January  1899  

Sunday 1                  

AM                                Colchester Reef Lighthouse

12.01    3° [below 0°]   Wind N. Light

                A Happy New Year to Everybody

1.          3° [below 0°]  Wind N. Light

1.30      "           "            "      "      "   Rising breeze just struck here.

2.00      "           "            "      "      "   

7.        6° [below 0°]      "      "       "

7.30     "            "           "      "       "  Took down light for last time.

9.        7° [below 0°]     "       "       "

noon

12.       7° [below 0°]   "       "       "  Steaming all AM but sun shining very pleasantly.

            Everything cleaned up and set in order + I am all packed up ready now to start at a minutes notice.  and I wish the boat was here now, as long as I am ready, but of course I cant tell when I shall go.

            I can stand it a week longer all right but by that time I guess grub would begin to look a little scarce.  But I am not worrying for I don't imagine they have forgotten me by any means.

12.30   6° [below 0°]  Wind N. light

1.00     5° [below 0°]  "       "    fresh

1.30     4° [below 0°] "        "       "  Guess we are going to have a hot snap now.

2.00     "                 "            "       "  Guess I've got to stay here a while too.

3.30   3° [below 0°] "           "      "  Not very hot yet.

4.00   2° [below 0°]  "           "     "

4.30    1° [below 0°]  "     "     Light.  Had a beautiful sunset and should think it ought to be warmer to-morrow.

5.        0°    Wind NW light.  Steam disappearing.  Can see W. Point for first time to-day.  Steam has been rising all day, quite thick.

6.       1°  Wind NW light.   Clear + pleasant but cool.

9.30    0°  Wind W. light.  Clear.  Starlight + moon just rising.

            I think there will be some ice between here and home in the morning if the wind don't rise to-night.

10.        "      Wind W. Light

11.      "            "          "         "

12.     0°

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AM                    Monday Jan 2.

4.20       4°    Wind S. Steaming

10.        "         "     "    Gale

11.        6°       "      "      "  

noon

12.         8°      "       "       "

1.          10°    "        "       "

2.           12°    "        "       "

3.            14°    "        "       "

4.            "         "        "       "

5.            "         "        "       "

9.30        17°     "        "        "

Midnight

12.          18°    "                     I think this the hardest one yet!

AM                        Tuesday Jan. 3

12.30     19°     "       "       "

1.           20°    "      "       "

7.            "       "      "     Fresh

10          22°     "      "      "

noon 12   23°   "      "      "

pm    1     24°    "      "      "  A little easier

3              25°   "      "      "   "    "      "

5              25°  "         "      "   "    "    "   Light I guess

6              24°   "         "         "

8              24°   "       "       Fresh again

11.           26°   "      "      "

Midnight 12   27°   "      "      "

Wednesday 4^th

A.M                           Colchester Reef Light House

1.30     28°            Wind S. Fresh.

7          30°         “      “               Gale

9          32°         “      “      “

10.20   34°           “      “      “

noon 12 35°          “      “      “

p.m. 1.30 36°       “      “      “  

Sunday 8^th January. 1899.   Button’s Camp

          Another cold windy day with a little sun. Got up about 6AM or a little later. Last evening I sat up and studied a seed catalogue and other circulars until 10 o’clock. Slept and am feeling well today. Porter was here about two hours. Talk of telephones, transplanting trees, planting potatoes, and various other items. The open  place out north here yesterday and day before, were frozen over this morning + I guess it will stay so now.

2.20 P.M. Looks cold and stormy all around.

Monday, 9^th Jan.

7.20 P.M. 20° This has been and still is a very cold day and evening.  

This morning after breakfast, I helped Cap't make out his Light House quarterly report ending Dec. 31,1898.  It was quite a little job.

Mr. Barstow came in with some letters to send to P.O.  Coon came down to see if Cap was going to the City after finishing reports.  I tacked on lath in the little bedroom till noon. 

After dinner Cap went to the City and Grandpa went with him to take the train for Essex.

Cap came home about half past 4 with one of his headaches and as soon as he and I had unharnessed the horses and put them in the stable he went to bed without eating supper and is there yet sleeping.

While he was gone I cleaned out all the stables and brought up 4 pails of water for the house and six for the barn and watered the cows and calves all round.

I sawed up the last of the green wood and sifted a lot of coal ashes, bringing in the screenings and putting ashes in the henhouse.   I also thawed out and washed there hen pans: watered and fed the hens for Lottie.  Have managed to keep pretty busy all day even if I haven't accomplished much.

Chet commenced going to school.

Miss Carey is the teacher.

Chet says there were 13 names on the register but only 5 including himself were there to-day.  He has been almost sick two to three days and he came home to-night with a bad headache and after eating supper and doing the chores he had to, he went to bed.

He brought me two letters.  One from L.R + Co., hoping I would order an exhibition outfit, and another from H.D.I. wishing me to make him a visit.  Residence 96 Bowers St.  Works as an engineer at Nashua Iron and Steel Works.  Enter at the gate and go to East side to engine room on Hollis St.  It seems he is married, but whether it is the wife he had years ago or another, I don't know.

Genie has been almost sick for a day or two, but I guess he will come out alright.

A letter from Bertha at Fairfax, says her school will be out in four week from now.

Everybody has gone to bed now except Major the dog and myself.  Last evening I commenced reading the second time "Don Quixote."  The first time I read it was when I was going to school and it must have been between 35 and 40 years ago.  it don't seem possible, but time flies faster and faster as the years go by.

Tuesday 10th January 1899 Button's Camp

7.30 PM   Below zero all day.

14° this morning and 6° [below zero] to-night.

Nothing of importance has happened to-day.

Cap'n made a window frame and fitted a new window and I tacked on lath, brought up 10 pails of water and helped do chores.

Mr. Barstow called this PM.

Chet went to school and brought me two letters, one from J. Burns and one with circular description of a book "The Silent Revealer" or how to get rich.  It reads will, like others.

All have gone to bed except the dog and myself and I guess we will go soon.

It was been an awful cold day and I hope we wont have another for some time.

Wednesday 11th

9.00 PM

8° [below zero] this morning   Pleasant day.

 Thursday  12th

8.20 PM     

A lovely day 4° [below zero] this mng.

Nothing of note yesterday.

Called at Mr. Barstow's last evening.  Mr. + Mrs. B and Luthera were there.  Had a very pleasant time talking of old times and where Uncle Eli used to live when he was a young man.   It was in a now deserted old house down near Coons on the corner.

After I got home I had a great fight with the dog to get him out of doors when I had got ready to go to bed.   But he went out all right.

All in bed except me.  The dog isn't here this time.  He has been a little shy of me all day.  Last night Cap moved the partition of the little bedroom while I was at Mr. B's.  It makes the bedroom much nicer.

Chet went to school and Cash came home with him this evening and staid to supper.  He had stepped on his thumb and hurt it some way and his mother gave him some liniment to put on it.  He says Hines has a new two horse heavy wagon.

Cap has been sick all day.  I finished lathing the little new bedroom and it is now all ready for plaster.    I expect we shall get sand for mortar to-morrow.

I also did most of the chores to-day.  Brought up 16 pails of water, 4 to the house and 12 to the barn.  Screened some more ashes, milked to-night and in fact have been quite busy all day.

Jehoshephat's horse fell against the outside stable door this mng and busted it and I fixed that with all the rest of the tinkering.

Mr. Barstow called a few minutes this evening.  Mr. Seymour also called to pay Cap $1.25.  We popped a little of my corn but it is rather poor stuff.

While we were eating dinner the ice cracked with a noise like a cannon.  It fairly jarred the house and when I went after water this PM I walked out about 40 rods to the crack.  It was about 6 feet wide and the ice on one edge had settled or rather been crowded down under the solid ice on one side and forced up about two feet high on the other.  It was half a mile long.  [?] me that sometimes the ice is forced up into windrow 8 or 10 feet high owing to its expansion when the weather grows warmer as it is doing now after a very cold spell.  The ice is at least a foot thick.

Friday 13^th January 1899. Button’s Camp

8. P.M

Cold and cloudy all day though after sunset last evening it seemed as if we would have a nice warm day.

Chet went to school and brought me a letter from the “Patent Record” in answer to my letter where I wrote in answer to an “ad” of an idea wanted, Porter was here much of the A.M, and he and Capt and I visited in the sitting room, discussing various topics.

After dinner Capt and I went to the point, picked up a lot of loose plank and drew up the boat out of danger from high water.

Then we came along and got a load of sand and stopped at Porters and put some beans and some things to be taken to Essex tomorrow to Bro. Armstrong, if Chet goes up with a load of coal.

After we got home I unloaded 4 bbls of sand and we ran the wagon with the seat under the shed.

After that we did the chores and then after supper Chet went away and hasn’t got back yet.  Am going to try to teach Francis to read if I can.  Mr. Barstow called while we were eating supper to see if we had heard from Middleton’s folks who are quite sick.

Saturday 14^th January 1899. Button’s Camp

8:15 P.M

  A rainy day though the rain only commenced along in the middle of the A.M.

Chet went away early this morning with team to B. and drew a load of coal from there to Essex.  He got here about 6:20, with a sleigh and a two-horse sled on board, all safe and sound but everything soaked.  Capt and I got the big mortar bed down from the bridge at the farm and slacked about a third of a bbl of lime and made mortar, this A.M, we also had quite a session with “Grandfathers clock", which had a “spell” of obstinately, but we soon overcame it and braced it up and it has run contentedly ever since.

This P.M. Capt plastered most of the little new bedroom, and this evening it looks quite nice and cozy.   I look down the fence between the stables or enough of it so we don’t run around the farm any more to take the horses in and out.

I did most of the chores at the barn today while Capt run the plastering department.

I had a good time clearing out about a ton, I should think of bedding from the horse stalls.  I dug two trenches to draw water out of road and dooryard, and did quite a good business catching rainwater, nearly two bbls in all I think.  Lottie made ginger cookies and gave me some hot just out of the oven, and they were very nice.  Mrs. Handy came over after milk.  No other visitors today.

It’s reported that 1,300 people in Burlington are sick with the Gripe.   I have escaped being sick for a long time now and I hope this some good fortune may attend me for a long time to come.

Sunday 15^th January 1899 Button’s Camp

9 P.M.

 Looks quite stormy this morning but towards noon cleared a little and as went up to Hines found Burt at barn splitting wood. He showed one of the pigs and new wagon he had been buying a few days ago. We went in and found Mrs. S asleep and Frank had gone fishing, he came home however before long.

Had a very pleasant visit and also stayed to supper.  I borrowed several papers to read and return.  Chet had the misfortune to have a piece of coal strike his right eye yesterday and has been having considerable trouble with it to day.  Expected to see Cassie but guess he was up to Jack Morrison's.

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 Monday 16^th

Cloudy all day, but quite comfortable even though it froze some, as rather perhaps did not thaw much.  Chet’s eye so bad he did not go to school though he went up to Post Office this mng.  He has had to nurse his eye nearly all day but it is better tonight.

Mrs. B has been nearly sick all day.  Genie had a devil of a spell last night. Capt and I put plank around the big pig pen after one of them fell overboard about noon. We rubbed down and smoothed and put on thin plaster (2^nd coat) on little new bedroom, and patched the roof with paper and I painted the gutter with the nastiest paint I really do believe that I ever saw.

  We had quite a time squeezing hot paint out of a lot of old paint skins.  Cap’s wrist this P.M. has been quite lame so he couldn’t do much.  New horse from Porter's for Chet to ride to school: He has never been broken to the saddle and don’t like it very well.

Watered the cattle this P.M from the pond in the park near the well.  We had new combinations for supper; rice and apple and it was very nice as was also the hashy pudding of which I had not had any for a good long time.

Called at Mr. Barstow's this evening.  Mr. Williams and wife from Boston, Mass. were just going away.  I had a very pleasant evening.  We talked of various things and they told me how Uncle Rube slid down hill on the rear end of a double ripper and when the sled arrived at a turn in the road and a rise also at the same place he was set off into a snow bank and left while the rest went down the hill shouting.

I told them of the trick I showed Jim Sumner's and also how I pinched fathers finger in the tire benders many years ago, and also how my Grandfather spit on my foot one time when I was splitting wood and wouldn’t let him have the axe.

Last night I read until quite late, and didn’t sleep very well as Chet was uneasy with his eye.  I think I shall sleep better tonight I wonder why I don’t hear from Brother Charlie.  He must have received my letter for it hasn’t come back..

Tuesday 17^th January 1899 Button Camp

7.30 P.M.            A warm day with but little sun. Cap put in 2 windows in the horse stall, cleared up the floor where the sick horse was; put up a stick to hang harnesses on and did quite a lot of work around the farm.

 Chet rode the Porters horse up to the P.O. and when he got home at noon he had made up his mind that he didn’t care to go any farther unless he could have another horse.

I started in by breaking a lantern all to smithereens the first thing this morning when I went out to milk. But luckily no other damage resulted. It scared one out of a years growth I guess, and I was awful glad, that nothing worse happened.

I run on to a new lot of flood wood before breakfast; it was part of an old scow and a few other old pieces of wood near the bank by the old sweet apple tree, back of the wood shed.

After breakfast I took our 4 panes of glass from a storm windows (10X14) and put them into the sash of the windows Cap put in the stables. We unloaded the sleigh + sled from the wagon they came down from Essex on last Saturday. Put sleigh under shed, and cleaned up the three seater, especially Porter would take it to attend a funeral but he didn’t come for it so we put it under the shed again.

It has rained and snowed a very little two or three times P.M + evening.

After dinner I cleaned out the hen’s nests and fixed over the coops so we could open the top and put in some new roosts, and fixed up things all around in the hen house. Mrs. Hub Dutton died this P.M at 3 o’clock.

Old Mrs. Lacy is a little more comfortable. Old Mrs. Lacy was buried today. Many people are sick.

Chet’s eye felt so bad he went to bed immediately after supper.

Mrs. Barstow and Luthera came in and visited half an hour or so.

The wind is now blowing quite hard.

Old Charlie Gemlaw says we are to have this same kind of warmish damp foggy weather until the 21^st day of March.

We let Ned + Possum out this P.M + they ran away down to the brick house, and Chet had to go after them. Ned fell down Saturday coming from Essex + lamed himself. I rubbed a lot of liniment on his hip yesterday morning.

Uncle Willard and Jim Sumner came down to measure wood Jim chopped. Elno has the Gripe.

Wednesday, 18^th

A very cold day, nearly zero weather. Chet went to school; his eye was so much better. Cap got the team shod. I worked up a lot of old apple tree limbs, did chores +c. Broke an ear off the swill pail and put on a new leather one. Put strap hinges on lid of 2^nd nest box and stretched strings across one of them to try to keep hens from roosting on it. If it proves affective shall put some on the other one. Put two bushels of sawdust in hen pen to dry the floor. Brought four pails water from lake. Cap + I cut off zinc and board under stoves in the kitchen, making it much easier to stand near stove when putting on or taking off things. Brought in corn for Lottie to feed hens.

Francie made me a present of a little pinwheel and pins to carry in my pocket. Mr. Barstow also made me a present, it was an old jack knife but very acceptable, as was the pinwheel. I guess I am lucky after all. I borrowed Mr. Barstow's saw to cut down one of the old butternut trees and hope we may get it done before we have any more snow. Mr. Barstow called a moment at suppertime. Chet + I went up there this evening + found Mrs. B + Luthera locked in. Mr. B. having gone up to find out when funeral of Mrs. Dutton was to be. He comes home at 8. Funeral at Catholic Church in City Friday 9 a.m. Leave house at 7:30.

I’ve had a very pleasant visit and a very kind invitation to call again at an early date.

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Thursday, 19^th

Another very cold day.

Chet rode over to Porters after a letter and then went to school. This evening carried Luthera up to the swamp to find boundary lines.

Porter called here this morning.

I did chores this morning and read half the A.M. This P.M. did chores at farm and that is about all. Cleaned out and swept up everything.

Not much accomplished. Tried to have Cap let me cut the old butternut, but can’t get him to do it yet.

Friday 20 January 1899. Button’s Camp

8:20 P.M

Another cold day.

Chet went to school.

Cap + I went down by Porter farm and put on ¾ of a cord of wood and drew it up for Willard to Reuben Thayer. We stopped at Reubens a little while. Got a good drink of Cider and then went to the city.

We got a lot of matched boards for the icehouse, and some studding and lath for the house. We got oilcan filled (5 gals).

I got a canvas or duck coat, 2.50 mittens 35 cents + a shirt 75 cents.

We got home about 6 o’clock, and found Cass here to stay tonight.

Saw old Mr. Degree and old Mr. Douglass the latter had been thrown from a buggy only a day or two ago, and was pretty badly hurt, but he was so as to be around today. When I milked this morning, I forgot to take the rope off old spots foot, so it was on when I got home.

I guess she knows by this time what a rope on her foot is for.

Oh! We got two cow-cards and now I shall try to use them occasionally for the benefit of the cattle.

Mr. Ratte has been and is quite sick.

Farnum went for a Dr. for him and carried him home to the city. We met them when we came home. They feared pneumonia but he thinks he will not have it.

Saturday 21. January 1899.Button's Camp

Quite a comfortable day.

Chet went to City with team + drew 2900 lbs. of coal to Essex for Eli Whitten + got home about 6.30.  About a dozen of Whitten's hens have died recently at the rate of one per night: no marks of injury having been discovered on any of them.

A very singular circumstance.

Cassie stayed all night + slept with me.  He rode Porter's broncho this mng and after dinner helped me grind the big axe at Barstow's.  He then went away again with the broncho but returned at supper time and after that he went up to this shanty on the ice.

Cap did chores + I don't know what else this AM but he and I built and hung the woodshed door this PM + then he painted it.

I put sheathing on three sides of the ice-house and did other work as stated above.  I also brought up 10 pails of water for barn and house.

This evening called at Mr. Barstow's.  Mr + Mrs. B + Luthera were there + all well.

Ratte was worse AM + wanted Cap to go for a Dr. but couldn't as horses were away.

Heard to-night that he got a Dr. and was better this PM + evening.

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Sunday 22

10. PM  

Quite comfortable.  Thawing a little.

Got up about 6.20 + did most of the chores before any one else got to the farm.

Chet fixed his skates, and also a sail and went out flying about noon.

I went up to see Cass.  Stopped at Hines' + found Franks brother + wife + there boy + girl from Colchester.

Friday 27th January 1899.Button's Camp

8PM

Porter came in and visited and ate up one of my Northern Spy apples and told the railroad news.  The new road is to be running by 1st of next Sept. even if Dr. Webb has to put on as many men as the road is feet long.

Chet and I went up to Barstow's this evening.  Mrs. Barstow's sister Mrs. Johnson and her husband who were here last summer and their daughter and her husband all died of pneumonia lately and Mrs. B got the news tonight.  She was feeling pretty badly about it.

Bill + Thora are both there.

Cas was here to supper and will stay to-night. I studied an hour or two last night on my elevator indicator and think I am gaining a few points on it.

Had quite a talk with Mr. Barstow about detachable toe + heel calks for horse shoes.  The "Neverslip" toe + heel are a comparatively new thing now and are being used quite extensively, but I am not prejudiced in their favor I must confess.

Chet expects to go to Essex to-morrow.  Genie fell down this PM + cut a hole in his lip and there was music by the band for quite a spell.

Got another little book, "How we get Patents."  I guess I must work out a few of my foolish ideas and see if they are worth getting patented.

Saturday 28th.  January 1899 Button's Camp

Another very cold day and all day at that.  Chet went to City + took load of coal to Essex.  Got back in time for supper.  Had good luck.  Brought down the traverse sleigh.

Cap and I worked in the sitting room + bedroom putting on casings.  Didn't quite finish after all.  I wish we had though.

Cass here all day.  Didn't do much though except ride Porter's Broncho this PM till chores were all done.  He got back to eat supper after all the rest had finished.

Nobody called to-day.

Chet got me some thin wrapping paper at Essex.  I lugged water to-day for all round was Chet was away with the team.

Didn't sleep at all well last night for some reason and about 10 AM to-day had a kind of a Pleurisy pain in my right side as bad that I had to stop work and go to bed for a about an hour:  then I was all right again, and have felt nothing of it since.

Sunday 29th

Another cold day but sunny and fairly pleasant.

I painted woodwork or most of it in sitting room and bed-room and did my usual chores.  Cass went over to West Pt. this PM for a walk.

Chet, Francie + Lottie went up + called at Mr. Barstow's this evening.

Goodspeed's colt came to board here for a while.  Chet sends for Sears Roebuck + Co. '99 Catalogue.

Monday 30th  January 1899 Button's Camp

Still another very cold day.  Hasn't thawed at all.  Chet went to school and came home with sore throat and headache.

Cass went to City this mng after Dr. Hastings for Mrs. Hardy who is very sick with mumps.  He also did most of the chores to-night.

Cap is having a time with his hand.  A sore on the back + has to poultice it but he and I have been at work in the sitting room and chamber all day.  Casings all finished in sitting + bedroom and door hung in chamber.

Somehow I can't help feeling a little homesick to-night for no reason in particular that I know of only I am.

Tuesday 31.

A lovely day, Sunny, no wind and no thaw.

Chet went to school.  Cap worked in house.  Cass + I drew 2 loads of manure away down to the far end of the lot and spread it, then Cap, Cass, Goodspeed + I went to Grand Isle after the ice-boat.  We left here about 11 AM + got back here about 1 PM.  Found the boat at Mr. Churchill's.  Saw Mr. C. his wife + daughter.  Had a very pleasant ride though it was rather a cool one.

Cap + I called at Mr. Barstow's little while this evening.  Noticed a fire of east somewhere as we were going up.  Chet working out problems this eve.

Work on railroad has commenced.

A fellow called here to-day to enquire about where the rails (6 of them) that came down here the other day were left.  They were at Porter's barn near house with cupola on the point.

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