Creator

Purdy, Horace, 1835-1909

Title

Horace Purdy Journal, August 1860 Entry

Date

1860-08-01

Description

7pgs

Subject

Danbury (Conn.) -- History.

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

Alfred Humphrey

Aunt Ruth Griswold

Bloomfield CT

Canton (Conn.)

Charles Dean

Collinsville CT

Danbury and Norwalk Railroad

Edmund Palmer

Father Griswold

George Benjamin

Gussie Purdy

Hartford (Conn.)

Henry Ledger

Hoyt Family

Purdy Family

Thomas Benedict

Uncle Chauncey

Uncle Lorenzo

Publisher

Western Connecticut State University

Abstract

AUGUST 01 – WEDNESDAY – Cooler this morning and evening and not so extremely hot during the day, though it has been pretty warm. On my way home from work, I stopped at Andrew Knox’s for a little green paint to paint over a pair of blind fastenings which I had put on after they were painted and to paint the tops of my Dahlia sticks. Charles Reed and Mr. Hendricks and their wives and wives’ mother were there to tea at Mrs. Baxter’s. I went to class in the evening. We had a good meeting. I finished a wool hat for George today, but I was not yet able to get it trimmed. AUGUST 02 – THURSDAY –pleasant but cool in the morning. I had a severe headache in the morning. I went to the shop, but the heat of the room made me feel so much worse that I returned home again. I paid Ephraim Gregory the $1.00 balance of my assessment of six dollars on the new street on the corner of George and William Streets to Deer Hill. He gave me a receipt in the evening. I went down to the shop in the afternoon and got a hat trimmed for George. And got what money I had earned this week. I paid Mrs. Baxter $1.56 for 5 weeks (days?) washing for myself during Gussie’s absence. I got a coat ($1.75) and hat ($1.25) from Charles Stevens on credit. Lewis Hoyt died last night in a fit. Thomas Benedict lost a child this PM of dysentery. I went down to the R. road about dusk and took a bath and returned and partly packed my carpet bag and retired. AUGUST 03 – FRIDAY – I started for Canton this morning and reached Collinsville between 1 and2 o’clock and walked up to Uncle Chauncey’s and found Aunt Ruth alone, uncle being away from home. I surprised her by pretending to be a salve peddler. I talked with her for quite a while before making myself known. I took tea with her and then walked over to Cousin Alfred Humphrey’s where I found Gussie. It cost me $1.25 to get from Danbury to Canton. AUGUST 04 – SATURDAY – After breakfast, I played a game of checkers with little Lauren Mills Humphrey. We cracked and ate some butternuts and then I went with Cousin Alfred up on West Hill to see his colt. On our way home, we picked and ate a great many blackberries. After dinner, the children, Gussie and myself went on to the bridge and fished a little and then took a walk down to the stream. Just at night I went with Lauren up on East Hill to the orchard after some Harvest Apples. After tea, Gussie and I took a walk over to Uncle Chauncey’s and back. We had a thunder shower in the morning. AUGUST 05 – SUNDAY – A beautiful day. We attended church all day. (Mr. Bridgeman, a missionary to go to Africa) preached in the morning. Text, Psalms 16:2. Mr. Fisk preached in the PM from Acts. I went with Alfred Humphrey to the 5 o’clock meeting after which Ann Eliza, Gussie and myself took a walk part of the way up East Hill and then we all went over to Esq. Hallock’s and spent the evening. His daughter, Mary, played the melodeon and we had a sing. AUGUST 06 MONDAY – Cousin Lydia gave us some flapjacks with Maple molasses for breakfast which were excellent. Lauren went down to Aunt Ruth’s and brought her up to Lydia’s where she spent the day with us and after tea, we went home with her. I helped Cousin Alfred get up his wheat and pitched up one load for him in the PM before going into the field. The girls (Ann Eliza and Gussie) dressed me in a shawl and bonnet and a skirt and presented me to the company. Aunt Ruth did not know me. The whole company was in a roar of laughter. AUGUST 07 – TUESDAY –A beautiful morning at Aunt Ruth’s. After breakfast, Gussie and myself walked around the premises and regretted much that Uncle Chauncey was not at home. We hope to see him before we go away, but fear that he will not be home in time. I made some paper bags for Aunt Ruth and Gussie to put up flower seeds in. In the PM, Gussie and myself went up on the hill opposite Aunt Ruth’s. Alfred and Lydia came down to tea and Gussie rode up with them while I walked. It was a very warm day. The thermometer stood as high as 90 in the shade. AUGUST 08 - WEDNESDAY – Another very warm day. In the morning, I wrote in Lydia’s and Lucia Ann’s case album. In the PM, we went over to Mary Sidney’s and took tea. While we were there, a hard shower came up. We had another when we got home which left the sky cloudy with the appearance of a wet night. It was raining when we retired. AUGUST 09 – THURSDAY – Flying clouds and but a little sun. Very warm and oppressive. After breakfast, Alfred, the boys and myself went to the orchard and gathered his Harvest Apples. After we returned, we had news that Uncle Chauncey arrived home last night. Cousin Alfred harnessed his horse and took Gussie and myself down to see him. We stayed until nearly noon and returned with Alfred. After dinner, Alfred, Lydia, Gussie and myself went up to Lucian Case’s and spent the PM. After tea, we all went over to the swing. When we returned we found Mary Hallock waiting to spend the evening with us. After she went home, we went into our room and packed our trunk and bag and retired. AUGUST 10 – FRIDAY – Pleasant in the morning. At 8 o’clock, Lauren with Uncle Chauncey’s horse, carried us over the mountain to Case’s farm to take the stage to Bloomfield. We stayed at Mrs. Stockwell’s until 10 o’clock when the stage came along. We arrived at Uncle Lorenzo’s at about 1 o’clock. After dinner, I went out in the lot and helped Uncle gather his Golden Sweet Apples for market. AUGUST 11 – SATURDAY – (Bloomfield). Uncle Lorenzo and started for Hartford with a load of Golden Sweet Apples (60 bushels) about 4 o’clock. The others of the family rose at the usual time. I wrote two letters – one to Mother Griswold and one to Cousin Alfred Humphrey. In the afternoon, I went around a portion of Uncle Lorenzo’s farm with him and his hired man, Henry, and helped him a little about repairing some rail fences. We retired about 10 o’clock. No rain at that time. AUGUST 12 – SUNDAY – Uncle Lorenzo and Mary both unwell this morning. Uncle, Hattie, Gussie and myself rode to church in the morning. Mr. Russell preached from 2nd Corinthians 5:11. Uncle Lorenzo went home at noon, while Gussie and I visited the burying ground where her little sister, Mary Victoria and her Grandfather and Grandmother Griswold and her Grandfather and Grandmother Webster were buried. Uncle stayed at home in the afternoon and let Aunt Clara and Aunt Mary drive back to church. The Baptist minister preached for us from Psalm 46:1. I liked his preaching rather better than I did Brother Russell’s. Aunt Clara, Aunt Mary, Hattie and Gussie rode home from church and I walked in company with Charles Dean, their boarder. I mailed two letters at noon – one to Mother Griswold and one to Cousin Alfred Humphrey to Canton Center. After tea, Charles Dean Mary, Hattie, Gussie and myself called on Uncle Daniel and his son Henry. We returned about dark. Henry gave me $2.50 to carry to Danbury to Mr. Thompson, the truss maker. AUGUST 13 – MONDAY – Clouds, rain and sunshine interspersed all day. Henry Hacka, Uncle Lorenzo’s hired man borrowed a gun and I shot their old black cat, then we took her 4 kittens and tied them in a bag with a stone and drowned them. After dinner, I helped them pick Golden Sweet Apples for market. He wind blew so hard that we could scarcely keep a ladder on the tree. James Wilson came in and spent the evening with us. It is raining hard now as I am retiring at 10 o’clock. AUGUST 14 – TUESDAY – Stormy all day. We spent the day as best we could in the house. I had intended to help Uncle Lorenzo pick apples today but we could not on account of the storm. AUGUST 15 – WEDNESDAY – Clear and pleasant. Charles Dean, Mary Burns, Gussie and myself started after breakfast and went to Wardsworth’s Tower. From there, we rode into Hartford. We arrived about noon, took the horse to a stable and then we all went to Southmayd’s Restaurant and took dinner. After which, Mary and Gussie and myself visited the Athenaeum, while Charles Dean went after the horse. When he came, we rode down on Colt’s Dyke, down to the riverbank, up the river past his pistol manufactory and then we went up to the State Arsenal. We could only get into the Gun Houses and see the cannons on account of the armorer being away. We stayed there a short time and then went up to the North Meadows to the encampment where the officer’s training is being held. We stayed there until 6 o’clock and the rode up into the city to do a little buying at the candy stores and then started for home. We arrived at Uncle Lorenzo’s about 8 o’clock or a little before. AUGUST 16 – THURSDAY – I helped Uncle Lorenzo pick Golden Sweet apples in the forenoon. After dinner, I went to Harford with Hattie, Mary and Gussie. We visited the military encampment (officers’ training), but they had been reviewed and dismissed and we did not see them. We did some trading in the city and started for home. We arrived at Uncle’s a little after dark. AUGUST 17 – FRIDAY – The day has been pleasant. We spent the forenoon an packing our trunk and carpet bag to start for Hartford after dinner to take the 3 o’clock train to connect with the New York & New Haven Railroad and arrive home in Danbury at about 8 o’clock. We took dinner and after Uncle Lorenzo’s return from taking a load of apples to Hartford, we put the trunk and carpet bag in the wagon and put our things on, but when they went to harness Old Charley, one of his shoes was off. He tried to get another horse, but could not. The stage, on account of repairing the road was obliged to go through the center so that we could not take that and the consequence was that we could not leave for home today. I rode over to the center with Uncle to get the horse shod this afternoon so that we should be sure to go home tomorrow. AUGUST 18 – SATURDAY – I went into the meadow with Uncle Lorenzo and mowed until it was nearly time for lunch after which I helped spread. After dinner, about 1 ½ o’clock, Uncle Lorenzo harnessed Old Charlie and carried Gussie and I to Hartford to take the 3 o’clock train for home. We arrived safely about 8 ½ o’clock. We had some difficulty in procuring a carriage to take our baggage home. They were in great demand as passengers were many. Gussie rode and I walked. We took supper with Mother Griswold. AUGUST 19 – SUNDAY – Home, Sweet Home. Here we are again in our own pleasant home. I took a walk around my premises before breakfast and found that the weeds had grown rapidly in my absence and that my dooryard needed mowing again. Prince, we found, was the same large, noble, affectionate cat that he has ever been. We attended church and found upon going in, Phoebe Palmer in the seat with Mother and Bell. She came up last Friday night. Brother Pegg preached in the morning from 2nd Peter, first chapter and the first clause of the 16th verse. In the PM, Zachariah, 14th chapter, latter clause of the 7th verse. It seemed good to hear Brother Pegg again. After tea, we went up home to see my folks and cousin Phebe. Abel and Harriet went up with us. From there, we went to church in the evening – Prayer Meeting. AUGUST 20 – MONDAY – Cloudy and misty, but no rain to speak of. I went to the shop and had work all day. Two men have been shopped since I went away - George Benjamin and Harry Ledger. John Rolfe cried off this noon. The work was too hard for him. Gussie went with me to the market in the evening and walked with me down to Dr. Thompson to pay him $2.50 for Harry Webster who sent it by me when we were in Bloomfield. After we came home, we went over home to see Father Griswold who came home on the train this evening. He brought Gussie’s Album from Uncle Chauncey’s with four N!66er Joe’s potatoes form Alfred Humphrey’s. AUGUST 21 – TUESDAY – Warm and pleasant in the forepart of the day, but it clouded over just before night and rained a little in the evening. The streets are ditched more or less all of the time now to lay down the water pipes for our Borough Water Works. My business is good now. Two more men were shopped today, Seth Northrup and John Hox, a German. AUGUST 22 – WEDNESDAY – This is truly the Dog Days. Weather interspersed with sunshine, clouds and rain. It has been a very warm day. We have suffered extremely with the heat in the shop. Cousin Phebe and Bell were here to dinner and I came home. Mother and George also came to tea. Prince chased a chicken while we were at tea. I got up from the table and whipped him. We did not attend class. Gussie was late about doing her work and I was too tired. AUGUST 23 – THURSDAY – Gussie went to Bethel this morning with Phebe, Mother and Bell. She was late in getting away and had just time to step on the train as it started. They returned on the freight train and all went up home. Gussie being away when I returned from work, I got my own supper from bread and milk. Joe Tammany and George Loomis drank too much liquor this morning and in the afternoon, both cried off. They were persuaded to go on trim again and did. Both were shopped again and paid Garnish. But soon, Joe cried off again. His money was voted back to him again because we thought he would need it as he was going to Jersey. He started by the afternoon train. One more man was shopped today – Frank Webb. We went to market in the evening. AUGUST 24 – FRIDAY – I worked as usual in the shop, only harder. Smith Pulling was shopped today. Fanny came home from the West this evening. I attended drill, came home and had the outline of three meetings to copy. AUGUST 25 – SATURDAY – Rainy in the morning. Pleasant in the PM and warm all day. Eddie Palmer came from Stamford on the morning train and came direct to the shop to see me intending to go home with me at noon, but as I had my dinner, he went alone up to Charles Benedict’ shop and went home with George. He came down to see Gussie in the afternoon. I worked hard all day and was very tired when I came home. We went to market in the evening. Gussie called on Mary Hoyt, while I called at Charles Hull’s store with David Knowles to look at _____’s revolver. AUGUST 26 – SUNDAY – George Ives’ barn was burned last night about 11 o’clock. The day has been pleasant and not quite so hot. Reuben Loomis preached for us. Brother Pegg has gone to Birmingham to preach for him. His text in the morning was Romans 12:11, a very instructive sermon. In the PM, 1st Timothy 4:8. Abel and Harriet have gone back to the choir. I am surprised since Harriet has said repeatedly that she would never go back again under any considerations whatever. After tea, we went over home and stayed until church time. Brother Loomis was there to tea. He sang a long time with us. After the prayer meeting in the church he stayed and sang with Mr. Woodford and Abel. He is a beautiful singer and was formerly a chorister before he commenced preaching. AUGUST 27 - MONDAY – The day has been pleasant. I have worked hard all day on No. 24 Planter Pecunia Colored hats, 8 oz. heavy. We have had a little excitement in the shop today with James Hagen who refused to come to order when called by the Chairman and furthermore, he called the shop himself. He was fined 50 cents and refused to pay it. We had determined to take off our aprons when we had got up our work, but before we did, Fred Bradley paid the fine for him unsolicited. I went to market in the evening and paid to Andrew Knox, $7.00 which I borrowed of hi before I went away to Hartford County. AUGUST 28 – TUESDAY – I have worked hard all day in the shop and am very tired. We had Garnish Money spent in the shop this morning. The fine of 50 cents which Fred Bradley paid was voted back again to Fred today by the shop. It was 12 o’clock last night when I retired. I have been to market this evening. AUGUST 29 – WEDNESDAY – Cool nights and pleasant day. Davis Lonigan was shopped at our shop today. The trial of the Irishmen for the murder of the German on River Street on the 26th of June last came off this PM. Four of them were convicted. They will be sentenced tomorrow. I finished picking my crab apples before tea. I went to market in the evening. I borrowed a dozen large blacking of Mr. Crawford. I wrote a letter to Edward palmer for more blacking. AUGUST 30 – THURSDAY – I commenced to mow my dooryard before breakfast and finished it when I came home from the shop at night. I left work a little before dark, there being no more hats faced. George went home from his shop sick about 4 o’clock. Mother stopped on her way to evening meeting and told us. She says it seems like Cholera Morbus. AUGUST 31 – FRIDAY – I carried the grass which I mowed on my yard yesterday to the compost heap before breakfast. I have not felt very well today, but have worked hard nonetheless. I came home feeling very tired. Gussie went I to the street with me for some jelly dishes. She returned home and I went to drill. Mr. Hunt, the man who contracted to dig the ditches for the water works left town last night in debt to his men. (Later, the report that he has left town is false. He was on a drunken spree and has given up the job to the pipe layers.) There has been considerable excitement about it today. The weather has been quite varied today, cloudy, sunshine and some rain.