|
|
|
|
George D. Bourne Diary 1871 |
 |
|
|
1871
COPIED FROM ORIGINAL DIARIES LOCATED AT THE BRADFORD COUNTY LIBRARY, BURLINGTON, PA
Typed By: Pat Smith Raymond
Jan. 1, 1871 – At home, Cold..The old year has past and gone with it several of my old schoolmates and friends. The admonition is "be ye also ready" looking for help from above to guide us in all we do. We start upon the New Year, may it be a profitable one to us all.
Jan. 2 – At Towanda, myself, Isadore at Mr. Wrisleys visiting. Have 1 tooth pulled was under the influence of either at the time did not feel much pain. Windy, & cold.
Jan. 3 – Drawing stone to shore up well for D. Bourne, Cold & Windy
Jan. 4 – Build a smoke house and draw off stumps.
Jan. 5 – Draw off stumps. A. Morleys little boy died.
Jan. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Jan. 12 – Finish getting off stumps, cost $22.14 about 1 acker of land. Very pleasant thermometer at 58. Help Mr. J. C. Tompkins build about 4 rods of ??? stump fence today as I had more stumps than I needed.
Jan. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Jan. 21 – Saw shingles receive a very friendly letter from S. W. Payne of Troy and John Moray of Rome Pa. Also Father received 2 bags of Pea nuts from Wesley. Am glad as we are to have some of them. Mail letter to A. Mercur ??? and F. J. Calkins, Towanda, Pa
Jan. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
Jan. 31 – Work in shop. Warm, snow going off. Father buys 1 horse 7 years old for $180.00.
Feb. 1, 1871 – Buy the remainder of what timber Wm. Campbell reserved on the 7 ½ ackers woodland which he sold to Father & and Father to me for $25.00, to be paid in Sawing Shingles give him Cr on Co Books. He has taken off most of the Pine and all of the Oak that was reserved.
Feb. 2 – Choring and work on Edger(?sp) Pulley ½ day. Fathers & Maynards lawsuit was decided in favor of Father (the defendant). Refund to R. Phelps Geo. Hill and Edwin Blakeslee. Warm and pleasant. The law suit was last evening.
Feb. 3, 4
Feb. 5 – At home. Take care of Carrie while Isadore goes to church & Sunday school. Thermometer at 6 below zero in morn, at even at zero.
Feb. 6
Feb. 7 – Isadore at Fathers visiting with Mrs. Sarah Hanley from Bath, NY
Feb. 8, 9, 10
Feb. 11 – Hear that 40 buildings in Tioga Village was burned a few days since. Set afire by gamblers fiting & upsetting a kerosene lamp. So much for whiskey. C. Millers house in the no value $1000, inshurd for $450. (not positive of wording)
Feb. 12, 13
Feb. 14 – get pig home in forenoon, in afternoon & evening, Isadore & self visit with Uncle Alfred Riggs. Receive letter from John Moss(sp?), write one to W. C. Palmer, J. C. Wood and J. S. Watson.
Feb. 15
Feb. 16 – At Towanda, warm sleighing going off, drive down in about 2 ¾ hours distance 12 miles. My fastest driving.
Feb. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Feb. 25 – Carrie’s Birth Day 1 year old.
Feb. 26, 27, 28
March 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
March 9 – Quincy Burlingame died of Diphtheria yesterday, quite a number of children dieing with it.
March -- 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
March 16 – Hollan (?sp) Swain died of consumption a few days since.
March 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
March 24 – Roswell Luther, in consequence of the excitement of yesterday had an apolectic fit. Fears are entertained that he will not get well.
March 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
April 1, 2, 3
April 4 – Many sicley among children, Clarence Pierce’s older girl buried and 2 of Mr. Forest’s today. Old Mrs. Pratt of West Burlington died a few days since.
April 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
April 20 – We start for a visit in Canton & Troy townships arrive at S. Rigges at 4 pm take supper there, arrive at Charly Riggses at 7 pm, find them all well, get pretty wet in a thunder shower.
April 21 – Visit with Charley folks, go up to Canton call on his mother & her mother and Sam’l Riggs. Start for S. T. Riggses at 5 pm, arrive at 7 pm. Stay over night, rather cold.
April 22 – Visit with S. T. Riggses folks till 9 am, start for home by the way of Troy, arrive home at 1 pm
April 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
May 1 – At Towanda, buy an alarm clock (small) for $3.75. Wife along attend a circus & manageri which was a real sell (sp?). No animals to speak of and not much circus this is the first manageri & circus I have attended.
May 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
May 19 – Isadore & Ophelia go to Mr. Burns & Ross’es to day. Ophelia taken sick there. Father gone after her now. Get 1 angular Boring Machine
May 20,
May 21 – Go for Doctor for Ophelia at Smithfield she has the chill and fever.
May 22, 23
May 24 – Fix foundation and put Sills on for Barn. Father buys 1 pair Oxen of Davis Pierce in Keeler Hollow for $225 girl -6ft 10 in, 6 years old . Isadore sets up with Ophelia.
May 25, 26, 27
May 28 – Go to see the doctor, Ophelia quite sick with chill & typhoid fever. Isadore sets up tonight.
May 29
May 30 – A. Martin of Troy died.
May 31
June 1
June 2 – Mr (Mrs?) R. Crowell died and Old Mr. Crowell died about this time.
June 3, 4
June 5 – Large Fire in Waverly, NY, loss estimated at $60,000.
June 6 – Old Mrs. Gen. McKean and Old Mr. W. Ballard not expected to live.
June 7
June 8 – Work on the Barn – Mrs. Calvin Cramner, Mrs. Chester Cranmer and Mrs. J. C. Tompkins here visiting today.
June 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
June 17 – Old Mrs. Bloom died suddenly of paralysis of the heart about noon. She milked 8 cows in the morning.
June 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
June 23 – Send N. Marshals note for Ft. Nat. Bank of Towanda for collection am’t $450.00
June 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
July 1 – Get in law(sp?) go to Burlington Isadore goes to see her folks. Get protest on note sent on the 23 June.
July 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
July 9 – At the funeral of Allen Rathmen(?sp) at the "Old Church"
July 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
July 25 – Fix fence, turn in cow & calf. Finish haying for D. Bourne. Appointed an a "Vigilance Committee" at Towanda for West Burlington.
July 26 – Birth Day 27 year old. Time goes faster & faster be ye also ready (?). At Burlington go to see F. Woods folk they are gone, Isadore along; Mrs. Willard Wood buried today.
July 27 – Go from Ulster to Elmira NY. Start at 7:10 from Ulster, Start at 2:45 from Elmira. Fare each way $1.05. Isadore goes out to Mr. Spencers. Warm, showers, drive out to Ulster in 1 ½ hours.
July 28, 29
July 30 – Mrs. Gen McKean died
July 31
Aug. 1 – go to the funeral of Mrs. Gen. McKean, 79 years old, large turn out.
Aug. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Aug. 8 – Lyman Durfey buried
Aug. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Aug. 16 – Go to mill, heavy wind, quite an am’t of timber blown down. Mr. Blakeslees barn roof blown off. A Riggs had 1 cow killed by a tree, fences blown down.
Aug. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Aug. 24 – Hear of the death of Mr. Fritcher (sp?) formerly of East Smithfield
Aug. 25
Aug. 26 – Attend caucus at West Burlington, elected as one of the Delegates to the convention at Towanda on next Tuesday, the 29th.
Aug. 27, 28
Aug. 29 – Attend County Convention at Towanda as a delegate. A sharp time (?) See Bradford Reporter
Of Aug. 31.
Aug. 30, 31
Sept. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
Sept.. 14 – Attend Raising of Soldiers Monument at East Smithfield Pa, large crowd out. Pay S. Wright on Knapps note 104.69 and give my note for the Balance of $207.45 payable in 30 days but he is to give me a reasonable time on it.
Sept.. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 20
Sept. 21 – At Towanda, get judgement note against Charles Knapp entered today, Date of Note Sept. 16, 1871, Amt of note $596.42.
Sept. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
Oct. 1, 2, 3, 4
Oct. 5 – At Ulster. The price of real-estate common houses & ½ acker of land range from 1 Thousand to $1,500 a piece.
Oct. 6, 7, 8, 9
Oct. 10 – At Election hear that there has been one of the largest fires in Chicago of this century, a space of 2 X 4 miles being entirely burned out. 100,000 people without homes, Several insurance companies broken, the "NY home" which I am insured in is reported as one.
Oct. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Oct, 18 – Go to Ulster, see F. S. Ayers in regard to engine, take cars at 11 AM, take cars from Waverly at 2 PM for Corning, fare from Ulster to Waverly .60, from Waverly to Corning 1.10, put up at the Dickinson House. See Payne the Foundry man.
Oct. 19 – Talk regarding Steam Engines with Steam men in Corning, also visit the glass works. Start from Corning at 2:05 PM, arrive at Ulster at 4:35, arrive home 7:30 Warm
Oct. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
Oct. 26 – At Troy as witness for G. W. Langford on matter of shingles between Langford and Gates (?)
Oct. 28, 29
Oct. 30 – Take butter to Troy, Isadore along to trade, go from there to Elmira from there to Corning, NY to see B. W. Payne in regard to engine & machinery. Start at Troy at 4:30 arrive in Corning 6:30 put up at the Dickinson House.
Oct. 31 – Order 1 Boiler & Engine with fixtures complete. Sev(?) order – for 2000, ordered for Father. Start from Corning at 2 PM, arrive in Ulster at 4:30, get home at 7 pm.
Nov. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Nov. 7 – David Walker & Perry Deckers wife died a day or 2 since.
Nov. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
Nov. 29 – W. H. Peck of Troy died of Delirium Tremens.
Nov. 30
Dec. 1 – Turn off pulleys ½ day. Talking with Harry and Walter Pierce in regard to letting them a job of hauling logs do not agree.
Dec. 2 – Leave word at Harry Pierces that I will take them at their offer viz $1.00 per m to wait 6 months for pay without --?—from there go to Darius Bullocks via Smithfield Center and count & inspect timber sold by them to E. C. Oliver Troy, amt 25687 feet. Cold.
Dec. 3, 4, 5
Dec. 6 – Work in Shop, Father gets balance wheel to engine. Weight 2500, 8 ½ feet diameter.
Dec. 7
Dec. 8 – Looking for teams to haul engine & boiler.
Dec. 9 – Help put down engine bed and work in shop.
Dec. 10
Dec. 11 – Go to Corning NY by way of Troy, Return by way of Ulster. Walk home in 2 ¼ hours, go to Burlington in regard to drawing engine & pay B W. Payne & sons on machinery for --?-- $1000, machinery shipped to Wellsburg today, this makes a good days work.
Dec. 12 – Go to Wellsburg with another team for Engine Boiler etc. Norman Case & I load the Boiler all alone, weight 6400 lbs. Snow stay at --?-- near freezing at night for want of bed clothes.
Dec. 13 – Come from Wellsburg to Sq. Pierces Corners with the machinery, snows all the forenoon, real tired, no break downs.
Dec. 14 – Finish getting boiler home. Cold
Dec. 15 – Help get in the Balance Wheel weight 2473 lbs and get boiler an arch, have good luck. Weight of Boiler 6400 lb.
Dec. 16, 17, 18, 19
Dec. 20 – Help mason a short time in forenoon. Work under mill the rest of the day. Very cold, Thermometer 5 above zero, wind in the north. Ebineezer Shaw of Sheshequin buried today, aged 100 years, 3 months and some days, the oldest mason in the U.S.
Dec. 21, 22, 23, 24,
Dec. 25 – Help mason, Very pleasant, Thermometer 50. Collin Wood & Miss Augusta Young and D. T. Gates & Miss Damaris Kingsley married. Mrs. M. J. Long died.
Dec. 26 – Helping mason, Father gets Mr. Henry Taber --?—man from Troy to set up Engine.
Dec. 27 – Mrs. M. J. Long buried today.
Dec. 28 – Finish setting engine
Dec. 29, 30
Dec. 31 – At home, today closes 1871. May we in the new year of 1872 try and make it more prosperous spiritually and temporally. The past year has been one of general health, also marked by the largest fires in the West ever known in the U. S. A Space of 2 1/12 X 4 miles being burned over in Chicago, Ill. Heavy thunder showers in evening.
|
|||
|
