Lorette's Diary

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 & published in a footnote form.


Lorette Shepard's 1856 DiaryImage Credit: Daniel J. Shepard

5/1/1856 Thursday Cool & cloudy. Mr Buel came back to night.

JCH: Sowed about an acre of oats. Ploughed some in the meadow on the east part, very stony. Mr Buel came here to night.

5/2/1856 Friday Cold & rainy. We made Charlie a sun bonnet. Mr Knowlton went home tonight. Sarah here afternoon

JCH: It rained in the forenoon. Went up to the blacksmith shop had a shoe set. Paid Mr Getten for work. Drew out manure on the corn ground.

5/3/1856 Saturday Pleasant.  Hellen, Eliza & Frank called. John & I went down to Warren Putnams & aunt Quances. John took some scions for James. Mr Buel & son went home at night.

JCH: Pleasant most of the day. Made some quilt frames in the forenoon. Afternoon sowed some oats and went down to James Quances and set some scions, 34.

5/5/1856 Monday. Clear & cold. Austin Buel came back this morning, his father this afternoon.

JCH: Plowing for corn. Planted some potatoes and sowed some peas in the garden north of the house.

5/6/1856 Tuesday. Mary Brainard called this morning. Sarah here 3 times to day. Elizebeth here this afternoon to see about her tidy.

JCH: Plowing. Buel’s here. Cool and pleasant. Very stoney place that I am plowing. Made a milking stool.

5/7/1856 Wednesday. We moved from the bedroom & kitchen to the south rooms. Lorinda & Mary Brainard called. Sarah here this afternoon. Knowlton came back this evening.

JCH: Plowing again to day. Went down to the village in the evening. Tired.

5/8/1856 Thursday Rainy. Pa & John & James Quance took down the chimney in the kitchen, hard time. John sick at night with his throat. Lorinda here this afternoon. Sarah also.

JCH: Helped take down a chimney in the kitchen. A bad job. James Quance helped, a good many loads of stone in the bottom. A low day. Had a sore throat expect a hard time. Lorinda Bride was here.

5/9/1856 Friday. Rainy all day. John in house all day - not well, sore throat.

JCH: Plowed some in the forenoon. Rained hard in the afternoon. My throat is some worse to day.

5/10/1856 Saturday. Pleasant. John went up home gone all day. His throat about the same. Knowlton went home said not coming any more. Buel went home. Elizebeth & Lucy Quance called at night.

JCH: Went up home and stayed all day. Pleasant and some warmer. Throat about the same. Father gave me fifteen dollars for work last summer. Said he would give me a note of $460 dol.

5/11/1856 Sunday. Beautiful day. Towards night, John and I went up to Grandfather Showerman's to see Lorinda & her man. Like him very well. He came up yesterday. Uncle James Shepard & aunt called.

JCH: Pleasant and warm growing weather. Went up to Mr. Showermans to see Lorinda. She is about to go to the west, her husband was there Mr. Bride. Mr. Knowlton got his trunk.

5/12/1856 Monday. Pleasant. John’s throat no better. Melvin Buel came with his father to work here. Pa took up the floor in the kitchen.

JCH: Planted potatoes. About three quarters of an acre. Pleasant and warm. Throat not any better. Melvin Buell came here to day to work.

5/13/1856 Tuesday. Rainy all day. John went to village got some medicine of Dr. Baker for his throat.

JCH: A circus in Batavia. Went down to Dr. Baker's to get medicine for my sore throat. He gave me some. Saw a 40 horse team come in. Rainy.

5/14/1856 Wednesday. James Showerman plowing here for John. All the Buels went home at night.

JCH: James Showerman plowing for me. My throat is worse. Dotters B medicine did no good. Things are growing very fast.

5/15/1856 Thursday Thunderstorm. James Hamilton here to work for John. His throat is no better.

JCH: James Hamilton came down to work for me. My throat is very bad.

5/16/1856 Friday James Hamilton here at work. Johns throat better, broke last night.

JCH: My throat is better this morning. It broke last night.

5/18/1856 Sunday. Rainy. Wm. Stewart called. At home all day. Cooked up a hen & chicken. Our folks called to Israel Quances. Lyman Quance & family moved back from Michigan yesterday. Heard that aunt Nancy Johnson was to be married today.

JCH: Warm. At home all day. William Stewart called here to see how my throat was.

5/19/1856 Monday Pleasant. Fine growing time. Mr Buel & two sons came back this morning. Sarah called.

JCH: The Buells came here this morning. Planting corn. Very pleasant and warm.

5/20/1856 Tuesday. Pleasant. John planting corn. Ma & I called to Peter Showermans. Found Mr. & Mrs. Vorus, she that was Ann Lyons, there. Melvin Buel went home.

JCH: Planting corn. Planted about two acres and a half. Daniel Shepard took away my calf.

5/21/1856 Wednesday Pleasant. Grandmother Showerman here all day. Commenced making John a frock.

JCH: Finished planting corn. Sowed some carrots next to Elder Short line. Laid a fence on the south side of the meadow. Pleasant.

5/22/1856 Thursday Quite warm.  Mr & Mrs Calvin Loomis called, also Lucy Quance, Sarah Showerman here.

JCH: Drew some rails and finished the fence pulled pulled tare the rest of the day. Mr Loomis and wife called here.

5/23/1856 Friday Very warm. I visited to Elizabeths this afternoon, had Charlie with me, he was a good boy. John went to the village.

JCH: A circus in Batavia pulled tare in the forenoon. Set a pair of bar posts and built some fence in the afternoon. Went down to the village

5/24/1856 Saturday. Warm. The Buels finished their job. Had green currants for supper

JCH: Plowed for oats sowed them in the afternoon. The Buells finished their job. Settled with Israel Quance for the sow and pigs.

5/25/1856 Sunday Cool & cloudy. Attended a quarterly meeting up south, house full. Ma went with us.

JCH: Attended a quarterly meeting at the south church. The house was full.  A negro was there to raise funds to send a missionary to Canada.

5/26/1856 Monday. Pleasant. Mr. Buel & Austin worked here to-day, both finished. Mr. Buel went away. Heard that Deacon Norton died last night very sudden, saw him at church yesterday.

JCH: Plowing in the corn lot up by the woods. Very bad piece to plow very stoney. Went down to the village in the evening.

5/27/1856 Tuesday Cool & pleasant. Austin left this morning. Commenced binding a bed quilt. Ma & I called to Israels. I went down to James Quance got her wagon for Charley. Ma pays her 12 shillings for it.

JCH: Plowing for buckwheat. A hard job. It commenced raining just at night. Austin Buell left his morning. They have got through their job.

5/28/1856 Wednesday. Rainy. Lyman Quance here to work for Pa on the house. Milton Powers here to dinner. Austin Buell called tonight.

JCH: Raining in the forenoon, did not plow much. Mr. Lyman Quance was here at work to day. Plowing in the afternoon.

5/29/1856 Thursday. Rained all day. John painting window blinds. I finished binding my quilt & comfortable. Mrs. P. Showerman here afternoon. Lucy Quance here for supper. Snowed a little all night.

JCH: Plowed some in the morning when it commenced to rain and rained all day. Painted window blinds. Mr Quance here, made a bed room up stairs.

5/30/1856 Friday  Snow this morning , cold. Lyman Quance here Ma & I called to Peters.

JCH: Snow this morning. Painting in the forenoon. Afternoon finished plowing in the corn lot and painted some window blinds. Mr Quance here.

5/31/1856 Saturday Pleasant. John & I went to village, bought 12 pans.

JCH: Finished painting the blinds over the first time a lead color. Mr Quance here. Went down to the village bought a dozen pans.

Read the Next or Previous diary transcription.

See the May 1856 footnotes.

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 & published in a footnote form.


Lorette Shepard's 1856 DiaryImage Credit: Daniel J. Shepard

4/1/1856 Tuesday. Very pleasant. Pa & Ma went to uncle Ira Shepards. Wm Stewart & lady visited here. John went to Middlebury for scions, brought Eliza home with him. Sarah Showerman here all day. I had a comfortable on quilting, they all helped me.

JCH: Went up to Middlebury at Mr. Conklins after some French russe scions, the apple they say will keep three years. Father and Mother Shepard went up to Ira Shepards. Warm.

4/2/1856 Wednesday. Thawed considerable. Eliza & I were alone all day.

JCH: Went up to fathers to see about tapping the sugar bush. Pleasant and warm. Washed the buckets and tapped a few.

4/3/1856 Thursday. Rainy & wet first rain since Christmas. John & I carried Eliza home. I took my quilt up there to quilt. John was tapping the sugar bush.

JCH: Went up to fathers. Lorette went with me. We tapped the sugar bush, about two hundred trees. Sap did not run very good. I never saw so much snow in the woods.

4/4/1856 Friday. Cold & snow. Olive Powers, Mrs. Azro Norton, helped me quilt. Went over to Mr. Marshes in evening had some warm sugar.

JCH: Gathered sap this morning six barrels. Cold and snow. Went over to Mr. Marshes in the evening. Had some warm sugar. Delora Marsh is a big round girl.

4/5/1856 Saturday. Thawing. Went out in the sugar bush.  Hellen came home did not quite finish my quilt. Came home & left it. Very bad going.

JCH: Went out in the woods and syruped down the sap. Started to carry it up and spilled some of it. Sugared it off in the afternoon. Thawed some. Came home and brought some sugar.

4/6/1856 Sunday. Pleasant. At home all day. John went up home just night – to be there early tomorrow. Sarah Showerman staid with me.

JCH: Thawing some to day. Went up home in the afternoon, the boys gathered ten barrels of sap. I went out in the woods and stayed a little while. Stayed all night.

4/7/1856 Monday. Thawing. Put on a bed quilt. Went over to  Elizebeths to help.   Sarah Showerman here all night.

JCH: Went out in the woods before sunrise boiling sap.  Charles Thompson was there and Daniel. Boiled in the evening. Went back with Charles. Pleasant and warm.

4/8/1856 Tuesday. Thawing. Mrs. P. Showerman & Sarah, Eunice & Elizebeth here helping me quilt. Finished it. Sarah staid all night.

JCH: Snow going fast. Frank went to school to Alexander. Out in the woods early. Sugared off about a hundred pounds. William Stewart, Charles Thompson, and Miss Benedict and our folks was in the woods. Pleasant, warm.

4/9/1856 Wednesday. Thawing. Commenced making a shirt for John. He came home at night.

JCH: Still sugaring off. Boiling sap 50 lbs. Came home in the rain and thunder.

4/10/1856 Thursday. Pleasant. Pa went to see Mr. Knowlton about fixing the house.

JCH: Put up a leach and cleared off the garden from trees. Father Shepard went over to Mr Knowltons to see him about repairing his house.

4/11/1856 Friday. Thawing. Sally's girls here all day, Elizebeth also, made soap. Marked my sheets. John went up to see about the sugar bush. Staid all night. Sarah here all night.

JCH: Sowed clover seed this forenoon, about a bushel to the acre. Went up home and gathered and boiled sap till eight oclock.

4/12/1856 Saturday. Rained hard this afternoon with thunder ended with a little snow. Pa went to the village with a cutter. John came home at night had made 210 lbs sugar. Finished one sheet.

JCH: Syruped down this forenoon. Commenced raining. Sugared off about fifty lbs. Came home in the rain and thunder.

4/13/1856 Sunday. Pleasant. Frank Shepard here all day. Leonard Thompson & Henry Bostwick here evening.

JCH: At home all day. Mr Thompson and Mr Henry Bostek called here. Frank Shepard here all day.

4/14/1856 Monday. Pleasant. Mr. Buel & Mr. Knowlton here & took the job of repairing the house for $75.00. Lorinda called saying she was married to Mr. Bride a week ago today.

JCH: Pleasant. Mr. Buel and Mr. Knowlton came here and took part of the job of repairing the house for seventy five dollars. Lorinda came here. She was married to Mr. Bride a week ago last Monday.

4/15/1856 Tuesday. Rained all day. Mr. Buel & his son came here to work. We cleared the two front rooms for them. John went up home.

JCH: Went up to fathers and gathered and boiled sap. Rained hard most all day. Mr. Buel and his son came to father Shepards to work.

4/16/1856 Wednesday. Pleasant. John came home having made 75 pounds of sugar.

JCH: Syruped down and sugared off seventy five pounds. Came home and grafted one tree out in the garden to fall apples.

4/17/1856 Thursday. Rainy. Pa & John worked in the house to day. Lorinda went back to Albion, she talks of going to Iowa to live.

JCH: It rained part of the day. Worked in the house. Cut two places for doors in the buttery, had a job of it. Lorinda Bride went to Albion to day. James Hamilton was here.

4/18/1865 Friday. Pleasant. Pa took down the cupboard this morning. Pa, John & Austin Buel went to the village this afternoon. Daniel took our calf.

JCH: Cool and cloudy. Drew rails for a cross fence next to the corn lot. James Showerman helped me. Went down to the village, Father Shepard bought things for his house. Sold my calf, 22 shillings.

4/19/1856 Saturday. Pleasant. Baking all day. Mr. B. Moore & Mrs. P. Showerman called. Mr. Buel & son went home to night.

JCH: Drew rails in the forenoon, grafted in the afternoon. The Buels went home tonight. Cool and cloudy the most of the day. Let 140 scions.

4/20/1856 Sunday. Cold east wind & cloudy. At home all day.

JCH: Did not attend church. At home all day. Cold and cloudy most of the day.

4/21/1856 Monday. Snow this morning. Rained all day hard. Mr. Buel & son came back this morning. Our folks took down the pantry, papering our buttery.

JCH: Bought a hog and pig of James Quance . Snow this morning. Drew some plank to make a staging. Took down a portal wall between the buttery and hall, had a job of it. All planked up. Rained most all day.

4/22/1856 Tuesday. Cloudy & rain. Ma called on Mrs. Osgood Putnam who has a little girl. Sarah Showerman here with me. Buel put on part of the cornice.

JCH: Helped make a staying. Grafted six trees in the orchard. Cool and cloudy. Mr. Buel put on most of the cornice. Looks very well. Pleasant.

4/23/1856 Wednesday. Pleasant, quite warm. Our folks took down most of the north room chimney, tore off the north end. Charlie creeps across the house. John & Austin Buel went to the village.

JCH: Grafted in the forenoon, took down a chimney in the afternoon. Dirty job. Went down to the village with Austin Buel in the evening. The gas lights looked very nice.

4/24/1856 Thursday. Rainy. Mr. Knowlton came on to work. Mr. Buel commenced putting on the frontice. John began ploughing. Mrs. Butler & Sarah Showerman called. Finished a shirt for John.

JCH: ploughing in the forenoon. Rather wet. After noon raining. Warm. A growing time. Mr. Knowlton came here to work to day.

4/25/1856 Friday. Pleasant. Went down to help Sally Putnam out on her spread. John went to Wm. Stewarts after spring wheat.

JCH: Warm, pleasant. Went up to Wm Stewarts. Called on the way and set a pear tree for Mr. Buel. Let some scions for Mr. Chaddock. Let 38. Came round by fathers.

4/26/1856 Saturday. Pleasant quite warm. Mr. Buell & Knowlton went home to night. Morris Putnam here to supper. John’s cow had a calf this morning.

JCH: Plowing for spring wheat. Warm and pleasant. The cow that I bought at Batavia came in this morning. Let over 50 scions in about an hour to day.

4/27/1856 Sunday. Heard that Hiram Hurty was very sick.

JCH: Did not attend church. The bridge by Captain Smiths is washed away by a freshet, with part of most of the bridge up as far as Linden.

4/28/1/56 Monday. Washed & put our clothes on the grass for the first time. Saw Hiram Hurty & Lorette pass by. Austin Buel here to work. Hellen Showerman called.

JCH:Mr Buel not here busy all day, plowed the garden.

4/29/1856 Tuesday Pleasant. Commenced making my pillow cases. John worked in the garden at night setting out onions, sowed lettuce. Mr Knowlton came back to work to day.

JCH: Sow some spring wheat. Mr Knowlton came here this morning. Pleasant. Austin here.

4/30/1856 Wednesday. Rather cold. We all went to the village got our paper for the house. Sarah took care of Charlie.

JCH: Was plowing most of the day. Sowed some spring wheat. Went down to the village bought some garden seeds. Cool but pleasant.

Read the Next or Previous diary transcription.

See the April 1856 footnotes.

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 & published in a footnote form.


Lorette Shepard's 1856 DiaryImage Credit: Daniel J. Shepard

3/1/1856 Saturday. Pleasant most of the day. Pa drew a load of corn to the village. Broke his sleigh. Sewing. John visited me one year ago to night. It was very cold.

JCH: Father went to village with a load of corn. Got five shillings for it. It snowed some in the afternoon at home all day.

3/2/1856 Sunday. Cold and blustering. At home all day.

JCH: Did not attend church to day. Not very cold. Was reading part of the day.

3/3/1856 Monday. Not as cold as yesterday. Ma sick with a cold. Sewing in afternoon on my bed quilt.

JCH: It snowed and stormed quite bad all day. We thrashed and cleaned some corn. Cleaned some oats and buckwheat. Went up to the blacksmith shop and had a bolt made for the sleigh.

3/4/1856 Tuesday. Very bad day, never saw it blow much harder. Pa & John went to Batavia to town meeting. Had a time getting home. Ma & I alone & sewing.

JCH: Election day. Hurrah. Went down this morning and shoveled the roads. Went down to Batavia to the town meeting. It snowed tremendously all day. Never saw it blow much worse. Voted the American ticket. Will probably be elected. Had a time getting home.

3/5/1856 Wednesday. Cold but pleasant. Sewing all day. Tired of such cold weather.

JCH: Out shoveling roads again today. Afternoon went up to James Shepards to break the roads. A hard winter. About tired of cold weather.

3/6/1856 Thursday. Cold & blustering. John & I visited at the James Shepard's, very good visit.

JCH: At home in the forenoon. Afternoon went up to James Shepards with Lorette. Had a good visit. Snowed all day. We shall have enough snow for sleighing.

3/7/1856 Friday. Blustered some. Finished piecing my bed quilt. Mr. & Mrs. Dire here afternoon & all night.

JCH: Cleaned up wheat most of the day. About sick with a colds. Mr. Dire and wife was here all night. Cold and stormy. It seems as if it never would thaw.

3/8/1856 Saturday. Still but cold. Mr. Dire & wife went back to uncle Asahels this afternoon. I visited to Grandmother Shepards. John visited Miss Hurty’s school the last day. Heard that uncle Daniel Powers was married to Miss Hellen Craig.

JCH: Went up to Grandmother Shepards in the afternoon. The school closed in the district to day. They had some speaking did not amount to much. Clear and cold.

3/9/1856 Sunday. Pleasant but very cold at home all day. Franklin Shepard called. John went up home with him. Pa & John went up to the eve meeting.

JCH: Franklin Shepard called here and went up with him to his fathers. Mr. Leonard was there. In the evening went up to meeting. Elder Williams preached. Clear and cold wind west.

3/10/1856 Monday. Cold & blustering. Myron Putnam & Wm Johnson called. A spring month but hard winter weather.

JCH: Myron Putnam and William Johnson called here for a recipe for a horse medicine. Clear and cold.

3/11/1856 Tuesday. Stormy and blustering. Commenced piecing a woolen comforter.

JCH: Shoveled roads. Went to Mr. Showermans. Mr. Quance, Mr. Reuben West, Mr. Hurty was there and sung the song called Bobbing Around. Cold and stormy, roads full again.

3/12/1856 Wednesday. Clear & cold. Commenced a cotton comfortable.

JCH: I went up home to fathers. James Showerman went with me. Went over to the white school house to an exhibition. Very good one. Came home about one oclock.

3/13/1856 Thursday. Pleasant & some warmer. Our folks shoveling roads. Ma visited to Israels. Two cousins from the East came here at night. Amanda & Alvira Mc Call. Alvira played the melodeon, The Ladies Quick Step & the Soldiers Joy & Rosebud Quick Step.

JCH: Two cousins Mc Calls from the east here. Father and mother went over to Mr. Quances. I was out shoveling roads. Clear but a cold wind with a prospect of better weather.

3/14/1856 Friday. Pleasant. They went to Grandmother Shepard, Ma & Pa with them. We visited with them in the evening.

JCH: The Misses Mc Calls and father and mother Shepard went up to grandmother Shepards. Lorette and I went up to James Shepards in the evening. Over two dozen there. Cold yet.

3/15/1856 Saturday. Pleasant. The girls started for home. We went as far as the village with them. Bought some factory for John some shirts.

JCH: The Misses Mc Calls were here in the forenoon. They then started for Albion. Lorette and I went as far as Batavia with them. Fine girls. Cold and stormy. Bought me some shirts.

3/16/1856 Sunday. Cold. Attended the south church.

JCH: Went up to the south church. A man from Concord NH preached an Abolition sermon. Cold riding up there this morning.

3/17/1856 Monday. Pleasant. Filled my bed with straw.

JCH: Chopped wood in the forenoon. Put the corn in the stable to get the hens in the barn. Pleasant with a prospect of fine weather.

3/18/1856 Tuesday. Visited at Mr. Newtons. Very good visit.

JCH: Thawing some. Went up to Mr. Newton with Lorette and stayed in the evening. Had a good time. Mr. Frisbee and wife and Mr. T. Smith and sister Rosala. Very pleasant and warm.

3/19/1856 Wednesday. Stormy. Piecing comfortable.

JCH: Went down to Batavia with James Quance. Cloudy and cold. Quite a change since yesterday.

3/20/1856 Thursday. Pleasant. Uncle Ira Shepard was here and we went home with him. Thawed some.

JCH: Mr. Ira Shepard was here part of the day. He talked of buying Peter Showermans farm. Went up home with him and stayed all night. Pleasant.

3/21/1856 Friday. Pleasant and warm. Went to Seymour Chaddocks in the afternoon and to Uncle Dennis Chaddocks in the evening & all night. Finished my fine stockings.

JCH: Went up to Seymour Chaddocks and in the evening went up to his fathers and stayed all night. Very pleasant and warm. Upset in the snow.

3/22/1856 Saturday. Pleasant & thawed some. Came down to Charles Putnams & took dinner, Phebe Shepard came home with us. Saw Lydia Ann Shepard. She asked us to stand up with her.

JCH: Came down to Elder Putnams and stopped to dinner. Came home Lydia Ann Shepard asked us to stand up with her and Mr. Loomis. Very pleasant.

3/23/1856 Sunday. Beautiful day. Mr. Calvin Loomis & Lydia Ann were married in church by Charles Putnam. John and I stood up with her.

JCH: Lydia Ann Shepard married to day to Mr. Loomis. Lorette and I stood up with them. Married in meeting. Came back and was a bearer for an Englishman that died at Myron Putnams.

3/24/1856 Monday. Snowed & hailed unpleasant. John went up home made some preparations for sugaring. Came home at night very bad going with a team. Thawing. Lorette’s cow had a calf.

JCH: Went up to fathers to help fix his buckets. Drew them into the woods. Lorette’s cow had a calf to day. Rather unpleasant, snow and hail. Snow thawing slowly. Came home.

3/25/1856 Tuesday. Thawing some. Pa went to the village. Sewing.

JCH: At home all day. Father Shepard went to the village and bought some clover seed, two bushel for 7 dollars and a half per bus. Cold.

3/26/1856 Wednesday. Little colder to day. Pa & John went to the village. I pieced out two linings for my bed quilt.

JCH: Went down to the village with some provender for the cows. Rather cold. Heard that Leveret Richmond was dead. James Showerman was here.

3/27/1856 Thursday. Snowing some. Pa & Ma went to the village. John & I visited to uncle Asahel Shepards. Sort of a second day wedding. The relatives around here were there. Bad night blustered very hard.

JCH: At home most of the day. Father and mother Shepard went down to the village. Took down our grist to the mill. Went up to Asahel Shepards in the evening to a party. Cold and snowing.

3/28/1856 Friday. Snowed hard, blustering all day. A hard day for this time of year. Colored my bed quilt.

JCH: Winter lingers! Did nothing all day. Snowing and blustering in fact a winters day. It seems as if we never have warm weather, but only four or five days since last Christmas. Pleasant.

3/29/1856 Saturday. Very cold and blustering. Nearly as bad a day as we have had this winter. Visited to Henry’s with Calvin & Lydia Loomis. They called here this morning.

JCH: Blustering and cold. I went up to Henry Showermans. Mr. Loomis called here and Lorette went up with them and we stayed all day.

3/30/1856 Sunday. Clear & cold. At home all day. Not much prospect of warmer weather.

JCH: Clear and cold. Without much prospect of warmer weather. Did not attend church to day road hardly passable.

3/31/1856 Monday. Pleasant. Ma & I went to uncle Peter Showermans this afternoon & twisted thread for quilting.

JCH: Father Shepard traded horses with James Shepard. He got a colt, a two year colt and fifteen dollars to boot, for a black mare. Chopped some in the afternoon.

Read the Next or Previous diary transcription.

See the March 1856 footnotes.

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 & published in a footnote form.


Lorette Shepard's 1856 DiaryImage Credit: Daniel J. Shepard

2/1/1856 Friday. Very bad day blustering. Came home this morning. Milton & Olive came with us. Wm Johnson & Charlie Lamkin called.

JCH: Comes in like a lion. Came home this morning. Milton and his wife came home with us. Charles Lampkin and Wm Johnson was here. Lorinda was out from Albion. Blustering.

2/2/1856 Saturday. Very blustering all day.  Ma & I have been baking most of the day. John went down to Mr. Sweetlands for some library books. Very cold.

JCH: Went down this morning and shoveled out the road. Brought home library books. Very cold and stormy. Went over to Mr. Showermans in the evening.

2/3/1856 Sunday. Very cold and blustering. Road very badly drifted. At home all day. Pa went to see Grandfather Shepard found him not as well as usual. Charlie is 6 months old to day weighs 20 ½ pounds.

JCH: Cold and at home.

2/4/1856 Monday. Very cold yet as usual. John has been breaking roads drifted very bad. Sewing in the evening. Jane Tabor buried yesterday, died of consumption.

JCH: Henry Showerman and I shoveled some on the road to day. Very cold and blustering. I was over to Mr. Showermans part of the day. 22 degrees below zero.

2/5/1856 Tuesday. Very cold and blustering. John & I visited to Peter Showermans. She visited here. Commenced making sheets.

JCH: Over to Mr. Showermans most all day. Thermometer at eighteen degrees below zero. No intermission to the storm for about a week.

2/6/1856 Wednesday. Warmer to day. Our folks were breaking roads. Sewing.

JCH: Out breaking roads to day. Quite pleasant. Went down to the village with Daniel Shepard. Roads very bad. Came back with Mr. Dascomb. Bought a new stove for the school house.

2/7/1856 Thursday. Pleasant and still warm. Ma & I visited to Elizebeths. Pa & John went to the village came over there and took dinner. John & I visited to Mr. Butlers in the evening, some young people there.

JCH: Went down to Batavia. Was down to the court house. About through with the session. Went up to Mr. Butlers in the evening had a good visit. Quite warm to day.

2/8/1856 Friday. Colder to day. Our folks went to the village. Ma presented me another table cloth making the third one. One year ago to day, Mr. Israel Quance & Miss Elizebeth Showerman were married at our house by Charles Putnam. John & I visited to P. Showermans. Charles Thompson, Franklin Lyman & Mr. Rolfe were there.

JCH:  Father and mother Shepard went down to town.  I was at home till evening.  Went over to Mr. Showermans.  Frank Lyman and Charles Thompson and Mr. Rolfe was there. Cold and snow.

2/9/1856 Saturday. Cold with some snow. Finished making my sheets & pillow cases to day. Sewing.

JCH: Went up to fathers and drew a load of wood. Mr. Showerman was here. Cold with some snow. Wheat drill, on account of the prospects of peace in the old countries.

2/10/1856 Sunday. Not very cold. John & I attended church up south, full house. Lydia, Laura Shepard & William Hawley called.

JCH: Attended church at the south Baptist Church in Bethany. Quite a pleasant day not very cold. A good many out to meeting. Mr. Hawley, Miss Lydia and Miss Laura Shepard called here.

2/11/1856 Monday Pleasant & thawing. Mr & Mrs Leonard here in the evening, also Henry & Hellen.

JCH: Drew two loads from fathers. Roads very rough. Broke a road through the big hill. The first time I ever saw it filled with snow. Mr. Leonard and wife was here in the evening.

2/12/1856 Tuesday. Very cold & blustering. Our thaw has taken cold. We made candles to day. Sewing this evening. Intended to have gone over to Wm Stewarts, gave it up, too cold.

JCH: Our folks made candles. Blustering and cold. Intended to go over to Stewarts but had to give it up it stormed so bad.

2/13/1856 Wednesday. Cold. Some Indians called this morning. Bought some baskets of them. John visited Mr. Rolfe’s school. Commenced piecing my bed quilt.

JCH: There was some Indians stopped here and we dug the drifts for them through to the Leicester Road. Called at school. Mr. Rolfe teacher. Cold and stormy.

2/14/1856 Thursday. Very cold. Heard this morning that Grandfather Shepard was dead. He died about ten oclock this morning. John started for Weathersfield to inform Martin & Marvin. Pa & Ma went to Grandfathers this afternoon. I staid with Hellen. Sarah Showerman here all night.

JCH: Learned this morning that Grandfather Shepard died at ten oclock. Started for Marvin and Martin Shepards in Weathersfield at noon. Arrived there at half past eight. Had a hard time getting there. Went all over the county.

2/15/1856 Friday. Little warmer, stormy. Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert Smith, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Putnam visited here. I called to Grandfather Shepards. John came home about 7 ½ oclock this evening. Martin & Marvin came with him round by Warsaw. Had a hard time getting there.

JCH: Got home from Weathersfield about half past seven in the evening. Martin and Marvin came back with me to attend the funeral. We came round by Warsaw. Stormy.

2/16/1856 Saturday. Warmer, thawed some. Attended the funeral. All the brothers and sisters were there, held at the school house. House was full. Elder Vrooman preached. Uncle Martin & Marvin staid here all night.

JCH: Attended the funeral of Grandfather Shepard's. Warm but snowing some. Martin and Marvin Shepard here all night. James and Daniel Shepard called here.

2/17/1856 Sunday. Snowed and blustered all day, cold. At home all day. Uncle Martin & Marvin Shepard here all day & night.

JCH: Cold and stormy. At home all day. Martin and Marvin Shepard here all day. Stayed all night. Blustering.

2/18/1856 Monday. Cold & stormy bad day. Martin & Marvin & Pa intended to have drawn wood for Grandmother Shepard, weather prevented them. Martin staid here all night.

JCH: Father went up to Grandmother Shepards to draw wood. It stormed so bad he gave it up. Martin Shepard came back and stayed all night. Very cold, road full.

2/19/1856 Tuesday. Cold. They drawed wood for Grandmother to day 10 loads. John visited the south school. Miss Hurty teacher. Hellen Showerman visited here. Mr. Guy Shaw called here. Made two table cloths.

JCH: Father went up and drew two loads of wood for his mother with four other teams. Cold. I went up to school stayed all day. Father Shepard traded horses with Daniel Shepard at twenty dollars.

2/20/1856 Wednesday. Not very cold. John and I went to the dedication of New Presbyterian Church in Batavia. Came home and found Mr. & Mrs. Hatch, Mrs Knowlton & Eliza & Jared Levings here. Pa went to the village. John wrote a letter for Ira tonight to send East.

JCH: Lorette went down the village to the dedication of the Presbyterian meeting house. The house full. Came home and found Mr. Hatch and wife some of our folks and Jared Levings at our house. Not very cold, roads bad.

2/21/1856 Thursday. Pleasant. Thawed a little, Uncle and Aunt Coville & Jane, Uncle Asahel & James & Nelson & their wifes & Maria Leonard were here all day, also Mrs. Wm Johnson & David Johnson here. Ma sick with a cold.

JCH: Uncle and Aunt Coville, Mr. & Mrs. Hawley and Jane Hawley, James and Asahel and their wives, & Maria Leonard were here to day visiting. Father went to the village. Thawing some.

2/22/1856 Friday. Beautiful day. Our folks drawed hay. John & I visited to Mr. Brainards in the evening, also Mr. & Mrs. P. Showerman & Mr & Mrs. Israel Quance.

JCH: Went up to fathers to get a load of hay. We got our load in the snow and Mr. Benedict took his team and helped me out. Very pleasant, warm.

2/23/1856 Saturday. Quite warm, thawed some. We went up to Father Hamiltons this afternoon. In the evening to Mr. Lamkins.

JCH: Went up this morning and got a load of hay, had no trouble. It snowed some during the day. Lorette and I went up home and stayed all night.

2/24/1856 Sunday. Colder to day. Came home this morning. Did not attend church. Mrs. P. Showerman called . Pa & Ma called to grandmother Shepards.

JCH: Came home this morning. Did not attend church, snowy some and cold. Father went up to his mothers in the evening he went up to meeting.

2/25/1856 Monday. Moderate. Washing. Our folks went to the village. Made Ma a head dress in evening. Charlie has a bad cold.

JCH: Chopped wood. Pleasant.

2/26/1856 Tuesday. Pleasant. Mr. Warren Putnam & wife, Aunt Quance & Lucy here all day. Went up to Wm Stewarts staid all night. Expected some young people there from this way.

JCH: Cold and cloudy. Went up to Stewarts.

2/27/1856 Wednesday. Cold. Came home this morning. Mrs. P. Showerman & Elizebeth here helping Ma with her dress. Charlie very sick last night & all day. Made my head dress in evening.

JCH: Came home from Stewarts this morning. Was down to the village most all day. Saw a pair of elk drove in the streets. Was at the court house. Cold.

2/28/1856 Thursday. Beautiful day. Thawed a little. Charlie some better. John & I visited to Mr. Lawrences, Wm & James Stewart & their wifes, also Mr. & Mrs. Markly. In the evening we went to Mr. Frisbee’s. Mr. Lawrence & wife with us, very good time all round.

JCH: Drew some beans to the village. Went up to Sumner Lawrences. Quite a company there. Went up to Alonzo Frisbee’s in the evening. Very pleasant.

2/29/1856 Friday. Pleasant. Ironed most of the time. Eunice Lyons called. Ma sick with a cold, gave her a sweat at night. Pa read a letter from the East last night.

JCH: Drew a load of hay down to the village. Sold it to the negro William Johnson for four dollars and a half. Afternoon thrashed some corn. Cold and cloudy.

Read the Next or Previous diary transcription.

See the February 1856 footnotes.

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 & published in a footnote form.


Lorette Shepard's 1856 DiaryImage Credit: Daniel J. Shepard

1/1/1856 Tuesday. Pleasant. Fine sleighing. Our folks went to Albion to uncle Bradners & for a load of lumber. Henry & John bought some oysters, had them for supper. They staid all night.

JCH: A new year. Father and mother Shepard went down to Albion, after a load of lumber. Henry Showerman and I bought some oysters and had a good supper. Here all night. Pleasant.

1/2/1856 Wednesday. Pleasant. John went to the village alone most of the day. We went down to a spelling school. Mr. Lucius Rolfe the teacher. Alone all night.

JCH: Went down to Batavia and changed my rubbers. Went down to a spelling school at the school house. Very good spelling. Very fine sleighing and pleasant. Alone all night.

1/3/1856 Thursday. Blustering this afternoon. Called on Elizabeth Q, getting better. Our folks came home to night. John & I visited to Mr Gettens this evening.

JCH: Father and mother got back from Albion. Our old cat died last night. He was about ten years old. Went up to Mr. Gettens and had a sing. Pleasant the most of the day.

1/4/1856 Friday. Pleasant but very cold. Mrs. N. Hawley and grandmother Shepard here to day. Mr. Thompson & sister & our young folks here in the evening. Mr. Rolfe here all night.

JCH: Drew four loads of wood from the other place. Charles Thompson and sister and our young folks was here in the evening. Rolfe here all night. Very cold.

1/5/1856 Saturday Very cold. Considerable housework. Mr & Mrs Wm Stewart here this afternoon & all night.

JCH: Father drew wood. Wm Stewart was here all night. Went over to Mr. Showerman with William, very cold day. The thermometer stood at six degrees below zero.

1/6/1856 Sunday Cold but not as cold as yesterday which was 6 degrees below zero. We went up south to meeting. Mr & Mrs Leonard was there. A stranger preached. Pa & Ma called to Israel Quance.

JCH: Went up south to meeting. The house full. Leonard and his wife there. Not as cold as yesterday. A bible society agent preached to day. Sang the most of the evening.

1/7/1856 Monday Pleasant. Mrs. P. Showerman called this morning. Washing. John & Pa drawing logs.

JCH: Drew in logs all day. Pleasant. Mrs Showerman was here in the morning. Sung in the evening.

1/8/1856 Tuesday. Very cold & blustering. Worked on a delain dress for Ma most of the day.

JCH: At home all day. Father drew one log down from the woods, it was so cold he give it up. Winter has now set in in earnest, it snowed and blew all day.

1/9/1856 Wednesday. Very cold all day & stormy. Thermometer twenty degrees below zero at home all day hardly keep warm.

JCH: Still cold and stormy. Thermometer at twenty degrees below zero and still going down. Worked in the wood house in the forenoon and could hardly keep warm.

1/10/1856 Thursday. Very cold but not as cold as yesterday, 5 degrees below to day, sewing this afternoon.

JCH: Rather warmer to day. Thermometer at eighteen above zero but still the snow is flying. Wind in the west. In the house all day. Reading of the search for search for John Franklin.

1/11/1856 Friday. Some warmer to day. Ma & I quilted two skirts to day one for her & the other for myself. Pretty good days work.

JCH: Some warmer to day. Drew the oats into the old barn and thrashed them. Wind in the west. Clear this evening. Read the Presidential Message.

1/12/1856 Saturday. Pleasant. John & I went up to Father Hamiltons, found the roads drifted very bad. Ma went up as far as Grandfather Shepards. Made my quilt in the evening.

JCH: Lorette and I went up to fathers. The roads pretty well filled up but with pleasant prospect of more snow. Frank Hamilton got my papers and paid the postage.

1/13/1856 Sunday. Snowed and blowed all day, snowed about 18 inches last night, drifted very bad, at home all day.

JCH: Snow fell about two feet last night which with what was on the ground before will make about three feet. The roads are pretty well filled up. Mild.

1/14/1856 Monday Pleasant. Our folks were breaking roads all day, snow about three feet deep.

JCH: I was out breaking roads to day. Snow very deep. More than I ever saw at one time before in this state. Not very cold but snowing some. Wind in the west.

1/15/1856 Tuesday. Pleasant not very cold. Helped ma on her dress, delain. Our folks went to the village. John bought a cow, paid 30 ½ $ for her, good bargain he thought.

JCH: Went down to the village. Bought a cow of Mr. Winthrop for thirty dollars and a half. Borrowed seven dollars of father Shepard. In driving her home she fell in to a cattle gourd but got out. I think a good cow. Pleasant.

1/16/1856 Wednesday. Rather blustering & cold. We all visited to James Quance’s, Pa & John were thrashing beans there, commenced making up more factory sheets and pillow cases.

JCH: Went down to James Quance’s and thrashed some beans. Went over to Mr. Showermans in the evening. Some blustering and cold.

1/17/1856 Thursday. Pleasant & some prospects of a thaw. Expected to go to the village but our folks went to breaking roads. Sewing on factory.

JCH: Father and I went down to Mr. Quance’s and brought home our beans. In the after noon we broke roads. Not very cold.

1/18/1856 Friday. Pleasant. We all went to the village hard traveling. Ma got her glass ware to day, also some table cloths for me & other things. John & I visited to Mr. Lymans in the evening.

JCH: Friday. Went down to Batavia. Rather poor traveling. Mother Shepard bought some things for Lorette. Traded at Mr. Thorn’s. Very pleasant. Went down to Mr. Lymans in the evening.

1/19/1856 Saturday. Colder to day no prospects of a thaw. Grandfather & wife & Olive here all day. John & I visited to uncle Asahel Shepards in the evening.

JCH: Mr Showerman and wife and Olive Powers was here.

1/20/1856 Sunday Cold & snowy. At home all day.

JCH: Did not attend church to day. At home all day. Cold and snow. Marriage at the Methodist church at Batavia.

1/21/1856 Monday. Rather pleasant. Mr. Wm Johnson & Aaron Webster, Miss Hurty, Sarah West, Mrs. Mary Putnam, Henry, Hellen & Sarah Showerman here in the evening

JCH: Monday. Did nothing to day of any account. Was over to Mr. Showermans to see Henry about going up to Weathersfield. Concluded to go to morrow. Some snow but pleasant.

1/22/1856 Tuesday Very cold. Started for Weathersfield this morning. Henry went with us. Went beyond the Lick, found the roads drifted full. Went back to Wm Stewarts & staid all night.

JCH: Started for Weathersfield. Commenced storming very hard. Went about a mile and a half beyond the Lick where we found the roads so bad we turned back and went to Wm Stewarts.

1/23/1856 Wednesday About as cold as yesterday. We were there most all day. Came down to D Knowltons, staid all night. Thompsons folks there in the evening.

JCH: Was at Stewarts most all day. Storms very bad. Went down to Mr. Knowltons and stayed all night. Mr. Thompsons young folks were there, had a good time. Henry Showerman was with us.

1/24/1856 Thursday. Cold & blustering. Came home about noon. Had good luck in getting home. Henry tipped over in a snow drift.

JCH: Started from Mr. Knowltons about eleven oclock. Henry upset his cutter in a snow drift but we got home with out much trouble about half after twelve. Drifted very bad. William Stewart gave me a rooster and pullet.

1/25/1856 Friday. Sewing on a gingham apron. Ma went to Elizebeth Quances but found her gone.

JCH: Was at home all day. Cold and clear most of the day. Father Shepard drove his colt in his new harness up to James Shepards. He gave sixteen dollars for his harness.

1/26/1856 Saturday. Very cold. Went down to Batavia. Changed a table clock that Ma got for me for smaller one. Mrs. P. Showerman here all day.

JCH: Went down to Batavia with Lorette, paid for my Buffalo skin. Cold day.

1/27/1856 Sunday Very cold. John & I went to Batavia to church to the Methodist house. Pa & John went up to school house, no meeting.

JCH: Went down to Batavia to meeting for the first time at the Methodist Church. Cold and snowed some through the day. Went up to the school house. No meeting.

1/28/1856 Monday. Some warmer to day. Finished my apron. John drawed one load of wood from his fathers.

JCH: Went up to fathers and got a load of wood. It thawed a little to day, and snowed some. Snow very deep in the woods. James Shepard called here. He has bargained for some land.

1/29/1856 Tuesday. Showed. Pa, Ma & I went up to Grandfather Showerman on a visit. John drawed wood from Fathers. Making pillow cases.

JCH: Went up after wood at Fathers. Father and Mother Shepard and Lorette went up to Mr. Showermans. I drew three loads out of the woods and one home. Snowing.

1/30/1856 Wednesday Very bad day, blowing & snowing. Israel & Elizabeth Quance here all day. Sewing.

JCH: It snowed and blew very hard to day filling the roads all up again. Israel and wife was here most all day. Not very cold.

1/31/1856 Thursday. More pleasant. Ma went over to Peter Showermans. Sarah and Lorinda Showerman visit up here.

JCH: Quite pleasant again to day. Out shoveling the roads. Lorinda and Sarah Showerman was here. We went up to Mr. Showermans and stayed all night. Roads bad.

Read the Next or Previous diary transcription.

See the January 1856 footnotes.

Lorettes Diary is about an exciting journey that began with the discovery of a collection of diaries with the earliest entries penned nearly 175 years ago. After reading each diary covering events from 1855 to 1906, an inner-fire was lit to pursue projects of a natural progression including diary transcription, (lots of) research & sharing.

Lorette

In the spring of 1855, only child Lorette Shepard began writing a diary. It looked to be an exciting year for the nineteen-year-old as she had plans to marry John Hamilton and was expecting a sibling to be born in a few months. She continued to write in her diary every day for the next 50 years - the events of the day, people she interacted with, births, marriages, deaths, politics, travel, farm life, and more. John Hamilton also kept a diary up until the end of the Civil War.