Creator

Purdy, Horace, 1835-1909

Title

Horace Purdy Journal, November 1861 Entry

Date

1861-11-01

Description

10pgs

Subject

Danbury (Conn.) -- History.

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

Bell Purdy

Captain E. Wildman

Dr. Bulkeley

Dwight and Rogers

Eddie Purdy (son)

Father Griswold

Gussie Purdy

Henry Ledger

Mr. Warren

Publisher

Western Connecticut State University

Abstract

NOVEMBER 01 – FRIDAY – I came home from the shop just before night with a sick headache. After tea, by lantern light, I helped Father Griswold roll a barrel of cider into his cellar. By the way, before breakfast, I got my old barrel out of the cellar and cleaned it and let Mr. Baxter take it to put in some new hoops. He took my beef keg to put one hoop on also. NOVEMBER 02 – SATURDAY – I feel perfectly well today. I have worked all day in the shop. It commenced storing before noon. It continued all day. It was very hard in the evening with a very high wind. Before we retired, the things in the cellar were afloat. I got to sleep in the lounge and it was 12 o’clock before I retired. NOVEMBER 03 – SUNDAY – I t rained hard last night accompanied with a very high wind. It cleared off this morning. I have attended church all day. Brother Pegg preached from the 126th Psalm, the 6th verse. In the PM, from Acts 24:25. Bell called on her way to the 5 ½ o’clock Prayer Meeting. Father and Mother started early for the evening meeting and called to see the baby. Gussie went with them to meeting while I stayed home. NOVEMBER 04 – MONDAY – I have worked in the shop all day. I attended another meeting of our old military company, the Wooster Guards (now disbanded), at E. S. Davis’ residence to close up the financial affairs of the company, to pay our liabilities, to collect monies which are due us, and to make a disposal of what will remain in the treasury. Captain Wildman, Lieutenants Stevens and Bussey, Sergeants Knox and Dickens and myself were present. George spent the evening with Gussie and stayed a while after I came home. NOVEMBER 05 – TUESDAY – We rose rather late this morning. I have worked in the shop. Gussie and her sister, Hattie have been uptown with their babies to Emily Anderson’s, William Scofield’s, Nelson Nickerson’s and Wellington Gibbs. They took tea at Mrs. Nickerson’s. I went to market in the evening. The news by the evening paper is that the Great Naval Expedition has struck at Bull’s bay at between Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. Paid tax of $1.09 to Bronson. NOVEMBER 06 – WEDNESDAY – Cloudy, foggy in the morning. Worked in the shop. Sold20 heads of cabbage to Henry Ledger for 3 cents per head. They were very small. I did not feel well in the PM. I stayed home in the evening on that account. NOVEMBER 07 – THURSDAY – I was taken with a chill last night. My teeth chattered and I shivered all night and this forenoon until I broke it up with a sweat. I was taken with vomiting during the sweat. I felt better in the PM. I got up at tea and stayed up all evening. George came in before meeting time in the evening. NOVEMBER 08 - FRIDAY – I feel quite well today, though I am very weak. Father and George came down and commenced digging my drain from the cellar to the brook. I engaged Charles Andrews to procure 100 feet of Albany draining tile for me and Benedict & Nichols to procure 50 feet of another kind to cross the street with. I helped a little with the digging, but did not accomplish much. The baby being sick, I went for Dr. Bulkley in the evening. When I returned, I met Burr Bradley and wife coming out of the gate. They called to see me supposing that I was pretty sick, but they were happily disappointed in finding me away. My tenant, Mr. Warren, who has been away with his wife for several weeks, returned this evening. NOVEMBER 09 – SATURDAY- father and George came to work for me again on my drain. Fifty feet of the tile came in on the freight train from Benedict & Nichols where I purchased it. I t has rained more or less all day. We got the tile laid down and worked until after dark to cover it. They stayed to tea and went home pretty tired. They worked for nothing. I was glad to stay home in the evening. NOVEMBER 10 – SUNDAY – It cleared off last night, or rather it was clear when we rose, which was at 7 o’clock. The day has been pleasant. I attended church in the morning and Sabbath School and then came home to let Gussie go in the PM. Brother Pegg preached in the morning from the 42nd Psalm and the first clause of the second verse. The Sunday School Prayer Meeting at noon was unusually good. It was the best one that I have attended in a long time. I tended baby in the afternoon and evening. Mother came in a little before evening meeting and went with Gussie. NOVEMBER 11 – MONDAY – My birthday. Town election. Stormy towards noon and towards night when it cleared off. I finished filling the ditch and leveling off over my drain as far as across the street which is as far as the tile is laid. I stopped there to wait for a cheaper kind which will come sometime this week from Albany to Andrews & Ives. After dinner, I went to the courthouse to vote, to the store and to the shop for some money. Mr. Crofut gave us only $3.00. It was a disappointment to me for I wanted more very much. Aunt Louisa came in while we were at tea. She was in pursuit of a house to rent. I promised her that I would see Mr. Gregory on tomorrow about his rooms which are vacant next house north of me. It was late before I started for Teachers’ Meeting and having to go to market and to Mr. Woodford’s to carry my watch for cleaning, I was too late to attend. NOVEMBER 12 – TUESDAY – I engaged the rooms next door north of me for Aunt Louisa this morning. I got an order on Mr. Crofut for Benedict & Nichols to pay for 50 feet of draining tile which I bought there. I put a strainer over the mouth of my drain in the cellar. I had 10 bushels of charcoal brought from the shop. The day has been pleasant. Father Griswold bough the lot north and the one in the rear of me. NOVEMBER 13 – WEDNESDAY – I went to the shop expecting work, but there was none. In the afternoon, I went up to Charles Small’s and bought a second-hand baby carriage. It cost $8.00 when new. I am to give $2.00 for it sometime or other when I can best spare the money. Gussie tried it by drawing Eddie down to the church. Aunt Louisa moved into the house north of us today. I attended class in the evening. NOVEMBER 14 – THURSDAY – I have worked in the shop today. We have had some 4” deep Pearl hats which are very hard work. The papers today state that the steamer “Bienville” (the same that carried our regiment, the 1st Connecticut from New Haven to Washington City, DC last April) has arrived from the Great Naval Expedition bearing an official statement from the fleet. The success was complete, capturing the forts at Port Royal and landing troops at Beaufort, South Carolina and taking possession of that place. Gussie and Hattie went over to Mrs. Cyrus White’s this afternoon and stayed to tea. They drew the two babies in our carriage. I went into the street in the evening to see if my draining tile had come to Andrews & Ives. When I came home, I looked over my apples in the cellar. They are rotting badly. NOVEMBER 15 – FRIDAY – The ground was thinly covered with snow this morning, which was the first of the season. It all disappeared with the rays of the sun before night. I exchanged pistols today with Dwight Rogers for trial. His shoots very well for a small one, but will not do the execution that mine will. He likes mine very much. I went to market in the evening and bought a turkey for Sunday. NOVEMBER 16 – SATURDAY – Cool with snow squalls. My drain tile came this morning. I stayed at home and with George’s help, we completed laying it down and covering it which is a good job done. The whole drain being 150 feet, it has cost me $16.47. The items are as follows: 50 feet of two inch Norwich tile, hard glazed two foot lengths at 10 cents per foot, $5.00, 96 feet of 2 ¼ inch soft one foot lengths of Albany tile at 7 cents per foot, $6.72, four and three quarters days hired help at $1.00 per day, $4.75. I went down to Griffing’s Coal Office in the morning and sent father ½ ton of coal towards work done for me by him and George on the drain. Belle came down to take care of baby for Gussie. Mr. Rolfe’s little girl came down too. Mother Purdy came down in the evening to take care of the baby so Gussie could go with me into the street. NOVEMBER 17 – SUNDAY – Pleasant. I attended church during the day. Brother Pegg preached in the morning from Mark 12, the last clause of the 37th verse. I came home after Sunday School. I went back to the afternoon serviced, but went to the Baptist church for the first time since their church has been remodeled. Mr. Stone preached from 2nd Kings 7:1-2. After tea, we took a walk and drew Eddie in his carriage. I stayed home in the evening to let Gussie attend church. Just before it was time to go, Father and Mother came in. Gussie went with them. They stopped on their way to meeting at Aunt Louisa’s to see Anna, who is sick with a fever. NOVEMBER 18 – MONDAY – I have a half day’s work in the shop. I carried an order to M. H. Griffing to pay for a ½ ton of coal for father - $3.62. I drew $3.00 pay at the shop. After tea, Mother Griswold came over to take care of the baby while Gussie and I went up home to spend the evening. NOVEMBER 19 – TUESDAY – I went to the shop in the morning and got an order from Mr. Crofut to trade at Benedict & Nichols in the amount of $5.00. I came home and helped Gussie clean the pantry. I went to market in the evening and bought another kerosene lamp, a small one to carry around. Price – 50 cents. NOVEMBER 20 – WEDNESDAY – I took Eddie out to drive in his carriage in the forenoon while Gussie did some washing. In the PM, I raked together the rubbish on my garden and burnt it. I attended class in the evening. There has been no work in the shop. NOVEMBER 21 – THURSDAY – Mother came down and helped Gussie clean house. I worked with them all day. Father and George being to work for Father Griswold, we had them come to tea as Mother was with us and thereby saving her the trouble of getting tea when she went home. I went to market in the evening. NOVEMBER 22 – FRIDAY – No work in the shop yet. I spaded out and picked up some cobblestones in Father Griswold’s lot for him a little while before dinner. In the PM, I went downtown and paid Lyman Keeler for a barrel of apples for which I owed. Gussie having gone up home, I then went up. We stayed for tea and spent the evening. Eddie went with us. We drew him in his carriage. We received a letter from Eliza in California. NOVEMBER – 23 - SATURDAY – Stormy. I went to the shop this morning and had one dozen 5/ hats for the first time since last Monday by waiting until noon for it. I went to market in the evening. It was dark and stormy. I returned as soon as the cars arrived and the mail was opened. NOVEMBER 24 – SUNDAY – Pleasant. I attended church in the morning. Albert Nash from Bridgeport preached for us. Text – Luke 7:36-47. After Sunday School, I went home and Gussie went in the PM and evening. Richard Smith’s father was buried immediately after the afternoon service. The bird which came on our stoop last evening and which I carried over to Fanny to put in a cage, died this morning. NOVEMBER 25 – MONDAY – When I awoke this morning, the ground was covered with snow and it was still snowing a little, but before I went to the shop, it cleared off. I waited again until nearly noon for work. I went to market in the evening. Father Griswold came home on the train and brought some venison from New York. He gave us enough for our breakfast. I went to Mr. Woodford for my watch. He has been cleaning it for me. NOVEMBER 26 – TUESDAY – Cold this morning, but pleasant. I went to the shop feeling poorly and came home before night with the sick headache. I went downtown in the evening and balanced my account with Norris and with Noah Hoyt. When I came home, I went over to Father Griswold’s to get his bill for binding our “Harper’s” and “Guide to Holiness” last spring when I was away to the war. NOVEMBER 27 – WEDNESDAY – Pleasant in the morning, but snow just at night. I went to the shop and finished off a dozen which I had out. It took me until nearly night. I took a barrel of flour of Mr. Crofut - $8.50. Uncle Joe, our engineer, came up with me as I came home. Fanny came over in the evening to take care of Eddie so that Gussie could go with me to the store to make some purchases for herself while I did some marketing after which we both attended class, she for the first time since her confinement which is three months. We made the meeting a conversational one, the subject being “Faith”. On our return, we called in at Aunt Louisa’s to see how Anna was. She is very sick. She was crazy this afternoon. She wanted some jelly, so I came home and got a bowl of it and carried it over to her. NOVEMBER 28 – THURSDAY – Thanksgiving Day. I stayed at home to take care of Eddie for Gussie to attend church. The service was held in the Baptist church. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Robinson, pastor of the 2nd Congregational Church. In the afternoon, we went over to Father Griswold’s to dinner. Abel and Harriet were there, also Mrs. White and her sister, Miss Horton. Father Griswold’s tenants upstairs. At 6 o’clock, Abel and Harriet, Mother Griswold, Gussie and myself went to Concert Hall to witness a flag presentation to Captain Southmayd’s Company of the 17th Regiment by Roger Averill. We returned to Father Griswold’s where we spent the evening. We had cider and walnuts. NOVEMBER 29 – FRIDAY – Rainy. I went to the shop in the morning, but there was no work. I borrowed $8.00 worth of checks of Burr Bradley to pay Mr. Crofut for a barrel of flour. In the PM, I was offered the 1st Lieutenancy in the new Milford company of the 17th Regiment, provided I would bring into it twenty volunteers. But to keep my promise to Gussie, I have refused to accept, which I certainly not have done if I were differently situated. After tea, I went up home to but two chickens of Mother, but they did not have them to spare, some thief having stolen 4 of them the night before Thanksgiving. I then went into the street and found one, with which a piece of fresh port, I bought and brought home. I took a letter from the office for Father Griswold from Edwin. SATURDAY – Stormy. Snow and rain together. I went to the shop, but there not being enough work to go around and I being the last sewer (?), I did not get any. It cleared off in the PM. I saw Mr. Warren in the street and he paid me for his rent, $9.00 for three months. I immediately went up to Andrews & Ives and paid the bill for the drain tile, $7.00. The 51 men who came home with Captain Southmayd to receive their flag returned to Hartford this afternoon. Mother and Bell have been down today.