An 1867 diary, with entries also from later years, that was kept by Benjamin Webster Davis (1816-1887), a farmer in Fairlee, Vermont. Another post features the 1872 diary of Benjamin's son John Webster Davis (1861-1930). John's diary gives further details into his father's labors of farming, logging, ice harvesting and trading. John, then eleven, was no slouch either.
Benjamin's diary includes entries about his dealings with customers and other farmers, including the services of his bull to others. He was also apparently involved with taxation issues as at least two entries include his time spent in preparing town taxes. One page, shown near the end of this post, lists the school taxes owed by himself and neighbors.
Benjamin was married twice:
- Mary (Holman) Davis (1826-1859) - I didn't find a record for children
- Susan Adelaide (Young) Davis (1833-1907) - at least four children; John Webster Davis and Mary Susan Davis already mentioned and a subsequent son and daughter
The BWD scrawled on the inside cover below may have been done at some point by one of Benjamin's children; his daughter Mary Susan Davis (1866-1917) scribbled and wrote entries in other places throughout at a later time, presumably around 1878, as an image farther below notes.
John was a man of few words, it appears, but the entry of Tuesday, January 8, 1867 was particularly poignant. He recorded the death of his father, Charles Davis (abt 1782-1867) and mentioned the earlier death of his mother Sarah (Kelley) Davis (1788-1864), "Sally".
Benjamin took an interest in court cases, as evidenced by the page below.
Below, an example of an entry made by Benjamin's daughter Mary Susan Davis (1866-1917) in 1878:
School tax for the Summer of 1872:
People mentioned in the diary - some of them multiples of times - if you notice a misinterpreted name or if you have a theory as to the identity of the person named, please leave a comment.
- H. Tolmore - not sure of surname
- Wilbah M? - possibly Joel Wilbur Morris (1834-1924)
- Thomas H? - perhaps Holland
- E. M. S. - not sure of last initial
- E. B?
- William L. Ch? - perhaps William L. Chase or another short name, as it runs off the page
- Frank ? - possibly Frank Beckett - school tax for Summer 1872
- Benjamin ? - school tax for Summer 1872
- Richard E? - service of Benjamin Webster Davis' bull
- Howard ? - service of Benjamin Webster Davis' bull
- George Baldwin - perhaps George Peters Baldwin (1808-1877)
- Bouman vs. Bancraft - court case - perhaps Bowman vs. Bancroft
- Frank ? - possibly Frank Beckett - school tax for Summer 1872
- Bouman vs. Bancraft - court case - perhaps Bowman vs. Bancroft
- Bowman vs. Brockwell - court case
- Bowman vs. Brockwell - court case
- Walter Buchanan - presumably Walter Buchanan (1831-1914)
- A. Chamberlan - presumably Austin H. Chamberlain (any 1826-1901)
- Austin Chambalin - presumably Austin H. Chamberlain (any 1826-1901)
- William L. Ch? - perhaps William L. Chase or another short name, as it runs off the page
- C. Cobourne - perhaps Royal Cutler Coburn (1834-1914)
- G. W. Cook - perhaps George Washington Cook (1801-1872)
- John M. Corlis - presumably John Moore Corliss (1830-1887)
- Coros - service of Benjamin Webster Davis' bull
- Craig
- B. C. Curier - perhaps Bagley C. Currier
- John S. Dailey, Newbury
- ? E. Davis [not sure of first initial, could be S or F or ?]
- A. W. Davis - [perhaps Alonzo W. Davis (1848-1872)
- Benjamin Webster Davis (1816-1877) of Fairlee, Vermont; diary owner
- Charles Davis (1786-1867); Benjamin Webster Davis' father, whose death is noted in entry of Tuesday, January 8, 1867
- F. Davis - school tax for Summer 1872 - perhaps Francis Davis (1810-1844)
- John Davis - perhaps John Everett Davis (1850-1894) or perhaps Benjamin's son John Webster Davis (1861-1930)
- John E. Davis - perhaps John Everett Davis (1850-1894)
- Mary Susan Davis (1866-1917) - occasionally wrote in her father's journal at some point later on
- Milton Davis - presumably Milton H. Davis (1846-1907), Benjamin's nephew
- P. L. Davis - perhaps Prescott Davis
- Sally (Kelley) Davis (1788-1864); Benjamin Webster Davis' mother, whose name appears with the entry of the death of her widower, Charles Davis (1786-1864)
- Lougee vs. Dickamon - court case - possibly Lougee vs. Dickerman
- R. Everett - perhaps Richard Everett (1804-1881)
- Richard E? - service of Benjamin Webster Davis' bull - perhaps Richard Everett (1804-1881)
- Richard Everett - service of Benjamin Webster Davis' bull - perhaps Richard Everett (1804-1881)
- Hartwell Farr moved in to my House - presumably Hartwell L. Farr (1822-1891)
- Haraman vs. Fifield - court case - possibly Harriman vs. Fifield
- Calvin Flint - not sure of surname
- B. Freeman - perhaps Benjamin Freeman (1808-1879)
- B. Freeman - service of Benjamin Webster Davis' bull - perhaps Benjamin Freeman (1808-1879)
- D. Freeman - school tax for Summer 1872 - perhaps Daniel Freeman (1817-1874)
- A. C. Fuller - school tax for Summer 1872 - perhaps Albert Clark Fuller (1844-1926)
- Edwin Fuller - school tax for Summer 1872 - perhaps Edwin Fuller (1800-1887)
- Haraman vs. Fifield - court case - possibly Harriman vs. Fifield
- S. B. Hays - school tax for Summer 1872 - possibly Stedman B. Hayes (unk-1875)
- Thomas H? - perhaps Thomas Holland
- Jason Horner - presumably Jason C. Horner (abt 1808-1889)
- C. & L. Jenkins - school tax for Summer 1872 - perhaps Charles Jenkins and Leander Jenkins
- Charles Jenkins - perhaps Charles Jenkins (1834-1905), son of Leander Jenkins (1807-1889)
- G. Jenkins - presumably George W. Jenkins (1850-1930), son of Leander Jenkins (1807-1889)
- Ira Jenkins - Ira H. Jenkins (1852-1918), son of Leander Jenkins (1807-1889)
- Julia A. Jenkins - possibly Julia A. Jenkins (1843-1937)
- L. Jenkins - possibly Leander Jenkins (1807-1889)
- L. Jenkins, Jr. - presumably Leander Jenkins, Jr. (1841-1927)
- Leander Jenkins - presumably Leander Jenkins (1807-1889) - school tax for Summer 1872
- Charles Kemp - perhaps auctioneer Charles Kemp (1815-1886)
- Kimball - purchased turkeys from Benjamin Webster Davis
- W. A. Libby or W. H. Libby
- Lougee vs. Dickamon - court case - possibly Lougee vs. Dickerman
- Wilbah M? - possibly Joel Wilbur Morris (1834-1924)
- Olive Ormsby - perhaps Olive (Sampson) Davis Ormsby (1821-1901). Her first husband, Edwin Davis, was a brother to diry owner Benjamin Webster Davis
- A. Osbourn
- Packard
- A. N. Renfrew - presumbly Alexander Nelson Renfrew (1827-1923)
- Everett Rich - service of Benjamin Webster Davis' bull
- H. Richards Store - not sure of name
- Riley
- C. Riley
- C. Sanburn
- Enos Savage - service of Benjamin Webster Davis' bull
- Alden Stevens, Bradford - perhaps Alden Stevens (1811-1896)
- C. Stevens - perhaps Caleb Stevens or his son Charles Stevens
- W. ? Stevens
- W. B. & C. S. Stevens - perhaps the Stevens & Bagley store
- J. Stratton - perhaps John Stratton (1826-1882)
- John Stratton - service of Benjamin Webster Davis' bull - perhaps John Stratton (1826-1882)
- T. Stratton - perhaps Thomas Stratton (1794-1872)
- H. Tolmore - not sure of surname
- Emiline Whittney - service of Benjamin Webster Davis' bull
- Wiggins - purchased hay from Benjamin Webster Davis
- Wiggins
- Willard Bros [a store, presumably]
- Assa Woodward - service of Benjamin Webster Davis' bull - perhaps Asa W. Woodward (1820-1896)
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