Benjamin Hunt Diary – 1800

1800, 1st Jan. This Day Salley Pierce dined at my house.

6th. Sent a letter to the Sheriff at West Chester to inform him that I would be no longer accountable for Buntings Property (which I had engaged to do).

First day. Jan. 12th 1800. Doct. Roberts and wife, Eli Hunt & wife, Nathan Sharpless & Polly Hains Dined with me. in the afternoon Sally Peirce & Molly Batty came to my house, in the evening I and my wife went to James Woodward’s on a Visit.

Second-day, 13th, went to Moses Marshall’s Esqr. to meet some folks by appointment, after business was done with them the Squire and myself took each of us a pair of skeets and went up the creek to look for rock fern but got none: found Caleb Marshall falling trees on th ice and drawing them off with his horse. by & by came Joseph Smith Jun. & Peter Rodeback on their skeets and after diverting ourselves we returned home, we have now uncommon fine weather for this time of Year, the people going about in their sleeveless Jackets.

Fourth day. 14th: This Day went with Nathan Sharpless to Lancaster; lodged at Green’s Tavern.

  1. in the morning went to view the poor house not yet finished; then we returned to Green’s to breakfast: then went to the Assembly room, in the afternoon went 3 miles up the reading road: returned to Greens, in the evening met my brother Eli Hunt & Amos Brinton going to Virginia. This day was so warm I would fain went to set the north side of the house.
  2. This morning started for home, came through Strawsburg and by the copper mines: in the evening got home.

21st. Went to West Chester in Company with David England by way of Richd. Buffington’s, Jacob Swain’s & Abr. Bonsal’s to Squire Graves, to hear a lawsuit between Isaac Woodward and Thomas England in which England got Cast.

25th this day was at Squire Graves’s to meet some People who owe me money. There was a suit between Aaron Woodward, plaintiff, and Eli Woodward, defendant, about a waggon that Eli had hired or borrowed of Aaron, Ihe squire would not decide upon it so it was agreed that David Scott and myself should settle it: so we concluded to divide it between them.

27th. Marthaa Taylor, Daughter of Titus Taylor, came to my house.

31st. this day about noon my wife started to go to Isaac Woodward’s. In the afternoon it came on a severe storm of wind & snow and continued to blow & snow all night so that she could not get home.

Feb 1st. she came home about noon.

2nd. Nathan went with Martha Taylor to her Father’s.

6th. This day in the afternoon I went to Wm. Seal’s for money but he was not at home, so I got none: returned by Samuel Jones’s: paid him Nine Dollars and sixty Cents Interest for one year of a bond he had on me; then to Aaron Davis’s, found him & Aaron Evenson in the barn Cleaning rye; then to Thomas Bailiff, in Peter Osburn’s house; then home.

First Day, Feb, 9th 1800. This day in the afternoon my father-in-law came here: in the evening my Brother returned from Virginia, him and father went away together.

12th. this day I started to Philad., got into town that night; went to the play.

  1. In town.
  2. In town.
  3. started about four O’Clock for home where 1 arrived about eleven O’Clock.

21st. Went to West Chester, paid George Cochran 5s, 7 1/2 d for righting a watch I left with him on the twelfth Instant. Rec’d of Jas. Henderson on acc’t of Abr. Chandler $4.60, of Aaron Davis $7.66. of Wm. Townsend 5d- Came home in the after noon with John Michal: paid him $15.67 in full for whiskey.

David Scott, who some time ago got an Execution on my acc’t against John McCormick, brought him to my store in the afternoon and seeing no likelihood of getting the Money I ordered him on to West Chester Jail. William Hare was convicted for stealing a pair of half boots at this Court and sentenced five years to hard labour.

28th. this Day in the forenoon it began to snow.

March 1st, the snow Continued.

March 6th. Thomas Gibbons house Burnt this morning.

7th. This day a Great frolic of a bear hunt at Abiah Taylor’s tavern between West Chester and Bradford Meeting house, kept by William Weston, ripping, tearing, fighting and pulling hair like madmen; keeping it up till twelve o’clock next day.

Sth. Joseph Taylor’s house burnt.

Sundav, Sth. This day in the afternoon Polly Lloyd. Lydia Gibbons. Sally Peirce & Lydia Peirce drank tea at my house.

19th. Jefferis Arrived from India.

24th. went to Wm. Jefferis’s Vendue with David England.

25rh. went to the petty Sessions at West Chester: -was appointed overseer of the poor for West Bradford.

28th. went to West Chester to a Vendue of the effects of Joseph Moore Deceased.

27th. this morning I heard that Elizabeth Huey was marryed to John M’Gudgin. About noon James Moore came to live with me to go to school.

1800, March 21st. This morning Samuel Hart & family left this neighborhood for Virginia by whome I sent a letter to Thomas Francis.

April 3d. Joseph Hawley sen. Marryed.

8th. In Wilmington.

20th. Doctor Roberts & wife was here
at my house.

23d. this evening Thomas Weaver Came
here.

24th. Aaron Jefferis came here to my house.

25th. sent Yarn to the blue Dyers by a Woman of the name of Wilson.

27th. Started to Philad. in company with David England.

28 & 29th, in town.

30th. this Morning started for home in company with John Carpenter Jur. and John Hickman.

May 1st. Lydia Buffington, Widow of Thomas Buffington Died.was interred at Birmingham.
James Smith Jun. and wife came to my house; likewise Jane Osburne. I went to Smiths to see my old uncle James, his son James & wife. this Day went with my father-in-law to see a plantation that Wm. Huey had bought above Waggontown.

May 15th 1800. West Bradford. Hannah Carpenter Died.

17th. was buried at Bradford Meeting.

18th. Elizabeth M’Gudgin came to my house: went away next day.

21st. This day I hear that William Huey, my wife’s brother, is marryed to Lydia Way. Daughter of Jacob Way.

22nd. James Embree Jur. and Sally Michener Marryed at Bradford. Francis Hickman & Jesse Pile came to my house from French broad (Tennessee).

2nd June, this morning my wife went: to West Chester in company with James Smith Jr. & wife and took stage for Philadelphia, this morning I hear a great noise of Locusts, there are great numbers of them this year.

4th. This night my wife returned from Philad.

11th. this evening Elizabeth Webb, wife of Isaac Webb, died at West Chester.

ISth. Francis Hickman returned by my house on his way to French broad.

July 7th 1800. Went to Philadelphia with Jas Baldwin’s waggon.

Sth. Came out of town towards home but could hardly travel for heat, came to Wilson tavern white horse.

9th. this day got home.

14 & 15. at Joshua Hunt’s reaping.

22nd. Susannah Hunt (my step Mother) and Rebeckah Taylor Came to my house.

  1. went home again.

24th. this Morning paid James Woodward seventeen Dollars in full for hay or grass in presence of Mary Kergan.

1st Aug. Went to Weat Chester with James Woodward where was a great Meeting at James Bones’s of the republicans of Chester County, there was delivered from the female Republicans to a trtiop of light horse iliere present a most elegant stand of Coulers, after the delivery of which they Marched in procession into Dilworths woods where they partook of a Dinner after which a Number of toasts were given and they returned to town.

August 2nd 1800. this evening an unhappy affray took place at Joseph Smith between William Smith and George Speakman, the latter was much hurt.

11th. This day I went to William Smiths he took me to see a Grape vine which measured three feet six Inches Circumference.

18th Sept. This any I put off my stock of goods to Abraham Baily to amount of $1022,5

22nd. Went to John Pimm’s in the great valley from there to John Hoopes.

1st Oct. Went with Wm Huey and his father to Wagontown.

4th. This Day James Smith and wife Came to West Chester from Philad. in the evening Came to my house.

7th. This Day William Jefferis & Elias Jefferis and their families passed by my house on their way to Redstone.

Oct. Stii 1SO0. This Morning started to Philadelphia with my wife.

10th. got home this evening.

11th. Went to Election at West Chester.

19th. Went into East Whiteland to Abraham Philips’s store to see him about some particular business but was not at home.

Nov. 1st. Went to William Westons to an appeal for Militia fines.

7th. Took Simon Battin & wife and Aaron Jefieris to the poor house.

8th. Went to Isaac Woodward’s Vendue in Company with his father James & his uncle Richard Buffington.

15th. This Morning- sued Isaac Harvey before Moses Marshall Esqr. but it looks as if I must pay the cost and loose the debt. In the afternoon had a vendue oi Simon Battin’s property, one of the paupers of West Bradford.

20h Nov. 1800. about daybreak this morning- heard a strange noise resembling an earthquake, this night snow.

29th. this day Daniel Grimes Died about 12 O’Clock

13th Decm. Was at a vendue of the plantation of John Beal Bordley in West Bradford but it was not sold.

16th. Samuel Emrikin the elder died. My wife who went Yesterday to see her sister Elizabeth returned this day, the 17th. to the funeral.

23rd. Uncommon fine warm Weather for this season of the Year, some people at plough.

24th. Thomas Ash started for Ireland.

25th. William Smith & Orpha his wife, James Smith Jur. & Eliza his wife, Moses Clark & Martha Taylor Dined at my house. Ground Quite Clear of snow.

26th. A warm foggy morning most like a may morning. Jane Ford buryed at Bradford.

27th. Went with my wife to her father’s and stayed ail night, uncommon fine weather, quite warm.

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