Horace Purdy Journal, April 1870 Entry (Still Image)

Horace Purdy Journal, April 1870 Entry

Purdy, Horace, 1835-1909

9pgs

4/1 I have sent the day mostly in running errands pertaining to Mother Griswold's sickness and watching railroad trains for Edwin who finally came by the Brewster Stage. Letter from George to Father in the evening mail asking for roots bark to cure jaundice. 4/2 I went over to the sewing machine factory in the forenoon to see James Ryder but he was not there. In the PM I answered George's letter to father about roots for medicine, also told him that Mother Griswold is yet living. 4/3 Mother Griswold died this morning at 2:20. She suffered intensely during her sickness until within 5 minutes of her death when pain seemed to cease and she died as if falling asleep. Mrs. [Reseleer] and Mrs. Amos Purdy laid her out. I wrote to George telling him of Mother Griswold's death and mailed it in the evening. 4/4 After breakfast, Father Griswold, Edwin and I went to the undertakers to select a coffin, then went to the cemetery to mark the place to have the grave dug. Before coming home I went down and voted (it being our state elections). About noon when Mr. Hawley came with the coffin, I borrowed their horse and went up for Father and Mother and brought them down to attend the funeral which was held at 2 ' o'clock at the house and 3 o'clock at the church. Mrs. Pond cooked dinner at her house for us all at Father Griswold's . She sent it all smoking hot at 5 o'clock. It was unusually kind of her to do so. 4/5 In the morning I took Elias B. Stevens hat to the Pahquioque Shop to be rebound and curled. Edwin went with me and from there we went up to Lacey's shop where he bought a Pearl Soft Hat for $1.75. We then met Father Griswold and Mr. Stevens at D. B. Booth's office where they were having some papers made out relative to Josie's pension. We also had a document drawn up giving Father Griswold power of attorney to manage and if necessary sell a parcel of land, 3 acres more or less, which is situated in Bloomfield and belonging to the old Webster farm now used by Uncle Lorenzo Burr. It belonged to Mother and now belonging to the children - Edwin, Fanny, Harriet and Gussie. We all signed the document making Father Griswold our attorney. Elias B. Stevens, Harriet's husband took the noon train for New Haven. After dinner, Mr. Pond took Edwin, Charlie Hayes and myself into the new school house and showed Edwin the rooms and explained the workings of the institution. It was very interesting to us all. We all contributed to purchase a book of poems called Yesterday, Today and Forever to present to Mr. and Mrs. Pond as a token of friendship for kindness rendered by cooking our dinner on the day Mother Griswold was buried. The book has not yet been presented. In the evening I went to market and then to the post office. I received a letter from George and one from T. E. Twitchell. I came home and spent the evening with Edwin up to Father Griswold's where we ate walnuts, apples etc. Edwin gave me a stopover check from Brewster Station to New York, which he had left when he came home. It will carry me to NY from Brewster station. Before retiring I wrote to T. E. Twitchell. 4/6 I rose early and wrote a letter to D. R. French at Bridgeport. Father Griswold, Edwin and Harriet took the morning train. Father Griswold for a conference at 7th St, NY, Edwin for Hartford, and Harriet for New Haven. I went to the depot with them and mailed the 2 letters I wrote. I carried to the news office a notice of the death of Mother Griswold to be inserted in that paper. In the forenoon I took George P. Foots application for life insurance. I paid Father Griswold's bill for burying his wife. After dinner I took hams to Mr. Olmstead's to be smoked for Father Griswold. I also paid William Day for digging the grave. I mailed George Foot's application in the PM. In the evening I went to the post office and got a for Charlie Hayes from his brother William. 4/7 I rose with a headache. Having the stopover check from Edwin and wishing to go to New York, Charlie and I took the stage for Brewster at 9 o'clock. At 12 ' o'clock we took the Harlem train for the City. We arrived there between 3 and 4 o'clock after a long and tiresome ride. I was very sick when I arrived. I called at Conference at the 7th St. Curch to give Father Griswold his pen which he left at home. I gave it to Brother Burch who I found standing on the corner of 7th St. and Bowery. Charlie Hayes and I went directly to his brother William's house at 415 Hudson St. where I took to a lounge feeling very sick. [Wife] Coburn gave me a dose of salt & water which enabled me to vomit. I then took a [Ledlitze] Powder which settled my stomach. Feeling better in the evening, Charlie and I went over to Conference. When we returned about 10 o'clock we found William at home. He had just arrived from Portland CT where he had been to look after shipping goods to Chicago IL where he is going next week to open a branch store for his employer, Heath & Smith. They made a bed for us on the floor of the parlor where we retired for the night. WIlilam H. Hayes and I went over to Newark in the forenoon to see Henry M. Day. We found him in his store at no. 6 Bank St. I endeavored to get some money from him but only got $4.00, but with articles I took from his store I made it $16.50. We returned to NY and went to the offices of the Homeopathic Mutual Ins. Co., 201 Beroadway, where I insured William's life for $1,500 with payments to be made quarterly. It was late when we returned to his home for dinner. After dinner I wnet over to Brooklyn to see George but found he had gone to New York for Conference. I waited for his return and took tea with him at his boarding place, after which he went back with me to NY to Conference where we stayed a short time and then he walked over to Hudson St. with me where we separated. 4/9 In the forenoon I visited the home office of the Ins. Co. again and got an additional supply of documents for prosecuting the life insurance business. After dinner, I called on J. E. Chapman, 177 Grand St., the Empire Spring Bed maker. Charlie Hayes went with me to the depot for the 4 ' PM train to start for home. I there met Father Griswold whose company I had home. After arriving home I stopped at my office and left a portion of my insurance documents. After tea I returned to the office with the remainder of them. George P. Foots policy was at the house. Gussie took it from the office while I was away. 4/10 I did not attend church during the day. Gussie went down with Georgie to Sunday School and stayed in the PM. At noon I took a walk up home to see how Bell was getting along. She is gaining very fast in health. I stayed about an hour. After supper, Gussie and Hattie Mills went up to the cemetery and Georgie and I took a walk around the square via Division St. I went to church in the evening. Victor W. Bedient preached, Brother Burch being gone and our new preacher not yet come, Conference being still in session. This was the first time I heard Victor. I think he did well. 4/11 I commenced painting on my house again this morning but the rain soon drove me off. I went down to the Pahquioque shop to notify George P. Foot that his life insurance policy had come all right. He expected to be able to take and pay for it next Saturday. I then went up to Mr. Rogers jewelry store to get a top mended for Georgie. Ireceived by the morning mail a paper 'The Liberal Christian' from the President of the Homeo. Mut. Ins. Co. in which was an advertisement of the company. Also a letter from Charles Gordon of Norwich, N.Y asking about the Connecticut spring bed. He wants to sell them. I wrote in reply referring him to J. E. Chapman of 177 Grand St. After dinner I took my invoice book and T. E. Twitchell's old spring bed bills down to my office and stuck them in for preservation and reference. I dug my vegitable oysters this noon. I gave Mrs. Pond a mess of them. After tea I went to the post office to mail my letter to Charles Gordon and one to Fanny. 4/12 Before breakfast I began to rake the leaves off my door yard. After breakfast I did some insurance writing then went up town to canvas a little for life insurance. On my way home to dinner I talked with George F. Larkin on life insurance. After dinner I went down to my office then went over to see Mr. Stevens, the gardener, about coming to help Father Griswold. I found him sick with a hard cold and a boil on his neck. I took an order for a spring bed this AM from William Barlow. Paid Theodore B. Bradley, Secretary of our Sunday School $18.89, balance due the leasing of the school since I vacated the position of Secretary and Treasurer last fall. I went to A. Knox for some putty, then came home, and used some of it preparatory to painting my house. In the evening I went down to my office. Received by the evening mail a letter from D. R. French from Derby CT relative to the Brooklyn Life Ins. Co. 4/13 I watched last night with Mr. Garrison. Came home about 5 o'clock this morning and rested for an hour then I got up to breakfast. After, I commenced painting my house again. I painted until noon then went up to measure R. B. Glover's beadstead for a set of springs. In the PM I went up to Tweedy's shop and talked life insurance a little. Horace Cable came this morning to tell me that W. J. Dick of Newtown had written to him about spring beds. 4/14 I finished off this morning the raking of my south front yard. Went up to Tweedy's in the forenoon and took a mess of vegetable oysters to Charles Gunn and took his order for a spring bed. After dinner I went up town again and took an order from Walter Fairweather for his second spring bed. Bell has been down to see us for the first time since her recent sickness. This evening I wrote to W. J. Dick concerning spring beds. 4/15 Fast Day. In the morning I finished raking off my door yard. I went down to my office before dinner. In the PM while at my office, I wrote to George about selling spring beds in Brooklyn for Mr. Chapman. I then took a walk up Spring St., then on Dr. Bennet's hill, past O. H. Swift's house and then home. After tea I went down to my office for a short time. Hattie Mills brought up from Bethel this evening some horse radish which I grated before retiring. 4/16 I rode to Bethel this morning with Mr. Hopkins, spent the day there canvasing for spring beds and for life insurance. I took George S. Ferry's application for life insurance. I took dinner with Aunt Harriet and came up on the evening train. I received a letter by the evening mail from T. E. Twitchell with a letter enclosed from Charles A. Gordon to him about spring beds. I wrote a reply and mailed it before leaving my office. While in Bethel I took Saul Ambler's order for a spring bed. 4/17 Gussie having a sore throat and some indications of a fever , did not go to church. None of us attended. In the afternoon I went down to consult Dr. Bulkely about Gussie but the medicines we were giving her were correct and he ordered us to continue them. Father Griswold is to preach this evening but on account of the rain I did not go out. 4/18 I called at the Pahquioque shop in the forenoon. In the PM I went up to Tweedy's factory. In the afternoon mail, I mailed George P. Foot's policy back to the home office to get 'Connecticut' inserted as it was omitted on the blank requiring Town, County State to be named as the residence of the applicant. In the evening I mailed to D.R. French a report but no money being collected I of course had none to include. 4/19 I walked to Bethel in the morning to canvas for spring beds and for life insurance. I stopped as I went at G. M. Hoyt's and at Orin Benedicts. I spent the day in Bethel. I had George S. Ferry examined for a life insurance policy by Dr. [ Mather]. I took William Lawrence's order for a spring bed. I came home from Bethel on the evening train and after going home to tea I returned again to my business office and finished up the application I took today and mailed it. 4/20 In the forenoon I talked with Edmund Allen about life insurance. Received by the morning mail George P. Foots policy which I had sent back to be corrected. I went to Bethel by the noon train to talk life insurance with the people down there. I collected from John Mead $10.00 for William A. Bedient. I took a work train up from Bethel about 6 ' o'clock. I rode on the engine and it cost me nothing. I called to see Henry Berry in the evening about life insurance and to compare notes with the Asbury Life Ins. Co. 4/21 I received George S. Ferry's policy by the morning mail. After dinner, John Crosier drove his horses with me over to Newtown for me to see W. J. Dick, landlord of the hotel, about spring beds. He had gone to New Jersey so we drove back home again by way of Bethel and was caught in a hard shower which was part hail. I received by the evening mail a letter from William H. Hayes from Chicago, his first letter to me since he went out there. Before coming home I answered it at my office and mailed it as I came home. 4/22 I took two hats for Father Griswold to the Pahquioque hat shop to be repaired. I took me all forenoon between Mallory's shop, the Pahquioque and David Manley's little shop at his house. The Drab [Cossinere] I finished over at Pahquioque Shop and had it curled by David Manley. The other being a wire brim, I took it to Mallory's . In the PM I took Georgie to walk with me and took Father Griswold's old silk hat to Manley to be renovated. With passing Walter Fairweather's house, his wife called me to take the measure of a larger bed than the one I measured last week and bring it instead. I called at A. Knox to see if his new lot of paint had arrived. I had. I stopped at my office a few minutes with Georgie and then we came home. In the evening I wrote to J. H.Swertfager and to George Purdy. 4/23 I had Andrew Knox bring me this AM 5 gallons of paint. I put in for Charles Gunn a spring bed this forenoon. At Tweedy's factory, while taking payment for the bed, I met Mr. Hoag, agent for the Brooklyn Life Ins. Co. After dinner I went down to Crofut's shop to see George P. Foot about taking his policy. I then ordered from George Bell the ' ton of coal towards payment of Life Ins. premium. I then came home and painted on my house the rest of the day. In the evening I went down to the office. I received in the evening mail a letter from George. 4/24 Fanny called me up early this morning to go for the doctor for Louisa who was taken sick last night with the pleurisy. Our new pastor, William Hatfield preached for the first time today. Gussie went today and I in the evening. After supper I went up home for Georgie. Bell took him home with her yesterday to stay overnight. I wrote and mailed a letter to George in reply to his. I enclosed to him one of my spring bed circulars. 4/25 I painted all the PM on my house. Received in the morning mail from D. R. French the receipt for Joseph T. Bates 2nd quarter premium. There was a mistake in the figures. It was filled out for $18.84 when it should have been only $12.84. I immediately re-mailed it to him to be corrected. In the evening I went to my office where I saw George B. Bell who gave me $5.00 on his policy, making now $15.00 he has paid in cash which with the ' ton of coal he brought me for $5.37 makes a total now paid of $20.50. 4/26 After breakfast I went down to Andrew Knox to see about getting my house blinds to him to be painted. From there I went to the Pahquioque shop and talked life insurance a little. Victor W. Bedient promised to insure with me pretty soon. From there I went home and resumed painting my house. I worked at it until 7 o'clock and then took tea, after which I went down to my office. I bought 5 bushels of charcoal today from a peddler for $1.00. 4/27 I stayed home all day and painted on my house. Completed the second coat. In the evening I went down to my office. Our military company paraded today and had a [Lesget] practice. 4/28 In the morning I painted the stoop at our south door and Father Griswold's privy seats and the west end of his wood house. I then called a few minutes at Paul Manley's shop and put up one of my spring bed circulars, and called a few minutes at Mallory's Shop, and also on Charles Green at Tweedy's Wool Shop to see how he liked the spring bed I sold to him. I received from the home office of Homeo. Ins. Co. the corrected receipt for Joseph L. Bates premium. I took the noon train for Bethel and delivered George L. Ferry's policy and received the money for it. I took the work train home and arrived about ' hour ahead of time of the regular passenger train. After tea I went down to my office for the evening. I mailed to Joseph T. Bates a notification of his premium being due. 4/29 Friday. In the forenoon I made a new piece of lattice work to place under the side of my piazza. After dinner I painted it with a prime coat preparatory to having it painted green with my blinds. I did a little painting for Fanny also. Before night I went into the street and cleaned the spittoon etc. in my office, talked life insurance with 2 parties. Louisa is better today. She had been very sick since last Saturday with pleurisy. Fanny took tea with us. I went to my office in the evening and wrote to T. E. Twitchell ordering 6 spring beds for Danbury and 2 for Bethel. 4/30 A white frost this morning, cool and pleasant during the day. Before dinner I took the little paint I had left down to Knox to be colored for trimming window cases and cornice. I worked late and then was unable to finish my work as expected. In the evening I went down to my office for a while.

1870-04

Danbury (Conn.) -- History.

Western Connecticut State University