August 1829

Saturday August 1, 1829. This day begins a new month. Weather cool and cloudy, rains this afternoon. Went into the water, pretty warm. I hope I shall have a letter next week.

Sunday August 2, 1829. Very pleasant. Mr. Evans preached to young men this forenoon. Went to the Bible Class at noon. He preached about the manner of prayer in the P.M. He likewise attend[ed] the prayer meeting in the afternoon.

Monday August 3,1829. Very fine morning.

Tuesday August 4, 1829. Very warm day. I sent a letter to Evans, George and to Father by Jewett, who went home this morning.

Wednesday August 5, 1829. Very warm weather. We spoke today. We went into the water this afternoon.

Thursday August 6, 1829. Weather very warm. We went into the water again this afternoon.

Friday August 7, 1829. Weather very warm. We are preparing for Examination.

Saturday August 8, 1829. Weather very warm. It rained a little this afternoon. We went into the water.

Sunday August 9, 1829. Warm day. A number of the Boston folks are up to Exhibition. Mr. Evans preached in the forenoon. Mr. Farnsworth delivered an address to the students in the afternoon, pretty good. Had a very heavey shower this afternoon.

Monday August 10, 1829. Rainy most all day. Tomorrow will be Examination.

Tuesday August 11, 1829. Very cool and windy today. I was examined this afternoon. The small scholars were in the forenoon. We were not examined very closely because they had not time.

Wednesday August 12, 1829. Very warm. We went down to the village to hear the young ladies examined. They have a very good examination. The scholars in the Languages are a going to be examined this afternoon. I saw Mr. John Prescott last night from Chichester. He said he could carry me home Friday. Tomorrow will be Exhibition in the Meeting House where a state [slate?] is erected. I expect a letter from Father tonight with some money in it. A number of us met last night and played till 10 o'clock on flutes, clarinet[t]s, base viols &c. Had some very good music. They tried some experiments with the apparatus yesterday afternoon.

Thursday August 13, 1829. We had an exellent exhibition today. We all assembled at the Chapel to attend prayers at 8. The students and Trustees marched from the Chapel down as far as Mr. Wards store and back again to the Meeting House accompanied with pretty good music. We then commenced speaking. Henry Ransom spoke first but he did not make out very well. He was so fright[e]ned that he came off without speaking. All of the rest made out very well except one of the Loring boys, who cried. The small scholars spoke first. And then the Original Pieces, both before intermission, which was only 20 minutes. The O[riginal] Pieces were very good. After recess came the selected pieces spoken by the large students generally. I spoke the last but did not feel much daunted. There was music between every 6 or 8 speakers, very good too. All went on with perfect order and decorum. The meeting was crowded to overflowing and almost as many out of doors as in, the weather being very pleasant. The exercises of the day closed with a short and appropriate address by Dr. Sharp of Boston to the students and the rest of the ordeance [audience], which was much admired, with prayer. I am going home tomorrow by the way of Meridith with Mr. John S. Prescott. My letter from Father has not come yet and it had some money in it, Mr. Prescott said. I dont see where it is. Went into the water tonight with a number of others. Carter and Ingall are goingdown in the stage tomorrow. Mr. Prescott let me have $2.00 to pay my tuition which was $2.43. Mr. Hanaford is a going [to trust?] me for my board till I can send it up. I am going to start earl[e]y in the morning if I can. It is a charming evening. The moon is full. I believe all the folks that attended the Exhibition were very well satisfied with it.

Chichester Friday August 14, 1829. Capt. Hanaford awoke me at 5 o'clock this morning. I got ready to start but Mr. Prescott did not come till 7 o'c[lock]. The first 4 miles of the road was the worst that I ever traveled in my life before. We went to Meridith first and stopped about anhour. It is a very pretty village and contains a cotton factory which adds much to the importance of the place. There are likewise here a bank, an academy, meeting house, 2 taverns, 2 or 3 stores and a courthouse. I went to see Charles Wingate who went around the village with me. We had a fine prospect of Sanbornton Bay in coming from New Hampton to Meridith. We started about 11 o'clock and arrived at Gilmantown Corner. It was. a hilly road but smooth. Here we took dinner at Mr. French's tavern. There is an academy, a meeting house and a number of stores in the village. We started from here about 1/2 past 6 o'clock. Mr. Prescott sold the chaise for $100 to Col. Wood of Loudon, which was what he went tip to New Hampton to [do, to] sell the chaise, and he hired a waggon to go home in. Arrived at home about sunset, found folks all well. Father is fixing the mill.

Saturday August 15, 1829. Weather warm. Went down to the mill and found them fixing in a new water wheel to carry 2 kind of stones which will make 4 in the whole. There were a number of hands here this afternoon a clearing out the river below the mill of stones and gravel.

Sunday August 16, 1829. Weather warm. There was no meeting at the Meeting House but one at the school house near Mr. Carpenters. A Mr. Stickney preached. I did not go but read "Scotts Bible" most all day. We had a conference this afternoon in the school house over Mr. Hopkinsons Hatters shop conducted by Dea[con?] Tilton and Mr. Tenney. Considerable of a number there.

Monday August 17, 1829. Warm weather. There is a school (private) kept here by a Miss Weare over Mr. Hopkinsons Hatters shop. She has about 20 scholars and has 7 /6 pr. week and boarded. Father has gone to Loudon to see about the chaise that John S. Prescott sold when we came down from N. Hampton. Father says he sold it too cheap and has gone to get it back or more for it. He has likewise gone to Gilmantown. Uncle Samuel Libbey was over today. Grandfather's folks were all well. Theodate Davis came home from Portsmouth last Friday. She has been gone just 2 years since she last went down. I am going over to Concord this week if I can. Mr. Hopkinson is a making hats here.

Tuesday August 18, 1829. Very rainy today. I went a fishing but I caught nothing but a wet jacket. I want to go to Concord tomorrow.

Concord Wednesday August 19, 1829. Warm weather. Started for Concord this afternoon 3 1/2 o'clock and took the stage, for Prescott is sick and a man by the name of Walker drives. Arrived at Concord at 6 o'clock. Mr. Kents folks are all well and glad to see me. Nothing remarkable happened since I went away.

Thursday August 20, 1829. Weather very warm. I saw Mr. Kent about going away. He said he was perfectly willing if I did not like the business and wanted to pursue my studies. He gave me a long piece of advice. George asked him if he would not let him go up to school at N. Hampton and he said he might. He is going to have a young man who use[d] to tend for Dr. Chadbourne in Conway. He is coming next Monday.

Friday August 21, 1829. Weather is warm. Not much business. One clothier was in with a small 'memorandum. Going home tomorrow morning in stage, carryed my box of things up to Genl. Wilsons tonight. Wrote a letter up to Capt. Hanafords to speak for George's board.

Saturday August 22, 1829. Weather very warm. Started for home this morning at about 7 o'clock on the stage. They are running opposition stages from Concord to Boston at a great rate. George is going up to N. Hampton on the 31 [st] of Aug[ust] with me. I shall now fit for College. I can fit in one year and I do not know whether I shall enter advanced or not.

Sunday August 23, 1829. Very warm day. I went to meeting at the Meeting House which was conducted by the Deacons Lane and Tilton and Mr. Jona. Marden. The fires do great damage in the woods. I went to the Conference tonight. The seats were all full, we had a good meeting.

Monday August 24, 1829. Weather very warm and dry. Mother, Mary Ann and I went over to Grandfathers, found folks all well except Aunt Sally Libbey who had the teethache some. Betsey Leavey is teaching the school here. She has about 35 scholars. Grandfather went down to his watering place in the pasture to clear out the leaves and stones and I helped him. Uncle Samuel is at work at Genl. Blakes. Grandfather says it is the dryest now that he has known it for many years. Corn is all drying up and if we dont have some rain soon crops will be slim. The woods are so dry that there are fires all around and folks are fighting it nicely. We heard that Mr. Jacob Daniels is very sick of the cholera morbus and is expected will not live. There will [be] but very few apples this year. Simeon Leavey has come up from Malden with his wife and wifes sister. He is going [to] move up and live in the house formerly ocupied by Daniel Leavey and is going to build a blacksmith shop opposite. Started for home at 6 o'clock.

Tuesday August 25, 1829. Weather warm. Got 10 or 12 hands at work on the mill. They are altering the plan of letting the water onto the wheels. In this plan the wheels will be covered with water as a floom [flume] and the spouts will be cut through the bottom on top of the wheels. There will be 4 spouts to a wheel but not so large as before. They have got it most done, the floom I mean. They will let the water in tomorrow. Mr. Berry come from Pittsfield to do some plastering at the mill and sets the Clothiers plate. They are underpinning Mr. Hopkinsons shop. I signed the Temperance paper yesterday. Mr. Tenney had it. Very dry, a little rain would do good.

Wednesday August 26, 1829. Weather warm but some windy. Killed a duck today. Mr. Jacob Daniels died night before last at 4 o'clock in the morning and was buried today. Mr. Carpenter preached the sermon. It was very good, I heard some say. They let the water upon the wheels tonight. If they go well I am going to send to Concord tomorrow by Mr. Whitney, who is going over.

Thursday August 27, 1829. Weather very warm today. Mr. Whitney went to Concord this morning and I sent over after some braid to make a watch safe of. He got back about 4 o'clock. Pigeons are very thick here. They drained the water out of the dam last night.

Friday August 28, 1829. Weather very warm. Mary Ann has got my watch safe done and purse too. They stopped the water tonight in the dam. It will take about 2 days for it to fill again. I killed a duck yesterday with Mr. Cates gun.

Saturday August 29, 1829. Weather cool and feels more like rain than ever. Mr. Cate and [I] went out after pigeons. We did not have very good luck. We fired 5 times each and killed only 2 pigeons. They were very plenty too. It rained a very little tonight. It is a clearing off and I think we shall not have any more. I am going to New Hampton Monday.

Sunday August 30, 1829. Weather looks some like rain. Went to meeting. Deacons Lane and Tilton took the lead and Jona. Marden read a sermon in the P.M. and Mr. Foster in the A.M. They have a very good Sunday School here now. Mr. Jona. Marden is Principle. Went to the Conference in the evening after meeting Mrs. Hopkinson a day or two ago. I am already to start in the morning for Concord. Joseph Bickford is a going over with me.

Concord Monday August 31, 1829. Mother awoke me this morning before 3 o'clock. I arose and dressed myself, went down and found Joseph Bickford and his father who are going over in a double waggon so [as] to bring home some clapboards. I ate some breakfast and bid the folks good morning and [left] at 3 1/2. Arrived at Concord at 5 1/2. Hardly any of the stores open. Went down and found George all ready to start. We went up to the house to see the folks and bid them "good morning." We started about 7 o'clock in the stage. Dudley has left off driving on this route and drives towards Boston. They have a new driver from Sanbornton to Plymouth, and Langdon drives from Concord to Sanbornton. But the new one drove down to Concord Saturday and back this morning. There was only George and I, who rode outside, and an old fellow inside. We enjoyed ourselves very well. We took dinner at Mr. Tiltons at Sanbornton Bridge. Our stage affair [fare] was only one dollar. We rode in a covered waggon from Lambornton to New Hampton, did not like it very well. Arrived here about 4 o'clock. Found Capt. Hanaford and all the folks well. There are about 75 students here and 30 at the village.