DIARYOF ALSON WARD
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50.
August 1845 3. Sabbath Went to church to. Pokeeps:i.ein companywi.tb Henry Sleight and Elsey Gidley or they with us to tbei.r church the Dutch church stoped to ·Mr:Gid]eys on our return and took dinner Met Edwin Stockholm there· Father and.Mother · staid at Grandpas until we returned they having road as far as our church with us on our way to Pokeepsie . 4. Spent the day drawing manure from the yard to the long field puting it in large heaps to be spread on the long meadowafter being ploughed. Just at night we drew water from the pond to the garden watering the vines watermelon and tomatoes&. 5.Spent the day drawing manure. Father went to pokeepsie with Grandpa on business Grandpa had his minature taken by the dagueriotype principle. 6. In the morning I went to the Valley to get my cloak altered that I had made for traveling. In the afternoon Calvert and myself cleaned up the wheat had twenty bushels from six bushels sowing. Grandpa took dinner with
us.
7. Finished scraping and drawing manure from the barnyard which occupied most of the day Spread the manure from the wagon on the,sap bush. 8. In the forenoon Calvert and myself drew stone from Uncle Daniels orchard west of his house to finish the gap where it lacked & In the afternoon Mary and myself went to Mr Edward VanWykesto take tea, Met Mr Brundage and wife Henry Sleight and Elsey Gidley there had a pleasant visit.
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9. Spent the day preparing for the west marking shirts basoms & It is the dryest weather that has been knownby the oldest people all vegatation seems completely dried up. 10.Sabbath Went to the church at the Valley a colporter of the West preached on the plan and system of colportage made an appointment for the aft_ernoon but it being very hotwe did not go to hear him preach I expect to start for the West in the morning in companywith Henry Sleight. 11.In the morning early prepared for our journey Father took me to the boat which did not get along until one oclock Weexpected it along by eleven oclock which made it tedious waiting. As there was no opposition we had ·a crowd boat and not the best of accommadations a night boat instead of the regular day line on account of some of the boats braking their machinery. Just at night there came a shower and continued until some time in the night At Troy went through to Troy and put up at the mansion house ( a very good house). 12.In the morning the landlord told us Mr Sidman Thorn had staid there during the night but had just left on his way home from Wisconsin. Wepaid our fare through to Syracuse at Troy and took the cars and left at eight oclock Had a very pleasant day's ride although ·the country through which we passed was rather poor and poorly managed the oats and Canada thistles contending in many places for the supremicy Found it not quite so dry and parched as at home and considerable oats not gathered and saw one piece of spring wheat not yet harvested. Arrived at Utica at two oclock in the afternoon where we got our dinners & was careful to secure a good seat in the best car Arrived at Syracuse at six in the evening and took tea at the temperance hotel near the large hotel being built at that place which is a splendid affair and will prooably cost when finished near one hundred thousand dollars Wepassed through it and had some time to spare to walk through the streets as the packet for Oswegodid not start until eight. We spent an hour or more on the deck stooping for the bridges viewing the extensive salt works
