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"