February 27 thru 28, 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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Tuesday, February 27, 1894 --- Warm enough to thaw today.  Bert does the chores - probably at Russell Dye's? - and then goes to Alvie Fisher's place. (Probably Alva Fisher?)  He goes to see Winnie Fisher and Herman Babcock draw logs. (Winnie Fisher is Alva Fisher's younger brother - Winnie appears to be his actual name - the name appears in the 1900 census records.  Winnie is 23 years old in 1894)  Bert and Winnie take two loads of logs to the mill.  Winnie and Bert then went "home" to do the chores, and then they went over to Herman's for the night. 

Wednesday, February 28, 1894 --- "a nice pleasant day the sun shone bright and it thawed lather to shave"  Then Bert went to Prattsburgh and got the rest of his buggy he bought recently, and also purchased 20 yards of cloth to cover it with, and two cups to "clean teeth in" -- one for himself and one for Zette.  The cups cost 30 cents each.  He then did the chores.  Based on his financial records in the back of the diary, it appears he is making $5.00 per month working for Russell Dye?

February 25 thru 26, 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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Sunday, February 25, 1894 ---  "cold enough to shave a hog this morning and the wind is in the south and the snow was flying to beat grant" (the reference to shaving a hog might have come from the fact that cold weather was necessary for butchering pigs in those days to quickly cool the meat.  Shaving the hog was part of the process.  The meat would cook better with the skin on, but the hair burning would ruin the flavor!)  (The reference to "flying to beat Grant" may have been a reference to the campaign slogan from the 1872 presidential election between Horace Greeley and Ulysses S. Grant ---- "Anything to beat Grant")

Bert does not mention a specific temperature today.  Bert did the chores at Russell Dye's that morning.   After breakfast Bert and Herman went over to Mr. Hiler's.  They came home and got dinner.  Bert then went back to Russell's to do the evening chores.  He then went back to Herman's for the night.  (This is as good a place as any to say I don't really understand exactly what Bert's life is all about at this point.  He travels back and forth between John Babcock's - his father-, Herman Babcock's - his brother, and Russell Dye's whom he seems to work for?  He has also visited and stayed overnight at Milo Dye's - Russell's father.  I don't know if Leman has his own place, or if he lives all the time with his father John.  Bert keeps at least some of his clothes at Russell Dye's place, and take his meals wherever he happens to be?)

Monday, February 26, 1894 ---  Bert does the chores at Russell Dye's, and then goes over to William (?) Hiler's place and picks up Alida Hiler who is going to work for Herman for a week.  (according to 1880 census records, Alida is 26 years old in 1894.  Bert then goes back to Russell Dye's and hitches up a bob sleigh to haul two loads of firewood to Milo B. Dye.  He then takes the sleigh back to Russell Dye's, does the chores, and then returns to Milo Dye's to spend the night.

February 23 thru 24, 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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Friday, February 23, 1894 --- Bert does Russell Dye's chores, and then goes up to E. Hayner's place and gets his sleigh(s), and then goes and gets Russell Dye's rye grain.  He then does Russell Dye's evening chores, and spends the night at Milo Dye's place.  

Saturday, February 24, 1894 --- 10 below zero this morning.  Bert does Russell's morning chores.  He then "sorted out" 9 sheep and took them over to Milo Dye's place.  He then went over to Herman's place and got his cutter and went back to Russell's place and did the chores.  He says "i staid alone tonight'.  Not sure what that means.  Perhaps Russell is still away on his trip to Alta??  Bert notes that it is 15 below zero that night! 

February 21 thru 22, 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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Wednesday, February 21, 1894 --- Chores as usual and then they put up 40 bushels of rye, loaded it and some other things on two sleighs, and took it over to the new place.  Bert spent the night at Russell Dye's.  

Thursday, February 22, 1894 --- Bert helps Russell with his chores, and then Russell started for "alta".  (I can't figure out where or who "alta" is??)  Bert goes to S. C. Averys.  Bert mentions helping John divide the rye?  (Bert usually refers to his father as "pa" though his given name in John?)  Bert helps with the evening chores, and then goes to spend the night at Milo Dye's place.

February 19 thru 20, 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, February 19, 1894 ---  They do the morning chores, and then Bert, Leman, and John shovel out the road.  At about 10AM, they go to work cleaning oats, and do about three hundred and one bushels!  Probably again a case of not wanting to move the oats and the chaff to the new farm?

Tuesday, February 20, 1894 --- They do the chores, eat, and then move two loads of tools and grain to the new farm.  They get back home around 7PM.

February 17 thru 18, 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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Saturday, February 17, 1894 --- They do the morning chores as always, and then sit in the house till noon chore time -- Bert puts a lining in a pair of mittens.  Afternoon, Bert, Leman, and John all go to shovel out the road down to McConnells.  Then Bert "started out on a tramp up to Russell Dye's place".  He then goes on to M.B.Dye's place ( Milo)  Milo Dye is Russell Dye's Father.  Russell is 39, Milo is 71.  Bert is 27.

Sunday, February 18, 1894 --- A warmer day with some thawing.  Bert goes back to Russell Dye's place for dinner.  He helps Russell hitch up to "break road", and catches a ride as far as the school house?  (Possibly the Terney school house mentioned in Henry C. Olney's diary from 1886?)  Bert heads back home and he and Leman do the chores, and then go down to church in the evening.

February 15 thru 16, 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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Thursday, February 15, 1894 ---  They did the morning chores as usual, and put up a grist of feed to be ground in Naples for the cattle.  Grist is grain that has been cleaned - chaff removed - in preparation for milling.  Leman goes to Naples to the mill.  Bert and John (pa) load up some lumber to be moved to the new farm.  "a nice morning but it turned and snowed like fun and the wind blew and the snow flew and filled the roads full of snow and tonight it is sixteen above zero"

Friday. February 16, 1894 --- Leman and Bert do the chores, but with the weather so bad, they sit in the house all day and "patched our felt boots" and Bert "fixed a pair of mittens".  "we sit in the house and watched the snow fly" till time for evening chores.  "mercury stood at two above zero to night"

February 13 thru 14, 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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 Tuesday, February 13, 1894 --- "twelve above zero and it snowed rip at a shave". Leman and Bert did the morning chores, and then Bert went up to his brother Herman's place.  The snow was knee deep. Herman and Winnie hitched up the horses, and the three of them went to Prattsburgh to a town meeting.  Bert bought himself a new "top" buggy, and Herman evidently drove it home, or perhaps hitched it up to the back of their rig on the way home?  Bert stayed overnight at Herman's.  Winnie (Fisher) is Herman's brother-in-law - brother of his wife Anna.  
A top buggy - not sure if Bert's was this fancy, but lots of buggies, wagons, sleighs, etc were made in the upstate NY area.  "The 1890s produced some of the most elegant vehicles ever seen on local roads. This beautiful top buggy was made in Penn Yan and advertised for sale locally and regionally. The Whitfield factory where it was manufactured is still standing on East Elm Street in Penn Yan.  Not everyone could afford a vehicle as sophisticated as this one, and of course its cargo space was limited. Literally dozens of specialized carriages, buggies and wagons were turned out in local factories. A thriving forging business grew up in the village of Dundee to make parts for the several carriage factories there. At least two of the water-powered mills on the Keuka Lake Outlet produced some of the millions of spokes needed for all these wooden wheels, in fact eventually all the parts were made in one of these mills, all except for the iron tires."

Bert then makes an entry in some sort of code?  eht teon si end eht tsrif fo naj 5981   I'm thinking this is a simple "spell it backwards" code perhaps with some errors?  (the note is end the first of jan 1895)  Any input on this will be appreciated.  Bert will be doing a number of codes as the year goes along, including letter and number codes.

Wednesday, February 14, 1894 --- Bert and Leman loaded up some of the farm implements on Leman's sleigh - a drill and a roller.  They load two flat plows, and the two drags and some smaller items on Bert's sleigh, and then take them over to John Babcock's new place he bought from Charley Corey.  "a nice bright warm day"

February 11 thru 12, 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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Sunday, February 11, 1894 --- Bert went to church with Russell Dye and and Zette. Not sure who Zette is.. Russell's wife's name is Ida.  This is the first mention of church besides the two funerals.  Maybe Bert is a church going guy after all?  He returns home with Russell and Zette, and has dinner.  He then goes over to brother Herman's house and gets his "old fine boots", and his over shoes, and then goes back home.  
Monday, February 12, 1894 --- Twelve above above zero - "cold but a nice morning".  John Babcock begins moving to the new farm he has purchased from Charley Corey back in mid January.  Don's note: Maybe the move prompted all the potatoes they have sorted and delivered the past few days ..... easier to sort and sell than sort and move them.  Bert and Leman each took a load of tools over to the new place.  Bert comments that "the cold got right in and forced us to walk".  (Dad says that when it gets very cold, it is just too uncomfortable to sit in the sleigh and ride.  Walking along side generates some heat from the exercise!)  It stayed about twelve above zero all day till evening, and snowed about 8".

February 9 thru 10, 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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 Friday, February 9, 1894 --- "just freezing this morning and it froze and thawed and hailed and snowed and rained and was clear part of the time"  but Bert and Leman went to Prattsburgh with potatoes "just the same".  In the afternoon, Leman took the last load of potatoes, and "pa and I finished picking over the potatoes".

Saturday, February 10. 1894 --- Bert and Leman did the morning chores and the three of them then picked over potatoes till noon. (Bert must have been optimistic yesterday when he mention finishing picking over the potatoes!)  Pa (John) and Leman went to Italy to "caucus".  ( I presume some sort of local political meeting?)  Bert stayed home and picked over more potatoes till evening chore time and then did the chores.  He went up to Russel Dye's to stay all night.

"I got two dollars and fifty cents"  --- written upside down and at a 45 degree angle!

February 7 thru 8, 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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Wednesday, February 7, 1894 ---  Another nice pleasant day, with some thawing.  Leman and Bert each took a load of potatoes to Worth and Flaherty in Prattsburgh in the forenoon.  In the afternoon, all three of them sorted potatoes.  (I'd love to know what percent of them make the grade?  It is probably about 4 months since harvest, with storage just a cellar under the house or barn?)

Thursday, February 8, 1894 --- Bert again declares it a nice pleasant day.  "the sun shone real warm and thawed like fun and it spoiled the road".  Despite the muddy road, Bert and Leman took two loads of potatoes to Prattsburgh in the forenoon, and "got along nicely", but in the afternoon, conditions had gotten muddy, and Leman "got hung on the point of a little pitch".  Bert went to pull him out, but broke a runner on the sleigh in the process.  Leman went back to "billeys" (sic) and got another one to repair the sleigh.  In the evening they went on sorting potatoes by lantern light.

February 5 thru 6, 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, February 5, 1894 --- "just zero this morning the first zero morning this winter"  Pa went to Naples to settle with Boon and Hemmingway.  No idea who that is?  Bert and Leman picked over potatoes.  In the afternoon, John (pa) went to Prattsburgh and sold four loads of potatoes to Wurth and Flahariety (sic).  Bert went down to Italy to pay D.R Preston for John - no idea who this is or what this is for. Mr. Preston was not at home (no way to call ahead in those days)  Leman did the evening chores.  Temp up to twelve!

Tuesday, February 6, 1894 --- Bert declares it a "nice and pleasant day"  Bert took two loads of potatoes to Wurth and Flahariety (sic) in Prattsburgh.  Leman and John sorted potatoes for tomorrow's delivery of the rest of the four loads. 

February 3 thru 4, 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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Saturday, February 3, 1894 ---  Just freezing this morning - 32 degrees - Leman and Bert went to Naples with two more loads of potatoes - probably by sleigh - Leman with a load of 21 sacks of potatoes, and Bert with a load of 20 sacks.  They got back home around 3PM, and "fed our faces".  They then sorted more potatoes till chore time.  After doing the chores, they ate supper, and then sorted potatoes down in the cellar until 9PM.... undoubtedly by kerosene lantern light.  While in Naples, Bert stopped - probably at Suttons - and bought a bar and a snap for his pocket watch chain.  Cost 20 cents.  Bert then closes with "I guess thats that"

Sunday, February 4, 1894 ---  Bert and Leman do the morning chores and then they get Leman's cutter, and headed to Ingleside for Leman to see the Doctor.  On the way they have an accident and tip over, breaking something on the cutter.  Dad says that a cutter would be a smaller lighter sleigh designed to carry people.  A sleigh would be heavier to carry goods also, and a bob sleigh is one that has separate front and rear runners with the front ones on a pivot for better steering.   Bert goes over to Russel Dye's place for dinner, and then comes back home around 4PM to help with the chores.  He comments that "it is getting colder and colder".

February 1 thru 2, 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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Thursday, February 1, 1894 --- Leman and Bert did the morning chores, and John and son Herman went to Ingleside to "see about burrying (sic) grandmother."  Then John and Herman went to Prattsburgh.  Bert went to Italy to pay the taxes on the farm.  Winney went with him - (Winney (sp?) is Whinney Fisher - brother of Herman's wife Anna.)   Then Bert went up to Russell Dyes to get his clothes.
Friday, February 2, 1894 ---  Six above zero this morning.  After doing the chores, they all went to Ingleside for his grandmother's funeral.  The sermon was preached by O.P.Potter of Marion, NY.  Don's Note : Rev. Potter was Secretary of the Tioga River Conference of Christian Churches of which the Ingleside Christian Church was a member.  He was also President of the Central New York Conference.  He is referred to as a Bishop in an article about a sermon he preached in New York City in November of 1900. Click here to see the New York Times article - a good summary of his religious views of the world.  He condemned the corruption of life in New York City, and the lack of police action on the matter.

"The old bear saw his shadow" - Don's note.... I found a very few other references to this phrase - evidently a New York State version of the groundhog story and 6 more weeks of winter?  The 2nd of February (Candlemas day) is half way between the winter and spring solstices.