1.   Historical note

2.   Scope and content

3.   Provenance

4.   Processing note

5.   Inventory

6.   Subjects


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 Enos Hitchcock Papers

 Minister from Providence, R.I.

 Papers, 1768-1803

 Size: 1 ft.

 Catalog number: MSS 78

 Processed by: Elizabeth Delmage, April 2006


©Rhode Island Historical Society

Manuscripts Division

 


Historical note:


            The Reverend Doctor Enos Hitchcock served as a chaplain during the American Revolutionary War. He was also a distinguished preacher, promoter of education and member of the Benevolent Congregational Society. Rev. Hitchcock was born March 7, 1744 in Springfield, Mass. and was the son of Peletiah and Sarah (Parsons) Hitchcock. In 1767, he graduated from Harvard College and soon began preaching. Hitchcock was officially ordained a minister in 1771 and preached at the Second Church in Beverly, Mass. It was also during this time that he married his wife Achsah Jordan (c.1744-1801). They had one child together, Achsah (c.1775-1784) and later adopted Mary Hitchcock Jordan (c.1778-1803) at an unknown date.

            When fighting broke out between the colonies and Great Britain in 1775, Hitchcock felt compelled to join the army. He served as chaplain of the Continental Army from 1779-1780 in the following regiments: 3rd Continental Infantry, 10th Massachusetts and Patterson's Massachusetts Brigade. Following the end of the war, Rev. Hitchcock preached in different communities until he finally settled in Providence, R.I. as the pastor of the First Congregational Church in 1783. Here he became an active member in the Benevolent Congregational Society, which was also referred to as the First Congregational Society interchangeably.

            Rev. Hitchcock received his doctorate from Brown University in 1788 and maintained close connections with the school throughout his life. He was also involved in the cause of education, along with President James Manning (1738-1791) of Brown University, Moses Brown (1738-1836) and other prominent Providence citizens. By the time of his death, he was successful in obtaining the establishment of a public school system in Providence. Besides this endeavor, Rev. Hitchcock was a member of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery. He himself had purchased a man from slavery, Ceasar Hitchcock, whom he manumitted and remembered in his last will and testament for his faithful service. Rev. Hitchcock died in Providence, R.I. on February 27, 1803.


Bibliography:


Rhode Island Cemetery Database.

Shipton, Clifford K. Sibley's Harvard Graduates - Volume 16: 1764-1767. Boston:

            Massachusetts Historical Society, 1972.

Winship, George P., William MacDonald, and Frank Greene Bates. Proceedings of the Rhode

            Island Historical Society: 1900-1901. Providence, R.I.: Standard Printing Company,

            1902.

Weeden, William B., ed. "Diary of Enos Hitchcock, D.D., A Chaplain in the Revolutionary Army.

            With a Memoir." Publications of the Rhode Island Historical Society 7 (July 1899) : 87-            134.

________. "Diary of Enos Hitchcock, D.D." Publications of the Rhode Island Historical Society

            7 (Oct. 1899) : 147-194.

________. "Diary of Enos Hitchcock, D.D., (Concluded)" Publications of the Rhode Island

            Historical Society 7 (Jan. 1900) : 207-231.


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Scope and content:


            This collection includes letters, diaries, accounts, sermons and other miscellaneous material from Enos Hitchcock as well as accounts and papers pertaining to the First Congregational Society Church and their Benevolent Congregational Society.


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Provenance:


            Enos Hitchcock's Papers arrived in various accessions. The first donation was in 1847 (#1847. 6. 1.-; #1847. 6. 2) by William Gammeel which included a collection of almanacs that have journal entries interleaved throughout the pages. Hitchcock's sermon, "A Devout Soldier: A Sermon Preached at West Point," is assumed to have been donated in 1889 (#1889. 23). In 1900 (#1900. 21. 1; #1900. 29. 2-4), Fred A. Arnold donated more diaries that belonged to Hitchcock. Also in 1900 (#1900. 32. 1. 1-), about 500 letters and other manuscripts covering Hitchcock's life from 1780-1803 were found by librarian Clarence Bridghem in an old trunk in the newspaper room, labeled, "Of Little Value." Further description of this accession can be found in Proceedings of the Rhode Island Historical Society: 1900-1901 on page 27.


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Processing note:


            This collection was previously processed in June 1987 by Harold Kemble. In March 2006, the Enos Hitchcock Papers were given an updated listing and the diaries were more closely cataloged and added to the Guide of Men's Diaries. Also, accounts that relate to the First Congregational Church's Benevolent Congregational Society were removed from Enos Hitchcock's personal accounts into their own folder within this collection.


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Inventory:


Accounts

Box 1, Folder 1.                      Accounts.                                            1765-1769

Box 1, Folder 2.                      Accounts.                                            1770-1774

Box 1, Folder 3.                      Accounts.                                            1775-1779

Box 1, Folder 4.                      Accounts.                                            1780-1784

Box 1, Folder 5.                      Accounts.                                            1785-1789

Box 1, Folder 6.                      Accounts.                                            1790-1794

Box 1, Folder 7.                      Accounts.                                            1795-1799

Box 1, Folder 8.                      Accounts.                                            1800-1803

Box 1, Folder 9.                      Accounts for the Estate of                  1803-1804

                                                     Rev. Enos Hitchcock and Copy of

                                                     His Last Will and Testament


Correspondence

Box 1, Folder 10.                    Correspondence.                                 n.d.

Box 1, Folder 11.                    Correspondence.                                 1768

Box 1, Folder 12.                    Correspondence.                                 1771

Box 1, Folder 13.                    Correspondence.                                 1774

Box 1, Folder 14.                    Correspondence.                                 1776

Box 1, Folder 15.                    Correspondence.                                 1777

Box 1, Folder 16.                    Correspondence.                                 1778

Box 1, Folder 17.                    Correspondence.                                 1779

Box 1, Folder 18.                    Correspondence.                                 1780

Box 1, Folder 19.                    Correspondence.                                 1781

Box 1, Folder 20.                    Correspondence.                                 1782

Box 1, Folder 21.                    Correspondence.                                 1783

Box 1, Folder 22.                    Correspondence.                                 1784

Box 1, Folder 23.                    Correspondence.                                 1785

Box 1, Folder 24.                    Correspondence.                                 1786

Box 1, Folder 25.                    Correspondence.                                 1787

Box 1, Folder 26.                    Correspondence.                                 1788

Box 1, Folder 27.                    Correspondence.                                 1789

Box 1, Folder 28.                    Correspondence.                                 Jan 1790 - May 1790

Box 1, Folder 29.                    Correspondence.                                 Jun 1790 - Dec 1790

Box 1, Folder 30.                    Correspondence.                                 1791

Box 1, Folder 31.                    Correspondence.                                 1792

Box 1, Folder 32.                    Correspondence.                                 1793

Box 1, Folder 33.                    Correspondence.                                 1796

Box 1, Folder 34.                    Correspondence.                                 1797

Box 1, Folder 35.                    Correspondence.                                 1799

Box 1, Folder 36.                    Correspondence.                                 1800

Box 1, Folder 37.                    Correspondence.                                 1802


Diaries

Box 1, Folder 38.                    Diary.                                                 29 Jul - 26 Nov 1776

Box 1, Folder 39.                    Diary.                                                 1777

Box 1, Folder 40.                    Diary.                                                 2 May - 26 Nov 1778

Box 1, Folder 41.                    Diary.                                                 7 Apr - 10 Nov 1779

Box 1, Folder 42.                    Diary.                                                 1 Aug - 5 Nov 1780

Box 1, Folder 43.                    Diary.                                                 1783

Box 1, Folder 44.                    Diary.                                                 1784

Box 1, Folder 45.                    Diary.                                                 1785

Box 1, Folder 46.                    Diary.                                                              1786

Box 1, Folder 47.                    Diary.                                                 1787

Box 1, Folder 48.                    Diary.                                                 1788

Box 1, Folder 49.                    Diary.                                                 1789

Box 1, Folder 50.                    Diary.                                                 1790

Box 1, Folder 51.                    Diary.                                                 1791

Box 1, Folder 52.                    Diary.                                                 1797

Box 1, Folder 53.                    Diary.                                                 1798

Box 1, Folder 54.                    Diary.                                                 1799

Box 1, Folder 55.                    Diary.                                                 1800

Box 1, Folder 56.                    Diary.                                                 1801

 

Sermons

Box 1, Folder 57.                    Notes, untitled and undated                n.d.

                                                     sermons, commonplace book

Box 1, Folder 58.                    Sermons with dated notes                   1782-1789

                                                     and drafts.

Box 1, Folder 59.                    Sermons.                                             1793, 1796, 1801

 

Miscellaneous

Box 1, Folder 60.                    Poetry.                                                n.d.

Box 1, Folder 61.                    "Memoirs of the Bloomsgrove           c.1790

                                                     Family" - Correspondence and

                                                     Subscription lists


Benevolent Congregational Society

Box 1, Folder 62.                    Correspondence and Subscription      1778-1802

                                                     lists 

Box 1, Folder 63.                    Accounts.                                            1783-1794

Box 1, Folder 64.                    Accounts.                                            1783-1794



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Subjects:


Benevolent Congregational Society (Providence, R.I.)

Diaries, 1776-1780.

Diaries, 1783-1791.

Diaries, 1797-1801.

First Congregational Church (Providence, R.I.)

Hitchcock, Enos, 1745-1803 - Sermons.

United States. History. Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 - Chaplains.

United States. History. Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 - Personal narratives.

United States. History. Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.


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RIHS1822