The Sun Shone

by Margaret "Maggie" Wolcott, 1879 Caton, New York

©2011 All rights reserved.

April, Tuesday 1, 1879
We had a lamb. Sun shone. I ironed. Ma went up to Aunt Delia’s. Birt went up to Oscar’s and got the dog machine. Real and Flora come down.


April, Wednesday 2, 1879
Snowed a little. Wind blew west. Ma commenced joining her chain. The hog had pigs. I was going to Ella’s but it is cold.




April, Thursday 3, 1879
Cloudy – 2 years ago today Ella and Birt and I went to Corning and got her tooth out. The men drawed wood.


April, Friday 4, 1879
Julian Babcock died today. 2 years ago today Aurelia and Albert was married. We are joining my 4 squares. Another lamb. Pa and Birt drawed wood. We had a custard.


April, Saturday 5, 1879
Snowed. I mopped. I was to Ella. Kit was up to Julia Bundy’s. Pa went to Corning. Stayed all night. Ella has a new stove.


April, Sunday 6, 1879
Christian cross symbol. Nice day. I stayed to Ella’s till 3 o’clock. Tid and Ella brought me home. Julian Babcock was buried. Betty is sick. Alida Christian died awhile ago.


April, Monday 7, 1879
Pleasant. We washed. Aurelia was sick. Betty is better. Edd Cole come down. Birt went to Corning. Pa went to Alan Linsy’s [Allen Linsey’s] vendue.


April, Tuesday 8, 1879
Nice day. Aunt Delia. Grampa come here and Delia. I begun to smoke cubes [chubs?]


April, Wednesday 9, 1879
Nice day. I went up to Flora’s and got the overall pattern. Ma worked on her Irish chain. The men sawed wood.


April, Thursday 10, 1879
Rained. Mrs. French come up in the Morning. Tid brought her. Mrs. Gorton come down. They quilted. Uncle Jacob come down and brought part of Aunt Delia’s dress. The men sawed wood.


April, Friday 11, 1879
Snowed. Good Friday. Ma and I quilted. We roaled 3 -----. Birt went to Charlie’s and Tom’s. One of the horses kicked him. Pa cut wood. Real worked on Birt’s overalls.


April, Saturday 12, 1879
Nice day. Birt went to the post to mail. We had twin lambs. I mopped. Ma washed the windows. I pulled a tooth Friday.


April, Sunday 13, 1879
Rained. Tid and Ella come up. Easter Sunday. My head ached.


April, Monday 14, 1879
Pleasant. Ma washed. I ironed. Aurelia boiled hemlock bark. Birt commenced plowing the first time in the afternoon. Pa cut wood. Pa went down to Tid’s after the plow and got some ---.


April, Tuesday 15, 1879
B---, Frank and Emil come down. We quilted. Real colored her wash.


April, Wednesday 16, 1879
Pleasant. I mopped. Kittie and Ella come up a-foot. Real come down to Ella’s and Tid come up after them. We quilted. There is a dance up to Mr. Williams’s tonight.


April, Thursday 17, 1879
Snowed. I quilted. Real quilted for the first time. Peddler come here Wednesday. Ma got a bacon and some stove polish. Mr. Mercy come up. Birt made a wash bench.


April, Friday 18, 1879
I blacked the stove. We quilted. Birt made two stools. Pa found a mother lamb.


April, Saturday 19, 1879
Pleasant. Ella come up with Papa. Went to Corning after the doctor. Birt went out and got out Hannah. Aurelia is sick. Did come up tonight. A burial tonight.


April, Sunday 20, 1879
Pleasant. We had company – Frank [sister Frances] and her family. Mattie Welles and Uncle Bill and his wife. Tid and Ella.


April, Monday 21, 1879
Pleasant. Ella and I washed. Birt plowed in the forenoon. Pa went to Corning in the afternoon. Delia come down.


April, Tuesday 22, 1879
Pleasant. Ella ironed. I begun to wash in the front yard. Elsie and her children come in the afternoon. Birt plowed today. Ella and I went to Mercy’s twice. Real is worse.


April, Wednesday 23, 1879
Cloudy. Rained. Commenced apron. Ripped up Aurelia green dress. Frank and Mollie. Wed come down in the evening. Sowed the peas today. Birt sowed out the first no the orchard.


April, Thursday 24, 1879
Cloudy and sun shone part of the day. Sowed the oats today. Finished my apron & mopped. I washed in the yard. Birt got a crab apple tree.


April, Friday 25, 1879
Pleasant. We made pies and Nancy [Wilkins] come and Uncle Henry [Wilkins, age 40]. They are going to start West Tuesday.


April, Saturday 26, 1879
Pleasant in the morning. Rained in the afternoon. It thundered. I wen t up to Flora’s and got a book. Dela Wheat was up to Flora’s. We went and gathered flowers. Tid come up. Ma got the first greens for Real. Birt plowed.


April, Sunday 27, 1879
Pleasant. Henry Seyter come up. Tid stayed all night. I finished reading Flora’s book. Ella is here now.


April, Monday 28, 1879
Rained. We washed. I made some mitts. All the folks went to sleep but Ma & Pa sorted potatoes. Birt plowed up by the swale [a low tract of land, especially one that is moist or marshy].


April, Tuesday 29, 1879
Pleasant. I went up to Frank’s after coal ashes. Fred Brown works there. The leach started to run. Ella commenced to make soap. Birt and Pa went to Corning. Birt took some potatoes. Got one dollar a bushel.


April, Wednesday 30, 1879
Pleasant. I got some greens. Ella finished the soap. We ironed. Birt plowed.