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.
--Sat, Oct. 1
Sent Madigan & Madigan $150.00
[Note: I did an internet search of "Madigan & Madigan" and found an 1895 Houlton Maine Directory that lists Madigan & Madigan as attorneys. Houlton is in Aroostook county and probably where she sent the money.]
--Sund, Oct. 2
Very cold, but we are all well, thank God.
--Mond, Oct. 3
Gathered crab apples. Rained in the afternoon.
--Tues, Oct. 4
Went down town. Got some paint & other things.
--Wed, Oct. 5
Men very busy getting out potatoes.
--Thurs, Oct. 6
Men did not work in the afternoon. Put our stove up in the front room. Makes it very comfortable.
--Frid, Oct. 7
How I would like to see my children give their heart to the Lord. How happy I should be.
--Sat, Oct. 8
Am preserving and canning. Mrs. Shaw here.
--Sund, Oct. 9
Am real sick. Did not sit up much of the day.
--Mond, Oct. 10
Feel better. Husband & Frank up country for cattle.
--Tues, Oct. 11
They are ploughing with the new oxen. In the afternoon a man came to buy some land. Blanche is down town.
--Wed, Oct. 12
Husband, Gertie, and I went to the Fort. Had a nice time.
--Thurs, Oct. 13
Went to the Union. Had a nice time. Frank came for me.
--Frid, Oct. 14
Lovely & fine. Husband wants me to go to Washburn. Think I'll go.
--Sat, Oct. 15
Went to Washburn yesterday. Had a pleasant drive.
--Sund, Oct. 16
All went to church but Frank. Had a good sermon.
--Mond, Oct. 17
Thrashers came and set up their machine..
--Tues, Oct. 18
Am very busy. Four extra men to dinner.
--Wed, Oct. 19
Men left after breakfast. Am not sorry. Kept us busy.
--Thurs, Oct. 20
Raining today. Hubby & Frank helping Mrs. Shaw.
--Frid, Oct. 21
Wrote for Blanche this afternoon. Am very busy this afternoon.
--Sat, Oct. 22
Hubby, Gertie and I went to the fort. Got a Wolf Robe & some other things.
--Sund, Oct. 23
Quite dull. All went to church but Laurie. Came home in the rain.
--Mond, Oct. 24
Husband ploughing. I wrote for Blanche.
--Tues, Oct. 25
Blanche and her father gone to town. Hope my children will be better.
--Wed, Oct. 26
Washed today. Want to see my children better.
--Thurs, Oct. 27
Last night Husband went to the doctor for one of our neighbors. This morning I went down but had only been a short time before they sent for me. We had company.
--Frid, Oct. 28
Wrote a long time for Blanche. All well.
--Sat, Oct. 29
My sister's birthday. Do not know how old she is. Should like to see her and my dear mother. Perhaps I will.
--Sund, Oct. 30
All went to church but Laurie. He went in the evening.
--Mond, Oct 31
Lovely & fine. Wrote in the morning. Sewed in the afternoon.
Your questions, insights, or comments about this month's diary entries are welcomed.
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--Sat, Oct. 1
Sent Madigan & Madigan $150.00
[Note: I did an internet search of "Madigan & Madigan" and found an 1895 Houlton Maine Directory that lists Madigan & Madigan as attorneys. Houlton is in Aroostook county and probably where she sent the money.]
--Sund, Oct. 2
Very cold, but we are all well, thank God.
--Mond, Oct. 3
Gathered crab apples. Rained in the afternoon.
--Tues, Oct. 4
Went down town. Got some paint & other things.
--Wed, Oct. 5
Men very busy getting out potatoes.
--Thurs, Oct. 6
Men did not work in the afternoon. Put our stove up in the front room. Makes it very comfortable.
--Frid, Oct. 7
How I would like to see my children give their heart to the Lord. How happy I should be.
--Sat, Oct. 8
Am preserving and canning. Mrs. Shaw here.
--Sund, Oct. 9
Am real sick. Did not sit up much of the day.
--Mond, Oct. 10
Feel better. Husband & Frank up country for cattle.
--Tues, Oct. 11
They are ploughing with the new oxen. In the afternoon a man came to buy some land. Blanche is down town.
--Wed, Oct. 12
Husband, Gertie, and I went to the Fort. Had a nice time.
--Thurs, Oct. 13
Went to the Union. Had a nice time. Frank came for me.
--Frid, Oct. 14
Lovely & fine. Husband wants me to go to Washburn. Think I'll go.
--Sat, Oct. 15
Went to Washburn yesterday. Had a pleasant drive.
--Sund, Oct. 16
All went to church but Frank. Had a good sermon.
--Mond, Oct. 17
Thrashers came and set up their machine..
--Tues, Oct. 18
Am very busy. Four extra men to dinner.
--Wed, Oct. 19
Men left after breakfast. Am not sorry. Kept us busy.
--Thurs, Oct. 20
Raining today. Hubby & Frank helping Mrs. Shaw.
--Frid, Oct. 21
Wrote for Blanche this afternoon. Am very busy this afternoon.
--Sat, Oct. 22
Hubby, Gertie and I went to the fort. Got a Wolf Robe & some other things.
--Sund, Oct. 23
Quite dull. All went to church but Laurie. Came home in the rain.
--Mond, Oct. 24
Husband ploughing. I wrote for Blanche.
--Tues, Oct. 25
Blanche and her father gone to town. Hope my children will be better.
--Wed, Oct. 26
Washed today. Want to see my children better.
--Thurs, Oct. 27
Last night Husband went to the doctor for one of our neighbors. This morning I went down but had only been a short time before they sent for me. We had company.
--Frid, Oct. 28
Wrote a long time for Blanche. All well.
--Sat, Oct. 29
My sister's birthday. Do not know how old she is. Should like to see her and my dear mother. Perhaps I will.
--Sund, Oct. 30
All went to church but Laurie. He went in the evening.
--Mond, Oct 31
Lovely & fine. Wrote in the morning. Sewed in the afternoon.
6 comments:
Looks like lawyers have always made the big bucks.....$150.00 was a LOT of money in those days - I wonder what it was for.
LoL!
--Tues, Oct. 18
Am very busy. Four extra men to dinner.
--Wed, Oct. 19
Men left after breakfast. Am not sorry. Kept us busy.
Bless her!
Funny, I was thinking the same thing about the lawyers.
Just came across this blog today. I am fascinated. Even with such short entries from Josephine, we're able to learn so much about her day-to-day living.
Am loving this! How wonderful that this journal was kept and passed down to you.
Just knowing others have & get thru these many 'Dull' days as she writes about is so encouraging to me.Thank you so very much for sharing this with us!
The $150 could have been a mortgage payment. Were the lawyers perhaps the agents for the person or company the Jordans bought their farm from.
Hi, am enjoying reading this diary. I was wondering if you knew what is was that she wrote for Blanche? Thanks...
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