January Entries in the 1873 Diary of Ida Isadore Reynolds (1860-1946) of Acton, Maine - Future Wife of John Jotham Shapleigh (1856-1923)

January entries in the 1873 diary of Ida Isadore Reynolds (1860-1946) of Acton, Maine.  Ida would marry John Jotham Shapleigh (1856-1923) in 1881.

A link to a post featuring entries from February 1873 appears here and at the end of this post.

This diary is one of three known: 1873, 1874 and 1876. If a reader knows of the existence of any other diaries of Ida, please contact me.

Shown below are images and transcriptions of the entries and a description of the people mentioned, in order of appearance, first time only.  Your comments noting errors and sharing information are requested.

See an overview post for a description of Ida's 1873, 1874 and 1876 diaries, which also contains combined alphabetical lists of surnames and people, with descriptive information where known.

Ida was the  daughter of Jonathan Prescott Reynolds (1820-1899) and Rachel E. (Tupper) Reynolds (1833-1923), who were natives of Maine and Nova Scotia, respectively.  

Other members of the Reynolds household, at times, were Ida's older brother Edward Everett Reynolds (1855-1945) and a Samuel/Sam/Sammy, presumably Ida's maternal cousin Samuel Muir Francis (1858-1928), son of Dr. Daniel Francis (1810-1867) and Christie Ann (Tupper) Francis (-1893).

In 1881 Ida would marry John Jotham Shapleigh (1856-1923), a native of Lebanon, Maine.  After the death of their son Ernest in 1882, they moved to Rochester, New Hampshire, where they had a daughter Doris, born in 1898.

As you can see from the images below, Ida's physical address in 1873 was Acton, Maine, but the family received the mail through the North Lebanon, Maine, Post Office.

J. P. Reynolds farm along the southern border of Acton, Maine; with Lebanon, Maine, to the south; from an 1872 map of Acton, Maine, held by the Digital Maine Repository

Following the images and transcriptions below is a list of the people mentioned, in order of appearance, only once, as some are mentioned multiple times.

Wednesday, January 1, 1873:  Fair. Father went to the Corner. I went to Enoch's. Hattie here in Evening. James Applebee, teacher.

Thursday, January 2, 1873:  Cold and Dry. Worked on vests. Went to Mrs. Bell G. Prescott.  Father went to Mr. Hilton. Got a letter from Addie Moor.

Friday, January 3, 1873:  Rainy.  Read. Charles Hilton here.  Everett got a bad cold. Did not go to School in the forenoon.

Saturday, January 4, 1873:  Fair. Baked. Father went to Mr. H's.

Sunday, January 5, 1873:  Stormy.  Read; got a letter from Everett

Monday, January 6, 1873:  Fair & Icy. I went to Mr. H Stevens to get vaccinated. Edward Francis came up. Callers: Ad S Nason [possibly Abbie Frances (Downs) Nason], Luther Hilton

Tuesday, January 7, 1873:  Fair. Went Sliding. Edward went off. Hattie Here. Went to Hattie's.

Wednesday, January 8, 1873:  Fair. Father & Mother went to Great Falls [presumably Somersworth, New Hampshire]. Got Me a dress, crochet needles. Almon sent me some candy & some blue ribbon.

Thursday, January 9, 1873:  Fair & Icy. Rained in night. I went to Mr. Hilton's. Sammy went up all day. Hattie here. Sammy cut his wrist Monday.

Friday, January 10, 1873:  Fair & Cold. Walked to Aunt Martha's. Went to Aunt Sarah's.  Caller at home. Vests Man; Mr. Leach to fix our clock. Hattie, Charles M.; Alonzo, ___ [or Charles and Malonzo], Sherman, Edward

Saturday, January 11, 1873:  Fair & Cold. Came home. For Christmas present from Aunt M., White Scarf and a bottle of Amaranth Cologne.  Everett went away and Edward. Uncle Jacob here.

Sunday, January 12, 1873:  Fair. Read.

Monday, January 13, 1873:  Dull.  Snowed. Father went to Hanscombs, got two gallons of 70 cts molasses, 2 qts of kerosene at 11 [?] cts a qt. Churned, worked on Vests, G. H. here.

Tuesday, January 14, 1873:  Fair. Rained in night. Slid. Peddler here. Made 4 vests. Callers: Hattie, Sadie, Bell Prescott.

Ida apparently mixed up her entries for January 15 and January 16.  What appears next is what she intended to write for January 15, 1873.

Wednesday, January 15, 1873:   Fair. Made 6 Vests and Read. I ___  [unraveled ?] yarn, 3 ply and after went to Great Falls with Sam; ___ yard, vests ___

Ida apparently mixed up her entries for January 15 and January 16.  What appears next is what she intended to write for January 15, 1873.

Thursday, January 16, 1873.  This is for the 16.  Rainy. Finished our 20 vests. got a letter today from Everett. Went to Tom's to get it.  Baked a jonny Kake.

Friday, January 17, 1873: Dull and Rainy. Father went to Enoch's. Studied. Mother baked. Mrs. Phebe Cenney [Phoebe A. Hilton) Kenney) (1852-1873), wife of Dexter Kenney] Died about 9 o'clock. Took up my stockings.

Saturday, January 18, 1873: Rainy. Mother Spun some. I Studied a little.

Sunday, January 19, 1873: Fair. Went to Mr. Burrows to Funeral of Mrs. Cenney. Uncle Sawyer & Aunt Lucy came over. Went to George Prescott's Door. Hattie here.

Monday, January 20, 1873: Fair in afternoon. Snowy. Uncle and Aunt went home. Father went to the Falls. Knit. ___[ Slid. I ?] and Hannah. Callers. Hattie, Jacob Stevens. We Washed.

Tuesday, January 21, 1873:  Snowy. Mr. Downes here for Dinner.  Studied in Hymn Book. Knit. Went to Hattie's. Mother Sewed on Edward's shirts.

Wednesday, January 22, 1873: Blowy. Read. Went to Hattie's. Knit. Hattie here. Hattie here to let us get vaccinated. I studied.

Thursday, January 23, 1873: Fair. They broke roads, went to a neighborly Call to J. Prescott's. Hattie here. Worked on my dress. Knit.

Friday, January 24, 1873: Stormy. Knit. Read. Mother worked on my dress.

Saturday, January 25, 1873: Got a letter from Aunt Lucy. Fair. Went to Hattie's to knit. Finished my stocking. Callers: Charles H., Enoch & George. Mother worked on my dress.

Sunday, January 26, 1873. Fair. Broke roads. Read. Everett came home. Callers: Walter Sherman, John S Hersom. Got 3 eggs.

Monday, January 27, 1873: Cold and snowy. Knit. Got vaccinated from Hattie’s. Burnt two fingers. Hattie was here. ___ [hemmed ?] my red dress. Popped corn.

Tuesday, January 28, 1873. Fair. Hands are better. Went to Hattie's. Caller: Jacob Stevens. Ironed. Everett went to [George's or Georgie's]. Finished my dress. Got a box of salt by Enoch Sherman.

Wednesday, January 29, 1873: Fair and Cold. Knot. went to Hattie's in Evening. Everett and Sam and Hannah or Anna.

Thursday, January 30, 1873:  Fair. Knit.  Hattie here. Anna had tooth ache. Finished my suit.

Friday, January 31, 1873: Blowed. Edward came up. Hattie and Walter up. Knit. Went to Hattie's. Lute here.

Saturday, February 1, 1873:  Fair.  Went to Clara's the first time for a week on ___ [account ?] of the whooping cough.  Went to Hattie's. Knit. Finished Pair of Stockings.

Sunday, February 2, 1873:  Cold.  Caller, Mr. Hilton. Mr. Somebody, I don't know who. Read. ___  [ ? table ?] yesterday.

People mentioned, in order; first time only. Readers are requested to fill in the blanks.

• Father - Jonathan Prescott Reynolds (1820-1899), Ida's father; son of Rev. Paul Runnels (1790-1842) [also seen as Reynolds] and Ann (Worster or Worcester) Reynolds (1793-1884)
• Enoch - presumably Enoch Piper Sherman (1836-1922), husband of Mary (Ricker) Sherman (1837-1889); his first wife, Jane (Guptill) Sherman, had died in 1861.
• Hattie - Ida's friend Harriet Eldora Sherman (1859-1937), "Hattie", daughter of Thomas Sherman (1823-1893) and Abigail Elizabeth (Fox) Sherman (1822-1877), "Abbie"
• James Applebee, teacher; presumably James Applebee (1801-1880) or his son James W. Applebee (1844-1931) of Milton, New Hampshire
• Mrs. Bell G. Prescott - Isabelle G. (Chamberlain) Prescott (1845-1923) wife of George Lockwood Prescott (1845-1883), "Lock"
• Mr. Hilton - presumably Andrew Hilton (1810-1873), who would die in December of 1873, husband of Eliza Ann (Paul) Hilton (1816-1891); they likely needed help.
• Addie Moore - perhaps of nearby New Hampshire
• Charles Hilton - presumably Charles Albert Hilton (1856-1937), son of Andrew Hilton (1810-1873) and Eliza Ann (Paul) Hilton (1816-1891) and future husband of Sadie Noyes Prescott (1857-1879)
• Everett - Ida's brother Edward Everett Reynolds (1855-1945)
• Mr. Stevens - presumably Hubbard Stevens (1805-1882), husband of Harriet (Brackett) Stevens (1808-1883)
• Edward Francis - Ida's maternal cousin Edward Francis (1850-1931), son of Dr. Daniel Francis (1810-1867) and Christie Ann (Tupper) Francis (-1893), who was a sister to Ida's mother Rachel E. (Tupper) Reynolds
• As S Nason - possibly Abbie Frances [Downs] Nason (1849-1947), wife of Orrin Edgar Nason
• Luther Hilton, "Lute" - Luther Drew Hilton (1858-1894), son of Andrew Hilton (1810-1873) and Eliza Ann (Paul) Hilton (1816-1891); future husband of Ida's friend Clara Georgietta Prescott (1860-1921)
• Mother - Rachel E. (Tupper) Reynolds, Ida's mother; daughter of Daniel Cox Tupper and Nancy Agnes (Fisher) Tupper of Nova Scotia
• Almon - presumably Somersworth, New Hampshire, grocer Almon H. James (1850-1899), son of Samuel James (1823-1904) and Caroline (Blaisdell) James; Almon would marry Jennie E. Joy in 1875
• Sammy - presumably Ida's maternal cousin Samuel Muir Francis ((1858-1928), son of Dr. Daniel Francis (1819-1867) and wife Christie Ann (Tupper) Francis (-1893) of Nova Scotia.  Christie Ann (Tupper) Francis was  a sister to Ida's mother Rachel E. (Tupper) Reynolds (1833-1923). 
• Aunt Martha - Martha Ann (Runnells or Reynolds) Hersom (1817-1879), "Aunt Martha"; widow of Lucius Hersom and future wife of John Hanson; Ida's paternal aunt, she was the older sister of Ida's father Jonathan Prescott Reynolds (1820-1899)
• Aunt Sarah - possibly Sarah A. (Patterson) Sherman (abt 1841, Edgecomb, Maine-?), wife of John Wason Sherman (1838-1907) or ?
• the "Vests Man" - presumably Mr. Weeks [or Wilks] or Mr. Brackett
• Mr. Leach, clock repairer
• Charles M. or Charles
• Alonzo or Malonzo - perhaps Almanzor Orestes Prescott (1855-1916)
• Sherman
• Uncle Jacob - Jacob Pickering Reynolds (1838-1914), youngest sibling of Ida's father Jonathan Prescott Reynolds (1820-1899)
• Hanscomb or Hanscom
• Peddler - perhaps the Charles Lovering mentioned in other diary entries
• Sadie - Sadie Noyes Prescott (1857-1879), future wife of Charles Albert Hilton (1856-1937)
• Clara - Clara Georgietta Prescott (1860-1921), future wife of Luther Drew Hilton (1858-1894)
• Bell Prescott - Mary Isabelle Prescott (1854-1932), "Belle", daughter of George Washington Prescott (1815-1886) and Eliza G. (Brackett) Prescott (1817-1898)
• Tom - Thomas Sherman (1823-1893), husband of Abigail Elizabeth (Fox) Sherman (1822-1877), "Abbie"
• Mrs. Phebe Cenney - Mrs. Phoebe Kenney; her death noted in the entry of January 17, 1873; Phebe A. (Hilton) Kenney (1852-1873), wife of Dexter Kenney
• Mr. Burrows, perhaps an undertaker or minister or someone with adequate space for a funeral; perhaps Edward Burrows (1817-1888) of Milton, New Hampshire
• Uncle Sawyer and Aunt Lucy - Rev. Seth Sawyer (1808-1892) and wife Lucy Jane (Tupper) Sawyer (1837-1880), who was the younger sister of Ida's mother Rachel E. (Tupper) Reynolds (1833-1923)
• George Prescott - presumably George Washington Prescott (1815-1886), husband of Eliza G. (Brackett) Prescott (1817-1898); father of several of Ida's friends
• Jacob Stevens - Jacob Brackett Stevens (1850-1917), son of Hubbard Stevens (1805-1882) and Harriet (Brackett) Stevens (1808-1883); husband of Charlotte M. (Shapleigh) Stevens (1851-1917), “Lottie”
• Mr. Downes or Downs - possibly Lewis Downs (abt 1800-1881) or a relative
• J. Prescott - perhaps John Prescott or Jonathan Prescott; if Jonathan Prescott (1808-1887), he was the father of Ida's friend Ezekiel Horace Adams Prescott (1858-1931)
• Charles H. - perhaps Charles Albert Hilton, noted above
• George, with Enoch; presumably George A. Sherman (1860-), son of Enoch Piper Sherman (1836-1922) and first wife Jane (Guptill) Sherman (1832-1861)
• Walter Sherman - Walter Herbert Sherman (1856-1888), son of Thomas Sherman (1823-1893)and Abigail Elizabeth (Fox) Sherman (1822-1877), "Abbie", and brother of Ida's friend Hattie; friend of Ida's brother Edward Everett Reynolds (1855-1945)
• John S. Hersom, presumably the John S. Hersom (1834-1903) who was the husband of Martha A. (Jones) Hersom (1845-1912)
• Hannah or Anna - Hannah Francis (1854-1923), daughter of Dr. Daniel Francis (1810-1867) and Christie Ann (Tupper) Francis (-1893), who was a sister to Ida's mother Rachel E. (Tupper) Reynolds (1833-1923).  Hannah/Annie would marry James Alexander Buchanan (1850-1906)

Again, if you have any corrections, clarifications or additional information, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Advance to February 1873.