The History Center on Main Street

61 North Main Street, Mansfield, Pennsylvania 16933

Community History & Genealogy


In Their Own Words - Diaries and Letters of our Ancestors
Diary & Ledger of Dwight Bliss - Table of Contents
Township: Charleston Township, Tioga County PA
Year: 1881-1891
Transcribed by Esther MAYS Harer
Charleston Township Page
This collection includes eleven full years of diary notations and financial information for Dwight Bliss of Charleston Township. Not everyone is interested in Nineteenth Century farm economy. There's me and maybe three other people on the planet. However, do not overlook these pages. If nothing else is of interest to you, the last column, Memorandum, includes notation on countless deaths and other events in the area. It is at the far right and you'll need to use your scrolling bar to get over to it. Also the daily financial transactions give us great insight into the lives of people operating in a barter (trade) economic sytem. Don't pay too much attention to the prices. We'd need a Consumer Price Index to convert them to a 2005 equivalent to get significant comparative information from them. Many thanks to Esther for making this available to us. Back to Table of Contents
Diary of EVENTS, &c., FOR THE MONTH OF__July 1891___
Day of Week WEATHER Wind/Asp'cts Principal Occupation of the Day Sales Purchases Contracts Made & With Whom Cash Received Dollar/ Cents Cash Paid Out Dollars/ Cents Bills Receivable Dollar/cent Bills Payable Dollar/ cents Memoranda
1 Wed Rain i howed potatoes 1-2 went to round top                   E. Close 1 flour Paid .50  
2 Thurs Rain i am to home today                        
3 Fri Cldy i went to the picnic                        
4 Sat Clear we went down to Broughtons                       We when down Broughtons
5 Sun Clear to home went to Meeting                        
6 Mon South Cldy went to Wellsboro                       Charley got Said
7 Tues North Cldy i went to town to home Cit Rose 1.15     F. Rose 1 horse 75.00     F. Rose on horse 40.00      
8 Wed North Cldy i went to Round top plowed and howed potatoes           L. Sears feed 3.6          
9 Thur Clear i finished howing potatoes           C. Bliss Oats 2b 1.00          
10 Fri South Clear i parished Green my potatoes       Duckworth Butter 8.02              
11 Sat South Clear i went to Wellsboro 1-2 i Got in some hay           W. Roberts Articles 3.00 1.82          
12 Sun South Clear i am to home all day                        
13 Mon South Clear i comenced haying                        
14 Tues South Clear i am a haying on the Side Hill                        
15 Wed N Clear i am haying at home                        
16 Thurs North Clear i am a haying at home                        
17 Fri South clear That we are haying at home                        
18 Sat South Rain i went to Wellsboro                        
19 Sun North Clear we cut the old lain                        
20 Mon North Got in the hay helped John 1-2       Duckworth Butter 8.70     J. Bliss 1/2 day Paid .75      
21 Tues South Clear i helped John hee today               J. Bliss 1 day Paid 1.50      
22 Wed South Cldy i helped John 1-4 it rained               J. Bliss 1/4 day Paid .37      
23 Thurs NW Cldy i dug Dich it Rained                        
24 Fri South Cldy i am to home went to Wellsboro                        
25 Sat South i went to the city of Wellsboro                        
26 Sun South Clear i went to meeting                        
27 Mon NW Clear i am a haying for John               J. Bliss 1 day Paid 1.50      
28 Tues South Cldy i am to work for John               J. Bliss 1 day Paid 1.50      
29 Wed South i am the home 1-2 helped John               J. Bliss 1/2 Paid .75      
30 Thur South Cldy i am to home       Duckworth Butter 8.30              
31 Fri North Clear i dug Dich 1-2 helped John 1-2               J. Bliss 1/2 Paid .75      
Diary of EVENTS, &c., FOR THE MONTH OF__August 1891___
Day of Week WEATHER Wind/Asp'cts Principal Occupation of the Day Sales Purchases Contracts Made & With Whom Cash Received Dollar/ Cents Cash Paid Out Dollars/ Cents Bills Receivable Dollar/cent Bills Payable Dollar/ cents Memoranda
1 Sat North Clear i helped John Bliss hay                        
2 Sun North Clear i am the home 1-2 went to meeting                        
3 Mon S Cldy i am haying for Dwight                        
4 Tues Clear i cut some hay                        
5 Wed Cldy i am a tinkering                        
6 Thur Cldy i diging diche                        
7 Fri NW Clear i finished cutting grass                        
8 Sat NW Cldy i finished haying                        

Published On Tri-Counties Site On 01/23/2005
By Joyce M. Tice