E. Phinney, Miss Tiffany,
Miss Talmage, Miss Shankland, the Misses Fuller, H. Phinney,
Mr. Aitchison, Mr. Lyman, Mr. Crafts, Mr. Stewart, Mr. and
Mrs. Morrell, Mr. and Mrs. Webb, Miss Edmonds, Miss Webb, Mrs.
Prentiss, Mrs. Dr. Webb, Mrs. Russell, Mrs. Williams.

February 17--72 loads of wood last week, making my supply for
1817, say 200 loads, exclusive of office.

February 22--Dr. Pomeroy, Mr. George Pomeroy, and Col. Seth
Pomeroy spent the eve. here.

April 1--A barrel of Pork, this day opened. Robins killed
yesterday by A. L. J., a _sin_.

May 9--Mr. Cooper feels for all mankind.

September 12--The Old Lady very ill.

September 13--Mrs. Elizabeth Cooper departed this life.

October 18--Mr. Gratz breakfasted here.

Concerning some settlements in the region, much has been written of the
spirit of democracy in which they were established, and it has been
pointed out that all social distinctions were levelled in the common
tasks of frontier life. It does not appear that this was the case in
Cooperstown. From the time of the first settlement, apparently, an
aristocratic group was formed in the orbit of the Cooper nucleus, and
social climbing began before the wolves and bears had been quite driven
from the forests of Otsego. The tea party of February 7, 1817, mentioned
in the diary, probably names most of those who were at that time
admitted to the inner circle of the socially elect; another entry, dated
December 31, 1816, relates to a different social sphere, and
unconsciously reveals the great gulf which had already been fixed
between the one and the other, together with the aristocrat's
supercilious astonishment that "that class of society" is in some
respects quite as desirable as his own:

This New Year's eve there was a ball at the Hotel (Col.
Henry's), a very decently conducted and a very respectable
assemblage of the worthy mechanics and that class of society.
I was present, and would not wish to see better conduct,
better dress, and better looking Ladies!!! There was perfect
neatness of dress, without as much Indian finery as I have
seen where they suppose they know better.

Another glimpse into the depth of the social gulf is obtained in the
back pages of Isaac Cooper's diary, where he records his accounts for
wages with the household servants. There is this entry, signed by the
humble cross-mar