Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
According to your desire Signify'd in yr. Letter1I am now in Boston & have waited on Capt. Ruggles.2 He says that Mr. Moore Mr. Rutherfords Partner is Living in great Credit & flourishing Circumstances & that Rutherfords Estate was not Insolvent.3
Capt. Ruggles sails in about a fortnight from this time.
Witter is yet in the East-India Service but Expected home.4
Since I saw you I have been at Plymouth where also I saw Mr. Pierce, but he rejected my proposalls which was to divide the thing in dispute; he Chooses rather a Referrence which Mr. Hovey has neglected 'till this time (I Suppose) that it may have the form of a Rule of Court. I would 279be glad you would Nominate for me, & Inform me of time place & persons & I'll attend for I long to have it Setled. We are in Usual health, Sister Eunice in Boston & much Better. I Carryed my Wife to Plymouth where we were Entertain'd by Mr. Hovey & his Lady in a very Generous and friendly manner.
Wednesday next Week there will be a General Councell & tis thought by some friends that T'will be best for me to be in Boston, and as there will be no need of my Attending at Plymouth I believe I shall in the former place.
Complyments to Plymouth & Taunton friend who I hope are all Well Including yourself. I am Sr. yr. freind & brother
PS: Two great personages we heard ware arrived in Town yesterday. Whitefield5 and Hudson6 but we Since hear, that only the latter has arived in person & the former by a Letter.
More postscript. I am oblige to you for your Conferrence with Collonells Bradford7 & Clap8 who seem to be in Earnest. Pray tell Collo. Otis there is War declared (Evening post) between Indian Corn, & potatoes pray him to defend the Latter as he is a Zealous friend to them but to have some mercy on the former.9
Not located.
Capt. George Ruggles.
James Rutherford was a merchant at Kingston, Jamaica. The "late company of Moore & Rutherford" had an account open with Thomas Paine at the time of his death (RTP to James Rutherford, Dec. 18, 1757).
Richard Thomas Witter.
George Whitefield, the evangelist. The Boston Evening Post, Jan. 2, 1764, reported: "The Rev. Mr. Whitefield, we hear, was to boat the first week in January, for Rhode-Island in his way to this Place. Monday last, Vessell arrived here from Halifax, in whom came passenger the noted Dr. Seth Hudson."
Seth Hudson arrived in Boston in 1762 purporting to be a doctor travelling for his amusement. He was convicted with Joshua How of counterfeiting the province treasurer's notes, sentenced to be whipped, pilloried, and imprisoned for one year. The incident was the subject of a caricature by Nathaniel Hurd (Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, 25:40–43).
Gamaliel Bradford (1704–1778) was a colonel of the militia during the Crown Point Expedition and at this time was a member of the Massachusetts Council (Ruth Gardiner Hall, Descendants of Governor William Bradford [n.p., 1951], 28–29).
Thomas Clapp (1705–1774), graduated from Harvard in 1725 and was the minister at Taunton 280from 1728 to 1738 when he returned to his native Scituate. He served Scituate in the House of Representatives and was appointed a judge of the Inferior Court for Plymouth County in 1743 and also served as a colonel of the militia (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 7:494–498).
The Boston Evening Post of Dec. 26 contained a speech by Gov. Francis Bernard reporting the outbreak of Indian hostilities and requesting the raising of troops "for the Protection of the eastern Country [Maine]."
I wrote you last week from Boston by Collo. Clap to which I refer you. I intended to have seen Plymouth this Week notwithstanding wht. I wrote, but your Sister whome I left well when I went to Boston I found very much Indispos'd on my return & now she is very ill. This day she has been blooded, & has many Symptoms of her old disorder which I pray God to prevent: for 'tis Impossible (without a miracle) she should stand another Shock.
In my last I mention'd to you that the affair between Pierce & myself is to be setled by Rule of Court.1I should be glad you would attend upon it & Nominate for me, I long to have it setled. I am Sr. yrs. &c.
Samuel Pearce of Bristol, R.I., cordwainer, and Elizabeth, his wife, attached Joseph Greenleaf of Abington, merchant, in a case continued from Jan. 1762. The case concerned a debt on an obligation for £350 on demand, dated Nov. 6, 1759. At the Plymouth Common Pleas for Jan. 1765 Greenleaf confessed forfeiture and requested chancery. The plaintiffs were awarded a judgment plus costs (Plymouth Court Records, 8:141).
To the former favors you have done me be pleased to add one more, which is to deliver the inclosed or send it to Mrs. Fales,1when the Squire is absent; otherwise the Intention of it, viz, to get the money paid which hast been so long due, may be defeated. I do not desire that you should let her know you are accquainted with the Contents, or even who wrote it. I had rather the Letter should lay a month in your hands, or not be delivered at all, than that the Gentleman should be accquainted with281it. If Mrs. Fales shall please after the receipt of it, to show it him I must submitt. I am, Sir, yr. obliged Friend & humble Servt.
Elizabeth Fales, the daughter of Rev. James Gardner, was the widow of Nathaniel Thomas when she married Timothy Fates in 1748 as his second wife. When she died in 1767, Mrs. Fates was remembered as a "Lady much esteemed and beloved by her numerous Acquaintance, to whom she had endear'd herself by her many Virtues and Accomplishments; and while her Health permitted, rendered herslef very serviceable by her repeated Kindnesses" (Boston News-Letter, Sept. 3, 1767).