Diary Of Ezra Green, M.D. From November 1, 1777, To September 27, 1778 Part 2

Dr. Green was in his second year's naval service, when, by the Rev.

Jeremy Belknap, he was married to Susanna Hayes in the twentieth year of her age. She was then reputed to have been quite handsome and a great favorite with all her acquaintance. She had a delicate and pet.i.te figure, nut-brown hair, shading bright hazel eyes that lit up her regular cut features with a winning expression, which played over a soft transparent complexion, lovely as a fresh-blown rose.

Her father's will, making his estate reversionary in the event of his daughter's decease without issue, happily placed her and her husband in no such unpleasant dilemma; for in the brief time of nineteen years, thirteen children were born to them, viz.:

i. EUNICE, b. July 1, 1780; d. Oct. 7, 1782.

ii. REUBEN HAYES, b. Aug. 20, 1783.

iii. CHARLES, b. March 26, 1785; d. April 5, 1854.

iv. DEBORAH SHACKFORD, b. March 20, 1787; d. May 7, 1860.

v. SARAH, b. Oct. 19, 1788; d. Nov. 2, 1874.

vi. SAMUEL, b. Jan. 4, 1790; d. Jan. 23, 1791.

vii. MARTHA, b. July 13, 1791; d. Nov. 25, 1792.

viii. EUNICE, b. Oct. 8, 1792; d. May 25, 1839.

ix. A DAUGHTER, b. July 15, 1794; still-born.

x. MARTHA, b. June 9, 1795; d. Aug. 3, 1795.

xi. A SON, b. April 27, 1796; still-born.

xii. SAMUEL, b. Oct. 5, 1797; d. Nov. 3, 1823.

xiii. WALTER COOPER, b. July 1, 1799.

My mother's earliest paternal ancestor[7] in America,

1. JOHN^1 HAYES, is said to have emigrated from Scotland about 1680, and settled in Dover, New-Hamps.h.i.+re. He had a grant of land in 1693. By his wife Mary Horn, he had seven sons and three daughters, viz.:

2. i. JOHN, b. 1686.

ii. PETER.

iii. REUBEN.

iv. ICHABOD, b. March 13, 1691-2.

v. SAMUEL, b. March 16, 1694-5.

vi. WILLIAM, b. Sept. 6, 1698.

vii. BENJAMIN, b. ----, 1700.

viii. A DAUGHTER, m. Phipps.

ix. A DAUGHTER, m. Ambrose.

x. A DAUGHTER.

2. JOHN^2 (_John^1_), married Mrs. Tomson, and lived at Tole-End, four miles from Dover corner. He was a deacon of the First Congregational Society in Dover. They had eight children, viz.:

i. ANN, b. June 3, 1718.

3. ii. REUBEN, b. May 8, 1720; d. 1762.

iii. JOSEPH, b. March 15, 1722.

iv. BENJAMIN, b. March 6, 1723.

v. MEHITABEL, b. Dec. 11, 1725.

vi. JOHN, went to North Yarmouth, Maine, to reside.

vii. ELIJAH, went to Berwick, Maine.

viii. ICHABOD, went to Berwick, Maine.

3. REUBEN^3 (_John^2_, _John^1_), was born May 8, 1720. He lived at Tole-End and married Abigail Shackford, by whom he had only one child, viz.:

i. SUSANNA, b. March 23, 1759.

Reuben Hayes died in 1762, at the early age of 42 years, and by his will, after a liberal provision for his wife Abigail, he gave all the residue of his estate, real and personal, to his only child Susanna Hayes, consisting of his farm of 150 acres at Tole-End, with this reservation that, in case "his said daughter Susanna, at her decease, should leave no issue of her body lawfully begotten surviving, then my will is that, my whole estate that shall then be remaining, both real and personal, shall revert and be divided among my four Brethren, namely, Benjamin, John, Ichabod and Elijah Hayes."

[7] I am mainly indebted for the annals of my mother's paternal ancestry to John R. Ham, M.D., of Dover, N.H.

DIARY OF DR. EZRA GREEN.

_Portsmouth Road, Nov. 1st, 1777. Sat.u.r.day._--Between the hours of 8 & 9 this morning weigh'd anchor and proceeded to Sea with a moderate breeze, before night lost sight of the American sh.o.r.e.[8]

[8] The Ranger 18, was built 1777, on Langdon's Island, Portsmouth Harbor, by order of Congress, under the direction of Colonel James Hackett.

On the 14th of June, 1777, Congress _Resolved_, That Capt. John Paul Jones be appointed to command the s.h.i.+p Ranger, and under date Philadelphia, June 18, 1777, the marine committee write to him, "You are appointed to the command of the Ranger, lately built at Portsmouth. Col. Whipple, the bearer of this, carries with him the resolves of Congress appointing you to this command, and authorizing him, Col. Langdon, and you to appoint the other commissioned as well as warrant officers necessary for this s.h.i.+p, and he has with him blank commissions and warrants for this purpose."

Though great diligence was used by Jones in equipping the Ranger, she was not ready to proceed on her destination until the middle of October. Twenty-six guns had been provided for the s.h.i.+p, but Jones exercised great judgment in mounting only eighteen on her, as he considered from her size and slight construction, that she would be more serviceable with eighteen than with a greater number. The following extracts from his letter to the marine committee, dated Oct. 29, 1777, two days before sailing, gives a lively idea of the difficulties he had to contend with, and the poverty of our resources. "With all my industry I could not get a single suit of sails completed until the 20th current. Since that time winds and weather have laid me under the necessity of continuing in port. At this time it blows a very heavy gale from the northeast. The s.h.i.+p with difficulty rides it out, with yards and topmasts struck and whole cables ahead. When it clears up I expect the wind from the northwest, and shall not fail to embrace it, although I have not now a spare sail nor materials to make one. Some of those I have are made of hissings. I never before had such disagreeable service to perform, as that which I have now accomplished and of which another will claim the credit as well as the profit. However, in doing my utmost I am sensible that I have done no more than my duty."

Thus imperfectly equipped, having a very good crew, but "only thirty gallons of rum," as Jones laments, for them to drink on the pa.s.sage, the Ranger sailed from Portsmouth on the 1st of November, 1777.--_Mackenzie's Life of Paul Jones._

_Sunday, Nov. 2nd._--A very fine morning and a favorable wind, all well on board--except some few who are a little Seasick.

_Friday, Nov. 7th._--A strong gale at Northwest which carrys us 10 knots.

_Thursday, Nov. 13th._--About seven this morning saw a sail on our lee Bow distant about 2 Leagues, gave chase and spoke her about 12 o'clock, a Brig from Carolina bound for Bordeaux with several Tory Pa.s.sengers on Board, among whom were Hartley the Organist & his wife.

_Friday, Nov. 14th._--This Morning at 5 o'clock came up a severe Thunder Storm from the southwest.

_Sat.u.r.day, 15th._--Last evening came on a gale of wind which increas'd till about 3 this morning when it began to abate, in the hight of the gale a sail was seen under our lee Quarter, hove too till she came up, a Schooner from St. Peters bound to Bordeaux.

_Sunday, 16th._--A fresh Breeze, and high Sea from the late Gale, about 10 o'clock our tiller Rope broke by which we were in great Danger of the Consequences of the s.h.i.+p's broaching to.

_Wednesday, 19th._--About six this morning saw a Sail under our lee Quarter, gave Chase or rather bore away till we came within about a mile of Her found Her to be a large s.h.i.+p standing Our course clued up Our Courses and hawl'd Our wind--got ready for Action she standing on her course close to the wind, wore s.h.i.+p when it was too late, continued the chase till night and lost Her.

_Sat.u.r.day, Nov. 22nd._--At nine o'clock this morning saw a Sail on our weather Beam--little wind; One of Our People fell from the Chains but was saved by a Rope's End handed Him.

_Sunday, Nov. 23rd._--Early in the morning saw a Sail supposed to be the same we saw yesterday, came up with and made a Prize of--about 8 o'clock, a Brig laden with fruit and wine from Malaga bound to Yarmouth, Riches Comm^r.--She is called the Mary--there are no less than six sail in sight at this Time.

_Monday, Nov. 24th._--Spoke a Schooner from Malaga bound to Liverpool vessel and Cargo owned by a Portugal Merch^t.

_Tuesday, 25th._--Last night spoke a s.h.i.+p & Snow bound to France,--and are now chasing a vessel under Our lee Bow, at 11 at night came up with & made a Prize of the Brig George from Malaga bound to London laden with fruit and wine, she was commanded by Bulfinch.

_Wednesday, 26th._--Early in the morning gave chase to a Brig under our lee Bow, but were obliged to give over Chase on seeing a very large s.h.i.+p to windward with several other Sail in Company she appeared to be standing athwart us, about 2 she hove too with a Fleet of 13 Sail of s.h.i.+ps & Brigs at 2 Leagues Distance, clewed up Our Courses & stopp'd our s.h.i.+p's way expecting every minute when she would come down upon us about 4 she stood on her Course, we made sail close to the wind with a design to cut off a Brig which could not keep up with the Convoy, lost her in the night.

_Thursday, 27._--A fresh gale from the S.W. in the afternoon vear'd a Barrel of Beef astern for the Brig, Sea running High she carelessly ran upon our Larboard Quarter but did no other Damage than breaking our Driver Boom--at 10 at Night saw several Sail spoke one of them found them all to be Dutch Daugers.

_Sat.u.r.day, 29th._--A very heavy gale, hove too at night in the Bay of Biscay 60 Leagues distant from Land.

_Sunday, 30th._--Fine weather and a strong wind in the night hove too and sounded in 80 Fathom water.

_Monday, Dec. 1._--Saw Land from mast Head at 10 in the morning, with fine weather.