ENPages That Mention Father
Mary Emma Jocelyn diary, 1851-1852.
p. 9
Journal Continued
Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 27th 1851
Mild & Pleasant
We all rose early. Father, Carrie, Cornelius, Fred & I attended our church in the morning. Father preached On our return home we found that Mr Murphy, Stan and Annie, Albert and Mary Emma had already arrived we having resolved to follow the old New England fashion of collecting all the family together for a good Thanksgiving dinner. This was soon served, and we all did abundant justice to Mother's good cooking. Turkies puddings pies &c dissappearing in short order. Then we remained quite a long time at the table chatting in quite a merry humour We toasted Father as the best looking man at the table which I thought true. After dinner Annie presented Mother with a very pretty cap, and the children insisted on giving some of us a sleigh ride on the ice in the back yard. The remainder of the afternoon passed very pleasantly indeed. We had some very good singing, and Albert entertained us by speaking some of the pieces that he was accustomed to repeat on like occasions in boyhood About seven o'clock we commenced singing some of the sweet old hymns that we had been accustomed to sing from the time we could remember. How sadly yet sweetly those [plaintive?] notes recalled the past, and brought back the Thanksgiving days when Grandmother and [Uncle's?] family united with ours in celebrating it.
[text written on left margin] Father read the [ninetieth?] Psalm in a very solemn and impressive manner and after making some very appropriate remarks was followed by Mr Murphy in prayer Supper at [eight?]. Our pleasant little family party broke up about ten; Stan and Annie Albert and Mary Emma returning to the city
p. 11
Monday, December 1st Very cold. Winter's drear reign has commenced Sewed in the morning. In the afternoon I called on Mary Reeve Mary [Robb?] , and the Waterman's. [?] Dickinson called and presented Carrie with a Lyceum ticket and with an offer of his hand which was rejected. She however accepted his company to Lcyeum for the winter on condition that he would accompany her only as a [cousin?]. He said he wished she would be an old maid but though he felt very badly about it they parted pleasantly Mr Murphy and Mr Roy a theological student called in the [ev'ng?].
Tuesday.. Busy at home all day.. Margaret Culbert called in the afternoon Dr Remmington was here to tea and lectured at our church in the evening. Mrs Hudson and Kate called and accompanied our folks to the lecture. Natty? and I spent the evening alone together in reading.
Wednesday.. Cold but pleasant. After sewing steadily all day early in the evening I dressed to attend Miss Hamilton's wedding. George Hudson and Kate called for Carrie to attend singing school. They returned about half past eight before we started for the wedding. Joseph Wilde and Hannah came in and [staid?] [till?] we returned. Mother and Father, Mr Murphy with Harriet and I attended the wedding. The rooms were crowded. The bride of course looked very sweetly and the groom Mr [Brinu?] looked well. We met there Stan? and Annie, the Culberts, and quite a number of acquaintances and, we enjoyed it very much. The [Calthumpians?] were serenading before the door when we left. It is the first time I have ever heard them. I should [?] like to have them come to my wedding.
p. 14
Friday.. Very cold but clear.. Commenced making up my new dress. Miss Mary Warner, Mrs Fitch, and Mary Reeve called, P.M. Wrote to William Gonsalves? in the evening.
Saturday.. Pleasant. Spent the day busily and pleasantly at home. Ellen Dickinson called in the morning. Mr Murphy unexpectedly arrived from New Haven in the afternoon much to Harriet's surprise and delight.
Sunday.. Pleasant. Attended our church all day. Father preached in the morning and Mr Picard in the afternoon. Spent the evening in pleasant and I trust profitable reading.
Monday.. Cloudy. Occupied the morning with my needle. Early in the afternoon I called on Mary Reeve and also on Mrs Tucker, an intimate friend of Mrs Leager She has just received a letter from Mrs Leager, in which one had been inclosed to me by Ellen, but for some reason, not explained, had been taken out. She is a very pleasant and talkative woman, and entertained me with a long account of what Mrs Leager had written. She also offered to enclose a letter from me in her own letters which she sends tomorrow. Kate Hudson made a long call soon after my return. In the evening wrote to Ellen Seager, wrote in my journal, and read the newspapers.
Tuesday. Clear, but very cold. Sewed all day without interruption. Mrs Beecher called about dusk. Read in the evening Folks say that this is the coldest day we have had in [three?] years.
p. 15
Wednesday December 17th Sewed as usual. Hannah Wilde called in the afternoon . In the evening we received a note from Mr J.C. Warner, stating, that the [in?] consequence of an engagement, he would be unable to attend singing school this evening. Of this we were very glad as the cold which was intense made us dread to go out. We rec'd an invitation from the Hudsons to spend the evening with them, but for [?] some reason declined. Read Kossuth's great speech of the eleventh, and wrote to Sarah Gonsalves? inviting her to spend the holidays with us. Father left us to-day for Montpelier, Vermont on business. He expects to be absent nearly a fortnight.
Thursday.. Still very cold. Went to the post-office and to Hamilton's in the morning. In the afternoon I called on Kate Hudson. George accompanied me home. In the evening Mother and I attended [Lycenum?]. Mr Saxe, the Green Mountain poet, delivered a very fine poem on New England.
Friday.. Bright but cold.. Sewed most of the day and evening. Sarah Olmsted, am old friend and schoolmate, whom I have not seen for more than two years, called in this afternoon. We had a rather lengthy and pleasant chat on things long since past, but not forgotten. How pleasant it is occasionally thus to meet, one, who still remembers, and loves to think of the little events, and pleasing remembrances of our school girl days. They were indeed pleasant, and I shall not soon forget them.
[text on left side of left margin: [?] [?] for the purpose of taking [music?] lessons. Her family lives in the country where she is unable to obtain a [music?] teacher.
[text on right side of left margin: [?] [?] [?] [?] the Rev Mr Porter [?] Mr Stephen [?] Branch. son of the late Judge Branch of Providence. She has been engaged to him only six weeks. He is reputed to be a gentleman of wealth & respectability The happy (?) couple set out immediately for Washington. They intend visiting Europe in May
p. 16
Saturday, December 20th. Clear. Busy at home all day. Mary Willet called in the afternoon. Mr Goodell a friend of father's, and who is to preach for him to-morrow came to pass the Sabbath with us. He lives in the western part of New York state.
Sunday, December 21st, Cold and cloudy. Attended our church all day, and Sunday School in the afternoon. Mr Goodell preached in the morning on, "I am the Lord, I change [?]. and in the afternoon from 1 John 2:3. Both sermons were very fine indeed, and attracted an unusually large audience. The Hudson girls walked home with us after the afternoon service and gave us the unexpected intelligence that Henry arrived from California this morning at 11 o'clock They have been expecting him all the week, but did not tell us that he was coming so soon. He was too tired to attend church. Joseph Wilde walked home with me and took the occasion to congratulate me on [?] return, but I not hearing the conversation of the others who were ahead, and as it was so unexpected I thought he was in jest, and answered him accordingly. I did not know till I reached home that it was indeed true. He came alone; his father expects to follow him in a month. He sent his respects to us and said that he would call soon. In the evening Natty and I attended Mr Beecher's church. Harriet and Mr Murphy also attended.