Bushong Diary Collection, 1850-1853, 1858-1869

Call Number: MG-278

1 box     5 folders     .25 cubic ft.

Repository:  LancasterHistory (Organization); PV7

Shelving Location:   Archives South, Side 8

Scope and Content Note:   This collection contains the diaries of Gilbert and Edith Bushong. The first diary in this collection (Folder #1), written by Gilbert Bushong who is 14 years old, are dated from March 17, 1850 – May 29, 1852 and April 20, 1853. The topics covered are the everyday events of family life and farming activities. He also writes about school life, and butchering hogs, and trips to visit family and friends.

The diaries in the second part of this collection (Folders #2-5) were written by Edith Paxson Bushong and date from December 31, 1858 – April 5, 1862, after Gilbert presents her with a new diary journal on his return from a trip to Lancaster. Edith writes mostly about the welfare of her family and friends, including news of marriages, births, illnesses, and deaths. She also writes about life on the farm, her housework routine, and news of the Civil War, including the battle at Gettysburg.

Creators:  Bushong, Gilbert, 1836-1911; Bushong, Edith K., 1836-1914.

Conditions for Access:  No restrictions.

Conditions Governing Reproductions:  Collection may not be photocopied. Please contact Research Staff or Archives Staff with questions.

Language:  English

Source of Acquisition:   Source unknown.

Related Materials:  Family Papers, 1833-1872 at Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

Biographical History:

Gilbert Bushong was the son of Henry Bushong and Esther Valentine. He was born on 2 December 1836 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and died on 10 December 1911 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was a farmer in Eden Twp., Lancaster County. Gilbert was a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) and an abolitionist who helped, with family members Henry and Jacob Bushong, to run the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves during the Civil War at Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania.

Edith D. Kinsey Paxson was born on 14 January 1836 and died 2 December 1914 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She was the second daughter of Elwood H. Paxson and Elizabeth Moore White. She married Gilbert Bushong on 20 December 1855.  The Bushongs owned a farm along what is now Valley Road, Route 372, on the eastern side of Eden Twp. and received their mail at May Post Office. They are buried together at Sadsbury Meeting Cemetery in Chester County.

Children of Gilbert and Edith Bushong:
1. Dr. Charles Henry Bushong (1 October 1856-20 December 1903). He was married twice, to sisters who were twins, Anna W. Keene and Nora E. Keene. One died and he married the other.
2. Frances E. Bushong (18 May 1858-16 November 1861).
3. Marion E. Bushong (20 March 1860-March 1937). She married Sanders M. Collins on 20 December 1884. Their children were Edith Bushong Collins (1886-1966) and Wallace Collins (b. 1899). Edith never married. She kept house for her father and was a school teacher. Wallace married Marion Chandler.
4. Marvin E. Bushong (7 June 1878-27 October 1936). He married Lydia Rakestraw on 10 September 1903. Their children were Henry Rakestraw Bushong (b. 28 July 1904) and Gertrude (b. 4 August 1909). At 21, Marvin was appointed a Justice of the Peace of Eden Twp. and in 1908 was elected Clerk of Quarter Sessions at Lancaster County. Later, he was associated with the Pennsylvania Water and Power Company, and in 1933 was vice-president of the Safe Harbor Water Power Corp.

Accruals:  No further accruals are expected.

Preferred Citation:  Bushong Diary Collection (MG-278), Folder #, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pa.

Subject Headings:

Diaries. (LHo-LOC sh 85037601)

Housekeeping. (LHo-LOC sh 97003594)

Agriculture. (LHO-LOC sh 85002415)

United States History — Civil War – 1861-1865. (LHo-LOC sh 85140205)

Processing History:  Processed, finding aid started by PK, Spring-Summer 2010; Finding aid completed by NS, RS, 2013. This collection has been documented, preserved and managed according to professional museum and archives standards. The collection was cataloged using DACS conventions.

 

Folder 1

Diary, written by Gilbert Bushong who is 14 years old, is for the most part easy to read

Dated from 3m 17 1850 – 5m 29 1852 and April 20, 1853

The method of writing dates, the fact that the phrase “first day” is used and that one entry mentions “yearly meeting” indicates that the family was probably Quaker. Most entries begin with a description of the weather (which is not included in the information below) followed by the activities of the day .. The Bushongs are a farm family who live in southern Lancaster County and many activities and problems related to farming are noted. Gilbert and other family members often visit with family and friends nearby,. sometimes spending the night. Two longer trips are described. Illness is noted.   School is open from 12m 10 1850 – 3m 8 1851 with 15 scholars attending. Local travel destinations are Sadsbury, Georgetown, Blackhorse, Christiana, Quarryville, Penningtonville and Lancaster. The last 25 pages of the diary describe communications from the “spirit world.”

1850

3m 1850

20 Father very sick with pain in breast

21 To Georgetown for flaxseed

22 Hauling wood for Harding and hunting

23 Found sheep in Jacob’s meadow

24 Over at Jacob’s, William Lyle was there

25 Reas came up , went to Uncle Joshua’s for the night

26 Abraham Rakestraw here, to Jacob’s with Henry and spent the night at Hardings

29 Piling wood, with Levi Pierce

31 Easter, at home and ate a good many eggs

 

4m 1850

2 Weeding garden and whitewashing pales, Joseph and Caroline and Henry Morrison came

3 Fishing

4 Picking stones and playing with Henry Morrison

6 At Swishers with Susan’s shoes, horse frightened by woman with umbrella

8 Sunday, went to Evin Benn, the brickyard and Uncle Joshua’s after dinner went to Uncle Benjamin’s with Levi who was not well

9 John and Harding home from the railroad, hauling stones

10 Harrowing

11 Harrowing

12 Took the drill to Moore’s to be fixed

15 Too frozen to drill part of the day

17 John went to Whitson’s to haul logs

 

5m 1850

16 Sunday, Sarah Gilbert, Mary Gilbert, Susan Heidlebaugh came and Jesse came for Martha Ann

17 went to railroad for some hides for Harding, harrowing, had a headache

18 Father and I working with corn

21 Was cutting thistles

22 Uncle Francis here, went to Sadsbury to Uncle Jones’s then to Uncle Francis for the night…Jesse and Mary Gilbert and Aunt Rachel Valentine came from Uncle Joseph’s

23 Went to Uncle Joseph’s who took me to Odd Fellows Hall and showed me a banner that cost $100.00 and other curious things, went back to Uncle Francis’s then all went back to Uncle Jones to spend the night

24 Reese and I went hunting then returned home

26 Father and I went to Uncle John’s and stayed all night, Israel and I to Millcreek to bathe

27 Went to Lancaster to buy carpenter tools for me

28 Storm at Blackhorse that blew down building

29 Mowing and carrying water

 

12m 1850

9 I went to school for the first day

10 We killed a beef, I went to school we have 10 scholars, Liddy Rakestraw came yesterday

11 At school, Jacob’s butchered 4 hogs

12 At school

13 At school, they had a colt in Jacob’s

14 At school, Abraham and Mary Rakestraw came for Liddy

15 Susannah’s half brother came to tell her that her sister was dead

16 At school

17 At school

18 At school, John at Harding butchering, we have all our benches done and a great time at intermission with Milt Heidlebaugh and Mary that comes from Jacob’s and Henry Bushong tries to kiss Mary

19 At school

20 At school

21 At school

22 I was at meeting and Uncle Joshua’s

23 Butchered 2 hogs, school in the afternoon, Susannah went to Harding’s and her bonnet blew off , when she went to pick it up John Hunter kisses her and scared her so when she went to Harding’s she forgot what she went for

24 At school

25 Christmas

26 At school, Israel Bushong came from Lampeter

27 At school

28 Hunting and at school

29 Sunday

30 We were threshing and had to stop because it was slippery and the horses couldn’t pull. Reese Everson can to spend the night

31 At school, John went to the railroad with a load of Hardings leather

 

1851

1m 1851

1 Reese and me went hunting and to Joshua’s in the evening

2 At school

3 At school

4 Harding and Moses were butchering , killed 38 hogs and took 36 to market

5 I had a toothache ,mother and me went to D. Dunk son’s and had a tooth pulled for the first time…it didn’t hurt as much as he expected

6 At school, Harding and others to market about 2 o’clock in the morning

8-10 At school

11 At school, Alben and me went to the copper mine for John Hoskens

12-17 At school

18 Jesy and me went to Uncle Jones’ and stayed the night and went to Nathan Dewberries and spent the evening

19 Pierce gave Jesy and me a pair of turkeys ? apiece when we got home Lewis Peart was there

22-24 At school

25-26 At Uncle Francis’s in Sadsbury

29- 31 At school

 

2m 1851

1-6 At school

7 At school, we have 15 scholars and I mention their names Susan Neal, John Hunter, Susanna Bolton, Samuel Heidlebaugh, Mary Bolton, Albert Heidlebaugh, Henry Bushong, Milton Heidlebaugh, James Rusel, Sarah Johnson, Henry Johnson, Elas Brown. Ely Beatol, Jacob Johnson

8 At school

9 Sunday went to Jacob’s

10 Began to thresh, went to school

11 Thrashing

12 At school, cleaning wheat, John took some to the mill

13 Albin and me went down to Uncle Jones’ to the auction in the evening Reece ? and me went down to Penningtonville and took Hardin’s boiler to get a cooper bottom in it

14 They were going to sell out of the store window but it was raining so they took the goods into a side room

15 Sold all day, went to Penningtonville for the boiler

16 Sunday, went home

17 At school, Uncle Amos Gilbert was here

18-21 At school

20 Sunday ,Uncle Amos Gilbert was here

21-28 At school

 

3m 1851

1 At school

2 At home

3-8 At school, built a snowman about 16’ the last day, I have went 62 2/4 of a day and we have 10 scholars

9 Sunday Alben and Hannah Gilbert and mother went to Whitson’s, went to Jacob’s and Uncle Joshua and Aunt Betsy came

10 Thrashing

11-14 At home

15 Sowing timothy and plowing

16 Sunday

17 Father and Mother went to the auction at Uncle Jones’

18 John and I cleaned stables and greasing gears

20 John rode Prince to the sale at the green tree Father went to Isaac Moore’s to see Moses Whitson survey a lot and divide it for Isaac and Harvey Murry

21 John took a load of corn to the mill for Jacob, people went to the township meeting

22 Father and I went to sowed timothy seed, William Sheldon and Moses Johnston came to help, cleaned stables and cut corn stalks

23 Caught fish in the creek

24 John and I pick stones

25 Sowed clover and picked stones

26 Harding, John and I sowed clover, hauled rail to make a fence, plowed

27 Sowing clover seed

28 Pap went to Lancaster, John Thomas went to a “berian” ,helped to raise a porch

29 Francis Valentine came and went to John Walker’s sale, Father and Mother went to Georgetown

30 First day, went to the run and caught some fish

31 John started to Lancaster at 3 o’clock in the morning for John Westly’s moving, I was hauling stones off the mowing ground with the oxen

 

4m 1851

1 Went to Quarryville for Harding, plowing

2-4 Plowing

5 Sowed oats

7 Went to the railroad for a load of store goods for White

9 Went to Uncle Joshua’s to haul logs and to Swishers

10 Hauling logs and picking, Hannah Chanley and Martha Way came

11 Plowing and working in strawberry beds

12-15 Plowing and harrowing with others, other farm work

16 Put a skein of saddlers silk in the tapeloom to weave mother a string for scissors

17 Gathering bones, sold 313 pounds for $1.17

18 Farm work with others

19-20 Farm work, cow calfed

20 Mother went to Uncle Joshua’s and brought Aunt Mary here

21 Farm work, hauling stuff from the sawmill for Joshua Gilbert, took a pig to Jacob Stauffer

22 Went to Stauffers for the sow

23-25 Farm work

26 Father went to get Isaac Eckman’s drill and we began drilling, William Whitson’s child was buried that drowned in the race yesterday

27 Uncle Joshua and Aunt Betsy were here

28 Helping Mother in the garden nearly all day

 

5m 1851

1-2 Farm work

2 Went to Uncle Joshua’s and brought Aunt Betsy home with m

3 Rode Uncle Amos’s pony and Aunt Mary left

4 Sunday, Uncle Amos had a chemical lecture (described)

5 Uncle Amos made Harding a bag mark and Mother a scissors, he had his microscope

6 Uncle Amos went to painting Harding’s house, Reese Evenson was here

7 John took logs to the mill

8 Cleaned and painted the carriage

9 Spreading manure and planting potatoes

10 Working at the carriage

11 Sunday, varnished the carriage curtains, Susan’s brother George was here

12 Mother was not well and Harding went for the doctor, put a coat of varnish on the carriage

13 Painting the carriage , hale as big as a hazelnut

14-16 Thinking about the trip to Schoolkiln, started the trip but a horse got sick

17-25 Borrowed Uncle Francis carriage and began the trip, took Hannah and got to Uncle Joseph’s in the evening…following are events during the trip: saw canal boats on the river, went to Moses Robinson’s went fishing went to Valley Forge and a cotton factory, went to Lewis Peart’s, the copper mine and the Observatory to see the railroad cars, Went to Phoenixville to wait for Moses Robinson to meet us at Thomas Valentine’s, saw furnace, rolling mill, nail factory and Telegraph office and the river, stayed the night with Rowland Peart spent the day fishing and the night with Lewis Peart, went to the river and took a boat to the next lock, started home and spent the night with Uncle Francis arrived home and Gilbert records the happenings while he was gone.

26-31 Farm work, Mother and Father went to Britain and Gilbert had the responsibility of the livestock

 

6m 1851

1-3 Farm work

4 Father had a pain in his heart , Gilbert went for the doctor

5- 6 Father poorly, helping Mother

7 Jacob and I went to buy a cow, Samuel Heidlebaugh and I yoked the oxen, fixed Uncle John’ fence taken away last night by the water and went to the mill

8 Sunday Pierce Evenson and Jesse Gilbert came, Albin got Hannah and Pierce took Margaret down with him

10-12 Hauled rails from the wood lot and hauled lime from the Witmer’s

18-30 Farm work, much hauling of wood and lime, fixed fence between woods and cornfield, got load of guano, rode Jim to Uncle Joshua’s, working corn and hay

 

7m 1851

1-19 Description of the harvest “we were blessed with fine weather throughout the harvest”

20 Was first day, Father and Mother went to Uncle Francis after Grandmother

21 Caroline Morrison here with two Carter girls, Father and I went Blackberry picking with them

22 Hauling wood

 

8m 1851

26-9m 7 Gilbert, Harding and Albin drive cattle to Bucks County to sell and Gilbert describes the trip. He comments that there were many in the taverns that were not sober. His journey home was 90 miles long, taking the stage to Camden, the boat to Philadelphia, and the cars to Uncle Jones( where he spent the night) and returned home the next evening.

 

9m 1851

5 Liddy Rakestraw and Caroline Thomas are here, Mother to Sadsbury with Jesse, went to Georgetown and took two chairs to be made lower, Joseph helped Ellen Westley move into our lower house and Joseph Westley and I rode the colt called Jim and it went very well

7 Joseph and I rode the colt to Uncle Joshua’s

8 Relatives visiting

10 Visiting relatives, Thomas has the measles

12-16 Activity relating to building a house

18 First day, We got 300 herring, Patrick Swisher came to help clean and salt them

19 Farm work

20 Corn to mill, took broom straw to have it made into brooms

21 Got a vest pattern at White’s for $1.50 and made a place to put grape vines

23 Got 400 herring and I helped Mother and Nancy clean them and William Sheldon helped to salt them

25 First day, went to Doctor Dayres for Henry Johnston who has something like quinsy

26-30 Farm work

 

10m 1851

1 Went to Penningtonville with Harding

2 Pusey and I to Uncle Joshua’s

3-7 Farm work

8 Went to Christiana for hides with Harding

9 First day, visiting

10-22 Farm work and construction activity

23 First day Father and Mother at Uncle Joshua’s Sara was sick with a gathering in her throat, Jesse was here and got word that the colt was sick

25 Mother was sick and the doctor came towards evening

27 Father and Harding went to Lancaster, Joseph went for the doctor for Mother and I was not very well

29 The carpenters got the house ready for the plasterers

30 Hannah Dingee came for dinner

April 20,1853 Moses Johnson raised his barn, Jacob Heidlebaugh was the carpenter

Following this entry there are 25 pages of Communications from the Spirit World

No dates: the spirits who come are: Orza A. Thomas (3 messages), James Oran, John [     ], John Gilbert (2 messages), Jesse Bushong, Sarah Bushong (2 messages), Rebecca Valentine, Newton Gilbert

3m 1 1853: Ozra (5 messages), Jesse Bushong, Moses Whitson, John Valentine, Lydia Eaverson, Recca Valentine

5m 1 1853: John Gilbert (to Esther), Orza A. Thomas (3 messages)

5m 12 1853: Sarah Bushong (to Henry about killing), William Penn (about slavery) George Washington (about slavery)

No date: Orza A. Thomas, William Penn

At the very end of the diary there is an entry about locusts dated [1851] or [1854]

 

Folder 2 31 December 1858 to 5 April 1862

This diary was written by Edith Bushong and dates from December 31, 1858-April 5, 1862. At the end of the diary is written the following information: “Gilbert Bushong and Edith K. Paxson were married December 20th, 1855”. The following children were listed: “Charles Henry Bushong was born October 1st, 1856, Francis Elwood Bushing was born May 18th 1858 – Died November 10th, 1861 aged 3 years 5 months and 22 days and Marion E. Bushong was born March 20th,1860”

In the first entry Edith writes that she is starting a new diary so it is possible that others are in existence. She is almost 23 years old, has been married 3 years and has two little boys.

Much of the ink in this diary is faded making the diary difficult to read. Each entry is begins with a description of the weather. Both farm and housework is noted as well as visits to and from friends and family. Illnesses and deaths are reported as well as educational activities. Edith includes many of her thoughts and feeling and sometimes writes at great length about them.

 

1858

December 1858

31 Starting a new diary that Gilbert brought from Lancaster – a new diary that Gilbert brought her from Lancaster – this time last year her father was suffering mortality now he is a happy angel. Another link added to our little family a sweet dear little boy now in his eighth month. The soul not much the right path since the first of the year, hopes it will be nearer at the termination of the year coming upon us.

 

1859

January 1859 Butchering, visitors and visiting, housework

1 A circle at mother’s

2 Sunday but not a rest day, men and women both working

5 Nothing but work, eat and sleep for the last 3 days…letter from Cal writes of meetings and lyceums but people here can’t get up even a reading school

12 Edith is 23 years old…Cousin Reese Evenson and H. W. Cooper marries by Friends ceremony

15 To the store for cloth…Caroline made a cap for Gilbert

17 Gilbert and I at Jacob’s …are planning an evening school there…Uncle Amos will help

18 Getting school supplies…letter from Cal with picture of daughter Flora enclosed…2 years old last November 8

30 Mother and others told of death of Mrs. William Hayes and son Nathaniel…also death of Jerry King who was in a trance….Uncle Amos doing experiments

31 Little Frankie very unwell….Eckman family buried 2 daughters died of typhoid fever

 

February 1859 School, stock sales, illness, housework and much visiting

1 School at Jacob’s

24 Big stock sale at Jacob Bushong’s Edith helped cook and wash dishes

25 Many people attend sale at Hardings…John, Mary and Amos Gilbert have measles…Amos’s hand scalded…Edith tired and unwell

26 Little Frankie very sick….doctor came and told Edith what to do for him

 

March 1859 Visits, stock sale, illness, house and garden work, letters, school

1 Gilbert and his father went to sale at Findley’s

5 Frankie growing worse…doctor sent other directions…Charlie swallowed white vitriol

used to bathe Frankie…doctor came with more medical directions

6 First day …family laments death of Father

7 Letter from Grandma White

8 Class to meet but no one came because of weather….Little Frankie a great care

9 Class met

12 Gilbert got poison while working

13 Class at mother’s

15 Gilbert suffering with sick headache, worse in summer

16 Family went to Harding’s for carpet rag sewing…11 women there

17 Mother and Gilbert to Lancaster…Reese came to pay for beef hides and brought a Chinese yoke and sleeve bands , a present from Cousin Mary

20 Class meet here

23 Murry moved to George Pierce’s tenant house

24 Paid last visit to Uncle Jones Eavenson and family before their move to Philadelphia

27 Class in morning…only 4 persons

28 New girl Sallie here…Cassie left last Thursday in high drudgeon…what I learned since she might have gone long ago…Edith is very tired

30.Last visit from sister Marion for awhile…she will be a student in the Halls of Millersville worldwide renowned institute

 

April 1859 Farm work and visiting, Frankie is taken elsewhere to cure his sores

3 Marion goes to Millersville…..best for her

5 Pap, Mother Bushong, Charlie and Edith take Frankie to Peter Stauffer’s to cure Frankie’s sore…Mrs. Stauffer made 3 passes over him and gave him ointment

19 Went to Stauffer’s again and the old lady did the same thing…spent the night

 

May 1859 Spring cleaning, farm and garden work

3 Frankie nearly well…no medicine since Stauffer’s

5 Planted over 30 varieties of dahlias…took some to Mrs. Hunter and Mrs. Helm

7 Ivan married Miss Belle Marshlands on Thursday last in Philadelphia…they came to

Joseph Ecklin’s and Uncle Ben’s to visit

8 Class met in forenoon

9 Pap went to Chester County with Uncle John

 

June 1859 Visits, deaths, dental work

18 Visited by Aunt Rachel and Uncle Francis Valentine found Aunt Esther Albright had died on the 17th…went to Mr. McKissich, dentist in Penningtonville and had 7 teeth filled and 4 extracted while under the influence of ether….Marion write she will be coming home soon

19 Mary Bolton will come for three weeks and clean mother’s part of the house

26 Went with others to visit grandmother Paxson…then to visit a cousin confined to her bed for several years

27 Took Aunt Betsy home who had been with us for 7 weeks

 

July 1859 Housework, canning fruit, working with hay and wheat, visit to Millersville

8 Mother and I went to Millersville, after supper attended the “Page” of which Marion had been elected editor

9 Called on P. Pierce, heard Marion read her composition then left the “Normal”

13 Marion back to school

No more entries until ….

 

September 1859

29 Mother B. asked Little Charlie if he would work for her when he grew big “yes – in field and the in big warehouse” Edith notes this in her dairy because his parents may not be living to tell him of his boyhood when he is grown

 

October 1859 Description of a trip to Philadelphia

1 An entry about Uncle Jacob Taylor’s death is crossed out

13-21 Mother, Gilbert and I started for Philadelphia ….went to Penningtonville and took the streetcar, then walked to where Uncle Jones Eavenson resides .Next day went to market with Cousin Mary. Next day to Lydia Ann Dubell’s to Richmond Market and back to Uncle Jones for the night. Stayed at Uncle Alvin’s next night. On the 16th a whole group of family members went to Sansom Street to hear a lecture on Spiritualism and a musical performance…after dinner at Uncle Alvin’s heard a lecture on the Immortality of Man at the same place…Visited Cousin Martha Bacon and son Tom, also Fairmount Park and had our likeness taken for gifts….Expected to visit the Navy Yard but the weather was too disagreeable…took the cars at Penningtonville and arrived home at 1:00

21 On arrival home heard of the deaths of Little George son of Hannah and Harding here at home and of Isaac Harding’s daughter Emma who died of consumption this morning in Philadelphia

 

November 1859 House and farm work, butchering, illness, letters

22 Have not written in diary for a long time…mother and Gilbert in Lancaster….very tired….sister Cal not written since September 3…Caroline and Emma here sewing for Pap B. My little boys are asleep…soon another will be added to the family. Edith claims she is not capable to guide her children, too impatient…hopes God will help her improve

25 Busy with housework all day then helped serve nearly 100 ….very tired

26 Finished Charlie’s first suit …he was pleased…wish Gil would come home, weary and lonely

27 Mother, Gilbert and I to Uncle Paxson’s

29 Gilbert not well

30 Gilbert very unwell…mother here all day and night…Jesse here and gave his likeness

 

December 1859 Housework/butchering, letter writing, visiting

1 Mary and Sallie Gilbert here

2 Gilbert’s 23rd birthday…he read to us from the “History of Slavery” which he bought this week

4 John Brown executed on Friday in Virginia…description of his activities

5 Gilbert read to us in evening from “Ministers Mooring” by Mrs. Stowe

6 Mother a letter from Cal…Charlie unwell

11Frankie unwell…

13 Frankie unwell

14 mother is 75 years old

25 Christmas day once more…Edith remembers happier times ..now seems like any other day

 

1860

January 1860 Butchering activities, visiting, letter writing, sleighing, Edith tired

10 Gilbert, Pusey and I took butter to Nobleville and Christiana to sell

12 Sebastian and Annie Gockley here with little girl they are going to raise

14 Edith is 24 years old

18 J. Bowman and son came to look at clocks and stayed all night

22 Gil took Marion to Gap

 

February 1860 Sleighing, housework, illness

4 Doctor came to bleed Edith

11 Chicken pox broken out in Frankie

No more entries until ….

 

April 1860 Gardening, visitors/visiting, farm work, housework by others

2 Edith can now sit up and use pen…her little daughter is 13 days old …describes those who came to stay with her… she describes convalescence from childbirth in rest of the diary entries for April

3 Boarder comes to live with them

6 Gilbert had a bad headache…Edith thinks about his and her death and what would happen to the children…she writes at length about Addie, Oliver White’s oldest daughter by his first wife, Rachel Alexander…Anna Herr and A. Withers married on the 27th of March

8 Edith hurt by the vile slander of the neighborhood, condemns neighbors for gossip

9 Joseph Hunter from New Orleans visits

11 Edith has named her daughter Marion

12 Gilbert at railroad for mother’s marketing and to get coal for the Smith’s shop

21 Edith wants to see sister Marion badly

22 Irene’s 15th birthday

25 Jesse Gilbert tells of Callie Thomas’s death after long suffering

27 John Hunt preacher at Bart today

29 Long letter to Cal…won’t see Addie for awhile as she is going to Aunt Lydia Matthew’s

 

May 1860 illness, housework, gardening, parties, visits and visitors, shopping

6 Heard of death of John Carter

9 Mother starts visit to Philadelphia with Hannah Gilbert and Aunt Mary Eavensen…Edith is lonely

15 Visited Margaret for first time since last winter

18 Gilbert to Gap for Marion…then he and I went fishing

19 Visitors…sand and danced a little, Jesse played the violin

26 Had a little party…Jesse Cato played the violin….many guests overnight

 

June 1860 Housework, visiting, shopping, illness

5 Long trip to Chester County

6 Jacob and Margaret stopped on way home from Yearly Meeting of Progressive Friends

7 Stopped at John Bushongs…Marie sick maybe consumption…stopped at Russelville and Homeville stores

8 Surprised to hear of Frank Kern’s death

10 Heard of Pap Bushong’s sister’s death

12 Went to Gap for Marion…tired and unwell

16 Killed first calf since we have been housekeeping

17 Large number of visitors at tea time

21 Edwin B. came to help doctor Margaret and Caroline who are very sick

26 Sam (horse or human?) ran a harrow handle into his breast….by the 29th they know he will recover

 

July 1860 Housework, farm work

3 Sallie came to be hired…she has no home…I hired her …I need help

4 Mother’s birthday, she is 45

5 Pap took 28 pounds of butter to Kern’s for us….Edith not well but much to do

6 Made 14th cheese …10 men working at hay with Thomas and Pap

10 Can’t enjoy visitors because 10 men working

14 Dr. Dare here to see me and give medicine

26 Family from Philadelphia arrive…spend the night then go to Harding’s and mother’s

28 Marion and Addie start to Wilmington

 

August 1860 Harvesting, visiting relatives, beginning of house construction

2 Two carriages of visitors arrived (listed) 10 men for breakfast

3 Uncle Bennie has men digging foundation for a new house

4 to mother’s to see visiting relatives

5 Very large gathering of relatives at Jacob’s

6 Edith feels miserable, doesn’t know why

8 Took company to Uncle Joshua’s

No more entries until ….

 

December 1860

29 Have not been interested in keeping a diary…old Mrs. Withers was buried today

30 Rakestraws visited ..Cousin Jesse Gilbert came to give invitation to his wedding

31Relatives came by sleigh

 

1861

January 1861 Wedding, housework, sewing/churning, communication from spirits, illness, visitors, cutting carpet rags

3 Description of Jesse’s Quaker wedding and list of guests

6 Relatives to Philadelphia

7 Marion in Richmond   Edith sewing and churning through 11th

12 Hamilton, Rebecca Everett and mother here and others…had communication from 3 spirits: Thomas Hobson who

advised not to give up to the South, Father with advice for mother and Edith and Oliver Garrettson with advice for mother and Edith

13 Sabbath guests come by sleigh …Edith is lonely for Gilbert who has gone to Philadelphia.

14 Edith is 24 years old

15 Gilbert returns…no one to bring him from Penningtonville so he walked…brought presents…Edith happy doesn’t know how she could live without him

17 Went to railroad for groceries…gives price paid for them…baby sick

21 Doctor came to vaccinate the children

22-25 Cutting carpet rags…sore hands

29 Letter from Marion…surprised by Mary Massey’s death

30 Uncle Ben and Marion enjoying themselves in Richmond

 

February 1861 Sewing, housework, visitors, illness, letters

2 Edith writes that her diary may be read after she dies

5 Writes of trouble between North and South…not much excitement here …hope no bloodshed

8 Spent afternoon at Edie’s schoolhouse…heard good compositions read

9 Farmers Practical Association met at Jacob’s Edith went and enjoyed it

25 Children sick

26 Influenza mentioned

27 Letters from Richmond, Indiana

 

March 1861 Farm work, pastimes, Lincoln’s inauguration, housework, school, illness

2 Edith unwell

3 Reading “Hand Without Head” very good

4 Lincoln is President…will decide the fate of the country

8 Got word of Gainer Moore’s death in Philadelphia…body returned for burial

13 Reese Eavensen moving from Christiana to Elwood Cooper’s farm

15 Closing day at Wm. Rakestraw’s school l had examinations in the afternoon and exhibitions in the evening

18 Edith feels dull and miserable

19 Old Sallie left us….Gilbert trying to collect blacksmith accounts

20 Baby Marion 1 year old unwell

24 Mother to meeting at Georgetown

28 James Resh moved to new home will be our nearest neighbor

30 Gilbert gone …Edith lonely…pain in side…wonders why she can’t be nicer

31The Hutchinson Family will sing tomorrow at William Haslem’s

 

April 1861 Visits to greenhouses, letters, housework, gardening, illness, Civil War news

3 Mother Paxson and Mother Bushong to Sadsbury Meeting

4 Mother brought roses from Brinton’s greenhouse

5 Mother and others to Coopersville store and Brinton greenhouse

6 Letter from Marion from Richmond, no mention of return home

9 Death of Robert Patterson, March 31

11 Moved to basement kitchen

14 Went to Grandmother Paxson’s …she is failing

17 Death of Thomas Matthew’s father

18 Great excitement about the evacuation of Fort Sumpter

19 Made soap

20 Small party at mother’s….Edith can’t go because Gilbert has a bad headache

22 War has in reality commenced…..all unite in doing all they can to protect the Union and the Constitution

23 Talked to friends who had been in Lancaster about war news…very little known about southern folk and what they are about

24 Went to Lancaster with Mother and Gilbert ….took carpet rags to prison to be woven…much excitement….3,000 soldiers there and ore expected from Harrisburg this week

25 Edith writes that the farmer’s life is the happiest, most contented and pleasant of all vocations…got 400 herring this afternoon ….not feeling well, tired

27 Went visiting with mother…pain in back and limbs

 

May 1861 Visits and visitors, war activities, gardening, quilting, spring cleaning, sewing

1 Colt born and lost little mule found

4 Thomas went to muster at Georgetown…Old Levi Pierce is company captain

7-8 Quilted and company helped

11 Edith describes new spring growth …to Brinton’s greenhouse in Christiana

12 Bids are singing praises to God

18 Frankie is 3 years old

19 Five years today that Cal left home with her husband to dwell in a distant land….Aunt Catherine Gilbert came

20 Mother and Gilbert to Lancaster to get carpet from the prison 22 yards at 28 cents per yard

21 Sent letters to Cousin Addie White and Marion by Alvin to Christiana…got one from Edie Hauser who is teaching in Wakefield

23 Gilbert took mother to railroad for visit to Philadelphia…cut new carpet and bound 4 pieces…tired

25 Heard of death of Cousin Matilda Paxson yesterday

26 Went to funeral at Penn Hill and Uncle E. Pickering’s

27 Tracy and her cousin Howard W. Gilbert came…he told of European travels…Edith describes her thoughts about him

28 Gilbert and Pusey at railroad for mother’s goods

29 Very unwell …must work it off…put down carpet and fixed up little kitchen

 

June 1861 Housework, gardening, visiting and visitors, shopping, barn raisings, war events, sewing, farm work

2 Took 2 1/2 hour horseback ride with Gilbert…much company in afternoon

4 Gilbert and others to Bird-in-Hand for lumber

5 To Uncle Valentine’s by 2 horse wagon…stopped for business at Penningtonville and Christiana

6 Uncle Valentine gave us a family made cheese press

7 Pap and mother to Chester County …two barn raisings

8 Gilbert and others went to see the Mount Pleasant Company drill

11 Made a cheese for the first time this summer

Jael Jones and Abama Gilbert came…Jael’s little boy is 4 weeks old and not named…Thomas Matthews left 3 weeks ago…maybe to Philadelphia to enlist

15 Eden Rangers met to drill on our meadow….rode to get medicine for Aunt Betsy

16 Went with others to see Grandmother….very poorly…bedridden …28 for dinner

20 Baby Marion 15 months old

24 Picked cherries and made cheeses

30 Spent all day with mother ….first time in a long time…Alicia Lamborne there from Minneapolis who lives in sight of Cal…could tell us all about her

 

July 1861 Housework, preserving fruit, farm work, visitors and visiting, illness/death

1 Gilbert brought a letter from Addie White in Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana

4 Birthday of our Independence…stayed at home working

5 Took Frankie to Penningtonville to have 3 teeth drawn

6 Letter from Edie H. teaching at Penn Hill, Little Britain

7 Uncle Alvin Eavensham wife very ill, staying with her father ….four little babies with no mother

11 Ester Whitson very poorly…Charlie unwell…bowels and brain affected….gave injections, bathed in mustard water….mustard on wrists and ankles

12 Charlie better, Frankie unwell

13 Letter from Grandmother White…80 years old…Mother had post office at her store again

19 Mother and I made a draft of the new orchard…went to Coopersville

23 Went to visit Aunt M.H. and found her in a poor condition …visited Tish Carter while there

26 Much to do when returned home…Connie and Ester Rakestraw visit and stayed the night …tired

27 Have to entertain and wait on company…they visited elsewhere but came back to spend the night29 Irene came for me to go to Quarryville with her to take the examination of Teachers for the Public Schools….17 teachers there …Edie will be at Penn Hill and has applied to board with us

31 Harvest over …mother, baby and I started to Sadsbury to visit Martha Ellen Eavensham

 

August 1861 War events, visits and visitors, housework, illness, letters, preserving fruit

3 Joe Hunter came from camp in full uniform

9. Got word of Cousin Martha Ellen’s death yesterday

11 Esie and Aunt Whitson are boarding at Hardings…will start their school there

18 Letter from Marion…she is still in Indiana

19 Brought Cousin Rebecca valentine here…went to Gap for muslin, stopped at William Eckhart’s grave and copied monument engraving

23 Had a circle…others came …had a communication from Martha Ellen

31 Large convention at Christiana …many were there ….saw old friends

 

September 1861 Death, farm work, visits and visitors, preserving fruit, sewing

2 Emerson Jones’s little Maggie died

20 Went to Chester County to visit John Bushong and Caroline Morrison …Mary Bushong very sick…stayed until 22nd

29 Pap back from Chester County…family there still sick

 

October 1861 Housework, farm work, visits and visiting, death

1 Charlie’s 5th birthday

2 Peter and Mattie Stauffer here….men finish threshing

4 Gilbert and I to Georgetown and Gap with hams to sell….got 14 cents a pound

6 Mary was 19 today

8 Election Day….went to Quarryville to vote

13 Got news of Mary Bushong’s death

14 Funeral described

18 Rakestraws here …mother to Lancaster to see about sore in her breast

21 Went to Zook’s factory at Gap with others

24 Went to Factory this afternoon ….took Mother Paxson…rode in new carriage for the first time

 

November 1861 Housework, illness, death

1 Busy week made 479 candles and 2 barrels of applesauce….Charlie unwell…Edith feels used up

3 Charlie still unwell….Aunt Martha died of typhoid fever

11 Very long entry about the death and burial of Frankie ( Francis Elwood) at 3 years,2 months and 22 days old…. Also includes a communication from the spirit world

12 All entries for the rest of the month include grieving for Frankie…would not wish him back….Gilbert and Marion not well

13 Hopes Frankie’s spirit will help her when she dies

14 Visitors

15 Gilbert kind in their first sorrow

16 Visitors

17 Visitors….long dreary week…wishes Frankie’s spirit would return ….write a poem

18 Heard of another Child’s death from diphtheria

19 Gilbert out for the first time…to mother’s …sore throat…wrote to Cal

20 Little Marion 20 months old…went to mother’s

22 Mother has doctor…diphtheria and bad cold

24 Edith not well

25 Looking over Frankie’s clothes…will do someone good

27 Wants to hear from Frankie again…appeals to God

29 To Lancaster with Gilbert to get pictures of Frankie…bought things for other children

 

December 1861 Edith continues to grieve frequently, visiting and visitors, butchering

7 Went to Jacob’s to use sewing machine….visited Frankie’s grave on the way home

8 Feels Frankie is near her ….hopes he will come often

16 Helped was for the first time…Uncle Francis and Aunt Mary Valentine come

17 Good visit with Aunt Mary who has sorrow too…maybe can learn from her

20 Went to Penningtonville in two-horse wagon….got a load of earthenware

25 Small Christmas party at Harding’s but Edith didn’t enjoy it

29 Went to Margaret Bushong’s and had a circle…some writing was done …from father and Frankie to Edith

31 Last day of the year…Edith writes a thoughtful entry about Frankie’s death

 

1862

January 1862 illness, letters, butchering, visiting

12 First entry for the new year…Edith has been ill with inflammation of the

bowels and has been in bed

16 Went to Uncle Gilbert’s and heard of Mercer Whitson’s sudden death…Gilbert unwell with a headache…letter from Marion who has chosen a husband

19 First day…Mercer’s funeral…Gilbert unwell…letter from Caroline…Edith wonders why people cling to life and don’t want change

21 Gilbert still unwell and confined to the house…..Edith wonders about the afterlife…will she still be Frankie’s mother ?

 

February 1862 Visits and visitors, sales, communication with spirits, housework, deaths

8 Not well for 2 days but went to Farmers Practical Association meeting

9 Mother to Bart Meeting …Edith home with children…felt father and Frankie had come

12 Gilbert and his father to David Myers sale…a little circle in the evening…Ezra Webster’s spirit was with us

13 Went to mother’s with children …..some writing…Edith from father and Frankie…she thinks it is a beautiful belief

19 To Lancaster with Mother and Gilbert …took sewing to do on Mary’s sewing machine

20 Samuel King sale

22 Reese Eavensham brought news of the death of Jerry Cooper’s youngest child

27 Went to Cooperville store with Pusey…sold butter…..heard of Grandma Paxson’s death in her 79th year

28 Grandma Paxson buried at Eastland Meeting…met Rebecca Pattison and heard her sorrows…Rachel gone from this world and left four children and Francis lies beneath prairie grass had gone to Kansas and Pike’s Peak to make a fortune and left a wife and two children

 

March 1862 Sales, visitors and visits, gardening, spirit communication, visit to former home, sewing and housework, farm work

1 Helped with the sale at Jacob’s

6 John Bryson and Mary Evans were married…Edith has work to do and is tired

9 Gilbert is very sick with a headache

11 Bluebirds in the trees sing as if there were no sorrow or death

12 Hopes spring will restore her usual health and strength

13 Edward and Alicia Sanborn from Minneapolis are at mother’s

18 Bluebirds singing…life beautiful on earth…how much more beautiful in the home the spirits speak of

19 Margaret Bushong and Hannah Gilbert here…had a little circle and one of mother’s spirit doctors wrote to her through Margaret…hopes he may cure her     of the dread disease she thinks she may soon have

20 Went to Little Britain with Pap and Gilbert Visited the places where she grew up

21 Little Marion 2 years old

23 Mother Paxson here and had a little in the evening

27 Gilbert, mother and I to Christiana in the carriage …Pusey in 2 horse wagon…took mother’s trade…Edith sold butter for 16cents a pound

 

April 1862 Concert, toothache, letters, war death

1 Concert at Georgetown

2 Edith had a tooth removed

5 Heard that Addie had lost her dear friend in the army

No more entries until the next book which begins on April 6.

There are 38 more pages in this book …they contain poetry and communications from the spirit world….some are dated

Poem: (3 pages long) entitled “Our Sainted Sister”, written by E. Kent on the death of Mary Bushong

Series of writings by Amos Gilbert….the first is dated August 13, 1861

An unsigned poem entitled “Little Nellie’s Waking Up”

Writing by Mary Gilbert on the death of Mary Bushong at the home of her father John Bushong on October 13,1861 from Pulmonary Consumption

Copy of a portion of a letter to Gilbert from Esther Albright about his forefathers dated January 31, 1859, from Petersburg, Perry County

A poem written by Grandmother White to M. H. Pickering on her 36^th birthday…from Richmond, Indiana, February 14, 1861and copied on March 21, 1861

Lines composed by Amos Gilbert on the death of George Gilbert son of J. H. and Hannah Gilbert who left on the evening of the 18th of October 1859

Poem: “The Martyrdom of John Brown on The Virginia Scaffold” by Dean

Saturday evening, February 2, 1861 A beautiful thought   unsigned

Poem: To my little niece on her ninth birthday signed by Maude Mil

Communications from Mary Bushong medium from the spirit world, December 29, 1861 and February 10, 1862….with messages from Frankie

Communication to Edith from her father

April 6, 1862 Communications written by Margaret Bushong, medium

June 3, 1862 Communications from Frankie and Mary Bushong

June 4, 1862 Communications from O Dingee and James Paxson to his son

June 8, 1862 Communication to Elizabeth from her grandfather, J. Kinsey

Communication from Jesse G. Bushong to his brother

Frankie communicates to his mama through M. Bushong, medium, January 1,1863

Elizabeth’s father, E. Kent communicates to her through E. K. B. Medium

Question: communication by E. M. Paxson. Medium

Communication to Caroline Gilbert from Mary Bushong, April 21,1862, also to Edith

Communication from Mary Bushong to her father

Communication from Frankie to his mama through Margaret Bushong with caresses

February 22, 1863 from a spirit friend

Communication from Gainer Moore no date

 

Folder 3 6 April 1862 – 4 June 1864

April 1862 continued Gardening, visitors, quilting, sewing

6 A circle met and Frankie spoke…Edith wants to believe

11 Sold butter…bought herring

12 Unwell for days…letter from Cal War news, 2 day battle

13 Visitors…a circle with communication from Merce Whitson and Grandfather White

16 Family to Lancaster to visit those going to Minnesota….pictures sent to Cal

20 Circle

22 Irene’s 17th birthday

27 Carrie R. home from Sharon were she was teaching at boarding school

30 Mother very ill

 

May 1862 Visits, house cleaning, sewing, gardening, war news

3 Mother to Philadelphia

4 Unsuccessful circle

6 To Christiana with Gilbert to greenhouse

11 Went to Jacob Gilberts

16 Visited Garrettsons…Hannah and Aquilla ill

19 Got a new girl this morning

23 Vince Kent badly hurt at Heidelbaugh’s lime kiln

26 Bad war news…rebels pushed back troops at Harper’s Ferry

28 Pop took Caroline’s and our wool to the factory

 

June 1862 Housework, farm work, gardening, deaths, circles

1 Wrote Cousin Addie White in Keokuk, Iowa…visited Vince, doctor will remove fingers…heard of Joe Sutter’s death

2 Saw friends from Britain at Joe’s funeral

3 Heard of Maggie Pennock’s death

8 Interesting circle…many communications

11 To Oxford for medicine from doctor…May have slightly diseased lung

12 Mother wants to come home from Uncle Francis’s …Gilbert has a sick headache

15 Met at Jacob’s for a circle for Caroline who heard from her mother

21 Much company for tea….some remained overnight

26 Eliza McGill to have Edith sew for her

29 Unsuccessful circle

30 Edith wonders about next year at this time

 

July 1862 Processing fruit, visitors from Richmond, circles, farm work

4 Edith writes a lengthy entry about war news near Richmond

6 Circle at mother’s…communications from Mary Bushong and Frankie

8 Went to store at Gap

9 Letter from Marion in Richmond…Uncle Ben and Grandmother White will soon come East

10 Letter from Addie White whose loved one died of typhoid fever in the army in Nashville, Tennessee

12 Letter from sister Cal

13 Circle..first time Grandma to Edith’s house

18 Large group of women cut clothes and bandages for the army

19 Went to school examinations at Greentree with Uncle Ben and Irene

21 Edith and others to Octorora Relief Association Meeting…Edith joined clothing committee

22 Edith and Margaret Bushong bought material in Georgetown to make up for wounded and sick soldiers

23 Went to school examinations in Quarryville …little Marion maybe getting whooping cough

24 Committee met and packed 4 boxes of fruit and clothing

25 Overnight guests…Marion unwell

27 Both children sick

31 Went to Gap with children

 

August 1862 War news, circles, visitors, visits

2 Went to Oxford to doctor and visited Mrs. Kennedy whose husband went to the army as a surgeon after which their little girl died

3 Matilda Whitson and Thomas Moses at mother’s for a circle

No entry until…

9 Overnight at Uncle Francis

16 War news not encouraging …prospect of more men being drafted

19 Many visitors…took material to Matilda Whitson’s where cutting out committee was meeting

20 Letter from Cal…Wash has enlisted for 9 months to avoid the draft…Cal and little Flora will come East

24 Successful circle at mother’s this morning…visiting in afternoon

25 Gilbert to railroad with oats brought home coal

27 Margaret and Edith canned 2 gallons of tomatoes for the soldiers

28 War news unfavorable

31 Gilbert no well Edith reading and letter writing

 

September 1862 Circles, war news and activity, death, visitors

1 Martha McClintick’s little boy died from internal injuries due to a fall

2 Relatives came and helped the clothing committee

3 Took visitors to Jacob’s

4 Took visitors to Harding’s

5 Letter from Cal …she will come East soon

7 Interesting circle at mother’s

10 Took visitors to Joshua’s

11Rebels in Hagerstown and Frederick, Maryland….our men have been enlisting in the State Guards …Packing Committee here to tea

13 Gilbert got an examination at Buck to see if he can join the army

14 Packed for 4 boys going to State Guards tomorrow

16 Cutting out committee met as Samuel Goods

19 Elizabeth Webster died of dropsy….Esther Whitson was buried …large funeral…met many friends

21 Took Grandmother White to Uncle E. Pickering’s…..Edith wouldn’t want to live so long

No more entries until ….

October 1862

1 Charlie’s 6th birthday….almost a year since Frankie died….clothing committee here …Edith tired

3 Preserving fruit….doctor came to examine Mary….Edith dreadfully tired

4 Went to Britain to Uncle Elias Pickering’s, Kirk’s store and to visit Tish Carter

No more entries until ….

 

November 1862 War news, visits and visitors

2 Changes taken place….Simmons Coats and John Johns died in accidents (described)…Sister Cal and Flora arrived at mother’s on the 9th…had been away almost 7 years…met other relatives from Richmond…Gilbert and his mother to Chester County

16 Visits from mother and Cal….Grandmother White and Uncle ? to Lancaster to return home

17 Little Edwin very ill at Hardings

18 Attended Society, now secretary

22 Made cider and applesauce

24 Work all done up for the fall

27 Mother left for Philadelphia

30 Edith wonders how long before the rebellion is over….sister Marion has been ill with diphtheria…her Phil has been exchanged …will leave Richmond for Indianapolis

 

December 1862 War news, butchering

1 Attended Society meeting

5 Cousin Jesse Walter was buried at Bart …died from typhoid fever contracted in camp near Washington…a soldier or 9 months ….relatives from funeral stayed overnight

8 Edith feels effects of hard work…tires quickly

10 Butchering ….Cal heard from Wash…he is in Forest City …went with Gilbert and mother to Lancaster …took beef to Steinman’s

12 Were summoned to mother’s but on arrival found Cal the mother of a fine boy

14 To mother’s where Cal had visitors

No more entries until ….

 

1863

January 1863

25 Edith has written a long letter to her brother-in-law, Washington. She then describes the Emancipation Proclamation and the various battles and their outcomes. On the 24th, Mary was taken to Penningtonville to get her temporary teeth.

27 Went to the Society—better turn-out than usual

28 Very bad storm

29 31 Uncle Joshua Gilbert brought news of P. Garrison’s death yesterday…All are busy or sleeping and Edith is alone

 

February 1863

1 Edith writes in detail of William Heaslem’s suicide…also records death of Robert Boone

2 Edith writes in details of the wounds and mistaken medicine of Thomas Matthews who visits

4 Visiting and letters

8 Visitors…some remained overnight

10 Attended our Society

11 Jacob Rockey’s wife buried…Mother and Cal to funeral…brought visitors home

13 Lots of company who stayed overnight

No entries until…

 

March 1863

26 Edith has written several letters to Washington and Harrisburg and records the deaths of old Joseph Hawkes and Phebe Hauches who died of a brain fever. She makes a lengthy entry about the death of sister Marion’s Phil who was carried off the battlefield very ill and suffered six weeks before he died.

 

April 1863

1 Edith records two people moving: Samuel King to the house down the road and Isaac Massey to Martic Twp.

3 Gilbert and Alvin go to Lancaster to buy a new coal stove for Pap and Mother Bushong

5 Edith feels unwell and depressed…she is remembering the past

6 Edith unwell all day…Jacob Whitson and Mary B. Russell married March 25 in Philadelphia

7 Aid Society meeting…Edith appointed president pro tem

8 Mary to Mother’s and Andrew’s Bridge to store…found Abner Davis poorly

9 Gardening…letters

10 Housework and gardening

11 Learned of soldiers bombing/shelling Charlestown…writes of damage to property from war…Edith not well

12 To Mother’s…seems tired and careworn…Gilbert and boys to stream for fish, stayed most of day

13 Edith not well enough to wash…farm work

14 To Jacob’s for garden seed…housework

15 Outdoor work until rain…letters

16 Margaret and Edith to Quarryville to purchase goods for Society, $25.95

17 Pap and Gilbert away all day…business…Henry and Abraham Rakestraw here, Abraham taken ill…relatives came, stayed for the night

18 More relatives…Abraham improving

19 Pap Bushong accompanied Jacob and Margaret to Chester County…Gilbert and boys fishing…Edith reading, writing letters…lecture at Bart but didn’t go…Abraham still there

20 Uncle Amos came…Edith unwell

21 Gilbert took Lydia and Abraham Rakestraw home…Edith went as far as church to attend Society meeting

22 Housework, gardening…letter from brother, Washington…still in Fort Snelling, Minnesota

23 Afternoon at Mother’s…little farm work

24 Housework…packing day for Society…wrote letter to Quartermaster General at Harrisburg, Jacob Riety, Washington

25 Family to Mother Bushong to Uncle Francis Valentine’s at Sadsbury

26 Home from Sadsbury…Mother visited…many cares

27 Housework…to Jacob’s…Hannah Gilbert came after Edith was home

28 Farm work

29 Farm work…letter from Washington to our Aid Society

30 Thanksgiving…no church…Edith unwell…farm work…prayers for the Union to end war

 

May 1863

1 Edith better…visiting…housework…got 50 herring

2 Housework…Marion to Quarryville…traded butter/eggs…Cal, Irene and children to Lamborns in Chester County…letter announcing some donations delayed also in Harrisburg

3 Pasy and Mary to get Mother Bushong…Edith and family to Jesse Gilbert’s for visit, Webster and Matilda Whitson there and Uncle Joshua and girls also home from Sadsbury

4 Mother and I to Hardings for evergreens to plant on little Frankie’s grave

5 Planted trees morning…to Society afternoon

6 Mother Bushong to Harding’s for a week

7 Sewing

8 Housework…Gilbert to Gap…sold dried peaches

9 Housework…helped Mother with dahlias

10 Margaret and Hannah Gilbert here…got 575 herring, quite a job to clean

11 Went to George Hensel’s to purchase for Society…other visits

12 Gardening…making soap

13 To Jacob’s to help Margaret make dress…letters to Society from Jack Ritz…Mother came with little Mary Gilbert for day and night

14 Cleaned garrets…Gilbert farm work

15 Cleaned, churned…Whitewashed and cleaned kitchen…tired…Gilbert and boys hauling stone

16 Mother to City…Mother Bushong and Gilbert to Gap

17 Writes what she hoped day would be, reality was different…fishing…Gilbert working in shop unwashed and unshaven…very unhappy, have looked for Cal and children…have written to G. White and Marion…company came and stayed until tea…Gilbert shaved/dressed

18 Anna King whitewashed fence

19 Went to Society…rode partway when Margaret overtook me…tea at Uncle Joshua’s

20 Spent day with Cal and daughter visiting at Cousin Pennington’s…others also there

21 Gilbert had bad headache in morning

22 Housework…Uncle Amos for night…Took Charles to Quarryville Store…other visitors and visits

23 Shearing finished…little Addie White from Richmond

24 Uncle Amos left…no company until evening

 

June 1863 24 Happenings during month: Abner Davis died; Mary went home and returned; Whitsons, Hannah Gilbert and Mary Cooper to Michigan and Indiana; Elizabeth Gauge in Indiana had two children die of diphtheria; 50+ relatives went to spend the day at Grandpapa Paxson’s, he wasn’t home, had gone to Bucks County; Roland Peart brought news of death of Bell Gilbert at birth of twins; Mary Gilbert, Roland Peart and Cousin Rebecca came to visit (Edith liked Rebecca very much); Henry Morrison very sick; stay overnight

24 visitors

25 Housework…took pants to have Margaret sew on machine…90,000 rebels at border of Pennsylvania ready to invade

26 Edith thanks God for nature

27 Sewing…visitors in evening

28 Mother here all day…Henry B. visited…Rebels still advancing, spare lives and buildings, but take all supplies

29 Rebels on other side of Susquehanna River, burning bridge…visited Uncle Joshua Gilbert…men talking of going to war

30 War News some of company to Peach Bottom…a detachment to Lancaster with suspicious charters…had a circle at Jack’s, some writing/speaking…Rebels falling back from Wrightsville

 

July 1863

1 First battle of Pennsylvania Campaign…General Reynolds killed, body to Lancaster…war more terrible now than when elsewhere

2 Battle still rages in Gettysburg…some people leaving the area

3 Battle still going on…Union has advantage

4 Still fighting in Cumberland Valley…hope peace comes soon

5 Gilbert went to get Father…Mother went with him to see Henry Morrison…visitors in evening

6 Cal home from Britain (two weeks)…visited Mother…visitors

7 House and farm work…prepared currant vinegar for soldiers

8 Went to William Rakestraws to sew for soldiers, 25 ladies and 3 gentleman there…drove two horses home for first time

9 War news more favorable…General Lee retreating, leaving wounded in our care and dead unburied…got glorious news that Vicksburg had surrendered to General Grant…celebrating in Philadelphia

10 Farm and Housework

11 Housework…Cal and children came…Gilbert headache…Mother to Philadelphia

12 Visitors

13 Housework…canning

14 Housework…Society

15 Men drafted from vicinity, Gilbert one of them…went to Quarryville for material for the Society…George Hensel visited Gettysburg…took goods to hospital and from Quarryville Aid Society…Lee on other side of Potomac…our men have Fort Hudson and 2,000 prisoners…took goods to Rakestraw’s to cut out…tired, unwell…Gilbert feeling bad about draft

16 Mother home, gave Edith a photographic image of Father…Letter from Mary Eavenson…Cousin Marvin now in Army

17 Gilbert and Henry Bushong away on draft business…an African American man in Harrisburg agrees to furnish substitutes for $250, Jesse is taking advantage of this…have made 12 pillows for our soldiers

18 Gilbert found African American subs were not taken for white men…sewing at church, 45 women completed 62 garments

19 Went to Jacob’s, spent day sewing and preparing things for wounded soldiers

20 Housework, letters, farm work

21 Harvesting

22 16 people harvesting today, finished

23 Farm work…took donations to Aid Society…letter from Marion…feeling poorly

24 Housework

26 Margaret and Edith worked on report for Society

28 Housework…went to Society

29 Henry, Caroline and Emma Morrison here

30 All went to Mother, when returned there were visitors…Valentines and Gilberts

31 Visiting, visitors…had circle, but no communication from near friends or relatives…housework

 

August 1863

1 Company left…letter from Marion, husband Phil brought to and buried in Richmond, Indiana

2 Visited Uncle Joshua Gilbert…Uncle Amos not well…lecture at Bart, but didn’t attend

3 Hot, farm work…Gilbert bad headache…housework

4 Farm work…Gilbert not well

5 Housework…made cheese…Cal and children visit

6 Visitors…day of Thanksgiving appointment by president

7 Gilbert and Father to Lancaster, paid $300 tax for staying home

8 Uncle Amos not better

9 Walked with Gilbert to stream…letter to Marion

10 Waltons came and brought old Mary Moore from Philadelphia…other visitors for overnight

11 Visiting…took Mary Moore to Jacob’s

12 Housework…visitors

13 Company stayed…cousin Mary and I to factory at Black House to get wool…Quarryville store

14 Guests

15 Up early to go to Lancaster…all day…saw soldiers…Cooper’s hotel to change clothes…arrived home to hear of Uncle Amos death

16 Small funeral for Uncle Amos…had very good circle…several communications…one Uncle Amos, one Thomas Jefferson

17 Housework…to Jacob’s

18 Company then to Harding’s

19 Purchases for Society…not successful circle

20 More purchases at Georgetown…took to Rakestraw’s

21 Housecleaning then to Gap to sell vinegar

22 Cut material…to Joshua’s…visitors

23 To mother’s with children…Leeta very sick…Cal and little ones in Britain

24 Visited mother…Charlie started school…likes it

25 Went to Society…appointed committee to go to Britain Society…Edith on it

26 Arranged to go to Meeting

27 Saw old friends at Meeting…speakers…pleasant day

28 To Mother’s, Leeta not better

29 Dull day

30 Edith doesn’t feel well, home most of day

31 In bed all day…severe headache

 

September 1863

1 Went to Mother’s…Leeta no better

2 Housework…Mary Gilbert came to tell of death of Benjamin Eavenson’s daughter Mary…letter from Britain Aid Society

3 Canning…to Gap with Gilbert and Marion

4 to Mother’s, Leeta much worse…stayed night

5 Housework…visitors all afternoon

6 Company…tried circle…not successful…Leeta no better

7 Housework before company…Mary stayed night…some from city

8 Company still there

9 Pap and Mother to Monthly Meeting…Gilbert and I to store

10 Canning…went to stay with Leeta all night

11 Mother’s all day…not well

12 Unwell…to Jacob’s with Gilbert, a circle

13 Doctors for Leeta, little encouragement for little sister…went for ice, took Laudanum for first time…Edith fainted…face hurts

14 Stayed at Mother’s…Leeta low…no medicine since midnight

15 Went home for the day…then called back…Leeta died

16 Went back to Mother’s…had circle…Leeta and Uncle Amos spoke and others…Gilbert not well

17 Small funeral for Leeta…large Union Meeting at Christiana at Eastland

18 Tired from all excitement…glad Leeta at rest

19 Company…canning…little sister Marion

20 Jesse…covered wagon to go to Meeting at Oxford

21 Farm work

22 Some to large Oxford Meeting…good speakers

23 Busy with peaches…visitors…Cal will go home next week

24 Society meeting…only six there…small circle in evening

25 Still busy with peaches

26 To Quarryville…Mother/Cal making prep. for Cal’s trip home

27 Many visitors for Cal at Mother’s

28 Housework, sewing…to Quarryville for Cal’s purchases

29 Went to Lancaster to see Cal off…others too, shopping and dinner

30 Hopes for peace

 

October 1863

No entries

 

November 1863

8 Beautiful autumn day…funeral of Margaret Heidelbaugh, died of typhoid…Albert unwell…how long war and suffering…Mary Balton not with us now…now Alvin’s sister Matilda (Tillie)…Edie Hanna teaching near Goshen…Henry Bushong going to Unionville Academy…Edith once had a friend there…attended a lecture at Quarryville the 21st, Professor Mills, not very interesting…met later, better pleased

9 Average day

10 Housework…Aid Society…Farm work

11 Visitors H. Bowers here for produce…lists costs

12 Family to Oxford to get Marion’s photo taken, didn’t happen

13 Sarah Rakestraw here on business…Margaret Bushong to invite Edith to club meeting tomorrow

14 Club meeting large and pleasant…party at Sam King’s in evening

15 Pleasant day…Irene here…Mother to Philadelphia. in morning

16 Not well…sewing

17 Housework…Gilbert to RR with oats

18 Aid Society meeting to sew for soldiers…letter from Caroline…Washington on another trip to take food to Indians on reservation…Edith wonders how long they will stay before having to leave

19 Housework

20 Gilbert to Lancaster with apples…got Alvin measured for a pair of pants…Mother and Lizzie Kuhn went to Lizzie’s to see her brother John, first time home in three (3) years…in the army

21 Visited with John…interesting…eager to get back…circle at home in evening…letters from Marion and Addie white with photo

22 Visiting family…circle in evening…Edith wishes she had more faith

23 Marion not well

24 Housework…Aid Society…no one else there

25 Company for the day

26 Sewing…farm work

27 Mother home…farm and housework

28 Edith lots of pain…sewing

29 Family to mother’s…not home

30 Laments war…writes about campaigns

 

December 1863

1 Hauling lime

2 Gilbert’s 27th birthday

3 Farm work

4 Farm work

5 Quarryville with Mother…Irene home from school

6 Mother and Irene for the day

7 Day of butchering…Gilbert not well

8 Pusey to visit Mother in Clearfield County…Eliza Rakestraw commenced teaching at Penn School…Gilbert not well…George Hunter took the pork and a calf to Gap for Hiram Bower to take down to sell…Edith and Tillie processing meat

9 Gilbert still not well, Edith making arrangement to go to the city

10 Edith not enthusiastic about trip…not well…Jacob’s for dinner…gave Edith a photo album

11 To Philadelphia…got to Christiana hour and a half before rain…Sallie’s as far as Paoli…in Philadelphia by 1:00pm…took a car and walked…went to get Edith a cloak after dinner, $13

12 To market…rainy…circle in evening

13 Alvin and Gilbert to Sansom Street Hall for lecture…afternoon to refreshment salon…hospital…wharf where grain is carried to ships…tea…then went to Hall to hear about the Southern Rebellion…Edith still sick

14 Rainy…shopping…in afternoon went to photographers…got bonnet cape stiffened…tea…then Signor Blitz magic show

15 Took car and spent the day at Lydia Ann’s…returned for tea, then a public circle and heard different mediums…Edith enjoyed very much

16 Stayed at home

17 Went to anniversary meeting of Literary Society

18 Went to the Mint and the Cabinet, saw many curiosities…after dinner cousin Mary and I to Blind Asylum to see children working, singing, and playing…did some shopping…went to Academy of Fine Art but closed

19 Edith ready to go home…she and Gilbert to a Spirit Medium…gave much encouragement…saw spirit of little Frankie…shopping…dinner…Navy Yard…saw Rebel Ram Atlanta and other vessels…visitors back at house…a successful circle…Mr. Mosely a medium there

20 Went to the Hall, heard lecture on Astronomy…Edith anxious to get home

21 Didn’t leave the house

22 Edith feels very bad…housework…shopping…then Public Circle, a few words from little Frankie and Leeta

23 Last morning in the city…wishes better weather and feeling better

24 Took train to Valley Forge and rested there for the day and night visiting all the friends and relatives there

25 Christmas…many guests from the city…excellent dinner company stayed all day

26 Day at Uncle Joseph’s…some others to Phoenixville…Edith not well

27 Roland Peart asked us to tea…only a few went…had a circle, Edith wrote communication home at 10:00

28 Too stormy to go to Station…Edith anxious to see Marion

29 Will go home after dinner…other visitors also leaving…then train to Parkesburg after wait at Paoli…family there to meet, stayed overnight

30 Started home after breakfast…Marion a cold…other family well…Mary Risk and Annie Gilbert diphtheria…Mr. Bender died…unpacked…gave out gifts

31 Spent day at home…feeling miserable…sewing only

 

1864

January 1864

1 Busy with housework

2 Some company…Gilbert not well

3 Edith gives Gilbert homeopathic treatment…a lecture at Bart about free colored people…Edith would have gone but couldn’t

4 Sore-throat continues

5 Housework…Gilbert soon better

6 Sewing…letter from Marion

7 Went to Mother’s…maybe sleighing soon

8 Errands by sleigh, Quarryville, New Providence

9 Sewing…prepared goose for tomorrow

10 Visitors…took children sleighing…heard of little Florence Gilbert’s death, 11y.o.

11 Housework…then to Christiana stopping to see little Florence at Omar’s on the way…did business…brief stops on the way home…Edith’s face painful

12 Visitors for night…didn’t go to funeral

13 Face sore…butchering…letter from Cal

14 Visitors…Edith better

15 Housework…Joseph Hunter home from army two weeks

16 To Mother’s, Irene sick…letters

17 Family to Mother’s…Irene better

18 Killed pork today…two men helped…done by supper

19 Processed meat…Aid Society in afternoon…then excellent lecture on abolition at Octorara Church

20 Mother and brother Frankie for evening…others also…tried circle but no spirits came

21 Charlie very sick…Dr. Martin not home

22 Charlie better…housework…visitors and Joe Hunter has a great deal of interesting matter to talk about

23 Tillie and Alvin gone…Edith much work…little Marion not well

24 Visitors…Charlie better…Pap sick

25 Tillie and Alvin back…doctor came, Charlie’s liver and lungs disordered

26 Some visitors to see sick

27 Doctor thinks both patients better…weather makes thoughts of spring

28 Visitors…Cousin Rebecca Valentine will stay awhile…Uncle Joshua’s family will move in spring, they bought John Bushong’s house…John Hunter returns to his regiment

29 Housework…visitors…Charlie better

30 Housework…Christiana with Gilbert…paid $0.48 per yard…first since price of cotton up…Irene home from school

31 Laments war…writes of campaign…visitors during the day

 

February 1864

1 Went to Jacob’s

2 Housework…evening circle about eight people…few communications…Pap better…Marion ill during night

3 Spent day at Harding’s…visitors (family)…letter from brother-in-law Washington Pierce…now at Fort Kingston, Minnesota

4 Cousin Rebecca and I to Jacob’s for a circle…Rebecca heard from Aunt Hannah Valentine

5 Cousin Rebecca left…family came…housework

6 Uncle Joshua’s sale…letter from Pusey Clearfield County…hauling lumber for rafts…$18.00 per month

7 Cousin I. Massy came…bought Abram Rakestraw’s farm…circle at Jacob’s, numerous communications

8 Housework

9 Housework

10 Made 960 candles…Alvin unwell

11 Day at Mother’s spent making supplies for soldiers

12 Funeral of soldier Lewis Kauffman…”Spelling School” at Penn…good home

13 Housework…to Jacob’s…Henry and Caroline there…hopes to recover, probably not

14 Cousin Alice Paxson buried…they were late and didn’t go to cemetery…Doctor coming for Alvin…Edith wonders why she writes the diary

15 Housework…sewing for Gilbert and the fair

16 Interesting meeting at Society

17 Went to Georgetown on Mother’s errand…day of Matilda Watson’s sale…she will be leaving area

18 Went to Jacob’s…had a circle, not too successful…beautiful evening, one must wonder at the quietness and beauty when there is so much strife

19 Housework…then to Bart to hear experiences of war prisons, friend Elwood Griest

20 Went to Lancaster…paid high price for shirting muslin

21 Housework…company for supper…quiet evening

22 Beginning of Lancaster Fair for soldiers

23 Visitors…letter from Rebecca Peart

24 Sewing…letter

25 Sallie Gilbert here…not pleased to be going from Bart to Chester Counties…Gilbert and Alvin to RR to sell car

26 Went to spelling school, enjoyed it

27 To Mother’s for day…Gilbert and Charlie to a sale…Irene home from school

28 Visitors (family)…Pap well

29 Went visiting to Chester County…Caroline getting ready for Wilmington Market next day

 

March 1864

1 To Benjamin Kirk’s for the day, Henry went with us

2 To Carlene’s…then to John Bushong’s and home…made some stops for financial reasons

3 Good sleighing…to Mother’s, Gilbert continued to Quarryville

4 Baking

5 Pap and Mother to Uncle Joshua Gilbert’s

6 Visited by Jesse and Annie Gilbert, probably last visit…Irene very sick…Doctor came and spent the night

7 Housework…Gilbert sitting up with Irene at Mother’s

8 Irene improved

9 Gardening…E. Rakestraw school duties soon over

10 No Entry

11 Went to visit Eliza’s school for a program

12 Mother, Marion, and I to May Hunter’s

13 Went visiting to Little Britain…walked to old home place of friends…Edith notes beauty of nature…if Spiritualism is true, the spirits must hover here

14 Started home…colt only harnessed for second time, left children behind because they were upset…Gilbert headache, Edith driving

15 Went to Society meeting at George Whitson’s, few there…went to Jacob’s in the evening…Henry quite sick

16 Gilbert and Mother to Lancaster, home late…79th PA Regiment came to Lancaster And all business closed for afternoon…those who reenlisted for three years could visit family

17 Made visit with Mother and Charlie to Uncle Joshua’s for probably last time before the move

18 Irene here to visit; talking, sewing…went to visit Jacob’s…Edith stayed night with Henry

19 Hiram Bower here to dinner and take produce…no letters for several weeks

20 last visit to Jesse Gilbert’s…Mary suffering…went to Jacob’s, didn’t stay

21 Trying our new washing machine; worked well, less time and labor

22 Sewing…Uncle Joshua and Mary here for circle…not very successful

23 Henry mending slowly…sores spread over head

24 Sewing and to store with children…other visiting

25 Housework…visiting

26 Edith sick all day, homoeopathic medicine and rest

27 Edith alone and enjoying it…to Pap and Mother’s in evening

28 Washing and gardening

29 Went to help get ready for Uncle Joshua Gilbert’s moving

30 Uncle J. Gilbert has postponed moving for a week due to weather…Edith not well

31 Edith feels miserable…Gilbert and his father to Christiana on business…Mother P. home from city soon…farm work starting

 

April 1864

1 Edith still sick…Gilbert still away with father

2 Edith in bed all day…letters from Washington and Cal, both at Kingston…she soon home to Minneapolis, he doesn’t know where he’ll be sent; tired of Indian warfare, would like another kind of service

3 Visitors for a time then went elsewhere…Mother and Irene here…Edith feeling better

4 Gilbert couldn’t help, horses sick with distemper…he was away all afternoon on business

5 Reading, writing, sewing

6 Got more medicine from doctor who told of death of Margaret Wilson’s child of diphtheria …spent rest of day reading

7 Feeling miserable all day

8 Better today…reading, sewing

9 Able to supervise some gardening…Gilbert sick, headache; Mother came and spent all night…letter from Cousin Rebecca Valentine

10 Feeling better…others busy…wishes her writing would do someone some good

11 Sewing…Gilbert and Alvin to railroad for coal…Hiram Bower here for dinner and produce

12 Spent day in kitchen…Tillie not well…family visitors

13 Sarah Johnson came to substitute for Tillie a few days

14 Went to Quarryville with Gilbert for groceries; prices high…Mother not well…letter from Marion

15 Sewing, housework…went to Mary Hunter’s with Mother and Auntie

16 Farm work..to Mother’s…evening circle at Jacob’s…Henry and Caroline Morrison, and Tillie Wilson…favored with communication

17 Everyone else away…company sales…Henry very ill, maybe not survive summer

18 Housework, gardening

19 Family visitors…gardening, farm work

20 Farm work…sewing and getting ready for cleaning

21 Same as 20th…walked to Mother’s, she’s going to city tomorrow

22 Housework…quilting at Sam King’s

23 Visit from Uncle Joshua and Cousin Mary Gilbert; like their new home in Georgetown, better than expected

24 Found Pusey had come home last night; had been away four months…spent rest of day reading and writing

25 Sewing, letter writing

26 Went to Society, only a few there…completed several articles…Jacob gave me a photo of Uncle Amos…also got a photo album from Pusey

27 Washing, making soap

28 To Mother’s to get bonnet “done up”

29 Housework, soap, farm work…some company

30 Hiram B. here for produce…to Jacob’s…Gilbert took weekly bath…writing letters…Irene walked to Mother’s

 

May 1864

1 Visited Uncle William and family

2 Housework and gardening

3 Housework and gardening…Gilbert and Pusey to Christiana with tobacco…Edith very tired

4 Family to Lancaster…to Henry William’s for dinner…shopping, got Marion’s picture taken

5 Jacob and Mary to West Chester to hear George Thompson, the celebrated abolitionist; Edith would have liked to hear him but didn’t know in time…gardening

6 Edith writes about nature/spring…housework…Mother visits, not well…Irene complains of not feeling well, can’t stand going to school

7 To Christiana with Gilbert to see produce…visiting with friend and family pleasant…got Marion’s photo, better than expected; also Tillie’s

8 Writes about joy of spring…Mother Bushong to Philadelphia…went to Jacob’s and had a circle, good council and kind words

9 Housework…Gilbert and Pap to Christiana…Hiram B. for produce

10 Went to Society…writes about war

11 Cleaned cellar…letters from Cousin Addie White and brother Washington; he is still at Kingston

12 Housework…favorable war news

13 Housework

14 Housework, gardening…Henry Bushong attending wedding of Carrie Rakestraw in Friend Ceremony to John Carter widower with four children—Peter, Mattie and son Jacob for overnight; son John killed in war

15 Had a good circle…Jacob then home…Jessie and Annie Gilbert visit first time from West Chester…anxious about two sons in the war

16 Sewing…took wool to factory…to tailor’s for clothes…Gilbert and Pusey subscribed to Tri-Weekly Press

17 Some visitors in the evening

18 Sewing…men advancing but haven’t taken Richmond

19 Gardening, farm work

20 Edith, Gilbert and Pusey to Lancaster…Dellinger’s for sewing machine, paid $55…met John P. Webb, friend and second cousin who has been in California for ten years…also met family

21 Housework…tired…Mother and Frankie visit…Henry Morrison visit

22 Writes about nature…Irene came…letter writing

23 Washing, sewing

24 Walked to store…Tillie dress/hat…writes about spring

25 Cleaning, Hannah Johnson helped

26 House cleaning

27 Baking…went to Union for Irene…Mother’s for supper

28 Irene and two children to Mother’s for tea…war news a great success (writes details) on the march to Richmond…received John Stauffer’s photos, very good

29 Mother’s for dinner…then to Jacob’s

30 Pap and Anna Bushong here…Edith did sewing on machine for her…then to Jacob’s…made arrangements to go to Longwood Yearly Meeting for Progressive Friends…Edith looking forward to going, wishes Gilbert would go

31 Sewing with Irene and Marion

 

June 1864

1 Finished dress…helped wash carriage for trip…Mother to go with us…to Jacob’s…two good horses to John Bushong’s for supper and overnight…had a circle, one of the best circles; made five communications, some lengthy

2 To Kennett by noon…Sallie without help and not well…helped with dinner, others came…had a circle in the evening but everyone tired

3 To Longwood early…excellent speech by Theodore Gillton from Boston on the war and slavery…another speech read by Alfred H. Love…a song from Hutchinson family…business and other speaker…to Benjamin Kirk for supper….then a concert (detailed in diary)

4 Back to Longwood late…had to stand in forenoon service…one speaker was a well known colored man from Byberry; topic “Freed Men of the South”…William Lloyd Garrison followed…afternoon got seats…heard Mrs. Wilhelm a good speaker on spiritualism and also Miss Annie Dickinson

Diary ends with this entry.

Separate page: One side is a communication from John Stauffer killed during the war; on the reverse is the short note dated December 12, 1863, “Dear Mother, I have come here to be with thee. Frankie.”

Next diary starts with August 25, 1867 and covers only one year.

 

 

Folder 4 25 August 1867–15 August 1868

This diary was written by Edith Bushong and dates from 25 August 1867–15 August 1868. There is a three year gap between this diary and her last, this diary probably continuing from another of unknown whereabouts. Like the other diaries, much of the ink in this diary is faded making the diary difficult to read.

Each entry typically begins with a description of the weather. Both farm and housework is noted as well as visits to and from friends and family. Illnesses and deaths are reported as well as educational activities. Edith includes many of her thoughts and feelings and sometimes writes at great length about them.

In the very front is a newspaper clipping of a song titled “Yes! We Miss Thee [at Home]!” and a small envelope addressed to Anna L. Valentine, a cousin of Edith Bushong. The clipping becomes a very reminiscent theme through this year’s entries as Edith talks about missing family more and more.

 

1867

August 1867

No entries until…

25 Walked to Jacob’s…Edith played croquet for first time, liked it…family visitors at Jacob’s, returned with them

26 House and farm work

27 Housework…Edith reading to Tillie

28 Family visits…letter from Cousin Anna Valentine

29 Family went to Temperance Harvest Home at Crawford’s in Colerain…saw many old friends…likes to go to meetings at Britain or Colerain because of them

30 Housework, canning

31 Hiram Bower’s store afternoon, saw new baby…Pap quite unwell, will be great care

 

September 1867

1 Getting a new girl, Caroline, to replace Tillie for two weeks

2 Processing tomatoes, peaches

3 Williams visited, all went to Mary Hunter’s

4 Gilbert to Kirk’s store then Steeleville…Mrs. Hunter tells Edith that Ezra Webster arrested for forging mother-in-law’s name to $5,000…hard on family and friends

5 Walked to Hopkins…they bury little boy this morning…Hannah a young son born Sunday…Gilbert not well…Edith tired, not much done

6 Housework…Gilbert to factory at Black House…then to James Alexander’s

7 Letters at dinner…in debt to her correspondents, owe them letters…played croquet with friends

8 Went to Jacob’s…Caroline Proctor there…croquet at Jacob’s…visitors overnight, Edith tired and sad

9 Housework

10 Visitors afternoon…Jacob’s evening

11 Farm work…Edith very tired

12 Temperance Meeting at Christiana…speaker not good…band from Coatesville good…two ministers…dinner with Henry and Sue Williams

13 House and farm work

14 Farm work…letters…Cousin Mary’s baby not well

15 Housework…Gilbert to get Tillie…to Jacob’s for croquet

16 House and farm work…men helping…George Winston here…father died in Michigan…Elizabeth going there

17 Men helping with farm work…Edith writing letters…unwell

18 Edith sick all night…helped Margaret Bushong and Irene Holson make a flag for the colored people’s meeting

19 Farm work…Pusey not well, neither Gilbert or Marion…flag to Jacob’s

20 To Steubenville to Hiram Bower’s…fear tomorrow may be dull

21 Meeting at Penningtonville…many there; blacks and whites…a black speaker from Philadelphia and one from Baltimore…white speakers not good…excellent colored band…saw many friends…dinner in grass…Edith writes of colored equality

22 Played croquet at Jacob’s…visitors after supper

23 Gilbert and Julie to Steeleville with hams…farm work…processing fruit

24 Spent day in Lancaster…Pusey still sick

25 House and farm work

26 Processing food

27 Went to Henry Bushong’s…other family there…ten in all to lodge

28 Boys going to Philadelphia…only two returned, worried about other five; some barefoot…but women enjoyed day without men

29 Describes trip home…several stops

30 House and farm work

 

October 1867

1 Charlie’s 11th birthday…Gilbert at Camargo and Black House

2 Gilbert at Christiana getting coal…processing food…Georgetown in evening…Edith not well

3 Farm and Housework…sewing…wonders who will help her next year if Pusey not there

4 To Hiram Bower’s…sold lard/vinegar…Edith sick with cold

5 Family to Uncle Elias Pickering’s…stayed overnight

6 Home from Uncle’s

7 House and farm work…children at school

8 Housework…letters

9 Pickling…letter from Cal, enjoying life

10 Cleaning…Pusey hauling sugar cane

11 Visit from James Jackson and a minister from Fishing Creek…visit from Uncle Joseph and Aunt Emmaline Valentine…croquet

12 To Christiana…stopped at molasses mill…Henry Williams not well…letter from Marion, Joe’s photo

13 Gilbert to Meeting at Bart…Hamilton Everett and Conrad Fisher here for day…croquet at home and at Jacob’s (a large gathering)

14 Housework…overnight family and visitors

15 To Jesse Gilbert’s and William Whitson’s to see them boil molasses with Uncle Joseph and Aunt Emmaline

16 Food processing…party at Harding Gilbert’s…lists guests…dancing…good violin music…pleasant evening…Edith dreads winter

17 Fireman’s Parade in Lancaster…young people went…Jimmie not well…invited them to visit in Ohio

18 Christiana to Bower’s…farm work

19 Seventy-two bushels of wheat to Christiana…quiet evening…Edith wonders about her writing

20 Alvin and Frankie Paxson…several games of croquet

21 Butchering…vinegar to Hiram Bower’s…sewing

22 Housework…letters…weather spoiled party

23 House and farm work…funeral at New Garden, Edith didn’t go…last night here for Pusey

24 Edith writes about bad feelings between Gilbert and Pusey; he may go to Clearfield County…then Illinois

25 Pusey gets clothes…will live with Uncle Benjamin Gilbert until he goes west…Edith sad to see him go…thought of him as family…Gilbert to Christiana with calf

26 Farm work…misses Pusey…Augustus Withers killed in carriage accident, leaves four children…Pusey got rest of belongings…Gilbert paid off

27 Tillie went to colored people’s Meeting at Heilltown…Edith sad; eight less of family than last year…went to Heilltown, no speaker…to Jacob’s after supper

28 Went to Wither’s funeral

29 Food processing…Gilbert took kids to school and back…death of little Elwood Eavenson

30 Eavenson funeral, five years old, ill several weeks…few mourners…some from Philadelphia…Hiram Bower’s dinner/business…tea at Reese’s

31 Made applesauce with molasses instead of cider

 

November 1867

1Housework, sore throat

2 To New Providence to cabinet makers for dish bench

3 Visits…Edith sad, must accept what can’t change…unwell

4 Butchering…housework…Tillie’s 22nd birthday

5 To Christiana…supper guest, Hannah Hopkins…scouring tin ware and blackening coal stove

6 Housecleaning and whitewashing…Cousin Anna Valentine worried about Pusey…Stanton Hopkins boarding here/to school

7 Visit from traveling friends…Rachel Hicks from Long Island with Mary Field and husband…farm and housework…work almost done for fall

8 Housework

9 Went to Harding’s…men to Lancaster…hard rain…Edith spent night, no letters

10 Writes about smallness of family…evening at Jerry Cooper’s

11 Farm work…took butter to sell to H. Bushong’s…found Irene in bed with new baby girl…Mother is nurse…Caroline Gilbert also…storm on way home…stayed at Uncle Joshua Gilbert’s

12 Housework…visitors (family)…went to McGlaughlin’s Auction…bad headache

13 Housework…got letter…cleaning

14 Cleaning…churning, baking, sewing

15 Describes a party at John Miller’s and its attendees

16 Lancaster to shop for material for dress and cloak…got collar and muff from old cape…letter from Mother, Irene, etc well

17 Visiting…saw Pusey…Marion with me…visitors…played a game of Author’s…wrote letter…family only five members

18 To Christiana…Gilbert business…Edith visited…also on way home, H. Bower’s for dinner

19 Ironing…farm work…Gilbert to Christiana to sell oats

20 Sewing…visit to Penn School…letter and photo from Cousin Anna Valentine…killed beef cattle, sold quarters

21 Took butcher products to Hiram Bower’s…sewing

22 Made shirt…visited

23 Rakestraws brought Pap Bushong home…letter from sister Cal…sixteen-seventeen other guests

24 Dinner at Jacob’s…croquet…wrote letters

25 Gilbert and Edith to Lancaster…rode one horse…got cape/muff…visited for dinner

26 Visited Rakestraws today

27 Housework…Gilbert to Camargo Mill at Zook’s factory…brought new sink…my Mother and my intended father came, Daniel Bonsall…after dinner took horse and carriage to Uncle B. Gilbert’s…very pleasant

28 A member of the family going to Montgomery County to visit Uncle Joseph Valentine…overnight at Uncle Francis V.’s…not Edith and Gilbert

29 Housework…Gilbert took pork to railroad…some family visiting…Mother and Daniel spent night

30 Went to Jacob Bushong’s…then started for H. Bushong’s…Edith says Mother happy…wishes her well…to another store, cheaper

 

December 1867

1 No company…reading/writing

2 Washing…Tillie heard about Montgomery County trip from Pusey…Anna Roberts died November…Poland Peart not expected to live

3 Sewing…visit for dinner

4 Sewing…no letters…tea at Omar Gilbert’s

5 To H. Bushong’s for Mother’s wedding by Friends Ceremony…lists guests…good supper…Irene and baby Anna well

6 Storm on way home, stayed at Uncle Joshua’s all night

7 Returned home…some family had overnight

8 Lists chores done…took wedding cake to Omar’s…guests…heard of Roland Peart’s death

9 Housework

10 Group of men butchering…Edith and another woman helped

11 Got several letters and went visiting

12 Lancaster to shop…dinner by 7pm

13 Finished butchering…cold in basement

14 Sleigh to Steeleville…Gilbert took the boys and Edith’s brothers Frank and Joey…Edith took dinner at H. Bower’s…visit to Emma Jane for quilting party with her and five sisters

15 Snowing all day…reading aloud…writing…sleigh…visitors in evening

16 Finished butchering

17 Housework

18 Moved working stone to what used to be Mother’s sitting room…now a kitchen…will keep house warmer

19 Housework…baking

20 Twelfth Wedding Anniversary….Gilbert to Christiana…non-serious sleigh accident…Annie Ferguson to be married to Mr. Woodward from West Chester…visitors there then went home

21 Went to Uncle W. Paxson’s…then onto Thomas Whitson’s by sleigh

22 Weather too bad for church…some visitors while away

23 House visiting

24 Went to Eby’s store to shop…then helped butcher at Jesse Gilbert’s…in two-horse sleigh

25 Christmas…no company…talks about meal…no letters…got a breakfast shawl from Gilbert…sewing…unhappy in afternoon because of no letters

26 Went to Jacob’s…Irene and family came…home after supper

27 Read for guests…Irene and family

28 Took Irene and family visiting…letter from Mother and Joey, all seem happy

29 Visitors…to Jacob’s…returned home…read diaries of 1856 and 1857…evening work…Edith very unhappy with life…tried to do her best, has no opinion

30 Hannah Hopkins helped all day…saw Pusey go up the lane…feels bad about situation…must pass house…home for so long but now not welcomed

31 Last day of year…changes…Grandfather Paxson died…Mother Bushong at rest, also Anna Bushong…Irene and husband and new baby…Mother has gone to Salem, Ohio with husband and boys…Roland Peart died

 

1868

January 1868

1 New Years day…best not to force future…letter in evening

2 Sewing…Charlie at school

3 Baking…got letters

4 Housework…sewing…Pap Bushong unwell…Edith doesn’t want to live that long

5 Gilbert getting Dr. for Pap…writing letter…visitors in evening…Edith crying in afternoon, “can’t do anything as others want me”

6 Sewing…washing…visitor

7 Going to Uncle Frankie Valentine’s

8 Rainy last night…beautiful on trees…Edith wishes she could paint them for better memory…Gilbert and Uncle walked to Parkesburg…sewing…went to Omar Gilbert’s with Caroline…Jesse Gilbert has bought farm in York County, 160 acres for $4,000

9 Housework…sewing…saw Pusey in lane

10 Housework…sewing…took a bath

11 To Steeleville store to trade…dinner at Hiram Bower’s…Cal leads a much different life…many friends…large parties during holidays…church two times on Sunday…Edith wants to visit them

12 Home all day…no company…reread diary, 1861…not much change for Edith…family smaller, doesn’t like it…reading…new kitchen comfortable

13 Housework…sewing

14 New bedstead came and Tillie’s washstand…cutting carpet…32nd birthday…wishes she were better person

15 Same as yesterday…letter from Grandmother White

16 Sewing…cutting carpet…letter to Cal

17 Lancaster…Barr’s Bookstore…Harper’s Magazine and paper…to David Bear’s Dry Goods…dress for Marion and mat for Edith…dinner at Jonathan Sprecher’s…went with Uncle John Bushong to John B. Livingston’s office to get legacy from Aunt Betsy Bushong, $155.18 plus old fashioned silver dollar…29 heirs, many there…John B. came home with us for night

18 Visitors here…then to Jacob’s…letter from Mother and enclosure from sister Marion who is visiting her…also sent book…mending all evening…bill from soap ordered from Alvin Eavenson

19 Henry Bushong here, wanted Edith to go for a week…other visitors, family…Edith should have written letters

20 Housework…cutting carpet

21 Cutting carpet for rags and quilt

22 Visiting…hauling clover seed…apples to Aunt Hannah…Pusey going to Ohio soon

23 Sewing…Alvin came to take me to Irene’s…her baby is very sick, has spasms…Doctor came, no better…no nourishment…up all night

24 Worse next day…sent for Dr. McClug from West Grove who left medicine

25 Doctor says no worse…previous Doctor called, told them got another…Alvin and Edith to Penn Station…visitors to see baby…up all night

26 Doctor called, thinks baby is better, no spasms lately…returned home

27 Housework…cut carpet…while at supper Alvin came to say baby died…Irene not prepared…baby safe, in better land…wrote to Mother and Grandmother

28 Went to tailor’s…then to Irene’s…baby looked peaceful…got flowers from greenhouse for hand…had circle after supper…all communication about baby’s death…glad to have her with them

29 Small funeral due to storm…went to Homeville Meeting House, warm inside (describes funeral)…trade on way home

30 Spent day cutting carpet

31 Gilbert to Strasburg…dropped Edith off to visit Anna Withers…then to Quarryville to George Hensel’s…sleighing very good

 

February 1868

1 Gilbert and Edith to Penningtonville to have dental work done…visited relatives in the area…returned home after supper…good sleighing

2 Cut Gilbert’s hair…read book Decent Home…Edith is sad in afternoon about family changes

3 Good sleighing…to dentist in Penningtonville…to Christiana…home…building being surveyed for Lancaster County Mutual Insurance Company…Pap insured other buildings…Gilbert to Coppermine with a load of hay

4 no entry

5 Sewing…one week ago Anna buried baby…haven’t heard from Irene

6 Sleighing

7 Sewing…Tillie went to a party at Coopers Factory

8 Sleighing…evening disagreeable…family company for night

9 Company very enjoyable, left after dinner…letter from Cal…have written many return letters

10 Irene and Henry visit Anna…still mourning daughter

11 Went to Steeleville with butter and eggs…Gilbert and Hiram settle accounts

12 Still good sleighing…letters…one from Mother…auction, no purchases

13 Quilting…Peter and Mattie Stauffer visit

14 Housework…cutting carpet rags…tired

15 Housework…Mavis Barton visits, all night

16 Mavis and Tillie to Chester County…wrote Mother…visited family…Jesse going west soon

17 Boys from school…someone broke into schoolhouse, several times

18 Quilting Pusey’s quilt…Mavis and Tillie home…Edith bad headache

19 Penningtonville to dentist, four filled and four extracted…tore dress getting off carriage

20 Visiting…was spent to Hardings…little Hugh very sick, Hannah ill also…Edith spent night…better morning

21 Housework…quilting…visitors

22 Baking…quilting…had headache…cried hard

23 Wrote letters…read

24 Took produce to Hiram’s…sale at Wilson’s…best friends and relatives there

25 Cutting carpet

26 Quilting…took calf to Christiana…Gilbert took boys to school

27 Cut carpet rags…have 30lbs…visitors…headache

28 Sleighing excursion…cutting carpet

29 Dentist with Sue Williams…five teeth extracted…cousins and children visiting when arrived home

 

March 1868

1 Visits/visitors…Pusey will go to Ohio on the 16th…hopes he will prosper

2 Quilted…cut carpet rags

3 Quilted…cut carpet rags…boys to school…visitors…snow bad

4 Visitors, Bard and Jesse…letter from Marion

5 Gilbert’s colored man came…hired for nine months at $18 per month

6 Steeleville with produce…dinner…then exhibition at Esther’s

7 To Georgetown to get girl, Martha Roberts…colored hired for $2 per week…[Lacy] Gilbert very sick but not enough to sit with her for night…gave Pusey quilt, he gave her $5 to buy something for self

8 Pap’s 85th birthday…baths and hair wash…John Hunter married, wished well

9 To dentist…visited relatives

10 Found [Lacy] Gilbert had child, hadn’t known of it for sure…very upsetting to family…cut carpet

11 Visitor…Pusey still here

12 Pusey gone to Philadelphia…will visit…visited Jesse Gilbert…music

13 Baking

14 Finished Pusey quilt…Edwin from school yesterday…visiting

15 Henry and Irene here…Pusey bade good-bye…tells his route

16 Sold cow/calf…dental work done…Pusey on train

17 Carpet squares…housework

18 Produce to Hiram Bower’s

19 Worked on summer butter, 43lbs…77lbs of tallow…other farm work…replaced broken meat plate for Mary Hunter

20 Little Marion 8 years old…to Chester County…roads bad, missed train

21 No trains running…sewing

22 Boring day…roads still bad

23 Gilbert’s face blistered from shoveling snow

24 Traded horses at West Grove…then to Kennett, visited Sally and Ben

25 Sally not well…maybe last time see her…went to dress…made train late due to weather…got to Henry Slate’s

26 Fifth day away…anxious to get back…bad roads…visited Uncle Joshua…visitors when got home

27 Housework

28 Making room rearrangements to accommodate next girl Martha Roberts…Gilbert brought her…Tillie left…Edith hopes no more change

29 Martha learning chores…Edith reading magazine…writing letters

30 Housework…Tillie visiting…Edith went to help Mary Hunter pack sewing

31 Readying for trip to Quarryville…butter to Christiana…very tired

 

April 1868

1 To Lancaster…Gilbert borrowing money to pay off Mrs. Anne Sproul, not arranged until evening…spent night in town at friends new home

2 Not home until afternoon…visits and weather…Tillie helping Mary Hunter…Edith had three letters waiting for her…Gilbert not well

3 Helped Annie Gilbert all day…Gilbert to pay mortgage…Sam Hopkins’ little boy died, Gilbert went to go buy coffin

4 Edith visited family and quilted

5 Hopkins’ baby funeral, second child died…Edith took small bouquet for tiny hand…Tillie and Mavis leaving…Mavis gave Edith his photo…thinks him a good man…sad about family changes

6 House and farm work…Jesse Gilbert left

7 Housework

8 Took butter and eggs to Christiana…took bonnets to milliner’s…Marion shoes…Edith dress goods…Gilbert bad headache…letters

9 Went to carpet weaver’s in Strasburg…Edith visited and Gilbert to smith shop

10 On 5th day of month John Slater (colored man) died…Martha and James went there

11 Sewing…man here to rent house from Gilbert

12 James home to see sick father…rode cart…Henry and Irene came…stayed at Jacob’s for night because of storm

13 To Christiana for coal and superphosphates

14 Sewing

15 Marion called on way to school…she started yesterday to Thebe Hobson…good letter from mother

16 To Steeleville…thinks about this day a year ago…children at school

17 Housework, baking

18 To Lancaster…bad roads…took flax and tow yarn to be woven into table diaper…weaver Mrs. Kemp said enough for ten yards…bought cloak, new clothes

19 Dull day…reading…wrote Mother…no visitors until afternoon

20 Sewing, cleaning…change in family…writes about past year…never be together again

21 James took children to school…Gilbert, Edith and Susan Williams to Christiana…got new hat and ordered new bonnet at Miss [Herey’s]…wanted to see dressmaker but she had gone to Penningtonville

22 Irene 23 years old…washing…Gilbert at Camargo Mills…farm work…three letters …Sue sewing pants for her Frank

23 Garden work…visited Mary Hunter…Mary busy whitewashing but stayed for dinner

24 Housework, sewing

25 Sewing…farm produce selling prices higher

26 Spring late…wonders who will ever read diary…visits…friend’s husband working away, family looks lonely…hopes this doesn’t happen to her

27 Latham moved into tenant house…farm work

28 To Steeleville and Christiana…left dress at dressmakers

29 Breaking in horses, Gilbert hurt hand

30 Sue Williams and Harry to Lancaster…Esther Rakestraw’s wedding day…married Dr. Joseph Houston in Friends Ceremony…he a widower with four children…Marion is to marry Joseph N….Edith remembers her first love and hopes she will be happy

 

May 1868

1 House and farm work, gardening

2 Gilbert’s hands sore…to doctor in Georgetown, not home…to doctor in Christiana…no bones out of place…got dress, $2.00

3 Edith’s girl went home…Edith did not work…she and Gilbert to Jacob’s…Mary letter from Mother, unwell but planning summer trip to Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan …Pusey visited, he is well…Edith reminisced about last year…wants to see Mother badly

4 Took rags and chain to Strasburg…to Lancaster to find Sue Williams…didn’t wish to come home…visiting Edith, sick on way home

5 Soap making…other chores…sewing

6 Men went to Corbit’s Plaster hill and got a ton of plaster…Edith Housework…sewing…letter from Anna Gilbert…pleased with York County…Mother not well, no letter

7 Sold eggs…shoed horses in Christiana…wrote letters

8 Housework…Gilbert took his father for a visit

9 Family went to Uncle Francis Valentine’s…visited with family and friends, some from Britain

10 Returned home…picked up Jesse Gilbert…supper at Hunter’s

11 Housework

12 Farm work…planning trip to Philadelphia.

13 Traveled in rain to Cousin Lydia Dubill’s…then in evening with Cousin Mary Eavenson to see Ben Valentine and Uncle Joseph who has cancer on face…Aunt Emily not well…other visitors in evening

14 Went to Yearly Meeting with Ben/Charlie…nice time…no visiting due to rain

15 Shopping…sewing

16 Shopping…spent night at Cousin Alvin’s new house

17 Went to Meeting and spent day at Alvin’s

18 Visited other friends…some not seen for a long time…one lived across from Gerard College…spent night with friends (Lovetts)

19 Spent night at Slack’s…John Bushong said Sallie Rich very low…letter from home, all well

20 To market and concert at the Blind Asylum…describes some of the children

21 At Uncle Jones…describes Maggie…continues to stay at Uncle Jones, plans trip to Wilmington

22 To Wilmington by boat…dinner at John Scott’s…then to cemetery to witness burial of Odd Fellow and Mason

23 Visited…then returned by the train to Philadelphia…then car to Uncle Jones after dark

24 Visitors…then to Cousin Albin’s for the night

25 Went shopping…market street…green lounge…garters for Marion…groceries…many visitors…visited Lovetts…she played piano

26 Went to visit another cousin who was tending a sick friend…then went to Academy of Science…Uncle’s for tea and to Cousin Lydia’s to say goodbye…good trip but Edith glad to go home

27 Goodbyes…home by noon…remembers those who welcomed them home last year…Pusey and Mother…many welcome letter awaiting

28 Cleaned garret with Martha

29 Housework…Gilbert took Sue and Carrie Williams to Christiana…Edith will miss Sue for a while

30 Cleaned…produce to Steeleville…to Abraham Rakestraw’s…relatives at home for the night

31 Housework…visitors home…Edith reading and writing…lonely for someone of her own family

 

June 1868

1 Washing…tired

2 Cleaned and put down new carpet…wool to factory…wrote letters…tired

3 Cleaned three ovens…sent silk skirt to Emily to have recut

4 Letter from sister Marion, will be married the 16th and will live in Louisville, KY

5 Housework…not feeling well…worked too hard

6 Sewing…drove to Georgetown in evening…letter from Sue Williams, now in Wilmington

7 Martha went home…Phebe Hobson came and washed Edith’s hair…Edith did all work but milking…had visitors and played croquet

8 Washing…sewing…visitors

9 Attended close of Penn School for season…took food…played with children…Gilbert and boys to Georgetown…visitors…tired

10 Spent day at Jacob’s helping to get ready for barn raising…describes food prep for the event

11 Describes amount of food prepared…Edith never saw so much…did own work when went home…tired…Sarah Kirk low, not live much longer

12 Baking…washing…sewing…gardening…thinking of past year…Irene and Henry came in evening

13 Describes eating arrangements for barn raising…got letter from Mother…barn raising well completed

14 To Jacob’s…croquet…home…Gilbert read aloud an article by Henry Ward Beecher

15 Visitors…to Jacob’s with them

16 Started visit to Henry Bushong’s…Pap to Abraham Rakestraw’s, all well…Gilbert and Henry to West Grove…Edith and Marion to John Bushong’s…Penn Station

17 To Uncle Samuel Massey’s…then to university for all colored students…heard good speeches from colored orators…stayed at Henry’s all night

18 Home morning…prepared for market…picked 16 chickens…brought dishes home…relatives visit

19 Preparing to go to Cousin Jesse Gilbert’s…Gilbert calves and chickens to Christiana…took flat boat across river…gifts of clothes to women

20 Went to York Furnace in carriage…took walk…fishing

21 Went visiting to Anna Gilbert and husband’s…livid as before eight acres…got better idea of York County…good ride across the road…stayed all night at Cousin Isaac Massey’s…others there

22 To Lancaster…shopping…posed for family group [photo]…stopped at Strasburg for a our carpet…B. Kirk and Benjamin Carter buried today

23 House and farm work…writing letters…getting lazy

24 Men here for haymaking…canning berries

25 Coopers here from Minnesota…many wanted to see them…could tell about Cal and her home

26 Mending…canning fruit

27 House and farm work…canning strawberries…sewing…Irene and Henry at Jacob’s

28 Martha and James to respective homes…Gilbert reading aloud…Irene and Henry to dinner…croquet

29 Washed…sewed…planted rose

30 Housework…Hannah Hopkins helping…worked harder…sewing…have seven years locusts, killing trees…Edith remembers them before at Oak Shade Little Britain…all were at home, all now scattered and only two left in PA

 

July 1868

1 House and farm work…to Steeleville…dinner at Hiram’s

2 Not well…sewed all day

3 Housework…baking…sewing…Gilbert took 14 gallons of vinegar to Christiana for Nathan Dubree

4 Mother’s 54th birthday…farm work…Martha to Milford’s for funeral tomorrow…to Georgetown

5 Irene and Henry for dinner…then to Jacob’s…other visitors in the evening…wrote letter

6 House and farm work

7 Not well…doesn’t complain much…feels need to keep working

8 Farm work…others help…met others at post office

9 Farm work…mending

10 Farm work…food processing…sewing

11 Lunch for men…making vinegar…farm work…letters…to Christiana to sell potatoes…brought others back

12 Family to Bart Meeting…declined dinner invite…rested…reading…afternoon, no company

13 House and farm work…Martha helping…to Georgetown

14 Food processing…baking…to Steeleville and Christiana…Edith really minds the heat…farm work

15 Five persons doing farm work…housework…made beer…no letters, wonders why sister and Mother don’t write…visitors…complains about heat

16 Farm work…Gilbert and Edith not well…thinks it would be good to be at rest in Heaven…misses loved ones…hopes all troubles will be over

17 Farm work…others helping…housework…made beer…still missing word from family, five weeks since letter from Mother…longer from Cal or Marion

18 Farm work…to dinner…Gilbert killed sheep, had half for dinner…housework

19 Quiet day…no visitors…just family…Pap away

20 Need rain badly…farm work…Charlie letter from Aunt Marion…now in Louisville, KY…was married 16th of July in Salem, Ohio to Joseph E. Newswanger

21 Went to Lancaster with Gilbert and Frank Williams…shopped…got our 70 yards of table linen…$0.40/yard for weaving…got family group photos…good…one year tonight sat the last time with Mother before she left

22 Men finished haying for year…on year this morning Mother Bushong died…Orrick and Edwin spent night, went to get jobs in Christiana

23 Farm work…hope hay will be successful

24 Housework…cut and bound new carpet for parlor…also hung new pictures and put on green felt table

25 Housework…gardening…to Steeleville and Christiana…stopped at new colored people…heard part of speech on colored rights then to Uncle Francis Valentine’s…very poorly…overnight

26 Visited Uncle Francis…Mavis and Tillie Paxson coming next week

27 Housework…gardening…tired

28 Gilbert took 40 bushels to Shultz’s lower mill…got $2.00 per bushel…Martha’s cousin Harriet James and daughters to dinner…others to supper as well

29 Housework…sewing…made beer…no letters…family evening visit

30 House and farm work…sewing…little sleep last night…Gilbert not well…wonders if she will ever see Pusey again…why doesn’t cousin Anna write, is she tired of friendship?

31 House and farm work…sewing…time goes fast…soon old or in graves…feels lonely, Jacob doesn’t come…when Margaret does she is cold and restrained…sorry to have lost their friendship…hopes all pleasant again…low to accomplish

 

August 1868

1 Farm work…no letters…hopes when dies some good by her registered

2 Read aloud to Gilbert by H. W. Beecher…four visitors arrived…stayed until 7:00…pleasant…played croquet…all asleep…written brothers Frank and Joseph

3 House and farm work…bought nine quarts of blackberries from Hannah Hopkins at $0.10 per quart

4 Gilbert and others to Christiana…he came home very sick…visitor forenoon, left by supper

5 Farm work…letter from Irene…Ann forgotten…folks in Philadelphia. never write

6 Food processing…to Hiram’s to store…William Sheldon here making posts…autumn coming

7 Men here whitewashing buildings…house and farm work…Martha away for night…very savvy and independent…more than Edith can bear

8 Men went to make arrangements to go to quarterly meeting at Rigby…friends with baby visited, glad to see them…not been there lately…visitors helped with work…Martha gone…letter from Addie White but no one else…guesses she has no friends

9 Edith feels better than usual…Hannah Hopkins helping…no company until evening

10 Edith did own work…got up before sunrise…Hannah Hopkins brought twenty quarts of blackberries…Frank and Charlie got about fifteen, rest into jam and canned…Martha returned and said she was leaving, Edith doesn’t know why

11 Hannah Hopkins helped…Martha Roberts came for her trunk with her father…settled with her…Mattie Johnson will help until Edith can hire someone else…Benjamin South here whitewashing out buildings

12 Went to Georgetown to hire a girl, not successful…no letters at post office…laments no one writing

13 Describes men helping with farm work…food processing…spring housework…writes to Irene

14 Mattie Johnson helping…eight men working…cooking for twelve…sad and lonely

15 No one to help but children until milking time…then visitors came and helped…extreme pleasure of good, long letter from Mother…now in Minneapolis visiting sister Cal…also letter from Sue Williams

Diary ends with this entry, continued in next.

 

Folder 5 16 August 1868—14 April 1870

August 1868, continued

16 No girl to help today…Gilbert took father to Jacob Bushong’s…Gilbert and Edith read aloud to each other…Gilbert unwell

17 Went to Lancaster to attend funeral of Thaddeus Stevens…describes in detail all aspects of funeral…calls Stevens greatest man in U.S…supper…she could see dinner at John John’s…some friend from Little Britain at farm

18 Edith felt supremely miserable a good part of the day…did housework…food processing…Gilbert helps…begins letter to Mother…feeling alone

19 Gilbert went to Christiana for Sue Williams…her sister and daughter stayed all night…Henry Williams was in Mifflintown to send goods…family will go there after visiting

20 House and farm work…visiting and visitors

21 Housework…company all day…finished letter to Mother…admire visitors from Philadelphia (Williams)…seem to be innocent and affectionate…sorry visit so short

22 Scott and Susan Johns came for 52 quarts of blackberries…stayed for dinner…others here as well…Edith and others leave for Henry Bushong’s…some left on their way…home 11:00pm, tired

23 Irene and Edith walked around garden…got some vegetables…to Hamilton Everett’s for dinner…got to Uncle’s at 7:00pm…home at 10:00pm…Irene and Henry at Uncle’s

24 Housework…help…tired…good letter from Marion, she and husband are boarding with a family in Louisville

25 Took friends to Christiana…then to Pennington to dentists…then to Henry Bushong’s where Gilbert expected to see a horse…stayed for dinner…home 11:00pm

26 House and farm work…no letters…Anna Valentine has forsaken Edith

27 Housework…food processing…reading aloud

28 Farm work…baking…thirteen pies for Billy Sheldon to take to Meeting to raise money to rebuild the church at Hilltown

29 Edith very ill…Martha Johnson went home…only family home

30 Gilbert and children help with work…went to Meeting and saw people we know…some came home and spent night…Edith not well, Irene helping

31 Marion went with Irene and Henry to visit…Hannah Hopkins came to help

 

September 1868

1 Housework…food processing

2 Food processing

3 Sewing…reading aloud

4 Gilbert took calf to Christiana…Edith and Gilbert to Steelville…took can of lard and three hams…Pap spent afternoon at relatives

5 Cleaned house…wrote sister Marion…no letters

6 No company…letter writing…Edith looked over old letters…changes last fifteen years…lists the people who have married, died, moved, etc…likes to reminisce about former pleasant times

7 Housework…food processing…farm work…George Pierce here for tea…was canvassing for Ellwood Griest to take seat in Congress vacant from Thaddeus Stevens’ death

8 House and farm work…Gilbert to Christiana with lard for Alvin Eavenson…afternoon visitors

9 Farm work…at store replacing roof…Gilbert went for new girl, Rachel Johnson…Pap not well

10 Farm work

11 Farm work

12 Gilbert and Pap to Quarryville for primary meeting for candidate to fill Thaddeus Stevens’ place…Ellwood Griest dropped out, Edith sorry

13 Up early to go to Henry Bushong’s…left Pap at Rakestraw’s…little Marion glad to see us…stayed all day

14 Washing…Uncle John Bushong came

15 Farm work…Steeleville…got Pap

16 Nate from sister Marion’s will be in Lancaster tonight and come to Christiana tomorrow morning

17 Up early…cold…found Marion in a hotel called the “Grape”, glad to see each other…went to melon patch of six acres…met Gilbert’s father and had supper there…long day…brought Marion home

18 Housework…game of croquet

19 Irene and Henry came to see Marion…played croquet

20 Marion visiting, writing to husband Joe in Richmond

21 Visiting with Marion

22 Housework…sewing…Marion and Edith sit late and reminisce

23 Housework…preparations to go to Meeting tomorrow…good letter from Mother…also letter from Mary Gilbert

24 Went to Meeting…few there…good Octorara Band music…lots of old friends and familiar faces…stopped at Uncle Elias Pickering’s…warm after Meeting at Washington Walker’s woods

25 Marion and Edith walked through Kenseysville to their old haunts…returned to dinner…men hunting in the morning

26 Visited several friends and relatives…tea and overnight at Thomas Whitson’s

27 Home…Marion letter from Joe…missed visit from Peter and Mattie Stauffer

28 Tired…washing done…letter to Mother

29 Hannah and Maria Hopkins here baking for Maria’s wedding…five cakes and lots of cookies

30 Farm work…Gilbert and Edith to Christiana, Penningtonville and Steeleville

 

October 1868

1 Charlie 12 years old…went to Maria Hopkin’s marriage to Joseph Miller…describes food…all went home but Rachel who stayed for the party

2 At home

3 No letter…three for Marion from husband in training for insurance company in Richmond

4 Funeral of John Hodson at Bart

5 Pleasant visit to Harding Gilbert’s…Marion letter from Joe and Mother…still no letters for Edith

6 Visitors

7 Home working

8 Went to Henry Bushong’s overnight…visited Uncle Joshua Gilbert on way

9 Went to Penningtonville…four teeth extracted…home by Christiana and Georgetown

10 Not well…housework…face pains…Gilbert and Charlie collected a peck of chestnuts…hauled three loads of sorghum (syrup) away

11 Not well…Gilbert took father out dining…took Rachel home…Marion visiting…wrote letters

12 Not well…sewing and washing

13 Hannah Hopkins here…sewed for her on machine…food processing

14 Housework…not well

15 Sewing winter clothes…face still in pain

16 Housework…busy day…Henry, Irene and Marion for tea…up until midnight…two letters for Marion

17 Some of family to York (not Edith and Gilbert)…visit George Pierce…Edith sick…Marion two letters…letter for Edith from Sue Williams

18 Two visitors all day…didn’t do much

19 Farm work…Caroline Morrison came to sew all week

20 To Steeleville

21 To Lancaster…shopping…Peter Stauffer…tea…overnight

22 Home…two visitors

23 House and farm work

24 Paid Caroline $3.00 for week’s work…housework…sewing

25 No company…Rachel went home

26 House and farm work

27 To William Withers…Hannah and Thomas Williams there…hopes eyes will improve

28 Everett’s visit…Marion letters

29 Visiting

30 House and farm work

31 Farm work…sewing…knitting…Edith wonders if she has done any good deeds

 

November 1868

1 Writing letters…no company

2 Washing and visiting

3 Housework…baking…Gilbert and father to election…then all to Christiana and Penningtonville and Steeleville…left Rachel’s shirt, made 18 tucks in the hem

4 Visitors all night…party in evening…sister Marion’s 31st birthday…cutting door between rooms no longer occupied

5 Housework…company gone

6 Moved into other room…Pap to Edith and Gilbert’s

7 Got letter from sister Cal

8 Visited George Walters…croquet…buried little boy at 5 months, 2 weeks old…Brenton married to Louisa Bernard on 15th…heard Edith Pierce not expected to get better

9 Marion letter, Edith none…housework…sewing

10 Gilbert took both Marions to Henry Bushong’s…Edith stopped and stayed at Edith Pierce’s

11 Hannah Hopkins here to help clean…Edith housework, Gilbert helped

12 Whitewashed four rooms and stairway…Gilbert helped

13 Housework…old Martha Johnson overnight

14 Letter from Mother saying she and little boys seeking new home in Minnesota…nothing more…Edith anxious…Marion got letter also, Edith Pierce died

15 Went to funeral and Meeting…many there…Marion at Jacob’s

16 Letters…Gilbert “killed a beef” to take to Sheldon and Cyrus Cramer’s…wrote to Mother, fears not gotten safely from Salem and why she moved

17 Christiana and Steeleville…sold butter

18 Men working stone…no letters

19 Visitors and farm work

20 Other rooms whitewashed…letter to sister Cal and J. C. Taylor

21 Alvin and Reese Eavenson visit…Gilbert bought washstand at Black Horse…no letters…two for Marion

22 Visitors and visiting…Marion’s home

23 Washing…men burying stone

24 Visiting

25 Letter from Mother in Minnesota, also letter from J. C. Taylor…Marion soon to go to Richmond…Edith already lonely

26 Farm work

27 Visiting and visitors…one year ago visited Mother and Daniel Bonsall…Mother thought him one of the best man, now she may think him to be one of the worst

28 Marion brought letter from Mother, who has apparently left her husband—Daniel cross with the boys and other reasons for leaving…Henry Bushong ill with fever

29 Marion’s last day…Rachel went home last evening

30 Took Marion to Christiana to get her train…to dentist for four hours…Steeleville… dinner at Hiram’s

 

December 1868

1 Farm work…Sarah McGill replaced Rachel

2 Gilbert 32nd birthday…farm work…sewing…bad headache…letters

3 Hannah Hopkins visited, spent day sewing on machine for her

4 Not well…finished sewing…visitors

5 Saw sleigh pass…farm work…Mother married one year ago today

6 No help all day…Charlie went for Rachel in evening…no company

7 Sewing…Gilbert took children to school and back

8 Making candles…farm work…hauling wheat

9 Christiana…Steeleville…Pap sent for Mary and Jacob to stay with them

10 Sleighs…butchering…also hides to sell to Morris Zook settled

11 Housework…backing, etc…Gilbert took beef to Isaac Bromell and settled with him…brought coal home for winter

12 Housework…sewing…letter from Marion, good trip, Joe met her in Baltimore

13 No company…housework…letter to Marion

14 Butchering all day…clean up…scrapple after supper

15 Rachel and I fried sausage…housework…blackened cook stove…will move upstairs to winter kitchen tomorrow

16 Nicely fixed in kitchen…letters…none from Mother

17 Housework…Gilbert took his hired help home…headache

18 Baking and sewing

19 Housework…sewing…property sold by Lydia Rakestraw and Caroline Morrison to Henry Bushong for $2005.00…Caroline and Lydia overnight

20 Word of Aunt Emily Eavenson’s death; will be buried at Sadsbury Meeting tomorrow…will miss her

21 Went to funeral…took Reese…other family there…body by train…describes people and funeral…letter from Mother and Cal

22 Took Rachel home…to Steeleville

23 No help today…got along well

24 Housework…Sarah McGill here

25 Quiet Christmas…no feasting or company

26 Visitors (family)…letter from Marion

27 Visitors all night…[Travis] and Tillie Barton visited, married the 24th this month

28 Rachel home…company left

29 Housework…Gilbert and Charlie to Lancaster

30 Washing

31 A visit to Uncle Francis Valentine’s…paid insurance tax…sold eggs and butter in Christiana…Uncle Francis poorly…last night of old year…Reminisces about year…Ann Bushong died…Mother in one room in Minnesota sewing for a living…sister Marion married in Richmond…Edith Pierce and Aunt Emily died…Mary E. married…Jesse Gilbert to York County…Pusey to Ohio…what to come next in 1869?

 

1869

January 1869

1 Not well…at home

2 Dull day…no letters, Charlie one

3 Dull day again…writing letters…housework…visitor for Pap

4 Washing…many tree limbs down

5 Sewing all day…Rachel here

6 Went to Steeleville with butter and eggs…stopped to see Dr. Davis…Pap wants him to come

7 Dr. Davis came…prepared medications for Edith and Pap…visited…knows people Edith knows

8 Housework…visitors

9 Housework…sewing

10 Visiting/visitors…letter writing…Pap to Jacob’s

11 Housework

12 Sewing all day

13 Uncle John Bushong died…letters and letter writing

14 Housework…Gilbert went to Dr. Davis about his father…complains at night…Gilbert up with him

15 Doctor came…not much wrong with Pap

16 Roads too bad to go to funeral…letter from Mother…sad to depend on work of hands for a living…book of poems from Marion for a birthday present

17 Not well…started letter to Mother…Rachel’s father to see her

18 Housework…sewing…last Wednesday, Milton Heidlebaugh and Harriet Thompson married

19 Housework…sewing…knitting

20 Steeleville…dinner Emerson Jones…16 lbs. butter, 4 dozen eggs, three magazines today, cost $4.00

21 Housework…visitors

22 Housework…Rachel home

23 Letter from Marion and another thanking Edith for the lavender she sent

24 Visiting…found out Uncle Francis Valentine died yesterday, 75…buried third day next…will be missed very much…Gilbert bad headache

25 Pap to Jacob’s…then Abram Rakestraw’s…hope he will be happy there

26 Funeral of Francis Valentine…lists those who attend…some from city, some came and spent night

27 Tired from yesterday…pleased with letters

28 Housework…visitors

29 Visitors/visiting

30 Housework…sewing…not well…good letter from Cal with photo…reading magazines aloud in evening

31 Not well…finished letters…read aloud

 

February 1869

1 Housework…visitors from visiting Jesse Gilbert in York County

2 Sewing…no expected company

3 Sewing…knitting…one dinner guest

4 Many visitors…working…eating

5 Housework…began Marion’s nine patch quilt…stomach and shoulder pains…food doesn’t agree with Edith

6 Housework…letter from Addie White…Uncle Oliver’s photo…told of Clara’s upcoming marriage…no letters from Mother or Marion…reading aloud

7 At home…no company but Amos and Annie Gilbert to see children…letter…read aloud…combed Gilbert’s hair

8 To Steeleville to store, 20 lbs. butter and 18 dozen eggs…settled accounts…was owed $8.00…dinner at Hiram’s…Joel Baer came to trade horse

9 Housework…letter to Cal

10 Housework…reading…sewing

11 Baking…housework…Hannah Hopkins had a young daughter [with her]

12 Housework

13 Visitors…letters from Marion and Irene

14 Family home alone…Rachel at her home…letter writing

15 Sewing…Henry and Irene for night

16 Irene engaged woman to stay with Ed. Johnson…will go to Irene’s in summer

17 Ironing…picked 30 chickens, 1 turkey…boiled feathers

18 Took chickens to Steeleville, also butter and eggs…to Christiana and Penningtonville

19 Housework…unwell all day…sewing…Gilbert bad hemorrhoid

20 Visitors…Dr. Maloy gave Gilbert medicine…notice of Clara White’s marriage

21 Reading all forenoon…Rachel to see William Sheldon…very poorly

22 Gilbert has a carbuncle on lower back, can’t sit…Dr. Maloy here…letters…Rachel did wash

23 Mending

24 Ironing…sewing

25 Rachel at Bill Sheldon’s…feeling much better

26 Housework…Charlie not well…didn’t go to school

27 Charlie still sick…no letter from Mother

28 No company…reading aloud…combing hair…Rachel went home

 

March 1869

1 Charlie measles…Rachel came home…housework

2 Gilbert’s hired hand, Joseph Wells, came…Gilbert at Steeleville and Christiana…took eggs and butter…got seed, oats from Juniata County and Ohio

3 Charlie covered with measles…Gilbert to Lampeter to pay interest…Rachel unwell

4 Day of Ulysses S. Grant and Schuyler Colfax inauguration…hopes they do good deeds for nation…visitors…thinks she’d get more letters if she saw more people…Rachel in bed…evening visitors

5 Housework…visitors

6 Housework…sewing…no one feels well…read Grant’s inaugural address…visitors

7 Unwell…Irene came…Henry for horse…sewed carpet rags for Irene…she bought $5.50 from me

8 Father Bushong is 80…Edith better…housework

9 Cutting carpet…Marion getting measles…no letter from Mother

10 Sewing and carpet rags

11 Housework…Marion sick…Edith not well

12 No entry

13 Gilbert to Christiana with butter and eggs…letter from Cal with photo of little Carroll…measles out on Marion

14 Gilbert with Joe to ride cold…Emily Gilbert to see Marion

15 Taking care of Marion and helping Gilbert settle Samuel Hopkins’ two year account…took half the day

16 Housework…Marion improving…God only knows future…hopes “thy will be done”

17 Carpet rags…letter from Marion…Henry Bushong’s brother visited

18 Marion improving slowly…went to Omar Gilbert’s where Emily showed a photo of Pusey…either not good or changed

19 Election day for township offices…Edith unwell…Gilbert to Georgetown

20 Marion’s 9th birthday…ground frozen, men can’t work…letter from Irene

21 Letter writing…reading to Marion

22 Rachel came home, her mother is sick…stayed for washing only…carpet rags

23 Housework…letters to P.O.…Benjamin South here to fix 8-day clock

24 Gilbert got men to start plowing…got work done as early as when Rachel is here

25 House and farm work…very tired…to Omar Gilbert’s

26 Little work…men help as they can

27 Sale of Eavenson and Hunter yesterday…Henry Bushong here…got letter

28 Visitors…Gilbert and Joseph Wells went to drive calf…read aloud to Marion…game of authors

29 Mending

30 Went to Omar’s to see them off…Louisa Green here to help…they will have a muddy ride to Penrose Amblers…to James Risk’s to make farewell call…gave Mary a lily and received a cactus…housework

31 Housework…one letter

 

April 1869

1 Cut carpet rag…Nathan and Charlie plowing

2 House and farm work…Edith sotired

3 Gardening…house and farm work…mending…have been two weeks without a girl…sewing not getting done…no word from Rachel

4 Rachel came this evening…housework

5 Gardening with Gilbert and Frank Miller…writes details…Joe Wells to Conestoga Center

6 Housework…sewing

7 Went to Christiana…drove “Pet” and a colt that had never been hitched to a carriage…took butter and eggs…Steeleville…potatoes to Hiram…dinner at Emerson Jones’

8 Our “Sal” had a colt…finished cutting carpet…visitors

9 Housework…gardening…Joe away three days this week, two at his father’s moving and one at his sister’s funeral

10 Started to Auntie Valentine’s for night…stopped at Georgetown and Christiana

11 Home and found Aunt Mary and Uncle E. Pickering had come last evening…disappointed not to see them…glad to be home…had taken colt “Yeanny” for trip

12 Gardening…housework

13 House and farm work…sewing

14 Mending…cutting carpet rags…got letters

15 Gardening…sewing…visitors

16 Pain on left side from shoulder to ankle…sewing…housework

17 Joe and Gilbert at Christiana for phosphate…drove colt “Joe” for first time…wrote letters…visitors…Rachel and Joe gone home

18 Day at home…Jesse Gilbert came…letter to Cal

19 House and farm work

20 House and farm work…two years ago Pusey sat with me while I stayed with Mother B…wonders where and how he is

21 Went to Christiana to the milliner’s, Rachel Baily…also to Hood’s store…home for tea

22 To Lancaster…Hannah Royer’s for dinner…shopping…stopped at John John’s…got root of lily from Eliza…got a dress at David Bair’s…11 yards of buffalo alpaca

23 House and farm work

24 House and farm work…letter from Marion

25 Only family at home…old Henry Roberts to be buried…all colored people at funeral (lists people)…reading aloud…visitors…some stayed the night

26 Gardening…sewing

27 Housework…went to Uncle Elias Pickering’s for seed potatoes…stayed all night

28 Went from Pickering to Oxford to see Joseph C. Taylor where he paid Edith her legacy from Grandfather Paxson’s estate $300.00 with interest from June 20, 1868 to U.S. Revenue…called on Mrs. Doctor Kennedy (Hal Patterson, one of Edith’s best friends from Little Britain)…not well, looks like consumption…recalled past…Then to Uncle Massey’s to dinner and tea…they have four girls…Henry Bushong stopped for supper and home…Irene had daughter on 16th of the month….storm on the way home

29 Miserable all day…mending

30 Emma Morrison bought Pap home

 

May 1869

1 Horse to Alvin Paxson’s…Irene and daughter well, two weeks old now

2 Quiet day in house at Henry’s

3 Stopped at Uncle Joshua Gilbert’s…things okay at home…others come to help with Pap…requires much care…numerous medications

4 Housework…Christiana…took dress to Rachel Baily to have made…eggs to James Hood’s store

5 Cleaned garret with Rachel…sewing for Hannah Hopkins

6 To Lancaster…got half dozen silver tablespoons…Marion sat for photo

7 Housework

8 Baking and mending…letter from Mother…started one to Marion

9 Quiet day at home…letters

10 To Christiana

11 Hannah Hopkins helped with cleaning…one visitor…tired

12 Mary Gilbert here, Edith sewed on machine for her…Gilbert and Joe to Christiana

13 Housework…Rachel and Hannah cellar work

14 Baking…prepping for Chester County

15 To Caroline Morrison’s…left Pap there…then to Massey’s…to Irene and Henry’s all night

16 Back to Caroline’s for night…storm

17 Home…housework with Rachel

18 Moved down to basement kitchen

19 Cleaned winter kitchen and other rooms…two letters, one from Cal

20 Housework…tired

21 Finished house cleaning…Rachel and Gilbert helped

22 Mending…to Christiana for dress…not done…Steeleville supper at Emma Jones’…Homeville for Pap’s medicine, nothing there, must go to Lancaster…two letters…one from Marion

23 Housework…time with Gilbert, walk…writing to Mother…quiet day

24 To Lancaster…Charlie sat for photos…home 9:00…tired

25 Housework…sewing…cut out white dress for Maria Hopkins’ baby

26 To Oxford for medicine for Pap…saw friends…Henry Bushong’s…Irene not well, sore breast…company there

27 Sewing…visitors for dinner

28 Company went to Martic…fresh cow, the Pierce heifer… “Pet” has a colt

29 Almost finished Rachel’s dress…she went home

30 Visitors…letter to Marion

31 Housework…Uncle Jacob Bushong and family for dinner and stayed overnight…Gilbert and Joe to Christiana for mowing machine

 

June 1869

1 Pap to Jacob Bushong’s with company

2 To Christiana and Steeleville…Gilbert had headache…roads cut up with ore teams…letter

3 Sewing…men building fence

4 Housework all day…Mary Hunter visited, she was a good neighbor for years

5 Gilbert and Charlie to Lancaster…sewing

6 Talks about lovely morning and nature…wanted to go to Longwood Meeting…Pap at Abram Rakestraw’s for a week or two…others away

7 Cut out pants for Gilbert…housework…tired

8 Gilbert took wool to Zook’s factory…sewed

9 Got dress in Christiana…stopped at dentist in Penningtonville…visited Auntie Valentine…looking at house for sale in Parkesburg…good visit

10 Gardening…sewing

11 House and farm work

12 Rachel home…Gilbert to Strasburg…fresh cow…no letters

13 Henry Bushong brought Pap home…Irene not well, doctor has been to see her…Henry only visitor

14 Housework…Steeleville to H. Bower’s…got 20 quarts strawberries for $0.12 each

15 Down to 16 quarts strawberries, gave 4 to Rachel

16 Started early for commencement at Lincoln University…entertained by student speeches… pleasant day

17 Washing…sewing

18 Housework

19 House and farm work…mending…Irene and family visit…Irene pale and thin…baby well

20 Lonely after Irene left…few friends…no word from Mother for a while

21 To Steeleville…left Pap with Micah Whitson

22 Sewing…farm work

23 Sewing…hauling corn

24 Whitewashing spring house…wrote Cal…Gilbert not well…visitors

25 House and farm work…wrote Cal…not feeling well

26 To Steeleville…Homeville to get medication for Marion’s nose

27 Sewing…visitors…letters

28 Picked cherries…housework

29 Washed quilts and blankets…sewed

30 Housework

 

July 1869

1 Went to Auntie Valentine’s… Christiana and Penningtonville… on way, Gilbert went to sign release for heirs of George Taylor

2 Housework gathering raspberries and chestnuts… tiresome work

3 Farm work… processed cherries

4 Housework… letter writing… Rachel home

5 Farm work… processing cherries

6 Hannah Hopkins helping… Rachel home sick… processing cherries

7 No help but four men here… tired… processing cherries

8 Farm work Caroline Proctor here to help… two more hands

9 Housework and farm work

10 Men listed who are helping… Caroline home … no letters

11 Quiet day only four at home … housework…rested… reading

12 Farm work … H. Hopkins helping Edith with milking… tired but helpful

13 Housework… eight men there… help some… letter to Irene… sewing to do

14 Took butter and eggs to store in Steeleville… mending… farm work … no letters

15 Housework, farm work… visitors in evenings… dysentery

16 Up at 3:10am to start work housework… men working in field… revisited in evening… Uncle Jones at Jacob’s

17 Company left late morning… sorry to see them go… other visitors in evening

18 Quiet day… family only… remembering… maybe not reunited until death… letter writing

19 Housework…Gilbert and men help milking…sewing

20 Housework…Hannah Sheldon came to help…farm work

21 farm work…baking…sewing…letters from Cal and Marion … mother very sick…hemorrhage of lungs on 4th … Edith wishes to see her… Marion happy

22 Remembers Mother Bushong’s death two years ago… housework… food processing…Pap Bushong not well…Gilbert only had half hour of sleep…farm work

23 Farm work, housework

24 Farm work…men went home…two visitors

25 Visitors…to orchard…played croquet…housework…wonders if she will get rested

26 Caroline and Hannah to help…took produce to Steelville…letter to Marion…Oh, so tired

27 Farm work…housework

28 Farm work

29 Sewing, cleaning…company for tea

30 Farm work…visitors…cleaning…sewing for Sallie Bolton in evening…Caroline home in morning

31 Housework…Dr. Maloy here with medication for Gilbert… need to get help

 

August 1869

1 To visit Henry Bushong…others there also…others at home to take care of Pap

2 Caroline/Hannah helping…sent apples to Philadelphia, some to Rachel Baily and

Rachel Mercer

3 Grandchildren and Edith went for blackberries…18 quarts into jam…housework…

dinner guest… apple prep in evening

4 Went to Conestoga Center for girl (none)…visitors in afternoon…some overnight… letter

5 Housework…mending

6 Housework… Pap walked to Jacobs… Edith took 12 lbs. butter to Jacobs for

sale… would like to forget unpleasantness between families and feel secure in

friendship with Jacob and Margaret

7 To Steelville…Pap to Chester County…housework…letter from Marion…

eclipse of sun

8 Letter writing

9 Hired a girl…housework

10 Farm work…housework…girl came…name is Mary Stuart

11 Housework…sewing…tucked white dress for H. Hopkins baby

12 Mary to picnic…mending

13 Housework…to Steelville…H. Bowers

14 Pap Bushong home…no girl reappears…Gilbert got promise of one

on next second day

15 Bad headache…housework

16 Housework…Gilbert brought girl, very young… processed tomatoes

17 Housework…letter to Marion…tired

18 Housework…Christiana with butter…Steelville with four hams and two cans

of lard… got tin cans and glass ones

19 Canned thirty-five cans of tomatoes…Gilbert at factory…a temperance meeting

at Oxford today, could not go

20 Housework…company for tea…wished she had better help

21 Too hot for farm work (96 degrees)…men making cider…letter from sister Cal… Mother better

22 Housework…resting…cousins visit

23 Cousins left to Reese Eavenson

24 Housework…not well

25 Farm work…baking

26 Farm work…cider making…processing peaches…Gilbert sick with headache

27 Gilbert and Joe at Christiana for phosphate…took wheat

28 Need rain

29 To Auntie Valentine’s…found others there…left after tea…brought cousin Emily home with us… Pap visiting elsewhere

30 Housework…cousin Emily sewing for me

31 Ironing

 

September 1869

1 Food processing… afternoon guest

2 Sewing… Gilbert to Penningtonville and Steelville

3 Not well… baking

4 Housework… sewing… croquet

5 Walked to church… read… rested in afternoon

6 Housework… gardening… large crop of potatoes

7 Cousin Emily to Christiana to go home… then Steelville

8 Housework… Gilbert took barrel of vinegar to H. Bowers… also ham and

side meat

9 Housework… food processing… tired

10 Housework… food processing… wishes could see friends… may never

11 Letter from Marion

12 Attended Colored Camp Meeting… familiar faces… walked… wrote letter

13 Food processing… others helped

14 Processing fruit… Gilbert took some to Auntie Valentine’s

15 Processing fruit… to camp meeting… saw friends

16 Processing fruit… farm work

17 Visitors… processing fruit

18 Farm work… Henry, Irene and Carrie here… Edith feels so isolated

19 Henry and all to Jacobs… quiet days… wants female friends so badly

20 Tired of so much work… processing peaches to make sauce

21 Making sauce and baking… Sallie Bolton helped

22 Ironing… processing fruit… no letter

23 Housework

24 Food processing… Steelville… dinner at Bowers

25 Housework… farm work… mending… visitor

26 Rained… four at home and Becky our help… reading, resting, writing

27 Washing… processing fruit

28 Processing fruit… tired

29 Processing fruit… tired

30 Ironing… dismissed Becky… Housework

 

October 1869

1 Charlie’s 13th birthday… working morning to night housework…Pap home from Caroline Morrison’s… farm work

2 Housework… no visitors… forsaken… go only to store

3 Reading… writing… sleeping

4 Housework… Gilbert and I went to the store… Caroline went home

5 Housework… sewing

6 Sewing

7 To Lancaster… shopping… County Fair…saw trotting race (describes)…

Fair considered failure by many… Uncle Francis’ property not sold…

only $100 per acre… not willing to sell for that

8 Housework… tired all day

9 Letter from Mother… first one in 5-6 months… not well but better…

visitors for supper

10 Visitors left… letter writing… reading aloud

11 Large washing

12 Housework… sewing… election day… Edith and Pap vote

13 Steelville and Christiana… no letters

14 Gardening… sewing… finished letter to Mother… farm work

15 Farm work… letter from sister Marion who is visiting Joe’s relatives

in Maryland

16 Farm work

17 Whole page complaining no friends, recreation… Gilbert to Hardings…

wanted to go but cannot leave Pap alone

18 Casey and I did washing… cut out underclothes… Isaac Minnich

visited in evening… got half dozen desert spoons plated… exchanged ring for

heavier one… Marion got a ring… Gilbert got cuff buttons… sold applesauce.. men getting plank for ice house… sewing in evening

19 Housework

20 Baking, sewing… Gilbert and Charlie hauling lime… farm work… two letters

21 Visitor… farm work

22 Baking

23 Housework… prep for winter… wrote Marion… note from sister Irene

24 Are we preparing for spirit world, Edith wonders… she cares not how soon

the door opens for her and there will be rest

25 Two years since Pusey left… see nor hear nothing from him… a stranger

where his home was for so many years… Housework

26 Housework… visitors… Edith pleased… letter to Marion

27 Ironing… letter from cousin Emily… farm work

28 Casey’s mother and brother for dinner… paid wages for Casey’s work

29 Gilbert in Lancaster… sold load apples… bought copper kettle… Edith

went to Jacob Bushong’s… seemed like old times but a bit restrained

30 To Steelville/Penningtonville for Pap’s medications… to Christiana… left a dress

at Rachel Bailey’s to be repaired… visitor while away

31 Visitors most of day… very pleased… started letter to sister Caroline

 

November 1869

1 Housework… food processing

2 Housework… made apple sauce

3 Food processing… M. Bushong here in afternoon

4 Marion’s 32nd birthday… sent book for present… Barbara Scott and Albert

Hiedlebaugh to be married… finished apple butter… had help for three days

5 Gilbert took apples to Lancaster… Casey and Edith busy all day with

housework and gardening… letter writing… Gilbert home late, not feeling well

6 Visited Auntie Valentine’s overnight

7 Casey went home yesterday morning and not back yet… Caroline Proctor

kept house for me while we were gone

8 Housework… Caroline here

9 Casey returned but left again because her mother very sick

10 Nancy Kent helped with cleaning and whitewashing… Uncle Valentine’s

farm sold to Edwin Williams

11 Cleaning… overnight visitor

12 Housework… fall cleaning nearly done

13 Went to Chester County to Uncle Massey’s… then to Henry Bushong’s…

stayed overnight

14 Slow drive home… Henry Rakestraw brought Pap home

15 Gilbert to Lancaster… sold applesauce and traded for needed things

16 Finished fall house cleaning

17 Ironing and sewing

18 Butter to Steelville… Gilbert got overcoat… Thanksgiving at Hiram’s…

other guests there

19 Casey back… mother buried on Wednesday

20 Housework… Marion and Edith went to Harding Gilbert’s to visit in afternoon… mended a coat for Gilbert in evening

21 Quiet day at home… letter to Mother

22 Visit from Irene and family… later visit from Alvin Paxson… sewing

23 Washing… Gilbert and Alvin at factory and tailor’s

24 Farm work… threshing machine broke… men took broken part to

Christiana

25 Preparations for winter… cut out waterproof circular

26 Housework… visitor overnight… sewing

27 Housework… sewing

28 Letter writing… visitor for tea and overnight

29 Visitor stayed until noon

30 Ironing and sewing… men at work at ice house

 

December 1869

1 Went to Steelville to Hiram Bower’s for dinner… home by dark…

roads getting bad… sold butter and eggs

2 Gilbert’s 33rd birthday today… finished ironing and mending

3 Made candles and soap… men killed beef… did work of the beef and baking… very tired tonight

4 Gilbert took apples to Christiana to be sent to Albin Eavenson…also box of walnuts for the children… letter from sister… all well

5 Finished letter writing… Gilbert took letters to post office after supper… no company, family at home… very enjoyable

6 Butchering day… mostly done… good help

7 Cleaning up… frying sausage

8 Washing… sleighs on the go

9 Not well but ironing and baking mince pies

10 Cooking… men threshing wheat

11 Working butter… Housework… mending… note from cousin

12 Sunday… only one brief visitor… letter writing… has feeling others writing to her… reading aloud to Gilbert

13 Washing and butchering work

14 Ironing… boiling beef tripe… Gilbert to Hiram Bower’s… gone all day… Pap spent day at Jacob Bushong’s

15 Scouring tinware… Gilbert hauling wheat… sewing

16 Moved upstairs to winter kitchen… Gilbert helping Bolton with butchering… finished letter to sister

17 Baking… mild day, feels more like May than December…Gilbert hauling wheat

18 Letter from Marion and others

19 All at home… letter writing to cousin Addie White in answer to one

from her dated August 13th

20 Washing and churning… Gilbert to Christiana with wheat…brought home load of coal

21 Men threshing until noon… had to stop on account of snow

22 Dipped candles… baking doughnuts… work, work all day…sewing until bedtime

23 Men threshing… carpenters working on ice house… housework

24 Men finished threshing… baking… picking a turkey in evening

25 Had large turkey roast… only family to eat it

26 Edith reflects on what a sad and dull day it is… cannot seem to write to sister because of this

27 Made shirt for Pap Bushong

28 Hannah Hopkins here washing… men working at ice house

29 Ironing… men finished work at ice house

30 Steelville to the store and Hiram’s for dinner… visited Mary Jones…had a son but was stillborn

31 Last day of year… passed with the usual housework and baking and no preparation for the New Year

 

1870

January 1870

1 Long letter from Mother and Aunt Lettie White… both very acceptable New Year’s presents

2 Edwin Bushong here to dinner… letter writing… little bit of reading

3 No washing today… Casey home at noon… cut out dress for Marion

4 Washing… sewing… only work and stay at home

5 Farm work… got coal from Christiana… Rebecca Valentine to be married yesterday to William Parke… Auntie Valentine bought house in Christiana

6 Visitors… men at Christiana again

7 Men again at Christiana… Jacob Bushong here to see father

8 Letter from Addie White, has been visiting Richmond, Indiana…some have pleasures, some have so few in this life

9 Henry Bushong visited… Edith laments her loneliness and depression

10 Housework… mending… not feeling well… wrote Mother

11 Housework

12 All went to Christiana, Steelville and Penningtonville… dinner at Emma Jones… received good letter from sister

13 Gilbert away all day, only his father at home… no intercourse with neighbors… feels like very hard discipline

14 Edith’s 34th birthday… housework… Gilbert away… bought me a dress for my birthday… Margaret Bushong visited

15 Jacob to see his father… no letters… Sarah Pusey Whinney and Pusey Barnhouse in neighborhood… Edith does not expect them to come since Mother Bushong’s death and hard feelings remain

16 Sunday… no callers… wrote letters… misses social discourse

17 Present from Marion (copy of poems)… housework… sewing

18 Sewing… Pusey was at Jacob’s… Charlie was there… Pap wants very much to see him

19 Visitors for Gilbert… Gilbert sold seven pigs… got $90 for them

20 Visitors to see Pap and Edith… Pap has bad cold

21 Housework… yesterday visitor sick at Jacob’s

22 No letters… Edith still lonely

23 Reading Pope’s Essays.. took Pap to see Pusey… both enjoyed their meeting… Pusey looks well

24 Housework… Gilbert went to Lancaster on jury… Margaret Bushong to see Pap… received two letters

25 Housework… sewing and knitting… Pap not well… keeps others awake at night

26 Caroline Morrison over to see her father… went with her to Mary Wells to see about her taking in Mary Ann Clarkson

27 Quiet day… Jacob to see Pap… saw Pusey unexpectedly at Jacob’s, seem almost like strangers who occupied same house for 12 years…wonders if will ever meet again and where

28 Housework… Caroline Morrison to visit

29 Jacob to see Pap… letter from Grandmother White, 88 years old

30 Visitors until 5 o’clock

31 Men working at the manure… no letters, wants one every day

 

February 1870

1 Sewing

2 Sewing, knitting, ironing… Henry Rakestraw to see Pap

3 Farm work… Caroline Morrison to see Pap… wrote to Grandma White

4 Jacob to see Pap… he calls out all night… baking, sewing

5 Visitor… wrote letter to sister… Jacob to see his father… Edwin and Pusey visiting in Chester County… sad that he does not come to say goodbye to Pap… probably will not see him again

6 Visitors for dinner… Edwin here in afternoon… returned with him…finished letter to Marion

7 Boys to Marticville… Pap wanted to go to Jacob’s, he was not home…saw Pusey near P.O. for a few minutes… most likely last time will see him… they soon leave for Ohio

8 Pap not so well, no appetite, hard breathing

9 Edwin came to see his father… Pap died quietly… surprised at his sudden death… others to tell family

10 Busy day as to be expected… Jacob and Margaret came in afternoon

11 Another busy day… many callers… made shroud and dressed remains…looks pleasant and satisfied… Henry Rakestraw and Jane Hobson married yesterday at Kennett Square

12 Funeral… all children here but John… bad weather to travel to graveyard at Bart… some back for dinner… some to Jacob’s… saw Pusey at grave and shook hands… wish feelings could be different

13 Most visitors left… some stayed

14 Large washing… Gilbert at Strasburg getting bills printed for his sale

15 Went to Jacob’s on errand… Gilbert putting up his bills

16 Gilbert still putting up bills… Marion and Edith went to Jacob’s…talked awhile to Pusey then bid him goodbye… thinks of him as a kind and good friend regardless of what others think of him… Gilbert came for them in early evening… had pleasant walk home on snow drifts

17 Went to Steelville to Hiram’s for dinner… roads very bad

18 Baking

19 Gilbert and Edith gave the sewing machine a thorough cleaning…letter from Mother… read aloud… all gathered in sitting room…so ends the week… one more day nearer the end of earth’s journey

20 Harding here… Hannah gave birth to a son yesterday… quiet day

21 Sewing… John Gilbert here on an errand

22 Washed quilts and blankets from Pap’s bed

23 Men filling ice house… ironing… received two letters

24 Men finished filling ice house… baking

25 Housework… how small family circle has grown… lonely…wants female friends… reminisces of past joys and sorrows…reviewing heart’s history

26 Housework… not feeling well

27 Sad, dreary Sunday… wants real, good, pleasant company badly

28 Housework… Casey helping… laments no help from neighbors, must hire help

 

March 1870

1 Busy day… Hannah Hopkins helping… baking done by noon…Jacob Bushong here gathering belongings of mother and father…best things will be divided among four children… rest sold tomorrow

2 Day of sale… Henry, Irene and others here, some overnight…Gilbert sold two horses… men here for dinner and supper…

3 Visitors… dirty house and porch to clean… very tired

4 To Jacob’s to see Irene… some there had colds

5 Joined Irene for visiting… Gilbert and Charlie at a sale…joined us for tea at Mrs. Hunter’s

6 Irene and baby here… Hannah Heidlebaugh buried today…did not attend funeral

7 Washing and sewing… Irene and Carrie both feeling poorly

8 Irene and baby to Jacob’s… feeling very lonely, wanted to cry, instead did darning and knitting

9 Housework and sewing… Henry Bushong visited… received two letters…wrote to sister Marion

10 Letter writing… sewing a dress for Cassy… Marion not well

11 Baking and sewing

12 Family went to Uncle Massey’s, then on to Henry Bushong’s…stayed overnight… disagreeable weather

13 Returned home after dinner, visiting on the way

14 Washing… churning butter… sewing

15 Gilbert, Marion, Edith to Steelville… Edith very sick in the night with stomach pain

16 Edith not at all well

17 Edith a little better

18 Mended old garments… still some pain

19 Housework… some reading… no letters

20 Marion’s tenth birthday… received book from Grandmother Paxson… wrote to my Mother

21 Washing… churning… sewing a dress for Marion

22 Marion started to school… baking… worked butter for sale

23 Auntie Valentine moved from their old farm to Christiana…twenty men and fourteen wagons loaded with goods for six-room house arrived… Gilbert went to Mary Marsh’s to pay interest due…Edith feeling very unhappy

24 To Steelville with produce for sale… to Penningtonville to get impression for permanent set of teeth… to Auntie’s for supper…saw friends

25 Housework

26 Housework… letter from cousin Addie White… related that barn and outbuildings of neighbor burned

27 Stormy day… no visitors… letter writing

28 Washing… churning butter… mending

29 Readying produce for store

30 Baking… Gilbert took butter and eggs to store… Edith milked three cows and Charlie one in evening

31 Gilbert to Christiana with sixteen bushels of apples to ship to Philadelphia… had dinner at Auntie Valentine’s… year old colt died

 

April 1870

1 Visitor

2 Jacob here to see horses… no letters, laments why no one writes

3 No company… family spent day home alone

4 Housework… several horses sick

5 Housework

6 Gilbert to Steelville to trade produce… one letter received

7 Housework… sewing dress for Marion

8 Baking… men digging, filling hot bed, planting seeds

9 Men planted some in garden… plowing ground for oats…two letters today

10 Gilbert took Uncle Joseph to Christiana… letter writing…lonely until Gilbert came home

11 No help today

12 Nancy Kent here this week to help… also a washer woman, Ann Thomas… letter from sister Marion telling of intention to visit soon while husband goes to Kansas to see about some property

13 Gilbert and Edith to Hiram’s… not home so dinner elsewhere…home to tea… one letter

14 Gilbert and Edith to dentist in Penningtonville… got permanent set of teeth… paid twenty dollars