March 31 thru April 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.

Saturday March 31, 1894 - Leman and Bert do the morning chores while Olivia and Pa make breakfast. John, Leman and Bert go over to Italy with the horses and sleighs and load up some hay. John and Leman take the hay home, and Bert goes over to Herman's. Bert ate dinner there, and helped saw some firewood. Winnie went down to Italy to swap horses, and Bert stayed the night at Herman's.

Sunday, April 1, 1894 - Bert comments that it is April Fool's Day, and that he did not get fooled all day! Bert stayed at Herman's all day, but went over to Milo Dye's around 4PM. Bert says he went to "hayness" for a while in the evening. Maybe Haynes's place? Not sure who that is?

Bert comments that he lent Herman $50.

Not sure what the little drawings of cubes are about?

March 29 thru 30, 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.

Thursday - They move more stuff to the new place today, and spend the night there for the first time. Bert loads up some more "truck", and then leads Fanny over to the new place. I assume this is one of their horses, but no idea why he would not have ridden her over? Pa (John Babcock), "Pie Face", and Leman moved more stuff over to the new place, and Horton "fetched Olivia and some other truck." I have no idea who "Pie Face" is? Or who Horton is?

Friday - Another of Bert's great phrases - "the wind was in the south this morning and it blew lather to shave" (I'm thinking maybe referring to blowing hard enough to blow everything away - like shaving your beard?) He and Leman did the chores as always, and then went to Italy (nearby community) to get some hay. They stop in Jerusalem (another small community in the area) on the way home. I have no idea what he means about it being his "last night in Jerusalem"?

March 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.

It is still pretty cold for the end of March - 10 degrees. Chores as usual, and then Bert and Leman load up a load of "truck" to take over to the new place. "Truck" was a word for miscellaneous stuff that today we might need a truck to haul? Leman drove the horse and sleigh with the "truck", and Bert walked over leading two of their horses - Kit and Stub. At night Bert and his father went to visit Herman, and Leman and Olivia went over to the McConnels to "eat sugar". This time of the year is Maple sugaring time, so a gathering to enjoy the results would be in order!

On Wednesday, they did the chores of course, and then loaded up two loads of "truck" which John and Leman drove over to the new place (by horse and sleigh of course). Winnie Fisher and Bert drove the cattle over to the new place - sort of a mini cattle drive, and Herman drove the flock of sheep. The animals would have been sort of the last thing to move to the new farm. Keeping two places going must have been quite a task?

March 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.

A couple of pretty quiet days. Still cold and windy. Bert goes over to Russel Dye's (brother of my great grandmother on my father's side of the family) He spends the day and stays for dinner and then comes home.

The next day is a bit warmer. Bert does chores on the farm as usual, and Winnie Fisher takes a load of furniture over to John's new farm.

March 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.

My first new posting in a long time. My apologies. Life just seems to move on and things recede further into the undone pile. I hope I can keep up with making regular entries?

I love Bert's cool turn of phrase ability. This one - "the wind blew holy Moses". He makes the usual entry about chores, and the big move goes on. He and brother Leman continue moving things from the old place to John's (Bert's father) new farm. Given the use of horse and sleigh, and bitter cold weather, it takes a while!

Saturday comes up at 6 below zero, but evidently not so windy? More chores of course, and two loads of wood (probably firewood) taken to the new farm. He and Leman get back home around 4 o'clock, and have to make their own dinner.

Bert comments in a separate entry that "five years ago tonight I left home for my self" Bert often comments about some of the loneliness of his life. It appears that his father pretty much told him it was time to go when he was old enough and he could no longer live at home. There is lots of daily family contact, but Bert lives on his own, and seems quite conscious of his "separateness"

March 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, March 21, 1894 --- It rained and thundered and lightened and they finished drawing hay bales to Prattsburgh.

Thursday, March 22, 1894 --- More rain, and John Babcock went to Penn Yan to see L. Corey. (not sure who this is - related to Charles Corey whom I bought the farm from.) Bert and Leman moved some more stuff to the new farm in the rain.

March 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, March 19, 1894 --- "Mud, mud, mud, mud, warm and muddy" Leman and Bert did the chores, and then loaded up two loads of hay to take to Prattsburgh - probably for John? Leman got "hung up in the mud three times" but Bert managed to not get stuck. It took 4 hours to get to Prattsburgh because of the mud. They got home around 4 PM, and had dinner. After dinner they loaded up two more loads of hay to take to Prattsburgh the next day. Bert then took Herman's mail over to his place.

Tuesday, March 20, 1894 --- They did the chores for John, and then they took more hay to Prattsburgh. They each took 12 bales in the morning and 12 more in the afternoon. Still lots of mud, but it seems to have gone better?