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EAM 0071857-63 Diary and paperwork belonging to Reverend Michael Carlton of Salem Massachusetts. The diary contains 62 written pages and covers the period September 3, 1857 to October 11, 1863, just a few months after the death of his youngest daughter on July 21. She was a young teacher and died of disease. He talks about attending funerals, being pelted by stones from young people in the street when he tried to calm them down, a cotton factory that burned and killed 120 people, going to the prison at Charleston and preaching to the inmates, a boy who fell through a coal shuttle on a ship, he talks about the Civil War and being called to court as a witness for 2 divorce cases where husbands were accused of desertion. There is much more as well. The paperwork includes a manuscript poem written by a 19 year old boy in state prison at Charleston, Massachusetts for setting fire to a meeting house in South Danvers; another manuscript poem written and signed at the end by M. B. Garfield; ‘A Hymn Sung
EAM 007 by Charles M. Carlton the 10th of October 1848 the day before his death with a strong and full voice’ with written notes at the bottom; and a lengthy letter written by Reverend Carlton while in New London NH on September 22, 1856 to the Bethel Church congregation of Salem and signed by him. RNC
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Note: Michael Carlton was born in 1794 at Blue Hill, ME, and educated at Waterville, ME. He was ordained a pastor of the Baptist church in Hopkinton on June 27, 1822 and resigned on September 14, 1832. During his pastorate, the Calvinistic element of the church rallied around him, and a schism resulted in the organization of the Freewill Baptist church at Contoocook,
EAM 007the Calvinists locating at Hopkinton village, the original church having been at the foot of the southern slope of Putney's hill. While in Hopkinton he took a prominent interest in the temperance cause, and was active in promoting education.
EAM 007 In 1827, he was one of the first trustees of Hopkinton academy. The same year he was a member of the town superintending school-committee. He also enjoyed military distinction, being chaplin of the 4Oth regiment, receiving his appointment in 1825. Leaving Hopkinton, the Reverend Carlton settled in Salem, Mass. While in Salem, he was a seaman's minister and a city missionary. During 1860 he shared involvement in the incorporation of the Home for Aged Women. Rev. Carlton was twice married. His first wife was Deborah Hunt, of Salem, by whom he had three children,--Deborah, Charles, Mary. Hís second wife was Hannah Perkins, also of Salem, and by whom he had four children,--Francis, Priscilla, Lizzie, Francis. He died in Salem on March 6, 1865
