Prior (1857)
Next (1859)
For the year 1858
Prior (1857)
Next (1859)
21 Nov Jesse went to A l b a n y to
get Sarah Dean's baggage "as she is to make her
home in this family." On the way backa, a wheel came off the wagon, Sarah
& Polly Reed had minor injuries but Elder Sister Eliza Sharp had both bones
in her leg broken below the knee.
23 Wheat arrived from Illinois - 1200 bushels. Seems very nice. Plan to have
Mon it ground & sella by the barrel. (Note-Mater of selling 100 bbls. at $6.25
each.) Cost $318 for canal cartage to mill.
18 fowls stolen from CF & not missed until Wednesday when a woman confessed
her husband had taken them.
27 Into Albany & got a constable & search warrant & went to home of George
Dunford to look for things one of the boys in the Children's Order said he
had given George. Found a hand cart, 1/2 of an old cheese, one run of grey
wool yarn, an ax, a hatchet, a hammer, etc. "George pretended he did not
know it was wrong, etc." Taken to Albany and, if CM had not put up his
bail, he would have been sent to jail to await arraignment.
28 Brought 20 bbis. of flour from the mill at Vischers Ferry but the river was
so low they could not get the scow to shore but had to unload one barrel
at a time into the skiff.
30 George Dunford came to see CM, "seemed to be rather ignorant of his situ-
ation... trying to justify himself...he did not go away feeling much better."
2 Dec Theodore Humphrey & some friends came, had lunch & bought $2 worth in the
store, "which is something in these days."
3 Took 20 doz. brooms to Schenectady to ship to Watertown. "Quite an order
for these hard times."
5 "A young woman named Sarah Percy came on foot from Albany, said she wanted
to live with us & Eliza sent her to SF.
8 Daniel went to Albany to get "skimmings for feed," bought 82 bushes, 20 per
bushel. (Could be skimmings from a vat of beer.)
10 Dr.Wade Sr. came to plead for Geo. Dunford "on behalf of George's wife, Jane,
who is very feeble."
15 Pond drained, great quantity of fish, mostly bullheads.
Dr. Wade came with Geo. Dunford. CC, FSW & FW were present "but he persis-
ted in his innocence or that he meant no harm. He did not seem to be peni-
tent. Some of the neighbors are very anxious to have Geo. released."
16 Jane Dunford came with her daughter.,about 4 p.m. Persisted in saying that
"she thought Ruth had sent her the cheese but as she never sent a thanks back
to Ruth it looks pretty dark on her side."
Sold $8 of bulIheads.
17 Freegift, after talking to Dr. Wade Sr. & one of the Strongs, "has got up
a short writing for George to sign confessing his built etc. It is to be
read in their meeting or class, as they call it, & that is to end the
Dunford case."
18 Strong came & said that George had signed the writing and it is to be read.
23 Man from Albany brought his grandson to^be taken. Boy's name is George Scott,
15 years old, & "to all appearances as bright as common," & decided to take hirr
# Jan Woman named Sophronia Kilbourn came in hired rig from Albany. "She is a
spiritualist, has been to Old Enfield, Ct. & while there opened her mind.
Daniel took her to SF."
7 Began drawing brick from Niskayuna for new washhouse, to be built in 1858-9.
Janett has scarlet fever & Elders send for Dr. Wade against her wishes.
FSW went to Albany & w i I I stayovernight on Justice's law case.
8 John Dean came from Lebanon, brought Sarah Dean's bed & some other things.
15 Helen Smith eloped from NF about noon. "Clarissa Glass started with her
but not finding a conveyance, she returned"^ they took her to her mother.
18 Went to get "tow yarn" in Schaghticoke.
16 FSW came home from Albany; jury had gone out about 10 a.m. & had not agreed
when Fred left.
19 Helen Smith's "goods & chattels" taken to her in Troy & she was settled
with. "She did not appear to regret the choice she had made."
20 Sally Bigelow died at WF.
22 Ministry allowed Emeline Clark to return to WF "as she cannot make it her
home here in the CF." Took 2 wagons to carry her & her goods to WF.
27 FSW went to Albany with "quite a load" for the Home for Destitute Children.
"They have one meal a day - grits."
Matilda Wells has asked to be released from care of the girls & Sarah Dean
has taken them.
30 Sophronia Kilbourg'h came from Albany again with Justice.
31 Ministry & Elder Sisters came to See Sophronia in a.m.
1 Feb FSW & Justice to Albany "to ascertain what the judge advised them in the
law case. He wanted time to consider; he thought Justice had better pay
the $500 rather than carry it higher. From the beginning it will cost
Justice about $1000. Maloney gets nothing of the $500; Robert Hayes has
lent him more than that amount expecting it back with an increase."
4 Dunham came from Frenchs Mills with the wool cloth for CF & NF. Amounted
to $298.
8 Funeral of Galen Richmond's mother, burial in Shaker cemetery.
13 Man & woman came from Albany with a 10-year old girl whose mother has
been dead 5 years. Her face was frost bitten & they applied snow & arnica.
15 Elder Issachar & Eldress Paulina came with William Bussell & his 3 children
8, spent the afternoon visiting here & there, hope they will join as they
seem to be a very nice family.
19 CM went to Waterford to settle with House for feed. Present bill is
between $700-800.
25 Elder Sister & Betsy taken tofechenectady "to get some flannel to line
some capes with."
26 Feb "C. Miller is about home trying to get out of the Office as usual & not
very we I Iwith all."
"CC is quite out of health, is very lame in the hip, probably rheumatism.
He can scarcely go."
28 "Eunice Johnson had a fainting fit this morning they really thought she
was dead but she revived again."
(Nothing about this being Mother Ann's birthday & observing it.)
3 Mar Hauling logs for the washhouse.
"The Ministry started for Lebanon with an open wagon, the same they came
in." (Tahe day before it snowed & blowed all day & everyone had stayed
at home.)
8 Maynard & ox teamsters start hauling stone from the quarry for the
washhouse.
11 FSW & Daniel took Margaret Easterly to her parents in Albany. "She did
not appear to be anything we should want to live with us."
12 Lucy Fuller quite sick. "They think she is threatened with inflamation
of the brain."
13 "Cyrus Bates gave out the word that he had made up his mind to leave. Daniel
took him to Albany where he thinks of staying a few days & have his clothes
sent to him."
Fred Griffenham has taken the boys.
16 Elder Sister has scarlet fever.
Cyrus's clothes taken to Albany & left where he wanted them but they did
not see him.
17 Oscar Merchant has been under Dr.Thorp's care for 5 weeks.
Dr. Wade came to get some medicine so Janett had him look at Elder Sister
& Lucy. He agreed with diagnosis of scarlet fever & inflamation of brain.
18 Oscar had a very bad fit today.
29 A man brought Thomas Almond's mother & sister & wanted to take him & keep
him until he was 21 but he did not want to go with him so, when the man
was ready to leave, he fold Thomas "to stay & make a good Shaker," that
"he looked the most like one that any he had seen about here."
30 "Any number of beggars at the door you can think of."
31 Sarah Dean had her girls begin raking the dooryard.
Began plowing at NF and on Hill to plant onions.
4 Apr George Ashbury missing this morning.
Sun Matilda Wells is sick, "without doubt she has scarlet fever, she has been
over the children that has had it so much & takes their breath."
6 Permilla Earl is aunt to Amelia (Wells) & has been doctoring her.
7 Fred & Justice went to Stephentown to settle Mary Train's affairs.
15 Aurelia & Samantha, 2 of our girls, DAB & Alex, 2 fromWF, 3 or 4 from SF
and 2 from NF came & cleaned the schoolhouse & had dinner at Office.
16 Apr DAB went to Waterford to eye doctoress as usual, but "in addition he took
the 3 least girls with him., they had a great & good time."
19 "When C. Miller came home from NY, he brought an order for al! the bonnets
we could muster & the sisters have all gone at it & got the bonnet fever
instgead of the scarlet fever. We concluded to have an old-fashioned "tow
scrap" where all contributed their mite. Janett is going to sew all the
fore braids on. E. Wells went to the NF to see if they could do something
on the bonnets."
20 CM shipped the bonnets that were made & also 25 sets of table mats.
"The bonnets are being cut out like everything."
22 CM, E.Wei Is & Lydia went to Albany & made the yearly purchase of dry goods--
between $300-400.
27 "Sisters had a great bee to work on bonnets. The kitchen sisters turned
in & did what they could. Ruth lent a helping hand & all seemed happy &
comfortable in it."
School began with 50 girls.
29 FSW went for Dr. Wade to come to see Ministry Sister Eliza Ann (who had
arrived the day before). She has been unable to use her right hand & arm
for 2 weeks but thought it was rheumatism. It appears the ligament is hurt
& the shoulder out of place.
30 A German girl named Barbara Hooper, about 12 years old, came to get a home.
Both parents dead. "Her brother brought her as far as the end of the lane,
he then left her to try his own luck. We concluded to give her a trial."
I May CM took to Albany the bonnets we have made to ship to NYC.
5 Fourteen sisters & 2 brothers from WF & SF came to clean the Meeting House;
had dinner at Office.
8 A boy named Charles Ode I I came. Says his parents are dead & he has been
living with his grandfather part of the time & in the poor house part of
the time. Fred Griffenham, who is in charge of the boys, is willing to
take him on tri a I .
10 Three boys came last night about supper time. Two were brothers. The older
wantded us to take the younger, named Thomas Shays, & they agreed to.
II A colored man and "his lady love" with two children stopped for the night.
They were carrying their property in a wheelbarrow.
12 Charles Ode I I left this morning.
13 Zilpha Brown brought from Albany & went to WF.
14 FSW had to take his team & get witnesses to Waterford about things stolen
from Island last year. "The criminals are by name of Devoo; they live at
Crescent or Sodom, as some call it." Shakers hired a lawyer, Miller, to
represent them.
17 Garret Witbeck came to help Elder Brother CC, Jesse & DAB survey the CF.
20 May FSW, Daniel, E.Seely & Lucy Fuller went to BaI Iston about the Island theft.
"The grand jury was to sit but there being no cases on hand, they broke
up & our folks went on a fool's errand."
21 FSW went to Cohoes again to arrange matters about the theft. Everyone is
Fri. to go tojwaterford next Tuesday, hoping to get an indictment aginst the
Devoos.
Hayden Treadway came to see his brother & sisters. He lives on one of the
Society Islands; has two boys he has brought to the states to be educated.
25 FSW,Daniel, Elizabeth & Lucy go to Waterford to court. "Made little progress."
FSW stayed overnight.
26 Daniel & the two sisters to Waterford again.
27 Daniel & the two sisters to Waterford again. "The contest is pretty warm."
28 After having had to make almost d a i l ytrips to Waterford about the theft,
"a constable went to old man'Devoo's house & got a feather bed which our
ri< folks proved to be ours to the satisfaction of all present. Garret, the
old man's son, "took leg bail" about noon; but old man is held in bail
of $400. FSW home for first time since Tuesday.
29 Paid their lawyer $50 and FSW went to pay the witnesses. "Came home rather
low in spirits for, by present appearances, the criminals will all get away
though all know them to be guilty."
31 FSW & Daniel went to find witnesses for another suit on hand.
1 June FSW went to Schenectady to make arrangements to get this suit before the
grand jury next Wednesday.
One of the women involved in the Island theft could not make bail. She
waspetained & all must go & testify against her. "The story is that 13
people have left Crescent or Sodom where the next of thieves lived."
9 FSW,Daniel, Elizabeth & Lucy had to go to Schenectady to appear before the
grand jury. Had to go in one at a time & be questioned as to the time the
goods were taken, also quantity, quality, etc.
13 CF own about 300 acres of woods in- Saratoga County, bought from D.L. Powell
of Schenectady. Elder Bro CC, Jesse & SB go up to seeif there has been any
stgealing going on there.
16 A man came to shear sheep; charged 40 each.
24 Have decided to close school for a while because of sickness among the girls.
26 Maynard moved out of farm shop & into Brick Shop under the Elders; John
Decker moved his things to the Garden Shop. They are going to begin to do
something about the washhouse.
5 July "Elder Sister Maria Gilbert has gone to the sick room to go through a course
of blisters for her eyes. She was much afraid of being blind, she could see
but Iittle."
Jesse & Daniel go to River Farm to begin haying. "They cannot have any
sisters to cook for them which makes it very bad for them." (No explanation
of why sisters can't go.)
8 July Jesse & Daniel come home from island; "it feels pretty hard for them not
to have any sisters to cook for them & they come home late to supper
8 or 9 p.m.
Daniel went over to see Samuel Rose. He is about making up his mind to go.
"There is something that is di 'sturbing his tranquility, soem crooked thing
that must be made straight which is more than he can do." CM took him to
Albany in evening. He did not seem to know where he was going or what he
was going to do.
12 Eliza Wells went toVlF to settle with Angeline LeFume as she has concluded
to go. CM took her to Troy.
Elizabeth Seely & Lucy went to the River Farm to fix beds for Jesse & Daniel
for when they stay overnight. "As they cannot have sisters there, they must
take care."
13 Elder|Sister Maria Gilbert released & Lydia Annas is to go & live with Eldress
Betsy Harrison. P.Ann Buckingham is to go to Office in Lydia's place, &
Matilda Wells takes Ann's place (as cook for Ministry).
14 Ministry appointed Chauncy Dibble & Lucy Fairchild to NF to fill "vacancy
made by the failure in the elder's lot."
Eliza Ask came to help in the kitchen "that Lydia might have a change to
pick up her things & be preparing for death." (!!)
16 Lydia went along to Schenectady to fake some rags & buy some things.
17 Lydia helped in the kitchen until after dinner;"she then left it for good
and a l I ."
NOW A DIFFERENT HANDWRITING APPEARS. PREVIOUS AUTHORESS OBVIOUSLY LYDIA ANNAS,
NOW IT IS AGAIN PHEBE ANN BUCKINGHAM (PAB).
19 The changes take place; also Eunice Johnson resigns from Deaconess' room &
Moriah Treadway takes her place. Matilda Wells will cook for Ministry in
place of PAB.
28 Have finished haying at River; 110 loads from Farm, 9 from Island.
30 CM went to Schenectady to get a tin oven for the Office kitchen.
(feWte.1/) [f^-Lity
1 Aug James Furna's "spirit took its flight to a brighter world than this."(at SF)
2 Masons begin work on washhouse, in charge of Jesse Harwood. 19-20 hired
men to cook for.
'4 "Two gentlemen stayed here yesterday afternoon & last night, no particular
business we could learn. They nearly paid for their night's lodging. After
modest hint they leave us.. We can have a great many such visitors if we
have a mind."
5 "Elder Bro CC and myself (Ann) clean up the flour (inter & put up some shelves'.
8 "Great many people attend our public meeting, who knows what for. Between
160-170 teams. The fullest meeting we have had."
13 Sisters have a little meeting^ to decide where to have the kettles put in the
washhouse so as to have them handy to use.
14 Aug Old ash house taken down, brick will be used in washhouse.
17 Have 20-22 workmen & a I so other company.
Hutchinson girl taken to Albany.
20 "The masons are building up the washhouse very fast though not very nice."
PAB finished weaving some tape for the Ministry.
21 Emily Conk! in is moved to the WF; rather hard for her, she has lived at
CF 19 years. (She will be in WF Office.)
23 Begin to put in beams for 1st floor in washhouse.
25 Anna Cole, who will be 89 years old in 3 days) came to Office to visit.
"She is very bright and lively. Had a good visit."
26 CM brought 50 pineapples from Albany. PAB canned sauce from them.
School closes for summer.
27 Channing P. & CM took a circle aroaund the neighborhood on tax business;
"we have to pay too much."
28 Morrel I Baker brought to the Office 6 baskets for sale.
30 "A woman came here wishing to stay all night. AM gave her some money &
told her to go to a tavern. She went to the SF."
1 Sept Drawing slate for washhouse roof.
3 Mary Ann Thayers & her little boy came to see her 2 older boys. She wants
the younger one taken, his name is Lewis.
17 Old man Isaac Devoo and his son Garret plead guilty & one was sentenced
to 2 years in state prison.
22 FSW, CM,DAniel, Elizabeth S. & Lucy F. had to go to Ballston & appear
before grand jury.
26 Sab. Long" public meeting; Frederick Evans spoke for 2 hrs. 20 min.
30 Slaters came to put roof on washhouse.
5 Oct Catharine Vedder, who went to the NF to be Elder Sister, returns to CF
to I i ve.
6 Catherine Reynolds (Damp) who lived at NF fell from a window & lived only
a few hours. Elder Sister B. & Jannet Angus go to NF to comfort them.
Three Busse I I children (1 boy, 2 girls) come fromjSF to CF to live.
'
Making buckthorn syrup.
The miller's wife at WF badly'hurt when her clothes were caught in gears.
Both legs broken & other injuries.
10 Oct (Sun)"SeveraI apple thieves taken up today."
11 Eliza Wells began to make some little mops for sale.
12 Jannet Angus & Lydia go to watch with Dr. Wade's wife. "She is very low
and not expected to live very long. (Other Sisters then take turns in
watching the next few weeks.)
13 CM ground 400-500 Ibs. of sage.
14 Slaters f i n i s h
roof of washhouse & are paid off.
Woman named Sarah Sweeney & her little girl come from Philadelphia to
join. Sent to SF.
15 A German man here with some fancy baskets for sale. "We bought $6 worth."
16 PAB went to SF & WF to find out what kind of "cap cloth., streaked, and
coop tape they wished to have." Going to send to England for a quantity.
18 Elder Bro & Jesse went after pipe stems. (Back on 21st.)
"A gentleman & 2 or 3 ladies came here to look about, went into the store
bought $6 worth of things."
Jannet began stiI I ing.
19 "Eliza W. trying to make some cushions & myself some baskets."
Nehemiah White makes cider for whoever brings apples.
21 Woman named Elizabeth Foster Williams brought her son, David, about 10,
to be taken. We d i d .
23 "Eliza'and Channing are up in garret busy about something, soon I'll go
& see what's going on if they don't come down."
24 Dr. Wade's wife died.
25 Elder Amos S. resigns & is going to Lebanon 2d Family to be Elder Brother.
Elder Richard B. (of Lebanon North Family) will take his place in Lebanon
Ministry
/ for shore time.
6 Nov Elizabeth Seely had a cousin come to see her regarding some property that
was to come to her, if she wants to come after it.
16 Elizabeth Seely goes to NY on night boat with CM & Matilda W. to see about
this property.
21 (Sun) "A day for us to afflict our souls in, a day of judgment for sai(i
)s
and
sinners."
Matthew Van Dusen, a "backslider", comes & stays over night.
27 Almira (Treadway) who has worked in the Office kitchen for several years
is now dismissed & has taken up her abode in the spin room in the Stone
Shop. She has 4-5 girls with her to take care of. Aurelia White takes
her place.
30 CM brings two new coal stoves - one for brothers' front room, other for
kitchen sisters' room.
4 Dec CM went to Albany with Chris & Mary TaIbot to help them in buying a farm
"which they are bent upon having."
9 Dec Moriah (Treadway) "gave all the sisters in the Office a "cotten & worsted
pinner." (Websters says a pinner is a woman's cap with long lappets, worn
in 17th & 18th centures. A lappet is a streamer on a woman's cap,, usually
hanging down on each side of the face.)
10 David Train who lived at WF, "his spirit has left the shores of time & took
up its abode in the world of spirits."
16 "I went to that little cozy place where CM goes some times."
20 CM has lame neck & is quite out of health. STays some in that cozy place
where he will be taken care of.
21 Justice Harwood brought 2 sisters from WF to visit; they have come from
Groveland to live - Orpha DeGroat & Jerusha Truair.
22 Homer Strong & 2 daughters come to get Geo. Price to go to Troy with them
to buy a sewing machine.
24 "Elder Bro CC, Jesse & CM go to Pleasant H i l lfarm to see Baumes, the man
who lives in it, about building a house, as the one on it is very poor as
we II as sma I I . "
25 Go to meeting this morning. "Some freedom."
FSW is in very low health, "some uncertain about his recovery."
28 "I work on my little stands for sale, if anyone w i l lbuy them."
31 CP has had some stone drawn to repair the garden shop or build on a new
part. "It is not as large as they want it, considering what they have
to do in it."
-1-859 - BOOK # 9
I Jan Justice brings book "Compendium" by FW Evans - we took 252 of them.
CM packs 173 Ibs. of palm leaf to send to Western Believers.
5 "A load of the upper 10 came here, went into the store, bought a few
notions and ."
7 A girl, Josephine Nelson, 13 years old or thereabouts, brought from Troy.
School commissioner came to see the school, stayed until after dinner,
then left w e l l
satisfied.
8 NF had ducks & chickens stolen. Two brothers track them as far as the
Arsenal "where they procured means to hunt out the thieves."
9 FSW better, walking around some.
II Two men are drawing stones to Pleasant h i l l ,or to where Baumes lives,
as they intend to build next season as they can.
13 Send a load of seed boxes by railroad to Adams for CM. CP & John D. are
preparing seeds as fast as they can for CP to start on his journey to
meet CM. Some applesauce comes from Shirley for CM to selI.
For the year 1858
Prior (1857)
Next (1859)