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[39] in Cambridge, together with the petitioners now inhabitants of the town of Charlestown, with their estates, be incorporated into a District; they paying their proportionable part towards repairing and maintaining the Great Bridge over Charles River in like manner as now obliged (the inhabitants of the said Second Parish being allowed their proportional part of the advantage of the lands granted for that purpose); provided also, that the town of Charlestown forever hereafter be exempted from repairing and maintaining one half the Bridge over the Wares, so called, and that the inhabitants of said town enjoy their ancient privileges of taking any sort of fish in Medford River, the grant of the proposed District notwithstanding; as also that the said town of Charlestown be allowed and paid the sum of twelve pounds in consideration of their having the last year been at a great expense in building a durable bridge within the limits of the proposed District, an exact plan of which district was suggested to be made before incorporation. Liberty was granted to bring in a bill accordingly. In Council June 9, 1762.

1763

The following notice was at this time publicly read in church: ‘Richard Cutter and his Wife desire the name of God may be praised for his great goodness in raising her up from sickness, to so good a measure of health as to attend the public worship of God again.’ On the back of the notice are notes of a discourse in Mr. Cooke's handwriting, dated Aug. 7, 1763.

1764

On Aug. 3, this year, occurred the death of Hannah Robbins, a dwarf, at the age of 27 years. Mr. Cooke records of her, that she was daughter of Widow Deborah Robbins; and that from about fifteen months of age, she continued the same in stature and understanding to the day of her death; and had the actions of a child of that age; ‘about her tenth year she grew somewhat thicker.’

A letter of Mr. Cooke's written this year is appended in a note.1 For

1

Rev. Samuel Cooke. To Rev. I. Dunster, minister of the First Church at Harwich (now Brewster).

Rev. and Dear Sir:—Our usual tract of communication has long been obstructed, and will probably be for months to come; a way more direct now opens, by which I trust you will soon see this.

It is a time of health in your native place. There has not been a death in it since the year began; but how soon and where sickness and death may prevail, is known to him only who has the keys of death. Capt. Whittemore's wife is lately struck, and I apprehend fatally, with a palsy.

No small uneasiness has arisen in your good father Locke's family, and at your mother's special request I am the unwelcome medium of tidings the most disagreeable to you. My situation with respect to that family (as you well know) must prevent the least kind office of mine, which otherwise should not be wanting. I believe the knowledge of the matter is confined to the family. I have heard of it only from your brother and Jason Russell, who I perceive by their account have several times been at the house and endeavored a conciliation, and though not without effect, yet not so good as could be wished. Interest seems to be the foundation of the uneasiness, joined with the different tempers, dispositions and manners of the parties. A disease of the mind like this appears incurable. Age and the infirmities of it feed the distemper. For her sake I have often wished that I could discourse as freely with others, as with her; but I am forbid-new ferments from old leaven, since the appearance of the grand itinerant in our neighborhood at Medford, Concord, &c, have arisen.

She earnestly desires to see you, and a visit from a son, at least once a year, to an aged tender mother, to me appears a just debt, and if I am not mistaken you are in arrears with her. You will inquire what service you can do? I answer, you will do no harm. She will say it is some relief to pour out our complaints to a friend-and that she cannot, as in years past, to her minister, and perhaps these hints of her case may afford her some present ease. This letter perhaps will only disquiet you in vain, but suffer not anger or grief to arise. I don't apprehend the affair ever will make any great noise abroad; and perhaps they are both as little unhappy in their present, as they can be in any different situation in life, all things considered; but the point is for them to be convinced of this, and in this you might be helpful by your presence. We can say nothing in writing. I have said nothing in this epistle. Three words in presence would have been more to the purpose-but what I have wrote is in true friendship from

Yours

S——C——. Cambridge, June 2, 1764.
For want of room I can't send love to Mrs. Dunster and little one.


Remarks.—This letter of Mr. Cooke's appears to treat of some private matter, intimating also a withholding of intercourse for some cause, probably religious, between the persons in question and Mr. Cooke. The native place of the Rev. Isaiah Dunster was the Cambridge Second Precinct, where he was born Oct. 21, 1720, son of Henry and Martha (Russell) Dunster. Capt. Whittemore was Samuel Whittemore—see Genealogies—whose wife Elizabeth (Spring) died June 6. 1764, aged 63. The mother of Isaiah Dunster married for a second husband Francis Locke; she was daughter of Jason Russell. The brother of Rev. Isaiah Dunster mentioned was Jason Dunster, then living in Menotomy. The Jason Russell mentioned was he who was killed by the British on April 19, 1776, and nephew of Mrs. Martha (Russell) Dunster Locke. The house where Francis Locke lived is standing at the corner of Main and Bow streets in Arlington—at the Foot of the Rocks. The ‘grand itinerant’ was Whitefield, to whom Mr. Cooke was opposed. Mrs. Locke died in 1771, aged 81. Mr. Dunster evidently studied for the ministry with his pastor Rev. Mr. Cooke. In 1764 Mr. Dunster had but one child, a daughter, born Oct. 1763.—See Henry Dunster and his Descendants (1876), by Samuel Dunster.

Boston: David Clapp and son. 564 Washington Street, 1880.

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