January 1, 1894

I will not be transcribing each entry since most of Bert's diary is pretty clear. You can read the original more easily by clicking on the image above to view a larger version. I will be including this paragraph, or something similar in each entry so that new readers will know they can click the image to enlarge it for easier reading. Also, there will be some links to the right of the page with relevant information that may be of interest. If you follow Bert's diary regularly, you can skip this paragraph. My notes will include the basics of what Bert talks about each day, along with my own personal thoughts, research, information gleaned from past or future entries, etc. If you have information or suggestions that may help my research, please e-mail me.

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Monday, January 1, 1894 --- Like pretty much all farm diaries of the era, Bert includes mention of the weather pretty much every day. In fact this diary includes "Wea." and "Ther" on either side of the date printed at the top of each page. Bert notes that it is 10 below zero, but he considers it a "fine day". You'll notice that Bert does not use capital letters much. He is at home today, and helps pa (John Babcock) with the chores, including drawing water to wash with. My guess is that drawing water would have meant bringing buckets of water from a nearby creek or spring? The water would have then been heated on the wood stove. Wash usually refers to what we would call doing the laundry, and my guess is that is the case here because Bert notes that "anna came down to do the wash." We do not yet know who Anna is. Anna comes to do the wash because Bert's mother Eliza is very ill. "Dr. Preston came up to see ma."

He does some wood splitting and puts the wood into the wood house --- usually some sort of covered shed type building attached to or very near the back door of the house. He also helps with the evening chores. Bert mentions the chores most every day. Chores would have been the day to day required jobs to keep a farm and family life going. Feeding and milking the cows, feeding and watering the horses, chickens, pigs, and any other farm animals. Gathering eggs, cleaning out the manure, etc. Also included would be hauling in water, bring in firewood, etc. for the household needs.

Bert received a gift of a pocket ink stand from his father.

And in what we will see is sort of a typical wry sense of humor - especially about his own health - Bert notes that "i am injoying the colic" Spelling is not one of Bert's strong writing skills, but his views on life will prove most interesting.