My Great-Great Grandmother Mary Butman Sargent's Journal


Life is busy.  I have a number of projects in the works.  Baseball.  Another pattern.  And I'm working on getting my great-great-grandmother's journal for 1922-1926 organized for printing for the extended family to have.  My dad and aunt and myself have done the transcribing.  I think it's great that my aunt and father have worked on sharing these wonderful documents with family and others interested.   Her entries for May were interesting (and talk of all that rain familiar).  Gardening was an important part of her life, and visiting with family and friends.  She was in her 70's at this time.  And how about churning 9 pounds of butter on what she called "a good day".  :-) 

There's something to be learned from reading this journal, and it is stay connected to the earth and to people and enjoy the natural rhythms of life:

1 May, Monday - Some warmer. Been cleaning up closets. Wrote Mr. Danforth.

2 May, Tuesday - Been a nice, warm, pleasant day. Mrs. Philbrick and Cora Hatch spent the afternoon here. Cora got plants. Wrote card to Charlott.

3 May, Been washing. Nice day to dry clothes. Got an announcement card that Priscilla Marcha Smith born Apl 25. Letter from Loessa.

4 May, Thursday - Another good day. Churned 9 lbs butter and been busy. Ransome Hinkley came for lumber, here to dinner.

5 May, Friday – Robert took a veal calf to Old Town. Took down Fannie’s plants & chair. It commenced to rain about noon and has been a poreing rainstorm, very windy.

6 May, Sat. -- Been looking for James but gave him up at 8. About 9 he came for me to go to his house for the night, so hurried around left half of my things and left about 10. Letter from Edith Parse.

7 May, Sun. – Quite a good morning. James, Grace, Herbert & I left there about 8:30. Arrived at the cottage about 10. Loessa came down, Adalaid in. It commenced to rain about noon. We all called up to Loessa, and James after lunch left for home. I staid all night with Loessa.

8 May, Spent most of the day and night with Loessa. Hattie and Bettie Curtis there. Very windy day.

9 May, Tues. – Came down to the cottage but didn’t do much. Still blowing a gale. Wrote Robert. Boy came to spade up, fixed the sweet pea bed.

10 May, Wed - Loessa & Loessita down to dinner. Set out 14 gladiola bulbs Hannah. Letter from Hannah. Set out pansy and aster plants. Quite a warm day.

11 May, Thursday – Blowing a gale and cold. Washed and cleaned a little. Staying nights with Loessa.

12 May, Milder this morning. Working in the garden. Planted carrot seed. Letter from Charlott.

13 May, Sat. – Planted lettuce, cosmos, and marigold seed. Man came and plowed a little. Box came from Robert. Beans with Loessa – have staid the nights so far.

14 May, A fine day for Mother’s Day. Did not go to church, lame. Went up to Joe’s & Hattie’s to dinner. Loessa & baby there. Called on Eleanor Waterhouse and Anna Butman.

15 May, Monday – set out strawberry plants. Planted sweet peas, called at Adalaid and got dahlia bulbs, set them out. Sent letters to Milan, Fannie & card to Robert. Called at Clara B and Loessa. Mable came home with me.

16 May, Tuesday – Cold, windy day. Did not do much in the garden. Called up to Emma Sargent’s and at cousin Lill Nichols’, supper with Loessa. Wrote Margaret. Card from Robert.

17 May, Wed. - Not feeling very…very cold, windy day. Tried to work in garden but to cold. Went up town, letter from Fannie. Wrote Charlott, card to Hannah & Fannie. Into Mrs. Sawyers eve.

18 May, Thursday – Loessa & Loessita here to dinner. It commenced to rain soon after noon. I went up to Loessa’s and staid all night. Windy, poreing rainstorm all night.

19 May, Friday – Rained by spells all day. Called up to cousin Matilda. Came home about 5.

20 May, Mrs. Dyer found dead in her bed this morning. Mrs. Sawyer in, cousin Emily Colcord called. Loessa brot her car home. Emma Sargent and Adalaid Parse spent the eve.

21 May, Took dinner with Loessa. George Ford was there. Been a warm, pleasant day. Matilda called in. Wrote letter to Susie White, card to Margaret & Mrs. Phil., sent letter to Hannah.

22 May, Received letter from Milan & Mrs. Kirby. Loessa & I called at Sewell Lanchester and cousin Nancy Pendleton. Found Sewell very poorly. Card to Mrs. Kirby.

23 May, Tuesday - Pleasant day, been working in the garden. Joe & Hattie called to say they would start for Everett in the morning. Spent the night with Loessa.

24 May, Wed. – Loessa took Mrs. Dow and I up to get evergreens. Found beautiful violets. Letter from Hannah, Margaret & Hannah Thompson.

25 May, Thursday – Loessa, Mrs. Dow, Loessita & I went to Belfast. Sent letter to Hannah Thompson, card to Robert. Called up to Anna’s. Writing to Miss Underwood.

26 May, Went up to Loessa this morn & evening called at Adalaid’s and Georga Gilkey. Loessa had a dinner in honor of Harry Blake, wife & daughter. Insurance man called.

27 May, Loessa went to Bangor to meet Frank. Has come home for two weeks. They and Georga here to supper.

28 May, Sunday – took dinner up to Loessa. After dinner we went out in car to gather flowers for Memorial Day. Jay’s baby born today.

29 May, Frank, Loessa, Loessita & I visited the different cemeteries, taking decorations. Sent letter to Miss Underwood and card to Margaret.

30 May, Tuesday – Went up to Loessa’s this morning. Set out pansies. Called down on Hattie at the cottage. Into Mrs. Sawyers’ twice. Joe took Hattie & I to visit the village & Harbor cemeteries. Letter from Mrs. Kirby. Baby came Sunday.

31 May, Joe & Hattie here to dinner. Clam Chowder. Went over to Mrs. Hamilton’s for milk. Over to Lill Merrill and down to cottage. Planted pole beans. This afternoon sent letter to Hannah Sargent.



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1 comment:

Hill Country House Girl said...

Dixie, I LOVE this. I have an old journal of my grandmother's and her thoughts were so wonderful and wise and ordinary all at once. One thing in particular that I notice in both journals is that they did not seem to think they had to accomplish 900 things in one day. There is a lesson there, don't you think?


"Do not let what you cannot do
keep you from doing what you can do."

John Wooden