TIME MARCHES ON

The dairies and cash expenditure booklets came to us through my husband's family, and when our son visited the other day, he and I started sorting them. The astonished look on his face as he read the writer's name and the date, made me realize we'd found treasure!

I want to share these snippets of daily life, mostly in northern New England, and far from the 'easy life' we live today. Enjoy! Comments welcome.

Nancy

Spinning yarn

Nov. 30, 1887

I go to see G, have a minute to spin 2 skeins. Beautiful day, would like to go.
Lodema Kingsbury Bean Folsom (age 60)
*she remarried after Joseph Abner Bean died in the Civil War

Nov. 30, 1923 South Fairlee, VT

Began raining middle of night and poured all day. R. & H. got breakfast & all churn 33# butter. I help & clean up things. Lester*, Lillian, & Paul drive up from Windsor in the rain, get here at noon. Awfully glad to see them. I mend & c. an keep H’s room. Nice letter from Jessie.
*Lester is her son, Lillian is Lester’s wife, & Paul is my late father-in-law
Eva Bean Badger (age 60)

Nov. 30, 1937 West Fairlee, VT

24˚a. Pleasant. R.* goes out with rifle in a.m. I sweep & dust mop. Jessie, May & daughter Rachel drive in just before 11, find me ironing curtains. They help me get them up. They bring tripe, angle (sic) cake, pt. oysters & crackers. Also grapes, go with venison, potatoes & pie & bread so we have plenty to eat. Have nice visit. Company leaves about 3:30. So glad to see our dear friends.
*R is her son Ralph.
Eva Bean Badger (age 74)

Nov. 30, 1971 Peterboro, NH

We get meals & that is about all. Get nice letter from Paul. 40˚ max. (note on this date printed in diary says “Have you ordered your diary for 1972?’ Have it.
*Paul is my late father-in-law.
Lester Bean Badger (age 78)

LIFE BACK WHEN...NEW ENGLAND STYLE

The dairies and cash expenditure booklets came to us through my husband's family, and when our son visited the other day, he and I started sorting them. The astonished look on his face as he read the writer's name and the date, made me realize we'd found treasure!

I want to share these snippets of daily life, mostly in northern New England, and far from the 'easy life' we live today. Enjoy! Comments welcome.

Nancy

Nov. 27 1874, West Wheelock, VT

Warmer. Wm & Harvey gone to Greensboro. Alin Ingalls & boy called here. Looks like rain.
*Wm is her 2^nd husband, William. Harvey is her son by Joseph Bean.
Lodema Kingsbury Bean Folsom (age 47)
*she remarried after Joseph Abner Bean died in the Civil War

West Wheelock, Vermont

Nov. 27, 1888
Aggie washing. I knit some, cut Wm pants and go work in chamber, colder.
Lodema Kingsbury Bean Folsom (age 61)
*she remarried after Joseph Abner Bean died in the Civil War

Nov. 27, 1914 South Fairlee, VT
Warm. Pleasant. Dad and I drive to Ordway place in a.m. deer hunting but see nothing but one doe. Get home at noon. I develop pictures in p.m. and we lead heifer to Turner’s. Dad & mother drive with me to station at 7:35, Arrive here at 8:45 p.m.
Lester Bean Badger (age 21)

Nov. 27, 1925 South Fairlee, VT
28˚a. Begins to snow before 7 a.m. and keeps it up all day. High wind. F. & R. get ready for woods but storm prevents so they go with cutter & F. gets chains & bolts at Wilson’s. R. goes for feed. Bertha came with him and sweep his room and mend. Take things easy. Finish letter to Mrs. Nobb that I began last Tuesday. Card from Lillian.
*F is her husband Frank (actually Benjamin Franklin Badger) R is her son Ralph, Lillian Robinson is son Lester’s wife.
Eva Bean Badger (age 62)

A TREASURE TROVE OF FAMILY HISTORY

The dairies and cash expenditure booklets came to us through my husband's family, and when our son visited the other day, he and I started sorting them. The astonished look on his face as he read the writer's name and the date, made me realize we'd found treasure!
This is one reason why I am sharing these snippets of daily life, mostly in northern New England, and far from the 'easy life' we live today.

Enjoy! Comments welcome.

Nancy

West Wheelock, looking toward Greensboro, Vermont

Nov 22 1874 West Wheelock, VT
Pleasant, 10 degs above zero. Don’t go to meeting. Russel gone to meeting. Very nice evening.
Lodema Kingsbury Bean Folsom  (age 47)
*she remarried after Joseph Abner Bean died in the Civil War

Nov 22 1937 West Fairlee, VT

22˚  Ground a bit white with snow. Spits snow some during day. Fluvia about, sick with cold. No callers. F & I read and think.
Eva Bean Badger  (age 74)

Nov 22 1969 Peterborough, NH

17˚  Clear & cold NW wind. We shop some. L gets dress from Ward’s.
Lester Bean Badger  (age 76)

Nov 22 1972 Peterborough, NH

13˚  sunny. 10: Haircut. I shop a bit. L doesn’t get out of car. Goes to bed when we have had a bit to eat. She feels some better in eve & eats good supper. Listen to Celtics * in eve.
*Boston Celitcs Basketball team
Lester Bean Badger  (age 79)

ON OPENING A FAMILY TIME CAPSULE

While cleaning out a small room next to the kitchen, searching for my turkey roaster pan, I stumbled across a storage bin filled with musty journals. Packed away through two house moves, I knew they were there. Unfortunately, I never seemed to find the time to really look at them.

The dairies and cash expenditure booklets came to us through my husband's family, and when our son visited the other day, he and I started sorting them. The astonished look on his face as he read the writer's name and the date, made me realize we'd found treasure!

I want to share these snippets of daily life, mostly in northern New England, and far from the 'easy life' we live today. Enjoy! Comments welcome.

Nancy

Nov 21 1872 Wheelock, VT

Pleasant and not very cold. Going down to Freemans to see Esther is quite slim with a cold. Dutton came to hire a teacher. Eva gone home with Julia Knit most a mitten
Lodema Kingsbury Bean Folsom  (age 45)
*she remarried after Joseph Abner Bean died in the Civil War

Nov 21 1879 Wheelock, VT
Cold wind blows, hard snow flies all over. Sick. Harvey gone up to Mr. Nutts. Me cut and salt the pork.
Lodema Kingsbury Bean Folsom  (age 52)

Nov 21 1900 Danville, VT
Cloudy, warm. R. harlowe (sic) in a.m.  I clean shed-room. F + boys chop. 3 p.m. rain + severe wind, some thunder.
Ralph Badger  (age 11)

Nov 21 1909 Danville, VT 
Cloudy and warm Snow all gone. F & L putter around barn all a.m. I write to Eliza.  
Eva Lodema Badger (age 46)

Nov 21 1932 Pittsfield, NH

Cloudy + cold. Chichester in a.m. Pittsfield in p.m. P teacher meeting at 4 to plan PTA mtg. Work until 2:35 a.m. +24˚
Lester Bean Badger (age 39)
* my husband's grandfather, who I met in 1973

HUG A VETERAN

November 11th is Veteran's Day here in America. This year it lands on 11*11*11. The signifigance is not lost on many. The celebration is always held on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. This year will be the first time all the numbers line up.

Speaking of lining up, I plan to watch my son march in our local parade with his fellow reservists. I cannot help being proud, and came across this quote. Unless you are in the military, or are part of a military family, or the mother of a soldier (like me), these words might not mean much. I hope you read them, feel them, and thank a soldier.

My son Eric is on the far right!

Theirs is not to make reply. Theirs is not to reason why, Theirs is but to do and die. -Alfred, Lord Tennyson