The diary of Martha Ballard, 1785-1812

"Mrs. Ballard's first entry in the diary was on 1 Jan. 1785 and entries continued daily with few exceptions until 7 May 1812; a span of 27 plus years or nealy 10,000 daily entries. ... Martha Ballard's reasons for maintaining her diary were many, including the recording of daily credits and debits, vital statistics, the actions of family members for proof of compliance with law and church edicts, agricultural planting, harvest, weather, medical treatments and their results, and her personal thoughts and aspirations ... The diary is the most comprehensive continuous record of family life in 18th century Augusta, Maine, listing persons and events recorded nowhere else ... ". Ephraim Ballard was born at Billerica, Massachusetts, in 1725. Martha Moore was born at Oxford, Massachusetts, in 1735, the daughter of Elijah and Dorothy Learned Moore. They were married in 1754 at Oxford, Massachusetts. They had nine children, 1756-1779. The family migrated to Maine in 1777 and arranged to operate the farm of the deposed loyalist and friend, John Jones, at Jones Landing, Hallowell, Maine. She died at Augusta, Maine, in 1812; he died there in 1821. Most children and grandchildren lived in Maine.