Sunday, February 28, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 28, 1965
Sunday, sunny, 30's.  Girls and I went to church and Sunday school.  Sue and I went at night.  David took Doug back about 5:30.  LaVerne and Roberta and John here in afternoon.
Comment: Quiet Sunday....and from Socrates Hubbard about 100 years prior.....he live behind Hubbard Hill in the mountains overlooking Livingstonville......the last line is "we had dinner (noon meal) of bread and milk"....our family often had snacks of crumbled up bread in a glass of milk with salt and pepper on it...

This picture evokes an image of Socrates's writings....

The Sabath and Church The morning is bright and a solem stillness seems to pervade all nature. The very cows seem to know that it is Sunday. There is no husel about the house the children are all got ready for Sunday School. Mary and myself are at last ready washed and dressed cleene, and start for the church which is perhaps three quarters of a mild off. We arive there we are early but few have got there yet: so we sit down on the square blocks of timber in front of the house and look around us. The church stands in a grove of Beach the tender leaves have just put out and the soft light green is magnificent. The birds seem full of joy almost crack there throats with there melodious songs. The distant mountains seem so blew and peacefull while on the opisit mountain side is seen no signes of labor. The cattle are seen quiately feeding in the pastures but the plough is left in the furrow, and all shows that it is Gods holy day. I shall never forget the influence of these peasfull Sabaths. To say that I was happey would not express the feeling. My verry soul over flowed with joy and prase to God for the beautiful world he had placed me in. At length all are here Hurshel Hurlbert is the superintendent. There is fifteen or twenty children present. The opening cervices are solem feeling and seeme to impress every mind taking us as it were into the very presance of our Saveier. My lesson was the reading a portion of the New Testiment and perhaps saying a few verses. We had no Question books. The superintendant was generaly my teacher and how affectionately and earnestly he always pointed me to the way of salvation. We had some thirty or forty books of the sunday school sermon. they were kept in a table drawer and were considered by the children a very large liberary. Books were not so plenty then as now and how eagerly we received one of them and if it chanced to have a picture or two it was a prize indeed. The Sabath School generaly closed an half hour before church time. The children generaly remained to meting. This half hour was spent walking about in the shade of the woods. Somtimes geting over the fence and going some distance in the center of the wood to a spring and refresh ourselves with the cool clear water. Then we would sit on the blocks in front of the house watching the people come to church. They came young ladys from the Hollow and oposit mountain across the fields, climeing the fence in front of the Church. Then came women carreying there babys. Women and men on horseback. Lumber wagons full of people, men, women, and children seated on chairs. Then a lot in a wagon all seated on straw in the bottom. And now a wagon with a hay rigin on and girls boys and men purched about on it like chickens at roost. We have preaching every two weeks and this happens to be preaching day, which accounts for the immence crowd of people The church or (meeting House as it is always called) is nearly full. I am siting or standing out yet wating for Father and Mother to come. Directly Eliza Hulbert comes a tall bashfull awkward girl. The crowd out side so abash her that she dont see where she is going. in assending the half doz steps to the church she takes the last step for the church floore and gos to walk in and coms with a loud rattle of elbows and knees upon the floor in side the room. There was of course maney ill bread and cruil enough to laugh out right. The Preacher has come his name is Cook. The serveses are gon throu with I can tell but little of them at this late day. After the preaching all the members of the church were invited to remain to class meeting I was not a member at this time but remained. The Preacher asked each one the state of his mind and then gave some good advice. Somtimes mearly saying go on brother, or persevear Sister. Each one said from Sunday to Sunday about the same thing. Complants of a hard hearte of neglect of duty living far from Christe hopes of living better and a desire for prayers of Gods people. I had maney of these little speaches by hearte. Servises over we go home and have dinner of bread and milk. The rest of the day is spent in.

Saturday, February 27, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 27, 1965
Saturday, warmer, Gerald and Mary Ann here for dinner.  David picked up Doug in Kingston 9 am.  Roger, Maureen Cohn and LaVerne's here for supper.  Clifton took Bob Loucks to Albany.  Got land deal with Rothers straightened out.

Comment: I was Roger Cohn's best man at his wedding..sounds like quite a crowd for supper......here are Roger and Maureen at Mary Ann's house just before our wedding.....Maureen died a couple of years ago in Florida...she was a great person....I met Roger during my first year at COBY Tech, he was an Army vet like me and we had some good times.....

Friday, February 26, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 26, 1965
Friday, cloudy, windy, 5-18.  Our rug and furniture came in the afternoon.  Wayne brought Laura here at night.  Rother called from N.J. and said he didn't want the land.

Comment:  News about the land deal falling through was probably devastating because I think they were spending the anticipated money on the house renovation...not sure what happened....but the deal finally went through.....

Thursday, February 25, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 25, 1965
Thursday, no school.  Freezing rain in am, 20.  Warmer in pm, 40, rain.  I wrote to Marilyn and finished curtains for living room and covered a chair.

Comment: Mom sure keeps busy....

Wednesday, February 24, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 24, 1965
Wednesday, no snow, lovely day, 30's.  I washed and hung white clothes outside.  Clifton and I went to Schoharie in pm about deed etc on land we sold.  Home late.  I worked on curtains.  David cut down some trees.  Laura and Mary here for supper.  LaVerne, Roberta and John here in evening.

Comment: Busy day with visitors.....

Tuesday, February 23, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 23, 1965
Tuesday, sunny, cold in early am, 0 to 20, no snow.  Girls, Clifton and I went to Mother's for dinner, took Carol to Dr. Dougal.  Clifton went to Union meeting home late.

View From The Cross Road

Comment: Tuesday to Cobleskill, unemployment and dinner (mid-day meal) to Richmondville and Grandma Bessie's....Unemployment and the Operating Engineers Union were the basic foundation of Dad's family economy. His membership in the union allowed me and David to get on the union construction jobs he was working on and we were all on unemployment at one time or another. Supplemented with the farm resources; dairy, beef, pork, chickens, game, sales of hay and logs and wood to heat the house, we got along but just barely. The sale of the 30 acres of land on the mountain is what is financing the present house renovation.....

Monday, February 22, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 22, 1965
Monday, cold and windy, 5, no snow.  Clifton, the girls and I went to Oneonta and got rugs, mirror and a vacuum cleaner, home 2:30.  Clifton went to (Masonic) lodge at night.  Wayne went to Laura's in afternoon.  Comment:  Dad was a lifelong Mason and in 1981 received a 50th Year Masonic Award from Vernon Lord, below left and "Prof" Peckham, below right....Dad suffered a stroke in 1975 or so trying to wrestle a large hog onto a truck to take to the slaughter house and in the picture below, you can see his partially paralyzed left hand...it pained him constantly....I remember well one time when we were talking about his stroke. He was very resentful toward his doctors for not warning him of the risk.....

Sunday, February 21, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 21, 1965
Sunday, no snow, partly cloudy and warmer, 50 high.  Girls and I went to church and Sunday school.  Clifton, Sue, Patty and I started for Carlisle to church at night.  We got near Cobleskill but it was so icy we turned around and came home.

Comment:  I was actually born in Carlisle, NY in the house Grandma Bessie and Norm were living in while they were working as tenant farmers.  LaVerne, Marilyn and I were all born outside of hospitals.  This might be the place where I was born......This is Mom with me as a baby and Marilyn and LaVerne probably in 1939 at my Grandmother's place...a rather stylish bunch...the badge on LaVerne's cap is an old deer hunting license badge of my Dad's......

Saturday, February 20, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaires

February 20, 1965
Saturday, fair and cold, -12 in am.  Warmer, sunny day, 20's.  I papered front room and living room and Clifton and boys finished painting and changed rugs.  Girls went to ball game at night.

Comment: Frigid weather, 12 below would make it pretty miserable....work continues on the house.....

Friday, February 19, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 19, 1965
Friday, bright, windy and cold, 50.  I washed in am.  Clifton changed a tire for Halls.  Clifton and I went to LaVerne's after paper board in am.  I did ceiling in front room and some more painting at night. Very windy and cold at night.

Winter along the Mohawk River In The Catskills

Comment: More painting and papering....

Thursday, February 18, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 18, 1965
Thursday, partly cloudy, 20's, sunny light snow in am.  I had sick headache all day, didn't do much, tore paper off living room, went to Middleburgh in pm after different plaster.  Didn't go to prayer meeting.  Carol had game at Margarettsville at night.

Comment: Sounds like a long day for Mom, even sick, she kept on working....I never saw Carol play basketball...too bad....

Wednesday, February 17, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 17, 1965
Wednesday, sunny, 30's.  David went for unemployment and Mary came back with him. She was here for dinner and supper and helped take care of paper in front room.  We finished painting ceiling in living room in am.

Comment: House updating in full swing...everybody helps....

Tuesday, February 16, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 16, 1965
Tuesday, partly cloudy, in 30's.  We finished painting ceiling a flat coat.  Went to Cobleskill in pm and got Gerald's chauffeurs license.  Saw Evelyn Tenblad and Billie and Virginia at Cobleskill.  Mother called in am and asked us over for dinner but w didn't go.  Freddie Coons died.  I went to Louvilla's to SS meeting at night.  Madelyn went with me.  David had letter from Doug.
Comment: Busy day...the NY state driving laws changed in '65 requiring a Class 1 Chauffeurs License to drive tractor trailer and although I was pretty much done driving at that point, I got it anyway and I still regret today that I let it lapse about 10 years later in Ohio.....here are some memories of driving performed by David...and I still would like to handle one of those rigs one more time......

Truck Driving

I’ve hauled bark for Timberland to make charcoal briquettes

Getting paid 8 cents a mile, I took all I could get.

Brockway diesels , Screaming Jimmies, Mack B63’s

Concrete batch truck, Andrews Air Base, Washington DC

I drove to put  myself through school, just trying to change my luck

Off the farm then just discharged I drove those damned old trucks.

I’ve  hauled clinker, ice and milk and charcoal by the ton 

Double clutching, jamming gears  making midnight  runs.

Quarts of Pepsi with no food kept me tightly wired

Sleep deprived hallucinations, always over tired

Triplex, Duplex, straight 5-speeds with vacuum  shift rear ends

5 speed mains -auxiliary 3’s, combos with out  end

I  always got them figured out sometimes while on the road

And I always drove those damned old trucks, as fast as they would go

I’ve left smoking strips of rubber and watched those big duals burn

When I locked them up to miss a car as they made a no-left turn

I’ve endured  the deadly boredom then the special thrill

When I blew the air brake diaphragms at the top of a steep hill

I’ve passed semis 3 abreast on  narrow 2 lane roads

Trying to keep momentum up with twenty  five ton loads

I’ve seen my trailer in my mirrors skid and come around

And damn near jack knife tires sliding on the icy ground

I’ve rolled backwards down a hill in a state of abject terror

When I missed a shift and stalled it out and my trailer brakes lost air

I got it started, revved it up and jammed it  into low

The tractor reared high in the air when I popped the clutch to go

So when I’m on an the interstate and see a big rig roll

I want to be there in that  seat but I guess now I’m too old

I know I’ll probably never get to go back to those times

But  sometimes just before I sleep I hear a diesel whine

And I feel the  deep vibrations of a big rig in my bones

And I drive a midnight highway, fast and young and wild,  alone.

And I feel the  deep vibrations of a big rig in my bones

And I drive a midnight highway, fast and young and wild,  alone.

Monday, February 15, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 15, 1965
Monday, fair, sunny, 38.  I washed and hung some out, they dried good.  Put white paint and stain on ceiling.  Mrs.  Mayo was here in afternoon and we fixed Otis a sunshine box.  Roads good, no snow, only in spots.  Billie called and asked me to pick up pattern at Cobleskill.

Sunday, February 14, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 14, 1965
Sunday, cloudy and cold, high 18.  Went to church and Sunday School.  Carol didn't feel good and stayed home.  Laura here for dinner.  LaVerne's in pm.  Carol went home with them while we went to church at night.  Clifton and I sang.

Comment: I guess I did not realize that Dad and Mom were still singing.....here is a picture of them in California about two years prior with Marna...

Saturday, February 13, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 13, 1965
Saturday, cloudy, windy and cold.  Gerald and Mary Ann came for dinner and left around 7 pm.  Carol didn't feel good but she and Sue went to Valentine party at parsonage at night.  We called on LaVerne and Roberta in afternoon.  Otis came home from hospital.

Comment:  Early Valentine's Day party......

Friday, February 12, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 12, 1965
Friday, windy, some warmer.  Still working on ceiling.  Richard Dadone here at night again.  LaVerne, Roberta and John here too.  Gerald called from Gloversville.  Girls went to ball game.
Comment:  The REALTOR comes again to finalize the deal...and the weekend begins.  And this was the number 1 song on 2/12/65:  

Thursday, February 11, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 11, 1965
Thursday, partly cloudy but warmer.  Still working at ceiling.  I went to prayer meeting at Madelyn's.  Richard Dason,(Realtor)  had two people here in afternoon to sell old place up back.  He came back again at night and had made a sale to Herman and Judith Rother from N.J.
Comment:  The "Old Place" was the original farm owned by Gamalia and Anna Hubbard and was on the way up the mountain to the tower and we kids were up there very often either on our way to the tower, hunting something, or after the cows.  Dad sold around thirty acres for $3000.00.  I remember him talking about how when he walked the property with  Rother, Rother was totally amazed how much land thirty acres were and Dad thought he probably could have sold him three acres for the same price....here is a story and some history of Anna and Gamalia based on a news article from the Gilboa Monitor in 1886..a damned horse could have killed her......


A Horse Story 

Conesville—Mrs. Gamalia Hubbard met with a singular accident not long since, which might have proved very serious.
She was reaching in the horse manger after eggs, when the horse caught her hood and hair between it’s teeth and jammed her head against the manger with such force that her eyes were badly injured; so much so that for a short time she supposed that she had lost the sight of one eye; and they are still badly swollen and discolored.
..Gilboa Monitor, April 8, 1886

This was Margaret Ann Christiana, (1849-1933), married to Gamalia Hubbard, (1852-1883), who died of appendicitis when he was 31 or so. She was called Anna.

They met while both worked for Col. Zadock Pratt in Prattsville, of Pratt's Rocks fame. He started a leather tanning business in the area.

On April 24, 1882, they bought land on what is now known as Hubbard Hill. The middle part of the our homestead was the original log cabin that Gamalia and Anna lived in. Previous to that, they lived further up the mountain on the old foundation behind David's campsite.

Their children were Elmer, my grandfather, and John, who had no children. Gamalia and Anna are buried in Grand Gorge Cemetery.

She was apparently a much loved grandmother of Elmer's children and I remember my Dad talking about his visits to her.


This incident happened about 3 years after her husband's death, when she was about thirty seven years old. Elmer, born in 1882, was about one year old when his father died and about 3 years old when this incident occured. It also must have occured on Hubbard Hill.

Interesting that she outlived her husband by fifty years....... Also interesting to think about how many of the current generation would have died of appendicitis had we been unlucky enough to have been born a hundred years earlier.

Thanks To Bea Haskin For The Information

Wednesday, February 10, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 10, 1965
Wednesday, rainy, 20-38, freezing rain in am.  Worked on ceiling, got lights in half of it.  Wrote Doug and Marilyn.  Ella called at noon.

Comment:  I think they were working in this room putting indirect lighting in the upper left ceiling...the ceiling beams were hand hewn and were original to the home.....

Tuesday, February 9, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaires

February 9, 1965
Tuesday, beautiful, fair, clear day, warm, 40's.  I washed and hung outside, everything dried good.  We took Myrtie to see Otis with their car in pm.  Had letter from Doug.  David went about unemployment.
Comment:  Washing still a big job back then, hanging clothes in 40 degrees not necessarily a lot of fun but Mom seems up beat about it anyway.....Otis must be sick, not sure why they took their car to see him, I guess Myrtie does not drive......From Mary, David's Wife:  David lost his job at Hunter Mountain Ski Area because he took a day off to attend my grad party at the Parrot House a few days ago.

Clear Day Looking West From Hubbard Hill House

Monday February 8, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

Monday, February 8, 1965
Foggy and warm, 40's we went to Middleburgh in am after Myrtie.  Merel went to hospital for sugar.  Dorothy Lee killed at Cairo By-Pass.

Comment:  Not sure who Dorothy Lee is but probably a Lee girl from the family that lived on Bull Hill Road on the way to West Conesville.....here are Aunt Ella, and Uncle Merel with Betty and Merel Jr sometime in the early forties  I would guess.....

Sunday, February 7, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 7, 1965
Sunday, warm and rainy, 43.  We went to church and Sunday school and to LaVerne's in afternoon and rode up to Hunter.  Sue and I went to church at night.

Comment: Quiet day, nice ride up to Hunter probably from Gilboa to Prattsville, on to Lexington on 23A and then to Hunter...very scenic....

Saturday, February 6, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 6, 1965
Saturday, warm and thawed, nothing special.

Comment: 'nuff said.....

Friday, February 5, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 5, 1965
Friday, cloudy, cold, -8 to 12, very light snow in pm.  Clifton and I cleaned attic.  Girls went to ball game at night.  Wayne went to Laura's for supper.  Bettie called in am to see if Mother was working.

Comment: Not sure who Bettie is, maybe Betty O'Hara?, Mother is Grandma Bessie who worked in a glove shop in Richmondville owned by one of Mary Ann's cousins...small world....still very cold...cars and tractors won't start, equipment freezes....

Thursday, February 4, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 4, 1965
Thursday, very cold, high 3, windy.  I baked cookies for Carol for bake sale at school.  Made cake and worked on LaVerne's shirts.  No prayer meeting, nearly everyone sick who would come.  David got back from NYC 9:30 pm.  Ella called and Mrs. Mayo.  We wrapped water pipe in attic and cellar in insulation.
Comment: It's been bitter cold for days in row and something usually froze, either water in the barn, or water or fuel oil for the house....

Wednesday, February 3, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 3, 1965
Wednesday, bright, cold, zero degrees.  I wrote to Doug.  Sent income tax.  I ironed all day and finished it.  Myrtie was here for supper.  LaVerne, Roberta and John here in evening.  David and Mary went to NYC.

Comment: Something must be going on with Ote and Myrtie, Mom has been spending some time at their house and having her down several times.....not sure when Otis died...they were brother and sister and I remember I always thought they were man and wife.......Here is a talking blues song about them.

Hubbard Music Mountain: Ote And Myrtie Talking Blues Gerry Hubbard: 

Tuesday, February 2, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 2, 1965
Tuesday, partly cloudy, 20. We went over to Mother's for dinner.  Gerald called at night he made it to Buffalo ok.  We called Marilyn and they had got back from Arkansas 5 pm Monday.
Comment: I'm in Buffalo for a job interview and I got the offer a week or so later...

From Marilyn about Jim Harris's father's death:  Ira Harris, Jim's dad, had been in Ca and had left here about a week earlier. He was in a small house that caught fire and he died of smoke inhalation. It was in the middle of the night. Jim's Uncle Charlie, Jim and I went to Hot Springs and had his funeral. We actually paid for it and not sure where we got the money. We never had much extra cash but God always provided for our needs. He was born July 6 1902, Died on Jan 25th 1965. Gerald  thank you for doing this. It certainly jogs our memories. LU "M"

Monday, February 1, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 1, 1965
Monday, cloudy, 20 high, snow starting about 2 pm.  Washed, got Gerald's clothes ready; he left 6 pm for Gloversville and going on to Buffalo the next day.  David fired from job at Hunter.  Doug started at cruise to Caribbean.  Ly Warner here at night.  Had letter from Marilyn that Jim's dad had died in a fire at Hot Springs, Ark and they were on there way there.

Comment: Lots happening, I'm heading for a job interview at the Ford Buffalo Stamping Plant.......do not remember about the fire that killed Jim's dad...must have been pretty bad.....