.'" 26. Rode home. The papers contain many accounts of the late freshets. Afternoon preached a sacramental lecture for my father from Rev. xvii : 14. 27. Went with a team sledding wood most all day. A very fine turn of sleighing. Preparing for my journey. ' Lifi: of Dr. Hopkins, by Dr. Stephen pr.ictical honor and integrity in the daily West. business affairs of life. ° Rev. Archibald Bassett, of Winchester, ' In order to prepare the way for disci- dismissed the year before, as already stated. plining a church certain preliminary steps ' This was a volume, then just published, had to be taken, as in case of an individual, New York, 1S07. and Rev. Mr. Grossman, of .Salisbury, had * Rev. Heman Humphrey, one of the four been there to set the process in motion, young men licensed the year before by Litch- '° The Pilgrims who came to Plymouth in field North Association, afterwards President 1620 were open and avowed Separatists. Mr. of Amherst College. Robbins seems to imply that some of the ' Samuel Whittlesey, probably, graduated Puritans who came to the Massachusetts l!ay at Yale in 1803. in 1629 and 1630 had something of the same ' liattle of Mohrungen, fought January, idea, though they disowned the name of 1807. Separatists. He grounds this remark prob- ' Probably Miss Leavitt, of .Suffield. ably on what took place at .Salem in 1629, ' The ch.argcs on which Rev. Mr. IJassett in the organization of the first church in the had been dismissed had reference chiefly to Massachusetts Bay. 1807.J AT HOME IN NORFOLK. 317 28. Set out early and rode to Suffield in a single sleigh ; just forty miles. Some of the way bare ground, yet generally very good sleighing. Tarried with Mr. Gay.' Last evening was informed that Mr. Bassett is about to have the consociation called to Winchester. A very extraordinary step. My father has lately taken an account of the members of his church as accurately as he can. Some are in distant parts of the country, who have never been dis- missed. The number is two hundred and twenty-seven. March. 1. Preached for Mr. Gay from Acts viii : 8 and Luke xv : 17. He administered the sacrament. Very bad stirring. Last night it rained considerably. 2. Spent the forenoon at Esq. Leavitt's. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Had an agreeable opportunity with E. L.' Quite poor sleighing. The bridge at Windsor gone. Got a very fine cherry book-case at Hartford which Mr. Chapin ^ had made for me. Paid for it forty-four dollars.* 3. Rode home with the lower part of my book-case safely. From N^w Hartford excellent sleighing. Crossed Talcott Mountain on a south road.' 4. Rode to Winchester. Visited a child very sick. The committee of the church requested me to assist them before the consociation, which is to meet there next week. I hope for divine guidance. Concluded to dismiss two objects of daily attention, to one of which I have attended for nearly four years, to the other nearly two years ; and to adopt another, which I have had in attention for a few months.' And may the Lord enable me to be honest and faithful. 5. Rode to Goshen and returned in a sleigh. Had a long conversation with Mr. Hooker and Judge Hale ' respecting Winchester matters. I hope their advice may be useful. 6. There are accounts that Bonaparte's army is suffering severely by fam- ine and pestilence. However dreadful I can hardly regret it. Wrote on a defence for the church, to be laid before the consociation. Had company. 7. Hindered from my writing by company most of the day. Rode out and performed a marriage. 8. Preached from Rev. xvii : 14. Had two exercises ; expect to have two on a Sabbath in future. I hope my health will admit it. Tolerably good sleighing. 9. Wrote steadily all day. At evening met with the members of the ' Suffield had two ministers by the name bins was buying a choice article of furniture. of Ebenezer Gay, father and son. Ebenezcr ' This was the road probably leading t:i Gay, D. D., Senior, filled the pulpit, 1742- Farmington, rather than the one leading is/s ^ ior four dollars. Rode home. Very warm. Some awakening in Litchfield. 18. Read Shakespeare. Am much debilitated with the heat. Myfather rode to Colebrook to exchange with Mr. Lee. Went into the water. 19. Mr. Lee preached. Read the Bible. Our boy Gurdon'had a sister die at Winsted, of the Winchester fever. 20. Quite wet and rainy. A remarkably favorable time for vegetation. Very warm. Read Shakespeare. 21. Worked on board fence. I think I can bear labor of any kind con- siderably better than in times past. 22. Remarkably warm and rainy. Made a gate for a fence. Mr, Battell and my sister set out on a journey for some time. I have agreed to make my home at their house during their absence. Received a beaver hat from Dan- bury, made for me, cost seven dollars and a half. The one I now have I have worn steadily more than four years.' 23. Last night a very hard rain. The ground very wet. Divine Provi- dence seems to frown on the season. Worked all day. The belligerent powers in Europe seem to be at an awful pause. I expect they will make a peace. That will probably be an occasion of the greater extent of French dominion. 24. Read considerably. People just beginning to mow. Worked some. Feel quite anxious about my brother James, lest his missionary life in this wami weather should be too much for him. I hope that the same God who carried me through many trials will help and support him. 25. Am pretty feeble. Read. Afternoon had a most sudden and violent ' Perhaps that was all he could properly of England, silenced for nonconformity. He do, under the circumstances of that time. went to Holland and died in 1679. ' Probably the wife of Judge Timothy * A boy probably who was living in the Hale. family as a servant. ^ The celebrated Matthew Poole's Synopsis ' If a man buys such hats that he can Criticoriim Biblicorum. This work was con- wear them steadily for more than four years, structed upon the plan of "bringing together it is not extravagant if he pays $7.50 for one the opinions of one hundred and fifty Biblical of them. The hat which he was now to lay critics of all times and countries previous to aside went over the Alleghany Mountains his own." Poole was born in 1624, was twice, on horseback, and through his three educated at Emmanuel College, was one of years of rough experience in Ohio. That some two thousand ministers of the Church was service enough for one hat. 33° DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1807. rain. I never saw our brook so high. It was nearly a foot deep over the bridge and road. Orders are received by the militar)- companies to furnish a certain proportion of troops to be ready for a call. I suppose in order to contend against the British navy. 26. Mr. Goodrich," of New Haven, and Mr. Gallaudet," of Hartford, came here yesterday and tarried over the Sabbath. The roads are ver)' much washed by yesterday's rain. 27. Worked in hay all day. Miss Sally Sherman,' at Mr. Battell's, quite sick with an inflammatory fever. 28. Read. Rainy. A very melancholy time. It is said that in the towns below the grain is likely to be hurt by growing. Have to attend much on Miss Sherman ; am concerned about her. 29. Considerable and e.vtensive damage done by late severe shower. Worke'd quite hard in hay. People just beginning to harvest. 30. Read Shakespeare. The ground ver}- wet and streams quite high. I think I never saw our well so full of water. My father received a letter from my brother James at Canandaigua. He is confined there with a bilious fever, but is hopefully gaining health. I fear he will not be able to perfonn his mission. 31. A ver\' favorable season for haying. On account of work I read but little. I think my father fails some with regard to work ; he gets worried much sooner than formerly. August. 1. Gen. Tracy,* of Litchfield, who has lately died at Washington, is a great national loss. He is much celebrated in the public papers. Worked quite hard all day. 2. Miss Sherman continues quite weak and low. I think I am evidently considerably stronger in consequence of my work. 3. Rainy. People have very unsteady weather for their harvest. Grain and grass are pretty good, much beyond what was expected. 4. Read Shakespeare. Our national spirit has lately been a little roused at foreign aggressions, but the government seems to be suppressing it to its ordinary supineness. National spirit in us seems to alarm no government but our own.' 5. Worked carting grain. We have the melanchoU intelligence of the ' Elizur Goodrich, LL.D., born in Dur- Justus Mitchell, whose maiden name was ham, Ct., I76[, graduated at Yale, 1769, Martha Sherman, daughter of Rev. Josiah lavtyer in New Haven, Mayor of New Haven, Sherman, of Milford. Miss Sally Sherman, 1803-1822. visiting at Mr. Joseph Battell's, was doubt- > Thomas H. Gallaudet, LL.D., born in less of her kindred. Philadelphia, 1787, graduated in Yale Col- * Gen. Uriah Tracy, bom in Kranklin, Ct., lege, 1805. Head of the Deaf and Dumb Feb. 2, 1755; died at Washington, D. C, Asylum, at Hartford, for many years. Died July 19, 1807. He was United States Sena- at Hartford, Ct., Sept. 9, 1851. tor from 1796 to 1807. ' Mr. William liattcll, of Torrington, father 'Sharp and sarcastic, and perhaps just, •>i Joseph, married for his second wife -Mrs. though Dr. Robbins opposed the war of 1812. 1807.] AT HOME IN NORFOLK. 33I fall of Dantzic ' before the French arms. I fear the powers at war will now make peace, and submit to France. 6. Worked at harvest all day. Quite warm. Am considerably an.\ious about Miss Sherman as her fever continues. 7. At evening Mr. Battell and my sister returned from their journey. We hear from my brother James that he is hopefully recovering. 8. Rode to Winchester and attended the funeral of the widow Loomis. Preached from John xi : 23. It hurt me less than I feared. A great number of people at the funeral. A hard shower. 9. Mr. Higley^ preached, and very well. I assisted some, and baptized two children. At evening attended a conference ; very full. I feel quite concerned about the people here. 10. Rode home. Quite warm. Several people at Winchester are not yet recovered from their epidemical fever. Read Shakespeare. u. Thus in the merciful Providence of God I am brought to the close of my thirtieth year. That I shall live so many years longer, I think there is but the smallest probability. That I shall continue in this world ten years more, I think not very likely.^ 12. Worked at grain. Some of the grain very poor in consequence of being injured by the winter. The season for harvesting very unfavorable. 13. Worked making a horse-block. Quite cold and wet. Read Shake- speare. Miss H. Battell* quite unwell, and in a degree deranged. 14. Am quite oppressed with an influenza. Have quite a hard cough. Tried to work and svi'eat some, as a likely way for relief. 15. Read some. Quite unwell. The most of my father's family have the influenza. Very warm. 16. My father rode to Winchester. Mr. Higley preached here. Meeting- house very much crowded. Read the Bible. My mamma very feeble with her influenza. 17. Worked. Afternoon rode with Mr. Whittlesey,' of Danbur\', to Salis- bury and saw his wife and other Danburj' friends. Can ride much better than in times past. 18. Visited with my friends. Very w-arm. Rode home. People univer- sally in the midst of haying. 19. Worked at hay. I find my breast something sore by my ride. We have an account of a great battle between the French and Russians.^ I sus- ' Dantzic, in Northern Germany, had child of Mr. William Battel!, of Torrington. belonged to Prussia since 1793. I' surren- She was a sister of Mr. Joseph Battell, of dered to the French in May, 1807, and by the Norfolk, who married .Sarah Robbins. treaty of Tilsit was restored to independ- ' The man with whom he boarded when ence, under the protection of Prussia and living in Danbury. Saxony. ' We know of no battle between the ' Silas Higley, before mentioned. French and Russians about this time except ^ He lived forty-nine years after this, so that of Friedland, already reported, fought that his estimate was very wide of the mark. June 14, 1S07. The foreign news of that * Miss Harriet Battell was the seventh day was very irregular. ^22 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1807. pect there ivas no great advantage on either side. I am glad it was no worse. 20. Read newspapers. Rainy. Worked in the garden. A remarkable year for vegetation. The English have met with some distressing losses in Egypt. Received a letter from Mr. Lee, of Colebrook. 21. Read Shakespeare. Quite wet and rainy. My brother James came home from the westward. He appears to be recovering his health. On the 17th received twenty-two dollars from the people at Winchester. 22. Have the rheumatism very bad in my back. Read. Am scarcely able to walk. 23. Am something better of my rheumatic complaint. Rode in a carriage to Canaan. Afternoon preached for Mr. Cowles' from Num. x ; 29. Many people here worked all day at hay. At evening attended a conference. 24. Rode home. Worked considerably in haying. My brother James works some." Think preaching yesterday did me no injur)'. Quite cool. 25. Worked quite hard all day. People generally are but now doing their haying. My influenza appears to have gone off without leaving any cough upon me, which I much feared. 26. If French successes continue and Bonaparte lives, I think it not im- probable that one of his favorites ere long will be sovereign of America.' Probably a large portion of our country, not to say a majority, would gladly hail the event. Had some clothes made. 27. Expected to have gone today on a journey to the eastward; but various circumstances rendering it difficult, it must be put off. I feel much disappointed. For four days I have worked steadily in haying. 28. Rainy. Wrote considerably. Wrote to M. E. L.* I hope my brother J. is regaining usual health. Esq. Alvord,* from Winchester, came to see me. They still make considerable dependence upon me there. 29. Very warm. Worked making fence. I have this week exchanged my horse which is substantially lame, for a valuable mare eight years old. I am to give forty dollars in the exchange. The mare is probably worth si.xty. My mission cost me about a sixty dollar horse. 30. Afternoon preached for my father from Esther iv : 16. Very warm. 31. Set out with my father in a carriage for Williamstown. Rode to Lenox. Tarried at Mr. Goodwin's.' People generally are haying. There is some hope of a favorable dissension in Democracy in this State.' ' Kcv. Pitkin Cowles, pastor at North this country had a real fear that Napoleon Canaan, Ct., 1805 to 1833. Rev. Mr. Cowles might come over here with his destroying was a native of Southington, Ct., and was armies. graduated at Yale College in iSoo. lie died * It has been some time since we have in 1833. had any suggestion about M. E. L. ' We understand him to mean that his ' Kliphaz Alvord, Esq., probably. brother James is so far recovered from his ' Joseph Coodwin. illness that he is able to perform more or less ' We must remember that he is now in physical labor. Massachusetts where they have a Demo- ' It is safe to say that this did not come cratic Governor. Gov. Sullivan held his to pass. But for years the good people of office only one year. 1807.] AT HOME IN NORFOLK. 333 September. 1. Quite cool. The influenza' universally prevalent through the counir)-. Rode to Williamstown. At evening attended the exhibitions. Find old acquaintance. I have not been here before for nearly five years. 2. Last night the President's oldest son died ; ° of a fever similar to the late one at Winchester. The business of the day generally very good. Much fewer people than common ; probably in a great degree on account of the influenza. The President appears remarkably well under his afflictions. But few minis- ters are present. 3. In the forenoon attended the funeral of the President's son. Visited old acquaintance. 1 suspect the corporation do not treat my cousin H. Starr very well in not appointing him tutor.^ The ecclesiastical matters in this town are in a pretty bad state.' 4. Rode with my father to Stockbridge. He found an old acquaintance, Mr. Watson, at Pittsfield. People in general have not near done haying. My horse goes very well in a carriage. I think it questionable whether the college ought not to be removed from Williamstown.' Tarried at Dr. West's. 5. Rode home. The roads very much gullied. I think I am much better than I was a week ago. My brother Frank got home before us. 6. I preached in the forenoon, my brother James in the afternoon. My father administered the sacrament. The church quite numerous. Preached from Matt, x : 32. I have some real concern about the feebleness of my brother J. 7. Set out with my brother for New Haven. Rode to Waterbury. Tar- ried at a tavern. The roads very much washed. Perhaps no disease has ever been so universal in our country as the influenza at present. 8. There was dancing and great noise in the house almost all night.' Rode to New Haven. At evening attended the speaking for premiums. I think the scholars here are not so good speakers as they were some years ago. Quite rainy. 9. But few people in town for the occasion.' The performances of the day were rather indifferent. Had several applications to preach at vacant ' During the administration of Vice-Presi- been the pastor for twenty-eight years, died dent Tyler, 1S41-1S45, there was a like pre- in February, 1S07, and no one was settled in vailing influenza known as the Tj-ler Grip. his place until 1S13, when Rev. Walter King Since that time we do not remember anything was ordained. so severe and widespread as this influenza ' There was in those days some talk of described by Mr. Robbins in 1S07. removal because Williamstown then seemed ' An event like this would throw a cloud such an out-of-the-way place. But it is well over the Commencement season, especially that no such plan or suggestion ever pre- in such a quiet and retired community as vailed. Williams College has a rich history, that of Williamstown then was. and has done a most excellent work. ^ Henry Starr, son of Rev. Peter Starr, of ' This was at Waterbury. Warren, Ct., was graduated in 1S04, at W'ill- ' The prevailing influenza and the badly- iams College. He became a lawyer. washed roads seem to have made small * The church at Williamstown was now attendance at Commencement, both at Will- without a pastor. Rev. Seth Swift, who had iams College and Vale. 334 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1807. places. Find many old friends. At evening Mr. Hotchkiss,' of Saybrook, preached the Concin. But few ministers for the occasion were present. 10. .\ttended the meeting of the P. B. K. Society. Bought books. Cru- den's Concordance for $9.50;'' $9.19 of which was the residue of the money given me at Winchester last March. Paid for Bedford's ' Scripture Chronology S4.75. Rode with my brother to Branford. Tarried at Mis. Huntington's. 11. Wrote. Afternoon rode to North Branford to see Mr. Eells.* He is verj- poor and most probably will not preach much more. 12. Returned to Branford.' Quite warm. Dined at old Capt. Russell's. Peaches quite plenty. Events in Europe appear to be going entirely in favor of Bonaparte. Human power contends in vain. 13. Rode to East Haven and preached for Mr. Gaylord,' of Norfolk, who is now supplying there, in the forenoon, from Gen. vii : 16. Afternoon re- turned to Branford, and preached from Luke xv : 17. The same subject from which I preached here a year ago. I think I never made such a mistake before.' My brother has engaged to supply tJiem here for a while. He is pretty feeble with the influenza. 14. My preaching yesterday affected me less than I feared. Left Bran- ford, rode to Durham. My brother has concluded to preach a little wliile at Branford if he shall be able. Tarried with Mr. Smith.* 15. Quite cold. Rode to Hartford and Windsor. Find many friends. Some sickness in Hartford ; I think similar to the Winchester fever. Tarried at Esq. Selden's. 16. People begin to sit by fires. I bear riding much better than I feared. Rode to Suffield. The regimental trainings in this vicinity are this week. It appears that Bonaparte has made peace with Russia and Prussia. Probably prett)- much on his own terms. I cannot yet believe that he will be permitted to consolidate Europe in one great monarchy.' 17. Afternoon rode to Simsbury. I hope for divine guidance in all inter- esting circumstances in which I may ever be placed." Some people are quite sick with fever setting in with the influenza. ' Rev. Frederick William Hotchkiss, ' Arthur Bedford, an English divine, pastor at Old Saybrook, Ct., 1783-1844, sixty- 166S-1745. Ilis work was entitled Scripture one years. Mr. Hotchkiss was a native of Chronolog)' Demonstrated by Astronomical Cal- New Haven, and a graduate of Yale College culations. London, 1730, folio. in 1778. * Rev. Samuel Eells was settled in North ' The sum of $9.50 now would buy a splen- l!ranford in 1769. He died in 1S08. did copy of Cruden's Co«c»r(/a««. Rev. Alex- ' Branford was where his grandfather. Rev. ander Cruden, a native of Aberdeen, Scot- Philcnion Robbins, was so long settled. land, born May 31, 1701, was the author ' Rev. .Vsahcl Gaylord. of this Concordance, though it has been ' \u liarni done, but it was mortifying, long known that he availed himself largely, ' Rev. David Smith, D.D. without giving credit, of the work of Rev. ' This remark shows the fears and appre- Samuel N'cwman, first minister of Rchoboth, hensions of that day. Mass. Mr. Newman wrought out his Con- '" This remark seems to have a side refer- eordance under great difficulties. He was cnce to M. E. L., though he docs not say minister at Rehoboth from 1644 to his death, that he had just been to Suffield where she 1663- was living. 1807.] AT HOME IN NORFOLK. 335 18. Rode to Winchester. Preached a sacramental lecture from i Cor. xi : 30. Think of supplying the pulpit here a little time. 19. Rainy. Some people have not done haying. Wrote. Remarkably still times through the State in reference to the approaching Freeman's Meet- ing, more so than has been for some years. 20. Quite a full meeting. Preached from Rev. iii : lo and Rom. .xiv : lo. Administered the sacrament. Baptized four children. At evening rode to Colebrook with my brother Ammi and tarried. 21. Rode home. Attended Freeman's Meeting. Votes here Federal, one hundred and thirty-two ; Democratic, thirty-one. Parties very still. Had an application to preach at a place near Boston. 22. My sister Betsey arrived here last Sabbath, with her youngest child, to continue." She is dependent on her friends. My brothers, Samuel' and Francis,' set off on a journey to Plymouth and Boston. The influenza very prevalent here. 23. Reviewed and balanced my accounts for a year past. I have paid a considerable sum for books, but I think I cannot have a better property. Rode to Colebrook and back Weather cool but dry. 24. Worked some. The late Freeman's Meeting has issued rather unfa- vorably through the remissness of the Federalists.* At evening Mr. Wood- bridge and wife,' from Stockbridge, came here and tarried. 25. Rode to Litchfield. Preached in the afternoon at a stated weekly lecture from Luke xv : 17. There is a considerable seriousness here, but I suspect declining. At evening Mr. Johns,* of Berlin, preached. 26. Treated very kindly at Mr. Allen's.' Visited several families. Rode to Winchester. Quite warm. I ride but poorly. 27. Preached from Rom. x : i. I think I never preached upon any sub- ject which interests people more. Not so tired as I feared. Had company. Quite sickly at Winsted. 28. Rode home. Received from New Haven, Bedford's Scripture Chro- nology. It appears much beyond my expectation. Preparing for association. Uncle Starr came. 29. The association met here. They dined today at Mr. Battell's. Mr. Miller' and Mr. Hooker' preached. Several of the members are absent. 30. The association licensed a young man'° who appeared very well. After ' Her marriage with Mr. Lawrence, of * Tliat is, not in Norfolk, but throughout Paris, N. Y., had not proved a happy one, the State, whether by his fault or hers, we cannot say. ' Probably Gen. John Woodbridge and ' Samuel Robbins, now twenty-three years wife, old, had been teaching a school in Warren, ' Rev. Evans Johns, a Welshman. Ct. ' Judge John .\llen. ^ Francis Le Baron Robbins, now twenty ° Rev. William F. Miller, of Bloomfield, years old, had just finished his Junior year at Ct. ■ Williams College. He takes advantage of ' Rev. Asahel Hooker, of Goshen, the vacation to go with his brother and pay "Thisyoungman was Rev. .A.llen McLean. a visit to their kindred in Plymouth, Mass. He was a native of Vernon, Ct., was grad- 336 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D, [1807. dinner they dispersed. They met here on my account.' My father went to Canaan and prayed with a military regiment. Quite warm. October. 1. Read newspapers. The kingdom of Denmark is probably near expir- ing.' She appears to have no choice left, but of masters England and France. Rode to Winchester. Visited some families. The sickness is ver>- bad in Winsted. 2. Visited a school. Rainy. We have now had dry weather nearly a fortnight ; much the longest turn that has been this year. Read Shakespeare. 3. Afternoon rode up to the north end of Goshen to exchange with Mr. McLean,^ who supplies them now. Got considerably wet. 4. Preached from Acts x.xviii: 24 and Num. x : 29. There has been con- siderable seriousness lately. I think nearly as many people attend meeting here as at Winchester. It will probably be a society ere long. Quite tired. 5. Rode home. Quite cool. A Mr. Lansing/ from Albany, came here and left a son with my father for instruction. My mamma quite unwell with a cold and cough. 6. Read Shakespeare. Worked at rowing hay. A great many people traveling and visiting through the country. People travel most in wagons and carriages.' 7. Several families from Winchester went on to New Connecticut. W'orked considerably. Read Shakespeare. Denmark is probably about to perish among the great nations.' 8. This morning a pretty hard frost. We have had but little before. A great prospect of cider. 9. Quite warm for the season. My father has a piece of grain very much eaten by grasshoppers. Read in the Life of Nelson. A very fine season for ripening corn. 10. Rode to Winchester. I feel anxious what to do with this people. Read Shakespeare. I think I get a great many profitable ideas from him. 11. Read the Bible. Preached from Rom. xi : 7 and Gen. xix: 17. Meet- uated at Y?.le College in 1805, and was after- fleet, under Lord Cathcart and Admiral wards the life-long minister of Simsbury, Ct. Gambler, bombarded Copenhagen, and corn- In the contributions to the Ecclesiastical His- pelled the Danish fleet of eighteen ships of tory of Coniieclicut, Mr. McLean's licensure the line, fifteen frigates, .md thirty-seven brigs is said to have been given Sept. 27, 1S07. to surrender, which brought the Danish power The meeting of the association, according to for the time to the verge of extinction. Mr. Robbins's record, was on the 29th and ^ This was Rev. Allen McLean, who just 30th of September, and 27th should have before was licensed by the Litchfield North been 29th. Association. ' That is, he was personally a member of * I'robably Judge John Lansing, a public the association, and it was his turn to h.avc man of considerable note, the meeting, and not his father's. ' The horseback age was then giving = Denmark did not join in the alliance of place to that of wheel-vehicles, the great European nations against France, ' Her sun seemed to set for a time, but and these nations were therefore hostile to rose again. The bombardment of Copen- her. On the 7th of Sept., 1S07, the English hagcn had just taken place. 1807.] AT HOME IN NORFOLK. 337 ing quite full and attentive. Had company. I am mucii stronger than I have been in time past. Laus Deo. 12. Very warm and dry. Visited families all day. There are a number of fine dairies here. This has been a favorable year for the business. 13. Rode home. Worked making a board fence. My health and strength gain very sensibly. 14. Worked considerably making a milking yard. At evening Mr. Ingalls,' a missionar}', came here and tarried. There is a remarkable reformation among many of the Indian tribes, with regard to spirituous liquors. 15. Worked. Afternoon attended a church-meeting and weekly concert of prayer. The church e.YCommunicated a member. There appear to be some instances of serious impressions here. Had a very solemn meeting. 16. A man was buried in town who was )'esterday found dead in the road. Wrote to Mr. Avery, of Foxborough, and to William Blackburn, Philadel- phia. Mr. Norton,'' from Whitestown, called here. Read Shakespeare. 17. Worked at Mr. Battell's fi.xing his well to raise water. Rainy. Rode to Winchester. Read. 18. Read the Bible. Preached from Acts .x.wiii : 24. I am fearful of getting into a habit of preaching with too little preparation. Had company. 19. Walked and visited families all day. A very plentiful year for cider. Quite cold. People here in general very industrious. 20. Last night there was some snow. Read Shakespeare all day. Close attention seems to affect my breast almost as much as speaking.' 21. Read Shakespeare. Quite cold. At evening rode home. Capt. Ripley, from Whitestown, and his family tarried at my father's. My brothers S. and F. returned yesterday from their eastern journey.* 22. Worked some. Read Bedford's Scripture Chronology. I like it much better than I expected. My sister B. lives here with us. 23. Saw some acquaintance from Vermont. Instability, self-importance, vanity, and folly constitute the character of that unhappy State.' Rode to Winchester. Attended a prayer-meeting. But a few met, yet it was a solemn season. 24. In the morning a little snow. Last night Mr. Bassett' and his family came here and tarried. He is exceedingly morose, unsociable, and unman- • Rev. Calvin Ingalls, before spoken of, life on the Western Reserve, amid fever and appointed by the Connecticut Missionary ague and many rude exposures, left him in a Society for service in Vermont, New York, bad condition, from which he is slowly, but and Pennsylvania. with many drawbacks, recovering. = Rev. Asahel Strong Norton, D.D., born * They left on the 22d of September, so at Farmington, Ct., Sept. 20, 1765, graduated that they were gone a month lacking one at Yale, 1790, died at Clinton, N. Y., May 10, day. 1S53. He was one of the founders of Ham- ^ xhis is rather hard on Vermont, but she ilton College. He received his degree of has happily survived and has come out into D.D. from Union College in 1S15. a very intelligent and virtuous condition. ' Mr. Robbins has been contending with ' Rev. .\rchibald Bassett, who was dis- this pain in his breast for two years. His missed at Winchester. 338 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROEniXS, D.D. [1807. nerly in his behavior. Made some pills according to the receipt Dr. Sheldon gave me some time since. Read the Bible. 25. Preached to a very serious and attentive audience from Acts vii : 34 and Prov. i: 24, 25, 26. At evening walked out. Quite tired. 26. Visited Mr. McEwen,' of New London, now in this town. Quite cold. Read Shakespeare. At evening rode home. My brother James just come home. 27. Worked some. My brother S. quite unwell. The season drj' and ver)' favorable for business. 28. Worked getting a large stick of timber for building. Read newspapers. I am ver)' fearful that Great Britain will not be able to contend long against her immensely formidable enemies. 29. Afternoon my brother preached a sacramental lecture. He thinks of going to Whitestown to keep the Clinton Academy.'' 30. Rode to Winchester and to Canton. I think I have never been so well able to ride since I left the western country. I hope to devote my spared life to a useful service. 31. Rode to Mr. Hallock's.' He is now on a mission in Vermont.* After- noon preached a sacramental lecture from Rev. .\vi : 15. But few attended. November. 1. It snowed considerably. Preached from Rev. xvii : 14 and Rom. x : i. Meeting full and attentive. Administered the sacrament. The church here pretty large.' Quite tired. 2. Rode home. My salt-rheum considerably bad. Am earnestly re- quested to go to the Chenango country' to assist in organizing a church and society. 3. Worked getting timber for a large cow-house. My cousin H. Starr came here and tarried. My brother ' engaged to keep the school here in the neighborhood. 4. Wrote. Towards evening rode to Winchester. It seems the people here at a meeting last Monday have given me a call to settle with them. The vote was unanimous. The salary voted, four hundred and thirty dollars. They expect to raise three or four hundred dollars as a settlement. 5. Walked out and visited. Read Shakespeare. Trying to put out my sister B.'s youngest child. People make a great quantity of cider-brandy. Quite cold. 6. Rainy. Very cold. Received a letter from Dr. Everest, of Canton. Finished reading Shakespeare's plays, which I began in course last winter. • Abel McEwen, D.D., who married Sarah * That is, as a settled pastor, leaving his Battell, of Torrington, sister of Joseph Hat- people for a time on a missionary circuit. tell, of Norfolk. ' This was at Canton, Ct. "This is the academy, which, in 1812, 'In southern portion of Central New grew into Hamilton College. York. ' Rev. Jeremiah Hallock. ' His brother Samuel. iSoy.] AT HOME IN NORFOLK. 339 7. Rode to Torrington and returned. Visited. People appear very anx- ious about my continuing here. I don't know what to do. Read the Bible. 8. Preached from Ps. cvi : 15. At evening the committee of the society visited me. I am much perplexed, but hope to be divinely directed. Received of the society forty-eight dollars and a due-bill of fifty. Gave a receipt in full. 9. Cannot find my horse.' Read the Guide to Domestic Happiness. After- noon walked home. My brother James went off this morning to Clinton. In some places there is snow. 10. My father rather inclines to have me settle at Winchester. But I think I shall not. I feel that I cannot be contented there. Worked at fram- ing a large cow-house.^ It snowed considerably. 11. Assisted in framing and raising our frame. Received a letter from W. Blackburn,^ of Philadelphia. Great Britain seems to be frowned upon in her distant expeditions. 12. Was applied to, to preach at Simsbury.' Concluded to go. Traded considerably. Paid Mr. Battell the amount of a due-bill for money paid for my book-case, including interest, forty-five dollars, and sixty-three cents. Rode to the south part of the town and attended the weekly conference. Rode to Winchester. Read Virgil's ^-Eneid. 13. Quite cold. People have yet much cider to make. Rode to Goshen. At evening preached from Ps. cvi: 15. The work of grace continues veiy great at Litchfield. 14. Returned to Winchester. Wrote a long and particular answer to the call of the society. My reasons I cannot communicate, but I hope I do not do wrong. 15. Studied considerably. Preached from Isa. v: 4 and Heb. iv : 9. At evening rode out and performed a marriage. Quite cold. I bear preaching much better than I have done. 16. I am fearful the people here will be much wounded at my leaving them. Feel very disagreeably at leaving them. Hope they may be kindly kept of heaven. Rode home. 17. Worked some. Attended an important trial in a probate court. Mr. Gould,'' of Litchfield, argued exceedingly well. 18. Extreme cold. It seems that Copenhagen^ has fallen before the ' Judging from Mr. Robbins's experience, * The pulpit of Simsbury was vacant and both in New England and on the Connecticut dependent on occasional supplies, from 1S06 Reserve, the losing of horses in those days to 1S09, when Rev. Allen McLean was settled. was a common occurrence. ' Judge James Gould, LL.D., born in Bran- ° He was carpenter as well as farmer. ford, Ct., 1770, graduated at Yale, 1791, died Besides, he had helped cut and draw the at Litchfield, Ct., 1S38. He with Judge Tap- timber for this building. piiR Reeve for forty years conducted the ^ We have not been able to determine cer- famous Law School of Litchfield, tainly who this W. Blackburn was. He has ' Taken by British fleet, under Admiral been several times mentioned in such circum- Gambier and Lord Cathcart, Sept. 5, 1S07. stances as to suggest that he was in the book as already mentioned. trade. 34° DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1807. British arms, and that our government is likely to get into trouble with the British. Their claims are most ridiculous.' 19. Yesterday put on my flannels. Read newspapers. Read Bedford's Scripture Chronology. It is a very valuable work. Severe winter weather. 20. Rode out. Worked some. The weather moderates. Read Bedford. I am in hopes that Mr. Jefferson's popularity must sink.' 21. My father rode to Winchester to preach tomorrow. Worked consider- ably. Read the Bible. Had some clothes made. 4.50. 22. Preached from Isa. Ixiii : i and Heb. iv : 9. My father returned from Winchester. They are in a pretty critical situation there. 23. Worked considerably. Several men came here from \\'inchester requesting me most earnestly to take up my answer for further consideration; which, after much hesitation, I have done. 24. On the 19th wrote to my cousin S. P. Robhins, of Marietta. Set out for Simsbur)'. Rode to Canton. Tarried with Mr. Hallock. Had an agree- able visit. He has lately returned from a mission to Vermont. The Legisla- ture of that State have lately annulled all their laws for the support of the gospel.' We have almost ceased to be a Christian nation. 25. Rode to Simsbur)'. Read newspapers. There is a prospect of new^ and bitter parties in Congress. Had company. Wrote notes for preaching tomorrow. 26. Thanksgiving. My obligations of gratitude to heaven seem to in- crease every year. Oh for a suitably feeling heart. Preached from Isa. i : 2. Had rather a thin meeting. People appear very glad to see me here. 27. Visited a mourning family. Warm and rainy. Read Saybrook Plat- form.'' Have a good deal of company. 28. Read Cambridge Platform.' Attended the funeral of an aged woman. Preached on the occasion from Luke .\xiii : 28. Read tiie Bible. I live in a serious, good family. 29. Preached from Gen. vii : 16 and Rom. i: 16. People verj- attentive. Very tired. My breast appears to be weaker than in time past. Heard that my sister S. had a second son night before last.' 30. Visited. Wrote. Am fearful that I cannot bear close study. Wrote to my brother James. ' Their claim to the right of boarding * The Saybrook Platform was enacted at American merchant vessels on the high seas Saybrook, Ct., in September, 170S. Here and taking off American subjects. was embodied the ecclesiastical laws and ^ It did not sink except to rise again. Mr. rules for the government of the Congrcga- Jefferson, with whatever faults he may have tional churches of Connecticut, had, is certainly one of the shining names of ' The Cambridge Platform w.is enacted our republic. by the Synod of 1648, which met at Cam- ' That is to say, she compelled no man by bridge. This was designed to be Congrcga- 1.1W to pay religious taxes, leaving the preach- tional law all over New England, and was until ing of the gospel to the voluntary support of the Saybrook Platform was formed in 170S. men. Connecticut herself came to the same ' 1'iis "•is Philip ISattell, Kscp, who grad- conclusion a few years later, and so did uated at Midillcbury College, Vt., in 1826, Massachusetts. !"i Gov. Thomas Hutchinson's History of that empire has perished. Massachusetts has already been noticed. ■* In iSoS Charles IV of Spain resigned ' Democracy had certainly grown strong the throne in favor of his son Ferdinand in the land, and was destined to remain so VII. Charles had occupied the throne since for some years to come. But the g'eat evils 1788. Almost immediately after the acces- anticipated in consequence did not come. 366 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1808. 31. Preached from Rom. .\ : i.' The subject appeared to be new and ver>- interesting. At evening attended a small conference. My health is ver)- good. August. 1. Rode out. Afternoon rode to Mrs. Ellsworth's," at Windsor. Mr. Ellsworth has left many valuable curiosities. Returned. People in the midst of haying, being put back by the wet weather. 2. Read the Bible. Walked out and visited. The people here are gen- erally less industrious than those who live on hard and poorer lands. 3. Read Hutchinson's History. Afternoon worked some at hay. Very warm. I believe I have not been so healthy since my mission. Oh for a deeper sense of my obligations. 4. The heat is extreme — almost insupportable. Finished reading Hutch- inson. It is a pretty valuable history. Visited. There appear to be some quite serious people here. There seems to be a prospect of violent internal commotions in Spain. 5. Read the Spectator? Wrote. Rode out and visited. The first people here treat me with much respect. 6. Cool. Read. Wrote to my brother James. Went into the water. Eat green corn. 7. Preached from Luke vii : 23 and Amos vi : i. Several of the hearers appeared solemn. It seems as if the way was prepared, if it may please God to work, for a good revival of religion here. Had company. 8. Rode out and visited. Wrote to my parents. Afternoon rode to Simsbury. It seems the most of the people here were disappointed and much chagrined at my answer to the society. They have said some things about my conduct wholly unjust and very ungenerous. But I don't know that 1 could reasonably have expected otherwise. I feel for them, for their situation as to ecclesiastical matters apparently is almost deplorable. 9. Trimmed trees which I set in the spring. Visited. 1 tliink I have a good many friends here. At evening preached in the school-house to a pretty large and affected audience from Ps. clxxxvii: i. Took a note of the com- mittee for what is due to me (including twelve dollars to be paid to Mr. Waldo), of one hundred and seventy-five dollars. They have paid me but five dollars. 1 preached here twenty-eight weeks. I have sensible feelings for the ' " lirclhren, my heart's desire .intl prayer and .Springfield Railroad, about two miles to God for Israel is, that they might be north of the centre of Windsor, Mr. Ells- saved." worth's house is still seen, in good preserva- ^ Widow of lion. Oliver Ellsworth, Chief- lion, standing a few rods east of the railroad. Justice of the United States. Mr. Ellsworth It contains the saine curiosities which were was one of the foremost men of the nation there when Mr. I'.Usworth died, seventy-seven from 1777 when he was elected a member of years ago. the Continental Congress until his death in ' Addison's Spctator, which has been one 1807. As one pa.sscs north from Hartford to of the English classics for more than one hun- Springfield on the New Haven, Hartford, dred and fifty years. l8o8.] PREACHING IN EAST WINDSOR. 367 good people here.' The prevailing fever h.is generally ceased here, but still prevails in Farmington, though hopefully abating. Sectarians are making considerable exertions here. 10. Visited. Afternoon rode to East Windsor. Warm. The last week this people have had a remarkably fine time for business. A small prospect of cider. 11. There is some prospect of a great revolution in Spain. May the God of heaven succeed their e.vertions against the tyrant of the world.'' Ver)' warm. Wrote. The revolving year has again brought about my birthdav.' I have no longer the right to plead youth and inexperience as an apology for folly. 12. Read the Spectator, .\fternoon preached a lecture from John xvi : 13. A very good number attended. I am a little encouraged to hope it may please the Most High to do something for this people. 13. Read. A man in the neighborhood very sick. I believe his disorder is the gout seated on the kidneys. Afternoon rode to Windsor to exchange with Mr. Rowland.* Visited at Esq. Selden's. Eat watermelon. 14. Preached from Ps. cvi : 15 and Num. x: 29. Something rainy. Quite a thin meeting. The meeting-house here is quite large and inelegant.' At evening returned. 15. Visited families all day. I think the prospects of this society grow more encouraging, though they are still doubtful and have been almost desperate. 16. I am much gratified with the prospect of Mr. Hall's continuing here some time in his school.' Read the Spectator. Walked out and visited families. Quite cool. Read the Apocrypha. 17. Wrote. It is a trial to me that I am unable to perform more close ' The two entries which Rev. Mr. Rob- ' This is the same house in which the bins makes here, as well as what he says Congregational church of Windsor worships elsewhere, show how kind and forgiving he today ; only the outside of the house has in was, and how much it troubled him to dis- the meantime been considerably changed, and appoint the people where he preached. Not- in the inside has been made over by taking withstanding all the trial which the Simsbury out the square pews and substituting the people went through in this matter they soon modern slips. With these changes it is still found a good, faithful, and able pastor who a good specimen of a New England country remained with them more than fifty yeans, to meeting-house. It is on the high bank just his death. This was Rev. Allen McLean. north of the Farmington River, with the * The battle of Vimiera, between the ancient and well-kept burying yard behind it. Spaniards and the French occurred during ' Mr. John Hall, son of Mr. John Hall, a this month of August, iSoS in which the merchant of East Windsor, was graduated at French were defeated. Yale College in 1S02, was tutor there 1804- ' Rev. Mr. Robbins was now thirty-one 1S07, and from iSoS to 1S29 made his home years old. in East Windsor, leading a scholarly life, * Rev. Henry A. Rowland, who in 1790 teaching a select school, etc. In 1S29 he had been settled as colleague with his father, founded the celebrated school at Ellington, Rev. David S. Rowland. The father died in which, for many years, used to send to Yale 1794, and since that time the son had been College among its best prepared students. sole pastor. He died in 1S47. 368 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1808. Stud)-. Rode out and visited. It is said that there was some frost this morning. 18. The revokition in Spain has given the most sudden and greatest change to the political world of any event which has taken place for years." May the Lord of heaven gi\e success to their exertions. I think (Ireat Britain never stood on such high groimd since her national existence as at present. Visited families all day. The people appear much gratified in being visited. 19. The Spirit of God appears to be at work in some degree in all the neighboring places. The Lord grant that this may not be wholly passed over. Afternoon preached a lecture from Gen. .xix : 17. People attend verj- well. Visited. 20. Read the Apocrypha and the Spectator. Wrote notes for preaching. We have now had three weeks of dry weather and very favorable for business. We hear almost daily new and very interesting intelligence of the events in Spain. 21. Preached from Heb. xi : 30. I think the people here are but poorly acquainted with many of the most important Scripture doctrines. Had com- pany. There are about one hundred and seventy families^ in this society. More than I supposed. 22. Rode to Hartford and back. The roads extremely dust\-. Dined with Mr. Tudor.^ Read newspapers. The Democrats are evidently displeased with the revolution in Spain. I fear they love tyranny.' 23. Read the Guardian.^ The events in Spain seem like a reanimation of the political world which has long been gasping under French -oppression. Afternoon rode to Scantick' and preached a lecture for Mr. Bartlett ' from Ps. cxxxvii: i. There is some seriousness there. Returned. ' The diary here seems to have reference to events which took place back in M^y, when there was a great rising, and the French were checked in their plans. But events moved rapidly, and Spain had quite a chequered history during the remaining months of the year 1808. On the joth of July, 1808, the Spaniards defeated the French in the battle of liaylen. ' One hundred and seventy families, reck- oning five to a family, would give eight hun- hundred and fifty persons, men, women, and children, to be under the p.astoral watch and care of the minister. But the family of that generation was apt to be more than five, rather than less. ' Elihu Tudor, M. D., son of Rev. Samuel Tudor, was a graduate of Yale, 1750, lived seventy-six years after his graduation, dying in 1826, at the age of ninety-three. The Tudor mentioned in the text was probably of his kindred. * Is not this a somewhat hasty induction? ' The GiiarJian was a periodical of a similar style and character with Addison's Spectator. It was originated by Sir Richard Steele in 17 13. Steele had been one of the leading writers in the Spectator. At the end of the 7th volume of the Spectator it was understood that the work would stop, but it was afterwards renewed and extended to twelve volumes. The Cuardiati reached one hundred and seventy-five numbers, and was published in three volumes. '■ The Scantic church in East Windsor was about five or six miles north of the First Church, where Rev. Mr. Robbins was preach- ing. This Scantic parish originated in 1754, while the first parish dated from 1694, when Rev. Timothy Edwards began his labors there, though the church was not formally organized until 169S. ' Rev. Shubael Bartlett, a native of Leba- non, Ct., graduated at Yale in 1800, settled over the North or Scantic parish in East Windsor in 1804. l8o8.] PREACHING IN EAST WINDSOR. 369 24. Read. Afternoon visited a school. The schools here have not been under the best regulations. Quite warm. Visited. 25. Very warm. Rev. Mr. Hillyer," of New Jersey, called on me. Read the Belgian Traveller^ The modern French character and conduct increases in atrocity in proportion to its examination. People begin to sow. 26. The drought begins to be very seriously felt. Wrote. Afternoon preached a lecture from John xiv : 6. It seems that we need nothing here but grace. Is it not I that am the means of preventing its communication. 27. Finished the Belgian Traveller. May heaven save us from the domi- nation of French tyranny. Went into the water. 28. Wrote notes for preaching. Preached from Rom. iii : 3 and Ps. cxxxvii : 1. At evening attended a conference. I think the prospects of this society grow more favorable. 29. Rode to Hartford and back. The roads very dusty. Rode out and visited. Was invited to go and preach a lecture at Wethersfield. 30. Rode to Turkey Hills. The consociation met here to hear charges against Rev. Mr. Cowles.^ He used every exertion and quibble to evade the trial. The hearing has been very disagreeable ; they did not begin upon the charges. In the evening rode to Simsbury. 31. Rode to Wethersfield.'' I think I never experienced so severe a dust. In the afternoon a Mr. Foster/ from Little Cambridge,' preached. I preached in the evening to a numerous audience from Num. x : 29. The epidemic, which has prevailed in Farmington and the neighboring towns for nearly half a year, seems now to have generally subsided. Great numbers have been sick, but the proportional mortality, for the severity of the disease, very small. I believe not exceeding one tenth. More than twice that number have been viewed by friends as almost desperate, where the subjects have survived. September. I. Quite warm. I think the new meeting-house' in Hartford will be the best in New England. Rode to East Windsor. At Hartford got a new pair of boots. The Spanish news excites great attention. ' Rev. Asa Hillyer, D. D., a prominent ' Rev. John Foster, D. D., was the first Presbyterian minister, settled at Orange, N. J., minister of Brighton, then known as Little 1801-1S33. He was a native of Sheffield, Cambridge. He was a native of Warren, Mass., where Mr. Robbins taught school and Mass., a graduate of Dartmouth in 1783, and studied theology for a time. Mr. Hillyer was pastor at Brighton, 17S4-1827. The was graduated at Vale in 17SC, and died in church at Brighton was organized in 1783. 18^0. ' Brighton, five miles west of the old " The Belgian Traveller, being a Tmir town of Boston, Mass., formerly called Little through Holland, France, and Switzerland in Cambridge, was by the recent extension of 1S04-5, Middlelown, 1807. the city made a part of Boston. ^ Rev. Whitfield Cowles, of East Granby ' This is the house already spoken of (formerly Turkey Hills), and his troubles which was dedicated on the 3d of Dec, 1807. with his church have already been noticed. It is the present meeting-house of the First « Wethersfield is about four miles south Congregational Church of Hartford, and has of Hartford, on the west side of the Con- had a notable history both in its own and in necticut River. its outside relations. 37° DIAKY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1808. 2. A\'rote. Afternoon preached a lecture from John xiv : 14. I believe that promise is designed for every period of the church. Visited. 3. Quite warm. The drought is severe. Saw the wife ' and daughter" of President Wheelock. Mr. Woodward,' of Norwich, Vt., called on me. 'J'he standing of ministers there is ver)- precarious. Wrote. Read Apocr}'pha. 4. Preached from Heb. xii : 17 and Rom. xiv: 10. Quite warm. Had a very refreshing shower. The drought had become very severe. At evening set out for Williamstown. Crossed the river. Tarried at Mrs. Ellsworth's.' 5. Rode to Becket. More than forty miles. Tarried at Mr. Higley's where I formerly lived.' Much fatigued and oppressed with the heat. This society is pretty united and prosperous. Berkshire County is more elevated above the Connecticut River than I had supposed. 6. Rode to Lanesborough. Was hindered the most of the afternoon at Pittsfield by rain. The rain is a great blessing. This county, particularly Pittsfield, in a great political fever. I believe Democracy is at no place more obstinate. It seems the election in New Hampshire and Rhode Island has terminated in favor of Federalism.' Laiis Deo. Tarried at a tavern. 7. Received of my father ten dollars. In the morning very early rode to Williamstown. Attended the Commencement. The exercises as to composi- tion pretty good. My brother Frank ' appeared very well in a Greek oration. My father and brother and sister Battell here. The collection of company pretty great. At evening attended a sermon. 8. Assisted my brother in preparing to leave town. Rode in company with him to Pittsfield. Tarried at Mr. Watson's. There is a very little fruit this season generally. g. Rode through Leno.x ; dined at Mr. Goodwin's.' To Chester ; tarried at a tavern. The Democrats of Massachusetts appear to love tyranny. I believe the present season to be one of the most productive known for many years. 10. Rode to Westfield. My brother has engaged to take charge of the academy here. I think it a good chance for him. Rode to East Windsor. My brother accompanied me. Very tired with my journey. ' This was the second wife, and then the lioncd, graduated at Dartmouth College, widow of President Elcazar Wheelock, D. D. was pastor at Norwich, Vt., iSo4-t820. Her maiden name was Mary Brinsmade, and * Mrs. Oliver Ellsworth, whose house has she was a native of New Milford, Ct. been already described. ' Mary, daughter of Pres. Wheelock, mar- ' During the few months when he was ried Prof. liezalcel Woodward, the first Dart- supplying the pulpit in liccket. mouth professor of mathematics. This was ' Gov. John Laugdon was in office by re- probably the daughter mentioned here, as election from 1S05 ''^ 1S09. His sympathies her son is al.so here. Dr. David McClure, of were with the Federalists. James Fenner, East Windsor, was one of the old pupils of LL. D., was Governor of Khode Island from Dr. Wheelock. Hence the occasion of this 1S07 to iSii. visit. ' Francis Le Karon Robbins. He was ^ Kev. James Wheelock Woodward, one the youngest of the family. of three sons of Prof. Woodward just men- 'Joseph Goodwin, his cousin. l8o8.] PREACHING IN EAST WINDSOR. 371 11. Mr. Woodward, of Norwich, Vt., preached for me all day. In the forenoon rode to Wapping' and preached for Mr. Hall,^ who is something unwell. At evening rode to East Hartford and preached for Mr. Yates. ^ There is considerable of an awakening there. Mr. Yates quite unwell. Returned. 12. Preached yesterday at Wapping from Ps. cvi : 15 and at East Hartford from Luke xv : 17. My brother Frank left me to go to Westfield. Cool. Wrote. Attended the training of a militarj' company. They appear remark- ably well. 13. Rode to New Haven to attend the Commencement. I don't know that I ever traveled a road preferable to the turnpike from Hartford to New Haven.'' At evening heard speaking for premiums. Quite tired. 14. The exercises of the day pretty good, but very long. I think I have never seen so great a throng of people on a similar occasion. People appeared very much fatigued. Dr. Dwight did not perform quite as well as usual. At evening Mr. Tyler,^ of Preston, preached the Concio ad clerum. 15. In the morning heard Dr. Mason,' of New York, preach, I think, as good a sermon as I ever heard. Attended the meeting of the P. B. K. Society. Very warm. Rode to Berlin. The heat very severe. At Berlin my horse fell with me by which I was much hurt. Tarried at a tavern. 16. Am scarcely able to ride on account of my hurt last evening. Rode to East Windsor. Afternoon preached a lecture from Matt, ix : 9. Read news- papers. 17. Am very much fatigued with my late toil. The ground exceedingly drj-. Began to read the work of Dr. Lardner.' 18. Preached from Rev. 17: 14. A number of strangers in town. Very warm. Had company. My lameness grows better. 19. Rode to Scantic and attended Freeman's Meeting.^ Prayed at the ' Two or three miles east from the place *■ Dr. John Mitchell Mason, one of the where Mr. Robbins was preaching, but in most eminent divines in this country during the same town. This was then merely a the early years of this century. He was son preaching place. A Congregational church of Dr. John Mason, a native of Scotland, and was not organized there until 1830. an eminent minister in New York, 1761-1792 ^ This was probably Mr. John Hall, who The son succeeded him, and continued till has been already mentioned. Though he was 1829, when he died. never ordained as a minister, he was very ' Nathaniel Lardner, D. D., 1684-176S. likelv taking charge of the religious service He was a Presbyterian by his education, and at Wapping. was, in his generation, a very learned and ^ Rev. Andrew Yates, D. D., a man of prominent divine, .■\mong the more important considerable note, pastor at East Hartford, of his works are Credibility of the Goipcl His- 1801-1S13, afterwards professor at Union tory, T/ie Testimonies of the Aueie7tt jti-ws and College. jPiigaiis in Favor of Christianity, and a History ■* That road passed through Berlin, Meri- of Heretics. den, and the western part of Wallingford, ' The town of East Windsor was not far distance thirty-si.\ miles. from eleven miles long from north to south, ' Rev. Lemuel Tyler, pastor at Preston, and the town-meetings were held alternately 17S9-180S, a graduate of Yale in 17S0, and a at the meeting-houses of the First Parish and native of North Uranford, Ct. the North (or Scantic) parish. 372 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1808. opening of the meeting. Tiic voles here are : Federalists, two hundred and twenty-si.\; Democrats, si.\ty-two; about the same as heretofore. I hope Democracy is declining in the State. 20. Looked over and balanced my e.xpenses for a year past. Walked out and visited. At night a very hard rain. It is very refreshing to the ground. 21. Read Dr. Lardner. Walked out and visited. Religious matters here have been at loose ends, but 1 hope there are some good people. 22. Rode to Ellington. Preached a lecture for Mr. Brockway, from Ps. cvi : 15. A good many people here are sick. At evening returned. 23. Wrote a letter to Polly Humphrey,' Simsbury. Preached a lecture from John vi : 48. Yesterday we had a very hard frost. The first we have had. Read Lardner. 24. Rode to Hartford and back. The Freeman's Meeting has issued most favorably. I hope Democracy in this State has got its death wound.'' The general government are evidently alarmed. Wrote. A Mr. Whiting,^ a can- didate for Massachusetts, called on me and concluded to tarry over the Sabbath. 25. Rode to East Hartford and e.xchanged with Mr. Yates. Preached from Gen. vii : 16 and Ps. cvi: 15. Quite rainy. The work of grace here appears to be very genuine and pretty great. Afternoon Mr. Whiting preached at East Windsor and Mr. Yates returned. Quite tired. 26. Rode to East Windsor.* Quite cold. Afternoon set out for home. Rode to Simsbury. The ecclesiastical matters here are in a deplorable state. I fear they will not soon be united. 27. Rode to Colebrook. Very cold for the season. There were some flying flakes of snow. Met with the association.' Mr. Perry' preached. They licensed one candidate.' I believe this association is as respectable as any other in the State. 28. The association had considerable business. Rode home with my father and Uncle Starr.' My cousin John Le Baron ' here. My mother better than she has been, though feeble. ' Michael Humphrey was one of the early ' Rev. D.ivid L. Perry, of Sharon, pastor settlers of Windsor. Simsbury was anciently there from 1S04 to his death in 1S35. He a part of the township of Windsor, and the was a graduate of Williams College in 179S, H umphrey families belonged especially to that and tutor there, part of the town. ' The candidate examined and licensed ' That hope proved vain. was Rev. Daniel Haskell, a well-known pas- ' Rev. Francis L. Whiting, a n.uivc of tor and writer, and President, 1821-1S24, of Littleton, Mass., was graduated at Dartmouth Vermont University. College in 1S05. In 1S09, he was settled in ' He means his father's house in Norfolk. Fryeburg, Me., where he remained till 18 17. 'Rev. Mr. Robbins had more than one He then went to New York State, and be- cousin John Le Baron, but the one here rc- came a Presbyterian minister. He died at fcrred to, without much doubt, was John Big Flatts, Oct. 15, 1S63, aged eighty-six Allen Le Baron, son of Rev. Lemuel Le years. Baron, of Mattapoisett (Rochester, Mass.) * That is, from Last Hartford, where he This John was born in 1782, and the year be- had exchanged with Dr. Yates. fore (1S07), had been united in marriage ' The Litthrield North Association. with Miss Martha Phillips. l8o8.] PREACHING TN EAST WINDSOR. 373 29. Rainy. Afternoon set out for East Windsor. Rode to Simsbury. A great part of the way in the evening. Received from my brother N. ten dollars, and from my brother A. twenty dollars. People are moving some to new settlements, but I believe not so much as in years past. 30. Rode to East Windsor. Am very much fatigued. Afternoon preached a lecture from Matt, xx : 14. Visited. October. 1. Read Dr. Lardner. Visited a sick woman. There has been very little sickness here since I have been here. 2. Preached from Isa. Ixiii : i and Rev. xvi : 15. There is certainly a more favorable appearance upon the congregation here than when I came. At evening walked out. 3. Visited a family which set out to move to the Holland Purchase." Rode to Hartford. Went on the new steeple, one hundred and seventy feet high.^ Paid a merchant tailor, $14.50. Paid a shoemaker, $8.00. At evening attended a conference in East Hartford. Returned. 4. Had company. Wrote. Rode out and visited. I am under a kind of necessity of spending considerable time in visiting. 5. Read Lardner. His learning and laborious research are astonishing. Walked out and visited. Every paper brings accounts of the Spanish suc- cesses against the French.' May heaven be their helper. 6. Quite rainy. Read Lardner. The people here appear to feel an anxiety about my staying with them. But there have been such diversions among them heretofore, that they are fearful about making much movement upon the subject. 7. I am considerably interrupted about study. Afternoon preached a lecture from John iv : 15. Visited. I must not preach without study and preparation. 8. Quite cold. Rode out. Afternoon to Hartford and back. Had some clothes made. 9. Had short notes in preaching. Preached from Rom. v : 18. A very- full meeting, and people very attentive. At evening attended the church con- ference. Quite tired. 10. Walked out. Visited. Afternoon attended a little while at a training. I think the people here are remarkably orderly and free from open vice. Read Lardner. 11. Wrote. Rode to East Hartford. Visited at Dr. Bidwell's." Returned. INLiny people here have generally neglected attending public worship for years. ' The Holland Purchase was a large tract ' These accounts were probably only con- of land in Western New York, purchased by tinuations of the account of the battle of the Holland Land Company, surveyed and Vimiera, which was fought on the 21st of made ready for land sales, just at the close August, when the French were defeated, of last century. ■* Epaphras Bidwell, M.D., chosen deacon ' Spire of the First (Centre) Church, of the Congregational Church in East Hart- Hartford, ford in iSio. 374 DIARY OK REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1808. 12. Rainy. Rode out and visited. The Spanish successes appear as remarkable as any of the French. 13. Read Lardner. Had company. I fear the people here are not sufficiently an.vious about the settlement of a minister. 14. Wrote notes for preaching. Warm. A very remarkable scarcity of cider." Afternoon preached from Job 8:13. I cannot but hope some tender- ness appears on some minds. 15. Finished the first volume of Lardner. I have my doubts whether a great deal of critical learning makes CMiristianity more satisfactory." Received a letter from Beers & Howe/ New Haven. 16. Preached from John vi : 68 and Rom. xx : 15. Administered the sacrament in Mr. McClure's absence. Many spectators attended and were quite solemn. Quite tired. The churcii here is very small. 17. Spent the day partly in Mr. Hall's school. People here I think love to talk about eternal things. 18. Attended the school. Visited families. Quite cold. The elections in all the large cities are carried by the influence of foreigners.'' And I think our approaching Presidential election will be decided by the same means. 19. Am considerably taken up with the school. .A.t evening preached in the north part of the society from i Peter i : 12. Full meeting 20. Have a bad cold. Wrote. Wrote a piece for the newspaper. My brother Samuel came here to see me. Rode out with him. Spent a little time in the school. Mr. Hall returned. 21. My brother went off for iiome. Wrote to Mr. IsLnapp,' Westfield, and Mr. N. Johnson, Hartford. Wrote notes for preaching. Afternoon preached from Obadiah xvii. Am quite unwell with my cold. Visited. 22. Read the Apocrj-pha. Rainy. Wrote notes for preaching. It seems the elections in different States have not issued so favorably as was hoped. 23. Preached from John 1:12, 13. The proof of adoption by grace seems to remove from our world all the gloom which follows as the consequence of sin. At evening attended the church conference. 24. Walked out and visited all day. There have been a few Methodist families here several years. They are not increasing. The people here gen- erally are pretty poorly indoctrinated. 25. Visited thirteen houses. Quite cool. Many of the people here dis- cover considerable anxiety about my staying with them. I think family visits are very important. But I want more wisdom, grace, and confidence. 26. Read the history of Maccabees.' Rode to Windsor. The river very ' A perfectly natural remark for a min- * Foreigners were very scarce then as ister to make in 1S08, when all families laid compared with the present day. up their stock of cider as innocently as they ' Rev. Isaac Knapp, before mentioned, did their supply of potatoes. native of Norfolk. = This is a somewhat unexpected remark, ' The two books of the Maccabees in the considering the time when it was made. Apocrypha. These books set forth the war- Such queries are much more natural in this like exploits and patriotic services of Judas generation than in those of former times. Maccabajus and his four brothers, sons of ' Beers & Howe, booksellers of New Matthias, covering an important period in Haven. ancient history. l8o8.] PREACHING IN EAST WINDSOR. 375 rough. Tarried at Mrs. Ellsworth's. On the 19th visited a woman in Scan- ticlt one hundred years old." She is healthy and retains her mental powers well. 27. Returned. Visited an aged woman not likely to live. There is a prospect of a most sanguinary war in Spain. I fear that our government wish success to the tyrant. Democracy in Connecticut appears to be rapidly declining. 28. In the morning the ground was covered with snow. The first we have had. Afternoon preached our weekly lecture from 2 Kings iv : 6. Visited. Very cold. . 29. Rode to Westiield to exchange with Mr. Knapp. Dined at Esq. Leavitt's, SufReld. Found my brother Frank." At evening my brother James arrived here ; he came to see Frank and me. He has just finished his school at Clinton.^ 30. Preached in the forenoon from Ps. cvi : 15. James preached in the afternoon, and I again in the evening from Luke xv : 17. This congregation is not quite as large as I expected. 31. I think Frank is doing very well here. Rode with my brother James to East Windsor. Mr. Bartlett preached here yesterday in consequence of exchanges made by Mr. Knapp.* James's health is much better than it was last spring, but I fear his voice is too feeble for a preacher. November. 1. Rode with my brother to Simsbury. Quite tired with my late riding and labor. I meet with much kindness at Mrs. Case's. 2. My brother went home. Rode to Turkey Hills. The consociation are here on the trial of Mr. Cowles. He defends with great obstinacy. The evidence appears very bad against him.' 3. It seems that the Legislature of Vermont' are after all Democratic. 'Nelson S. Osborn, Esq., who is well ■• A triple exchange ; Rev. Mr. Robbins at acquainted with the local history o£ East Westfield, Rev. Mr. Knapp, of Westfield, at Windsor, in answer to a note of inquiry East Windsor, north parish, and Rev. Mr. respecting this woman, writes as follows : Bartlett, of the north parish, at the south " I called on D. W. Bartlett, to get the parish. East Windsor, date of her death from his father's (Rev. ' The charges against Rev. Whitfield Shubael Bartlett) record of deaths in his Cowles were of two kinds, change of doc- parish, and found the following record : trinal views, and faults of general character. Widow Sarah Ellsworth died May 2Sth, He had been fourteen years in the ministry iSio, aged loi years. here at East Granby (Turkey Hills). The tradition in regard to the present ' Vermont in 1808 elected again Isaac bell of our meeting-house is, that the first Tichenor, LL.D. He had been Governor of time it was tolled, it was for Mrs. Ellsworth, Vermont from 1797 to 1S07, when for some and struck the age of one hundred and one, reason he was dropped for a single year, and the oldest person for whom it has ever been Israel Smith was chosen. But in 1S08 the tolled." State returned to Mr. Tichenor, who had seen ' He was teaching there. much public service, national as well as 3 Clinton, N. Y. State. 376 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBIN'S, D.D. [1808. Sat with the consociation. The Iiearing is ver\' laborious. Afternoon returned to East Windsor. Warm for the season. 4. Wrote. Read Lardner. Afternoon preached from John xvi : 13. Had company. 5. Read Lardner. I do something in instructing the children in the family." 6. Wrote notes for preaching. Preached from Gen. vi : 3 and Isa. x.wiii : 17. I think the people here appear to be pleased with weighty truths. At evening attended church conference. This church is small, and I think in some rather singular ijractices. But I think they are pretty well united. 7. Wrote to my brother James, and to the committee of Columbia," who called here last week when I was gone to get me to go there to preach. Rode to Hartford and back. Visited. The consociation at Granby dismissed Mr. Cowles and suspended him from the work of the ministr}'. I think their decision very judicious. The first church in Hartford have never altered their Confession of Faith and Covenant since its first establishment. The Assembly have made a grant for a bridge at Hartford.' 8. Read Lardner. Afternoon rode to Scantick and preached from Job viii : 13. Returned. Visited. My prospects here appear to be ver\- uncertain. The people suppose if I do not stay with them it is not likely that they can get any one in whom they can be united. Warm for the season. 9. Rode to Enfield. Attended the public ceremonies of opening the new bridge across the Connecticut River.' It is a handsome structure, nine hun- dred and fifty feet long, cost twenty-three thousand dollars; and I think appears likely to be durable. Returned. Our sailors suffer extreme abuse from the French.' I think Mr. Jefferson is sinking to the lowest grades of contempt.' 10. Verj' warm and pleasant. Wrote. Walked out and visited. People here are generally getting wood. 11. Read. Afternoon preached from Isa. xliii: 13. I think our lectures grow more thin. I believe I shall have no more in this way. Visited. I have some business in instructing in a family. ' Though the fact has not been definitely ' Formerly parish of Lebanon Crank, stated in the diary, we know from outside where Dr. Wheclock had his Indian information, that Rev. Mr. Robbins was School. living in the family of Major Abiel Wolcott, ^ It will be remembered that not very whose wife was Ursula Tudor, daughter of long before a bridge was carried away with Samuel Tudor. They were married in 1791, the flood. and had five children, the oldest of whom * The bridge here spoken of was an open was fourteen years old, and the youngest one, which stood about ten years. It was four years. The second child was Ursula, carried away in the great flood of 1S18, from her mother, and she was twelve years March 2. The bridge which was built to old. Major Wolcott was one of the chief replace this is the covered bridge now stand- men in the place for character and wealth. ing. There was a little group of bright and happy ' And still greater from the English, children, such as Rev. Mr. Robbins, with his ' The author of this diary had not yet large experience as a teacher, would take learned to speak of Mr. Jefferson except pleasure in instructing. with words of disgust or sharp rebuke. l8o8.] PREACHING TN EAST WINDSOR. 377 12. Read Lardner. It would seem that I ought to find more time for reading and study than I do. Yesterday finished reading the Apocrypha. 13. Quite rainy. We have been remarl', he was ordained in 1795, and went to ' An unusually large gathering. It was India as chaplain of the East India Company. in the old and most thickly settled part of He stands among the very foremost in intro- the State. 412 DIARY OF RF.V. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1809. drj' and dusty. Read the Bible. It is feared tliat Austria will be compelled to make an ignominious peace. 24. Rode to Wapping and preached by exchange with Mr. Bingham, from Zeph. i: 12 and Luke xvi: 25. Mr. B. is now going to leave them; believe he has done good there. They are in a bad situation. Returned and attended our conference. Quite cool. On the 21st received a letter from Mr. Hallock.' 25. Wrote. Afternoon rode out and visited. I fear the thoughtfulness of the people here is declining. I think our society matters appear more favorably. 26. Rode early with Dea. Loomis," my delegate to Hartland to attend the Consociation, called there on the subject of their difficulties. The Conso. spent the afternoon hearing witnesses. Tarried at Mr. Jones's, an acquaint- ance. There are twenty-five members of the Conso. present.' 27. Spent the day hearing witnesses, and occasional debates of lawyers. There were two on each side. Quite fatiguing. 28. We were employed all day hearing witnesses. There is much evi- dence that Mr. Church has never been very favorable to conferences. At evening Mr. Flint ' preached. This society are all involved in the tw-o parties. 29. After hearing a little testimony in the morning, the lawyers argued the cause. Four of them spoke six hours and a half ; after which the Conso. were by themselves. We sat today nearly twelve hours. Very tired. 30. We were not perfectly agreed on some articles, but voted the result unanimously. In the result Mr. Church was solemnly reproved. The com- plainant and others were censured. Mr. Church offered the society if they would settle a minister within three years, he would relinquish all claims. I hope they may now live in peace. I took minutes of all the testimony. Returned home. Very tired. Very warm and dusty. October. 1. Preached from Matt, xvii : 4 and Heb. ii : 3. Administered the sac- rament. The assembly appeared very solemn. At evening had a very full conference. Wrote the notes of both of my sermons. One in the morning, and the other at noon.' I believe I never did more in one day. I hope to be thankful for so much strength. Remarkably warm. We have had but few so warm days this year. Wore a thin dress. 2. The heat and dust very oppressive. Visited a sick man, a stranger. An account of the late training here which I wrote is published. Read news- papers. The sick man whom I visited in the morning died. At evening attended a conference. ' Probably with reference to the attempted ' That is, pastors and deleg.ites. exchange which failed. * Rev. Abel Flint, D. D., of Hartford. ' .\masa Loomis, Jr. His father of the ' The average sermon of tliat day was same name had been deacon, and upon his douljtless the result of less labor than the death, in 1793, the son was chosen to the sermons now preached. But Mr. Robbins office in his stead. The son had now been did not, probably, prepare sermons generally in office si.xtcen years. in so rapid a manner as here indicated. 1809.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 413 3. Finished reading Faber. Perhaps it is rather fanciful, but it cer- tainly is a very valuable work. Received of this society, $42.37. Sent to my brother James the money he advanced for the purchase of my horse, S42.00. Rode to Hartford. Wrote to my brother James. 4. Had company. Received a letter from Frank. Am disappointed about attending his exhibition. I was informed it was next week. He wrote to let me know it was this week, but the letter came too late. Visited a school. Very well instructed in the catechism." 5. Something wet, but little rain. The ground exceedingly diy. Very warm. My brother James called and breakfasted here. Rode to Windsor and returned. The river very low. On the 3d attended the funeral of the stranger who died on Monday. He was a native of Italy. The people have showed much respect on the occasion. 6. Mr. S. Wolcott^ quite sick. I feel much concerned about him. My brother Frank had exhibited this week my play Columbus and a dialogue I lately wrote for him. Wrote a little, and preached from Acts iv : 12. Look- ing over my accounts. I have had pretty great expense the year past. At evening a hard and very refreshing shower. I don't know that I ever saw the ground drier. We have had no rain of any consequence since August 26th. Visited. 7. Visited. Rode to Enfield to exchange with Mr. Prudden.' It has been I believe the warmest week we have had this year. Yesterday the heat was very oppressive. g. Returned. Read. Had company. The crop of corn is like to be much better than was feared. 10. Excessive hot. Went into the water. Began a sermon on Acts xx : 26, 27. At evening attended the conference. Baptized a child. 11. Wrote. Rode out. Had company. After all fears the people here have a pretty good crop of corn. Visited. 12. Wrote on my sermon. Rode to Hartford. At evening married a couple of blacks who belong here in the house." There seems to be little hope that the tyrant of Europe can be resisted, on account of his immense numbers. He is in the hands of a holy God. ' As in other schools, already mentioned, From the house where Mr. Robbins boarded both in New England and in Ohio, the As- the ride to Enfield was twelve or thirteen sembly's Shorter Catechism in those years miles, and he took that ride a great many had its fixed place in the system of instruc- times during the nineteen years he spent at tion. East Windsor. - Mr. Samuel Wolcott, son of Gideon * Slavery existed in Massachusetts not Wolcott, was born April 4, 1751. He mar- by law, but with no special legislation ried Dec. 29, 1774, Miss Jerusha Wolcott, against it, until after the -Revolutionary War. and died June 7th, 1813. The slaves were comparatively few in number, ^ Rev. Nehemiah Prudden had already and were generally treated with kindness. By been in the ministry at Enfield twenty-seven the Bill of Rights passed in Massachusetts years. He remained there till his death in in 1783 slavery was summarily ended. In 1815, when, as already stated, Mr. Robbins's Connecticut, the same year, all importation brother, Francis Le Baron, succeeded him. of slaves was by law forbidden, and provis- 414 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1809. 13. Wrote considerably. Afternoon preached our lecture from Mai. iii : 16. At evening attended the conference. Our meetings are not so full as they have been. 14. Finished my sermon on Acts .x.\ : 26,27. Visited Capt. Bissell," badly hurt, having broke his shoulder and arm by a fall from his horse. Warm. Have some hope that Austria may yet make one more effort against the tyrant. Read the Bible. 15. Preached all day my written sermon finished yesterday. At evening attended our conference. Very tired. I believe I deliver slower in preach- ing with a written sermon than without. 16. Rode with Harold Wolcott" of this family to Norfolk. Quite cool. Mr. Everett,^ of Wareham, at my father's. I think my mother is better in health than she was ten years ago. There are and have been of late consider- able revivals of religion at the eastern part of Massachusetts. 17. My brother James now at home is expecting soon to commence busi- ness in trade at Leno.\. The crops of grain in this quarter are remarkably poor this year. There is already a considerable scarcity. 18. Saw Josiah Rattell'' from New Connecticut. My brother N. was offered three hundred dollars for a last year's Spanish ewe lamb. The demand for those sheep is astonishing.' 19. Received of my brother E. ten dollars. Returned to East Windsor. My horse ver}- good in a carriage. On the i6th was appointed a school visitor here. 20. Wrote. Made a fire in my chamber. Preached our lecture from Luke x: 21. Some members of the church here know very little about doctrines. At evening attended the conference. I think the inclination for attending meetings appears to abate. Read. 21. Wrote a sermon on Deut. .xviii : 19. Mr. Everett,' of Wareham, called on me. My breast something feeble. ion was made for the gradual e-xtinction of ' Rev. Noble Everett, Congregational pas- slavery among all persons of slave birth. tor at Wareham, Mass., from 17S2 to his By this provision slavery lingered on in a death in 1S19, was a native of Woodbury, dying condition in Connecticut. There were Ct., and was graduated at Yale College in quite a number of slaves in Windsor and the year 1775. Wareham was not far from East Windsor, especially among the Wol- that church in Rochester, Mass., where Rev. cott families in the last century, liut the Lemuel Lc Baron, Mr. Robbins's uncle, was couple married in Mr. Wolcott's house were settled. servants probably, that remained year after ■• Josiah Buckingham Battel!, whom we year in their place, but not then slaves. first met in Torrington, Ct. Afterward, it Their names were Walter and .Sylvia. will be remembered that we met him on the ' Capt. Aaron Bissell, at East Windsor Connecticut Reserve, at or near Austinburg. Hill. 5 We have had hints before that Nath.in- ' It will be noticed that Mr. Robbins says ici Robbins, of Norfolk, was interested in of this Harold Wolcott, " of this family." If introducing from Europe improved breeds of so he must, we think, have been one of the stock. colored servants. Mr. Abiel Wolcott had 'He is now on his return to his people, no child of that name, and we cannot dis- He h.is probably been making part of his visit cover that he belonged to any of the re- to Connecticut in his native town of Wood- lated Wolcott families. bury. iSog.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 415 22. Wrotes notes for preaching. Preached from Luke xxii : 31, 32 and the sermon written yesterday. People attend meeting very well. We have some from Wapping. At evening attended the conference. I generally have a sermon read. Very tired. It is hard for me to attend a conference Sabbath evening. 23. Walked out and visited all day. I believe the people complain of me for not visiting more than they would if I did less. The affairs in Europe appear very discouraging. Democracy in this State appears hopeless. 24. On the i8th wrote to Mr. L. Loomis,' Winchester. Wrote. After- noon walked out and visited. Read Lardner. I am much troubled with inattention in reading. 25. Walked out and visited all day. Some very stupid people here of late have been thinking more of serious things than for years, or ever. But I fear we have no special mark of grace. I think sectarianism does not increase among us. Tarried out. 26. Spent the day in visiting. We have very steady pleasant weather, and cold frosty nights. The account of our great training, which I wrote, is published in the Philadelphia paper. Pretty tired. 27. Read Lardner. Preached our lecture from Rev. ii : 10. Pretty full and attentive. At evening attended our conference. The crop of corn is short but better than was expected. 28. Wrote. My parochial duties occupy a great portion of my time. At night a violent rain. 29. Preached from Rom. vii: 9. At evening the conference was quite full. Very warm and pleasant. There are now but few people who do not come to meeting, at least occasionally. 30. Wrote. Quite rainy. Afternoon rode to Simsbury. They make a good deal of cider here.'' Mrs. Case and her family^ do very well. 31. Visited. Engaged a school-master for one of our districts. Returned. A prospect that Mr. Yates* will leave his people. The leaves falling. November, 1. Wrote to Mr. Moulthrop,' East Haven. Visited. At evening rode to Wapping and performed a marriage.' The people there sensibly manifest a want of society privileges.' 2. Read the Bible. Wrote, making out my preaching account. For ' Mr. Lorrain Loomis, before mentioned. ' The parties married were Simeon Sadd, ^ Tiiat is, at Simsbury. But they made of Scantic parish, and Rachel Rockwell, of cider almost everywhere in those days, when- Wapping. ever they had apples, which they could use ' The mass of the population, especially for the purpose. in that southern part of the town, was along ' With whom he boarded. the broad street near the meadow lands. The * Rev. Andrew Yates, D. D. He did not farm houses bordering upon this ancient road leave East Hartford till some years later. stand near together, some of them very old. 5 The artist who took his picture several The centre of Wapping was three or four years before. miles east from the street. 4l6 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1809. nearly five years that I was a candidate I was under pay hut about two thirds of die time. Visited. 3. Read. Preached our lecture in the afternoon from Ps. cx.xiv : 8. At evening attended a conference. Am considerably troubled with weakness in my eyes. I hope to be exempted from so great a calamity, but have my fears. 4. Quite rainy. Read Lardner. His sermons are pretty poor.' The danger of impenitence is very seldom suggested. 5. Quite cold. Preached from Rom. .\i : 18 and Lev. .x.xv : 10. I think the Jubilee is an easy and profitable subject.' At evening attended a confer- ence. I think public speaking affects my eyes. The conferences are still well attended, though there does not appear that general attention that did a few weeks ago. 6. Wrote to Harvey Case/ of Simsburj'. Read newspapers. Rode to Hartford. Got a new surtout. Cost $19.50. The Spanish cause seems to be desponding. 7. Examined a school-master. Wrote to Mr. Ben. Wolcott,* Wapping. Finished the tenth volume of Lardner. Examined and approved another school-master. Wrote. Visited. 8. Walked out and visited all day. There was some party spirit in our assembly about the choice of a Governor.^ A valuable family here about moving to New York. Quite cold. 9. Wrote on a sermon from Acts xxvi : 29. At evening walked out and visited. I think I cannot write so fast as I have at some times in years past. People have made a great quantity of cider. 10. Wrote. Preached our lecture, with little preparation, from Neh. ii : 3. Attended the conference. The little attention to religion among us seems to excite the malice of opposition. I hope God will be our protector. 11. Finished my sermon on Acts xxvi: 29. Wrote to Mr. Dixon,' lawyer, Enfield. My eyes are considerably weak. I can do but little in the evening. We have a great dearth of foreign news. 12. Preached the written sermon finished yesterday. It appeared to be weighty, and the people were solemn. How many of us are no more than almost Christians. Oh that God would give us the instance of his grace. Quite cold. Attended the conference. The serious people here have improved considerably in talking in conferences since I came here. ' In an evangelical point of view, he fore, ami Hon. John Trcadwcll, of Farming- means, ton, was chosen to fill his place. Mr. Tread- ^ " And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, well, for some rcisoii, though a man of very and proclaim liberty throughout all the land high character and standing, was not alto- unto all the inhabitants thereof," etc. gether ])opular with the people, and in iSli, ' Perhaps a son of Capt. Case in whose Roger Griswold, of Lyme, was chosen to family he lived. take his place. The Connecticut governors * Mr. Henjamin Wolcott, son of Simon back in those days were usually continued in Wolcotl, was born March 26, 176S. office several years. ' We do not know exactly what form this ' Afterwards Judge William Dixon, and contention took. Gov. Jonathan Trumbull father of Hon. James Dixon, United States died, it will be remembered, the August be- Senator. iSog.] ■ PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 417 13. Read Newton's Dissertations.^ Afternoon rode to Hartford. I have a box of books at Hartford which have been negligently kept there five or six weeks. A hard rain. 14. Walked out and visited all day. Some people here that appeared in opposition to my settlement appear mortified and angry, and I think will do me injury if they can. I hope the God of heaven will protect and defend us. I think there is still some encouragement of seriousness among us. In the morning the ground almost covered with frozen rain. 15. We have very cold winds, probably proceeding from northern snows. Afternoon rode to Wapping and preached in the meeting-house from Rom. i : 16. Some prospect of an addition to our church from this part of the society. Visited. 16. Yesterday had a new bureau brought to me, made at Hartford, cost $17.00. Received also the Universal History^ bought for me at New York by Mr. Howe, of New Haven; sixty volumes cost $135.00.^ I believe, except two or three copies in folio, there is not another set in this State. Read. Rode to East Hartford (the Mills') and preached from Acts ix : n. Re- turned. Visited. The people at East Hartford are considerably reconciled to Mr. Yates leaving them.'' Set up my History. It makes a fine appearance. 17. Wrote to Beers & Howe, New Haven. Wrote notes and preached our lecture from John xvii : 17. At evening attended the conference. One or two more of our young men I hope have got religion. The small work of God among us is mostly with the male sex. Walked out. I can never be sufficiently thankful that God has, in a small degree, as I hope, blessed my ministry in this place. 18. Read Newton's Dissertations. Wrote notes for preaching. Last night it snowed some ; the first we have had. Our government seem determined to break with England ; but I think they cannot bring the people to it. 19. Preached from John iv : 24. At evening attended the conference. At the Sabbath evening conference I generally have a sermon read. We are now reading Dr. Backus's on Regeneration. Quite tired. 20. Read Newton's Dissertations. I think Faber the preferable writer. It snowed some. Walked out. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in reckoning with his blacks.* ' Bishop Thomas Newton, 1704-1782. His leave. He remained till 1S13, and then went Dissertations on t/ie Prophecies, which were to fill a professorship in Union College, finished in 1758. ' In a previous note mention has been ^ We have spoken of this work in a pre- made of the institution of slavery in Connec- vious note as consisting of fifty-nine volumes. ticut, and how it lingered on, in the case of But volumes were added to it from time to individuals, by the very nature of the provis- time, and the set belonging to the library of ions made for its e.xtinction. But in this the Boston Athenasum is composed of sixty- case where Mr. Robbins is called in to a.ssist five volumes. Mr. Walcott in casting up accounts, the lan- ' The part of East Hartford now known guage shows that these were hired servants, as Burnside. and not slaves. Under a slave system there * As before stated. Dr. Yates did not then is no occasion for such reckoning. 4l8 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1809. 21. Wrote to my sister Battell. Rode to Hartford. Visited. It snowed moderately all day. I fear we are going to have winter. 22. Read Newton. Rode to Windsor and returned. Received a letter from Beers & Howe, New Haven. It was missent to Windsor, and has lain in that office more than sik weeks.' Visited. The country is in consider- able agitation on the subject of Mr. Jackson's dismission." Quite cold. Not snow enough for sleighing. At evening the ice made a little in the river. 23.. Severe winter weather. Wrote on my preaching account. It is a work of considerable labor. Walked out and visited. 24. A severe snow-storm all day. I believe I never knew one more so in November. Wrote. Read Lardner. We had no lecture, or conference, on account of the storm. I believe we shall have no more lectures this season. I intended to continue them till the Thanksgiving. The first was June 31st, and I have omitted but one, which was the week that I was at Hartland. They have been well attended, and I hope blessed of God. 25. The snow is nearly a foot deep. People move in sleighs. On the 8th received a circular letter to the clergy of the State from Charles Sherman,' of New Haven. Wrote on my preaching account. My labors on my mission were very great. Read the Bible. I think my eyes are some better. 26. Preached in the forenoon my written sermon on Jer. viii : 22. Went partly through with the subject, and expected to finish in the afternoon. When I went to meeting in the afternoon I took my Bible instead of my book with my sermon. I did not discover my mistake till the singers were singing the last verse of the second singing. I was very much embarrassed, and preached immediately from Rev. .\.\ii : 20, first clause. I never preached with such embarrassment,'' and I believe I did pretty poorly. At evening attended the conference. Rode to meeting in a sleigh. Good sleighing. ' Some improvement in post office ar- of this determination will, without delay, be rangements since that day. made known to your government." Where- " This Mr. Jackson was F. J. Jackson, upon Mr. Jackson removed with his retinue English minister or agent representing the from Washington, and took up his residence English government at Washington. The at New York. relations of the two governments were very ' Charles Sherman was a grandson of the delicate at that time. They were almost in famous Roger Sherman. He was a leading a state of war then, as they were actu,illy man religiously. He afterwards removed from so three years later. Mr. Jackson so con- New Haven to Suflield, Ct. What was the ducted his cause that he irritated rather than nature or design of his circul.ir letter to the quieted the public mind, and on the 8th of clergy we have not been able to discover. November, 1809, Hon. Robert Smith, then * There are preachers, who by reason of Secretary of State, wrote him a letter con- ready extemporaneous power and great self- taining these words : " Finding that in your possession might meet an exigency like this reply of the 4th inst., you have used a Ian- with comi)osure. Hut most ministers would guage which cannot be understood, but as have been even more embarrassed than was reiterating and even aggravating the same Mr. Robbins. When he made the discov- gross insinuation, it only remains in order to cry, there was no helj) for him. The house preclude opportunities which arc thus abused, where Mr. Robbins boarded, and where his to inform you that no farther communication sermon was lying, was a mile away from the will be received from you, and the necessity church. iSog.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 419 27. Began a sermon for thanksgiving on Ps. cxxvi : i. Afternoon in- structed Mr. Tudor's' scliool. It tliaws considerably. The river is frozen over. It shut on the night of the 24th. Yesterday foot people crossed on the ice. Read Lardner. 28. Wrote on my sermon. I cannot write so fast as I have sometimes. Quite wet and very bad going. Old Mrs. Tudor^ very unwell. 29. Finished my sermon on Ps. cxxvi : i. At evening walked out. I asked Mr. McClure to assist in the exercises tomorrow; he declined. The ice broke upon the river. 30. This day is the Thanksgiving. May we be humbled for our ingrati- tude, and be sensible of our many obligations. Preached from Ps. cxxvi: i. We have here no company but our own family.' At evening walked out. Had a pretty full meeting. December. 1. Rode out. Very bad riding. Began to read my Universal History. I think it doubtful whether I ever read it all*; if I do, I do not expect to do it quicker than one volume a month, which will take five years. At night a very hard rain. 2. Rode to Somers. Bad riding. The snow remains considerably. Mr. Strong' has a very good house. 3. Mr. Strong supplied my pulpit by an exchange with Mr. Yates.' Preached from Zeph. i: 12 and Num. x: 29. At evening attended a con- ference and preached from Gen. vii : 16. There has been considerable awakening here within a year past. Tarried with Mrs. Backus.' 4. Returned. Called on Mr. Brockway ' at Ellington. At evening ex- amined a school-master. This town has great changes. 5. Wrote to my sister Battell. Read. At evening walked out and visited. Very warm for the season. Wrote. 6. Read Lardner. Wrote on my preaching account. Old Mrs. Tudor quite feeble. I can read but little by candle-light. On the 29th ult. we had news of peace between France and Austria.' It will probably be fatal to the ' Probably Mr. Oliver Tudor, son of Mr. ready reference rather than for continuous .Samuel Tudor, and brother of Mrs. Abiel reading. Wolcott, his landlady. ' Rev. William L. Strong has been al- - The old Mrs. Tudor, here spoken of, ready noticed in two or three places. He was Mrs. Samuel Tudor, mother of Mrs. succeeded Dr. Charles Backus, and was pas- Abiel Wolcott. Her maiden name was tor at Somers from 1S05 to 1S29. He was Naomi Diggens. She and her husband lived father of Dr. Edward Strong, late pastor at near Mr. Wolcott's. West Ro.xbury, Mass., and of Hon. William 3 The family of Mr. Abiel Wolcott at Strong, of Philadelphia, one of the judges of that time consisted of himself and wife, with United States Supreme Court, their four children, Rev. Mr. Robbins, and a '' This was a triple exchange, number of colored servants. There had been ' Widow of Dr. Charles Piackus. five children born into the family, but one, ' Rev. Diodate Erockway, pastor at El- William, died in infancy. lington, Ct., 1797-1849. •* To a scholar very many books are for ' This peace was made Oct. 24, 1S09. 420 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S09. latter power. How far infinite wisdom will suffer the tyrant to proceed we leave with God. 7. The snow which we apprehended some days would remain is all gone. Quite warm. Walked out and visited. 8. Rode and visited all day. At evening received of the society com- mittee an order of one hundred and fort)--seven dollars for my preaching previous to my installation. Tiie committee feel encouraged with the pros- pects of the society. At evening attended a good conference. 9. Read Lardner. Much of his reasoning upon the subject of the Trinity is weak, and his tracts are of little value. Very rainy. Wrote notes for preaching. 10. From Friday evening it rained about forty hours without the least known intermission. Very thin meeting. Preached from Matt. i.\ : 22 and Ps. c.xlvii : 43. On account of the weather had no conference. I think our government have treated the British minister' ver)- injuriously. 11. Read Lardner. The society had their annual meeting. It was very harmonious. Several certificates have been given in. It does not appear to arise from any dislike to me, but from old parties and opposition to one an- other's influence. I believe about one fifth of the list has gone off within a year past. I do not think I have a personal enemy among them. 12. Rode to East Hartford and visited Mr. Yates. He will probably leave there soon.^ I fear he is doing wrong. Our society voted yesterday that they wish to have Mr. McClure dismissed. Visited. Very pleasant weather. 13. Visited two schools. Mr. McClure attended with me.^ Rainy. Read Lardner. I think our government are likely to act as bad or worse than ever. Received a letter from my father. 14. Read the Uiih'crsal Ilntory. It is \ery valuable for a reference. Wrote. On the 8th paid by way of Mr. \\"olcott for a bridle, S5.00. Had company. 15. Put on my flannel. Visited two schools. They are not very forward, but doing well. My eyes remain quite weak. Attended a conference. Read at it Dr. Hopkins's Life.'' I think it very suitable, particularly the notes. 16. Wrote a sermon on John vii : 17. :\ woman here has 'lately lost a son at sea. My weakness of eyes is a very great calamity. Very moderate open weather. 17. Preached written sermons on John vii: 17 and Jer. viii : 22. The former part of the last one I delivered Nov. 26th. Had a very full conference. So much labor on the Sabbath is almost too hard for me. 18. Read Lardner. Visited a child dangerously sick. Visited families. ' This English minister was F. J. Jack- going away. Hut he was persuaded to slay son, mentioned in a previous note. Mr. Kolv some years longer. bins was not apt, as yet, to like what w:is ' This seems to show that the two pastors done by a Uemocratic government. were on passably friendly terms, though not ' From the frequent references to the prol)- very near and intimate in their relations, able retirement of Dr. Yates from East Hart- * Life of Dr. Samuel Hopkins, by Dr ford, it is evident that lie had a plan for .Stephen West, i)ublished in 1805. l809-] PASTOR m EAST WINDSOR. 42 1 Late at evening went to see the sick child again, and found he had died a few minutes before I came. I hope it may make a useful impression on the family. 19. Finished the eleventh and last volume of Lardner's works. I have been long reading them, but they are very valuable. But they ought to be read only by such as have good sentiments established. Visited. I make no distinction in visiting on account of certificates.' 20. Attended the funeral of the child that died on the i8th. Went into the meeting-house. The most of the certificate people attended. The family appear much affected. May the Lord follow the affliction with his blessing. The peace is more favorable for Austria than was expected.^ Rode to Wap- ping and performed a marriage. 21. Read the Universal History. Visited families. Rode to Wapping and married a couple.^ Quite pleasant weather. The ground is as bare as in summer. 22. Rainy. Wrote. Read the Universal History. At evening attended the conference. Old Mr. Tudor very unwell. The ground hard frozen. 23. Quite cold. Finished my preaching account to the time of my coming to this place. It has cost me considerable labor, but I am glad I have done it.'' Wrote notes for preaching. 24. Preached from Num. x.xi : 4. Very cold. Received two young women into the church. People appeared affected with the occasion. Had a full conference. 25. Rainy. Rode to Wapping, visited two schools, and performed a marriage.' The schools are rather backward, and contain about thirty scholars each. Tarried at Wapping. 26. Visited a school about as large and rather more forward than those I visited yesterday. There are about an hundred families and three schools in Wapping. Returned. At evening saw Rev. Mr. Barker, of Middleborough.* The people here are in some commotion about seating the meeting-house. \^'arm and wet. 27. Yesterday a Baptist preached in the meeting-house. The same thing has been done several times in the course of the year.' But few people I be- lieve attended. A hard snow-storm. Read Universal History. I hope our ' Mr. Robbins had the good sense to see a complete record, showing the places where that the best way to heal such difficulties as he had preached, texts, money received, etc. these was to treat them gently, and not irri- ' Marriages were becoming frequent out tate men by much talking. at Wapping. This time Mr. Oliver Dart " By this treaty of peace, the cit>' of Vi- and Alice Collins were united in marriage, enna, which had been held by France, was making the third within a week, restored to Austria. *■ Rev. Joseph Barker, a native of Bran- ' He united in marriage Mr. John Stough- ford, Ct., a graduate of Yale, 1771, and pas- ton, Jr., and Hepzibah Sadd. tor at the old church in Middleborough, Mass., ■• Mr. Robbins has several times spoken 1781-1815. of this work of bringing up his preaching ' It was charitable to let the Baptists thus account. With his love of exactness and have the use of the Congregational meeting- order, he could not rest content until he had house. 422 DIARY OF REV. THO.MAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1809. government will not be able to draw Congress into a war with Britain, which they evidently wish. 28. Read Universal History. It is a work of very great labor. People move considerably in sleighs. 29. Rode to Scantic and back in a sleigh. Tolerably good sleighing. At evening attended a conference. There does not appear so much engagedness about these things as there has been. 30. Finished the first volume of the Universal History. Very cold. Rode to Scantick' to e.xchange with Mr. Bartlett. 31. Preached a written sermon from Acts xxvi : 4. Something rainy. At evening returned. Had no conference. Thus in the good providence of God I am allowed to close another year. It has been perhaps as happy a year to me as any other. I have enjoyed comfortable health, and it has, on the whole, constantly increased. I believe I have preached every Sabbath but one, in which my father preached for me. I have been agreeably settled in the min- istry. Yea, and I believe, thanks to God, I have seen a little success of my labors. I have not been called to mourning. ' Scantic, as will have been noticed, is into the Connecticut River, near E.ist Wind- the common name for the Second or North sor Hill. Mr. Kobbins spells the words in ecclesiastical parish in East Windsor. It different ways : Skantick, Scantick, Skantic, takes its name from the little river running Scantic. It is an Indian word, but the last through that part of the town, and emptying form is the one now more commonly used. ISIO. January. 1. Endeavored to pay some attention to objects naturally suggested by the day. Read Universal History. At evening rode with Mrs. Wolcott, and made a short visit to Mr. Yates.' He showed me his call which he has lately received from New York. The vote was unanimous, the offer $2,000 salary and expense of removing. As the Council last week advised him to stay here, he concludes to stay." Very good sleighing. 2. Read. Walked out. Wrote to my father. The New Year's Mirror is not very smart. 3. Walked and visited all day. Warm. The snow goes pretty fast. Read a very excellent speech of Mr. Dana^ on the subject of the foolish reso- lutions of Congress respecting the British Minister. 4. Read. My eyes are much better than they have been. Began to write a sermon on Isa. xlix: 15. 5. Finished the sermon begun yesterday. Wrote notes and preached a sacramental lecture on i Cor. x : 4. My brother Frank came here from \\'est- field and tarried. He appears to be worn with much labor in his school. 6. My brother went home. Wrote a sermon on Rev. xxii : 2. Consider- ably worried with close study. But my breast is pretty well. 7. There have been but six deaths in this society the j-ear past.' Preached written sermons from Isa. Ixix : 15 and Rev. xxii : 2. Administered the sacrament. Many spectators stay. Under the preaching, particularly in the forenoon, people were much affected. Remarkably warm for the season. The ground bare and very wet. At evening had a conference. I think the Universalist that preached here lately will do no hurt. He is a poor chap.' 8. Visited. Visited a school on Long Hill.' I believe they have never had one there before. It has near thirty scholars. Read. 9. Wrote. Rode to Hartford. Crossed on the new bridge.' It is nearly ' As Mr. Wolcott's house was a mile south was United States Senator from iSio to 1S21. of the centre of South Windsor, it was only He was a prominent Federalist, and would three or four miles down to East Hartford be a man such as Mr. Robbins would nat- Street where Dr. Yates lived. urally like. He ably represented the New = This explains the ground of the expecta- England ideas of that time. tion that Mr. Yates was about to leave his * This, like the record the year before, people. Certainly it would appear that there would indicate a remarkable degree of health must have been some self-denial on his part in his parish. in accepting the suggestion of the Council. ' An emphatic and laconic opinion. The offer, for those days, was a flattering one. ' This place was in the eastern part of ^ Hon. Samuel Whittlesey Dana, son of the town. Rev. James Dana, of New Haven. He was ' This bridge was carried away in i8i8, a graduate of Yale College in 1775, was a and the one built to replace it is the one now member of Congress from 1796 to iSio, and in use. 423 424 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBEIXS, D.D. [181O. completed. It is indeed a magnificent structure. I think it will he very useful. 10. Walked and visited. Remarkably warm and wet. They have just been seating the meeting-house here. Three or four families appear to be dissatisfied ; but in general it is quite acceptable.' Tarried out. The Presi- dent ' has recommended the raising an army of twenty thousand men. It is sheer nonsense.' 11. Visited. Very muddy going. Have bought me a snuff-box, and think of going into the business of taking snuff.* It is recommended for my catarrhal complaint. Wrote to J. W.' 12 It snowed some. Read the Universal History. At evening attended a conference. My conferences are considerably fatiguing. 13. Finished the second volume of my Universal History. Wrote notes for preaching. Visited a young man who I fear is going into a con- sumption. 14. Wrote. Preached from Heb. xi : 17. I think an entertaining and useful subject.' Attended our conference. We have read Dr. Backus's Sermons through.' 15. Examined a girl for keeping school. Read. Afternoon, rode to Windsor and returned. Very muddy. The river as clear' as in summer. Visited. 16. Read the Universal History. Walked out and visited. The certifi- cated people here I think have very little notion of following any other religious denomination. 17. Rode out. Afternoon kept Mr. Tudor's school.' About fifty scholars. Had company. Very warm, and the ground very wet. 18. Rode to Simsbur}'. From Hartford westward I think I never saw it so muddy. At evening Mr. King.'° a candidate, came here. 19. Received of Capt. O. Phelps" twenty dollars. Am much disappointed in not getting more. Last night the weather changed suddenly, and it is now most severe cold and very windy. Rode home. I don't know that I ever saw a more tedious day. I think I never saw so few people in the streets at ' Seating the meeting-house has always ' Clear of ice. been a delicate piece of business. Human ' Mr. Oliver Tudor's, probably, as before nature continues much the same from gen- suggested, eration to generation. '" liarnabas King, D.D., a graduate o£ ' The President was James Madison in Williams College in 1S04. He was a native his first term. of New Marlboro', Mass., and fitted for col- ' New England opposed the contest which lege with Rev. Jacob Catlin, of that to^vn, was then coming on, but it is hard now to see and afterwards studied theology with the how we could with dignity have avoided the same. He w.is settled in Rockaway, N. J., War of 1812. where he remained fifty-five years, dying in * Better to stop that before he begins. 1862 at the age of eighty-two. He received ' Probably his brother James Watson. his degree of D. D. from his Alma Mater. « " By faith Noah " etc. " Capt. Oliver Phelps, of .Simsbury. The ' That is, they have been reading them in name Phelps was one of the original names of these conference meetings. Windsor, of which Simsbury was a part. iSlO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 425 Hartford. Not a team to be seen. I was very cold. Traded. $2.58. Read Shakespeare. 20. Tremendous cold. No person scarcely goes out. Wrote notes for preach- ing. I fear the sudden and great change of weather will be very injurious. 21. Yesterday and last night Mr. Wolcott rode home from Washington,' near sixty miles. It was very presumptuous. Preached from Isa. xlii : 16. Meetings very short. I believe as cold as yesterday. Received a letter from cousin S. P. Robbins. 22. The weather moderates a little. People suppose they have never known a colder turn. Read Universal History. Walked out and visited. My eyes are much better than they have been. 23. The river, which was perfectly clear last Thursday, shut over on Friday night, and is now in the best condition for crossing. People crossed on Satur- day. The ground is wholly bare. 24. It snowed some. Rode out and visited. Visited our Academic school.'' It is quite small, but appears pretty well. Received a letter from my sister S.' The late cold and wind was very severe there.* Began a sermon on Matt, viii: 24. Paid a tailor §3.34. 25. Read the Universal History. The late turn of cold weather seems to have been very extensive and very severe. Have something of a cold. 26. Wrote. Considerably interrupted by company. Rode out to attend a conference, but had none on account of the weather. Received a letter from my brother Battell. Received of Mr. Tudor for the society twenty-three dollars. At night it snowed. 27. Wrote twelve pages. As I write and deliver now, eight pages will make a sermon of half an hour.' Finished my sermon on Matt, viii : 34. People move considerably in sleighs. 28. Preached the written sermon finished yesterday. Quite cold. The Universalist fellow * preached here last evening, and attended meeting in the forenoon. I think he is despised. At evening attended the conference. 29. Extreme cold. Wrote to my cousin S. P. Robbins. Walked out. Had an interview with ' 30. Almost as cold as ten days ago ; very severe. Rode in a sleigh to Windsor and returned. Poor sleighing. The ice in the river very strong. Visited some blacks. Wrote to Mr. Howe,' of New Haven, and sent him for my Universal History, §30.00. 31. Read Universal History. The weather moderates a little. Walked out and visited. Read Ossian's Poems? ' Washington, Ct., southern part of Litch- of a minister, even though he might be of a field County. denomination which tlie writer of this diary ^ At East Windsor Hill. strongly disliked. 3 Mrs. Sarah Battell. ^ This place is blank in the diary. * At Norfolk, Ct. ' Hezekiah Howe, bookseller, before men- 5 This, by ministers generally, would be tioned. considered rapid sermon-writing. ' Otherwise James Macpherson's, of Scot- ' Not a very respectful way of speaking land, as has been before explained. 426 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROEBIXS, D.D. [1810. People move some in sleighs, but more on At Mr. Bad February. 1. Read. Had company, wheels. Walked out. 2. Finished the third volume of the Universal History.^ Very cold. At evening attended a conference. Have read the most of Dr. Hopkins' Life in the conferences.'' I think it very useful. Read Newton on the Prophecies. 3. Read Newton. Had company. Wrote notes for preaching. I fre- quently find it hard to suit myself with subjects for preaching. 4. Preached from Luke xi.x : 42. Quite cold. Very little sleighing, evening attended a conference. Pretty thin. 5. Rode to East Hartford (Orford) ' and visited Mr. King' and Olcott.' King is pretty gloomy, and knows not what to do. Returned, riding. 6. Rode to Windsor to attend Association. The meeting was pretty full. Mr. Whitfield Cowles'' applied, with a sort of a confession, for a restoration. The confession was judged insufficient. 7. The Association licensed two candidates.' One of them. Esq. Perkins, of \\'est Hartford. Mr. Church" introduced the Hartland matters which detained us till evening. 8. Rode home. Very good sleighing on the river, and none other. It is said that there is a good path on the ice from Springfield to Saybrook.' Warm. Attended the funeral of an aged black man.'" Received an excellent letter from Mr. Waldo, of this place, now at Pomfret. 9. Finished reading Newton's Dissertatioiu on the Prophecies. I tiiink it is ' He was reading the Universal History about as rapidly as he intended. When he first purchased the work he thought he should read one volume a month. He has already finished three volumes. This, as may be remembered, was a work of sixty volumes, of which eighteen were of Ancient History, and forty-two of Modern. ^ Dr. Stephen West's Lifi of Dr. Samtul Hopkins, which he had been reading in their conference-meetings. ^ Now the town of Manchester, Ct. ■* Rev. .Salmon King, before mentioned, who had been dismissed from the church in Orford (Manchester) two years liefore, but was not yet settled elsewhere, and seems to be at home yet in Manchester. 5 Rev. Allen Olcott, a native of Kast Hartford, who had formerly been settled in Farmington, but was now supplying the pul- pit in Manchester, though never settled there. He was graduatedat Yale in 176S, and was now in years. He died the following year, iSii. ' Who had been dismissed from East Granby. ' Tlie two candidates were Nathan Per- kins, Jr., son of Dr. Nathan Perkins, of West Hartford, and John Bartlctt, Jr., son of Mr. John Bartlett, of Lebanon, Ct., and brother of Rev. .Shubael Bartlett, of the North Parish, East Windsor. Mr. Perkins was graduated at Yale in 1795, and first gave himself to the profession of law, and turned from this to the ministry. Mr. Bartlett was graduated at 1807, and afterwards settled in Wintonbury parish, Windsor, and in Avon (formerly Northington). ' Rev. .\aron Church, who had been pas- tor at Hartland since 1773. Precisely what the matters were which he brought to the notice of the -Association, we do not know. ' If that w.is a fact, it shows the intensitv of the cold which had been prevailing, for, over the Knficld E.alls, where the river runs r.apidly, it is not easy so to compact the ice as to make a pathway for horses and sleighs. '° This was Peter, a colored man, aged eighty, who in the century before had proba- bly been a slave, belonging to some one of the East Windsor families. iSlO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 427 not so valuable a work, as Faber's." Began to read ^cuis' Letters to Voltaire^ At evening attended a conference. Very cold. 10. Read. Afternoon rode to VVethersfield. We have many accounts of the disastrous effects of the late e.Ytreme cold. Very bad and rough riding. The river has not been known to be so universally frozen, with so few openings. n. Dr. Marsh' is quite unwell with an influenza. His son* now preaches for him, and supplies my pulpit today by exchange. Preached a written sermon on John vii : 17. Afternoon preached with short notes from Heb. xi : 17. At evening preached again without notes from Luke xv : 17. Meetings quite full and attentive. 12. Returned. Weather ver\' pleasant. The country verv' extensively destitute of snow. Visited sick persons. Yesterday there was a sudden explosion in the river near the upper part of this town ; the ice broke and was cast each way, leaving an opening near half a mile in length and several rods in breadth. It is an unknown phenomenon.' 13. Read Jai's' Letters. They are a learned and very valuable work. At evening walked out and visited. The business of seating the meeting-house has passed ofiE very quietly. 14. Walked and visited all day. Mostly certificate people. There is a hopeful beginning of a special work of grace at Springfield. God can bring water from the dryest ground. 15. Read Jeius' Letters. Afternoon began a sermon on i Peter iv : 18. I think we shall not go through this year with so few deaths in this place as last year. On the 3rd sent a request to Mr. Francis King,*" of Vernon, to preach for me Sabbath after ne.xt ; and received an answer of compliance. 16. Wrote all day. Received a polite letter from Mr. Frederick Wolcott,' of Litchfield, witli a present of a copy of Elegant Extracts in Verse,^ in consid- eration of the Wolcolt family piece which I sent him last fall. " George Stanley Faber, already noticed. of man, and in the shallow waters over the - The full title of this book (two volumes falls, the ice may have formed to such a in one) is Letters of Certain Jezc's to Motnieiir depth, as to impede the flow, and cause Voltaire, containing an Apology for their own a great pressure from the waters above. people, and for the Old Testament. Trans- <■ Francis King was son of Col. Oliver lated by Rev. Philip Lebaner, Philadelphia, King, of Vernon, and younger brother of 1795- Rev. Salmon King, a classmate of Mr. Rob- 'John Marsh, D.D., pastor at Wethers- bins at Yale. He was graduated at field, 1774-1S21. Yale in 1S04, and licensed to preach by the ■• John Marsh, Jr., D. D., graduated at Yale Litchfield North Association, June 14, 1S08, College in 1804, and well known in all his but for some reason did not follow the pro- later life for his distinguished services in the fession of the ministry, temperance cause. ' Mr. Frederick Wolcott, of Litchfield, 5 This must have happened near the foot Ct., was son of the first Gov. Oliver Wolcott, of Enfield Falls, in the vicinity of Warehouse and brother of the second Governor of the Point, and may have been connected with same name. He was graduated at Yale, the action of frost where the water was not 17S6. very deep. The cold, it will be remembered, « This was a work in two vols., octavo, had been severe almost beyond the memory published in London in 1801. 428 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS RORBIKS, D.D. [1810. 17. Finished my sermon on i Peter iv : iS. Tiiis week has been remark- ably dr)' and pleasant. The boys play ball. Excellent going for carriages Sleighing on the river, and there only. Bonaparte is evidently extending his designs to this country.' 18. Preached my written sermon on i Peter iv : i8. Rainy and quite thin meeting. At evening attended the conference. Young Albert Wolcott appears near his grave." With a consumption. Very tired. 19. Quite warm. Rode to Simsbury. Towards night and at evening a very hard rain. I am disappointed about getting money at Simsbury.' Paid for Catechisms which I give away, $3.00. Paid my annual contribution to the Bible Society, $3.00. Received of Maj. Wolcott for the society, $23.00. 20. In the morning the river was broken up and the ice ran with great violence. Warm. Rode to Norfolk. Very bad riding. My parents quite well. My brother Ammi appears to be in very good circumstances. 21. Cold. A young man died here yesterday of the spotted fever. My father keeps no scholars.* Dined at Mr. Battell's. There seems to be some agitation in this county about the choice of governor.' 22. Reckoned with Mr. Battell. Very rough going. My brother S. engaged in his school.' My brother N. quite prosperous in his business of Spanish sheep. I fear this town is not gaining in property or character. 23. My father has been new-drafting his will. I think it is pretty judi- cious.' Packed some large folios to send to East Windsor. My sister S.' quite unwell. 24. In my settlement with Mr. Battell paid him $40.00, which he paid for me for the horse I bought in 1807. In my settlement with Mr. Battell and brother N. paid them $40.00 in addition to other $40.00 which I paid for my horse last summer. In my settlement with Mr. Battell paid him a merchant's bill of S3 1.75. Reckoned with my brother N. Received of him in notes against other people, $53.86. Paid Mr. Battell on account in advance $ig.ii. Received of my father yesterday, and paid for a pair of saddle-bags, Ss.oo. 25. Preached for my father in the forenoon a written sermon on John vii : 17. Afternoon on Heb. xi : 17. Quite full meeting. At evening a few neighbors came in for a season of prayer. The ground perfectly bare. 26. Remarkably warm. Rode to Winchester. Preached a lecture pre- ' This was a common idea, back in Napo- his ministry at Norfolk, and had received in leon's day, among the people of this country, times past nearly two hundred pupils into but if the Emperor ever had any such thought his family. he never found time to attend to it. That ' Hon. John Treadwell, of Farmington, is one of the advantages of having an ocean was then Governor, and was reelected in the between us and the Old World. following April. ' Me died, as will be seen, in the follow- ' I lis brother Samuel, as may be remem- ing month. bercd, is teaching now in Norfolk. ' The people were still owing him for his ' This implies that he had made the sub- services two years before. Every^whcre then stance of his will known to his children, or, it was hard to get money. at least to his son Thomas. * He was now in the forty-eighth year of ' Mrs. Joseph Battell. l8lO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 429 viously appointed from Lev. xxv : lo. Quite a full meeting. The prospects of this society appear very favorable. I rejoice in the prospect. Received of this society for all demands, $55.00.' I gave in the interest for more than two years. Tarried at Mr. Marsh's.'' He is very useful here, and living very well. 27. Cold and very bad riding. Visited several families. Rode to Norfolk. I think a holy God is about to do good things for Winchester. 28. Surveyed a small piece of land. Had some tailor-work done. Assisted in settling a disagreeable affair in church. I hope it has happily succeeded. There is a good deal of discipline in this church. March. 1. Left home and rode to Simsbury. My father and his church observe this day as a church fast. Received of my brother Ammi, $42.50. Very pleasant weather. The ground thaws in many places. 2. I get nothing here of my dues. I think the prospect of this society is favorable. Rode home. I have not been absent from here so long at one time since I first came to reside in the town. Visited sick people. At evening attended a conference. Received a letter from Mr. Moulthrop, East Haven, and one from my brother James. The ice in the river broke on the 2 1 St ult. 3. Visited. A very strong, healthy man was hurt on his head in Novem- ber, and appears now in a very dangerous state. Received a letter from Mr. Yates. Wrote notes for preaching. 4. Wrote notes for preaching. Preached from John i : 29 and .\cts xiii : 27. During the week past the women here, wholly without my knowledge, have placed a good new cushion on the desk, and an excellent folio Bible in the pulpit. This testimony of their sentiments is peculiarly gratifying. At evening attended a conference. Very pleasant weather. 5. Visited the sick. Saw the operation of cupping. A hard rain. Read yews' Letters. It appears that the British powers have taken Guadaloupe.^ The French are like to be driven entirely from America. 6. Finished reading Jeios' Letters. It is a very valuable work. Wxoxa to Beers & Howe,* New Haven, and sent them a bank-bill of $50.00. Rode out and visited. Quite cold. 7. Rode to Windsor with Mr. Yates. Five ministers' of the vicinity met ' This money was for the supply of the again given back to France at the peace of pulpit three years before. 1S14. = Rev. Frederick Marsh, settled in 1809, * The firm of Isaac Beers & Hezekiah and continuing in the ministry at Winchester Howe, of New Haven. Mr. Robbins became until 1851, and a resident there many years acquainted with them probably when he was afterwards. in Yale College, and now employs thern as ' The Island of Guadaloupe had been his agent in buying books for his library, once or twice before taken from the French ' These were. Rev. Andrew Yates, D. D , by England and restored. This time it was Rev. Henry A. Rowland, Rev. Thomas Rob- given to Sweden in order to draw her into bins, D.D., Rev. Prince Hawes, and Rev. the alliance against the French. But it was Shubael Bartlett. 430 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS RORBINS, D.D. [181O. and organized a circular ministers' meeting. I hope it may be useful. Tarried at Capt. Ellsworth's." Very bad going. * 8. Relumed. Afternoon rode to Hartford. The most of the crossing is still at the ferry." Paid a cabinet-maker Si 5.00. My desk and book-case cost S43.00 My bureau cost S17.00. Paid a watch-maker $5.75. Traded, etc. $2.94. Visited. 9. Rainy. Visited the sick. Reckoned my pecuniary accounts. The weather and going were such that I omitted the evening conference. Read Universal History. 10. Began a sermon on 2 Cor. v: 20. Wrote all day. Interrupted by company. Mr. Yates called on me. I think there is a prospect of his form- ing a connection at Windsor. Yesterday got a new chair, made high for writing at my bureau-table. Cost Ss-oo- 11. Finished and preached the sermon begun yesterday on 2 Cor. v: 20. I believe I never wrote so much in so short a time. I had done half of it when I lighted a candle last evening. At evening had Dr. Griffin's Dedica- tion Sermon read at conference.' 12. Visited. It snowed considerably. Wrote. Read. 13. With the school visitors visited and catechised two schools. Made the children some presents of small books. Read Universal History. The snow goes off. 14. Rode to Westfield to see my brother Frank. He has had an ill turn, but is now pretty well. Dined at Esq. Leavitt's, Suffield. Very bad riding. 15. Went into my brother's school. It is large and respectable. He has a valuable man for an assistant. Returned home. Cold and very bad riding. Crossed the Enfield bridge. Electioneering goes pretty high in Massa- chusetts.' 16. Read. Very cold. Afternoon visited a small school. At evening attended a conference. At evening my cousin S. P. Robbins arrived here from Marietta.' He is performing the long journey for a visit to his friends in New England. 17. My cousin, notwithstanding his great labors in the western countr)-. ' Captain, or Major Martin Ellsworth (for Edward Dorr Griffin, at the dedication of the he was known by both titles) was one of the Park Street Church, Boston, Jan. 10, iSio. four sons of Oliver Ellsworth, United States He was at that time Professor of Rhetoric Chief Justice, etc. One of his brothers was in .Vndover Theological Seminary, but in the William W. Ellsworth, Governor of Con- year following he became the pastor of Park necticut, and another was Henry L. Ells- Street Church, which office he held iSii- worth, who after holding some government 1815. In his day hardly any man in the offices, became an agent in the buying and land was regarded as his superior in i)ulpit selling of government lands. lie left a large power. legacy to Vale College, lioth of the last ■* Christopher Gore had served for one named were graduates of Vale. year as Governor, but in 1810 Elbridge Gerry ^ The bridge was nearly finished, but as was chosen in his place, men were still at work upon it, the ferry was ' Mr. Robbins had not seen his cousin deemed more convenient. since he preached his ordination sermon at ^ This was the sermon preached by l>r. Marietta, in January, 1806. l8lO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 431 appears very little altered in four years. Received a letter from my brother James. Assisted the church committee in e.xamining two elderly persons for communion. 18. My cousin preached for me and exceeding well. He is a serious and useful preacher. At evening we attended a singing-meeting. Our singing is deservedly admired. 19. Rode to Hartford and visited in my own society with my cousin. Made him some presents. 20. In the morning my cousin set ofif for Plymoutii. Rode to Wapping and visited two schools. They have done well the present season. Tarried at Wapping. The people here are in great want of religious instruction. 21. Visited two schools. The other visitors are pretty faithful in the business. Very muddy and bad riding. Pretty tired. Our leading national characters appear to be exceedingly attached to the French government. I hope God will be our holy preserver. 22. Wrote. Walked out and visited. Several persons here are sick. The roads dry considerably. Read. 23. In the morning was called to see a young man apparently near death with a consumption.' Walked out and visited families. At evening attended a conference. Late at night visited the young man again. He appears not to have been aware of his danger till last night. 24. In the morning the young man I visited yesterday died. Visited a man sick with a fever. Wrote notes for preaching. I find but little time for reading. 25. Preached from Ex. xiv : 15 and Deut. .xxxii : 29. Very pleasant. Meeting quite full and attentive. At evening attended a conference. Have the Village Sermons read in the conferences. Very tired. 26. It snowed hard the most of the day. Wrote. My parochial duties occupy the most of my time. 27. Wrote a review of Dr. Griffin's Dedication Sermon^ Afternoon attended the funeral of Albert Wolcott. It was a very solemn and affecting occasion. A great collection of people. Heard Mr. Atwell ^ the Baptist at Enfield preach in the meeting-house. Walked out and visited. 28. Read. Mr. Atwell called on me. He appears very desirous of getting a footing here. Sectarians and opposers of all kinds encourage him. I hope God will be our protector. Walked out and visited. Received a letter from Mr. Battell with the very grateful information that Sally * has a daughter and is quite smart*. I hope they may never be unmindful of their mercies. ■ This was Albert Wolcott, whose proba- this time, seems not to have been a man of ble death was mentioned a month before. collegiate education. He was son of Albert Wolcott, grandson of " Mrs. Sarah Battell. This was her third Erastus Wolcott, and great-grandson of the child and first daughter, and was named colonial Governor, Roger Wolcott. Sarah. She became the wife of Rev. Joseph = Probably for publication. Eldridge, D. D., for forty-three years pastor 3 Rev. George Atwell. A small Uaptist at Norfolk. He died in 1S75, and she in church had been gathered in Enfield as early 1S7S. The children of Dr. Eldridge still re- as 1764. Rev. Mr. Atwell, the pastor of it at side at Norfolk. 432 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBIMS, D.D. [1810. 29. Wrote to Beers & Howe, New Haven. Visited a man ver\- sick. Visited and catechised two schools consisting of about si.xty scholars ' each. It snowed some. Very bad going. Some of our schools are taught the CMechism very poorly. 30. Began a sermon on Eph. iii : 10. Afternoon wrote notes and preached a sacramental lecture from 2 Cor. v: 14. Visited the sick. Very cold for the season. Received of Mr. Tudor for the societ)% S2.35. 31. Wrote a sermon on Matt, xxv : 21. I have e.xceedingly good con- veniences for writing. I don't know that I can write any faster than I could years ago. April. 1. Finished my sermon on Eph. iii: 10. Preached that and the one written yesterday. I believe I have seldom written a better one than this latter. It snowed the most of the day. Quite uncomfortable. Administered the sacrament. Received two women for communion. Had a thin but attentive meeting.^ 2. Wrote. Rode to Westfield. The riding very bad. This day is the election of Governor, etc., in this State. ^ There has been a great deal of electioneering. My brother Frank has too much labor for his health. At evening preached in the hall of the academy from Matt. .\.\v : 21. 3. In the forenoon attended the e.xamination of the academy. They performed very well. Afternoon attended the exhibition. Sat on the stage with the trustees. The exhibition was very acceptable. At evening rode to Suffield. On the way preached at Feeding Hills at conference for old Mr. Griswold * from Matt, xxv : 21. Tarried at a tavern. 4. Rode home. Rode to East Hartford and attended our ministers' meeting.' Read my review of Dr. Griffin's sermon, which was much approved by the meeting. Returned. Visited a man apparently near dying. Very tired. 5. Walked out and visited all day. I think there is reason to hope that we are not wholly forgotten of divine grace. Received the payment of a note which I received last summer for my horse, which has been sued, though not in my name, $46.58. Of this sum I set $42.00 against an equal sum which I paid for my present horse. The weather begins to appear like spring. Last evening received a letter from Beers & Howe, New Haven. 6. A worthy man' in the society, about fifty-five years, died last night ' The district schools in those years were the m.iii to whom reference is made. He large, because the families of children in the was not settled at Feeding Hills, but only district were large. supplying. ' During the year 1810 he received eight ' This was the first meeting of the circular persons into the church, four of each sex. Ministers' Association of five. ' Massachusetts. ' Mr. Sylvanus Filley. The name Filley * There was a Rev. Sylvanus Griswold w.is among the early names of Old Windsor, who was graduated at Yale in 1757, and who Mr. William Filley married there in 164;, was then fifty-three years out of college, but and his descendants were numerous both in as he lived till 1819, he was without doubt Windsor and Fast Windsor. l8lO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 433 after a short illness. Rode to Harford. Paid a cabinet-maker $20.00. Paid for books, miscellaneous classics, $15.00. Paid for a certificate for the right of crossing the bridge for a year, $2.00.' Mr. Clark, from Norfolk, called on me. At evening attended a conference very full. Wrote. 7. Quite spring weather. Walked out and visited. Wrote notes for preaching. I am fearful Mr. Weir, a young gentleman from Boston, with a consumption, at Mr. McClure's,^ will not live long. 8. Wrote notes for preaching. Preached from Zech. viii : 2 and Luke xxi : 34. Attended the funeral of Mr. Filley. I believe I have never seen so full a meeting here on the Sabbath. At evening rainy. Had a thin conference. 9. It appears the people in Massachusetts are again to have the trial of a Democratic Governor.' The anger of heaven is very manifest toward us in the infatuation of the people. Prayed at the opening of the Freeman's meeting. Votes for Gov. Treadwell, 131; Spalding, 90; Griswold, 64.'' Vis- ited. I did not vote. Sat out about dusk and rode to Simsbury. Quite cold. 10. Rode to Norfolk. Good riding to Winstead ; from thence to Norfolk very bad. Considerable snow here. My brothers James and Frank at home. My parents quite well. My brother N. has lately sold fourteen sheep for two hundred and forty dollars. 11. Our family were all together. I believe we have not been before for fifteen years or more. My two parents and their eight children and Mr. Battell, and no other persons, dined together. How great is God's goodness towards us. There has not been a death in the family since September, 1777.' Sally is quite smart, though her child is but twenty-three days old. ' Mr. Robbins' journeys to Hartford were Total, 285. The population of the town of frequent. He usually went on horseback. East Windsor in 1810 was 3,081. But there Two dollars for the year seems a moderate were at that time property restrictions in price. Connecticut on voting, so that the number of - Dr. McClure was of a Boston family, voters was considerably less than on our and this young man of the name of Weir, present basis. The population of East from Boston, was probably of the circle of Windsor then by present system would his kindred or acquaintance. indicate about si.\ hundred voters. Gov. ^ This Democratic Governor was no other John Treadwell was the regular Federal than Elbridge Gerry, who was one of the candidate. Roger Griswold was also a Fed- Committee of Public Safety in the Revolu- eralist, and the vote for him was by way of tionary War, was a member of the Conven- Federalist dissent from Governor Treadwell. tion framing the Constitution of the United Mr. Asa Spalding was a Democratic lawyer, States, was sent by President John Adams in native of Canterbur)-, Ct., but then living in 1797, in company with John Marshall and Norwich, Ct., in the house formerly occupied Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, as Commis- by Gov. Samuel Huntington, a man of wealth sioner to France, and in 1813 he was elected and ability, and a graduate of Yale. Vice-President of the United States. It ' Of the thirteen children of Rev. Ammi would not seem that the anger of heaven Ruhamah and Elizabeth Robbins, five died need burn very fiercely because of the elec- in early life. The last of these five was tion of a man with such a history. Francis Le Baron, who died in 1777. Rev. ■• The vote of East Windsor for Governor Francis Le Baron, the life-long minister in iSio, stood, for John Treadwell, 131 ; Mr. of Enfield, was a second child of this Asa Spalding, 90 ; Mr. Roger Griswold, 64. name. 434 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8lO. Five of us are professors of religion. Oh that we might be Christians indeed, and that none of us may fail of the grace of life. 12. There are valuable tan-works erected near my father's. It has been a good season for maple sugar. Rode with James and Frank to Ammi's and dined. Rode to .Simsbury. The ground dries ver\' fast. People beginning to plow. 13. Received of Capt. O. Phelps," on a note, $65.00. Sent my brother James, S50.00. Paid a cabinet-maker, S15.00. Rode home. It is feared that Gov. Treadwell will not be elected by the people. ° The river rises consider- ably. Yesterday quite warm. Read Univcrsd/ History. At evening attended a conference. 14. Wrote to Mr. Oilman, Marietta. \<.e.7iA Universal History. The ground very dry. Vegetation advances very little. 15. Read the Bible. Preached my written sermon on Ps. li : 17. At evening attended our conference. Received a letter from Beers & Howe, New Haven. 16. Wrote letters to my Uncle Starr, my sister Battell, and brother Samuel. Visited. People begin to catch shad. Rode to Wapping and visited a sick woman. 17. Rode to Hartford. Had to ferry in the meadows, but the water is very low for a spring flood. Quite warm. People beginning to garden. Wrote. Began a sermon for the fast on Luke v : 34, 35. 18. Wrote. Afternoon walked out and visited. Very warm and dusty. Vegetation advances very little for want of wet. 19. Wrote the most of the day. Visited. Some people are sick. There is like to be no election for Governor by the Freemen. 20. This day is Fast through this State. ^ Finished and preached my semion on Luke v : 34, 35. Meeting well attended. People appeared sol- emn. Quite warm. I wore no outside coat. At evening attended a con- ference. Very tired. My labor has been almost too hard. 21. Read Elegant Extracts.^ .Afternoon rode to Glastonbury to exchange with Mr. Hawes.' Visited a sick man in Orford.' Mr. Hawes agreeably situ- ated here. ' C.ipt. f)liver Phelps, treasurer of the ' ."Vs before reni.irkcd, the yearly fast in parish of Simsbury, gave Mr. Robbins a note Connecticut was appointed of old on Good for the sum due. This payment is on that Friday. This year it was nearly as Kate as note. it could be. Easter is a movable feast day " ,\s has already been noticed, there was and may range from March 21 to April 25. a division among the Federalists, so that Good Friday being the Friday before Easter, there were two candidates of the Federal may occur as late as April 23. party. Gov. Treadwell and Roger Griswold. ' The work presented him by Mr. Fredcr- Asa Spilding, of Norwich, was the Pemo- ick Wolcott, of Litchfield, cratic candidate, without the slightest chance ' Rev. Prince Mawes, a native of Warren, of election, but as it required a majority to Ct., graduated at Williams College, 1S05, elect, the fear was that there would be, with pastor of Glastonbury, 1807-1820. this tri]>le arrangement, no choice by the ' He went by way of Orford, then the east people. I'art of East Hartford, now Manchester, Ct. l8lO.] PASTOR m EAST WINDSOR. 435 22. Mr. Hawes went to East Windsor. Preached a written sermon on Matt. XXV: 21 and from Num. x: 29. I think this congregation is not so large as mine. Remarkably warm and dusty. At evening returned." 23. It appears that our Jeffersonian administration have made a prodigal waste of public money.'' Rode to .Scantic and visited Mr. Bartlett. The dust very oppressive. People generally are gardening. Planted some peas. 24. Worked in the garden. Sowed some asparagus seed. The asparagus bed which I made last year does very well. Wrote on a piece for minister's meeting. Walked out and visited. Yesterday saw blows on the daffos.^ 25. Rode to Hartford. Bought some books. Am trying to trace the origin of idolatry.'' It is a work of much labor. Sat in my chamber without any fire. 26. It rained some, the first we have had for a long time. Walked out and visited. Flagg,' the Universalist preacher here, I trust he will do no injur)'. Eat asparagus. The blossoms appear on the peach-trees. 27. Wrote on the authenticity of the book of Genesis for the minister's meeting. I got great help from Bedford's Scriptural Chronology and my Universal History. Rode to Wapping and visited. At evening attended a conference. Pretty thin. 28. Wrote. This subject to wliich I am now attending requires much labor. Afternoon rode to Hartford with Mr. Wier.' He is quite feeble. Towards evening cousin Sam. P. called here on his return from the eastward/ and went to Hartford to preach tomorrow for Mr. Strong. Wrote notes for preaching. 29. Preached in the forenoon from Acts iii : 21. Afternoon rode to Wap- ping and preached in the meeting-house from Rom. xiii : ii. After meeting went with a number of the members of the church, and a number of others, to Mr. Elias Skinner's and received Ruby Newcome ° as a member of the church, and administered the sacrament. The woman has a cancer, and will not probably live but a little time. She was unable to attend at the meeting- house, as was expected when the meeting was appointed. Quite rainy. ' About ten miles from Glastonbury to that idolatry came by degeneracy from this the South Parish in East Windsor. primitive worship. It would seem that Mr. " The Jeffersonian .idministrations lasted Robbins must have had this idea, else it from 1801 to iScg, during which time (1S03) would be useless for him to try and find the the Louisiana Purchase was made. Though historical origin of idolatry, the manner of this purchase was regarded ' Rev. Mr. Flagg, the Universalist minister, as somewhat questionable, never did the was not probably the pastor of a local church United States acquire such a vast property anywhere, but was here and there as open- at a small price. Already we have millions ings offered, or could be made. He was not of population upon this purchased territory, a man of college education, with room for many, many millions more. '' Mr. Weir was the young man from In money value today this property is worth Boston, visiting at Rev. Dr. McClure's. many hundred times what it cost. ' He had been to his native town of Plym- ' Daffodils. outh, and had spent some weeks in visiting * There are many who think that in the his kindred there, and in that vicinity, early patriarchal age of the world the religion 'This family name is more commonly of the true God everywhere prevailed, and spelled Newcomb. 436 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSlO. 30. Wrote. A very tine season for vegetation. Worked in the garden. Walked out. M,\v. 1. Finished my piece on the autlienticity of Genesis. My nerves appear to be alTecled. I think with close study. The best part of all ancient learning is evidently derived from the Israelites. 2. Our circular minister's meeting was held here. None but Mr. Yates and Mr. Hawes attended. Mr. Yates preached.' Ver}' warm. I read my piece on the authenticity of Genesis. They went away before night. At evening walked out. 3. This is the anniversary of my installation. I have great reason to mourn for my stupidity and unfaithfulness ; but I still hope that God has made my ministry, for the year past, tiie tneans of good to some souls. How great is his grace. Walked out and visited families all day. At night a hard rain. The apples-trees are blown. 4. Read Universal History. At evening attended a conference. Our conferences are not so full as they have been. I fear they are in some degree made the occasion of young persons accompanying.^ I think of laying them aside. How is the Bridegroom departed from us. Oh that we might mourn and pray. 5. Read Universal History. Wrote notes for jireaching. Moses and the prophets fully taught the great essentials of salvation. 6. Wrote an introduction and remarks, and preached in the forenoon from I Cor. viii : 5, 6, delivering principally the account I have lately written of the Origin of Idolatry, in m_v piece on the authenticity of Genesis.' After- noon preached from Luke .\vi : 31. At evening attended a conference. This morning there was considerable frost. 7. In the inorning the frost was pretty hard. The peaches are probably destroyed. Rode to Hartford with Mr. Wier. Received ten Bibles from the Bible Society to distribute.* .\ttended a little while at a training. Read a review of the new version of the New Testament.' It is designed to aid the Socinian doctrine, but contains abundantly sulficient to establish the divinity of Christ. Gave Fanny Wolcott' a Bible elegantly bound. 8. The frost quite hard. It is much feared the apples will be injured, as ' Though this was a ministers' meeting many), bvit to us there is but one God, the with only three ministers in attendance, yet Father," etc. they had a jjublic preaching service to which ■* That is, gratuitously. the people generally were invited. ' The edition of the New Test.iment, by ' Has it not always been so.' And has John James Gricsback, an eminent German not this love of young people for each other's scholar. The second edition of this work society to and from evening meetings been, was published in 1S06. Griesback was born on the whole, a means of grace ? in 1745 and died in 1S12. ^ The text chosen for this discourse was ' Fanny Wolcott is short and familiar for unique and fitting: "For though there be Frances, the eldest daughter of Mr. Abiel that are called gods, whether in heaven or Wolcott, where he boarded. She was now in earth (as there be gods many and lords si.\teen years old. iSlo.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 437 the trees are generally blown. Wrote to my sister Battel!, and sent her a man to make a new garden for them. Read Uni-'crsal History. Afternoon rode to Vernon. Tarried at Col. King's." 9. The rye on the ground appears very well, but the wheat is generally killed by the winter. Rode to Hartford. There was an unusual and very handsome parade at the arrival of the Governor. My father, Uncle Starr, and cousin Sam. P. came and tarried with me. 10. Rode to Hartford and attended the election. The sermon was not equal to some that we have. In the morning attended the Bible's society's annual meeting. More than an hundred ministers dined at the public dinner." They contributed for the relief of Rev. Mr. Storrs, of Ashford. The votes were considerably fewer than last year. For Gov. Treadwell, 10,265. For Gris- wold, 3,110. Spalding, 7,185. Scattering, 177 — 10,472.' There is not quite a choice. The counting was not finished to candle-light. The day very fine. I presume there is not a better military company than the Governor's guards' in America. My cousin Sam. P. went to Norfolk with my father to go to Ohio. My brother Frank at Hartford. Received a letter from Beers & Howe. The lilac blows are out considerably. 11. Read Universal History. Democracy seems to be triumphing in all the neighboring States. Our assembly have today appointed Mr. Treadwell Governor, to the great satisfaction of the people.' Walked out. 12. Read. I can read in my history about twenty-five pages in an hour. Wrote notes for preaching. The morals of the heathen appear worse on examination. 13. In the forenoon delivered a part of my dissertation on the authenticity of the book of Genesis, making use of the te.xt Heb. .xi : 3. Afternoon preached from Acts xiii : 26. At evening attended a conference. 14. Wrote a letter of recommendation for a woman, a member of this church, about moving to New Connecticut. My Uncle Starr came here. He preached yesterday at Glastonbury.^ Afternoon rode with my uncle to Som- ers. Tarried at Mr. Strong's.' Universally a very great blowth* on the fruit-trees. 15. My uncle came here with a view of seeing Mrs. Backus. She is ' His usual stopping-place in Vernon is ' The Legislature, as one of its very first Col. King's. This came about doubtless acts, settled the question of the governor- from the fact that Salmon King, his class- ship, mate at Yale, was a son of Col. Oliver King. ^ It may be remembered that Rev. Prince - This annual election sermon was the Hawes of Glastonbury was a native of occasion for a large gathering of the Congre- Warren, where Rev. JMr. Starr had been gational ministers from every part of the settled ever since 1772. Mr. Hawes was State. graduated in 1805. He had therefore grown ' By this count it appears that Gov. Tread- up as a boy under Mr. Starr's ministry, and well lacked two hundred and eight votes of an exchange between them, under the cir- an election by the people. cumstances, was peculiarly pleasant. •* The writer of these notes remembers the ' Rev. William L. Strong, glorious appearance of the Governor's Guards, ° This is an old form of word, now obso- a few years later, say in 1S24-25. lete, for bloom or blossom. 438 niARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1810. indisposed towards any connection.' Returned. Very dry and dusty. This morning there was considerable frost. My uncle went to Hartford. Re- ceived some books sent from New Haven. 16. Walked out and visited all day. Visited and prayed with a family about moving to New Connecticut. Several people sick with a kind of throat distemper. Received a letter from Williams & Whiting, New York.' My brother N. came here and tarried. 17. Rode out with my brother. This morning there was considerable frost. Remarkably cold and dry. Visited. Mr. E. Bissell's ' pair of o.xen here are a great curiosity. 18. Received a letter from my father. Yesterday and today I have \isited twenty-four families. At evening Uncle Starr came here to stay till next week. Find constant visiting quite fatiguing. 19. U'alked out with my uncle and visited neighbors. Wrote. Afternoon rode to Glastonbury. The roads very du.sty. 20. Mr. Hawes supplied today at Warren, and Uncle Starr preaches for me. Preached in the forenoon a written sermon on John vii : 17. Afternoon from Heb. .\i : 17. At evening returned. 21. In the morning my uncle set out for home. Rode to Hartford, and carried down Fanny Wolcott to attend school. The assembly are not \ery full of business. At evening rode to Hartford and returned again. Con- versed with a member of the council on the appointm.ent of a justice of the peace at Norfolk.* Finished the fifth volume of the Universal History. 22. Wrote. Visited. There are more people here unwell than have been at any time since I have lived in town. 23- Vegetation suffers exceedingly with the drought. Wrote to J. W. Walked out and visited. 24. Began and wrote considerably on a sermon from i Cor. ii : 2. ^Valked out. Read the liible. 25. Walked and visited all day. Gave away three Bibles. Very warm. At evening attended a conference. I hope we are not wholly forsaken of d vine influences. 26. Finished my sermon on i Cor. ii : 2. The heat very oppressive. With the church committee examined three young men' candidates for our ' The object of this journey now stands ^ Mr. Eli IJissell. revealed. Mrs. Backus, the wife of the * His brother-in-law Joseph Battel! was celebrated Charles Backus, D. D., had been made Justice of the Peace not far from this a widow now about seven years, and was time. now not far from fifty years old. Rev. Peter ' These three young men were liishop Starr had been a widower about ten months, Johnson, Horace Loomis,and Harry Luomis. and w.is now sixty-tivc years old. He found The name Loomis was very common both Mrs. Backus content with her present con- in Windsor and Kast Windsor. Back in the dition, and went home to Warren doubtless ministry of Rev. Timothy Edwards, 1694- in a meditative mood. Mrs. liackus's maiden 1 7 5S, there were more persons in his society name was Bethiah Hill, daughter of Mr. of the n.ime Loomis than of any other one Jacob Hill, of Cambridge, Mass. name It was afterwards reduced by Wcsl- ' Probably book-merchants. em emigration. l8lO.] PASTOR m EAST WINDSOR. 439 communion. They appear very well. They are the fruit of our good work last summer. 27. Wrote a considerable addition to my writing on the book of Genesis. Delivered that in the forenoon, with the te.xt 2 Peter i: 21. Afternoon preached the written sermon finished yesterday. Several strangers at meet- ing. We had a little shower. Very hot. At evening atttended the conference. 28. The heat very severe. Wrote to my brother James and to my cousin P. Starr, of Vermont. Walked out. Preparing for my journey. Yesterday left off my flannel. 29. Received of- this society, ^70.00. Sent to Beers & Howe, New Haven, $50.00. Paid a cabinet-maker at Hartford, $10.00. Rode with Ursula Wol- cott to Litchfield. The heat and dust very oppressive. We lay by in the heat of the day three hours. Very kindly entertained at Mr. Allen's." 30. Attended the installation of Mr. Beecher.^ The people here appear very happy on the occasion. The parts were well performed. Dr. Dwight^ preached excellently. Mr. Champion,* above eighty, gave the charge. Sat and dined with the Consociation. A good many ministers were present. There was a moderate and refreshing shower just as we were going to meeting. Cooler. At night considerable thunder and some rain. Drank tea at Mr. Deming's.' Mr. Allen went with me and introduced me to Miss Deming. My friends have wished me to see her for some time. I think I shall do no more about it. 31. Rode through Winchester to Norfolk. Something wet. Quite cool. My sister Sally has got better, from a state of quite low health. June. 1. Last night we were very apprehensive of frost, but I believe there was none. My brother N. has nearly two hundred sheep. My parents have the finest garden they ever had.' Dined at Mr. Battell's. Sat out for home. Rode to Simsbury. Quite cool. There is something of the spotted fever in Farmington and Canton. 2. Rode home with Ursula. Warm. Received a letter from Mr. Battell with a piece of silk florentine and a liquor-case,' which he procured for me at New York. The liquor-case cost $9.00. Wrote. Tired. I find difficulty in having my mind fi.xed in duties. ' John Allen, Esq., before mentioned, ' Mr. Julius Deming, a prominent citizen lawyer and Member of Congress. of Litciifield. = Dr. Lyman Leecher was called to Litch- *• Mr. Robbins, it will be remembered, field, Ct., from East Hampton, L. I., where sent up a skilled gardener from the Con- he had been settled from 1798 to 1810. He necticut valley to make a garden for Mrs. was pastor at Litchfield from 1810 to 1826, Battell, his sister, and very likely he had when he was called to Boston. also been employed in the garden of her 3 Timothy Dwight, D. D., President of father. Yale College. ' The liquor-case would seem useless * Rev. Judah Champion, senior pastor of now as a part of a clergyman's fixtures. But the church, who had been settled there since then the drinking of liquor by all classes was 1753, fifty-seven years. He died in the Octo- almost as much a matter of course as eating ber following. the daily meals. 440 niARV OF REV. THOMAS ROEDINS, D.D. [181O. 3. Wrote notes for preaching, and preached from Isi. xxviii : 15. 1 have been unable to prepare a discourse in my course on the authenticity of the Scriptures for today. I think I never saw so dry a day. The dust blew very bad ill the street all day. Our rain is emphatically powder and dust. Preaciied pretty poorly. At evening- attended a conference. 4. Visited a sick woman. Am something unwell. Quite sultry and hot. Afternoon set out for Hartland to attend association. Tarried in Wintor- bury. At evening a severe gust of thunder and something of a shower. It is very refreshing. Worked in the garden. 5. Rode to West Hartland. The most of the way in company with Dr. Perkins and Mr. McLean.' Something wet. Nine members of the Associa- tion and Mr. Harrison and Mr. Baker, of Granville," present. I preached a first sermon from Matt, x.w : 21 written, and Mr. Porter,' of Farmington, a second at one meeting. The appointed preacher failed. 6. We had a pretty profitable associational meeting. I was scribe. Afternoon and evening rode home. It is about thirty-five miles. I got home quite late. An elderly woman has died here suddenly in my absence.* 7. Quite tired with my fatigues. Visited the family lately afflicted. Mr. McClure attended the funeral yesterday. Quite cool. Read Gray's Key} Walked out. 8. Wrote on the genuineness of the Pentateuch. Quite rainy the most of the day. It is ver}- refreshing to the dry ground. Made a fire in my chamber. 9. Wrote considerably. Finished my writing on the genuiness of the Pentateuch. It rained considerably. Read Universal History. Read the Bible. Need a steady fire. 10. Preached in the forenoon, in my course, on the genuineness of the Pentateuch, with the text John i : 17. Wrote notes and preached in the after- noon from Acts ii : 38. Received three young men as members in the church. I addressed them particularly on the occasion. It was a solemn and impres- sive scene. I hope it may be followed with good. At evening attended the conference. 11. Rode to Hartford. The river quite high for the season. Paid a book-binder, $5.00. Massachusetts seems to be given up to the reign of Democracy.' Wrote. 12. Read Universal History. Walked out and visited. Rainy. Vegeta- tion puts on an entirely new appearance. I hope we are not yet without some small tokens of divine influence. 13. Rode to Scantic and attended our ministers' meeting. There was no ' Dr. Nathan Perkins, the life-long min- ' Noah Porter, D. D., father of President ister of West Hartford, and Rev. .\llen Mc- Porter of Yale College. Lean, of Simsbury. ■• Sarah Rockwell, aged sixty-eight. ° These were Rev. Joel Baker, pastor at ^ A Key to the Old and Kcw Testament, West Granville, Mass., and Rev. Roger by Rev. Robert Gray, of St. Mary's Hall, Harrison, who came with him. Granville Oxford. was in Hampshire County, Mass., but adjoin- ' Elbridge Gerry, as before stated, had ing Hartland, Ct. been elected Governor. i8io.] pa;tjr in ea3t wrxDSOR. 441 one present but Mr. Bartlett and I. I preached ' my written sermon on Heb. xi : 30. Returned. 14. Spent the day principally in visiting. Mr. Williston,' of West Haven, called and dined with me. This week finishes the half century of his ministrj'. 15. There is a great deal of talk respecting the approaching session of the General Association at Ellington. Wrote on my discourse on the credibility of the book of Exodus.' At evening attended a conference. Quite full. 16. Finished my discourse on Exodus. Wrote notes for preaching. Am much troubled latterly with a dissipation of thought on meditation. 17. Delivered my written discourse on Exodus, from Ps. cv : 37, 38. Preached from Rom. ix : 7. At evening attended a conference. I think my discourses on the Scriptures are likely to be useful. Very warm. 18. Rode to Hartford. Saw Mr. Inglis,'' from Maryland, delegate to our General Association. Our Bible Society have received a present of fifty pounds sterling from the British Bible Society. Very warm. At evening several ministers came here and tarried.^ 19. In the morning rode in company with the ministers to Ellington. The heat ver\- severe. The General Association met. Of the twenty-nine mem- bers of this State all were present. The General Assembly, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, were represented. The Ellington people have taken much pains to accommodate them, and are very liberal. 20. There are thirty-five ministers here belonging to the body,' and I believe nearly as many more, besides candidates. I lodge at a good house about two miles from the meeting-house. Heard three good sermons in the day and evening. The people sing very well. 21. Rode home.' I am very often spoken to by my friends, in a great variety of ways, on the subject of marrying.' Afternoon several of the min- ' The text was, " By faith the walls of tateuch which he is preparing, betoken the in- Jericho fell down after they were compassed quiring and scholarly character of his mind, about seven days." ■■ Rev. James Inglis, D. D., born in Phila- ^ Rev. Noah Williston, born in Spring- delphia, 1777, graduated at Columbia Col- field, Mass., July, 1733, graduated at Yale lege, 1795, received his degree of D. D., 1811, College, 1757, and settled at West Haven, from College of New Jersey. He was pastor 1760. He died in iSii, after a ministry of of the First Presbyterian Church in Balti- fifty-one years. He was father of Rev. Pay- more. He was an eloquent preacher, and son Williston, who was graduated at Yale in something of a poet. There is a published 17S3, and was pastor at Easthampton, Mass., volume of his sermons that was issued soon 17S9-1S56, sixty-seven years. He was the after his death, which occurred in 1S20. father of Seth Williston, D. D., whose mis- ' On their way to the General Association sionary and ministerial service lasted from at Ellington. 179410 1851, fifty-seven years. He was the •■ This included some that would be called grandfather of Hon. Samuel Williston, ex-officio members. The Association was a founder of the Williston Academy at East- ministerial body purely, with no lay dele- hampton, and known for his large gifts to gates. Amherst College and to many other institu- ' The meeting came together on Tuesday tions and societies. and broke up on Thursday. ' It is noticeable, especially of late, that ° For a settled minister, now about thirty- the books which Mr. Robbins reads, as three years old, this was regarded as a very also this series of sermons on the Pen- important subject. 442 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROEBINS, D.D. [1810. isteis called on me on their return. Wrote. Some rain. The weather is some cooler. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. 22. Began a discourse on the book of Leviticus from Heb. v : 4. I write these discourses more easily than I at first apprehended I should. At evening attended a conference. 23. Finished my discourse on Heb. v : 4. Wrote to Williams & Whiting, New York, and to Rev. Dr. Austin," Worcester. Worked some. I think I have not worked so little in any two years since I was a child, as in the two since I came here to live. At evening my cousin Henry Gould ^ came here and tarried. He is quite unwell and dejected in spirits, evidently in danger of consumption. 24. Wrotes notes for preaching. In the morning my cousin went ofT to Norfolk. He says he must ride every day, and could not stay. Wrote to my father. Preached my written discourse on Leviticus, and from Matt, xxviii : 5. At evening attended a conference. 25. Rode to Hartford. Read Universal History. So warm that I could not sit in my chamber. Walked out. Received a letter from Francis King.' Received a bundle of cloth and a letter from my brother Battell. 26. Excessive hot. Vegetation progresses very rapidly. Visited fifteen families. 27. Visited. Rainy all day. Read Universal History. Bonaparte has lately made the greatest plunder upon our commerce that it has sustained since the days of the Directory. The people here are removing encroach- ments and straightening the street. 28. Rode to Wapping and visited fourteen families. The people there are in almost a desperate situation about ecclesiastical matters. Some people are sick. 29. Began a sermon on i Peter i : 8. Wrote notes for preaching a sacra- mental lecture from Isa. Ivii : 15. At evening attended the conference. Excessive hot. 30. Finished my sermon on i Peter i :-8. Much oppressed with the heat. Last summer the continent of Europe was entirely taken up with Bonaparte's war. Now their whole attention is upon his marriage.* Went into the water. JfLV. I. Preached my written sermon on i Peter i : 8 and from 2 Cor. v: 11. Administered the sacrament. This church appears much larger and more favorably on many accounts than it did two years ago. God be thanked. At evening attended a marriage.' ' Dr. Samuel Austin. * Napoleon's marriage with Josephine ' From Manchester, Vt. A sister of Rev. took place March S, 1796. .She was divorced A. R. Robbins, of Norfolk, as before stated, Dec. 16, 1S09, and his ill-omened marri.igc married Mr. William Gould. with Maria Louisa of ."Vustria occurred April ' Son of Col. Oliver King, of Vernon, 2, 1810. graduated at ^'ale in 1804, and educated for ' The parties married were Nathaniel the ministry, but turned to secular pursuits. Rockwell, Jr., and Sarah Charlton. i iSlO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 443 2. Worked considerably. Afternoon rode with Mrs. Wolcott to Windsor and returned. People generally beginning haying. A good supply of cherries. Yesterday and today cool and very clear. I believe there was a heavy storm in the vicinity on Saturday. 3. Walked out and visited families and a school. Worked in the garden. I trust my family visits are useful. Read Universal History. 4. Read. Began a sermon on Jer. xliii : 14. Received a letter from Dr. Austin, Worcester, and one from Williams &: Whiting, New York. At even- ing walked out. There is very little stir today, except a Democratic celebra- tion at Hartford. We hear their tiring." 5. Last night a hard thunder-shower. Walked and visited all day. I find it a work of great time to visit all the people. People are beginning their harvest. 6. Wrote all day. .^11 false religions have been persecutors.^ I find this subject to require much labor. At evening attended a conference. 7. Finished my sermon on Jer. xliii : 13. Had some clothes made. Got my liquor case filled with liquors.^ Quite warm. Rev. Mr. Burt' called on me. I sent him to Wapping. Wrote to Capt. Hall,' Wapping. Received of Mr. Wolcott, for the society, $50.00. Rode to Hartford to exchange with Mr. Flint* He rode with my horse to East Windsor.' Paid a merchant tailor J30.00. Paid a bookseller $5.00. 8. About meeting time it began to rain, and was very rainy through the day. Preached written sermons from Matt, xxv : 21 and Jer. xliii: 13. Afternoon very thin meeting. At evening returned. I believe we have not had so heavy a rain since winter. 9. Walked out. Gave a poor family a Bible. Afternoon set out for my father's. Rode to .Simsbury. Riding hurts me considerably. 10. Rode to Norfolk. Dined at my brother Ammi's.° Warm. My brother Frank at home.' Towards evening my brother James came home from Lenox with Mrs. Goodwin.'" He has much better health than in years past. n. Dined at Mr. Battell's. My brother N. has a very valuable flock of sheep. The people here have levelled the green, which very much helps its appearance. ' From the house where he boarded, a Effingham, N. H., and was now supplying straight line drawn to the centre of Hartford, pulpits here and there, would be about five or six miles long. ' Probably a letter introducing Rev. Mr. ^ It might be safe to say that no religion Burt. really triu- (uid genuine ever persecutes men. ^ Rev. Abel Flint, D. D., of the South But we have to confess that the Christian Church, Hartford. religion, so called, has often been a persecut- ' Mr. Robbins's horse had to do service ing religion. for both ministers. 5 Especially to treat friends, including * That is, on the way at Colebrook. brother clergymen when they called. ' Francis Le Baron Robbins, home from ■• Rev. Gideon Burt, born in Longmeadow, his school at Westfield, Mass. Mass., 1773, was graduated at Williams Col- '° James Watson Robbins, with Mrs. lege, 1798, had been three years settled at Joseph Goodwin from Leno.x, Mass. 444 niARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSlO. 12. In the morning Mrs. Goodwin and my brother went off. \Vc are not agreed in opinion about the expediency of Frank's going to Andover School.' After dinner rode to Simsbury. Very warm and dusty. Rode in the evening. Am again disappointed here in the expectation of receiving some monev. 13. Rode home. Am much oppressed with the heat. At evening Mr. Burt preached for me at the conference and tarried with me. At the present busy season and short evenings I have concluded to suspend our week time conferences for the present. 14. Wrote a discourse on the book of Numbers, from Oen. xv : 5. I can hardly do justice to one of these discourses in one day. Spanish affairs appear rather more promising. Pitched two loads of grain. 15. Wrotes notes for preaching. Delivered my discourse on Numbers, and preached from Isa. viii: 14. At evening had a very good conference. 16. Wrote. Worked some. Had company. Rainy. Read Universal History. I regret that I have neglected my common-place book. 17. Rode to Hartford. My brother Frank called here and dined on his way to Westfield. Read in the history of Macedon in the Universal History. The best history of that kingdom I have read." 18. Walked out and visited. Visited two schools. The summer schools here are not considered under the inspection of the school visitors. ig. Visited families all day. People are generally harvesting. The rye comes in ver)' well, much better than for two years past. The wheat very generally killed by the violent cold turn which we had last winter. 20. Wrote on the book of Deuteronomy. Read Universal History. Rainy. At evening walked out. This day is the anniversary of my ordination. I have great reason for thankfulness in having been thus continued in the min- istry seven years ; for having been apparently instrumental of a little good : of shame and humility for unfaithfulness, inattention, and coldness. I have been greatly prospered in this work, and desire to be humbled for such great ingratitude. 21. Finished my writing on Deuteronomy. Preached from .Acts vii : 37 and from Ps. Ixxiii : 25. Much oppressed with my influenza. I have seldom spoken with so great difficulty, or so feebly. Unable to attend a conference in the evening. 22. My cold is considerably better. I believe my speaking yesterday, though hard, was of no disadvantage. A ver}' hard rain. Read Universal History. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Bought a valuable gold watch, which 1 have had for some time on trial. The price is sixty dollars. I am allowed thirty dollars in the exchange for my old silver repeater. I contracted for a similar one on the same terms last year, but that was returned. (Jave a note for thirty dollars. 23. On the way to Hartford met a messenger coming to inform nie that ' Andover Theological Seminary was then "As before stated, eighteen volumes of in its infancy. The first students were ad- the sixty composing his Universal History, mitted Sept. 28, 1808. were devoted to Ancient History. iSlO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 445 Mrs. Case,' of Simsbury, is very sick, and the family wish me to go and see them. Left home a little before sundown and rode to Simsburj'. The even- ing quite dark. Mrs. Case was taken last Friday with a severe paralytic shock, one side is lifeless, and her reason and speech are quite imperfect. Very tired. 24. Mrs. Case appears rather better, but I am fearful she will not live long. Visited the neighbors. Mr. McLean called to see Mrs. Case. At evening rode home. Came all the way in the evening. 25. Read the Universal History. Finished volume VIL Afternoon visited a school. Visited families. Received a good letter from Mr. Battell, inform- ing me that my father has been quite sick, but is hopefully recovering. 26. Rode and visited all day. A woman, a member of our church, has conducted very badly. She is possessed of a groundless jealousy of her husband. 27. I hope the business of the difficulty with the church member is settled. She made ample confessions and promises. May the Lord forgive and keep her, and keep us all. Spent most of the day upon the painful business. Visited. The crops, particularly corn, appear remarkably well. Rainy. Poor hay weather. 28. Wrote to my brother Battell. Rainy. Afternoon rode to Windsor to exchange with Mr. Rowland. Visited. 29. A very severe rain. It has ever been stormy when I have exchanged with Mr. Rowland. Very thin meeting. Preached written sermons from I Peter i: 8 and Matt, .xxv : 21. Returned. At evening married my friend, Mr. Haskell.^ 30. Rode to Hartford. Attended an Episcopal wedding. Showery and very warm. A great deal of hay and other crops are out and suffering in the rain. I hear from Simsbury that Mrs. Case is some better. Wrote. Visited. 31. Walked and visited all day. Quite warm. Some persons among us are sick. .August. 1. Walked and visited throughout the day. Very warm and showery. People appear to feel very disagreeably about the unfavorable weather. At evening married Capt. Hayden.' Received a letter from my sister Battell. My father is hopefully getting better. 2. Spent the day mostly in visiting. I find it laborious, but hope it is useful. The certificate people generally appear well pleased to have me call on them. 3. Read the Bible. Wrote on the book of Joshua. Visited. It is now three months since the anniversary of my installation, in which time I have visited every family in the society but two, which I expect to do soon, except- ■ Widow of Mr. Case, where he boarded nent man in East Windsor. He was united while preaching in Simsbury, and where he in marriage with Miss Sophia Bissell. was when Mr. Case died. -^ Capt. Daniel Hayden and Tryphena ^ This was Mr. Eli B. Haskell, a promi- Loomis. r 446 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1810. ing the two families where it does not appear that my visits would be accepta- ble. 1 think it is my duty to pass by them, though I would willingly go if it were agreeable to them.' The number of families in this society on the first of May was one hundred and seventy-four. Of these forty professed to belong to other religious denominations. 4. Before yesterday it rained on nine successive days. A very unfavor- able time for getting in crops. Mrs. McClure is very sick. Wrote on the book of Joshua. Mr. Storrs,* of Longmeadovv, came with his wife last evening to visit their friends here. He requests an exchange for tomorrow. Rode to Longmeadow. Quite tired with my ride.^ 5. Preached from Ex. xiv : 15, and in the afternoon a written sermon on Matt, .xxv : 21. At half past five I preached at a third exercise from Num. X : 29. In the morning rainy. Had a pretty comfortable day. This place appears quite pleasant.* I suspect that this society is not quite so large as mine, but they are very well united. 6. Returned. Dined with Mr. Huse,' our brother Episcopalian at Ware- house point. They are building a handsome new church there. Read. 7. Read Universal History. I find some of my former opinions of ancient characters gratefully confirmed. Wrote to my brother James. Rode to Hartford. Paid for my Mirror newspaper' for three quarters, $1.25. Paid for five hundred plates for names for books, $4.50. Mrs. McClure continues very low. 8. Rode to Windsor and attended our ministers' meeting. The members are deficient in performing the parts assigned them. Read my sermon on " This is all that could be asked or e.x- native of Mansfield, Ct., was graduated at pected of a Christian pastor. Yale in 1783, and was settled in Longmeadow ^ In a previous note it was stated that the in 17S5, where he remained till his death ii< whole population of the town of East Wind- 1819. At the time of his visit to East Wind- sor in 1810, was 3,081. This population was sor he was forty-seven years old. chiefly under the spiritual watch and care of ■* The broad street through Longmeadow the two Congregational parishes, the First was pleasant of old, but has been made much and Second, or South and North, as they more beautiful by modern wealth and ini- were perhaps more commonly designated. provement. In i8iothe church membership of the First ' Rev. Nathaniel Huse was born at Me- Church (Dr. Robbins) was not far from theun, Mass., and was graduated at Dart- eightv, while that of the Second Church (Rev. mouth College in 1S02. He became an Shubael Bartlett) was about one hundred. It Episcopal minister, and was for several years is safe to say that more than one thousand rector of St. John's Church, Warehouse Point, persons, men, women, and children, would be East Windsor. He was afterwards rector of reckoned as included in each of these par- some church in the State of New York. He ishes, while the rest regarded themselves as and IJr. Robbins were intimate, having affinities with the Episcopalians, I!ap- ' The Connecticut Mirror began its exist- tists, Universalists, etc., while others still encc in Hartford in 1809, and continued would rank as irreligious. about twenty-five years. It w.is published ' Rev. Richard S. Storrs, of Longmeadow, by Mr. Charles Mosmer. At different periods father of Rev. Richard S. Storrs, 1). D., of during its existence it was edited by Thco- liraintrec, Mass., grandfather of Rev. Rich- dore Dwight, William L. Stone, and fohn ard S. Storrs, U. D., of lirooklyn, was a G. C. lirainard. iSlO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 447 Jer. xliii: 13. Mr. Bartlett preached. Returned. Received a letter from my brother James. 9. Read. Gray's Key to the Old and Nnv Testament is a valuable work. Afternoon worked at hay. This week has been very favorable for the business. Walked out. 10. Rainy. Wrote on the book of Judges.' Am considerably taken up with company. Very warm. 11. Wrote the most of a sermon on Rev. iii : 2. The heat very severe, the air remarkably languid and relaxing. Endeavored to spend the day in some degree as an anniversaiy solemnity. I have now completed thirty-three years of my life. I do not know that any circumstances of life could make me more happy than I am. I believe they would not. I have been long expect- ing that my respective years would grow less happy. But I do not perceive it to be the case. I believe rather the contrary is true. My past year has been prosperous and happy ; I have not been called to mourning ; my parents, whom I love above all mortal beings, live. My health is better than a year ago. I believe I have seen some tokens of the divine presence among my people. I once more commit myself to the care of God. 12. In the forenoon delivered a discourse on the book of Joshua from Acts vii : 45. Finished and preached a sermon on Rev. iii : 2. Flagg, the Univer- salist, had a meeting immediately after ours. Very few attended. I was exceedingly oppressed with the heat. At evening attended a conference. 13. Read Universal History. Walked out and visited. Several people here are sick, though not apparently dangerous. 14. Read considerably. Rode out. Visited brother Bartlett." A man here, in the vigor of life, was struck yesterday morning with a severe paralytic shock. Wrote to my brother Frank. 15. Read Universal History all day. Finished the eighth volume. I can now read about two hundred pages in a day. Received letters from my brothers James and Frank. My father still remains very weak, but is hope- fully recovering. 16. Quite cool. Have something of a cold. Wrote to my cousin S. P. Robbins.' Wrote to J. W.'' Visited. 17. Wrote on my preaching account. Afternoon rode to the edge of the Vernon,' and attended the funeral of Mr. Warburton.* Preached on the occasion from i Cor. vii: 29-31. Visited at Wapping. 18. Wrote on the book of Judges and Ruth. I never before perceived the beauties of the book of Ruth. Very warm and sultry. 19. Wrote notes and preached from Jer. .x : 16, and my discourse on Judges and Ruth, from Acts xiii : 20. I don't know what to make of the four ' He is taking up in his course of study ' James Watson Robbins. the books of the Old Testament in their ' Vernon was the town lying next east of order. East Windsor. ^ Rev. Shubael Bartlett, of the north '' Mr. John Warburton, an Englishman, parish. and a cotton manufacturer, near the line aep- ^ Rev. Samuel Prince Robbins. arating East Windsor and Vernon. 448 DIARY OK REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8lO. hundred and fifty years mentioned in iluit passage. I tiiink it must be a mis- take of transcribers.' At evening attended tiie conference. I generally have read the Village SermoiisJ' 20. Rode to Hartford. Something rainy. Received a letter from my sister Battcll. My fatiier still remains weak and low. I feel concerned about him. Visited, Read Jamieson's Sacral History.^ A very valuable work. 21. Rainy all day. Finished my preaching account to the present time. Read Universal History. The rain very violent. Walked out. 22. Walked out and visited all day. Quite warm and sultry. Our mer- chants have sustained great losses by Bonaparte's late confiscations. 23. Wrote on the book of Samuel. The river rises very rapidly. Much damage is apprehended.'' At evening walked out. 24. The water is three or four feet higher than it was last spring. A con- siderable part of the meadows is covered. Many people sustain considerable losses.' Rode out and visited. Began a sermon on Rom. viii : 24. 25. Wrote all day. The water falls. Such a flood in August is not remembered by any of the people. 26. Finished and preached my sermon on Rom. viii : 24. The latter part appeared to be searching and solemn. At evening attended a conference. My health is very good. 27. Read Universal History. Wrote. Quite warm. Walked out. Wrote to Mr. Haskell of this place. 28. Read. Rode out and visited several families. Preparing for my journey. The brick-makers ^ here sustained great damage by the late freshet. The people here have agreed to hold meeting here on the ne.xt Sabbath, which is uncommon,' 29. Set out on my journey. Rode to East Hartford, and attended our ministers' meeting. Preached my written sermon on Rom. viii : 24. Rainy. At evening rode to Simsbury. Mrs. Case remains very feeble and helpless, but is considerably better than when I was here last. ' This passage has led to many specula- ' Uses of Sacred History. By John Jamie- tions among Bible commentatois. It is not son, D. D., two volumes, Havtford, 1810. now believed, as Mr. Robbins suggests, that Dr. Jamieson was born in Glasgow, Scotland, it is an error in copying. It is more likely in 1759, and died in Edinburgh in 1S39. He that it is the adoption of the common Jewish was an author of considerable note in his chronology, and that we do not know exactly generation, at what point of time this reckoning begins. * It was a very unusual event, that a gre.it ^ Village Sermons. These sermons which flood on the Connecticut River should occur he had been in the habit of rciding in his in the month of August. conference meetings, have been mentioned ' At that season of the year the rich once or twice before. They were from the meadow lands were loaded with their crops pen of Rev. George Burdcr, who was born in of corn. The hay had been gathered. London, England, in 1752, and died in 1S3J. ' Beds of clay arc very frequent along the They were translated into several European Connecticut valley. languages, and have had a wide circulation. ' That is, the people had decided to hold Mr. Burdcr was secretary of the London a meeting on the coming Sabbath, though he Missionary Society, and editor of the Evan- was to be absent, which was uncommon ;// ^elieal Magazine. tliat parish. iSlO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 449 30. Rode to Norfolk. My father has been very poor, more so than I supposed. He is now apparently recovering, but quite weak. His disorder is rheumatic ; it has now got to his limbs. He was taken on the i6th ultimo. Mr. Turner, of New Marlborough, came here today, and preached my father's sacramental lecture. Yesterday received a letter from my brother Frank. 31. Rode out with my father. He rides out frequently in a carriage, but needs considerable help. He appears to be serious and quite composed. Dined at my brother Nat's, with a considerable company, on a half-blooded merino lamb.' It was pronounced by some to be quite as good, by some, better than the common kind. The dinner was elegant. My brother and Mr. Pease ' have erected a valuable manufactory, and are making woolen cloths. t September. 1. Rode to New Marlborough, and procured of Mr. Samuel Turner,^ a very accurate account of the first settlement of Norfolk. He is now eighty, but his memory is sound and very accurate. I have the fullest confidence in the account which I took. Returned. My father considers my historical sketch correct. He appears to be gaining very favorably. 2. In the morning my father put on his own clothes for the first time during his sickness. In the forenoon he attended meeting, which he has not done for six Sabbaths past. I preached written sermons from i Peter i : 8 and Rom. viii : 24. Administered the sacrament of the supper. The season was very solemn and affecting. Baptized two children. The meeting was very full. At evening attended a conference. My cousin Hannah Oilman* and two children have lately been here, and are now at the eastward. 3. Paid for footing my boots, $3.50. Set out for Williamstown. Rode to Stockbridge. Tarried with Mr. Woodbridge.^ Quite warm. 4. Rode to Lenox. My brother James' is well situated here. Rode with him in a carriage to Williamstown. Many people through this country are haying. Attended the evening exhibition. Gave the president my father's resignation of his place in the corporation.' An unusual number of people in the town. A greater number of freshmen than common have entered college. ■ His brother Nathaniel, as will be re- Norfolk, or Dr. Robbins would not have membered, is engaged in the raising of made the journey to North Marlborough to blooded sheep. find him. ^ Probably Mr. Nathaniel Pease. * Wife of Benjamin I. Oilman, of Mari- ' Mr. Samuel Turner w-as probably the ettta, Ohio, and daughter of Dr. Chandler father of Rev. Nathaniel Turner, who will Robbins, of Plymouth, Mass. be remembered as a native of Norfolk, a ^ Joseph Woodbridge. graduate of Williams College, 179S, and now 'James Watson Robbins, it will be re- pastor of one of the churches in New Marl- membered, finding that his voice and general borough, Mass. John Turner, from Hartford, health would not admit of his preaching, had was one of the first settlers of Norfolk, turned to active business and had established in 1758, and Samuel may have been his son. hiinself for that purpose at Lenox. At all events it is sufficiently evident that ' His father was elected a member of the Samuel Turner must have been acquainted, board in 1794, and had served seventeen »nd familiarly so, with the early history of years. ^ro DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1810. 5. The public performances were unusually good, but too long ; and the audience large and respectable. Rice Stevens," of Norfolk, appeared very well. At evening attended a .sermon in the chapel. Quite tired. Well accommodated. All the members of the corporation were present. 6. Rode with my brother to Leno.x, thence to Sheffield. Mr. Swift' like to be settled a colleague with Dr. West at Stockbridge. Ecclesiastical matters in a forlorn state at Pittsfield.' Called on Mr. Collins* of Lanes- borough ; very sick. This county has suffered much by the failure of their bank. I think I have never known Williams College appear more favorably. The corporation raised the terms of admission. Tarried at Noah Hubbard's.' Very warm. 7. In the forenoon rode to Norfolk.' My father gets better. There has been a Methodist camp meeting this week at Southfield,' which was most out- rageous. It undoubtedly injured their cause. Many respectable people attended. Towards evening left home and rode to Simsbury. Rode till near twelve o'clock. 8. In the forenoon rode home. Very tired. The roads very dusty. Mr. McClure took the lead of the meeting' here last Sabbath. My pulpit has not been destitute but two Sabbaths before since I came here. Wrote. Received a letter from my brother James. 9. Preached a written sermon from Rom. v: i. There has been no preaching in the society dunng my absence. At evening attended a con- ference. Received of the society $32.00. Received a letter from Dr. Per- kins' 10 convene our Consociation at Hartford. 10. Read newspapers. Cool. Received of the society $20.00. After- noon set out for New Haven. Rode to Middletown. Very kindly entertained at Dr. Dickinson's. Wrote to my brother N. 11. Put my horse in Mr. Huntington's' carriage, and rode with him to ■ Beniamin Rice Stevens, afterward a law- ■• Kev. Daniel Collins, a native of ^iiil- yer in Huntington, Pa., died 18:7, aged ford, Ct., and a graduate at Vale in 1760, thirty-seven. had already been at Lanesboroiigh since = Rev. Ephraim Griswold Swift, a native 1764, forty-si.\ years, but was to remain twelve of Williamstown, Mass., and a graduate of years more, until his death, at the age of Williams College in 1804. He was settled eighty-three. as colleague with Dr. Stephen West that ' The first minister at Shefiicld was Jona- very month (Sept. 27, 1810). He had studied than Hubbard, and the Hubbard families in theology with Dr. West. Sheffield were probably his descendants. ' Rev. Thomas Allen, who had been set- " Southfield was in Berkshire County, tied at Pittsfield since 1764, died Feb. 11, Mass. 1810. When Mr. Rnbbins made this entry ' It was a conference meeting, and not a in his diary, no one had taken his place. preaching service. But in the month following, October, iSio, ' Dr. Nath.m Perkins, of West Hartford. Rev. William Allen, D. D., son of Rev. ' This was Rev. Dan. Huntington, who Thomas, was settled there. He remained a left Litchfield the year before (1S09) and ihc few years, when he was called away to be same year was settled in the First Church at president of Dartmouth College, and after- Middletown. His predecessor. Rev. Enoch wards of Bowdoin College. Huntington, died that same year. iSlO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 451 New Haven. Dined at Mr. Noyes,' Northford. An unusual collection of people in the town. At evening heard speaking for premiums. A pick- pocket was detected in the meeting-house in his villainy. Find many acquaintances. 12. Very warm and dusty. The exhibitions I think did not exceed. The two Ellsworths' appeared very well. The ministers were fewer than usual. They had a contribution for the relief of Mr. Wildman,' of Southbury. At evening Mr. Bassett,* of Hebron, preached the Concio ad Clencm. Few strangers of distinction present. A very large class entered college. Bought a gold medal watch-key, which cost $3.17. 13. Got Beloe's Heroditus,^ and Murphy's Tacitus^ works which I have long been wishing to procure. Paid Beers & Howe $28.63. Rode with Mr. Hunt- ington to Middletown. Very warm. At evening rode home. The late flood has produced vast swarms of mosquitoes. Am very glad to get home after so much journeying. 14. There appears to be a very great increase of Spanish sheep in the country. I am much pleased with Heroditus. Wrote. Rainy. At evening attended a conference. 15. Wrote- on the book of Samuel. Rode to Hartford. Paid for a map of the United States, which I had of my brother James, $6.00. Wrote notes for preaching. 16. Delivered my discourse on the books of Samuel from Acts iii : 24 and from Matt, xv : 17. At evening attended a conference. Quite cool. It appears to be a pretty stupid time with us. 17. Began a dialogue for my brother Frank to be performed at his exhibi- tion. There has, for a few days past, been a very wild Methodist camp- meeting in Ellington. They were very extravagent. I did not attend the Freeman's Meeting. Afternoon rode to Scantic and dined with the authority, etc. The votes here were 230, Federalist 190, Democratic 40. The meet- ing was very thin. Wrote to J. W. Visited. 18. Wrote all day on my dialogue and finished it. Wrote to Frank. There was a little frost in some places yesterday morning, but none near here. 19. Rainy. Rode out. Read Univasal History. Wrote to Mr, Battell. Received a letter from my brother Frank. ' Rev. Matthew Noyes was pastor at been settled in Southbury since 1766, forty- Northford, or North Branford, from 1790 to four years, and died in 1S12. 1S39. ■* Dr. Amos Bassett, of Hebron, has been '^ The two Ellsworths referred to were already frequently named. He was one of William Wolcott Ellsworth, afterwards the more conspicuous ministers of the State, governor of Connecticut, and Henry L. Ells- ' The Life and Writings of Herodotus, by worth, brothers, and sons of Oliver Ellsworth, Rev. William Beloe, was in four volumes, of Windsor, Chief Justice of the United It was published in London in 1797. Mr. StEtes. The father did not live to see these Beloe established the British Critic. sons graduated. He died in 1807. The two ' Arthur Murphy, a dramatic and miscel- brothers were twins. laneous writer of considerable note. He died ^ Rev. Benjamin Wildman, who had then in 1S05, at the age of seventy-seven. 452 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [181O. 20 Wrote a review of President Dwight's Andover sermon ' for ministers' meeting. Read Universal History. 21. Wrote on the books of Kings. I get some valuable things from Herodotus. The early period of the Roman Republic was distinguished with constant commotions. 22. Finished my piece on Kings. Am much fatigued with laborious study this week. Very warm. Wrote to my brother James. 23. Wrote notes for preaching. Very rainy. It began last evening. Very thin meeting. Preached from 2 Cor. iv: 3. Read Johnson's Irene.' 24. The rain continues. It is supposed that no year is remembered in which so much cider was made as in the present. E.xamined and balanced my accounts for the past year. I have paid out a large sum for books. I believe my library is worth more than five hundred dollars. 25. Mr. Cornelius Dawes, of New York, called and breakfasted with me. Rode to Hartford and attended the annual meeting of our Consociation. Mr. Porter,' of Farmington, preached, and Mr. Prudden' preached in the evening. Quite rainy. 26. Mr. Church' introduced the Hartland matters. The Consociation voted to grant him a new trial. They adjourned at noon. Returned. Quite tired. Walked out. Had an interview with' 27. Wrote to J. W. Quite unwell. Walked out and visited. Quite warm. A very great quantity of peaches. 28. Wrote. Visited. I have not been so unwell for a long time. At evening attended a conference. Very warm. 29. Walked out. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Fanny Wolcott' has per- formed an e-xcellent piece of embroidery at the school. Wrote notes for preaching. 30. Delivered a discourse on the books of Kings from 2 Sam. vii : 16, and preached from 1 Thes. iv ; 17. The latter appeared to be very interesting and solemn. Baptized two children. At evening attended a conference. Very warm. Wore thin clothes and had up my pulpit window. October. 1. Rode to Hartford. Afternoon rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of an infant child. At evening set out for Wcsttield. Tarried at Mrs. Ellsworth's. 2. Rode to Westfield. Attended tlic puljjic exhibition of the academy. I think I never knew a better one of the kind. My brother received the ' A sermon preached at the opening of * Rev. Nchemiah I'rmklcn, of EnlitUI. the Theological Institution at Andover, .md ' Rev. Aaron C'luirch, whose troubles with at the ordination of Rev. Eliphalet rcarson, his church at Ilartland have been previously LL. D., 1808. noticed. ' This play, by Samuel Johnson, was tirst ' This place is blank in ihc manuscript. acted at Drury I.ane theatre in 1749, when ' Kranccs, the oldest daughter of Mr. Johuson was forty years old. Abicl Wolcott, who was then attending ' Rev. Noah Porter, D. U. school in Hartford. l8lO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 453 public thanks of the trustees, which has never been done tliere before, except to cousin P. Starr, who was the first preceptor. My brother Samuel is here. He says that father does not gain much in health. I have much concern upon the subject. After drinking tea by candle-light, in a cloudy evening, rode home. Got home at one o'clock in the morning.' 3. In the morning rode to East Hartford (Orford)^ and married a Mr. Marrow.^ Returned. Our ministers' meeting met here. Only Mr. Rowland and Mr. Bartlett attended. Mr. Rowland preached. I am very much tired with so much fatigue. 4. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of an aged woman. Preached on the occasion in the meeting-house from Luke x.xiii : 28. Visited. At evening my brother Frank came here and tarried. 5. In the forenoon rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of a child. This is the third in that place this week. Very tired. Very warm. At even- ing attended a conference. 6. My brother went off for Norfolk. Wrote a sermon on Luke xxii : 31, 32. Wrote notes for preaching. Eat fresh cucumbers and radishes. 7. Preached the written sermon on Luke xxii: 31, 32, and from Mark XV: 31, last clause. Administered the sacrament. Baptized a child. At evening attended a conference. Something rainy. Very tired. 8. Rode to Hartford. Visited. People complain of being greatly hurried in business. The quantity of cider is immense. Wrote to J. W. 9. Wrote. Visited a school, much improved in the catechism. Today was the school society meeting. I am again appointed visitor. Visited. 10. This morning there was considerable frost. The first we have had. Rode to Norfolk. My father remains very poor. I do not perceive that he is better than he was a month ago. I feel much concerned about him ; I think, however, he has no disorder but rheumatism. ri. This morning a very hard frost. There has been none here to stop vegetation before yesterday morning. My brother has lately lost a full- blooded merino lamb, of which he was half owner. Let my father have ray horse for his old mare and a yearling colt. I think it will be an advantageous trade for us both. Paid for my horse being kept and well fattened, $2.61. A cold day. Worked some at rowing.' My brother Sam has made considerable improvements on this farm. 12. I think my father suffers some from dejection of spirits. He appears to be better this week than he was last. His pulpit is supplied by neigh- boring ministers. Rode to Colebrook and tarried at my brother Ammi's. ' He probably came back by way of En- ' The persons joined in marriage were field bridge, and down on the east side of the Joseph M. Merrow and Mary Woodbridge, river, as he might have found it hard to both belonging to what is now the town of rouse the ferry-boat at the Scantic ferry at Manchester, Ct. the dead of night. It was then a little past * This word probably .should be spelled the full of the moon, but almost all the way rowen. He was helping to gatner in the he had moonlight to cheer and guide him. aftermath, or second crop of grass, which ^ Now Manchester. was cut in the fall. 454 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSlO- 13. Rode home. This horse which I now have is a very excellent creature to ride. I know not how I shall conduct if called to part with my good father. Wrote. Much fatigued. 14. Rode to Wapping and preached on an exchange with Mr. John Bartlett." Preached written sermons on Rev. iii : 2 and Mat. xxv: 21. Visited a sick woman. This place is in a deplorable situation about ecclesi- astical matters. Returned. 15. Read Universal History. I have not read but little for a considerable time past. Very pleasant weather. Walked out. Dr. Austin," of Worcester, called on me. I bought a set of Edwards's works of him for thirteen dollars. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $5.50. 16. Read Universal History. I suspect it is sometimes incorrect in chro- nology. Very warm. At evening walked out. 17. Wrote a discourse on the books of Chronicles and Ezra. Cold. Have a fire in my chamber. Received a letter from my cousin S. P. He was married in September. 18. Wrote a discourse on the books of Nehemiah and Esther. I believe ] never wrote so much in two successive days. Very cold. 19. The crop of corn comes in rather light. Rode to Hartford. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $10.00. At evening attended a conference. 20. Wrote a sermon on Heb. iii: 17, 18. I have seldom studied more in one week than this, perhaps never. I can bear close study two or three days in succession, but not more. Read Edwards's Life' 21. Had a full meeting, and very pleasant day. Delivered my discourse on the books of Chronicles and Ezra from Luke xvi : 29, and preached the written sermon on Hab. iii: 17, 18. A more tender or interesting subject is scarcely to be found. At evening attended our conference. I think people evidently grow more slack about attending conferences. It is God alone that can help us. 22. Vv'alked out. Some persons are sick ainong us. Read. The ground very dry. Warm. People neglect their sowing and other more important busi- ness to attend to making cider. Received a letter from my brother James- Wrote to my sister Battell. Rode to Wapping and performed a marriage.* 23. Very cold and windy. Read Uiiii'crsai History. Read without stop ping, except necessary interruptions, nearly twelve hours. In that time read- two hundred and fifty pages. We have very sudden changes of weather. 24. Very cold. Walked and visited all day. Mr. Fitch,' who keeps our academy, appears to be a valuable man. The French suffer the war in Spain to languish. 25. Received a letter from my brollier Hattell. Walked and visited all ' Rev. John Bartlett, younger brother of ' By Dr. Samuel Hopkins. Rev. Shubael Bartlett, afterwards settled for * Eleazar Bingham Rockwell, residing in many years at Avon, was now supplying the Vermont, was married to Abigail Stoughton. Wapping pulpit. He was graduated at Yale ' This was no other than Prof. Kleaza'r T. in 1807. Fitch, D.I)., just then out of Yale College, " Rev. Samuel Austin, D. D. having been graduated the month before. l8lO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 455 day. There does not apoear to be that thoughtfulness of divine things among us that there did a year ago. The crop of corn here comes in pretty light. 26. Read Jamieson's Sacred History} Wrote. Warmer. Rode to Hart- ford. At evening Mr. Brace" and his wife from Newington came here and tarried. He preached at our conference. 27. Wrote on a discourse on John v : 39 for a general improvement of all my discourses on the historical books of the Old Testament. Received letters. I think I never had my feelings more stirred on any occasion.' I desire to justify God, and search out my hidden sins which occasions his severe frowns. Received a letter from Mr. Davis, New Haven. 28. Am very unwell. I believe it* is on account of my hard trials. Fin- ished my discourse on John v : 39. Delivered my discourse on the book of Nehemiah and Esther, from Deut. xx.xii : 7, and the one just finished. A pleasant day and very full meeting. At evening attended our conference. Was carried through the labors of the day much better than I feared. 29. Devoted this day to fasting, meditation, and prayer to God on account of my present trials, and to implore his great mercies. I have nothing, for I have given all to God. Wrote. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. 30. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Read Universal History. All Roman virtue seemed to be lost after the conquest of Carthage.* Walked out and visited. 31. Rode to Wethersfield and preached a sacramental lecture for Mr. Marsh, from Hab. iii : 17, 18. Returned. Very cold. Saw Mr. Battell at Hartford. My father has gone to New Lebanon' springs. November. I. Rode to Scantic. The circular ministers' meeting above here' sat yesterday and today at Mr. Bartlett's. They attend more punctually than the members of ours. Quite cold. Mr. Mason,' a candidate, made me a visit; about to be settled at Herkimer. He afterwards became Professor of Theology the Roman Senate one hundred and forty- in Yale College, and preacher to the stu- six years before Christ. dents from 1817 to 1852. He was made ' New Lebanon is in the northeast corner Professor emeritus in 1863, and so continued of Columbia County, N. Y., only a few miles till his death in 1871, sixty-one years after west of Pittsfield, Mass. his graduation. He was a notable thinker ' In the parishes farther north, including and writer. probably Enfield, Ellington, and Somers. A ' Rev. John Jamieson's Uses of Sacred circular ministers' meeting embracing four, History, before mentioned. five, or six ministers, seems to have been a - Rev. Joab Brace, D. D., was settled at fashion of those times, as it is now in some Newington in 1S05. Several of his sons sections of the country. This meeting at went through Yale College. He passed his Scantic held for two days, later years in Pittsfield, Mass., and died in ' This was Rev. Elihu Mason, who was 1S61. graduated at Dartmouth College in 1S08, ^ He makes no explanation as to the con- and was appointed soon after this interview tents of the letters which he had received, with Mr. Robbins by the Connecticut Mis- but the brief record which he makes on the sionary Society for service in New York occasion, is that of a man who desires to State. Later he was settled a short time in Vnow and to do the right. Barkhamsted, Ct. He died in 1S49, at the * Carthage was burned by the order of age of sixty-seven. 456 niARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSlO. 2. We h;id a severe snow-storm tlio most of tlie day. ("rreat quantities of corn, apples, and other tilings are now out. Read Universal History. I fear many people will suffer for want of wood. 3. Rode out. Sleighs move some. The snow thaws but little. Dined out. Wrote notes for preaching. 4. Severe winter weather. The sun thaws the snow verj' little. Preached from James ii : 21. After meeting rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of a woman who died suddenly. I have not worn an outside coat at meeting' before this fall, and today I wanted two. 5. Read Universal History. Walked out and visited. Some persons who have serious impressions avoid letting me know of it. Warmer. 6. The snow goes considerably. Read. Wrote. Walked out and visited. Endeavored to collect from history the genealogy of the CfEsars. 7. Rode to Scantic and attended our ministers' meeting. Exhibited my essay on the book of Joshua. Made some further collections of the Wolcott family. 8. Returned. Very favorable weather. Read. Visited. Old Mrs. Tudor' quite unwell. People yet have much cider to make. A yoke of fat o.xen, fattened by Mr. E. Bissell/ were driven from this place, probably the best pair that ever was in America. Manured my asparagus bed. 9. Read. Visited some sick persons. At evening attended a conference. Read a part of President Edwards's Life. But few men attend. Considerably dejected in spirits. 10. Read. The whole character of Paganism is painful. Rode to East Hartford (Orford) to exchange with Mr. King,* now preaching there. Preached a sacramental lecture with a written sermon on Luke xxii : 31,32. Rainy. 11. Very rainy all day. Had a very thin meeting. Administered the sacrament. This church quite small. Preached written sermon on i Peter i : 8 and from Num. x : 29. This society is in a diagreeable, but I hope not in a desperate' situation. At evening returned. 12. Finished the twelfth volume of my Universal History, which I began the first of last Deceinber. At the beginning I calculated to read a volume a month. Wrote to Mr. William Austin, New Haven. 13. Rode to Norfolk. Muddy and bad riding. Could not cross the water at Simsbury. Got home late. Uncle Starr here. He is lately married very ' In those years, when the meeting-houses * Rev. Salmon King had been the settled were not warmed at all, the ministers used to pastor at Orford (Manchester) from 1800 to preach in their overcoats. The contrast be- 1808, when he was dismissed. But, for some tween fall and winter in this year 1810, was time now, he seems to have been supplying very sharp. the pulpit there. » Wife of Dr. Elihu Tudor. ' This church was formed in 1779, snd of ' Capt. Aaron Bissell furnished the fat the thirty-one years of its existence at the ox, before mentioned, that was driven to time Rev. Mr. Robbins preached there, it Boston. The pair here described were fatted had had a settled ministry twentj'-three Mr. Eli Bissell. years. iSlO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 457 agreeably.' My father is some better than when I was here last. I think the New Lebanon spring has been serviceable to him. He is still unable to preach. The neighboring ministers supply his pulpit. In the morning received of Maj. Wolcott'' $40.00. 14. Quite wet. The roads here very bad. My brother Frank is obliged to stay at home with my father. 15. Rode to Simsburj-. People are yet making cider. Mrs. Case con- tinues quite feeble and low. 16. Visited. Quite rainy. Received of Capt. O. Phelps^ $19.00. Rode home. E.xtremely muddy riding. Got quite wet. Paid Hayden & Imbley for my watch, bought July 23d, $30.00. On the 13th paid a merchant $13.13, and received a letter from my cousin, Mrs. Gilnian. Read Edwards's Works. 17. We have at length pleasant weather, after more than a week of cloudy and wet, in which there has been a great deal of rain. Wrote a sermon on Luke ii : 7. 18. Preached from Isa. .\li.x : 5, and the sermon written yesterday. At evening attended a conference ; quite thin. 19. Quite rainy all day. Read Jamieson's Sacred History. It is a valuable work. 20. Rode to Hartford. The roads excessive muddy. Paid a merchant tailor, $10.00. Visited sick persons. Drew a plan for a new book-case. 21. The armies in Portugal appear to be in a very critical situation.* I much fear the French will triumph. Had an interview with . Feel much relieved. Walked out and visited. At evening performed a marriage.^ 22. On the 2oth sent to my brother Frank my discourses on the historical books of the Old Testament.' Attended to the interesting subject of the Divine .4gency in Moral Evil. Wrote for Mr. Wolcott. At evening walked out. 23. Began a sermon on the subject of the Divine Moral Government, from Prov. xi.x;: 21. It snowed considerably. 'R.ta.A ]o.m\(ison's Sacral History. 24. Wrote on the sermon begun yesterday. Wrote notes for preaching. Visited some sick persons. 25. Preached from John xvi : 8. The snow gone. Had a full and atten- tive meeting. At evening walked out. I believe there has not been so larsre ' In June, five months before, he made the battle of Busaco in Portugal, in which that journey to Somers to consult Mrs. the British troops under Lord Wellington Backus on the subject of matrimony. He repulsed the French troops under Massena. had been more successful elsewhere, though The English then fell back to the lines of we do not know the name of his second wife. Torres Vedras, which the French did not ^ Major Wolcott, it will be remembered, dare to attack. In this position the armies was Mr. Abiel Wolcott, in whose family he remained, within sight of each other, for lived. It would seem that Mr. Wolcott was several months, treasurer of the parish. ' Bishop Johnson and Naomi Foster were ' Capt. Oliver Phelps, treasurer of the married. Simsbury parish. ' Mr. Robbins had made a large study of * On the 27th of Sept., 1810, was fought this subject. 4S8 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [181O. a British army together for many years as is now in Portugal. I am in great hopes they will not be subdued. 26. Wrote to my brother Samuel and to Mr. Kattell. Rode to Hartford. Rainw Attended the funeral of a black child. Read Faber's Horcz Mosakce^ a very valuable work. 27. Examined a school-master. Began a sennon for Thankgsgiving on Zee. xiv: 16. Wrote to Messrs. Beers & Howe & Co., and to Mr. William Austin, New Haven. Sent to New Haven for books, $4.00. The town of New Haven has had a great increase in the last ten years." Warm for the season. Rode out. 28. Wrote. Finished my sermon. on Zech. xiv: 16. I believe in the mil- lenium all nations will celebrate an anniversary Thanksgiving. Walked out. 29. I think I never saw a pleasanter day at Thanksgiving.^ A full meet- ing. We had verj' fine singing. Preached the sermon finished yesterday. At evening walked out. 30. Last night the young people had a ball,' and tarried nearly all night. I fear we are to be given up to great stupidity and evil. Rode to Windsor and returned. We have favorable intelligence from the armies in Portugal.' December. 1. Verj' warm for December. Read Hora Mosaica. Rode to East Hartford to exchange with Mr. Yates. 2. Mr. Yates went to East Windsor. Preached written sermons from Luke ii : 7 and Hab. iii : 17, iS. My brother Frank attended meeting here. He came from home yesterday in the stage. Received a letter from my sister Battell. Returned. Examined a school-master. 3. Last night a Mr. Field,' a candidate, who has spent the past summer in New Connecticut, came and tarried with me. Attended the funeral of an infant child. It snowed the most of the day. My brother Frank made me a ■ This work is by George Stanley Faber, shall come to pass that every one that is the same writer who has already been no- left of all the nations which came against ticed in connection with his work on the Jerusalem, shall even go up from year to Proplieciis. He was born in 1773, and died year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, in 1S54. His Ilora Mosaica, in two volumes, and to keep the feast of tabernacles." were published in Oxford, Eng., iSoi. * Already had commenced a decided re- ' The American Almanac for 1884, gives action against balls, which were, as we the population of New Haven for 1810 as have seen, very frequent in the closing years 4,772, and for 1800 as 4,049. But the Hart- of the last century and the early years of the ford Directory for 1884, in its miscellaneous present. department, gives the population of New ' He had heard now definitely of the rc- Havcn for 1810 as 6,967. pulse of the French at the battle of Busaco ' A reference to Mr. Robbins's texts shows on the 27th of September. that he was apt to take texts, somewhat aside ' Rev. John Field, a graduate of Williams from the common ones, but such as were College in the class of 1807. He was a na- often rich in their historical suggestions and five of Hardwick, .Mass., was settled for associations. The text of this Thanksgiving some years at \orlh Wrentham. He died in sermon was from Zech. xiv: 16. "And it 1827, at the age of forty-eight. l8lO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 459 visit. He is on his way to study witli Dr. Austin.' He returned me my discourses on tlie sacred historical books. They are more higlily approved than I expected. My father is moderately gaining. He preached at the Thanksgiving. Read Jamieson's Sacred History. 4. Read Jamieson. He is singularly hampered with the Scotch religious sentiments. The snow is eight or ten inches deep. Sleighs move some. Walked out and visited. There were some disagreeable things yesterday in the town meeting. 5. Rode to Glastonbury and attended our ministers' meeting." Had a pretty good meeting. Pretty good sleighing. Returned. Put on my flannel. 6. Read. Wrote to my cousin, Mrs. Oilman, Marietta, and to my brother James. My eyes are rather weak, but much better than last winter. 7. Rode to Hartford in a carriage. The most of the way is pretty good sleighing. The morning very cold. Traded considerably. At evening attended a conference. 8. Began to study the Latin grammar with a view of prosecuting a regular study of Latin.' I think it is necessary for me, and I hope to be prospered in the work. Wrote notes for preaching. 9. Preached from Rev. xi.x : 10. Severe cold. At evening attended a conference. Pretty good sleighing. Rode to meeting in a sleigh. 10. Rode to Hartford. Read newspapers. Read the President's message.* He seems determined if possible to destroy our trade.' Read Herodotus. 11. Wintry cold. Rode to Wapping and visited all day. The roads quite slippery. Read. 12. Wrote for Evangelical Magazine!' It snowed all day. Worked taking care at the barn. 13. Visited the two upper schools.' They have good instructors. Read Herodotus. He is one of the most pleasing writers I ever read. His narra- tive approaches more the simplicity of the Old Testament than anything else I have read. 14. Most excellent sleighing. Visited the two lower schools. At evening rode out. A dancing school is set up here which gives me much anxiety. ' Dr. Samuel Austin, of Worcester. Some ' Mr. Robbins is not yet able to find much montlis before it was under discussion good in the messages or acts of Democratic whether his brother, Francis Le Baron, Presidents. should go to the new theological seminary * Connecticut Evangelical Magazine. His at Andover. article on " Persecutions from False Relig- ■ Rev. Prince Hawes, it will be remem- ions " was published in this magazine in bered, was then the minister at Glastonbury. iSii, (Vol. 4, second series) in two parts, ^ Mr. Robbins, of course, had studied pp. 2S and 47. Latin in his father's house, as preparatory ' The schools which came under Mr. Rob- to his entrance at Yale College. He had bins's oversight and care were those belong- studied it more extensively in college. But ing to his own parish. Rev. Shubael Bartlett now he proposes to take up the study more had a like responsibility in those of the systematically and maturely. North, or Scantic parish. The ministers of * This was the second message of Presi- that day were accustomed to take the chief dent James Madison. oversight of the public schools. 460 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [181O 15. Studied Latin. Wrote notes for preaching. I spend much more time on my notes than I have done in years past. 16. Preached from Ex. iii: 14. The people are attentive at meeting, but a great stupidity prevails among us. At evening attended a conference. 17. Extreme cold. Ver)' fine sleighing. Rode to Wapping and attended a funeral. Read Herodotus. 18. Received of Mr. Wolcott an order which I gave on him last winter, amounting to $14.35. P^'d a merchant's bill, $14.35. G'l^e Mr. Wolcott an order on the Society of $134.33, for my living a year. He keeps me and my horse supplied, a chamber, wood, etc., for fifteen shillings a week in the sum- mer, and si.xteen in the winter. The charge is less than I expected." Wrote. The coldest day we have had this winter. 19. Wrote. Rode out and visited. It seems to be a pretty discouraging time with us about divine things. 20. Have been drawing off my discourse on the Persecutions of False Religions for the Magashie. The Society had their annual meeting. Quite harmonious. Two certificates were given in of considerable lists. I believe it is not from any aversion to me. Harry Olmsted ' came here from Norfolk, and brought little Joseph Battell,^ and left him with me. Received a letter from my brother and sister Battell, and one from my father. He is getting better. Last Sabbath he preached all day. 21. The snow goes pretty fast. Little Joseph behaves very well.* Wrote on my sermon upon Moral Government. It rained considerably. 22. Wrote considerably. I find this subject requires much attention. Rode out. 23. Preached a part of my written discourse on Prov. .\ix : 21. Did not finish my subject. People very attentive. At evening performed a marriage.' Attended to a case of misconduct in the church. The sleighing pretty poor. 24. Rode to Wapping and visited sick persons. Rode to Hartford. Wrote to my sister Battell. 25. Quite unwell with a cold in my back. Wrote on my discourse on Moral Government. At evening walked out and visited. Quite cold. 26. Rode to Ellington and attended a ministers' meeting. Preached a written sermon from Luke ii : 7. Mr. Prudden read a manuscript, which he ' Two dollars and a half a week for man Apr. 17, 1S06. This little child grew to be a and hor.se in the summer, and two dollars rich merchant in New York, and died July and sixty-six and two thirds cents for man, 8, 1874, possessed of a large estate. He it horse, and fuel in the winter, is cheap living. was who furnished the money for the build- in this case there was the farther considera- ing of the costly Hattcll chapel belonging to tion that all this was in one of the best Yale College, which is now one of the chief families of his parish. ornaments of the college grounds. ' Harry Olmsted was, we think, a clerk in * The young children in Mr. Wolcott's Mr. Joseph liattell's store, and his native family would naturally interest themselves in place was East Hartford. little Joseph. ' Little Joseph ISattell was then between ' Horatio Gaylord was married to Ha four and live years old, having been born dassah Cooley. l8lO.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 46 1 intends to publish in justification of tiie marriage of a man witii liis wife's sister." 27. This ministers' meeting is a ver\- good one. Afternoon rode home. Yesterday had a new great coat made of Devonshire kersey. It took more than seven yards, and cost two dollars per yard wholesale price. At evening rode to Hartford and back in a sleigh. 28. Wrote laboriously on my discourse on the Divine Government. Warm and wet. Rode out and visited a sick person. There are two vessels building at this place. 29. Wrote all day. This subject costs me much close thinking. I hope to be divinely directed and kept from all error. The sleighing is about gone. 30. Preached all day on my long written discourse on Prov. xix : 21. I don't know that I shall finish it in another Sabbath.^ Received a letter from my brother Frank, and an almanac which he sent me. A very acceptable present. At evening attended a conference. 31. Read. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Rode to Orford and visited Rev. Mr. Olcott.^ Very cold. Returned. Very bad riding. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. ' In this country we are nearly through members how often in his childhood the with the discussion of that question, but it minister used to say, "The remainder of this goes on vigorously yet in England. discourse will be deferred till the after part ' It was very common, in that day, for of the day." the minister to preach from the same text, ^ Rev. Allen Olcott, graduated at Yale both forenoon and afternoon, but not for in 1768, now in advanced life. He died dur- continuous Sabbaths. The writer well re- ing the next year, 181 1. 1811. January. 1. Through the great mercy of God I am permitted to begin another year under the smiles of divine favor. Endeavored to attend to such medita- tions as were suitable to the day. Walked out and visited. I hope a dis- agreeable difficulty in the church may be favorably settled. 2. Rode to Wapping and visited schools. The School Society has been so altered that there are but two in Wapping now for us to visit. Walked out. 3. Very cold. We have a very humorous and sensible piece of New Year's poetry.' Began a sermon on Luke xix : 44 for the New Year. Walked out. 4. It snowed all day. Preached a preparatory lecture from Matt, x.xvi : 31. Exhibited to the church a confession of a woman for improper conduct. I hope she may be kept by Almighty grace. At evening rode out. 5. Finished my sermon on Luke xix: 44. The old Theological Magazine'' is very useful. 6. The snow thaws very much. Had a very full meeting. Administered the sacrament. Preached from Prov. iii: 6, and the written sermon finished yesterday. Afternoon the assembly was solemn and much affected. Very tired. There have been but six deaths in this place the past year. 7. Rode to Wapping and visited. Very bad riding. The snow mostly gone. Received a letter from Mr. P. B. Gleason,^ of Hartford, requesting me to write a piece for the next magazine. 8. Wrote. Remarkably warm and wet. Read Herodotus. The notes are more than the text. Walked out. Received of Mr. Wolcott for the society, $100.00. 9. Today is our ministers' meeting at Windsor. Set out to go, but could not cross the river.* Rode to Hartford. Paid a merchant, $19.00. Paid a cabinet-maker, $10.00. Paid my annual tax to the Bible Society, $3.00. Paid for a horse-whip, $2.00. The riding extremely bad and muddy. 10. Read Herodotus. He relates many valuable facts for the illustration of the Scriptures. Wrote to my brother Frank. It snowed some. 11. Wrote on a piece for the Evangelical Magazine, at the request of the editor. Received a letter from my brother James. I believe my friends think me more studious than I am. Walked out and visited. • Probably in one of the Hartford news- ' Mr. Gleason was a bookseller and pub- papers, lisher, and had charge of the publication of ^ This was the magazine published in the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine. New York, which continued only three or * That is, at the Windsor or Scantic four years. ferry. 463 4G4 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [181I. 12. Finished my piece for the magazine. Wrote notes for preaching. It seems to affect my nerves a little to write all day steadily. 13. Quite stormy. Had a very thin meeting. Preached from Gal. vi : 14. Read. 14. Read Herodotus. There are many very valuable things in the notes. Quite cold. I take some pains in the instruction of little Joseph." 15. A very severe frost. Rode to Hartford. Bought books — Henry's Com- mentiiries^ which are new, and cost twenty dollars. I got them very cheap. Received on my subscription twenty-eight volumes of the British Classics,^ which cost a dollar a volume. Paid Cooke, $15.00. Paid Gleason, $15.00. I had not taken any of the Classics before. Had company. The sleighing is passable. 16. A part of my piece on "Persecution," which I wrote last month, is in the magazine.' Received a new writing-stand, made for me, for which I paid S4.00. Wrote. Walked out. 17. Wrote on my sermon on Divine Government. I find I advance pretty slowly on this subject, even with close study. Very good sleighing. At evening rode out and performed a marriage. 18. Wrote attentively all day. At evening walked out. Some families here talk of moving to New Connecticut. Very cold. ig. Wrote on my Divine Government. There is a great deal of sleighing. At night it rained. 20. It thaws considerably. Preached written sermons from Prov. .xix : 21.' The people appear to be much interested with this subject. At evening attended a conference. 21. The sleighing mostly gone. Warm. I intended to have gone today to Norfolk, had the sleighing permitted. Rode to Hartford. Massena,' with bis great French army much diminished, is retreating from Portugal. Visited. 22. Wrote on my long discourse on Prov. xix: 21. Walked out and visited. 23. I find that I write quite slowly on the subject. Had company. Quite cold. ' Little Joseph has now been at East others for its quaint and original forms of Windsor for some weeks, and his uncle is expression. giving him instruction, though ho will not be ^ This set of the British Clcissics grew at five years old until the next April. It was an last into a large number of volumes, easy and natural thing for Mr. Rolibins to •* Cowiectiait Evangelical Magazine, Vol. turn to the instruction of children. His work IV, 2d series, p. 28. as a teacher in his earlier years was very 5 xhe text on which all his sermons on successful. moral government have been founded is 'Rev. Matthew Henry was a distin- found in the Book of Proverbs, xix: 21, which guishcd Nonconformist minister, who was reads as follows: "There are many devices born in 1O62, and died in 1714, at the early in a man's heart, nevertheless the counsel of age of fifty-t«ro. His Exposition of the Old the Lord, that shall stand." This text was and New Testament, in five volumes folio, very suggestive for liis subject. was first published in 1710. The last part, " He h.id not recovered from the blow from the liook of Acts, was by other hands. given him at the battle of Barraco, in the Henry's Commentary is distinguished among September previous. l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 465 24. I am favored with great conveniences for study. At evening rode out and performed a marriage. Very rough sleighing. 25. Walked out and visited all day. Some old persons here quite low. At night Mr. Battell ' came here and tarried. Mr. Sargent,^ a candidate, came and tarried with me. 26. Very cold. Wrote attentively on Divine Government. Afternoon Mr. Mason,^ of Herkimer, came to tarry with me over the Sabbath. 27. Mr. Mason preached for me and very well. I trust he will be a useful man. Walked out. 28. Rode out and visited a school. Visited. Very cold. The river is very hard frozen. 29. Went to Hartford and brought up in a sleigh, an elegant new book- case. It cost' I walked home and drove the sleigh. The ground con- siderably bare. Paid for liquor to fill my liquor-case, $3.83.' Had company. One member of our church conducts imprudently. 30. Rode to East Hartford and attended our ministers' meeting. We had a very good one. At evening rode to Hartford. There is very little sleigh- ing. It is contemplated to form a society in this vicinity for the relief of the ministers' widows. I think it will be a very charitable institution. Rode. My late writings for the magazine met with a higher approbation than I expected.' 31. Worked at my library. My new book-case makes a noble appearance. Rode to Wapping and attended a funeral. Visited. I fear the young people here are getting much addicted to dancing. There has been but little of it since I lived in the town. February. 1. It snowed some. Rode out. Wrote. At evening walked out and visited. I believe I have lost some books by lending.' 2. Wrote all day on my long discourse" on Prov. xix : 21. I hope the investigation of this subject will be useful to me, as well as to my people. Tolerable sleighing. 3. It snowed steadily all day. Thin meeting. Preached from Matt. xxvii : 43. On account of the necessary thinness of the meeting, I deferred my discourse on Divine Government. At evening walked out. 4. Preparing for Association. Quite stormy and tedious. Received a ' Mr. Joseph Battell, of Norfolk. He * This place remains blank, wanted perhaps to see how his little Joseph ' The old stock, put up some months be- was getting on. fore, was probably nearly exhausted. ^ Rev. Samuel Sargeant, who was born in ' Only the first part of the article had yet Maiden, Mass., Nov. 6, 1755, graduated at been published. Dartmouth College in 17S3, was settled for ' He would be a rare lender of books if he a time in Woburn, and afterwards served as had not lost some of them. a. missionary in Vermont, Pennsylvania, and ° All his sermons put together from this New York. He died in Chester, Vt., in one text, Prov. ,\ix : 2 1, would make quite a 18S1. treatise on moral government. This has been 3 Rev. Elihu Mason, before noticed. a popular subject with New England divines. 466 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [181I. letter from my brother James. Received from my brother Frank, at Wor- cester, this Almanack} Rode to Hartford in a sleigh. The remainder of my piece on Persecution is published in the Februar)- magazine.' Paid for a turkey, §1.12. Traded, $2.00. 5. It snows and is quite tedious. Our Association met here.^ There were nine members present. Had the weather been favorable, I think we should have had a very full meeting. The Association licensed Mr. Amasa Loomis,* of this place. 6. I have seldom known an association more elegantly entertained.' After dinner they dispersed. Rode to Hartford to carry home Mr. Flint. Very good sleighing. There have been two important failures in Hartford in consequence of the wretched conduct of the government. 7. Mr. Quincy ' has delivered a most able speech in Congress on the violation of the Constitution in making New Orleans an independent State. Wrote on my preaching accounts. Walked out. 8. Prepared this almanack and wrote it to the present time. Unfor- tunately broke a pane of glass in my new book-case. It snowed hard all day. Read Vicar of Wakcjkld: 9. Wrote on my discourse on Divine Government. The late failures in Hartford are likely to be repaired. Towards night Mr. Skinner,' of New Britain, Berlin, came to exchange with me tomorrow. The call very unex- pected. ' His brother, Francis Le Baron, was then studying theology with Dr. Austin, of Worces- ter, and the almanacks he used were printed in Worcester. The one which his brother sent him for 181 1 has the following as a por- tion of its title: " Isaiah Thomas, Junior's Town and Country ALMANACK or Complete Farmer's Calendar, Being the third after Leap Year, and the 35th of Columbian Independence, From creation according to the .Scripture 5773. Printed at Worcester, Massachusetts by Isaiah Thomas, jun. Price 9 dollars per Gross, 87 1-2 cents per dozen, 12 1-2 cents single." * On page 48, Vol. 4, second scries. * That is why he bought the turkey. * Rev. Amasa Loomis w.is the son of Dea. Amasa Loomis, of Kxst Windsor, and was gradu.-itcd at Vale in 1807. lie labored much among (he churches of Ohio. ' This compliment is doubtless intended (or Mr. and Mrs. Wolcott. ' There have been men in several genera- tions in Massachusetts by the name of Josiah Quincy. The one here referred to was born in 1772, graduated at Harvard in 1790, was Member of Congress from 1804 to 1813, and President of Harvard College from 1829 to 1S45. His son, of the same name, has re- cently passed away in a good old age, but the name still abides. ' Goldsmith's charming story, which he had read before, but wliich never tires. ' Rev. Newton Skinner, a young man, graduated at Yale in 1804, had been settled about a year in New Britain, as colleague with the venerable Dr. John Smalloy. Mr. Skinner was a native of Granby. He re- mained at New Britain till his death in 1825. It may possibly help to explain his sudden appearance in Fast Windsor, of a Saturday afternoon, fifteen miles or more from his home, if we state that a few years later he was married to Miss Ursula Wolcott (not the Ursula already mentioned), daughter of Mr. Samuel Wolcott. At the time of this exchange .she was a young lady of twenty- two, and it may have seemed easier to Mr. Skinner to make his exchange at Fast Windsor rather than in one of the adjoining parishes. l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 467 10. Rode early to Berlin. Good sleighing, but the snow pretty deep. Tills is not a large, but a good society. Preached written sermons from Luke ii: 7 and Hab. iii : 17, 18. The people were quite attentive. Quite cold. A council is to be convened this week in Worthington for the dismissal of Mr. Johns.' 11. Rode home. Very fine sleighing. The sun has not shined before today since Jan. 30th, and every day since then it has snowed. Read. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in making a tax-bill. 12. Worked all day upon the rate-bill. It is a great task. The number of taxes in this society is two hundred and five. The certificate lists are forty- five. Of these twenty-seven have been given in since my settlement. The whole list is $23,551.92.* The certificate list is $6,671.49. At night it rained. 13. Read Herodotus. Worked upon the rate-bill. It thaws very much. There is some hope that Congress will yet spare the United States Bank, which they have been determined to destroy. 14. Hercdotus mentions salt mountains in Africa. Wrote. Quite cold. Wrote to Mr. Fairchild,^ of Stratford. Afternoon rode to Simsbury. Pretty good sleighing. There is more snow here than at East Windsor. Received of Capt. Phelps,* $15.00, the last of my demands for preaching in this place. Mrs. Case, I think, is more feeble than when I last saw her. Society matters here appear favorably. 15. Got the glass set which I lately broke in the door of my book-case without much expense. Rode home. It thaws considerably. At evening preached a lecture in the lower part of the society from Luke vii : 23. Bap- tized a child. 16. Finished my long discourse on Prov. xix : 21. I believe I have wrote upon it at least twenty days. I hope it will be useful to me, and I beg of God that it may be to my people. It is much longer than I expected when I began. Yesterday paid a cabinet-maker, $10.00. 17. Preached a part of my discourse on Divine Government from Prov. xix: 21. Both sermons were answers to objections. Had a full and very attentive meeting. 18. It snowed the most of the day. Expected to have gone 'today to Norfolk, but omitted on account of the storm. Rode out and visited. 19. Set out for Norfolk in a sleigh with Fanny and Tudor Wolcott and little Joseph Battell. Very cold and tedious. The snow flies very much. ' This was in the church now known as structed what they called the grand list, and the Second Church in Berlin. Rev. Evans laid the ta.xes on that. Johns was a Welshman, and had been settled ' Robert Fairchild, Esq., a graduate of there since 1802. He was dismissed in this Yale College in the class of 1793, a Fellow month of February, i8n. of Yale College, ex officio. ° These figures must not be understood as ■* Capt. Oliver Phelps, treasurer of the meaning the whole amount of ta.\able prop- parish at Simsbury, makes his final settle- erty in the parish, for there were individual ment with Mr. Robbins, about four years men there who were worth SjO,ooo. From after his services were rendered. But money the whole property to be ta.xed they con- was scarce and times were hard. 468 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSlI. Find very little patli. My horse wras so worried that I left him at New Hart- ford and got another. Rode to Colebrook and tarried at my brother Ammi's.' 20. Rode to Norfolk. The snow very deep. My father is quite comfort- able and performs his ministerial duties. Severe cold. 21. It is undoubtedly the coldest time that we have had this winter. People are much concerned about hay. My brother Samuel is getting much into the sheep business." Dined at Mr. Battell's. 22. Tlie turnpike road here is like to be very good property. Rode home with Fanny.' Extreme cold. Rode from Norfolk to East Windsor in about eight hours. Am considerably worried with my exertions. Received of my brother N. and lent to James, $12.00. Paid for the horse that I hired at New Hartford, and for keeping mine there, $2.00. 23. Wrote. Pleasant, but very cold. Read the Bible. I have latterly too much neglected my Bible. 24. Preached written sermons and finished my long discourse on Prov. xix : 21. I was all day upon the improvement. Towards night the weather moder- ated. At evening attended a singing-meeting. 25. Read. Rode to Windsor in a sleigh and relumed. Very good cross- ing. At night it rained. Borrowed Patrick's Comnityitary.* 26. My books get injured by being lent. The Senate, by the casting vote of the President,' have finally put their veto upon the United States Bank. Quite rainy. 27. Completed my sermons on Divine Government. It is almost a vol- ume. The snow seems to be going. Rode out. The dancing-school here excites great interest. Received a letter from R. Fairchild, Esq.' 28. Wrote. At night the dancing-school had their concluding ball. It excited great attention. I believe the effects of such a school very ruinous. Rode to Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, and spent the night very agreeably with Mr. Chapin.' ' The journey described in this day's entry United States, and therefore ex officio Presi- was not far from thirty-five miles, taken dent of the Senate. Like President Madi- under sucb conditions of roads and weather, son, he was a Democrat. as to make it a somewhat notable illustra- *" Robert Fairchild. See note just before tion of the tough old New England times. Feb. 14. Fanny Wolcott was a girl of seventeen, ' Calvin Chapin, D.D., pastor at Rocky Tudor Wolcott was a lad of eleven, and little Hill from 1794 to 1S51, was a very quaint Joseph lialtcll was a child of four years and and original character. His parish was ten months. within the town of Wethersfield, and was ' He had been drawn into this naturally once known by the name Stepney. Mr. by hi.t brother Nathaniel. Chapin was born in Springfield, M-iss., in ' He left Tudor Wolcott at Norfolk. 1763, was graduated at Yale in 178S, and * Rev. Simon Patrick, 1626-1707,3 very from iSso to 1846 was of the corporation of learned divine, born at (iainsborough, Eng- the college. Graduates of the college during land, liinhop of Ely, wrote among many other those years remember well his tall and works, various paraphrases and commcn- marked figure, as he went in and out of the taries on the Prophets. trustees' meeting, or mingled in the scenes • The President of the .Senate at that time of Commencement. He died at the age of was George Clinton, Vice-President of the eighty-eight. l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 469 1. It thaws constantly and fast. Very bad riding. Rode home. Read Elegant Extracts} Walked out. 2. Read Herodotus. Wrote notes for preaching. Received a letter from my brother James. 3. Feel very gloomy on account of my own stupidity and exceeding stupidity of my people. I hope there are some among us who sigh and pray. Walked out. Preached from Matt, iv : 17. 4. I believe our country has never had so poor a Congress as the one which e.xpires today. They seem bent on the ruin of the country.'^ Visited. It appears like spring. 5. Wrote, copying my last year's diary. Rode to Hartford. Very bad riding. The river is not broken. Visited. Lent several books. Bought seven of Haweis's ' Communicant's Companmi to give away. Received a letter from Mr. Battell, with four hundred dollars to be paid several families here for cheese.* 6. Our ministers' meeting met here. In the afternoon a hard snow-storm. Very few at meeting. Read the Spectator. Our Hartford Magazine^ very good. 7. The snow considerably deep. Cold and blustering. Visited. Rode to Wapping and married a couple whose ages are sixty-five and fifty-nine.* Pretty good sleighing. Read Herodotus. Received a letter from my iDrother Frank. 8. Visited an old man in a dying state. Read Herodotus. Afternoon the man died.' Walked out and visited. 9. Wrote on a sermon from Ps. cxxxvii : 5, 6. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of a child. Very bad riding. Paid for ten bushels of oats, $3.33. 10. Finished writing a little before I went to meeting. Had a laborious time of it. Preached sermons mostly written from Ps. cxxxvii : 5, 6. At evening with the church committee examined two men for communion.' I think I never saw a more muddy time here. After meeting attended the ' This is the work, it may be remembered, the one town of East Windsor, between which he had as a present from Mr. Frederick thirty and forty miles away from Norfolk Wolcott, of Litchfield. It was in two vol- where was his store. This single clue shows umes, and was published in London in iSoi. us how it was possible for him to acquire so ^ As has been already several times sug- large a property, as the legitimate fruit of this gested, all such expressions must be con- vast country trade. It required great sagacity sidered in connection with the strong political to conduct business under such conditions, prejudices of those years. ' The Evangelical Magazine, doubtless, ^ Thomas Haweis, an English writer on which was published at Hartford, religious subjects, 1734-1820. <' Elijah King, of Vernon, and Susannah » This statement helps to give an idea of Case, of Wapping. the extent of the business carried on by Mr. ' This was Mr. Luke Loomis, aged seventy- Joseph Battell as a country merchant. This four. item of four hundred dollars was to be paid ' Mr. Jesse Charlton and Mr. Timothy to people for the one article of cheese, in Munsell. 47© DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [lill. funeral of the man who died on Friday. The meeting was very full. Preached partly in reference to the occasion. 11. There appears to be considerable serious talk in the country on a division of the United States.' Rode out and visited a sick man. 12. Walked out and visited. Afternoon Mr. Atvvell,= the Baptist preacher at Enfield, preached in the meeting-house. Attended the meeting. He appears anxious to get introduced here. He is encouraged by the certificate people. Read Herodotus. Yesterday wrote to my father, and for Mrs. Wol- cott to her son,' at Norfolk. 13. Walked and visited all day. Very pleasant. The boys play ball. Tarried out. Received a letter from my father. 14. Walked and visited. Afternoon visited our Academic school.* The ground dries considerably. Tarried out. 15. Quite tired with constant visiting. Very warm for the season. Things sprout in the garden. Read. 16. Read Herodotus. Assisted the church committee in examining two women for communion.' They appear very well. Wrote on my last year's diar)'. 17. Preached written sermons from Rom. vii : 24, a discourse which I wrote before I began to preach. At evening had company. I think the singing-meeting improves our singing. 18. Read. Visited a sick man. Rode to Hartford. The ground in our street mostly drj'. The river pretty high. 19. Visited two schools. One of them has done pretty poorly. They have improved in the knowledge of the catechism. 20. Read Herodotus. Remarkably warm for March. Rode to Windsor and returned. The ground generally settled. 21. Last night at bed-time was called to see a sick man. He has been long in a consumption, and thought he should recover till he was suddenly taken verj' ill. He has been a stupid, vicious man, but left a most solemn testimony in favor of the reality of the gospel. I stayed with him till he died, about two o'clock. The scene was very impressive. In the morning made an asparagus bed. Afternoon visited a school with a good instructor in a very good way. At evening visited a sick man. 22. In the morning ploughed some ground to plant peas.' Visited two schools. I believe our dancing-school has been a disadvantage to some of our schools. At their second invitation I have catechised all the schools,' which I did not at first. ' The Hartford Convention, which met in tion of his own. He was brought up to 1814, was a kind of outgrowth from this talk these out-door duties at home, and he seems and sentiment. to have taken a real pleasure in them. • Rev. George Atwell. ' If our modern public schools had some • Samuel Tudor Wolcott, whom Mr. Rob- system of moral and religious instruction bins left there after his hard wintry journey. corresponding to this catechetical exercise, • At Kast Windsor Hill. they would be better than they are. But ' Polly Loomis and Esther McKinncy. there are so many people who think their ' Wherever he was Mr. Robbins seems to children would be injured by it that it has have had some farming or gardening opera- to be forborne. l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 471 23. Planted peas. Attended the funeral of Francis Drake.' Remarkably dry. The dust flies very much. Read Herodotus. Rode to Scantic to exchange with Mr. Bartlett. 24. Mr. Bartlett went to our society.^ Preached written sermons from Rev. iii : 2andJohnvii: 17. Thin meeting. Returned. At night rainy, with pretty hard thunder. 25. Mr. Pickering^ has commenced a series of letters on our public affairs which I think will be useful. Wrote. Worked in the garden. Manured my asparagus bed, and made a small new one. AVrote to my father. 26. Sowed my new asparagus bed. Planted radish seed. Attended the funeral of a man lately deceased of a consumption, in the borders of Orford. Took some cold by speaking in the wind. Yesterday, finished reading Herodotus. I don't know that I have ever read any history with greater pleasure.* 27. Am considerably unwell with my cold. Yesterday morning Mr. Wolcott went off for Norfolk. Read. Rode out and visited. At night Mr. Battell came here and tarried. He brought home Tudor, who has lived at Norfolk since I was last there.' My father is pretty smart. 28. Rode to Wapping and visited and catechised two schools. They have done better this year than the last. At evening Mr. Wolcott returned. The ground is nearly as much settled at Norfolk as it is here. 29. Began a sermon on Rom. vii: lo. Hindered by company. At night we had a little snow. 30. Wrote steadily. Finished my sermon on Rom. vii: 10. I can, with- out much difficulty, with diligence, write two sermons in two days.' Rainy. Have read this week considerably in Zion's Pilgrhn^ 31. Rainy. I committed my discourse just written, and preached from Matt, xiii : 11. Received four persons into the church.' Three of them at least I trust will be ornaments of their profession. On the 26th received a letter from Mr. Amasa Loomis, in East Hartford, and on the 27th wrote to him. Read. ' The young man whose death-bed scene this simple antique style, and the curious he has just described. array of facts and incidents presented in his ^ In his exchanges with Mr. Bartlett of narrative. the North Parish, it seems to have been ' Tudor Wolcott reached Norfolk after something like a fixed custom for Mr. Rob- his cold ride February 20th, and it is now bins to go up and spend Saturday night, March 27th. He has been returning little returning Sunday evening, and for Mr. Bart- Joseph Battell's visit. to go and return on Sunday. This law was ' Most ministers now would call that very probably determined by the fact that Mr. rapid writing. Robbins was a bachelor, and Mr. Bartlett ' Zion's Pilgrim, a small volume repub- had a most pleasant and hospitable home. lished in New York in iSio, was written by ^ Col. Timothy Pickering, LL. D., of Robert Hawkes, D. D., 1753-1S27, a native Salem, Mass., then a member of United of Exeter, England, and a somewhat exten- States Senate. sive writer on religious topics. * All who have read Herodotus can well ^ The two men and two women before understand how naturally one is charmed by named. 472 riARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1811 Apriu 1. A hard rain. Wrote. Yesterday I forgot to warn our sacrament for the next Sabbath. Have to give private notice. Visited. A number of persons are sick among us. 2. Rode to Hartford. The bridge-owners refuse to contract for crossing by the year as they did last year.' Visited. Mr. Atwell came here and preached in the meeting-house.' I am told he had a small meeting. 3. It snowed a little. Rode to Scantic to attend our ministers' meeting. No other, one went. I preached a written sermon from 1 Cor. ii : 2. Re- turned. Have something of a cold. The Democrats in this State are making efforts to divide Federal votes. 4. Am quite hoarse with my cold. Began a sermon on John .\v : 19. Worked considerably. Walked out and visited. I have a prospect of pro- curing a boy for my father. 5. Finished my sermon on John xv: 19. Quite cool. Vegetation ad- vances ver)' little. Afternoon preached a sacramental lecture with a written sermon from Ps. Ixxx : 14, 15. I am so hoarse that it is difficult for me to speak. Visited. 6. Wrote a sermon on 2 Chron. vi : 41. Am feeble with my cold. 7. Preached in the forenoon a written sermon on John xv : 19. Admin- istered the sacrament. We had a very solemn season. I spoke with consid- erable difficulty. Afternoon I had a sermon read. I performed tlie other exercises. This is a practice to which this people have been accustomed. I found it to be a special relief. Baptized a child.' 8. Prayed at the opening of the Freeman's Meeting. The votes for Governor, were : Treadwell, 168, Griswold, 86, Scattering, 2. I believe Mr. Griswold had about thirty Federal votes. The remainder were Democratic. I think this last effort of Democracy, through the mercy of our fathers' God, will meet with a great defeat.* Visited. 9. Began a sermon for the Fast on Joel ii : 12, 13. Received a letter from Rev. Mr. Osgood,' of Springfield, and one from Mr. Amasa Loomis,' in East Hartford. Wrote to Mr. Osgood. Walked out and visited. I get better of my cold. 10. Wrote nine pages. As I write now, I generally write but about a page in an hour. Eight pages will make a decent sermon. We have very pleas- ant weather, but cool. There is considerable anxiety about the issue of our ' He paid $2.00 for a season ticket the a Federalist as Governor John Treadwell, last year. but he was elected partly by Democratic ' This preaching service of Mr. Atwell votes. was on a Tuesday. It was certainly gener- ' Rev. Samuel Osgood, 11. D., was settled ous in the Congregational parish to let him over the first church in .Springfield in 1S09, have the use of their house so often. for a life-long ministry. He died in 1862. 'This child was Helen, daughter of ' Rev. Amasa I.oomis was probably sup- Charles and Sarah Rockwell. plying (he pulpit in ihe Orfoid parish of Kast * He wa.s mistaken. Roger Griswold was Hartford, now Manchester. I' 10m Kast Wind- elected Governor. He was as good and able sor (South Parish) to Orford was si.v miles. l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 473 election. There seems to be a falling out among great folks at Wash- ington. 11. Wrote the most of the day. Finished my Fast sermon. Stormy, rain and snow. Received a letter from my father, and one from Mr. Battell. On the 5th, at night, my brother Frank came here from Worcester with two young gentlemen and tarried. The ne.\t morning they went off for Norfolk. I have now, in just a fortnight, written si.x (two double and two single) sermons." 12. This day is the State Fast." In the morning the ground was quite covered with snow. Pretty thin meeting. Preached written sermons from Joel ii: 12, 13. Our meeting was serious. I hope I had useful private meditations. At night visited a woman who, without having had much genuine conviction of sin, but with peculiar outward troubles, has apparently very suddenly been made a subject of rich, sovereign grace. I think she appears to have as great spiritual joy as any person I ever saw. I hope to be thankful for this individual evidence that we are not wholly forsaken of the Holy Spirit. 13. Rode out and visited. Quite cold. The case of the woman I saw last evening affects her connections very sensibly. It appears that Mr. Griswold is chosen our Governor. Governor Treadwell is evidently run out in consequence of his religion.' I believe we have never had a governor who was not a professor of religion. Times are dark. There was a vessel launched here just built. 14. Mr. Amasa Loomis of this place preached for me. He performed very well. It is very uncommon to see a native of this town in the desk.' Copied very valuable letters of my father's uncle, Isaac Foote,' written from the army to his wife, in 1755- Read the Bible. Yesterday made out my preaching account to the present time. 15. Quite warm. Mr. Osgood, of Springfield, called and dined with me. Began again upon my Universal History, which I have neglected since last fall. 16. Worked considerably. My peas which I planted some time since have come up. A boy which I have procured here to live with my father, went off for Norfolk. Wrote to my father and to Esq. Rockwell, of Winsted. ' He had great facility in writing, and able number of ministers in the earlier years, seems to have enjoyed it. Few men are so the most notable being Jonathan Edwards, methodical as he was. It produced a larger number in the years ^ The Fast, as usual in Connecticut, was following Mr. Robbins' ministry. But the- on Good Friday. close of the last century and the early years ' That would not probably tell the story of the present were not favorable to this in full. Connecticut had thoroughly religious interest, and comparatively few ministers were governors after that. Moreover, Roger Gris- reared in New England during that period, wold was one of the most marked and able ' The mother of Rev. Ammi Ruhamah men that ever sat in the governor's chair in Robbins was Hannah Foot (or Foote), the Connecticut. first wife of Rev. Philemon Robbins, of Bran- 4 East Windsor had produced a consider- ford, Ct. Isaac Foote was her brother. 474 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSlI. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of a child who was killed by being run over by a cartwheel. The grain on the ground appears very promising. 17. The accounts from Spain and Portugal are much more favorable.' Wrote on the catalogue of my books. The cost of my hooks is not quite so great as I have conceived. Read Universal History. Walked out. 18. Mr. Francis King called on me. There is an important ecclesiastical trial of Rew Mr. Abbott" at Coventry this week. Rode to Scantic and Enfield. 19. Mr. Prudden is about publishing a pamphlet vindicating the right of marrj-ing a wife's sister.' The heat and dust very oppressive. Rode to West Suffield, Turkey Hills,* Salmon Brook,' and Simsbury. Tarried with Mr. McLean. Am endeavoring to collect an account of the state of the churches within the limits of our association. I fear that the societies of West Suffield and Turkey Hills will not be able to have any settled minis- ters.' Saw apricot blossoms. On the i6th saw blooms on the daffas. 20. Returned home. Much fatigued. Cut asparagus from the bed which I sowed two years ago. It grows a very good size. Mr. King,' now supplying at Orford, came here to exchange with me tomorrow. The Rev. Mr. Olcott,* who has lived there several years, died last night. The ground in much want of wet. Paid for a scale rule and a book of explanation, $2.00. 21. Rode early to Orford. Preached in the forenoon a written sermon on Hab. iii: 17, 18. They have had a singing-school here for a few months and perform very well. Addressed the singers on the occasion. Afternoon attended the funeral of Rev. Mr. Olcott. Mr. Huntington,' of Middletown, preached. Gov. Treadwell '° was one of the pall-bearers. Something rainy. A great collection of people. At evening returned. The great French army is retreating from Portugal with disgrace. 22. Much cooler. Wrote, copying my last year's diary. Rode out and visited. 23. Wrote to my sister Battell. Read Universal History. Visited. 24. Read Universal History. Finished the thirteenth volume. The acad- emy here had an exhibition." It began about eight o'clock in the evening ' The French under Victor, were defeated * Turkey Hills is East Granby. by Gen. Graham, March 5, 1811, and the ' Salmon Krook is Granby. news had probably just reached this country. ^ All these churches, though somewhat But some reverses were experienced soon broken, continued to have a settled ministry. afterwards. ' Mr. Francis King, licensed, but never a " Rev. Abiel Abbott, D. D., settled over settled minister, the First Church in Coventry in 1795, ^^^^ * Kcv. Allen Olcott, before mentioned, a found after a few years to be Unitarian in native of East H.irtford, and a gr.iduate of sentiment, and in April, iSii, the Consocia- Yale in 1768. tion removed him from the pastorate of ' Rev. Dan Huntington. the church. He was a man of scholarly 'o Gov. Treadwell lived in Farmington, habits and generous nature, and made his where Rev. Mr. Olcott had formerly been home during his last years in Cambridge, settled. Mass., dying 1859, at the .igc of ninety-four. " It was under the care, it will be remem- Hc was born in Wilton, N'. H., and a gradu- bered, of Elcazar T. Fitch, afterwards Diviii- atc of Harvard College in 17S7. ity Professor at Vale College. He was a very • Thi* is the paper which he presented at modest man when offulKige, but he was an ab'e the ministers' meeting sonu- wick^^ before. scholar and thinker, and kept a good school. l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 475 and continued till two in the morning. , I did not attend. It is said to have been a very good one. My brother Frank came here, attended the exhibition, and tarried. Worked some. Yesterday made an asparagus bed by digging up and planting old roots. 25. My brother went off to Worcester. Mr. Wolcott bought eight acres of land for one thousand dollars.' Rode to Hartford. Dr. Strong wishes for further assistance from me for the magazine. Visited. 26. Began a sermon on Rom. v: 7, 8. Consulted all my annotations on the subject and got considerable help. Assisted in papering a room. I am too apt to neglect business for little things. 27. Wrote steadily. Finished my sermon begun yesterday. Cool and quite dry. 28. Preached written sermons on Rom. v: 7, 8. and 2 Chron. vi : 41. The first cost me a good deal of study and appeared to be interesting. At evening walked out. " 29. The peach blossoms generally out. Worked considerably. Wrote to my father, and to Mr. Lowell Grant, of Norfolk. 30. Wrote off a part of my sermon on Rom. v : 7, 8, for the magazine.^ I wrote upon this subject at the request of Dr. Strong. This morning and yesterday morning there was some frost. Afternoon rode to Glastonbur}-. At evening attended a conference with Mr. Hawes. It was pretty full. The grain on the ground appears very well. May. 1. Our ministers' meeting met here (Glastonbury).^ We are not so punctual in attendance as we ought to be. I read the piece which 1 had written for the magazine. Afternoon crossed to Wethersfield and preached a sacramental lecture for Dr. Marsh, from Rom. v : 7, 8. At evening rode home. Very dry and dusty. A verj' poor year for taking fish. The water unusually low. 2. Worked very diligently in arranging and drawing off Mr. Wolcott's old notes and papers. They are in a confused state.* Walked out. 3. Attended to Mr. Wolcott's papers. Towards evening rode to Wapping and visited a child very sick. This day is the anniversary of my installation. I desire to be humble before God that I do so little in his service, and to be ' Land was valuable all along the Con- Mr. Robbins seems to be connected with two nccticut River valley, especially so in that organizations of this kind, each embracing immediate vicinity. five ministers. They are entirely distinct ^ This seems to have been a sermon on from the regular ministerial associations, which Mr. Robbins specially labored. It mere neighborhood arrangements for mutual was on the text beginning, " For scarcely for improvement. Mr. Robbins seems to have a righteous man will one die," etc. The part been the most regular and punctual attend- sent to the Evangelical Magazine may be ant upon both those meetings, and was found in the June number of the magazine, apparently the leading spirit in both. iSii. ■* His love of order is in demand in secu- ' With Rev. Prince Hawes. These min- lar work as well as in religious. Mr. Wolcott isters' meetings occur now very frequently. had a large estate, and his cares were many. 4^6 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSn. thankful that, as I hope, I have been an instrument of some good to this people. For the year past our society, I think, has been improving in its prospects. 4. Wrote a sermon on Hebrew xii : 25. It is a pretty hard day's work for ine to write a sermon." V Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon from Ps. .vi : i. .Afternoon had the sermon written yesterday. My voice did not fail with hoarseness as it did in the afternoon of last Sabbath. Verj' dry and warm. Wore no outside coat. The congregation in the afternoon appeared quite solemn. .At evening attended a conference. 6. There has been a very severe battle between the English and French near Cadiz. The English, much inferior in numbers, were victorious." Visited a sick woman quite low. The dust very severe. Tlie blossoms generally appear on the apple-trees. Received a valu.ible thermometer which Mr. Haskell ' purchased for me at New York. He got it for four dollars,' very low. Towards night attended a little while at a training.' Mr. Lee,' a member of Divinity College, at Andover, came here .and tarried. 7. Rode to Hartford. Carried down Mr. Lee. He came from .Andover on foot. Last night we had a copious and very refreshing shower. Very warm. The thermometer rose to 80°. Wrote. At evening walked out. 8. Rode to Wapping and visited a sick child. Afternoon attended the funeral of a woman who died lately.' Visited. Worked. I very much e.\pected my father, but he did not come. At evening a couple came here from Wapping and were married.' 9. Rode to Hartford and attended the election. Something wet. Very few strangers present. Mr. Stebbins' preached well. In the morning attended the meeting of the Bible Society. Gov. Griswold '" did not appear, through ' As before remarked, few ministers are ' Mr. Kli B. Haskell. now in the habit of writing a sermon in a * Thermometers were not made then in single day. such number and variety as at present. ' This report still has reference to the ^ This was the regular May training. battle of Barrosa, March 5, already noticed. ' Rev. Jonathan Lee, a native of Salis- A fuller account of this battle is as follows : bury, Ct., and grandson of Rev. Jonathan "Barrosa, or Barossa, where a battle was Lee, the first minister of Salisbury. He fought on March 5, 181 1, between the British was born July ig, 17S6, graduated at \ale, army, commanded by M.ijor-GcneraI Sir 1S09, and at Andover, 1S12, and was after- Thomas Clraham, afterwards Lynedock, and wards settled for si.xteen years at Otis, M.iss., the French, under Marshal Victor. After and subsequently at Weybridge, Vt. His a long conflict the British achieved one of Later years were p.asscd in his native town, the most glorious triumphs of the Peninsular where he died in October, 1866. War. Although they fought at great disad- ' Abigail Elgar. vantage, the British compelled the French to ' Mr. Darda Bidwell, of East Hartford, retreat, leaving nearly three thousand dead, and Theodosia Risley, of W.ipping. «ix pieces of cannon, and an eagle, the first » Rev. Stephen W. Stebbins, 1784-1813, that the British had taken. The loss of the pastor at Stratford, and from 1815 to his British was one thousand one hundred and death, 1843, pastor at West Haven. A min- sixty-nine men killed and wounded." — //ay- ister vener.ible and beloved. den'j Dulioimty of Daks, p. 72. '° Roger Griswold, Governor-elect. l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 477 ill-health. Gov. Treadwell' presided with great dignity. The Governor's Guards appeared admirably. In the afternoon I united with eight other minis- ters in the formation of a Ministers' Annuity Society.'' May the gracious blessing of heaven rest upon it. My brother N. rode home with me. At even- ing rode to Wapping and performed a marriage.^ 10. Last night the young people here had a ball, at which they stayed all night. Rode to Hartford with my brother. Met with the directors of the Annuity Society and organized. Gov. Griswold was qualified for his office, and Gov. Treadwell retires with the regret of all good men. Mr. Griswold's majority was about nine hundred votes. He is elected by a union of Demo- crats with Federalists who did not like Gov. Treadwell's religion." The lilac blossoms are generally out. Saw rye headed day before yesterday. Very tired. Wrote. My father a little unwell and wanting resolution, concluded not to come to the election. Got a hymn printed at the e.xpense of the church for our singers. The society had a meeting and concluded to oppose the petition of Wapping to the assembly to be made a society and add a part of ours to them.' 11. Worked at calculations for the Annuity Society. Read Universal History. Wrote notes for preaching. 12. Wrote notes and preached from Isa. Iv: ii. At evening attended a conference. Quite warm. 13. Set out for Norfolk. Rode to Colebrook and tarried at my brother Am- mi's. Shower)' a good part of the day. Received of Mr. Wolcott for the society, $25.00. Paid for my thermometer, S4.00. It tires me to ride on horseback. 14. In the morning rode to my father's. Quite cool. My father com- fortable, but rather lame and stiff with his rheumatic complaints. My parents have a very good garden. Their asparagus bed is excellent. 15. This morning there was considerable frost. Rode to Sheffield with a view of buying some old books, but was disappointed. Returned. There is universally a very great blowth on the fniit-trees. 16. A frost this morning, but we hope that the fruit is not injured. Dr. West, of Stockbridge, came here and made my father a very agreeable visit. Rode to the south part of the town to attend a conference and preached from Rom. V : 7, 8. At evening my sister Betsey was married to Mr. Roswell Grant, of this town. I am pleased with the connection. We had an agree- able wedding. ' John Treadwell, retiring Governor. * On this point see previous note, under " This society was for the relief o£ the date of April 13th last, widows and children of deceased ministers, ' This plan miscarried at that time. Many and as Mr. Robbins was » bachelor, it was years before, there had been an arrangement pure charity in him to be so thoroughly by which the Wapping people maintained a interested in the matter. religious service during the cold season of ' Wapping seems to furnish most of the the year, and were released from their taxes candidates for matrimony. This time the to the old church for that portion of the parties were Sylvester Grant, and Mary Jen- year. But the present Wapping parish did nings, of Wapping. not come into existence until 1S26. 47S DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [181I. 17. Dr. West went off. He grows old,' but is pretty well. Arranged my father's pamphlets. Visited the neighbors. Tarried last night at Mr. Bat- tell's. I'aid Mr. Battell $5.00, and gave him a note for twelve dollars. 18. The boy which I sent my father from East Windsor does remarkably well. I conclude to leave my horse here. Rode to Hartford in the stage. Mr. Waldo ° brought me home in his carriage. Paid stage-fare, $2.00. Warm. We have the very agreeable news of great successes of the British arms over the French in Portugal.^ 19. Preached written sermon from Rom. vii : 10. At evening attended the conference. The dust blows very badly. 20. Quite cool. Worked in the garden. Read newspapers. Yesterday baptized two children.' Walked out and visited. 21. Worked at my peas. They begin to blow. A little rain. The ground is very dry. Walked and visited. 22. Rode to Hartford and West Hartford. Mr. Colton' engages to preach for me next .Sabbath. Returned. Saw many acquaintances at Hartford. Re- ceived of the Bible Society eight Bibles for distribution. Paid for Hamilton's Works^ in boards, for which I subscribed, $5.00. I think we have reason to fear the arts of democracy in this State. 23. Wrote the most of a review of Dr. Lyman's missionary sermon,' for ministers' meeting. Worked in the garden. Planted watermelons. 24. Finished my review. Wrote to my brother James. Visited a sick woman, apparently near dying. At evening assisted the church committee in examining a woman ' for our communion. Mr. Battell and Dr. Welch,' of Norfolk, came here and tarried. Read Universal History. 25. Rode to Springfield. Fanny Wolcott went with me.'" The roads very- dry and dusty. Very kindly received. Found that I was expected. Tarried at Col. Dwight's." 26. Preached for Mr. Osgood. He is absent on a journey to the District ' Dr. West was now in his seventy-si.\th ' This sermon was preached by Rev. year, having been born in Tolland, Ct., in William Lyman, D. D., of East Haddam, at November, 1735. Hartford, May 14, iSli, on the occasion of - The name Waldo was never a common the formation of a Missionary Society. one in Windsor or East Windsor, but there ' The woman was Anna, wife of Mr. Noah were a few persons of the name on both Rockwell, sides of the river. ' Dr. Benjamin Welch. ' Additional news of the victory already '° For the pleasure of the journey twenty described. miles uj) the valley, in the glory of its dress ■• The two children were Francis C. Drake, near the end of May. and Samuel Treat McKinney. " Col. Jonathan Dwight, a descendant from 'There were two ministers from West Henry Dwight of Hatfield, and a very jiromi- Harlford by the name of Colton, George and nent and influential man in Springfield in the Chester, who were graduated from Yale early years of the i)rcsent century. He was College in the cla.ss of 1804. The one who born December 28, 1772, and was graduated was engaged to preach for Mr. Kobbins, was, at H.-irvard College 1793. He w.is a lawyer without much doubl, Rev. Chester Colton. by profession, but a man of extended business ' // DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS. D.D. [iSlI. 8. Read Universal History. Wrote to Jacob Johnson, bookseller,' Phila- delphia. Last night it rained considerably, after a very long and pinching drought. Some wet today. Good is the Lord. Wrote notes for preaching. 9. Wrote on my notes and preached from Matt, vi : 22, 23. W'e had a very refreshing shower. At evening attended the conference. Pretty thin. 10. Have something of a lame back. Wrote to Mr. Seth Andrews, Canaan, and to my father. I hear that my brother Frank has left Worcester and gone to Sandwich, I believe, to an academy. I am much surprised and very sorry to hear it." Rode to Hartford. The road considerably wet. Rainy. Walked out. 11. Wrote. Read Universal History. Finished the History of the Roman Empire. That was the most astonishing fabric of all human power. It con- tinued from B. C. 753 to A. D. 1453 — two thousand two hundred and fifty- six years. Visited a sick woman apparently near dying. 12. Shower)'. Visited a sick woman. Walked and visited in the after- noon nine families. Paid Mr. Charlton, tailor, by an order on the society, S1S.08. The House of Representatives of Massachusetts have chosen a low Methodist for their chaplain.^ Yesterday wrote to Mr. Battell. Today received a letter from him. 13. The sick woman whom I have visited died last evening.* Worked in the garden. A fine season for vegetation. Planted peas. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Walked out and visited. 14. Walked out and visited. Attended the funeral of the woman died lately. The thermometer at 84°. Much fatigued. 15. Wrote. The weather is so warm that I can do but little. Thermom- eter at 92°. Walked out. Received a letter from Mr. Church,' of Hartland. 16. Preached written sermons from Isa. Iviii: i. I did not finish the subject. Read the Bible. We had a ver}- refreshing shower. Thermometer at 93°. At evening our conference was pretty thin. 17. Wrote on calculations for Annuity Society. Dr. Williams,' of Tolland, called on me. We had green peas. Last Friday Mr. Wolcott mowed a piece of ground and on Saturday ploughed it and planted it to corn.' Walked out. 18. Walked and visited all day. Visited fifteen families. Cool. I find very little concern about divine things. 19. Rode to Farmington and attended at the session of the General Association. There were a great number of ministers present. Heard two good sermons. Met with our .\nnuity Society. I think it will be sufficiently 'lie is now gradually gathering in ihe ' Rev. Aaron Church, whose case is again books from v.irious quarters for his large under consideration, library. <• Dr. Nathan Williams, minister at Tol- ' His brother Frank seems to have a pro- land, 17O0-1829. He was now in his seventy- pcnsity for teaching, as he himself had. An sixth year, and w.-is on his way to the (icnera) honorable employment, surely, but it delayed Association. his entrance into the ministry. ' Whether that corn would ever ripen, ' The pride of the standing order was yet would depend upon the fact whether or not strong in \U. Kobbins's day. they had an early frost that year in the Con- ' Sarah liidwcll, aged forty-nine. necticut valley. 1 l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 481 popular." Returned. People begin to mow. Received a letter from my brother James. 20. Wrote on my sermon on Isa. Iviii : 1. It is pretty hard for me to write when the weather is warm. Walked out. 21. W.ilked and visited the most of the day. Extremely warm. The thermometer rose to 98°. There was a very good sloop launched near here, built within a few weeks. 22. Wrote on my sermon. The heat very oppressive. Afternoon could not keep in my chamber. Thermometer 95°. 23. Finished my long discourse on Isa. Iviii: i, which contains four sermons. Delivered the last two of them. On account of the heat the meeting was very thin. Thermometer, 97°. Was much oppressed with the heat in the public services. Baptized a child.' Received a letter from J. Johnson,' Philadelphia, and one from my father. 24. Cooler. The ground very dry. My peas bear well. Wrote. Read Universal History. Walked out. 25. Walked out and visited all day. The ground suffers extremely by the drought. 26. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $20.00. Rode to Hartford. Paid Cooke, $5.00. Paid a tailor, $5.00. A shoemaker, $5.00. Paid Hatch, $5.50. The dust very oppressive. Bought Johnson's Dictionary, at $22.00.'' All signs of rain fail. Walked out. 27. We have a little rain. There is, however, but little. Walked out and visited. The grass in mowing is very light. 28. Visited sixteen families. I find such visiting laborious, but I believe it is useful. I mean to have them ministerial visits.' Cool. People generally beginning haying. 29. Rode to Wapping and visited a man severely afflicted with the hypo- chondria. It is a very distressing complaint. Visited an aged woman very sick. Rode to Windsor to exchange with Mr. Rowland. Visited Esq. Selden's.'^ 30. Mr. Rowland went to East Windsor. Quite cloudy, but no rain. Preached in the forenoon a written sermon on Luke ii : 7. Afternoon deliv- ered the last of my series of discourses, written last summer, on the historical books of the Old Testament, from John v : 39. At evening returned. The river has risen about five feet in two days and is still rising, though we are here all parched with drought.' Cool. ' That was a good institution, well started ' That is, with religious conversation and and living on yet, as we suppose, though not prayer, under its first name. ' Edward Seldcn, Esq., before noticed. ^ The child baptized was Harriet, daughter He had formerly lived in Haddam, and Mr. of Joseph and Naomi Williams. Robbins had probably made his acquaintance 3 Jacob Johnson, the bookseller. there. * This was probably a nice English copy ' There had been powerful rains up in of JohHsoii's Dictionary, but even then, we New Hampshire and Vermont. The river should call this a great price to pay for it. was fed by the White and Green Mountains. 482 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1811. July. 1. Wrote. Walked out and visited. The certificate people appear to be gratified with my calling on them. 2. Walked and visited all day. E.\tremely warm. The thermometer was at 96°. Tarried out. 3. Expected to have spent the day in visiting, but on account of the heat returned home in the morning. Read Uni-rcrsal History. The heat is such I can read but little. The thermometer about four o'clock was nearly 98°. It was very high through the day. In this and the late turn of warm weather the greatest heat has been about four o'clock.' 4. Several laborers have been injured by the heat. There is but little notice of the Independence. I think I have never e.\perienced any wanner weather. Read Universal History. The ground is extremely parched with heat. Vegetation is almost at a stand. Thermometer at noon, 96^°. At one o'clock, 98^°. At two o'clock, 98°. At half past two, very nearly 100°. We have the very agreeable news of the defeat of the French in two late important actions in Spain.^ They have not experienced such reverses for many years. Secretary Smith's' exposure of Mr. Madison's iniquity I hope will have a good effect. 5. Visited a sick woman. I can do very little. Read Universal History. Went into the water. Thermometer at one o'clock at 98°. It continued above 90° till near seven o'clock. 6. We expected the severe heat would not continue after the fourth, but it is the same still. The last night very warm. At noon the thermometer was at 95°, near four o'clock above 98°. On account of the heat I have done very little this week. Read Universal History. The grass loses its greenness, the sun and moon appear unusually red. 7. Preached from John xviii : 37, and Gen. viii : 22.* Wrote the notes of the latter, which was on the subject of the drought and heat. The weather is moderated. A little after noon the thermometer was above 90°, but when we returned from meeting it was down to 70°. We had a small, grateful shower. Meeting quite thin. The French have experienced two important defeats in Spain.' ' Any one who has followed the course of ' This was Robert Smith, of Maryland, this diary must have noticed how valuable Secretary of State during the first term of the record is for the purposes of the profes- Madison's administration. He remained in sional mtieorologist. It will be hard proba- office only one year. He disapproved of bly to find, for a continuous period of fifty- Madison's foreign policy, and Mr. Madison eight years, so careful a record of atmos- found fault with his neglect of his official phcric changes as here. duties, so that he w.is removed. ' These were the battles of Fucntcs De * Sermon for the season on the text, Onorc.fought on the3d and 5thof M.-iy, iSii, "While the earth rcmaineth seed-time and in which Wellington, with a smaller army, harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and defeated the French under Marshal .Mas- winter, and day and night shall not cease." genaj and the other the battle of Albuera, 'Later intelligence concerning the two fought May \(,, in which General, afterwards battles just noticed. News came slowly thci> Lord, Ocrcsford, defeated Marshal Soult. and in small detachments. l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 483 8. We had a heavy dew. Last week there was ver)' little. Read. People generally beginning their harvest. Walked out and visited. 9. In the morning there was considerable rain. Perhaps the ground was never in greater need. Wrote a sermon on Mai. iv : 5, 6. At evening walked out. 10. Something wet. Read Universal History. The most ancient history of the European nations, in which this work is very valuable, giving convincing proof of the original worship of the one true God.' Worked in the garden. 11. In the morning we had rain with considerable thunder. We have had very little thunder this year. Walked and visited. Some people here inclined to infidelity, but they dare not openly profess it.^ 12. Last night slept out. Wrote notes and preached a sacramental lecture from John vi : 55. Attended a church meeting. The church voted ten dol- lars for the assistance of a poor brother. 13. It has been wet all the week since Tuesday morning. The grain is generally ripe, and some is down. It is feared that it will be hurt. Wrote a sermon on Luke .xv : 21. Am a little troubled with nervous affections. 14. Preached written sermons from Luke xv : 21, and Mai. iv : 5, 6. Administered the Lord's Supper. Had a full meeting. Very tired. In the afternoon I felt almost unable to speak. The late battles in Spain have been ver)- sanguinary'. 15. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $21.00. Rode to Hartford. Made several visits. Received four Bibles of the Bible Society to distribute. Paid a merchant for goods at wholesale price, $8.53. Paid for a quarter's toll at the bridge,' 75 cents. Quite warm. People generally at the harvest. 16. Read Universal History. Visited. It is remarkable that we find the same essential characteristics among the present nations of Europe, which appeared at the time of the Roman conquests. 17. Something showery. Walked and visited. Very warm. Visited a school. 18. Walked and visited. Visited brother Bartlett,' in company with Mr. Flint.' Yesterday a man of about eighty years of age, who has always lived here as a farmer, told me he had never seen such a crop of r)-e as the present in his day.' The same is the remark of all. Visited a school. ig. Visited seventeen families. The last two nights have tarried out.' Afternoon rainy. Ver)' inconvenient for the harvest. ' In a previous note with reference to Mr. five cents a quarter, or three dollars a year, Robbins's attempt to find the origin of idola- instead o£ two dollars. try, it was hinted that he must start from the * Rev. Shubael Bartlett, of Scantic parish, premise of a true and world-wide worship of ' Rev. Abel Flint, D. D., of the Second the true God. Here he expressly indicates Church, Hartford, that belief. ' Fof ^ '°"g course of years rye was the = In this respect they were probably like chief grain crop along the Connecticut valley, people elsewhere. ' Being unmarried, it was natural that 3 So it seems, notwithstanding previous when he was on one of his large callmg note, that they still sold season-tickets for the tours he should accept the hospitality offered, bridge-crossing, though now it is seventy- and spend the night. 4S4 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [181I. 20. The thermometer was at 90°. It was about the same on the 15th and i6lh. This day is the anniversary of my ordination. I love to continue in the good work, and desire to bless God that he keeps me in it when I perform so poorly. I have preached no year, as I think, without some tokens of the divine blessing upon my labors. I hope he may make them the means of good if myself should finally be a castaway. Afternoon attended the funeral of a woman who died yesterday." 21. In the morning rode to Hartford to exchange with Mr. Flint. He rode to East Windsor. Preached written sermons from i Cor. ii : 2, and Hab. iii : 17, 18. At evening preached at a conference from (}en. vii : 16. Much oppressed with the heat. 22. Returned. The thermometer was at 91°. Yesterday it was at 90°. Read Universal History. There are some very valuable things in the his- tory of the Saxons respecting our language. 23. Last night a long and hard rain. The harvest we have had for some months. Read Universal History. Rode to Windsor and returned. The river quite high. 24. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $25.00. Rode to East Hartford and attended our ministers' meeting. Read my discourse on the books of Kings. We had a good meeting. Rode to Hartford. Paid the treasurer of the Ministers' Annuity Society my sum for admission and arrears, amounting to Si 7.80." My annual contribution is $5.00. Paid Hills, $7.00. Received a letter from my brother Frank, now at Sandwich. Visited. The river rises quite rapidly. 25. Read Universal History. Carried dinner to a harvest field. ^ We iiad a pretty hard thunder-shower. Visited a school. 26. Walked and visited all day. The water yesterday came over the low land in the meadows. A woman, a member of the church, conducts badly. 27. Read. Wrote notes for preaching. Visited a woman apparently near dying. 28. Preached from Eph. ii : 12. Quite a full meeting. People appeared attentive and solemn. At evening attended a conference. 29. Showery. Yesterday received a letter from my brother James. After- noon set out for Norfolk, rode to Simsbury. Quite warm. 30. Rode to Norfolk. Very severe heat. Rode from New Hartford to Norfolk without any coat. My father quite well. My brother James at home. The harvest here very good. 31. Worked at hay. Rode out and visited my sister Betsey.* She is very well situated. Settled pecuniary accounts. On the 301!) the thermometer was at 92°. • Eunice Huntley, aged thirty-two. useful. Mr. Wolcott's laborers were too far ' Tlic Annuity Society was meant to cost away to come home easily to dinner, and so its mcmlKrs something, in order that there their dinner was sent. Boys raised on farms might be something substantial to divide in know what all this means. ca-tc of need. * Newly married to Mr. Grant, her second ' That wa-s a new way of making himself marriage. l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 485 August. 1. Rainy. Afternoon rode to Canaan and returned. Weighed one hun- dred and nineteen pounds. I have not weighed so little for several years.' Dined at Mr. Battell's. The state of religion in this quarter much as in ours. General stupidity. 2. My brother's woolen manufactory appears very flourishing. The price of sheep has very much fallen. Worked considerably at hay. My brother N.'s wife very unwell. 3. Rode to Hartford in the stage. Was carried home in a wagon. There have been two deaths here this week." One of them very sudden. Visited a child apparently near dying. Much fatigued. 4. Wrote an addition to a funeral discourse. Preached written sermons from Luke .\iv : 17, and i Cor. vii : 29, 31. The latter was in reference to the recent deaths here. At evening attended our conference. Full meeting. 5. Attended the funeral of the child who died yesterday. Worked in the garden. Read newspapers. 6. Read Universal History. Worked at hay in the meadows.' Very good weather for haying. 7. Rode and visited all day. Afternoon in Wapping. On the 4th we had our first green com. 8. Looking over the Histories of the Puritans* Rode to Hartford with Mrs. Wolcott and consulted Dr. Cogswell respecting the humor in her mouth, which is quite bad. Cool. 9. Studied the Histories of the Puritans and took notes. Visited. 10. Wrote a sermon on John x: 10. I wrote it in eight successive hours. I believe I have never before written a sermon in so short a period. The war in Spain is contested with great obstinacy.' 11. Wrote notes and preached from Ps. cxix : 164. Afternoon preached the sermon written yesterday. We had a contribution recommended by the Governor and Council of the State for the relief of the distressed sufferers of Newburyport,' and collected thirty-six dollars and twenty-two cents. It ' The reason of his weighing less than Strong has asked him to prepare for the usual may have been the extremely hot Evangelical Magazine. weather, long continued, through which he ' There has been no regular battle in had been passing. It is a common fact that Spain since those reported for the month of people weigh more in the winter than in the May ult. summer, and such a heated term as had then 'In the year 181 1, when Newburyport, been experienced would be apt to reduce from its connection with seafaring business, one's weight considerably. was suffering terribly from the effects of the ^ Widow Ruth Wolcott, forty-five years embargo law, an added calamity came in the of age, and a boy, Justus Denslow Wells, shape of a great conflagration, which almost aged ten. destroyed the place, burning over not far ' Of course he had no haying of his own from sixteen acres in the centre of the town, to do, but he was ready to lend a hand to It was for this calamity that the Governor help Mr. Wolcott and his men. and Council in Connecticut had ordered a * He is getting ready to write some arti- collection to be taken in the churches. It cles on the New England Fathers, which Dr. was a natural call for Christi,in charity. ^86 DIARY OK REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSlI. was much more than I expected. .\t evening attended a full conference. The appropriate meditations of this day I refer principally to tomorrow. 12. Spent the day in reference to the anniversary of my birth. At even- ing walked out. Yesterday being the Sabbatii I set apart this day for fasting, meditation, and prayer. I have now lived thirty-four years. Will God, for the sake of the dear Saviour, continue my life, preserve my health, grant me his presence, and show me my duty. 13. Wrote, adjusting my pecuniary accounts. My expenses for a year past have been unusually great. Rode to Hartford. The contributions appear to come in larger than was expected.' At evening walked out. I have now visited, since the first of May, all the families in this society, except- ing two who do not wish me to call on them. The number of families at that time were one hundred and seventy, of whom thirty-seven are certificated. I had visited all but three before the 28th of July. Received a letter from my brother James. Paid for a year's newspaper, $1.75. Very dr)- and dusty. i.[. Walked and visited. Visited our academic school. It has done very well this summer. 15. Rode with Mrs. Wolcott to Stafford.^ There is a very great company here at the medicinal spring. Very warm. Rainy. We had to lodge out in consequence of the house being full. At Tolland ' called on Dr. \\'illianis. 16. The waters of this spring are very disagreeable to my taste.* I hope they will be beneficial to Mrs. Wolcott. Afternoon rode home.' Was out in a pretty hard shower. 17. On the 15th wrote to my brother James. On the 13th received of Mr. Wolcott, $5.00. Read Universal History. Adjusted my pecuniary accounts. For two years past my expenses, including what I have laid out for my librarj-, have exceeded my income.' 18. Preached written sermons from Jer. xliii : 13. This discourse I wrote more than a year ago. I believe it is to be a useful subject. False religions have ever been persecutors. At evening attended a conference, pretty full. Much oppressed with the heat. The thermometer near 90°. 19. Read Universal History. Could do very little on account of the heat. ' The contributions for the sufferers .it though doubtless some people drini; them Ncwburyport. with a real relish. ' Mr. Robbins had been at Stafford ' From Stafford Springs to East Windsor Springs before with his sister Sarah, Mrs. about fifteen miles. BaltcU. It was then a great place of resort. ' If one will go to the rooms of the Con- ^ Tolland is on the way from East Wind- necticut Historical Society at Hartford, .and Bor to Stafford. see the library he g-athcred on the salary of a * Most people drinking the Saratoga wa- country minister, one would think that he tcrs, though they may dislike them at the must always have been thus behindhand. first, soon come to like them, and often, to But he was not, for he had an eye to husi- strongly desire them. From a little cxpcri- ncss, and understood well the proper relations cnce, we should doubt whether the same of the lichl and credit side of his accounts, could be said of the Stafford Spring waters, He left a fair property at his death. iSlI.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 487 Thermometer rose to 94°. It was extremely oppressive- all day. Water- melons are very plenty.' 20. Rode quite early to Hartford. Wrote to Mr. Battell. The heat ver)- severe all day. At noon the thermometer was at 92°, and at two and one half o'clock at 95°. Received a letter from Mr. J. Marsh. Read Universal History. Cannot keep my chamber. 21. I find it very difficult to sustain the heat. It almost made me sick. At ten o'clock the thermometer was at 92° ; at twelve, at 94° ; at one, at 96°. It continued between 94° and 96° till near four o'clock, when some black clouds arising, it suddenly fell about 10°, then continuing stationary till near sundown. This turn of heat I think has been quite as oppressive as the one in the beginning of July, though the thermometer then was a little higher. Read Universal History. Wrote to Mr. J. Marsh, Wethersfield. Eat watermelons. I think the finest I ever saw. 22. The weather moderates. Thermometer 92°. Towards night and in the evening we had a very heavy shower. We have had no hard shower before this year. Finished the eighteenth volume, which completes the ancient part of my Universal History. I have got in the rear in my read- ing according to my first calculation, which was a volume per month. 23. Rainy the most of the day. Yesterday Mr. Wolcott went to Stafford and today returned with Mrs. Wolcott. I hope the waters have been bene- ficial to her. Wrote, copying my last year's diar)'. 24. Studied the History of the Puritans. Rode to Orford to exchange with Mr. Marsh ^ now supplying there. 25. Preached written sermons on 2 Chron. vi : 41, and Heb. .xii : 15. I hope Mr. Marsh will be useful here. Some of the certificate people are pleased with him. 26. Rode to Hartford and home. Read. Mr. Tower,^ from Monpnga- hela, called on me. He appears to be very poor and almost ragged. Gave him some clothes. 27. Watermelons are very plenty and good. Afternoon Mr. Tower went off. Yesterday received a letter from Dr. Perkins* to convoke the Consocia- tion at their ordinary session. Read Mather's Magnalia? 28. Read and wrote on the History of the Puritans. The subject is more interesting than I expected. Afternoon walked and visited. There is abun- dance of fruit. ' Watermelons are a natural product of quainted in Pennsylvania, when on his mis- the more sandy portions of the soil along the sionary journey to Ohio. Connecticut valley, in the vicinity of Windsor ■* Dr. Nathan Perkins, of West Hartford, and Hartford. ' Cotton Mather's Mogilalia, a book first '^ This was Rev. John Marsh, Jr., son of published in London in 1702, with all its Dr. John Marsh, minister of Wethersfield. faults and all its weaknesses, is one of the The son was graduated at Yale in 1804, and most important works which New England was afterwards, as already noted, the distin- ever produced. It is the grand treasure- guished advocate of temperance. house to which every writer on the early ' Mr. Tower, if we mistake not, was one New England period naturally turns. The of the ministers with whom he became ac- volume which Mr. Robbins was studying 488 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSlI. 29. On the 27tli wrote to Rev. Mr. Speer," Greensburgh, Penn. Read Magnalia. Walked out and visited. My people I believe generally choose to have me write my sermons.' 30. Began a sermon on Gal. iii : 24. Wrote steadily. Quite rainy. At evening walked out. 31. Finished my sermon began yesterday. It cost me about si.xteen hours study labor. I cannot conveniently write more than eight hours in a day. Warm. Went into the water. SSPTEMBER. 1. Preached written sermons on Gal. iii: 24. The weather very warm and faint. At the beginning of the afternoon exercise I felt quite faint, and was obliged to send for water. At evening attended the conference. 2. Last night much troubled with nervous affections. Slept ven,- little. Rode to Hartford in a wagon. Walked some in the heat of the day. It was very severe. Attended a little while at a training. The thermometer about 98°.^ Wrote to Mr. Strong,' Somers. 3. Last night I was obliged to get up and take laudanum ; after which I slept comfortably. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. Wrote on my cata- logue of books. The heat very oppressive. The thermometer at 90°. Visited some sick persons. 4. Our ministers' meeung was held here. We had a good meeting. The heat very severe, and nearly equal to yesterday. Am pretty feeble. 5. Rode to Hartford to engage some cheese casks for Mr. Battell.' We had a shower, and heat is much abated. Last night I caught a very bad cold. was this English book of 1702, for no other Pa., was one of the Presbyteri.in ministers edition had then been published. A good, whose acquaintance he made on his mission- clean, whole copy of that book will now ary journey to New Connecticut, bring, at auction, from forty to sixty dollars. • That is apt to be true in an old society Dr. Robbins himself wrote the preface to where there is a good measure of culture, the first American edition .ind superintended and where there are many persons that would its publication. It was published in Hart- be troubled by the little infelicities of speech ford, Ct., by Silas Andrus in 1S20. The fol- and manner, such as are apt to occur in c.x- lowing arc the first sentences in Dr. Rob- temporaneous address. But after all, taking bins's preface : the world at large, the man who speaks "The publisher of this Second Edition of without his manuscript has more power over Dr. Mather's Magnalia has long been sensi- his audiences, than he who is obliged to blc of the great demand for the work both depend upon it. by literary men, and all others who wish to ' Almost every year we have some of our be acquainted with the early history of our warmest days early in September. Although country. The first edition was published in this summer had been remarkable for the London in the year 1702, in a folio volume severity of its hcit, the first days of Septem- of seven hundred and eighty-eight pages. A ber, even in this year, were as hot as any. considerable number of copies were soon * Rev. William L. Strong. brought into New England j yet, as many of ' As has already been hinted, a part of these are lost, and the work is not to be ob- Mr. Joseph liattcU's business, as an enter- tained in England but with difiiculty, it has prising country merchant, was to gather in become very scarce." the cheese made on the farms of Connecticut, ' Kcv. William Spccr, of Greensburg, and send it away to more distant markets. iSlI.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 489 Am much oppressed with it. Wrote minutes of a will which I have long had in contemplation. Read. 6. On the 4th the directors of our Annuity Society held a meeting here, and adopted several regulations. Wrote notes for preaching. Afternoon rode to Wapping and preached from Ex. xx.\iii: 15, on occasion of the e.x- pected removal of a family.' 7. Visited l^vo young men severely sick with a fever. Received a letter from my cousin Sam. P. Robbins, and one from my brother James. Wrote a sermon on Ps. cxlvi : 5. My cold is pretty severe. Have considerable cough. 8. Am very unwell, scarcely able to preach. Preached from John vii : 34, and the sermon wrote yesterday. Dr. McClure" made the first prayer in the forenoon. I spoke very feebly. At evening had a hard headache. Took physic. 9. Expected to have gone to New Haven, but I am so unwell I defer it today. Quite cool. I believe there was no frost this morning, though it was expected.' Wrote. Visited a young man very sick. 10. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $50.00. Set out early and rode to New Haven.'' Am pretty feeble. Had company the most of the way. At evening attended speaking for premiums. 11. The public exercises were rather ordinary.' A pretty good collection of people, but very few persons from a distance, and few characters of dis- tinction. Mr. Rowland,' the Concio preacher, failed. We had a sermon in the evening from Mr. Grant,' of Bedford, N. Y. Paid Beers & Howe, $9.25. 12. In the morning rode to East Haven and returned.^ Attended the meeting and the oration of the P. B. K. Society. Afternoon went with a great number of people to see the ascent of a balloon. We were deceived by the promises of the Frenchman. Set out for home. Tarried at a tavern in North Haven. 13. Rode home. Quite warm. Am much worried. Received a letter from ;Mr. Sherman Everest, and wrote to him in reply. Visited a school. ' Some family being about to remove year at Harvard, were pointed out to the west, probably to New Connecticut (for the writer, many years ago, by Mr. Jonathan drift, at that time, from Connecticut was to- Peale Dabney, a member of the Harvard ward the Western Reserve), it was made an class. In each class forty-nine were gradu- occasion for a religious service, including a ated. At the end of fifty years in one class regular sermon. twenty-four were dead and twenty-five living. ' Dr. David McCluie, it will be remem- In the other twenty-five were dead and bered, is all this time senior pastor, but he twenty-four living. Among the notable men has taken almost no part in the Sunday ser- of the Harvard class were Edward Everett vices proper now for the two years and more and Dr. N. L. Frothingham. At Yale, Roger since Rev. Mr. Robbins has been settled. Sherman Baldwin, United States Senator ^ This sudden change from severe heat and Governor of Connecticut, and Dr. Joseph almost to freezing weather was the probable E. Worcester, Le.xicographer, were of the cause of his illness. class. * A journey of somewhat more than forty ' Rev. Henry A. Rowland, of Windsor, miles. ' Rev. Ebenezer Grant. ' Some interesting coincidences between ° Probably for a little visit to Mr. Moul- this class of iSii, and the class for the same throp, who took his picture. 49° DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8n. 14. Last night was obliged to get up and take laudanum. Wrote on the History of the Puritans. The subject is quite interesting. Finished writing my will.' 15. Preached written sermons from Mark i: 15, and 2 Cor. vi : 2. At evening attended a conference. Baptized a child.' 16. Prayed at the opening of the Freeman's Meeting. Brother Bartlett is absent.* The highest Federal vote for nomination was one hundred and ihircy-four. The Democratic nomination was not called. 17. Rode to Enfield and prayed with a regiment of cavalry.* They a{> peared well. We had a very pleasant day to see the eclipse.' It did not produce so great an obscuration as was expected. Returned. The dust pretty bad. 18. Read Mather's Afagnalia. Wrote on my catalogue of books. I be- lieve I have the best library of any minister in the State.' Walked out and visited. Very warm. The thermometer at 82°. 19. Rode to Hartford. The heat quite oppressive. Thermometer 84°. Paid a cabinet-maker, $10.00. Paid a shoemaker, $5.00. Paid a book- seller, $5.00. Read Magnalia. It is very entertaining. 20. Wrote to my cousin S. P. Robbins, Marietta. Read Magnalia. Vis- ited a school. 21. Read. My brother Frank came here from the eastward. Rode to Ellington to e.xchange with Mr. Brockway.' Quite cool. 22. In the morning Mr. Drockway came home. He found Mr. Barker,* of Middleborough at East Windsor, who supplies my pulpit. Preached written sermons on Rev. iii : 2, and Heb. .xii : 25. At evening rode to East Windsor. Rainy. Tarried at Mr. Haskell's.' 23. Called on Mr. Barker. Visited with my brother. I think he has done pretty well in divinity studies. 24. Rode to West Hartford and attended our annual Consociation. Mr. Porter'" of Washington, preached ver^- well. 25. The Consociation ordained Mr. John Seward to be a missionary to ' Mr. Robbins's careful attention to all Sept., 1811, was between ten and eleven the duties of life is seen in this matter of his digits obscuration. With this rim of the sun will. Most men, of his age, are apt to neg- remaining, and on a clear day, it would not lect this, even though the claim upon them be very dark, may be stronger than it was on him. "> He was probably well entitled to put ' William Henry Hawkins, son of Mr. forth that claim. Adolphus Hawkins. ' Rev. Diodate Brockway. ' This meeting was in the north, or Scan- ' Rev. Joseph Harker, several times men- tic meeting-house, and Rev. Shubacl ISartlett tioncd in the earlier part of the work. He would naturally have opened the meeting had was a native of Branford, Ct., but had he been at home. now been settled in Middleborough, Mass., ' Kcv. Nchcmiah Trudden, pastor at En- since 1781. field, was growing to be an elderly man, and ' Eli H. Haskell, at liast Windsor Hill. perhaps for this reason Mr. Robbins was "' Rev. Ebenezer Porter, D. D., who was sent for for this service. just about to leave his people to take a pro- • The eclipse of the sun on the 17th of fessorship in Andover Theological Seminary. l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 49 1 New Connecticut." He appears very well. We did not do much other busi- ness. Rode home in the rain. Mr. Prudden tarried here. 26. Wrote on my preaching account. At evening Mr. Sargent" and candi- date came here and tarried. 27. I have a little fire in my chamber. Received a letter from Mr. Battel!. Attended to the procuring of cheese for him. Walked out and visited. 28. Began a sermon on i John iii : 3. Rode to Scantic by desire, and attended a funeral and visited a man very sick. Tarried at Brother Bartlett's. 29. I agreed on an exchange today with Mr. McLean,^ of Simsbury. I got Mr. Sargeant to supply him, and as Mr. Bartlett is absent I supplied his people. Rainy. Preached written sermons from Ps. c.xlvi : 5, and John x: 10. Pretty thin meeting. Returned. Visited the sick man again. Spent the evening with Mr. McLean. 30. Worked considerably in packing cheese'' for Mr. Battell. This morn- ing there was some frost. We have had none to stop vegetation before. Wrote to Mr. Battell. At evening walked out. OCTOBHR. 1. Set out early and rode to Westfield.' Ursula Wolcott* went with me. Found many agreeable acquaintances. Attended the exhibition of the academy. It was good, but I think not quite equal to last fall. Tarried with Mr. Knapp.' Several ministers were present. 2. Returned by Springfield. Dined with Mr. Osgood." The crop of corn appears to be great. This morning and yesterday we had hard frost. 3. Began a sermon on i Sam. xv : 29. Quite warm. Rode to Hartford. Visited a New Connecticut acquaintance. At evening rode to Orford and returned. Paid Mrs. Olcott' for books, $10.00. 4. Finished the sermon begun yesterday. Visited a school. Visited a family expecting soon to remove to New Connecticut. 5. The thermometer was at summer heat. Wrote a sermon on Luke xix : 10. There is a pretty large quantity of cider. Paid for pamphlets, $1.25. 6. Rainy and wet. Preached from Matt, xvii : 5, and a written sermon ' Rev. John Seward was graduated at tell, bring it to him, and he packs it for Williams College in 1810, was licensed by tr.ansportation in the cheese barrels which he the Litchfield South Association in 181 1, and went to Hartford, a little while before, to at this meeting of Consociation was ordained buy. This is turning a minister to a practi- for missionary service in New Connecticut. cal business account. He died in 1S73, at the age of eighty-nine. ' His brother, Francis Le Baron, who had He became a Presbyterian minister in 1819, taught this school two or three years, still and so remained till his death. continues there, though he had planned to ^ Rev. Samuel Sargeant, a graduate of leave. Dartmouth, 17S3, before noticed. He it was ' Ursula Wolcott was the second daugh- who went to Simsbury for him on the Sab- ter of Mr. Abiel Wolcott, and was then fif- bath following, leaving him to preach at teen years old. Scantic in Mr. Bartlett's absence. ' Rev. Isaac Knapp. ' Rev. Allen McLean. = Rev. Samuel Osgood, D. D. •* The farmers of East Windsor who fur- ' Widow of Rev. Allen Wolcott, who had nish cheese for his brother-in-law, Mr. Bat- recently died. 492 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8n. on I Sam. xv : 29. At evening attended the conference. On the 4th wrote to Mr. Gilman, Marietta. 7. Last night was quite unwell. Prayed with a family who set out for New Connecticut. Wet. Walked and visited. 8. Wrote the most of the day. Finished a sermon on i John iii : 3. Walked out. Rainy and wet. 9. Wrote on a sermon on Rom. ii : 29. Remarkably warm and faint. The thermometer was at 83°. In the morning visited and prayed with a family who set out for New Connecticut. Received a letter from Salmon Case, at Hartford. 10. Wrote nine pages on the sermon begun yesterday. At evening walked out and visited. It is a time of great gloom and despondency with me. May God give me the help which I need. 11. Walked out and visited a sick man. Received a letter and some books from my brother James. For the books I endorsed on his note, $6.00. Preached a sacramental lecture from Matt, .x.xviii : 20. The thermometer was at 82°. 12. The heat is like hot summer weather. Thermometer rose to 84°. Went into the water. Wrote a sermon on Ez. xx.xvii : 7. Am quite over- done with intense study. 13. Last night slept very little. Was up considerably and took laudanum. Preached written sermons on i John iii : 3 and Ez. xx.xvii : 7. The meetings were full attentive and solemn. Administered the sacrament. Afternoon felt very feeble, and was but just able to go through the exercise. At night took laudanum, but slept poorly. 14. Wrote to Mr. Rattell. Rode to Hartford. Paid for a quarter's cross- ing at the bridge, .88.' The weather is more cool. The first number of my Historical Vieiv of the Puritans is in the Afagiizinc' At e^•ening walked out. 15. Read Winthrop's yourna/^ and Nenle's History o/t/ie Puritans* Quite rainy. 16. Wrote all day on the History of the Puritans. Warm and wet. 17. Wrote on the History of the Puritans for the Magazine. I find this to be a great task. Walked out. 18. Wrote to Mr. Salmon Case' in Hartford. This morning a hard frost. Walked and visited. Wrote. 19. I have done little else this week than write one number of my Historical ' They keep rising on the bridge fare for years, was first published in 1790. That was season tickets. The quarter before it was the edition which Mr. Robbins was using, scvcnly-five cents. Now it is eighty-seven and Much better editions were published iji 1826 one half cents, but the bridge is sure to get and 1853, with notes by Mr. James Savage. the half cent, and so it is eighty-eight cents. ♦ Daniel Neal, an eminent dissenting min- ' These articles commence in the Connec- ister, 167S-1743, wrote his History cf the ticut F.iiiiigelical Afagatint for the month of J'liritans in four volumes, which has been a October, iSii, p. 361, and they go on regu- standard work now for more than a century larly month after month. and a half. ' Winthrcjp's Jouriuil, which had lain in ' Mr. Salmon Case was the publisher of manuscript more than one hundred and fifty the Evaiigclual Ma^zine. l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 493 Vie7ci of the Puritans. It requires much more labor than I expected. Re- ceived of Mr. Wolcott, $34.95, wliich finishes the payment of a note he gave me last December. Rode to Hartford. Paid Cooke, $10.00. Paid Capt. Beckwith for my horse, $6.00. Quite warm. 20. Rainy. Quite thin meeting. Preached from Jer. 1 : 34, and a written sermon on Luke xix : 10. Baptized a child.' 21. Rode to Wapping and visited a sick woman and several families. Read. Quite cold. Read an account of the Resources of the British Empire.^ 22. Set out for Norfolk. Rode to Simsburv'. Got considerably wet with rain. 23. Rode to Norfolk. My brother N.'s wife very sick. My father is pretty well. 24. Quite cold. Afternoon preached a sacramental lecture for my father, with a written sermon on Rev. iii : 2. The people here are making some efforts to build a new meeting-house. They are in want of one, and I hope they will succeed. 25. The rain freezes as it falls. Procured an old set of Hopkins's System of Divinity.^ My mother is quite unwell with the rheumatism. 26. In the morning the ground was quite covered with snow. Rode out and saw my sister Grant.* My brother's' wife is a little better. 27. Preached for my father with written sermons on 1 John iii: 3, and Heb. xii : 25. My father administered the sacrament. The meeting was very full and attentive. The people here are talking about building a new meeting- house. It is very desirable that they may accomplish the object. Had company. 28. I desire to rejoice in humble gratitude that I see this day, which has been the subject of anxious solicitude and prayer for years. In the afternoon my father preached his half century sermon.' A number of ministers and gen- tlemen people from neighboring towns attended. The day was fine, the meeting was very full and interesting. My father performed without difficulty. We had ' Eliza Ann Loomis, daughter o£ Mr. see the ground of his remark. He bought Simeon Loomis. the old edition and not the new. ^ This volume of five hundred and twenty- ' Elizabeth Robbins. seven pages was written by Rev. John Bris- ' His brother Nathaniel's wife, who had ted, an Episcopal clergyman, father of the been quite ill. late Charles Astor Bristed, of New York, ^ Every word that Mr. Robbins speaks, graduate of Yale College in 1839, and of every sentence he writes about his father, in- Cambridge University, Eng., in 1845. Rev. dicate very strong filial reverence and love. John Bristed married a daughter of John This was therefore to him a day of days. Jacob Astor, and was for many years an Fifty years had passed since his father, in Episcopal clergyman in Rhode Island, and a the freshness and ardor of his youth, with man of considerable learning. his young wife, came over the hills to Nor- ^ The first edition of Hopkbis's System of folk, then a new town, and he the first min- Diviiiity appeared in 1792. The writer has ister. In those fifty years he had seen won- a copy of the second edition which appeared derful changes, wrought largely through his in iSn. As this was the very year when own steady and faithful labors. Thed.aywas Mr. Robbins made the entry in his diary, we therefore in every way a notable one. 494 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [181I. considerable company. My brother James was not here ; all the others of the family were present. 29. Did a number of errands. Set out for home. Rode to Winchester and tarried. Warm and pleasant. 30. Rode home. I feel a little anxious about my sister Battell. Mr. Bat- tell's business is very extensive. I feel glad to get home. 31. Ver)' rainy all day. Rode to Mr. Bartlett's and attended their' min- isters' meeting. Returned. At night the storm very violent. A verj- luminous comet has appeared in the west, in the evening, through this month. NOVBMBBR. 1. Wrote. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of an aged man. Preached on the occasion from Matt, v : 4. Visited a family afflicted with the loss of a son, who died last night.^ Read IVac Eiif^Iatul Afenwria/? 2. Read. Attended the funeral of the youth lately deceased. The river rises very much with the late rain. 3. Finished a sermon mostly written some time since on Rom. xi : 29. Preached the same. Meeting full and attentive. Had no conference on account of a singing meeting. Read. Quite cool. 4. Walked out and visited. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Mr. Sargent tarried with me. After going to bed he had quite an ill turn. 5. Mr. Sargent is exceedingly afflicted with the hypochondria. Worked some. Walked and visited. 6. Went to Hartford and attended our ministers' meeting at Mr. Flint's. Read an essay on the two books of Samuel. Our members were all present. Except about a mile, both in going and returning, 1 walked the whole way. I expected to have been carried, but missed by mistake. Very rainy. Got considerably wet. 7. Wrote. Began a sermon on Ps. li : 18. Had company. Walked out. Read the Life of Lorenzo de Medici* 8. Worked some. Finished the sermon begun yesterday. Began a sermon on Prov. xiii : 15. Rainy. We have a great portion of rain this fall. Walked out and visited Mrs. Brainerd,' of Haddam. ' The word their, in this connection, shows tion was published. The real value of the what wc have before hinted — that Mr. Rob- work is now mainly superseded by the pub- bins quite regularly attended two sets of lication of Bradford's history in full. these meetings, one of which was his own * The Life of Lorenzo Je Medici, in two , proper, and the other belonged to the pastors volumes, by William Roscoc, was first pub- in the parishes just north and northeast of lishcd in 1795, and has had a very extended him. circulation. It holds a high rank aniong • Owen Drake, aged fifteen. biographical writings. •This was the work of Nathaniel Mor- ' Daniel liraincrd from Hartford was one ton, Secretary of I'lymouth colony, 1647- of the early colony settling the town of I lad- 1685. It was compiled mainly from the dam, and the name liraincrd has been very manuscript history left by Gov. William common there. As an illustration of this fact, Bradford. The first edition was published the old church in Haddam, organized in at Cambridge in 1669. In 1721 another edi- 1700, reported as far back as i860, ten men l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 495 9. Wrote on the sermon begun yesterday. I met with many interrup- tions. The Magazine of this month a very good one. 10. Preached in the forenoon from John vi : 37. Afternoon a written sermon on Ps. li : 18. Meeting very full. At evening walked. Baptized a child.' The President's Message is about as trifling and unworthy of the subject as those which he has delivered before. He appears to have no quali- fication for the place. 11. Wrote to my brother and sister Battell. Walked out and visited. People generally have done their fall work. 12. Wrote to my brother Samuel. Rode with Dr. Tudor'' to Warehouse Point. Visited Gen. Jenks' and Mr. Huse.* Returned. Quite cold. 13. Read various books and began my third number of the Historical View of the First Planters of New England. Wrote about six hours in the evening. 14. Worked some. Wrote on my Historical Vie^u. Received of Maj. Wol- cott, $3.00. Paid Dr. McClure for Hopkins's System of Divinity? 15. Wrote all day. At evening assisted the school visitors in making arrangements for books to be used in the schools. 16. Wrote steadily. Finished a sermon on Prov. xiii : 15. Am fatigued with the close application of four days. 17. Preached the sermon finished yesterday. Last night a hard rain. At evening wrote considerably copying my writing for the Magazine. The singers have singing meetings Sabbath evenings. 18. Rode to Hartford. Finished and carried down the third number of my Historical View of the Puritans. Read newspapers. The correspondence of our government with the British minister' seems to manifest a determina- tion in the former to come to no accommodation.' At evening visited. Bought some old books. 19. Worked considerably. Dined out. Wrote an account of the Min- isters' Annuity Society for publication in the newspaper. At evening worked late with Mr. Wolcott in looking over and arranging his papers. 20. It snowed the most of the day. Rode out and visited a man appar- ently in a dying state. The storm very tedious. Began the reading of my Universal Modern History^ For some time past I have neglected it, having read but six volumes in about a year. I hope to read more. of the name Brainerd raised up for the ' He seems not to have been satisfied Christian ministry. The Mrs. Brainerd men- with the old set he bought when at Norfolk, tioned in the diary was apparently visiting ' The British Minister at that time was in East Windsor. Envoy Extraordinary, in the person of Sir ' Olive Elmer Loomis, daughter of Mr. Augustus J. Foster. Chauncey Loomis. ' If Dr. Robbins were alive today, he ^ Dr. Elihu Tudor, who was then seventy- would probably confess that he did not judge eight years old. Jefferson and Madison as charitably as he ' Gen. Charles Jenks, a native of Rhode ought. Island, who carried on a large gin-distillery ' The modern part, it will be remem- at the Point. bered, consisted of forty-two volumes, the * Rev. Nathaniel Huse, the Episcopal rain- ancient, which he had finished, of eighteen ister at the Point. volumes. 496 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [181I. 21. Read Universal History all day. The history of Mahometanism is quite interesting. 22. Walked and visited all day. A man in middle life ' died suddenly last evening. Received a good letter from my brother James. It seems he has a prospect of a matrimonial connection. 23. Wrote notes for preaching. Afternoon attended the funeral of the man who lately died. 24. Preached from Mai. xx : 30. I think my written sermons are more useful to my people than those which are unwritten. But when I preach unwritten sermons I feel more dependent, more solemn, and less pride.' At evening attended awhile at a singing meeting. 25. Very cold. Carried Mr. Wolcott's son ^ to Hartford to attend school. I think my numbers in the Magazine* will be more popular than I expected. Paid for an umbrella, S5.00. Traded, etc. Si. 74. Walked out and visited. 26. Began a sermon on Rom. i: 21 for Thanksgiving. Afternoon rode to Wapping and married a couple.' Verj- cold. In the morning the ther- mometer was 10°. At evening met with the school visitors and appointed the particular books to be used in the schools. Saw in the newspaper the account of the death of my brother Nat's wife. It is very surprising to me. I hope God will make it the occasion of good to him. 27. Finished my sermon begun yesterday. I think that it is much poorer than those I have written on the like occasions in past years. Received a letter from Mr. Battell giving an account of the death of my brother's wife, and of the addition of a daughter to his family.' At evening visited a man in a religious melancholy. Received a letter from my father. 28. Thanksgiving. In consideration of the productions of the earth, tiie people of this State, probably, had never greater cause for thankfulness. Preached a written sermon on Rom. i: 21. Remarkably pleasant and mild. At evening walked out. 29. Wrote. Rode to Hartford. Quite warm and wet. I feel anxious about the ecclesiastical concerns of Wapping. 30. Last night and today a very hard rain. Read Bristed's Vieio of the Resources of the British Empire. Began to write a New Year's address for the Magazine^ ' Mr. Silas Terry, aged thirty-six. College, and as his widow died ^fay 5, » That is a distinction which is certainly 1877. worthy of consideration. ' Dr. Nathan .Strong, of Hartford, who ' Samuel Tudor Wolcott, about twelve had the general supervision and control o£ years old. the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, had ♦On the early New England Fathers, of found that Dr. Robbins held the pen of a which three had now been published. ready writer, and he was accordingly making ' Mr. Whiting Risley, of East Hartford, great use of him in furnishing the articles and Nancy Goodale, of Wapping. for its monthly issues. In the month of 'That i.s an .iddition to Mr. Battell's October, iSn, appeared his first article on family. The child was Irene Raltell, born the c.irly New England K.ithers, and every Nov. 4, i8li, who married June I, 18^3, number for nineteen months (i.e., until May, Prof. William Augustus Lamed, of Yale 1813) is to have an article from his pen on I l8ll.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 497 December. 1. Rode early to East Hartford to exchange with Mr. Yates. Mr. Sher- man,' of New Haven, by an exchange with him, preaches for me. Preached written sermons on i Sam. xv : 29, and Rev. iii : 2. This congregation is large. At evening rode to Hartford and home. The water rises very rapidly by the late rain. 2. Read Bristed's View of the Resources of the British Empire. Manured my asparagus bed. Began to read Clarke's Commentary." I am very highly pleased with the work. Walked out and visited. 3. Read. Wrote papers for school-masters. Paid for footing a pair of boots, $2.66. Old Mrs. Tudor very unwell. 4. Set out very early and rode to Norfolk. Ursula Wolcott accompanied me. Very pleasant weather, the roads good for the season. My sister Bat- tell quite feeble. My brother Nathaniel has been much aflSicted with his loss, but appears now very properly. 5. Walked with my brother to the burying-ground. Afternoon a very hard rain. My father and I were invited to Mr. Mills' to supper. My brother Frank at home and pretty studious. The people here are engaged with a spirit and a unanimity beyond expectation to build a meeting-house. They have subscribed above $4,000. I trust they will succeed. 6. Traded some. After dinner set out with Ursula and rode to New Hartford. The roads pretty muddy. Tarried at Cowles.* I expected to have left Sula at Norfolk, but did not on account of Sally's^ ill health. Received of my brother N., $16.50. 7. Rode home. Left Ursula at Windsor.' Old Mrs. Tudor' has been very low, but appears now a little better. Am much fatigued by my journey. 8. Last night there fell some snow. Very bad walking. Thin meeting. Preached an old written sermon on Rom. iii : 19. At evening performed a marriage.' the same subject, twenty articles in all, after- in iSio, but the publication was not corn- ward gathered into a volume. The New pleted till 1S26. It was probably only the Year's Address, in the number for January, first volume that Mr. Robbins had. Dr. Clark 1812, from his pen, was of several pages, and died in 1832 of the cholera, when it so pre- he furnished three or four articles besides vailed in London. That was the year of its during the year iSii. first alarming prevalence in this country. ' There was no settled minister, at that ^ jg jyjr. Michael Mills probably, he be- time, inNew Haven, of the name of Sherman. ing one of Rev. A. R. Robbins's important Without much doubt the person here named parishoners, then a man about eighty years was Rev. David Austin Sherman, who was old. graduated at Yale College in 1S02, and from * Public house. 1804 to 1810 had been tutor in the college. ' His sister Sarah, Mrs. B.ittell. He studied theology, was licensed to preach, <■ There were families of her kindred on and was afterwards president of the college the west or Windsor side of the river, of Eastern Tennessee. He died in 1S43. ' Mrs. Samuel Tudor, mother of Mrs. '^ Dr. Adam Clarke, 1 760-1832. His Gw- Wolcott. mentary on t'le Bible, which had cost him ° The parties united in marriage were Mr. many years of labor, began to be published Poratha Parsons and Mary Drake. 498 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSlI. 9. Wrote, copying my father's Half Century Sermon for the press. Read Bristed's View. Walked out and visited. 10. Wrote on my father's sermon. I find it a laborious task. At evening performed a marriage.' Settled accounts with Mr. Wolcott. He charges for my living two dollars a week, and for my horse half a dollar a week in summer, and three quarters of a dollar in winter.' I think the charge quite moderate. 11. Wrote all day. Finished my father's sermon. It is a better one than I thought before I copied it. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in drawing off some of his old accqunts. 12. Worked some. Rode out and visited. We are fearful of some diffi- culty in our society matters with Wapping. Weather remarkably mild and pleasant for. the season. 13. Wrote on a New Year's address for the Magazine. At evening walked out and visited. I have so much writing to do that I can read but little. 14. Yesterday wrote to my brother James. Quite cold. Wrote on my New Year's address.' Wrote notes for preaching. 15. The cold very severe. The thennometer at sunrise was at 10°. Preached from 2 Tim. ii : 19. Put on my flannel. At evening walked out. 16. Mr. Sargent called on me. He is grievously afflicted with the hypo- chondria. Rode to Hartford. Ver)' good riding. The weather much mod- erated. Carried to Hartford the manuscript of my father's Half Century Sermon for the printer, 17. Wrote on my New Year's address. Worked some at my chamber. Walked out. Had company. 18. Finished my New Year's address, and carried it to Hartford. Spent some time with Sereno Pettibone* in examining the State records to get some historic documents respecting Norfolk. Afternoon and at night very rainy. Got considerably wet. Mr. Hill, a candidate, came and tarried with me. Received a letter from Rev. Mr. Perkins.' 19. Wrote an appendi.x for my father's sermon containing an account of the first settlement of Norfolk. Wrote to my father. It snowed the most of the day. Read Universal History. 20. Rode to Hartford. Very cold. Sold my horse to Gleason, the book- seller,' for S60.00. I allow him for printing three hundred and fifty copies of my father's sermon, $26.50; for the remainder, he gives me credit on his book. Had company. • This time Martin Strong, of Waterford, * Sereno Pettibone was a native of Nor- wa.s married to Sarah Drake. folk, and a graduate of Williams College in ' The only difference between this and 1800. He practiced law both in Norfolk the price for the preceding year is sixpence and in Simsbury. a week, more than before during the winter ' Dr. Nathan Perkins, of West Hartford, months. ' He was also a book-publisher, ,ind car- ' It cannot be doubted that Mr. Robbins's ried on a large business in miscellaneous pen was a busy one. printing. iSlI.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 499 21. In the morning the thermometer was at about 10°. Wrote a sermon on Hos. xiii : 9. 22. Preached from Matt, xvi : 18, and the sermon written yesterday. Meeting pretty full and quite attentive. At evening walked out. 23. Pretty good sleighing. Yesterday there were a good many sleighs at meeting. Rode to Windsor and brought home Sula.' Pretty bad crossing. Visited. At night quite rainy. 24. A very tedious and severe snow-storm. In the morning the ther- mometer was at about 12°, at noon 4°, and at sundown 2° above zero.^ Wrote. Expected to have visited schools today, but was prevented by the storm. 25. On the 19th received of Mr. Wolcott, $100.00. On the 20th engaged Mr. Dwight,^ of Hartford, to subscribe for me for ten shares in the New Eagle Bank at New Haven, and delivered him $10.00 for the first payment. Same day paid a cabinet-maker, $13.00, and to Cooke, $5.00. Worked considerably shoveling snow. Yesterday and today wrote No. IV of my Historical View for the Magazine. 26. 1 never saw such drifts of snow in this place as now. It is difficult traveling in the street. The quantity of snow is probably of about one foot in depth. Yesterday morning the thermometer was at 3° above zero. Today it was about 12°. The society had their annual meeting. They are not dis- posed to comply with the proposal of Wapping to join with us and have meetings there a proportional part of the time. Wrote to Dr. Strong. Read Universal History. Walked out and visited. The weather moderates considerably. 27. Thermometer this morning at 10°. Rode out in a sleigh. The sleigh- ing pretty indifferent. People say universally that the late storm was the most tedious and severe of any one they have ever known.* One certificate, of a considerable list, was given in previous to the society meeting. Read Universal History. The Mahommedan empire, in its early state, was very corrupt. -Assisted Mr. Wolcott in arranging his papers. 28. Read Universal History. Wrote some additions to an old sermon. Very cold and windy. 29. In the morning the thermometer was at 9". Very cold through the day. Meetings quite short. Preached an old written sermon on Ps. xxv: 11. Read the Bible. At evening walked out. My father's sermon appears very well. 30. Visited with the other inspectors the two lower schools in the street. We have now a good set of inspectors. Walked out and visited. Very pleasant winter weather. ' For short, Ursula Wolcott was called and brilliant literary man who made his Sula. home in Hartford. He was born in North- ' It is not common for a great snow-storm ampton, Mass., and was brother of President to come mider such conditions of the ther- Timothy Dwight, of Yale College, mometer, though it happens sometimes, and ■• From the conditions given in respect to the storm is likely to be a hard one. cold and quantity of snow, it greatly resem- ' This was Theodore Dwight, the lawyer bled a storm that came in January, 1S56. 500 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8n. 31. Visited the two upper schools. These four schools are very equal in their attainments, and are now under four very good teachers. The average number of scholars is about forty-five. Wrote to Mr. Isaiah Thomas,' of Wor- cester. Visited. The snow thaws. The comet which I first saw on the evening of September 9th lately, I think, has disappeared. ' lie was the man who furnished him his almanacs. 181S. January. 1. Endeavored to call to mind some of the great mercies of Heaven which I have experienced the year past, and to devote myself anew to the service of God. The Lord keep me from every evil. Quite rainy all day. Expected to have gone to our ministers' meeting, at Glastonbury, but am prevented by the storm. Completed my last diary and my preaching account for the last year. Read. At evening walked out and visited. 2. Completed my diary of 1810. As I had to copy all that, not having procured my almanack till near the end of the year, it has been unfinished till this time." Filed my letters for the year past. Read considerably in my history. It snowed and is quite blustering. 3. It is quite tedious, though not very cold. Afternoon preached a sac- ramental lecture from Gal. V : 22. Read Universal History. 4. Wrote a sermon on Isa. Ixiii : 9, 10. For four days I have been very close in my study. 5. Preached with short notes on Gen. v: 24, and the sermon written yesterday. Administered the sacrament. The meeting very full and attentive. There have been ten deaths the year past, the most of them grown people. At evening attended a full conference. Very tired. Expecting to preach in future more frequently with written sermons than with notes," the latter method I shall designate, but not the former, which will be the reverse of what I have done in time past. 6. Last night and the night before I was unable to sleep, and obliged to get up and sit up for a considerable time.' Walked and visited all day. 7. Rode to Wapping and visited two schools. The people know not what to do about ecclesiastical matters.* There is some sleighing, but it is poor. 8. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $34.05. Rode to Hartford. Paid a mer- chant tailor, %i.oo. Paid a shoemaker, $6.17. Paid my annual contribution to the Bible Society, $3.00. Visited. The theatre at Richmond, Va., has lately been burnt, and many lives are lost.' ' We know by experience how much labor for the last five or six weeks Mr. Robbins is involved in copying a year of this diary, had done an extraordinary amount of writing, and amid all his other engagements and and this labor and confinement were showing occupations, this was no slight task. their effects. ^ From hints occasionally given, it is evi- * The Wapping district was so far away dent that his people judged his written ser- from the meeting-house — about four miles mons to be superior to his extemporaneous — that the people there very naturally felt ones, and he was disposed to accommodate the burden of attending church from such a himself to their wishes. distance. 3 The course of the diary has shown that ' The theater at Richmond, Va., was burned SOI 502 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. 9. Prepared this diary. May God enable me to finish it in his favor and to record in it his special mercies. Quite cold. The roads are getting icy. Received a letter from my brother James, and one from Mr. Stephen Dodge," New York. Walked out and visited. 10. Last night tarried out. Severe cold. Walked and visited all day. I have found two persons this week apparently under deep impressions of conviction of sin. Thanks to God. 11. Wrote to my parents, and to my brother James. Thermometer this morning at 10°. Yesterday it was colder. Wrote notes for preaching. 12. Last night at bed-time the thermometer was at 7° ; this morning at 10°. Preached with short notes from Luke iv : 25, 26. People appeared quite cold' at meeting, though the exercises were quite short. Baptized a child.' On the 5th received a letter from Joel King, of this place. 13. Sent to Mrs. Olcott,* of Orford, for books, $10.00. Read Universal History. Finished the second volume of the modern part. Walked out and visited. 14. Studied on the History of the Puritans, and began another number for the Magazine. Walked out and visited. Have visited lately considerably the certificate people. 15. Last night much warmer than it has been. Thermometer this morning nearly to 40°. Wrote all day. At evening walked out. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in the arrangement of the papers. 16. Yesterday it grew ver)' cold towards night. This morning was the coldest we have had this winter. At nine o'clock, which was the coldest, though the sky was perfectly clear, the thermometer was a little above 3° ; at noon and at sundown, at 8° ; and at midnight, at 5°. Wrote. Worked at Mr. Wolcott's papers. on the night of December 26, 181 1. The million of dollars, on the part of French Rk/imond Standard of the ne.\t day had an receivers of his goods, in 181 1, he failed, extended article upon the sad calamity, of Stephen Dodge for some years had charge of which the following are the opening sen- a branch store in Litchfield, Ct., and there, tences : very likely, Mr. Robbins made his acquaint- " Last night the play-house in this city was ance. Mr. Stephen Dodge seems to have crowded with an unusual audience. There been in the dry-goods business in Newport could not have been less than six hundred afterwards on his own account. Both David people in the house. Just before the conclu- L. and .Stephen Dodge were earnestly relig- sion of the play, the scenery caught fire, and ious men. in a few moments the whole building was wrapt ' They had a right to appear cold, as any in flames. It has already been ascertained one can testify whose memory reaches back that sixty-one persons were devoured by that to the time when people gathered in the most terrific element." depths of winter in meeting-houses utterly ' Mr. Stephen Dodge was an assistant in unwarmcd. business for some years with Mr. David L. ' Mary, daughter of bishop Johnson. Dodge, the father of the late William E. Bishop is a given name here, and not .in Dodge, who w.as a man of most extensive ecclesiastical title. This Bishop Johnson business arrangements in Hartford, Ct., Litch- w.is admitted to the church in iSog, the first field, Ct., and New York City, until, by the year of Mr. Robbins's ministry, repudiation of debts amounting to nearly a * Widow of Rev. Allen Olcott. l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 503 17. Finished the first draft of my fifth number of my Historical Vicui of the Planters of New England. Thermometer this morning at 4°. On the 14th wrote to Mr. Rowland, Windsor. Visited the school at the Mill. Tolerable sleighing. Thermometer at noon, 12°; at bed-time, 7°. 18. Thermometer at sunrise, 2^ ° below zero. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in arranging his papers. Thermometer at noon, 2°. In clear sunshine there is no appearance of thawing. In the evening the thermometer 4° below zero. Towards evening walked to Windsor to exchange with Mr. Rowland. The river very strong. Saw several sleighs traveling upon the river. Tarried at Mrs. McLean's. 19. Ver)' stormy, with extreme cold. On account of the weather I thought best to return home. Walked home. We had no meeting. I went out, but saw no other person. Thermometer in the morning a little above zero. Half after ten, when I came home, 1° below zero. At noon and at 10 p.m., 2° above zero. It was not over 3^° in the day. Read the Bible. Read Universal History. It snowed moderately all day. The coldest storm, I am persuaded, I ever saw.' 20. Thermometer in the morning and at bed-time, about 6°. It rose to about 14°. It continued to snow the most of the day. Attended the funeral of a man in the border of East Hartford. Assisted Mr. Wolcott arranjrins: his papers. 21. It is clear, but the cold continues most intense. Thermometer in the morning, 4°. It did not rise above 9°. Read Universal History. In the evening it was at 2°. I believe I was misinformed about the thermometer Sabbath morning. From what I hear from others, I conclude my thermom- eter must have been about 7^ below zero. 22. Read in Universal History two hundred and forty pages. Finished the third volume which I began Saturday evening. At sunrise the thermom- eter was 6° below zero. At noon 4° above zero. At sundown, zero. It did not exceed 6° or 7° in the day. Between eight and nine o'clock, p. m., it was 10° below zero. I presume I never saw so cold a time. It then rose, and at midnight was 2° above zero. The day was clear, and the evening verj' clear and still. I suppose my thermometer is 3° or 4° higher than the true standard. 23. In the morning the thermometer was at 12°. The weather is much moderated. Rode to Hartford. Very good sleighing. Good crossing on the ice. Read the Magazine. My New Year's piece appears better than I expected." ' The general import of the entries for had no public service. This Sunday was an January i8th and igth is as follows: He e.xtraordinary day, because of a fact before went over on' foot to Windsor, two miles or noticed, that a snow-storm was prevailing more, on Saturday night, and Rev. Mr. Row- with the thermometer in the region of zero, land was expecting to go to East Windsor ' This New Year's article, as stated be- Sunday morning. But owing to the extreme fore, covers some pages, and is followed im- cold, the exchange was given up, and Mr. mediately by the fourth article of his series Robbins walked home in the morning, but on the Early Planters of New England. 504 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. 24. Copied my fifth number of my Historical View} I cannot write more than two quarto pages in an hour. Visited. Sat up late and wrote. 25. It thaws considerably. Rode to Hartford. Carried down a quantity of newspapers to be bound. Read Clarke's Commentary. It is a work of great learning and value. 26. In the morning rode to Windsor to exchange with Mr. Rowland, ^'^ery good crossing. Mr. Rowland went to East Windsor. It thawed fast all day. The roads very wet. Preached from Luke xix : 10, Ps. li : 18. Meeting quite full. The people here have a very large and promising singing-school. At evening returned. Received a letter from my father, and one from Mr. Battell. 27. Rode to Hartford. The sleighing pretty poor. Wrote to my brother N. Read Universal History. Had company. 28. Read Universal History. At evening walked and visited. Congress appear to be in great confusion." 29. Rode early to Glastonbury to attend our ministers' meeting. We had a good meeting. Preached on Hos. xiii : 9. Exhibited for criticism the notes of a sermon. At evening rainy. 30. Rode home. Rainy and wet. Read Utiivcrsal History. The sleigh- ing quite poor. 31. Wrote to Mr. Stephen Dodge, New York. Read Universal History. I read one volume last week, and I have another this week. I never knew much before about Asiatic history. At evening put my thermometer into well water and it rose to 46°. In the water of the same well in the heat of last summer it was at 49°.^ February. 1. Wrote a sermon on John i: 10. I cannot write much more than a page in an hour. 2. Wrote short notes and preached in the forenoon on Isa. 1 : 10. After- noon, on John i: 10. At evening had a conference. Forenoon very cold. 3. Walked and visited all day. It thaws very much and is very bad going. 4. Last night a short and very violent rain. Was up on account of nen'ous affections. Cold and tedious. Rode to Granby and attended our Association. Very bad riding. Had difficulty in crossing the river. More members of the Association (eleven) are present than I expected. 5. The Associational session was very agreeable. Rode to Windsor. Could not cross the river on account of the rise of the water. Tarried at Mrs. Ellsworth's.* • This for the February number of the first thought seem strange, but the earth, as Magazine. far down as the bottom of an ordinary well, ° The questions then before the country cannot be very different in temperature in the were very perplexing. winter and summer. • The result of this experiment might at ' Mrs. (Jlivcr Ellsworth. l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 5OS 6. Very cold and tedious. Rode home by Hartford Bridge.' Thermom- eter this morning at 6^. Read Dr. Dwight's statistical of New Haven.^ It manifests considerable pride and pedantry. 7. Wrote on Mr. Wolcott's accounts. It thaws again. Paid a tailoress, $1.50. 8. Read Universal History. Read Clarke's Commentary. He is learned and judicious, but not a ver)' good divine. Last night and in the fore- noon rainy, some of the time very violent. Received a letter from my father. 9. Preached an old sermon on Eph. iv : 24. Thin meeting. Recom- mended, by desire, an attention to the inoculation for the kine-pox. Read the Bible. At evening wrote a letter to Joel King,^ a member of this church. 10. Wrote to my father. Rode to Hartford. I have never seen the river so high as now, yet the ice remains. There is much solicitude for the bridge. The water rose with astonishing rapidity. It ceased rising about sun-down.* Prayed at a funeral at Hartford. At evening walked out. 11. Read Winthrop's jfournal,^ and other early histories respecting this State. It snowed the most of the day. At evening walked out. 12. Read the old histories, and began another number' for the Magazine. Quite cold and tedious. The thermometer was near 10° the most of the da)'. At evening rode out. Pretty good sleighing. 13. Wrote all day. Finished my sixth number of my Historical View. Thermometer this morning was at 2°. 14. Wrote to my brother James. Walked and visited. Rainy. 15. Finished copying my piece for the Magazine!' Read the Bible. My Magazine numbers require the study of about a week each.' 16. Preached an old sermon on Isa. xxviii : 18. Quite cold. Yesterday it was quite warm, and the last snow mostly went off. At evening attended a conference. Much fatigued. ' This was a circuit journey of about thii- ground of mountains, and in times of rapidly teen miles, while the direct journey would melting snows on these mountains, the water have been from two to three miles. rises, even in the broad-spreading valleys - The title, as given in a list of Dr. about Windsor and Hartford, as rapidly as a Dwight's published works, is "A Statistical foot an hour. Account of the City of New Haven." From ' yoiirnal of the Elder Governor yohn Mr. Robbins's added remark he evidently Whithrop. This yournal covers the period thought it a little over boastful. But it is to in the history of the Massachusetts Colony be remembered that Mr. Robbins's home now from March 29, 1630, to January 1 1, 1649. was very near Hartford, and Hartford and •■ This was the article for the March num- New Haven have always been able to see ber of the Magazine. each other's weaknesses and short-comings. ' His practice, which is that of many ' Mr. Joel King was received as a mem- writers, was to make a first draft, and then ber of the church during the first year of Mr. copy with corrections, additions, and im- Robbins's ministry at East Windsor, but what provements. was the nature of the correspondence between ' As an article had to be furnished for them we do not know. every month, it added no small amount of * The Connecticut River has a great back- care and labor to his ordinary duties. 5o6 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ][l8l2- 17. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Last night we had considerable snow. Walked and visited. iS. Last night tarried out. Walked and visited all day. The season is singularly variable. Many people have colds, etc. 19. Wrote on Mr. Wolcott's accounts. Wrote a letter to Capt. Loomis," of New Connecticut, informing him of the death of his daughter, Mrs. Gaylord, of Torringford. At evening walked and visited. 20. Wrote on Mr. Wolcott's accounts. Afternoon rode to Wapping and performed a marriage." Pretty poor sleighing. Very cold. 21. This morning the thermometer was at 9°. Read Universal History. At evening visited. 22. Wrote a sermon on Jer. .\xiii : t,-^. Wrote it in less than eight succes- sive hours. Read Clarke's Commentary. 23. It snowed all day. Preached with short notes from 2 Peter i : 5, 6, 7. We have had singularly unpleasant Sabbaths through the winter. Read the Bible. 24. Walked and visited all day. Quite cold. The sleighing very good. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in making a rate-bill. 25. This morning the thermometer was about zero.' At nine o'clock, when the sun shone perfectly clear, it was at 4°. Read Universal History. The account of Hindostan is very valuable. I think I feel the efTects of long and pretty close study for a good many weeks. The list belonging to our society is greater than it was last year.'' 26. Read Universal History. Cold and very blustering. At evening Mr. Skinner,' of Berlin, came here and tarried. Sat up late and saw the total eclipse of the moon.* 27. Thermometer this morning 2° below zero. The ruling party in Con- gress have involved themselves in wretched embarrassments. Read Universal History. This morning Erastus Wolcott, of defective intellect, was found in the field frozen and dead. Visited the afflicted family. 28. Read in my history, two hundred and twenty-five pages. Finished the sixth volume. Visited a child very sick. The sleighing is very much used. The eastern and southern nations of Asia, I apprehend, have changed very little in two thousand years. 29. Worked on Mr. Wolcott's tax-bill. Attended the funeral of Erastus ' There were many persons of the name ' Rev. Newton Skinner, of that part of Loomis in Windsor and East Windsor, and IJerlin which is now the flourishing city of quite a number of this name from Windsor New Britain. He h-is been before men- were among the early settlers of Torrington. tioned. He is afterwards to marry Miss ' The persons united were Nathaniel But- Ursula Wolcott, daughter of Mr. Samuel ler and Orral Skinner. Wolcott, of ICast Windsor. ^ Mr. Kobbins's record shows a very hot ' In Isaiah Thomas, Jr.'s Almanac fur summer in 1811, and a very cold winter 1811 1812, this eclipse is thus described : and 1812. Beginning February 26, n h. and 12 m. ♦ New families were forming, and perhaps Beginning of total darkness, 27, o h. 17^ m. some of the men who certificated have come End of total darkness, 2 h. 2^ m. back. End of the eclipse 3 h. 8 m. lSl2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 507 Wolcott.' Received a letter from Mr. Battell. I am gratified to hear that my friends at Norfolk are well pleased with my pieces in the Magazine. This week has been very good sleighing. We have had none other very good through the season.^ We have had an unusually cold and tedious winter. Read the Bible. March. 1. Wrote notes and preached with them on Acts xiii : 12, ana on Jer. xxiii : 33. The latter is a very impressive subject. At evening attended a conference. Very cold. 2. This morning the thermometer was 10° below zero.' The coldest morning that we have had this winter. Walked and visited all day. Twelve o'clock at night the thermometer 5° below zero. 3. Thermometer this morning, 2°. Rode to Hartford and got a sum of money from the bank for Mr. Battell to pay the people here for the cheese which he had.' Saw a man from Norfolk. Paid for crossing the bridge, for a quarter, $1.01.' Worked on Mr. Wolcott's ta.x-bill. Visited a family who have lost a child. The sleighing very good. Yesterday received a letter from my brother James. 4. The thermometer this morning at sunrise, if Mr. Wolcott is not mistaken, and he is confident that he is not, was 12° below zero.' That is colder than it has been through the winter. Went to Windsor and attended our ministers' meeting. The lecture was a singing lecture.' They have a very great number of singers. I counted seventy-seven females." Returned. The river makes an astonishing and sublime appearance. It is perfect mountains of ice. 5. Worked on Mr. Wolcott's tax-bill. It thaws very much. The ther- mometer rose to 50°.' At night rode to Mr. Yates's and returned. 6. Looked over the early histories of New England.'" Walked out and visited. ' This Erastus Wolcott was the son of eter not infrequently falls in these portions Capt. Erastus Wolcott, and was twentj^-seven of New England. The remarkable feature years old at the time of his father's death. of that winter was that there were so many ° Great falls of snow do not always make nights and days when the thermometer was good sleighing. down to zero or below. ' The long-continued cold of this winter, ' Instead of a sermon. and the long-continued heat of the previous ° That, with a corresponding number of summer, mark the years iSli and 1S12 as male singers, would certainly make a very peculiar in this respect. large country choir. ■• He acts as a local agent for his brother- 1 A rapid change from the morning before, in-law in the East Windsor region for this when the thermometer was reported 12° below trade in cheese. zero. = One dollar and one cent seems to be a '° By this remark he refers expressly to curious sum to fix upon for a quarter ticket such books as he has already mentioned, on the bridge. But so it stands in the diary. '^loxX.oxC'i, New England Memorial, \\vnxVxo-^'^ The last payment of this kind was eighty- Journal, etc. We have many works now on eight cents a quarter. Every, time the fare this general subject which were not in e.\ist- seems to rise. ence in 1S12. Dr. Robbins had to do his ' Even this is not so low as the thermom- work without these modern helps. 5o8 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. 7. Read Universal History. Read Clarke's Commentary. Visited two persons very sick witii fevers. 8. Preached an old sermon on John iii : 5. At evening it snowed. Fin- ished Mr. Wolcott's rate-bill. The societj' list is $23,406.64. There are fortx'-three certificate lists amounting to $6,841.41. 9. Wrote. Walked and visited. Several people here are unwell. It thaws considerably. 10. Began to write another number ' for the Magazine. At evening rode to Windsor and visited old Mrs. Wolcott " and returned. Quite cold. Crossed w ith a sleigh on the ice. 11. Last night Mr. Sargeant came here and tarried. I think his hypo- chondriac affections will destroy his usefulness.' \'isited the sick. Afternoon rode with two others and visited the school at the Mill. The sleighing is about done. 12. Wrote on my piece for the Magazine. At evening walked out. Mrs. McClure is very unwell. 13. This number for the Magazine costs me more labor than any one preceding. Visited the sick. Bad going. The snow goes oflf veiy gradually. It thaws but little. I spend some time in teaching arithmetic* 14. Wrote a sermon on Mark i : 40. I have performed a good deal of labor in my study this week. 15. Wrote short notes and preached on i John iii : 12, and on Mark i : 40. Visited the sick. They appear to be mending. People came to meeting in sleighs and carriages. 16. Carried to Hartford another number for the Magazine. Verj' bad riding. Visited. 17. Read Universal History. Am considerably hindered by company. At evening walked out. Mr. Reed, of this place, has begun to engrave a valuable map of this State.' 18. Read. Am instructing the young ladies in the house in arithmetic' Verj' cold. At evening walked out. 19. Read Universal History. Afternoon attended the funeral of a young child." Visited sick people. There are a number of people sick, and many complai.iing of colds, etc. 20. Attended to instruction. Afternoon attended the funeral of an infant • The seventh of his series on the New * To Mr. Wolcott's children prob.ibly. England Planters. ' This w.is Dc.i. Abncr Reed, an engraver, ' Old Mrs. Wolcott was the widow of Dr. who a few years later removed to Conneaut, Alexander Wolcott. She was his third wife, Ohio, and w.-is living there later than 1855. and her maiden name was Mary Kichards. ' This settles the question as to who were She died October 23, 181 7, aged- ninety- his pupils. Miss Frances Wolcott, then three. She lived with her son. Dr. Chris- eighteen, and Miss Ursula Wolcott, sixteen, topher Wolcott, of Windsor. were taking arithmetic lessons. He taught. ' This Rev. Samuel Sargeant, who calls so at different tin»es, all four of Mr. Wolcott's frequently, could not, with his tendencies, children. have been a very welcome visitor. ' In the family of Mr. Elijah Burnham. l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 509 child, in the edge of East Hartford. With the other committee-men, \isited and catechised a school. 21. Visited the sick. Mrs. McClure and several others are quite sick. Received a letter from my father. He writes that there is now a great depth of snow there. It goes here very slowly. Yesterday received of Mr. Wol- cott, $50.00. Wrote notes for preaching. 22. Wrote on my notes, and preached from Isa. vi : 9, 10. It is a pretty difficult subject, and I wish I had managed it better than I did. Baptized a child.' At evening attended a conference. 23. Wrote. Rode to Wapping, and visited a school which performed very well. The snow is going off, and the riding verj' bad. 24. Visited with the inspectors two north schools. Received a letter from Mr. Strong, of Somers, and one from my brother James enclosing a bill of $50.00. Quite cold. 25. Visited the south middle school. I have now visited and catechised all the schools, excepting one, in Wapping, which is yet to be done.^ I think I have never known them to do so well in any one season. I find it to be a very laborious task. Afternoon, began a sermon for the Fast on Jer. xx.xi : 18. Began after four o'clock. I don't know that I have ever been so closely limited for time. 26. Wrote very steadily, and in the evening finished my sermon. Attended some to teaching arithmetic. 27. Endeavored to attend to the proper duties of the day as a Fast. Preached from Jer. xxxi : 18. Meeting pretty full ; and in the afternoon quite solemn. At evening walked out. Am very tired. I am doubtful whether I ought to omit eating dinner on a Fast day.^ 28. Yesterday was the first warm day that we have had. The ther- mometer rose to nearly 70°, and excepting some old drifts, the snow is mostly gone. Wrote to my brother James. Afternoon visited and rode to Mr. Bartlett's. A very hard rain. The riding exceeding bad. 29. Mr. Bartlett rode down to my society. Preached from Mai. iv : 5, 6, and Mark i : 40. Quite cold. Meeting very thin. At evening returned. Settled accounts with Mr. Wolcott, and received of him for the society what remained due on my order of last May, amounting to $144.50. Of this sum $9.79 were interest. I have interest in ninety days after my salary becomes due.'* It snowed some the most of the day. 30. Set out for New Haven. The riding very bad. Quite cold. There was flying snow the most of the day. Rode to North Haven. Tarried witli ' Elizabeth H. Charlton, daughter of Jesse eratioii. There is much less discussion of Charlton. the kind now than there used to be. - Mr. Robbins seems to have had seven ' The times were hard, otherwise one schools under his care. might well inquire why his money should ^ That same question has been discussed not begin to be on interest from the day publicly and privately in a great many New it was due, rather than "ninety days after- England households from generation to gen- wards." JIO DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8lZ. Dr. Tniiiibull.' I think he will never finish his history of Connecticut. I lament very much at the prospect. 31. Rode to New Haven. Saw a number of old friends. People here have not begun gardening. There is a recent collection of minerals at col- lege which is very extensive and valuable. Dined with Mr. Merwin.' Paid my second instalment to the Eagle Bank, amounting to 150 dollars. Pur- chased half a ream of fine letter paper for sermons. Towards evening left town, and rode to Leet's Tavern.^ The turnpike road along here is not settled. April. 1. Rode early. This turnpike is ver\' much injured by the late winter. In Wallingford * saw people ploughing, the first I have seen. Rode to East Hartford, and attended our ministers' meeting. In the evening rode home. I am much worried, but I believe my journey will be serviceable. Paid a merchant taylor at Hartford, $8.65. 2. Rode to Wapping, and attended the funeral of a woman. Visited a school. I have now visited all our schools (seven) twice, and the last time I catechised them. Sent to Mrs. Olcott, of Orford, for books,' $10.00. Sent to Mr. Haskell,' for which I took his note, $50.00. 3. Since Monday we have had pleasant spring weather. Manured my asparagus beds. Instructed in arithmetic. Yesterday I preached at the funeral, without any notes, from John vi : 68. Afternoon preached a sacra- mental lecture, with short notes, on Matt, v : 8. Visited a sick woman. 4. Wrote a sermon on Matt. .\vi : 4. Had considerable interruption. 5. Wrote short notes, and preached in the forenoon on Ps. x.xvii : 14; afternoon from Matt, xvi : 4. Administered the sacrament. Meeting pretty full. At evening had a very good conference. Very tired. 6. Rode to Hartford. The riding is pretty good. The river is rising. Our government ' appear to be perfectly infatuated. The State of New York now exhibits a striking scene of Democratic confusion.^ People do not yet begin gardening. Read Magazine. Wrote. Wrote to Col. R. White, Danbur)'. 7. Worked some. Looked over the early histories of New England. Walked out and visited several families. • Dr. Benjamin Trumbull had then been rather dry and sandy, and capable of bchig pastor at North Haven nearly fifty-two years. worked early in the spring. The first volume of his History of Conntcli- ' Mrs. Allen Olcott. This has been done cut was published in 1797. Mr. Robbins before. Mr. Robbins is taking some of the thought very naturally th.it he would not books from her late husband's library. live to complete the work, but he did. The 'Mr. Eli B. Haskell, at East Windsor second volume was issued in 1818, and he Hill. died in 1820. ' He uses government in the plural, as ' Rev. Samuel Merwin, pastor of North embracing all the individuals who are con- Church, New Haven, 1S05-1831. ducting it. ' On the turnpike to Hartford, a few miles ' Hon. Daniel D. Tompkins was elected out of New Haven. Governor of New York continuously year by * The soil in Wallingford is, in general, year, from 1807 to 1817. lSl2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 51I 8. Began to write another number for the Magazine.^ Wrote consider- ably. Am considerably hindered by teaching arithmetic. 9. Wrote. Ploughed my early garden.^ Walked out and visited. 10. Finished my eighth number for the Magazine. We had a very hard and refreshing rain. The ground has been quite dry, and vegetation did not start. 11. Wrote all day, copying my piece for the Magazine. Planted early- peas. The ground is very cold. Congress have laid another embargo. They appear to be the most perfectly menial slaves of the President.' 12. Very cold. Preached from Luke xii : 32. At evening attended a conference. Read the Bible. 13. Last night much troubled with nervous affections. Was obliged to be up a considerable time. It snowed the most of the day. Prayed at the opening of the Freeman's Meeting.* Votes for Governor Griswold, 202 ; Boardman, 19.' The meeting very harmonious. 14. The snow this morning was over shoes. Rode to Norfolk. The snow went ofl very fast. Many old snowdrifts remain here.' My parents quite well. My brother James arrived here this evening. The season is remarkably late. 15. Warm. My brother Frank has concluded to stay at Westfield till next fall.' My parents are increasing their dairy. My parents' portraits are taken very well. 16. The ground settles quite fast. Afternoon preached for my father from Jer. xxiii : 33. Dined at Mr. Battell's. Sally and her children are very well. 17. Something rainy. The grass begins to start. There is a bad epidemic in the neighboring towns west. Several persons in the vigor of life have died. Settled with Mr. Battell — Frank had paid him for me for a coat, $8.00. Paid him in father's sermons, for the printing of which I had paid $26.00. The sum from Frank is now received. Received of James for sermons, .50. Mr. Battell owes me on book, $8.87. The late Freeman's Meeting was gen- erally very harmonious. Democracy scarcely appeared. Received of brother James, $20.00. 18. Traded considerably. Rode to East Windsor. Little Joseph Battell came down with me. He came to Hartford in the stage." Very warm and ' This was the eighth article in the series, '' On those hills of Western Connecticut to be published in the number for May, 18 12. the snows of the winter lingered much longer ^ He had a garden of his own, of which than in the valley ; and many storms that he took care for the love of it. were rain along the Connecticut River were ^ On political matters his judgments were snow at Norfolk. severe. ' His study of theology was long deferred. * The Freeman's Meeting that year was He was already nearly four years out of col- held at the meeting-house of the South lege, but he seems to have enjoyed his work Parish. as a teacher. 5 This was a very small vote for a town of ° Mr. Robbins doubtless made a horse- more than 3,000 inhabitants. But the vote back journey. Little Joseph probably found shows that there was really no party contest. some one in the stage to look after him. He The Democratic candidate for Governor was was just six years old, having been born Elijah Boardman, native of New Milford. April 17, 1806. 512 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. faint. At night something rainy. My brother James went off for Lenox this morning. Am very much fatigued. 19. Rode to East Hartford, on an e.xchange with Mr. Yates. Preached from Mark i : 40, and John i : 10. Quite warm. At evening returned. Much troubled with nervous affections, and unwell. 20. Rode to Hartford with little Joseph. The water very high. It runs nearly a foot deep over the East Hartford causeway. Read Buchanan's /?isea>r/ia.' On the i8th received a letter from my brother James. The meadows are perfectly inundated. 21. Wrote a sermon on Ps. xxvii : 4. Cold. Vegetation advances very little. Dr. Tudor deposited with me his will." 22. Little Joseph began to study his Accidence? Rode to Scantic and preached a singing lecture for brother Bartlett. Preached the sermon on Ps. xxvii : 4. They sing ver)- well. Ursula * went with me. 23. Instructed in arithmetic. Began a sermon on Ezek. .xxxiii : 4. Walked out and visited several families. 24. Wrote. I can write but little when I am attending to arithmetic instruction. Wrote to my brother Frank. Walked out and visited. 25. Wrote. Afternoon Dr. Marsh' called on me for an exchange. Rode to Weathersfield. The water has fallen some. Had a little asparagus. 26. Quite cold. Preached from Luke ii : 7, and Luke xix : 10. This meeting-house is quite hard for speaking.' The congregation is very large. Eat fresh shad. Towards night rode to Hartford, and in the evening preached for Dr. Strong to a numerous collection of people in the theatre.' Preached without notes from Num. x : 29. There appears to be some atten- tion to divine things here more than common. 27. Rode to Orford, visited Mr. Sargeant. He is about leaving this place.' Rode home. Saw blossoms on the daffos. Quite cool. Wrote to my father. I have bought a number of books which were the late Mr. Olcott's, of Orford.' Wrote. Walked out and visited. 28. Visited sick persons. Crossed the water in the meadows in a boat. Found it pretty hard. Read Universal History. Tarried out. 29. Remarkably cool for the season. Mr. Haskell is building a very good ' Christian Researches in Asia, by Dr. * Mr. Rob1)ins enjoyed having Mr. Wol- Claudius Buchanan, was published only a cott's daughters for traveling companions, short time before Dr. Robbins was rc.iding ' Rev. John Marsh, D. D. the book. It was not until 1S08 that Dr. ' That is, the meeting-house at Wethers- Ituchanan returned from the East to give field. himself to the preparation and publication of ' It has often happened of late, in our his books. He died in 1815. large cities, that the gospel has been carried " Dr. Klihu Tudor was at this time eighty into theaters. We were not aware that it years old, and sixty-two years from his gradu- w.is practiced so far back in our New Eng- alion at Yale College. land history. 'The children of this generation might ' He h.is been supjilying there for some not understand what this word means. It time. was the name of a little book containing the ' He h.ad bmighi at different times helore, simplest rudiments of grammar. but has been making additional purchases. l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 513 house. Visited. Received a letter from brother Frank. Read Universal History. Worked considerably. 30. Wrote a piece on the Sacred History of Lamech, of the family of Cain, for ministers' meeting. A man in this town in prime of life was drowned last night. He was found this morning in Podunk River. Visited the afflicted family. Planted peas and potatoes. The house ' of Mr. Edwards, the first minister in this town, in which the great President Edwards was born, was taken down. It was in its day a very expensive house, decorated with many elegant ornaments. The roof was very steep, and it is said it has had but one covering of shingles. It must have stood about one hundred and twenty years. May. 1. Attended the funeral of the poor man who was drowned yesterday.^ Vegetation is very backward. Read Universal History. The people are just beginning their gardens. April has been very cold ^ as well as March. 2. Wrote a sermon on Experimental Religion, from Ps. Ixxxiv : 2. I believe I have never devoted so many close thoughts to a sermon of equal length. Rode to Hartford. The water is yet quite high. Wrote pretty late. 3. Rainy all day. On that account we omitted the appointed con- tribution.* Preached with notes from Hab. ii : 2, and from Heb. xiii : 2. A black woman' died with a short illness. At evening visited at the house. 4. It snowed hard all day. The season is very remarkable and distress- ing. Many people are out of hay. Above us it is much more scarce than here. Attended the funeral of the black woman who died 3-esterday. The military company did not parade on account of the storm. Wrote a letter to Mr. Nathaniel Terry, of Hartford. Read. 5. Very windy and cold. The snow went off. Set out some grape-vines. Read Universal History. Visited. 6. Our ministers' meeting met here. Read the piece which I wrote last 'This house was built probably in 1694 had stood probably one hundred and eighteen by Richard Edwards, of Hartford, for his years, possibly only one hundred and seven- son Timothy, at the time when he began his teen. labors as the first minister of East Windsor. = Mr. Cornelius Wolcott, aged forty-si.\. The house stood on the east side of the broad ^ The same story still continues, but now street leading from East Windsor Hill to people say, " Our springs are very different Hartford, about three fourths of a mile below from what they used to be." The true thhig to the Hill. The church where Mr. Edwards say is, "Our seasons differ very much one from preached, and the burying-ground where his another, but in the long run, they are very dust reposes, were on the west side of the much as they used to be." street, diagonally opposite from the house. * The one appointed annually on the first Here his illustrious son Jonathan first opened Sabbath of May for the Connecticut Mission- his eyes to look upon the wondrous works of ary Society. that God whom he so adoringly studied and ' Her name was simply Polydore, aged commended to men. fifty-three, which suggests that the age of If this house was taken down in iSu, it slavery in New England was not far back. 514 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. week on the History of Lamech. At evening rode out and visited. Mr. Yates preached.' 7. Received a letter from my father. Rode to Hartford. Agreed for the printing of another edition of my father's Half Century Sermon?' Snow is to be seen on the mountains. Began the ninth number of my Historical View of the Puritans for ilie Magazine. Walked home from Hartford. 8. Wrote all day on my piece for the Magazine. It is said to be very distressing at the northward for want of hay. At evening walked out and visited. 9. Wrote on my Magazine biography. Read Universal History, one hundred pages in four hours. Read Clarke's Commentary. 10. Read the Bible. Preached from Rev. .xxii : 17, and Ps. Ixx.xiv: 2. The forenoon sermon referred to the missionary business. We had our contribution for the Missionary Society. We collected $36.14.^ It was beyond my expectation, and I think very liberal. There was one bill of five dolhirs and a half eagle. At evening attended a conference. Visited a woman very low with a decline. Baptized d. child. 11. Visited Mrs. Loomis,* a neighbor. A little before one o'clock, while I was present, she expired. She has been in a decline for half a year. Saw blossoms on some of the trees. The first I have seen. I suspect they have never been later. Wrote. 12. Wrote transcribing my piece for the Magazine. The issue of the Massachusetts and New York elections seem to have confounded the general government.' Walked out. 13. Wrote. The weather is more like spring. Attended the funeral of the late Mrs. Loomis.' The family are half in New Connecticut, and present an interesting spectacle. 14. I think it probable that we have never seen vegetation so backward at the election, though as late as it can be.' Rode to Hartford. In the morning attended the meeting of the Bible Society. Mr. Welch' delivered a very good sennon. The election was unusually pleasant and brilliant. The Governor, on account of ill-health, was not present. Attended the meeting of the Ministers' Annuity Society. Mr. Battell and Sally and brother Nat rode home with me. Father did not feel sufficient resolution to come. 15. Rode out with my brothers. After dinner they went off. Finished copying my Magazine piece. ' In connection with these ministers' meet- 'Mrs. Esther Looniis was prob.ibly the ings, there seems always to be .T public preach- wife of that Capt. Loomis to whom Mr. ing service in the church. Robbins wrote a little while before concern- ' The sermon w.is more in demand than ing the death of his daughter, Mrs. Gaylord, was supposed when it was first published. of Torringfnrd. ' For such times as people were then living ' He means that election that year was as in, this should be called a good contribution. late as it could be. Election days ranged * Mrs. Esther Loomis, aged fifty-six. from May Sih to 14th. ' That is, there was more of a Federalist ' I^"-'^'- M"scs C. Welch, V). 1")., of North vote than had been expected. Mansfield. Pastor there 1784-1824. l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 515 16. A very cold rain. Rode to Hartford. Carried down my ninth number for the Magazine. Delivered our missionary contribution. Paid my annual contribution to the Annuity Society, J5.00. Received from the printer two hundred of a second edition of my father's Half Century Sermon for $15.00. Read Universal History. 17. Wrote notes for preaching. Just before meeting time Mr. David Austin ' came here. He preached in the forenoon, and very well. Between meetings he rode to Scantick. Preached in the afternoon with notes on Rom. viii : 29. At evening had a full conference. Read Bellamy's Works, which I have just procured." 18. Visited sick people. We have two or three instances of severe fevers. Afternoon worked at my librar)'. Quite rainy and very cold. 19. Rode to Westfield and carried Mr. Wolcott's son ' to attend that academy. My brother Frank appears to be useful in his employment. The academy is very flourishing. There is a precious revival of religion here. Forty-eight have been added to the church. Preached in the evening in the academy, without any notes, from Num. .x : 29. Tarried with Mr. Knapp, who is considerably unwell. This morning paid for Bellamy's Works and Meickle's Traveller* $7.75. 20. Left Westfield and rode home. Tudor was homesick, but I trust he will do well. Dined at Esq. Leavitt's,' Suffield. The militia are making their detachments according to the orders of the government.* 21. Wrote. Read Universal History. It is almost constantly cloudy, wet, and cold. 22. Visited eighteen families. Quite tired. Saw a few apple-tree blos- soms, the first which I have seen. I suspect we have never known them later. I think my visits are very beneficial. 23. Read Universal History. Read ninety pages in less than three hours. Wrote on a sermon on Ezek. xxxiii : 4, which I began some time ago. 24. Finished the writing, and preached my sermon on Ezek. xxxiii : 4. Meeting quite full. At evening attended a conference. 25. Rode to Hartford. Received a new hat from Danbury, for which I paid $10.00. It is all beaver. The Assembly have but little business. Tiie Governor does not attend. Got the first half volume of the Edinburgh Encyclopadia^ for which I am a subscriber. Paid for it, $4.00. The apple- ' Rev. David Austin was graduated at tions. Mr. Meikle was born in Carnwath, Yale in 1779, and was licensed to preach in Scotland, in 1730, and died in 1799. 1780. He published the American Preacher ' It has been some time now since he has in four volumes. From 181 5 to his death in made a visit at Mr. Thaddeus Leavitt's. 1831, he was settled at Bozrah, Ct. * This indicates a state of preparation for ^ The Works of Joseph Be'.lamy, in three war, which is soon coming, volumes, were published in 181 1. '"Another work of considerable merit ^ Samuel Tudor Wolcott, aged thirteen. which began to appear in iSio, was P.rew- * There is an edition of the works of Mr. ster's Edinburgh Encyclopiedia, edited by the James Meikle in four volumes, in which his late Sir David Brewster, in eighteen volumes, TVazv/Zt'?- makes nearly one volume. It con- and completed in 1S30." — Chambers's Ency- sists of one hundred and twenty-two Medita- clopadia. 5l6 DIARY OF REV, THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. tree blossoms are generally coming out. Had peas. Am collecting an account of the state of the churches for Association. Visited sick people. 2C. Set out on a circuit to collect an account of the state of the churches in the Association. Rode to Farmington and Slmsbury. Very warm. Vege- tation advances very rapidly. The apple-trees are generally putting out. 27. Rode to Barkhamsted, Hartland, and Granby. Much oppressed with the heat. People have suffered much this spring for want of hay. The apple-tree blossoms begin to appear in the later places. The account of the state of religion is pretty gloomy. 28. Rode to West SufBeld, to Wintonbury, and home. Got something wet with rain. The lilacs begin to be out. The season is about a fortnight later than usual. There is a very full blowth of fruit trees. 29. Wrote a report for the Association of the collections which I have made this week. Visited a man very sick. 30. Wrote a sermon on Isa. xlvii : 4. Visited the sick. Quite warm. Thermometer was at 82°. This has been a remarkably favorable week for vegetation. 31. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Matt, v : 20. After- noon on Isa. xlvii : 4. Much oppressed with the heat. Thermometer about as yesterday. At evening walked out. Took off my flannel. June. 1. Rode to Hartford and carried Sula to Mrs. Roys's school. The Gov- ernor is so feeble as not to attend the Assembly, though he is in town. The thermometer was at 88°. The season appears remarkably fine. 2. Last evening Dr. Perkins' came here and tarried. Rode to Enfield and attended the meeting of our Association. Presented a full report of the state of the churches.^ Mr. McLean ^ preached. The heat very severe. The thermometer rose to 94°. At night a hard thunder-shower. 3. After the Association rode to Westfield for the purpose of seeing Tudor.* He has been very homesick, but is doing tolerably well. I think Frank is useful here. Left Westfield at dusk, and rode to the lower part of Suflfield. Tarried at a tavern. Much cooler. 4. Rode home. The wind was so high I could not cross our ferr)', and was obliged to go round by Hartford.' Very tired. Read. Visited sick persons. 5. Walked and visited families. Received yesterday a letter of thanks from Mr. Horace Loomis' for my attention to their family in their late afflic- tions. Rode to Hartford and brt)ught up Sula.' ■ Dr. Nathan Perkins, of West Hartford, ' Another long journey in place of a very on his way to the Association. short one. The Connecticut River, in some ' The result of his lour for gathering of its moods, was a fact not to be trifled information. with. ' Rev. Allen McLean, of Slmsbury. ' Capt. Giles Loomis, in New Conncc- * Tudor Wolcott, whom he left there in ticut. his brother's school. ' Ursula Wolcott. l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 517 6. Read E. S. Ely's' Poems. They are pretty indifferent. Afternoon began a sermon on Gen. iii : 9. Am pretty poorly able to study. 7. In the morning finished the sermon begun yesterday. Preached from John V i : 35, and Gen. iii : 9. At evening attended a conference. Quite warm. 8. Rode and carried Sula to Hartford. Much oppressed with the heat. The thermometer about 87°. Attended the funeral of a black child." A small shower. The ground is very dry. Planted peas and watermelons. 9. Rode out with old Mrs. Tudor.^ She is pretty feeble. Worked in the garden. Afternoon walked out and visited. Very warm. Thermometer at 90°. Tarried out. 10. Visited. Traded considerably. Gave Mr. Haskell an order on the society's treasurer of $11.04. Began to write another number for the Maga- zine. At evening walked out. 11. Wrote the most of the day. Worked in the garden. Rainy and wet. Walked out. 12. I write pretty poorly. I fear my latter numbers of the Historical Vieio will not be as good as the former. Rainy and cold. Rode to Hartford and brought up Sula. 13. Finished my tenth number for the Magazine.* Afternoon rode to Berlin, New Britain, to e.xchange with Mr. Skinner.' Wrote to my brother Nathaniel. 14. Preached from John i : x, and Ps. l.xxx : 2. This is a very good congregation. There has been a considerable revival of religion here for a year or two past. Visited Dr. Smalley.' 15. Rode home. Quite warm. Read. Wrote some satirical remarks on some recommendations of E. S. Ely's Contrast,'' designed to reflect on the religious sentiments of our churches. I trust I am not influenced by any improper motives. 16. Rode to Hartford. Have taken considerable pains to find a good ' Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely, D. D., who was ' To appear in the Magazine for July, graduated at Yale in 1S04, was one o{ twelve 1812. children of Rev. Zebulon Ely, of Lebanon, ' Rev. Newton Skinner, as before hinted, all of whom grew to mature years. Rev. E. finds East Windsor, South Parish, a very S, Ely was first settled, in 1S06, at Westches- pleasant and natural place for an exchange, ter parish in Colchester, Ct. Some years though some fifteen or sixteen miles away later, he was called to a Presbyterian church from his home. in Philadelphia, and in a pastorate of twenty ' As before stated, this is the parish of years, gained considerable distinction as a Dr. John Smalley, one of the most celebrated preacher and for his literary ability. It of the Connecticut divines of that day, then seems that he ventured in early life to pub- seventy-eight years old, and in the fifty-second lish a volume of poems. Dr. Robbins's 3'ear of his ministry at Berlin (now New criticism of them was probably just, for Britain). they soon disappeared from public notice. ' Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely, just before men- " Susan Williams. tioned, published in i8n ^ Contrast between ' The mother of Mrs. Abiel Wolcott, who Calvinism and ffopiinsianism. This was a was Ursula Tudor, daughter of Samuel and production that Dr. Robbins was inclined to Naomi (Diggins) Tudor. ridicule. 5l8 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. picture for a piece of embroidery for Sula. The death of my good friend, Rev. Mr. Turner," of New Marlborough, is to me very surprising and affect- ing. Paid for crossing at the Hartford Bridge from January i to June 4, $1.37. Yesterday got me a new silk hat. Read Encyclopcedia. A very tine season. 17. Worked in tlie garden. Walked and visited the most of the day. Heard of the assassination of the Prime Minister of England.* 18. Worked considerably. Mrs. Wolcott quite unwell. Made a tax on Mr. Wolcott's bill. Visited. Warm. 19. Little Joseph gets along pretty well with his Accidence. The people are building a fine stone bridge over Stoughton's Brook.' Began a sermon on I Cor. ii : 16. Afternoon walked and visited. 20. Wrote. Finished my sermon begun yesterday. We have information that Congress have passed a bill to make war with England.* I fear our country is given up of God to sore evils. Am exceedingly hard and stupid. Paid my subscription for our town clock, $1.00. 21. Wrote notes and preached on Ezek. iii : 26, and from i Cor. ii : 16. Cooler. The thermometer yesterday was at 88°. At evening attended a conference. Very tired. I think this people have quite sufficient confidence in my science and divinity. 22. Last night much troubled with nervous affections. Rode to Hartford. We have an official account that our Government have proclaimed war against Great Britain. I believe they know not why they have done it. Procured some liquor.' Read Encyclopcedia. 23. Rode out with Mrs. Wolcott. She is quite feeble. Worked in the garden. Read. Visited a school. Rode and visited. 24. Read Encyclopcedia!' The minds of people are much agitated with the prospects of war. Walked and visited. People are beginning to mow. Received a letter from my father. 25. Quite rainy. Read Encyclopcedia. I am much pleased with the work. Walked and visited. At evening performed a marriage.' My cousin, Dr. Peter G. Robbins,* from Lynn, came here with his mother-in-law, and tarried. • Rev. Nathaniel Turner, native of Nor- ■* This declaration of war dates from June folk, often mentioned before. is it is jiublished. 'Stoughton's Brook was a small stream ' Mr. ICzckial Wadsworth, of Avon, X. Y., coming from the cast, crossing the main and Elizabeth Newbury. street, and pursuing its course to the Con- ' Dr. Peter Oilman Robbins was the necticut River. seventh child and fifth son of i h. Cli.nuller l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 519 26. My cousin went off for Norfolk. Read. Visited. Rode to Hartford and brought up Ursula. Tudor returned from Westfield. 27. Something rainy. I ride almost ever)* day with Mrs. Wolcott. I think she is gradually gaining. Wrote notes for preaching. 28. Wrote notes and preached on John v : 39. Afternoon a hard shower during the exercise. Mr. Battell came here, attended meeting with us, and returned to Hartford. At evening attended a conference. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $50.00. Had green peas. 29. Rose before two o'clock in the morning and rode to Hartford, to send to New Haven by Mr. Battell. Received a letter from my brother Nat with cash, $25.00. Received of Mr. Haskell money lent, $50.00. Sent to New Haven my third instalment for the Eagle Bank, $125. Returned and rode to Bolton and attended the funeral of Mr. Colton.' A number of ministers were present. Dr. Williams, of Tolland, preached. Returned. Very tired. 30. Worked in the garden. Visited a school. Rode with Mr. Wolcott to Warehouse Point to visit Gen. Jenks.^ He is very low, and we did not see him. Visited Mr. Huse.^ His wife is apparently in a consumption. Received a letter from my brother James. Yesterday wrote to my father. At evening my cousin P. G. Robbins, and his mother,' came here and tarried on their return. Very cool. July. 1. In the morning my cousin went off for home. Have a bad crick in my back. Read. Walked out and visited. 2. Worked in the garden. Visited twelve families. It is a time of great stupidity with us with regard to divine things. Paid for the Mirror news- paper' a year, $1.75. Quite poor hay weather. 3. Read. Wrote notes and preached a sacramental lecture on i Cor. xi : 25. Visited. Several children are sick. 4. Wrote a sermon in a little more than seven successive hours on Deut. xxxii : 39. Very warm. The thermometer was at 86°. Visited. 5. Wrote notes and preached on Matt, xxv : 29, and from Deut. xxxii : 39. Administered the sacrament. The church appeared solemn. Afternoon I was so weary and afflicted with the heat that I could scarcely go through the e.xercise. Attended a conference. Our Governor^ has appointed a Fast on account of the perilous condition of the nation. Thermometer near 90°. Robbins, of Plymouth, Mass. He was born used to be related in Bolton and vicinity. December 10, xySi. He was a physician. His ministry was, in its way, strong and able. He seems at this time to have had his home ^ Gen. Charles Jenks, before noticed, in Lynn, Mass., but he was afterwards living ^ Rev. Nathaniel Huse, Episcopal min- in Roxbury, Mass. ister. ' Rev. George Colton, who had been pas- ■* His wife's mother, tor at Bolton from 1763 to his death (1S12), ' The Connecticut Mirror, was started forty-nine years, was a notable man physi- in 1S09, was at this time edited by Theo- cally and mentally. He was of uncommon dore Dwight, and was, during the War of hight, of strong, quaint, original mind, and 181 2. the leading Federal paper in the State, amusing stories of his sayings and doings * Roger Griswold. JIO DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. 6. Rode to Hartford. Got two large volumes of newspapjers which I have had bound. Got the second part of the first volume of the Encyclopiidia for which I paid S4.00. The appearance is that our war grows constantly more unpopular." Thermometer 92°. 7. Wrote a review of Hall's' Sermon on Eastern Afissions for ministers' meeting. People generally in their haying. Thermometer rose to 95^^". Much oppressed with the heat. 8. In the morning received a letter from Mr. Battell. He sent for little Joseplv,' and he went oft. I think he has done well since he has been here. Rode to Mr. Bartlett's to attend our ministers' meeting. No other members attended. Read my review written yesterday. Preached from Deut. .\x.\ii : 39. Returned. Rainy. 9. Had some tobacco set.' Rode out and visited. Performed a mar- riage.' Quite wet. There is a great deal of hay out in the wet. 10. Walked and visited all day. It is feared the wet weather will be injurious to the grain. The people are singularly stupid about divine things. 11. Worked in the garden. A child in the neighborhood is very sick. Wrote to Miss Charlotte Verstille, Andover.' Afternoon rode to Rocky Hill to exchange with Mr. Chapin.' 12. Mr. Chapin went to East Windsor. Preached from Ps. li : 18, and Ps. Ixxxiv : 2. They have here a very fine new meeting-house. The weather came off clear after having been cloudy and wet for four days. Some people worked at hay. Quite tired. 13. Returned. Read. Our last General Association at Sharon' was pretty light. I fear they have injured the character of the body. Visited. 14. Wrote. Looked over books for another number of my Historical Vieiv. Walked out and visited. 15. Rode with Tudor to Westfield. Hindered by the rain. Saw my brother Frank. His school is quite large and flourishing. Left Tudor. ' That doubtless would be the impression sixty, seventy yc.irs later the tobacco crop from the New England point of view. should be the chief crop raised in his parish, ' Rev. Gordon Hall sailed from Phila- and far up and down the river, delphia, Feb. 18, 1812, as a missionary of the 'James Pelton, of Scantic parish, and American Board to India. Just before leav- Sophia Gaylord, of the South Parish, ing the country he preached a sermon on the ' Andover, Ct. duty of American Christians to this mission- ' Rev. Calvin Chapin, D. D. ary work. The sermon was soon after pub- ' Sharon was a little out of the way, on lished, and this was the sermon on which the hills of Western Connecticut; but that Dr. Kobbins wrote his review. was no reason why this meeting of the Gen- ' Little Josei)h, now si.x years old, has eral Association should have been an infe- certainly had a large experience for a child rior one. Officially, it was strong enough, of his years. We doubt not, however, in Rev. Elijah Parsons, of East Haddam, was such a family as Mr. Wolcott's, and such a moderator; Rev. Daniel Dow, D. D., of teacher as his Uncle Thomas, that he had Thompson, and Rev. Andrew Yates, D. D., excellent care and instruction. of East Hartford, were scribes; and Rev. ♦ He little thought when he had those few William L. Strong, of Somers, was the tobacco plants set in his garden, that Afty, preacher. lSl2.] PASTOR IX EAST WINDSOR. 521 After sundown left Westfield and rode home. Got home about one o'clock in the morning. The rain here has been ver)' hard. 1 6. Worked some. Began to write the biography of Gov. Winthrop. He was the first' of the planters of New England. At evening visited. 17.' Wrote on my biography." Afternoon worked considerably raking hay. 18. Wrote all day and finished my eleventh number for the Magazine. Went into the water. 19. Preached an old sermon on Truth. It appeared better than I ex- pected. The text is Ex. xxxiv : 6. At evening attended a conference. 20. Rode to Hartford and carried down Sula. Worked the most of the afternoon raking hay. Got quite tired. 21. Wrote. Began a sermon for the Fast on Ps. cvi : 43, 44, 45. I write pretty slow. At evening walked out. 22. Wrote all day. My sermon costs me uncommon labor. At night quite rainy. We have a wet season. 23* This day is observed in this State as a Fast on account of our present state of war. Finished and preached my sermon on Ps. cvi : 43, 44, 45. I have seldom spent so much labor on a sermon. Visited sick people. . Our meeting I think was fuller than has been common on Fast days. A few people worked at hay.^ 24. Walked and visited all day. Was out late in the evening. People beginning their harvest. 25. Worked in my garden. Wrote and worked at my papers. Towards evening rode to East Hartford for an exchange. 26. Mr. Yates is gone to Springfield. Mr. Bartlett preached for me. He and I had previously agreed on an e.xchange. Preached from Jer. x.xiii : ^i, and Ps. Ix.xxiv : 2. At evening returned. 27. Rode to Hartford with Ursula. Carried dinner to harvesters and con- tinued with them till night.* The harvest generally very good. Laus Deo. 28. Worked in the garden. Quite warm. Worked the most of the day. At evening Rev. Mr. Johns^ came here and tarried. We hear a great many rumors of news which turn out to be unfounded.^ 29. Quite warm. Walked and visited. Visited a school. It appeared ' He does not, of course, me^n first in the labor and vain recreation are by law pro- order of time, for the Pilgrims of Plymouth hibited." Some people, however, attended were here ten years before him, and Gov. to their hay on the Sabbath, a little while Endicott with his company was in the Massa- before, after a long wet time, and it was not chusetts Bay a year or two before. He therefore strange that they should have done meant first in dignity and character. the same on this Fast day. ° Of Gov. John Winthrop, which was to * This readiness of the minister to make make his eleventh article in the series of the himself generally useful was a pleasant trait Early riaiiters, etc. of his character. ' The State Fast days, at that time, in ' This was Rev. Evans Johns, the Welsh Connecticut, were supposed to have some- minister, who had been dismissed the year thing of the sanctity of the Sabbath. The before from his pastorate in Berlin, proclamation appointing one generally drew ' It was a time of war, and such rumors to a close with the sentence, " All servile were natural. 522 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. but ordinarily. There appears to be a great inattention to eternal things among us. Tarried out. 30. Visited two schools. Our grammar school' appears better than it has at any time since I have lived in town. Wet and rainy all day. We have quite a wet season. People have some difficulty in getting in their grain. My visits appear to be very kindly received. 31. Walked and visited all day. Our rains this year generally are short. Visited all day. Visited fourteen families. People feel quite gloomy under the aspect of our public affairs. Our great danger appears to be a want of natural union. Democracy is making an effort in this State to engage the party on the side of the war. It rather appears that our government is not in earnest about any foreign war. We have no help but in the God of heaven. We have not had any verj' hot weather. August. I. Came home at noon, having been about visiting since Wednesday morning. It is laborious, but I hope useful. Afternoon quite wet. Troubled with nervous affections. Wrote. 2.' Wrote notes and preached on Matt, x: 7, and an old sermon on Ps. xlvi : 10. At evening attended a conference. Meeting rather thin. 3. Rode to Hartford. Last night and night before was obliged to get up and take opium on account of my nervous affections. The summer is remark- ably moderate and uniform as to heat. The thermometer rises to about 80° the most of the day, and the nights are cool. Wrote to my brother James. 4. Worked in the garden. Read Universal History. Attended the funeral of Mrs. Jennings,^ aged eighty-seven, and the oldest person in the society. A very fine year for gardens. Gov. Hull,' with an army, has entered Upper Canada in a hostile manner. I did not expect they would go such lengths. 5. Read. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Mr. Wolcott is summoned to attend the district court at New York as a witness. Worked in the garden. 6. Worked on my pecuniary accounts. My expenses for a year past have not been so great as in two preceding years.* On the 4th the thermom- eter was at 87°. 7. Mr. Wolcott and Frances went off for New York. Am much affected this week with debility so as to be mostly unable to study. Read Universal History. The Governor has issued a proclamation on the situation of our public concerns, which is very valuable.' Rode to Hartford and brought up Ursula. I think she does well at her school. ' The same which he sometimes calls the of Governor came from the fact that he was academic school at East Windsor Hill, still Territorial Governor of Michigan. under the care of Eleazar T. Fitch, after- ' He ran beyond his income in those wards the Yale CoIIurc |>rtacher. years, and saw the necessity of contracting. " Widow Hannah Jennings. ' Gov. Roger Giiswold was a Federalist, ' Gen. William Hull was born in Derby, and sympathized with the Federalists of New Ct., 1753, and died in Newton, Mass., 1825. England. His proclamation was doubtless He was graduated at Yale, 1772. His title of a conservative type. l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 323 8. Very warm and faint weather. Wrote a sermon on Isa. viii : 20. Wrote pretty poorly. 9. Much oppressed with the heat. Wrote notes and preached on Gal. iii : 13, and from Isa. viii : 20. After meeting rode to Wapping and preached from John vii : 17. Very tired. I believe that the thermometer was near 90°. 10. Mrs. Wolcott is quite unwell with a severe cough. I feel quite an.xious about her. Rode to Hartford with Ursula, and brought her home. Mrs. Roys' is quite unwell. Visited an old woman apparently near her end. Our Governor has issued a proclamation enjoining the observance of the Presi- dent's Fast.' 11. Spent the day as an anniversary.^ I have obtained, by divine mercy, the meridian of human life. Read the Bible. Finished the Old Testament. Wrote considerably. Very rainy all day. At night a very hard rain. 12. Very wet. K^Tid Universal History. Rode out and visited. Received a letter from Miss Charlotte Verstille.* Wrote to Maj. Holkins,' Warehouse Point. 13. Heard of the death of Capt. Loomis,'' in New Connecticut, who went from here last winter. The family have been remarkably broken since that time. Wrote the biography of Gov. Haynes.' Quite cool. 14. Wrote all day. Finished my number for the Magazine. Have written this in two days. Worked in the garden. 15. Wrote notes for preaching. Visited. An aged woman died this after- noon.' At evening Mr. Wolcott and Frances returned from their journey,' which has been prosperous. Our western army makes out poorly. 16. Finished my notes and preached on James iv: 7. Read proclamations for the Fast. The Governor has issued one in aid of the President's. At evening attended the conference. Received a letter from my brother James. 17. A very hard rain. Attended the funeral of old Mrs. Elmer. Wrote to my brother James. Visited. Read Johnson's Tour to the Hebrides}" 18. Visited all day. I have now visited all the families in the society since the first of May ; all but ten or twelve I had visited before the end of July. Two that had moved into the town, within a few months, I found with- ■ The lady keeping the school where Ur- or what was the nature of the correspond- sula Wolcott attended. ence. - The Fast a short time ago was a special ' Holkins is another way of spelling State Fast, in view of the prospect of war, Hawkins. but this was a National Fast, though supple- ' Capt. Giles Loomis, whose wife and a mented by State authority. We see the same married daughter, Mrs. Gaylord, had died thing in substance now. The President ap- since he left East Windsor the preceding points the National Thanksgiving, and the winter. Governors appoint State Thanksgivings on ' Gov. John Haynes, first Governor of the the same day. Connecticut colon}'. ^ It was his thirty-fifth birthday, half of ° Widow Sarah Elmer, eighty-seven, three-score years and ten. 1 To New York. ■* Before mentioned, as of Andover, Ct. '° This delightful work of Dr. Samuel We have not as yet discovered who she was, Johnson was first issued in 1773. 524 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. out a Bible. I shall immediately supply them. The number of families May ist was one hundred and sixty-nine. Of these thirty-five are certificated. Walked all day without eating. 19. Began a .sermon on Isa. xxxii : 2 for Fast. Afternoon rode to Hart- ford. Ursula is quite sick at Mrs. Roys's. She is not able to come home. Wrote late. 20. This day is the national Fast recommended by Mr. Madison. By our people it was well observed. Finished and preached the sermon begun yesterday. Preached in the forenoon an old Fast sermon on Esther iv : 16. Mr. Wolcott went to Hartford and brought home Ursula. She appears to be some better. The weather is remarkably damp, cloudy, and faint. I am prett}' feeble. 21. Last night much troubled with nervous affections. Had to be up and take laudanum. Wrote. Read Universal History. Though cloudy, ther- mometer was at 90°. 22. Received a letter from my brother Frank, and wrote one to him. Last week and this has been uniformly cloudy and rainy. Read Uniivrsal His- tory. Rode to Hartford to exchange with Mr. Flint. Our government have now established a cessation of arms. They have no plan nor object.' 23. » Very clear after the rain. Mr. Flint" went to East Windsor. Preached from Deut. xxxii : 29, and Ps. li : 18. At evening returned and attended a conference. I think Mr. Flint's congregation, generally, is not larger than mine. 24. Rode to Wapping, visited two schools, and preached a lecture from Matt, ix : 9. Yesterday received six Bibles from the Bible Society for gratu- itous distribution. Last night unable to sleep with nervous aflfections. Received a letter from my cousin S. P. Robbins, of Marietta. 25. Read an account of the awful sanguinary transactions of the late mob at Baltimore. I have not expected to witness such things in our countr)-. Read Universal History. 26. Wrote a paper for Ursula. Set out with Mrs. Wolcott and Eveline' for Norfolk. Rode to Northington,' and tarried with Mr. Hawley.' Mrs. Wolcott is quite feeble. Thermometer yesterday was at 90°. Today it is not quite so warm. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $4.00. 27. Rode to Norfolk. Mrs. Wolcott bore the journey pretty well. My parents are very well. It is quite cool. T think I never saw corn so poor. There is a great deal of grass unmowed. 28. My parents have a good garden. They are making good improve- ' Three days before this date, Commodore " Kev. Abel Kliwt, D. I). Isaac Hull, in command of the ship Constitit- ' Eveline Wolcott w.is the youngest daugh- tion, had gained a decided naval victory, ter of Mr. Abiel Wolcott, being then eight capturing the British ship of war Guerriere, years old. Later in life she was Mrs. Edgar which was so damaged in the fight that she Bissell, still living, was burned. This was on the open sea, and * Now Avon. the news of the affair had not yet reached ' Rev. Rufus Hawley, the pastor at Avon, the land. 1769-1826. l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 525 merits about the house. My father performs his ministerial labors without difficulty. 29. Wrote. We feel quite an.xious about brother Frank's inclination to continue in school keeping.' Dined at Mr. Battell's. Quite warm. This week has been very favorable weather. 30. Preached for my father on Ps. li : 18, and Ps. l.x.x.xiv : 2. I suspect this congregation, ordinarily, is not much larger than mine. Mrs. Wolcott attended meeting. I think she is better for her journey. At evening con- versed considerably with brother Nat. I fear that he will marry injudiciously.^ There is said to be considerable seriousness in Cornwall and Kent and some places adjacent, but in this and the neighboring places it is, as with us, a time of great stupidity with regard to divine things. 31. Rode with my brother Samuel, and in company with brother and sister Battel], to Leno.x. At evening attended the marriage of my brother James with Maria Eggleston.' I am much pleased with my brother's connection, and with his bride. In the morning we received the important intelligence that Gen. Hull and his army are made prisoners. I conclude it is true. If so our nation has never e.xperienced so great a disgrace.* My brother had a very agreeable wedding. A summer so wet, and with so little hot weather, is scarcely remembered.* September. 1. My brother has done very well here in trade. Esq. Eggleston treated us with much attention and kindness. James and Maria went off to Williams- town to Commencement. Received of Pettibone & Robbins' 59-54. the balance of my note against them. Returned to Norfolk. Last night there was a disgraceful and dangerous conflict at Sheffield, between two hundred United States troops on their march to Albany and some people of the town. The officers were very faulty.' My father did not feel able to go up to my brother's wedding. The most of people are haying. 2. Paid Mr. Battel! $2.00. Set out for home with Mrs. Wolcott and Eveline. Dined at brother Ammi's. Rode to Farmington, tarried at Mr. ' Frank has now been out of college for as also in Gen. Hull's own writings, consid- four years, and he ought, as his family think, erations are presented, by which the public to be studying theology. mind is disposed to a much more charitable ^ Nathaniel had always been a source of view of his conduct than at the first, anxiety to his family with reference to the ' As cold, as the summer before was hot. marriage connections which he was disposed ' This is the business firm with which his to form. brother James was connected in Lenox. ' James Watson had now settled down in ' It is a curious coincidence that there life, and was to become one of the substantial, was, this very year (iS 12) in Sheffield, Eng., leading men of Lenox. a riot in which eight hundred muskets were * On the 15th of August, 1812, Gen. Hull destroyed. This riot in Sheffield, Mass., was surrendered Detroit to the British General one of those outbreaks, probably, that had Brock. In 1814, for this act, he was by little political significance, though the ele- court-martial condemned for cowardice. In ment of party feeling may have been in it to his Life, by James Freeman Clarke, D. D., some extent. .6 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. Gridley's. Tlie public feeling is much excited by the surrender of Gen. Hull. The most of the people are evidently pleased.' 3. Quite warm. Rode home. We have had a very prosperous journey. Mr. McClure carried on meeting here last Sabbath.° Deacon Reed' read two sermons. Received a letter from Mr. Perkins* to convoke our Consocia- tion for the ordinary meeting. Received a letter from my brother James. Read newspapers. 4. Began a sermon on i Cor. i : 23, 24. Wrote poorly. My thoughts were ver\- absent. Rode to Hartford and brought uj) Ursula. 5. Rainy and cold. Had a fire in my chamber. Wrote all day. We have had the official account of the surrender of Fort Detroit and North West- ern army to the British. It is a most disgraceful event. Never was a war undertaken with such poor preparation.' 6. Finished and preached my sermon on i Cor. i : 23, 24. At evening attended a conference. We have a very remarkable account of a revival of religion in Bristol,' Rhode Island. 7. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $40.00. Rode to Hartford. Paid Cook S30.00. Our war is like to be a terrible disgrace and injury to our country-. People generally conclude the present crop of corn will be as poor as ever known. Began and wrote considerably on a long letter to brother Frank. 8. Borrowed from Hartford Bank, $147.67, for which I yesterday gave them my note of $150.00. It must be paid in ninety days. Rode to New Haven. I went from Hartford to New Haven in seven hours. Attended the public exercises of the P. B. K. Society, which were a poem and an oration, very good. I think I have never heard so good a poem in that town. Quite tired. At evening attended the speaking for premiums. They spoke unusu- ally well. 9. The weather is very fine. The public performances were but ordinary. There are not so many people at the Commencement as there have been gen- erallv for a few years past. Ver)- few strangers or characters of distinction. After the exercises rode to East Haven and returned. Paid Mr. Moulthrop $5.00. This, with $25.00 paid him by my father and brother last winter, which I have endorsed on their notes, makes $30.00 which I have paid for my parents' portraits.' At evening Mr. Miller' preached a very good sermon at the Concio ad Clerum. There are not so many ministers in town as usual. 'That is, they were glad to have the gov- pastor from 17S5 to 1S15, colleague pastor ernment meet with calamities, and disposed from 181 5 to 1S2S, when he resigned, but to sav, "I told you so." preached occasionally until his death in 1837, ° He presided and took the general over- at the age of eighty-four. His ministry was sight. a very successful one. ' Dca. Abner Reed, before noticed as an ' It seems that the same artist, Mr. Keu- engraver. ben Moulthrop, who took Dr. Robbins's pic- * Dr. Nathan Perkins. ture (now in Connecticut ni.storic.il Rooms), 'Wisdom must be gained by experience, had taken also those of his father and mother, and " .Mi's well that ends well." now at Norfolk. ' This revival occurred under the ministry ' Rev. William F. Miller, dismissed l8ll of Rev. Henry Wight, D. D., who was sole from liloomficld (Wintonbury). lSl2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 527 10. Paid to Eagle Bank my fourth instalment of $125.00, which will be- come due on the 27th instant. Paid Howe what I owed him, $8.75. Let him have a dozen of my father's sermons. Bought another half ream of fine letter paper like that which I purchased April 30th. The ream cost $10.00.' I con- clude it will last me for sermons and letters six or eight years. I have seldom found any of this size. Bought some valuable books. Attended the meeting of the P. B. K. Society. Attended a meeting at which Dr. Backus preached.^ Left New Haven at noon and rode home. The weather is very pleasant, but like all the preceding part of the year it is not warm. In the morning visited Mr. Mix's museum, which is a great curiosity. 11. Wrote. Read Universal History. Attended a little time at a training. 12. Finished my letter to brother Frank. Wrote to brother Samuel and Mr. Battell. Mr. Sheldon,' now preaching at Orford, came here for an exchange. Rode to Orford. Quite warm. 13. Preached from i John iii : 3, and Jer. xxiii : t,-^. Administered the sacrament. Baptized four children. Much oppressed with the heat. The prospects of this society I think are rather more encouraging than they have been. At evening rode home. Very tired. 14. Rode to Hartford with Ursula. Paid for the third half volume of the Encyclopadia, $4.00.'' Sent to my mother my old great coat. Sent to my father four pounds of white paint, for which, with pot, etc., I paid $1.55. Got acquainted with Mr. Delaplaine, of Philadelphia, publisher of the Encyclo- padia. Visited. 15. Read Encydopcedia. The ground is very dry. Visited. 16. Read Mather's Magnalia, Afternoon rode to East Hartford, and attended a regimental training.' They performed remarkably well. The dust very oppressive. At evening rode to Hartford and heard a sermon from Dr. Worcester, of Salem. The Board of Foreign Missions are now in session there.' My brother James and his lady came here and tarried. 17. My brother and sister went away after dinner. Had company. Wrote. Quite cool and dry. Walked out. ' Paper, books, and clothing were higher ' The writer of these notes attended a then than now, but articles of food were regimental training in East Hartford, sixteen much cheaper. years later (1S2S), ending with a sham fight ^ This was Dr. Azel Backus, born in Nor- in the meadows. He made a journey on foot, wich, Ct., Oct. 13, 1765, graduated at Yale, back and forth, of about twenty-six miles to 1787, and settled at Bethlem, Ct., as sue- doit. But the occasion was great, and weari- cessor of Dr. Joseph Bellamy, 1791-1812. ness a trifle. In the latter year he was chosen President ' This was the third annual meeting of of Hamilton College, N. Y., where he died the American Board of Commissioners for in 1816. He and his uncle. Dr. Charles Foreign Missions. The first meeting was at Backus, of Somers, both died in the midday Farmington, Ct, iSio, and the second at of life. Salem, Mass. This was the day of small ' Rev. Luther Sheldon, graduated at Mid- things, but now the society is known and dlebury College, Vt., in 180S, a native of honored over the whole earth. The trans- Somers, Ct. forming power of this agency may be seen in * Eight dollars a volume. many lands, and in the islands of the sea. 528 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [181;. iS. Began another number for the Magazine} Wrote all day. 19. Wrote a sermon on Lev. .\.xvi : 41. I hope to be enabled through grace to accept of the punishment of my iniquity.^ 20. This morning there was some frost. The first we have had. Wrote notes and preached from Mai. .x.xvii : 54, and from Luke .\xvi : 41. Something rainy. At evening attended a conference. 21. Rode to Hartford. Received some new books brought from New Haven. We have an account of another great victor)- over the French gained by Lord Wellington in Spain. ^ Rode to Scantick and attended Freeman's Meeting. The highest Federal vote for nomination was two hundred and fifty-one. The Democratic nomination was not called. There were but twenty-seven Democratic votes for a representative. Very cool. It is thought however that the corn, which is very green, is not injured by the frost. Looked over Shuckford's Connections.'' The history is not brought so low as the title indicates. 22. My new books make a valuable addition to my library. Wrote all day on my twelfth number 'for the Magazine. I have gone further already with this than I expected when I undertook it. 23. Finished my Magazine number. Attended the training of a regiment of cavalr)' which met in this place. The last week and this have been a very fine season for military reviews. This morning there was a good deal of frost. 24. Read Universal History. At evening rode to Wapping and performed a marriage.' Quite cold. 25. Read Universal History. The history of the Jews is ver\- valuable. Walked out and visited. Very dry and dusty. 26. Read. Wrote to my brother Nathaniel. I feel concerned about him in his present situation. Wrote notes for preaching. 27. Wrote notes and preached from Mark xi : 20. At evening attended the conference. The meeting was quite full. 28. Wrote to my brother Samuel' On the 15th wrote to my father. Rede to Hartford with Ursula. Visited a school which has done well this summer. Visited a woman in a consumption. Very low. ' The thirteenth number. He had filled the wicked." " But .ire we not wicUed ? " out a vear beginning in October, 181 1, and asked Dr. S. "Not very," was the ([uick .ind commenced another. He makes a mistake pleasant reply. in calling it the twelfth. ' This must refer to the great battle o£ ' This remark of Dr. Robbins reminds us Salamanca, fought July 22, 1813, in which of an incident related by Rev. Daniel lUitler, Wellington totally routed the French army of genial memories. As secretary of the under Marshal Marmont, le.iving six thou- Massachusetts liible Society he was spending sand men dead, woimded, and missing, and a Sabbath with the venerable Dr. R. S. taking more than seven thousand prison- Storrs, of Hraintree, Mass., then in his old crs. age. As the Sabbath evening drew on, one * This was a work of Rev. S. Shuckford, of the Psalms was read by a member of the a learned divine. family, and remarks were made. In reply to ' Chester Pitkin, of East Hartford, was something that had been said, the gentle and united in marriage with Nancy I'ffotd. half plavful wife, bowed under the infirmities ' His brother Samuel, as we urderstanci cf age, said, " That does not mean us, it means it, was still in Norfolk. l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 529 29. Went to Windsor on foot and met with the Consociation. Mr. Gaylord,' of Hartland, preached verj' well. We did not have much business. The state of religion within our limits is gloomy. Tarried at Mrs. McLean's. 30. The Consociation finished their business before noon. Set out to walk to Hartford. Got a ride in a wagon. I think I never saw a worse dust. We have had some frost, I believe, every morning for about ten days. Purchased some books at Hartford at vendue, for which I paid $6.80. Purchased also at vendue a fine orange-tree for Si- 10, and a good lemon-tree for $1.00. Rode home in a wagon. Walked out and visited. I believe the frosts have not killed the corn, though its color is changed. October. 1. Wrote. Began a sermon on Hos. viii : 14. Afternoon visited a school. They have done very well this summer, particularly in the catechism. Visited sick persons. Paid for a new singing-book, for which I was a subscriber, $1.35. 2. \A'rote on a sermon. Preached a preparatory lecture, with notes, from Rom. xiii: 11. Visited. Very warm. The thermometer was at 78°. Yes- terday it was nearly the same. 3. Quite a rainy day. We have not had scarcely any before since about the 20th of August. Wrote in six hours and a half a sermon on Luke viii : 15. I never wrote one in so short a time. It is not as long as I generally write. 4. Wrote. On account of the rain preached with notes on i John iv : 11. Administered the sacrament. The meeting pretty thin. Afternoon Mr. A. Loomis^ preached for me. At evening attended the conference. 5. Rode to Hartford with Ursula. Brought up my orange and lemon- trees. I hope to keep them from the frost. I think I bought them cheap. One was Si. 10, the other $1.00, including the pots. The orange is three feet and three inches, and the lemon two feet and five inches above the earth in which they grow. Walked out and visited. 6. Last night there was a hard rain. Rode with Mr. Wolcott to West- field. The academy had a very good exhibition. I believe Frank to be a very good preceptor. Quite cold and windy. Saw Mr. Weeks,' of Vermont. This academy has had this summer nearly an hundred students. My brother has agreed to continue half a year longer.* 7. Rode home by Springfield. It being a regimental day we could not go into the armor}'.' Vegetation is generally stopped by the frost. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. ' Rev. Nathaniel Gaylord, of West Hart- graduate of Dartmouth College, 1795, pastor land. at Pittsford, Vt., 1807-1S14. ^ Rev. Amasa Loomis, son of Dea. Amasa * He could not easily tear himself away Loomis, of Dr. Robbins's church. Rev. Mr. from a school which he had conducted so Loomis, who was graduated at Yale in 1807, prosperously. was not yet settled over any parish, but had ' The United States armory was located been employed on missionary service in in Springfield in 1795, and ever since has Ohio. been busily employed, though much more so, ' Rev. Holland Weeks, before noticed, of course, in time of war than of peace. 530 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. 8. Read Universal History. Very cold for the season. Have a steady fire in my chamber. 9. Read Universal History. Rode to Hartford and brought up Ursula. She has now finished her school there, having attended fourteen weeks.' 10. Last evening my brother Frank came here and tarried. This morning he went off to Norfolk. Wrote to my father. Finished the tenth volume of Modern Universal History. This morning we had a severe frost. Began another number for the Magazine. 11. Wrote notes and preached in the morning from Isa. l.\i : 2. Finished and preached a sermon on Hos. viii : 14. Attended the conference. 12. Something rainy. Rode to Hartford. The corn comes in better than was feared. Visited. 13. Wrote a number for the Magazine. Severe cold. We have very favorable accounts of the encounters of the Russian with the French armies.' 14. Rode to East Hartford and attended our ministers' meeting. Preached from Hos. viii : 14. All the members attended. Looked over old magazines. 15. Finished my fourteenth number for the Magazine. My orange and lemon-trees do very well. Visited. 16. Read. Rode to Wapping and to Orford. Brought home a number of valuable books which I have purchased from the late Rev. Mr. Olcott's library.' At night my brother N. came here. Got wet with rain. 17. Last evening I caught a cold. Wrote on the subject of Foreign Mis- sions. Wrote notes for preaching. My brother continues here.* 18. Wrote notes and preached in the afternoon on 2 Peter iii : 9. In the forenoon preached from Luke viii : 15. Am much troubled with my cold. At evening attended the conference. 19. Rode with my brother to Talcott Mountain. He leaves his horse to be sold. Received from him, $10.00. Paid my merchant tailor, $5.00. For a silk hat, procured last June, $2.75. The late elections in the Middle States have been very favorable to Federalism. Quite cold. Saw at Hartford a large elephant. It is a great curiosity.' Paid Mr. Haskell, $1.00. 20. Wrote laboriously from nine o'clock a. m. till after twelve at night, on the subject of Foreign Missions. I verily believe the present state of that business in this country to be injurious and dangerous, as turning off public attention from our own country.' 21. Rode to Hartford. A number of people met for the purpose of form- ' It did not take so long to finish a young from which it never recovered. But this lady's education then as now. news could not have reached Mr. Robbins " By favorable accounts he must mean when he made this entry in his diary, that he had heard of the defeat of the French ^ 1 le continues to buy books of Mrs. Ol- by the Russians. But from the middle of cott, and it was probably good fortune to her July to the early part of September there had thus to sell them, been a series of battles in wliich the French * His brother Nathaniel. were victorious, the last one being the battle * Mr. Harnum w.is not about then. of Borodino, .September 7th. Un the 15th of ' There have been many people that have Sept., 1812, the Russians burned Moscow, reasoned in the same way, but without just and this was a disaster to the French army cause. lSl2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. S3I ing an Auxiliar)' Foreign Mission Society. I presented an address which I have written in opposition to the measure. After much debate the meeting was adjourned to the fourth day of next February.' 22. Rode to Westfield with Tudor, left him with my brother Frank and returned.^ In the evening performed a marriage.' 23. Wrote. Visited. Read Universal History. A hard rain. 24. Rode to Wapping and visited sick persons. Read. We have an account of an action of our army with the British near Niagara, in which our troops were badly beaten.'' The frowns of heaven appear to be upon this war. Read the Bible. 25. Read the Bible. Preached an old sermon on Mark xvi : i6. The meeting very full. At evening attended the conference. Warm and pleasant. 26. Last evening received a letter from my father. On Saturday wrote one to Rev. Mr. Hawley, Northington.' Read Universal History. Heard of the melancholy news of the death of Gov. Griswold.' He died yesterday, very suddenly, sitting in his chair. I think it to be a very great frown of heaven upon our State. Quite rainy. 27. Walked and visited all day. Found, unexpectedly, some persons quite serious. Laus Deo. 28. Read. Finished the twelfth volume of Universal Modern History, vih\c\\ makes half of the work. I am something back of my assigned task, a volume a month. We had a very hard rain. At evening performed a marriage.' 29. Read. Rode to Hartford. Visited. I fear the freemen of the State will be much divided in the choice of a Governor. I have fears about the maintenance of our Evangelical Magazine.' 30. Rode to Wapping and visited families sick and others. The pros- pects of the people there are very discouraging. 31. Wrote a sermon on Ps. cxvi : lo. Wrote very poorly. The .Assembly have paid a great respect to the memory of the Governor. Warm. Received for my brother's horse, which is sold, $150.00.' The country is much agitated respecting the approaching Presidential election. ' The position of the meeting would be heavily, including their Gen. Broclc, who was called strange now. killed. " Dr. Robbins seems to have the care of ' Avon, the education of all the children of the ' Gov. Roger Griswold, then in office, familv. died at his home in Norwich, Ct., Oct. 25, ' The parties united were Guy Stoughton 1S12. He was the son of Gov. Matthew and and Esther Diggins. Diggins was an old Ursula (Wolcott) Griswold, and was one of name in East Windsor, furnishing one gradu- the truly able men of the country, ate of Yale College, John Diggins, 1740, who ' Between Curtiss Skinner and Ann Ncw- was fitted for college by Rev. Timothy bury. Edwards. ' The Evangelical Magazine continued till ' This was a battle which was not, by any 1S15. means, all on one side. It is known as the ' His brother Nathaniel had a valuable battle of Queenstown Heights, and though horse to bring a price like that in those the Americans were finally repulsed, with years. His principal care was for blooded heavy loss, the British lost, it is believed, as sheep, but he also liked a good horse. 5^2 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. NOVSMBBR. 1. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon, on Acts vii : 42. After- noon, on Ps. cxvi : 10. After meeting rode to Wapping, preached from i Cor. ii : 2, and baptized three children." Quite cool. Ver\- tired. At the close of tlie afternoon service spoke of the death of the Governor. I think our meet- ings have been fuller this fall than they were in the summer. 2. Wrote. Walked out and visited. Warm for the season. 3. Read in Universal History, two hundred and fifty pages. I do not commonly read twenty-five pages in an hour. Wrote to my father. 4. Walked and visited. Afternoon attended the funeral of Mrs. Ban- croft,' after which, walked to Windsor and met with our ministers' meeting. They had got about through with their business when I reached there. Re- turned. 5. Read Universal History. Finished the thirteenth volume. I have read a volume this week and one last week. 6. Began a sermon on Matt, vi : 22. Wrote all day. Quite warm. .\t evening walked out. 7. Wrote steadily. Finished the sermon begun yesterday. The elec- tions indicate a great change of public opinion in the country.^ Received a letter from my father. 8. In the morning we had a severe frost. Preached on Matt, vi : 22. Full meeting. At evening attended the conference. The President's Mes- sage indicates a determination to prosecute the war. 9. Quite cold. Rode to Hartford. Got some new books. There are great hopes that Mr. Madison will not be reelected.* The political change in Massachusetts is astonishing. 10. Walked and visited. In the evening read in Universal History, one hundred and fifty pages. Received a letter from Howe & Deforest, New Haven.' ' Flavel and Edward Grant, son.s of Mr. people, that measures resulting from the na- David Grant, and Horace .Skinner, son of tional will, constitutionally pronounced, and Oliver Skinner, Jr. carrying with them the most solemn sane- ' Mrs. Lydia liancroft, sixty-seven. tions, are not to be pursued into effect with- ^ James Madison, fourth President of the out the hazard of civil war. This is surelv United States, was a classmate at Princeton, not the legitimate course. Neither is it the in the class of 1771, of Rev. Samuel Spring, language on other occasions heard from the D. D., of Newburyport. In the month of same quarter." September of this year, 1S12, Mr. Madison This seems more calm, wise, and patriotic wrote a letter to Dr. Spring, in which occur language than some which we find in this the following sentences: "I recollect our diary, and widely in the writings of New collegiate friendship with the same impres- England men of that period. sions which it gives me pleasure to find you ■* In political matters, it is plain to be seen still retain. . . We all feel the weight of the that Mr. Robbins'a " wish was father to his times, and it is to be regretted that all cannot thought." Mr. Madison was reelected in unite in measures opposed to them. If it 1813, receiving 12S of the total 217 electoral were proper for me, it might not be agreeable votes = 128 to 89. In his first election he to you to discuss the subject ; but I will not received 122 of the total 175= 122 to 53. conceal the surprise and pain I feel at dec- ' A new name in the book firm which laralions from any jjart of llic American used to be Howe & liccrs. l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 533 11. Visited. Read. Had a bad turn of cholic. I have been troubled of late with inattention in reading. 12. Worked. Walked and visited. Read Universal History. The pros- pect of our Presidential election appears extremely uncertain. I think we have some evidence of the presence of the good spirit of God among us of late. 13. Began another number for the Magazine. Wrote to Howe & Deforest, New Haven. Quite cool. Walked out. In the evening it snowed some. Received a letter from Mr. Hawlej", of Northington. 14. M'rote on my Magazine number. Received a letter from my father. Quite cool. Wrote over old notes for preaching. 15. Preached with notes from i John iv : i. At evening attended the conference. Pretty thin. 16. Rode to Farmington on business for brother Samuel. Wrote a letter to him. Returned. There is a great quantity of cider' made this fall. Wrote. Had some new clothes made. A surtout cost about twenty-one dol- lars. On the loth received a letter from Rev. Mr. Strong, of Somers. On the i6th received of my brother N. $15.00. 17. Worked clearing and manuring my asparagus beds. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $5.00. Paid for Owen's'' Commentary on the Jfebrezvs, $6.00. Wrote to Mr. Strong, of Somers. Received a letter from Mr. Yates. Wrote to my brother James. Visited. 18. Wrote all day on my Magazine number and finished it. It is wholly occupied with the life of Mr. Hooker,^ who was a very great man. It has been a very difficult number to write. 19. Rode to Bolton and back. Their situation about society matters is pretty critical.'' Ursula went with me. Paid Mrs. Olcott, of Orford, what I owed her for books, $15.00. I have paid her in the whole, $45.00. Very cold. 20. Walked and visited the sick and others. We have a verj- pleasing prospect of an addition to the church. Read UniTcrsal History. 21. Wrote a sermon on Ex. ix : 20. Assisted the church committee in examining two young women for admission to the church. Talked seriously with this family. 22. Preached with notes on Matt, xxvi : 42, and from Ex. ix : 20. At evening attended a conference. Verj' cold. Ver)' tired. 23. Worked all day. Got out my artificial manure for my garden. Read Universal History. The mourning color among the Mahometans of Barbary is blue. This morning and yesterday the thermometer was below 20°. ' The cider, when plenteous, was regarded ^ Thomas Hooker, of Hartford, than whom as one of the blessings of a kind Providence. there was no greater man among the early ' Dr. John Owen, 1O16-1683, one of the settlers of New England, greatest of England's Puritan divines. He '' It will be remembered that Rev. Geo. was a very voluminous writer, and his Colton, who had been pastor at Bolton for work on the Epistle to the Hebrews, which nearly fifty years, died in the previous June, first began to appear in 166S, is regarded by and nearly three years passed before the many as the most important of his publica- people were united upon any one for his tions. successor. 534 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. 24. Last night there was a very violent wind and rain. Began a sermon for Thanksgiving. Visited a woman ver\' low with the consumption. 25. Quite cold. Finished my Tlianksgiving sermon. I think it the poorest I have written since I have been here. Received a letter from my brother James. For twenty-nine past Thanksgivings our countr)' has been in peace,.' 26. Thanksgiving. Thermometer this morning at 16°. Preached from Hosea xi : 8. Our family is quite small. At evening walked out. 27. Rode to Hartford. It appears likely that Mr. Madison will be re- chosen, though we have thought it very doubtful. Read Rncychpcedia. 28. Wrote. Attended the funeral of Mrs. Loomis.° Rode to Ellington on an exchange. Quite cold. We had a large and very solemn funeral.^ Mrs. Brockway ■* has been long confined with ill-health. 29. A hard rain all day. Very few people at meeting. I believe not more than twenty. Preached on Matt, vi : 22. At evening rode home. Mr. Flint' preached today for me. This afternoon he preached and attended a funeral at Wapping. Visited a young man ver\- sick. 30. Visited sick people in the neighborhood. I have seldom or never known so many sick persons in this place. Worked considerably. Completed my fall work of digging of manure, fixing trees, etc. At evening read. Fin- ished the fourteenth volume of Modern Universal History. I have now com- pleted three years since I began the work, and set my task to read a vol- ume a month. A year ago I was in arrear six volumes ; I am now four. Am considerably gloomy and dejected. Dbcbmder. 1. Wrote a review of Dr. Dwight's Fast &/•»«/)«' for ministers' meeting. Wrote my brother Samuel. Gave to my father's boy, Rossiter,' .75. 2. Our ministers' meeting was held here. The lecture was very thin.* It snowed moderately the most of the day. There came considerable snow night before last. Read to the meeting the piece I wrote yesterday. Mr. Bartlett preached. Received of Mr. VVolcott, $35.00. 3. It continues to snow, though very moderately. Rode to Hartford. We have the painful account of a great victory of the French in Russia.' Paid to Hartford Bank tiie first instalment of what I borrowed last September, $31.86. Wrote to my father. Visited. ' He reckons from the close of the Revo- ' The boy whom Dr. Rol)bins procured lutionary period, 1783. some time before to assist his f.-ither, and of ' Mrs. Olive Loomis, thirty-three. whom we have before heard good report. ' This sentence should have been entered ' This confirms the previous statement before the last two. that these ministers' meetings uniformlv in- * Mrs. Diodate Brockway. eluded a public preaching service. » Rev. Abel Flint, D. D. » People here were probably just hearing ' This was the sermon, in two parts, de- of the battle of Korodino. Moscow had been livcred in the chapel of Yale College, by in ashes more than two months, but thcv had President Dwight, on occasion of the late not heard of it yet. Knulaiul w.is a great National Fast. wav off, but Russia much f.irthcr. l8l2.J PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 535 4. Very rainy all day. Walked and visited. My visits to the sick and mourners take a good deal of time. Caught some cold. 5. Last night was in bed more than eleven hours, and slept the most of the time. Wrote a sermon on Heb. xi: 24, 25. Am considerably interrupted by calls and company. 6. A pleasant day after many that were stormy. Preached with notes on Matt. V : 4, and the sermon written yesterday. I never saw so many mourn- ers here at once, as today. Received Julia and Helen Wolcott ' as members in the church. I pray for becoming thankfulness. We had a very solemn meet- ing. At evening had a very serious conference. I beg for the divine blessing. 7. Walked and visited all day. We have the account of the capture of a large English frigate " by one of ours. Last evening received a letter from my cousin P. G. Robbins. 8. Read in Universal History, three hundred pages. I think the tAvo sieges of Rhodes by the Turks exceed anything of the kind I have met with in history.' Warm and wet. 9. Visited the sick. A woman with the consumption appears to be near her end. At evening performed a marriage.* 10. Read Universal History. Very cold and tedious. Visited. Today and Tuesday I have read a volume of my history. The history of the Knights of Malta is uncommonly entertaining. Performed a marriage.' 11. The thermometer this morning was about 20°. Walked to Hartford. Mr. Yates has lost his eldest son with a fever. Fourteen years old. Preached a sacramental lecture on Heb. .\i : 24, 25, for Dr. Strong. Rode home. The ground is hard frozen and very rough. Wrote. We have news of astonishing war events in Russia. The desolations are terrible. I am in great hopes the projects of the French Emperor will be frustrated.' 12. Thermometer this morning about io°. The ground is very hard frozen. Received a letter from Howe & Deforest. Wrote notes for preaching. Wrote an addition to a funeral sermon on i Cor. vii: 29, 31. I think I cannot do so much business in the winter by day as in the summer. 13. Preached in the forenoon, with notes, on Matt. .\.xii : 42. Afternoon rode to East Hartford, and preached for Mr. Yates ' in his affliction, from I Cor. vii: 29-31. At evening returned and attended the conference. Very tired. Read newspapers. I think we have never had so good ground of hope as now, that Bonaparte will be beaten in war.' ' Julia and Helen Wolcott, daughters of * The parties were Joel King and Chloe Erastus Wolcott, Jr. Grant. ^ This is the news of the capture of the ' Jeremiah Antrim, of Somers, and Anna Guerricre by the Constitution, under Commo- Ellsworth. dore Isaac Hull, .\ug. 19, nearly four months ' The news from Moscow begins to come before. So slowly did news get in. in. ' Rhodes, an island near Asia Minor, was ' He gave up his own afternoon service held by the Knights Hospitalers, from 1309 to help his brother in distress, to 1522, when after a long siege it was taken ' This is the Moscow news without doubt, by the Turks, and the Knights took posses- and his conclusion is correct. Napoleon will sion of Malta. never really recover from this blow. S3& DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l2. 14. Visited two schools. Visited the sick. The school visitors are lax in atterjding to iheir duty. 15. Read Universal History. Rode to Hartford. Paid for dressing a piece of cloth for my niece, E. Lawrence,' Si. 87, and for cutting her coat, .50. The thermometer this morning was at 12°. Received a letter from P. B. Gleason," Hartford. Last evening received an almanack, sent by iny brother James. 16. The ground is bare and dry, and going exceedingly good. Visited two schools. Could have but one visitor with me. Read Magazine. At evening rode to the border of East Hartford and performed a marriage.' Very cold. I/. Thermometer this morning about 10°. Wrote. Walked out and visited. Reckoned with Mr. Wolcott, and received a note of him as society collector, $252.71. I'aid him in a number of small old charges which I had against him, $12. 85, which, with what I did for him last winter in making tax-bills and arranging his papers, he received for the use of his horse and carriage, etc., which I have had for a year. I give him for my living $104 a year.* 18. Rode to Wapping and visited their two schools. Visited sick people. Ver\' pleasant weather. Much tired. 19. Received of Mr. Wolcott, $125.00. On the 17th received of Mr. Wolcott an order, which I had given on the society treasurer, of $6.75, and a due-bill which I had given for books, of $9.35. Wrote the most of a New Year's address for the Magazine? 20. Preached an old written sermon on Isa. xxvi : 4. At evening attended a conference. Cold and tedious. 21. Rode to Hartford. Wrote a letter to my parents, and one to Charles Sherman,' of New Haven. Sent my fifth instalment to the Eagle Bank of $125,00. The wind very severe and cold. Visited. The society had their annual meeting ; very harmonious. No certificates have been given in during the past year. Read Clarke's Cominentary. 22. Wrote the life of Mr. Stone' for a part of my next Magazine number. .Attended the funeral of Polly Loomis. She has died of a consumption, after a very long decline. 23. Wrote the life of Mr. Davenport.^ He was a very great man. I have written this number for the Magazine in two days. Studied quite late. In the afternoon performed a marriage.' ' Eliza Lawrence, daughter of his sister "■ This was the Charles Sherman, who Elizabeth. .She is getting ready to be married. some years before sent out a circular to the ' The publisher of the Connecticut Kvan- clergy. Later he moved to Sufiield. gelieal Magazine. ' .Samuel Stone, who was colleague pastor ' Chauncey Heath, of Scantic, and Lydia with Thomas Hooker. They were the first Burnham, of East Hartford. He was called ministers of Hartford. Thomas Hooker died to this service probably because of Dr. Yates's in 1647. Samuel Stone in 1663. The two men recent affliction. were intimate before coming from England. * Now that there is no horse, the board is ' John Davenport, the first minister of two dollars a week. New Haven, who came over in 1638, and ' licsides his article on the New England died in 1670. Planters he writes the New Year's address, » Elijah Hlodgett, Jr., of Scantic, and which is an article of considerable length. Elizabeth Stocking. l8l2.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 537 24. Copied my New Year's piece for the Magazine. Visited the sick. 25. Rode with Dr. Tudor to Hartford. Attended the Episcopal Christmas meeting. Mr. Chase preaclied pretty well. He appears, however, to be an Arminian. I believe my historical view in the Magazine does good. Very cold. Read Clarke's Commaitary. 26. Read Universal History, At evening young Mr. Marsh,' of Wethers- field, came and kindly offered to assist me tomorrow. Read Clarke's Commen- tary. It is very valuable for its learning, but he is an Anninian and I suspect a Universalist. Read the Bible. The thermometer this morning at eight o'clock was at 5°. 27. Mr. Marsh preached very well. I trust he will be very useful. Very cold. Read the Bible. At evening attended the conference. Read in the Universal History, one hundred pages. I have to take considerable care of my orange-trees. 28. We have favorable accounts from Russia. I hope Providence is about to limit the successes of the French Conqueror. On the 2Sth heard of the surprising death of Rev. Mr. Grossman,^ of Salisbury. He had a good constitu- tion and was in the midst of his days. On the 2Sth received a letter from Mr. Battell. Wrote to Rev. T. Williams,^ Providence. Visited the sick and others. 29. On the 24th received a present of a valuable load of wood from Wap- ping. Today I have had two more. Wrote to my cousin. Dr. Robbins,* of Lynn. Visited a young woman very sick with the prevailing fever. Very pleasant weather for the season. Apprehensive that I should be taken up the remainder of this week, I observe this day as a day of fasting and prayer and praise in view of the closing and beginning year. 30. Rode to Enfield and attended a ministers' meeting. The riding very good. Mr. Haskell's' new buildings in this place constitute one of the finest seats in this county. There is a good deal of sickness in the vicinity. The change of political sentiment in the country in six months is beyond all ex- pectation. At this time I am persuaded Mr. Madison could not be chosen President. Every expedition of the war is unaccountably disastrous ; there appear to be no men of business in the employment.' 31. Returned very early on account of the sick. Several in this neighbor- hood are very low. Attended them considerably. I feel a little apprehen- sive of taking the fever. Read Universal History. Attended to my orange- trees. The nights scarcely freeze. Began the seventeenth volume of Modern Universal History, and read one hundred pages. ' Rev. John Marsh, Jr., afterwards the at Yale in iSoo, and passed away recently great temperance advocate. ('876) aged ninety-seven. He also assisted ' Rev. Joseph W. Grossman, already fully Dr. Strong, of Hartford, on the Magazine. noticed. He was settled in Salisbury in * Peter Oilman Robbins, M.D. June, 1797. ' Eli B. Haskell's buildings. East Wind- ' Here first appears in this diary, a name sor Hill, that we have been expecting to find for some ' Another rather unfair judgment, but he time. Rev. Thomas Williams, a man of unique probably gave utterance to the prevailing character and experience. He was graduated opinion around him. i 1813. January. 1. The new year finds me in the enjoyment of the great mercies of God. Wrote notes and preached a preparatory lecture on Micah vii : 8. Visited the sick. Completed my last diary. Read the Bible. 2. Wrote a sermon onPs. xc: 12. Afternoon and evening a very hard rain. The thermometer was nearly up to temperate. 3. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on John x: 27, and after- noon from Ps. xc : 12. Administered the sacrament. We had a solemn day. After meeting performed a marriage at Mr. Olcott's." At evening attended the conference. 4. Prepared and begun this diary. Will a merciful God enable me to finish it, and to record his great mercies. On the first received three valuable loads of wood'' from Wapping. Completed my preaching account to this time. Visited the sick. About some of them I feel much concerned. Pre- paring for my journey. 5. Rode to Norfolk. Quite cold and a severe northwest wind. The ground very hard and rough. My father is sensibly better than a year ago. There is very little snow. 6. There is a favorable prospect here of a new meeting-house. Walked and visited. Paid Mr. Battell in father's Half Century Sennons, for which I am accountable to the printer, $11.25. P^''^ him otherwise, J1.17. He gave me the balance of money I held. Received for little Joseph's expenses, gi.64. Received a new note of my father. Towards evening my brother James and his wife and my brother Frank came. At evening my niece Elizabeth Law- rence was married to Henry Olmstead.^ We had a large and very agreeable wedding. All the children of my parents were present. The prospects of the young couple are very favorable. 7. Looked at Eliza's* new house and furniture. Dined at Mr. Battell's. We have great cause of gratitude to God for his mercies, and of deep repent- ance for our forgetfulness of him. It thaws considerably. Received of brother James, on his note, $10.00. ' The parties joined in marriage were the idea that loads of wood were very accept- Reuben Olcott and Clarissa Olcott. able gifts to him. ' A load of wood was always, in the old ^ Henry Olmsted, who was united in mar- farming days of New England, a graceful and riage with Elizabeth Lawrence, was a partner natural gift to the minister. Mr. Robbins, of Mr. Joseph Battell in his store, and was a not being a married and housekeeping man, native of East Hartford. Elizabeth Law- the people at first did not bring him wood. rence was the daughter of Grove and Eliza- But if he did not keep house, he had to keep beth (Robbins) Lawrence. a fire, and at length they seem to have caught * Eliza, short for Elizabeth. S39 540 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['SlJ- 8. Most severe cold and tedious. Rode to Simsbur)'. Could ride but four or five miles without stopping. Tarried at Mrs. Case's." Froze one of my ears. 9. Rode home. The thermometer this morning, as I am informed, was 10° below zero. Yesterday morning it was 6° below zero, and was near zero through the day. There have been two deaths in the neighborhood of the prevailing epidemic, typhus fever, during my absence." Wrote a large addi- tion to an old sermon. Was up late. 10. Wrote. Finished the addition to my sermon and preached on Ps. xc : 9. Attended the funeral of Betsey Diggins. Addressed the young people, particularly in preaching. The occasion was unusually affecting and solemn. I pray that it may be accompanied with the divine blessing. At evening attended the conference. n. Took some cold being out last evening. The night was very cold. Thermometer this morning 5° below zero. Last night was very much fatigued. Walked to Hartford and returned. Was carried a part of the way. Procured another half volume of the Encydopadia, S4.00. Paid my annual contribution to the Bible Society, $3.00. Paid for a book, .75 ; for an iron ball, .70 ; to a merchant, $1.19. Visited the sick and afflicted. Wrote to my brother Samuel. We have the most important and pleasing news from Europe, respecting the reverses of the French in Russia, that has been received for many years.^ 12. Rode out and visited. Read Encydopadia. My orange and lemon- trees were frozen during my absence last week. I fear they are sensibly injured. Wrote. 13. Read in Universal History, three hundred pages. I hardly read twenty- five pages in an hour. Finished the seventeenth volume. The history of Spain is very valuable. The long contests with the Moors stimulated the Spanish character during the dark ages. Received a letter from my cousin P. G. Robbins.* 14. Visited the sick. Wrote to my cousin P. G. Robbins. At evening rode to Orford and married Esq. Alvord, of Bolton, to Mrs. Olcotl.' 15. It snowed pretty hard the most of the day. Towards night shoveled paths. The snow I think is more than a foot deep. Read Universal History. Visited. 16. Read Universal History. The thermometer this morning was 7° below zero. Wrote notes for preaching. • 17. Wrote on my notes and preached from Isa. .\.\vi: 20. At evening we had a very full and serious conference. My nerves considerably affected. Was up quite late. • Where he used to board when preaching * Dr. Peter Oilman Robbins, of Lynn, in Simsbury. Mass. " Samuel Gager and Hetsey Diggins. ' Samuel Alvord, Esq., and Mrs. Cynthia ' After the burning of Moscow in Scptem- Olcott. We understand Mrs. Olcott to be ber, 1S12, the French army undertook its the widow of Rev. Allen Olcott, whose death journey home with very disastrous results. we recorded in iSil. 1813.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 54I iS. Instructed Mr. Tudor's ' school. Walked out and visited. I hope some of our certificate people will rejoin us. 19. Rainy. Read Universal History. Rode to Hartford. Bought some second-handbooks. Paid towards them, §1.12. Reckoned with Cooke, and gave him a note of $7.26. Quite bad riding. Visited the sick. 20. Last night it snowed. Walked and visited all day. Quite cold and tedious. Tarried at Capt. Russell's. 21. Last night was quite unwell. Was up a considerable part of the night. Visited. Dined at Mr. Haskell's. His house is very elegant. Assisted in examining a school-master. Rode to Wapping and performed a marriage.^ The sleighing is pretty good. Am quite feeble. My brother Samuel was here yesterday, but was in haste and did not stay. I did not see him. 22. There is a great deal of sleighing. Received a letter from my brother Nathaniel enclosing cash, $20. At noon Mr. Skinner,' of Berlin, came here and spent the afternoon and night with me. Visited a young woman in a dying state. She expired soon after. 23. Wrote a sermon on Rev. iii : 20. I write pretty poorly. We have constant accounts of the success of the Russians. 24. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ps. Ixiii : 5. Afternoon on Rev. iii : 20. It snowed and rained all day. Attended the funeral of the young woman ■* lately deceased. Meeting quite thin. Began another number for the Magazine. 25. Wrote on my Magazine number. Wrote to my brother Frank. It thaws considerably. 26. Wrote very steadily. It snowed all day. At evening walked out. 27. Wrote all day. Finished my seventeenth J/iz^tzs/w number. This one of remarks has cost me more close thought than any preceding one.' Visited. I hope the epidemic among us abates. Thermometer this morning 7° below zero. Clear and very cold all day. Mr. Gleason' came here from Hartford after my Magazine manuscript. 28. Rode to Hartford and Wethersfield and returned. Ursula went with me. The sleighing is very fine and very much improved. Paid for my look- ing-glass, $5.00. Paid Cooke, $9.00. Paid Hale, $2.31. Yesterday received of Mr. Charles Sherman,' of New Haven, a letter enclosing $17.50, the first dividend on my bank shares. The thermometer this morning was 4° below zero. ' Oliver Tudor, brother of Mrs. Wolcott Stone, John Haynes, are much more easily with whom he was boarding. written than one of general reflections suit- - Austin Pa)-ne, of Bristol, and Anna ably embracing them all. Stoughton, of Wapping. ' Mr. Gleason was the publisher of Con- ^ Rev. Newton Skinner. necticut Evangelical Magazine. ' Mabel Gager, aged nineteen. ' Mr. Charles Sherman, who has been once ' Continuous historical sketches, such as or twice mentioned, seems to have been em- he had written of John Winthrop, John Cot- ployed in the Eagle Bank of New Haven, ton, John Wilson, Thomas Hooker, Samuel apparently as cashier. 542 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iS'J- 29. Read Universal History. Rode out and \-isited. Very cold and tedious. Paid the post office, .96. Last night it snowed considerably. 30. Most severe cold. Thermometer this morning 6° below zero. Fin- ished the eighteenth volume of Universal History. Wrote notes for preaching. Thermometer at noon and at sundown 4°, after which it sunk constantly through the evening, and at eleven o'clock, when I went to bed, it was com- pletely 13° below zero. The evening was perfectly clear and still. Mr. Wolcott purchased the adjoining place for $i,8oo. Read the Bible. 31. Finished my notes and preached on Gal. vi : 8. In the forenoon was ver}' short. Thermometer this morning 10° below zero. The weather soon moderated. Read the Bible. At evening wrote a letter for Widow Wolcott. Read Universal History. Fbbruary. 1. Devoted this day to fasting and prayer. At evening walked to Mr. Yates's, and tarried. I think Mr. Yates will be a useful instructor in divinity.' 2. Rode to Mr. Hawley's, Northington, to attend Association. The Association licensed two candidates,^ Mr. Yates's students. Mr. Flint preached very well. 3. The Association discussed the subject of Foreign Missions,^ in which I took no part. The business moves tardily. The Association was pretty full. Rode home. Yesterday received a letter from Mr. Skinner, of Berlin, and one from my brother Samuel. The sleighing is very fine. 4. Read Mather's Magnolia. Wrote. At evening my cousin Eliza and Mr. Olmstead came here. Had a good deal of company. 5. The weather moderates much. It thaws considerably. Visited. Towards evening my cousins went away. Mr. Battell and Olmstead latterly have been very prosperous in trade.* 6. Wrote a sermon on Ps. c.vlii : 7. The snow fails but little with the thaw, the ground is so severely frozen. 7. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on E.\. .\ii : 21. Afternoon, the sermon written yesterday. These discourses appeared very interesting to the people. At evening attended the conference. In the evening there was a severe thunder-storm. The rain was not great. 8. Walked and visited, .\fternoon rode to Long Hill and visited a school. Am pretty severely tried. There is a great deal of water in the road. g. Rode to Hartford. The sleighing is poor, though there is very little bare ground. Paid a merchant, S3. 55. Gave to the agent of the .\merican Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, for the promotion of the trans- ' lie was instructing theological students. ' There was a slowness to adopt the ' Cornelius K. Everest and Cyrus Yale. cause of foreign missions, at first, lest it The former was a native of Cornwall, a grad- should impede the work of home missions. uate of Williams College, iSii, and served * It required great wisdom and energy to in the ministry at I'oquonnock, Norwich, and organize and carry forward such a trade, but Windham. The latter was of the same class when so organized there was far less compe- at Williams, and was minister at New Hart- tition to contend against than now. Mr. ford between thirty and forty years. Uattell made this trade successful. 1813.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 543 lation of the Scriptures in Oriental languages, $5.00. Dr. Mozelc}', of Whites- town, came here and tarried. At evening performed a marriage." We have an unusual number of young families in this place. 10. Rode to Glastonbury and attended our ministers' meeting. Read my essay on the books of Nehemiah and Esther.'' Returned. The sleighing is pretty poor. We have frequent reports of the disasters of the French in Russia.^ 11. Wrote. Began the eighteenth number of my Historical Viezv. These numbers appear to be more highly esteemed than I ever expected. We have an account of two brilliant victories of the Russians over the French. Mr. Wolcott had a good deal of trouble in buying a piece of land. Visited. 12. Wrote all day. I feel pretty poorly. The thermometer has been near the freezing point the most of this week. I fear I shall not do our ancestors justice in my remarks. 13. Wrote. Read Universal History. Afternoon rode to Simsbury to e.\- change with Mr. McLean.' Met him going to East Windsor. Quite cold. 14. Preached from Heb. xi : 24, 25, and Ps. cxlii : 7. The meeting very full. I think the fullest I have ever seen here. The state of this society is much improving. Preached in the evening at a school-house, on Ex. xii : 21. Tarried at Mrs. Case's.' 15. Rode home. Traded, $4.15; this is principally to be given to this family. Read. Had company. 16. Wrote on my Magazine number. Afternoon Mr. Skinner, of Berlin, came here and tarried. Last evening received a letter from Rev. Mr. Storrs,' Longmeadow. 17. Wrote. Rode to Windsor and returned. The sleighing is pretty good. The crossing of the river is very fine. Received a letter from Mr. Battell, enclosing a draft on the bank of $150.00, sent by my brother Samuel to pay my father's note. I am very glad of it. It is something sickly at Norfolk. A family in this neighborhood removed for the Whitestown country. 18. Quite cold. Finished my eighteenth Magazine number, and carried it to Hartford. The river is very hard frozen. Wrote a letter for Ursula, now at Windsor. 19. The thermometer this morning was a little below zero. Wrote. Visited. We have an account of the capture of another English frigate by one of ours.' ' Peleg S. Marsh, of Vermont, and Maiy battle of Krassnoi, November i6-iS, the Mills. French were defeated, as also in that of ° These were the writings which occupied Beresina, November 25-29. And besides his thought and time a year or two before. all these defeats winter was pressing hard on ^ It is difficult to connect the news on this the retreating forces. side the water with particular events in ■• Rev. Allen McLean. Russia, only disasters were now gathering ' His old boarding-place, thickly around the French army. October ' Rev. Richard S. Storrs. 19 and 20, 1S12, Polotsk was retaken by the 'This refers to the action, October 25, Russians. In the battle of Witepsk, Novem- 1812, between the Cnikd States and the Eng- ber 14, the French were defeated. In the lish frigate Macedonian, in which the latter 544 DIARY OF REV. THO.MAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1813. 20. The thermometer this morning was at 8°. Read Universal History. Wrote a letter to Tudor," at Westfield. Wrote notes for preaching. 2 1. Preached with notes on Isa. lii : 7. At evening attended the confer- ence. Tlie roads are very icy. 22. It snowed the most of the day. Read Universal History. Wrote to my brother Frank. Ursula is sick at Windsor. 23. Read Universal History. Rode to Hartford. At evening rode with Mr. S. Wolcott to Windsor and saw Ursula. She has a bad rash, but appears to be getting better. Quite cold. 24. Rode to Scantick, and attended the ministers' meeting of the circle ' above here. The sleighing is very good. 25. Rode home. My brother Samuel came here this morning, but stayed a short time and was gone. Received a letter from my father. At evening walked out. 26. Walked and visited all day. Quite cold and tedious. I own a good many books. It is a time of great stupidity with us. 27. The thermometer this morning was 4° below zero. Read Universal History. Finished the nineteenth volume. Read the Bible. Received a letter from my brother Frank. 28. In the morning rode to Windsor for an exchange with Mr. Rowland. He went to East Windsor. The crossing is very good. Preached with notes from Ex. xii : 21, and from Ps. cxlii : 7. It thawed very much. At evening rode to Simsbury. Last evening Ursula' returned from Windsor. She is recovering from her sickness. Much fatigued. March. 1. In the morning it rained considerably. Got wet. Rode to Norfolk. My brother Nat is in a very bad situation. I fear his character has gone irrevocable. My parents are pretty well. There is not much more snow here than at East Windsor. 2. Last night it snowed. Quite tedious. Dined at Mr. Battell's. Drank tea at Mr. Olmstead's. Paid my father $5.75, and gave up his note which I held. The sum which I received from him on the 17th ult. was so much over the amount of the note. Received a new note of brother Nat. I fear he will run out as to property. 3. Quite cold. Set out for home. Rode to Colebrook ; a violent snow- storm came on and I tarried at my brother Ammi's. Read Silliman's yournal.* was compelled to surrender. But Mr. Rob- Bartlett's, went with the upper circle of minis- bins is not careful to record all our victories. ters, and the south parish with the lower. October 18, the British sloop Frolic was ' Ursula Wolcott was doubtless on a visit taken by the American sloop Wasp. On the to her kindred on the west side of the river, 14th of January our forces gained a victory when she was taken sick. over the English and Indians at Frenchtown, ' This could not have been what is now on the River Raisin. known as Silliman's yournal, a scientific ' Tudor Wolcott. periodical, since that was not commenced till ' Another statement showing that the 181S. It refers probably to some record of north parish of East Windsor, Rev. Mr. travel. 1813.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 545 4.- Rode home. It thawed very much. The river is still sound. Re- ceived a letter from brother Frank. The sleighing is better than on the hills. 5. Began to write a sermon on i Cor. vi : 20. At evening walked out. Very cold. 6. Wrote on my sermon near eleven pages. Thermometer this morning was near zero, and at evening was at 4°. We have constant accounts of the defeats and destruction of the mighty French army." 7. Very cold. Thin meeting. Preached an old sermon on Isa. Ixvi : 2. At evening attended a conference. Wrote to Mr. Mills, of New Haven, and Mr. Loudon,^ of Litchfield. 8. Rode to Hartford ; the most of the way on the river. The sleighing on this side of the river is still good. Received my note at the bank, and paid ^21.50. Visited. g. Read. Afternoon, visited the school on Long Hill. For their oppor- tunities they performed remarkably well. Read British Classics} Mr. Clark, of Northampton, called on me. 10. For several days it has been very cold. It now thaws and the snow wastes rapidly. Read Universal History. Rode out and visited. At evening it rained considerably. Received a letter from Master Tudor.* 11. Rode to Wapping and visited several families. At night it rained hard. The people here appear to be much pleased with being visited. 12. Visited two schools. At evening preached a lecture, without any notes, at the house of some old people, from John iv : 15. It was well attended. The sleighing is mostly gone. 13. Returned from Wapping. Cold. Read Universal History. Assisted in examining a young woman for our communion. Wrote. 14. Finished and preached a sermon on i Cor. vi : 20. The congregation very attentive. At evening attended the conference. Wrote to the Rev. Dr. Emmons,' Franklin, Mass. Rode to meeting in a sleigh. We have had sleighing without intermission since the isth of January. The most of the time it has been very good. It failed about the middle of last week. 15. Set out on a journey to New Haven. Rode to Durham and tarried with Mr. Smith.' At Middletown called on Mr. Warner. They are building there a very large and elegant hotel. Mr. Smith is useful here. 16. Very bad riding. It snowed considerably. There is considerable old ' It was wasting away under the accumu- East Haddam, Ct., a graduate of Vale, 1767; lated disasters of its retreat from Russia. had been pastor in Franklin, Mass., forty - Mr. Lawrence Loudon. years, when this letter was written. He was, ' He bought a set of the British Classics, at that time, the most notable private theo- it will be remembered, some years before. logical teacher in New England, and we cori- The edition of this work published in 1813, jecture that the object of this letter was to in New York, consisted of ninety-four vol- see whether Dr. Emmons would take his umes. brother, Francis Le Baron, into his familv as * Samuel Tudor Wolcott, at school at a student. He instructed but few students \Vestfield. after this date. 5 Dr. Nathaniel Emmons, a native of ' Rev. David Smith, D. D. 546 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1813. snow, but no sleighing. Rode to the upper part of Branford.' Tarried with old Mr. Stent.'' Visited old Mr. Noyes,^ of Northford. 17. Visited all day.* Called at a good many places. Rainy and wet. Tried to find a copy of Mather's Magtialia, but failed. Tarried at Capt. \V. Lindly's. 18. Very wet and muddy. The people here have taken down their two meeting-houses on the green.' The spirit appears a little trifling. Paid an instalment at the Eagle Bank, $125.00. Bought books. Towards evening, after making a number of visits, rode to North Haven. Was very fortunate in finding a Magnolia ' at the booksellers. There is yet considerable old snow. The frost does not break through. It is quite sickly in New Haven. 19. Tarried last night at a tavern. Rode home. Ver}' muddy traveling. The ice is not yet moved in the river. Received a letter from my brother Samuel. 20. Walked out. Assisted in examining a man for our communion. Wrote over old notes for preaching. 21. Wrote on my notes and preached with them from Rom. viii : 29. In the afternoon, at meeting, I found that I had preached from that te.Kt here before. I was considerably disconcerted, but believe it was not perceived. It was last May, one sermon to a thin meeting. I doubt whether it will be remembered by any. Propounded two persons for our communion.' At even- ing attended the conference. Rode to meeting in a carriage. 22. Walked out and visited. Wrote to my brother Samuel. Began the nineteenth number of my Historical View. Dined out. 23. Warm, like spring. Trying to re-animate my orange and lemon-trees. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Wrote the most of the day. 24. Last evening received some books from New Haven. They make a valuable addition to my library. Cold and tedious. Late at night finished my Magazine number.' Instructed in arithmetic. 25. The thermometer this morning I believe was as low as 10° all day. Ver)- cold all day. At bed-time it was at 12°. Read Universal History. Visited. 26. Rode out and visited. Visited our south school. Read. 'He was now in the parish where his ' They were probably replaced by the two grandfather Philemon had been so long the Congregational meeting-houses now standing pastor. His grandfather had been dead now on the green, thirty-two years. ' This, of course, was a copy of the Eng- " Old Mr. Stent was probably one of his lish edition, folio, of 1702, since no other had grandfather's parishioners, who liked to talk yet been published. A.s already hinted. Dr. over the old times. Robbins himself was to superintend the pub- ' Rev. Matthew Noyes, who lived to lication of the first American edition, which preach his half century sermon. He was is quite commonly known as the Hartford pastor at Northford, 1790-1839, a graduate edition, of Yale in 1785. ' Benjamin Cooke and Lavinia Praan. ' He is now, as we understand the narra- " His next number will complete the tive, at New Haven, the place which he left series, which has been running since Octobei home to visit. ii iSii. 1813.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 547 27. Wrote a sermon on Rom. vii : 14. Rode out. Was up late. Wrote easy and rapid. 28. A very violent rainy day. Ver\' few hearers. Expounded the first two chapters of Matthew, and preached with notes on i Cor. ii : 10. At evening rode to Wapping and married a couple." The small streams very high. 29. Returned from Wapping. Very pleasant. The frost is mostly out of the ground. Worked some. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Very bad ridino-. The river rises ver)' fast. The Middle States are blocked up by the enemy's squadron. We have accounts of almost the entire ruin of the French Grand Army.^ Paid for books, $4.00. 30. Worked all day on Mr. Wolcott's tax-bill.^ At night our nearest neighbor had a ball in his house, which gave me great pain. Received a letter from Mr. Skinner, of Berlin. 31. Read Universal History. The list of our society appears to be increas- ing. Had company. Instructed in arithmetic. April. 1. Walked and visited two schools. One of them has done very well this season. The other visitors attend but indifferently. 2. Wrote to Mr. Skinner, of Berlin, and to Mr. Hosmer, of Middletown. Afternoon visited a school which performed very well. I have now visited and catechised our seven schools.' It snowed considerably. 3. Wrote a sermon on 2 Cor. ii : 16. Instructed in arithmetic. Our for- eign news is highly gratifying and important.' 4. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Mark xiii : 37. After- noon, the sermon written yesterday. Received two persons to our commun- ion. Dr. Hull, of Utica, came to see me and tarried. He appears to be an excellent physician. He is in pursuit of a wife.' 5. Spent the forenoon with Dr. Hull. He went away. Set out on my journey to Westfield. Frances' went with me. Rode to Suffield. Tarried with Mr. Gaylord. The riding some of the way is verj' bad. ' William Goodwin and Tryphena Grant. (Mr. Bartlett's) parish. By the law of the Wapping seems to be the part of his parish State, at that time, the oversight of these to be relied upon for a steady supply of mar- schools was by the parishes, rather than by riages. the towns. A large number of Connecticut ' President Madison, in a letter written to towns at that time contained two, three, and Thomas Jefferson, January 27, 1S13, says: four parishes. " Bonaparte, according to his own shew- ' The American people at that time close- ing, is in serious danger; and if half the ly sympathized with the English in their official accounts of the Russians be true, his views of Napoleon. own escape is barely possible, and that of ' It is rather implied that he bent his his army impossible." steps to East Windsor on that errand. ' The tax-bill so often spoken of is the '' Frances Wolcott, now nineteen years parish and not the town bill. old. Mr. Robbins seemed to regard Mr. * Seven was the number of district schools Wolcott's daughters as graceful accompani- in the south (Mr. Robbins's) parish of East ments on his journeys. But, besides, she was Windsor. There were at the same time going now up to the exhibition of the acade- Beven or eight district schools in the north my, where her brother Tudor was. 548 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l3- 6. There are a number of persons here quite sick, and there have been several deaths of the prevailing fever. Rode to Westfield. Afternoon attended the exhibition of the academy. The exhibition was very good, the academy is flourishing. The trustees appear quite unwilling to have my brother leave it.* The mud is pretty bad. 7. Rode home. Brought home Tudor. I think he has done ver\' well there. Mr. Battell came down with me. Quite warm. Rode without an out- coat. 8. Worked in the garden. Last evening received a letter from Rev. Dr. Emmons, of Franklin, and the evening before, one from my brother James. In the morning Mr. Battell went off for home. Read. At evening walked out. Mr. Hitchcock, our nearest neighbor, moved to Hartford. 9. Worked all the forenoon setting out a large elm in the street. Worked on Mr. Wolcott's tax-bills. Wrote notes, and preached a preparatory lecture on Ps. Iv : 22. 10. Finished Mr. Wolcott's tax-bills. The whole list of our societ)- is $24,927.72. There are forty-one certificate lists amounting to §7,017.17, leav- ing to the society, §17,910.55. It is larger than last )'ear. Quite warm. Wrote notes for preaching. 11. Preached with notes on Micah iv : 5, and from Rom. vii : 14. Admin- istered the sacranient. It is a time of deadness with our'church. I fear I am as unfaithful as any one. At evening we had a full and attentive confer- ence. Very tired. 12. Set out some grape-vines. Prayed at the opening of the Freeman's Meeting. Brother Huse attended with us. The votes for Governor were : Smith," 183; Goodrich,^ 23; Boardman,* 74; scattering, 4=284. Visited. 13. Read Magazine. Rainy. Read Universal History. A child in the neighborhood very sick with the prevailing epidemic fever. 14. Began a sermon for Fast on Neh. i : 4. Rode to Hartford. Rainy. 15. Wrote almost twelve pages on my sermon. Wrote with little inter- mission, from nine o'clock a. m. to ten p. m. At night troubled with the head- ache. 16. Fast. Finished my sermon on Neh. i: 4. Afternoon meeting was pretty full, and quite serious. Was much affected myself. At evening attended a conference. 17. Received a letter from my brother Nat, inclosing §20.00. Worked in ' The si.\ months, which he consented to re- ' Elizur Goodrich, of New Haven, was main, after expecting to Ic.ive, had expired, also a candidate on tlie Federal side, but he enjoyed his work, and loved to linger. * The Democratic candidate, as we undcr- ' John Cotton Smith, LL. D., was chosen stand, was Elijah Boardman, of New Mil- Governor in place of Hon. Roger Griswold, ford. He was one of the large purchasers of deceased. He was the regular Federal nomi- the New Connecticut lands. He, with some nee. He was a graduate of Yale, 1783, was others associated with him, took sixty thou- a native of Sharon, Ct., where his father, sand dollar.s' worth of these lands. His fam- Rev. Cotton Mather Smith, had been pastor, ily generally was Federalist, but he was a 1755-1806. Democrat. 1813.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 549 the garden. Set a grape-vine. Rode to Suffield to exchange with Mr. Gay." The riding is very good. i8. This congregation is not much more than half as large as mine. Preached from Rom. vii : 14, and Heb. xi : 24, 25. This town is almost ruined by religious sectarianism, which has prevailed here seventy years. At evening rode home. Very much fatigued. People begin a little at gardening. Received a letter from Mr. Yates. 19. Wrote to Mr. Horace Higley, of Winchester. Looked over old election sermons. Afternoon rode to the upper part of East Hartford, and attended the funeral of a soldier. He belonged there and was lately enlisted. His company came up from Hartford and attended the funeral in military form. They appeared very well. At evening walked out. 20. Planted peas. Read the Life of Sir William Jones^ Began the twentieth and last number of my Historical Vieiv. Instructed in arithmetic. At evening walked out and visited. 21. Rode to East Hartford and attended our ministers' meeting. Read a sermon for remarks.^ Bought some religious tracts to give away. Rode to Hartford. Procured the fifth half volume of the EncydopcBdia. Returned. A pretty hard shower. 22. Wrote steadily. Instructed in arithmetic. At evening walked out. The spring is quite favorable. 23. Had the first cutting of asparagus. Finished the twentieth, which is the concluding number of my Historical View of the First Planters of New Eng- land. These numbers have been published monthly, in succession, in the Con- necticut Evangelical Magazine. They contain, generally, eight or nine pages each. The work has been much longer than I expected at the commence- ment. So far as I know, it has been well received. Each number has cost me nearly a week's study. I hope it has not been useless to myself or to others. I thank God, who has enabled me to complete the work. Rainy. 24. On the 2ist saw blossoms on the daffos. There is some serious atten- tion in East Hartford. Received a letter from my brother Frank. Rode to Wilbraham to exchange with Mr. Warren.-" Met him on the way. Wet and cold. 25. This appears to be quite a good society. The meeting was full and attentive. Preached from Ps. c.xlii : 7, and Lev. x.xvi : 41. Preached again in the evening, without notes, from Num. x : 29. Very tired. ' Rev. Ebenezer Gay, the second minister An edition of his works was published by of the name in Suffield. As has been already Lady Jones in 1799. A fuller edition with stated in a previous note, Ebenezer Gay, his life was published in 1S07 by Lord Teign- D. D., the father, 1742-1796, m>ersal History. Walked to East Hartford and preached a sacramental lecture for Mr. Yates. The religious attention there appears to increase. Returned and visited. 25. Read in Universal History, three hundred pages. Am considerably troubled with inattention. I hardly read twenty-five pages an hour. Preached yesterday on Ps. li : 15. Quite cool. 26. Walked and visited. Afternoon rode to Farmington to e.xchange with Mr. Porter.' Rode a poor horse. 27. Preached from John i : 10, and Ps. Ixxxiv: 2. This congregation is ver)' large, and the house very hard for a speaker. Quite warm. At evening rode to West Hartford. Tarried at Dr. Perkins's. 28. Rode home. The heat very severe. The thermometer rose to 95°. Towards night a very violent shower. Mr. Reuben Porter was here yesterday, on his return from Massachusetts General Association. He attended a con- ference in the evening. Walked out. 29. Wrote to Uncle Starr. Walked and visited all day. Warm and wet. Gave away two Bibles. People are beginning haying. The grain appears very well. 30. Walked out and visited. Afternoon rode to Welhersfield to preach a sacramental lecture for Dr. Marsh. He is gone a journey, and his next sacra- ment is omitted. There was no lecture. Returned. Very warm. Vegeta- tion is very rapid. July. 1. Worked in the garden. Walked out and visited. The thermometer was at 89°. Read Universal History. I do not accomplish nearly so much busi- ness as I ought to do. My garden peas produce very well. 2. The heat very oppressive. The thermometer was at 93°. Read Universal History. Wrote notes and preached a preparatory lecture on Luke xii : 10. Lecture pretty thin. At evening and in the night quite rainy. Went into the water. 3. Wrote a sermon on Joshua xxiv : 20. Finished in good season. Ther- ' Rev. Joseph Emerson, pastor of Second ^ Rev. Ansel Nash, pastor at Tolland, Congregational Church in Beverly, 1S03- 1S13-1S31. 1816, afterwards a distinguished teacher. ' Rev. Noah Porter, D. D. 55S DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['SlS- mometer at 87°. Vegetation is very rapid. People beginning haying. The nights are warm. 4. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on 2 Cor. iv : 10. After- noon the sermon written yesterday. .Administered the sacrament. Much oppressed with the heat. The meeting rather thin. The thermometer at 93°. The congregation appears very stupid. At evening attended the confer- ence. 5. Worked in the garden. My garden does very well this year. Read. Rode to Hartford and got a clock which I have purchased for $50.00. It is a ver)' good one, having run about a dozen years. A brass clock with a mahogany case. I think it cheap. 6. Set up my clock on the stairs. We have no room high enough for it. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Towards night a violent shower. Cool. 7. Walked to the hill. Rode with Mr. Flint to Mr. Bartlett's to attend ministers" meeting. No others came, and no lecture had been appointed. Towards night Mr. Flint and I rode to Enfield. Tarried with Mr. Taylor. Attended to the formation of a system of rules for the Consociation. Crops appear remarkably well. Our western army has had another reverse." 8. Rode to the upper part of our society. Visited. Did not get home till evening. I conclude we have had no warmer day this year. They inform me that the thermometer was at 92° before noon. I presume it was as high as 95° or 96°. Capt. BisselP is building a very fine new house. A valuable stone bridge has been lately built a little south of the meeting-house. Re- ceived a letter from my brother Samuel. Father has been worse since I was there. I feel much concerned about him. 9. We have very warm nights. Finished another volume of the Universal History. Worked some. Very showery. 10. Wrote a sermon on Rom. viii : 7. Cooler than it has been. Paid for my newspaper for a year, $1.75. My affections are in a poor state for writing sermons. 11. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ps. .\i : 11. Afternoon the sermon written yesterday. Weather very fine. At evening attended the conference. Yesterday and today wrote a letter to Miss Ursula Wolcott now at Geneseo. Quite tired. 12. Last night was obliged to get up and take laudanum. Rode to Hart- ford. We have an account of a great sanguinary battle in Europe, in which botii parties claim the victory.' At evening performed a marriage.* Very showery. 13. Wrote all day. Finished a piece for the Magazine, containing reflec- ' About seven miles from Quecnstown, hundred and si.xty officers and men taken Upper Canada, at a place called Beaver prisoners. Dam, there was a short, but evidently a very ° Capt. Aaron liissell. severe, engagement between the Americans ' It is difiicult to tell exactly what batth; and the liritish, in which the Americans is hero meant, were beaten, with a reported loss of four * Willis Wood and Sally Williams. 1813.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 559 tions on Mr. Mills's ' letter contained in the number for this month. I thhik the subject very useful. 14. Rode early to Hartford, and to Norfolk in the stage. My father is evidently rather lower than when I was here last, and there appears to be no amelioration of his disease. He rides out. The people here have just begun to raise their meeting-house. My brother Frank is confined at home ^ by the sickness of my father. 15. Rainy all day. Brother Frank appears to be very studious. Father endures very great pain. Assisted in making a draft for the clock* face for the meeting-house. 16. Agreed with Mr. Gaylord' to preach two Sabbaths for me in August, and to spend the time here. The raising of the meeting-house will take a number of days. I think it will be a very noble building. Rode with father. Received from my brother Nat, $20.00. I have some concern about brother Sam. in a female connection. 17. I think father's Christian character appears verj' well. Left Norfolk early. Rode to Hartford in a stage, and rode home in a waggon. Received a letter from my brother James. 18. Wrote notes and preached all day on Luke vi : 45. After meeting rode to Wapping and preached on Heb. .\ii: 25. Baptized there two chil- dren.* Very tired. 19. Rainy. We have a remarkably wet season. The river is quite high. Walked out. 20. Walked and visited all day. Received a letter from my sister Battell, one from my brother James, and one from Mr. Lane, of Lyme. Very warm and wet. 21. Read Utiiversal History. Looked over my pecuniary accounts. I have expended more for a year past than usual. Went to Hartford. Walked above half of the way, going and returning. Received from my brother James, sent to Hartford, $10.31. Paid my cabinet-maker, $8.00. Paid a merchant, $5.00; to Cooke, $5.00; for a book. Life of Calvin, $2.25. People are trj-ing to harvest, but the season is unfavorable. The river is quite high. 22. Walked and visited all day. Visited a school. Capt. Bissell is build- ing a very valuable house. 23. Began a sermon on Isa. i : 28. Rode to the harvest field and carried dinner to the workmen. The harvest is good, but the weather is unfavorable for the ingathering. At evening walked out. 24. Quite rainy and wet. Wrote all day. Bonaparte appears anxious for a peace on the continent. 25. Finished and preached my sermon on Isa. i: 28. Meeting quite attent- ive. After meeting rode to the lower part of the town, and had a sort of con- ference at a house of mourning. At evening attended the usual conference. ' Rev. Samuel J. Mills, of Torringford. * William Warner Sadd, son of Noah " That is, he is kept at Norfolk. Sadd ; and Daniel J. Skinner, son of Oliver 5 Rev. Asahel Gaylord. Skinner. 560 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [18 13. Verj' tired. On Friday visited two young women apparently deeply impressed in mind. I hope to he thankful that we are not wholly forgotten. 26. Much troubled last night with nervous affections. People all at the harvest. Some people worked yesterday. I fear the breach of the Sabbath is a growing evil. The heat yesterday was severe ; the thermometer was at 85°. Walked out and visited. Visited a school and families. Preparing for my journey. 27. Rode to Norfolk. Dr. Tudor went with nie. My father appears much as when I last saw him. I think he is no belter. I brought Dr. Tudor for the sake of seeing him. W'e had a pleasant ride. At evening Uncle Starr and aunt came here. We have an account of a very great battle in Europe, in which the French were rather successful.' 28. Wet. The people here have not begun their harvest. Dr. Tudor thinks my father's complaint is an uncommon case, and has some fears of a cancer. Dined at Mr. Baltell's. Sally is remarkably attentive to father. Tudor ' came up in the stage to return with the doctor. Paid for his fare. 29. In the morning the doctor and Tudor went off for East Windsor. He left his prescriptions for father. Uncle and Aunt Starr went home. Received a letter from our Ursula Wolcott. Received from Aunt Starr, $110.00, for which I gave her my note, with which I am to try to procure her a share in ihe Eagle Bank. Rode out with father. Worked some at hay. Wrote to Major Wolcott.^ Gave Tudor for his expenses home, §i.oo. 30. Wrote. The frame of the meeting-house was completed in the raising, on the 23d. They began to raise on the 15th. It makes a hne appearance. The cross at the summit of the steeple appears tasty and elegant. Wrote to Mr. Ebenezer Lane, of Lyme, and Mr. Charles Sherman, of New Haven. .\t evening my brother James and his wife and little son came here. Worked at hay. We had a small sudden shower. 31. Yesterday worked considerably arranging my father's books and pam- phlets. My parents have a good garden. Read Universal History. Received of my brother James, on liis note which he took up, ;?2.25. Quite cool. James has a fine little child. In reckoning my pecuniary accounts, July 21st, the sum received and the sums expended on that day, excepting the $8.00 paid a cabinet maker, were not included. August. I. We had meeting in the frame of the new meeting-house.* The roof is nearly done. The meeting quite full. Preached all day on Isa. i : 28. Baptized my brother James's child and one more. These were the first relig- ' Tli.it ni.iy be the battle of Hochkirchen, ' M.ij. Abie! Wolcott, with whom he in .Sa.xony, in which Napoleon defeated the boarded. combined armies of the Russians and Aus- * Such primitive ways of accommodating trians. themselves to circumstances were more nalu- ' Samuel Tudor Wolcott, aged fourteen. ral than they would be now. iSlJ.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 56 1 Sous exercises in the new meeting-house. The place for speaking was quite difficult. 2. There is an appearance of great stupidity about divine things in this place. Rode out with father. Very warm. Wrote. We have a good deal of company. 3. Read Universal History. Mr. and Mrs. Beach,' of Winsted, came here and made father a good visit. Drank tea at Mr. Olmstead's. The attendance on father requires a great deal of labor. 4. My brother James and his wife went home. Their child is quite un- well. Sally and I rode with them to Sheffield. Mr. Bradford'' is about to be settled at Sheffield. Returned. The heat very great. 5. Three days past have been very warm and a very fine time for haying and harvest. My brother Samuel gets in his hay very fast. I do something in the instruction of my sister's children.^ My father rides every day. Worked some at hay. 6. I sleep at Mr. Battell's, as he is absent on a journey. Read Universal History. Prepared papers with my name to put in my books. I have so much to do in waiting on my father, that I can read but little. 7. Wrote to Dr. Buel/ of Sheffield. My father's disorder appears to have very little variation. Towards evening there was a little shower. The week has been uniformly very warm and constantly clear and dry. A very fine season for haying and harvest. The people here are generally in their harvest. Worked some at the meeting-house. Go very thin clothed. 8. We had meeting in an orchard back of the meeting-house. The con- gregation very large. Preached from Deut. xxxii : 39, and Ps. li : 15. Bap- tized five children. Very much fatigued. The heat about the same as the week past. 9. The heat very severe. Rode to Chestnut HilP and visited sister Bet- sey. Afternoon a hard thunder-shower. Was out in the most of it and got very wet. At evening Mr. Hawley,' of Northington, came here and tarried. 10. Read. Rode out and visited a sick man. I fear there will be diffi- culties here in the church. 11. Last Sabbath finished reading the Bible in course which I began .' Am much taken up waiting on my father. Am trying to persuade him to go to New Lebanon Spring, but he is very reluctant. I am more than ever discour- aged about him. Read. ' Rev. James Beach and wife. He was * Dr. William Buel, who went from Litch- pastor at Winsted (a parish of Winchester), field, Ct., to Sheffield, and afterwards removed 1806-1842. He was a native of that region, back to Litchfield. and had doubtless known Rev. Mr. Robbins, ' One of the districts of the town of Nor- of Norfolk, from his youth up. folk. ' James Bradford, a native of Rowley, *■ Rev. Rufus Hawley, of Nortliingion Mass., and a graduate of Dartmouth Col- (.\von). lege, 1811. ' Me forgot to fill this blank. He doubt- 3 Little Joseph had been a scholar of his less intended to consult his record-book, not for some time. Little Philip was now five. having the exact date in mind. 562 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [^^^3- 12. Set out with my father for New Lebanon. Made several stops. Rode to Sheffield. He bore the ride better than I expected. Tarried at Dr. Buel's. 13. Rode to Stockbridge and Leno.x. We meet with great kindness on the road. Wrote from Stockbridge to brother Frank, at Leno.x, and he came to Leno.x. Brother James's little child is very sick with whooping-cough. Warm. 14. Afternoon rode to New Lebanon. He is, I think, better in health for his journey. Quite warm. There is a good deal of company here. 15 On the morning of the 12th wrote to Mr. Wolcott,' East Windsor, to Dr. McClure, and to Mr. Yates. Father went into the warm and cold bath. I think the water does him good. There is scarcely the appearance here of the Sabbath. At evening preached in the drawing-room to a very respect- able audience, on Num. x: 29. Father was not able to attend. 16. Am very much taken up with waiting on my father. Rode out. Very warm. Am treated with much attention. Received of two gentlemen a pres- ent of $5.00. Brother came here and made a short visit. Father had a pretty poor day ; his nerves are much affected. He determines to leave here to- morrow. 17. Left New Lebanon. Paid our bill, $7.00. Rode to Lenox. Father had a good deal of pain. I do not know that the water had done any essen- tial service. Yet he is evidently better for the journey. Yesterday morning wrote to Mr. Battell. Last evening went into the bath. Brother James appears to be doing well here in trade. Tarried with him. 18. Rode home. My father bore traveling remarkably. He is evidently stronger for his journey. Our journey has been very prosperous. 19. Father has severe pain. Probably his ride yesterday was a little too fatiguing. Read. The meeting-house here advances very finely. 20. Quite warm. Preparing for my return. Father feels disagreeably at the prospect of my departure. 21. Rode in the stage to Hartford. Very warm. The stage was vcrj' full. The dust very severe. Found Mr. Wolcott at Hartford, who carried me home. Little Joseph Battell came with me. Have been absent nearly four weeks. Mr Oliver Loomis, our neighbor, died this morning. A black woman ° has died during my absence. Very tired. 22. The heat very oppressive. The thermometer was at 88°. During my absence it has been at 96°. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Jer. xxiii : 24. Afternoon preached with old notes on John xi : 25. Attended the funeral of Mr. Loomis. At evening attended the conference. Last evening received a letter from Mr. Orange Lyman.' Last Sabbath Mr. McClure car- ried on the meeting here, and the two preceding Mr. Gaylord preached.* It ' Maj. Abicl Wolcott. 1809, is about to be settled at Ellsworth, a "Tamarind, the black woman, died August parish of Sharon. 12. Her name itself is evidence th.it she had 'Dr. David McClurc took the general once been a slave, and perhaps died a sUive. oversight of the meetings, and Mr. .Vsahel ' Rev. Orange Lyman, a native of Tor- Gaylord, who was, we think, a licensed but rington, and a graduate of Williams College, not an ordainctl minister, did the preaching. 1813.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 563 was not known last Sabbath that I was not yet home till people got to meet- ing. The stage-driver was very negligent. 23. Last night there was a good deal of thunder, but little rain. The ground is very dry. Read newspapers. I have the whole of the Hartford Counmt and Mirror for more than four years. Lord Wellington has gained another great victory in Spain.' Walked out. 24. Rode to Hartford. Did several errands for my friends at Norfolk. The thermometer was at 85°. Received of my brother Nat, S4.06. In the afternoon we had the most violent tornado, consisting of wind, rain, and hail, that I ever witnessed. The buildings, trees, fences, and crops are very much injured. Mr. Wolcott is a great sufferer. This was about the centre of the vein, which was very severe more than a mile in breadth. Several of the great elms are turned up by the roots.^ 25. The storm yesterday appears to have been extensive and very violent. Sent to Dr. McClure a present of $5.00, in consideration of his frequent min- isterial assistance in my absence. Visited. Worked the most of the after- noon in trying to re-erect a great elm. 26. Walked and visited all day. Eat some fine watermelons. The aspect of divine things here is very gloomy. Paid to Hartford Bank, $63.72. 27. Wrote to my brother James. Quite warm and faint. Having been, on my birthday, at my father's, so much taken up with my attendance on him, I did not attend but little to the appropriate duties of the day. I have, there- fore, set apart this day as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer, before God. 28. Wrote a sermon on Ps. cxlvii : 11. A little afternoon rode to Wap- ping and attended the funeral of a man who died suddenly.' The heat quite oppressive. 29. Wrote notes and preached in the morning on John vii : 16. .\fternoon the sermon written yesterday. Towards night and at evening it was quite rainy. 30. Quite rainy ; very refreshing to the dry ground. Wrote to my cousin S. P. Robbins. Received a letter from Dr. Perkins to convene our Conso- ciation. Walked out and visited. I hope we have some small tokens of good among us. 31. Rode to New Haven. The heat very severe. Got in late. At even- ing attend the speaking for premiums. Verj- tired. Received of the society collector, $124.00, and two orders which I had given, amounting to $19.96. ' Lord Wellington defeated Marshal Soult ^ The habit of Mr. Robbins seems to be, at the battle of the Pyrenees, July 28, 1813. when he is called to attend the funeral of any ^ The writer, whose early years were one outside of his own parish, not to record passed in the Connecticut Valley, has the the case on the parish books. Very likely impression that such wild storms of wind, he had a private and separate record for all rain, and hail, are more common in that val- such cases. It would make confusion to ley than in the region of Boston. enter them with the parish records. 564 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1813. Sbftbhber. 1. The Commencement is this week in consequence of the President's appointed Fast." It was held in the old Blue Meeting-House.^ Not quite so many people, ministers especially, as usual. The e.xercises were rather better than usual. No Master spoke. It was severely warm in the meeting-house. It is a very hot day. At evening Mr. Gibson ' preached the Concio ad Clcnim. Paid my last instalment of $125.00 at the Eagle Bank. There is considerable building in this town. 2. In the morning attended a meeting for prayer. It was quite full. Rode home. The heat very severe and oppressive. Was exceedingly fatigued and sore with the ride. In the last month my agent at New Haven received a dividend for me at the Eagle Bank, and paid it to Howe & Deforest, of $25.00, according to my order. The thermometer today has been about 90°. Got home late in the evening. 3. Wrote. Read Universal History. Walked out and visited. 4. Little Joseph does pretty well with his Latin grammar. Wrote a ser- mon on Rom. vi : i. Went into the water. Much cooler. 5. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Deut. iv : 40. Afternoon on Rom. vi: i. At evening attended the conference. Meeting quite full. Quite cool. 6. Walked and visited. Afternoon attended a training. 7. Wrote letters to W. Chapman, New Connecticut, to Mrs. Backus, Somers, and to my brother Samuel. Rode to Hartford. Yesterday paid Mr. Terry towards the meeting-house clock for Norfolk, $25.00. Read Universal History. 8. Wrote a sermon for the Fast on Deut. x.xiii : i. Worked some at row- ing hay. Yesterday morning there was a little frost, but it is thought vegeta- tion is not injured. 9. National Fast. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Ezra iii : 21. Afternoon on Deut. .xxviii : 11. Meeting not very well attended. Some people worked.* At evening rainy. Wrote. 10. Finished the twenty-third volume of Universal History. \'isiled a school. The summer schools here are not sufficiently attended to. ']'he ther- mometer was at 83°. I have got quite in arrear in reading. 11. The heat very oppressive. Thermometer at 84°. Worked some at ' September, this year, came in 011 Wed- ing-IIouse w.is the one probably left empty nesday. If Commencement day had oc- by the aforesaid union. curred by the usual law, it would have ' Mr. Kobbins did not spell this name been Sept. 8, as early as it could possibly be. correctly in his diary. The preacher was, ' In 1771 there was a split in what is without doubt, Rev. Maltby Gclston, pastor commonly known as the North Church, New at Sherman (New Fairfield), 1797-1856. He Haven, and for more than twenty years there was a graduate of Vale, 1791. were two parishes. They came together * This National Fast was appointed, of again in 1796. By a previous entry it will course, l)ecause of the war. And as so many be remembered that the two church build- of the people of New England wctc opposed ings on the common were being taken down to the war, the Fast d.iy was not treated with for change and renewal. The old Hluc Meet- entire respect. l8l3-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 565 hay. My fatigues this week, with the heat, render me poorly able to write. Wrote the most of a sermon on i Cor. xiv: iq. 12. Finished my sermon on i Cor. xiv: 15, and preached it both parts of the day. I intended it for one, but I divided it. At evening attended the conference. Ver>' much oppressed with the heat. The thermometer rose to 91°. 13. Received a letter from my brother Frank, and a pamphlet from Mr. Robert Lenox, New York. The thermometer at 91°. The heat extremely oppressive. Visited a school. Read Universal History. 14. Wrote a letter for Joseph to his parents. Wrote to brother Frank. Read. Worked some. Visited a school. Received from Mrs. Backus, of Somers, five books, for which I had agreed, and paid for them, $6.00. 15. Rode to Hartford. Paid for liquors to fill my liquor case, S3.80. Last Sabbath began to read the Bible in course. Read Clarke's Commentary. 16. I fear Joseph will have the whooping-cough. Walked and visited all day. Since Monday the weather has been verj- comfortable. 17. Yesterday wrote a subscription paper for the purpose of hiring a sing- ing instructor. Night before last received a letter from my sister Battell, and one from Mr. Skinner, of Berlin. Had my clock set up. I have not had it properly placed before. It goes ver>' well. Dined out by invitation. After- noon and evening a hard rain. The young men who have been from this place to New London ' as soldiers are returning. Read Universal History. 18. Wrote off the substance of my last Sabbath's sermon for the Magazine? Wrote notes for preaching. 19. Finished my notes and preached all day on Hos. vi : i. Meeting ver>- full. At evening attended the conference. Heard of a young man that is quite serious. Will the Lord be our helper. 20. Visited. Attended Freeman's Meeting at Scantick. It was remark- ably harmonious and expeditious. The highest Federal vote for nomination was one hundred and sixty-six. The Democratic nomination was not called.^ Wrote to Mr. Skinner, Berlin. 21. Rode through Hartland to Norfolk. Father has gone to Litchfield to see Dr. Sheldon. At Hartland paid Miss Church for the British Poets, $40.00. I think it a very fortunate bargain. 22. The new meeting-house here is very tasty and elegant. Paid Mr. Gaylord for preaching at East Windsor, $6.00. One of the Sabbaths he gave me. 23. Father returned in the morning. He is much poorer than when I last saw him. I believe he is much worried by his side. Last evening cousin ' One of the men from East Windsor who ^ The conductors of the Magazine had served at New London was the father of the come at length to expect something from Dr. writer of this note. He was then thirty-seven Robbins for almost every number, years old, and the writer, in early life, re- ' Small attendance for a town of over members the stories which were told of war- three thousand inhabitants. The Democrats like labors and excitements with small amount were so few, and the Federalists so many, that of fighting. the first had no hope, and the others no fear. 566 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['SlJ- Frank Le Baron ' came here and stays today. He is apothecary gen(;ral of the army.' Received of my brother Nat, S40.00. 24. Something rainy. My cousin went off. Mr. Battell went off for New York. Father sits up but very little. Brother Samuel went to Lee, to bring home brother Frank. Spent the most of the day with father. 25. Set out very early and rode to East Windsor in a little more than nine hours. We hear of another great victory of Lord Wellington over the French.' 26. Preached an old written sermon on 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. I preached here on the same subject without notes, July, 1808. At evening attended the con- ference. Cool. 27. On the 21st received a letter from Mr. Everest, a candidate.* Yester- day began to read the Bible in course. Wrote. Walked and visited. Read Universal History. Quite cool. 28. Little Joseph does very well in the Latin grammar. Rode to East Hartford and met with the Consociation. We licensed Mr. John Langdon,' of Danbur)', formerly my pupil. The religious attention in this place continues. Kindly entertained at Capt. Stanley's.' 29. The Consociation finished their business about noon. Quite cool. Rode to Hartford and rode home (Frances came down for me) in a very hard rain. Received the British Poets sent from Hartland, which I lately purchased for $40.00, sixty volumes. My library now exceeds five hundred volumes. Paid Arnold, my shoemaker, $10.00. Paid my merchant tailor, $5.00. Paid Cooke, $5.00. Yesterday wrote to Mrs. Backus, Somers. Received two letters from Mr. Battell. 30. The storm last night was ver)' hard. Put on woolen clothes. Had my feather-bed put on. Made a fire in my chamber, the first since the spring. Read Universal History. Worked at my library. OCTODBK. 1. Wrote to Robert Lenox, New York. Wrote notes and jireached a sac- ramental lecture on Mark iv : 20. Read Universal History. 2. Wrote a sermon on John vii : 46. Afternoon and evening a hard rain. 3. Quite wet. Meeting quite thin. Several of the church were absent. I think we have never appeared so stupid and discouraging here as now. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ps. xxv : 22. Afternoon the ' As before stated, this cousin received don, minister at Danbury, who died in Dan- the degree of M. U. from Dartmouth Col- bury in iSoi, about the time that Mr. Rob- Icge in 1S15. bins was teaching there. The son was gradu- ° His position in the army shows him to ated at Yale in 1809, and was tutor there have been a man of note in his profession. from iSii to 1815. ' This was probably an echo of the reports ' Captain Matthew .Stanley. He was the of Wellington's victory over Marshal Soult, father of Anthony I). Stanley, a graduate of July 28. Yale in 1830, who, from 1S36 to his death in * Rev. Cornelius B. Everest, licensed by 1853, was the distinguished Professor of the Hartford North Association, Feb. 3, Mathem.itics of Yale. A brother of his, 1813. Theodore .Stanley, gr.aduated in 1836, was • This was the son of Rev. Timothy Lang- the first scholar of his cUiss. 1813.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 567 sermon written yesterday. Our little fleet on Lake Erie has obtained a very brilliant victory." 4. Wrote. Visited a young man in a consumption, probably near his end. Rode to Hartford. Brought up a number of books, which I purchased at Lyme, of the library of Dea. Griswold.^ There are seventeen volumes. 5. We had this morning fresh cucumbers. There has been no frost. Walked and visited. Visited a school well instructed. Preparing for my journey. 6. Rode to Norfolk. Carried little Joseph with me. Father continues to decline. His swelling increases and his strength fails. My brother Frank was licensed last week,' and preached last Sabbath at Torrington. He has now gone to Westfield, and expects to supply my pulpit next Sabbath. This morning there was a severe frost. 7. The most of the people here are gone to Litchfield to attend a brigade training.* Visited a young man very sick. The new meeting-house progresses very well. 8. Rainy the most of the day. Read the Bible. Father sits up but little. His nature sensibly fails. His Christian character appears very well. 9. Visited sick persons. My brother Samuel has fine crops. Our West- ern army threatens Canada very hard. 10. Quite rainy. We have this fall a great deal of wet. We had meeting in the new meeting-house. There has been no other meeting in it except the Sabbath when I preached in it soon after it was raised. Preached from Matt, -xix : 30, and Ps. cxlvii : i. Meeting full for such a tedious day. 11. Wrote. There seems to be a prospect that our army will invade Canada. At evening Mr. Knapp, of Westfield, came here. He preached yesterday at East Windsor.' Brother Frank came from Westfield. He preached there yesterday. Father is troubled with vomiting. I think it is occasioned by the pressure of his swelling in the interior of his head. 12. Rode to Winchester. Visited and preached a lecture on John vii : 16. There has been some special seriousness here the summer past. Re- turned. Quite cool. Father has failed very sensibly since I have been here. He can hardly walk in his room. 13. Set out early and rode home. At evening visited a young man very low with a consumption. I do not much expect ever to leave Norfolk again and leave my father living. This morning a very hard frost. 14. Read. We have very important news from Europe that .Austria has ' This was an item, probably, in a course Sept. 30, 1813, by the Litchfield North As- of successes by Gen. W. H. Harrison, aided sociation. His theological education had by the naval forces by which Detroit, that been carried on in connection with his long had been lost at the beginning of the war, work of teaching. was recovered. And it is pleasant to see ' A brigade training made great gather- that Mr. Robbins begins to find pleasure in ing of soldiers and spectators, the success of our soldiers and sailors. ^ And his brother Frank preached at ' Judge Matthew Griswold. Westfield, supplying Mr. Knapp's pulpit, who ^ Francis Le Baron Robbins was licensed went to East Windsor for Dr. Robbins. 568 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S13. joined the coalition against France." Visited. After three o'clock rer.d in Universal History, two hundred pages. 15. Walked and visited. Visited our academy school. We hear that the British have evacuated Detroit" and Maiden, which are occupied by our troops. Received a letter from my cousin S. P. Robbins. Visited a young man very low in a consumption. 16. Wrote a sermon on Matt, xi : 30 in eight successive hours. The young man that I visited last evening died in the night. Wrote notes for preaching. Quite wet all day. 17. Finished my notes and preached in the forenoon on Num. .\xi : 23, 24. Afternoon the sermon written yesterday. After meeting attended the funeral of Robert Hosmer. Very rainy. Some of the time very violent. Received a letter from brother Frank. Father was no worse when he wrote than when I left him. 18. Read Universal History. Rode to Hartford. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. Procured some coffin trimmings for which I paid S2.44. There are a vast many transportation waggons on the roads. 19. Read in the history of Germany in the Universal History, three hundred pages. Rainy. 20. P. S. Gleason & Co. have issued proposals for publishing my Histori- cal Magaziiu numbers in a volume. Wrote to Hon. Mr. Griswokl, of Lyme, and Howe & Deforest, New Haven. Walked and visited. Visited a poor family about moving to New Connecticut. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. 21. Sent to Mr. Griswold, of Lyme, for books lately received, $15.00. Read Universal History. The ground this morning was covered with snow. Visited. 22. Very cold. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of a woman who died of an apoplexy. Read. 23. Finished the twenty-sixth volume of Modern Universal History. For the most of this volume I have read nearly thirty pages an hour. Preached yesterday at the funeral at Wapping from i Cor. vii: 29-31. Wrote notes for preaching. 24. Finished my notes and preached from John xvii : 4, 5, on the Covenant of Redemption. At noon attended the funeral of an infant child. Baptized a child.^ At evening attended the conference. Caught some cold. 25. Our army at the head of Lake Erie appears to be successful. Rode to Hartford. Mr. Yates and I gave some written advice to the people of Orford at their request. There is some prospect that the principal certificate people there will rejoin the society. Verj' rainy. 26. Set out for Norfolk. The roads verj- muddy. Rode to Colebrook and tarried at my brother's. ' On Sept. 9, 1813, was formed the triple ° This is the confirmation and enlarge- alliance of Austria, Russia, and Prussia ment of the news before reported, against France. At that time France stood ' Edward Thomas Charlton, son of Jesse almost alone among the European powers. Charlton. 1S13.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 569 27. Rode to Norfolk. A violently rainy day. Father continued through last week much as when I last left him, till Saturday noon, when he was taken with a dysentery which has continued to this time without any intermission ; under which he appears to be sinking fast. George Phelps died in the neigh- borhood with a short sickness. This month has been cold and very wet. Read newspapers. My brother James is here. 28. This day completes the fifty-second year of my father's ministry in this place.' His dysenteiy continues, he talks but little, and is often lost. Wrote notes and preached at the funeral of George Phelps from Rev. xv : 4. The roads very muddy. All of father's children are here. 29. Last night James and I watched with father. We have the most inter- esting and pleasing news from Europe, that the French army has been beaten by the allies. Brother James went home. I conclude not to leave father this week. The clock in the meeting-house appears to be a good one. Wrote to Maj. Wolcott. 30. Walked about the neighborhood. Father requires constant attention. Paid a man for Mr. Sam. Terry, $2.00. 31. Most melancholy day. Sat up with father till four o'clock in the morn- ing. Last evening James and Maria came here, soon after which, about eight or nine o'clock, father had a very distressing turn, trying to raise an expecto- rate, which he was unable to do. After which nature seemed to yield, and he was pretty easy and unable to speak. All the children are here. In the fore- noon James and I staid at home and the rest went to meeting. Frank preached. At noon father failed sensibly. I went to meeting alone and preached from Matt, xi : 30. Baptized a child. Returned from meeting and found father much the same. A little after half after four, there was a sensi- ble alteration in his breathing, and a quarter before five he ex.pired.^ ' Re\'. A. R. Robbins was ordained and ored pastor, it will be fitting if we copy a installed at Norfolk, Oct. 2S, 1761. It was passage from the Brief History of the Town the first ordination of a minister that had of Norfolk, Ct., by Mr. Auren Roys, ever taken place in the town. He says: "A custom was adopted and ^ The prediction that Dr. Robbins made practiced nearly through the whole course when he last left Norfolk, proved true. He of Mr. Robbins's ministry, which, to those thought he should never go out of the town who did not enter into the spirit of it, and again and leave his father alive in it. perhaps to those of the present generation, Though this mourning group of children might seem rather papistical, or as showing stood around the dying bed, very sad at part- undue reverence and respect for the clergy ; ing with one they had so greatly honored and but, to the writer, it was a pleasing exhibi- loved, yet, in general, his death must be ac- tion. It was this : the congregation being counted a fortunate and happy one. His life generally present and seated, Mr. Robbins, had been crowned with blessing and honor, punctual to the time, entered the house ; he and he left the earth on the Sabbath day, took off his hat, walked up the broad aisle, just after he had completed fifty-two years of bowing to the right and to the left, as if to settled ministry in one place. His age, at say, Good morning, my dear people; the peo- death, was seventy-three years and two pie on each side responded to the compli- months, having been born in Kranford, Ct., ment, and rose as he passed along, as if in September, 1740. answering. Good morning, our dear pastor. In connection with the death of this hon- He then ascended the pulpit, hung up his 2jro DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['^'3- NOVBMDBR. 1. Our house is extremely gloomy. Its glory is departed. Sent several ways for ministers to attend the funeral. Last evening after attending to lay- ing out the corpse, wrote several letters for that purpose. Assisted the joiner in making the coffin." At evening mamma was very unwell ; we fear she will not be able to go out tomorrow. Cold. 2. I was constantly employed with the joiner till near noon, before the coffin was completed. The ministers came about noon. A great collection of people attended the funeral. Mr. Lee preached exceedingly well.^ Mother is better than I feared. I never before was dressed in mourning. The weather ver)' pleasant. 3. Warm and pleasant. The ministers who tarried last night went off this morning. Mr. Battell has been exceedingly liberal. Mother is very low and gloomy. Bought a new trunk and .sent it to Hartford. 4. Brother James and his wife went home. We have very interesting news from Europe. Bonaparte is evidently suffering in Saxony. Wrote in the church records a biographical sketch of father. Wrote letters to Charles B. Phelps, of Woodbury, Mr. Lee, of Colebrook, and Dr. Buel, of Sheffield. Mother is quite poor. 5. Rode home in nine hours. Feel anxious about leaving my mother in such a poor state. I hope her complaints are temporary. A man has lately died here and was buried today. Eleven ministers have died in the State this year. Wrote a notification of my father's death for the newspaper. Mr. Wol- cott has been very unfortunate this week, having lost three horses by disease. To return here fatherless makes me feel very gloomy. Last evening received of my brother Nat, $29.00. I had just that this morning. 6. Wrote the most of a sermon on Matt, vi : 10. Rode to Mr. Yates's and desired him to preach for me tomorrow and part of the day. He cannot on account of his sacrament. We have had a very pleasant week of weather. 7. Dr. McCIure conducted the meeting in the forenoon. A sermon was read and he performed the other parts. Finished and preached in the after- noon my sermon on Matt, vi : 10. Was carried through the e.\ercises much better than I feared. Felt exceedingly solemn and affected at my situation. hat, turned and bowed to those seated in the r.mgcments in those days. By the thought- galleries and to the choir of singers, as if to fulness of Mr. Battell, son-in-law of the say. Good morning, my dear children, and you deceased, the trimmings for this coffin had who aid me in the divine service; they rose, been bought in Hartford, a few days be- as his eyes passed round upon them, without fore. tumult, as if replying, Good morning, our " Kev. Chauncey I,ce, O. D., of Cole- dear father in Christ. This ceremony was brook. Mr. Auren Roys, before quoted, performed in a graceful manner, particularly says: "He rose in the desk, and e.vclaimed. on the part of the pastor. This interchange "My leather I my Father! the Chariot of of civility, giving it no more tender epithet, Israel and the horsemen thereof.' These wa.s indicative of the respect and unfeigned words uttered with his usual pathos, with love of his people towards him as their spir- the remains of the good man lying befmc itual instructor and guide." him dressed for the tomb, were i)eculiarly ' This statement reveals the simjile ar- affecting." I5I3.J PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 571 My case was much mentioned for prayers in the forenoon. The people had generally heard of father's death before my return. At evening had a very full and serious conference. 8. Read newspapers. Worked at my papers and clothes. The trunk I bought of Mr. Uattell arrived here the same evening that I did. Wrote. On the 5th paid for m}' brother .\mmi, for one half of a State map, §2.00. I gave my brother Samuel, at Norfolk, what I paid for coffin trimmings. The most of the family have borne considerable expense for father's sickness and funeral. Mr. Battell and Sally have done a great deal. Samuel appeared very serious and thoughtful after father'.s death. I brought from Norfolk father's watch, which he left me in his will, not as a legacy, but as belonging to me by direc- tion of the donor, James Watson, of New York, in 1792.' It is very valuable. Mr. Amasa Loomis, of New Salem,^ was here on a visit and preached the Sab- bath that I was absent. Received two letters from Mr. Battell which were brought here in my absence. On the 5th received a letter and some books from Howe & Deforest, New Haven. At evening walked out and visited. 9. Walked and visited all day. Remarkably warm and pleasant. We have very favorable accounts from Europe. Paid Mr. Terry for the Norfolk clock, $8.00, which, with $2.00 I paid for him at Norfolk on the 30th ult.. makes $10.00. 10. Rode to Hartford. Paid for a plated tea-pot, which I gave to Mrs. Wolcott in consideration of the use of their horse which I have had a great deal this summer, $7.50. For a pair of gloves to be given to Dr. McClure, $1.25. Dr. Strong desired me, in a very flattering manner, to become an assistant editor of the Magazine,^ and to have a share in the profits. I conclude to comply with his proposal. Walked home. Many people e.xpress to me great respect for my father. Last Sabbath evening assisted in examining a school-master. 11. Wrote to Uncle Isaac Le Baron.* Worked at my library pasting my name paper in the books. 12. My much-loved, excellent father expired on the 31st of October, Sab- bath day, at a quarter before five o'clock.' On the Sabbath he was quiet in the morning and forenoon, and most of the family went to meeting. About noon he sensibly failed, and all the family but me remained at home, thinking it doubtful whether he lived till the meeting was done. As I returned I per- ceived no special alteration ; on my entering the room he put out his hand, which was the last siffnihcant motion he made. ' He gave it to Rev. Mr. Robbins, who * Isaac Le Baron was a Methodist minis- fitted him for college, to be used by him during ter, but precisely where he was at this time, his life, and then to pass to his son Thomas. we do not know. = Rev. Amasa Loomis was settled in * Dr. Robbins, thinking he had neglected Salem (then New Saiem, Colchester) in to record some things which seemed impor- May previous. tant, makes another long entry, minutely ^ Unfortunately, the life of the Connecti- describing the symptoms and progress of cut Evangeluat Magazine is not now to be the disease. The main part of the long pas- greatly prolonged. It ended in 1S15. sage we omit. 572 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROISDINS, D.D. ['8'3' 13. Wrote a sermon on Rev. iii : 17. ^^■rote notes for preaching. Quite cold. 14. Very cold and tedious. Some snow. Finished my notes which I preached in the afternoon on Gen. xvi : 13. In the forenoon expounded the third chapter of Matthew. Meeting quite thin. The exposition appeared interesting. Father's death is mentioned very respectfully in the newspapers. Since June 1 1 I have been to Norfoll< si.x times, and have been absent from home for that purpose sixty-two days. Wrote to my brother Samuel. 15. It snowed steadily all day. Afternoon the storm was very severe. Read Universal History. A good many cattle are still in the meadows. The crops are generally secured. 16. Worked shoveling paths. The snow is more than a foot deep. Sleighs move considerably. Read. At evening walked out. 17. Rode to Hartford. Bad traveling. The ground is not frozen. Fin- ished the twenty-seventh volume of Universal History, which I began on Mon- day. Winter weather. 18. Walked and visited. At evening married two couple who caine here from Wapping.' Afternoon and evening quite rainy. Read. ig. It rained pretty hard all last night. Warm. The most of the snow is gone. Read in the Universal History from nine o'clock a. m. to twelve at night, three hundred and sixty pages. I believe I never read so much in one day before. 20. Warm and pleasant. The snow nearly gone. The roads very bad. Received a letter from Mr. Prudden, of Enfield. Finished the twenty-eighth volume of Universal History, which I began about nine o'clock of Thursday evening. Finished a little after noon. Wrote to Joshua Clark, Esq., Wind- ham. Wrote. 21. Mr. Everest,^ a candidate, preached for me. He preached very well. At evening attended a conference at the south school-house, and Mr. Everest preached at Dea. Loomis's. Weather very pleasant. Full meetings. I hope there is some more disposition for serious things among us than there has been. 22. Walked and visited all day. Capt. BisselP has a beautiful new house. Mr. Albert Wolcott has been shingling his house. It was built by his grand- father. Gov. Wolcott,* about 1703. 23. Walked to Hartford. Rode back. Quite warm. Received of the ' Theodore Rislcy, of East H.irtford, and and was born in 1761. Erastus Wolcott was Clarissa Jolinson, of Wapping ; and Charles the son of Gov. Roger, and was born in 1721. Kecncy, of East Hartford, and Adocia Sted- This house was built in 1703. He does not man, of Wapping. It will be remembered state whether it had ever been re-shinglcd that East Hartford then included the ))resent before. The Timothy Edwards house was town of Manchester. built some nine years earlier, and it was in- ° Rev. Cornelius B. Everest, before men- timattd when it w.is taken down in 1S12, that tloncd. it had never been re-shingled. The way the ' Capt. .\aron Bissell, East Wind.sor Hill. old shingles used to List, is a wonder, * That is, Roger Wolcott, Colonial Cover- when we consider the shortlived things of nor. Albert Wolcott was the son of Erastus, this generation. 1813.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 573 society collector, $158.06. Paid to the Hartford Bank, $52.95. Paid Mr. Wolcott towards my boarding bill, S20.00. Visited. We have some prospect of a singing-school. 24. Wrote a sermon for Thanksgiving on Zeph. ii : 3. Rainy. At exening walked out. 25. Thanksgiving. Warm and wet. Preached the sermon written yester- day. Had a good meeting. Yesterday Ursula had a bad fall, hurt her face, and is unable to dine with us. Received yesterday a letter from brother Samuel. Mother is still feeble, but better than when I left her. Brother Frank is to preach for the winter at the north end of Goshen.' At evening walked out. 26. Rode to the borders of Orford and attended a funeral. Mr. Stebbins, academy-keeper at Windsor, came and tarried with me. Read Dryden's Virgil. 27. Wrote to Mr. Skinner, of Berlin. Rode to Enfield to exchange with Mr. Prudden. Met him on the way. 28. Quite cold. Preached on Ex. ix : 20, and Matt, xix : 30. This con- gregation, I think, is larger than ours. At evening returned. At Warehouse Point called on Mr. Holbrook, who had a child killed yesterday by the kick of a horse. 29. Rode to Hartford with Mr. Wolcott. Subscribed for a share in the bank. Paid the deposit, $416.00. Of this I paid $85, and had the remainder of Mr. Wolcott, who took it from the bank. A share of the discount, §1.65, I lose. The subscription was very great. Dr. Strong showed me some memoirs of my father, sent by Mr. Lee for the Magazine. They are well written. The roads are verj- bad. 30. Wrote to my mother, and to M. F. Mills, Esq.,° Norfolk. Worked manuring my asparagus beds. Read Universal History. I am now two vol- umes in arrears in the course, having read forty-six volumes in four years. A year ago I was four volumes in arrears December. 1. Walked to Mr. Yates's and attended our ministers' meeting. Mr. David Austin^ was with us and preached. In the evening we attended a conference and I preached without any notes on Ex. ix : 20. Saw a man ploughing. Walked home late. 2. Walked out with our new singing-teacher. Wrote a piece for the Magazine on the close of the year. Very pleasant for the season. 3. Rode to Hartford. Very cold. Preached a preparatory lecture for Dr. Strong on Ps. cxlvii : 11. He inaugurated three new deacons in his church. ' There was no church organization prob- ^ Michael F. Mills, ably at North Goshen, but they were so far ^ Rev. David Austin, who seems to have from the center, where Rev. Joseph Harvey had no settlement at that time, a year or two was settled in 1810, after Rev. Asahel later was settled at Bozrah, where he re- Hooker left, that this preaching service mained till his death, which occurred in the for the winter was arranged. year 1831. 574 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1813. Saw at Mrs. Patten's my cousin, Mrs. Goodwin, from Rhode Island. Assisted in e.xamining a school-master. 4. Wrote to the president and directors of Hartford Bank, an applica- tion for a bank share for which I have subscribed. Read the Bible. Visited. The ground very hard frozen. Wrote notes for preaching on Luke xxii : 46. Had a very good flannel gown made of the flannel which my mother gave me. Our army has had a sad defeat in Canada." 5. Preached the notes written last evening, and a written sermon on Rev. iii : 17. At evening attended the conference. Meeting pretty full. 6. Carried my orange and lemon-trees to Mr. Haskell's" to be kept in his cellar till ne.xt spring. Visited. Tarried out. At evening rainy. 7. Walked to Wapping. Quite warm. Visited several families. Visited a school. The Baptist preacher that has been here this summer does not appear to have obtained much influence. 8. Visited a school. It appears pretty poorly. Afternoon walked home in a snow. 9. Looked over and arranged my papers and pamphlets. Assisted the church committee in e.xamining two persons for the communion. 10. Walked and visited. Visited the north school. The President's Message seems to be an attempt to excite the angry passions of the country against the enemy. 1 1. Wrote a sermon on 3 John : 4. The latter part of it is in notes. 12. Preached the sermon written yesterday. Propounded one man by letter, and two young women for our communion. Quite cold. At evening attended the conference. 13. Walked to Hartford and back. Mr. Wolcott's horse, whicli I usually ride, is sick. The directors of the bank have given me a share on my sub- scription. The subscriptions were forty-two times more than the shares obtained.' I pay $416 for the share which would now sell for $500. Paid for two mourning finger rings, $4.75. One of them I give to my brother James. There was an abatement of a quarter of a dollar on one for a little error in the engraving. Paid for liquors, including two jugs, $4.13- In the morning visited a young woman quite sick. Jhe thermometer was at i8°. The ground very rough and hard. 14. Visited the two middle schools. The late northern expedition turns out to have been very disgraceful. 15. Thermometer this morning about 18°. Dea. Reed's son came to study Latin with me.* Read Clarke's Commentary. Received of the society col- lector, $132.00, of which $11.04 was an order I had given Mr. Haskell. Took ' VVc do not find any action very near this ' This seems to show that there was some date which would exactly answer to this money in the country, even then, waiting for description. investments. » Mr. Eli B. Maskell's, at East Windsor * Dca. Abner Reed had three sons and Hill. He had been building a very nice three daughters. This, most likely, was the house. eldest son. 1813.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 575 a due-bill of $39.46 of the collector, in addition to which there is due on my last year's salary, $26.50, besides interest. Read Universal History. 16. Read Universal History. Visited the south school. At evening attended a singing-meeting. Thermometer this morning, 10°. 17. Wrote to my brother James and sent him a mourning ring. Read. 18. Wrote to T. B. Wait & Co., Boston. Read. Mr. Coe," a young man preaching at Bolton, came here to exchange with me. Rode to Bolton. 19. Preached from Matt, xi : 30, and Ps. cxlvii : 11. This is a united society. At evening returned. The prospects of Orford society are favorable. 20. Walked to Hartford. The ground very rough. Paid my cabinet- maker, S30.38 ; my merchant tailors, $30.00 ; Cooke, $7.91 ; a merchant, $9.41 ; the Bible Society, $3.00. Saw my cousin, Mrs. Goodwin. Walked home. Got my father's watch, which has been repaired, which I now begin to wear, I trust, for the remainder of my days. Wrote for Mr. Wolcott. 21. Very cold. Thermometer this morning at 10°. Read Universal His- tory. We have some snow, but no sleighing. 22. Got two small new book-cases, one chert}', the other pine, made for me. They cost $1 i.oo, and $6.00 = $17.00. Thermometer this morning at 8°. Worked at my librarj'. Wrote to I. Thomas, Jr.,' Worcester. 23. Worked at my library. Read Universal History. Am considerably taken up with instruction. 24. Walked out and visited. Had company. Paid Mr. Terry for the Norfolk clock,' $15.00. 25. The thermometer this morning was at 6°. Wrote a sermon on Heb. iii : 14. Read expositions on Matt, iv : 4. 26. Thermometer at 15°. In the forenoon expounded Matt, iv : to the 17th verse. I think such expositions useful. Afternoon preached the sermon written yesterday. Received two young women into the church.* The scene was affecting and solemn. At evening performed a marriage.' The ground very hard frozen. 27. Looked over expositions on the Book of Psalms. Walked out and visited. The necessaries of life are at verj' high prices. 28. Walked to Hartford. Rode home. The river is frozen. Paid Cooke, $1.76. Received a letter from my brother James. Received of Mr. Wolcott, the most of which he paid for me towards my share in the bank, $135.37. Gave him a due-bill of $75.62 for the remainder of my last year boarding bill, which was $104.00.' Gave him a note on demand of $208.00 for one half of ' This was probably Rev. Harvey Coe, a and he wishes to secure another almanac for native of Greenville, Mass., who was gradu- his next year's diary, ated at Williams College in 1811, was licensed ^ The meeting-house clock, to preach in 1812, and ordained in 1S13 for * The young women admitted to the church Western work, upon which he entered soon were Esther and Huldah Elmer, after. It may have been Rev. Noah Coe, ' The parties united in marriage were afterwards settled at Greenwich, Ct. Roderick King and Sally Newbury. - Isaiah Thomas, Jr., from whom he had *■ This is two dollars per week for himself, his almanacs. The year is drawing to a close, as the year before. 57^ DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1813. my bank share which he paid, and he is to receive one half of the dividend till the note is paid. 29. Last night a hard rain. Today it snowed considerably. Began to write an essay on the Book of Psalms. At night Mr. Elliott," from New Hampshire, a poor clergyman, came here and tarried, soliciting charity. 30. Wrote all day. Finished my essay on Psalms. Sleighs move con- siderably. 31. Began a New Year's address for the Magazine' Quite cold. Inter- rupted with company. God be thanked for this year. A year of many com- forts and of deep affliction. Wrote oil old notes and preached a sacramental lecture on Luke vii : 22,. Very cold. ' In Rev. Mr. Hazen's list of Congrega- spelled). It was probably some one of the tional ministers in New Hampshire, from name who had been supplying, the early years down to 1S75, there had been ' The writing of the New Year's address no .tf«/c(/ minister of the name Elliott (in any for the Magazine, had, for some years, been of the various ways by which that name is given into Mr. Robbins's hands. January. 1. I desire to devote myself to the care and service of God for another year. Wrote a sermon on Ps. cii : 25, 26. Wrote on notes for preaching. Was up late. Very good sleighing. We have news that our Niagara frontier has been laid devastate and desolate by the enemy.' Thermometer at 13°. 2. Finished my notes and preached in the forenoon on Rev. iii : 12. Administered the sacrament. The church quite full. The day very mild and pleasant. Afternoon preached the sermon written yesterday. The meeting very full and solemn. At evening attended the conference. Wrote consider- ably late in the evening. 3. Wrote. Walked to the hill. Dined with the January meeting.'' Col- lected $8.50 for Mr. Elliott, who was here last week soliciting charity.^ This was received from nine men. Received this almanack from Worcester.* Received a letter from Mr. Stebbins,' at Windsor. Very cold. The ther- mometer was near 10° all day, and at bed-time near zero. 4. Last evening wrote late and finished my New Year's piece for the Magazine. Our ministers' meeting was held here. None attended but Mr. Yates and Mr. Cook,' the candidate preaching at Orford. Read my essay on Psalms. Mr. Cook preached. At evening looked over Christian Observers'' to obtain the religious intelligence for the Magazine. Very cold through the day. Thermometer this morning 8° below zero. 5. Rode to Hartford. Spent the forenoon with Dr. Strong, preparing the January Magazine. Read over Mr. Lee's manuscript sermon at father's funeral, which is sent to the printer. It contains a valuable appendix taken from his own private writings which I knew nothing of. We have the grateful news of a great defeat of Bonaparte in Germany.' Thermometer this morning 9°. 6. Thermometer this morning 5° below zero. On the 4th put on my flannel, which' I had not worn before this season. Yesterday sold my watch' ' The town of Buffalo was taken and his early death, 1823. lie was graduated at burned by the British, December 9, 1813. Williams College, 181 1. 2 That was some local organization which ' This was an English religious periodical we do not understand. republished in Boston. 3 This was a kind and self-denying ser- ' Between the 9th and the 13th of Decem- vice for Mr. Elliott. ber, 1813, there were encounters between the * For which he wrote near the close of French and allied armies, to the disadvan- last month. tage of the former. The star of Napoleon, 5 The teacher of the academy at Windsor, so long in the ascendant, began to wane. Mr. William Stebbins, a graduate of Yale ' This was his old watch, which he no in 1807. longer needed, as he had received the valu- ' Rev. Elisha B. Cook, settled at Orford able one from Hon. James Watson, which (Manchester), 1814, and remained there till came to him on his father's death. 577 578 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. L*^'4- for $i;o.oo, to Mr. Sargeant, the watch-maker, at Hartford. With this sum I shall pay for my clock. Wrote. Yesterday attended with a number of people a quarterly examination of our academic school.' It appeared very well. We have authentic accounts of a fatal defeat of Bonaparte in Saxony.'' The cold abates. 7. On the 5th prepared this almanack. Read in Universal History, \.\\o hundred pages. Looked over my last diar}'. My e.xpenses in the year past have been very great. The weather moderates. 8. Filed my letters of last year. I never received so many in any pre- ceding year. Wrote. Wrote notes for preaching. 9. Finished my notes, and preached on i Cor. i: 18. In the forenoon quite short. At evening attended the conference. Thermometer this morning at zero. 10. Wrote off my preaching account for the last year. It requires a good deal of labor. It appears likely that Bonaparte's great power is effectually broken. It confounds Democracy in this country exceedingly. Read Univer- sal History. 11. Read. Rode to Hartford on a journey to Norfolk. Gave to Mr. Elliott, the poor preacher, $1.50. I have got for him, $11.00. Paid for brandy, for a present to my mother, $1.46. At evening attended a meeting at Hartford. Mr. S. P. Williams ^ preached. 12. Slept last night at the stage house. Set out at six o'clock a. m. and rode to Norfolk in a stage. Went on wheels, sleighing being pretty poor. My good mother is quite well for her. She attends to business as she has been used to. James and his wife are here. My niece, Eliza Olmstead, had a fine daughter today. Brother Frank is preaching at the north part of Goshen. 13. Looked over a number of father's manuscripts. Very good sleighing here. Mr. Jerome,* lately dismissed from New Hartford, preached here. The meeting-house is nearly completed. My brother James and his wife went home. 14. Very cold. The society committee requested me to preach the ex- pected dedication sermon. . 15. Rode in the stage to Hartford. Mr. Battell carried me in his sleigh to Winsted. Mr. Wolcott rode down and brought me home. Looked over ex- positions. Let my sister Battell have my mourning ring, for which she paid me $2.25. Mr. Battell gave me $2.00 for Mr. Elliott.' 16. It snowed steadily all day. In the forenoon expounded Matt, iv: 17 to the end, and v : 1-13. Afternoon preached with old notes on i Pet. i : 10. ' This school, as we understand, is still ated at Yale, 1796, a classmate of Mr. Rob- under the care of Mr. E. T. Kitch. bins. He died in 1S26. ' A variation, probably, of the previous * Rev. Aniasa Jerome, pastor at New Hart- reports, ford, 1802-1S13. ' .Samuel Porter Williams, pastor of the ' He continues to solicit aid for Rev. Mr. First Church in Mansfield, 1S07 to 1817. He Klliott, and must have regarded it as a case was a native of Wcthersficld, and was gradu- of real distress. l8l4-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 579 There are new attempts for peace, from which I have but Httle expectation. Tlie thermometer Friday morning was at zero. Wrote. 17. Read Universal History. The snow is six or eight inches deep and very solid. At evening Mr. Smith," of Durham, came here and tarried. 18. The weather very pleasant. There is a great deal of sleighing. Began to write an essay for the Magazine on the Doctrine of Means."" We have addi- tional accounts of the terrible disasters of the French. Wrote on my Magazine essay. At evening performed a marriage.^ 19. Wrote. Am considerably hindered by company. At evening walked out. 20. Worked at my library. Wrote. Had company. 21. The sleighing is very fine, and very much improved. Paid Mr. McClure for old books, $5.00. Towards night Mr. Johns* called and tarried with me. Wrote. 22. Thermometer this morning was at 5°. The weather this week has been verj' pleasant and mild, and there has been as good sleighing as I ever knew. Wrote a sermon on Prov. xxix : i. At evening attended a conference. 23. We have an account that Bonaparte is driven to France. " How are the mighty fallen." Never have I known any political events which appear to demand so strongly thanksgiving and praise to God. 24. Wrote for Mr. Wolcott. He is much distressed with hypochondriac affections. Mr. Cook ' called on me. There is a prospect that he will be settled at Orford. The prospects of that society are more favorable than I have ever expected to see. On the 22d paid for the JZ/Vrc^rnewspaper ' for half a year. Afternoon and evening quite rainy. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Received a letter from Dr. Strong. 25. Walked and visited all day. It thaws considerably. 26. Read Universal History. Yesterday Capt. Hall, of Wapping, brought me a valuable load of wood. Wrote. Towards night Mr. Skinner, of Berlin, came here and tarried. He has a prospect of forming a female connection in the neighborhood.' Cold. 27. Thermometer this morning was at zero. Rode to Hartford. Assisted Dr. Strong in preparing the next Magazine. At evening preached at his con- ference without notes, on 2 Tim. iv : 7, 8. Returned. Mr. Wolcott is exceed- ingly afflicted with hypochondria. 28. Last evening took a bad cold by riding home after preaching in a ' Rev. David Smith, D. D. 5 Rev. Elisha B. Cook. ^ When theology inclines strongly to abso- ' Connecticut mirror, which was published lute foreordination and decrees, it requires at Hartford. some ingenuity to fix a clear place for the ' We have several times intimated as uses and operations of means. much as this. We have already made men- ^ Horace Bissell, of Scantic, was united in tion of two Ursula Wolcotts, but there is a marriage with Betsey Wolcott, of the South third, the daughter of Mr. Samuel Wolcott, Parish. who recently died. Ere long she is to be * Rev. Evans Johns, lately dismissed from Mrs. Skinner, wife of the minister at Berlin Berlin. (New Britain). jSo DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S14. warm room. Mr. Lee's sermon at my father's funeral is out, and appears well. Am much oppressed with ray cold. Afternoon instructed Mr. Tudor's ' school. Visited. 29. Wrote the most of the day on a piece for the Magazine. My cold is very severe ; last night took a sweat for it. 30. In the morning rode to Windsor and made an exchange with Mr. Row- land. Very good crossing. Preached from Matt. .\i: 30, and Ps. cxlvii : ii. In the forenoon, in sermon time, a crazy mati came into the pulpit, appearing to be offended that I was preaching with notes, and tore my sermon into two parts. He threw down the part which he tore off, and was soon taken care of by the people.^ I collected the parts of my sermon and finished the discourse. At evening returned. Towards night it grew very cold. 31. The thermometer this morning was 3° below zero, and it continued below 10° through the day. Read. Last evening received a letter from Mr. Stebbins, at Windsor. This morning the crazy fellow, who troubled me yester- day, came in here and began to talk about my preaching with notes, and Mr. Wolcott turned him out of the house. Wrote a piece for the Alagazhu. The thermometer was below 10° all day, and between eleven and twelve o'clock at night it was 9° below zero. Fbbruarv. 1. Thermometer this morning 3° below zero. Rode to East Hartford and met with the Association. We licensed two candidates.' It snowed. At even- ing it rained. A very great change of weather. The Association pretty full. 2. The roads very wet. The Association very full of business. Rode to Hartford and home. The sleighing pretty poor. Yesterday received a letter inviting me to attend the expected ordination at Orford. 3. A valuable family moved from this neighborhood. Yesterday .Mr. Yates desired me to prepare some lectures on ecclesiastical history for his theological students. Read. Visited. Paid to the post office my charges for nearly a year, §2-26. I have a good deal of cough, I believe the elTect of a cold procured by wet feet. 4. Read Universal History. It has become extremely cold again. The thermometer this morning was at zero. Had company. ' Mr. Oliver Tudor's school. (This was him, they could not but admire the notable one of the public schools.) energy of his ministry." ' A very curious e.xperience, but the oddi- ' These candidates were Royal Robbins ties of insanity are many. The fellow ought and Joseph Mix. The former w.is graduated to have been historically instructed, th.it the at Yale College in 1S06, and had probably man who began this business of preaching been a teacher for some years. He was set- with notes in New England was John War- tied at Kensington, a parish of Berlin, in ham, the first pastor of that very church. 1816, and remained till 1859. lie was the Cotton Mather says ; " I suppose the first author of .several school-books widely used. preacher that ever thus preached with notes He was the father of Royal K. Robbins, lisq., in our Nnu Eiighnul, w.is the Reverend //<;»■- one of the chief owiiers and man.igers of the ham; who, though he were sometimes faulted immense watch manufactury at Waltham, for it by some judicious men who had never Mass. Mr. Joseph Mix was settled at West heard him, yet when once they came to hear Suffield, 1814-1S29. l8l4-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 58 1 5. Thermometer this morning 5° below zero. Wrote the most of a ser- mon on Lulce x.\ : 13. Much oppressed with my cold. 6. Finished my sermon on Luke xx : 13, and preached with it all day. It snowed considerably. Meeting pretty thin. At evening attended a con- ference. My cough is troublesome. 7. Rode to Hartford. Looked over the ATagazine. Paid for footing my boots, $3.80. Visited a school at Long Hill. Received a letter from T. B. Wait & Co., Boston, and three volumes of the Christian Obsemer} 8. Wrote a review of Mr. Porter's sermon on perjury for ministers' meet- ing. Had company. 9. Rode to Glastonbuiy and attended ministers' meeting. Read my review written yesterday. Mr. Clarke, of Chatham, was with us and attached himself to the meeting. He preached. Rode to Mr. Yates's in the evening, and tarried. It snowed all the afternoon. 10. Rainy all day. Rode home. Last evening got some addition to my cold. Read Universal History. Visited. 11. The trees are exceedingly loaded with ice. The elms in the street are much broken with the weight. Visited. Read. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in making out his assessment for the direct tax. 12. Read Universal History. Afternoon rode to Hartford to spend the Sabbath with Dr. Strong. Mr. Mix,' of East Hartford, lately licensed, rode to East Windsor to preach for me. 13. Preached for Dr. Strong from John i : 10, and Ps. Ixxxiv : 2. His con- gregation is very large. Am still hoarse with my cold. At evening went to the conference, but did but little. Tarried with Mr. Skinner.^ 14. Put a note into the bank for discount of $400. Walked home. After- noon it snowed. Read. Mr. Prudden came here and tarried. 15. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Much interrupted with company. Mr. Skinner, of Berlin, came here and tarried. There is a prospect of his forming a connection in this neighborhood. Received a letter from Mr. Bat- tell. Visited. 16. Rode out and visited. Baptized a sick child at the parents' house.* Afternoon rode to Windsor and attended the funeral of Gen. Newberry.' Mr. Rowland preached very well. Returned. Tarried out. The sleighing very good. 17. It rained pretty hard all day. Visited. Towards night rode to Wapping. 18. Walked and visited. The roads very- wet and the sleighing fast fail- ' This English periodical was, as before ' Gen. Roger Newberry was a man of no stated, republished in Boston. In 1S02 there little note. He was born June 30, 1735, was issued an edition of this work in ten gained his title of general in the Revolution- volumes, ary Army, was an able lawyer, and successful ° Rev. Joseph MLx, before noticed. merchant. He died in the seventy-ninth year ' Some man of that name in Hartford. of his age. For many years before his * Susan Elizabeth, daughter of Jonathan death he was one of the leading citizens Williams. of Windsor. 582 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1814. ing. Visited a school. At evening preached a lecture without any notes from Gen. .xlvii : 9, middle clause. After meeting returned home. The streets are almost covered with water. 19. Wrote for Mr. Wolcott. Wrote the most of a sermon on Matt, xi : 26. Received a very interesting communication for the Magazine, sent from New York. Wrote to Mr. Prudden, of Enfield, and Mr. Stebbins, of Windsor. The thermometer rose to nearly 50°. 20. Very bad going. In the forenoon expounded Matt, v : 13 to 38. Fin- ished and preached a sermon on Matt, xi : 26. The church chose a delegate to go with me to Orford ordination. At evening attended with a few church- members a season of special prayer. I hope we may continue such meet- ings. 21. Read. On the 18th received of Messrs. Thomas & Noah Sadd, of Wapping, a present of $3.00. The same day Mr. N. Sadd sent me a good load of wood.' Visited. The sleighing is nearly gone. At evening wrote on the Means of Grace for the Magazine. 22. Wrote on my Magazine piece. Visited sick persons. Very bad riding. Our government are running into terrible expenditures of money. We know not what is before us. 23. Wrote. Finished my piece for the Magazine on the Means of Grace. It is not so well written as I hoped it would be. The snow goes off gradually by clear sunshine. Mr. Wolcott is much afflicted with hypochondriac affec- tions. Yesterday received a letter from Rev. Mr. Prudden. 24. Very rainy all day. Rode to Hartford. Assisted Dr. Strong in pre- paring materials for the next Magazine. At evening preached at his confer- ence without notes from Luke vii : 23. The work of grace seems to continue here in the most favorable manner. The Governor and Council met here to- day. Received at the bank, for a note of $400.00 which I put in for discount last week, S393.80, including a note of $190.00 which they held against me. Paid Hills & Phelps, merchant tailors, $58.10. To Dimock, merchant tailor, $20.31. To Chapin, cabinet-maker, $20.00. I closed their accounts. Paid for three half volumes of Encydopa:dia, $12.00. 25. Paid Gleason, $15.00. Walked home. Very hard going. Read Uni- versal History. I find but little time to read. 26. Read. The ground mostly bare. Walked out. Wrote notes for preaching. 27. Finished my notes and preached on 1 Cor. iii : 11, 12, 13. It snowed several times in the day, and in the evening very hard. At evening visited. Read. 28. We have the deepest snow that we have had during the winter. Wrote to Dr. Strong, of Hartford. Walked and visited all day. Several people here are dissatisfied with the late seating of the meeting-house. At evening attended a prayer-meeting. Quite cold and tedious. Paid to Mr. Tern-. ' These gifts, without d compelled, March :8, 1814, to surrender to pointed. I have verified the dates." the British frigate Pliabe. lSl4.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 587 10. Preached ill the forenoon with old notes on Ps. cxviii : 22. Afternoon Mr. Yates came up and preached at the funeral of Mrs. McClure. Quite rainy the most of the day. Read. 11. Attended Freeman's Meeting. Mr. Huse ' prayed at the opening of the meeting. Votes for Governor, Federal 187, Democrat 62. Afternoon and evening ver}' rainy. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Worked in my garden. 12. Visited. Afternoon visited our north school, which completes the whole. Received a letter from my cousin P. G. Robbins. 13. Walked to Windsor and attended our ministers' meeting. The revival at Orford is very great. Returned. They begin to take shad. Paid for one, .25. Read Universal History. 14. Worked all day taking up elms in the woods and setting them in the street. At evening visited. 15. Finished setting my elms. Have set four large ones in the street. Rainy. Planted peas. Wrote to Capt. Hall, of Wapping. Visited. I have visited all the families in the society since the first of last May. Being gone so last summer, I had not finished my visiting. May i, 1813, there were in the society one hundred and sixty-nine families, of whom, thirty-four were cer- tificate people. Read Universal Hisfnry. 16. Quite cool. Wrote a sermon on Gen. xviii : 27. My composition is certainly quite indifferent. 17. Expounded in the forenoon from Matt, v : 38 to vi : 9. Afternoon preached the sermon written yesterday. Full meeting. I am not yet re- covered of my long hoarseness. 18. Rode to Norfolk. Mr. Terry went with me to clean the meeting-house clock. The roads are well settled all the way. People here are ploughing. Mr. Stebbins^ is preaching here and will board with mother. She appears quite well. Brother Frank is at home. 19. Mr. Terry fixed the clock. It appears to be a good one. Brother Nat is breaking up house-keeping. Looked over father's papers. They have been carefully kept. 20. The circumstances of this society appear precarious and not very favorable. Made a division of father's books, principally according to his testamentary direction. Dined at Mr. Battell's. Cold. My brother Nat went off for Boston. 21. Last night it snowed considerably. Toward night rode to my brother Ammi's. My horse appears to be much diseased. The snow went off. 22. Rode home. My horse is very feeble. Had great difficulty in getting him along. At evening attended a prayer-meeting. Much fatigued. ' Mr. Nathaniel Huse, Episcopal minister In 1S15 he was settled again at West Haven, at Warehouse Point. where he remained till his death in 1S43, - This is doubtless Rev. Stephen N. Steb- making his ministerial service fifty-nine \-ears. bins, who had been settled at Stratford from In our college days Father Stebbins was one 17S4 to 1S13, and was now without a parish. of the vener.ible men about New Haven. 5S8 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1814. 23. A black woman' has died here during my absence. Wrote notes for preaching. Read. Ver)' warm. The thermometer was at 78°. 24. Finished my notes and preaclied on Titus iii : 5. At evening attended a conference very full. My voice, by divine favor, seems to be restored to its usual state. Yesterday wrote to my cousin, Dr. P. G. Robbins, of Lynn. Quite cold. 25. Wrote off a considerable part of my sermon on Heb. v: 7 for the Magazine. Mr. Wolcott's horse is very sick, and I fear will not live. 26. Last night wrote quite late, and got very little sleep. My labor j'ester- day following the Sabbath was too hard. Am quite feeble. Wrote to my brother Samuel. Received a letter from Mr. Osborn," a candidate at East Hartford.' Received a circular address from a religious tract society at Bos- ton. Rode to Hartford and assisted Dr. Strong in preparing for the ne.\t Magazine. At evening preached at his conference with short notes on Amos iv: II. Returned. Very warm. The thermometer at Hartford rose to 85°. Mine was nearly the same. Yesterday we had asparagus. 27. Left off my flannel. The daffas are blown. The thermometer was at 80°. From Monday morning to Tuesday noon it rose about 50°. Read U^ti- versal History. At evening attended a prayer-meeting. 28. Cooler. The ground is very drj'. Read Universal History. At even- ing visited. Our singing-school does not succeed remarkably well.* 29. Wrote over a communication for the Magazine. Worked considerably. Ploughed my garden. Visited. 30. Last night slept very little. Am pretty feeble. Wrote a sermon on Ps. .xiv: 7. Wrote quite rapidly. We had a very refreshing rain. Finished my sermon early. Wrote six pages before twelve o'clock. Yesterday Mr. Wolcott's valuable horse, which I have usually rode, died. He was taken sick while I had him at Norfolk. He has been diseased, apparently, since last fall. Mav. I. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Gal. iv : 6. Afternoon a written sermon on Ps. xiv: 7. We had our missionary contribution and col- lected S55.30. It is much larger than it has ever been here before. There were two $5.00 bills, one of six, and two of three, with one hundred and sixty- two pieces of silver. I think this event much in favor of our society. At evening had a serious conference. ' Catherine, aged seventy. This single bom, who, a year or two later, was preaching name betokens her former estate, and, per- for a short time in East Lyme. He was a haps, her present. Slaves that had reached graduate of Brown University in 1803. a certain age when the law was passed for ' This reference to Mr. Osborn, as a can- the gradual c.vtinction of slavery in Connecti- didate at Kast Hartford, would seem to cut were to remain slaves till death. This imply that Dr. Vates, though not yet dis- feature was designed to be benevolent, as missed, was preparing to t.-ikc leave of his providing for the support of persons that people. He was out of health, had trouble might not be able to support themselves. It with his voice, and was instructing theological is said that the last slave did not die in East students. Windsor till 1857. * I'revious reports of it had been very " This was, very likely, Rev. George Os- good. 1 8 14-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 589 2. Visited a young woman deeply impressed with religious concern. The peach-blossoms appeared yesterday. Wrote. Afternoon attended a little while at a training. 3. This morning there was considerable frost. Wrote a piece for the Magazine. Attended the funeral of a black child belonging to a transient person. Wrote to my mother. 4. Rode to Orford and attended our ministers' meeting. Read a sermon. At evening preached at a conference without notes on Amos iv : 11. Re- turned. The work of grace continues there verj' powerfully. Very warm. The thermometer rose to 87°. Was out very late. 5. Worked in my garden. Planted peas and other seeds.' Read Uni- versal History. Rode to Hartford with Frances. Got some new clothes. At evening attended a conference ; little while at a singing-meeting. Thermome- ter 83°. 6. Walked and visited all day. Much oppressed with the heat. Ther- mometer 82°. The ground is very drj-. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. 7. We had a hard and very refreshing rain. The lilacs begin to appear. Wrote a sermon on Acts xxiv : 25. Wrote a letter to Mr. Pond, our singing- teacher, at East Hartford." 8. In the morning wrote notes and preached on 2 Pet. ii ; i, a clause. " Denying the Lord that bought them." Preached quite poorly. Afternoon on Acts xxiv: 25. At evening attended the conference. There is a con- siderable agitation here about our singing-school. It has turned out pretty poorly. 9. Rode to Hartford. Borrowed of Mr. Wolcott, for which I gave him my due-bill, $80.00. Paid to the bank, $85.36, and received my note. Received books from Andover,' by Mr. Yates,'' for which I paid $2.50, in addition to $40.00, which I gave him for that purpose, March 24. Paid Hills &: Phelps, for a very good suit of clothes of fine broadcloth, $43.00. Received of Mr. Sargeant for my watch, $48.00. I allowed him $2.00 for repairs. Received by letter an invitation from Dr. Strong to put up with him at the election. At evening rode to Orford and preached at a conference on Matt, xxv : i. with- out notes. Returned. Quite cold. We have news of an armistice between the great powers at war in Europe. 10. This morning there was considerable frost. The fruit-trees are \erv ' Year by year Dr. Robbins plants him- Mass., where the new Theological Seminary self a garden, and takes care of it himself. had very recently been established. This ^ Every four or five years the old parishes would be likely to make the place a kind of of that day, which had then almost univer- depot for certain books such as Mr. Robbins sally introduced choir singing, used to have would wish to have in his library, their singing-schools, which usually began in ■* Rev. Andrew Yates had been on this the early part of the winter, and filling two visit to Andover, Mass., very likely to gain evenings perhaps every week, would continue some new ideas on the subject of the best till the spring. methods of conducting theological education, ^ We understand this to mean, Andover, in which he was now engaged. 590 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1814. full-blown. Walked and visited. There is a greater appearance of serious- ness here than there has been for three years. 11. Very rainy all day. Read Universal History. Received a letter from Mr. Prudden, introducing to me a Mr. Burge,' minister from Vermont, who tarried with me. 12. Rode to Hartford and attended the election. The collection of clergj' about as great as usual. The sermon was good. Attended the Ministers' Annuity Society. At evening went to a conference. My brother Frank is here. In the morning attended the meeting of the Bible Society. Paid Mr. Lee for ten of his sermons at father's funeral, $2.00. Tarried at Dr. Strong's.' 13. My brother went home. Attended the meeting of the directors of the Ministers' Annuity Societ)'. Paid for a book, Kiiiiie^ on the Prophecies, $2.00. Walked and rode home. Performed a marriage* of a couple who came here. Rainy. Heard the Governor deliver his speech, which was very good. We ha\ e the important intelligence that the allied army has taken Paris.' 14. Quite rainy. Wrote a sermon on 2 Pet. iii : 11. Am much worried with fatigue. 15. Last night we had a ver}' hard thunder-shower. Expounded Matt, vi: 9-16, and preached on 2 Pet. iii : 11. At evening attended the conference. Some of our singers leave their seats, but we still sing well. A remarkable time for vegetation. Quite warm. Read the Bible. 16. Worked some. Afternoon a hard rain. The river is high in the meadows. Read Universal History. Read one hundred pages in three and a half hours. 17. Planted peas and watermelons. The thermometer was at 75°. After- noon rode to Hartford. Attended to the business of our Annuity Society. Heard Mr. Merwin,' of New Haven, preach a missionar)- sermon. 18. Worked considerably piling a heap of manure. Read Universal His- tory. Wrote to my brother Ammi, at Colebrook. Visited. 19. Rode to Farmington and returned. Am collecting an account of the state of the churches for Association. Quite warm. Vegetation is very for- ward. At Hartford saw Mr. \\'hittlesey,' of Danbury. 20. Walked and visited. The thermometer at 86°. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Received yesterday a letter from Nathan Burr, of Norfolk, and one from my brother James. He is in affliction, having lost his little son. ' Rev. Caleb Biirge, a native of Tolland, Osborn, of Scantic, were the parties mar- Ct., a graduate of Middlebury College, iSo6, ried. settled froiti 1814 to 1819 at Brattlcborough, 'Only a few days before, he had, or Vt., and from 1821 to 1825 at Glastonbury, thought he had, the news of a general armis- Ct. tice among the fighting nations. That report > It will be remembered that Dr. Strong was not true, but this was true. Paris was had invited him to be a guest at his house. taken by the allied armies, March 31, 1S14. ' Rev. Aaron Kinnc, a native of Norwich, * Rev. Samuel Merwin, native of Milford, Ct, graduate of Yale, 1765, was settled for graduate of Vale College, r8o2, settled over twenty-eight years at Groton, Ct. lie pul> the North Church in New Haven, 1S05-1831. lished a work on the Prophecies in 1813. ' The man, probably, with whom he used * Jehiel Judd, of Colchester, and Lucretia to board when teaching in Danbury. l8l4-J PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 591 2 1. Received of my collector, $34.87, completing my order of last year. Wrote to my brother James. Read Universal History. Wrote notes for preaching. 22. Finished my notes and preached all day on Mai. iii : i, 2. Preached pretty poorly. Meeting quite full. At evening we had a very full and attent- ive conference. 23. Set out early on my associational tour to collect an account of the state of the churches. Rode to Simsbury and Barkhamsted. Tarried with Mr. Mason," who is agreeably settled here. 24. Rode to Hartland, Granby, and Enfield. Rode late. Was fortunate in finding men at home. The season very forward. Grain appears very well. 25. In the forenoon rode home. Much fatigued. The thermometer rose to 86°. Read. Walked out and visited. 26. Rode to Hartford. Assisted in preparing for the next Magazine. Very hot. Thermometer at 92°. Had a fine tub made for my orange-tree, for which I paid S3. 00. The Assembly are full of business. At evening preached at Dr. Strong's conference ^ without any notes from Luke xv : 17. Returned very tired. 27. Read. Thermometer 92°. Afternoon a hard shower. Yesterday procured a number of articles of furniture for my brother's wife, at Colebrook. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 28. Wrote a sermon on Heb. vi : 6. I am sure I do not write so good ser- mons as I have at some past times. 29. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ps. ex: 31. .A.fternoon on Heb. vi : 6. Did not go to the evening conference on account of a thun- der-shower. The season is extremely wet. 30. Wrote off a part of the piece on the Origin of Idolatr)-, which I wrote some years ago, for the Magazine. Worked in the garden. 31. Very rainy. The canker-worms' are making great havoc on the apple- trees. Read in Universal History, three hundred pages. There seems to be an encouraging prospect of a general peace in Europe, and the restoration of the Bourbons.'' June. I. Rode to East Hartford and attended our ministers' meeting. Preached on Acts xxiv : 25. After the meeting rode to West Hartford, and returned ' Rev. Elihu Mason had just been settled for his Thursday evening lecture, which fact in Barkhamsted, but remained only three is a compliment to Mr. Robbins, and con- years. It was a feeble church. ven lent for Dr. Strong. ^ The reader may have noticed that every ^ The canker-worm has been a plague mouth now Rev. Mr. Robbins goes to Hart- somewhere in the earth ever since the ford to assist in the arrangement of matters prophet Joel lived. for the forthcoming number of the Connec- * The Bourbons were restored that very ticut Evangelical Magazine. He goes down year (1S14), in the person of Louis XVni, on Thursdays, and Dr. Strong takes advan- but France was not happy even then. She tage of his presence, and secures his services was tossed to and fro for many years. 592 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROIililNS, D.D. [1814. home late. Gave our contribution to the treasurer of tlie Missionary Societ)', amounting to $56.80.' There are but three higher in this county, and but si.x or seven in the State. Paid my annual contribution to the Ministers' Annuity Society, $5.00. Paid for liquors, $4.92.° Our Ministers' Annuity Society has lately been incorporated by the Assembly. 2. Walked and visited. We have a few instances of deep religious impression. Found one who has lately obtained a hope. Tarried out. It rains almost every day. 3. Walked and visited all day. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Last Sabbath si.x persons were baptized by a Baptist at Wapping. I think ii likely a Baptist church will be established there. 4. Worked in the garden. Wrote on associational papers. Mr. Steb bins,' who lately preached at Norfolk, called on me to spend the Sabbath with me. Unfortunately, I have to go away. We have the interesting news that Bonaparte has abdicated his throne,* and that peace in Europe is likely to take place. Rode to Hartford to exchange with Mr. Flint. 5. Mr. Flint went to East Windsor. Preached on Heb. xi : 24, 25, and Lukeii:7. Had ths fullest meeting I have ever seen here. There is an appearance of some attention. Returned and attended a conference in the lower part of our society. Mr. Stebbins has been here today, and preached in the forenoon. 6. Received a letter from Mr. Cook,' of Orford. Worked in the garden. Afternoon attended the meeting of the Branch Moral Society, lately formed in this place, and joined with them. Dr. Perkins' and Mr. Hawley' came here at evening and tarried with the Association. Quite cool. Wrote. 7. Wrote the most of the afternoon on a report of the state of our churches, for Association. After dinner rode to Mr. Bartlett's, and met with the Association. 8. Had an agreeable meeting of the Association. Afternoon rode to East Hartford and preached a singing-lecture on Ps. .xxvii : 4. Returned. 9. Last night was quite unwell. Had to get up and take laudanum. Read Universal History. Visited. Had green peas of my own cultivation. 10. Walked and visited all day. The good work of God's grace appears to be slowly advancing among us ; blessed be his name. Attended the prayer- meeting. 11. The news from Europe is more favorable than I have ever hoped to see. Received a letter from Mr. David Hale,' Boston, with a volume of the ' For those tinit-s, in the very midst of ' Rev. ICIish.! 15. Cook. the war of 1S12, that was a large contribu- ' Dr. Nathan I'erkins, of West Hartford, tion. ' Rev. Rufus Ilawley, of Avon. ' This year the mhiisters' annuity tax and ' This was David Hale, afterwards the the liquor bill were about the s.ime. distinguished editor of the New York Jour- ' .See note under date of April 18, 1814. lui/ of Commerce. He was the son of Rev. * Napoleon's abdication took pl.ice April David Hale, of Lisbon, Ct., and was born in 5, 1814, when he accepted the Isle of Elba that town April 25, 1791. He went to Bos- as his place of banishment. ton, and commenced business in 1S09, and l8l4-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 593 Christian Observer. Wrote a sermon on Matt, xxiii : 37, 38. The thermometer was at 85°. 12. Preached with old notes on Matt, xviii : 16-26, and from Matt, xxiii: 37, 38. Much oppressed with the heat. Thermometer 87°. Assisted the church committee in examining a young man/ and propounding him for our communion. Baptized a child.'' Read the Bible. Attended a full and solemn conference. 13. The heat very oppressive. Thermometer 90°. Rode to Hartford. Paid for a silk vest, ^5.00; for a silk hat, $1.75. Received a letter from my brother Ammi. Read magazines. 14. A steady and very refreshing rain all day. Wrote papers for General Association. Wrote a letter to Rev. Mr. Dutton,^ of Guilford. Was up late. 15. Read Universal History. By applying closely I can read thirty pages an hour. Walked to Mr. Rowland's and returned. Wet and hot. Worked some. 16. Rode to Wapping and visited. Thermometer 88°. Performed a mar- riage.* I think the Baptist progress in Wapping will be temporary. 17. Began a sermon on Isa. lix: 2. Read. At evening attended a prayer- meeting. Worked some. Quite rainy. Had company. 18. Rode to Bolton to make an exchange with Mr. Mix. Rode consider- ably to procure a girl to work for Mrs. Wolcott. Mr. Mix* is to supply here no longer. I think it very unfortunate tliat they do not keep him here. 19. In the morning, by desire, wrote a Confession of Faith and Covenant to be used today in the admission of a member to the church. Mr. Colton's not being to be found.' Preached on Matt, xi : 26, and Matt, xxv : 37, 38. Received an elderly man to the church. At evening preached at a school- house from Matt, xxv: i, 2. There appears to be some beginnings of serious- ness here. Very tired. remained till 1815, but was unsuccessful. W. S. Dutton, pastor of the North Church, On the other hand, in New York, his life New Haven, and of Miss Mary Dutton, who was a great success in many ways. He was so long conducted the Grove Hall School in the founder of the New York Tabernacle, New Haven. from which such an immense influence has ■• The persons united in marriage were gone forth. Rev. Joseph P. Thompson, George Rockwell and Elizabeth Chapin. D. D., so long pastor of the Tabernacle ' Rev. Joseph Mix. congregation, wrote his memoir. He died ' We should regard this as a curious state in 1841. of things at the present day. This Bolton ' Milo Linus North, who had graduated church was more than ninety years old. Rev. at Yale College the year before, and was now George Colton, its fifty-years' pastor, had teaching the academy at East Windsor Hill. been dead about two years, and no creed or He became a physician. confession of faith could be found. Mr. Col- ' Sarah Gillet, adopted daughter of Ben- ton had one which he used, but no one else jamin Gillet, Jr. seems to have had one. So Mr. Robbins ' Rev. Aaron Dutton, pastor of the First took the responsibility, and constructed one Church in Guilford, 1S06-1S42. He was a on the spot, which the church never heard graduate of Yale, 1803, and was a member of probably until they heard it read on the the Yale Corporation from 1825 to his death admission of the member that day. Rather in 1849. He was the father of Dr. Samuel loose Congregationalism we should call that. 594 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1814. 20. I fear this people are getting into a divided state.' Rode and tried to procure a girl " for Mrs. Wolcott, without success. Am trying to purchase a horse. Returned. , The work of grace continues very great at Orford. 21. Last night was much troubled with nervous affections. Got up and took laudanum. Walked and visited. There are several persons among us deeply impressed with serious concerns. 22. Devoted this day to fasting, self-examination, and prayer. I beg and pray that I may not be a fatal check to the work of divine grace, which I hope is begun among this people. Visited. There are many celebrations in different parts of our country of the late joyful events in Europe.' 23. Rode to Hartford. Assisted in preparing for the next Magazine. At evening performed a marriage.* 24. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Rode out and visited. Visited in a religious manner our academy school. One of the members has hopefully got religion lately. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. 25. Wrote a sermon on Gen. xxxii : 26. A man from Bolton brought me a horse to buy. I had desired him to do it, and promised unfortunately to pay him if I did not trade. The horse was miserable, and I had to pay the man $2.' There never was such a cordial and universal rejoicing on the island of Great Britain as now. 26. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Luke xiii : 3. Afternoon on Gen. xxxii : 26. At evening attended a full and solemn conference. The roads very dusty. Received Mr. North, the teacher of our academy, to the communion of the church. 27. Rode to Hartford. We have difficulty in preparing our ne.xt Magazine. Towards evening rode to Orford and preached at a conference for Mr. Cook, without notes, on Gen. xxxii : 26. The work of grace continues powerfully here. Returned. 28. Walked out and visited. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. The ground very dr}-. Thermometer 88°. We had a little shower. 29. Wrote for the Magazine. Thermometer 90°. Read Universal History. 30. Walked out and visited. Rode to Hartford. Preached a preparatory lecture for Mr. Yates on Ps. cxlvii : 11. Attended to Magazine business. In the evening preached at Dr. Strong's conference, without notes, from Gen. ' They did not settle any minister till a * The ])ersons married were Henry Elmer year and a half later, when Rev. Philander and Chloc Porter. This was on Thursday Parmelee became their minister. evening, and, e.xcept for this marriage eng.ige- ' The only girls to be had at that time, ment, Mr. Robbins would have probably were, of course, American girls, and life was stayed at Hartford, and preached Dr. Strong's so busy on the farms, especially in the sum- lecture, as he had done months before, mer season, that it was hard to find them. 'Me probably learned something from ' Thousands of people in this country had this transaction. Men often speak harshly lived in actual fear lest Napoleon, with his of ministers, because they represent human great and conquering armies, should come to nature as sinful and depraved; but practically our shores. And now that he seemed to be ministers are apt to take far more hopeful caged in the island of Klba, they felt a seiisi- and kindly views of their fcllow-men, than blc relief. do the masses of mankind. l8l4-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 595 xxxii : 26.' In the afternoon we had a very refreshing shower. Thermome- ter 88°. People are generally haying. A great crop of grass. July. 1. Read UniTersal History. Afternoon Mr. Yates* preached my sacra- mental lecture. At evening we had a full prayer-meeting. Thermometer 89°. 2. Wrote a sermon on Jer. 1:5. A man calls on me from Maine, a mem- ber of college, sickly and needy. Thermometer 91°. 3. Rainy all day. Some of the time very hard. Administered the sacra- ment. Thin meeting, but the most of the church were present. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ex. viii : 22. Afternoon with old notes on Acts xiii: 10. At evening visited. 4. Rode to Bolton to buy a horse. Looked at several. Yesterday Mr. Cook received thirty-four persons into his church at Orford. In Vernon prayed at a funeral for Mr. Kellogg.^ Thermometer about 90°. 5. Last night there was a very violent shower. From the dampness of the air the heat is very oppressive. Thermometer 89°. Wrote a part of a review of Mr. Merwin's missionary sermon for ministers' meeting. 6. Ministers' meeting was here. Finished and read my review. The meeting was the most numerous that we have had. The heat very severe. Thermometer about 90°. At night the young people had a ball. Visited. 7. Rode to Hartford to subscribe at the Phoenix Bank.* Could not get in on account of the great number of applicants. Saw Mr. Battell. Sally has another daughter,^ and expects to be at Hartford today. Received a letter from Uncle Starr, mentioning the death of cousin Henry Gould.'' Walked out and visited. Cool. Thermometer not much over 70°. 8. Rode to Bolton and purchased a horse. He is a colt three years old in May, and appears to be a very good one. Horace Gaylord ' went with me and did me much service. I am to give for the colt next week, $66. He is said to be quite cheap. I hope he may long be useful to me. At evening had a very full and solemn prayer-meeting. 9. Rode to Hartford and subscribed for twenty shares in the Phcenix Bank." Paid in $2.00 which I borrowed of Mr. Haskell. Worked some at hay. Went into the water. ' This time he preached for Dr. Strong. to be enough and more than enough to take ° Dr. Andrew Yates, though unaljle to do up all the good bank stock that offered, much preaching, still remains and supplies at ' This was Urania, born May 30, 1814, East Hartford. No minister was settled in who became the wife of Hon. James Hum- his place until 1816, when Rev. Joy H. Fair- phrey, and is still living, child, D. D., afterwards of South Boston, ^ One of the sons of Willi.-im Gould, of Mass., began his East Hartford ministry, Manchester, Vt. which continued till !S27. ' This time he took a man, who, wc sup- ' That is to say, he made a prayer at a pose, was one of his old Norfolk neighbors, funeral to assist Mr. Ebenezer Kellogg, who a practical man, and honest, had been minister there (formerly North Bol- " Those who know how successful that ton parish), fifty-two years. Mr. Kellogg bank has proved through long years will see died three years later. the wisdom of his desire to get possession of ■* Though money was scarce, there seemed its stock. 596 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [18 1 4. 10. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on John xii : 37. Afternoon from Jer. 1 : 5. The meeting appeared unusually solemn. Had no conference on account of a singing-meeting. At evening assisted the ciiurch committee in examining three young women for our communion. 11. Reckoned my pecuniary accounts. M)' expenses for a year past have been very great. Paid the Bolton man for my horse, $66, $60 of which I borrowed of Mr. Haskell. These sums are not included in the accounts reckoned today. At evening attended a full conference. We had a pretty hard rain. 12. Wrote. Afternoon rode to Wapping and visited. Paid my subscrip- tion for singing, $2.00. Quite cool. 13. This morning before sunrise the thermometer was at 33°. I believe there was no frost. Last evening received a letter from my cousin S. P. Robbins, of Marietta. Yesterday wrote an application to the commissioners on the new bank, desiring them to give me the shares for which I subscribed. Wrote also to Dr. Strong. Rode to the harvest field to carry dinner. People generally beginning their harvest. It is very good, especially the wheat. Visited. At evening attended a small religious meeting. 14. Walked and visited all day. My horse is very good in the carriage. Read. 15. Worked in the garden. Visited a young woman exceedingly distressed for sin. Very warm. Thermometer 85°. Read Universal History. At even- ing attended our prayer-meeting. 16. Wrote a sermon on Mark ix : 44. The most of it is a mere copy of a piece I lately wrote for the Magazine. Very hot. Thermometer 94°. I was obliged to leave my chamber. Received a letter from my brother Samuel." Mr. Loomis, my neighbor, has taken his son from him, to go into some other business. Mother is quite well. 17. The heat very oppressive. Tiiermometer 92°. In the forenoon e.\- pounded from Matt, vi : 16 to vii : 7. Afternoon preached on Mark ix : 44. At evening attended the conference. Our singers who left their seats have returned. 18. Last night quite unable to sleep. Rode to Wapping. Agreed to have my horse pastured for a few weeks, my mother iiaving \ery kindly sent me hers for present use. Visited sick persons. ig. Wrote to Charles Sherman, New Haven. Sent my iiorse to Wapping. Wrote. Walked and visited. At evening attended a small conference. 20. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Rode very early in the morning to Hartford, and saw Mr. and Mrs. Battell and family, on their return home from Stafford.' Wrote very late. Received a letter from Mr. Yates. 21. Rode to Hartford. Assisted in preparing the next Magazine. At evening preached at Dr. Strong's conference with short notes on i Cor. i : iS. • Wc suppose that Samuel Robliins was ^ They li.id been spending some time at then still living in Norfolk, though he re- .Stafford Springs, where Mrs. li.iitcll had moved not long after. been before. 1814.J PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 597 Yesterday received of Hartford Bank $17.00, a semi-annual dividend on my bank share. One half of which I paid to Mr. Wolcott, as belonging to him. 22. Last night Mr. Lee," a candidate, came here and tarried. Wrote to Capt. Alvord, of Bolton. Worked some. Looked over foreign magazines. At evening had a very full prayer-meeting. 23. Quite warm. Wrote a sermon on Matt, vii : 14. Mrs. Wolcott quite unwell. 24. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Gen. xxii : 13. After- noon Mr. J. Marsh'' preached for me. After meeting rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of an infant child. At evening walked out. Yesterday had $150 returned to me from the Phoenix Bank. They gave me but five shares of the twenty for which I subscribed. The sums subscribed were very great. 25. Worked some. 'Looked ow&r Eccksiastka/ Hisfiiry, Afternoon rode to East Hartford and heard Mr. Yates's students recite Mosheim's History for the Three. Fast Ccnturks? At evening attended a conference, put off from last evening on account of a singing-meeting. 26. Wrote for the Magazitu: Received a letter from my brother Frank, one from Esq. Pettibone, of Norfolk, and one from Charles Sherman, of New Haven, enclosing $40.00, as my dividend lately at the Eagle Bank. Wrote to brother Frank. Visited. 27. Worked some. Rode to Hartford. Assisted about the next Magazine. Rode to Wethersfield and preached in the evening on Gen. x.\xii : 26. There has been a great work of divine grace here ; it is now rather declining. Wrote to Mr. David Hale,'' of Boston, and sent him $20.00 for the Christian Observer} At evening we had a refreshing shower. 28. Rode home. Thermometer at 86°. Yesterday received a pamphlet sent from Mr. Robert Lenox,' of New York. Worked considerably. Had a very good shower. Read Universal History. 29. Last night and during the forenoon we had a very powerful rain. The streams are very much raised. Visited. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. Read C/niversai Histoiy. 30. The high waters yesterday have done considerable damage. Read Universal History. Wrote to my cousin S. P. Robbins. Worked some. 31. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on i Pet. ii : 24. Afternoon on Matt, vii : 14. Thermometer near go°. At evening had a full and solemn conference. We have some new instances of special awakening. Very tired. ' Jonathan Lee, a native of Salisbury, Ct., Hale, but it may be added tliat his business graduated at Yale, 1S09; at Andover Semi- in Boston was the book-trade, nary, 1S12; settled at Otis, Mass., Weybridge, 'That covered, probably, some eight or Vt., and spending his last years in Salisbury ten volumes of the work. It will be remem- as a teacher. bered that he had bought several volumes " Rev. John Marsh, Jr., of Wethersfield, before. before described. * Mr. Robert Lenox was one of those ^ Dr. Yates, as before stated, is teaching princely merchants, in New York city, who theological students. gave immense sums of money for benevolent * We have before given a note dn Mr. purposes. 598 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1814. August. 1. Visited. Afternoon rode to East Hartford and heard Mr. Yates's students recite Ecclesiastical Hisfory. Rode to Hartford. Paid for a pair of horizontal springs for Mr. Wolcott's carriage, $20.00. Paid for a pair of shoes, $2.17. For buclcles, etc., for a bridle, $1.13. Thermometer 92°. Read the Treaty of Peace ' between France and the several allied powers. The most important since the peace of Westphalia.^ The stipulation for the abolition of slavery looks like the dawn of the millennium. 2. Walked and visited. Afternoon we had a ver)' severe thunder-shower. Borrowed of Mr. Wolcott, $300.00, for which I gave him my note. 3. Rode to Glastonbury and attended ministers' meeting. Very warm. Preached on Matt, vii : 14. Mr. Yates is appointed a professor in Union Col- lege and expects to accept the appointment. I regret very much the event.' 4. Walked and visited. At evening examined with the church committee a young vi^oman for our communion. Received a letter from Mr. Bartlett. 5. Rode out and visited. Conversed with persons deeply distressed for sin. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. It was very full. 6. Wrote all day. Wrote pretty poorly. Paid for my newspaper half a year, $1.00. The ravages of our war appear to increase.' Wrote late. Yes- terday set out some celery. 7. Cloudy and something rainy. Meeting in the forenoon pretty thin. Meetings quite solemn. Preached with old notes on Matt, xxvi : 56, and an old sermon on Heb. x : 31. At evening had a very full conference. 8. We had a very hard rain the most of the day. Read Universal History. Walked out and visited. The religious attention among us becomes a matter of general conversation. ' This is known as the Treaty of Paris, from Yale, 1794, and was Professor of An- signed April 11, 1814, by which Napoleon cient Languages in Union College, 1797-1801. formally abdicated the throne of France. Then he was pastor at East Hartford, Ct., ° The peace of Westphalia was concluded 1S01-1814, when he was called back to Union Oct. 24, 164S, between France, the Emperor College as Professor of Moral and Intellect- of Germany, and Sweden. By this treaty, ual Philosophy. After filling this place for the principle of a balance of power among many years, he .again bec.ime a distinguished the countries of Europe was first established, preacher in connection with the Presbyterian and the religious rights of the German States and Dutch Reformed churches. He died in acknowledged. '844. He received his degree of I). 1). from ' It has been noticed in the course of the Middlcbury College in 1814. The difficulty diar)', that Dr. Yates has not had the regular that arose in the Consociation that dismissed charge of his pulpit for some time. This him, came from the unwillingness of many of was owing to the fact that he had a serious his people to p,art with him. He w.as a favor- trouble with his voice, making it difficult and ite pastor, and was greatly attached to his dangerous for him to speak. His school, people. which included classical scholars as well as * There had of late been some hard light- theologicaJ students, he opened at the suggcs- ing l)y the land forces, about Niagara and tion of the neighboring ministers, who knew along the Canada lines, in which the British how accomplished a schol.ar he was. A brief were more often beaten than victorious, outline of Dr. Andrew Yates's life may be Still the great successes of the United .States instructive in this connection. Itorn in Sche- in the War of 1S12 were on the sea. The ncctady, N. Y., in 1772, he was graduated war was now drawing towards its close. 1814.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 599 9. Paid Mr. Haskell $260.00, which I had borrowed of him. He would take no interest.' Rode to Mr. Bartlett's. The streams are very high, and the roads much washed. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Heard Mr. Yates's students in Eccksiastiial Hisfory. At evening preached at his conference with- out notes on Gen. x.xxii : 26. The people in East Hartford are in much com- motion in the prospect of Mr. Yates leaving them. 10. Walked and visited. Read Universal History. Several people here are sick. 11. On the 7th we had green com. Yesterday received two letters from Mr. Flint as moderator of the Consociation requesting that body to con- vene at East Hartford next week, and at Hartland on the 30th inst. Rode to Vernon and attended a funeral. Preached on the occasion from i Cor. vii : 29, 31. Thermometer near 90°. Rode home late. 12. Having been absent from home yesterday, I set apart this day to the celebration of my birthday. Devoted the day to fasting, meditation, and prayer. 13. Rode to East Hartford and Hartford. Thermometer 86°. Paid the bank $221.75. Borrowed of Mr. Wolcott, $100.00, and gave him my note. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. 14. Finished a sermon on Isa. lix : 2. Preached with it both parts of the day. Assisted the church committee in examining a man for our communion. Propounded him and a young woman to the church.' Exhibited two letters from the moderator of the Consociation to the church, and they chose two delegates. At evening attended the conference. 15. On the nineteenth paid for a new bridle, exclusive of the bits and the buckles, $1.75. Wet and rainy. ^toA Universal History. Afternoon rode to East Hartford and attended to Mr. Yates's students. Visited. 16. Last night a very hard rain. An old man died in the place.' Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Rode out and visited. At evening attended a conference. The work of God's grace among us is evidently increasing. 17. Rode to East Hartford and met with the Consociation on the subject of Mr. Yates's dismission. By the desire of the church I attended their meet- ing and acted as their advocate before the Consociation. They are much embarrassed for a proper decision.' In the morning paid Mr. Wolcott's hired man, $7.00, for the use of his horse from the ist of May till I got mine. 18. Spent a considerable time in the society meeting. The Consociation in much difficulty concluded to adjourn to next week.' Rode to Hartford. Returned. Rode out and visited a sick man. 19. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. My watermelons have done ex- ' Mr. Eli B. Haskell from the first had tical History of Connecticut, Dr. Yates's dis- shown himself exceedingly friendly to Rev. mission is assigned to the year 1813, while it Mr. Robbins. did not really take place till Aug. 23, 1S14. ^ These candidates were Chloe R. Phelps ' The grounds of difficulty and hesitation and John Holman. in the dismission of Mr. Yates, as before ^ Mr. Abner Bancroft, seventy-four. stated, were found in the unwillingness of * In the " Contributions " to the Ecclesias- his people to part with him. 600 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROEBINS, D.D. [1814. ceedingly well. Visited sick persons. At evening attended our praj-er-meet- ing. Thermometer at 92°. For several days the weather has been very sul- try and oppressive. 20. The measles are quite prevalent with us. On the iSth received from the colonel ' of this militia regiment, the appointment of chaplain. Rode to Hartford and to East Hartford to make an exchange for tomorrow. 21. Mr. Bartlett preaches for me, and Mr. Yates supplies him. Preached f rom Ps. xl : 2, 3, and Matt, vii : 14. At evening rode home. Attended a conference at the south school-house. 22. Rode to Wapping and visited. Visited persons awakened. The work of grace among us evidently increases. 23. Yesterday and last night very cool. Rode to East Hartford. Heard a recitation from Mr. Yates's students. The Consociation dismissed Mr. Yates. The people feel very disagreeably, but appear to feel it to be best. Rode home. Our war rages with increasing violence on our shores and frontiers. 24. On the 22d my horse fell with me with violence. I was thrown off but not hurt. I have lately published a short piece in the Courant newspaper, on the orthography of the word Phoenix," in reference to the Phcenix Bank. Visited. Read Universal History. Began a sermon on Hag. ii : 9 for the dedication at Norfolk. Wrote late. On Monday received a letter from Rev. Mr. Prudden. 25. Rode to Hartford. At East Hartford heard a recitation from Mr. Yates's students. Assisted in preparing the next Magazine. At evening preached at Dr. Strong's conference with short notes on Matt, xxvi : 56. Paid for a half volume of Encyclopcsiiia, $4.00. My few hills of watermelon have produced about twenty very good ones. 26. Worked some. Read Universal History. Visited a sick woman. Afternoon rode to Vernon and preached at a funeral' from Rev. ii : 10. Re- turned. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 27. Received a letter from Mr. Battell and one from Mr. Asahel Gaylord, of Norfolk. Wrote. Finished my dedication sermon. Wrote a will for a sick man. 28. Ver)' rainy. We had a great rain last night. In the morning rode to East Hartford to exchange with Mr. Yates for the forenoon. Preached from Ps. xiv : 7. At noon rode home and preached in the afternoon with an old written sermon on Luke xxiii : 39-43. Received five persons into the church.* At evening performed a marriage.' At East Hartford read in public the late ' Col. Francis McLean. Dr. Robbins was so old and feeble as to need help. We re- appointed to fill the place made vacant by the member that Mr. Robbins had assisted at a resignation of Dr. Yates. funeral there a little while before. He was ' He probably told the old mythological always generous in giving such help, story about the Phoenix, with such applica- * The persons admitted were Laura tions as he could think of to the case in Loomis, Sally Loomis, Dolly Elmer, Orrel hand. Elmer, Roxey Grant. ' Rev. Mr. Kellogg, of Vemon, now fifty- ' The parties married were Horace Terry two years in the ministry, was getting to be and .Sally Ward. l8l4.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 6oi result of the Consociation. We Iiave the important and extraordinary intelli- gence that the enemy have taken possession of the city of Washington.' 29. Rode with Mr. Wolcott to Norfolk. The rain yesterday and Saturday night was very severe this way. The roads are very much washed and several bridges are gone. We found it very difficult in several places to get along. Mother is pretty feeble. A Mr. Burt,' a candidate, is preaching here. 30. Attended the dedication of the new meeting-house. It was a season of great solemnity and joy. Preached from Hag. ii : 9.^ A number of minis- ters were present, and the most people that I have ever seen together in this town. The day is verj' fine. The meeting-house is an excellent one. Our family are all here e.xcept James. Father's portrait was hung in the pulpit. 31. Received of my brother Nat, $30. And on the 29th, of brother Ammi, $20. Warm. After dinner set out with Mr. Wolcott and rode home. Rode quite late. Paid Mr. Wolcott, S30. September. 1. Am much fatigued by my late labors. Brought from Norfolk a number of books, twenty volumes, received from my father's Iibrar\'. Read. Rode out and visited. Thermometer at 86°. 2. Read the Augsburgh Confession,' which I never did before. I do not like it so well as I expected. The heat very severe. Thermometer 91°. .\t evening attended our prayer-meeting. Mr. Burt assisted, and came and tarried with me. 3. Wrote a sermon on Ex. xxxiii : 19. Thermometer 86°. The late cai> tare of Washington by the British was to us most disgraceful. 4. On the 2d wrote to Mr. Whittlesey,' of Washington, desiring him, as my substitute, to go to General Association of New Hampshire. On account of the religious attention among my people I conclude not to go. In the fore- noon preached on Ex. xxxiii : 19. Afternoon with notes on Matt, iii : 2. At evening attended the conference. The heat very severe. Thermometer 90°. Very tired. The evening very warm. Tarried out. 5. Last night the weather changed suddenly, and has become quite cool. Visited. We have the most cheering evidence of the presence of God's good ' This was the rambling and disgraceful was enacted in a Diet convened by the Em- battle of Bladensburg — disgraceful on both peror, Charles V, April 8, 1530. It was sides. signed and read before the Emperor and the -This was probably Rev. Federal Burt, Diet, June 25, 1530. who was graduated at Williams College ' Rev. John B. Whittlesey, probably, who in 1812. was graduated at Williams College in iSio. ^ It was very much of a compliment to In 1S13, at the time of his appointment as Dr. Robbins that he should be invited to substitute delegate, he was settled at Salis- preach this dedication sermon. His text was, bury, Ct., but meanwhile had been dis- "The glory of this latter house shall be missed, and was now probably at Washing- greater than of the former, saith the Lord ton, Mass. He was a native of Saybrook, of Hosts." Ct. He was afterwards settled in Livingston •* The Augsburgh Confession is the doc- Count)-, N. Y., and died of consumption trinal standard of the Lutheran Church. It in 1S35. 602 DIARV OK REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1814. spirit among us. Attended a little while at a training. In about thirty hours the thermometer sunk 50°. Wrote to my brother Nat. 6. Rode to East Hartford. Heard a recitation from Mr. Yates's students. This morning there was some frost, but not to kill vegetation. 7. \\'rote to Mr. Humphrey," one of Mr. Vates"s students. Walked and visited. Made a religious visit to our academic school. At evening attended a meeting. Mr. Everest, the candidate, preached for me." Tarried at Capt. Bissell's.^ 8. Walked and visited all day. Mostly among those who are serious. Several have lately got hope. 9. Rode to East Hartford. Mr. Yates left there yesterday. My orange and lemon-trees have grown very well lately. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. 10. Wrote a sermon, quite poor, on Ps. .\vi : 11. 11. Expounded in the forenoon on Matt, vii : 8 to the end. The exposi- tion appeared entertaining, and 1 hope useful. Afternoon preached on Ps. xvi : II. Our country is in a great commotion. At evening had a full con- ference. 12. Visited two schools. They are well instructed in the catechism, the south one peculiarly so. Cloudy and wet. 13. Rode to New Haven to attend Commencement. Rainy. Got con- siderably wet. Heard before evening an oration to the P. B. K. Society. At evening had speaking for premiums. 14. Attended the Commencement. Rainy and quite cold. Not so many people as usual. The exhibition was but ordinary. The Commencement was in the old meeting-house.'' Three very spacious and elegant new meeting- houses are building at New Haven. At evening attended the Concio ad Clerum. 15. Attended a meeting for forming a charitable institution for the edu- cation of indigent youths.' Left New Haven near one o'clock and rode to Hartford in seven hours. Rode home. Cloudy and cold. The roads quite wet. Paid at New Haven for books, $3.50. For religious tracts, $1.26. My lodging bill, §3.25. Paid at Hartford for a rose to wear on my hat as a cockade, .58. Mr. McClure has lately baptized an infant child whose parents make no profession and are certificated to the Episcopalians. The child was near dying.' 16. Cloudy and wet. Attended the regimental training in this place. ' kev. T.uthcr Humphrey, graduate of Mid- Mass., another in Worcester County, .ind an- dlcbury College, 1S13, and licensed by Litch- other, not far from .same time, in Vermont. field North Association Sept. ;;, 1814. ' That was certainly an informality, ac- ' Rev. Cornelius li. Everest. cording to the Congregational standards; but ' Capt. Aaron Uissell, East Windsor Hill. it gratified the parents, and it is to be hoped * The same as the year before. did no harm. The rite of baptism is mainly ' This was one of the preliminary move- for children that are to live and grow up, and mcnts toward the foundation of the American not for little ones that are about to die in Education Society. There was a local soci- early childhood. These parents had a half- tty of this kind formed in I'lymouth County, way belief in baptismal regeneration. 1814.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 603 Rode as chaplain ' and prayed. The regiment appeared very well. We ha\e news of an important naval victorj' on Lake Champlain." Received a letter from brother Nat. 17. Wrote. Am getting a box made to keep my tropical trees. Poorly able to study from constant labor and fatigue. 18. In the morning wrote notes for preaching, and preached with them in the forenoon on Job vi : 4. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Matt, xw : 21. At evening attended the conference. 19. Visited and catechised a school. .Attended Freeman's Meeting. The highest vote for nomination, one hundred and nineteen. No Democrats. Wrote to Beers & Howe, New Haven. 20. This morning there was a little frost in some places. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. At evening attended a conference. Mr. Sanders,' late President of Burlington College, came here and tarried. That college is broken up * by the war. 21. Hindered by company. Attended the training of a regiment of cavalry. Wrote quite late. 22. Received a letter from my brother Samuel. Wrote to him. Rode to Hartford and assisted in preparing for the ne.xt Magazine. Paid for glass for my green-house, $4.50. For hinges for it, $1.00. Rainy. The banks of the country are in a very embarrassed state. Money is becoming very scarce. 23. Walked out and visited. Have done but little lately. Received a letter from my sister Battel!. Henry Olmstead ' is very sick. At evening we had quite a serious prayer-meeting. 24. Read Encydopadia!' Rode to East Hartford and to Orford. Got quite wet. It has been wet and cloudy the most of the time for a fortnight. 25. Mr. Everest, who preached here in the absence of Mr. Cook, supplies my pulpit today. Preached from Heb. vi : 6, and Jer. 1 : 5. At evening attended a conference. I think the revival here is declining. After confer- ence rode home. Quite cold. Much fatigued. Baptized at Orford two chil- dren. 26. Rode to Norfolk. Mr. Olmstead is very low and dangerous. Received at Hartford a letter from brother Samuel. He is desirous of removing from Norfolk. I very much regret it. Mother is pretty well. There has not ' His appointment as chaplain in place of berland Head, overlooking the scene of the Dr. Yates, has been already noticed. battle. ^ Thomas Macdonough, of the U. S. A., ' Rev. Daniel Clarke Sanders, D. D., born in command of a squadron on Lake Cham- at Sturbridge, Mass. President of Univer- plain, Sept. 11, 1S14, gained a decisive vie- sity of Vermont from iSoi to 1814. He tory over the British squadron, consisting of closed his connection with the University in a larger number of vessels, under command the previous March, and afterwards became a of Com. George Downes. For this distin- Unitarian minister, guished service he was promoted, and re- * That is, temporarily suspended, ceived a gold medal from Congress. Many ' Mr. Joseph Battell's partner in business, civic honors were also bestowed upon him by who married Eliza Lawrence, towns and cities, and the State of Vermont *■ The Edinburgh EticyclopaJici. which he presented him with a landed estate on Cum- was taking as the volumes were issued. 604 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS RORBINS, D.D. [1814. been here any material frost. Brother Frank is at home still supplying at Cornwall. 27. The people here are in a bad feud respecting Mr. Burt, the candidate, who has been here. Looked over with brother Frank and arranged father's sermons and papers. Mr. Ohnstead is very well attended. 28. Rainy. Conclude not to return today. Mr. Ohnstead is hopefully a little better. I very much fear this society will get into serious divisions. At evening attended a wedding. I prayed, and Esq. Welch ' performed the marriage. Saw people from New Connecticut. 29. Rode home. Set out early. Very warm. Came by Simsbury and dined with Mr. McLean." At evening preached at Dr. Strong's conference from Acts ix : 11. Very tired. Two black children ' have died this week. Dr. McClure attended the funeral of one Sabbath day. 30. Visited a family afflicted with the death of a child yesterday.'' Visited sick persons. We have a number of sick, particularly children. Attended the funeral of a black child. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. Much fatigued. Received a letter from Loomis & Richards, Middletown. After- noon preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Rev. ii : 10. October. 1. Wrote. Visited sick persons. Attended the funeral of a young child. Read. Wrote on notes for preaching-. 2. Finished my notes and preached in the forenoon on E.\'. .\v : 2. After- noon preached with an old sermon on Deut. xviii : 19. Administered the sacrament. Meeting full and solemn. A great number of spectators at the sacrament. At evening attended the conference. Very much fatigued. My labors for the week past have been quite severe. Warm. 3. Received of the society collector, $240.80. Rode to Hartford. Visited Mr. Yates's students ; they are expecting to go to Schenectady.' Paid my second instalment to the Phoenix Bank, of $75.00. Paid also a similar instal- ment for my Aunt Starr, a part of what I owe her, $75.00. Paid for a tub for my lemon-tree, $1.83. For glass for my summer-house, .75. Screws for the same, .38. Bank stock is very much fallen in price. 4. Wrote a letter to Mr. Battell. Received one from him. Read Uni- versal History. I have not found time to read before for some weeks. Visited. 5. Worked some. Read Universal History. Yesterday the thermometer was at 72°. At evening attended a small meeting. 6. Walked and visited. Visited a school. At evening attended a confer- ence. Visited sick persons. Have now visited and catechised all our sum- mer schools. ' licnjamin Welch, one of the prominent * This child was George Clapp, also two men of Norfolk, who occasionally was the years old. representative to the General Court. ' Dr. Yates's students were so much at- " Rev. Allen McLean. tached to their teacher, that they proposed to ' Hannah Freeman and KatyAdkins, each follow him to .Schenectady and Union Col- two years old. lege, and study there. 1814.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 605 7. Read Universal History. Wrote. Had fire in my chamber. At even- ing attended our prayer-meeting. Pretty thin. 8. This morning tliere was a severe frost. The first we have had to kill vegetation. Wrote a sermon on Zech. x : i. Hindered by company. 9. The frost quite hard. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, viii : 1-28. Afternoon preached on Zech. x : i. Meeting very full. At noon attended the funeral of Mr. James Wood, who has lately lived, and who died suddenly, in East Hartford. He was interred here. I think best not to record the death.' At evening attended the conference. 10. Walked out and visited. Afternoon rode to Wapping and visited. Much warmer. 11. Rode to Enfield to attend the Consociation. Was appointed scribe of the Consociation. We examined and approved a Mr. Gould" for ordination as a missionary. At evening examined and licensed a Mr. Burt,^ one of Mr. Yates's students, to be a preacher. Mr. Charlton ■* and I are very agreeably entertained at Dr. Bond's.' 12. Very warm. In the forenoon we had an agreeable ordination. Was appointed on the committee to attend to the subject of religious instruction at Newgate Prison.' The Consociation finished their business. Returned. A number of children here quite sick. Very tired. 13. On the nth received a letter from George Olmstead, of Hartford, and today another respecting his brother Henry, at Norfolk. He is said to be no better, and I much fear he will not live. Rode to Windsor and visited. Re- turned. Visited a sick family. Late in the evening rode to East Hartford and married Cotton Keyes and Almira Chapin, of Ludlow, on a visit at their friends. 14. Worked some. Wrote considerably. Read Universal History. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. The work of God, I think, is evidently declining among us. 15. Wrote a sermon on Rom. ii : 16. We have news from our commission- ers in Europe that the negotiation is likely to have an entire failure.' ' As he lived and died in East Hartford, made to bring about peace between England he does not enter him upon his list of East and the United States. Russia, friendly to Windsor deaths. both parties, had for some time sought to in- ^ Rev. William R. Gould, a graduate of terpose her influence to bring the war to an Yale, iSii. He went as a missionary to Ohio, end. On the 8th of .\ugust, 1814, commis- and later in life was settled over churches in sioners from England and the United States Connecticut. met in Ghent, Belgium, for this purpose. ' Rev. Federal Burt, before spoken of. The commissioners on the part of the United graduated at Williams, 1812. States were John Quincy Ad.ams, James ' Mr. Jesse Charlton, the delegate from Ashton Bayard, Henry Clay, Jonathan Rus- Dr. Robbins's church. sell, and Albert Gallatin. At this confer- • Dr. Bond. ence, England still urged such claims, that ' The State Prison of Connecticut, as our commissioners wou'd not accede to them, before described, was underground, in a mine and the negotiations failed. The English at Granby. commissioners were Lord Gambier, Henry ' This refers to the efforts which had been Goulburn, and William .'\dams. 6o6 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROEBINS, D.D. [l8l4- i6. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon from Ex. iv : 31. Afternoon from Rom. ii : 16. At evening attended the conference. 17. A very hard frost. Rode to Granby and met with the overseers of Newgate Prison and the committee of tiie Consociation, and agreed to present a memorial to the Assembly desiring them to make provision for permanent n-eligious instruction at the prison. Went to the prison. Tarried with Judge Woodruff. 18. Rode home very early. Read Universal History. Visited. 19. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Received a letter from Mr. George Olmstead. Wrote to Mr. Battell. 20. Worked some at my summer-house. Visited. Afternoon attended the examination of Mr. North's school. It appeared very well. At evening attended a solemn meeting. 21. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Attended the funeral of a young child.' At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 22. Rode to Hartford. Paid for Mr. Battell, owed to him, $9.00. Paid a debt for liquors, $11.88. Paid for tops to my boots, $2.00.' Attended the funeral of a young child.' \\"rote late. Finished my piece for the Magazine. 23. Preached all day with an old sermon on Acts xx : 26, 27. Visited sick persons. At evening attended the conference. 24. Set out early on a journey to New Haven on the Newgate business. At Hartford heard that Henry Olmstead was probably near dying and went to Norfolk. Found Mr. Olmstead e.xceedingly low. Quite cold and tedious. 25. Mr. Olmstead is thought to be much as for several days past. Towards night, concluding he might live for several days, set out for New Haven. Rode through Winchester, twenty miles. Tarried at a tavern. 26. Last night about three o'clock a messenger came to me and informed me that Mr. Olmstead died about eight o'clock in the evening ver)' unexpect- edly. Returned to Norfolk. My poor cousin Eliza* is very deeply afflicted. Wrote. Paid expenses of the messenger who came after me, .66. Warm. 27. Wrote an addition to my sermon on i Cor. vii : 29,31, and preached with it in the afternoon at the funeral of Mr. Olmstead. The funeral was verj' numerous and solemn. Eliza behaved very well. At evening quite rainy. My brother James is here. Brother Frank is preaching at Chester,' Say- brook. 28. My niece Eliza is left under favorable pecuniary circumstances. A very hard rain. Expected to have gone home today, but am prevented by the storm. My motlier is quite well. 29. Set out very early and rode home. Got to Hartford just after noon. * A chiUl of Mr. Jonathan Drake. her cousin, and perhaps uses this word partly ' Dr. Robbins continued to wear top-boots as a term of endearment. He calls her niece through his life. also (sec below Oct. 2S). 'Child of Mrs. Jerusha Bancroft. ' The church in Chester had been made * Eliza w.is really his niece, being the vacant that very year by the death of Rev. daugliter of his oldest sister, Elizabeth (Mrs. Samuel Mills, who had been its pastor Iwcnly- Grover Lawrence). He has elsewhere called eight years. l8l4.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 607 A man has died in the neighborhood in my absence.' Very tired. Visited the afflicted family. 30. Preached with old notes on Ps. .\cvii : i. Attended the funeral of the man who deceased yesterday morning. Last Friday the jjrayer-meeting was attended without me. I believe I have not missed one before since they were set up last Febniary. Last Friday Capt. Hall, of Wapping, brought me a valuable load of wood. 31. Rode to Hartford. Received a letter from Mr. Shepard,* of Lenox. Assisted in preparing the next Magazine. At four o'clock left Hartford and rode to New Haven. We have had, I think, the pleasantest October that I have ever known. November. 1. Conferred with Gov. Treadwell,' and wrote a petition which he pre- sented to the House of Representatives, desiring them to make a permanent provision for religious instruction at Newgate Prison.* The petition was granted. Treated very kindly by Representative and friends. 2. Quite cool. Drew a bill in form, consonant with my petition, which was passed. The House of Representatives appear very well. After three o'clock left New Haven and rode home. Paid S3.00 for a pair of boots for Frances.' The Assembly have much uncommon and important business. 3. Congress appear to be making the most desperate efforts to raise a large army. Rainy. Read Unirersal History. Visited. 4. Rode to Hartford. Visited sick persons. Paid for paint for my sum- mer-house, .56. Read Universal History. Wet. Received a letter from Rev. Mr. Hawes,' of Glastonbury. 5. Wrote the most of a sermon on i Cor. vi : 11. Attended the funeral of an infant child.' Received a letter from P. B. Gleason & Co., wishing for a part of the copy of my Historical View to begin the printing. Paid for trun- dles for my summer-house, .50. 6. Finished my sermon on i Cor. vi ; 11, and preached with it all day. At evening attended the conference. 7. Quite wet. Visited the sick. Worked some. Prepared a part of my Historical Vieju for the press. Read Universal History. 8. Rode to Hartford. The printers began the publication of my Histori- cal View. Paid for second-hand books, bought of Hale & Homer, $15.17. Paid Cooke for books, S7.00. Quite cool. Rode to the hill and attended a meeting. Tarried out. 9. Walked and visited all day. The subjects of our redval appear very ' Calvin Owen, thirty-one. years, but this had been supplied by local ' Rev. Samuel Shepard, D. D. and temporary arrangements, as opportunity ' Gov. John Treadwell had been in public offered, mainly as charity, and without any office of some kind, almost all the time since expense to the State. he finished his education, about 1770. ' Frances Wolcott, now twenty years old. * 0£ course, the prisoners at Newgate had ' Rev. Prince Hawes. not been without religious instruction in past ' Child of Mr. Jonas Bragg. 6o8 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1814. well. Man)' children are still quite sick. Received a letter from Loomis & Richards, of Middletown. 10. Our Assembly have had an unusually long session. .Vfternoon per- formed a marriage." In the forenoon worked pretty hard. Read. 11. My brother Frank came here on his way to Saybrook. Friends well at Norfolk. At evening had a solemn prayer-meeting. Wrote. 12. Wrote for Mr. Wolcott. Wrote a sermon on John iii : 14. Mucii poorer than it ought to be on that te.\t. I write but slowly. 13. In the forenoon e.xpounded on Matt, viii : 28 to ix : 14. Afternoon preached on John iii: 14. Very warm for the season. Am pretty feeble. At evening rainy. No conference. Read. 14. Quite rainy. Read Universal History. Paid to the Hartford Bank, money borrowed, $21.30. Walked out. 15. Read the thirty-si.\th volume of Modern Universal History. Read four pages in another volume, making in the whole five hundred pages. I never read so much in one day before. Began a little after seven in the morning and did not finish till after four in the morning. Had considerable interrup tions. In the day-time read about thirty pages an hour, but the latter part of the time did not exceed twenty-five. I have nearly completed the work, but reserved this volume for a day's reading.^ Received a letter from the church in West Suffield inviting me to the proposed ordination of Mr. Mi.x.^ 16. Got home my summer-house bo.\. I think it will answer well. Walked out and visited. Mr. Mix came to see me and tarried. 17. Lent Mr. Mix some books and two manuscript sermons. Rode to Hartford to attend to my book which is now in press. The money of the country is in a condition of great embarrassment. Walked home. Rode to the hill and attended a meeting. At these meetings I speak from a text, the same as preaching. 18. Remarkably warm. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. 19. Wrote. Rode to East Hartford to see a sick woman. Rode to Hart- ford. A very tedious storm of rain and snow. 20. Quite cold. Thin meeting. Preached with old notes on Num. xxi . 4. At evening attended the conference. My lungs mucii fatigued. Read Universal History. 21. Rode to Hartford. Assisted in preparing the next Magazine. There is a proposal in the newspapers for a concert of prayer, in reference to the approaching Convention at Hartford.* Paid for putty for my summer-house, .50. Purchased books. Read Universal History. 'James Killam, of Hartford, was united Association, Feb. 2, 1814, and was pastor at in marriage with Mary Wells. West SufficUl, 1S14 to 1S29. ' This is a feat at reading not to be com- * This was that famous Hartford Conven- nicndcd, conducive to mental dyspepsia rather tion, which the men of New England ever than intellectual health and growth. since have had to explain. At the time, liow- ' Kcv. Joseph Mix, before spoken of. ever, they seemed to enter upon its business He was licensed by the Hartford North religiously. l8l4.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 609 22. Walked and visited all day. Conversed with persons that are serious. Received a letter from Rev. Mr. Flint. Tarried out. 23. Visited. Rode to Wapping. Conversed with persons respecting being propounded for our church communion. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. Wrote to him and to my Uncle Starr. 24. Read Universal History. Walked out and visited. Quite cold. Mr. Wolcott is exceedingly afflicted with nervous dejection. 25. Read all day. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. Assisted the church committee, with other members of the church, in e.xamining some per- sons for our communion. They are a part of the fruit of God's work here the present year. 26. Quite cold. Wrote a sermon on Neh. i : 15. Worked some. Hindered by company. 27. Preached with old notes on Ps. ci : 43, and on Neh. i : 15. It snowed considerably. Last night my green trees were affected with the frost. The church chose a delegate to go with me to the ordination at West Suffield. Propounded six persons for our communion. So stormy we had no confer- ence. Read. 28. Rode to Hartford. Paid for the books, bought at a good rate, $22.00. .Attended a church meeting at East Hartford, which voted to give Mr. Lewis a call." Read Universal History. 29. Received of the society collector, $156.09. Paid Mr. Loomis for my summer-house, $30.00. Of this sum, S14.13 was a due-bill which I had against him. Have paid for glass, etc., for the box heretofore, about $6.00. It has cost me about $36.00. Paid for a book, .75, an additional part of Mr. Loomis's due-bill. Began a sermon on Ps. ii : ri for Thanksgiving. Thermometer this morning 12°. 30. Very rainy all day. Finished reading my Universal History, which I began Dec. i, 1809. I have read it all, and have finished just at the time which I hoped to when I began. It is an exceedingly valuable work. God be thanked by whose favor I have been enabled to read the History. I hope it may be a means, in some degree, of making me more useful in my ministerial work. Finished my Thanksgiving sermon. I think it not so good as some that I have written. December. 1. Thanksgiving. Very wet. Meeting pretty thin. Preached on Ps. ii : II. At evening walked out. The causes of thankfulness are as great with me as ever. 2. Walked out and visited. Read. Had company. At evening our prayer-meeting was quite thin. ' This must have been Rev. Isaac Lewis, must have been preaching out of the State. Jr., D. D., son of Isaac Lewis, D. D., of From 1803 to 1814, his name appears among Greenwich. The son was graduated in 1794 the Presbyterian ministers. The call to East at Yale, and licensed by the Fairfield West Hartford did not take effect, and in 1818 he Association, Oct. 12, 1796. Meanwhile he took his father's place at Greenwich. 6lO DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1814. 3. Quite cold. Worked considerably. Could not manure my asparagus beds on account of the manure being frozen. Rode to Scantick to exchange •with Mr. Bartlett. 4. It snowed hard all the forenoon. Very thin meeting. Preached on iCor. vi:ii. At evening returned and attended our conference. Received a letter from Mr. Battell, and one from my Uncle Starr. 5. Sleighs move considerably. Rode to Hartford. Purchased of Mr. Smith,' of Durham, five shares in the Phcenix Bank," for the money whicli he had paid with the interest on the same, amounting to $127.40, which I paid him. Paid for a good sleigh, $20.00. Walked out and visited. 6. Rode to Hartford and brought up my sleigh. It is thought I have made a very great bargain. Borrowed of Mr. Wolcott, $60.00, for which I gave him my note. For $25.00 of this sum I received in York money in exchange, $28.25.' Reckoned all accounts with Mr. Wolcott. Took up a note which he held against me of $80.00, by my young horse at $50.00, and $30.00 paid him Aug. 31. Interest of $1.70 paid him now. Gave him my note of $104.00 for my boarding-bill for the last year, and endorsed on it $50.50, which I have paid him lately, at a number of times. Paid for trimmings for my sleigh- harness, $1.91. Visited a school. At evening called out and visited. Ther- mometer this morning was at 12°. 7. Rode to Orford to attend ministers" meeting. No other persons went.* Preached on Matt, xxiii : 37, 38. Rode to Wapping and tarried. Quite cold and tedious. 8. There is quite a revival of religion at Vernon. Visited the two Wap- ping schools. At evening rode into the edge of East Hartford, and performed a marriage.' The sleighing is poor, but we have close winter weather. 9. The thermometer this morning was at 9°. Wrote. Afternoon visited a school. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Received a letter from Dr. Strong. 10. Thermometer this morning 6°. It was the same last evening. Wrote to Dr. Strong. Received another letter from him, a duplicate of the former, and wrote a reply. Wrote a sermon on Ps. xxxix : 30-34. It is a double sermon of sixteen pages. Began at eight a. m., and finished a quarter before one at night. It is too poor for such a subject as covenanting with God. 11. Preached on Ps. xxxix : 30-34. Rode to meeting in a sleigh. Re- ceived six persons ' to our communion. The largest addition the ciiurch has had during mine or Dr. McClure's ministry. The season was very solemn. At evening attended the conference. ' kcv. David .Smith, 1). D. meeting. But public worship w.is held in ' Dr. Rubbins was disappuintcd in not the church as usual. The audience came being able to secure so many shares of this from (he Orford families, stock as he desired, and embraces this op- 5 The persons married were John .\le.\- portunity to purchase of Dr. Smith. ander and Sophia Hayes, of ICast Hartford. ' Connecticut money was worth more than ' I'^our of these were .Sophia Tudor, Are- New York money. thusa Loomis, Almira Wolcott, and Kben- * lie, with the pastor. Rev. Elislia U. ezer (J rover. We have not the names of the Cuuk, made all there was of the ministers' other two. l8l4.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 6ll 12. Rode to Granville.' Tarried with Rev. Mr. Cooley.' Wrote to Dr. Strong. The river is frozen over. 13. Rode with Mr. Cooley back to West Suffield, to attend the ordination of Mr. Mix.' He appeared very well on examination. Quite cold. Very little sleighing. ■ 14. Attended the ordination of Mr. Mix. I made the first pra3-er. The day very pleasant. The prospects of this people are quite pleasing. Re- turned home. 15. The Convention met at Hartford.* Spent a part of the day in prayer, in reference to that object. Prepared a part of my Historical View for the press. 16. Preparing my Historical Vieni for the printer. Visited a school. Quite rainy. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Visited. 17. Wrote on a New Year's piece for the Magazine. Attended to an expo- sition for tomorrow. 18. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, ix : 14 to the end. Afternoon preached an old sermon on John vii : 17. At evening attended the confer- ence. Read. Examined with the church committee, a young man for our communion, and propounded him to the church. 19. Wrote. The society had their annual meeting. Great exertions have been made of late to make division in the society, but there is reason to hope they have been productive of good. The most of the society appear to be very cordially attached to its interests. Received of the society collector, $32.73. A few certificates of small Irsts have been given in. 20. Received of the society, $61.76. The society was in debt about S140, and the sum was paid by the donation of individuals. Wrote. Afternoon visited a school. At evening attended a meeting at the academy. Ther- mometer this morning, 14°. 21. Wrote. I have a good deal of difficulty in completing my New Year's piece. Last evening received a letter from my sister Battell, and one from my cousin S. P. Robbins. Rode out and visited a sick woman. Afternoon my brother Samuel came here from Norfolk. At evening my brother Frank came ' This was Granville, Mass. gates; and New Hampshire, as a State, al- ^ Rev. Timothy M. Cooley, D. D., a native lowed the matter to pass without official of East Granville, Mass., graduated at Yale, action. Some delegates were chosen from 1792; pastor at East Granville from 1796 counties both in New Hampshire and Ver- to his death, 1859. His father, Daniel Cooley, mont. The body continued in session nearly was one of the first settlers of Granville. three weeks, and summed up the result in ^ Rev. Joseph Mix, pastor at West Suf- seven propositions, in the nature of proposed field, Ct., 1814-1S29. amendments to the Constitution. About the * This was the day of the coming together time they had finished their work, and gone of the notable Hartford Convention. The to their homes, peace was concluded between Legislature of Massachusetts first took action the United States and Great Britain. Their to call such a convention, and appointed seven proposed amendments, which were delegates to attend the same. Connecticut provincial and narrow, when submitted to and Rhode Island followed this example, but the people, were rejected, and so ended the Vermont, as a State, refused tc send dele- Hartford Convention. 6l2 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1814. here from Saybrook. I fear he will have some difficulty in getting away from that people.' 22. Rode to Hartford with my brothers.'^ Found brother Nat there. Received of him, $20.00. He went off to Boston, and the other brothers to Norfolk. Paid to the Phoenix Bank an instalment on five shares, $62.50. Dr. Strong is quite unwell. Preached at his conference in the evening from i Pet. i : 10. Troubled with the headache. Warm. What sleighing there was is mostly gone. 23. Paid Mr. Wolcott on a note, $10.00. On the 12th inst. paid him on a note, $15.00. Warm. Wrote. Visited. At evening attended the prayer- meeting. Received of the society, collected by donation, $17.00, completing the payment of my last salary, of which $6.88 was for interest. Warm for the season. 24. Wrote. Finished my New Year's piece for the Magazine. At evening my brother Frank came here from Norfolk.' 25. My brother stays here to preach. Rode to Hartford to supply Dr. Strong, who is quite unwell. Mr. Woodbridge,* of Hadley, preached in the forenoon. Many of the people are at the Episcopal Christmas. Some mem- bers of the Convention were at meeting. Preached in the afternoon on Matt. XXV: 21. At evening preached at the conference with notes on Gen. xxii : 13. Rode home. The evening very cold. Thermometer this morning 14°. In the morning visited a family where a woman ' has lately died. My brother attended the funeral, and preached at the conference in the evening. 26. In the morning the thermomete): was at zero. My brother went off for Saybrook. Very cold all day. Visited. The roads very hard and smooth. 27. Last night at bed-time the thermometer was at 2°, this morning it was at 18°. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Walked and visited. Am much oppressed with a cold which I took, I believe. Sabbath evening. Yesterday put on my flannel. 28. Rode to Wethersfield and preached a sacramental lecture for Dr. Marsh on Matt, xxiii : 37, 38. Returned. Had an agreeable visit with Judge Thomas,' of Plymouth, and Col. Lyman,' of Northampton, members of the • His brother, Francis Le Baron, it will served ii> American pulpits, which number be remembered, had been preaching in Ches- has since been considerably increased. ter, one of the parishes of Saybrook, and ' Widow Sarah Williams, si.\ty-seven. Dr. Robbins evidently thinks the place not ' Judge Joshua Thomas, one of the chief large and prominent enough. men of Plymouth, Mass. ' Samuel and Francis Le Baron. ' Col. Lyman, of Northampton, Mass., ' He had been home on a brief visit, and was the Hon. Joseph Lyman. He was son is on his way back to Saybrook, but stopping of Capt. Joseph Lyman, of Northampton, and for the Sabbath at East Windsor. was born in that town in 1767, was graduated * Rev. John Woodbridge, D. D., pastor at Vale College, at the age of sixteen, in at Hadley from 1810 to 1830. He was a 1783, and died in Northampton, in 1847, aged graduate of Williams College in 1804, and eighty. Through his long life, he was largely was one of about twenty ministers of the in the public service, and was greatly hon- name Woodbridge, which even then had ored and esteemed. 1814.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 613 Convention. Paid an instalment of $62.50 to the PhoenLx Bank. Got .50 in exchange of a $10.00 bridge water bill for York money. Have a sore throat. 29. Wrote on a chronological table for my Historical View. At evening performed a marriage.' 30. Very warm for the season. Am much oppressed with my cold. Fin- ished my chronological table. Afternoon preached a sacramental lecture with old notes on i Pet. iv : 7. At evening had a full prayer-meeting. Wrote. 31. Wrote a sermon on i Cor. iv: 2. I hope my cold is going off. The weather appears like March. God be praised for another year of great mer- cies. ' Samuel Mills and Jemima Filley were the parties united in marriage. 1815. January. 1. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ps. cxxxii : 13. After- noon on I Cor. iv : 2. Administered the holy communion. The season was uncommonly interesting and solemn. Received a young man into the church.' The church now contains one hundred members. At my settlement there were sixty-seven. The meeting was very full. The church, I believe, was more numerous than I have ever seen on a similar occasion. A great number of people staid at the communion. There have been eighteen deaths in this place the year past. At evening attended the conference. The day was very pleasant. The thermometer above 50°. Will a merciful God spare me this year, and make me wholly devoted to his service. Am feeble with my cold. Read. 2. Wrote. Dined with Dr. Tudor.^ The thermometer was at 53°. Wrote late. 3. Rode to Hartford. Visited Mrs. Lyman, of Northampton, my cousin.' Had an agreeable visit with several gentlemen of the Convention. Carried to the printer the preface for my book, which I wrote last evening. The ground is much thawed. It begins to break through the frost. Rode home at evening in a very tedious rain. Read. Mr. Lewis has given a negative answer to the call from East Hartford. 4. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Rode to the edge of East Hartford, and visited sick persons. A little sleighing, but poor. At evening attended the meeting of the Moral Society. Wrote till two o'clock in the morning. 5. Rode to Hartford. Assisted in preparing the next Magazine. The Convention rose this morning.* I think they have not done as much as was expected. Visited. 6. Prepared this almanack and completed my former one. Visited a sick man, apparently near dying; extremely stupid. At evening Rev. Mr. Loomis' preached for me at the prayer-meeting. Very cold and tedious. ' George Spencer. was Miss Elizabeth Fowler, of Westficid, ^ Dr. Elihu Tudor, then nearly eighty- Mass. No wonder Dr. Robbins liked to call three years old. her cousin. She was a woman of rare jihysi- ' It is by a stretch of language that he cal beauty, and of very choice character. calls her his cousin. She was of his kindred Judge Lyman had families of children by surely, but was several departures from what both wives. we should ordinarily call cousin. Hermaiden * It came together Dec. 15, and adjourned name was Anne Jean Robbins, and she was Jan. 5. The treaty of peace between Eng- the daughter of Hon. E. H. Robbins, of land and the United States was com- Milton, at one time Lieut.-Governorof Massa- plcted and signed at Ghent, Dec. 24, 1S14, chusetts. She was Judge Lyman's (Col. Ly- but nobody yet knew it on this side the man's) second wife, having been married to water, him only about three years. His first wife ' Rev. Amasa Loorais. C15 6l6 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['S'S- 7. Filed my letters of last year, fifty-nine more than I have received any year before. Wrote on my preaching account for last year. The thermometer this morning 5°. Received a letter from my sister Battell, and one from Mr. Lord, a candidate preacher at Norfolk. At evening rode to East Hartford for an exchange tomorrow. Very cold. 8. Mr. Loomis preached for me and I supplied at East Hartford for him. The weather moderated very much last night, and is ver)' pleasant. Preached in the forenoon with notes on Luke .\ii : 42. Afternoon on Matt, .x.xiii : 37. 38. Administered the sacrament. This church is verj' large. Baptized a child. The meeting very full and attentive. Read, and had read at home, Mr. Madi- son's Proclamation for a Fast. I took the advice of our society committee, respecting the observation of the day, having no proclamation from the Gov- ernor.' Returned. Very tired. 9. A man died here last evening. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in arranging his accounts. Visited. 10. Wrote. Attended the funeral of the man lately deceased.' Visited a sick man. Wrote to my brother Frank. 11. Wrote on a sermon for the Fast, on 2 Chron. xv : i, 2. Col. Phelps, of Norfolk, called on me. He brought me a letter from Mr. Battell. Rainy. 12. National Fast, appointed by the President and Congress. It was not additionally recommended by our Governor.^ At the suggestion of our society committee, we had but one exercise, at twelve o'clock. Finished my sermon begun yesterday and preached on 2 Chron. xv : i, 2. Quite cold and tedious. Thermometer about 20° all day. At evening had a meeting at the academy, and preached the same sermon, by desire. Quite tired. 13. Wrote. Wrote a letter to my sister Battell. Worked some. Mr. Wolcott killed a cow that weighed eight hundred and fifty pounds. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Thermometer this morning 10°. Visited. 14. Visited sick persons. Paid a tailor, $2.00. Wrote on my preaching account of last year. Wrote notes for preaching. 15. Finished my notes and preached all day on 2 Sam. xxii : 29. Full meeting. Conference in the evening, very full and impressive. Had an application for the publication of my Fast sermon. 16. Thermometer yesterday morning at 5°. Warmer. The ground very hard and hard frozen. Rode to Hartford. We hear of an invasion at New Orleans. I hope the British will take it.^ Visited. My Historical View is printed, and appears well. 17. Finished my preaching account of last year. Worked at my library. I have now about six hundred volumes. Wrote late. 18. Last night there was considerable snow. Rode out in a sleigh. Tol- erably good sleighing. Rode to Wapping and visited. Tarried out there. ' As the proclamation was read both at ' John Cotton Smith was then Governor East Hartford and East Windsor, it w.is of Connecticut, a good strong Federalist, probably thought best to heed the President's ■* Not a very patriotic utterance, and the request. British did not take it, but were badly beaten ' Mr. Noadiah Drake. by Gen. Jackson. iSlS-] PASTOR IX EAST wrXDSOR. 617 19. Wrote a will for a man. Visited. Rode to Long Hill and visited a school. At evening considerable rain. 20. Walked and visited all da)\ The sleighing mostly gone. Attended our evening prayer-meeting. Warm. Last evening read considerably in Campbell's Gospels, which I like well. 21. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Wrote on notes for preaching. Am very dull and stupid respecting divine things, and have great reason to fear for my moral state. 22. Finished my notes and preached in the afternoon on Job xxi : 14. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, x : 1-24. Quite cold. Rode to meeting in a sleigh. Visited an old man in a dying state. Attended the evening confer- ence. 23. Last night there was a ver\- severe snow-storm. The snow is perhaps a foot deep. Visited a family in mourning. Severe cold. Wrote. 24. Thermometer this morning 6° below zero. Visited a sick woman and a mourning family. Attended the funeral of an infant child.' Good sleighing. Finished a piece for the Magazine. 25. Wrote notes for preaching. Attended the funeral of old Mr. Stough- ton,^ aged eightj'-seven. He has been the oldest man in the society for nearly eleven years. At evening preached at the academy with notes on Jer. xxxi : 6. My brother Frank came here and tarried. • He is much embarrassed about staying at Chester. They are very anxious to have him settle there. 26. Rode to Hartford. Crossed the river on the ice with a sleigh. My brother Frank went off for Norfolk. Assisted Dr. Strong in preparing for the next Magazine. Severe cold all day. Received from the printers six volumes of my Historical Viezv. It makes a handsome volume. Preached in the even- ing at Dr. Strong's conference with notes on Acts xvii : 3. Rode home. The cold very severe. 27. Mr. Wolcott and his boy looked at the thermometer separately, and affirm that before sunrise it was below the graduation, which is 14° below zero. I saw it 12° below zero after it had been a little while in the house. It has never been so low before since I owned it, of which this is the fifth winter. Wrote copying my Fast sermon for the press. Attended the funeral of an old lady.^ Attended our prayer-meeting. Rev. Mr. Smith, of New Hampshire,* came here and tarried. 28. The thermometer this morning was at zero at eight o'clock. Received a letter from my brother Frank. Paid $1.00 for a half year of my newspaper. I conclude the thermometer this morning early was 5° or 6° below zero. Wrote copying my Fast sermon. Wrote for the Magazine. 29. Thermometer this morning at zero. Very cold and tedious. The thermometer did not rise above 13° in the day. Meetings pretty thin. ' An infant child of Benjamin Gillet, Jr. name Smith then settled in New Hampshire, - Mr. Oliver Stoughton. that we have no clue to the particular one ' Widow Silee Smith. then in East Windsor. Smith and Williams * There were so many ministers of the are both very common names in the ministry. 6l8 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['^'S- Preached an old sermon on Phil, ii : 12, 13. Had no conference. At even- ing the thermometer was at zero. Wrote. 30. Thermometer this morning 6° below zero. In a perfectly clear day it did not rise to 12° all day. Rode to Hartford in a sleigh. Froze one of my ears. Received three good loads of wood from Wapping. Wrote. 31. Thermometer this morning 2° below zero. Towards noon it was nearly 2° above zero, and rose no higher through the day. The sun shone, though obscurely. I think I never saw a colder day. The thermometer sunk steadily after noon ; at sundown it was 7° below zero, and at eight o'clock 8° below zero, after which it began to rise. My sister Battell came here to make me a visit. Wrote to Mr. Battell, at Hartford. At evening married two blacks.' February. 1. Thermometer this morning was at zero. The weather moderates. Walked out and visited with my sister. At evening Mr. Battell and my niece Eliza ' came here. Wrote. 2. Rode with my friends to Hartford ; they returned with me. At evening visited with them. 3. My friends went off for Norfolk. Finished the copy of my Fast ser- mon for the printers. Attended our evening prayer-meeting. Quite full. 4. Received a letter from my brother James. Wrote the most of a sermon on Col. i : 21. Wrote late. 5. Finished my sermon and preached all day on Col. i : 21. Last night we had considerable snow. At evening had a full conference. Very tired. 6. Wrote for Mr. Wolcott. Was requested to preach to the Washington Society^ in East Hartford, on the 2 2d inst. Visited. 7. Rode to Hartford and met with our Association. We have less busi- ness than usual. Very fine sleighing. Received my note at the bank and paid $11.20. At night very cold. 8. Finished associational business and returned home. My thermome- ter this morning was 14° below zero. At Hartford it was 12° below zero. Visited a sick woman. Wrote. 9. Walked and visited all day. Visited our academy school. At evening preached at the academy without notes on Isa. x : 15. Very tired. 10. Wrote to my brother Frank. Rode to Hartford. Visited a woman apparently near dying. Attended our weekly prayer-meeting. n. Thermometer this morning 5° below zero. The woman I visited yes- terday died last night.' Read. Rode to the upper part of East Hartford and attended the funeral of a man who died in middle life with a cancer. Wrote a sermon on i Kings .\ix: 9, between four o'clock and three-quarters after ten; was called off in the time, I believe, an hour. It is pretty poor. The British ' George Holden, of Ellington, .ind Sylvia ^A local organiz.-ition to do honor to Adkins, of East Windsor. Washington. The celebration on the Z2d ' Mrs. Olnistead, whose husband, Mr. was arianged by this society. Henry Olmstead, died recently. ' Widow Elizabeth Stoughton. 1815.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 619 have had a great repulse in their attack on New Orleans." Gave a black woman, $i.oo. 12. Expounded in the forenoon on Matt, x: 24 to the end. Afternoon preached on i Kings .\ix: 9. Full meeting. A great number of sleighs. Attended the conference. Late in the evening we heard the grateful news that a treaty of peace had been concluded between our envoys and those of Great Britain, and has arrived in this country.^ It appears to be a most mer- ciful interposition of heaven in our behalf. 13. Visited. Attended a funeral. Very cold and tedious. Set out on a journey to Lenox ; rode to Simsbury. 14. The morning extreme cold. Rode to Lenox. Made very welcome at my brother's. He is verj' well situated here. There is a pretty great awaken- ing here. Attended a meeting in the evening. Mr. Gaylord/ of Hartland, preached. People were greatly animated with the news of peace all the way that I came. I rode fifty miles in a little less than ten hours. Very good sleighing. The Lenox turnpike is a very good winter road. 15. Visited with my brother. He appears to be much esteemed here. Afternoon rode to Stockbridge. Had an agreeable visit with Dr. West.'' Tarried at Mr. Woodbridge's.' The peace appears agreeable to all parties. 16. Rode to Lenox. Very pleasant. The snow falls some. Afternoon rode to Lee and visited Dr. Hyde.' Returned and preached in the evening at a school-house without notes on Gen. xxxii : 26. My brother Samuel is here today. Received from him, $45.00. The meeting this evening was verj' full and solemn. 17. Rode early. Came through Granville to Granby, Turkey Hills. Warm. Found some poor sleighing. There is a very pleasing revival of religion here. At evening it snowed. 18. A very severe snow-storm the most of the day. Rode home with con- siderable difficulty and fatigue. The snow is pretty deep. I am told that on Tuesday morning my thermometer was 8° below zero, and on Wednesday morn- ing 12° below zero. Read. Wrote. ' He has learned at last that his wish was Laws ; and on the part of the United States, not fulfilled. John Quincy Adams, James A. Bayard, Henry ^ The vessel bringing this news reached Clay, Jonathan Russell, and Albert Gallatin ; New York on the morning of the nth of and the treaty of peace was concluded and February, and set'the whole city into the signed at Ghent, Belgium, Dec. 24, 1S14, tif- most lively demonstrations of joy. This news teen days before Gen. Andrew Jackson was taken up and carried in all directions as fought the victorious battle of New Or- fast as the messengers could hasten it, and leans, and forty-nine days before the news through all New England it was received of the transaction reached New York. with ringing of bells, firing of cannon, bon- ' Rev. Nathaniel Gaylord, pastor at West fires, and illuminations. It reached East Hartland, Ct., 1782-1841, fifty-nine years, Windsor some time during Feb. 12. The dying at the age of ninety, same parties were employed in concluding ' Dr. Stephen West, his old theological this peace as in the previous attempt at peace teacher, who was now in the eightieth year of which failed, viz. : On the part of Great his age and fifty-si.\th of his ministry. Britain, James, Lord Gambler, Henry Goul- ' Joseph Woodbridge. burn, Esq., and William Adams, Doctor of ' Dr. Alvan Hyde. 620 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1815. 19. The thermometer this morning was 4° below zero. Preached all day with old notes on John iv : 24. Thin meeting. Attended a conference. The news of peace makes great rejoicing. 20. Thermometer this morning at zero. Received a letter yesterday from Stoddard Burt, of Wilbraham. Began a sermon on Deut. xxxii : 10 for the Washington Benevolent Society. 21. It thaws very much. It rained some. Wrote all day. Finished my sermon begun yesterday. Wrote late. Feel very poorly qualified for writing. In the evening received and read a copy of the late treaty of peace. It is very bare, but much better than none. 22. Rode to East Hartford and preached on Deut. xxxii : 10 before the Washington Society. The society appeared well. Cold. The sleighing is pretty poor. The country is perfectly full of celebrations and rejoicings at the news of peace. I think the matter is quite overdone. Very tired. 23. Wrote to Dr. Strong, of Hartford, to my brother Frank, and to Mr. Bat- tell. Began to write a piece for the Magazitw. Much interrupted with com- pany. At evening late rode to East Hartford and performed a marriage.' Ver}- cold. Thermometer when I went to bed was at zero. 24. Wrote. Afternoon visited a school. Afternoon and evening we had a very severe snow-storm. 25. Wrote. Finished a piece for the Magazine on the book of Joshua. The snow quite deep. Our late negotiation has not issued very honorably for our country. 26. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, xi: 1-24. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Heb. iii : i. At evening attended the conference. The snow is pretty deep. 27. Rode to Hartford. Assisted Dr. Strong in preparing the next Maga- zine. Good sleighing. Paid for two numbers of Clarke's Commentary., S3. 00. Paid my annual contribution to the Bible Society, $3.00. Paid for Mr. Battell, S4.00. The price of many things is reduced by the peace. 28. Walked out and visited. Rode to Windsor and visited. Returned. It thaws a good deal. Paid for my sleigh harness, $12.50. I fear our academy school will fail. March. 1. Received from Mr. Battell for my brother Nat, S90.00. Walked and visited. The snow thaws very much. Attended a while in the evening at a meeting of youths. It was quite solemn. 2. The thermometer has risen to about 50° each day this week. The road is very full of water. Rode out. Conversed with several persons on the sub- ject of making a profession of religion. Received a letter from my sister Battell. Read. 3. The thermometer rose to 60°. The snow thaws, but much remains. Visited black families. Looked over old magazines. Wrote to my brother ' The persons married were Daniel Brooks and Lydia Clarke, of Haddatn. iSlS-J PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 621 Frank. At evening attended our prayer-meeting and examined six 'persons to be propounded to the church. 4. Rode out. The ground almost covered with water. Wrote the most of a sermon on Gal. iv : 28. Am considerably unwell with nervous affections. Wrote to Gen. Griswold, of East Hartford, declining to give a copy of my ser- mon preached there on the 22d ult. for the press." 5. Finished my sermon on Gal. iv : 28, and preached with it all day. The going exceeding bad. ]\Ieeting quite thin. Rode in a sleigh, but the snow is mostly gone. Am verj' much fatigued. 6. Worked at my library. Visited some sick blacks. Attended a funeral at the upper part of East Hartford. Visited. Read Eiuyclopadia. 7. Rode to Hartford. The riding verj- bad. The ice remains in the river. Assisted in completing the March Magazine. Purchased at the Phoe- nix Bank five shares in that institution. There have been $37.50 paid on each share. I paid for them, $42.00 a share, amounting to $210.00. I put in a note to the bank of $300.00, which paid the $210.00, and $62.50, the April instalment on these five shares, and $22.60 which I received, the discount being deducted. Paid to the Phcenix Bank previous to my contract, $117.00, and $8.00 which I received from them as a dividend, making $125.00 for my next instalment on the ten shares which I owned. Paid for a new number of Clarke's Commentary, $1.50. Concluded to take the volumes of Scriptore's Romani,^ publishing at Boston. I am exceeding glad the work is publishing. Received the two first volumes. Visited. 8. Read Clarke's Cotnmentary. Wrote. Walked out and visited. \\'rote to Rev. Mr. Smith, of Durham. 9. Wrote notes for preaching. Rode to Wapping and preached at a sing- ing-lecture on Ps. x.xvii : 4. They sing pretty well, much better than I ex- pected. At evening preached at the academy on Luke xxiii : 23. Had a full meeting. Propounded six young persons for our communion.' Four of them belong to one family. 10. Attended the funeral of a black woman* who died suddenly Warm. Read. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 11. Rode to Turkey Hills to give that people a Sabbath's preaching.' The riding extremely bad. Had to go to Enfield Bridge to cross the river. Visited Mr. Mix at West Suffield. People begin to be alarmed at the appearance of canker-worm.' The ice is not gone from the river. 12. There is a very favorable religious revival in this place. Preached on ' This was the sermon preached by re- of Jonathan and .Sarah (Warner) Birge, the quest before the Washington Society of East oldest twenty, and the youngest 6fteen. Hartford on Washington's birthday. It was ■* Candace, aged sixty. a subject familiar to Dr. Robbins. s It was a small and feeble church, at = Scriptore's Romani. what is now known as East Granby. 'These persons were Backus Birge, Julius 'The signs of the canker-worm at that Birge, Edwin Birge, Mary Birge, Stephen time were to be found in the millers laying Ackley, and Flavel Loomis. The four the eggs, and not in the presence of the young persons of one family were children worms themselves. 622 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. I'^IS- Luke xxii* 31, 32, and Jer. I: 5. Received five persons to the church, three of whom were baptized. Administered the sacrament. Mr. Nettleton,' the candidate here, is in poor health. The prospects of this society are much improving. At evening preached at a school-house without notes on Gen. xxxii : 26. The meetings were all very solemn. 13. In the forenoon quite rainy. Afternoon rode home. Wrote to Howe & Deforest, New Haven. Crossed at our ferry. The river broke up last night. There was no preaching here yesterday ; Mr. McClure carried on the meeting.^ 14. Mr. Olcott rode to the westward in pursuit of his black man.' Read Smitli on the Trinity. Afternoon rode to Long Hill and visited a school. Rainv. At evening my brother Frank came here on a journey to Randolph,* near Boston, to preach there. 15. Read. Visited a school. Hindered with company. My brother went off in the morning. My Fast sermon is printed. 16. Mr. Wolcott returned. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Visited. Worked some in the garden. The frost is mostly out of the ground. 17. Rode to Hartford in a carriage. It snowed the most of the day. Paid for stockinet for pantaloons, $8. 50. For a snuff-box, .50. For other things, .48. At evening wrote. Did not attend prayer-meeting on account of the storm. 18. Wrote to Backus Birge and to Mr. North,' of this place. Received a letter from Mr. North. Received a letter from Mr. Samuel Bass, of Ran- dolph, Mass., where brother Frank has gone, wishing for him to come and preach with them. I conclude he will be there today. Wrote a sermon on 2 Sam. vii : 14. 19. Expounded in the forenoon on Matt, xi: 25 to xxi. Received six young persons to the church, four of whom were children of one family. The occasion was very affecting and solemn. Five of the number were males. At evening attended the conference and married a couple.' Preached in the afternoon the sermon written yesterday. 20. Wrote. Am very much overdone with labor and fatigue. Afternoon » This was Rev. Asahel Nettleton, D. D., ' A sermon was probably read, as was a native of North Killingworth, Ct., born in often done fifty or sixty years ago in New 1783, graduated at Yale, 1S09, licensed to England when the pastor w.is sick or absent, preach in May, 1811, and was ordained as a 'That certainly looks very much like missionary in 1817. He was never regularly slavery. installed over any people, but, as an cvange- ■* The church at Randolph. Mass., was list, preaching variously among the churches, v.icant then by reason of the duath of a truly he was eminently successful. No man in able pastor, llr. Jonathan Strong. He died New England has been more favorably known Nov. 9,1814. Rev. Thaddeus Pomcroy was in this kind of Christian labor than he. settled as his successor, Nov. 13, 1815. When the Theological Institute of Connccti- ' liackus Hirge was to be admitted to the cut was established at I'.ast Windsor Hill, he church next communion. Mr. North was the became informally connected with it, made his teacher of the academy at East Windsor Hill, residence there, and gave lectures to some ' Norman Clapp was united in marriage extent to the students. He died in 1844. with Rhoda Allyn. 1815.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 623 rode to Wapping and visited a school. It has done unexpectedly well this season. Very cold and tedious. Visited a man very sick with a fever. 21. Visited a black man very sick. Thermometer this morning was at 10°. Visited a school. I believe I took some contagion of the man I visited last evening. Am much unwell. Paid for clapboards for a garden fence, $1.00. 22. Last night at bed-time took physic. Was up the most of the night. Quite sick all day. My head is much pressed. I hope I may escape a fever. Thermometer this morning 16°. 23. Am so unwell as to be unable to write. I cannot make a sermon for the Fast. My head is quite weak. I feel much disappointed that I cannot write for the Fast. Last night it snowed considerably. Sleighs move a good deal. Am not able to read but little. A black man died in the neighbor- hood.' Took physic. 24. Fast. Am so unwell as to be hardly able to go out. In the forenoon had a sermon read. I performed the other parts of the exercises. Afternoon preached with an old Fast sermon on Rev. iii : 10. The day was wet and the meeting quite thin. 25. Am some better than I have been. Afternoon attended the funeral of a black man. Yesterday we rode to meeting in a sleigh. The snow is now mostly gone, and the riding very bad. Read the Bible. 26. Preached all day with an old sermon on i Pet. iv : 18. Our meeting was very full and solemn, .^t evening had a full and solemn conference. I hope God will not yet take his good Spirit from us. Much fatigued, but carried through the day better than I feared. 27. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. The spring advances very little. Am still quite unwell. Last night was up a considerable part of the night. 28. Rode to Hartford. Cold. Assisted in preparing the next Magazine. Sent a copy of my Fast sermon to several friends. Yesterday we had a hard rain. Received a letter from Howe & Deforest, New Haven."" On the 25 th catechised a school which I had previously visited. 29. Worked some. We had a hard snow. Wrote to Dr. Strong, Hartford. I see very little prospect of any material change of political parties in our country. Last evening visited an old man in the neighborhood very sick. 30. Rode to the hill in a sleigh. Visited in the forenoon the. district school. Afternoon the academy. Both appeared better than usual. The academy has done exceeding well for the year past, and has been blessed, I trust, with the special influences of divine grace. I pray God it may long be the object of his great mercy. Visited an aged man in a dying state. 31. The man I visited last evening died in the night.^ Wrote notes and preached a preparatory lecture on 2 Kings xxiii : 3. Rode to meeting in a sleigh. Very wet and cold. Proposed to the church to present a part of a new set of communion furniture. ' John Francis, twenty-six. ' Daniel Hayden, seventy-two. A descend- ^ This is the old book-store, with a change ant of William Hayden, one of the Dorches- of the firm name. ter company that settled in Windsor. 624 DIARy OF RKV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['^'S- April. 1. Wrote a sermon on Num. xi : 23. Attended the funeral of my neigh- bor, Mr. Hayden. I think I have never seen the street here so muddy. The ground is still covered with snow. The latter half of March has been much colder than the former. Wrote late. 2. It snowed considerably. Quite cold. Rode to meeting in a sleigh. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on i Pet. i : 18, 19. Afternoon on Num. xi : 23. Administered the sacrament. The church was pretty thin. Am quite feeble. Wrote. 3. Rode to Hartford. The roads very muddy. Looked over an old library, formerly Mr. Whitman's.' Visited. 4. There was a severe fire in Hartford last night. Made a small garden fence. Wrote to my brother Frank. Read Campbell ° on the Gospels. 5. Wrote the most of the day for Mr. Wolcott. Wrote to Normand Knox. Esq., Hartford. At evening attended the meeting of our Moral Society. I hope it does good. Quite wet. The season is quite uncomfortable. 6. Mr. Wolcott is very much distressed with hypochondriac affections. Walked and visited. At evening preached at the academy with old notes on Acts ix : II. The meeting appeared very favorable. Tarried out. 7. We have had a season of long and unusually bad traveling. Visited the most of the day. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. I lament that 1 accomplish so little useful business. 8. Worked all day. Ploughed and manured my garden and planted peas. Manured my asparagus beds. The season is very cold and wet. Wrote. Rainy. 9. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, xii : 22-38. Afternoon preached with an old sermon on Zech. ix : 12. Full meeting. My expositions appear to be interesting to my congregation. At evening attended the conference. 10. Prayed at the opening of Freemen's Meeting. The meeting was thin. Visited. My lungs of late appear to be quite weak. 11. Worked abroad the most of the day. Quite warm. Read Campbell on the Gospels. Visited. 12. Wrote the most of a sermon for Thanksgiving. Wrote slow and pretty poorly. Had company. 13. National Thanksgiving.' Finished and preached a long sermon on 2 Sam. xxii : 2. The day was very well observed. Very tired. I feel an.\ious about the weakness of my lungs. At evening walked out. 14. Wrote a constitution for a female charitable society in this place. Am much fatigued with the labors of the two past days. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. It was quite full. Yesterday conversed with a black girl, who, I hope, has lately got religion. Read. 15. Worked abroad the most of the day. Received a letter from Mr. Prud- ' Rev. Elnath.in Whitman, pastor of the ' This was a d.iy of National Thanks- South Church in Hartford, 1733 to 1777. Riving for the return of peace. The Presi- " Kcv. George Camplwll, D. D., a distin- dent and the Governor of Connecticut seem guished Presbyterian divine. to harmoniie in this case. 1815.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 625 den in answer to one I wrote to him on Wednesday. Received one from my brother Frank, at Randolph. Wrote. 16. Wrote notes and preached all day on Rev. xxii : 7. Am very feeble at my lungs. At evening attended the conference. Spoke but little. The ground is becoming quite dry. 17. Went in the woods all day with Mr. Wolcott, looking and cutting tim- ber for building. Received a letter from Mr. Knox, of Hartford. 18. Very warm. The thermometer was above 70°. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Visited. 19. Finished my Magazine essay. Wrote for the newspaper an address to the President. Quite rainy. 20. Rode to Hartford. Attended to a preparation for the next Magazine. Spent considerable time in East Hartford. Their ecclesiastical matters are in a critical state. Had company. 21. At Hartford yesterday saw Mr. Battell. There is a remarkable re- vival of religion at Yale College.' Wrote to Daniel Porter, of Scantick, desiring him to go and be a clerk for Mr. Battell. Visited. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 22. Wrote to Rev. Mr. Prudden.'' Set out some elm-trees in the street. Afternoon rode to Rocky Hill for an exchange in a hard rain. Got quite wet. Wrote to my cousin P. G. Robbins,^ and to Mr. Silliman,'* of New Haven. 23. In the morning rode to Middletown upper houses and preached by exchange for Mr. Williams. Quite wet. Preached from i Kings xix : 7, 9, and Matt, vii : 14. At evening rode to Hartford. 24. Rode home. Mr. Strong, of Somers, preached here yesterday. Worked leveling ground for a building all day. I have not taken cold from my late exposure as I feared. Visited. 25. Worked all day at the same employment as yesterday. Did little but drive team. Wrote to Mr. Battell by a young man who went to live with him. 26. Visited. Have never completed my regular visiting for the year past till now. On the ist of May last, there were in this place one hundred and seventy-three families, thirty-four of whom professed to belong to religious denominations other than our own. Since that time I have visited all of them except two. Received a letter from my brother Frank. Quite warm. 27. Rode to Hartford. Assisted in preparing the next Magazine. The thermometer was above 70°. At evening preached at Dr. Strong's conference with notes on Isa. x: 15. We have a report that Bonaparte has re-ascended the throne of France,' but earnestly hope it is not true. • Prof. Chauncey A. Goodrich, D. D., in ^ Rev. Nehemiah Prudden, of Enfield. his full account of Revivals in Yale College, ' Of Lynn, Mass., a physician, published in the tenth volume of the Ameri- * Prof. Benjamin Silliman, of Yale Col- can Quarterly Rcgisli'r, gives the detailed his- lege. tory of this revival of 1S15, in which some ' Bonaparte escaped from Elba, the place seventy or eighty students were thought to of his e.\ile, on the night of Feb. 28, 1S15, have been converted. It began in the month and on the first of March, with about two of April, 1815. thousand men accompanying, landed in Pro- 626 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1815. 28. Yesterday received a letter from Judge Woodruff, of Turkey Hills, requesting me to preach at the dedication of the Newgate Chapel," next week. Am much fatigued with late labors. Wrote to my brother Frank. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 29. Wrote a part of a sermon on John xv : 17. Much interrupted by com- pany. The news of the re-establishment of Bonaparte on the throne of France appears to be true. It seems a holy God yet designs to scourge devoted Europe. 30. Preached with old notes on Ezek. ix : 4, and a part of a sermon on John XV : 17. Did not finish the subject. A Mr. Allen, ° from Worcester, who has been for some time a student in divinity, resides in the neighborhood under my instruction. At evening attended the conference. While at the meeting the harness of my carriage was cut, so that when we came from the house the carriage dropped from the horse, and Mr. Wolcott's two daughters and I were thrown out, but not hurt. I think it was only an act of wanton wickedness in a single individual.^ Had our first asparagus on the 28th. Mav. 1. Worked in the garden. Visited. Afternoon attended a while at a training. Quite cool. 2. Worked in the garden. Wrote a large addition to my dedication ser- mon. Preached at Norfolk for a similar occasion at Newgate Prison. Visited. Quite rainy. 3. Wrote an address and delivered it in the evening to the Moral Society in this place, which is a branch of the Connecticut Society for the Promotion of Good Morals. The meeting interesting and I hope useful. I wrote very fast ; five pages of sermon size in two hours and a quarter. The remainder was written rapidly. The season is quite cool. We have the pleasing intelli- gence that the European powers are determined to oppose Bonaparte.' 4. Rode to Turkey Hills with Mr. Wolcott and attended the dedication of the new chapel at Newgate Prison. The occasion was very interesting and vence, France, to receive the imperial crown. partially lilind, he was such a treasure-house He reached Fontaincbleau, March 20, and the of information as one does not easily find, army again rallied around him. and he kept his memory and all his mental ' The petition to the Legislature had faculties clear and bright almost to the very proved successful, and this chapel for regu- last. He was settled in the ministry in lar worship was one of the fruits. Shrewsbury, Mass., November ig, 1823. ' Rev. George Allen, who passed away ^ That w.is a cliarit.ible view to take of only two years ago, in 1883, in his ninety- this rascally transaction, and was probably second year, was born in Worcester, Mass., the correct view. No village or country town 1792, graduated at Yale College in 1813, and can be secure against the existence there of studied theology in the vicinity of Hartford, some person who thinks he finds delight in Ct., attracted thither probably by such men such deeds, .md shows his greatness in com- as Dr. Strong, of Hartford, and Dr. Vates, mitling them. of East Hartford, but w.as now under the * The allied powers, on the 25th of March, direction of Dr. Kobbins. Mr. Allen w.is a 181 5, entered into a treaty to unite their remarkable man. In his old age, though forces for Napoleon's subjugation. iSlS-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 627 joyful. The prisoners (fifty-two) appeared much gratified with the prospect of Stated religious ordinances. Returned late. Many shad are taken at the mouth of Scantick River. Preached from Hag. ii : 9.' 5. Rode to Hartford. Received a letter from Mr. Skinner," of Berlin. Wrote one to Mr. Charles Sherman, of New Haven. Paid for new burnishing my tankard, $2.00. For other things, .85. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. Troubled with a severe headache. 6. Read Campbell on the Gospels. Worked some. Am quite feeble. Rainy. Read the Bible. 7. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, xii : 39 to xiii : 9. Afternoon preached with old notes on Heb. xiii : 24. The weather was so wet and the meeting thin that we did not have our missionary contribution. Baptized a child.^ Had no conference on account of the wet. Read the Bible. 8. Worked the most of the day leveling ground for buildings. Had com- pany. Rode to Wapping and visited a sick woman. Wrote to my friend Mr. Gilman, of Philadelphia, and sent him a copy of my Historical Vinv. 9. Worked considerably. Read the Bible. A Mr. Parsons,* a minister from Vermont, came here and tarried. Hindered by company. 10. The season is remarkably cool and backward. No blossoms appear on the fruit-trees. Yesterday morning we had a hard frost. \\'orked some. At evening attended the wedding of Rev. Mr. Skinner, of Berlin, married in the neighborhood.' Dr. McClure performed the marriage. 11. Rode to Hartford and attended the election. A great collection of ministers. Mr. Brockway' preached very well. Democracy did not appear so triumphant as was expected. Saw the famous new steamboat that usually runs between New Haven and New York. Received a letter from Rev. Mr. Cooley,' of Granville. Received one from Mr. Charles Sherman, of New Haven, enclosing S30.00, my late dividend at the Eagle Bank. Attended the meeting of the Ministers" Annuity Society. It is now a corporate body. Heard Mr. Nott '' preach at the evening conference. Saw Mr. Battell at Hartford, and Mr. Emerson,' going to preach at Norfolk. Paid my merchant tailor, $4.13. Got home late. 12. Visited. Rode out. Afternoon a very hard rain. Yesterday saw the first blossoms on peach and plum-trees. Wrote on the records of our Annuity Society. ' This text was not so felicitous £or the New Britain), was married to Miss Ursula Newgate chapel as for the new meeting- Wolcott, daughter of Mr. Samuel Wolcott. house at Norfolk. Her brother, Elihu Wolcott, was father of ° Rev. Newton Skinner. the present Rev. Samuel Wolcott, D.D. ^ Julia, daughter of Simeon Loomis. ' Rev. Diodate Brockway, of Ellington. * Rev. Justin Parsons, a native of North- ' Rev. Timothy M. Cooley, D.D. ampton.Mass. He had been appointed by the ' Rev. Samuel Nott, D.D., of Franklin. Connecticut Missionary Society for service in ' Rev. Ralph Emerson, D. D., a native of Vermont. lie had been settled in Whiting, Hollis, N H., 1787, graduate of Yale, iSti, but was, 1S14-1S31, pastor at Pittsfield, Vt. pastoral Norfolk, 1S15-1S29, professor at An- ' Rev. Newton Skinner, of Berlin (now dover, iS;9-iS54, died at Rockford, 111., 1863. 628 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['^'S- 13. Wrote on the annuity records. Visited. Quite cold. Afternoon rode to Berlin to exchange with Mr. Skinner, who stays at East Windsor. 14. Preached from i Cor. vi : 11, and Matt, x.xiii : 37, 38, pretty poorly. Some things here appear unfavorably to Mr. Skinner's prospects. Last even- ing rode to Farmington. Tarried with Mr. Porter." This morning there was considerable frost. 15. Rode to Simsbury. The spotted fever here is very prevalent and mortal. The frost and ice this morning were quite hard. Rode to Colebrook. Tarried with brother Ammi. He has been very sick in the past winter. 16. Rode to Norfolk. Mother is quite well. Mr. Emerson, the candidate here, appears very well. Walked out with him. 17. Rainy. The people here are very much united in Mr. Emerson, and very desirous to settle him. ' My sister Betsey is very poor. I fear in a con- sumption. My brother James and his wife came here. 18. Rode out with Betsey. She appears not to realize her danger. Brother Samuel has procured a very good table for a tombstone ' for father. At even- ing attended a conference. 19. Quite rainy. Am prevented from going home by the wet. Wrote. The season is not much more backward here than on Connecticut River. 20. Rode early and got home in seven hours and three quarters, quicker than I have ever rode the same distance at any other time. An aged man died here last night. Visited. I think the rela.xation of this week has been beneficial to my health. 21. Preached in the forenoon with an old sermon on I Cor. ii : 2. Wrote notes and preached in the afternoon on Deut. .\ii : 9. Attended the funeral of the aged man lately deceased.^ We had our missionary contribution and col- lected $57.11 more than ever before. There were two bills of $5.00, one of $3.00, two of $2.00, sixteen single dollars, and 177 small bills and pieces of silver. After meeting performed a marri.age, 55.00.'' At evening had a very full conference. Was very much fatigued. 22. The lilac blossoms I first discovered on the 20th. The apple-trees were then beginning to blossom, though I discovered the first blossoms on the i8th. Yesterday morning there was some frost. Read. Very warm. The thermometer was above 80°. Rode to Hartford. Paid the bank $70.00 and took up my note which they held. Borrowed of Mr. Wolcott, S30.00. Spoke with a number of the members of the Assembly. 23. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Hindered by company. At even- ing my brother Nat came here from Boston. He brought me several pam- phlets from a literary gentleman there whom I do not know. I hope to make him an acquaintance. • Rev. Noah Porter, D. D., pastor at Far- * Thomas Docid was united in marriage mington, 1806-1866. with Ann Gibbs. Mr. Robbins seldom men- ' Those large horizontal stones resting on tions the amount received for a marriage, but pillars were thought to be the only proper the five dollars here added, was set down memorial for a minister. because it w.is regarded as generous. A com- ' Mr. Augustus Fitch, eighty-two. mon marriage fee then was one or two dollars. 1815.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 629 24. Rode to Hartford Bridge to carry my brother and returned. Quite warm. Finished a piece for the Magazine on the Book of Kings. Vegetation advances ver)- rapidly. There is a great blowth on the apple-trees. Read. 25. Rode to Hartford, assisted in preparing the next Magazine. The roads have become very dry. Wrote. At evening attended the wedding of young Asahel Olcott. Mr. McClure performed the marriage. 26. Wrote. Mr. Huntington,' of Middletown, called on me. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Visited. 27. Wrote quite steadily. The thermometer was at 80°. It has been about the same every day this week. Vegetation advances very rapidly. The ground is very dry. 28. Finished and preached all day on a sermon of which I preached the first part April 30th. It is three sermons on brotherly love. The heat very severe and oppressive. The thermometer was at 92°. At evening attended the conference. 29. The dust flies very much. Yesterday baptized two children.^ Visited a sick child. Wrote for the Magazine. Wrote quite late. 30. Worked considerably. Rode to Hartford. Gave the printers for the Magazine a summary account of the remarkable revivals of religion which now e.xist at several of our colleges. Preached in the evening at Dr. Strong's con- ference with a written sermon on Ps. xl : 2, 3. Returned. 31. Worked the most of the day helping Mr. Wolcott prepare a large barn for removal. At evening rode to Orford and saw Mr. Cook.' Got the account of his church for the last year for the Association. Got home quite late. Quite cool. The ground is very dry. Yesterday received a letter from Mr. Battell. The people of Norfolk have given Mr. Emerson a call to settle unanimously ; have voted him a salary of seven hundred dollars. My sister Betsey grows feeble. Received a letter yesterday from Rev. Mr. Prudden. June. 1. Worked hard all day helping Mr. Wolcott move his barn. He suc- ceeded unexpectedly well. The dust flies exceedingly. I find I can bear a good deal of labor after a little use. Vegetation suffers very much from the drought. 2. Rainy the most of the day. Am much fatigued by my late exertions. Wrote. Visited a sick child. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 3. Rode to Hartford, Wintonbur)', Windsor, and Enfield, to exchange with Mr. Prudden. Am collecting an account of the state of the churches for Association. Warm and wet. 4. Preached on Ps. xl : 2, 3, and Ps. Ixxxiv : 2. This congregation I think is very little larger than mine. At evening Mr. Prudden returned from East Windsor. ' Rev. Dan Huntington, whom we have ^ James Henry, son of Jesse Charlton, frequently had occasion to notice. He was and Harriet, daughter of Samuel B.incroft, settled over the First Church in Middletown, Jr. in iSog, but left in iSi6. ' Rev. Elisha B. Cook. 630 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1815. 5. Rode through Suffield to Hartland, and through Granby and ^^■ilulsor home. The state of religion at Turkey Hills is very pleasing. Yesterday thirteen persons were added to the church. Got home quite late. Old Mrs. Tudor' is very sick. Was there a considerable part of the night. Very tired. 6. Wrote a report of the state of religion within our Innits for Association.^ A number of the members are absent. Read my report and received associa- tional thanks. Returned in the evening on account of the state of Mrs. Tudor. She appears not quite so bad as last evening. Mr. Wolcott moved his second barn today. 7. Wrote a report of the state of religion within our associational limits for the General Association. Rode to Orford and sat with the Association.' Got acquainted with Mr. Wilbur,* now preaching at East Hartford. Re- turned. Am exceedingly fatigued with my late labors and want of rest. 8. Mrs. Tudor is hopefully a little better. Worked some. Drafted a new constitution for the Female Benevolent Society in this place. Met with the ladies who were organized as a society, containing about ninety members. I paid an equal sum with the members, fifty cents. Read. Yesterday Mr. T. Woodbridge,' of Stockbridge, called to see me while I was absent. 9. It is steadily quite cool for the season. Read considerably. \A'rote. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 10. Wrote a part of a sermon on 2 Tim. iv : 10. Hindered by company. Am poorly fitted tor writing. In the afternoon a Mr. Sewall,' from near Bos- ton, came to Dr. McClure's and consents to preach for me tomorrow. My Christian prospects are exceeding low. The mighty God be my helper. 11. Mr. Sewall preached for me. He appears to know but little about religion, doctrinally or experimentally, though apparently an amiable man.' • This was Mrs. Samuel Tudor, whose setts, in his day and generation, for his large maiden name was Naomi Diggins. She was and exact knowledge of the churches of New the mother of Mrs. Abiel Wolcott, and lived England. Mr. Sewall was born at Marble- a near neighbor to Mr. Wolcott. head, June i, 17S5, w.is gradu.ited at Harvard ^ The District Association, Hartford College, 1S04, and died February 18, 1S6S. North. At the time of his death the famous Sewall ' This was the Hartford North Associa- Diary was in his possession, was purchased tion. Its meeting lasted two days. Mr. of his estate by the Massachusetts Historical Robbins came home the night before and .Society, and has since been published by that returned. society. * Rev. Harvey Wilbur, who received the ' This judgment was probably somewh.at degree of A. M. at Dartmouth College severe. Mr. Sewall remained an Orthodox in 181 2. minister to his death, and his church, founded ' Timothy Woodbridge. in 1735, is now one of our regular evangelical ' Without doubt this was Rev. Samuel churches. Doubtless there was a difference Sewall, wh(j the year before had been settled even then between the religious teachings of at Burlington, Mass., where he continued till Harvard and Y.ale, but some of the ablest his death in iSGS, fifty four years. Perhaps evangelical ministers of Massachusetts, like Mr. Sewall and Mr. Robbina did not see Seth Sweetscr, D. 1)., of Worcester, Willi.-.m enough of each other in that short visit to A. Stearns, D. ])., of Amherst College, Nehe- discover that seldom do two men meet to- miali Adams, D. D., of Iloston, and many gcthcr more alike in their l.istes and habits. others, have been graduated at Harvard since Mr. Sewall was a notable man in Massachu- the college life of Mr. Sewall. 1815.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 63I At evening attended a full and serious conference. The thermometer was at 88°. The roads verj- dusty. 12. On the 9th received a good letter from my good Uncle Starr. Rode to Hartford. Paid to the bank, $5.05. Traded, $2.63. The thermometer the same as yesterday. The orchards are very much injured by the canker-worm. Wrote to Samuel Jackson Prescott," Esq., of Boston, and sent him a copy of my Historical View, by Mr. Sewall. Visited a sick child. Read. Eat strawberries. 13. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Worked some. My orange-tree got something broken by the wind. Visited. 14. Walked and visited all day. Last night we had a small but very re- freshing rain. Visited our academic school. We have a sensible decline of the power of religion among us. 15. Quite cool. Rode to Hartford. Put a note for 90 days into the bank for $300.00, and received $295.35. Paid for the ne.\t instalment at the Phoeni.x Bank, $187.50. Paid for the exchange of money for the purpose, $1.00. My annual contribution to the Ministers' Annuity Society, $5.00. To a bookseller, $13.36. For liquor, $6.00. Traded, $1.50. Received as a dividend at the Hartford Bank, $6.31. The East Hartford society appears to be in a critical situation. At evening preached at our academy without any notes from Job xlii : 5, 6. Visited a sick child. 16. Paid for Wilkinson's Atlas, $i6.oo. Worked at my orange-tree. A little girl ^ died here last night. Wrote for the Magazine. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 17. Worked some. Attended a funeral. Wrote the most of a sermon on Job xiv : 7. Am much troubled with a general lassitude and debility. 18. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, xiii : 10-24. Finished and preached my sermon on Job xiv : 7. At evening attended the conference. I fear the good spirit of God is departing from us. 19. Wrote. I think I have lately lost a pretty important paper. Walked out and visited. At evening we had a small and refreshing shower. The ground is very dry. 20. Worked driving for a scraper.' Afternoon rode to Hartford. Attended to a preparation for the next Magazine. At evening preached at Dr. Strong's conference from Job xiv: 7. The heat very severe. Thermometer was at 94°. Returned quite late. 21. Had my orange-tree inoculated. Read Shuckford's Connections.'' 22. Worked driving for the scraper all day. Thermometer 86°. Yester- day it was about the same. The ground is very dry. Yesterday we had our first green peas. The season is late. ' Samuel Jackson Prescott, LL. D., was a ° Julia Rockwell, aged ten. graduate of Harvard College, 1795, and re- ' This was a new employment for the min- ceived his LL. D. from the -Aberdeen Univer- ister, liut he was brought up to make himself sity, Scotland. He it was probably that had useful in all kinds of Labor, sent some pamphlets to Mr. Robbins by the * Rev. Samuel Shuckford's Couiicdioii of hand of his brother Nathaniel, and Mr. Rob- Sacred and Profane History. This learned bins is now returning the compliment. English divine died as far back as 1754. 632 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1815. 23. Wrote off an address I lately delivered before our Branch Moral Society for the Magazine. Worked some. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. 24. Read a verj- interesting account of American Unitarianism. Finished a sermon previously written in part on 2 Tim. iv : 10. I write with great lassi- tude and indifference. 25. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ps. x.xii : 11. Afternoon on 2 Tim. iv : 10. Ver)' warm. The drought very severe. At evening had a full conference. 26. We had a moderate rain. Worked driving the scraper a considerable part of the day. Read Shuckford. 27. In the morning set out to ride to Hartford. About a mile from home my horse stepped through a bridge and threw me with great violence. Got home with difficulty. Am very much bruised on the back of my neck and shoulders. Batted, etc., according to Dr. Tudor's directions. A merciful God was my preserver. Read Shuckford. 28. Am much better of my hurt than I expected yesterday to be, but am quite sore and stiff. Rode to Hartford in a carriage. Attended to Magazine business. The society in East Hartford are in considerable agitation and some division. Had my British Classics bound. 29. Visited. Read Tristram S/iandy,^ which I never did before. The ther- mometer was at 90°. 30. Very warm through the day. The thermometer, however, was not higher than about 90°. Read Tristram Shandy. Wrote notes and preached a preparatory lecture on Gen. xxviii : 15. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. Spoke with difficulty in preaching on account of my late hurt. July. 1. The heat very oppressive all day. Thermometer about 90°, and near that the most of the day. The ground exceedingly dry. Wrote a sermon on Matt, xxvi : 35. I have considerable pain in my neck and shoulders, from my late fall. 2. Preached in the forenoon the sermon written yesterday. Administered the holy sacrament. The church was quite full. Wrote notes and preached in the afternoon on Deut. xxxii: 20. Not so warm as it has been. Ther- mometer 84°. Found less difficulty from my late hurt than I feared. Bap- tized a child.' Concluded not to have any evening conference. Walked out. 3. Rode out. The thermometer was near 90°. Afternoon we had a hard and very refreshing shower. Read. Visited. 4. Walked and visited all day. Very little attention is paid to the cele- ' The noted work in nine volumes of Rev. mental irregularities. He was born in Ire- Laurence Sterne. He was certainly one of land (though not an Irishman, but an Eng- the oddest characters that ever wore the title lishman) in 1713, and died in 1768. of Reverend — a man of undoubted and re- 'Owen Drake Williams, son of Joseph markablc genius, but of great moral and Williams. iSlS-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 633 bration of Independence. It is cool since tlie shower yesterday. Yesterday paid Horace Loomis," $10.00, whicli witli S^S-oo paid him before, amounting to §35.00, is for a good silver tankard I have bought of him. It belonged to old Mrs. Wells while she lived. 5. Rode to Norfolk. Found Mr. Battell at Winsted and rode from there with him. Find inconvenience in riding from my late hurt. My good mother is prett)' well. Sister Betsey is quite low and declining. She can ride but little. Mr. • Henry Sherman,^ lately dismissed from Weston,' is preaching here. The season is quite backward. 6. Afternoon rode to Canaan with my sister Battell and returned. Looked at a cotton factory at Canaan. My brother Nat is now here. 7. Yesterday my sister Battell received a letter from brother Frank. He is now preaching in New Hampshire. Sister Betsey came from her home to stay a while at mother's. She has lately raised considerable blood. Dined with Mr. Sherman at Mr. Battell's. Wrote a letter to Mr. Emerson," at New Haven, for the church committee. I fear the church here are in a critical sit- uation. 8. Quite rainy the most of the day. Received of my brother Nat, gio.oo. At the middle of the afternoon set out for home. Rode to the east part of New Hartford and tarried at a tavern. The road quite wet. 9. Rode early and got home a little after eight o'clock, twenty-three miles. Very tired. Very sultry hot. Preached with an old sermon on Acts xxvi : 29. At evening attended the conference. We had a hard thunder- shower while we were at the meeting in the afternoon, and another before sun- down. Yesterday Mr. Battell made me a present of a good volume of sermons and also of linen worth at least $10.00. Very much fatigued. 10. Very warm. The thermometer rose to 95°. Yesterday it was near 90°. Read. Wrote. Visited. Wrote to my brother Frank now in New Hampshire. 11. Rode out and visited. Thermometer 88°. Vegetation is very rapid. Read Tristram Shandy. Paid for liquors, §1.33. 12. Rode to Hartford with Frances.' Very sultry hot. People are gen- erally haying. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Paid for the binding my IVasliitigtons Life, $5.63. People are very eager for the purchase of foreign commodities. Visited. We have a great dearth of foreign news. 13. Mr. Ralph Haskell called on me. He is very low and apparently de- clining. Wrote. Went into the water. The thermometer was at 94°. 14. Wrote all day so far as I could in the heat. The thermometer rose a ' Horace Loomis was a member of Dr. ' This was the part of the town of Weston, Robbins's church, admitted in 1S09, during once known as the parish of North Fairfield, the first year of his ministry. and now Easton. Connecticut, in the former - Rev. Henry Sherman was graduated at years, greatly abounded in parishes, many of Yale in 1S03. He had his license to preach which have since been changed into towns, renewed by the New Haven East Associa- " Rev. Ralph Emerson, D.D., who had been tion in 1S12. He was at Weston only from cently called to the Norfolk church. 1S13 to 1S15. ' Miss Frances Wolcott. 634 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROIiBINS, D.D. [1815. little above 96°. Afternoon there was thunder and a little rain. At evening had a serious prayer-meeting. 15. Wrote a sermon on Jer. xiv : 8. Wet. Worked some. 16. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, xiii : 24 to the end. Afternoon preached on Jer. xiv : 8. Sultry hot. Thermometer 93°. After meeting we had a hard rain. On account of the weather I appointed no conference. Walked out. 17. Read Owen' on the /fe6re7Cis. Early in the morning rode to Hartford and back. Mr. Huntington,^ of Middletown, called on me. At evening walked out and visited. 18. Am quite unwell. Took physic. My neck continues to be quite sore in consequence of my fall from my horse. Can do very little. Read the Sentinmital yourney? Rode out. A very fine time for business. 19. Am better than I was yesterday. People are generally beginning har- vest. Rode to Hartford. Saw there Mr. Battell and my sister. Sister Bet- sey declines. We have a poor prospect for our next Magazine* Visited. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. Received a semi-annual dividend from tlie Eagle Bank, of $30.00. Paid Mr. Battell, $15.00. 20. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. The thermometer at 87°. At evening my little niece, Sarah Battell, was brought here to stay for a while and go to school. Mr. Battell sent her up from Hartford. Visited. 21. Wrote some. Could do but little on account of the heat. The ther- mometer rose in the afternoon without a very clear sun to 98°. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Quite thin. On the 19th wrote to Mr. Robert Watkinson, of Hartford. We had cucumbers. 22. Unable to write on account of the heat. Read Owen on the Hibraos, an excellent work. Received a letter from my brother James. The ther- mometer was a little while at 98°, but was about 94° a great part of the day. 23. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Jer. xiii : 23. Afternoon preached with an old sermon on Rev. iii : 2. At evening attended the confer- ence. Thermometer 94°. Meeting quite thin. 24. Rode out. Rode to the harvest field and carried dinner. Visited. Thermometer 92°. The harvest is remarkably good, particularly the rye. We have very hot nights. All last week was a very favorable season for get- ting in crops. The corn has grown for three weeks past most astonishingly. 25. Rode to Hartford. We have great difficulty in preparing the next Magazine. The heat extremely oppressive. Was able to do but very little on account of its severity. Dr. Strong's thermometer was at 100°. At evening preached at the conference on Jer. xiv : 8. In the afternoon and evening we ' Rev. Henry Owen was a learned clergy- Church, of Middletown, but left the follow- man of the Church of England. He died ing year, in 1795, at the age of eighty. ' Sterne's Seittimaital Journey would lie ' Rev. Dan Huntington, formerly of Litch- easy reading for an invalid, field, and whom we have often had occasion * The Connecticut Evangelical Magatint to notice, was then pastor of the First was nearing its end. 1815.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 635 had some rain. Paid for a pair of new shoes, $2.00. Did not go home in the evening on account of the shower. 26. Rode home. Last evening there was a barn standing within a few rods of our meeting-house struck with lightning and consumed with valuable contents. Gave the man $5.00. Rainy and wet. 27. Rode to Warehouse Point. Visited Mr. Huse ' and others. People are universally harvesting. Tarried out. 28. Visited. Wrote for the Magazine. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. Thermometer about 93°. 29. Wrote. Read Owen on the Hebrews. Afternoon rode to Middletown to preach for Mr. Huntington, who is to supply me. The heat verj' severe. Thermometer about 92°. 30. Mr. Huntington is absent on a visit to Hadley.^ Preached on Heb. xi : 24, 25, and Ps. l.\.K.\iv : 2. At six o'clock attended a third service by re- quest, and preached on Heb. iii : 17, 18. This is a large and very respectable congregation. This town appears quite flourishing. Visited Dr. Miner,^ my classmate. Much oppressed with the heat. 31. Visited. Rode to Hartford. Assisted in preparing the next .A/a^az/wi?. Rode home. Quite tired. The thermometer yesterday and today I conclude must have been a little above 90°. I think I have never known a month of such rapid and powerful vegetation as this July. August. 1. Read Owen on the Hebrews. Thermometer 95°. Visited. Heard the interesting news that the war in Europe has commenced by a great battle between the French and the allies, with the very pleasing information that the French are totally beaten.* Hindered by company. 2. We have quite a change of weather without any wet. The thermome- ter did not rise to 80°. Looked over my pecuniary accounts. Afternoon worked till dark in the meadow. 3. Quite cool. Looked over and cast my pecuniary accounts. My ordi- nary expenses for the past year have not been so great as some preceding years. I do much less business than I ought to. Worked some. Visited. 4. Wrote. Afternoon worked at hay in the meadows. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. Pretty thin. We are evidently growing very stupid. ' Rev. Nathaniel Huse, Episcopal min- fought on the iSth of April, 1S15. The ister. French army consisted of over 70,000 men. ^ He was going to Hadley, and took East The allied army, under Wellington, during Windsor on the way for an e.xchange. Had- the early part of the battle consisted of about ley was the town where Rev. Mr. Huntington, 67,000. But in the afternoon Blucher, the who lived to great age, spent all the latter Prussian general, brought in some 50,000 portion of his life. At Hadley, his son, more, and the French army %vas routed. Bishop F. D. Huntington, D. D., was born. Hardly any battle of the world has gathered ' Thomas Miner, M. D., President of the about itself a larger interest than the battle Connecticut Medical Society. of Waterloo. It was the end of Napoleon * This was the great battle of Waterloo, as a great military and civil leader. 636 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1815. 5. Wrote the most of a sermon on Gen. xxvii : 38. Read Lord Welling- ton's account of the great battles in Flanders at the opening of the war. I think thev must have decided the fate of Bonaparte. I think it a merciful interposition of heaven. I think Lord Wellington must be deemed a superior general to Bonaparte. 6. Preached with old notes on Isa. .xlii : 10. Pretty poorly. Finished and preached in the afternoon the sermon begun yesterday. At evening attended the conference. Quite cool. The thermometer in the evening was down to 54°. 7. Worked some. Wrote a letter to my brother James, and one to Rev. Mr. Olds,' of Greenfield, Mass. Rode out. Am considerably troubled with a rheumatism in my shoulder. 8. Walked to Wapping and visited. The ground is exceeding dry. Tarried at Wapping. The people here are very much divided. 9. Walked and visited all day. Got home late. The late great action in Flanders ^ was very severe, and puts the character of Lord Wellington as an officer clearly above that of Bonaparte, and shows the decided superiority of English to French troops.' Infinite wisdom has appointed that that people who have invariably opposed the barbarian Bonaparte should finally become his conqueror. Good is the Lord. 10. Wrote. My garden has done very well this year. It now contains a large number of watermelons. At evening preached at the academy without any notes on i Chron. xvii : 25. The meeting not very full. 11. Through the wonders of infinite love I have been preserved another year of my life. Began and wrote a little on a sermon on Eph. iii : 8. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. Last night we had a very refreshing rain. The ground was exceeding dry. Quite cool. 12. Wrote on my sermon begun yesterday. In the forenoon wrote six pages in four hours and a half, and after an interval of two hours, did the same in the afternoon. We have the account of the abdication of Bonaparte,* and that lie is making attempts to get to this country.' Wonderful are the events which pass before our eyes. Paid for half a year of my newspaper. ' Rev. Gamaliel S. Olds was a colleague this battle goes to prove these things. The pastor with kev. Roger Newton, D. D., of the battle hung in even scale for a long time, First Church in Greenfield, 1813-1816. In but the allies at last were greatly superior in the last-named year Dr. Newton died, after numbers. a ministr)' of fifty-five years, and Mr. Olds * He abdicated June 22, 1S15, four days resigned. He, Mr. Olds, was a native of after the b.ittle. Granville, Mass., was graduated at Williams 'In the Biography of S. V. S. Wilder, College. iSoi, was for some years tutor there, published by the American Tract .Society, it was professor at University of Vermont and is stated that Napoleon had an opportunity at Amherst College, and at last preached in to come to this country, if he would separate Ohio from 1S41 to his death in 1S48. himself entirely from his old companions in ' We more commonly speaU of this coun- arms, and come alone. Hut this, on reflection, try as Belgium, but Flanders made a large he decided not to do, and so went to .St. pan of Ilelgium. Helen,!. \Vc have no occasion for regret ' It may be doubted whether the result of that he decided as he did. iSlS-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 637 gi.oo. And for the postage of the Middletown paper, which has been given me for a year, .50. 13. Rainy and wet. Wrote on my sermon of yesterday, but finally con- cluded not to preach it today. In the forenoon preached an old sermon on I Pet. i : 8. Last night Ralsaman Haskell," a ver}' near friend to me, living at his father's in the upper part of Windsor, drowned himself in Connecticut River. He has long been in a declining state of health, and in extreme men- tal depression. I cannot conclude he was not a Christian. At evening visited the afflicted brother,'' and had a conference. 14. Warm and shower). Rode to Pine Meadow,' and attended the funeral of Mr. Haskell. Mr. Rowland preached. Mr. Wolcotf* had a hired man badly hurt by a fall in the barn. Visited. 15. Wrote on a piece for the Afagazine. At evening attended a small religious meeting and baptized a child.' The parents are to move from us this week. 16. Quite rainy all day. Read in Fuller's Chunk History.'' Received a letter desiring me to attend an ordination at Coventry.' Received a letter from Mr. Flint inviting the church and me to appear at the next annual meet- ing of the Consociation. Received a letter from Mrs. Jerusha Watson, of Hartford, requesting me to preach at the anniversary meeting of the Hartford Female Beneficent Societ)-. It will be quite inconvenient for me. Worked at my library. 17. Walked and visited. My garden does very well in watermelons. It is a fine year for them. Had company. 18. Visited a sick man. Afternoon rode to Wapping and visited a school. Quite rainy. Tarried out. Had no prayer-meeting on account of the rain. 19. Yesterday afternoon Lieut-Governor Goodrich' died suddenly at Hart- ford. A man more respected than any other in the State. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. The thermometer at 88°. It has been nearly the same for three or four days past. Towards night Mr. Clark,' lately dismissed from Chatham, came here to spend the Sabbath with me. Received a letter from my sister Battell. 20. Preached in the forenoon with an old sermon on Luke xxii : 31, 32. ' His full name, as given in Stiles's jY/VtoT-^ quaint Thomas Fuller, 160S-1661, who, in of IViiidsor, was Carmaralzaman (called Ral- 1655, published in London T/u- Church His- zaman for short). He was the youngest child tory of Britain from the Birth 0/ Jesus Christ of Jabez and Elizabeth (Eissell) Haskell, and until the Year 164S. was born .Sept. 12, 1790. ' Rev. Chauncey Booth, a native of East ' His brother, here referred to, was Eli R. Windsor (north parish), was to be settled in Haskell, of East Windsor Hill, who has been Coventry, often mentioned in the diary. ' Hon. Chauncey Goodrich, born in Dur- ' On the west side of the river, in the ham, Ct., Oct. 20, 1759, graduated at Vale, upper part of Windsor. '7/6. prominent lawyer in Hartford, and * Mr. Abiel Wolcott, where he boarded. holding many official positions. 5 Erasmus Adrian, son of Mr. William R. ' Rev. Eber L. Clark, before spoken of, Phelps. who had been settled at Chatham (now Port- ' This was a work of the learned and land) from 1S12 to 1S15. 63S DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1815. Afternoon Mr. Clark preached for me. Veiy warm. Tliermometer near 90°. After meeting rode to Warehouse Point and preached in their new church on Heb. xi : 24, 25. Returned in the evening. The Episcopal society there is quite small. Mr. Clark attended our church conference. 21. Finished and carried to Hartford a piece for the Magazine. Rode on a journey to Norfolk. Mrs. Wolcott goes with me. Quite showery. The roads are wet. Got to Colebrook and tarried at my brother Ammi's. 22. There is a good deal of haying here yet to be done. Rode to Norfolk. Sister Betsey declines gradually, but quite slow. Mother is quite well. Mr. Sherman ' continues to preach here. At evening preached a lecture in the meeting-house from Jer. xiv : 8. There is considerable seriousness here at this time. Mr. McEvven,^ of New London, is here. 23. Spent considerable time with sister Betsey. She is at her daughter Eliza's. Dined at Mr. Battell's with Mr. McEwen. In the afternoon set out for home with Mrs. Wolcott. Paid Mr. Battell thirty cents and balanced his book. Rode to New Hartford and tarried at a tavern. Rode when it was quite dark. 24. Rode early to Hartford. Attended the Magazine business. Rode home. I think Mrs. Wolcott is better for her ride. The weather is constantly wet and cloudy. We continue to have very pleasing news from Europe. Louis ' appears likely to resume the French government. 25. Rode out and visited. Paid for four bushels of oats, $2.00. Yester- day wrote to Mrs. Jerusha Watson, of Hartford, accepting of their request to preach to the Female Beneficent Society. Also wrote to Mr. Battell. Also received a letter from my brotlier Frank, now a missionary in New Hampshire. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 26. Visited a sick man in the hither part of East Hartford. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Hindered by company. 27. Finished my sermon on Eph. iii : 8 and preached with it all day. Meeting quite full. At evening attended the conference. Baptized a child.* 28. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. Walked out and visited. Quite warm. Hindered by company. Wrote quite late. 29. Finished my Magazine manuscript and carried it to Hartford. Very warm. Received a letter from Mrs. J. Watson, of Hartford. At evening preached at Dr. Strong's conference on Gen. x.vvii : 38. Received a letter of military orders for the regimental review to be at Vernon. 30. We have news that Bonaparte has surrendered himself to a commander of a British ship.' The heat very oppressive, though the thermometer was not over 86°. Read. Visited. 31. Rode to Wapping and visited. Conversed witii persons on the subject ' Rev. Henry Sherman, before noticed. vacilc the throne March 20, 1S13, but returned ' IJr. Abel McEwen, who married Sarah, to it July 8th of the same year. daughter of Mr. William Battell, of Torring- * Arthur, son of Mr. Elihu Wolcott. ford, and who was the lifelong pastor of the 'On the 15th of July, 1815, Napoleon first church in New London, Ct. surrendered to Captain Maitland of the Brit- ' Louis XVIII, who had been obliged to ish ship Bdleroflion, 1815.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 639 of making a profession of religion. Cool. At evening Mr. Battel! came here and tarried. Gave him a note of S300.00 for one of same amount, which I paid in the bank, which he has taken up. September. 1. Quite cool. Wrote. Mr. Battell went off in the evening and carried his little daughter Sarah. Wrote a letter for Mr. Wolcott to Mr. F. Mills, Esq., Norfolk. Wrote. Hindered by company. At evening attended our prayer-meeting and assisted the church committee in examining three young persons for our communion. 2. Wrote a sermon on i John v: 7. It cost me a good deal of labor. We hear that Mr. Prudden,' of Enfield, is very sick. Wrote a letter to his son. Received a letter from my cousin S. P. Robbins and others from Marietta. We have the pleasing news of Bonaparte's arrival in England, as a prisoner of war. The thermometer this morning was 3° below the freezing point. There was a fog and no frost. 3. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, xv : 1-28. Afternoon preached the sermon written yesterday on the Trinity. Propounded three young per- sons for the communion of the church. The church chose a delegate to attend the proposed ordination at Coventry. After meeting performed a marriage.'' After which rode to Enfield. Mr. Prudden is very sick. In the evening preached a lecture in the meeting-house from Jer. xiv : 8. The people feel a great solicitude respecting their beloved minister. Warm. Much fatigued. 4. I do not much expect Mr. Prudden will live. Tarried last night at Maj. Barron's. Rode home. Wrote. Afternoon attended a little while at a training. Visited. 5. Rainy all day. Cold ; had a fire in my chamber. Began a sermon on Luke X : 29 for the Beneficent Society at Hartford. Wrote considerably. 6. Worked at my librar)'. Wrote. Afternoon rode to Hartford. The Democrats' are making great exertions in the State for the approaching Free- men's Meeting. 7. Worked at my books. In the forenoon heard that Mr. Prudden is failing, and probably near death. Set oil soon and rode to Enfield. Found Mr. Prudden very low and unable to speak. Concluded not to leave him at present. At eight o'clock in the evening he expired, leaving a confident hope of his future blessedness. In the evening rode to Longmeadow. Mr. Storrs ' is on a journey and not returned, though expected last evening and this. The family desired me to preach at the funeral on failure of Mr. Storrs. The funeral must be tomorrow. The disease was typhus fever and highly putrid. Returned to Deacon Pierce's in Enfield, and after eleven o'clock at night ' Rev. Nehemiah Prudden, settled in En- ' Rev. Richard Salter Storrs, the first field in 17S2. minister bearing that name, was Rev. Mr. 2 The parties united were Mr. Ralph Raw- Prudden's near neighbor, and was moreover don, of Albany, and Susan -Arnold. a man of marked ability. It was, therefore, ^ They make these exertions every year, altogethernatural that Mr. Storrs should have but do not secure a very large vote relatively. preached, had he been at home. 640 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1815. began a sermon for the funeral on Rev. ii : lo. Wrote till two o'clock. Wrote home to Mr. Wolcott. 8. Rose early and wrote steadily till twelve o'clock and finished my ser- mon.' It is pretty long and all written. It is written with great marks of haste. Afternoon attended the funeral and preached. There was a very great concourse of people, including nine ministers. Quite warm. In the evening rode home with Mr. Wolcott. I pray that this scene may be useful to me, and to many ministers, that we may constantly remember our approach- ing day of account. 9. On the 6th received a letter from Rev. Mr. Flint," and one from Howe,' the bookseller in New Haven, accompanied by a valuable Greek Le.xicon. \\'rote to Mr. Flint. Afternoon rode to Enfield to supply that destitute people. Quite warm. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. 10. Visited a man very sick in consequence of taking saltpetre by mistake for salts. The heat severe and oppressive. Preached in the forenoon from Matt. .\i : 30. Afternoon from Hab. iii : 17, 18. After meeting attended a funeral. Very much fatigued by my late labors. 11. Rode home. The heat very severe. The thermometer was a little above 92°. I conclude it was a few degrees lower yesterday. Wrote to Mr. North,* late a school-teacher here, and to my sister Battell. At evening we had considerable rain with a great deal of thunder. 12. Rode early to Hartford. Joseph Bonaparte' is said to have arrived in this countr}'. Rode to Wapping and visited a school which appeared indiffer- ently. Afternoon visited a school very well instructed. At evening we had a hard shower, with verj- severe thunder. 13. In the morning was called to see a sick woman who died while I was present.' On the nth received a letter from Mr. Perkins,' minister at Amherst. He agreed to supply my pulpit on the Sabbath, but failed. There was no supply. Wrote. Read in the Boston Unitarian controversy. .After- noon visited a school. Thermometer 82°. 14. Read. Visited a school. The heat quite oppressive. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Paid to the Hartford Bank, $4.90, and gave a new note for $300.00 for ninety-five days. The religious controversy at Boston has got into the newspapers.' I fear it will do no good. Thermometer 83°. 15. Attended a funeral. Last evening my cousin Eliza Olmstead' came ' Dr. Robbins certainly did nobly in ex- iSi 5-1832, lived in England, 1S32 to 1841, erting himself so vigorously to meet a really went to Italy in last-named year, and died important occasion. there, 1S44. ' Dr. Abel Flint, of Hartford. ' Mrs. Kuhamah Ulakeslee, of Torring- ' Gen. Hezekiah Howe. ford, Ct. * Milo L. North, already mentioned, who ' Rev. Nathan Perkins, pastor of Second taught the academy at East Windsor Hill, a Church of Amherst, settled there in 1810, a graduate of Yale, 1813. They were having graduate of Vale, 1795. the customary hot weather of early Sep- * The controversy between the Unitarians tcmber. and the Orthodox. For some years it filled a ' Joseph Bonaparte, born 176S, made king large place in newspapers and quarterlies, of the two Sicilies 1805, lived in this country, ' Her husband died some time before. 1815.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 64 1 here to make a short visit. Wrote to Mr. Ebenezer Parker, of Boston. Hin- dered by company. Walked out. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Quite thin. 16. My cousin Eliza and her little child went away after making us an agreeable visit. Wrote to my brother Frank, now as I suppose in the district of Maine. Wrote and finished my sermon on Luke x : 29 for the Hartford Beneficent Society. Thermometer 83°. The heat is severe. Received from my collector, $50.00. Received the same sum, $50.00, from my brother Nat, sent by Mr. Battell. 17. Preached an old sermon on i Cor. v: 20. Received three young per- sons into the church. Afternoon something rainy. At evening rode to Hart- ford and preached to the Female Beneficent Society on Luke x : 29. Very rainy. The meeting was thin. Got a new pair of boots. 18. Left home early on a journey to New Hampshire. Rode through Enfield, Longmeadow, Springfield, South Hadley, Hadley, to Sunderland. Put up at a tavern. Slept at Rev. Mr. Taylor's.' Rode fifty miles. Quite cool. 19. Rode early through Montague, Northfield, Winchester, Swanzey, to Keene, forty miles.^ Met with the General Association of New Hampshire.' Mr. Gillet,** of Branford, my colleague, is here. The Association appear well. Preached in the evening on Ps. Ixxxiv : 2-28. 20. Am very kindly entertained at Mr. Watson's. Lodge with Rev. Mr. Fowler,' of Windsor, Vt., my classmate. The Association attend closely to business, but do it in a very incorrect manner. The ecclesiastical regulations of this State are very deficient. The report of the state of religion represented it pretty low, but rather encouraging. Heard the report of the New Hamp>- shire Bible Society. That does well and does good. At evening heard a good sermon from Dr. Burton,' of Thetford, Vt. 21. The General Association concluded their business in the morning. Heard the annual report of the New Hampshire Missionary Societ)'. Their efforts are very laudable and useful. Heard a missionary sermon. At even- ing Mr. Gillet preached. In the morning we had a prayer-meeting. This town is very pleasant. The people appear very well. We have had very pleasant weather this week. Have found a number of people with whom I had been partially acquainted. 22. There was a little frost in this quarter in the mornings of the 19th and 20th. In the forenoon set out for home. Rode to Winchester, fifteen miles. It began to rain and continued through the day. Tarried at a tavern. Read. ' Rev. James Taylor, a native of West- ciation of Connecticut to that of New Hamp- field, Mass., a graduate of Williams College, shire, meeting this year at Keene. 1S04, pastor at Sunderland from 1807 to his ■* Rev. Timothy Phelps Gillet. death, 1831. ' Rev. Bancroft Fowler, his classmate at ' The three last-named towns were in New Yale, afterwards professor at Bangor Sem- Hampshire. The village of Keene lies in the inary. beautiful .-Vshuelot valley. ' Dr. Asa Burton, father of the Tmle ' He is a delegate from the General Asso- Sciieme. 642 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D, L'^'S' 23. The rain continued through the last night and till noon. For the most of the forenoon it was exceeding violent. About one o'clock set out on my journey, crossed the river at Northfield, and rode to Deerfield. Tarried at a tavern. All the streams are very high. The roads are much injured ; a great many bridges are carried away. In the forenoon wrote to my brother Frank, who continues a missionary in the lower part of New Hampshire. My horse travels exceeding well. 24. Having calculated to spend this Sabbath at Northampton and hav- ing a difficulty in staying at Deerfield, I conclude to ride. Rode to Northamp- ton by nine o'clock. Kindly entertained at Judge Lyman's.' Very difficult getting along in some places on account of the ravages of the water. In the forenoon heard Mr. Abbott,^ a young minister of Salem, preach for Mr. Will- iams. In the afternoon I preached from Ps. l.xxxiv : 2. The congregation was very large. This meeting-house was very large and elegant. In the even- ing preached in the meeting-house by desire without notes on Num. x : 29. The meeting was full. Dined with most of the members of the Supreme Court. They are pretty far from religion, to appearance. Connecticut River rises very rapidly. 25. Walked out. Called on some acquaintance. There is some religious attention in this town. Judge Lyman is very pleasantly situated here. After dinner rode to Westfield. The storm I think must have been more severe here than at the northward. This town has sustained great injury. Tarried at Mr. Knapp's.' 26. Rode to Simsbury and met with our Consociation. We took a par- ticular notice of the late death of Mr. Prudden. In the evening rode home. I have had a ver}' pleasant and prosperous journey, through the special bless- ing of God. Got home late. I obtained leave of absence from the Consocia- tion. Warm and pleasant. Received a letter from my sister Battell and one from brother Frank. 27. Am much fatigued with my late labors. Rode to Vernon and attended a regimental review as chaplain. The regiment performed very well. Con- necticut River was higlier on Monday, by several feet, than it has been this year. We hear of great damage of many kinds done by the late storm. 28. This morning there was a frost. The first that has been here to injure vegetation. Wrote. Rode to Hartford. We have done nothing yet for the next Magazine. Paid an instalment of $187.50 to the Phcenix Bank. Re- ceived at the bank a dividend of $30.00. Put in a note of $90.00 for ninety- five days, and received $88.53. Paid for my boots, $9.50. At evening preached at Dr. Strong's conference on Matt, xxvi : 35. Much oppressed by my late fatigues. ' Judge Joseph Lyman, before noticed, ' Rev. John Emery Abbott, native of Ex- who wras a member of the Hartford Conven- eter, N. U., graduate of Bowdoin College, tion, and whose second wife was a daughter 1810, pastor of North Church, Salem, 1813, to of Lieutenant-Governor E. H. Kobbins, of his death, 1819, at the age of twenty-seven. Milton, Mass. ' Kcv. Isaac Knapp. 1815.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 643 29. Visited a young man ver)' sick with bleeding of the lungs. Read. Afternoon preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Jude xxi. Towards evening my brother Frank came here from New Hampshire. I think he has been useful as a missionary in those old decaying places. Attended our even- ing prayer-meeting. Visited sick persons. 30. Wrote on a piece for the Magazine. My brother concludes to tarry with me over the Sabbath. Am very poorly qualified for writing on account of my late fatigues. Wrote late. It appears that Bonaparte is sent to the island of St. Helena." He will probably disturb the world no more. October. 1. My brother preached all day. I never heard him before. He per- formed very well, and very acceptable to the people. I trust he will make a useful man. Administered the Lord's Supper. The day was very pleasant, and the church unusually full. I hope we still have some tokens of the divine presence with us. At evening attended the conference. Wrote. Quite late finished my piece for the Magazine, 2. Rode early to Hartford. My brother went off for Westfield and Nor- folk. Visited a sick man. I have now the first opportunity for relaxation for about three weeks. Paid a merchant at Hartford, $11.96. Read. 3. Read a Boston Socinian pamphlet. I do but little. Warm. Received a letter of thanks from the Female Beneficent Society, of Hartford, for my late sermon. Wrote. 4. Walked and visited the sick and others. Visited a school. We have continued accounts of the destruction of the late storm. I think it must have been greater than any one in New England for a long period. 5. Visited. The season very fine. There is a prospect of a great crop of corn. Afternoon rode to East Hartford and performed a marriage.'' Rode to Hartford. Society prospects at East Hartford are more favorable. Paid for a pair of bracelets for Ursula, §3.00. At evening by an accident I broke my thermometer. I feel it to be quite a misfortune.^ 6. Wrote. Afternoon attended the funeral of an infant child.'' Visited the sick. Attended our evening prayer-meeting. Received a letter from Mr. Battell, informing me that my sister ' is much worse and will not probably live but a short time. I believe I shall go to Norfolk next Monda)'. Warm. 7. Wrote a sermon on Mark viii : 34. At evening received a letter from my sister Battell informing me of the painful fact that my sister Grant ' is dead. She died last evening at eight o'clock. The Lord abundantly sanctify this breach to those of us who by his mercy still survive. Brother Frank was ' Napoleon Bonaparte was taken to the H.artford, and I^r. Robbins was called upon isle o£ St. Helena in the summer of 181 5, w//6'j. Hindered by company. At evening visited. I fear the Baptist sentiments are increasing here. Put out a cask of cider to freeze. Paid for my New Haven religious paper, $3.25. I think I shall not take it another year. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. 22. Rode to Wapping and visited. Cold and very tedious. The roads very rough. Mr. Blakeslee is making great efforts to make Baptists. 23. Received a good letter from my mother. Another from my cousin at Marietta, and another from Rev. Dr. Holmes, of Cambridge. Brother Frank came here and returned. There is difficulty in the church at Norfolk. It seems to be needful for us to go there next week. Rode to Mr. Bartlett's and preached an evening lecture for him with short notes on Ps. Ixxvi : 7. The meeting was very full and solemn. The work of divine grace here seems to increase. The morning extreme cold. Had a very fine load of wood brought me from Wapping. Wrote to my sister. 24. Last night it snowed considerably, previous to which the ground was perfectly bare. Rode home. Had company. .Sleighs move considerably. 25. Wrote the most of a sermon on Hos. xi : 4. I write quite slow. I am something troubled with a tremor in my hand. 26. Finished and preached my sermon on Hos. xi : 4. Received a letter from Mr. Emerson, at Norfolk, informing me that it is unnecessary for me to go there this week on account of the church matters. Wrote to him in answer. At evening attended the conference. Pretty good sleighing. Towards night it grew very cold. Visited a family with a dying infant. 27. Severe cold. Paid $13.75 for one half of a sulky which I havfe bought ' Saint Thascius Caecilius Cyprian, one of = His edition of Cook's I'oyages, it will be the principal Latin Fathers, born at Carthage remembered, cost him $60.00. about the beginning of the third century, ' Which Mr. Samuel Etheridge had of- made Bishop of Carthage 248, and suffered fered. The premium for the best paper on martyrdom 25S. Dr. Robbins's library, when the subject of libraries for ministers has been he had made an end of gathering books, was mentioned before. rich in choice editions of the early Christian ' Because of the recent death of her Fathers. mother, Mrs. Tudor. 694 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['Si?. with Mr. Wolcott. Attended tlie funeral of an infant child. Wrote on my library dissertation. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 28. Extreme cold and blustering. In the morning set out in a sleigh 10 ride to Norfolk. Rode half a mile and found the weather so tedious iliat I returned. Wrote. Had a visit from Dr. Strong,' and Mr. Perry. They think of publishing their father's works. I find the want of a thermometer. Read Cook's Voyages. 29. The weather moderates. Wrote. Put up my frozen cider. Reduced twenty-eight gallons to about twelve. Had company. Ai evening it snowed some. 30. Finished my dissertation on the prize question respecting a minister's librar)'. Walked out and visited. Paid $4.67 for eight bushels of oats. 31. Read in the first book of Virgil's yEiuid. Its beauties are wonderful.^ Rode out and visited. February. 1. Wrote a part of a sermon on Matt, v: 17. Wrote slow and poorly. Hindered by company. 2. Expected assistance, but was disappointed. In the forenoon ex- pounded on Matt. XXV : i to 31. Afternoon preached an old sermon on I Sam. XV : 29. At evening visited a sick man and attended a singing-meeting. 3. Visited the most of the day. Visited our academic school. .At even- ing attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Had the assistance of Mr. John Marsh.' 4. Rode to Windsor in a sleigh and met with the Association. The cold was very tedious and severe. I was scribe of the Association. Our meeting was not very full. Mr. Fairchild'' preached at an extra evening meeting. 5. The weather seems to be the coldest we have had. It is very severe. The Association did considerable business. Afternoon set out for Norfolk and rode to my brother Ammi's and tarried. Ammi's health is not good. I feel anxious about him. The sleighing is indifferent the snow is so thin. 6. Rode to Norfolk. My mother grows old, but is pretty well. Mr. Emerson is an excellent man. I hope the difficullies in the church here will not be lasting. The weather moderates. 7. Brother Samuel seems to prosper in his business. I suspect the popu- lation in this town is diminishing. It thaws some. Mr. Emerson is in some trouble respecting a matrimonial connection. 8. Rode home. Warm and thawy all day. Came much of the way on bare ground. Walked a good deal. Got home at dark. Visited a sick man. Quite tired. " Nathan Strong, M. D., of Hartford. ' Rev. John M.irsh, Jr., of Wcthersfield, ' Many pcr.sons will recall the keen de- who h.id recently finished his studies and light with which they first made their way was laboring somewhat mi.scellaneously. slowly and laboriously into these new am! ■• Rev. Joy II. Kairchild, the newly settled "wonderful beauties." minister at East Hartford. l8l7-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 695 9. In the morning rode to Windsor and made an exchange with Mr. Rowland. It is very good crossing. It snowed the most of the day. Preaciied on Acts viii : 23, and Heb. xi : 16. The meeting pretty thin. Returned. Read. 10. Warm. Rode to Enfield. The sleighing not good. At evening attended a prayer-meeting on my return. At night it became very cold. 11. Extreme cold. Wrote. Received a letter from Mr. Flint. Paid for postage for my newspaper, .31. My green trees were hurt with the frost during my absence last week. Studied Virgil. 12. It snowed some. Wrote to Gen. Perkins, of New Connecticut. Read. .\t evening rode with Mr. Wolcott and made a visit at Mr. Olcott's in Orford. Very cold. 13. Rode to Hartford. Good sleighing. Saw the presentation of a sword from a committee from the Legislature of New York to Commodore Macdonough.' The scene was gratifying and imposing. The public dinner was very elegant and splendid. A very good load of wood was brought me from W'apping.^ 14. Most extreme cold. The wind high and severe. Had four good loads of wood brought me from Wapping. Had company. Was considerably hurt by a fall down stairs. I feel very much the want of a thermomeier. Read Dryden's Virgil.^ 15. Read the Bible. Wrote. Visited sick persons. The cold still very severe. Many persons were partially frozen yesterday. Read Edwards's Works. 16. The cold seems to abate a little. Preached an old sermon on .\cts viii : 8. Sleighing pretty good. .\m exceedingly troubled with wandering and unprofitable thoughts. At evening brother Frank and cousin Eliza came here. Went with them to our singing-school. That appears well. The even- ing very cold. 17. My brother returned. Visited a sick woman. It snowed the most of the day. Read Cyprian. 18. The snow continues to fall and blow. We have many accounts of the extraordinary cold of last Friday. At Dartmouth College the mercury is said to have sunk to 30° below zero. Read Newton's Chronology.* It is a great work and verj' valuable. 19. The snow is about a foot deep. Warm and pleasant. Rode out. Good sleighing. Put up my dissertation on the subject of a ministers' librar}', and put it in the post office to go to Charlestown. Paid the post- age, .50. Read Newton's Chronology. ' Commodore Thomas Macdonough, for ^ All of the wood given to Dr. Robbins his important services in the War of 181 2, seems to come from Wapping. especially for his victory on Lake Champlain. ^ We had supposed before that he was Commodore Macdonough was born in New reading Virgil in the Latin, but he seems Castle Co., Del., 17S3, and died at sea in now to be using Dryden's translation. 1825. His life was short, but he left behind * Sir Isaac Newton's Chronology of An- an honored name. cicnt Kingdoms, before noticed. 696 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBEINS, D.D. [iSl?- 20. Wrote for Mr. Wolcott. Rode to Enfield with company, and visited my brother and cousin. Returned in the evening. Ver)' pleasant and ver)' fine sleighing. Our visit was agreeable. There is a great deal of sleighing. 21. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in his accounts. Rode to Hartford Afternoon and evening wet and rainy. Had company. I am too irresolute and negli- gent to do much business. 22. Quite warm. The snow thaws very fast. Worked considerably. Got my feet wet and took some cold. Towards evening rode to East Hartford to exchange with Mr. Fairchild. The roads very wet. 23. Mr. Fairchild rode to East Windsor and returned immediately after meeting. Warm and pleasant. The snow goes fast. Preached on Acts viii : 2, 3, and Hos. .xi : 4. Meetings rather thin. In the evening rode home. Read considerably. 24. A very violent snow-storm all day. Finished reading Newton's C/iro- nology. Read Brown's Dictionary of the Bible} A \'aluable work. 25. The snow is very much drifted. Cold. Visited and catechised a school. At evening attended a singing-school. Pretty good sleighing. Have a little of my rheumatism. I hope to persuade Mr. Wolcott to make an addi- tion to his house. I want a better room.^ 26. Wrote considerably. Rode out in a sleigh. In some places the snow is very much drifted. 1 have a great many hindrances in study. Paid a shoe- maker, $1.30. We have a great deal of visiting this winter. There is a petty dancing-school agoing. There are many accounts of the late cold. 27. Read Virgil's yEneid. It snowed considerably. There is now a great weight of it on the ground. Hindered by company. I think I ha\e never known the moral state of my people so low and discouraging. Will the mighty God be our helper. 28. Paid for several late repairs of my sleigh, $2. 48. Rode to Hartford. A great deal of riding and business on the snow. I think it doubtful whether Dr. Strong's people will get a minister soon.^ Visited. .\t night we had a good deal of snow. I do not accomplish as much business as I ought to. March. 1. The snow is quite deep and very heavy. Wrote all day, but I cannot write very fast. I fear I have got a permanent tremor on my hand. Wrote late. 2. Finished and preached a sermon on Matt, v: 17. The subject of the divine law is very important. I regret that I could not have treated it in a better manner. Visited a sick family. Attended a singing-meeting. When I am present the meeting is usually concluded with prayer. 3. Read. Very cold. Last evening received a good letter from my brother James. Mr. Cook is very desirous that I would prepare my sermon, ' Dictionary of the Bible, by John Brown, ^ It was two years and two months after of Haddington, first published in 176S. Dr. .Strong's death before Dr. Joel Hawes ' His library is growing rapidly, and he was settled as his successor. The two men wants more room. were both able, but very unlike. iSi;.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 697 preached at the funeral of his wife, for publication. At evening attended our monthly prayer-ineeting. Rev. Mr. Loomis assisted me. 4. It begins to thaw with pleasant weather. Rode to Wapping and visited. Towards night rode over to Windsor and returned. Fine crossing. At evening performed a marriage.' 5. Rode early to Turkey Hills and met with a new formed ministers' meeting. I am e.>;pected to be a member, but can be no more than an occa- sional. Afternoon returned. Quite warm. Oppressed with a severe head- ache. My cousin Eliza called here. 6. Worked some. Rode to Hartford. The sleighing grows poor. There is a good deal of water, but little bare ground. Read. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Paid my annual tax to the Hartford Tract Society, $1.00. The ice of the river is sound. 7. Wrote. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in his accounts. Worked at my water- drain. It thaws very much. Wrote to my brother James. 8. Wrote a sermon on Luke xviii: 13. I write slow and have many interruptions. Did not finish my sermon till late. 9. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, xxv: 31, to the end. Afternoon preached the sermon written yesterday. Our meeting was attentive and solemn. At evening attended at a singing-meeting. The snow diminishes very much. The sleighing very poor. 10. It rained some. In the forenoon performed a marriage.^ Read. At evening attended our prayer-meeting ; very thin. n. Read President Monroe's inaugural speech. It is tolerably good; better, I think, than Madison's or Jefferson's, but we do have babes to rule over us.' Wrote copying my sermon at the funeral of Mrs. Cook for publication. Visited. 12. Rode to Hartford. Received a dividend at the Phoenix Bank of $55.50. They do exceeding well. Paid Amos Bull towards my books bought of him, S15.00. Paid Mr. Chapin, for brother Frank, $10.00. Paid Caleb Goodwin, Sio.oo. Paid Mr. Potter, for two encyclopedias, $8.00. Paid for framing my portrait, S3. 25. Cold. Bad riding. Dr. Strong's congrega- tion appear to be in a critical state. I am not sorrj- that Mr. Chase* has left Hartford. Worked bottlinsr cider. • Between Timothy Mather, of Windsor, Sophia Strong. Mr. Dobson was an Engh'sh- and Frances Olcott, of East Windsor. man, and Dobson's Factory was a well-known Neither of these family names belonged institution in Vernon, standing not far from to the early settlers of Windsor. The name the Vernon depot, on the Hartford & Prov- Mathcr was brought there by Rev. Samuel idence Railroad. Mather, who was called from Branford, Ct., ' Both James Madison and James Mon- to the ministry in Windsor in 1681. Ho was roe have somehow come to be regarded as a native of Dorchester, Mass., and was grad- very .iblc and excellent men in spite of all uated at Harvard College in 167 1. the prejudices of their own times. The name of Olcott, which belonged ■* This was Rev. Philander Chase, D. D., especially to Hartford, came into East Wind- who from iSii to 1S17 had been rector of sor by way of Bolton. Clirist Church, Hartford. He was then ap- - The parties were Mr. Peter Dobson and pointed to be Bishop of Ohio. 698 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['^ly. 13. Wrote copying my sermon. Wrote for Mr. Wolcott. Read Encyclo- pi£dia. The spring season seems not to advance at all. 14. Last night there was a little snow. In the morning rode to Hartford in a sleigh and brought up a hamper of bottles. The sleighing is about gone. Worked the remainder of the day and evening bottling cider. We have put into the cellar two hundred and seventy-three bottles.' Paid for my hamper, $10.00. It contained one hundred and forty-eight, and none broken. Paid for two gross of corks, $i.oo. The Democrats are making great exertions for our approaching election. 15. Wrote and sent the most of my manuscript to the printer. Rode into the woods and assisted Mr. Wolcott in cutting some timber. .Afternoon Mr. Amasa Loomis came here and concludes to spend the Sabbath with me. Read in Brown's Dictionary of the Bible. 16. Mr. Loomis preached for me. He preached well. Read the Bible. Wrote on my sermon for publication. Attended a singing-school. 17. Finished my manuscript^ and carried it to Hartford. Rode up to Windsor and crossed to this side on the ice. It is all sound at the mouth of Scantick,^ which has never been known before so late in the season. Visited. 18. Quite rainy. A good deal of snow went off. Worked some in the wet. Read the Council of Trent. Visited. 19. Quite cold. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. Wrote. Afternoon walked out and visited. The wind very rough and severe. I'arried out. 20. Walked and visited. Looked at a thermometer in the morning when the sun was more than an hour high, which was at 8°. I believe electioneer- ing efforts have never been greater in this State than at this time.* Received a letter from Mr. Battell and another from my brother Frank. 21. On the 15th received of my collector, $75.00. In the forenoon cate- chised a school ; visited it in the afternoon with the other visitors. Wrote. Paid a clothier, $1.17. 22. Wrote the most of a sermon on Acts xvi: 30. I do not write a page in an hour. The ground thaws considerably. 23. Warm. The ground has become quite wet. Full meeting. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on John i : 29. Finished and preached in the afternoon the sermon on Acts xvi : 30. At evening attended a small conference. 24. Am quite feeble with the opening of the spring. Read. Wet. At ' This was then regarded as one of the would h.ive been his way of crossing, if the necessaries of life. ice had gone. ' Sermon preached on occasion of the * Connecticut had been Federal ever since death of Mrs. Cook, wife of Rev. Elisha this diary opened in 1796, twenty-one years B. Cook, of Orford (Manchester). before, and it was not strange that the Dem- 'This was the 17th of March, and ccr- ocrats should come to power, especially tainly remarkable that the ice of the river as the National Administration had been h.-id not yet been broken up. The mouth Democratic (Republic.nn, as it was often of Scantic was where the ferry was, which then called) for si.xteen years. 1817.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 699 evening attended the prayer-meeting. I think the Democrats have never made so loud exertions before an election in this State as now since 1806. 25. Rode to Wapping. Catechised and visited a school. Wet and warm. The frost comes out of the ground very fast. Mr. Blakeslee ' makes me a good deal of trouble. Visited families. 26. Read Council of Trent. It rained considerably. Wrote. Visited. I have got much in arrear in visiting. 27. Rode to Hartford. The State is ver\- much agitated with the uncom- mon efforts of Democracy. At evening attended a small prayer-meeting. 28. Read Encyclopedia. There is yet a great depth of frost in the ground, though thawed at the surface. Wrote to Mr. Battell. There appears to be very little scarcity of hay. 29. Wrote a sermon in less than nine hours on Acts xvi : 31. Wrote hymns for the singers.° The weather continues cold. The river has got open. T,a. Expounded on Matt, xxvi : 1-30. Afternoon preached the sermon written yesterday. I think my expositions appear to grow more interesting. At evening attended the singing-school. 31. Rode to Hartford. The roads dry considerably. Paid a note of $500.00 in the Phcenix Bank, took up one of $270.00, and received cash, $221.83. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of a child. Visited. April. 1. Warm. Got out my green trees. Catechised and visited a school. Visited the sick and others. Sowed some early seeds. 2. Wrote to my brother at Enfield. Began a sermon for Fast on Eccles. vii : 14. Am much indisposed for writing. Visited. At evening attended our Moral Society meeting. It was adjourned to the evening of the second Tuesday of May, of which I am to give notice. 3. Wrote all day. Wrote eleven pages. The spring advances slowly for want of wet. 4. Fast. Very pleasant. Mr. Blakeslee had a meeting at the school- house near here. Preached on Eccles. vii: 14. Did not finish it till in the intermission. Very tired. Attended a little while at the singing-school. 5. Rode to Wapping and visited. We have considerable change of in- habitants this spring. Am wholly unable to study. 6. In the forenoon preached with old notes on Matt, xxviii : 5. After- noon an old sermon on Ezek. xxxvi : 7. Administered the sacrament. The meetings and the church full and solemn. Much overdone by my late labors. A part of the Fast day exercise was considered preparatory to the sacrament. Contributed at the communion, §5.00. 7. Attended the Freemen's Meeting. The efforts of Democracy are astonishing. Votes: Smith, 233; Wolcott, 128.' It is supposed that nearly " The Baptist minister. ' If all the towns had been like East " Dr. Robbins seems not unfrequently to Windsor, the State would have been safe have exercised himself in the writing of enough for the Federalists for many years to hymns and Xew Year's poetry. come. 700 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBDINS, D.D. ['Si?' thirty Federalists voted for Mr. Wolcott. Was prevented by a thunder-shower from attending the monthly prayer-meeting in the evening. The day was wet and unfavorable to Federalism. The rain was very refreshing to the ground.' S. Visited. Worked some. Visited and catechised a school. I have now done them all except one in Wapping, in which case I was not informed of the time. Visited a family about moving to Hartford. On the 5th paid for garden peas. We are much alarmed about our election. 9. Worked some. Wrote the greater part of a sermon for a singing lecture. It is supposed that Mr. Wolcott is elected Governor. We deserve the divine judgments, and are now called to bear them.^ 10. Finished my .sermon and preached at the singing lecture on Ezra iii : II. The singing was very excellent. Much the best, I think, that 1 have ever heard on a similar occasion. Very tired. Visited. 11. Drove the plough to plow my garden. Drove the scraper consider- ably. On the 8th received a letter from my brother Frank. He was prevented from being here at our singing. 12. Worked the most of the day in my garden. Planted peas. Last night there was a small shower, but the ground is very drj-. 13. A severe wind. The dust flies very much. In the forenoon e.x- pounded on Mat. .\.\vi: 31 to 46. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Ps. li : 18. At evening rode out and performed a marriage.' My brother from Enfield came here and tarried. 14. Read. Rode out and visited. At evening attended a prayer-meeting. Tarried out. A severe wind. The ground wants rain e.xccedingly. 15. Rode to Enfield with Mr. North* to introduce him there as a young physician. Returned and attended the examination of our academy. The performance was very good. Warm. 16. Remarkably warm ; like a hot summer day. Rode to Hartford. My Lardner and some other vokunes are bound very well. Paid my mercliant tailor, $20.00. Paid for repairing our carriage and other things, $1.37. Much oppressed with the heat. Visited. The Democrats triumph with the result of the late election. 17. Wrote. In the morning was called to see a woman' who died sud- denly with a paralytic affection. Afternoon rode to Vernon and attended a singing lecture. Mr. Nash,' of Tolland, preached. Tiiey sung very well. Visited old Mr. Kellogg.' He is pretty low. Returned. Tarried at Captain BisselTs'on account of a ball at our near neighbor's. ' The logic of these sentences seems to ' Mrs. Sarah Olcott, aged fifty-nine. be that what was good for the ground was ' Rev. Ansel Nash, colleague pastor with had for Federalism. the venerable Dr. Nathan Williams. Mr. " The peculiar judgments which he was to Nash was settled there 1813-1831. He was hear proved more tolerable than he thought. afterwards an agent for the Education Society. ' Daniel Stocking, of Scantic, was married ' Kev. Ebenezer Kellogg, who had been to Mary J'ca>e. pastor at Vernon since 1762, but is to pass * Milo L. North, who formerly taught the away by death during this year 1817. academy at lOast Windsor Hill. ' Capt. Aaron Bissell's, at the Mill. 1817.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 70I 18. Visited. Afternoon attended the funeral of Mrs. Olcott. Quite cold. The dust blows exceedingly. 19. Last night it froze quite hard. Worked piling my wood. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in moving a large stump. At evening rode to Enfield to ex- change with my brother. 20. My brother went to Springfield. A candidate, Mr. Lnmbard,' preaches for me. Preached on .\cts xvi : 30, and Acts xvi : 31. At evening attended a conference. The river is quite high by the melting of the snow at the northward in the warm weather of last Wednesday and Thursday. My brother's congregation is perceptibly larger than Mr. Prudden's used to be. 21. Rode home. Very dusty. My brother returned last evening. Vege- tation advances very little. At evening performed a marriage. Received a letter from Rev. Mr. Stewart,^ of Hartford. 22. Worked driving a scraper all day. The labor fatigues me pretty severely. 23. Worked all day driving a scraper. The ground seldom suffers as much by drought as at this time. 24. Wrote. We had in the forenoon a very refreshing rain. Rode to Hartford. Paid at the Hartford Bank, $220.00, and took up my note. Made some orange cordial. 25. Worked in my garden all day, making beds, setting roots, etc. The rain is an immense advantage to vegetation. I find I am a poor gardener. 26. Rode out and visited. Afternoon rode to Hartford to exchange with Mr. Stewart. Towards night we had a short but hard shower. In the even- ing preached at the conference from Rev. iii : 2. The meeting rather thin. 27. Mr. Stewart' went to East Windsor. Preached for him, as he is now- employed to supply Dr. Strong's people, on Acts xvi: 30, and Acts xvi: 31. At evening preached at Mr. Flint's conference on Rom. xii : 2. A candidate was at the other. 28. This society appears to be in a critical state. I know of no suitable man for them. Rode home. Visited. At evening attended our small prayer- meeting. 29. Rode and visited all day. Visited twelve families. Visited a man apparently near dying. People are generally gardening. 30. Quite warm. Visited. Have never completed my annual visitation till now. At the first of May of last year there were one hundred and sixty- five families in this society, thirty-six of whom were certificate people. I have now visited them all but two. We have had a great deal of moving this spring. ' Rev. Horatio J. Lombard, a graduate of ' This Rev. Joseph Steward was so much Williams College in 1815. His principal of a preacher that the Thanksgiving sermon ministry was in the State of New York. preached by him in i8i6, a short time before He was a native of StocUbridge, Mass., and Dr. Strong's death, was asked for publica- died in 1S56, at the age o£ sixty-four. tion, and was published. Had he not been a ' Rev. Joseph Steward. See note under man of good abilities he would not have been date Dec. 21, 1816. called to stand in the place of Dr. Strong. 702 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1817. Our luimber rather diminishes. Wrote. Visited the sick man. Saw blos- soms on the daffas. Had our first asparagus. The Moral Society is to hold their next meeting at the academy on the evening of the fourth Wednesday of September (24th), of which I am to give notice. Mav. 1. Worked in the garden making beds, etc., all day. Quite warm. At evening visited. I have studied lately but little. 2. Worked in the garden. Afternoon attended the funeral of an infant child in the lower part of Scantick. The ground is dry and dusty. People are gardening and sowing summer crops. 3. Wrote the most of a sermon on Eph. iv : 20. I have worked and been about so much lately that I write very poorly. My thoughts are dissipated and my hand trembles. Very warm. Had no fire in my chamber. 4. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Acts xiii : 27. Did not finish my sermon begun yesterday till the intermission. Preached it in the afternoon. At evening attended a conference. It was quite full. The ground is exceeding dry and dusty. Vegetation e.xceedingly wants rain. Yesterday saw peach blossoms. 5. Msited sick persons. Dined witli a military company. Two compa- nies came together and they performed very well. .Vt evening had our monthly prayer-meeting. It was pretty thin. I ha\e ne\er known a time of so great apparent stupidity in this place. May the good Lord help us. 6. Worked in my garden planting, etc. In the morning my brother came here. He bought a chaise in this place. At evening attended the meeting of the Moral Society. Deacon Reed' delivered a very good public address. The drought is verj' severe. We have to water the gardens. Our asparagus produces abundantly. Gave a black woman, $1.00. 7. Wrote. My studies have been too much neglected of late. Wrote a short piece for publication. Visited a sick man. The air is almost filled with (lust. I think I have seldom known so dry a time. Warm. I took off my flannel on the first instant, and have not replaced it. 8. Rode to Hartford and attended the election. \\'et and rainy the most of tlie day. The military companies did not go out. The collection of people was less than usual. Gov. Wolcott's^ majority of three hundred and thirty- five was less than was expected. There have never been so many voles given ' Dca. Al)ner Reed. Hon. John Cotton .Smith continue in office ' A mistake h.is crept into some of our 1815-181S, and Mr. Wolcott stands in his biographical dictionaries touching the year tal)lc 181S-1827. Hut Gov Wolcott certainly when the second Governor Oliver Wolcott took the pl.ice of Gov. Smith in iSt;. Fran- came to his office. Charles Lanman, I'.sq., cis S. Drake, Ksq., who is generally accurate, in his Dutianary of Congress, in his lists of must have copied Lanman'.s mistake into State Governors, makes the first election of his Dictiotuiry of AmcrUnn Ihografhy. The Mr. Wolcott to the governorship take place second Oliver Wolcott w.is Governor of in 1818. And to be consistent he makes the Connecticut ten continuous years, 1817-1827. 1817.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 703 in the State before by some thousands. Mr. Pinneo' was unwell, and Mr. McEwen ° preached. The sermon pretty good. Attended the Bible and An- nuity Societies. The House of Representatives by a very small majority chose Democratic clerks. Rode home in the rain. The rain is e.Kceedingly refreshing to the ground. 9. Saw blossoms on the apple-trees yesterday. There is a great deal of visiting. Dined at Dr. Tudor's. Read Encyclopedia. Yesterday received a letter from my mother, and one from brother Samuel, and one from brother Frank. 10. This morning there was a little frost. .\m so languid that I thought I could not write a sermon. Read Council of Trent. Worked in my garden. 11. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, xxvi : 46 to the end. .Vfternoon preached an old sermon on i Sam. xv : 22. Our meeting was thin. There was a baptism at Wapping of two persons by .Mr. Blakeslee. We had our missionary contribution. It was more liberal than I expected. We collected $47.14. There were three bills of $5.00, two of $3.00, eleven single dollars, a bill of .50, and one hundred and one pieces of smaller silver. At evening attended a conference. It is a time of great stupidity with us. 12. Rode to Hartford. Paid for a book, $1.00. The new Governor is to make his public entry today. Yesterday afternoon we had a refreshing shower. Vegetation appears remarkably well. The apple-trees are nearly in full bloom. Wrote to brother Francis. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. 13. Wrote to brother James. Quite cool. There was considerable frost this morning. Visited. Worked in my garden. Mr. Emerson,' from Nor- folk, came here and tarried. 14. Carried Mr. Emerson to Hartford. He is much embarrassed about a connection.* Saw my brother Battell. Visited the deaf and dumb school. Saw the Governor and many other acquaintances belonging to the .\ssembly. Paid for a book, .50. Read. People are generally planting. Read. .\m verj' languid. 15. Cool. Last night we had a little rain. Read the Triangle? Wrote. Began a sermon on Prov. .xxii : 3. .-Vm very languid. 16. Wrote on my sermon begun yesterday. I write with difficulty, slow and feebly. Worked some in my garden. This morning there was a hard frost. I fear things are injured. There is a full blowth on the fruit-trees. Visited a sick man. Our new Governor has given us a ver>- good speech.' Have a steady fire in my chamber. ' Rev. Bezaleel Pinneo, of Milford, Ct., only know that he married a highly intelli- pastor there 1796-1849. lie was one of the gent and excellent wife, who brought up a abler ministers of the State. superior family of children and lived with ' Dr. Abel ^^cEvven, pastor of the First him to old age. Church in New London, 1S06-1S60. ' Rev. Samuel Whelpley's work, before ^ Rev. Ralph Emerson, D.D. noticed. ■• Marriage connection. We do not know ' He was a truly excellent and superior what his present embarrassment was. We man. 704 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1817. 17. Wrote on my sermon the most of the day. Read. The weather is dry and cold. People are fearful of such a season as last year. 18. Preached all day on the education of children from Prov. .wii : 6. Did not finish what I delivered till in the intermission. Have not completed the subject. Visited. A man died' in this place this morning with an affec- tion of the liver. The corpse has been opened and the liver weighed more than twenty-si.x pounds. Attended a singing-meeting. 19. Wrote. Attended the funeral of the man who died yesterdav. To- wards evening rode to East Hartford. Mr. Fairchild has procured a very convenient place. In the evening crossed over to Hartford and returned. Was out late. 20. This morning there was some frost. Wrote to Mr. Bartlett. Set out to collect an account of the state of tiie churches for Association. Rode to Granby and Hartland. Tarried at Mr. Linsley's. There is a great blowth on the fruit-trees. Here'' the apple-tree blossoms are just coming out. 21. Rode to West Hartland, Barkhamiited, and Simsbury. Tarried at Mr. McLean's. Warm. Our churches are in a very cold state. People are early in planting. The most have done. 22. Rode to Northington, Farmington, Hartford, and home. Warm and very dry. The dust is very severe. Tired. 23. My garden is very much affected with the drought. The grass gener- ally is suffering. Wrote. Am too languid to do much. 24. Rode to Windsor and Wintonbury on my .Association business and returned. The Rev. Mr. Loaniis, of this town, set out on a mission to the State of Ohio. We have many prospects of rain which fail. A small worm appears to be doing great mischief in our gardens and fields. 25. Expounded in the forenoon on Matt, xxvii : i to 33. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Ps. Ixxxiv: 2. At evening visited sicl< persons. 26. Set out on a journey to Weston to attend the wedding of my brother Samuel. Rode to Warren. The roads very dusty. In Canton met my Ijrother going by way of Hartfdrd. My good Uncle Starr appears very well. Rode through Litchfield. Apple-trees in these western towns are now in blossom. People are much alarmed with the dryness and coldness of the season. 27. Rainy and wet all day. I conclude not to go on in niv journev. as I should probably not be able to get to Weston without difficulty. Had a pleas- ant visit with Uncle Starr and his family. Tlie rain is very refreshing, though there was much less than we hoped for. 28. Left Warren in the morning and rode through New Milford and Dan- bur)' to Weston, about forty miles. Got to Mr. Osborne's' aiiout four o'clock. ' Mr. Rodolphus Hawkins, aged thirty- ' The family in whicli his brother S.iniuel eight. found his wife. The f.imily that sprung from ' That i.s, at Granby. I'ostage was then this marriage proved to be a very intelligent so high and public communication so slow and successful one. Many of Samuel Rob- that it would have been tedious to collect bins's descendants have filled honorable and the information he wanted by letter-writing. useful positions in society. 1817.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 70s My brother was married last evening agreeably to previous appointment. They much regretted that I could not have been there. I am much pleased with this family and my new sister. I think Samuel has been quite fortunate. 29. Wet and rainy. Rode out. The ecclesiastical concerns of this town are pretty low. Towards night rode to Danbury. Kindly received at Mr. Whittlesey's." He has a worthy family." 30. Walked and visited. Find many old friends. Quite cool. Vegeta- tion is very backward and advances but little. Paid Col. White for a beaver hat he has lately sent to me, with a box containing it, $10.25. At evening preached in the meeting-house, at the request of Mr. Andrews,' on Acts .\vi : 31. Had a good audience. The religious state of this town is far better ihan it was when I resided here. People generally sit with fires. 31. Left Danbury at seven o'clock in the morning and arrived at home at nine in the evening, Came through Newtown, Woodburj', Plymouth, Farming- ton, etc. This morning there was some frost. Had some showers in the day, but still we have but a little rain. Found my brother and his new wife here at my return. They left Weston yesterday afternoon. I never rode so far in a day before. The distance is sixty-five miles. The Assembly rose today, having done but little hurt and very little good.* Am less tired than I expected. Found my new hat lately sent from Danbury. It is a very fine one. JUNH. 1. Last night it was very cold and it froze some vegetables, but by a steady wind there was but little frost. Preached an old sermon on i Cor. i : 23, 24, all day. At evening attended the conference. My brother's wife appears verj' well. I think my journey has been beneficial to my health. 2. In the morning my brother and sister went off for Norfolk. We had a little frost. Can do but little at study. Wrote on a report for the General Association of the state of our churches. At evening attended the monthly concert of prayer. The meeting was quite full. Visited. 3. Rode to West Suffield and met with the Association. Finished and presented my report for General Association. Our meeting was unusually full. We have now seventeen members, sixteen of whom were present. Crossed at Enfield.' 4. We had a very refreshing rain. Wet all day. Afternoon returned. Am much fatigued by my late exertions. ' Where he used to board. rietta College, and of Rev. Edward W. .'Xn- ' It is now sixteen or seventeen years drcws, for a few years pastor at West Hart- since his life in Danbury, and Mr. Whittle- ford, Ct., and afterwards for a time at the sey's children have grown to be men and New York Tabernacle. women. ■* Dr. Robbins said a good word for Gov. ' Rev. William Andrews, who was pastor Wolcott's inaugural, but it is hard for him at Danbury from 1S13 to 1S26. He was the yet to speak in a kindly way of Democrats. father of Rev. William Watson Andrews, of ' On the Enfield bridge. There was no Rev. Samuel J. Andrews, D. D., of Rev. bridge between Enfield and Hartford, but Israel W, Andrews, D. D., President of Ma- there were two or three ferries. 706 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1817. 5. Worked some in my garden. Wrote. Rode out and visited. Quite warm. Gave something to assist in mending the road. 6. Rode out and visited. Wrote. Read. On tlie 2d received a good letter from Henry Loomis' in New Connecticut. On the 3d received a very good pair of new boots made for me at Hartford. At evening attended a prayer-meeting. Paid for two bushels of oats, $1.20. Wrote a letter to Rev. Mr. Flint, and received one from him in answer. 7. Rode to Wapping and visited the sick and others. Got quite wet in a shower. The corn and gardens suffer very much from a worm. 8. Vegetation appears to have great life. In the forenoon expounded on Matt, xxvii : ^;^ to 57. It was ver)- solemn. Afternoon preached an old ser- mon on Hos. -xiii ; g. At evening attended the conference. 9. In the morning set out for Norfolk. Ursula goes with me. We were much hindered by rain. It was quite rainy the most of the day. Tarried at Cowles's" at New Hartford. The rain is very refreshing. ic. Rode early to my brother's and to Norfolk. Slow riding. My mother is pretty well. Samuel's wife appears well.' Wet and showery all day. Brother Frank is here ; he came yesterday. 11. Worked with brother Samuel putting up his new furniture. Dined at Mr. Battell's. He made me a valuable present of some linen. His liberality is very great. Weighed one hundred and twenty-nine pounds. At evening brother and his wife came here.* He is considerably unwell. I feel some- thing anxious about him. 12. Brother Frank and Eliza went off to Enfield. Quite cool. Afternoon preached a lecture, which Mr. P^merson had appointed for me, from Acts xvi : 31. After which attended a church meeting. This church is not very harmonious. 13. Rode early and got home at four o'clock. Rode to Wapping and examined with the church committee three women for our communion. They appear well. Gave fifty cents to the Female Benevolent Society here. 14. Visited sick persons. Gave one a dollar. Read. Am much fatigued. In the afternoon Mr. VV'oodbridge,' of Hadley, came here, anxious to have me go to Enfield on an exchange.' I conclude to go tomorrow morning. Wet. 15. Rode early to Enfield. Got considerably wet. The most of the fore- noon it rained quite hard. The meetings very thin. Brother Frank rode to Springfield. In the forenoon expounded on the former part of the 26th of ' Henry (Harry) Loomis joined Dr. Rob- of Southampton, Mass., a graduate of Will- bins's churcli during the first year of his iams College, 1804, pastor at Hadley, iSio- ministry at East Windsor. iSjo. ' Cowlcs's tavern. ° This seems to have been a multiplex ' He takes special satisfaction in his exchange, as Rev. Francis Kobbins, of I£n- brother .Samuel's recent marriage. Samuel's field, did not go to Hadley, but only to home was still in Norfolk. Springfield. Probably Dr. Osgood, of Spring- * James Watson l<(jbbins and wife, from field, went to Hadley and Dr. Woodbridgc Lenct. stayed in East Windsor. These complex tx- ' Rev. John Woodbridgc, D. P., a native changes of minisnrs are not infretjuent. iSiy.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 707 Matthew. Afternoon preached on Ps. li : 4. My brother returned at even- ing. 16. In the morning rode home. The streams are considerably raised. Worked in my garden. It suffers much from worms. Visited. Read. 17. This morning there was a little frost. Worked some. Rode to Win- tonbury' and attended our ministers' meeting. Dr. Perkins" was with us. People are generally in their first hoeing. The river has risen a good deal. 18. We have had quite a pleasant meeting. Rode home. Paid my shoe- maker at Hartford, $8.00. Received a dividend of $12.00 at the Hartford Bank, one half of which is Mr. Wolcott's. Coming from Norfolk last Friday Ursula and I visited Mr. Wadsworth's. Elegant seat on Talcott Mountain.^ It is a great curiosity. Warm. Wrote. Read. Received a letter from Mr. Amos Bull, of Hartford. On the 14th received one from brother Frank. On the nth borrowed of brother Frank, $60.00, and gav-e him my note. Visited. 19. My studies have been greatly neglected of late. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Visited Mr. Wainwright,' the Episcopal clergyman. Paid my mis- sionary contribution and $5.00, my .annual payment to the .\nnuity Society. 20. Wrote on the remaining part of a sermon on religious education begun May isth. I write slow. 21. Wrote pretty steadily. Two ministers from New Hampshire called and dined with me. We had some showers. Quite warm. The season is very fine. Paid a tailoress, .75. 22. Finished my sermon and preached the latter half in both parts of the da}" on Prov. x.xii: 6. I think the subject useful. The meeting was full and attentive. At evening attended the conference. 23. In the morning we had a hard shower. Visited sick persons. .After- noon rode to Hartford and saw the President of the United States.' He is now on a tour through the Northern States. I was introduced to him with sev- eral others. There was a great parade, and it was ver\' fine. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 24. Wrote. Visited. Rode with Capt. Rockwell to Windsor and visited Col. Loomis.^ In the morning early the President left Hartford and rode on 'Now Bloomfield. Rev. John Bartlett, Eng., of American parents, in 1793. He died brother of Rev. Shubae!, was pastor there at in New York city in 1854. He was a the time of this meeting of the Association. graduate of Harvard College in 181 2, and '^ The reason why Dr. Perkins's name was was a teacher of elocution there 1815-1817. here mentioned was because he was a mem- ' James Monroe was first inaugurated ber of the Hartford South Association, and President of the United States March 4, attended thi.-; meeting of the Hartford North 1S17. "In May-November, 1817, he made as a kind of guest. a tour of inspection of our frontier defences ' The Wadsworth House and Tower have from Portland to Detroit, the results of been visited by individuals and excursion which were published 8vo, 1S18." It was a parties from that day until now. good thing for Dr. Robbins to see and sh.ike * Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright, D. D., hands with President Monroe. Prejudices afterwards Bishop of New York. He was arc often removed by a good hand-shake, rector of Christ Church, Hartford, 1S17-1S19. 'The President was to go up on that Bishop Wainwright was born in Liverpool, side the river. 70S DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['Si;. the west side of the river to Springfield. Towards night he rode down on our side." He is very diHgent. 25. Read Owen On the Death of Christ.' He has some notions materially wrong. Visited a number of families. People begin a little to mow. We had our lirsl green peas. Paid for a new wheelbarrow made for me, $6.00. 26. Worked in my garden. Paid a man for half a day's work, .42. Re- ceived a letter from Miss E. Dabney.' 27. Rode out and visited. Afternoon had a public catechising of the children. A large number attended. The occasion was interesting and pleasing. I hope to continue the course. 28. Worked in my garden. Wrote a sermon on Ps. .\i.\ : 7. I write slow and with a great want of feeling. 29. In the forenoon e.\pounded on Matt, x.wii : 57, to the end of the book. I think the exposition has been useful. Afternoon preached on Ps. xix : 7. After meeting rode to Wapping and preached at old Mr. Gideon Grant's from Luke xxii : 31, 32. An old written sermon. After sermon admitted two women to the church and administered the sacrament. Mr. and Mrs. Grant., by reason of age and infirmity, had not been at a communion before for ten or twelve years. The greater part of the church were present. The season was solemn and impressive. Mr. Grant is ninety years of age. Very tired. 30. In the morning we had a pretty hard rain. The ground is pretty finely watered. Visited. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. July. 1. Rode to Hartford. Cherries are pretty plenty and good. Rode with Mr. Flint to Wethersfield and made a short visit to Mr. Tenney.* Paid Amos Bull for books, $15.00. Paid Mr. Scarborough for books, $20.00. Received a present of Neal's History of New England^ from Mr. Charles Olinstead.'" of East Hartford. It is highly acceptable. Read. 2. Worked in my garden. The peas yield very well. Wrote. Walked and visited. Tarried out. 3. Visited. Gave Mr. Haskell an order on the society treasurer for ' In returning, he would pass directly by might agree sub.stantially, would find some the house where Dr. Robbins lived. things to criticise. ' Dr. John Owen wrote a work with the ' Perhaps living in Salem, Mass. Latin title, Salus Electorum, Satigiiis fisii : * Rev. Caleb J. Tenney, D. D., in the year "The blood of Christ the safety or salvation 1816 was settled as colleague with Rev. of the elect." It was probably this work John Marsh, U. D. Ur. M.arsh died in 1821, which Dr. Robbins was reading. Dr. Rob- after a ministry of forty-seven years. Dr. bins says, "He has some notions materially Tenney continued till i84i,when he resigned, wrong." Dr. Owen is said to have spent and died in 1847. seven years on this work, and he had such ' Daniel Neal's History of A'<-ui Enx/aiut confidence in it, that he is reported as saying was in two volumes. in substance that he did not believe he ' Mr. Charles Olmstcad was a gentleman should live to see a solid answer to it. But • of wealth and culture, living within a few a Christian thinker, looking into any theo- rods of the present Congregational meeting- logical work of this kind one hundred and house in Kast Hartford. The house is no liuy years after it was written, while he lunger standing. 1817.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 709 goods and post office change of $32.93. Afternoon preached a preparatoiy lecture with old notes on James ii : 21. Quite warm. Wrote. 4. Wrote. No great attention appears to be paid to Independence. Planted some corn in my garden. Received a letter from Miss Dabney. \\'arm. 5. Very warm. Wrote the most of a sermon on James i : 23, 24. Hin- dered by company. Vegetation advances with great rapidity. 6. Finished early in the morning my sermon on James i : 23, 24. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Joel ii : 17. Administered the sacra- ment. Received a woman into the church. The church was very full. Found at meeting Mr. Sereno Dvvight.' He preached for me in the after- noon. He performed very well. He is about to be settled at Boston. Bap- tized a child. The dust has become pretty bad. At evening rode with Mr. Dwight to Mr. Watson's. Gave him a set of Theological Magazines? I had two. 7. Last night we had a moderate shower. Rode to Hartford. Gave the Hartford Bank a note of $166.00, and received $98.37. Paid the Phoeni.x Bank, $106.53, ^""^ %'».\'e. a new note of $400.00. The heat is severe. Wrote. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. 8. Rode out. Worked in my garden. Read Pearson ^ on the Creed. Visited. At evening Mr. Battell and my mother came here. She has not been here before since my ordination. 9. My mother appears to be quite smart. Mr. Battell went ofT early and left her. They rode from Norfolk here yesterday. Visited with mother. 10. Rode and visited with my mother at a number of places. Cooler than it has been. Worked some at hay. 11. Rode with my mother to Enfield. Cousin Eliza is not very well. Left mother and returned. The prospect of harvest is very good. Am very languid. 12. Warm and sultry. Visited the sick. We have more sick persons than usual. Wrote. Rode to Hartford to make an exchange with Mr. Flint. Vis- ited Mr. Humphrey.* It appears to be ver)^ doubtful whether he will be settled here. We had a little rain. ' Son of President Timothy Dwight, born particular. He did not make a very good at Greenfield Hill, Ct., where his father was use of his opportunities, for there were large settled in the ministry. May 18, 1786, died in stores of information near at hand, which Dr. Philadelphia, Nov. 30, 1S50. He was settled Dwight did not discover, two months after this visit to East Windsor - This was the Magazine published for a (Sept. 3, 1S1-), at Park Street Church, Bos- few years in New York, ton, where he remained till 1826. He was ■• Kliphalet Pearson, LL. D. meditating a life of his illustrious ancestor, ■'Rev. Heman Humphrey, D. D., after- Jonathan Edwards, who was born and wards President of Amherst College, was brought up as a youth within Dr. Robbins's one of the candidates that preached in Dr. parish. The object of his journey was to Strong's pulpit, but did not receive a call. obtain information about the Edwards family Nevertheless, he became one of the leading in general, and about Jonathan Edwards in divines in New England. 7*0 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S17. 13. Mr. Flint' rode to East Windsor with my horse and returned after meeting. Warm and faint. Preaclicd on Acts viii : 23, and Luke xiii : 8, 9. Preached for Mr. Flint last evening at his conference house with notes on Joel ii: 17. Towards evening rode up and attended conference for the lower part of my society. Quite tired. 14. Rode in a small sulky to New Haven and Bridgeport, fifty-seven miles. Received at the Eagle Bank a dividend of S30.00. The crops appear ver)- well. Tarried with Mr. Waterman." 15. Conversed with a silversmith respecting his making some connnunion furniture for our church. Rode through New Haven home. In Stratford called on old Dr. Johnson.^ He has a ver>- valuable library. Paid Mr. Waterman for a valuable French Bible, $5.00. Saw some harvesting in Wal- lingford and none other. Had a prosperous journey. 16. People have a very fine season for haying. Read. Visited. Attended our prayer-meeting. Verj- warm. Received of my collector, $50.00. 17. Exceeding warm. Visited. Read the Bible. Towards evening rode to Hartford. The ground has become quite dry. People are generally at their haying. 18. The heat is very oppressive this season. Visited. At noon my mother and my brother came here from Enfield. My brother returned. Am so lan- guid with the heat that I can do but little. 19. Am very faint and languid with the heat. Wrote part of a sermon on Ex. x: 17. Mother rode to East Hartford and made a visit. Walked out. 20. Wrote the remainder of a sermon on Ex. x : 17. Preached that and one written some time since on James i : 23, 24. We had a slight rain. The ground is very dr>- and hot. At evening attended the conference. Very tired. Yesterday received from Dr. McClure ' a long paper to be laid before the church. I fear it may give us trouble. The Lord help us. 21. Rode out with mother and visited all day. The prospect of the harvest is very pleasing. Brother Frank and Eliza came here at night and tarried. 22. Mother visited at Deacon Reed's all day. Was there the most of the time. Frank and Eliza took tea with us and went home. We had a heavy and most grateful shower. Read. 23. Worked in my garden. People are beginning their harvest. Wc had considerable company who came to \isit mother. 24. Rode with mother to Norfolk.' She bore the ride very well. Cool. ' Rev. Abel Flint, D. D., of the Second College, New York. It may be remembered Church, Hartford. that Samuel Johnson, afterwards of Colum- ' Rev. Elijah Waterman, pastor at Bridge- bia College, while tutor in Yale, became an port, 1806-1825. He was a graduate of Yale, Kpiscopalian. This event caused great coni- 1791, and a native of liozrah, Ct. motion at the time. 3 William Samuel Johnson, LL. D., born * The relations between Dr. McClurc and in Stratford, Ct., 1727, died there 1S19, al the Dr. Kobbins had not been what they ought age of ninety-two. He was therefore ninety to have been as between colleague pastors, years of age at the time of this visit. He ' This journey of some thirty-five miles in was the son of Rev. Samuel Johnson, D. I)., one day would show that she still had a good the first President of King's (now Columbia) measure of vigor. iSiy.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 7II Brother James it seems remains considerably unwell. I feel anxious about him. Paid Caleb Goodwin, of Hartford, $10.00. I believe more than twice the quantity of potatoes ' are now on the ground in this State to what have been in any past year. 25. People here are just beginning their haying. Mr. Humphrey, late of Fairfield, came here and tarried on his way to Pittsfield. Wrote to brother James. 26. Rode to West Suffield to exchange with Mr. Mix. He is gone to East Windsor.'' Warm. People are harvesting considerably. 27. Preached on Ps. li : 4, and James i : 23, 24. This society appears to be improving. I think Mr. Mix is faithful and useful. A few societies in this neighborhood are in a pretty low state. Towards evening rode to Enfield and preached for my brother at a conference on Heb. xi : 16. Very tired. 28. Rode home. Warm. Rode to the harvest field and carried dinner. The harvest is exceeding good through the countr)'. Bless the Lord, O our souls.' At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Was up late. 29. Worked in my garden. Rode to Hartford. Very warm. Dr. Strong's society are in a pretty bad situation.'* I fear for them. The ground is quite dry. Read. Am much troubled with nervous affections. My garden pro- duces very well. 30. Read. Went into the water. Rode out and visited. Very warm. Wrote a letter to Mr. Benjamin, of Bridgeport, and one to Gen. Howe, of New Haven. Received a letter from brother James. His health is improving. 31. Read. Worked in my garden. Visited the sick. We have a number of persons that are unwell. I find an inconvenience in lending my books so much. People have a fine season for their harvest. It is seldom so good. August. 1. Read Hopkins's System and Doddridge's Lectures.' Began a sermon on Ex. viii : 19. Wrote but little. Afternoon had a public catechising of the children. 2. Wrote ten pages by daylight on mv sermon on the being and perfec- tions of God. I have been latterly too inattentive to study. 3. Wrote four pages and finished my sermon on E.\. viii: 19.' Did not complete it till in the intermission. Preached it. The subject appeared more ' The cold summer of 1816, the previous young Robbins was at Williams College, year, revealed the importance of the potato then in its infancy, the trustees (1796) threw crop. It has been said that many o{ the out Hopliins's Syskm of Dh'iiiity as a text- people o£ New England would have died of book, and substituted Doddridge's I^aures. hunger in i8i6 had it not been for the Between the two, Dr. Robbins thought he remarkable yield of potatoes. should get about the right doctrinal balance. ^ They took different roads, or they would '' The te.\t for this sermon was rather have met. peculiar, and was probably meant to be so. ^ That was uttered with more emph.asis The ^ubject itself was one requiring careful in view of the experiences the year before. thought. " Then the magicians said unto * They could not unite upon any of their Pharaoh, This is the finger of God : and candidates, though they had able ones. Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he heark- 5 111 the first year of this diary, when ened not unto them ; as the Lord had said" 712 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['Si?- interesting than I expected. Perhaps I shall make it the first of a series, forming with divine permission and assistance, something of a theological system. At evening attended the conference. Brother Frank came here and tarried. 4. Wrote. Am very languid. Visited. At evening attended our moathly prayer-meeting. It is interesting and solemn. 5. Rode to Wapping and visited. Worked in my garden. The ground very dn,-. Read Doddridge's Lectures. 6. Worked in my garden. Afternoon worked in the meadow raking hay. The crop of grass is light. 7. Visited the most of the day. People have had a very fine time to get in their harvest, which is now mostly done. This people are very stupid. My efforts appear to be very inefficacious. A little rainy. 8. Read Christiati Observer. Looked over my pecuniary accounts for the last quarter year. My expenses have been greater than usual. Paid on a charity subscription, $2.00. Wet and showery all day. 9. Wrote a sermon on Prov. ii : 4, 5. Wrote more than five pages before dinner. Rainy all day. I believe we have not had so much rain at one time this year. It is very refreshing to the ground. Hindered by company. 10. Wrote notes in the morning on 2 John ix, and preached with them and the sermon written yesterday. Warm and very pleasant after the rain. I fear people will work some at their hay that is out. At evening attended the con- ference. Quite full. Yesterday picked a first ear of green corn. 11. Last night much troubled with nervous affections. Read. Towards night something rainy. Yesterday received a letter from Mrs. Benjamin, of Bridgeport. Wrote. So rainy I did not attend our prayer-meeting. I am forty years of age. The period of youth and early manhood has passed away. I am now in the maturity and decline of life." O righteous God, how little have I attained, how little have I done. How far am I from that usefulness and from those attainments which I have anticipated should I arrive at this [leriod of life. 12. Showery and wet last night and all day. Some of the time it rained very hard. The greatest rain, I believe, we have had since September, 1815. Wrote on my catalogue of books and preaching accounts. 13. Rode to Hartford. The river rises rapidly and overflows the mead- ows. The freshet will probably do much damage. There is a great deal of hay and grain out. Paid Si 6.36 for old books from the library of Rev. Mr. Whitman." Visited. Yesterday received a letter from Miss Dabney. The first society have but little prospect of getting a minister. Very warm. 14. Visited the sick and others. The flood is over the meadows. People ' Physically this may be true. liut in- ' Rev. Elnathan Whitman, who had been fellcctually this ought not to be so, and, as dead for many years. He was pastor of the an ordinary rule, is not so. The productions Second (South) Church in Hartford, 1733- of the mind art likely to be far more able 1777, when ho died. There are some inter- and symmetrical (or many years after forty esting narratives and traditions that are di- than before. rcctly or indirectly connected with his family. l8l7-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 713 suffer a good deal. It destroys some crops. The weather is still unsettled. The heat very severe. Worked raking hay the most of the afternoon. Read. 15. Read. Began a sermon on the inspiration of the Scriptures on 2 Peter i : 19. The heat is very oppressive. It makes it hard for me to write. Re- ceived another letter from .Miss Dabney. 16. Wrote all day on my sermon. Showery. The heat is very debilitating, on account I suppose of the great degree of wet. The ri\er falls very slowly. 17. Wrote three pages. Finished my sermon in the intermission, and preached it, on 2 Pet. i: 19. x\t evening rode to Wapping and visited a sick woman. Very much fatigued by my labor and languor. 18. The heat very severe. Rode to Warehouse Point and heard Bishop Hobart' preach, and saw him confirm several persons. Brother Frank and Eliza came here and tarried. The bishop preached well, allowing him to be an Arminian and churchman.'' 19. Rode to Simsbur)' and attended ministers' meeting. Hot and showery. Preached on James i : 23, 24. We had a very good meeting among ourselves. 20. Afternoon rode home. Frequent showers. Very bad weather for hay or grain that is out. Am quite unwell with fatigue and the weather. 21. Last Sabbath evening received from my good friend, Mrs. Reed, a present of an elegant cambric pocket-handkerchief. Visited the sick and others. Edward Wolcott is very low, and I think will not live long. Am troubled with a severe headache and diarrhoea. 22. Received two military letters as orders in my chaplaincy. Rode to Windsor and attended a meeting of military officers. Returned. The water has mostly left the meadows, but there is a very bad effluvia.^ We have a pretty poor colonel. 23. .\m quite feeble with a continued diarrhoea and headache. Am unable to write a sermon. Visited. Not so warm as it has been. Wrote. 24. Cold all day. We had a great change of weather last night. Preached with old notes on Jer. .\ : 16, and an old sermon on John i: 10. Meeting pretty thin. At evening attended a conference. Quite thin. We are very stupid here. Yesterday received a present from Mr. Dabnej-, of Salem,* of two valuable volumes and a number of useful pamphlets. 25. This morning there was a little frost. Vegetation how-ever seems not to have suffered. Gave $1.00 to two Hollanders who were along soliciting ' John Henry Hobart, D. D., a graduate * This confirms our impression that the of Union College, native of Philadelphia, Miss Dabney, who has two or three times Assistant Bishop of New York in iSii.and written to Dr. Robbins, was resident in madt; Bishop in 1S16. Salem, Mass. Mr. Jonathan Peele Dabney, ° The Church of England has long been a graduate of Harvard College in iSil, was called Arminian in doctrine, rather than a thorough antiquarian, and a man with Calvinistic. whom Dr. Robbins would naturally sympa- ^ Such e.'cperiences make the meadow thize. He never married, and had two towns along the Connecticut River sickly, sisters in .Salem. They all three lived to and especially subject to fevers. old age. 714 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1817. charity. Visited a sick man. Attended our prayer-meeting in the evening. It was solemn. Tarried out. 26. It was cold last night, but no frost. Visited all day. I fear that noth- ing can check the prevailing vice of intemperance. We have now more sickness than usual. 27. Last evening a man died near here suddenly who has been sick for several years. A man belonging here has lately died in Charlestown, having been absent nearly two years. Visited the two afflicted families and others. I fear we shall have trouble in the church with Dr. McClure. 28. Attended the funeral of Capt. Elmer.' He was buried by Free Masons. Wrote and delivered an address to the Masons and mourners. Warm. My garden has produced a good number of fine watermelons. 29. Worked in my garden. Rode to Wapping and visited. Afternoon attended a public catechising of the children. Visited the sick and others. 30. There has been a Methodist camp-meeting in Orford" this week, which has excited great attention. I suppose they were pretty orderly for such an occasion, but some of the works were bad enough. Wrote the most of a ser- mon on Prov. v: 12. Flies and insects are uncommonly thick. Paid my shoemaker at Hartford, $5.00. 31. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Acts .xiii : 26. Finished and preached in the afternoon the sermon on Prov. v: 12. .\fter meeting rode to East Hartford to attend the funeral of Horace Olmstead. The funeral was over ; visited the mourners. Spent the evening with the deacons con- versing on Dr. McClure's complaints of the church. Sbpthmbbr. 1. Worked in my garden. It has produced a great deal the present season. Read. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Mr. Brace,^ of Newington, came here and tarried. Quite warm. 2. Rode to Wapping and visited two schools. Great efforts are made in the State for the approaching Freemen's Meeting. The Lord be our helper. Visited a sick man. Received from Mr. Flint my annual consociationai letter. 3. Rode to Enfield and attended a ministers' meeting. The heat very severe.* My brother has lately received a handsome present from the ladies of his people. 4. Returned in the afternoon. This hot weather is very favorable for the corn. Spent the evening with the deacons and Dr. McClure on the subject of his unreasonable complaints. • Justus Elmer, aged fifty. a noticeable fact that his ministry, coujilcd ' It has been before staled that Urford with that of his predecessor, Rev. Joshua (Manchester) was a place where, (or many Beldcn, covered about one hundred and eight years, camp-meetings were held. years. * Rev. Joab Itracc, I). IJ., who had then * We have confirmation here of a fact been settled in Newington only twelve years, before noticed, the usual prevalence of hot but he remained till he had filled out a min- weather in the early days of September, last- Lstry of fifty years, when he resigned. It is ing sometimes eight or ten days. 1817.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 715 5. Am much enervated by the severe heat. It is thought to be equal to any day we have had this year. Wrote. " Began a sermon on Eccles. vii : 29. Was obhged to leave my chamber on account of the heat. At evening walked out. We had in the evening a pretty hard thunder-shower. 6. Wrote on my sermon the most of the day and evening. Was called in the morning to see a sick man probably near to death. I write poorly. 7. Preached all day on the innocence and fall of man, from Eccles. vii : 29.' Did not get it quite completed before I went to meeting in the afternoon. Had four pages to write today. I am not well satisfied with my sermon for so important a subject. An elderly man died pretty suddenly.' Visited the family. At evening attended the conference. Received a letter from Mr. Benjamin, of Bridgeport. Cool. 8. Worked in my garden. Visited. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. I am ver,' an.xious respecting our approaching Freemen's Meeting.^ 9. Visited. Early in the afternoon attended a funeral ; after which set out for Commencement and rode to Leet's tavern. North Haven. Received of Phoenix Bank, $55.50. Warm. Rode pretty late. 10. Rode early to New Haven. Tudor' came here yesterday and had his horse fall and break the shafts of his sulky, three miles from New Haven. Found him there. Attended the public exercises. They were better than usual. A great collection of people, particularly ministers. The new Presi- dent' performed remarkably well. Very warm. At evening attended the Cnndo ad Cknim. Paid up my account witli Gen. Howe for books, $23.55. Well accommodated at Capt. iDummer's. 11. Attended and took the lead in the prayer-meeting in the morning. The heat very severe all day. Attended the meeting of the Charitable Educa- tion Society.* Paid $20.00 and became a life-member. I think this institution is doing much good. Afternoon rode to Meriden. Much op- pressed with the heat. Tarried at Mr. Ripley's.' Wrote to Mr. Benjamin, of Bridgeport, and sent him $50.00 of money belonging to the church. At even- ing there was a severe thunder-shower. Crops appear very well. 12. Some damage done here by the lightning last evening. Rode home. The heat very severe, but not equal, I think, to yesterday. Very much fatigued. We have fine melons from my garden. We had a little rain. Lost, I believe, .25. 13. Wrote. Worked some. Visited a sick woman. Cooler. Am too tired to write much. ' " Lo, this only have I found, that God as gold refined, and was to hold his high hath made man upright ; but they have sought office twenty-nine years, out many inventions." ' This was near the beginning of the ' Mr. Benjamin Gillett, aged si.\ty-si.x. Connecticut Education Society, afterwards ' The drift in Connecticut was then away merged in the American Education Society. from Federalism. Dr. Robbins showed his hearty interest by a ■• Samuel Tudor Wolcott. liberal gift. * Rev. Jeremiah Day, D. D., was sue- ' Rev. Erastus Ripley, pastor of the First cessor to Dr. Dwight, and this was his first Church in Meriden, 1803-1S22. Graduated at Commencement. He was pure and genuine Yale, 1795. 7l6 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l^I?- 14. Quite cool. Wore my cloak. Preached an old sermon on Ps. xxv : 11. At evening attended the conference. 15. Visited sick persons. Worked in my garden. Quite cool, but so cloudy that we have no frost. We have now an imusual number of sick. Did not attend the Freemen's Meeting. The votes for nomination were, as I am informed, Federalist, 189; Democratic, 94. Many staid at home. 16. Something rainy. Wrote to my sister Battell. Worked in my garden. Read. Visited. One of my best women I fear is not like to live. 17. Read. Warmer, and through divine goodness we have had no frost. Democracy appears to have obtained a perfect triumph in the State at the late Freemen's Meeting, Our God frowns upon us in his holy and terrible judgments. I hope and pray that we may not long be given up to the rage of the wicked. I consider it the success of iniquity against righteousness.' Afternoon attended the Female Au.\iliary Bible Society's annual meeting and paid .50. Visited the sick and others. 18. Attended a regimental training and did the duty of chaplain. The regiment paraded in front of our house and performed pretty well. The colonel is rather inadequate. The general appeared very well. 19. Wrote. Afternoon visited a school. We have quite an unusual number of sick. 20. Wrote to brother Frank. Wrote the most of a sermon on Ps. cxiii : 6. I write quite slow. Democracy in this State triumphs and scoffs. The Lord be our helper. 21. Finished and preached in the afternoon my sermon on Ps. cxiii: 6. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Luke x: 21. I have made this sermon unusually long. At evening had a full conference. Visited the sick. 22. Rode to Hartford. Afternoon visited a school. At evening did not attend our prayer-meeting on account of rain. My brother came here and tarried. Last night was quite cold, but no frost was visible to produce any effect. 23. My brother went off very early and took my military insignia to wear on a parade. Quite warm. Worked some. Read. Visited a school. Vis- ited the sick. Have very little time for study. 24. Read, Visited. Some of our young men conduct badly. At evening attended the meeting of our Moral Society. That institution languishes. Was out late. 25. Wrote. Read. A merciful providence yet keeps off the frost. Yesterday receis-ed from my collector, $60.00. Attended the training of a rifle company. Their exercise is quite amazing. Visited. 26. There was a little frost this morning, but a thick fog seems to have prevented any visible effects. Paid for a pair of shoes, $2.50. Paid a sad- dler, .33. Afternoon attended a public catechising of the children. I have ' It would prob.il)ly be the general opin- an immense evil .rs it then seemed to m.-iny ion of (lie |)coplc ol Connecticut that the good men to be. Oliver Wolcott, who kept triumph of the Democrats in 1S17 was not such the office ten years, is esteemed honorable. 1817.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 717 now had four the present season. I think they have done good. The children have attended pretty well. Am very much occupied with business. 27. Wrote the most of a sermon on Acts xxiv : 25. Spent the afternoon in visiting the sick. I seldom find time to write a double sermon. People here have a good crop of tobacco.' I think I do not gain any in writing as to rapidity. At evening we had a thunder-shower. 28. Finished and preached in the afternoon my sermon on Acts .\.\iv : 25. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Matt, .x.wii : 42. At evening performed a marriage.^ Quite cool. Wrote. Get but little time for rest. Have a fire in my chamber. Took in my green trees. 29. Rode to Norfolk. Carried Miss Cravath with me, who has been at school here some time past. Mother appears to be ver}' well. There has been no frost here to stop vegetation, no more than at East Windsor. In the evening preached a lecture in the meeting-house, which Mr. Emerson had appointed, on James i : 23, 24. 30. Rode to Colebrx)ok with Mr. Emerson and Uncle Starr, who came along and met with the Consociation. The Consociation and .Association hold their meetings at the same time. At evening preached by the request of Mr. Lee on Ps. cxxii : 3, 4, 5. The subject of our church government is imperfectly understood by our ministers and churches.* October. 1. In the morning there was a hard frost. The first that has been to stop vegetation. The Consociation finished their session about noon. After dinner rode home. Got home half after nine. The effects of the frost are visible all the way. The evening quite cold. The frost seems not to have been quite so hard here as at Colebrook. A regiment of artillery has been reviewed today in East Hartford. The first instance of the kind in the State. Our sick are better by account than I expected to find them. 2. Am something rheumatic. Wrote. Yesterday the Consociation at Colebrook decided that the excommunication of a member by a church with- out a minister is invalid.' The frost this morning was harder than yesterday, but a thick fog seems to have prevented the most of its effects, ^'isited a school. At evening rode to Scantick and performed a marriage.' 3. The weather is more moderate. Read. I find some difficulty in pro- curing places for the members of the Consociation.' Received a verj- ' In modern times the tobacco crop is the mise between Presbyterianism and Congre- chiSf crop in the Connecticut valley far up gationalism. and down the river. But we were not aware * That is a good illustration of the high that it was a crop of any special importance governmental ideas of Consociations in the at so early a date as is here indicated. past, exalting the minister out of all propor- ' Daniel Hinsdale, of Hartford, was united tion to the whole membership of a Christian in marriage with Catherine Wolcott. church. In true Congregationalism the min- ^ That was very true, back in those days. ister is but simply o/t^ voting member. Members of Congregational churches in ' The parties were Levi Webster and many places called them Presbyterian. And Sabra Allen. indeed the Congregaticmalism of the Say- ^ This was the local Consociation which brook Platform was only a kind of compro- was soon to meet in East Windsor. ■jlS DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l7- interesting paper from one of the members of the church. Visited the sick. 4. Wrote the most of a sermon on Heb. iv : 15. Visited. Tlie growth of the corn is not yet obstructed by the frost. Wrote to my brother at Enfield. 5. Finished and preached in the afternoon my sermon on the humanity of Christ, from fieb. iv : 15. The subject is very interesting. In the forenoon preached with old notes on 2 Cor. v: 11. Full meeting. Received a letter from brother James. Quite warm. At evening attended a little while at a singing-meeting. Paid for two volumes of the Christian Obsemei; $8.00. 6. Rode to Hartford. Called on Mr. Hawes,' the candidate. He appears well. Warm and dry. My unavoidable expenses seem to be great. Wrote. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. 7. In the forenoon our Consociation met here. The most of the mem- bers were present. Afternoon it was rainy, and our meeting was very thin. The state of religion in our limits is low. We had an evening session. 8. We had a meeting in the forenoon. Mr. Hawes, of Hartford, preached very well. The Conso finished their session a little after noon. They expressed themselves gratified with their accommodations. Our singing was much admired. The next meeting of Consociation is to be at Bristol. We had some good watermelons. Quite tired. Read. Last evening wrote to my cousin Eliza Olmstead at Norfolk,. Yesterday received a letter from brother James. 9. In the forenoon rode to Wapping and called on a number of families. Afternoon walked and visited. Mrs. Wolcott I think cannot live long. The crops of all kinds come in very well. Paid for four bushels of oats. 10. This morning we had a hard frost. This will probably stop vegetation, though it has continued till this time." Tobacco had not been killed. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Worked some. Read the liible. On the 8th paid my annual tax to General Association, $1.00. Afternoon preached a preparatory lecture with f)ld notes on 2 Cor. v: 14. Meeting very thin. 11. Wrote the most of a sermon on 2 Chron. .\xix : 10. Visited Mrs. Elizur Wolcott. I think siie is near the close of life. We could hardly lose so exemplary a Christian or a more useful woman. 12. Warm. Finished and preaciied in tiie afternoon the sermon begun yesterday on covenanting with God. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Matt, xvii : 4. Administered the sacrament. Baptized a child.' At even- ing attended the conference. We had an interesting solemn day. Very tired. Contributed for the church, ^5.00. ' Rev. Joel Hawes, a native of Medway, their favorite candidate. He proved to be a Mass., a gr.iduate of Urown University, 1813, very able and successful minister, and of Andovcr Theological Seminary, 1817. " It was unusual (though it sometimes The First Church of Hartford, after the happens) that there had been no frost to death of Dr. Strong, ten months before, kill so delicate a plant as tobacco before the having heard a goodly number of young lOth of October. preachers who afterwards became distin- ' Harriet Tracy, daughter of Nathaniel guished, turned at last to Mr. Hawes as Rockwell. 1817.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 719 13. Mrs. Wolcott ■ died last evening. Visited the family. Brother Frank came here to go to the eastward. We e.xpected cousin Eliza to go with him, but she does not come. Rode to Hartford. Paid to the Phccnix Bank, $106.54, besides a sum which I received at the other bank. Found Mr. Bat- tell at Hartford. He and little Sarah came here and tarried. In the evening attended our prayer-meeting. Tarried at a tavern. 14. Rode early. There was a hard frost. Rode forty-five miles to a tavern in Rhode Island (Fish's), fifteen miles west of Providence. 15. The eastern part of Connecticut and Rhode Island is very dry. 16. Rode through Providence and Taunton to a tavern in the south part of Middleborough, forty-seven miles. The road about Taunton is pretty poor. The season in this quarter has been good. Pretty tired. 17. Rode in a cold morning fifteen miles to Fairhaven. Very kindly re- ceived by our cousins.^ They are in very good circumstances. This is a considerable town. New Bedford opposite is a large and handsome town. The people of this county, Bristol, have an uncommon habit of attending court at Taunton as spectators. 18. Rode to Uncle Le Baron's, Rochester, five miles. My uncle and his family are agreeably situated. Cool for the season. My uncle has had whoop- ing-cough at seventy years of age. Brother Frank returned to Fairhaven. 19. Preached for my uncle on Ps. cxiii : 6, and Jaines i : 23, 24. At even- ing attended another meeting and preached without notes on Matt, .wii : 4. This congregation is small. They have recently erected a fine meeting-house, which must be a great benefit to them. Tarried with my cousin William.^ 20. My uncle's family do verj' well. Four of them are settled here and one at Ro.xbury. Visited cousins. This place had increased ver^' much in a few years. They do a good deal at ship building and something in navigation. 21. Walked about with my uncle. He retains his powers uncommonly well. Dined at a cousin's. Brother Frank came here from Fairhaven. Afternoon rode to Fairhaven and left my brother at Rochester. In the even- ing preached a lecture in the meeting-house, for Rev. Mr. Wheeler,* on Acts xvi : 31. This congregation is small. 22. Wrote. Warm. My cousins are agreeably situated. Afternoon crossed the river in a sail-boat to New Bedford. This town appears wealthy and flourishing. At evening preached for Mr. Holmes' on Ps. l.\.\.\iv : 2. ' Mrs. Elizabeth Wolcott, aged fifty-three, with whom he stayed, was the si.\th child, wife of Mr. Elizur Wolcott. She was the born in 17.S6. daughter of Dr. Alexander Wolcott, of * Rev. Abraham Wheeler, a native of Windsor, and was born Jan. 13, 1763. Holden, Mass., a graduate of Williams Col- - AmongI his very numerous cousins lege, 1810, was pastor at Fairhaven, 1S13- in all that part of the country, without 181S. farther light it will be difiScult for us to name ' Rev. Sylvester Holmes, born in Ply- them. mouth, 1788, pastor of the North Church in 'Rev. Lemuel Le Baron, of Rochester, New Bedford, 181 1, where he remained married in 1774 Elizabeth Allen, of Martha's many years. He died in New Bedford in Vineyard, and had nine children. William, 1S66, aged seventy-eight. •J20 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1817. After which returned to Fnirhaven. The principal people in New Bedford are Quakers. The ecclesiastical societies in this quarter generally are small. 23. In the morning early set out with my brother on our return. Our visit has been exceedingly prosperous and pleasant. I am \-ery glad that we came. Rode to Providence, forty-seven miles. We had a little wet. The season in this quarter is very dry. This town appears flourishing. 24. Very warm. The heat was oppressive and severe. Rode to W'ind- ham, forty-four miles. My horse performs well. Aly brother has a pretty chaise. 25. Rode to Enfield, thirty-one miles, and home at dusk. Something wet the most of the day. Have had a very prosperous journey. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Found our family under trials. Mrs. Wolcott' was taken on the i6th with vomiting blood and discharged great quantities, perhaps two or three quarts. The family and others mostly despaired of her life. She is now gaining, but quite low. An aged man^ has died in my absence. Cool. 26. Cold and rainy all day. Meeting very thin. Preached an old sermon on Eph. iv: 24. Am not greatly fatigued with my journey. At evening walked out. 27. Read. Wrote. Mrs. Wolcott .seems to be gaining. On the 21st Mr. Clapp, my collector, paid Mr. Wolcott for me, $50.00. Mr. Wolcott lent me the same on the 13th, of which I then took no account. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 28. Read. Rode to Enfield, and with my brother to West Sufifield and attended our ministers' meeting. We were quite attentive to business. 1 am the senior member. 29. Rode to Enfield. Read Christian Observer. Preached a sacramental lecture for my brother on Ps. cxiii : 6. He went to Longmeadow to attend a ministers' meeting. Rode home. Quite cool. 30. Last night it froze very hard. Worked abroad some. Wrote. Occu- pied with company. Carried wood into the garret.^ Am considerably troubled with rheumatism. 31. Wrote to my brother James. Read the Bible. Walked out and visited. Our Assembly adjourned yesterday. Tiiey have not done mucii evil, but they have had a contemptible session. A holy God frowns upon our State.- NOVEMDBH. I. Our church communion cups have arrived from Bridgeport. There are six, and they appear very well. They cost one hundred and twentv-three dollars ; a little less than I expected. We have two old ones of silver. Wrote a sermon on John xii : 23. It rained without the least intermission all day. Wrote quite slowly. • Mrs. Abiel Wolcott, where he lived. ■* Politically Mr. Robbiiis must certainly " Mr. Edward Uragg, aged seventy-one. be regarded as a severe critic. As one looks ^ That was to have his wood in convenient back to that p.irticular period in Connecticut proximity to his chamber fire. history he fails to find what was so very bad. iSiy.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 72I 2. It rained moderately, but without any intermission. Meeting very thin. Wrote short notes and preached in the forenoon on Neh. i : 7. Afternoon preached the sermon written yesterday. At evening rode out in the wet and performed a marriage.' 3. Rode to Enfield and returned. The road quite wet. Borrowed of my brother, $50.00, and gave him my note. The river rises considerably. Received a letter from Mr. Benjamin,^ of Bridgeport, and one from Rev. Mr. Catlin,^ of New Marlborough. .At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. 4. Rode to Hartford. Paid Mr. Chapin, on account of brother Frank, $10.00. Paid Imlay, $5.00. Dea. Tileston,'' $4.25, and a shoemaker, $2.50. Quite cold. Read Fo.x's Marty rology? There appears to be some prospect that Mr. Hawes will be settled in Hartford. 5. This morning there was a very hard frost. Read old books. Wrote. Worked some. It is a good year for cider. 6. Read in Cave's Life of Athanasius!' He is a very good biographer. Worked considerably. Wrote on a communication for a member of the church. 7. Read Cave. Wrote considerably. Worked. Manured my asparagus beds. Quite warm. 8. Worked at cider. Read. Rode to Scantick to make an exchange with my brother Bartlett. My horse has a bad sore back. Paid for three pounds of honey. 9. Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett appear to be much burdened with their numer- ous family.' Mr. Bartlett went to my society. Preached on Heb. iv : 15, and James i : 23, 24. The congregation was quite large. Baptized ten children belonging to three families. Very warm for the season. The happy effects of the late revival are very visible. Returned in the evening. 10. Worked putting up cider for bottling. Visited. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Tarried out. 11. Remarkably warm. Visited. Read. Mrs. Wolcott gains in health quite favorably. Read. Hindered by company. 12. Wrote. I spend considerable time unprofitably. Finished Cave's Life of Athanasius. Received a letter from my sister. 13. Worked some. Read the Bible. Hindered by company. Gave St. 10 to a young man who was soliciting charity for the heathen school at Corn- ' Between John Williams, of East Hart- ' Dr. William Cave, of England, 1637- ford, and Clarissa Starkweather, of Wap- 1713. \\t vixot^ Lives of tke Apostles, Lives ping. of the Fat/iers, and Primitive Christianity, ^ Mr. Benjamin, of Bridgeport, was the which were, in times past, standard works, man who had furnished the silver com- ' They then had seven children, and two munion cups. more were born afterwards. With a small ' Rev. Jacob Catlin, D. D., pastor at the salary it was no doubt hard to make the North Church, New Marlborough, Mass., ends meet. But the children all grew up, 17S7-1S26. and three of the sons went through Yale ^ Dea. Thomas Tileston. College. The two daughters in the family 5 John Fo.x, author of the Martyrolot^y, were honorably married, and their lives have died in 15S7, but his book has been current been filled with activity and great usefulness. through the intervening generations. Three or four of these children are yet living. 722 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['8l7- Vfail.' My brother Samuel has some inclination to sell his place and remove.^ I hope God will preserve him from such a course. 14. Began a sermon in my system on depravity and the covenant of redemption. Wrote considerably. Worked some. I have neglected visiting of late too much. 15. Finished the sermon begun yesterday on 1 Pet. i: 20. Wrote ten pages. Eight of them in eight successive hours. I have usually for some time past written much slower than this, and slower than in years past. Wet and rainy. 16. On the 13th received a present of two gallons of good wine from Mr. Battell. Preached on i Pet. i : 20. Meeting full and attentive. At evening attended the conference. It was pretty thin. My brother Frank came here in the evening from Orford and tarried. 17. Had company. Something rainy. Read. E.vamined my pamplilets. 18. Rainy all day. Spent the most of the day in looking over and arrang- ing my pamphlets. Read in Gibbon's History. I much want more room for my books. 19. Rode to Hartford. The river is considerably high. My rheumatism is burdensome. Paid for boards and nails, $1.78. Read. We liad snow- squalls. 20. Worked ploughing my garden. Wrote to my brother Samuel. Vis- ited. Paid for oats, $1.50. Warm. People have had very fine weather for fall work. 21. Worked at my garden. Walked out and visited. Read Cave's Z/wj. 22. This morning the ground was covered with snow. The first we have had. Read the interesting life of St. Basil. ^ Paid a shoemaker, .60. Visited. We have a number of people who have been long ill who are now apparently recovering. Wrote. Warm. The most of the snow went off. Read the Bible. 23. In the morning wrote notes and preaclied in the forenoon on Eph. ii: 4, 5. In the afternoon preached an old .sermon on Luke ii : 7. Quite cold. At evening attended a little while at a singing-meeting. Baptized a child. Read. 24. Severe cold. Read Gibbon. Rode out. I hope we are not now to have winter. Wrote to brother Francis. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. 25. Last night it froze very hard. The weather moderates. Read Gib- bon. Worked some. Have considerable trouble with our green trees. At evening began a sermon for Tlianksgiving on Isa. liv : 7, 8. 26. Wrote the most of my sermon. Finished it late in tlie evening. Wrote pretty slow. Our proclamation for Thanksgiving is pretty ordinary. 27. Thanksgiving. A pleasant day. Meeting pretty full. Preached on ' 'I'he schod], famous for a time, for the ' lie liati liitlurlo m,ide liis home in education of heathen youth, was then in full Norwalk. and successful operation. ' This was in Cave's series. iSiy.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 723 Isa. liv : 7, 8. Mrs. Wolcott sat at table with us at dinner the first time in her sickness. Walked out. 28. Read Gibbon. Got in our celery. Pleasant and warm. The ground is something frozen. Had company. 29. \\"rote. Read. I am too much taken up with unimportant things. Afternoon rode to Enfield to exchange with my brother. The frost comes out of the ground. 30. My brother rode early to East Windsor. Preached on Rom. iv : 15. Meeting quite full. At evening attended a conference. The state of this society appears to be improving. December. 1 . Rode quite early to East Windsor ' with Mrs. Parsons ; ' then my brother and she went to Norfolk. Worked considerably at manure for my garden. .A.t evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. 2. Set out for Norfolk. Rode in a sulky. Afternoon quite rainy. Got considerably wet. Tarried with my brother .\mmi.^ He is e.\pecting to send his son to college. I doubt whether it is best. 3. Last night it snowed some. Rode to Norfolk. Mother is quite well. Mr. Emerson was married to Miss Rockwell,* of Colebrook, last Friday. Brother Samuel seems disposed to remove from this town. I do exceedingly regret it. I think it owing considerably to the feelings of his wife. At even- ing attended a small conference. 4. My brother Frank and Mrs. Parsons went off to Enfield. It is quite cold. A Baptist preacher was ordained at the northwest corner of this town today. I fear he will do some injur)'. A few people went and attended the transaction. I think mother and Samuel will live separate. I am very sorry that it is necessary. 5. Rode home. Quite cold. It thawed very little through the day. The sround is hard frozen. There is no snow here. Received a letter from Mr. Stewart/ one from Dr. Whitman, and one from Mrs. Skinner, all of Hartford. Paid brother Samuel for wool, .66. Took considerable cold by being wet on Tuesday. 6. Severe cold. Worked considerably carrying wood to the garret. Read the President's Message. I think it the best we have had since Federal times.' Wrote. 7. Steady cold and pleasant. Preached with old notes on Rom. vii : 9. Meetings were short. At evening attended the conference. My cold does not much affect my speaking. Preached pretty poorly. Read. Had a veiy good number of the Recorder. ' That is, from Enfield, where he had Emerson died in 1863, at the age of seventy- preached for his brother. six, and his wife survived him. ^ Mrs. Parsons is a new name, and we do ' This name is spelled wrongly, as before not as yet understand who she is. explained. It was Rev. Joseph Steward. ^ His brother ."Vrnmi lived in Colebrook. ^ Dr. Robbins shook hands with Presi- * Miss Eliza Rockwell, and the marriage dent Monroe a few months before, and liked took place Wednesday, Nov. 26, 1817. Dr. him better than he expected. 724 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1817. 8. Visited. Afternoon visited the school at the Hill, now divided into two. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. It was full and solemn. The cold abates. My cousin Eliza came here and tarried. I have some anxiety for the ecclesiastical interests at Norfolk. 9. Warm and very pleasant. Read. Worked some. Received a letter from my brother James and one from Clarissa Cowles,' now living at Pitts- burgh. That town it seems has become a city. Read Cave. 10. Rode with Tudor to Colchester.' Left him there to attend the academy. Rode back to Marlborough' and tarried. Good riding. Warm for the season. 11. Rode home. Read Cave. Wrote to Gen. Howe, of New Haven. Wrote a short piece for publication. Something rainy. 12. Read Cave. Very valuable. Visited a school. Quite rainy. 13. Wrote the most of a sermon on Dan. xii : 10. Wrote verj^ slow and late. Wet. I am greatly troubled with dissipated thoughts. Congress have commenced their session with appearance of great harmony. 14. Quite rainy all day. Meeting very thin. Preached an old sermon on Isa. xxvi : 4. Read the Bible. Wrote. 15. Read Cave. The fourth century was an active and learned age of the church. Worked at my library. At evening the weather cleared off, having been steadily wet for five days. 16. Rode to Turkey Hills.* Attended our ministers' meeting. Cold. The prospects of this society are favorable. 17. In the morning it snowed some. Rode home. The river is high and the crossing bad. Our society had their annual meeting yesterday. Their accounts are favorable. No certificates were given in. Rode to Hartford. Visited Mr. Hawes,' who has lately returned there. 18. Yesterday received a letter from Gen. Howe, of New Haven. Gave a boy, who does errands for me, cloth for a great coat. Rode to Wapping and tarried. Visited. 19. Visited the two Wapping schools. I have difficulty in getting out the other visitors. Received of my collector, $255.27. Paid Mr. Wolcott on my boarding-bill, $56.19. Paid a merchant's bill, $32.93; a blacksmith's bill, $4.15. The collector has done better than usual. 20. Wrote. Worked some. Hindered by company. My cousin Eliza came here. Wrote on a sermon. 21. Severe cold and tedious all day. Meeting very thin. Preached an old sermon on Isa. xlvii : 4. At evening walked out. Propounded a man for our communion. 22. The cold is severe and unabated. At evening attended our prayer- ' Probably from one of the Cowles fami- * Kcv. Ebir 1.. Clark, whose acquaintance lies of Norfolk. we first made at Chatham, now Portland, Ct., " Tudor Wolcott was still connected with it will be remembered, had been settled there Bacon Academy, Colchester. the year before, but was not to remain very ^ Marlborough, Ct., the first place where long, he preached for a considerable time. ' Kcv. Joel Hawes. 1817.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 725 meeting. The attendance increases. Visited a school. Received a letter from my brother and sister Battel!. 23. Rode to Enfield with my cousin Eliza. Returned and attended a funeral at Wapping. Visited. The cold abates. 24. Worked some. Rode to Hartford. The riding is very good. The river is frozen over. The country is remarkably still on political subjects. Visited. 25. Wrote a letter to my sister, and one to Rev. Mr. Mills,' of Torringford. The forenoon was quite rainy. Visited a sick man. The ground is consider- ably thawed. I have something of a tremor in mv hand. 26. Worked some. Read. Visited. Dined with Dr. Tudor° at a Christ- mas dinner. I spend much time unprofitably. I am wanting in exempla- riness.' Paid for oats. 27. Read old New England books. The churches had much contention on the subject of the Half-Way Covenant.* Hindered by company. Paid §12.00 for Whitby's Commentary? Visited. Pleasant and no snow. Read a sermon of Increase Mather. 28. Finished a sermon which has now Iain over two Sabbaths on account of the weather, on Dan. .xii : 10. Preached with it both parts of the day. Meeting full and solemn. At evening we had a good conference, ^^'arnl. Baptized a child.^ 29. Visited the sick. Visited a school. The ground thaws consideral)ly. Read. Our schools appear well. 30. Wrote. Afternoon rode in the rain to Hartford. Saw Mr. Battell. Took tea with' him. Received a dividend of $16.00 of the Hartford Bank, one half of which I paid to Mr. Wolcott. Paid for Stiles's Jiulges,^ .75. Got quite wet on my return. The riding is e.\ceeding bad. The most of the frost is out of the ground. Brother Frank came here and tarried. 31. Rode with my brother to Scantick and attended ministers' meeting. I fear we have some unpleasant things in our church. The Scantick people have erected a very good academy.' God be tlianked for this year. ' Rev. Samuel J. Mills, previously noticed. * Elizur, son of Elihu Wolcott, a gradu.ite = Dr. Elihu Tudor, at this time, was about of Yale, 1839, now living at Jacksonville, 111. eighty-five years old. ' Rev. Ezra Stiles, D. D., President of ^ Others, probably, would not so judge Yale College, wrote a small book entitled him. History of the Three fud^^es of Charles I. * Dr. Robbins speaks here of the Half- These judges, who fled to this country for Way Covenant as a thing of the past, and refuge, were Goffe, Whalley, and Ireton. though at the time he wrote this the practice ' The writer of these notes recited his still lingered in a few New England churches, first lessons in Latin in that building. It generally it h.ad ceased. is still standing, but would be called a very 5 Daniel Whitby, 163S-1726, before no- plain and humble affair by the people of ticed. this generation. 1818. January. 1. Attended ministers' meeting till afternoon. Had considerable conver- sation with Mr. Bartlett. Rode home. Visited. Endeavored to commit myself to God and to covenant with him for the present year. The roads quite wet with the thawy weather. Received of my collector, gioo.oo. 2. Wrote. Afternoon preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Matt, xxvi: 31. At evening rode to Wapping. There are some objections against a man I lately propounded for our communion. I hope for divine guidance and teaching. 3. Wrote a sermon on Sam. iii : 22, 23. The frost is mostly out of the ground. 4. Preached with old notes on Isa. liv : 10, and the sermon written yes- terday. Administered tlie Lord's Supper. Received two women to our com- munion by letter. Cold. The church not very full. The meeting in the afternoon full and solemn. It is a day of darkness and gloom witii us in spiritual things. We have had but eight deaths the )ear past. At exening attended the conference. 5. Our new silver cups were used yesterday at the sacrament. They appear very well. Worked some. Rode to the Hill and dined with the town officers at the January meeting. It snowed some. At evening attended our monthly meeting of prayer. It was pretty thin. 6. The British nation have experienced a very great loss in the recent death of the Princess of Wales and her infant child.' I consider it a most mysterious and afflictive appointment of divine providence. Wrote. Worked at my library. Visited. We have a number of sick. Paid for my Hartford newspaper for a year, $2.00. Worked some. 7. Rode to Wapping and visited the sick. Warm. The roads very wet. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Received of the Eagle Bank of New Haven, a dividend of $150.00. They divided $15.00 on a share. I view it as a special providential favor. The Phoenix Bank took my order for this money. Paid the Phcenix Bank, §200.00, and took up my note. Made a donation of Sio.oo to the Domestic Missionary Society of this State. Paid to the Hartford Tract Society, $10.00, and became a life-member. In the evening attended the ' Charlott^ Augusta, daughter of George ever were the hearts of the people of Eng- IV of England, commonly known as the land more stirred than by this event. The Princess Charlotte, was married at the age great preachers of England and .Scotl.ind of twenty, in 1816, to Prince Leopold, after- made this the occasion for some of their wards King of the Belgians. She died in ablest sermons. The sermons of Dr. Thomas connection with the birth of her first child Ch.ilmers and Robert Hall were especially (the child also dying) Nov. 5, 1817. Hardly noteworthy in this connection. 727 728 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [181S. annual meeting of the Tract Society. Mr. Flint delivered a public address. Paid for a small hand-saw for my own use, Si.jo. Paid for a ring for mv sister, $1.50. There is, I think, a prospect that Mr. Hawes will be settled in Dr. Strong's congregation. 8. Have a good many little things to do in the family which take up my time. In the forenoon Mr. Parsons,' of East Haddam, came here and spent the day. Rode out with him and introduced him, at his request, to several young ladies. 9. Last evening received from Norfolk a very valuable pre.sent from my sister, and partly from my brother, consisting of a handsome bedstead and curtains, a bed and bed-quilt. She is a most excellent sister. Mr. Parsons left us in the morning. Cold. Worked consider.ibly. Visited the sick. Read. Prepared this diary. Will a merciful God enable me to complete it. 10. Assisted in putting up my bed. It makes a very good appearance. Last night there was a fall of snow of a few inches. Sleighs move consider- ably. Rode to East Hartford to make an e.xchange. 11. Mr. Fairchild rode to East Windsor and returned after meeting. Had a full meeting. The stove Mn the meeting-house makes it quite comfortable. Preached on Ps. cxiii : 6, and Dan. xii : lo. Baptized a child. Quite cold. Rode home in the evening. Pretty good sleighing. 12. Read. Brother Frank called here, .^t evening attended our pra3'er- meeting. 13. Read old Mr. Bulkley's' excellent preface to Gov. Wolcott's Poems. Visited. Wrote to Mr. Etheridge,' of Charlestown, and Mr. Benjamin, of Bridgeport. Paid a tailoress, .89. 14. Rode to Hartford. Pretty good sleighing. Paid Mr. Goodwin, $34.30, and took up my note, which I gave him almost two years ago, for Calvin's Works. Paid Hills, my merchant tailor, $26.33. P'i'<^ C. Goodwin for merchant's goods, $17.57. Paid J. Olmstead for merchant's goods, $20.14. Paid Gleason, $20.00, $15.00 of which I would reckon for books. I hope not ' Rev. Isaac Parsons was settled in East raent of Some Vacant Hours by Roger Wol- Haddam in 1816, and remained there till cott, Esq.; with a Preface by the Reverend 1856. He was the father of Rev. Henry M. Mr. liulkley, of Colchester. New London: Parsons, pastor at Springfield and Ifustoii, I'rintcd and Sold by T. Green, 1725." The and now of Canada. longest of these poems bears the following ' They were just beginning to put stoves extended title: "A IJrief Account of the into the meeting-houses, but the house at Agency of the Honourable John Winthrop, Scantic had none till nine or ten years later. Esq., in the Court of King Charles the ' The old Mr. liulkley here spoken of Second, Anno Dom. 1662, when he Obtained was Rev. John Bulklcy, the first mijiister of for the Colony His Majesty's Gracious Char- the town of Colchester, Ct. He was the son ten" Rev. John liulkley waj graduated at of Rev. Gcrshom Bulkley, and the grand- Harvard College, 1699, and was p.istor at son of Rev. Peter Bulkley, the first minister Colchester from 1703 to his death, in 1731. of Concord, Mass. Gov. Roger Wolcott in He w.-is regarded as one of New England's his life-time published three volumes, one of foremost scholars. which was poetical. The full title of this * The man who offered the prize for the was " Voclicai Mtditations, Being the Improve- best paper on private libraries. l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 729 to have so much debt upon me soon again. Towards evening rode to Wap- ping and visited four sick families. Severe cold. 15. Wrote to my sister. Rode out and visited. Paid a shoemaker, .75. Paid for covering the dasher of my sleigh, $1.00. The weather moderates. A trifling dancing-school is set up here. 16. Wrote on my preaching account. It thaws considerably. Worked carrying wood into the chamber. Rode out with Mrs. Wolcott. She is still pretty feeble. Received of my collector, $81.50. The most of my last salarj' is now paid. Rode and visited. 17. Read. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of old Mrs. Grant, aged ninety-two. Quite pleasant. Read the Bible. iS. In the morning and at noon wrote my notes and preached all day on Eccles. xii: 14. Wrote early. The subject was solemn. Communicated to the people the application of the heathen school of Cornwall for some chari- table assistance. At the conference in the evening a committee were appointed to make the collection. Warm. The most of the snow went off. 19. Rode to Hartford. Renewed my note at the Hartford Bank and paid $52.45. Paid Imlay, §7. 68. I now owe very little in Hartford, e.xcept one debt at the bank. Paid for a book for Eveline," .87. For wool for the Corn- wall school, .50. For corks, .50. For other things, .32. Towards night rode to Enfield. 20. Last night it rained considerably. Returned. Read Beverley's Ifis- tory of Virginia^ In the evening rode to Hartford with Frances. Paid for a handsome thermometer with a mahogany case, $8.00.^ The first society in Hartford have given a call to Mr. Hawes today to settle with them. They are not quite united. At evening quite cold. 21. The thermometer this morning was at 14°. Wrote. Read Beverley's History of Virginia. Rode out and visited. 22. Read the Bible. Wrote two wills for a man and his wife. Received' of my collector, $26.88, being in full of my last salary. Wrote to Mr. Par- sons,* of East Haddam. Rode to Wapping and visited sick persons. 23. Finished Beverley's History. Very cold. Thermometer in the morn- ing 14°, and below 20° all day. Walked out and visited. 24. Read Cave's Biography.^ Wrote minutes of a will. It has become necessary that my will should be renewed.' Read the Bible. It snowed steadily all day. 25. Preached an old sermon on Luke .\ii : 32. The snow is nine or ten ' Eveline Wolcott, the youngest child of dollars would be a high price for a ther* Mr. Abie! Wolcott, with whom he boarded. mometer. She was now fourteen years old. * Rev. Isaac Parsons, whom he introduced ° Robert Beverley's History of Virginia to several East Windsor ladies not long from its first settlement down to 1705. The before, book was first published soon after 1705. 5 Which covers the lives of many of the ^ Dr. Robbins evidently liked a nice thcr- early Christian Fathers, mometer. Now when money is not practi- ^ Such changes had probably taken place cally worth half as much as then, eight that it needed reconstruction. 13° DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [lSl8. inches deep. Meeting in the forenoon quite thin. I feel anxious about a young brother in the church. The Baptists work at him. Thermometer in the evening at 8°. Read. 26. Read the L/fi; of Spencer} He was a wonderful )outh. Sleighs move briskly. Am troubled with a pain in my teeth. Yesterday received a letter from Mr. Benjamin, of Bridgeport. At evening attended our praj'er-meeting. 27. Finished reading the Life of Spencer, and Cave's Litcs. This latter work I hope to be able to procure. Filed my letters of last year. Worked some. Warm. It thaws considerably. 28. The pain in my jaw some of the time is quite severe. Wet and rainy all day. Read old pamphlets. Read Gibbon. 29. The trees are exceedingly loaded with ice. My brother Frank came here and we rode together to Hartford. Afterward he went home. The snow remains, though there is a good deal of water. Towards night it grew quite cold. Visited. Received a letter from my brother and sister Battell. Paid Cooke for four numbers of Clarke's Commentary' $6.00, and for the Tri- angle,^ $3.00. Read the Triangle. 30. In the morning the thermometer was 4° below zero. It did not rise to 6° above in the day, though most of the time clear sunshine. Read Clarke's Commentary. Finished reading the Triangle. It is a very valuable work. Thermometer at bedtime 4° below zero. 31. Thermometer this morning 2^ below zero. Read the whole of Jay's Life of Winter.' He was a very good man, but not a most important char- acter. Very cold and rough. Thermometer rose to about 15°. . February. 1. Preached with old notes on Phil, ii : 6, and an old sermon on Jer. xxiii : 32>- -^t evening attended the conference. Quite thin. Very good sleighing. Thermometer in the morning 10°, and rose to about 25°. 2. Thermometer this morning 6°, and rose a little above the freezing point. Rofle out. Visited. Read. Yesterday received a letter from Miss Charlotte Verstille,' with eight dollars to be bestowed in charily. At evening attended the monthly jprayer-meeting. Full and attentive. 3. Rode to Turkey Hills and attended Association. Four members ' The reference here is probably to the ' The name Verstillc, which is very rare, great English ])oet, Edmund Spenser, though seems to have been brought to East Windsor he spells the name with a f. There seems to by the second niarri,igc of Rev. Joseph be no other person to meet the case. An Perry, successor to Rev. Timothy Edwards, edition of Spenser's works in eight volumes Mr. Perry was pastor of the church 1755- was published in London in 1806. '7S3, when he died. He was twice married, ' lit, Adam Clarke's Commentary in and his second wife was the widow of Peter eight volumes, published in numbers. The Verstillc. At the middle of the present publication of this great work was begun in century Mr. Perry's house was still standing, 1810. and was occupied by Miss Nancy Verstillc. ' Rev. Samuel Whelpley's work, before She and Miss Charlotte may both have been noticed. daughters of Mrs. Perry by her first niar- * Admiral John William De Winter, a riage. They were certainly in some way Dutch naval commander, who died in 1S12. connected with Mr. Perry's family. l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 731 absent. My brother preached verj- well. Very good sleighing, .\ftemoon and evening we had a severe snow-storm. The Association licensed George Allen,' who studied some with me, some time ago. 4. Last night after tlie snow it rained considerably. After dinner rode to Enfield and home. Considerable water under the snow. Late in the evening received a letter from my sister informing me that my good Uncle Starr has had a terrible hurt by a fall from a carriage, and is not expected to live, requesting me to go and see him. Holy is Jehovah in his severe visitations. 5. A member of our church at Wapping is said to have been guilty of a great fault. We have great reason to be humble before God under his holy frowns. Wrote to brother Francis and sent him Sally's' letter. Conclude to set out tomorrow for Warren. It thaws some. Rode out. Wrote. Re- ceived an anonymous letter with Si 0.00 for charitable institutions. At the Association we had an application for charitable assistance from Rev. Mr. Backus, of Bridgeport, who is ver}- indigent. Gave $1.00, as did most of the members. 6. Set out early and rode to Warren, near fifty miles. Very good sleigh- ing. The latter part of the way the path was not well made. Found my good uncle more comfortable than I e.xpected. His head is terribly torn and it does not appear to heal. The pain is not very severe. He was hurt on the first day of January.' Aunt Starr is getting better. She was with him and was severely hurt. 7. Looked over uncle's pamphlets. Saw the surgeons dress his head. I think he cannot live. The people here are trying to build a new meeting- house. They find considerable difficulty. 8. Preached on Matt. .\i : 30, and Hab. iii : 17, 18. The weather very favorable and the meeting full and solemn. Uncle Starr and the people appear to be highly gratified with my being here. My uncle requested me to preach at his funeral. 9. On the 6th paid for six bushels of oats/ S2.25. Last night the weather changed, and it is very cold and tedious. Rode by Canaan to Norfolk. A very good road. My mother has been very unwell with an inflammatory fever, but is now some better. She and .Samuel live separately. I did not suffer greatly with the cold. 10. The cold is extreme and a hard wind. I fear my good mother is wear- ing out. Mr. Battell gave me four yards of elegant blue cloth for a cloak. His liberalities are very great. 11. Rode home. The sleighing is e.xcellent. Rode from Norfolk home, and had some hindrances, in eight hours. My thermometer this morning was 16° below zero. Yesterdav morning it was some below zero. It has been ' This was Rev. George Allen, of Worces- ^ That was thirty-seven days before, and ter, of whom we have spolcen in a previous it had taken the news a long time to get note, who was a truly remarkable man, and around. who has recently passed away at a very * That was before he left home, but he advanced age. forgot to enter it. Dr. Robbins often makes " Sally is Sarah, Mrs. Joseph Battell. slight repairs or corrections in this way. 732 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS RORHINS, D.D. [iSlo. today perfectly dear and still, but severe cold. I believe my green trees are not injured. Mr. John Marsh' preached here for me last Sabbath. It was very une.xpected. Received a letter from brother Frank. He has gone to Fairhaven." 12. Thermometer this morning io° below zero. Read. The people of Wapping brought me five very good loads of wood. Rode out and visited. 13. Thermometer this morning 5° below zero. It thawed some. Wrote a will for Dr. Tudor.' Read. Rode out. Wrote. 14. W'arm. It rained considerably. Bottled cider. Drew off our frozen cider and put it in a cask. We had nearly two barrels reduced to a half barrel. Read the Bible. 15. Rode early to Windsor and made an exchange with Mr. Rowland. Preached on E.x. .x: 17, and James i: 23, 24. Cold. Returned in the even ing and attended a singing-meeting. 16. Thermometer this morning was at zero. The snow is almost wholly ice. The walking is very difficult. Rode to Hartford. Mr. Hawes's ordina- tion is fi.xed for the 4th of March. The cold is severe. 17. Thermometer this morning 4° below zero. By comparing my ther- mometer with the Hartford account, I think it must have been from 4° to 8° below on the mornings of the 9th and loth when I was absent. Our ministers' meeting met here. We had an agreeable meeting. Mr. Clarke* preached. 18. My brother went off in the morning. Frances has a very severe turn of colic. Rode to Enfield, attended a prayer-meeting, and preached at a conference in the evening without any notes on Ex. .x : 17. The evening meeting was quite full. My brother is absent. Visited a sick child. Re- turned late. Am much troubled with a pain in my face. 19. Read. Read some very valuable old pamphlets. Wrote. I fear I am " slothful in business." I hope to be able to procure a complete set of election sermons of this State. 20. The ague in my face is very severe. Read (Jibbon. Wrote. The thermometer this morning was at 6°. Walked out. 21. Warm. It thawed very much. The thermometer was above temper- ate. In about thirty hours from yesterday morning it rose fifty degrees. A man in .Scantick and one at Long Hill have got the small-pox the natural way without knowing how they took it.' People are considerably alarmed and are vaccinating. Several iiave been exposed. Received a letter from .Mr. Steward, of Hartford, requesting me to preach at tlieir ordination.' Fast next P'riday. Wrote the most of a sermon on Judo v. Hindered by company. ' Dr. John Marsh, Jr., of WethersficM. clothing of a quasi physician in want of ' Fairhavcn, Mass. practice, from a small-pox hospital in New ' Dr. Elihu Tudor, of whom wc have York, he having been vaccinated. often spoken. ' Wc have before noticed the fact that ' Rev. Kber L. Clark. the habit then was to have a day of fasting ' It used to be said that the sm.ill-pox with .solemn religious services preparatory was brought tu Scantic intentionally, in the to an ordination or installation. l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 733 22. It snowed the most of the day. Thin meeting. Finished and preached the sermon on Jude v. In the forenoon preached with old notes on Isa. xxviii : i6. At evening my brother came here. He has liad a prosperous journey to the eastward. He expects to be married in tlie spring." 23. My brother returned. Rode to Hartford. Paid $12.00 for Numbers 16, 17, and 18 of tlie Encydopadia.'' At evening attended our prayer-meeting. My face grows better. Cold. 24. Wrote. It snowed considerably. Read Eiuydopcedia. The work is exceeding valuable, but I look for some things which I do not find. 25. Read EncydopcBdia the most of the day. Visited. A young married woman in the neighborhood apparently near the close of life with a consump- tion. Wrote. 26. At bed-time 5° below zero. The thermometer was at 7° this morning, and did not exceed 15° in the day. Visited a school. Read. We have in the neighborhood a very poor and vicious family. 27. The thermometer this morning was 14° below zero. It rose in the day higher, I believe, than 36°, making 50°. Rode to Hartford and preached at the fast, preparatory to ordination.' Mr. Fairchild preached in the fore- noon. People attended well. Preached on 2 Chron. vi : 41. That people appear happy in their prospects. 28. Wrote. Dr. Fansher* is vaccinating this town, hired by the selectmen for one hundred and fifty dollars. Wrote the most of a sermon on 2 Thess. 2-13. Warm. It thawed a good deal. The thermometer was nearly at temperate. I have a tremor in my hand which affects my writing. We have had an unusually pleasant and favorable winter. March. 1. Finished and preached my sermon on 2 Thess. ii : 13. Warm. Rainy in the afternoon and evening. Divided my sermon and preached with it both parts of the day. Read. Visited a sick child. 2. Wrote to Mr. Battell. The rain continued moderately through the day. I think I never saw so much water on the surface of the ground. Wrote. Did not attend our monthly prayer-meeting on account of the weather. Rode out. Read Life of Budianan? ■ This was perhaps the result of the visit have taken up this business of vaccination made in that quarter a few months before. as a specialty. Me afterward applied to the "^ Such works were made to cost fearfully Connecticut Legislature for a grant of a lot- in those days. This, it will be remembered, tery that he might vaccinate the whole State, was the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, and its In this project he failed, getting up was cheap. But type-setting and ' Dr. Claudius Buchanan, born near Glas- printing have made great advances since gow, Scotland, 1766, one of the early and that day. distinguished Christian workers in the East. ^ This was the service at which Dr. Rob- I (e went to India in 1796 as chaplain of the bins was invited to preach. Kast India Company. His published works, ' This Dr. Fansher is not found among the sermon entitled Star in tlu East, and his the surgeons or physicians of Connecticut volume, Christian Researches in Asia, had for the year 1818. Whether he was techni- an immense circulation. He died in York- cally a physician does not appear. He may shire, England, in 1815, of a paraljtic shock. 734 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [lSl8. 3. Attended the funeral of a child. After which set out to go to Hart- ford to attend the ordination. Rode to the river in East Hartford and found it impassable. The ice broke in the morning and carried off the draw of the bridge. After an hour or two it was tolerable boating till one o'clock. The ice then came from above and rmi till night. I viewed it a considerable part of the afternoon. The scene was tremendous. The river was perfectly full of ice, very solid, and from eighteen to twenty-four inches thick. ISIany of the cakes were ver\- large. The most of one of the arches fell, and all the others were injured in some degree. The piers have suffered very much.' Towards night returned. 4. In the morning rode to Hartford. Crossed in a boat. The meadows are almost wholly covered with water. It was two feet deep and more on the East Hartford causeway. Attended the ordination of Mr. Hawes. The parts were well performed. Dr. Woods preached excellently." Attended the coun- cil a little while before the public exercises. All accounts represent the greatest destruction in bridges. The council was verj' large, and the most of the members tarried over night. Mr. Fitch,' of New Haven, preached in the evening very well. Mr. and Mrs. Battell and Mrs. Olmstead came into town in the morning and attended the ordination. In the evening it snowed con- siderably. Very kindly entertained at Maj. Caldwell's. 5. Had an agreeable visit with my Norfolk friends. Much disappointed that they cannot go to East Windsor as they intended. Crossed the river towards night, could not before, and rode home. My horse was tliis side. Several of the Connecticut River bridges are said to be gone. Mr. Bartlett and his delegate came here and tarried. Several bridges on Scantick River are gone.' It seems that Obookiah' of the Cornwall school is dead. A most mysterious appointment of providence. Bad riding. 6. Wrote. Wrote a letter to Mr. Catlin,' of New Marlborough, on the 'subject of church government.' There are some of our ministers who are rather unfriendly to the existing order of our churches. ' All this is a graphic description of the ' This was an extraordinary flood, such river in one of the extra great floods. Those as conies once in fifteen or twenty years. who have lived in the river towns any consid- ' Henry Obookiah w.is a Sandwich Is- erable number of years have witnessed simi- land youth, brought in a ship to New Haven lar scenes. The bridge built in 1809, which some years before any missionaries had gone was carried away March 3, iSiS, was an to those islands. The school at Cornwall open bridge. The one built in 1S18 is the was formed in 1816, to educate heathen present bridge. youth, of whom Obookiah was a kind of ' Or. Leonard Woods, Professor of (Jhris- forerunner, liy the year 1822 there were as tian Theology in Andover Theological Scm- many as thirty heathen youth in this school. inary, under whom Mr. Hawes had studied. The death of Obookiah made a most pro- graduating in 1817. found impression upon the Christian people ' Dr. Elcazar T. Fitch, who only a few of the country, months before had entered upon his duties ' Rev. Jacob Catlin, D. D. as Professor of Theology and Preacher at ' The Consociation system, with its semi- Yale College, in which offices he continued Presbyterian ideas, was always galling to till 1852, and was professor cmcriliis when many minds, especially among the more he died in 1S71. thinking men of the laity. iSlS.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 735 7. Wrote the most of a sermon on i Tim. i: 15. Afternoon rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of an infant child. Cold. Thermometer this morning at 5°. Pretty good sleighing in our street. "" 8. Thermometer this morning at 5°. Finished and preached in the afternoon my sermon on i Tim. i: 15. In the forenoon preached with old notes on Ps. Lx.xiii : 25. The ague in my face is quite severe. Read. 9. Rode out and visited. Visited an aged man apparently near dying. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Quite thin. Received a valuable pamphlet from my cousin S. P. Robbins, and an excellent letter from my sister. 10. Visited a sick woman. Rode to Vernon to attend an ordination.' Mr. Ely"" appeared very well on examination. The council was small but respectable. Warm and pleasant. The roads are \ery muddy. 11. The parts of the ordination were well performed. Returned. The riding very bad. My aged and good neighbor, Mr. Reed/ died last night with a short turn of influenza. An aged man, a Baptist,'' whom I visited on Monday, was buried this afternoon. Visited the afflicted. 12. Wrote. Afternoon attended the funeral of the aged Mr. Reed. Got out my green-house. The trees have been well kept during the cold weather. Read. Paid a shoemaker, .60. 13. Rode out and visited. Very warm. The frost comes out of the ground very fast. A young woman in the neighborhood appears to be almost gone with the consumption. 14. If has been very clear and pleasant weather all this week. For live days past the thermometer has been, I believe, above 60° each day. The sleighing continued tolerably good till the 9th. We had from Jan. 25th to March ist excellent sleighing without intermission. But little snow is now to be seen. Wrote a sermon on Matt, xxi : 28. Wrote it by daylight in eight and one half successive hours. I cannot write well if I drink coffee. Yes- terday wrote to Mr. Hawes, of Hartford. Wrote. 15. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Isa. xlv : 5. Afternoon the sermon written yesterday. The roads begin to dr)'. At evening attended a singing-meeting. 16. Read the Bible. On the 9th received a letter from my cousin George Starr. My uncle seems to be a little better. Wrote. Rode to Hartford. The riding grows better, but some places are very bad. A large pine book- case was brought me, lately made for me. Quite cold. The thermometer was scarcely above freezing point with a clear sun. 17. Worked laboriously at my library all day. The cold continues. Ther- mometer between 20° and 30° most of the day. Read. Quite tired. 18. Began a sermon for Fast on Amos vi : 6. Wrote but little. The ' Rev. Ebenezer Kellogg, who had been = Rev. William Ely, who was ordained in pastor at Vernon fifty-five years, died in Sep- Mr. Kellogg "s place, was pastor iSiS-iS;2. tember, 1S17. He fulfilled his ministry in the ^ Mr. Ebenezer Reed, aged eighty-four, old square meeting-house on the hill. ■* Mr. Obadiah Wood, aged sixty -eight. 736 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1818. subject does not appear easy. Received a letter from brother Frank. Visited. 19. Wrote on my sermon. Wrote slow and poorly. My heart I fear is cold in my great work. 20. Fast. Finished and preached my sermon on Amos vi : 6. Did not finish writing till in the intermission. It appeared better than I feared. Our Fast appears to be better observed than usual. At evening at a prayer- meeting. Not so tired as I expected. Endeavored to humble myself and renew covenant with God. 21. Rode to Enfield. My brother thinks some of building a house. At my return found Rev. Mr. Catlin, of New ]\Iarlborough, here. He had just arrived; came to spend the Sabbath with me. I could never have more kindly assistance. He is about publishing a volume of Systematic Divinity} The manuscript appears very well. 22. Mr. Catlin preached very well. The meeting was thin. The weather unfavorable. At evening we had a hard rain, though not long. I fear a dry spring. 23. Mr. Catlin went off in the morning. His assistance was a peculiar favor. Rode to Wapping and visited the North School. It has been very well instructed. Came home late. The riding quite bad. 24. Had company. Visited. Rode to Wapping and visited the South School. There has been an insurrection in that school the present season, and the first teacher left the school. Received a present of three dollars from Capt. Hall. We passed the school. The second teacher has done tolerably well. 25. Wrote. Read. Afternoon ploughed a small piece of my garden for early planting. The frost is not wholly out of the ground. Visited. 26. In the morning it snowed considerably. Rode out and visited two sick children. Paid towards my book-case, lately made, $6.75. Visited a sick woman very low. The ground is quite covered with snow. 27. Finished reading my Bible in course. I am ashamed that I have been so long reading it through. A young married woman ° in this neighborhood died this morning of a consumption. Looked over the whole of my library, which I have not done before in a long time. A few volumes are missing, but I think they may be found. I have more than eight hundred volumes. I thank a merciful God for them. The snow remains on the ground. Mr. V\olcott went to Colchester yesterday a"d returned today with Tudor. Wrote. 28. Wrote a sermon on Prov. viii : 4. It snowed more or less all day. Sleighs move considerably. Wrote too slow. 29. This morning the thermometer was down to ii°. Rode to meeting in a sleigh. The sleighing in the forenoon quite good. In the forenoon expounded on Rom. i : i to 17. Afternoon preached the sermon written yesterday. Attended a funeral. Meeting very full. Read. ■ Dr. Catlin, it will be remembered, was ' Mrs. Juliette Hosmer, aged twenty-six, one of the recognized teachers of divinity. living not far from Dr. Robbins. l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 737 30. Read Life of Buchanan^ Something rainy. I fear a dry spring. Visited. Wrote. 31. Visited. The snow is mostly gone. Visited the South School. It has been well kept. Received a letter from Mrs. Skinner, of Hartford. April. 1. The weather is cold. Wrote to Mr. Battell and sent twenty dollars to procure some articles for me at New York. On the 30th ult. received a present of sLx yards of e.xcellent linen from a neighbor, a friend. Planted peas in my garden. We had some small seed sown. Rode out and visited. Received a letter from Mr. Catlin, of New Marlborough, and one from Mr. Parsons, of East Haddam. 2. Wrote. Planted peas and potatoes. Cold. Visited the school near us. Rainy. Read Lfe of Buchanan. 3. Began a sermon on i Pet. ii : 7. Catechised a school. Preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Luke .\-\ii : 46. Rode out and visited. Cold and wet. Our lecture was quite thin. 4. Wrote on my sermon eleven pages. Wet and rainy all day. I cannot wholly get rid of the tremor in my hand. 5. Wet and cold all day. Some of the time it rained very hard. Meeting quite thin. .Administered the sacrament. The church was thin. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Ps. xxv : 22. Afternoon an old sermon on Eph. iii : 10. Had nearly completed my sermon begun on Friday, but omitted to preach it on account of the weather. The thermometer was but a few degrees above freezing all day. Wrote. Read. 6. Wrote a paper for ministers' meeting. Ax evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. My brother came down, attended the meeting with me and tarried. 7. My brother went home. Rode to Wintonbury and attended ministers' meeting. The riding verj' bad. In Wintonbury it is horrible. Preached on Matt, xxi : 28. 8. Returned home. The weather is constantly cloudy, wet, and cold. Paid donations to the Bible, Missionar)-, and Tract Societies for ladies in this society, amounting to $37.00. Received of the Phcenix Bank a dividend of $60.00. Paid the Hartford Bank, §31.96. Paid for a lock, etc., for my book- case, .35. For the first volume of Dwight's Systematic Sermons' S3. 00. Wrote. Paid for one and one half gross of corks, $1.38. g. It snowed and rained all day. Worked bottling cider. We have now in the cellar two hundred and fifty-one bottles, forty-six of which were put down in the winter. The ground is covered with snow. 10. Rode out and visited. Visited a school. People do nothing in ploughing. The weather is very chilly and uncomfortable. 11. We have clear weather after nine days in succession of wet, cloudy, and cold, in which the sun has not clearly shined. Vegetation has been ' Dr. Claudius Buchanan. Seru's 0/ Sermons ; with a Memoir of tht - Theology Explained and Defended in a Aut/wr's Life. In five volumes, octavo, 1S18. 738 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l8l8. Stationary. Last evening received a letter from Horace Loomis, of New Connecticut, and one from Mr. Etheridge, of Charlestown. Wrote to my sister. Afternoon rode to Scantick and attended the funeral of a child. Towards evening Mr. Clark came here from Turkey Hills to exchange. I did not much expect him, and had concluded not to go. 12. Rode quite early and got to Turkey Hills a little after eight o'clock. Preached in the forenoon at the prison from Luke xviii: 13. The meeting was interesting. There are seventy-one convicts. At noon attended a funeral. Preached in the afternoon from Matt, xxi : 28. The meeting very full. Preached in the evening at the meeting-house to a good number from I Tim. i : 15. Very tired. The prospects of this society are improxing. Mr. Clark came home late. Yesterday received from an esteemed friend a pres- ent of twelve dollars for the purchase of a watch-chain. 13. Rode home early. The river quite high. Prayed at the opening of the Freemen's Meeting. Votes for treasurer were Kingsbury, 188;' Spencer, III.* The first vote for a Democratic representative, late a Federalist, was ■136. The meeting continued quite late. Democracy does not appear to abate in zeal or malignity. 14. Wrote. Wrote to my cousin Capt. Gibbs,^ of Fairhaven. Walked out and visited. Cold and wet. 15. Worked at my wood. People plough some, but the ground is very cold. Walked out and visited. Several children are sick. 16. Gave ten dollars to Horace Bissell to procure some silk for nie at Canton.' Visited the North School. It has been divided into two the present season. Rainy. The ground becomes very well wet. Received a letter from Mr. Parsons, of East Haddam.' Visited a woman who has of late hopefully got religion. 17. Worked piling wood. Read the Biography of Dr. Dwiglit. It is too much of a eulogy. Visited. Rode to Mr. Bartlett's and tarried. Received a letter from Dr. Whitman, of Hartford. 18. Rode home. Visited. Read. Received a letter from a Mr. Whit- man at Hartford. Cold and wet. The river is high. The Federalists have been very remiss at the late Freemen's Meeting. Paid for repairing my watch. 19. Finished a sermon, which was mostly written a fortnight ago, on i Pet. ii : 7, and preached it. At noon attended the funeral of an infant child. Very cold and chilly. I have some cold. At evening attended a singing- school. ' .\iulrcw Kingsbury, of Hartford, who She was the sister of Priscilla Le Baron, was fur many years State Treasurer of Con- born 1781, who married, yf«/, Mr. Gideon .S. necticut. Aldcn, of New liedford, and second, Rev. ' Mr. Spencer was the Democratic candi- Francis I.c liaron Robbins, of Entield, Ct. date. So she w.is the magnet that was attracting ' Ansclm Gibbs, of Kairhaven, Jan. 4, the Enfield pastor to make his "journeys to 1800, married Lucy Le Uaron. She ivas the the eastward." daughter of William Le ISaron (brother of * Canton, China. Dr. Kobbins's mother), and was born in 1778. ' Rev. Isaac Parsons. l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 739 20. The ground last night was hard frozen. Worked piling wood. Paid an Irishman for a half day's work, .37. Attended the funeral of a young child. Visited. 21. We had a hard frost this morning. The thermometer was at 24°. Rode to \\'apping and visited a sick man. We had in the course of the day two severe squalls of snow. 22. The ground was mostly covered with snow this morning. Rode to Hartford. The water has fallen, but the crossing is bad. Paid for books, $2.50. Read. Visited. 23. W^orked considerably. Read the Lt/e of M. W. Montagu} The weather is something warmer, but vegetation has scarcely started at all. 24. Wrote. Rode out and visited. People are much engaged in sowing summer wheat and rye. 25. Warm. Worked in the garden. At evening rode to East Hartford to exchange with Mr. Fairchild. I think ministers are not sufficiently careful not to ride on the Sabbath.^ 26. Mr. Fairchild rode late to East Windsor and returned immediately after meeting. We had a considerable shower. Preached from Matt, .xxi : 28, and James i : 23, 24. Had pretty long meetings. The congregation was large and attentive. Saw Dr. Chapin.' There is a powerful revival of religion among his people. Rode home. Brother Frank came down here this evening. He concludes not to go to the eastward so soon as he had calculated. Received a letter from him. 27. Rode out and visited. Drove the team to plow my garden. .\t evening attended our prayer-meeting. On my return it rained hard and was e.xtremely dark. We had a good meeting. 28. Rode and visited all day. Two sloops lie in the river at Strong's landing, loading with brick. The water is so high that very little is done in fishing. 29. Rainy and wet all day. Read Lady Montagu. Mr. Lee, of Cole- brook, called here. He made the most of his visit at Dea. Reed's. I am alarmed at a spirit of innovation prevailing in our churches. Mr. Lee seems to be very fearful of the consequences.* 30. Visited. I have not till now completed my annual visitation of the people for the year now closing. At the first of May of last year there were in this society one hundred and si.xty-one families, thirty-eight of whom were certificate people. I have visited all of them since that except two. We ' L.idy Mary Wortley Montagu, born in as many New England families had to make 1690, died 1762. "Marrying in 1712 Mr. in their Sabbath attendance at church. Edward Wortley Montagu, she became ^ Dr. Calvin Chapin, Rocky Hill, through her beauty and wit at once a chief * It is comforting to know that there have ornament of fashionable society, and a fiat- been just such fears and apprehensions all tered friend of i\ddison. Pope, and other the way along. There never is a time when men of letters." some people do not see impending ruin just ° The journey from Dr. Robbins's home before them. The danger is as great and to East Hartford was not long — not so long dreadful now as ever. 740 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1818. have not failed to cut asparagus in April ever}' year since we have had any." Now I cannot see a stalk above the ground. Paid a woman for spinning and knitting a pair of stockings, Si. 38. Saw up street one daffa blossom. Plowed my garden. In the afternoon rode to East Hartford and preached a preparatory lecture for Mr. Fairchild. I took one sermon with me hastily, and when I got to Mr. Fairchild's I found that I preached it there last January. It was time to go to meeting. I went and preached by divine assistance without any notes on Ps. viii : 8. I succeeded better than I expected.^ The meeting of the Moral Society was holden April 6th and adjourned to Wednesday, Sept. i6th, in the evening at the meeting-house, of which I am to give public notice. May. 1. Worked in my garden. Planted peas and potatoes. I get tired very easily. Wrote to my sister and to Mr. Parsons, of East Haddam. The weather appears to be growing warmer. 2. Quite warm. The thermometer rose to above So°. Read Jamieson's ' Sacred History. Wrote the most of a sermon on E.\. x.x : 5, 6. Wrote very slow. My hand has a bad tremor. Received an excellent piece of black cloth which Mr. Battell procured for me at New York. I think he has made me a good saving. He is a very kind brother. Received a letter from my sister and one from my cousin William H. Robbins,'' of Hallowell. 3. Last night we had a pretty hard rain. Rainy and wet all day. Warm. Finished my sermon on Ex. xx : 5, 6, and preached it both parts of the day. I did not expect to have divided it, but found that it required much addition. Meeting pretty thin. Visited. 4. Rainy and cold all day. Rode to Wapping and attended a funeral. The Baptist Blakeslee is about leaving there. God is very holy and good in ordering such an event.' Attended a while at a training. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Wrote to my sister. 5. Wrote a statement respecting the late vaccination' of this town, at the desire of the civil authority and selectmen, to be published in newspapers. Wrote a report for our Moral Society to be presented to the State Society. Wrote the most of an address to be delivered before our Moral Society. 6. Worked in my garden. Finished my address. Attended the meeting of the Moral Society. So few persons were ]5resent that the address was not ' This may stand over against the spring * William If. Robbins was a graduate of of 1775, when appIc-trecs arc said to have liowdoin College, 1S14. been in blossom April 19. Our seasons ^ The removal of a minister is a some- individually vary much, but the average con- what peculiar occasion for devout thanks- tinucs about the same from generation to giving. generation. ^ .Sylvanus Fansher was employed for one ' Mr. Robbins's missionary experience hundred and fifty dollars to vaccinate the had trained him for cxiempore sjieaking. whole town. He afterwards tried through ' Ucv. John Jamicson, a .Scotch seceding the Lcgisl.iture to set np a lottery, from the minister, born at Glasgow, 1759, died at avails of which he would vaccinate all the Kdiiiburgh, 1838. An extensive and able people of the State. But this plan, as before wriltr. Slated, miscarried, l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 741 delivered. Visited. Our Moral Society Languishes. The water is higher than it has been for several years, and as high, I think, as at any time since I have lived here." The meadows are covered. 7. Rode to Mr. Bartlett's. We completed our report on vaccination for publication in the newspapers. Worked in my garden. Read M. W. Mon- tagu. I can work but a little. 8. Worked in my garden. Planted potatoes and peas together. The water falls very slow. Read. It i^ quite cool. The season advances but little. It is supposed there is a good deal of snow still at the northward. 9. Wrote a sermon on Ps. .x.x.wii : 37. I write slow. I feel unwilling to spend so much time in unnecessary labor. Wrote late. I am greatly burdened with stupidity and indifference in divine things. 10. In the forenoon expounded on Rom. i : 17, to the end. A most awful catalogue of the vices of the heathen world, .\fternoon preached the sermon written yesterday. At evening attended the conference. Very tired. Warm. 11. Rode to Hartford. The water has fallen considerably. Quite warm. The thermometer rose to 82°. Saw some fruit-tree blossoms. Paid for marking a plate for Uncle Starr, .50. Paid for various articles, $2.66. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. We had a thunder-shower. The Deaf and Dumb Institution" increases very much. It is an honor to the State. 12. Wrote. We had our first asparagus. \\'e might have cut a little yesterday or the day before, but not earlier. Our vacine communication is in the newspaper. Worked in the garden. Had a row of currant bushes set. Rainy. The ground is quite wet. 13. Read. Rode out and visited. At Warehouse Point yesterday one seine took four thousand shad and another one thousand. But few arc taken down the river on account of the water.' 14. Rode to Hartford and attended the election. The day was wet and unpleasant. Mr. Croswell,* the churchman of New Haven, preached and read service. It was pretty barren. None but a Congregational minister ever preached before and never ought to again.' The number of people and of ministers was less than usual. The Governor appeared but indifferently.' It ' As high, therefore, as in March just ■* Rev. Harry Croswell, D. D., began his before. In some accounts it is said that the ministry at Trinity Church, New Haven, bridge over the Connecticut at Hartford was 1.S15, and continued till his death, 1S5S. He carried away in March, iSiS, while other w.is a native of West Hartford, Ct., born accounts say May, 181S. Both floods prob- June 16, 1778. Noah Webster, the lexicog- ably helped in the work of destruction. raphcr, born at West Hartford, twenty years '^ The American ."Vsylum for the Deaf and earlier (1758), was Mr. Croswell's early Dumb was incorporated in iSiG, so that in school-master. 181S it was in its very infancy. Its work ' Th.at utterance comes out of the strong has been of the most beneficent character. intrcnchments of the standing order. The ■> The water is more shallow near the Episcopal preacher was here the dissenter, Enfield Falls than below. This was the old reversing the English rule. style of shad-fishing in the Connecticut. * Gov. Oliver Wolcott was a very re- Afterwards it was greatly reduced, but is spcctable Governor, and left behind a traly now improving. honorable name. 742 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1818. is very painful to see several of tlie best men in the State left out of the Council, and their places to be supplied with poor fellows. Returned. Tiie water is rising again. Attended the annual meeting of the Ministers" .\nnuity Society. Paid $12.00, a sum lately presented to me for the purpose, for an elegant gold watch-chain. Paid for H. Loomis"s ' pamphlets on Infant Bap- tism, $1.00. I have seen some fruit blossoms, but none \et on the apple-trees. 15. Visited a black man very sick. Read M. W.Montagu. On the 13th wrote to the Rev. Dr. Trumbull," of North Haven. Paid towards my large pine book-case, $2.35. The whole cost of it is almost $12.00. Mr. Dow,^ of Thompson, came here and tarried. The water is as high, within less than two feet, as last week. Quite cool. 16. Mr. Dow went away in the forenoon. I feel such a degree of imbecility as to be unable to write a sermon. Worked some in my garden. Planted cucumbers. Read Loomis's letters on baptism. They are very good. Am very cold and stupid and worldly. The Lord make me wholly devoted to his service. 17. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ps. iv : 6. Afternoon preached an old sermon on i Cor. ii : 16. Wet and rainy all day. Meeting very thin. I think we grow worse about attending meeting in bad weather. Yesterday received a letter from Dr. Whitman, of Hartford, and one from my Uncle Starr. He is getting better,* but has not yet attempted to preach. Wrote. At evening walked out. 18. Read. Rode to Hartford and Wethersfield. The roads on the west side of the river quite bad. The water has fallen some. Wrote to my sister. Gov. Wolcott has delivered a very good speech. Some apple-tree blossoms are nearly out, but I see none fully so. ig. It rained steady all day. Read. Wrote. People are considerably alarmed with the long continued wet season. It is difficult to plant. 20. Read Lady Montagu. Worked at my furniture. Rode out and visited. This morning there was considerable frost. 21. Planted peas and potatoes. The water continues high. Our Assembly do very badly. They are perfectly Democratic. Visited. My brother Frank came here and tarried Re:ul \)\s\g\\\.'s Sermons. 22. My brother returned in the morning. Wrote. We have made a good collection for the Cornwall sciiool. On the 19th and 20th wrote a will: my former one required much alteration. Rode to Hartford. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. Mr. Freeman,' of Weston,' came here and tarried. Saw apple-tree blossoms. I have seen none before. ' Rev. Ilubbell Loomis, pastor at Willing- ' Dr. Daniel Dow, of Thompson, Cl., one ton, Ct., 1804-1828. JaiL-a Sparks, 1,L. D., of the prominent ministers of the State, from President of Harvard College, a native of 1824 to his death, 1849, """^ of t'le trustees Willington, Ct., in humble circumstances, of Yale College. recited his first Latin to Rev. Mr. Loumis. * After his injury, at first thought to be ' Dr. lienjamin Trumbull, author of Ifis- fatal. tory of Coiincctiail, born IIel)ron, Ct., 1735, ' Kev. Nathaniel Freeman, now eighty-three years old. He died two ' That part of the town now known as years later in 1820. Easton. l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 743 23. Wrote the most of a sermon on Col. iii : 2. I am languid and poorly able to write. 24. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Acts ii : 38. Finished and preached in the afternoon the sermon on Col. iii : 2. Meeting very full. Warm. Left off my flannel. The thermometer was up to 80°. We had our missionary contribution. It much exceeded my e.xpectations. We collected $56.10. There were four §5.00 bills, one $3.00, one $2.00, eleven of one dollar, and one hundred and thirty-six smaller pieces of silver. I hope it will do good. For certain reasons I gave more than I have ever done on a like occasion. I contributed S5.00, and gave to children for the same purpose, .34. At evening attended the conference. Very much fatigued. 25. Quite unwell. In the morning was faint and sick. Rode to Hartford and carried down Eveline and Charlotte Reed to attend Dr. L. Strong's school. Vegetation advances very rapidly. The lilacs begin to blossom. The thermometer was at 85°. Called on Gov. Wolcott, but did not see him. Received a letter from brother Frank. At evening we had a good prayer- meeting. 26. Am verj' languid, with much dejection of spirits. Wrote to my sister and brother Frank. Rode to Wapping and visited sick persons. Read the Bible. Thermometer 85°. 27. Wrote. Read the Bible. There is a very full blowth on the fruit- trees. Began a long letter. In times of trial the Lord is my helper. Visited. The thermometer rose to 90°. 28. Worked in my garden. Finished a long letter to my cousin W. H. Robbins, of Hallowell. Gave him at his request an account of our family ancestry. Rode to Hartford and attended a very interesting exhibition of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum. The Governor and Assembly were present. We had a very refreshing shower. At evening attended the conference with Mr. Hawe.s. Mr. McEwen, of New London, preached. Heard from Norfolk. Mother is pretty smart. Capt. D. Phelps is not likely to live. Tarried at Maj. Caldwell's. Thermometer 84°. 29. In the morning called on the Governor. Prayed in the House of Rep- resentatives, and afterwards with the Council. Mr. Hawes was unexpectedly absent. Attended the introduction of Mr. Wainwright ' as pastor of the Episcopal church by Bishop Hobart.'' His sermon was but middling. Rode home. Wrote. Thermometer 84°. 30. Yesterday and this morning wrote an account of the exhibition of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum for the newspaper. Have so much other writing to do I cannot write a sermon today as I had calculated. Wrote a paper for Association. Am considerably troubled with nervous affections. 31. Wet and rainy all day. In the forenoon expounded on the second chapter of Romans. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Matt, v : 4. .Vt evening attended the conference. Prettv thin. ' Rev. Jonathan Mayhew Wainwriglit, ' Kev. John Henry Hobart, D. D.. then D. D., afterwards Bishop of New York. Bishop of New York. 744 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1818. Jl'NH. 1. We had a steady and hard rahi all day. Wrote a report of the state of our churches for the Association, to be presented to the General .'Associa- tion. We have had no revival the year past. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting; but very few were present. 2. In the forenoon rode in company with my brother to Farmington, and met with the Association. It was pretty full. Mr. Whittlesey,' of Hartford, preached. The two appointed preachers were absent. We had a good deal to do. Quite warm. The river rises pretty fast. 3. We ordained a Mr. Fowler," a worthy young man, as a missionary for Ohio country. I gave the right hand of fellowship. Had but little written. Returned in the afternoon. Very warm. Our family did not observe the thermometer. The water is a good deal in the meadows. Received of Mr. G. .Spencer at the bank, borrowed, $59.10. Very tired. 4. My garden is becoming very weedy. The worms work badly in the corn and gardens. Last year they were supposed to be the effect of dry and cold weather. We know but little. Received a letter from my sister and one from Mr. Benjamin, of Bridgeport. Wrote. The thermometer 89°. I con- clude it was about the same yesterday. Rode out. 5.- Am very languid with the heat. Rode to Hartford in the morning. The Assembly make themselves ridiculous. Visited. A very fine season for vegetation. Am disappointed about a preacher to supply my pulpit in my absence.' The thennometer was at 90°. Paid my annuity tax, $5.00. 6. Wrote the most of a sermon on .\cts iv : 12, latter part. I write slow. Received a good letter from my mother. The Assembly have risen and con- cluded the first Democratic,* and probably the most disgraceful session ever held in this State. Thermometer 88°. 7. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Ps. xi : i. Finished and preached my sermon on Acts iv : 12. The heat very oppressive. The ther- mometer rose to 95°. The warmest of this year. Meeting very full. Attended the conference. In the evening my cousin Eliza' came here to go with me on our eastern journey. 8. Rainy and wet. My brother Frank' came here, and he and Eliza with me set out towards night on a journey to the eastward. Rode to Tolland.' Tarried at the tavern. Got something wet. " This must have been Rev. S.imucl Wliit- oiIilt ministerial service, he was pastor at tlescy, a native of Wallingford, Ct., a gradu- Fall River, Mass., for twenty years. He was ate of Yale in 1803, who h.-id been pastor at M. C. from Massachusetts from 1848 until his New Preston, 1807-1817, and was now appar- death in Washington in 1852. ently without charge. lie died in 18.12. ' He is making arrangements to go East ' Rev. Orin Fowler, D. D., who had been to attend his brother Francis's wedding, licensed by the Fairfield West Association ■• Connecticut had been the strongest in 1816, and was now commissioned by the Federal State in the Union up to that time. Connecticut Mission.ary Society for service ' Mrs. Olmstead. in Indiana. He became a somewhat eminent ' Francis Le Baron, at Enfield, man. He was born in Lebanon, Ct., 1791, 'Tenor twelve miles from East Windsor was graduated at Yale, 1815. Uesidcs much to Tolland. iSlS.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 745 9. Quite cool. Rode through Ashford .ind Pomfret to Providence, fifty- two miles. The roads are much washed by the rains. I am a good deal affected with general debility. 10. Rode through Taunton to Fairhaven, forty-eight miles. Warm, but not oppressive. We have had a very favorable season for our journey, by God's blessing, and have been much prospered on our way. Found our friends well. Am fatigued with our journey. We were expected today. 11. The season here is much the same as with us. Two large whaling vessels have just come in here laden with oil. The business is much pursued here and at New Bedford. In the evening my brother was married to my cousin Priscilla Alden." We had a very pleasant wedding. Our friends were over from Rochester. Si.-c ministers were present. I pray God that his blessing may long rest on their connection. Warm. Afternoon rode out with my cousin Mrs. Gibbs." 12. Crossed to New Bedford and returned. Rode in the forenoon with my brother and sister and Eliza to Rochester. Found many coiftins and friends at Uncle Le Baron's.^ Visited. 13. In the forenoon rode to Fairhaven and returned to Rochester. My uncle is not willing that I should not be with him tomorrow. Warm, but not equal to last week. In the afternoon we sailed out two or three miles in a vessel. The \illage at the harbor is floiirishing. My cousins here appear to be prosperous. 14. I have an unusual degree of anxiety respecting home. The Lord be our helper and preserver. In the forenoon we had a hard rain. Thin meeting. Preached for my good uncle on Matt, x.xi : 28, and Heb. xi : 24, 25. This is a good congregation. Towards night rode to Fairhaven and preached in the evening from Acts iv : 12. My brother preached today at New Bedford. The society here is in a precarious state. Our connections do well for it. 15. We reckon my share of the expenses of our journey hitherto at $5.00. Visited. Rode to Rochester and dined at my cousin William Le Baron's." My uncle is greatly smiled upon in his family. Gave cousin Polly,^ $i.oo. Cool. 16. In the morning left Rochester. Visited Mr. Everett, of Wareham.. My brother and sister joined us on the way. Rode to Plymouth. Kindly received at our cousin's, Mrs. Russell.' Saw at upper Rochester some con- nections of my neighbor, Mr. Haskell. ' Priscilla Le Baron, daughter of William prosperous condition were settled near at and Sarah (Churchill) Le Baron, was horn hand. in 17S1. She was first married to Gideon S. ■■ His cousin Willi.am was born 1786, and Alden. She was own cousin to Rev. F. L. was now thirty-two years old. Robbins, her second husband. ' The cousin he calls Polly was born in ^ Mrs. Gibbs was Lucy Le Baron, sister 1791. to the bride just mentioned. '' Nathaniel Russell in the year iSoo mar- ' Rev. Lemuel Le Baron, of whom already ried Manha. daughter of Isaac Le Baron, notice has been frequently taken. He had Mrs. Kusscll was own cousin to Thomas and .1 large family, and several of his children in Francis Robbins. 746 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROP.BINS, D.D. [1818. 17. Called on many relations and old friends. My uncle Isaac Le Baron grows old. Called on Mr. Kendall." .At evening we had a hard shower, which prevented a meeting at which my brother was to have preached. Saw my poor cousin Philemon Robbins." He lives very comfortably. 18. Visited. Wrote. Mr. Russell has a valuable and e.xtensive manu- factory. Visited the burying-ground. The arm-chairs of Governors Car\-er, Bradford, and Winslow are still preserved. At evening my brother preached for Mr. Kendall to a full house. ig. Find many acquaintance and kind friends. My brother and sister returned in the morning to Fairhaven. His preaching last night was quite acceptable. Afternoon rode with friends to the beach in the harbor. It is quite a curiosity. My cousin S. P. Robbins came here very unexpectedly from Marietta. Visited at Rev. Mr. Torrey's.' Cool. 20. Find my time quite taken up. Rode two miles out of town and dined at my cousin's, Mr. Jackson.' Returned towards evening. Crops appear well. 21. Preached in the forenoon for Mr. Torrey at the south meeting-house on James i : 23, 24. He has a very good congregation. Afternoon preached for Mr. Kendall, in my good uncle's meeting-house, on Ps. Ix.xxiv : 2. His con- gregation is very large and very respectable. Warm. After meeting some Quaker women from abroad held a meeting. It excited much attention. In the evening preached to a very numerous assembly in Mr. Kendall's meeting- house on Heb. xi : 24, 25. My cousin preached in the forenoon for Mr. Kendall, and afternoon for Mr. Torrey. 22. Made several calls. My preaching is commended quite unnecessarily. Took leave of friends and rode with cousin Eliza to Milton. Quite warm. We missed our way. Kindly entertained at Gov. Robbins's.' Found him absent from home. My horse is considerably lame. 23. Rode in a very warm morning to Roxbury. Put up at my cousin's, Dr. Peter Robbins.' He has got a new wife who is rich, and they live in great style. Found my cousin Sam. P. there. Called at my cousin's. Dr. Lemuel Le Baron,' who lives near cousin Peter's. Afternoon rode with cousins Sam. P. and Peter and Eliza into lioslon. Treated with much attention by Mr. S. J. Prescott.' Found some other friends. Very warm. Boston appears much better than I expected. The late improvements are very great. ' Rev. James Kendall, D. I)., successor to Rev. Nathaniel Robbins, pastor at Milton, Dr. Chandler Robbins. Mass., 1750-1795. Sec previous notes. " Philemon Robbins, son of Dr. Ch.indler, 'This is the Dr. Teter Robbins with born 1777, died 1826. whom he has corresponded for some years. ' Rev. William T. Torrey, a native of ' Dr. Lenuiel Le I!aron, son of Rev. Scituatc, Mass., a graduate of Harvard, I S06, Lemuel, of Rochester, born Jan. 10, 17S0, was settled over the third church in Plym- was graduated at Drown University in 1799, oulh in 1818, and dismissed in 1823. He studied medicine with Dr. Thom.is Kittridge, died in 1861. of Anduver, and was for several years in * His uncle, William Le liaron, had a Roxbury. daughter .Sarah born in 1776, who married " S. J. Prescott, LL. D., a notary public Mr. Thomas J.ickson. of Hoston and a man of considerable distinc- ' Lieut.-Gov. Edward IT. Robbins, son of tion. He was graduated at Harvard in 1795. l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 747 24. Breakfasted with my cousin Dr. Le Baron. He does verj- well in his practice. In the morning rode to Cambridge. Had an agreeable visit with President Kirkiand.' The colleges appear ver)' well. Returned through Boston to Ro.xbur)-. At Boston called on Rev. Mr. Dwight." The ground is quite dry. The heat and dust are very oppressive. After dinner we took leave of our cousins and set our faces this way. Cousin Sam. P. came on with us. The turnpike from Boston to Dedham is very fine. Much oppressed with the heat. The surface of the ground is quite dr)'. Had green peas at dinner. The first they had had at ray cousin's.' Rode to Medway and tarried at a tavern, eighteen miles. 25. Rode to Pomfret, about forty miles. The heat verv oppressive. Cousin Sam P. is pretty feeble and languid. My horse is quite lame ; he limped badly. Was quite apprehensive in the afternoon that he could not go home. The road was hilly, but pretty good. Tarried at a tavern. 26. My cousin concluded to remain a little while at Pomfret. Rode home. "By the good hand of our God upon us," we are returned after a very pros- perous journey. The heat was very oppressive. There is ver)' little wind. We had a little rain just as we got home ; all that we have had on the road since the afternoon we left home. My horse traveled better than he did yesterday. Found all things well at home, though I have had much an.\iety in my absence. A man in the society has died very suddenly in my absence.* Our folks think the thermometer has been 94° today and 96° yesterday. I conclude that it is about correct. Cousin Eliza paid me $3.90, which is to be deducted, from the preceding e.Kpenses of my homeward journey. She has paid $5.00 of the expenses of our journey. We found my cousin William Lawrence ' here, who came from Norfolk for Eliza. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. 27. Eliza and William went off early for Norfolk. Wrote to Mr. Battell. My brother and his wife came by Hartford, and went by here on Thursday. Wrote. Read. Our State is in a great ferment respecting our approaching Convention.' Thermometer 94°. Vegetation is very flourishing. 28. In the morning wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Gen. iv : 7. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Lev. .\.\vi : 41. The heat was about insupportable. When we returned from meeting in the afternoon the thermometer was 98°. Baptized three children.' .-Vt evening attended the ' John Thornton Kirkiand, D. D., LL. D., ^ William Lawrence was a younger brother whose father, Rev. Samuel Kirkiand, we of Mrs. Eliza (Lawrence) Olmstead, son of have had occasion to notice as missionary in Grove and Elizabeth (Robbins) Lawrence, Central New York, had now been eight and was born ai Paris, New York, June 28, years President of Harvard College, and was iSoi. to continue ten years more. ' The Connecticut State Convention of = Rev. Sereno Edwards Dwight, who was iSiS to propose changes in the constitution, settled the year before as pastor of Park etc., was a very important item of Connecti- Street Church, Boston. cut history. 3 We are not certain with what cousin ' Emily Smith, daughter of Mr. Justus they dined. It may have been at Roxbury Reed; Sarah Ann Miller, daughter of Sam- or Milton, on their way to Dedham. uel Waterman ; and Benjamin, son of Benja- ' Mr. Wareham Strong, aged forty, min Gillett. 748 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1818. conference. My health, I think, is improved by my journey. Our family had their first peas last Sabbath. 29. Wrote. The heat is such that I can e.\ercise but very little. The expenses of our late journey were about $13.00.' In the afternoon my cousin Sam. P. and his companion, Capt. Howe, came here. He came today from Tolland. The thermometer in the afternoon was 91°. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 30. I apprehend I never saw a warmer day. It was very hot last night and in the morning. The thermometer was soon above 90" and before noon it was 99°. It varied from that to 97°, till near four o'clock, when it was com- pletely 100°. I have never seen it so high since I owned a thermometer. In the morning my cousin went off for Norfolk and Marietta. Made him some presents. Read the description of Boston. Could not be comfortable on account of the heat. Towards night we had a moderate shower with a good deal of thunder. It sensibly cooled the air. The surface of the ground is quite dr\'. July. 1. The weather is much altered since the thunder of last evening. It is now very comfortable. Worked in my garden. Rode out and visited. Read. 2. Yesterday received a letter from a Mr. Yearby, of Baltimore, request- ing me to take a young lad for instruction. Read. Worked some. After- noon rode to Enfield and preached a preparatory lecture for my brother on Col. iii : 2. Returned late in the evening. My brother and his wife have commenced housekeeping today. They have many presents from the people. Paid a man for working in my garden today, $1.00. 3. Wrote. I am very languid with the heat and can do but little. After- noon preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on i Cor. xi : 25. Visited. 4. Rode to Scantick with Mr. Wolcott, and attended the town meeting which elected delegates for our State convention.^ The Democrats appeared to be much disappointed. They had one hundred and forty-five votes, the same number as last spring. The Federalists had more than two hundred.^ There were about sixty new freemen. The universal suffrage law is horrible.' Prayed at the opening of the meeting. Did not get home till near night. 5. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Jobv: 19. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Hos. viii : 14. After meeting rode to Wapping and preached at five o'clock from Ps. i : 11. Very tired. Administered the sacrament. Warm and sultry. 6. I find my lungs nnich affected by my labors yesterday. Read. Hin- dered by company. Thermometer about 90°. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. On th(j 4th wrote to my cousin Mrs. Olmstcad. For himself and Mr.s. Olmstcad. Very though the State has gone over to the Dcm- cheap traveling. ocrats. ' This meeting, it may 1>c noticed, was * And that was not universal in the full called on the Fourth of July. modern sense, for there were still property ^ East Windsor still remains I'edcial, qualifications. l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 749 7. Rode to Simsbury and attended ministers' meeting. Mr. Cooii' joined with us. Very warm. Our meeting was quite attentive to business. People generally are haying. There is a good crop of grass. 8. Rode home. Suffered much with the heat. The election has issued more favorably than was feared. Thermometer this afternoon 95°. 9. Wrote. Received on the 4th from the ladies of this society a donation of $30.00, to constitute me a life-member of the American Bible Society. They have done the same for Dr. McClure. Wrote to Mr. .\lexander Yearby, of Baltimore. Heard from Norfolk. Mother is feeble. We had a pretty hard and very refreshing thunder-shower. Thermometer about 94°. 10. Worked considerably in my garden. Much oppressed with the heat. XVent into the water. Read. Thermometer 98°. 11. The heat did not appear very unusual in the forenoon, but in the after- noon it was unprecedented. I took pains that no accidental heat should affect the thermometer, but it rose steadily till about three o'clock, when it was complete 102°. It continued at that and a little over till four o'clock, and sunk but little til! near sundown. I think I never saw such etTects from heat."" The ground is dry and very warm. I was unable to write in the after- noon anywhere. Wrote the most of a sermon on John .\i : 42. Began early. Laborers were obliged to leave or be very moderate in their work. I think our Convention^ is likely to be moderate in talents. On the 9th bottled our frozen cider. It has been in a tight cask since winter. There are about si.Kty bottles. Paid a man for a job in my garden, .40. Planted my Rochester cabbage-turnips. 12. The heat very great, but hardly equal to yesterday, ^^any people attended meeting without coats.* Meeting rather thin. The thermometer at half past three o'clock was just 100°. Finished and preached in the afternoon my sermon on John .\i : 42. In the forenoon preached w-ith old notes on ' Rev. Elisha B. Cook, of Orford (Man- held firm po.ssession of Connecticut. All Chester). parties are human and corruptible, and the - It is, of course, very rare for the ther- Federalists were no exception. The people mometer to rise above 100 degrees in any at large had suffered wrongs under this rule, part of New England. It is one of the sin- and just as soon as the Democrats came gular and une.vpected laws of nature that into power they took prompt action to call the thermometer is more likely to be over a convention 10 revise the constitution and 100 for a day or two at Montreal, some rectify wrongs. Although the Federalists at hundreds of miles north of us, than here. the time strongly decried it, probably no There is a good philosophical reason for intelligent man now would say that such this, and after the fact we discover the action was not needed. The result was in reason, but we would not be likely to antic- many ways healthful, ipate such a result. ' It would be regarded now as indecorous ' Something ought to be said about this for men to appear in church in their shirt- Convention, that we may understand the sleeves. Hut there are thousands of people circumstances in which it was convened. It yet living who can remember that the farm- was a matter of grave importance. Ever crs in the country towns used to come to liince the organization of the government meeting without their coats, or rise and take under the Feder.il Constitution, between them off in the time of service, and no one thirty and forty years, the Federalists had thought it improper. 75° DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1818. Prov. viii : 6. After meeting rode to Wapping, and preached at five o'clock on Jude V. Much oppressed and fatigued. Mrs. Ellsworth at Hartford is ver)- sick.- 13. We have very hot niglits. Worked a little in my garden. Wrote. Read. Am pretty languid. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Ther- mometer 98°. 14. Set out to go to Norfolk. Rode to Hartford and met with Mr. and Mrs. Battell on their way to New London. At their recommendation and desire I concluded to defer my journey thither for a little time. Had an agreeable visit with them and their friends. Returned towards evening. People are well satisfied with our late election of delegates for the Conven- tion. Some are beginning to harvest. Thermometer 95°. 15. \\'orked in my garden. It suffers much from the drought. Our peas have done poorly, as has been the case generally. The surface of the ground is very dry. The first cool day we have had for more than three weeks. Thermometer but 83°. Read Dwight's SjrsU-m.' 16. Rode to Hartford with Mrs. Wolcott ^ and saw Mrs. Ellsworth. She will not, probably, live but a short time. Wrote to Mr. Romeyn,* of New- York, and sent him our donation for the American Bible Society. Rode out and visited. The grass comes in very well. Paid for a pair of Boston shoes, $8.00. In the spring Dea. Reed' paid for me at Boston for two years' Recorder, $6.00. I called today to pay him, having been put off once or twice, and he refused to take anything. A generous donation. Yesterday we had our first cucumbers. Thermometer 89°. 17. We are constantly disappointed in signs of rain. Mr. Battell told me on the 14th that he had purchased of brother Samuel his home lot of about eighty acres. I am greatly rejoiced that he has purchased it, since Samuel was resolved to sell. It is an act of great generosity and filial love in Mr. Battell. He gives him fifty dollars an acre. All accounts represent the late heat as exceeding any known for many years. Wrote to brother Frank and to Horace Loomis, of New Connecticut. Read Dwight's System. Have to water vegetables a good deal. Thermometer 91°. 18. Worked in my garden. Things are perishing with the drought. Wrote to my mother. Afternoon rode to Hartford to e.xchange with Mr. Hawes.' He rode to East Windsor with my horse. Visited Mrs. Ellsworth. She is very low. Thermometer 90°. ' The widow of Chief-Justice Oliver Ells- sister to Mr. Abicl Wolcott, with whom Mr. worth, of Windsor. Robbins boarded. ' The same work before referred to, * John Brodhead Komeyn, D. D., from Theology Explained miil DefciideJ in a Series iSoS till his death, 1825, pastor of the Dutch of Sermons ; with a Memoir of the Author's Keformcd Church in Cedar Street, New Life. In five volumes, octavo, 1818. York city. ' Mrs. Abiel Wolcott. Mrs. Ellsworth, ' Dea. Abner Reed, before noticed. He who was sick, was Abigail Wolcott, daughter afterwards removed to Ohio. of Hon. William Wolcott, of Kasl Windsor. ' Dr. Joel Hawes, the new minister of She was born Kcb. 8, 17551 and was own Center Church, Hartford. l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 751 19. In the morning we hud a moderate and most refreshing rain. Wet and cloudy all day. The air warm and very languid. Preached on John xi : 42, and James i : 23, 24. At evening preached at the conference house on Heb. iv: 15. Mr. Hawes appears to be well married." 20. Visited Mrs. Ellsworth. Rode home. The afternoon a hard rain. It was very much needed. Read description of Boston. Thermometer 85°. 21. Worked all the forenoon in my garden. Cloudy and wet, yet the thermometer rose to 90°. People feel anxious about the grain. Afternoon rode to Enfield. We had considerable rain. My brother thinks of making a purchase. I think he has a favorable opportunity. 22. A fine harvest day. Vegetation is greatly revived. Returned. At- tended the funeral of a young man at Wapping, whose disease and death were wholly the effect of intemperance. O that others might look and be wise. Visited a sick man. Thermometer I conclude above 90°. 23. The river has risen a good deal and unexpectedly. Rode to the harvest field and carried dinner to the reapers.^ The harvest is good. Wrote. Visited. Am much oppressed with languor. Thermometer 91°. 24. Began a sermon on John iii : 16, 17. Consulted a number of volumes on the subject of the atonement. Wrote but little. Showery. Inconvenient for harvesting. Thermometer 90°. 25. Wrote laboriously on my sermon. It requires much close attention. Wrote nine and one half pages by daylight. .Am troubled some with a tremor in my hand. Thermometer 86''. 26. Wrote three pages and finished my sermon on the atonement before meeting. Preached it both parts of the day on John iii : 16, 17. Afternoon was more than an hour in sermon. Something wet and cool. After meeting rode to Wapping and preached with notes on Luke .xiii : 3. I fear I shall not be able to bear this additional labor. 27. Rode to Hartford. Paid the Hartford Bank $120.00, and took up my note. I now owe no bank. Received of the Eagle Bank a dividend of J535.00. On the 2d instant I borrowed of my brother Frank Sioo.oo, and gave him my note. In the afternoon my brother Frank and his wife called here. We had something of a shower. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. Thermometer 91°. Paid my brother $25.00 on a note he holds against me. 28. Wrote. In the afternoon worked laboriously at hay in the meadows. There is a very good crop of grass. Am troubled some with rheumatism. Thermometer 86°. ' Dr. Hawes went back to his native " These hairest fields, to which almost region for his wife. He was born in Med- every year Dr. Robbins carries dinners for way, Mass., and he married June 17, 1818, the reapers, were not the rich meadows Miss Luuisa Fisher, of the neighboring town along the river, but the more dry and sandy of Wrentham. They lived together forty-nine fields, some distance cast from "the street." years, buried all of their si.t children, and The harixst which they reaped w.is rye, she died June 8, 1867, three days after her which grew here of excellent quality, but was husband. largely turned into gin or whiskey. 7S2 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROIiBINS, D.D. [1818. 29. Rode with Frances to Enfield and got a yiirl of twelve years old, to be kept if she suits. I think my brother has made a fortunate purchase of a place. A very good house and other buildings and five acres of land for $2,650. Visited. The heat is severe. Last night we had a considerable shower. 30. Worked in the garden. It produces rather poorly. Visited. Read. Afternoon rode to Wapping and catechised the children at the meeting-house. The thermometer was 92°. I conclude it was about the same yesterday. It was not observed. 31. Looked over my pecuniar)- accounts. My ordinarv' expenses seem to increase. My property does not increase much except by interest." The forenoon was very warm. The thermoms.er about noon rose to 98°. Cate- chised the children at the meeting-house. Visited. The harvest has come in well, but it is thought not equal to some of the late seasons. August. 1. Wrote a sermon on Matt, vi : 13. Wrote five pages before dinner. Finished before night. My sermonizing is too intellectual. Thermometer about 88°. 2. In the forenoon e.vpounded on the third chapter of Romans. After- noon preached the sermon written yesterday. I have preached this summer quite too long. Meeting quite full. Rode to Wapping and preached on Matt, xi : 26. The collection of people was large. Thermometer 91°. 3. Rode to Hartford. Visited .Mrs. Ellsworth; apparently in a dying state. Wrote to Mr. Benjamin, of Bridgeport. Gave a note of $550.00 at the Hartford Bank and received §541.02. Received of the same a dividend of $8.00. Am troubled wilii a rheumatisin in my back. We had a moderate and refreshing shower. Thermometer 92°. Wrote. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. 4. Rode to Norfolk. Set out in the morning about four o'clock and got to brother Ammi's a little after noon. My rheumatism is quite troublesome. I suffered much pain in riding. Mother has been quite feeble this summer, but is better now than she has been. Brother Frank and his wife came here yesterday. At evening brother James and his wife came here." Brother Samuel's wife has a young child. 5. Brother Samuel has a great harvest. He is now in the midst of it. Last evening attended the marriage of Bailey Birge and the youngest daughter of Capl. Phelps, lately deceased. Settled .accounts with Mr. Baltell. Paid him $355. 67, and look up a note given him for borrowed money. I'aid him $29.41, and look up a note given for a store debt. 1 now owe liiin nothing but gratitude. Paid brother Frank. $i43-37. •'"'• 'o"'^ "P ''""^^ ""'^'^ '^'^ '^^^'"^ against me for borrowed money. Dined at Mr. Hattell's. Brother Ammi and ' One rather wonders how it could in- ' This seems to h.ive been an arrange- crease at all, amid the purchases of so many nicnt for a kind of family meeting, at least rare and costly books. roost of the family were there. l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 753 his wife were here. Not so warm as it has been. The prospect of brother Samuel's removal is painful. 6. Brother Frank and his wife went off in the morning. Dined at mother's. Visited Mr. Emerson. His health is not very good. At evening quite cool. 7. Rode home. My rheumatism is not as bad as it has been. Mrs. Ellsworth died on Monday night, and was buried Wednesday afternoon at Windsor." At East Hartford eat a part of a watermelon. 8. Wrote the most of a sermon on Jer. ix : 9. The thermometer was 85°, and I conclude has been about the same each day since Monday. 9. Finished my sermon begun yesterday, and preached with it both parts of the day. Rode to Wapping and preached on Matt, xi : 30. The meeting was full. Very tired. 10. Rode to Hockanum and visited sick persons. People have a good season to get in their hay and grain. Thermometer yesterday and today about 85°. Mr. Goodrich,^ bookseller of Hartford, called on me to get a little literary labor done for him. I think I shall attempt it. Visited. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. My lungs are feeble. 11. Wrote. Read the Bible. At evening walked out. Thermometer 88°. My garden is very dry. I have this year completed the forty-first year of my age. Devoted the day to fasting and communion with God. I have the greatest cause of admiration that he does thus continue my unprofitable life. 12. Rode to Berlin with Mrs. Widow Wolcott^and visited Mr. and Mrs. Skinner. Their circumstances are quite favorable. Visited Dr. Smalley.* At evening attended a conference at Mr. Skinner's. Very warm. 13. Rode home. Very warm and the ground very dry. The approaching Convention is the subject of conversation.' Watermelons are ver)' plenty. Rode out and visited. I saw the thermometer at 94° in the afternoon, and I think it was then falling. Our folks say it was 96° yesterday, and I am per- suaded it has not been as high today. 14. Cooler. Wrote on my pecuniary accounts. My e.xpenses for two years past have exceeded my income, aside from interest of money. This ought not to be the case. My garden is very dr}'. Visited. God frowns upon me in his holy and righteous judgments.' 15. Rode to Hartford. The ground is exceeding dry and dusty. The ' Chief-Justice Ellsworth died Nov. 26, Herliii she was visiting her daughter Ursula, 1S07, at the age of si.\ty-two. His wife who was now the wife of Rev. Newton Skin- therefore survived him about eleven years. ner. This was the part of Berlin which is She was ten years younger than her hus- now New Britain, band, and died at the age of sixty-three. * Or. Tohn Smalley, who had been one of ' Samuel Griswold Goodrich (Peter Par- the truly eminent divines of New Kngland, ley). was still living at the age of eighty-four. 5 She was the widow of Mr. Samuel Wol- ' Very naturally, for it was 10 work im cott, whose death has been mentioned. He portant changes in the affairs of the State died June;, 1S13. Mrs. Wolcott was herself "That is a sentence we do not under the daughter of Judge Erastus Wolcott. At stand. 754 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [I818. corn on dry grounds is suffering much. Afternoon rode to Andover to exchange with Mr. Collins." Quite tired. Thermometer about 85°. My neighbor, Maj. Hayden, lost a little child very suddenly, sick less than twenty hours. Perhaps spotted fever. I was with them repeatedly. 16. Preached on Acts iv: 12, and Matt, vi : 13. At evening preached again in the meeting-house without any notes on Ps. iii : S. This society is very small, but they are making the most laudable exertions for the settlement of Mr. Collins, and I hope he will be a great blessing to them. 17. Rode home. Thermometer about summer heat. Read. Mr. Collins performed here yesterday pretty well. Visited. A merciful God gives me relief in times of distress. 18. Rode with Mr. Cook, of Orford, to West Suffield and attended our ministers' meeting. All the members were present. Received a letter from my cousin P. G. Robbins,'' of Roxbury. 19. Returned home. Cool and very dry. It is feared the fall crops will suffer much by the drought. Made an unexpected visit at Mr. Watson's.^ Received a letter from Mr. Samuel Stebbins." Troubled with a colic. 20. Last night was very unwell with the colic. Took physic. Am very weak and have considerable pain. Read. At evening we had a moderate and most grateful shower. Received a letter from Mr. M. Bradford.' 21. Rode to Hartford. Warm and sultry. The thermometer rose to 90°. Read Q) history. My garden has a fine crop of melons. Wrote. Visited. Received a letter from Mr. S. G. Goodrich,'' of Hartford. Received a letter from E. G. Dabney, of Salem. 22. Cool. Wrote to my mother. Wrote the most of a sermon on Dan. ix : 7. The corn and potatoes suffer very much with the drought. 23. Expounded on the fourth chapter of Romans. Finished and preached the sermon on Dan. ix : 7. Preached at Wapping on Matt, xxiii : 37, 38. Thermometer about 80°. 24. Wrote. Warm. Thermometer 90'. In the afternoon attended a season of prayer on account of the severe drought. It was well attended. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Tarried out. 25. Last night it began to rain in the evening and rained moderately the most of the night. Wet and rainy all day. The ground is greatly refreshed by divine goodness, though we should have been glad of more rain. Visited. 26. Worked in my garden. Paid for labor in it, .48. Our melons do very well. Read Tytler's History^ Visited. Our State Convention met today in ' Rev. Augustus B. Collins was that very pastor at Simsbury, Ct., from 1777 to 1S06. year settled at Andover, Ct., where he re- He died in 1820. maincd till 1S27. In 1S19 he received from ' Perhaps Merritt Uradford. Williams College the honorary degree of •' Samuel Griswold Goodrich, just before y\. M. mentioned. He established himself in Ilart- " Dr. Peter Oilman Robbins. ford with his brother in the book business, ' .Mr. Henry Watson's, probably, at K.ist but afterwards removed to Boston. Windsor Hill. ' ^^'f-' shall probably find that his reading * Rev. Samuel Stebbins, who had been of Tytler's Hiitory, and his letters received l8l8.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 755 Hartford. I feel concerned about their proceedings, but I hope God will guide them and preserve them from evil. 27. Wrote to my cousin Dr. Robbins, of Ro.\bury, and to Mr. Stebbins, of Springfield. Rode to Wapping and catechised the children. Visited. 28. Visited the sick. There are several among us. Read. Catechised the children at the meeting-house. Visited. I fear that our Convention will be governed by the spirit of Democracy. 29. Visited a school. Wrote to Mr. M. Bradford at Canterbury. Wrote to Mr. Battell at Hartford, and received a letter from him. Gave E. L. Ban- croft an order on the society of $16.82. Read Tytler's Z^/jA;rj'. Cool. We have a great supply of watermelons, and they are very good. I think there are more in this town and East Hartford than there have been in any year since I have lived here. Wrote. 30. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on John xii : 26. After- noon preached an old sermon on Ps. li : 15. Preached at Wapping on Gen. xxxii : 26. The people there appear better than when I first had meetings there. 31. Rode to Scantick and Enfield and returned. There was a refreshing shower at the upper part of our society, but it was limited to three or four miles. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Rev. Mr. Cooley," of Granville, came here and tarried. September. 1. Visited the two schools at Wapping ; after which rode to Andover to attend ordination. Quite warm. Much fatigued. The Wapping school have done well. 2. Attended the ordination of Mr. Collins." The parts were well per- formed. I hope this small society will be able to maintain the institutions of the gospel. In the evening rode home. 3. Wrote pieces for the newspaper. Hindered by company. Two men from Norfolk called on me. Sent a large watermelon to my mother. The ground is very dry. Visited. 4. Received of my collector, $23.00. Rode to Hartford. My sister Battell and Mrs. Olmstead are there. The Convention do but little business, and are in considerable confusion. Paid at the Hartford Bank, $20.60. Paid for a feather-bed, $10.00, and for a new mattress, $20.00, for the Corn- wall school,^ of the money my people gave for that charity. Paid a tailoress, .50. The dust is very tedious. 5. On the ist received a letter from Esq. Burnap, of Andover. Wrote from S. G. Goodrich, have some connection. ' Rev. Timothy M. Cooley, D. D., settled Alexander Fraser Tytler, author of an out- in Granville, Mass., Feb. 3, 1796. line of Universal History, which was long " Rev. Augustus B. Collins, spoken of in used in our colleges, was born in Edinburgh, previous note. Scotland, in 1747, and died in 1S13, a man ^ For the education of heathen youth. eminent not only as a historian, but as a The congregations of the State se<;in to have lawyer and judge. made contributions. 75^ DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1818. the most of a sermon on Matt, xii : 35. Hindered by company. The tremor cf my hand is burdensome. I cannot write fast. Cool. 6. Wrote. Preached in the forenoon an old sermon on Rom. \ii: 14. Afternoon Mr. Sprague,' of .\ndover in this State, a young candidate, preached for me. Preached at Wapping on Rev. iii : 20. At evening wallced out. At Wapping baptized a child." 7. Visited. Read. We have some persons dangerously sick. Afternoon we had a season of prayer, on account of the continued drought, in connection with our monthly prayer-meeting. The afternoon was wet and rainy, for which we bless God, but it affords a scanty supply. My niece, Sarah Battell, came here for a short visit. Wrote. In the evening my brother came here. 8. Set out with my brother quite early for Commencement. .\t Hartford Mrs. Battell and Mrs. Olmstead joined u.s. It was wet and rainy all day. We did not get much wet. Got to New Haven towards night. In the evening Mr. Gillett,^ of Branford, preached before the Education Society. In the morning received at the Phceni-v Bank a dividend of §60.00. My face is much swollen on one side in consequence of pain in a tooth. Wore a large patch upon it. 9. It was steadily rainy through tiie day. Very refreshing to the ground. The Commencement services were good. There was no humor.* No masters performed. Mr. Day' presided very well. Five other presidents' were present. The house was quite full. Dr. Chapin' preached well at the Condo. My face is something troublesome. Contributed at dinner §1.00, for old Mr. Backus,' of Bridgeport. In the evening my lirother went otT in the stage for home. 10. Attended the annual meeting of the Education Society. There has been a pretty large collection of ministers. Have many hindrances. Paid Gen. Howe for books, $5.06. Paid for tracts, .41. .'\fternoon left New Haven with my sister and niece, and rode through Wallingford to Middlelown. Tarried at a tavern. Vegetation is greatly revived by the rain. 11. it was cold last night, but I sec no appearance of frost. Rode home. Left Sally and Eliza at Hartford. The Convention do badly.' \m quite tired. Kept the patch on my face during my absence. Read. Received an ' Afterwards Rev. William 15. Sprague, Branford in iSoS. The Education Society D. D., of Albany, now widely known for was then new and attracted great attention, his ability as a preacher and his varied ' Usually, in old times, they had otic or scholarship. Author of Annals oj Amcriain two amusing dialogues to enliven the Com- Pulpit, nine volumes. Born in Andover, Ci., mcnccnient exercises. Oct. 16, 1795, graduated •" Vale, 1.S15, died in ' Tcrcmiah Day, D. D., in the second year 1876. of his oftice. * Ralzaman Thomas, son of Mr. Noah *■ From other colleges. Sadd. The name Sadd, which we should ' Ur. Calvin Chapin, of Rocky Hill. judge to be rather an uncommon name, in " Rev. Simon Backus, then lifty-ninc years the country at large, was a name not infrc- out of Vale College, formerly settled in and gave a new note of $390.00 due May 24th. Rode to Simsbury and attended ministers' meeting ; did not get there till dark. Wrot^ to Mr. Battell and sent him a handsome volume of Tytler. 17. We had a good meeting. The sleighing quite poor. There was a good deal of snow, but it drifted, and now there is considerable bare ground. Paid to the Deaf and Dumb Asylum our contribution, collected Oct. 2sth, of iJSo.oo. We collected $48.75. I added $1.25 to make up the sum. Paid C. Goodwin, a store account of $8.57. Paid Gleason, $10.00. Paid for four bushels of oats, $2.00. Yesterday received of my collector, $20.00. Received two new silver communion cups from Bridgeport, the cost of which is $41.50. Received a letter from Howe & Spaulding, of New Haven, with some valuable books. Walked out. 18. Thermometer this morning 12°, and did not exceed 22° through the day. Wrote. At evening performed a marri.ige.' Read new books. 19. Thermometer this morning 6°. Mr. Wolcott is much perplexed about building an addition to his house. Read the New Haven Magazine. Hin- dered by company. Wrote. 20. Wrote the principal part of a sermon on Isa. xxxiii : 14. Rode out and visited the sick. Much hindered in my writing. Wrote nearly five and one half pages between seven and twelve o'clock in the evening. The snow thaws considerably. 21. Finished and preached my sermon on Isa. xxxiii : 14. It appears like one written in haste. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on John i : 16. ' There can be no doubt that Geii. hxi- Jackson ixit him to death. These charges drew Jackson was of a somewhat violent against him were true, but the country, on and headstrong nature. In New Orleans the whole, chose to forgive him in view of he had imprisoned a judge of the courts his great services. (Judge Hall), because he had given a decision " This was the famous case in which hostile to some of Gen. Jackson's arrange- Daniel Webster so distinguished himself in ments. In the Seminole War, which fol- his plea for his /- liberal and kind. Rode out. Visited. The heat severe and oppressive. Thermometer 93°. Mr. Wolcott has a large number of woskmen. Towards evening rode to East Hartford to exchange with Mr. Fairchild. 6. Mr. Fairchild rode to East Windsor and returned after meeting. Preached on Isa. xlii : 7, and John iv : 29. Much oppressed with the heat. Meeting quite full. Found the exertion of speaking very severe on my lungs. At evening returned. The thermometer has been today at 98°. Very tired. 7. Rode out. Worked some at the saw-mill. Rode to Ellington. Tried to get a girl to live here. The heat severe and scorching. Thermometer in the afternoon 98°. The forenoon was much warmer than yesterday. Such heat at this season is very uncommon. Get very little time for study. 8. Last evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Mr. Wolcott's building advances pretty well. Dined with Mrs. Griswold, aged eighty-four, and her two brothers, aged eighty-six and eighty-two. But little mitigation of the heat. Thermometer in the afternoon 96°. Visited. Vegetation ad- vances ver)' rapidly. Wrote. Wrote a letter to Mr. Mi.x," of West Suffield, and one to Mr. McLean,' of Simsbury. 9. Worked considerably about the new frame and cellar. Walked out. Thermometer 96°. Have but little time in my study. Read. 10. Wrote to my brother Battell. Cooler. Thermometer 80°. My new cane is much admired. Wrote on the subject of the proper time for the administration of the Lord's Supper. A minister from New Hampshire called and dined with me. At evening assisted in examining two women for our communion. Was requested to preach to the Free Masons on the 24th instant in Orford, the lodge of this vicinity. 11. Rode to Hartford. Visited Mr. Flint. Mr. Hawes is absent on a journey. He has quite poor health. Visited. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Received $6.65 from the Female Benevolent Society here, to be applied to the benefit of the children who attend my catechisings. 12. We had a copious and very refreshing shower. Wrote. Worked some. Preparing for General Association. The framing of the house holds longer than we expected. On the loth received a letter from my brother. 13. Preached an old sermon on Ezek. xxxiii : 4. Mr. Loomis,' from New Connecticut, was here, but declined preaching. Meetings very full. .\t evening attended a conference. Mr. Loomis performed the services. 14. Set out early and rode through Hebron and Colchester to Lym'e, to attend the General Association. The distance nearly fifty miles. Mr. Cook ' Joseph Battell, who married his sister ' Rev. Allen McLean. Sarah. ■* Rev. .\masa Loomis. who for some years ' Rev. Joseph Mix, pastor at West Suf- after Dr. Robbins's settlement was near his field, 1S14-1829. home, but later was a missionary in Oh>. 786 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1819. went with me from Orford as my colleague. Was kindly received and enter- tained at Mr. McCurdy's. The weather was cool and very line for traveling. In the morning paid .38 to a gardener. 15. Viewed a new meeting-house here, which is very elegant. Towards noon the General Association met. Most of the members of this State, and all but one of the foreign delegates, were present. I was chosen scribe at the first vote. Dr. Welch, of Mansfield, moderator.' Mr. Eliot," of East Guilford, preached the associational sermon. In the evening we had a sermon. Warm. 16. The Association was very attentive to business. I was mucii taken up with writing. In the afternoon we attended public worship, and the Lord's Supper was administered. I believe all the members communioned but myself. A great number of ministers were present. I gave the Association my reasons for believing the administration of the ordinance under such circumstances to be wrong.^ They were not disposed to consider the ques- tion. We had an evening session. Quite warm. The meeting in the after- noon was crowded and uncomfortable. 17. Am much fatigued by application and care. Am greatly favored with regard to accommodations.* Each day seems to be warmer than the pre- ceding. The heat was severe. The Association finished their session in the afternoon. Had to write considerably after the session was closed. At evening rode to Judge Griswold's' and attended a meeting. Mr. D. Austin.' Had but little time to spend with my brethren. Much fatigued. Gave jji.oo to old Mr. Backus.' 18. In the morning crossed the river to Saybrook and rode home.' The heat was intense. Traveled slow. Had to hold my umbrella to defend from the sun. Towards night there was a hard thunder-shower. Got home well at dusk. Laus Deo. Have had a prosperous journey. Visited a sick woman in the neighborhood very low. Received a letter from Mr. Ritchie, of New York, relative to the American Bible Society. Performed my journey in a sulky. Our folks say that the thermometer yesterday was 98°, and today over 100°. Mr. Woodbridge,' of Slockbridge, has called here in my absence. Mr. Wol- cott had his house raised on the 15th. The frame appears well. Visited a woman in the neighborhood very sick. 19. Am very much fatigued by my late labors. Last night we had a hard thunder-shower, though there was not a great deal of rain. Can do but liule. Walked out. Wrote. Received a letter from mv brother. ' Moses C. Welch, D. D., pastor at North 'Judge Roger (jriswold was dead, but Mansfield, 1784-1824. perhaps he means his family. ' Rev. John Eliot, of East Guilford (now ' Rev. David Austin. His name stands Madison), pastor 1791-1S24. here, not connected with any sentence. He ' His reason was, probably, that such a met him, probably. He knew liiin well be- body of men did not constitute a church. fore. * He was staying probably in the family ' Rev. Simon Hackus, of North ^[adison, to which Judge Charles J. McCurdy be- to whom he conlributed the year before, longed. He was then a young man, only ' He took a very different road in return- two years out of college, but has since been ing from the one on which he went down, distinguished. ' Joseph Woodbridge, Esq. iSig.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 787 20. Expounded in the forenoon on Rom. xi : 17 to the end. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Ps. cxvi : 10. Much cooler since the showers on the i8th. At evening attended a conference. Meetings unusually full. Exercises long. Baptized a child." Much fatigued. 21. Rode to Hartford. Carried to Mr. Flint papers of General Associa- tion. Mr. Hawes's people are indifferently supplied during his absence. It is a very fine season for vegetation. Visited. 22. Worked in my garden. On the 2otli we had our first peas ; they were well grown. Visited sick persons. Hindered by company. Afternoon attended the funeral of an infant child. .'Xm something taken up with the business of instruction. Thermometer 90°. Yesterday received of the Hart- ford Bank, $6.50. A small dividend. 23. Wrote the most of a sermon on Matt, v: 16. Have many interrup- tions. I write slowly. People are beginning a little to mow. The tremor in my hand is quite troublesome. 24. Finished my sermon on Matt, v: 16, and rode to OrfoVd and preached it to the Free Masons, at the celebration of St. John's festival. Mr. Cook was with me. The company was quite large and respectable. Returned. Visited the sick. Yesterday we had considerable of a shower. Quite fatigued. 25. Wrote. Worked in my garden. Paid a woman for weeding, .;^^. Visited. Read. x\t evening we had a good prayer-meeting. Cool. 26. Worked in my garden. Received a letter from Mr. Kingsbury," of Hartford, and wrote him in reply. Read the Bible. Paid for a study- table, $4.00. Paid a man for a day's work in my garden, $1.00. Late in the even- ing, after we had got to bed, my brother James and his wife came here on a visit. Thermometer 92°. Wrote. 27. Rode to Hartford and preached to ^[r. Hawes's people in his absence. My brother went with me. Mr. Amasa Loomis preached for me. Kept at Mr. Kingsbury's.^ Preached on Heb. xii : 14, and Ps. cx.xxvi : 2,3. At the intermission went for a lif.le while into the Sabbath-school. It is very large. At half after six attended a third exercise in the meeting-house, and preached on John iv : 29. Meetings quite full. At evening returned. The heat very oppressive. I believe the thermometer was about 98°. Verj- much fatigued. 28. Much exhausted by the fatigue of yesterday. Visited a sick woman very low. My brother and his wife rode to Hartford and returned. After- noon attended the funeral of a child who died j-esterday. Thermometer 97°. At evening rode with my brother and his wife to Enfield. Found that brother Frank is absent. 29. Rode to West Suffield and attended ministers' meeting. The sun was not clear, but the heat was verj- languid and oppressive. Preached on John iv: 29. The Democratic overseers of Newgate ha\e dismissed Mr. Clark from the chaplaincy of that prison.' It is a most wanton abuse of power. .Vt ' Catharine, daughter of James Flint. * This was a hateful act, unless ther« - Andrew Kingsbury, for many years State were some very cogent reasons (or such a Treasurer. proceeding. The Democrats in Connecticut ^ Mr. Andrew Kingsbury, just mentioned. in those days hated the Standing Order. 78S DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S19. evening returned to Enfield. James rode to Stafford and returned hue with brother Frank. Much oppressed for want of rest. 30. In the morning showery. Brother James and wife went off to Nor- folk. Rode home. People have poor hay weather. A woman ' in the neigh- borhood has died in my absence of a consumption. We had I think the finest June for vegetation that I ever knew. May the Lord be praised. Visited. Our joiners came and began their work on the house yesterday. July. 1. Not so warm as it has been. In the forenoon attended the funeral of my neighbor, Mrs. Porter. Afternoon rode to Hartford with Mr. Wolcott. Wrote. On the 28th received a letter from Mr. Battell. Am troubled with an inflamed eye. 2. \Vrote. Am much hindered with our new building. Received a letter a few days since from Mr. Horace Loomis, of New Connecticut. Find myself much indisposed for close study. 3. Last night was quite ill in the night and this morning with a severe cholera morbus, and continued through the day. I have not had so sick a day for some years. Sat up very little. Yesterday afternoon attended the catechising of the children, after which preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Luke xii : 42. 4. Am very feeble, but on account of the unusual duties of the day con- clude to attend meeting. In the forenoon had a sermon read. Received two women to the communion of the church.^ Attended the sacrament. Dr. McClure performed one half of the administration. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Ps. cxlvii : n. Spoke very feebly. After meeting, Ur. Reed-* came here and gave me physic. 5. My physic has operated quite favorably. Have had a pretty severe headache from the beginning of my illness. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting, but did but little. There was a great deal of firing in neigh- boring places on account of Independence. Some persons fired a swivel at our tiieeting-house and did some injury. 6. Rode out east with Mr. Wolcoit and saw the surveying of a large field. Cool. Walked out. I am weak, but 1 hope through mercy 1 shall be better than I have been. 7. Rode to Enfield and procured a girl to live here. We have been very much in want of one. My brother continues to be afflicted with a nervous headache. 8. Rode out. People generally arc at their haying. Read. I can do but little. Thermometer 90°. At evening Rev. Amasa Loomis came and tarried. Our new house appears well. 9. Am considerably taken up wiih instruction. Rode out and visited. Gave a poor woman $i.oo. The heat very oppressive and the ground \ery dry. Thermometer 98°. Read. Can do but little. ' Mrs. Rhoda Porter. ' Dr. lilij-ili Fitch Kccd, wlm li.itl a large » Mary Allen and Elizabeth Wolcott. practice in East Windsor. iSig-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 789 10. We have very hot nights and very little dew. The sun seems to scorch the ground. The thermometer was at 98^°. Wrote. Read the Bible. On the 6th received a letter from my cousin S. P. Robbins, of Marietta. I am so languid that I can do but little. 11. Preached with old notes on Isa. Iv : 11. Am still feeble and pre.-iched poorly. The heat was such that the meeting was thin. Thermometer in the afternoon 99°. Towards evening we had a good deal of thunder and con- siderable rain. A great mercy of the Lord. 12. Attended to our new building. Read. The air is clear, but still hot. Thermometer 94°. Read the Bible. 13. Rode with Mr. Flint to Mr. Bartlett's and made them a visit. We have now visible a luminous comet in the northwest. Visited. I fear I am growing indolent. Thermometer about 93°. Received a letter from my niece, Sally Lawrence." 14. Wrote. Planted French turnips. Endeavoring to prepare a small catechism for children. Rode out and visited. Thermometer 91°. 15. Worked in my garden. Read. Rode to Hartford. Saw unexpectedly Mr. Battell and Mrs. Olmstead. They left town while I was there. Re- ceived from the Eagle Bank a dividend of $35.00. More than I expected. Paid $5.00, my annual contribution to the Annuity Society. Some able mer- cantile men in Hartford have become much embarrassed. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. Thermometer 93°. 16. Last night we had a very refreshing rain. Yesterday it was ver)' dry and dusty. Wrote. Wrote to my brother at Enfield. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Thermometer 91°. 17. Wrote on a sermon on Job xxvii: 8. The tremor in my hand is quite troublesome. Hindered by the joiners. Thermometer 93°. iS. Expounded in the forenoon on Rom. xii. It appeared to be quite interesting. Finished and preached the sermon on Job. xxvii : 8. At evening attended the conference. My health seems to be kindly restored. Baptized a child.^ Last evening we had a good deal of thunder. Cool. Thermometer 87°. 19. Last evening my brother' came here from Vernon and tarried. Read Cecil's Remains.* Attended to the workmen. Received a letter from Mr. Merwin,' of New Haven. Received from Howe & Spaulding Cave's Historica Literaria.'' The work makes a valuable addition to my library. Ther- mometer 89°. 20. Rode out. Worked in my garden. Rode to the harvest field and car- ried dinner. The harvest universally is uncommonly abundant, particularly the ' Daughter of Grove and Elizabeth (Rob- entitled Nis Remains, etc., was written by bins) Lawrence. Mr. G. P. Pratt. ^ Frances Jane, daughter of Elihu Wol- ' Rev. Samuel Merwin, of the North cott. Church, New Haven. 3 Rev. Francis Le Baron. ' Hy Rev. William Cave, \(>yi-\-\l, a * Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, born learned English scholar, who wrote the lives about 1550, died May 24, 1612. The book of the early Christian Fathers. 79^ DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1819. wheat. We have a very fine season for the ingathering. How great are the mercies of the Lord. Wrote. The anniversary of my ordination. How good is Jehovah in continuing me still in his vineyard. Thermometer 90°. 21. Rode to Hartford in a wagon and brought up two large casks of nails. Read Cave. I should estimate his work higher if it were in English.' I have many interruptions. Tliermomeier 88°. 22. Read. Wrote on a catechism for children. Wrote to Dr. Jancway,' of Philadelphia. Went into the water. People have a remark.ibly fine time for their harvesting. Thermometer 89°. 23. Rode early to Hartford and assisted in picking out a load of lumber. Wrote. Hindered by company. The ground is very dry. Had to water my garden. Read. Thermometer 90°. 24. Wrote. Have so many interruptions and so languid that I could not write a sermon. Wrote on my catechism and finished the small one. Read. The drought and dust are very severe. The gardens and pastures suffer very much. Thermometer 89°. 25. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Rom. vii: 22. .\fter- noon preached an old sermon on John vii : 46. Warm and sultry. The air is almost filled with dust. At evening attended a conference. The drought appears alarming. Thermometer 93°. 26. Rode out. In the afternoon and evening we had a moderate and most grateful rain. The air is very sultr)'. Wrote on my catechism. Read. Thermometer 87°. 27. Worked in my garden. Wrote. Wrote on my catechism. I find it to be a work of labor. Walked out. 28. Rode to Hartford. Did many errands. The river has risen seven or eight feet. It is said the rise of the Agawam has been very great. Hindered by company. Read Owen's IVorks.^ Paid for mother's head-dress, .20, and .30 for postage. Thermometer 93°. Yesterday 92°. 29. We have very hot nights. Rode out. The heat is very oppressive. Wrote. I have a variety of hindrances from important duties. Thermometer 92°. 30. The gardens and pastures suffer much for want of rain. The heat very oppressive. Laborers complain very much. Read Owen. I cannot write but little. In the morning rode early to Hartford and returned soon. .\t evening attended our prayer-meeting. Thermometer 96° for two or three hours. 31. Our nights appear quite as warm, proportionally, as the days. Watered things in the garden. The heat is such that I do not feel able to write a sermon. It is difficult to be tolerably comfortable. The thermometer rose to 99i°, and was very high all day. Vegetation seems to sink untler the heat and drought. Read C)wen. Wrote. • Latin in that age continued to be the eminent divine, Vicc-1'iesidcnt uf Uutyers language of scluilar!;. College. = Dr. J.-icob J. Janeway, 1776-1858, an ' The celebrated John Uwen, I Oi 6-1 683. iSig.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 79' When I came to this town to live, June, 1808, I was in the practice of reading tlie Connecticut Courant in course, omiting nothing but the advertise- ments. I had done that I believe for more than a year. The same practice 1 have continued till this month of July, and have not omitted any num- ber, and as far as I know any article, for more than eleven years. The publication of the Connecticut Mirror commenced in July, i8og, which I have taken and read, ten volumes, in the same manner, excepting that I have not practiced reading the same article twice when it appeared in both papers. I conclude not to be coniined to this practice any longer." August. 1. All persons seem to be nearly overcome with the heat. The sun seems to scorch. Preached an old sermon on i Cor. vi: 11. Meetings quite thin. The thermometer was at 90° by nine o'clock a. m., and continued to rise till one o'clock and half after, when it was 100°. It was then checked by the rising of a cloud, which after a while produced a little rain. Had the weather continued clear I presume it would have been one or two degrees higher. The abatement of the heat was but little. All seem to be longing for rain. At evening performed a marriage." We had considerable thunder. 2. Am much overcome by my yesterday's labors in the heat, though they were less than usual. The heat does not seem to be hardly as great as yesterday, yet the thermometer in the afternoon attained the same height, 100°. I conclude I have never known three successive days of such heat. Towards night we had a short and most grateful shower. There was a great deal of lightning and thunder. At evening attended our monthly prayer- meeting. It was very thin. Read. 3. Worked some. Things are much refreshed by the shower. \\\\ much taken up with our building. Wrote. Walked out and visited. We have a sensible change of air. Thermometer 93°. 4. Worked some. I fear we shall suffer with drought. Received a letter from my brother. Afternoon rode to Hartford with Mr. Wolcott. The roads are extremely dusty. The day was very clear, yet the thermometer was no higher than 83"^. 5. Visited a young family, who set out on a removal to New Connecticut. Wrote. People are considerably alarmed at the effects of the drought on the corn. Hindered by company. Thermometer 84^. 6. Wrote. Read the Bible. Afternoon had a public catechising of the children. Taken up with company. Thermometer 90°. 7. Rode and visited the sick and others. The drought is alarming. The fall crops are much threatened. Am too languid to do much writing. .Vt ' This is an interesting record of Dr. In fact, editors hardly thought of .inylhing Robbins's habit concerning newspapers. " A as news unless it came across the water, and short horse is soon cunied." If one will was consequently about a month old, and look back to the newspapers of that day, even that small in quantity. he will find the reading matter, aside from ^ Ephraim Warfield and Eliza Cahoon the advertisements, of very small amount. were the parties united. 792 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1819. evening we liad considerable tliunder and a moderate siiower. Was up late. Thermometer 97°. S. At nine o'clock in the morning Mr. Hawes, of Hartford, came iiere on his return from a long journey, and wished me to go to Ilartiord. I went soon, and got there just before meeting time. Mr. Whittlesey' preached in the forenoon, and 1 preached in the afternoon and evening on Ps. cxiii : 6, and Job xxvii : 8. The heat severe and oppressive. This town seems to suffer more with the drought than those in the vicinity. We had a little rain. Our showers this year have been remarkable for a very limited extent. Meetings rather thin. 9. In the morning there was a moderate and grateful shower. Went round with Hayden'to look out lumber. Rode home. Read. At evening walked out. Thermometer 91°. Yesterday 95°. 10. Read. Taken up with the builders. Our showers afford but a tem- porary relief, the ground on the whole appears to be constantly growing drier. Walked out. Thermometer 90°. 11. In the morning rode to Wapping and visited a sick man. Attended to the appropriate duties of my birthday. The heat very oppressive. Ther- mometer 93°. I pray God to have mercy on my good mother, on my dear connections, on this family, on my afrlieted native State,' and do all for them that his rich grace and holy wisdom may prescribe. I ask that my life may be continued another year, if it please God, that I may be diligent, dutiful, and useful, and see evidences of God's glorifying himself and saving immortal sinners. Bless the Lord, O my soul ; let all within me bless his holy name. 12. Read. Wrote a piece for the newspaper. We have very hot nights. The ground dries very much. The corn suffers severely with the drought. People are exceedingly oppressed with the heat. The ground is hot. Ther- mometer 98°. I placed the thermometer in the sun in the heat of the day, and it rose to 130°. How do laborers live? 13. The thermometer was 90° at nine o'clock in the morning, but it was cloudy in the middle of the day, and it rose no higher than 97°. Wrote. Rode to Hartford. Did errands for our building. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 14. Wrote a part of a sermon on Prov. viii : 17. Much hindered by com- pany. The air is very full of dust. Thermometer 91°. Paid a gardener .50. 15. Wrote one half of the sermon begun yesterday (four pages), and preached it in the afternoon. In the forenoon expounded on the thirteenth of Romans. In the intermission we had some rain. Afternoon meeting pretty thin. At five o'clock we had a season of prayer on account of the severe drought. It was well attended. Thermometer 78°. Read. ' Rev. .Samuel Whittlesey, who had been ' A large part of the people of the State dismissed two years before from the church thouglit they had recently been receiving in New I'reston. great and special blessings, but to Dr. Rob- ' The man probably who was building the bins, if these were blessings, they were cer- house. tainly blessings in disguise. iSlQ.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 79S 16. Last evening it appeared as if we should have clear weather and no more rain ; but this morning it began to rain, and was wet and rainy all day. It was moderate, and the ground absorbed the whole. Our God is good, and he is a hearer of prayer. Wrote. Cool. The thermometer was below 60' all day. I think I never felt a deeper sense of divine goodness in the gift of rain ; and I am persuaded I have never seen here such a want of it. All crops were suffering. 17. The last night was wet, and this morning it rained pretty hard. We should be glad of more, but must bless God for his gift. Rode to Turkey Hills, and attended ministers' meeting. Preached on Prov. viii: 17. This society have painful prospects on account of the removal of Mr. Clark ' from the chaplaincy of the prison. I hope a good providence will not forsake them. 18. In the forenoon returned home. The ground is much refreshed. Read. Wrote. Thermometer 86°. 19. Wrote. Hindered by company. My garden has a fine crop of melons. Walked out and visited. Thermometer 90°. 20. Walked out and visited. The heat very oppressive. Have to water vegetables. Received a military order. Thermometer 93°. 21. Wrote to my brother. Paid some lime since for shad for my mother, $9.00, $5.00 of which she has paid me. Tiie remainder ($4.00) must go as a donation. Rode to Hartford and to Hebron. The heat very severe. Rode quite slow. Mr. Bassett ^ is gone to East Windsor to preach tomorrow for me. 22. Something wet. The drought has not been severe here as with us. Read the Bible. Preached on i John v: 7, and Prov. viii : 17. This congre- gregation is small. At evening preached in a conference house without notes on Ps. iii : 8. 23. In the forenoon rode home. Quite cool. There was a pretty hard and seasonable rain here last night. Mr. Bassett is gone to attend the ordi- nation at West Springfield.^ Visited a family in the hither part of East Hartford, in which there are eight persons hard sick. My horse is consider- ably lame. Thermometer 72°. On Saturday it was 96°. 24. The thermometer this morning was about 40°. Worked some. Read. The air is quite cool. Wrote. Have many interruptions. Thermometer 73°. 25. Wrote on a piece for the newspaper. Read. The ruling party in this State are very hostile to religion and the clergy. Thermometer 77°. ' Rev. Eber L. Clark. The parish was logical Seminary in 1S19, and was imme- poor, and by serving partly as their pastor, diately called to West Spriiiglicld, where he and partly as chaplain at the prison, they remained till 1S29, when he accepted the were enabled to retain him pastorate of the Second Presbyterian Church ° Rev. Amos Bassett, D. D. in Albany, N. Y., where his larger work ^ This was the ordination of the now was done. He died in 1S76, leaving behind celebrated Dr. William B. Sprague as col- him a rare reputation as a literary and league pastor with Rev. Joseph Lathrop, of historical student. The town of Andovcr West Springfield. Mr. Sprague was born was partly made out of Hebron, and so it in Andover, Ct., Oct. 16, 1795, was graduated *^* ''"y "^''u''^' 'hat Dr. Bassett should at Yale in 1S15, and from Princeton Thco- assist at the ordination. 794 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1819. 26. Read. Rode to Hartford. Borrowed of Phoenix Bank, S98.37. Paid Hartford Bank, $83.76. Saw Mr. Battel!. Bayley Birge at Norfolk has failed. Visited the sick family in the hither part of East Hartford. Quite cool. 27. Worked some. Met with the officers of the regiment and attended to discipline, etc. There will be no regimental training this year. A very foolish law of the State forbids it." At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Cool. 28. Had many interruptions, and found myself unable to write a sermon as I calculated. Wrote on my pecuniary accounts. Received of Elihu Wol- cott, $100.00 for my collector. Visited the sick family. 29. Something wet. Preached an old sermon on Matt, x.xii : 16. .\t evening attended the conference. Our meetings lately have been rather thin. 30. Worked at our new building. Rode out and visited. I have done but little visiting this summer. Read. 31. Paid Mr. Wolcott some money which I borrowed of him in May. Paid him $1.04 interest. Last night it was quite cool, but I believe no frost. Read. Visited the sick family. September. 1. Rode to Hartford. Did a number of errands for the new house. Very warm and dusty. The ground, I think, appears as dry as it has at any time. Read. At evening married my excellent friend, Mr. Haskell." Ther- mometer about 90°. 2. Wrote. Am not able to write a piece for the paper this week as I expected. The heat very oppressive. Vegetation suffers e.vceedingly from drought and insects. Rode to Wapping and visited a school and sick persons. Mr. Stebbins^ returned hero to pursue his studies. Thermometer 94i°. 3. Wrote. Worked some. The heat was exceedingly oppressive. After- noon attended the catechising of the children. Gave them primers of different kinds. Visited the sick family. Thermometer 96^°.'' 4. It seems as if all moisture would be dried from the ground. Wrote on a piece for the newspaper. Could not get time to write a sermon. Yes- terday wrote to Mr. Stone,' of Hartford. The thermometer 91°. ' This was probably the beginning of the ' Samuel Stiles Stebbins, now studying custom in Connecticut of having the regi- theology with Dr. Robbins, has been several mental trainings every other year. The times spoken of in this diary. He was the town trainings went on twice a year, spring nephew of Rev. .Samuel Stebbins, of Sims- and fall, as before. The piiople soon came bury, Ct., who was pastor there from 1777 to think that every other year sufficed for to 1S06. As before stated, he did not enter these general trainings. the ministry. ^ Soon after his settlement in East Wind- * They were having the hot weather .so sor. Dr. Robbins united in marriage his common in New England, during the early friend, Eli B. Haskell, with Miss Sophia days of September. Hissell, daughter of Capt. Aaron liissell. The 'William L. Stone, Esq., then editor of marriage now is between Mr. n.i«kell and the Connecticut Mirror, afterwards promi- Susan liissell, his first wife's sister. nent as an editor in New York. ^^^9-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 70- 5. In the forenoon expounded on the fourteenth chapter of the Romans. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Josh, xxiv : 20. Towards evening we had a season of prayer on account of the drought. It was well attended^and solemn. Thermometer 91°. 6. Worked some. The ground is almost covered with dust. The crop of corn is much diminished by the drought. Wrote. At evening attended the monthly prayer-meeting. Thermometer 90°. 7. Wrote. The heat extremely languid and oppressive. Intended 10 set out for New Haven, but put off on account of the heat till the weather pre- vented. Towards night and in the evening we had a copious thunder-shower. The hardest we have had this year. The rain is very reviving. The ther- mometer 91°. 8. Set out for New Haven at three o'clock in the morning, and got there a little before noon. The Commencement exercises for the forenoon con- cluded as I went to the meeting-house. In the afternoon they were pretty good, but short. The heat was severe. At evening Mr. Spring, of New York," preached \ery well to the Education Society. There was no Concio ad Clcntin. In the evening we had a little rain. The collection of the clergy was not as great as usual. No strangers of distinction were present. 9. Attended the meeting of the Education Society. I believe they do much good, but their funds are inadequate to the demands. I find mvself in the elder class of the clergy. Dined with Professor Fitch.' Looked o\er the library of the late Rev. Mr. Sw^an,' of Norwalk, for sale at Mr. Howe's, and purchased a number of useful volumes. Paid Gen. Howe for books, $26.95. Paid for Stewart's Letters, a valuable pamphlet, .75. Paid for a gold watch- key, $2.50. Left New Haven at half after four, and rode home in about eight hours. The night quite cool. 10. Am much fatigued. Worked and attended at the new house. The thermometer here on the eighth was 90°, and yesterday 80°. Read. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Cool. Thermometer about 72°. 11. Did not perceive any frost this morning, though we feared it. Wrote. Visited the sick family. At evening rode to Mr. Bartlett's to e.xchange. 12. Mr. Bartlett rode to my society, preached, and returned. Preached on Job xxvii: 8, and Prov. iii : 17. Returned and attended the evening con- ference. Late in the evening my brother came here and tarried. His chronic headache is severe. Very tired. 13. My brother went home. He is about going a journey to the eastward. " Rev. Gardiner Spring, D. D., son of Rev. Theology at Yale. It will be remembered Samuel Spring, D. D., of Newburyport, Mass. that Mr. Fitch taught the academy at E.ist He was graduated at Yale, 1S05, first studied Windsor Hill, soon after Dr. Robbins went law, then theolog)', pastor of the Brick to East Windsor, continuing there for some Church, New York, 1S10-1S73. He died in years. the last-named year, at the age of eighty- ' Rev. Roswell R. Swan, who was gradu- eight. ated at Vale in iSo;, was settled in Xorwalk - Eleazar T. Fitch, D. D., Professor of in 1807, and died in March, 1819. 796 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1819. Attended a training, and dined with the company. Something wet. Visited. Read. 14. Dined and prayed with a militarj' company. Have some difficulty with my plan for conveying warmth to my chamber' in the new house. Wrote. 15. We feared a frost this morning, but there was none to do any injur)'. Taken up with the new building. Afternoon visited and catechised a school. Wrote for the newspaper. God is very wise and good in calling me to trials." Will he accept of my vows ? Had a little fire in my chamber. 16. Read. Rode to Wapping and married two couples.' Attended the funeral of Mrs. Bumham of the sick family. Wrote. There was no frost this morning, though the night was quite cool. 17. Taken up with joiners and masons. I hope my trials will do me good. Rode out and visited. 18. Visited. It is very painful to have so much of my time taken up with unnecessary things. Yesterday Dr. Williams,* of Tolland, and wife, called on me. Read Stewart's' Letters to Channing. A very valuable work. Visited the sick. 19. I fear the sickness in the neighborhood below us is increasing. Preached on Num. xxi : 23, 24, with old notes, and an old sermon on Gen. iii : 9. Meetings pretty full. At evening performed a marriage.' God is ver)- merciful to me. 20. Rode to Hartford with Mr. Wolcott. Paid for primers, of money received of the Female Benevolent Society, §4.00. Had a cool and chilly wind. Took some cold. Read Channing's Unitarian sermon.' 21. Visited and catechised a school. Afternoon my cousin. Dr. P. G. Robbins,' and wife, of Roxbury, came here. Cold, windy, and very dusty. Have a pretty bad cold. Made fires. 22. Rode out with my cousin. The air is full of dust, \\indy and cold, but I believe no frost. Last night a valuable house and store in Hart- ford were burnt. Gave a poor man $2.00. After dinner my cousins went off for Norfolk. At evening performed a marriage at Mr. E. Bissell's.' Had a pretty splendid wedding. 23. Am much oppressed with my cold. Visited and catechised a school. Wrote. Walked out and visited. ' This was the new study, enlarged to remarks on his sermon recently preached hold his rapidly-increasing library. and published at Baltimore, 1819. = This is another of those references which ' Francis Peck, o£ Georgia, with Cynthia are unexplained. Newbury. M,cster H. I'enton with Sophia Johnson, 'The same sermon, probably, just no- bolh of Wapping; and Simeon Dow, of Gov- ticed. entry, with Almira Johnson. 'Dr. Peter Oilman Robbins, son of Dr. ♦ Dr. Nathan Williams, pastor at Tolland, Chandler Robbins, of Plymouth. 1700-1829. ' Krances, daughter of Epaphras liissell, ' .Moses Stuart's (not Stewart) Letters to was united in marriage with Mr. Owen P. the Kev. IVUliam li. C/ianitiiij;, containing Olmsted, of Geneseo, N. Y. l8l9-J PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 797 24. Quite warm. Visited the sick. The number increases. Some appear to have taken tlie fever by contagion. Wet. Wrote to Rev. W. B. Sprague.' At evening attended the prayer-meeting. 25. Wrote the most of a sermon on John .w: 25. Have many hindrances. Something wet. 26. Was called in the morning to see a sick family. Some of them are very low. Finished and preached all day the sermon on John xv : 25. After- noon quite rainy. At evening rode to Wapping, and performed a marriage.' The rain was very powerful. Had difficulty in speaking on account of my cold. Our meetings of late have been rather thin. 27. We have had the greatest rain that has been for several months. It is very refreshing to the ground. Rode out and visited the sick. Visited and catechised a small school. Quite warm. The thermometer on Saturday was at 85°. 28. Rode to Wapping in the forenoon and attended a funeral. Visited a family in a very unpleasant difficulty. My cousin, Dr. Robbins, and wife, called here today and dined, and went on their journey homewards, in my absence. My cousin Joseph BattelP came here and tarried. He is soon going to Middlebury to enter that college." Warm. 29. Wrote a piece for the newspaper. Towards night rode to Hartford. Saw Mr. Battell. Did errands for the building. Got home late. 30. Read. Taken up with the workmen. Visited and catechised a school. Quite warm. Thermometer 80°. Visited. October. 1. Rode and visited the sick at five houses. Several are ver\- low. The yellow fever appears to be very bad at New York, Baltimore, and Charles- town.'' The corn comes in well. People are gathering it without having had a frost. Afternoon catechised the children at the meeting-house. I have given them a good many catechisms this year, mostly Coleman's.' After the catechising preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Rev. iii : 12. Wrote. 2. Wrote the most of a sermon on Matt, x.xvi : 26-30. Hindered by company. Mr. Stebbins does pretty well in his studies. Cool. Had a fire. ' Dr. William B. Sprague, just before ■* lie entered Middlebury and w-is gradu- settled at West Springfield, Mass., as col- ated in course, in 1823. league with Rev. Joseph Lathrop. ' While the yellow fever was destructive ^ The persons married were Isaac Clcve- in these American cities, it was not so vio- land, of Cazenovia, N. Y., and Anna Drake, lent as in some previous years. It was, of Wapping. however, very fatal this year (1819) in Cadiz ' Dr. Robbins had a habit of calling and the Island of .St. Leon. nephews and nieces cousins. This Joseph ' We do not find what Mr. Coleman Battell, whose name now stands associated wrote this catechism which he was using. with the Battell Chapel at New Haven, and It may have been Dr. Benjamin Colman, of who died, unmarried, in 1874, leaving a great Brattle Street Church, Boston. He was a estate, was the son of Dr. Robbins's sister very distinguished minister and interested in Sarah, and an unmistakable nephew. that kind of church work. 7g8 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S19. 3. Was called early to see a man very sick. Finished and preached in the forenoon my sermon on Matt. x.\vi : 26-30. Afternoon preached with old notes on Luke iv : 25,26. Administered the sacrament. Meeting quite full. At evening attended the conference. The church had a contribution for the Domestic Missionary Societ}-. We collected nearly $15.00. More than I expected. 4. This morning and yesterday there was a little frost, but not sufficient to stop vegetation. Our garden vines are still flourishing. Rode and visited the sick. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. On the 23d received a letter from Asahel Gaylord, of Norfolk. Heard the painful news of the death of Mr. Storrs,' of Longmeadow. It is a most afflictive and mysterious appointment of divine providence. 5. This morning we had a pretty hard frost. The first to kill vegetation. Wrote on a piece for the newspaper. Afternoon rode to East Hartford and attended a funeral, in the absence of Mr. Fairchild. Visited the sick. Warm. 6. Rode to Hartford and attended the cattle show. The collection of people was very great. Dined with a very large company. The exhibition was very good. Very warm for the season. Towards night attended the funeral of Mr. Burnham, the elder son in the sick family. 7. Very warm. The thermometer was at 83°, and I believe about the same yesterday. I spend much time unprofitably. Read. In the evening rode to Ellington and to Enfield. Got to my brother's late. He and his wife have lately been a journey to the eastward. The death of Mr. Storrs makes a great breach. 8. Rode home. Much fatigued. Thermometer82°. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Performed pretty poorly. Mr. Stone,° of Cornwall, called and dined with me. A very respectable mission is soon to sail from Boston for the Sandwich Islands.^ I think their prospects are very favorable, and I pray God to give them his blessing. 9. Wrote on a piece for the newspaper. Visited the sick. Some are very low. Gave two poor persons $1.50. Thermometer 80°. 10. In the morning we had a violent rain. Preached with old notes on Matt. XX : 30. Meetings pretty thin. After meeting rode to Wapping, and preached at four o'clock on Ps. li : 4. Baptized three children.' At evening performed a marriage.' Tarried at VVapping. ' Rev. Richard Salter Storrs, the first made a great impression in liast Windsor, minister of this name, was a native of Mans- as Miss Nancy Wells, of the north parish, field, Ct., and received his baptismal names was in the fall of 1819 united in marriage from Rev. Richard Salter, D.D., pastor at with Mr. Samuel Ruggles, and the tno went Mansfield, 1744-1787. Me was graduated at in this first company to the Sandwich Is- Yaie in 1783, and was pastor at Longmeadow, lands. 1785-1819. He died of the typhus fever .so * Charles, son of (\lfred Grant ; Charlotte, common in the Connecticut valley. daughter of Timothy Munsell; and Ammi, ' Rev. Timothy Stone, pastor at Cornwall, son of Oliver Skinner. Ct., 1803-1S37. ' Francis Rockwell and Peggy Johnson ' This mission to the Sandwich Islands were united in marriage. iSig-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 799 11. Visited a young man apparently near dying. Cornelius Wells, of East Hartford, has failed, and Mr. Wolcott is his endorser at the bank for two thousand dollars. He has got some security, but must be, I think, a consider- able sufferer. It is a severe affliction upon us. I hope it may be for our good. At evening my brother came here and tarried. 12. Wrote. Afternoon attended a funeral." After which rode to West Hartford and met with the Consociation. In the evening my brother preaclied the consociational sermon very well. Cold. 13. In the forenoon the Conso performed a good deal of business. The case of Turkey Hills and Newgate was attended to. In the afternoon the Conso ordained Mr. H. HulP a missionary. Quite cold, with some flying snow. In the evening attended a meeting at Hartford about forming an auxiliary colonization society. Rode home. 14. Mr. Wolcott is much disturbed with his trials. Read. Walked and visited. Dr. McClure has been lately married' at Providence quite unexpectedly. 15. On the nth received a letter from Dr. P. G. Robbins, of Roxburj-. On the 1 2th received a letter from the new church and society in North- ington, requesting the assistance of this church at their proposed installation. Wiote. Cold. Walked out and visited. 16. Wrote on the beginning of a sermon on the divinity of Christ. Wrote four pages in the evening. I hope for the divine assistance in writing on this important subject. ' Had various hindrances. 17. In the forenoon expounded on Rom. xv : 1-28. Afternoon preached what I wrote yesterday on John i : 1-5. At evening attended the conference. 18. Cold. Worked in my garden. At evening wrote a piece for publica- tion. Wrote late. 19. Taken up at the new house, \\rote to my cousin, Dr. Robbins, and to Howe & Spaulding, of New Haven. Rode to Hartford. Yesterday reviewed a part of Tytler's History for Mr. Goodrich, who is about publishing a new edition.* 20. Wrote. Worked some. Walked out and visited. iSfr. Wolcott has a prospect of a new claim coming against him on account of Wells. 21. Much taken up with Mr. Wolcott's aflfairs. Wrote to Mr. Staples,' of New Haven. At evening walked out. ' Elijah Elmer, aged twenty-seven. ond marriage in 1S16. But it took place in ■ Rev. Hezekiah Hull, a graduate of Vale 1819, only a few months before his own in 1814, to be Home Missionary in the new death. territories at the Southwest. ' Tytler's History was taken as a text. ' Dr. David McClure's first wife was book into colleges and academies. It was a Hannah, youngest daughter of Dr. Benjamin text-book in Yale College when the writer Pomeroy, of Hebron, Ct. They were mar- of this note was in college, and some years ried in 1780 and lived together thirty-four afterwards years, she dying in April, 1814. His second ' Seth Perkins Staples, Esq., a prominent wife was Mrs. Betsey Martin, of Providence. lawyer in New Haven, a graduate of Yale, Dr. Sprague, in his Annals, places this sec- 1797- 80O DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S19. 22. In the morning Mr. Williston," of New Durham, called on me. Rode with Iiim to Enfield to give him a conveyance. Quite cold. At evening attended our stated prayer-meeting. Received a letter from Mr. Battell, and wrote to him at Hartford. 23. Wrote laboriously on my sermon on John i : i, etc. It requires much labor. 24. Preached with old notes on Gen. v : 24. Afternoon a part of the sermon on John i. At evening visited and attended a singing-meeting. 25. Rode to Hartford. Afternoon attended the funeral of a good woman in V/apping, aged ninety. Wet and cold. 26. Worked considerably. Mr. Wolcott returned from New York. He went away on the 2 2d. He succeeded in securing a debt much better than I feared. Read. At evening performed a marriage." 27. Wrote. I am too much taken up with unimportant things. Had a long walk in the meadow after my horse. At evening performed a marriage in the lower part of Scantick.-" I feel some an.xiety about our society matters. 28. Reviewed Tytler. Visited the sick. Walked out and visited. Most of the sick are convalescing. Wrote for Mr. Wolcott. 29. Wrote. Wrote on my long sermon on the divinity of Christ. Hin- dered by company. My brother's wife and her son called here. 30. Wrote to Mr. Andrus, of Hartford, and Mr. Staples, of New Haven. Wrote on my sermon. Afternoon Mr. Ely,* of Vernon, called on me wishing for an exchange tomorrow. In the evening rode out there. Took some cold. 31. Preached on Job x.wii : 8, and Ps. cxx.xvi : 23. This society appears very well. There has been here a good work of grace. The Sabbath-school appears to have done much good. At evening preached at a school-house on Prov. viii: 17. Mr. Ely attended. Meetings all full and solemn. Quite cool. We have had a very pleasant month. NUVBMBBR. 1. This morning we had a very hard frost. Rode home. I am very much crowded with business. Wrote. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting, and preached without notes on Matt, xxviii : 20. Visited a young man very sick. 2. Assisted in examining a school-master, whom we could not pass. Rode with Dea. Loomis' to Northington' to attend the installation of Mr. Kellogg.' He appeared very well on examination. This small people have ' Rev. Scth Williston, D. D. settled at Vernon .ibout a year and a half, ^ The parties married were William K. afterwards for many years at Mansfield, Ct. Andross, of Hartford, .mil Julia Hancroft, of ' Dea. Amasa Loomis. East Windsor. •" Avon, C"t. ' Marriages are becoming frequent again ' Rev. Hela Kellogg was graduated at after a long season of dullness. The couple Williams College in 1800, pastor in East united this time were Fcnn Johnson and .Avon, 1819-1829. lie had been previously Pinah E. Darling, of Scantic Parish. settled in lirookficld, Ct., 1813-1816. He * Rev. William Ely, who had now been ^Slg-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 8oi exerted themselves verj' much. In the evening Mr. Stebbins, of West Haven, preached. 3- We had an agreeable installation. The day pleasant and the collec- tion of people great. I gave the right hand of fellowship. Returned. A young man in the neighborhood died this morning. une.Kpectedly of a consump- tion.' Visited the family. 4. Attended the funeral. Worked some. Wrote the last of eight num- bers for the Mirror newspaper, in reply to a violent attack upon our religious institutions by a writer in a New Haven paper." 5. Rode to Hartford. Rode to Enfield and preached a preparatory lecture for my brother on Heb. xii : 2. He is quite afflicted with his nervous headache. Returned and attended our evening prayer-meeting. Quite cold. Paid ninety-two cents for a bushel of quinces. 6. Wrote three pages on my sermon on the divinity of Christ, and si.\ on one from Prov. ix: 12. Wrote late. Have to attend considerably to Mr. Stebbins.' Wrote five pages in the evening. 7. Finished and preached in the afternoon my sermon on Prov. ix : 12. Preached in the forenoon on John i, etc. Meetings full and .solemn. O that God would awaken us from our infinite stupidity. At evening attended conference. Read. 8. Read. Visited the sick. A very valuable young woman I fear is going into a consumption. Rode out and visited. On the 6th received a letter from Mr. Fairchild, of East Hartford, and one from Rev. Mr. Sprague, of West Springfield. 9. Read Tytler. Rode out and visited the sick. Assisted Mr. Wolcott in making out his list on the new system, which is poor enough. 10. Reviewed Tytler. Gave a person jsi.oo. 11. Paid foi work in my garden, .^t,. Studied late. 12. Last evening our joiners left here, after having worked on the house about eighteen weeks. I think it would take them four or five weeks more to complete it. There have been generally five workmen. They have been faithful. Warm and very dry. Thermometer at 70°. Wrote laboriously on my sermon on John i, etc. Wrote five pages in the evening. 13. Much hindered by a variety of objects. Afternoon attended the funeral of an aged woman.* Cold and very windy. Visited. Wrote on the divinity of Christ. 14. Hoped to have been able to preach all day on John i, etc., but was not able to prepare. Did it in the afternoon only. Forenoon expounded on Rom. XV : 28, to the end of the book. At evening visited and attended a singing-school. Cold. 15. Cold, and roads ver}- dry. Rode to Hartford and Windsor. Mills ' Solomon Ellsworth Newbury, aged eight- from the old Federal to the Democratic rule een. of the State. ~ This attack and defence were doubtless ' His theological student. Incidental to the change which was going on * Widow Lucy Morton, aged eighty-four. 802 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1819. suffer much for want of water. Young people here seem more inclined to dancing than they have been. Read. 16. Rode to Hartford. Paid for cider brandy, $2.80. Worked some. Have many interruptions in study. Dr. McClure returned from I'rovidence with his new wife. She appears very well. 17. Wrote. Borrowed of Mr. Wolcott, $60.00. Thermometer 67°. 18. Visited the sick. Warm. Reviewed Tytler. Worked some. Get along but poorly with my studies.' 19. W'rote on my long sermon. Had company. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. I hope my trials will do me good.^ Cool and dry. 20. Studied laboriously on Tytler. At evening rode to Hartford to e.\- change with Mr. Flint. On the 17th wrote to my mother. It is long since I visited her. 21. Mr. Flint rode to East Windsor, and returned after meeting. Preached on Matt, vi : 13, and Ps. li : 4. At evening preached at the chapel on John iv : 29. I think this congregation appears better than in years past. 22. Did a number of errands. Paid my merchant tailor, $23.00. For a pair of boots, $9.00. For three half volumes of Encydopadia, and two num- bers of Clarke's Bible, $15.00. Rode home. Cold and chilly. Read. Hindered by company. 23. Something rainy. Mills suffer much for want of water. Worked some. Wrote. Had company. 24. Wrote an addition to the chronological table of Tytler. It is a labori- ous work. Walked out and visited. Hindered by company. 25. Had Dr. McClure and his wife and others here to dine.' Worked at my library. My time is very much taken up. Very pleasant for the season. 26. Visited the sick. Attended to my studies. Rode out and visited. There is a very great indifference to divine things among us. 27. Wrote on my sermon on John i. Rev. Mr. Wood* called on me. Received a letter from Mr. Mix,' of West Suffield, who has lost his wife. Wrote late. 28. Preached all day on John i : i, etc. Wrote the latter sermon since seven o'clock last evening. Cold and chilly. Meetings pretty full. At evening wrote an addition to my sermon on Hab. iii. 29. Last night we had considerable snow. The first to cover the ground we have had. Rode to West Suffield, and preached at the funeral of Mrs. Mix on Hab. iii: 17, 18. Mr. Mi.\ appeared very well. Three other min- ' Nov. 18, 1819, as appears by the record McClure and Dr. Robbins have of late of marriages which Dr. Robbins kept on the grown more pleasant and harmonious than church books, he united in marriage Jonathan they were at first. Blake, of .Springfield, Mass., and Lucy liliss, * Rev. Luke Wood, probably, who had of East Windsor. This marriage doubllcss been settled in Waterbury, Ct., and settled he forget to enter in his diary. afterwards in Westford, Ct., and West Hart- ""The heart knowclh his own bitter- land, Ct. He was graduated at Dartmouth ness." in 1803, and died in 1851. ' It is noticeable that the relations of Dr. ' Rev. Joseph Mix. 'Sl9-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 803 isters were present. Quite cold. Returned in the evening. Gave a poor woman, $2.00. 30. Thermometer this morning about i6°. Wrote. Rode to Hartford. Received of the bank, $14.28. Paid Gilbert for things for the new house, $6.79. Read. Visited the sick. Received a letter from Seth Terry,' Esq. December. 1. Made a fire in our new house. It does very well. Began and wrote the most of a sermon on Ps. xxiv : i for Thanksgiving. Wrote late. 2. Thanksgiving. The Governor's proclamation is the same as the last year's one. Preached on Ps. xxiv: i. My sermon was not quite finished. We had a full meeting. Mr. and Mrs. Mather were here.' Warm for the season. Read Hudibras. 3. Read Hudibras. Wrote. Wrote on the chronological table of Tytler's History. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Last evening the weather changed, and it is now quite cold. The thermometer was below the freezing point, with a clear sun all day. Hindered by company. 4. Studied on Tytler. Thermometer this morning about 19°. .\t even- ing rode to Windsor to make an exchange with Mr. Rowland. Cold. 5. Mr. Rowland sent Mr. Hubbard,^ a candidate, to East Windsor, and heard me. Preached on Matt, vi : 13, and John iv : 29. The forenoon quite cold. Meetings pretty full for this place. At evening rode to Wintonbur)-. and tarried with Mr. Bartlett.* Yesterday got my greenhouse into the house. 6. Rode to Norfolk. The weather very mild and pleasant. Met with brother Frank at Colebrook. Found mother quite comfortable. In her circumstances she is well accommodated. She keeps boarders, who are a great comfort to her. 7. Mr. Battell has made a fine improvement this year in his buildings. My brother Ammi's wife came over here. Last evening attended a monthly pra\'er-meeting with Mr. Emerson. Visited a machine' grammar school. 8. Looked over father's old papers. Find some quite valuable. After- noon preached a lecture for Mr. Emerson on John iv: 29. Full meeting. Warm. My brother Samuel is here from Woodbury. The State assessment makes a great deal of trouble and difficult)'. 9. Gave a black man, $1.00. My brothers Samuel and Frank went liome. My mother is not willing that I should leave her. Hindered by company. Wrote. Visited. Towards night the weather changed to winter cold. 10. Severe cold and blustering. The wind very high. Knew not how I ' One of the prominent men of Hartford, ble that Dr. Mather, of New York, and his greatly honored and trusted. wife, are the persons here meant. ^ There was a Dr. Charles Mather who ' Anson Hubbard, a native of Glaston- had been a noted physician in East Windsor bury, a graduate of Yale, 1817. and Hartford. He was graduated at Yale in * Rev. John liartlett, younger brother of 1763, and died in 1S22. His son, Dr. Charles Rev. Shubael Bartlett, of East Windsor. Mather, was graduated at Yale in 1784, and ' Machine seems to be the word, but was a physician in New York. It is proba- what is meant, we do not understand. S04 DIARY OF RKV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1819. should ride home. My sister, in Mr. Battell's absence, kindly offered me their chaise, with which I left them after dinner, and rode comfortably to Northington. 11. Rode early i.o Hartford and home. Saw Mr. Battel! at Hartford. The cold and wind are not much abated. The ground is very dry. My ther- mometer on the morning of the 5th was 14° ; the 6th 16°; yesterday 18° ; and this morning 20°. Have a hard rheumatic pain in my back. Had it bathed, and put on my llannel, which I have not done before. During this week, S. & M. Ellsworth," of Scantick, have failed, by whom Mr. Wolcott is like to lose a debt of one thousand dollars. Read. 12. Thermometer this morning 24°, but it is still quite tedious. Thin meeting. Preached with old notes on Hos. vi : i. At evening attended the conference. Mr. Wolcott is much affected and depressed with his late losses. My rheumatic pain abates. Yesterday received a letter from Mr. Battell, and one from G. Goodwin,^ Hartford. 13. The cold abates. Thermometer this morning 26°. Yesterday it scarcely raised a degree from nine o'clock in the morning to nine at night, with a clear sun. Wrote. Read. At evening attended our monthly prayer- meeting. Quite full. Our annual society meeting was held. Our prospects are more encouraging than they have been. Our hope is in God. 14. Studied on Tytler. Dined and spent a considerable part of the day at Dr. McClure's. It snowed some. 15. Worked at the chronological table of Tytler. Afternoon visited a school. At evening rode to Whipping and performed a marriage.^ I have married this year seventeen couples.'' Warm. Received of my collector, $260.00. Paid a merchant's bill, $20.63 ; ^ smith's bill, $3.25. Paid Mr. Wolcott on my boarding bill, $75.15. The society are considerably in arrears. Yesterday wrote to Mr. Staples, of New Haven.' 16. In the forenoon visited a school. Studied on Tytler laboriously. Was up late. Frank has a pretty severe trial. 17. Finished the chronological table of Tytler. It has cost me a good deal of labor. Wrote to Mr. Goodrich, of Hartford. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 18. Wrote the most of a sermon in my long discourse on John i. Wrote nearlv si.x pages in the evening. Mr. Wolcott killed three luys that weighed nine hundred and forty-six pounds. Have various hindrances. 19. Some snow and rain. .Meeting well attended. Preached with old notes on Ps. x.xvii : 14, and on John i, etc. Wrote. Had no conference. Read. 20. Rode to Wapping, and visited two schools. They are larger than usual. Rogers, an Episcopalian of good character, has preached there lately several times. ' Stoddard & Moseley Ellsworth. . * It has been a prosperous year in this " George Goodwin. respect, and he is to have one more wedding • Joseph Rockwell was married to llan- before the year closes, nah Grant, both of Wapping. ' Sclh P. Staples, lisq. l8l9-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 805 21. Rode to Simsbur)' and attended ministers' meeting. Mr. Kellogg, of Northington, joined us. Other neighboring ministers were present. Cold. 22. We had a ver)' good ministers' meeting. Rode to Windsor. Paid for dressing-cloth, $3.25. Rode to Hartford and home. Ver\- pleasant and good riding. Paid Imlay at Hartford, $25.10. Paid Caleb Goodwin, $1.50. 23. Wrote on Tytler. Assisted in examining two school-masters. Capt. Hall, of Wapping, brought me a valuable load of wood." Hindered by company. 24. Mr. Wolcott is very low with his nervous gloom. Wet and rainy. Visited a district and our academic school. Read. Wrote. 25. Wrote a sermon on my long discourse on John i, etc. Am troubled with many worldly and unholy inclinations. 26. The morning very cold. Thermometer at 8°. E.xpounded on Mark i : 1-18, and preached a sermon written yesterday, .^t evening attended a conference. Pretty thin. After which performed a marriage.* 27. Read. Worked some. Wrote to Mr. Staples, of New Haven. Vis- ited the Long Hill school. At evening visited at Dr. Tudor's.^ Ther- mometer this morning 15°. Received from a shoemaker a new pair of slippers. The first I ever had. 28. Thermometer 22°. Visited the last school. Rode to the hither part of East Hartford and attended a funeral. Very windy and tedious. Wrote. 29. Thermometer 18°. Severe cold. Rode to Hartford. Paid for re- pairing our carriage, $1.00. The ground very hard frozen. At evening walked out. Read. 30. Thermometer 10°. Wrote a recommendation of Mather's Ma^nalia for a printer.'' Read some dramatic plays. The afternoon and evening we had a violent snow-storm. Severe cold for snow. Wrote. 31. Thermometer 8°. The snow is nearly a foot deep, but much drifted. Very windy and tedious. The snow flies ver)' much. Wrote on Tytler. Afternoon preached a preparator)' lecture on Matt. .\iii : 25. Had very few hearers. With regard to weather for this year there has been but a small portion of wet, and very little cloudy weather. I think I never knew so pleasant a season. God is constantly supplying us with unmerited favors. ' Capt. Hall, of Wapping, has done this in Hartford, by Silas Andrus, in the summer same thing several times before. of 1820, a most important publication; for = John Brown and Reulah Johnson were copies of the first edition, printed in Eng- the persons united in marriage. land '" '7°". '"d become so rare that it w.is ^ Dr. Elihu Tudor. almost impossible for scholars to possess " This was the preface for the edition of themselves of the work. Now it is widely Cotton Mather's Magnolia, which was issued scattered abroad. 18SO. Jani ary. 1. The new year opens upon us distinguished with the great mercies of God. Endeavored to devote myself to him for the present year in a life of godliness, self-denial, and usefulness. Got my sleigh and harness repaired, $1.20. Wrote a sermon on Acts xxvi : 22. Wrote five pages in the evening. I am too apt to be hindered by unnecessary things. Severe cold. Ther- mometer in the morning 11° below zero. Several degrees colder than any time last winter. It rose during the day to about 20°. 2. Thermometer this morning 12° below zero. It rose very slowly. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Matt, xxiv : 31. Administered the sacrament. Had the exercises very short. The cold was very severe. The members of the church were well collected. Afternoon preached the sermon written yesterday. Meeting pretty full. At evening attended the conference. Full notwithstanding the severity of the season. The Lord give us his blessing. 3. Thermometer 10°. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of an infant child. Dined with the civil authority. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. It was quite full and interesting. I fear my green trees are much injured by the frost. 4. Had a new great coat cut by a tailor at Hartford so scant and short that I could not have it made. Mrs. Wolcott gave me the cloth. The tailor took it, and I got cloth for a new one. Rode to Hartford. Pretty good sleighing. Thermometer this morning 15°. Rode out and visited. Paid a post office bill, ^.45. It thaws some. 5. Thermometer 14°. Wrote on Tytler. The work is long and labo- rious. At evening my brother came here and tarried. He informed me that my good Uncle Isaac Le Baron' is dead. He deceased with a short illness last week. But two of that numerous family now remain. 6. Thermometer 23°. My brother returned. He has a great deal of parochial labor. Wrote on Tytler. I fear I cannot bear as much study as I could years ago. My new great coat is a very good one. Paid a tailoress, .88. Lent Maj. Hayden, $25.00. 7. Thermometer 10° below zero. Mr. Wolcott is quite low. Wrote to my mother, giving her an account of the late death of her brother. I hope she may have the divine support. Rode out and visited. I have latterly too much neglected visiting. ■ Dr. Lazarus Le Baron by two wives had were Elizabeth, Dr. Robbins's mother, then fourteen children, o£ whom Isaac was the nearly seventy-five, and his uncle Lemuel, eighth. He was born in 1744, and was about pastor at Rochester, then about scvcnty- 8eventy-si.\ years old. The two lemaining three. 807 SoS DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1820. 8. Wrote on my long discourse on the divinity of Christ, sixteen pages. More than I ever wrote before in one day. Wrote eight pages by daylight, and eight in the evening. Finished at half after one. I thank God that I am able to study so much. The weather mild and pleasant. The snow thaws. 9. Wrote one page and finished my sermon on John i : 1-5. Preached it both parts of the day. The whole discourse contains ten sermons.' They have been heard, I think, with much interest. I pray God to give them his blessing. At evening attended the conference. Meetings pretty full. 10. Read. Worked at my newspapers. Wrote. The sleighing is poor. Lent Tudor $2.00. 11. Last night we had a good deal of snow. Wrote on Tytler. The weather is moderate. At evening walked out. Received a letter from my cousin, Mr. Russell," of Plymouth, giving an account of the death of my Uncle Le Baron. Received another from Mr. R. Newton, of Worcester.' 12. Finished to my great joy my writing on Tytler. It has cost me more than half the labor of what I did last year. Rode to Hartford. Good sleigh- ing. Paid Gleason, $9.62. About $2.60 of this had been given me by a charitable society to purchase catechisms. 13. Rode out and visited. Rode to Warehouse Point and Windsor with Mr. Wolcott. Excellent sleighing and crossing the river. Thermometer this morning 14°. 14. Thermometer 8°. My best orange-tree was hurt last night. My neighbor, Mrs. Reed, presented me with a good comforter for a bed covering. Read. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Visited. 15. Thermometer 15°. Wrote a sermon on Rom. i: 28. Paid for my Minor newspaper for a year, $2.00. 16. In the forenoon expounded on l\Lark i: 18, to the end. Preached on Rom. i : 28. Good sleighing and full meeting. I think I can gain time by rising early. Thermometer this morning 8°. At evening attended the conference. 17. Prepared this almanack. We had a hard storm of snow and rain. It was quite violent. Wrote. Was out in the rain and took some cold. Wrote. 18. Wrote to my cousin, Mr. Russell,* of Plymouth, and to my mother. Walked out. I regret that I cannot find more time for visiting. 19. Thermometer 14°. Wrote on my catechism. I hope to be able to attend to it without much interruption. Wrote for Mr. Wolcott. Severe cold. My cold is pretty hard. 20. Wrote. Mr. Wolcott has considerable business at New Haven, and he and I concluded suddenly to ride there. Set out about noon, and got to New Haven at eight o'clock.' Excellent sleighing. Thermometer this morn- ing 2° below zero. ' These sermons were published in Hart- ' Rejoice Newton, Esq., of whom we have ford during the year 1820, making a little before spoken, treatise on the divinity of Christ. • Mr. Nathaniel Knsscll. ^ Mr. Nathaniel Kusscll married Martha, ' .\ little more than forty miles from East daughter of Isaac I.c liaron. Ily reason of Windsor, south parish, to New Haven, by this marriage Dr. Kobbins calls him cousin. the present carriage road. l820.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 809 21. Did considerable business with Mr. Wolcott and for myself. Sold to Mr. T. Dwight four shares in Eagle Bank for S400.00, which he paid me. At the present time I think it fortunate. Received of the Eagle Bank a dividend of $30.00. Gave to the Education Society, $5.00, and to the Domestic Mis- sionary Society, $5.00. Paid Gen. Howe for books, S15.00. Mr. Wolcott, I think, must sustain loss by Poiter. Paid for Plays, .87. Left New Haven about sundown, and rode to Meriden. The late storm was very severe at New Haven. 22. Early in the morning, and most of the forenoon, it snowed hard. Rode home. My cold is much increased by my journey. Read. Wrote. My thermometer yesterday morning was 2° below zero; today it was 15°. Wrote. The new snow, I think, is six or seven inches. 23. Thermometer about 10°. Preached with old notes on Tit. iii : 5. Much burdened with my cold. At evening attended the conference. Not so full as I hoped to see. 24. Thermometer in the morning 15°. In the evening it was at 6°. Worked some. The people at Wapping brought me si.x good loads of wood." A fine present. Rode to West Hartford and back. Cold and tedious. Paid for two bushels of oats procured last summer, Si. 00. 25. Thermometer 19°. Last evening wrote to Mr. C. Wells, at New Haven. Wrote on my catechism. Visited. Some among us are sick. Very pleasant for winter. 26. Weather quite moderate. Wrote. Have many interruptions. My two deacons called on me, and e.xpressed their desire that my late sermons on the divinity of Christ might be published. It snowed some. 27. Wrote. Dined out. Visited. The thermometer rose to about 50^. The sleighing very fine. There is a heavy body of snow on the ground. 28. Wrote on my catechism. It is like to require more labor than I expected. Visited. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 29. Wrote the most of a sermon on 2 Cor. v: 17. Mr. Hawes, of Glaston- bury, lately dismissed, called on me. The thermometer goes but little below the freezing point. 30. Finished and preached both parts of the day, my sermon on 2 Cor. 5-17. At evening rode to Wapping, and preached at the north school-house on Acts iv: 12. Meeting there full. Yesterday a Wapping man brought me three bushels of oats. Thermometer was at about 50°. On the 25th Mr. Dixon,- who keeps Mr. Wolcott, was here. Mr. Wolcott has much trouble with his brother.^ 31. Last night it snowed. Quite blustering. Worked getting in wood. I fear I have lost some books by lending. Wrote. On the 29th received of my collector, $90.00. ' His gifts of wood came almost wholly ^ Hr- Robbins writes this name Dixon. from Wapping. This was probably because In the Wolcott iteniorial volume it is spelled the people there thought they ought to make Dickson. The latter spelling is doubtless the some special return for the long journeys correct one. the minister had to make to attend iheir ^ Mr. William Wolcott, at Middlefield, meetings, their weddings, and funerals. Mass. 8lO DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S2O. February. 1. Verj' cold and tedious. Rode to Hartford and met with the .Associa- tion at Mr. Hawes's. I was scribe. .After we had commenced our business, I had to come home to get the minutes of the last session wliich I had. Thermometer in the morning 2°, and at two o'clock 11°. Mucli colder in the middle of the day than any one this year. Mr. Porter' preached in the evening. 2. Thermometer this morning 4°. Paid the bank, $10.00. The roads are drifted. Severe cold. 3. Wrote. It snowed and rained considerably. Walked out and visited. My visiting is much in arrear. 4. Wrote on my catechism. Weather moderate. The snow is covered with a very sharp crust. The young people here had a ride, and Mr. Wolcott's four children ° were of the party. Rode to Wapping with the school visitors, and examined the condition of the South School, in which there has lately been an insurrection. We e.xpelled two of the pupils. The district is in a poor state. 5. \\"rote on my catechism. Attended the funeral of an infant child. The thermometer this morning was 8° below zero. Last night it grew cold very much. 6. Last evening the thermometer was at 12°, and this morning at sunrise 38°. The eaves run. It thawed much all day. Thermometer rose to 50°. Expounded on the second chapter of Mark. Preached an old sermon on Rev. iii : 17. .At evening attended the conference. 7. Thermometer in the morning 38°. It snowed and thawed ail day. Received a letter from my brother. Wrote. In the evening our monthly prayer-meeting was very small. 8. Thermometer this morning 8° ; but it rose above 40°. Wrote. Yes- terday wrote to my brother. I get along slowly with my catechism.' 9. It snowed steadily all day. We have an immense body of it on the ground. Wrote. 10. Worked shoveling snow. Thermometer at 2°. Wrote to Gen. Howe, of New Haven. Afternoon rode to Windsor with Mr. and Mrs. Wolcott. Returned in the evening in a very thick snow-storm. Had difliculty in keep- ing the road. Not very cold. 11. The snow of last night is perhaps a foot deep, and much drifted. People are generally out breaking roads. It is said there is more than three feet of snow on the ground, and very heavy. The thermometer in the morn- ing was 5°, but rose to 40°. Received a letter from Cornelius Wells, at New Haven. Wrote considerably. ' Rev. Noah Porter, D. D., l-'armiiiyton. could 1)e better than the Assembly'.s Shorter ' Frances, Ursula, Tudor, and Kvcline. Catechism, and the children generally on ' We know but little aliout this catechism .Sunday, and in the week-d.ay schools, were as yet, what is its purpose and its plan. instructed in it. Probably Dr. Kobbins's cate- Most people in that age thought nothing chism had a different range and object. l820-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 8u 12. Thermometer 14°, and rose to 40°. The roads in many places are said to be impassable. Wrote the most of a sermon on E.\. xxxii : 9-14. Have been very much in my chamber this week. U'rote. 13. Finished and preached all day my sermon on Ex. xxxii : 9-14. The thermometer rose to 60°. It thaws, and the snow settles very much. The walking is so bad that I had no conference. Wrote letters to Mr. Foot," Member of Congress, to Gen. Sterling,' of Salisbury, to Mr. Staples,' of New Haven, and to Mr. Gillett,* of South Hadley. 14. The thermometer goes very little below the freezing point. It rose above 50°. Rode to Wapping and visited. The instructor of their South School has been obliged to L-ave it. The district is in a bad state. Wrote. 15. Rode to Northington and attended ministers' meeting at Mr. Kel- logg's.' The sleighing is very bad. It thaws very much, and the snow is very deep. I preached on Ex. xxxii : 9-14. This congregation appear well. We had a pleasant and useful meeting. At Hartford paid my annual tax to the Agricultural Society, $1.00. Renewed my note at the bank. 16. Read a part of my catechism to the meeting. Rode home. It rained a good deal. We had a number of showers. Got considerably wet. The mass of snow retains the w.iter; the streams do not rise much. The water in the road in many places is quite deep. Traded considerably. The ther- mometer yesterday was at Go'', today above 50°. Paid for a donation, §1.25. For six hat cases, $1.00. Wrote. 17. Wrote on my catechism. Quite rainy. Worked some. Got my feet very wet. Read. 18. Wrote. The water seems to get into the ground,' which is a great favor in its present dry state. The feelings of the country are highly excited by the present debate in Congress on the subject of slavery. It is shameful.' 19. Wrote a sermon on Prov. i : 31. Thermometer this morning 19°. I hope to write more sermons this year than I have done in the last two. 20. Quite wet. Meetings thin. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Acts iii : 21. Afternoon on Prov. i: 31. .\t evening attended the conference. 21. Read. Hindered by little things. Walked out and visited. Frances is very unwell with a severe affection in the head. Received a letter from my brother.' His nervous headache is very burdensome. 22. Warm. Wrote on my catechism. Have many interruptions. I get along slowly. 23. Wrote. Rode out and visited. The sleighing grows poor. I think ' Hon. Samuel A. Foot, of Cheshire, son ' Such a thick covering of snow takes the of Rev. John Foot, M. C, 1S19-1S21 and frost out of the ground by allowing the inler- 1S23-1S25. nal heat of the earth to act upon it. = Gen. Elisha Sterling, a graduate of Yale, 'This year, 1820, was the year of the 17S7, a prominent lawyer in Salisbury, Ct. Missouri Compromise and the great debate ' Seth P. Staples, Esq. on the admission of Missouri as a slave * Mr. Gillett, probably a lawyer. State, which was effected Feb. 2S, 1S21. 5 Rev. Bela Kellogg. ' Rev. Francis Lc B. Robbins, of Erjfield. 8l2 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1820. some of our society prospects are favorable. Yesterday I)ea. Loomis brought me a written request, with about thirty names, for the publication of my sermons on the divinity of Christ.' 24. Wrote. Rode to Windsor and preached a singing-lecture on Ezra iii : 14. Mr. Rowland is unwell. Had to cross at Hartford. 25. Visited all day. We have a number of persons that are sick. Wrote a will for a young woman. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Pretty thin. The snow wastes but slowly. 26. Wrote. Read. Towards evening rode to Enfield to exchange with my brother. Quite wet. The sleighing is poor. 27. My brother rode early to East Windsor. Wet and some of the time it rained hard. Meetings thin. Ecclesiastical matters here appear well. Preached on Job x.xvii: 8, and E.k. .\x.\ii : 9-14. At evening rode home. Found Mr. Battell here. He came up from Hartford this evening. There is a great deal of w^ater on the ground. 28. Assisted in examining a school-master for Wapping. My brothers' went away. Rode to Hartford in a carriage. We might have gone much better in a sleigh. There is still a great body of snow. Received a letter and a bundle of useful books from Howe & Spaulding, of New Haven. 29. Maj. Hayden paid me $25.00, borrowed. Last night it became cold. Thermometer this morning 20°. Read. Wrote. Paid Mr. Wolcott, $209.66, for two shares in the Hartford Bank which he paid for some years ago, and which stand in my name. Paid him $200.00 on a note which he holds against me. Wrote to Howe & Spaulding, of New Haven, and to Dr. Beecher, of Litchfield.^ Visited. Cold and tedious. March. 1. Wrote on my catechism the book of Deuteronomy.* Thermometer this morning 20°. Dr. McClure is quite unwell. Wrote late. 2. Last night it snowed considerably. Thermometer 13°. Wrote to Cornelius Wells, at New Haven. Wrote on my catechism. Very tedious and blustering. Walked out. Filed my last year's letters. 3. Thermometer this morning 4°. Wrote on my catechism. Hindered by company. Visited. The sleighing pretty good. 4. Last night there was considerable snow. Thermometer about 20°. Wrote a sermon on i John iii : 9. Wrote quite slow. Received a letter from C. Wells, at New Haven. 5. Wrote notes and preached in tiie forenoon on Ps. Ixiii : 20. After- noon preached on i John iii : 9. Meetings quite full. ,Vt evening attended the conference. Thermometer rose to near 60°. ' As we have already stated, these ser- Kast Hampton, L. I., in iSro. He w.as set- mons were published in this year 1S20. tied in Kasl Hampton, 179S-1810. ' His own brother Francis, and his brother 'This remark shows that his catechism )>y marriage, Mr. Joseph IJattell. was of a Scriptural form, designed apparently ' Dr. Lyman Ueecher had now been in to take a general survey of the several Litchfield ten years, having come there from books. l820.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 813 6. Wrote. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of an aged woman,' who died suddenly in the road. Rainy. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Pretty thin. Dr. McClure is quite poor. 7. Rode to Hartford. The weather very cold and rough. The great question respecting slavery is finally lost in Congress, probably through bribery. A great frown of a righteous providence. The revised edition of Tytler is published. 8. Wrote. Walked and visited. We had constant hail all day. In the evening the young people here had a dramatic exhibition. 9. Quite cold. The hail continued all day. Began to write off my ser- mons on the divinity of Christ for the press. Dr. McClure fails, and his disease'' increases. 10. Wrote on my sermons. Rainy. Worked some. Do but little in my studies to what I ought. 11. Began to write a sermon on Ps. l.xxxiv : ii. Mr. Hawes, of Hartford, sent a messenger to me wishing me to exchange tomorrow. Concluded to go. Wrote on my copying. Had company. At evening rode to Hartford. Verj' cold. The ground is mostly covered with ice. 12. Mr. Hawes rode to East Windsor, and returned after meeting. Preached on Prov. i: 31, and Ex. xxxii : 9-14. Preached at the conference on I John iii : 9.' Heard of the death of the British king,* and his son, the Duke of Kent.' Rode home late. The thermometer this morning was io°. Yesterday and today have been severe cold. 13. Much fatigued with my labor yesterday. Visited the sick. Visited a school. Read. 14. Wrote to Mr. Staples, of New Haven. Wrote on my copying. Quite rainy. Hindered by unprofitable company. Mr. Cook, of Orford, was married yesterday' at Hartford. 15. Rode to Enfield. Rode to Suffield, etc. .\t evening performed a marriage in the lower part of Scantick. My brother took some black cloth of me which I lately procured, for which he is to pay me $11.00. The sleighing is pretty good. There is a plenty of snow. 16. Wrote to Dr. Park,' of Providence, for Mrs. McClure.' Visited a ' Mrs. Editha Bidwell, aged seventy the prison re- ' Rev. Bela Kellogg, of Avon. Gov. (Jliver Wolcott, Senior, moved tiuni "^ Whose account of the battle he read East Windsor to Litchfield about the middle does not appear. of the previous century. ^ It was hard for a minister of the Stand- ' The children were Ale.xander Lathrop, ing Order then to think charitably of other Elizabeth Prior, Delia Ann, and Mary Shcp- uenominations. herd, children of Alexander and Sarah Gay- ■• Gov. Oliver Wolcott, of Litchfield, but lord, ancestrally of East Windsor. Ilis father, *• Rev. Eber L, Clark. SiS DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [182O. specting a chaplain. I hope to get Mr. Chirk re-instated. Rode to Enticld and Scantick. There is a ministers' meeting at Mr. Bartlett's. Very tired. 27. Rode home. Received a letter from my good Uncle Starr." In the evening preached in the hither part of East Hartford on Matt. i.\ : 9. Yester- day there was a Baptist meeting in the lower part of this town, and two of my neighbors, who have long been Baptists, and a girl of East Hartford, were baptized. I believe they expected to have had several more. 28. Rode to Hartford. Did a number of errands. The river has been pretty high for some time, supposed to be from northern snows. It is now falling. It is a good time for taking fish. Visited. Paid for peas for sowing, .63. 29. Wrote and finished a sermon, begun some time since, on Ps. lx.\xi\- : 1 1. Wrote quite slow. Dr. McClure appears to be some better. Dry and cool. 30. In the morning wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Rom. V. 12. Afternoon the sermon finished yesterday. Meeting quite full and attentive. I am apt to preach too long. At evening the Baptists had a meet- ing in this neighborhood. Wrote. Have latterly had some considerable headache after preaching. I have some fears for my health. Will the Lord be my holy helper. Mav. 1. Visited the sick. Rode to Wapping and attended a training. Quite warm. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. It was pretty thin. Dr. McClure appears to be getting better. 2. Rode to New Haven ° in the afternoon. The roads very dusty. Quite cold. The season is unusually forward. Saw people planting. 3. Election. Carried the Governor a copy of old Gov. Wolcott's^ manu- script history,' etc. There was a great collection of people, but the most of them from the town and vicinity. We did not get into the meeting-house till half after two. Mr. Cushman' performed better than was expected. The clergy had a good dinner at the college hall.' Saw Mr. Battel]. At evening heard Dr. McEwen, of New London, preach.' Very tired. 4. Conversed with Representatives respecting the Newgate chaplain. Purchased some valuable books. Rode home. On my way married a couple in East Hartford.' The dust very oppressive. The apple-tree blossoms begin ' Rev. Peter Starr, of Warren, Ct. llarl/ord County, Contiecticut, in the chapter ^ This was the year for the Legislature to on .South Windsor. meet in New Haven, instead of Hartford. ' Rev. Elisha Cushman, Baptist minister ' Old Governor Wolcott was Roger Wol- of Hartford. The Standing Order furnished cott, Colonial Oovernor of Connecticut, 1751 most of the election preachers, as other -1754, and Major-General of her army at the denominations were small, capture of I, ouisburg. 'This was the hall in Yale College, * The manuscri|)t history means probably where the students boarded in commons, the history of his own life, which is a ipiaint ' Dr. Abel McEwen, of New London, and graphic record. It has since been jiub- He was one of the strong and able preachers lished, and large portions of it may be found of Connecticut. in the Wolcott Memorial, and (.xtracts may ' Jr)scph Dollivcr and Levina Kichard.son, also be found in the forthcoming Ilislory of of East Hartford. l820.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 819 to appear below and here. Our State government is losing very much the confidence of the people. There is a great want of rain. 5. Wrote. Looked over new books. Am much fatigued by my exer- tions. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Quite cool. 6. Wrote. Am much debilitated. I think I cannot study as much as I have done in times past. Read. 7. Preached an old sermon on Rom. v: i. Weather unpleasant, but pretty full meeting. We had our missionary contribution, which fell much short of past years. We got $31.75 There was one bill of $5.00, one of $3.00, one of $2.00, four of $1.00, and one hundred and eleven pieces of silver. The failure was in the large contributions. At evening attended the conference. Dr. McClure is more poor." 8. Visited the sick. Rode to Wapping and visited a man very low. Wrote to my brother. Read a proof-sheet of my sermons on the divinity of Christ. 9. Visited. Rode to Hartford. The ground is very dry. The a|)ple- trees have a full blowth. Wrote. An infant child died here last week in my absence. 10. Wrote copying my sermons. Worked in my garden. Dined at old Mrs. (}riswokrs with her two brothers and others. The ages of those three are eighty-seven, eighty-five, and eighty-three." Hot and very dusty. All fruit-trees have a heavy blowth. Wrote a petition to be presented to the Assembly in behalf of Newgate. 11. Rode to Hartford. Attended the meeting of tlie Connecticut liible Society, and the Ministers' Annuity Society. They were thinly attended. It was wet and rainy the most of the day. The rain is very refreshing. My brother and his wife came here and returned. At evening preached in the hither part of East Hartford on Num. x : 29. Yesterday the Baptists baptized five persons in the lower part of this town. Three of them belonged in East Hartford, and two here. I fear others will be led astray. In God is our hope. 12. Visited a young woman very low, and wrote a will for her.^ On the 6th wrote one for Dr. Tudor.'' Wrote for the printers. Thermometer 86°. 13. Wrote for the printers. Visited a young woman almost in a dying state. We had some rain. Vegetation revives. Dr. McClure is quite feeble. On the nth the lilacs were in full bloom. The season is forward. On the loth wrote to my Uncle Starr. Wrote. Do not find time to write sermons as I an.xiously wish. ' An awkward mode of expression, we noc, and widow of Mr. Thomas Griswold. should now say. But custom seems often to Her two brothers were Dr. Elihu Tudor, make crooked things straight. often mentioned in our notes, and Mr. .Sam- ^ Reference has been made once before uel Tudor. Dr. Elihu Tudor, was born Feb. to these three members of one family, but 3, 1733; Rhoda Tudor was born I'"cb. J5, we were not able then to explain the refer- 1735; Samuel Tudor was born June 22, 1737. ence. We have since ascertained that Mrs. ' Miss Sally Moore, twentj-thrce years of Griswold was Mrs. Rhoda (Tudor) CIriswold, age. daughter of Rev. Samuel Tudor, of Poquon- ' Dr. Elihu Tudor. 820 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l320. 14. In the forenoon expounded on Mark iv: 21, to the end. Afternoon preached an old sermon 0:1 jer. 1 : 5. The meeting very full and solemn. I think vvc have certainly the tokens of the special influences of divine gr;>.ce among us. The Lord work abundantly for the glory of his own holy name. At evening had a full conference. May God help us all to pray. 15. Rode and visited the sick and others all day. Rode to Wapping. .At evening visited a man and his wife under very serious impressions. Much fatigued. Received a letter from my brother James, and one from my cousin \V. Lawrence.' 16. Visited a woman rejoicing in a new Christian hope. How great are God':; mercies. Visited the sick. We had a very refreshing rain. Wrote. Wro.e to R. L IngersoU," New Haven. 17. AVrote for the printers. Visited. Vegetation is very much revived. Worked some. 18. In the morning we had a pretty hard shower. Rode to New Haven. Saw a number of acquaintance among the Representatives. 19. In the morning prayed with the two Houses of the Assembly, at the request of Mr. Taylor.' Presented to them a petition requesting a grant for the continuance of a chaplaincy at Newgale, and the appointment of Mr. Clark. Could not get it acted on through the day. There are some very miserable characters in the Assembly. Mr. Battell is here as a member. Received of Gen. Howe, $151.00, and a note of $450.00, dated back, for six shares of Eagle Bank stock, which he sold for me last February. Paid him for books, $20.00. Purchased Cave's Lives,' which he imported for me, a very valuable work. Kindly treated by members of the Assembly. Called on Mr. Taylor. 20. Yesterday afternoon and through the night we had a hard rain. This morning my petition was attended to by the House, and well advocated. I was admitted to the bar of the House, and spoke on the subject. But it was opposed by the most corrupt Democrats with great violence.' They continued the grant, but would not appoint Mr. Clark. God is holy in afflicting our State with such depraved rulers. Left New Haven at eleven o'clock, and rode home. The streams arc much raised. The river is high. Sallv Moore ' This was William Lawrence, son of ' Dr. Nathaniel W. Taylor, then pastor of Grove and Elizabeth (Robbins) Lawrence, Center Church, New Haven, born in Paris, N. V., June 28, iSoi, and * Ur. William Cave, to whom we have ado;):cd by Mr. Joseph Battell and his wife before referred, was n celebrated divine and in February, 1S06. In 1S30 he married Caro- scholar, born at I'ickwell, Leicestershire, in line Augusta Rockwell. He died Kcb. 22, 1637. lie was an e.Ktcnsive author, but those 1867. writings which Or. Robbins especially prized, ' Hon. Ralph L IngersoU, a very i>romi- and which he |)urchased, were his /./-rx 0/ nent lawyer in New Haven. He was gradu- //;f Early Christian Fathers. atcd at Yale in 180S, was Member of C^on- ' There is no doubt that the Democrats gress, 1825-1833, and was made Minister of Connecticut about that time, whether Plenipotentiary to Russia by President I'olk justly or unjustly, did especially hate the ill 1846. " Standing Order," the Ccmgrcgationalists. l820.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 82 1 has died in my absence.' Very much fatigued. J do not regret my labor and expense in going to New Haven. 21. Preached with considerable extempore additions an old sermon on Jer. viii: 20. Attended the fmieral of Miss Moore. We had a solemn day. At evening had a full and attentive conference. The Lord give us his blessing. Something wet. Received a letter from my Uncle Starr. 22. Last night and this we had a good deal of rain. The ground now is finely wet. Wrote. Wrote to my brother. At evening attended a confer- ence near the meeting-house. No public notice had been given, yet it was quite full. I hope it may be the first of a succession, with the special approba- tion of divine grace. 23. Wrote another will for Dr. Tudor, which I hope will be the last.' Warm. Thermometer 87°. Wrote on my book catalogue and other things. 24. Wrote for the printers. Rode to Hartford. Paid the bank, $18.43. Paid for Ministers' Annuity Society, S5.00. Donation, .75. At evening there was a large Baptist meeting here. Our people attend surprisingly. I feel alarmed at the prospect. Our hope is in the mercy of God alone. 25. Hindered by company. A very growing season. Last evening received a letter from Rev. Dr. Welch, of Mansfield.^ Wrote. At evening preached in the upper part of East Hartford on Luke xv : 17. The religious excitement in that neighborhood evidently abates. Tarried out.' 26. In the forenoon we had a hard rain. Got quite wet. Read. Wrote to my mother. Sent her a bill of $5.00. At evening attended a prayer- meeting in this neighborhood, which I hope, by divine favor, may be long continued and blessed. Visited. Quite cold. 27. Wrote the most of a sermon on Isa. Ixiv : 8. Have a steady fire in my chamber. Wrote pretty slow. 28. In the morning there was considerable frost. Late in the morning Mr. Hooker,* a young preacher at Hartford, came here very urgent for exchange. Rode to Hartford and preached to Mr. Hawes's people in the forenoon on Ps. Ixxxiv: 11. Returned at noon as I thought I ought to do. Mr. Hooker did the same. Preached in the afternoon on Isa. Ixiv : 8. On account of my interruption in the morning my sermon was not completed. At evening had a full conference. Our afternoon conference was very full and solemn. Spoke on the subject of a Sabbath-school, and recommended that one be established here as in other societies.' ' The young woman already mentioned, ■* Probably Rev. Horace Hooker, a grad- for whom he made the will. uatc of Yale, 1815, a man of fine culture, ' Dr. Elihu Tudor, born in 1732, and now for a time tutor at Yale, afterward preach- about eighty-eight years old, had passed ing for a few years as pastor, then secrct.iry through a strange variety of fortunes, and of the Connecticut Home Missionary So- probably, from Dr. Robbing's e.\pression, ciety. had fallen into the habit of writing his will ' This was about the time when Sabbath- over very frequently. schools were organized all over New Eng- 3 Rev. Moses C. Welch, D. D., pastor at land From 1817 to 1S20 thousands of schools North Mansfield, Ct., 1784-1824. "ere organized throughout the land. §22 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [iSlO. 29. Very much fatigued by my abundant labors. Read Sully's' Memoirs. Mr. Stebbins came here. His uncle is very low. Attended a church meeting, and a meeting to make preparation for a Sabbath-school. Appointed a com- mittee to make the necessary arrangements. Showery. At evening attended the conference. Received of Dea. Loomis, for the society, S9 00. 30. Rode to VVapping and visited the sick. Had company. At evening expected to have had a meeting at Long Hill, but was prevented by a hard thunder-shower. Wrote. 31. It rained all last night. The ground is very wet. Rode out and visited. Have to do a great deal to counteract the Baptists.' Wrote I have closed a laborious spring. June. 1. Wrote on a question for the Association. Gave a poor man, .^o. Visited. At evening preached a lecture at Long Hill on Luke .\vi : 5. I hope the Baptist influence among us is not increasing. Verj' pleasant after the rains. Much fatigued. 2. Rode to Hartford with Mr. Wolcott. Assisted in looking out lumber. Quite warm. Wrote. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Full and solemn. We have a prospect of an addition to our church. 3. Last night tarried out. Spent most of the day in visiting. I thought it duty to do it, though I wanted to be in my study. I am pretty languid, and cannot labor as I wish. Read. Thermometer 86°. 4. In the forenoon expounded on Mark v. Preached in the afternoon an old .sermon on Heb. vi : 6. Had a full and attentive conference. I fear that my strength will not be sufficient for my labors. 5. Paid $10.00, on a subscription made some time since, to preserve a young man in the north society from being sent to Newgate. Worked at lumber. Wrote. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Quite full and serious. Much fatigued. 6. Rode to West Hartland, and attended .Association. The roads o\-er the Hartland hills are very bad.^ Got there late. We examined and licensed a candidate, a Mr. Goodman.* Quite cool. 7. We were very full of business. Yesterday left my sulky in the western part of Granby, and borrowed a horse and rode home.' The Baptists have baptized three persons today in the hither part of East Hartford, two of whom belonged here. They were Baptists before. ' Maximilien dc B^thune, Duke of Sully, * Kev. Epaphras f.oodmaii, aflcrwards one of the chief of the Court of Henry IV settled a.s colleague in 1822 with Rev. .S.J. of Fiance. He wa.s born Dec. 13, 1560, and Mills.ofTorringford, and who remained there died Dec. 22, 1641, at the age of eighty-one. till 1S36. Rev. Mr. Mill.s died, after a .'. The crops appear remarkably well. Dined at Mr. Battell's. His father and mother' are here. Warm. Left Norfolk and rode to Canton. Tarried at a tavern. 30. Rode very early and got home about nine o'clock. Visited a sick child. The heat was very severe and oppressive all day. The air was still and languid. It was very warm all day. From about one to five the ther- mometer stood, with ver)^ little variation, at 99°. Preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on i Pet. ii : 24. At evening attended our pr.iyer- meeting. I have seldom seen people so much oppressed with the heat. Our meetings were thin. On the 28th received of the Hartford Bank, Si 5.00. Jt'LY. 1. The heat very oppressive. Wrote. Could do but little. The ther- mometer in the afternoon rose to 100°. We had considerable thunder, but no rain. The ground is very dry. Read. Afternoon attended a funeral in the hither part of East Hartford,^ and preached on John vi : 48. 2. Cooler and a prett}' good air. Preached on i Cor. x : 4, with old notes, and an old sermon on Mark ix : 44. Administered the sacrament. Our church, I think, not so full as sometimes. Received four members by letter. At evening attended our conference. Ver\- much fatigued. Ther- mometer 91°. 3. Rode to Wapping and visited a sick woman. Visited a sick child. Am very languid. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Ther- mometer 92°. 4. Wrote for the printers. Afternoon attended the funeral of a child. The heat and dust very severe. Thermometer 94°. Have great reason to be humbled for my follies and corruptions. There appears to be more than usual notice taken of our Independence.* 5. Wrote for the printers ; as much as I could in such severe heat. Thermometer 99°. The ground dries and scorches very much. My health, I think, is better than it has been. I am, however, troubled with rhy tremor in writing. 6. In the forenoon rode to Wapping and attended a funeral. The warm- est forenoon, I think, that we have had. The thermometer was at 90° before nine o'clock. A little after noon it was at 98°, when it was checked a little by a cloud that obscured the sun. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Carried ' Dr. Abel Flint, of Hartford. East Windsor to Hartford, just after he = William and Martha (Mitchell) Battell, crosses the Podunk Valley. of Torringford, now advanced in life. ■* The Fourth of July is far more generally 3 The hither part of East Hartford was kept as a holiday now than in the early years that portion which one enters, going from of the present centurj-. 826 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [182O, patterns to the furnace. At evening preached in the hither part of East Hartford on Prov. i: 24, 25, 26.' Thin meeting. After which rode to Wap- ping and performed a marriage.'' Got home quite late. 7. Wrote. Am pretty feeble. Vegetation suffers very much with drought and heat. We had considerable thunder, but no rain. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Thermometer 94°. 8. Wrote. We have many signs of rain that disappoint us. Do not feel able to write a sermon. Read. Went into the water. Thermometer 93°. Have great occasion to lament and condemn myself for my follies and corruptions. 9. The dust is very severe. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ps. iv: 2. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Rom. ii : 16. Almost overcome with the heat. At evening had a meeting for prayer on account of the drought. Thermometer 95°. 10. Am very languid. Kea.d SuWy's Afemoirs.^ Thermometer 95°. Wrote. At evening attended our conference. 11. Rode to Windsor and back. The ground suffers exceedingly with the drought. People generally are beginning with the harvest. Dea. Loomis* is quite unwell. Injured, I think, by the heat. Visited. Read. Thermom- eter 91°. 12. Wrote for the printers. The Baptist Bentley' had a meeting. He takes great pains to ingratiate himself. We had thunder, but no rain. I feel much anxiety about this Baptist, but hope in the mercy of God only. Ther- mometer 95°. 13. Am very feeble. Do not feel able to write. Read Sully's Memoirs. The forenoon was excessive hot. Thermometer 90° before nine o'clock. A little after noon it was 99°, when a cloud arose, and we had something of a shower. It was light, but very- grateful. Wrote. Had our first cucumbers. Received a letter from my brother. 'This frequent preaching in the "hither ordained at Salem in 1S06, and preached for part of East Hartford" was probably by some years at Worcester. lie went to arrangement with Rev. Mr. Fairchild, to try Wethersfield, Ct., in 1S15, and remained six and stay the progress of the 13aptists. years, when he gave himself wholly to the * Between Wyllis Grant and Emily Ikl- work of an evangelist, for which he had cher, both of Wapping. special qualifications. ' Sec note, May 29, 1820. The writer of this note heard Mr. Bentley * Dea. Amasa Loomis. preach in 1826 or 1827, in a time of great ' Rev. William Bentley was the Baptist religious excitement at Dobson's Factory in minister of Wethersfield, and was a some- Vernon, Ct. On one of the very coldest what notable m,in. He w.is born in New- days of winter, when the thermometer was port, R. I., in 1775, but his parents removed down in the zero ranges, he saw Mr. Bentley, to Providence in 1777, when the British assisted by a younger Baptist minister named attacked Newport. As a young man he went Jennings, baptize, by immersion, thirty per- into business in Boston, and was a member sons or more, chiefly factory girls, when ice, of Dr. Stillman's church, and afterwards of more than a foot thick, had to be cut out Dr. Haldwin's, both leading liaptist divines. for the purpose, and when the surface of Dr. Baldwin persuaded young Bentley to the water, if left still, would skim over with prepare for the Baptist ministry. He was ice in five minutes. l820.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 827 14. Rode to Hartford. Rode to the harvest field, and carried dinner.' Mr. Wolcott began his reaping on the i2th. In the afternoon we had a hard and refreshing shower. Visited. At evening attended our praver-ineeting. Thermometer about 92°. 15. Wrote with much weakness the most of a sermon on i Cor. .x : 9. .At evening united with several brethren of the ciiurch in a season of praver on account of Dea. Loomis, who is unwell, and his intellect considerably affected. It was an affecting and solemn occasion. Paid a tailoress, .50. Ther- mometer 91°. 16. In the forenoon expounded on the latter half of Mark vi. Finished and preached my sermon on i Cor. x : 9. .After meeting we had a powerful and most grateful thunder-shower. At evening had a full conference. Very tired. Read. Thermometer 92"^. 17. The ground is exceedingly refreshed by the rain. Visited. Carried dinner to the harvest field. The harvest generally is very good, both wheat and rye. At evening attended the conference. Thermometer 86°. I think we have had the longest season of severe heat that I have ever known. i8. Read. Rode to Wapping, and visited an aged sick man. He appears to be prepared for heaven. Visited. I am so feeble that the heat is very oppressive. Thermometer 91°. 19. Wrote for the printers. Read. Had a sacking bottom made to my bedstead. Worked some. At evening rode to Enfield. Received a letter from my brother. Am quite feeble. Thermometer 92°. 20. My brother's = wife and her son set out on a journey to the eastward. Rode home. Visited. At e\ening preached in the hither part of East Hartford on 2 Cor. iv : 3. The meetings there grow thin.^ The crop of grain is very great. Thermometer 90°. 21. Finished copying my sermons for the printers. I have had so many hindrances that I have been much longer about it than I expected. Read a proof-sheet. We had a hard and grateful rain. Am troubled with bilious affections. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Thermometer 96°. 22. Rode out. Read Sully. Visited. Towards evening rode to ^^r. Bartlett's to make an exchange. Thermometer 86°. 23. Mr. Bartlett rode to my meeting-house, and returned after meeting. Preached on i John iii : 9, and 2 Cor. x : 9. My lungs are quite feeble and sore. Rode down* to the Hill, and attended the conference. Tarried at Dea. Loomis's. I hope he is some better. 24. Am very much fatigued. Worked some, but am quite weak. Visited. Read. At evening attended the conference. Thermometer 88°. ' This is a service which Dr. Robbins had ^ Perhaps the Baptists drew the people performed, in harvest time, for several years. to their meeting, but probably the excitement The harvest fields were probably some dis- about the Baptists w.as declining, and as this tance to the east from Mr. Wolcott's house. was on the borders of two towns, the motives ' Rev. Francis, of Enfield. Her former for continuing special services had weakened. home, it will be remembered, was at Fair- ■* That is, from Rev. Mr. Bartlett's at haven, Mass. Scantic. 828 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1820. 25. Read a valuable Thanksgiving sermon of Dr. McClure's, preached in 1795, a centur)'- from the establishment of this church." Read Sulh'. Kept at home. Quite warm. Thermometer 92°. 26. Read. Wrote. Rode out and visited. The Baptist man makes great exertions here. The heat very oppressive. Thermometer 96°. Tarried out. 27. Visited. We had a hard shower. At evening preached at Long Hill on Matt, v : 4. Very sultry. Thermometer about 92°. Got something wet. Tarried out. 28. Am much fatigued and very languid. The efforts of the Baptists give me great an.xiety. Can do but little. At evening attended the prayer-meet- ing. Thermometer go°. 29. Last night we had a very hard thunder-shower. The thunder was near and very heavy. We were all up for a considerable time. Began to write a sermon on Acts x : 34, 35. Made but little progress. Am very languid. Worked some. Have many interruptions. Thermometer gi°. Paid for work in my garden, .92. 30. Could not finish my writing. Preached an old sermon on Gal. iv : 5. Last night we had another rain. Wet the most of the day. \ Baptist from Stafford preached at the school-house in this neighborhood. We had not so large a meeting as I feared. It gives me anxiety. I pray God to help us, as he has in times past. At evening had a full conference. Had more strength for speaking than I expected. Thermometer 88°. 31. Read the last proof-sheet of my sermons. Rode to Hartford. Paid Scarborough, $11.00, received from my brother. Verj' hot and sultr)-. Am quite feeble. The ground is very wet. At evening attended the conference. Spoke poorly. Thermometer 90°. I conclude I never knew so warm a July. It has a sensible effect on my health. August. 1. Walked out and visited. People now have favorable weather for getting in their crops. Read the Bible. We had our first green corn last Sabbath. I am quite feeble, and can do but little. Taken up considerably with our building. Wrote. 2. Visited the most of the day. I hope God will preserve us from the efforts of the Baptists. Received a letter from my brother. 3. Rode early to Hartford on business about our building. Have pro- cured a new watch-key containing the names of our paternal ancestors. At evening preached in the hither part of East Hartford on Matt, xxvi : 42. Meeting pretty full. 4. Walked and visited. Read Sully. Wrote. Yesterday received a ' This sermon docs not seem to be in- 1694, but, .is now appears, was not formally eluded in the list of Ur. McClure's published ordained until 169S. (See IViiiJsor Farmes, sermons as given in Sprague's Annals. It is 1883, by John A. Stoughton.) But it would quite likely that it was a manuscript sermon not be unnatural that Dr. McClure should which \U. Robbins saw. Timothy Kdwards preach such a sermon in 1795, ^'^ * century first began preaching in liast Windsor in sermon. l820.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 829 letter from Mr. McLean, of Simsbur>-. At evening attended our pr.iyer- meeting. Spoke feebly. 5. Wrote on a sermon begun last Saturday on Acts x : 34, 35. I wrote slow, and did much less than I expected. Warm and sultr}'. Thermometer 91°. A friend is much tried. 6. Wrote early. Finished and preached my sermon on .\cts x : 34, 35. The Baptists had a meeting here. It is very trying to me. But few of our people attended. Attended our conference in the evening. Much exhausted. 7. Read. Visited. Cool. At evening attended our monthly prayer- meeting. We begin to have water-melons. 8. Wrote. Visited. It is said that the cotton manufactures in New England are improving.' Rainy. 9. Read. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of old Mr. Oliver Skinner.^ He died like a faithful saint. Visited there, and preached in the evening on Mark i : 40. The people there are as sheep without a shepherd. Full meeting. Tarried at Wapping. 10. Intended to visit considerably, but tlie weather came on ver)- warm, and I was so unwell as to think it necessary to come home. Am very languid. Visited. We had a very hard shower. Thermometer 95°. 11. In the morning rode out and visited. I do not remember ever to have been so oppressed with the heat on my birthday. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Thermometer 94°. 12. Began a sermon on Rev. iii : 8, but could not write but little. I am quite unwell. The heat extremely oppressive. Thermometer 98°. .-\t even- ing we had a pretty hard thunder-shower. Have an ague in my face. 13. Preached an old sermon on i John iii : 4. I have seldom spoken with so much difficulty. I am very feeble, particularly at the lungs. Had no conference. Cooler. Thermometer 90°. 14. Read. Rode to Hartford with Mr. Wolcott. Did errands. -Vt even- ing attended the conference. Many of my people appear to be anxious about my health. I hope God will strengthen me for the duties to which he may call me. 15. Rode to Simsbury and attended our ministers' meeting. By the late dismission of Mr. Clark at Turkey Hills our number is diminished. Shower)'. Preached at our meeting on i John iii : 9. 16. Visited old Mr. Stebbins.' He is very poor, and apparently in a dangerous state. Rode home. Wet. The flies are very tedious. 17. Our carpenters and masons came and began their work. Much taken up with them. Rode to the hither part of East Hartford, visited and preached ' That *as in the comparative infancy of 3 Kev. Samuel Stebbins, of Simsbury. It cotton manufacture in New England. was fifty-three years since he was sealed = Oliver Skinner, son of Daniel and Abi- at Simsbury, and he was now not far from gail (Smith) Sliinner, was born May 39, 1736. eighty years old. The Contrilmtions l,> the and was in his eighty-fifth year at the time of Ealisiastical History of Connecticut places his his death. death in 1S20. It should be 1821. 830 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [182O. in tlie evening on Matt, xx : 30. Am still quite feeble. Melons are verj- plenty. iS. Rode to Hartford on business for the new house. Wrote. Can do but little at study. My volume of sermons is out and appears well. Warm. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 19. Went into the woods with Mr. Wolcott to get timber. Quite warm. Rode to Farmingtun to make an exchange for the benefit of Mr. Saxton,' a candidate, preaching at Southbury. 20. Mr. Porter could not conveniently leave home, and I had to ride to Bristol.^ Rode early. Mr. Cone rode to Plymouth after I got to his house. Preached on Prov. i: 31, and James i: 23, 24. After meeting attended a funeral. Mr. Cone returned. 21. Rode home. Bore the labors of yesterday better than I feared. Read. At evening attended the conference. I fear the Baptists have cor- rupted some of our people. It gives me a great deal of anxiety. 22. Am much taken up vi'ith our builders. Read. Visited. 23. Read. Mr. Wolcott had his back building raised ; seventy-three feet in length. Quite warm. Cannot work much. 24. Visited. The exertions of the Baptists are uninterrupted. Wrote. Have many hindrances. Water-melons are so plenty that many are lost. 25. Read. Mr. Williams, an old candidate, came here and hindered me long.^ Wrote to Mr. A. Robbins, of Turkey Hills. Rode out. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. My lungs are quite weak. 26. Wrote on a sermon begun some time since. Write but little. The tremor in my hand is troublesome. I am not sufficiently industrious. 27. In the forenoon e.xjjounded on Mark vii. Wrote and preached in the afternoon on Rev. iii : 8. My sermon was not quite finished. There was a Baptist meeting here at the school-house. At evening attended the confer- ence. Much fatigued. 28. Thermometer on the 24th 92° ; 27th 90°. Rode to Hartford. All the productions of the earth are very plentiful. Read. At evening attended the conference. Very feeble at the lungs. 29. Wrote. Taken up with company. Dined at Mrs. McClure's with Dr. Perkins* and Mr. Tenney.' Rode to Wapping, and visited the sick and others. Tarried out. Thermometer 84°. 30. Visited the sick. Visited the school at Long Hill. The Baptists are unremitting in their efforts. My time is much taken up in endeavors to counteract them.' Quite warm. • Mr. Noah C. Saxton, probably. iams, who was gr.-idualcd at Yale in iSoo, ' This was an exchange with many stages and who died in Providence, R. I., in 1S76, or parts. Dr. Robbins was to go to Farm- aged ninety-seven. ington, Dr. Noah Porter w:is to go to Bris- * Dr. Nathan Perkins, of West Hartford. tol. Rev. Jonathan Cone was to go to South- ' Dr. Caleb J. Tenncy, of Wethcrsfield. bury, the candidate, Mr. Saxton, was to be ' If he could have been less troubled at East Windsor. about the IJaptists, it would have been better, ' This was doubtless Rev. Thomas Will- both in a secular and a Christian way. 1^20.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 831 31. Rode to East Hartford and met with the officers of the regiment. Received a letter for the review day. On the 29th received from Dr. Flint my consociationa! letter. E.xpected to have preached in the evening in the hither part of East Hartford ; but a Baptist meeting having been appointed in the neighborhood since my appointment, I postponed mine to ne.\t week. Warm and dusty. September. 1. The Baptists appear to have a pernicious influence here. Visited. The heat very oppressive. Thermometer 90°. Read the Bible. At even- ing attended our prayer-meeting. My lungs are weak. We had a moderate thunder-shower. Read. 2. Wrote. Began a sermon on Matt, vi : 24, but had so many hindrances that I wrote but little. Was called to visit a sick man. 3. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ps. i : 2. In the afternoon preached an old sermon on Matt, .x.xii : 9. Had no conference. Visited. Cool. 4. Rode to Hartford on an errand for the workmen. Dined with a military company, and attended the training." At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. 5. Visited. Am too much addicted to indolence. Dined with our mili- tary company. In the afternoon they marched down here. Very warm. Thermometer about 90°. Read. 6. Wrote. Wrote a letter to Charlotte Reed." Rode to Hartford. Saw Mr. Battell. His two sons came up here.' Very wann. Thermometer 90°. 7. Spent the forenoon with my nephews. They appear well. Taken up with the building. At evening preached in the hither part of East Hartford. Thermometer 86°. 8. Much taken up with the builders. I have been so languid this week that I have done but little. Preached last evening on Acts -x.xviii : 24. Wrote. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Full and solemn. Ther- mometer 89°. 9. Wrote. Have various hindrances. The heat very severe. Wrote on a sermon begun a week ago. I am not sufficiently self-denying. Thermom- eter 90°. 10. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on 2 Pet. iii : 9. Finished and preached my sermon on Matt, vi : 24. The heat extremely enervating and oppressive. The dust very severe. I spoke better than I feared. At evening performed a marriage at Long Hill.* Thermometer 94°.' 11. Rode to New Haven with Theodore Bissell.' The heat not quite so ' This was the season of the fall trainings. * John Jilson, of East Hartford, and Dul- The town trainings in Connecticut occurred cinea Hurd, of East Windsor. in early May and September. ' Here again we have the high heat of ' Miss Charlotte S. Reed was admitted to early September, which comes not every year, his church the following year. The letter but in the large majority of years, very likely had reference to that subject. ' A young man of about twenty, son of Mr. ' Joseph and Philip Battell. Epaphras Bisscll, of East Windsor. 832 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1820. great, I think, as yesterday. At evening attended an cxliibition of sacred music, by New York performers, which was very poor.' 12. Last night and during the forenoon we had a pretty hard rain. It was very grateful. Bissell entered college.' My brother Frank and wife came into town. Saw many acquaintance. Afternoon heard an oration be- fore the P. B. K. Society, and attended the speaking for premiums. At evening Mr. Porter,' of Farmington, preached very well before the Education Society. 13. We have a cool and very pleasant day after the rain. There was a large collection of people. The public performances were very good. Mr. Day* presides very well. A great number of ministers. Received of Gen. Howe on his note, $100.00. Paid him on $25.00. Bought no books. Left New Haven at sundown, and rode to Wallingford. Tarried at a tavern. 14. Rode early, and came to East Hartford and attended a regimental training. Rode as chaplain. They performed pretty well. There were a great many people. Rode home. The late rains have been hard. My brother and his wife called here and rode home in the evening. 15. Read. Feel the effects of my fatigues. Commencement morning attended and spoke at a public prayer-meeting. Wrote. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Am too apt to procrastinate my necessary duties. 16. Rode out and visited. Taken up with our building. At evening rode to East Hartford to exchange with Mr. Fairchild. 17. Mr. Fairchild rode to East Windsor, and returned after meeting. Preached on Rev. iii : 8, and Prov. i: 31. Attended the Sabbath-school. At evening rode home and attended the conference. Very warm and languid. My lungs are yet weak. 18. Rode to Hartford with Mr. Wolcott. Very warm. Am much inter- rupted in my duties. Visited. At evening attended our conference. We had a shower. Received a letter from my brother. 19. Rainy all day. Much hindered by company. Visited a school. At evening rode to Enfield in the rain. Found my cousin, William Le Baron.' and wife,' there. They appear very respectably. Yesterday paid Hartford Bank, $72.29, and renewed my note. 20. My cousins went off for Norfolk. Rode home. Quite cool. Worked at the new house. Read. Paid to the Female Au.\iliary Benevolent Society, .50. Wrote. 21. This morning we had a hard frost. Unusually severe for the first. Considerable tobacco is out and injured ; but vegetation is seldom more forward at the first frost. Rode to Wapping, visited the sick and a school. ' Dr. Robbins had an ear for music, and ' William Le Baron was the son of his was very fond of good singing. uncle, Rev. Lemuel Le Baron, of Mattapoi- " This was the errand on which Dr. Rob- sett, and was born in 1786, so that he was bins at that time went to New Haven. now thirty-four years old. ' Rev. Noah Porter, D.D. ' His wife was Eliza Le Baron, daughter * Rev. Jeremiah Day, D.D., President of of his Uncle William. They were cousins, Yale, 1S17-1846. and were married in i8io. 1&20.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. S33 At evening preached at the upper part of East Hartford on Isa. Ivii : 21. After which performed a marriage at Wapping." Very tired. Quite cold. 22. Rode and visited. Expected to have had some persons unite with our church about this time, but concluded to have it deferred for the present. Visited the Wapping North School. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. In the morning a hard frost. 23. Rode out and visited. Have so many avocations I cannot write. We have several persons very sick. Read. Towards night my cousin, William Le Baron, and his wife, came here from Norfolk." My brother Frank's wife and her son also came here. Paid for oats, .69. 24. In the morning visited a woman near dying with a consumption. There was a Baptist meeting here. In the forenoon expounded on the eighth chapter of Mark. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Jer. xiv: 8. My cousins, Eliza, Priscilla, and Gideon, rode to Enfield in the evening.^ Attended the conference. Visited. 25. Rode out with Mr. Le Baron. Towards night he went to Enfield. Have had an agreeable visit from my cousins. In the afternoon attended the funeral of the woman who died yesterday at Wapping. At evening attended the conference. My lungs are weak. May tjie Lord help me. 26. Rode to Hartford with Dea. Reed,'' and met with the Consociation. I was scribe. We had no very urgent business. Mr. McLean' preached in the evening. Kindly entertained at Mr. Griswold's. 27. The Conso finished their business a little afternoon. We sat in the conference house. Returned home'. Tired. Read. Received a dividend of the bank of $48.75. Read. 28. Wrote. Afternoon visited a school. Visited. I do not improve all my time usefully as I ought. 29. Rode and visited. A woman died yesterday,' a member of the church. Visited the family. Afternoon preached a sacramental lecture, with old notes, on Isa. 1 : 10. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Ver)' thin. Wrote. 30. Wrote the most of a sermon on Ex. xxxii : 26. Attended the funeral of the late Mrs. Rockwell. Quite warm and dusty. Wrote late. October. I. In the forenoon preached with old notes on Ps. li : 12. Afternoon on Ex. xxxii : 26. My sermon not quite finished. Attended the sacrament. Meetings quite full and solemn. Visited a sick man. Attended the confer- ence. Was strengthened for speaking beyond my expectation. It is of the Lord. ' Between Horace Hosmer and Marilda * Dea. Abner Reed, delegate to Conso- Grant, both of Wapping. ciation. In the consociational system of = On their return journey home. church government the delegates were vari- 3 Eliza, just mentioned, wife of William able, and elected for each meeting. Le Baron ; Priscilla, wife of Rev. Francis, ' Rev. -Mien McLean, of Simsburj-. of Enfield ; and Gideon Aldcn, her son by ' Widow Mary Rockwell, aged sixty- first marriage with Gideon S. Alden. seven. 834 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [182O. 2. Visited sick persons, and the two schools. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Quite tired. Our summer school this season has done well. 3. Yesterday Mr. Clark," late of Turkey Hills, requested me to preach at his expected installation at Winchendon. Wrote. Rainy. Visited. Wrote to Col. White, of Danburj-. 4. Visited a school at Hockanum, and one at the Hill. Visited the sick. At evening performed a marriage at Wapping.' 5. Concluded not to go down to the cattle show. It excites great attention. Read on Congregationalism. Wet. 6. Began a sermon on Ps. cxxii: 3, 4, 5, for installation. Walked out and visited. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Pretty thin. 7. Rode out and to Wapping, and visited the sick. Walked out. Our people are much injured by the excitement of sectarianism. Read. 8. Read the Bible. Wrote. Preached an old sermon on i Cor. vi : 20. At evening had a full conference. The Baptists had a meeting here. 9. A steady, rainy day. At evening rode out and performed a marriage.' Read Hume's Essays. We have some very interesting religious intelligence from the South Sea Islands.* 10. Wet. Rode to Hartford. Visited Mr. Spencer; very low. Did errands for our new house. At evening attended the conference. 11. Last night we had a hard rain. Wrote. Yesterday saw my cousin Eliza Olmsted, at East Hartford. Her health is poor. Rode out and visited. 12. Rode to Hartford. Attended the* funeral of Mr. Spencer. He was buried here, and we had an exercise in the meeting-house. Quite cold. \t evening preached at Long Hill on Matt, xx : 14. 13. Wrote on my installation sermon. I have been very much interrupted this week. Afternoon rode to Wapping, and visited the sick. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. 14. Wrote on my sermon. Did not finish it. It is quite too long. Much interrupted. Received of the society, $2.50. Wrote late. 15. We had a hard rain. Meeting in the forenoon very thin. Preached with old notes on Matt, iv: 17. Am much troubled with an influenza cold. At evening wrote. Finished my installation sermon. It is quite long. 16. Last night it rained very hard all night. About noon set' out on my journey on horseback. Rode to Springfield and Ludlow. All the streams are very high. Tarried at a tavern. •Rev. Ebcr L. Clark. He had already = Between Henry Ward and Irene Stough- been settled at Chatham (now Portland), Ct., ton, both of Wapping. and at Turkey Hills (C.ranby), Ct. We find ' Between .\biezer Porter and Sophia his name in the records written sometimes Wood. with and sometimes without the final e. In * Where the London Missionary Society the Catalogue of Williams College (Trien- was carrying on its work. This Society was nial), where he was graduated, his name organiied and in full operation some years stands Ebcr Liscom Clark. He died in before the existence of our American Board 1857, at the age of scvcniy-one. of Foreign Missions. 1^20.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 835 17. Started early and rode through Belchertown, Enfield, Greenwich, Dana, Petersham, Templeton, to VVinchendon.' The distance from home about twelve miles. Cold and windy. Was very gladly received. Mr. Clark gave me a letter from the church, requesting me to be a member of the install- ing council. Mr. Clark appeared well on examination, but the ministers are pretty poor theologians. The council appears like one a century ago. Pretty tired with my journey. At Petersham got a sulky, and rode the last fifteen miles, which was a great help to me.° 18. On the i6th wrote to Mr. Battell, and to Mr. Appleton Robbins. Same day paid for lumber, $1.28. Quite cold. There was a very great col- lection of people at the installation. The meeting-house is quite large and very much crowded. Preached on Ps. c.wii : 3, 4, 5. I hope my subject (ecclesiastical government) will do good. The churches in this quarter are in a very loose state. ^ Was requested to give a copy of my sermon for publica- tion. Wet. Several members of the council tarried over night. Quite tired. 19. The people here appear quite pleased with my having come here on this occasion. Concluded to send them a copy of my sermon. Left Win- chendon, and rode the same way that I went, to Belchertown. Col. Weed, of Petersham, would not take anything for his sulky. The roads are much washed by the late rains. 20. Rode to Enfield and home. Have had, by the divine blessing, a ver)- prosperous journey. Attended our prayer-meeting, though as I was not expected, it was quite thin. I think I do not ride on horseback as well as I used to do. At Springfield saw some of the public works. 21. Prayed with a family setting out for New Connecticut. Gave them $2.00. A considerable sum has been given them to fit them out. Rode and visited the sick. Wrote. My cousin Eliza came here to tarry over the Sabbath. I feel anxious for her health. 22. In the forenoon expounded on Mark ix : 1-29. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Ps. cxix : 59. At evening attended the conference. The Stafford Baptist* was in here, but had a small meeting. 23. Read. Wrote. Taken up with the joiners. Visited. At evening attended the conference. Pretty thin. 24. Rode to Hartford. Did a number of errands, paid a mason for work on the new house, §4.00. At evening performed a marriage.' Last week, in my absence, there was a high flood over the meadows. ' Winchendon touches the New Hami> them had for its minister Rev. Benj.imin M. shire line on the north, and from the old Hill, and the other Rev. Jonathan Pasko or church on the hill, where Mr. Clark was Pasco. It is quite likely that the last was settled, looks off on Mount Monadnock which a native of East Windsor. The name Pasco, rises grandly a few miles to the northwest. which is not common, belonged to East Wind- ' A very hard journey over the hills, and sor, and there was a Jonathan Pasco, Jr. a change of position would rest him. (son of Jonathan), born there in 17S5, who 3 This was the time when the Unitarian would be thirty-five years old in 1820. He defection was rife in Massachusetts. was jirobably the man. * There were two Baptist churches in the ' Between Zechariah Snyder, of German- town of Stafford, Ct., at that time. One of town, N. Y., and Ann Maria Wells. 836 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1820. 25. In the morninj; we had a thunder-shower. Wrote. Three persons belonging to a Baptist family were dipped by Bentley.' Quite cold. 26. Rode to Hartford. Did a number of errands. Quite cold and windy. At evening preached in the hither part of East Hartford on Amos vi : i. Visited. Read the Bible. 27. Wrote. Copying my installation sermon for the press. Hindered by company. At evening our prayer-meeting was quite thin. 28. Visited. Taken up by the joiners. Afternoon rode with my cousin Eliza to Enfield to make our exchange. Severe cold for the season. 29. My brother rode early to East Windsor. Preached on Prov. i: 31, and John iii : 9. Afternoon meeting quite full. I hope cousin Eliza is gain- ing in health. At evening rode home. On the way performed a marriage in Scantick.^ Had an application to e.xamine a school-master, which we declined doing on account of the deficiency of his character. Read the Bible. 30. Rode to Hartford. Did errands. Read. At evening attended our conference. Assisted in examining a school-master. There has been a very destructive fire at New Haven. 31. Have many hindrances. Assisted in appraising Dr. McClure's librarj-. Read the Bible. Wrote. Paid brother Francis, $10.00. November. 1. Worked tlie most of the day at the new house. It is a burdensome care for me. Read the Bible. At evening rode to Hartford and did errands. Warm. Old Mr. Backus came here and tarried.' He is very poor.* 2. Mr. Backus went away. Read. Rode to Wapping, and visited the sick. At evening was caught out in a sudden shower, and got considerably wet. An aged woman died last night. 3. Wrote. Walked out and visited. Attended the fnneral of old Mrs. Wood.' Mr. Maffitt,' the Irish itinerant Methodist, preached in the meeting- house to a numerous audience. I went with him. He seems to be a well-disposed young man, but knows very little of theology. 4. Wrote the most of a sermon on Deut. .xxviii : 58, 59. Afternoon attended the funeral of a man at Wapping. Wrote four pages in the evening. We had considerable rain. 5. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Luke ii : 32. Finished and preached my sermon begun yesterday on profaneness. At evening attended conference. Cold. Our people appear very stupid.' ' See note July 12, 1820. Dublin in 1794. He was regarded as a ' Between Seth Booth, Jr., and .Sally preacher of remarkable eloquence, and was Watson. famous far and wide. He died in Mobile, ' Rev. Simon Backus, of North Madison, Ala., in 1850. Dr. Robbins found him want- now about eighty years old — the same to ing in good, sound New England theology, whom the ministers at General Association which was not strange under the circum- were wont to contribute. stances, for he went through no college or * By poor here means not sick, but very theological school, destitute. ' We have again that word siupid which ' Mrs. Ursula Wood, .iged eighty-six. Dr. Robbins used for dullness or indifference ' Rev. John Ncwland Mailitt, born in to religious things. l82 0.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 837 6. Read. Wrote. Visited our academy. It appears to be in a ver>' good way. Attended our monthly prayer-meeting. 7. Read. Visited. Gave a testimony concerning a will in a Probate Court. Paid a tax of .39 to the highway sur\eyor. The first ta.\ I ever paid under civil law.' The quantit)- of cider and cider brandy made this year is unprecedented. 8. Visited the sick. Wrote copying my installation sermon. Have too many needless hindrances. On the 6th gave to a poor man, Si. 00. g. Rode to Hartford. Paid for mending the chaise, .30. Did errands. At evening preached in the lower part of the town on Gen. vii: 16. Quite cold. On the 6th received a letter from W. N. Wolcott,' of Utica. 10. Wrote copying my sermon. Worked some. Have something of a sore throat. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. The thermometer hardly above the freezing point all day, with a clear sun. 11. Worked putting up cider. Wrote. The thermometer this morning was below 20°. The ground is frozen. Sent a brandy-pipe from Hartford to Turkey Hills to be filled with cider.' i2> Last night it snowed hard, and it continued a little through the daj-. Very tedious. We had two meetings, but they were very thin. Afternoon rode in a sleigh. The snow is eight or nine inches deep. Preached with old notes on Mark .\i : 20. Wrote. 13. Finished copying my installation sermon for the press. The snow is about a foot deep, and quite solid. Thermometer this morning about 20°. At evening visited. Had no conference. Read. 14. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Our young man Timothy,'' whom Mr. Wolcott has brought up from childhood, went away. Thermometer this morning 12°. Pretty good sleighing. Rode to Wapping and visited a sick woman very low. Examined and rejected a .school-master. Read Cave's' Zh'es. 15. Thermometer 10°. E.\amined and approved a school-master. Read Cave. Made a plan for a study table. Wrote a piece for a newspaper. 16. Thermometer 11°. We have thawy days, but cold and frosty nights. Rode to Wapping and visited a sick woman. Ver)- low. Sent off my instal- lation sermon to Winchendon by mail. Wrote on my accounts. Good sleigh- ing, and much improved. Paid for candles, $1.08. 17. Thermometer 25°. Got out and repaired my old sleigh. Visited. Rode to Enfield. My cousin Eliza and my brother's wife quite unwell. They have had a turn of fever, but are now getting better. .At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 18. Thermometer 18°. Wrote. Visited a sick man at Wapping, ver)- low. ' That being so, Dr. Robbins could not = Of the Windsor family of Wolcott. complain of hard treatment under the old ^ Perhaps cider was cheaper or better up constitution or the revised one. His first there. civil tax was thirt)'-nine cents, and he was * Very likely a black man. now about forty-three years old. ' William Cave, before noticed. 838 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1820. Rode to Ellington to exchange with Mr. Erockway. Young Mr. Brockway went with me." The snow thaws considerably. 19. Preached on Rev. iii : 8, and Prov. i: 31. This congregation is smaller, I think, than ours. Visited at Mr. Hall's." Mr. ISrockway returned. 20. Rode. Yesterday the snow melted a good deal, and the sleighing has become poor. Read. Mrs. Hall, of Wapping, died Saturday morning. She was a very valuable young woman. On Saturday our joiners completed our new house, and left us, to our great joy. At evening attended our conference, but it was very thin. 21. Rode to Wapping, and attended a funeral in a hard rain. Read Cave. Wrote to Howe & Spaulding, New Haven. The sleighing is about gone. 22. Rode out and visited. My cousin, Mrs. Olmsted, came here. She appears, I think, sensibly better than she has been. At evening preached in the hither part of East Hartford from Ps. ix: 17. 23. Rode to Hartford, and carried down Eliza. She concludes to go to Norfolk tomorrow in the stage. At evening married my neighbor, Betsey Wolcott.' 24. The most of the ground is now bare. People are getting in their crops that are out. Yesterday received a letter from Col. White, of Danbury, with a valuable new hat.* Wrote on my pecuniary accounts. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. Thermometer at temperate. 25. Worked at the new house clearing away all day. Cloudy, but the thermometer was at temperate. Have every reason to be abased before God. Wrote. Last evening wrote to Mr. Brockway, of Ellington. Read e.xpositors. 26. In the forenoon expounded on Mark ix : 30 to x : 23. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Num. xi : 23. At evening attended the confer- ence. Our Baptist school-master held a meeting in his school-house. Few attended. The weather warm, and thermometer above 60°, without sunshine. Toward night it became cold. I have a continued hoarseness. 27. Very cold and tedious. The ground hard frozen. Rode to Hartford. Paid for a brandy-pipe to hold cider,' ^2.50. Paid for a green cloth to cover my study table, $3.00. For knobs for the same, .68. Wrote. Attended our prayer-meeting. Pretty thin. 28. Thermometer this morning 13°. Walked and visited. Carried part of my books to new house. We had some snow. Read. ' John H. Brockway, son of Rev. DioiUitc Ilill, and became the treasurer and general Brockway, of Ellington, was graduated at agent of the Connecticut Theological Insti- Yalc two months before, and was probably tute, first established at East Windsor, but in a law office at East Windsor Hill. now in Hartford, and popularly known as ' Who established and carried on the the Hartford Theological Seminary. It is Ellington school or academy. more prosperous than when at East Windsor. ' Hon. Erastus Ellsworth, of New York, * He has had hats from Danbury ever and Miss Elizabeth Wolcott, daughter of since he lived there, twenty years before. Mr. Samuel Wolcott, of East Windsor. Fif- The Danbury hats seemed to suit him. teen or twenty years later, this Mr. Ells- ' The one probably that w.is sent up to worth took up his residence at East Windsor Turkey Hills to be filled. l820.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 839 29. Wrote the most of a sermon on Ps. cxlvii : 12. Wrote the greater part in the evening. Was up quite late. Taken up with the business at the new house. Yesterday Mr. Asahel Gaylord," of Norfolk, called and dined with me. 30. Thanksgiving. Finished and preached the sermon begun yesterday. Very cold. Thermometer in the morning 12°, and did not rise above 24° during the day. Meeting pretty well attended. December. 1. Cold and very blustering. Thermometer considerably higher than yesterday. Worked at my books, and carried part of them to the new house. Read. 2. Wrote the most of a sermon on Isa. lix : i, 2, 3. Afternoon rode to Hartford. The wind continued high and tedious, though the thermometer was above 40°. Wrote quite late. 3. Finished and preached the sermon begun yesterday. Meeting pretty full. At evening performed a marriage.'' We have many accounts of the very low price of produce. 4. Wrote. Carried books to the new house. Read. We had a pretty hard rain. At evening our monthly prayer-meeting was very thin. 5. Set out late in the morning for Norfolk. Rode to Colebrook, and tarried at my brother's. The road quite muddy. 6. Rode to Norfolk with brother Ammi. Quite cold and tedious. Mother is feeble and declining with age, but comfortable. Brother Frank and his wife are here. Afternoon rode to north part of the town with Mrs. Emerson, and preached a lecture without notes on Matt, .wiii : 3. 7. In the morning brother Frank and his wife set out for home. My cousin, Mrs. Olmsted, is in a state of much anxiety about her duty and pros- pects.^ Dined at Mr. Battell's with some company. At evening brother James and wife came here. My little volume of sermons appears to be well received. 8. Rode home. A very comfortable day, and good riding. Got home in the evening, and went immediately to prayer-meeting. I cannot ride so well on horseback as I used to. 9. Read. Examined and rejected a school-master. Read the Bible. Am very poorly prepared for the Sabbath. 10. Preached with old notes on James iv : 7. Pretty poorly. Quite cold. At evening attended conference. Visited. Yesterday we had considerable rain. ' We have met Rev. Mr. Gaylord several ' Mrs. Eliza Olmsted has an t.ffcr for a times before. He was graduated at Will- second marriage, and this is probably what iams in 1S04, was a native of Norfolk, was calls so many of the family together for a minister, but seems to have preferred to consultation. Her former husband, it will be remain without pastoral charge. remembered, was Mr. Joseph Battell's part- ' Between John S. Horton, of Providence, ner. She seems to have been held in high R. I., and Eliza Tudor. esteem by her circle of kindred. 840 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S20. 11. Rode to Wapping. Severe cold. Conversed with a woman respecting a profession of religion. Visited a school in a very disorderly state. Exam- ined and approved a school- master. Attended the conference. I have a good deal of labor and trouble with the schools. 12. Mr. Birge,' of this place, a cabinet maker, has been at work here two or three weeks past. Last night he went to bed perfectly well, and this morn- ing we found him dead in his bed. Aged fifty-three. Rode and informed his distressed family and others. The body was carried from here about noon to his late dwelling. The scene was very affecting. Afternoon visited a school. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Received a letter from Howe & Spaulding, New Haven. Yesterday received one from Mrs. McKinney, of this place. Visited. 13. Thermometer this morning 23°. Yesterday 13°. Wrote. On the 8th received a letter from my brother Frank. Carried books to the new house. Walked out and visited. Paid a harness-maker, $1.50. 14. Walked and visited. Attended the funeral of Mr. Birge. It was very large and solemn. The eight children were present. Received of my col- lector, the last of my salary due May, i8i8, $67.91. Took no interest. Received on my last salary, $263.24. Paid Mr. Wolcott the amount of his taxes, $68.89, and Andrus, $7.20, making $76.09. Paid a merchant, $8.88. Paid a smith's bill, $5.17. Paid my own taxes for the year, including a state, town, and society tax, $3.10. At evening preached at Long Hill on John iv : 15. Tarried out. 15. Rode to Wapping and visited. Conversed with .several persons respecting making a profession of religion. It snowed considerably. I have a severe hoarseness. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Examined two women for our communion. 16. Last night it became severe cold. Thermometer this morning 14°. On the 13th wrote to R. I. Ingersoll,' of New Haven. Rode to Long Hill, and examined with the church committee four persons for our communion. They appeared exceedingly well. Very cold and tedious. In the evening began a sermon on Job xiv : 12, and completed it in six and three fourths hours. I believe I have written one in less time. 17. Thermometer 17°. In the forenoon, in consequence of my hoarse- ness, had a sermon read. Afternoon preached the sermon written last night, referring to the late sudden death. Spoke better than I feared. At evening attended the conference. 18. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Rode to Hartford. Paid the bank, $140.00, and took up my note. Received a dividend of $15.00. Paid for trimmings for my study table, .50. The House of Representatives in Congress have refused to accept the constitution of Missouri.' They have done well. ' Mr. Jonathan Birge, aged fifty-three. a home lot in Windsor. There were several His ancestor, Daniel Kirge, was one of the members of Dr. Robbins's church of the original company that came over from Kng- name Jiirge. land to Dorchester in 1O30. When the Dor- ° Hon. Ralph I. Ingersoll. Chester church removed to Windsor, Ct., in ' This great debate on the .ndmission of 163s and 1636, he came with them, and had Missouri was begun in the session of 181S '^-°-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. ,(541 Much warmer. At evening attended the conference. The society had their annual meeting. Our circumstances appear well. 19. It rained some. Yesterday paid Hills, §25.56. Wrote. Preparing for my anniversary sermon. I am too apt to procrastinate my necessary business. 20. Rode out. Began a sermon for the centennial anniversary on Ps. xhv: I, 2, 3. Have various hindrances. Visited. Studied late. 21. Wrote the most of the day. Hindered by worknjen. Mild weather. Wrote quite late. 22. This day is observed considerably in Massachusetts, and some in this State, at the recommendation of the two General Associations, as a centennial festival, in commemoration of the first settlement of New England, which began at Plymouth just two hundred years ago.' Finished and preached my sermon on Ps. xliv: i, 2, j."" Though cold and blustering our meeting was full. At evening Tudor had considerable company in view of having recently come of age.^ At night very cold. 23. Thermometer this morning, zero. Rode to Hartford. The ground very hard. The people at Hartford appear disappointed that they had no public observance of yesterday." Paid Scarborough, $25.00. For cotton cloth, $1.50. A penknife, .63. Read expositors. (2 1). At evening preached in the hither part of East Hartford on Heb. x: 31. Meeting pretty full. 24. In the morning, and most of the da)-, it snowed pretty hard. Meetings quite thin. Preached with old notes on i Cor. i: 18. At evening rode out in a sleigh. Thermometer about 20°. 25. Thermometer in the morning 6°. Severe cold. Had my stove set up in my chamber, which I lately procured at Hartford. The whole cost is about $30.00. Paid for bringing up, .25 ; to a blacksmith for a little altera- tion, .12 ; to a joiner for cutting a place, .25 ; and to a mason for setting up the stove, .75. At evening attended the conference. Had a good meeting. 26. Rode to Hartford. Pretty good sleighing. Thermometer this morn- ing 6°. Paid for five bushels of oats, $1.46. Rode to Long Hill and visited a school. It appears very well. 27. Rode to Wapping and visited two schools. At evening preached at and 1S19, and was not concluded until Feb. ^ Dr. Robbins's te.\t was that strong and 28, iS."^!, when it was agreed that Missouri familiar passage, "We have heard with uiir might come in with the privilege of slavery cars, O God, our fathers have told us." below the line 36°, 30', and that slavery ^ Samuel Tudor Wolcott, son of Abiel should be prohibited at all points north of and Ursula (Tudor) Wolcott, born Dec. iS, that line. '7S)9' ^'^ *^^s twenty-one four days before. ' Many ministers throughout New Eng- He was the only son in the family, bis land made this the occasion of a special brother William having died in early life, sermon. Dr. Nathaniel Emmons, of Frank- * For a place as large and import.nnt as lin, then seventy-five years old, preached his Hartford, it w.is a mistake not to observe "sermon at the close of the second century the two hundredth anniversary of the land- from the landing at Plymouth, 1S20." ing. S42 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1820. the North School-house there on Heb. x: 31. Thermometer in the morn- ing 2°. 28. In the forenoon visited the South School alone. Could get no assist- ance. Thermometer in the morning 8°. Afternoon we moved to our new house. Got over a considerable part of the family utensils. The business is quite laborious. We might have moved some lime ago, but it has been delayed. 29. Moved my book-cases, etc. Had assistance from neiglibors. After- noon it rained pretty hard. Had no meeting in the evening. Got much fatigued bj- hard work. Paid a man for work, .42. Paid for my Mirror news- paper for a year, $2.00. For an almanack, .10. 30. In the forenoon visited Tudor's school. Cold and very icy. Still taken up with moving, and so much fatigued as to be unable to write as I wished. Read the Bible. 31. Thermometer 10°. In the forenoon expounded on Mark xi : 23 to 46. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Heb. xi : 16. Received eight persons to the communion of the church.' The largest addition the church has had during my ministr)-, or Dr. McClure's. It was a very solemn and joyful occa- sion. Two of them appear to have been rescued by the divine blessing from the hands of the Baptists.^ At evening attended the conference. What shall I render to the Lord for all his mercies and truth during tlie past year. ' The persons admitted were Sally Green, ^ Not a very catholic way of speaking of Eunice Green, Nancy Hawkins, Chloc King, a sister denomination. Many things in the Rachel Williams, Abigail Rockwell, Sarah diary serve to show that wc have made great Burnham, Harvey Elmer. advances since that day in Christian unity. 1821. January. 1. The opening year brings me great mercies. Endeavored to devote myself to the service of my Heavenly Father for the coming year. Thermom- eter 15°. Very icy and difficult walking. Received a letter from my brother. Dined at the January meeting.' Visited. Good sleighing. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Gave a poor man, $1.00. 2. Rode out and visited. My new habitation makes me much labor. Wrote. It seems there are great rejoicings in England on account of the acquittal of the Queen.^ It was doubtless effected by the power of popular opinion. 3. Thermometer 4°. Am taken up some with instruction. Had my clock removed, cleaned, and set up. Walked out and visited. 4. Read. Rode to Hartford. Good sleighing. Crossed on the ice. Paid a shoemaker, $9.50. Thermometer this morning 10°. At evening preached in the upper part of East Hartford on Luke xvi : 5. 5. Read. Thermometer 17°. Had company. Afternoon preached a preparatory lecture on Acts xiv : 22. Meeting pretty thin. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. The ice has continued now for a week without any visible alteration. Wrote. 6. Thermometer 4°. Wrote the most of a sermon on Ps. .\i : 5. Wrote about five pages in the evening. Rode out. The sleighing and carting have been very good through this week. The Baptists make me a good deal of trouble.' Wrote late. 7. We had a very hard snow-storm the most of the day. Thermometer at 14°. In the forenoon we had a meeting, but quite thin. Preached with old notes on Luke xxiii : 23. Concluded to defer the sacrament till the next Sab- bath, and to have no meeting in the afternoon. Read. At evening wrote. 8. Brought over books from the old house. The morning severe cold. ' Of the civil officers of the town. ministry were obliged to give up the Divorce = " When her husband (George IV) as- Hill after it had passed the House of Lords." cended the throne in 1820, she was offered — Chambers's Cyclotadia. an annuity of ^'50,000 sterling to renounce The Queen was Caroline Amelia Eliza- the title of Queen and live abroad; but she belli, second daughter of Charles William refused, and made a triumphal entry into Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick. Whatever London, whereupon the goverimient insti- doubt there may have been about htr charac- tuted proceedings against her for adultery. ter, there was no doubt at all as to the utter Much that was very offensive was proved as profligacy and meanness of her royal hus- to her conduct; but the rqanner in which she band, George IV. had been used by her husband, and the ' He probably made them about the same splendid defence of Lord Brougham, caused amount of trouble, and the contest between such a general feeling in her favor, that the them was unseemly. 843 S44 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [182I. Thermometer io° below zero. Received a letter from my brother. Hnd company. At evening attended our conference. Mr. W'olcott is very much distressed with depression. 9. Thermometer last night at 10°, but this morning it was 20°. Am much taken up with tlie business of instruction." Rode out and visited. Worked at my library removing and setting up books. 10. Got over the last of my books. It has been a laborious task. Some volumes are missing.^ The sleighing is much used. Wrote. 11. The thermometer last night zero, and this morning 4°. Rode to Hartford. Have to do a good deal for Mr. Wolcott. Sleighing very fine. Paid Gleason, $7.37, $6.00 of which was for the Christian Spectator for two years. Paid Imlay, $12.37. Too much to pay in a year for liquors.' At evening rode out. Have trouble with our schools. It snowed considerably. 12. It is trying to me to be so much taken up with instruction. Paid for a new study-table, $9.25. This was principally for workmanship. The whole cost is about $15.00. It is large, and a very good one. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. After which rode to Wapping and tarried. 13. Visited at Wapping the most of the day. Received a present of $3.00. Afternoon it snowed. I hope the influences of the divine Spirit have not left us. Read. 14. We had a pretty hard snow-storm, though not so severe as last Sabbath. Preached with old notes on 2 Kings .\xiii : 3. Finished and preached my New Year's sermon on Ps. l.\xi : 5. Administered the sacra- ment. The meeting and the church quite thin. Thermometer at 15°. Wrote. 15. Taken up with my pupils.' The snow is considerably deep. Read. Thermometer this morning about 10°. At evening attended conference, after which rode to Enfield. E.\treme cold. My brother is much afflicted with his nervous headaches and constitutional depression. 16. Rode home. Visited. My thermometer this morning was 18° below zero. Lower than I have ever known it. Read. The Massachusetts Con- vention have come out much better than I feared.' ' This refers primarily to his theological have been from outside Mr. Wolcott's student, Mr. Stebbins, but perhaps he is still family. continuing his former custom of giving in- ' At the formation and separation of the struction to Mr. Wolcott's children, though State of Maine from Massachusetts in 1820, they are now well grown up. a Convention was called to revise its consti- ' That is what almost every one has occa- tution. The Convention met in November, sion, from time to time, to say, if he is the 1820, and finished its labors in January, 1S21. owner of a considerable library. Books are It was composed of an able body of men. lent and not returned, and sometimes they Uaniel Webster was a member. Dr. Rob- disappear in ways still more mysterious. bins says that it came out "much better than ' The temperance reformation, which was he feared." This is an oft-repcalcd illustra- about to set in, wouUl probably lessen or en- tion of that fear with which the extreme tircly stop this annual expenditure. Federalists regarded anything which was * This remark shows that he had other likely to cause a departure from the ways students besides Mr. Stebbins. They may of the fathers. •I-] PASTOR ly EAST WINDSOR. 84s 17. Worked at my library. .A.t evening preached at the mill neighborhood on Heb. x : 31. The young people had a ride and bail. We had a good deal of snow. Thermometer in the morning at zero. 18. Thermometer zero. Wrote. Read. We have now a pretty heavy body of snow. At evening preached in the upper part of East Hartford from Matt. .\ix: 16, 17. The evening was very cold. 19. The mercury in my thermometer this morning was 22'^ below zero.' It was that for half an hour after sunrise. Five degrees lower than I have known it since I have kept an instrument; ten or eleven years. The cold was debilitating. Read. Rode to Hartford. .\t evening attended our prayer-meeting. Visited. 20. Thermometer 4°. Received a letter from Mr. S. S. Stebbins,' of Simsbury, informing that his uncle, the Rev. Mr. Stebbins,' died last night. Wrote. On the i8th the people at Wapping brought me six valuable loads of wood. At evening began a sermon on Ps. Ixxiii : 24, and wrote six pages. Could not begin my writing till evening. 21. Thermometer about io°. The day quite comfortable. Wrote on my sermon of last evening, and preached it all day. Meeting pretty full. At evening attended the conference. 22. Thermometer about 6°. Rode to Simsbury, and attended the funeral of Mr. Stebbins. Mr. McLean' preached. Eight ministers were present. Tarried at Mrs. Stebbins's. My young friend, Mr. S. S. Stebbins, is left in very good circumstances.' 23. Received a barrel of cider-brandy of Maj. O. C. Phelps, which I requested him to put up for me last fall. It contains thirty-one and one h.ilf gallons, for which I gave him thirty cents per gallon. Paid him $5.00. Brought it home. The thermometer rose near to 40°. Visited. Last night it snowed. 24. In the morning the thermometer was at zero. About eight o'clock it was at 2°, and continued stationarj^ with a clear sky, till eleven, when it gradually fell during the residue of the 'day. At noon it was at zero, and at sundown 6° below zero, and at ten o'clock 13° below zero. It was windy, and one of the most tedious days I ever saw. Read The Antiquarian^ a novel. People appear terrified with the cold. 25. Thermometer this morning 16° below zero. The night was windy, and the mercury did not sink so low as two mornings last week. Vet the evening was colder. Read. Visited our school. It is very poorly kept, but we finally concluded not to displace the master. The thermometer did not rise above ' Few people in the lower and central ccived the honorary degree of .\. .M. from parts of New England ever see the thermom- Yale in 1778. eter twenty-two degrees below zero. ' Kev. .\llen McLean, Mr. Stebbins's suc- - Samuel Stiles Stebbins, his theological cessor in the ministry, student. ' This is the reason, probably, why he ' Rev. Samuel Stebbins, a native of Con- did not go into the ministry, necticut, but graduated at Dartmouth Col- ' The reference here, doubtless, is to lege in 1775, settled in Simsbury, 1777, re- Scott's .-/«//Vu(jrj', which appeared in lSl6. 846 DIAKV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S21. 2° or 3° through ihe day, with a clear sun. At evening rode to Wapping, and preached at a school-house on Matt. ,\ix : 16, 17. Thin meeting. It was too cold to be out. Returning froze one of my ears considerably. 26. Thermometer this morning 16° below zero. It rose in the afternoon to 22°. Mallitt, the Irish Methodist, had appointed to preach here this afternoon, and the people collected. I went to the meeting, and received a letter from him that he is unwell, and could not come. I preached without any preparation on John .w : 4. Omitted our evening prayer-meeting. Re- ceived a valuable new book-case from Hartford, made for nie. Wrote. Hindered by company. 27. Thermometer 20°. A woman, long sickly, died last evening in the neighborhood.' Wrote. On the 25th a Wapping man brought me four bushels of oats. Read Henry's Aimofaiions.- 28. Thermometer in the morning at 32°, and rose to 45°. The first thaw- ing day we have had this month. Expaunded in the forenoon on Mark x : 46 to xi : 15. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Gen. xxvii : 38. .Attended the funeral of Lucretia Tudor. Am much oppressed at the lungs witii a cold. 29. Worked at my library the most of the d.ay. With my new bo,)k-case I have not room for all my books. At evening attended the conference, but can hardly speak loud. My brother and wife came here and tarried. Received of a Free Mason Lodge, ^lo.oo, for preaching for them June before last. 30. My cold is very oppressive. Maffitt preached here in the meeting- house in the afternoon and evening.' I thought it best to attend with iiim. Thermometer yesterday morning at 7°, today at 30°, and rose to 50°. The snow settles considerably. 31. Kept school for Tudor,* and he went to Turkey Hills and brought a pipe of cider which some of the people there have put up for me for bottling.' Am very hoarse. The thermometer rose above 50°, and it thawed very nnich. Yesterday paid for a book, .50. February. 1. Last night we had a pretty hard rain, and the ground is mostly covered with water. Thermometer about 40°. At evening rode to Wapping, and performed a marriage.' The sleighing is poor. Read. My pupils take up much of my time. 2. Rode to Hartford. The ice of the river is so raised' as to be impassa- ' Miss Lucretia Tudor, aged thirty-two. his uncle, Oliver Tudor, had kept years 'Matthew Henry's Commenlary ; or, Ex- before. position of the Bible. Mr. Henry was born at 'Tudor was younger and could better Broad-Oak, Flintshire. He was twenty-five make the journey (or that pipe of cider years pastor at Chester, Kngland. He then which Dr. Robbins had contracted for. went in 1712 to Hackney, London, and died Cider was then among the necessaries of life. there in 1714, aged fifty-one. ' Between Samuel Grant, of Wapping, ' See note, Nov. 3, 1820. and Elizabeth Webster, of Hartford. 'Tudor Wolcott This was a public ' That is, pressed up by the heavier swell school, and probably the same school that of water, caused by the rain. l82I.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 847 ble. Visited. Am quite feeble with my cold and cough. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Did but little. 3. Read. Visited. The weather continues warm, and the snow wastes. I think some persons among us are quite thoughtful. I hope a holy God will not forsake us. I do but little. 4. Warm and wet. ^[eeting rather thin. Preached with old notes on John xvi : 8. Was carried through the labor of the day mucli better than I expected. Had a physician, and took medicine. Read. 5. Am much better of my cold and cough, through great mercy. Wrote. Rode to Wapping, and visited sick persons. At evening our monthly prayer- meeting was full and solemn. 6. The thermometer this morning was down to 2°. Rode to Wintonbun", and met with Association. My cough seems to return. A young man has lately died here, and left a valuable legacy to the society. There is a great deal of talk about Maffitt." 7. We had an agreeable session of the .\ssociation. Returned by Wind- sor and Hartford.- We cannot cross on the ice. Am pretty feeble. Had to advise a friend in a very trying case. 8. Taken up with my pupils. Concluded not to attend to them much more. Wrote to Mr. T. F. Davies, of New Haven. Had company. Read. 9. Worked at arithmetic. V\"rote to Mr. Battell. Had company. Ther- mometer this morning at 10°. Received of my collector, §236.76, which completed the payment of my last salary. He has done much beyond my expectation. I consider it a peculiar favor, as it respects me and the society. Gave up my order, and took no interest. Rainy and did not attend our prayer-meeting. 10. Rode out and visited a person in affliction. The snow thaws verj- much. Read. Wrote notes for preaching. My cold is still burdensome. Had company. 11. Wrote notes for preaching. Preached in the forenoon on Ps. c.xxxix : I, 2, 3, 4, and in the afternoon i Cor. \ ii : 29, with note just written. Some of my people prefer to have me preach in this manner. In the forenoon my cough was ver}^ troublesome. Am quite feeble. Had a physician. He thinks it necessary for me to be very careful about my lungs. Read. 12. Rainy. The sleighing is gone. Re.id 77/„' ^/;//:///,7/j^ and finished. I have not read a novel through before for some years. Did not attend evening conference. 13. Visited. Read. Am so feeble as not to be able to do much business. 14. It snowed the most of the day. Wrote a piece for the newspaper. My cough and pectoral weakness continue. 15. Visited. Rode to Hartford. Tolerable sleighing. There is a very pleasing and powerful revival of religion at Hartford. May the Lord work " The eloquent young preacher. He fourteen or fifteen miles, instc.id of a direct made a great sensation wherever he went. journey of four or five. ^ Making a roundabout journey of about ' Here we have the right name. 848 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROIiBINS, D.D. [1821. abundantly for the glor)' of his grace. The weather continues quite moder- ate. 16. Visited. Recommenced the composition of my catechism," which has been neglected since last winter. Afternoon and evening it snowed very hard. 17. It snowed all last night. It is nearly two feet deep and very heavy. Worked making paths. People are generally out breaking roads. Read the Bible. 18. Wrote notes and preached in the afternoon on Matt. .\xv : 46. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Ps. J.KXvii : 1 1. My cold, through great mercy, is much better. My lungs are quite feeble, but my cough has mostly subsided. Had no conference. Visited. Bad getting .about. Windy but not severe cold. 19. Thermometer this morning about 20°. Worked considerably. \\'rote. At evening we had a solemn prayer-meeting. I think there is an increasing thoughtfulness among us. 20. Rode to Hartford. Attended the annual meeting of the Agricultural Society. Saw Mr. Battell and Mr. Emerson.^ The revival in Hartford is very great. Warm. It thawed very much, and the roads are very wet. Paid for my new book-case, S34.00. Paid for an addition to a side-board. $2.00. Paid for three half volumes of Encydopadia, $12.00. Received a long anony- mous letter from a person in New York, signed "A Caledonian,'" respecting my continuation of Tytler. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. Am pretty feeble. 21. Warm. The snow has become ver\' wet. Visited. Wrote. Hin- dered by company. 22. Attended to my catechism. Wrote a constitution for a library com- pany. Attended the funeral of an aged woman.' My lungs are quite feeble. 23. Rainy the most of the day. Wrote on my catechism. Did not attend our evening prayer-meeting on account of my weakness and wet weather. Have to give away a good deal. 24. Visited. Was out the most of the day. I hope God is mindful of us in some degree with the influences of his Spirit. Have many hindrances. Wrote on notes for preaching. Cold. 25. Thermometer this morning at 3°. Wrote notes, and preached on Jer. xxiii : 6. Did not finish my notes. The congregation appears solenm. At evening met with a number of persons for the purpose of forming a library company.' Received a letter from my sister. Mother is pretty feeble. 'As the diary progresses we shall be the "C.ilccloniaii " had to say, but from the likely to learn the nature and range of this fact that his letter was anonymous, it was catechism, at which he works at intervals. probably sharp and fault-finding. » Rev. Ralph Emerson, D. D., of Norfolk. » Widow Margaret Campbell, aged eighty- ' Alexander Kraser Tytler, whose EU- four. ments of General History Dr. Robbins had ' It is always to be kept in mind that in been revising, was a Scotchman, born in the Connecticut Valley .Saturday night, and Edinburgh, in 1747. He was an extended not Sunday night, was kept as sacred time, writer. Dr. Robbins docs not tell us what This custom reached up into Massichusetts. l82I.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 849 26. Worked some. Easily get fatigued. At evening attended the confer- ence. Cold. Uncomfortable getting about. Received a letter from brother Francis. 27. Our ministers' meeting met here. Mr. Bartlett preached. The work of the divine Spirit is wonderful in all the neighboring places. May the Lord work more and more and not pass us by. 28. My brethren went away. Wrote, .\fternoon rode to Enfield. A minister's meeting was at my brother's. Heard Mr. Osgood preach. At evening there was a full and solemn prayer-meeting. There are some favorable appearances there of a revival. The Lord work abundantly, and glorify his own infinite grace. It snowed considerably. March. 1. Rode home. Quite rainy. Got pretty wet. Read Encydopcedia. Had company. I think I have taken no cold. 2. Wrote on my catechism. It thaws and is quite wet. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Pretty full. There is a sectarian spirit among us which gives me much anxiety. 3. Rode and visited. Visited a sick woman in East Hartford. Wrote notes of a sermon on 2 Pet. i : 9. Mr. Stebbins,' from Simsbun,-, came here and tarried. 4. Wrote notes of a sermon on Prov. v: n, 12. Preached with the notes written last evening and today. Was much exhausted by the exercise. At evening attended the meeting of the new librar}- company. Paid $2.00 on becoming a member.^ 5. Read. Worked some. Had a valuable close box made for me. Quite cold. Thermometer in the morning 15°, and did not rise above 26^ with a clear sun. Hindered by company. At evening our monthly prayer- meeting was quite full. Visited. 6. Thermometer this morning 10°. Wrote. Wrote a letter t.> Mr. Chester Chapin/ of Springfield. Hindered by company. At evening had a meeting for inquiry in my chamber. Had a number of persons who appear anxious for their souls. I hope God may do something for us. 7. Rode and visited all day. People still go in sleighs, though it is rough and poor. Cold. Congress have admitted Missouri into the LInion. foolishly and basely.* 8. Wrote a piece for the newspaper. Rode to Hartford. Paid my mer- chant, $15.00. Received a dividend of the Phoenix Bank. The work of divine grace in Hartford is greater, I presume, than was ever known in that town before. 9. Thermometer this morning about 15°. But it became warm for the ' His student in theology. Ij"' 'he individual here referred to belonged, = It was largely through Dr. Robbins's probably, to a former generation, influence, probably, that this Library As.so- ' We have before referred to this long elation was formed. and exciting contest, which ended in the 3 That name still abides in Springfield, Missouri Compromise, Feb. 28, iS: I. gco DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l82I. first time this week, and thawed a good deal. Visited. Wrote. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Wrote on my catechism. Yesterday took some additional cold. Am considerably hoarse. 10. Last night took a sweat for my cold, and I hope I am better. Rode out in a sleigh and visited. Warm, and the sleighing is about gone. Rode to Vernon" on horseback to exchange with Mr. Ely." Met him on the way. 11. Preached on Isa. lix : i, 2, 3. Afternoon with notes on Prov. v: II, 12. This society appears to be pretty stupid. At evening rode home. 1 speak with difficulty. Mr. Ely preached in the evening. Bad riding. 12. Rode out and visited. There is evidently a work of divine grace among us, good and increasing, though not great. The Lord work abundantly and glorify himself. At evening had a solemn conference. My lungs are quite weak. 13. Visited Long Hill school. The roads are very muddy. Rode to Hartford, and preached for Mr. Hawes in the evening at the conference house to a very full and solemn meeting. The work of God prevails in all the neighboring societies. Returned. 14. Preached last evening with notes on Prov. v: 11, 12. Yesterday received a very civil anonymous letter respecting preaching. Read. Am quite languid. Wrote. At evening attended a church meeting, warned for the purpose, and the church resolved, in view of our low state, and the critical state of this people, in this day of the manifestations of God's gracious power around us, to observe a fast, and to renew our covenant in a public manner. The Lord be our helper. 15. Visited persons that are serious. I trust God is truly with us. Quite warm. Thermometer at 58°. Very muddy. Received a letter from my brother, requesting me to assist him next week at fast. Wrote to him that I cannot go on account of poor health. Received a letter from R. Newton,' of Worcester. 16. Am quite feeble, and have a constant hoarseness. Assisted in setting a large elm at our back door. Thermometer at 62°. Read old books. At evening had a full and solemn prayer-meeting. 17. Last night there was thunder and rain and snow, after which it became cold. Quite blustering. Read. Visited. Wrote on notes for preaching. 18. Wrote notes and preached in tlie morning on Rom. ii : 5. In the afternoon with old notes on Isa. .\ : 15. Very cold and tedious. Thermome- ter in the morning 17°, and did not rise above 25°, with a clear sun. At evening attended the conference, after which performed a marriage.* 19. Was called up in the morning at daylight to visit a sick woman. Am quite feeble. Thermometer in the morning at 10°, and rose but to 26°. Read. Visited. Attended the evening conference. ' To Vernon, eight or nine miles. Lucy Shepherd, of East Hartford. They ' Rev. William Kly. rode up probably to Kast Windsor to be ' Hon. Rejoice Newton, before noticed. married. In Connecticut, at thai lime, parties 'The parties were lizra Uorton and might be published and married the same day. l82I.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 85I 20. Visited. It snowed considerably. Wrote. At evening had a meeting for inquiry at my chamber. It was quite rainy, and but five attended. Secta- rianism' seems to be making violent efforts here. The Lord be our lielper. 21. An aged woman ° died last night in the neighborhood. We had last night quite a hard rain. Rode to Wapping, and visited two schools. They appeared very well. Got home late. 22. Rode to Hartford. Very bad riding. The work of grace there con- tinues with great power. Received a letter from Mr. Davies, of New Haven, and one from Mr. Chapin, of Springfield. Paid Hopkins for Sabbath-school books, $2.47. Reckoned with Mr. Goodrich, an account of pretty long stand- ing. I have a credit on his book of $75.00, for writing the continuation of Tytler's History, and of $50.00, for revising and enlarging the same work. Paid him for books, $51.62. For Sabbath-school books, which as well as those I had of Hopkins, I have given to our Sabbath-school, $19.59.' For school-books given to children year before last, $6.00. For stationery, $8.96. For other things, $1.72. Cold. The awakening in East Hartford is very encouraging. 23. We observed this day as a fast, in view of the low state of religion among us, and our apprehensions that we may be passed over in this day of God's abounding mercy. In the forenoon I made three prayers, and read the Bible, and made some observations and sung between. Afternoon had a usual exercise, preached with notes written today on Zech. xii : 11-14. Meet- ings quite full and solemn. After meeting attended a funeral. Very much fatigued. 24. Am very languid. Read. Rode out and visited. At evening began to write notes of a sermon on Deut. xxvi : 16, 17, 18. Wrote very late. Hindered. 25. In the forenoon it snowed considerably. Our church expected to have renewed covenant today,' but on account of the unfavorable weather we deferred it till next Sabbath. Wrote on the notes begun last evening, and preached with them both parts of the day without finishing the discourse. Cold, though yesterday it was quite warm. At evening attended the conference. 26. Set my clock in a room below. Read. Had company. At evening had a full conference. Methodistic notions make us some trouble. Read Hume's Essays!' 27. Have some cold, and my lungs remain quite feeble. Wrote. I accomplish but little of what I ought to do. .\t evening had a meeting for inquiry at my room. But few attended. ' Everything was sectarian then that was ■• This was a common custom in the not of the Standing Order. churches of New England in former times, ^ Mrs. Mary Elmer, aged seventy-two. and it has not yet ceased. ' Here was a single gift from the pastor ' Hume's Essays were not specially fitting amounting to more than twenty-two dollars. to a time of unusual religious interest, e.\cept As a giver, Dr. Robbins was certainly gen- by the law of violent contrasts. His essays erous. were artful and undermining. 852 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l82I. 28. Visited. Many people appear a little serious. .Vfternoon rode to Enfield. Got in late to a meeting at which Mr. Hill" preached. Quite cold and tedious, being out. 29. The work of grace here appears genuine and encouraging. Rode home. Rode over to Pine Meadow. In the afternoon and evening MalFitt preached here. Several people appear to be much taken with him. I hope God will help us. 30. Wrote. Am considerably taken up with instruction. Afternoon preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Gen. ii : 8-15. A member of our church, residing at New Haven, has a notion to join the Methodists. At evening had a full prayer-meeting. 31. Visited the school in our neighborhood whicli has been very poorly kept by the Baptist preacher. Afternoon attended the funeral of a black child. At evening wrote notes of a sermon on i Kings xiv : 6. Visited a child very sick. April. 1. Our church publicly renewed their covenant. The church'' and con- gregation .were very full, and the season was very solemn. The day was pleasant. Finished my notes, and preached them in the forenoon; begun and preached in part last Sabbath on Deut. xxvi : 16, 17, 18. Afternoon preached notes written last evening on i Kings xiv : 6. Administered the sacrament. I beseech of God to add to all his blessings. In the morning visited a sick child, and after meeting a man who was yesterday very badly hurt. Exceed- ing tired and sore at the lungs. Had eight cases mentioned for public prayers. 2. Prayed at the opening of the Freemen's Meeting. The votes were very close. Democratic, 186 ; Federalist, but two or three more.^ Visited. At evening attended the monthly prayer-meeting. Quite full. 3. Rode to Wapping and visited the sick. Very cold. Afternoon visited a school. We ha\e a numiier of sick. 4. 'J'aken up all day with our new library. Made out a partial catalogue, and in the afternoon rode to Hartford with others, and procured books, about fifty volumes. Paid for corks, $i.H8. 5. Visited the sick. A child died in the neighborhood. Mr. Chapin,* a candidate, called on me. Wrote to Rev. Mr. Nettleton.' Received a letter ' Without much doubt, this wns Rev. usage does it now without working any par- Oliver Hill, who was graduated at Williams ticular evil so far as appears. College in iSl7,and was appointed a mi.ssion- ' ICveii East Windsor, that, anciently, was ary of the Connecticut Missionary .Society, to so strongly Tcderalist, is getting down close labor in New York and Pennsylvania. to the razor's edge. ' It is to be noticed here that when Dr. ■* Rev. Chester Chapin, probably, who Robbins speaks of the church as being full, soon after supplied the pulpit (or a time he is not thinking of the niceting-housc, but at East Granby (Turkey Hills), of the body of the church-members. Our New ' Rev. Asahel Nettleton, afterwards the England fathers were very particular not to distinguished evangelist and professor at call a mceling-house a -. been held before, and where it was held for > That was the opinion of many persons many years .ifter, in the southeast part of in that vicinity every year. But camivmeet- the town. '"S^ were held year after year, just the same. S68 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1821. communion of our church. Am much fatigued. Have very little time for study. 26. In the forenoon expounded on Mark xii : 28 to the end. Afternoon preached with old notes on Gen. xxii : 13. Baptized four children. Two widows brought a son and daughter each.' Propounded twelve persons to the church. After meeting we had a season of prayer on account of the con- tinued severe drought. The air is almost filled with dust. The corn suffers severely. The meeting was tender and solemn. The Lord be our helper. Very tired. We had a dash of rain a little after noon, after wliich it cleared off. 27. Last night we had a moderate and most grateful shower. Rode to Wapping and visited. Visited a school. Mr. Hough takes much pains to ingratiate himself with the people there. Attended the conference. Visited a sick man. A very distressing scene. Quite cool. 28. Have taken a cold. Wrote. Hindered by joiners. Afternoon rode to Glastonbury, and met with the council for the installation of Mr. Birge.^ He appeared very well on examination. The people are very much united and happy in their prospects. 29. The installation services were well performed. Mr. Andrews, of Dan- bury,^ preached very well. I made the last prayer. At East Hartford heard the most of a sermon from Dr. Ely, of Philadelphia.* Visited. 30. Wrote. Walked and visited. Some persons who I think ought to profess religion are backward. Hot. Thermometer 90°. Wrote a piece for the papers for the Hartford County Missionary Society. Can get but verj' little time for myself. 31. Visited the sick and others. Rode to Wapjjing with the deacons, and examined five persons for our communion. The heat and dust are very severe. Thermometer about 94°. I think I never knew so great a drought here. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. Took some cold. SKfTBMIlIIR. 1. We had a most kindly and refreshing rain as I ever knew. It rained the greater part of the day. Afternoon we examined six persons for our com- munion. Warm. The ground is exceedingly refreshed. Read Milner. 2. Wet and rainy all day. Some of the time it rained quite iuud. Preached an old sermon on Col. i: 21. At evening performed a marriage.' Propounded ten persons for the communion of the church. 3. Showery. Wrote. Am quite feeble. Read. At evening we had some rain, and a very severe wind for about four hours. Did not have any monthly prayer-meeting. ' The children baptized were Samuel bury, 1813-1836. Kour of his sons entered Ilcnry and Jerusha, children of Abigail the ministr)-. Rockwell ; and Sarah Lorinda and Zcnas * Ur. Ezra Stiles Ely, son of Rev. Zebu- Timothy Elmer, children of .Sarah liurnhani. Ion Ely, of Lebanon, Ct. ' Kev. Caleb I!urj;c (not Birne). ' The parties were Elijah Porter and * Kev. William Andrews, i)astor at Dan- Olive Diggins. l82I-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 869 4. Rode out and visited. A number of persons among us seem to have their attention excited by the number that are propounded. Afternoon attended the funeral of a man' who died yesterday. Yesterday received a letter from Mr. Ely,'' of Vernon. 5. Rode to Hartford. Did a number of errands. Visited. Taken up with the business of the Hartford County Missionary Society. Gave a poor woman, $i.oo. The blow of Monday evening did ver}' great damage. Many buildings are injured, many trees blown down, the corn is laid low, the apples are almost wholly blown from the trees. 6. Visited. In the afternoon my cousin Joseph BattelP came here. He appears promising as a scholar. Rode out with him. 7. Rode to Hartford with Joseph, and saw his father. Quite warm. Rode to Wapping and visited. Rode to the north part of Vernon, and preached at Mr. Abbott's, who has lately lost a son in Virginia. Preached on Hab. iii: 17, 18. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Some persons here decline making a profession, who I hoped would do it. Very tired. 8. Visited. Have to do and to feel. Attended the funeral of a child, whose parents removed from this town, and reside in Ohio. After which examined four persons for our communion. The deacons are very judicious. 9. Wrote notes and preached in the afternoon on Deut. xxxii : 18. In the forenoon preached with old notes on Ps. xxii : 11. Very warm and sultry. Thermometer at 91°.'' Yesterday it was at 90°. Last night we had a hard thunder-shower. Meeting very full. At evening attended the conference. Propounded four persons for our communion. One that was omitted last Sabbath by request, while one that was examined yesterday was omitted now for the same cause. Very much fatigued. 10. Read. The destruction by the late storm seems to have been great, and very extensive. Rode to East Hartford, and dined with a military com- pany. Rode to Hartford. Received a dividend of $52.50 of the PIkeuIx Bank. At evening attended our conference. Conclude not to go to Com- mencement. On the 8th received a letter from Mr. C. Chapin. Am pretty feeble. 11. Wrote. Hindered by company. Read. I find little time for study. 12. Read Tytler for the printers. Rode to Hartford with Frances. Assisted her in her business.' Rode to Wethersfield, and saw Dr. Marsh." He is very low with a paralytic shock. Got home late. ' Oliver Elmer, aged 32. ' Frances Wolcott was making prepara- = Rev. William Ely. tions for her marriage. ^ Here again Dr. Robbins calls his ' John Marsh, D. D., was born in Haver- nephew his cousin. Joseph Battell was the hill, Mass., in 1742. He was graduated at oldest son of Dr. Robbins's sister Sarah. Harvard College, in 1761. He was now He was at that time fifteen years old. As about seventy-nine years old, and was draw- has been before stated, he died in 1874, ing near his end. He was settled in Weth- leaving a very large estate. ersfield in 1774. The next entry in the * Here again is the warm weather of early diary tells of his death. Both the father and September. son were useful and honored. 870 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [182I. 13. Wrote. Read Tytler. Visited. Received a letter from Mr. J. Mars!:,' informing me of the death of iiis fatlier. Received a letter from Silas Drake, of Hartford. 14. Wrote. Rode out and visited. M)' brother and wife returned from New Haven and Woodbury. Received a letter from brother Samuel. .\1- tended our evening prayer-meeting. 15. Rode to Wethersfield, and attended the funeral of Dr. Marsh. l)v. Chapin^ preached. Cool. 16. In the forenoon expounded on Mark xiii : 1,2. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Matt, vii : 14. Preached too long. Baptized a child.' At evening attended the conference. Tarried out. Much fatigued. My lungs are weak. 17. This morning, by coughing, I raised a little blood. I hope tliat (Jod in his infinite mercy will prevent a repetition and increase of .such a malady. Dined and prayed with a military company. At evening attended the con- ference. Spoke but little. 18. Rode to Wapping, and dined and prayed with a military company. Visited a sick man. Prayed with the rifle company at the Hill. Tliese companies appeared well. 19. Wrote. We have the unexpected news of the death of the Queen of England.' Afternoon attended an examination of the academy. Mr. Brock- way,' the instructor, has done exceeding well. Visited. 20. Worked some. Visited. Visited a school. Cool, but we have as yet no frost. 21. Rode and visited our candidates for the Christian profession here and at Wapping. The most of them appear very humble and fearful. .At evening had a meeting with them, preparatory to their public dedication. It was principally for prayer, and two of them prayed. The season was exceedingly tender and solemn. They spent the day by themselves separately in fasting and prayer. 22. Wrote the most of a sermon on Ps. Ixxxix : 3, 4. Have many inter- ruptions. It is unusually long since I have written a .sermon. 1 have had a great deal of labor and anxiety in bringing forward these persons for our communion. Those who have had hope for years come with great hesitation and trembling. 23. A memorable day. In the forenoon preached with old notes on Luke xvi : 25. Finished and preached in the afternoon my sermon on Ps. Ixxxix : 3, 4. Received thirty-one persons" to the communion of the church. This is ' John Marsh, Jr., D. D. ' Jolm H. Rrockway, of KUinglon, who ' Dr. Calvin Ch.ipin, of Rocky Hill. was graduated at Y.ile the year before ' Laura, daughter of William Marble. (1820). In a previous note it was suggested ■• Queen Caroline, wife of that " First that his business at East Windsor might be Gentleman of Kurope,'' George IV. He the study of law. Hut it now appears that tried, it will be remembered, to buy her off he was teaching the academy at East Wind- and be divorced from her. .She died at sor Hill. Hammersmith, Aug. 7, 1821. ^ Their names were I'eg.ijy Kockwell, Eli l82I.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 87I said to be the greatest addition made to this church since the " great stir," about eighty years ago.' There are nine men and twenty-two women. Three were baptized. The day was very pleasant, and the meeting the fullest that I have ever seen here. The scene was exceedingly impressive and solemn. God grant that it may be approved on high, and made a great blessing to this people. At evening had a full conference. Bore the labors of the day better than I feared. What shall I render unto God for all his mercies. 24. Rode out. Rainy and wet the most of the day. Wrote. Paid for silk stockings, $2.00. My horse continues to be sickly. Had no conference. 25. Visited a sick woman. Rode with Dea. Loomis to Orford, and met with the Consociation. I was scribe. Mr. Porter^ preached. We had not much besides usual business. All dined at Mr. Cook's.^ At evening rode to the east part of Wapping and performed a marriage.* 26. The account of the state of religion given before the Consociation was exceedingly animating. Eighteen out of twenty of our societies have enjoyed a distinguished work of the divine grace during the past year. Rode into East Hartford, dined and prayed with two military companies. Rode to Hartford. Quite cool. 27. Have had my chamber altered in its form, painted and papered. It was omitted when the other parts of the house were done. Have been much hindered by this job. The workmen finished. Walked out. 28. Read Tytler. Worked at my chamber. I have applied some reme- dies to my horse. He is now very bad. Last night was quite cold, and I conclude we had a frost. But there was a fog this morning, and vegetation remains uninjured. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 29. Yesterday Rev. Mr. Colton, from the westward, called on me. \\'rote. Yesterday paid for a book, .50. Visited. Warm. Walked to Windsor to exchange. My eyes, I hope, are better. 30. Mr. Rowland walked to East Windsor, and returned after meeting. It is just twenty-three years since the Sabbath when I began to preach. Preached on Matt, vi : 24, and John iii : g. In the intermission attended a funeral. This congregation appears better than it has done. M evening crossed the river, and tarried at Capt. Bissell's.' In the evening my eyes became quite sore. October. I. Wet and rainy all day. Rode home. I think I have taken a cold Olcott, Abigail Olcott, Epaphras Grant, Lydia rict Cole, Maiy Williams, Charlotte Sophia Giant, Noah Sadd, Irene Sadd, Samuel L5an- Reed. crott, Jr., Sally Bancroft, Joseph Williams, ' Another reference to Whitefield days. Naomi Williams, Curtis Skinner, Ann Skin- = Dr. Noah Porter, of Farmington. ner, Lydia Babcock, Sally Birge, Daniel ^ Rev. Elisha B. Cook. Hayden, Oliver Tudor, Elihu Wolcott,ChIoe * Between Silas Drake, Jr., of Hartford, Terry, Olive Rockwell, Sally Grant, Hepzi and Eliza Warburton, of Wapping. bah Stoughton, Lydia Stoughton, Amelia ' Capt. .\aron Bissell, at East Windsor Loomis, Minerva Bancroft, Fanny Fillcy, Hill. He always found a hospitable home Sophia Newbury, Clarinda Newbury, Har- there and cultivated people. 872 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [182I. which lias settled in my face. My eyes are much worse, and my face is alTected with a tedious erysipelas. Have to wear a poultice, and mostly cover my eyes. Our monthly prayer-meeting was again omitted on account of rain. 2. Last night my face was very painful. Can do no business ; had a physician. Walked out. Had company. A Wapping man gave me $i.oo. 3. Am quite weak, but I hope my face is a little better. The cattle show at Hartford. _ A great many people went down. I was appointed to preacii in the evening to the Hartford County Missionarj' Society. Am very sorry to fail. Wrote to Dr. Flint. At evening my brother and sister Battell came here and made me a most grateful visit. 4. My brother and sister, and Mr. Stebbins, of Simsbury, who came here last night, went off in the morning. Many people went down again to the cattle show. Removed the covering from my eyes, and wear my screen. Walked out and visited. My horse is yet quite ill. A number of agricultural premiums are received here. Quite cool. 5. Rode out and visited a sick woman. My eyes are quite weak, and my face very tender. Afternoon preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Mark iv : 20. Meeting full and solemn. Did not attend the evening prayer- meeting. This morning there was frost, but there was a heavy fog, and vege- tation continues unaffected. 6. Warm. Am able, through divine goodness, to read and write some, but my eyes are weak. Paid a man $1.00 for doctoring my horse. My malady may have been poison, arising from handling ivy. Wrote to Mr. Willis," of Boston, and sent him $3.00 for the Rcwnlcr, having received a letter from him some days since. . Wrote. Read the Bible. 7. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on 2 Cor. iv : 10. .\fternoon an old sermon on Luke xx : 13. Administered the sacrament. The church very generally present, and they appear numerous. The season was solemn and joyful. Meeting very full. Did not attend the evening conference. There were two, and well attended without me. 8. Walked and visited. Visited a school. Attended the evening con- ference. After which performed a marriage.^ My eyes are weak, but get better. The Lord is indeed my helper. 9. Wrote. Wrote an account of the religious revival which God has mercifully given us. I study but poorly. Was up late. My eyes are much better. 10. Rode to West Hartford and with Dr. Perkins' to Farmington. He and Mr. Porter* and I prepared an account of the late work of grace within our Consociation for publication. It was written principally by Mr. Porter. Returned in the evening. Quite cold. Got home late. ' Dea. Nathaniel Willis, father of Nalhaii- 'The parties were Joseph Terr)- and iel Parker and Richard Storrs Willis. He Mary M. Fitch, is claimed to have been the founder uf the ^ Dr. Nathan Perkins, first religious newspaper in this country, the * Or. Noah Porter, whose name has be- Boston Recordtr, in 1816. come familiar to our readers. l82I.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 873 11. Read. Walked and visited. On the morning of the gth we had considerable frost. This morning we had a hard one. Till these frosts vege- tation was fresh, blossoms were connnon, and we have steadily had cucumbers. The fall has been, thus far, a very favorable season. Paid a tailoress, .17. 12. Visited a sick family. Wet and rainy all day. Studied attentively on the revisal of Tytler. Wrote late. I hope my late illness has gone off with- out leaving any weakness in my eyes. Had no evening meeting. 13. Quite unwell with a dysentery and severe headache all day. Unable to study. On the gth received a letter from Huntington & Hopkins, Hartford. 14. Last night took medicine, and now feel much relieved. Preached an old sermon on 2 Cor. viii : 9. Got through the labors of the day better than I feared. At evening did not attend the conference. Mr. Birge," of Glaston- bury, came here and tarried. • 15. On the loth paid Ward & Bartholomew towards my stove, Sto-oo- Worked removing my stove. Visited a school. At evening attended conference. 16. On the 8th paid a shoemaker, $5.17. On the gth paid a man for papering my chamber, $3.50. Mr. Hough" attended the funeral of a young man' who died yesterday, whom I visited on Saturday, under a severe paralytic shock. Wrote. Paid for setting my stove, .25. Visited a family who have just heard of the death of a son at Georgia. Visited a sick family. 17. Walked out and visited. Afternoon rode to Hartford. Paid $12.00 for charitable purposes.' Quite cool. 18. Visited an afflicted family. The woman' died last night. Revised Tytler. Quite cool. Probably snow at the northward. Received a letter from my sister. ig. Walked and visited. Attended the funeral of the late Mrs. Newbury. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. Wrote. I study but little. 20. Rode to Wapping and visited. Was out visiting the most of"the day. Find some favorable things at Wapping. Read expositors. 21. In the forenoon expounded on Mark xiii : 24toxiv: 12. Afternoon preached with old notes on Heb. iv : 9. Gov. Robbins,' of Milton, came to the meeting in the afternoon, and after meeting came home with me. He is out as a commissioner running the State line. Did not attend the conference. Mr. Robbins is very active. 22. Mr. Robbins went off ver\' early. Rode with him to the Hill. He very much admires this town." Visited. Visited the academy. I hope it will ' As already said, Dr. Robbins spells this ' This Edward H. Robbins, of Milton, name with an i. But on the college cata- Mass., was never Governor of Massachusetts, logue, and in the Contributions to Ecdesidsti- but was Lieut.-Goveriior. He was graduated cal History of Connecticut, \\.\?,%^A\>^i'&axa,&. at llarv.iid College, in 1775. He was an ^ The Baptist minister. honored and trusted man, as is shown in his ^ Mr. Otis Wood, aged twenty-three. having charge of this survey. * His annual payments to various benevo- " The view to the west all along "The lent institutions. Street," but especially from East Windsor = Mrs. Ruth Newbury, aged fifty-one. Hill, is fine. 874 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l82I. be exceedingly well kept by Mr. Eells." I am pretty feeble. Attended the conference. 23. Quite cold. Read ancient pamphlets. Walked out and visited. I am necessitated to spend much time in this way. 24. Read Milner.'' I have delayed attending to that much longer than I intended. Walked out and visited. We have hard frosts. 25. Read Milner. Warmer than it has been. Quite dr)-. Wrote. Walked and visited. I fear we shall have a trying case of discipline in the church. Have taken some cold. 26. Read jMilner & Mosheim. Worked some. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Our meetings grow thinner than they have been. 27. Walked and visited. My visiting takes much time, but I hope it is useful. Wrote. Paid a merchant, .S3. Read e.xpositors. Received a letter from my brother. 28. Wrote on notes for preaching, but did not finish them. Expounded on Mark.xiv: 12-52, and preached with old notes on Job. xxi : 14. Meeting full and solemn. At evening attended the conference, but did but little. I am able to speak with more strength than I have done. Yesterday began to write an appendix to Milner's Church History. 29. Rode to Hartford. Attended to the business of a hospital for the insane. I am one of the committee for this county. I hope that the design may be succeeded.' At evening attended the conference. Quite warm. 30. Read. Worked some. Wrote. Paid a shoemaker, $2. 25. Mr. Cushman,* of Hartford, preached here, but did not call on me, thougli often invited. Last Sabbath baptized two children.' On Saturday night we had rain with considerable thunder. 31. Yesterday wrote to Mr. Battell. Wrote on a piece for publication respecting the insane hospital. Visited. At evening attended a church con- ference." An interesting meeting. On Monday Mr. Goodrich, of Hartford, informed me that he shall not publish Milner's History at present, and I may discontinue the appendix. This releases me from much anxiety and labor.' NoVgMBRR. I. In the forenoon we had a very hard rain. Finished my piece for the newspaper. Afternoon rode to Enfield, and preached a preparatory lecture ' Mr. Ozias Sheldon Eells, who had just ' Oliver Grant and Silas liurnham Terry, graduated at Williams College. children of Mrs. Chloe Terry. " Dr. Joseph Milner's Church History^ ' If Mr. Goodrich did not expect to pay which, as will he remembered, Dr. Robbins him at a higher rate than for his long service had undertaken to prepare for the press. on Tytler's ffistory, l^r. Robbins might well ' This institution not only succeeded, but desire to be excused from the labor. The has been most beneficent in its activities. It reason why .Mr. Goodrich so suddenly gave was incorporated in 1822, and was ojicncd up his plan, was probably because he heard for patients April l, 1824. At that time that the firm of Farrand & Mallory, Boston, there were but three or four similar institu- which brought out the first Amcricin edition tions in the country. of Milner's Church History in 1809, was on * Rev. Elisha Cushman, Haptist minister the point of publishing a second edition of of Hartford. the work, which appeared in 1822. l82I.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 87s for my brother on Ps. Ixxxix : 3, 4. His nervous headache is very tedious. He received twenty persons to his church last Sabbath. The whole number this year is ninety-three. Rode home in the evening. The roads verj- wet. 2. Rode to Hartford. At evening attended our prayer-meetin". 3. Had a hard frost. Visited. Rode to Wapping and visited. I hope there are some favorable appearances there. Yesterday bought thirt)' yards of carpeting, at $1.25 per yard, for my chamber. Read the Bible. 4. Preached an old sermon on Hos. xi : 4. I am sorry that I have not been able to study more lately. At evening rode to Wapping, and preached on 2 Kings vii : 3, and baptized three children. Tarried out. 5. Rainy and wet all day. Our monthly prayer-meeting was again prevented, as it has been the two months past. Mr. Torrey,' a candidate from Salem, came here and tarried. Read. Settled accounts with Elihu Wolcott, and paid him $9.23, which, with $20.00 paid August i8th, and $62.70 that he owed me on a note, makes S91.93. Paid for Dr. McClure's books. There are about two hundred volumes, good and poor, and three hundred and fifty pamphlets. 6. Rainy. Mr. Torrey went to Hartford. Brought home a part of Dr. McClure's books. Looked over pamphlets. My eyes are something weak. 7. Rode to Hartford with Frances. She has some trouble in procuring her articles. Got home late. 8. Read. Worked considerably leveling ground. Find among mv pam- phlets some quite valuable. Wrote. At evening performed a marriage." 9. Read. Visited. Rode to \\'apping. I hope God may do something for us there. My brother's wife and son called here. Paid her for neat's tongues, .94. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Not full. 10. Read. Have many painful hindrances. Was prevented from writing a sermon as I had designed. Towards night Mr. Woodbridge,' of Stock- bridge, and his daughter, Mrs. Battell, and Mrs. Olmsted, came here. My sister and Eliza went on to Enfield. In the forenoon we had a verv hard rain. Taken up with my company. 11. Visited a black woman quite low. Preached with old notes on Gal. iii : 13, and an old sermon on Ps. cxix : 92. Bentley,* the Baptist, preached here. At evening attended a conference at Wapping. Baptized two chil- dren.' Full and attentive. My sister and Eliza returned from Enfield. 12. My friends went off for Griswold.' Wrote. Had company. An intemperate man died very suddenly.' Attended the conference. Visited the house of mourning. 13. Wrote. Hindered by company. Wrote records of the Hartford ' This apparently must have been Rev. ^ Joseph Woodbridge. Reuben Torrey, graduated at Brown Univer- ' Rev. William Bentley, of Glastonbur}-, sity in 1816, and settled in several churches before noticed, in Connecticut. He died in 1S44. ' Hiram Burnham, and Roswell Lewis ' The parties probably rode to his house. Rockwell, sons of Mrs. Olive Rockwell. They were Titus Cooley, of Springfield, and '' In New London County, Ct. Fanny Allen, of Westfield. ' Mr. Gideon Burt, aged forty-three. 876 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [182I. County Missionary Society. Attended a funeral. Rode to Hartford witli Frances. Mr. Wolcott does but little in procuring her things." Paid for cleaning my chamber, $1-25. Got home quite late. 14. Cold. Attended a meeting of the managers of the Hartford County Missionary Society. 15. Wrote. Afternoon visited a sick woman at Wapping, and rode to Vernon, and at evening performed a marriage.^ Called on Mr. Ely. I feel a little an.xious about his situation with his people. It was quite dark, and I tarried at Mr. Skinner's, the place of the wedding. 16. Rode home. I am much discouraged about the disease of my horse. Had a few ladies come here and make my carpet. It appears well, but is costly. The whole is about $44.00. Attended our prayer-meeting. Received a letter from .' 17. Wrote the principal part of a sermon on Ps. i : 2. Hindered by com- pany. Write late. My eyes are considerably weak. My tremor delays my writing. 18. Wrote on the .sermon begun yesterday, and preached it. At noon was called unexpectedly to go to the hither part of East Hartford, and make a prayer at the funeral of a child. On which account my sermon was not finished. At evening attended a conference. A Methodist meeting held here today. Sectarians assail us with violence. All our hope and help is in God. 19. A black woman" died this morning. Visited the family. Read. Visited. At evening attended the conference. Spoke poorly. 20. Received a letter from my sister. Cold. Worked at my chamber. Attended the funeral of the black woman. Visited. 21. Rode and visited. I am very anxious about the influence and exer- tions of sectarianism here. It makes me much labor. 22. Rode out and visited. Rode to Hartford with Frances. Have had much to do for her. Quite wet. Rode home in the evening ; very dark. 23. Wrote. On the 20th received a letter from Silas Drake, of Hartford. Walked out and visited. At evening preached at a neighbor's on account of an aged woman. Wrote some short notes for the purpose on Ps. xc : 10-14.' There are now in our street one man of ninety, and live men and women be- tween eighty and ninety, years of age. 24. Wrote a sermon on Ex. iii : 24, 25. Have not written one before in a day for some time. We had a good deal of rain. Cold. My eyes are weak. I feel something anxious about them. 25. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Matt, vii : 26. After- noon the sermon written yesterday. Meeting pretty thin. Cold and tedious. .\ new Baptist preached here. At evening rode to Wapping, and attended a conference. Tarried there. Baptized four children of one family.' ' For her approaching marriage. ' " The days of our years are three-score ' Between Dr. Horatio Dow .ind M.iry years and ten," etc. Skinner, of Vernon. ^ Solyman Ward, Almena Walker, Elizur ' Tills place is lefi l)l.inl<. Kr.inl- tions. Hindered by company. At evening attended the private praj-er- meeting. Am pretty feeble. 17. Last night wrote four pages from ten o'clock to two. Visited Mrs. Wolcott. Preached with old notes on Judges vi : 13, and finished and preached my sermon on 2 Cor. v: 10. Spoke with more strength than I feared. There was a Methodist meeting here. Ours was full. Very tired. 18. Looked over pamphlets. I have now seventy-eight election sermons. Visited. At evening we had a good meeting. Am pretty feeble. Tarried out. 19. Visited. I fear I grow indolent. Very dry for the season. The streams are verj' low. Wrote. Read. 20. Wrote to Dr. Bosworth, of Hartland. Rode to Hartford. Dr. Flint gave me a volume of old education sermons. Gave Si. 00 for eight old pam- phlets. Visited. The roads generally are dry. Received $52.50 of the Phoenix Bank. Paid $1.00 for a glass to my desk. 21. Mr. Munger,^ of Norfolk, called here. Received a letter from Mr. Battell, and wrote one to his wife. Hindered by company. Wrote. Read. 22. Rode to Wapping and visited. Cold and rough weather. Walked and visited. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Pretty thin. 23. Last night tarried out. We had some rain, but a moderate quantity. The ground is very dry for the season. Visited. Much hindered. Began a sermon at seven o'clock in the evening, and wrote till one ; si.x pages. 24. Wrote and nearly completed my sermon on Acts -x : 4, and preached in the afternoon. In the forenoon old notes on Luke xix : 41. Sermon in the afternoon about seventy minutes. Unreasonably long.* Very tired and nervous. Walked out. 25. Rode to the poor-house in the north society. There are now twelve ' When a collector has gone as far as a distinguished minister of the Congrega- that, the ambition becomes strong to com- tional order. This was her fatal illness, and plete the series. s'"^ died at the age of thirty-eight. ' Mrs. Elihu Wolcott, who was Rachel ' Mr. Elizur Munger, probably. McClure, daughter of Dr. David McClure. ■* That is certainly a just criticism. White- She was the mother of Dr. Samuel Wolcott, field might preach a sermon of that length. 888 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1822. paupers. Less than usual. Cold. Good riding. The grain looks poorly. At evening had a full conference. 26. Last evening conversed late. A holy God does afflict me justly, and with severity." "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." I am treated with )nuch severity. After twelve o'clock I began a letter, which 1 did not finish till after sunrise. I did not go to bed nor sleep any. Visited. Mrs. E. Wolcott remains very low. Visited a school. 27. Am much distressed. The Lord be my helper. Wrote. Visited a school. Tudor is a good instructor. Visited. 28. Read. Rainy all day. The rain very seasonable. Visited a school. Our schools this year have been well instructed. Am poorly able to do any business. 29. Worked at shade trees. Cold and blustering. Catechised a school. Wrote to Mr. McLean, of Simsburv", and to Laura Loomis, of New Connec- ticut. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 30. Visited. I think Mrs. Wolcott cannot live. I think we could not sustain a greater loss in any other woman in this society. Wrote. Rode to Scantick and Pine Meadow. Quite cold. 31. Rode early to West Suffield.'' Mr. Mix went yesterday to East Windsor. Cold and bad riding. Preached on Ex. x.\.\ii : 26, and 2 Cor. v: 10. At evening attended a conference in the meeting-house. The work of grace here continues, and is good. Very tired. This society is very small. On the 29th received a letter from my brother. April. 1. Rode home. Cold and windy. Bad ferr)'ing. The Freemen's Meet- ing here issued very favorably. At evening attended our monthly concert of prayer. Visited Mrs. Wolcott. My voice is quite feeble. Gave $1.00 to a poor man. 2. Wrote. Read. Visited. At evening Mrs. Wolcott died. I do not think we could have sustained a greater loss here in the death of any other woman. Was with the family.^ 3. Received a letter from brother Samuel and Mr. Battel! informing me that our dear mother' is quite unwell, and her case is thought to be danger- ous. May God be our helper. Received a letter from Mr. Goodrich,' of New Haven, respecting a theological institution at Yale College.' Received pamphlets by mail. Began a .sermon for Fast on Sam. iii : 18-21. At even- ing attended our church conference. 4. Wrote. Afternoon visited our academy. The performances, on exam- ' Wc have not been able, as yet, to dis- as Elizabeth Le Baron, she was bom in cover the source of his long-continued Plymouth, Mass. trouble. ' Chauncey Allen Goodrich, D. D., Pro- ' To exchange with Rev. Joseph Mix. fessor o( Rhetoric and English Literature at ' The fatal termination of Mrs. Wolcolt's Yale, sickness has been already stated. ' The Theological Department at Yale •* It was now seventy-seven years since, was opened that year (1822). l822.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 889 ination, were very good. Visited. Wrote at nij,dit till half after two, and nearly completed my sermon. Have many trials. 5. Fast. Preached with old notes on Ezra viii : 21. Finished and preached my sermon on Sam. iii : 18-21. .\ttended the fimeral of Mrs. Wolcott. I have scarcely ever had here so full a meeting. Much fatigued. 6. Walked and visited the most of the day. Am quite feeble. Cate- chised a school. At evening attended a private prayer-meeting. Received a letter from Mr. Battell at sundown, by a messenger from Hartford, informing me that mother is not expected to live, and wishing me to go there immedi- ately. Sent the letter by a messenger to Enfield. I think I cannot go till after meeting tomorrow. Am beset with various and unexpected trials. 7. Preached with old notes on Deut. xii : 9, and Eph. ii : 4, 5. Adminis- tered the sacrament. The church quite full. Am feeble and much fatigued, but got through better than 1 feared. Near night set out for Norfolk. Visited a sick man. Rode to Northington ' late. 8. Rode to Norfolk. Mother is very low, and it is thought she cannot continue long. I think she is not quite as low as I expected. Towards night brother Frank and his wife came here. Brother James and wife are here. 9. Quite cold. It snowed and rained and froze. Brother Samuel came here. Mother's physician is some encouraged about her. Her religious exercises and prospects are very happy. May God be blessed. 10. Cold and wet. Read. Visited Mr. Emerson^ and others. Mother very feeble. At evening attended a meeting; my brother preached. The season here appears about as forward as with us. 11. Looked over father's and grandfather's manuscripts. We conclude it not likely that mother will get any better. Samuel and Francis and wife went away. Wrote. I fear this venerable mansion will soon fall into the hands of strangers.' 12. Rode home. Cold, but clear. Mother has altered very little for several days. Am much oppressed with a cold. Attended our evening prayer-meeting. I think my horse gains some relief from his malady. Tired. 13. My cold and headache are severe. Gave a man Si-oo for Bowdoin College, lately burnt.* Wrote the most of a sermon on Ps. xl : 4. Wrote five pages in the evening. Quite rainy. 14. Finished and preached in the afternoon my sermon on Ps. xl : 4. In ' Avon. . . . This severe blow to the prosperity of ^ Rev. Ralph Emerson, pastor at Nor- the college was averted by the liberality of folk. the public. Donations were extensively so- ^ It remained with his kindred, an J 011 licitcd from individuals; contributions were the spot where it stood a handsome building received in a large number of the churches has just been erected by members of the in Maine and Massachusetts, and thus the family for a private family school. loss was fully repaired. A li^t of the con- ■•"In March of this year (1S22), Maine tributors and their benefactions is preser\'ed Hall took fire, and the whole interior was in the library of the college.'" — Stclc/i of burnt ; while the walls, with the e.\ce])tion of BowJoin College, AmerUait Qiuntcrly ReiieV), the fourth story, were not essentially injured. Vol. I'lII^p. ii^. 890 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1822. the forenoon with old notes on Jer. xxiii : 24. In the morning we had a thunder-shower. Thin meeting. Very tired. Walked out. The ground is quite wet. 15. Wrote. Visited the sick. Rode unexpectedly to Hartford. Dined with the medical meeting of the county. Sent some oysters to my mother. At evening attended the conference. 16. Visited the sick. A man here, gone as a captain of a vessel, it is much feared is lost. Our ministers' meeting was held here. No one came but Mr. Bartlett,' of Wintonbury, and Mr. Chapin, a candidate.'' Mr. Hough, the Baptist, spent the evening with us. 17. Wrote. Walked and visited. At evening Mr. Chapin had a meeting and preached. I attended. Tarried out. 18. Visited families. Have severe and unexpected trials. Yesterday wrote Mr. C. A. Goodrich,^ of New Haven. Received a letter from my brother Nathaniel at Philadelphia, and one from Mr. Battell, and pamphlets by mail. Rainy. 19. Wrote. Wrote to my brother Nathaniel, and to S. A. Foot,* of Cheshire. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. My new book-case was brought from Hartford. It is a very good one. A young man here has become a subject of divine grace. 20. Wrote to Mr. Battell. I am severely tried. Rode out and visited the sick. Rode to Enfield to exchange with my brother. Found that he had gone to East Windsor. 21. Preached on Ex. .xxxii : 26, and Ps. xl : 4. Towards evening rode to Pine Meadow, and preached in the evening at a conference on Luke x.xii : 41, etc. Very tired. Meeting at Enfield very full. 22. Rode home. Am much unwell. Read. Visited. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. Mother is something better. Wrote. At evening attended our conference. 23. Visited. Devoted the most of the day to fasting and prayer, on account of my present severe trials, and to implore divine direction. Have resigned myself, my cares, and hopes all to God. I have nothing, and desire to be disposed of according to his holy will. Took a very light breakfast, and neither ate or drank after it till about sundown. On the 19th received of Mr. Scarborough, $100.00, which I lent to him in January, with $1.50 interest. 24. Rode out and visited. Paid for four bushels of oats, $1.20. Began to write a missionary address for the Hartford County Missionary Society. Wrote to Gen. Jencks,' and Dr. Chubbuck, of Warehouse Point. 25. Very warm. The thermometer rose to 85°. The ground is very dry. Visited. Wrote on my address. My afflictions are very great, but holy is the Lord who appoints them. •Rev. John liartlett, brother of Rev. * Hon. Samiiel A. Foot, LL. D. Shubael, of Scantic parish, ICast Windsor. ' Gen. Charles Jenks. Gen. JenUs was a ' Rev. Chester Chaphi. very prominent man at Warehouse Point, and ' Prof. Chauncey A. Goodrich, D. D. carried on a large gin distillery. l822.] PASTOR IX EAST WINDSOR. S9I 26. Am ver}- feeble and unwell. Wrote what I could, and finished my missionarj- address. Thermometer ^^°. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. 27. Rode to Hartford, and carried my address. Paid my annual ta.x to the Hartford County iMissionary Society, $i.oo. For various articles, $2.42. Attended a funeral in the upper part of East Hartford. There were eleven orphans, all single, three of them widows Saw blossoms on fruit-trees. Read. 28. Last night we had a hard and very refreshing rain. The forenoon wet. Preached with old notes on Gal. vi : 8. Am quite feeble. Thin meet- ings. Walked out. 29. My lungs are very weak. Visited. Rode to Warehouse Point and Pine Meadow. Bad crossing.' At evening had rather a thin conference. Warm. 30. Last evening received from a friend the une.\pected and generous donation of $40.00, to make me a life-member of the American Education Society." May God reward the donor. Rode to New Haven to attend the election. My horse travels very well. I hope he is getting better of his lung disease. Blossoms appear considerably. May. 1. Saw my cousin J. W. Robbins^ at college. The clerg)' were invited to call on the bishop' in the morning, and were well treated. The exercises were in the church. Bishop Brownell gave a very unexceptionable and good sermon. The election was less splendid than it is at Hartford. But few of the clergy, perhaps thirty of ours, and as many of other denominations. Attended a small meeting of ministers on the subject of re-establishing the theological institution of Yale College. At evening heard Mr. Emerson,' of Salem, preach. 2. Dined yesterday with Mr. Hillhouse,' and tarried last night with Mr. ' Probably because the river was swollen Connecticut in 1819, and was chosen first with the spring floods, and it was hard to President of Trinity College in 1824. He manage the ferry-boat. died in Hartford in 1865. - It may be remembered that he had a ' Brown Emerson, D. D., born in .\shby, similar gift for the same purpose some years Mas.s., 1779, graduated at Dartmouth Col- before. lege, 1802, pastor of the South Church, ^ Here again he calls his nephew, the son Salem, 1S05-1872, died, 1S72, aged ninety- of James W. Robbins, of Lenox, his cousin. four. This occurs so frequently in connection with '' James Hillhouse, LL. D., treasurer of his nephews and nieces that it must have Yale College, 17S2-1832, when he died. He been, to some extent, a custom of that gener- was born in Montvilk-, Ct., in 1754, was grad- ation, uated at Yale, 1773. For forty years he was * Thomas Church Brownell, D. D., LL. D., Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, was a was born in Westford, Mass., in 1779, and .Member of Congress, was a poet and scholar, was graduated at Union College in 1S04. The Hillhouse mansion, at the head of Hill- He was tutor and professor at Union, was house Avenue, was long one of the notable assistant minister of Trinity Church in New homes of New Haven, beautiful to the sight, York in iSiS, was consecrated Bishop of and large in its hospitalities. 892 DIAKV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1822. Davies.' Made a number of calls. Sent to Boston my late donation for the American Education Society. Received of Gen. Howe, on my note, $44.62, and paid it to him for books. Rode home after noon. Very warm and dusty. The season advances rapidly. 3. Am very feeble. A woman" died here this morning with a short illness. Visited. Read. Wrote. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Pretty thin. 4. Wrote the most of a sermon on John iii : 3. Attended the funeral of the woman deceased yesterday. Wrote late. 5. Expounded on the first chapter of Acts, and finished and preached the sermon on regeneration began yesterday. Walked out. Rainy. We had two orphan families at meeting for prayers. 6. Was sent for early to see an aged woman in a paralytic fit. Visited. Dined with a military company. This morning there was some frost. At evening attended our monthly prayer- meeting. My trials are verj' great.' The Lord be my helper. 7. Rode to New Haven ; from Hartford on horseback. Quite tired. In the evening met with the committee on the insane institution. The sub- scriptions exceed $12,000. 8. Have a good deal to do. Dined with the Medical Convention. In the afternoon Mr. R. M. Sherman'' and I were admitted before the Senate on behalf of our petition in favor of the asylum for the insane. It was favorably received.' 9. The Medical Convention have done very liberally for the asylum. We were not admitted to the House of Representatives, but were heard before a joint committee. At evening left New Haven. The town is full of election- eering. Tarried at Esq. Eastman's. Received of Howe & Spaulding, $100.00. Got some new books. 10. Rode home; from New Haven to Hartford in Mr. H. Ells- worth's' sulky. Warm. An aged woman' has died here in my absence. Mr. Fairchild attended the funeral. Found here my cousin Chandler Rob- bins,' from Maine, and his wife. She is quite feeble. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Am much fatigued. 11. Rode out with my cousin Robbins. The fruit-trees are in very full ' Rev. Thomas T. Davies, who was gradu- clergy, should have been joined with Mr. ated at Yale in 1813. .Sherman in a matter of this grave impor- - Widow Nancy Strong, aged forty-one. tance, is evidence of the high regard in ' We arc still ignorant of the cause of his which he was held for character and ability, special trouble. "• Henry L. Ellsworth, one of the sons of ♦ Roger Minot Sherman, LL. D., one of Chief-Justice Oliver Ellsworth. lie was a the leading lawyers of the State and the graduate of Yale, 1810. country. He was born at Woburn, Mass., ' Widow P. Loomis, aged eighty, in 1773, graduated at Yale. 1792. He was "Oldest child of Dr. Chandler Robbins, a very prominent legislator and judge. He of Plymouth. This cousin was born in 1762, died in Fairfield, Ci., in 1844. and was now sixty years old. He had been ' That Dr. Robbins, representing the a prominent man in Maine. l822.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. S93 blowth. Received a letter from Mr. Ely, of Simsbury. On the 6th received one from Dr. Park," of Providence. Rode to Orford to e.\change with Mr. Cook. Found him gone to Glastonbury, and rode there. Mr. Birge is to preach tomorrow at Orford.° The ground is very dry. 12. Preached on E.^c. .x.x.vii : 26, and John viii : 3. This congregation appears to be larger than formerly. .Attended the funeral of a black man. At evening rode home. Found Mr. Cooke here. My cousin's wife is quite feeble. Yesterday received a letter from him written on his way. Very tired. 13. Wrote. Am very feeble. Warm and very dusty. Rode out. At evening attended our conference. 14. Rode out and visited the most of the day. Am scarcely able to do any business. Yesterday wrote to Mr. A. P. Cleveland,' of Boston. My cousin Mrs. Robbins quite feeble. We have some persons quite sick. Visited. Sent manuscripts. God is most holy in all his chastisements. 15. Rode to Hartford with my cousin. Very hot and dusty. Attended the meeting of the Ministers' Annuity Society. Saw my cousin W. Lawrence, of Norfolk. My mother is some better, but very feeble. In the afternoon we had a most refreshing shower. Walked out. 16. Visited. Had company. Dined out with my cousins. The ground is greatly refreshed. Gave a poor woman, Ji.oo. Read. I do but little. Received a letter from Mrs. Skinner, of Hartford. 17. On the 15th left off my flannel. Same day two women were baptized here by a Methodist by immersion. Rode and visited the sick and others all day. Rode to Wapping. Cool. At evening attended our prayer-raeeling. 18. Wrote the most of a sermon on Matt. .\.\v : 23. Wrote late. Am feeble, and have many hindrances. My cousins went to Enfield. 19. Finished and preached my sermon begun yesterday. Full meeting. We had our annual missionary contribution and collected $44.10. There are three $5.00, and eleven $1.00 bills, and one hundred and seventeen pieces of silver. At evening attended conference. It was a sort of dedicator)- meeting at the new school-house in the south district. Received a letter from Mr. Cook, of Orford. 20. Much fatigued. Had my new book-case put up, which appears well, and completes the plan of book-cases which I have had for several years. Paid a blacksmith, .81. Paid Mr. Loomis, .50, .^^ of which is to be paid by Dewey. Conclude not to have a Monday evening meeting at present. 21. Worked at my library. Wrote. Visited a school. Walked and visited. 22. Warm and sultry. Thermometer 82°. Read in Peters's' History oj ' Dr. Calvin Park, connected with Brown lioston, of the firm of Salisbury & Cleveland, University. 10 Merchants' Row. ^ He was to preach at Glastonbury, and ' .\n imaginary History of Connecticut, by Mr. Cook at East Windsor, on a triple e.\- Kev. Samuel A. Peters, LL. D. It was change. written while he was a Tory e.xile in Eng- ^ Mr. A. P. Cleveland was a merchant of land. 894 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1822. Connecticut. Worked at my chamber. I am very languid. Received a letter from my brother James. Rode to Wapping and visited. Yesterday wrote to Mr. \\. Ely, of Simsbury. In the morning went to visit an aged sick woman.' She died while I was present. 23. Last night we had a pretty hard thunder-shower. Thermometer 8i°. Worked at my books. Attended the funeral of the woman who deceased yesterday. Visited. In the evening rode to Enfield. The ways of God are unsearchable ; they are wise, holy, and good. I rejoice that he reigns, and will trust in him. 24. My cousin Chandler and wife are here. She gets better, ("ool. Rode home. Received a letter from my good Uncle Starr. Old Mr. Tudor is quite sick. Wrote. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 25. Wrote the most of a sermon on Num. xxxv: 15. Mr. Eells' now recites to me regularly on Saturday in ecclesiastical history. Wrote late. My cousins came down from Enfield. Quite cool. Had a steady fire in my chamber. 26. Finished and preached in the afternoon my sermon on Num. xxxv : 15. Much poorer than it ought to be. In the forenoon preached on Acts xviii : 10. At evening had a full conference in the meeting-house. 27. Am exceeding feeble and languid. Am very nervous. Yesterday morning there was a little frost. Walked out. .^t evening rode to the Hill with my cousins. 28. Rode to Hartford with my cousins. Much oppressed with the heat. The thermometer was at 90°. Dr. Flint has considerable trouble with his people. Had a thunder-shower. At evening attended Nancy Watson's wedding. The services performed by Mr. Wheaton.' 29. Yesterday received a letter from Rev. C. A. Goodrich.'' Am much oppressed with the heat. Thermometer 93°. Dined out. Wrote. Visited with my cousins. 30. .Am much troubled with weakness and lieaving of the stomach. Walked and visited all day. At evening married a couple' who came here from East Hartford. 31. Wrote. Rode to Vernon and attended a funeral. Visited at Wap- ping. Attended our evening prayer-meeting. Warm and dry. Jl'NB. I. Walked and visited. Our .Assembly have risen after a contemptible session, but in some things have done well. My cousins continue at Dea. Reed's.' Thermometer 86". • Mrs. Phoebe Daniels, .iged eighty-five. * Prof. Chauncey A. Goodrich, D. D., of ° Mr. O/.ias S. Eells, son of Kcv. Ozias Yale College. Piof. Goodrich wa-s an im- Eells, of Barkhamsted, Ct. He graduated portant member of the Faculty of Yale Col- the year before at Williams College, and lege. was teaching the academy at Kast Windsor ' Mr. Merrow Marble and Hannah lluni- Hill, and studying theology with iJr. Robbins. ham. ' Rev. Nathaniel S. Wheaton, 1). 1)., lec- ' Because of the continued illness of Mrs. tor of Christ Church, Hartford. Kobbins. l822.] PASTOR IN EAST WIxNTDSOR. §95 2. Finished and preached in the afternoon my sermon on John viii : 24. The heat and dust very severe and oppressive. Thermometer 89°. The ground quite dry. In the forenoon expounded on Acts ii : 1-36. In the evening had a most grateful shower of rain with a good deal of thunder. 3. Rode out and visited. My cousins took lodgings for a few days, at their own choice, at a public house. Visited. On the 31st ult. received a letter from my cousin W. Lawrence, of Norfolk. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Paid for Dwight's Travels, $12.00.' 4. Rode to Barkhamsted to attend Association. Hindered and dined at Simsbury. Rode from Simsbury to Barkhamsted in the rain. But ten members of the Association present. We examined and licensed two candi- dates.^ Mr. Clark ^ does good here. 5. Attended to associational business. Rode with my brother to Norfolk. Broke my sulky and left it, with my horse, and rode with him. Mother is very feeble, but sits up, and is comfortable. The season here is nearly as forward as with us. 6. Walked out. My father's mansion and place appear much altered. Afternoon left Norfolk, and rode to Northington. Tarried with Mr. Kellogg.' Paid for mending my sulky, and keeping my horse, $1.13. Quite cool. 7. Rode home. Pretty tired. Wrote. Began a sermon on Luke xi : 13. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Our extra meetings lately are rather thin. 8. Quite unwell with stomach sickness and debility. Wrote. Walked out. 9. Finished and preached my sermon on Luke xi : 13. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Job xxii: 23. Warm. At evening had a full conference. 10. Am very feeble. Visited the sick and others. Quite warm. The season is uncommonly fine, though we have but little rain. I do but little to what I wish I could. 11. Visited. Thermometer 8g°. Am very languid. Wrote. Wrote to Dr. Park, of Providence. My cousins came here from the public house, where they have been some time. At evening we had considerable thunder and rain. 12. Wrote to my brother Battell. My cousins went off to Norfolk. Rode and visited all day. Find a great backwardness to a religious profes- sion in some who, I think, ought to do it. Tarried at Wapping. 13. Cool. Visited. Wrote. Am requested to deliver an address at a celebration of Independence at Hartford. I don't know what to do. ' President Timothy Dwight's Travels in Hartland, was a graduate of Williams Col- New England and !\'ew York. Four vol- lege in 1S16. umes, octavo, 1S22. They were just out. 3 Rev. Saul Clark, pastor at Barkhamsted, "Amzi Francis and Flavel S. Gaylord. 1S19-1S29. Mr. Francis, a native of West Hartford, Ct., •• Rev. Bela Kellogg, pastor at East Avon, was a graduate of Middlebury College in 1S19-1S29. This was a part of the old parish 1S19, and Mr. Gaylord, a native of West of Northington. 896 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1822. 14. Visited. Wrote on notes for preaching. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. I get fatigued easily. 15. \\'rote a part of a sermon on Isa. xliii : 13. Examined with the church committee six persons for our communion. Bringing these forward has made me much labor. My brother Samuel and wife called here and went to Enfield. Wrote late. 16. Finished my notes and preached with them on i Pet. i : 9. Wrote three pages, and finished and preached my sermon begun yesterday. Warm, and a very severe dust. Propounded six persons for our conununion. .\t evening had a full conference. Ver\- tired and nervous. 17. Walked and visited. .'\ni very feeble. Rode to Hartford. Paid $3.00 for fifty pamphlets, including eleven old election sermons. We had a very refreshing shower. 18. Worked at my chamber. My brother and his wife came here from Enfield. Walked out with him. Quite cool. My collection of pamphlets is quite valuable.' 19. My brother and sister" went home to Woodbur}-. Rode with them to Hartford. Paid in our missionary contribution. Made my annual payment of $5.00 to the Ministers' Annuity Society. Wrote. Yesterday we had our first green peas. Read Walked out. 20. Worked at my pamphlets. Cool and wet. Made a fire in my chamber. Read the Bible. Began to write an address for Independence. Visited. 21. Rode to Wapping and to Scantick. Visited. The General Associa- tion at Tolland did not have a long session. There is a good work of divine grace at Somers. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 22. Visited. Baptized a sick child at home.^ Dined at Dr. Tudor's. Wrote. Towards night rode to Mr. Bartlett's to exchange. 23. Mr. Bartlett rode down to my society, and returned after meeting. Preached on Isa. xliii : 13, and Ps. xl : 4. Attended the Sabbath-school at noon, which is large, as well as the congregation. Returned, and in the evening married my neighbor, Dr. Tudor.* 24. Am ver)' feeble. On Saturday Mr. Langdon,' of Bethlehem, called on mo. Visited, (^uite warm. Read the Bible. Wrote. In the afternoon we had a long and very refreshing shower. 25. Rode to Simsbury and attended ministers' meeting. Mr. Ripley,' now at Turkey Hills, was with us and preached. ' He must be drawing toward the complc- ' Rev. John Langdon, pastor at licthle- tioii of Ills set of Connecticut election scr- hem, 1S16-1S25. lie was the .son of Kev. mons. Timothy Langdon, jiastor 1786-1S01, at Dan- • Ills brother Samuel and \vife, who moved bury. a few years before from Norfolk to Wood- ' Rev. ICrastus Ripley, who supplied the bury, Ct. pulpit at I'.ast Granby (Turkey Hills), ■> Joseph, son of Joseph Williams. 1820-1822, but w.as not installed there. * Vr. Edward Tudor and Elizabeth I )ab- This was the place of the old Newgate ncy. prison. l822.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 897 26. Rode to Canton. Left at Mrs. Everest's an epitaph for the kite doctor. Rode out with Mr. Hallock," and preached at a funeral on Isa. xxvi : 4. Rode home. Cool. Took some cold. 27. Wrote on my address for Independence. Visited. Am considerably unwell with my cold. Worked at my library. Read the Bible. 28. Rode to Wapping. Visited persons that are propounded. Attended a catechising of the children at the meeting-house. .Attended our prayer- meeting. Received a letter from the Jew minister, Mr. Frey,'' of New York. 29. Wrote the most of a sermon on Rom. x : 8, 9. Thermometer at 90°. Hindered by company. Am pretty feeble. My tremor is something trouble- some. 30. Finished and preached the sermon on Rom. x : 8, 9, and expounded on Acts ii ; 37 to the end. Received seven persons to the communion of the church.' Thermometer 87°. Much fatigued. Had no conference. At even- ing walked out. July. 1. Am quite feeble, almost wholly unqualified for business. Looked over my library. I find a number of books missing, which I fear are lost. Thermometer about 90°. Attended the monthly prayer-meeting. Read. 2. Visited. Hindered by company. Read. Thermometer 90°. Wrote on my address for Independence. Afternoon we had a pretty hard thunder- shower. Visited. 3. Wrote. Rode out and visited. Finished my address at one oxlock at night. It has cost me much time. I had to write with great care. 4. Rode to Hartford. Delivered my address* to a large audience. The military companies appeared exceeding well. The collection at the dinner was large. Very warm. Thermometer more than 90°. 5. Read the Bible. Had company. Wrote. Afternoon preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Jer. xxxi : 6. Omitted our evening prayer-meeting. Much oppressed with the heat. Thermometer 94°. Vege- tation advances very rapidly. 6. Wrote a sermon on Jer. ix : i. I have not well suited myself in a sermon that I have written this year. Will the Lord help me. We had a rain. The ground of late has been greatly refreshed. Thermometer 91°. 7. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on i Pet. ii : i, 2. 3. Afternoon the sermon written yesterday. Administered the sacrament. The church very full. The heat severe. Thermometer 95°. At evening attended ' Rev. Jeremiah Halloclc, pastor at Can- .Vnna Cole, Naomi Johnson, Chloc Wolcott, ton, 17S5-1S26, when he died. Nancy Bliss, a.id Anna Grant. ' Rev. Joseph Samuel Frey, a Jew born * Here again we have a clear illustration in Germany, Presbyterian pastor in New of the favor with which Dr. Robbins was York, afterwards, in connection with the reRarded. He was well known in Hartford Baptists, labored for the conversion of the —had pre.-iched there many times, and ccr- Jews. He was a man of considerable note tainly would not have been chosen for a in his generation. mixed and public occasion like this, unless ' These persons were Samuel Tudor, he were known as an able public speaker. 898 DIARY OK REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S22. conference. I spoke with more strength than usual. 1 have lately taken tincture of bark, and I believe it has helped me. 8. Rainy. A very growing season. Worked at my librarv. I'her- mometer 88°. Rode to Hartford. Purchased of the Whitman family ' one hundred and ninety pamphlets, making, with what I had before, two hundred and fifty; for which I have paid them about §10.00. Paid now, $5.88. Did errands. My Independence address seems to have been well received. 9. Worked at my library. I lend my books a good deal. Cool. People beginning haying. Walked out. 10. ^\'orked at my pamphlets all day. It is laborious to arrange them. I have about twelve hundred, besides duplicates. One hundred and eight election sermons have been printed in the State, and I have ninety-seven.= A good Providence has assisted me in making the collection. 11. \\'alked and visited. Thermometer 90°. Wrote. Received an application from the committee at Hartford for a copy of my address to be printed. At evening rode to Enfield. A part of the way it was very dark. 12. Rode home. Afternoon we had a hard rain. Our catechising was omitted on account of the wet. At evening had a thin prayer-meeting. Wrote to Mr. Strong and Mr. Nettleton,' at Somers. 13. Wrote a part of a sermon on Ps. cxi.x : 6. In the afternoon young Mr. Storrs* came here from Longmeadow to make an exchange tomorrow. Rode to Enfield, late and dark. The ground is quite wet, and the river is high. 14. Rode to Longmeadow. Hot and sultry. Preached on Luke .\i: 13, and Ps. xl : 4. Attended the funeral of a woman ninety-seven years of age. Much oppressed with the heat. At evening attended a conference. This society is in a pretty critical situation. Kindly entertained at Capt. Burt's. Am much fatigued. 15. Visited. The society here have a meeting today to give a call to Mr. Hoadley.' Wet. Rode home. Here there was a hard shower. 16. Visited. Much troubled with nervous affections. Read. Worked ' Descendants of the Rev. Elnathan Whit- He was educated at Princeton College and man, pastor of the South Church, Hartford, Andovcr Theological Seminary, from which i733-'777- Though he had been dead now last he was graduated in iS;o. He was or- more than forty years, his library seems to daincd at Charleston, S. C, as Home Mis- have been kept, in some measure, together. sionary, in 1831, went to Ohio in 1822, was = Since his previous statement on this jiaslor at Ravenna, O., 1822-1S2S, professor point, he has made a large gain. in Western Reserve College, 1S2S-1S31, ^ Rev. William L. Strong and Rev. Asa- president iSji, to his death, 1S33. At the hel Nettleton. time of this exchange, young Storrs was 'This was Rev. Charles Backus Storrs, supplying the pulpit at Longmeadow. His younger brother of Dr. Richard S. Storrs, of father, who had been minister there for thirty- Braintrcc, Mass., and father of Dr. Henry four yeais, died in 1S19, and they had no M. Storrs, for many years Secretary of the pastor until Dr. I!.-ixtcr Dickinson w.is set- American Home .Missionary Society. Charles tied there in 1S2J. B. Storrs was son of Rev. Richard S. Storrs, 'Rev. l.o.imnii Ives Hcidlcy, born in of Longmeadow, Mass., born May 15, 1794. North Dranford, Ct., 1790, graduated at lS22.] PASTOR IN KAST WINDSOR. 899 some. Thermometer 85°. Wrote. Had company. My library is much commended by beholders. 17. A colored girl came here from Norfolk to live. Wrote copying my address. Afternoon rode to Wapping and visited. They have been painting their meeting-house there. Tarried out. 18. Visited. Hot, but very fine harvest weather. Carried dinner to the harvest field.' The harvest is rather light. Paid for a book, $1.00. Ther- mometer 90°. 19. Wrote on my transcribing. Thermometer 92°. Afternoon had a catechising of the children. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. Pretty full. Much oppressed with the heat. 20. Sent a part of my manuscript to the printer. Thermometer 94°. Wrote on a sermon begun last week. The heat was such I could write but little. Read. 21. Finished and preached my sermon on Ps. cxi.\ : 6. Thermometer 90°. At evening attended the conference. My health is better than it was a few weeks ago. I have taken tincture of bark, and I believe it has been beneficial. 22. Visited. Read. Thermometer 87°. Received a letter from my cousin Chandler, and one from Mr. Battell. My brother called here on his way to the eastward, going by water for his health. Wrote transcribing my address. 23. Wrote and finished my transcribing. People have a very fine season for harvest. Towards night my cousin Sally Lawrence and Mr. Walkley came here. Thermometer 8g°. 24. Rode with my friends to Hartford. They went to Norfolk. My mother is rather worse than she has been. Saw the printers. The roads very dusty. At night we had considerable rain. Read. Paid a merchant, ^3.40. 25. Wrote. Walked and visited. Visited Mr. Eells's school. He has some difficulty in the government of it. I do not visit with as much despatch as I used to do. 26. Visited the most of the day. Quite cool. Visited old Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth = in Scantick ; very low. An aged man^ died here with a short illness. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Spoke poorly. 27. Visited. Attended the funeral of old Mr. Daniels. Mr. Cushman, of Hartford, was present and performed the service at the house. Read. Paid for shoeing ray horse, $1.10. Yale, 1S17, and at Andover, 1820. His first both born the same year, 1737, and were settlement was at Worcester, Mass., in 1823. eighty-five years old. Mr. Ellsworth died He was several times seitled, and lived to in October o£ that same year (iS::), and his great age, dying in Huntington, Ct., March wife in the year following They had a 31, 1883, in his ninety-third year. family of fourteen children, some of whom ' As he had done for many years. died in early life. = Lieut. Solomon and Mary (Moscley) J Mr. Stephen Daniels, aged seventy-mne. Ellsworth. Mr. Ellsworth and his wife were Mr. Daniels was a Baptist. 900 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1822. 28. In the morning we had a pretty hard rain. Preached with old notes on Luke vi : 45. Thin meeting. Spol of the Old South Church, lioslon. l822.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. QOI 9. Wrote to Professor Silliniau. Read MSS. Attended the catechis- ing of the cliildren. Attended our prayer-meeting. I cannot prevent per- sons from becoming Baptists. 10. Wrote the most of a sermon on the nature of divine worship. A pretty difficult subject. Rode out. Thermometer about 90°. 11. Finislied and preached my sermon on Rev. .K.\ii : 9. In the forenoon preaclied with old notes on 2 Pet. ii : 4. There was a Baptist meeting here, and three women were baptized. These things are a severe affliction to me, but God will so have it. Quite dry and dusty. Thermometer 93°. At evening attended the conference. A Methodist meeting was also held here today. I hope, through divine mercy, never to witness a similar scene here again." I am forty-five years old. 12. Last night tarried out. Visited sick persons. Very warm. Tlier- mometer 92°. At evening performed a marriage.^ 13. Read. Am pretty feeble. Wrote. Walked out. Read MSS. Hin- dered by company, 14. Finished Mr. Goodrich's MSS. It does not appear quite as well as I e.xpected. Wrote. Walked out. 15. Read. Looked over the last census of the country. Massachusetts is the most populous State.' The prospects of New York are very great. 1 6. Visited the sick. A man and his wife are severely sick with the lung fever. Visited a school. Attended our praj'er-meeting. Melons are very plenty. 17. Rode to Enfield. A tornado here on the 15th did considerable injury to my brother's buildings. He is absent. His people are shingling his barn. Visited afflicted families. Returned. Very warm. Our sick family are very bad. Got home late. At Windsor Mr. Harlehigh Haskell'' pre- sented me an old sword used by Sergeant Hayden' in the Pequod War. 18. Wrote notes and preached bn Acts iii : 26. Preached an old sermon onProv. v: 12. A Baptist meeting here was thin. Attended the conference. Very tired. Hot and very dry. 19. Quite unwell with a pain in my side. Visited the sick family. I hope they are a little better. At night we had a tlumder-shower. On the 17th received a letter from Mr. Tenney,' of Wethersfield. 20. Wrote. Rode to Wintonbury and attended ministers' meeting. Preached on Rev. xxii : g. Very warm. ■ That is, to have a Methodist and a Bap- than she, and some of these had hardly list preaching on the same day in his parish. begun to exist in 1822. = Between Charles W. Bunce, of New Mlarlchigh Haskell was a brother of Eli York, and Julia Bidwell. li- -md Harris Haskell, all sons of Jabez '"Westward the course of empire" has Haskell, of Windsor. taken its way since that time. By the census ' William Hayden, who came to Windsor of 1S20, Massachusetts had 523,159, and by with the Dorchester Company in 1636, aiid the census of iSSo, she had 1,783,985. And was sergeant under Capt. John Mason in yet Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New York, the Pequod War. Ohio, and Pennsylvania are now all larger ' Caleb J. Tenney, D. D. 902 DIARY OF RtV. THOMAS ROEBINS. D.D. [j822 2 1. Returned. Examined manuscripts at Col. Wyllis's. Some of tlieiii are quite valuable. I was much disappointed in not finding pamphlets. Visited the sick. Tired. 22. Visited the sick. We have now an unusual number. Rode to East Hartford and preached for Mr. Fairchild to the Female Benevolent Society on Ps. li: i8. Old Mr. Tudor is quite sick. 23. An aged man died here last night." Visited the sick. Last night received a letter from Mr. Ely, of Simsbury. On the 21st received the annual consociational letter from Dr. Flint. Wrote to Mr. Tenney, of Wethersfield. At evening we had a hard shower. 24. Began a sermon on Ps. .xlviii : 12-14. Visited the sick. Attended a funeral. Wrote, though weary. 25. Wrote and preached my sermon on Ps. xlviii : 12, 13, 14. It was not quite finished. At evening attended our conference. Tired and feeble. Visited the sick. 26. Visited a small school of young ladies. Visited the sick. Am not as well as I have been. Tarried out. 27. Yesterday received a letter from my sister. Walked and visited. Read. Mr. Tudor is very low. 28. Wrote to my brother James yesterday. Rode and visited the sick here at Wapping all day. We have an unusual number. There is a great deal of fruit. We have very cold and damp nights. ■ 29. Rode to Wethersfield and preached for the Female .Vuxiliary Society on Ps. li : 18. Received a present of old pamphlets from Mr. Stoddard, of Northampton.'' The yellow fever is very bad in New York.^ 30. Visited. I hope our sick are convalescing. Attended the catechising of the children. They do pretty well. Received a letter from my cousin C. Robbins.* Attended prayer-meeting. 31. Wrote a sermon on Rom. vi : 16. A Methodist camp-meeting in Ellington excites considerable attention. Read. I do not write as fast as I used to do.* Srptrmdek. 1. Expounded on Acts iv, the 31st verse, and preached the sermon written yesterday. The ground is very dry and dusty. At evening attended the conference. Meetings not very full. Received a letter from Mr. Ogden,' of New Haven. 2. Rode to East Hartford and visited a sick woman. Wrote. Showery. ' Nathaniel Rockwell, aged seventy-six. llic fact as if it were to his disadvantage. ' A descendant, doubtless, of the vener- May it not be that he wrote more carefully able Solomon Stoddard, pastor at North- a. id judiciously than when he was younger, ampton, 1672-1729. Rapid writing is not generally the best. 'Not nearly so destructive, however, as ^ Rev. David I.ongworlh Ogdcn, born in in some previous years. Hartford, 1792, graduated at Vale, 1S14, .ind ' Chandler Robbins. Andover, 1818, pastor at .Southington, Ct., ' Dr. Robbins lias told us this a great Whitcstuwn, N. V., and Marlborough, Mass. many times, and always seems to s]>cak of Died in New Haven, Ct., iScij. l822.] PASTOR I>J EAST WINDSOR. 903 Attended the wedding of Mr. Allan Hough.' Baptist minister, and Maria Bancroft; performed by Mr. Cushman,= of Hartford. Our monthly prayer- meeting was prevented by the rain. 3. Visited the sick. Quite warm. Read. Wrote. At evening per- formed a marriage.^ 4. Left home between one and two o'clock in the morning, and rode to New Haven in a little more than eight hours. Attended the examination at college. Several other gentlemen were present for the same purpose. 5. Attended laboriously at the e.xamination all day. I think they do not perform better, except in the languages, than the students did when I was at college. Drank tea at Mr. Silliman's with a college companv. 6. Finished the examination about noon. Visited. Looked over Dr. Dana's* pamphlets. He had a great number. Mrs. Dana gave me, very kindly, one hundred and sixty .^ My list of election sermons is now nearly complete. Am treated with much kindness. 7. Saw my cousin J. VV. Robbins. Made calls. Rode home. My pam- phlets make a large bundle. The dust very severe. Our sick people are gaining. Yesterday Mr. Twining' paid me $7.20 for attending at the examination. I was kept at his house. 8. Preached with old notes on Job vi : 4, and an old sermon on .-Vets xxiv: 25. Visited sick persons. Very tired. 9. Wrote to Mr. Coleman,' tutor at college. Looked over the pamphlets I procured last week. Some of them are quite valuable. Rode out and visited the sick. 10. Visited. Set out for New Haven. Dined with the officers of the regiment at Hartford. Rode to Meriden. Had company on the way. Very warm and dusty. 11. Rode early and got to New Haven at nine o'clock. The Commence- ment exercises were very good. The greatest collection of people, I am persuaded, I have ever seen here on this occasion. My cousin J. W. Robbins' graduated, and Philip BattelP entered college. Several of Norfolk friends are here. Mr. Nash,'" of Tolland, preached the Concio ad Clerum. The heat was severe. 12. Attended the meeting of the Education Society. It appears to do ' We have here the given name of the ' That was a rich gift, as choice and select Baptist minister, Hough, for which we have old pamphlets are now regarded. hitherto searched in vain. By the fact here '' .Stephen Twining, A. M., steward of recorded, his assiduous attentions to East Yale College, 1S19-1S32. Windsor were probably not altogether de- ' Lyman Coleman, D. D., afterwards pro- nominational. fessor in Lafayette College. - Rev. Elisha Cushman, Baptist minister ^ James XVatson Robbins, son of his of Hartford. brother J. W. Robbins. ' Between Horace Hooker, of Clyde, ' Philip Battell, then in his fifteenth year. N. Y., and Helen Wolcott. '° Rev. .■\nsel Nash, settled as colleague ■• Rev. James Dana, D. D., pastor of First with Dr. Nathan Williams, of Tolland, and Church, New Hajen, 17S9-1S05. pastor there 1813-1831. 904 DIARY or REV. THOMAS RODniNS, D.D. [1S22. inuc'i good. Attended the ordination of three missionaries' under the care of the Ijcr.rd of Foreign Missions. Two of lliein go to the Sandwich Islands, and one to Palestine. The scene was very interesting and solemn. Ur. Mil'er/ of New Jersey, preached. The collection of people w.is very great. The house, I think, was more crowded than yesterday. The heat very severe and oppressive. After the services the Lord's Supper was attended at the other meeting-house. I did not attend. Looked over the old manuscripts and pamphlets of the former Mr. Whittlesey,^ of this town. Received about one hundred pamphlets, given me by Miss Betsey Whittlesey.* Dr. Darling gave me a few that are very valuable. At evening rode to Wallingford. Paid for a map of the State of New York, $5.00. 13. Rode early and got home about one o'clock. The drought is exten- sive and severe. Warmer perhaps than yesterday. Thermometer go°. Received a dividend at the Phoenix Ban!;, and paid Hills, $52.00. The pestilence at New York is very distressing. Rode to Wapping and visited a school. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 14. Wrote. Looked over pamphlets. Of the election sermons printed in this State I have all but five.' At evening set out to ride to Mr. Bartlett's to exchange. Tarried on the way. We had a moderate and most grateful shower. 15. Preached on Ps. cxix : 6, and Job xi : 20. Mr. Bnr:leti preached to my people in the forenoon, and in the afternoon a Mr. Lombard, of Oswego, N. Y. In the evening attended the conference. Mr. Lombard*^ preached. 16. Read. Wrote. Rode to Orford and visited at Dr. Cooley's. Looked over a quantity of old books. (,-Ool. 17. Read. Received a letter from Mr. Ely, of Sinisljury. Rode to Wap- ping and visited a school. Paid j!i.5o for a hand-sled made for me last winter. Quite cool. The corn is mostly ripe. 18. This morning we had our first frost. It was pivtty hard. The pastures are very dry, and springs are uncommonly low. Wrote to Mr. Ely, of Simsbury. Attended the training of a regiment of cavalry in the upper part of the society. Mr. Bartletl is chaplain. 19. Rode to Hartford and attended the regimental training. Prayed wi'.h the regiment. In the afternoon it was quite* rainy. The officers got very wet. I did not ride after dinner. Attended a while at tlie United States Circuit Court. At evening looked over pamphlets. Tarried at Dr. Flint's. He is quite unwell. His society conduct very badly. 20. A steady rainy day. Very refreshing to the ground. Continued at • William Goodell, William Richards, and excellent and charitable women of New Artemas Bishop, the first two, especially. Haven when the writer of this note was in notable men. Yale College, 1835-1839. ' Samuel Miller, V. D., a distinguished ' The problem draws nearer and nearer professor in the Princeton Seminary. to a solution, and Dr. Robbins knows the ' Rev. Chauncey Whittlesey, pastor of joy of a collector, the First Church in New Haven, 175S-1787. ' Rev. Horatio J. Lombard, a graduate of * Miss Betsey Whittlesey was one of the Williams in 1S15. l822.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 905 Hartford. Looked over pamphlets at Dr. Strong's, and other places. Had a good many given to me. Paid for books, $1.50. 21. Tarried last night at Dr. Flint's. He is very poor with nervous affections, a part of the time under much delirium. Rode home. Wrote. Walked out and visited. 22. Preached an old sermon on Heb. v: 7. I regret that I could not have been at home, and written one yesterday. Full meeting. Preached long. After meeting rode to Wapping and preached with old notes on John xii : 37. Baptized six children here," and five at Wapping." Very tired. Sat up late. 23. Read in Trumbull's History of Connecticut. Wrote. I have a hard cold. At evening walked out. 24. Rode to Northington and met with the Consociation. Broke my sulky at Hartford, and was hindered. Dr. Flint's society appear to be in a better state than they have been. I hope God will preserve them from the devices of the Universalists. The Conso had formed before I arrived. Am much oppressed with my cold. Several ministers were absent. 25. The Conso had considerable business. Afternoon returned. Am very hoarse, and much oppressed with my cold. Warm. 26. Saw yesterday at Northington my cousin J. W. Robbins. Mr. New- bury, of Windsor, called here today to get him to take their school. Visited. I have been through a very interesting and varied scene for ten months past, which now appears to be closed.^ Visited our academy. Mr. Eells has done well in it. Warm and showery. 27. Wrote. Rode to Orford and dined with a military company. At- tended the catechising of the children. At evening attended the prayer- meeting. Quite thin. 28. Wrote on a sermon on Job xxix : 2, 3, 4, 5. I write slow, and have many hindrances. Have something of my tremor. 29. Last night we had a hard rain. Finished and preached my sermon on Job xxix: 2, 5. Thermometer rose to 88°. Attended the conference. Pretty thin. 30. Set out for Norfolk. Paid at Hartford for mending my sulky, and for one which I lately hired, $1.75. Looked over the pamphlets of the former Rev. Mr. Boardman.'' Found the valuable election sermon of Gov. Salton- stall. On the 28th Dr. Reed paid me S5.00, money borrowed, with $1.00 interest. Paid at the Hartford Bank, S50.00, borrowed July 30th. Rode to my brother's at Colebrook. Rode late. My horse is very poor. ' The six baptized at the center of the Urn ; and Louisa, daughter of Timothy Mun- scll. parish were Elizabeth, Edward, and Julius, children of Daniel Hayden; Frederic Wol- ^ He speaks, but still keeps silence, and cott, Maria, and Abner Edgar, children of we conjecture in vain. Cvrus Cole. * \s.i:.\. licnjamin Boardman, pastor of the = The five at Wapping were Ruth, Chloe South Church, Hartford, 17S4-1802. He was Adeline, and James Francis, children of Joel a graduate of Vale in 1758, and died during Rockwell; Elihu Avery, son of John Stough- the year 1S02. 9o6 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS. D.D. fl822. OCTOBBR. T. Rode to Norfolk. Found my good mother out, and quite comfortable. Visited. Mr. Battell has lately sent his second son to Middlebur)' College. 2. Wet. Visited old acquaintance. Had a good visit with my con- nections. A good Providence takes care of my good mother. 3. Gave my cousin S. Lawrence, S«.oo. Rode home. Yesterday was quite cold, and this morning we had a hard frost. Received a letter from Miss H. Judd. Have had a prosperous journey. Wrote to Mr. Newbury, of Windsor. 4. Wrote. Preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Gal. iv : 6. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Was out late. 5. Wrote a sermon on 1 Cor. ii : 9. Quite warm. Wrote late. 6. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Luke xxii: 15. Admin- istered the sacrament. The church full. Preached the sermon written yesterday. I believe my afternoon sermons, for six months past, have been more than fiftj' minutes on an average. Did not feel able to attend a con- ference. Walked out. Full meeting. 7. Read. Am much fatigued. Visited and catechised a school. At- tended our monthly concert of prayer in the evening. Rather thin. 8. Performed a marriage in the upper part of East Hartford," Long Hill. Paid for Morse's Gazetteer^ 154-S0, and for Smith's Sermons, $3.00. Yesterday received of my collector, $7.59, and paid the same to a merchant. At even- ing attended our church conference. Sent to Dr. Reed two hundred and fifty dollars of money of Dr. Everest's ^ bequest for charitable purposes. 9. Rode to Hartford and attended the cattle show. The exhibition of domestic manufactures exceeded that of any former year. There was a very great collection of people. Saw Mr. Battell. My cousin James Robbins* called here. He is disappointed of his expected school at Windsor. The weather ver\' pleasant. 10. Read Smith's Scnnons.^ Wrote. Visited a school. The exhibition at the cattle show has been better than on any former occasion. 11. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of a child. Read. Attended the catechising of the children. The last for the present season. I think it has done good. Our prayer-meeting was thin. ' Hetween Adolphus J. Stone, of Scantic, ington, were appointed to have the super- and Laura Mayes, of liast Hartford. vision of this fund. ' Jedediah Morse, D. D., father of Ameri- * Ilis nephew, J.imcs W. Robbins, who can geography. had just been graduated at Yale College. ' Dr. Solomon Everest, of Canton, left a ' Smith's .ycr/w.wt, once before mentioned, legacy to the Connecticut Mi.ssionary .Society were from the pen of Samuel .Stanhope and the General Association to be disposed Smith, D. H., LI.. I)., professor in the Col- of for benevolent purposes according to lege of New Jersey, and vice-president of their discretion. It was decided at first to the same. lie was an accomplished scholar give the income of it to some needy and and writer. lie died in 1S19, at the age of worthy young man at Yale College studying sixty-nine. His sermons, in two volumes, for the ministry. IJr. Robbins, Rev. Jcrc- were published in 1S21, and held a high place miah Ilallock, and Ur. Nuah Porter, of Farm- in our religious literature. l822.] PASTOR INT EAST WINDSOR. 907 12. Read Dwiglit's Travels} We have some difficulty about our singing- school ; but I trust it will do well It gives me anxiety. In the evening rode to Windsor to exchange. 13. Mr. Rowland rode to East Windsor. Preached on Ps. cxix : 6, and I Cor. ii : 9. Rode home with Mr. and Mrs. Haskell. Preached in the evening at Pine Meadow without notes on .^cts iii : 26. Preached too long. Very tired. 14. Cold. Rode to Long Meadow. Looked over pamphlets. The Will- iams family have a valuable collection, but wish to retain them. Rode to Enfield. Paid Mrs. Storrs° $7.00, for two volumes of the Christian Observer in numbers, and .75 for pamphlets. 15. Rode to Wethersfield and attended ministers' meeting. The meeting- house here has been very much injured by a violent wind. Tobacco fields are very green and growing. 16. We had a hard frost. Till now vegetation in many places has not been checked. We had a good meeting. Rode home. A boy in our family is quite unwell. A Baptist meeting was held here last Sabbath. Received a letter from my brother at Lenox. Read. Mr. Eells began a regular study of divinity. Paid a post office bill of S3. 80. Read Mr. Stiles's election sermon, A. D. 1742.^ 17. Wrote. Walked and visited. Visited a school. Quite warm. Tar- ried out. We have a great crop of corn. 18. Visited the sick. Read. At evening our meeting was thin. It is a time of great stupidity with us. 19. Spent the most of the day in visiting the sick. We have a very unusual number, and some cases very bad. Could not write a sermon as I designed. Very warm. 20. Expounded on Acts iv : 31 to v: 11. Preached an old sermon on Ex. x : 17. Visited the sick. Went into the singing-school. It appears well. 21. Am pretty feeble. Visited. Read. On the 19th received a letter from Dr. Perkins to call the Consociation to a special meeting at Farmington. I hope some of our sick ones are a little better. Hindered by company. 22. Rode to Scantick and attended the funeral of Lieut. Ell.swonh.' He has lived with his wife, now a widow, sixty-four years. Visited. Wrote to Mrs. Storrs, of Longmeadow. Quite cold. Mr. Bulkley' officiated at the funeral. ' In New England and New York, in ' This was Rev. Isaac Stiles (father of four volumes, 1822. President Stiles), pastor at North Haven, Ct., = The widow of Rev. Richard Salter 1724-1760. He was a native of Windsor, and Storrs, of Longmeadow, who died in 1819. was fitted for college by Rev. Timothy Ed- Rev. Mr. Storrs's first wife was Sally Willis- wards, father of Jonathan, ton, of East Haven, Ct. She died in 1798, * Lieut. Solomon Ellsworth, previously and his second wife, who survived him, was mentioned. Sarah Williams, granddaughter of Dr. Ste- s This must have been Rev. Gershom Hulk- phen Williams, first minister of Long- ley, from 1778 to 1S08 pastor of the north meadow parish in Middletown, Ct. (now Cromwell). goS DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1822. 23. Rode to Hartford. Borrowed money at the bank. Paid Hudson for rny carpet, $22.50. I had paid $20.00 for it before. Paid Scarboro, Sio.oo. Paid Corning, for shoes for mother, $3.50. Paid Dewey, towards my book- case, $20.00. For paper, $2.47. For a book, $2. 00. Attended to the busi- ness of the insane institution. Cold. We have hard frosts. 24. Rode to Vernon and attended the funeral of a man who died at Hartford. Ecclesiastical matters there are not in a verj' good state. Came and tarried at Wapping. 25. Visited the sick. God is very good in sparing them. Read. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Had a good prayer-meeting. Gave the biography of Jacob. 26. Wrote the most of a sermon on Jonah ii : 8. Wrote late. The sick- ness at New Orleans and Pensacola is very severe. 27. Finished and preached my sermon on Jonah ii : 8. Preached with old notes on Matt, xxvii : 54. At evening attended conference. Very chilly. Tarried out. 28. On the 2Sth wrote a will for Mr. Sadd. Quite rainy all day. Visited the sick. Read. Wrote. Prepared for my journey. 29. Rode to Hartford. Rode to Middletown and attended a meeting to organize the insane institution. The meeting was large and respectable. Returned with Mr. Imlay to Hartford, and in the evening rode to Farmington to attend Consociation, which met there today to attend to a difficulty in the church. 30. Am very kindly entertained at Gen. Cowles." In the morning was chosen scribe of Conso on the resignation of Mr. McLean. Were all day and evening hearing witnesses and lawyers. 31. Wrote very late last night on a result for the Conso. We were very intent in deliberation all day. We were not well agreed in opinion. The people here express much anxiety on the result.' November. 1. Last night wrote very late on a result, till after two o'clock. It received some alterations from the committee, and on being presented to the Conso it passed unanimously. It was read in public, and I hope will do good. Rode home. Quite cold. Am much fatigued. Received a letter from my cousin J. W. Robbins. 2. Wrote to my brother Francis. Read. Wrote. Can do but little. Read old confessions of faith. 3. Expounded on Acts v : 12-33. Preached an old sermon on Ps. xiv : 7. He was a native of Wethcrsfield, and after liiilUley was called to attend this funeral, leaving the ministry at Middletown, seems only that Mrs. Ellsworth was a native of to have made his home at Wethcrsfield. He Glastonbury, Ct. (opposite Wethersfield), and was a descendant of I'eter liulkley, the first Rev. Mr. Bulkley may have been of her minister of Concord, Mass. (1636), through kindred or early acquaintance. Rev. Gershom liulkley of New London, Cl., ' Gen. George Cowles. and Rev. John liulkley, pastor at Colchester, " The points at issue in tins controversy Ct., 1703-1731 We do not know why Mr. are not given. l822.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 909 Full meeting. At evening attended the conference. Examined a school- master. 4. Read. We have quite frosty nights. Wrote. At evening attended the monthly prayer-meeting. Tarried out. 5. Visited the sick and others. Was out all day. I hope our sick are a little gaining. I do not perform so much in an equal time in visiting as I used to do. 6. Have many interruptions in study. Hindered by company. Dined out. Read. At evening attended the church conference. On the 4th wrote to my brother at Enfield. We have very fine weather. 7. Wrote. Rode to Hartford and attended the meeting of the managers of the Hartford Connecticut Missionary Society. Its prospects are encourag- ing. My health is better than usual. God be thanked. 8. Wrote a piece for the newspapers. Rode to Hartford quickly, and carried it. Hindered. Read the Bible. Attended the evening prayer- meeting. 9. Hard sick all day. A severe pain in my head, and fever. At evening took an emetic, which operated powerfully, and gave me some relief. After a little time in the morning kept my bed entirely. 10. Am relieved, through great mercy, and sat up some. I think I took cold on Friday. Sent to Hartford, and Mr. Whittlesey," very kindly, came up and preached. Yesterday received a letter from my brother. Last evening my cousin James ^ came here, going to Enfield to keep their school. 11. Am gaining a little, but am quite feeble. .\m not able to read. Took physic. Received a letter from Mr. Ely, of Simsbury. 12. Went down stairs for the first time since Saturday morning. Worked at my pamphlets. It is difficult for me to find employment. 13. Read a little. My head is very weak and irritable. Worked some at pamphlets. Wrote a little. Cannot bear much attention. 14. On the 8th got me a valuable pair of boots ; gave an order on my collector of $7.00. Quite rainy all day. Worked at my pamphlets. The rain is very acceptable, as the wells are uncommonly low. 15. Last night old Mr. Tudor had a hard paralytic shock, and now lies very low and speechless. Visited him ; the first time I have been into the street during my illness. In the afternoon rode out a little way. Received a letter from Mr. Ely, of Simsbury. 16. Walked out. Worked at my pamphlets. I have a great many dupli- cates. Have expected to be able to preach tomorrow, but conclude I cannot. Mr. Tudor will not recover. Read the ISihlc. 17. Attended meeting. Had sermons read. Performed the other exer- cises. Full meeting, and a very pleasant day. At evening attended confer- ' Rev. Samuel Whittlesey, graduated at = His nephew, James Watson Robbins, of Yale in 1803, had been settled at New Pres- Lenox, who had been disappointed about his ton, Ct., 1S07-1S17, was now teaching at expected school in Windsor, had obtained a Hartford. He died in 1S42. school in Enfield. 9IO DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1822. ence, but did but little. Am ver)- feeble for speaking. Mr. Tudor is very low. Read the Bible. 18. Had a joiner to work for me. Was with him considerably. Mr. Joseph Emerson and his wife' dined here, and stayed some time. Wet. At evening my brother Frank and wife came here to see me and tarried. Am better today than I feared. 19. Last night we had a hard rain. My brother and wife went ofT. Worked at my chamber. Paid my joiner for work, $1.25, .50 of which I charge to Dewey, my cabinet-maker. Paid for a piece of furniture, made some time ago, $4.50. Wrote for Mr. Wolcott. In the evening my good friend Mr. Tudor' died, aged eighty-five. I was at the house soon after. 20. Visited. Attended to my pamphlets. Walked to the Hill. Visited on the way. Have not walked so far before since my illness. Received an esteemed present of $5.00. Tarried out. 21. Was carried home. Cold. Read. At evening Rev. Mr. Benedict, of Pawtucket,^ an open communion Baptist, came here and tarried. He is collecting historical documents. T estimated the two hundred and six churches of this Slate to contain one hundred and fifty communicants each. I easily get fatigued. Visited sick persons. 22. Labeled my pamphlets. Afternoon attended the funeral of Mr. Tudor. Very rainy. Got some wet, but took no cold. Read the Bible. 23. Last night we had a very heavy rain. On the 20th wrote to Mr. Ely, of Simsbury. Spent the most of the day visiting the sick. Wrote. Received a letter from Gen. Howe, of New Haven, with a large packet containing Locke's TFor/^s and one hundred pamphlets, which I selected from the stock of the former Mr. Whittlesey,' of New Haven, which were given me in September. 24. I am but poorly able to study. Preached an old sermon on Ps. c.x.\xvii : 5, 6. Afternoon was quite long. Spoke nuich better than I expected, but was quite exhausted. At evening rode out and visited a woman very sick. Quite cold. 25. Rode to Hartford. Got ninety pampiilets, given me by Mr. Board- man, nephew and heir of the late Rev. Mr. ]?oardman.' Did errands. Bad riding. The river is high. 26. Rode out and visited the sick. Worked at my library. Wrote. Read the Bible. 27. Wrote the most of a sermon for Thanksgiving. Hindered. Visited the sick. Wrote in the nisht till two o'clock. ' Rev. Joseph Emerson and fiis wife, from Mrs. Gri.swold's — Dr. Eliliu Tudor, S.imuel Beverly, Ma-ss. Mr. Emerson was a native Tudor, and Mrs. Rlioda (Tudor) Grisvvold. of Hollis, N. H., a graduate of liarvard, 1798, ' Probably Kcv. D.avid Benedict, D. D., a pastor of the Third Church, Beverly, 1803- graduate of Brown University, 1806, and 1816, when he established a school in Bev- afterward connected with Shurtleff College, eriy which was a well-known and honored 111., which was chartered in 1835. institution. * Rev. Chaunccy Whittlesey, First Church, - He was the youngest of that circle of New Haven, 175S-1787. three — brothers and sister — that had been ' Kcv. Benjamin Hoardman,. South Church, wont to dine together once a year at old Hartford, 17S4, to his death, 1S02. l822.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 911 28. Thanksgiving. Finished and preached my sermon on Eccles. vii : 14.' Quite wet. Meeting pretty thin. 29. Quite unwell with headache and dysentery. Scarcely went out. Could not attend our evening; meeting. 30. Looked over pamphlets. Examined and disapproved of a school- master. Am much better than yesterday, through great mercy. Read expositors. December. 1. Performed my duties, though pretty feeble. Forenoon expounded from Acts v : 33 to the end of the 6th. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Mark viii : 34. Very tired. At evening attended our singing-school. It does well. Mr. Colton,' of Monson, came here and tarried. Wet and warm. 2. Read. Can do but little. Rode out. At evening attended our monthly concert. Tarried out. Visited the sick. Cool. 3. It snowed all day. Rode to Hartford and attended the meeting of the society for the relief of the insane. The votes for the location of the institu- tion were unanimous for Hartford. At evening attended the meeting of the directors. Rode home late. Very bad riding. 4. . Very cold. Thermometer about 7° or 8°. Wrote. Rode to Hartford and attended the meeting of the directors for the insane. Returned in the evening. The ground hard frozen. Visited. 5. Thermometer about 10°. Am troubled with a lame back. Kept house the most of the day. Looked over manuscripts. I believe I have never lost a sermon that I have written. Examined and approved a school- master. Wrote. 6. Wrote to Howe & Spaulding, New Haven, and to the Librarian,^ of Yale College. Thermometer 27°. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. Spoke long on the life of Joseph. Last Sabbath we had considerable thunder. That day put on my flannel. 7. Wrote the most of a sermon on Rom. ii : 6-1 1. Have many inter- ruptions. Wrote four and one half p.iges in the evening. Weather more moderate. • 8. Finished my sermon begun yesterday, and preached it both parts of the day. Quite pleasant. At evening attended the conference. Read the President's^ Message. Not so good as usual. It is pagan.' 9. Wrote. Visited a school. Visited an aged sick woman. 10. Read. Mr. Hawes," late of Glastonbury, called here. Visited our ■ Text, " Be not overmuch wicked, neither ' The Librarian of Yale College then was be thou foolish: Why shouklst thou die Prof. James L. Kingsley, LL. D. before thy time .' " A quaint te.xt for Thanks- < James Monroe, on the second year of giving. his second term. » Rev. Simeon Colton, D. D., native of ' Dr. Robbins was rough on Democratic Longmeadow, graduate of Yale, 1S06, pastor Presidents and Governors. at Monson from 181 1 to 1821, a very success- ' Rev. Prince Hawes, a native of Warren, ful Principal of Monson Academy, and later, Ct. He left GListonbury in 1S20, and later President of Mississippi College. was settled in Woodbridge, Ct. 912 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l82 2. academy. It is in a very good state. Have great difficulty in getting the assistance of scliool visitors. Visited the sick. Tarried out. 11. Visited the sick. Very pleasant. Thermometer about temperate. Visited a school. At evening rode to Vernon and performed a marriage.' Tarried there. 12. Rode home. Wrote. Visited a school. All of our schools, including the academy, except Wapping, are taught by persons belonging to the respective districts. Took cold. 13. Am something unwell. Have a very unexpected trial in society matters. Visited. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Quite thin. Paid a highway tax of .39. Tarried out. 14. Wet and rainy. Visited. Received a letter from Obadiah H. Hul- bert. Read expositors. The ground is quite open. 15. Expounded on Acts vii : 1-17, and preached with old notes on John xvii : 17. Very windy and tedious. Quite tired. 16. Our society matters are in considerable agitation. Thermometer this moniing at 12°. Wrote. Visited a school. Visited. 17. Rode to Wapping and visited their two schools. The ground is hard frozen. Tarried at Wapping. 18. Visited families all day. I hope some of the people here will unite with our society. I get along very slow in visiting. My nervous system is much affected. 19. Rainy. Visited and rode home. Much fatigued. Our society mat- ters give me great concern. Our help is in the God of heaven. Received a letter from my brother, and one from his son, G. A. Alden.^ Attended our singing-school. 20. Wrote. Was taken last night with an ague in my face, and am quite ill. Attended to my pupil, Mr. Eells. At evening went a Utile while into our prayer-meeting. 21. Last night I became very unwell in the night with severe distress in my head. I believe I took cold by going out in the evening. Had a very sick day. Never left my bed, except to have it made in the evening. My physician concludes it may proceed from the local affection in my face. In the evening my brother Frank and wife came here on their return from Nor- folk. We were expecting to exchange tomorrow. Mother is unexpectedly well. I am very weak. Our society voted to sell the pews of the meeting- house. 22. My brother and wife w^ent early to Enliekl. Mr. Woodbridge,' of Hartford, came here, at my request, very kindly, and conducted the meeting. He is feeble, and preached but one sermon. There was one sermon read. ' The persons married were Jchicl Fuller He was .1 clcsccnd.-»nt of Tiniotliy Wood- and lictscy Corning, both of Vernon. bridge, minister of the First Church, Hart- ' This G. S. Alden was his brother's step- ford, 1685-1732. His name was William, son. born in 1755, graduated at Yale, 1780, and ' This Mr. Woodbridpe, though bearing died in Franklin, Ct., in 1S36. He was the the title of Rev., was known as a teacher. first Principal of Exetei Academy, N. H. l822.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 913 Two young women were propounded to the church. Weather pleasant. I am much better, through divhie mercy, though quite weak. Had company. 23. Mr. Woodbridge went off early. Cold and very windy. Am much better. Notwithstanding my weak state I rode out in the afternoon, about a mile, and tarried over night. Our society matters appear to be in a very critical state. My help and hope are in God, who has often appeared for us in times of danger. 24. Was carried home. Thermometer this morning at 8°. Slept very little last night. The pews of the meeting-house were sold with great har- mony, and produced nearly $550.00. A very great and most unexpected blessing. It is the good work of God. I hope never to forget his great mercies. An aged man' died today. 25. The ground hard frozen. Read a little. Dined at Dr. Tudor's. My face is very tender. Thermometer 15°. 26. Walked out a little and visited. Attended the funeral of Capt. Mills. The last six persons who have died here were of the average age of eighty-one and one half years. Wrote. Thermometer this morning about 15°. 27. In the forenoon instructed Tudor's school. Visited. Yesterday received some very une.xpected information. The late sale of the pews in the meeting-house seems to have had a verj' favorable effect, and to have given new life to our society. It is the work of a most gracious God. My nervous affections are very bad. Paid for two leather straps to inter the dead, $1.75. Thermometer this morning 8°. 28. I am quite feeble. Began to write a sermon on John vi : 39, 40, but was so weak I could not write but little. Ur. Lord, a candidate, called on me. Mr. Parmalee,^ of Bolton, died yesterday. A most mysterious dispensa- tion. Received two good loads of wood from Wapping. Assisted in examin- ing a school-master. My nervous affections are distressing. 29. Thermometer about 12°. Preached an old sermon on Rom. vi : i, 2. The people took their new seats, and appear well. Our new singers were introduced, and performed well. Was very hoarse, and spoke with great difficulty. Did not go out in the evening. The Baptists here are making great exertions. 30. Rode out. The ground very hard. Visited a school. Visited. Read. Wrote. Was up late. 31. Thermometer about 11°. Read. Wrote. Had comp.iny. Read Trumbull's I/isfory of Connecticut. Our society held their annual meeting, which was harmonious and favorable. The great God has mercifully pre- served me through various changes another year. In mercies and afflictions he is always holy. ■ Capt. Roswell Mills, aged eighty-four. was settled in 181 5, and died a young man = Rev. Philander Parmalee, successor to in December, 1S22. He was graduated at Rev. George Colton in the church of Bolton, Yale College in the class of 1S09. 1823. January. 1. Endeavored to commit myself to the keeping and disposal of a holy God for the ensuing year. It is my great desire that I may increase in use- fulness. It snowed all day. Read History of Connecticut.^ Paid a tailoress, 60. 2. Walked and visited all day. Sleighs move considerably. The snow thaws. I believe I am much in want of e.xercise, and that I have taken quite too little for a year past. Received a letter from Howe & Spaulding, New Haven, and one from my brother. 3. Wrote notes and preached a preparatory lecture on Rom. viii : 35. The roads quite wet. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Was better able to speak than I expected. Visited. 4. Wrote to my brother. Wrote a sermon for New Year's on Rev. iii : 2, 3. Received a letter from Dr. Flint. Received a bundle of books from New Haven, Sir W. Jones's JVori-s,- which makes a ver)' valuable addition to my library. 5. Finished notes which I began on Friday, and preached in the forenoon on John i: 11. Afternoon preached the sermon written yesterday. It snowed and hailed the most of the day. Quite tedious. Thin meeting. Administered the sacrament. The church was thin. Much fatigued. Ther- mometer in the morning 18°. Wrote. Received a letter from Mrs. Skinner, of Hartford. 6. Very cold and tedious. Dined with the civil authority of tiie town. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Quite thin. 7. Thermometer in the morning 7°. Rode early to Hartford. Very cold and frosty. Crossed on the ice. Good sleighing. Attended the meeting of the society for the insane, and of the directors of the same. Got home late. Paid for books, $1.20. Saw my nephew, William Lawrence. My mother is well. Thermometer in the evening 5°. 8. Thermometer in the morning 8°. Rode to Vernon and performed a marriage.' The people there had a meeting yesterday on the subject of giving Mr. Gaylord a call. Vote 20 for, and 35 against it. Read Calder- wood's C/u/ri-/i of Scotland.* Wrote. Attended the church conference. I think these meetings are useful. > Dr. Benjamin Trumbull's. Palmer, Mass., and Thankful Fuller. Rev. ^ An edition of Sir William Jones's Wr.iduatcd at Andovcr • Kev. Cyrus Byington was a native of in 1S19. lie died in the town of Belpre, Stockbridge, Mass., but his home was in Ohio, December 31, 1S6S. 1823-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 919 9. Thermometer about 8°. Weather moderates. Preached with old notes on Isa. xxvi : 20. Meeting pretty solemn. At evening attended con- ference. Quite tired, but I think I have more strength, through great mercy, than I have had. TO. Walked out and visited. Read. Had company. Read Sir W. Jones. Visited with company. 11. Rode to Suffield and visited Col. Leavitt ; a large and very valuab'e collection of coins. About two hundred of copper, and a good many of silver. I think the collection will be useful. It thaws considerably, and the sleighing is poor. 12. It snowed considerably. Attended to the revision of my librarj-. Read. Walked out and visited. 13. Rode to Wapping and visited. Visited a school. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Quite full. My biographical lectures ' seem to be much liked. 14. Rode and visited at the two ends of the society. Visited sick persons. At night we had a hard snow-storm. 15. The snow is now more than a foot deep. Wrote on a sermon begim a week ago. I write slow. Have many trials. 16. Thermometer at 8°, and did not exceed about 20°. Finished and preached my sermon on Matt, v : 18. Preached long. The divine law is an excellent subject. Quite fatigued. At evening wrote. 17. Looked over and filed my letters. They have been neglected for three years. Thermometer in the morning 12° below zero. The coldest morning since winter before last. At evening rode out and visited. We have a pretty heavy body of snow. Paid a blacksmith, $1.62. Paid Si. 00, my annual payment to the Agricultural Society. 18. Thermometer 8°. Rode to Northington^ and attended ministers' meeting. Afternoon it snowed, and was very blustering. Our meeting has become small. 19. Rode home. Did errands at Hartford. Have had a good many books bound lately. Borrowed money at the bank. Severe cold. Dr. Tudor is quite low. 20. Worked at my papers. Had company. Walked out and visited. Am pretty feeble. Thermometer 15°. 21. Thermometer 18°. Am considerably taken up with my pupil, Mr. Eells. Preached at Northington on Tuesday on Matt, v : 18. Wrote. Rode out and visited the sick and others. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. Quite thin. 22. Visited. Worked arranging papers. At evening rode to Scantick to exchange. The snow is pretty deep. 23. Mr. Bartlett rode down and supplied my pulpit. Preached on Matt. ' On Bible char.icters. He has had one = .Vvon. As Northington, it was a parish on Jacob, and one on Joseph. in the town of Farmington. 920 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1823. v: iS. Full meeting. At evening attended a conference at Wapping. It thawed considerably. Exceeding tired. 24. It snowed steadily last night, and through the day. Thermometer about 24°. Am quite feeble. Worked at my library. Read. 25. Employed with my books, numbering and putting in my name. Worked making paths. People went out breaking roads. Can bear but little labor. 26. Cold and snows some. Am still attending to my books. They have not been looked over for a good while. Thermometer this morning at i'^. Kept a school a little while. I fear some of my books are lost. 27. Thermometer i6°. Visited the sick who are now convalescing. A righteous God afflicts me in infinite holiness. I pray that it may be for my best good. It is said the snow is more than two feet deep, and very solid. I do but little. Wrote. 28. Thermometer this morning 9^° below zero. The coldest we have had this year. It fell near two degrees after sunrise with a clear sky. Worked early at my wood. Received a letter from Mr. Gideon Burt, of Longmeadow. Wrote. Read the Bible. Attended our prayer-meeting. The thermometer rose with clear sun to 15°, but later in the evening it was the same as in the morning. March. 1. Wrote a sermon on Amos iv : 12. Wrote one half of it before dinner, and the other half after supper. Hindered by company. Mr. Bradford Marcy' called on me. I told him he should be welcome to stay with me over the .Sabbath, but I should not want any assistance in preaching. I think it would not be right to ask him to preach. Thermometer in the morning at 6° below zero, but it rose to near 30°. Wrote late. 2. Thermometer 14° and rose to the freezing point. Expounded on Acts viii: 1-25, and preached on Amos iv : 12. Full meeting. Very good sleigh- ing. At evening read. Did not go out. 3. Thermometer in the morning 10°. At noon it was 9°, and the highest in the afternoon 11°. With a clear sun all day, the snow did not thaw at all on the south roof. Windy and tedious. Wrote. Worked at my books. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Very thin. Thermometer 6° below zero. Mr. Wolcott rode in the evening to Pine Meadow. The roads very bad with drifts. 4. Thermometer 6° below zero. Last evening Frances Haskell gave birth to a daughter. The weather moderates in some degree. Wrote. At evening attended our church conference. Quite thin. Wrote a subscription paper to purchase a missionary field. 5. Rode early to Longmeadow, and attended the ordination of Mr. Dickinson.' The parts were well performed, and there was a great concourse • Mr. Bradford Marcy. Amherst, Mass., 179S. graduated at Yale, • Rev. Baxter Dickinson, D. D., born in 1817, and at Andover, 1821, pastor at Long- •823.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 921 of people. The prospects are very good. .\t evening returned to Pi-v Meadow. The day verj- comfortable. It the evening it began to rain :i little. 6. It rained without intermission through last night, and all day. Some of the time quite hard. Did not go out. Read. Frances has been very ill, but appears to be doing well. 7. The water of the river is so raised that we cannot cross on the ice. Rode home by way of Hartford. Poor sleighing. Much damage is appre- hended from the rain. Streams are high. The quantity of snow was very great. More than half of it remains. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. 8. Thermometer about 25°. It thawed a good deal. The roads ver)^ wet. Walked out. Am quite languid. Felt unable to write or study much. Worked some at my books. Read. Paid a blacksmith, .75. 9. Am very poorly prepared for the duties of the Sabbath. Thermometer above freezing all day, and rose to 40°. The sleighing very poor. Very bad going. Preached with old notes on Eph. ii : 12. Read. Read the Bible. 10. Colder. The ground appears considerably. Worked at my librar}-. Wrote. At evening performed a marriage. 11. Rode to Wapping and visited a man very sick. It snowed and rained considerably. Mr. Wolcott returned from Torringford in a tedious storm. Wrote. Last night wrote very late. 12. Rode to Orford and attended the funeral of Harvey Strong, who was buried here. Bad traveling. The new snow went off. Read. 13. Rode to Hartford. The riding verj' bad. Saw my brother Ammi there. Mother, he says, is quite comfortable. Received of the PhcEni.x Bank a large dividend of $71.25. Paid for four numbers of Clarke's Bible, $6.00. Closed my account with the estate of J. R. Scarboro, and paid S3. 40. For other things, $3.13. There appears to be a prospect of se%'ere and speedy war in Europe. I did not think tiie nations would act with such consummate folly.' 14. Finished the long task I have had in revising and arranging my library. It has been long neglected, and was much more laborious than I expected. Wet and rainy all day. Had no evening meeting. Wrote. Paid brother Frank $20.00 on a note. 15. Cold and tedious. Visited a sick man at Wapping. Rode to Enfield. Crossed and re-crossed at Warehouse Point.'' The river is open there, though the ice generally reniains above Hartford. The riding was very bad. Mrs. Haskell gets better. 16. Rode early, quite cold, to Longmeadow, to exchange with Mr. Dick- meadow, 1823-1829, pastor of Third Presby- understand. There seems to have been no terian Church, Newark, N. J., 1829-1835, large warlike movement in Europe in 1S23, professor in Lane and Auburn Theological justifying this statement. His entry was Seminaries, 1S35-1847, secretary, teacher, etc., based probably upon some false report which died in Brooklyn, N. Y., 1S75, aged eighty. had been put in circulation. ' What this language means we do not ^ In the ferry-boat. 922 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['823. inson, who went to East Windsor last evening. Preached on Rom. x : 8, 9, and Rev. xxii : 9. The congregation appear well, and are much pleased in having a minister.' At evening walked out. 17. Rode to Springfield and called on Mr. Osgood." Am trying to pur- chase a horse, and find it very difficult to procure one. Dined at Mr. Burt's,' Longmeadow. The riding very bad. Rode home. 18. Read. The European news excites great attention.* Wrote. Rainy. We had a considerable thunder-shower. The ground is very wet, which was much needed. 19. My nervous affection is very alarming. Read Gi! Bias}' Walked out and visited. The ground begins to settle. My visiting has been much neglected. 20. It snowed fast and witliout intermission all day. Looked over my sermons. I fear I have lost some. My preaching account has been long neglected. Expected to have visited schools tod.iy, but was prevented by the storm. Wrote. 21. The snow is nearly a foot and a half deep. The deepest we have had this year. Rode to Wapping and attended a funeral' lilustering and tedious. Visited. Tarried out. 22. In the forenoon visited the North Wapping school. The snow thaws very- fast. Thermometer rose to 48°. Visited. Read. 23. \\'rote notes, quite short, and preached in the forenoon on Ps. cxl : 6. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Ps. xvi : 1 1. Thermometer was above 50°. The snow goes very fast. It is a great benefit to the ground. Had no conference. A man died here this morning, in middle life, of intemperance. 24. Am considerably taken up with Mr. Eells.' Rode to the Hill, and visited and catechised a school. Attended at our singing-school. Am pretty feeble. 25. On the 23d received a letter from my sister. Began a sermon for Fast on Matt, xxiv : 42, 43, 44. Attended the funeral of a man who died of intemperance. A very trying scene. Rode to Wapping and visited a school. Visited a sick man. The roads very muddy. Went into our singing-school. 26. Wrote on my sermon for Fast. Wrote slow. Afternoon and evening it snowed hard. 27. Visited the Long Hill school, and the academy. Both veiy well instructed. I think our academy has never appeared better. The snow goes off very fast. Wrote quite late. 28. Fast. Wrote three pages ; finished and preached my sermon on Matt, xxiv: 22, 23, 24. Meetings quite full. Not so much fatigued as I expected. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. ' They had a wise, able, judicious man. ' The celebrated but not very elevating " Samuel Osgood, D. D., pastor of First story, by Alain l>e .Sage, of lirittany, France. Church. ' Robert Colson, .iged forty-two. ^ Mr. Gideon Burt's. ' His theological student and teacher of 'Perhaps later entries may reveal what the academy at the Hill. Dr. Robbins always he had in mind when he wrote this sentence. enjoyed the business of teaching. 1823.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 923 29. Wrote. Walked out and visited. Read. Tiiere seems to be a general impression that there will be an extensive war in Europe." 30. Expounded on Acts viii : 26 to the end, and preached an old sermon on John iii : 14. Afternoon and through the night we had a violent snow- storm. We have had a great quantity of snow the present month. 31. The snow is eight or nine inches deep. Worked at pamphlets. Read. Wrote. The ground is probably more wet than it has been for two or three years. Rode to the lower part of Scantick, and performed a marri.ige.' April. 1. In the forenoon kept Tudor's school. Thermometer rose to 53°. The snow goes, but it is very heavy. Visited. Read. Received a letter from Mr. S. S. Stebbins, of Simsbury, inviting me to his wedding. 2. Wrote to Mrs. Heber Hooker, Genesee. On the 31st ult. wrote to Mrs. Eells,^ of Barkhamsted. Yesterday Mr. Eells went home for a vacation. Thermometer yesterday 52°, today 58°, and the snow yet continues. Wrote. Worked at my library. The ground is very wet. 3. Wrote. Visited. Afternoon visited Tudor's school. It appeared and performed exceeding well. Wrote to S. F. Bradford, of Philadelphia, and to William Rockwell," Yale College. 4. Rode to Hartford. The roads settle considerably. Paid for a demi- john, $1.25 ; for corks, $1.50; for other things, $1.28. Quite cold and windy. Preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on i Cor. v : 8. Did not attend our evening prayer-meeting. Hindered by company. Wrote. 5. Wrote the most of a sermon on Luke xvii : 22. Have many hin- drances. Wrote to Barber & Robinson, Hartford. Worked at my wood. 6. Finished and preached in the afternoon my sermon on Luke xvii : 22. In the forenoon preached with old notes on Micah iv : 5. Received a young woman' into the church. Administered the sacrament. The church was pretty full. We had a solemn day. I pray God to add his blessing. We have excellent singing. At evening attended the conference. Very tired. 7. Worked some. Opened the Freemen's Meeting. Our election this year excites but little interest. Thermometer at 60°. Yesterday it was at 66°. At evening it rained hard, and prevented our monthly prayer-meeting. Wrote. 8. Worked piling wood. Read. Rode to Hartford. The river rises. Was requested to compile a volume. The Democratic party in the State appears to be dividing. Read. 9. Had information from Col. Leavitt,' of Suffield, that he will sell his ' The difficulties, such as they were, seem * William Rockwell was in the senior to have been obviated without this war. class at Yale, just about to graduate. He - Between John Richardson, of Windsor, was later in life Judge of the Superior Court and Emily Marble, of Scantic. in the State of New York, and died in 1856. ' Rev. Ozias Eells, her husband, died in ' Lucretia Grant 1S13. She was the mother of Ozias S. Eells, ' Whom Dr. Robbins visited a short time who was teaching at East Windsor, and study- before, for the purpose of inspecting his ing theology with Dr. Robbins. collection of coins. 924 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['823. coins. I think it will be best for me to buy them. Am taken up some with instruction. Visited a school. Made a plan for a plain book-case for pam- phlets. My cousin Francis Alden ' came here, lately coine in from a whaling voyage, and went on to Enfield. Attended our church conference. 10. Wrote. Visited a school. Rode to Wapping, and attended the funeral of Capt. Culver. Visited. 11. Worked bottling two hundred and forty bottles of cider. Received a letter from S. F. Bradford,' of Philadelphia, and several pamphlets by mail. Quite cold. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Read. i:;. Visited. I think the internal state of France appears quite threaten- ing. They appear to be wholly unqualified for a representative government. On the 10th received a valuable present of a small volume, and several pam- phlets from Rev. Mr. Sprague,^ of West Springfield. Wrote. Rode to East Hartford to e.\change. 13. Preached on Rev. x.xii : 9, and Luke xvii : 22. The congregation was large. Warm. Mr. Fairchild rode to East Windsor, and returned after meeting. In the evening preached at a conference without notes on Luke i.x : 30,31. Rode home. The Baptists had their first sacrament here today. It excited much attention. Very tired. 14. Am quite feeble. Rode to Wapping. Visited. Paid for a half ) ear's bringing of the Recorder, .46. Read. The spring advances. People begin to plough. Wrote. 15. Wrote a contract for two neighbors. Rode to Wintonbury and attended ministers' meeting. Dr. Perkins was with us. Had a good meeting. Paid a inerchant, $5.00. 16. Returned. Spent some time in Hartford. There is likely to be more building there the present year than at any former year. Dr. Flint is pretty poor. I feel very anxious about him. Paid my annual subscription to the Insane Retreat, $4.00. Paid a merchant, $10.00. Paid for a ring, for a dona- tion, $2.75. For articles for book-case, $1.43. Paid the bank, $1.63. Warm. 17. Worked ploughing the garden, and setting out maple-trees. The thermometer rose above 82°. Rode to Wapping. 18. Read. Began a long sermon on the subject of future punishment. May God enable me to write in such a manner as to please him. Visited. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 19. Walked out and visited. Wrote to my brother. Wrote on my sermon on Ezek. xiii : 22. Vegetation advances rapidly. 20. Wet. Thin meeting. Preached with old notes on Matt, xi : 28, and on Ezek. xiii : 22. Am quite nervous. At evening began a sermon for a singing-lecture on Ps. 1 : 23. Attended a little while at our singing-school. ' This was not, as might at first be sup- i.nm IJradford, of Plymouth. This S. F., of posed, G. .S. Aider, his brother Fr.incis's Philadelphia, may have been the son of stepson, who had made his friends some William Uradford, of Philadelphia, an cmi- trouble, but probably Francis I,., of New nent hnvyer and judge, and Attorney-General Bedford. of the United States. " Dr. Robbins was descended from Will- ^ Dr. William B. Sprague. 1823.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 925 21. Rode to Suffield with Horace Wolcott, and purchased Col. Leavitt's coins. They consist of eighty-four of silver, weighing about twenty-eight ounces; one hundred and ninety-eight of copper, sixteen of alloy, five med.ils and three calendars of metallic composition ; in the whole two hundred and ninety-eight. The coins are of many different countries, and some of them quite old. I paid for them, $100.00. He and his father' have been many years in making the collection. I think this collection ought to be preserved, and it is likely it would have gone out of the State if I had not taken it. Quite warm. The river is high. They take some shad. In the evening wrote a little, but was very tired. 22. Finished my sermon before noon. I have not written so rapidly for a long time. Wrote six pages, five and one half in four hours. Preached at the singing-lecture. The performance of the singers was excellent ; for the term of their instruction uncommon. We had many people from out of town who expressed much approbation. The day very fine. My brother and his wife were here. Very tired. 23. Read. Showery. Wrote. Visited. Gave a poor man, .75. 24. Read. Walked out and visited. Quite cold. My people appear to be in a very stupid state. 25. Last night it froze a good deal. Worked considerably. Assisted in raising a fence. At evening spoke at a prayer-meeting on the life of David. The meeting pretty thin. Wrote on my long sermon. 26. Wrote on my sermon ; four pages in the forenoon, four in the after- noon, and four in the evening. Wrote pretty fast. My tremor is better than it has been. Am pretty feeble. I fear I shall not write as well on I'niver- salism as I ought. The ground has become quite dr}'. 27. Warm and dusty. Wrote four pages, and preached on Ezek. xiii : 22. Full meeting. My discourse is like to be quite long. At evening attended the conference. Much fatigued with speaking. 28. Worked at my chamber. Took up my carpet. Am pretty feeble. Read. 29. Rode to West Hartford. Am unable to find a suitable horse to pur- chase. Quite dusty. A frame of a Baptist meeting-house was raised in this neighborhood, forty-two by thirty, with fourteen feet posts. It is my cross and affliction.' I hope to be profited by it. Our people suppose it will not strengthen their party.' The good Lord be our helper. 30. Worked at my chamber, and in the house. I believe my muscular labor lately has been beneficial to my health. Read. Had company. On tiie 29th received a letter from Mr. pjnerson, of Norfolk. My mother's health is better than in times past. On the 29th received a letter from Mr. ' He was probably the son of Thaddeus inccs invaded by these new-comers, under Leavitt, who came several times into notice the modern laws of toleration, in the early years of the diary. ' That is, as we understand the words, = It was' hard for the ministers and mem- the Kaptists themselves, though it is a little bers of the Standing Order to see their prov- harsh to call them a party. 926 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1823. Ely, of Simsbury, with a manuscript of Mr. Hallock' to prepare for the press. Mr. Eells returned after a vacation. Mav. 1. Walked and visited the most of the day. Some families have lately moved in here. Quite cold, but we get very little rain. Yesterday saw blos- soms on the daffas. I am in the rear about visiting. Read. 2. Wrote on my long sermon. Read in Dr. Hopkins's Inquiry on Utiiver- salism.- At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 3. Wrote on Ezek. xiii : 22. Have many liindrances. Yesterday and this morning visited a woman very sick. 4. Expounded on Acts ix : i-io, and preached on Ezek. xiii: 22. At evening attended our conference. Had our missionary contribution. We collected $39.54. Two bills of $5.00; one S3-oo ; three $2. 00; four $1.00: and one hundred and eight pieces of silver. Contribution less than some past years. 5. Am quite feeble. Attended at two trainings. Very cold for the season. Had some snow. Some people suffered much with the cold. Attended our monthly prayer-meeting at Wapping. Pretty thin. Tarried out. 6. Dined with a military company at East Hartford. Am unable to find a horse to buy. Visited. Read. 7. Attended the election at Hartford. A number of ministers were present. Mr. Taylor^ preached very well. A great collection of people. The dust lias been very severe for several days. Received a letter from Mr. E. R. White,' of Danbury, and one from Dr. Perkins. Dr. Flint is pretty poor. The Legislature appear poorly. Got home late. 8. Read. Quite cold and wet. Wrote. Married two colored persons' at Wapping. 9. Rode out. Made trial of a horse to purchase. I find no one that will answer. Visited. Vegetation advances very little. Read. Mr. Osgood,' of Springfield, came here and assisted at our evening prayer-meeting. 10. Rode to Haddam to exchange with Mr. Marsh.' Looked at a valu- able horse. My horse travels quite poorly. The ground is quite dry. 11. Preached on Rev. xxii : 9, and Isa. xlviii : 13. This congregation, I think, is not so large as when I preached here twenty years ago. Find many affectionate old friends. A colored boy about fifteen years old hung himself. Saw him soon after he was found. Cold. At evening preached at a con- ference on Luke ix : 30, 31. Quite tired. " Rev. Jeremiah Hallock, of West Sims- of Tlieology in the V'alc Theological .Semi bury (Canton). nary. ' Dr. Samuel Hopkins's An Jnqtiiry Con- < Rev. Kbcnczcr While, Yale, 1760, one of ceriiiiig the Future Slate of those who Die in his old Sandcmanian friends of Danburv, Ct. their Sins. 1783. ' Ambrose Way, of Windsor, and Annas ' Rev. Nathaniel W. Taylor, D. D., then Caisar, of Wapping. pastor of the First Church, New Haven, ' Rev. Samuel Osgood, I). D. and afterwards the distinguished Professor ' Rev. John Marsh, D. D., Jr. l8-3-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 927 12. I think Mr. Marsh has given a great price for a place he has purchased. Rode home. At Middletown looked at several places for old pamphlets. Got a few. Saw the first apple-tree blossoms. Grain appears well. 13. A steady, rainy day. Towards night and evening quite hard. A remarkable day with me.' The rain exceeding grateful to the dry ground. Mr. Eells read, to me his first sermon,'' which is well written. At evening married Elihu Wolcott' and Julia Wolcott. 14. Rode into the woods to assist Mr. Wolcott in cutting some timber. Rode to Hartford and attended the annual meeting of the society for the insane, and the meeting of the directors. The society was full. Traded. Paid .50 for a book. 15. Received a letter from Rev. Dr. Flint. Rode to Somers and bought a horse, for which I am to pay $105.00. I have not been able to do any better. He is a fine horse, six years old. I hope he may be very useful to me, by the divine blessing. Mr. Wolcott went with me and made the bargain. Mr. Strong,' of Somers, gets better. People have hardly begun planting. 16. Wrote. Taken up with various things. Visited a sick woman. Wrote on my long sermon. Attended our prayer-meeting. My horse is not very easy for riding. 17. Wrote twelve pages on Universalism. We had a short and very hard shower. The ground was almost covered with water. Quite warm. 18. Wrote four pages, and preached on Ezek. xiii : 22. Very full meeting. Mr. Chandler was with us. Quite oppressed with the heat. Thermometer 82°. At evening attended conference. Very tired. 19. Am very feeble. Thermometer 86°. Took off my flannel. Vegeta- tion is very rapid. The blossoms come out very fast. Visited. Was out late. Our assembly are contemptible.' Read. 20. Visited all day. The iieat very oppressive. Thermometer, I believe, about 90°. My horse is much liked. Received a letter from my brother, and wrote him in reply. 21. Wrote. Thermometer 90°. Dined out. Rode to Hartford. Did errands. Attended the meeting of the society for the insane, and the directors of the same. Saw by invitation a very elegant painting, "Christ Rejected."* Tarried with Dr. Flint. He appears to be some better. In the night we had a hard thunder-shower. ' He does not e.xplain for what reason the ♦ Rev. William L. Strong, day was remarkable. Very likely this is a 'He put this in the plural, but is meant hint as to a change or more favorable aspect in the singular, and at the best is rather a in his old troubles. summary judgment applied to a company of ^ Mr. Eells was graduated at Williams men chosen out of all the towns of the State. College in 1821. ' " Christ Rejected " was painted by Will- ' The first wife of Elihu Wolcott (Rachel iam Dunlap, born at Perth Amboy, X. J., McChire) died the year before. His second Eeb. 19, 1766. His father was an Irish ofti- wife was not Julia (except by abbreviation), cer in the English army. Some of his other but Juliana, daughter of Hon. Erastus Wol- well-known paintings are " Death on the cott. She was now thirty-three years old. Pale Horse," "Bearing of the Cross," and having been born April 19, 1791. "Calvary." 928 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['823. 22. Saw my cousin George Starr," a representative. Yesterday borrowed money of the Phccnix Bank. Sent $95.00, to Mr. Siieldon, of Somers, which, with $10.00 1 paid last weel;, make $105.00 for my horse. Paid niv book- binder, $10.00. Rode liome. The air very languid. Received a letter from Mr. Hawes, of Hartford. An aged man" died here last evening suddenly. Visited the family. Read Miller's Letters on Unitarianism. 23. Wrote. Rode out and visited. Thermometer below 80°. Attended the funeral of Mr. Hosmer. The burial was in Masonic form. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Pretty full. 24. Walked and visited. Read. Had company. Quite cool. Wrote. We have more families here than some years past. 25. Wrote notes and preached on Rom. viii : 14, and preached an old sermon on Dan. ix : 7. Attended our evening conference. My cousin George Starr, now a representative, came here and tarried. Quite tired. 26. Hindered by company. Rode to Colebrook. Eveline accompanies me. Tarried at brother Ammi's. Quite cool. My horse docs not travel very well. I fear he will not be very good. 27. Rode to Norfolk. Mother is feeble, but better than she has been. She is about having a family come into her house. Mr. Battell went to Hart- ford. The season here is but little later than with us. 28. Visited Mr. Emerson and others. Wrote. Mother rode to Mr. Battell's for the first time in several weeks. They have a new organ here in the meeting-house. My cousin, Mrs. Olmstead, is the organist. 29. It rained without intermission last night, and all day. Read. Mr. Battell's children are all at home. His sons appear well. 30. Fine weather. The roads wet. Rode home. Cool. At evening preached a sacramental lecture at the brick meeting-house in Hartford on I Cor. ii : 9. The meeting quite full. Got home late. 31. This morning a little frost was seen. My new book-case for pam- phlets was brought me. It is large, plain, the outside of cherry. The cost about ? Had work done for me. Towards evening Mr. Wells,* a candidate from Hartford, came here to supply me tomorrow, while I am to preach for Mr. Hawes. Was not able to ride down before tomorrow. Quite cool. On the 27th paid Mr. Birge, for satin procured for me, $5.00. Jl'NR. I. Rode early to Hartford. The morning quite cold. Preached to Mr. Hawes's people on Matt, xxvi : 26-30. .\dministered the sacrament. The church' the largest I have ever seen. The season was solemn. In the after- noon a Mr. Brace preached at Mr. Hawes's, and I preached for Mr. Flint. ' Son of Rev. Peter .Starr, of Warren. * Rev. Elijah G. Wells, probably. He was a member of that " conlcmpliblc ' Hy church here he does not mean the As-embly." meeting-house, but the liody of the communi- ' Mr. Joseph Mosmer, aged seventy-lhice. cants. That is the New Testament use of ' This place left blank. the word. 1823.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 929 His situation is very distressing. Preached on Rom. x : 8, 9. Went to Mr. Whittlesey's at the asylum. At evening preached at the brick meeting-house on Rev. xxii : 9. Gov. Wolcott was at meeting all day, and communed with us. Mr. Wells returned. 2. Visited. Rode home. Taken up with company. A very growing season. At evening attended our monthly concert of prayer. 3. Rode to Hartland in a wagon, in company with Mr. Eclls, to attend Association. Dr. Perkins and I preached in one meeting ; the appointed preacher was absent. Preached on Rev. xxii : 9. Six of our members were absent. Two neighboring ministers were with us. We licensed two Andover candidates." One of them appeared indifferently. Warm. 4. Association was verj' busy till noon. Paid brother Frank, $5.00. Returned home. Very warm. Came by Pine Meadow. Mr. Haskell is building a good house. The Assembly concluded their session yesterday. They have set off two districts in Wapping, on the petition of the people, for a school society. Got home late. The thermometer today has been at 86°. 5. Walked out. Worked some at my pamphlets. The heat very oppres- sive. Thermometer 91°. Took off my bed. Read. Wrote. 6. Cooler. Worked at my pamphlets. Wrote on my long sermon on Ezek. xiii : 22. Thermometer but 75° with clear sun. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Wrote. 7. Wrote on my long sermon. Troubled with nervous affections. Have every reason to be humbled in the dust before God. Endeavored to give away myself once more to him. Wrote late. Thermometer 82°. 8. The forenoon quite rainy. Wrote on my discourse on Ezek. xiii: 22. Expected to have preached upon it today, and finished it. But omitted it on account of the weather. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Matt, v: 8. Afternoon an old sermon on Dan. ix : 20. Forenoon meeting very thin. Preached in the afternoon very long. At evening attended a singing- meeting. 9. Worked at my pamphlets. Paid a highway tax of $2.26. Quite cold. 10. Read. This morning there was a little frost in some places. Dined with a military company. Visited. Massachusetts is perfectly Democratic in its government, and very degraded.^ 11. Worked at my pamphlets. Rode to Hartford. Wrote to Mr. W. C. Woodbridge.^ On the 2d inst. received a letter from him. Paid $10.00 for ' The printed record contained in Contri- died in Boston, 1S25. As Charles Wads- butions to the Ecclesiastical History of Connec- worth, from East Hartford, did not finish his ticut seems to show that they licensed three studies at Andover till 1825, the printed Andover candidates, instead of two. Their record is probably wrong, and Dr. Robbins's names were Elnathan Gridley, Chester Is- record right. There were two and not three. haiji, and Chas. Wadsworth. Elnathan Grid- " Another strong and summary judgment, lev, a native of Farmini^ton, died in 1S27, as a growing out of a Federalist education. foreign missionary in Cssarea. Chester Is- ^ William Channing Woodbridge was the ham, a native of West Hartford, was for a son of Rev. William Woodbridge, mentioned ihort time pastor at Taunton, Mass., and in a previous note. William C. was bom in 930 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['823. Mellish's' elegant map of the United States, and a valuable geographical volume accompanying it. Paid $5.00 for a pair of silk small-clothes made in Paris. Yesterday received a letter from my cousin Chandler Robbins. Had a present of some pamphlets from a Miss Pitkin, of East Hartford. 12. Attended to my pamphlets. The arrangement is laborious. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of an aged woman. Visited sick persons. Very cold for the season. The thermometer has hardly been above summer heat for several days. Tarried out. 13. Visited. Wrote. Read. The season unfavorable for the corn. My horse stumbles. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 14. Worked some. Warm, after a long cool term. Thermometer at 86°, Wrote for a United States pensioner. My pamphlets appear well. Wrote. 15. Finished and preached the last two sermons of my long discourse on Universalism on Ezek. xiii : 22. I hope it will do good. It is left with God and his great grace. Very full meeting. After meeting rode to Wapping and visited a dying inan. At evening attended conference. Very tired. My people are very stupid. Thermometer about 82°. 16. Rode to Hartford. The roads very dusty. Did errands. My sulky wheels which I bought last summer are poor. Visited. Had our first green peas. Warm. Wrote. 17. Read. Wrote. Very warm. The thermometer was at 94°. Towards night rode to Windsor and saw the General .Association. At evening attended meeting, heard a Mr. Colton," a preacher from New Hampshire. Tarried at Mr. J. Mather's. 18. My brother and his wife are here, on their return from a visit at Nor- folk and Lenox. Mr. Emerson is a member of the Association. Presented to the General Association the report of the committee on the Everest legacy. The heat was oppressive. About noon returned, and went to Wapping and attended the funeral of an aged man. Mr. Sprague,^ of West Springfield, came here towards night, and I gave him nearly one hundred and fifty pam- phlets. They were such as I had duplicates of. We had a moderate shower, with considerable thunder. The thermometer was at 96° in the forenoon. I conclude it rose to 97° or 98°. 19. The heat but little abated. Am very languid. Read. Much taken up with company. Thermometer 94°. Walked out. 20. Worked some. Wrote. Attended a catechising of the children. Attended the prayer-meeting. Much cooler. Thermometer 84°. Mcdford, Mass. (where his father was for the ' This was Rev. Chester Colton, who time tcacliing) in 1794, and died in lioslon, years before was spoken of in the diary, as 1S45, was graduated at Yale, 181 1, and |)ul)- a c-indidate. In 1815 he was settled in lishcd the Anitridiii Annals of Hdiuation. Hrentwood, N. 11., where he remained till lie had been a teacher in the Deaf and his death in 1S50. He was a n.itive of West Dumb .Asylum, at Hartford. Hartford, Ct., and a graduate of Y.alc, 1804. ' John Mcllish,gcograi)her, born in Perth- 'Dr. William B. Spraguc was a great shire, Scotland, bul came to this country in collector of old books and par.iphlets, like 1809, and died in Philadelphia, in 1822. Dr. Robbins. 1823.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 93 1 21. Wrote the most of a sermon on 2 Cor. 1:12. On the i8th received a letter from Mr. Ely, of Simsbury. Read. The Spanish war seems to be very- languid." 22. Finished and preached my sermon on 2 Cor. i : 12. Preached nearly seventy minutes. In the forenoon expounded on Acts ix : 10-32. The Baptists had their first meeting in their new meeting-house. It was numerous. I hope the triumphing of the wicked will be short. ^ Thermometer about 80°. At evening attended conference. Tarried out. 23. Visited. Am quite feeble. Visited a school. Rode to Wapping. Rainy. Tarried out. Quite cool. An aged woman^diedin the afternoon. 24. Visited the afflicted family. Read. Wrote. Wrote to H. Durell, of New York. Have unexpected trials. Read Lite. 25. Worked some. Read Life of Patrick Hcnry.^ Have had my sulky repaired and almost made new. Paid towards it, $11.62. Attended the funeral of the aged Miss Day. Visited. 26. Rode to Hartford. Paid my annual $5.00 to the Ministers' Annuity Society. Visited the aged Col. Seymour. Got a few pamphlets. Looked over Mrs. Skinner's again. Dr. Flint is quite feeble. My horse is not good for riding. A very fine season. 27. Counted my pamphlets which are labeled, amounting to one thousand six hundred and fifty. I have a good many more besides, duplicates. Read. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Quite thin. Worked some. 28. Rode out and visited. Am considerably taken up with Mr. Eells. Wrote. Towards night rode to Mr. Bartlett's to exchange. 29. Preached on Luke .xvii : 22, and Rev. .xxii : 9. Meeting pretty full. His congregation, like mine, appear stupid. Mr. Bartlett went to supply my people. After meeting rode home with Herlehigh Haskell, who was at meet- ing here. At evening rode to Enfield. There was a contribution at Scantick, by recommendation of the General Assembly, to aid a Methodist society in New London. I have received no proclamation, and have had none. 30. Rode home. Dined with Gen. Jencks' and Mr. Bulkley, his boarder, at West Point. At evening walked out. Quite cool. My sulky is quite a good one. July. 1. Rode to Wapping and visited Mr. Sadd ; very low. Rode to Hart- ford. Quite warm. Paid Mrs. Skinner §8.00 for old books and pamphlets. Attended a wedding with Dr. Flint at Mr. Hinsdale's. He is going a journey for his health. 2. Read. Walked out. Thermometer at 92°. Wrote. Received a ' The French entered Spain April 7, 1S23, •• Patrick Henry was born ni Virgniia in and invested Cadiz. 1736, and died in 1799- The work which Dr. ^ The characteristic of this sentence is not Robbins was reading was doubtless Hirts Christian charity. ^'/'- '/ '"«'"''' ^'""y- 3 Miss Molly Day, aged eighty-two. ' Cien. Charles Jenks. 932 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1823. letter from Mr. Henr)- Durell, of New York. We had a very refreshing s'.iower. The ground was very dry. People are generally beginning llieir haying. 3. Walked out and visited. Afternoon attended the catechising of the children, after which preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on John xii : 26. Tlicrmometer 85°. Read. 4. We have a good deal of firing. Read Traits of the Aborigines of America} A valuable poem. Wrote. On the 2d Mr. Haskell gave ine two silver coins. Last Sabbath I baptized a child. Hindered by company. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 5. Am quite feeble. Burdened with my cold. Wrote the most of a sermon on John vii : 37. Mr. Dodge, of New Haven, was here a good while. Thermometer 91°. Wrote late. 6. Rainy. Meeting not full. Administered the sacrament. The church pretty well out. Preached with old notes on John x: 27, and finished and preached my sermon on John vii: 37. After meeting rode to Wapping and visited Mr. Sadd. He is quite low, and appears very ripe for heaven. Thermometer 86°. 7. Read. Visited. Our season is very fine. A prospect of an uncom- monly good harvest. Attended the funeral of a child in the corner of Manchester. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Quite thin. Thermometer 85°. 8. Wrote. Prepared for a journey to New Haven. As I was ready to set out, about noon. Rev. Mr. Dwigl)t,° of Boston, came here, and I rode with him during the afternoon to several places here and at Wapping, to learn facts respecting the Edwards family.^ His health is poor. Thermometer 91°. 9. Rode to Durham. Had a good visit with Mr. Smith.'' Esq. Chaun- cey' gave me some valuable pamphlets. Mr. Smith is quite a farmer. Gave a sick man, $1.00. 10. Rode to New Haven. Called on Mr. Noyes,'' of Northford. Visited friends. Much oppressed with the heat. Gave some pamphlets to Professor Kingsley, and am to receive some from him in return. Visited President Day. People this way are generally beginning their harvest. 11. Did errands. Visited. Delayed setting out for home. Left New Haven at three o'clock, and rode home in eight and one half hours. Was out in a short shower. Was informed at the Hartford liridge that Gen. Griswold,' of East Hartford, died this afternoon ; a distinguished and useful man. Also •A later edition of this poem was pub- ' Worlhiiigton G. Chaunccy, Esq., a lished in Cambridge, Mnss.. iSj2. piomincnt Litizen of Durham, Ct., dcEanded ■ Rev. Sercno E. Dwight, I). I)., pastor of from Nathaniel Chauncey, first minister of Park Street Church, Boston, 1S17-1826. Durham, 1706-1756. • He was preparing to publisli his Life ' Kcv. Mallhew Noyes, pastor at Norlh- and Writings of President Edwards. This ford (North I'.ranford), 1790-1S39. lie was work was completed and pulilishcd in ten now in his old age, with a colleague, having volumes, in 1830. been settled there since 1790. * Dr. David Smith, ' Gen, George Griswold. 1823.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 933 that my good brother Cook," of Orford, now Manchester, was drowned this afternoon. Received a letter from Esq. Phelps, of Manchester, requesting me to preach at his funeral. Good old Mr. Sadd, at Wapping, died yesterday, aged seventy-five. A man of very eminent godliness, and one of the best members of our church. Thermometer today 93° ; yesterday 96° ; Wednes- day 93°. My horse performed the journey very well. Paid for pamphlets, .50. 12. A very fine season. In the forenoon attended the funeral of Mr. Sadd. A great loss to be deprived of such a praying friend. Rode to Man- chester. Saw the remains of Mr. Cook, and the place where he was drowned. The whole is one of the most mysterious and unaccountable events I ever knew. He fell from a log, crossing a small stream near his house, the water about seven feet deep, and was not more than two or three minutes in the water. He was probably hurt by the fall. Did not get home till evening. 13. Last evening my brother came here on his way to exchange with Mr. Cook. He went this morning and exchanged with Mr. Bartlett. Am pretty feeble. 1 am anxious about preaching at the funeral. In the forenoon expounded on Acts ix: 36 to x: 19. Afternoon preached an old sermon on Phil, i: 21. Near sundown began to write an addition to the sermon I preached on the death of Dr. McClure, and wrote till near one o'clock. Thermometer 80°. 14. In the morning finished an addition of six pages to my sermon on Eccles. ix : i, and rode to Manchester and preached on the occasion of the death of brother Cook. The body became so changed that it was put into the tomb yesterday noon. A great collection of people, and near twenty ministers. The history of brother Cook's ministry is very interesting. In nine years he has received one hundred and ninety-nine members into his church. The people feel their loss very deeply. Very tired. People gener- ally beginning harvest. Thermometer about 87°. Read. 15. Wrote. Rainy. Mr. Mix," of West Suffield, came here. Our ministers' meeting was appointed to be held here. No other came. I did not appoint any public meeting. The season unfavorable for harvesting. 16. Worked at my chamber, etc. Read. On the nth received of Howe & Spaulding, $132.74, endorsed on my note against them. Of which $122.74 I paid them for books, their account against me. Taken up with company. Thermometer 85°. 17. Read religious rites, etc. Wrote. Rode to East Hartford and visited a sick man. Crossed to Hartford. Paid $1.00 for a book. Had company. Thermometer 85°. 18. Wet. Unfavorable for the husbandmen. Wrote. Read. At even- ing attended our prayer-meeting. .4t -night my cousin Eliza came here. ig. I have a large number of almanacks. Read. Rode to Manchester. Visited Mrs. Cook and others. All seetn to feel their loss very deeply. Clear and cool. Rode to Glastonbury to exchange with Mr. Birge.' ' Rev. Elisha B. Cook, often referred to, ' Rev. Joseph Mi.x. pastor at Manchester, 1S14-1S23. ' Rev. Caleb Burge. 934 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1823. 20. Preached on Jonah ii : 8, and 2 Cor. i: 12. This congregation appears Larger than it used to. At evening visited. Mr. Birge does nol attend extra meetings much. 21. Looked over Mr. Lockwood's' pamphlets. Some of them arc quite: valuable. Bought eightj-five of them, and paid him for them, $4.00. I ha\e seldom paid as much for pamphlets, but he seemed to feel that they were sold cheap. Rode home. Cousin Eliza went from here this morning to Enfield. My brother and his wife went to Hartford, and she went off to the eastward with her son. Sent Capt. Le Baron an elegant copy of Trumbull's U'orks. Rode to the harvest field, and carried dinner. The harvest of wheat and rye has not been so good for many years. Looked over pamphlets. 22. Read. Worked at my pamphlets. The late additions are valuable. Carried dinner to harvesters. Thermometer for several days but 85°. In the evening the total and long eclipse of the moon took place according to the calculations." It appeared red, and much more visible than I expected. 23. On Mond.ay received a letter from Mr. Canfield, of Hartford. Yes- terday wrote to Miss Flint, of Hartford. Wrote. Visited a school. Read. Visited. 24. Rode to Hartford. Paid Hosmer for my Leghorn hat, with its addi- tions, $4.84. For two quarts of Port wine, $1.33. Warm. \'ery fine weather. Went into the water. Read. 25. Read. Wet. Attended the catechising of the children. There were but few. Walked and visited. Did not attend our evening meeting on account of the rain. 26. Wet. Last night we had a pretty hard rain. It was very refreshing to the ground, which had become very dry. Read. Visited. Rode to Elling- ton to exchange. There is a good deal of grain out. 27. Mr. Brockway^ rode to East Windsor, and returned in the evening. Very warm. Suffered much by the heat. Preached on 2 Cor. i: 12, and Rev. ii : 9. Attended a third meeting, and preached without notes on Luke ix : 30, 31. Was at Mr. Wills's. Tarried at Mr. Hall's. Last night there was a hard shower. 28. Visited Dr. North. Rode to Tolland. The town of Ellington is very handsome.'' Visited Dr. Williams' and Mr. Nash.' Attended a funeral with them. Dr. Williams let me have one hundred and five pamphlets, with about forty old proclamations, and several other papers. Gave him $3.00. Rode to Orford and home. Got home late. ' Rev. William Lockwood. ' Rev. Diodate Hrockway. ' Of the six eclipses for 1S23, the fiftli, ■* The red sandstone formation prevailing according to the prediction of the Almanac, in Ellington and Vernon, Ct., gives very will be a total eclipse of the moon, begin- graceful curves and pleasing landscapes, ning July 22, and ending July 33: This formation prevails, up and down the beginning, 8 h. 4O m. river, between the alluvial soil of the mead- Beginning of total eclipse, 9 " 52 " ows and the hard rock e.ist and west. End of total darkness, 11 "30" ' Dr. Nathan Williams, senior pastor. Knd, o " 38 " ' Rev. Ansel Na.sh, junior p.astor. 1823.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 935 29. Worked at my pamphlets. Read. We had several showers, one exceeding hard, with severe thunder. The ground is ulmost inundated. At evening walked out. 30. Read. Walked and visited. A good deal of hay and grain has been injured by the rains. The ground is finely wet. Rode to East Hartford and attended a funeral. Miss Williams' gave me fifty-eight pamphlets. The most of them are such as I have. 31. Wrote. Walked and visited the most of the day. I have done but little visiting lately. Tarried out. It is a very catching time for haying. We have wet almost every day. The thermometer for several days has been about 90°. August. 1. Visited. Rode to Manchester and attended a funeral. Quite warm. Catechised two schools, who came to my chamber. Attended our prayer- meeting. Get but little time for study. 2. Wrote the most of a sermon on John vi : 44. I fear I am getting out of a habit of close study. Wrote pretty slow. Read. 3. Finished and preached all day my sermon begun yesterday. My voice is pretty strong to what it has sometimes been. At evening attended the conference. Tarried out. 4. I do not know that anything can arouse my people from their stupidity. Read. Received a letter from W. Woodbridge, of Manchester. Our monthly prayer-meeting was prevented by a severe thunder-shower. The thunder was the hardest we have had for a long time. Worked at my pamphlets. 5. Rose early and worked some. If I could do this steadily, it might favor my health. Wrote to Mrs. McLean, of Lockport, N. V. Gave a testimony at the court of probate. Rode to Hartford. Saw my two nieces, Mr. Battell's daughters,' who are attending a music-school. Cooler. 6. Wrote to my cousin Joseph Battell, soon to be graduated at Middle- bury College.' Rode to Hartford and attended the meeting of the directors of the insane institution. In the evening rode to Pine Meadow. Was out late. Paid Murls $7.00, for his work on my sulky. Was out late. 7. Visited in Windsor. Got a few pamphlets. Very warm. Ther- mometer, I believe, above go°. Tired. 8. Began to write oft" my sermon on the death of Mr. Cook for publica- tion. The heat very severe. Visited, .\ttended our evening prayer-meeting. Thermometer 95°. 9. Wrote the most of a sermon on i Cor. .\i ; i. Much cooler. Ther- mometer but about 80°. Eveline went to Hartford, brought up my nieces, Sarah and Irene Battell. Yesterday Mr. Nash, of Tolland, dined here, and conversed considerably about writing with me a volume for publication. ' Miss Abigail Williams, daughter of Dr. ' Joseph Battell, then in his eighteenth Eliphalet Williams. year, was graduated that summer at Middle- ' Sarah Eattell, then thirteen years old, bury College, and received an honorar>- A. B. md Irene, eleven. the same year at Yale College. 93^ DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['823. 10. Expounded on Acts x: i8 to the end. Finished and preaclied my sermon on i Cor. xi : i. Preached more than an hour. The evening meeting was prevented by wet. 11. Received a letter from the society committee of Manchester, request- ing a copy of my sermon for publication. It had been intimated to me before. My nieces returned to Hartford. We had a very heavy sliower. 12. Wrote copying my sermon for the printer. Ver)' warm. Visited. Thermometer 95°. I think I find benefit by early morning labor. 13. Nearly finished my sermon. Hindered by company. Thermometer 83°. Rode to Hartford. Saw the printer. Attended a meeting of the insane directors. 14. Wrote an address for the newspapers on the subject of a public con- tribution for the Insane Retreat. Visited. Thermometer 84°. Wrote late. 15. Rode early to Hartford, and carried my address. Rode to Man- chester, and attended a fast observed by them on account of their afflicted state. Mr. Shipman," a candidate at Vernon, was with us. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Mr. Eells and Mr. Charlton ° conducted our catechising without me. 16. Mr. Bull, an English preacher, was here. Rainy. Wrote. .\m quite feeble with the labors of the week. Unable to write a sermon. Received a letter from Professor Kingsley, of New Haven, with some valuable pamphlets. Read. 17. Wrote notes of a sermon on Gal. i : 8, and preached it both parts of the day. At evening had a full conference. Very tired. 18. Wrote to my mother. Am quite feeble. Afternoon rode to Farm- ington. Hindered at Hartford. Looked at the Retreat for the Insane. It is likely to be a very good building. Stopped at Gov. Treadwell's.^ He has just deceased, after a severe illness of eight days. His Christian character appeared remarkably well. 19. Tarried last night at Gen. S. L. Cowles's.'' There was a very hard shower. Sultry hot. Maj. Hooker' gave me about thirty old pamphlets. Mr. Pitkin about an equal number. Found one election sermon which I had not. Of one hundred and nine printed in this State I now have one hundred and eight. A good Providence has much favored my research. Rode home. The roads are very wet. Called on Dr. Perkins. 20. Rode to Warehouse Point to witness the consecration of the Episcopal ' Rev. Thomas L. Shipman, a graduate yer, town representative, Lieut.-Governor of Yale, iSiS, afterwards settled at South- and Governor, Member of Congress, first bury and Jewett City. At the latter place he President of the American Board, he was now resides [Dec, 1885], in a vigorous old greatly honored, beloved, and trusted, age. He is the father of Judge Nathaniel .* There was also a Gen. George Cowles Shipman, of Hartford. in Farmington. ' Ozias S. Kells, his student, the teacher ' Rev. Samuel Hooker, son of the famous of the academy, and Mr. Jesse Charlton. Thomas, of Hartford, was pastor at Farm- ' Gov. John Treadwcll, born in Farming- ington, 1661-1697, and the name Hooker has ton, Ct., 1745, graduated at Yale, 1767, law- long been an honored name in the town. 1S23.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 937 church. The bishop," on account of disagreement among the proprietors, did not do it. Heard Mr. Wheaton' preacli. Rode to Enfield. My horse is lame. Returned. Called at Pine Meadow. 21. Wrote to Ab. Hosford, of Canton. Visited. The ground is wet. The river is much risen. Read a proof-sheet of my sermon. 22. Began to write off Mr. Hallock's sermon at the funeral of Dr. Everest for publication. It is a great task. Attended our prayer-meeting. Worked driving a scraper. Visited. 23. Began to write an historical sketch of religions for publication. Quite cool. This morning we feared a frost. Rode to Gilead to exchange with Mr. Gillett.' My horse is so lame that he could not go. Called at Manchester. 24. Mr. Gillett went yesterday to East Windsor. Preached on Luke xi: 13, and Luke xvii: 22. This society and congregation are quite small. At five o'clock attended a third meeting at a school-house, and preached with- out notes on Luke ix : 30. 31. Preached three times from Luke. Had com- pany. Much fatigued. Sectarianism does great injury in our State. 25. Rode home. Saw nothing of Mr. Gillett. Visited a school in the west part of Vernon. Society matters there are in a pretty poor state. Attended our monthly prayer-meeting in the evening ; expecting next Monday to be absent. We had a good meeting. 26. Am very languid. Read. Wrote. Worked some. Very warm. Thermometer 85°. At evening Mr. Battell, and his two sons,* and Mr. Emerson, came here on their return from Middlebury. Joseph took his degree last week. He is a good scholar. 27. My friends went off to Norfolk. \\'rote on Mr. Hallock's' sermon. The heat oppressive. Thermometer 90°. .\t evening attended our cliurch conference. We are stupid. 28. Walked out and visited. Our people talk of removing the meeting- house. Wrote. Attended the catechising of the children. Thermometer 92°. 29. Received of Mr. Tudor the payment of a note of S39.50, for my collector. Borrowed of Mrs. \\'olcQtt, §300 00, and gave her my note. Took up a note at the bank. Attended a meeting of the managers of the Hartford County Missionary Society at Hartford. In the forenoon visited a school. Thermometer about 88°. Quite dusty. Attended our evening prayer-meeting. Visited. 30. Visited a school at Wapping. Wrote. Examined Mr. Eells consider- ably. On the 28th received a letter from Mr. Canfield, of Hartford. Am greatly perplexed with a wandering mind. Thermometer 84°. 31. Expounded on Acts xi, and preached an old sermon on John ix : 4. Very dusty. At evening attended conference. Ver\- tired. ' The Episcopal Bishop of Connecticut ' Joseph, the cider, had just graduated. then was Thomas Church Brownell, D. D. and Philip had finished his Ireshman year. ^ Nathaniel S. Wheaton, D. D. ' Kcv. Jeremiah H.illock was pastor at 2 Rev. Nathan Gillett, pastor at Gilead, Canton, where Dr. Everest, who left the 1799-1824. Kvcrest Fund, w.-.s a parishioner. 938 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1823. Sbftsmbsr. 1. Much cooler than last week. Set out on a journey to Williamstown. Rode to Canton. Did business with several persons respecting the Everest legacy. Mr. Hallock and Mr. Porter' were not there as I expected. Rode to a tavern in Sandisfield.'' My horse travels slow. 2. Tn the morning quite cool. It is said there was a little frost. A pretty poor countr}- up Farmington River. Rode to Lenox. Stayed some time at my brother's.^ His circumstances appear well. Rode on to New Ash- ford.'' Tarried at a tavern. Many small streams are dry. The dust is bad. 3. Rode early to Williamstown. The distance from home about ninety miles. Cool. Attended the Commencement. The class was small, but the e.xercises were very good. A larger collection of people than there used to be. Dr. Griffin-' presides well. I have not attended here before since 1816, nor since then have I visited my brother James. This is not right. Attended the meeting of the society of the alumni of the college. Mr. Wood- bridge,' of Hadley, delivered an excellent oration for them. At evening Mr. Williston,' of New Durham, preached. Kindly treated by Mr. Noble. ° Find many friends and acquaintance. 4. Left Windsor in the forenoon, and rode to Lenox. In the morning it was showery. The most of this county is very hilly and mountainous. My brother's family appears well. Visited the aged Mrs. Collins,' of Lanes- borough. Gave her $1.62 for forty pamphlets. At evening visited Dr. Shepard.'° 5. Rode to Stockbridge. Visited Mrs. West." She is lonely and quite feeble. Paid her $2.00 for one hundred of the doctor's old pamphlets. Visited Mr. Woodbridge." Late in the day left Stockbridge, and rode to Otis. Have not time to go by Norfolk, as I hoped. My horse travels poorly. 6. Tarried last night at a tavern. Rode home ; forty-nine miles. To- wards night my horse was considerably lame. Very warm. Thermometer near 90°." The dust very oppressive. The ground has become very dry. Have had a prosperous journey, through ricli mercy. Find things well. 7. Am fatigued with my journey. Preaciied an old double sermon on Kings xvii : 9. Showery. Very grateful to the ground. Had no conference. Looked over pamphlets. Have near sixty Massachusetts election sermons." Preached lonji. Meeting not full. ' Dr. Porter, of Farmington. ' Her husband. Rev. Daniel Collins, died ' In Berkshire County, Mass. the year before, in the lifty-seventh year of ' James Watson Robbins. his ministry. * Berkshire County, M.iss. '" Dr. .Samuel Shepard, of Lenox. ' Edward Dorr Griffin, D. D., President of " Dr. Stephen West died in 1819, after a Williams College, 1S21-1836. He died the ministry in .Stockbridge of fifty-nine years, following year. " Joseph Woodbridge. ' John Woodbridge, D. D., pastor at I lad- " I lot weather of early September, ley, Mass., iSio-iiSjo. "This work of collecting old pamphlets ' Rev. Seth Williston. has its fascinations. It is not that the col- • His class-mate, now Hon. Daniel Noble, lector is so eager to rc.td them all, as to say of Williamstown. that he owns them. 1823.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 939 8. Arranged my pamphlets. Wrote. Walked out. M)- brother and a Mr. Boies' came here and tarried. Cool. 9. Rode to New Haven. Tudor and Eveline went. Mr. G. Goodwin" went with me from Hartford. At evening Mr. Emerson' preached for the Education Society exceeding well. Mr. Battell and wife are here. The roads good, and not very dusty. 10. Saw Morse's picture of Congress hall. The Commencement exercises were very good. A great collection of people. The weather is very fine. Mr. Goodwin walked, and sat with me.' In the evening Mr. Porter' preached very well at the Concio ad Cknim. A great collection of the clergy. 11. Attended the annual meeting of the Education Society. It appears to do good. Left New Haven after noon, and rode home. Stopped at Walling- ford, and looked at pamphlets. Rode late, and took cold. Paid %\ for a book. 12. Am fatigued with my journey. Read. Had company. Have various trials. Towards night Mr. Huet,* of Fairfield, came here and tarried. He assisted at the prayer-meeting. 13. Rode considerably with Mr. Huet. He sufifers much with depression of spirits. He concludes to tarry over the Sabbath. Cool. Visited. Mr. and Mrs. Emerson, of Norfolk, dined here. Towards night my cousin, Mrs. Olmsted, came here. She has been a good while at Enfield. 14. Mr. Huet preached exceeding well. He is an able man.' I assisted in the exercises. Mr. Chandler was here for singing, and we had no confer- ence. Read the Bible. 15. Mr. Huet went off for Boston. His feelings are pretty low. Rode with my cousin Eliza to Hartford. She is much burdened respecting a pro- posed connexion." Rode to Manchester, and dined with the officers of a regiment of cavalry. Visited a school. Wrote. Read Joan of Arc? 16. Rode to Simsbury and attended ministers' meeting. Preached on 2 Cor. i : 12. We had a good meeting. 17. Called at Mrs. Stebbins's.'" Mrs. Stebbins gave me thirty valuable pamphlets. Visited Dr. Flint at Hartford. He and his society are in a very unpleasant situation. Wet and rainy. Got considerably wet. Paid my book- binder, $20.00. 18. Attended to Mr. Eells. Wrote. Walked out. Attended the exami- nation of our academy. It appeared uncommonly well. Very warm. Thermometer near 90°. Tarried out. Visited. 19. Visited. Read. At evening preached a lecture at the poor-house without notes on John iv : 10. Was out late. " Rev. Artemas Boies, a graduate of Will- ' Dr. No.ih Porter, of Farmington. jams, 1816. * Natlianicl Hewett, D. I). Dr. Robbins ^ George Goodwin, Jr., of East Hartford, does not spell the name correctly, a graduate of Yale in 1806, who died not till ' He afterwards became distmguished as 1S7S '1 temperance advocate. 'Rev. Ralph Emerson, D. D., of Norfolk. » That connection was ere long completed. ' Walked with him in the procession, and ' Robert Southey's Life off mi of Arc. sat with him in the church. " Widow of Rev. Samuel Stobbms. 94° DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1823. 20. Had to ride to Hartford. My cousin Eliza is in iinich anxiety. (}uite warm. Find but little time for study. Wrote. In the evening began to write a sermon on Heb. xii : i6. Wrote five pa^jes. 21. Wrote what I could, and preached in the afternoon my sermon on Heb. xii: 16. It was not finished. In the forenoon preached with old notes on Ps. Iv : i6. Attended the evening conference. Wrote to Mr. Solomon Stoddard,' of Northampton. Quite cold. 22. This morning we had our first frost, and it was unusually hard. A good deal of tobacco was not cut, and it is much hurt. Examined Mr. Eells. Read. Wrote. Wrote to my Uncle Starr. I hope !\Ir. Eells may be his successor. 23. Wrote on my historical compilation ° for Mr. Cook, the bookseller. I think I cannot bear study as I have done. At evening visited a familv in much affliction. 24. Rode and visited a school in Scantick, and another in East Hartford, taught by instructors belonging here. Received twenty-seven copies of my sermon on the death of Mr. Cook. 25. The weather moderates. We have had a very cold turn for Septem- ber. Tuesday morning the frost was harder than on Monday. Vegetation is mostly stopped. Ha^-e a fire in my chamber steadily. Wrote on my history. Attended the catechising of the children. At evening attended a wedding. Mr. Cushman' married the persons. 26. Visited. Dined with the officers of the regiment. Assisted in staking out the ground for the public review. Attended our evening prayer-meeting. 27. Wrote. Wrote the most of a sermon on Ezck. xxxvi : 26. Wrote late. Am easily hindered. 28. Expounded on Acts xii. Finished and preached my sermon on Ezek. xxxvi: 26.' Cool. Full meeting. We had our contribution for the insane institution, and procured $13.36. I think we should have got more, but that a good deal has been given to the institution from here by sub.scription. Had no conference. Wrote. Read the Life of Patrick Ifenry;' very late. 29. Rode to Hartford. Saw Dr. Flint. Preparing for the Consociation. Dined with the artillery company at East Hartford. Received a letter from Mr. Hallock, of Canton. Quite cold. Mr. I. L. Skinner' came up and tarried with me. 30. A hard frost. Rode with Mr. Skinner to Scantick to attend Conso- ciation. The meeting pretty full. Mr. Rowland was moderator. Dr. Flint, who has been moderator for ten years, was not jiresent. I was scribe. Mr. McLean preached very well. Mr. Eells and Mr. Coleman were examined for ' Of the same name, and a descendant of * Wirt's Li/c of Patrick ITciiry. the venerable Solomon Stoddard, pastor at ' Rev. Ichaljod Lord Skinner, a native of N'orthampton, 1672-1729. Marlborough, Ct., was graduated at Yale in ^ Probably the sketch of different re- >793. and for a few years was settled at ligions, before mentioned. North Coventry. He then left the ministry ' Rev. Elisha Cushman, Bajnisl minister and gave himself to civil employments, lie of Hartford. spent his later years in W.ishington, D. C. 1823.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 94I license. The former passed exceeding well, belter, I think, than I expected. We held our session in the academy. Very well accommodated at Mr. Stephen Potwine's.' October. 1. The Consociation examined Mr. Case and Mr. Wadsworth, and licensed them, and the two of yesterday.' Mr. Eells is the best instructed, theologically, of the whole, so far as we could judge. Left the Conso before they finished their session to attend our regimental training. The regiment of cavalry was with us. I prayed with both regiments. The militar)' per- formance was exceeding good. I think we have not had a better since i belonged to the regiment. The cavalry did very well. The day was very fine, there was a great concourse of people, and God preserved us from accident and injury. Many men of godliness were under arms.^ 2. Last evening received a letter from Mr. Lyman,'' of Northampton, relative to Dr. Gridley,' of Amherst. Took the letter, and rode to Enfield. Consulted with my brother and sister. We feel anxious about our cousin Eliza. Left Enfield .after sundown, came home, and rode to Hartford to see- Eliza. She had gone to Norfolk in the morning. Got home late. We had a warm day, and the ground is dry. Paid my brother $71.65, and took up a note he held against me. 3. Am much fatigued with labors. Poorly able to study. Preached a sacramental lecture with old notes on Job v : 19. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. The afternoon very warm. The thermometer at 80°. 4. Wrote to Mr. Battell relative to Eliza.' Walked out. Read. .\t evening, after supper, began a sermon on i Cor. i : 23. Wrote seven pages. Wrote rapidly. 5. Preached with old notes on Ex. xv : 2. Finished and preached my sermon begun last evening. It was written too hastily. Administered the sacrament. A little wet. The church not very full. I have now preached twenty-five years. Fifteen in this place. Mentioned it in public. Very tired. Unable to attend our conference. Read Joan uf Arc. Thermometer yesterday and today 76°. 6. Rode to Wapping and visited a sick man. Visited a school. At • He was one of the sons of Rev. Thomas ' The military interest remained quite Potvvine, the first minister of the north parish strong in Connecticut until some fifteen or of East Windsor, which, by the division of twenty years later, when it greatly declined, the town, is now the First' Parish in East * Probably Judge Joseph Lyman, who Windsor. married for his second wife a daughter of = By the last entry of September and this Hon. E. H. Robbins, of Milton, Mass. first of October, it appears that four candi- ' Or. Timothy J. Gridley, of Amherst, dates for the ministry were e.xamined and ' There seems to have been some ground licensed. Dr. Robbins does not furnish for anxiety with regard to Mrs. Olmsted's many given names, but so far as we can marriage with Dr. Gridley, but not such as determine, these men were Lvman Coleman, to hinder the consummation of the pl.an. The afterwards distinguished, ChaiiesW.adsworth, marriage proved to be a ver)- happy one. Ozias S. Eells, and Francis H. Case. I le was one of the leading men of the town. 942 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1823. evening attended our monthly concert. We had an interesting meeting. Received a second letter from Mr. Lyman, of Northampton. Read. 7. Read. Put money to my coins, amounting to $3.20. Paid a black- smith, .92. Visited a school. \\'rote. 8. Rode to Hartford and attended the cattle show. Carried my coins, which made a valuable addition to the exhibition. The manufactures and cattle appeared very well. A great collection of people. Saw tlie ploughing match. I think this object is very useful. Received a letter from Mr. Battell, and one from cousin Eliza. They wish me to go to Amherst." Saw my cousin W. Lawrence at Hartford. Mr. Battell did not come as I expected. In the evening saw in the Boston Recorder an account of the most afflictive death of my dear cousin, Samuel Prince Robbins,^ of Marietta. A most mysterious event. It would seem his place could hardly be supplied. He has left a widow, and several orphans. I know not why he should be taken rather than I. O that I may be prepared to follow. g. Walked and visited. Read. In the evening attended our church conference. Got quite wet. 10. Read respecting the Greek church. Mr. Eells came here. I think he will succeed well as a preacher. At the prayer-meeting gave the life of the prophet Isaiah. 11. Began a sermon on Gen. iii : i. It rcejuires considerable study, and, intending, to divide it, I found in the evening I could not finish it. Wrote to Mr. Robbins, of Turkey Hills, and sent Mr. Eells there. Quite cold. 12. Wrote notes and preached on Rom. .\iii : 12, and preached an old sermon on Gen. xviii : 27. Baptized two children.^ Full meeting. In the evening set out on my journey,'' and rode to Enfield. Quite cold. 13. Rode to Northampton. Cold and wet. Springfield is very nourish- ing. Kindly entertained at Judge Lyman's. At evening heard a very poor preacher; much like Maffitt. Was at Judge Howe's. Kindly treated by several gentlemen. At evening we had considerable thunder. 14. Rode to Amherst. Had an agreeable visit with Gen. Mattoon.' Was much disappointed in not seeing Dr. Gridley. Find things more favorable respecting him than I expected.' Was at his house. Saw the college build- ings. Mr. Humphrey' is to be inaugurated tomorrow. Cold and windy. The Northampton and Hadley meadow is undoubtedly the best on the river. Rode to South Hadley. Visited Mr. Hayes.' Tarried at a tavern. ' To make more particular inquiries re- tliere, 1S43. IK- was .St.ite Senator and specling Dr. Gridley. Member of Congress, and filled many im- " Rev. Samuel Prince Robbins. After ixiitant offices. He was a member of tlie long watching at ihe bedside of his wife, who Slate Constitutional Convention in 1820. was sick, he was so debilitated that he sank ' Pleasant to carry back a good report, quickly under the power of disease. ' Dr. Heman Humphrey, President of ' Mary Ann, daughter of Daniel Hayden, Amherst, 1S23-1S45. lie was a native o£^ and Harriet, daughter of Noah Sadd. West .Simsbury, Ct., and a graduate of Vale, ■• To Amherst. 1805. ' Gen. Ebcnczer Mattoon, a revolutionary ' Rev. Joel Hayes, pastor at South Had- soldier, born in Amherst, 1775, and died . Icy, Mass., 17S2-1S27. 1823.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 943 15. The morning verj' cold and frosty. Rode early. Rode lionie. At Chicopee paid $i.oo for pamphlets, and .50 for a book to the McKinslry family." Mrs. Wolcott was taken with a turn of raising blood from the stomach on Sabbath night, and this evening more than a pint. She is very feeble. In the evening married Edward Dissell and Maria Reed. Had a splendid wedding. 16. Wrote to my sister Battell. Visited a school. Rainy. Visited. Our society had a meeting on the subject of making a small removal of the meeting-house. 17. Read on the Greek church. Paid Waterman $S.oo for my last book- case. The cost is $18.00. Paid him for work, .84. Mrs. Wolcott, we hope, is a little better. Attended our evening prayer-meeting. Thin. 18. In the morning we had our first snow. \\'rote. Have unnecessary hindrances. Renewed the writing of my sermon begun last week on Gen. iii : I. Wrote six pages in the evening. ig. Finished and preached my sermon on Gen. iii: i. The subject was very interesting. I have not written a double sermon at full length for some time. Rode to Wapping, and preached in the evening without notes on Isa. i : 18. Visited a young man very sick. Quite cold. Tarried out. 20. Visited. Rode to Vernon. They wish to employ Mr. Eells there. Got home late. Mrs. Wolcott is very weak, but I hope getting better slowly. 21. Worked at my pamphlets. Read on my historical compilation. My horse, which I used about nine years, and have given to Mrs. Wolcott, died of glanders. He has been diseased more than two years. 22. Read and wrote on my historical compilation. 23. My brother and his wife came here to see me relative to Dr. Gridley and Eliza. I think it is best for them to be connected. Last evening received a letter from my good Uncle Starr. Read. Walked and visited. The people are preparing to remove the meeting-house. Received a letter from Rev. Mr. Hempsted,'' of Washington, Mass. Tarried out. G-ave a poor man, $1.00. 24. Visited a young man at Wapping ; very low. .Assisted in reconciling two brothers after a long variance. Visited. Received a letter from my sister. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Wrote to Esq. Ellsworth,' of Scantick. 25. Wrote to my Uncle Starr, and to Dr. Gridley, of .\mherst. Hindered by company. Read on my compilation. Read the Bible and e.xpositors. 26. Wet. Thin meeting. Preached with old notes on Mai. iii: 1, 2. After the afternoon meeting rode to Wapping, and preached with notes in • Family of Rev. John McKinstry, who pastor at Washington, Berkshire County, had been pastor of the Second Church in Mass., 1S23-1S26. Springfield, afterwards Chicopee, from 1752 ^ Timothy Ellsworth, Esq., who lived at to 17S9. • what was then called Ketch-Mills, but is now = Rev. John A. Hempsted, a native of called Windsorville, about two miles easterly Hartford, Ct., graduate of Yale, 1S21, and from the center of Scantic parish. 944 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l823- the meeting-house on Ps. Iv : i6. Visited tlie sick man. A woman died here this morning very suddenly. Read the Bible. Very cold. 27. Read Joan of Arc. Received a letter from Esq. Ellsworth. Wrote. Something wet. 28. Read on my historic compilation. Mr. Eells came here and tarried. Attended the funeral of Mrs. Lyman." I trust Mr. Eells will do well. 29. Mr. Eells went to Vernon to supply there. Rode to Hartford. .Attended the meeting of the Hartford County Missionary Society. The form of the society has altered, and made au.xiliary to tiie American Board of Com- missioners for Foreign Missions. At evening heard a good missionary sermon from Mr. Pierce,'' of Harwinton. Tarried at Mr. Dav's.^ 30. Did errands. Paid for books, $3.13; for donations, $3.14. Rode home. Read. \\'rote. 31. Wrote on my compilation. Rode and visited. Attended our even- ing prayer-meeting. Quite thin. Last evening the Hartford Universalist preached here in the Baptist meeting-house.'' November. 1. Read and wrote on my compilation. .\m sorry to have to omit writing a sermon. Read the Bible. Cold and wet. 2. Last night we had a good deal of rain. Thin meeting. Expounded on Acts xiii : 1-42, and preached an old sermon on Rom. xi : 22. At evening attended the conference. Had read Mr. Porter's sermon on the death of Gov. Treadwell.' 3. Rode and visited. We have several sick persons, some quite low. Very cold. Attended the monthly concert. Had a good meeting. M'rote. 4. Wrote on my compilation. Set out on a journey to Norfolk. Rode to Simsbury. Visited at Mr. Stebbins's.' Tarried at Mr. McLean's.' Got a few coins at Hartford Bank. 5. Rode to Norfolk ; frosty and cold. Found mother quite comfortable, and a little about the house. Yet she has lately had a severe ill turn, from which she appears to be mercifully recovering. 6. Walked out. Afternoon rode with Mr. Emerson to the south part of the town, and preached a lecture on Ps. iv : 5. This part of the town appears be to improving. U'rote. 7. Last night it snowed considerably ; the ground is quite covered. Mr. Battell returned from a journey to New York and Philadelphia. We are much perplexed about cousin Eliza's alYair. She is much agitated. Saw some good paintings. ' Mrs. M.iry Lyman, aged forty-nine. * 'I'lie Universalist minister of Hartford ^ Rev. George E. Pierce, pastor at Har- at that lime was Rev. Richard Carrigue. winton, 1S22-1S34. He was a graduate of ' Dr. Noah Porter'.>i sermon on the death Yale, 1S16, and a native of Southbury, Ct. of (>ov. John Treaclwcll, of Faimington. ' Hon. Thomas D.ny, Secretary of the * Mr. .Samuel Stiles Stcbbins, his former State of Connecticut from iSio to 1835, pupil in theology. brother of I'rcsident Day of Yale College. ' Rev. Allen McLean. ^^23-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. g,- 8. Gave mother, S3.44. Her pecuniary resources are rather small. She appears to be gaining health, through divine mercy, and I hope she will be comfortable as she has been. Paid at the store for handkerchiefs, $3.46. Rode to Simsbury. The snow thaws, and it is quite bad riding. Mr. McLean has gone to East Windsor. 9. Very pleasant, which has been of late pretty uncommon. Preached on Luke xii : 13, and Rev. xxii : 9. Full meeting. This congregation is larger than it used to be, and larger than mine. In the evening preached without notes on Luke ix : 30,31. Very tired. Visited some. 10. Visited old acquaintance. Afternoon rode home. Mrs. Wolcott appears to be some better than when I left home. A young woman has died here since I have been absent. 11. Rainy. Read. We have the news of the fall of Cadiz," and the probable end of the Cortez government for the present. I do not think this change will be for the worse. That is a very ungodly nation. 12. Read in the L//e of Calvin?" Rode to Hartford. Quite cold. Paid for candles, .78. The country is very full of agricultural produce. I think prices must be very low. The Cookes conclude to finish their volume with extracts, because of their hurry, and release me from any further writing. I am glad. Wrote. Read the Bible. 13. Studied and wrote some in a piece for publication. Dr. McGregor' came from Enfield to see me. Rode with him to Enfield. Received a let- ter from Dr. Gridley. Was up very late. 14. My brother and wife conclude to go to Norfolk next week. Wrote to cousin Eliza. Procured some pamphlets. Gave for them $i.oo. Rode home. Visited an afflicted family. Attended our prayer-meeting. Paid a post office bill, $1.90. Received a very valuable pamphlet from my Uncle Starr, his own half century sermon.* 15. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Looked over pamphlets. Have many sijiail things to take up my attention. Wrote on a supplement to a sermon on Prov. viii: 17. Read. 16. Wrote and preached all day an old sermon on Prov. viii: 17. Quite cold. Took notice of the late death of a youth. At evening attended the conference. Our conferences are thin. The Lord be our helper. 17. Visited. Cold like winter. Worked at the house. Read. Spain seems likely to return to her former miserable regimen. Mrs. Wolcott gains strength but slowly. 18. Worked at my chamber. Wrote on a portion of Scripture. Ke.ul. Dr. Tudor's family gave me some valuable old books. Thermometer this morning about 12°. Wrote. ' At our last report it was invested by the ' Dr. McGregor was one of the practicing French army, and now it seems to have been physicians of Enfield. taken and occupied by the French lor some ■* Kev. Peter Starr was settled in Warren. years. Ct., in 1772. The year 18:2 brought about = John Calvin. his half-century. 94^ DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1823. 19. Thermometer 22°. Read. Attended a funeral of old Mrs. Wolcott, in the hither part of East Hartford. Rode to Pine Meadow and attended the wedding of Herlehigh Haskell." Got home late. Received a letter from Mr. Whittlesey, of Hartford. There is some ice in the river. 20. Worked some. Rode to Wapping and visited the sick and others. Read the Bible. Was thrown from my horse by his falling, but tiirough mercy, not much hurt. 21. Received a letter from D. P. Hopkins, Hartford. Rode to Hartford. Did errands. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. The weather more mild than it has been. Paid .25 for pamphlets. 22. Read old manuscripts. Found one yesterday in the garret of Mr. Whitman, of Hartford, deceased, of great value. Rode to Enfield to exchange. Windy and cold. 23. My brother rode early to East Windsor and returned in the evening. Preached on Gen. iii : i. At evening attended conference, and preached without notes on Ps. iv : 5. Quite cold. Walked to meeting three times. The Lord help me in all my needs. The congregation here appears well. Much fatigued. 24. Rode to Longmeadow. Looked over the pamplilets and papers of the Williams famil}^ They are not so valuable as I expected. They will not part with anything. Rode to Enfield and home. A cold day. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. Received college pamphlets from my cousin P. Battell.= 25. Walked and visited. The ground hard frozen. Worked at my pam- phlets. Examined a school-master. We had snow and considerable rain. The swamps are uncommonly dry. 26. Worked at my pamphlets. Wrote. Rode to Wapping to see a sick man very low. In the evening began a sermon on Ps. cxxxvi : 23, 24, 25, and nearly finished it before I went to bed. Wrote till after one o'clock. 27. Thanksgiving. My obligations to tiie sparing mercy and rich grace of God are greater continually. Finished and preached my sermon on Ps. cxxxvi: 23, etc. In the morning wet ; afternoon warm and pleasant. I think my tremor in writing is much less than it used to be. Mrs. Wolcott dined with us, the first time after her conlinement. 28. Rode to Wapping and visited the sick. To Hartford and attended the meeting of the Hartford County Missionary Society. Cold and tedious. Yesterday received a letter from Mr. Osgood, of Springfield, and wrote to him in reply. Wrote. 29. Rode to Enfield and Springfield. My cousin Eliza and Dr. Gridley were married at Enfield on Thursday evening.' I hope the blessing of God ' Herlehigh Ilaskcll was the brother of by Rev. II. .\. Kowland, of Windsor, and Harris IIasl., LL.D. bury. * Rev. Klisha Cushnian ' The name of this first steamboat plying ' Rev. Abel Flint, I). D. between Hartford ant! New York, 1824-1843, ' Sarah a.m\ Irene Hattell. was the Oliver Ellsworth. ' Kcv. John Chester, U. D. 1824.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 961 them. Preached with old notes on Joel ii : 17, and an old sermon on James i : 23, 24. Administered the sacrament. Meetings very full and solemn. The church verj- full. .A.t evening went into the singing-school. The ther- mometer was about 60°. Much fatigued. 5. Am pretty feeble. Visited. Warm and dry. Thermometer at 66°. Read. At evening attended the monthly concert. Mr. Burge called here, and stayed some time. 6. Looked over old statute books. Hindered by company. Thermome- ter 68°. Afternoon rode to East Hartford Mills,' and visited a school. Returned at evening in a hard rain. The rain was very much needed. 7. Studied diligently revising the book of all religions for a new edition. Cold. At evening our church conference was very thin. 8. Visited. Rode to Enfield and attended a singing-lecture. Mr. Nash,"" of Tolland, preached. More than eighty singers. They performed well. Rode home late in the evening. Cold. On the 6th received a letter from my brother. People begin to plough and garden. Mr. Wolcott is making a good improvement in his out-hotises. 9. Wrote. Collected at our prayer-meeting, $1.93. Wrote to my Uncle Starr, and to the Rev. Mr. Chester. Rode to Hartford. Did errands. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. The printer gave me some copies of my sermon on the death of Mrs. Fairchild. 10. Wrote. Began and wrote considerably on a sermon on i Tim. iii : 16. Mr. Fairchild brought twenty-five copies of my sermons. He appears to be getting better. Thermometer above 60°. It. Finished and preached my sermon begun yesterday. Wet and rainy all day. Meetings quite thin. Wrote a piece for the newspaper on suicide. 12. Walked out. Our people talk again of moving the meeting-house. Copied off my piece on suicide for the Mercury.^ Read my book on Religions and Cercmonks. Quite rainy. 13. Studied all day on my book of religions. Rainy and wet. Worked in the garden. Warm. Vegetation seems to be commencing very early. 14. Am quite enervated. Mr. Skinner,* of Berlin, called to see me. Visited an insane man. Rode to Pine Meadow. In some places quite muddy. 15. The water is high; within about a foot of the flood in the winter. This morning it rained. Wrote. Began to copy off my address at the dedication of the Retreat for publication. Am poorly fitted for study. Worked some. Afternoon visited a school. Warm. 16. Fast. Spent the day mostly in private meditation. Preached an old sermon on Nehemiah i : 4. Meetings rather thin. I noticed no open viola- ' The village now known as Burnside. and G. F. Olmsted were its publishers as ^ Rev. Ansel Nash. years passed on. In 1833 it was merged in 3 The American Mercury was begun in the Independent Press. 17S4, with Joel Barlow for editor, and Elisha 'Rev. Newton Skinner, whose ministry Babcock for publisher. Charles Babcock was cut short by an early death. 962 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS. D.D. [1824. tion of the day. At evening had a full prayer-meeting. Ate no dinner. On the 14th received a letter from J. W. Barber,' of New Haven. 17. Wrote copying my address. Attended the funeral of an infant child. Visited. Paid $2.25 for a book (Jahn).'' People begin to garden, ^^"e have a good deal of moving. 18. Expounded on Acts xvii, and preached an old sermon on Rom. viii : 7. In the afternoon I was very weak at my lungs, and spoke feebly. Had no conference. Cold. Meetings rather thin. Wrote. 19. Wrote transcribing my address. Rode to Hartford. Got new clothes. Did errands. There is much excitement respecting the new college.^ Rode in the evening. Saw my nieces, S. and I. Battell. Cold. 20. Wrote on my transcribing. Worked at my things. Visited. We have some new families moved here. 21. Wrote. Have many interruptions. Am languid and feeble. \\"orked some. Finished transcribing my address, and studied on the revisal of the book of religions. People have commenced the work of removing the meeting-house. Mr. Stebbins, of Simsbury' came here and tarried. He is about commencing a school at Windsor. The thermometer rose to 82°. 22. Wrote on religions. Rode to Hartford. Saw blossoms on the daffas and peach-trees. Thermometer 78°. 2^^. Wrote. Began a sermon on Titus ii : 14. Rainy. Walked out and visited. Had no evening meeting. Read pamphlets. 24. Wrote on my sermon. Rode out and visited. Worked the most of the afternoon at the meeting-house. They have got along better than I expected they would. Wrote to Mr. Birge, of (Glastonbury. 25. Preached with notes written on the 4th inst. on Rev. x.xii : 12. Fin- ished and preached my sermon on Tit. ii : 14. Wrote four pages, one half of a sermon. Full meeting. The meeting-house stands on rolls. Warm. Went in the afternoon without an overcoat. At evening attended conference. 26. Am quite feeble. Assisted in setting fruit-trees. Walked out and visited. Assisted some at the meeting-house. The business succeeds well. 27. Had company. The people moved the meeting-house about the width of the house, forty-five feet directly back ; the whole of it stood in the street. It went easy and perfectly safe without any injury or accident. It appears better than was expected. When it was done we went into the house, and had a short religious exercise. We have much reason to bless God. .\fter preparing timber for the ways, etc., it was done in six days. Mr. E. Bissell* is about moving to Genesee. Very tired. Reviewed the proof of my address. 28. Cold and wet. Paid ft. 25 for repairing my carriage. Visited. ' John Warner Barber, before noticed as ' Washington, changed to Trinity College, the author of Historical Collections of many Hartford, Ct. The charter of this institution States, beside other volumes of much histori- was gained in 18:4, but it was not organized cal interest. for work until iS;6. - Jnhn Jahn, a Vienna scholar and pro- 'Mr. Edgar liisscll, who married Eveline fessor, distinguished for his biblical and Wolcott. He and his wife arc now (1S85) Oriental learning. living in the old family home. 1824.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 963 Visited our academy. I think I never knew it to appear better. Wrote. I have been prevented from study this week most unexpectedly. The examina- tion of the academy was attended by a good many people. 29. Set out late for Norfolk. Received at Hartford a letter from Mr. Battell, with an old book which he has purchased and given to me. People at Hartford are much discouraged about getting the new college. Paid Hills, $20.00. Rode to Colebrook. Found my brother very low. Last Sabbath he swallowed, by mistake, some oil of vitriol. He came very near instant death, but is mercifully preserved, and I think recovering. Concluded to tarr)' here. 30. Rode to Norfolk. Mother is at Mr. Battell's. Sally Lawrence went to Amherst for a visit, and she has since that left housekeeping. I came here when I came into town, for the first time, instead of going to the paternal mansion. Visited. A good house is building on the green. Mr. and Mrs. Battell have lately returned from a journey to Washington, Mount Vernon, etc. The season here is much behind East Windsor. ?vly horse does pretty well. May. 1. Rode with mother to her house, and to the burying-ground. Warm. Left Norfolk near noon, and rode across Canaan mountain to Warren. My aged Uncle Starr" is feeble, and suffers much from nervous depression. Mr. Downs,^ a young candidate, is preaching here. 2. In the morning rainy. Preached on John iv: 13. Administered the sacrament. Uncle Starr attended meeting, but did but little. Had long meetings. Veiy tired. They have a very fine new meeting-house here. Had company. 3. Misty and wet. Prayed and dined with a military company with my uncle and Mr. Downs. Concluded not to ride. Uncle Starr gave me fifty- nine pamphlets, some of them very valuable. The people here appear well. Wrote. I have not seen a smile from my uncle since I have been here. At evening attended the monthly prayer-meeting. Quite thin. 4. Left my uncle's, and rode to Woodbury. My brother Samuel and his family have recently left this town. He is about moving to Onondaga. They are well spoken of here. Visited. Kindly treated. Mr. Benedict and his aged inother gave me fifty-one pamphlets, fort)-two proclamations, etc. Gave her $2.00. Old Mr. Benedict's' papers are in very good order. 5. Rode to New Haven. The lower part of the way a very hilly road. The early fruit-trees in full blossom. Got to New Haven about noon. Went ' Rev. Peter Starr was then not far from inary in 1S22, and was settled as a Presby- eighty years old. He had been si.vty years terian minister, in Canajoharie, N. Y., where out of college, and fifty-two years in the min- he died young. istrv at Warren. ' ^^^'- ^°*'^ Benedict was minister in '" Rev. Cyrus Downs, who was afterwards Woodbury from 1760 to his death, 1S13 — a Presbyterian minister, was from South fifty-three years. The pamphlets were in Britain, Ct. He closed his studies at Hamil- the keeping of his widow and his son. This ton College in 1819, and at .\ndover Sem- was a valuable acquisition. 964 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1824. soon into the Methodist meeting-house for the election exercises. Mr. Luckey,' the Methodist, preached one hundred and twelve minutes. The sermon was miserable. Saw Mr. Battell. Drank tea at Judge Baldwin's." 6. Judge Baldwin gave me seventeen pamphlets, and a number of valu- ble manuscripts. Visited. Rode home after one o'clock. Washington College was located at Hartford. There was much rejoicing in that town. Large pecuniary offers were made from Hartford, Middletown, and New Haven.' Got home late. There was no meeting here last Sabbath. Have had a prosperous journey. 7. Worked at my pamphlets. Wet and rainy. Yesterday saw the first apple-tree blossoms. But little difference between New Haven and here, and all the intermediate way. Am fatigued. Dea. Reed* is quite poor. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Received a letter from T. S. Williams,' Hartford. 8. Rode to Hockanum, and attended the funeral of a colored child. Rode down to Manchester. Their ecclesiastical matters are in a critical state. Warm. Mr. Sidney Olcott' let me have thirty-six pamphlets, which were his father's, making one hundred and sixty-three that I have procured this week. Some of them are duplicates, but some are valuable and scarce. Paid Olcott, $1.00 for pamphlets, and .50 for a book. Received a present of JS2.00 from a man in Wapping. 9. Poorly prepared for the Sabbath. Expounded on .\cts xviii, ar.d preached a sermon written and preached at Northington in February on John iv : 20. Our meeting-house is not yet underpinned, and still rests on rolls. At evening attended our conference. Thin meetings. Yesterday Mr. Olcott let me have a number of old college papers. My collection requires much labor. 10. Had company. Read. Rode to Manchester, and attended a church meeting which gave a call to Mr. Burt,' by a vote of nineteen yeas, and three nays, and four that did not vote. Got home late. 11. Rode to Manchester, and attended a funeral. In the forenoon rode to Hartford to buy a horse. Have very poor success. Warm and very dusty. Am much burdened with so many calls. In the morning performed a marriage.' ' Rev. Samuel Luckey, Methodist minister ' Thomas Scott Williams, LL.I)., bnin in at New Haven. Wethersfield, Ct., June 26, 1777, graduated ^ Judge .Simeon Baldwin, l)orn at Norwich, .it Yale, 1794, died in Hartford, Dec. 15, Ct., 1761, graduated at Vale, 17S1, died in r86i. Besides filling many and various im- Ncw Haven, 1S51, father of Gov. Roger portant offices, he was Chief-Justice of Con- Sherman Baldwin, and grandfather of Hon. necticut, 1834-1S47, a man of eminent good- Simeon E. Baldwin. ness as well as greatness. ' The fitness of things was secured by '' Son of Rev. .Vllen Olcott, who was pas- locating Washington (Trinity) College at tor at Farmington, Ct., 1787-1791, and who Hartford. New Haven already had her died 181 1. college, and Middletown, soon afterwards, ' Rev. Enoch liurt. 1S31, had Wesleyan University. 'Between Loring E. Coc, of Granville, * Dea. Abner Reed. Mass., and Mary Stanley. 1824.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 965 12. On the 9th received .1 letter from Mr. H. Pitkin," of Manchester. Wrote. Afternoon rode to Hartford and attended the annual meeting of the society for the insane. Did errands. 13. Wet. The apple-trees are in full blossom. Rode to Hartford and attended the meeting of the Connecticut Bible Society and the Ministers' Annuity Society. We have some difficulty with the claim of Mr. Cook's annuitants. Paid for a book, $1.00; for pamphlets, .42. 14. Quite cold. Paid Horace Wolcott for assistance, $1.00. Wrote. Received a letter from my former pi^jDil, Mr. Eells. Rode out and visited. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 15. Bottled two hundred and forty-eight bottles of cider. Mr. Wolcott got it yesterday at Turkey Hills, but it is not good as I expected. Am quite feeble and languid. Late in the afternoon began a sermon on Matt. Vii : 13, 14, and wrote four pages. 16. Wrote four full pages, and finished and preached my sermon begun yesterday. Divided it. The meeting-house still rests on rolls. At evening rainy. We had our missionary contribution, and collected $32.25. Less than we have had for several years, but as much perhaps as could be expected. 17. Worked in the garden. Made an asparagus bed. Walked out. Mr. C. A. Goodrich^ called on me. There is a great blowth on the fruit-trees. Wrote. 18. Rode to Simsbury and attended ministers' meeting. Mr. BushnelP preached. Had a good meeting. Met with the committee of the Everest legacy. 19. Wet. Rode home. Attended the meeting of the society for the insane. Saw my nieces. Cannot find a horse that will answer for me. 20. Studied on the Rroisal of all Religions. Rode to East Hartford and performed a marriage." Crossed the bridge, and saw the printers. 21. Rode to Pine Meadow. Mrs. Haskell is quite unwell. Visited an aged woman, very low, in the upper part of East Hartford. Attended our prayer-meeting. Quite thin. 22. "SiXyxdiiiidiOXiXhe^ Revisal of all Religions? Hindered by company. I get but little time for study. Worked some. 23. Wrote notes and preached on Isa. l.xiv : S. Afternoon preached an old sermon on 2 Cor. vi : 17. Meetings full and solemn. The meeting-house is partly underpinned. At evening attended the conference. Quite full. Tarried out. ' Dea. Horace Pitkin. of Hartford, Ct., and Caroline Oilman, of "^ This was probably Rev. Charles Angus- East Hartford, tus Goodrich, minister and book-publisher. ' This worl; on which he is engaged, aftcr- His initials are the s.ame with Prof. Chaiin- wards published by Oliver Cooke, of Hart- cey Allen Goodrich, of Yale College. ford, has been many times mentioned, and it 3 Rev. Harvey Bushnell, who had just was doubtless to help him in this labor that been settled at Avon, as colleague with the he bought Dr. William Hurd's book on venerable Rev. Rufus Hawley. Kdigicus Rites and Ceremonits. The subject * The parties married were William Selby, is a very large one. 966 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S24. 24. Walked and visited. Attended a funeral in the upper part of East Hartford. Received of my collector, $50.00. The ground lias become quite dry. Worked considerably. 25. Studied on my Rci'isal. Much hindered by useless company. Cold. 26. This morning there was a hard frost. Thought to be harder than we have had for a month. Garden vegetables are much hurt and probably fruit. The blossoms had got off. Saw ice after six o'clock. It is hoped the grain is not forward enough to be injured. Walked and visited. My cousin J. W. Lawrence' and his wife came here. Kfas is a respectable lawyer in Onondaga. My brother Samuel " has removed to live near him in the town of Camillus. Received a letter from m^ cousin W. Lawrence at Norfolk. Uncle Starr has lost his poor son William. 27. My cousins went off to Enfield. Very dry and dusty. My brother and his wife called here. Studied on my revision. Wrote. 28. Wrote a piece for publication. Afternoon very warm. Thermometer at 86°. So languid I could do but little. At evening attended our prayer- meeting. We are in a low state. 29. Rode to Hartford. Paid our subscription for the Greeks, $59. 50 for this society, and $5.50 for Wapping. Paid my own, $2.00. Paid a merchant, $2.50. Very dusty. Read. Wrote to Mr. Yates,^ Schenectady. At evening rode to Mr. Bartlett's to e.xchange. The late frost has injured early peas, and some other things materially. 30. Mr. Bartlett supplied my people. This morning there was a little frost. Preached on Titus ii : 14, and John iv: 29. This people as well as mine appear quite stupid. At evening rode home. Attended our singing- school. Our meeting-house is done except leveling the ground. 31. Wrote. Worked at my chamber. Wrote a report respecting the Everest fund for General Association. Walked out. The ground very dry. June. I. Hindered by company. Ecclesiastical matters at Manchester arc in a very critical state. Rode to Scantick and met wiili the .Association. No religious exercise today. We examined and licensed four candidates.* One ' J. William Lawrence was the uncle Ii.ive been nolewoi tliy lor llieir love of books of \Villi>im Lawrence, who w.is born in and literary culture. Samuel was born in Paris, N. Y., June 28, 1801, but was adopted 1784, and was tlien thirty-eight years old. when a child by Joseph and Sarah (Kob- ' Dr. Andrew Vates, formerly of East bins) Battell, and was older by five years Hartford, then professor in Union College, than the oldest of their own children. Schenectady, N. V. When Dr. Robbins made this entry in his * These four candidates were John Rich- diary, young Lawrence was only twenty-three aids, native of Farmington, Ct., 1797, gradu- ycars old, but was already making his way in ated at Yale, 1S21, and at .^ndovcr, 1S24, the world, and became in after years a man afterwards Dr. John Richards, of Hanover, of good standing and character. N. IL, and Dartmouth College; Horatio X. ' Samuel Robbins, who lived a number of lirinsmade, a gr.iduatc of Yale, 1S22, after- years at Norfolk after his marriage, and then wards Dr. H. N. lirinsmade, a man well went to Woodbury, Ct., had now removed to known and widely useful, especially at the the .State of New York. His descendants West; Jos. Ives Koot, native of Watertown, 1824.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 967 of them for one year only. The Association very improperly examined the four together. We were much driven with business. Very warm and dusty. Quite tired. 2. The Association ordained as an evangelist Mr. Charles Wadsworth, who was licensed by our Conso last fall. He has been preaching in the State of New York. I gave the right hand almost wholly without preparation. A number of my people were present. Last night we had a most grateful rain. Showery. Rode home. Much fatigued. The people have leveled the ground about the meeting-house very finely. Mr. Hawes made a long communication to the Association respecting Washington College. Borrowed $100.00 of Mrs. Wolcott, and gave my note. 3. Purchased of my neighbor, William Tudor, three acres and a half of good meadow land for fifty dollars an acre. Paid him $75.00, and gave him a note for $100.00. The first land I have ever owned.' Rode to Tolland, and saw Mr. Strong, of Somers, and Mr. Loomis," of Willington. We conclude not to allow the whole of Mrs. Cook's demand on the Annuity Society. Wet and rainy. Some of the time it rained very hard. Tarried at Col. McLean's,^ of Vernon. A prospect of settling a minister there.* 4. Rode home. Wet and rain. Vegetation is greatly revived* Read Variations of Protestantism.' Wrote. 5. Wrote the most of a sermon on Mark x: 21. Hindered by company. Wrote a short piece for publication. Warm. Visited a sick family, and bap- tized a child' apparently near dying. 6. Wrote four pages, finished and preached the sermon begun yesterday. The latter part of it is quite deficient. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Rom. v : 6. Attended the funeral of the infant child I baptized yesterday. The heat severe. Thermometer at 90°. Very tired. Had no conference. 7. Walked out. Am quite feeble. Sultry. Read. My cousin Sally Ct., 1796, graduate of Union College, 1S21, of of Shurtleff College, 111. He heard Jared Andover, 1S24, after two or three settlements Sparks, LLD., afterwards President of Har- he was Joseph Ives Foot, D.D., president of vard College, a poor young man and car- Washington College, Tenn. ; Reuben Porter, penter in WilUngton, recite his first Latin perhaps a son of that Reuben Porter that Dr. lessons. ^ Robbins found in the State of New York, ^ Col. Francis McLean. near the beginning of the century. That * Rev. Amri Benedict was settled there Reuben Porter was from Farniington. This this very month. one was appointed by the Connecticut Mis- ' The great French preacher, James Be- sionary Society for missionary service to nigne Bossuet, 1627-1704, wrote a book cn- Pennsylvania. A large amount of valuable titled Variations of the Protestant Churches. Christian influence went forth from that This was, without doubt, the work Dr. Rob- day's work. bins refers to in his diary. L>r. Samuel ' So the land we have before supposed Edgar, of Ireland, thought an opportunity him to own, was only land hired probably was thus given for another book entitled for grass and pasturage, and sometimes he Variations of Popery, which he accordingly had grass to sell from it. wrote. This would give wider scope for ^ Rev. Hubbell Loomis, pastor at Will- illustration, ington, 1804-182S, and afterwards President ' Mary, daughter of Joel King. 968 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1824. Lawrence came here on a return from Amherst." ^'egetation is vory rapid. At evening attended our monthly concert. Pretty thin. The collection but .85. Thermometer 89°. 8. Wrote on my compilation. The heat very oppressive. Thermometer 93°. Dr. Flint called here. He is quite feeble. Unable to study but little. 9. Rode to Hartford. Did errands. Much dissatisfaction there with regard to the site designated for the new college.'' Paid my merchant tailor, $25.00. A donation, $1.27. Carried down my cousin to go to Norfolk. Paid for spirits, $1.00. For other things, $1.25. Thermometer near 90°. Went to the place of our church conference. It was something wet, and none came. May God help us in our low state. 10. Rode to Windsor and looked at a good horse. Capt. Bissell went with me. Cool. Read. Had headache. Received a letter from Mr. Wood- bridge, and one from my good Uncle Starr, who has lately lost his poor son William. Received of my collector, $40.00. 11. I cannot write steady and long as I have done. Wrote a part of a missionary report for Dr. Flint. Had a little fire. Had my first catechising of the children. Attended our evening prayer-meeting. 12. ^Finished my missionary report. Mr. T. Dwight, Jr.,^ of New York, called on me. Yesterday was sixteen years since I came to live in this family. Read. Wrote on my Revisal. 13. Expounded on Acts xix, and preached an old sermon on Prov. ii : 4, 5. Cool. Meeting thin. My people are excessive stupid. Read the Bible. At evening had a full conference. 14. Walked out and visited. Bought a horse of Capt. Roger Phelps, of Windsor, raised by himself, seven years old, for $125.00. I think him the best horse I have ever owned. Paid him §25.00, and gave him a note of $100.00 at ninety days. I hope he will do well. Quite cool. Read. Studied on my Rn'isal. 15. We much feared a frost this morning, but I believe there was none. Last evening received a letter from Mr. Bartlett. Paid a highway tax of $3.00. Set out on a journey. Rode in the afternoon to Torringford. Tar- ried at a tavern. Found on my way that there was some frost* this morning. 16 Rode early to Goshen. Kindly entertained at Mr. M. Lyman's. Quite cold. Many gentlemen wear out-coats.' Attended the General Asso- ciation. Presented our report on the Everest fund. Afternoon heard Dr. "Mrs. Olmsted, who had married Dr. 1 796, graduate of Yale, 1814, died in Brook- Timothy J. Gridley, of Amherst, was her lyii, 1S66, son of Theodore, secretary of Hart- sister, ford Convention, and nephew of President " What was the ground of objection to Timothy Dwight. He was a well-known the site of the college, is not stated. It had literary man. a fine and commanding position. The spot * Frost in the middle of June, in Central where it stood was bought by the city for and Southern New England, is rare, but al- its new State House and Park, and a great most every one in middle life will recall price was paid for it. instances of it. •Theodore Dwight, born in Hartford, 'Overcoats. l824-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 969 Hill," of Virginia, preach. Tiie foreign delegation is very respectable. Rode to Norfolk. Found my mother quite well. 17. Mr. Loomis in the house is a great help to my mother. She rode to Mr. Battell's in my sulky. My horse does verj' well. Afternoon rode with my nephew Joseph to Sheffield in hopes to get some old pamphlets of Mrs. Judson.'' Got but a few. Still cold. 18. Visited. A good new house is building here on the green. Rode home. Dined at brother Ammi's. He fears a permanent contraction of his throat from his late injury. Warmer and very dusty. Got home at dusk, and attended our prayer-meeting. Vegetation has advanced very little in a week. Have had a prosperous journey. Gave my niece, Sally Lawrence, ^i.oo. 19. Rode out. Quite warm. Hindered by company. Mr. Fairchild and Mr. Mann,^ of Bristol, R. I., called here. Read. 20. Wet and showery. The rain very refreshing. Preached all day with old notes on Rev. .x.\ii : 7. Meetings quite thin. Read the Bible. At even- ing visited a young man quite sick. 21. Wrote. Worked considerably. Am pretty languid. The season has become rather backward. Had company. 22. Read. I fear my horse will be bad to catch.'' Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of a child. Visited there. Our sectarians are doing off' the Baptist meeting-house. 23. Worked considerably. Wrote. Visited. Visited a school at Long Hill. At evening preached there without notes on Matt. .\ii : 50. Warm, and vegetation again advances. 24. Showery all day. Attended in the forenoon the funeral of an infant child ; and in the afternoon the funeral of an aged man belonging in Scantick, who was at the poor-house, and who yesterday drowned himself in Scantick River. Was out in a hard rain. The ground is well watered. 25. Rode to Vernon and attended their fast previous to their installation. Warm. Mr. Hyde,' of Bolton, preached in the forenoon. I preached in the afternoon on Jer. ill: 15. Mr. Benedict ' appears well. Returned by Man- chester. Mr. Burt' requested me to preach at his installation ne.\t Thursday. He had previously sent to me, but I had not heard. He ought to have paid better attention. Got home late. 26. Last evening I took a bad cold. Wrote. Received my church letter from Manchester. Wrote on my Rrasa/. Thermometer 84°. Read. Am much oppressed with my cold. • Dr. William Hill, of Winchester, Va. ' Rev. Lavius Hyde. '^ Rev. Ephraim Judson, of Sheffield, died ' Rev. .Vmzi Benedict, the pastor elect in 1813, but his widow was still living. He was a native of New Canaan, 1791, a ' Rev. Joel Mann, native of Orford,N. H., graduate of Yale, 1814, of Andover, iSiS, graduate of Darmouth, 1810, pastor at Bris- pastor at Vernon, 1S24-1830, and at some tol, R. I., 1815-1S26. other places; died from the effects of a rail- •• The perfect horse is a rare animal. way accident, in Brooklyn, N. Y., 1856. 5 Doing off, for finishing off. ' Rev. Enoch Burt, 1824-1828. 970 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1824. 27. The heat oppressive. Thermometer 91°. Preached an old double sermon on i Pet. ii : 7. Spoke feebly, but got along better than I feared. Had no conference. 28. Am poorly qualified for study. My cold enfeebles me. Began a sermon for installation. Studied what I could. Thermometer 89°. 29. Wrote on my sermon on i Cor. i : 18, and finished it late in the even- ing. It is pretty long, but written with too much haste. Much fatigued and nervous. A very growing season. Thermometer about 90°. Received $6.00 of my collector. 30. Rode to Vernon and attended the installation of Mr. Benedict. The parts were well performed. Mr. Porter' preached. There was a hard shower while we were in the meeting-house. The directors of the Ministers' Annuity Society had a short meeting. My brother and wife were there. Thermometer 89°. Rode to Manchester and met with the installation council. The council not large. July. 1. Mr. Burt's examination was completed in the morning. He passed ver)' well. The people appear to be much better united than has been expected. Preached on i Cor. i: 18. A large collection of people. Rode home. Very tired. Thermometer about 88°. 2. Walked out. Wrote. Preached a preparatory lecture on Gen. iv : 7 with old notes. Had a church meeting, and dissolved the connection of a member who has joined the Methodists. Attended our evening prayer- meeting. Quite thin. Thermometer about 80°. 3. Wrote a considerable part of a sermon on i Cor. ii: 9. Have many interruptions, and I fear I am not able to study as steadily as I have done. Walked out. 4. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Deut. xxxii : 20. Admin- istered the sacrament. Had a very favorable day. The church full. Preached in the afternoon my sermon on i Cor. ii : 9. It was not quite finished. Rode to Wappiug and preached at six o'clock without notes on Matt, xii : 50. At evening performed a marriage there." Very tired. 5. Am quite feeble. Rode out. Sent to friends a number of copies of my address. Wrote on my Ra'isioii. Mr. Cook' called here anxious to have it .soon finished. Attended our monthly concert. Pretty thin. Collected at the concert, Si. 41. 6. Wrote laboriously on my Ka;ision of all Religions, and in the evening finished it. I feel greatly relieved; it has been on hand several montlis. 7. Rode to Hartford. Carried the last of my copy to Cook. Did errands. Called on Mr. Flint and Mr. Linsley. Paid my annual subscription to the Annuity Society, $5.00, and to the Insane Retreat, $4.00. Paid a ' Dr. Noah Porter, of Farmington. Mrs. of Scantic, and llann.ih Higlcy, of Wap- Benedict was a Cowlcs, of Karmington, of ping. Dr. Porter's church. 'The publisher at Hartford, Oliver ' The parties were F.lijah Roliinson, Cooke. '^24-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 971 merchant, $9.31. For the skin carpet to my sulky, S1.75 ; Port wine, $1.25 ; other things, .95. Looked at the site of the new college. At evening attended our church conference. Very thin. 8. Wrote. Wrote on the church records. Looked at my land in the meadow. Rode to Mr. Bartlett's and to Enfield with Mrs. McClure. Quite warm. 9. Showery. People are generally haying. Rode home. Thermometer 90°. Attended the catechising of the children. The heat severe. Walked up street, and attended our praver-meeting. Dr. Gridley and his wife called here.' 10. Wrote church records. Wrote to Pres. Humphrey, of Amherst, and to J. W. Barber, New Haven. .Afternoon rode to Glastonbury to exchange with Mr. Burge. He went to East Windsor. Rainy. 11. Preached on Mark .x : 21, and i Cor. ii : 9. Very warm. This con- gregation appears well. Saw Mr. Lockwood. At evening rode home. There has been a great Baptist meeting here today. They have done ofif their meeting-house. 12. Rode to Middletown with Mr. Elizur Wolcott" to see Alexander Wolcott." He is supposed to have a cancer, but is now much encouraged about it. The grain appears very well. 13. Wrote records of the Ministers' Annuity Society. Rode to Hartford. Did errands. Got quite wet riding home in the rain. 14. Wrote all day on the records of the Everest fund. Thermometer 85°. Poor hay weather. Walked out. 15. Wrote to Dr. Park, of Providence. Visited. Walked and preached a lecture at the poor-house without notes on Matt, xii : 50. Cool and windy. Tarried out. People are beginning their harvest. 16. Visited. Visited the academy. Quite tired. Had a good prayer- meeting. 17. Wrote the most of a sermon on Eph. iv : 18. My nervous system is feeble. The ground is quite dry. Read. 18. Finished and preached my sermon on Eph. iv: 18. Expounded in the forenoon on Acts xx: 1-28. Thermometer 92°. Baptized a child.* At evening attended the conference. 19. Am very languid. Rode out and visited. Showery. Read. 20. Wrote to John Griscom,' Esq., of New York, giving a recommenda- ' Dr. Gridley, of .'Amherst, and his new * Edward Francis, son of Russell Rock- wife, who were on their first visit among her well, kindred. ' John Griscom, LL. D., was altogether a ^ Elizur Wolcott was the son of Capt. remarkable man. He was born in N'ew Jer- Gideon Wolcott, and was born in 1760, then sey in 1774, and died in Burlington, N. J., sixty-four years old. 1852. He belonged to the Society of Friends. ' Ale.xander Wolcott was son of Alex- He was an advanced teacher, a kind of ander Wolcott, M. D. Elizur Wolcott's wife Thomas Arnold of his day. He traveled was Elizabeth, sister of this .'\Iexander, of much and wrote much, in the interest of this Middletown. general subject. 972 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS RODBINS, D.D. [1824. tion of the Windsor Fellenberg' School, by the desire of Mr. Stebbins. Rode to Northington and attended ministers' meeting. Preached by way of exposition, at the desire of tlie brethren, on Acts .x.x: 1-28. People generally at their harvest. I should have carried dinner today to the harvest field had I been at home. We had a shower. 21. All the members of our meeting, six, were present. Rode home. A good deal of rain here last night. Walked out and visited. Read Life of Dr. Colman.^ 22. Rode with Mrs. Wolcott to Pine Meadow. She has been in no house before, but her own, since last October. Read Colman's Life. 23. Rode home. Quite unwell with a pain in my bowels. Finished Colman's Life. Can do but very little. Was so unwell I did not go out to attend our prayer-meeting. Read. 24. Rainy. Read C. Mather's Ratio Disciplina.^ Afternoon rode to Berlin to exchange with Mr. Skinner. Met him on the road. Got wet in a shower. 25. Quite warm. Preached on Eph. iv : 18, and John i: 18. They have here a very fine new meeting-house. The congregation appears very well. At evening preached again to a full meeting without notes on Matt, xii : 50. Very tired. 26. Mr. and Mrs. Whittlesey* gave me a number of Dr. Smalley's pam- phlets. Rode home. Quite sultr)'. Thermometer 88°. Yesterday there was a hard shower here. It is a very growing season, but unfavorable for the ingathering. Bad for the grain. Read. Walked out. At evening rainy. 27. Visited. Gave a dollar to a child who bears my name. Wrote. Rode to Hartford and attended a meeting of the society for the insane. Had a new harness made for my sulky. The cost, $20.00; paid $10.00. Paid for wine, .88; a halter, .50. Visited. 28. Rode out and visited. Preparing for my journey. Walked to the Hill, and visited the academy. Visited a sick child. Cool. Read. A very growing season. 29. Rode out. Visited. We have several sick persons. Wrote a long letter to the administrators on Mr. Cook's estate for the Ministers' Annuity Society, and copied it. Paid a blacksmith, $1.00. Showery. An unfavor- able season for haying. ' Pliillippe Emanuel De Fellenberg was ° Dr. lienjamin Colman, pastor of Brattle born in Berne, Switzerland, 1771. "lie was Street Church, Boston, 1699-1747. His life the founder of an institute of Hoffwell for was published in 1749, two years after his the theory and practice of agriculture, incUid- death, by his son-in-law, Rev. E. Turell. ing manufactories of the instruments and ' Cotton Mather's Ratio Disciptina was machines, and a school of industry for the first published in 1726. poor." Mr. Samuel .S. Stebbins, Dr. Rob- ■* Two daughters of Dr. John Smalley bins's former pupil, was trying to build up a married husbands of the name Whittlesey — school having something of this Fellenberg Roger Whittlesey and David Whittlesey. Dr. principle in it, and he wished to bring it to Smalley had then been dead four years, dying the notice of Mr. Griscom. at the age of eighty-six. 1824.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 973 30. We had a pretty hard rain. Preparing for my journey, ^^r. R. Nettleton, of New Connecticut, called on me. Put off our catechising on account of the weather. Gave Dea. Reed §10.00, to assist in defraying the expenses for the late removal of the meeting-house. Attended the prayer- meeting. Rode out. Sultiy hot. 31. Visited. Wrote. Dr. Flint called here. Thermometer 89°. Gave a poor woman, $1.00. I have got much in arrear in my visiting. Was unable to write a sermon today. August. 1. We have at length clear and settled weather. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Luke xix : 27. Afternoon an old sermon on .'^cts iv : 12. Full meeting. Baptized a child." At evening had a full conference. Ver}' tired. 2. Wrote. Am quite feeble. Preparing for my journey. Received from my collector by Dr. Reed, $30.00. Attended the catechising of the children ; and at evening the monthly prayer-meeting. Collection, $i.ii. Received a letter and an old Scotch Psalm Book from my cousin J. W. Lawrence.' 3. Wet and rainy. E.xpected to have set out on my journey. Concluded not to go on account of the weather. Put up my things. Paid for repairs and additions to my sulky, $10.00. Read. Am quite feeble with labors. 4. Left home early. Weather very good, but roads wet. Rode to Springfield. My horse does not go very well in his new harness. Called at my brother's. Rode to Western.^ Tarried at a tavern. Quite cool. 5. Rode to Worcester. Rode the most of the day in my great coat. People are harvesting. Visited Rev. Messrs. Gaylord,* of Western, Phelps,' of Brookfield, Crosby,' of Spencer, and Nelson,' of Leicester. Kindly treated by Dr. Bancroft.' Saw Mr. I. Thomas' and the cabinet of the Antiquarian Society.'" It is very valuable. More than five thousand volumes in the library. Last night quite unwell with a diarrhoea. This morning took physic. 6. Slept last night at a tavern. Rode to Shrewsbur)'. Last night very cool. Saw the aged Dr. Sumner," who has just completed si.\ty-two years of his ministry. Last Sabbath he was unwell, and absent from the communion, the first time in the period ; and no one '- (si.x times in the year) has i^een ' Jason Gerry, son of William Marble. ' Dr. John Nelson, pastor at Leicester, ' His kinsman, J. William Lawrence, of 1812-1871. Onondaga, N. Y. ' Dr. Aaron Bancroft, father of George ^ Warren, Mass., was taken from Brook- Bancroft, the historian, pastor at Worcester, field, Brimfield, and Palmer, and incorporated 17S6-1839. in 1741 under the name Western. It was ' Isaiah Thomas, whose almanacks he changed to Warren, 1S34. had so long used for keeping his diary. * Rev. Munson C. Gaylord, pastor at "' Of which he had been now several years Warren, Mass., 1S16-182S. . a member. 5 Dr. Eliakim Phelps, pastor at Brook- " Dr. Joseph Sumner, pastor at Shrews- field, 1816-1826. bury, 1762-1S24. lie died in the foliowing ' Rev. Stephen Crosby, pastor at Spencer, December. 1S19-1S25. '" ^o communion season. 974 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1824. omitted. Paid him $3.00 for alsout one hundred pamphlets, and Si. 00 for the first volume of the Christian History. Visited Mr. E. Johnson ' and family at Southborough. Worcester County appears well. Rode to Roxbury. Got to my cousin's* in the evening. Kindly received. Pretty tired. My horse does very well. The roads are very good. 7. Rode out with my cousin, and to Boston. Saw my cousin Chandler. The country here appears very rich. Called on Rev. Dr. Porter. The season here is quite dry. Wrote. 8. Preached for Dr. Porter^ on Ps. Ixx.xiv : 2, and Rev. x.\ii : 9. He administered the sacrament. His congregation is pretty large, but the church is small. They use Belknap's'' Psalm Book. Afternoon shower}'. Am feeble. 9. Showery. The rain here is much wanted. Rode with my cousin to Gov. Robbins,' of Milton. He was absent. After our return he called here. Much troubled with a diarrhoea. Warm and shower)'. Read GifTord's' History of French Rn'olutioii. 10. Last night we had a hard thunder-shower. Quite warm. Rode with my cousins to Cambridge. Attended the examination of the theological students. Their dissertations were very intelligent but ungodly. Very kindly treated by Pres. Kirkland,' Dr. Holmes,' and others. Saw Mr. Kendall,' of Plymouth. Went to Boston. Tarried with cousin Chandler. See many acquaintance. 11. Walked about the city. It appears wealthy and flourishing. Kindly treated by Judge Davis.'" Dined with him. Saw the noble Athenreum. My young cousin Chandler is a promising young physician. Quite tired. Visited the State House. Returned to Roxbury. Fine weather. The appropriate duties of this day will be attended to, I hope, hereafter. 12. Rode with my cousin to Milton, and spent the most of the day at Gov. Robbins's. Rode through several places. This vicinity appears very flourishing. Read Gifford's History. Very good. Read late. 13. Rode into Boston. Attended a book auction. Visited Mr. Wisner." His society have a very valuable ancient library, but I could get nothing from the collection. Dined with Mr. Chadwick. Afternoon we had a hard rain. Tarried with cousin Chandler. ' Mr. Johnson was not the minister at ' John Tliornton Kirkland, D. D., LL. D., Southliorough, but some personal friend of President of Harvard College, 1810-1828. Dr. Robbins. Dr. Robbins encountered his father, the ' Dr. I'eter Oilman Robbins. plain Indian missionary, in the earlier years ' Dr. Kliphalct Porter, born in North of this diary, out in the center of New York. Dridgcwater, 1758, a graduate of Harvard, ' Dr. Abicl Holmes. 1777, pastor of the First Church, Roxbury, ' Dr. James Kendall. 1782, to his death, 1S33. '° Judge Daniel Davis, born in Barnstable, * Dr. Jeremy l!clknaj>, i)astor, preacher, Mass., 1762, died in Cambridge, M.ass., 1835. historian, and public writer. His collection Eminent as a critninal judge. of Psalms was published 1795. " Henj. H. Wisner, D. D., pastor of Old ' Lieut. -Governor K. H. Robbins. South Church, 182 1-1833, when he was made ' John Gifford, a pseudonym. His real secretary of the American Board. Born in name was J. R. Green, 1725-1807. Goshen, N. Y., 1794, died in Boston, 1835. 1824.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 975 14. Rode to Hingham. Had hoped lo make some valuable collections from the family of the aged Mr. Gay," the former minister here ; but I got but little. At Quincy called on Pres. Adanis.^ He has good health, and his mind clear. Returned to Milton, and stayed with Rev. Mr. Gile.^ Visited at Mr. Amory's. Quite cool. 15. Last evening took some cold, and have a bad return of my diarrhoea. Preached for Mr. Gile, in consequence of Gov. Robbins,* on 2 Cor. i: 12. This is a large congregation. At noon rode to Roxbury and Boston. Am quite weak with my complaint. Preached for Mr. Wisner on Ps. Ix.x.xiv : 2. A great congregation. A very bad house for speaking.' At evening preached for Mr. Green' on Heb. xi : 24, 25. A full iiouse. I believe I am no worse for my day's labor. Rode with my cousin to Roxbury. 16. Rode to Cambridge. Quite warm. Broke my sulky, which hindered me considerably. Called on Mr. Gannett, Dr. Holmes, and Pres. Kirkland. Dined at Mr. Mellen's. Went into the burying-ground, and saw the grave- stone of my great great grandfather. Very kindly treated by Mr. Ezra Stiles Gannett. Rode to Charlestown. Went into the navy-yard. A great curiosity. Returned to Roxbury. 17. Rode with Dr. Porter, and visited Dr. Pierce,' of Brookline. A man of much information. Warm. The country seats in this vicinity appear very- well. Rode to Boston. Paid for books bought at auction, $9.70. Walked out with my cousins Ch. and B. 18. Rode to Boston, and called on acquaintance. Treated with much kindness. Quite warm. Paid for donations, $3.25. For articles purchased, $1.53. Gave presents, .83. Left Roxbury and rode to East Bridgewater. Tarried at a tavern. My journey has been hitherto very prosperous, through divine mercy. Have had an agreeable visit at Roxbury and vicinity, and been very kindly treated by friends. The Lord be pleased to continue His favor through the residue of my journey. I have spent more time in this vicinity than I designed. I shall not now be able to visit Bristol, as I had calculated. 19. Rode to my Uncle Le Baron's' at Rochester. Very kindly received. Though near seventy-seven he is healthy and active, performing steadily the various duties of his ministry. His family, four sons and a daughter, are all married, and live around him. Quite warm. From Boston here is a little over fifty miles. The roads in this part of the country are latterly much improved. But little fruit appears. Corn is sinall and backward from our cool summer. Walked with my uncle, and visited cousins. ' Ebenezer Gay, D. D., pastor at Hing- 'Rev. Samuel' Green, pastor of Union ham, 171S-17S7. Church, Boston, 1823-1834. ^ President John Adams. ' Dr- John Pierce, pastor at Brookline, ' Samuel Gile, settled in Milton, 1S07. 1797-1849, a native of Dorchester, Mass., and < That is, his kinsman. Gov. Robbins, graduate of Harvard, 1793. broueht it about. ' Rev. Lemuel Le Baron, who had then 5 This was the old Old South .Meeting- been fifty-two years settled at Rochester, ar.tl house, still standing. «as to have Dr. Robbins for his colleague. 976 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1824. 20. Cooler. Our warm turns are all short. Wrote. Walked out. I'here is a good deal of vessel building here. Plank and timber are brought from Connecticut River. Looked over my uncle's pamphlets. Walked out. There are several salt works here which do well. At evening attended a conference, and preached without notes on Ps. iv: 5. There has been a very pleasing revival here the last winter and spring; and another, about four years ago, still greater. My uncle and his people have been greatly blessed. Tarried at my cousin William's.' He has a little son" who bears my name. My health, I think, is much improved. 21. Wrote. My time is much taken up. The village here appears to be flourishing. Dined at my cousin's. Afternoon rode with my cousin Mayhew^ to Fairhaven, and visited my cousins there. Their meeting-house has lately been much injured by lightning. Returned. 22. In the morning it rained a good deal. Meeting rather thin. Preached on John i: 16, and 2 Cor. i: 12. In the evening at si.x o'clock spoke at the conference. The meetings were very serious and interesting. The people appear exceeding well. My good uncle is greatly rejoiced. Quite tired. Tarried at my cousin's. 23. Early in the morning saw the launching of a good brig, belonging partly to my cousins. Visited a sick woman and others. Afternoon set out for home. Rode to Fairhaven. Tarried with my cousins. Preached in the evening for Mr. Gould,'' a good minister, on 2 Cor. i: 12. Cool. This place and New Bedford suffer much from the low price of whale oil. In the morning gave my little namesake, $1.00. My uncle gave me a number of pamphlets. 24. Several people have gone from this quarter to Boston to meet Gen. La Fayette.' Rode across the rough country tlirough Swanzey to Provi- dence. A merciful God has much prospered me in the second part of my journey. My horse performs well. Saw Mrs. McClure.' Tarried at a tavern. Paid for a donation, Si-So. 25. Put up at Mrs. McClure's, and very kindly treated. Dr. Park,' pro- fessor in the college, called on me. Afternoon drank tea with him, and visited the college. Attended at prayers. Visited the President. This town is quite flourishing. Visited Mr. Williams.' On Monday Gen. La Fayette passed through here on his way from New York to Boston. There was the greatest parade ever seen in this town. All speak in the most favorable terms of the appearance of the General, and of the ceremony. ' Capt. William I.e liaron, now thirty- triumplial journcv ihrmigh the cities and eight years old. towns of New Engl.and. A few days after ' Thomas Uolibins l,c liarun was now six this entry, the writer of this note, as a boy, years old. saw him in Hartford, Ct. 'This was a son of his uncle William, ' The second Mrs. David McCliire, it will and his full name was Thom.as Mayhcw be remembered, was from Providence, (or Mayo). ' I'rof. Calvin I'ark, D. D. ' Rev. William Gould, settled at Fair- ' Rev. Thom.is Williams, who preached haven, 1S22. Dr. Emmons's funeral sermon, and lived to ' This was the year of Gen. La Fayette's be ninety-seven years old. 1824.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 977 26. Visited the college witli Dr. Park ; the library and apparatus, which appear very well. Visited acquaintance. Afternoon with much pleasure set out for home. Rode twenty-four miles to Killingly. Tarried at a tavern. The road is hilly, but well made. 27. In the morning rainy. Wet all day. Rode out of my way, and visited Dr. Whitney,' of Brooklyn. He was ninety-three years old last Sabbath ; born August 11, 1731, at Plainfield. He is a brother of Joshua Whitney, the first Justice of the Peace in Norfolk.^ He has had the longest ministry ever in this State; ordained February, 1756. He gave me near forty pamphlets. I paid him near S7.45 for books, including Tillotson's' Works, twelve volumes. Dined with a company of persons who are attending court. Kindly treated. The small Unitarian society here appears to be declining. Rode on to Mansfield. Tarried at a tavern. 28. Breakfasted at Mr. Calhoun's* at Coventry, and rode home. Found our family better than when I left home, and my people in a favorable state. Nothing unpleasant has occurred during my absence. I have had a very prosperous journey, and a kind return. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his unmerited benefits. Mr. Gaylord preached here the first Sabbath, and half of the day, the 2d and 3d. Dr. Flint preached the other half of those days. He is now boarding at Dea. Reed's. His health is much better than it has been. Received a letter from Mr. Gaylord, which he left here ; and one from a Mr. Bigelow, an agent for the theological institution in Virginia. Visited a sick child, and an afflicted family. Mr. Hough, formerly a Baptist preacher here, lately died in West Boylston. I brought the news to his wife's parents here. 29. Preached with old notes on Num. x.x.xv : 11, 12, and an old sermon on John xi : 42. Mr. Flint went to meeting with me. Meeting quite full. My people appear glad to see me returned. Mr. Gaylord has been quite accept- able here. At evening attended the conference. I think my health has been much improved by my journey. Mr. Bigelow, the agent, came here, but we concluded not to have a contribution. Gave him $1.00. 30. Visited the sick and others. Rode to Wapping and visited a woman; very low. Our summer has been cool. I carried thin clothes on my journey, but did not put them on. The newspapers are filled with the distinguished attentions paid to La Fayette. Read. 31. Wrote in my diary. I brought home with me on my journey more than two hundred pamphlets,' the most of them such as I had not before. In my pecuniary accounts I find the sums noted and what I brought home, Si. 22 - Josiah Whitney, D. D., native of Plain- ' Dr. John Tillotson, Archbishop of Can- field, Ct., graduate of Yale, 1752, pastor at tcrbury. Brooklyn, 1756-1824, si.xtv-eight years. He * Hr. George A. Calhoun, died soon after this visit. The ministry of ' Of late years, whatever journeys Dr Rev. Nathan Buckham, of Medway, Mass., Robbins makes, he never forgets the old was seventy-one years, 1724-1795- pamphlets, and is very successful as a col- = Town of Norfolk. Ct. lector of them. 978 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S24. less than what I carried. This must have been lost, or not set down, and must be added to my expenses. Rode out. Wrote to my mother. Rainy and wet. I thank God for another summer's mercies. Septbmbbk. 1. In the morning a hard rain. Rode to Canton on business of the Everest fund. Received but three payments of interest. The other mem- bers of the committee were not present. Got home in the evening. I charge the fund my expenses of toll, and the tavern bill at Canton." The ground is pretty wet. 2. Wrote. Received a letter from T. Dwight, Jr.,' New York ; one from Rev. D. Austin ; ' and one for the Ministers' Annuity Society from R. R. Phelps, Esq., of Manchester. Received by mail seven pamphlets. Visited a school. Rode to Wapping. A good woman died there todaj'. Was out late. 3. Received letters today containing my usual military orders. Received a letter from Mr. Hallock,* of Canton. A messenger came and paid the interest on four of the notes of the Everest fund. The debtors were misin- formed with regard to the day. Wrote to Mr. Hallock. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of a good woman, a member of the church. Wet, and I did not go to the prayer-meeting. 4. The morning' very rainy. Great preparations were made in Hartford last evening to illuminate, etc., in honor of La Fayette. But he did not arrive. Rode down after the rain subsided. He got in a little before noon. The ceremonies were very well conducted, and the throng of people was immense. I think I have never seen so many together. I rode with the military officers, and was near him. The streets were very wet. I believe had the weather been favorable, the tiirong of people would have been twice as numerous. Saw Mr. Battell. I regret that I have not been able to write a sermon this week. Wrote. 5. In the morning Ur. Park,' of Providence, came here. Preached in the forenoon witJi an old sermon on Ps. xix: 7. Dr. Park preached in the after- noon. In the evening we attended our monthly concert. Dr. Park spoke very well. Dr. Flint assisted. We had no contribution. Warm and sultry. 6. Rode out with Dr. Park and visited. Very sultry. The fruit is scarce, and with so much wet quite poor. Afternoon set out with Dr. Park for New Haven. Looked at various things at Hartford. Visited the Retreat. ' Not for time and trouble, but simply for ' A morning vividly remembered by the money paid out. writer of this imte, then .1 boy of nine years. ' Theodore Dwight, Jr., nephew of I'resi- When he awoke with the rain pouring like a dent Dwight. flood, hope almost died within him, as to 'Rev. David .Vustin, an able, but some- going to I iarlfnrd to sec La Fayette. Butby what erratic man, settled at Klizabethlown, and by the rain stopjied, and he went to N. J., 17S8-1797. He was then an elderly Hartford, and it was one of the great days man, settled in Itozrah, Ct., where he died in of his early life, with a brilliant sun. 1831, aged seventy-one. 'Dr. Calvin Park, of Brown University, * Rev. Jeremiah Hallock. Providence, R. I. l824-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 979 Drank tea at Dr. Todd's." Rode in the evening to Middletown, upper houses, and tarried at a tavern. The roads wet. 7. Rode early and got to New Haven about one o'clock. The doctor is a good deal unwell. He is an e.xcellent man. Very sultry. Attended the meeting of the P. B. K. Society. Mr. Wilcox" delivered an e.xcellent poem before the society. Heard speaking for premiums. Very good. In the evening Mr. Sprague^ preached before the Education Society. Afternoon and evening quite wet. Paid Mr. Gaylord* $10.00, for preaching two Sabbaths for me on my late journey. 8. I believe it was rainy through the night, and continued without inter- mission till near sundown. Some of the time very hard. It was very uncom- fortable. The exercises were good, and the speaking better than usual. Three presidents were present, besides Mr. Day, alumni of this college. At evening Mr. Stuart' preached, the appointed preacher of the Concio having failed. Dr. Park is treated with much attention. Quite tired. Paid for an umbrella, $2. 50; for a present, .75. 9. Attended the morning praj'er-ineeting and the Education Society. Mr. Battell' was elected president unanimously. Pleasant weather. Paid for Machiavel, a folio, $4.00. Paid Gen. Howe, endorsed on his note, $77.80. He is selling off his stock. Got about fifty volumes. Left New Haven after two and got home half after ten, and stopped an hour at Meriden. The roads are wet. There has been a great deal of rain. Found things all well, through God's blessing. Have taken a pretty bad cold. 10. The sum of $77.80, paid yesterday to Gen. Howe, was received from him. Saw at New Haven Col. Trumbull's' picture of Washington's resigna- tion. It is exquisite. Worked at my library. I have procured about one hundred volumes this year. Wrote. Afternoon attended the catechising of the children. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 11. My horse has become poor. I believe the effect of the flies. Wrote the most of a sermon on Heb. x : 20. Visited the sick. Read. 12. E.xpounded on Acts xx : 28 to -xxi : 17. Finished and preached the sermon begun yesterday. Much oppressed with my hoarseness and cold. Found it laborious and difficult to speak. Had a little fire yesterday and today. Wrote. 13. Am some better of my cold. Walked to Wapping and back. Visited sick persons. Read. Warm. 14. Read. Wrote to Capt. Phelps, of Windsor, and to Sidney Mills, of - Dr. Eli Todd, physician connected witli in 1S26 because of failing health, and died in the Retreat. He was graduated at Yale in 1827, a victim of consumption, the class of 17S7. He was very successful ' William B. Sprague, D. D. in his superintendence, and acquired a most * Rev. Asahel Gaylord. honorable reputation, in the early manage- ' Rev. Moses Stuart, professor at An- ment of this useful institution. dover. _ = Rev. Carlos Wilcox. He was settled in ' Joseph Battell, Esq.,so often mennoned December following, the first pastor of the ' Col. John Trumbull, the pamtcr. One of North Church, Hartford, but was dismissed the pictures of the Trumbull Gallery. 980 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['824. Canton. Walked and visited. Very warm. Thennometer at 85°. My lungs are much atTecled with my cold and cough. 15. Wrote to Mr. Battell. Rode to Hartford. Saw Capt. R. Phelps, of Windsor, and paid him Si 00.00 for my horse, and took up my note. Received a dividend of the bank. Paid for liquors, $2.31. The American Board of Foreign Missions met here. In the evening heard Dr. Austin' preach. Dr. Flint gave me a large bundle of pamphlets, and a complete set of proclamations for about thirty years. Wrote to Mr. Merwin, of New Haven. Yesterday drew a plan of a large book-case. My library increases much. The heat oppressive. 16. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of a man in years, and visited a school. My hoarseness continues. Very languid with the heat. A fine season for the corn. Visited an aged woman in a dying state. My brother and wife called here yesterday and today, and I was absent. 17. ^\■rote. A little cooler. The thermometer has been about 85° for four days. Mr. Brockway, of Ellington, made me a visit. Dr. Beecher' made a pretty poor speech at Hartford last evening. A young man, a Metho- dist preacher, came here wishing to study with me, and be introduced into the ministry in our order. I wrote to Dr. Perkins, and sent him to him. Visited. Attended the evening prayer-meeting. An aged woman' died last night. 18. Have many hindrances. Wrote the most of a sermon on Is. ix : 6, 7. Attended the funeral of the aged Mrs. Benient. My voice is feeble. Wrote late. 19. Am feeble with my cold, and cough a good deal. Finished and preached my sermon on Isa. i.\ : 6, 7. In the afternoon spoke witli difficulty. Read. 20. Rode to Hartford. My horse exceedingly afflicted with flies. Paid Webster $10.00, making S20.00 which I have paid him for my harness. Paid for a whip, $1.25. Dined with the rifle company. Walked and visited. Was out late. Dr. Whitney,* of Brooklyn, whom I saw on the 27th, is dead. 21. Rode out, and visited a family who set out on a removal to Genesee. Dined with a company of cavalry. Walked to Wapping, and visited and returned. My cold is still burdensome. 22. Cold, but we have yet no frost. Received of Capt. Bissell, for my collector (a note given last winter), $55.00. Have now jiaid William Tudor. September 3d and today, $100.00, and taken up my note, making $175.00 for the land I bought. Visited two schools. Am very much taken up. Wrote. 23. On the 17th received a letter from J.I. Wells, of Hartford, a Quaker, ' Dr. Samuel Austin, for many years pas- ' If any one could afford to make a poor tor of the First Church, Worcester, Mass., speech, it was Dr. Lyman Jkcchcr, for it was from 181 5 to 1821 President of the University certain to be soon redeemed with an able one. of Vermont, from 1S21 to 1825 pastor of a ' Widow .Surana I'.ement, .igcd ciyhtyfive. small church in Newport, R. I. He died in * His death was mentioned in previous 1830, at Glastonbury, Ct., at the age of scv- note. See note under date of August 27th enty. He was a native of New Havoii, Ct. ult. 1824.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 981 reproving me severely for appearing in a military character at I-a Fayette's day.' ^^"rote an obituary for the late Dr. Whitney. Yesterday visited old Mr. Watson, ° quite sick. Kindly treated. He rests his hope on natural religion entirely. Wrote. Rode to Scantick and performed a marriage.^ Cold. Gave my dollar to Mrs. Bartlett.' 24. Rode to New Haven, to exchange the ne.xt Sabbath with Mr. Merwin.' Rode from Hartford in the stage. This morning there was considerable frost. The first we have had. Vegetation is considerably afifected. Put up at Mr. Merwin's. 25. Visited acquaintance. Spent some time with Prof. Kingsley.' The vacation of college makes much diflference in the appearance of the town. 26. Preached on John i : 18, and Ps. l.\xxiv : 2. This is a large and very respectable congregation. Am still oppressed with my hoarseness and cough. After meeting attended a funeral. Preached in the evening on Heb. xi : 24, 25. Had some difficulty in speaking. Very tired. 27. Procured books and pamphlets of Gen. Howe. Received of him, and paid him, $9.95. Received of him in money, $30.00. Paid for a book, $1.00. Rode to Hartford, and walked home. Very pleasant. Received a letter from Mr. Colton,' near Niagara; and one from Dr. Comstock,' requesting me to deliver an address at the cattle show at Hartford. Mr. Merwin' preached yesterday very acceptably ; and his brother, J. P. Taylor, preached in the evening. 28. Rode with Dr. Loomis to Windsor, and met with the Consociation. I was scribe. Something wet. The Conso ordained Mr. Bacon,'" of Hartford, and Mr. Maltby," of Branford, as evangelists. The latter is going on a mis- sion. The ordination is in the evening. I came home in great haste, and got a sermon, and preached on the occasion on i Cor. i: i. Got into the meeting-house at the time of the second singing. I believe I hurt my hoarseness. 29. Very kindly entertained at Mr. Payne's. The Conso licensed two candidates, Turner," of Hartford, and Hinckley," of Vermont. The latter, by " Dr. Robbins was probably able to appre- ' Dr. John L. Comstock. date and risrhtly improve the reproof. ' Rev. Samuel Merwin, of New Haven. - Tohn Watson, .Senior. '° Dr. Leonard Bacon, who finished his 5 The parties were Hiram Wolcott and studies at Andover in 1823, and was settled Sophronia Crane. at New Haven, 1S25. * The dollar he received for the marriage " Erastus Maltby, who had just been grad- he gave to Mrs. Bartlett, wife of Rev. Shu- uated at Andover. He was one of four min- bael Bartlett, of Scantic. is'ers raised up from the church in North 5 Rev. Samuel Merwin, of the North Branford. Church, New Haven. " Rev. William 'W. Turner, graduate of " Prof. James L. Kingslev, connected with Yale, 1S19. Mr. Turner is still living in Yale College as tutor and' professor, more Hartford, Ct., after a long and useful life, in than fifty years. connection with the Deaf and Dumb Asylum. ' Rev. Chester Colton. now in the service " Rev. Oramel Strong Hinckley, just of the Connecticut Missionary Society, in graduated at Andover. A superior scholar Western New York. a"d professor. 982 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1824. mistake, had left his sermon, and read none. Left the Conso a little before noon, and rode with the regiment, who met a little distance from the meeting- house. Prayed with the regiment. They performed well. Rode to Tine Meadow and tarried at Mr. Haskell's. Eveline is here, and quite unwell. I raise considerably from my lungs. 30. Rode home. Quite warm. Old Mr. Watson is very low. Read. Afternoon preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Job .xiii: 15. Wrote to Gen. Howe, of New Haven. In the evening rode to Hartford, and visited a sick woman in East Hartford, and one in the lower part of this town. October. 1. Wrote. Walked and visited. Saw old Mr. Watson ; ' very low. Prayed with a part of the family. He rests his hope on a good God, expresses a confidence that he shall be happy in the future world, and says that he is willing to die. Attended tiie examination of the academy. The pupils per- formed very well. Attended our evening prayer-meeting. I fear the sickness increases among us. 2. This morning a pretty hard frost. Read. Looked over books. Mr. Sprague, of West Springfield, called and dined. He is very eager in the pursuit of pamphlets. Mr. G. Mills and his son,° of Canton, called on me. Afternoon attended the catechising of the children, the last for the present season. Visited a sick woman. Have so much to do that I cannot write a sermon today. Wrote. Read. 3. Last Sabbath at New Haven baptized a child. Preached with old notes on Gen. xvi : 13, and an old sermon on Prov. viii : g. Administered the sacrament. The church quite full. Burdened with my hoarseness. Attended the funeral of the aged Miss A. Bissell,' who died at East Hartford. Buried here. Meeting very full. Could not attend an evening conference. Visited at Mr. Watson's, but did not .see him. 4. Wrote. Am pretty feeble. Walked to the Hill and visited a school. At evening attended the concert. Collected ^2.21. The meeting pretty full. 5. Mr. Watson died last evening. Wrote the most of a short address for the Agricultural Society. 6. Finished my address. Rode to Hartford and attended the cattle show. Wet. The ploughing was done by four teams between twenty-four and thirty minutes. Delivered my address in about eigliteen minutes. The prospects of the .Vgricultural Society are good. My cough continues. 7. Wrote. Wrote to my cousin Dr. Robbins, of Roxbury, and received a letter from him. Attended the funeral of Mr. Watson. A church preacher' from Hartford performed the service. Rode to Pine Meadow, and saw Eveline. She is low, but hopefully a little better. Did not get back in linie to attend the church conference. Cold. ' John Watson, .Senior. * An Episcoiial minister. Mr. Watson ' Sydney Mills ami his father. was eighty years old. Mr. Watson was the • Miss Alice Bissell, aged eighty-two. father of Henry ami John Watson. 1824.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 983 8. Rode to Wethersfield, and attended a training of three regiments. They did not do very well. Mr. Fairchild rode my horse as chaplain. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 9. Wrote the most of a sermon on i John v : 9. Rode out and visited the sick. Got along with my writing pretty well. 10. Finished and preached my sermon on i John v: 9. Full meeting. Baptized a child." Very dry and dusty. Thermometer about summer heat. At evening attended the conference. Quite full. 11. Rode to Farmington, and met with the committee of the Everest fund. We made appropriations for the year. Rode to Southington, and tarried at Mr. Robinson's.^ He is pretty feeble. Warm and wet. 12. Hoped to have got some old pamphlets here, but am disappointed. Rode back to Farmington. Looked over the books of Gov. Treadwell. Rode to Wethersfield. Got about fifty pamphlets of Mrs. Williams, and paid her $1.50. Mr. Sprague has been here unexpectedly, and taken a good many. He has been at a good many places in this State, and made valuable collections, while I expected he would have been confined to Massachusetts.^ Rode to Windsor, Pine Meadow, and tarried. Eveline is still quite low. 13. Rode to Suffield. The Hamden Association are sitting at Mr. Gay's. They sat as an ecclesiastical council on existing difficulties between Mr. Gay and certain members of his church. I sat with them, and wrote the result. The difficulties are ver}' great. I hope they will yet get quiet. Towards evening rode to West Springfield, and tarried with Mr. Sprague. Preached at an evening conference without notes on Ps. iv: 5. Quite thin. 14. Mr. Sprague has a very large and valuable collection of pamphlets. He gave me about two hundred and fifty of his duplicates. He gave me a china plate that was Gen. Washington's. He is to look for pamphlets in Massachusetts, and I in Connecticut.' Dined at my brother's in Enfield. Saw Eveline. I hope she is gaining. Got home in the evening. Quite tired. Received a letter from my brother. 15. Looked over pamphlets. My collection has been of late much improved. Wrote. Attended our evening pr.iyer-meeting. 16. Hindered by company. Wrote a sermon on Ps. iv : 3. Got through in good season. Have not written one so easy in a good while. Laiis Deo. We have an account of the death of the French king.' Wrote. Warm and dry. 17. Eveline still continues quite low. Expounded on Acts -x.xi : 17 to the end ; and preached the sermon written yesterday. Wore no out-coat. Very dusty. Attended the evening conference. Am still something hoarse. Very tired. Preached too long. » Helen Maria, daughter of Elihu Wol- ' You cannot confine pamphlet collectors, cott. If "C remember rightly, Dr. Robbins did not ^ Rev. William Robinson, pastor at South- confine himself to Connecticut, but took a ington, 17S0-1S21. He died in 1S25. He good pamphlet where he could find it. was the father of the celebrated biblical ' They have agreed on the boundaries, scholar, Dr. Edward Robinson. ' Louis XVHI died September l6th ult. 984 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['824. iS. Wrote. Worked at my pamphlets. Walked out and visited. Read. 19. Warm. Labored in sorting my pamphlets. It is a great task. Rode to Wapping and visited. Got some pamphlets and old books of the aged Misses Tuttles,' granddaughters of Mr. Timothy Edwards. Paid them $1.25. Received a letter from Mr. D. P. Hopkins, of Hartford. 20. Wrote to Mr. Battell, and to D. P. Hopkins. People have a fine lime to get in their fall crops. Worked at my pamphlets. 21. Worked at my library. Spent the most of the day in visiting. We have some sick. Am pretty languid. 22. Worked abroad. Finished arranging my pamphlets. Wrote. Our prayer-meeting quite thin. 23. Cold and very dusty. Wrote. Visited the sick. Col. Grant's wife is ver)- sick. Rode to Hartford to e.\change. My library takes up a good deal of my time. 24. Preached for the new North Society Meeting in their conference room. Mr. Turner," of the asylum, preached for me. Preached on Ps. iv: 3, and i John v: g. This people have given Mr. Wilcox a unanimous call. Their prospects are very encouraging. At evening rode home. Cold. 25. Rode with Ursula to Pine Meadow. Eveline is still quite poor. Visited. Read. Received a letter from Mr. Yates, of Schenectady. 26. Wrote to Mr. Horatio Buell, of Glen's Falls, and to my cousin J. R. Lawrence,^ of Camillus. Rainy. Am pretty languid. Read a very valuable old Boston pamphlet. 27. Rode out and visited. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of an aged poor woman, and visited. The rain of yesterday was very beneficial. Read. Contribution, .50. 28. Finished reading the Bible in course. I have been quite too long going through it. Wrote. Walked and visited. At evening preached a lecture, at the south part of the town, without notes on Rev. xvii : 14. 29. Rode to Hartford. Saw Mr. Battell. Did errands. Rode to Weth- ersfield. Looked over Dr. Marsh's pamphlets. Attended at Hartford in the evening the annual meeting of the Hartford County Missionary Society. Paid for two years of the Recorder, $6.00 ; for primers for the children, .88 ; for cotton cloth, $i.68. A cold evening. 30. Worked at my things. Wrote a sermon on 2 Chron. xxxiv : 3. Wrote five pages in the evening. I write in too much haste, and too poorly. 31. Expounded on Acts xxii, and preached the sermon written yesterday. Quite cool. At evening attended conference. There was a Baptist meeting here. There had not been one before in several weeks. ' Martha Edwards, a somewhat eccentric Wapping, and preached there. These were daughter of Rev. Timothy Kdwards, married his daughters, now advanced in life. Their Rev. Moses Tuthill (now generally written father died in 17S5, and their mother In 1794. Tuttle), of Granville, Mass., a somewhat ec- ' Rev. W. W. Turner, centric minister. He afterward lived in ' His nephew, the young lawyer. 1824.J PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 985 November. 1. Worked some. Read. Visited the sick. We have two women in consumption quite low. At evening attended the monthly prayer-meeting. Our contribution was $2.21. Paid for cloth for a great-coat, $10.00; for cutting, etc., $1.44. Read. 2. Worked some. Dined out. Rode to Wapping. Rainy. Had ap- pointed to preach at the farther part of Wapping in the evening, but the information was not received, and there was no meeting. Began to read my Bible in course. 3. Cold and tedious. Wrote off my agricultural address, by particular request of the committee, to be published in the newspapers. Went to the place for our church conference, but no other was present, and we had no meeting. Read the Bible. Wrote. 4. Rode to West Hartford. Visited Dr. Perkins. Paid him $1.00 for about thirty pamphlets. Did errands at Hartford. Visited there. At even- ing attended the annual meeting of the Hartford County A. F. M. Societ)'. Rode home late. The thermometer this morning 17°. Paid for liquors, $1.00. 5. Wrote. Looked over pamphlets. Afternoon rainy. We had a prett)' hard thunder-shower. Read Camoen's Litsiad.' My eyes are pretty poor. 6. Wrote the most of a sermon begun yesterday. Cold and rough. At evening attended the conference. We are very stupid. 7. Rode to Pine Meadow, and to Hartford. Eveline gets better, through divine goodness. 8. Got about seventy pamphlets of Mr. S. Lawrence, at Hartford ; some quite valuable. Paid for them $2. 50, and for a book, .75. Attended the ad- journed meeting of the Auxiliary Missionary Society. We altered our constitu- tion to have it compare with others. The Presidential election appears to be going favorably.^ Rode home late. Received a letter from New Haven. 9. Wrote. Had my stove repaired. Wrote off a second copy of my agricultural address for the printers. The first having been lost. Read. Rainy. Mrs. Wolcott is unwell. 10. Walked out and visited. Eveline came home after an .absence of eleven weeks, six and one half of which she has been sick. She is quite weak, but through divine goodness convalescing. Rode to Wapping, and preached a lecture in the evening to a full meeting on Matt, ix : 9. Am a good deal hoarse. The thermometer was up at 58°. Tarried out. 11. Visited. Received a letter from my cousin P. G. Robbins,^ one from Mrs. Graham, of Catskill, and one from the new society* in Hartford, request- ing me and a delegate to attend at their proposed ordination.' On the 19th • Luis De Caraoens. Appleton's Cydo/,a- was ekcted by the House of Representatives. dia of Biography says Camoens "is the only There was no choice by the people. Portuguese poet who enjoys a Pluropean rep- ' Peter Oilman Robbins, M. D., of Rox- utation." The Lusiadis one of the well-rec- bury, M.iss. ognized heroic poems of the world. ' The North Church and Society. - It was all right. John Quincy Adams ' Ordination of Rev. Carlos WUcox. 986 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1824. Mr. E. Cowles,' of Norfolk, came here and requested me very earnestly to assist him before an ecclesiastical council on the 23d instant. I concluded, with much reluctance, to go. Assisted in e.xamining a school-master. 12. Walked and visited. Very clear and cold. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. Pretty thin. Received a very interesting letter from Mr. Horatio Buell,^ of Glens Falls, and one from Mr. Hooker,' of Hartford. 13. The thermometer this morning was at about 13°. Wrote by request a sketch of the life of Dr. Strong, for a biographical dictionary publishing at New York. Visited a sick woman very low, and others. In the evening began a sermon on Ps. x : 13, and wrote seven pages. Had my new great- coat made. A very good one. 14. Preached with old notes on Lev. v : 10. Wrote a little, and preached my sermon on Ps. x : 13. It was unfinished. Visited the sick woman. Verv tired. Read and wrote a little. 15. Wet. Rode over to Wapping and attended a funeral* and visited. Worked some. Read. 16. Wrote. Rainy. Rode to Hartford. Sent my biographical sketch of Dr. Strong to New York. Bad riding. Paid my book-binder, $10.43. 17. Walked out and visited. Crossed the river, and attended a funeral; many of the connexions here. At evening rode out and performed a mar- riage.' Wrote to Dr. Porter,' of Catskili. 18.. Cold. Attended the funeral of a woman who died on Tuesday. A valuable young woman died this morning, in the same neighborhood, of consumption.' Visited the family. My large new book-case was brought me. Put up books. Paid for a book, .75. Wrote. Read. 19. Sheldon, of Somers, paid me $78.00, and took up his note of $77.50, which he gave me last March for my horse. He lost a good deal by him, and I gave in about $2.40. Our evening prayer-meeting was quite thin. 20. Wrote a sermon on Job xvii : i. .Attended the funeral of Miss Moore. Visited the sick. Dr. Tudor is pretty feeble. Wrote late, five and one half pages in the evening. Received a letter from Dr. Whitman, of Hartford. 21. Preached with old notes on John xii : 37, and the sermon written yesterday. Very pleasant. Meetings full and solemn. .\m pretty feeble. Attended the singing-school. Very tired. 22. Left home quite early, and rode to Norfolk from Hartfortl in the stage. My mother is quite well. Spent the evening with Mr. Eb. Cowles, and the church coinmittee, preparing for the council. 23. Visited. Afternoon the ecclesiastical council sat here on the affair of ' Mr. Ebcnezer Cowles. He died three * Mrs. So])lii,-i Peltoii, aged thirly-one. years later at the age of seventy-eight. ' Ilctwecn Jourdan Rogers, of Plymouth, ' Horatio Huell was a graduate of Dart- Ct., and Hannah Strong, mouth College, 1809. Horn in Newport, ' Dr. David Torter, born in Hebron, Ct., N. H., 1787, died at ISallston, N. Y., 1S33. May 17, 1761, graduated at Dartmouth, 17S4, He practiced law al Glens Kails, N. V. died in Catskili, 1S51, aged eighty-nine. ■" Rev. Horace Hooker. ' Miss Eliza Moore, aged thirty-three. 1824.] PASTOR IX EAST WINDSOR. 9S7 Mr. Cowles. I was his counsel, and Dr. Lee," of Colebrook, for the church. The hearing was closed pretty soon. This town is in an unusually good state. 24. The council resulted early in the morning unfavorably to Mr. Cowles. I wrote a confession for him, which he presented to the church in tlie after- noon, and thfey adjourned to consider it. Much fatigued. Mr. Battell's children appear well. Wet. 25. Started early. Mr. Battell carried me in his wagon to Hartford. Walked and rode home. At evening performed a marriage." Received a letter from Mr. Seth Terry, of Hartford. Yesterday Mr. Cowles gave me $2.00. 26. On the 24th preached a lecture at Norfolk, previous to the church meeting, on John i : i8. Rode to Hartford and attended the fast preparatory to ordination with the new society. Preached in the forenoon on Jer. iii : 15. Afternoon Mr. Burge, of Glastonbury, preached. Visited. Got home late. Paid for buckskin gloves, $1.25; for eight pounds of mould candles, S'-oo. Received $10.00 for grass cut on my land last haying. 27. Wrote. Attended to various things. Thermometer at about temper- ate the most of the day. Read. The Presidential votes are likely to be much scattered. Wrote to Mr. Jones, of Norfolk. Read Prof. Everett's admirable oration.' 28. Showery and thin meeting. Expounded on Acts xxiii, and preaciied an old sermon on i Tim. i: 15. Wrote. Wrote to Mr. Ripley,* of Marlborough. 29. Read. Worked at my library. Afternoon visited a school. Visited. 30. Rode out. Received a letter from Mr. Converse, of New Haven. Afternoon rode to Hartford to attend the proposed ordination. Mr. Wilcox performed very well on examination. The council is large. Tarried at Maj. Isham's. Visited Dr. Flint. He is feeble, and I think declining. We have gone through the fall without any snow. December. I. The day very pleasant and favorable. The new meeting-house' was opened and dedicated in the forenoon. Mr. Hawes' performed exceeding well. The house is very elegant, but I do not admire its singular combina- tion. Afternoon we attended the ordination.' Very interesting and solemn. ' Dr. Chauncey Lee. of 1S24, in the presence o£ La Fayette. His ^ Between Julius Birge and Mary Ann subject was American Literature. He was Stoughton. During Dr. Robbins's absence then occupying the chair of Greek Literature at Norfolk, his brother Francis came down in Harvard College. The next year he was from Enfield and united in marriage Wyilis elected Member of Congress, and afterwards Stoughton and ^L^ry B.- Eirge. These seem passed on to his higher honors, to have been companion marriages in a * Rev. David B. Ripley, pastor at Marl- double sense. Marriages in those days were borough, Ct., 1S04-1S27. usually thick about Thanksgiving time. ^ Of the North Church, Hartford. ' This was Edward Everett's notable ad- *■ Dr. Joel Hawes, of the First Church. dress delivered at Cambridge, in the summer ' Of Rev. Carlos Wilcox. gSS DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1S24. Dr. Spring' preached excellently. The council quite harmonious. I think this event will check sectarianism in Hartford. 2. Warm and wet. Worked at my library. Have three hundred and fifty volumes in my new book-case. Visited a school. Visited. 3. Read. Visited two schools. Wet. Attended our jDrayer-meeting. Wrote. Yesterday my brother and his wife were here. My agricultural address is published in a Boston paper. 4. Wrote the most of a sermon on Lev. xiii : 45. Read. My tremor is worse than usual. Rainy. Afternoon it snowed considerably ; the lirst we have had this season. ; The sround is about covered with snow. Thermometer in the JO _ , morning at 19°. Very tedious day. The going very bad. Thin meeting. Finished and preached my sermon on Lev. xiii : 45. Attended the singing- meeting. 6. Walked out and visited. Read. Wrote. Worked some. Paid a tailoress, $1.00. At evening attended the monthly prayer-meeting. Very thin. Collected $1.01. 7. Read. Visited the Long Hill school alone. Warm. Tiie most of the snow went off. Wrote. Had some books finely bound. Worked at my library. 8. Wrote the most of a sermon on Isa. Ixv : 1. I write slow. My tremor is troublesome. My strength for study, I fear, grows less. 9. Thanksgiving. Unusually late. Pleasant, but bad traveling. Fin- ished and preached my sermon on Isa. Ixv: i. Yesterday it snowed con- siderably. We had Mr. E. Bissell,' from Genesee, to dine with us. Quite fatigued and languid. 10. Visited. Rode to Hartford with my brother. He is trying to pur- chase a chaise. Considerable ice in the river. At evening our prayer- meeting was quite thin. Wet. 11. Very unwell with a diarrhoea all day. Read Livy. Wet. The snow about gone. Wrote. Unable to study much. 12. Expounded on the 24th chapter of Acts, and preached an old sermon on I's. xxxvii: 37. Meeting thin. Very feeble, but was able to go through the exercises. We had our contribution for the Insane Retreat. We collected but $9.57. Read the last annual Message of President Monroe. A very good one. It has been dark and cloudy the most of the time for a fortnight. 13. Rainy. Read Livy. A very interesting writer. Visited the sick. There are more than usual. Gen. Jackson appears likely to be our next ' Dr. Gardiner Spring, of the Brick till his death in 1873, at the great age of Church, New York. Me was born in New- eighty-eight. buryport, 1785, was graduated at Y.alc, 1805, » Kpaphras Bissell. His wife was Jcrusha, was settled over the Brick Presbyterian daughter of Samuel Wolcott, so that he was Church in New York City in iSio, and be- eniitlcd to eat Thanksgiving dinner at Mr. came one of the conspicuous pulpit orators Abiel Wolcott's, by general right of kin- and able preachers of the land, lie remained ship. 1824.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 989 President ; ' 'tis monstrous. Wrote a letter for Dr. Tudor to Rev. S. A. Peters, now of New York. Warm. 14. Rode to Hartford and Windsor. Quite blustering. Bad riding. Read Livy.^ Received of my collector, §115.00. The river is high. Paid for painting a canvas cloth to lay under my stove, .92. For charitable objects, §10.00. 15. Thermometer 20°. Wrote to Horatio Buell, Esq., of Glens Falls, N. Y. Visited. Rode to Wapping, and visited a black family very sick. Very cold. 16. Read. Walked and visited. Visited the academy. In a very flour- ishing state. Forty-four scholars, the most of them youths. The ground very hard frozen. Received of my collector, including two notes of S40.00 and $20.00, $145.00. Paid Mr. Wolcott's pew ta.x, $40.00. Paid for ten bushels of oats, $2.20. Our society have had considerable additional change the year past. Thermometer in the morning 14°. 17. Walked and visited. Visited an aged man very low. Attended the evening prayer-meeting. Much fatigued. Thermometer this morning 13°. 18. Thermometer about 50°. Received on the i6th by mail a newspaper from Keene, N. H., containing some insidious remarks on my late publica- tion of AU Religions. Wrote on my accounts, etc. Thermometer rose to 60°. Quite rainy all day. Wrote the most of a sermon on Ps. cv : 9. Wrote five pages in the evening. Received a letter from Dr. Whitman, of Hartford. 19. Finished and preached the sermon begun yesterday. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Jer. xiii : 23. Full meeting. Pleasant and mild weather. The frost mostly out of the ground. Had a good conference. Quite tired. 20. Rode to Wapping and visited. Mr. Sadd is quite poor. Visited the sick. Very pleasant and warm. Read. 21. Wrote. Read Expositors. Walked out. Hindered by company. I am very an.\'ious respecting our society matters. The Lord be our helper. 22. Wrote an exposition for the new newspaper' at Hartford. Visited. 23. Rode to Hartford. Saw the valuable new library for Washington College. Messrs. Cookes readily agreed to pay me my charge of $150.00 for what I did on the publication of All Religions.* Received of them S75.00. Paid Hudson about ' of which was for books at auction, and the ' Dr. Robbins was saved £rom this mon- ' The new newspaper was the Connecti- strous fact at that time, but it came in all cut Observer, the first number of which was its horror four years later, when Jackson issued Jan. 4, 1825. It continued some fif- received 178 electoral votes against 83, more teen or twenty years. It was a semi-religious than two to one. This time, in 1S24, no one paper supporting Congregationalism. was elected by the people, and John Quincy ' .'Vs money was then valued, that was Adams was elected by the House of Repre- more adequate pay than he had received for sentatives. some of his writings. A large part of his miscellaneous writ ' These two bla Livy in the original Latin. but were forgotten. == We may presume that Dr. Robbins had miscellaneous writings were gratuitous, such classical culture that he was reading ' These two blanks were left to be filled, 990 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1824. residue for other tilings. Paid for Scaoula's Lexicon, $5.00. Our societ}- sold their pews, and did rather poorly. God alone can save us. Cold. 24. Thermometer about 15°. Walked and visited. Attended our prayer- meeting. On Monday Mr. Green, of Wapping, brought me a good load of wood. 25. Wrote the most of a sermon on Isa. li.\ : 17. But a few people go to Hartford to Christmas. Very warm for the season. 26. Finished and preached the sermon begun yesterday. Am quite feeble and unwell. Am much tried with the state of our society matters. At evening had a full conference. 27. Read. Rode out and visited. A child died in this neighborhood this morning with the rattles. The ground thaws without sun. 28. The thermometer has been scarcely below freezing for several days. Walked and visited. Very good traveling. My visiting is much in arrear. 29. Walked out and visited. Attended a funeral. At evening rode to Enfield. Found that my brother was absent from home, and rode down to Pine Meadow. Paid a shoemaker, $1.00. 30. Visited Gen. Jencks." His second son^ is near dying. Visited. Paid Mr. Clapp my taxes, $8.97; and Mr. Wolcott's, $43.13. Got home late. Received a letter from Rev. Mr. Ripley,' of Marlborough. 31. In four days past I have visited about thirty families. The weather this week has been mild and pleasant, like the fore part of November. Wrote notes, and preached a preparatory lecture on John xv : 9. Attended the evening prayer-meeting. Had good meetings. I bless God for the mercies of the year. ' Gen.CharlesJenks, of Warehouse Point. ' Rev. David B. Ripley was pastor in the 'Charles Whipple Jenks, born Oct. 21, parish where Dr. Robbins first preached 1825. statedly in 1798. 1825. January. 1. Endeavored to devote myself to God and his service for the present year. Wrote a sermon on Luke xiii : 7. Rode out and visited a sick woman. Wrote five pages in the evening. I hope and pray that God will do some- thing for this people the present year. 2. Last evening it snowed, and continued through the night. Cold and very tedious. But few at meeting. We put off our sacrament, and I omitted my New Year's sermon. Preached with old notes on 2 Kings vii : 3, and an old sermon on Ps. l.xxviii : ^t,. Rode to meeting in a sleigh. Made this diary. 3. Thermometer at 20°. Sat and dined with the January meeting. Mr. Rockwell died yesterday, aged ninety-three." He has had ten children, nine of whom are living; the oldest seventy-one, and had but one death (his wife) in his house.'' At evening attended the monthly concert. Thin for want of information. Good sleighing. Read. 4. Thermometer at 4°. Wrote a piece for the Connecticut Observer. Attended the funeral of Mr. Rockwell. Mr. Cushman^ performed the service. Rode to East Hartford and visited an afflicted family. Fine sleighing. 5. Thermometer about 16°. Wrote. Walked and visited the sick. There are now a considerable number. At evening had a serious church conference. I hope we may not be forgotten. 6. Visited the sick. A man is very bad. Thermometer 20°. Rode to Hartford. At East Hartford attended the funeral of Franklin Olmsted. Paid for wines, $4.00. For the Missionary Herald for the past year, $1.25. Other things, $1.15. At evening rode out and visited. Cold and tedious. 7. Thermometer at 2°. Rode to Warehouse Point, and attended the afflictive funeral of Gen. Jencks's son. The bishop* preached. Saw my brother. Clear and cold. On the sth received a letter from Gen. J. Visited. Attended our prayer-meeting. 8. Thermometer at 8°. Wrote. Wrote the most of a sermon on John iii: 3. It snowed and rained. A number of the members of our church have agreed for a private concert of prayer on Saturday evening, for a revival in this church and society. • Mr. William Rockwell. ' Rev. Elisha Cushman, the Baptist minis- " This was one of those long-lived families ter of Hartford, that compensate for the short-lived ones, and * Dr. Thomas C. Brownell. of Hartford. It keep the average New England life at a good will be remembered that there was an Epis- figure, as high, perhaps, as in any other part copal church at Warehouse Point, where Gen of the world. Jenks attended. 991 992 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1825. 9. Finished and preaciied in the forenoon m)- sermon on John iii : 3. Administered the sacrament. Church pretty full. Preached my New Year's sermon on Luke xiii: 7. We had a solemn day. Attended the evening conference. Mucii fatigued. Thermometer at 30°. 10. Thermometer 6°. Wrote. Visited five sick families. Very pleasant weather. Read. 11. Rode to Wapping and visited. I am very anxious about Mr. Sadd. He is one of our best men. It thaws considerably. Thermometer in the morning at 18°. Paid for a set of Newton's Works,^ subscribed for, $10.00. Rode to Scantick and visited a sick woman. Paid my account at Mr. Haskell's store, $12.05; post office, S2.39; donation, .31. 12. Thermometer 13°. Rode and visited all day. Warm. It thaws con- siderably. Read. My visiting has been too much neglected. 13. Thermometer but little below freezing. Read. Wrote to my cousin Dr. P. G. Robbins. Visited the sick. Am quite unwell, and much afflicted. Visited. Dea. L. Loomis, of Cornwall, came here and tarried. 14. Dea. Loomis went off. The Cornwall school is prosperous, and a very important institution. It rained steadily all day. Paid for the Mirror newspaper, $2.00. Wrote to Judge Lyman," of Northampton, and to M. May- hew,^ Esq., of Martha's Vineyard. So rainy we had no evening meeting. Read the Bible. 15. Wrote the most of a sermon on Rom. vi : 23. I get too late in my writing. Warm and thawy. 16. Finished and preached my sermon on Rom. vi : 23. Wet and bad going. Some sleighs were out. Thin meeting. Baptized a child.* Read. Wrote. 17. Visited the sick. It snowed some. Wrote a piece for publication. Read. iS. \\'rote copying my sermon at the installation of Mr. Burt. Visited. Wrote late. 19. Walked and visited all day. Paid Mr. Waterman for my last book- case, $20.00. For other work, $1.06. Thermometer has been but little below freezing for several days. Wrote copying my sermon. Wrote late. Some- thing troubled with a pain in my side. 20. Walked and visited all day. At evening saw my cousin Francis Law- rence' on his way to Amherst. Visited the poor-house. Thermometer 18°. ' Rev. John Newton, an Episcopal divine, set of men, beginning with Gov. Thomas, of England, with a strongly Calvinislic and 1641, his son Thomas, and later Matthew, Evangelical turn. lie was born in Litchfield, and Experience. A second Matthew (Dr. England, in 1725, and died in London, in Matthew) died in 181 5, at the age of eighty- 1807. His works were published in si.x vol- five, and it was probably a third .Matthew umes, and the edition is very familiar to to whom Dr. Robbins wrote, theological students of forty years ago. * Roger Pitkin, son of Edwin Birgc. " Judge Joseph Lyman, already noticed. 'Another son of his sister Elizabeth, ' The Mayhews of Martha's Vineyard, in going to visit his sister, Mrs. Gridley (before their several generations, were a remarkable Mrs. Olmsted). 1825.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 993 21. I have lost a number of gallons of cider-brandy which I had put aside for preservation. Read. Wrote. Paid a shoemaker, $4.08. Attended the prayer-meeting. Visited the sick. Quite tired. 22. Finished copying my sermon. Thermometer 17°. Very cold and rough. Visited the sick. Received a letter from Mr. Rowland to convene the Consociation next month at Bristol. Wrote. So cold that I conclude not to ride to East Hartford this evening. 23. Thermometer 16°. Rode early to East Hartford, and exchanged with Mr. Fairchild. Cold and very tedious. Meetings quite thin. Preached on Rom. vi : 23. Returned in the evening, and attended conference. Much fatigued. 24. Thermometer about 17°. Read. Visited the sick. Wrote. Walked and visited. I hope my visiting is useful. 25. Wrote. Visited the sick. At evening preached at the Mill neighbor- hood without notes on Luke xviii : 13. We had a serious meeting. 26. Rode to Wapping and visited Mr. Sadd. I much fear he will die. He is one of our best men. Visited. Rode to Hartford. Paid the treasurer of the Retreat our contribution of $9.57. Paid the treasurer of Foreign Mis- sions our monthly concert collections of last year, $15.00. Paid him my New Year's gift of $5.00. It thaws considerably. Very good riding. Read Everett's Plymouth Oration} 27. Wrote. Visited the sick and others. Quite thaw)'. I get but little time for study. 28. Wrote. Hindered by company. Read. Attended the evening prayer-meeting. Warm and wet. Finished copying my sermon with the appendix, the minutes of the Guilford Council.^ 29. Rainy. Rode to Enfield to exchange. It rained and snowed. Riding pretty bad. Called on Judge Pease. My brother's health improves. 30. Quite cold and rough. The meeting-house needs a stove.^ Afternoon a full meeting. This congregation is large, and appears well. Preached on John iii : 3, and Ps. iv : 3. At evening had a very full meeting at a school- house, and preached without notes on John xii : 21. My brother went early to East Windsor. Quite tired. 31. Rode home. It thawed some. Thermometer yesterday morning 10°. My brother does not return today. Attended our monthly prayer-meeting, expecting then to be absent. My brother assisted. After which performed a marriage.'' Returning from Enfield I visited Gen. Jencks. He is pretty ' Given the month before, in the annual ^ The Enfield people were a little slow celebration at Plymouth of the Landing. in getting a stove into their church. In some '^ Before coming to Manchester, Rev. Mr. of the towns around, this had been done Burt had labored on the Western Reserve, before 1825. But the subject seems not to Ohio, as a missionary of the Connecticut have been .igitatcd at Enfield, and it was scv- Missionary Societv, and this Guilford Coun- eral years later before this pansh had stoves, cil was convened, doubtless, at Guilford, 'The persons married were William Ohio, to give him testimonials for his future Rich, of Manchester, and Mmcrva Blmn, of use. East Windsor. 994 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['825. poor. Wrote. Was up very late. Received a letter from Mr. Marsh," of Haddam, and wrote him in reply. February. 1. Rode with my brother to Northington, and attended the Association. But eleven members present. I was scribe. We had very little necessary business. Mr. Bartlett" preached very well. It snowed moderately the most of the day. 2. A tedious snow-storm till near night. Rode home with a good deal of difficulty. The snow is deep, and no path. Much fatigued. Held our session of Association till near noon. I hope a profitable one. My brother tarried here. Wrote. Thermometer 20°. 3. Read. Wrote. The snow is pretty deep. Thermometer about 15°. My brother went home with his wagon. 4. Rode out and visited. Visited seven sick houses. Thermometer at sunrise 9° below zero. Last evening 2° above. Good sleighing. Attended the prayer-meeting. Quite thin. 5. liegaii to write a sermon for tomorrow, but had so many hindrances 1 did but little. Thermometer at 10°. Visited the sick. Very good sleighing, and much improved. 6. Thermometer at 17°. E.xpounded on Acts x.w and xxvi, to verse 24, and preached an old sermon on John v : 29. Meeting full and solemn. Attended the conference. Visited the sick man twice. It thawed a good deal. Read. 7. Thermometer in the morning up to freezing. Wrote. Visited the sick. The man for whom I had the greatest concern, 1 hope, is a little better. Afternoon set out with Dea. Reed to attend the extra session of the Conso- ciation at Bristol. Rode to Farmington. At evening preached at the montiily concert without notes on Ps. iv : 5. Tarried at Mr. Pitkin's.^ Rode in a wagon. The sleighing is poor. 8. Cold. Rough going. A number of the members accompanied us on the way to Bristol. The Consociation met. I was chosen scribe. There are thirty members. Went into the hearing. An impure and awful case. Am considerably troubled with an ague in my face. Have fine lodgings at Mr. Hooker's, near the meeting-house. 9. We were all day hearing witnesses. I was very busy taking the minutes of the testimony. My face became mucii inflamed, swollen, and painful. Left the council in the afternoon, and took my bed. Was very ill through the evening and night. 'John Marsh, D.D. ington in 1811. Ilis father was Gov. Willi.im ' This was probably Rev. John Barilett, I'illiin, of Connecticut, and his grandfather of Wintonbury (now liloomficld). In a few was William Titkin, Chief-Justice of Connec- years he was to be pastor of this same North- ticut. A son of the minister was Hon. Tim- ington (Avon) chinch. othy I'itkin, LI..D., M. C, who died in New ' Kcv. Tiniothy I'itkin had been pastor of Haven, lS.)7. It was probably with his fam- the Karmington church, 1752-1785, and re- ily that Dr. Robbins staved. William Pitkin, tired because of ill-health. He died in Farm- of Hartford, was the founder of this family. 1825.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 995 10. Am, through mercy, a little better. Attended the session. We heard witnesses and the counsel for the parties all day. The council took the cause about sundown. Sat through the evening as in the two preceding. All were agreed in fully acquitting Mr. Cone." Was up late in writing the result. Quite feeble and weary. 11. The Conso resulted about eleven o'clock. The scene was impressing and moving. I trust the effect will be happy. The manufactories here are extensive and profitable. Rode home. Thaws and wet. My esteemed sick neighbor is living and better. My face was sensibly better in the morning, but seemed to grow worse. 12. My consociational tour has been very fatiguing. Visited the sick. It thaws, and the ground is very wet. Read. My face grew very painful. At night took a sweat. There is great anxiety respecting the Presidential election which must be soon decided. 13. Am quite feeble, but better, I think, than last evening. Preached an old sermon on Ps. cxxxvi : 28. Got through the exercises better than I feared. Very wet and muddy. At noon my horse got loose in the house- yard, and ran over the wood, and up street in the chaise with \iolence. He at length overturned the carriage, fell, and was secured.'' The carriage is much broken, but the horse does not appear to be injured. Read. 14. Wrote. Attended the funeral of a child, and visited the sick. The mud becomes deep and very bad for traveling. Read. We have the highly gratifying intelligence that Mr. Adams was elected President by the House of Representatives in Congress on the gth instant, by eighteen votes out of twenty-four at the first vote. All the other candidates have been duelists.' New England seems to have had the only chance for a President at this time. Received a letter from Mr. Benedict,* of Vernon. Visited the sick. 15. Wrote, copying the consociational papers. The ground is very wet. I think I cannot write as fast as formerly. 16. Wrote. Wrote to Mr. Benedict, of Vernon. Rode to Hartford. Very bad riding. Visited Dr. Flint. He is quite low. I think it doubtful of his continuing more than a short time. Paid a clothier, .90. Read. My face is still painful. 17. Walked and visited. The ground exceeding wet. Took some cold. Rode to Wapping and visited the sick. At evening attended a wedding.' Tarried out. I hope good Mr. Sadd is a little better. ■ Rev. Jonathan Cone was pastor at Bris- ' When a horse ran in one of the old- tol, 18H-1828. What the particular diffi- fashioned chaises and turned it over, the culty was that caused this three-days' session powerful twist of the shafts was apt to turn of the Consociation, we might doubtless dis- him over with it. It would be so with a cover, if any good were to come from it. sleigh, if the sleigh were as heavy. The Contributions to the EccUsiastical History ^ The other candidates were Andrew Jack- of Connecticut says : " The first ten or twelve son, William H. Crawford, and Henry Clay. years of Mr. Cone's ministry were pleasant and ' Rev. Anizi Benedict, profitable — many were added to the church. » Samuel Williams, of East Hartford, was The five or six last years were unpleasant and united in marriage with C\-nthia Stoughton, contentious, causing his dismission." of Wapping. 99^ DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l82S- iS. Wrote. Wrote for the Obsc-ri'cr. Rode out and visited. Attended the prayer-meeting. The mud is deep, and the going very bad. Have taken a cold. Visited the siclc. 19. Wrote on a sermon. Walked out. Mr. Benedict, of Vernon, came here to e.\change tomorrow. I am poorly able to go. Wrote. Received of my collector, $26.00. 20. Rode early to Vernon. Cold and tedious. The ground is very rough. Preached on John iii : 3, and Ps. iv : 3. The meeting-house very cold.' Mr. Benedict returned. He is well situated here. Am troubled with some hoarseness in speaking. 21. It snowed steadily all day. Rode home in the storm. My neighbor, Mr. Porter,' died this morning, after a short and light illness. Visited the family. Read. Wrote. 22. Studied all day. Wrote and read Livy. A good deal of snow, and decent sleighing. 23. Rode out and visited. It thaws, and the snow wastes pretty fast. Attended the funeral of Mr. Porter. Many people. Performed a marriage' in the evening in the upper part of East Hartford. 24. Rode out and visited the sick and others. Read. Poor sleighing. Had company. Wrote to Dea. Looniis, of Cornwall. 25. Was called early to see a dying woman.* She died before I arrived ; a very worthy young married woman. Visited the sick. We have not had so much sickness here since our epidemic in 1816. Very wet and muddy. Attended our evening prayer-meeting ; very thin. Much fatigued. 26. Visited sick persons. Wrote a sermon on i Cor. .\v: 56, 57. Wrote late. My mind is much dissipated. 27. Preached with old notes on Isa. xlix : 5, and the sermon written yesterday. Attended the funeral of Mrs. Loomis and her infant child. An affecting scene. Cold and tedious. It snowed the most of the day. A full and solemn meeting. Very tired. Read. 28. Wrote to Dr. Park,' of Providence. Rode to Hartford. Very muddy. It is a time of a great deal of sickness through the country. Great numbers are said to be sick in Boston and New York. Visited Dr. Flint. He is very low. Was informed that he expressed a particular desire this morning that I should preach at his funeral,"" and Mr. Linsly ' requests it. Visited the sick. • This was the old square house without ' Dr. Calvin Tark. a steeple, standing on the top of the hill, ' This is only another testimony showing which a year or two later was torn down, how highly Dr. Robbins was reg.ardcd by the and the present meeting-house built not on ministers as well as the laymen of the State. the old spot, but in the chief and populated ' When Dr. Flint retired from the minis- street, try of the South Church, Hartford, the year • Mr. Warham Porter, aged fifty-eight. before, because ot failing health. Dr. Joel H. His given name probably came from Kcv. Linslcy was chosen and installed as his suc- John Warham, the first liiinisler of Windsor. cessor. Mr. l.inslcy also wishes Dr. Rob- ' Between Chester Jiurnhani and Eliz.v bins to perform the funeral service at Dr. beth Phillips, of liast Uarlford. Flint's death, which was now near. No man • Mrs. Agnes Loomis, aged twenty-four. had known him better than Ur. Flint. 1825.) PASTOR IX EAST WINDSOR. 997 March. 1. Read. Worked considerably. Wrote. Rode out and visited. Paid a blacksmith, $1.59, and gave him §1.00. 2. Wrote a piece for the Observer. Afternoon went with Mr. Wolcott to Windsor to see his brother,' who is quite sick. I hope he will recover. The river is mostly open. Very muddy. 3. Our black girl, Harriet, that I procured at Norfolk, went away. Her mother took her away, as I think, unjustifiably. Began to write sketches of a sermon for the expected funeral of Dr. Flint. My nervous affections are very troublesome. 4. Wrote. Rode out and visited the sick. The roads begin to dry. Cold and uncomfortable. Attended our prayer-meeting. I bless God that our country has once more a New England President.^ 5. Wrote to my mother. Rode out and visited the sick. A valuable woman is very sick. Read. 6. Expounded on Acts xxvi : 24 to the end, and the 27th through. The 27th is much more interesting for an exposition than I expected. Preached an old sermon on Col. iii : 2. At evening had a full conference. 7. Worked considerably. My nerves are much affected, and I could not go to writing. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of an infant child. Visited the sick. Attended our monthly prayer-meeting. The riding very bad. On the 5th received a letter from Mr. Wilson, of Hartford. 8. In the morning began to write a sermon for the expected funeral of Dr. Flint. In the forenoon a messenger informed me of his death, which occurred last evening.^ Much hindered. We had a good deal of rain. 9. Wrote and finished late in the evening my sermon on the death of Dr. Flint on John ix : 4.* I never wrote a biographical sketch with so great anxiety.' Am much fatigued. Rainy. 10. Rode in the forenoon to Hartford. The roads are better for the rains. Afternoon attended the funeral. A number of ministers were present. The house very full. Preached on John ix : 4. Dr. Perkins and Mr. Rowland prayed. I walked with Amelia' Flint. Her brother is in Georgia. Left my sermon with the printers for an extract for publication. Yesterday afternoon visited a school. 11. Visited the Long Hill school. Am much fatigued. Wrote. Read. Attended our evening prayer-meeting. The ground is considerably settled. » William Wolcott, Esq., who, some years Ct., Aug. 6, 1765, was graduated at Yale, 1785, before, after his wife's death, depressed in pastor of South Church, Hartford, 1791-1S24, spirits, made his home with a married daugh- died March 7, 18:5, in his sixtieth year, ter, at Middlefield, Mass. William was eight * Text, " I must work the works of him years older than his brother Abiel, and was that sent me while it is day; the night corn- born in 1753, so that he was now seventy-two cth when no man can work." years old. ' ^^- J^''"' '^^'' haew an important man, in = We have had one since (1853) in the a prominen; position. The habits of ministers person of Franklin Pierce. were different from those of the present day. 3 Dr. Abel Flint was born in Windham, ' Daughter of Dr. Flint. 998 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [^^-S- 12. Visited three sick women, very sick. Read President Adams's inaugural speech. The best we have had since the days of his father." Read. Mr. Wilcox came here from Hartford to exchange. In the evening went again and saw the sick. 13. Rode early to Hartford. In the forenoon a young man preached from Montreal. Preached in the afternoon on i Cor. xv : 56, 57. This is a pleas- ant and very promising congregation.^ The most of them are young, and in middle life. Warm. Rode home and attended conference, and preached without notes on John i : 14. Conference very full. 14. Rode out and visited the sick. They are very low. Our roads are mostly settled. Read. Am quite languid. Received a letter from the Everest beneficiaries at college. Visited. 15. Wrote a piece for the paper. Mr. Bartlett, of Wintonhur}', came here with an expectation of having a ministers' meeting. No other one came. I did not expect them, and had appointed no meeting. Visited the sick. Two of our best women,' aged, died this afternoon. I was with one a little before she expired. I see no abatement of our sickness. The Lord be our helper. i6. Wrote. Visited the sick. .Attended the funeral of Mrs. Day. She has left a good name, better than precious ointment. Much fatigued by being so much in sick rooms. Wrote. i8. Rode to Hartford. Did business at the bank. Saw Miss Flint. She wishes a copy of my sermon at her father's funeral for publication. She gave me Gibbs's Hebrew Lexicon.* My choice of a volume from her father's library. Wrote to Sidney Mills, of Yale College. Much hindered. I^Ir. Linsly's society are about to build an elegant new meeting-house. Paid for a ream of best writing paper, $4.50. Paid my subscription for Washington College, $25.00. In Hartford very muddy. At evening our prayer-meeting was held in the academy, with special reference to our prevailing sickness. Visited the sick. They appear worse. Was up late. 19. Was called early to see a sick child.' Baptized it. A man called to see me who, I hope, has recently got religion. Much hindered. Am unable to write a sermon today as I designed. Read. Received a letter from Mr. Hooker, of Hartford. Yesterday had the pleasing intelligence that my sister had an additional daughter,' and all well. Wrote. Read the Bible. 20. Wrote an addition to my sermon at the funeral of Dr. Flint, and ' Such was doubtless the opinion of the was a native of Salem, Mass., born in 1790, New Kngland Federalists generally. was graduated at Y.ile, 1809, »•"' "'•'>» Profes- ' This was the congregation which, a few sor of .Sacred Literature at Vale from 1824 to years later, was to come under the pastoral his death in 1S61 — a gentle-hearted man, and care of Dr. Horace Hushnell. a profound philnlogical scholar. » Widow Bethia .Strong, aged seventy-six, ' .Samuel, son of Samuel Waterman, and Widow Mary Day, .aged seventy-eight. ' This was Ellen, youngest child of Joseph ' This was a work which Prof. Josiah and Sarah liattcll, now the wife of Ur. Willard Gibbs, I,I..D., of Yale Theological Azariah lildridge, brother of Dr. Joseph Seminary, had just published, Hcbrnu Lexi- Kldridge, who married Sarah liattcll, the con of the Old Tcstamciil, 1824. Prof. Gibbs oldest daughter of the family. 1825.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 999 preached it in the afternoon on John ix : 4. In the forenoon preached with old notes on Matt, xvi : 26. Mentioned five cases for prayers in the morning, and one in the afternoon. Visited the sick child. Am troubled with a pain in my side. Had a full conference. 21. Read. Looked over pamphlets. Added twenty silver coins and twenty coppers to my stock. A number of them have been given to me, others have cost me $4.60. Visited the sick. The late Mrs. Day has willed to me as trustee five hundred dollars for the benefit of this church and society. 22. Began to write off my sermon at the funeral of Dr. Flint. Visited ^Ir. Sadd at Wapping. He is evidently failing. Cold. Wrote late. 23. Rode to Hartford. Did errands. Mrs. Austin, of East Hartford, died last evening, after a short illness. She and Mr. Fairchild had designed to be published last Sabbath, and come here in the evening and be married. Visited Mr. F. He is greatly afflicted. Visited the other mourners. Visited the sick. 24. Visited the sick. I hope they are generally getting better. Rode to East Hartford and attended the funeral of Mrs. Austin. Mr. Fairchild appeared as chief mourner. Went over to Hartford to procure a supply for him on the ne.\t Sabbath. The roads are dry. 25. Rode to Wapping and visited two schools. Am much hurried. Attended the evening prayer-meeting. Cold and rough weather. People have sowed early grain. 26. It snowed and hailed moderately the most of the day. Visited a young woman in a dying state, and a sick child. Wrote and finished a ser- mon begun some time since on i Pet. i: 15 and 16. Wrote late. 27. Rode to East Hartford, and preached in the forenoon for Mr. Fair- child on I Cor. XV : 56, 57. He is quite feeble. Mr. Hooker," of Suffield, supplied me. Rode home in the intermission and preached on i Pet. i : 15, 16. Cold. The snow went off. Attended the evening conference. Much fatigued. 28. A child died last night. Cold and tedious. Visited the sick. Attended the funeral of a young woman" who died of consumption. Wrote. 29. Visited a school. Attended the funeral of a child. Visited. Read. 30. Began to write a sermon for the Fast. My time is much taken up. Afternoon visited a school. After which married a respectable bachelor of about sixty-five.^ Wet. Read Burke. 31. Yesterday received of my collector, J30.00. Wrote on my sermon. Afternoon visited our academy. Wrote late. Warm. ■ This was probably Henry B. Hooker, a most excellent man, a good preacher, D. D., a native of Rutland, Vt., graduated at and a iiincere Christian. Middlebury College, 1S21, and from Andover " Miss Clarissa Ranney, aged twenty-three. Seminary, 1825. The later years of his life, ' Roger liurnham, of East Hartford, and 1858-1S73, he was Secretary of the Mas- Roxcy Kilbourn. Dr. Robbins himself had sachusetts Home Missionary Society. He now grown to be a respectable bachelor of died in Boston Highlands, 1881. He was forty-eight. lOOO DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1825. A PR II.. 1. Fast. Wrote and finished and preaclied my sermon on Lev. .\xiii : 26-31. Our meeting was at tlie usual period of our sacramental lecture. Noticed that occasion. At evening attended a conference. Much fatigued. 2. Rode to Berlin and attended the funeral of the Rev. Mr. Skinner.' He preached last Sabbath, was taken sick in the evening of a bilious colic, and died on Thursday evening. I know not why he should be taken rather than I. Mr. Brace preached very well. Mr. Linsly went with me from Hartford. A large number of ministers were present. Cold and rough east wind. Got home late. 3. It snowed the most of the day, and was very tedious. Meeting thin. Attended the sacrament. A good number of the church were present. Preached with old notes on Luke xii : 42, and an old sermon on i Cor. xvi : 22. Wrote. Weak and sore at my lungs. 4. Opened the electors' meeting with prayer, and left the meeting as usual. They chose Democratic representatives. The first time. Both openly irreligious and ungodly men.' A severe and holy frown of heaven. Read Connecticut Forty Years Since? We had a full monthly concert. Was up late. 5. Warm. Read. Mr. King,* of Vernon, called on me, and stayed almost all day. Wrote on my accounts. 6. Wrote. Rode to the upper part of East Hartford and visited. Saw a boy of sixteen in a consumption. Attended the church conference. 7. Rode to Hartford and Pine Meadow. Dry and very dusty. Paid for spirits and a keg, $13.59. '^^''^ water has not been in the meadows at all. 8. Rode to Wapping and visited Mr. Sadd. He appears to be failing fast with his disease. A woman' died last night with the dropsy. Visited. Visited a school. The school visitors are very remiss. Had no one of them with me. At evening had a full prayer-meeting. g. Wrote a part of a sermon on Heb. xii : 24. Afternoon attended the funeral of Mrs. Bow. Visited. Find that I have taken a cold. Was not able to finish my sermon. Read. Received a letter from Mr. Thaddeus Osgood.' ■ Rev. Newton Skinner was a native of ' Mrs. Wealthy Bow, aged fifty-five. East Granby (Turkey Hills), Ct., was gradu- ^ Rev. Thaddeus Osgood was a graduate ated at Yale in 1804. He was a man of of Dartmouth College in 1S03, and for a great physical strength, and was hi the very short time preached at South Britain, Ct. A midst of life, not far from forty years. Mis remarkable organizer. He formed the First wife, it will be remembered, was Ursula Church in Buffalo, and many other churches. Wolcott, daughter of Mr. Samuel Wolcott, In 1812 he collected $9,000 in England, and of East Windsor. esLiblished a school in Quebec in which two " That was the general style of a Demo- hundred boys were gathered. In 1825 he crat, as estimated by the other side. was in England, where he gathered $5,000 'This was a i2mo volume, published in for the promotion of education. He died at Hartford in 1824, a book of 278 pages, au- last in Scotland in 1862, at the age of cighty- thor's name not given. seven. He was a native of Methuen, Mass. * Probably Col. Francis King. He had peculiar aptitude for his chosen work. 1825.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. lOOI 10. In the forenoon expounded on the last chapter of Acts, and finished the book. Am quite hoarse, and much oppressed with a cold. Preached an old sermon on Isa. xxxiii : 14. After meeting rode to Wapping with a few- friends, and had a very solemn visit with the excellent Mr. Sadd. He appears to be on the confines of heaven. Visited a family who have lost an infant child. Very tired. 11. Rode to Wapping and attended the funeral of an infant child. Mr. Sadd' died this morning. He was the best and most useful man in Wapping, and one of the first in the church and in the town. He is taken from a nu- merous family, by a consumption, at fifty years of age. May God by his grace supply the void. Visited the distressed family. My cold and hoarseness are much increased. Read. Very dr>'. Cool. The thermometer on Saturday was at 70°, and yesterday higher. 12. Last night was quite unwell with my cold. Worked a good deal at bottling cider. We have three hundred and nine bottles, and two hundred and thirty-three are filled with good T. Hills' cider. Paid a tailoress, $1.29. Wrote on an expositor. 13. Cool and very dry. Wrote. Afternoon attended the affecting funeral of my friend, Mr. Sadd. It was, I think, the largest and most interesting funeral I have ever attended in Wapping. Looked at a Boston catalogue of books. Mr. Smith,^ of Durham, called on me. Paid him for books, $1.50. 14. Rode to East Hartford and attended the funeral of an aged man. Rode to Hartford. Mr. Wolcott and Eveline and others went off in a steam- boat for New York. Did errands. Paid for oats, $3.36. Wrote. Yesterday received a letter from S. H. Huntington ' requesting me to preach on election evening, before the Hartford Society for the Suppression of Intemperance. On the 8th paid for wine, §1.33. 15. Worked in the garden. Sowed an asparagus bed. Planted peas. Visited the sick. My kinsman, G. A. Alden, has come to live with Mr. Haskell. Received a dozen copies of my sermon at the installation of Mr. Burt at Manchester, lately finished. It has a number of typographical errors.' Very warm and dry. Saw blossoms on the fruit-trees. 16. Assisted in setting some maple-trees. The thermometer at 76°. Visited a woman very sick. Received a letter from my brother James. Am pretty feeble. Wrote. 17. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Acts v : 20. Afternoon an old sermon on 1 John iii : 9. Exceeding warm and dusty. The tlier- mometer at 82°. A very hearty woman* died last night with pneumonia. Visited the family. ' Mr. Noah Sadd, born June 10, 1774, ' T)r. David Smith, died April 11, 1825. Fifty years and ten * Samuel H. Huntington, graduated at months. Vale in iSlS. ^ T. Hills means Turkey Hills, which ' Proof-reading was far less exact than now. seems to have had a special reputation for its In those days Dr. Robbins would have seen cider. Dr. Robbins and Mr. Wolcott made a the proof, point of getting their cider from that place. ' Mrs. Betsey Mack, aged thirty-seven. I002 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS RODBINS, D.D. ['825. iR. Worked in the garden, .\ttended the funeral of Mrs. Mack. She was buried in East Hartford. Visited. Tliermometer about 76°. Read. 19. Wrote and finished copying my sermon on the death of Dr. Flint. We had a little rain. It is very dry. Received a dozen copies of my sermon at the installation of Mr. Burt. It has several bad errors in printing. Received them yesterday. 20. Quite cool. Rode to East Hartford and performed a marriage.' Crossed to Hartford. Did errands. Mr. Wolcott and daughter returned from New York. Flowers have been in the gardens for several days. 21. Wrote. Visited. My brother James came here unexpectedly. His health appears better than heretofore. Quite cold. Last night it froze a good deal. 22. Rode with my brother to Enfield, and made a short visit. Towards night he returned to Hartforct. Attended our prayer-meeting. Pretty full. 23. ^\■rote the most of a sermon on Deut. xxxii : 35. Visited a sick man very low. In the afternoon he died." Visited the family. Worked some in the garden. 24. Finished and preached my sermon begun yesterday. Preached with old notes on I Pet. i : 10. Heard from Norfolk. The congregation appeared solemn. Wrote to my mother and sent her $5-00. 25. Worked in the garden. Am pretty feeble. Attended the funeral of Mr. Newbury. Read the Bible. Warm. 26. Read. Wrote on an expositor. Wrote to Mr. E. F. Reed, of New York. Warm and dry. Hindered by company. Read the Bible. I have latteriy too much neglected this duty. Received a letter from Mr. Matthew Mayhew,' of Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard. Began a sermon for the Hartford Society for the Suppression of Intemperance on James v : 19, 20. 27. Worked some. I am pretty languid, and am troubled with a tremor. Rode out and visited. Read. 28. Wrote on my sermon. Warm. Visited. My eyes sensibly fail. 29. Wrote. We had a very refreshing rain, though not great. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. 30. Wrote and finished my sermon on James v: 19, 20. I write pretty slow. At evening visited Mr. Haskell,* who is quite sick. I feel anxious concerning him. The month of April has been uncommonly warm. Blossoms begin to appear on apple-trees.' May. I. Preached with old notes on Luke xiii : 3. Wrote three pages, and finished a sermon begun some time since on Hcb. xii : 24. Spoke with difficulty. Had no conference. Wo had our annual contribution, and col- ' The parties were Ashbel Hills and I'hi- hew, who died in 1S15, .it the age of cighty- lura Brewer, both of East Hartford. five. This entry confirms that conjecture. J Mr. John Newbury, aged sixty-eight. * Eli 13. Haskell, Esq. ' In a previous note we conjectured that ' This was certainly proof of an early Mr. M. Mayhew must mean Matthew May- spring, as ordinarily we do not see apple hew, son of the venerable IJr. Matthew May- blossoms till toward the middle of May 25-] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 1003 lected S29.91. We grow less from year to year. We are in a low state. Preached in the afternoon the sermon just finished." Wallced out. 2. Rode out and visited. Mr. Haskell is getting better. Visited at Wapping. Cold. At evening our monthly prayer-meeting was thin. 3. This morning we had a hard frost. The early fruit is probably injured. Wrote on an expositor. Read. We had rain and thunder. Mr. A. Gaylord came here and tarried. At evening attended our church confer- ence. 4. Some frost. Rode to Hartford and attended the election." The transactions were very good. A great collection of people. Mr. Dow preached very well, but too short; forty-eight minutes.^ At evening I preached for the Society for the Suppression of Intemperance, and had a very good audience. Rode home late with my brother. A large number of ministers were present. Mr. Battell told me that my mother is sick, and very desirous to have me go there. Received a letter from my Uncle Starr,' and one from Mr. Waterman,* of Bridgeport. The two Representatives from Norfolk, Pettibone and Battell,^ are worth more property than those of any other town. 5. Rode to Hartford and attended the auction of Dr. Flint's books. Bought a number of volumes. Wet. The Legislature appears pretty slim. Wrote. A full blowth on the apple-trees. Dr. Tudor is quite feeble. 6. Did errands. Set out late for Norfolk. Cool. Found mother quite low, with not much disease e.xcept a bad cough. Something tired. 7. Walked out. My mother is quite feeble, and her memory appears doubtful. Mr. Emerson rode to Northington to supply Mr. Kellogg' to- morrow, w'ho is to preach for me. Read. 8. Preached on John iii : 3, and Luke xvii : 22. I think this is the first time that I have ever preached in this meeting-house ° on the Sabbath. The congregation appears well. They have a good organ. At meeting preached at the conference room to a full meeting without notes on Heb. .\ii : 24. Very tired. 9. The early blossoms appear here. Warm. Wet. Walked out and ' It has been noticed, probably, by the port, 1806-1S25. He died in October fol- readers of this diary, that when Dr. Robbins lowing. has an old sermon and a new, as often hap- ' Augustus Pettibone and Joseph Battell. pens, he is apt to put the new one into the Since Norfolk became a town, in 1758, down afternoon. In those days in the country to the year 1825, there had been compara- towns, the afternoon audiences were gen- lively few years when some man of the name erally the larger of the two. Pettibone had not represented the town, = Oliver Wolcott, the younger, who was either in the spring or the fall session of the first chosen Governor in 1817, was annually legislature. Giles Pettibone had served re-chosen every year till 1827. eighteen years in that capacity; .\ugustus 3 Dr. Daniel Dow, of Thompson; and we Pettibone had served fifteen years, and Amos should say that forty-eight minutes was just Pettibone followed on in this dignified and about the right time for an election sermon. honorable succession. ^ Rev. Peter Starr, of Warren. ' Rev. Bela Kellogg, a triple e.vch.inge. s Rev. Elijah Waterman, settled in Bridge- ' The new meeting-house at Norfollc I004 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['S-S- visited. I think the character of this town is not declining. Its inhabitants are much changed. 10. Rode out with my cousin William." My mother has frequent poor turns, .md is very feeble, but I think she is a little better. Read. Walked out. People here are making their gardens. At evening brother James came here. Mother is not able to sit up. 11. My mother gave me a very large pewter platter, and I gave Sally Law- rence, who is to have her furniture, Si.oo. Rode home. ^fr. Gay, of Sutiield, preached here last Sabbath for Mr. Kellogg, I hope my journey has been a comfort to my mother. She appears like a ripened Christian, 12. Visited an aged woman very low. Rode to Hartford, The town very full of people. The annual meeting of the Ministers' Annuity Society was to be holden, I was the only person who attended. Attended the annual meeting of the Society of the Retreat for the Insane, At evening made a draft for an act to incorporate a Historical Society.^ Got home late. Mrs. Rockwell,' one of our best women, died this afternoon. 13. Wrote. Attended to my books. Read Labaume's Jiussian Campaign.* Attended our evening prayer-meeting. Quite thin. 14. Wrote the most of a sermon on Ps. 1 : 5. Attended the funeral of the late aged and pious Mrs. Rockwell. Wrote late, and something easier than usual by the divine blessing. Visited. 15. Finished and preached my sermon on Ps. 1: 5. E.\pounded on Luke i : 1-46. Had a full conference. Baptized a child.' 16. Wrote. Rode to East Hartford and saw Mr. Fairchild. Made some inquiry respecting the ancestry of the Pitkin family. Worked at my library. 17. Rode to Simsbury to attend ministers' meeting. Mr. Thomas Case's house, with his back buildings, were burnt in the middle of the day. All the members of our meeting were present and Mr. Hallock. I preached on Ps. 1 : 5. M"e had a good meeting. On Sabbatii evening a man was killed at Farmingon by an insane man, and yesterday one was shot in the pursuit of the insane person.' 18. Rode to Hartford and home. Saw Mr. Battell. Our mother is hope- fully a little better. Attended the meeting of the directors of the Retreat. Went there with Mr. Ellsworth to e.vamine the circumstances of a late elopment. Warm. Last night we had a very refreshing shower. Received a letter from T. Dwight,' Jr., of New York. 19. Wrote. Worked in the garden. Showery, A very growing season. Performed a marriage.' Read old pamphlets. ' J. W. Lawrence. ' Seth, son of Benjamin GilletL '^ Connecticut Historical .Society. 'There were some tragedies in those ' Widow Abigail Kockwell, .iged eighty- quiet days of old, even in the land known as four. ore of steady habits. ' A Sketch of the Cam/'aigii of the French ' Theodore Dwight, Jr. in Russia, by Eugene Labaunie, second ' The persons united in marriage were edition, London, 1815. An edition published Nathan F. Stoddard, of Wethcrsfield, and in Philadelphia, 1815- Sarah Knowles, of East Windsor. 1825.] PASTOR IN' EAST WINDSOR. 100; 20. Read. Wrote on an expositor. Had company. Attended the even- ing prayer-meeting. Wrote. 21. Visited. Finislied one expositor, and wrote another. Am preparing to write a sermon for General Association. Mr. Battell and my cousin G. Starr called here, and went to Enfield. 22. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ps. Ixviii : iS. An interesting subject. Afternoon preached an old sermon on i Cor. xiv : 15. There was a great Baptist meeting. Baptized a child.' At evening attended the conference. 23. Wrote. Warm. Rode to Hartford. Did errands. Have consider- able to do for the proposed Historical Society. The House of Representa- tives are more respectable than for a few years past. Received a letter from Mr. Mann, of Bristol, R. I., requesting an exchange for two or three Sabbaths. 24. Wrote. Messrs. Pitkin, Pettibone, Battel!, and Hotchkiss,' Represen- tatives, came up from Hartford and dined, and inspected my librarj'. Read. 25. Began my sermon for General Association on Jer. vi : 16. It requires much investigation. Quite warm. Thermometer at 82°. 26. Wrote to Rev. Mr. Mann, of Bristol. Wrote on the Pitkin genealogy. Wrote on my Association sermon. 27. Wrote on my sermon. I get along pretty slow. Cool. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. 28. Walked and visited all day. I hope we may have some addition to our church, but we are very stupid. Received a letter from Mr. E. F. Reed,^ of New York. Quite cool. 29. Preached an old double sermon on Matt, v: 17. There was a great Baptist meeting, and one man baptized. Visited a woman very sick. Very dry and dusty. Attended the conference. Was up late. Yesterday gave a poor man, $1.00. 30. Wrote on the Pitkin genealogy. Rode to Hartford. At evening the Historical Society was organized." It appeared well. Very warm and dusty. Got home late. Received a bundle of books and pamphlets from Mr. Romeyn's' library of New York. I have made a poor bargain. Much fatigued. 31. Received a letter from my sister. My mother is apparently gaining. Visited a sick woman. Rode to Hartford. The drought is severe. Assisted in forming a constitution for the Historical Society. Bought some old books. Attended the meeting of the Historical Society. Paid $3.00 on becoming a ' Frances Maria, daughter of Epaphras largely through his agency, that the great Qrant. library he was so carefully gathering would ^ Messrs. Timothy Pitkin, of Farmington, find its porinanent home in this society, and Augustus Pettibone and Joseph EattcU, of that ho himself would spend his late years Norfolk, and Minor Hotchkiss, of Middle- as the honored librarian in this important town. organization. 3 Elijah Fitch Reed, M. D. ' Kev. John B. Romeyn, I\ D., p.istor of ■• Dr. Robbins little thought when the the Duanc Street Presbyterian Church, who Connecticut Historical Society was formed, died the previous February 10o6 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['825. nienibcr. Paid $5.00, my annual pa3nient to the Ministers' Annuity Society. Got home late. The assembly do pretty well. Am pretty feeble. Have seen ripe strawberries. June. 1. Read. Am much fatigued. Visited a sick woman and a mourning family. Able to write but little. 2. Wrote on my Association sermon. Attended the funeral of a child.' We had a very refreshing rain. Paid Dr. Reed for books bought at New York at a dear rate, $22.20. 3. Wrote diligently on my sermon. Hindered by company. We had some rain. At evening our prayer-meeting was thin. 4. Wrote the most of the day on the business of the Ministers' Annuity Society and the Everest fund. Wet. 5. Rainy and wet all day. Meeting very thin. Preached with old notes on Matt, vi: 22, 23. Wrote. 6. Walked out. Wrote on my Association sermon. The rains have been e.xceedingly beneficial. 7. Rode to West Hartford with my brother, and met with the Associa- tion. Was appointed a delegate to the General Association. Left the Association, and rode to Marlborough" to meet the directors of the Ministers' Annuity Society, who were there attending Association.' We could not make a settlement with the heirs of Mr. Cook,' as we hoped. Much oppressed with the heat. 8. Sat with this Association. It appears well. Rode home. The heat very severe. The thermometer has been today at 92° ; yesterday it was at 89°. Very much fatigued. Yesterday received a letter from Mr. Mann, of Bristol. 9. Wrote laboriously on my sermon. Had much mental fatigue. Ther- mometer 93°. 10. Walked out and visited. On Wednesday evening attended our church conference, and examined a man' to be propounded to the church. Wrote. The heat increases every day. Thermometer 96°. We had green peas. 11. Wrote what I could. Much oppressed with the heat. Thermometer at 98°, and a little over. At night we had a very refreshing shower, and a great deal of thunder. 12. Preached an old sermon on John iii : 16, 17. The heat very little abated. I'cople much oppressed with it. Thin meeting. Thermometer at 95°. In the morning married Samuel Stiles and C. S. Reed.' At evening attended the conference. We had a light shower and much lightning. Received a letter from B. Ely, Esq., of Simsbury. ' Ann Maria Rockwell, aged four. ll.irtford North had its meeting at West ' A ride of some sixteen or seventeen Hartford, miles. * Rev. Elisha B. Cook, who died two ' The Association to which Marlborougli years before at Manchester, belonged (Tolland) was holding its meeting ' Mr. Horace Filley. at Marlborough on the same day that the ' Samuel Stiles, of Utica, N. Y., and Char- 1S25.] PASTOR IX EAST WIN'DSOR. 1007 13. Rode out and visited a sick woman. Cooler. The thermometer did not e.xceed 87°. Rode to Hartford and attended a meeting of tlie directors of the Retreat. Visited. Wrote. 14. Wrote copying my sermon. Attended the funeral of an aged woman," who died yesterday. Thermometer about 78°. Visited. 15. Wrote laboriously transcribing my sermon. It is unreasonably long. Thermometer 80°. 16. Wrote. Close study affects my nerves. Walked out. Towards evening rode to Enfield. Cool. 17. I conclude to omit some things from my sermon on my brother's advice. Rode home. Wrote. At evening had a full prayer-meeting. 18. Concluded to sell a small piece of my land. About noon finished my long sermon. I am troubled to abridge it. Received a letter from Mr. Linsley,'' of Hartford. Wrote. The ground is quite dry. We have a plenty of peas, the first of our own on the 12th. On the 14th wrote to my mother. Am fatigued with study. 19. Rode to Mr. Bartlett's, and made an e.vchange with him. Preached on John iii : 3, and Ps. 1 : 5. The meeting-house was very warm. At even- ing rode home and attended conference. The thermometer was 90°. Very tired. 20. Rode to Litchfield to attend General Association. Hindered at Hartford. The heat and dust very oppressive. Rode slow. Went to Mr. Deming's,' and was kindly received. My thermometer, as I have been since informed, was 92°. 21. Very warm and sultry. My brethren have a very uncomfortable time to come into town. Called on Mr. Beecher.'' The Association met. I was chosen scribe, and Dr. Chapin' moderator. The public service was at four o'clock. In sermon I spoke rapidly, and omitted what I could, and spoke eighty-five minutes.* I was very tired, as well as my hearers. In the after- noon the heat seemed to abate. Mrs. Battell and a part of her family were here. The audience seemed to be very attentive.' At evening we had a hard thunder-shower. My thermometer, since informed, was at 95°. 22. Am very busy with my scribeship. This is an excellent family, and I am treated with great kindness. In the afternoon there was public worship and the sacrament. There was a great number of ministers and commimi- cants. I did not attend. I was very busy on my writing. The other scribe does the most of the reading, but none of the writing. At evening heard Mr. lotte Sophia Reed, of East Windsor, .^nces- ' Stephen Deming, Esq., a place where he trally, this Samuel Stiles probably belonged used to visit years before, to the Stiles family of Windsor, descended ■* Dr. Lyman Beecher, who had now been from John Stiles, the settler. The bride was at Litchfield fifteen years, but was to go the the daughter of Dea. Abner Reed. ne.xt year to Boston. ' Miss Lucy Grant, aged sixty-two. ' Dr. Calvin Chapin, of Rocky Hill. = Dr. Joel H. Linsley. Dr. Robbins spells ' Too long by thirty-five minutes, it without the e, but Dr. Linsley always ' The word fiatita/ sometimes expresses used it. better the fact in such cases. I008 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS. D.D. [1825. Hopkins," of Verinont, who preached well. We have a cool and good air. My Uncle Starr is here and comfortable. 23. Attended the morning prayer-meeting. There is some attention here. The Association have driven business very much, according to their time. They finished their session at one o'clock, P. M. I am much fatigued. Visited some families. Mr. Landon gave me near fifty of Mr. Champion's - old pamphlets. Called at Mr. Bacon's.^ 24. Took leave 'of my kind host and his accomplished family. Mr. Battell was here yesterday, and dined with me. Called at Mr. F. Wolcott's* and Mrs. Reeves.' Saw the former Mrs. Hooker,' of Goshen. Rode home. This morning we had a good shower. Got home well. Received a letter from Mr. Goldthwait, of Hartford, requesting me to deliver an address at Hartford at Independence. 25. Am much debilitated by my late labors. Two young men called on me from Hartford to get me to deliver the Independence address. With much reluctance I engaged to do it. Wrote. Wrote to Mr. Linsly, of Hart- ford. Arranged the General Association papers. Read newspapers. 26. Expounded on Luke i: 46 to ii: 15, and preached an old sermon on 2 Chron. x.xix : 10. Meeting pretty thin. Received Mr. Filley'to the com- munion of the church. He was baptized. Rode to Wapping and visited old Mrs. Sadd; very low. Attended the conference. Had read the General Association narrative of the state of religion. 27. Am quite feeble. Walked out. People are haying. Wrote. Visited. Rode to Pine Meadow, and tarried over night. I think I have never known a finer season for vegetation. 28. In the forenoon we had a very hard rain. Began to write my address for Independence. Towards night rode home. Read. 29. Wrote on my address. Received a letter of thanks from S. H. Hunt- mgton, of Hartford, in behalf of the Society for the Suppression of Intemper- ance, with a donation of $3.00 for my preaching on the election evenin<'. Saw a young woman in great distress of mind. 30. Wrote to Rev. Mr. Aiken,' of Utica. Received a letter from Mr. Linsly, of Hartford. Attended the funeral of good old Mrs. Sadd, of Wap- ping, who died on Tuesday. Our best church members are called awav. Wrote on my address. Walked out and visited. The prospects of the harvest are very tine. Yesterday a Mr. Rockwell,' a minister in New Connec- ticut, called on me. Gave him $1.00 for a public charity. Paid $1.50 on my highway tax. Am quite languid. ' Rev. Josiah Hopkins, born in Pittsford, ' Widow of T:ii)piiig Kccvc, LL.D., of Vt., 17SS, graduated at iMiddlcbury College, the Litchfield Law School. lie died in 1S23. 1813, pastor at New Haven. Vt., 1S09-1830. <■ Widow of Rev. .Asahel Hooker. ' Rev. Judah Champion, pastor at Liich- ' Mr. Horace Fillev, before mentioned, field, 1753-1810. • Rev. Samuel C. .Vikin. ' Asa IJacon, Esq. 1 Rev. Daniel Rockwell, a native of Corn- ' Frederick Wolcott, brother of Gov. wall, Vt., who went out as a missionary to Oliver Wolcott. Ohio. 1825.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 1009 July. 1. Wrote. Preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on 2 Chron. x.xL\ : 6. Thin meeting and all dull. Evening meeting pretty full. Quite feeble. Thermometer 88°. 2. Finished my address for Independence. It has cost me a good deal of study. At four o'clock began a sermon on Luke x : 27, and wrote sk pages. Wrote unusually fast and easy." The weather is very languid. Ther- mometer at 82°. 3. Finished and preached my sermon on Luke xi.x: 21. In the forenoon preached with old notes on John xvi : ^^. Administered the sacrament. The church prett)' full. Had an addition of three worthy members," by letter. Warm and languid. Thermometer 86°. Rode to Wapping and preached on Heb. xii : 14. Baptized a child ^ there. Visited a sick woman, very low. Very tired. 4. In the morning we had a hard thunder-shower. Rode to Hartford and attended the celebration. The company was almost wholly military. The audience was large in the north meeting-house. My address was near fifty minutes. We had a good dinner at Dutch Point.' Dr. Perkins and Mr. Merwin, of New Haven, were with us. Paid $4.00, my annual payment to the Retreat. We had a very favorable day. At evening attended the concert of prayer. Quite thin. Much fatigued. 5. Wrote to Mr. Whittlesey, of Danbury. Rode out. At evening we had a good church conference. A very growing season, but pretty poor hay weather. People began reaping yesterday. The season has not been so early for several years. 6. Wrote. Prepared for my journey, ^^fternoon rode to East Hart- ford and attended a funeral. Crossed to Hartford. Paid Hills, my merchant tailor, $26.96. Paid Col. Gleason, $26.00, for Seth Terrj',' for books bought of Dr. Flint's librarj'. Paid E. W. Bull for wine, $2.00. Paid a butcher for a piece of beef I had some time ago, §1.08. Set out on my journey to Rhode Island, and rode to Bolton. Tarried at a tavern. 7. Rode to Windham. Got some pamphlets and books of the Misses White.' Paid them $1.25. Rode to Mansfield. Gen. Salter' gave me a number of pamphlets, old and good. Rode back to Windham and to Scot- land.' Tarried at a tavern. Very fine weather. 8. Called early on old Esq. Devotion.' He would not let me have any ' Writers will understand this fact. His ' Daughters or granddaughters, probably, mind had become thoroughly wakeful and of Rev. Stephen White, pastor at Windh.-im, active on his address for Independence. 1740-1793. " Ralph R. RoUo, Sybil Rollo, and Lucy ' Gen. John Salter, son of Richard Salter, Ann Rollo. D- D., pastor at Mansfield, 1744-17S7. 3 Lucy, daughter of John Stoughton. ' A parish in the town of Windham. ■• Dutch Point, on the river a little below » Judge Ebenezer Devotion, son of Rev. the city, where the Dutch had their trading- Ebenezer Devotion, pastor in Scotland par- post before the English settlement began. ish, 1735-1771. This name, Devotion, seems 5 Seth Terry, Esq., was the administrator, to be a peculiarly appropriate one for a Chris- probably, of Dr. Flint's estate. tian minister, like the name Pentecost. lOIO DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1825. pamphlets. Rode to Providence. The road from Windham to Sterling is ver)' hilly. Saw Mrs. McClure' at Providence. Rode a few miles and tarried at a tavern. Rode forty-five miles. The crops on my way are good, and nearly as forward as at home. Paid Gates, .84 ; tavern, and a barber, gi.6o. 9. Rode about eleven miles to Bristol. Put up with my cousin, W. Brad- ford." Kindly received. Mr. W'ight,^ an aged minister here, called on me. Mr. Mann," with his wife, went ofif for Connecticut, on Tuesday. Called at my cousin George De Wolf's.' His house is much the most splendid I have ever seen. Walked out with Mrs. Goodwin' and visited. Cool. 10. Very warm. Preached on Cor. i: 12, and i Cor. xv : 56, 57. Much oppressed with the heat. Mr. Wilcox, of Hartford, was here and preached in the evening. The congregation is not very large. Bishop Griswold' has great popularity and influence here. Dined, splendidly, at Gen. Wolf's. 11. Rode out with Mr. Wilson; called on Mr. J. De Wolf and Mr. J. Brad- ford, and rode to the summit of Mount Hope. The prospect is noble. The heat very severe. It seems as if I never perceived a more burning sun. Towards evening walked out. The most of the day there was no breeze of air. The thermometer here was 95°. Said to be very uncommon for this place. The buildings and furniture here are verj- splendid. 12. Had calls from friends. Rode with Mr. Bradford to Pappasquash." A very pleasant situation. Very warm, but a good air. Wrote. Dined with Mr. J. De Wolf. Wrote. Called on Mr. Wight, the senior minister here, and looked over his pamphlets. Drank tea with a company. Have many cousins. 13. Wrote. Wrote to Dr. Todd,' of Hartford. Looked over Mr. Wight's pamphlets. I think I shall get a good number of him. Very hot. Afternoon we had a grateful shower. Rode out and made calls. Visited. ' Second wife of Dr. McClure, of East Bristol in General Court almost constantly Windsor. from 1798 to 1S20, John De Wolf in 1S21, ' The diary has led us to the hospitable George De Wolf followed from 1822 to 1825, home of William Bradford several times and then another James (probably son of before. He was Lieut-Governor of Rhode James), did the same from 1S29 to 1837. Island. ' Two of Dr. Kobbins's aunts, half-sisters, ' Henry Wight, D. D,, had been pastor at and several years older than his mother, Bristol since 17S5. married two brothers of the name Goodwin. * Rev. Joel Mann had been colleague with The Mrs. Goodwin with whom he walked Dr. Wight since 1S15. was wife of one of his cousins, a son of ' He was the son probably of Capt. James Nathaniel Goodwin. De Wolf, one of the most enterprising and ' Rev. Alexander Vietts Grisvvold, D. D., successful tea-merchants in Bristol. His im- a native of Simsbury, Ct., was made Bishop mense fortune was due, however, largely to of the liastcrn Diocese of New England in the slave-trade, which he followed during the 181 1, then a new diocese. His residence was last years of the last century and the early at Bristol. In 1829 he removed to Salem, years of the present. The slave-trade was Mass., and his after life was spent in Massa- prohibitcd in 1S08, and he obeyed the law, chusetts. He died in 18^3. but his wealth had been already acquired. ' One of the ugly Indian names. Some He and his sons were able to live in luxury. of them are more graceful. James Dc Wolf represented the town of » Dr. Eli Todd, of the Hartford Retreat 1825.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 101 1 14. Rode to Rhode Island," to Mr. Ch. De Wolf's. His seat is exceed- ingly elegant.^ Rode to Newport. Tarried at Lieut.-Gov. Collins's.^ 15. Visited Dr. Patten." Walked about the town. It appears to be very poor. Mr. Collins had a dining party ; Mr. Clieves and others. I was glad to see the company. Returned to Vancluse.' Mr. De Wolf has some val- uable books. 16. Called on Dr. Channing,' of Boston, now residing here at a fine countr)--seat. Rode to Bristol with my cousin, Mrs. DeWoIf. Am quite feeble with a diarrhoea. We have had a very hot week. Called on Bishop Griswold. 17. Mr. Wight attended meeting with me. Very warm. Preached on Ps. 1: s, and Ps. l.\x.\iv: 2. There appears to be very little sense of the holi- ness of the Sabbath in this town. At evening Mr. Sessions, agent for the Colonization Society, preached to a full house. Quite tired. 18. Walked and visited. Read. My cousins have a good many valuable books. Bought of Mr. \\'ight one hundred and forty-two pamphlets, the Chris- tian History and / Mather s Life.'' Paid for the pamphlets three cents each ; for the whole, $8.50. Steady hot weather. 19. Read. Packed up books and pamphlets to be sent home. Wrote. Am quite feeble and languid. Drank tea at Gen. De Wolf's. His house and garden are exceedingly magnificent. Read the Spectator, all in one volume. 20. Read a new French geography. It is constantly hot and so enervating that I can hardly do anything. I have intended to visit Rochester, but the heat is so severe, and I am so unwell with a diarrhoea, that I do not feel able to o-o. In the afternoon my brother Francis and his wife called here on their return from Boston, Rochester, etc., to their home. They went on to Provi- dence. Rode to the Mount.' 21. The heat seems rather to increase. It has now continued with little abatement near a fortnight. The ground has become ver>- hot and dry. .\ fine season for getting hay. The corn has grown very well. Rode out. Wrote to my Uncle Le Baron, of Rochester. Received two copies of the late Report of the Retreat, at Hartford, and gave them away. Paid for a carriage, $2.00. 22. Made calls. Rode to Vancluse on Rhode Island. The heat evidently increases. It is very severe, the warmest day, I think, of this week. Kindly entertained at Mr. De Wolf's. Called on Dr. Channing. His country-seat is most splendid. Read. ■ Rhode Island proper, which gives the * Dr. William Patten, pastor of Second name to the State, is the island some fifteen Church, Newport, 1-S6-1833. or twenty miles long, on the southern end of ' Vancluse is supposed to be the name of which stands the city of Newport. Mr- Charles De Wolf's place of residence. = There are many points along the shore ' Newport was Dr. William E. Chan- of Rhode Island of commanding tieautv. A ning's native place. ride from Newport up to the northern end ' Tlu- Life of Increase Matlur, by his of the island, in the summer season, will son. Dr. Cotton Mather, first published in reveal many charming pictures. .17-4- 3 Charles Collins, Lieut-Governor. ' Mount Hope. I0I2 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1825. 23. The newspapers abouiui with accounts of the great heat. In the cities there have been a great many tleaths. Rode in to Newport. Called at Gov. Collins's. The ground is very dry. Much oppressed with the heat. Dined with Dr. Channing. He is an agreeable and interesting num. Read. 24. Wrote. This family is well regulated for one of its description. Went to meeting with Dr. Channing, and preached in a small meeting-house they have here, to a few hearers, on James i : 23, 24. Took leave of my friends here, and rode to Bristol. The dust very tedious, but the heat a little abated. Mr. Mann and his wife got home. They speak of the heat at East Windsor as unprecedented. He preached here this forenoon. I preached in the after- noon on Heb. xi : 24, 25, and in the evening without notes on Ps. iv : 5. Much fatigued. 25. Am very feeble. The air exceeding languid. Read a little. Dined with Mr. Mann. We had a light shower. Wrote. Could not conveniently get away today. Cherries here are good and plenty. 26. Took my leave of numerous friends. Set out on my journey home- ward. Rode to Providence. Called on Mrs. McClure. Rode to Hopkinton, forty-eight miles. The road from Providence to New London is very good. Quite warm, but not so severe a heat as it has been. The drought is severe. Many fields of corn appear to be revived. Left a large bundle of books, etc., at Providence, to be sent by the stage to Hartford. 27. Rode to Stonington. Kindly treated by Mr. Hart.' Visited, enquiring for pamphlets, etc. Stonington Borough is large and flourishing. The stale of religion here is much improved. The aged Mr. William Woodbridge,^ whom I came here principally to see, was buried last Monday. Mrs. Eells, daughter-in-law of the former minister,' and some others, gave me some pam- phlets and manuscripts. At evening, preached for Mr. Hart, without notes, on Ps. iv: 5. 28. Walked out with Mr. Hart. Very dr)-, but I think this stony land suffers less than other places, l-cft Mr. Hart and rode to Mrs. Woodbridge's. Kindly treated. Mr. Woodbridge was a good miser, and has left a great estate. His nephew, William Woodbridge, showed me his collections, which are a great curiosity to an antiquary. He gave me some continental money. He could give me nothing else, as there had been no inventor^'. Rode to Groton Ferry. These towns are improving. 29. Crossed the ferry in a good horse-boat to New London. Called on Mr. McEwen.* Find much kindness. A number of pamphlets were given me, and Judge Perkins' gave me two hundred. Mr. McEwen went with me ' Rev. Ira Hart, pastor at Stonington, ' Rev. Nathaniel Eells, pastor at Stoning- 1809-1829. • ton, 1762-1786. 'This is a man described in a previous * Dr. Abel McEwen. A call on Pr. Afc- note, a graduate of Yale in 1765, first Princi- Ewen was very sure to be entertaining and in- pal of Phillips Academy, Kxctcr, and father structive. In conversation few equaled him. of William C. Woodbridge, distinguished as ' Judge Elias Perkins, born in Lisbon, an educator and writer. Ct., 1767, graduated at Yale, 1786, died, 1845. 1825.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. IOI3 to see him. Quite warm. I cannot tind the election sermon of 1710.' Near sundown left New London, and rode to Salem. Tarried at a tavern. 30. Rode to Colchester, saw Mr. Cone.^ The heat and dust very oppress- ive. The drought is very oppressive. Many fields of corn are nearly if not quite ruined. The fields are brown. All crops are suffering severely. At East Hartford saw Mr. Fairchild. He has been to Philadelphia and got suddenly a young wife. In the afternoon got home, after a prosperous and favorable journey, through the great mercy of God. Find our family in affliction. Our dear little Elizabeth Haskell,^ whom we all loved too much, died last Sabbath. She was sick with a d\-sentery about a week. Much fatigued. No death among my people in my absence. After I got home, my bundle that I sent to Hartford by stage was brought me. I have thus brought home, in the whole, four hundred and sixty-nine pamphlets. I paid for about one hundred and fifty-five, and the rest were given me. A number of them are such as I had. But they are worthy of the last centuiy, and a valuable addition to my stock. Mr. Whittlesey, of Hartford, preached here last Sab- bath, for Mr. Mann. The expenses of my journey have been about S20.00. 31. Preached in the forenoon with old notes on Rom. v : 12. Afternoon, an old sermon on Matt, xxi: 28. Shortened the afternoon exercises on account of the weather. We had a moderate, but very refreshing, shower. There was a shower here, of a limited extent, last Sabbath ; so that this society has not suffered as much as other places. At evening rode to Pine Meadow, and saw my afflicted friends.' August. 1. This family is quite gloomy. Wrote a will for Miss Eunice Wolcott.' She is quite feeble. Rode home. Wrote. At evening attended the monthly concert. 2. In the morning we had a hard shower. Wrote. Looked over my pamphlets, lately procured. They make me a fine addition. Walked out. Yesterday received a letter from Mrs. Battell. 3. Vegetation is greatly revived by the rains. Read. Walked out and visited. Have received a number of valuable books, as donations, in my late journey. At evening had a good church conference. 4. Wrote. Worked at my librarj'. Rode to Hartford and attended the meeting of the Historical Society. I fear we shall have some trouble from the inctination of the Washington College folks to connect it with that. 5. Hindered by company. Two men from Bristol ' were here with me liie most of the forenoon conversing about their church difficulties. Rode out and visited. Received a letter from James Flint, of Hartford. 6. Began a sermon on i Thess. v : 3, and wrote one half of it. Hindered - That is the one missing link. " Mr- »>«• «■•«• Harris Haskell. = Rev. Salmon Cone, pastor at Colchester, ' Sister of Mr. Abiel Wolcott. She was c,Q now seventy-five years old. ' 3 Daughter of Harris and Frances (Wol- ' Bristol, Ct., where Rev. Jonathan Cone cott) Haskell. "'^^ ««"<='•■ I0I4 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. ['825. by company. My sight begins to make it difficult for me to write my sermon hand in the evening. Read expositors. 7. We nave uninterrupted warm weatlier. The dust is very severe. Fin- ished and preached my sermon on i Thess. v : 3. E.\pounded in the fore- noon on Luke ii : 15, to the end. Preached long. .\t evening, attended a conference, after which, rode to Hartford, to go to Norfolk. 8. Left Hartford at half past one in the morning, in the stage, and got to Norfolk in seven hours. Found my mother much better than I expected. She attended meeting yesterday, and has before. My cousin Hannah Gilman and her son ' are here. I am much fatigued. Read. 9. E.xpected to have returned home, but the stage was so full that I could not get a seat. The drought not so severe here as with us. Mr. Battell and Joseph" are absent. Gave my mother $5.00. Visited Mr. Emerson^ and others. Read. 10. Mrs. Battell let me have her chaise, and got a horse, and I rode home. Cousin Arthur Gilman* with me. The heat and dust are most oppressive. I am persuaded I never saw the streams on this road so low. Met with the committee of the Historical Society at Hartford. Received of my collector, $50.00. Received a letter from Mr. Sigourney,' of Hartford. Quite tired. People are generally alarmed at the drought. 11. Spent the day appropriately, as my birthday. Cool. Read the Bible. 12. Walked out and visited. Worked opening a spring. Attended the catechising of the children. Attended the prayer-meeting. Quite tired. On the loth received $50.00 of my collector. 13. Wrote on a sermon on i Tim. iv : 16. In the afternoon occupied by company. Not very warm, but tlie drought is very severe. 14. Wrote three pages. Finished and preached all day my sermon on 1 Tim. iv : 16. Had a third meeting as a season of prayer on account of the drought. It was well attended. Very warm. Theimometer at 92°. It was 91° at half after five, when we returned from our third meeting. I think I have never known a drought on all accounts so great. Very tired. 15. The heat so great that I can scarcely do anything. Wrote. Read. Our melons are very fine.' Wrote on my inscription for the tombstone of Dr. Flint. Read Encydopadia. Thermometer 97°. Very iiot through the day. 16. Last night we had a light but most grateful thunder-shower. The Lord is good. We need more exceedingly. Wrote. Had company. Wrote to Dr. Todd, of Hartford. Paid for a book, $1.25. Thermometer about 90°. On ' Wife and son of Benjamin I. Gilman, daughter of Dr. Chandler Robbins, of Plym- formerly of Marietta, O., lately of Philadcl- outh, Mass. phia. They were visiting at Norfolk. ' Charles Sigourney, who, six years before " Joseph Battell, .Sen., and Joseph liattcll, (1819), married I.ydia Howard Huntley, of Jr., the latter now in his twentieth year, and Norwich. Sec nute March 15, iS;4. two years out of Middlcbury College. He ' One of the mysteries of nature and veg- was very superior as a scholar. et.able growth is, that melons, so full of water, ' Rev. Ralph Kmerson, D. D. should love a very sandy soil, and dry, hot ■* Son of his cousir, Mrs. Hannah f.ilman, weather. 1825.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 1 01 5 the morning of the nth, my cousin Gilman went off for Norfolk. Wrote, by him, to E. Loomis. 17. Rode to Hartford. Dined with the officers of the brigade. Rode out with them to find a place for a brigade training. It is pretty difficult. Re- ceived sixteen volumes of books, eleven of them folios, from Boston, lately imported from Germany. Paid for them, $37.63. Some of them are very valuable. Did errands. Paid $3.00. Received my annual consociational letter. Paid for a book .55. Brought up my heavy box of books. 18. Rode out and visited. Went to Wapping. Had an unpleasant con- versation with a neighbor. The crops of corn and other things suffer nmch with the long and severe drought. ig. Worked at my library. It is bulky. Hindered by company. Walked out. Evening prayer-meeting quite thin. I have ever)'thing to discourage me, but the power and faithfulness of God. Received of my collector, $30.00. 20. Wrote. Worked at my library. It rained moderately all day. It began last night. Never was rain more grateful. Am much tired. 21. In the morning sent to Mr. Rowland that it was not best for us to exchange as we had agreed, on account of the rain. It rained pretty hard till about noon. It continued with very little intermission for thirty-six hours. There was very little wind. We could not have asked it to be more favorable. Oh, for a similar refreshing by a spiritual rain. Meeting quite thin. Preached an old sermon on Rom. xi : 29. Read. 22. Worked laboriously at my library. I fear some books are lost. Walked out and visited. Wrote to Mr. Porter," of Farmington, Mr. liosford, of Canton, and Esq. Ely, of Simsbury. The ground is finely watered. 23. Vegetation is greatly revived. Worked at my library. I have about fourteen hundred volumes. Visited a sick woman, ver)' low. Thermometer 86°. 24. Rode out and visited. The heat is quite oppressive. Wrote. Read the Bible. We have some sickness. Thermometer 90°. 25. Rode and visited. Wrote. Attended the funeral of my neighbor, Mrs. Bragg.- I think we have had no heat more oppressive. Thermometer at 93°. Visited at the poor-house. 26. Rode to Hartford. Heard from my mother. Saw Mr. Fairchild's new wife.' Paid for a halter, .75. Received what I paid, sometime since, for Dr. Robbins's * harness. Attended the catechising of the children. Had a full prayer-meeting. Very tired. Thermometer 84°. 27. Wrote the most of a sermon on Amos iv: 7. Read. Thermometer 81°. 28. Wrote notes and preached in the forenoon on Ps. xl : 9. Finished and preached my sermon on Amos iv : 7. Meetings full and solemn. ^ At evening, preached at the poor-house without notes on Ps. xliii ; 5. Very tired. Thermometer 81°. I Dr. Noah Porter. picked up in Philadelphia. His first wife ^ Mrs. Rhoda Pragg, aged fortv-nine. died the year before. Mr. Fairchild's life ' The young wife, which, by a previous throughout was marked by singularities. entry it appears he had somewhat suddenly * Dr. Peter G. Robbins, of Roxbur)-. I0l6 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [l825- 29. Wrole. Rode and visited. .\t e\ening preached a lecture with short notes on Job .\.\i : 14, at the south part of tlie town. We have a good many sick. 30. Visited. Rode to Pine Meadow. Visited a man there very sick. Mrs. Haskell is still much depressed from the loss of her child. Mr. Wolcott and Tudor are quite ill and confined. Read. 31. Last night I was suddenly taken with a cholera-niorhus, and was very ill. Was much distressed. It abated before morning, and I got some rest. Am very feeble. Rode out and saw the sick man. Towards night rode home. Saw my brother's wife" and her niece, Miss Jackson.'' SbJ'TEMDBR. 1. Had appointed to meet tiie committee and debtors ot the Everest fund today at Canton. Am too unwell to go. Got Mr. HaskelP to go for me. He returned in the evening ; saw the committee and executor, and most of the debtors. All belonging there paid their interest. Visited sick persons. Dr. Tudor is very low. .'\nother aged man appears in a dying state. Cool. 2. Wrote on the records of the Everest fund. Visited. The aged man* died last night. Wrote letters for the Historical Society. Attended the even- ing prayer-meeting. Cool. 3. Rode out and visited the sick. Attended the funeral of the aged Mr. Elmer. Am quite feeble. Last night I was quite unwell with nervous affec- tions. Have little time for study. Showery. 4. Expounded on Luke iii, and preached an old sermon on I'rov. i: 31. Am quite weak. Rode out and visited a family very sick. Cool. Yesterday received a letter with a military warning. 5. Walked out and visited. Wrote. Rode to Wapping and dined with a military company. Attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Read. 6. Read. Have some fire in my chamber. Wrote. Rode to Hartford. Paid for a cockade, $1.33, a great price. Paid for watch repairs, etc., $2.17. Visited the sick. 7. Wrote. Worked at my library. Rode to Wapping and visited. Attended the church conference. Rode late in the evening to Enfield. 8. Detained the forenoon by rain. Rode home. Failed of dining with a military company as I had expected. Quite wet. 9. Received a letter from Rev. Mr. Hooker,' of Fairfield. Visited the sick. An aged woman' died while I was present. Attended a catechising of the children and the evening prayer-meeting. Quite tired. 10. Wrote the most of a sermon on Haggai i: 5. Poorly able to write. Received my military orders for the brigade meeting. My eyes sensibly fail. Quite cool. ' His brother Francis's wife, of Enfield. theological teacher, Rev. Asahel Hooker, of ' This was a niece, probably, on the side Gojhen. Dr. Hooker w.is pastor at Green's of her lirst husband, Nfr. Aldcn. Farms, Fairfield, 1821-1S29. 'Ic was after- ' lili B. Haskell, Ksq. wards professor at the Connecticut Theolog- * Mr. Timothy Elmer, aged eighty-four. ical Institute at East Windsor. ' Edward W. Hooker, D. D., son of the ' Widow Mary Gillctt, aged seventy-four. 1825.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. IOI7 11. Finished and preached tlie sermon on Haggai i : 5, and preached with old notes on Ps. i : 2. .Attended the funeral of Mrs. Gillett. Our good people are falling. Five of our best women have died this year. Attended the even- ing conference. Very much fatigued. 12. Rode to East Hartford and dined with a military company. Rode to Hartford and visited a school. Received a bank dividend. Visited a sick man. 13. Left home at daylight, and rode to New Haven in a little more than seven hours. Attended the meeting of the P. B. K. Society. Heard Judge Gould's ' admirable oration, and Dr. Percival's inaudible poem.' Dined with the society. Paid the beneficiaries of the Everest fund. Find many things to do. Heard a part of the speaking for premiums. At evening very tired and sleepy. Heard Mr. McEwen preach for tlie Education Society eighty-five minutes. 14. The Commencement exercises were verj- long, but unusually good. The speaking was excellent. A great collection of people. Quite warm. Afternoon the house was very hot. Mr. Hart preached the Conch ad Clcrum very well. Find many acquaintance. 15. Mr. Battell was here yesterday. Called on friends. Have been treated with much kindness. Attended the Education Society. Their resources diminish. Received a donation of valuable manuscripts from Rev. T. F. Davies ^ for the Historical Society. Bought Luther's Works, and a few other books. After two o'clock rode home. Very warm and oppressive. 16. Fatigued by my journey. Looked over new purchased books. Wrote, Our evening prayer-meeting was very thin. 17. Rode out and visited the sick. Wrote. Worked at my books. Rode to Windsor to exchange with Mr. Rowland. Tarried at Pine Meadow. Read. 18. Preached on John iii : 3, and Ps. 1 : 5. Fuller meeting than I have usually seen here. Dined with Mr. Stebbins." At evening preached at the school-house in Pine Meadow without notes on Luke xiii : 6-9. .\ full and serious meeting. 19. Rode home towards noon. Set up my books. I have lately looked them over and find a few volumes missing. I fear they are gone. 20. Rode to Wapping and visited the most of the day. Conversed with persons respecting making a profession of religion. It is a time of great darkness with us. Walked out. • Judge James Gould, LL.D., of the Litch- Ct., 1795. gr.iduated at Yale College, 1815, field Law School. He was born at Branford, and died at Hazel Grove, Wis., in 1S56. His Ct., 1770, graduated at Yale, 1791, died at poems, in two volumes, were published in Litchfield, 1S3S. V,oi.\.on in iS(5o. = Dr. Robbins was not much given to ' Thom.is F. Davies settled in Hunting- joking, but he probably had a sense of fun, ton and in Green's Farms. A graduate of when he wrote that he heard an inaudible Yale, 1S13, and native of Redding, Ct poem. James G. Percival, M. D., though a . ■* Samuel Stiles Stebbins, his old pupil in true and genuine poet, was a very modest theology, now at the head of a school in and shv man, and not much given to pub- Windsor. He studied for the min.str)-. but licities of any kind. He was boin in Uerlin, seems never to have been settled. lOlS DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. [1825. 21. Wrote a public address and delivered it before the Female Au.xiliary Bible Society here. The society is feeble. Visited. 22. Fruit is very plenty and good. Rode to Hartford. The Eagle Bank," of New Haven, has stopped payment, and produced a great deal of distress. Did errands. Cool. People are gathering corn without having bad frost. Rode and visited the sick. The number appears to be increasing among us. 23. Read. Wrote. Afternoon attended the catechising of the children. The last for the present season. Attended the evening prayer-meeting. Yes- terday Mr. Wolcott's brother* died suddenly, at Windsor. 24. Wrote a sermon on Romans v: 5. Afternoon went with the family to Windsor and attended the funeral of Dr. Wolcott. Wrote late in the evening. 25. Wrote three pages. Finished and preached my sermon on Romans v: 5. Visited a sick man, very low. Attended the conference. Bore my labors better than usual. A little frost this morning. 26. On the 24th received a letter from Mr. Hooker,^ of Hartford. Visited a school, well instructed. Afternoon, attended the examination of the academy. Visited a very sick house. Mr. Gillett * died about noon. Read. 27. It began to rain last evening, and continued steadily till about noon, and occasionally through the day. Wrote. Read. Attended a funeral. Visited the sick. 28. In the morning the weather cleared away. Our Consociation met yesterday, at Enfield, but I could not attend on account of other calls. I believe I have not been absent before since I have been a member. Rode to West Hartford and attended the brigade training. By desire of Gen. Adams,' I acted as his chaplain. Prayed with my own regiment. The troops were inspected, and, towards night, formed into line. Four regiments of infantry and two of cavalr}-, about three thousand five hundred men. The ground was wet, but the weather very pleasant. Tarried at Mr. E. Williams's. 29. The weather ver^* pleasant and favorable. In the morning the brigade were embodied in a square, and I prayed before them. The performances of the day were good. At the close I made a short prayer, and they were dismissed in good season. Rode home. The troops behaved very well at the time of prayer.' 30. Wrote an account of the training for the newspaper. Afternoon preached a preparatory lecture with old notes on Deut. xxiii : 21. At even- ing attended our prayer-meeting. Quite thin. OCTODBR. I. Hindered. Mr. Bidwell, an Everest beneficiary,' called on me. Wrote the most of a sermon on Phil, iii: 13, 14. Wrote quite late. ' The failure of the Eagle Bank was long ' Gen. Ezra Adams, remembered in New Haven and the sur- ^ One would hardly suppose that a man rounding country. of Dr. Robbins's habits and tendencies would ' William Wolcott, Esq., born Feb. 10, ever have been drawn so largely into mili- 1753. graduated at Yale, 1775. tary connections and associations. ' Rev. Horace Hooker. ' Walter H. ]!idwell, in the Junior Class * Mr. Lemuel Gillett, aged forty-five. at Yale. 1825.] PASTOR I.V EAST WINDSOR. IOI9 2. Finished and preached in the forenoon the sermon begun yesterday. Administered the sacrament. The chnrch quite full. Afternoon preached an old sermon on i Cor. x : 9. "Very tired. Had no conference. 3. The thermometer today was at 82°, and the day before at 80°. Walked out and visited. The heat oppressive. Wrote. At evening attended the monthly concert. 4. Worked arranging my pamphlets. Visited a school. Had a hard rain. 5. Wrote to Mr. Hallock, of Canton, and ?.Ir. Porter, of Farmington. Warm and sultry. The cat'.le show, I conclude, was not so splendid as in former years. My brother F. came here and tarried. Worked at my pam- phlets. Thermometer 79°. 6. Rode with ni\- brother to Hartford and assisted him to buy a horse. The heat very oppressive. Visited a schoil. Our summer schools have been better kept this year than usual. Thermometer 84°. 7. Worked at my pamphlets. Rode to Hockanum and attended the funeral. Much oppressed with the heat, \^■e have an extraordinary season. Had fresh cucumbers. They have continued about three months. Attended the evening prayer-meeting. Thermometer 88°. 8. Walked out and visited the sick. Wrote. Cooler. Rode to Enfield on an exchange. My brother is gone to Norfolk. 9. Very dark and smoky weither. Rode home. Attended a conference at the Hill. Mr. Hooker, of Hartford, preaclied here. 10. Rode to Canton and met the committee of the Everest fund. Two of our beneficiaries were present. We made appropriations. Returned. Rainy. Got something wet. Got home late. On Saturday wrote to Messrs. Loomis, Strong, and Calhoun,' of the Annuity Societ}'. 11. Worked at my pamphlets. My cousin Sally Lawrence called here. My brother came and tarried on his return from Norfolk. I fear Mr. Battell will lose considerably by the Eagle Bank. My mother is quite comfortable. 12. Worked at my pamphlets. Rode to East Hartford Mills, and visited a small school. Heard of the surprising death of Mr. Waterman, of Bridge- port.° A near call. Walked out. 13. Last evening received of my collector, $50.00. On the nth received a letter from Mr. Battell. Wrote. My public trusts make me a good deal of writing. Visited a mourning family. Rode to Hartford and attended a public meeting of the Hartford County Auxiliary Foreign Missionary Society. It was very interesting. Got home late. 14. Rode out and visited. Visited the sick. Attended a funeral in tiie upper part of East Hartford. Rode to Hartford. Consulted an attorney. Our Ministers' Annuity Society is like to be sued.. Tarried at Mr. Ells- worth's.' Very dark. ' Rev. Hubbell Loomis, of WiUingtou, (Mrs. Lucy T.ilcott), and was taken with a Rev. William L. Strong, of Somers, and Rev. violent inflammatory fever. He was a native George A. Calhoun, of North Coventry. of Uozrah, Ct., 1769, a graduate of Yale, 1791, ' He was on a visit to .Springfield, where a superior scholar, and a very able minister, he married his second wife two years before ' William W. Ellsworth, Esq. 1020 DIARV OF REV. THOMAS ROBIilNS, D.D. ['825. 15. Rode home. Wet. Yesterday received a letter from Mr. Strong, of Somers. On the 13th gave to charitable purposes, $5.00. Rode to Wapping and attended a funeral. Am fatigued with labor. Read expositors. Much disappointed that I could not write a sermon. 16. Expounded on Luke iv : 1-22, and preached an old sermon on Ex. xxxii : 26. Full meeting. Wore no out-coal. Attended the conference. 17. Rode to Tolland and met the directors of the Ministers' Annuity Society. They appointed me to manage our expected lawsuit. Rode to Manchester and tarried at Mr. Burt's. It grows quite cold. 18. This morning we had a hard frost. The first we have had to stop vegetation. Garden vegetables, tobacco, etc., have been flourisliing till now. The leaves on the trees dying with age. Cold and tedious. The ground thi^ morning very considerably frozen. Rode home. Read, \\'alked and \isiie:!. 19. People are pinched with the sudden cold. Worked at my pamphlets. Walked to the Mill ' and preached a lecture in the evening with old notes on Jer. xxxi : 6. Quite tired. 20. Worked laboriously on my pamphlets all day. It grows warmer. My work is fatiguing. 21. Finished putting up my pamphlets. I did not expect such a task. Wrote. My eyes appear to fail sensibly. Our evening meeting was thin. 22. Rode to Hartford. Saw Mr. Talcott, of Marlborough. He seems determined on his lawsuit and manifests a feeling that is not good. Came home and rode to Manchester to exchange with Mr. Burt.^ Met him on the way. Cold. 23. Preached on Phil, iii: 13, 14, and Ps. 1 : 5. This congregation appears well. The town is improving. Rode home and attended the evening confer- ence. Full and solemn. Read. \ot very tired. 24. Read. Looked over the papers of the .\nnuity Society. Walked and visited. We have several cases of fever. The crop of corn in this society is great,' but generally it is light. 25. Last Sabbath the congregation at Manchester had a contribution foi the Domestic Missionary Society. Walked and visited. At evening preached a private lecture without notes on Mark i : 40. Received a letter from Mr. Hallock, of Canton. 26. Wrote. Rode to Enfield and met with a ministers' meeting. There was loo much conversation. Mr. Smith,'' of Stamford, preached. 27. Rode down to Pine Meadow. A violent southern storm intluced me to stay there. Read. Wrote. 28. Visited a sick man at the Point. Rode home. Found .t long writ in which the Ministers' Annuity Society is sued by Mr. Talcott, of Marlborough. It is scandalous. At evening attended our prayer-meeting. Visited. Began a sermon on Eph. ii : 5. • In East Hartford, now Rurnsidc village. 4 Rev. Daniel Smith, pastor at Stamford, " Rev. Enoch Burt. Ct., 1793-184C. He was graduated at Yale ' That is, in number of acres. in 1791. 1825.] PASTOR IX EA~T WINDSOR. 1 02 I 29. Rode early to Hartford, and was taken up with the business of the Annuity Society the most of the day. In the evening wrote four pages on my sermon begun yesterday. Wrote kite. Received from Gen. Howe a fine new copy of Sale's.' 30. Wrote nearly three pages, and preached my sermon on Eph. ii : 5. Attended the evening conference. Visited. Verj' tired. 31. Read. Worked some. Mr. Gaylord,' of Norfolk, came here and tarried. At evening rode out and performed a marriage.' November. 1. Had company. Read. Wrote letters for the Historical Society. 2. Walked and visited. Sickness still continues with us. Quite cool. 3. Rode to Hartford. I am an.xious about the success of my lawsuit. Attended the quarterly meeting of the Historical Society. Quite thin. Vaid for a candlestick, $1.62, for a dust-brush, .83. Read the Alcoran* 4. Examined a school-master. Wrote to Mr. Strong, of Somers. Wrote. Mr. A. Gaylord came here and tarried. He preached for me at the evening prayer-meeting. 5. Rode to the east part of Wapping and attended a funeral. Visited the sick. Began late and wrote the most of a sermon on Luke xix : 13. Troubled with my eyes. 6. Preached with old notes on Ps. Ixii : 5. Wrote and preached the sermon on Luke xix; 13. It was not finished. At evening had a solemn conference. 7. Rode out and visited the sick. Quite warm. At evening attended our monthly prayer-meeting. Spoke poorly. Tarried out. Received of my collector, $50.00. 8. Visited. I hope our sick are convalescing. Warm. Worked at my chamber. Read. Received of my collector, S105.33. Of this sum, S7'-'o are for Mr. Wolcott's taxes, and $14.23 of my own ta.xes. My school tax of about $2.66 is yet to come. Wrote. My collector had a charge of $50.00 delivered to me September 16, which I allowed, though I have no account of it. 9. Rode to Hartford to attend the trial of my cause at the County Ciurt. for the Annuity Society. It did not come on. Pleasant, but cool. Did errands. Paid for home-made flannel, $4.00. 10. Rode early to Hartford and attended the trial of my case. I spoke after my lawyer. The trial was suspended for a jury case. Found a valuable set of old newspapers, registers, etc. IT. Worked considerably. The late celebration at New York of the opening of the canal was very splendid.' Visited. Wrote. Assisted in exam- ining a school-master. Our prayer-meeting was omitted. ' George Sale, a superior Oriental scholar, Micklletown, and Betsey S. May, of East and translator of the Koran, born in 16S0, Windsor, and died in 1736. ■* I" '^e new work, i)robably, of George - Rev. Asahel Gaylord. Sale's, which he had just purchased. 3 The parties were Allen Osborne, of ' Tl.e Gre:;t Eric Canal, 303 ""'<••- '""S. I022 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBIXS, D.D. [1825. 12. Worked some. Hindered b}- company. Wrote the most of a sermon on Gen. xxxvii : 4. Wrote five and a half pages in tiie evening. Received an old Latin Bible from H. Buell,' Esq., of Glens Falls, as a deposit. 13. Cold. Expounded on Luke iv : 23 to the end, and wrote and preached on Gen. xxxvii : 4. The sermon was not quite finished. At evening attended the conference. Visited a sick person. 14. Quite rainy. Read. Worked some. Paid on my highway tax, $10.00. Visited. 15. ^^■rote a will for a neighbor. Wrote. Visited. 16. Walked and visited all day. Very pleasant. Heard that my lawsuit is decided in part against our society. I did not expect it. The court, evi- dently, did not understand it. 17. Rode to Hartford. Directed our attorney to appeal our lawsuit. We want such courts as in past years. Rode to places in East Hartford and examined ancient newspapers. Paid for a parcel of them, §1.50. Received a letter from Z. G. Whitman, of Boston. 18. Looked over old papers. Quite cold and tedious. I have now got out of wood, having been supplied from Wapping, more, I believe, than twelve years. Attended the evening prayer-meeting. rg. The thermometer this morning was about 15°. It thawed very little through the day. Wrote the most of a sermon on Ps. xiv : 2, 3. Yesterday wrote an elaborate letter to Mr. Zechariah G. Whitman," of Boston, in answer to one received from him the day before, on the subject of antiquarian collec- tions. He is an entire stranger to me. 20. Finished and preached my sermon on Ps. xiv : 2, 3. Cold. It snowed some. Thin meeting. Had no conference. Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild called here. Gave a poor man. Si. 00. 21. Read. Rode to Scantick to the clothier's. Visited. The ground is considerably frozen. 22. Wrote. Made a draft of a new will for myself. It has been too long neglected. It snowed steadily during the forenoon. Performed a marriage in the upper part of East Hartford.^ 23. Wrote the most of a sermon on Ps. cxlvii : 20. Had to write quite late. Have many hindrances. Quite cold. 24. Thanksgiving. Finished and preached my sermon on Ps. cxlvii : 20. Pleasant. The snow is mostly gone. We had no company with our own family. Walked out. 25. Read. I fear 1 have hurt my eyes studying nights. Read the Bible. W^alked out. Our prayer-meeting very thin. The Lord help us. completed and opened in 1825, was com- " Zechariah G. Whitman was a counsellor menced in 1817. Perhaps if men had known at law in Boston, and in 1S20, published his how soon the railroad age was coming on, it history of the Ancient and Honorable Artil- might never have been built. lery Company. ' Horatio liucll, before mentioned, a grad- Mtctween Warren Grant, of Wapping, uate of Dartmouth, and a lawyer at Glens and Jane .Vnn F.,ist(in, of F-ast Hartford. It Falls. 'S getting near Thanksgiving time again. 1825.J PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 1023 26. Wrote. Read. At evening rode to East Hartford to exchange with Mr. Fairchild. 27. Mr. Fairchild rode to East Windsor, and returned after meeting. Cold and frosty. Preached on Phil, iii : 13, 14, and Ps. 1: 5. Rode home in the evening, and performed a marriage." A strange Baptist preached here. 28. On the 26th received of my collector, S50.00. Rode to Hartford. Traded, $3.65. Had some valuable pamphlets given me. Read. Tlie countr)' has sustained a severe loss in the death of Com. McDonough. Read. 29. A young woman' died in this neighborhood very suddenly. Visited the family. Wrote. Received a letter from Naomi Rockwell in Hartford. Finished a will for a neighbor. Received a fine copy of Rollin and jfoscphus in boards, subscribed for, for which I paid, $17.30. Wrote to Mr. Strong, of Somers. Rode out. 30. Wrote. I have about four thousand pamphlets. Rode to Wapping and visited. Got something wet. It thaws considerably. December,. 1. Wrote an expositor for publication. Attended a funeral. Mr. Bent- ley' performed the service. Wrote late. Wet and warmer than it has been. 2. Wrote to Mr. Samuel Walker,* of Boston. Read the Bible. Visited a school. Had a full and serious prayer-meeting. The thermometer was at temperate, 56°. The ground is thawed. 3. Wrote the most of a sermon on Eph. ii : 14. Wrote late. I write pretty slow. Am greatly tried to know what is best to preach. 4. Expounded on Luke v: 27, and finished and preached the sermon on Eph. ii: 14, first clause. Had a full conference. Mr. and Mrs. Haskell' were with us. 5. Read. Rode out and visited a school. Attended the monthly concert of prayer. We have collected for foreign missions at the monthly concerts this year, $17.00. No meeting has been omitted. Received of my collector, $166.85. Of this sum $23.45 is in a note against Mr. O. Tudor; $14.03, Mr. Wolcott's school tax, and my own school tax, $2.67, are also included. The society accounts appear better than I expected. Gave a poor man, $i.oo. 6. Read. Visited two schools. They increase in number. Cold. 7. Attended the funeral of an aged woman' who died at the poor-house. Cold and tedious. Visited a school at Wapping. Visited there. Was pre- vented from attending the church conference. 8. Wrote. My niece, Elizabeth Olmsted, called here. Received a letter from Mr. Battell. Mother is quite well. Read Smith's' History of Virginia. Walked out and visited. Received a letter from my brother. ■ The parties united were Joseph A. ' -Mr. and Mrs. Harris Haskell, of Pine Hawkins and Submit French Winchester. Meadow. = Olive Bancroft, aged twent)-tno. ' Miss Lucy Loomis, aged eighty-six. 3 The Baptist minister at Glastonbury. ' John Smith, the adventurous captain, < Mr. Samuel Walker was a teacher in who was a quaint writer as well as a bold Boston sailor. His writings are of real value. I024 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D [1821;. 9. Walked and visited. We have more sick than we have had. Visited a school. Attended the evening prayer-meeting. Was out late. ] have various trials. 10. Visited the sick. Went to Wapping and visited a sick voung man. My horse got away from a post and ran with the sulky, and broke it very much. The harness is not hurt, nor tiie horse, except verv much frightened. I had a long walk. Was not able to write any, so much occupied otherwise. 11. Wrote notes hastily, and preached on Eph. iv : i; and preached an old sermon on Isa. xlii. Quite cold. Thermometer about 22°. Attended conference. Full meetings. Walked to meeting. 12. Read the President's long and valuable Message, Thermometer about 15°. Rode out and visited. The ground is hard frozen. Yesterday put on my flannel. Read Smith's History. \\'rote. 13. Cold day. The thermometer in the morning was 6" below zero. It rose to 2° above, and no higher through the day with a clear .sun. At sun- down it was at zero, and at 10 P. M. 2° above. It was windy, and very tedious. There is no snow at all. Sent to the Hartford County Au.xiliary Foreign Missionary Society, §17.00, collected at our monthly concerts, and $5.00 for my usual New Year's gift. Did not go out. Read Smith. 14. Thermometer this morning at 15°, and rose near to the freezing point. Walked and visited. We have some sick. The Methodists trouble us some. 15. Rode to AVapping and \isited the sick and others. Tarried out. Paid a blacksmith, .71. 16. Rode and visited. At evening attended the prayer-meeting. It began to rain a little. The season is very dry, and the wells and streams unusually low. Yesterday and today the thermometer rose nearly to temperate. The river is closed, and there is a little crossing. It began to rain. 17. It rained steadily all day. Quite warm. Wrote on a sermon on Acts xiii: 2. Wrote. The rain is very grateful to the dry ground. 18. Wet. Concluded not to preach the sermon begun yesterday. Preached with old notes on John v: 39. Thin meeting. At evening walked out. 19. Rode to Wapping and visited. A young man died there last evening. Old Mr. Rockwell at the Mill is very low. Our people sold the pews, and did pretty well. The thermometer )estorday and Saturday about at tem- perate. Today above freezing. Bad riding. Dr. Tudor is very poor. Read. Received a very interesting letter from Z. (J. Wiiiiman, and one from S. Walker, of lioston. 20. Rode to Wapping and attended a funeral. Visited. At evening preached at Long Hill with old notes on Gen. xxii : 13. Full meeting. Very tired. Thermometer about 25°. The river broke up on Sabbath night. 21. Attended the funeral of Mrs. Dolly Fenton, who died at tiie poor- house, aged ninety-nine and one half.' Visited. Tired. Wrote. Ther- mometer 18°. ' During Dr. Ior he attended the funerals of many would be found in other country parishes. 1825.] PASTOR IN EAST WINDSOR. 1025 22. Thermometer in the morning at 18", and continued with verj' little variation through the day. Visited the sick. Rode to Hartford. A se\ere day. Tlie ground is hard frozen. Paid for the Courant for eighteen years, $3.00/ and gave them to the Historical Society. Paid for catechisms, etc., whicli I have given to the children, $4.24. Traded, $3.06. Read the Ila-aU. 23. Thermometer 7°. Added thirty-seven pieces to my coins, the most of them given me; the residue cost me Si. 00. .Attended the evening prayer- meeting. Visited. Wrote. Thermometer did not exceed 22°. 24. Thermometer 17°. Rode out and visited. Wrote to Z. G. Whitman, Esq., of Boston. Wrote and finished my sermon begun last Saturday on Acts xiii : 2. 25. Wet and rainy all day. Preached on the character and work of the Holy Spirit from Acts xiii : 2. Attended the funeral of the aged Mr. Rock- well.^ We have had nine deaths this year of the average age of eighty years.' Thermometer about 50°. Read newspapers. 26. Last night there was some snow. Read the Alcoran. Wrote to Mr. S. Walker, of Boston. Read. 27. Walked and visited. I have visited more this year than usual. Read. Thermometer 14°. The light snow continues and bad going. 28. Thermometer about 13°. Rode to Scantick and attended ministers' meeting. The meeting was interesting and useful. Mr. Dickinson 'preached. Paid a clothier, §1.05. I purchased a piece of flannel, and got it dressed, and it is quite poor. 29. Rode home. Rough riding. Read the Alcoran. At evening per- formed a marriage.^ It snowed some. 30. Wrote. Read the Alcoran. Rainy all day. Went to the meeting- house, having appointed a sacramental lecture. The rain was such that we had none. Had no prayer-meeting. The ground is almost covered with water. 31. Rainy and wet. Wrote to my mother, and sent her $5.00. Wrote the most of a sermon on Ps. -xc : 10. Wrote quite late. Thermometer about 40°. I praise God for the year. I Old numbers. He was a visitor, probably an invited guest. ^ Mr. Samuel Rockwell, aged seventy-nine. He settled at Longmeadow, 1823-1S29, .md ' A remarkable record, not easily par- was a very cultivated and scholarly m.in. jjlgjgj 5 Between Hezekiah Gaylord, of Windsor, * Dr. Ba.\ter Dickinson, of Longmeadow. and Sarah Filley, of East Windsor. INDEX TO VOLUME I. Abbott, Rev. Abiel, D.D., 474. Abbott, Rev. John Emery, 642, 671. Abbott, Mr., 249. Abbott, Mr., of Vernon, Ct., S69. Abelard and Eloisa, 76. Abensbur^, Bavaria, Battle of, 395. Abcrcrombie, Sir Ralph, 142. Aberdeen, Scotland, 334. Aberdeen University, Scotland, 631. Abington, Ct., S4. Aboukir, Battle of, 6g. Academy, Williamstown, 13. Accidence, 512, 51S. Ackley, Stephen, 621. Acra, N. Y., 204. Adams, Col. Andrew, 45. Adams, Rev. Cornelius, 313. Adams, Gen. Ezra, 1018. Adams, President John, 27, 31, 34, 35, 40. 54, 59, 61, 63, 65, 93, 143, 168, 24S, 975. Adams, President John Quincy, 356, 605, Gig, 985, 989, 998. Adams, Lewis, 72. Adams, Rev. Nehemiah, D.D., 630. Adams, Gov. Samuel, 85. Adams, William, 605, 619. Adams, Mr., 71. Adams County, Penn., 290. Adda, Battle of, S7. Addison, Joseph, 27S, 366, 739. Addison, Mr., 267. Addison County, Vt., 85, 87. Adkins, Katy, 604. Adkins, Sylvia, 618. Agawam River, 790. ARiicidtural Society, 956, 982. Aiken, Rev. Samuel C., 1008. Akins, Edmund, Esq., 302, 309, 353. Akins, Mrs., 294, 298, 302. Albany, N. Y., 39, 156, 173, 176,336, 525- Albuera, Battle of, 482. Alcoran, 1025. Alden, Mr. Abner, 149. Alden, Francis L., 924. Alden, Gideon, 833. Alden, Gideon S., 73S, 745, 833, 880, 912, 924. Alden, Rev. Timothy, 151. Alexander, Rev. Caleb, 865. Alexander, John, 610. Alexander, Mary, 866. Alexander of Alexandria, 379. Alexander, Paulowitch, of Russia, i6a. Alexander, Prince of Greece, 865. Alexander the Great, 21. Alexandria, Egypt, 42. Alexandria, Va., 272. AH?n and Sedition laws, 113. Alkmaer, Battle of, 105. Alleghany County, Pemi., 211, 213, 230, 267. Alleghany Mountains, 211, 289, 329. Alleghany River, 215, 232. Allen, Elizabeth, 719. Allen, Elizabeth (Mrs. L. Le Baron), 1*^1, Allen, Fanny, 875. Allen, Rev. George, 626, 731. Allen, Israel, 648. Allen, Hon. John, 100, 134, 136,293, 294, 302, 335» 34S, 439- Allen, Mary, 78S. Allen, Sabra, 717. Allen, Rev. Thomas, 181, 450. Allen, Rev. William, D.D., 20S, 450. AUyn, Rhoda, 622. Almanack for Diary, 219. Alstead, N. H., 234. Aivord, Eliphaz, Esq., 332. Alvord, Samuel, 540. Aivord, Capt., 597. Ambrister, Mr., 773. American Almanac, 458. American Annals of Education, 930. American Antiquarian Society, 39S, 648,774,781,877,886,923. American Bible Society, 749. American Biography, 23. American Board of Foreign Mis- sions, 56, 100, 13S, 527, 542, 552, 834, 904, 918, 936, 952, 9S0. American Colonization Society, 99. American Education Society, 100, 138, 552, 715, 774, 809, 885, 892, 952, 979. American Envoys, 59. American Home Missionar>' Society, 898. American Indians, 6S3. American Mercury, 397, 961. American Preacher, 515. American Quarterly Register, 179, 625. American Tract Society, 636. American Unitarianism, 632. Ames, Fisher, 19. Amherst College, 179, 316, 630, 636, 7og. 782, 958. Amherst, Mass., 152, 2S4, 640, 816, 920, 94t, 942, 943. 968, 971. Amiens, Peace of, 170. Amory, Francis, i6g. Amor^', Mr., 975. Amsterdam, Holland, 7. Amsterdam, N. Y., 6. Ancram, N. Y., 17S. Anderson, John, 952. Anderson, Pamela, 667. Anderson, Theodore, 782. Anderson, Thomas, 656. Anderson, Thomas, Jr., 674. Andover, Ct., 520,523, 754, 756> 7581 783, 793. Andover, Mass., 152, 585, 589, 627, 647. 650, ^56, gs"*- ^ . Andover Theological Scmmary, 95, 430, 444, 45-, 476, 490. 589, 597i 645, 718. 813, 865, 885, 89S. S99, 902, 91S, 920, 929, 963, 966, 967, 969. Andrews, E. A., 773- Andrews, Rev. Ed%vard W., 705. Andrews, Israel W., D.D., 279, 705. Andrews, John, 288. Andrews, Rev. Josiah B., 1S3, 192, 197. Andrews, Rev. Samuel J., D.D., 705. Andrews, Scth, 480. Andr:?ws, Rev. William, 705, 863. Andrews, Rev. William Watson, 705. Andrews, Mr. 304. Andross, William P., 800. AndruR, Silas, 800, 805, 824, 840. Animated Nature, 300. Annals of Oneida County, 165. 1027 Annals of American Pulpit, 1S7, 755, 828. Annihilation, 93. Annuity Society, 480, 4S4, 489, 495, 514, 5'5» 551. S55> 5'/>, 592, 631, 667, 671, 742, 819, 821, S55, 866, 893, 896, 931, 967, 991, 992, 1004, 1019. Antrim, Jeremiah, 535. Antiquary, Scott's, 845, 847. Anthony, Miss Susanna, 38. Apocr>*pha, 367, 368, 370, 371, 374, 377- Apology for the Bible, 23. Arbuthnot, Mr., 773. Argus, 66. Argyle, N. Y., 156. Arlington, Vt., 82, 93. Armenians, S3, 88, 97, 99, 190, 197, 7U- Armory, Springfield, 529, Armstrong, Hon. John, 281. Arnold, Susan, 639. Arnold, Thomas, 971. Ashby, Mass., 891. Ashford, Ct., 665, 745. Ashtabula County, Ohio, 215, 219, 220, 222, 247, 250, 252, 254. Ashuelot V'alley, 641. Aspem, Battle of, 403. Assassination, 95. Assembly, Presbyterian General, 140, 857, S5S. Assembly's Cateclusm, 28, 30, 217, 232. Association, General, of Connecticut, 23, 116, 122, 176, 441, 520, 555, 556, 641, 705, 890, 906. Association, General, of New Hamp- shire, 641. Astor, John Jacob, 493. Asylum for Deaf and Dumb, 741, 761. Athanasius, Life of, 721. Atonement, Doctrine of, 62. AttL'borough, Mass., 99, 14S. Atwater, Caleb, 2^7. Atwatcr, Jeremiaii, D.D., S2, 92, *55- ^. . Atwater, Oluo, 257. Atwell, Rev. George, 431, 470, 471, 472- Auburn Theological Seminary, X.Y., 859,921. Auerstadt, Battle of, 308. Augusta, N. Y., 165, 167, 16S. Augsburgh Confession, 601. Aurcliiis, N. Y., 173, 176. Aurora, Newspaper, 65, 66. Aurora, Ohio, 234, 258, 2S4. Austin, Aaron, 243. Austin, Aaron £., 243. Austin, Rev. David, 515, 573, 786, 978. Austin, EUphalct. i6t, zi6. Austin, Nathaniel, i6r. Austin. Samuel, D.D., 152, 396, 44ai 443, 4U, 459. 466, 9S0. Austin, William, 456. Austin, Capt., 222. Austin, Major, 161. Austin, Mr., 44- Austin, Mrs., 999. Austinton-n, Ohio, ai6. 1028 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. Austinbui^h, Ohio, 316, 220, aai, 222, 226, 229, 236, 243, 258, 259, 262, 266, 26S, 269, 270, 288, 414. Ausmans, 21, 31, 86, 87, 96, 97, 118. Auiobif»tiraphy o£ Rev. Joseph Badger, 266. Averts Rev. Joseph, 20, 40, 145, 192. Aven', Mr., 337. Avon, Ct., 80, 173, 268, 312, 317, 361, 426, 454, 524» 53». 776, 8S7, 919, 955» 965- Babcock, Major Ellsha, 397, 961. Babcock, Lvdia, S71. Bache, Benjamin Franklin, 65. Backus, Rev. Azel, D.D., 161, 527, 691. Backus, Rev. Charles, D.D., 50, 55, 57, 59, 116, 194, 295, 305, 417, 419, 424, 438, 527, 780. Backus, Mrs. Charles, 313, 419, 438, 550, 564, 568, 7S0. Backus, Major Ebenezer, 14. Backus, Jabez, 780. Backus, Mercy (Edwards), 14. Backus, Rev. Simon, 731, 756, 786, 836. Bacon, 61, 62, 322. Bacon Academy, 656. Bacon, Alice (Parks), 270. Bacon, Asa, Esq., 1008. Bacon, Rev. Da\-id, 240, 241, 259, 268, 270, 271, 2S6. Bacon, Rev. Leonard, D.D., 240, 270, 981. Bacon, Pierpont, 656. Badger, Heur>-, 269. Badger, Rev. Joseph, 216, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226, 227, 228, 232, 233, 236, 238, 239, 241, 243. 250, 253, 254, 257, 264, 266, 268, 269, 273, 274. 275. 277, 278, 286. Bainbridge, N. Y., 205. Baker, Rev. Joel, 440. Baker, Mr., 68. Balcom, Mr., 651. Baldwin, Henr>-, 215. Baldwin, Roger Sherman, 4S9, 964. Baldwin, Judge Simeon, 964. Baldwin, Hon. Simeon E., 964. Baldwin, Rev. Thomas, D.f)., S26. Baldwin, Rev. Truman, 153. Ballantine, Rev. W. G., 139. Ball, Rev. Heman, 92. Ball, James, 285. Balls in Ohio, 288. Balls in Williams College, i, 2, 7, 17, 18. Balston, N. Y., 178,986. Baltimore, Md., 25, 44i| 749. 796| 797- Bampton Lectures, 363. Bangor Theological Seminar>', 9, 62. Bancroft, 871. Bancroft, Aaron, D.D., 973. Bancroft, Abner, 917, 919. Bancroft, E. L., 755- Bancroft, Hon. f.eorge, 973, Bancroft, Harrit.-t, 629. Bancroft, Mrs. Jerusha, 606. Bancroft, Julia, 800. Bancroft, Mrs. Lucy, 881. Bancroft, Mrs. Lydia, 532. Bancroft, Mary, 777. Bancroft, Mnna, <»o.i. Bancroft, Minerva, S71. Bancroft, Samuel, 629, Bancroft, Mrs. Sarahj 656. Baptist Foreign Missionary Society, 552- Baptists, 90, 253, 263, 406, 819, 8j2, 823, 828, 829, 830, 831, 842, 861, S/>7, 897, 901. 916. 9J5. Barber, John W., 680, 683, 96a, 971. Barber & Kobin.Hon, 923- Barber's Historical Collectlon.s, 106. Barker, Rev. jOAcph, 97, 99, 431, 490. Barker, Col., 304. Barkhamsted, Ct., 147, 284, 455, 5»6, 554, 59i» f^, 704. 894, 895. Barnard, Mr., M.D.,25. Barnes, Daniel, S59. Bamett, Rev. John, 92. Bamum, Mr., 530. Barre, Vt., 155. Barrington, K. I., 96, 148. Barron, Commodore James, 815. Barron, Major, 639. Barroso, Battle of, 476. Barrs, Major H., 159, 165, 168. Bartlett, Daniel W., 375. Bartlett, Rev. John, 454, 707, 803, S90, 953. 994- Bartlt;tt, John Leffingwell, 954. Bartlett, Rev. Jonathan, 119. Bartlett, Rev. Nathaniel, 118, iig. Bartlett, Rev. Shubael, 201, 36S, 375, 387- 395. .^QS, 422, 426, 429. 435, 441, 446, 447. 453, 454. 459. 471. 479, 483. 490. 494. 520, 521, 558, 5S6, 592, 598, 600, 610, 645, 652, 665, 669, 675, 686, 693, 704, 707, 721, 727, 741, 779, 7S9. 81S, 824, S27, 849, 890, 919, Qsi, 933, 947, 953. *>54. 957. 96S, 971, 981. Bartlett, Mrs. Shubael. 721,954,981. Bartlett, Mr., 304. Bartlett Professorship at Andover, »33- Bascom, Rev. Aaron, 144. Bass, Samuel, 622. Bassett, Rev. Amos, D.D., 69, 77, 78. 183, 298, 365, 451, 793, 860. Bassett, Rev. Archibald, 135, 138, 142, 294, 298, 303, 311, 316, 317, 337- Batavia, N. Y., 174, 175. Battell, Ellen (Mrs. Azariah El- dridee), 998. Battell, Harriet, 331. Battell, Irene {Mrs. William A. Lamed), 17, 53, 98, 49. 49^. 935. 936, 960, 062. Battell, Joseph, Sen., 45, 51, 145, 203, 263, 285, 300, 306. 308. 312, 324, 328, 329, 330, 331. 338, 34". 36». 370, 392, 395, 411, 428, 43S, 439t 442, 444, 445, 4'''5. 468, 469. 473, 47S, 485. 487, 4S8. 491, 492, 506, 507. Sii. 514. 5'9, >2o, 525, 539, 542, 544. 546, 548, 556, 562. 564. 568, 569, 570, 571, 57S, 583, 586, 595. 603, 604, 606, 610. 616, 618. 620, 625, 629, 634, 639, 643, 651, 652, 657. 678. 679, 682, 686, 687, 693, 697, 698, 703, 706, 709, 719, 722, 735, 734, 737, 740, 7SO. 752. 757. 776, 781, 782, 785. 788, 789. 794, 800, 812, 819, 824. 825, 835. 837, 839, 840, 847, 853. 854. 863, 872, 884, 889, 890. 895. 899, 906, 908, 918, 939, 941. 942, 943. 944. 950, 951. 954. 9^>o. 9^J3. 966, 967, 96S, 9S0, 998, 1003, 1005, 1014. Battell, Joseph, Jr.. 326, 360, 460, 464, 467, 471, 511, 512, 520, 539. 561, 682, 683, 685, 7S2. 7q7, 831, 869, 9.35- 937; 946, 947. io<4- Battell, Mrs. Joseph (Sarah Rob- bins), 3, 17, 19, 27. .30. 3'. 40. 49, 56, 57, 58, 95, 107, i2(, 122, 141, 179, 220, 263, 294, .303, 32*^>. 329. 341. 3''>. 37"' 394, 4H. 4>8. 4i9, 428, 431, 434, 437, 474. 494. 497, 514. 525. S'''". ."i<", 571, 578, 584, 595, 611, 616, 634, 642, 648, 708, 7»6, 725. 73'. 7*4. 75*^. 75?i 756, 797. 808, 872, 875. 918, 939, 943, 951. 9'''3. ''. 1014. Battel], Josiah Buckingham, 3, 45, 52. 220, 222, 250, 415, 950. Battel), Philip, 340, i'ho, 681, 760, 831, 903, 9^», 937. 946- Battfll, Sarah (Mrs. Joseph El- dridge), 302, 338,43<» 7»9. 75<»i 757i 881, 935i 936» 9t«>» 9^2i 998. Battell, Robbins, 7S2. Battell, Urania (Mrs. James Hum- plirey), 505. Battell, William, 43, 56, 81, 300, 301, 330. 331. ('38, 825. Battell, Mrs. William, 300, 825. Battell, a French name, 220. Battell Chapel, 460, 756, 797. Eattelle, Col. Ebenezer, 279. Battelle, Thomas, 279. Battle of Bcnnineton, 17. Battle of liunker Hill, 817. Battle of Chippewa, 174. Battle of New Orleans. 619. Battle of Queenstown, 174. Bates, Esq., 174, 296, 660, 665. Bavaria, 2S1. Bavarians, 103. Baxter, Richard, 353, 354. Ba\-ard, James Ashton, 165,605, 6n>. Bavard, Hon. Thomas F., 165. Baylen, Battle of. 368. Baylies, Dr. William, 101. Beach, Jacob, 138. Beach, Rev. Jas., 319, 349, 561,957, Beach, Mrs. James, 561. Beach, Linus, 85. Beach, Mr., 236. Beale's Museum, 29. Beardsley, Mr., 206. Bearing the Cross, 927. Beauties of History*, 49. Beauties of St. Pierre, 144. Beaver, alias Mcintosh, Penn., 229, 231, 267. Beaver County, Penn., 215, 229, 267. Beaver Dam, 558. Beaver Hat, 329. Becket, Mass., 134, 135, 13S, 139, 140, 141, 143, 144, 143, 154, 161, 162, 16S, 179, 181, 184, 187, 1S9, 370, Bcckwith, Mr., 493. Beecher, Dr. Lyman, 439, 812, 980, 1007. Beers, Isaac, 410, 429. Beers & Howe, 374, 410, 417, 439, 432, 434. 437, 438. 489. 608. Beers, Penn., 215, 2SS. Bedford, Rev. Arthur, 334, 335, 337, 340, 435- Bedford County, Penn., 210, 289. Bedford, N. Y.', 48*). Bedford, Penn., 2S9. Beldier, Emily. 826. Belcher, Frances, 878. Belchertown, Mass., 152, 835. Belden. Rev. Jonathan, 360. Belden, Rev. Joshua, 714. Belgium. 636. Belgium Traveler, 369. Belisarius, 150. Belknap, Rev. Jeremy, D. D., 23, 112, 974. Bellamy. Rev. Joseph, D. D., 37, 105, 318. 515, 527. Belleronlion. 638. Bcllingnain. the assassin, 518. Bellows Falls, Vt.. 152. Beioe, Rev. William, 451. Bcloit College, 299. Belpre, Ohio, 272, 278, 279, 281, 918. Bement, Mrs. Surana, 980. Benedict, Francis, 115. Benedict, Rev, David, 910. Benedict. Rev. Amzi, 967, 969, 970, 994., 995 • Benedict, Rev. Noah, 146, 963. Benedict, Rev. Abner, 23, 191. Benevolence ar.d Misery, 182. Benevolent principle in human na- ture, 30. Benjamin, Mr., 711, 712, 715, 731, 728, 730, 744, 75*. 7641 767. 77»- Bennington. Vt., 6, 7, 14, 17, 82, 93, 95, 179, 180. Bc:ison, Vt., S3, 1^6. Bentlcy, Rev. William, 826, 836, 861, 875. '"23- INDEX TO VOLUME I. 1029 Beresford, Lord, 482. Beresina, Battle of, 543. Bergen, Battle of, 105. Berkshire County, RIass., 17, 21, 22, .S3, 137- MO, 370. Berlin, Ct., 187, 194, 197, 199, 355, 371, 397, 467, 506, 521. 54t, 547, 5^5' 579. 5S1. 627, 628, 650, 679, 6S2, 853. Berlin, Vt., 153. Bernardston, Mass., 152. Berne, Switzerland, 972. B-r\\ick, Me., 321. BePA-ickshire, Scotland, 240. Best, W. M., 306. Bethel Parish, 105, 126, 127. Bethlehem, Ct., 37, 527, Sg6. Bethlehem, Mass., 137, 139. Bethlem, Ct., 105, 146. Beverley, Robert, 729. Beverly, Mass., 151, 557, 910. Bible Dictionary', 379. Eicheno, J., 31. Eiddeford, Me., 93. Bidwell, Barnabas, 12, 37, 321. Bidwell, Mrs. Editha, 813. Bidwell, Epaphras, iil. D,, 373. Bidwell, Huldah, 643. Bidwell, Julia, qoi. Bidwell, Sarah, 4S0. Bidwell, Rev. Walter H., loiS. Biz Beaver River, 286. Big Falls, N. Y., 372. Bigelow, Mr., 325, 979. Bigger, Mr., 300. Billings and Holden, 15. Bingham, Rev. Silas L., 85, 401, 403, 405. 412. Bingham, Messrs., 206. Eiogranhical Dictionan-, 208. Biographical Mirror, 1S8. Eirge. Backus W., 621, 622, 992. Birge, Mrs. Backus W., 774. Eirge, Eaiky. 752, 774, 794- Birge, Daniel, 840. Birige, Edwin, 621. Birge, Jonathan, 840. Birge, Julius, 621, 9S7. Birge. Man', 621. Birge. Mary B., 9S7. Birge, Roger Pitkin, 992. Birge, Sally, 871. Birmingham, Eng., 209. Bishop, Abraham, 122, 146. Bishop, Rev. Artemas, 904. Bishop, Samuel, 143. Bishop, Timothy. 12, 19, 679". Bisseli. Capt. Aaron, 378, 386, 400, 414, 456, 45S, 559, 572, 585, 602, 658, 683, 700, 760, 794, 814, 871, 968. 9S0, qS4, 987. Bisseli, Benjamin. 52. Bisseli, Damans (Potwine), 763. Bisseli, Edcar, 962. Bisseli, Edward, 943. Bisseli, Electa, 763. Bisseli, Eli, 763. Bisseli, Elijah, 553. Bisseli, Elsa, 779. Bisseli, Epaphras, 796, 831, 988. Bisseli, Frances, 796. Bisseli, Horace, 579, 645. Bisseli, Sophia, 794. Bisseli, Susan, 794. Bisseli, Theodore, 831, S32. Bisseli. Mrs.,37S. Bissei, Rev. John, 11. Black River Countrj-, 200. Black. Walter A., 553. Blackburn, WilHara, 325, 326, 337, 3.19- Blackstone's Commentary, 668. Blaine, James C, 393. Blake, Jonathan, S02. Blake & Cunningham, S23. Blakeslee, Mrs. Ruhamah, 640. Blakeslee. Rev. Mr., 662, 676, 680, 693, C^9, 703, 740. Blandford, Mass., 140, 216. BlatcWord, Samuel, D. D., 857. Bleeding, 180, 324. Elinn, Sliner\*a, 993. Bliss, Lucy, 802. Bliss, Nancv, 897. Bliss, Pelitiah, 860. Bloomfield, Ct, 318, 335, 349, 707, 994- Bloomfield. N. Y., 173, 174,953. Blount, William, 37. Blucher, General, 635. Blue Meeting-House, 564. Board, Price of, 53, 64. Boardman, Rev. Benjamin, 905, 910. Boardman, Elijah, 130, igr, 511, 54S. Boardman, Ohio, 216, 218,220,222, 224, 226, 227, 228, 232, 236, 238, 239, 241, 243, 250, 253, 254, 257, 264, 266, 268, 269, 273, 274, 275, 277, 27S, 2S6. Boies, Rev. Artemas. 939. Bogue, Rev. Publius V., 21, 109, 131- Bolton, Ct., 148, 519, 532, 575, 595, 596, 597. 697. 913. 947- Bolton Notch, 148. Bolton, Ohio, 2S4. Bolton, Vt., 153. Bonaparte, Jerome, 34S. Bonaparte, Joseph, 34S, 3S0, 640. Bonaparte, Louis, 34S. Bonaparte, Napoleon, campaign in Italy, battles of Areola and Lodi, 14, 29, 31; makes peace with the Pope, 33 ; defeats Archduke Charles, 35, 37; blocked up in Corsica by a British flr^et, 63, 66; in Egypt, 68, 77; plague in his army, 87, 10^; Consul, iii; again in Italy, 121; battle of Marengo, 121 ; makes a treaty with th ; Pope whereby the Decades are abolished and Sunday reestablished. 171 ; first Consul, iSi, 1S6; made Em- peror, 275 ; successful in war against the Austrians, 27S; in Ger- many, 2S0: dictatorial to the Amer- ican Minister, 281, 2S4, 2S6; St. Cloud his favorite residence, 304, 308,309,313,321: possible ruler in America, 332 ; makes peace with Russia and Prussia, 334, 350, 354; compels the King of Spain to re- sign, 365 ; busy with Spanish af- fairs, 3S0; in great wTath, 383; invading, 401 ; regarded as a sub- ject of prophecy, 410 ; planning mischief against our countrj', 428; divorced from Josephine, 442 : mar- ried to Maria Louisa of Austria, 442; his confiscations, 44^S; cannot recover from his Rus^.ian defeat, 535: driven to France, 579; fear of him in this country, 594: again on tlie throne. 626 ; battle of Waterloo, 635, 636; surrenders to the English, 63S; banished to St. Helena, 643. Bondstown, Ohio, 248, 249. Bonuey, Rev. Wi'Ham, 326, Eooge, Rev. Aaron J., 81, 167. Book of Travels, Dwight's, 175. Booth, Rev. Chauncey, 637. Booth, Seth, Jr., 836. Bordwell, Rev. Joe], 51, 127. Borodino. Battle of, 530, 534. Borthwick. Scotland, iSS. Bossuet, James Benigne, 198, 296, 297, 303, 967. Boston Athcn.-eum, 417. Boston, Mass., 6, 30, 40, 64, 84, 99, 112, 141, 15I1 335. SH 597» 6i3, 686, 893. Boston Recorder, 673, 688, 723, 750, 872. 924, 947. 952. 984- Boston, R. L, 148. Boston, Thomas, 240, 341, 342. Bostwick, Mr., 256. Bosworth, Dr., 8S7. Butzaris, Marco, 951. Boudinot, Elias, 6S3. Bow, Mrs. Wealthy, 1000. Bowdoin College, 153, 450, 740, 889. Eoylston, Dr. Zabdiel, 6. Boylsion, Mass., 152. Eozrah, Ct., 183, 515, 573, 710. Brace, Joab, D. D., 455, 656, 714, „759, 771, 956. Brace, Jonathan, 286. Braceville, Ohio, 255. Bradford, David, 2. Bradford, Hersey, 162. Bradford, Rev. James, 561. Bmdforfi, Lvdia, 2. Bradford, Nferritt, 754, 755. Bradford, S. F..<)24. Bradford, Dr. Wdliam, 96, 924, loio. Bradford, Governor WiUiam, 2, 494, 924. Bradford, William, Jr., 2. Bradford County, Penn., 205, 206. Bradley, Rev. Dan., 159. Bradley, Hon. Daniel, 169, 172, 177. Bradley, Rev. Joel, 167. Bradley. Mr., 17S. Bragg, Edward, 720. Bragg, Jonas, 607. Bragg, Mrs. Rhoda, 1015. Erainerd, Daniel, 1S4, 494. Brainerd, Rev. Israel, 183, 1S9, 191, 196. Brainerd, John G. C, 446. Brainerd, Col., 203, Brainerd, Dr., 184. Brainerd, Mrs., 196, 203, 221, 233, 494- Braintree, Mass., 60, 150, 52S. Braintrem, Penn., ao6. Brandon, Vt., 92. Branford, Ct., 87, 97, 122, 183, 193, 299, 304, 334, 400, 473. 490. 546, 569,641,697, 756,981.' Braitleborough, Vt., 152, 590. Bray, Oliver, 13. Brazil, 349. Breaking paths, 320. Brentwood, N. H.,930. Ere-A-er, Philura, 1002. Brewer, Col., 230. Browster, Sir Da\-id, 515. Brick Church, N. Y., 11, 136. Bridge at Hartford. Ct., 314, 376,401, 406, 423, 505, 51S, 526, 629. Bridgeport, Ct., 313, 710, 711, 715, 721, 728, 730, 731, 744, 75a, 764, 767, 772, 774. Bndgewatcr, Mass., 150. Brighton, Mass., 369. Brinsmade. Rev. Horatio N., 966. Brisicd, Charles Aster, 493. Brisled, Rev. John, 493, 496, 497, 49S. Bristol, Ct., 71S. 918, 994, 1013. Bristol, England, 27. Bristol, Ohio, 264. Bristol, Penn., 291. Bristol, R. L, 96, 97, loi, 148, 149, 162, 16S, 327, 969, lOIO. Bristol, Vt..S8. British Classics, 464, 542, 632. British Critic, 451. British Poets, 554, 566. British Treaty, 19. Broadalbin, N. Y., 178. Broad Oak, Eng., 846. Brock, General, 525, 531. Brockway, Rev. Diodate, 363, 372, 394. 419. 490, 627, 669, 675, 775. 838,934,980. _. , Brockway, Mrs. Diodate, 534, 550, 959- Brockway, Hon. John H,, SjTJ, 870. Brockway, Rev. Thomas, 361. Brockwav, Esq., 237. BrodhcacI, Sheriff, 165. 1030 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. Bronson, Col. OzJas, 311. Brook near Norfolk Parsonage, 34, MO. Brookfield, Ct., 101, 103, 104, 107, loS, III, tig, 124, 12S, 800. Brookfield, Mass., 152, 361, 973. Brookfield, Ohio, 243, 252, 253, 262, 265, 26S. Brookline, Mass., 251, 975. Brooklyn, Ct., 977, 980. Brooklyn, N. Y., 921, 969. Brooks, Daniel, 620. Brooks, John, LL.D., 564. Brooks, Samuel, 660. Brooks, Rev. Thomas, iii. Broome County, N. Y., 205. Brothertown, N.Y., 167. BrouRham, Lord, 843. Brown, Ephraim, 1S7. Brown, John, 805. Brown, John, of Haddington, 696. Brown, Rev. Matthew, 301. Brown, Owen, 2S4. Brown, Rev. William, 204. Brown University, 23, 59, 97, 139, 143, 148, iSi, 718, 815, 910, 95S, 978. Brownell, Thomas Church, D.D., 891, q6o, 901. Brown s Settlement, 205. Buchanan, Dr. Claudius, 411, 512, 733. 737- Buckham, Rev. Nathan, 977. Buckingham, Samuel 0., D.D., 343. Buckingham, Sarah, 45, 300. Buckminster, Joseph, D.D. , 151. Buck's t'ounty, Penn., 291. Buel. Dr. William, 561, 562, 570. Buell, Horatio, 986, 9S9, 1022. Buffalo, N.Y., 174, 175, 577. Bulkley, Rev. Gershom, Sen., 72S, 908. Bulklev, Rev. Gershom, Jr., 907. Bulkley, Rev. John, 728. Bulkley, Rev. Peter, 728, 908. Bulkley, Mr., 931. Bull, Amos, 6S7, 697, 707. Bunce, Charles W., 901. Burder, Rev. George, 448. Burge, Rev. Caleb, 933, 934, 952, 9S9-9''«.962, 971,987. Bur^e, Edwin, 949. Burlians, Rev. Daniel, D.D., Burlington Bay, 88, 384. Burlington College, 603. Burlington, Ct., 301, 303. Burlington, Mass., 630. Burlington, N. J., 971. Burlington, Vt., 154. Burnap, Esq., 755. Burnett, Dr. Matthew, 120. Burnham, Chester, 996. Bumham, Elijah, 508. Burnliam, Hannah, 894. Burnham, Mrs. Lydia, 536, 676. Burnham, Roger, 999. Burnham, Mrs. Sarah, 842, 868. Burnham, Sarah Lorinda, 868. Burnham , Zcnas Timothy Elmer, 868. Burnsidc, Ct., 417, 961, 1020. Burr, Kcv. Aaron, 51, 114, 129, 136, 177. 237j 305. 3", 328. Burr, Nathan, 590. Burr, Timothy, 2S5. Burt, Rev. Enoch, 964, 969, 970, 992, 1001, 1020. Burt, Rev. Federal, 601, 604. Burt, Rev. Gideon, 443, 444, 875, 920, 922. Burt. Stmldard, 630. Burton, Rev. Asa, D.D., 153, 641. Burton, (Jhio, 344, 347, 348, 258, 364. Bury St. Edmunds, Eng., 187. Bur^■i^K potatoes and apples, 43, Itu^liiR'lI, Rev. Har\'cy, 965. Bushncll, Horace, D.D., 9<;8. Bushnell, Rev. Jedcdiah, 130, 177, 191, 349. , 103. Butler, Rev. Daniel, 528. Butler, Rev. David, 123, 127. Butler, F.. 856. Butler, Jonn, 207. Butler, Nathaniel, 506. Butler, Rev. Stephen, 89. Butler, Col. Zebulon, 207, 291. Byington, Rev. Cyrus, 918. Byron, Lord, 951. Cadiz, Spain, 476, 797, 931. Cssar, Annas, 926. Cahoon, Eliza, 791. Cairo, Egvpt, 150. Calderwell, John, 285. Calderwood, Rev. David, 915, 916. Caledonian, 84S. Calhoun, Geo. A., D.D., 977, 1019. Calvary, a picture, 927. Calvary, a poem, 383. Calvinism improved, 21, 49. Calvinistic Baptist, 86. Calvinistic Doctrines, 197. Calvin, John, 559, 945, Calvin's Institutes, 652. Calvin's Work, (/?2, 728. Cambridge, Eng. , 383. Cambridge, Mass., 12, 103, 151, 438, 494, 6qi, 693, 974, 987. Cambridge Platform, 190, 340. Cambridge University, Eng., 383, 411. 493- Camillus, N. Y., 172. Camoens, Luis De,985. Campbell, Rev. George, 37, 624,667. Campbell, Widow Margaret, 848. Campbell, Thomas, ^03. Campbell s Dissertations, 667. Campbell's Gospels, 617, 624, ^27, 649, 667, 674. Camp, Deacon, 102. Camp, Rev. Samuel, 105, 106, 108, III, 124, 129. Camp, Mrs. Samuel, 124. Camperdown, Battle of, 47. Campfieid, (Jhio, 216, 217, 286. Camp-meeting, 325, 451, 677, 714, S67. Canaan, Ct., 10, 34, 43, 56, 57, 58, 64, 67, 68. Canaan Mountain, 44. Canada, 8, 84, 89. Canajoharie, N. Y., 156, 963. Canandaigua, N. Y., 173, 175, 176, 177. 330. Candace, 621. Canfield, Hon. Judson, 216, 225, 227, 229, 237. 254- Canfield, Mr., 293, 937. Canfield, Ohio, 216, 218, 231, 235, 237. 239, 240, 242, 243. 252, 254, 25s, 256, 264, 268, 269, 270, 277, 283, 2S6, 28S. Canonsburgh, Penn., 231. Canterbury, Ct., 61, 75, 148,234,314, ■433. 75f;.8S2. Canterbury. Eng., 977. Canton, China, 96, 738. Canton, Ct., 12, 52,66,69,294,295, 33«, 340, 347. 34S, 353. 35**. 361, 410, 411, 660, 825, 897, 905, 935, 937. 93S. 978. 9S2. Cappadocia, 359. Capricorn and Cancer, 342. Carey, Rev. Matthew, 193, 197. Carey, Rev. Thomas, 152. Carlisle, Penn., 210, 290, 857. Carlton, Ohio, 249. Carnwath, Scotland, 515. Caroline Amelia Elizabeth, 843. Caroline Archipelago, 304. Caroline, Ouecn, 843. Carrier, Lucy, 7s- Carrigue, Kcv. Richard, 944. Carter, C'harlcs, 80. Carter, Charles, Jr., 80. Carter, Miss E., 73. Carter, Eleazer, 69, 73, 79, 96. Carter, Miss J., 73, 82. Carthage, Ancient, 455, 693. Carver, Lewis, 668. Car\'er, Mass., 97, 98. Case, Cephas, 269. Case, Rev. Francis H., 941. Case, Han'ey, 416. Case, Salmon, 492. Case, Susannah, 469. Case, Thomas, 1004. Case, Mrs., 347. 364, 375, 415, 445. 448, 457. 467. 54°. 543. 5S4. Case, Capt., 23O, 345, 346, 347, 34S, 416. Case's Mills, 288. Cassano, Battle of, 87. Castleton, Vt., 85, 93, no. Catawissa, Penn., 209. Catechism, Assembly's, 28, 30, 217, 413, 4=8, 432, Sio. Catechising the children, 899, 934. Catharine, a colored woman, 588. Catharine II, of Russia, 31. Caihcart, I-^rd. 336, 339. Catholic Doctrine of Trinity, 59. Catskill, N. Y., 203, 207, 679, 680, 98?, 9S6. Cattle Show, 872. Cave, William, D.D., 721, 722, 724, 729- 73". 7S9. 790. S20, 837. Cayuga Bridge, 173. Cayuga County, N. Y., 173. Cayuga, N. Y., 176. Cazenovia, N. Y., 177, 797. Cecil, Robert, 789. Centerbmok, Ct. , 190. Central New York, 2. Century Sennon, 12S, 129. Centur>', when does the century be- gin, 129. Cesarea, 359, 929. Chadwick, Mr., 074. Chnr^rin Falls, Ohio, 259. Chalmers, Thomas, D.D., 727. Chambersburgh, Penn., 290. Chambers's Encyclopxdia, 95, 515. Chanibcry Palace, 3S0. Champion Epaplm)ditus, 194, 195, 196, 219, 256. Champion, Henry, 285. Champion, Rev. Judali, 439, looS. Chamition, Miss L., 201. Champlain, late Battle of, 603. Chandler, Hannah, 87. Channing, William E., D.D., ion, 1012. Chapin, Dea. Aaron, 299, 30S, 317. Chapin, Rev. Aaron L., D.D., 299. Chapin, Almira, 605. Chapin, Calvin, D.D., 71, 289, 299, 468, 520, 737, 756, 870, 956, 957, 100 7. Chapui, Rev. Chester, 849, 851, 855, 86o_, 864. S69, 890. Chapin, Elizabeth, 593. Chapin, Rev. Joel, 205. Chapin, Laertes, 299, 557, 582. Chapman, Rev. E. J., 204, 249, 268, 29f>. Chapman, Fannie, 355. Chapman, Mr., 564, 679. Charlton, Edward, 568. Charlton, Edward T., 658. Charlton, Elizabeth, 509. Charlton, James Henrj', 629. Charlton, Jesse, 469, 480, 509, 568, 605, 629, 936. Charlton, Rebecca Mary, 782. Charlton, Sarah, 442. Charles I, of England, 140. Charles 11. of England, 195. Ciiarles iV, of Spain, 365. Charles V, of Germany, 190, 191,601, Cluarles I>ouis, Archduke, 35, 115. Charles William Ferdinand, 843. Charleston, S. C, 55, 407* 797. 8S5. INDEX TO VOLUME I. 1031 Charlestown, Mass., 69, 150, 151, 162, 651, 687, 693, 69s, 714, 73S, 975- Charlestown, N. Y., 153, 156. Charlestown, Va., 271. Charlotte Augusta, 727. Charlotte, Vt,, SS, 91, 112, 13S, 153, i54j i55> ^S^> 159) ^^Sj 16S, 17S, 304. Chase, Rev. Amos, 146. Chase, Philander, D.D., 537, 555, 697. Chase, Judge Samuel, 252. Chatham, Ct., 5S3, 724, S35. Chauncey, Charles, D.D., 31S, 319. Chauncey, Rev. Nathaniel, 932. Chauncey, Worthington, G., 932. Chauncey, Mr., S59. Chelmsford, Mass., 152. Chenango County, N. Y., 169, 338. Cheshire Cheese, 160. Cheshire, Ct., 94, 761, Sii, 890. Cheshire Republican, 89. Chester, John, D.D., S57, 863,960, 961. Chester County, Penn.,290. Chester, Eng., S46. Chester, Mass., 144, 145, 370, 606. Chester, Vt., 153, 465. Chestnut Hill, Norfolk, Ct, 561. Chicopee, Mass., 943. Chihnark, Mass., 1002. China, Ohio, 229, 240, 254, 283. China population, 45. Chippewa River, 174. Chittenden County, Vt., 88. Choctaw Indians, 91S. Christian Fathers, 820. Christian History, 314. 342, 974. Christian Obsen.'cr, 577, 581, 593, 597, 667, 712, 71S, 720, 907. Christian Researches in Asia, 411, 512. 733- Christian Spectator, 770, 844, 948. Christian VII, of Denmark, 114. Christmas, 244, 309, 381. 537. 612, 8S0, 949. Christ Rejected, 927. Chubbuck, Dr., Sgo. Church, Rev. Aaron, 295, 40S, 409* 412,426, 452, 554. Church, Miss, 565. Church Histor>-, Fuller's, 637. Church Music, 314. Church of Scotland, 915. Churches on Western Reserve, 293. Churchill, Rev. Ebenezer, 861. Cicero's Orations, 170, 171. Cider, 54, 367,374,515.491.721, 732, 737- 7S0. Cider Brandy, 338, S45. Cincinnati Society, 145, Clapp, George, 604. Clapp, Norman, 622. Clap, Thomas, D.D., 96. Claremont, N. H., 153. Clark, Curtis, 128. Clark, Rev. Eber L., 5S3, 637,638, 652, 657, 669, 673, 724, 732, 738, 787, 793, 817, S18, 820, 829, 834, 835, 8S3. ^ ^ Dark, Rev. Jehu, 119. Clark, Joshua, 572. Clark, Samuel, D.D., 24. Clark, Rev. Saul, 895. Clark, Capt., iSr. Clark, Mr., 261, 433, 545- Clark, physician in Haddam, Ct., 203. Clarke, Adam, D.D., 497. 73°. 92^. 954- Clarke, James Freeman, D.D., 525. Clarke, Lydia, 620. Clarke, Miss Lydia, 660. Clarke, Rev. Samuel, 645. Clarke, Major Samuel, 650, 65S, 661, 665. Claverack, N. Y., 178. Claverack, Penn., 206. Clay and brick-making, 44S. Clay, Henry, 615, 6ig, 996. Clement, 379. Cleveland, A. P., 893. Cleveland, Grover, President, 393. Cleveland, Isaac, 797. Cleveland, Gen. Moses, 234,243,258, 285. Cleveland, Ohio, jg6, 224, 233, 249, 259, 260, 555. Clinton, Gov. De Witt, 139, 758. Clinton, Gov, George, 166, 171, 388, 466. Clinton, N. Y., 161, 162, 167, 169, 337, 339.346.375- Clinton Academy, N. Y., 161, 338. Clinton, Ct., iSg, 197, 355. Cobb, Ebenezer, gS, 150. Cobbet, William, 44. Coe, Loring E., 964. Coe, Rev. Har\'ey, 575. Coe, Rev. Noah, 575. Cogswell, James, D-D. , 14, 18,313, 315. SS2. Cogswell, Mason Fitch, M.D., 8S2. Cogswell, Samuel, 14. Coit, Daniel L., 2S6. Coit, Joseph, 309, 315. CoitsvUle, Ohio, 274, 253, 286. Colchester, Ct., -!;, 81, 100, 183, 517. 596, 656 908, 1013. Colchester, ^' Cole, Abnr Cole, Anna, K97. Cole, Cynis, 905. Cole, Frederick Wolcott, 905. Cole, Harriet, S71. Cole, Maria, 905. Colebrook, Ct., 33, 37, 65, 70, So, 82, 86, 94, 144, 147, 158, 183, 194, 198, 284, 294, 300, 302, 305, 309, 316, 319, 326, 329, 332, 335, 362, 364, 372, 433, 46S, 477, 544, 551, 56S, 570. 590. 591. 638, 657, 777, 722, 7S2, 803, 839, 863, 8S4, 92S, 987. Coleman, Lyman, D.D.,941. College of South Carolina, 14S. Collins, Rev. Amos B., 665, 666. Collins, Rev. Augustus, 754, 755. Collins, Lieut. -Gov. Charles, loir. Collins, Rev. Daniel, 179, 341, 45°. 67S. Collins, Levi, 673. Collections for Home Missions, 113. CoUyer, Mary, 166. Coiman, Benjamin, D.D., 797, 972. Colson, Robert, 922. Colton, Rev. Chester, 930, 981. Columbia College, 44i> 7*o- Columbia County, N. Y., 154, 17S. Columbia County, Peon., 20S. Columbia, Penn., 290. Columbia, Ct., 72, 74, 1S9, 363, 376. Columbiana County, Ohio, 215, 243. 271, 273. Columbus, a drama, 413. Columbus, Christopher, 120, 130, 140. Combs, 50. Commencement at Williams College, 88, 122, 370, 449, 938. Commencement at Vale College, 122, 146, 299, 371, 410, 45'. 564. 602, 677, 7'5. 755.795, jo'7- Commentary, Clarke's, 497, 504, 506, 508. 5M. 536. 565, 620, 621, 647- Commentnrv, Owen's, 533. Commentary, Palrick*s, 468. Commentary, Patrick and Lowth's, 657, 661. Commentary, Whitby's, 675, 725. Commercial Advertiser, 783. Communicant's Companion, 469. Communion Season, Open Air, 212, 269, 289. Complete View of Episcopao*, 31S. Comstock, John Lee, M. D., 951, Comstock's, Dr., School-Eooks. Concio ad Clerum, 122, 146, 300, 334, 371, 410, 451, 489, 526, 564, 602, 679. 7>5. 903* 939. 979. 'o»7- Concord, Mass., 728, oc8. Concordance, Cruden s, 334. Cone, 15, 28. Cone, Rev. Jonathan, 995. Cone, Rev. Salmon, 70, 75, 76, 1013. Cone, Dca., 202. Conccocheague Valley, Penn, 289. Conestoga River, Penn., 290. Confession of Faith, 222, 224, 226, 27S. Congregational Churches in Ohio, 266. Congregationalism, S34, 959. Congregationalist, 86, 655. Congress, i, 31, 77. Congressional Representation, law of, 160. Congruity, Penn., 212. Conneaut, Ohio, 50S. Connecticut Bible Society, 6S5, 965. Connecticut Courant, 76, 217, 563, 791, 1025 . ^ . Connecticut Education Society, 715 Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, 82, 123, 170, 1S3, 206, 312, 315, 322, 342, 459. 463, 4*^. 475, 485. 492, 498, 502, 503, 505, 507, 50S, 510, 511, 514, 5»7, 52". 523, 538, 530, 531. 533, 536, 537. 54», 546, 548, 550. 55S. 565- 571. 576, 577, S7g, 5S0, 5S1, 5S2, 5S4, 5S5. 58S, 589, 591, 594, 596, 597, 599, 606, 608, 611, 612, 620, 621, 622, 623, 625, 628, 629, 631, 632, 634, 635, 637, 643, 64s, 649, 657. Connecticut Historical Rooms, 526. Connecticut Historical Society, 328, 486, 1005, 1013, 1017. 1025. Connecticut Land Company, 241, 257, 25S, 260. Connecticut Land Company, mem- bers of, 2S5. Connecticut Medical Society, 635. Connecticut Mirror, 446, 519, 563, 579, 7^1, 794. Soi, 842. Connecticut Missionary- Society, 68, 81, 82, 137, 1S4, 195, 196, 200, 202, 209, 216, 231, 23S, 241, 251, 262, 264, 265, 275, 278, 2S2, 294, 29S, 320, 324, 337. 356, 5^3. 617, 627, 863, 006. 967, 993. Connecticut Obser\'er, 9S9, 997. Connecticut Rcser\-e, 130, 195, 215, 244, 322, 414. Connecticut River, 55, 5S, 152, 320, 369, 370. 376. 383, 448, 505, 511, 5»6, 553, 628, 637, 642- Connecticut Society of Good Morals, 626. Connecticut State Convention, 749. Connecticut Theological i nstttute, 138,301,838,852,855. Connecticut Valley, 563. Connections, Prideaux s, 54. Consociation, 298, 717, 799, 94o, 94I1 981,993. 995- Conspiracy in Congress, 37. Constitution, Ship, 524, 535. Continental Congress, 366. Continuation 01 Hume's History, 144. Contrast between Calvinism and Hop- kinsianism, 517. Contributions to Connecticut Eccle- siastical History*, 41, 929, 995. Converse, Mr., ^7. Cook, E., 172. Cook, Rev. Elisha B., 577. 579, 5S3, 584. 592. 594, 603, 610, 629, 664, 666, 667, 6;o, 672, 6S0, 688, 696, 749, 754. 757. 760, 7S7, 813, 871, 893, 933. 940. 972, 1006. Cook, Mre. KUsha B., 688, 691, 697, 698, 933. 965. 967- 1032 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBEINS, D.D. Cook, Capt. James, 688, 693. Cook, Col., 214. Cooke, Benjanun, 546. Cooke, Oliver, 965, 970. Cooke, Messrs., 954, 989. Cooke, Mr., 4S1, 493, 526, 541- Cook's Voyages, 683. Cooley, Daniel, 611. Cooley, Hadassah, 460. Cooley, Rev. Timothy M., D.D., 611,' 627, 755. Cooley, Titus, 875. Cooley. Dr., 904. Copenhagen, 13S, 139, 336- Corinth, Vt., 153. Cormick, L. M., 144, i45» M7» ^85. Corn Crop, 125. Cornelius, Elias, D.D., 100, 138, 552. Conielius, Mrs. EHas, 13S, 552. Coming, Betsey, 912. Con-.ish, N. H., 153, 555- Cornwall, Ct., 41, 43, 65, 133, 135. iSo, 326, 525, 542, 604, 729, 734, 759. 77». 778, 992- Cornwall, Eng., 54. Cornwall .School, 755. Cornwall, Vt., 83, 85, 91, 150, 953. Corresponding Society of London, 5S. Corsica, 63. Corunna, Battle of, 393. Cost of Education, 19. Cotton, Mr. John, 541. Council of Trent, 660, 661, 662, 691, 6gS, 699, 703. Court of St. Cloud, 304. Coventry, Ct., 74, 14S, 234, 474, 5841 643, 91S, 977. Coventr\', R. I., 96, 148. Cowles, Clarissa, 724. Cowles, Ebenezer, 657, 986. Cowles, Gen. George, 854, 908, 936. Cowles, Lucinda, 668, Cowles, Rev. Pitkin, 332. Cowles, S., 194, 354- Cowles, Gen. S., 845, 936. Cowles, Solomon, 285. Cowles, Rev. Whitfield, 355, 359, 3<>0, 375. 376, 405, 406, 426. Cowles. Miss, 970, 987. Cowles*5 Tavern, 497, 706. Cowper, William, 343» 3S6. Crane. Sophronia, 9S1. Cravath, Miss, 717. Crawford County, Penn., 231. Crawford, Rev. William, 996. Credibility of Gospel History, 344. Creeks and Cherokees, 37. Cromwell, Ct., 907. Crook in the Lot, 240. Crosby, Rev. Stephen, 973. Crosby, T., 303. Crosby, Mr., 346. Cross Vs. Crescent, 865. Grossman, Rev. Joseph W., 23, 28, 31, 32, 67, 97, 100, 316, 537. Grossman, Col., 97. Croswcll, Harry, D.D., 741- Cniden, Alexander, 334. Culver, Capt., 924. Cumberland County, Penn., a 10. Cumberland, R. I., 173. Cumberland, Richard, 383. Cunningham, Rev. J. W., 772. Curtis, J., 322. Curtis, Marvin, 643. Curtis, Medad, 41, 45. '77- Curtis, Solomon, 6. CuRhman, Rev. E!tsha,8i8, 874, 899, 903. 940, 955» ^t 9?'- , ^ Cutler, Rev. Manassch, LL.D., J79. Cuyahoga County, Ohio, 215, 234. 249- ^59- Cuyahoga River, 259- Cyclonxdia of liiography, Apple- Ion's, 985. Dabney, Elizabeth, 70S, 709, 712, 713, 896. Dabncy, Jonathan Peale, 489, 713. Daggett, .lud^e Da\-id, 959. Daily Advertiser, X. V., 145. Dallas, Hon. Alexander J., 652. Dalton, Mass., 179. Dana, Daniel, D.D., 151, 152. Dana, James, D.D., 67, 423, 903, 959- Dana, Mrs. James, g^q. Dana, Hon. Samuel Whittlesey, 423- Dana, Mass., S35. Danbury, Ct., 103, 105, 107, 112, 114, 117, 119, 123, 127, 129, 130, 131, 132, 135, I37» 139. MO. i89» 193, 203, 21S, 224, 292, 319, 329, 331, 39». 394, 510. 5>5. 566, 590, 704, 70s. 834, 83S, 89S, 926. Danes, 13S. Daniels, Stephen, 899. Dantzic, 331. Danvers, Mass., 151. Darby, Mr., 10. Darley, Mr., 35, 40. Darling, Dinah E., 800. Darling, Dr., 904. Dartmouth College, 24, 63, 72, loi, 132, 140, 141. M7i »52i »73. 179. 182, 1S4, 189, 196, 324, 351, 355, 361, 369. 370, 372. 3S91 450. 455» 461;, 491, 529, 555, 561, 566, 630, 648, 6S7, 695, 738, 765, 771, 774, 822, S45, 891, 966, 969,986, 1022. Dartmouth, RIass., 149. Dartmouth Medical School, 153. Dauphin County, Penn., 209. Davenport, John, 536. Davidson, Robert. D.D., 210. Davies, Samuel, D.D., 15, 75, 291. Davis, Judge Daniel, 974. Davis, Emerson, D.D., ^58. Davis, Rev. Thomas T., 847, 85^ 892, 1017. Davis, Mr., 455- Davoust, ^ia^shall, 39. Dawes, Cornelius, 452. Day, Jeremiah, D.D., 60, 61, i47» 215, 216, 302, 553, 715, 756, 832, 857. 859,932.944,972- Day, Miss Molly, 931. Day, Hon. Thomas, 216, 303, 353, 944. Deaf and Dumb Asylum, Hartford, 330, 743. 773, 930- Death of Abel, a poem, r66. Death of Cain, a poem, r66. Death on the Pale Horse, 927. Decades, 171. Decline and Fall of Roman Empire, 150. 767. 7'>9- Dedham, Mass., 279. Dedication at Hartford, 341. Dedication at Norfolk, 601. Dedication Sermon, 430, 431, 432. Deerfield, Mass., 25, 64, 152, 642. Deerficld. N. V., 177. Deerfield, Ohio, 233, 256, 553. Defence of Constitution, 24S. Delaware County, N. V., 204,205. Delaware County, Penn., 290. Delaware River, 291. Delaware Sloop of War, 60. Delaware, State of, 165, 166, 104. Delegates from Presbyterian Church, 116. Delhi, N. Y., 204. Deming, Julius, 439. Dcming, Stephen, 1017. Democrats, 56, 60, 83, 84, 123, 133, 135, »39» MI, M7. '90, »9I. 192. 194, 196, 199, 211, 228, 240, 244, 248, 320, 323, 354, s'Js, 370, 372. 378, 392. 393, 4>o, 4H, 434. 443. 451, 472, 5^8. 548, 565. 587, 664, 680, 6<)7, 699, 700, 716, 73M, 742, 744. 749. 757, 778, 815, 887, 929. Dcnison, Charles, 46, 57, 62, 63. Derby, Ct., 69, 522. De Salle, M., 174. Deserted Village, 390. Destruction of Helvetic Liberty, 102. Detroit, Mich., 240, 525, 553, 567, 56S, 707. Devotion, Judge Ebenezer, 188, 1009. Devotion, Rev. Ebenezer, 188, 1009. Devotion, Rev. John, 188, 190, 191, 192. Devotion, Mrs., 18S. Dewey, Eleanor, 324. De Winter. J. W., Admiral, 47, 730- De Witt, William R., D.D., 857. De Wolf, George, 1010. De Wolf. H., 322. De Wolf, Capt. James, 97, 148, 327. lOIO. De Wolf. John, loio. Dexter, Franklin B., 292. Dexter, Samuel, 115. Dialogues, 15, 29. Dialogues for Commencement, 16. Dickinson, Austin, D.D., 771. Dickinson, Baxter, D.D., 920, 922, 1025. Dickinson, John, 164. Dickinson, Rev. Jonathan, 291. Dickinson College, 210. Dickinson, Mr., 205. Dickson, Capt. Gaston, 766, 779, 809. Dictionary of American Biography, 32. Dictionary of the Bible, 696, 69S, Dictionary of Congress, 702. Diggins, Betsey, 540. Diggins, Esther, 531. Diggins, John, 531, 683. Diggins, Naomi. 419, 630. Diggins, 0\\ve, 868. Diggins, Rhoda, 773. Diggins, the name, 531. Dighton, Mass., 97, 101. Dimock, Mr., 5S2. Dionysius, 379. Directory, French. 106. Dismissal of French Consuls, 61. Dissertations on the Prophecies, 27. Distinguishing Traits of Christian Character, 5S4. Dixon, Hon. James. 416. Dixon, Judge William, 416. Divine Acency, 457, Dobson, Peter, 697. Dobson s Factory, 826. Dodd. Thomas. 628. Doddridge. Philip, 18, 192, 711. Doddridge s Lectures, 711, 71a. Dodge, David C, 502. Dodge, Stephen, 502, 504. Dodge, William £., 502. Dodge, Mr.. 032. DoUiver, Joseph. 818. Domestic I>iscords, 207. Don Ou'xole, 2<;7. Dorchester Company, 401, 623. Dorchester, Mass., 150, 697, 840, Dorset, Vt., S3. Dow, Daniel, Dr., 520, 74a, 1003. Dow, Horatio, M.D., 876. Dow, Simon, 796. Downs, Rev. Cynis, 963. Downcs, Commodore George, 603. Drake, Abiel, 854. Drake, Anna, 797- Drake, Francis S., 471, 70a. Drake, Jonathan, 606. Drake, Mary, 497. Drake, Moses, 661. Drake, Noadiah, 616. Drake, Owen, 494- Drake, Samuel O., 478. Drake, Sarah, 498. Drake, SiUs. 870, 876. Drake, Sila"*, Jr., 871. Dramatic Exhibitions, ia8. Dniry Lane Theater, 45'* INDEX TO VOLUME I. ^033 Dryden's Virgil, 573, 695. Dublin, Ireland, S36. Duchy of Cleves, 959. Duck Creek, Ohio, 273. Ducos, 106. Dummerston, Vt,, 152. Duncan, Admiral, 47. Dunbar, Daniel, 3, 14. Dunbar, Elijah. 3. Dunlap, Rev. James, 231. Dunlap, WLIliam, 027. Dunse, Scotland, 240. Dupan, James Mallet, 102. Durall, Henry, 932. Durfee, CaH-in, D.D., 18. Durham, Ct., 44, 1S3, 1S4, 197, 202, 334. 545) 57*^1 <^io, 637, 932. Durham, N. Y., 173. Dutchess County, 117. Dutch Families' in Ohio, 240, 256, 2 86. Dutch Fleet, 47, gS. Dutch Point, loog. Dutton, Rev. Aaron, 593. Dutton, Mar>-, 593. Dutton, Samuel \V. S., D.D., 593. Dwijiht, Henry, 478. Dwight, Col. Jonathan, 478. Dwight, Rev. Loui5, S85. Dw-i^ht, Nathaniel, M.D., 355. Dwight, Sereno Edwards, D.D., 709, 747' 767. 770. ?5S. 932. Dwight, Theodore, 145, 446, 449, 159, 809, 968. Dwight, Theodore, Jr., 968, 978, 1004. Dwight, Timothy, D.D., President, 12. 59, i55» ^74, 175- zio, 215, 355, 410, 439, 452, 499, 505, 554, 679, 692, 709, 715, 737, 742, 750, 895, 968, Dwight's Travels, 907. Dysentery, 14. Eagle Bank, New Haven, Ct., 510, 519* 527, 53G, 541, 546, 554. 564, 597, 656, 674, 692, 710, 727, 751, 769, 7S9, 909, loiS, loig. East and West Rocks, New Haven, Ct., 353. East Avon, Ct., 800, 895. East Bloomiield, N. V., 175, 176. Easter, 434. East Granby, Ct., 95, 352, 355, 359, 3697 375t 4o6» 40S, 426. 474, 621, 646, 652, S52, 883, S96. East Granville, Mass., 611. East Guilford, Ct., 786. East Haddam. Ct.. 95, 1S3, 184, 1S7, 194, i95> 196, I9J. 202, 208, 219, 2S4. 47?.. 520. 545. 737, 740. Easthampton, Ct., 72, 75, 78, 183, 1S4. Easthampton, Mass., 441. East Hampton, L. I., 439, 812. East Hartford, Ct., 148, 152, 314, 315, 357. 371, 372. 373, 3^1, 394, 404, 405, 407, 415, 417, 420, 423, 426, 432, 434, 44S, .j6o, 465, 471, 472, 474, 479, 496, 497, 503» 509, 510. 512, S20, 521, 527. 528, 530, 535, 536, 549, 557, 572, 5S1, 5S6, 588, 589, 591, i;q2, 595, 597, 598, 599, 600, 602, 605, 609, 610, 615, 616, 618, 620, 621, 625, 626, 630, 631, 632, 643, G4q, 650, 651, 652, 656, 657, 667, 668, 671, 672, 674, 677* 679, 694, 696, 704, 708, 710, 714, 717, 728, 734, 739, 740, 753, 755. 777. 784, 7S5, 793, 794, 798, 799, 801, 80s, 814, 816, 817, 818, 821, S25, 826, 827, S28, 831, 832, 836, 83S, 841, S43, 850, 854, 858, 866, 869, 871, 886, 894, 902, 906, 926, 929, 930, 935, 939, 940, 946, 957, 9^5, 9fJ6. 9^2, 993, 1017, 1019, 1022, 1023. East Hartford Mills, 961. East Hartland, Ct., 284, 295, 771. East Haven, Ct., 122, 146, 1S9, 312, 4^5. 429, 4S9, 72S, 907. East India Company, 411, 733. East Lyn[ie, Ct., 951. Eastman, Mr., 160. Easton, Jane Ann, 1022. Easton, Ct., 632. E?.ston, Mass., 61. Eastown, N. Y., 156. Eaton, Svlvesler, 679, 680. Eaton. Mr., S17. East Windsor, Ct., 201, 35S, 360, 363, 364. 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 373, 375. 376. 377, 3S0, 386, 3S7. 392, 394, 397, 400, 402, 405, 409, 411. 413. 422, 426, 4_72, 433, 4115, 443, 445, 447. 458, 46*', 4^7, 468, 472, 478, 479, 486, 490, 491, 505, 506, 510, 513, 5,5. 523, 524, 543. 544, 547, 560, 565, 565, 567, 583, 5S4, 592, 612, 616, 618, 62S, 629, 63s, 637, 645, 648, 649, 657, 663, 667, 670, 675, 6S0, 6Sr, 685, 6S8, 701, 706, 709, 717, 722, 728, 729, 739, 744, 748, 750, 756, 762, 763, 764, 770, 7S5, 7SS, 793, 799, 8or, 802, 803, 808, S12, 816, 817, S23, S25. 830, 831, 832, S35, S36, 838, 850, 852, 855, S64, 86S, S70, 888, 903, 907, 922, 923. 924, 934, 941, 945, 946, 947, 954, 957, 959, 993, 1021, 1023. East Windsor Hill, 378, 3S0, 400, 411, 422, 425, 470, 513, 522, 572, 574, 503i 602, 622, 637, 640. 649, 655, 658, 660, 663, 667, 700, 727, 727. 795, 827, S38, 871, S73, 874, 8S0, S94, 922, 946, 951, 982. EbersburL', Rattle of, 395. Ecclesiastical Convention in Ohio. 286,287. Ecclesiastical Histor^'■, 41, 54, 597 598- Ecclesiastical History of Connecti- cut, S29. Echo, and Other Poems, 3S4, 387. Eckmiihl, Battle of, 395. Eclipses of the Moon, ^^j, 506, 934. Edi^r, Samuel, D.D., 967. Edinbur3]jh Encyclopedia, 515, 518, 520, 527, 534, 540, 549, 600, 603, 621, 648, 650, ^64, 697, 699, 703, 733,Xo2, 848,882. Edinburgh, Scotland, 32, 41, 43, 159, 44S. 740. 848. Edmond, Dnvid, 155. Education, Early Societies, 602. Edwards, Jonathan, 6, 15, 24, 32, 36, 38, 42, 159, 196, 291, 319, 365, 454, 456, 457, 512, 649, 709, 782, 853. 907. Edwards, Jonathan, D.D., 33, 35, 41, 43, 60, 62, 63, 65, 70, 86, 94, 167. -82. Edwards, Lucy, 17. Edwards, Martha. 984. Edwards. Pieroont, 2S5. Edwards, Richard, 513. Edwards, Rev. Timothy, 365, 385, ^02. 438, 5»2, 531, 730, 907, 984. Edward:!, Mr., 269. Edwards's Works, 695. Eclk. Rev. Ozias, 554, 923. Eells, Rev. Ozias Sheldon, R74, S94, 899, Q07, 012, 919, 022, 023, 926, 936, 939, 940, 941, 942, 943, 944. 949. osz, 06S, Eells, Rev. .Samuel, 122, 299, 324. Effincham, N. H.,443. Eggleston, Maria, 525. Ef^emonl, Mass., 42. E-n.'pt, 68. 77, 142. Eldridge, Azariah, D.D., 99S. Eldridge. Joseph, D.D., 431, 457, 998-^ Eldridge, Mrs. Joseph, 431, 457. Election Day, 33, 323. Election in Ohio and Pennsylvania. 267. Election Sermon, Dr. Stiles's, 6j. Electoral Vote, 27, 3S8. Elegant Extracts in Verse, 427, 434, 469. Eliot, Rev. Andrew, 781. Eliot, Rev. Andrew, Jr., 781. Eliot, Mr. John, y/y, 7S6. Elizabethtown, N. J.. 291,857, 97S. Ellington Academy, 959. Ellington, Ct., 139, 363, 372, 394, 419, 441. 451. 455, 460, 490, 534, 550, 618, 655. 669, 675, 688, 77S, „ 7S5. 708, 838, 934, 9S0. Elliott. John, D.D., 270. Ellsworth, Anna, 535. Ellsworth. Hon. Erastus, 838, 85s, S59, S64. Ellsworth. Martin, 430, 461, 675. Ellsworth, Mrs. Mar>'{Moseley), 899. Ellsworth, Moselev, 804, S23. Ellsworth, Hon. Oliver, 366, 430, 451, 657, 6i;8, 661, 7^3, 892. Ellsworth, Mrs. Oliver, 366, 370, 375, 393, 452. 504. 750. 75'. 752, 753- Ellsworth, Mr, Sarah, 375, Ellsworth, Solomon, S-)-), cfoj. Ellsworth, Stoddard, iio4, 823. Ellsworth, Timothv. <>43. 944. Ellsworth, Hon. William W., 430, 45'. 892, 940, 1019. Ellsworth, Mrs., 856. Ellsworth, Ct., 133. Elmer, Mrs. Dolly, 600, 814, 815, 948. Elmer, Eliiah, 799. Elmer, Esther, 575, 669. Elmer, Har\-ey, S42. Elmer, Henr>', 594. Elmer. Huldah, 575, 949. Elmer, Justus, 714. Elmer, Manson, 681. Elmer, Mrs. Mar>*, 851. Elmer, Oliver, 869. Elmer, Orrel, 600. Elmer, Roger Pitkin, 644, 64S, 649, 651. Elm^r, Roswell, 644. Elmer, Mrs. Saiah, 523. Elmer. Timothy, ioi6. Elm Trees, (-tGy. Ely, Benjamin, 893, 894, 902, 904, 907, <)io. 925. 930, 958, 1006. Ely, D.md, D.D.. 302. Ely, Ezra Stiles, D.D., 410, 517,868. Ely, Rev. John, 105. 112. Ely, Rev. Richard, 190. Elv, Rev. William, 735, Soo, 850- 869.872,^15. Elv, Rev. Zebulon, 23, 74, 78, 410, 517, 783. 868. Ely. Sir., 301, 364. Embargo, 28, 345, 35S, 364, 378, 380, 3S9, 511. Emerson, Brown, D.D., 891. Emerson, Rev. Joseph, 557, 910. Emerson, Mrs. Joseph, 910. Emerson, Prof. Ralph, D.D., 627, 62S, 629, 644, 646, 650, 669, 670, 671, *^4, 703, 717, 723. 753i 766, 7S2, S03, 84S, SS4, SS9, 92s, 93S, 939. 944. 1014- Emmons, Nathaniel, D.D., 187,314. Emperor of Germany, 114. Endicott, Gov. John, 521, 5S2. Enfitld. Dr. William. 24. Enfield Bridge, 453, 621, 705, 861. Enfield, Ct., 12, 376, 390, 393, 394, 4i3, 431, 455, 470. 474. 537, 554. 558, 582, 591, 605. ('20. 6^9, 641, 645, 646, 647, O50, 6c;8, 6fxJ, 665, 666. 668, 670, 671, f.76, 677, 6^1, 632, 6S5, 6S7, 6Sq. 605, Ow, 700, 7^5, 7M, 7»8, 720, 721, 723, 731, 73^ 73S, 744, 75i, 752. 755, 757, 760, 763, 770, 779, 7S1, 788, 793, 811, 813, 81S, 823, S27, 833, 835, 1034 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. 836, 837, 844, 8sj, S60, S64, 875. SSo, 890, 893, 894, S9S, 901, 907, 917, 918, 924, 931, 937, 941, 945. 946, 95S, 9O1, 971, 9S3, 987, 993, 1016, 1019. Enfield t alls. 426, 427. Enfield's Philosophy, 24. English Cierir\". 62. Englii-h Kvangelical Magazine, 448. Engli'ih Missionary Ship, 97. Epic Poem, 383. Episcopalians, 117, 132, 135, 350, 393, 664. Epistles Second and Third of John, 381- Epistle, Second, of Peter, 379. Epistle of Jude, 379. Epistle to the Hebrews, 37^ Erie County, Ohio, 215, 269. Erskine, Dr. John, 41. Esopus, N. Y., 7S3. Esprit des Lois Montesquieu, 54. Essay on Atonement, 3S. Essay on Criticism, Pope's, 102. Essay on Man, Pope's, 102. Essay on Miracles, Hume's, 37. Essay on Moral Agency, 37. Essays, John Foster, 189, 390. Essex, U. S. Ship of War, 5S6. Essex, Vt., 89. Essling, Battle of, 402, 406. Established Church, 117. Etheridge, Samuel, 687, 693, 72S, 738. Ettrick, Scotland, 240. Etudes de la Nature, 142. Euclid, O., 234, 249. 259. European Population in Pennsyl- vania in 1S03, 214. Eusebius, 379, 3S1. Evangelist, New York, 953, 958. Evarts, Rev. Jeremiah, 171, 64S, 651. Evarts, Hon. William M., 648. Everest, Rev. Cornelius B., 33S, 342, 349. 566, 572. 602. Everest, Edward D., 663. Everest, Sherman, 489, 659, 663. Everest, Solomon, 906, 937, 952. Everest Fund, 071. 978. Everett, Hon. Edward, 489,987,993. Everett, Dr. Josiah, 325. Everett, Rev. Noble, 414. Everett, Esq., 728, 907. Execution, public, 165. Exeter Academy, N. H., 912. Exeier, Ct., 74. Exeter, Eng., 47i- Exeter, N. H., 152, 280, 947- Exposition, 464, 846. Eylan, Battle of, 318, 321. Fabcr, Rev. George Stanley, 363, 405, 410. 4"- 413. 45^*- Faber, Rev. Thomas, 363, 365. Fairchild, Rev. Joy H., 595, 668, 671, 672, 677, 694, 6g6, 704, 728, 733. 739. 740, 770. 777, 785. 708, 801, 814, 826, 832, 854, 884, 886, 892, 902, 924, 967, 983, 999, 1013, I022. 1023. Fairchild, Mrs. Joy H., 957, 960, 1015. 1022. Fairchild. Robert, Esq., 467. Fairfax, Vt., 89. Fairfield County, Ct., loi. Fairfield, Ct., 12, 102, 193, 320, 692, 711, 781, 782, 892, 1016. Fairfield, N.Y., 177. Fairfield, Vt.,89, <>i- Fairfield West Association, 609, 744. Fairhaven, Mawt., 1491 7i9. 720. 73'. 738, 745. 827, 976. Fairhaven, Vt., 83. Fairlec, Vt., 153. Fall Kivcr, MaM., 744- FalU of the Ohio, 326. Families on the Connecticut Reserve, 2<)i. Fansher, Svlvanus, 733, 740. Farmcr'-s Museum, S9. Famiington,Ct., 19, 80, 82, 115, 130, 147, 161, 162, 167, 1S3, 194, 200, 295, 317. 337. 343. 354. 359. 3^7. 369. 397. 399. 416, 426, 423, 474. 479. 5'6, 525, 527. 532, 55'. 557. 628, 66<), 680, 704, 705, 744, 759, 830, 929. 93^. 939» 944. 9^4. 9^7. 970, 983, 1015. Farmington River, 362, 367,938. Farmington Turnpike, 341. Farrand, Rev. Daniel, 56, 67, 116, iSi, 1S6, 194, 205. Farrand, Mr-^. Daniel, 297. Farrand &. Mallor>', 874. Farrand, S., 205. Fast Days, 6, 32, 78, 81, 112, 135, 277, 354. 391. 429. 434. 473. 534. 543. 548. 5*^4, 6i6, 623, 729, 854. •Fay, Hiram, 11. Fay, Col. Joseph, 11. Fay, Joseph Dewey, 11. Federalism, Jeffei-son's View of, 164. Federalists, 113, 192, 199, 240, 248, 320, 323, 354, 357, 370, 372, 393, 4". 434, 45^. 472. 522, 52S, 548, 565, 5S7, S^o, 700, 716, 738, 74S, 749. 757, 761, 7f'3, 778, 815, 852, 929. Federalists, Aoti, 113. Federal Party in Litchfield, Ct., 300. Feeding Hills, Ct., 432. Fellenberg, Emmanuel De, 972. Fellenberg School, 972. Fellows, Gen. John, 30. Female Benevoli^nt Society, 902. Fenn, Rev. Stephen, 204. Fenner, Gov. Arthur, 168. Fenno, Gov. James, 168, 370. Fenno, Editor. 66. Fenton, Mrs. Dolly, 1024. Fenton, I-«ster H., 796. Ferdinand VII of Spain, 365, Femsburgh, Vt., 88, 156. Fern,-, Rev. Alpheus, 955. Field, Cyrus, 668. Field, David. D.D., 668. Field, Hon. David Dudley, 668. Field, Henry M., D.D., 668. Field, Rev. John, 458. Field, Rev. Timothy, 173. Filley, Fanny, S71. Filley, Horace, 1006, 1008. Filley, Jemima, 613. Filley, Sarah, 1025. Filley, WiUiam Sylvanus, 432, 433. Fingal, poem, 398. Fireworks, 19. Fisher, Louisa, 751. Fishing Creek, Penn., 208, 209. Fiske, John Bovle, 142. Fitch, Augustus, M.D., 628, 764, 781, 855. Fitch, Ebenezer, D.D., 58, 88, 93, 180, iSi. Fitch, Mrs. Editha (Field), 781. Fitch, Eleazcr T., D.D., 454. 474, 578, 585, 734, 795, 957- Fitch, John, 764, 8s5- Fitch, Mrs. M.-iry (Backus), 14- Fitch, Mary M., 872. Five Nations, 174. Flagg, Rev. Mr,, 435, 447- Flanders, 6^6. Fletcher, Vt., 89. Flint, Abel, D.D., 198, 200, 202, 223, 227, 233, 234, 235, 241, 251, 294, 395. 412, 443. 4'>6, 4S3. 4^*4. 494. 524, 534, 542, 550. 558, 592, 599, 609, 701, 706, 708, 709, 710, 728, 759, 785, 787, 789. 802, 816, 825, 831, 861, 8^.3, 864, 865, V872, 879, 881, 894, 902, 905. 915. 924, 927, 934, 940. 952, 953, 954, O^io, 9^.8, 073, 978, 996, 997, 1009. Flint, Amelia, 997. Flint, Catharine, 787. Flint, James, 1013. Florida, N. v., 156. Flowers of Ancient Histon,', 141. Flowers of History, 124, 134, 141. Flowers of Modem Histor>', 142. Foot, Daniel, 86. Foot. Freeman, 86. Foot, John, S6. Foot, Rev. John, 761, Sii. Foot, Joseph Ives, D.D., 966. Foot, Martin, 86. Foot, Philip, 86. Foot, Hon. Samuel A., 760, 761, 811, S90. Foot, Stillman, 86. Foot, Capt., 122. Foot, Esq., 77, 78. Foote, Eben, 204. Foote, Hannah, 473. Foote, Isaac, 473. Ford, Simeon, 9. Foreign Mission School, Cornwall, Ct., 132. Fort Ann, N. Y., 156. Fort Detroit. 526. Fort Edward, N. Y., 156. Fort Plain, N. Y., 159. Foster, Hon. Augustus J., 495. Foster, John, D.D., 369, 386, 3S9, 390, 39»- Foster, Naomi, 457. Foster, R. I., 95. Fourfold Stats, 240, 341, 342, 349, 35'- Fourth of July, 141. 709, ^009. Fowler, Rev. Bancroft, 9, 62, 641, Fowler, Elizabeth, 615. Fowler, Jonathan, 225, 227, 2S6. Fowler, Rev. Orin, 744. Fowler, Samuel, 286. Fowler, Mr., 94. Foxborough, Mass., 337. Fox, Charles James, 39, 305. Fox, John, 721. Fox'.«i Martyrology, 721. Framingham, Mass., 142. Francis, Amzi, 895. Francis, John, 623. FrankHn, Benjamin, 305. Franklin County, N. V., 8g. Franklin County, Penn., 210, 290. Franklin, Ct., 101, 182, 225, 912. Frankhn, Mass., 545, 548, 841. Franklin, N. Y., 204. Franklin s Complete Works, 305. Frankfnrl. N. Y., is^'- Frederick William II. 52, 114. Freedom of the Human Will, 36. Freeman, Hannah, ("04. Freeman, Rev. Nathaniel, 742. Freeman, Mr., 117. Freeman's Meeting, 123, 135, i47i 300, 320. 353, 354, 37', 372, .393. 394, 411. i;*!. 528, 5<>5. ^3* ^('4, 679, 6S3, 6<>9, 714, 715, 716, 733, 757, 77S. Sis, 816, 888, 923. Free Masons, 15, 63, 76, 87, 90, 105, 170, 171, 172, 198, 224, 326, 327, 362, 714. 785. 787- French Creek, Penn., 232. French Directory, 58. French Fleet, 2^5. French Revolution, 58, 171. Frenchtown, 544. French War. 30. Frev, Rev. Joseph Samuel, S97, 90a Fricdiand. Battle of, 326, 331. Frolic, War Ship, 544- Fronie, Knuland, jS6. FnithinKham, N. L., D.D., 4S9. Frvebnrj:. Me., 372- Fiientes de Onore, Battle of, 482. Fuller, lahicl. 912. Fuller, Thankful, 915. Fuller. Thom.-is, 637. Funerals in Pennsylvania, 244. INDEX TO VOLUME I. Gager, Mabel, 541. Gager, Samuel, 540. Gainesborough, Eng., 46S. Galbreth, Mr., 232. Gallatin, Albert, 161, 6og, 619, Gallaudet, Thomas H., LL.D., 330. Galloway, N. Y., 17S. Galway, N. Y.; S63. Gambler, Admiral, 336, 339,605,619. Gambling, 29. Gannett, Ezra Stiles, D.D., 975. Ganson's Settlement, N. Y., 174. Gardiner, Col. James, igz. Gardiner, Jonathan, ii. Garfield, President James A., 249. Gates, Aaron,. 284, 295. Gates, Sarah, 674. Gay, Ebenezer, D.D., 549. Gay, Ebenezer, D.D., of Hingham, 975- Gay, Ebenezer, Jr., 299, 317, 549, 885, 987. Gay, Julius, Esq., 399. Gaylord, Alexander, 643, S17. Gaylord, Alexander L., 817. Gaylord, Rev. Asahel, 315, 325, 334, 395. 559. 562, 565, 600, 644, 793, 839. 915. 977. I02I- Gaylord, Delia Ann, S17. Gaylord, Elizabeth Prior, 817. Gaylord, Flavel S., 895. Gaylord, Hezekiah, 1025. Gaylord, Horatio, 460, 595. Gaylord, Justus. 206. Gaylord, Major, 206. Gaylord, Mary Shepherd, 817. Gaylord, Rev. Munson C, 973. Gaylord, Rev. Nathaniel, 57, 399, 529, 556,619. Gaylord, Sarah, 777, 817. Gaylord, Sophia, 520. Gaylord, Mr., 547. Gaylord, Mrs., 506, 514, 523. Gazette of the United States, 66. Geauga County, Ohio, 244. Gelston, Rev. Maltby, 564. Genealogy of the C^sars, 456. General Assembly of Presbyterian Church, S57, S5S. General Association of Connecticut, 140, 744, 758, 7S5, 787, S57, 862, 930, g6S, 1005, 1006, 1007. General Association of New Hamp- shire, 641. Genesee County, N. Y., 174. Genesee, N. Y., 623, 629, 762, 988. Geneseo, N. Y., 553, 558, 796. Genesis, Book of, 435, 436, 437, 43S. Geneva College, 173. Geneva Flats, N. Y. , 156. Geneva, N. Y., 173, 176. Geneva, Switzerland, 161. Genoa, Italy, 120, 121. Geography, Morse's Universal, 69. George II, 144, 1S5. George 111,813. George IV, 227, 813, 843, 870. Germany, 35, 37, 38, 84, 113. Germantown, N. Y., 835. Gerry, Elbridge, 45, 59, 113, 430,433. 440. Gertrude of Wyoming, 207. Gessncr, 553, 55S. Ghent, 605, 615, 619. Giant in London, 60. Gibbon, Edward, 150, 722, 723, 730, ^732, 767. 769. 770. 771- Gibbs, Ann, 62S. Gibbs, Anselm, 73S. Gibbs, Prof. Josiah W., 99S. Giddings, Rev. Salmon, 651, Gifford, John, 974. Gilbert, Jacob, 130, 134. Gilbert, Mr., 803. Gil Bias, 922, 958. Gilead, Ct., 41, 67, 69, 73, 74, 77, 937- Gile, Rev. Samuel, 975. Gill, Hon. Moses, 85, 95. Gillet, Rev. Alexander, 52, 69, 95, 296, 297, 301. Gillet, Rev. Daniel O., 153. Gillet, Rev. Nathan, 41, 67, 937. Gillet, Rev. Timothy Pliclps, 301, 641. 756- Gillett, Benjamin, 617, 747, 1004. Giilett, Mary Alice, 674. Gillett, Mrs. Marv, 1016, 1017. Giilett, .Samuel, 1018. Gillett, Seth, 1004. Giilett, Mr.. Si I. Gillies, J., D.D., 140, 304. Gilman, Arthur, 1014. Oilman, Benjamin I., 41, 47, 218, 239, 260, 271, 272, 277, 2S0, 2S1, 282, 326, 352, 434, 492, 627, 644, 853, 855, 858, 861, Z014. Gilman, Mrs. B. L, S55. Gilman, Caroline, 965. Gilman, Joseph, 280. Gilman, Rebecca, 2S0. Gilman, Robert, 644. Gilman, Mrs. Robjrt, 644. Glasgow, Scotland, 448, 733, 740. Glastonbury, Ct., O7, 71, 96, 204, 396, 434, 435, 437, 438, 459, 479, 501, 504, 590. 598, 607, 675, 771, 803, Sog, 866, 868, S75, S84, 893, 90S, gii, 933, 952, 959, 962, 1023! Gleason, P. B., 411, 463, 49S, 536, 541, 55". 554, 5S2, 583, 671, 684, 777. 844. Glen's Falls, N. Y., 986, 989, 1022. Goddard, Rev. Joseph Bacheller, 855- Goddard, Mr., 314. Goife, the Recicide, 725. Goldsmith, Oliver, 306, 390, 396, 397, 466. Gold, Thomas, 180. Gold, Thomas A., iSo. Goldthwait, Mr., 1008. Goodale, Nancy, 496. Goodell, Mrs. Docia, G57. Goodell, Luther, 657. Goodell, William, D.D., 904. Goodman, Col., 95;;. Goodman, Rev. Epaphras, 822. Goodrich, Rev. Charles A., 109, 647, 85^, S60, 900, 965. Goodrich, Hon. Chauncey, 44, 637. Goodrich, Prof. Chauncey A., D.D., 44, 625, 674, 675, 6S1, 770, 888, 890, S94. 952. 959* Goodrich, Dr. EHzur, 44, 45. Goodrich, Elizur, LL.D., 44, 143, 147. 3:^0. 548. Goodrich, Rev. Samuel, 109, 1 12, 114, 131, S60. Goodrich, Samuel G., 109, 170, 171, 753. 754, 762, 764, 780, 799. 804, 860, 874, 917, 959. Goodrich's Oeograohy, 170, 171. Goodwin, Benjamin, 2, 61, 686. Goodwin, Caleb, 697, 711, 728, S05. Goodwin, Christopher, 2. Goodwin, Francis Le Baron, 282. Goodwin, George, 120, 664, 804, 917. Goodwin, George, Jr., 120, 837. Goodwin, Mrs. Hannah (Le Baron), 61, lOIO. Goodwin, Joseph, 2, 38, 40, 61, 64, 141, 1S2, 321, 332, 341, 370, 67S. Goodwin, Mi-s. Joseph, 443. 444- Goodwin, Nathaniel, 2, 97, loio. Goodwin, William, 547. Goodwin, Gen., 98. Goodwin, Mrs., 574, 575. Good Friday and Fast Days, 434, 437> 586. Gore, Gov. Christopher, 392, 430. Gorham, Nathaniel, 2S6. Goshen, Ct,, 10, 35, 41, 58,61,65,67, 71, 83, 88, 100, loi, 129, i34» 138, 19S. 297, 303, 329, 335. 336, 339, S5=. 573, 578. 968, 1008. Gospel, its own witness, 188. Gotiingen University, 54. Goulbum, Henry, 605, 619. Gould, Henry, 442. Gould, Judge James, 339, 101 1. Gould, J., 9, 141. Gould, Lewis, 59. Gould, R., 151. Gould. Rev. Vinson, 96. Gould, William, 9, 141, 151, 442, 495. Gould, Rev. William, 605, 976. Gould, Mr., ife. Governor's Guards, 437. Governor's Island, 11. Grace Church, 123. Graham, Sir Thomas, 474, 475. Graham, Mrs., 985. Granby, Ct., 41, 343, 360, 376,408, 466, 474, 504, 516, 591, 605, 606, 630, 669, 704. Grand River. Ohio, 259, 260, 269. Granger, C, 255. Granger, Hon. Francis, 138. Granger, Hon. Gideon, 138, 286. Grant, Alfred. 798. Grant, .Alfred Skinner, 674. Grant, Almena Walker, 876. Grant, Anna, S97. Grant, Charles, 79S. Grant, Chlce, 5:^5. Grant, David, 532. Grant, Rev. Ebenezer, 4S9. Grant, Edward, 532. Grant, Epaphras, S71, 876, 1005. Grant, Flavel, 532. Grant, Frances Maria, 1005. Grant, Gideon, toS, 853. Grant, Mrs. Gideon, 708. Grant, Hannah, 674, 804. Grant, Hiram, 878. Grant, Joel, 6. Grant, Lowell, 475. Grant, Lucina, 860. Grant, Lucretia, 923. Grant. Lvdia, 871, 876. Grant, ^faritda, 833. Grant, Mary Lucretia, S76. Grant, Olive, 776. Grant, RnswcU, 477, 484, 644. Grant, S.MIy, 871. Grant, Samuel, S46. Grant, Solymon Ward, 876. Grant, Sylvester, 477. Grant, Tr>-phena, 547. Grant, President Llysses S. , 306, Grant, Warren. 1022. Grant, Wvllis, 826. Grant, Z. P. (.Mrs. Banister), 6. Granville, Mass., 173, 440, 611, 636, 755. 964. 9S4. Gran%-ille. N. V., 84. Grave Creek, (^hio, 273, 2S2. Gray, Rev. Robert, 440. Great Awakening, 365, Great Darrington, Pilass., 10, iSi. Great Britain, 15, 19, 24, 53, 170, 329. "Great Stir,'* 853. Greek Church, 942, 943. Greek Independence, 951. Greek Lad, '959. Greek Testament, 61. Green, Ashbel, D.D., 212, S57. Green, Eunice, S42. Green, Joel Utley, 674. Green, J. R., 974. Green, Sally. 84a. Green, Rev. Samuel, 975. Green, Thomas, 728. Green River, N. Y., 71. Grcenhtish, N. V., 17S. Greene County, N. V., 304. Greenfield, Ct.. 155,693, 709. Greenfield Hill, poem, 155. Creenticid, ^Llss., 152,636. Greenland, N. H., 151, isa, Greenleaf, Editor. 66. Grecnieaf, Mr.,3pi. Green's Farms, Ct., 1017. 1036 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. Green's Settlement, N. Y., 205. Greensburgh, Pcnn., 211, 212, 226, 227, 2JQ, 267, 269, 484. Greenwich, Ct., 33, 135, 575, 609, 953- Greenwich, Mass., 335. Gren\-ille, i^rd, iii. Grew, Mr., 949. Gridlcy, Elijah, 359, 360. Gridljy, Rev. Elnathan, 929, 957, 95^- Gridley, Elnathan, 365. Gridk-y, Rev. R. W., 67S. Gridley, Timothy J., M.D., 385,941, 942, '943. 945- 946, 9&S, 971. Gridley, Rev. Uriel, 123. Gridley, Mr., 199, 526, Griesback, John James, 436. Griinn, Edmund D., Jr., 20S. Griffin, Edward Dorr, D.D., 95, 133, 20S, 430, 431, 432,938. Griffin, George, 53, 20S, 215, 291. Griscom, John, LL.D., c)7i, 972. Griswold, Alexander Vietts, D.D., lOIO. Griswold, Gen. George, 620, 621,932. Griswold, Rev. John, 83. Griswold, Gov. ftlatthew, 531, 552. Griswold, Mrs. Rhoda (Tudor), 819, 910. Griswold, Gov. Roger, 51, 66, 416, 433, 434» 437; 472, 473, 47^, 5»i> 519. 522. 531, 548, 5S2, 567. 786. Griswold, Solomon, 285. Griswold, Rev. Stanley, 52, 57, 121, 122. Griswold, Sylvanus, 432. Griswold, Thomas. 819. Griswold, Ursula (Wolcott), 531, 552. Griswold, Hon. Mr., 568. Griswold, Mr., 833. Griswold, Mrs., 785. Griswold, Ct., 314, 875. Groton, Ct., 75, 260. Grove Hall School, 593. Grovcr, Ebenezer, 610. Guadaloupe, 429. Guardian, 36S. Guerriere, War Ship, 524, 535. Guide to Domestic Happiness, 339, Guilford Council, 993. Guilford, Ct., 118, 122, 176, 179, 183, 189,450-593: Guilford, N, C, 856. Guilford, Ohio, 993. Guilford, Vt., 152. Gurdon, servant, 329. Gurley, Henry H., 99. Gurlcy, Rev. John, 74, 99. Gurley, John Ward, 99. Gurley, Mrs. Mary (Porter), 99. Gurley, Mary (Mrs. Gillet), 99. Gurley, Rev. Ralph R., 74, 99. Gustavus, Ohio, 320, 223, 250, 258, 26S, 269. Guthrie, Rev. James, 211. Gwin, Rev. Mr., 230. Hackney, Eng., 846. Haddani, Ct., 184, 188, 189,194, 196, 197) 199) 200, 202, 203, 204, 221, 233. 256, 3'2. 481, 494- Haddington, Eng., 696. Hadlcy, Mass., 33, 152, 612, 635, 641, 7*^3. 93S. 947- Hadlymc. Ct., 184, 196. Hale, Adino, 138. Hale, I>a\id, 592, 597. H.ile, Rev. David, 592. Hale, Nathan, 138. Halc.Timolhy, 138. Hale, Itidgc Timothy, 317, 329. Hale, Mr*. Timothy, 329. Hal" & Horner, 607. H.ilf Cr-nlurv Sermon, 5i4> 5'5. S39- Half M<.oD,'N. Y., 178. Half Way Covenant, 74, 205, 223, 359, 602, 725. Halifax, Mass., 149. Hall, Abraham, 77. Hall, Andrew, oSo. Hall, Rev. Gordon, 520. Hall, John, 367. 371, 374, 3S1, 83S. Hall, Mrs. John, 955, 959. Hall, Keziah, 680. Hall, Robert, D.D., 682, 727. Hall, Capt., 443, 579, 587, 607, 736, 769, 805, 956. Hall, Deacon, 88, 92. Hall, Doctor, 90. Hall, Judge, 773. Halle, Battle of, 308. Hallock, Jeremiah, 12, 52, 63, 69, 70, 7', 294, 338, 340. 353- 410. 4'2, 897, 926, 938, 940, 953, 954, 958, 97S, 1004. Hallowell, Me., 99, 361, 740, 743. Hamburg, Ct., 196. Hamden Association, 9S3. Hamden, Ct., 169. Hamilton, Hon. Alexander, 136,237, 47S. Hamilton, Mrs., 288, 294. Hamilton College, 12, 115, 161,337, 527.691, 963. Hamilton, Mass., 151. Hamilton, Oneida Academy, 161. Hamlet, 6S7. Hammatt, Abraham, 364. Hammatt, Mrs. Abraham, 150. Hammatt (or Hammond), 364. Hammatt, Priscilla, 377. Hammersmith, Enj:., S70. Hampden County, Mass., 149. Hampshire County, Mass., 140, 440. Hampton,^!., 315', 855. Hampton tails, 151. Hampton, N. H., 151. Hampton, N. Y., 156. Hampton, Vt., 83. Handbook of Sprinjrfield, 343. Hannah, servant, 348. Hanover, N. H., 153. Hanover, Pcnn., 208. Hanover Theological Seminarj', Ind., 856. Hard%\-ick, Mass., 179, 458. Harmony of the Gospels, 644. Harper, Capt. James, 222. Harpersfit-'ld, 222, 250, 268. Harrisburg. Penn., 209, 210. Harrison, Rev. Eosdic, 648, 651. Harrison, Rev. Roger, 440. Harrison, President William H., 13S, 567- Harrow, Eng., 772. narrower, Rev. David, 204. Hart, Rev. Ira, 1012. Hart, Levi, D.D., 23, 114, 314, G87, 1017. Hart, Gen. William, 197, 285, 323. Hart, Rev. William, 323. Hartford Bank, 563, 573, 574, 507, 651, 672, 684, 692, 701, 707, 709, 729, 737, 751, 755, 759- 7'"'7i 7^7. 794, 812, 816, 832, 802, 882, 90s, 944. Hartford Bndgc, 932. Hartford Convention, 145, 388, 470, («8, 611, 615, 664. 755. 75*^- 9^3. Hartford County Missionary Soci-'ty, S64, 865, 868, 869, 876, 884, 890, S91. 937. 944, 94^947- Hartford, Ct., 38, 42, 49, 54, 56, 58, 69, 71, 72, 76, 77, 80, 82, 100, 102, 105, 109, 120, 129, 134, I39i 142, 145, 147, 148, 160, 198, 199, ao2, 210, 217, 223, 227, 233, 235, 241, 205, 251, 252, 294, 298, 299, 303, 309, 3'2, 314, 3i7i 324i 328, 330, 334, 352. 355. 357. 3'>', 3^2, i(>f>, .^69, 371, 372. 383, 3S4. 39?. 394. 398, 401, 40^>, 4>o, 4i2> 4<8. 424. 431. 432, 434, 435, 43<>, 437. 438, 442, 443, 444. 452. 453. 4.58, 459. 4^>o, 464, 4f'6, 469, 472, 474, 478, 481, 4831 484^ 485. 486, 487, 488. 490, 492, 493, 494, 498, 499, 501, 502, 504, 505, 507, 5»o, 5'2, 5'4, 5'S, 5>f>. 5>7. S»9, 520, 52», 522, 523, 524, 527, 528, 529. 530, 532. 534, 53^ 537, 54o, 54^, 542, 543, 547, 54S. 549, 55', 552, 553, 554, 555, 55^ 559, 5^2, 5^3. S'»5i 57o, 573, 574, 57S, 580, 5S1, 5^2, 5S3, 585, 586, 5S9, 591, 592, 594, 595. 59S, 600, 602, 604, O06, 607, 60S, 609, 610, 611, 612, 615, 616, 618, 620, 623, 624, 625, 626, 627, 629, 631, 632, 634, 637, 63S, 639, 642, 643, 645, 647, 648, 649, 650, 651, 657, 65S, 659, 662, 664, 667, 668, 669, 670, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 679, 681, 682, 683, 6S4, 6S5, 686, 6S7, 6S8, 695, 696, 697, 698, 699, 701, 703, 704, 705, 707, 708, 709, 710, 712, 716, 719, 722, 725, 730, 732, 733, 734, 738, 740, 742, 750, 751, 752, 755, 757> 759, 760, 762, 770, 771, 779, 7S0, 781, 7S5, 7S7, 788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794. 799. 802, S03, 804, 807, 80S, 810, 811, 813, 816, S18, 819, 822, 823, 827, 828, 830, 831, S36, 840, 843, 846, 847, 850, 851, 854, 855, 860, 864, 865, 869, 873, 874, 875, 879, 8S0, SSi, 884, 887, 892, 897, 899, 900, 905, 908, 912, 921, 92S, 930, 93.3, 936, 937. 940, 946, 947. 948, 951. 952, 954, 957, 958, 959, 962, 963, 964, 965, 968, 970, 971, 972, 980, 9S4, 986, 987, 989, lOoS, 1015, 1019, 1021. Hartford Female Beneficent Society, 637. ^^9> ^41. 643. Hartford North Association, 326, 360, 3S6, 504, 516, 566, 5S0, 608, 630, 670, 694, 730, 731, 784, 810, .S47, 860, 884, 954, 966, 1006. Hartford, Oliio, 219, 220, 221, 225, 226, 22S, 229, 231, 232, 233, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 241, 243, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 261, 262, 263, 265, 269, 274, 27s, 283, 2S6. H.mford & Providence Railroad, 697. Hartford South Association, 176, 1006. li.irtfnrd Theological Seminary (Con- necticut Theolo'-'ical 1 nstitute), 83S. H;-rif<>rd Tract Society, 697. Hartland, Ct., 224, 241, 284, 295, 40S, 4CKJ, 412, 418, 426, 440, 453, 470, 516. 554, 556, 565, 566, 5t)i, 5>9, 6jo, 651, 669, 681, 704, 822, sv. 929- Har\'ard College, 59, 62, 65, 67, 96, 97. 136, 148. '150, i5«. 162, 178, 179, isS, 242, 292, 306, 342, 361, 466, 474, 478, 489, 630. (>3», 697, 707. 713, 728, 742, 746, 747, 869, 873, 9>o, 947. 9'^7, 974, 987- Harvard, Masi,, 152. Harvard Medical School, 153. Harvey, Rev. Joseph, 573. H.irwinton, 32. iSj, 944. Haskell, C armarauaman, 637. Haskell, Rev. Dauisl, 372. Haskell. Eli B., 445. 448, 476, 479, 490, 510, 512, 519, 530, 537, 541, 547. 586, 595. 596, 599, 637, 638, 639, '>^'i. ^74, 708, 775, 794, 877, 8S0, 946, 1002, 1016. Ha-ski-ll, Eli/ibcth. 1013. Haskell, Elizabeth (Hissell). 637. Haskell, Mrs. Frances (Walcott), 92 1, 1013, 1023. Haskell, llarris, 646, 669, 877, 880, 882, 886, 901, 907, 929, 946, 982, ion, 1023. Haskell, Hcrlehigh, 901, 934, 946* Haskell, I.ibcz, <>69, 677, 901. Haskell, Ualph. 632. Haskell, Ralsaman, 637. INDEX TO VOLUME I. 1037 Hatfield, Mr., 152, 47S. Hathaway, Asahel, 2S5. Haverhill, Mass., 152. Havre, France, 144. Haweis, Thomas, 469. Hawes, Joel, D.D., 6g6, 718, 724, 728, 732, 734, 735i 743, 75o, 75i. 78^, 7S7, 792, 810, S13, 821, 850, 92S, 957- Hawes, Rev. Prince, 429, 434, 435, 436) 437> 43S, 439, 475» ^7, <>75» 8og, 84 1. Hawkes, Robert, D.D., 471. Hawkins, Adolphus, 490. Hawkins, Joseph A., 1023. Hawkins, Nancy, 842. Hawkins, Rodolphus, 704. Hawkins, William Henr>', 490. Hawley, G. W.,287, 2S8. Hawley, Rev. Rufus, 80, 26S, 524, 533, 542, 561, 592,955,965- Hay, Rev. James, 290. Hayden, Capt. Daniel, 445, 623, 871, 905, 942. Hayden, Edward, 905. Hayden, Elizabeth, 905. Hayden, Julius, 905. Hayden, Mary Ann, 942. Hayden, William, 623, 624, 901. Hayden, Major, 754, 807, 812. Hayden, Mr., 792. Hayden, Mrs., 191, Hayden & Imlay, 457. Hayes, Rev. Joel, 942. Hayes, Laura, 906. Hayes, Rockwell, 777. . Hayes, Sopliia, 610. Hayes, Rev. Stephen, 192. Hayiey, William, 343. HajTies, Gov. John, 523, 541. Haynes, Rev. Lemuel, 93. Hazard, Ebeuezer, 297. Hazel Grove, Wis., 1017. Hazen, Rev. Henry A., 576. Heath, Chauncey, 536. Hebron, Ct., 41, 67, 69, 77, 78, 85, 94, 96, 99, 1S3, 29S, 3S9, 451, 742, 793, 860, 9S6. Hempsted, John A., 943. Henry HI, S13. Henry, Joseph, 6S2. Henrv', Matthew. 464, S46. Herd's Ferrj', Ohio, 271. Herkimer, N. H., 455, 465. Herkimer, N. Y., 177. Heroditus, 451, 452, 459, 460, 463, 464, 467, 469, 47a, 471, 472. Herriden, William, 866. Herrick, Edward, 19. Herrick, John Pierrepont, M.D., 953- Hewitt, Nathaniel, D.D., 939. Heylin, Pet^r, 143. Heyward, Benjamin, 19. Hickok, Capt., 156. Hickok, Prof. Laurens P.. D.D., LL.D., 105. Higgius, Rev. David, 176. Higgins, Mr.. 203. Higginson, Mr. John, 192, 315. Higiey, Hannah, 970. Higley, Horace, 549. Hi^ley, Silas, 326, 331. Higiey, Mr., 137, 370. Higiey, Mrs., 144. Hill, Bethiah. 43S, 780. Hill, Jacob, 433. Hill, Rev. Oliver, S52. HUl, William, D.D-, 85S, 869. Hillhouse, James, LL.D., 8gi. Hillhouse Avenue, 891. Hillhouse Mansion, 8gi. Hills, Ashbel, 1002. HUls & Phelps. sS2. Hillyer, Asa, D.D.,369. Hinckley, Oramel Strong, 9S1. Hinckley, Samuel, 2S6. Hinesburgh, Vt., 89, 90. Hingham, Mass., 975. Hinsdale, Dauicl, 717. Hinsdale, Mr., 957. Hippo Council, 379. Hiram, Ohio, 234, 235. Histoire de Charles XII, Voltaire's, 79- Hiitoire de Pierre le Grand, Vol- taire's, 79. Hisiorica Literaria, 7S9. Historical Collections, Barber's, S63, 962. Historical Gazetteer of Vermont, 91. Historical Society of Connecticut, 32S. Historical Society of Massachusetts, 3=S. Historical View of First New Eng- gland Planters, Robbiiis's, ^-yz, 495, 499. 503, 504, 505. 520, SS^J, 543. 546, 549, 607, 611, 615, 616, O17, 627, 631. History of American Revolution, Ramsay's, 55. History* of Charles V, Robertson's, 1S8. Histoiy of Connecticut, Peters's, 893- History of Connecticut, Trumbull s, 46, 47. 55. 58. 94, 5>o, 742, 75^, 7S4, 905, 913, 915. History of England, Goldsmiths, 390- History of England, Hume's, 125, 126, 127, 140, 1S5, 292. History of French Revolution, 974. History- of Greek Revolution, Cum- stock's, 952. Histor\- of Gustavus Vasa, 102. History of Preiideiit John Adams*s Administration, 17S. History of Massachusetts, Hutchin- son's, 361, 362, 363, 365, 36O. Histof)* of New England, Hubbard's, 306. Historv of New England, Neal's, 164, '708. Histor)* of Popen.-, 63, 349, 322, 350, 35». 352, 355, 35^ 357. 358, 359- History of the Pun'.ans, Neal s, 164, •;i6, 4S5, 4S7, 49*3. 492. 502. History of Rcd::mptio.:, Edwards s, 41. 43. 45. 54. 159. 162, 163. Histor>' of Roman Empire, 4S0. History of Rome, Goldsmith's, 390. Historv, Secret, of St. Cloud, 104. History and Testimonies of Euse- bius, 3S1. History of the Turks, 866. History of United States for Schools, 900. History of Virginia, Capt. John Smith's. 1023. History of Western N. V., Holch- kiss's, 23, 169, 176. Hitchcock. Mr., 54S. Hoadlev, Charles J.. 586. Hoadiey, Rev. Loammi Ives, 89S. Hobart, John Henry, D.D-, 713. 743- „ „ Hockamim, Ct., 834, 964, 1019. Hochkirchen, Battle of, 560. Holbrook. Daniel, 2S5. Holdcn, George, 618. Holden, Mass., 719. Holkins, Major, 523. Holland. 5;, 103, 34?, 3<^- Holland Land Company, 373. Holland Purchase, 373. Hollis, N. IL, 627, 910. Hohnan, lohn, 599- Holmes. Abiel, D.D., 12, 103, 151, 691, 69',, 974. Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 12. Hohnes, Rev. Sylvester, 719. Holmes, Uriel, 239, 24'. =36. Holmesburgh, Penn., 859. Holt, Capt. Isaac, Jr., 42. Holy Alliance, 665. Homer, 49. Homer, Cowper's Translation, 325, 326. 327. 328, 329. Hooker, Rev. Asahel, 61, 65, 67, 100, 138, 198, 200, 297, 317, 333, , 552, 573. looS. Hooker, Mrs. Asahel, 552,553* »«»• Hooker, Edward W., D.D., 138, 552, 1016. Hooker, Mrs. Heber, 923. Hooker, Henry B., D.D., 999. Hooker, Rev. Horace, 821, 903, 9S6, 1018. Hooker, John, 3. Hooker, Rev. Samuel, 936. Hooker, Mr. Thomas, 103, 192, 532, S3C», 541. 936,949. Hooker's Company, 192. Hopewell, Ohio, 253. Hopkins, DarJ:i, D.D., 151. Hopkins, D. P., 946, 948. Hopkins, Josiah, looS. Hopkins, Samuel, D.D., 18, 37, 38, 39, 62, 64, 76, 149, 155, 296,297, 426, 454, 493, 495, 649, 7'»- Hopkins, Mr., 292. Hopkinsian Dinnity, 232, 233. Hopkinsian Scheme, 149, 155. Hopkinton, Mass., 1012. Horai Mosaics, 45S. Hone Solitaris, 347, 34S, 350, 354. Home Tooke, 5S. Horseback Age, 115, 202, 336. Horseback journey to Ohio, 280. Horse bought, 202. Horton, Ezra, 850. Horton, John S., 839. Hosford, A., 937. Hosmer, Charles, 446. Hosmer, Horac2, 833. Hosmer, Joseph, 92S. Hosmer, JuUetie, 736. Hosmer, Man.', S78. Hosmer, Robert, 56S. Hosmer, Thadd.:us, S7S. Hosmer, Mr., 547. Hotchkin, Rev. Beriah, 176. Hotchkin, Rev. James H., 23, 169, 176, 177. Hotchkiss, Rev. Frederick W,, 190, 192, 197. 334. 552- Hotchkiss, Minor, 1005. Hough, Rev. Allan, 759, S67, 903. Hough, Rev. John, 315, 977. Housatonic Indians, 36. Housatonic Rix-er. 174, 293. House of Commons, 518. House of Lords, Eng., 139. House of Stuart, 320. House of Rev. Timotliy Edwards, 572- Hovey, Rev. Jonathan, 91. Howe, Gen. Hezckiah, 333, 308, 319, 410, 425, 429, 527, 529, 556, 668, 683, 6S4, 686, 687, 692, 711, 724, Sw), 810, 832, 863, 892, 979, 983, 1021. Howe, Nehemiah, 88. Howe, Silas, 88. Howe, Capt.. 748. Howe, Dr., 88. Howe, Mr., 677. Howe & Beers, 532. Howe & Deforest, 532, 533, 564, 568, 622, 623, 640. Howe & Spaulding, 771, 773, 774* 7- Hubbard, Moses. 30. Hubbajd, Nehemiah, Jr., 243, 285. I03S DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBRINS, D.D. Hubbard, Noah, 450. Hubbard, Ohio, 223, 227, 239, 243, 2=;3, 254, 263, 265. Hubbard, Mr. William, 306. Hubbard, Cajit., Si. Hubbard's Mill Pond, 17. Hubbardston, Vt., 85. Hudibras, 660, 803. Hudson, BarzUlai, 120. Hudson & Goodwin, 77, 78, 555. Hudson County, N. J., 360. Hudson, N. Y., 61, 178, 203. Hudson, Ohio, 233, 257, 266, 284, 285- Hudson River, N. V., 156, 167, 178, 291. Huches, Mr., 229, 265. Hull. Rev. Hezekiah, 799. Hull, Commodore Isaac, 524, 535. Hull, Gen. William, 522, 525, 526. Hull, Dr., 547- Hume, Da^-id, 37, 125. Hume's Essays, S34, S51. Humphrey, rieman, D.D., 301, 316, 320, 709, 711, 7S2, 942, 958, 971. Humphrey, Hon. James, 595. Humphrey, Mrs. James (Urania Battell), 595. Humphrey, Rev. Luther, 602. Humphrey, Michael, 372. Humplirey, Polly, 372. Humphrey, Dr., 95. Humphreys, Rev. Daniel, 74, 299. Humjihrcys, Col. David, 74, 299. Hunn, Rev. Zadok, 182. Hunter, Rev. Henr>', 234, 358. Hunter, Dr. John, 38. Huntington, Rev. Dan, 2, 3, 14, 16, 18, 67, 100, 131, 137, 3S1, 450, 474, 629, 634, 63s, 674, 947. Huntington, Rev. David, 23, 72, 78, Huntington, Rev. Enoch, 450. Huntington, Frederic Dan, D.D., 2, f>7- 100,635. Huntington, Joseph, D.D., 21, 49, 2.U- Huntington, Rev. Lynde, 183. Huntington, Nathaniel G.. 399. Huntington, Gov. Samuel, i, 2, 34, 433- Huntington, Samuel H., looi. Huntington, Gov. Samuel, of Ohio, 234. 259- Huntington, Mrs., 334. Huntingtun & Hopkins, 873. Huntington, Ct., 74, 189, 302, 899. Huntingti)n, Penn.,2oS. Huntley, Eunice, 4S4. Huntley, Lydia H. (Mrs. Sigourney), 6S2, 959, 1014. Hurd, Dulcinea, 831. Hurd, Dr. William, 954, 965. Huron County, 215, 2'^»9. Huse, Rev. Nathaniel, 446, 495, 519, 587, '.85- Huskmg, 43' Hubs, ^ohn, 345. Hutclnn»on, Gov. Thomas, 361, 365, 366. Hyde, Alvan, D.D., 101, 141, 182, 198, 321, 619, 647, 666, 678, 766. Hyde, Eli-sha, 285. Hyde, Rev. Lavius, 949. Iliad, Homcr*s, 49. Jlluminatt, 63, 64. IlIuminationH in London, 172. Imtay, James H., M. C, 136. Imlay, Mr., 805, 844, 90.S. IndejK'ndencc Day, (jo, 199, 260, 897. Independent Prcjw, 961. Indian l-ortificallonb, 172. Indian Miision at Stocknridgc, Mass., 167. Indian Nationn RcfomieH, 337. Indian I'rrdlctiuns, 151). Indian Want, Hubbard's, 306. Indians, Oneida, 162. Indians, Seneca, 162. Infant Baptism, Prcs. Ed\\'ards*s, 196. Infant Baptism, Loomis's, 742. Infant Bapti:,m, Dr. West's, 57. Ingalls, Rev. Calvin, 324, 337. Ingersoll, Hon. Ralph I., 820, 840. Inglis, James, D.D.. 441. Ip^\\iLh Female Academy, 6. Ipsuicli, Mass., 157. Irn, Vt., 93. Ireland, 37, 63, 64, 73, 112, Irene, drama, 452. Irish NLiyor, 39. Ishnm, Rev. Chester, 929. Isham, Major, 9S7. Israel, Lost Tribes of, 6S3. Italian Nun, 175. Italians, 103. Italy, 21, 29, 35. Ives, Capl., 44. Jackson, President Andrew, 616, 619. 773- Jackson, F. J., 418, 420, 423. Jackson, Thomas, 746. Jackson, William, D.D. ,83. Jacksonville, la., 725. Jacobs, Mr., 153. Jahn, John, g')2. James I, of England, 916. James VI, of Scotland, 916. Jamiesun, Jnhn, D.D., 448, 455, 457. 45'^ 740- Janeway, Jacob J., D.D., 290, 790, 858. Jay, Gov. John, 56, 126. Jefferson. Pres. Thomas, 27, 44, 51, 114, 118, 123, 126, 127, 129, 132, 133. 13^. '41. 142. 143. '44. i£>o, '64. »77> 181, 1S4, 1S5, 186, 201, 214, 244, 291, 306, 340, 347, 376, 377, 37^,405, 547,697- Jefferson College, 212, 231. Jeftt-Tson County, Ohio, 219, 273. Jena, Battle of, 30S. Jenks, Gen. Charles, 495, 519, 664, 823, 8()o, 931, 091. Jennings, Rev. Kbenezer, 179, 766, Jennings, Mrs. Hannah, 522. Jennings, Mary, 477. Jenyn, Soame, 60. Jericho, N. V., 205. Jericlio, Vt., 89. Jerome, Rev. Amasa, 34, 62, 199, 3(>i. 578. Jerome, of Prague, 345. Jersey ["amiliL-s in Ohio, 288. Jerusalem, N. V., 173. Jews' Letter- to Voltaire, 427, 429. Jew~., Literal Return, 267. jilson, John, 831. Joan of Arc, 939. 941, 944. John Bull, the Clothier, 112. Johns, Rev. Evan, 187,335,467,521, 579. Johnson, Almira, 796. Johnson, Henlnh, 805. Johnson, I'ishop, 43^^, 457, 553, 771. Johnson, Clarissa, 553, 572. Johnson, E., 974. Johnson, Fenn, 800. Johnson, Horace, 771. Johnson, Jacob, 480. Johnson, Rev. James, 117. Johnson, N., 374 Johnson, Naomi, 897. Johnstm, PeggN', 798. Johnson, Robert C, 285. Johnson, Dr. Samuel, 152, 163,451, 523- JoliuHon, Samuel, D.D., 710. Johnson, Sophia, 79''». Johnson, William Samuel, LL.D., 710. lohnson, Sir William, 174. Jolnison, Lawyer, 394. Johnson, Mr., 646. Johnson's Dictionary, 481. Johnston, James, 341, 242, 2S5. Johnston, Ohio, 241, 274, 287. Johnston, R. L, 96, 148. Johnstown, N. Y., 177. Jones, Miss P., 205. Jones, Pomeroy, 165. Jones, W., 233. Jones, Rev. \VilUam, 58, 59. Joi.es, Sir William, 549, 915, 918, 919. Jones, Lady, 549,915. Jones, Mr., 412, 9S7. Jones, Rev. Mr., 257, 260. Josephus, 171. Journal of Commerce, 592. Journal, Winthrop's, 492. Judd, Jehiel, 590. Juctd, William, 285. Judd, Miss, 906. Judiciary Law, 164. Judson, Rev. Ephraim, i, 16, 17, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 44, 64, loi, 125, 138, »77, 321, 343.9^- Judson, Mrs. Ephraim, 969, Judson, Ephraim, Jr., 30, 31, 321. Juanita River, 210. Keene, N. H., 89, 641, 989. Keeney, Charles, 572. Keep, Rev. John, 17, 25. Keeping Saturday Night, 848. Keith, Susannah, 61. Kellogg, Rev. Bela, 800, 805, 811, S17, 895, 1007. Kellogg, D.,346. Kellogg, Rev. Ebenezer, 595, 600, 700. 735- Kelsey, Mr., 188. Kendall, James, D.D., 97, 98, 150, 746, 074. Kensington, Ct., 580. Kent, Ct., I, 34, 35, 44, 51,63, 127, 131, 31S, 525- Kent, Rev. Daniel, 83. Kent, Chancellor, James, 44. Kent, Duke of, 813. Kentucky, 178, 191. Kenyon College, 555. Key to Old and New Testameitt, 440, 447- Keyes, Cotton, 605. Keyes, Einathan, 89. Keyes, Col., 89. Kiloum, Le\'ina, 687. Kilburn, Roxey, 999. Kiliam, James, 608, 663. Killam, Mrs. Mary, 663, 664. Kiliam, May, 663. Killingworth, Ct., 189, 190, 197. Kinderhook, N. Y., 178. King, Barnabas, D.D., 424. King, Chloe, 842. King, U.ivid, 2S6. King, Kbenuzcr, Jr., 286. King, Elijah, 469. King, Col. Francis, 361, 427, 443, 474, 1000. King, Hezekiah, 878. King, Joel, 505, 535, 967. King, Col. Oliver, 363, 394, 402, 427, 437. 442. King, Roderick, 575. King, Salmon, 50, 55, 69, 73, 74, 77, 315, 402, 426, 427, 437, 456. King, Rev. Walter, 333. King Lear, 349. King Philip, giS, 14S. Kinne, Rev. Anmn, 590. Kiime on the Prophecies, 590. Kiiu;sli ridge, N. Y., 10, 11. Kingshnrgh, Vt., 153, Kingsbury, Andrew, 738, 787. Kingshur>', Rev. Ebenezer, 89. Kingsbury, Hon. James, 234. Kingsbnr\', S., 51. Kingsbury, Mr., 153. Kingsbur>', N. Y., 156. INDEX TO VOLUME I. 1 039 Kingsley, Prof. James L., LL.D., 911,932, 936,981. Kingsley, Esq., 179. Kingston, Mass., 99, 150, Kingston, N. H., 152. Kingston, Penn., 207. Kingsley, E., 154. Kinsman, Mr., 261. Kinsman, Ohio, 220, 226, 231, 238, 239, 251, 253, 261, 262, 268, 274, 275, 2S8. Kirby, Ephraim, 184, 193, 195, 285. Kirkland, Daniel, 162. Kirkland, Eliza, 169. Kirkland, John Thornton, D.D., 162, 747, 974. Kirkland, Sally, 169. Kirkland, Rev. Samuel, 161, 162, 167, 169, 177, 747, 974. Kirkland, N. Y., 162. Kirtland, Tiirhand, 259. Kirtland, Jared Potter, 259. Kirtland, Ohio, 249, 259. Kittering, Eng., 188. Koran, 102 1. Knapp, David, 20. Knapp, Rev. Isaac, 133, 343, 358, ,374, 375.491. 5^7.642. Knapp, Rev. Joshua, 23. Knapp, L., 106, Knickerbocker, Mr,, 162. Knights Hospitalers, 535. Knights of i\Ialta, 535. Knowles, Sarah, 1004. Knox, Normand, 624, 625. Krassnoi, Battle of, 543. La Baume, Eugene, 1004. La Fayette, 976, 978. La Favette College, 903, Lake Charaplin, 695. Lake County, Ohio, 215, 249. Lake Erie, 174, 219, 249, 56S. Lambert, Daniel, 408. Lamech, 51-^, 514. La Moille River, 89. Lancaster, Mass., 152. Lancaster, Penn., 55. Landing of the Pilgiims, 841. Landshut, Battle of, 395. Lane, Asa, 231. Lane, Ebenezer, 559, 560, Lane, Mrs., 219. Lane Theological Seminary, 921. Lanesborough, Mass., 9, 10, 13, 103, 179. 341, 370. 450. 67S, 93S. Lang, Mr., 153. Langdon, Gov. John, 370. Langdon, Rev. John, 566, S96. Langdon, Rev. Timothy, 103, 104, 106, loS, 1 10, 111, 112, 113, 115, 117, 118, 120, 121, 124, 125, 126, 127, 130, 131, 193, 2<)2, 566, 896. Langhome. Dr. John, 170. Lanman, Charles, 702. Lanman's Dictionary of Congress, 702. Lansing, Hon. John, 336, 408. Lansingburgh , N.Y,, 156. Lardner, Nathaniel, D.D., 371, 372, 373. 374. 376, 377. 378, 379. 381, 383, 3S4, 387. 38S, 389. 393, 394, 396, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 407, 415, 416, 418, 420, 421, 657, 661, 671. Lamed, Prof. Wm. A., 496. Last End in Creation, Edwards's, 38, 319. Lathrop, Joseph, D.D., 284, 344. 793. 797- Latimer, Thomas, 297. Latimer, Mr., 858. Latin Cliurch, 379. Latin Oration, 13, 17. Latin Studies. 459. Laurel Hill, Penn., 211. Lawrence, EUza (Mrs. Henry Olm- sted and Mrs. Timothy J. Gridley), 3S4. 536. 539. 542, 603, 606, 618, 641, 651, 666, 670, 676, 679, 681, 6S7, 6S9, 691, 695, 696, 706, 709, 710. 713. 7'S, 724. 744. 74S, 755. 756, 760, 7S9. 834, 836, 837, 838, 875. 92S, 934. 938* 940, 941. 942. 944, 946, 992- LawTence, Francis, 992. Lawrence, J. William, 966, 973, 1004. LawTence, Sally, 325, 651, 666, 766, 7S9, S99, 9S5. LawTence, William, 820, 893, 895, 915, 966. Lawrence, Capt. William, 3. Lawrence, Col., 182. Lawrence County, Penn., 265. Lawrence Grove, 2t, 2S, 157, 173, 199. 335. 539. (Jot). 7S9. 820. Law School at Litchfield, Ct., 291, 339- Leavitt, M. E., 314, 316, 317, 322, , 332, 345- Leavitt, Thaddeus, 299, 300, 301, 312, 314, 316, 317, 345, 352, 375, 430, 515. 9'9. 923, 925- Lebaner, Rev. Philip, 427. Lebanon Crank, Ct., 74, 363, 376. Lebanon, Ct., 56, 72, 74, 78, 99, 152, 189, 196, 199, 201, 36S, 404, 410, 517, 744, 7S3, S6S. Lebanon, N. H., 153. Le Baron, Eliza. S32. Le Baron, Francis, M. D., 2, 174. Le Baron, Frank, 566. Le Baron, Hannah, 686. Le Baron, Isaac, 174, 571, 745, S07. Le Baron, J., 99. Le Baron, John Allen, 372. Le Baron, Lazarus, M.D., 2, S07. Le Baron, Rev. Lemuel, 2, 17, 22, 59, 98, 141, 149, i8r, 372, 414, 719, 745, S07, 832, 95S, 975, ion. Le Baron, Lemuel, Jr., M.D., 98, 746. Le Baron, Lucy, 745. Le Baron, Martlia, 150, 745. Le Baron, Mary, 96. Le Baron, Polly, 745. Le Baron, Pnscilla, 150, 364, 738, 745, 833- , , Le Baron, Thomas Mayhew, 976. Le Baron, W., gS. Le Baron, Capt. William, 976. Le Baron, William, 6S5, 719, 738, 745. 746,832.934. Lee, Andrew, D.D., rS. Lee, Rev. Chauncey, D.D., 140, 198, 305. 326, 329. 332, 398, 55^ 553. 570. 573. 577, 580, 590, 717, 9S7. Lee, Elisha. Esq., 29. Lee, Gen. Henr>', 106. Lee, Rev. Jonathan, Sen., 476. Lee, Rev. Jonathan, Jr., 476. 597. Lee, Mass., 3, 101, 140, 182,381,647, 67S, 766. Lee's Arithmetic, 50. Leete's Tavern, 510, 692, 715. Legislature of Massachusetts, 32S. Legislature of Vermont on Religious Taxation, 340 Leicester, Mass., 152, 273. Leicester, Vt., 92. Lenox, Robert, 565, 566, 597. Lenox, Mass., 2, 8, 10, 38, 40, 59, 60, 61,63, 64, 141, 143. 182, 321, 370, 408, 414, 443. 449, 450. 5>2, 5=5, 562, 607, 619, 678, 766, 907, 938. Leonard, Rev. Joshua, 139. Leonard, Rev. Samuul, 154. Leopold, Prince, 727. Le Sage, Alain, 922. 958. Letters of Rev. John Newton, 47, Letters to Paine, Levi s, 51. Letters on Unitarianism, 928. Letters to William E. Channing, D.D., 796. Levi, David, 51. Lc\vis, Rev. Amzi, 120. Lewis, Isaac, D.D.^ 33, 135, 292, 60C). Lewis, Rev. Isaac, Jr., 135, 609, 615. Lexington, Mass., 151. Leyden, Ala^s., 64. Liberty, Ohio, 227, 232, 253, 254, 270, 274. Life of Benjamin Colman, D.D., 972. Life of Cowper, 343, 345, 346. Life of Jefferson, Randall's, 165. Life of Joseph, 247, 248. Life of Leo X, 862. Life of Samuel Hopkins, D.D., 316, 420. Life of President Stiles, Holmes's, 90, 103. Life of Washington, Marshall's, 201, 203, 308, 309, 311, 323, 324, 325. Limner, 31. Lindsley, Rev. Jacob, 272, 27S, 279. Lindsley, Rev. Stephen, 271, 278, 279, 2 So. Lindsley, Capt. W., 546. Lines, Ebenezer, 65. Linonian Hall, 146. Linsley, Rev. Ammi, 771. Linsley, Joel H., D.D., 953, 954, 956, 970 994, 1007. Linsley, Noah, 13. Linsley, Mr., 704. Lion, 119. Liquor Case, 439, 443. Lisbon, Ct., iS, 592. Lisle, N.Y., 173, 205. Litchfield County, Ct., 39, 41, 45, 75, 250, 258, 284, 317, 320, 32S, 425, Litchfield, Ct., 2, 19, 45, 54, 66, 94, 100, 115, 125, 129, 130, 131, 13a, 135. ^37. MO, 1S4, 193, 216, 225, 239, 294, 302, 330, 335, 3S1, 404, 40S, 427, 434, 439, 450, 502, 545, 561, 565, 567, 634, 668, 704, 812, 817, 1007. Litchfield. Eng., 27, 092. I.itchfietd Law School, looS. Litchfield North Association, 65, 116, 336, 372, 3S6, 427, 6o2. Litchfield, Penn., 205. Little Cambridge, Mass., 151, 369. Littleton. Mass., 152, ^72. Little Falls, N. Y., 178. Little Hocking, Oliio, 272. Little Kanawha River, 281. Liverpool, Eng., 707. Lives of the Apostles, 721. Lives of the Fathers, 721. Lives of the Judges, Siiles*s, 725. Livingston, Edward, no. Livingston, Rev. Gilbert R., 360. Livittgston, Henry, 203. Li\'ingston, Henry W., 17S, 203. Livhigston, John H., D.D., 136, 17S. LiWngston, Robert, 17S. Linngston County, N. Y., 601. Livingston Manor, N. Y., 17S, 203. Li\'v, 98S. Llovd, Thomas, 1S5. 186. Loclie, John, 306, 910. Locke s Works, 910. Lockport, N. Y., 935. Lockwood, Rev. James, 76, i>6, 971. Lockwood, Rev. William, 76, 96. Logan, the Mingo Cliicf, 273. Logic, Best's, 306. Lombard, Horatio J., 701, 904. Lombardy Poplars, 324, 354. 355- London City, 44, 5'. 7^> '•>2| 55'> 572, 666, 759, 776, 800, 812, 814, 822, 826, 900, 947, 954. Loomis, Rev. Amasa, 466, 471, 472. 529. 55i» 57'.. 615. Loomis, Amelia, 871. • Loomis, Arethusa, 610. Loomis, Benajah, 661. Loomis, Mre. Betsey, 658. Loomis, Chauncey, 495. Loomis, E.. 1015. Loomis, Eliza Ann, 493- Loomis, Mrs. Estlier, 514. Loomis, Mrs. Experience, 660. Loomis, Flavel, 621. Loomis, Capt. Giles, 506, 514, 516, 523- Loomis, Harry, 438. Loomis, Henry, 706. Loomis, Horace, 43S, 516, 633, 672, 73S, 750, 772, 788. Loomis, Rev. Hubbell, 742, 967, 10 1 9. Loomis, Jerusha, 866, Loomis, Juli.i, 627. Loomis, Lam-n, 600, 877, 8S8. Loomis, Lorrain, 355, 415. Loomis, Lucy, 1023. Loomis, Luke, 469. Loomis, Luther, 285. Loomis, Mrs. Olive, 534. Loomis, Olive Elmer, 495. T-oomis, Oliver, 562. Loomis, Mrs. P., 892. Ixiomis, Polly, 470, 536. Loomis, Mrs. Priscilla, 660, 661. Loomis, Sally, 600. Loomis, Serajah, 772. Loomis, Simeon, 493. Loomis, Susan, 627. Loomis, Tryphena, 445. Loomis, Dea., 770. Loomis, Mr., S96, 6c:), 969. Loomis & Richards, 604, 608. Loomis, the name, 506. Lord, Samuel P., 2S5. Lord, Esq., 6g. Lord, Mr., 913. Lord, Rev. Mr., 616. Lorenzo De Medici, 494. Lorraine County, Ohio, 215, 285. Lottery Ticket, 179, 308. Loudon, Lawrence, 545. Loudon, Mass., 143. Louisville, Ky., 326. Louisiana Purchase, igg, 201, 214, 435-. Louisiana. 99. Louis XVII, the Lost Prince, 107. LouisXVni. 591,638. Lonisburg. 818. Lounger, 161. Love, William, 285. Lower Nevhannock, 213. Lowman, Rev. Moses, 63, 64. Luckey, Rev. Samuel. Ludlow, Mass., 205, 605, 834. Luneville. 135. Lusiad, 985. Lusk, Gen. Levi, 692. Lutheran Church, 601. Luzerne County, I*cnn., 206. Lyman, Backus, 664. Lyman, Capt, Joseph, 612. Lyman, Judge Joseph, 150, 612, 615, 642, 677,941. 942,943' Lyman, M., 9'>8. Lyman, Mrs. Mary, 944. Lyman, Kev. Orange, aj, 562. Lyman, William, 285. Lyman, William, D.D., 183, 478. Lyme, Ct., 195. 196, 4i&> 552| SS<)t 560, 567, 5O3. Lynn, 151, 51S, 519, 537, 540, 58S, 625. Maccabseus, Judas, 374. Maccaba;us, Mathias, 374. Maccabees, two Books of, 374. MacCarthy, Nathaniel, 877, HS6. Macdonough, Commodore Thomas, 603,695, 1023. Macedon, Kingdom of, 444. Macedonian, War Frigate, 543. Machiavel, 979. Mack, Mrs. Betsey, looi, 1002. Mackenzie, Henry, 161. Macphcrson, James, 39S, 425. Madison, President James, 348, 362, 37S. 38S, 3^9, 39t, 424. 459. 4«2. 495. 532, 5.34. 537, 547, 616, 6S6. Madison County, N. Y., 169. Madison, Ct., 173, 195, 270,396, 7S6. Madrid, Spain, 3 So. Maffit, Rev. John Newland, 836, S46. Magnalia, Mather's, 150, 487, 48S, 490, 497. 527. 542, 546, 805, 824. Magnano, Battle of, 87. Mahomet, Life of, 163. Mahometanism, 496, 499. Mahometans of Barbary, 532. Mahoning County, Ohio, 215, 216, 218, 224, 240. 253. 25s, 256, 267. Mahoning, Ohio, z'^$. Mahoninji River. 227, 244. 253, 275. Maine Hall, Bowdoin College, 889. Maitland, Capt., 638. Maiden, Mass., 465. Maiden, Mich., 56S. Malta Island, 125, 130, 132. Malta, N. Y., 178. Manchester, Ct., 73, 77, 315, 426, 434. 472. 577, 935, 936. 965, 969, 970, 978, looi, 1020. Manchester, Vt., 9, 16,82, 141, 151, 448, 595- Manlius, N. Y., 177. Man of Feeling, 161. Man of the World, 161. Mann, Rev. Joel, 9f)9, loio, 1912. Mansfield, Rev. Achilles, 189, 190. Mansfield, Ct., 33, 91, 148, 446, 578, 678. Mantua, 97. Mantua, t)hio, 258, 2S4. Marble, Danforth, 6S2. Marble, Emily, 6S2, 923. Marble, Frederic, 682. Marble, JuUa Wolcott, 765. Slarble, Laura, 870. Marble, ^L'^ria. 682. Marble, Mary, 6M0, 682. Marble, Mary Skinner, 58. Marble, Mcrrow, S94. Marble, William, 6S2, 765, 870. IVL-irble. William Trumbull, f>82. Marblchead, Mass., 630. Marcellus, N. Y., 169, 173, 176, 177, 1 82. Marcy, Rev. Bradford, 143, 159, 926. Marengo. Battle of, 120, 121. Marietta College, 279, 953- Marietta, Ohio, 41, 47, 90, 218, 239, 242, 26^1, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275. 277, 278, 280, 282, 284. 322, 326, 377, 380, 392, 406, 430. 490, 492, 524. 550, 596, 644. 693, 748, 789, 857- Marlborough, Cl., 68, 69, 71, 72, 73, 7S. 80, 06, 724. 946,987, 1000, 1020. Marlborough. Alass., cjo2. Marmon ^r Mar-ihall, 52S. Marrow of Modern OU-inity, 240. Marsh, Rev. Frederic, 301, 328, 286, 429. Marsh, George. 674. Marsh, John, D.D., Sen., 427, 455, 475. 487, Si2t SS5. 612, 708, 86*^, 870. Marsh, John, D.D., Jr., 427. 487. 537. 597. 694, 732, 870, 926, 927, 984, 994. Marsh, Peleg S., 543- Marsh, Rev. Truman, 134, 135. Marsh, Rev. Mr., 204. Marshall, Judge John, 45, 59, no. 151, 201, 308, 399, 434. Marshall's Tavern, 80. Martha's Vineyard, Mass., 181, 719, 972, 1002. Martinique Island, 392. Marwin, Mrs., 133. Mar>'land, 3S, 39, 166, 194. Mason, David, 8. 18, 21, 37. Mason, Rev. Elinu, 455, 465, 591. Mason, John, 61, Mason, John, D.D., 371. Mason, Capt. John, 901. Mason, John Slitchell, 371. Massachusetts Colony. 505. Massachusetts Constitutional Con- vention, 844. RLissachusetts General Association, Massachusetts Historical Society, 328. Massachusetts Legislature, 61. ^Iassena, Marshall, 105, 457, 464, 482. Mather, Charles, M.D., S03. ISlather, Mrs. Charles, 803. Mather, Cotton, D.D., 580, 824, 972, ion. Mather, Increase, Life of, ion. Mather, Rev. Samuel, 697. Mather, Samuel, Jr., 285. Mather, Timothy, 697. Mattapoisett, Mass., 2, 98, 372, 832, 95S. Matthews, John, D.D., 856. Matthews, Mr., 266. Maitoon.Gen. Ebenezer, 942. Maxey. Jonathan, D.D. , 148. Maximilian, Duke of Sully, 822. May, Betsey S., 1021. Alav, Chloe R., 550. May, Rev. Eleazer, 145, 184, 194, 197. May, Rev. Hezekiali, 145. Mayhew, Rev. Experience, 992. Mayhew, Mather. 092, 1002. Mayhew, Dr. Matthew, 992, 1002. Mayhew, Gov. Matthew, 992. Mayhew, Gov. Thomas, 976, 992. Mayhew, Rev. Thomas, 992. McClure, Mrs. Betsey (Martin), 799, 813, loio. 1012. McClure, David, D.D., 358. 361, 362, 370. 383. 3S9, 390, 395, 396, 39S, 400, 401, 402, 404, 407, 419, 420, 433, 435. 450, 4S9, 4<>9. 526, 556, 562, 5'\3, 570. 579, 586, 6o2, 610, 622, 627, 629, 630, 647, 652, 664, 667, 679, 710, 714, 749. 77', 780, 78S, 799, 802, 812, 813, 814, 816, 818, 823, 824, 828, 836, 842, 867, 875, 887, 933. McClure, Mrs. Hannah (Pomeroy), 389, 301, 446, 508, 509, 584, 586, 587, 7976. McClure. Rachel (Mrs. Elilm Wol- cott). 8S7. McCurdv. Judge Charles J., 786. McDowell, John, D.D., 857. McEwen, Abel, D.D., 45. 302p 338| 638, 702, 74.*, 818, 856, 1012. McGowan, lohn, 248. McGregor, M. V)., 945- McHeniT, Hon. James, 115. Mclntosfi. Penn., 215, 229, 231. McKav, Prof., 14. McKitiney, EU/abcth Reed, 674. McKinney, Esther, 4^0- McKinncy, Samuel 'Irc.it, 478. Ml :Kinstr>-, Rev. John, 943. McKinstrv. Family of, 943. McLean, Rev. Allen, 335, 336, 367, 38<^», 3W, 403. 407, 440, 444, 474. INDEX TO VOLUME I. IO4I 494, 516. 543. 554. 554. 604, 645, 672, 704, 764, 785, 829, S33, 84s, 888, qoS, 940, 944. 945. 947- McLean, CoL Francis, 600. McLean, Mr., 160. McLean, Mrs., 529,935. McMillan, Rev. Jnhn, 231. McMillan, Rev. John, D.D., 231. McPherrinj Rev. John, 230. McPherrin, Rev. Thomas, 230. Meadville, Penn., 231, 232. Medfield, Mass., 96, 153. Medford, Mass., 930. Medical Convention, S92. Medina County, Oliio, 215. Mediterranean Sea, g:. Medway, Mass., 751, 976. Meeting- House of First Church, Hartford, 369. Meeting- Houses, Old Fashioned, 53. Meeting-Houses, in Providence, R. L, 148. Meigs, Col. Return Jonathan, 282. Meikle, James, 515. Mellen, Mr., 975. Mellish, John, 930. Memoirs, Sully s, 2S2, 826. Mentor, O., 249. Mercer County, N. J., 291. Mercer County, Penn., 267. Mercer, Penn., 267. Mercury, Boston, 85. Meredith, N. Y., 204. Meriden, Ct., 371, 715, 879, 883. Merrill, B., 142, 154. Merrimac River, 152, Merrow, Joseph M., 455- Mer^vin, Rev, Samuel, 510, 590, 789, 861, S62, 95S, 959, 9S0, 981. Mesopotamia, Oluo, 247, 248, 264. Messenger, Col., 16S. Messer, Asa, D.D., 14S. Metallic Tractors, 94. Methodists, 87, 90, 92, 95, 223, 233, 251, 253j 257, 261, 262, 263, 274, 350, S61, 876, 8S7, 1024. Methuen, Mass., 148. Mexico, 312. Mexico, Northern, 32S. Miami College, 290. Michilimacldnac, 174. Middleborough, Mass., 97, 99, 421, 490, 719. Middlebury College, 12, 82,87, 115, iS5> 179, 290, 315, 340, 527» 59°* 598, 75S, 797, S62, S95, 9o6» 935» 937. 946, 953. 1014. Middlebury, Ct., 301. Middlebur>- FaUs, Vt., 86. Middlebur}-, Vt., S3, 84, 85, 86, 87, 90, 91, 92, 95, 100, 155, 156, 194, 340- Middlefield, Ct., 192. Middlefield, Mass., 140, i43i ^So, 7>5. 7^^p 774. 779. 805. Middlefield, Ohio, 244. 247> 24S, 260, 264. Middle Haddam, 196. Middlesex, Vt., 153. Middletown, Ct., 183, 188, 192, 194, 196, 200, 2S2, 45o» 545» 584. 604, 60S, 625, 629, 634, 635, 636, 656, 674, 675, 681, 756, 907, 908, 927, 971. Middletoi^Ti, R. L, 149- Milford, Ct., 45, 189, 300, 330, 386, 590, 703. Millan, 941. Millard, Chauncey, 686. Miller, Asber, 2S5. Miller, Samuel. P.D., 904. Miller, Rev. William Fowler, 318, 335. 349. 352. 359, 395f 6z6. MilUngton, Ct., 183. Millot. French Historian, 6, 9. Milner, Joseph, 865. Milner's Church History, 860, 861, 865, 874. Milo, N. v., r73. Mills, Mrs. Anna, 651. Mills, Asa A., 72. 73. Mills, Elijah H., LL.D.,iS. Mills, E. W.,S59. Mills, F., Esq., 639. Mills, G.. 982. Mills, Rev, Gideon, 35. Mills, Jeremiah. Si, Mills, Rev. Joseph L., 182. Mills, Mar>-, 543. Mills, Michael, 397, 497. Mills, Michael F., 397, 401, 556, 573. Mills, Dr. Philo H., S57. Mills, Capt. Rr.swell, 913. Mills, Samuel, 613, Mills, Dea. Samuel, 270, 408. Mills, Rev. Samuel. 1S9, 190. Mills, Rev. Samuel J., 49, 50, 51, 404. 559. 606, 725, 822, Mills, Rev. Samuel J., Jr., 3, 187. Mills, Sydney, 982, 99S. Mills, Dea., 155. MUls, Mr.,236, 545. Mills, East Hartford, 417. Milton, John, 27, 1S9. Milton, Ct., 125, 129, 130, 132, 133, 134, 135. 147- Milton, Mass., 150, 615, 805, 824, 875, 941. 974, 975- Milton, N. Y,, 178, Minden, N. Y., 156. Miner, Austin, 6S0. Miner, Mar\'in, 680. Miner, Nancy, 680, Miner, Russell, 6S0. Miner, Thomas, M,D., 635. Mingo Indians. 27.^. Ministers in Berkshire County, Mass. , 179. Minister's Wooing, 149. Mirick, Rev. E. A., 272, Mirror, Connecticut, 161, 519, 562, 770, 783, 808, 880,952. Miscellanies of Oliver Goldsmith, 306. Miscellanies of President Edwards, 32- Missionary Herald, 952. Missionary Societies of Connecticut and Massachusetts. 20. Missionary' Society, Baptist, of Eng- land, 42. Missionary Society in New York, 32. Mississippi College, 911. Missolonghi, 951. Missouri Compromise, The, 811, 840, 849. Mitchell, Rev. Justus, 120, 137, 292, 300. Mitchell, Mrs. Justus, 300. Mitchell, Mr., 956. Mitchell, Rev. Mr., 90, Mix, Mrs. Anna (.Goodwin), 399. Mix, Ebenezer, 399, Mix, John, Esq., 399. Mix, Rev, Joseph. 5^0, 5S3. 593>6o8, 611, 621, 711, 7S5, S02, 888,933, Mix, Mrs. Joseph, 802. Mix's Museum, 527. Mobile, Ala.. S3f>. Mode of Settling Ministers, 31. Mohawk River, 45. "S^. 158, '77- Mohrungen. Battle of, 316. Monkton, Vt., 87,90. Monongahela River, Penn., 213,214. 215,218,289. Monroe, President James, 105, 18S, 697, 707. 723. 9". 98S. Monroe, Ct., iSg. Monson, Mass., gii. Montagu, Edward Wortley, 739. Montagu, Lady Mary Wortley, 739, 741,742- ,, ^ , Monta:;ue, Mass., 2S4. 641. Monteith, Rev. Walter. 858^ Montesquieu, Charles de Scconact, 16, 3S, 54. Montgomery, Gen, Richard, 11. MontpeUer, Vt., 153. Moore, John, 856, Moore, Sir John, 393. Moore, Sally, 819,821. Moore, Rev, Zephaniah Swift, 678. Moore, Mrs., 256. Moore's Tavern, 316. Morals, State of, 29. Moral Society, 667, 716, 740, 741- Moral Taste, 301, 303, Moretown, Vt., 153. Morgan, Gen. Daniel, 213, Morgan, Elias, 285. Morgan, John, 25S, 286. Morgan, Juliana, 260. Morgan, Rev. Solomon, 54, 57, 58, 75- Morgan County, Ohio, 264. Mo^n, Ohio, 220, 222, 223, 250, 25S, 269. Morristown, N. J., 859. Morristown Presbyter)-, Penn., 206. Morrow County, Ohio, 241, Morse, Jedediah, Dr,, 20, 60, 151, 162, 906. Morse's Gazetteer, 906. Mortimer, Tlmmas, 191. Morton, Lucv, Soi. Morton, NatSianiel, 4i:)4. Moscow, Russia, 160, 530, 534, 535, 540. Moseley, Col, Jonatlian, 199. Mosheim Von, John Lawrence, 41, 42, 43, 45. 46, 54, 874. Moulthrop, Mary L., 146. Moulthrop, Reuben, 146, 299, 312, 31S, 415, 439. 526, Moulthrop, WiUiam, 146. Mount Carmel, Ct., 169, Illount Hope, R. L , 96, 97, 148, ion. Mount Monadnock, 835, Mount Vernon, Va., 963. Moz;:ley, Dr., 543. Murdock, James, D,D., 54. Munger, Elizur, 669, 887. MungCT, Nathaniel, 95, 100, 194. Munson, Dea., 130, 147. Aluskingura Association, 392. Muskingum River, 272, 277, 2S2, 392. AIunselH Charlotte, 798. Munsell, Louisa, 905. Munsell, Timothy, 469, 79S, 905. Nantucket, Mass., 178. Naples, 348, Nash, Rev. Ansel, 557, 700. 903,934t 935, 9^>i- Nash, Rev. Jonathan, 142, 143, iSo, 765- Nash, Thomas, no. Na.'ihannock, Penn., 269, National Fast, 54. S5, 56. Natural and Revealed Religion, 659. Nature and Danger of infidel Philos- ophy, 59. Nature of True Virtue, 38. Naugatnck, Ct.. 300. Neal, Rev. Daniel, 164, 316, 319, 320, 323, 325, 492. 70S. Ncill, WiUiam, D,D.,858. Nelson, John, D.D., 973. Nelson, Lord, 69, 70, iiS, 138,275, 2aS, 30a, 302, 336. Nelson, Ohio, 234, 244. 258, 260. 2S4. Ncttleton, Asahel, D.D., 622, 852. 354, 856, 898, Nettleton, Roger, 25S. 973. Neuchatcl, France, 325, New Albany, Ind,, 326, New AshfoixL Ma.vi., 10, 938, New Bedford, Mass., 57, 149, 685, 7'9. 720..73'^.745- „ ,^ ^ New Bntain. CL, 199, 408, 466, 506, 5»7, 579, 753; ,, , New llrunswick, N. J., 130. Newark, N. J,. 291, 859. Newberry, Gen. Rogcr,a47>'8s, 581. I042 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. New Canaan, Ct., 119, 137, 392, 300, 859- Newcastle, Del., 605. New Connecticut, Ohio, 30, 161, 177, 195, 204, 2131 253, 256, 267, 2S2, 28S, 290, 294, 29s, 296, 299, 301, 30i. 303. 309. 31 »» 320, 322, 345, 346, 355. 402, 40S, 43S, 491. 492. 506, 514, 51G, 548, 564, 604, 657, 672, 6S3, 695, 706, 738, 750, 772, 7S5, 7S8, 791, S35, 879, 888, 950, 973, 1008. New Danbur>'j Ct., 107. New Durham, N. V., 204, 360, 800. New Eii^I.ind Almanack, 398. New England Memorial, 494, 507. New England Planters, 485, 508. New Fairfield, Ct., 102, 103, 109, 114. 123- New Hampshire Missionary Society, 641. New Hartford, Ct, 44, 62, 68, 82, 95) M7) I99i 200, 202, 216, 250, 361, 392, 484, 497, 542, 578, 632, 638, 70G. New Hartford, N. Y., 141, 142^ 154, 157. 158, 161, 162, 168, 169, 177, 178, 216. New Haven, 8, 10, 12, 19, 33, 65, 86, 94, 122, 127, 131, 143, 144, 146, 152, 153. '55. »67. 1S5, 1S9, 193, 201, 202, 233, 303, 330, 333, 334, 348, 352. 366, 371, 396, 410, 425, 432, 434, 438. 4S'- 455, 45^, 489, S^S, 509, 510, 519, 526, 527, 52s, 532, 53f>, 541, 545, 546, 548, 551, 560, 568, 5S7, 590, 593, 596, 597, 602, 603, 606, 607, 622, 623, 625, 640, 645, 646, 656, 668, 674, 67s, 676, 679, 6S3, 686, 692, 693, 710, 711, 715, 724, 727, 734, 741, 760, 770, 77', 774. 781, 794. 799. 8o4, 808, 809, 812, 814, 8r8, 819, 821, 831, 832, S36, 840, 847, 851, 859, 863, 870, 879, 884, 891, 892, 902, 903, 904, 910, 91S, 936, 939, 948, 959, 962, 963, 97S, 981, 9S7. New Haven East Association, 195, 633. New Haven, Vl., 83, 85, 86, 88, 90, 92. 155.401. New Haven West Association, 204. New Jersey, 164, 167. New Lebanon Springs, N. Y., 154, 455,457. 5f"> 5^^2- New Lisbon, Oluo, 271, 277. New Loudon Association, S65. New London County, Ct., 69, 314. New London, Ct., 45, 63, 66, 302, 338, 552. 555. 565. 703, 728, 743, 818, 1012. New Marlborough, Mass., i, 10, 22, 67,71,82,90,95, 135, 137, 138, 140, 141, 185, 362, 424, 5c8, 721, 734, 736, 766. New Milford, Ct., 8, 10, 52, 102, 112, 121, 122, 127, 138, 130, 133, 137, »74. 193. 2'6, 393, 511, 548, 707, 781. New Orleans, La., 99, 193, 199, 222, 224, 45^ 5»5. 772. New Preston, Ct., 216, 302, 553, 744, 792, 909. New Salem, Ct., 5<;i, 571. New .Sheshequii), Penn., 206. New Year's Address, 105, 498, 577, 611.612. New Year's Hj-mn, 128. New Year's Mirror, 423. New Year's Poem, 129, 158, 160. New York City, 10, 15, 25, 40, 43, 63, 66,94, "o, 121, 135, 136, 137, 142, 152. 5'^7. 782, 795, 044. New York (Gazette, 66. New S'ork State, 34, 35, 56, 177, 197, 201. Nfwburg, Ohio, 196, 272, 378. Newbury, Ann, 531. Newbury, Clarinda, 871. Newbury, Cynthia, 796. Newburj', Elizabeth, 518. Newbury, Mrs. Elizabeth, 662. Newbur>', Emily, 672. Newbury, Ruth, 873. Newbur>', Sally, 575. Newbury, Solomon Ellsworth, 801. Newbur\*, Sophia, 871. Newbury, Mr., 905, 906. Newbury, Mass , 151. Newbur>'port, Mass., 6, 151, 152,398, 485, 486, 532, 795. Newcombe, Ruby. 435. Newcombe, Rev. William, 645. Newell, Rev. Abel, SS. Newell, Rev. Gad, 154. Newell, Jacob, 915. Newell, Mr., 13S, 153, 165. Newgate Chapel, 626. Newgate Prison, 406, 605, 606, 607, 626, 645. 646, 760, 7S4, 787, 799, 817, 81S, Sicj. Newiugton, Ct., 455, 656, 692, 714, 759- Newman, Rev. Samuel, 334. Newport, Ohio, 271. Newport, R. L, 37, 62, 149, 826, 9S0, lOII. Newton, Sir Isaac, 691, 695. Newton, Rev. John, 47, 49, 411, 992. Newton, Hon. Rejoice, 648, 774, 776, 80S, S50, 879. Newton, Roger. D.D., 636. Newton, Bishop Thomas, 27, 403, 417, 426. Newton, Mass., 151, 522. Newton, Ohio. 255, 257. 274, 285. Newton's Chronology, 691, 695, 6g6. Newtown, Ct., 257. Niagara Fort, 174. Niagara Frontier, 577. Niagara, N. Y., 173, 174, 17S. Niagara River, 174. Night Thoughts, Young's, 71, loa. Nile, Battle of, 69, 70. Niles, John, 161. Nisbet, Charles. D.D., 210. Noble, Daniel, 8, 17, 28, 29, 37, 38, 56, 91- Noble, David, 4. Nogslestown, Ohio, 279. Norfolk County, Mass., 150. Norfolk, Ct., t, 10, 20, 22, 27, 34, 35. 42, 46, 50. 51, 58, 65, 67, 72.73i So, S3, 85, 89, roo, 101, 106, 115, 129, 137, 13S, 168, 169, 175, 177, 178, 193, 194, 20S, 229, 236, 248, 250, 284, 293, 295, 301, 302, 321, 334. 343, 358. 3<>'. 374. 392. 395- 408, 414, 425, 428, 442, 448, 453. 456, 464, 4'>7. 470, 471. 475. 478, 484, 495. 49<>. 507, 5", 5'9. 524. 525. 528. 539. 543. 544. 555. 559, 560, 563, 567, 569, 572, 578, 583, 587, 588, 590, 595, 600, 604, 606, 6o3, 612, 616, 618, 626, 629, 638, 643, 644, 650, 651, 652, 665, 669, 670, 677, 681, 685, (h)^, 694, 703, 706, 710, 717, 718, 722, 728, 731, 748. 752, 755. 757. 7'>^ 7'*2, 798. 803, 825, 832, 839, 859, 863, 887, 893, 805, 899, 903, 906, 925, 928, 93S, 963, 966, 977, 986, 987, 1021. North, Dr. Klisha, 56, 58. North, Miio L., 593, 606, 622, 640, 684, 700. North, Dr., 934. North Bolton, Ct., 363, 595. North Branford, Ct., 122, 299, 334, 37'. 8<)8, 932. North Bridgcwater, Mass., 150. North Canaan, Ct., 54, 58, 75,33*1 782. North Coventry, Ct., 89, 148, 156, 2S0, 311;, 68S, 008, 940, 1019. North iairficld, C"t., '>t3. North Hampton, N. H., 151, S24< North Haven, Ct., 509, 510, 546, 715, 742, 75^- Nortli K)lling\vorth, Ct., 183, 192, 197, 622. North Madison, Ct., 190. 756, 786. North Mansfield, Ct., 8, 514, 7S6, 821,877. North Marlborough, Mass., 30, 36. North Milford, Ct., 57. North Stamford, Ct., 120. North Wrentham, Ma;-.s., 45S. Northampton, Mass., 150, 152, 321, 499. 612, 027, 645, 650, 677, 902, 905. 941, 942. Northampton, Ohio, 285. Northern Germany, 331. Northfield, Mass., 641, 642. Northford, Ct., 122, 451, 546, 932. Northington, Ct., 80, 268, 312, 317, 361, 426, 524, 533, 542, 561, 66g, 704, 776, 800, 805, 895, 905, 919, 955- Northumberland Count}-, Penn., 208, 209. Northumberland, Penn., 209. Norton, Rev. Asahel, 161, 167, 177, 337 Norton, Esq., 173. Norwalk, Ct., 119, 120, 124, 137. Norwich, Ct., 2, 24, 99, 234, 527, 542, 552,,5'jo, 69i>959- Norwich, Eng. , 645. Norwich, N. J., 162. Norwich, Vt.. 153, 370, 371, 959. Nott, Eliphalet, D.D., 156. Nott, Samuel, D.D., 3 A 627. Noyes, Rev. Matthew, 451, 546, 932. Noyes, Esq., 244. Oak Openings, 175. Obookiah, Henr>', 132, 734, 771. Occum, Rev. Sampson, 1(17. O'Connor and O Coi2;lev, Messrs., 58. October Election in Oiiio, 1S04 and ■ 884. 239- Official Letters, Washington's, 399, 400. Ogden, Rev. David Longworth, 920. Oliio Company, 271, 281, 2S2. Ohio Medical School, 259. Ohio River, 215, 2S2, 326, 392. Ohio Uiiiversily. 8'>3. Olcott, Abigail, S71. Olcott, Rev. Allen, 426, 461, 474, 512, 530, 540, 622. 695, 964. Olcott, Mrs. Allen, 491,502, 510, 533, 540- Olcott, Anna, 680. Olcott, .Asaliel, O29, Olcott, Cl.irissa. 539. Olcott, Frances, 697. Olcott, Reuben. 539. Olcott, Mrs. Sarah, 700, 701. Olcott, Mr. 964. Olcott as a familv name, 697. Old .Saybronk. Ct., 334, 552. Old Sheshequin, Penn., 206. Old South Church, Boston, 61, 332, 342, 975- Olds, Rev. Gamaliel S., 636. Oliver Ellsworth, Steamboat, 960. Olmsted, Aaron, 2S6. Olmsted, t:h.irles, 70S, 858. Olmsted, l''ranklin, 9i>i. Olmsted, George, 605, 606. Olmsted, G. F., 961. Olmsted, Hcnr>', 385, 460, 539, 54a, 561, (>03, (K>4f O06, Olmsted, Horace, 714. Olmsted, J.. 72S. Olmsted, Owen P., 796. Oneida County, N. V., 27, 2S, 141, 162, 165. 167, 173, 177, 178, 204, Oneida Indians, 162, 107, 1^*9. Oneida. N. Y., 177. Onion River Bridge, 89, 153. Onondaga County, 169, 346. INDEX TO VOLUME I. 1043 Onondaga, N. Y., 171, 177, 963. Ontario County, N.Y., 173. Orange, N. J., 369. Orange, Vt., 153. Orations on Death of Washington, 104, 105, 107, 202. Ordination of S. P. Robbins at Mari- etta. Ohio. 27S. Ordination of Thomas Robbins as Missionary, 200. Orford, Ct., now Manchester, 402, 426, 434, 453. 45f'. 4f>i, 47', 472, 474, 502, 510, 512, 527, 530, 533, 554, 5'>S, 575, 577, 579. s8o, 5S2, 5S3, 5S4, 5S9, 592, 594, 595. f^3. 610, 630, 665, 666, 667, 670, 672, 677. 695, ^'98, 714, 722. 754, 7S5. 786, 787, S13, S16, 867, 893, 904, 933- Origen, 378. Origin of Evil, Jenyn's, 60. Origiu of Idolatry, 591. Original Sin, 38. Onvell, Vt., S3, 156. Oi-born, Rsv. George, 58S. Osbom, Lucretia, 590. Osbom, Nelson S., 375. O'^borne, Allen, 102 1. Osborne, Mr., 704. Osgood, Samuel, CD. ,472.478, 49', 677, 706, S49, 922, 926, 946, 947. Oigood, ihaddeus, 1000. Ossian's Poems, 39S, 425. Osterwald, Joha J-redenck, 325, 327. Oswego, N. Y., 904. Otis, Mass., 143, 47^, 497- Otsego County, N.Y., 205. Owego Creek,' N. Y., 205. Owego Village, N. Y., 205. Owen, Calvin, 607. Owen, Rev. Henry, 634, Owen, John, D.D.. 553, 70S, 790. Owen on the Death of Christ, 70S. Owen on the Prophecies, 634, 635. O.V. fat, 37S, 43S. O.vford, Eng., 440- Pachogue, 190, 191, 192, 194, 197. Pacific Ocean, Northern, 304. Padstow, 54. Page, Rev. Thomas, 156. Paine, Edward, 249. Paine. Thomas, 12, 22, 23, 142, 184. Painesville, Ohio, 234, 249. 260. Palantine, N. Y., 177. Paley's Moral Philosophy, i. Palmer, Mrs. Jenny, S76. Palmer, Mass., 152, 915. Palmyra, Ohio, 257, 285. Paradise Lost, 27, 189, 190. Paradise Regained, 27. Parchment for Diploma, 13, 16. Paris, France, 82, 196, 304. Paris, Isaac, 159. Paris, N. Y., 20, 21, 27, 28, 42, 45, i47» »57. ^58, 161, 164, 169, 177, 199. Park, Calvin. D.D., 813, 893, 958, 971, 97"^. 97S. 979. 99'^- Park, Edwards A., D.D., 813, 958. Park Street Church, 95, 430, 709, 858. Parker, Rev. Daniel, 133. Parker, Ebenezer, 641, 647. Parker, Joseph, 20, 25, 27, 28, 29. Parker, Capt., 205. Parker, Rev. Mr., 918. Parkraan, Ohio, 260, 264. Parkman, Samuel, 260, 286. Parmalee, Rev. Philander, 912. Parmalee, Mr.. 202. Parsons, Rev. David, Sr., 816. Pai-sons, Rev. David, Jr., 816. Parsons, Rev. Elijah, 194, 299, 520. Parsons, Rev. Henry M., 72S. Parsons, Rev. Isaac, 72S, 729, 737. 738. 740- Parsons, Rev. Justin, 627, 667. Parsons, Poratha, 497. Parsons, Rev. Silas, 667. Parsons, Major, 659, bbo. Parsons, Mrs., 722,918. Partridge, Capt. .'\lden, 959. Partridgeiield, Mass., 179. Pasco, the family name, S35. Pasko, Rev. Jonathan, 835. Patrick, Rev. Hunry, 931, 940. Patrick, Rev. Simon, 468, 657. Patten, William, D.D., 149, loii. Patten, Mrs., 574. Patterson. Rev. Mr., 858. Paul and Virginia, 142. Paul, Emperor of Russia, 138. Pav.let, Vt., &3, 84. Pawtucket, R. 1., 95, 99, 910. Paxlon, Penn., 209. Payne, Austin, 541. Payne. John. 1 14. 186. Payne's Geographv, 114, 186. 187. Peabody. WiUiam'B. O., D.D.. 947. Peace between England and France, 155- Peace between France and the Four Powers, 157. Peace between France and Germany, 49. Peace o£ Amiens. 170. Peace of Luneville, 135. Pearson, Rev. Eliphalet, LL.D.,4S2, 647, 650,656, 709. Pease, IVIary, 70a. Pr;ase, Nathaniel, 449. Pease, Theodore, 677. Pease, Judge, g;3. Peck, Francis, 796. Peck, Solomon, D.D., 552. Pellen Island, 304. Peloponnesian War, 6S4. Pelton, Austin, .S81. Pelton, Charlotte, 8S1. Pslton, James, 520. Pelton, Mrs. Sophia, 9S6. Penitentiaiy, Pennsylvania, S58. Pennsylvania CustDms, 262. Pennsylvania House of Representa- tives, 126, 127. Pennsylvania Senate, (26, 127. Penny, Dr., 125. Pensacola, 908. Pequod War, goi. Percival, James G., M.D., 1017. Percival, Spencer, jiS. Perkington, Ohio, 24S, 249. Perkins, Judge Elias, 1012. Perkins, Elisha, M.D., 40, 41, 94, 290. Perkins, Maj. Enoch, 261,264,269, 275, 2S5, 286, 28S, 202, 312, 695. Perkins, Rev. John D.,2C)3. Perkins, Joseph, M.D-. 40. Perkins, Natnaii, D.D., 300, 297, 298, 357, 38^. 395, 426, 440, 450, 487, 49"*, 516, 526, 5^2, 646, 683, 707, 830, 860, 872, 967, 924, 955. 9S5, 997. Perkins, Rev. Nathan, Jr., 426, 640. Perrv, Kev. David, 74, 75, 372, 760. Perr\', Rev. 1^. L., 182. Perrv, Rev. Jos.-jjIi, 385, 402, 730. Perrv, Miss Peggy, 2 iS. Perry, Col., 213, 2"4. 215, ztS, 230. 239, 255, 267, 268, 288. Perry, Mrs., 217- ^ ,. . Persecutions from False Religions, 459- Perth .\mboy, 927. Peru, Mass.. 174. Peterborough, N. H., 3. Peter, Colored Servant, 426. Peter III, Emperor of Russia, 138. Peter Parley, lo-j, 753- Peter Pindar. 5''*, 57- Peter Porcupine Papers, 44- ■, Peters, General Absalom, 99. Peters, Eunice, 165. Peters, au Indian Murder«r, 165. Peters, Samuel A., LL.D.,893, 989. Peter's Creek, Pcnn., 2S9. P>;t--rsham, Mass., 835. Petersburg, St., 31. Peltibone, Augustus, 1003, 1005. Petiibone, Giles, 45, 1003. Pettibone, Sereno, 56, 57, 498. Pettibone. Col., 764. Pettibone & Robbins, 525. Pettipagne, 190, 191, 197. Pcverilof the Peak, 948, 949, 951. Peyniouth, Penn., 208. Phelps, Austin, D.D.. 657. Phelps, Charles U., 570. Phelps, Chloe R., 599. Phelps, Capt. D.. 743. 752. Phelps, Mrs. Elizabeth. ^>65. Phelps. Eliakim, D,D.. <>57. 973. Pliclps, Erasmus Adrian, O37. Phelps, George, 569. Phelps, Julia Ann, (^3. Phelps, Capt. Matthew, 87, 155. Phelps, Maj. Matthew, 87. Phelps, O. C.,S4S. Phelps, Hon. Oliver, 173, 285. Phelps, OUver, 247, 402, 424, 434* 457. 467- Phelps, Capt. Roger, 968, 978, 979, 980. Phelps, Samuel, 672. Phelps, Dr. Timothy, 885. Plielps, William, "ijo. Phelps, William R., 637, Phelps, Col., 616. Phelps, Esq., 933. Phelps, Major, 8S4. Phelps, Mr., 175. PhenLx Mining Company, 406. Phi Beta Kappa Society, 12, 19, 94* 122, i4f', 300, 334, 37<» 489, 526, 602, 832. 1017. Philadelphia, 41. 42. 44. 5^. 63, 64, 85, 121. 140, 166. 210. 280.200,297, 322, 441. 527. 554. 7*3, 790. S55, 855. 857, 853, 859, S60, 868, 924, 944. Philadelphia, Population in 1796, 14. Phillips, EliiiabcJi, 996. Phillips, Miss Martha, 372. Phillips Academv. 152. Phabe, British Frigate, 786. Phcenix Bank, 595. , 521. Pilgrim's Progress, 22. Pinckney, Charles Cotesworth, 32, 45. 59. i83. 388. 433- Pine ftleadow, 66.j. 677, 852, 8S0, 882, S86, 891, 916, 9'8. 920. 92'. 929, 935. 937. 946, 947, 9^", 9^t 985, 1012, 1016, lojo, 1033. Pinneo, Rev. Bc/alecl, i8>, 703. Pitkin, Rev. Caleb. 326. Pitkin. Chester. 538. Pitkin, Dea. Horace. $. Pitkin, Hod. Timothy, 9S»i 994. IOCS. Pitkin, Rev. Timothy, 130, 994- Pitkin, VV^illiam. 994- Pitkin, Gov. William, 994- Pitkin, Miss, 0.^0. Pitkin Genealogy, 1005- Pitt, William, 15-,. ^ , PitUngcr, Rev. Nicholas. 225, 126, 228, 233. Pittsbuig, Penn., 210, an. 229. 230. 231,267, 268. 281, 288. 724- 1044 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. Pitts6eld, Mass., 8, g, to, 40,86, 154, 180, 301, 321, 370, 450, 455, 647, 67S 711, 782. Pittsfield, Vt.,627. Pittsfnrd, Vt., 92, 529. Plaiiiticld Academy, 148. Pl.iintii.-ld, Ct., 40, 44, 96, 148, 290, 314. *>77- Piai:itirld, N. H., 153. Plaib,to\v, N. H., 152. Plan of Union, 22S, 280. Pleasures of Hope, 303. Ploupliman, Thomas L., 166. Plutarch's Lives, 1G5, 166, 167, 16S, 170, 171, 172. Plyitiouth Colony, 4^4. Plymouth, Ct., 216, 705, S30, 9S6. Plymouth, Mass., 29, 41, 53, 64, 67, 871 89, 95, 97, 98, 99, 100, 107, 141, 144, 150* 239> 242> 271, 275, 333, 431, 612, 6S5, 824, S92, 974. Plymouth Oration, Everett's, 993. Podunk River, 513, 825. Poem, Commeucement, 179. Poems by Ezra Stiles Ely, D.D., 517- Poetical Meditations, 65S, 72S. Poland, Oliiu, 215, 216, 217, 21S, 225, 227, 22S, 233, 240, 242, 254, 255. 256, 2S6. Polite Learning, 304. polk. Pros. James K., 319. Polotsk, Uattle of, 543. Polydore, 513. Pomeroy, Benjamin, D.D., 3S9, 799. Pomcroy, Mrs. Benjamin, 3S9. Pnmeroy, Hannah, 799. Pomorov, Kev. Thaddeus, 622. Pomfret, Ct., S4, 745, 8S3. Punipey, N. Y., 168, 169. Pond, NIr. , 5H9, Poole, Matthew, 12, 1S6, 329. Poole's Synopsis, 329. Pope, Alexander, 79, 102, 739. Pope Pins VII, 113, iiS. Population of New Haven in iSio, 458. Population of New \ork City, 342. Poquannock, Ct., 542, 8S5. Portage County, Ohio, 215, 233, 244, 257, 25S, 2S4, 285. Porter, Abiezer, 834. Porter, Chloc, 594. Porter, Daniel, 625. Porter, David, D.D., 986. Porter, Ebene7,er,D.D., 133,490,645. Porter, Elijah, 868, Porter, Elixa, S56. Porter, Rev. Isaac, 343, 360. porter, Rev. John, 150. Porler, Miss Maiy, 33, 99. Porter, Noah, D.D., ijcn., 350, 354, 440, 452, 557. 62S, 6S0, 810, 830, 832, 854, 871, S72, 906, 938, 939, 944. 97". lO'S- Porter, Noah, D.D., Jr., 350, 440. Porter, Rev. Reuben, 967. Porter, Mrs. Rhoda, 788. Porter, Kev. Robert, 161, 162, 169, 177. Porter, Rev. Samuel, 212, 214. Porter, Warhnm, yy/^. Porter. Capt., t,-A(,. Porter s lectures, 2'>5. Portland, Ct., 300, 5S4, 652, 724, S34. Portland, Mc., 301, 707. Port-smouth, N. M., 84, 151, 152. Portsmouth, R. L, 149. Portu^;al. 74, 349. Potter, Rev. Lyman, 273, 274, 277, 27S, 2S2. Pntwine, Stephen, 941. Pntwine, Rev. Thomas, 763, 941. Pouhnev, Vt., 83, 85,87,93, 134, 135. Power, Rev. James, 243. Power. Col., 214, 219, 243, Pownal. Vl., 7,82. Praan, Lavinia, 546, Practical View of Christianity, 133, 312. Pratt. G. P., 7S9. Pratt s Ciardens, S59. Presbyterian Genual Assembly, 166. Presbvter>' of Ohio, 226, 228. Presbvterv of Omidn, X. V., 166. Prescott, S. J., 746. Prescott, William H.,663. Prescott, Col. William, 663. Prescott, Judr^e William, 663, Presidency of Hamilton t'oUepe, 133. Presidency of Middlebury College, Presidency of South Carolina Col- lege, 133. President of .Andover Seminary, 133. Presidential El^c.ion of 1812, 532. Preside nti. -J El ;ction of 1S24, 9S8. Presidential Ebctors, 239. Preston, Ct., 116, 314, 371. Prideaux, Humphrey, 54, 55, 65, 66, 67, 68. Priestly, Dr Joseph, 209. Primitive Christianity, 721. Princeton College, 15, 17, 27, 55, 61, 75, 116, 136, 164, 165, 179, 291, 341, 441, 532, 89S, 906. Princeton, N. J., 6, 291. Princeton Theological Seminar>', 793, Q04. Princetown, N. Y., 156. Prince, Thomas, Jr., 342. Princess Charlotte, 727. Prison Discipline Society, 885. Privateering, 327. Professorship of Divinity at Yale, m- Proofs of a Conspiracy, 62, 63, 73. Prophecies, Faber's, 363, 3G4, 365. Proudfit, Rev. Mr., 171. Providence, R. I., 31, 96, 98, 99, 148, 3S6, 390, 413, 452, 460, 474, 490, 491. 537. 581, 582, 590, 600, 625, 629, 639, 642, 676, 6S2, 720, 745, 802, 813, 826, S30, 839, 955, 971, 978, 996, loto, 1012. Prudden, I-lphraim Pease, 650, 665. Pruddcn, Rev. Nehemiah, 386, 390, 413, 452, 460, 474, 490, 491, 581, 582, 590, 6txj, 625, 629, 639, 642, 655, 676, 682. Prufsian Armv, 313. Pultusk, Battle of, 314. Puritans of Massacluisetts Bay, 316. Pursuits of Literature, 180. Piitnam, Gen, Israel, 74, 156, 299. Putnam, Gen. Rufus, 272, 274, 279. Putney, Vt., 152. Pyrenees, Battle of, 563. Quakers, 720. (^)ueen Caroline, 870. Queen's College, N. J., 136. Qucenstown, 174. Qucenstown Heights, Battle of, 531, Quincy, Hon. Josiah, 466, Quincy, Mass., 99, 150, 975. Raisin River. ■;44. Ramsav, David, 55, 56, 57. Randall, Henry S., 165. Randolph, John, 252. Randnlph, Mass., 150, 181,622, 625. Randolph. Ohio, 257. Ranney, Clarissa. 9^9. Rapin, Thovras Paul De, 959. Rasselas, lU^. Rastadt, 75." Rathbonc, Mr., 11. Ratio I)isciplina, 972. Ravenna, Ohio, 257, 898. Rawdnn. Ralph, 639. Raynhain, Mass,, 97. Recorder, Boston, 655, 677, 886. Reddine, t't., iiS, 123, 127, 1017. Redficld, Mr., 186. Reed, Dca. Abuer, 50S, 526, 555, 574. 673, 702, 710, 739, 750, 823, 964, 1007. Reed, Mrs. Abner, 8o3. Reed, Arthur Mclancthon, 555. Reed, Charlotte, 743. Reed, Charlotte S., 831, 1006, 1007. Reed, Ebenezer, 735. Reed, Elijah P'itch, M.D., 7S8, 906, 973, 1005, ioo6. Reed, Mr>. Elizabeth, 658. Reed, EmilySmith, 747. Reed, Justus, 676, 747. Reed, Rlrs. Lucina, 659, 660. Reed, Maria, 943. Reed, Sophia, 871. Reeve, Judge Tapping, 339, looS. Regeneration, by Dr. Backus, 194. Regimental Training, 602. Reiioboth, Mass., 96, 99, 148, 153, 334- Religious Affections, Edwards on, 60, 62. Religious Fallings and Twitchings, 221. Religious Intelligencer, 7S1. Remains of Robert Cecil, 7S9. Remonstrance of Merchants, 143. Renewal of Covenant, 852. Rensselaer County. N. V., 156. Resources of British Empire, 493, 406, 497, 498. Retreat for the Insane, 879, 882, 9i7»-953. 9^) 962, 979, loio. Review, N. Y., 1S6. Revisal of all Religions, 965, 968, 969. 970, 989. Revival in Vale College, 17:. Revivals of Religion, 80. Rexford, Rev. Elisha, iSg. Reynolds, Sir Joshua, 163. Rhodes, Island of , 535. Rice, Dea. Samuel, 169. Rich, William, 993. Richards, James, D.D., 859, Richards, John, D.D., */i6. Richards, Rev. William, 904. Richardson, John, 923. Richardson. Levina, 818. Richland, Mich., 39. Richmond, Mass., 13, 74. Riclimond Standard, 502. Richmond, Va., 312, 328, 501. Richmond, Vt., 153. Ridgebur)-, Ct., 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, no, III, 117, iiS, 124, 129. Ridgeficld, Ct., lo, 105, 109, 112, 131, 292, 860. Rights of Neutrals, 328. Ring, Jonathan, 657. Ring, Roderick, 662. Ripley, Rev. David B., 987. Ripley, Rev. Erastus, in, 119, 715, 896. Ripley, Capt., 241. Ripley, Mr., 157. Ripley, Mrs., 23S. Risley, David, 171, 172, 186. Risley, Theodore, 572. Risley, Whiting, 496. Risley, Mrs., 952. Rites and Ceremonies, 954, 961, 965. Rnbbins, A., 830. Robbins, Rev. Ammi Ruhamah, na- tive of Branford, Ct. — born .Sept. , 1740 — son of Rev. Philemon Rob- bins — graduated at \'.ilc College, 1760 — .Settledin Norfolk, Ct,. 1761 — married Ehzabcth Le Baron, May 13, 1762— had been in the ministr>' .at Norfolk thirty-five years at the opening of thindianiMn 1796. Made 'I rustee at Willi.im-v College, 2 ; kept a family school, 12, 2t, 32, 42 ; mi-^sionary journey to New York State, 23 ; under medical treatment, 34, 53, ^'4, 65, 67. 76, 87( 90, 122; appuhited Commts- INDEX TO VOLUME I. '045 sioner to Presbj^terian General As- sembly, 140, 161, 179, 200, 293; interests connected with his famUy school, 301, 327. 355.3^2, 394. 395 J number of his pupils, 42S, 437 ; sickness, 449; retired from the Cor- poration of Williams College, 450, 473 ; preached Iiis Semi-Centennial Sermon, 493, 497; death, descrip- tion of his person and his ministry, 569, 889. Robbins, Mrs. AmmiRuhamah( Eliz- abeth Le Baron), 2, 364, 603, 710, 717, 731, S24, 8S9, 91S, 921, 92s. 963, 1004. Robbins, Ammi Ruhamah, Jr., 3, 10, 21, 35, 58, 64, 65, loi, 144, 15S, 183, 194, 275, 293, 324, 326, 329, 335, 364, 395. 428, 434, 46S, 477, 571, 601, 628, 63S, 666, 706, 752, S39, 863, 880, 8S4, 921, 92S, 969. Robbins, Mrs. Ammi Ruhamah, 803, 80S. Robbins, Anne Jean, 615. Robbins, Chandler, D.D., of Boston, 974- Robbins, Chandler, D.D., of Plym- outh, Mass., I, 17, ig, 21, 29, 30, 37. 39. 41, 56, 60, 65, 67, 71, 74, S6, 87, $9, 14;, 211, 218, 243, 271, 282, 449. 746, 496, S92, 974, 1014. Robbins, Chandler, Esq., of Maine, 892, 894, 930. Robbins, Chandler, M.D., 9S, 150, 85S, 902. Robbins, E. N.,99. Robbins, Hon. Edward H., 150, 154, 615. 642, 746, S73, 941. Robbins, Elizabeth (Mrs. Grove Law- rence), 10, 20, 27, 28, 30, 40, 45, 53, 107, i(;7, 161, 199, 302, 333, 337, 3S4, 477, 493, 539, S^^i. ^28, 633, 634. 638, G41, 7S9, 820. Robbins, Esther, of Canaan, Ct., 3, 35.41. 49, 61, Si. Robbins, Rev. Francis L., 12, 25, 46, 100, 179, 302, 312,324,333,33s. 360, 370, 371, 3S4, 395, 404, 407, 413, 432, 434, 437. 443, 444. 447, 449. 459, 461, 473, 475. 4S0, 490, 4QI, 5U, 512, 515, 525, 531, 539, 545- 549, 559, 5^6, 5O7, 573, 578, 595, 604, 60S, 670, 674, 677, 679, 684, 6S8, 693, 69S, 700, 706, 707, 710, 712, 713, 719, 722, 73°, 731, 736, 738, 744, 751, 7*^9, 775, 788, 7S9, 803, 811, S12, 827, 833, 837, 844, 849, S56, S61, 870, 884. SSg, 890, 912, 917, 941, 943, 9461 954> 1016. ] Robbins, Mrs. Francis L. (Priscilla Le Baron), S70, 880, 8S4, 8Sg, 912, 943- Robbins, Hannah (Mrs. B. I. Gil- man), 41, 21S, 239, 271, 279, 280, 449, 457. 459- , „ . , , Robbins, Hannah Rebekah, 16, 76. Robbins, Rev. Isaac, 95, 98, 102, 211. Robbins, James, 761. Robbins, James Watson, 12, 25, 31, 34, 4.5, 5^ 56, 63, 71, 100, 107, 131, 138, 144, 154, 179, 195, 235, 242, 255, 266, 275, 294, 299, 30S, 312, 319, 320. 324, 327, 330, 331, 332, 346, 349, 356, 360, 377. 37S, 380, 383, 3S4. 392, 404, 408, 411, 413. 414, 423, 431, 434. 439, 443, 447, 466, 468, 484, 4S6, 492, 494, 498, 502, 507, 511, 512, 519, 523, 529, 527, 539, 553, 536, 560, 562, 565, 578, 591, 6i3, 619, 671, 673, 675, 67S, 703, 71S, 787, 788, 879, SSo, 8S4, 894, 902, 903. 9^8. Robbins, Mrs. James Watson, 539, 671, S70, S79, SSo, 884, 889, gi2, 943- Robbins, James Watson, Jr., M.D., 8yi, 903, go6, 90S, 909, 938. Robbins, Jane Prince, 282. Robbins, John, of Wethersfield, Ct., 199. Robbins, Jonathan, 110. Robbins, Rev. Ludovicus, 955. Robbins, Nathaniel, 16, 23, 31, 32, 34, 43, 44. 50, 53. 79, 1:07, 132, 133, 15S, i6r, 1S5, 194, 205, 262, 296, 3n, 324, 348, 355. 359. 373, 377, 395, 400, 414, 42S, 43S, 439, 443, 449. 468, 493, 4g7, 514, 517, 519, 525- 528, 530, 541, 544, 54S, 556, 559, 587, 601, 620, 62S, 631, 633, 641, 8go. Robbins, Mrs. Nathaniel, 496. Robbins, Nathaniel, of Cambridge, 1,87. Robbins, Nathaniel, Jr., of Cam- bridge, I. Robbins, Rev. Nathaniel, of Milton, Mass., 150, 154. Robbins, Peter Gilman, M.D., 51S, 519, 534, 537, 5<>o. 58?. 588, 625, 746. 754. 755, 75S, 774, 796, 799, 992, 1015. Robbins, Rev. Philemon, of Bran- ford, Ct., I, 9, 17, 76, 87, 97,98, 122, 334. 400, 473, 546, SSg. Robbins, Philemon, 746. Robbins, Rebekah Hannah, 9, 76. Robbins, Richard, of Cambridge, 1. 3- Robbins, Rev. Royal. 580. Robbins, Royal E., 5?^. Robbins, Samuel, of Canaan, Ct., 3. Robbins, Samuel, 12, 25, 30, 31, 305, 320, 324, 335, 346, 359, 391, 428, 424, 453, 46S, 495. 52s, 52S, 533, 540, 544, 548, 556, 558, 559. 561, 566, 572, 573, 596, 6n, 612, 651, 67^ 704. 705, 706, 722, 752, 753, 776, S03, 870, 8S4, 889, 896, 966, Robbins, Mrs. Samuel, SS4, S96. Robbins, Rev. Samuel Prince, 59, 60, 62, 67, 71, 90, loi, 134, 137, 140. 141, 163, 183, 19S, 200, 235, 242, 255, 272, 275, 277, 2S2, 284, 296, 340, 365, 380, 391, 392, 400, 406, 425, 430, 435, 437, 447, 4S9, 49o, 524, 550, 568, 596, 611, 735, 748, 7S9, 942- Robbins, Sarah (see Mrs. Joseph Battell). Robbins, Thomas, of Charlestown, Mass., 163. Robbins, Thomas Mayhew, 976. Robbins. William H., 740, 743. Robbins & Appleton, S35. Robertson, Dr. William, 18S, 190. Robinson Cnisoe, 155. Robinson, Edward, D.D., 169,983. Robinson, Elijah, 970. Robinson, Gov. Moses, 11, 179, iSo. Robinson, Rev. William, 983. Robison, 62, 63, 73. Roby, Dr.,8. Rochester, Mass., 2,98, 149, 372, 414, 669, 719, 746, 749, 805,958. Rockawav, N. J., 424. Rockford, 111., 627. Rockingham, Vt., 152. Rockwell, Mrs. Abigail, 680, 842, 86S, 1004. Rockwell, Ann Maria, 1006. Rockwell, Mrs. Anna, 478. Rockwell, Caroline Augusta, 819. Rockwell, Charles, 472. Rockwell, Cliloe Adeline, 905. Rockwell, Daniel, ioo3. Rockwell, David, 776. Rockwell, Edward Chariton, 6S2. Rockwell, Eleazar Bingham, 454. Rockwell, Eliza, 722. Rockwell, Francis, 798. Rockwell, Gcoriie, 503. S64. Rockwell, Harriet Tracey, 71S. Rockwell, Helen, 473- Rockwell, Hiram Bumham, 875. Rockwell, James Frands, 905. Rockwell, Jerusha, 863. Rockwell, Joel, 905, Rockwell, John, 5S5. Rockwell, Joseph, S04. Rockwell, Julia, 631. R(.>ckwell, Maria, 777. Rockwell, Mrs. Mar>', 833, 864. Rockwell, Nathani::!, 44=1 6S2, 71S. Rockwell, Noah, 478. Rnekw^-ll, Olive, 8. Rockwell, Pegg\', S70, 875. Rockwell, Rachel, 415. Rockwell, Roswell, 854. Rockwell, RoswvjII Lewis, 875. Rockwell, Russell, 781. Rockwell, Ruiisell, Jr., 7S1. Rockwell. Ruth, (105. Rockwell, Sanutcl, 774. Rockwell, Samuel, Jr., 774, 775. Rockwell, Sauuiel Henry, S68. Rockwell. Sarah. 440. 6S0. 6S2. Rockwell, Mrs. Sarah (Sheldon), 774, Rockwell, Solomon, Esq., 319. Rockwell, Sydney Williams, 682. Rockwell, William, 923. Rockwell, Capt., 707. Rockwell. Esq., 473. Rocky Hill, Ct., 71, 289, 299, 399, 520, 739, 756. Rodgers, John, D.D., 11, 135, 291, 292. Rogers, Jourdan. gS6. Rogers, Rev. Medad, 102, 103, 109. Roilin's Ancient Histor>-, 20, 22, 64. Rollo, Lucy Ann, 1009. Rollo, Ralph, 1009. Rollo, Svbil, 1009. Roman Republic, 452. Romans, 22. Rome, Goldsmith's, 396, 397. Rome>'n, Benjamin, 6, g, 12, 33. Romeyn, John B., D.D., 6S7, 750, 783 ,'1005. Romeyn, Thomas, 6, 38, 33. Romulus, 164. Root, Ephraim, 233, 261,285. Root:^town, 233, 257, 2S5. Roscoe, William, 494, 862. Rosetta Bay, 69, 70. Ross, Hon. James, 193. Rossiter, a boy, 534. Roveredo, Battle of, 21. Rowell, William, 991. Rowland, Rev. David S., 351, 367. Rowland, Rev. Henry A., 351, 367, 395, 399. 400, 429, 445. 453. 489. 503, 544, 553. 580, 581, SS6, 593. 637, 646, 672, 732, 812, 824, 860, S71, 884, 907, 940, 946, 954, 997, 1015. Rowland, Sherman, 862. Rowley, Mass., 151, 561. Roxburv, Ct, 648,651, Roxbury, Mass., 83, 85, 150, 519, 7»9. 754. 755. 796, 799» 974, 98a. 985, 994, 1015. Roys, Auren, 569. Roys, Mrs., 516, 523, 524. Rudd, James, 1^2, 1S9. Ruggles, Samuel, 798. Rupert, Vt.,83. Russell, Jonathan, 605, 619. Russell, Nathaniel, i?o. 74';. 5o8. Russell, Mrs. Nathaniel (Martha L« Baron), 150, S08. Russell, Capt., 193- ''4 Russia, 92, 113. '<';■ Russians, 86, g;. i> ; Rutgers College. 7^^ Rutgers Street Churcli, 136. Rutland, Vt-.qa, 766. Rutland Countv, Vt., 85. Rye, N. J., 13s. '57- Saalfield, Battle of, 308. Sabbath Observance, 225. 1046 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. Sabin, Hezekiah, 33. Sabin, Mercy, 33. Sacred Biography, Hunter's, 234, Sacrcd Histon-, Jaraicson's, 448, 455, ^ 457. 459, 740, Sadd, Hepzibah, 421. Sadd, Irene. S71. Sadd, Mrs. Mar>', 406. Sadd, Noah, 559, 5S2, 756, 871, looi. Sadd, Ralzaman T., 756. Sadd, Simeon, 415. Sad, 5'2. 515, 520. 528. 544, 554, 565, 500, 610, 625, 627, 64S, 664, 668, 669, 679, 685, 686, 700, 702, 721, 7^5. 732, 748. 755» 757, 779. 800, 804, 813, 818, 827, 836, 866, 878, 883, 888, 890, 900, 906, 917, 910, 923, 940, 943, 953, 1025. Scantic Ferry, 363, 463. Scantic River, 363. Scarboro, J. R., 921. Scarborough, Mr., 890. Scarborough, Mi-s., 765. Scarcity of money, 44. Schaghticokc, N. V., 156, 162, 17S. Schenectady, N. Y., 33, 156, 598, 604. Schodack, N. V., 178. School Fund in Ct., 186. Schoolmasters, 230. Schools in Marlborough, Ct., 74. Schools on Western Reserve, 293. Schuyler, N. V., 177. Schuylkill Bridge, S59. Schuylkill River, Penn., 290. Scituate, Mass., 746. Scitunte, R. I., 96, 148. Scotland, 41, 18S. Scotland. Ct., iSS, 313, 3'5. 357- Scott, Thomas, D.D., 40. Scott, Sir Walter, 949. Sciir.torj Romani, 621. Scripture ChronoJog)*, 334, 335, 337, 340, 435- Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity, 645- Seabrook, N. H., 151. Searle, Rev. Ambrose, 347. Seasons, Thomson's, 72, 73. Sedgwick, Hon. Theodore, 20, 37, 60. 103. Sedcwick, Mrs. Theodore, 36. Secivc, Julius H., D.D., 105. Selb'y, William, 965. Scldcn, Rev. Da\'id, 196. Selden, Edward, Esq., 203, 204, 312, 334. 367. 4-'^i- Sclf-Knowkdge, Mason on, 61. Self- Scrutiny, 306. Seminole War, 773. Seneca Indirns, 162, 175. Seneca Lake, 173. Sentimental journey, Sterne's, 632. Sergeant, Erastus, fti.D.,32, 33, 320. Sergeant, Rev. John, 32, 62, 167, 1S7. Sermon on Eastern Missions, Rev. Gordon Hall's, 520. Sermons on Regeneration, Dr. Chas. Backus, 305. Sermons Read to Congregations, 34, 43- Sessions, Rev. Mr., roii. Sewall, Rev. Samuel, 630. Sewall's, Judge Samuel, Diary, 630. Seward, John, 41)0. Sewickley, Penn., 212. Seymour, Col., 931. Shad, 33, 741. Shaft^bury, Vt., 82. Shakespeare, 194, 201, 313, 314, 325, 329. 330. 336, 337, 33S, 425- Sharon, Ct., 90, 100, loi, 133,216, 326, 520, 584, 760. Shay's Rebellion, 9, 33, 56. Sheafe, Gen., 551. Shc'ffifid, Eng., 525. Sheffield, Mass., 1, 10, 15, 22, 24, 27, 28, 29, 31, 34, 3''. 5*5, '»4, 125. 138, 161, 177, 188, 26S, 327, 322, 343, 3^8. 450. 525. 561, 5&2i 570, 969. Shclburne. Vt.,8S. Sheldon, Rl-v. Arthnr. 527. Sheldon, Daniel, M.D., 328, 329, 33S. 5^>S- Sheldon, Mr., 928. Shepard, Samuel, D.D. , 59, 61, 141, 143, Ck>7, ^7S, 7(»C>, Shcphtrd, Lticv, 850. Sherman, t'Iiar1o«t, 418, 536, 541, 560, 59''. 597, ''*^7- Sherman, Rev. Daniel Austin, 497. Sherman, Rev. Henry, 632, 638. Sherman, Rev. Josiah, 330. Sherman, Martha. 300, 330. Sherman, Ro;--T, 419, 959. Sherman. Rorer Minot.LL.D., 892. Shennan, Sally, 330. Shingle-Kill, N. Y., 203, 204. Shipman, Judge Nathaniel, 936. Shipman, Rev. Thomas L., 936. Shorcham, Vt., S3, 156. SIl^cwsbur^■, NIass., 626, 973. Shuckford^; Rev. S., 528, 631. Shuckford's Conuectious, 52S, 631, 632. Shumwav, Dr., 99. Shurtlerf College, 967. Sickness in Ohio, 235. Sickness in Sheffield, Mass., 15,17,19. Sidjling Hill, Penn., 289. Sideling, Penn., 210. Siey^s, 106. Signing off, 400. Sigouniey, Charles, 959, 1014. Sill, Theodore, 10. Silliman, Prof. Benjamin, Sr., 12,625, 900, 9C1, 903. SilliniaTi, Prof. Benjamin, Jr., 900. Silliman, Mrs. Gold Scllcck, 12. Silliman, Mr., 404. Silliman's Journal, 544. Simsbury. Ct., 35, 52, So, 147, 295, 334, 33"^, 339, 340, 343, 345, 349, 3S»» 353. 355» 35/, 358, 3S9» 360, 361, 363, 364, 366, 369, 372, 373, 377, 378, 384, 397, 399, 402, 403, 407, 411, 415, 416, 424, 42S, 429, 434, 440, 444, 445, 45^, 45^, 467, 474, 479. 484, 49', 493, $it, 5SS, 591, 604, 619, 628, 642, 645, 669, 713. 749i 754. 7(^2} 7^4, 785, 794. 80s, S29, S45, 849, SS4, 8S8, 893, 894, 902, 904, 910, 91O, 923, 925, 930, 945, 95S, 962, 1006. Singing Meeting, 15. Singing-Schools, 388. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, 24. Six Nations, 174. Skaneateles Lake, N. Y., 170, 172, 34'''- Skinner, Mrs. Abigail (Smith), 829. Skinner, Alice, 5, S. Skinner, Ammi, 798. Skinner, Ann, 871. Skinner, Benjamin, 4. Skinner, Curtis, ^31, 871. Skinner, Daniel J., 559,829. Skinner, Elias, 435. .Skinner, Horace, 532. Skinner, Rev. Ichabod Lord, 74,94a Skinner, Mar>', 871. Skinner, Rev. Newton, 40S, 456, 506, S17, 541. 543, 547, 5^>5, 579, $Si. 627, 628, 650, 682, 753, 759, 853, 961, 972, 1000. Skinner, Mrs. Newton (Wolcott), 579. Skinner, Oliver, 559, 798, S29. Skinner, < tliver, Jr., 532. Skinner, Orral, 506. Skinner, Roxcy, 674. Skinner, Timnthy I.oomis, 674, Skinner, Rev. Thom.is, 4, iS. Skinner, Hon. Thompson J., 4, 5, 7, >3, '7. 37. 3''>4- Skinner, Dr., 303. 304. Skinner, Mi-s., 723, 737,884. Slave trade, 327. Slavery in Connecticut, 413. Slavery in Massachusetts, 413. Slaves, 348. Slippery Rock, Penn., 212. Sloan, Col., 0. Sm.dley, John, D.D., 199, 466, 517, ^ 753. 7S9.V72. Small-Pox Hospital, 6, 52. Smith, Rev. Cotton Mather, 100, 548. Smith, Rev. Daniel, 135, 646. 1020. Smith, David, D.D., 183, 1S4, 197, 202, 331. 345. 57^*. 6'0' Smith, Kvv. Da\nd, 230. .Smith, Gov. Israel, 375. Smlth.Gov. John Cotton, 548, 582, 616, 664, 6<)o, 702. Smith, Prof. Nathan, 153. INDEX TO VOLUME I. 1047 Smith, Norman, 6S3, Smith, Hon. Robert, 41S, 4^2. Smith, Samuel Stauhopc, D.D., 151, 291, 650. 906. Smith, Widow Silee, 617. Smith, Col., 550. Smith, Dr., 156, 214, 243, 261. Smith, Ksq., 10, 236, 2S8. Smith, Gen., 263, 2S3. 290. Smith, Mr., 42. 227» 22S. Smith, Mrs., 230. Smith and Williams as family names, 617- Smith on the Trinity, 622. Smithtield, Ohio, 219, 220,221,223, 226, 223, 229, 231, 236, 237, 238, 241, 243j 250, 251, 253, =S4» 261. 262, 263, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 273, 274, 286, 2S7, 2S8, 296, 303. Smithfield, Pcnn., 206. Smithfield and Russeltoii Lotiery, 291. Smith's Sermons, 906. Smollett, Tobias, 140, 141^ 142, 143. 144- Snodgrass, Rev. James, 273. Snow, Rev. Simeon, 293. Snow, Rev. Mr., 230. Snow in Ohio, 245. Snowden, Rev. Samuel F., 164, 169. Snow's Histor>'of Boston, 6. Snutf-bnx, 424. Snuff-tahinp;, 424. Snyder, Zechariah, 835. Socinianism, 655. Somers, Ct., 59, 62, 116, 194, 295, 312, 3^5, 419. 437i 455. 457. 483, 509, 520, 527, 532, 5^4, 566, 5^5. 625, 652, 655, 673, 777. 7S0, 896, 927, 928, 955, 967, 1021. Somers, Ohio, 250, 269. Somerset County, Penn., 211, 289. Somerset, Penn., 2S9. Soult, Marshal, 39:;, 482, 563, 566. South Boston, Mas:;., 5.)5, 66S. South Britain. Ct., 963. South Canaan, Ct., 181, 194. South Carolina, 128. South Church. Hartford, Ct., 19S. South Farms. Ct., 146. South Hadley Canal, 677. South Hadley Falls, 677. South Hadley, Mass., 641, 765,811, 942. South Hero. Vt., 84- South Windsor, Ct., 423, 81S. Southampton, Mass., 112, 706. Southbcrough, Ma^?., 974- Southbur>-, Ct., 451, S30, 93G, 944- Southev, Robert, 343- Southiiigton, Ct., 169, 332, 355, 782, 902, 9S3. Southfield, Mass., 45°- Spain, i;7, 170. 3*^7. sSS. Spaldinc;, Asa, 303, 433, 434. 437- Spalding, Rev. John Joachim, iiS, 120. Spaniards, 367. Spanish Ewe Lamb, 414. Spanish Fleet, 275. Spanish Territories, 37. SparUs, Jared, LL.D., 399, 742, 9'i7- Spear, Rev. William, 211, 212, 438. Spectator, Addison's, 170, 171, 173, 176, 366, 367, 363, 469, lOII. Spelling-book, Webster's, 127. Spencer, George, 615. Spencer, Rev. John, 167. Spencer, Otis S., 854. Spencer, Mr., 236, 237, 738. Spencer, Mass., 152, 1S7, 973. Spenser, Edmund, 730. Sprague, William B., D.D., 187, i38, 75'^. 793* 797» 799* 924, 979» 9S2, 983. Spring, Gardiner, D.D., 584, 795, 856, 857, 9SS. Spring, Samuel, D.D., 536, 541. Springfield Bridge, Mass., 343, 344. Springfield, Mass., 31, 343, 366, 405, 4bS, 472, 478, 49", 5-^y 529. ^77. 706, 708, 728, 752, 8o2, S34, 849, 851, 875, 922, 946. Statford, Ct., 361, 486, 7S8, 835. Stafford Springs, 361, 486, 596. Stamford, Ct., 10, 135, 645, 649, 656, 658, I59, 1020. Stamford, Eng., 408. Standing Order, S19. Stanford, Ohio, 25'j, 283. Stanby, Prof. Anthony D., 566. Stanley, Mar\*, 964. Stanhy. Capt. ALitthew, 566. Stauky, Theodore, 566. Stanley, Mr., 30. Staples, Seth P., Esq., 7, 99, 800, S04, ?05, Sii, 813. Star in the East, 411, 733. Star in the West, 6S3. Starksbo rough, Vt., 88, 90, 92. Starkweather, Clarissa, 721. Starkweather, William, 9. Starkweathers, 9. Starr, Ephraim, 2S5. Starr, George, 928. Starr, Henr>', 292, 333, 33S. Starr, Rev. Peter, 10, 50, 68, 81, 93, loi, 107, 114, 123, 131, 133, 136, 200, 261, 270, 292, 298, 325, 335, 392, 404, 434. 437. 438. 557, 560, 609, 610, 631, 670, 704, 731, 741, 742, 81S, 8ig, 821, 92S, 945, 961, 963, 966, 96S, 1003. StaiT, Mrs. Peter, 35, 93, 293, 392, 394, 401, 560, 604, 670, 671, 731. Starr. Peter, Jr., 35, 38, 39, 49, 50, 59, 60, 86, 130. 439, 453, 857. Stan-, Rachel. 116. Starr, Thom.as, 153. State Government. 381. State House, Boston, 151. State Prison, 406. Statistics of Journey to New Hart- ford. N. v.. 157- Statistics of Now Haven, Ct., 505, Steams, William A., D.D., 630. Stebbins, Rev. Samuel, 295, 35°, 35^, 36c, 754, 755. 757. 774. 820, 845. Stebbins, Mrs. Samuel, 884, 939- Stebbins, Samuel S., 7'>2, 765, 777» 779. 794. 801, 815, 822, 844, 845, 849, 8^1, 8S5, 916, 923, 944, 962, 972, 1017. Stebbins, Rev. Stephen W., 476. 587, 592, Soi. Stebbins, Willir.m, 577, 550,582,583. Stebbins, Strd^int at Vale, 4, 7, 8, 10. Stedman. Adocia. 572. Steele, Rev. Eliphal-jt, 42, 161, 163. Steele, Dea. Josiah, 90. Steeh, Sir Richard, 368. Stieb, Mrs., 231. Stint, Old Mr.. 546. Stcpnev, now Rocky Hill, Ct., 46S. Sterling, Gen. Elisha,8ii. Sterling, Ct., 58, 75,96,148. Sterling, Mass., 152. Sterne. Laurence, 632. Steubcnville, Ohio, 271, 273, 277, 282. Stevens, Benjamin Rice, 450- Stevens, Esther. 766. Stevens, Rev. John, 67, 71. Stevens. Nathaniel. Esq., 364, 969. Steward, Rev. Joseph, 688, 701, 711, 723. 7:^2. Slites, Ezra, D.D., 62, 103, 149, 725, 907- Stiles, Rev. Isaac, 907. Stiles, Samuel, 1006. Stillman, Samuel, D.D., S26. S'.illwatcr, N. Y., 17S. Stockbri'nthia, 995. Stoughton, Dcrothy, 379. Stoughton. Mrs. Kloanor, 646. Stoughton, Elisha Aven,'. 905. Stougliton, Mrs. Elizabeth, 618. Stoughton, Guy, 531, Stoughton, Henr\' Channing, 878. Stoughton, Hepzibah. 871, S78. Stoughton, Horace, 6S7. Stoughton. Irene, S^(. Stoughton, Irwin Fitch, S78. Stoughton, John, S7S, 905, 1009. Stoughton, John, Jr., 421. Stoughton, John .A.. 828. Stoughton, Julia Ann, S7S. Stoughton, Lucy, 1009. Stoughton, Lydia. S71. Stoughton, ^iar}* Ann, 9S7. Stoughton, Oliver. 617. Stourhton, Samuel, 379. ' Stoughton, Wyllis, 987. Stonghton's Brook. 518. Strafford, Lord, 140, 143. Strange Sickness in Winchester, Ct, 323- Stranger in Ireland, 316. Strasburgh. Penn., 210, 211. Stratford, Ct., 467, 476, 710. Stratham, N. H., 152. Stratton. Ebcnezcr, 5. Street, Rev. Nicholas, 146. Street, Titus. 2S5, Stretch, L. M.. 49. Strong, Gov, Caleb, S5, 113, 168,286, 321^664. Strong, Rev. C\-prian, 300. Strong, David, '778. Strong, Edward, D.D.,296, 419. Strong, Hannah, 986. Strong, Col. John. 51, 52. Strong, Jonathan, D.D,, 622. Strong, Dr. L., 743- Strong, Mrs. Nancv, 892. Strong, Nathan, D.D., 49, 75, 80, 100, 147. 1^2. "83, 198, 100. 300, 202, 310, 217, 224, 234, 240, 243, 2^44, 250, 25S, 2S4, 294. 209, ■109. 315, 316, 410, 475, 499. 5", 537, 550, 57', 573. 577. 579. 596. 600, 1048 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. 610, 617, 620, 623, 625, 626, 631, 634, 649, 659, 664, 673, 6S5, 686, 6S7, 688, 691 J 6(>2, 696, 701, 709, 711, 718, 72S, SS3, 9S6. Strong, Xatlian, M.D., 309. Strong, Sophia, 697. Strong, Wareham, 747. Strong, Hon. William, 296, 419. Strong, Rev. William, 295, 296, 313, 419. 437, 48S, 509> 520, 532, 585. 625, 652, 655, 777, 788, 89S, 927, 967, 1019, 1021. Strong, Mrs., 765. Stowe, Mrs. Harriet Beecher, 149. Stowe, Joshua, 286. Stowe, Ohio, 257, 285. Stuart, Prof. Moses, 796, 979. Students in Divinity, 297. Student's Pocket Dictionary, 191. Sturbridge, Mass., 603. Sudbury, Vt.,S5,667. Suetonius, 675. Suffieid, Ct., 100, 173, iSS, 299, 300, 312, 316, 317, 334, 352. 375. 418, ^43o» 475, S15, 5"^. 547. &30, 76s. 813. 885, 919, 923, 947. Suffieid, Ohio, 257. Suffrage, 349. Sullivan, Gov. James, 321, 328, 332, 3S2, 358. 392. Sully, 828. Summe of Church Discipline, Hook- er's, 947. Summit County, Ohio, 215, 233, 257, 284. Sumner, George, M.D., 8S3. Sumner, Gov. Increase, 85, 86, 95. Sumner, Joseph, D.D., 973. Sunbur>', Penn., 209, Sunday Evening, 15. Sunday restored in France, 171. Sunderland, Mass., 641. Sunderland, Vt., 82. Susquehanna River, 20, 167,205,206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 235, 290, 324, 390. Sutton, Mass., 279. Swan, Rev. Roswcll R., 795. Swan, Rev. William, 212. Swansea, Mass., 97. Swanzcv, N. H.,641. Sweetze'r, Seth, D.D., 630. Swift, Rev. Ephraim Griswold, 450, 67S, 766- Swift, Job, D.D., 7, 14, 82, 93, 153, 170. Swift, Rev. Seth, i, 15, 93, 180, 31S, 333- Switzerland, 57, 102, 1S6. 972. Synopsis Criticorum Biblicorum, 329. Synopsis, Poole's, 186. Systematic Divinity, 736. Tait, Rev. Samuel, 269. Talcfitt, Rev. Hervcy, 584- Talcott, Tared G., 763. Talcott, l\lr., 1020. Talcott Mountain,'a98, 317, 323, 353, 397. S^o, 707. Tallmadgc, Elisha, 761. Tallniadge, Ohio, 266. Tamarind, 562. Tanner, Capt., 242, 243. Tari, Switzerland, 409. Task, Cowpcr's, 346. Taste Scheme in Theolofty, 641. Taunton, Mass., 34, 97, 99> 7i9, 74S* 929. Taylor, ClarisRa, 127. Taylor, Cyprian, 667. Taylor. Rev. J. P., 9, 81,984. Taylor, Rev. James, 641. 645. Taylnr, John, I>.n.,36. Taylor, Rev. Nathaniel, 98. Taylor, Prof. Nalhamel W., D.D., 102, 112, P20. Taylor, Mrs., 189, Teignmouth, Lord, 549. Telemachus, 660, 662. Templcton, Mass., 835. Tennessee, 37. Tenney, Caleb J., D.D., 70S, 762, 830, 863, 901, 902. Tcrreau, Gen., 291. Terry, Mrs. Chloe, 871, 874. Terry, Clarissa, 761. Terry, Ely, 761. Terr>', Horace, 600. Terry, Joseph, S72. Tern', Gen. Nathaniel, 513. Terrj*, Oliver Grant, 874. Terry, Samuel, 569, 571. Terr>-, Seth, Esq., 803, 1009. Tern', Silas, 496. Terr>-, Silas Buruham, S74. Terry, Mr., 5S2, 587. Tewicsbury, Mass., 152. Texel, 98. Thacher, James, M.D., 98. Thames River, 84. Thanksgiving Days, 25, 44, 70, lor, 126, 154, 155, 184, 274, 306, 340, 377, 419, 496, 5.14, 609, 624, 649, 686, 722, 759, 760, 763, 764, 82S, 878, 911. Thanksgiving, Democratic, 191. Thanksgivings, State and National, 523. 624. The Forresters, 112, 113, 116. The Triangle, 684. The Street, 405. Theological Institute of Connecticut, 622. Theological Magazine, 34, 43, 47, 49, 51, 58, 62, 463, 709- Theological Seminary, New Haven, 102. Theology Explained, Dwight's, 737. Thetford, Vt., 153,641. Thomas, Isaiah, 300, 398, 466, 500, 50^. 575. 973- Thomas, Judge Joshua, 612. Thompson, Dr. Augustus A., 83. Thompson, G. D., 53, 98. Thompson, George, 53, 55. Thompson, Joseph P., D-D., 593. Thompson, Dr. William, 83. Thompson, Aunt, 17, 86, 98. Thompson, Dr., 6. Thompson, Ct., 520, 742. Thomson, James, 72, 73. Thornton, John, 411. Thucydidcs, 6S4, 686, 687, 1022. Tichenor, Gov. Isaac, 91, 375. Tilestnn, Dea. Thomas, 721. Tillotson, Dr. John, 977. Tilsit, Peace of, 326, 331, 348. Tioga, Penn., 205, Tioga Point, 205. Tioga River, 206. Tiverton, R. I., 149. ^ Tobacco Crop, 717. Todd. Eli, M.D., 979, loio, 1014. Tolland Association, 55, 204, 1006. Tolland County, Ct., 69. Tolland, Ct., 36, 313, 394, 478,480, 48f', 5'9. 553. 557. 5'P. 744. 79^, 89''', p03, 934. 935. /'i, 9(>7' Tompkms, Hon. Daniel D., 359, 510. Tonawanda, N. V., 174. Tonawanda River, 17.1. Tonawanda Swamp, 174. Toogood, Rev. Charles, 62. Top boots, 606. Tornado, 563. Torres Ve'dras, 457. Torrcy, Rev. Reuben, 875. ToiTey, Rev. William T., 746. Torrinpfortl, 45, 46, 47, 50, 52, 53, 55, 57. 58. 64, 65, 81, 94, 96, HI, 187, 300, 301, 302, 305, 506, 514, 539, 63S. 640, 822, 855, 921, 968. Torringtoii, Ct., 21, 35, 39, 471 52, 68, 95, 96, 220, 250, 296, 301, 327, 338. 339, 414. S^>i^ 567- Tour to the Hebrides, 523. Tower, G. H., 237, 239,254,260, 265, 4S7. Towns in Ohio named from Connec- ticut, 237. Townsend, Jeremiah, 65. Townsend, Mr., 204, 260. Tracy, Gen. Uriah, 137, 225, 286, 330. Trafalgar, Battle of, 275, 292. Training Days, 113, 121, 123, 209, 832. Traits of the Aborigines, 932. Travels in New England and New York, S95. Treadwell, Gov. John, 56, 295, 301, 302, 416, 428, 433, 434, 437, 472, 473. 474. 477. 607, 936, 944. Treaty of Paris, 598. Trenton, N. J., 291, 6S3, S59. Trenton, N. Y., 204. Trial of Virtue, a Poem, 305. Trinity College, 103, 8S3, S91, 964. Trinity, Doctrine of, 420. Tiiplc Alliance, 568. Tripoli, 291. Tristram Shandv, 632, 633, 817. Troy, N. Y., 156. True Holiness, by Dr. Hopkins, 39. Trumbull, Benjamin, D.D., 46, 47, 54. 55. 5^. 94, S^o, 742, 758, 784. 905. 913. 915- Trumbull, Col. John, 292, 979. Trumbull. Judge John, 855, 886. Trumbull, Gov. Jonathan, Sr., 323, 7S3. Trumbull, Gov. Jonathan, Jr., 56, *95, '9**, 219, 292, 322, 396, 404, 406, 407, 416, 783. Trumbull County, Ohio, 215, 216, 218, 219, 222, 223, 227, 229, 233, 240, 241, 243, 247, 250, 253. 255, 256, 257. 264, 267, 271, 274. Trumbull's Works, 8S6, 934. Tnixton, Capt. Thomas, 109. Tubbs, Mr., 208. Tucker, Mr., 106. Tudor, Edward, M.D., 758, 896. Tudor, Elihu, M.D., 368, 456, 495, 512, 537, 560, 615, 632, 688, 703, 725. 732, 758. 7^, 772, 805, 819, 821, 863, S81, 910, 913, 919, 945, 1024. Tudor, Ehza, 839. Tudor, Lucrjtia, 846. Tudor, Naomi, 6S3. Tudor, Mi-s. Naomi (Diggins), 517, 679, 683. Tudor, Oliver, 419, 424, 541, 580, 650, 691, 846, 871,953. Tutlor, Samud, 376, 419, 421, 425, 432. 5'7. f»83, 7S4, S19, 897, 902, 900, yin. Tudor, Mrs. Samuel, 419, 497, 630, 6^3. Tudor, Rev. Samuel, 368. Tudor, Sophia, 610, 65o, 691. Tudor, Ursula, 376, 517, 6S3. Tunii, Bey of, 291. Tunkhannnck Creek, Penn., 207. Turkey Hills, Ct., 95, 352, 353, 355, 356, 357, 359. 369, 375, 405, 474, 621, 626, 630, 645, 647, 64S, 661, 668, 669, 697, 724, 730, 738, 760, 761, 784, 799, 817, 829, 830, 834, 852, 8^>o, 862, 864, 8S5, 896, 94a. Turks, 86, 150. Turner, Bates, 89, 91. Turner, John, 449. Turner, Nathaniel, i, 18, 24, 82, 90, 135, 139, 140. 141. 36a, 449. 5»8. Turner, Samuel, 449. Turner, Rev. W. W., 981, 984. Turnpikes, 116, 139, Turrell, Rev. E.,972. Tuscarora Indians, 174. Tuscarora, N. Y., 168, 174. Tuthill, Rev. Moses, 984. Tattle, Misses, 984. Twelve Caisars, 675. INDEX TO VOLUME I. 1049 Twenty below Zero, 3S4. Twiniiig, Stephen, 774, 903. Tyler, Bennct, D.D., 301. Tyler, Pres. John, 333. Tyler, Rev. Lemuel, 371. Tyler, Rev. Samuel, 23. Tyler Grip, 333. Typhus Fever, 798. Tyringhani, Mass., 20, 40, 143, 145, 192. Tyrol, 661. Tytler, Alexander Fraser, 755, S4S. Tytler's History, 754, 755. 757. 758, 762, 764, 799, Soo, yo2, S03, 804, S05, 807, 808, S13, 84S, 853, 86g, S70, S71, S73, S74, 917. Ufford, Nancy, 52S. Unadilla River, 205. Union College, 86, 94, 14S, 179, 337, 360, 37i> 4^7j 59'^j ^4, S91, 9t>6, 967. United States Ship of War, 543. Unity, Penn., 211, 212. Universal History, 19S, 296, 302, 410, 417, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425. 426, 430, 434, 435. 43*'. 437. 440, 442, 443. 444, 44'J, 447, 44S, 451, 452, 454, 455, 45'^, 474. 47S, 4S0, 4S1, 482, 4S3, 485, 4S6, 4S7, 495. 496, 49S, 499. 501. 502, S<^^> 504, 505, 5o6» 508. 512, 513, 515, 522, 523, 524, 527, 52S, 529, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 53^, 537, 540, 54I1 542. 543, 544, 545. 546, 547. 548, 551. 554, 557, 559. 561, 5^H> 566, 568, 572, 573, 578, 579, 580, 5S3. 5S4. 5S5. 5S7, 588, 589. 591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, 597, 599, 600, 604, 605, 606, 607, 60S, 6og. Universal Restoration, in Four Dia- logues, Winchester, 251. Universal Suffrage, 748. Universalists, 49, 206, 20S, 209, 266, 393, 425,925,926. University of St. Andrew, 37. University of Vermont, 153, 396,603, 636, gSo. Upper Neshannock, Penn., 265. Upson, Mr., 194. Upton, Mass., 549, 6S7. Utica, N. v., 15S, 160, 162, 163, 164, 168, 173, 177. Uxbridge, Mass., loi. Vagabond, iSi, 186. Vaill, Rev. Joseph, 184. Van Shaack, Henry, S. Vancluse, ion. Variations of Popery, 967. Variations of Protestantism, 967. Vasa, Gustavus, 102. Vattell, 6, g. Venice, 39. Vergennes, Vt., 87, 154, 155, 156, 315. Vermont, 38, 43, 194. Vermont University, 372. Vernon, Ct., 73, 335, 363, 386, 394, 401, 407, 437, 447, 469, 595, ^'o, 63S, 642, 697, 700, 735, 789, 800, S26, 850, 876, S77, 878, S94, 90S, 912, 915, 934, 937» 943, 947, 949, 952, 994, 995- Vernon, N. V., 177. Venion, Ohio, 243, 26S. Verona, Rattle of, 87. Verona, N. Y., 1S3. Vershire, Vt., 153. Version of New Testament, Gries- back's, 436. Verstille, Charlotte, 520, 523, 730. Verstille, Eliza, 657. Verstille, Nancy, 730. Verstille, Peter, 730. Vicar of Wakefield, 303, 390, 466. Victor, Marshal, 474- Victona, Queen, 813, 815. Vienna. Austria, 410. Vienna, Ohio, 219, 221, 226, 228,240, 242, 243, 251, 252, 254, 255, 263, 266, 268, 2.75, 283, 288. View of the Prophecies. 1- aber's, 405. Village Sermons, Burder'>, 431, 448. Villeneuve, Admiral, 275. Vimiera, Battle of, 367, 373. Vindication of the Scriptures, 40. Virgil's jEneid, 339, 695, 696. Virginia, 116, 162, 210, 729. Voltaire, 78. Voluntown, Ct., 58. Vote in Conuecticut, iSio, 437. Wadsworth, Rev. Charles, 927, 941. \\ adsworth, Elijah, 2S6. Wadsworth, Ezekiel, 51S. Wadswoi-th, Mr., of Geneseo, N. Y., 553- Wadsworth. Mr., 216. Wadsworth's Tower, 317, 707. Wagram, Battle of, 402, 403, 409, 410. Wainwright, Jona. Mayhew, D.D., 743. Wait, T. B., &Co., 575,581. Waldo, Rev. Horatio, 363, 366. Waldo, Mr., 47S. Wales, Eleazer, 20. Walker, Samuel, 1023. Walker, William, 40. Walkley, Mr., 899. Wall Street Presbyterian Church, 136. Wallingford, Ct., 134, 136,225,371, 510, 744. 904, 756, 832. Walpole, N. H., 153. Walter, a se^^"ant, 414. Waltham, Mass., 156. Waltham Watch Factory, 580. Walton, N. Y., 204. Walworth, Judge John, 259, 260. Wapping, East Windsor, Ct., 371, 379, 383, 3S4, 402, 404, 405, 412, 415, 421, 431, 434, 442, 447, 452 453, 456, 460, 463, 469, 474, 475; 476, 477, 4S1, 493, 494. 49^, 499. 501, 506. 509, 510, 523. 524. 5281 530, 531, 532, 534, 539. 54T, 544 547, 554, 555, 559, 5^3, 568, 572. 574. 579, 5S1, 584, 592, 595, 606, 607, 609, 610, 616, 61S, 622, 627, 630, 636, 63S, 649, 650, 651, 662 663, 667, 673, 676, 677, 6S0, 682 6S4, 686, 696, 699, 703, 706, 70S 712, 713, 7M, 727, 729» 731, 735; 736, 743, 750, 751, 752, 753, 755: 757, 762, 769, 772, 774, 776. 777; 781, 792, 794, 796. 798, 804, 805, 807, 810, S13, 815, 719, S25, 829, 833, S34, S36, 840, S47, 853, S54, S61, S65, S77, S82, 894, 895, 905. 918, 919. 92f>, 931, 943, 946, 951^ 955. 960, 978, 9S0, 984, 98S, 989, 995, 1015, 1016, 1017. War of 1812,424. Warburton, Eliza, 871, 878. Warburton, John, 447- Ward, Henry, 834. Ward, Rev. Israel, 193, 292. Ward. Sally, 600. Ward, Dr., 203. Ward & Bartholomew, S64, 881. Wardlaw, Ralph, D.D., 655, 656, 671, 6S3, 6S4. Ware. Mass., 152. Wareham, Mass., 98, 149, 4M- Warehouse Point. Ct., 427, 446, 495i 519, 521. 5S7. 633, 63S, 664, 669, 713, 741, 823, 8S5, 890, S91, 92I1 936, 95S. 99»- Wai-field, Ei>hraim, 791. Warham, ^Ir. John, 580. Warren. Sir John Borlasse, 73. Warren, Moses, 270. Warren, Rev. Moses, 549. Warren, Rev. Mr., 655. Warren, Ct., 10, 12, 35, 43, 67, 6S, 89, 93, 101, 107, 117, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 198, 256, 261, 292, 293, 302, 305, 325, 333, 404, 434, 437, 438, 577, 704, 73i. 9", 92S, 945, 963. Warren, Mass., 369. Warren, Ohio, 218, 224, 228, 231,235, 240, 242, 243, 244, 254, 257, 258, 264, 265, 266, 269, 270, 274, 275, 2S5, 288, 301. Warren, R. I., 96, 97, loi, 149. Washington, George, President of the United States, in the last year of bis second term on the opening of this diary, 7 ; refusing to give the papers relating to the British Treaty at the call of the House of Representatives, 7 ; his f.ircwcll address, 13 ; would not be a candi- date for a third term, 20, 65, 74; his death, 103, 104, 105, 106; his death commemorated generally by request of Congress, 108, no; his death noticed in foreign papers, 112, 127, 16S, 171, 218, 299, 399, 620; his legacies, 157,983. Washington Benevolent Society, 667. Washington Bridge Lottery, 65 1.665. Washington College (changed to Trin- ity), 962, 9S9. Washington College, Tenn., 967. Washington County, Penn;, 211, 230, 231, 272. Washington, Ct., 133, 137,425,490, 645. Washington, D. C, 17S, 601. Washington, Marshall's Life of, 308, 309- Washington, Mass., 60, 139, iSo, 266, 29g, 399, 620, 940, 963. Washington, Penn., 301. Washington Society in East Hart- ford. 620. Washington, Vt., 153. Washbuni, Rev. Joseph. 183. Washburn, Mr., and Wife, 131. Wasp, Sloop of War, 544. Watch, 570. Waterbur^s Ct., 101, 355, 802. Waterhurv, Vt., 153. Waterford, N. Y., 178, 498. Waterford, Ohio, 272, 279, 281. Waterloo, Battle of, 635. Waterman, Rev. Elijah, 313, 710, 7S3, 1003. Waterman, 'Samuel, 098. Waterman, Samuel, Jr., 99S. Waterman, Rev. Samuel, 744, 79*- Waterman, Sarah A. M., 747. Waterman, Esq., 117. Waters, Rev. Bulkley, 763. Watertown, Ct., 65, 123, 132, 204, 556, 966. Watertown, Mass., 151. Waterqueechy River, Vt., 153. Water\Iiet, N. Y., 156, 178. Watkinson, Robeft, 634. Watson, E. R., 33, 34. 39. 63,292. Watson, Ebenezer, 120. Watson, Mrs. Ebenezer, 120. Watson, Henr>', 754, 982. Watson, James, 10, 33,35, '36, '47. 57..S56 Watson, Mrs. Tames, 291. Watson, Mrs. Jcnisha, 637. Watson, Tohn, Sen., oSi, 9S2. Watson, John, Jr., 9S2. Watson, Nancv, S04- Watson, Rich.ird Bishop, 23, 29. Watson, Sally, 836. Watson, Timothy, 779. Watson, Mr., 341, 666, Wattle Fcrr>', N. Y., 205. Wav, Ambrose, 026. Wavne Countv. Ohio, 248. Webb, James Watson, 10. Webster, Betsey, 777- 1050 DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS. D.D. Webster, Hon. Daniel, 773,844. Webster, Elizabeth, S46. Webster, Levi, 717. Webster, Widow Lucy, 917. Webster, Noah, LL:1J., S, 127, 131, 741, 8O5. Webster, Prudence, 777. Weed, Col., S3 5. S?8. Weeks, Rev. Holland, 60, 67, 101, 103, 529. Weir, Mr., of Boston, 433, 435, 436. Welch, Benjamin, M.D., 47S, 604. Welch, Daniel, 8. Welch, Rev. Daniel, 8. Welch, Moses C, D.D., 514, 7S6, S21. Welch, Whitman, S. Weld, Rev. Liidovicus, 315,' S55. Wellington, Lord, 3S8, 457, 528, 563, 5^% 635. 636. Wells, Alexander, 555. Wells, Ann, 777. Wells, Ann Maria, S35. Wells, Cornelius, 799, 809, 812. Wells, Rev. Eliiali G., 92S, 929. Wells, Mr>. Esther, 5S3. Wells, J. L,9So. Wells, Justus Denslow, 485. Wells, Mary, 60S. Wells, Nancy, 79S. Wells Street, 5S3. Weils, Vt.,83, 93. Welsh, Esq., 130. Wenham, Mass., 151. Wentworth, Thomas, 140. Wesel, Germany, f)59. Wesleyan University, 964. West, Benjamin, 858. West, Rev. Joel. 72, 75, 79, 183. West, Stephen, D.D., 32, 36, 37, 38, 56, 57. 59» 61, 63, 64, 67, 75, 139, 145, 198, 202, 210, 239, 296, 313, 316, 320, 321,^322, 324, 333, 341, 420, 426, 450, 477, 619, 666, 67S, 766, 93S. West, Mrs. Stephen, 932. West Bloomfield, N. V., 175. West Britain, Ct., 130. West Chester, Ct., 70, 183, 517. West Granville, Mass., 440. West Hartford, Ct.,60, 103, 132, 149, 151, 2S4, 294, 298, 333, 337, 349, 357. 360. 399» 426, 440, 478, 490, 498, 516, 591, 644, 669, 670, 688, 705* 741, 799, S02, S09, 822, 830, 860, 865, 872, 895, 929, 930, 985. West Hartland, Ct., 57, 355, 399, 440, 669, 704, 822, 895. West Haven, Ct., 441, 5S7. West Haven, Vt., S3, 156. West Indies, 11. West Point Academy, 109, 959. West Koxbury, Mass., 296. West Rutlancl, Vt., 93. West Simsbury, 12, 63, 69, 70, 347, 782, 926, 042. West Springfield, Ma.ss., 284, 441, 793. 797. 801, 030, 982, 9S3. West Stafford, Ct., 324. West Suffield, Ct., 474, 516, 608, 609, 61 r, 621, 668, 705, 711, 720, 754, 7K5, 787. 802, 8S5, 888, 933. West Virginia, 271. Western, Mass., :S2, 973. We>tem New York, 373. Western Reserve College, 224, 259, 8'>S. Western Reserve, Ohio, 82, 130, 196, 270, 284, 325, 337, 349, 408, 489, 863, 093- Western World, 178. Westiicld Academy, Mass., 343, 386, 407. Wesifidd, Mass., 133, 303, 34.1. 355i .^5^. 370. 374, 375. 386, 394, 423, 412, 444, 452, 515, 516, 519, 520, 52>. 529, 5J». 544. 547. 548, 567, 615, 641, 642, 643, 660, 665, 761, 765. 779. 875. Wcstfield, N. v., 156. Westlield, Ohio, 225, 241, 266. Westford, Ct., 355, 665,802. Westford, Mass., 152, S91. Westminster Confession and Cate- chism, 230. Westmoreland County, Penn., 211, 226, 229. Westmoreland, N. Y., 162, 167, 172, 194. Weston, Rev. Hercules, 41,132, 135. Weston, Ct., 117, iiS, 632, 704, 742. Westphalia, 34S, 598. Westport, ?»lass., 149. Westward Expansion, 901. Wethersfield, Ct., 44, 69, 76, 80, 95, 96, 199, 360, 364, 369, 378, 4o(>, 427. 455, 460, 487, 512, 537, 541, 55*. 559. 57S, 597, 612, 708, 742, 762, S16, S26, S30, 36i, 863, 869, S70, 902, 908, 964, 983, 984, 1004. Weybridge, Vt., 91, 92, 476, 597. Whallev the Redcide, 72^. Wheaton, Nathaniel S., "D.D., 894, 937- Wheeler, Rev. Abraham, 7i(). Wheeling, Va., 271. Whcelock, Eleazer, D.D., 370, 37O, 389. Wheelock, Mrs. Mary (Brinsmade), S?*^, 371- Whelpley, Rev. Philip M., 697. Wlielpley. Rev. Samuel, 6S5, 730. Whitby, Daniel, 675, 682, 725. Whitby's Commentar>', t>S2, 725. White, Rev. Ebenezer R., 106, 107, 926. White, Mrs. Ebenezer R., 109. White, Eunice, 5115. White, Joseph ^ioss, io6. White, Rev. Levi, 140, 181. White, Col. R., 319, 391, 510, 834. White, Rev. Stephen, 1009. White, Rev. Thomas, 62. White, Dea., 135. White River, Vt., 153. Whitcborough, N. V., 160, 162, 164, 165, 16S, 169. Whitefield, Rev. George, 304, 305, 8<;3. Whitehall, N. V., 156, Whitestown, X. Y., 141, 142, lji^, 157. 159. 164, 171. »73. »74. >8'>. 238, 241, 243, 29S, 300, 33S, 543, go2. Whiting, Flavel, 669. Whiting, Rev. Francis L., 372. Whiung, Mr., 676. Whiting, Vt., 85, 627. Whitman, Rev. Elnathan, 624, 712, Sot. Whitman, Rev. John S., 216. Whitman, Zcchariah J., 1022. Whitman, Dr., 722, 738,742,986,989. Whitman, Mr., 946. Whitman Family, 898. Whitney, Eli, 34S. Whitney, Josiah, D.D., 977, 9S1. Whittlesey, Miss Betsey, «;o4. Wliittlesev, Rev. Chau'nccy, 904. Wliittlesey, David, 972. Wliitilcsey, Hon. Elisha. 218, 224. Whittlesey, Rev. John B., 601. Whittlesey, Roger, 972. Whittlesey, Rev. Samuel, 316, 744, 792, 908, 920. 946,954- Whittlescy, Mr., 104, loS, 109, 129, 140. 163, 297. 3". 500, 705- Whittlesey Familv, 190, 19a, 193. Wick, Rev. William, 224, 232, 233, 2 53- Wicken, Eng., 188. Wight, Henr>', D.D., 96, 148, 526, lOIO. Wilberforce, William, 133, 312. Wilbrahani, Mass.,'216, 549, 620. Wilbur, Rev. Har^*ey, 630, 647, 648. W'ilcox, Rev. Carlos, 979, 9S4, 985, 987, 95**- Wilcox, Jeremiah, 2S6. Wilcox, Thomas, 177. Wilcox, Dr., 224, 240, 295, 303, 320. Wilder, S. V. S.,636. Wildman, Rev. Beniamin, 457. Wiley, Rev. Mr.,2S9. Witkesbarre, Penn., 207, 215, 291. Wilkinson, Jemima, 173. Wilkinson's Atlas, O31. Willard, Pres. Joseph, 62, 93. Willard, Rev. Samuel, 93. Williams, Aaron Gilman, 674. Williams, Abigail, 8S6, 935. Williams, Ebenezer, 40S. Williams, Eiiphalct, D.D., 152, 886, 935- Williams, Elizabeth, 36. 324. Williams, Col. Enhraim, 36. Williams, Ezekicl, 960. Williams, John, 721. Williams, Jonathan, 5S1. Williams, Joseph, 2S5, 871, 896. Williams, Joseph, Jr., S96. \\'illiams. Rev. Joshua, 625. Williams, Mar>', 871. Williams, Naomi, 871. Williams, Nathan, D.D., 313, 394, 478, 4S6, 519, 700, 796, 903, 934. Williams, Owen Drake, 632. Williams, Racliel, 842. Williams, Sally, 55S. Williams, Samuel, f>95. Williams, Samuel Porter, 57S. Williams, Sarali, 907. Williams, Solomon, 1^2, 642. Williams, Solomon, D.D., 152, 410, 783- Williams, Stephen, D.D., 907. Williams, Susan, 517. Williams, Susan E., 581. Williams, Rev. Thomas, 537, 830, 976. WilUams, Hon. Thomas Scott, 964. Williams, William, 152, 7S3. Williams, Rev. Mr., 299. Williams, Mrs., 9S3. Williams & Whiting, 438, 442, 443, WilUams College, i, 2, 3, 9, ii, la, 14, 16, 20, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 40, 50, 56, 59, Co, 62, 03, 67, 69, 71,82, 86, 94, 95, 100, J03, 133, 136, I45» *77» 17S, 179, 180, 242, 284, 292, 301, 309, 315. 319. 333. 335. 343» 348, 3^^. 372. 377. 392. 395, 424^ 434, 443, 450. 45S, 49*. 498, 542, 562, 57>> 577. ^*. ^5. ^*2, 636, 641, 679, 701, 711, 719, 754, 766, 800, S34. 839, S74, 895, 904, 938. Williamstown, Mass., 1, a, 3, 4, 5, 7, 17, 19, 24, 25, 28. 29, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38, 40. 56, 60, 6r, 63, 67, 93, 154, 179, .U^>333. 370.371.938. Willington, Ct., 742, 967, 1019. Willis, Dca. Nathaniel, 872, 886, 947. Willis, Nathaniel Parker, 872. W'illis, Richard Storrs, R72, Williston, Kcv. David H., 184, 194, Williston, Rev. No.ih, 441- Williston, Rev. Payson, 441. Williston, Hon. Samuel, 441. Williston. Rev. Seth, 63, 173, 176, Soo, 93 8. Williston Academy, Mass., 441. Williston, Vt., 89, 173. Wills, Mr., 914. Wilson. James P., D.D., 857, 858. Wilson, Mr. [ohn, 541. Wilson, Knbcrt G., D.0., 857. Wilson, General, 22. Wilton, Ct., 126. Wilton, N. H..474- Winchendon. N. H., 835, 837, 883. Winchester, Rev. Elnathan, 251. INDEX TO VOLUME I. 1051 Winchester, Ct.,35, 81, 109, 131, 135, 138, 142, 197, 294, 300, 301, 304, 30S, 309. 3ii> 312. 3"6. 3"7. 319, 323. 326, 33". 332, 333, 334, 335> 337. 33S, 359. 340. 343. 3SS. 428, 429. 439, 549, 567, 606. Winchester, N. H., 641. Winchester, Va., S58. Windham County Association, 20. Windham, Ct., 14, 96, 148, 179, 304, 312, 313, 314, 315. 323. 357. 542. 558, 572. 720, 766, 954, '009. Windsor, Ct., 45, 52, 92, 173, 247, 299. 3t2, 317, 334. 349, 35i, 3^3, 364, 366, 367, 372, 379, 380, 384, 3SS, 391, 393, 399. 400, 401, 411, 413, 425. 432, 443, 445. 458. 468, 470. 47S, 479, 4S1, 497. 49S, 503, 504. 507. 529. 532. 543. 544. 555. 577. 5S0. 581, 5S2, 5S3, 587, 623, 629, 630, 637, 646, 649, 661, 669, 671, 674, 676, 677, 686, 694, 695, 696, 697, 704, 719, 732, 750, 756, 778, S03, 805, Sio, 872, 837, S40, 854, 860, S63, 871, 877, 8S4, 900, goi, 906, 907, 909, 923, 926, 935, 954, 968, 981, 983, 989, 999, 1017, loiS. Windsor Farms, 82S. Windsor LocliS, 8S0. Windsor, .Mass., 938. Windsor, Ohio, 247, 248, 264. Windsor, Vt., 153, 641. Windsorville, 943. Wing, Mr., 6S3. Winsted, 50, 52,81, 304,319,333,377, 561, 957. Winter's Cold, 84. Winlhrop, John, Sen., 492, 505, 521, 541. Winlhrop, John, Jr., 192. Wintlirop, JMr., 361. Winthrop's, John, Sr., Journal, 505, 507. Wintonbury, Ct, 31S, 349, 352, 380, 426, 440. 516, 526, 551, 629, 669, 704, 707. 737. 803, 847, 901, 924, 953- Wisner, Benjamin B., D.D., 974. Witepsk, Battle of, 543. Wobnrn, Mass.,S92. Wolcott, JMaj., Abiel, 376, 377,397, 414, 417, 425, 428, 443, 452. 454. 456. 457. 460, 463, 467. 47'. 474, 480, 4S3, 486, 4S9. 491. 492, 495. 498, 499. 5o>. 502, 503. 505. 506, 507, 508, 51S. 519, 522. 5-3. 524. 529. 534, 536. 541. 547, 548, 560, 562, 563. 569, 573, 575, 578, 579, 580, 5S2, 588, 5S9, 594, 597, 598, 599, 601, 608, 609, 610, 6l2, 616, 622, 624, 625, 626, 62S, 629, 637, 639, 640, 651, 652, 670, 673, 674, 6S3, 6S7, 694, 695, 697, 698, 707, 720, 724, 736, 748, 750, 766, 772, 773. 774. 775, 776. 777, 778, 779, • 7S0, 784, 7S5. 788, 790, 794, 799, S02, 804, 805, 807, 80S, 809, 810, 814, 81S, 816, 822, 823, 827, S29, 530, 837, 840, 841. 844, 85S, S61, S64, 876, 877, 882, 916, 926, 955, 956. 9S8, 997, 1016. Wolcott, Mrs. Abiel, 419, 423, 443, 470. 4S5. 4S6, 508, 519, 524, 525, 57", 593. 594, 597. 630, 638, 674, 679, 6gi, 693, 720, 722, 729, 750, 757, 805, Sio, S41, 877, 8S2, 917, 937, 943. 945. 953. 972, 9S5. Wolcott, Abigail, SS6. Wolcott, Albert, 411. Wolcott, Albert, jr., 428, 429, 43L, Wolcott, .Mexander, 971- Wolcott, Alexander, M.D., 719, 971. Wolcott, Mrs. Alexander, 50S. Wolcott. Rev. Allen. 491. Wolcott, Almira, 610. Wolcott, Benjamin, 416. Wolcott, Betsey, 579. Wolcott, Catharine, 717. Wolcott, Chloc, 897. Wolcott, Christopher, M.D., 508. Wolcott, Cornelius, 513. Wolcott, Hon. Era5tus,43t, 507, 572, 753.927. Wolcott, Erastus, Jr., 535. Wolcott, Elihu, 627, 638, 789, 794, 871,927,983. Wolcott, Mrs. Elihu. 5S7, 8SS, 889. Wolcott, Elizabeth, 838, S56. Wolcott, Elizur (son of Elihu), 725, 971. Wolcott, Mrs. Elizur, 718, 719. Wolcott, Eveline (Mrs. Edgar Bis- sell), 524, 729. 743. 810, 939, 962, 982, 983, 985. Wolcott, Frances (Mrs. Harris Has- kell), 436, 452, 467, 478, 50S, 522, 523. 547. 556. 5S9. 607, 643, 645, 649, 651, 656, 657, 658, 659, 6Sd, 729, 7!;2, 858, 866, 869, 87s, 876, S77, SSo, 8S2, 884. Wolcott, Frances Jane, 789. Wolcott, Frederick, 427, 434, 556, 1008. Wolcott, Gideon, 413, 971. Wolcott, Harold, 414. Wolcott, Helen, 505, 903. Wolcott, Helen Maria, 983. Wolcott, Henry, the American Founder, 401. Wolcott, Hiram, 981. Wolcott, Horace, 665, 925. 965. Wolcott, Jerusha, 9SS. Wolcott, Dr. John, 56. Wolcott, Julia, 525, 927. Wolcott, Widow Margaret, 542. Wolcott, Gov. Oliver, Sen., 7,43,45, 56, 402, 404, 427, S17. Wolcott, Gov. Oliver, Jr., 404, 409, 427, 556, 65S. 664, 663, 699, 700, 702, 70s. 7'6. 74'. 742. 743. S17, S55, 1003, looS. Wolcott, Gov. Roger, 7, 45, 431, 572, 728,818.953. Wolcott, Mrs. Ruth, 485. Wolcott, Samuel, 413, 466, 506, 544, 555. 579. 753. 838, 856, 887, 988, 1000. Wolcott, Samuel, D.D., 553, 627. Wolcott, Samuel Tudor, 467, 470, 471. 496. 5t5. 5'6. 5'9, S'°. S3". 544. 545. 547, 54?. 560, 656, 670, 715, 724, 736, 778, 7S4, 810, 841, 842, 846, 854, S56, 859, 860, 882, SSS, 1016. Wolcott, Simon, 416. Wolcott, Ursula, daughter of Abiel, 376. 438, 49". 497. 499, SoS, 5". 516, 519, 521, 522, 523, 524, 527, 528, 530, 532, 543, 544, 552. 553. 555. 556. 558. 560. 573. 648, 651, 656, 674, 675, 705, 763, 810, 859, 960, 1000. Wolcott, Ursula, daughterof Samuel, 506, 589, 627. Wolcott, Dr. William, 766, 774, 779, 809. Wolcott, Hon. William, 750, 997, loiS. Wolcott, Old Mrs., 946. Wolcott Genealog>', 402, 403, 409. Wood. Calvin, 553. Wood, James. 605. Wood, Jemsha, 987. Wood, John, 17S. Wood, Rev. Luke. Soj. Wood, Obadiah, 7.55. Wood, Otis, .'i73. Wood, Sophi.l, 834. Wood, Svivia, 16;. Wood. l\trs. Ursula, 836. Wood, Willis, 558. Wood, Major, 165. Wood, Mr., 646. Woodbridgc, Diodate. 866. Woodbridge, Hon. Jahlcel, 17, 25, 67. 7>- Woodbridge, Mrs. Jahleel, 35. 27, 3Si 38, 67, 75, 76, 98. Woodbridge, Rev. JoHd, D.D., 326, 34t, ^.12, 706.938. Woodbridge, Joseph, 449, 678, 766, 875. 93'*. Woodbridge, Mar>", 452. Woodbridge, Timothy, 71. Woodbridge, Rev. Timothy, 912, 930. Woodbridgc, W., 935. Woodbridge, William, 1012. Woodbridge, Mrs. William, IC12. Woodbridge, William, Esq., 296 Woodbridge, William Channing, 771, 929. Woodbridge, Rev. William, 912,913, 927. Woodbridge, Judge, 606, 667. Woodbridge, Ct., 911. Woodbur>-, Ct., 24, 146, 414, 570, 705, 7:6, Soi, S70, 896. Woodruff, ReV. Ephraim T., 6S8. Woodruff, Judge, 606, 626, 671, 784. Woods, Prof. Leonard, D.D., 734. Woods, Rev. William, 212, 213, 289. Woodstock, Ct., 241. Woodward, Rev. Aaron, 121. Woodward, Prof. Bezaleel. 370. Woodward, Rev. James Wheelock, 370.371. Woodward, Mrs. Mary (Wheelock), 370. 37I- Woodward, Samuel, ^LD., 51. Woodworth, Rev. Ezra, 50, 52. Wooster, Rev. Benjamin, S3, 85, 91, 92. Wooster. Ohio, 24S. Worcester, Dr. Joseph. 4S9. Worcester, Samuel, D.D., 527. Worcester Countj-, 974. Worcester, Mass., 38, 152, 396, 398, 442, 466, 473, 475. 480, 500, 575, 626, 64S, 774, 776, 826, S77, 886, 9S0. Works of Dr. Bellamy, 515. Worthington, Mass., 677. Wrentham, Mass., 751. Wright, Dr., 23s, 236, 238, 250, 261, 262, 2SS. Wnrtemburg, Germany, 3S1. Wyahising. Penn., 206. Wyandot Indians, 254. Wyoming Battle Ground, 307. Wyoming County, Penn., 2C^. Wyoming River. 207. Wypore Creek, Penn., 206. Wyles, John, 2S6. Wyllis, Col., 902. Yale College, i, z, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, jo, 21, 22, 29, 42, 44, 45. 55. 57. 59. 60, 74, 82, 85, 94, 97, 98, 100, 106, 120, 123, 127, 135, 138, 139, 14', "45. 147, 149, 152, 153. 15s. '(>'< ''7. 169, 178, 179, >8S. '89. '90, 270, 282, 290, 311, 3"S. 326. 3.30, 333, 334. 350. 352. 355. 3(>3, 367. 369, 3S6. 401, 407, 426, 427, 430, 442, 454, 455, 459. 461. 467, 4'.8, 474. 475, 478, 489. 493. 496, 499. 5", 517, 522. 527, 548. 554. 5'>6. 577. 578, 584. 590. 593. 597. 598, 609, 613, 625. 626, 630, 637, 640, 644, 650, 668, 674, 583, 6}, 904. 905, 90*t 910, 913, 920, 926, 935, 936, 043. 047. 954. 964. 966.988. 1017. 1019, Yale College Chapel. 5.14- Yale College Corporation, 593. 1052 DIARY OF KEV. THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. Yale College Education Society, 780, Yale College Library, 292. Yale Medical School, 259. 626, 643, g66. Yale Theological Seminary, 112, S88, Yates County, N. Y., 173 926. Yannouth. Mass., 151, Yates, Andrew, D.D., 371, 372, 381, 390, 407, 415, 417, 419, 420. 423, 429, 430, 436, 45S, 479, 497, 507, 512, 513. 520, 521, 533, 535, 536, 542, 549. 553. 557, 568, 573i 577, sSo, 585. 586, 587. 588, 589, 594, York, Penn., 290. 595> 597. 598, S99» '>oo, 602, 604, York, Upper Canada, 551. Yorkshire, Eng., 209, 733. Youngstown, Ohio, 21S, 221,224, 23*. 256, 267, 270, 271, 283. Yearby, Alexander, 748, 749. Yellow Fever, 15, 40, 42, 63, 64, 65, 94, 121, 322, 797. Yohogany Forks, Pa., 211, 214, 219, 230,2^1,237,239,243,254,260,261, Zurich, Battle of, 87, 105. 264. York County, Pa., 290. Zemora, a Poem, 398. Zion's Pilgiim, 471. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES This book is due on the date indicated below, or at the expiration of a definite period after the date of borrowing, as provided by the library rules or the Librarian in charge. by special arran gement with DATE BORROWED DATE DUE DATE BORROV/ED DATE DUE , I'fQ 31 1949 , C2tt >747> MlOO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES imiI||ll|IIIMININ4il4»M 0038142619 92R53 R / r o (J-