Thursday May 1
Arose as usual. Ate breakfast done the chores (churned &c) about 11 oclock went over to the village. Benjamin Davis fixed my watch did not charge anything, ate supper about 4 oclock and went down to the creek a hunting. I did not see anything, it is raining now pretty hard.

Friday 2
Sawed wood for Esliye Whipple from 8 oclock until 4. Sawed 1 cord. It has rained all day hard. Bought a watch ribbon for 6 cts at S. H. Davises, went home about 5 oclock ate supper and done the chores and went a fishing. Caught 2 suckers. 1 was 8 in long and the other about 4 inches, at home in the evening.

Saturday, May 3 1862
Worked for Mr. Smith taking away the Banking. Got through just noon. Ate dinner and started for the vilage. The stage got in about 3.30. Bought a Albany Evening Journal for 4 cts. Went up to the Dagurianast. Saw him take several pictures. Armilla Bedell. Lucius Ball & Kate & Reinhart had theirs taken.
May 3 - " Dagurianast"- One that made early photographs on a silver-covered copper plate. The photo is called a daguarreotype. ( from Webster's Dictionary)

Sunday 4
Arose as usual. Ate Breakfast and got ready for church. Mr Ludden preached an excellent Sermon. Went to the Dutch Reformed church to Meeting. Mr Miller had for his text the 38 Psalm. Jesse Wood came down to our house about 6 oclock. Took a walk up street. Came back to prayer meeting. Came home about 9 oclock.

Monday 5
Got up about 5 oclock. Went over to John Lawsons to work. Plowed all day. Got wet as a rat. Did not feel very well. Worked untill about 8 oclock. Came home about 9. Let Benjamin Davis take my watch to fix it. I was taken sick about 16 oclock with the pleurisy. The Doctor came and bled me and gave me some Medicine. & I felt better.

Tuesday, May 6, 1862
Do not feel well yet. Read some books. Bought a paper for 4 cts, Last Saturday night we went over to Mr Woods to Singing School. Armilla & Phena Bedell. Larau Ludden Addie Engle Imogene Wipple & Libbie Wood were the Ladies, Eslie Wilsey Wm Borst & Jesse Wood Gents, Did not sing very good, had a good time.

Wednesday 7
Got up as usual. Ate Breakfast and done the chores. Nothing important to write just now. Do not feel very well. Armilla Bedell commenced her school Monday morning up on the West Mountain. Elizabeth Engle came home from the West last night.

Thursday 8
Got up about 7 oclock. Done the chores & read the Life of Solomon Northup or 12 years a Slave. Went over to the Vilage. Let Ben Davis fix my gun. The Battle of Williamsburg was fought on the 5th. Harvy Bell was in Gen. Hancocks Brigade and was wounded in the thigh.
May 8- "Solomon Northup" - Author of "Twelve Years a Slave" (a narrative about himself). He was a citizen of New York, kidnapped in Washington City in 1841, and rescued in 1853 from a cotton plantation near the Red River, Louisanna. (from BookFinder.Com) - His former residence is now the Old Fort House Museum in Ft. Edward,N.Y. (from I Love N.Y.S. 2001 Travel Guide)

Friday, May 9, 1862
Arose as usual. Ate Breakfast and done the chores. Went over to the Vilage. Bought a wash board & a bar of soap amounting to 25 cts. Had my Ambrotype taken this Afternoon. In the Evening went to Choir Meeting at Mr. Luddens. Had a Good Time. New Orleans has surrendered to Com. Farragut U.S. Navy on the 4 of April.
May 9- "Ambrotype"- a positive picture made of a photographic negative on glass backed by a dark surface. (Webster's Dictionary)

Saturday 10
Jacob Ball boroughed our Adz & Chisel to take down below the hill. I returned 3 books to the Library this morning. Had my hair cut. Amos charged me 10 cts. Bought a paper @ r cts, spent the Evening at Lorenzo Bedell Eslie Wilsey Jesse Wood Alonzo Ludden & myself. L.L., L. E, A E were thare.

Sunday 11
Went to church about 8 oclock. The Sunday School was Organised to day. Daniel Tosson Alexander Crounse Christopher Warner were elected Superintendents. Mr Ludden had his text in Exodus chap verse

Monday, May 12, 1862
Worked for L. Bedell making Garden. Got through about 5 oclock. Went home took the gun and went a hunting. Did not shoot Nothing. (Good News from the Sect of war Norfolk is occupied by our troops the Merrimack is blowed up) Thare has been a very Large fire in Troy 507 houses

Tuesday 13
were burned up. Loss about $3.000.000. McClellan is about 22 miles from Richmon, worked for John Lawson to day. Draging in Oats. We sowed 9 1/2 bushels of oats. Uncle Abraham Martin Died to day at Galupsville.
May 12- "large fire in Troy" - This fire destroyed many homes and businesses, some of which George had visited just 3 months earlier. ( Tom Carroll of Troy RiverSpark)

Wednesday 14
Made Garden for John Lawson in the forenoon. In the Afternoon made fence. William Halliday was overpowered by the heat on North Third St. Last Saturday in Troy. (caused by the heat of the fire?)

Thursday, May 15, 1862
Got up about 5 oclock went up to John Lawsons ate Breakfast and Started for the field. Draged 6 bush. Sowing over twice by noon made fence in the Afternoon. Went to prayer meeting in the Evening. Enjoyed it very much.

Friday 16
Started for John Lawsons about 5 oclock. Measured up 6 bush Corn at Mr Haverlys. Ate Breakfast & went to making fence Acrosst the creek. Plowed some towards night. Stopped at Edwin Shulteses. Bought a quart of peanuts for 6 cts feel very tired to night

Saturday 17
Arose as usual. Went over to John Lawsons to work. Made fence all day. Bought an Albany Evening (Weekly crossed out) Journal for 4 cts. it has Been a Very Hot day.

Sunday, May 18, 1862
Did not go to meeting today. I have been reading almost all day. Do not feel very well

Monday 19
Got up 15 minutes to 5 Started for John Lawsons. He was a
Plowing when I got thare Turned the Cows Away and fixed the fence. Paul Shultes came along just about this time John went in to Albany with him for a Juryman. Finished plowing at noon Drug all Afternoon
May 19- "Paul Shultes"- (1807-1886). He was born at Beaverdam and married Anne Bogardus(1805-1890) of Columbia, New York. They lived in Berne. (B.F.F.)

Tuesday 20
Went to (words very faint & crossed out) Draged the corn Lot until noon Jacob P. Warner furroughed out this Afternoon I changed work with him I plowed with his team I got Harpers Weekly (last sentence crossed out)

Wednesday, May 21, 1862
Pa had John Lawsons Horses to plow his lot this forenoon about 3 hours, finished planting corn to day.

Thursday 22
Got up as usual. Went over To J. Lawson, fed the horses & turned away the cows. Harnessed the Horses & Drawed Old rubbish up to the house Went to prayer meeting in the Evening quite a good many out-Enjoyed it Very much, after working hard all day & being pretty tired

Friday 23
Cleaned up the yard and got ready for plowing Drawed off the Stone. Plowed some towards night. Jesse Wood went over Street with me. We Stopped and talked with Engles girls awhile

Saturday, May 24, 1862
Got up as usual Started for my Work. Drove away the cows Mr. J Haverly turned his cow in pasture this Morning Drawed Stone off the Lot and plowed and Dragged untill most night Charles Bell got a Setter from Harvey. His wound is improving he is at Fortress Monroe now.
May 24- "Charles Bell"- Harvey W. Bell was the son of Charles Bell. Charles recieved a letter from Harvey who was wounded in the Civil War. (B.F.F.)

Sunday 25
Did not get up very early. Ate Breakfast and Sat down to read an Albany Weekly Journal one of Hiram Wilseys did not go to meeting to day. Louisa Hays got a Letter from Azor Last night, he is at Yorktown now.

Monday 26
Got up about 5 oclock Started for John Lawsons Fed the horses after Breakfast Dragged over the Lot by the house and plowed untill noon after Dinner planted corn.

Tuesday, May 27, 1862
Planted some carrot & mangiwertoel (well, that's what it looks like) seeds & planted some corn and beans. After dinner worked for Jacob P. Warner a Dragging his corn. Sat (can't really read that word) I got 3 Harpers Weeklys To nite Maj Gen Banks Div was driven back by the Rebels last week.

Wednesday 28
Did not work at all today I do not feel well my Throat is sore. now. Went down street after dinner Got C. G. Bells paper and sat down to read. Jesse Wood Alonzo & myself cut down our flag pole on Henry Engles land, Geo. Ball came home to night from Albany.

(no Thursday)

Friday, May 30, 1862
Planted some beans and potatoes. I have a very bad cough. I am taking Wing & Sissons Balsam for it. Went to singing School to night at Hiram Wilseys had an excellent time. Got home about 10 oclock, Mr Ludden played on his flute.

Saturday, May 31
Finished planting potatoes till X oclock Harnessed the horses and went a plowing Buckwheat grounds plowed til noon After Dinner went home and went to bed, got up about 2 oclock & went after slipery elm. Thare has been a battle at Hancock Court house on the 28.
May 31 - "slipery elm"- This is a tree. The cambium between the inner bark and the wood is a green soft substance that was scraped off and boiled and used as a cold remedy in 1862. It was prescribed by country doctors and could be bought in stores. Used for caughs, it was chewed. It could also be put on wounds. (from staff at "Five Rivers Enviromental Center" in Delmar.