Josephine Jordan was my great, great, grandmother. She lived the
life of a common farm wife in northern Maine. She kept a line-a-day
diary. I have her complete diaries from 1892 to 1898. You can
learn more about Josephine, her diaries, and some historical
perspective by going back to the first installment of this series.
Your questions, insights, or comments about this month's diary
entries are welcomed.
December 1892
--Thurs, Dec. 1
Raining. Men only worked half the day.
--Frid, Dec. 2
Husband went to the woods. I staid with Mrs. Tuttle.
--Sat, Dec. 3
Men cutting rift. Frank got his sheep home today.
--Sund, Dec. 4
All went to church but Arch & Laurie. Came home in snow.
--Mond, Dec. 5
Blanche washed. I made brewing and fried doughnuts.
--Tues, Dec. 6
Blanche sent her M. today. Hope she'll get a good price.
[Note: I'm wondering what exactly Blanche sent this day? Was it a
manuscript of some sort? Is it what Josephine was helping her to
write in previous entries? It's a mystery.]
--Wed, Dec. 7
Men in the woods. Gertie got some Christmas presents.
--Thurs, Dec. 8
Wanted to go to the Union but could not.
--Frid, Dec . 9
Went to Mrs McLishe's. Sent for material for a dress.
--Sat, Dec. 10
Men did not come out of woods until about two.
--Sund, Dec . 11
Heard the presiding Elder preach a good sermon.
—Mond, Dec. 12
Fine & lovely. Washed. Men away. All well. Thank God.
--Tues, Dec. 13
Fine. Got the ironing done. L. Varnum here.
--Wed. Dec. 14
Went down town. Staid with Mrs. Wallace.
--Thurs. Dec. 15
Storming real fast but we are all well.
--Frid, Dec. 16
Men are cutting rift. Arch cut his thumb.
--Sat, Dec. 17
Men cut in the forenoon. Baked G. apple pies.
[Note: I wonder what or who "G" is? Perhaps it is Josephine's
husband's first initial?]
--Sund, Dec. 18
Went to church. Was real cold coming home.
--Mond, Dec. 19
Snowing real fast but we have lots to be thankful for.
--Tues, Dec. 20
Cut out my dress. Gertie real sick.
--Wed, Dec. 21
Dear little Gertie better, thank the Lord.
--Thurs, Dec. 22
Husband and Arch went down with rift.
--Frid, Dec. 23
Storming. Men in the house.
--Sat, Dec. 24
Blanche and her father went down town. Got things for Xmas.
--Sund, Dec. 25
Very very cold. Did not go to church.
--Mond, Dec. 26
Colder than yesterday. Men in the woods.
--Tues, Dec. 27
Fine but cold. Washed. Husband gone with rift.
--Wed, Dec. 28
Fine, very fine. Mrs. Brown here. Took a load of rift.
--Thurs, Dec. 29
Another fine day. Am working on my dress
--Frid, Dec. 30
Lovely & fine. Mr. & Mrs. Hitchings spent the evening.
--Sat, Dec 31
Fine as September in the afternoon. Husband, Gertie and I went
down town. Did some shopping. Had a nice drive. Roads most
lovely. Poor old year most gone. If my life is spared another, I hope
I'll be more faithful.
About Me
Here are some other blog stories I've written:
- A Personal Story of God's Faithfulness Unto the Generations
- Benny's Grandfather Was a Ditch Digger
- Life Lessons From an Old Maine Woodsman
- Meandering Thoughts on Getting Old(er)
- My Mother Was a Writer Too
- New Discoveries About My family History
- Noble Womanhood
- The Cherished Letter
- The Wife of My Youth
- Twelve Years Old Today
- What My Grandmother Did For Me
Blog Archive
31 comments:
Interesting that there is no mention of any holiday celebrating. I have found even the poorest woman will do something for Christmas.
there seemed to be something done on Dec.24th but Christmasdid not seem to be much of a deal at that particular time.
Read the whole year, very interesting. What surprised me the most was all the going and coming that went on. I grew up on a farm in the 50's and I don't think we went to town as often as this woman. I have to look and see if you've posted the other years as well.
-Susan
Christmas is a relatively modern contrivance in America. As I understand it, it was actually ILLEGAL in New York in the very olden days. Its was alot of cavorting & revelry that the authorities wanted put down.
thank you. your experience parelles my own, only sorry to say, i no longer have the diary. my roots are in Mars Hill, Maine, and my grandparents were also potatoe farmers (the Bells). i wish i could see the area again, but it is doubtful i can or will
D. Smith
I absolutely enjoyed reading your great great grandmothers diary. I found myself wanting more of an explanation to some of the events but that was also what was so lovely about it. The simplicity of her writing is just fascinating. Thank you for sharing this with the online community.
G. apple pies could mean green apple pies to denote they were the more tart kind rather than the typically sweet baking(red) apple pie.
Fascinating! Thank you for posting this diary. I hope that you will be posting more in the future. I can't begin to imagine having to live the way they did back then.
being that I love American history, I find these writings most fasinating!!
I find myself wishing I could be there with them.
Thank you so much for sharing these.
or.. going crazy... "G." could be Gertie who was sick a couple days later. Maybe she was feeling ill and a pie was the medicine. Only her illness was reported later. Her childrens' illnesses don't seem to be regularly reported, so this could be a child illness leak.
BTW... loving the transcription. Have you brought this to the attention of librarians? They would love it, and probably pass it on to the town historian, who may be able to piece together parts of this for you.
Very interesting, thank you for sharing.
Sharon
PLEASE post more....
I'm hooked and want to read the rest!!!
Thanks for the comments everyone. I hope to have the time to post the1893 entries this winter when my plate is not so full.
Herrick Kimball
OK. I'm hooked. I need a new diary 'fix!' hee hee.
My Grandmother was born in 1910 and I managed to get a few stories out of her of life back in her day, but to have something tangible like this diary is truly wonderful.
As a person with fibromyalgia, I notice that Josephine had a lot of days where she was sickly and could not do much. I wonder if she had something like I do... My heart goes out to her and the other ladies (and gents) back then who had nothing like painkillers and whatnot. I am so thankful for what I do have!
Thank you so much for sharing. I am looking forward to the next installment :)
It does sound as if Josephine overdid it sometimes and then had to take to bed to recover. Since I am 52 and I take thyroid medicine for a low thyroid, as well as blood pressure medication - I can't imagine being without these medications.....
These are so cool. The things that people will complain about today is nothing compared with the way we all used to live. What a great insight. Thank you
So facinating!
I wonder how much of the sicknesses could have been mild food poisoning?
Can't wait to read more.
Loving it!! Please don't leave us hanging here, we need more!!
These one line entries have inspired me to keep a record of this year for my family and future generations. I'm setting a goal of writing something, even just one line, for every day of this year. I'm one day behind, but I'll postdate it for yesterday's entry.
Let me know at maxwellmama@msn.com when you post new entries.
I'm sad Josephine was so sick for most of the year. Being so far north I'd imagine a great deal of it would have to do with low amounts of vitamin D in her body. My winters used to be depressing and full of illness until I began supplementing with it, working in the sun in the summer months didn't quite cut it, oddly enough.
Thank you for posting this, it's such an amazing treasure.
I know a little of what this woman is doing on a daily basis. We as well, butcher, cut firewood, bake, and sew. And we worry about out childrens future as well. Same worries, different era.
Very interesting. I would be happy to see more years posted. I am the granddaughter of Earl and Beatrice Jordan. Thanks for taking the time to post this.
eagerly awaiting the day you find time to resume these postings.
God Bless!
Hoping you can soon share more.
Thanks
Thank you so much for sharing this diary. I am sure she would be pleased to know that her family still loves and serves the Lord. I am sure her prayers were echoed by all the mothers in your family through the generations.
Very nice. I can hear my great grandmother in her writings. She was an old Vermont Yankee who's grandfather and great grandfather fought in the Revolution and a very strict Baptist of the old school. Pride? You can't imagine the pride she had. She was a hard old lady, tough. When I was reading your diaries I kept getting flashbacks to to Grandma Bess and some of her recollections.
Thank you!
Its great to see someone posting family history journals to share with others. I haven't read it all yet but plan to go back over it. I have quite a collection of my own here that I am gradually putting into a blog at http://nevardblog.blogspot.com/ in hopes of preserving some family history for future generations.
Oh, please post more when you have the time! It's wonderful!
What is "rift" ? How very fascinating. Wish I could read other years.
I'm so blessed reading your grandmother's diary; her simplicity and faith are so inspirational. Thank you for making it available!
What an enjoyable time I had reading this dear women's diary! I found myself empathize with her health issues as I am up and down in that area also. Also the cry of a mother's heart for the soul of her children is so close to my heart also. Thank you for sharing this year with us and would love to read more!
bee blessed
mary
Post a Comment