Following is the set of footnotes associated with research of the transcription of the June 1856 diary entries by Lorette Shepard & John Hamilton. These footnotes are also interspersed and embedded within the transcription.
- Mr. Bartholf lime kiln ♢ The Bartholf family had a Lime Kiln located on Ellicott St Rd, just south of Levi Brainard’s home. A lime kiln was used to produce quicklime which was used to make plaster and mortar for buiding construction.
- per bushel ♢ Genesee County produced over 41,000 acres of winter wheat according to the New York State Census of 1855.
- Ira Chaddock ♢ Lorette's cousin, Ira J. Chaddock was the twenty-year old son of Dennis B. and Polly Shepard Chaddock. He lived with his parents on Chaddock Road, Alexander.
- Ira Chaddock ♢ Ira J Chaddock had five siblings and six half siblings from his father's first wife, Lydia Thompson who died in 183; one of them was Persis Chaddock, wife of Marvin Shepard.
- Kansas disturbance ♢ This was an era of the growing desire to abolish slavery and it was being fought bitterly in the territory Kansas, where a decision would need to be made whether slavery would be allowed once Kansas became a state.
- Willard Quance ♢ Willard Quance 15 was the oldest child of Lyman Quance and Sarah Ann Chaddock.
- Alexander Reamer ♢ Alexander 20 was the son of John J. and Nancy Reamer. They lived at the south end of Cedar Street at Ellicott Street (today known as St. John's) in Batavia. His mother died in 1836. John Reamer then married Elizabeth Debow, daughter of Andrew and Matina Alyea, and they had John Jr. in 1843 and Elizabeth in 1845. Alexander died of consumption (tuberculosis); he and his parents were buried in the Old Batavia Cemetery.
- Aunt Lydia Bradner ♢ Lydia 63 was Lorette's great aunt, sister of Grandmother Elizabeth Showerman. Lydia and John Bradner lived in Barre, Orleans County with their daughter Louisa and her husband Abraham Brandt.
- Willard ♢ Willard had three siblings, Henry 13, Lorette Frances 11, and a sister Matilda who died shortly after she was born in 1844.
- Dr. Whitney ♢ Willard and his first wife Mary A. Whiting lived in Monroe County when son Willard Adolphus Whitney was born in 1844. In 1850 Willard 29 was a "Founder" in Chili, Monroe County and Mary and Adolphus lived next door to Dr. David Stark a Physician. In 1855 census before his wife died, they lived in Carlton, Orleans County and he was a listed as a "Miller." After his wife died, in the summer of 1855, he is in Batavia and in Diary entries he is called Mr. Whitmore and Mr. Whitman when he is dating Mary Ann Avery, and in 1856 is the first time he is called Doctor Whitney.
- This day ♢ In John’s diary entry for this date, he visited Lorette and may have asked her to marry him.
- Eunice Lyons ♢ Eunice Lyons would have been about 34. She was the adopted daughter of Peter and Roxanny Powers Showerman. She was adopted in 1833 and was often listed in the censuses as a domestic "servant".
- north chamber ♢ Lorette’s parents’ home was divided into two living areas. I believe her parents lived on the north side closest to the yard and barn, and she and John occupied the south side.
- Miss Stevens ♢ This could be Zoradi Stevens (1836-?), a daughter of Abial Stevens and Betsy Norton.
- black smith shop ♢ There was a black smith shop at the north end of Shepard Road owned by William Charles born 1820 England.
- summer fodder ♢ Fodder is the planting of temporary things like grain, corn, barley, or hay for animal feed.
- Sarah ♢ Sarah Showerman was 16 and lived down the Road from Lorette.
- Mr. Leonard & Maria ♢ Ira Leonard and Maria Shepard, married Christmas 1855
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Read the June 1856 transcription.
