The following diary was written by Harriet Sipperley of Schaghticoke NY in Rensselaer County in 1873. At the time of the diary, Harriet was 43 years old. Her husband John was 55. Based on the 1870 census they had the following children: Elbert (age 18 in 1873), George (age 14), Charles (age 12), Fannie (age 7), and John (age 1 - based on 1880 census where he was 8). Harriet died before 1880, since in that census John is listed with a younger wife named Kate (age 37 in 1880). I also have available on my website, a diary written by Harriet's daughter Fannie in 1878. In that diary Fannie makes frequent references to Mother, many times indicating that she was 'Not Well'. While I can't prove if the Mother referenced by Fannie was Harriet or Kate, I would suspect it was Harriet who may have died within the next year or so.

John Sipperley appears to have had a fairly prosperous farm, with a real estate value of over $10,000 in the 1870 census. Nearby neighbors in the 1870 census were George W. Baucus (age 65 - Farmer - $20,000), his wife Mary, and their six children; Mathias Snyder (age 74 - Retired Farmer - $20000), his wife Rebecca and son John; Jacob Dater (age 44 - Farmer - $25000), his wife Catherine and children - Clarence, Henry, Altah, Irving, and Charles. These families are often mentioned both here and in Fannie's diary.

Now, here's the diary:

Caroline commences to work.

Caroline went to Greenbush to get her close. She didn't work for me that day. John let her have 50 cts.

Mr. Bawars and Mary called here. Caroline and I called to Caspers.

John, Caroline, and Charlie went to the funeral of Mariah Wetsell. When they came back, John, Charlie and I called up to Mrs. Sniders. I cut the baby a sack.

John and Charlie went to Troy. Caroline called up to Mr. Sniders. We churned. I made the baby a sack. We done a kettle of apple sauce. John got a bible from the society.

Caroline washed. I sewed.

I hemed a coverlet an made a bolstee case.

I mended George a cote.

I cut a shirt for John and mended me a dress and done other sewing. John and George went to Troy. I made Caroline a present of a silver thimble. John got Caroline two pair of hoes. He paid 25 cts per pair.

John, Charlie and Caroline went to Church in the afternoon. Charlie and I made a call out to Ma Lowreys.

Caroline washed and made pies. Cut the baby a sack and then I sewed some on it.

I finished the babys sack. Caroline ironed. Mr. Strope killed the beaf for us and he was here to dinner.

I cleaned out my beadroom & dining room and made 12 pies. John and Fannie took Mrs. Buffets beaf up to her. Caroline cleaned the flore. We made a kettle of cider apple sauce.

Mrs. Starin & Mr. Masters spent the day here.

We cleaned the chambers and boiled the mince meat. I sewed a little on Johns shirt. She washed herself a dress in the afternoon and mended up some of her close. John Sniders wife had a sone born.

John & Elbert went to Leansingburgh. Almira Cooper was here in the afternoon. I sewed on Johns shirt. Caroline baked tenn pies & a loaf of cake & clean the flore.

Caroline & I called up to Mrs. Sniders. John & I called to Mrs. Overrockers & to Mrs. Turdyes.

John & Elbert went to Lanoingburgh. Elbert got some teeth fiset. Caroline washed. I knight some & mended George a pair of hoes.

John went to Troy on the cars. I baked five loves of bread and knight some & sewed some. Caroline mended the horse blanket and Charlie a pair of hoes.

I finished John's shirt.

John & Elbert went to Leansingburgh to get his teeth fiset. George & Charlie went up to Mr. Masters. I sewed most of the day. Caroline made pies in the afternoon. She made herself a dress skirt.

John, Elbert, & Caroline & Minnie went to church. Caroline & I called over to Mrs. Caspers.

I baked fourteen pies and ironed some and made a pair of sleaves I put in the babys dress. Caroline washed.

We all went to the funeral. Frank Green was burried. Mrs. Casper came here. I took care of the baby.

John & I and the baby went up to Martins. Caroline & Fannie kept house. Caroline cut herself a dress & sewed on it that day.

I knit Charlie a pair of rislets in the afternoon. Caroline sewed on her dress.

I baked five loves of bread & finished Charlie a pair of rislets. I made fore towels. Caroline made five pies.

I cleaned the dining room out and made me an apron. I knit one garter.

John, Elbert, Carloline & Charlie went to church in the afternoon John & I went up to Mr. Sniders. I made a call.

Caroline & I washed.

John & I called up to *gusty Greens in the afternoon. In the forenoon I knit the baby a sock and starch fine clothes. Caroline ironed.

I ironed five fine shirt. Caroline made pies and cake. I knit the baby a sock. I sewed some. Caroline finished her dress.

I baked five loves of bread and knit some & ironed some fine clothes.

I cut Fannie two pair of drawers & then I sewed some on them.

I baked foreteen pies & made three kinds of cake. I churned & cleaned the dining room out. Caroline swept the chambers.

John took Mr. Emrich and all the children with the exception of George and the baby to church. Caroline also. In the evening we all went. Almira also. Mrs. Cooper came here & took care of the baby.

John took Mr. Emrich to the cars. Caroline washed. I cleaned out the dining room.

Caroline & I went to Mrs. Sniders & spent the day. John took dinner to Mrs. Buffets. He went to diction. I knit some on the babys sock. In the evening I sewed.

Caroline ironed some. I pealed some apples for sauce and mended a pair of socks. I made Fannie a pair of drawers. John got his horse shod. In the evening I sewed. I mended a pair of hoes.

I did a kettle of sauce and did a lot of fride cake. I sewed on Fannies drawers. Caroline made nine pies.

John & the baby and I spent the day to Mr. G. Baucuses. They had other company.

Elbert had company. Mr. Overockers & L. H. Bonestate boy spent the day here. I mended a pair of hoes.

Their was no church. We all staid home but Elbert. He made a call to Mr. Dotys.

Mr. Doty & wife spent the afternoon here. In the evening Mr. Purdys boys spent the evening here. I baked fore loves of cake.

Caroline & I washed. I sewed some.

I knit the baby a pair of socks. I sewed some.

Mrs. Snider spent the day here. I baked five loves of bread. I baked biscuit for dinner.

John, Fannie & I & Caroline spent the day up to Mr. Overackers. Mr. & Mrs. Dator was their. Michaels I mean.

Caroline cleaned the flore. I baked pies. I mended Elbert a shirt. I boiled mince meat.

John, Elbert and Caroline went to prair meeting.

Caroline washed & ironed. I knit on the babys socks & mended Charlies pants.

I baked a lot of pies & biscuits. Mrs. Norman Overocker spent the day here. Casper helped John cut wood in the woods. George & Charlie took Mrs. O home.

I baked six pies and mended Charlies pants & mended my gloves. Caroline pealed apples for sauce & pies.

I mended up an under bead and done up a kettle of cider apple sauce. Caroline ironed some. I cleaned the flore.

I made two kinds of cake, Caroline made one. I mended a quilt. Mrs. Snider spent the afternoon here. In the evening, Em Purdy & Edward Purdy spent the evening fer also fore of Mr. Doties.

I put the fasing on my dress & swept the dining room & done other sewing. I cut the baby a rubber and made it.

John, Elbert, Fannie & Caroline went to church.

Caroline washed. I mended Fannie a dress.

Caroline ironed & pealed some apples for pies. I hemed a table cloth and mended Elberts scarf and made a kettle of sider apple sauce. I mended Fannies gloves and hoes.

I baked eleven pies & sewed on a shirt for John.

I finished John a shirt and done other work. George Baucus called here.

I cut off a pair of sheets & made one. Casper went up to the Point and got the doctor for John. He was sick. The children went down to the Junction school. It was the last day of school. Caroline mended a pair of hoes. Norman Overacher called here.

I made a shirt and mended Charlies pants.

We all staid home. Dr. Beel came down to see John. Mr. Dater called here.

Caroline washed. I made a Jonny cake & two pies and made emptings. I made three towels. Casper called here.

Caroline ironed. I done up a kettle of sauce & baked five loves of bread & we churned. William H. Clapper spent most of the afternoon here. Doctor Beel came here.

I called up to Mrs. Sniders in the morning & took her a bole of sauce. In the afternoon I made me an apron. John set in the house all day doing nothing. Pretty sick. Mr. Purdy called here in the morning.

Caroline baked pies. I mended a pair of hoes for George.

I made Fannie & apron. Just knight Caroline & I called over to Caspers.

I mended Elberts pants & hemed Fannie an apron. I mended Fannie a stocking and done a kettle of sider apple sauce.

We all staid home. It was a rainy day & very mudy.

Caroline washed. I baked five loves of bread & mended two pair of hoes. Michael Overacher called here, Mr. Snider also. John was in the house all day. Did not do anything.

I fiset up one of John's fine shirts. Caroline baked pies.

I mended Johns coat and baked two loves of cake. Caroline ironed, I mended some hoes. George Baucus called here and Mrs. Purdy also. Caroline and I called up to Mr. Sniders. John cut some on a bracket.

I mended four baghs & fiset my waist. Caroline washed a little and ironed a little. Mr. Brimmer called here. John paid him for Carolines shoes & Fannies and Charlie.

I mended bags. Caroline & I called down to Mrs. Overocker. She went with us down to Waldrows. He was did. Mr. George Baucus cawled here in the morning.

Martin spent most of the day here. He took dinner. I mended Elberts gloves and sewed some on the bags. I baked five loves of bread & two pies.

(no entry)

I mended bags. Mr. Purdy called here. Caroline washed & ironed. John called up to Mr. Sniders. He took them a basket of turnips. He then went up to Mr. Bawens for dinner.

I sewed some on my skirt & mended some bags. I done up a kettle of cider apple sauce.

The school closed. Caroline went up in the afternoon. I mended bags. Caroline baked some pies & washed two dresses for herself. Clarents Dator called here and J. Doty.

I baked bread.

I mended some hoes & hemed a towel.

I fiset the baby a skirt and mended some hoes. Caroline washed a little.

Caroline & I called up to Mrs. Sniders in the afternoon. Their was no church. We set two *ens.

Caroline washed. John & Charlie went to Troy. I put a pair of risbans on Elberts shirt. I made me an apron.

I mended George a pair of hoes & made the skirt to the babys dress. John & George went to Troy. I baked four loves of bread & nine pies.

We washed the wall in the bedroom and cleaned it.

Caroline & I cleaned the childrens room.

I baked five loves of bread. In the afternoon John & I went up to Mrs. Buffetts to tea. The bone pickers came here and John let them have * of bones for fifteen cents.

I baked five loves of cake in the forenoon. In the afternoon Fannie & Caroline went to the depot. Her sister & her baby came down on the cars.

John & Elbert went to the Point. Carolines sister was here.

Elbert took Carolines sister to the cars after dinner & then Caroline washed & I cut the baby a dress.

John, Elbert, Caroline, the baby, and I went to Troy. Caroline & I took dinner with Mrs. Simons.

Caroline ironed. I baked five loves of bread & nine pies. Lames Overacher served (?) Deed for John in the forenoon. He was here for dinner.

Caroline & I cleaned the pantry.

We put the dishes up in the pantry. I put things to wrights. Elbert went up to Mr. Baucuses after some ducks eggs in the afternoon. Caroline baked some pies.

Lon, Charlie & Fannie went to Troy. I made the baby a dress.

They all went to church but me and the baby. Mrs. Casper call here in the afternoon. We call up to Martins.

Caroline washed. I mended Fannie two dresses & a pair of hoes.

I took up my carpet in the dining room & washed the wall and wood work & baked fore loves of bread.

We cleaned the windows upstairs. I baked tenn pies.

I cleaned the close room upstairs & one of the chambers & took up my stair carpet. Caroline ironed.

I baked five loves of bread & put down my carpet in the dining room. I put up the stove. Caroline tucked her dress.

We swept the chambers & cleaned the cook room flore. I baked eight pies in the afternoon. Caroline & I took tea up to Mr. John Dotys. John & Elbert went up to the church & then John came and took tea. Fannie went up to Mrs. Wetsell and spent the afternoon.

We all went to church but George & Charlie. Mrs. Casper came here & took care the baby in the afternoon. Caroline & I called up to Mr. Sniders.

Caroline washed & ironed & cleaned the flore. I cooked b*es. I mended Charlies pants. John & Elbert went to Troy. They took down apples.

We washed the woodwork in the cookroom. A tin peddler eat dinner here.

I baked cake & pie & cut the baby a dress & done other work.

We cleaned the milkroom in the cellar and wed some of the strawburys.

We cleaned the windows in the parlors & the piasa.

Caroline washed a few calico close.

They all went to church except me and the baby. They had no preaching.

I took up the parlor carpet. Caroline washed.

I tooked up the sitting room carpet & cleaned it & put it down again.

I baked sice loves of bread & starched fine clothes.

Caroline & I called up to Mrs. Sniders then John & I called up Willis Baucuses.

We baked pies. I mended the baby a shirt & done other sewing.

John went up to Mr. Buttons to a raisen to the hill. I cut Johnny a dress & sewed on it. Caroline sewed for herself in the afternoon.

They all went to church except John the baby and I. We went up to Mr. Masters.

Caroline washed and then we made pies. John & the children planted corn. I sewed a little.

I baked five loves of bread & two loves of indian bread & two loves of cake. I sewed on the babys dress. Caroline ironed.

I finished the babys dress. Caroline sewed on her dress. John took a load of hay to Troy. Elbert & George worked on the road.

John went to Lancingburg with hay. I hemed a vail and baked tenn pies. Elbert & George worked on the road.

John, Elbert, Caroline, Fannie & I went to Troy. We got three jockey (?) and lots of other things. We all went up to Agustys for dinner.

John whitened the cookroom wall & we cleaned the cellar.

We all went to church. Mrs. Casper took care of the baby.

Caroline washed. I baked five loves of bread.

I mended Charlies pants & fiset John a pair. Caroline baked pies. We churned. I starched fine clothes. I made pop (?) for dinner. Caroline ironed a little.

I fiset the baby a sack & mended a pair of hoes.

I mended two pairs of hoes and sewed on Fannie a dress. We baked cake.

I baked fore loves of bread & pies & rusk & cake.

Elbert & the baby & I went Troy. I spent the afternoon with Mrs. *immie Agusty. T. came home with us and staid until Monday morning and then John & Agusty took the cars for Troy.

We all went to church. Mrs. Casper took care of the baby.

George, Fannie & I went to Lansinburg to get her two dresses cut.

I washed a little and sewed on the baby a skirt.

I made tenn pies.

We all went to the show. We took dinner to Battershall.

I cleaned out the dining room. In the afternoon John & I went to Lancingburg & then up to Martins. Mary was sick.

I baked five loves of bread & tenn pies & a loaf of cake & 49 rushs.

Their was no church. John and I and the baby called over to the Caspers. Caroline went up to Sniders.

Caroline washed and ironed. We churned.

I sewed a little. Elizabeth Wetsell and the teacher called here in the afternoon.

I baked nine pies and some cakes & fiset up some shirt. John & Elbert sheered the sheep.

I baked five loves of bread & mended most of the day. John took down a load of straw to Troy. Caroline washed a little.

John & George went to Troy. I mended on shirts & hoes. Caroline ironed a little.

I mended hoes in the afternoon. In the forenoon I took care of the baby. We called over to Caspers. Caroline in the afternoon went over to her unkles & staid until Sunday afternoon.

We did not go to church. Their was none.

Caroline washed. I done the work & took care of the baby. Peter Lum came up on the cars in the afternoon and staid until Friday.

I baked five loves of bread. Elbert went down to the Overrockers to a party in the afternoon & evening. John & I took tea over to Mrs. Schoonmakers. I cook chicken for dinner. In the morning John went to the church to do some plastering.

I cooked chicken for dinner and made two pies & three loves of cake. John went to Troy in the morning after a load of domany Dikes things. Mr. Dimmick came up on the cars and spent the day.

I mended two pairs of hoes. Caroline called up to Sniders in the afternoon.

I baked three pies and a loaf of cake. Caroline washed some windows.

We churned and baked five loves of bread & two loves of cake. I fell and hurt my rist so I could not use it.

I went to the Point to see the doctor. He done up my rist.

Caroline wash. I could not do much.

I rote to my mother. My rist was lame. I could not do much of anything.

I could not do much of anything. John & I went to Lancingburg with Fannie after her dress.

Aunt Caty Groosebeck took dinner here & then she went up to Mrs. Sniders. I baked a pudding for dinner. In the morning baked two loves of cake.

I could not do much of anything.