This appeared in the last issue of Stone Walls Magazine in Winter, 1992. This diary only goes through March of 1993. I imagine that the rest was going to be published in future issues but that never happened. I am not sure of the whereabouts of the rest of the diary but if I find it I will transcribe the rest and share it. What we have is fascinating.
Family outline:
Lucelia Cook, dau. of Levi & Harriet Osborn Sizer
1st m. Richard Karr
by him had:
Wallace V. m. Berdella Chapman
Willis Levi m. Daisie Wyman
2nd m. Horace Burdette Cook
by him had:
Frank Burdett m. Ethel Blodgett
(father of Edward F. Cook)
Naomi Lucelia m. Fred Chapman
(The spelling in the diary has not been touched as it is rather picturesque.)
January 1893
Sunday 1 Snowed at first and then turned and rained it all off. I have learned to play "Hold the Fort" today. Have read the 2nd chapter of Collassions. Burdett has been over to S. Bodurtha's & Cooley’s.
Monday 2 Pleasant & warm. I have washed & ironed, moped the floors, baked cookies & tarts, fried a pan of doughnuts, pared pumpkin for pies. Ed Osborne has been down after his 4 sheep. Wallace & Frank have been to school.
Tuesday 3 Very cold & pleasant. Baked a loaf of jelly cake to carry tonight up to Almon Smith's party but it was not very good. So I baked another loaf of cake & some cup cakes & we all went up this evening. Did not get home until 2 o'clock in the morning. They danced.
Wednesday 4 Been sewing on my night dress & went to bed a little while, my head was so dizzy.
Thur. 5 Snows. Churned & moped the floor & finished both my night dresses. Worked some on Mother's apron. Let out the cattle & cleaned part of the stable. Burdett has helped Mr. Bates butcher a beef today.
Friday 6 Made six balls of butter & worked most of the time on Mother's apron. Got the meat ready to cut for sausage & Burdett cut it up this evening & I seasoned it & pared some applies for pies.
Saturday 7 Baked pies, fried some doughnuts & baked cookies, moped the floor & finished Mother's apron. Mended stockings in the evening. Clair Bates came home from school today, has been here & Wallace down there this eve.
Sunday 8 Willis has been home. Staid to supper & Wallace has been to meeting & Burdett went up to the quarry with Willis. Pearl has been up after the mail.
Monday 9 Snows. I have washed & moped, played on the melodion some, mended Burdett's overalls & began a mitten for Frank. Wallace has started to go up street to school & board at Father's.
Tuesday 10 Cold & blustering. I have churned & worked over my butter & made 4 balls. Got my cloths in & dried them by the fire & ironed them, mended the lining to a coat for Frank & knit some.
Wednesday 11 Cold & windy & the snow flies again today. Anthony & Chaffee have been here today. Got a little load of hay at the Warfield barn. I have baked bread & finished Frank's mittens. Knit one whole one. B. has been up to Almon's with 10 lbs. butter.
Thur. 12 Cold day. I have darned the stocking & done the barn chores for Burdett has been over to Wyman's with the oxen to get them shod & got our stove from Mr. Boise. Cost 15 dollars. I have begun Naomi a mitten today.
Friday 13 Cold. Begun braiding a mat. Uncle Anthony came down after another load of hay & was here to dinner & B. helped him load it. I have knit some on Naomi's mitten. Wallace came home tonight from school at the street.
Saturday 14 Moped the floor, finished one mitten for Naomi & began the other. Washed & ironed some & this evening fried a pan of doughnuts & baked 3 mince pies. Burdett has drawn a load of hay for Anthony & went up town & got a bbl. of flour.
Sunday 15 Been a very cold week. Ripley cow got hurt yesterday. Wallace has been up to Almon Smith's & has gone over to Father's again tonight. Snows a little & blows it as fast as it comes.
Monday 16 I have washed & ironed what got dry, moped the floors & done the barn chores this noon. Burdett has drawn a load of hay today for Anthony. He came down this morning & helped load it.
Tuesday 17 Finished ironing and churned & worked over the butter once & mended a mitten for B. Fried some doughnuts & braided on a mat the rest of the time. Blacked the stove. B. has gone up town this eve.
Wednesday 18 Warmer. Moped the floor, made 3 balls of butter & 1 table cake & been braiding on my mat. Anthony was here to dinner, down after hay. I got a letter from Ida Stearns today & one from Delia & she sent me a picture of Emma's husband, Herbert Smith.
Thur. 19 Pleasant. Pared applies for pies & some more & stewed & canned 3 cans. Done the mending & darned the stockings. Anthony has been down after his last load of hay. Burdett has been drawing sap wood. Harnessed Dan today.
Friday 20 Cold & windy. Baked bread & 1 loaf of raised cake & 4 apple pies. Cut over a pair of stockings for Frank that Mrs. Perkins gave me. Been at work on my mat. Got a pullet egg today. Been cold & windy. Peebles girls came home today.
Saturday 21 Cold day. Moped the floor & been at work on my mat. Burdett has been up town with Mr. Bates today & got 2 boxes - one from Ellen & one from Ida Stearns & Ellen sent me a nice teapot and vinegar cruise.
Sunday 22 Willis is home today. Came last night. Been down to Mr. Bates a while & I have written to Ida Stearns, Delia & Ellen today & I sent them up by Willis. Burdett has been down to Mr. Bates this evening.
Monday 23 Cloudy. Snowed a little. I have baked 4 pies & fried some cakes. Made a bag & put my sausage into it. Made some head cheese. Worked on my mat. Burdett has been up to the sap place chopping up wood.
Tuesday 24 Very warm & pleasant. I have been at work on my mat today & churned & worked over my butter. Got 7 lbs this time. Had a sleigh ride tonight. We all went down to Mr. Cooley's & spent the evening. Wallace is at Father's going to schol. Letter from Ellen tonight.
Wednesday 25 Snowed a little. Have washed & ironed the coloured cloths & dressed 4 hens & moped the floor. Let out the stock & cleaned the stable. Pared apples for pies. Burdett has been up town. Got Naomi a pair of shoes.
Thur. 26 Pleasant & warm. I have baked 4 pies & some cookies, fried some doughnuts & done the barn chores this forenoon & this afternoon. Washed & ironed. Cloths got dry. Wet up bread & cut turnips tonight. Burdett has cut some trees for the kitchen floor boards.
Friday 27 Pleasant. Mr. Cooley has worked here today for Burdett, chopping & sawing trees. I have baked bread & done the barn chores. Ironed some coats, darned the stockings. Played some. Wallace rode home tonight with Pearl.
Saturday 28 Pleasant. Moped the floor. Braided some on my mat & picked over the turnips & Wallace & I have brought them all out of the cellar, they were so rotten. Burdett has been drawing logs across the river.
Sunday 29 Rainy. Cot 2 lambs this morning. I have played some & read some. Has been raining some today. Burdett & Wallace have been looking over the line fence with Isaac Richards. Wallace wrote to Clair.
Monday 30 Pleasant. Washed & ironed, moped the floor, & churned & fried some doughnuts. Had griddles for dinner. Wallace did not go to school today. Got another lamb. Burdett has been cutting & sawing more logs. Mr. Cooley has helped him. Bill Champlin has been here this forenoon.
February 1893
Wednesday 1 Cloudy all day. Burdett has worked today for Mr. Cooley & I have had all the barn chores to do. Frank is most sick today. We have got 2 more lambs - makes 6 now, so I have been down to the barn 3 times today.
Thur. 2 Cloudy all day. Snowed a little last night. I have picked over all of our apples today & Mrs. Bates has been here this afternoon & staid to tea. I made biscuit & had some peach sauce. Worked on my mat some. B. has gone up town this eve. Surprise party at the hall last night for Fred Hart.
Friday 3 Rained hard this forenoon & then cleared off & is growing colder. I have made up the best bed & blacked the sitting room stove, swept out the room & played some. Finished my mat today. Wallace school out tonight.
Saturday 4 Blustering & cold. Baked bread & a loaf of raised cake, cookies & fried some cakes, moped the floor. Soldered 2 teapots & 4 pans, mended a coat for Frank & his mittens. Burdett has been to Mr. David Bodurtha's funeral this afternoon.
Sunday 5 Pleasant & warm. I done up my work & played quite a while. Clarence & Pearl were up here this forenoon. They all went into the sitting room while I swept out in the other rooms. Willis did not come home.
Monday 6 Snowed a while this morning & then turned to rain & has rained hard. Burdett drew 2 loads of logs & got back home at 2 o'clock. I have begun another mat. Wallace has done the barn chores & cut some wood.
Tuesday 7 Pleasant. Burdett & Wallace have worked for Mr. Bates today stripping tobacco. I have done the barn chores & down to the sheep barn twice. Washed & ironed, moped the floor, churned & worked over the butter once. Thawed the snow most all off. Icy.
Wednesday 8 Cold & pleasant. Burdett has worked again today for Mr. Bates & has gone up town with Pearl this eve to carry our butter & eggs. I have helped Wallace do the barn chores. It is so icy. He has worked a while at Mr. Bates. I have been at work on my mat. Made 7 balls of butter.
Thur. 9 I have baked 2 squash pies & 1 apple pie. Fried six pies & a pan of doughnuts. Arvid Chapman was here a whle this. forenoon. His horse run away from him & stopped here. We have set our new stove this afternoon. I have run 1 doz. candles.
Friday 10 Baked bread, scoured up the floor & scoured & cleaned up a little pot to go on the new stove. Braided some on my mat. Wallace has been to Mr. Bates. Rained hard this forenoon & then cleared off. B. has been over to the soapstone quarry.
Saturday 11 Cloudy. I have baked apple pies, 2 squash pies & 1 loaf of cake. Moped the floor. done up a fine shirt for Burdett & 1 for Wallace. Made Naomi a pair of stockings & Frank a pair. They have all been down to the sap place this afternoon chopping wood.
Sunday 12 Very warm & pleasant & most all bare ground. Seems like spring. Willis has been home today. Staid until evening. Nel King & Jack Lindsay have been here & Arloe Smith came in the evening after I had gone to bed.
Monday 13 Snowed all day & hailed. I have made some doughnuts & Wallace churned & I balled the butter & have been mending & fixing all day. Burdett & Wallace worked at the sap place this forenoon. We have got another lamb.
Tuesday 14 Pleasant & warm. Got a pair of twin lambs & 1 died. I have been at work on my mat all day. Have had an awful headache this three days. Burdett went down to the corner & up to Mrs. Griswold's this forenoon breaking out the road.
Wednesday 15 Pleasant & warm. I have washed the coloured clothes & ironed them, moped the floor, baked 4 pies, 1 loaf of cake, some ginger cookies & fried a pan of doughnuts. Put one black braid around my mat.
Thur. 16 Written to Delia & worked on my mat the rest of the time. Leon brought down my new pot, it cost $1.00. Got 7 eggs today. Got 16 lambs now - 3 came today & 6 yesterday. Pearl & Wallace have gone up town tonight.
Friday 17 Washed the white clothes & ironed them. Pared apples for pies, moped the floor, wet up bread, worked some on my mat. Went down to the sheep barn. Burdett has been drawing logs all day to the mill. Snows again tonight.
Saturday 10 Snowed all day. Clair & Pearl have been here this afternoon & Leon this eve. I have baked bread & pies, 1 loaf of cake. Boiled supper in my new pot for the first time. Mended a pair of pants for Burdett that Ida sent him & darned the stockings.
Sunday 19 Burdett has been up to Uncle Anthony's today & Wallace to A.J. Smith's. I have been down to the sheep barn twice. The snow is quite deep. I have played some. Burt Fanning & family were at Father's today.
Monday 20 The wind blows & the snow flies a perfect gale today & is all drifting up. Snowed again last night. I have had a fire in both rooms all day & it is so cold I have worn my bonnet all day & a shawl part of the time. Got 9 eggs today and only 13 hens.
Tuesday 21 Pleasant. Burdett has churned & I have worked over the butter. Had 7 balls. Moped the floor, & been at work on my mat.
Pearl has been here this evening. Burdett has broke out the road down the hill - all drifted up.
Wednesday 22 Snowed again today - all day & drifed all the while as it came down. I have baked 3 pies, 1 loaf of cake & fried a pan of doughnuts & worked on my mat. Baked meat for supper & had beans, squash & turnip.
Thur. 23 Have washed this afternoon. Did not put out the white cloths - it was late & not pleasant. Worked on my mat this evening. Burdett has been across lots with the oxen up to Almon Smith's today for the first time this winter. Drifted all up again. Got a letter from Delia today.
Friday 24 Got my white cloths out & dried & ironed. Pearl came up this morning to shovel snow & they all went at it. Got it done so Burdett took the oxen & went down through to Mr. Bates. L.B. Shepard is to be buried tomorrow.
Saturday 25 I have baked bread & 4 pies, moped the floor & worked on my mat & darned the stockings. Burdett has been up town with Mr. Bates this afternoon. Bought me 4 yards of gingham for aprons. Wallace has gone to Almon's this eve.
Sunday 26 Willis has been home today. Did not expect him it was so bad going. Was going to ride up with Almon & rode into the Hollow with Joe Moore. I have churned today.
Monday 27 Washed & ironed & fried some doughnuts. Mended this evening. Pearl has been here this eve. Burdett & Wallace have been at work at the woodpile & B. has been to Mr. Bates.
Tue. 28 I have baked 4 pies & 1 loaf of cake, moped the flor. Finished my mat today. Burdett & Wallace have been breaking out the road all day & B. has been down to Mr. Bates this eve.
March 1893
Wednesday 1 Pleasant and not very cold. Burdett has chopped at the woodpile this afternoon & mended shoes & fixed a shovel this afternoon & Wallace chopped this afternoon & been down to Mr. Bates this afternoon & up to Almon's this eve with Pearl Bates. Mrs. Cooley has the pneumonia.
Thur. 2 Been mending all day. Has been a very cold, blustering day & drifting all up worse than ever. B. & Wallace have sit in the house all day, only at chore time. Wet up bread tonight. Baked biscuit for supper. Snowed some.
Friday 3 Moped the floor, baked 4 apple pies, pared the apples for them, baked bread, fried a pan of doughnuts, finished mending Burdett's overalls. Wallace has gone up to Frank Barnes with Pearl to a party. I watered the cows today.
Saturday 4 Baked some ginger cookies, moped the floor, made Naomi a pair of drawers, myself an apron. Fixed my gray basque larger, & this evening began to work on the bedquilt that Ida Stearns began for me. The Bates boys have been here this eve. Last night Wallace & Pearl went up to Frank Barnes to a quilting party.
Sunday 5 Windy & the snow blowing & drifting. Clair called here tonight & he & Wallace have gone up to Almon Smith's this eve & Wallace has been up there before today and got me a letter from Mrs. Warfield.
Monday 6 Plesant. Done the washing & ironed what got dry. Did not put out the white cloths was so windy. Mr. Bates has been up to town meeting with Burdett. I have churned.
Tuesday 7 Finished ironing, baked 4 pies, 1 loaf of cake & some cookies. Worked over butter, mended some, begun my gingham apron brown and cross-stitch-like. Mrs. Griswold, Leon & Pearl have been here this evening. Naomi is about sick with a hard cold.
Wednesday 8 Burdett & Wallace have drawn 2 loads of hay for Mr. Bates & went up town this afternoon. Wallace got him a pair of rubber boots. I have done the barn chores & put on new papers onto the buttery shelves, scoured the kitchen floor, wet up bread.
Thur. 9 Rains today. Baked bread & mended some & worked on my apron. Wrote to Delia. Frank Atwater was to be buried today, had the pneumonia. Burdett hs been to Mr. Bates & Wallace up to Almon's. They are at Simsbury.
Friday 10 I have stirred butter & pared apples (the last I have got) made 7 pies, got a box ready to send Delia by Mr. Bates & I went down there with it. Got my feet wet as sop. Burdett & Wallace have been chopping & W. has gone off this evening with Leon & I weighed 148 lbs. Mr. Bates weighed me.
Saturday 11 Baked 1 loaf of cake & ginger cookies, moped the floor, made 6 balls of butter, cut out some blocks, & worked on my apron some. Rains again tonight, been foggy all day. Naomi coughed all night most.
Sunday 12 Wallace has been up to Almon Smith's with 8 lbs. butter & 1/2 doz. eggs & over to Father's. Burdett has been to Mr. Bates & got his hair cut & from there down to Sam Cooley's. Gone all day. I have lain abed.
Monday 13 Washed & ironed & moped the floor. Helped move the old stove into the shop. Washed the windows some, swept all out upstairs, balled 2 table cakes of butter. Frank is about sick tonight with a hard cold. B. has gone to Champlin's & Wallace to Bates this evening.
Tuesday 14 Baked 2 pies & made some fried cakes. Moped the back room floor, brought up the hams & set to soak & what cucumbers I have got. Mrs. Bates called - was going up to Almon's. B. has taken down our sap buckets.
Wednesday 15 I finished my brown gingham apron this forenoon & this afternoon run 3 doz. candles, made 7 for Frank. Burdett & Champlin have been drawing logs today. Cold & blustery. Had a thunder shower in the night - last night.
Thursday 16 Mended stockings & made a loaf of ginger bread. Got a letter from Delia. Ruth & Ruby called here. They went down to Mrs. Bates. Burdett & Wallace have been drawing logs. Clarence Bartlett is very sick with pneumonia.
Friday 17 Moped, churned & worked the butter once, & baked 4 pies, made Naomi a pair of stockings. Frank has not been out today, got such a cough. Mrs. Bates & Mrs. Champlin have been up to Mrs. Griswold's a visiting. Wallace has gone to John Peebles party.
Saturday 10 Baked 2 loaves of cake and frosted one, moped the floor, baked ginger cookies. Clair & Pearl have been here this evening. Burdett has been up town. I have washed the sap buckets.
Sunday 19 I have been up to Mrs. Osborn's to see her a little while & called at Mrs. Griswold's. Willis has been home & Clair has been here & this eve. Wallace has gone up to Mr. Smith's & B. to Bates. Inez & Ruth & Ruby were here. Leon worked for Burdett a while yesterday.
Monday 20 Washed & ironed, baked a loaf of jelly cake & put chocolate between it & fried a pan of doughnuts, moped the floor. Looked for Inez Wyman & the Smith's this evening but they did not come. Jack Lindsay was here to dinner.
Tuesday 21 Burdett set some trees yesterday, the first. I have baked bread & 6 pies, cut out Frank a pair of pants & partly made them. Wallace & Pearl have gone to Almon Smith's this eve.
Wednesday 22 I have moped the floor & finished Frank's pants. Uncle Anthony & Mrs. Perkins came down today & he has been hooping up 50 buckets of Beard's for Burdett & Burdett has been to the mill today.
Thur. 23 I have been mending Wallace a vest & my rubber shoes & pieced some on my quilt that Ida begun for me. Anthony came down again today & Burdett has been at the mill. Snows most all day.
Friday 24 Baked biscuit for supper. Washed some buckets. Was going to Mrs. Bates to get my dress cut but she was sick so I did not go. I got a letter today from Ida. She has had her jaw part taken out. Had a tumor.
Saturday 25 Baked 4 pies, 1 loaf of cake & frosted it. I made cookies, churned & worked over the butter. Made 4 lbs. Moped the floor & worked on my quilt. Burdett has gathered some sap today. Mr. Champlin & wife called here. Were going to Almon's & Wallace has been up there. He is 15 old. 5 years
Sunday 26 B. & Frank have been to the sap place & Willis came home last night. Arloe Smith called here & Pearl has been after the mail. Mrs. Perkins is here yet.
Monday 27 Have washed & ironed, moped the floor, made biscuit for supper. Sewed some. Burdett has syruped off for the first time this spring & Willis & B. have finished setting & shod the sled. Willis & Pearl have gone to John Peebles this eve.
Tue. 28 Baked bread & 1 custard pie & 2 apple pies. Done off 1 batch of sugar & this afternoon have been down to Mrs. Bates to get my dress cut. Burdett has syruped off again today. The boys have gone to Almon's tonight.
Wednesday 29 Burdett has taken Mrs. Perkins home & been up street & Willis has gone back this afternoon to E.W. Boise. Came home Saturday night. I have written to Mrs. Ed Warfield for Mrs. P. today.
Thur. 30 Done over my old sugar. Had 2 pans full & it took me most all day. Got a letter from Ellen today. Willis gave me $1.09 one dollar & nine cents yesterday.
Friday 31 Done off 2 batches of sugar & made some ginger cookies & fried doughnuts. Sewed on my dress a while. Burdett has been to the mill this forenoon. He is most sick with a cold.
To be continued
Submitted by Doris Hayden
Family outline:
Lucelia Cook, dau. of Levi & Harriet Osborn Sizer
1st m. Richard Karr
by him had:
Wallace V. m. Berdella Chapman
Willis Levi m. Daisie Wyman
2nd m. Horace Burdette Cook
by him had:
Frank Burdett m. Ethel Blodgett
(father of Edward F. Cook)
Naomi Lucelia m. Fred Chapman
(The spelling in the diary has not been touched as it is rather picturesque.)
January 1893
Sunday 1 Snowed at first and then turned and rained it all off. I have learned to play "Hold the Fort" today. Have read the 2nd chapter of Collassions. Burdett has been over to S. Bodurtha's & Cooley’s.
Monday 2 Pleasant & warm. I have washed & ironed, moped the floors, baked cookies & tarts, fried a pan of doughnuts, pared pumpkin for pies. Ed Osborne has been down after his 4 sheep. Wallace & Frank have been to school.
Tuesday 3 Very cold & pleasant. Baked a loaf of jelly cake to carry tonight up to Almon Smith's party but it was not very good. So I baked another loaf of cake & some cup cakes & we all went up this evening. Did not get home until 2 o'clock in the morning. They danced.
Wednesday 4 Been sewing on my night dress & went to bed a little while, my head was so dizzy.
Thur. 5 Snows. Churned & moped the floor & finished both my night dresses. Worked some on Mother's apron. Let out the cattle & cleaned part of the stable. Burdett has helped Mr. Bates butcher a beef today.
Friday 6 Made six balls of butter & worked most of the time on Mother's apron. Got the meat ready to cut for sausage & Burdett cut it up this evening & I seasoned it & pared some applies for pies.
Saturday 7 Baked pies, fried some doughnuts & baked cookies, moped the floor & finished Mother's apron. Mended stockings in the evening. Clair Bates came home from school today, has been here & Wallace down there this eve.
Sunday 8 Willis has been home. Staid to supper & Wallace has been to meeting & Burdett went up to the quarry with Willis. Pearl has been up after the mail.
Monday 9 Snows. I have washed & moped, played on the melodion some, mended Burdett's overalls & began a mitten for Frank. Wallace has started to go up street to school & board at Father's.
Tuesday 10 Cold & blustering. I have churned & worked over my butter & made 4 balls. Got my cloths in & dried them by the fire & ironed them, mended the lining to a coat for Frank & knit some.
Wednesday 11 Cold & windy & the snow flies again today. Anthony & Chaffee have been here today. Got a little load of hay at the Warfield barn. I have baked bread & finished Frank's mittens. Knit one whole one. B. has been up to Almon's with 10 lbs. butter.
Thur. 12 Cold day. I have darned the stocking & done the barn chores for Burdett has been over to Wyman's with the oxen to get them shod & got our stove from Mr. Boise. Cost 15 dollars. I have begun Naomi a mitten today.
Friday 13 Cold. Begun braiding a mat. Uncle Anthony came down after another load of hay & was here to dinner & B. helped him load it. I have knit some on Naomi's mitten. Wallace came home tonight from school at the street.
Saturday 14 Moped the floor, finished one mitten for Naomi & began the other. Washed & ironed some & this evening fried a pan of doughnuts & baked 3 mince pies. Burdett has drawn a load of hay for Anthony & went up town & got a bbl. of flour.
Sunday 15 Been a very cold week. Ripley cow got hurt yesterday. Wallace has been up to Almon Smith's & has gone over to Father's again tonight. Snows a little & blows it as fast as it comes.
Monday 16 I have washed & ironed what got dry, moped the floors & done the barn chores this noon. Burdett has drawn a load of hay today for Anthony. He came down this morning & helped load it.
Tuesday 17 Finished ironing and churned & worked over the butter once & mended a mitten for B. Fried some doughnuts & braided on a mat the rest of the time. Blacked the stove. B. has gone up town this eve.
Wednesday 18 Warmer. Moped the floor, made 3 balls of butter & 1 table cake & been braiding on my mat. Anthony was here to dinner, down after hay. I got a letter from Ida Stearns today & one from Delia & she sent me a picture of Emma's husband, Herbert Smith.
Thur. 19 Pleasant. Pared applies for pies & some more & stewed & canned 3 cans. Done the mending & darned the stockings. Anthony has been down after his last load of hay. Burdett has been drawing sap wood. Harnessed Dan today.
Friday 20 Cold & windy. Baked bread & 1 loaf of raised cake & 4 apple pies. Cut over a pair of stockings for Frank that Mrs. Perkins gave me. Been at work on my mat. Got a pullet egg today. Been cold & windy. Peebles girls came home today.
Saturday 21 Cold day. Moped the floor & been at work on my mat. Burdett has been up town with Mr. Bates today & got 2 boxes - one from Ellen & one from Ida Stearns & Ellen sent me a nice teapot and vinegar cruise.
Sunday 22 Willis is home today. Came last night. Been down to Mr. Bates a while & I have written to Ida Stearns, Delia & Ellen today & I sent them up by Willis. Burdett has been down to Mr. Bates this evening.
Monday 23 Cloudy. Snowed a little. I have baked 4 pies & fried some cakes. Made a bag & put my sausage into it. Made some head cheese. Worked on my mat. Burdett has been up to the sap place chopping up wood.
Tuesday 24 Very warm & pleasant. I have been at work on my mat today & churned & worked over my butter. Got 7 lbs this time. Had a sleigh ride tonight. We all went down to Mr. Cooley's & spent the evening. Wallace is at Father's going to schol. Letter from Ellen tonight.
Wednesday 25 Snowed a little. Have washed & ironed the coloured cloths & dressed 4 hens & moped the floor. Let out the stock & cleaned the stable. Pared apples for pies. Burdett has been up town. Got Naomi a pair of shoes.
Thur. 26 Pleasant & warm. I have baked 4 pies & some cookies, fried some doughnuts & done the barn chores this forenoon & this afternoon. Washed & ironed. Cloths got dry. Wet up bread & cut turnips tonight. Burdett has cut some trees for the kitchen floor boards.
Friday 27 Pleasant. Mr. Cooley has worked here today for Burdett, chopping & sawing trees. I have baked bread & done the barn chores. Ironed some coats, darned the stockings. Played some. Wallace rode home tonight with Pearl.
Saturday 28 Pleasant. Moped the floor. Braided some on my mat & picked over the turnips & Wallace & I have brought them all out of the cellar, they were so rotten. Burdett has been drawing logs across the river.
Sunday 29 Rainy. Cot 2 lambs this morning. I have played some & read some. Has been raining some today. Burdett & Wallace have been looking over the line fence with Isaac Richards. Wallace wrote to Clair.
Monday 30 Pleasant. Washed & ironed, moped the floor, & churned & fried some doughnuts. Had griddles for dinner. Wallace did not go to school today. Got another lamb. Burdett has been cutting & sawing more logs. Mr. Cooley has helped him. Bill Champlin has been here this forenoon.
February 1893
Wednesday 1 Cloudy all day. Burdett has worked today for Mr. Cooley & I have had all the barn chores to do. Frank is most sick today. We have got 2 more lambs - makes 6 now, so I have been down to the barn 3 times today.
Thur. 2 Cloudy all day. Snowed a little last night. I have picked over all of our apples today & Mrs. Bates has been here this afternoon & staid to tea. I made biscuit & had some peach sauce. Worked on my mat some. B. has gone up town this eve. Surprise party at the hall last night for Fred Hart.
Friday 3 Rained hard this forenoon & then cleared off & is growing colder. I have made up the best bed & blacked the sitting room stove, swept out the room & played some. Finished my mat today. Wallace school out tonight.
Saturday 4 Blustering & cold. Baked bread & a loaf of raised cake, cookies & fried some cakes, moped the floor. Soldered 2 teapots & 4 pans, mended a coat for Frank & his mittens. Burdett has been to Mr. David Bodurtha's funeral this afternoon.
Sunday 5 Pleasant & warm. I done up my work & played quite a while. Clarence & Pearl were up here this forenoon. They all went into the sitting room while I swept out in the other rooms. Willis did not come home.
Monday 6 Snowed a while this morning & then turned to rain & has rained hard. Burdett drew 2 loads of logs & got back home at 2 o'clock. I have begun another mat. Wallace has done the barn chores & cut some wood.
Tuesday 7 Pleasant. Burdett & Wallace have worked for Mr. Bates today stripping tobacco. I have done the barn chores & down to the sheep barn twice. Washed & ironed, moped the floor, churned & worked over the butter once. Thawed the snow most all off. Icy.
Wednesday 8 Cold & pleasant. Burdett has worked again today for Mr. Bates & has gone up town with Pearl this eve to carry our butter & eggs. I have helped Wallace do the barn chores. It is so icy. He has worked a while at Mr. Bates. I have been at work on my mat. Made 7 balls of butter.
Thur. 9 I have baked 2 squash pies & 1 apple pie. Fried six pies & a pan of doughnuts. Arvid Chapman was here a whle this. forenoon. His horse run away from him & stopped here. We have set our new stove this afternoon. I have run 1 doz. candles.
Friday 10 Baked bread, scoured up the floor & scoured & cleaned up a little pot to go on the new stove. Braided some on my mat. Wallace has been to Mr. Bates. Rained hard this forenoon & then cleared off. B. has been over to the soapstone quarry.
Saturday 11 Cloudy. I have baked apple pies, 2 squash pies & 1 loaf of cake. Moped the floor. done up a fine shirt for Burdett & 1 for Wallace. Made Naomi a pair of stockings & Frank a pair. They have all been down to the sap place this afternoon chopping wood.
Sunday 12 Very warm & pleasant & most all bare ground. Seems like spring. Willis has been home today. Staid until evening. Nel King & Jack Lindsay have been here & Arloe Smith came in the evening after I had gone to bed.
Monday 13 Snowed all day & hailed. I have made some doughnuts & Wallace churned & I balled the butter & have been mending & fixing all day. Burdett & Wallace worked at the sap place this forenoon. We have got another lamb.
Tuesday 14 Pleasant & warm. Got a pair of twin lambs & 1 died. I have been at work on my mat all day. Have had an awful headache this three days. Burdett went down to the corner & up to Mrs. Griswold's this forenoon breaking out the road.
Wednesday 15 Pleasant & warm. I have washed the coloured clothes & ironed them, moped the floor, baked 4 pies, 1 loaf of cake, some ginger cookies & fried a pan of doughnuts. Put one black braid around my mat.
Thur. 16 Written to Delia & worked on my mat the rest of the time. Leon brought down my new pot, it cost $1.00. Got 7 eggs today. Got 16 lambs now - 3 came today & 6 yesterday. Pearl & Wallace have gone up town tonight.
Friday 17 Washed the white clothes & ironed them. Pared apples for pies, moped the floor, wet up bread, worked some on my mat. Went down to the sheep barn. Burdett has been drawing logs all day to the mill. Snows again tonight.
Saturday 10 Snowed all day. Clair & Pearl have been here this afternoon & Leon this eve. I have baked bread & pies, 1 loaf of cake. Boiled supper in my new pot for the first time. Mended a pair of pants for Burdett that Ida sent him & darned the stockings.
Sunday 19 Burdett has been up to Uncle Anthony's today & Wallace to A.J. Smith's. I have been down to the sheep barn twice. The snow is quite deep. I have played some. Burt Fanning & family were at Father's today.
Monday 20 The wind blows & the snow flies a perfect gale today & is all drifting up. Snowed again last night. I have had a fire in both rooms all day & it is so cold I have worn my bonnet all day & a shawl part of the time. Got 9 eggs today and only 13 hens.
Tuesday 21 Pleasant. Burdett has churned & I have worked over the butter. Had 7 balls. Moped the floor, & been at work on my mat.
Pearl has been here this evening. Burdett has broke out the road down the hill - all drifted up.
Wednesday 22 Snowed again today - all day & drifed all the while as it came down. I have baked 3 pies, 1 loaf of cake & fried a pan of doughnuts & worked on my mat. Baked meat for supper & had beans, squash & turnip.
Thur. 23 Have washed this afternoon. Did not put out the white cloths - it was late & not pleasant. Worked on my mat this evening. Burdett has been across lots with the oxen up to Almon Smith's today for the first time this winter. Drifted all up again. Got a letter from Delia today.
Friday 24 Got my white cloths out & dried & ironed. Pearl came up this morning to shovel snow & they all went at it. Got it done so Burdett took the oxen & went down through to Mr. Bates. L.B. Shepard is to be buried tomorrow.
Saturday 25 I have baked bread & 4 pies, moped the floor & worked on my mat & darned the stockings. Burdett has been up town with Mr. Bates this afternoon. Bought me 4 yards of gingham for aprons. Wallace has gone to Almon's this eve.
Sunday 26 Willis has been home today. Did not expect him it was so bad going. Was going to ride up with Almon & rode into the Hollow with Joe Moore. I have churned today.
Monday 27 Washed & ironed & fried some doughnuts. Mended this evening. Pearl has been here this eve. Burdett & Wallace have been at work at the woodpile & B. has been to Mr. Bates.
Tue. 28 I have baked 4 pies & 1 loaf of cake, moped the flor. Finished my mat today. Burdett & Wallace have been breaking out the road all day & B. has been down to Mr. Bates this eve.
March 1893
Wednesday 1 Pleasant and not very cold. Burdett has chopped at the woodpile this afternoon & mended shoes & fixed a shovel this afternoon & Wallace chopped this afternoon & been down to Mr. Bates this afternoon & up to Almon's this eve with Pearl Bates. Mrs. Cooley has the pneumonia.
Thur. 2 Been mending all day. Has been a very cold, blustering day & drifting all up worse than ever. B. & Wallace have sit in the house all day, only at chore time. Wet up bread tonight. Baked biscuit for supper. Snowed some.
Friday 3 Moped the floor, baked 4 apple pies, pared the apples for them, baked bread, fried a pan of doughnuts, finished mending Burdett's overalls. Wallace has gone up to Frank Barnes with Pearl to a party. I watered the cows today.
Saturday 4 Baked some ginger cookies, moped the floor, made Naomi a pair of drawers, myself an apron. Fixed my gray basque larger, & this evening began to work on the bedquilt that Ida Stearns began for me. The Bates boys have been here this eve. Last night Wallace & Pearl went up to Frank Barnes to a quilting party.
Sunday 5 Windy & the snow blowing & drifting. Clair called here tonight & he & Wallace have gone up to Almon Smith's this eve & Wallace has been up there before today and got me a letter from Mrs. Warfield.
Monday 6 Plesant. Done the washing & ironed what got dry. Did not put out the white cloths was so windy. Mr. Bates has been up to town meeting with Burdett. I have churned.
Tuesday 7 Finished ironing, baked 4 pies, 1 loaf of cake & some cookies. Worked over butter, mended some, begun my gingham apron brown and cross-stitch-like. Mrs. Griswold, Leon & Pearl have been here this evening. Naomi is about sick with a hard cold.
Wednesday 8 Burdett & Wallace have drawn 2 loads of hay for Mr. Bates & went up town this afternoon. Wallace got him a pair of rubber boots. I have done the barn chores & put on new papers onto the buttery shelves, scoured the kitchen floor, wet up bread.
Thur. 9 Rains today. Baked bread & mended some & worked on my apron. Wrote to Delia. Frank Atwater was to be buried today, had the pneumonia. Burdett hs been to Mr. Bates & Wallace up to Almon's. They are at Simsbury.
Friday 10 I have stirred butter & pared apples (the last I have got) made 7 pies, got a box ready to send Delia by Mr. Bates & I went down there with it. Got my feet wet as sop. Burdett & Wallace have been chopping & W. has gone off this evening with Leon & I weighed 148 lbs. Mr. Bates weighed me.
Saturday 11 Baked 1 loaf of cake & ginger cookies, moped the floor, made 6 balls of butter, cut out some blocks, & worked on my apron some. Rains again tonight, been foggy all day. Naomi coughed all night most.
Sunday 12 Wallace has been up to Almon Smith's with 8 lbs. butter & 1/2 doz. eggs & over to Father's. Burdett has been to Mr. Bates & got his hair cut & from there down to Sam Cooley's. Gone all day. I have lain abed.
Monday 13 Washed & ironed & moped the floor. Helped move the old stove into the shop. Washed the windows some, swept all out upstairs, balled 2 table cakes of butter. Frank is about sick tonight with a hard cold. B. has gone to Champlin's & Wallace to Bates this evening.
Tuesday 14 Baked 2 pies & made some fried cakes. Moped the back room floor, brought up the hams & set to soak & what cucumbers I have got. Mrs. Bates called - was going up to Almon's. B. has taken down our sap buckets.
Wednesday 15 I finished my brown gingham apron this forenoon & this afternoon run 3 doz. candles, made 7 for Frank. Burdett & Champlin have been drawing logs today. Cold & blustery. Had a thunder shower in the night - last night.
Thursday 16 Mended stockings & made a loaf of ginger bread. Got a letter from Delia. Ruth & Ruby called here. They went down to Mrs. Bates. Burdett & Wallace have been drawing logs. Clarence Bartlett is very sick with pneumonia.
Friday 17 Moped, churned & worked the butter once, & baked 4 pies, made Naomi a pair of stockings. Frank has not been out today, got such a cough. Mrs. Bates & Mrs. Champlin have been up to Mrs. Griswold's a visiting. Wallace has gone to John Peebles party.
Saturday 10 Baked 2 loaves of cake and frosted one, moped the floor, baked ginger cookies. Clair & Pearl have been here this evening. Burdett has been up town. I have washed the sap buckets.
Sunday 19 I have been up to Mrs. Osborn's to see her a little while & called at Mrs. Griswold's. Willis has been home & Clair has been here & this eve. Wallace has gone up to Mr. Smith's & B. to Bates. Inez & Ruth & Ruby were here. Leon worked for Burdett a while yesterday.
Monday 20 Washed & ironed, baked a loaf of jelly cake & put chocolate between it & fried a pan of doughnuts, moped the floor. Looked for Inez Wyman & the Smith's this evening but they did not come. Jack Lindsay was here to dinner.
Tuesday 21 Burdett set some trees yesterday, the first. I have baked bread & 6 pies, cut out Frank a pair of pants & partly made them. Wallace & Pearl have gone to Almon Smith's this eve.
Wednesday 22 I have moped the floor & finished Frank's pants. Uncle Anthony & Mrs. Perkins came down today & he has been hooping up 50 buckets of Beard's for Burdett & Burdett has been to the mill today.
Thur. 23 I have been mending Wallace a vest & my rubber shoes & pieced some on my quilt that Ida begun for me. Anthony came down again today & Burdett has been at the mill. Snows most all day.
Friday 24 Baked biscuit for supper. Washed some buckets. Was going to Mrs. Bates to get my dress cut but she was sick so I did not go. I got a letter today from Ida. She has had her jaw part taken out. Had a tumor.
Saturday 25 Baked 4 pies, 1 loaf of cake & frosted it. I made cookies, churned & worked over the butter. Made 4 lbs. Moped the floor & worked on my quilt. Burdett has gathered some sap today. Mr. Champlin & wife called here. Were going to Almon's & Wallace has been up there. He is 15 old. 5 years
Sunday 26 B. & Frank have been to the sap place & Willis came home last night. Arloe Smith called here & Pearl has been after the mail. Mrs. Perkins is here yet.
Monday 27 Have washed & ironed, moped the floor, made biscuit for supper. Sewed some. Burdett has syruped off for the first time this spring & Willis & B. have finished setting & shod the sled. Willis & Pearl have gone to John Peebles this eve.
Tue. 28 Baked bread & 1 custard pie & 2 apple pies. Done off 1 batch of sugar & this afternoon have been down to Mrs. Bates to get my dress cut. Burdett has syruped off again today. The boys have gone to Almon's tonight.
Wednesday 29 Burdett has taken Mrs. Perkins home & been up street & Willis has gone back this afternoon to E.W. Boise. Came home Saturday night. I have written to Mrs. Ed Warfield for Mrs. P. today.
Thur. 30 Done over my old sugar. Had 2 pans full & it took me most all day. Got a letter from Ellen today. Willis gave me $1.09 one dollar & nine cents yesterday.
Friday 31 Done off 2 batches of sugar & made some ginger cookies & fried doughnuts. Sewed on my dress a while. Burdett has been to the mill this forenoon. He is most sick with a cold.
To be continued
Submitted by Doris Hayden