Jan'y - 1851
Sund 12th Mr. Knapp in the morn. Rev. Barnett
eve. Dr. Sen , C.R. Watty & myself went to church, in the afternoon. I felt like staying at home and writing a letter to M. Cushing, my eyes being more comfortable. Paid C.R. 17 cts. I owed him. John has a dol. of one to go to market.
Mond. 13th
I got up early, helped Bridget wash , cleaned up the breakfast table & room. Dusted parlor and office, put in order 3 chambers, helped about dinner felt tired by 3 o’clock, and tried to take rest on the bed uncommon try for me in the day. Mrs. Blake called. Dr. Sen dressed her finger at 7 eve. Went to the concert T. Hall – very fine 2 quintet club
Tues. 14th.
Much the same round of chamber work. B. ironed. I wrote a letter to Susan W. and Mrs. Bogle called in the afternoon. Alone this eve. Ed. CR. & Watty gone to the pond to skate.
Wednes. 15th
A. Pierce spent the day here. I enjoyed her visit & in the eve. sent for Mrs. Candler & Mrs. Dr. Pierce to go to the P. — party at Mr. Knapps. Both ladies sick . Edw. expected the flute club.
Thurs.
I took cold in my eyes the eve before and suffered all day, could not sew or read. Felt my liberty very much curtailed. However
Frid.
We were all invited to attend the social dance at C. Heath and I went to see if the parties and company differed much from those we used to have, I came home satisfied that it would not pay for me to work hard – and give one, in the regular course, and be obliged to entertain a set[?] of young strangers who have – generally speaking no respect for old folks & would hardly take the trouble to recognize me after enjoying them
Identity uncertain. There are several references to Abby Barnett, the wife of Robert Barnett, but he was not a reverend.
John Kelly, 35 years old, listed as a laborer living with the Wilds in the 1850 U.S. Census. Born in Ireland.
Bridget O'Niel, 22 years old, listed as living with the Wilds in the 1850 U.S. Census. Born in Ireland. The unusual spelling of her last name in the Census is probably a mistake.
She appears several times in the diary in 1851 and 1852, including being sick after having stayed out the night before (p6) and being chastised about her temper (p9). In March 1852 she is reported being upset about her brother Michael; Mary writes a letter to him for her (p11)-- she was presumably illiterate -- and encloses $15. In April, Mary reports that Bridget at last got her brother and sister to America.
She leaves the Wild family in August.
Ann Hull Blake (1815-1873) lived with her husband George Baty Blake and their family in the former Lewis Tappan house just up Aspinwall Hill from the Wilds. The Blakes had purchased the property in 1847. For more on the Blakes see The Blake Estate and the Blake Family on the Blake Park website.
Brookline's second Town Hall, built in 1844, stood just behind the current Town Hall. It served as the police station after a new Town Hall was built in 1873. The 1844 building was torn down when the old Pierce School building of 1844 was added to in 1904.
Susanna Serafina (Wild) Wood (1823-1898), the Wild's second child and oldest daughter. Married to George Wood and living in Philadelphia.
Jamaica Pond
Susan (Wheelwright) Candler,(1798-1882), lived across Washington Street from the Wilds in a house, still standing, built in 1850 and known today as the Candler Cottage (447 Washington Street).
Lucy (Tappan) Pierce (1777-1858), was the widow of the Rev. John Pierce, minister of Brookline's First Parish church from 1797 until his death in 1849. She was the sister of the abolitionist brothers Arthur and Lewis Tappan.
Edward Wild's monogrammed flute case, as seen at the Worthpoint collectible site. Edward was apparently very musical. There are several references in the diary to him playing music.
This is probably Caroline (Penniman) Heath, (1806-1871), wife of Charles Heath.
