Thursday, February 7, 2019

September Entries in the 1874 Diary of Ida Isadore Reynolds (1860-1945) of Acton, Maine; future Wife of John Jotham Shapleigh (1856-1923)


September entries in the 1874 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 August 1874 and October 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.


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.

Since August 24, 1874, Ida has been living in the home of her paternal aunt Joanna Farnham (Reynolds) Decker (1825-1909) and husband Nathaniel Curtis Decker in Boston.  The 1876 Boston City Directory notes their residence as 12 Dexter Street, and they may have been living there in 1874 as well.

While living with the Deckers, Ida is attending school, which might have been the reason for her extended visit.

Click on any image to enlarge it.


Tuesday, September 1, 1874:  Fair. I went with Uncle Decker to West Fourth Street, Broadway and round for a ride. Went up to Billy's.

Wednesday, September 2, 1874:  Fair. I knit. Uncle Decker, Aunt Joanna and Walter and I went over to Mystic Park. We had a splendid ride. Goldsmith Maid went a mile in 2:14 the most ever before was 1:14.3/4 [https://harnessmuseum.com/content/goldsmith-maid]





Thursday, September 3, 1874:  Fair. I knit. Played a little. Went up to Billy Horton's. Got two lbs (2) Fish.

Friday, September 4, 1874:  Fair. Mrs. D [Mrs. Dagin] came here to sweep.  Emma Clough came here for me to go over to Clapps with her for apples. I went.





Saturday, September 5, 1874:  Fair. I knit. Helped Aunt Joanna. Went up to Horton's.

Sunday, September 6, 1874: Fair. I read. Henry and Herbert and Giles Tibbetts came out.






Monday, September 7, 1874:  Fair. Began to go to the ___ School [Spelling School ?]. They put me in the upper room.

Tuesday, September 8, 1874:  Fair. Did not get along very well in school today.





Wednesday, September 9, 1874:  Fair. Went to School. Asked Mr. Harding if I could not go down in Miss Pennyman's room. I went down. [The teacher may have been Miss Pendleton, who is mentioned later on.]

Thursday, September 10, 1874:  Fair. Got along pretty well.





Friday, September 11, 1874:  Fair. I went to School.

Saturday, September 12, 1874:  Fair. I went to School. Got along well.  Henry came in in evening.







Sunday, September 13, 1874:  Fair. Everett came here. I read.

Monday, September 14, 1874:  Fair. I went to School. Got 100%.







Tuesday, September 15, 1874:  Fair. I went to School. I got 85 percent.

Wednesday, September 16, 1874:  Fair. I went to School.







Thursday, September 17, 1874: Fair. I went to School.

Friday, September 18, 1874: Fair. I went to School.






Saturday, September 19, 1874: Fair. I went to School. Helped Aunt Joanna.

Sunday, September 20, 1874: Fair. I read and Sung and played.







Monday, September 21, 1874: 
Rainy. I went to School.

Tuesday, September 22, 1874: 
Fair. Aunt Lucy and Uncle Sawyer came up. I went to School.






Wednesday, September 23, 1874: Fair. Aunt Lucy and Uncle Sawyer came out here. I went to School.

Thursday, September 24, 1874: Fair. I went to School. Aunt Lucy and the rest of the folks went to Mount Auburn.





Friday, September 25, 1874: Fair. Aunt Lucy and Uncle went to the Fair.

Saturday, September 26, 1874:  Fair. I went out to the city in afternoon. Got me a hat at Horton's. It cost me 3.00. 2 pr Cosets 1.11; a ruffle, .12; ribbon, .6




Sunday, September 27, 1874: 
Fair in forenoon. Rainy in afternoon. Uncle Decker took us out to Forest Hills.

Monday, September 28, 1874: 
Fair. I went to School. Classed them off. I did not get in the first Class but in the Sixth row.







Tuesday, September 29, 1874: 
Fair. No it was very Rainy. We had no School in afternoon. Aunt Lucy went home.

Wednesday, September 30, 1874: Fair. I went to School in the forenoon. In the afternoon I went for a ride.  Uncle Decker went out with Nell. He took Emily with him.






Since August 24, 1874, Ida has been living with her paternal aunt Joanna Farnham (Reynolds) Decker (1825-1909) and husband Nathaniel Curtis Decker (1828-1888) in Boston, Massachusetts.  The 1876 Boston City Directory gives the Deckers' address as 12 Dexter Street, and they may have lived at that address in 1874 as well.

While living with the Deckers, Ida is attending school, which is likely the reason for her visit.

People mentioned in order, first time, only. Readers are requested to provide more information.
  • Uncle Decker - Nathaniel Curtis Decker (1828-1888), husband of Ida's paternal aunt Joanna Farnham (Reynolds) Decker (1825-1909)
  • Billy - presumably Billy Horton, owner of a store near the Deckers' residence
  • Aunt Joanna - Joanna Farnham (Reynolds) Decker (1825-1909), sister of Ida's father Jonathan Prescott Reynolds (1920-1899) and wife of Nathaniel Curtis Decker (1828-1888)
  • Walter - presumably Walter Curtis Decker (1855-1900), son of Nathaniel Curtis Decker (1828-1888) and Joanna Farnham (Reynolds) Decker (1825-1909)
  • Billy Horton - presumably Billy Horton, owner of a store near the Deckers' residence
  • Mrs. Dagin - housekeeper for the Decker family
  • Emma Clough - presumably Emma F. Clough (1857-1889), future wife of Charles Edward Bugbee
  • Clapps - presumably the owners of an orchard near Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Henry and Herbert and Giles Tibbetts - William Henry Decker (1854-1932), son of William Collier Decker, a brother to Nathaniel Curtis Decker (1828-1888); Henry's brother J. Herbert Decker (1851-1920) and their cousin Giles Tibbetts; presumably Giles T. Tibbetts (1848-1931), son of Benjamin Franklin Tibbetts and Martha Lucilla Decker, who was a sister to Nathaniel Curtis Decker (1828-1888)
  • Mr. Harding, school administrator at the Boston area school Ida attended
  • Miss Pennyman - possibly Miss Pendleton; teacher at the school in the Boston area that Ida attended
  • Everett - Ida's brother Edward Everett Reynolds (1855-1945)
  • Aunt Lucy and Uncle Sawyer - Ida's maternal aunt Lucy Jane (Tupper) Sawyer (1837-1880) and husband Rev. Seth Sawyer (1808-1892)
  • Nell - not sure which Nell she is - possibly Nellie Josephine Hilton (1861-1883), future wife of William T. Bradford
  • Emily - possibly Emily Jane (Prescott) Hersom (1843-1901), wife of Joel G. Hersom (1840-1900)

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 October 1874 or return to August 1874.


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