12/1/1856 Monday. John started in company with uncle Nelson & Dan Shepard to buy mink skins. Don't know when they will be back. Mrs. P. Showerman called. Rather lonely night.
JCH: 12/1/1856 Monday. Started up south to buy furs. Went through Bennington and Attica. Went on as far as Cowlesville and stayed all night. Bought 2 mink skins to day. Pleasant and very good sleighing.
12/2/1856 Tuesday. Hellen Showerman left her baby here to day while she went to the village. Mrs. Getten & Mrs. Lyman Brown visited here to day. I visited to Henry’s in the morning. Wm. Stewart & wife was there. James & Israel Quance & their wifes also. Finished a letter for Lorinda.
JCH: 12/2/1856 Tuesday. Started out west through Marilla and towards Buffalo and then tried to find Clark Shaw’s. Went out of my way some six or 8 miles. Found Mr. Shaw’s about dark. Bought 9 mink and four musk rats. Dan Shepard here.
12/3/1856 Wednesday Thawed some this morning, blustering at night. Cleaned my buttery to day. John came home at night.
JCH: It rains and is thawing very fast this morning. Thought it best to come home and sell our fur. Went round by Corfu. Bought 2 mink skins and got home about dark.
12/4/1856 Thursday John & Dan went down to the village this morning. Dan then went to Buffalo & sold the fur. Pa & John drawing wood.
JCH: Drew up wood and fixed the stables. Went down to Batavia and tried to sell our skins to Oscar Lord but did not make out. Dan Shepard took my fur and his and went to Buffalo and made about five dollars. Cold.
12/5/1856 Friday. I colored my pink skirt black. Ma & I visited to uncle James Shepard. Phebe intends to go to Alexander to school Monday.
JCH: Drew a couple of loads of hay from fathers. Killed some hens in the evening. Good sleighing.
12/6/1856 Saturday. We went to the village, Ma went with us. We sold 3 bushels of dried apples at 14 shillings per bushel. John got him a coat. I traded some.
JCH: We went to the school house. They organized a debating school.
12/7/1856 Sunday. We attended Church up south. We think of going to Wethersfield to morrow.
JCH: Went up south to meeting. Mr. Belamy preached. A smart man.
12/8/1856 Monday. John & I went to Weathersfield to day. Found Martins folks all well.
JCH: Started up south to buy fur. Lorette went up to Martin and Marvin Shepards with me. Stayed all night. Hawley went with me to buy fur. Dan Shepard did not come as agreed. Cold and pleasant.
12/9/1856 Tuesday. John started up south this morning buying fur. I staid to Martins all day.
JCH: Hawley and I started south. I went as far as Farmersville and stopped over. Did not buy any fur. Agreed to meet Hawley but he did not come in. A rough country.
12/10/1856 Wednesday. I went over to Marvins. Found them all well.
JCH: Paid 20 shillings for mink. Started on West and south through Franklinville into Machias. Bought 71 dollars worth and came into Arcade and stayed all night. To night hear that mink skins had fell four shillings.
12/11/1856 Thursday. Uncle Marvin & Martin & Aunt Alvira went to Pike to see the children. They are there at school. John came back at night.
JCH: Traveled 42 miles to day. It blows and rains very hard this morning. Determined to take my fur into Perry and sell it. Made me believe that fur had fell and got 22 shillings apiece for my mink. At Marvin Shepards to night.
12/12/1856 Friday. Marvin Chafee & wife came to uncle Marvins this morning. Had a sing with them. We went to Castile to visit Ira Leonard & Mariah. Found them very well.
JCH: Went to Castile to see Ira Leonard. Stayed all night. Lorette was there. They live on a pretty place and are doing well I should think.
12/13/1856 Saturday We staid there all day.
JCH: With Leonard all day. Had good visit and learned something.
12/14/1856 Sunday Rained this morning. Came home to day, had a bad time getting home, it Rained, hailed & snowed.
JCH: Start for home about eleven oclock. Rode in a very bad storm all day. Got home about four oclock. I was very cold.
12/15/1856 Monday I did not wash today but made mince pies.
JCH: Did not do much all day. Went up to James Shepards in the evening. Found that I could have got 3 dollars for my mink skins.
12/16/1856 Tuesday Snowed some. I washed to day. John & Henry went away to day, came home at night.
JCH: Went down north with Henry Showerman to buy fur. Went in to Batavia and bought my mink, 3 coons and a wild cat skin.
12/17/1856 Wednesday Snowed some. Elizabeth & Israel visited Ma, she fitted a black delain dress for me. Franklin Shepard called.
JCH: Went up to Osgood Putnams with Father Shepard to grind his axe. Agreed to make an even settlement in our affairs this summer by his giving me the old hay that was left over, except wheat, taxes and salt.
12/18/1856 Thursday. Mr. J. Rogers & wife, Mr. Wesley Sweetland & wife, Mr. S. Calkins & wife visited here in the evening. Cold - 6 degrees below zero.
JCH: Went up in the south woods after some shingle bolts. Joel Rogers & wife, Sylvester Calkins & wife were here in the evening. Thermometer, at six degrees below zero.
12/19/1856 Friday John & I went to the village just night, he bought some candles 17 lbs, 15 cents per 20.
JCH: Did nothing all day. Went down to the village bought some candles.
12/20/1856 Saturday. Sewing. Mother Hamilton, Nancy & Frank Hamilton visited here. John & Pa went to debating school.
JCH: Went down in swamp to cut a road to get out some poles.
12/21/1856 Sunday John & I attended church up south, Elder Putnam has his donation next Wednesday, we are on committee.
JCH: Went up south to meeting, was appointed as one of the committee for a donation on Christmas eve for Elder Putnam. Cool and pleasant.
12/22/1856 Monday Pleasant.
JCH: Drew poles out of the swamp for a cross fence east of the house. Went up to James Shepards in the evening. Heard that Wm Johnson was to be buried the next day.
12/23/1856 Thursday. Made a hood for myself.
JCH: William Johnson was buried to day. He died in Wisconsin and was a week in being sent through, delayed by the snow. He died of consumption. Drew poles all day.
12/24/1856 Wednesday. Our folks went to Charles Putnam’s donation. John & I went in the evening. Had a good time. He received 120$.
JCH: Drew out poles in the forenoon. Father Shepard went up to a donation party at the south meeting house in the afternoon. Lorette & I went up in the evening he received 120 dollars.
12/25/1856 Thursday. Pleasant. Christmas. Good sleighing. John and I went up to his father's. William Stewart folks came there. Pa & Ma visited to Uncle Nelsons.
JCH: Went up to Fathers paid him seventy dollars of borrowed money. William Stewart was there. Cold with a little snow. Father Shepard was there and gave father a new note.
12/26/1856 Friday. John and Pa drawing poles out of swamp.
JCH: Finished draining out poles from the swamp, put a fence around the straw stack to keep the sheep out. Not very cold. Was at James Quance in the evening.
12/27/1856 Saturday. Quite warm. We went to Wm Stewarts. Henry & Hellen Showerman went with us. Edward Denton & wife also there. We called to Wm Hamiltons at night. Mr. & Mrs. Hatch were there.
JCH: Went up to William Stewarts, Henry Showerman and wife, Mr Denton and wife were there. A sort of mist all day, not very cold. Went up to a debating school in the evening.
12/28/1856 Sunday At home all day.
JCH: At home all day to day. Father Shepard went down the stone school house to meeting. Elder Davis preached.
12/29/1856 Monday Pleasant.
JCH: Went down to the blacksmith shop and had a horse shod. Went down to the village. With Myron Putnam.
12/30/1856 Tuesday Hellen Showerman visited here.
JCH: Drew wood all day from the other place.
12/31/1856 Wednesday Helen Showerman visited here all day. Also William and Laura Hamilton. This ends 1856.
JCH: We drew some wood. Wm Hamilton was here in the afternoon. Not very cold.
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