July, 1807.

2. Saw Alex'. Thomas in Boston. Worcester Turnpike Directors met.

3. First string beans.

4. Dined at Faneuil Hall. The Hon. John Adams late President of the United States, and the Hon. Robert Treat Paine, two who signed the Declaration of Independence were present-about 450 dined in the Hall, which was handsomely decorated.

6. Went to Worcester with H. Frazier and Levi in Coachee. Mathew Carey of Philadelphia, called to see me.

9. Walked thro the woods, on the Turnpike ground,

did not practice long, as the only record of his having attended the court in Worcester was at the June term in 1774. He afterwards became an officer in the British service and rose to the rank of major of dragoons. After his retirement on half pay he spent the greater part of his time in the United States.

1 Mathew Carey, a native of Ireland, and a well known publisher and philanthropist, was apprenticed to a bookseller in Dublin at the age of fifteen, and two years later his first production, an essay on duelling, was printed in the Hibernian Journal. In 1779, excitement caused by a pamphlet urging the repeal of the penal code against Catholics compelled him to flee to Paris, where he knew Franklin and Lafayette, and was for a time under the younger Didot. After a year's absence he returned and established the Freeman's Journal, and in 1783 the Volunteers' Journal, which by its bold and determined opposition to the government became a powerful factor in politics, and eventually brought about the legislative independence of Ireland; but in 1784, he was imprisoned for a too violent attack, and after his release in the fall of that year he came to America, where Lafayette provided the means to establish him in business in Philadelphia. In the following January he began the publication of the Pennsylvania Herald, the first newspaper in the United States to furnish accurate reports of legislative debates, he acting as his own reporter. In October, 1786, with others, he began the publication of the Columbia Magazine, and in the following January, the American Museum, which he conducted for six years.

In 1791, he married and opened a small bookstore in Philadelphia and eventually became the most eminent publisher in the country. He retired from active business life in 1824. He was the author of numerous pamphlets, many of them on political subjects, and of several books which were successful at the time. [Born, Dublin, Ireland, 28 January, 1760. Died, Philadelphia, 16 Sept., 1839.]

to the floating bridge on the Pond, crossed the bridge on foot, for the first time.1

10. Rode to the Pond bridge with Mrs. T. &c., and we walked over to the Shrewsbury side.

2

11. Went to Long Pond Island with several gentlemen to spend the day. My sister, Mrs. McCulloch embarked at Philadelphia for Boston.

12. Young man by name of Grey drowned at Long Pond-he went in to bathe.

14. Went to Long Pond Bridge with a number.

15. Went to Holden.

17. Went to Leominster, with Mrs. Thomas, &c., to funeral of Col. Legate. High handed mob & riot in Worcester, Amos Watson a man about 60, and a woman by the name of Moore, were paraded thro' the streets on a horse.3

1 This was the first bridge built at this place, and cost about $9,000. It consisted of two or three tiers of round timbers laid lengthways and then crossways, and then overlaid with a course of hewn timber, covered with plank, and fastened to large abutments at the shores. This soon proved to be weak and after a few years was succeeded by another. Ward's "History of Shrewsbury."-Worcester Magazine, II., 13.

2 Susannah, the fourth child of Moses Thomas the elder, was born in Boston, and was married four times: first, to the master of a ship, with whom she lived in Edenton, N. C.; second to Captain Hyman, in Baltimore; third to Freeman, who had been a captain in the army, with whom she lived in Philadelphia; and fourth, to Captain Hugh Macculloch, a very respectable and wealthy citizen of Philadelphia.

Manuscript family record of Isaiah Thomas in the possession of the American Antiquarian Society.

3 A number of the citizens of Worcester, many of them well known, were indicted for participating in this riot, the indictment setting forth that they "on the tenth day of July last past, at said Worcester, with force and arms, that is to say with Staves and clubs did riotously and unlawfully meet and assemble themselves together to disturb the peace of this Commonwealth, and being so assembled and met together did then and there unlawfully break, and enter the House of Sewall Moore and break and destroy his furniture and assault and beat his children and upon Mehitable Moore, Wife of said Sewall Moore being then and there in the Peace of God and this Commonwealth did commit an Assault and her did take and imprison and place upon a wooden rail, and with noise and clamour to the

Mr. Carey of Philadelphia, called on me again on his return home, but I was absent, as I was when he called before.

18. Mrs. McCulloch arrived at Boston.

20. She came to Worcester in the stage.

23. Mr. Bancroft's Life of Washington went to press.1

24. My sister very ill of the Cholera Morbis.

26. Visit from Miss Lucretia Maccarty."

30. Mrs. Thomas, Mrs. McCulloch, Eliza, H. Frazier went to Boston with Levi in Coachee.

31. Very cold nights for the season. hay received not till this day.

First load of new

great disgrace of the said Mehitable Moore, and to the disturbance of the good citizens of said Town did carry her, the said Mehitable Moore upon said rail through the public streets to the distance of one Mile, and other wrongs, injuries and enormities then and there did, to the great damage of the said Sewall Moore, his Wife and Children, and against the peace of the Commonwealth, and the Law, and in evil example to others in the like case to offend."

Governor Lincoln in his notice of Joseph Allen (Fire Society Reminiscences), tells the following story of the trial: Among the defendants was a negro, with whom the others, now ashamed of their conduct, and undeniably guilty, did not care to be associated in a public trial. To avoid greater exposure and mortification from an investigation of the case, it was arranged that they should severally plead guilty to the indictment, and they thus paraded around the bar, with a selectman at the head and the negro at the foot of the list. When it came to the latter's turn the Clerk (Mr. Allen), in his usual serious, formal tone, addressed him: "Peter Malbone, what say you to this indictment-are you guilty or not guilty?” Either not understanding, or forgetting the precise language of those who had preceded him, with a curiously quizzical look and showing his teeth, he cried out, "Massa Allen, I don't want anything to do with this Court!"

1 An Essay on the Life of George Washington, | Commander in Chief of the American Army, | through the Revolutionary War; and the | First President of the United States. | By Aaron Bancroft, A. A. S. | Pastor of a Congregational Church in Worcester. | Worcester: | Printed by Thomas & Sturtevant, || October1807. 8.

2 Lucretia, fourteenth child of Rev. Thaddeus and Mary Gatcomb Maccarty. [Born, Worcester, 15 July, 1762. Died, Charlestown, N. H., 5 January, 1810.]

August, 1807.

1. Rec. 2d load of hay.

2. Dined with my son.

5. 2 notes at Bank. Rec. Facils. 10 dols. of Mr. Steele, Milkman to exchange. The money is due to him.

6. Went to Boston with Charles in the chaise; arrived in Boston at 3 o'clock. Attended meeting of Turnpike Directors. (2 days) Travel.

7. Went up the cupola of the State house in Boston, with my sister and Eliza. Paid Eliza 12 dols.

9. Went to Dorchester after Church with Mrs. T.

11. Went to Worcester with Mrs. T., my sister, Eliza, Miss Weld, H. Frazier, Levi & Charles in Coachee & Chaise.

12. Attended Turnpike contractors to pond-1 day.

16. Rev. Mr. Thayer dined with us.

17. My son and his wife went to Boston & Portsmouth. Eye much inflamed.

19. Rode out with Miss M.

20. Had a touch of the Dysentery, the first of any consequence I ever had.

21. Miss Maccarty visited us. Unpleasant disagreement with Miss T.

24. Hugh McCulloch of Philadelphia, my Brother in Law, a worthy good man died aged 87-3 days illness of influenza.

25. My son and his wife returned from Boston, &c. 26. Miss Maccarty went to Petersham.

28. Rec. news of Mr. McCulloch's death.

29. My sister, Mrs. McCulloch returned to Philadelphia in the stage in consequence of the death of her husband. Anson Whipple accompanied her as far as Newhaven.

31. Began to feel symptoms of the prevailing Influenza. Thousands are now sick with that disorder in every seaport town, and it is fast spreading in the Country. 15,000 or 20,000 sick at a time in Newyork and 30 or 40,000 at a time in Philada.

September, 1807.

1. Mrs. McCulloch travelled night & day, and arrived last Even3. Augt. 31 at Philadelphia. Old Courts of Sessions end this day. Anson returned from Newhaven.

2. My brother Joshua visited us, with symptoms of influenza. Eliza & Frazier symptoms of do.

3. Sick-unable to do anything. News of Peace between France, Russia & Prussia.

4. Levi taken with Influenza.-at night Mrs. Thomas complained of do. Mrs. Legate and Miss Calef visited us.

1 This court had been established by an act of 31 May, 1639, which provided that there shall be held in each County a Court of General Sessions of the Peace by the Justices of each County to hear and determine all matters relative to the conservation of the peace, cognizable at common law." It had remained practically unchanged until an act of 19 June, 1807, which provided that it should consist of one chief justice and a specified number of associates for the several counties, who were to act as the General Court of Sessions. The justices of the new court for the County of Worcester were Pliny Merrick, Abraham Lincoln, Moses White, John Spurr and John Whiting. In June, 1809, the jurisdiction of the General Court of Sessions was transferred to the County Court of Common Pleas, but two years later its powers were restored.