Diary of Thomas Marsh, 1751

Diary kept in an interleaved almanac from 1751. Entries in the diary are brief and sporadic, recording events including travel, visitors, weather, sermons heard, holidays, illnesses and deaths. Occasional expenses are noted, including ones for hay, cider, bottles, shoes, and doctoring. A few dates of college events are noted, including the semi-annual Corporation meeting and Commencement. On the last page is a list of student names, presumably those tutored by Marsh.

Thomas Marsh, Harvard College librarian, Tutor, and Fellow, was born on January 20, 1710/11 to Thomas and Mary (Burr) March in what is now West Hingham, Mass. While attending Harvard College, Marsh was a waiter, held the Samuel Browne scholarship, and was a Scholar of the House for two years. He received his Harvard A.B. in 1731 and his A.M. in 1734. From 1730-1733, he kept school in Dedham, Mass., and later taught school in Worcester. He returned to Harvard in 1736 as a Hopkins Fellow to read theology. On May 20, 1737, he was appointed College librarian, a position he held until 1741, when he began preaching in Rutland, Mass., and became a tutor at Harvard. On August 20, 1755, Marsh was elected a Fellow of the College. He held both of these positions until 1766, when he married Hannah Sprague, thereby becoming illegible to be a tutor. As of 1775, he was teaching school in Watertown; that same year he was appointed as Justice of the Peace for Middlesex County. Marsh died in Watertown on September 22, 1780.