Elijah Dunbar: A Man for All Seasons. The Stoughton and Canton Historical
Societies will meet together on Nov. 17 at 2 PM at 6 Park St Stoughton to celebrate the publication of the Elijah Dunbar Diaries of 1762-3 and 1806.
Stoughton Historical Society President
and editor of the journals, Dwight MacKerron will compare the life and writings of the 22 year-old,
Elijah Dunbar, who is teaching school, and beginning a family in a Town called
Stoughton (which includes the current towns of Canton, Sharon, and Stoughton) in Suffolk County under the British Crown to those of the 66-year-old
father of seven, who still lives in the same place, but now in a Town called
Canton in Norfolk County in the United States of America!
By 1806, Elijah Dunbar had been a
moving force in the creation of the new country, the new county, and the new town. In 1762, after completing his six week session of school teaching at Coney's Corner in the current Sharon, he struggles through
five feet of snow to teach school in the current Stoughton. In 1806 his
children ride his sleigh over the snow to go to the church in Stoughton and Sharon. There
is no service in Canton, because the minister is on his deathbed. The diaries report accidental deaths,
droughts, blizzards, marriages, childbirth, funerals, church conflicts,
“sings,” and the plowing, cutting, and harvesting done in the fields, orchards,
and woods to support life in our town centuries ago.
The diaries, which include two large historic maps were published with the assistance of
both the Stoughton and Canton Cultural Councils and will be available for purchase.
Free. Light refreshments. 781 344 5456 or stoughtonhistoricalsociety@verizon.net
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