Excerpts from the Journal of Sarah Howe, volume 2

My Father used frequently to say he had signed
and Pledged his Life and property before the contest
began, and that he was as sincere in it as in anything
he ever undertook that in his day he only expected
to brave? the harder that is was for the good of Posterity
that he undertook I have every reason to think him
sincerer at the Lexington Alarm he went right
from his farm and young family and was gone some
time and was willing to stay but they told him it
was better for him to go home there was enough
willing to stay that head not so much to see to at
home Therefore he came home attended to his farm
and sacrifice his property by selling his Produce
to victual and clothe the Army and take Publick
securities for payment others were so fearful that
they would not be paid was unwilling to take
them and by that means they Decreased in Value
he by his zealous attachment to the cause would
do it my mother opposed him in doing it but he
said if Independence was gained public Debts
must be paid, if not he cared nothing about Life
or property- Cap^t. Ivory Holland who served
as Lieutenant and Captain through the war
had a Large Family of small children he
bought considerable of his wages Let his wife
have wool Flax and all kinds of provisions
which her family needed in the year 1775 he
sheared 70 good sheep which I suppose would
average more than 4 lbs. wool each, his Labour cost
a considerable share of his produce I was the
oldest child under 10 when the war began
but by taking public securities he never made
property faster. He once for a while almost
gave up the Idea of their ever being paid
the Congress was without power the
soldier