Tuesday, January 7, 1868 - "Frank Coulter was up here to night after a whip."

This has been a fine day. I have been drawing wood to day. One year ago to day I was drawing wood. One year ago to day W.W. Forrest was up here.
Bill went over to Franks this morning. Ann came home this forenoon.
Lill went away this afternoon. A. Liddle and wife were down here to night on an Evening visit.
Frank Coulter was up here to night after a whip.
The wife of Aaron Rowe, living three miles from Mt. Vernon, Ohio, on the 3d inst, gave birth to three boys and two girls, all of whom with their mother, are doing well. [This was a news item that appeared in a number of newspapers.]

Monday, January 6, 1868 - "I sold a tub of Butter to day..."

This is also a very fine day.  I went to Margretville to day. I went by Clarks Factory. I sold a tub of Butter to day for $.40 per lb.
Frank and his wife is here to night.
W.W. Forrest is here to night.
The School marm is here to night.
There is Singing School to night in New Kingston. There is Spelling School to night.  Mag Lewis, Mary Lewis, Jane Lewis*, Jane Forrest, Miss Dennis, Beck Scott, Rob Scott, W.W. Forrest, John Forrest, Tom Winter, H. Warren** and Bill Thompson were at the S.S. tonight.  Bill Thompson went home with Mag Lewis tonight.

*Likely Mag, Mary and Jane were sisters, the daughters of John and Barbara Lewis.  Jane was born in 1843, Margaret in 1844 and Mary in 1850.
**This likely is Harry or Harvey Warren, the son of Horace and Clarissa Warren, who lived off the upper end of Cape Horn Road.  Harvey, born in 1846, died in Iowa in 1872.  He is mentioned several times in the diary.

Sunday, January 5, 1868 - "So should we be ever ready for the glorious time to come"

This is a very fine day. It is clear and frosty to day. Some of the folks are to church to day.
I shaved[?] to day.  1867.
Joe Dysart preached in New Kingston to day.
Ann was over to New Kingston today.

1 As the Bird that journey Southward
To escape the winters blight.
Plumes her wing and waits expectant,
For the hour to take her flight.
2 So should we be ever ready,
For the glorious time to come,
When our souls on angels pinions
Shall be wafted to our home.
3 So shall we from heights celestial,
View our earthly care and Strife,
As the steps by which we mounted
To a higher, purer life.

Saturday, January 4, 1868 - "I was drawing wood."

It has been Stormy to day.  I have been drawing wood to day. One year ago to day I was drawing wood.
D. Black took Alice Russell home to day.  Ann went along with them.
D. Coulters* folks stoped here to day.
One year ago to night there was Singing School in Brushland.

P.T. Barnum is out as a lecturer.  What will be his next move?  The population of Spain is sixteen millions.  Yet Spain is scarcely heard of now-a-days. Vesuvius is pouring out lava and pitching up big stones 1.000 feet into the air.  Italy.  1868.

*Probably his uncle David Coulter (1813-1877)

Friday, January 3, 1868 - "There was a large crowd out to night."

This is a very fine day.  I was doing the chores to day.  D. Coulters folks went up by to day.  They were going to Rob. Archabalds to an Infair.
Some of the folks were over to Andes to day.  Tom Winter was in here to night.  him & I went down to Brushland to a Singing School. S. White, John Forrest, Joe Forrest, Wat. Stott*, Rob Scott, Mag Lewis**, Alice Russell***, Miss Dennis were down to Singing S to night.  Walt Stott went home with Alice Russell. There was a large crowd out to night.  1868.

*Wat/Walt Stott may be Walter Stott, born 1848, the son of Walter and Mary Stott.
**Mag Lewis may have been Margaret Lewis (b 1844), daughter of John and Barbara Lewis.  She married Winfield Harvey Warren in 1869.
***This may be Alice Jane Russell (1847-1923), daughter of John and Jane Russell, who married William F. Boggs in 1871.

Thursday, January 2, 1868 - "There was a spree at R. Scotts..."

This is a fine day.  I was in Delhi to day.  S. White was here to night. I saw Andrew Lull* in Delhi to day.
[I came through Hamden village to day.  came from H.P. Wilburs this morning]
Mary Henderson and Robert Archabald** were married today [J. Hilson]*** rode up with me from Delhi.
I saw Jim Scott in Delhi today.  There was a spree at R. Scotts to night in Hamden. Dewitt Thompson was at it.  I saw John and Frank Armstrong in Delhi to day.  Jim was over to Andes today.  Brushland.

*Likely Andrew D. Lull, born 1843 in Bovina, died 1895 in Glassboro, NJ.
**Robert Archibald (1845-1924), son of Robert and Elizabeth Archibald, married Mary Henderson (1847-1925), daughter of James and Hannah Henderson in New Kingston.
***Probably John Hilson (1827-1896)

Wednesday, January 1, 1868 - "A happy New Year's day"

A happy New Year’s day. This has been a Stormy day. It has rained and snowed. Thare was a shooting ma[t]ch at the But[t]end to day. One year ago to day I was drawing wood.
New Years has passed off very quietly around here. W.W. Forrest* was in Delhi to day.
[I am in the town of Hamden to day. I am at H.P. Wilburs** to day. I am with my dear Nettie*** 
to day & also to night.]
One year ago tonight thare was a Ball at the Hook. 
[I am in the company of my dearest earthly treasure.]

*This probably is William W. Forrest (b. 1845), son of Thomas and Helen Forrest.
**H.P Wilbur is Walter's future father-in-law, Hatzel P. Wilbur.
***Nettie is Jeanette Wilbur, his soon to be wife.  In 1868, references to Nettie are almost always in code.