Here are the first two months of entries in the 1884 diary of David Fletcher Hoy. Hoy was living in Bovina in 1884. The diary was transcribed by his great grandson, John W. Hoy. Thank you to John and to his dad, David F. Hoy III for allowing me to share this diary.
JANUARY,
TUESDAY 1.
1884.
Resolved. That God helping me I will live a better life this year than the last.
I cleaned out the well to day.
E.C. [Edwin C.] Burgin & E. C. Doig also Jim Boyd & Etta Seath was married today.
[Libbie C. Doig would die in November that year, 1884, perhaps in childbirth.]
There is a leapyear party at the Hall to night!
Doug and Maggie is up home. [This would be Douglass Davidson and quite possibly Maggie Campbell, mentioned January 5. It is possible this reference is to 17-year old Margaret Jane Hoy (b. 1866); they would eventually marry (1889). Douglass was married first to Mary Isabella Hoy, Margaret's sister, who died giving birth July 22, 1883, five months before.]
WEDNESDAY 2.
I taught school today.
Had to walk all the way over to school.
I went over to Mr J K Russel at night. Mrs. Murray is there.
It has rained a little to day but grew colder at night.
JANUARY, THURSDAY 3.
1884.
I taught school today.
[Most of the handwriting is illegible for the next three days, due to use of a soft pencil. Some words can be made out.]
...Strangeways...[Bovina family named "Strangeway."]
I went over to Rob Jardine at night.
FRIDAY 4.
I came from Rob Jardines this morning and taught to day.
Came home at night and went up in the village.
Maggie Campbell is here at home to night.
I rode part of the way home.
Dr. Telford died to day. [See the Bovina NY History blog for July 5, 2014 for a bit more about Dr. Telford: http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-succession-of-physicians-bovina.html]
JANUARY, SATURDAY 5.
1884.
I am at home to day and went up into the village in the forenoon. In the afternoon I went down to Doug. Davidson with Maggie Campbell & Jennie N. Hoy.
[This may be "Jennie Hoy," b. 1861, daughter of Thomas, son of Robert Hoy, born in Ireland. See the Davidson cemetery data for one way to trace this lineage.]
Doug was away to J. Miller but came home about dark.
We came up house about 2 o'c.
SUNDAY 6.
I went to church and S. S. [Sunday School, presumably] came home and rode down with doug and came the part of the way with Strangeway and I stayed at night at his house. Maggie Campbell is at his house.
JANUARY, MONDAY 7.
1884.
I taught school to day
Came from Strangeways
I went down to John Thomson's to stay all night
John was at Delhi to day
TUESDAY 8.
I went up from Thomson's and taught school today
Came back down at night
John went down to Alex Mables [? later "Sandy"] at night.
JANUARY, WEDNESDAY 9.
1884.
I went up from John Thomsons and taught school today and then went back again at night
John went down to Sandie Mables to night
THURSDAY 10.
I taught school to day
I am at John Thomson's to night Wm Strangeway is here a visiting to night
Went down to Mr Hughes
on an errand for Mrs Thomson
John took away his butter to day
JANUARY, FRIDAY 11.
1884.
I went from Thomson's and taught school today
Came home to Brushland at night. Walked all the way
After I go home I went up to the store
SATURDAY 12.
I went down to Doug's and then took a load of bark to Delhi. At night we had a sleigh ride. C. Gow. B. Gow. M. Gow. J. Gow. A. Hilson. D. Miller. J. McCune. J. Blair. C. Sloan. S. Sloan S. Thomson and wife R. Thomson. H. Johnson. H. Coulter. J. Hoy. M. Seath, H. Seath. D. See W. Smith M. Shafer. G. McNee J. Deitrich and other[s] to[o] numerous to mention was there.
JANUARY, SUNDAY 13.
1884.
I went to church and to S. S. to day
Came over to Federal Hill with Mr Strangeway and went from there to Robt. Mabons to tell them that Mrs Tuttle was dead. [This was Mrs. Sarah Carman Tuttle, who died the previous day.]
MONDAY 14.
Came over from Mabons to school and tonight I went up to Carpenter at night. Jo has been away looking for a place
JANUARY, TUESDAY 15.
1884.
I am at Carpenters to night Joseph went to Brushland to day
I taught school to day.
WEDNESDAY 16.
I am at Carpenter to day and night.
I taught school today
JANUARY, THURSDAY 17.
1884.
I am at Carpenters to day.
I taught school to day
Joseph was to Delhi village to day
FRIDAY 18.
I taught to day. I went up to Strangeways and then went to a social at Mr. Hughes and had a good time about $80 raised
Maud La Mont was there besides 10000 I did not know Had an introduce [?] to Miss A. Mable
J. Sparks, M. Hoy, J. S. Clark Will Black was there
JANUARY, SATURDAY 19.
1884.
I came over from Federal Hill with Wm. Strangeway I went to meeting to day at the U.P. [?] Church
I was up to Brushland at night
SUNDAY 20.
I went to church
It is communion day to day
Went to prayer meeting at night and then came down to Dougs
JANUARY, MONDAY 21.
1884.
I am teaching to day
I came down with Douglas and he went to Delhi
Mr W. Strangeway got kicked by a cow
I went to Strangeway and stayed all night
TUESDAY 22.
I taught school today
I stayed at Strangeways all night
JANUARY, WEDNESDAY 22.
1884.
I taught school to day
Stayed at Strangeways all night
Mr. & Mrs. William Thomson was at Strangeways to night a visiting.
THURSDAY 24.
I taught school to day
I am at Strangeways to night staying all night
JANUARY, FRIDAY 25.
1884.
I taught school to day I went over to Charles Gordon's after school and then went down to the social at Maxwell's
They got about $100
Had a good time
J. E. was there and M. S.
D. Ferguson and C. Strangeways was down and I went home with Christie
I was introduced to Miss Atkin
SATURDAY 26.
I came home from Mr Coulters this morning Pa & Doug is away to Delhi I got Henry Coulter to cut my hair to night
Mary Gladstone, Ellen Miller & Barnum [?] was at Coulters to night
JANUARY, SUNDAY 27.
1884.
I went to church today and at night.
Miss Mary Gladstone is here
Walt Gladstone & Rob Thomson stopped here to day
MONDAY 28.
I came down to Doug and then came down to the roadend with him
I taught today
I went to W Olivers tonight.
JANUARY, TUESDAY 29.
1884.
I taught to day
I am at Walters Olivers to night
WEDNESDAY 30.
I am at W Olivers
I taught school to day
Walt took us up to school to day and came after us
JANUARY, THURSDAY 31.
1884.
I taught to day
Walt was to Delhi and we got a ride home with him
I am at Walt Olivers
FEBRUARY, FRIDAY 1.
1884.
I went from Olivers and taught school to day.
Came home at night I got a ride with W. Black from Burgins
Maggie came up home and went to a party at John G [?] Thomson's
FEBRUARY, SATURDAY 2.
1884.
I helped Pa to put up the stair railing to day
Jennie Hoy is here today and stayed all night
Jennie W. [?] put cards in to her scrapbook at night
Will King came up with a load of lumber for Uncle John to night
SUNDAY 3.
I went to church today
Jannie [sic] Hoy is at our house
I came over to Federal Hill with Strangeways and stayed there all night
FEBRUARY, MONDAY 4.
1884.
I went from Strangeway and taught school and then went down to J.D. Gardinier's at night and stayed all night
TUESDAY 5.
I went from Dan Gardiniers and taught school to day and then went down to Gardeniers agang [sic; is Davy writing in Scots?!] and stayed all night
There is a social at the County House to night
FEBRUARY, WEDNESDAY 6.
1884.
I went and taught school to day and then went back to Dan Gardiniers at night and stayed all night
THURSDAY 7.
I went from Dan Gardiniers and taught school and then went back again and stayed all night
FEBRUARY, FRIDAY 8.
1884.
I taught to day and then went home I stopped at Dougs.
Libbie Laughran and Jennie Campbell was [sic] and then they went home. I went up to the Huddle and had a good time
Came back down to Dougs
SATURDAY 9.
I went to Delhi and got a suit of clothes
Jennie and Maggie went with me. We had Dougs team I stayed at Dougs all night
FEBRUARY, SUNDAY 10.
1884.
I came up from Dougs and went up to Kennedy's church to day. Dr See is away.
Dr Kennedy preached from Math. 5-1-5
main clause Blessed are the peace makers
[Kennedy’s church would have been the Reformed Presbyterian Church which stood about where the firehouse and playground stand today]
MONDAY 11.
I came over to Federal Hill this morning and taught school to day and then went over to John K. Russels at night.
FEBRUARY, TUESDAY 12.
1884.
I came from Russels and taught today
I went down to J. alt [?] D. Millers at night
This is town meeting day and the Republican ticket except R. J. Atkin was elected
I saw J Campbell W Hoy John McCune Ed Thomson C Hobbie at the village
WEDNESDAY 13.
I came up from Mr. Millers and taught school to-day
I went to Mr Strangeway at night
Mr and Mrs J. R. Russell Miss Russell Nettie Thomson & Charlie Russell was there a visiting
FEBRUARY, THURSDAY 14.
1884.
I taught school to day
I went over to Mr D. G. Landons at night and had a good visit
I stayed all night
FRIDAY 15.
I went from Mr Landon and taught to-day
This is the last day of my school I have taught 14 weeks at $5 per week and board
I came home and made affidavit to my register before H. C. Burgin Justice of the Peace.
FEBRUARY, SATURDAY 16.
1884.
I went down to Doug's and done his chores
He is away to Delhi after corn.
SUNDAY 17.
I went to church to day. There is no further [?] meeting tonight
I went down to Doug's and helped him to do the chores
FEBRUARY, MONDAY 18.
1884
I am at Douglas Davidson doing the work Douglas has gone to Delhi to get a load for Wm Stott Mother, father, Jennie, Maggie, Douglas & myself went down to see Ed Burgins & folks.
TUESDAY 19.
I came up from Douglass and helped father to work
We went to Mrs Hiram Knaff's [sic] funeral [actually, Julia M., spouse of Hiram Knapp] at 2 o'c in the M. E. Church. Frank, Will & Maggie Russell was here to night Henry Coulter was here also.
FEBRUARY, WEDNESDAY 20.
1884.
I am at home to day
I got some stuff for the lattice work to day
Mother has gone down to G. D. [Gilbert Dickson, b. 1843, son of William Miller?] Millers
I went down and helped Doug do his chores
Was up street at night
THURSDAY 21.
I helped father to put on the blinds on the new house
It is very chilly today
Was up to Uncle John's at night
I went down to Dougs and stayed all night
FEBRUARY, FRIDAY 22.
1884.
I am at Doug's
Jennie Maggie & I went down to [? illegible] and took dinner and then went down to Will King's
We had a good time and stayed night
SATURDAY 23.
I am at Will Kings
I went to a funeral of a Mr Allen to day
We started from Will Kings at 2.30 and got home at 6.45
FEBRUARY, SUNDAY 24.
1884.
I went to church today and to prayer meeting at night.
MONDAY 25.
Father and I put on the rest of the blinds today and then went up to John Archibald to fix up the old store.
FEBRUARY, TUESDAY 26.
1884.
I am at Archibald to day working.
Walter Oliver came over and I went down home with him. I was up to David Hoy's at night [Likely this is David Miller Hoy, b. 1848 to James Hoy and Helen Miller, m. 1873 to Josephine Clark. James Hoy was J. R.'s older brother.]
WEDNESDAY 27.
I went up to John Archibald this morning and put in a sill
Father was sick this forenoon
At night went down to Wm Cooke's at night T. Johnson J. Archibald Pa & my self
FEBRUARY, THURSDAY 28.
1884.
Father and I laid floor to day
John Archibald has gone to Delhi to get a load of lumber for the house
FRIDAY 29.
I came down from Bovina as it was to[o] cold to work.
I went down to Dougs this afternoon
I was at a school exhibition at the Hall at night There was a lamp exploded and a panic occurred among the audience
