Posted on by andi

“Had turkey for dinner.”

On Friday January 1, 1943, my great grandfather had turkey for dinner. I know this because on January 1, 2019, I read his journal entry for that day. And then I typed it out and posted it to the internet so other people could read it, too.

And so it began. Seven years ago, I started transcribing the daily journal of Jesse Brewer. It wasn’t long before I needed help, and like so many other times in my life, my mom offered a hand. She typed up the pages and took the photos, I handled posting everything on the web.

And now, we’re done. We’ve been through all the journals we have. Certainly, there are more – Jesse Brewer wasn’t the kind of person to stop recording – but we don’t know where they are. If anyone has them, we’d love to borrow them to keep the project going.

But for now, the project is finished.

What was it all for?

It’s easy to think that history is made of loud headlines. Wars, political turmoil, plane crashes, assassinations—these are what linger in the collective memory (or not) and make it into history books (or not). But for most of us, the impact of these events takes a long time to reach us, and when it does, it’s usually minimal.

The real history happens at the dinner table, on the front porch, in the dooryard, in the barn, across the field. The uncountable, usually unrecorded billions of interactions between family, neighbors, friends—that’s where real history lives. Our lives are small compared to the events being announced in our social media feeds and newspapers, but they are worthy and valuable and crucial.

What has this project meant to me? I was able to visit the town where I grew up and see it through a 76-year time shift. I got to know distant relatives, many of who are no longer with us. I caught a glimpse of my grandparents around the age I am now, younger even. I got to meet my mother as an infant, through my great-grandfather’s eyes.

What a gift.

Over the past seven years, nearly 10,000 people visited this site. Thank you all. I hope you found something that surprised you, something that made sense, something that touched you. I hope you look at your world a little differently. And I hope the year ahead is full of connection to people and to place.

Goodbye for now,

Andi

15 Replies to ““Had turkey for dinner.””

  3. Andi, This has meant so much to me personally, and I’m sure to all of us. Every day I’ve looked forward to reading what my grandfather was doing that day and it has been pretty amazing. I know him so much better now than I ever did. I am so grateful to you for undertaking this project. Heartfelt thanks for all that you have done.

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    1. Have followed since the beginning. Several surprises for me as well as verifying some old memories.

      A heartfelt “Thank You” for all your efforts!

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  4. It is the end of an era. The journal has come to an end. We will no longer find out if Jubbie worked that day, how many woodchucks or hawks had been spotted, or Grampa Brewer’s success in collecting arrowheads. I have envisioned the rural life of a gentle man living his life actively in Chiltonville. Thank you, Jesse, for keeping your journals, and thank you, Andi, for dedicating your time to this project.

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  5. Thanks sp much. The record had many memories for us. I knew Jesse very slightly and we used to ski with David on the Litchfield. Hill. Ben Brewster

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  9. I enjoyed reading these journal entries so much, always keeping an eye out for mention of my grandfather, Arthur Sirrico. I have thought a lot about what modern technology has brought us (like this blog) as well as what we’ve lost (spontaneous outings, card games, shared meals). I have been surprised by the things he noticed and really got a feel for what daily life was like in Chiltonville. Thank you for all the work you did to share these treasures!

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  10. Reading these journals has been a nice way to step out of today’s fast life, take a deep breath and remember when people made time to appreciate friends, family and the extraordinary things right in their own neck of the woods. Thank you Andi and Anne!

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  11. Very interesting as I only started reading about 2 years ago. Ben Brewster alerted me to it. I have lived on River Street for 40 years and found his journal very interesting. Did he work for the Hornblowers? Where was the Hornblower estate,? Thanks

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    1. Yes. Jesse Brewer was caretaker/gardener for Harry Hornblower, who lived in the house presently across from the Horticulture Center at Plimoth Patuxet. His father had an estate where the fort and meeting house is, overlooking Eel River. Thank you for reading the blog and enjoying the history of Chiltonville as seen through Jesse’s eyes.

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  12. Thank you for sharing Jesse’s journals and allowing us to join you on this adventure. I have greatly enjoyed reading each entry and learned a lot about the neighborhood and town through Jesse’s eyes. Your final post is an inspiring tribute with an important message for us all: “real history happens at the dinner table…” Thank you and congratulations, Andi and Anne! All the best.

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