Transcription

Lorette Shepard & John Hamilton writings

September 1857

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 and John Hamilton's 1857 DiariesImage Credit: Daniel J. Shepard

 

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.

 

Sketch of Glezen Fillmore, Methodist Episcopal preacher of Clarence, Erie County, New York

Drawing of Glezen Fillmore, itinerant preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Image Credit: Artist Unknown

 

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.

 

Lucinda Lord Hamilton (1797-1865), John Hamilton's mother

Lucinda Lord Hamilton, mother of John Hamilton
Image Credit: Ancestry.com, Public Member Photos & Scanned Documents

 

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.

 

Grave marker for Adeline Mary Brown West (1826-1857)

Tombstone of Adeline Mary Brown West 1826-1857 in Putnam Cemetery, Batavia, New York
Image Credit: LJ Shepard Research

 

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.

 

Obituary of Julia Powers Patterson Ferris

Obituary of Julia Powers Patterson Ferris (1823-1914)
Image Credit: The Batavia Times, Batavia, New York

 

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.

 

Ordelia Shepard Putnam

Ordelia Shepard Putnam (1842-1935)
Image Credit: B. Wilson, Los Angeles, California

 

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.

 

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1857 Diary Summary

John 25 and Lorette 21 settle into their second year of marriage. They live with her parents who are remodeling their house on Shepard Road, Batavia, NY. Baby brother, Charles is 3 and Lorette helps with his care. Daily they see their relatives and friends marry and have children. Lorette gives music lessons to neighbors and attends singing school and weekly sees her best friend and half-aunt Elizabeth Showerman Quance who lives around the corner on East Road with her husband Israel. John attends a debate club, reads a book on spiritualism, moves his barn, goes fishing, raises sheep, makes maple syrup, and plays baseball. Life is filled with dinners, picnics, attending various churches, deaths and marriages, and a lot of visiting.

1857 Surnames Mentioned

Andrews, Ashley, Benedict, Benton, Bostwick, Brainard, Brown, Bryan, Buell, Burt, Calkins, Chaddock, Charles, Cole, Cornwell, Cortez, Covell/Coville, Cummings, Davis, Denton, Dorman, Emmons, Farnham, Fillmore, Fister, Green, Hamilton, Hart, Hathaway, Hawley, Holden, Holter/Holton, Houghton, Huggins, Huntington, Jackman, Johnson, Judd, Judson, Keaton, Knowlton, Lamkin, Lane, Lathrop, Lawrence, Leonard, Levings, Lincoln, Loomis, Lord, Lovelace, Lyman, Lyons, Madden, Marsh, Marshall, McMillen, Moore, Newton, Northrup, Norton, Nott, Olin, Parmer, Patterson, Perry, Phelps, Plato, Powers, Putnam, Quance, Read, Reamer, Rogers, Rolland, Sale, Shaw, Shepard, Showerman, Skinner, Smith, Sprague, Stevens, Stewart, Strong, Sweetland, Thayer, Thompson, Town, Waite, Walker, Wales, Ware, Watts, Webster, Weed, West, Wilkenson, Woodward, Wortendyke

Life as Lorette

Atlases and Maps used in research

Life as Lorette presents the journey from diary discovery to revealing pioneers of Genesee County, New York.

World Events of 1857

  • An earthquake hit Tokyo and about 107,000 died
  • Frederick Laggenheim took the first photo of a solar eclipse
  • H. Sichel & Sohne, the producers of the popular Blue Nun white wine, was founded in Germany
  • The SS Central America sinks to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, cargo includes 43 bars of gold

National Events of 1857

  • In Dred Scott decision, the Supreme Court rules that a slave is not a citizen
  • James Gibbs of Virginia patented a chain-stitch single-thread sewing machine
  • The California gold rush town of Columbia burned down in a fire that was blamed on a Chinese cook; the miners soon evicted all Chinese from the town
  • Mormon leader Brigham Young called out the Nauvoo Legion to fight the U.S. Troops if they enter Utah Territory
  • Lithographers Nathaniel Currier and Charles Ives become partners
  • Count Agoston Haraszthy founded the Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma, California
  • Paul Broca discovered that particular regions of the brain are specialized for particular functions
  • The first US coin to be called a nickel was the copper and nickel one-cent piece

New York State Events in 1857

  • The first passenger elevator is installed in a New York City store
  • Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead and architect Calvert Vaux won the competition to develop New York City's Central Park
  • New York City's Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company branch fails, precipitating a financial panic; 4,932 U. S. firms fail
  • John Alsop King takes office as the first Republican governor
  • The American Chess Association organized. The first major US chess tournament was held in NYC

Local Events in 1857

  • Treaty with the Seneca Tonawanda Band was signed restoring about 8,000 acres of land to the Seneca Nation
  • The Genesee River floods carrying away buildings on Rochester's Main Street Bridge
  • Susan B. Anthony and William Lloyd Garrison speak at an Abolition meeting in Corinthian Hall, Rochester
  • Le Roy's Ingham Collegiate Institute is chartered as Ingham University
  • Belva Lockwood graduates from Genesee Wesleyan Seminary in Lima, NY; she later runs for U.S. President in 1884 and 1888
  • Polly Hoag Frisch's second husband, Otto Frisch, deserts her in the same year that two more of her children die in the Town of Alabama. Relatives, neighbors, and friends are suspicious
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