Two Family Diaries on a Connecticut Farm, February, 1915
Frank Seger’s Diary for February, 1915
Monday, February 1, 1915 38 Above. Cloudy & rain all Day like the devil. I goat Soaking through carrying milk. Boys Cut some stalks. I went up the road & cut ice in the after noon. Went up to Ed went up after Children . Heman went down after Charles & Jnet. Had white cream molasses cake for dinner.
Lucy Seger’s Diary for February, 1915
Feb. 1, 191538 above. It rained all day. Papa took the milk and Charles went down with Papa. We washed today. Mother sent and got four loaves of bread. Mother made molasses cake and I whipped some cream to put on it. I sent for Myra’s ring. Heman sent his horse hide to be made into a robe.
Tuesday, February 2, 1915 13 Above. Cloudy & sleeting all day like Dam nation. Colder than god himself. Heman took the milk. I took children up to School. came back. Hog dressed. One calf cut up to quarters Beef & salted it. Boys cleaned out Barn put it in garden Lot. I took calf down & got Children. Heman went to New Milford to Thomas Horses.
Feb. 2, 1915 4 above. Cloudy all day and it snowed all day. Heman took the milk. I swept the boys’ rooms and dusted. Mother made Nellie a dress. Papa went after the children down to Kent. He took down a hoag (?) dressed calf. Heman went down with him to go to New Milford. Thomas and Marsh had two car loads of horses come in. Heman went and looked at them.
Wednesday, February 3, 1915 18 Above. Cloudy & snowed about 3 inches in the afternoon. I took the milk went down to Feed Store & see George. Got letter from Sound Beach. got home at noon. Boys cleaned out Barn I took the oxen & went up & got little ones. Then went down after Jnet & Charles with oxen.
Wednesday, February 3, 191516 above. Cloudy all day and snowed all day. I did work same as usual. I cut up some tallow and tried it. Papa took the milk. Never got home very early. I cleaned the parlor. Heman and Laura went sliding down hill down the mountain. Clarence came over.
Thursday, February 4, 1915 20 Above. Clear & very nice all day. Heman took the milk with Charlie & Peet. Got down by the old barn Broke sleigh. Came back got Big wagon went on I took oxen went on & met him then he took grist up to Waldron. Lewis & I went up to Pond in afternoon. Plowed out ice.
Feb. 4, 1915 It cleared off early in the morning and the sun shone all day. I did the work same as usual. Mother started ironing. She had such a pain in her stomach, she had to go to bed. She felt better in an hour or so. I went up to see Foster. He is getting along fine. Mr. Smith from Dexter Fann was there. Hjlmar Erickson came to see him also. Elva went down to see Mrs. Smith while I was up there. Papa and Lewis went up to the pond and marked off ice. Heman took the milk yesterday.
Friday, February 5, 1915 10 Above. Cloudy & looked like rain all day. George came up he & I started for the ponds. Nobel Richards & Charlie Ruben Woolf cut ice. George drew ice with the oxen. Will Odell drew with Simes team & Heman drew home 16 load in all. Lewis & I packed the ice & ect.
Friday, February 5, 1915 Feb. 5, 1915 Cloudy all day and fine snow. Heman took milk. I did house work same as usual. We commenced getting ice today. Charlie Rubenwolf, Uncle George Williams O’dell and Noble Richards helped us. We had three team a drawing. I rec’d Myra’s ring today. I sent to Charles Williams Stores. Nellie and Orange came home early. Miss Powell went to teacher’s meeting.
Saturday, February 6, 1915 28 Above. Cloudy & foggy rained like the devil in the night. Heman took the milk George & I started for pond had five load out night before Started to clear so Nobel went to Sawing. George started to drawing got up 10 load put in four load with horse Rubin Woolf came & got beef. Paid for it.
Feb. 6, 1915 Cloudy early in the moning but cleared up and sun shone. Mother went down to foot of mountain to Mrs. Clory’s birthday party. There was quite a few there. I blacked two stoves, wiped up dining room floor, made all beds and I was tired when it came night. Papa took Uncle George down home. Heman went after Momma down to Mrs. E. Jennings. She didn’t get home till after eight.
Sunday, February 7, 1915 30 Above. Clear in the fore noon. Clouding up in the afternoon & snowing in the evening. I took the Little milk. Heman went to Church. Boys cleaned out Barn. I greased up the _____ wagon. Harry Mabe [?0 came up in the afternoon. Stayed until seven in the evening.
Feb 7, 1915 Cloudy early in morning but cleared up in morning. It was cold all day. Clarence went to church in morning down to Kent. After church I went up to Clarence’s house. Sarah, Dora and Dick went over to Lena D’s in morning but came home quarter of four. Heman came over to Jennings. Sarah, Clarence, Heman and myself went up to East Kent to meeting. The Rev. Mr. Stuart spoke. It was very good. Aunt Mabel and Uncle Harry and Richard were up to the house. Heman and I came home after church. Clarence took the gander home with him.
Monday, February 8, 1915 24 Above. Cloudy & mild in the fore noon growing colder in the after noon. Sime came up & Drew ice got in 13 load in all. Jim Jennings came over & helped. I done the packing George drove oxen Heman the horse, Mother & Lewis done the washing. George helped milk at night. I was on the ? Jack.
Feb. 8, 1915 Cloudy and cool all day. Heman took the milk. Mother and I washed. Clarence came over and helped Papa at the ice house draw up ice with the horse. Uncle George came up this morning and drove oxen all day. We got our washing done early. I brought in quite a few of the clothes.
Tuesday, February 9, 1915 16 Above. Clear & cold & raw all day . Will Odell came up & drew ice. Nobe & Rubin finished sawing in the fore noon. Then Rubin helped pack at the ice house George got stuck with the oxen we finished up the ice - dam good Job done. then Heman took George down in eve.
Feb. 9, 1915 16 above. Clear and cool all day. Heman took the milk. Clarence didn’t come over today so I went up and helped Lewis draw up ice with old Dick. I got pretty tired. Charlie Rubenwolf helped this afternoon so I didn’t have to. I sewed this afternoon. I took up two hems on two dresses. We finished our ice today.
Wednesday, February 10, 1915 4 Above. Clear & cold all day. heman drew ice for Clint. He drew 5 load & I helped saw ice four hours. Lewis & I went Down to Bran house took wagon & sled Brought back some barley grains then he Cleaned out the Barn & I done up the chores. We shod sled in the afternoon. Lucy & H went to Shoves
Feb. 10, 1915 Clear and cold all day. Heman took the milk in morning. Papa took the lumber wagon down to foot of mountain with oxen so Heman could have that to hitch onto so he could draw ice for Uncle Clinton. He drew ice from resivior. Papa staid down and helped them on the ice. My back was lame all day., Heman, Laura and myself went down and heard the Kent school concert. Harold, Will and Earl drove down also. It was fine. Clarence came over and I was gone away. He didn’t get over til eight o’clock.
Thursday, February 11, 1915 14 Above. Clear & warmer. I took the milk Got Charlie shod. new Old Peet some new ___ in his Shoes. I give Ralph Bull check for $41.76 to Balance Boys cut some Stalks & Cleaned out Barn. took munare up to Comestocks. I took the Horse Sled to ___ hafto [shafts?] make new.
Feb. 11, 1915 Clear most all day but toward night it clouded up. Papa took milk in morning. I cleaned four rooms upstairs and dusted them. Mrs. Shove came down in afternoon. Lewis, Roscoe and Heman went to dance. Sarah, Clarence and myself went to the dance. We had a good time. There was fifty nine couples. They didn’t have a very good supper. Noble, Flossie and Jnet went also. Clarence and I went to the first table.
Friday, February 12, 1915 18 Above. Clear & mild. Heman took the milk. Lewis & I went down to the Old Barn feed cows. Brought home a Jag of hay then cleaned out Barns. took munare up in the Spring lot then Drew out 3 load of Edwards wood. Heman fussed around at chores then went down to [?] Limans ect.
Feb. 12, 1915 Cloudy all day and cool. I went home with Sarah and Clarence and I went to bed a little while after I got there. I never got up til half past twelve that day, just in time for dinner. I staid over the rest of the day. Clarence and his father drawed two loads of hay from Shoves in the morning. Clarence and I didn;’t stay up very late that night.
Saturday, February 13, 1915 16 Above. Clear & very nice day. Heman took the milk. Took the cows to the old barn brought a Jay [?] of wood cleaned out barn took load munare up to Spring lot. Boys drew out Edwards wood. I shaved & wrote a letter to Gallaway then went to town meeting in the afternoon.
Feb. 13, 1915 Clear all day and mild. Heman took the milk. I came home in the morning from Jennings. Clarence came over with me. He and Richard came over with the team in the woods to draw wood and I rode over with them. Clarence came over to Granny lot road with me. We didn’t come down the steep hill. I came home and did the dishes and mopped both rooms and dusted them, made beds. Papa went to town meeting in afternoon. William Barton rode up with him as far as here. Walter walked up here. Mr. Barton came after them. Mrs. S. and Cora Page were down in afternoon.
Sunday, February 14, 1915 26 Above. Cloudy all day. Look like rain. Boys cleaned out Barn & wagon. Lucy went to Bromica to Church. Mother went up to Shoves. I took the little milk. Paid Barnum 43.00 Store Bill. Came back hadva visit with Line Darning Bud [?] Smith ___ for New Town Bee yesterday
Feb. 14, 1915 Cloudy and raw all day. Papa took the little milk in the morning . I went up to East Kent to church. Mr. Goodwin preached. There wasn’t very many there. Heman and Roscoe went over to Jennings. Mother went up to Mrs. Shoves. John Barker stopped there on his way home. He had been up the road. Clarence came over in the evening. I made some fudge.
Monday, February 15, 1915 38 Above. Cloudy & foggy looked like rain every minute. I took the milk. rain a very little when I was in the vilage. Boys took Out to load of munare. Cleaned Out Barn. I ground up machine knives. Boys cut some stalks after dinner. I chopped ice at the back door. Rained like the devil ant night.
Feb. 15, 1915 Cloudy and rained most all day. Papa took the milk. Mother and I washed. I went after the children down to Kent. I stopped on my way back to call Sarah J. up on the telephone to ask her about going to New Milford. It took me quite a while to get her. She thought she wouldn’t go.
Tuesday, February 16 1915 37 Above. Cloudy all day. Growing colder at night. Leis & I split some kindlings fro the School house. Heman took the milk. Lucy went to New Milford & got her teeth filled. Came back with Roscoe to. Kirk came up & built new sled. Boys went down & got some Bran. Mother & charles went to Church.
Feb. 16, 1915 Cloudy all day but grew cooler during the day. Heman took the milk and I rode down with him to take the train to go to New Milford. I had two teeth filled. I got my watch. I came up on the noon train and staid over to Aunt Kates and came home with Roscoe tonight. Mr. Perry came up today and held a meeting up to the school house. Mother, father and Charles went up to meeting. Mrs. Perry came up with him.
Wednesday, February 17, 1915 26 Above. Clear & cool all day. Heman took the milk then he & Lewis Cleaned out the Barn put munare in the Spring lot. Rubin Wolf came down he & I cut wood above the upper meadow ash & some maple. I split some of it then we we went up in the huckleberry lot in the afternoon.
Feb. 17, 1915 20 above. Clear and cold, the wind blew all day and in the evening. I did the house work same as usual. I peaced blocks for a bed quilt. Clarence came over in the evening. He and I went to Grange. We were a little late. It was lectures hour. It didn’t last very long. Heman went down to the train and met Laura. She was here when I got home.
Thursday, February 18, 1915 10 Above. Clear & cold all day. I took the milk Bought to stacks of hay of Charles Chase for $60. I think about 4-1/2 or 5 tons. Rubin Woolf came down Choping. He & Heman sawed down wood trees. Heman & Lewis drew up to Load of wood in the morning then took load of munare up to Comestocks. Sawed some wood in after noon.
Feb. 18, 1915 10 above. Clear and cool the sun shone all day. I did the work same as usual. I peaced on my bed quilt and cut blocks. I washed lamps.
Friday, February 19, 1915 10 Above. Very nice day. Much better for the time of year. Rubin Woolf came down & chopped wood in the fore noon then split wood for Mrs. Slosson in the afternoon. Lewis and I raised up the Horse power. Sawed up wood for Mrs. Slosson & some for School house & split it. Put saw away & set up cutter ready for use.
Feb. 19, 1915 10 above. Clear and mild. The sun shone all day. I swept upstairs and dusted. Heman and Roscoe went to dancing school and they had fourteen scholars. Lewis and I went over to Jennings in the evening. Clarence had a sore throat. They had just got through supper. They had the dutchman up there a fixing the chairs, tables and cupboard. They were all pretty well. Sarah had gone over to Richard’s to take Foster home and she staid over all night, so I didn’t see her.
Saturday, February 20, 1915 16 Above. Clear & cool in the morning very nice through the day. Rubin Woolf came down & chopped took Cows to old Barn to fodder. Took load of munare to Comestock. Heman took the milk then took Load of wood to Edwards in the after noon. I took Load of Sawed & split wood to Mrs. Slosson. She paid for it.
Feb. 20, 1915. Clear and mild. The sun shone bright all day. Mother baked and I did the house work. I mopped the kitchen and dining room floors. Heman and I went down to Laura’s. Floyd Jennings, Milton Lane and Lewis Jennings came over a little while after we got there. He played the organ. We danced out in the kitchen and Bill O’dell played his accordian and called off. I telephoned up to Sarah. We didn’t get home very early. Old Pete was sick when we got home. Mother and Father was setting up. Mrs. Shove was down after milk. I am getting $3.00 a week now.
Sunday, February 21, 1915 20 Above. Clear & extra nice day. Very fine for the time of year. Heman took the little milk. Mother went to Church. I feed Cows at the Old Hollan place then took Load of munare up to Comestocks. Sarah & Clara Jim came over Mother went up to Shoves in the Eve. Heman went to Simes sparking.
Feb. 21, 1915 Cloudy in morning but cleared up in morning and sun shone rest of day. Mother went to church and got home about one o’clock. Heman took the milk. Sarah, Clara and Clarence came over in the afternoon. The girls staid till about five o’clock. They went up to Mrs. Smith’s from here. Clarence and I walked up part way with them. Heman went down to Laura’s in afternoon and went up on the other mt. with Laura, Eunice and Harold. Clarence staid over in evening. Mother went up to Mrs. Shoves in evening
Monday, February 22, 1915 17 Above. Partly cloudy & nice day. Started to split some wood for Edwards. Broke down one wheel so I went down with one load & took the other Load on to Edw. Boys shelled some corn then mixed up some oats with it then Heman took it down to Waldron and some Corn for table meal. Ruben Wolf chopped.
Feb. 22, 1915 Cloudy in morning but cleared away and sun shone. Heman took the milk. Papa took a load of wood down to foot of the mountain and Heman went from there to Kent with it. He got down to Charles Posts and the wagon wheel broke. He unloaded and took his wagon up for Eric to fix it. Mother and I washed today and the clothes dryed up fine. Heman went to Kent with old Dick. Roscoe didn’t go to school today. W. Birthday. Charles or Jnet didn’t go either.
Sunday, Tuesday, February 23, 1915 48 Above. Clear & nice & warm. Heman took the milk. Lewis & I went down & got one load of hay in the forenoon. Heman went up & got the ice Plow then came down to the foot of hill helped draw up hay. He & Lewis went down in the after noon & got another load. I went down & helped up hill.
Feb. 23, 1915 Cloudy in morning but cleared away and sun shone. I did house work same as usual. Mother ironed all day. I ironed toward night. Nellie nor Orange didn’t go to school. Heman went down to foot of Mt. Lewis and Papa went down to bend of river to get hay. Heman and Lewis went down to get a load of hay in afternoon. I went to bed early last night.
Wednesday, February 24, 1915 50 Above. Cloud & rain. Heman went to New Milford & got some teeth filled. Lewis Brought back the horses I done up Chores & ect. then Cleaned out the Barn, Cut Some Stalks in the after noon. Mother went down in the after noon got the Children then Lewis & I done the Chores. Heman stated all night with __________
Feb. 24, 1915 Cloudy and rainy all day. I did housework same as usual. Heman and Lewis went with milk. Heman went to New Milford and got four teeth filled. Harold Darling went down also and got a tooth pulled. Heman staid down all night with Harold and came up this morning and helped milk. Mother went after the children. It was very muddy.
Thursday, February 25, 1915 38 Above. rain like the Devil all the fore noon then snowed & rained some. I went down on road & worked to Hours & half. Boys Cleaned out the Barn. Cut some stalks then _ed Barleys grains after noon. most a dam mean day any hour. Snowing some tonight mud a croch deep. dam mean weather.
Feb. 25, 1915. Cloudy all day. Rained in forenoon and afternoon it snowed. It grew cold toward night. Papa took the milk and didn’t get home till noon. I did house work same as usual. I worked on my apron a little in the morning. In the afternoon I went to Kent after the children. I went over to Aunt Kate’s and called up Sarah. Charles and Jnet walked up to foot of Mt. Clarence came over in the evening and I had a good visit with him.
Friday, February 26, 1915 26 Above. Snow growing cold. Heman took the milk. Cleaned out Barn in pit. Lewis & I drew to Load of wood in the fore noon, heman & I drew 3 load in after noon. Lewis done up Chores. I stayed & got my clothes ready to Sound Beach tomorrow. Heman went to Simes.
Feb. 26, 1915 Cloudy most all day and snowed a little. It grew colder also toward night it stopped snowing and cleared away. I swept three rooms upstairs and dusted them in forenoon. In afternoon I cleaned the lamps and filled them. I fed the hens and got eighteen eggs. I set the pullet but I didn’t put any eggs under her yet. Jnet and Charles walked home from school. Heman has gone down to foot of the mountain tonight.
Saturday, February 27, 1915 10 Above. Clear & cold all day. Heman took the milk then went up to Waldrons after grist then took D Johnson a load of wood in after noon. Lewis & Roscoe took out to Load of wood munare then Drew some wood. I went to Sound Beach to McConnell Came back to Bp Stayed all night.
Feb. 27, 1915 Clear and cold. The wind blew quite hard. I did the work same as usual. I mopped the kitchen and dining room. Mother did the baking all the morning. M. Shove was down in the morning after milk and Charles went up with him and Mr. Shove sent some apples down by him. Laura and Eunice came up. Got here half-past five. We hadn’t had our supper. Harold and Earl came up quarter of seven. We played Flinch. I made fudge. They went home half-past eight. Papa went to Sound Beach.
Sunday, February 28, 1915 12 Above. Clear & cold all day. I came Back from Bridgeport. Heman took the little milk & I rode back with him. Lewis & Roscoe cleaned out Barn & I took munare out in lot. Heman went down to Simes. Lucy went to Church with Jim. Snow 22 inches at State line.
Feb. 28, 1915 Clear and cold. The wind blew hard. I did the dishes and then got ready to go to church. Clarence came over about ten o’clock. We got down there before church time. A man from New York spoke. I went home with him. Howard Smith was over there when I got there. Howard staid to dinner. Dora and Clara went home with him. After supper I came home and Clarence came over with me. Papa came home on the morning train from Bridgeport. He staid all night to Aunt Dollie’s.