Christman diary 1863
A diary kept by Irene and Alice Christman. It is a one year diary for 1863; however, the sisters dated each
entry by year. It appears to me that Alice kept the diary for the first year or two recording mundane events.
Then it appears Irene took over and used the diary to record deaths and marriages.
This is a literal transcription. Any writing that I am unsure of is designated with a (?). All items in
brackets are originally typed in the diary. All dates are otherwise handwritten in.
Front Page:
Irene Christman
Setlers Stone
Chester Co Pa
Thursday, Jan. 9th 1868.
Isaac Chrisman died.
Wednesday, Jan. 11th 1871
Lizzie Bartolette died.
Friday Jan. 12th 1866.
Alice Jones died.
Thursday Jan, 12th 71
Pappa left for the west.
Wednesday Jan. 17th 1866.
Uncle George Christman
died.
[Wednesday Jan 21] 74
Emma was married very
dull and rainy.
Uncle Isaac Stover died.
Friday evening the 21st 76.
of Heart disease.
Saturday [January 22] 76
Hattie Rowland died.
Monday Jan 24th 1870.
Squire Willaner died.
Friday Jan 27th. 1865.
Sarah Klopp buried.
Thursday Feb. 3rd 1870.
Jesse Grimes died.
Thursday Feb 6. 1873.
Joseph Dehaven died.
Thursday Feb 13. 1873.
Benjamin D. Miller
and Pierce started
for Somerset.
[Sunday, February 15, 1863.]
Mr. Bartalett died
Tuesday Feb. 18. 1873
Mrs. Walter MacFeat
died.
Monday, Feb. 20th 1865
Lewis M. Shantz died
about 8 o'clock in the even ing.
Monday Feb 20th 1871.
Ella Miller died about 8 'oclock in the morning.
Wednesday Feb 22nd 1868
Mary Fisher buried.
[Thursday February 26] 74
R. Kolb was buried.
Tuesday Feb 28th 1871.
John Wagonselter (?) died
Saturday, Feb. 28th 1874
Grandma Pennypacker
died.
[Sunday, March 1] 1864
Quite A deep snow fell
March 1st 74. Grandmother (crossed out)
Pennypacker died. (crossed out) buried on
the fifth. beautiful day and
a large funeral.
March 2nd 1864
Rev. Mrs. Shenkle was buried
Thursday March 2nd 1871.
Grandpappa Chrisman
died about four 'oclock in
afternoon aged 82 years 9 mo
and 27 days.
Thursday [March 10] 1864
Madison Brownback
died.
Saturday Mach [sic] 11. 1863--
We had a grand Exhibition
in the E.C.U. Meeting House
very pleasant evening a
good turn-up & took in
35$ of which $2 were count-
feit, hard the Scholars
in $.s. (unsure of last phrase starting with hard)
Saturday March 11. 1871
Eliza J. Stephen's died.
Tuesday, March 11, 1873.,
Mrs. Jacob H. Major died
very suddenly of heart-
disease.
Saturday March 15. 1873.
William Hause died.
Saturday [March 18] 1865
Dis Day I (Alice Chrisman)
cut my finger very severely.
Do you know this is a very
windy day. Father
went to West Chester.
Saturday [March 19] 1864.
Kerry Still buried.
Saturday March 19th 1870
Aunt Betsy Christman
Died
Wednesday March 19. 1873.
Mrs. David S. Taylor died
Tuesday [March 22] 1864.
Aunt Susie Shantz bur-
ied.
Friday, March, 31st 1865.
Kitty Grilbb (?) buried.
--------
March 31st 1866.
Clara Reinhart died.
Monday Apri l4th 1870
Peggy Miller died.
Monday [April 10] 1865.
Mrs. Jno' Baugh died in the
Morning about 5. o'clock.
Tuesday April 11th 1865
Mrs Eliza Whitby bur-
ied. she died after an
illness of only a few
hours.
Wednesday March [sic] 11th 1874
Em Pennypacker married
John Baugh Sr buried
Saturday March 14th 1874
[Friday April 17] 1863.
Charles Painter died.
[Monday April 20] (1874 erased)
Lillie Kennedy Robb
died. aged 25
Saturday. April 22. 1865.
George Baugh died.
had been to Pugh-
town during the day
and when going to
bed fell and was
taken up a corpse.
[Sunday April 26] 1863.
Grandma Price buried.
[Monday April 27] 1863.
Aunt Sallie Huzzard
died
[Tuesday, April 28, 1863.]
David E. Majors &
Samuel Willaner's bod-
ies brought home from
Falmouth, been dead
about three months
1868
Mrs. Henry Fink died.
[Thursday April 30.] 1863.
Thanksgiving -day ap-
pointed by the President.
[Friday, May 1, 1863.]
Commenced planting
corn.
Monday, May 1. 1865.
John Tilton buried.
Sunday May 14th. 1871.
Coz. Harry March died
about 11'oclock in the morning
had been very low for about
three weeks.
[Saturday, May 16, 1863.]
Grandmother Benner
died.
Saturday May 20th 1871.
David Frick died about 11 'oclock
at night.
Saturday, May 21st 1870.
Lizzie Brey died.
[Monday, June 15, 1863.]
Commenced making hay.
Saturday June 17th 1865.
Mrs. Joseph Johnson
drownded herself in
the well.
[Friday June 19] 1863.
Old Jacob Shantz was
buried.
[Tuesday, June 30, 1863.]
Company started for State
defence from Lawrenceville.
[Wednesday, July 1] 1863.
Battle of Carlisle commenced.
Sunday [July 2] 1871
Elwood (illegible middle initial in a different hand/pencil) Buckwalter was
buried. He was sick for
two weeks with typhoid fever.
Monday, July 3rd, 1865.
Daniel Rinehart fell
off a load of hay, and
paralyzed his lower limbs.
Died on July 25th
Monday [July 4] 1864.
Cousin John H. Stover
buried. (H is in pencil; rest is in pen)
Sunday [July] 5 [1863]
Wet Harvest.
[Tuesday July 7]. 1863.
Judson Rowland came
home from the Army.
'is that so. (second sentence in different hand)
Monday July 11th 1870
Jonathan Urner (?) died.
[Sunday, July 12, 1863]
Hauled in Grain.
1871
Anna R Buckwalter died
Wednesday, July 20th 1870.
John Chrisman died.
[Wednesday July 22] 1863.
Mrs. Bartlette buried.
[Friday, July 24, 1863.]
John Fox died.
Monday, July. 24th 1865.
Cousin Henry Chrisman
died.
Tuesday July 25th 1865.
Daniel Rinehart died.
Wednesday July 25th 1866.
Lydia Shantz died.
[Monday, July 27, 1863.]
Mrs. Frank Shantz buried.
[Tuesday July 28] 1863.
Mary Freas buried.
Saturday, July 28th 1866.
Cousin Kitty Shantz died.
[Sunday, August 2, 1863.]
Theodore Sower's funeral
sermon preached.
Saturday [August 5] 76
Francis Miller buried
[Thursday August 6] 1863.
Drafted men came
home. Examination &
Thanks-giving-day.
Monday [August 7] 1876
Henry Shuman buried.
Saturday Aug. 12th 1865.
Uncle Henry Christman
died.
[Friday, August 14, 1863.]
State defence men
came home.
August 14th 1872
Uncle Reuben Shnafs-
burger (?) was killed on
the Perkiomen built (?) road.
[Monday, August 17, 18]68.
Coz. Frank Marsh's
baby died.
Monday August 22nd 1870.
Katie Stauffer died.
Tuesday [Wednesday] 2 (crossed out) [September 1863]
Irene went to school at N.C.
Wednesday Sept 7th 1864
Returned from school.
[Wednesday September 9] 1863.
Carrie Bush married.
Friday Sept. 9th 1864. Price
Frick died
Abe married Ada Stauffer
Thursday the 9th 1875.
[Saturday September 12] 1863.
Celebration day.
Monday Sept. 18th 1865.
Grandpap Sheeder died.
Howard W. Deweese died.
[Saturday, September 19, 1863.]
Very large Mass Meeting
at the Yellow Springs.
Davis Yeager buried.
Friday [September] 29. 1871.
Aunt Katie Frank
died.
[Friday October 23] 1866.
High hats gone out of fashion.
Sunday morn Nov 7 1869
Ellen Stauffer died
Saturday Nov 15th 1873.
Nathan Wagner died
after an illness of
5 weeks.
Wednesday [November 21 186]6
Mr Abbie Frick gave
his first Sociability.
Thursday [November 22] 1866
Snowed a little.
[Thursday November 26]. 73
Irene came from school
at West Chester.
[Monday November 20, 1863.]
Snowed a little. Mrs. H.
Heckel buried 1876.
Wednesday Dec. 10th 1873.
Sarah Rinehart died
Thursday [December 15, 186]4.
Lewis W. Rinehart &
Mary Heistand married.
Friday, December 15th, 1865
Mrs. John Painter died.
Monday Dec 16th 1867.
Charlie Miller. died.
Monday [Dec 19th] 1864.
John Hunter Evans died.
Monday Dec. 19th 1869
Mrs. John Bartolette buried.
[Sunday December 20] 74
Dr. A. Bush died. The
first snow fell.
Thursday Dec 22nd 1870
Abraham Shallkop (?) &
Hannah Childs buried.
Enos Shantz married Miss
Watson 74.
[Wednesday December 23] 74
Dr. Meredith died.
10 cbs castor oil
10 " harbshorn (ammonia)
deodorized alcohol enough
to cut the oil (scented)
Plain Fruit Cake.
1 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter
beaten to a foam separate
the yolks and whites of three
eggs and beat each separately
add the yolks to the cake and
1 tea-spoonful of cream of tar-
tar dissolved in 1/2 cup sour milk
add 1/2 teas spoonful soda dissolved
in a table-spoonful of warm
water then add the whites
of the eggs
Jumbles
1 lb butter 1 lb sugar
2 lbs flour 3 eggs 1/2
cup sour milk 1 tea-s
poonful soda roll in sugar
Ginger Snaps
1 cup butter 1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses 1/2 cups
ginger 1 teaspoonful soda
mix stiff.
Mountain cake
1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/2 cup
butter 1/2 cup milk 2 flour
1 teaspoonful cream tartar
1/2 t(blurred) soda nutmeg
Cookies.
1 cup butter 2 cup sugar
1 cup cold water 1/2 tea-
spoonful saleratus 7 eggs
flour enough to roll & no more
Soft ginger bread.
1 cup molasses 1 cup sugar
1 cup butter 1 cup of butter-
(milk?) 1 egg sateratus (and? blurred)
cloves & ginger
Pickling For Hams or Beef
For each 100 lbs of meat, take
7 lbs coarse salt, 5 lbs brown
sugar, 2 ounces saltpeter, 1/2 oz
soda or saleratus, & 4 gallons
water. Boil & skim the mix-
ture, let it cool, and when
cold pour it upon the meat
which should be weighted to
keep it down. Leave common
sized hams in pickle 4 or 5 days
Beef can be kept until used
up if the brine be scalded
occasionally.-------------
Cured Hams
1 1/2 lbs sugar 6 tlb Salt
2 oz Salt petre pulverized
mix & rub the meat once
a week or oftener
This for 100lb time 4 to 6 wks
Apple Jelly.
Cut off all spots & decayed
places on the apples; quarter
them, but do not pare or
core them; put in the peel
of as many lemons as you
like, about two to six or
eight dozen of the apples;
fill the preserving-pan, and
cover the fruit with spring-
water; boil them till they are in
pulp, do not squeeze them.
To every pint of juice put one
pound of white sugar; put in
the juice of the lemons you
had before pared, but strain
it through muslin. Let it
boil twenty minutes, it will
look redder than at first.
skim it well all the time.
It ought to be quite stiff
and very clear. Put it in
shapes or pots, and cover
it the next day.
Quinces for the Tea-Table
Bake ripe quinces thorough-
ly; when cold, strip off the
skins. place them in a
glass dish, and sprinkle
with white sugar, and
serve with white sugar (crossed out),
cream.
Siberian Crab-Jelly
Fill a large flannel bag
with crabs. Put the bag
in a preserving-pan of
spring-water, and boil
for about seven hours;
then take out the bag, and
fill it so that all the sy-
rup can run through,
and the water water that
remains in the pan; and
to each pint of syrup add
one pound of loaf-sugar,
and boil for about one hour
and it will be a clear bright
red jelly.
Apple-Snow
Put twelve good tart
apple in cold water, and
set them over the fire; when
soft, drain the water, strip
the skins off the apples, cure
them, and lay them in a
deep-dish. Beat the whites
of twelves eggs to a stiff froth
put half pound of finely-
powdered sugar to the apples
beat them to a stiff froth
and add the beaten eggs.
Beat the whole to a stiff
snow; then turn it into
a desert-dish and orna
ment it with myrtle or bay(?).
Silver Cake
Take 1 cup butter (crossed out), 3/4 cup
Take the whites of six eggs,
two and one-half cups of flour (?)
one and one-half cups of su-
gar, half cup of butter, 2/3cup
sweet milk, half teaspoon-
ful of cream of tartar, and
a little soda.
Composition Cake
Three eggs, one-half teacup-
full of butter, one and a half
of sugar, two and a half
of flour, one-half cupful of
sweet milk, one teaspoonful
of cream of tartar,
one-half teaspoonful of soda
and a little salt.
Ginger Drops.
Two tablespoonfuls of
molasses, one of lard, half
a cup of sour milk, one
teaspoonful of soda and
one egg. Flour enough
to make a stiff batter.
Bake quickly.
Blueing. (this is in blue ink as are the next two entries)
Take 1 oz. of chinese Blue or
1 oz. of Best Prussia Blue
1/2 oz Oxalic Acid both
must be pulverized add
one quart of soft water
and bottle up for use.
Nashing (?) compound
2 oz. borax, & 2 oz Sal-soda, 1
pint of water, with 1 qt common
soft soap, let this simmer
over a slow fire pulverize
the borax & soda, dissolve
them in the water before
the soap is added, these
must not boil but simmer
well together, then set off
& stir a little at first while
cooling, when cool it will be solid.
(The rest of this page is cut away, the only page cut in the book).
Refined Syrup of Honey
Take 10 lbs sugar, 3 lbs water,
1 1/2 lbs bees honey, 40 grains
cream tartar, 12 drop essence
Pepper-mint, the whites of 2 eggs
& boil 15 min over a slow
fire, skim it well strain it
through a cloth, let it cool
to about milk-warm & add
1 1/2 lbs bees honey stir it well
together & you have a good syrup.
Cure for Hydrophobia
Take 1 1/2 oz. of Elecamfrane (?)
root bruised or sliced, and
boil it in one pint of new
milk until it is reduced to
a half-pint; when cold it
is to be in one dose, after
six hours fasting.
Repeat the dose for
several mornings
To keep cider surd (?)
5 eggs & 1 cup of
salt to 1 barrel
_Raspberry Vinegar_
Pour over every qt
of berries 1 qt of Vin-
egar- let stand
over night- strain
and to 1 pint of Syrup
add 1 lb of Sugar
boil 20 min & bottle
Chocolate Cacker (?faded)
1lb sugar
2 table-spoonfuls butter
2 ------------------ lard
1/4 lb Chocolate
2 eggs
9 table-spoonfuls flour
1 " each of cloves & soda
1/2 cup sweet cream
____________
Lemon Cake
5 Eggs
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 flour
1 Cup cream
1 lemon grated
1 tea-spoonful soda
1 ------------- cream tartar
1 cup butter.
________________
Pearl Cake
1 lb Sugar
1/2 lb butter
5 eggs
1 cup sour milk & cream
1/2 tea-spoonful soda
1 cup corn starch
2 cups flour
1 tea-spoonful cream tartar
__White Mountain Cake__ (triple underlined)
1 lb white sugar
1/2 lb butter
1 lb flour
1 cup sweet milk
5 eggs
1 tea-spoonful soda
2 Cream Tartar
__Icing & Cocoanut__ (triple underlined)
French Cream Cake
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoonful Soda
1 "--------- cream tartar
2 table-spoonfuls water
Cream for the cake
Boil nearly a pint of sweet milk
2 small tablespoonfuls
corn starch in a
little milk to this
add 2 eggs whites & yolks
when the milk has
boiled stir this in slow-
ly with 1 scant tea-cup
sugar when thick
add 1/2 cup butter
& flavor.
Cream Sponge
5 eggs beaten separate
1.5 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
bake in layers
__Cream__
1/2 pint milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 table-spoonfuls flour
stir them in while
the milk is boiling
& flavor with lemon
{Water Icing
8 teaspoon full
_cold water._} (double underlined)
Leopard Cake
1 Cup butter
3 cups white sugar
5 cups flour
1/2 ----- sweet milk
1/2 teaspoonful soda
8 eggs (white)
Dark
1 cup butter
2 " brown sugar
1 " molasses
1 " sour milk
1 teaspoonful soda
4 cups flour
8 yolks & 1 whole egg
Water Sponge Cake
2 Cups sugar
2 1/2 flour
2/3 cups water
4 eggs
1 teaspoon Cream tartar
1 ------ baking soda
Lady Fingers
2 Cups butter
2 --- Sugar
2 " flour
4 Eggs
1 teaspoon Soda
1 " Cream tartar
Snow Cake
3/4 cup butter
2 " Sugar
2/3 " milk
3 " flour
7 eggs (white)
1 teaspoon soda
2 cream tartar
_Railroad Cake_
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup sifted flour
2 table-spoons milk
butter size of an egg
flavor soda & tartar
Annie Worman's
_Vienna Rolls_ (double underlined)
1 table-spoon lard or butter
1 qt flour
2 tea-spoon baking powder
mix together & sift
place in the bowl with the butter
3/4 pint sweet milk
1/2 tea-spoon salt stir
in to the flour
knead & turn
out on the board
Roll 1/2 inch thick
cut with a large
round cutter fold
over to form a
half round wet
with a little milk
to stick together
Wash over the top
with milk & bake
20 min.
[Newspaper Clipping glued in:]
TO MAKE CREAM SAUCE FOR PUDDING.
To make a bowlful of cream sauce take a piece of butter the size of a small egg and beat it up with
powdered sugar until it is a light cream. Then set it aside. Then into a small tin saucepan put a coffee-
cupful of water, and add to it a teaspoonful of flour mixed in a little water. Cook this thoroughly until it is
like a thin starch. Then take up the butter and sugar mixture, and, while you are beating it energeticaly, let
some one pour into it slowly and gradually the hot flour-suace. If the beating is not stopped for a moment
the whole sauce will rise and be foamy as sea-froth. Flavor with wine, brandy or vanilla, as preferred. This
is the best sauce made. Potato flour is sometimes used instead of wheat flour.
Cucumber Sauce
3 doz cucumbers
8 onions
1 1/2 tea-cups Salt
mix these & drain in sieve 8 hours then add
1/2 lb(?) mustard seed
1/2 tea=cup ground pepper
3 pints vinegar
_Tomato Sauce_ (double underlined)
7 lbs ripe tomatoes skinned & in a kettle
4 lbs Sugar boil until penetrated then add
1 pint vinegar
1 oz cloves
1 oz cinnamon boil 30 min
____________________ (double underlined)
_Tomato Catsup_ (double underlined)
1/2 Bus tomatoes boiled till soft
Strain thru a wine sieve
1/2 gal vinegar
1 1/2 pt Salt
2 oz Cloves
1/4 lb (?) Alspice
3oz Cayenne pepper
3 table-spoons black pepper
boil 3 hrs & bottle
Creampuffs
1 oz of butter (over the fire
1 pint of water
4 oz _flour cook 5 min_
remove from the fire
6 eggs well beaten )add_
1 table-spoonfull for
add the yolks first
each puff- brush
the tops with beaten
egg- bake brown in
a moderate oven
when done
cut open and fill with
Cream
2 oz Corn starch
oz powdered sugar
2 eggs yolks
1 pt sweet milk
boiled to mix flavor
_Soft Ginger-bread_
1 cup Molasses
1 ----- Sour milk & cream
1 tea-spoon soda
1 table-spon ginger
flour to thicken
Emily A Knatz
Water Ices (Carm (?)
When all ready for
freezing add the
beaten whites of
4 eggs to even
2 qts of the liquid
Lemonade
Roll the lemons on
the table till quite
soft-- cut them in
halves squeeze dry
add boiling water
& sweeten to taste
When cool add the
grated rind &
serve in tumblers
half filled with
ice powdered fine
in a strong cloth
with the flat side
of the hammer
On (?) prepared &
served in a glass
bowl upon stawbers
sliced peaches
sugar the fruit &
scatter the ice over
or place it over
the fruit as it is
served.
Sweet Pudding
3 cups flour
1 " suet
1 " milk
1 " crumbs
cinnamon & salt
2 eggs
1/2 tea-spoon soda
1 ----- cream tartar
Sauce
1/2 cup butter
1 --------- sugar
1 table-spoon flour
boil with water
Cliften Loaf Cake
1/2 lb butter, 6 eggs, 1 lb sugar
1/2 pt milk, 1 lb flour, 1/2 teaspoon
soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon,
1/2 teaspoonful cream tartar.
Beat the butter, sugar, and
spices together until very
light. Then stir in the milk
with 1/4 the flour. Whisk
the eggs until thick with
add alternatively with the
remainder of the flour
_Dandelion Wine_
4 qts flowers
4 Oranges
4 Lemons
boiled in
4 qts water
Strain when cool add
1 cup yeast
3 lbs sugar, & bottle
(In a preprinted "Cash Account. November." section: )
Received. Paid.
17 March A Chrisman 14.00 2.00
7.00 2.50
25.00 .75
6.00 .07
Irene Chrisman 117.50 2.05
(In a preprinted "Summary of Cash Account." section: )
[Mar] 17. I (A Chrisman 17.50. 13.25
Teacher
Miss Parker
Commenced taking Music Lessons
September
1st
2nd
3d 18th
4th 22nd
5th 25th
6th 28th
Oct 7th 3d
" 8th 6th
" 9 9th
" 10 11th
" 11 16th
" 12 16th
" 13 23d
" 14 25th
Nov 15th 8th
16th 13th
17th 16th
18 20th
19 22nd
20 27th
Commenced taking Music Lessons of
Prof J. Warren Custer
April 20th 1868.
May 4th
May 11th
May 21st
May 28th
(In a preprinted " Memoranda." section: )
[Date Dollars. Cents]
July
1 Recd of J Chrisman 40.25
2
3 Recd of J Worman 16.04
4 Emma Chrisman Jr
to Alice E. Chrisman [.0]3
Oct. 13th Mr. Kokler's day for preaching at Limerick
___
Carpenters
Geiger 1/2
Brinard friday 1
Sat 1
mon 1
Friday Geiger &
Boy 2 hours
Monday Brinard &
Cooil (?) came at
Eleven oclock 1 1/2
Tuesday 2
Wednesday 2
Thursday 2
Friday 2
Saturday 2
April 11th 1871
Levi tearing down
2 days 2 day (?)
James & Levi 2
" 2
Saturday 2
Monday 2
Tues 2
Wednesday 2
Thursday rainy
in afternoon 2
Friday Showry 2
Monday workd
till 8 oclock in
the evening 2 1/2
Irene V. Chrisman
Selzter Store
Chester Co.
Penn.
Commenced taking Music Lessons of Miss Warren
May 1867. (At Cottage Som.
3d 1867. NY. (?)
7th Simple cure
10th for
14th
17th Rheumatism
21st Take the root of
24th skunk cabbage
18th just the white
31st inside, cut it
4th
7th in bite & cover
11th with whiskey
dose
14th table-spoonful
for 3 times a day
before meals
can 4 lbs
paid 470
paid for 47 lbs
(Erased sums underneath)
Irene Chrisman.
To make unfermen-
ted _Grape Wine_
To every quart of
Juice take 1 lbs of
sugar simmer
over the fire all
day- scim & bottle.
__________
_To Salt pork_
To 100 lbs of pork
4 lbs Salt fine
2 ozs petre
1/2 lb Sugar
________
Grape Wine
4 lbs Sugar
1 1/2 qts water
2 1/2 qts juice