Martha Ballard's Diary, July 31 - August 7, 1787

31 3
Clear & hott. I Cut my hysop. Hannah Came from mrs Fosters. Lidia is Better. mr Ballard is more Comfortable. Dolly poorly. I hear yt ye Revd mr Foster is not so well as he was yesterday. I went to ye field and gatherd Some pees.   
1 4
Clear & hott. I Bakt Bread for mr Brooks, he is going to ye westward. I rode to mrs Fosters, Billy & Daniel very Sick. Lidia is mending. Revd mr Foster is got a [wound].   
2 5
Clear & Hott. Hannah washt. Clarisa Barton here. I have felt unwell, been at home all Day. Robins gon with a raft for Eljh Daves. mr Blake Sent me 6 lb of Chees at /6 prlb.   
3 6
Clear & very hot. I have been pulling flax. mr Ballard Been to Savages about Some hay.   
4 7
Clear morn. I pulld flax till noon. a very Severe Shower of hail with thunder and Litning began at half after one, Continud near 1 hour. I hear it broke 130 pains of Glass in fort western. Colon Howard made me a prest of 1 Gal w Rhum & 2 lb Sugar on acount of my atendance of his famely in Sickness. Peter Kenny has wounded his Legg & Bled Excesivily.   
5 G
Clear morn. mr Hamlin Breakfastd here, had Some pills. I was Calld at 9 o Clok to mrs Howards to See James, he being very Sick with ye Canker Rash; tarried all night.   
6 2
I am at mrs Howards watching with her Son, went out about Day. Discoverd our saw mill in flames. The men at ye fort went over, found it Consumd together with Some plank & Boards. I tarried till Evinng. Left James Exceeding Dangerously ill. my Daughter Hannah is 18 years old this Day. mrs Williams here when I Came home. Hannah Cool gott mrs Norths web out at the Loome. mr Ballard Complains of a soar Throat ys night. he has been to take mr gardners hors home.   
7 3
Clear. I was Calld to mrs Howards this morn for to See her Son, find him very low. Went from mrs Howards to See mrs Williams, find her very unwell. Hannah Cool is there. from thence to Joseph Fosters to see her Sick Children, find Saray & Daniel very ill. Came home, went to ye field & got Some Cold water root, then Calld to mr Kinydays to See Polly. very ill with the Canker, gave her Some of ye root & gargled her throat which gave her great Ease; returnd home after Dark. mr Ballard been to Cobesy, his throat is very Soar. he gargled it with my tinctr, finds relief & went to bed Comfortable.   

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