Boston July 19th. 1776
Dear Brother & Sister
Yours of the 11th: Instant I received by Mr. Burroughs
and am glad to hear you & the Children are well, I would
inform you that it is ten days this day since my Children, Capt
Doggetts, Mr Ferriters & Mrs.
Hewetts Children were all
Innoculated for the Small pox, and thot. some of
them remain
very poorly, yet I am in hopes they will all soon get well
we make them keep about, as the Doctrs. say it is
necessary
they hate to move or stir, as much as Man that is violently
Sea sick, All mine seems to be [cleaverly?] this day, having
abt. a dozen Pox apiece. I shall be glad when it is
well
over with them, for my Wife has nobody with her to help
her, and is very much Wearied. Business is very dull in
my way having nothing to do. And this new expence
coming
on makes it very difficult, but I hope it won't continue
so long.-- Mother went to
Malden the day before
the children were Innoculated, she keeps at Mr: Waits.
I forgot to tell you brother Ben's child he Innoculated
a day or two before ours & is like to do well. He is now
gone out on a Cruize.
The Blade & Scabbod of your Sword all rusty
& defaced
was found, without the head, and is of no great value. I
believe
of for the benefit of the Silver, but I cant say certain, and
you must put up with the Loss of it.
Yesterday the Declaration for Independency was Published
[out]
of the Balcony of the
Town House. A detachment of the Train
of Artillery with two field pieces. And also a detachment of
the Colony Troops attended in
King Street, and after [they]
finished Reading the Declaration there [were] three hearty Chears
given, And the field pieces were discharged a Number of
times, & the Musquettry, & the Several batteries in Town
& upon the Islands and at
Nantaskett fired, the Bells
rang, and in the Afternoon was tore down the Lion & the Unicon
upon the East End of the Court
Town House & the Kings Arms taken
down from the Council Chamber, Court House & other places &
towards Evening all were Committed to the flames to the
Satisfaction of every body but Tories.
As to the papers you mention, Foster Hutchinson
the late Judge of the Court of Probate carried off all
the papers in the office, belonging to this Country, and I
suppose the paper you mention is among them, what can
be don abt. it I don't know,
it is a vast damage to the
Concerned, but I apprehend, by some means or other, they will
get them again, but how long first no body knows, the
said Judge is a great Scoundrel, for doing so.