2/1/1857 Sunday Quite pleasant. At home all day, roads drifted some.
JCH: Did not go to church to day. A meeting at the south school house. Elder Dorman preached.
2/2/1857 Monday. Milton & Olive here to dinner, heard that Frank Shepard was down again with the rheumatism.
JCH: Chopped a little to day. Sarah Showerman and Frances Quance called here in the evening. Lorette played her new pieces to night. Frank Shepard sick.
2/3/1857 Tuesday Beautiful day. We visited to Sylvester Calkins afternoon, good visit. In the evening up to Myron Putnams, had quite a company there.
JCH: 2/3/1857 Lorette and I went over to Mr. Calkins and up to Myron Putnam's in the evening.
2/4/1857 Wednesday Rained hard all day. We went up to Father Hamiltons & expected Mr. Prestons folks, they did not come. Our folks went up to Uncle Ira Shepard. All the brothers going up to day.
JCH: Went up home to day, expected to see cousin Preston there, did not see him. Our young folks went over to Thompsons in the evening. Father & mother Shepard went to Alexander.
2/5/1857 Thursday Rained very hard this forenoon, thawing fast, water very high. Our folks do not get home yet. Frank Shepard here all night.
JCH: It rained hard all the forenoon. Water running in every direction. Had to coon it on the fence to get to barn. It thaws very fast. Frank Shepard here all night.
2/6/1857 Friday Beautiful day. Our folks got home at night. Frank Shepard here all day. The flats on the creek are all covered with water.
JCH: Frank Shepard here all day. Tapped a tree out in the road and the sap ran some. Our folks came home they said the creek flats were all afloat. Israel Quance here in the evening.
2/7/1857 Saturday Thawing yet, snow nearly all gone. In Rochester, Main street bridge was carried away to day.
JCH: Chopped wood some to day. Went up to the debating school in the evening. The question was resolved that the Almighty knew from the beginning the final destiny of man.
2/8/1857 Sunday Froze a little this morning. At home all day reading the book of Locke Amsden.
JCH: At home all day. Read a book called Locke Amsdem. Old brown came in last night. Hens have laid some eggs this last week.
2/9/1857 Monday Quite pleasant. Mrs Hart called here. Ma went to Peter Showermans.
JCH: Chopped some to day. Israel was here part of the day.
2/10/1857 Tuesday Snowed this morning & blowed. Ma & I helped Elizebeth quilt. Israel & Elizebeth here in the evening. Also Charles, Leonard & Lorette Thompson, Mr. Bostwick’s young folks & Frank Lyman.
JCH: It blusters tremendously this morning. Our folks went over to Israel Quance all day. Father Shepard went down to Batavia I read all day.
2/11/1857 Wednesday Cold. William Waite & Mr. Hathway the name is I guess were here. He tuned the melodeon.
JCH: Mr. Hathway from Lyons was here and repaired the melodeon. He charged 2 dollars. He took it all to pieces. I chopped wood. Borrowed 1 dollar of father Shepard to pay for the melodeon.
2/12/1857 Thursday Pleasant. Ma went over & helped Elizebeth on her quilt. Sarah & Emaline Putnam here in the evening. Pa went to mill.
JCH: Father Shepard went to mill up to Browns. Chopped some to day.
2/13/1857 Friday cloudy & thawing. Mr. & Mrs. Azro Norton, Hellen & Eliza & Franklin Hamilton also Charles Lamkin here visiting to day. I called to Peter Showermans.
JCH: Azro Norton & wife, Charles Lamkin, Frank & Helen Hamilton here. Went up to James Shepard in the evening & had a talk on the debate.
2/14/1857 Saturday Pleasant. John & I visited Mr. Rogers school, there were a good many in. The girls read a paper considerable slanging the boys. Pa & John went to the debating school.
JCH: Chopped an apple tree north of the barn. Visited Mr. Rogers school. The girls edited a book called the North Storm. Very good. The boys & girls blackguarding each other.
2/15/1857 Sunday. James Hamilton here all night. Pa & John & James went to the school house to meeting. Elder Davis preached.
JCH: I went up to meeting at the school house. Elder Davis preached.
2/16/1857 Monday Rainy afternoon. Washing. Heard that Wm Judd was married.
JCH: Chopped wood at the door all day when it did not rain.
2/17/1857 Tuesday Pleasant. I went over to help her quilt but she was gone. Came home & doubled cotton yarn for some socks or John.
JCH: Very pleasant and warm as summer. Billy Ware was here to have Father Shepard build a line fence in the swamp.
2/18/1857 Wednesday Rainy. Myron Putnam & wife, James Shepard & wife & Frank here visiting. Frank staid all night because it rained. It thundered & lightening very hard at night.
JCH: Myron Putnam & wife, James Shepard & wife & Frank Shepard was here all day. It rained quite hard to day. Frank was here all night.
2/19/1857 Thursday. Mr. Judson & Sabra, Vet & Clair Calkins, Ellen Lyman visited here. Ellen staid the evening. Some colder, there is ice on every thing. Read a letter from Caroline Smith.
JCH: It thundered & lightened very sharp last night. Mr. Calkins & wife, Mr. Judson & wife were here. Also Ellen & George in the evening, snow & ice on every thing.
2/20/1857 Friday. We went up to Mr. Rogers school again to day to hear the boys read their paper. They whipped the girls pretty well. Good many out. Heard that Caroline McMillen has a baby, she is not married.
JCH: Went up to Mr. Rogers school. The boys read a paper called the Spirit of the Times, beat the girls all to pieces. Good many out. Heard that Caroline McMillen had a baby without being married.
2/21/1857 Saturday. Pleasant. Ma & I visited to aunt Quances, very good visit. Pa & John went to debating school. Sarah here all night.
JCH: Went up to the debate in the evening. The question was that man is a free moral agent, was decided in the affirmative. Cool & cloudy.
2/22/1857 Sunday. Pleasant. At home all day. John went up to uncle James Shepards for a book.
JCH: 2/22/1857 Sunday. Went up to James Showermans to get a book on the exposition of Spiritualism. Winter is broke to a prospect of an early spring.
2/23/1857 Monday. Pleasant. John went over to David’s this afternoon and then to the debate. I staid with Sarah Showerman all night.
JCH: Went up to fathers & helped tap the sugar bush. A hard days work, drew buckets, washed & tapped about two hundred trees. Very warm & pleasant for the time of year.
2/24/1857 Tuesday. Pleasant & a good sap day. John went up to his fathers & helped them tap their sugar bush, staid all night. Elizebeth and aunt Roxanny & Hellen visited ma.
JCH: Finished chopping up an apple tree in the wheat lot. Went to the school house to a debate. Led as vice pres of the meeting.
2/25/1857 Wednesday. I boiled sap this fore noon & made some molasses. Went up to Hellens staid all night.
JCH: Boiled sap all day to all night. Went over to Thompsons in the evening. Quite a number there had some new sugar. Had a good run of sap. Some cooler to night.
2/26/1857 Thursday. Came home this morning. I am working some for Ma skirt. John came home brought some molasses & a jug of sugar. Says that they have made about 100 pounds.
JCH: Finished boiling in the sap & sugared off. Had about 100 pounds, Charles Lampkin was there. Came home at night. Quite cold.
2/27/1857 Friday. Not as cold as yesterday. Ma & I visited to Grandmother Shepards, the girls & I went over to Mr Rogers school, heard the girls read their paper very good. Frank, Phebe, Ordelia, Jane Hawley, Clorinda P & Wallace Hawley here in the evening.
JCH: Commenced snowing to night. Chopped wood in the forenoon. Went up to school in the afternoon to hear the Ladies Book read. Made a considerable sport. Frank, Phebe & Ordelia Shepard, Mrs. Charles Putnam & Miss Jane Hawley here in the evening.
2/28/1857 Saturday. Snowed a little last night. John & I went down to the village with a cutter. John & Pa went up to the debate, it is the last one.
JCH: The last day of Rogers school. Went to Batavia with Lorette. Went up to the debate at the schoolhouse in the evening. We closed our debates to night. Had a spiritual question. Rogers President. Cool and snowy.
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