Creator

Purdy, Horace, 1835-1909

Title

Horace Purdy Journal, March 1861 Entry

Date

1861-03-01

Description

9pgs

Subject

Danbury (Conn.) -- History.

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

Andrew Knox

Beers Family

Brother Bartram

Burr Bradley

Democratic Party

Dr. Bennett

Dr. Bulkeley

Father Griswold

Frederick Starr

Gussie Purdy

Hoyt Family

John Bussing

Mary Vintz

Mr. Warren

Orris Ferry

Peter Starr

Republican Party

Small Pox

Tweedy Family

Wooster Guards

Publisher

Western Connecticut State University

Abstract

MARCH 01 – FRIDAY – Warm and pleasant in the morning and in fact, continued so all day with the exception of a high wind which died away as the sun set. Martha Case went away on the morning train in company with Father Griswold. I worked in the shop as long as I could see. I went to drill in the evening. Gussie went to the Sewing Society at Henry Ely’s in the evening. MARCH 02 – SATURDAY – Pleasant. I have worked all day in the shop. I went to market in the evening. I waited on Fred Starr to see if he would take command of the Wooster Guards. He consented on certain conditions. I called at the Singing Society for a short time. When I came home, I found Trip on Father Griswold’s stoop almost dead. He had fallen in with some ugly dogs and they had almost killed him. I brought him over home and nursed him as well as I could and made a bed for him for the night. MARCH 03 - SUNDAY – Pleasant and very warm for the season. Trip died this morning just before church time. Brother Pegg preached in the morning from 2nd Kings 2:14. The Sabbath School was largely attended at noon. Text in the PM, Hebrews 7, last of the 16th verse. Mother, George and Bell came home with us to see Trip before we buried him. George helped me dig the grave in the garden under the east dwarf pear tree in the north side of the alley. Mother Griswold, Frank, Mother, George, Bell, Gussie and myself attended and assisted in the burial. Mother stayed to tea. Bell came down again after tea to attend church with us in the evening. Clark Beers called while we were drinking tea and stayed until nearly meeting time. We attended Prayer Meeting in the evening. MARCH 04 – MONDAY – Abraham Lincoln, commonly called “Honest Old Abe”, has undoubtedly today been inaugurated President of the United States, if the Southerners have not murdered him as some have believed they would. It was cloudy thus morning, but before noon, it came off pleasant and proved to be a beautiful day. It has been a little cooler than it was yesterday, but not cold. I felt almost sick in the afternoon, headache and pain across me. MARCH 05 – TUESDAY – Windy and colder. Today’s paper gives us an account of yesterday’s inauguration at Washington which was peaceable and without disturbance. I have worked all day in the shop although I have not felt well. I attended drill in the evening. MARCH 06 – WEDNESDAY – Cooler still today and windy. I have had a pain in my side again today, though I have kept at work. I attended class in the evening. During the meeting, there was a snow squall which made the ground look quite white when we came out. The meeting was a good one. Brother Peter Starr, our leader, took a different course than he usually does by asking each member how long it was since they were converted and if their conversion was clear and unmistakable and instantaneous or otherwise. It was interesting and I think profitable. MARCH 07 – THURSDAY – Cold. I have been in the shop all day. I changed the brine in my beef in the evening. I did not go to meeting but went into the street for some lamp wicks and to find the right kind of a person if I could rent my rooms for another year, but I did not succeed. MARCH 08 – FRIDAY – Pleasant, not quite as cool as yesterday. I have worked as usual in the shop. Gussie told me at the tea table that George was converted at class meeting on Wednesday evening. I attended drill in the evening. MARCH 09 – SATURDAY – It commenced about 9 o’clock and rained hard all day with a high wind. It partly broke away about sundown and had the appearance of clearing off right away, but it rained again in the evening. Were it not so early, I would think that it was the Equinoctial Storm. I was at the shop all day and earned 50 cents. I had to wait a great deal besides having a headache. George called on his way from the shop and wanted me to go to the tailor’s with him in the evening. He did not come, so I spent the evening at home. I carried a head of cabbage to Burr Bradley this morning as a present. MARCH 10 – SUNDAY – Muddy on account of the storm yesterday, but pleasant overhead. Text in the morning, Acts 14:10; in the PM, Psalm 119-129, both by Brother Pegg. We attended the Prayer Meeting in the evening. Three of the Sunday School Scholars were forward for prayers, viz, Mary Vintz and Brother Bartram’s two girls. MARCH 11 – MONDAY – Cool but pleasant. I worked in the shop. Dr. Bennet has eight cases of small pox in the town. Widow Wilcox’ youngest boy has it just out on the corner. After I finished my work in the shop, I went up to the Tweedy Brothers shop to see Lieutenant John Bussing about electing Frederick Starr Captain of the Guards. George stayed with us to tea after which I went up with him to Charles Stevens’ to get a pair of pants. Gussie went with us and did some shopping also. Father Griswold came home on the freight train. While we were drinking tea, Thaddeus Feeks (?) and wife called to look at our house before building one for themselves. MARCH 12 – TUESDAY – Pleasant until just at night when it began to rain. I have had no work in the shop. I went to Andrew Knox’ and got a little paint tout on my rooms upstairs before renting them. Dr. Bulkley came up in the PM and Fanny, Abel, Harriet, Gussie and myself were vaccinated up to Father Griswold’s. I painted upstairs all afternoon. MARCH 13 - WEDNESDAY - Cloudy all day. Misty in the morning. I finished painting the front room upstairs before breakfast. I have had work all day in the shop. Just before tea, Mr. Warren came in to get an answer from me about my rooms which he wants to rent. I agreed to rent them to him. It was late before I was ready to go to class, but I went nevertheless. We had a good meeting. Two were present seeking religion. Brother Peter Starr paid me $1.55 which he owed to the Sunday School. MARCH 14 – THURSDAY – It has been snowing all day. Went to the store, but did not get to the Prayer Meeting in the evening. MARCH 15 – FRIDAY – There was about four inches of snow on the ground this morning. Philander Betts, having had the varioloid in his family, he came to the shop for the first time since. The men, thinking him to be a dangerous person to be in the shop, called the men together and, by a unanimous vote, requested him to leave the shop and stay away until it was safe for him to go out from his family without exposing other people. Gussie went up to Brother Bartram’s to spend the afternoon. From there, she went to the Sewing Society at Noah Hoyt’s in the evening. I attended drill in the evening. On my way home, it snowed and blew very hard. MARCH 16 – SATURDAY – Pleasant. We rose rather late this morning and consequently, I was late for my work. I finished a wool hat over and had it trimmed for George. Zerah Hoyt was shopped at our shop (the Pahquioque) in the PM. When I came home from work, I found the house locked up and Gussie gone up home. I went up to tea and spent the evening. After I came home, I wrote in the Infant Class library books for Fanny, which took me until after 11 o’clock. MARCH 17 – SUNDAY – St. Patrick’s Day. Pleasant, but there being snow on the ground, it was wet and muddy. Brother Pegg preached in the morning from Matthew 26, the middle clause of the 28th verse. We had a very interesting Sunday School Prayer Meeting at noon. Ten or twelve of the scholars rose for prayers, mostly females. Saul Burch from Albany, formerly from here, was present. He talked to the school and prayed. Sacrament I the PM. We had tea over to Mother Griswold’s. There was a meeting at 5 o’clock for the young people and those who were seeking religion. The class room was too small, so they occupied the lecture room and filled it, or nearly so. There were a large number of Sunday School Scholars present. I was not present, but was told so. I attended in the evening. Brother Pegg preached from Matthew 22:12. Subject, “The Wedding Garment.” After preaching, there was a prayer meeting and a sight which was we never before beheld. There were about 20 Sunday School Scholars forward for prayer. MARCH 18 – MONDAY – Pleasant most of the day and cold. But a little sunshine in the PM. It commenced snowing about 9 o’clock in the evening. Mr. Betts came to the shop again this morning and wanted to go to work, but the men, being yet afraid to work with him on account of the varioloid which he had himself and his family, voted unanimously to request him to stay away another week, but he still hung around the shop, seemingly intent on exposing every man in the factory if it was possible. There was a meeting in the evening for those seeking religion. There were about 25 of the Scholars of the Sabbath School forward for prayer. MARCH 19 – TUESDAY – It has been snowing all day. It cleared off just at night. I have worked all day in the shop as usual. I bottled some cider in the evening. MARCH 20 – WEDNESDAY – It was very cold for the season last night. It was pleasant today and a good deal warmer. I finished my work in the shop a little before night and came home and painted upstairs until tea time. We attended class in the evening. Our room was full. There were three young ladies, the same scholars in the Sabbath School who were here last week seeking religion. We had a good meeting. MARCH 21 – THURSDAY – It has snowed heavy and hard all day. There has been more snow falling than at any other time in all of last winter. I have worked all day in the shop. I did not go to meeting in the evening on account of the storm, but stayed home and bottled some cider. MARCH 22 – FRIDAY – When I rose in the morning, I found it was still snowing and drifting a great deal. A hard snow storm for the equinoctial. It cleared off about 10 o’clock and I shoveled snow nearly all the forenoon. I went to the shop in the PM and worked until night. It has been warm since it cleared off. I attended drill in the evening. MARCH 23 – SATURDAY - Pleasant and warm. The snow has wasted very fast today. I have worked on Nutrias again today, the finest work in the shop - $2.00 per dozen. MARCH 24 – SUNDAY – Pleasant and warm, but the melting snow makes it very wet and muddy. Brother Pegg preached in the morning from Genesis 32:26 and in the PM, form Luke 4:34. The attendance in the Sabbath School was not quite so large today, probably on account of the walking. Quite a number of the Scholars manifested their desire for religion by rising. I took a nap after tea. We attended Prayer Meeting in the evening. About 20 of the Sabbath School Scholars were forward for prayer. MARCH 25 – MONDAY – Pleasant and warm. I have worked all day in the shop. When I came home from the shop, I found Mother there. She waited there until church time when we both went to the church for a special Prayer Meeting for the Sunday School Scholars who are seeking religion. Father Griswold came home from one of his trips as Presiding Elder of the New Haven District by the evening train. Ten bushels of charcoal I engaged last week came today. MARCH 26 – TUESDAY – Warm and pleasant. The snow is disappearing very fast. Anna Beers died this morning at 4 o’clock. On my way home from the shop, I took a letter from the Office for Father Griswold from his brother (Uncle Dwight) bearing the intelligence of the death of Aunt Kate. She jumped from her chamber window. In a short time after, she died. She was deranged. I painted a little upstairs in the evening. MARCH 27 – WEDNESDAY – Warm and rainy. The sun has disappeared very fast and the frost is rapidly leaving the ground. It was so late before I got ready for class that I did not attend. It cleared off in the evening. Gussie spent the evening in writing to Eliza in California. I mailed a letter to the Book Room in New York. MARCH 28 – THURSDAY – A beautiful day. There is but a little snow left. The ground is becoming settled. I have worked all day in the shop. I attended Prayer Meeting in the evening. After its close, I stopped at Concert hall for a short time to listen to O. S. Ferry addressing the Republicans previous to the State Election Monday night. Anna Beers was buried at 1 o’clock in the PM. MARCH 29 – FRIDAY – Fast Day. The shop closed. I spent the day around home trimming my tress and cutting up four peaches which I made into stove wood and pea brush. I put fasteners on the windows upstairs. I went to the drill room in the evening, but there being only four members present, we adjourned and went home. A Mr. Perrin who is speaking to the Democrats of Danbury this evening at Concert hall is undoubtedly the case of the vacant drill room. MARCH 30 – SATURDAY – Cloudy in the morning with prospects of rain, but a beautiful afternoon. I have worked all day in the shop. Cyrus Northrop of Norwalk spoke the Republicans in the evening at Concert Hall. I went and heard him. Our Brass band was there, also the Bethel Glee Club. MARCH 31 – SUNDAY – Cooler today, though pleasant. Mr. Stone, the Baptist preacher, preached for us this morning. Text, Romans 9:1-4. Sunday School Prayer meeting at noon in place of Missionary. Brother Pegg preached in the PM from Job 4th chapter, last clause of the 14th verse. After meeting, I went with Gussie to the dentist to have a tooth extracted, but Dr. St. John not being home, it was not done. We took tea at Mother Griswold’s. Bell came down after tea, and went with us to prayer meeting in the evening.