Martha Ballard's Diary, April 5 - May 14, 1811

5 6
Clear and Cool. my Dagt is as wel as Can be Expected. mrs Gill, her Sons, Luke & Harnon left Son Lambds, went to a farm belonging to mr Rice. I wish them prosperity. Hannah Getchel and Sally Ballard Came there at 11h Evng. they drove a Carriage fm the kenebeck bridg after 2h pm. at [Ditoes]. H. [Getchel] Came in the night.  
6 7
Clear. I am here yet. mrs Emry Came to See us. Son Jona arivd with his Stores. Hannah is to keep hous for him a while. at Ditoes.  
7 1
Clear and pleast foren. I left Son Lambds at 10h am, Sally Came with me in the Carriage they wrode up in. we Calld at mr Capins to rest the hors, reacht Son Jonas before dark. we took Tea and Came home. I feel fatagued. Allin Came home with me. I went to See mrs Philbk and Set out for home.  
8 2
raind foren. Judg Cony Calld in to See us. Dagt Ballard & Childn here aftern. I feel fatagued with my Journey. at home. Judg Cony here, Dgt Ballard allso.  
9 3
Clear part of the day. mrs Smith Supt here. at home.  
10 4
Clear part of ye day. Georg Bolton & another man dind here. I have Brewd, removd Banking & done other matters. at home.  
11 5
Clear & Cool. it is Fast day but no meeting at our meeting hous. at home.  
12 6
Clear & Cold. I have washt, feel feeble. at home.  
13 7
Clear and Cold. I have done hous work. at home.  
14 1
Clear and not So Cold. mr Ballard to meeting. mrs Smith, Charlot, Dagt Ballard & part of her Childn, Son Ephm & Ezra Town been here in the Coars of this day. at home. mr Balld to meeting.  
15 2
Clear & pleast. Allin Lambd here, Says his fathers Famely are Cleverly. Harnon Barton with him, his Marm & famely are all wel. at home, Bakt. Allin here.  
16 3
Clear. I have done my hous work. at home.  
17 4
Cloudy foren, Clear aftern. Sister Barton Came here. I was Calld at 10h Evn to mr Pipers, his wife in Labour. Childn Sleep here. at home till 10h Evng. Sist Barton here.  
18 5
X. Birth mr Pipers 3d Dagt. XX. 		Clear. mrs Piper was Safe Deld at 4h am of her 3d dagt. I receivd 1 qt spt, 1 lb Candles, _ lb Sugar. I arivd at home Early. there was a fire raged to ye East of here but fortunately it was Stopt. at mr Pipers. Birth 5th. fee receivd, 12/.  
19 6
Clear. Sister & I went to Jonas, mr Ballard allso. Jonas wife took Tea with us yesterday. at Son Jonas.  
20 7
Clear part of ye day. Sist went from here to ye Settlement. I feel feeble. at home. Sist went away.  
21 1
Cloudy, raind before night. mr Ballard has had a pain in his bowels and we did not attend public worship. at home. mr Ballard unwel.  
22 2
Clear & Cold. I have part done my washing & other matters. at home.  
23 3
Clear & very Cold. I have persued my washing, washt N roome &C. mr Balld Makeing harrow at Son Jonas. at home.  
24 4
Clear and Cold. I have finisht my wash & done Some other things. at home.  
25 5
Clear and Cold. I have done my ironing and other matters. Le faett Butcherd our Calf. Ephm Carried a hind quarter, the head & harslett & feet to Judg North. at home. we kild a Calf. Jonas gt red Cow Calvd.  
26 6
Clear and not so Cold. I have done hous work &C. Epm & Wm Sleep here. at home.  
27 7
Clear most of the day. I have done hous wk.   
28 1
Clear part of ye day, raind in the night. Son Ephm here after meeting. Jonas wife and part of the Childn Dind here. died, W. W. kindrick in this Town, aged 14 years. at home. Ephm here. Death.  
29 2
raind in the morn, Clear the most of ye day. Son Jona, his wife, James & Elisa Dind here. mrs Carter Calld in aflern. A mr Greanlief Calld here, took Breakfast, Says he was Cast away at Sea not long since, his home at 7 mile brook. Sally & Martha Sleep here. at home. Part of my Childn Dind here.  
30 3
Clear part of ye day, Some rain at night. mrs Farewel & Sophia Ballard Sleep here Hanh, Marta & Elisabeth here aftern. I have done houn wk & mended Cloaths. at home. mrs Farewel, Sophia Sleep here.  
1 4
Clear. mrs Farewel & Sophia went from here after breakfast. I have done hous work, Sorted Beens for planting &C. the remains of Kendrick were interd aftern. at home. mrs Farewel left here. Funeral.  
2 5
Clear & Cool. I have removd my Bed into the bedroome, Sorted Beens but feel feeble. mr Ballard mended the kitchen Chimney & harth yesterday, the oven this day. Jonas Men plowing our field this day. at home.  
3 6
Clear and not so Cold. I have done some washing, Churnd & made a Chees, Sorted beens &C. at home.  
4 7
Clear and pleast. I have done hous wk, ironed. mrs Smith here, had Beet & parsnip Seed and Some Carrot & Squash; is to let me have thread. Wm Ballard Sleeps here. at home. mrs Smith here.  
5 1
Clear & pleast. I have been at home, made a Chees. Dagt Ballard gone to Sydney. at home.  
6 2
Clear part of ye day, raind before night. mr Piper Sent me some Tea by Le faett. at home.  
7 3
Clear & very pleast. I have Sett trees & Current Bushes & done other matters in my Gardin. Esq Titcomb, S. Cumings and Lat Hamlin Calld here. it is training through out ye Common wealth ys day. at home.  
8 4
Clear morn, thunder & rain aftern & Evng. mrs Carter here, had gardin Seeds of various kinds. Shee brot me 11 oz Chees. Allin Lambd, Epm & Sally Ballard Sleep here. at home. Allin L. & Epm B. & Sally Sleep here.  
9 5
raind all day. I Planted Cucumbers, Scrapt mors of 5 apple trees in my gardin, Churnd 1 lb _ Butter. Allin, Epm, Sally & Martha Sleep here. at home. Allin, Epm, Sally & Martha Sleep here.  
10 6
Clear & Cool. I went to Son Jonas Early ys morn, he, his wife, Epm, Martha, James & Elisabeth took their departure for Clinton about 11h am, Allin with them. may God prosper them in every lawful under takeing is the wish of me their aged mother. at Son Jonas. he removed part of his famely to Clinton.  
11 7
Clear fore n, Cloudy before night. I have Sett up a Leatch & run Some Lee, Cleand the hen roost, Sowd peas & made a Chees. at home.  
12 1
Cloudy most of the day. James Purington Dind with us, Says his grand marm & Fathers famely are well. at home.  
13 2
rainy. I have been makeing Soap. mr Ballard went to Town meeting. Georg Crosby and Saml Cony were Chosen to represent this Town in Genaral Coart ye prest year. we Sowd parsnips Saterday, Carrots ys day. at home.  
14 3
Clear & Cold for the Season. I have finisht Makeing my Soap, had but little. mr Ballard Planted yellow Bush Beens in ye field. at home. Sett my Sage roots. Planted.  

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