December Entries in the 1899 Diary of John Foss & Isabelle (Huff) Foss, "Belle", of West Hollis, Maine

December entries in the 1899 diary of John Foss (1860-1934) and Isabelle (Huff) Foss (1869-1929), "Belle", who farmed at West Hollis, Maine.  From the entries, it's plain to see that they were a hard working couple.

John and Belle, who married in 1890 at Hollis, Maine, had two daughters:

1. Myra Helene Foss (1892-1976), who would marry George Woodbury McKenney 
2. Annie Evelyn Foss (1900-1988), who would marry Lewis Isaac Woodman

From a collection of five of their diaries covering 1899, 1900, 1902-1904 and John's 1913 account book.  See an overview post that features:

• family history of the Foss family
• links to entries for the rest of January 1899 and other diaries from 1900, 1902, 1903 and 1904
• an alphabetical list of surnames in the diary and an approximation of how many different people of that surname were mentioned in the diaries
• an alphabetical list of individual people mentioned in the diaries, some countless times

The person making the entry is identified in brackets.  Throughout the diaries, John made occasional entries, but Belle made the majority of them. 

People mentioned in the entries below are identified or tentatively identified the first time they appear. If you have corrections, alternate identities or additional information on anyone mentioned,  please leave a comment or contact me directly.

 Thursday, November 30, 1899:  [Belle]  We were up home in the evening and Cecil Thanksgiving day.

• Up home - presumably the home of Belle's parents George P. Huff and Sarah E. (Bean) Huff, but possibly the home of John's parents Silas Foss and Lucy H. (Bryant) Foss
• Cecil - possibly Cecil Leighton Haley, who would marry Eva Mahala Smith in 1903

Friday, December 1, 1899:  [Belle]  A rainy day.  John had a bad cold, sick.

Saturday, December 2, 1899:  [Belle]  Myra up home.  John hauled hay from Mason barn.  H. Smith helped him.

• Mason barn - usually called the "Mason place", a farm with fields and woodlot presumably leased by John Foss
• H. Smith - possibly the "Had" Smith or "Hod" Smith who appears in other entries

Sunday, December 3, 1899:  [Belle]  We stayed in all day, up to Cecil's in evening.

Monday, December 4, 1899:  [Belle]  Cold rain and cleared off in afternoon.

Tuesday, December 5, 1899:  [Belle]  John put his brush around [presumably banking the house]

Wednesday, December 6, 1899:  [Belle]  John went to Ctr in forenoon. It snowed in afternoon.  John bought Sugar, 50 cts.

Thursday, December 7, 1899:  [Belle]  John began cutting timber today, B. Scribner's.

• B. Scribner - perhaps Bradford Scribner (1845-1910) of Hollis and Waterboro

Friday, December 8, 1899:  [Belle]  John hauled manure.

Saturday, December 9, 1899:  [Belle]  Had the hog killed today. G. Hamilton.

• G. Hamilton 

Sunday, December 10, 1899:  [Belle]  John had callers to see his oxen and cut up the pork.  Mrs. Foss went to meeting.

• Mrs. Foss - presumably Lucy H. (Bryant) Foss (1837-1901), wife of Silas Foss and mother of Belle's husband John Foss.

Monday, December 11, 1899:  [Belle]  John in the woods. I went to Ctr.  F. Cole called in, bought the oxen when John got home.

• F. Cole 

Tuesday, December 12, 1899:  [Belle]  Cloudy and rain in the afternoon.

Wednesday, December 13, 1899:  no entry

Thursday, December 14, 1899:  no entry

Friday, December 15, 1899:  [Belle]  Snow and rain crust.

Saturday, December 16, 1899:  [Belle]  John drove his oxen off this morning. Cecil went to take him back with Jere.

• Cecil - presumably Cecil Leighton Haley, who would marry Eva Mahala Smith in 1903
• Jere - John's draft horse

Sunday, December 17, 1899:  [Belle]  A Cloudy day.  Nora and Cecil here in forenoon. Snow in evening.

• Nora - Belle's sister Lenora Asenath Huff, "Nora", who would marry Lewis Elmer Burnham in 1906

Monday, December 18, 1899:  [Belle]  Fogg.  John off looking for oxen.  George Swett went with him.

• George Swett

Tuesday, December 19, 1899:  [Belle]  John is at home, went to Ctr, got things for Christmas.  Rain all the afternoon.

Wednesday, December 20, 1899:  [Belle]  John going after oxen today. H. Smith went with him.

• H. Smith - possibly the Hod Smith or Had Smith who appears in other entries in the diaries

Thursday, December 21, 1899:  [Belle]  Up to Mason place.  John went after Dr. Fellows for Clara Linscott.

• Mason place - a farm that John Foss either worked or leased
• Dr. Fellows - presumably Dr. John A. Fellows of Hollis and Buxton

Friday, December 22, 1899:  [Belle]  John and I went to moderation.  Rained all the afternoon.

Saturday, December 23, 1899:  [Belle]  John at home.

Sunday, December 24, 1899:  [Belle]  A cloudy day.  Nora down.

Monday, December 25, 1899:  [Belle]  Fair and bright.  John gone up to Mason place cutting wood.  I went up to Mother's in afternoon.

• Mother - Belle's mother Sarah E. (Bean) Huff (1841-1909)

Tuesday, December 26, 1899:  [Belle]  Today is 2 day of Christmas.  Sunshine, 18 above 9:15 AM.  It looks like snow.  John gone cutting wood.  A feb day.  [more words erased]

Wednesday, December 27, 1899:  [Belle]  John gone to Ctr.  A Cold morn.  12 above 0.  Fair and sunshine. A Mar day.  Sugar 50 cets, a tank of oil.  John went to Lodge.  A day for Mar.

Thursday, December 28, 1899:  [Belle]  A fair day.  John home cutting wood. April

Friday, December 29, 1899:  [Belle]  A fair Sunshiny day.  John up to his place cutting wood.  6 degrees above 0 this morn.  A May day.

Saturday, December 30, 1899:  [Belle]  A very cold day.  John hauled manure and wood.  A June day.

Sunday, December 31, 1899:  [Belle]  Cold down to 0 in morn.  John home all day.  A July day.

Monday, January 1, 1900:  [Belle]  A snow storm, cold and blowing.  John and Cecil gone to Will Deering's.  H. Smith & Cecil here this forenoon.

• Will Deering - presumably William Brooks Deering

Again, if you have information to share on any of the people mentioned, including the Foss family itself, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

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