Transcription

Lorette Shepard & John Hamilton writings

November 1855

Following is a verbatim transcription of the diaries penned by Lorette Shepard & John Hamilton about life in rural Genesee County, New York. People, places & events transcribed have been thoroughly researched unraveling family relationships & yielding rich insights. Research results are conveniently interspersed within the transcription.


Lorette Shepard's 1855 DiaryImage Credit: Private Family Collection

 

11/1/1855 Thursday. Rainy. Lorinda here till afternoon. Visited with her to P. Showerman. John up to his Fathers thrashing.

JCH:    Aaron was at our house thrashing. We finished about four oclock. We had one hundred and eleven bushels of wheat. Stayed at our house all night.

 

11/2/1855 Friday. Cloudy. Elizebeth here this forenoon. Mrs. Ira Shepard here all day. Mr. & Mrs. Wm Stewart & Helen Hamilton here to tea. Helen and aunt staid all night.

JCH: Husked corn in the forenoon. Afternoon drew in corn. William Stewart was here and stayed to tea. Helen was here and Mrs. Ira Shepard and stayed all night. Cool but pleasant.

 

11/3/1855 Saturday. Cloudy & rainy. Aunt left this morning . Considerable housework. Helen went to Wm Hamiltons. Staid there all night – good visit.

JCH: Drew in corn in the morning. Went up to Hamiltons and stayed all night. Had a good visit and counted scions a couple of hours. Cool.

 

11/4/1855 Sunday. Unpleasant. Came home by the way of Father Hamiltons, left Helen. Pa & Ma attended church. Uncle Ira called. John & I attended an evening meeting at stone school.

 

Ira Shepard

Uncle Ira Shepard, born in 1813 in Otsego County, New York 
Image Credit:  B. Wilson, Los Angeles, CA

 

JCH: Was at William Hamiltons this morning. Came round by fathers with Helen. Came home. Went up south to meeting. Ira Shepard was here. Went down to meeting.

 

11/5/1855 Monday. Beautiful day. Washing & churning. Paring pears in the evening. Called to Mr. P. Showermans. Found Helen quite sick.

JCH: Finished our corn. George Shepard was here husking. Went up to father's and got a load of wood. Came home and found seven papers to read. Very pleasant.

 

11/6/1855 Tuesday. Rather pleasant. Ma & I visited to James Shepard’s. Pa & John attended Election, Mr. & Mrs. Clark Shaw, Harriet & Laura, Lydia Ann & Maria & Ordelia visited here in the evening.

JCH: Went down to Batavia to vote. Voted the American ticket. Voted Danforth of LeRoy for county judge and Stevens for assemblyman. Went up to the Center. Mr. Shaw and wife here.

 

Robert Smith Stevens (1824-1893)

Robert Smith Stevens (1824-1893), Attica, New York; served as a New York State Legislator and later a United States Congressman 1883-1885.
Image Credit: Find a Grave

 

11/7/1855 Wednesday. Cool & rainy. Ironing all day. Ma called on Helen found her some better. Commenced paring apples in the evening, seven bushels.

JCH: Husked corn in the barn. Husked fifty two bushels. George Shepard helped in the afternoon. James and Israel Quance was here a husking. Rained most of the day.

 

11/8/1855 Thursday. Cool but pleasant. Considerable housework. Elder Oliver Johnson here all night.

JCH: Husked corn in the barn. We husked about fifty bushels. Oliver Johnson was here and stayed all night. He gave us a lecture on religion. Clear.

 

11/9/1855 Friday. Pleasant. Elizebeth Quance here this afternoon. I called to see Helen who was very sick, not expected to live, saw a sight.

JCH: Thrashed for Mr. Showerman. The machine broke about three oclock. Helen Showerman very sick this morning, not expected to live. Was better in the afternoon. Pleasant.

 

11/10/1855 Saturday. Beautiful day. Baking. Mrs. C. Strong, Mrs. B. Moore, C. Calkins & Frances Calkins visited here this afternoon. John away counting scions. We visited to Israel’s in the evening. Helen better.

JCH: Counted scions all day. Commenced at Mr. Nortons. Went out to Mr. Harrouns from there to Bethany Center. Came back to Mr. Rumsey’s. His scions did not do very well. Received some money.

 

11/11/1855 Sunday. Sunday. Pleasant & warm. Attended church up south. Mr. Williams & lady there. John & I gather beechnuts after meeting. Mrs. P. Showerman called. Helen not as well today.

JCH: Attended meeting at the south church. Elder Johnson preached. Mr. Williams was there with his lady for the first time. Melvin Johnson was at meeting. Beautiful day and very warm for the season.

 

West Bethany Baptist Church

West Bethany Baptist Church, Bethany, New York
Image Credit: LJ Shepard Research

 

11/12/1855 Monday. Cold & Cloudy. Washing. Charlie sick all day. Called to see Helen, found her quite smart. Pa & John finished husking corn. Finished a pair of drawers for John.

JCH: Finished husking and sorting corn. Had a conversation about taking father Shepards farm Rainy but warm. At home in the evening.

 

11/13/1855 Tuesday. Beautiful day. Mrs. P. Showerman called. Commenced an under shirt for John.

JCH: Drew two loads of corn into the horsebarn. Picked up a load of sweet apples. Father Shepard husked corn for James Quance. A beautiful day. Warm.

 

11/14/1855 Wednesday. Pleasant day. Sewing. Ma visited to uncle Asahel’s. I called to see Helen. John & I visited to his fathers.

JCH: Finished drawing in our cornstalks. Mother went up to Asahel Shepards. Lorette and I went up to fathers and stayed all night. Another pleasant day. Warm.

 

11/15/1/55 Thursday Came home from Father Hamiltons this morning. Melvin Johnson here to dinner. Sewing. Picked Chickens in the evening. Miss Aurelia Wait married at 6 oclock.

JCH: Drew manure on the garden. Melvin Johnson was here part of the day. Very wet. Miss Aurelia Wait was married at six oclock this evening.

 

11/16/1855 Friday. Cloudy & rainy. Ironing. Our folks went to the village. Grandmother Showerman here all night. John & I visited to James Quance’s in the evening.

JCH: Rained most all day. Father and mother Shepard went down to the village. At home all day. Went down to Mr. James Quances in the evening. Grandmother Showerman was here.

 

11/17/1855 Saturday. Baking & churning. Grandmother Elizabeth, uncle Webster, Olive & Milton & Mrs. P. Showerman visited here.

JCH: Hauled out manure in the garden in the forenoon. Webster was here about starting for Iowa. Cold with some snow. Quite a number to tea this afternoon.

 

11/18/1855 Sunday. Rather cold. John & I attended church up south. Uncle Webster called this morning. Grandmother here all day. Mr. & Mrs. Hawley & Mr. Rolfe here part of the day.

JCH: Went up south to meeting. Elder Putnam preached. Lucius Rolfe came home with us and stayed to supper. Teaching school at the stone school house. Mr. Hawley was here. Cold.

 

11/19/1855 Monday. Snowed some & cold. Washing. Grandmother left here today for Mr. Brainards. Awful tired.

JCH: Sold twelve sheep for 42 dollars. Drew some wood in the forenoon and twenty seven barrels of apples into the cellar. Buried most of the garden sauce. It snowed some during the day.

 

11/20/1855 Tuesday. Pa & John went to the village, sent a pin by him to be awarded. Ellen Lyman visited here after noon. Grandmother here all night. Ironing. Heard Mary Manning was married.

JCH: Went to Batavia with Father Shepard. Bought a new knife. Had my hair cut and bought a new axe for which I paid ten shillings. Cool but pleasant. Ellen Lyman was here.

 

11/21/1855 Wednesday. Rather cold. Ground covered with snow this morning. Helen Showerman here all day. Ma visited to Mr. Warren Putnams.

JCH: Thought of taking down some apples to Batavia but gave it up. Went up to James Shepards and ground our axes. Helen Showerman was here. Snow this morning

 

11/22/1855 Thursday. Cool & cloudy. Mrs. P. Showerman here sewing for Ma all day. John & I visited to Warren Putnams, a Mr. Shepard was there with a melodeon.

JCH: Went up to fathers after a load of wood. Came home and chopped some wood in the evening down to Warren Putnams. Mr. Shepard was there with a melodeon. Cool.

 

11/23/1855 Friday Rather cold. Ground covered with snow this morning. Helen Showerman here all day. Ma visited to Mr Warren Putnams.

JCH: Chopped wood in the swamp. About two cords. Mr. Shepard from Buffalo was here with melodeon. Bought some music of him. The Russian March and the song called We All Wear Cloaks. Went over to Israel and pared apples. Cool and very windy.

 

11/24/1855 Saturday. Pleasant. Pa & Ma started for Wethersfield this morning. Mother Hamilton here all day, John & his father went to Mr. Bartholf’s auction.

JCH: Father and mother Shepard started for Weathersfield this forenoon. Mother here all day. Father went to Mr. Bartholff’s auction. Came back and stopped to supper. Cool but pleasant.

 

11/25/1855 Sunday. Stormy. John & I home all day. George Shepard here this afternoon. Mr. Belden here all night. Instructed me some about chanting.

JCH: Did not attend church to day. George Shepard was here in the afternoon. Mr. Belden was here in the evening. We had a good sing. Chanted some. Rainy.

 

11/26/1855 Monday. Snowed & rained. Gilbert Smith called, also Henry Showerman. John chopping part of the day. Sewing.

JCH: Belden was here at breakfast this morning. Father went down to Mr. Boyces and bought some sheep. Stormed in the forenoon. Chopped in the after noon. Father paid $2.00 per head for his sheep. Henry Showerman was here and unwell.

 

11/27/1855 Tuesday. Pleasant for the season. Our folks came home to night. Churning. Pa bought a gray horse of uncle Martin.

JCH: Chopped some in the forenoon. Father Shepard came back this evening. He bought a horse of Martin Shepard, a dapple gray. Pleasant and warm for the season.

 

Horse

A Dapple Gray Horse
Image Credit: HorseBreedsPictures.com

 

11/28/1855 Wednesday. Pleasant. Washing. Eliza Hamilton here all day. James Hamilton called a while at night after school.

JCH: Chopped some in the forenoon. Eliza was here all day. James was here to supper. Had a talk about taking father Shepards farm. It snowed in the evening.

 

11/29/1855 Thanksgiving. Cold but pleasant. John & I visited to Mr. Knowlton’s, had a turkey for supper. Laura Hamilton there, Mary Knowlton came home with us.

JCH: Went over to Mr. Knowltons with Lorette. Laura there. Had good time. Had turkey for supper. Counted Williams scions. Done very well. Mary Knowlton came home with us. Cold and some stormy.

 

Thanksgiving-Turkey

Thanksgiving-Turkey
Image Credit: LJ Shepard Research

 

11/30/1855 Friday. Pleasant for the season. Our folks chopping & working about the house all day. Mary here. Mrs. P. Showerman called. Israel & Elizabeth helping us pare apples in the evening.

JCH: Chopped wood all day cut some trees in the lot about a cord and a half, pared apples in the evening. Israel Quance here and helped us.

 

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1855 Diary Summary

Eighteen-year-old Lorette Shepard helps with the daily chores at her parents’ home in Batavia. She makes preparations for her marriage to John Hamilton of nearby Bethany. Before the wedding takes place, Lorette’s mother, forty-year-old Polly gives birth to her second child and son, and is tended to by family and friends. Twenty-three-year-old John Hamilton takes a trip to New York City before his marriage, he hires out as a farm laborer in Bethany, and works his father’s farm. As the wedding date draws closer and final touches are made to the wedding dress, each day is filled with farm life, many visitors, and hospitality.

1855 Surnames Mentioned

Armstrong, Avery, Bacon, Bartholf, Belden, Benedict, Bigelow, Blood, Boyce, Brainard, Brown, Bryan, Bullock, Calkins, Chaddock, Churchill, Clement, Cole, Conklin, Covell, Crawford, Crosman, Danforth, Denton, Dixon, Diwana, Dorman, Eldred, Farnham, Fillmore, Freeman, French, Gear, Getten, Glover, Graves, Green, Hall, Hamilton, Harroun, Hart, Hatch, Hawley, Holden, Huntington, Hurty, Ives, Jenne, Johnson, Judd, Judson, Kingsbury, Kinsey, Knowlton, Lamkin, Lathrop, Lee, Leonard, Levings, Lord, Lyman, Lyons, Manning, Marsh, Meredith, Miller, Moore, Mosher, Moulton, Newcomb, Norton, Northrup, Nott, Payne, Peck, Phillips, Powers, Quance, Rich, Rolfe, Rumsey, Scott, Shadbolt, Shaw, Shepard, Showerman, Smith, Sprague, Stewart, Stevens, Strong, Sweetland, Thompson, Torrey, Wait, Warner, Webster, West, Whitman, Whitmore, Wilkes, Williams, Wilson, Woods

Life as Lorette

Handwritten diary pages

Life as Lorette presents the journey from diary discovery to revealing pioneers of Genesee County, New York.

World Events of 1855

  • An 8.1 magnitude earthquake is recorded in New Zealand
  • Panama Railway completed, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by rail

National Events of 1855

  • President of the United States is Franklin Pierce
  • This is the pre Civil War era, conflict is building between states over the question of slavery
  • Kansas settlers must decide whether they are slave or free; they vote pro-slavery
  • Treaty of 1855 signed which gave the US 6 million acres of tribal land in Oregon and Washington
  • Popular authors: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Walt Whitman, Washington Irving, P. T. Barnum
  • The first bridge over the Mississippi River opens
  • Prohibition laws are adopted by Delaware, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Iowa, New Hampshire, New York and the Territory of Nebraska

New York State Events in 1855

  • Ralph Waldo Emerson addresses the Anti-Slavery Society, proposing the purchase of all slaves from their owners
  • William A. Rockefeller, father of John D. Rockefeller, bigamously marries Margaret Allen of Ontario, Canada, in Nichols, New York, and begins visiting her in Canada once a year.
  • State Whigs and Republicans convene in Syracuse and form a coalition under Thurlow Weed. An anti-slavery stand is stressed rather than alcoholic prohibition. The Free Democratic and Liberty parties nominate Stephen A. Douglas for secretary of state and anti-slavery orator Lewis Tappan, comptroller.
  • The Niagara River Suspension Bridge is completed, enabling railroad travel.

Local Events in 1855

  • Five Perry men report seeing a giant lake serpent while boating on Silver Lake.
  • Former Ontario County sheriff Myron Holley Clark is elected governor
  • The Seneca tribe leases the right-of-way for the Erie Railway Company and for the Atlantic & Great Western Railway, both crossing their Allegany reservation.
  • Attican, Harvey Putnam, a US House of Representatives member from NY from 1838-1839 and 1847-1851, and a NY State Senator from 1843-1846, dies and is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, Attica.
  • Ten grist mills on Brown's Race, Rochester, turn out 2,860 barrels of flour a day.
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