Following is the set of footnotes associated with research of the transcription of the October 1856 diary entries by Lorette Shepard & John Hamilton. These footnotes are also interspersed and embedded within the transcription.
- Olive Powers ♢ Aunt Olive Showerman Powers Olive and Milton, married about four years, lived on Francis Rd across from the Hamilton family. They lived with Olive’s parents John Showerman and Elizabeth Powell Powers.
- Colonel Crane ♢ Col. C. Crane of Indiana addressed several Genesee County town meetings for the American Party on the subject of being an American. At that time, he had delivered 455 lectures on Americanism. A “Fillmore” was a follower of the American Party’s candidate for President, Millard Fillmore.
- permanent ground ♢ Land was purchased on Ellicott St Rd for $3047. Twenty acres from William Laramy and eight from William Ware.
- hum bug ♢ P. T. Barnum coined the phrase, hum bug, which was an unexpected joke or trick on a group of people. In his 1855 autobiography, he had the goal to portray himself as “the world’s most tricky and entertaining fellow.” (zocalopublicsquare.org > The Greatest Story Ever Told About Hyperbole, Humbug and P.T. Barnum!)
- rode on horseback ♢ The Genesee County Fair was hosted by the Agricultural Society of Genesee County. The officers of the Society that year were: President Eden Foster of Elba; Vice President John F. Plato of Batavia; Secretary Horatio N. Wright of Batavia; and Treasurer Chauncey Kirkham of Batavia.
- Romanism ♢ Romanism was a derogatory term for Roman Catholics. Many Protestants were worried about the huge influx of Catholics from other countries, their Pope, and their voting power.
- Peter's folks ♢ Peter Showerman lived on Batavia Bethany Townline Road. In his household: Eunice Lyons 36, James Martin 17, Sarah Josephine 15, and possibly son Henry 23, and wife Helen (Shepard) 19.
- Mr Prindles auction ♢ His father Lyman Prindle first came to Genesee County in 1801 and had died in 1854. The farm was later known as Oakland Farm on Paul Road in East Bethany. Daniel and his wife Harriet Rumsey lived with his widowed mother Sarah Newell Prindle 72 and their three children, Harriet17, Sarah13, and Daniel just born in January. Son Lyman died shortly after he was born in 1847.
- Mr Barney ♢ The name Barnea was also spelled Barney. Mrs. James Quance of East Rd was Lucy Barnea and she had three brothers, Benjamin 36, Seth 34 a carpenter who lived in Lockport, Niagara County, and Nicholas 26. Their father, Nicholas Barnea died in the 1830’s and their mother Lucy 57 lived with her second husband, Samuel Hart, in Monroe County.
- Sarah Showerman ♢ Sarah Showerman 15, was the only daughter of Peter and Roxanny Showerman. Her two brothers were Henry 23 who married Helen Shepard, and James 17.
- Ransom Shepard ♢ Ransom Shepard a son of James and Amanda Shepard, was the youngest of four boys born two years apart: Frank 23, Daniel 21, Harlan 19, and Ransom 17.
- visited me ♢ James Shepard's wife Amanda, son Frank, and daughters Phebe and Maria.
- Miss Cole ♢ Lorette Cole 29 was Walter Cole’s sister. She married Mr. Kremer. Harriet Clark married Mr. Wilken.
- Walter Cole ♢ Walter was only 6 years old when his father died in 1829. He was the oldest of four children and by 1856 lived in the big brick house on Putnam Settlement with them and his wife, Sophronia Blanchard 30.
- Elder Short ♢ Elder Seneca Short was a Methodist minister, and Elder Charles Putnam was a Baptist minister.
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