1872 Diary of John Webster Davis (1861-1930) of Fairlee, Vermont

Small 1872 diary kept by John Webster Davis (1861-1930) of Fairlee, Vermont, son of Benjamin Webster Davis (1816-1887) and his second wife Susan Adelaide (Young) Davis (1833-1907).

See another post that features the 1867+ diary of John's father, Benjamin Webster Davis.  Whereas Benjamin's entries are brief, John's entries give more detail on the staggering amount of work they did on a daily basis.

John's days were filled with work on the farm and in the woodlot, harvesting ice, keeping the varmints in check, with a few stretches for school, skating and palling around.  

John's entry for Saturday, January 20, below: How pleasant is saturday night when I have tried all the week to be good, not spoken a word that is cross and pleased everyone that I could.

John lapsed in his diary keeping by the end of June but did make an entry on December 27, 1872 to mark the death of his great uncle Absalom Davis (1800-1872).

The January 10, 1872 entry notes 6th birthday of John's sister Mary Susan Davis (1866-1917)

John Webster Davis was born 11 July 1861 at Fairlee, Vermont, son of Benjamin Webster Davis (1816-1887) and his second wife Susan Adelaide (Young) Davis (1833-1907).

I didn't find a marriage record for John or any children for him. It appears that he farmed but also did work as a land cruiser or timber surveyor, and that was his occupation at the time of his death. 

He spent his life in Fairlee, Vermont and died at the Cottage Hospital in Haverhill, New Hampshire, on 5 December 1930, after a short stay.

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.

• Kate in Bradford - Mother and Father went to visit her
• Mr. M. V. B. - delivered a lecture; not sure of last initial
• Charles - possibly Charles Baldwin
• Olin - possible Olin Baldwin
• Uncle William
• Mr. Abbott - John and his father took a 1716 pound load of hay to Mr. Abbott
• Mr. Baldwin - perhaps George Peters Baldwin (1808-1977)
• Mr. George D. Brown in Boston, Massachusetts - John and his father sent him 19 tubs of butter
• Uncle A. Davis died today, Friday, December 27, 1872. Referring to John Webster Davis' great uncle Absalom Davis (1800-1872). Absalom married Emily Parks Kelley and had several children.
• Benjamin Webster Davis (1816-1887), father of John Webster Davis, diary owner
• Francie Davis - not sure of given name
• John Webster Davis (1861-1930) of Fairlee, Vermont; diary owner
• Mary Susan Davis (1866-1917), sister of John Webster Davis, diary owner
• Susan Adelaide (Young) Davis (1833-1907), mother of John Webster Davis, diary owner
• George Foster
• ? Goodwin - possibly J or I - possibly John M. Goodwin (1820-1920) or relative
• Frank Hackett - perhaps Frank Moses Hackett (1856-1897)
• Ira - presumably Ira Jenkins (1852-1918), son of Leander Jenkins, Sr. (1807-1889)
• Ira J. - presumably Ira Jenkins, son of Leander Jenkins, Sr.
• Mr. Jenkins - possibly Leander Jenkins, Sr. (1807-1889)
• Mr. Renfrew - possibly Alexander Nelson Renfrew (1827-1923)
• John Richardson - borrowed the oxen
• Irving Smith - perhaps Irving G. Smith (1862-1936)
• Mr. Stebbins - perhaps Benjamin Stebbins (-1873) of Fairlee, Vermont
• Mr. Stratton - perhaps John Stratton (1826-1882) or a relative
• Mr. Ware bought sheep