Martha Ballard's Diary, October 15 - 24, 1799

15 3
rainy. I have been at home. at home.  
16 4
Clear. mr Ballard and Cyrus up to our hous. I have been at home, washt new Cloath. hepsy Spun. mr Lambd, his wife and mrss Capin Supt here. I feel fatagud with work. the wind blew down the Gardn fence ys night. at home. Son & Dagt Lambd & mrss Capin here.  
17 5
Clear, windy and Cold. mr Ballard and Cyrus up to our house. mr Brown Came for Hepsy and Shee Sett out for his home at 2h pm. I have been washing and Scouring yarn, but feel very unfitt for Such Service. mr Stone, from Townsend, Sleeps here, he Slept here the night of octr 5th 97. at home. Hepsy left me and went to her Fathers.  
18 6
Clear, Cold and windy. I have been at home doing my hous work. mr Ballard and Cyrus to our hous. at home.  
19 7
Clear. mr Ballard and Cyrus to our house. I went to See mr Dingly, he is no better. two men by thee name of Stone Sleep here. at mr Dingleys. 2 mr Stones [Sleep hr].  
20 1
Clear foren, Cloudy aftern. mr Ballard and Cyrus went to meeting. I went to See mr Dingly at Evn. mr Ballard went with the Lantn and Conducted me home. the Patient is no better. mrss Thomas and Lidia Densmore Came to watch with him. Lidia Nud Came here to work. at Ditoes.  
21 2
Clear and pleast. at home, Did hous work. Lidia Spun, mr Ballard & Cyrus to farm. mr Stone Sleeps here again. we are informd mr Dingley is better, the Ulser broke last night. at home.  
22 3
Clear and wind Northwd. I was Calld at 7h ys morn by Genl Sewall to go and See his Lady who is in Labour, her women were Calld at 10h Evn. mr Ballard to farm, Cyrus to winthrop. Lidia washt and Cleand floors. at Genl Sewalls. wido Howard deceasedat 4h 45m ys morn.  
23 4
X. Birth Genl H. Sewalls Dagt. XXX.
Cloudy. mrss Sewall was Safe Deld at 10m morn of her 8th Child and 5th Dagt. Shee was viry ill a little while, but is Cleverly now. Shee is put to bed. I took Care of her till Day light, had a Short nap of Sleep. I left her and inft at 10 O Clock as well as Could be Expected. recd 12/ as a rewd. I Calld at mr Gills, his inft is unwell; was at mr Millers, Kimbals, Pitts and Son Lambds. mrs Baxter there. Sally Taylor is mending. at Ditoes. Birth 48th. recd as rewd 12/.  
[24] 5
Clear. mr Ballard had a Collic this morn. I rose and gave him hot Tody with pipper, he got Ease; went to his house and took Care of Board s, returnd at noon. we went to Colo Howards to attend funeral of Old Lady Howard when mr Ballard was attacked with the pain and pukeing so severe that we were oblidged to return home. I bathd his feet, got him into a warm bed and put a kegg of hott water to his feet, and warm bricks to his back, Belly and all the parts affected with pain. he got Easier before 9h Evn and Slept. I gave him no medisin Except Some Castor. Brother Moore Calld to See us, we disered him to request Doct Cony to Come and See him. he arivd here at 10h Evn, gave him Phisic, and accused me with going to mr Dingleys in his Sickness and objecting to his prescriptions and prescribeing Some of my own, and Seting mrss Dingley Crying by giving my opinion of the Disease, and Said this was one of many instances I had done So which I must Deny till he, or Some other, Can bring it to my recollection. this is a world of tryals, may those which I am Calld to meet with Serv for my Good. I went to attend the funeral of the widow Howard. mr Ballard haveing the Collic, we returnd before ye interment

Source: www.doHistory.org. Transcription courtesy of Robert and Cynthia McCausland.