Creator

Purdy, Horace, 1835-1909

Title

Horace Purdy Journal July 1867 Entry

Date

1867-07

Description

7pgs

Subject

Danbury (Conn.) -- History.

A. G. Crosby's Coal Office

Benjamin Lynes

Brother Burch

Brother Frisbie

Brother Webb

Canton (Conn.)

Clark Ferguson

Collinsville CT

Crowe and Powell Canal St. New York

Danbury and Norwalk Railroad

Danbury Bank

Daniel Minnerly

Deer Hill

E. D. Hill's Coal Office

Eliza Humphrey

Fanny Griswold

Father Griswold

Father Purdy

George (Georgie) Purdy

George Purdy

Great American Tea Company

Gussie Purdy

Harriet Purdy

Harriet Taylor

Helen Webster

Joseph Allen

Lauren Humphrey

Louise Jones

Lyman Keeler

Mrs. N.O. Pond

Nathan Pond

New York City

O. H. Swift

Oscar Serine

Pier 42 NY

Plainville CT

Rev. Mr. Stone

Robert Cocking

Russell Smith

Smith and Rand Powder Company

Steamboats

West Street Danbury

Williams Street Danbury

Yonkers NY

Publisher

Western Connecticut State University

Abstract

JULY 01 MONDAY - Very warm. I took 7 quarts of strawberries to the city with me this morning for Miss Donavan who lives in rooms over the store and to Mr. Ferguson, the man I board with at No. 10 Grove Street. Daniel (my boy) wanted some money for clothing, so I paid his wages in advance this week. George went to Yonkers at noon. I went in the P.M. and again in the evening to Pier 42 at the foot of Canal Street to see if I could hear anything from the California steamer, 'Rising Star' as she is now about due. We are expecting Lauren E. Humphrey and wife and children on her. In the evening, I wrote to Gussie that the steamer was hourly expected. JULY 02 TUESDAY - Before breakfast I took a walk down the pier but nothing had been heard from the steamer. I went six times during the day and evening but not a word from her. Got a deep circular frame for a hat wreath for Swift at Ferguson's on the corner of Broadway and Broome. JULY 03 WEDNESDAY - I let Daniel have $2.00 more today to get into the country for the 'Fourth'. George, having no work in Yonkers until after the 'Fourth', he came down about noon. I got $17.70, this is from Crosby which he took from a burglar that he stole from my house. I brought the circular frame to Swift this evening as I came home. JULY 04 THURSDAY - The store is not open today and I stay at home and hoe garden. Very warm. About 10 o'clock, after hoeing my garden, I dressed anew and walked downtown. I saw Officer Crosby; He gave me $6.00 which he collected for me from Russell Smith. The 'Band of Hope' have a picnic today in Lyman Keeler's orchard on Deer Hill. While I was in the street, they had formed in procession, headed by the Bartram and Fanton Brass Band and marched to the orchard. The band move in their new uniforms for the first time and made a good appearance. Gussie took Georgie and went up. I was there a short time. In the evening, I mended a trunk for my wife as she is anticipating a visit to Canton this month if her cousin Eliza comes from California as expected. Just at night, I picked strawberries to take with me to the city in the morning. A heavy shower in the evening. Mr. Cocking had some ice cream given him by Mr. Lynes and in the evening, he brought it downstairs and treated Gussie and I to a dish of it. JULY 05 FRIDAY - I took the strawberries to the city with me this morning and in the P.M., Mr. Ferguson had some strawberry shortcake made for George's special benefit. Hot in the city this morning. It partly broke away about 9 A.M., but in the middle of the day, it became thick cloudy again and rained hard in the afternoon. The 'Rising Star' arrived yesterday. I went down today to see if Eliza came, but her name was not on the list of passengers. I went to the Great American Tea Company and bought a pound of Japanese tea for Father. I intended to go home this P.M., but a customer came in at the time I should leave the store and detained me so I could not go. JULY 06 SATURDAY - I went over to Brooklyn this A.M. to get a photograph Louise Jones has been coloring for me for my customer. I got the vase of wax flowers also that she had previously spoken about me putting in my store to sell for a friend of hers. On my return, I went to 41 and 43 Beekman Street at Hollerbach's for some porcelain-headed nails for rustic frames. In the P.M., I cut down a looking glass frame for a customer. I walked up to 27th Street and took the 4 1.2 P.M. train for home where I arrived at 7:30 P.M. It rained hard while I was on the Danbury & Norwalk train. It was a shower which subsided when the train arrived here in Danbury. As I came from the depot this evening, I met Oscar Serine who paid me $2.94 for 10 ## lbs. of butter I sold him of what we had from Ohio. JULY 07 SUNDAY - Pleasant and very warm. Before church, I picked our first mess of peas. We had more than we wanted and I asked Mr. Pond to help me pick. He sent Miss Hutchinson. I divided with her. Gussie attended church in the morning. I went to Sunday School in the P.M. and came home after the session. After tea, we went up home to my Father's and drew Georgie in his carriage. We took some strawberries which I picked in the garden. We took George's dirty clothes up to be washed which he sent by me from the city yesterday. I went to church in the evening. Mr. Frisbie preached for us. Mr. Birch preached in his church. They exchanged. Before retiring, I drew up a list of books, etc. wanted from New York by Goodall for the Miry Brook Sunday School and by Fanny for her infant class here. Also a book wanted by Edward Everett. Also the singing book for Harriet Taylor's class. JULY 08 MONDAY - I returned again to business in the city this morning. I found Daniel there all right, he having been away in the country since the Fourth. George, who has been at the store while Daniel was away, returned to Yonkers this forenoon. I called on E. D. Hill and got $14.00 advance on the wreath I am preserving for him. Or rather, I solicited it and he promised it this afternoon or on the morrow. JULY 09 TUESDAY - Business at the store is about the same ' very dull! I went down this P.M. to Charlton Street to Mr. Hill's Coal Office and got the $14.00 he promised me and with it made but the amount of my bill with John Sherry - $18.50 and went over and paid him. A hard thunder shower about 4 P.M.; it was so dark that we were obliged to light the gas in the store. JULY 10 WEDNESDAY - Pleasant and cool last night and this morning. The bed bugs tormented me last night. I annihilated a few of them this morning. I have done considerable running today. I went to the Book Room this P.M. and bought some Cards, reward Books, etc. for the Infant Class and went from there to the depot and came home. I found John Leland on the train coming home from Orange, New Jersey, where he has been at work. Gussie met me at the depot. I went with her to market and to D. M. Benedict's to get a pair of shoes for her and Georgie. After tea, I went up to see Father Griswold to get his name as endorser to a note in Danbury Bank to be given on the 19th inst. As a renewal of one of the same amount due at that time, the note being one put there in George's behalf. He expected his one hundred dollar bounty from the government to meet it but it did not come. JULY 11 THURSDAY - Returned to the city this morning. I called at the Book Room and paid for the things I got there yesterday for the Infant Class. The coal steamer 'Aragonia' arrive today. The passengers were brought from the steamer by a tug, the steamer being left below at quarantine. I was there, but Eliza did not come. I wrote home to Gussie in the evening to say that the steamer had come but Eliza had not come. JULY 12 FRIDAY - Stormy most of the day. Thunder showers about 7 P.M. A man by name of Buell came to the store and talked of canvassing to sell pictures for me. I took him with me to dinner. Rained hard in the evening. JULY 13 SATURDAY - Cloudy this morning; it soon came off pleasant. George came down from Yonkers this forenoon by boat. After dinner, I went to the Great American Tea Company for 4 lbs. of black tea for the lady where George boards in Yonkers. I bought two 11x13 gold gilt frames (oval) to Mr. Swift as I came home this evening. Helen Webster and her sister Sarah Corbin came to Father Griswold's from Plainville this evening on the train. JULY 14 SUNDAY - A pleasant day, not uncomfortably warm. Gussie went to church in the morning. I went to Sunday School and Communion Service in the P.M. We had a small mess of strawberries for tea, the last of the season. After tea, I went to Rev. Mr. Stone's to inquire where Wesley Burnett boarded. I want to see if he will take my place as Secretary and Treasurer of the Sunday School. I returned without seeing him. We went up to Father Griswold's and visited with Helen Webster and Sister Sarah until evening meeting time. I had the headache and did not go to meeting on that account. Father called and stayed a while in the evening. Gussie picked flowers and made a bouquet for me to take to George in the city in the morning. JULY 21 SUNDAY - During the past week I have been much engaged with my business in the city and have had no time to write up my journal. Mr. Buell, who is interested in business with me outside the store, insofar as to share the profits with me in whatever work he can secure for me outside, has during this week disposed of 15 large French pictures (engravings of French ports) for me. Also secured for me a job of framing 100 22x28 sporting pictures for Smith & Rand Powder Company. I yesterday made arrangements to do the work. It has been cold for July and more or less showery during the past week, particularly as regards showers yesterday. George came down from Yonkers yesterday P.M. I came home on the 4:30 P.M. train from the city. It rained almost continually on the ride home. I bought two rose and gilt 7x9 frames for Swift. Gussie met me at the depot. Helen Webster and Sister Sarah Corbin left Father Griswold's yesterday noon for Plainville in company with Father Griswold. We rose late in the morning and in consequence neither of us went to church in the morning. I went down in time for Sunday School and returned home after intending to let Gussie go in the P.M., but I spent too much time on the corner of Williams and West Streets talking with Joseph W. Allen trying to persuade him to take my place as Secretary and Treasure of the Sunday School to give Gussie time to go in the P.M. After tea, I took Georgie to walk up to Deer Hill to see Harriet. I called at Mrs. Barnum's on our return. Before walking with Georgie, I went over to see Joseph Allen again about my position at Sunday School. From there, I went to the church and emptied the Infant Class money box. I took from it and put into the treasury of the School $5.35. Gussie went to church in the evening. I stayed with Georgie. JULY 24 WEDNESDAY - I went to the city again on Monday morning and while on the Danbury train fell in with Brother Webb on his way to Collinsville (where he now preaches) and by him found that Eliza and Lauren Humphrey were in Clinton and had been since about the 1st of July. Mr. and Mrs. Pond went with me to New York in Monday. They went direct to my store with me, after which I went with them to Pier 40 North River to the steamer 'Bristol'. He bought their tickets and I went with them on board. After seeing Mrs. Pond comfortably settled on board, he went with me up into the city for a walk and for me to do some business pertaining to the store. I finally left him on the Broadway Bridge at Fulton Street and completed my business and he, I suppose, to make his way back to the steamer. We had a shower just at night on Monday. Tuesday and today, we have had no showers and it has been very warm. Yesterday, Daniel and I fitted up the first 25 large frames on the order of 100 for Smith & Rand Powder Company and got $56.00 on them. Crowe & Powell sent me the balance of the glass for the job today. A number of orders have come in today and business appears a little better. Mrs. Stevens came for the pay today for the carpet she wove for us. Gussie borrowed the money - $14.95 - of her father and then borrowed again before night of my father to pay him. I came home from the city tonight and fell in with a fellow on the train for the first time to Danbury and wanted to go to Isaac P. Hull's. He came with me from the depot and I showed him the way to Mr. Hull's. I brought home with me a large bundle of kindling wood from the city.