Joshua(Author of Diary of Joshua Hempstead) Hempstead

  General Notes:

The following is written by the New London Gazette about the Diary that Joshua wrote and a little about the writer Joshua Hempstead 2d.

There is neither a printed sketch of Joshua Hempstead 2d nor a published genealogy of the Hempstead family in existence. Joshua Hempstead 2d was born in the old Hempstead house, Sept. 1, 1678. He was the son of Joshua Hempstead, born Jun 16, 1649 and the grandson of Sir Robert Hempstead who died in 1654. Robert Hempstead was one of the 36 grantees of original house lots in New London. From facts recently brought to light it is more probable that Robert Hempstead came from Hempstead, Long Island, rather than with Winthrop's men. So far as known all of the Hempsteads in this country are descended from Robert Hempstead and his brother. Mary, the daughter of Robert Hempstead, was the first child born in New London. From the entry appended to her father's will it appears she was born March 26, 1647.

Joshua Hempstead
Born: New London; September 1, 1678
Died: New London; December 22, 1758

Joshua Hempstead was a diarist who spent his entire life in New London. He began keeping a diary on Sept. 8, 1711 and faithfully continued it until Nov 3, 1758, just a month and a half before his death. The diary, the only one of its kind in Connecticut, fills over 700 tightly-packed, printed pages and provides a detailed picture of the life of Hempstead, his family, neighbors, and acquaintances. It also includes a great deal of information about events in New London and eastern Connecticut.

Hempstead was a farmer, surveyor, carpenter, gravestone carver, trader, petty attorney, and public official. During his long, active life he served as selectman, deputy to the General Assembly, justice of the peace, and militia officer. Most importantly, however, he was a keen observer and recorder of events in the lives of hundreds of inhabitants in the New London area. Readers of the diary can follow Joshua Hempstead's life day by day for more than forty years. The first entry tells of his carpentry work on a vessel being constructed in New London and the last one records the sufferings of a dying man. "I keep house Still. Exceeding Sore in my Bowels where the pain was last week. There is difficulty." At the death of his wife on August 5, 1716, he states simply: "my Dear Wife Died about half an hour before Sunrise. I was at home al day except in the Evening I went to ye burying place."

Events of great and small importance are recorded, as are the births, marriages, illnesses, and deaths of neighbors. The pageantry of the funeral of Governor Saltonstall is described on September 22, 1724; the life and death of the New London Society United for Trade and Commerce are outlined in a series of entries between August 16, 1732 and June 5, 1735; significant colonial elections such as those in 1733 and 1740 are discussed; and the excesses of the Rogerenes and ardent supporters of the Great Awakkening are recorded.

While Joshua Hempstead's diary is difficult to read, it is an indispensable resource for all those interested in daily life in Connecticut in the first half of the eighteenth century.

Extract from the Diary of Joshua Hempstead, 1711-1758
New London Historical Society

April. Mond 1. fair aftern a little in ye morn. I was at home all Day. wee began to plow New ground. Josha held & adam Drove. the Dept. Govr (alias Majr Genll) Woolcot is come to Town. ye guns fired at ye County Sloop & at ye Fort.

Sund 7 fair & moderate. a Sacramt Day. Mr. adams pr (preached) all Day. in ye foren to ye C. Chh in the aftern to ye Souldiers who are gare going to Cape Britton. the Lt. Genll & Several of the Captains & officers & Soldiers ye Rhd Island County Sloop come in after meeting. a Child of William Atwell Baptized.

Mond 8 fair & pleasant. I was at home foren mending the Tonge of Madm Winthrops Cart yt drawed out & Tennant broke a Saturday. aftern at the freemens meeting. Colln Saltonstall & Jer. Chapman Junr chose Deputys. wee plowed ye old Ground for barly. the fairfield County Company as well as Hartford & N london were in the field exercising near ye Courthouse. old Ms Smith the only Daughter of old Mr Gibson Died this morn aged about 80 years.

Tues 9. a warm Morning. I was at home foren. I sowed 3 bushll of barley. afternoon to See the Major Genll Woolcots Tent on ye hill between Colln Saltonstalls wall & ye burying place & ye Regiment 8 Companys in the Trayning field drawn up to Close order & ye Comisions published near the Courthouse the Lt. Govr or Majr Genll with Colln Andrew Burr on his Right & Lt Coll Simon Lathrop on ye Left Marched bareheaded from the Tent to ye place near ye West Door & yn I went to the funeral, Raw Cold.

Thursd 11 fair. In the foren I went with Ephm Deans of Norwich on Board ye Rhhd Island Country Sloop to take the acknowledgemt of a power of attorney from his Son. I came a Shore beforenoon & went to Mr. Millers to Wait on the Dept Govr & Dined with him & then home to the funeral of Hu. Minor.....

Saturd 13 Rain a little in ye foren. I was at home. aftern fair I went out to Crossmans Lot &c.the Souldiers of the 8 Companys are getting on Bord the Transports. I was up in the Evening to take Leave of Several &c. the wind SE some days.

Joshua(Author married Abigal Bailey Hempstead. (Abigal Bailey Hempstead was born in 1676 and died on 5 Aug 1716.)