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Diary
1811
7th March - Thursday - Born in the town of Palmyra in Wayne County, state of New York. The grand Erie Canal afterwards was constructed through this town. At the first of my recollection we were living in the town of Galen, same county. My father's name is Seneca Lapham & my mother is Rachel Lapham (formerly R. Allen) & my name when written at full length is Increase Allen Lapham. The following is a list of my brothers & sisters with the date of the birth of each:
David, 6th mo. 8th 1804 Ruel, 8th mo. 29th 1805 Hiram, 12th mo. 14th 1806 Darius, 8th mo. 9th 1808 Increase A., 3rd mo. 7th 1811 Pazzi, 10th mo. 25th 1812 William, 11th mo. 1st 1817 Mary G., 7th mo. 29th 1815 Margaret, 4th mo. 27th 1820 Tasa Ann, 8th mo. 18th 1821 Hannah, 2d mo. 3d 1823 Lorana 10th mo 10th 1825 Amelia 2d mo. 17th 1828
David & Ruel died in infancy - Hiram died in the 13th year of his age, & Margaret & Tasa Ann both died while very young. The rest are now living (1830) In 1818 the family moved to near Pottsville or Mount Carbon, on the Schuylkill river. Remained there about a year when they moved to the village of...
p. 6 and 7
[Left] Orwigsburgh, 4 miles below. Father was employed on the Schuylkill canal -
1820
The family returned to Galen N.Y. 5 miles from the Erie canal at the [Lyons?] which was then constructing
1822
The family moved to Rochester N.Y. Darius & myself went on foot and drove a cow & calf. Father worked on the aqueduct over the [Genisee?] river. I returned to Galen & lived a few months with one Elias Langdon a farmer.
1824
The family moved to Lockport N.Y. I remained at Rochester tending a petty grocery for one Timothy Miller but did not stay long. Went to Lockport & cut stone for the [docks?] sometimes I earned $1. per day. Father built the gates & other wood work for the [docks].
We here got acquainted with Mr Alfred Barret the Engineer of the canal & Darius got employment under him. Soon after I was also employed at $10 per month & $.50 per day for subsistance.
1826
In the early part of year I went Rochester to school When I returned I found that Darius had got employment on the Welland Canal in Upper Canada & that Father had gone to the Miami Canal in Ohio. In June I went to the Welland Canal with Darius by way of the Niagara Falls. [Assisted?] in running a "test level" for that canal.
5th August. Having received a letter from Father stating that he had got a situation for me in the Engineer Department on the Miami Canal, & that I must come there immediately. I left the Welland Canal to-day for Lockport.
[Right]
Shippingport Kentucky
11th Aug. Having spent a few days at Lockport in preparation I left that place to-day on my journey to the Miami Canal. Went in a canal [Pocket?] boat to the Buffaloe & before night I was on board the steam boat [Enterprise?] & on my passage up the Lake Erie.
12th On the passage up the lake
13th -Sunday- Arrived at Sanduskey at night.
14th Started at 3 o'clock this morning for Middletown on the Miami Canal - rode 60 miles, in the stage
15th Rode to Columbus, where we stayed for the night
16th Drove to Dayton where we stayed.
17th Got to Middletown at breakfast time this morning - went down to [Dick's?] Creak & saw Father - found that I had come much sooner than he expected & that my place would not ready for some time.
21st. Went down to Cincinnati; saw [Parsi?] who had been going school at that place - Hicks
29th Returned to [Dick's] creek on foot
30th Commenced work on the Miami Canal as Rodman under B. Killbourn Assistant & Samuel [Forror] Resident Engineers - at $12 per mo. & 3 per week for board.
15th December. A few weeks ago father went to Louisville having been employed on the canal at that place & to day I left the above service & went there also, Went to school to Mr K. Butler of the Jefferson Seminary. In January I was employed by [Judge?] Bates as Rodman on the Louisville & Portland canal under John Bates his son. - Went to school when not employed on the canal.
1827
12th February- The family arrived from Lockport except
p. 8 and 9
[Left]
Shippingsport Ky.
Darius who remains on the Welland Canal - we are now living in the village Shippingport two miles from Louisville.
23rd Feb. Left school & commenced [devoting?] my whole time to the canal -
6th Oct - Commenced Keeping this Diary regularly. Went to Louisville - In the afternoon I went to Indiana shooting. Saw a cave but it could not be entered.
8th Went to Louisville & bought some books at an auction
9th Went up to Louisville to get the books.
12th Carried the Engineer's Reports up to the canal company's office in Louisville
13th [Judge?] Bates arrived
16th He took levels on nearly the whole length of the canal
19th Carried the Engineer's Report to Louisville - gave it to Judge Bates, received $20 for [John?] Bates - bought a pen-knife
20th Went to Louisville to see Judge Bates
22nd A rainy day
23rd Judge Bates left here for Cincinnatti - I have received of him $ 170 being the amount of my wages up to this date - In August last one John R Henry came here from Rochester N.Y. employed by Judge Bates as Engineer instead of John Bates - he now takes that duty upon himself & John is going to Ohio. Sent a letter to Darius giving a description of a high pressure steam Engine.
26th Mr Henry made his office in a room in our house
28th Sunday - Went over to New Albany with John Bates & J.C. Brown to see the "boiling-spring" [?].
1st November. Read a letter from Darius which says that he has been sick 3 weeks - but has now recovered.
[Right]
Dec. 1827
3rd November. Worked on the canal all day
13th Sent a Notice of the Louisville & Portland Canal and the Geology of the Vicinity to Prof. Silliman for publication in his journal of science.
21st Copied a letter for Mr Henry, & then went up the canal to see some experiments with a machine invented by Oliver Phelps, on the Welland Canal for drawing up carts in deep cutting
22nd. Went up the canal in the morning - Spent the rest of the day in reading.
23rd Went up the canal to ascertain the number of men for Mr Henrys report - In the afternoon I went a hunting & killed a rabbit & two wood-peckers.
24th Worked on the lock
25th - Sunday - Stayed in my room.
26th Spent my time reading
27th In the forenoon I went in search of a cow who did not come home as usual - Worked ont he canal after noon.
28 - Mr Geo. S. [Rhis?], an engineer, late of the Chesapeake & Dellaware canal invited us to-day.
[strike 1st December]
30th Assisted in making the estimate in the fore noon and in the afternoon I took it to Louisville
1st December - Spent the greater part of my time in reading
2nd - Sunday - Took a walk in the woods with father in search of cherry tree (wild) bark which we want for medicine -
3rd Went for the cow - & then worked on the lock -
