9/1/1856 Monday. We washed together. Ma & I called to Elizebeth at night. A frost this morning. I commenced binding my bed quilt.
JCH: Sowed and dragged the piece north of the barn over once and part over again. Sowed onto the furrow to get it in deep. It was dry. Frost this morning.
9/2/1856 Tuesday Ma & I visited to uncle Peters. John & I pared a few apples in the evening.
JCH: Finished dragging and rolling my wheat. Sowed most, 24 bushels in all. Very dry, but a little prospect of rain. The horses pretty well fagged out. Cool & pleasant.
9/3/1856 Wednesday. I commenced spinning. We all went to the village this afternoon. I called on Mr. Rogers, went with Pa’s colt.
JCH: Went up in the lot and picked some corn for Lorette. It is hurt some by the frost. The buckwheat is nearly killed. Went down to the village. Carried some apples. We drove the colt.
9/4/1856 Thursday. Heard that Austin Buell was married to an Odion girl. Helped Ma sew on Charlie’s clothes.
JCH: Cleaned up wheat, Father Shepard drove a load down to Batavia. He gets 12 shillings for it. I cut a little buckwheat. It is all killed by the frost. Dry and warm. A six horse team went past for the other road, Orcutts farm.
9/5/1856 Friday Sewing for Ma. She & I visited to Sally Putnams.
JCH: Looks a little like rain. Finished cutting buckwheat, Father Shepard drew another load of wheat to Batavia. Got his pay for the wheat. He went up and paid James Shepard one hundred dollars borrowed money. Warm.
9/6/1856 Saturday. Sick all day & last night with the teeth ache. Harriet & Laura Shepard visited here.
JCH: Went down to Batavia to a mass meeting of the American party . Mr. Brooks and Mr. Putnam were the speakers. A great many out. Mr. Brooks a very smart man, also Mr. Putnam. A pole was raised this morning.
9/7/1856 Sunday. At home all day, my face is swelled up. Our folks & John to eve meeting.
JCH: Went up to meeting at the school house. Charles Putnam there. Lorette not very well, teeth ache.
9/8/1856 Monday I did not work to day on account of my face, spun a little, pared apples in the evening.
JCH: Staked a fence between the meadow and corn lot. After noon picked up a load of golden sweet apples, pared some in the evening. One piece of wheat come up very nice.
9/9/1856 Tuesday. I washed to day, Elizebeth visited me this afternoon. Ma commenced weaning Charlie.
JCH: Thrashed out some grass seed and sowed it. A circus at Batavia.
9/10/1856 Wednesday I visited Hellen Showerman. Pa traded away his colt to Josiah Putnam. I put down 6 days of apples.
JCH: Went up with Father Shepard to trade his colt with Josiah Putnam. We got a six year old mare and $20 to boot.
9/11/1856 Thursday John & I visited to his fathers this forenoon & to Knowltons this afternoon.
JCH: Windy but pleasant. Went up to fathers. Stayed till noon. Went over to Mr. Knowltons in the afternoon. Went down to see his corn very good. Bought some of Brook's speeches home and read them.
9/12/1856 Friday Grandma Showerman visited here to day. They took tea with me. I called to see Elizabeth, she is not very well.
JCH: Pulled part of my beans this forenoon. Very light crop. Cut up some corn in the after noon. Pleasant.
9/13/1856 Saturday. Uncle Martin Shepard & wife visited here to day. Johns cousin came here today, Wm. Fuller from Conn.
JCH: Uncle Martin Shepard came here this morning. A cousin from Connecticut came here to day. Was glad to see him. His name is William Fuller. Father and Mother Hamilton went out Avon to Mr. Prestons folks. My cousins and I went round a visiting.
9/14/1856 Sunday Went to the village to church. Johns cousin went with us. Uncle Martin & aunt left this morning.
JCH: Went down to Batavia to the Presbyterian Church. Cousin Wm Fuller went with us. Mr. Filmore preached. Warm and pleasant.
9/15/1856 Monday. Uncle Coville & wife, Uncle Dennis Chaddock & wife took dinner here. Uncle Marvin Shepard and family here all night. The heirs settled the estate of Grandfather Shepard. All the children were there.
JCH: Carried cousin Wm Fuller to fathers. Cut up corn. The heirs settled up the John Shepard Estate to day. Marvin Shepard here to night.
9/16/1856 Tuesday John & I went to the village. I traded 3 shillings & 8 cents had it charged to me. Our folks called to Lyman Quances.
JCH: Drew in my buckwheat. Went down to the village. Wheat coming up very bad generally.
9/17/1856 Wednesday. Baked a little for the picnic. Made a hoop skirt for myself.
JCH: Cousin Dunbar and Louisa Preston out. Cut up corn in the forenoon. Went over on the Plato farm and got about twenty quarts of elderberries.
9/18/1856 Thursday. John and I attended a picnic or a Sunday School celebration at the West Bethany Church. We were on the committee. We afterwards went to the William Stewarts. John’s cousins were there. A fine shower with high winds.
JCH: Attended a Sunday School celebration at the West Bethany Meeting House. Went over to Mr. Stewarts. Cousin Mariah Dunbar, Cousin Louisa Preston, and Wm. Fuller was there. A good time. A fine shower.
9/19/1856 Friday. We visited to Wm. Hamiltons. The cousins were there, expect them here tomorrow. Ma visited to Grandmother Showermans.
JCH: Cut up corn in the forenoon and went down to the blacksmith shop and had the buggy fixed. Went over to Wm. Hamiltons, the cousins were there. Went out a hunting, had a good time.
9/20/1856 Saturday. Mr. Dunbar & wife, Mr. Preston & wife, Wm Hamilton & Harriet, Frank & Mother Hamilton visited here. Very good visit. Like new cousins very well.
JCH: Cut up corn. Mr. Dunbar and wife, Mr. Preston and wife, Harriet and Wm and Frank Hamilton, Mother and Wm Fuller were here to day. Had a good time. They were all Fremont mind. I stood alone.
9/21/1856 Sunday John & I went up to his fathers all of the children were there also the cousins, they went home. Our folks went to meeting up south, carried Charlie.
JCH: Went up to fathers. The cousins all left for Avon but Wm Fuller. All politics to day. Called at James Shepard to see Frank and Mariah Leonard.
9/22/1856 Monday Rainy this afternoon. We washed together. Uncle Asahel Shepard here afternoon to work for Pa. I took the shirt off to my black delain dress.
JCH: Cut up corn. Asahel Shepard here at work in the cellar.
9/23/1856 Tuesday. Rainy. Uncle Asahel Shepard helping Pa to day. I spun some.
JCH: Helped clean out the cellar. Asahel Shepard was here and plastered over part of the cellar.
9/24/1856 Wednesday. Spinning this forenoon. Aunt Sally Hawley visited me. Pa & John tearing up the old cistern.
JCH: Finished cutting up corn. Worked in the cellar and commenced a new cistern. Mrs Hawley here.
9/25/1856 Thursday Ma & I visited to Peter’s. Hellen Showerman & Sally Putnam were there.
JCH: Drew in some beans. Finished digging the cistern and commenced stoning it up. Saw Israel Quance. He has been to Rochester to a mass meeting. A great many there.
9/26/1856 Friday Finished spinning. John helped uncle James thrashing. Asahel here building the cistern.
JCH: Mr. Nott round to get up a big wagon to go to a Fremont meeting at Batavia.
9/27/1856 Saturday Finished spinning & twisting. Calvin Loomis & Lydia Ann & aunt Sarah visited me.
JCH: Thrashed in the forenoon at James Shepards. Pulled beans in the afternoon. Asahel Shepard finished the cistern. Mr. Loomis called here, and wife. Politics high.
9/28/1856 Sunday John & I attended church up south, Elder Rawlin preached also at the school house.
JCH: Went up south. Elder Rawlin preached, (there was) a fly among the singers. He preached at the school house in the evening. Very pleasant and warm.
9/29/1856 Monday. Our folks and John went to village. Pa bought a looking glass for me for 21 shillings. John went to a Fremont mass meeting. I took care of Charlie.
JCH: Went down to Batavia to a Republican mass meeting. It rained hard all day. A good many out. Martin Grover, Mr. Morgan and some other speakers were there. Banks and Beecher did not come. Streets were flagged up very nice.
9/30/1856 Tuesday Walter Cole called to see John.
JCH: It rained most all day. Did not do much all day. Walter Cole came here to see how we should vote. I was not at home. Went down to the blacksmith shop.
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