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Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
Diaries & Letters of Tri-Counties
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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| 1837 - 1840 Albert M. Potter
of Elmira NY |
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| Diary of Albert M. Potter |
| Elmira, Chemung County NY |
| Year: 1837-1840 |
| Transcribed by Diane Bender |
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Joyce's Search Tip - December 2010
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Do You Know that you can search just the
355 pages of our
Diaries and Letters on this site by using the Diaries
button in the Partitioned search engine at the bottom of the Current
What's New Page? But diaries and letters are wonderful sources
to understand the culture of time and place. Read them and enjoy them slowly. |
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April 11th [1839] Thurs. Since my last date I have spent a week in Ithaca
& at home. Was absent from Elmira from Tues till Mon following. Like
all anticipated visits it passed pleasantly but very differently from what
I had expected. Many things more as I desired & others the contrary.
While on my way I imagined I should find all well & in good spirits
& that I should have a long & agreeable visit with Franklin &
Julia. I met F— in the street & the meeting was one of affectionate
friends. With him in the evening I called on Julia & tho’ the even
passed pleasantly yet I had expected to have seen her alone & did not.
Next day went with her to Libertyville & was greatly cheered by her
presence. Passed the evening also with her.
Parted with Franklin on Thurs. morning contrary to my wishes & thro’
illness in the family (Mrs. Sages) & being called to go home to Canelon
I left & found all well & in the bustle of preparation for leaving.
I suppose Pa & Ma are now on their way to Albany for the season. Returned
to Ithaca on Sat PM & spent the evening with Julia which passed pleasantly
& rapidly away, & I soon slept till Sabbath. Went to S School in
morning & R D Church thro’ the day, till evening & expected to
have gone out with Julia but did not. Monday morning came & night found
me a citizen of Elmira & thus was my time spent. Never do I visit Ithaca
& most especially of late without feeling the most pleasurable emotions
in seeing old companions. But this was peculiar, in seeing two the most
dear & strong friends. Two that would be friends in the dark &
dismal gloom of Adversity or the Elysian fields of Prosperity.
April 28th [1839] Sabbath. Thro’ the agency of Nature’s Laws & the
order of Heaven we are blessed once again with the return of sweet Spring.
Vegetation already manifests its genial powers & the vegetable world
begins once again to smile in its loveliest garb. Gratitude should find
a cordial welcome in the bosom of every living creature but most peculiarly
in man for the bounties of Heaven & especially for the invigorating
& pleasing scenes of opening Spring. I wonder not that poets so frequently
go to the Spring season for their captivating & interesting subjects
of thought & illustration. If in any thing God has made His wisdom
power & glory manifest in the works of nature it is in reviving &
restoring to the dumb & dreary forest its vesture of green & to
its boughs the tuneful & merry songsters. All nature seems to feel
the renovating influence & to show forth the omniscience & power
of God. How reasonable that we too enjoy its beauties & feel new inspirations
of praise & love to an indulgent Father for so great blessings, &
the continued gifts of health & comforts of life.
April 30th 39 Tuesday. Was up last evening till 1/2 past 11 oclk reading
The last days of Pompeii & was even then reluctant to give up the book
so great was the interest & so pleasing the style. — To-day has been
one of Springs most charming days & although the rain fell fast &
steadily during the AM, yet being warm all nature seems to bound forth
in raptures to clothe the fields & woods in green. This evening I have
been playing & in observing the plan of painting called mezzotints.
I have to-day finished a system of painting in dry colors on paste board
prepared for the purpose. The perspective is obtained by means of a frame
divided equally by lines into inch squares corresponding with like squares
on the paper. The system of perspective is good & so is the painting.
Think it doubtful about my improving much the painting but intend to profit
by the perspective. Thro’ some means I was fortunate enough however to
have discovered the plan of sketching only two or three days before hearing
of the one now learned & thought of putting it into execution. Have
felt half inclined to be low spirited thro’ the day but as it does no good
shall endeavor to shake off all such feelings & cultivate a uniform
flow of spirits when in uniform health. Health whether good or ill always
affects my spirits very materially.
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Published On Tri-Counties Site On 7/27/99
By Joyce M. Tice
Email: JoyceTice@aol.com
