31. Girls in the Kitchen out all night at a Dance 4 miles

TOWN, STATE, COUNTY AND PARISH TAX FOR 1817.

January, 1818.

1. Rev. Dr. Bancroft and wife-visit. Tarried till late in the Evening. Mrs. Seaver continues her visit.

2. Nath'. Maccarty, Esq. and wife-visit. Spent the Evening. Wrote Mrs. Goddard, of Providence Dec'. 27, on the Death of her husband, my friend Wm. Goddard, Esq. aged 79.

4. Went to Church twice. Contribution this day at the several Societies in this Town for building a General Hospital.1 Sum collected,

1 At the beginning of the nineteenth century there was no hospital in Boston for the treatment of general disease, though such institutions were already established in New York and Philadelphia. A bequest of five thousand dollars under the will of William Phillips, in 1804, was the real beginning of such an enterprize; but it was not until the summer of 1810 that active measures were taken to supply its want. 20 August of that year Dr. James Jackson and Dr. John Collins Warren issued a circular letter addressed to some of the most influential citizens of Boston and its neighborhood, asking for subscriptions for "a hospital for the reception of lunatics and other sick persons."

As a result of this letter, 25 February, 1811, fifty-six men were incorporated under the name of the "Massachusetts General Hospital." The charter granted to it, in addition, the fee simple of the old "Province House, upon the condition that one hundred thousand dollars should be subscribed by individuals within ten years. It was also helped in various other ways by the state. By a special resolve of the General Court, in 1817, the stone for the building was hammered by the convicts of the State Prison, in Charleston. Later, the charters of the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company, in 1818; of the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company, in 1835; of the State Mutual Life Assurance Company, of Worcester, in 1844; and of the Bowditch Mutual Life Insurance Company, in 1845, required that they should pay one third of their net profits to the hospital.

At their first meeting, 23 February, 1813, the trustees ordered the publication of an address to the public, accompanied by a circular letter to every clergyman in the Commonwealth. The response to this appeal was so generous, that in 1816, the trustees were enabled to buy an estate in Charlestown, (now Somerville) and to build two brick houses, which was ready for the reception of the insane, in 1818. This was the beginning of the McLean Asylum, a branch of the Massachusetts General Hospital, and named for one of its greatest benefactors, John McLean.

In November, 1817, a second circular letter was sent to the clergymen, to be read from their pulpits. Contributions were taken in the churches, and the amount received from these and from private gifts, authorized the immediate erection of

In Dr. Bancrofts, North Parish Chh. was

Mr. Goodrich's, South Parish Church

Baptist Church,

140 dols.

80 do.

00

5. Fire Society annual Meeting. Meet at Sikes's. Supped there. Was chosen Chairman. I was one of the first members of this Society, which was instituted 25 years ago. Mrs. Seaver ended her Visit and went home. She has been with us a week. Mrs. Thomas, visited at L. Lincoln, jun. The Town agree to purchase Jennison's Farm for 5500 dollars, on which to provide for its Poor. It is 2 miles from the Street, or rather the Court house.1

the hospital. The site selected for it was what was formerly known as "Prince's pasture, at the west end of McLean street. The main building, designed by Charles Bulfinch, was first opened to patients in 1821, and at that time was considered the finest building in New England.

Mr. Thomas, by his will, left a bequest to the hospital which amounted to more than five thousand dollars.

1 Previous to 1817 the poor of the town were supported by contract with the highest bidder at public auction. Owing to the general equality in the condition of the people, in the early days of the settlement, there was little poverty, and the few who needed assistance were cared for by private charity. In 1757 the first tax (£5 4s) was appropriated for their support. In 1772 a small wooden workhouse was built on Front street; and in 1807 it was determined to build a brick almshouse, but after the land and materials were purchased, the plan was abandoned. Notwithstanding the purchase of the Jennison farm at this time, Mr. Thomas made the following provision in his will, which was dated 13 November, 1820:

"I Give and Devise to the Town of Worcester forever, two Lots of Land on Thomas Street, one on the north side of said Street, bounded as follows-southwardly by Thomas Street-eastwardly by the Back Street or Road (Summer street) so called - northwardly by land lately owned by Nathan Patch and since by Geer Terryand westwardly by land formerly sold to one Shepard by me and now belonging to me. The other Lot, opposite to the last described Lot, having the same extent in front, and the northeast and northwest corners opposite to the southeast and southwest corners of that Lot; bounded, eastwardly, on the said Back Street or Road, southwardly on the late Daniel Heywood's land, westwardly on my own land, and northwardly on said Thomas Street. These Lots are given and devised on condition that the said Town, within three years after my decease, erect on one of them a Charity House facing the Street, the basement story of which shall be faced with hewn stones with at least two stories thereupon, permanently built of brick; and on the further condition, that said town pay annually to the Overseers of the Poor, twenty dollars, which sum shall be appropriated annually towards providing for the

7. Attend the annual Meeting of the Social Librarychosen Chairman-Resigned as Librarian. Very low spirited for the last two days. Examined the Books in the Social Library.

8. My son came here from Boston.

10. The whole of this day, I spent with my son adjusting our money concerns.

11. First sleighing in Worcester this season. Church twice.

Went to

13. Went this Evening with my son and grand daughter Augusta to the Schoolhouse in the Main Street to hear a Chimical Lecture delivered by Mr. Eaton from Newyork, who exhibited a few experiments. After which the assembly present chose a Moderator, and a debate ensued on the question, whether they would encourage M'. Eaton to deliver

poor persons maintained by the town in said Charity House, on thanksgiving days, a good and liberal dinner suitable for the occasion; also on that day, half a pint of common but good wine for each person, or a reasonable quantity of such other liquors as any of them may prefer, that they may have the means of participating on the days aforesaid, like their more affluent neighbors in some of the essential good things of this life bestowed by a bountiful Providence, and be enabled to unite in grateful orisons for the peace and felicity of our Country. And if the whole of said sum of twenty dollars should not be necessary in any year for the purpose aforesaid, the residue may be laid out in the purchase of books for the children of poor parents, or otherwise appropriated for the benefit of the poor as the Overseers or Trustees of the Charity House shall think best. If not accepted by the Town of Worcester, for the purposes before mentioned in three years after my decease, I devise these Lots to my Grand Children Edward, Benjamin and Isaiah T. Simmons and their heirs, in equal shares to each Child."

By a codicil, dated 26 February, 1830, Mr. Thomas revoked this devise; and in its stead left to the town all the lots on Thomas street not otherwise devised or sold upon the same conditions. If these were not accepted, he gave the lot on the northerly corner of Thomas and Summer streets "to erect thereon a large and handsome brick School house, or Academy-(said lot is sufficiently large to build also thereon, a dwelling house for a stationary Schoolmaster, or Tutor.)"

The latter bequest was accepted by the town, and "The Latin school for boys," the first brick school house in Worcester, was opened in 1832.

a course of Lectures on Geology the five ensuing weeks, or defer having them till next fall; also, whether they would have a course of Botanical Lectures from Mr. Eaton the ensuing Summer. I was chosen to preside at this meeting. A Come. was chosen to obtain Subscribers to the two courses of Lectures, and to determine whether the Lectures on Geology shall commence now or in Autumn.

15. My Son returned to Boston in the Stage. Went to Bed unwell. Have taken a bad cold.

us.

16. Judge Bangs & Miss Lynde spent the Evening with

17. Settled accounts with Clark Whittemore for 5 years past, up to this day, and took his note for the ballance. Unwell with a bad cold for 3 days past-have eat nothing since Thursday noon.

18. Did not visit Chh. today. Took a light breakfast this morning. My Lungs considerably loaded.

19. Have kept in the House for 5 days past, and lived on liquids.

20. Went to the Store. Mrs. Thomas had an hysteric Affection with faintness, occasioned by indigestion.

22. Assembly this Evening, to which Augusta went. 23. Mr. Eben'. Adams,1 one of the Professors of Dartmouth College, called on me. He is on a mission to collect

1

Ebenezer Adams, the son of Ephraim and Rebecca Locke Adams, of New Ipswich N. H., was graduated from Dartmouth in 1791. He was preceptor of Leicester Academy from 1792 to 1806; professor of mathematics at Philips Exeter Academy; professor of languages at Dartmouth in 1809 and 1810; and professor of mathematics and natural philosophy from 1810 until his retirement in 1833. Professor Adams married Alice, daughter of Dr. John Frink, of Rutland, Mass; and 17 May, 1807 he married Beulah, daughter of Dr. Timothy Minot, of Concord, Mass.

[Born, New Ipswich, N.H., 2 October, 1765. Died, Hanover, N. H., 15 August, 1841.]