Thursday, February 14, 2019

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



October 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 November 1876 and September 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.

On September 4, 1876, Ida, then only sixteen, began teaching school in Sanford, Maine; the term would last until early November 1876.



Sunday, October 1, 1876:  Rainy. Did not go to church today. Went to a prayer meeting in the evening at the School house.

Monday, October 2, 1876:  Fair. Taught School.  Ida Mugridge came into school.

Tuesday, October 3, 1876:  Fair. Taught School. Sliced a few apples in the evening.  Tellie Brown came into school.

Wednesday, October 4, 1876:  Foggy. Taught School.



Thursday, October 5, 1876:  Fair. Taught school.

Friday, October 6, 1876:  Fair. Taught school.

Saturday, October 7, 1876:  Fair. Sewed some.

Sunday, October 8, 1876:  Fair. But very cold & windy. Went to church. Mr. Smith preached. Went to Prayer Meeting at the "Town House".  Clarence Stillings & Joe H. Hill here. I was to bed.



Monday, October 9, 1876:  Fair. Mrs. Lizzie Chadbourne came over here. She lives at No. 125 Putnam St., East Boston, Mass.

Tuesday, October 10, 1876:  Fair. Taught school.

Wednesday, October 11, 1876:  Fair. Taught school.

Thursday, October 12, 1876:  Fair. Taught school. Went to SpringVale. Mary Chadbourn went with me. Bought eight yds. of cloth.



Friday, October 13, 1876:  Fair. Taught school. Sewed a very little.

Saturday, October 14, 1876:  Cloudy. Rained a very little. Sewed a little on my night dress. Jennie went to Springvale ; got me some buttons.

Sunday, October 15, 1876:  Snowed a little. I did not go to church today because I am not feeling very well.  Levi Chadbourn came over here.  Clarence Stillings & Joe Hill came here in the evening.

Monday, October 16, 1876:  Fair. Cold. Taught school.



Tuesday, October 17, 1876:  Fair. Very cold. Taught school.

Wednesday, October 18, 1876:  Fair; quite cold. Taught school.  Got a letter from Mother, says Everett has (with Fred) bought Mrs. Hersom out. Has also got a good situation.

Thursday, October 19, 1876:  Fair. Taught school.  After school went to Mr. Lewis Chadbourn's and took tea. Jennie & Angie went in P. M.  Susie Chadbourn came into school this P.M.

Friday, October 20, 1876:  Fair. Taught school. Walked to Springvale. Got some "Muriated Tinct. of Iron" to take for my health.



Saturday, October 21, 1876:  Foggy. Rained a hill. Served and helped Angie a little.

Sunday, October 22, 1876:  Fog & Rain. Read. Sung & Played. Levi Chadbourne & Edwin Plummer have been here. Also Joseph Hill.

Monday, October 23, 1876:  Rain and fog. Taught school.

Tuesday, October 24, 1876:  Cleared off, was very pleasant in the P.M.  Taught school.  Rev. Samuel Lord was into school. Read some in the evening.



Wednesday, October 25, 1876:  Fair. Taught school.  Went to Mr. Stillings in the evening. J. H. H. went home with me. [presumably Joe H. Hill].  Enjoyed myself very much during the evening.

Thursday, October 26, 1876:  Fair. Taught school.

Friday, October 27, 1876:  Fair. Taught school.  Spent the evening (with the girls) at Mr. James Hill's; had a very pleasant time.

Saturday, October 28, 1876:  Fair. Taught school.  Went to meeting with Joseph and Angie.



Sunday, October 29, 1876:  Fair. Went to meeting in the forenoon, afternoon and in the evening.  Read.

Monday, October 30, 1876:  Fair. Taught school.  Mr. Ufford [perhaps the Mr. Alford mentioned in the entry of the following day] and Frank Tompson took supper at Mr. Plummer's.  Went to meeting in the evening.

Tuesday, October 31, 1876:  Fair. Taught school.  Mr. Mugridge, Mr. Alford [perhaps the Mr. Ufford mentioned in the entry of the day before]  visited my school.  Went to meeting in the evening.  Are having very nice meetings.

Wednesday, November 1, 1876:  Cloudy. Taught school. Went to meeting in the evening.

On September 4, 1876, Ida, then only sixteen, began teaching school in Sanford, Maine; the term would last until early November 1876.

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 November 1876 or return to September 1876.


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