December entries in the 1873 diary of Ida Isadore Reynolds (1860-1946) of Acton, Maine. Ida would marry John Jotham Shapleigh (1856-1923) in 1881.
This post also includes the pages in the back of the diary, including memoranda, cash account and notes, which list what Ida considered the most important events of the year.
Links to the months of November 1873 and January 1874 appear 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.
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.
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.
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 married 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.
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.
Sunday, November 30, 1873: Cold. Went to Hattie's. Sung.
Monday, December 1, 1873: Fair. Went to School. Went to Singing School.
Tuesday, December 2, 1873: Stormy. Went to School. Went to George Prescott's. Very Cold.
Wednesday, December 3, 1873: I went to School.
Thursday, December 4, 1873: I went to School. Got a letter. Everett very Sick.
Friday, December 5, 1873: Went to School
Saturday, December 6, 1873: Fair. No School. Went down in the Bog. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens in. Mr. John S. Hersom. Went to Singing School.
Sunday, December 7, 1873: Fair. Read. Hattie in.
Monday, December 8, 1873: Fair. Went to School. Went to Singing School.
Tuesday, December 9, 1873: Fair. Got a letter from Mother and Everett. He is ever so much better. Went to School. George Sherman in and Clara.
Wednesday, December 10, 1873: Fair. Went to School.
Thursday, December 11, 1873: Fair. Went to Singing School. Went to School.
Friday, December 12, 1873: Fair. Went to School.
Saturday, December 13, 1873: Dull. Went to Singing School. Went to School.
Sunday, December 14, 1873: Fair. Read.
Monday, December 15, 1873: Fair. Father started in night for Falls. School.
Tuesday, December 16, 1873: Fair. Father got home. Went to School. Got a letter. Everett nicely.
Wednesday, December 17, 1873: Aunt Lucy came over and U Sawyer. Fair. Did not go to School.
Thursday, December 18, 1873: Fair. Aunt Lucy went home. Went to School. Went to Singing School.
Friday, December 19, 1873: Dull. Went to School. Snowed. Ezekiel in. Went to School. Mr. Andrew Hilton went over to Middletown.
Saturday, December 20, 1873: Fair. Cleaned the School house. Went to George Prescott's in evening. Strung with the rest 40 yds pop corn.
Sunday, December 21, 1873: Fair. Read. Hattie in. Mr. James Hilton of Middleton died about 4 o'clock in afternoon.
Monday, December 22, 1873: Fair. Went to School. Mr. Andrew Hilton taken sick over to Middleton [New Hampshire]. [Andrew, who would die on December 27, 1873, was a brother to James Hilton, who died on the 21st.]
Tuesday, December 23, 1873: Fair. Went to School. Mr. James Hilton is buried.
Wednesday, December 24, 1873: Fair. Fixed the School House for the Christmas Tree. Had a tree in the evening. Had a nice time. spoke. Presents.
Thursday, December 25, 1873: Cloudy. There is but one chance in of twenty for Mr. Hilton to live.
Friday, December 26, 1873: Fair. No School. Most Sick.
Saturday, December 27, 187: Stormy. No School. Mr. Andrew Hilton died at about 4 [or 9] o'clock in the afternoon. He died at Middleton.
Sunday, December 28, 1873: Very Stormy. Read a little.
Monday, December 29, 1873: Fair. Roads So full I could not go to School. I am Sick.
Tuesday, December 30, 1873: Fair. Sick. Grandmother very Sick. Sam Sick. did not go to School. Mr. Hilton buried. Aunt Lucy and Uncle S and Aunt Martha and Uncle Jacob and Mr. Toothaker.
Wednesday, December 31, 1873: Fair. Went to School. Went to George Prescott's. Hattie, Jacob Stevens.
Memoranda
Father and Mother went to Great Falls. Mother went to Great Falls.
ditto
ditto
Mother and Father went to Great Falls.
October 29, 1873: Father went and Mother to Boston. Everett way sick with Scarlet Fever. He is to Uncle Decker's. Very Sick
January 8, 1873: Mother & Father went to the Falls, got me a blue Tibet dress, six yards, a1/2 Pound candy. Two Crochet needles. Two yds blue ribbon, two spools of Clarks thread.
A New Years present from Aunt Martha, a nice White Scarf, a bottle of Amaranth Colone [cologne]
February 12: got a pair of shoes.
February 29: got a spool cotton
April 3: a Calico dress
Mary 19: a Necktie, some cloth. A pair of Slippers, a flower pot, some Candy
May 26: some Candy
July 2: 2. A Muslin dress; 1 yard and 1/2 Bleached white cloth; ________; Music Lessons; a New belt
August
26. Everett came home and Fetched me a ___ Bracelet. Cost (1.30) 1 and 30 cts.
Everett has been going to Eastman Business College with Clinton Ricker.
September
Mary Sherman gave me a new belt; got me 1 yd of blue ribbon and 1 of Cherry. Abbie
October
Abbie Sherman got me a yd of Green ribbon
December
22 - get a yd Elastic
24 - got fur tree; a ___ quilt; a pair of Candy boots; a Monkey and 60 squares; ___ my quilt
25 - Mother brought home a New Dress for me and two yds Red Ribbon. Some lace. a diary. some ___. sime Tibett ___; some Tooth Powder; some ____
Pieces I have learned to Play
1. I am Going Home, page 175
2. Martin 116
3. Happy Day, 177
4. Experience, 174
5. Sinner's Invitation, 25
6. Greenville, 123
7. Child's Wish, 84
8. ___ Dale, 86
Address of Hannah Francis: Real Estate Agency Office, Cor of Randall & North Main St, Providence, R.I.; Miss Hannah Francis, Real Estate Office, Cor Randall & North Main St, Providence R.I.
October 17. 1873
May Cowell died today of West Lebanon. Aged 7 years; died of the Dropsy.
October 24, 1873
Father and Mother went to Boston; heard Everett was very Sick with Scarlet Fever. Father came home
November 22
I wrote my first Composition. I wrote about Thanksgiving.
November 20
began to go to Singing school
went 20
went 22
went 29
went Dec 1
went Dec 6
went Dec 8
went Dec 11
went Dec 13
went Dec 18
Deaths
September 11, 1873: Mrs. Carrie Bennett aged 19 year
September 11, her little Child, aged about 5 weeks
December 11th: Mr. Moses Ricker of Lebanon, Maine;
October 17th: Miss May L. Cowell of West Lebanon, Me., aged 7 years
Hymn "Seek the Land Beyond the ___" [Storm ? by Eva Alice
Hymn, "The Gospel Train"
Hymn, "The Gospel Train", continued
Hymn "Something to do" by Eva Alice
Hymn "Something to do" by Eva Alice, continued
Hymn "Something to do" by Eva Alice, continued
People mentioned in order, first time, only. Readers are requested to provide more information.
- Hattie - Harriet Eldora Sherman (1859-1937), "Hattie", daughter of Thomas Sherman (1823-1893) and Abigail Elizabeth (Fox) Sherman (1822-1877), "Abbie", and future wife of George Walter Chamberlain (1859-1942)
- George Prescott - possibly George Washington Prescott (1815-1886), George Washington Prescott (1815-1886), husband of Eliza G. (Brackett) Prescott (1817-1898); parents of several of Ida's friends
- Everett - Ida's brother Edward Everett Reynolds (1855-1945)
- Mr. and Mrs. Stevens - presumably Hubbard Stevens (1805-1882) and Harriet C. (Brackett) Stevens (1808-1883)
- John S. Hersom - presumably John S. Hersom (1834-1903), husband of Martha A. (Jones) Hersom (1845-1912)
- Mother - Rachel E. (Tupper) Reynolds (1833-1923)
- George Sherman - George A. Sherman (1860-), son of Enoch Piper Sherman (1836-1922) and first wife Jane (Guptill) Sherman (1832-1861)
- Clara Clara Georgietta Prescott (1860-1921), future wife of Luther Drew Hilton (1858-1894)
- Father - Jonathan Prescott Reynolds (1820-1899)
- Aunt Lucy and Uncle Sawyer - Ida's maternal aunt Lucy Jane (Tupper) Sawyer (1837-1880) and husband Rev. Seth Sawyer (1808-1892)
- Ezekiel - possibly Ezekiel Horace Adams Prescott (1858-1931)
- Andrew Hilton (1810-1873), husband of Eliza Ann (Paul) Hilton (1816-1891) - entry of December 19, 1873 - went to Middleton, New Hampshire on December 19 to visit his dying brother James Hilton (1806-1873). The diary notes that Andrew took sick at Middleton during that visit, on or before December 22, 1873 and would die at Middleton on December 27 and be buried on December 30.
- James Hilton died - entry of December 21, 1873 - James Hilton (1806-1873) of Middleton, New Hampshire; at the time of his death husband to Adeline E. Pike (Davis) Hilton (1822-1907). He was the brother of the Reynolds' neighbor Andrew Hilton (1810-1873). Entry of December 23, 1873, noted James Hilton's burial.
- Grandmother - Ann (Worster or Worcester) Reynolds or Runnells (1793-1884), widow of Rev. Paul Reynolds or Runnells (1790-1842)
- Sam - Samuel Muir Francis (1858-1928), son of Dr. Daniel Francis (1810-1867) and wife Christie Ann (Tupper) Francis (-1893), who was a sister to Ida's mother Rachel E. (Tupper) Reynolds (1833-1923). Samuel may have been the Sam or Sammy mentioned often in Ida's diary and apparently living with the family at times.
- Aunt Martha - Martha Ann (Reynolds) Hersom (1817-1879), widow of Lucius Hersom (1809-1867) and future wife of John Hanson; Martha was the older sister of Ida's father Jonathan Prescott Reynolds (1820-1899)
- Uncle Jacob - Jacob Pickering Reynolds (1838-1914), youngest brother of Ida's father Jonathan Prescott Reynolds (1820-1899)
- Mr. Toothaker
- Jacob Stevens - Jacob Brackett Stevens (1850-1917), son of Hubbard Stevens (1805-1882) and Harriet C. (Brackett) Stevens (1808-1883) and husband of Charlotte M. (Shapleigh) Stevens (1851-1917), "Lottie"
- Uncle Decker - Nathaniel Curtis Decker (1828-1888), husband of Ida's paternal aunt, Joanna Farnham (Reynolds) Decker (1825-1909)
- Clinton Ricker - at Eastman Business College with Ida's brother Edward Everett Reynolds (1855-1945). Clinton Atwood Ricker (1856-1926), son of Clinton Ricker (1831-1868) and Sarah E. (Guptill) Ricker (1834-1913)
- Mary Sherman - Mary (Ricker) Sherman (1837-1889), second wife of Enoch Piper Sherman (1836-1922)
- Abbie Sherman - Abigail Elizabeth (Fox) Sherman (1822-1877), "Abbie", wife of Thomas Sherman (1823-1893) and mother of Ida's friend Harriet Eldora Sherman (1859-1937), "Hattie", who would marry George Walter Chamberlain (1859-1942)
- Hannah Francis, Real Estate Agency Office, Cor Randall & North Maine St., Providence, Rhode Island. Ida's maternal cousin, Hannah Francis (1854-1923), was the daughter of Dr. Daniel Francis (1810-1867) and Christie Ann (Tupper) Francis (-1893) of Nova Scotia. Hannah would marry James Alexander Buchanan (1850-1906)
- Mrs. Carrie Bennett, aged 19 year; her death on September 11, 1873 mentioned in the notes section of the diary: Carrie I. (Hilton) Bennett (1855-1873), daughter of Andrew F. Hilton (1836-1894) and Emeline A. (Hersom) Hilton (1838-1884), and wife of Charles H. Bennett. Carrie's daughter Effie A. Bennett, about 5 weeks of age, died the same day, according to the next entry in the notes section.
- Mr. Moses Ricker of Lebanon, Maine; his death of December 11, 1873 [not sure of second digit of the day] recorded in the notes section of the diary
- Miss May L. Cowell of West Lebanon, Me., aged 7 years; her death of October 17, 1873 recorded in the notes section of the diary: Lucy May Cowell, daughter of Edmond Eustace Cowell and Elizabeth Jane (Chamberlain) Cowell (1830-1923); Lucy's death at age 7 is noted in the diary as having occurred on October 17, 1873
If you have corrections to anything above or information to share on any of the people mentioned, please leave a comment or contact me directly.
Advance to January 1874 or return to November 1873
No comments:
Post a Comment