It rained well last night and this morning.  We got 1.3 inches of rain, the best yet.  After breakfast this morning we went to work on the lower garden.  Norman till the section where we will plant our fall garden and I weeded the beans.  He got his job done but I am still working on the weeds, they grow much faster than the plants we plant.  I did pick a basket of tomatoes, two zuchinni, three butternut squash and some mustard greens which we had for dinner along with the zuchinni.  Now on to the story.  You have been reading about Dora and the three children she raised but now I would like to go back in history and see where their story began.  All of this began with Uncle Web.

Daniel Webster Meader was born in Warren NH in 1832.  At the age of 16 he went to Connecticut to live with his half brother Samuel and trained to be a railroad contractor.  He worked the line between Harford, Conn. & Scranton, PA.  It was there that he met the love of his life, Lydia Swartz and married her.  They had three sons all of who died before the age of one.  He managed a hotel in PA until the Civil War.  With the on set of the war his brother-in-laws were all joining the army and Web had to make a decision to join with them or go to CA with his uncle and three brothers.  Web was brought up a Mormon and did not believe in fighting but being a true pioneer he also hated to back away from a fight so it was a hard choice for him.  They finally decided he should go to CA and take a government job helping to build the transcontinental  railroad.  He worked on the tunnel in  Santa Cruz, CA.  The money he earned he sent home to either Lydia for her suport or his father to save for a farm for him when the war was over.  In 1865 Web returned, collected Lydia and two of her brothers and went to NH where his father had acquired a farm for him.  Both brothers had been in the war, one was unable to readjust to life after what he had seen and needed several years before he was ready to resume his life in PA.  Web gave him this chance.  The younger one just needed a little time to decide what he wanted to do with his life.  When he decided he returned to PA also.  Web and Lydia worked the farm for about 20 years and then moved into town in North Haverhill on Main St.  Web still farmed a little, helped start  a starch factory and got stock in the newly formed creamery as well as being very active in local politics.  When Lydia’s health began to fail, her niece Hattie came to live with them.  Hattie kept house for Web and helped care for Lydia until her death.  She then remaind with Web keeping house for him.   Web saw her as the daughter he never had.  In 1897 Hattie married Ernest Thayer but only when he agreed to live in Web’s house so she could still care for him.  Guy was born in 1897, followed by Herman in 1899.  Leslie was born and died in 1901 and Angie Lydia was born in 1903.  Somewhere along the way, Hattie contracted TB and by 1895, pregnant again her health deteriated.  This is where we pick up their story as related in Web’s diaries.  At the same time her sister Mary Jane Barton was adding to her family, which evenually ended up with 20 children.  Hattie would have liked to do the same but her health stopped her.  Dora was working for a family in Lisbon, NH.

Jan.1, 1905  North Haverhill, NH.  Sun.  Cloudy & warm  Ernest, Hattie & Angie gone out to his Fathers.  Hattie Nelson, Boys & myself stay at home.  Irvin Thayer made a short stop with us   looks like a thaw.

Jan. 2 Mon.  Cloudy & warm  Trade not very brisk.  C.M. Carleton down from Lisbon for a few days   everyone filling Ice Houses   good sleighing.  ( Ernest and Web owned a store in North Haverhill. )

Jan. 3  Tues  Snow storm  Last day to be out with a team.  Boys did not go to school.  No traders today, bad time for colds    half the school children sick with it.  Aurther Clark got the whooping cough at Mrs. Hartwells.

Jan. 4  Wed.  Snow storm.  Boys did not go to school to day.  Trade dull, not much moving with teams to day.  Herman gave me a pencil today.

Jan. 6  Thurs.  Cold  Trade not very good.  I got my check on my Creamery Stock  $3.88.  Ken How is stoping with M.A Meader for a while.  Herman got mad at me and kicked me,  he feels bad about it  I guess he is sorry.  (M.A. Meader is Web’s Uncle, Moses Avery Meader who came back to NH from CA where he had lived for some time.)

Jan. 6.  Fri  Cloudy  Fred Clark Hauled W. Fisher a load of wood to day from E.C Thayer’s wood lot.  Trade not very brisk.  (E.C. Thayer is Ernest)

Jan. 7  Sat  Rain   Wind bad this morning  it took the half the roof of George Kimball’s barn, a part of T.S Sleeper’s Grain Store roof,  the roof of Break Hall , Sheds of Moses Bemis, barn roof Fred Patridge down.  Went  Whites windows blown in.

Jan.8  Sun  Cloudy  Hattie Nelson went down to the Centre last night   C.M. Carleton was here all day   had dinner.  gone down to Moses to night  had a good visit  telling old stories.

Jan. 9  Mon.  Pleasant  I took Mr Geo Wiloughby up home this morning with his grocieries.  snow all gone   nothing but ice left  not but a little of that.

Jan. 10  Tues.  Pleasant  Nor much trade to day Frank Sleeper fell on the ice and hurt his foot bad   bent it right back.

Jan. 11  Wed.  Cloudy   Post 4 the Releaf Core installed their officers today.  George Smith Commander of Post,  Mr E Chifford  Pres of Help Core.   Looks like snow storm

Jan. 12  Thurs.  Cloudy   Mr Frank Gale was burried to day.  (Mr Gale was the local blacksmith that Web always worked with)  Mr Eaton Preached the sermon.   Trade dull   it rained some to day  Boys did not go to school this forenoon.

Jan. 13  Fri.  Pleasant    Hattie & Angie L. went out to her Fathers.  I went over to Frank Sleeper   he is flat on his back.    Trade dull  very good sleighing.

Jan. 14  Sat   Cold & Pleasant.  Trade dull.  Ira here to stay over Sunday    not much Business   done not but a little wood hauled yet.

Jan. 15  Sun  Cloudy & cold   Dora came down from Lisbon yesterday.  Ernest took her back to day   She went to the Grange last night.   they installed the officers   Charles Kimbal is Master.

Jan. 16  Monday  Cloudy   Caleb Wells here to day  not very well yet.  Oil man left 105 gal  oil.   trade not very brisk

Jan. 17  Pleasant  I took Hattie & Angie out to her Father Thayer to stay a few days.  Ira & Hattie Nelson gone out to Centre to rehersal for Drammas    good sleighing

Jan. 18  Wed.  Pleasant   Carl Clifford got his foot sawed or split open with a circler Saw    bad cutt  3 Docs  thare to see him.  Took his foot off.

Jan. 19  Thur.  Cloudy   Went over to see Frank Sleeper  he is  getting well   Fred Clark Hauled 2 loads wood to day for W. Fisher   good sleding.

Jan. 20  Fri.  Pleasant  I went over to Hibbard Thayer’s   took back Mrs. Thayer.  She was here , come back with me   Hattie a little better    hope she will remain so.

Jan. 21  Sat   Cloudy  Hattie a little better this morning    her Head does not ache so hard and she can see better.   her Mother Thayer is here taking care of her    not very good  sleighing   Trade not big.

Jan 22 Sun.  Cloudy  snow.  Snowed this morning  4 inches  makes sleighing good  Hattie is doing well hope she will be better soon   The boys been good to day.

Jan. 23  Mon.  Pleasant  Went up to Aurther Irwins to day  sick cow   she’s all right .  Than from Lisbon  had supper with us   He knows Dora   good sleighing now   snow plenty  below & above us   Not much  here.

Jan. 24   Tues.   Cold & cloudy  Hattie is doing as well as could be expected    good sleding    Hauling some wood  now.  Mrs.  Thayer still taking care of Hattie  My rhumatism bad these days.

Jan. 25  Wed.  Windy  Ernest went to Lisbon on the cars.  Ira & Hattie Nelson go to night to the Centre to a rehersal    bad night   Hattie is getting along very well    Water pipe is busted that goes to water closet   Luckes guilty  ft. Degree

Jan 26  Turs.  Cold  Mr Thayer was here to day   Mrs. Thayer is taking care of Hattie.  Hattie no better to day   I am lame to day  but better soon I hope

Jan. 27 Fri.  Cold  Guy & Herman  gone up to Irvin Thayer to stay till Sunday.  Sarah Eastman come in to see how Hattie  is getting alone.  Hattie is a little better to night.

Jan 28  Sat.  Cloudy   Dora came down from Lisbon    Hattie is as well to day as she was yesterday   I hope a little better   Ernest  and Uncle Web went to the Cemetery   had the baby girl burried   it looked sad to me    Angie L.  is a good Girl.   ( This was the baby that Hattie was carrying.  They never named her which means she must have been still born. )

Jan. 29  Cloudy  Ira & Hattie Neson went to Woodsville to day.  Mr Thayer was out to day   Doc does not say Hattie is better but has hopes.

Jan. 30  Mon.  Cold and Pleasant   Boys are still up to Irvins.  Dora still here with us   Ira is still with us   Neighbors are all good.

Jan 31.  Tues.  Pleasant  Hattie little better.  We think she is gaining a little.  We all hope so  –  good sleding   Hauling in the wood.