MARQUIS LAFAYETTE PECK b.1825 - d.1904

Marquis Lafayette Peck was born in Madison County, New York, April 11, 1825, to James and Sarah (Knowles) Peck. On

April 8, 1851, he married Sarah E. Fritcher, daughter of Michael and Phebe Fritcher of Bridgeport, NY. Marquis and Sarah Peck had four children:

1. Mary J. Peck, b.1851, married 1873 James Hood Mathews. James was son of Joseph L. and Mary Ann (Hood) Mathews. His parents, brother Fred, and sisters Mary, Sarah, and Josephine are all shown in MLP's dairies. James appears in the diaries as James Mathews, J.H. Mathews, Jim, and JHM. In 1896 James Mathews left Mary (they divorced about 1907) and the 1900 Onondaga census shows him living in Manlius in the household of his brother, Fred Mathews. James Mathews continued to have a friendly association with his in-laws. James and Mary Mathews had three children:

1. William (Will/Willie) Henry Mathews, b.1875, married Anna Wellman

2. Raymond (Ray) P. Mathews, b.1883, married Sophie _?_

3. Ethel Mathews, b.1885, married Ray Clifton

Note: By 1910, James was living in Skagit Co. Washington, with his 2nd wife, Allie Everett (Summers) Mathews - James and Allie had two daughters:
1. Josephine Hood Mathews

2. Helen June Mathews

2. Sarah Frances, b.1855, d.1862

3. Charles M. Peck, b.1862, married May Sheffield

4. Edith (Eda) Peck, b.1872, married Frank W. Gridley, they had one child:

1. Helen Frances Gridley

The following diary entries have been abstracted from the original diaries kept by Marquis L. Peck. They were inherited by a granddaughter, Ethel (Mathews) Clifton, passed on to a great-granddaughter, Ruth (Mathews) Kempton, and generously shared with my mother, Helen June (Mathews) Burns, during the 1970's. My mother made a handwritten abstract from the original diaries in which she faithfully included all the names mentioned. Marquis L. Peck used his diaries not only as a record of daily events, but as a journal for all his expenses and purchases. Many of these are shown in this abstract, but many entries consisting only of financial transactions have been omitted. I have included all names which were in his original diaries. Some pictures were handed down to my mother from her father, James H. Mathews, and others have been furnished by Carole (Kempton) Anderson, great-great-granddaughter of Marquis L. Peck.

Lorna Mathews (Burns) Marks

For further contact regarding the Peck family, Carole (Kempton) Anderson can be reached at: caroleander@sbcglobal.net

I'd be pleased to hear from anyone interested in the Mathews family. I can be contacted at: LMarks35@hotmail.com

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Diaries of Marquis Lafayette Peck covering years 1864-1903

SURNAMES MENTIONED IN DIARIES – Adams, Adcock, Alkever, Alsener, Allen, Appeline, Armstrong, Austin, Babcock, Backman, Badgley, Bailey, Baker, Ball, Barber, Barney, Barret, Bartlett, Bartz, Beard, Belden, Bender, Bessie, Bettington, Billington, Blakeslee, Blancherd, Bloomindale, Bronson, Brown, Buchans, Burrell, Bushnell, Butler, Calton, Cameron, Chapman, Chichester, Clark, Cockran, Coe, Collins, Cook, Coon, Copsey, Costello, Cramer, Cunningham, Darling, Decker, Delaney, Demons, Dewy/Dewey, Dibble, Dodge, Dow, Driston, Duke, Dunham, Durham, Durston, Eaton, Ebling/Eheling, Echer, Edgerton, Edwards, Ellwood, Espernheim, Fabius, Fairbanks, Farnham, Fisher, Fowler, Fritcher, Fuller, Gage, Gardner, Gates, Gaynes, Gaynor, Genter, Getty/Gety, Gilbert, Goodrich, Goodspell, Graves, Greenfield, Gridley, Griffith, Grons, Groosbeck, Grove, Hale, Hall, Hand, Harcourt, Harmon, Harris, Harrison, Hawley, Hazleton, Heaton, Hestor, Hickson, Higgins, Hoag, Hobbs, Hogg, Hood, Hopkins, Howe, Hubbins, Hulburt, Hutchins, Inness, Jackson, Jenkins, Jewell, Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kimball, Kimberg, Kingsley, Knapp, Knowles, Lamb, Lamphey, Lansing, Larkins, Lawrence, Leache, Lock, Lounsberry, Luce, Lynch, Lyon, Madison, Manville, Mathews, Mead, Matson, McAdams, McCarthy, McGregor, Medlar, Merchant, Meriven, Miller, Moore, Moorehouse, Morgan, Morse, Moses, Mosley, Mott, Moulder/Moulter, Mulroy, Neavens/Nevins, Nichols, Noble, Odell, O'Neal, Osbern/Osborn, Owens, Oxner, Palmer, Peck, Phillips, Pitman, Pitts, Potter, Powers, Prate, Pratt, Prindle, Putnam, Quimby, Quinn, Radley, Randall, Ray, Real, Rice, Richardson, Richinson, Rivenburg/Rivenburgh, Roberts, Robinson, Root, Rowe, Saphore, Sayles, Schruyner, Searly, Severace, Sheffield, Sheldon, Shephard, Shep/Shepp, Sheridan, Shoemaker, Shrimpton, Slinglehand, Smith, Snell, Snook, Snow, Snyder, Stagger, Stearns, Stephens, Sternley, Stevenson, Stone, Story, Stowe, Stratton, Stumby, Swarthout, Tanner, Taylor, Terwilliger, Thornton, Tibbitts, Tillotson, Tremains, Tolman, Truax, Tufts, Vanderwacker/Vanderwerker, Vanschaick, Velaskow, Vreedenburg, Walrath, Washington, Weaver, Wells, Wheeler, White, Whitford, Williams, Wood, Wrapp, Yale, Young

1860 Madison Co. Census, Sullivan, P.O. Chittenango:

Marquis L Peck 35 M Farmer, $10,000 real est., b.New York

Sarah E. (Fritcher) Peck wife, 29, b.New York

Mary J. Peck daughter, 8, b.New York

Sarah F. Peck daughter, 5, b.New York

1862 MLP Diary

Feb – (Son Charlie born Feb 9, 1862)

Feb 10 – Frankie (Frankie is his daughter, Sarah F.) brought home sick with scarlet fever – went to city for Dr. Chichester

Feb 17 – Frankie Died of scarlet fever & diphtheria

Feb 19 – funeral – everybody has sore throat

Mar 21 – the baby (Charlie) is quite sick – went to Bridgeport for Mrs. Fritcher (MLP's mother-in-law)

Apr 21 – got cowslips (these were marsh marigolds eaten as a spring tonic)

May 30 – went to city with Sarah – got crib for boy – pd $4

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1863 MLP Diary

Jan – killed & dressed 40 chickens 100½# got 8¢

May 13 – “ague” in face – had 2 teeth extracted

May 14 – had a severe fit of gravel at night – was taken with the calculus in the urites – had awful pain

May 16 – sent for Doctor Taylor - $3, felt better towards night

May 17 – another turn of gravel but not so severe as the other, sit in warm water up to my waist, applied balm to the kidney

May 19 – had slight pain in morning – had the most severe one I have had p.m. – the neighbors were all in – sent for Dr. Dunham

May 20 – have felt little pain but am so weak I can’t stand up – the Dr. came last night – the musketoes are very thick & hungry

May 25 – feeling rather better

Nov & Dec – (is building new house)

Dec 30 – went to city got couch $11, rocking chair $8

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1864 MLP Diary

Jan 1 – cold – took a load of wood to G. W. Mathews

Jan 14 – got bed $22

Mar 12 – beautiful spring & sugar weather – sugar making in evening

Apr 20 – got Charlie a rocking horse

May – (he & wife, Sarah, visited Washington D.C.)

May 15 – came from Harrisburg to Washington – it was very ruined – went to capitol & to white house – saw Lincoln & Family –
wrote home

May 16 – visited the Navy yard monument – both houses of Congress & Lincoln Hospital

May 17 – visited patent office – Smithsonian institute – National Theater in evening – am quite deaf in right ear

May 18 – went to gallery of fine arts

June 6 – Geo. W. Mathews got one cord wood 3.50

June 7 – went to Chittenango for 56 sap buckets – took some vinegar & pickles to stores for the soldiers & hope jugs & tub to be
returned

Sept 24 – Sheridan has gained a great victory over Early

Oct – gathered walnuts & chestnuts

Dec 8 – went to city – bought a muff mink for Sarah

Dec 15 – went to city & changed melodians – paid $100 difference

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1865 MLP Diary

Jan 7 – Town meeting for to vote Bounty – our town is required to furnish 37 soldiers on next draft

Feb 12 – the coldest day of the winter at 30 below zero

Feb 20 – heard Charleston was evacuated

Mar 14 – heard Amealia Darling was dead

Apr 7 – heard Sheridan had taken many Rebel Generals – great rejoicing in city

Apr 8 – heard R Lee was not taken…..but Fitzhugh Lee

Apr 10 – Great rejoicing on account of the surrender of General Lee to Grant – bells ringing, cannons firing

Apr 16, Sat – heard Mr. Lincoln was assassinated in Ford’s theatre – great sensations of sorrow – also Seward was stabbed in neck –
heard the assassin’s name was Booth

Apr 19, Wed – burnt brush in morning – went to Lincoln funeral afternoon discourse by Rev. Mr. Phillips

May 18 – cool & rainy – chored it a little

May 25 - Signed for a picture of Mr. Lincoln

June 8 – cooler – finished shearing – had about 480 lbs wool – paid $2.00 per day for shearing

June 18 - Sarah was taken with the erysupilis

June - (taking census, assessing, etc)

Aug 21 - sent for Dr. Powers from city, he gave me calomel, am yellow from jaundice

Oct – (apple picking all month, in all 120 bushels – threshing wheat – digging potatoes - sold 165 bu to Mr. Wheeler at 50¢))

Dec 23 – all went to Bridgeport to the Christmas tree

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1866 MLP Diary

Jan 1 – I have been very busy at the church labeling articles for the New Years tree – had an interesting time in evening – the church
was decked tastefully & the tree appeared beautifully

Jan 3 – butchered 10 hogs

May 6 – bought a copy of Shakespere $5.00, got some physic of Dr. White

May 18 – paid Miss Darling 1.50 for spinning – went fishing after tea

June 20 - Started for Alex. Bay, ---, ---, Watertown

June 21 - Cape Vincent, Kingston Canada

June 22 - started for the Bay, arrive at 7 o'clock, went on the Bay State Steamer, went out trolling, only caught one

June 23 - went fishing again, ate dinner on an island

June 25 - night by steamer Ontario to Oswego, to Syracuse

Sept 22 – went to Mills – G.W. Mathews moved the old schoolhouse

Sept 27 – took Mary to Fayetteville – she is to board $3.00 week at Cunningham school

Oct 10 – paid for hoop skirt for Mrs. Fritcher $3.00

Dec 13 – bought Burns complete works and a couple of other books, paid $6.50

Dec 15 - I bought Charlie a top .40

Dec 24 - went to Bridgeport (home of his in-laws) and Christmas tree, crowded house, got travelling companion and comforter from
tree

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1867 MLP Diary

Feb 27 – I am quite sick with severe cold in my head – I took a hemlock sweat

Mar 15 - Mary came home afoot after we had got to bed

May 2 – set out 98 apple trees

Aug – went to Mills – Mary got her hair cut

Sept – Took Mary to Oneida to school – she boards at Mrs. McGregor’s at $3.50 per wk

Nov 22 – letter from Mary saying her cloak was stolen

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1868 MLP Diary

Jan 10 – Sarah went to city to buy Mary’s cloak

Jan 28 – Charlotte began to work for us

Feb 24, Mon – Much excitement on the impeachment question (President Andrew Johnson)

Mar 6, Fri – Today is the last day of school

Apr 27 – went for the pans in sap bush

May 19 – I sold G. W. Mathews a pig for $2

May 26 – A most beautiful day – sunshine clear and bright – birds of all kinds uttering forth their sweetest

songs. Sarah’s bird got away but she got it again

May 27 – Impeachment is hopelessly killed

June (MLP helped with road work – sold cemetery lots & arranged for grave digging – acted as clerk at

auction – wrote up local news for the “Standard” – acted on jury – arranged for school teachers, did assessing, went fishing, etc)

June 20 – paid $18.90 for 1300 hedge plants – got Sarah a bonnet $6

June 30 – Sarah went to city to change bonnet

Aug 18, Tues – Joseph Mathews had a boy born

Sept 1 – to Oneida with Mary to go to school – paid her tuition & the board

Sept 12, Sat – got old horse shod at Mathews

Oct 28 – went to Fayetteville – cornpopr $1

Nov 4 – learned Grant has been elected president of the United States without doubt

Dec 28 – Sarah lost her canary bird by the cat

Note at end of diary: I weigh 188-1/2

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1869 MLP Diary

Jan 7, Thur – Henry Peck(1) – settled in New Haven in the spring of 1638. Benjamin(2) his son lived &

died in New Haven – baptized Sept 5, 1647. Benjamin(3) born Jan 4, 1670 settled at Norwich, a man of wealth & distinction, died 1742, May 31. Reuben(4) – Benjamin my grandfather born 1760, James my father born 1786

Jan 15, Fri -Took Sarah to Burkville to go to Oneida to see Mary at the Seminary

Jan 16, Sat – Sarah returned from Oneida by Syracuse – she bought a silver tea pot

Jan 22, Fri – Elder Brown brought us a marriage certificate

Jan 26, Tues – Julia Fritcher was here visiting & took supper

Jan 27, Wed – Charlie went home with his grandma

Feb 15, Mon – Sarah took Charlie to Bridgeport, & got a feather bed – Mr. Fritcher has sold his farm

Mar 11, Thur – went to Fritcher’s auction – acted as clerk – he sold about $910.00, Lyman Fritcher took the

team to move Mr. Fritcher

Apr 2, Thur – Mary is quite sick of measles – Doc Graves visited her

Apr 10, Sat – went to city with Sarah – bought chamber sett at .65, Sarah got a gold watch & chain – Aunt Jane

Collins came

Apr 22, Thur – made soap

Apr 23, Fri – chored around a little – got some cowslips

Apr 24, Thur – took Mary to railroad to go to Oneida – she begins her school on Monday

May 14, Fri – a most beautiful day. I castrated the pigs, killed 5 kittens

July 3, Sat – I took 234 lbs wool to Syracuse to Kingsley at 40¢

July 10, Sat – Ella Rivenburgh came from Oneida to visit Mary

July 12, Mon – A most beautiful day – I took Sarah, Mary & Ella Rivenburgh to Sulphur Springs – had a

pleasant time

Aug 12, Thur – made croquet ground

Aug 25, Wed – Mr. Bender cleaned the tombstones of father & family – paid him $3.80

Sept 8, Wed – accident in coal mines, 200 killed

Sept 10, Fri – sold my sheep to A. Morgan for $2.50 a head

Sept 11, Sat – went to city & Chittenango – bought a piano for Mary of Velaskow $266.00

Sept 16, Thur – Morgan got away 6 sheep and paid me $15

Sept 26, Sat – Andrew Morgan took away 27 sheep

Oct 20 - Went with Sarah & children to Bridgeport, staid all night

Nov 2, Tues – Mary gave Hattie Peck her first music lesson

Nov 4, Thur – One of the most beautiful days I ever knew – Indian summer

Nov 5, Fri – Went to Bridgeport p.m. for Sarah – she has been at her mother’s making a suit of clothes for me

Nov 20, Sat – Sarah went to city to see Cardiff Giant got from cage

Dec 4, Sat – got Jennie shod at Mathews

Dec 17, Fri – traded melodian for a black colt with Fritcher

Dec 24, Fri – took Sarah & Charlie to Bridgeport to attend the Christmas tree

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1870 Onondaga Co. Census, New York, Manlius Twp:

Marquis L. Peck 45 farmer , real est.$6500, pers.est. $20,000, b.New York

Sarah E. (Fritcher) Peck wife, age 38, keeps house, b.New York

Mary J. Peck daughter, age 18, no occupation, b.New York

Charles M. Peck son, age 8, attends school, b.New York

1870 MLP Diary

Jan 13 – I took Mary to the City to get her teeth filled – she got 5 filled

Feb 5, Sat – I went to Fayetteville – saw Morgan & Peter Smith

Mar 11, Fri – went to Fayetteville to see about trading farms – Sarah went with me

Mar 12, Sat – went to Fayetteville – sold my farm – bought Smith’s house & lot in Fayetteville, paid

$5,900, got $20,000 for my farm – am to leave the first of April

Mar 28, Mon – a warm rain. Today we leave the old homestead probably forever. We go to Fayetteville in

our recently purchased brick house (much papering, plastering, painting, varnishing, refinishing, buying carpets, etc)

Sept 8, Thur – went to Bridgeport for Charlie & Mary

Mary Peck

Sept 27, Tues – I & Sarah went to Oneida at night – stayed at Rentz overnight

Sept 28, Wed – went on the extra train to Utica to the State Fair

Oct 4, Thur – I took the whole family to the Manlius fair

Oct 19, Fri – Beard monument was erected in the cemetery

Nov 3, Fri – Sarah & Mrs. Morgan & Mary went to city on steamer

Nov 18, Fri – Mary finishes up going to city taking music lessons today

Dec 9, Fri – I signed for a dictionary of the Bible $4 to Elder Bronson to be delivered by Christmas

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1872 MLP Diary

Jan 20, Sat – Lindsay & I went to city – I got 2 hanging lamps for sitting & dining rooms, paid for them

$10.50

Feb 2, Wed – Mary went with J.Mathews to N.D. Allen’s necktie party (this is James Hood Mathews whom Mary

later married – he is shown variously in the diaries as James, Jim or JHM)

James Hood Mathews

Feb 10, Sat - Billington and Allie and James Mathews were here to supper

Feb 26, Mon – helped arrange for tea party about 20 persons

Feb 27, Tues – today was our tea party us & 11 couples – It was universally voted a success had a good

time generally

Mar 1, Fri – Mary went down to N. Manlius with Fred Dow

Mar 13, Wed– Mary went to city to theatre – let her have $1.90

Mar 16, Sat – Mathews young folks were here p.m. & evening

Apr 11, Thur – am 47 years old today

Apr 13, Sat – Eliza Dibble was here sewing on Mary’s dress

Apr 19, Fri – W. Roberts was here in evening – John Terwilliger called

Apr 22, Mon – Mary began to go to Conservatory at city – let her have $5.50

May 6, Mon – Mary went to city to hear Ole Bull play

May 27, Mon – Mary & Helen Mathews had a breakdown & turn over as they started for city

June 18, Tues – Sarah went to city & got a refrigerator

June 19, Wed – Tonight is the great wedding party at C. Shoemaker on the occasion of Anna’s marriage to

O. Jones – there were about 500 guests

July 3, Wed – S. Morgan tried to drown herself in the canal & was rescued by Mr. Snell

July 6, Sat – Mary & J. Mathews went to Rivenburghs

Jul 16, Tues – Very hot – picked cherries at S. Morgan’s – have picked in all more than 2 bushels

July 27, Sat – Mary went to Mexico (NY) – She went as far as Syracuse with James Mathews

Sept 7, Sat – Charles Hale son of Mrs. Huntington Beard shot himself dead, accidentally in Lewis Woods

while hunting in Pompey

Sept 13, Fri – I sold 1-½ bus. Potatoes to Joseph Mathews

Nov 16, Sat – Sarah went to city – Got Mary cloth for velvet cloak pd 10 per yd ($45.85)

Nov 30, Sat – Horace Greely died last night at 6.50 of nervous exhaustion

Dec 3, Tues – Let Mary have $20 to pay Mrs. Bessie for making cloak

Dec 14, Sat – Let Mary have $3 to pay for her hat at Mrs. Demons

Dec 19, Thur – Ida Beard & Johnny Echer were married at 1 o’clock

Dec 25, Wed – Today is Christmas – Jim & Mary went to Bridgeport to Christmas tree trimming. The

following were the presents, gold pen, slippers Sarah, F’s picture life size, setting silver tea spoons & case, glove case, slipper case, handkerchief

Dec 30, Mon – Mary went round with horse & cutter collecting for Sunday School

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1873 MLP Diary

Jan 1 – M L Peck, Charles Peck, John Peck, Harriet Peck, Sarah Peck, Russel Peck, James Peck, John

Knowles

Jan 6, Mon – got cutter fixed at Mathews – pd 24¢

Jan 7, Tues – Mary & Jim went to Wheelers to a dance

Jan 13, Mon - bought a crib for $4.60

Jan 15, Wed – Mary went to city with Sarah Mathews

Jan 30, Thur – Sarah got a new crib $9.50

Apr 11, Fri – I am 48 yrs old today

Apr 12, Sat – I set out 6 pear trees & one quince tree

Apr 23, Wed – Sarah & I went to city – bought a carpet for front chamber. Sarah got Mary a set of

bedroom furniture at Hasbrooks at $17

Apr 25, Wed – I went to city with Mary – she got a set black walnut furniture for $85

May 1, Thur – J. Mathews brought an oleander tree to Mary

May 5, Mon – A most beautiful day – Mary went cowslipping on plains & took Allie Peck home

May 13, Tues – Mary went to City – got a couple of new dresses, let her have $10 – Eliza Dibble came to

sew

May 30, Fri – Decoration Day was duly observed & all soldier’s graves were decorated & speeches were

made

June 17, Tues – The hook & ladder company had a hop in Grove in evening – it was quite cold

July 19, Sat – got my hair & whiskers cut

Sept 16, Tues – Sarah & I went to city – bought $32 worth of things for marriage – to come on the 25 inst –

got 250 wedding cards (daughter Mary is engaged to James Hood Mathews)

Sept 17, Wed – George Peck arrived here today from the West – went to Manlius with him – Mary went to city

with Jennie Eaton – horse got frightened at Tom Thumb procession.

Sept 18, Thur – I took George Peck to Charles and took dinner – gave out some invitation tickets for wedding next Thursday.

Sept 20, Sat – Quite a cold day – Sarah & I went to city got coke basket for Mary $11 – got some more

tickets for wedding.

Sept 24, Wed – A very pleasant day – made preparations for wedding. Levi & June Collins were here from

Union Spring

Sept 25, Thur – A rainy day – today James H. Mathews & Mary were married at Baptist Church by Rev.

Mr. Stratton. There were about 500 people there & about 70 at reception at ½ past 7 o’clock –

Jim & Mary went to city

Sept 29, Mon – John & George Mathews note of $30 due at Onondaga Co. Saving Bank

Oct 6, Mon – Sent papers containing an account of Mary’s wedding to friends

Oct 9, Thur – Got $31 from city on Geo & John Mathews note. Mary & Jim came from the west today

Oct 16, Thur – A beautiful day – gathered the pumpkins

Oct 17, Fri – Went to city – got some medicine of Dr. Powers for diarrohea – paid $1.75

Oct 21, Tues – Mary had several callers

Oct 22, Wed – Tufts, Hand & Mathews girls were here in evening

28 Oct, Tues – Settled with James Mathews – paid him a check of $25 & $13 in cash

Nov 6, Thur – Mary & James went to city pm to attend Mrs. Lawrence & J. A. Hood’s wedding

Nov 10, Mon – A cold wintry day. J. H. Mathews put up his coal stove in Mary’s room

Nov 20, Thur – Mary & Jim went to Hop in evening at Beard Hall

Dec 25, Thur - Joseph Mathews’ folks were here & we had a Christmas tree in evening.

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1874 MLP Diary

Mar 23 – Sarah, Mary & Jim went to city & bought a lot of carpets for Mary…I gave Mary my check for

$100

Apr 3, Fri – Jim & Mary went to city & bought their furniture

Apr 8, Wed – James Mathews & Mary left for good & went to keeping house in the Hiram Wood house

in the village.

Apr 10, Fri – J.H. Mathews was down & painted a little

Apr 14, Thur – I helped clean house & whip carpets

May 14, Thur – went cowslipping

May 20, Wed – Charlie got a suit at J.H. Mathews $8

June 1, Mon – Mrs. James Getty died at Allison today of typhous fever

June 4, Thur – Mrs. James Gety funeral today at Chittenango

July 14, Tues – Sarah & I went to city & I took laughing gas & had 7 teeth (all in my upper jaw)

extracted – I had to have 2 spells of inhaling gas – paid Dr. $5.50 for extracting 7 teeth – am

feeling sore in the mouth tonight – Let Sarah have $2 to get gloves

July 23, Thur – D. Dewy sent me 6 qts berries by J.L. Mathews

Aug 2, Sun – paid my church bill $2.50

Aug 7, Fri – Mary was here in p.m. – I let her have $7 on her note – dance in grove in evening

Aug 12, Wed – Paid JHM $6 in full – got my temporary teeth today

Sept 4, Fri – paid men $5 for renewing 3 feather beds & pillows

Sept 16, Wed – Anna Stagger was married tonite at the B. Church to Byron Medlar – gave Anna a silver

spoon $3.00

Sept 26, Sat – James Mathews dug my potatoes for ¼ of them – they are all in the cellar & dry

Oct 17, Sat – I took 6-½ bu. apples to cider mill – am to have 11 gal cider after Jim is paid for, his was 9-½ gal – Bought about 45 lbs
butter at 34¢ & 35¢

Oct 29, Thur – J.H. Mathews moved out of the drugstore & took possession of his new store in the Beard

Block

Nov 2, Mon – I bought a pr of gloves from JHM for $1.75

Nov 4, Wed – I bought an overcoat for $13 from Mathews

Nov 18, Wed – Owe J.H. Mathews 90¢ for walnuts bought of Wick Greiner

Nov 19, Tues – paid J. Mathews $5 to be credited on account – he is to charge me $1.13 for ½ bu. Walnuts

Nov 26, Thur – we attended a Thanksgiving sermon – p.m. Sarah, I, Mary, & Jim went down to __ to a

dinner

Nov 28, Sat – Mr. Fritcher bought a suit of clothes from Jim

Dec 2, Wed – Mary & Jim took supper here

Dec 7, Mon – Sarah & I went to city – she got sett mink furs, boa & muff $60, got Eda pr shoes $2.50

Dec 8, Tues – paid J. H. Mathews his bill & he paid me $10 int for 6 mo on his note of $300

Dec 15, Tues – Let Charlie have 50¢ For Christmas

Dec 19, Sat – was taken with palpitation or some affection of the heart – called Dr. Quimby in evening

Dec 20, Sun – continue weak with irregular pulsations

Dec 21, Mon – I staid in house all day – Charlie & Jim killed 2 guinea hens, sent one to Mary

Dec 22 – am feeling a little better today

Dec 23, Wed – Sarah, Mary & Charlie went to city with Jim’s horse – let Mary have $10 to be endorsed on

her note

Dec 25, Fri – Today is Merry Christmas – all the family & Katie went to Mathews & ate a Christmas

dinner – Mr. Rivenburgh & Mr. Rice were there. I received a scarf & chain for my Christmas

present.

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1875 MLP Diary

……ink too faded to read more than a word or so until Aug

Aug 3, Tues – Mary & James were here to dinner & tea – we had a good visit & played croquet

Sept 3, Fri – got some plums – Sarah Mathews engaged ½ bus. Plums

Sept 12, Sun – Jim & Mary were here to supper

Oct 9, Sat – have a slight cold & hoarseness – soaked my feet & took some vinegar & molasses at night

Oct 16 – two cases of small pox

Oct 19 – I had Edith vaccinated by Dr. Quimby – she was not frightened at all

Oct 27, Wed – Mary was here to get sewing done for her baby

Nov 14, Sun – Mary & Jim were here in evening – Gave J H Mathews a bbl of apples

Dec 15, Wed – A nice day for sleighing – we went down to North Manlius & attended a donation party for

Eld. Goodspell – JHM & Edd Rivenburgh went also – not a large party

Dec 25, Sat – Jim & Mary were here – had a turkey – Edith had set little dishes, picture book & a picture

of Mary – Sarah had a box for needles, thimbles, etc. I gave Mary & Jim $10, Sarah 1 silver dollar

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1876 MLP Diary

Apr 21, Fri – Charlie got a suit of clothes from Jim $19.50 – got my new suit from Hall & Hurds that JHM

had made

Apr 17, Wed – Sarah went to City – she got Mary a striped silk dress, 22 yds – Let Sarah have $20, she

traded most of it for Mary

Apr 23, Tues – Mr. Fritcher & family were up today – he bought a suit of clothes from JHM – Mary &

Willie were here to supper

June 6, Sat – yellow roses are out

June 29, Thur – Sarah went to the Church & helped hunt bugs with the rest of the women

July 27, Thur – Tapped a keg of beer & got well spattered

Aug 5, Sat – the hottest day of the season. I went on the half past 6 train from W.S. to Waterloo – found

Aunt Lucy well & had a good visit with her – drunk lemonade from a glass that belonged to my ancestors 5 generations back – I took the glass in both hands & drank I should think about 2 glasses – 95 degrees in shade.

Aug 28, Mon – Beach C. Beard is no better & it is thought he must die

Sept 4, Mon – School begun today

Sept 7, Thur – I took Sarah to Jims & went to Charlie’s, carried him some plums – & Mary some

Sept 12, Tues – A fine day, I got up at 3 o’clock & Charlie carried Jim & myself to Syracuse where we

took the 5.45 train for Geneva – then to Towanda where we stopped overnight with Uncle Charles Manville – found him well & hearty.

Sept 13, Wed – left Towanda at 10 o’clock & arrived at Philadelphia at 9 o’clock

Sept 14, Thur – visited the Centennial buildings, found them on a larger scale than I imagined

Sept 15, Fri – again visited the grounds – was filled with wonder at the magnitude of all the arrangements

. Saw George Peck & his niece Ella

Sept 19, Tues – Returned to Philadelphia – J.H. Mathews went home, also George Peck.

Sept 21, Thur – went to centennial grounds again – today was New York day – the Governor was in

attendance – also the police force

Sept 29, Fri – Sarah had a tea party – Mr. & Mrs. Chapman – Eld. Shrimpton & family – Jim & Mary

Oct 7, Thur – Teachers wages commence today for this term

Oct 10, Tues – we had one of the most exciting school meeting ever held in this district. I was elected

Trustee by 160+ to Edd Gaynes 71. I reluctantly consented to accept the office.

Oct 12, Thur – I warned people to work on road next Tuesday. Allie was up – she & Chauncey were going

to settle in Manlius & they were to be married before long.

Oct 16, Mon – Charlie, Sarah & others started for the centennial today by way of Chenango – to be gone 1

week. I lost my pocketbook on the sidewalk with $80 but found it & paid $1 to boy who found it

Oct 17, Tues – I began to work on road – gravel was 10¢ a load

Oct 24, Tues – Traded the old iron tea kettle for a new copper one – paid $3 for the difference

Oct 29, Sun – Allie Peck & Chauncey Bettington were married today

Nov 5, Sun – Mr. Shrimpton was sick & unable to preach – we went over to Presbyterian

Nov 6, Mon – carried Mr. Shrimpton’s people a chicken & 2 pies, they are sick with scarlet fever

Nov 23, Thur – Read Shakespear’s Richard III – played backgammon in evening

Nov 28, Tues – Sarah & I went to city, got her a new dress 19yds at $2, 3 yds velvet at $2.50, got Eda a

dress & pr. Shoes, myself pair French calf boots $7, got cake dish for Allie B. at $8 at Bales

Nov 20, Thur – the whole family went to Charles for Thanksgiving. I gave Allie a silver cake basket for a

wedding present.

Dec 15, Fri – I killed a cat that had been dropped here – killed 2 chickens also

Dec 20, Wed – Sent postal card to Mr. Fritcher inviting him to Mary’s Christmas dinner, Sarah bought me

pair slippers at 8/0, also a pair for Charlie, Sarah bought herself new velvet hat at Mrs. Gilmore’s

Dec 21, Thur – Bought 80¢ worth round beef for making bread cake

Dec 23, Sat – Sarah went to Mary’s & helped about getting up a Christmas dinner

Dec 25, Mon – A fine Christmas day – excellent sleighing. Mr & Mrs Fritcher came last night to attend

Mary’s Christmas party – there were about 30 there & they had a general good time – music & dancing

________________________________________________________________

1877 MLP Diary

Jan 4, Thur – Mary & family were here to supper

Jan 10, Wed – Jim & Mary went to city to see Sardinapolius played

Jan 19, Fri – went to see if I could get a hired girl Miss Fairbanks to work for me. She agreed to come next

Mon & work if we both liked it for $2 per week

Jan 20, Sat – Sarah stays tonight to Mary’s on account of Willie having the scarlet fever

Jan 23, Tues – Bought a bottle of Hostaters stomach bitters at $1

Jan 26 – I took Sarah to Mary’s p.m. to help Mary sew

Feb 3, Sat – Sarah went to city & bought 2 fish & a canary bird

Feb 8, Thur – Georgie Burrell came to Mary’s & Charlie staid there & cared for Willie

Feb 15, Thur – Georgia Burrell went to Chittenango with Mary & Jim – they went to Vernon visiting

Mar 2, Fri – Willie Mathews is quite sick we understand

Mar 6, Tues – Helen Mathews was here & visited all day

Apr 11, Wed – Mary & I went to Chittenango to attend Aunt Betsy Knowles funeral, 79yrs 7mo

Apr 21, Sat – agreed to pay Josie Fairbanks $2.50 per week after this week as long as both parties are

satisfied

Apr 28, Sat – I went for & engaged Lovina Calton to work for me at $2 per week. Mary came down and

arranged a couple of rooms

May 2, Wed – There was a most beautiful & unusual display of Northern Lights like a rainbow with the

colors extending quite across the sky

May 4, Fri – Went to city – engaged Dr. Vanderwacker to come from city & see Sarah on half past 4 train

Monday

May 7, Mon – Dr Vanderwacker came to see Sarah with Dr. Quimby – paid $5

May 12, Sat – Sarah has been out in kitchen & works a little

May 13, Sun – planted 1 doz verbenas, 1 bunch pansies, 2 foliage plants, silver leaf plant, geraniums, phlox

Drummondi, sweet mignonette

May 21, Mon – Edith went to school today for the first time

May 25, Fri – we moved the cook stove from kitchen to wood shed

June 11, Mon – Yellow rose in full bloom

July 9, Mon – All the women went to Mary’s to tea

July 11, Wed – We with Mrs. Collins & Sarah C. started for 1000 islands with Young Mens Christian

Association Excursion, $5 for round trip – arrived at 1000 island Park at about dusk – had a large company of about 400

July 15, Sun – picked some cherries to save them from the birds

Aug 1, Wed – Sent my photographs to S. Collins to be painted

Aug 2, Thur – sat for another picture at Baileys – today, think I got a better one than before

Aug 4, Sat – Charlie took Edith down to B. to stay with her Grandma while we go to Ocean Grove – Mrs

. Grons was up & Sarah went to Hubbins with her to make bathing suit

Aug 6, Mon – excursion with YMCA of Syracuse to Ocean Grove & Long Branch

Aug 7, Tues – A nice day – I took first view of the broad Atlantic but did not try bathing as several of our

party did which they enjoyed very much

Aug 8, Wed – Today I went in bathing for the first time & liked it. Charles lost his teeth but found them

p.m. one mile from where he lost them on the beach – they had washed that distance on the breakers.

Aug 10, Fri – tried bathing again, liked it better than before – Dewey G. & I got our pictures taken in our

bathing dresses, paid 85¢ for them

Aug 11, Sat – started for home at 8 o’clock a.m. but first D.G. & myself & Wins went down to the Ocean

and saw the sun rise. Also saw a ship sail before the sun just as it emerged from its watery bed. We arrived home at about 9 o’clock feeling well but weary & having greatly enjoyed our trip.

Sept 8, Sat – Sarah & Edith went to Mary’s to help her can fruit

Sept 9, Sun – Sarah & Edith went to church – I remained home on account of a crick in my back

Sept 15, Sat – JHM finished digging potatoes – Sarah went over to Mary, she was sick

Sept 19, Wed – Charlie came home from hop picking this a.m. – having been gone 3 weeks & two days

Sept 20, Thur – old Mr. Odell died very suddenly at Mathews Livery stable this p.m.

Sept 26, Wed – Sarah & Edith went to Mary’s & staid all night – JHM has my horse & wagon to draw

things to the Manlius Fair

Oct 1, Mon – James & Mary were here to dinner

Oct 2, Tues – Sarah got home her new silk dress from Mrs. Bessie – she paid for making $10

Oct 5, Fri – Mary started yesterday for West Monroe with Willie

Oct 8, Mon – the village was greatly excited last night by a horrible murder. William stabbed fatally Alonza

West – he died from loss of blood on Mrs. Henry Beard’s door step

Oct 15, Mon – I & Edith went down to Peter Smith’s & got 9-¾ bus apples, 3 each of spitzenburgs,

Seeknofurther greenings

Nov 6, Tues - Eda got a slate at Bartletts, bought a wrapper at JHM’s at $2.50

Nov 16, Fri – all went to Mary’s to dinner – bought a cap of honey of J.H. Mathews at 20¢

Nov 17, Sat – got my whiskers trimmed paid 10¢, got some bulbs from Vick for Sarah at Express office

Nov 20, Tues – Allie Billington was here to dinner, also Jim & Mary

Nov 27, Tues – I paid Beach & Huntington Beard $45 by check for the Rubicon Range

Nov 29, Thur – Sarah, Edith & I went to Joseph Mathews to a Thanksgiving dinner – the Rivenburghs

were there – Charlie went to city to attend the play of Henry 5^th in Park Opera House, I gave him $2 he staid all night at a hotel

Nov 30, Fri – We rolled the apple bbls down cellar – Huntington Beard & Dave Clark were here & put

up the warming closet to a Rubicon Range

Dec 2, Sun – Last night at half past 3 o’clock out store room window was broken open or raised & a gang

of burglars entered & carried off about $40 worth of property consisting of caster butter dish, silver cup, overcoat, etc

Dec 4, Tues – I went to Whitestown & arranged for Charlie to go to the Seminary at that place with Fred

Wells

Dec 5, Wed – Left word at the police office about our robbery – Sarah bought $12.50 worth silver

Dec 10, Mon – Charlie & Fred Wells started today for Whitestown to attend school at the seminary – I let

him have $66.25 to pay expenses of school. Let Mary have $10 in full on her note given her at her marriage.

Dec 12, Wed – Got 2 posted cards from Charlie saying he wished me to send him some more money

Dec 21, Fri – Sarah & I went to city, she got Edith a doll & several other Christmas presents

____________________________________________________________________________________

1878 MLP Diary

Jan 1, Tues – Chilly New Year’s day – our folks with Miss Josie Mathews (sister of Jim) received New

Year’s calls.

Jan 9, Wed – took Sarah down to Central railroad, she is going to stay to city 4 days to be doctored by

Vanderwaken & will board at P. O. Neavens – saw for the first time a telephone at Frank

Jan 31, Thur – JHM began to take out inside of his store for repairs

Feb 2, Sat – Mary & Willie started for Herkimer by way of Syracuse

Feb 7, Thur – Sarah & I & a large party went to J. H. Smith’s to a party

Feb 12, Tues – Dr V & Mr. Randall were out from city today to see Sarah – he treated her. Mary Snyder

began to work here today at $2.00 per week

Mar 2, Sat – Jim took the large rooster away that he brought here last fall

Mar 5, Tues – Dr. V here to supper – Mathews people & Mary & Willie were here p.m.

Mar 6, Wed – heard the first blue bird today – robins have made their appearance – Sarah is feeling some

better

Mar 8, Fri – went to station & got Charlie – he has been gone 13 weeks to Whitestown to school

Mar 9, Sat – Mary made a party for Charlie in evening at her house – Edith & Mary Snyder went

Mar 20, Wed – I went to city as witness before the grand jury against Stone & Gardner, the men who

burglarized my house – they were indicted without doubt

Mar 23, Sat – Charlie & Fred Wells started for school – I let him have $67 – let Sarah have $2.60 –

trimmed the grape vines

Mar 26, Tues – bought some buckwheat flour at JHM – Mr. & Mrs. Rivenburgh were here & made a short

call in evening & invited us to dinner tomorrow from 1 to 4 o’clock

Mar 30, Sat – Sarah received a bottle of mineral water from Dr. V

Apr 3, Wed – Had Jim write to Utica that I would take the mortgage of $1000 on their block

Apr 10, Wed – Gave J.H. Mathews a check of $400 – he owes me now $800 for which he is to give me a

mortgage on his individual half of the brick store & I am to advance him $200 more making $1000 in all. Dr. V didn’t come as expected today – Sarah has been feeling badly. Mr. Parcher of Skaneateles cut his throat yesterday – he was a banker

Apr 11, Thur- am 53 yrs old today

Apr 15, Mon – Jim had the horse to go to town to Coe’s for butter

Apr 21, Sun – Easter Sunday – plum & cherries are in blossom

Apr 26, Fri – cleaned up the paths around flower beds & sowed flowering peas – set out 30 raspberry

plants

June 18, Tues – Sarah & I went to James Hutchins to a party at which were about 40 persons, mostly

Presbyterians. They had a very enjoyable time

June 20, Thur – picked a few qts cherries at JHM’s

June 26, Wed – Sarah & I went over to Adcock’s p.m. to tea

July 1, Mon – at night we picked 32 qts currants, 26 at home, & 6 at Mrs. Lamb’s – Sarah went to city to

see Dr. V

July 3, Wed – I went to city to court. Stone & Gardner pleaded guilty to my burglary & were sentenced

to Elmira Reformatory. Ambrose Clark had 2 cows killed by lightening

July 8, Mon – picked mess green peas

July 9, Tues – picked 10 qts cherries & 5 of raspberries

July 11, Thur – John Moulder of Manlius cut his throat this morning , caused by financial difficulties

July 18, Thur – Charlie got wagon to clean out JHM’s privy

July 29, Mon – Sarah & I started with the excursion for Ocean Grove – Got rooms at the Sunset Hall near

the ocean

July 30, Tues – Damp & rainy, went to the beach & Mr. Snell & I went in bathing

Aug 1, Thur – Still quite damp – attended the tabernacle meeting & went in bathing with Sarah. The water

didn’t feel quite so cold as before.

Aug 2, Fri – all the party went to Long Branch – had a beautiful ride & most beautiful weather – rode the

whole length of Ocean Avenue & through Hayes gardens, the most celebrated in the world for extent & beauty

Aug 8, Thur – I went with Mary & Willie to Bridgeport for Edith

Aug 12, Mon – bought 12 qts blackberries at 7¢ of Mathews

Aug 15, Thur – Got up at 3 o’clock & went to city for Sarah – she came on the 5 o’clock train from Ocean

Grove where she has been staying for the last 16 days – she is feeling pretty well

Aug 17, Sat – bought 10 lbs lard of JHM

Aug 24, Sat – Oscar will set out 2000 strawberry plants – he is to have $5 if they live 3 weeks

Sept 18, Wed – Georgia Burrell started for Herkimer – she has been spending some 3 or 4 weeks with Mary

Oct 5, Sat – Received my crayon picture from S.E. Collins from Philadelphia – I got George Bartz to frame

it – he charged me $8.50

Oct 14, Mon – heard I was nearly elected a director of the bank of Fayetteville – only lacked one vote

Oct 22, Tues – I went & saw Allie Johnson in courthouse cells – he has been sentenced to Elmira

Reformatory for breaking into my house & stealing about $50 of articles – I have now got all 3 of them in prison at the Reformatory at Elmira

Oct 24, Thur – Got 37 lbs butter at 22¢

Oct 25, Fri – In evening went to hear entertainment for relief of Southern yellow fever sufferers at Beard

Hall which was fully attended & netted $100 over expenses

Oct 22, Sun – Charlie intends to leave home today & board to Mary’s & clerk it for JHM

Nov 2, Sat – I & Beach Beard appraised the damage by fire to Rivenburgh’s house at $93

Nov 14, Thur – Rivenburgh paid me $3 for appraising damage by the fire – I let Charlie have it for having

his teeth pulled at Syracuse by Matson with gas

Nov 16, Sat – I wrote directions for Mr. & Mrs. Fritcher’s golden wedding tickets

Nov 18, Mon – Mrs. Sternley & I made some hard soap. Edith bought her a 3^rd reader & an arithmetic.

Bought a new wash tub – pd $1.50 of Jim

Nov 19, Tues – Sarah & Mrs. Sternly went down to Mary’s

Nov 26, Tues – Jim & Mary went to Chittenango to attend Mrs. Hood’s funeral

Nov 28, Thur – Sarah returned from Bridgeport & took dinner at Mary’s

Dec 3, Tues – Today was Mr. & Mrs. Fritcher’s golden wedding anniversary – there was a company of

about 60 persons there – they had a very nice supper & remarks were made by Eld. Gardiner & 2 poems were read by Mrs. Helen Truax. The presents consisted of a gold trimmed & gold marked with monogram set of china dishes costing $37 – also Mrs. Fritcher received a pair gold gloves $6.50 from Sarah

Dec 25, Wed – I went to city & got Mary a set china dishes $11.85, Sarah a pair gold glasses $6.50 – we

have a Christmas tree in evening for family – Charlie acted as Santa Claus – I got pr gloves, handkerchief, collar

Dec 27, Fri – Sarah went with Edith to Mary’s a.m. – lent Charlie $5 to buy a billiard table of William

Espernheim – he took it to JHM’s

Dec 31, Tues – I was elected president of the Reading Room Association in evening – made arrangements for

a lecture Jan. 14 at Beard Hall – got some sweet apples & celery for Sarah

______________________________________________________________________________

1879 MLP Diary

Jan 9, Thur – Received a letter from Mrs. Snow of Little Falls saying she would return several of my stolen

things under certain conditions

Jan 19, Sun – Mary, Charlie, Jim, Willie, & Nettie Hickson were here to tea

Jan 22, Wed – Mr. Dristor was at reading room & tried to come under the Reading Room auspices to give

an exhibition of the Edison phonograph but we concluded not to accept

Jan 26 – all went to church & to dinner after to Mary’s

Jan 27, Mon – All went with Jim & Mary to Henry Wrapp’s in evening to a tea party – Mr. Morse the

stageman brought the caster – Eda’s cup & butter dish that were stolen last Dec 1877 – they were in better state of preservation than I expected to see them

Jan 28, Tues – bought Edith a set of letters for word game – she & I played in evening

Jan 29, Wed – played game of letters with Edith, she likes the game very much – she beat me twice

Feb 25, Tues – Willie came up a.m. in order that his mother may get ready for Minnie Weaver’s wedding

which takes place today at P.O. Weaver’s residence at half past 4 o’clock

Feb 28, Fri – Sarah & Edith went down to Bridgeport with horse & cutter – Edith is to stay while Sarah

goes to be city to be doctored

Mar 3, Mon – Took Sarah to city to be doctored by Vanderwerker – she is to stay till Saturday

Mar 4, Tues – Charlie is going to Hamilton to see about attending school at the Colgate Academy

Mar 7, Fri – Charlie, Jim & Mary went down to Charles & thence to P. Smith’s to a surprise party – they

expect to have dancing

Mar 11, Tues – we have decided to let Charlie go to school to Richfield Springs – the circular was received

today – his expenses will be about $1 per day

Mar 18, Tues – Charlie took Sarah to city – Sarah is to stay to Dr. Vanderwerker’’s another week to try

electricity

Mar 19, Wed – Gave notice to Miss Decker that her resignation was desirable on account of her being unable

to perform her duties satisfactory to her district

Mar 20, Thur – Attended the graduating exercises at the school rooms today

Mar 22, Sat – Charlie started for Richfield Springs for school

Mar 24 – A man left a sewing machine for Sarah – Mary & Willie were here p.m. – Jim & Edd

Rivenburgh helped us put the billiard table up in the back chamber

Mar 28, Fri – Sent 2-½ ears sweet corn for seed to M.A. Stumby by mail today – 14¢ postage

Apr 2, Wed – left my watch at Balls to be cased in gold to cost not more than $45 nor less than $43 – to be

done in 2 weeks

Apr 3, Thur – Joseph L. Mathews (Jim’s father) gave me a note of $3698 – due at Farmers Bank July 15

next

Apr 5, Sat – Sent Charles Edgerton a copy of the bye laws of the Fayetteville Cemetary Association

Apr 8, Tues – 28 years ago today we were married

Apr 11, Fri – I am 54 years old – Mary & Willie were up p.m. – Willie injured the new sewing machine

that Sarah had here

Apr 21, Thur – My teeth begin to trouble me – don’t know if it is a nervous or real toothache

Apr 29, Tues – I set out in all 1100 strawberry plants

Apr 30, Wed – I & Sarah went to city – bought a French clock $16

May 3, Sat – Sarah fixed her flower beds & she & Eda went to Mary’s at night

May 5, Mon – William Edwards & wife have had a serious quarrel – he has been away twice & taken the

cow & calf but has come back again

May 11, Sun – Dr. Vanderwerker & wife & child were here to tea p.m. – he came to tap Mrs. Gainer for

dropsy – took 7 qts of water from her

May 15, Thur – I & Sarah went to city – got my gold watch at Balls – paid $41.50 for it – it was done in

New York city & was my old inside works put in a gold case – I bought a lot of library books for the schoolhouse at Durston’s $7.20 – let Sarah have $30, she got a new dress & other things

May 26, Mon – the thermometer was down to 40, people began to feel blue – a heavy frost cutting down

plants was experienced down north

May 30, Fri – we all attended the decoration services at the cemetery p.m. – there was a large attendance – it

was very hot

June 12, Thur – Sarah & I went to city – I bought 1 case ale $1, 1 neck tie 75¢, Sarah bought Mary a

clock $3.60 – had some strawberries from my garden

June 23, Mon – a beautiful day – roses in full bloom

July 8, Tues – Sarah went to West Monroe to see her aunt Harriet Merchant who lies at the point of death

Aug 20, Wed – went to Charles (Peck)– his little boy Judson died last night at 11 o’clock of congestion of the

lungs & measles combined with inflammation of the bowels

Sept 8, Mon – agreed to let Charlie go to school to Richfield Springs one more term

Sept 15, Mon – wrote invitations for Edith a birthday party

Sept 22, Mon – Charlie started by stage for Richfield Spring – let him have $50

Sept 30, Tues – we had a tea party of about 35 at our house tonight – a very enjoyable time – nice moonlight

evening

Oct 1, Wed – 5 couples of us went to the poor house & had a good visit & were shown over the poor

house & grounds

Oct 11, Sat – I went down on the plains & got 2 bu apples at Sheps – left a cider bbl to be filled – took

Willie & Edith – got 2-½ bu Seeknofurthers, 1-½ Spitzenburgs, 3-½ Rambeaus

Nov 7, Fri – I took the sewing machine to city & paid Harris $3 for repairs

– Sarah is confined to her bed

Nov 25, Tues – Took Sarah to Mary’s, she staid there all day – I studied German a little

Dec 25, Thur – Mr. Joseph Mathews’ young people came & spent the evening – we played games in

evening – received present of a nightcap

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1880 Census - Onondaga Co. NY, Manlius Town:

Marquis L. Peck 59 Farmer b.New York

Sarah E. (Fritcher) Peck wife 48 Keeping House b.New York

Charles M. Peck son 18 At Home b.New York

Edith Peck dau 8 At Home b.New York

1880 MLP Diary

Jan 1, Thur – all took dinner at Mary’s – they had turkey

Jan 12, Mon – went with Edith to Beard Hall & heard the phonograph

Jan 14, Wed – Sarah went to town & took a bath & staid to dinner to Mary’s

Jan 30, Fri – I wrote Robinson that I would give $1200 for the Hoag house if I couldn’t get it cheaper

Feb 5, Thur – J. H. Mathews began to clean out the Hoag house

Feb 17, Tues – election day, the women have a doughnut & coffee dinner at Jim’s shop

Feb 21, Sat – Received by deed for the H. Hoag place & insurance policy to Oct 17, 1880 – paid Jewell for a

builder’s license, paid Robinson by check $694.45 & am to pay the balance $505.55 on a mortgage given to Sarah Beard

Feb 23, Thur – went up to the Hoag house – Jim is about ready to plaster

Feb 26, Fri – Bluebirds & robins heard today

Mar 14, Sun – to Mary was born a son but he was dead – all went up there at night

Mar 19, Fri – I went to city – got 1 gal oysters at 80¢, got the French clock at Balls – invited some here to tea

tomorrow evening

Mar 20, Sat – we had a party of 14 – all said they had a good time – Stearns & I played billiards

Mar 30, Tues – J.H. Mathews began to draw manure on my garden from Mrs. Tremains

Apr 6, Tues – Sarah received her crayon picture from Cortland by Express 50¢, also a letter from Sarah

Collins

Apr 7, Wed – A cold snowy wintery day – Charlie helped Jim move – I took Sarah’s picture to George

Bailey’s to be framed – sent letter to S. Collins asking for her bill for Sarah’s picture

Apr 8, Thur – Sarah & I went to Jim’s & helped him put down his carpet – Charlie helped at Jim’s store a

little

Apr 11, Sun – am 55 yrs old today

Apr 13, Tues – I borrowed Jim’s axe & cut down two trees near the clothesline to let the sun in – Received

a letter from Sarah Collins saying $50 was the price for her picture of Sarah

May 1, Sat – Sarah, Edith & I went down to Mary’s & took dinner, Sarah & Edith staid to tea – Jim put

up curtains – let Mary have $10 for giving Eda music lessons

June 14, Mon – picked strawberries 170 qts

June 17, Thur – I picked 160 qts strawberries

June 18, Fri – 78 qts strawberries picked today

June 19, Sat – Sarah & I went to city – I bought her India shawl at Price’s $15 – have picked 723 qts

strawberries in all

June 25, Fri – raspberries are ripe today

June 26, Sat – commenced cleaning barn cistern – found a dead skunk in it – had a hard time in cleaning it

July 1, Thur – Jim sent his bill $116, he allowed me 5¢ for 694 qts strawberries & paid the interest $35

on his & father’s mortgage

July 5, Mon – plowed the strawberries – filled in rows

July 7, Wed – Charlie picked 32 qts currants

July 17, Sat – agreed to let Jim & Mary have the horse to go Cazenovia to Lake View

July 23, Fri – Mary Mathews has the horse to go to the city

July 28, Wed – Charlie went to Utica to see Mr. Jones about going to New Britain to act as assistant

bookkeeper in the pump manufactury – he agreed to go for $30 per month & board for himself

Aug 3, Tues – arrived at Ocean Grove, found Sarah pretty well & glad to see me

Aug 4, Wed – all went bathing today at beach

Aug 13, Fri – Mary, Edith & Willie went to Green Lake picnic with my horse & Jim’s carriage

Aug 14, Sat – I took Edith & Willie down to Charles to attend Robbin Peck’s 10^th birthday party – there

were about 40 present & they had a lively time

Aug 30, Mon – Our Union School commenced today & Edith began to go

Sept 3, Fri – there was a harvest festival at the B. Church in evening but the rain hindered the crowd from

coming – the church was trimmed with the fruits of the farm & garden, lots of grapes, watermelons & peaches

Sept 7, Tues – picked 12 qts plums, Willie brought some quinces & got some apples

Sept 11, Sat – Jim bought a New Democrat wagon yesterday at Woodstock for $100 – half in goods – Heard

today that Hattie Peck was to be married 28 October next

Sept 15, Wed – I took Sarah & went to city – she bought a silk dress 14 yds at $1.50

Oct 6, Wed – Sarah went with Mary & bought a Brussells carpet 30 yds at $1 per yard – I gave Mary my

check for $34.45 – I am to pay for shingles, then I will have paid $1500 to her on her home

Oct 8, Fri – helped JHM shingle on his house p.m.

Oct 9, Sat – Dewey was here & informed me that the law forbade holding election where liquor was sold so

we had the place changed to Mathews Livery Stable

Oct 13, Wed – I picked Northern Spy apples

Oct 28, Thur – All went down to Hattie Peck’s wedding to a gentleman from Shirtsville named Knapp– it

took place at 5 o’clock – they started soon after for Chittenango station for the purpose of taking the cars to New York – there were about 70 guests present & quite a number presents – we gave a sett of Majolica ware fruit plates & a sett of plated knives $6.50 – they had a dance after the ceremony.

Nov 4, Thur – I took apples enough to Mort Leache’s Mill to come to 23 gals cider – I got 16 & JHM got 7

gallons

Nov 8, Mon – oiled the clock thoroughly

Nov 23, Tues – The canal is frozen with hundreds of loaded boats, 600 between Syracuse & Utica – many

of them are loaded with apples

Dec 4, Sat – Yesterday I bought a piano from C. Gage, agent of the H.G.S. Society for $400 to be delivered

in my possession in 2 weeks

Dec 14, Tues – I took Sarah & Edith to Mary’s & then went to Charles Peck’s & inquired about the

Connecticut cousins

Dec 21, Tues – Sarah went to Mary’s toward night to stay all night – Jim is quite sick with pneumonia, Dr

Fowler takes care of him

Dec 25, Sat – A very pleasant Christmas – Mr. & Mrs. Fritcher were up to stay all night – Mary was down

Dec 28, Tues – Jim is a little worse

____________________________________________________________________________________

1881 MLP Diary

Jan 1, Sat – Bought this diary at Bakers – paid $1.50

Jan 7, Fri – Sarah went to Mary’s & to Joseph L. Mathews

Jan 11, Tues – George Adcock & I & wives went down to D. J. Dewey visiting & had a good time. Mr.

And Mrs. Adcock stopped with us to tea in evening & played dominoes – Bank election, I was reelected director

Feb 4, Fri - an attempt was made to burglarize JHM’s store last night by Fowler & Rowe – they were

caught & locked up

Feb 8, Tues – Took Sarah to see Dr. Vanderwerker – got Mary a shawl $14.50 – let Sarah have $5 to pay

Dr. V

Feb 10, Thur – have remission of the heart some

Feb 21, Mon – Sarah took the train to city to go to stay a day or two to Vanderwerker’’s

Mar 2, Wed – I drove down to Charles Peck’s p.m. - he fell from a load of hay & hurt himself severely

Mar 4, Fri – Today is the inauguration of Garfield – there were 50,000 people visiting in Washington

Mar 24, Thur – played backgammon with Sarah- she beat me 2 games

Mar 29, Tues – Jim & Mary had a pound sociable at their house tonight for the benefit of Miss Darling –

she received between 30 & 40 dollars in money

Apr 16, Sat – Mary had a birthday party for herself & Willie – all of us went – I gave her a $10 gold piece –

she is 29 Monday & Willie 6 today – Willie got a velocipede by his father

Apr 26, Tues – Jim helped put down carpets dining & bedroom

Apr 29, Fri – I got 500 strawberry plants at 75¢

May 3, Tues – helped Sarah make her flower beds a.m. – went up to Mary’s p.m.

May 7, Sat – Edith & I went cowslipping p.m.

May 30, Mon – Eda had a picnic in the grove p.m. – nothing done in decorating soldier's graves here

June 2, Thur – picked the first ripe strawberries of the season

June 3, Fri – yellow roses in bloom

June 22, Wed – sold JHM 339 qts strawberries in all

July 2, Sat – President Garfield was assassinated at half past 9 today by being shot – he died about 6 o’clock

July 3, Sun – Learned today that President Garfield was not dead

July 29, Fri – Charlie came home on p.m. stage – he has been gone one year next week

Aug 5, Fri – Orlando Greenfield was hung today by Sheriff Hiram Edwards – he died protesting his

innocence to the last

Aug 6, Sat – Another very hot day – Mrs. J. A. Taylor hung herself in the cellar this a.m.

Sept 19, Mon – President Garfield died at 10.35 tonight at Elbernon – he was shot by a man named Guitteau

on July 2 & has lingered till now – he died of blood clot in heart

Sept 23, Fri – Queen Victoria has ordered a fine wreath of flowers for Garfield’s coffin – the body has begun

to mortify & the coffin is closed

Oct 5, Wed – put Oleander tree down cellar

Oct 14, Fri - I went down to P. Shepp’s & got 8 bus Seeknofurther apples

Oct 20, Thur – Set out tulip bulbs & got in dahlias & gladiolas

Oct 21, Fri – A fine day – I went down to old place & got some chestnuts, butternuts, apples, cheese, oats

Oct 27, Thur – Jim & family were up to dinner – Jim & I played euchre

Nov 10, Thur – let Sarah have 50¢ – she went to Mary’s – Willie has the jaundice

Nov 26, Sat – drew from bank $50 & let Charlie have $30, he agrees to not call on me for any more for 1

year if not sick

Dec 20, Tues – on jury duty in city – decided the Jordan rape case a.m. finding the prisoner not guilty

Dec 28, Wed – Got out license for Jim to sell cigars

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1882 MLP Diary

Jan 11, Wed – Mary Mathews had a boy born today

Jan 20, Fri – Mr. & Mrs. Fritcher came up – staid to Mary’s

Jan 23, Mon – A bitter cold wind – could hardly keep warm – thermometer at 0 all day – best wash dish

cracked & ruined by ice in bedroom

Jan 24, Tues – coldest day of winter – 23 below – invited 6 couples to tea this p.m., had a very lively party of

15 – a little warmer towards night

Jan 30, Mon – Received a letter from Charlie saying he had been sick & wanted $10

Feb 24, Fri – Staid in house & read German

Feb 28, Tues – the first bluebird

Mar 2, Thur – Uncle Tom’s Cabin at Beard Hall tonight

Mar 3, Fri – Mary went to city – Mrs. Mathews cared for the baby

Mar 22, Wed – Had an invite to Mr. Moore’s sugar party

Apr 23, Sun – Mary & children were down – Jim & Edd Weaver went to Manlius p.m.

Apr 24, Mon – we went to a party in evening

May 1, Mon – got some cowslips, took Mary some

May 3, Wed – went to Hopkins at night to make arrangements for bathroom

May 17, Wed – I & Sarah went to city, bought a bathing tub of copper $12 & fixings $14 more – Sarah

bought 6 curtains $6.85 & a picture of a fish for dining room $6 with frame

Apr 24, Wed – Mary, Willie & baby were here p.m.

May 27, Sat – I painted & tore plaster from bathroom – went for plaster but had spell of aberration of mind,

came home & went to bed – several neighbors were in

May 30, Tues – Beautiful cool day – Decoration day. Sarah bought a lot of flowers – services were held in

the cemetery grounds – music by band & speeches

June 6, Tues – JHM, Mary & family were down to supper

July 5, Wed – Dutch peddler here – talked dutch a little with him

Aug 23, Wed – Gave JHM my check for $100 to finish his barn – he gave me my check for $83 which I

destroyed

Aug 25, Fri – received a long letter from Charlie – Jim sent up 8-½ qts huckleberries by Fred Mathews

Aug 26, Sat – JHM has his barn painted red

Aug 28, Mon – went to Barnum’s circus

Sept 6, Wed – received a long letter from Charlie describing his new work of electric light – he wants $25 to

buy clothes with

Sept 15, Fri – Jim & Mary were here to tea with children

Oct 3, Tues – JHM dug 5 bus potatoes – let me have ½ bu

Oct 7, Sat – all took a bath

Oct 11, Wed – wild geese went over

Nov 2, Thur – put oleander down cellar

Nov 25, Sat – Mary Snyder (hired girl) left today for good, she has been with us 5 yrs – paid her $6 over her

$4 – got box from Jim for cats

Nov 30, Thur – a snowy day – we & JHM’s family went down to Charles to a Thanksgiving dinner – about

30 were there & all had a very pleasant time – good sleighing

Dec 15, Fri – Sarah Rivenburg died at 4 o’clock of childbirth

Dec 18, Mon – nice wintery day – went to Manlius Station for Rev. Backman to attend the funeral of Sarah

Rivenburgh, house was full

Dec 25, Mon – We & Mary’s family went to Bridgeport to a Christmas dinner at Mr. Fritcher’s

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1883 MLP Diary

Jan 5, Fri – Sarah went to Mary’s a.m. to help her get ready for a small party

Jan 6, Sat – went to city & bought a wolf robe for $24

Jan 7, Sun – Church twice – Mr. Hawley lectured in evening on the reign of terror in Fayetteville

Jan 9, Tues – Bank election – I was elected inspector of elections – one of examining committee & 1 of 3

to see about selling real estate

Jan 12, Fri – went to hear the Pirates of Penzance evening at Beard Hall – 70¢ for Edith & I

Jan 14, Sun – Mary & family over here in evening – Jim & Sarah went to Catholic Church concert in

evening

Jan 15, Mon – helped Jordan collect tax at Beard Hotel – took in about $2783.58

Jan 16, Tues – Sarah went downtown & to female prayer meeting

Jan 20, Sat – bought 48 lbs lard of JHM

Jan 22, Mon – Sarah took the horse & carried Mrs. Noble around soliciting funds to make Jennie Eaton a

marriage present – they raised $50 for her

Jan 23, Tues – Saw John Griffith downtown – he was on business at the Knife Co, he was a little in liquor I

think & dressed in first class New York style – I gave $1 to Jennie Eaton’s fund

Jan 24, Wed – attended Addison Cunningham & Jennie Eaton’s marriage at the B. church – quite a large

gathering – the ladies made a present of $50

Jan 26, Fri – coldest day of the season – was 10° below – Mary & her baby were here to dinner

Jan 30, Tues – Sarah & Mary went to Cropsey’s visiting

Feb 2 – Sarah & I went to city – bought 3 doz Florida oranges 3 doz valencias $1.65 – I doz lemons,

confections, Edith earrings

Feb 6, Tues – we had our party of 66 tonight – 10 didn’t come – had a houseful & a lively time

Feb 7, Wed – Sarah was busy returning things borrowed for the party

Feb 8, Thur – Sarah & Edith went to Mary’s in p.m. – Jim & Mary went to George Adcock’s in evening

to attend a party given by Adcock for Fred Strong before himself & wife leave for Dakote – returned Jim 14 oranges & 2 qts oysters

Feb 9, Fri – I took Mary & Willie & went to the Gilmore Jubilee at the Armory – paid 20¢ apiece –

Mary’s baby staid here this p.m., also Josie Mathews

Feb 21, Wed – received a short letter from Charlie, he is at the Parker House in Boston awaiting orders from

the Electric Light Co.

Feb 5, Mon – Pearl Peck starts for N. Britain this p.m., he is going to work for the Electric Light Co. with

Charlie

Feb 9 – Charlies birthday – he is 21 yrs old

Apr 11, Wed – am 58 yrs old today

Apr 16, Mon – lettered a cake for Willie’s birthday

Apr 20, Fri – received a long letter from Charlie saying he had been very sick of measles but hadn’t told me

of it – said his expenses were $75 & wished me to send him some money

May 3, Thur – received card from Charlie saying he was on his way to Dallas, Texas via St. Louis

May 23, Wed – Snell & Edwards started for New York city to be present at the opening of the Brooklyn

Bridge

May 24, Thur - today is the great Brooklyn Bridge opening – Howe’s horse fire engine was exhibited at 4

o’clock, think it didn’t give very good satisfaction

May 28, Mon – went to Mary p.m. & ordered her house painted – William Collins went to city with Jim for

flowers – a lady was here peddling Balsam for medicine, bought 20¢ worth for trial

June 9, Sat – JHM had his store broken in last night & 48 silk hankerchiefs & 2 coats taken – I left word

at police office

June 14, Thur – Sarah went to a hen party – Jim is painting house & has torn away steps, picked & sold to

Jim 18 qts strawberries

June 30, Sat – Mathews’ folks & Mary & cousins & aunt were here to tea p.m. – played euchre and

croquet

July 4, Wed – Helen Mathews’ cousin Mrs. Harmon & Fred were here at night – they leave for Charlotte,

Michigan tomorrow – bought 6 lemons at JHM

Aug 16, Thur – went down to Charles & got Adelia to stay while we go west

Aug 20, Mon – got up at half past 2 – started for Syracuse – got to Cleveland at bed time

Aug 21, Tues – arrived in Chicago at 8 o’clock – called on friends, then started for Milwaulkee – arrived at S.

Falls about half past 6 – found George’s folks expecting us – had a warm welcome- James came

over in evening, he lives about 80 rods from George

Aug 22, Wed – walked on the farm & down to the river – got quite weary – heard Hattie Peck play the

piano, she is quite an accomplished musician

(much visiting with relatives, the Expositiion, country fair, etc)

Sept 19, Wed – train for home – Jim, Willie & Edith at depot waiting, got home at tea time

Sept 28, Fri – Eda is to take dancing lessons of Mrs. Beard at hotel

Oct 1, Mon – Levi Chapman delivered his book on Wild Indians – am to pay him $3.50 for it

Oct 2, Tues – engaged Miss Louise Cameron to give Edith music lessons at $10 for 20 lessons

Oct 3, Wed – Had Knapp take care of his turkeys – they were eating my grapes

Oct 17, Fri – I went down on the plains & bought 4-½ bus Seeknofurther apples for 75¢ per bus –

picked them myself

Oct 31, Wed – Bessie Oxner staid with Edith & they went out in the evening to enjoy Halloween – received

letter from Charlie saying he would like 50 or 100 dollars to go south with

Nov 2, Fri – plaster fell from bathroom

Nov 11, Sun – Took Sarah to Mary’s to stay through the night – Jim & Mary are both sick

Nov 13, Tues – Jim & Mary still continue sick – Charles Peck & Adelia start for Athens, Alabama today –

he intends to go from there to Florida & be gone till about Christmas

Nov 28, Wed – Peculiar red sky after sun set every night (due to eruption of Krakatou volcano Aug 3, 1883) –

talk of a ghost around but it amounts to nothing

Nov 29, Thur – All my family went to Chapman’s p.m. & had a big Thanksgiving dinner & a nice social

time in evening

Dec 8, Sat – Got some ice & made some ice cream & chored around getting ready for party – had about

20 to dinner, Adcock family, Hopkins family, Cropsey, JHM & Willie, P.R. Palmer & sister, Helen Mathews & Miss Durham – had a lively time

Dec 18, Tues – I took Mary in carriage & went to city – we traded her beaver cloak for a plush one

Dec 25, Tues – one of the nicest days I ever knew – good sleighing & mild weather. All went to Mary’s at 3

o’clock & had a turkey – Mathews folks were there & Edd Rivenburgh – the young folks had a tree in the parlor, lots of presents – learned how to play whist of Mary & Josie Beard

______________________________________________________________________________________

1884 MLP Diary

Jan 23, Wed – Edith had Arthur Hopkins & Genoi Jewell here in evening

Feb 12, Tues – Helen Mathews was married at 6 o’clock at the Presbyterian Church to Thomas Rice by Rev.

Mr. Bask__ & left for Fargo, Dacota

Feb 27, Wed – Edith had her club dancing party tonight

Mar 10, Mon – Sarah & Mr. Fritcher’s people were at Mary’s to dinner – had quite a task shoveling snow

from walks

Mar 13, Thur – Mary was down – she has had a present of a large lamb from the Rivenburgh girls

Mar 15, Sat – had a tea party p.m. – all seemed to enjoy themselves, sang, played euchre

Mar 27, Thur – Received a letter from Charlie in Ottawa – he is sick with rheumatism he writes

Apr 4, Fri – bought 11 lbs maple sugar of JHM at 15¢ – Mr. J. L. Mathews fixed my carriage spring

Apr 7, Mon – Charlie came home unexpectedly from Chicago

Apr 20, Jun – Mr. & Mrs. Filmore died at the Palmer House, Chicago by not turning off the gas properly

May 2, Fri – Charlie went to city & got a new suit of clothes of Swarthout by J.H. Mathews $30

May 9, Fri – Sarah was called by J.L. Mathews to attend Josie’s confinement (Josephine Mathews Beard)

with her first child (Carolyn) – Sarah & Charlie made a bed for posies on east side of house

June 2, Mon - Tended store for Jim while he went to court to witness on Jewett Kimball suit for forgery

June 28, Sat – telegram from Julia Peck saying that Porter Peck died yesterday & that funeral will occur

Thursday

June 30, Mon – arrived in Connecticut at 8.45 & found Pearl in the street & went home with him & saw

all the cousins – helped lay Porter out

July 14, Mon – Charlie & I went to Cicero Swamp & got 20 qts red raspberries – picked 10 & bought 10

– Mr. Radley killed a rattlesnake & I brought it to Fayetteville where it attracted great curiosity

July 25, Fri – Charlie started on morning train for Boston – let him have $25

Aug 5, Sun – great earthquake from Portland to Washington but no great damage done – it lasted 10 seconds

Aug 14, Thur – I went to Mary’s after Mrs. Real’s funeral & had a long talk with her on the past

Aug 21, Thur – came near being killed by a brick from Dr. Baker’s block which was torn from its place by

the Democratic flag

Sept 5, Fri – got some things from Jim – let Jim have 10 gals cider – he let me have a vinegar bbl – some

went to city to see Buffalo Bill

Sept 11, Thur – Jim came for Sarah at tea to go take care of Mary as she was sick – I have a very lame back

Sept 13, Sat – bought a bottle of Warner’s Safe Kidney Cure

Sept 21, Sun – hear that George Mathews was struck with paralysis last night

Sept 25, Thur – Went to Mary’s & got some grapes – George W. Mathews died of paralysis at 11 o’clock

tonight – he has been unconscious for a week or more, with no hopes of recovery, he was about 65 years old

Sept 28, Sun – went to George Mathews’ funeral at North Manlius – there was a very large turnout – 25

carriages went from Center

Sept 29, Mon – I took Charles Mathews from Michigan down to his mother’s home in Manlius Center

Oct 8, Wed – bought 75 lbs oatmeal – Jim began to shingle his upright but it rained p.m. quite hard

Oct 9, Thur – JHM finished shingling his upright. Helen Rice, nee Mathews, arrived from Dacota this

morning – got oleander down cellar, also yard vases

Oct 15, Wed – Sarah & I attended Pearl Peck’s wedding with Debbie Jenkins – they were married at 4.30

at Jenkins’ house – the wedding was confined to relatives of the parties & was very quiet

Oct 16, Thur – Sarah went to Mrs. Morgan’s to sew for Mrs. Coon

Oct 29, Wed – 2 flocks of wild geese flew over this morning – I went to Adcock’s & bought 2 bbls

Seeknofurther apples at $1 per bbl

Nov 1, Sat – a cold rainy day – the Democrats had quite a torch light procession tonight – there was much

whiskey, & enthusiasm

Nov 15, Sat – A beautiful Indian summer day

Nov 29, Sat – all went to Mary’s at 3 & ate turkey – Sarah Collins came on the 5.30 train to give lessons in

painting flowers

Dec 1, Mon – Sara Collins scholars began their painting lessons this p.m. Quite a number were in – James

Hutchins & Helen Rice were here & we played whist

Dec 3, Wed – went to city, bought Sarah a pair common sense shoes & self a pair of boots – Edith had a

small dancing party in evening

Dec 22, Mon – bought 50 lbs butter at 28¢ – Mary went home with Ella Rivenburgh & left Ray with us

Dec 25, Thur – A severely cold day – it snowed 8 or 10 inches last night & is great sleighing. The children

had a Christmas tree in evening – I paid about $25 for different things – Mary & family were here to supper & they had ice cream

______________________________________________________________________________________

1885 MLP Diary

Jan 3, Sat – Sarah & I went to see Mary Mathews who is very sick at her father’s house

Jan 10, Sat – Allie Billington is 32 yrs old today

Jan 21, Wed – Willie Mathews staid away from home & his folks were much frightened thinking he was

drowned while skating, but he turned up in the morning all right

Jan 23, Fri – Everybody is getting in their ice – it is about 9 inches thick

Feb 20, Fri - paid Sarah a $20 gold piece

Mar 4, Wed – Sarah received a letter saying John Fritcher was paralyzed – bought 2 deer heads 30¢

Apr 8, Wed – 34 yrs ago today we were married

Apr 20, Mon – Saw an eagle catch a fish in the canal by Green Lake

May 4, Mon – Sarah had to go to Mary’s, they had a girl (Ethel) baby born there this a.m.

May 8, Fri – Received letter from Charlie wishing $500 to invest in Electric Light Stock in Detroit

May 12, Tues – Took Eda & Willie & went cowslipping

May 13, Wed – Had some cowslips for dinner

May 20, Wed – JHM spaded the asparagus bed & fixed it

June 6, Sat – Froze some ice cream & first dish strawberries

June 11, Thur – Saw Genter about cleaning Beard Hotel privy

June 14, Sun – today is children’s day in protestant churches – churches were filled with birds, & flowers

abounded – exercises in evening with children. Edith recited a piece on flowers

June 23, Thur – JHM had my horse to go to a picnic at Green Lake p.m. of the Social Club

June 25, Thur – received a letter from George W. Peck saying Jim, his brother, has got a divorce from his

wife & was again married all in a few weeks

July 6, Mon – went to Kirkville & got my new surrey wagon, $135 – like it very much

July 17, Fri – saw a pillar of electric fire at 9 o’clock in the northwest – it was a grand & beautiful sight and

made the whole country as light as day nearly

July 23, Thur – General Ulyssis Grant died of cancer in the throat at 8.10 this morning, he has been sick

about 9 months – & has been a very patient sufferer. The flags at city were draped in mourning & hung at half mast. There is sincere mourning all over the country & world on account of the great soldier’s death

Aug 19, Wed – Had a powerful hail & thunder storm before dinner which frightened Sarah very much

Aug 21, Fri – Sarah & I went to city, bought a vase $4 for a present to Addie Cropsey

Aug 25, Tues – Went to Chittenango Springs to attend the wedding of Addie Cropsey – about 60 there

Sept 15, Tues – Mrs. Cropsey staid to dinner – Sarah had her new square dishes for the first time

Oct 3, Sat – took Sarah & Edith to city – bought Sarah a velvet dress, 13 yds at 3.39 – got Eda a dress –

paid in all for them $71.97

Oct 13, Wed – went down on old farm & got 5 bushels Seeknofurther apples 5 qts chestnuts & a squash

Oct 30, Fri – built a fire in the new Acorn stove for the first time this p.m.

Oct 31, Sat – Edith got her elocution book by mail

Nov 24, Tues – heard Allie Billington was seriously sick at Manlius. Heard that Will Roberts of Rome was

dead from consumption

Dec 1, Tues – Sarah went to Mary’s – Mr. Knapp & I went to see JHM’s hen & cow house that he has

been building

Dec 4, Thur – Sarah put down the wisteria plant – Edith went out riding with Henry Tibbitts in evening

Dec 5, Sat – Mr. Cropsey’s people & we went by invitation to H. Vanschaick to Mrs. V birthday gathering

– had a nice dinner of duck

Dec 7, Mon – In evening 4 couples were here to supper – they were invited by Edith as a surprise to us on

account of Sarah’s birthday yesterday

Dec 15, Tues – Sarah sat for her picture at William Jackson’s

Dec 19, Sat – read in Mill on the Floss by George Eliot whose real name is Marian Evans – I like the book

very much so far

Dec 25, Fri – gave Mary $10 in gold, Sarah $5, Edith a miniature silver watch, Will Mathews the Youth’s

Companion for 1 year $1.75 – all the family & Anna (hired girl) went to Mary’s p.m. for supper

Dec 28, Mon – went down to the bank & counted the money with Platt Smith – there was about $17000 in

all - $8500 in gold about

Dec 30, Wed – signed J. L. Mathews (Joseph, father of James) bail bond for deputy Sheriff’s duties

Dec 31, Thur – I went on morning train to city – bought me a seal cap for $15

______________________________________________________________________________________

1886 MLP Diary

Jan 1, Fri – paid Sarah $15 borrow of her to buy a seal cap

Jan 16, Sat – Sarah went with cutter to Mrs. Babcock’s to get her velvet dress

Jan 18, Mon – Edith went to Prof. Larkins to a candy pull

Feb 23, Tues – Read Julius Caesar in evening with Sarah & Edith

Mar 8, Mon – Edith went to the dance at Groves – Sarah went to Mary’s to care for baby – Jim & Mary

went to Vanchaick’s to the closing euchre party

Mar 11, Thur – Lili Fuller came at night but I wouldn’t see her – she is crazy I think

Mar 22, Mon – a dark dull snowy day – read in French book, split wood – Sarah has been abed nearly all day

with lame back

Apr 10, Sat – Sarah went to Mary’s p.m. a while – Knapp’s cow got choked on my potatoes that I had

thrown on manure heap

Apr 11, Sun – am 61 yrs old today

Apr 16, Fri – Sarah went towards night to take care of Mary’s baby who has the pneumonia

Apr 19, Mon – I set out 4 pear trees, 2 Flemish Beauty & 2 Bartletts – set out 2 red cherry trees

Apr 26, Mon – ordered 10 Concord grape vines 10¢, 2 Smith’s Orleans plum – Mr. Coon is rooting up the

Osage orange hedge

May 4, Tues – set out 75 black raspberries & 25 red raspberries – received letter from Charlie in Brooklin

asking for $10 – he has agreed to work for Edd Peck in Brooklyn

May 5, Wed – Great Socialist riot in Chicago – many policemen killed & wounded by the mob

May 18, Wed – I took Edith to Mary Adams p.m. to take lessons in elocution & reading

May 30, Sun – Anna went away yesterday after being here 3-½ years (Anna Grady)

June 1, Tues – yellow roses are in full bloom

June 2, Wed – President Cleveland was married today at the White House to Mrs. Frank Folsom – none but

the cabinet & wives were invited, & relatives

June 10, Thur – Anna returned after being gone 11 days

June 16, Wed – Charles has fixed the graves in cemetery

June 25, Fri – received letter from Charlie saying he wanted $5 to come home from Saratoga Springs

July 4, Sun – Edith went with carriage to Bridgeport to attend the 4^th of July doings & to bring Willie

Mathews home

July 15, Thur – paid Charles $2.75 for work on cemetery & for the lot in which our family are buried in old

ground, Pim Plains Cemetery

July 23, Fri – Charlie & I set out 225 celery plants

Aug 2, Mon – Sarah went to Mary’s p.m. & I called on Mr. Snell & had glass of wine of vintage of 1877

by Louis Huber

Aug 5, Thur – Sarah’s night blooming cereus bloomed last evening – all the neighbors were in

Aug 9, Mon – I took Mary & children to West Shore Station to go to Sylvana Beach

Aug 24, Tues – Sarah went to Anson Smith to assist in laying out their twin child

Sept 2, Thur – Edith went riding with Will Austin to Chittenango

Sept 4, Sat – Edith had company in evening, H. Noble & W. Austin

Edith Peck

Sept 8, Wed – JHM brought basket grapes & got some tomatoes apples & 2 pumpkins

Sept 10, Fri – watered celery & heaped dirt around it – helped Sarah peel peaches – J.H. Mathews brought

us a basket of fine ones last night

Sept 16, Thur – Sarah & I went to Manlius & looking for a girl, engaged Lizzie Mulroy to work for $2 per

week (she stayed 1 month)

Oct 4, Mon – Glen Grove & Edith had a practice on piano in evening

Oct 21, Thur – with Charlie’s help made a keg of sauerkraut – put oleanders down cellar, gathered pumpkins

Oct 23, Sat – Charlie took the train for Council Bluffs, Iowa to take charge of the Electric Light Co of that

place at $1000 per annum

Nov 11, Thur – Set out tulip bulbs for Sarah

Nov 25, Thur – we went to Jim’s to dinner – Mathews folks were all there except Mar y Mathews who was

sick, had had chills – they had a nice dinner, ducks instead of turkey – it has snowed nearly all

day & still snows tonight

Nov 27, Sat – Authur Hopkins came & Edith went riding down hill with him & Jenie Tillotson

Dec 25, Sat – a cold wintery day – Edd Weaver & wife & Phillip, Mary & family were here to dinner –

Jim & Edd played billiards – JHM beat Edd by 1 point – we played euchre in evening. Had a

first class dinner – Mrs. Yale helped p.m. paid her $1

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1887 MLP Diary

Jan 3, Mon – Edith went to Will Austin’s to a party with George Adcock

Jan 7, Fri - James Mathews was up in evening

Jan 18, Tues – Edith staid to Mary’s last night while they went to progressive euchre party

Feb 6, Sun – Jim, Mary & family were here to dinner – Jim carried Sarah to church

Feb 9, Wed – Joseph Mathews has gone for the remains of Thomas Rice to St. Paul (Thomas Rice was son-

in-law of Joseph Mathews)

Feb 14, Mon – Mary left the children here & went to the Thomas Rice Jrs. Funeral at the Oakwood Chapel

at 2 o’clock – remains didn’t arrive till 8:40 so the funeral set at 10:00 tomorrow

Feb 27, Sun – Edith Peck was one of 18 young persons baptized

Feb 28, Mon – Mrs. D__ of H___ was hung at noon today.

Mar 3, Thur – the Beard block sold for $6000

Mar 5, Sat – Went to Mary’s to care for children while Mary went to covenant meeting.

Mar 6, Sun – Mary Mathews & Willie & 15 others were baptized in the Baptist church in evening

Mar 7, Mon – Mary went to Oneida to visit Ella Rivenburg

Mar 26, Sat – I got my whiskers trimmed, pd 10¢

Apr 4, Mon – Birds are singing merrily this morning

Apr 9, Sat – dug some celery but found it had got frozen

Apr 11, Mon – am 62 years old today

Apr 13, Wed – Frankie Cramer started working at $2 per week

Apr 21, Thur – bought 12 doz eggs $1.44, 10 gal cider $1.25

Apr 28, Thur – Received for jury fees $14 for 6 days & 10 miles at 10¢ per mile

May 1, Sun – Jim & family were down, had popcorn & cider

May 4, Wed – I went alone down to Charles Vanschaiks & got some cowslips – Edith went on a botany

excursion with teachers & scholars

May 9,Mon – Eda & Ray went to woods for flowers

May 11, Wed – Started on 9 o’clock train for Waterloo to see Aunt Lucy. Found them well but Uncle G.

quite feeble – had a good visit & copied the family record on mother’s side from the old family bible.

May 17, Tues – Sarah lost some flower jars last night – stolen from piazza brackets

May 20, Fri – Sarah bought a lot pansies & verbenas of JHM

June 13, Fri – Sarah & I went to city pm – bought me 3 shirts at 75¢, Sarah a silk dress $19

June 15, Sun – Mary & whole family here to dinner – had veal, strawberries & aspargras

June 23, Thur – Mary & Jo Beard went to city & her 2 youngest children staid here

June 28, Tues – paid Mrs. Babcock $6.00 for Sarah dressmaking

July 2, Sat – a scorcher – Mary & Jim went to Glovemaker’s picnic & the younger children staid here

July 6, Wed – JHM & family & Edith with my surry wagon went to Green Lake to the social club picnic

and got back at 11:00

July 8, Fri – Edith lost a $2.50 gold piece by paying it out for a penny stamp at post office

July 16, Sat – found Edith’s $2.50 gold piece – Mrs. Ellwood had it – it passed along 5 hands for a penny

July 19, Tues – A very fine day. Pres. Grover Cleveland & wife were received today by the citizens – there

was a great crowd, & M__ band from city were out – everything went off nicely.

July 21, Thur – Sarah keeps her bed on account of a sort of rheumatism in her limbs

July 28, Thur – Sarah was sent for & went to Bridgeport to care for her mother who is very sick with heart

disease, Lew Fritcher came for her

July 30, Sat – five blossoms of night blooming cereus came out this pm – Edith preserved some in alcohol

Aug 4, Thur – Picked up 12 bushels apples & carried them to V. Kingsley to be made into cider – he

charges 15¢ per bbl for making

Aug 8, Mon – got my cider, paid 66¢, there was 28 gallons

Aug 17, Wed – JHM has gone to Charlotte near Rochester with Jim Snook on engine

Sept 4, Sun – Mary Mathews (sister of JHM) died at 3 o’clock after a long illness of stomach & bowels

Sept 7, Wed – warm with a heavy shower – attended Mary Mathews funeral am

Sept 15, Thur – picked a bushel pears & sent to Mary today

Sept 22, Thur – I went on cars to Fair – saw the Ballon go up & a man come down from it in a parachute –

there was a fair sized crowd of perhaps 25,000 people – Bought Sarah a corset $1.00

Sept 30, Fri – F.M. Severace was arrested yesterday for embezzlement of $50,000 of Farmer’s Bank money

Oct 5, Wed – Haircut & whiskers trimmed, paid 25¢

Oct 8, Sat – a beautiful day – foliage is drest in its rich October colors – Sarah & I went to Bridgeport,

bought Sarah a Indian Shawl, bought Edith a silk dress – paid in all $26.08

Oct 12, Wed – Cold & first snow of the season – took oleanders in cellar, also pumpkins

Oct 18, Tues – paid Mrs. J__ $1.00 for 7-½ doz eggs, she has had her hens nearly all stolen & can’t let us

have any more

Nov 2, Wed – Jenny Lind Goldschidt died in London today, 66 years old. She sang in US in 1850

Nov 3, Thur – Edith went to Presbyterian Sociable with Henry Tibbits

Nov 5, Sat - Edith went to Wheelers with George Adcock

Nov 9, Wed – bought 6 lbs corned beef at 8¢ lb

Nov 11, Fri – Robbie Peck came & took supper & took Edith to a party

Nov 15, Tues – engaged Mrs. Harcourt to go 2 weeks from today to Mr. Fritchers to work for $1.50 per

week – Sarah quite homesick

Nov 24, Thur – Tool Will Mathews & Edith in side spring wagon & went to Bridgeport to a thanksgiving

supper, JHM & family were there – had a good dinner – Jim went to a dance at hotel, a select party, they got home at 5am this morning.

Nov 28, Mon – A house burned last night – I gave the man burned out 50¢

Dec 1, Thur – Canal is entirely frozen over with a glare ice – closed by law & ice today

Dec 9, Fri – Edith went with George Kimberg to Chittenango to a dancing party & got home at 4:25 in

morning

Dec 13, Tues – 35¢ for express for a steam engine for Willie Mathews

Dec 16, Fri – Much colder – Sarah had a spell of palpitation & soaked her feet

Dec 19, Mon – Josie Snook & Grace Grove were here in evening & made candy for the sale tomorrow

evening. My new suit sets nicely, I think

Dec 20, Tues – Bought a sett wrappers & drawers of JHM $6. Sarah worked at church

Dec 22, Thur – Sent $1.75 for Christmas subscription to Youth’s Companion for Willie Mathews

Dec 24, Sat – A very nice day. Took Frankie home (Frankie Cramer, hired girl) – all went to Mary’s in

evening – they had a Christmas tree – I gave Mary $5, Will Youth’s Companion $1.75, Ray pair rubber boots $1.50, Frank a napkin ring 75¢. I got cigar case, pair wristbands, pencil, Fred Mathews was Santa Claus

Dec 26, Mon – George Adcock Jr. was here in evening. Got 100# flour at Hunt Beard’s, paid $1.40 for it.

No. of soldiers in the Union Army during the war of the rebellion 2,688,523

Dec 27, Tues – Edith & George Adcock Jr. went to Edd Deweys at 3 – the children had a supper at the

church in evening

Dec 29, Thur – Glen Grove took Edith & went to Ned Gridleys to a large party from F. & Chittenango –

they got back at 4 o’clock next morning

Dec 31, Sat – Sarah bought a present & we went to C. Vanschanks to a chrystal wedding party

____________________________________________________________________________________

1888 MLP Diary

Jan 1, Sun – Edith staid with Grace Grove – let Edith have 5.50 out of the note I hold against her

Jan 5, Thur – Glen Grove was here & practiced dialogue with Edith

Jan 7, Sat – Grace & Edith took horse & went to arrange for a leap year party at Bony Groves house

Jan 9, Mon – Edith staid down to Groves to practice for Good Templar entertainment & arrange for

masquerade party

Jan 17, Tues – Attended the Good Templer entertainment at Dewey Hall – Edith & Glen Grove enacted a

dramatic piece Electric Love

Jan 21, Sat – Sarah went to city to get Edith a false face for masquerade party at Grove house on 23^rd, let her

have $5.00

Jan 26, Thur – There is one of the greatest storms ever known prevailing all over the continent & in Great

Britain railroads are blocked all over the country

Jan 27, Fri – Killed Copsey’s rooster & had him for dinner (Mr. Copsey's rooster had been invading MLP's garden)

Feb 4, Sat – Went to Mary’s pm, found Ray all broke out with measles & quite sick.

Feb 19, Sun – I went to Mary’s at 5 to a tea party, Charlie & Harriet were there, about 16 in all

Feb 23, Thur – Mary had a party at 5 o’clock of elderly people, there were 7 or 8 couples there

Feb 25, Sat – Edith had a party of about 16 little folks, boys & girls – they staid from 4 to 8:30, had a little

dance – I made ice cream – Glen Grove furnished the music – they had popcorn cakes lemonade

Mar 1, Thur – The first bluebirds & robins were heard today

Mar 2, Fri – Glen Grove & Eda went to Chittenango at 4 to play a scene Electric Love at Abram

Walrath’s house

Mar 9, Fri – Edith went with Will Austin to hear Fritz in “Our German Cousin” at Opera House

Mar 17, Sat – the Catholics had a play in Hall called “A Social Glass” – Edith went with Glen Grove

Mar 18, Sun – Sarah & Edith went to Church – I staid home & washed all over

Mar 22, Thur – Edith & Glen Grove went to Manlius Center & played the drama Electric Love

Mar 25, Sun – Jim, Mary & children were here in evening

Mar 26, Mon – Bought a Singer Sewing Machine giving $35 & old machine

Mar 30, Fri – Sarah & I ate supper at Mary’s – gave her $16.00 for Charlie’s overcoat that Jim had bought

for him

Apr 10, Tues – paid Sarah $35.00 that I owed her for borrowed money

Apr 11, Wed – My 63^rd birthday

Apr 13, Fri – Sarah put away both wolf robes – I dug & grated a lot of horse raddish

Apr 19, Thur – Received letter from Sarah saying her mother was bad off & that she did not know when

she would come back

Apr 23, Mon – I sent Dr. Quimby to see Mrs. Fritcher – he reported that she might live all summer or die at

once

Apr 24, Tues – Studied German some for pastime

Apr 26, Thur – I got Mary an India shawl $22.50

May 3, Thur – Got half bushel early sprouting potatoes of Jim & planted them

May 4, Fri – Jim & I put down the linoleum in kitchen & moved ice closet & stove – paid JHM $1.50

for work plus ½ bushel potatoes. Heard that Henry Beard is nearly dead with heart disease – his children are home from the West

May 6, Sun – Mary & Ethel got back from Bridgeport – reported that their grandmother is very bad off &

will live but little longer

May 9, Wed – Henry L. Beard died today. Took Edith down to Hall for rehearsal full dress for first time

before acting in public

May 10, Thur – I went to Bridgeport & brought Sarah home. Got home at 4pm, Sarah & I went to the play

at the Devoy Hall, entitled “Prison & Palace” – there were about 225, they cleared $30, Edith got $5.16 for her share, JHM brought us home in Democrat (wagon?)

May 12, Sat – Attended Henry Beard’s funeral pm. There was no sermon & service was at the house alone

– his boys & brothers were the bearers. Sarah took stage pm & went to Bridgeport to care for her mother

May 17, Thur – Bought 10 doz eggs at 13¢ – paid $1.30

May 24, Thur – went to Pompey Center & bought a 5 year old mare of Edward Farnham for $165.00.

Sold my Kitt mare 21 years old to Mr. Morehouse for $40 cash & $10 more if she gets over her stiffness by Sept 1. Took Edith & went riding after tea.

May 26, Sat – I received a box of flowers from Florida from Jane Collins with a letter

May 28, Mon – Edith & I went with Nellie (the new horse) to city. Edith got her costume picture taken. I
got Sarah black cloth for a dress 10 yards at $1.00 yard. My colt acts first rate in city, like her

better & better.

May 30, Wed – This is Decoration Day – A large gathering in the cemetery – the colt Nellie got frightened by

firing the cannon & I turned her around.

June 1, Fri – I went with Nellie to Bridgeport to see Mrs. Fritcher – found her quite low – I sat up with her

part of night. Mowed the grass in front yard & got it in barn.

June 2, Sat – Mrs. Fritcher died at 3:05 am today – She was taken with a sort of shock July 28, 1887 & has

remained in an almost helpless state ever since – but could go round house & set at table & eat with family. She gradually filled in her lung & died from partial suffocation. I came home in a hard rain & sent telegrams to friends & made arrangements for burial . Service & casket $88.50

June 5, Tues – I & Edith went to Mrs. Fritcher’s funeral in hack. JHM went with Myron Collins – Elder

Lyon preached the sermon in church. There was a good attendance.

June 7, Thur – Got Nellie shod all round 60¢ pd, Lewis Fritcher brought a horse load of goods from

Bridgeport & took back a straw bed & feather bed

June 12, Tues – Jim went to Green Lake with his family

June 13, Wed – Mr. J. L. Mathews (Joseph, father of JHM) is seriously sick of pneumonia. Emperor of Germany is

very much worse – General Sheriden is a little better

June 15, Fri – Edith & Glen tried horseback riding at night

June 16, Sat – A beautiful hot day – June roses in full bloom

June 19, Tues – Mr. J. L. Mathews is very sick & will die without doubt – he has the quick consumption –

JHM staid up there all night

June 20, Wed – Mr. Mathews died at 1 o’clock last night of lung troubles aged 67 & a little more

June 22, Fri – A burning hot day, acted as bearer at J. L. Mathews funeral. Rev. Mr. Osborn gave a short

talk.

June 23, Sat – Anna says she will not work for less than $2.00 per week. Paid Anna for 12 days work at

$2.00 per week & let her go

June 26, Tues – Huntington Beard has had one of his eyes dug out by doctors

July 4 – Jim, Mary & Ethel here to tea & ice cream

July 7, Sat – A fine day – went to Bridgeport & clerked it for Mr. Fritcher at his auction of household

furniture, the stuff sold low

Aug 3 , Fri – Mr. Fritcher bought a family monument $175

Aug 4, Sat – I went to city by steamer

Aug 12, Sun – (he & Sarah are visiting at Saratoga) Received letter from Edith saying Mary & family were

going to Oneida Lake to camp this week

Sept 2, Sun – I went with Nellie to J. H. Knowles & had a good visit – he gave me some sweet corn of a

new small & early variety & said it was very sweet

Sept 5, Thur – Dug 4 bushels potatoes for JHM, a gift. Went with Sarah to Blancherds to tea, staid in
vening & played 2
games backgammon

Sept 7, Fri – Jim had 2 seat wagon to go with his family to city to see circus parade

Sept 10, Mon – Orpha Coon began to work here today

Sept 11, Tues – Harriet Beecher Stowe is nearly dead in Hartford

Sept 19, Wed – Lent Mrs. Mathews $400 on her note for JHM till July 1, 1990

Sept 20, Thur – Sarah began to pot plants

Sept 27, Thur – Sarah had a large number of plants stolen last night – also Mrs. Fabius had 12 stolen

Sept 28, Fri – I got some muck on the flats & mixed & sifted & packed in boxes & barrels – Sarah

brot her plants in the house – took up front yard vases

Sept 30, Sun – Robert Peck & a Mr. Bushnell were here in evening & Grace Grove – all of them went to

church in evening

Oct 1, Mon – Edith went to Hall in evening for last rehersal for play tomorrow evening for Sons of Veterans

Oct 2, Tues – Attended the play “Above the Clouds” by the Dramatic Co. – took supper .35¢ – thought it a

good play

Oct 6, Sat – Paid Orpha Coon $1.00 for 2 weeks work

Oct 8, Mon – Paid my school tax $53.90 by check – have a cold – took some rum & sugar in evening

Oct 9, Tues – Have caught quite a cold from reading in the bank without a fire

Oct 11, Thur – Had 3 harnesses, 2 lap robes, 1 fly net stolen from barn last night – got bottle Kemp’s

Balsam for my cold

Oct 15, Mon – Mr. Fritcher & I picked grapes & put them in barn – I engaged Saul Snow to make them

into wine. Went to Manlius to see Constable O’Neal about catching the fellows that took my harness

Oct 16, Tues – Edith went at night with the F. Dramatic Troupe to Manlius to play “Above the Clouds”

Oct 20, Sat – Paid Orpha Coon $1.00 for work in full for the week

Oct 25, Thur – Got my wine, 20 gallons from Saul Snow, paid for making 1.00

Nov 4 , Sun – Edith went riding with Glen Grove pm

Nov 24, Sat – Had a talk with Charlie – says his teeth are poor

Nov 27, Tues – Got horse shod, new shoes all around – paid 60¢ for the job

Nov 29, Thur – Eda went to a candy pull at night

Dec 4, Tues – Mr. Fritcher came from Bridgeport at 2 o’clock – he has sold his house in Bridgeport to Mr.

Prindle for $1000

Dec 9, Sun – Edith was sick with gas escape from stove

Dec 10, Mon – Got stove pipe in Edas room fixed so no more gas could escape. Edith went with Hubert W.

to Nile Austin’s party

Dec 25, Tues – Mary & family, Mrs. Mathews & Helen, Irving Rivenberg & Tom Rice were here – Will

& Ray broke the lamp chimney & tipped over the calla jar

Dec 27, Thur – Mr. Fritcher & I went to E. Syracuse & bought a Jersey calf – paid for calf $10 & 25¢

for a goods box to bring it in – have named it Daisy – she gave us no trouble in bringing. I got some wet & felt sore from lifting calf in wagon. Edith went to Sunday School entertainment at church.

Dec 29, Sat – Ordered some feed for Daisy, 75# of Beard. Took Jim’s wagon home.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1889 MLP Diary

Jan 9, Wed – Glen Grove left today for Cincinnati to school

Jan 15 – Tues – I signed my name as President of bank with other offices, to be sent to Department at

Washington. Mary & Ethel were down to supper & staid

Jan 19, Sat – Mr. Fritcher got me some clear Slippery elm bark for tea

Jan 20, Sun – Helen Rice & Mary & family came

Jan 25, Fri – Bought 50# sugar of JHM to put in wine

Jan 28, Mon – Sarah was sick in night – sort of hysterics, I think

Jan 29, Tues – We put 50# sugar in the wine, it is clear & nice we think. Smallpox has broken out in the

county poor house

Feb 4, Mon – Helped Sarah wash a little with little joker Willie Mathews

Feb 6, Wed – Mary & Jim were down to tea with Ethel. Signed J.H. Mathews petition for the post office

Feb 10, Sun – Mr. Vreedenburg & Eda went riding

Feb 14, Thur – All but Sarah went to Rechobites festival, they played the Drunkards to a full house, got

home at 11 o’clock. One of the most beautiful moonlight evenings I ever saw

Feb 16, Sat – Edith went to city to attend a musicale with Mr. Vreedenburg at the University – didn’t

come home as we expected

Feb 20, Wed – Edith went to Mary’s in evening to stay with children

Feb 25, Mon – Sarah did the washing with Mr. Fritcher & Charlie’s help

Feb 26, Tues – Gave Sarah a dollar for washing & ironing

Mar 1, Fri – Mr. Fritcher & Charlie went to city – he bought Charlie a suit Prince Albert clothes & paid

$22.00

Mar 4, Mon – Benjamin Harrison was inaugurated President of the U.S.

Mar 7, Thur – Edith went on 6:32 train to city to attend musicale of Young Mens C. Association with Mr.

V.

Mar 8, Fri – Went down for Edith on 4:38 train but she did not come. The melodian keys stick so that I

can’t play on it with any comfort

Mar 9, Sat – Edith got back from city on the 12:48 train

Mar 13, Wed – Had Ella Wheeler & 2 St. John boys here at night

Mar 16, Sat – Four St. John boys were here calling this pm

Mar 18, Mon – Warm & pleasant, robins & bluebirds are singing

Mar 20, Wed – Mr. Allsever was here in evening & played euchre with Edith & Charlie

Mar 21, Thur – Mrs. William Hood was buried today – a sisterinlaw of Mrs. J.L. Mathews in Syracuse

Mar 23, Sat – Mr. Vreedenberg came to stay over Sunday on 4:38 train

Mar 24, Sun – A beautiful day – Edith & Mr. Vreedenburg went riding to Manlius & to Fetts gate

Mar 28, Thur – Edith went on 6:37 train to city to attend a lecture with Mr. Vredenburg

Apr 18, Thur – The wall paper for double parlor came by express at night – women don’t like the paper,

not gilt enough to suit

Apr 19, Fri – Sarah & Mrs. Knapp went soliciting for Esq. Chapman’s 81 anniversary – got $30

Apr 20, Sat – Mr. Chapman was presented with 2 fine chairs

Apr 23, Tues – Heard the Mathews livery property was appraised at $2000

Apr 26, Fri – Charlie came home on 4:37 train intoxicated but we got him to bed after awhile

Apr 30, Tues – Today is the centenary of Washington’s inauguration – there are immense doings in New

York city

May 1, Wed – Charlie is quite sick again

May 2, Thur – Edith to go to St. Johns School to a party tomorrow night

May 7, Tues – A hot fine day – left off underclothes today for 1^st time

May 13, Mon – Edith & 3 girls went to St. John’s School to see baseball game with the Jonnies (term for

St. John’s student) & University club

May 23, Thur – Two St. John students were here in evening

May 24, Fri – Mr. Fritcher was quite sick this morning & Dr. Quimby came & drew his urine after

which he felt much better. Edith went to Wheelers with the St. John’s boys in evening, they were here till 12:15 last evening

May 25, Sat – Bulah Dodge (friend of Edith) went home on train, she has been here 8 days

June 1, Sat – June roses are in bloom

June 2, Sun – There has occurred in Johnstown Pa a city of 15,000 people – an accident – worst in the

history of this country – 3 or 4,000 people have been drownded by the breaking of a large reservoir

June 3, Mon – Paid $111.85 for new carpet – Sarah pd $98 & I the balance

June 10, Mon – Edith went to city for things for graduation class

June 21, Fri – Edith graduated tonight – she read an essay & class history – her performance was

pronounced very fine – her grandfather gave her a gold watch

June 27, Thur – Charlie came home last night from city – sent for Dr. Slinglehand at 9 o’clock, he staid 2

hours, pd him $1.50

July 1, Mon – Paid Sarah $1 for washing (they have no hired girl at present)

July 3, Wed – Took Sarah to city – she got new dress & traded $25. I got Charlie suit $10, reclaimed

Charlie’s watch $5.50 & overcoat $1.25 from pawnbroker

July 9, Tues – Mrs. Adams sent a girl here Lizzie Quinn by stage – she wants $2.50 per week if she does

the washing

July 12, Fri – paid Mrs. Adams $1.00 for getting girl. Edith & Will Austin went riding in evening

July 16, Tues – Edith got her hair cut at Frank Allen’s at night

July 19, Fri – Charlie had a sick day – went downtown & got him

July 30, Fri – I went with Sarah to city – bought some sheets & other things for Edith, a waffle iron $1.00

Aug 7, Wed – Edith, Jessie Tillotson, & Glen Grove started for city on 6:37 train to go to Saratoga at 7

tomorrow. Picked first green corn today. Nightblooming cereus is in blossom

Aug 9, Fri – Sarah & her father went to Coons & got Orpha Coons to work for us at $1.00 per week

Sept 1, Mon – Fred Mathews got 2 dozen ears corn

Sept 7, Sat – Herbert Knapp called & played the mouth organ with Edith in evening

Sept 10, Tues – Sarah, Mr. Fritcher & I took Edith to city from where I went with her & Grace

Moulter to Elmira where they are to attend school. Arrived at Elmira at 6 o’clock & took tea at the college. Gave the college a draft on N.Y. bank for $100 & let Edith have $16 to pay for books, etc

Sept 17, Tues – C. came home at 2 o’clock in the night, wet, sick, & hungry

Sept 19, Thur – had a talk with Charlie

Sept 22, Sun – I cooked the dinner while Orpha was at Sunday School – wrote a letter to Edith

Sept 25, Wed – Charlie went to Mary’s to paint her front piazza

Oct 1, Tues – Sarah got letter from Edith. She is a little homesick I think

Oct 3, Thur – Sarah & Charlie went to H. Wheelers to invite Ella to meet 2 college boys here before long

Oct 5, Sat – Mr. Vredenburg & Stephens came on 4:38 train & Ella Wheeler, Grace Grove & Will

Austin were here in evening & played on violin & piano – didn’t get to bed till after 11 o’clock

Oct 6, Sun – Charlie took Sarah & guests to church – Sarah & young folk went riding to cemetery – too

cold for comfort

Oct 7, Mon – Charlie took college boys & Miss Ella Wheeler home & to depot

Nov 4, Mon – Sarah received a letter of 11 pages from Edith

Nov 6, Wed – Sarah & I with Mrs. & Mrs. Moulder made up a box of goodies to send to Elmira to girls –

also sent Edith’s white dress

Nov 11, Mon – There is a meeting in Devoy Hall this evening to see about putting electric lights in the Village

– They charge I learn $1000 for putting in the light per annum to Village

Nov 12, Tues – Charlie came back home last night – had been off since election – I owe Mr. Fritcher $19 that

he let Charlie have

Nov 13, Wed – Sarah went with Mary to city to see Dr. Vandenwerker – Mary is to stay with Dr. V. to be

treated, $70 is the Drs. charge

Nov 15, Fri – Dug up a maple tree & set it out by back door

Nov 23, Sat – Jim took Mary to city at 11. The Village held an election to see about having electric lights –

they voted with 3 exceptions to invite the party who offered to place the lights for $1000 a year to go to work

Nov 25, Mon – Will Mathews ran away today

Nov 27, Wed – Learned that Charlie was in town today & at the upper end saloon. A new proposition is

offererd for electric lights

Dec 6, Fri – Jefferson Davis died today aged 81 years

Dec 7, Sat – I went to city with Nellie & redeemed $5.71 worth of pawned articles for C.

Dec 11, Wed – Sarah & Orpha went to Mary’s pm with Ethel

Dec 18, Wed – Ethel received invitation to Groves to a dance Dec 26

Dec 23, Mon – I took Sarah & Edith to city in surrey – Edith got 2 dresses & a pair shoes – They traded

$30.70 – Ethel went to Social Club party at Devoy’s Hall with Glen Grove in evening

Dec 25, Wed – Will Mathews & Edith went to the Grand Opera House to see a play. Edith gave me a

picture of a cow drawn with pencil in a frame

Dec 26, Thur – Edith got her party dress from Mrs. Babcocks & went to the Grove party

Dec 31, Tues – The electric light poles are beginning to arrive

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1890 MLP Diary

Feb 5, Wed – Gave Mary a check for $48 to pay her bill at Vanderwarkers making in all $73 for that

purpose

Feb 18, Tues – Bought a bottle of Hood’s Sassaparilla of Bartlett $1.00

Mar 3, Mon – Fred Mathews has left JHM’s store – a boy named Nichols had taken his place

Mar 4, Tues – Gave Will Mathews my note for $5.94 dated Jan 27 due in one year from date of note. JHM is

taking inventory

Mar 7, Fri – Mary & family, Ella Wheeler & 2 friends, Helen Rice here to dinner & tea – they had

music & dancing, conundrums etc – Sarah got them up a fine dinner & ice cream

Mar 10, Mon – Nearly everyone is getting in ice today

Mar 12, Wed – Sarah received a letter from Mrs. Coon saying that Orpha could not stay only to April 1 unless

we would pay $1.50 per week

Mar 10, Wed – Ethel Mathews was down all day – her mother went to city

Mar 20, Thur – JHM got about 2/3 of a cheese of Mr. Fritcher

Mar 22, Sat – Got letter from Dr. Hestor written with typewriter

Mar 26, Wed – Mr. Fritcher mended the Buffalo robe of his – the rats had eaten it bad.

Mar 30, Sun – Bismark the great German Chancellor has resigned his office

Apr 3, Tues – Grace Moulter was here & bought a stag’s head penciled by Edith

Apr 12, Sat – Received a birthday present of a double inkstand from Mary Dewey as a remembrance of my

good friend F.H. Dewey – it is the one he wrote from in his business as conveyancy & justice

Apr 20, Sun – (is on an excursion to Washington D.C.) Adcock & I attended the Church of the Covenant

and we were set in Mr. Belden’s pew next behind the president & family. Mr. Adcock & I walked thru the White House grounds & got very tired

Apr 21, Mon – took the bus to Arlington heights to the National Cemetery – took a lunch & staid nearly all

day – saw the cavalry parade & went thru the cemetery – there are about 11,000 graves. Phil Sheridan has a fine monument – the view is grand & beautiful toward Washington

June 11, Wed – Edith came on noon train from Elmira College where she has been since New Years

June 13, Fri – Edith went to St. Johns School Commencement pm on excursion train

June 13, Sat – Mr. Vreedenburg came to lunch & tea

June 16, Mon – Took Sarah & Edith to city in surry pm – bought Edith a new dress $20 nearly – picked 1^st

full quart strawberries this am

June 18, Wed – Eda & walking club went to Todd woods for picnic. Mary & Jim were here in evening

June 19, Thur – Vreedenburg came on noon train – & he & Edith went to G. Lake & to Syracuse – he

went back on 6:37

June 23, Mon – Helen Rice & Sarah & Edith went to city & attended musicale Soiree

June 25, Wed – Glen Grove & Mr. Alsener called pm. Edith went on 12:00 train for city to attend the

commencement college exercises – let her have $2

July 4, Fri – Edith went to Lansing with H. Knapp to a picnic & staid to a dance at Groves in evening

July 12, Sat – Edith & Kate went on cars to Manlius with walking club

July 14, Mon – Edith & Kate went to city with JHM & came back sick & much heated on cars

July 15, Tues – Edith & 4 couples went to Chittenango on picnic

July 17, Thur – Edith had company in evening to meet her guest Miss Katie Hogg

July 19, Sat – Two St. Johns boys came here in evening calling on the girls

July 20, Sun – Edith & Miss Hogg went riding to St. Johns school with Mr. Tanner & Hall

July 21, Mon – Messrs Tanner & Hall came down at 1 o’clock & took Nellie (MLP’s horse) & carried

the girls to C. Springs pm

July 30, Wed – Heard the first August cricket tonight

Aug 20, Wed – Mr. Knapp son of Edward Knapp called on Edith in evening

Aug 27, Wed – Edith went to Groves to the English Walking Club party in evening

Aug 28, Thur – Reba Duke came from Nellsville – Eda & Reba went to a party at Mr. Wilsons on Manlius

Road

Sept 4, Thur – I weeded strawberries am – Sarah began a thorough cleaning of bedbugs

Sept 5, Fri – Edith went to Manlius to Miss Barber’s party with C. Pratt

Sept 6, Sat – Glen Grove called in evening

Sept 8, Mon – Settled with J.H. Mathews – paid him $97.76 – he paid me interest on his mother’s note $18

Sept 11, Thur – Edith started for Elmira

Oct 18, Sat – Charlie still continues to drink – Sarah had her tooth pulled by a string & her father didn’t get

it out & she was much hurt, it struck to her stomach

Oct 20, Mon – Sarah went down to see Marie Hutchins & had the Dr. extract a tooth that has been loose for

2 or 3 months, she took some Bourbon whiskey – Mr. Fritcher sold Mrs. J.L. Mathews 1-½ bushels sweet apples for 88¢ paid – Mary was down for apples for Mrs. Mathews

Oct 21, Tues – Sarah went down to Hutchins to see Marie & bought some china dishes to distribute among

Marie’s friends (Marie is about to die – recently gave Sarah her lace shawl & a rocker, a magnifying glass, & has had her will drawn)

Oct 24, Fri – Ethel Mathews staid last night & went home at 4 o’clock pm

Oct 29, Wed – Mary & Ethel were here pm & JHM came to supper

Nov 14, Fri – Sarah received a letter from Edith – she wants a pair gloves & her party dress

Nov 15, Sat – Paid a bill for Sarah - $52.90 for dresses for herself & Mary, a set furs for Ethel

Nov 17, Mon – Charlie came home this pm in a bad condition

Nov 18, Tues – Charlie don’t get any better, drinks cider all he can hold

Nov 27, Thur – All went up to Marys pm at 2 to eat a Thanksgiving dinner – all of Jim’s folks were there and

Edd Rivenburg also – they danced some

Dec 2, Tues – Got my pants enlarged – Sarah received a letter from Edith wishing for a red silk dress

Dec 10, Wed – Sarah & I went to city, bought Edith a dress $6.50 – loaned JHM $60 to buy oats, to be

repaid in 60 days - bought a crokonole board $3.75

Dec 17, Wed – Borrowed Mrs. Barney’s Ladies Home Journal – think it first rate reading

Dec 19, Fri – Edith came home on 11:57 train – George Adcock Jr. was here in evening & took Edith riding

Dec 20, Sat – Mr. Tanner was here at night with another young man from St. Johns School

Dec 23, Tues – Mr. Fritcher bought a 14# turkey at $2.24 – George Adcock & Edith went to Wheelers in

evening

Dec 25, Thur – Sarah got up a turkey dinner. Mary & family & Edd Riverburg were here. George

Adcock Jr. took Edith riding

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1891 MLP Diary

Jan 1, Thur – Edith went to N.Y. calls at C. Snooks by English walking club

Jan 2, Fri – Sarah & I went down & saw Maria Hutchins, probably the last time, she bade me a long

goodbye

Jan 3, Sat – Sarah was called to Maria Hutchins at night – she is nearly gone

Jan 4, Sun – Sarah staid last at Maria Hutchins. Several young men called on Edith in evening

Jan 23, Fri – Maria Hutchins died at 10.30 am after 17 weeks sickness

Jan 27, Tues – Sarah & Charlie went riding pm to distribute Maria’s keepsakes to her friends – they were

mostly cups & saucers & plates

Feb 4, Wed – Sent $5 to Edith to replace $5 that she had stolen from her at school

Feb 11 – Wed – Sarah received two picture of her Collins grandparents from Myron Collins

Feb 22, Sun – Mary & family were here to supper in evening

Mar 11, Wed – Mary & Ethel & Tom Rice (son of Helen Mathews Rice) were up to supper

Mar 13, Fri – Charlie has been off nearly all day. Fred Mathews has bought JHM’s goods & is cleaning the

ceiling to his store.

Mar 18, Wed – Mary came & took Sarah to Mary Deweys & Mrs. Mathews pm

Mar 19, Thur – I received a telegram from Charley Peck that his father Pearl Lyon Peck died today – I went

down to D.J. Deweys pm & let Charles know.

Mar 21, Sat – Wrote to Charles Peck, Conn., in regard to the death of his father

Mar 24, Tues – Mrs. J.L. Mathews died at 5.30

Mar 26, Thur – A cold east wind. Mrs. Joseph L. Mathews (Mary Ann Hood Mathews) was buried at 3

o’clock. Rev. Mr. Osbern the Presbyterian minister preached & Rev. Pitman Episcopal gave the

burial service. I carried the 2 clergymen in phaeton. Received letter from Sarah Peck giving details of her father’s funeral, sickness, & death

Mar 27, Fri – Edith came home for good from Elmira College, she has been there nearly 2 years

Mar 28, Sat – Edith received a box of flowers by express

Mar 30, Mon – Took Sarah & Edith to city – bought Edith a pair shoes & slips & gaiters $4.50, Edith a dress

& gloves $16.00. Bought for hall & stairs 29 yards Brussels carpet (best) $l.35 – am to pay 5¢ per yard for putting down – let Edith have $2.00

Apr 3, Fri – Edith had a small party in evening – they went down to Groves & had a dance in evening

Apr 4, Sat – Edith & girls went to city to hear Sara Bernhardt but could not get tickets

Apr 7, Tues – Edith & friends went to the dance at Beard Hall at night

Apr 11, Sat – Am 66 years old today

Apr 13, Mon – got 10 gals kerosene to Fred Mathews at 11¢, paid cash

Apr 14, Tues – I took Edith to city & made arrangements for her painting lessons at University. Redeemed

C’s clothes at Cohens & Deamonds, paid $9.00. Bought Edith painting materials $7.05

Apr 17, Fri – Sarah bought 15 lbs maple sugar of Fred Mathews

Apr 26, Sun – Sarah Fritcher Young died in Clay, Brights disease. I got some cowslips

Apr 28, Tues – Mr. Fritcher went to Clay to attend the funeral of Mrs. John Young. Took Mary Dewey

some apples & cowslips – also gave Mary Mathews some cowslips

May 4, Mon – Roots home was burned this pm – Tolmans & Mathews barns got afire

May 9, Sat – Let Edith have $1.00 to join the Lawn Tennis club. Got a box sugar of Fred Mathews at 5¢

May 13, Wed – Still very dry – both cisterns have given out & for the first time since we have lived here we

shall be out of rain water, new set strawberry plants have dried out

June 11, Thur – Edith went to St. John’s commencement. Miss Searly was her chaperone

June 16, Tues – 90° heat very oppressive & humid – we had one of the heaviest electrical showers I ever

knew, the wind blew a hurricane & the rain poured in torrents, the gardens were under water &

the road like a canal, the ground is thoroughly wet for the first time since March, all can rejoice at

the advent of rain

June 19, Fri – Sarah was sick with stomach trouble all night, Edith was up with her

June 21, Sun – Dr. Quimby came to see Sarah – she thought she had heart disease, he said it was a stomach

difficulty

July 7, Tues – Sarah worse with her stomach trouble, didn’t get up in am

July 24, Fri – Went to the express office & got an Irish Setter dog that Mr. Bloomindale had sent to Edith –

he’s a fine specimen, I brought him in the buggy with the box very nicely

July 28, Tues – I let the dog Max go loose for first time today

July 30, Thur – Took Sarah to city to take the Thousand Island Express for Point Vivian – she started at 2 &

will arrive at 7.05

Aug 1, Sat – Took Charlie to city & bought him a suit of summer clothes $13.00, let him have 25¢, bought a

collar for dog $1.35

Aug 5, Wed – Bought 30# sugar of Fred Mathews at 5¢ for $1.50 – had a talk with Mary about 1000 islands

etc

Aug 8, Sat – I did not fish as there were no grasshoppers & I could find no pole

Aug 16, Sun – Mary & family were down – Jim brought back phaeton, Fred & Grace were down (Fred

Mathews & Grace Grove Mathews)

Aug 20, Thur – I went to city for Sarah – she has been gone 22 days to Point Vivian

Aug 25, Tues – Horse races at Saratoga, I bought Edith a souvenir spoon of Saratoga $1.50 – attended a

phrenological lecture in evening

Aug 27, Thur – Sarah bought a new chandelier & a new bedroom sett for Edith while I was gone

Sept 14, Mon – Let Hubbs (druggist) have the gray kitten

Sept 18, Fri – Eda’s (Edith) birthday – 20 years old

Sept 19, Sat – Took some fruit to Mary, got basket of grapes, Took Sarah to Marys, Edith to Snooks, took

Ray & Ethel (his grandchildren) to old farm, & dog, they had a good time

Sept 27, Sun – Max (dog) got shot by a byciclist at night – the ball grazed his nose & cut his ear some, it made

a great excitement for a while

Oct 1, Thur – Mr. Fritcher was obliged to call Dr. Quimby at 4 o’clock this morning – he paid him $1.00 to

use the catheter. Max got very full of burdocks on the canal bank today

Oct 4, Sun – Mary & family were here to supper – the women sang many old pieces in evening. Edith went

to Episcopal & went to Wheelers with Mr. Moore

Oct 6, Tues – Edith went to Episcopal sociable with Mr. Moore

Oct 8, Thur – Got some carbolic acid soap to cure Max’s fleas. Edith went to Ella Wheelers in evening with

Mr. Moore

Oct 9, Fri – Edith went to Josie Snooks to learn how to play the banjo

Oct 10, Sat – Went with Sarah & Edith to city & bought Edith a banjo with case $16.00

Oct 14, Wed – Mr. Ned Brown of Wellarbor (?) called on Edith in evening

Oct 22, Thur – Edith took first lesson on banjo – let her have $1.00

Oct 28, Wed – Edith went to city on train – let her have $6.00 to get new hat & take music lesson on banjo

Oct 30, Fri – Edith went to H. Wheelers in evening with Mr. Moore

Oct 31, Sat – Edith went to Snooks to a surprise Halloween evening

Nov 11, Wed – J.H. Mathews was sick & had a doctor – Mr. Moore called in evening & he & Edith went

riding

Nov 19, Thur – Edith went to dancing school with Eatons in evening & remained at Eatons overnight.

Thomas Rice & Benj Higgins are dead (of Syracuse)

Nov 20, Fri – Took Sarah to city in carriage – she exchanged her cloth dress for a silk one – 15 yards at $1.50

– she gave back the other 8 yards at 75¢ - $17.64 was the difference

Nov 21, Sat – Edith took the train to city to stay till Tuesday & attend the Carnival of Nations

Nov 27, Fri – Edith went to C. Endeavor with Hubert Knapp

Nov 30, Mon – Had a talk with Mary on business matters

Dec 8, Tues – Mr. Fritcher took Sarah in surrey & went to city – She is going to get Edith a party dress – let

her have $40

Dec 10, Thur – Mr. Moore of Pompey was here to supper – Edith went riding with him by moonlight

Dec 20, Sun – Elder Mosley preached all day. Blanchard read a paper saying that people would be obliged

to raise their subscriptions or go without a first class preacher

Dec 22, Tues – Dr. Quimby keeps drunk – he has been so for more than 8 weeks

Dec 23, Wed – Got the old Fritcher teakettle (70 yrs old) repaired

Dec 24, Thur – Gave Sarah $5.00 in gold & also Edith $5.00 in gold for Christmas

Dec 25, Fri – I gave Mary $31, Will $2, Ray $1 – we all went to Mary’s at 2 to eat a Christmas dinner – they

had a big stockingful of presents

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1892 MLP Diary

Jan 7, Thur – stopped at Mary’s, found JHM some better

Jan 9, Sat – Read in Phil Sheridan’s memoirs – am very much pleased with them

Jan 12, Tues – Edith was first bridesmaid at Ella Wheeler’s marriage to Willis Griffith – a very nice party –

over 100 there

Jan 13, Wed – Earnest Edward called on Edith in evening a short time

Jan 15, Fri – Edith went to a party to Chittenango with Earnest Edwards

Jan 19, Tues – Jim got snow & ice from roof & trough

Jan 23, Sat – Sarah put on a lard plaster over my lungs – have felt some better since (he has grippe)

Jan 26, Tues – E. Edwards came to let Edith know he couldn’t go to dance at Groves – very difficult to keep

warm in library

Jan 28, Thur – Quite a number of dogs are poisoned – we are fearful Max will go next

Jan 29, Fri – Charlie took his mother to city to get some medicine for me

Jan 31, Sun – Edith went riding at night with E. Edwards

Feb 2, Tues – 3 more dogs were poisoned last night

Feb 4, Thur – Edith went with E. Edwards to Chautaugua Club

Feb 5, Fri – Tried to get a dog muzzle but found they would allow a dog to eat so didn’t

Feb 7, Sun – E. Edwards called for Edith to go riding & to church but she was visiting a girl friend at Seneca

Falls

Feb 17, Wed – Ernest Edwards took Edith to city to see an opera played

Feb 19, Fri – Mary & Jim were here, also 2 other couples – we had a very enjoyable time & played crokinole

cards & music on piano & banjo

Feb 20, Sat – E. Edwards took Edith & went to Matewan towards night – Charlie came home from Oxford in

bad shape

Feb 21, Sun – E. Edwards & Edith went riding at 4 o’clock – got a quantity of bourbon at D.L. Bartletts for

Charlie

Feb 23, Tues – Arthur Moses is sentenced to 3 years in penetentary for seducing Miss Long of Bridgeport

Feb 27, Sat – Sent Pearl’s (Pearl Peck) boy Marquis a teaspoon, knife & fork of fine silver for being named

for me

Feb 28, Sun – Mary & children were here to dinner & supper. E. Edwards called in evening. Sarah has been

sick abed all day with nervous prostration. Charlie buried Max in morning by grape arbor (diary

does not say what happened to Max but he was probably poisoned)

Mar 3, Thur – Sarah & Edith went to Syracuse on train – gave Sarah $5.00 – I got the supper & dinner for

Mr. Fritcher & self

Mar 21, Tues – Eda went at 8 to reception with E. Edwards

Mar 23, Wed – H. Knapp called on Edith in evening

Mar 29, Tues – two more dogs were killed by poison including Dr. Quimby’s dog

Mar 31, Thur – A fine sunny day – we tapped 24 trees – we began to boil, the sap ran nicely

Apr 1, Fri – A beautiful day – made 3 qts syrup

Apr 2, Sat – Gennie H__ was here & she & Eda had company in evening – Burt Coe was up, also Mr.

Armstrong

Apr 5, Tues – A strong wind – Mary’s house caught fire just before noon but was put out before much

damage was done

Apr 6, Wed – I went with Sarah to JHM’s & helped him shingle, we finished nearly – put up stove

Apr 8, Fri – The appraiser was at Mary’s to appraise the damage by fire & water – the damage to the house

$118, to furniture $100

Apr 11, Mon – am 67 years old today

Apr 25, Mon – I traded Mary Mathews house with Charles Jackson for $1500 to boot

Apr 26, Tues – I wrote a deed of JHM’s place for Mrs. Joseph Jackson – a young man named Blakeslee from

Mexico visited Edith in evening

Apr 27, Wed – I & Charles H. Jackson’s wife completed our trade of houses in evening. I gave a check of

$1000 with my note of $500 due at 4%

May 2, Mon – Helped JHM a little, move into Jackson’s house – think it a very nice house. The Chautauqua

circle met here tonight

May 5, Thur – Let William Stearns have young cat – he took it home in a basket

May 10, Tues – Sarah & her father (Mr. Fritcher) went to Marys pm & measured room for carpet

May 12, Thur – Sarah & I went to Mary’s am but as there was nothing to do we came home again – Edith

went to Mr. Osberns in evening for Chautauqua rehersal & staid to Marys all night

May 14, Sat – I started at 9 o’clock for City with Edith, Mary, & Sarah. Bought Mary carpets $77 worth

May 18, Wed – Levi Chapman was here & served some law papers on me in the settlement of the Mathews

estate

May 30, Mon – Our soldiers went to Manlius after decorating the graves in the cemetery – they had speakers

at 2 o’clock. I took Sarah to Marys to help sew carpets – they got the piano in the parlor

May 31, Tues – Took Sarah to help Mary sew carpets – they will get all their carpets down tonight I believe

June 1, Wed – A very hot day – took Mary some pie plant & asparagus – Jim brought Ruth Edgerton Smith

for a call & took Allie, Ruth & Mary & children to city for a ride at night

June 2, Thur – Charlie brought a lady named Miss Sheffield in a carriage at night

June 8, Wed – Glen Grove, H. Knapp & Harry Eaton were here in evening

June 12, Sun – One of the perfect June days – yellow roses in bloom – All went to church

June 14, Tues – We went to Mary’s to tea – saw a beautiful sky at night – it looked like a lake with a long

black cloud for a shore

June 17, Fri – Frank Gridley called at night – he came out in 32 minutes on his cycle

June 19, Sun – Edith went riding pm with F. Gridley

June 21, Tues – Mary was down & I let her have $10 to paint dining room floor

June 25, Sat – George B. Adcock was here at night to go riding with Edith but she is at city

June 27, Mon – Edith & Bessie Barret came on the last train & played the banjo in evening – there was the

most beautiful rainbow I ever saw

July 4, Mon – Edith & Mary Mead went with Frank & George Gridley to Oneida Lake fishing – they took

my 2 seat wagon

July 9, Sat – Frank & George Gridley were over to see the girls at night

July 12, Tues – Heard Fred Mathews was going to sell out if he could

July 15, Fri – I made 3 qts ice cream pm for Edith’s company

July 17, Sun – Edith & Mary Mead went with William & Frank Gridley to Cazenovia – they got back at

sundown & all took supper here

July 23, Sat – Sarah & I took Edith & Mary Mead to city – they took the train for Thousand Island park –

to stay 2 weeks – Frank & Will Gridley went along

July 28, Thur – Received by express a box of mackerel from Edith, gave the neighbors some – the minister &

Mary. Took 3 of the largest ones to Gridleys at night

Aug 2, Tues – Jim borrowed the oil stove to use in the livery

Aug 6, Sat – Edith & Mary Mead came from Thousand Island on 4.15 train from city – Frank Gridley came

with them

Aug 8, Mon – Told Mary Mathews that Ethel (dau. Of Mary & Jim) could go to Islands with us tomorrow

Aug 9, Tues – Took Mary Mead to city, she took the train for Cleveland.

Aug 18, Thur – Edith went riding with Earnest Edwards

Aug 20, Sat – Frank Gridley called in evening on Edith

Aug 21, Sun – Frank Gridley rode out with Edith – the strike at Buffalo continues, 7 or 8000 soldiers are at

Buffalo

Aug 24, Wed – Frank Gridley came out on a bicycle in 35 minutes at night

Aug 28, Sun – Frank Gridley came for girls at noon & they went to Gridleys to dinner. Mary & 2 children

were down at night to supper

Aug 29, Mon – Josie Beard called pm on Sarah

Aug 30, Tues – John Nichols invited Edith to a dance at Beard Hall Thursday night

Aug 31, Wed – Received telephone from Charlie wishing his mother to come tomorrow or today

Sept 1, Thur – Sarah remained in city last night & Mary went at noon – the approach of cholera to this

country is creating considerable alarm

Sept 2, Fri – Mr. Fritcher went to city & got Sarah – they did trading for Charlie – bought his furniture for

house – they got back at 3 o’clock

Sept 3, Sat – Gave Mr. Fritcher check for $16 borrowed by Sarah for Charlie’s things – Edith went on tennis

grounds with Will Gridley & Miss McAdams. The planet Mars went behind the moon at night

Sept 4, Sun – Edith went with Frank Gridley to South Bay – Willis Gridley & Miss McAdams went also

Sept 5, Mon – Edith went with Frank Gridley to see bicycle race to city pm. Received letter from Charlie, his

wedding at 7pm at his house

Sept 6, Tues – Sarah received card from Charlie wishing for butter & vinegar. Sarah bought a mattress &

spring of H. Knapp for $20

Sept 7, Wed – Went to city with JHM’s hack at 3 o’clock. Six of us, Sarah, Edith, Mr. Fritcher, JHM &

Mary to attend Charlie’s wedding – he was married at 7:20 o’clock at his own residence in Grant

Avenue 5^th Ward Syracuse to Miss May Sheffield of Baldwinsville. Mr. Mathews (Jim) & Emma

Sheffield her sister stood up with them – Rev Mr. Stevenson pastor of Christs Church married

them, they attended opera after ceremony

Sept 8, Thur – Yesterday was the great prize fight of Sullivan & Corbet at New Orleans – Corbet beat in 21

rounds & became the champion of the prize ring in the world – he received $45,000 price money

Sept 12, Mon – I borrowed Austins wagon & took Charlie a lot of things to keep house with

Sept 14, Wed – the two Gridley boys & Miss McAdams were & played tennis & danced in evening

Sept 16, Fri – Mr. Fritcher took surry & carried the women to city – they took dinner with Charlie & May –

they took some tomatoes, corn, apples – I gave Sarah a check of $20 to get Edith a winter dress

Sept 25, Sun – Edith went to Perryville Falls with the Gridley boys & Miss McAdams

Sept 28, Wed – Marian Inness came with Edith on train to get ready for Estella Story’s wedding at Seneca

Falls

Oct 1, Sat – Will & Frank Gridley were here in evening & took some pictures

Oct 2, Sun – Frank Gridley came & got the girls pm & took them home with him. Jim & Mary were here

with children in evening

Oct 3, Mon – Marion Inness sang for us in evening

Oct 5, Wed – Frank & Will Gridley came from city at night

Oct 7, Fri – Let Edith have $25 to buy cloak – Staid to Charlies, May is sick, the doctor was there

Oct 14, Fri – I helped Smith pick 14 bushels apples – I kept 10 & gave Mary 4, they were R. I. Greening &

Northern Spys

Oct 15, Sun – A very pleasant October day – the trees are of most beautiful colors

Oct 24, Mon – Edith went to a whist party at Grace Groves. Mr. Fritcher finished building the back storm

house by back door

Oct 25, Tues – Eda staid with Ada Nichols after the whist & dancing party at Groves

Oct 27, Thur – The cow kicked over the milk tonight – Frank Gridley took Edith riding at 7:30

Nov 1, Tues – Sarah did a washing & mended my 2 overcoats – I paid her 50¢ for the job of mending coats

Nov 2, Wed – Edith painted some cards for a whist party

Nov 3, Thur – Frank Gridley & Edith went to church supper

Nov 8, Tues – Edith had a drive whist party in evening – about 20 were here

Nov 13, Sun – Frank Gridley & Edith took a picture & went to church in evening

Nov 18, Fri – May Peck (Charlie’s wife) came on last train & went to Mary’s last night & is there yet

Nov 22, Tues – Mrs. Gridley was here to dinner

Nov 24, Thur – We had all the family with Frank Gridley here to a turkey dinner – a good one. Charlie &

May came on 1:53 train. The young folks had a nice time with games – Frank Gridley took our

pictures sitting at table

Photograph taken November 24, 1892 at the home of Marquis Lafayette and Sarah Elizabeth Peck

From MLP's diary dated November 24, 1892 - "A cold wintry day. We had all the family with Frank Gridley here to a turkey dinner (a good one). Mr. Saphore preached the Thanksgiving sermon which was very interesting. Charles and May came on 1:53 train. Had Mrs. Fullerton help, paid her .50. The young folks had a nice time with games, etc. Frank G. took our picture sitting at table. Quite a good many cutters and sleighs are out and it snows. I went on roof and got off snow and cleaned the eave trough.

From left to right:

1. James Hood Mathews - 48 (married to Mary L. Peck Mathews)

2. Marquis Lafayette Peck - 63 (married to Sarah Fritcher Peck)

3. Mary L. Peck Mathews - 40 (daughter of Marquis & Sarah)

4. Michael Fritcher - 90s (father of Sarah Fritcher Peck)

5. Ray Mathews - 10 (son of James & Mary Mathews)

6. Edith Peck - 21 (daughter of Marquis & Sarah, later married Frank Gridley)

7. May Sheffield Peck (married to Charles Peck)

8. Ethel May Mathews - 7 (daughter of James & Mary Mathews)

9. William Henry Mathews - 17 (son of James & Mary Mathews)

10. Charles Peck - 30 (son of Marquis & Sarah)

11. Sarah Fritcher Peck (wife of Marquis Lafayette Peck)

Nov 27, Sun – Frank Gridley & Edith went riding in evening on Gennessee St. H. Knapp & a friend called

Nov 29, Tues – Edith & Frank Gridley went to drive whist party at Gaynors – got home at 2 o’clock am

Dec 7, Wed – Left my will in bank

Dec 11, Sun – Tried for the first time my new oil heating stove for bath room. We all tried the bath & find it

just the thing & very comfortable. Edith is quite ill – think she has taken some cold

Dec 18, Sun – Frank Gridley was here in evening

Dec 20, Tues – Jim & Mary were here to supper

Dec 21, Wed – Edith went to dinner with Frank Gridley

Dec 25, Sun – We had a chicken pie for dinner

Dec 26, Mon – We all went to Marys to dinner – Charlie & May couldn’t come but Charlie wrote a letter – I

have given Edith $10, Sarah $10, Mary $10, & others to amount of about $50. Edith & Frank

went riding pm

Dec 29, Thur – Frank Gridley came on the 4:38 train & took Edith to the dance at Beard Hall

Dec 30, Fri – Took Frank to morning train – Sarah & I called at Gridleys

______________________________________________________________________________________

1893 MLP Diary

Jan 11, Wed – Jim was elected Senator by all but 5 votes which were cast for Bourbe Cockrans

Jan 13, Fri – Sarah & Edith went to Gridleys to have them take Franks camera in to city as he & Edith are

going to Niagara Falls to see the great ice gorge

Jan 15, Sun – Mary & 2 children were down in pm – we popped a large pan of corn

Jan 23, Mon – Sarah went am & staid to Marys all day – I got dinner & washed dishes

Jan 24, Tues – Mary is quite unwell, had a doctor – she had a chandelier fall last night, & had a narrow escape

from burning

Jan 25, Wed – J.H. Mathews had some money stole last night by a Butler boy - $49 & other things

Feb 12, Sun – Mary & 2 children were down in evening & went home afoot

Feb 20, Mon – Edith sent out invitations to a party on next Thur evening – Can & Will started for

Baldwinsville to show pictures

Feb 23, Thur – Bought 6 loves bread & 2 gallons oysters. There were nearly 50 persons at Edith’s party &

all said they had an elegant time

Feb 24, Fri – Eda went with Frank to city to attend theater tonight

Mar 2, Thur – Sarah spent the day with Mary – she found her sick of nervous prostration

Mar 4, Sat – My eyes are quite sore – applied some witch hazel

Mar 6, Mon – I took Mary Goodrich & Sarah to Mary’s pm & I took supper there at 6 o’clock

Mar 16, Thur – Mary was here quilting pm – Jim & Ethel were here to supper

Mar 21, Tues – I went to Mary’s & had a talk on family matters

Mar 22, Wed – Mr. Fritcher was taken last night with pains in his arms – Sarah & Edith doctored him, he did not get up in morning

Mar 24, Fri – Col. Eliot Shephard age 58 died from taking ether for an operation of gravel

Mar 29, Wed – A beautiful day – robins & bluebirds singing

Apr 11, Tues – Mary made a surprise birthday party for me, she had all the North Manlius friends there & we had a nice time – I am 68 years old

Apr 19, Wed – Frank brought Edith a bicycle at night on the cars

Apr 20, Thur – Legislature adjourned today – state tax much higher than last year

Apr 30, Sun – Frank Gridley & Edith went on plains & got trailing arbutus

May 6, Sat – Mr. Fritcher went to Marys pm on invitation, to plant a silver birch tree for them

May 10, Wed – Went on plains & got some cowslips

May 13, Sat – Sold the calfskin to glove factory for 50¢

May 19, Fri – Gave Mary $50 to trade to city – J.H. Mathews is to pay me $2 a week for the $50 till paid

May 22, Mon – Helped Sarah in posey garden – put up a post for night blooming ceres

May 31, Wed – Edith came home on 1:53 train and went to B. Church to help decorate for Fred Mathews & Grace Grove wedding.
JHM washed the surry

June 1, Thur – Warm & pleasant – Frank Gridley came on noon train & attended Fred Mathews & Grace Grove wedding at the B.
church at 2:30 o’clock – the church was full. Ethel & Carlie (Carolyn) Beard strewed flowers in the aisle. O.D.
Buchans, Will Mathews, G. Grove & Mr. Randolph were the ushers, Mr. Saphore was the clergyman – all went off
nicely we thought

June 8, Thur – Took Sarah & Edith to city – bought Edith’s wedding dress, 18 yds at $1.50

June 14, Wed – the Lizzie Borden trial at New Bedford is attracting much attention

June 16, Fri – Went to Marys – she wants me to paint her house

June 19, Mon – Had a talk with JHM. Mary & children were here & helped pick strawberries – let her have 4 qts

June 30, Fri – Sarah & I went after 5 o’clock to Charlies – he has had a painful operation for piles – took chloroform, is some better

July 2, Sun – Aunt Lucy Schruyner died today at Waterloo, 84 in Sept – my mother’s last living sister

July 4, Tues – One of the most beautiful 4^th I ever knew – Frank & Edith started for city on wheels at 6 o’clock to see fireworks – a
very quiet day in Fayetteville

July 9, Sun – Helen Rice called with Tom at night

July 14, Fri – Had a talk with Edith about wedding party Aug 29

July 19, Wed – I went to Waterloo & gave Mr. Richardson the Executor of Aunt Lucy’s will the place of residence of the heirs at law
– Took dinner at Uncle Gilberts

July 24, Mon – Told William Austin to let Thomas Nichols have paint & oil for Mary’s home

July 25, Tues – Took Sarah & Edith to city. Let Sarah have $5 to get Edith sett knives – she ordered Edith a present for Mr. Fritcher
for wedding – Edith ordered 3 kinds of wedding invitations $26

July 26, Wed – Mr. Owens from Utica was here & we made arrangements for catering for wedding – he will do the whole for $150 –
200 guests. Mary & Ethel were down & ate supper – quite a panic on stock market

July 27, Thur – Went to Marys to see about painting her house. Had a talk with JHM on his family matters

July 28, Fri – Sent letter to George A. Graves about interest on mortgage

July 30, Sun – Heard that Syracuse banks had declined to pay depositors without 30 or 60 days notice

July 31, Mon – Went to city & found the savings banks closed for 60 days – could get no money from either

of them

Aug 5, Sat – Sarah & I went to city to - drew $100 from 2 savings banks – paid $26.50 for wedding tickets –

paid Thomas Nichols $39.83 for work painting Mary’s house & barn

Aug 11, Fri – Will Mathews came home from Chicago Fair – E. went on noon train to try on her wedding

dress for last time. Mary & Will were here in evening

Aug 12, Sat – Bought $2.50 worth stamps for wedding invitations for Edith

Aug 13, Sun – New moon & bright star near it – fine sky as I ever saw – Frank & Edith went to Mary’s in

evening

Aug 15, Tues – Edith distributed her wedding invitations

Aug 21, Mon – I washed the carriage & cleaned out the barn & swept it & fixed a place to hitch horses

Aug 23, Wed – Edith received several presents – the K___ gave a cut glass punch bowl, very fine. Mrs. J.

gave a $5.00 sterling silver butter knife – Mr. P. a cake dish by Express….Frank brought his

trunk. The Eng. Walking Club gave Edith a beautiful dish.

Aug 24, Thur – Edith was taken with a cramp in her neck with severe pains – I called Dr. Quimby

Aug 25, Fri – Hired help cleaned dining room, etc – we picked apples from yard – graveled walk – hung

Mary’s chandelier – received many regrets

Aug 26, Sat – Mr. Gridley built the floor of platform for wedding party – I went to city, got crate

peaches…Many presents & regrets came

Aug 27, Sun – Frank Gridley brought a load of ferns from Sulphur Springs – Jim & Will were here to supper

Aug 28, Mon – Will Mathews & I went for clematis & bittersweet berries – Mrs. Cropsey sent some nice

hops. Mr. Gridley brought a tent 30 x 20 & put it up

Aug 29, Tues – During the night we had one of the worst storms of rain & wind I ever knew – the ground is

saturated with the water – we have all we could do to keep tent from being blown over – Mr. Gridley came p.m. & we put extra chairs & ropes on tent – Mr. Owens the caterer came from Utica at 4 p.m. with 3 waiters – we had 200 guests at wedding. Rev. Mr. Saphore officiated – I gave the bride away. Katherine Smith & Ethel Mathews were the little girls in procession. Everybody seemed well pleased – the presents were numerous

Aug 30, Wed – Frank & Edith started for city at 10:20 – Willis Gridley & Reba Duke went to city with them.

I gave Edith my note of $500 due on or before one year. Paid musicians $13 for music

Aug 31, Thur – Quite a number of ladies were in to see presents – Sarah has cleaned for bedbugs

Sept 2, Sat – Received letters from Edith & Frank at Grand Rapids at Ella Griffiths – they were well &

happy. Sarah found Frank’s certificate of stock in Syracuse hotel & a ten dollar bill that he lost on the wedding day

Sept 5, Tues – Paid $3 for spoons for Edith’s bridesmaids

Sept 18, Mon – Frank & Edith came home from wedding tour to Columbia Fair at 4:30 – paid Frank $7 for

tent hire – Edith brought a chameleon from fair

Sept 19, Tues – Sarah received letter from McCarthys saying they could not take back ribbons & cloth used

for decorations at wedding

Sept 26, Tues – JHM said he & Irving Rivenburg would start for the fair on Monday next

Oct 1, Sun - Sarah & I went to Mary’s after dinner & then all 4 of us went to Gridley’s & met Mrs. Holtzer

Johnson Gates daughter whose husband is in Tiffany’s great jewelry store in New York City

Oct 2, Mon – Went to Mary’s & told her I would give $20 towards putting in water in her house

Oct 16, Mon – Edith wrote for a check of $300 to pay for an upright piano

Oct 21, Sat – Edith has exchanged her piano & got a much better one worth $50 more than the first one

Oct 25, Wed – Mr. Fritcher has deeded his farm to Sarah – also his mortgage on Bridgeport village lot of

$400 – also he assigned to her a note of $180 & chattel mortgage on a team of horses

Nov 15, Wed – A Sabbitaren or 7^th day Advent called to sell a book & I had a long talk with him. George

Ebeling has retired from the Mathews meat market

Nov 28, Tues – Let Mary have a $40 check – Jim is to pay me $30 back at tax time – I gave Mary the $10 for

Christmas present

Nov 30, Thurs – to Mary’s to a good turkey dinner

Dec 1, Fri – Took a turkey dinner at Ediths – She has got a new seal cloak presented by Mrs. Fridley $300

Dec 8, Fri – Mary was down & I let her have $17 by check to buy an Astrichin (sic) cape. Have quite a lame

back think it is a sort of grip

Dec 11, Mon – Gave Edith a check for $150 to pay for furniture that they have bought

Dec 17, Sun – Uncle Gilbert Schruyner died at Waterloo age 84

Dec 21, Thurs – I went with cutter to Chittenango – Uncle Gilbert Schruyner was buried in the Walnut Grove

Cemetery beside Aunt Lucy & Grandfather & Uncle Charles Knowles. Saw John Richinson, he promised to let me know if I could have any chance of getting Grandfather’s picture. I got Dr. Dewey to get wax from my ears paid him $1.50 for both ears, he charges $1 for 1 ear

Dec 23, Sat – Wrote to Miss Daisy Miller wishing for information regarding grandfather Knowles oil painting

Dec 25, Mon – Turkey dinner, made 3 quarts ice cream, I gave Charlie $15 check, Frank $5 bill, Edith $10

bill, May $5 bill, Will $1, Ray $1 – Frank & Edith gave us a book holder – Mrs. Gridley gave Sarah a fine English bible

Dec 26, Tues – Saw P.S. Carr & had him give a new insurance on Mr. Fritcher’s premises for 3 years to S.E.

Peck – she is to pay him $10 in addition to $5 the balance due her on unexpired term of the old policy which Carr cancelled

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1894 MLP Diary

Jan 1, Mon – I washed the horse in soap suds & after I washed her in carbolic acid soak. Got the surry

washed at Mathews livery.

Jan 15, Mon – Received card from Charles saying I could have grandfathers oil painted portrait if I wished &

also saying that there was some talk of contesting the will of Aunt Lucy

Jan 21, Sun – I wrote to John E. Richardson asking him to have Grandfather’s portrait sent to me by Express

Jan 23, Tues – Charlie came home & concluded to go to Iowa City to start an Electric light plant

Jan 24, Wed – I went on noon train to city – had a talk with Miller & Gridley & Co. about Aunt Lucys will

Jan 25, Thurs – I got to Waterloo at 11:45, had a talk with Mr. Richardson the executor of Aunt’s will – got

copy of will & inventory – there was about $8000 in all – 61 shares New York Central & house & lot. Got Grandfather Knowles picture after much effort & found that C. Manville had given it to C.M. Peck when Aunt died

Jan 27, Sat – Charlie hung Grandfather’s portrait in library – think it looks well – Sarah cleaned it with water

Feb 11, Sun – We took turns in reading Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne – all were much interested

Feb 15, Thur – Sarah was troubled with her usual stomach difficulty – she got a coffee box & coffee mill of

JHM

Feb 21, Wed – Sent letter to Henry Knowles to meet Charles & I at Miller & Gridley’s office Monday a.m. –

Went with Adelia to Charles to consult about Aunt Lucy’s affairs

Mar 5, Mon – Today is the hundredth anniversary of the settlement of Onondaga county & all the bells of the

village were rung & all the steam whistles were blown at 12:00 for half an hour or more – the cannon was booming, etc – Received letter from Mary for me to buy a $400 2^nd mortgage on Whitford place

Mar 6, Tues – The first blue birds this morning

Mar 8, Thurs – First robins appear – has a talk with JHM. Mary staid to city last night, she is having her teeth

& Ethel’s repaired. Gave Mrs. Merwin the receipt for alcoholism remedy (Imperial Oxyphus, Yale Hygiene, New Haven, Ct.)

Mar 14, Wed – Received letter from Miller & Gridley to come out & sign petition against admitting Aunt

Lucy’s will to probate

Mar 15, Thurs – Went to city, I made oath to application to break Aunt Lucy’s will. Told Lester Worden to

sell Bridgeport farm for $50 per acre. Offered Mr. Moore $350 for a $400 mortgage on Whitford place on Salt Springs street

Mar 18, Sun – Read in Life Of Cibbitt on how to get on in the world. Took a bath.

Mar 19, Mon – George Putnam said he didn’t think they would give a license for a saloon in the Mathews

block at any price. Edith got some cooking recipes of her mother.

Mar 23, Fri – Paid Will Madison $1 for services of bull

Mar 31, Sat – Lewis Fritcher was up to borrow $50 but I didn’t let him have it…cat had kittens

Apr 4, Thur – Cow had a bull calf last night – a nice one

Apr 6, Fri – Mr. & Mrs. H. Beard’s silver wedding – no presents – only cake & ice cream for refreshments

Apr 8, Sun – I read in Ben Hur

Apr 11, Wed – Received a letter from Miller, Gridley & Prate & agreed to serve as administrator of the

estate of Joseph G. Scruyner. Am 69 years old today.

Apr 12, Thur – Sent Miller & Gridley a paper accepting the office of administrator of Uncle Gilbert’s estate

providing that his nephews succeed in breaking his will

Apr 13, Fri – Told Josie Beard to leave insurance policy at bank for Lounsberry to fix

Apr 27, Fri – Sarah drew her fathers money from Onondaga Savings bank & had it put to her credit $900

May 1, Tues – I invited William Austin & wife to go cowslipping this pm but she was at city – the great

tramp army has arrived in Washington D.C.

May 2, Wed – I sold the calf for $5.50

May 7, Mon – Set out some rose bushes in garden

May 8, Tues – Took Sarah to Mary’s pm, she read some letters from Dwight Peck dated 1861 – Jim bought a

new oil range at Motts

May 15, Tues – Received a letter from Miller & Gridley wishing me to come to Seneca Falls tomorrow to

see about Uncle Gilberts & Aunt Lucys estate.

May 16, Wed – Was sworn before surrogate Judge Hazleton of Ovid on the suit to set aside Uncle Gilberts

will at a o’clock – got back to city at 7.40 & staid at Ediths overnight – got my note to $500 given to Edith at her marriage and destroyed it

May 25, Fri – Bought Sarah a bottle of Rose perfumery 70¢ at Lamphey

May 31, Thur – Received a letter from Rob Peck that Charles had had an attach of hemorage of the brain &

was speechless but semiconscious

June 1, Fri – I went to Charles at noon – found him a little better – did not see him – all his 6 children were

home – he had a man nurse, a Sweed

Jan 2, Sat – I took the 2 Thomas kittens of Toodles to barn & went to Lansings & let Anna L. have them.

Toodles is very much concerned about them & feels badly

June 5, Tues – Got my old harness of JHM – he had been oiling it

June 6, Wed – Cool & pleasant – I went to Syracuse to attend the centennial of the settlement of Onondaga

County – there was an immense display – the procession was 3-3/4 miles long – all the manufacturers were represented – pioneers were planting corn among the stumps – the old log house with big fire place – lighting the pipe by a coal of fire – and drawn by a yoke of big black oxen were in procession. Nearly 400 went from Fayetteville

June 27, Wed – Drove the cow to Madisons at dark with Mr. Fritcher’s help

July 11, Wed – A beautiful day. I cut weeds in posey bed

July 12, Thur – JHM is about leasing the Mathews block to Patrick Costello for 5 years at $200 per year –

Mary was down & staid to supper

July 16, Mon – The Mathews Block is being changed to a restaurant & saloon – Patty Costello has rented it

for that purpose

Jul 25, Wed – They are putting village water in the Mathews block & have it nearly fitted up for a restaurant

& saloon

Aug 2, Thur – Dr. Quimby is very drunk today

Aug 3, Fri – Mr. Fritcher was taken sick this morning with a head & stomach trouble – Jim & Mary were

here at night

Aug 6, Mon – Jim & Mary were down in evening – we made Mr. Fritcher some beef tea & gave him a little

whiskey & other medicine & he is feeling better tonight

Aug 8, Wed – Mary & all her family were here to supper – Mr. Fritcher is to bed yet. Sarah returned from

Thousand Island park, Charles is at Dr. Billingtons & is taking electricity & massage treatment

Sept 8, Sat – Quite sick with bowel & lung trouble. Had letter from Charlie saying he had lost his peace &

was not well

Sept 25, Tues – Sent Mary $6.75 by check to pay Josie Beard for tax on brick block – Bank remains locked,

examiner there.

Oct 6, Sat – Directors met pm & unanimously resolved to have the bank go into liquidation. I wrote a list of

the stockholders as Esq. Luce called them off

Oct 8, Mon - JHM gave me a chattel mortgage to secure a loan of $600

Oct 9, Tues – The bank remains closed much to the inconvenience of people

Oct 10, Wed – Mrs. Thornton came in morning to work while Sarah is at Ediths…none seem to know when

the bank will open

Oct 13, Sat – All shareholders in village have signed papers to go into liquidation

Oct 13, Sun – Will Mathews was here to dinner – had quite a talk with him on bank matters at S. Spring bank

Oct 15, Mon – Mary was down at night complaining

Oct 16, Tues – I had a talk with JHM about family matters

Oct 17, Wed – Frank took supper here – Sarah went home with him to care for Edith

Oct 19, Fri – Sarah & Edith came on 5.00 train – Edith is some better but weak

Oct 28, Sun – Sarah had a chicken for dinner & pumpkin jonny cake

Oct 31, Wed – found cashier RWE had taken more money from depository & not put amounts on books –

Phenix bank will resume & put up enough funds to make the losses good

Nov 8, Wed – Charlie & May came on noon train – Gave Jim a $10 gold piece – had a talk with him on

family affairs, he ate dinner here. Jim took a bushel Northern Spy apples home

Nov 28, Wed – Sarah & Charlie went to Marys & found she was to make a Thanksgiving dinner to which we

were all invited. My rheumatism continues

Nov 29, Thur – Mary invited us all with Frank & Edith up there to eat turkey – they had two – the young folks

played whist, Frank & Jim beat Charlie & Edith

Dec 1, Sat – Mary’s eye is nearly closed by erysypolis

Dec 18, Tues – Mary was down to dinner with children

Dec 20, Thur – Irving Pitts was up & agreed to take the Fritcher farm to work on shares – I signed & swore

to affidavit of complaint in the suit to break Aunt Lucy’s will & sent paper back to Miller

Dec 25, Tues – I went & got ice & made ice cream – all the children & companions except Charlie were here

– we had a very fine dinner, 2 turkeys & all other good things & grapes. Mrs. Gridley came with her own rig after Mr. Fritcher had driven over for her. I gave Mary $10, Edith $10, May, Frank, Jim & Will $5 each, Ray & Ethel $12 each – Gave Sarah $10 in fold

Dec 31, Mon – Sarah & I went to Marys to a Chatauqua – I read with Mrs. Nichols in Shakspear – P.S. Carr

showed pictures & there was refreshments

Memoranda in back of 1894 diary:

John Bellenger Vanschaick was born Feb 10, 1818, he was married July 30, 1837 to Harriet Peck (children Mary, Adelia, Louise), he was married July 8, 1847 to Mrs. Sophronia Adams nee Delaney (children John Charles, Thomas, Rose), he was married Sept 21, 1878 to Mrs. Susan Falconer. He died Mar 8, 1894 at Pardeville Wis – he was 76 years old – a member of M.E. Church 60 yrs

Smith D. Cropsey died May 28, he was 66 yrs old Mar 27, 1894 – was sick about 2 weeks of typhoid pneumonia. He had about 190 acres of land paid for & about $2500 in personal property – was buried in Fayetteville Cemetery – funeral was held in Baptist church – Rev. Warren Saphore preached funeral sermon, his cemetery lot cost $63.40, digging grave $4, care of lot for 1 year $2, total $69.40

Grandfather John Knowles died Apr 21, 1847 in Ithaca New York aged 77 yrs & 9mo of paralysis

____________________________________________________________________________________

1895 MLP Diary

Jan 4, Fri – Mr. Blanchard & I became bail for J.H. Mathews a Deputy Sheriff for $10,000 each – Charley

& Jim went to city

Jan 26, Sat – Sarah paid me $12 on mink cloak

Feb 5, Tues – Paid Josie Beard $12.50 for rent of Mathews block

Feb 10, Sun – I had Sarah cut a protrusion from my eye which I had there quite a while & rather dreaded to

have it cut but it bled but little – am glad it is gone for it was very annoying

Feb 16, Sat – Charlie came home from Rome on last train – had been on a spree 3 days – May went to city

with Jim but didn’t find him – Edith telegraphed to May. Frank let him have a ticket to come home – we feel very much discouraged about Charlie

Feb 17, Sun – Charlie continues quite weak & feels badly. My wife & I paid Frank & Edith 45¢ for Charlie’s

fare & telegram yesterday

Feb 18, Mon – Received a letter from Sallie Peck Washington, she wants to know about the Peck genealogy

Mar 2, Sat – Received $25 rent from Pat Costello – sent Josie Beard half to her by Jim – he was here to

dinner & brought a Wyandotte rooster to Charlie

Mar 9, Sat – Today was the Cropsey auction (500 doughnuts & bags $25), 300 there…Sarah went over with

JHM who acted as clerk – JHM & I looked over the Cropsey accounts

Mar 11, Mon – I went to Cropsey’s & settled with people. JHM also was there, had a busy day – paid JHM

$4 for services

Mar 25, Mon – I let Sarah have $20 and reclaimed $115 to apply on mink cloak bill – she had paid before $12

making in all $127 leaving $33 still due me – went down to ___ and looked over the house with Charlie

Mar 27, Wed – I went to city & ordered Charlie’s supplies for windows & piazza $6.88, got Sarah & May

each a new dress $2.25

Mar 29, Fri – Charlie & 2 men worked on Charlie’s house – Mr. Fritcher was with him. JHM brought a jack

to Charlie, Jim helped Charlie shingle pm, they got East side of upright shingled

Apr 1, Mon – Charlie began to milk his cow on farm

Apr 5, Fri – A nice day, robins & ground birds singing

Apr 11, Thur – Ich bien 70 years alt, Heute

Apr 13, Sat – Mr. Orlow Daniel Blanchard died at 9 o’clock, aged 76 years – he slipped & fell on ice, injured head badly about 2
weeks ago

Apr 23, Tues – I went to help Charlie about plowing hops

Apr 27, Sat – Showed Charlie how to sow oats – measured his hop & oats ground, 5 & 10 acres, think the land very nice. Had a talk
with JHM in relation to his bank debt.

Apr 30, Thur – Am very weary – Jim wished me to go to Manlius but I could not

May 1, Wed - Mr. Fritcher was taken with dizziness in the night

May 2, Thur – Bought Sarah a pound taffie at 14¢, she agreed not to chew gum anymore

May 9, Thur – Helped Charlie with his hops. Sarah went pm & helped May put down & make parlor carpets

May 11, Sun – Thermometer has gone down 50 degrees (90 to 38) – put on all winter clothes again. Had a

nice & refreshing bath

May 13, Mon – I cut potatoes & helped Charlie plant – he has planted nearly 28 bushels. Took a chattel mortgage of JH Mathews of
$500 to secure a note of this amount given by JHM & endorsed by Fred H. Mathews

May 21, Tues – Quite a freeze last night – much damage

May 26, Sun – Huntington Beard died about 9 o’clock this morning of Bright’s disease & other complaints,

had been sick a long while

June 2, Sun – Began to take medicine for rheumatics

June 3, Mon – Mary was here in evening and wanted to have the saloon throwed up

June 4, Tues – Sarah set out snow-on-mountain in front posey bed

June 6, Thur – Sarah & her father went to Marys to get flowers

June 19, Wed – Took Sarah to Marys pm – Jim was putting down a board sidewalk

June 21, Fri – Mr. Fritcher oiled & tinkered his clock. I read aloud to Sarah the history of ancient Syracuse

in Rollins Ancient History. My rheumatics are very bad tonight

June 28, Fri – I got up at 4.30 & cultivated the corn field both ways & the garden one way

June 29, Sat – I & Mr. Fritcher went raspberrying in Smith Gully, we got 7 qts – Sarah went to Charlies & I

went to Marys, she sent for me & is sick on couch

July 3, Wed – I picked 4 qts blackcaps in the Gulch

July 4, Thur – Mr. Fritcher & I went berrying 2 hours & got 5 qts. Mary & Jim went to Charles, they say he is better today

July 8, Mon – Went to Chittenango & got both my ears cleaned out, pd $1

July 9, Tues – I signed with Mr. Ray for my picture to be put in Dwight Bruce’s book of Onondaga County –

am to pay $25 and have 20 pictures of self. Edith came at night, brought my picture, I gave her a check for $500

Photo of a portrait of Marquis Lafayette Peck which hung in the home of his daughter, Mary Peck Mathews.

July 10, Wed – Edith canned pm with Mrs. Groosebeck & put up some red berries – Mary was down full of troubles as usual

July 11, Thur – Had a talk with JH Mathews about Mary’s affairs

July 14, Sun – Charles Peck my brother died at 4.30 o’clock this am, he had been sick 13-1/2 months – had a shock of apoplexy May
31, 1894, never fully got over it

July 18,Thur - Jim & Mary & family went to Green Lake. Signed JH Mathews bail bonds with Horace Wheeler for $10,000

July 21, Sun – Have felt quite dizzy since dinner

July 25, Thur – Have roaring & itching in my ears

July 26, Fri – A skunk is on the premises tonight

July 30, Tues – Bought 1 loaf bread 7¢

Aug 7, Wed – Charlie had a turn of drinking again today. Night blooming ceres was out

Aug 9, Fri – I helped get in Charlie’s oats, William Lynch helped. Charlie was bad off, he wanted to be taken to the gold cure at city
– I milked the cows

Aug 13, Tues – took Edith to her new home & we went through it – think it elegant

Aug 16, Fri – Charlie is engaging hop pickers

Aug 19, Mon – I, Mary & Ray came on cars to city & took the club train for Thousand Island park to join Sarah

Aug 21, Wed – All went to Mary’s to supper & made a call on Charlie at night

Aug 30, Fri – Jim took 7 of us to the State fair – it was a big thing truly – I got very weary

Sept 6, Fri – Henry Knowles was here with JHM & had a glass of wine with us

Sept 21, Sat – Learned that Willis Gridley & Reba Duke will be married Oct 21

Sept 30, Mon – Bought 1 pint oysters & cooked them nicely – the first I ever cooked. Frank & Edith moved into their new house
today

Oct 1, Tues – Charlie wanted to borrow $150 but didn’t let him have it

Oct 3, Thur – I went to Bridgeport & helped pick 15 bushels sweet apples

Oct 5, Sat – We went up to Ediths & looked over her new house & had a ride in Frank’s new carriage

Oct 11, Fri – Let Jane Sayles have 2 of her old letters, 1 from my stepmother & 1 from Trypheni & Olive Briggs, 51 years old

Oct 13, Sun – Gave Edith a check on Salt Springs bank of $500

Oct 16, Wed – Mrs. Johnson paid Sarah $5.00 for our going to city yesterday with her. Sarah helped her get electric? seal cloak & dry
goods

Oct 17, Thur – Mary was down afoot complaining to her mother of Jim’s treatment etc

Oct 20, Sun – Sarah took a feather bed to make pillows for Edith’s beds, she will stay there till Thursday

Oct 24, Thur – Mary & Ethel were down & washed my dishes

Oct 28, Tues – Mr. Fritcher had a dizzy spell & I felt some too, we took some Jamica ginger & red pepper hot & felt some better

Nov 4, Mon – I took Sarah at 8 o’clock & went to city, bought Sarah 10 lbs birdseed & a lot bulbs at Ebelings

Nov 5, Tues – JHM was here & had a talk with Sarah – Mr. Fritcher took Sarah to Marys, she gave Mary $15 that Jim had given her

Nov 7, Thur – Sarah bought a chrysanthemum

Nov 16, Sat – I bought a box of pink pills for rheumatism

Nov 24, Sun – Mary & Ray & Ethel were down after a can of cider for mince pie meat

Nov 28, Thur – There were 23 took dinner at Charlies – had a fine dinner with 2 turkeys

Dec 2, Mon – We got a telegram from Grace Groves that Orpha Robinson was dead

Dec 3, Tues – I burned my last will at night. Mary over & wanted $10 to pay G. Tibbits on bill

Dec 5, Thur – Sarah bought herself, Mary & Charlie each a eiderdown bedquilt $35 for the three

Dec 6, Fri – Jim was here to get Sarah to sign a permit to dig a gas well on her farm at Bridgeport

Dec 12, Thur – Sarah fell & injured her knee while at Edith’s last week – Got Mary at 10 o’clock & she worked cleaning & baking all
day

Dec 14, Sat – Declined to sign C. Fisher’s permit to bore for oil on Sarahs farm in Bridgeport

Dec 24, Tues – JHM sent a basket grapes & brought ice cream material & invited us there tomorrow – Sarah

made ice cream for Mary for Christmas

Dec 25, Wed – The 3 of us went to Mary’s to dinner – a good one – Charlie & May were there, Frank & Edith

came unexpectedly but would not stay to dinner. I have Sarah $10, Ray & Ethel each $1. The King Cider Mill caught fire last night but JHM raised the neighbors & put it out

Dec 27, Fri – Promised Edith to let Frank have $1000 at 4% for 1 year from Jany 1 – Gave Edith $100

Memoranda in back of 1895 dairy:

Mill noon whistle signals for weather forecasts before government stopped them

1 long blast – fair weather

2 long blasts – rain or snow

3 long blasts – local rain

1 short blast – lower temperature

2 short blasts – warmer

3 short blasts – cold wave

Charles Peck died July 14 at his residence on farm at 4.30 o’clock – he was 68 years old Arp 9, 1895. He was prostrated June 1, 1894 by a stroke of apoplexy while eating supper – he was unable to talk for a long time but finally regained his speech but was never able to walk only with help. Dr. C. E. Billington was his physician – Mr. Appeline gave him massage treatment, he had several nurses, Benjamin Phillips of Fayetteville was the last one

Nov 30, 1895 Orpha Carpenter Robinson died at 11 pm at George A. Groves house – was buried in West Monroe Cemetery beside her parents

_________________________________________________________________________________

1896 MLP Diary

Memoranda at beginning of diary: This diary cost 69¢ - always used to be 60¢

James Peck, my father, was born May 8, 1786 in the town of Canterbury, Conn – he died Feb 24, 1842, was married to Sally Knowles, my mother, Feb 8, 1814; and to Mrs. Elizabeth Delany Apr 17, 1836. He came from Pitsfield to Sullivan, Madison county, New York, in 1812.

Jan 5, Sun – I took Sarah pm & went to Marys – she has been poorly & sent for me

Jan 6, Mon – 28-30 below last night – the coldest weather ever known here

Jan 7, Tues – Utah has become a state by presidents proclamation

Jan 24, Fri – Big Masonic Ball at Beard Hall tonight

Jan 29, Wed – Mary went to Oneida to see Ella Rivenburg who is very sick. Ethel stays here & Ray at Charlies

Jan 30, Thur – JH Mathews was here to dinner – also Ethel, Sarah went with Jim to Charlies pm

Feb 10, Mon – I received a letter saying Edith was abed but had good care & wishing Sarah & me to come out

Feb 13, Thur – I & Sarah went to city & took dinner at Ediths, found her quite comfortable but weak

Feb 14, Fri – I wrote a sketch of my life and ancestry to correct one previously made by the Historical Society

of Boston for Dwight Bruces book “Onondaga Centennial” - I went to Marys & got measurements of her large photograph of myself

Feb 24, Mon – I took Sarah to Ediths at 10 – she is quite poorly with nervous prostration, found that Willis &

Reba were going to leave & go into a flat on W. Gennessee. I got Sarahs photograph at Varney’s for Charlie & Mary – Jim took both pictures to their owner – I left Sarah with Edith

Feb 25, Tues – I did the cooking – had oysters for dinner

Feb 26, Wed – Went to Marys am to see Sarah’s new picture – think it very good but it looks quite young

Feb 27, Thur – Received card from Sarah that Edith is worse – May came up & watered plants & cared for

birds

Feb 28, Fri – Received letter from Frank that they were to take Edith to Clifton Springs Sanatarium & ad

called Dr. Vanderwarker & wishing me to come out pm. I went in cutter pm & found them all busy getting Edith ready for Cliftons – we could make no noise or hardly whisper – Edith had massage treatment in evening.

Feb 29, Sat – Mr. & Mrs. Gridley, Frank & Edith started at 7 o’clock for Clifton Springs. Edith was put in

drawing room of palace car, she ate quite a breakfast & felt pretty smart. I gave her my pocketknife and bought me a new one 60¢

Mar 1, Sun – I staid to dinner at Ediths – Mr. Gridley was there and said Edith stood her journey to Clifton

Springs very well

Mar 7, Sat – Sarah went on bus to city – let her have a check of $60 to buy a carpet from Edith & Frank

Mar 9, Mon – Read in my 1845 diary – it brought back many scenes of long long ago!

Mar 12, Thur – Mr. Fritcher received a letter from his uncle David 90 years old

Mar 16, Mon – Mr. Gridley got back from Clifton Springs – Edith & Mrs. Gridley are much better

Mar 23, Mon – Frank came back from Clifton Springs – said Edith had gained 15 pounds & would be back

Mon 30^th

Mar 30, Mon – Robins are singing for first time this spring

Apr 8, Wed – Went to Marys – Jim was wrote her a letter saying he should never live with her again. Sarah

went there pm.

Apr 10, Fri – I went & saw Beach & Josie Beard, also Fred Mathews about renting room in block but did

nothing

Apr 11, Sat – Am 71 years old today

Apr 16, Thur – Sarah went & staid to Marys while Mary went to city – it is Will Mathews 21^st birthday –

helped Sarah get oleanders from cellar

Apr 18, Sat – Had a talk on family and business matters with Fred Mathews – offered him $875 for his ¼ of

block if he would allow $530 on chattel mortgage & note I hold against Jim & Fred Mathews

Apr 21, Tues – JH Mathews was here to dinner & we talked over his & Mary’s affairs – took Sarah to Marys

pm

Apr 22, Wed – I refilled JH Mathews mortgage of $600 claimed just $600 tho there is some interest back

Apr 25, Sat – Bought ¼ of Mathews Block of Fred Mathews with accumulated interest for $881, let JHM

have his $200 & $400 note – Gave Fred check of $875 & $6 cash, he & wife gave me a warranted deed of ¼ of Mathews Block

Apr 27, Mon – Went to Mary’s & she got excited about cutters in barn, Sarah went with me

Apr 29, Wed – I & Sarah went to city – left 3 deeds on Mathews block at clerk’s office for recording. Sent

Jim $10 for Mary, paid Josie Beard 18¢ & Mary $1

May 4, Mon – Ethel Mathews birthday, 11 years old. Warm – all nature looks beautiful

May 8, Fri – I took from lot & set by piazza 10 fern plants

May 11, Mon – Took Sarah to Marys – she wants roof of house fixed

May 17, Sun – Jim ate supper to Charlies

May 18, Mon – Hellebore in gooseberries & peonies – insects were on them & wasps

May 19, Tues – Received by Onondaga Centennial book with picture & family sketch by Dwight Bruce – paid

$40 for it. Sarah went to Marys pm. Let Charlie have my gold watch

May 25, Mon – Mary went to Oneida to attend funeral of Ellen Rivenburgh at 2 o’clock – Ray & Ethel ate

dinner here

May 28, Thur – Bought 1 gallon maple syrup 90¢

May 29, Fri – Mr. Fritcher helped Charlie most all day

June 1, Mon – Left my new watch to have a monogram MLP engraved on back – a gift from Sarah cost $70

June 3, Wed – I lost my pocketbook on way home but found it – paid 25¢ for finding it – I had about $45 in it

June 6, Sat – Mr. Fritcher hoed potatoes in garden – he cut up all the flowering parsley by mistake. . Received a letter from Mary
wishing me to see Jim

June 17, Wed – Frank went to Chicago to see about his bicycle business

June 20, Sat – Went to Marys & painted her side steps – told her to get some boards & repair sidewalk by House

July 10, Fri – I agreed with Frank to buy 2 bicycles for Ray & Ethel for $115 to be done Tues night

July 11, Sat – Let Mary have 2 to go to city – she brought home 2 bicycles from F.W. Gridley’s factory for Ray & Ethel $115

Aug – Sarah had another spell of severe pain last night in her side but feels better today & put on mustard plaster at night

Aug 27, Thur – Mrs. Hutchins gave Sarah a massage treatment which did her much good

Sept 21, Mon – I went & had a long talk with JH Mathews – he promised to pay H. Wheeler $8 for milk & take it from Ehelings bill
of $15.92 – I agreed to lend him 25 till December to buy Ethels’, Ray’s clothes

Sept 23, Wed – I took Mary & Ethel to railroad – they went to city – we got Ethels things for next winter

Nov 5, Thur – Sarah is feeling badly tonight – she soaked her feet

Nov 10, Tues – I went to Whitesboro – took Charlie to the Gold Cure run by Dr. Rose, Supt. Mr. Bacon – he is to stay 3 weeks – left $18
for board & $12 for Charlies spending money to get barbered etc, am to pay $100 with 10% off for cash

Nov 14, Sat – Mary & Ethel went with Jim’s carriage to John Pecks – I let her take my Goat robe – May received a letter from Charlie
that he was getting along quite well & had lost the desire for liquor

Nov 25, Wed – Mary has concluded to have a supper for Thanksgiving – bought some grapes & cranberries

Nov 26, Thur – I took May & all went to Mary’s to dinner – a good one

Nov 29, Sun – Sarah got a letter from Edith that Dr. Vanderwarker was some better – had doctors & nurses

Nov 30, Mon – Steinway the great piano maker died today age 50 years in New York city

Dec 3, Thur – Got a telegram that Edith had a little girl born today & that she & child were doing nicely

Dec 4 , Fri – Sarah & I went in new carriage to Ediths, found her doing as well as could be expected – the baby has been named Helen
Frances & looks healthy & smart

Helen Frances Gridley - daughter of Frank and Edith (Peck) Gridley

Dec 6 , Sun – Sarah alone went to church – she paid church dues. Rev. Dr. Smith preached on the state of the country & its dangers
on account of the vicious foreign population. I am not feeling very well

Dec 15, Tues – Sarah sent Edith a knit cover for baby’s crib

Dec 18, Fri – The Beard Hotel was completely gutted by fire at night a 3 o’clock – let JH Mathews have 500 pounds buckwheat $3.38
– Let Sarah have $10 in gold, she owes me 63¢ and 96¢ for 64 flour sacks

Dec 21, Mon – Got some medicine by mail from Dr. Quimby for stomach & kidneys

Dec 22, Tues – Mary was down & I let her have $25 to get a cloak

Dec 23, Wed – A bad spell in night – was threatened with chills – took some camphor & peppermint

Dec 24, Thur – Gave Edith a $10 gold piece – Sarah got me a bathrobe – Edith gave me a necktie – at lunch at Ediths

Dec 25, Fri – Will Mathews gave me a box of envelopes – I gave Charlie a black cutter robe & a nearly new cutter that I got from Jim

Dec 31, Thur – I wrote my will for third time today

_________________________________________________________________________

1897 MLP Diary

Jan 1, Fri – We had a turkey – May & Charley’s folks came to dinner – Mr. Fritcher went for Mary

Jan 2, Sat – Told Frank he could have the $1000 another year at 4%

Jan 5, Tues – paid Post Office box rent 13¢

Jan 6, Wed – Had a talk with George Ebeling on JHM’s affairs

Jan 9, Sat – I went to Marys – paid her $1 rent money & had a talk with her on business – JH Mathews paid $3.38 for 500 pounds
buckwheat

Jan 11, Mon – John Peck was here pm to ask about the business of the estate

Feb 5, Fri – Let Mary have $50 & took her note for $300 at 4% due in 1 year from Feb. 1 – I took Mary & Ethel riding

Feb 12, Fri – Mr. Fritcher received a letter from his uncle David Fritcher

Feb 18, Thur – Mr. Fritcher has been on lounge all day – Read in 1860 diaries in evening

Feb 19, Fri – Sarah lent Mary her mink cloak to go to Baldwinsville

Mar 20, Sat – Received news by telephone that John F. Peck was dead – they sent for Henry Knapp by telephone – went to cemetery
& told Cary Hulburt how to divide my lot & Johns

Mar 28, Sun – Will Mathews was here to dinner & I took him & Ethel down to Central Railroad, she is

going to stay with Will 3 or 4 days

Apr 1, Thur – A fine sunny day, birds singing merrily

Apr 5, Mon – Mr. Fritcher & I whippet the Rose Velvet carpet

Apr 11, Sun – Am 72 years old today

May 1, Sat – Got some cowslips

May 17, Mon – I got Meil Nevins to help Sarah in posey bed

May 22, Sat – I burned worm nests in apple trees

May 30, Sun – Mr. Fritcher got up sick – he had a bad night, ate too many greasy fritters for supper

June 3, Thur – Let Mary have $5 to get teeth repaired at city

June 5, Sat – have rheumatics all thru my system

June 6, Sun – My back is worse, I can hardly stand up – use 2 canes to walk. Sarah bathed me with chloroform linament – I took
some pink pills

June 11, Fri – A fine June day – yellow roses are out in full bloom

June 19, Sat – Received a release of responsibility for Will Mathews bail bond of $15,000 at Salt Springs Bank

June 23, Wed – Edith came with baby & nurse in carriage

July 2, Fri – Got Mary a pint of brandy 50¢

July 22, Thur – Much excitement about the gold findings in Alaska on Yukon River

Aug 7, Sat – Night blooming ceres are out

Aug 9, Mon – Saw H. Miller – he said the trial of Aunt Lucy’s estate will come off at Ovid 13^th of

September Aug 13, Fri – Sarah had 3 teeth out – she took liquor & felt badly when she got home

Sept 13, Mon – I went to Ovid in Seneca Co. to the trail of Aunt Lucy’s will case – I was the first witness sworn & was on the stand
about an hour

Sept 14, Tues – Staid to the trial – it was ended at about 4 o’clock after which the parties compromised & settled – each party, the
village, the church, & John Schruyner each to have one third after all debts were paid

Nov 9, Tues – Went to Mary’s twice & took her a bushel Northern Spy apples & sack flour – Sarah received a letter from Edith who is
not well – Went to see Jim but he was not at home

Nov 25, Thur – I went to Marys, ate turkey & brought Mr. Fritcher a dinner. Sarah came on 3 o’clock train from Ediths

Dec 8, Wed – Paid Mary $10 that JHM gave me for Ethel

Dec 17, Fri – Received a letter from John Mathews wishing me to wait till the 28^th for the pay on the JH Mathews note of $25

Dec 23, Thur – Took Sarah to Mary’s to fix dolls

Dec 25, Sat – I, Sarah & Mary went to Ediths on cars – Charlie took Mr. Fritcher, Ray & May, we had a fine turkey dinner

Dec 28, Thur – Sent John Mathews & Prindle each their receipts for interest on mortgage on the JH Mathews _?_

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1898 MLP Diary

Jan 28, Thur – Frank sent telephone message that they had a little daughter born & that all were doing well as could be expected –
Mabel Elizabeth was born at their home in Syracuse

Jan 29, Sat – Let Mary have $16.50 on $50 that I am to give her quarterly – Received a telegram from Frank that Edith’s baby was
very ill but she was dead – Sarah & I started as soon as possible & went & found Eda quite weak & nervous & Mabel
Elizabeth the little girl had died at about 6 o’clock. Gave Edith a check of $100 on Salt Springs Bank

Feb 7 – Engaged Anne Nely to give Ethel music lessons $1 per hour
Apr 16, Sat – Will Mathews came in a new wheel & staid to supper

Apr 29, Fri – Isaac Cook is dead – about 80 years old I believe – my sister Mary’s husband

May 7 – Ethel Mathews joined the Baptist Church

May 21, Sat – Sarah & I went to city & signed a satisfaction of a judgement for H. Miller in Aunt Lucy’s business

June 2, Thur – Mr. Fritcher & I mowed the yard with lawn mover entirely over

June 5, Sun – The yellow roses are in bloom

June 23, Thur – Jim & Will were here in evening – Will has enlisted & had on his uniform, war with Spain over Cuba

Aug 3, Wed – I & Mr. Fritcher cleaned out & swept the barn all through

Aug 28, Sat – Will Mathews was here to supper on wheel

Sept 6, Tues – Took Mary some vinegar & had a talk with her about Ray

Sept 9, Fri – called on Frank (Gridley) – he don’t want Ray in cycle factory he says

Sept 12, Mon – Ray went to work in canning factory

Sept 14, Wed – Jim let me have $3 to give Mary – I took her potatoes & told J. Tillotson to let her have $10 at his store

Sept 15, Thur – Will Mathews has resigned his place in Salt Springs Bank & took dinner here – had a long talk on family matters

Sept 19, Mon – Jim Mathews paid $5 to me for Ethel

Oct 10, Mon – Had letter from Dr. H___ asking for $3 for a bottle of medicine – wrote that I had not used it

Oct 12, Wed – Mary was here to dinner, also Ethel – we had quite a talk on family matters

Oct 24, Mon – Hired Jim Mathews to put in drain for Costello’s saloon

Oct 26, Wed – Frank (Gridley) wrote for Ray to come out as he had secured him a place at Hollorins – I took Ray to city & got him a
Derby hat $1.75 and suit clothes $12.00

Nov 2, Wed – Paid J.H. Mathews $5 for putting in a 2” drain 30’ long in saloon

Dec 13, Wed – Gave Mary Mathews a check for $50 to get cloak ( this month MLP sent for a free sample of “Alkava” for kidneys &
bladder trouble, now he is to be agent to sell it)

Dec 15, Thurs – Sarah got Mary a sable cloak at Edwards $80

1899 MLP Diary

Jan 13, Fri – Will Mathews was in village to sell the livery building – he thinks of letting P.H.Smith have it for $600

Jan 14, Sat – Will Mathews was here to supper and we had a long talk on the Mathews family business

Feb 1, Wed – Had quite a talk with Josie Beard (JHM’s sister who married Beach Huntington Beard)) on Mathews family matters –
Will is about selling the livery station for $650

Feb 12, Sun – Mr. Fritcher had a bad time with his bowels

Feb 23, Thurs – I went for Sarah, she has been 3 days to city visiting – Fred Mathews sold the livery stock and all Jim’s fixtures

Mar 3, Fri – Had a talk with Fred Mathews on business, he said Will was working for him in Chittenango

Mar 24, Fri – Edith came before dinner, she brought a package of old dresses for Ethel

Mar 27, Mon – Mr. Fritcher had a fall in kitchen and cut his head in two quite deep gashes

Mar 31, Fri – Heard Fred Mathews had shut up his meat market in Chittenango and offered it for rent

Apr 11, Tues – Harriet Peck and Jane Sayles brought me some fine roses for birthday souvenirs, they are fine and fragrant

Apr 20, Thurs – There is a peculiar sound yet in my ears tho I am not “very” deaf

Apr 21, Fri – Frank said he would hire Ray for elevator boy when they got in new bank

May 9, Tues – I went to Marys, she was full of wants, I promised her $100 before long

May 16, Tues – Felt quite dizzy while downtown

June 2, Fri – A perfect day, yellow roses are in full bloom

July 2, Sat – Mr. Fritcher and I hoed and thinned the corn

Aug 29, Tues – Heard Fred Mathews had quit business in Chittenango and was going to West Virginia

Oct 17, Tues – Had a talk with JH Mathews, he said he has no money

Oct 21, Sat – Saw Will Mathews & Doc Quimby, Dr. was maudlin drunk I think

Nov 7, Tues – Mary came in evening and wanted more money, we had quite a scene, I gave her a check for $40

1900 Census: Onondaga Co. NY, Manlius:

Marquis Peck b.Apr 1825, age 75, mar.49yrs, NY CT NY

Sarah wife b.Dec 1831, age 68, 4 children/3 living, NY NY NY

Michael Fritcher father-in-law b.ca 1812, age 90, widower, NY NY NY

................MLP's daughter, Mary Peck Mathews

1900 Onondaga Co. NY, Manlius:

Mary P. Mathews

Raymond son b.Jun 1882, age 18, NY NY NY, at school

Ethel dau b.May 1885 age 15, NY NY NY, at school

1900 MLP Diary

Apr 17, Wed – Received a letter from Will Mathews at Buffalo, says he is in the secret service and gets $18 per week, will go to
pacific slope and southern states he says

June 21, Tues – Ray Mathews graduates today

June 25, Mon – I am to let Ray go to school with Prof. Chase on Long Island 35 miles from New York in September

July 20, Fri – JH Mathews was here in evening to tell about drain in saloon

July 31, Tues – Sarah Lenora Peck came on trolley, JHM brought up her baggage, Mary was down and staid all day

Nov 20 – The cat had a big fight last night and is very quiet today

Dec 5, Wed – Mary thought to come today but the big storm hindered

Dec 6, Thurs – Charlie moved Mary’s things down on a sleigh, Mary regulated and cleaned her room with Sarah’s help (Mary came
to stay through the winter)– Sarah is 69 years old today

Dec 10, Mon – Mary sent letter to Ray, and Ethel to her father

Dec 11, Tues – Mary joined the Eastern Star Society in evening

Dec 25, Tues - Edith had Christmas tree and dinner for all family.

1901 MLP Diary

Apr 11, Thurs - Edith came on trolley - I settled with her for Golden wedding expenses, $53.30. Am 76 years old today.

Apr 15, Mon - Took Mary to her home pm, had some ernest talk with her

Apr 16, Tues - The maple sweet man was here, I bought 3 cans syrup $2.70 and 5 lbs. sugar at .50 each, got 1 quart malt whiskey
$1.20

Apr 17, Wed - Went to Edith's and heard her talking machine, it was very amusing

Apr 24, Wed - Sarah got her pansy seeds she sent for. Grace Mathews is moving with her goods to West Virginia

May 2, Thurs - Charlie took Mary and things home in the morning, she and family have been here since Dec 5

May 12, Sun - Mr. Sheldon came afternoon and brought Ethel's gold chain in 4 pieces. I went to Mary's with him and had quite an
exciting time - found Mary sick abed.

June 12, Wed - Sarah had Mrs. Gilbert to clean house and help can pineapple, the pineapple proved a disappointment to Sarah. Paid
$1.25 for 1 dozen pineapples.

June 17, Mon - One of the most perfect days I ever saw, roses and other flowers are in perfection

July 6, Sat - Terrible thunder storms last night. Sarah got badly frightened by rain and thunder but it didn't do us much damage

July 14, Sun - Will Mathews and Ethel were down in afternoon and Ray came home from Huntington where he has been attending
Prof. Chase's School. Saloon drain still giving trouble, saw Jo Beard about getting it fixed.

July 23, Thurs - I and Mr. Fritcher cocked the hay with Charlie's mans help

July 29, Mon - Had a long talk with Mary on business

Sept 6, Fri - My ears are buzzing very much. President McKinley was shot at the Pan American fair at Buffalo, great excitement all
over the world. A Polish anarchist did the awful deed

Sept 14, Sat - Great sorrow is expressed all over the country on President McKinlys death

Sept 18, Wed - Got Coon & Potter to cash JH Mathews check on a West Virginia bank for $100.00, I endorsed the check. Ray left
$30.00 with me to send him when wanted

Sept 22, Sun - I cocked up the alfalfa, Mr.Fritcher helped a little

Sept 23, Mon - The autopsy proved that the bullets were not poisoned that killed McKinley but that he died from gangrene

Sept 24, Tues - McKinley's assasin was sentenced to be electrocuted and will be taken to Auburn, his trial was only 8 hours

Sept 28, Sat - I went to Mary's this morning, had quite a talk with her, let her have $10.00. Sarah was quite poorly with a pain in her
stomach. Sent Ray a postal order for $30.00

Oct 14, Mon - I went to Marys and let her have a check on America Exchange bank, took an agreement from her that it should come

out of her share of my estate when divided

Dec 7, Sat - Charlie had a machine to husk and shred his corn - think it wonderfully ingenious machine. Mr. Fritcher had a bad
night, was out of his mind some in the night, we were up with him most all night

1902 MLP Diary

Jan 1, Wed - Mary, Ray and Ethel were here to a turkey dinner and all other fixings. Mr. Fritcher has had a poor day, seems to
realize but little

Jan 5, Sun - Saw account of F.W. Gridley's attempt to go into bankruptcy in Utica courts

Jan 18, Sat - Took Sarah riding at night. Went to Mary's afternoon, she made known her many wants

Jan 19, Sun - I haven't felt very well today, stomach and bowels not right

Jan 30, Thurs - I went to Josephine (Mathews) Beard's to see about our selling the back block but she couldn't set a price on it today.
Had a talk with Helen (Mathews) Rice.

Feb 10, Mon - Sarah had a serious time with her father

Feb 15, Sat - Mr. Fritcher slept nearly all day and is very stupid and weak, Sarah gave him some sedative medicine

Feb 20, Thurs - Mr. Fritcher's legs began to turn black spots, this is his 93rd birthday

Mar 9, Sunday - this is Charlie's 40th birthday. The grammaphone much enjoyed evenings and is played for friends when they call,
always to their enjoyment.

Mar 15, Sat - Heard Mary had a letter from Will Mathews, he will leave the Iraquois at Buffalo on account of his health in a week or
more, says he will go to Thousand Islands for a couple of months

Mar 28, Fri - Oliver Gridley sent work that Edith and Helen had the small pox in a mild form

Apr 12, Sat - Sarah received a letter from Edith that she was out of the pest house and would probably be home next week

May 5, Mon - Frank Gridley had first bankruptcy trial in city

June 16, Mon - Had a postal card from Bunday that May had got through with an operation by Dr. Vanderwerk, he removed a tumor
of 35 lbs. weight

June 20, Fri - A young man Mr. More called and enquired for Edith Gridley, he said Frank or Edith owed the Farmer's Exchange about $100.00.

June 21, Sat - Henry Knowles shot himself at his farm yesterday

July 13, Sun - I took Mary riding at 4 o'clock, she wanted more money as usual

July 16, Wed - Mr. Fritcher has been quite restless and talkative nearly all day

July 20, Sun - Mr. Fritcher appears better in body but his mind goes back to various times

Aug 9, Sat - Today King Edward and Queen Alexandria were crowned in England in a very quiet manner

Late Aug - (MLP and Sarah went on harvest excursion to Niagara Falls and enjoyed it all - he got so sick on way home that they
stayed over in Syracuse)

Sept 14, Sun - Ray Mathews was down to bid us goodby, he will go to Andover tomorrow

Sept 26, Fri - Mr. Fritcher is quite helpless and imbecile

Sept 30, Tues - Helen began to go to school today

Nov 14, Fri - Sarah found Mary's pocketbook which she lost in 1891 in yard, the cards and $5.00 bank bill were all mouldy and rotten,
took it to Mary

Nov 25, Tues - Mr. Fritcher had a spell of crying most bitterly and wouldn't have his teeth in but Sarah gave him some whiskey and
he got over it towards night

Dec 6, Fri - Received notice from Frank W. Gridley's lawyer in Deming that Frank's trial in bankruptcy would be in Utica Dec 16th at
10 o'clock

Dec 8, Mon - Read in Success a piece on Africa by H. Stanly the great traveler and explorer

Dec 15, Mon - Went to Mary's at 4 o'clock, she wanted many things

Dec 21, Sun - Sarah wrote to her aunt Lucy Collins

Dec 24, Wed - Went to city and got $65.00 in gold pieces to give to family

1903 MLP Diary

Jan 3, Sat - Mr. Fritcher had a poor spell, sent for Charles Peck and he had Dr. Badgley come up but doctor thought it was old age
and unstable vitality that ailed Mr. Fritcher and left no medicine, told Sarah to give him a little whiskey and nutriment if he could bear it

Jan 6, Tues - Sarah lay abed all morning, Mrs. Gilbert helped care for Mr. Fritcher, he is very helpless and has to be fed

Jan 8, Thurs - Brought Mary down to see Mr. Fritcher, we thought he wouldn't live but a few hours

Jan 10, Sat - Mr. Fritcher died at about 1:30 o'clock this morning

Jan 12, Mon - Today was the funeral of Mr. Fritcher, we took him to the vault at 1 o'clock. Quite a number of Sarah's relatives were
here and we gave them lunch and dinner. The bearers were Will Mathews, Charles M. Peck, F.W. Gridley, and Dr. Earl
Heaton. Got back from grave about 3 o'clock. Mr. Williams preached a short discourse, no singing, all had a good visit
after funeral (Mr. Fritcher to be buried in the spring - the funeral cost $104.00)

Jan 17, Sat - Gave Mrs. Gilbert a present of $5.00 that I let her have for her services and kindness during the sickness of Sarah's father

Jan 19, Mon - Went to Mary's in morning and saw her about Ray, took her a letter to Ray from (his father) James Mathews.

Jan 24, Sat - The old livery stable burned down at 1:30 last night and made a big light all over the flats.

Jan 31, Sat - Went downtown in morning and took back a $2.00 pair pants of Mr. Fritcher, Nichols gave me $2.00 for them.

Feb 2, Mon - Went to see Josie Beard but did not find her at home

Mar 5, Thurs -I and Sarah went to Mary's and took dinner and supper and staid with Mary all night for the first time. She has a
boarder, Mr. Smith, of Syracuse who sells medicines and perfumes. Sarah bought a lot

Mar 13, Fri - Robins and bluebirds are singing

Mar 22, Sun - The fire went out last night and I had quite a serious time kindling it. Charlie and May were up and he helped me, I got
quite exhausted

Mar 30, Mon - Visited Edith and quite dizzy when I started home but got over it before I got home

Apr 11, Sat - My 78th birthday

Apr 19, Sun - Will Mathews came towards night and staid several hours, says he is totally blind in one eye

May 1, Fri - Mr. Knapp took Mr. Fritcher's body from the Fayetteville vault and put it in the Bridgeport grave

June 12, Fri - I went for Dr. Badgley at noon for Sarah, she has been quite sick all day

June 13, Sat - I went in morning for Dr. Badgley and he came soon and left Sarah a lot of medicine

June 16, Tues - Sarah does not get over her cough yet

June 22, Mon - Will Mathews came after dinner and staid 2 hours, Will thinks of going to California or into a hotel in city

June 25, Sat - I had a poor spell, pain in breast, Sarah gave me a cup of boiling hot water and I sent for a bottle of perune and felt
better

Aug 30, Sun - The cat fails to make an appearance today on account of Sport (Charlie's dog)

Sept 3, Thurs - Took Sarah to Mary at 5 o'clock, she and Mary had a long talk about our going there to stay in winter and Ethel going
to University next Tuesday

Sept 20, Sun - Had the nose bleed

Sept 23, Wed - Dr. Badgeley called at noon and left some medicine for water and kidneys, doctor took a sample of my urine to look at,
Charlie took it to him. Took medicine to quiet my nerves to sleep

Sept 25, Fri - Dr. found no trace of uric acid in my urine

Oct 4, Sun - Have felt quite uneasy, had talks with Charlie and Sarah, feel quite weak

Oct 5, Mon - Sarah cut my whiskers

Oct 6, Tues - Mr. William Stearns was in morning and tried to have a talk but I was too worried to visit - I kept as quiet as possible

Oct 13, Tues - The children had Dr. Lock of city here to see me with Dr. Badgley and they had a private consultation in the other
room, Austin was here to fix some law papers in evening

Oct 14, Wed - Charlie got medicine for me of Dr. Lock

Oct 17, Sat - Took new medicine regular today, felt quite _?_

Oct 22, Thurs - I slept fairly well with several doses medicine

Oct 23, Fri - Had quite a time with Sarah getting $3000 from Trust Co. which she had wrongfully drawn. Charles is to redeposit it
tomorrow

Oct 24, Sat - Charles went to city on business, Sarah went also to get her eyes doctored and staid quite a while. Have $3250 in Trust
Co. now

Oct 26, Mon - Charles went to city and saw Levi Chapman and the girls M & E about having charge of my property as agent

Oct 27, Tues - Gave Charles power of attorney to do all my business and the possession of all my property, Levi Chapman did the
writing

Nov 2, Mon - I keep very quiet

Nov 3, Tues - Charles helped at the polls all day

Marquis Lafeyette Peck died February 24, 1904...........

From a newspaper clipping in a scrapbook belonging to his grandson, Will Mathews:

Marquis L. Peck, one of our oldest and most respected citizens died at the family home Wednesday morning February 24, 1904. He was born in the town of Sullivan, Madison County, near North Manlius April 11, 1825. He was educated in common schools and after a short course at Cazenovia seminary, engaged in teaching and later followed farming until the year 1870 when he moved to Fayetteville where he has since resided. April 8, 1851 he married Sarah E. Fritcher of Bridgeport who survives him. He leaves three children, Mrs. Mary Mathews and Charles M. Peck of this village, and Mrs. Edith P. Gridley of Syracuse. Mr. Peck was a thoroughgoing and enterprizing business man, and recognized for his honesty and integrity of character and interested himself in the public welfare of the people among whom he lived as indicated in the trusts imposed upon him, assessor in Madison county 3 years, assessor in Onondaga county 3 years; director in Fayetteville Bank, 15 years in its prosperous days and for 10 years as vice president, was for three years on school board and held other positions of trust and responsibility. The funeral will be held at his late residence Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Sarah (Fritcher) Peck - from newspaper clipping at time of her marriage to Edward Baldwin

Peck-Baldwin Wedding (Newspaper clipping, probably 1914)
Mrs. Sarah Peck is oldest bride of the season.  Fayetteville woman 82 is the bride of Californian, 69.  Lovers for years, couple separated when children in Fayetteville; he went to Los Angeles, but has returned frequently on visits.

     Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth Peck aged 82 years is the oldest June bride in Syracuse this year.  Mrs. Peck’s marriage to Edward Irving Baldwin of Los Angeles, California was solemnized Saturday evening at 8 o’clock by the Rev. Dawley, pastor of the Cent. Baptist Church.
     Mr. & Mrs. Baldwin were married Saturday night at the home of the groom’s brother A. R. Baldwin.  It was a quiet wedding with only a few relatives present.  The groom is a resident of Los Angeles where he has a large post card studio.  Mrs. Baldwin has a daughter (Mary Peck Mathews) living in Los Angeles and another (Edith Peck Gridley) living in New York.  Her son Charles Peck is a resident of Syracuse.  Her husband (Marquis L. Peck) died many years ago as did Mr. Baldwin’s wife.
     The elderly couple were brought up together in Fayetteville where they were intimate friends.  After Mr. Baldwin moved to California and his bride of Saturday came to Syracuse, their paths separated and neither met again until after each had been married and bereaved.  In the years since then, Mr. Baldwin has made several trips to Syracuse and Fayetteville revisiting old friends.
     The wedding was quiet.  A few old friends were there and there were some flowers and music as the stately white haired bride and groom took their places before the minister.  After the wedding they went quietly to the brides’ home.  No mad scramble for a honeymoon trip for them.  They preferred to sit by the fire and talk over happy days which have been as well as to replan the rest of the sunny life that is to be when they journey to California to make their home.
     Both bride and groom are said to be well to do.  Her health remarkably preserved and her age is suspected by few.  She looks but little older than the groom though she is his senior by 13 years.
 Friends in Syracuse have heard the newly made bride and groom discussing with the interest of a very young honeymoon couple a rose-twined bungalow in California where they are to pass the remainder of their lives.  The wedding has been considered by friends in the same light as any wedding, even of young people.  No one had any objections.  The brides’ son attended the wedding.
     Both the bride and groom told their children of what they were going to do.  The groom has 5 children many of whom live in the west, and 2 grandchildren.  The bride also has grandchildren.
     The bride is rather short and plump.  Noted for the exquisite neatness of her dress and for her ambition.  She has lived alone for the last several years in her White St. home and has been frequently the hostess at charming dinner parties.  Her devotion to her children’s children has been marked.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

June 1915 newspaper clipping - Mrs. Sarah Peck Baldwin last week bought her newest motor car, a 1915 Reo, at the age of 84.  She has been an enthusiastic motorist for several years and is often seen driving around the crowded Los Angeles streets and wide highways.

Sarah Fritcher Peck Baldwin died April 1923..........................................