Thursday, August 27, 2009

August 27 thru August 30, 1886

As always, click on the picture to enlarge for easier reading of original. Feel free to contact me with corrections, additional information, or comments. Additional information can be checked out with the links to the right.

Friday - August 27, 1886 -- They continue their trip to Mansfield to visit Henry's older brother Robert and family. They leave Savona around 8AM after Henry showers. I'm not sure where they are staying... I presume with friends or relatives who are lucky enough to have a shower. Henry showers twice! They drive to Lawrenceville where they stop to feed the horses around 2PM. They stop at Tioga to visit James (Henry's younger brother?), and make it to Mansfield around 5:30. About a 40 mile trip in 9 hours minus stops to feed the horses and visit James. Henry notes that it is hot and very dusty! 90 degrees.

Saturday - August 28, 1886 --- They go to visit Henry's mother, Mary, and his younger sister Adelaide. Sarah and Henry to with his mother to the Baptist Society Meeting, but Henry leaves early because he is not feeling well, and does not feel like running around much.

Sunday - August 29, 1886 --- They go to the Baptist church again, and hear the farewell sermon of Elder Hodder. There is a full house for this event. I'll quote Henry here -- "Elder Hodder is a man of pleasant address and gentlemanly appearance, and will make his mark someday." Henry describes him as an "ellocutionist" (sic) Henry seems to disagree somewhat with his religious beliefs though because he says "Spiritually however, there is room for growth".

Monday - August 30, 1886. Henry and Sarah take tea at his Mother's place. They are joined by Mary (Henry's sister?), Uncle Raymond Mills (Henry's Mother's brother), and a Mrs. Ridgeway. It rains finally. Afterward, Henry takes Raymond Mills home. Henry says he is feeling better, but still not well.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

August 23 thru August 26, 1886

As always, click on the picture to enlarge for easier reading of original. Feel free to contact me with corrections, additional information, or comments. Additional information can be checked out with the links to the right.

Monday, August 23, 1886 -- They "fix" the butter, and take it to Slatterys in Bloods, and get paid the agreed upon 16 cents a pound - in cash. They buy some goods, and settle up their account with him. (I'm not sure why the emphasis on cash when they appear to turn around and pay off their account with the cash? There is no mention of this transaction in Henry's August ledger pages. I wonder if the butter was part of Sarah's accounts? Her 1885 diary lists her own separate accounts for eggs, etc.) Henry also buy teeth for the rake from Spencer Hatch. Henry goes to Ingleside to the blacksmith -Avery- for a part to repair the buggy. Some sort of plate under the "circleblock" - I suspect part of the mechanism that would allow the front wheels to pivot? Delos Clark and his wife come to visit. I wonder if "Delos" is the other "D" in D.D. Clark (Devillo Clark) or if this is another Clark?

Tuesday, August 24, 1886 -- Henry and Sarah have stayed overnight in Wayland with daughter Hattie and her family, so I'm wondering if I've got the order of events right for yesterday? Their granddaughter Florence - about 2 years old - is sick, and Henry sends his son-in-law Harm to Wayland for two bottles of "Westlakes Ointment" - cost 50 cents. Westlakes Ointment is listed in a 1917 drug store catalog I found on the web, but I've no idea exactly what it is? They go to Naples on the way home, and pay Granby Brothers (clothing store) $30 in cash, and get a receipt. They buy a "brow piece" for a horse bridle for 35 cents. Lois must have been with them because Dr. Fulkerson pulls a tooth for her - cost 25 cents!

Wednesday, August 25, 1886 -- They all attend a church picnic at Maxwell's Point on the southern end of Canandaigua Lake. "There was a long train of waggons (sic) all loaded for the occasion and led by a Donations Barrel. All reached Maxwell's Point in good shape and spent the day in a social and pleasant way riding on the lake." They got home around dark. (somehow this was organized as a fund raiser for something?) Henry comments on the dust - probably kicked up by the wagon train?

Thursday, August 26, 1886 -- They leave for Mansfield, PA to visit family - Henry's brother Robert. They stop in Bloods to transact some business with Slattery, and then drive on to Wallace. Whoever they know in Wallace is not home, and they head on to Bath where they feed the horses, and head on to Savona, NY, arriving about 4PM. Today's time for this part of the trip (32 miles) would be about 45 minutes by the route they took through Bloods (Atlanta), Bath, etc. They stop a few times, but it takes about 7 or 8 hours all together by horse and buggy. The whole trip to Mansfield is about 70 miles. Not sure where they stay in Savona, but Henry notes that he got to shower, which he does again the next morning! He mentions that it is a warm and dusty day.

Don's note - While they have transacted some business along the way, this seems to be a week of not doing much farm work. They have gone to Bloods and Wayland to visit family (Monday and Tuesday), church picnic on Wednesday, and off on a trip to visit family in Mansfield, PA on Thursday. Omar and Mills are probably working on the farm during this time, but Henry does not know what they are doing... I suspect the older girls are taking care of the younger kids at home, and Henry and Sarah are off on their own?