January 1829

Thursday January 1, 1829. I wish you "Happy New Year" is sounding upon our ears for the morning salutation. There is some indication of a snowstorm in the weather this morning. Business not very brisk. It began to snow this afternoon about 4 o'clock and I think from the appearance of the weather we shall have some sleighing. I think of going home Saturday morning.

Chichester Friday January 2, 1829. There came about 3 in. of snow last night and it snows yet. Father came over today and I expect to ride home with him. We started at about 6 o'clock in our open waggon, it snows considerably. Arrived at home at about 9 o'clock, folks all well, had supper and went to bed at 11. Sleighs do[d]ging about briskly.

Saturday January 3, 1829. I arose this morning about 10 o'clock. It's very cold today, perhaps colder than we have [had] for the year before. Stayed in the house by the fire most all day, dars'nt [daren't?] go out, so cold. Talked some of going to Grandfather's, glad we did not. Coldest we have had this year.

Sunday January 4, 1829. It is very cold. I did not go to meeting. Father went in the afternoon. It was at Capt. Reed's house. Mr. Adams preached. We had conference at our house in the eve, a good number there considering the travelling. Thermometer about 15 below zero.

Concord Monday January 5, 1829. The weather rather more moderate. I ventured out a little more today than I did on Saturday. I expect to go to Concord tonight by stage. Father talks some of going to Portsmouth soon. Father carryed me to the turnpike to take the stage at 3 o'clock. I arrived at Concord about 6, folks all well. I was pretty cold coming. Shut up the store at 9 o'clock.

Tuesday January 6, 1829. The weather more moderate, some rainy in the P.M. Business not very good. The News Boys addresses are very good, this that I seen, except the "Patriots." I. Hill has enlarged his paper and got another one a going called the "Spirit of the Republican Press," which is his political paper. D. J. Palmer is editor. It is to continue 3 months. It is 10 o'clock and time to go to bed and so good by.

Wednesday January 7, 1829. The weather very pleasant so much so that it carried what little snow there was away. Business not extraordinary. There is considerable talk about the balls, celebrations &c. on the "Glorious 8th." There will be an ox roasted whole at Goffstown, and in this town there will be a ball at the Eagle Coffee House and a dinner at the Washington Hotel by Mr. Smart, and there will [be] other preparations in many different towns, all prepared by the Jacksonites. We go to bed at 10 and arise at 7 o'clock. Old Col. Kent and his wife and the Tucker girls are going to Boston tomorrow.

Thursday January 8, 1829. 1 awoke this morning and the first [sound?] that assailed my ears was the Jackson swivel, which sounded very dull. I have heard firing almost all day from almost all directions. At 12 o'clock the swivel was hauled out again and fired. The dinner at Mr. Smart's was very thinly attended, I heard tonight. Snow began to fall this forenoon but long towards night it turned to rain. I should think there had fell 4 in. There is a great driving about of chaises, carriages and sleighs to carry the folks to the balls this evening. I heard this morning that the ox at Goffstown caught afire yesterday and burnt up owing to the fat. The ox cost them 5O doll[ar]s and they had to get another one.

Friday January 9, 1829. It rained and snowed considerable today but it is not very cold. Very good sleighing and I think business will soon be better. I heard today that there was about 200 Gents and Ladies at the ball last evening.

Saturday January 10, 1829. It is almost as cold today as it has been this year and there never was better sleighing. Business not very brisk. I went to Singing School this evening before I took supper and was very hungry. There was a very large number there. When I came home this [ evening] I ate seven crackers.

Sunday January 11, 1829. Arose at 8 this morning. Went to meeting. Mr. W. preached a very good discourse. I went to the Courthouse in the evening, it was very full. Came down about 9 and made a fire and warmed us and then went to bed. Pretty cold.

Monday January 12, 1829. Very pleasant today but some chilly. Business not very good. Mr. Kent has gone to Boscawen this evening for a ride and some others with him and ~rrived at home about 10, cold and hungry.

Tuesday January 13, 1829. It is not so cold as yesterday but still it [is] pretty cold. Sleighing very good and it is very well improved. Father came over today, folks all well. Got my coat most finished, bought a 11C. S. Hill Saw." Last Sunday night there was a house burnt in Loudon owned by "Wales." I saw the light of it but thought it might be a coal pit broke out and burning as they sometimes do.

Wednesday January 14, 1829. It is very dull and heav[e]y this morning and began to rain about 10 o'clock and rained all day a little. I think it will injure the sleighing very much. Business some better, we had an order from Wentworth today for about 50 dollars worth of iron &c. There is snow as far as Haverhill or Nashua on the Boston way. Much more snow up country than here, about a foot there, I heard, all blowed into heaps.

Thursday January 15, 1829. It has rained all day very fast and the snow is gone considerably. We had 2 loads of salt from Durham today, 1 of 25 b. and it was very wet. The other had 40 [b.] and was pretty dry considering the day. There is considerable training down and up or over [the river?] . Farmers from up country with produce. Business poor, bought butter of a man from up country at 13 cts. per lb. It is so wet today that I wet my feet and they have been so about all day. I expect I shall take cold. Had codfish chowder for dinner. A number of old Revolutionary Soldiers met at Mr. Gales' Inn today for the purpose of sending a petition to Congress for more pay for their services in the war. Good apples is worth 2/bushel, rye 5/, corn 4/, butter good per lb. 13 cts, cheese good 7 cts., oats from 30 cts. [to] 33, chickens and turkeys 6 cts., geese 4, ducks 8.

Friday January 16, 1829. It is remarkably pleasant today, we needed hardly any fire. Sleighing is about all gone. It is very wet today, feet has been wet all day. Business not very good. I painted our posts before the store about half way down from the top with white paint.

January 17, 1829. The weather remarkably pleasant and snows all gone except a little ice in spots. Business pretty good. I was driving Mrs. Kent and Bullard around this afternoon getting subscriptions for a outside garment for their Unitarian Minister. It was very cold.

Sunday January 18, 1829. On awaking this morning and looking from the window I saw that it had snowed about 6 in. of very damp snow during the night and snows yet. About 10 o'clock it turned to rain which makes the travelling very slopy. Mr. Williams preached, very good. I went to the Courthouse in the evening. A stranger preached from Esther 4 chap, 16 verse. Came to the store, found Mr. Chaffin and George here singing by a good fire.

Monday January 19, 1829. Weather pretty warm and thaws some. Business better than usual. George expects to go to Pembroke to a wedding if he don't miss of it. Mr. Kent very busy today sending out invitations to Ministers and others to come [to] the Unitarian Ordination on the 25[th] of next month. Had a very good sing last Saturday evening, a good number there. I received a "Catalogue of the Officers and Students of Dartmouth College" tonight from D. J. Noyes with his respects. There is a fine number ***** over 200 students in the whole.

Tuesday January 20, 1829. The weather very pleasant. Hardly any snow. As many carriages used as sleighs. Business very good, took about $100 today. George has gone to Pembroke to a Mr. Morgan's wedding. I received a coat from home yesterday by Mr. Drake. I sit up until 10 1/2 o'clock waiting for George but he has not come and it [is] not probable he will tonight.

Wednesday January 21, 1829. The weather very comfortable but hardly so warm as yesterday. Business very good, took about 97 dollars today. George got [here?] this morning at about 10 o'clock, had a very good wedding. Mr. Kent bought 2 hives of honey of a Mr. Whittier. Eat so much that it done more hurt than good. Mrs. Bullard and Kent have been travelling round a day or two back to obtain money for a surplice for their Unitarian Minister, Mr. Thomas. Eliza Davison at old Col. Kent's is very sick of the fever and has been so for some time, has the doctor regular every day.

Thursday January 22, 1829. The weather similar to what we had yesterday. Business pretty good. Took some butter and cheese of Mr. Currier of Wentworth. The Superior Court has been sitting here this week. There is hardly any business to be done in it. There is expected to be a wedding between Mr. John Crousett and Miss Eliza Weeks this evening at Mr. John Weeks.

Friday January 23, 1829. The weather moderate for the time of year, hardly any snow. There is much teaming a going up and down. Business good. Took some more butter and cheese. Heard from old Col. Kent's folks at Boston, and Paulina is very dangerously sick with fever. Eliza Davison much better tonight. I read an account in the "Christian Watchman" tonight that 12 factories had been burnt since the 1st of January within 150 miles of Boston, Mass. I painted the posts over again before the door with white paint, look much better for it. Great call for waggons by teamsters now.

Saturday January 24, 1829. The weather remarkable pleasant for the season. Business very good. I went to singing school this evening, good number there. I heard tonight. that Ellen Tucker had had another turn of spit[t]ing blood. No sleighing hardly to speak of.

Sunday January 25, 1829. Arose this morning at 9 o'clock, very pleasant. Mr. W. preached. Went to the Courthouse, Mr. Bouton, great number there.

Monday January 26, 1829. The weather rather more chilly. Business not very good. Considerable teaming now. It snowed a very little last night. Arose this morning a little after 6 o'clock. The mail carrier brought me a pair of boots, newly footed, sent from home.

Tuesday January 27, 1829. It rained a little last night but froze as fast as it fell. Began to hail this afternoon but soon turned to snow. Made a good trade this morning, sold a very nice pr of teapots to a lady, 4. 75 dollars, been in the store forever almost. Glad their [they're] gone. George has been running 3 or 4 days past after money for the proprieter's school. It is closed and they intend not to keep it any longer. I think we are going to have good sleighing now. The thermometer has been at about freezing all day.

Wednesday January 28, 1829. I arose this morning about 1/ 4 past 7 o'clock and on going out to open the shutters I found the snow flying nicely and a drift before the door above my knees. I should [think] there had fallen about 1 foot but it is all in heaps so I cannot tell correctly. Not much teaming, only a few up country folks going down with their ears all bound up. Business not very good. We sold a Mr. Parker of Littleton, formerly of Chichester, about 20 dollars worth of paints. I heard tonight this snow does not reach far towards Boston. My boots that I had footed pinch my toes considerable so that they do not feel very comfortable. Been filing up papers a part of today. I was thinking today that a very important part of the business of a merchant is in answering all letters as soon as received and not lay them aside and by that means forget them untill a month after.wards and then place all the blame upon the clerk by saying that he layed aside among some papers when he was gone and smooth it over in that way by a miserable excuse. The fruits of such delays are often severely felt. We have very comfortable times now evenings. We generally shut up about 8 1/2, make a fire in the counting room so by that way we warm our bedroom and we can sit and wright [write] or read just as we like till bed time then go to bed.

Thursday January 29, 1829. The weather pretty chilly and snow lay pretty still today. Business not very good. I heard today that John P. Doe was dead, he had been declining for a long time and at last the public and his relatives are deprived, one of an enterprizing young man and the other of [an] endearing relation. Considerable teaming down now.

Friday January 30, 1829. The weather pretty cold since the snows. Business pretty good.

Saturday January 31, 1829. The weather extremely cold this morning, 10 below zero. Business good. I went to singing school this eve, very good singing