9/1/1857 Tuesday. Pleasant. John helped uncle James sowing wheat forenoon. Afternoon, Harlan helped him draw in oats. Amelia & Delora took lessons to day. Mending all day.
JCH: Went up to help James Shepard drag in his wheat. Afternoon Harlan came down & helped me draw in oats. Pleasant.
9/2/1857 Wednesday. Very warm to day. Ransom Shepard helped. John drew in oats this afternoon. They finished about supper time.
JCH: Cut spring wheat in the forenoon. Ransom Shepard helped me draw in oats. We finished them about supper time. Very warm to day.
9/3/1857 Thursday. I visited to aunt Quances, Elizebeth also. We expected our folks home but they did not come.
JCH: Helped Osgood Putnam all day. We thrashed in the forenoon. He paid me one dollar. Pleasant and very warm for the season.
9/4/1857 Friday. We heard this morning that old Mr. Moore died last night very suddenly. It is supposed of a fit. John worked for Uncle James. Emeline & Amelia took lessons today. Our folks do not get home yet.
JCH: Heard this morning that old Mr Moore was dead. He died last night very suddenly, it was supposed of a fit. Helped James Shepard all day. Pleasant & warmer.
9/5/1857 Saturday. John worked for Daniel Shepard this fore noon. Afternoon we attended Mr. Moores funeral. Read a letter from Ma that they intend to stay a few days. Webster is better.
JCH: Helped Daniel Shepard pull beans in the forenoon. In the afternoon went to Mr. Moore funeral at the house. Elder Fillmore preached. Some cooler with a prospect of rain.
9/6/1857 Sunday. Pleasant & cool. At home all day.
JCH: At home all day.
9/7/1857 Monday. John plowing for rye. I washed. John went up to the school meeting I staid with Elizebeth. Quite cold almost a frost.
JCH: Was plowing all day in the back lot for rye, cool & windy.
9/8/1857 Tuesday. Mother Hamilton visited here to day. Our folks came home this forenoon from Wethersfield. I had no scholars to day. Elizebeth & Israel called at night.
JCH: Was plowing this forenoon. Mother was here to day. The fair at Batavia commences to day, pulled beans for Dan Shepard in the afternoon. Cool.
9/9/1857 Wednesday. Israel & Elizebeth, John & I went a blackberrying, about four miles north of village. I got about four quarts, had a good time. Came back stopped to Lyman Quances & the fair.
JCH: Went down to Daws corners to get some blackberries, but they were most all gone. Came back to the fair in the afternoon. It will not amount to much. Warmer to day. Gambling in Batavia.
9/10/1857 Thursday. We all went to the fair to day. It did not amount to much. The ladies rode on horseback. The balloon did not go up. Came home tired.
JCH: Went down to the fair in the afternoon. The balloon did not go up as advertised, the whole fair a failure, fighting, gambling going on.
9/11/1857 Friday. I made some preparations for the Picnic tomorrow. Looks like rain to night. Delora Marsh has now got the fever.
JCH: Was plowing all day. Very warm with the appearance of rain.
9/12/1857 Saturday. Very warm, appearance of rain but it all blew over. We went to a picnic this afternoon in the neighborhood, very good time.
JCH: Plowing in the forenoon. Went to the picnic. Had a good time & plenty to eat. Mr. Woodard & Mr. Leonard addressed the children.
9/13/1857 Sunday. Very warm. We attended Carlos West's wife funeral at 5 o clock at schoolhouse. The house was full.
JCH: Attended the funeral of Carlos West wife who died very suddenly & was brought here for burial.
9/14/1857 Monday. Ma & I washed separately. We tried a new kind of fluid, liked it very well. We cleaned the cellar afterwards.
JCH: Finished plowing for rye & commenced sowing. Pleasant.
9/15/1857 Tuesday. Amelia & Emeline here to day. John helped Israel thrash. I helped Elizebeth some about getting dinner.
JCH: Was thrashing for J Quance, Father Shepard finished some rye for me. Cool & pleasant.
9/16/1857 Wednesday. Doing housework all day. I prepared some corn to day. Pa & John got some elderberries this afternoon. They got about 14 quarts apiece.
JCH: Pulled beans for Dan Shepard in the forenoon. Afternoon went down on the Plato farm to pick some elderberries. It rained a little to day.
9/17/1857 Thursday. A rainy day. Mrs. Julia Patterson visited Ma. She staid all night, uncle Nelson & aunt Sally Hawley also visited her.
JCH: Pulled beans in the forenoon for Dan Shepard. Afternoon we cleaned some grass see. I did not feel very well, was sick all night. It rained some today.
9/18/1857 Friday. John not well all day. Pa carried Julia home. Afternoon Pa & Ma visited to uncle Asahels. Their baby is sick. I commenced making a chemise for my self. No scholars but Emeline.
JCH: I did not do anything to day but felt some better. It rained most all day.
9/19/1857 Saturday. Pa & John went to work for uncle Asahel moving his barn. The rain broke them off. Sewing. This is our Equinoxial. Storm & gusts.
JCH: Helped Asahel Shepard in the forenoon. He is moving his horse barn near the school house. It rained most all this afternoon.
9/20/1857 Sunday. A rainy day. At home all day. Reading a story titled "Arkansas Ranger or Dingle the Backwoodsman". We had some of this year's chicken for supper.
JCH: Was at home all day. Wet and rainy.
9/21/1857 Monday. Cloudy & cold. Pa & John helped Asahel move his barn to day. Elizebeth visited here. I finished my chemise.
JCH: Was at work for Asahel Shepard. We got the barn on the spot, moved it around the road. His little girl is very sick.
9/22/1857 Tuesday. I had no scholars to day. Helen Showerman here. Heard that George Shepard got home last night from Kansas.
JCH: Drew some stone this morning. It commenced raining & we went in to the barn to clean up our wheat. We had fifty bushels. A little over 3 bushels per acre.
9/23/1857 Ma & I visited to Walter Coles, had a very good visit. I made some new pumpkin pies this morning. John & Pa commenced cutting up corn.
JCH: Drew some timber from Billy Green’s in the fore noon. We cut up corn in the afternoon. Not very ripe. Quite cool & cloudy.
9/24/1857 Thursday. John & I went to the village this morning. I got me a dress, cotton gloves, washtub & board &c. Afternoon John helped his father thrash. I went too.
JCH: Went down to Batavia in the morning. Went up to fathers in the afternoon to help him thrash. Pleasant.
9/25/1857 Friday. All the girls were here to day. I made my watermelon preserves to day.
JCH: Made a stone boat this morning & drew stone the rest of the day.
9/26/1857 Saturday. Doing housework most all day. Helen Showerman visited afternoon. Also Ordelia Shepard.
JCH: Drew stone all day. Asahel Shepard & George Shepard was here in the afternoon. George has just come back from Kansas.
9/27/1857 Sunday. John & I attended church up south. Elders Perry & Oliver Johnson preached. Israel & Lib & Sarah called at night.
JCH: Went up south to meeting Elder Johnson & Elder Perry preached. Very pleasant & warm.
9/28/1857 Monday. Uncle Asahel & George worked for Pa. I commenced making my gingham dress. We pared apples at night.
JCH: Drew stone all day. Asahel & George Shepard were here all day. They finished underpinning the barn.
9/29/1857 Tuesday. Delora & Janett took lessons. Uncle Webster Showerman called. Ma went up to Grandma’s with him.
JCH: Was cutting up corn all day. Webster Showerman came here to day. Pleasant & cool.
9/30/1857 Wednesday. The Fair commenced to day at Batavia. Grandma & Elisabeth visited Ma. Mr. Horace Walker here all night.
JCH: Father Shepard & I were cutting up corn. The fair commenced this morning at Batavia. Mr. Horace Walker was here all night.
Read the Next or Previous diary transcription.
See the September 1857 footnotes.