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Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice West Burlington Township, Bradford County PA

Diary: George D. Bourne Township: West Burlington, Bradford County PA Year: 1877 Tri-County Genealogy & History Sites Home Page How to Use This Site Warning & Disclaimer W. Burlington Township Page More Diaries & Letters No Unauthorized Commercial Use Say Hello to Joyce

Joyce's Search Tip - December 2010 Do You Know that you can search just the 355 pages of our Diaries and Letters on this site  by using the Diaries button in the Partitioned search engine at the bottom of the Current What's New Page? But diaries and letters are wonderful sources to understand the culture of time and place. Read them and enjoy them slowly.

Jan. 1, 1877 – Posting Books. Snows all day – find I have only made a living during last year – Fathers troubles still hang over us like a cloud "knowing that all things work for good to that love the Lord we take courage for the coming year.

Jan. 2, 3,4

Jan. 5 – Go to Towanda to get Father who is now auditing county accts. Buy 1 dark Bay mare of Abram Snell, 3 years old last July pay for land $123.00. Roads badly drifted.

Jan. 6, 7

Jan. 8 – Take father to Towanda, snowy, stay in Towanda over night at Elwell House. Talk with Pomeroys in regard to Fathers matters come to no conclusion. Thermometer 26 deg below zero-on Tuesday morning.

Jan. 9 – Come home from Towanda very bad turning out snow very deep. Say 2 ½ feet where not drifted. Mr. Rockwell (Martin) issued on Father last Tuesday or Wednesday for remainder of Vanostrand Philps & Co debts. (Questionable spelling for name)

Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

Jan. 15 – Fix Stalls in Barn. Thaws some, it has been over 40 days since it has thawed any. Thermometer has ranged about 14 above zero, extremes 33 above and 26 below.

Jan. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

Jan. 21 – Go with Isadore to Burlington to get tooth pulled to cure teeth ache.

Jan. 22 – At Towanda, Isadore has 4 teeth filled, also engage Overton & Elsbree as attorneys in suit which I expect with Pomeroy Bros in regard to being connected with father on land & contract. See agreement on file.

Jan. 23 – Johny Jones was buried yesterday. Killed by the kick of a horse.

Jan. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Jan. 29 – Draw out wood – Sidney Vanoy buried at Old Church today. It is but a few years since Mr. Vanoy (above) was Judge on Election Board with H. K. Stevens & myself inspectors. Both Stevens & Vanoy are now dead – "Lord Help me to make a wise use of the remainder of the time I have here below."

Jan. 30 – Joseph Foulkes daughter died age about 19 years.

Jan. 31

Feb. 1 – At Towanda to attend sheriff sale of Fathers Real Estate (see advertizement on file) the land was sold for #4700. His personal property was sold for $805. See advertizement on file.

Feb. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Feb. 10 – Get cold shod at John Duberts ½ day. Henry Schouten died

Feb. 11 – All at funeral of Henry Schouten on Turnpike, preaching by Rev. A. Lane

Feb. 12, 13

Feb. 14 – Franklin Langford and Miss Adelia Whitehead married.

Feb. 15

Feb. 16 – Franklin Langford to be "Horned" tonight. "So hands in the mill say" They were correct as regards the truth.

Feb. 17, 18, 19

Feb. 20 – At Town Election, run for School Director

Feb. 21

Feb. 22 – It appears that at the election on the 20^th inst that Several wrote my name thus (Geo Bourne) instead of Geo. D. Bourne so the Elections Board threw out all of the first kind of votes which defeated me. Were the office worth while would make a try and see if they had a right to do so. Counting both kinds I had the largest vote of any.

Feb. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

March 1, 2

Mar. 3 – Hear that Hays & Wheeler are to be the next President & Vice President of the US. Elected by 1 majority 185 Electoral votes. Tilden had 184 votes.

Mar. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Mar. 17 – Mrs. Geo. Beach & Carrie Beach here visiting.

Mar. 18

Mar. 19 – Mr. John Raymond moves in fathers house, he is a Blacksmith by trade, married one of Mr. A. Eastman’s girls.

Mar. 20

Mar. 21 – Mr. S. W. Pomeroy here with two parties to sell them land bought of father at sheriff sale. Pomeroy agrees to give me the 7 acre lot if I will give up my agreement for working the timber and release father if he gets within #500 of his claim.

Mar. 22 – Attend sheriff sale of J. C. Tomkins personel property. Sale am’td to about #1050.00. Sold by Jobe Morley and bought by him.

Mar. 23

Mar. 24 – Mr. Garrison one of the parties here on the 21^st came here and says he made a bargain with Pomeroy is to give $6500 for the 200 acres. This will give Father the release if Pomeroy does as he agreed to on the 21^st.

Mar. 25, 26

Mar. 27 – At Troy to see Pomeroy. The worst day I ever was on the road. Mud very deep and rains and snows all day.

Mar. 28 – Snows all day. Mr. Van Kindle & his daughter (Jane) died.

Mar. 29, 30, 31

Apr. 1, 2, 3, 4

Apr. 5 – Father & I at Troy to see Pomeroys – we both sign the release to contract for working timber on the condition that Pomeroy agrees to allow all he may get out of garrisons farm and the 200 acres which he sold to Garrison (the 200 sold as father at sheriff sale) and if these both fetch enough to make up his claim to within #1000, instead of #500, as on the 4^th of March 1877 he will then release father from all claims which he may have – but we ?? give the release now which is spoken of on the 21 and 24^th of March 1877 – Deed then referred to to be sent down in a few days by mail.

Apr. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Apr. 11 – Hear that Mrs. Horace Keeler died yesterday, the funeral to be at 1 PM at church at the Center. Many pleasant visits have we had at Mr. Keelers (2^nd cousin) we shall miss thee much here on earth but we shall have a pleasant meeting up yonder.

Apr. 12 – Help run lines of land with Elder Corss also we attend funeral of Mrs. Horace Keeler, a very sad time.

Apr. 13, 14

Apr. 15 – Grandmother Bourne died in Morris Otsego County, N.Y.

Apr. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

Apr. 24 – Digging ditch to drain lane for cows to go to pasture, get horses shod at J. Duberts. Isadore visits at F. Woods, pleasant

Apr. 25, 26

Apr. 27 – Engage 3 pigs of F. Wolf at 20/ each. Help Campbells (Wm) folks fix creek fence on line. Poly Campbell died.

Apr. 28 – At funeral of Poly Campbell. Mrs. Sherman & Isadore set up last night at Campbells.

Apr. 29

Apr. 30 – Get cherry trees from Uncle Alfred Riggs and set out ??? 6 in number. Mr. Allen, Oil agent from Owego, NY stays over night.

May 1 – Hez S. Huntley died

May 2, 3

May 4 – At Troy with W. S. Riggs, stop at East Troy to see in regard to William Riggs taking job of a Mr. Ball – a pleasant time. Receive deeds of Pomeroys for 7a153 for self and 1 fer mother fer 3a ??. Sign mothers name to check (for #100.00 in pay fer ???)

May 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

May 11 – Taking Isadore & Carrie over to Clarence’s visiting.

May 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

May 18 – Finish planting corn on flat and help John & Philitus Campbell raise sheds.

May 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

May 24 – Isadore & I at Towanda, get 21c for Butter

May 25, 26

May 27 – All at Church & Sunday School. Miss Carrie Beach, Miss Olive Keeler, Miss Ruie Perkins or Jackson were baptized.

May 28, 29, 30

May 31 – Hear that Henry Ward formerly of Burlington now of Elmira, N.Y. died about 1 month since.

June 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

June 10 – All at Church & Sunday School. Last Quarterly meeting. Preaching by E. J. Hermans, his last time as Elder

June 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

June 21 – 10 men, Irish Miners belonging to the order of Mollie Maguins hung in the mining region today for murder.

June 22, 23, 24

June 25 – Selecting siding and ceiling for parsonage with Geo. T. Beach.

June 26, 27

June 28 – Buy 1 Skelleton wagon of John Dubert for #35.00. Fix fence & bug potatoes ½.

June 29, 30

July 1

July 2 – Run planer & count lumber for Griffith Thomas. Subscribe for the History of Bradford County, price $10.00, to be delivered about 1 year from date written by Rev. David Craft of Wyalusing.

July 3

July 4 – Work on wagon & finish wood work. Dallas Beaches Barn burned and Clarence Hubbard’s house and a murder afair at Towanda and a fight at Mountain Lake. Done well in staying at home today.

July 5, 6, 7, 8 9

July 10 – Make new hay rigging and commence haying. Monument to P. P. Bliss dedicated at Rome Brad. Co. today, formerly of the above place. Many go from here I let Mr. Tompkins have my wagon to go today. Report says that Mordy & Sanky are to be there and several large men from NY and Boston

July 11 – Moody (Mordy?) & Sankey were at Rome yesterday. Report says that there was from 15,000 to 20,000 people there the largest gathering in this county.

July 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

July 17 – Hear that Grand-Mother Bourne died on the 15^th of last April.

July 18, 19, 20, 21

July 22 -- Tell Sherman ?? for (he belongs to the State Malitia) to help put down the Strikers on the Rail Roads considerable excitement.

July 23 – Hear that the R. R. Strikers have burned 60 locomotives and destroyed a quantity of other R. R. Property in Pittsburg & WmsPort.

July 24 – Hear that the President of the U. S. has declared the states of Penna, Ohio & West Virginia in a state of insurection and has called for 75,000 men. The trains at Troy were stopped yesterday.

July 25

July 26 – At Towanda. Very warm, Birth Day 33 years old – I came very near having to go back to my old diary to see how old I was – time goes so fast I can’t hardly tell my age. No news of importance from the R.R. strikers. Some say the Erie has gone to work and think they won over.

July 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

Aug. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

Aug. 15 – Hester comes home from South with children.

Aug. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Aug. 22 – Wesley gets back from the South

Aug. 23, 24, 25

Aug. 26 – Miss Elen Farnsworth buried

Aug. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

Sept. 1 – Justin Websters wife buried.

Sept. 2, 3, 4, 5

Sept. 6 – Mrs. Joel McAffee died (Mr. A. Eastmans son in law)

Sept. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Sept. 14 – At Smithfield ½. Buy 1 set light double harness of L. F. Adams

Sept. 15

Sept. 16 – All at church & Sunday School. Farewell Sermon by Rev. W. Statham.

Sept. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26

Sept. 27 – Get horses shod and take Isadore to Mr. Geo. Beach’s for a visit. Call on my way home for Isadore and take dinner and visit until chore time. Our visits at Bro Beachs are bright spots in lifes journey.

Sept. 28

Sept. 29 – Work on corn crib. Cephas Clark died a day or 2 since. Mr ???, and Belle Campbell married. A daughter of Derick Campbell. (He didn’t fill in the name of the man she married)

Sept. 30 – All at Church. Rev. W. Statham returned to Smithfield. D. Crow goes to East Troy – good. John VanKirk preached today. Sunday School reorganized, all the old officers re-elected.

Oct. 1, 2, 3

Oct. 4 – Take Isadore to Rastus Loomis for visit and mother to Athens to get a new set of teeth. Rains hardes I ever saw it all day.

Oct. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Oct. 13 – Finish husking corn have 150 bushels ears.

Oct. 14 – All at Quarterly meeting. Preaching by the Elder J. B. Wentworth. Robert M. Pruyne & Miss Maggie Corcuff married. William Ormsby died.

Oct. 15 – William Ormsby buried.

Oct. 16

Oct. 17 – All at Horace Keelers visiting. Rather lonesome, Dear Friend we miss thee much.

Oct. 18 – Mr. Philetus Campbell & Miss Amanda Bostwick married near this time.

Oct. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

Oct. 24 – Isadore & self at Troy, call on Rev. D. Crow’s folks at East Troy. Orfius Sumner & Helen Brigham and Darius Young & Miss Hope Scott married today.

Oct. 25, 26

Oct. 27 – Tartus Rose the oldest man in Smithfield died.

Oct. 28, 29, 30, 31

Nov. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Nov. 14 – Build fence around house on the road now occupied by T. Maynard.

Nov. 15

Nov. 16 – Visit with Wm. Riggs and Miss McAfees Lucy – Georges (sp?) & John McAffees daughter, a pleasant time. Dr. Bullock of Smithfield died.

Nov. 17 – Dr. Bullock buried, age 87. Came to Smithfield with $5.00 and pill bags, left quite a fortune.

Nov. 18, 19, 20

Nov. 21 – Receive word that Albert Wheat’s oldest girl, Minnie, was dead, having died at 2 AM this morning.

Nov. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

Nov. 28 – A Miss Chamberlain died a day or 2 since by the careless giving of morphine by the doctor.

Nov. 29 – Thanksgiving day, Mr. C. Mace & Miss Hellen Luther married about this time.

Nov. 30

Dec. 1 – Mr. Charley Pierce & Miss Nellie Wood married, Mr. Clarence Voorhis & Miss Carrie Cowell married, Mr. Kay Brigham & Miss Jessee Philips married – all within a day or two of Thanksgiving day.

Dec. 2

Dec. 3 – Lee starts for school at Elmira, NY. He boards with Hester.

Dec. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Dec. 13 – At Towanda. Isadore stops at her folks – See several plowing, the fall has been very pleasant thus far.

Dec. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

Dec. 19 – Mrs. Walter Pierce died.

Dec. 20 – All at Elmira, NY to see Hester. A very pleasant time and very fine weather.

Dec. 21 – Come home from Elmira a plasant day. Lee comes home with us on a vacation of 2 weeks for the Hallow days – I don’t know how to spell that word.

Dec. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26

Dec. 27 – Go to mill at Sewards and get horses shod at Duberts pleasant. See Black Berry Briers with green leaves and sprouts 1/2 inch long also Elder Buds started enough so to see the leaves. Some apple trees in bloom, dandations in bloom.

Dec. 28 – Go and take Isadore over to Ophelias, get apple at Charles Schoutens.

Dec. 29 – Take Carrie over to Ophelias and talk horse trade with D. P. Haight ½ day – (Plowing with him). Run grist mill ½ day, pelasant.

Dec. 30, 31

Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA

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