Name/Title
Diary, Volume 2, 1784-1786Entry/Object ID
1874.150.30Scope and Content
Second volume of the diary of Benjamin Simpson of Saco, 1781-1849. This volume covers the period June 1, 1784 through September 30, 1786; August and September 1784 are missing. It also includes October 1-November 30, 1781; several pages were placed out of order when it was rebound in the 20th century. It is handwritten in ink on rag paper with a handsewn binding; it is now housed in a modern paper cover. At the top of each page is the heading in fancy script, the number of days in the month, and the year. Individual entries are a single line of text with the weather for the day at the end on the right-hand margin. The days of the week are not indicated. Simpson noted his major task of the day and the weather. His entries reflect the seasonal nature of the work of a man who owned a farm.
Several times throughout this volume Simpson mentions hunting for bear or wolves that were going after his livestock. In June 1784 a bear killed a sheep. In October and November he spent a lot of time working for Col. Cutts and Captain Coit. On February 1, 1785 Simpson noted "at home, made powder horn." On March 31, again "made powder horn." (See 2003.53.1&2/1873.112.1&2 for two powder horns that belonged to Benjamin Simpson.) In February 1785, Simpson also said that he had begun to build a loom; he continued that work off and on in to March. On March 10, 1786, Benjamin's son, George, was born: "George Simpson born 10 oclock." In June 1785 he framed a barn for himself, boarded it on July 16, and battened it on August 8; he did more work on the barn in December, hewing sleepers and laying a floor. Late October was marked by a weather abnormality: October 24, "went to falls, Bridges gone...great freshet." The water was 7 or 8 feet higher than previously recorded; the water started to recede on October 26. In February and March 1786 Simpson spent a great deal of time making staves. In April and May he had trouble with wolves who killed three lambs and the bears came back in May, but Simpson doesn't seem to have managed to kill any; in August he said he had shot two.Dimensions
Height
9-3/8 inWidth
7-5/8 in