Wilson Rickenbach work diary at the drydock

This is a transcript of Wilson Benjamin Rickenbach's (1863-1918) work diary from 1882, at Rickenbach Boatyard, Rickenbach Station, Tuckerton PA. The original diary, shown at left, belongs to his brother Adam's great granddaughter Colleen Rickenbach Schulze. I am guessing that the purpose of this diary was to track the work hours and expenses on various projects so as to calculate the amount charged to each project.

 

The name of the author of this diary was not given. Howevery, two entries (18 Jan and 1 June) positively identified the author of this diary as Wilson Rickenbach. A tombstone at Hinnershitz Church with the inscription "Charles C. Rickenbach, b. 18 January 1882, d. 1 June 1882, child of W. B. and S. Rickenbach", is next to Wilson Rickenbach's tombstone. These dates match diary entries giving the birth and death of the author's child and burial at Hinnershitz Church.

You can see the actual handwritten entries in the diary referring to the birth and death of Wilson's child by following the above links. The full transcript of most of the diary is below.

Over the course of 1882, Wilson described work on no fewer than sixteen boats, a laker (a type of boat), and row boats. It appears that most of these boats were built at the drydock, but some may have been repair work on existing boats. Wilson briefly describes a boat launch (from the drydock to the canal) on 10 June, the birth and death of his child (18 January and 1 June), and a canal boat trip to New York City (September 16). Wilson was 23 years old when he wrote this journal.

 

Work was generally performed Monday through Saturday. Wilson alludes to Sunday activities - games, skating, daytrips to Reading, and various visitors to their house at Rickenbach Station.

A reference on 13 March to "filling the canal to day" may have meant that water was being diverted from the river to fill the canal with water for the season. The canal was drained during the winter freeze.

Several references to "Howard" visiting the drydock likely refer to Wilson's oldest brother William Howard Rickenbach (29 years old in 1882). Howard lived in Chester, PA and although he was a schoolteacher there, he was probably was still involved to some extent with the drydock.

 

Most entries are brief statements. I have kept them exactly as written (spelling, grammar, etc.). I have made sentence punctuation not part of the original. The dates of entry were pre-printed on the pages of the pocketbook-sized diary. I placed quotation marks around names of boats, not included in the original diary.

You can get more details of life at the drydock and on the canal by reading a description of the life of Wilson's older brother Edwin Rickenbach.

 

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Wilson Rickenbach drydock work diary, 1882

Sunday, January 1, 1882

Plaining the keels of the 4 row boats. The day was fair

 

Monday 2

Puting up the sterns and stems of row boats. Worked 7 hours. No work at the yard. The day was cloudy and changeable and cold. $5.82 for hardware and $16.75 for lumber for the row boats. Car fare 25 cents.

 

Tuesday January 3, 1882

At the yard 9 hours. Laying the deck of the "west wind" and puting in clamping. No work at the small boats.

 

Wednesday 4

At the yard 5 hours and 4 hours at the row boats puting up the keel of the first. The weather was cold.

 

Thursday January 5

No work at the yard. 8 hours at the row boats getting to plank sowwing to day. 1 quart of coal oil.

 

Friday 6

9 hours at the yard. Cuting out knels (?) for the "west wind" and geting other materls (materials) ready. No work at the Row boats, cold and cloudy. No work at the Row boats

 

Saturday January 7, 1882

9 hours at the yard. Plank in the side. A fair and pleasant day 33 at stove Bill. $1.25 for shoe repearing. No work at the Row boats. Butler 35.

 

Sunday 8

No work no where to day. Ariving of jockey to work at the yard. Rainy day and lone some.

 

Monday January 9, 1882

9 hours at the yard. All hands at work to day at the "west wind". Row boat lumber came today. Stove bill $5.61.

 

Tuesday 10

9 hours at the yard puting on the tag and bilge planks. No work at the Row boats. Fair day.

 

Wednesday January 11, 1882

No work at the yard. Whole day at the Row boats. Rain and snow.

 

Thursday 12

9 hours at the yard puting on the benical (?). A fare day. 1 quart of coal oil.

 

Friday January 13 1882

No work at the yard. A whole day at the Row boats planking. Snowing all day.

 

Saturday 14

6 hours at the yard at the benical and hatches. A fare day.

 

Sunday January 15, 1882

Steaming lumber for the Row boats and skating on the mill dam. A mild day.

 

Monday 16

9 hours at the yard at the hatchs and comemensed (commenced?) the "gold smithe maid". All hands at work. Raining to day.

 

Tuesday January 17, 1882

No work at the yard. Working at the Row boats puting the super (?) plank on and geting ready of the timbers. Very cold and snowing.

 

Wednesday 18

No work at the yard. Puting timbers and geting guards ready. Stove bill $1.60. Our child was born to day.

 

Thursday 19 January, 1882

4 hours at the yard geting slides ready fore the stable and benical and a stable hatch. Puting guards on the Row boats.

 

Friday 20

8 hours at the yard making models for the new boat. No work at the row boats. Payed the balance on the machine $6.00. Cold to day.

 

Saturday 21 January 1882

9 hours at the yard finishing the models for the new boat. Raining all day. Two quarts of coal oil 6 cts. a quart. Stove bill 12 cents.

 

Sunday 22

Riviting the rim yards on the Row boats. Very cold day.

 

Monday 23 January, 1882

No work at the yard. Puting the seats and the breast hook (?) and knees in the Row boats. Very cold.

 

Tuesday 24

No work at the yard. Puting seats and knees on flooring in the Row boats. Very cold.

 

Wednesday January 25, 1882

No work at the yard. Finishing the Row boat and taking her out and starting a new one. Raining to day.

 

Thursday 26

9 hours at the yard marking the frame for the new boat. Cold and icey. Stove Bill 28 cn.

 

Friday January 27, 1882

9 hours at the yard marding the frame for the new boat, hauling lumber and working at Goldsmith maid. A fine day.

 

Saturday 28

5 hours at the yard cuting frame for the new boat and working at the "Goldsmith maid". Snowing all day.

 

Sunday 29 January

No work at all. Nice day but stormy.

 

Monday 30

5 hours at the yard working at the "Goldsmith maid" puting on the whailin (?). Very cold.

 

Tuesday January 31, 1882

No work at all yard. Working at the Row boats puting on the side planks. Snowing all day.

 

Wednesday February 1

No work at all yard. Working at the Row boats puting on the side planks. Very cold to day. Stove Bill 34 cents.

 

Thursday February 2, 1882

8 hours at the yard working at the Gold smith maid puting on whailin (?). Cold to day.

 

Friday 3

9 hours at the yard puting the railing (?) on the "west wind" and fixing the ?. Stove Bill $1.1x. Cold day.

 

Wednesday March 8 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the west wind puting in bilge and tug and spiking buton. 40 cents for car fare and $2.25 for tickets

 

Thursday 9

No work at the yard. Started Edward Row boat puting 6 planks on. Raining all day.

 

Friday March 10, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "west wind" finishing the street side and comenced on the ? side to put in bilge planks. Half doe (?)

 

Saturday 11

10 hours at the yard working at the "west wind" puting in bilg planks and spiking (?) bolts. A nice day.

 

Sunday March 12, 1882

No work at all. Gone to Reading to day to see George Hainden (?) and Bill Ringler. A nice day. 25 cents for car fare.

 

Monday 13

10 hours at the yard working at the "west wind" puting bilg planks and spiking (?) button. Filling the canal to day. Cutting lumber for the Row boat.

 

Tuesday 14 March 1882

5 hours at the yard making a rudder for the "west wind" and fixing the lining in the "webster". Very cold day.

1 doz. of eggs 15 (cents?).

 

Wednesday 15

8 hours at the yard corking and wood work on the "west wind". Commenced to snow. 1 quart of milk 6. Stove Bill $2.25.

 

Tuesday March 28, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "webster" puting planks in and corking. 1 bag of flour. Nice day.

 

Wednesday 29

11 hours at the yard working at the "webster" and "Byrns" puting hatches on. 1 quart milk 12 cents. Stove Bill 1.12 cents. Nice day.

 

Thursday March 30, 1882

11 hours at the yard working at the "Capt. Byrnes" puting planks in the side. Nice day.

 

Friday 31

11 hours at the yard working at the "Capt. Byrnes" puting planks in the side. 1 quart of milk 6 cents. Half doz eggs 8.

 

Wednesday May 31 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the fan tail and at the bilge planks and corking. Med ice 25. Nice day.

 

Thursday June 1

No work at the yard. O child died to day. Stove Bill 79. Recieved $10 dollars. Paid 3.50 for the cofin.

 

Friday June 2, 1882

No work at the yard. Buried our child to day. Paid $4 dollars on the lot at the cemetry at Hinerchiets Church.

 

Saturday 3

10 hours at the yard planking the tug a the nin (?) boat puting the bottom on.

 

Sunday June 4, 1882

No work at the yard. Taking a sketch of the new boat and finishing the batan (batten?).

 

Monday 5

10 hours at the yard planking at the bilge a the boat. Puting bottom on and corking.

 

Tuesday June 6 1882

10 hours at the yard puting bilge on and corking at the bottom. Finishing the cabin.

 

Wednesday 7

10 hours at the yard puting on the bilge and corking. Working at the cabin. Howard came home to day.

 

Thursday June 8 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the cabin making the shutters ready to paint corking at the bottom. Butcher bill 65 cents.

 

Friday 9

10 hours at the yard puting the moulding on the cabin and the doors on. Puting the shutters on. Recieved $500 dollars. Car fare 25 cent.

 

Saturday June 10, 1882

10 hours at the yard marking the boat, making ready to launch. Launched at 3 o'clock. 2 quarts of milk 12. 1 doe of eggs 20. 1 froung (?) of butter 22.

 

Sunday 11

No work at all. Booth (?) at boat ride at Shoemakersville.

 

Monday June 12, 1882

10 hours at the yard finishing the new boat, puting the name on, called the "J (?) Alvin". Stove Bill 30 cents.

 

Tuesday 13

10 hours at the yard finishing the new boat and made a bridge for it. Stove Bill $5.75. Howard went down to day.

 

Wednesday June 14, 1882

10 hours at the yard. Comenced the "chunker" to day, cuting bilge logs out and geting the stem ready.

 

Thursday 15

10 hours at the yard working at the stem and finishing the bridge. We docked a schooner to day. 1 quart of milk 6.

 

Thursday July 6, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "preston" puting the cabin in and the knees. Stove Bill 36 cents.

 

Friday 7

10 hours at the yard working at the "preston" puting planks in the side and corking. 2 doz of eqqs 40. 1 quart milk 6.

 

Saturday July 2, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "preston" corking and puting planking the sides. Stove Bill 36 cents.

 

Sunday 9

No work at all. Adam Krick was here to day picking jerys (?)

 

Saturday July 22, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "chunker" puting planks in the side and corking. Stove Bill xx cents.

 

Sunday 23

10 hours at the yard working at the laker corking the deck and fixling the hatches. Young Joel Krick came to day.

 

Monday July 24 1882

(no entry)

 

Tuesday 25

10 hours at the yard working at the laker, finishing the deck and commenced the "Clara" corking at the deck.

 

Thursday August 3, 1882

8 hours at the yard working at the "chunker" finishing the sides and puting beams on. Butcher bill 60 cns.

 

Friday 4

10 hours at the yard working at the "chunker" puting deck on. Stove bill 20 cents.

 

Saturday August 5, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "chunker" puting on deck. Car fare 75 cents.

 

Sunday 6

No work at all. Playing croka. 20 for ice cream.

 

Friday August 11, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "Howard" corking at the deck and commenced the sides.

 

Saturday 12

10 hours at the yard working at the "Howard" corking, taking the cabin out and lowering it. Coal oil 12. Stove Bill 100

 

Sunday August 13, 1882

No working at all. Unkle John McHenry came up to day.

 

Monday 14

10 hours at the yard working at the "Howard" corking and puting the cabin in. Had the "chamion" on the dock. 1 doz of eggs 18.

 

Tuesday August 15, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "Howard" corking and working at the cabin.

 

Wednesday 16

10 hours at the yard working at the "Howard" corking and working at the cabin. Had the James Krammer. 1 doz of eggs 18.

 

Thursday August 17, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "chunker" and at the "Selmar" corking and puting ? in the stern deck. Stove Bill $6.20. Recieved $10.00

 

Friday 18

10 hours at the yard working at the "chunker" and at the "G M Shants". Stove Bill $2.50. Howard went up to day.

 

Saturday August 19, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "chunker and put the "Maggie Bickley" out the deck. Stove Bill 50

 

Sunday 20

No working at the yard. Corking at "Howard" deck.

 

Monday August 21, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "Bickley corking the bow and puting the sides. Stove Bill 50.

 

Tuesday 22

9 hours at the yard working at the "Bickley" puting in lining.

 

Sunday August 27, 1882

No work at all. W H. Ringler was here to day.

 

Monday 28

10 hours at the yard working at the "chunger" (chunker?) puting at the cabin.

 

Tuesday August 29, 1882

10 hours at the yard working at the "chunker", commenced at the cabin puting the floor in corking at the side. Received $2000 ($20.00?). Stove Bill $1.02

 

Wednesday 30

10 hours at the yard working at the "chunker" puting in the cabin and corking at side. 1 1/2 dock of eggs 27.

 

Saturday September 16, 1882

Come from Chester to Fairmount

 

Sunday 17

Laying at Fairmount. Went to the Zoological garden.

 

Monday September 18, 1882

Come from Farimount to Bordentown.

 

Tuesday 19

Come from Bordentown to Mill Stone.

 

Wednesday September 20, 1882

From Mill Stone to New Brunswick.

 

Thursday 21

Come from New Brunswick to New York.

 

Friday September 22, 1882

Lay at New York.

 

Saturday 23

Laying at New York.

 

Thursday October 26, 1882

Thursday Charles Adam (appears to be other younger person's handwriting).

 

Friday 27

Friday Annie Adam (appears to be other younger person's handwriting).

 

Monday November 27, 1882

9 hours at the yard working at the "pleasant view" puting the shoe on.

 

Tuesday 28

9 hours at the yard working at the "pleasant view" playing the deck.

 

Wednesday November 29, 1882

No working at yard. Working at the clock.

Alice (appears to be other handwriting)

 

Thursday 30

4 hours at the yard working at the "pleasant view" working at the lining.

 

Thursday December 21

Working at the "chandelere"

 

Friday 22

Working at the "chandelere"

 

Saturday December 23, 1882

8 hours at the yard working at the "Robert Emmet"

 

Memoranda

JANUARY 1.23

FEBUARY 1.72

MARCH 2.03

APRIL 2.39

MAY 2.35

JUNE 2.40

JULY 2.20

AUGUST 2.66

SEPTEMBER 70

OCTOBER 20

NOVEMBER 207

DECEMBER 152