The nicholas gesner Diary Volume II 1835 - 1836 Transcribed and edited by Alice Gerard © Alice Gerard, 2015 PO Box 225, Palisades NY 10964 ISBN 978-0-9743865-2-2 table of contents Page January 1, 1835 1 February 1, 1835 24 March 1, 1835 41 April 1, 1835 66 May 1, 1835 87 July 4, 1835 95 August 1, 1835 109 September 1, 1835 125 October 1, 1835 145 November 1, 1835 163 December 1, 1835 179 January 1, 1836 193 February 1, 1836 209 March 1, 1836 224 May 8, 1836 231 June 1, 1836 244 July 1, 1836 258 August 1, 1836 274 September 1, 1836 286 October 1, 1836 3o3 November 1, 1836 320 December 1, 1836 331 Interesting Events 347 illustrations Page Abraham Clark’s house 6 Cathy Mann 12 Hitchel 44 David Mann’s house on Closter Road 50 House of George Lawrence 61 Abraham Post house 70 Euphemia Willsey, Abraham Post’s wife 71 George Mann’s house 77 Joshua Martin house 87 19th Century spike-tooth harrow 96 Gimlet 97 Salt Meadow 101 Cradle 115 Early steamboat 127 House John Willse sold to Leonard Beasley 130 Great Fire of New York, 1835 187 Flail used in threshing 206 New Road to Tappan 213 Clevis 248 Diary page for the facing transcription 1835 Momento Jan 1 Very peacable this New Year in neighborhood Friday 2 Pleasant all Day, Clear, Snows but little at Night J. L. the 2 Jon Lawrence the Mare fetched Hannah Concklin to Make Trousers, Sally Along, Mare good Riding David Blt. 2 David Blauvelt Oxen 2 loads again yesterday. He cut fire wood from 11 to 2 for Oxen He cut Me to Day wood &c JL Oxen 2 Jon Lawrence also the Oxen 1 load yesterday from below Sat. 3 A Very cold past Night and All Day. Excellent good Riding, having a deep Snow Cold & good and good bottom, See December 29 last Riding Sabbath 4 Clear but immensely Cold, Seldom so cold, all Day terrible cold at Night uncommon severe cold Pr. Mg. 4 Prayer Meeting Jon Lawrences; only few, very cold indeed. I Henry Concklin and Jon Law Peggy all that was there except the family Upper 4 None from Rockland to upper landing to Night, too cold to be out Doors Landg. Mon 5 Immensely cold this Morning, the Stove in my big Room last Night very hot at 11 Cold, Cold at Night and then filled with wood, went to bed, in Morning the Earthen Basin a thick cake of Ice left standing on stove 1 1835 Momento Jan. 5 Lawrence Sneden use of Oxen near ¾ Day draw Wood, Jerry Smith fetched Lawrence them about 10, back Dark, Day ½ Day + I expect Jerry drove them — Sned. Oxen Butter 5 And this Day Gracy had 2 lbs good butter of him on use of Oxen, All Square of him before this Date Bitter 5 Immensely cold; Thermometer 6 Degrees colder than in 10 years before last cold Night Mare 6 Jon Lawrence and Sally &c also Mary to Derick Clark’s, Jon Lawrence and Sally the Mare cold cold 6 Clear and immensely cold to Day, all Day windy from the NNW good Riding 6 Most excellent good Sleigh Riding, last Saturday the Widow Peggy House Peggy House Married to William J. Sneden Married on Salt 6 Today I went on Salt Meadow with George Gesner, Herbert’s Sled and Horse Meadow a with my Mare. Got a load (not large) of David Blauvelt. The coldest time I ever load of Hay experienced on the Salt Meadow — out of Major Ferdon’s Barrack had cut it on of D. Blauvelt Shares, This on use of Oxen — Manning 6 Judgment on Manning’s Account. I did not appear. Wed 7 Clear Wind continues Northward, and is prodigious cold, Thick Ice in earthen bowl Standing on a hot Stove till late bedtime near 12 and this Morning a cake of Astonishing Ice in it; the Oxen and Horses in the Stable their Mouths and About their Eyes Cold also bodys was white with frost, Old Sorrel had Ice to his Eyelids Abm Scudder 7 Abraham Scudder here this Evening and his Mother, cold Wood Return 7 Received the Return of Wood Sent down, There was 15 loads 3 loads of which I & Ja Ges was sent, sent 2 at 22 shilllings and 1 at 18 shillings, oak from 15 shilllings to 18 shillings, the whole amounted to 24 Dollars 63 Cents, Jacob Gesner and self each $12.31 2 1835 Momento Jan. 8 Clear Wind continues about N by E, it seems to be equally cold as Yesterday Very cold Altho no Ice on the Stove this Morning, neither so much frost on Cattle &c good Riding — very cold, excellent Sleigh Riding Sorrel & 8 Old Sorrel fetched Amelia Yesterday from Tappan Mare David 8 David Blauvelt fetched My Mare last Evening, wanted to go with Lucy and his Blauvelt sister Hannah this Morning to the Fort Lee Gate &c My Mare Friday 9 Clear and very cold yet; the Wind Remains in the same point about as above; it is cold clear not so excessive cold as it has been but hard Winter Weather. The Sky very clear and blue Oxen for 9 Jacob Gesners Oxen Afternoon at John Willse’s, boy drawing fire wood, 3 loads John Willse from Haring or Peter Riker Boy Lapham 9 Lapham down from Haverstraw at Jon Lawrences to Night, I dont know his business Herbt. Mare 9 Herbert the Mare to take Amelia home to Tappan Sat. 10 Still Clear and cold, Wind N by E this Jon Law 10 Let Jon Lawrence have some standing wood yesterday, had John Whitehead (a Wood &c colored Man) all Day and Wheeler part of Afternoon to cut; and Drew 5 or 6 Drew home my loads home, had teams &c, to Day Jacob Gesner My Oxen one load for him. oxen 1 load Wheeler 10 Wheeler had Mare and Herbert one horse Sled, drew one load wood from below Mare to his House (Shanty) &c I think the Mare has been Strained 3 1835 Momento Jan 10 Paid Mary Ann Gesner day before Yesterday the 12 shillings Borrowed of Herbert Paid &c Sabbath 11 Clear and Cold, Wind the same, weather has Moderated Some. Good Riding from the 29th of December last 12 Clear this Morning a cold night, Wind lightly from N by E as it has been from the 28th of 29th of December last, good Riding Pr. Mg. 11 Prayer Meeting at Jonathan Lawrences 11 o’clock. I, Gracy, Jacob Gesner and Jon Law Wife, Mistress Cooper, Wheeler, Margaret, Henry Concklin and Peggy, Lucy and Jon Lawrences family composed the little but good Meeting. Johnson 11 Brother Johnson Preached upper landing today from Joshua 24 Chapter, the first Preached and last clause of 15 Verse “And if it seems evil unto you to serve the Lord choose upper Landg. you this Day whom you will serve.” And “But as for me and My house we will serve the Lord.” A good sermon with an Affirmative Application, to only about 20 or 30 hearers, beautiful light Night, Moon light, and Not over Cold. Young people I expect Many out Riding — I, Wheeler, Margaret, Sally went up with George Lawrences Sleigh and My Mare; Henry Concklin came afterwards and Walked there from Rockland. In coming back Wheeler and Henry walked. Preachg. at Slote Sch. Ho. Preaching at Slote Schoolhouse at 3 PM given up given up &c Walking 11 People are Walking Across the North River at Snedens and from Tarry Town &c Across the this 2 or 3 Days River 4 1835 Momento January 12 See the preceding page for the Weather Herbt. & 12 Herbert and George Gesner his Son Went about 4 o’clock This Morning with his son to NY team to New York, back between 8 and 9 at Night with Barrels of flour. Jon Law 12 Jon Lawrence 2 Hands, ie Jerry Smith and John Whitehead, to cut fire wood in 2 Hands My Swamp cutting wood Jon Law 12 Jon Lawrence My Oxen to draw 3 loads of Wood from below, kept them all Night Oxen N. York 12 To Day Sent My New York tax $3.36 to John Blanches where the Collector M. Tax &c $3.36 Hoffman was to call for it. Sent with William Lawrence a Letter to 12 I Sent Abraham House a letter today drawn a few Days ago, desiring to know Ab House &c who by and how my charge for Settling his and Peggy House’s concerns should be paid &c. Also by William Lawrence. Jac Ges 12 Jacob Gesner and Betsy his Wife about Mid Afternoon to Derick Clarks to be at & Wife Meeting at his house, back about 10 or 11 at Night to D. Clark’s Tuesd. 13 Thinly overcast this Morning, clouds move from the West. Not cold, and wind very still; Moderate Soft Now the weather grows soft NB The Wind from NE by N began Dec. 28th last the Time and continued until the 12th Instant and from 3rd Instant to the 9th very cold but very cold the 4th 5th 6th the 7th to the 8th immensely cold. 5 1835 Momento Clark Jan. 13 Jonathan Lawrence had Abraham Clark and David Tallman each to Draw one & Tallman Load from My Woods below Wood for J Lawrence 13 Jon Lawrence 3 loads again with My Oxen to Day, he kept them all last Night — Peggy House 13 Peggy Sneden (lately House) here on my letter to her about her and Abraham House’s concern to pay her.