Monday, February 11, 2019

February Entries in the 1876 Diary of Ida Isadore Reynolds (1860-1946) of Acton, Maine; future wife of John Jotham Shapleigh (1856-1923)


February entries in the 1876 diary of Ida Isadore Reynolds (1860-1946) of Acton, Maine.  Ida would marry John Jotham Shapleigh (1856-1923) in 1881. 

Links to the months of March 1876 and January 1876 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.


Although Ida's home was in Acton, Maine, it was on the border of Lebanon, Maine.  As you can see from the image shown below, from Ida's 1873 diary, the Reynolds family got their mail through the North Lebanon, Maine, Post Office.



Below, the 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.


Monday, January 31, 1876:  Fair. I went to school. Mother Ironed and churned.

Tuesday, February 1, 1876:  Fair. I went to school. Got along well.

Wednesday, February 2, 1876:  Snow and wind. I went to school. Started with Hattie and Elder Lord from Andrew F's to ride. Got over the hill; the horse got outside of the road and broke in the ice. I like to froze. Sam got in. George froze his ears. We all had an awful time.

Thursday, February 3, 1876:  Fair. We had no school today. Studied. I went up to Enoch's. Mary gave me a pair of shoes and a pair of slippers. I went to Hattie's. Clara came in.


Friday, February 4, 1876:  Snow. Father and Sam went to Great Falls with an ox Team. Uncle Sam sent me some candy and a letter with his picture in it. I went to school. Mr. Lord took Hattie and me up. I carried in my composition. Jake Stevens came in.

Saturday, February 5, 1876:  Fair. No School. Baked. Mother very slim. Hattie came up, and we studied in the evening.  Brackett's "man" came and got my vests.

Sunday, February 6, 1876:  Fair. Read.

Monday, February 7, 1876:  Fair. Went to school. Studied in the evening.


Tuesday, February 8, 1876:  Fair. Went to school.

Wednesday, February 9, 1876:  Rain and quite cold. Mrs. Emma Sawyer was buried from George Prescott's.  Mr. Lord and the boys went down to Prescott at noon and buried her.

Thursday, February 10, 1876:  Fair. Went to school.

Friday, February 11, 1876:  Fair. Went to school.


Saturday, February 12, 1876:  Fair. Mother went to Aunt Lucy's. I Washed. Ironed and mended my dress.

Sunday, February 13, 1876:  Fair. Very warm for the season. I went to meeting with J. B. Stevens's folks.  Elbridge took Hattie to ride. they called for me but I was to Jak's.

Monday, February 14, 1876:  Fair. Went to school. Studied.

Tuesday, February 15, 1876:  Fair. Went to school.  Hattie came up. She stayed all night. We studied.


Wednesday, February 16, 1876:  Fair. Went to school. Hattie came and stayed all night.

Thursday, February 17, 1876:  Fair. Mother came home. Uncle Sawyer brought her over.  went to school. Mr. Lord got tipped over, broke his sleigh, hurt himself some.

Friday, February 18, 1876:  Fair. Went to School. Got along well. Studied a little.

Saturday, February 19, 1876:  Fair. Mother and I made a pair of pants. Studied some in the evening.


Sunday, February 20, 1876:  Fair and Cold. Went to meeting. Mr. Noyes preached. Don't think I like him as well as Mr. Lord, but he preached a good sermon.

Monday, February 21, 1876:  Fair. Went to school. It snowed some.

Tuesday, February 22, 1876:  Fair. I went to school.

Wednesday, February 23, 1876:  Fair. Went to school.


Thursday, February 24, 1876:  Fair. Went to school. Hattie came up. Uncle Enoch here.

Friday, February 25, 1876:  Fair. Went to school.

Saturday, February 26, 1876:  Fair. Baked. I went to the corner with Lock and Clara. Got me a calico dress and spool of thread. Cost of the whole 0.77 cts.

Sunday, February 27, 1876:  Fair. Read. Went to Mrs. Stevens'.


 Monday, February 28, 1876:  Snow. Went to school. Got along well.  I hope it will not storm tomorrow night. I want to go to George Prescott's.

Tuesday, February 29, 1876:  Fair. Went to school. Went to George P's to a candy pull & had a nice time. There was George S., Lute H, Charlie H, Walter S, Ezekiel P., Hattie and Elmer Brackett there. Had a good time as I said before.

Wednesday, March 1, 1876:  Fair. Went to school. Went in to George P. and they give me some molasses candy.

Thursday, March 2, 1876:  Fair. Went to school. Got along well. I suppose it will close before long.

People mentioned in order, first time only. Readers are requested to provide more information. 

 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 March 1876 or return to January 1876.



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