Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
By Capt. Foord I Send to releive your necesity for the present and hope the receipt of this will make you as happy as Yours render'd me miserable and Perhaps of as long Duration. The Capt. arrived after we were abed and almost asleep his voice rous'd me and after four months absence and so Short a visit I arose but twas Partly because he told he had letters from you thus overjoy'd with my Eyes half open half Shut & my Sences hardly come to me I open'd and read but a dole-full how was my Spirits Crush'd. I felt for you what no Words Can Express88nor any Conceive but those who have a freind dear as themselves. I laid the Letter down to recollect my Scatter'd Sences E're I durst read the Cause of your dreadfull Lamentation my imagination figured Every Picture of distress that twere Possible for you to be plunged into till at Length tire'd of Conjectures I resolve'd to finish it and know the Worst of your ills, and if I had had you here Wo be to you for I Shou'd have kick'd you.
I perceive you've heard of the famous Wedding We have had and how bravely I playd my Part. We Wanted your Company to make out the Chorous: however I was fairly beat out and lay in bed almost all the next day. This day I attended E'm to meeting and they made a very hansome appearance.
I have been disappointed once or more of removing to town & now almost give out but it dont Suit me; I want my Summer Cloaths done that I may go see Sister. The Spring advances apace—I'm so tir'd I can Say nomore but that I am as Usual Yrs. &c.,
My Complements attend all acquaintance; When do you visit us?
I am alive, but are Uncertain whether you are or not, for I have scarce heard of you this 5 Mo. but had a hint the other day, you were seen in Boston, & hope this will find you in good Buyseness & half an hour leisure, so that I may have a line from you to Mrs. Willard to comfort her in her poor state of health. She made a boy about 2 mo. ago,1 & Remains very weak, & a line from Bob will be the best of Cordials. News plenty the fleet is ariv'd the Distination of all the forcess known &c.
Pray send me Gilt. Thornton's Note. I hear he is at Springfield or Give it to Colo. Worthington2 so that the Busyness may be done at. I am your Sincear friend
of the 54 Acres
the Select were appt. to lay out wt. land was due & the Prop. thinking the place at Pole Plain would afford but 15 Acres made their Grant so tho they knew 30 was due & the Selectmen finding the place would afford 30 laid it out.
Mem. of the Depositions. Quære if the Originals must not be got from Supr. Clks. office
they are to prove the Reputation of the Land in 1702."
John Willard (1758–1775).
John Worthington (1719–1800) graduated from Yale in 1740 and following a tutorship there, studied law under Phineas Lyman. Worthington began his practice in Springfield in 1744 and soon became prominent at the bar holding such offices as high sheriff and kings attorney for Hampshire County. He was appointed one of the five commissioners to the Albany Congress in 1754 and later in 1757 was made a colonel in the militia. A member of the Massachusetts General Court for Springfield, he was active there for much of the period 1747 to 1774 serving on the Governor's Council from 1767 to 1769. Worthington's increasing conservatism turned the more radical element against him and when he was appointed a mandamus councillor in 1774 "a mob forced him to recant his Loyalism." He remained in Springfield but devoted himself largely to local affairs for the remainder of his life (Franklin Bowditch Dexter, Biographical Sketches of the Graduates of Yale College, 6 vols. [New York, 1885–1912], 1:658–660; DAB).