John William Sterling Journal: January-December 1856

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Jan 5, 1856 Nothing worth putting down has happened since I last wrote, only I have been sick for 2 days and this is my 3rd and perhaps tomorrow will be my 4th. We have had awful snow storms, snow is a foot deep and night before last it froze so hard that you might walk on the snow and it is so slippery that you cannot stand up without great carefulness. It continues so still. The snow has commenced again with a very high wind and very fine. Cordelia and I made molasses candy. There has been no singing school on account of the storm. There has not been a pleasant Saturday for the last three months. I have been kept in for the last two days and this except for a half an hour.

Jan 9, 1856 Very cold day. It is becoming colder every day.

Jan 11, 1856 It has been intense cold weather for the last two day. Cordelia and myself have been sliding for an hour after the school. Yesterday Mr. Fredrick Beasley was married to Miss Edmund, both of this town, by the Rev Mr. Mitchell. Our school term is ended. The boys spoke. School is going to commence on Monday the 13th of this month. Last week it snowed so high that the men said that it never was so deep since 14 or 15 years ago.

Jan 12, 1856 It is rather cold.

Jan 19, 1856 It is veery fine sliding down hill at this time. There is a singing school today. I have been sliding down hill with sister Cordelia and [illegible]. I steered them down.

Jan 25, 1856 Very cold indeed.

Jan 26, 1856 Very fine day except pretty cold. Still the people say they like to froze in bed last night, but I did not.

Feb 8, 1856 It is kind a snowing now a little. Kitty is 14 years of age and she has just finished Livy and has read a great many other books. This is the last one. She is going to read. We have a great many apples and I carry a great many baskets for presents away. The exceeding cold weather continues.

Feb 15, 1856 It has commenced snowing. Sister is still in New York. I have just learnt the dog to carry Cordelia.

Feb 22, 1856 Kitty and Father went to Bridgeport and as Kitty was getting out of the slay, she tumbled right flat down. The only way we account for it is that she jumped on one side of her foot and sprained it very seriously.

Feb 23, 1856 I have take up my turn now for I got a very [word missing] cold. Cordelia was taken sick on Thursday with a very severe cold.

Feb 24, 1856 None of us went to church today but Father, for Mother had to take care of us.

Feb 28, 1856 Mother is taking her turn now. She is very sick indeed now.

Feb 29, 1856 Father is taking his turn to be sick now.

March 2, 1856 One seat was vacant in church today. It is the second time it has been vacant since Father was married to Mother. Our girl is very sick now. Our physician is Dr. [name illegible]

March 6, 1856 Sister came home today. She has been absent five weeks.

March 9, 1856 Mr. Leavitt preached today.

March 17, 1856 Cordelia and I went to school today. Kitty walked to Mrs. Sedgwick’s to take her drawing lesson. She has been confined to the house for 3 weeks with a sprained ankle.

March 18, 1856 Today Cordelia is 10 years old.

March 19, 1856 It has snowed constantly all day. Mary [name illegible], sister and myself took tea with Aunt Judson.

March 20, 1856 Warm and pleasant. The snow is melting very fast. Papa and Mama went to Bridgeport. This is the first time wheels have been used since January. Mother bought a picture frame for Kitty’s “Voyage of Life”

March 21, 1856 Today is fast day. We went to the prayer meeting. Mr. Mitchell conducted the services very well indeed. We have smelt a “skunk” around our house very strongly so much so that the whole house is scented. Cordelia and myself cleaned the shop nearly out and we have left the rest for tomorrow morning.

March 22, 1856 Cordelia and myself finished cleaning the shop this morning. We worked through the morning past dinner time.

March 27, 1856 Today has been examination day. None of my classes haas recited today. But tomorrow all my classes recite. Tonight I am going to speak a piece tonight. Tomorrow is examination too.

March 28, 1856 As I have said that yesterday was examination, so is it today. Papa says I recited my lessons very well indeed. Everybody thinks or raataher says that the examination was the best they ever attended.

March 31, 1856 Vacation has really come at last

April 1, 1856 Today is April fool day. There is much fun in fooling. Cordelia went to Bridgeport this afternoon to stay 1 night at Aunt Cornelias.

April 2, 1856 Papa took myself over to Bridgeport and brought Cordelia home. She has had a very pleasant time.

April 4, 1856 Having arrived home safe and sound, I am about like everything, carrying Papa and myself in the wagon and our old house drawing us went in the mud 1 foot and 1/2 I have had a beautiful visit in Bridgeport.

April 10, 1856 Nothing particularly has happened since the 4th. We have had beautiful weather this week. Last night Jimmy Mitchell and myself attended a lecture performed by slight of hand. Papa, Cordelia and myself rode to the mill. Cordelia and myself rambled about on the rocks and got moss for Kitty’s basket.

April 11, 1856 I was very much pleased with the performance of slight of hand.

April 14, 1856 I have commended painting this morning and expect to get thrugh by 10 oclock

April 17, 1856 Mr John Beardsley has come this morning to work for us. The business being joining. We have fixed two cupboards by putting shelves in them and he is making a cupboard or rather sweetmeat cupboard for mother in the north chamber cupboard.

April 19, 1856 I have painted every morning this week. I have earned $2.00 this vacation, the vacation being 3 weeks.

April 30, 1856 We have had very fine weather for the last week.

May 1, 1856 Today is the first unpleasant day we have had for a long time. I have been very sick for nearly a week, we had to call our doctor [name illegible] and he thought I might have an inflammation of the brain.

May 2, 1856 The rain is falling in torrents and has rained very hard last night, yes!, very hard.

May 9, 1856 Yesterday was a veery bad day. It rained so and today is not much better. Kitty is 15 years old today and she is a very tall young lady.

May 12, 1856 Today is my birthday. I am 12 years old today.

May 16, 1856 Mr. Akin preached for us today.

May 24, 1856 Today is the first warm day we have had for a great while.

May 25, 1856 Mr willard preached for us today.

May 28, 1856 Today it is very unpleasant indeed. Mr. [name illegible] painted the hall today.

May 31, 1856 The sewing society met here this afternoon. It meets every week at different times.

June 1, 1856 Mr. McLain preached for us today. The people seemed to like him very much. We among the members.

June 3, 1856 I made a boat about 18 inches long the way the carpenters make it which is very hard.

June 5, 1856 Miss [name illegible] and Julia Ogden arrived from New Haven.

June 7, 1856 Grandmama, Abby and Julia Ogden came over here to dinner today, we had a nice time. Mr. David Lewis, Old Mill, came here this morning.

June 8, 1856 Mr. Leavitt preached today.

June 10, 1856 Mr. Sedgwick took us or all the scholars who wanted to go, a sailing. I did not go. Lemor Curtis’s child is not expected to live.

June 14, 1856 Mr. Lemor Curtis’s child has died today. They all feel very sorry.

June 12 Mother went to Marcellus with Sister Sarah. Pa rode them as far as Bridgeport and put them in a boat for New York. They will come back in about a week.

June 19, 1856 Mother and Sister Sarah returned from their visit to Marcellus. They and we home enjoyed a very pleasant time. Uncle William sent us some maple sugar and gave Mother $1 to buy more with.

July ?, 1856 Nothing has happened since the last day I wrote except we have had very cold weather indeed.

July 7, 1856 Vacation commences today.

July 8, 1856 I went over to help Uncle Henry and sold 20 cents worth of goods.

July 9, 1856 I did the same today as yesterday by selling goods to the amount of 2.3 and 3/4. I am a great help to Uncle Henry.

July 10, 1856 We did the same thing as the preceeding days by selling goods to the amount of 6 amd 2 3/4 cents.

July 11-12, 1856 We sell goods every day increasing by .5

July 13, 1856 Mr. McLain preached for us today. He is surely an elegant preacher indeed. We had a Sunday School concert tonight and Mr. McLain addressed us beautifully. Father attended this and the one before with much interest. We think of settling this man, being much superior to any we have heard.

July 14, 1856 Today is very pleasant indeed. I picked 1 quart and 1/2 of raspberrys this morning, getting 4 per qt.

July 6, 1856 [out of sequence] Today is Sunday, but nevertheless it is the first day of “vacation.”

July 14, 1856 (cont’d) I have been enjoying myself very much indeed, for I have been helping Uncle Henry in the store.

July 21, 1856 There is a meeting called for the consideration of choosing whether to give Mr. McLain a call. The call was unanimous, all but 1.

July 24, 1856 I have been helping Uncle Henry as usual today.

July 28, 1856 Today is Monday and I expected to go to school, but Mr. Sedgwick thought it was too hot to begin school and so we are a going to have 1 week longer vacation. The corn is drying up on account of want of rain.

July 31, 1856 We had some thunder showers very heavy indeed last night and this morning. Mr. Sedgwick has not been very well during the vacation and so he has let us have 1 week more vacation.

Sept 1, 1856 Very cold indeed.

Sept 3, 1856 I have made a harness for my dog and I have got a 2-wheeled gig for him which he carries with Cordelia on it.

Sept 6, 1856 Very chilly indeed

Oct ?, 1856 Oh! Splendid day! I am getting along beautifully that I assist Mr. Sedgwick every day. I like to do it very much.

Oct 7, 1856 Splendid day! There is a fair today which continues 3 days over to New Haven. Very pleasant weather indeed. Oh! What beautiful weather.

Oct 9, 1856 We went over to the fair at New Haven. It surely was a splendid spectacle to behold. We went to New Haven in an excursion train. There were 169 people went from Stratford. All of us became scared for all of us went - but Sister Sarah, who was in Mount Verson visiting. When we got about 8 miles from New Haven the car broke down. I believe it was the one in front of us. We were in the last train. We had to put a red flag up to keep the 10 oclock from running into us. You can imagine what a pickle we were in. Miss Susan Walker was in the cars and she said to one of the passengers that they were only waiting to have the 10 oclock train give us a little push for 2 engines were not enough to drag us along. When we got to New Haven the 10 oclock train had to wait till we had got out. We arrived at New Haven safely. We hired a carriage and rode to the fair. We stayed in the fair 4 hours then we went in an omnibus and rode as near Uncle Ogden’s as possible. We bought some cake and arrived at Uncle Ogden’s safe and sound. They prepared a dinner for us, of which we eat heartily. We then went down to the cars. I jumped into them amidst the crowd. There were not enough cars to accommodate us all so they had to get cattle cars boarded up at the sides. We had over 23 cars on and it was estimated that there were about 1500 people in the cars. We got or rather arrived at Milford in safety. We let off about 1/2 the cars at the junction so that the bridge was relieved from the heavy weight which would have broken asunder and would have been rendered into pieces. We arrived home in safety and received a letter from sister. Of which we were very glad. We all determined never to go in an excursion train again. Papa bought a ticket for Miss Abbey Lewis who went with us.

Nov 3, 1856 School was to have commenced today, but Mr. Sedgwick had a very bad toothache indeed.

Nov 4, 1856 Today school commenced. It is election day. Fremont carried it here in Stratford. He got 208 Buchanan 175 Fillmore 8. Papa voted for Fillmore.

Nov 8, 1856 Today I rode Aunt Lizzy to Bridgeport.

Nov 12, 1856 Cousin Carrie was married to Mr. Stephen Burroughs

Nov 13, 1856 Fine beautiful weather now.

Nov 14, 1856 I commenced Algebra two weeks ago and like it very much. The weather looks like snow.

Nov 29, 1856 When we awoke this morning we found this out, viz, that it had snowed.

Dec ?, 1856 Oh! What beautiful weather.

Dec 6, 1856 Fine day

Dec 13, 1856 Today is Saturday. Pa and I startted to go to Bridgeport butg we found that Yellow Mill bridge was taken up and so we had to go over old mill. The traveling was not very good.

Dec 20, 1856 Christmas is coming. We are getting presents ready.

Dec 25, 1856 Christmas Day has come at last, with many and very handsome presents. Papa got a very handsome present from us children. It was a testament in very large print. Mother got a pair of buttonhole scissors from Cordelia and myself. She received from Kittie 4 splendid mats. Kittie received a book entitled “woman in her various relations” from Cordelia and myself and I gave or rather wrote her a letter in Latin. She received from Mother two books entitled “Milton’s Practical Works” and “Spencer and His Faery Queen”. From Papa a very handsome napkin ring. Cordelia received another napkin ring from Papa. From Mother, a portfolio. From Kittie, “Story of Columbus.” From one, a bedstead, an account book, a lead pencil, some ceiling wax, and a cake of Rubber. I received a silver napkin ring from Papa, a book entitled “Henry the IV” from Kittie, two books from Mother, viz, “Life of Whitfield” and “Wordsworth Poems,” which was very acceptable, especially the last one. From Cordelia a cake of rubber, an account book, some ceiling wax and a lead pencil. It was the pleasantest day that ever was, but it did not rain any, but snowed slightly in the morning. I undertook to build a fort, but I did not finish it all.

Dec 31, 1856 Uncle William and Aunt Sarah came this morning from Marcellus to make us a visit. I do not think they have altered in the least. The snow is quite deep yet.

The end of the year 1856

Good Bye to the old year 1856