Diary
Inside cover
Presented to Nellie O (Crosier) Ballou January 1st 1877 By George E Ballou
Wilmington Vermont Bought Thursday Dec-the 14th 1876
Monday, January 1, 1877.
Pleasant in the forenoon Cloudy in the afternoon
I am to Emery Whitneys I finished making a dress for Mertie's dollie and read some
Tuesday,
Cold squally and blustering
I am to Emerys yet don't know when I shall go home I made Mertie two new aprons the
menfolks broke roads
and drawed some wood to the hollow
Mr Thomas Miner called here today he was shoveliing out the road.
Wednesday, .
Cold and blustering the sun shone some.
I am to Emerys yet sewed up two sheets for Mrs Whitney Martin Whitney came in here
Winfield was with him
Thursday
Cold and blustering
I am still to Mr Whitneys I washed and mended Fred Miners stockings he is Mr Whitneys
hired man
Martin Whitney came in here today the menfolks went to the hollow
Friday
Clear and pleasant rather cold
I fixed Mertie a skirt out of one of Mrs Whitneys old dress skirts and mended her a dress
Mertie went to
Mr Miners and got som milk to mix with Jennie Miner came home with her and
stayed half an hour Mr Miner called in here
Saturday
Warm and pleasant
Mr Whitney and his hired man drawed up some wood then the hired man went to the hollow
with a load
of wood and Mr Whitney brought me and baby home Mrs Whitney and baby came
as far as Plumb Hollow to Mr Francis Miners visiting I called in and waited
for Mr Whitney to go to the shop Mr Frank Worden came with us as far as Ed
Putnams mill in Jacksonville when we got home George had gone to Plumb Hollow
Sunday
8 inches if snow fell Cloudy and foggy in the forenoon Rained a little Cool squally
and windy in the afternoon
I done the work and George helped me fix some of Merties cards to put into frames We
read some
When I got home I had a letter from my sister Mary George got it last
Tuesdy when I was over to Mr Whitneys
Monday, January 8, 1877
Mild and cloudy
I done the work and washed out the white clothes. After I got home I made 4 mince
pies we had some
for supper
Churned had 5 lbs of butter
Tuesday
Clear and pleasant but cold
I done the work George hung up the clothes for me I moped the kitchen floor and
sewed some on
Georges shirt
Wednesday
Pleasant in the forenoon Cloudy towards night
I done the work and commenced to make a bed valance for the bed in the kitchen
Thursday
Cloudy Pleasant awhile in the afternoon Snowy in the evening
I done the work and sewed some Weeks Stanclift came here George Willis cow calved this
morning
Friday
7 inches of snow fell Pleasant but cold Snowy in the evening
I done the work went to Wilmington with George in the afternoon I got a frame for one
of my pictures
it is a motto God Bless And Keep Thee it is very pretty
Albert and Bickford and Luron Eames came up and played cards in the evening we beat them
7 games they
staid untill after 11 oclock
Saturday
Clear cold and windy
I done the house work and sewed some finished kniting Georges stockings and ironed some
George hung my motto up in the kitchen this morning
I wrote a letter to Mary this morning and Geordge wrote to his sister Hattie
George has paid me all up and I am owing him ten cts for the babys book
Sunday
Pleasant but rough and windy
I done the work we had baked indian pudding for supper we read some in the evening
Mr Barber came up here in the evening he staid about two hours he changed
news papers
Monday, January 15, 1877
6 inches of snow fell Cloudy and snowy
I done the work done the washing had some beans for supper
George broke out the road it took him three hours I braided some in the
evening Geroge read some
Tuesday
6 inches of snow fell
Cloudy and foggy in the morning The wind got into the west before noon and it was cold
squally
and windy 6 inches of snow fell last night
I done the work and sewed some George plowed out the road and Churned
Churned had 6 lbs of butter
Wednesday Pleasant Cloudy in the afternoon
I done the work George broke out the road in the afternoon He went to Jacksonville
I went as far as Mr Brekfords Cora and the two little boys were gone to
school I got a pattern of Coras long nightdresses I carried Cora and
Albert down one of my cards I finished making the bed valance and we put it
on
Thursday
Clear and pleasant
I done the work and oped the kitchen floor George done his chores and read some I
sewed some on Georges shirt and we played cards in the evening we set up
till about 12 oclock
Friday
Warm and pleasant Cloudy in the afternoon
I done the work finished Georges shirt and commenced to make baby a night dress out of
s
ome of her old ones George got a load of wood and shoveled out one of the
shed doors to put it in the shed
Saturday
Warm rainy and foggy Cleared off cold in the night
I done the work moped the kitchen floor and washed out the bed valance where George
spilled the milk on it George went to Jacksonville and got the mail
Sunday
Cloudy Pleasant in the middle of the day
I done the housework and sewed some George done his chores and read some
Monday, January 22, 1877
Cloudy rather cold
I done the work and finished the babys night dress Elder Eastman came up to get some
hay of George He sold him some and took a book The history of the
centennial his boys came up and helped him load the hay and he carried down
one load Mr Biekford and Albert came up in the evening we played Euchre
till about 2 oclock in the morning
Tuesday
Pleasant and cool
I done the work and sewed some George weighed out the rest of the hay that the Elder is
to
have and carried it down his oldest boy FrankNewell came up and helped him
Elder Bennett and Mary and Mother came they got here about 7 oclock George
went to Barbers and got some sugar and oil I got supper for them Mary gave
me a pair of New wollen mittens
Wednesday
Cold squally and rough
I done the work Mr Bennett and Mary went to Asa Burnaps Mother was sick and stayed
here I made 2 apple pies and some doughnuts and 1 cake Mother knit some in
the evening George and I looked in the Centennial book some I made 1
apple pie this morning Churned had 10 3/4lbs of butter
Thursday
Clear but cold
I done the work Elder Bennett and his Wife have gone up to Asa Burnaps they went
yesterday
about 1 oclock Mother is here now George let me have a Canaden quarter
today now he is oweing me 10 cts I let Mother take it to get me a silver
ring
Friday
Cloudy the sun shone some Cold in the morning
I done the work Crotched some on some wissters for Mother and commenced a pair for
George
Elder Bennett and Mary cand back as far as here got here abour 3 oclock
Mother sung some in the evening
Saturday
Mild and cloudy Clear and pleasant in the morning the wind blew hard in the middle of
the day
I done the work up Elder Bennett and Mary and Mother went away from here about 10
oclock this morning
George and I started to go to Wilmington about noon we got home about 7 in
the evening there was a dog down by the Barbers that followed us home is
quite large some shaggy looks like Newfoundland
Sunday
Clear and pleasant Cloudy towards night
I done the work George went to Oliver Corses got some carrots they had company he
was gone
about 1 hour and 1/2 that dog is still here
Monday, January 29, 1877
Mild and cloudy
I done the work done the washing baked some beans for supper made a sweetcake and
some doughnuts
braided a little in the evening George read some in the Centennial book
Tuesday
Clear warm and pleasant as a day in spring
I done the work made 5 apple pies and one loaf of wheat bread brushed out the buttery
and
moped the floor and moped the kitchenfloor and made some biscuit for supper
George stirred up some butter in a pan for supper think there was a half a
pound George read in the Centennial book in the evening I braided
George carried home the oil and sugar he borrowed to Barbers
Wednesday
Warm Pleasant and thawy
I done the work made some griddlecakes for supper George done his chores then read
some
in his Diaries and pasted some peaces into his scrap book I went ot
Barbers staid two or three hours Lulah was alone I read some in the
Centennial book in the evening then braided some