Frank Seger’s Diary on a Connecticut Farm: April, 1915
Frank Seger’s Diary for April, 1915
Thursday, April 1, 1915 48 Above in mid day Heman took Load of wood to Mrs. Slosson. N. Richards came down & split wood. Lewis, Roscoe took Load of munare up to Hollan place then cut some Stalks and tinkered up chores. Started to Send milk in the afternoon. Heman took the milk and got it going.
Friday, April 2, 1915 36 Above. Clear & very nice day in the forenoon Clouding up in after noon. I got outdoors for the first time in to weeks Grip is a damn bad thing. Nobe came down finished splitting wood at noon Heman clipped Charlie horse in fore noon then took milk after noon. Lewis load dung up to Hollan place.
Saturday, April 3, 1915 26 Above. Cloudy & cold as hell all the fore noon. Heman took Load of wood to Edwards. Lewis & Roscoe took Load of Dung up to Hollan place. Heman took the milk in after noon, slipped on railroad track & wreacked his Back So he was pretty near all in. commenced to snow in afternoon Snowed like the Dues
Sunday, April 4, 191530 Above. clear & nice. 14 inches snow on ground Easter Sunday. Dam big snow for April had to shovel paths & lots of unnecessary work I got out a little to day. Heman took the milk His side not much better. Jim came over the ___ through snow knee deep Boys done ___ the chores & etc.
Lucy Seger’s Diary for April, 1915
Monday, April 5, 191548 Above. Clear in the morning Clouding up afternoon Lewis & Charles went down & got some Barley & Groceries. Lewis cleaned out the Barn in to the wagon I went down to the village in the forenoon got some pills of Barnum. Heman took the milk. Lewis done up Chores & helped milk.
Tuesday, April 6, 191536 Above. Clear & very good Some cloudy rained in the fore noon. Heman went down got wagon pole fixed & Brought up some feed then took the milk in the after noon. Went down after Roscoe at night. Stayed down to Simes in the Eve. Lewis took Load of munare up Howlan pl.
Wednesday, April 7, 191540 Above. Clear & very nice. Cooler at night. Heman went down & got Load of feed in the fore noon took the milk after dinner. Lewis took to load of munare up to the Hollan Place. Lewis & I started to cut Stalks run Crane Hook through the cutter broke shear plate then I fixed lumber wagon Jim came with Clipers
Thursday, April 8, 1915 29 Above. White frost, clear & nice today. Lewis & Charles went to foot Hill got some Barley Heman [feed] cows up to Hollan place then went up to Sherms & got grist. Lewis took to load of munare up to Hollan place I went to New Milford in the morning & ect.
April 8, 1915 Isbelle Jennings died in Poughkeepsie Hospital from being burnt.
Friday, April 9, 1915 34 Above. warm & very extra nice day. Lewis fed cows up above I took load of wood to Edwards. Brought back 12 bags cow feed. Lewis Came down with oxen helped up the hill. Heman went to New Milford in the after noon. Lewis went down & got his hair cut. I done chores.
Saturday, April 10, 1915 44 Above. Clear & very nice day. I & Orange went to the vilage then went up to Uncle Dan's Got some grain in the fore noon. Lewis took out to load of munare. Heman cleaned up the light harnesses got ready to go to funeral tomorrow. He took the milk in the after noon.
Sunday, April 11, 191554 Above. Rain in the morning, braking away at ten. Clouding up after noon. Started to rain about 2 pm had a hard thunder shower at night. heman went to Wassic to a funeral Took C lane & wife Lura & Eunice rained all the way back. I took the milk for the first time in a month. John Finn died today
April 11, 1915 Mr. John Finn died down in New Haven Hospital with apend.
Monday, April 12, 1915 44 Above. Clear & windy. Heman took back Clints wagon. Went down to the village got licence for blasting & went up to Henry Simes & got 50 lbs. of Dimonite in the fore noon. Lewis took out one load of munare. Heman took the milk Got 2 bags of feed. Lewis & Lucy went to Jennings in eve.
Tuesday, April 13, 1915 26 Above. Clear & cool frosty in the morning. Heman took a load of wood to Edwards in the fore noon. took the milk in afternoon, got Charley shod. I took load of wood to Edwards after noon with oxen. Lewis cleaned out barn then he & I mixed up some cement for milk house.
Wednesday, April 14, 1915 36 Above. Clear & very nice day. Lucy & I went to John Finn funeral at 9 o clock in the morning was good many there. Heman took Load of wood to Edwards in the morning then took the milk in after noon. I went up to the Comestock lot too wet came back to Big lot.
Thursday, April 15, 1915 34 Above. Cloudy in the morning, clearing & cooler at night. Heman started to plough in the ___ Rubin Wolf came down & we put some Cement in the milk house then blasted out some holes & set out trees. Lewis drew munare up to Hollan place I took the milk last day pedling milk thank god.
Orchard Planting?
“we. . . blasted out some holes & set out trees.”April 15, 1915 Vernon Woodruff was married at Ansonia at 7:30 P. M. at the Bride’s house. He went to New York, Bridgeport and back to Waterbury Sat.
Friday, April 16, 1915 28 Above. Clear & frosty in the morning Heman ploughed in the Big lot. Lewis Drew munare up to Edwards Lot I took Children to school. Had a letter from McConnell had to put milk on half past five train by Express. I phoned [?] to him abut Sunday so send Sunday
Saturday, April 17, 1915 44 Above. Clouds in the morning Clearing in the afternoon. Heman ploughed, Lewis took 2 Load of munare up to Eds. lot, that finished up those then he tried ploughing in after noon with the oxen. I took the milk with Old Peety got 2 Bags horse feed one bag cement.
Sunday, April 18, 1915 40 Above. Clear & very nice day. Lucy went to Church with Jim. Heman went to Church with his loved one then went [______ar buticing] in the after noon. I mended Shoes & went after some whip Stalks. Clint ws here to dinner. I took the milk. Jim was over in the evening.
Monday, April 19, 1915 54 Above. Clear & hot ther rang up to 74. I took the children to school Heman & Lewis Ploughed in the big Lot & I cleaned out Barn & Swep it up cleaned out the water buckets & Ect. I took milk with Old Peet. Boys had to do the milking. Mother & Lucy done the washing.
Tuesday, April 20, 1915 54 Above. Clear & windy all day. Heman ploughed in the big lot. I ploughed in the fore noon. Lewis pulled corn stalks up burnt them then cleaned out the Barn. took Load of of munare up in lot then ploughed some. I took the milk. Lewis & Lucy went to Jennings eve.
Wednesday, April 21, 1915 28 Above. Clear & very nice all day. Heman finished Ploughing the bug Lot Lewis started to plow in the upper meadow in the after noon. I took Children to School with the oxen. Got seed, oats, 5 hundred of glutun [?] new harrow of ___ got plow for John Richards & Ect.
Thursday, April 22, 1915 32 Above. Cloudy. Some look like rain. I sowed Oats in the fore noon. Heman harrowed in the Big lot. Lewis Cleaned out Barn took Load of munare up to Spring lot then plowed in the upper meadow. I took the milk expeced to go on milk train but it went on half past five.
Friday, April 23, 1915 44 Above. Cloudy in the morning. Little rain. I took Children to School got some grass seed litter over $30.00. Heman harrowed in the Oats Lewis Drew munare in the fore noon Ploughed some in the after noon. I took the milk Boys done chores. Hem went to dancing school & Roscoe to.
Saturday, April 24, 1915 50 Above. Clear & warm all day. Heman finished Harrowed in Big lot then ploughed in the Comestock lot. I got up at half past 4, sowed grass seed all the fore noon. Lewis & Roscoe picked Chunks off Big lot in the fore noon. Cleaned barn after.
Sunday, April 25, 191550 Above in the morning, ranging up to 84 in the middle of day. Very warm. heman went to church with his sweetheart. Mother went to flanders in after noon & fed Cows at Hollan place. in the morning Jim came over to see his gal. In the eve. Walter Hall died.
April 25, 1915 Walter Hall died with Phneumonia at his home on Good Hill.
[This is Lucy’s last entry until July 18.]
Monday, April 26, 1915 50 Above. Clear & hot then ranging up to 78 Heman ploughed up to the little Bens peice. Lewis took out to Load of munare in the fore noon & cleaned Barn. I took Children to school in the morning. Got Dan shod. Lewis & I finished picking chuncks off Big Lot.
Tuesday, April 27, 1915 50 Above. Clear & Hot all day. I went to Warren to auction. Lewis Plough in the upper meadow. Cleaned out barn. Heman rolled the Big Lot in fore noon took milk went to pig tale. Lewis & I done the chores. Heman got to bags of horse feed. I dimonated rock in uper meadow.
Wednesday, April 28, 1915 46 Above. Sour & cold cloudy. I took Children to School. got a check $74 from McConnell give H. Newton $60 on feed. Heman finished up Comstocks. plowed some in Edwards lot then took the milk. I & Lucy went to Walt Halls funeral in the after noon. Wild Bill came.
Thursday, April 29, 1915 52 Above. Clear & hot all day. thundred some at night. little rain. Lewis & Bill went after Sawdust. I fixed the milk __ went down & helped up the oxen with Old Peet. Lewis Cleaned out the Barn. Bill & I put roler & tether. Heman plowed in the Edwards lot Bill & Lewis got Load hay from little Barn.
Friday, April 30, 1915 42 Above. Cloud & rain some in the fore noon. finished Cutting up Stalks damn late in the season for such work. Lewis & Bill went to Brom house put up Barleys. Heman took Children to school and took the milk. I took Old Sow to Kent School. Got 5 hun Molasses feed & 6 cwt fosfate with the oxen.
The rest of the year is Frank’s. The month of March marked the last of Lucy’s regular entries. For the rest of the year she only notes marriages, births and deaths. When the text splits into two columns, text in the right-hand column is from Lucy.