The history of the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts, By a committee of the Dorchester antiquarian and historical society ...

358 HISTORY OF DORCHESTER.
liate or excuse what he could not commend, and
seemed averse to believe ill news, flying rumors, and
petty scandal. Of course he was never known to
repeat them." Th "The late Dr. Belknap found
great assistance in his most important researches,
from consulting Mr. Clap; and such was his wonderful accuracy, even in chronological dates, that his
guarded declarations had all the fidelity and certainty of printed documents." One of his children
-Dea. Ebenezer Clap-is still living (1857), and
is probably the last of the fifth generation now in
the town.
The following extracts are from the diary of Col.
Samuel Pierce, of Dorchester, who was a very intelligent and enterprising man, and appears to have
been a farmer, carpenter, mason, &c., and during the
revolutionary war an officer in the army. The extracts given are numerous, and some of them in
themselves unimportant; but in connection with a
history of the town, they possess much interest, and
supply a deficiency which could not otherwise be
made up. The orthography, &c. have been retained,
as in other ancient quotations in this work.
1761, Nov. 27. Remember Preston was lost.
1762, March 16. We have had abundance of sleding this
Winter, the moste that ever I new, and as hard a Winter as
ever I see.
April 3. Remember Preston was found down at Marshfield.
April 15. John Wiswall was drounded in the river.
April 20. Ite was found.
May 28. Edward's leg was broke at Mr. Withington's.
June 26. We got Edward home from Mr. Withington9s
July 170. Edward first got out of bed.