Name/Title
Diary, Volume 19, 1814-1816Entry/Object ID
1874.150.16Scope and Content
Nineteenth volume of the diary of Benjamin Simpson of Saco, 1781-1849. This volume covers the period July 1, 1814 through February 1, 1816. It is handwritten in ink on rag paper with a handsewn binding; it is now housed in a modern paper cover. Most of the entries are a single line. The date is listed at the top of each page, with individual entries (without dates) listed below. 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 but also was a skilled mason.
In this volume, Simpson recounts the fears local residents had of British depredations during the War of 1812. In mid-September, 1814, Simpson reported that John Cleaves had moved some of his goods to his brother’s because he was afraid the British would destroy them. A week later (on the 24th), Simpson went to the falls to haul a load of goods to his house for safe keeping. Cleaves apparently left his goods there for a couple of months because Simpson did not return them to the falls until November 24. In February 1815 Simpson went to the falls “at the celebration of Peace between Great Britain and America.”
There were also several weather and natural phenomena that Simpson recorded in this volume. In July 1814 he was evaluating damage done to Jeremiah Staples’ land at the falls as a result of the “flowing of the river in Saco river.” On November 28 Simpson reported “A very heavy shock of an earth quake was full about half after seven in the evening.” On May 19 there was a great snowstorm with 4-5 inches of snow completely covering the ground. The snow was still there two days later.
Simpson also reported a great deal of family sickness during these years. In early November 1814 Mrs. Simpson was unwell for a couple of weeks. Simpson went to the falls on November 2 for elecompane for her since she was very sick. On the 8th she was still sick and Dr. Bacon was to see her; he also noted that he went to Scarborough for a doctor on November 10. In early 1815 Mrs. Simpson was unwell again; she remained that way throughout the month. During that period, Simpson remained at home nursing his wife and taking care of the house, unable to do any of his own work. In April most of the family was stricken with influenza, five of them being sick all at the same time. In December 1815 Simpson started having trouble with his right knee from rheumatism, which continued on for more than a month. The start of January 1816 saw the family struck by measles, sons Joshua’s and Ebenezer both infected. Joshua seemed to recover fairly quickly but Ebenezer was ill for weeks and it seems as if they almost despaired of his life at one point. One day he was taken by a fit which rendered him speechless.
Simpson seems to have done less masonry work for others during the years of this volume. He did do some work for himself, stoning a cellar and working on a chimney.
Also of note, on Sunday, June 5, 1815, Simpson went “to meeting at E. Anders [or Andros] in Buxton. Heard a black man preach (from Buxton). Thursday, August 17 he “made a fraim for books to stand on when you read.” And on Wednesday, December 20, 1815, Simpson said that he went “to falls. Brought George [?] Gray to administer an oath to Mehitable Richards for having a child by (John Elden).”Dimensions
Height
5-3/4 inWidth
3-5/8 in