May 1855
I was mentally & physically very sick and the last week in May. Mr. C. Heath & wife, Mrs. C. Stearnes & I went to Hopkinton. I staid 1 days. Improved continually. Dr. went Frid. after I returned from H. to see Mr. Phipps -- E. Bridgewater.
Sat. June
I went to see them in E.B. Staid until Tues. Walked up to the Sullivans fr. the cars & rode out to Brookline
That week Sat.
I rode into B. with the Dr. Bought my bonnet -- trimmed & wore it to church next day. My health better except a cough which is rather wearing.
Mond. 11th
Mrs. Phipps came from Bridge. to make us a visit.
June 12 Tues. 1855
Dr Edward, & Ellen Sullivan were married.
Laura, E.J.C. & Mary - Watty -- only Susan & Charly absent. Had a nice time. Laura came out for an hour & rode into B. with us.
Sunday 17th
I went with Mr. Phipps over to Jam. Plains to visit his friend Putnam
About Sat. 23 June
Mr. P. & I went to Hop. -- staid until Wednes. 27th -- then came home to see Ed, Ellen sail on Frid. the 29th June. A severe days trial for poor me. So Mr. Phipps & I started next day for Prov. He staid one week & I staid 3 weeks.
Wednes. 4th July
Spent quietly & pleasantly at the homestead, Roby confined to her bed with a cancer.
Friday 13th
I returned to B.
Sat.
Snowing. Julia & Mary. -- a married woman 2 children in the poor-house [near Lord?] -- cleaned paint in the parlors.
Sund. 20th
Mr. Knapp. Weather[?] doings on rainy
Wed.
Had carpets put up out of the parlors
Thurs. 24th
Dr. went up to Prov. on business, one night.
July 29th
Rev. [Pone?]
Tues. July 31st
I went to Boston yesterday. Saw Mr. Sullivan. Gave him my letter to send to Edward & Ellen -- and Dr. put my letter to Charles in Cal. into the post office. Mary the cook gone to Boston. Last of the week she went without saying she wished to go & staid two nights. The next day I had a chance to hire Ellen recommended by Mrs. Blakes Kate. Ellen begun 2d of August. I set her at work, and then left here for North Prov. about the 7th -- found Roby failing and Mary had had a hard month past. Mary Smith had lost her sister Kate -- and M. Irving had been sick with teething. Roby -- or Hannah calling upon her for attention. All together I was glad to help M. lift her load of cares some altho my own health was very feeble. Still a change of cares will some times benefit. Laura & family took my place in Brookline and 7 weeks from Ellen the Cook was enough. Dr. told her she might go the 20th. Julia & L got along one week then Mr. P. found a clever woman.
Edward and Ellen were married by Rev. Andrew Leete Stone, minister of the Park Street Church in Boston. The marriage was included in a list of marriages in the Boston Courier.
Edward and Ellen set sail for Constantinople for their honeymoon. The Ottoman Empire was at war with Russia (the Crimean War) at the time, and Edward soon offered his services to the army of the Sultan and was commissioned a Lieutentant Colonel and Surgeon of Artillery.
He served for at least nine months. It is not clear what Ellen was doing while Edward was with the Sultan's army.
After Edward's service in the war, he and Ellen resumed their honeymoon, traveling through parts of Turkey, Italy, and other places before returning to Brookline in 1857. Mary notes news of Edward and Ellen from abroad numerous times in the diary.
Mary seems to mix up the dates in some of these entries. The dates and days of the week don't always match the actual 1855 calendar.
This is one of many descriptions by Mary about the frequent turnover of the family's servants. They can be hard to follow, especially when she does not provide full names. The servants seem to be maids and cooks and handymen, most of them Irish immigrants. Some work for other Brookline families before or after working for the Wilds.
The 1855 Massachusetts Census lists Mary Cafferty, 38, Julia Quinn, 15, and Michael Mailay[?] , 28, with the family.
The movement of servants in Brookline families like the Wilds is worthy of further study.
