NOBODY LAUGHS, NOBODY CRIES

Republished on this web page with permission of his son, Harry L. Philbrick

1831
July	4	at Home was quite independent
	30	Home afternoon Sporting with Gun -- so called -- but the Idea of wounding some poor bird and causing it Misery about Spoils the sport
August	29	Maj Jno Smith Cut his throat at the tavern
November	24	A day of thanks and hard Eating
1833
June	26	Attended Camp Meeting at Salisbury. Made one convert of Mr. Peaslee a Methodist Minister. In a discussion with him, he stated or boasted that he had spent much time & money for more than 30 years in trying to do good to his fellow men. When I knew that his only son was then selling liquors in his father's store, close to his door. A crowd was collected to listen when they heard this cutting retort from me -- You have boasted of spending much time and money for the good of your fellow men when you are virtually selling them damnation at your door from your own store. He was convicted, went home and put an end to the traffic, & made his will giving the store to his son, on condition that if any more ardent spirit was ever sold in the said store it should revert and become the property of the Methodist Society.
July	1	Went to Portsmouth -- saw the wild Beasts
	24	Went to Nahant in Steam boat
August	4	At Exeter at Court to hear the trial of the Cilley Will. Heard Daniel Webster against Jereh Mason.
1834
January	5	Wm Roberts Died. Was a pauper unmarried -- and brother to Jonathan who was a pauper and pensioner -- & Sons of Thomas -- the whole rack are paupers and always will be probably
	31	Lecture on Electricity at Lockes
1835
February	13	Jacob Knowles fell from a tree & killed a boy
1836
February	7	Sarah James Philbrick Born/my daughter
1838
March	13	Town Meeting -- Chosen Rep. a protracted Meeting they toiled 4 days and caught Nothing
June	17	Went to Canterbury to see the Shakers
September	18	Jacob Gove Died. A miser no children -- Scrubbed and pinched himself until old age found him with 6 or 8000$ -- was perplexed to know what to do with it -- tried to kill himself by cutting his throat and finally died
1839
February	18	John Colby of Salisbury killed by dogs
1840
July	19	Corn rolling. Potatoes growling
August	4	Gaming more noise than Game
September	12	Born Mary Barton Philbrick
1841
October	6	My little Girl Mary died
1843
March	17	Oliver Dow my Ward Died . . . was stupidly Insane -- a hereditary complaint originated in the Marston family
April	11	Sleighs Ending & Wheels Commencing
July	21	To Shoals in a Sloop with wife on a pleasure party
September	6	Sick. Have not been confined to my House 24 hours at one time for 25 years or more
December	20	Exchanged horses put away my good old mare which I had owned nearly 10 years -- She had one fault was a little skittish. I parted with her only because she run away with me among rocks and stumps, and liked to have killed me
1844
January	26	Phrenological Lecture
1845
April	22	Died Jno B Beekman a Revolutionary pensioner, was of Swedish extract remove to this town from the Isles of Shoals/at the com. of Revolution/lived on the farm road was an honest and industrious man . . .
July	20	Drowned Eli Chase was intemperate Nobody Laughs, Nobody Cries
1846
March	24	William Walton Jr. killed at Amesbury blasting Rocks did not possess enough of the organ of caution for that business
September	14	Made complaint and Warrant for bastardy Louisa Adams 75c
November		It was never so dry within the memory of the Oldest Men. More than half of the Wells are dry. My well holds out.
1848
January		The high price of potatoes is owing to a disease or rot which extended from Continent to Continent and has shown itself for the first time in this town to any extent
July	1	News of Jacob Rowe's death on his way to Labrador. Was intemperate. Had the horrors and Slipped overboard in a harbour -- he no doubt supposed the Vessel lay at a Wharf and slipped over slyly to get Liquor & instead of landing on the warf sunk in the Water
August	8-21	Sick. Shut up store and put myself under the Drs. care . . . the Dr. left me . . . feeble. Out every day but do not gain much or any strength -- neighbors think I am about going but I had no such Idea
1849
January		In California Gold Fever is raging people are rushing to the diggings from all directions
February	21	Cold very. Saml Sanborn of Hampton killed in Hampton by the cars was an inebriate and in liquor when killed which was the cause
June	16	Grace Eaton Died about 82 years -- Fine Shower. The electric fluid did not spare the Baptist church at Hampton . . . She was better known as Aunt Grace -- was honest and ignorant. Never knew her own age
July	29	Edmund Toppan Esq of Hampton died . . . E. was a lawyer and for many years a Member of the Legislature, where he was just/possessed much verbosity -- a gentleman in his deportment. Talents of a high order an easy speaker -- and but for the cup might have easily risen to the height of eminence in this State
1850
March	3	Dr Lowell Brown hung himself in Stable Shed. Originated in Maine State. Studied Physick with Dr. E. Dearborn. Was a man of an impulsive rash overbearing & tyranical character -- and but for this he might have lived at peace with his neighbors and died lamented.
November	2	Ann Maria Brown died. She was the 3rd of the family gone since March last her father hung himself. Her brother died on the Coast of Africa -- and she poor girl of consumption.
1851
August	2	Abraham Chase died 77 of cancer. Intemperate.
1852
November	2	Presidential Election Frank Pierce elected
1853
March	20	Died Danl Eaton Town Pauper Intemperance in its worst form
July	4	Home, a free Man, being free from the confinement of the Post Office -- having served 24 years
1854
February		Have done all my teaming myself which amounts to more than I have drove a team for 30 years back -- which gives me robust health, have felt as a little inconvenience from the unparallelled cold winter as ever did in my younger days
August	10	Home I married Chevy Chase to Seth Knowles, & come away, Apart to pray
1855
July	4	Independence. Sam Fogg shot himself delirium tremens
December	6	Enoch Gove died a pauper near 90 years old. Was a singular man was partially insane and probably there is no man living or dead who has walked over so much of the United States as he has. He has walked from Halifax to New Orleans -- and to New Orleans two or three times
1856
May	23	Danl Boyd died 79. He was intemperate sufficiently so to have killed 1/2 doz. young men
1857
September	12	William Janvier Died last night AE 62 . . . was an honest man a good accomodating neighbor, always easy and seldom had enough energy to set himself about his work until necessity drove him.
1859
February	13	Benj Gunnison died suddenly aged 44 by falling on the end of my axe handle, purchased the Dr Dearborn Estate fitted it up thoroughly & opened a tavern. He was a man of some talent, good appearance, affable, pleasant and minded his own business. Be he had one fault which terminated his existence. Once in a year or two he was subject to a spree or drunk which generally continued some 3 or 4 weeks, during which he kept house and could not be controlled or control himself.
1859
December	20	Wm Chase died or found dead. Son of Jonathan age about 60, single and simple loved liquor/ Slept in a barn & fell or rolled off/ Bill Chase is gone a poor old man We ne'er shall see him more He slept upon the mow high top And landed on the floor.
1860
April	12	Fast day or rather a day of intemperance
November	6	Election of President Abe Lincoln
1861
March	4	Cool. Abe Lincold Inaug President of U S
April	11	Fast day/ which means/ fast drink
	19	Plowing and planting Peas War War Civil War
1862	23	Halled Loads hay from Grove Marsh/ and attended Town Meeting & voted 300$ to each Volunteer as a bounty
	30	Administered Oath to two Volunteers making about 30 in all
September	1	about home War War
	20	War War Soldiers enlisting --- spending the 300$ bounty given by this Town
	24	My birthday 71 years Old a Steady Nerve Yet
1863
January		About the 1st Saml Smith who married Sally Moore . . . He was intemperate, his nativity was in Bradford, N.H., & was a simpleton. They both died by general consent --- lived undesired and died unlamented
March	12	John P. Brown . . . Age 56 --- habits not the best, consumption
	31	Calvin Brown died aged 25 of a consumption . . . a young man of good habits ...
July	13	Foul weather. Great excitement about drafting --- Mobs in the Cities
August	20	Lowell Brown died Aged 85. He was generally known by the name of Lawyer Brown, was a man who possessed a strong mind and a stronger will, was rather litigatious, was always in a quarrel, and as the saying is, in hot water --- to which he became so accustomed . . . that it almost became a necessary element in his existence. He lived undesired and died unlamented.
1864
May	11	Dolly Janvier Died AE 72. She never married, was always prudent and industrious --- and left a few hundred dollars to be divided among her brothers & sisters
June	8	Jno. O. Eaton & Giles Eaton & Jno. Walton died this week. Eatons intemperate and debilitated. John Walton was 67 years old, a steady and industrious man. Giles denies being dead, and I suppose he ought to know best.
November	8	Presidential Election Abrm Lincoln reelected
1865
April	3	Glorious News --- Richmond Taken
	9	Sunday News of the Surrender of Lee's army
	15	Pres Abram Lincoln died this morn at 7:30 he fell by the hand of an assassin
	19	Funeral obsequies of Pres L. all over the Nation. The news [of Lee's surrender] is equal to the closing of the great rebellion. A great day, bells ringing guns firing all rejoicing even most of the Copperheads look pleased --- although they cannot have forgotten their long reiterated assertion, "You never can subdue them you cannot bring them into the Union," they had their sympathies for the Rebels they wished for their success, and hence the cry --- I have never once doubted of the Union success, my faith has always been strong. Judging from physical strength and means of the North.
June	10	Canker worms about closing up their concerns for this year. They have done a big business, one half of our orchards are without green leaves. They look dead enough.
1866
January	26	A schooner loaded with lumber wrecked on sunk rocks. The wreck and cargo mostly came into our river; the Capt. was drowned in his cabin and his 3 men were rescued by Frank Nudd of boars Head alone with a large gunning float. The feat was truly hazardous and praiseworthy --- and which few would have dared to undertake --- he landed the three through a heavy sea in an exhausted condition at one load safely at Boars head. Few cases occur of such hazardous intrepidity.
March	13	At our town meeting there were 5 men between the Age of 80 and 90. were seated in a row behind the Officers & voted. They were . . . all republicans, a very remarkable circumstance. A Walton is the oldest near 90 --- & I observed him reading without glasses
May	24	To N Port bot 8 thousand Cedar rift shingles @ 7.50. the shingles are for the main body of my house. It was built in 1821 of Rift pine shingles from Pittsfield which have lasted 45 years --- none such can be obtained now.
September	24	I am 75 years old today --- thrashing beans
1867
July	7	Sun. fair people looking to their hay --- and if the deacons dont they ought to be ousted from the church. Why: because Nature has bounteously done her part and given us an excellent crop. And he who neglects to do his duty in securing the crop is grossly sinning against Natures laws . . .
1868
January	17	Moses Eaton died --- Ebenezer French died at Bangor. [Eaton] was a capable man and a good citizen. Was one of the Select Men quite a number of years (and a good one) Representative 2 years. He supported a character of firmness probity and justice. Ebenezer French the first lawyer this Town had the misfortune to support . . . As it is difficult to ascertain his good qualities, will passover his character in silence.
July		The 15th was the hottest day for many years. The glasses in most places run as high as 106-8 & 10. Mine was 100. Many people all through the country lost lives by a sun stroke.
September	2	Elijah McQuillin died aged 52. He was a carpenter and mill wright very ingenious --- and but for occasional intemperance might have been still living & a much more useful man. his death was caused by a drunken scrape from receiving blows on the head from a Gun in the hands of Enoch Fogg. he is too impulsive to trust himself with so dangerous weapon in the melee he received the charge of his own gun through his foot --- which if he lives will render him a cripple --- a solemn warning to all young men of an impetuous and impulsive organization . . .
November	3	Presidential Election Gen Grant
1869
January	17	Moderate. the Adventists baptising through the ice
March	1	Isaiah Page died. Isiah came from Haverhill and Married Miriam Green . . . --- he joined the Society of Friends. became intemperate. wife died. Married a woman from Kensington spent his property and for the last 4 or 5 was a pauper supported by Hampton Falls
September	8	Abraham Chase died. He was a man of good morals, a good neighbor --- an honest man --- no difficulty having taken place between the families the whole time. His disease was on the bladder which had troubled him occasionally for near 20 years, Age 68 yrs
September	24	78 years old today. Halled load of scruff and a load of wood myself
1870
March	8	Town Meeting. I have attended Town Meeting this year being my 57th time without missing one and as usual took an active part in the business
1871
December	1	Cold and windy David G. Dow died by Freezing removed here from Pittsfield some 25 years ago --- was son of David Dow a Quaker elder. The deceased was an intemperate man --- and by the combination of a pail of Rum and excessive cold --- in a cold house --- he passed a Thanksgiving which terminated his useless life
1872
November	5	Presidential Election. Gen Grant Elected by a great majority over Greely I have attended the annual Town Meeting at the same place in Seabrook sixty years without missing one and Fifteen Presidential Elections. And always from principle --- adhered to one and the same Political party. First under the name of Federalist 2d Whig & 3d Republican
1873
January	1	A pleasant day --- Ada wished me a happy N year & I gave her a 3 ct. piece for a keep sake
1874
September	24	83 yrs. old. To N. Port after Shingles & Clapboards

The Author of this poem, Charles Philbrick, was born in Providence. RI in 1922. He received his higher education at Brown Univerisity and the University of Michigan, and was a Professor of English at Brown, specializing in 19th and 20th century poetry. Married and the father of four sons, he died in April, 1971. His poems appeared in dozens of magazines, including: The Atlantic Monthly, Saturday Review, The Nation, The Sewanee Review, and Kenyon Review. During his lifetime he published three books of poems --- the last, VOYAGES DOWN, in 1967 --- and one book for children. He was also the co-author of two textbooks. In 1958 he was awarded the Wallace Stevens Poetry Prize by judges Conrad Aiken, R. P. Blackmur and Allen Tate.

All of the above was extracted from the book "Nobody Laughs, Nobody Cries" by Charles Philbrick, Copyright 1976 by Deborah Philbrick, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 73-93613, ISBN 0-912292-33-4. Printed in England by Villiers Publications Ltd., Ingestre Road, London, NW5.

If you are interested in obtaining a copy of this book, which contains 44 more wonderful poems by Charles Philbrick, click on the link below.