Leonard Moore Diary, 1920 Age 18
Sharon, Vermont
Transcribed By Juliana Beraldi
Leonard Moore is not a very famous person in the world, but he is an important person to the town of Sharon because of the legacy he left about daily life in our town. He recorded every day of his life in his diary. It was never very profound, but by reading it today, historians can get snapshots on the daily existence of citizens of Sharon in the early part of the 20th century. His diaries help the world today have a better understanding about what it was like to live back then. What follows is just a small section of his collection of diaries. He also wrote a summary of his life (almost like a memoir).
Thurs. January 1st 1920 Temp; warm Weather; hasty
Studied in morning Finished English Drew logs in after noon, Dad made work bench for Mrs. Mc.
Friday 2 Temp; cold Weather; fair
Sawed logs Drew logs Went to Grange Walked down in 33 min.
Saturday 3 Temp; cold Weather; windy
Went to town Dad worked at Solones Studied in afternoon
SUN. JAN. 4 1920 Temp; -18 Weather; fair
Studied some Jo went up to the Keene Felt lazy and played with Buff a lot
MONDAY 5 Temp; -10 Weather; fair
Jo went back to school Drew logs Bribe Cart Dog handle
TUESDAY 6 Temp; 0 Weather; fair
Went to town. Dad went to Solones and stayed until after the chores were done. They put in a milking machine.
WED. JAN. 7 Temp; warm Weather; cloudy
Killed my beef and delivered half of it. Mrs. Mc came over Don was over to help us Studied in the evening
THURSDAY 8 Temp; warm Weather; cloudy
Finished drawing logs Dad worked at Don’s We went to Masonic meeting in evening Wrote one Examination on Civic’s
FRIDAY 9 Temp; warm Weather; snowed
Joe came home, We drew two loads of limb wood. Dad worked at shop and studied in PM
SAT. JAN. 10, 1920 Temp; -3 Weather; fair
Went to town. Got hair out Drew limb wood.
SUNDAY 11 Temp; cool Weather; cloudy
Dad finished wash bench Studied in P.M and read in morning Josephine walk over to Mrs. Mc Buband went sliding
MONDAY 12 Temp; warm Weather; windy
Snowed a little I took Jo up to So. R. We drew wood. Mrs. Mc broke a simple tree and Dad fixed it it
TUES. JAN. 13 1920 Temp; cool Weather; gloomy
Snowed a little all day Dad hurt his foot Studied some and read some Finished Civics
WEDNESDAY 14 Temp; cold Weather; windy
Clarance Quillis was here to dinner, he had his sled fixed I went to town Dr. Grey was here and fixed Rose’s teeth
THURSDAY 15 Temp; cold Weather; fair
I drew wood Dad feeling better and walked down to mailbox, Growing cold
FRI. JAN. 16, 1920 Temp; -30 Weather; fair
Joe came home Went to Grange most of officiess Begun to snow in evening
SATURDAY 17 Temp; cold Weather; gloomy
Snowed all day but not very hard Studied and read
SUNDAY 18 Temp; cold Weather; rough
They stayed the roller. The wind blew hard all day Studied some. Finished Civics
MON. JAN. 19, 1920 Temp; -22 Weather; cloudy
Snowed a little in P.M, I went to town, Mama not feeling very well, We drew some wood
TUESDAY 20 Temp; -20 Weather; cloudy
Snowed in evening I went to So. Royalton with Jo (So Cold) Drew wood, I do not feel very frisky, got a hard cold
WEDNESDAY 21 Temp; warm Weather; cloudy
Did not feel good Dad finished the wood Mama went over to Mcs
THURS. JAN. 22, 1920 Temp; -20 Weather; fair
I did not do much Had the Dr. in evening Dad went to town
FRIDAY 23 Temp; 0 Weather; fair
Dad sawed wood at Dons I felt some better. Jo came home
SATURDAY 24 Temp; warm Weather; stormy
Dad went to town. I felt better Snowed quite a lot in the night and squalled all day
SUN. JAN. 25, 1920 Temp; colder Weather; cloudy
Case run the roller again. I washed the seperater all up to slick Jo went over to Jnes, finished History S. 1.
MONDAY 26 Temp; -26 Weather; clear
Dad walked to town Mr. Mckeirfman was down here I studied some, One cow calved Heifer calf
TUESDAY 27 Temp; warm Weather; cloudy
Ansus man was here, Josephine went back to So. Dad feeling bum, I brought down after hail I brobe road
WED. JAN. 28, 1920 Temp; growing colder Weather; changing
I went to town Dad went to Don’s I drew manure in P.M. We got deed of School House
THURSDAY 29 Temp; -20
Dad finished at Don’s, I drew manure in P.M. We did not do much in morning I got a letter from Woodie
FRIDAY 30 Temp; cold Weather; windy
Jo came home, We sawed wood Growing colder awful rough
SAT. JAN. 31, 1920 Temp; -22 Weather; rough
I went to town some cold, We did not saw too cold I need some -24 when we got chores done
SUNDAY, FEB. 1 Temp; -28 Weather; cloudy
-34 at Franbs at one oclock, but it clouded up, Dad worked at shop Don came over Joe went up to Mckein
MONDAY 2 Temp; warm Weather; fair
Dad worked at shop I helped wash Quite warm thawed in the sun
TUES. FEB. 3 1920 Temp; warm Weather; fair
Sawed wood finished limb wood We got one lamb
WEDNESDAY 4 Temp; warm weather; cloudy
Sawed wood Went to town in A.M Sent Hide to Perkins
Got three lambs from one sheep
triplets
THURSDAY 5 Temp; cool Weather; stormy
We sawed wood in A.M Snowed hard all afternoon.
FRI. FEB. 6, 1920 Temp; cold Weather; windy
We stacked some wood. I here was a big snow storm last night No Grange meeting
SATURDAY 7 Temp; cold Weather; windy
Jo came home I went to town They slid the roller off the bank feond Mcs twice
SUNDAY 8 Temp; cool Weather; fair
I went on roller, We had Ice Cream and birthday cake for supper.
MON. FEB. 9, 1920 Temp; warm Weather; fair
Work on road. Finished rolling, Dad split wood Did not study to alfried tired They went to drawing longs at Fresh Fred’s
TUESDAY 10 Temp; cool Weather; stormy
Josephine went back Don came over but we did not saw snow all afternoon
WEDNESDAY 11 Temp; cool Weather; fair
I went to town. We sawed wood I got a chick from Perkins
THURS. FEB. 12, 1920 Temp; cool Weather; cloudy
Finished logs Mr. Barnes was here in forenoon
FRIDAY 13 Temp; warm Weather; cloudy
Snowed all afternoon Josephine came home They sawed at Mcs we split wood
SATURDAY 14 Temp; warm Weather; fair
Grandpa came over went to town Dad worked at Mcs
SUN. FEB. 15, 1920 Temp; warm Weather; stormy
Snowed hard we shoveled snow off Mcs, Barn Horse dwent their the floor
MONDAY 16 Temp; fair Weather; windy
shoveled snow off roofs Did not do much
TUESDAY 17 Temp; warm Weather; fair
Shoveled on road We played cards
WED. FEB. 18, 1920 Temp; warm Weather; fair
Thawed today Jo went back to South. Grandpa went home I went to town We split wood
THURSDAY 19 Temp; cold Weather; snowed
Dad went to down to mail box, I read. The wind blew all day
FRIDAY 20 Temp; cool Weather; fair
We split wood Jo came home Grange meeting
SAT. FEB. 21, 1920 Temp; cool Weather; fair
I went to town We split wood Dad fixed hose stable I went up and got snow shoes out of woods some snow.
SUNDAY 22 Temp; cool Weather; fair
Dad went over to Sands Mrs. Mc came over Jo went up to Mckeirmans,
MONDAY 23 Temp; cool Weather; fair
Took Jo up to So. also took up two calves Had tooth pulled, Not much fun
TUES. FEB 24, 1920 Temp; warm Weather; cloudy
Snowed a little I did not do much Dad worked on wood I helped wash
WEDNESDAY 25 Temp; cool Weather; windy
I went to town We split wood I caught hen eating eggs, She won’t eat anymore, Josephine came home sick, I went up after here, poor road
THURSDAY 26 Temp; Cold Weather; windy
Josephine did not get up today, Wood piles started to tip over but we fixed them Didn’t do very much
FRI. FEB. 27, 1920 Temp; 8 Weather; fair
Josephine did not get up today Dad worked at shop Mrs. Mc came over here
SATURDAY 28 Temp; 26 Weather; fair
I went to town, the roads drifted Dad shoveled snow beyond Mcs Josephine got up today
SUNDAY 29 Temp; warmer Weather; cloudy
Snowed a little in morning I cleaned out hog pen and some calf pens Jo, feeling better Read some story
MON. MAR. 1, 1920 Temp; 10 Weather; fair
Mother and Jo not feeling very good Dad did washing We split wood finished one side of road Raymond Luce died
TUESDAY 2 Temp; 18 Weather; fair
Dad went over the hill and fixed telephone line We went to town meeting Dad is fence viewer Mother is sick
WEDNESDAY 3 Temp; warmer Weather; fair
I went to town Woodchuck has dug out Mrs. Mc got a pair of twin calves We stabed wood
THURS. MAR. 4, 1920 Temp; warm Weather; fair
We stabed wood all day Mr. Mc is fisking colts Warm wing snow is settling some
FRIDAY 5 Temp; warm Weather; rainey
Dad feeling sick Did not do much Sick folks feeling better Mrs. Mc sent over some things for us
SATURDAY 6 Temp; colder Weather; snowed and wind
Wild rough day snow drifted very bad I did the milking at night I went over to Mcs
SUN. MAR. 7, 1920 Temp; cold Weather; fair and breezy
Dad did not go to barn at all Adric and I shoveled out the road drifted very bad, Milked 12 cows in 65 min.
MONDAY 8 Temp; cold Weather; fair
We broke out the road I went to town The houses got away when I walked then and they got snow all over Dad came out and helped milk at night
TUESDAY 9 Temp; warmer Weather; fair
I did not feel very good in A.M Mr. Mckeerman got down here shoveling out his road Uncle Sand died this A.M
WED. MAR. 10, 1920 Temp; warm Weather; cloudy
Mr. Mckeerman was down here again today I cleaned the hog pen So much snow can’t do much
THURSDAY 11 Temp; warm Weather; cloudy
I snow-shoed over to Pomfret to the funeral there were a lot there Schuyler came over after a load of wood
FRIDAY 12 Temp; warm Weather; cloudy
I went to town I split wood in the afternoon Dad feeling some better
SAT. MAR. 13, 1920 Temp; warm Weather; rain and snow
Did not do much but study it stormed all day.
SUNDAY 14 Temp; colder Weather; fair
Did not do much my back is lame
MONDAY 15 Temp; cool Weather; fair
Josephine went back. Dad split some wood The telephone repair man came here
The Sharon Historical Society in Vermont 