tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post2642250823768015553..comments2024-03-28T04:26:30.557-05:00Comments on Boston 1775: “Here are the cannon—Our cannon are coming”Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-75689824780368124242022-03-26T20:26:34.635-05:002022-03-26T20:26:34.635-05:00Thank you, that makes sense of the phrase “his bro...Thank you, that makes sense of the phrase “his brother Thomsons.” People at this time often dropped the “in-law” label we use.J. L. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405157000473731801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-52275537263659736462022-03-25T22:50:49.398-05:002022-03-25T22:50:49.398-05:00James Thompson was married to Abigail Waters, olde...James Thompson was married to Abigail Waters, older sister to Josiah Waters. James is brother to my ancestor Deborah Thompson. I have more information if you are interested. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04109007882351408778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-51981769361152425132017-04-26T23:15:39.643-05:002017-04-26T23:15:39.643-05:00The “y” that we use to transcribe “ye” is actually...The “y” that we use to transcribe “ye” is actually the nearest equivalent of an older English letter called a “thorn.” That stood for the sound of “th.” Which means that “ye” and “the” are pronounced the same, even though today we often pronounce the first like the second syllable of “payee.” They‘re the same word, written down differently. The thorn was dying out in the late 1700s, and some writers never used it while others used it consistently in short words or abbreviations like “yt.” (that). Sarah Deming is an unusual example of someone switching back and forth. But I don’t think there was a pattern—and certainly not a general rule of usage—guiding her.J. L. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405157000473731801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-6349711142404547962017-04-26T16:41:24.113-05:002017-04-26T16:41:24.113-05:00This might seem a silly question - and you may or ...This might seem a silly question - and you may or may not know the answer. When was "the" used and when was "ye" used?<br /><br />The horse took thro’ Roxbury Street, ye way he had but a little before pass’d. When we were by the Gray-hownJax Hunterhttp://revive1775.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-27984865794493003842017-04-25T22:32:11.460-05:002017-04-25T22:32:11.460-05:00Don, I tried the interpretation of Lewis as the la...Don, I tried the interpretation of Lewis as the lad, and saw two obstacles to it. Deming’s description “a lad who came out of Boston wth us, & who generally kept by our side, tho’ sometimes before us,” seems to suggest he was someone who casually fell in with her group instead of being someone she could name and give orders to (“let our horse go”). And his manner of address to the Demings—“Sir, Sir; Ma’m”—doesn’t imply they were close. But yes, it’s possible that in her telling Deming was deliberately distancing herself from this bothersome boy, whom she expected her correspondent to recognize. <br /><br />Chris, there do indeed seem to be taverns every 100 yards or so. There are whole books about Massachusetts taverns, some handily from the late nineteenth century and thus available online now. David Conroy’s <i>In Public Houses</i> is a terrific modern study. But I think locating all those taverns on a map sounds like a good assignment for a digital history class. <br /><br />I believe the two prominent Josiah Waterses of Boston (born in 1721 and 1747) were respectively son and grandson of the Josiah Waters of Woburn. J. L. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405157000473731801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-55928738343162059132017-04-25T14:20:00.525-05:002017-04-25T14:20:00.525-05:00Taverns everywhere. I don't suppose there is ...Taverns everywhere. I don't suppose there is a handy map of Massachusetts with all the tavern locations of the 1770's identified?<br /><br />Oh, and the Woburn records from the tan books list a Josiah Waters born in 1694. <br />Chris Hurley of Woburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11767360457057298740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-60591864524241401782017-04-25T12:51:36.534-05:002017-04-25T12:51:36.534-05:00"a lad who came out of Boston wth us, & w..."a lad who came out of Boston wth us, & who generally kept by our side, tho’ sometimes before us, run up to our chaise wth a most joyful countenance... I only said, to Lewis go home to your father..." This sounds like Lewis could very well be the lad, and she had had quite enough of him by this time.Don N. Hagisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07378559838757104754noreply@blogger.com