munitions of war in the Eastern country; to see that the forts and garrisons were in a defensible condition; and to provide all extra supplies necessary for the Kennebec expedition. Having discharged the duties of his commission with ability, and to the public satisfaction, and settled his official warrants after the peace, he was returned a representative of his native town in 1766, and every succeeding year to 1772, inclusive, when he retired from public life. Nor do we find any of the name taking a conspicuous part during the whole period of the Revolution. EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF THE REV. JOSEPH MOODY OF YORK, SOMETIMES CALLED HANDKERCHIEF MOODY. Read before the Maine Historical Society, May 9, 1891. AMONG the treasures of the Society's archives is a little, time-stained manuscript volume, measuring five and one-half by three and one-half inches. It was begun in August, 1720, and ended October, 1724, and is mostly written in a Latin cipher by the Reverend Joseph Moody, who was the eccentric son of the eccentric Parson Moody, the chaplain of Sir William Pepperell's regiment at the siege of Louisburg. He was born in the year 1700, graduated at Harvard in 1718, died in 1753. The Reverend Timothy Alden in his collection of epitaphs published in 1814, has the following: Here lies interred the body of the Reverend Joseph Moody pastor of the Second Church in York, an excelling instance of knowledge, ingenuity, learning, piety, virtue and usefulness, was very serviceable as a school master, clerk, register, magistrate and afterwards as a minister was uncommonly qualified and spirited to do good, and accordingly was highly esteemed and greatly lamented. Although this stone may moulder into dust, Yet Joseph Moody's name continue must. In a note it is stated that in consequence of accidentally killing a youth for whom he had a great affection, as a token of his grief he was determined to wear a veil during the remainder of his life, and accordingly ever after wore a silk handkerchief drawn over his face. In the biographical sketches of the Moody family, published some years since, this little manuscript journal is alluded to, and the author states that, with the help of President Allen, he was able to decipher some part. He says, I found many curious things, and many eccentric things, savoring of the peculiarly diseased state of his mind, yet mingled with the deepest devotion. This diary it will be seen was written when Joseph Moody was but a young man. Born of an eccentric father, disappointed in not securing the hand of his cousin, Mary Hirst, in marriage, his eccentricity increased with age, until finally he almost retired from the world, and was seldom seen excepting in the pulpit and then with his face partly covered with a handkerchief. As to his having accidentally killed a friend, this may be a fable circulated among the country people, and believed in process of time to be a fact. It is also reported that Joseph's father, the eccentric parson, compelled his son to sit up all night with the body of his friend as an atonement. Interesting points in the diary are the records of the first visit of young Pepperell to the Hirst family, also the date of the wedding, August 15, 1723. In the biographical notices of Sir William Pepperell, the date of his marriage is given as February 21, 1723. If Mr. Moody referred to this marriage in his entry in August, as we have reason to believe, there is a correction to be made in future notices of Sir William. Doctor Usher Parsons in his biography of Sir William Pepperell, gives no date of the marriage. 1720. H. W. B. October 1, Abig. Curtis died August 26. Mr. Lucas died 23. Betty Banks, 30. Soldiers march Sep. 16 & 17th. Moved home from Mr. Harmon's 29th. Father sailed with Young to Cape Ann, arrived at sunrise. Set out for York Oct. 25, arrived 26. Die Gratia. December 25. Bracy's child died 4 or 5 months old. |