Creator

Purdy, Horace, 1835-1909

Title

Horace Purdy Journal, December 1862 Entry

Date

1862-12

Description

6pgs

Subject

Danbury (Conn.) -- History.

United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal Narratives.

Aaron Morehouse

Amos C. Day

Bell Purdy

Bridgeport (Conn.)

Brother Chittenden

Brother Crawford

Charles Mills

Danbury Times

Daniel Manley

David Mills

Deputy Sheriff Alfred Heath

Dr. Bulkeley

Edith Newman

Edward Stevens

Father Griswold

George Loomis

George Purdy

Granville Ambler

Harriet Griswold Wheeler Stevens

Hoyt Family

Jacob Fry

Jeffersonian (newspaper)

John Bussing

John Crosier

Joseph Ives

Josie Wheeler

Mary Jackson

Mother Griswold

Mrs. O.H. Swift

Norwalk (Conn.)

O. H. Swift

Sherman Disbrow

Stamford (Conn.)

William Witherspoon

Publisher

Western Connecticut State University

Abstract

12/1 I was rather late at the shop. Payday, I drew $22 for the last 2 weeks of work. I mailed a letter to David and Charles Mills with our cart de visite to David enclosed. I received two letters from George this evening with a sheet for Mother enclosed in one of them. This one was written on Thanksgiving Day. It was quite pleasant and star light in the early evening. I sat up until past 11 o'clock and wrote to George. 12/2 Worked in the shop all day. Bell came down and took care of Eddy in the PM so Gussie could go into the street. I mailed the letter I wrote to George in the evening. 12/3 I mailed the Danbury Times to George in the evening. Walked home with Mr. Swift when he closed his office and found Gussie upstairs with his wife. I stayed a while too. Before going downtown in the evening I took out the tacks in the bedroom carpet in preparation for cleaning tomorrow. An alarm of 5 abount 10:30. While cutting bread for tea I cut quite a gash in my thumb. 12/4 Before going to the shop I helped empty the bedroom for cleaning. My thumb troubled me considerably at work. Eddie is quite poorly with a difficulty of the bowels. We sent for Dr. Bulkely. He is afraid of an inflamation of the bowels. Mrs. Lounsbury has the mittens done for George (soldiers mittens having a thumb and finger). I mailed them to him in the evening, cost of 18 cents letter postage. I walked up home with Mr. Swift. 12/5 Very cold last night and I found ice frozen in our sink room in the morning. Mr. and Mrs Chapman and Mrs Smith were at Father Griswolds and I found Gussie up there when I came from work. I went up there to tea and came home after and soon Mr. Witherspoon came as expected with a spare rib which I engaged from him today at the shop. It weighed 10 lbs 2 oz. I then went to the post office and to Lounsbury's shoe store where I bought a pair of rubbers for $1.20. When I returned I went up to Father Griswolds and we stayed until the Company left, coming home about 1/4 to 9 o'clock. I also brought home some medicine from the Doctor's for Eddie. Gussie has had a severe head ache this PM. 12/6 An eclipse of the moon about 1 o'clock last night. I went to see Dr. Bulkely about Eddy in the evening. I went to the post office and walked up home with Mr. Swift. We found Mrs. Swift down stairs with Gussie so he came with me and stayed a little while. I brought up some apples and we enjoyed their visit very much. 12/7 If froze hard in our sink room last night. I didn't go to church in the AM but went down in time for Sunday School and stayed in the PM. When I came home found Eddy so miserable that I must go for Dr. Bulkely. He gave him and injection and left medicine for his difficulty which is a weakness in the lower bowelss tending to piles. After supper I wrote to George and went down in the evening and mailed it and returned without going to meeting. Gussie wrote to Edwin's wife Anne in the evening. 12/8 We rose rather late and I worked as usual in the shop. Bell came down after dinner and stayed until night to help Gussie. Mother called on her way to the Prayer Meeting for the Country. I attended the Teachers Meeting in the evening. I ordered 1 dozen [Longlings ] Questions, vol. 1st for John Corsier. Received a letter from David Mills this noon. 12/9 I worked in the shop as usual. Eddy is better, having had a movement of the bowels this forenoon. I got some more medicine from Dr. Bulkely for him in the evening. I answered David Mills letter before retiring. I lent Father Griswold $9.00 this evening to pay a bill for manure from Crossmans Stables. 12/10 I worked at the shop as usual. Father and Mother were here to dinner but I was at the shop, having taken my dinner. Daniel Manly cmae home with me to get 5 gallons of cider which I had sold to him. After tea went down to market and the post office. I took the School Societies Minutes Book with me to let Aaron Moorehouse take it to copy the bylaws. I mailed the letter to David Mills and the Danbury Times to George 12/11 The snow is melting very fast and the sleighing is leaving fast also. The dozen questions books which I ordered at Mr. Swifts came today. George [w.] Ives died today. I took a letter from the post office for Mother from George and also one for Father from Horace [Meaglie] from Norwalk about the flourwhich he promised to Father. 12/12 Worked as usual in the shop. After tea I went up home with the 2 letters for Father and Mother. I got a drink of cider then went to the post office and walked up home with Mr. Swift. 12/13 Still warm and snow is melting fast. Sleighing is already used up and wheels are used again. Aaron Moorehouse paid me a dollar today for George for use of his melodeon. After tea I went to market. 12/14 Pleasant and warm but very muddy. A sermon to the Sabbath School today, after which at collection was taken for the benefit of the lame. Sunday School prayer meeting at noon with passages from scriptures beginning with the letter M were recited by the scholars and for the first time by the teachers also. I stayed home and let Gussie attend in the PM. Mother and Bell stopped by on their way to evening meeting. I wrote to George and mother enclosed a sheet with mine, and I mailed it as I went to church in the evening. I also wrote to Harriet and left it for Gussie to add more to in the evening. She wrote to her old school mate Louise Howe also. Brother Crawford preached in the evening. 12/15 Joseph Young having gone to New York, his wife came over before breakfast to give me his checks on order that I might draw his money for him at the shop, $16.00. Edward Stevens wife's funeral was at 2 o'clock. I attended with others of his shop mates at the Disciples Church. He was married at the same place a year ago next New Year's Day. Mrs. Young with Mrs. Wilcox to accompany her came for Joseph's money as we were drinking tea. I mailed a letter to Harriet and one for Gussie to Louise Howe in the evening. I attended an adjourned Sunday School Teachers meeting in the evening. Came home and copied the minutes before retiring. Harriet Wheeler and Josie came from Brooklyn this evening, she having been there to see Abel off in the 23rd Regiment 12/16 Medad Bradley died about 10 o'clock today. Sheridan Disbrow brought me the last 2 tuns of coal on my order just at night. I gave him $15.00 for this delivery which settled our accoutn . I went to the post office and market in the evening. 12/17 Worked as usual in the shop. I maile the Times to George in the evening and took our tea drawer to the Joiner to be mended and went to class. I walked up from the street with Brothers Chittenden and Crosier, and Lounsbury and Mr. Swift. 12/18 Medad Bradley was buried today. I have had the sick headache which compelled me to stop work before night. I took care of Eddy in the evening to let Gussie go to Prayer Meeting. 12/19 I worked in the shop all day and felt quite well. Joseph Ives' wife was buried this afternoon. I went to the post office in the evening expecting to hear from George but did not. 12/20 Saturday. Pleasant but very very cold. I worked as usual in the shop. Gussie took a letter from the post office for me from George this PM. It was written last Sunday at Dumfrey's within sound of the guns at Fredericksburg. They were on the way to the latter place and had a tedious march from Fairfax through the mud. It is reported that the Sec. of State at Washington, William H. Seward, has resigned. Mother came downin the evening to hear the letter from George. I went to market, to the post office and returned home as soon as the mail was opened. A severe cold night. I commenced a letter to George before retiring. 12/21 I went to church in the morning and to Sunday School at noon. Neither Gussie nor myself attended in the PM. Isabella came from church to our house and stayed until evening meeting time. Mother Griswold, Harriet and Josie came in for a while after tea. I finished my letter to George and mailed a Harpers Weekly with a picture of the late great battle of Fredericksburg Va in it at the same time. 12/22 A little snow on the ground. Worked as usual in the shop. Emptied the old brine from my pork barrel in the evening, preparatory to putting down my new pork which I am expecting tomorrow or the next day. I mailed 3 of the last [Lewis] Weekly Tribunes to George this evening and received 2 letters from him and one from Harriet. In one that George sent was enclosed one received by him from Isabella Conrad of Bridgeport which he sent home for safekeeping. As I came home from the street this evening I went with Mr. Swift to Brittens, the Druggist, for strichnine to poison mice with. Eddy having a bad cold, we borrowed some goose grease from Mrs. Swift to grease his stomach before retiring. 12/23 Warmer, what little snow as on the ground disappeared. George Loomis, discharged from the army on account of wounds, came home yesterday. He came to the shop in the AM to see his old shop mates. He went on turn and was shopped. I answered George's letter and also mailed him a box of Brown's Bronchial Troaches in the evening. Bell came down after tea and stayed with Eddie while Gussie went into the street with me to do a little trading. I stopped at [Ansael] Hoyt's to see about my pork which he is cutting up for me to be delivered tomorrow. I borrowed a meat saw from him to cut up some beef I expect tomorrow. Bell took my lantern and went home as soon as I returned. When Mr. Swift came home he went down the cellar and brought up some sweet cider which he got today and gave me a glass. Before I went downtown, Miss Edith Newman called and gave me $15.00 which George sent in a letter to her for me to deposit in the Savings Bank for him. 12/24 On account of not sleeping much last night (Eddy being sick) I felt poorly today and quit work before night on that account. Noah Hoyt brought my pork this morning and just at night Granvil Ambler brought my beef that I had ordered of Jacob Fry, 112 lbs. I went downtown in the evening and bought more pork to fill up my barrel. Gussie spent all the evening shopping and keeping up Christmas Eve. I spent the evening packing my pork. Bell has spent the day with us taking care of Eddy to let Gussie take care of her pork and is to stary the night with us. Mr. Swift helped me cut up my beef before we retired.12/25 Christmas Day. I spent my time at home taking care of pork and beef. Bell stayed last night and today. At about 1 o'clock we went up to Father Griswold's to dinner. Mother received a letter from George with $5.00. $3.00 for her and $2 for me to deposit for him. In the evening Mr. Swift gave me $1 which Alfred Heath left there for George to be handed to me. I mailed a pair of stockings to Ohio for Fanny, directed to Mrs. E. E. Griswold intended for her little WIllie. 12/26 I worked all day in the shop. Mother came to tea and went to prayer meeting in the evening. I gave her a sparerib of fresh pork to take over to Mrs. Curtis whose husband has gone to war. I carried up fresh pork and beef into the observatory of Father Griswold's house and hung it up then went down to the post office. I mailed a Harpers Weekly to Georgeon account of the Christmas pictures it contained. Before retiring I started a letter to George. 12/27 I made a brine and salted my beef in the evening and rubbed my hams also. I went to the barbers and to the post office in the evening. Mr. Swifts father came on the train in the evening to stay with him until Sunday. We let hime occupy our bed in the parlor. Gussie's old nurse Mrs. Jackson, who died in Stamford was brought home on the train and buried this afternoon. 12/28 The last Sabbath of the year. I went to church in the morning and came home after Sunday School to let Gussie attend in the PM. I finished my letter to George. Mother came down on her way to evening meeting and enclose a letter to George with mine. I sent 85 cents in postage stamps to him, bought with his money. John Crosier came in to have me direct for him the soldiers mittens which he is sending to Amos C. Day, one of his old Sunday School scholars. I gave him the money to get the stamps for George and to enclose them in the letter and seal it and mail it. Gussie went to meeting in the evening while I stayed with Eddie. 12/29 Eddy is 16 months today. I worked as usual in the shop. Received 2 letters from George in the evening in which he ordered a box of good things sent to him immediately. I bought a pound of almonds and some walnuts to send to him. I wrote a hasty reply at Mr. Swift's office and mailed it before coming home. 12/30 I took the letters that I had from George last evening down for Mr. Ashley, the editor of the Jeffersonian, to take some abstracts from for his paper. I went out in the street in the evening and bought a box to fill with good things to send to George. I went up home before breakfast this morning to have Mother bake a cake for George and to have Bell come down and take care of Eddy while Gussie ironed and prepared things to send to George. John W. Bussing's wife died in the PM. Commenced snowing in the evening. 12/31 Stormy all day, a considerable snow fell. I mailed the Danbury Times to George. I took a letter from the post office directed to Mother from Harriet. I paid a bill at Russel Hoyt's of $12.96 for the pork.