I Wear a Face Foreign to the Feelings of My Heart

Author: Mercy Scollay Date: April 26, 1776 [Boston, to Dr. Elijah Dix] “My Good Friend I have this moment heard that Mr Williams sets of[f] for Worcester on Monday, and tho’ I have nothing of consequence to communicate I cant help beginning a whole sheet of paper in hopes my firtile brain will supply me […]

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Get My Goods and Family Out of Harm’s Way

Date: April 10, 1775 “[to Dr. Dix] Boston [Monday] April 10, 1775 Sir my Goods are many of them out of Town. I must pray you to hire a Couple of Waggons for me and direct them to go to the House of Mrs Mary Warren in Roxbury for as many of my Goods as […]

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It May Not be Known What Family They Belong To

Date: February 25, 1775 To Dr. Elijah Dix [of Worcester] “Boston, 25 Feby. 1775 I must request you to have the House ready to receive some of my Goods in three or four Days, if they should arrive before any of my Family I must beg you would take the care of them, as the […]

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Mercy Scollay’s Declaration of Independence

Author: Mercy Scollay Date: May 21, 1776 Will Mr. Hancock permit an obscure Friend to intrude upon him in those moments that he retires from the complea affairs of his country to taste the sweets of sociability that ever attends Domestic happiness? If he will, Miss Scollay puts in her claim and begs an audience. […]

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I Have Not Forgot the Last Words of Your Dear Brother Concerning the Children

Date: July 22, 1776 Author: Elizabeth (Betsey/Mrs. Charles) Miller “It is with pleasure I inform your your Niece Betsey is with me. She was inoculated for the small pox 14 days agone, & is like to have it very light, the other Children are at Mr. Scolley, it was with some difficulty I was favor’d […]

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Pity My Weakness, My Friend, but Do Not Expose My Folly

Author: Miss Mercy Scollay Undated, probably late April 1776 “To Mrs. Dix. Will my Dear Mrs. Dix forgive her friend for leaving this house and not again visit the Chamber that had so often witnessed the joys and sorrows of her checqerd state – but I feard to pain your gentle nature by taking a […]

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How Could He Sell the Feather Beds to George Washington?

Date: August, 17, 1775 Author: Miss Mercy Scollay [To Dr. Dix, posted from Watertown, Massachusetts] “I look upon the promise made my friend of writing him by first opportunity too sacred to omit, tho’ I’ve nothing yet of any consequence to say – My journey down [from Worcester] was safe and my little girls [Joseph […]

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Plea of Said Joseph is Bad and Insufficient

Date: April 7, 1772 Authors: John Adams, Samuel S. Quincy, and Ebenezer Goldthwaite The plaintiffs protest that Warren has illegally evicted several members of the Green family from a piece of land in Hanover Street occupied by a house “and other buildings.” The endorsements record the pleas of the parties to the suit: “And the […]

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Lawyer John Adams Advocates for Joseph Warren

Author: John Adams Date: April 8, 1768 “And the said Joseph Warren agreeing that s[ai]d Phillip may give any special matter in Evidence and in general and upon the said Phillip agreeing that he may wave this plea & [substitute] with that plea of s[ai]d Phillip before pleaded insufficient in law to preclude him s[ai]d […]

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Payment for Medical Care of the Poor

Date: January 10, 1771 “Province of Massachusetts Bay to Jos: Warren To 730 Visits at 1/6 pt Visit from May 1769 to May 1770  £54/15/0 [the document goes on to list 30 people, of which 3 include “for Wife” and an added two “& Child” Line items for these people, added to the £54/15/0 totals […]

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