Sarah Prince Gill
Sarah Prince Gill was a notable figure in 18th-century Massachusetts, recognized primarily for her spiritual diary and her familial connections. As the first wife of Moses Gill, a prosperous merchant who briefly served as governor of Massachusetts, she played a significant role in her husband's legacy. Born to Reverend Thomas Prince, pastor of Boston's South Church, Sarah's background positioned her within a prominent religious and social context. Her diary, initiated at the age of fourteen in 1743, reflects her contemplations on religious life and includes a letter she wrote in 1755, advocating for the practice of "serious meditation." This diary gained posthumous recognition when it was published alongside a sermon delivered by Rev. John Hunt at her funeral in 1771. Sarah's life and writings provide insight into the spiritual and cultural environment of her time, as well as her contributions to the American Revolutionary cause through her family's wealth. Her passing, attributed to a prolonged illness, marked the end of an influential yet understated legacy in the context of early American history.
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Sarah Prince Gill
Writer
- Born: 1728
- Died: 1771
Biography
Sarah Prince Gill was the first wife of Moses Gill, a wealthy Massachusetts merchant who served briefly as governor of the state. Sarah Gill is remembered in literature as the author of a spiritual diary that was published as an appendix to sermon preached by the Rev. John Hunt of Boston’s South Church on the occasion of her funeral in 1771. Sarah Prince Gill was the daughter of Reverend Thomas Prince, who was pastor of Boston’s South Church, and it was through her family line that Moses Gill came to be in charge of a considerable estate in Princeton, Massachusetts. After Gill’s death, Moses Gill drew upon the wealth he had accrued from his own merchant ventures and from the estate she brought to the marriage to assist the cause of the American Revolution.
Sarah Prince Gill’s diary was begun in 1743, when she was fourteen years old. It consisted mostly of her thoughts on religious matters. Also published with the diary was a letter, written in 1755, to be read on the occasion of her death; in it she encourages a daily practice of “serious meditation.” According to the earliest edition of Hunt’s sermon, Sarah Prince Gill died of a “dropsical illness” that she had suffered for a period of eight months.