Diary of Nellie Newman, 1869
Washington, New Hampshire

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Transcription and Comments on a Diary discovered by Jerry Johnson of Apopka, FL.

Jerry has donated the diary to the Washington Historical Society.

Compiled by Gwen Gaskell, Charlene Cobb and Tom Talpey in January/February 2004.
With our Comments in Italics

Nellie was born Mary Ellen Newman, on March 27, 1852, and died Oct. 13, 1875, from "fever.". Her parents were George W. Newman and Maria E. (May) Newman.

Spelling and grammar mainly unchanged from the original.

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January 1

Jim Gove 25 years today. Verry stormy, snowed all day, went to school all day, stayed at Home in the evening, nothing going on here. Emma at work for Dea. Harthon.

Jim Gove, son of Samuel and Harriet Newman Gove, m. Abbie Wilson in 1877. Deacon Harthon ran a woolen mill at the site of the Crescent Mill, on Half Moon Pond Road.

Jan. 2

School did not keep went into G. Mellens this evening snowing, this eve Lyceum very good discussion Abbie Newman and Lizzie Jaquith had the paper.

Sun Jan 3

Bin at Home all day, so snowy and cold we could not go out anywhere, no meeting. Loorsa and Henry N. came in.

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Mon Jan 4

Bin to school today. Quite warm, George G. called in the evening.

Tue Jan 5

Bin to school today, warm, but colder tonight. Bin into Mr. Earls. GG called.
Earls is the name on the stone at the museum, moved from Cram's Corner. (A. O. Earls-- perhaps Loorsa's brother)

Wed. Jan 6

Splendid day. May Hurd birthday 14 bin into George Mellen went to store.
Alice May Hurd b. 1855, dau. Of Shubael & Clara could she be someone they called Aunto?) OTH pg.486. She died April 11, 1952. OTH stands for Old Town History book.

Thur Jan7

Father went to Hillsboro. I went up to John Saffords to a party. Emma went to Lempster pond to a dance. Went to school today. Had a very good time to the party.
John Safford, b. Sept. 22, 1843 m. Sarah Crain in 1871 (Ruth Twiss father)

Fri Jan 8

Verry warm and pleasant Went to School had company in the afternoon JCJ, SC & GKM(?) went to a dance in the evening had a gay time.

Sat. Jan 9

Warm Bin to school today company in school. Mrs. Cary, Mrs Greenlief. went to hall Lyceum tonight had a very good one Addie Jaquith. went home
.(Representatives of the school committee, called prudential committees. See pg.236 of OTH.)

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Sun. Jan. 10

Another long Sunday no meeting verry pleasant spent the evening into Mr. Gages. The Gages owned the boarding house for the mills at Cram's Corner(Maybe the Earls lived in the boarding house also.) No longer standing.

Mon Jan 11

bin to school today, it commenced to snow in the afternoon. Louease Dodge and Lilla Newman came into school.(School comm. reps.—pg. 235 OTH mentions inspectors, called the prudential committees—OTH pg. 236)(Maybe Lilla was Laurella Newman.This checks with school register which says Laurella Newman and Louise Dodge visited school that term, but no date given. )

Tue Jan 12

To school today rather stormy Mrs.G. Gages father died.
Pg. 355 & 356 town history. Dea. Joseph Crane Jr. d. this day. Dau. Nancy E. m. George W. Gage 9-16-1845.

Wed. Jan 13

Verry pleasant and warm. Went to school spent the evening up to Aunt Clara. Father was sick came very near having the congestion of the brain.

Thurs. Jan 14

Bin to school, quite warm.went over to the mill with Lizzie Jaquith went into George Mellens in the evening. Father better today.

Fri. Jan 15

Bin to school today Jane and Lizzie spent the evening here, subscribed for Petersons Magazine.(Jerry found that Petersons Magazine was a fashion magazine published from the 1840's to the 1880's. )

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Sat Jan 16

School did not keep, Went tothe Lyceum, had a verry good time.there were three couple from East Washington.Uncle Sam& wife and Aunt Mary Ann went to Acworth.

Sun Jan 17

herd the same sermon as usual. Verry pleasant. Father was much better, went up to Aunt Clara in the evening.

Mon Jan 18

Went to school today. Father was not so well. Uncle Harris & James called in the evening.Uncle Sanford came from Acworth.

Tue. Jan 19

Did not go to school as father was not so well but was better at night Aunt Mary Ann was here all day.

Wed. Jan 20

Did not go to school. Aunt Mary A. was up herewent over tothe mill with her called on Miss S. French. Father was some better today. Em and I went into G. Mellens

Thurs. Jan 21

Staid at home. father was better.

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Fri. Jan 22

Went to the dancing party to the hall, staid until one o'clock, had a verry good time. Staid at home from school, went over to the mill with Jennie Jaquith.

Sat. Jan 23

Did not go to school , went to the Lyceum did not have a verry good one Paper-Louease Dodge and Walter Beckwith teacher.

Sun Jan 24

Went up to the village expected to hear a lecture but the man did not come. Went up to Aunt Clara in the evening.

Mon. Jan 25

Went to school had a spelling school in the eve. Had a verry good one George Marshall spelt them down. Weston at Concord. (The pedestrian)

Tue Jan 26

Went to school Mr Weston, the pedestrian passed through here about 8 o'clock, had walked forty miles was going 23 more to Keene started from New York to travel 5,000mi. for $25,000. (It's about 40 miles from Concord to Washington.)

Wed Jan 27.

To school went up on May hill to slide had a gay time.

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Thur. Jan 28

Went to school. Mrs. Earls and Mrs. Newman visited school went up on the old mades hill to slide. (Gaudette's Hill, an old maid lived up there. What a slide that must have been, could go all the way to the turnpike. School visitors checked out with register entries, although the register called her Miss Loössa Earls.)

Fri. Jan 29

to school today went to the dance in the evening had a gay time.

Sat Jan 30

school did not keep went to the Lyceum, paper Josie Hurd and Lilla Newman the teacher had quite a lot to shoulder.

Sun Jan 31

No meeting staid at home all day went over to G Mellens in the evening. Mr & Mrs Newman and Aunt Mary Ann & Jim and Uncle Shubael called in the afternoon. Shbael W. Hurd, son of Dea. Collins Hurd, b. 9/30/1828, m. Clara H. May 2/21/1854 Brother of Shubael, George, m. Julia Hurd 12-3-1861.

Mon. Feb. 1

Went to school quite cold it has four week longer to keep, has kept eight. Father improves some evry day. Father sick since 1/13/1869.

Tue. Feb. 2

Went to school went in the evening to an oyster supper quite a crowd, had a very good time. Minerva Adams 25 today. Minerva Adams, b. 2/2/1844, dau. of Nathan and Minerva (dau. of Joseph NEWMAN) m. 4-17-1815 Mfg. woolens and moved to Acworth. (Charlene used to go to oyster stew suppers at Grange Hall. The daughter Minerva never got married but carried on her father's business after he died in 1886 and became a leading citizen of Acworth. She died in 1920 in Concord. See "These Acworth Hills" by Helen H. Frink.)

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Wed Feb. 3

Went to school quite stormy

Thur Feb 4

Went to school verry stormy and blustering. two couple went to Lempster to a dance. (A long way to go on a stormy night ina sleigh! - maybe 15 miles)

Fri. Feb 5

To school today. Intended to go down to E. Cranes but it was so stormy did not go.

Sat. Feb 6

Very Pleasant. Elbridge Bradford and Joseph Healy visited school in the afternoon went to the Lyceum had quite a good one select reading by Walter L. Beckwith E.B. Sr. b. 1827 Jr. b. 1849 (Is this the Prudential Comm.? They are both listed as visitors in the school register.)

Sun Feb 7

Staid at home went into George Mellens and Mr. Earls. Father was quite smart. The teacher carried Louease Dodge home. (Was someone boarding the teacher?)

Mon Feb. 8

Went to school today went down to Eglie Cranes to a party. Stopped at the half- house coming home and the Apple and mince pie was very good. (Zaida Cilley's middle name was Eglie, or Egland.) (Where did Eglie Crane live?)

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Tue Feb. 9

Mothers birthday. Went to school Mother 48 yrs.

Wed. Feb 10

Went to school quite warm and pleasant. Uncle Shube and wife & George Hurd and wife and Em and Mose went to Hillsboro came home by Bradford Springs to a dance.

Thurs. Feb. 11

 Did not go to school, think I will not go any more as father is not so well and mother has got about tired out. Went over to do up Julie Hurds hair had a present of an Apron (Interesting that she never has mentioned helping with extra work around the home.)

Fri. Feb. 12

Very warm and pleasant went to a dance at the hall. Mr Brockway cold not come so they had Mr. Wheeler from Lempster& Hie Young had a supper and a very pleasant time. (Hiram C .Young?)

Sat. Feb 13

Father was a little better today. Sent for Uncle Joseph went to the Lyceum ,someup from East Washington. Aunt M. Ann and Jim called in the eve,

Sun Feb. 14

Father stormy. Emma & I spent the day at Uncle Shube. (Father in a bad mood.)

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Tue. March 23

Snowed very fast all day. Em had a gay time to the dance at the Springs staying at home.

Wed. March 24

Free Gordon called this morning on his way Home.

Thur March 25

Warm and pleasant lovely evening and I stayed at home some of the young folks went down to Jim G.Loorsa Spent the evening here

Fri March 26

Aunt Abbie came down and washed. Rained.

Sat. March 27

My birthday 17. warm and pleasant. went over to the Mill with Lizzie J. (Jaquith). went to the village. President Grants birthday 47 years. (Grant's birthdate was APRIL 27, 1822, not March. He was inaugurated as President on March 4, 1869, at age 46.)

Sunday March 28

Em and I went up to the Village.

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