Circuit Court Diary, 11 October–16 December 1791
Circuit Court Diary
[11 October–16 December 1791]
1791—
11 Octr. Set out on Eastern Circuit—went to Rye—
14 went with my Son1 to Bedford, & sent in my Brothers Waggon the Ram sent me by Mr. Renselaer2 & the Lamb from Tuneclift—3 also abt. a Bushell of black walnuts, & a Number of young Locust Trees—
The crib is finished—gave Directions for a Hay House 50 by 28 near the meadows—Place for Potatoes in the Bank near the House begun—well 40 feet & as yet no water—the last 20 feet thro’ a rotten Rock—a Bridge over the Brook in the intended Lane nearly finished—
18 some snow fell—
19 Set out. went to Salem— at the Entrance a Tavern kept by Close4 looks well— dined a mile further at Lockwoods—5 not bad about 4 mile from my farm a House kept by E. Mead,6 the Sign a Bulls head appears well— Lodged at Danbury at Whites—civil man—7 John Lloyd married his half Sister— it is said that Whiting,8 & Clarke9 keep good Houses in this Town— Thus far the Road is not good.
20 went thro a good Road to New Milford and dined at Clarke’s—very well—and thence to Washington (formerly new Preston) where I lodged at Camps— This House not a bad ^one^, but the Landlady governs too much— the Road abt. half the way good.
21 went to Litchfield— dined at Buels—a good House—10 much bad Road—lodged at Harrington, at Catlings–tolerable—11 dined at Farmington— it is said, that Wadsworth12 keeps the best House here— came to Hartford— (Avery’s)
Mr. Catling says the Revd Mr Baldwin13 told him that a man whom he knew had been cured of the Stone by the following medicine vizt. 1 Tea spoon at a Time 3 Times a Day of the fat of Eels, extracted by roasting them—
| From my Farm to upper Salem | — 7 |
| to Danbury | —10 |
| to new milford | —17 |
| to camps at Washington | —10 |
| to Litchfield | —10 |
| to Harrington | — 7 |
| to Farmington | —14 |
| to Hartford | —10 |
| 85 |
This Route to Hartford is not eligible on acct. of the Roads—
25 Octr. opend. Court—14
1 Nov. Judge Law told me that a Person who left New York last Friday, reported that Mrs. F. Jay was dead—15
2d. Purchased a Sorrel Gelding of Fredk. Bull16 5 Yrs. old, bred at Pomphret—a narrahganset for 120 Dol–pd him 90—gave my note for 30—17
3. Left my pacing Horse with him to sell for 100 Dol. & if he cannot get that price to ship him—18
Adjourned Court without a Day This Evg recd. Letter from Mrs. Jay19 confirmg the News of my Brothers Wifes Death of an appoplectic Fit on 28 Inst—4—Set out for Boston—crossed the Ferry at Hartford—passed thro’ East Hartford & East Windsor—there is an Inn kept by Watson20 near the 10 mile Stones that looks tolerable—it snows fast—stopped at Allen’s Inn,21 13 miles from Hartford People civil—House cold & not very clean—Stables good—dined & lodged here—weather being stormy—
5th. Enfield is 3 miles from here—over the Bridge at the Entrance of the Town, on the right Hand there is an Inn (7 Stars, House painted Sp. Brown a Piazza on northeasterly side,) that looks well— there is also another, on the same Side of the way, a little before you come to the church that has a good appce.—it is painted of a light Stone Color—the Sign crossd. Keys—^Reynolds^—
This Road from Hartford to Springfield is sandy— not so good as the other—
Dined and lodged at Parson’s—Springfield—weather for the Season being very cold & windy—Mr. Gould22 of N York dined here & went on—
Lodged at Dwights western— Hickcocks 3 ½ miles further at Brookfield is better—
6 novr—Sunday—passd. this Day & Night at Hickcocks— heard Mr Barker preach twice—23 Mr. & Mrs. Gore calld. here—for want of Rooms they went ^1 mile further^ to Rice’s24 Tavern— She brought me a Letter of 31 ult. from Mrs. Jay cov[erin]g. one from Ph[ilip]. a. Schuyler—25 informing me that Arent’s Mother26 died on the Day of the Date vizt. 27 Octr. 1791, & inviting me to the funeral—
Capt. Hitchcock who keeps this Inn is Brother of the Revd. Mr. Hickcock27 of Providence who wrote the memoirs of the Bloomsgrove Family28
7 Dined at worcester at Barkers29 lately Patch’s Inn where I found Mr. & Mrs. Gore—
Lodged at Ferrars, Shrewsbury—
8 went to Capt. Barnabas Maynards at Berlin— he was Home— saw the Calf he has reared for me— came to Williams—
He will let me have two Heifer Calves to go with the Bull Calf at Maynards— wrote to Maynard to send them by 1 Ap. next to providence to the Care of Clarke & Nightingale.30
8 Novr. Mr. Williams tells me—that Calves which come in the new moon are found to be most lively & thrifty—those in the dark & old moon dull & unprofitable— that cattle wh. are of a dark red or yellow Brindle are most hardy— that the white, the Black & white, and pale red do not bear cold well— that black Cows with black bags always give thin Milk— that yellow skinned Cattle are best— that slim Hornes broad Foreheads & short Heads are to be preferred— that there is great Difference in the Milk of different Cows, some always and others never making good Butter— That fine short horse-haired Cattle make hard tough Beef— That potatoes are excellent food for all animals— that whether given raw or boiled they shd. always be well washed or they will by purging do more harm than good— that Hogs with short heads always fat best if in other Respects equal— that indian Cakes crusty, are fine food for Sheep— that his best Crops of Flax are on potatoe Ground—
Dined at Young Flaggs— at the House opposite to his, I saw the largest Hog I ever did see— It is judged that it will weigh between 5 & 600 ^lb^—18 months old— came to Boston—lodge at Mrs. Pollards—31 it seems a good House— passed the Eveng on Invitation at Mr Brecks, where I found Mr Martin of Jamaica— born in this Town—a Lawyer—the Son of a Scotch General—32 [illegible]
13 Gave to Mr. Soderstrom33 for Mrs. Jay 2 Letters 9 & 13 Inst. they inclosed—1 for A. Schuyler—Peter—Maria, & Nancy of 12 Inst—copy of mine of 29 octr to Col. Troup— I also gave him a Letter for P. J. Munro of 12 Inst. inclosg one for Majr. Lyons.—34
21 Nov. Set out with Mr. Cushing for Exeter– Lodged at Putnam’s35 at Danvers—a good House. Thence the Road leads to the northward of Salem & Beverley.—joins the Post Road a little beyond a Meeting House, which remains in View at the Turn of the Road—
22 Dined at Homans36 Ipswich— lodged at Dr Nye’s37 on the Bank of Merrimack River at the upper Ferry—good House
23 Came to Exeter—widow Folesome’s—38
24 opened Court39
25 this night adjd.
26 Set out— dined with Mr Parsons40 at Newbury port— went & lodged at Ipswich—Homan’s—good House
27 Heard Mr. Dana41 preach this afternoon went to Danvers—lodged at Putnams.
28 went by the old Road between three & 4 miles, where we came into the Post Road from Salem to Boston Dined in Town—Mrs. Pollards—abt. 3 oCk. sent to the post office—no Body there— a Person who came for Letters advisd. Peter42 to come again at 5-oCk—
5 OCk. Peter went again—nobody there—
N.B. Mr Parsons Yesterday gave me a Map of N Hamshire wh. he sd. Mr Jacob Sheafe43 of Portsmouth abt. 3 Months ago gave him for me—
1 Decr. 1791—Set out for Scituate—passed arnolds Inn44 at Weymouth. 12 miles from Boston— it looks tolerable— Rice’s45 3 miles further looks better— Dined at Cushings at Hingham—lodged at Collamores46 at Scituate, not bad, but not excellent—
5 Decr. set out with Judge Cushing for Providence— dined at Bridgewater Lazells47—pretty good—20 miles—went to Taunton—Crocker’s48 Inn being a Stage House, and full— lodged with Mr Barnes—49
6 dined at
not good—there is a better Inn 3 Miles further kept by
put up at Daggets50
11 Set out for N York— dined at Dixons51, next Door to Dorance’s. Volentown—seems good— I came the northern Road— There is a Southern—better—& with good Inns. They part at the Red House on a Hill abt. 7 miles back—lodged 4 miles on at Eaton’s52—Plainfield—civil—
12 Rains—dined at Majr. Ripleys—Windham Ph. J. Dyer53 made me a Visit, &ca &ca His wife54 is of the Bowen Family at Providence— lodged at Capt. Hills—Crank—6 miles from Wyndham continues raining—
13 Decr. 1791—snows— dined at woodbridges East Hartford—very good—went to Hartford— River has much Ice— put up at F. Bulls—pd. him Ballance for Horse— He says he found it wd. not answer to ship my Horse— he has put him out @ 3/6 pr. week—
Col. Seymour & Son waited on me—55 Saw the Younger Son of Dr Johnson—56 says his Brother is lately married to Miss Edwards—57 14—Mr. Bull shewd. me a York paper mentioning Defeat of Gen. St. Claire on 4 novr. last—58
Dined at Rileys59 Worthington— There was the wife of Majr. Hart—mentioned in the York paper as amg the killed60 I mentioned the Defeat in gen. Terms— it may serve to prepare her—poor Woman— She had been with him at Muskingum— lodged at Beement’s—Wallingford—not bad 15 Decr. 1791 Went thro’ N Haven & dined abt. 5 miles from it, at Woodruffs61 on the north Side of & at a little Distance from the Road— The House is of Brick—seems good—
I asked the Landlady if the Family of the same name at Elizh. Town, were related to her Husband’s— She sd. they were—that her Husbands Father62 told her, they were both descended from 2 Brothers, both named John—That the Elder when Young came from England to America—that his parents not hearing of or from him for 20 Years supposed he was dead, & having in that Interval another Son born called him John—that this latter John also came to Am[eric]a. & from him the Family at Milford descended—63
Lodged at Benjamins Hartford.64
16 Dined at Gregory’s Norwalk—very good—65 concluding to go to Bedford thro’ pound Ridge lodged 6 Miles from Norwalk, at Doctr Silliman’s—clean House—66
JJ Circuit Court Diary, 11 Oct.–16 Dec. 1791, AD, NNC (EJ: 07351). Letters mentioned in the diary that have not been found are generally not identified.
1. Peter Augustus Jay.
2. Probably Stephen Van Rensselaer of Rensselaerwyck.
3. John Tunnicliff (c. 1725–1800) of Exeter in Otsego County, N.Y. Tunnicliff came to America from Derbyshire, England, in 1756 and purchased a large tract of land in Cherry Valley, N.Y. The threat of French and Indian attacks convinced him to sail for England, but he returned two years later and eventually established a farm near Canadarago Lake. During the Revolution local authorities suspected him of Loyalist sympathies and of associating with Joseph Brant. W. T. Bailey, Richfield Springs and Vicinity. Historical, Biographical, and Descriptive (New York and Chicago, 1874), 12–14, 16–20.
4. Solomon Close Jr. (1730–93) of North Salem, N.Y.
5. Abraham Lockwood (1756–1822) of North Salem.
6. Enoch Mead (1756–1807) of Salem, N.Y.
7. Possibly Ebenezer Booth White (c. 1767–1817) of Danbury, Conn.
8. Maj. Frederick J. Whiting (c. 1756–1801) of Danbury.
9. Capt. James Clark (d. 1818) of Danbury.
10. David Buell (c. 1746–1836) of Litchfield, Conn.
11. Probably Abijah Catlin (1747–1813) of Harwinton, Conn.
12. Asahel Wadsworth (1743–1817) of Farmington, Conn.
13. Ashbel Baldwin (1757–1846) of Litchfield was ordained by Samuel Seabury in August 1785 and served as rector of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.
14. The Circuit Court for the District of Connecticut convened in Hartford from 25 Oct. to 2 Nov. with JJ joined on the bench by Associate Justice Cushing and District Judge Law. The court tried seventeen common law cases and three chancery cases. , 1: 322. American Mercury (Hartford), 7 Nov. 1791.
15. For the death of Margaret Barclay Jay, the wife of Frederick Jay, on 28 Oct. 1791, see SLJ to JJ, 29 Oct. 1791, ALS, NNC (EJ: 06536), and JJ to Frederick Jay, 2 Nov. 1791, Dft, NNC (EJ: 06354). PJM remarked on the suspicious circumstances of her death, noting that while her death was generally attributed to apoplexy, “most of her intimate friends, impute it, to taking Laudenum incautiously.” PJM to JJ, 6 Nov. 1791, Dft, NNMus (EJ: 00416).
16. Capt. Frederick Bull (c. 1753–97) of Hartford operated a tavern and worked as a merchant and livestock trader.
17. JJ paid the balance due for the horse by the end of the year. Circuit Court Diary, 13 Dec. 1791, below.
18. Instead of shipping the horse that JJ left in Hartford, Bull rented him out at a rate of three shillings and six pence per week. Circuit Court Diary, 13 Dec. 1791, below.
20. Robert Watson kept a tavern in East Windsor, Conn. Connecticut Courant (Hartford), 7 Jan. 1793.
21. Possibly Zachariah Allen of East Windsor.
22. Possibly Edward Goold (d. 1812) of the New York firm Ludlow and Goold. New-York Directory, and Register, for the year 1790 (New York, 1790; , no. 22724), 43, 64.
23. Possibly Joseph Barker (1751–1815) of Middleborough, Mass., who was ordained in 1781 and served as pastor of the First Church of Christ in Middleborough.
24. Tilley Rice (1724–1803) of Brookfield, Mass.
25. SLJ to JJ, 31 Oct., ALS, NNC (EJ: 06539); Philip A. Schuyler to JJ, 27 Oct. 1791, ALS, NNC (EJ: 07129).
26. Ann Van Rensselaer Schuyler (c. 1719–91).
27. Enos Hitchcock (1745–1803) was ordained in 1771 and served as pastor of the First Congregational Church in Providence.
28. Memoirs of the Bloomsgrove Family. In a Series of Letters to a Respectable Citizen of Philadelphia. Containing Sentiments on a Mode of Domestic Education, Suited to the Present State of Society, Government, and Manners in the United States of America: and on the Dignity and Importance of the Female Character. Interspersed with a Variety of Interesting Anecdotes, (Boston, 1790; , no. 22570).
29. Capt. William Barker (c. 1732–1804) took over as proprietor of the Worcester inn formerly run by Nathan Patch.
30. JJ paid Williams twenty-one dollars for the two heifer calves and a further three dollars to Maynard to drive them to Providence. See Circuit Court Diary, 10 May 1792, and JJ to PAJ, 9–11 May 1792, below.
31. Possibly Mary Pollard of Boston. Following the Boston fire of 15 Jan. 1803, one Mary Pollard announced that she would continue to take in boarders at her new residence on Oliver Street. Commercial Gazette (Boston), 31 Jan. 1803.
32. James Martin, later plaintiff in the case Ex Parte Martin, on which see the editorial note “The Supreme Court: Procedures and Cases,” above.
33. Richard Soderstrom (1741–1815).
34. JJ to PAJ, 12 Nov. 1791, ALS, PC: Frederick Jay Welles (EJ: 07348). Remaining letters not found. Maj. Samuel Lyon, JJ’s farm manager in Bedford.
35. Gideon Putnam (1726–1811) kept a store alongside his tavern and served as deacon of the First Congregational Church of Danvers.
36. Capt. Richard Homan (1713–1803) of Ipswich, Mass.
37. Dr. Samuel Nye (1749–1834) of Salisbury, Mass., served as a naval surgeon during the revolutionary war and held office in Salisbury as town clerk and selectman. George Hyatt Nye and Frank E. Best, comps., and David Fisher, ed., A Genealogy of the Nye Family (Cleveland, 1907), 109.
38. Elizabeth Emery Folsom (1750–1805) of Exeter, N.H., continued the public house previously owned by her husband, Col. Samuel Folsom (1732–90). Jacob Chapman, A Genealogy of the Folsom Family: John Folsom and His Descendants, 1615–1882 (Concord, N.H., 1882), 33.
39. The Circuit Court for the District of New Hampshire sat in Exeter 24–25 Nov. with JJ and Cushing in attendance. The court heard three common law cases. , 1: 321.
40. Theophilus Parsons.
41. Joseph Dana (1742–1827) was ordained as minister of the Congregational South Church in Ipswich, Mass., in 1765.
42. Peter, later Peter Williams, was an enslaved servant who accompanied JJ on his circuit rides. JJ first hired Peter from Morgan Lewis for the spring 1790 term and found him to be “handy and attentive.” JJ to PJM, 28 Apr. 1790, ALS, NNMus (EJ: 00408). JJ later purchased Peter that year, apparently for eighty pounds. Munro to JJ, 5 and 11 May 1790, Dfts, NNMus (EJ: 00409 and 00410).
43. Jacob Sheafe Jr. (1745–1829) was a Portsmouth merchant who was appointed local naval agent in 1794.
44. Capt. Samuel Arnold (1742–1804) of Weymouth, Mass.
45. Josiah Rice (1753–1822) of Weymouth.
46. Capt. Enoch Collamore (1745–1824) of Scituate, Mass.
47. Maj. Isaac Lazell (1756–1810) of Bridgewater, Mass.
48. Capt. Josiah Crocker (1742–1808) of Taunton, Mass.
49. David Leonard Barnes (1760–1812), an attorney in Taunton, and defendant in West v. Barnes. See Circuit Court Diary, 1 Aug. 1791; and the editorial note “The Supreme Court: Procedures and Cases,” above.
50. Abner Daggett (1755–1832) of Providence, R.I.
51. Probably Capt. Robert Dixon (1735–99) of Voluntown, Conn. Richard M. Bayles, History of Windham County Connecticut (New York, 1889), 2: 614; Weekly Register (Norwich), 8 Apr. 1794.
52. Ebenezer Eaton (1751–1825) of Plainfield, Conn.
53. Eliphalet Dyer.
54. Huldah Bowen Dyer (c. 1726–1800), daughter of Jabez Bowen of Providence.
55. Thomas Seymour (1735–1829) and his son Thomas Youngs Seymour (1757–1811), both of Hartford. The elder Seymour led three regiments of cavalry during the revolutionary war and represented Hartford in the General Assembly. The younger Seymour had served as a captain in the Second Continental Dragoons and was now an attorney practicing in Hartford and a member of the local manumission society.
56. Robert Charles Johnson (1766–1806) was an attorney practicing in Stratford and was the second son and seventh child of William Samuel Johnson.
57. Samuel William Johnson (1761–1846) of Stratford married Susan Edwards (1771–1856) of Hartford, the daughter of Pierpont Edwards.
58. General St. Clair’s federal army was decisively defeated by the Indian Western Confederacy at the Battle of the Wabash in the Northwest Territory on 4 Nov. 1791.
59. Roger Riley (1737–1822) of Berlin, Conn., held the position of town clerk.
60. Abigail Riley Hart (c. 1750–1815) of Worthington, Conn., lost her husband, Maj. Jonathan Hart (1748–91) at the Battle of the Wabash.
61. Mary Treat Woodruff (1745–1824) operated the Milford Tavern. Her husband, Capt. Enoch Woodruff (1742–86), had left the “bar room” in the family home and “a large quantity of rum” to their daughter Mary “Polly” Woodruff (1782–1854) when she came of age. Mary R. Woodruff, History of Orange, North Milford, Connecticut, 1639–1949 (New Haven, 1949), 52.
62. John Woodruff (1703–68) of Milford.
63. John Woodruff’s explanation of the Woodruff family history as recounted by Mary Treat Woodruff does not correspond with genealogical records. Enoch’s lineage can be traced back to Mathew Woodruff (d. 1682) of Farmington, Conn. Susan Woodruff Abbot, Descendants of Mathew Woodruff of Farmington, Connecticut (Milford, Conn., 1963), 5, 8, 17, 31–32, 63. The story of the two brothers probably refers to a branch of the Woodruff family that hailed from Sturry in Kent, England. John Woodruff (1604–70), the only son of John Woodruff (1574–1611), migrated with his family first to Lynn, Mass., and then to Southampton, Long Island, in 1640–41. Woodruff had two sons also named John; John “elder” Woodruff (c. 1637–91) accompanied his father on the journey to Southampton and was an early settler of Elizabethtown, N.J., in 1665–66, whereas John “younger” Woodruff (c. 1650–1703) remained in Southampton. Francis E. Woodruff, The Woodruffs of New Jersey: Who came from Fordwich, Kent, England, by way of Lynn Massachusetts, and Southampton, Long Island (New York, 1909), 12–13, 15, 21–23.
64. JJ mistakenly wrote “Hartford” for “Stratford”. Probably George Benjamin of Stratford.
65. Jabez Gregory (1738–1821) of Norwalk.
66. Joseph Silliman (1756–1829) was a physician in New Canaan. He and his wife Martha Leeds Silliman (1756–1821) lived in the house owned by Martha’s father, Elisha Leeds (1718–98). William H. Baldwin, “The Hanford-Silliman House,” New-Canaan Historical Society Annual 11, no. 3 (1994–95): 3, 4.