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)

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